001[Music] those things. It's all downhill from here, Scott. I feel much better about today, Alison. All right. So, uh let us turn our focus to the board self assessment. So, everybody did receive um earlier I believe. Correct, Laura? Did everybody get a copy of the results? Yes, this was from Yeah, I believe. Yeah, because we were going to talk about it in March and then quickly print if you would like me to. Yeah, we were going to talk about it in March and we decided that it was a very long meeting. Could we postpone it? And so, we postponed it until this meeting. So, we're about a month out from when we were supposed to discuss it. Um, but everybody did receive at that point in time um a document that had like a pie
002chart with Yes. With Do you want me to run copies real quick? I could use a copy. Okay. I'd be happy to. Yeah. How many copies do we need? I would like one if Jim would like one. Yes. So, we need at least three. We have seven or Okay. Oh, well, some folks came prepared. Thank you. I never clean my backpack. Okay, I'm doing four copies then. Yeah, let's do four. Okay, sounds good. I'm Well, I actually had to run back to the office to pick up this stuff to make sure I had it. Well, and now if I remember. Okay. So, Trevor, since you have yours, I know I had to finagle it a little. Oh, okay then. Never mind. Oh, there it is. Okay. Yep. I didn't even pay attention. Well, that's easy
003enough. Yeah, I knew I had one, too, but I think I cleaned out my folder. I told I told Christine I might come home with a hammer. We'll call it Malir. [Laughter] [Music] Doo. Heat. Heat. [Music] the GC's or we could uh discuss the BSRS first. the board superintendent relationship. Any preferences on which one we do first? The BSRS. BSRS. Okay. They're in alphabetical order that way. Sounds like a plan. Easy enough for me. Just so that we're ready. And I think everybody at their place does have the Yeah, we can start then, huh? Well, I I was thinking we could we can wait for the the documents, but I just wanted to see just so that when she gets back, we can go right on into the to the meeting. And uh hey, you're
004the pros for another hour. Hour. All right, let's keep it. Yes. Anybody for 30 minutes? 30 minutes. Do I hear 30 minutes? I'm good with that. Again, you want I hear 15. Well, can I can I ask a serious question? Sure. So in the self assessment process here are we all approaching this like look looking at this as the opportunity to decide about are we still aligned with these are are these the policies that we want to go forward with um typically what is done with the board self assessment is we're looking we're taking a look back thank you so much my color copy saving money saving money no apparently our printer is still on spring break he's saying he wants color one back. Yeah. Do you want I do want my color. I think
005I took notes in part of it. I do need the other one though, too. Yeah, he needs a GC's. Thank you. We can share. Yeah. So typically uh on on this it's really a look back on the on this past year and the board's um how has the board done in staying true to these um and then you know as you move forward that's where I think you know there's been a lot of talk from the board members about you know we'd like to maybe take a look at these policies and how do we adjust them and I think that that's where the next board that gets seated you could start from the beginning really having that conversation and laying it out over a year um if there's anything you want to do. But yeah,
006this is typically just a look back and and grading ourselves as to how we did. So not looking forward yet. Yes. Correct. So without further ado, we have chosen the BSRS to begin with. So uh again really we're only looking at uh the governance culture and the board superintendent relationships because those are the ones that really impact our work and how we behave as as members. So uh let's start with BSR1. So the superintendent is the board's sole point of connection to the operational organization. The board will direct the oper operational organization only through the superintendent functioning as the chief executive officer. And you all see your graph there. And it looks like we were either at a three or at a four. So we did not have anybody rate us uh below a three.
