5/27/2025 Special Board of Education Meeting

001[Music] Hey. Hey. [Music] [Applause] Hey. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] I feel [Music] six o'clock. I'll call the board meeting to order. Um, first thing we do is pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Lori, if you could take attendance, I'd appreciate that. Christopher Ael here. David Bowman here. Biff Hansen here. Dan Holen here. Mary Wilkey Bonnet present. Keith Shaw here. Harry Tra here. Thank you. Thank you Lori. And um first order of business is the personnel report from Michael. Correct. You want me to speak to it a little bit? Sure. Yeah. Um, Stacy Opal has been recommended as as the next

002director of human resources. As you can see from there, Stacy was a former employee with the Manquart School District at Jefferson Elementary for a number of years and then went over to Madison Elementary for a number of years. uh left the district to go to CISA 7 and became a director to at CISA 7 and now is going to be his attorney hopefully pending board approval returning to the district uh on July 1. Nathan Milky um has been re recommended as our next director of business services and uh Nathan has been a director of technology with the Marquette University High School for the last few years. I was really into it and as a director before that I think it was in Hartford High School, Union High School. Um he has a MBA, master's degree

003in with an emphasis in finance. Uh is about three classes away from his uh what we say is 08 license, his director of business services license. So I think we have the documents on your desk right now. Mr. H sign will be getting a one-year board approved license. Um and then he'll he'll complete his proper certification within one year. And then the third recommendation tonight on your agenda is Lady Lmire who's currently an assistant principal of Lincoln High School who's been with the district uh I think about five, six, seven, eight years. came in as a special education uh teacher and then went to a dean at the high school. Then got promoted to an assistant principal at the high school and now is being recommended for the Washington Middle School princip. Are we voting

004on this tonight? Yes. Okay. Yes. Um, as Michael was was explaining the three candidates, they're all very wellqualified and my comments right now are not aimed at any of them, but we have this thing. We introduce candidates before they're they get board approval. We're trying to think of a better way to do that. Um, they've already gone through the process of being interviewed. Um, the superintendent has picked them out. um whoever interviewed that that group that interviewed made a good decision and picked good people and and to say now pending board approval, it kind of doesn't make sense to do it that way. So um my wish will be that the policy and personnel committee look through that to come up with a better way that there would be some board approval or board input

005board approval in the future before somebody would be introduced as the new HR director and then all of a sudden the board starts discussing we don't necessarily want that person for some weird reason. Um I just think it's important to get this down the right order. I don't really remember and maybe those of you that have been on the board a longer time can remember the board. I I know the board interviewed me when I was going to be an assistant or assistant principal at Lincoln. Um but I'm not sure there's there's really a a board input place. Not that we need it, but but I think we need to discuss that. Yes, Chris. Yeah. Thank you. And I I couldn't more strongly share your concerns. In fact, it was fully my intention to had

006nobody moved to approve these request that these three recommendations be moved to the personnel committee to look at this month. Uh and and I have a couple reasons for that and I I will move that. But um but I agree with you and I think a better process and I think a fundamental process for principles on up should be staff brings the board their top recommendations. They may be two, they may be three. We just went through a very careful, very public process to choose our superintendent so that everybody knew who we were looking at and how qualified they are. What we got for these three candidates is the the blurbs on today's report and the press release for who has been selected. and and and honestly that doesn't give us time to develop questions

007that frankly I have questions that I will not ask in public because there are questions that could be injurious to a person's reputation. So I I would ask that they go back there and it it have a closed session as well. But I would say in the future bring their top tier candidates for the board to consider because the truth is by law the board hires the board hires everybody. In this district we literally hire everybody right down to the parapros. In a lot of districts it's all licensed people. Right. I would that's state law. I would agree with that. Um, however, we hire a superintendent and that superintendent then has a process that he hires the people that he needs within the district. And um, if we don't like those choices, I I guess

008I'm looking for an opportunity through personnel policy to develop a way that the board would have more input. But for me to say tonight that the job was not a good job and and we did kick around the idea of having a close session to discuss this if anybody had a concern because bringing out a concern in public I don't think is appropriate. But the other part of that is the attorney told us that that would not be something you could do in a closed session. So so we didn't go that route and hopefully from this point on we would come up with a better way. I think it's a good idea to discuss this in policy personnel. I think that these three these three people that have been presented um have been appointed. Um

009I think that we can take a look at that in policy and personnel. I think it needs to be discussed in all of my dealings and all the years of education. the superintendent can move any administrator he or she wants to within any time and with any building and you that comes to the board that the superintendent moves a person in the district at his or her will. I don't really think that needs to be discussed. That's their their responsibility to move administrators to wherever they think they're the most effective. So be it. But I do concur that there could be some language with directors that are hired to have some conversation. Um, but for this time being tonight, I'm making a motion that we approve the personnel report because I think it's been appointed,