007Is there anything anybody wants to say on this one? Um okay. So seems to me that given that there's no comments, we've everybody agrees that the board has um what's the word? I'm looking for Laura. Um, basically that we have uh stayed true to this policy. Okay. So then let's move on to BSR2 single unit control. So the board will direct the superintendent only through official decisions of the board. Uh we will not we will make decisions by formal recorded vote in order to avoid ambiguity. The superintendent is neither obligated nor expected to follow the directions or instructions of individual members, officers or committees unless the board has specifically delegated that exercise. And should the superintendent determine that an information request received is unreasonable or requires a material amount of time, the superintendent is expected
008to ask the committee or the member to refer such requests to the full board for authorization. So uh on this one, we did have um I can't remember how many answers we got overall um but at least a third were at a two here. So um any comments or uh I think there's a and I don't think it's a bad thing. I think there's a bit of an informality when we just by consensus say, "Yeah, we'd like a little more information on that and we don't vote on it, but it's consensus of the board and so we don't always follow it by formally getting a vote to the board." I think there is some informality, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I I think that in the past, not this board, in previous
009boards, um we have had situations where a board member has gone to the superintendent and said, "I want this." and it was a very large request and in that case it you know that that should not happen. No individual board member should be going and saying I want this and you will get it to us. Um especially when it comes to um things that really the board has control over and as we speak with one voice it should be the board directing that work. Right? So that should really be something that is coming to the board and as a board action even by consensus but by board action um saying this is what we want. Go ahead. Can I ask a question on this one? And I might might have misunderstood, but I've known that
010um like I had I've requested more information on how much I think because I I think this the our constituents need to know how much uh monies do we donate towards like the Boys and Girls Club and all the YMCA, how much it costs us per year to allow them to use all of our facilities free. And I was always going to get there, but I never did. So, I might have been one that put two in there because I and I've asked a couple times and I always said it was going to be given to me or shared with us, not just me. I I wanted all of us to know and I've still never gotten that to this day. Okay. So, what I would say to that is I think that's still part
011of the budget and so that I think still falls within our purview. It's it's information that's already readily available that we could provide. I mean, we ask questions about the budget all the time here and we're giving we're getting some information. I think this is more like, for example, um I would like to see the um aggregated and disagregated information of how fourth grade students uh at Emerson Elementary did on their state test. Like they may not have that handy. Uh it it may take a little bit of work or they may say I want this group of students, right? And so depending on whether that is readily available where we can just grab it versus they need to create that information from scratch. I think that's where we're looking at like you you just
012want to be careful that should really be a discussion from this board. Yeah. I would I would see it as more of a problem if the superintendent were not responding to the requests we're making at the table. So to that has been asked for. Right. So there it was it was by Mr. Levina. It wasn't our superintendent but yes. Right. So that that responsiveness I do I do think it speaks to Dr. Angel's integrity especially on number two. I I don't I don't have any doubt that he would not right you know choose to act on a a direction from an individual board member. Right. And I think the other thing to to remember on this one is the board will direct the superintendent. Right? That is our one point of contact. That is the
013person that we discuss with. I will admit that there have been times that I have reached out to other administrators and asked questions, but I'm always copying Dr. Angel because he truly should be the one who directs it. Um, but for example, there was an HR issue that came my way that I needed to reach out to Mr. Wy and so I just copied both. Um, but we should all Dr. Engel should not be surprised. We should always be connecting with him and keeping him in the loop. Okay. All right. Anything else on that one? All right. Hearing none, BSR3, staff accountability. The superintendent is responsible for all matters related to the day-to-day operation of the district within the values expressed by the board and policy. All staff members are considered to report directly or
014indirectly to the superintendent. The board will never give any direction. So, here we are, right? The board will never give direction to any employee other than the superintendent. The board will not formally or informally evaluate any staff member other than superintendent and except as required by law. The board will not participate in decisions or actions involving the hiring, evaluating, discipline or dismissal of any employee other than the superintendent unless you know again as it says unless required by law. So you know some of those things that uh come up would be the uh it you know the passing of contracts uh non-renewal decisions that happen based upon state law those come to the board. So um those would be very few and far between but there are certain things in law. Uh here again we
015did have uh one or we had about a third who rated us as a two a third three a third four. So um any thoughts that we need to discuss here? I guess I'm just curious I mean about about these twos where we're not meeting expectations of this policy. I mean this is this is two two members of this of the six who completed it. When I was filling this out, I was I was trying like racking my brain for like instances in which we would have made a decision on this, you know, one of these was not followed, which would have caused me to say, you know, sometimes we didn't do this. I I can't think of a time when any of us or the board as a as a body has, for example,
016directed another another staff member, right? So that for me would be I mean I I would typically say we consistently meet. I don't know what it necessarily means to exceed something when you're not doing and I I think there must been some misunderstanding in this commercial. I'm a commercial in this in this uh question because I agree. I I and I I don't think I did that but I just mean the last one I think I probably did put the two. I'm honest on that one, but just because I misunderstood that part of it, honestly. Right. But I agree with I don't see that something on there. I'm just racking my memory for like what it would have been and Yeah. So, yeah. And I can't think of anything. But again, I mean, this is
017a three. Exactly. To make sure, right? I mean you know everybody has and I think of it you know when we do even surveys at in my day job right there people will read it and understand it the way they see it at that point in time and then when we discuss it they may think of it in a different way or other people may have thought about it in a different way so that's why this conversation is important and I I raised that as an invitation to refresh my memory if there is something that's out there I want I want to be reminded of that if I am not thinking about it absolutely so it sounds like we've got some consensus there we feel pretty comfortable. We've been following it. Um so we'll move
018over then to BSR4. Now this one's really long. Um but basically this is that the board will provide direction through written policies. Um and we will uh define operational conditions and actions to be accomplished. So we develop results policies that instruct the superintendent to achieve specific results. We develop operational expectations uh about what we expect and that those are our values expressed in policy. And as long as the superintendent uses reasonable interpretation of the board's results and operational expectations, the superintendent is authorized to establish any district policies or regulations, make any decisions, establish any practices, develop any activities that the superintendent deems appropriate. So if basically what we're saying here is if we've given uh the discretion to the superintendent and the superintendent has made a decision that a reasonable person would make then the
019superintendent has all the authority that he or she needs to do that work without us basically micromanaging for lack of better terminology. Um and then we can change our results and operations policies and we can shift the line that delineates the work of the board from the work of the superintendent. Um but both sides will respect that line. No, neither one of us will encroach in the other's work. Right? So that's basically BSR4. Again, I think we might have had one or two uh that rated us in a two, but predominantly everybody's kind of at a three or four here. Um, any thoughts or comments or questions from the board members on this one? I see there's only six responses, so which is too bad, but So, three people never turned it in. Correct. So,
020you know, and I think that that may be something for the board to consider in the future as well, that it it would be important to have all board members respond because we're we're rating ourselves and so without their input, we're not truly rating the entire board and that's important. I think that's is that is that covered in the GC? I think that is or at least the spirit of that certainly we can think about. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe a different format helpful too, right? We've done it on paper some years, we've done it online some years. So I'm always open to whatever works for the current current board. Yeah. I think even one year what we did is we got together and we literally here Yes. we had the conversation and we all basically by
021consensus and if we didn't agree by vote voted that we you know 4 321. So there's many different ways to do it. We thought this would be the quickest way to do it so that everybody had an opportunity to think about it and provide a result before coming in so that it's not cold. Um well they could do it. It's and and you know they they can do it on their own. They don't feel like they're pressured into correct. Nobody's looking over their shoulder. Peer pressure. They can be honest. So yeah. So again, I think you know the board will decide how they want to do that in the future. Um and then uh BSR5 then if there's nothing else on BSR4. I don't want to move too quickly. BSR. BSR5 superintendent accountability. I think
022ours only printed one side because I didn't have two either. Yeah, I know. I told Trevor's I thought, well, I was like, maybe it was just mine. I'm more than happy to give my copy at the end of the meeting to whomever would like it. I also can share it if you all have your devices. I'm happy to do that, too. Again, I apologize. Apparently, it's on spring break. That's all right. Uh, so BSR5 is the superintendent accountability. Basically, what we're saying here is that the superintendent's performance is identical to the district performance. So, how the superintendent um is well, excuse me, let me say it this way. How we vote as to meeting expectations with meeting expectations with exceptions or not meeting expectations or um you know making reasonable progress is equally the same
023answer as how the superintendent is doing their job. Right? So every meeting we are evaluating the superintendent in one way or another and that culminates as part of the superintendent evaluation that the board takes on in December. So um this DSR really talks about those items and what the expectations are in terms of the superintendent. Um if because board members don't have it if you'd like I could do highlights but otherwise that's basically the gist of it. Uh, for this one, we did have, I believe, one person that did um rate us at about a two. Everybody else was pretty much at a three or four. So, any thoughts? And this one, yeah, this one's two pages long uh as the BSR, so it'site quite lengthy, but any thoughts? I think we have one person
024that's solid two all the way up and down be my guess. Yeah. Which is not a bad thing, right? Yeah. I mean, something to discuss. Yeah. And I think that you know when you look at it I think we have done our due diligence uh to ensure that the superintendent is doing the job that we expect. I think this board has been very judicious in asking critical questions uh of the of the administration when things come up. Um I think that you know we've we've done as best we can to also uh point out the highlights as much as we point out some criticality. So, um, but I think overall we've done a really good job here. Any other thoughts? I think this is something we could communicate more to the community. I think because
025I've had people ask about the superintendent's evaluation and how we do that. I was like, we're doing that every week. Actually, every week we're voting on whether we think things are working in the district according to policy. And those votes are an evaluation of the superintendent's work, right? So there's probably some outreach work around which is the the trick of coherent governance, right? Yeah, that's the thing. And you know, at least um from what I've heard from my conversations with Dr. angle individually. You know, he wouldn't mind going back to non-coherent governance because there's so much less data he has to provide the district, right? This is I mean the administration has to provide a lot of information to us every board meeting. I think too much well and you know so exactly I mean
026but that's that's the whole purpose of it right is so that we are getting everything and we are transparent not only with each other and the superintendent but the community. So, um, yeah, I think it we've done a very good job there. Last BSR5E, the annual evaluation of the superintendent. Um, so here's where we specifically talk about that language. Um, we basically had everybody rate at a three or a four here. Um but basically that we will conduct a formal summitive evaluation and that the purpose of the annual evaluation is to summarize the actions that were taken by the board as it monitored results and operational expectations and to draw conclusions about both organizational and superintendent performance at the same time. So any other thoughts on BSRS then? I think they turned the air conditioner
027on smokes. Yeah, I'm about ready. They're going to have to thaw me out when we leave here. All right. Well, moving on to the governance culture. So, the board purpose and philosophy here. Um, so the school district lacrosse board of education um basically it says our purpose is to ensure that the district achieves the results described. So, we did have a couple people I would say uh rate at a two, but predominantly we were at a three. Um, and this is seven responses. Interesting. Seven responses. Yeah. So, one more than the other. Um, any thoughts here? No, I guess we have to figure out where we I mean why we're getting a two on something and help that we have this loan. So, I think the comments are helpful. Yeah, they are. I agree. Yeah.
028Yeah. And I think that you know this has been a this has been a a good year of learning. So okay well if there's nothing there we'll move to GC2 the governing commitments. Again a very long one. Um but basically the preamble we will govern lawfully with primary emphasis on district vision and results for students. Uh encourage full exploration of diverse viewpoints. Focus on governance matters rather than administrative issues. observe clear separation of board superintendent roles and make official decisions by formal vote and govern proactively rather than reactively. I think this is one where it really is a reminder about how we act, that we function as a single unit, that we are responsible for um continuous improvement, that um we will cultivate a sense of group responsibility, right? Responsible to one another as well
029as to the community. Um so yeah, it just basically lays out what our thoughts are here and it looks like um predominantly the majority here had uh two and again I think the comments are very helpful but any anything that the board wants to raise at this point? I I think the reason for the length of this one is because this is this is the difficulty about coherent governance and and it's not a natural like state for many people to to just be in, right? When we're in our day-to-day lives or in our jobs, we're we're operating at a different level and there's a switch that has to to turn there. And this hopefully provides that switch. But yeah. Yeah. I think I've said repeatedly my challenge has always been I'm an administrator in my
030day job and I have can't be an administrator in this job. Right? I we we have to function at a different level. That's why we have administration. So it's a it's it's a challenge for me every day that I come to try to take that administrator hat off because there's a lot of questions I want to ask. But it's also um it's it's a good lens to have, but it also you just need to be cognizant of your own lens that you bring. So Jim, well, I I think this is what I was alluding to. To me, we don't get to know, and I'm not saying we have to know it here, but there should be some opportunities where people get to know each other on a personal basis so that you know each other
031and you can communicate without fear of, you know, oh geez, he said that or she said that or whatever. I mean, if you get into a very functional group, and I'm not bragging here, but I I run a quite a few meetings, and you try to really work at people getting together to know each other and so on, and I just don't see the opportunity, and then things are voted up and down, and that's the end of it. And there's where where's the conversation in between all that? I'd like to see us develop that, but that's me. I think I've been straight, pretty straight about my coherence governance issues. I I I understand them more than I did, but I'm still not a big fan of them personally. Um, just being upfront and I still
032am not, but I understand it. Y, you know, so I I take take my displeasure with it with a grain of salt, you know, I I just I think we lose a lot in it, too. But I I get it. I mean, that's what we hired him for. So, and I'm with you. I I want, you know, it's it's hard sometimes because I ran warehouses for 20 years. People answered to me and, you know, that's I want to know some things. Yeah. Devil's in the detail, I always said. So, absolutely. And that's the challenge, right, is that we're not supposed to be in the details. No. No. And that's a tough nut to It's very tough. And I And I'm one that it's not I or you, it's us. and how do us get to
033go? And I think to your point, Mr. Beeski, you know, it talks about the board will function as a single unit. The board will cultivate a sense of group responsibility. If we don't know each other, it's harder. I mean, I've been on boards where uh we work very collegially together and we have we vote very differently and doesn't but we can I do think we've been so business-like. I think that that personal piece has hasn't developed among us yet. And that would be an opportunity for us, I think, in the future. I don't it's not I don't think it's going to make us vote any differently than how we vote, but I think it changes sometimes the temperature. It lends some understanding to it. Why was that decision made? I have no idea. Who was
034against it? Who was for it? For what reasons? I have no idea. Anything else on GC2? Right. GC3, the board job description. So, this basically lays out what our expectations are as board members. And so, we did have a little over a quarter, which probably ends up being two or three people, um, rating us as two. predominantly we had threes uh more than half and then um and a four and a four. I'm assuming that's one person at a four there. So um any thoughts or comments about again a good look back about GC3 board job description and how we adhere to that policy? Aren't you a math teacher? 14.3% of seven. It is also 8:25. The calculator has turned off for the day. There's no sun. Thoughts? Anything here that we want to discuss?
035This is another one where I was I was looking looking for instances where we failed to name a building. Right. Yeah. I mean, I think overall, um, we have stayed consistent to the job description. Um, I don't think that we've had any situations that have been, um, to a point where I could point to to say, here's the thing that did not happen or that we did not do either individually or collectively in regards to the job description. So, um, any other comments? Okay, GC4 officer's role. So the officers of the board are those listed in the policy. Their duties are those assigned by this policy. Others required by law. Um so we do have each office. Um they get shorter and shorter until you get to the secretary. Um but for the most part,
036uh I would say that it's the clerk that probably has the most in law about what they do. um which is you know for example I I find it funny that in law uh the president is required to ensure that the minutes are taken and that they are um recorded so it doesn't fall to the secretary or to the clerk it falls to the president but that is in state law right so there are some things that are in state law there are other things that this um group has decided will fall to each one of the officers positions so this is the policy that specifically states what goes where uh and what the expectations are of the board. And it looks like here we have um a little less than half uh feeling that
037we're at a two um but again little over half are at three and four. So anything we need to discuss here as a board not hearing anything. So then um officer's roles process uh basically this is really just talking about the um reorganization meeting and that we will you know have that uh again the reorganization meeting is in state law. It it specifically states uh what needs to happen at that reorganization meeting, what um positions. Um, just so you are all aware, uh, as I've been doing my my review of the reorganization meeting the last few times, uh, the TIFF representative by state law states that it is the president or the director of finance. So, one of the things that I had mentioned to Laura um was that maybe something for this board to
038consider in the future is is that necessarily a position that needs to be voted on because state law specifies who it will be. It's either the president and if the president says no, then it's a director of finance or do we just not have to worry about that that position? We just let the president decide which one it is. So, that's something for you all to ponder as you're, you know, a week away from your reorganization meeting. Um, I'm assuming that at this point in time it'll stay as as a as a position to vote, but just so you're all aware that state law does specify it is the president that is the TIFF representative. If not, if the president decides not to, it's the director of finance. We always pick Miss Spring anyway because
039she's the most knowledgeable. Um, but just FYI, board committees. So again, I know we've had lots of conversations about this over the year. Uh, and this is the most colorful graph so far in the in the responses. Um, so again, I I would urge this board to consider the purpose of committees and what makes the most sense. In the past, uh, every board prior has really said that it doesn't make sense to have a committee because usually that group is going to have conversations that really should happen at this board level. That should everybody should have an opportunity. You know, the next board wants to decide to make committees, you have the right to do that. And it's here and every board under coherent governance, under policy governance, there were committees. Well, and again, yes,
040but as we transitioned, we had committees, if I remember correctly, my first year on the board, and then the board had a long conversation and decided that those committee meetings, while well while good in the way that they were, it didn't make sense to have the exact same conversation with a small group that then would going to happen with a large group. And so the board as a whole voted that we were not going to have standing committees. So it's not necessarily a piece of coherent governance. It was a decision made by all the boards to this point. So again you all will when you say all the boards to this point like there were boards prior to when you were on that I guess that's my but and again I'm talking about my six
041years. Right. Okay fair enough. So could could there be shortterm just one issue type things or two issue type things? We have a big consensus of people that would like to discuss this in detail and then they could report back not ongoing but just so just I mean if you read the policy GC5 it will tell you that all committees are ad hoc right so they can only last as long as one year and then they're done right there are no such things as standing committees uh they're all ad hoc so can and as you well know right ad hoc could be one week could be one day could be one year. Um but we that the language does talk about they cannot go longer uh than one board seating. So no, you're absolutely right.
042So that that can happen. Um unless we change the policy, right? Exactly. And then that becomes the board's discussion about what do what do they want to do. Okay. So again, that was the most colorful of them. Um but I I think maybe part of it I'll go back to Mr. Newmeisterers's comments that you know we're all still learning coherent governance and so there could have been a misunderstanding of the policy and the language that was there. So that could be it. It could be other things as well but anything that we want to bring up here. Okay. Hearing none then GC6 uh the annual work plan. So, a reminder that when you sit down at the reorganizational meeting, one of the things that's voted on is the annual work plan. If I remember correctly,
043Laura, is it the reorganization meeting or is it the first meeting? It's a moving document. So, it's approved on all year long basically. But yeah, but we do have an annual work plan. Is that GC60? That is the actual document that has I'm gonna have to refresh my memory. I know we plan we approved the annual or like the actual calendar of the board meetings but yeah so not that you don't need to look at it now because I'm well I'm going to we will see I knew you would but just an FYI I mean this is we there is a work plan it's GC6E so you can always look that up um obviously as Laura said it does fluctuate because sometimes we might take a long time on one item and we don't get
044to a specific item on the agenda. So, we push it forward to the next board meeting. We move this one. Yep. Exactly. We move we move this. Right. So, it is a work plan, but we do, if I remember correctly, we do do something with it as a board. Not at the not at the reorg meeting. No. Okay. So, but that's absolutely something that could be added. I'm certainly fine with that. Sure. Well, hey, you don't need to listen to me. I'm I'm out of here. You all decide what you want to do with that. But you threw me for a little bit of a loop. This this is the one where I think for me personally as as an individual board member, I think there is room for development and I think it speaks
045to Jim some of your concerns about when are the conversations happening. Mhm. I think one of my struggles has been when I stepped on in my first year, it whether it was this way or not, the the perception that I had was that the the work plan was, you know, fate accomply. It was it was set and that's what I had to step into and come to to figure it out, right? And the struggle with that as I this is my comment here, right? Is the the the delayed nature of the reporting. So when when something comes up in a meeting and we want to have that discussion and it it doesn't match with the agenda because well that's two months from now in our in our reporting when we'll actually get all the that
046that's difficult right I had to I'll give you the example of Hogan moving to central I voiced at least three if not four times my opposition I never heard one comment and finally I was in a one-on-one conversation with Dr. Angel and I said, "I need an explanation." You know, like what else was discussed? Where is this all at? I'm not necessarily digging my heels in and saying it's against it, but I never saw any other options proposed that, hey, listen, how about this one versus that one versus this one. Those discussions in my mind never happened. I talked about the middle schools going to high schools. People maybe roll their eyes, but that's not a conversation. And if somebody said, "Jim, I don't want you bringing that back for these two reasons." Now, I
047got some rationale as far as why it's not going anywhere. But unless those things are heard, I leave like, "Holy cats, am I in an isolated island?" And so, that's what I'm talking about. Whether you want to get upset with me or not, that's I don't think it's something to be upset about, Jim. What I what I'm saying is I think is in alignment with the concern that you have. And and I remember a couple of instances where where the the concern about the conversation was precisely that this is not the conversation for this moment. Not that we can't have it. It was it was a perfect one. We were voting on whether we're going to move Hogan to Central and there was it was like But do you not see that that's not about
048middle schools? No. No. I use two different examples. Okay. I mean, I use this example and this they were not interrelated. Okay? They were just arguments to the conversation that I was hoping to have the pros and cons for each of those issues which I thought were major issues and yet I didn't see the conversation. And so that's where I'm coming from. Okay. I I Yeah, I can see that. And I I think I'm talking about a little bit different kind of struggle here as well, but certainly certainly related certainly. Um yeah, I just think in terms of the work plan like having a little bit more as a new board member introduction to it and what is the mechanism for creating it and we haven't had for instance the conversation about why certain monitoring
049is done at certain times. It comes up on occasion in the moment Patty will mention why we do it now because of when the numbers come or Dr. Dr. Angel will say then why we do it now because when we get the data but I don't feel like we have had a conversation about is there a time when we would rather be seeing this data because of something in the school. I think Tim changed linkages remember we always talked at the end of you know and my gosh by the time they were brought up most of us forgot all about them or whatever and we really had no time to address them. So Tim I not speak I mean but I know he brought up so at least they're a couple weeks after now instead
050of so I yeah there's room for improvement but for sure but yeah I completely agree with you on the order of things. I also think that we like miss some opportunities for Dr. angle to let us know what's going on kind of and it's down that avenue of maybe if we would have had a conversation about Hogan moving to central exactly what not exactly what they were doing but somewhat what they were doing I mean we kind of walk through the building but as a schoolboard member we really don't know what's going on and then all of a sudden we're like okay it's going to beund you know a mil 1.2 two million now and we kind of like okay still with not a you know we've heard that the the baseball field is moving
051and all this stuff is going on. So if we were informed just a little bit more maybe and a little bit more transparent conversations in front of the public. So, I don't know if there's some sort of, you know, stipulations inside these that say, "Hey, you have to let us know about certain things, maybe improvements to a certain extent or I'm not saying like you don't need to lay out the whole bidding process." But yeah, you know what I'm you know what I'm saying? I just I feel like we're we're asking for the information and it's not on everything. It's just uncertain things like at the moment instead of like maybe if we were just kind of informed with it at the beginning of it. Yeah. And I think that this is a great example
052of that um balance between dealing with policy and dealing with the minutia. Right. And I think that that is a struggle because in some instances you're absolutely right. I mean, we had I'll I'll use the French program, right, where that was an issue that just kept coming up and there was a lot of information, you know, a lot going on. Um, and that we needed to bring it up because it was just such a big issue. Um, other issues, can they wait? Is it something that we actually need to weigh in on? I mean, do we really want to decide whether a program continues or not in the school district? We can do that. If we want to change policy, we can do that. But would everybody on this board feel well equipped to make
053that determination of what program should be here and what program should not? I mean, so I mean just to give us an example like, you know, I think this is a great example of that balance and that challenge of when do we get into the minutia, when should we not get into the minutia, etc. Jim? Well, I personally think pro programming as far as what happens in the high school and what doesn't happen. I mean, I think that's the building principle and superintendent's job. I don't I mean, they have more of the intricate knowledge than we do, right? Of course. Yeah. And that's where I'm saying like, you know, this is that's an example of something that happened that the community was really really upset about and so we had a lot of public comments
054about it. So, we felt as a board we needed to address it. But not everything is to that level. Um, not everything needs to happen immediately. And again rem a reminder that we have given the superintendent authority and so long as the superintendent is using reasonable a reasonable person's perspective to resolve it then we have given that authority. So again I think that's where this board needs to have that conversation together about what do we need to do and just one last comment. I please you know like tonight for example and it's happened a few times where it feels like we're made to make a decision when we're not ready to and it's a sales pitch right so it's like selling us this information very very quickly sold things for my whole life and that's
055what it feels like and then we're trying to figure out if we're going to make this right decision in a very very short time should have been put on the consent agenda well or just or just you know a little bit of lead time instead of you know we almost delayed it two weeks and that gets into an issue and then it makes our decisions differently. I just think that we could make a better decision with just a little disc on we have to get out of this building now. So that's that's just how I feel. I mean and it's valid. I I could see where you're coming from. I mean and I I also appreciate Jim your your comment about the why. I'm a person very naturally. I want if you're a classroom teacher
056and you said something to the kids didn't react, you'd say, "Come on, anybody here?" Yeah. And I So, yeah, I mean, I can I can appreciate the concern there because like tonight's vote on on the central bid. Like, I can I can tell you why I ended up wanting to make the motion and voting for it, but we didn't You're You're right. We didn't have that discussion in the moment, but we we don't always ask every board member to defend their position. Yeah. Most I already have what I'm in my mind, but I don't feel like you need to explain it to the rest of everyone, but but I can see some concern. Yeah. Or others certainly. Yeah. We were thinking that can be shared. Deliberation, persuasion happens. I think that lead time though, doing
057these discussions a little earlier would be helpful because we had a four to three vote that could have failed. It could have I I don't I think that there were many ways that we could have had a a better if there would have been a more lead time as you're talking about and a little more advanced. I think we could all come to a comfortable solution in a way that seemed a little less divisive than the vote showed. And I Yeah, I think that's there's a world in which all the questions that we asked which some of them they had already thought about had been presented to us when they had the conversation and before we had to ask those questions and I think you're right. I think yeah what she's saying that they could
058have answered a lot of these questions before the meeting so we wouldn't have asked them prior to but being that it was on the consent agenda you know again which bothers me um well you just have to take it off though yeah but if if you know we shouldn't have to something like that should not be consent agenda it's it's an expediency is the thing like if if nobody had an objection to it but but if nobody had an objection to it it gets done then it gets done without having yeah I think an hour of conversation we as a board need to also be comfortable taking things off the consent agenda I think we also have to be comfortable with a split vote right I mean I can tell you that my first year
059we had a lot of nine to zeros 8 to zeros and we would get feedback from the community that all we are is a rubber stamp board right so I think there's also something to be said I mean I think we should be a ninetozero right? Because we should have the information that we need to make an appropriate decision based on consensus, having a good deliberation, but we shouldn't be afraid to have a split vote. We shouldn't be afraid to say, I'd like that off the consent agenda. We shouldn't be afraid to say, I would like to have um you know, I'd like to hear more from those who are voting yes. I'd like to hear more from those who are voting no. Right? I think that that we can also do that ourselves. Um
060and we shouldn't be afraid to do that. I just want to make sure I understand um Dr. Garcia's comment. So, we should have asked those questions to the superintendent prior to the meeting. No. Okay. The superintendent anticipated several of our questions and said that they had conversations where they were concerned, which meant if they had created a document that said this was the original bid, this is the current bid, this is the unexpected change we asked for that cost $400,000. It wouldn't have been a four to three vote. It wouldn't have been because but but instead we sort of had to each of us draw out the concern that we had. Prices are just going to go up. That's a concern. Sending something out for rebid is another layer of delay. That's a concern, right?
061You know, having a $400,000 additional remodel, that's a concern. Um and I think that they knew that we'd be concerned about a lot of those things. And so there's a world in which when they had that conversation, you sent an email with an attachment that said, "Here's the changes." I think that makes sense. Thank you. Well, sorry. I I really appreciate the way you say that about like this. They could have done this and we want to encourage them and enable them to be anticipating us as much as is possible. I think also recognizing they're never going to get it totally right. There's always a room for our questions in the moment. But also, I mean, again, not being afraid, like if I really have questions, I will send an email to Dr. Angel and
062say, "FYI, these are questions I'm going to be asking on this item on the agenda. You may want to have somebody who can speak to these or you may want to do some due diligence here so that we are prepared to hear those answers." So, I mean, I think Joe is walking up to the audience. Well, Dr. Engel's calling him up already. So, I do think that there you're absolutely right. if they're already having conversations, some of that information is beneficial, but also shouldn't be afraid to ask the question ahead of time and preempt it so that they are prepared for those questions as well. So, I think it's a little bit of both. But you're absolutely right. If they were having conversations, it'd be nice to have that information ahead of time. But I
063think there's also a difference between getting information from the administration and the board having a a discussion. I think had we I where I struggled one that whole project was the the cost of it was this ever evolving number that keeps getting bigger significantly bigger not like a little bit bigger and and the people in the public are going to ask us questions on that. So, I'm not being a jerk asking those questions, but if we could have had a conversation about that because it's not just the information you get from the superintendent that's helpful, but it's the conversation that we as a board have that's helpful and we that we as a board work to find a place that we're all comfortable I think is really important as well as the information from an
064administration. Yeah. And again, I think to Dr. Garcia's point, if they were having conversations or preempting our questions, I agree. And that having that information is would would have We could still and that's the other thing. Even if you ask the question in an email, ask the question at the board table. Right. Right. I mean, you've already preempted it, so you might as well ask it too so it if it doesn't come out. Um, yeah. I mean, but again, I think we did have a robust conversation around that item. I think, you know, I don't know that anybody said, "I didn't have my voice heard." They shared their concerns. They shared, you know, their questions. We had some pretty critical questions that we asked and in the end it ended up 43 and that's okay
065and I understood better the change in the price. Yep. After the conversation. Yeah. It was a beneficial conversation. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. But again I mean we can always do better. That's the whole point of this. So I mean I think that's that's one where maybe um we could you know I think Dr. Sprag said we could definitely do better. So yeah I started out with the actual work plan. And I just wanted we just kind of yeah be able to get my head around that. So So okay, great discussion. Uh GC7 board members code of conduct. So again uh predominantly we've had fours and threes. We did have a number of twos here. Um and in the comments um I I think we you know I I think that shows a good place where there's
066opportunity to learn and grow. So this board member code of conduct really is about how we handle situations between us, not having a staff member or teacher coming in. Uh so definitely uh just recognizing that this really is basically like how do we handle situations that come forward when there are issues right and I think that it always is uh in my opinion the golden rule you go to the lowest possible level you talk to the person right and if that doesn't go well then you move it up the chain right um so that's what this is all about uh any conversation hearing none. GC8 board member conflict of interest. I think um this is one if I remember correctly. Yeah. I mean we're predominantly at fours and threes here. I mean um I think
067uh board members are very critically aware of conflict of interest are very critically aware of the expectations that they have and I think in my six years on the board the board members have been extra judicious uh in regards to whether they will take a vote or not based upon even a perception of a conflict of interest. So I think we do a really really good job individually and collectively with the conflict of interest. any I don't know anything. Um yeah so GC9 is again like I was mentioning earlier this is the area where we talk about like how do we handle how do we handle situations where uh board members may be violating um the board policies or that there's issues um continuing regarding policy. So, um, again, you have a conversation in private,
068a discussion in private, uh, with the whole board. So, it's either conversation in private individually, you could move it up to a full board. Um, you could also ask the board president to have that conversation. Uh, potential removal by the board for any leadership or committee positions. And then finally, censure. Uh, by state law, the board cannot vote a person off the island, right? You cannot say you cannot take a vote and say this board member is no longer a board member. That is we are representatives of the committee or the community and the community decided that these are the nine people we want representing us. So that is um as much as can be done uh if there were to be an agregious breach of uh of decorum or violation of policy. So any
069questions or comments on that? Well, you haven't done it to me yet and we can't So made it through one president. How many more are left? Yeah. So well I I think um we can all and correct me if I'm wrong but I think via consensus I think we can all agree that overall we have done a good job. There are places where we can learn and grow and I think you as board members will move that forward and bring those conversations forward. I would just encourage you in thinking about not being afraid to do things. Don't be afraid to take things off the consent agenda. Don't be afraid to have split folks. Don't be afraid to ask questions ahead of time and then ask them at the board meeting. Um I think that that
070will help a lot moving forward. And I've appreciated each one of you. You have taught me a lot uh in my last year here on the board and I'm looking forward to quote unquote retirement. Enjoy it. Thank you. So if there's no other business in front of us then we are adjourned. [Music]