010it's done, it's gone public and and how can we keep these individuals hanging on the board anymore, hanging in jeopardy that we're not going to approve their position. So, I make the motion to approve the personality. I'll second that motion. Okay. I have a second from an You mean we can't talk about the thing that was being discussed before? Well, that will go to personnel. What if Chris would like to amend what we just moved to happen? No, we can discuss the policy and the procedures and personnel. I'm saying all right of this accept person. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Any other discussion on approving this report and then approving these hires? Correct. I'm making a motion to approve. Nothing to do with what we're taking to personnel. Right. I'm moving. I move to approve the personnel

011report. Okay. And I I hang on. I want some clarification. And if we approve the personnel report that approves these All right. Any other discussion on that? Just real quick. Yeah. Yeah. I just want to say I'll be voting no because I agree that the way we're currently doing it puts the board in a box and we are the representatives of the people. We are the last check. ly higher and I think we need a more thorough process to make our decisions. I I I I want to say I'll be voting in favor of the motion, but uh having come through another administration that had a buddy system and got us some awful awful people. Um I do think that that that you know procedure should be should be established in which at least you

012know at least the board has the opportunity to object before the people were offered the job. I mean, you know, I mean, I don't have to describe, you know, what we went through a couple years ago. And I just think that come on, we got to be we got to be like kind of u collaborative on this as as is stressed in some of the some of the some of the some of the goals for I am. And uh I think it's Yeah. So I think you know I definitely am going to put this on the agenda for the day. Good. I already seconded the motion but in lie of some other policy that we would like to talk about in personal and finance or personnel and policy I feel that yes it was a

013short. I think we got more out of the press release than or the communication to the schools than we did here. I concur they sound like very good candidates. Yeah. We do have to trust our directors, the people that we hire as superintendent. That I feel is our role not to hire everyone. What else? Mr. Hansen, I just synergize. Yes. Um, whatever whatever way you want to do this is fine. But what I will say is if we are going to move to a system in which it must go through the board before we offer uh a position, then we're going to need to call some special meetings because this labor market you I mean you're going to need to be ready on a drop of a hat on a number of times because we

014we need to get the best people here. And what I would just tell you is in my view, your role is to hire and fire me. So if I make mistakes in hiring, you should fire me for that. So that's my position on it. And in many districts, it's done that way. Um lastly, I'll just say if we are going to move to a system in that in that in that in that way. Um, I would just be concerned about getting quorums when we have to come together in a very quick manner to approve approve people. Um, I do think there's much validity in the idea of communicating things in the right order. And if the board has concerns about how things were done here, I think it's a matter of coming up with a

015system of how we make sure we communicate things in the right order. Uh, but in terms of having to hold on to offer people positions, that really puts us in tough spot. Yeah, I call the question. I mean, okay, that what we're discussing isn't about the motion. Yeah, right. Discuss this later. Yeah. So, it'll go it'll go to policy and we'll have the discussions everybody that meeting. All right. All in favor of the motion say I. I. Say n. and it pastors and uh I think we have three good two good new people and one that's moving on to another job. So that'll be good for the district. All right, that is all of that business. Now we go into the work session and I will turn it over to Lee for this. Yeah, very

016excited about tonight. Um visions are an important part of making sure an organization is going to reach its full potential and it starts with having a very clear and strategic plan complete with measurable goals which is are essential to any organization. It serves as the foundation for our focused decisionmakings, continuous improvement and meaningful impact. Our team is genuinely excited about the opportunity to partner with the board in launching the development of a strategic vision for the Manito public school district. This vision will guide our collective efforts over the next 3 to 5 years and help shape the future of our schools and our community. Tonight marks the first step in that journey. This is a working session of the board which means the format will differ slightly from typical meetings. There will be no motions

017or formal votes. Instead, this evening is about dialogue, collaboration, and feedback. Our goal is to present the initial visioning work completed by our administrative teams and gather your insights and reactions. Your feedback will help us refine a final strategic vision document, which we plan to present for formal approval on June 10th. Once the strategic vision is established, our focus over the summer months of June, July, and August will be on translating that vision into action. We'll develop a series of 100-day plans, each with clearly defined goals, timelines, and measurable outcomes. These plans will be brought to the appropriate standing committees of the board for review and approval. Following each 100day cycle, we'll report back to the committees, share data, progress, and lessons learned. We'll then seek approval to move forward with the next 100-day plan.

018The cycle ensures that our work is both transparent and accountable, and that we're consistently moving toward a better future in each of our priority areas. The document you'll see tonight provides a high-level 30,000 f foot view of our seven key priority areas, what we are calling our big rocks or priorities. The detailed goals and performance indicators will come later embedded in the 100 day plans that we bring to you in the coming months. Each big rock will be represented by a lead administrator who will facilitate a brief discussion. After each presentation, we will invite board members to provide feedback using note sheets that are at your places. These sheets include specific spaces for comments, questions, or concerns related to each priority. Our team will do our best to respond to your questions and ensure your

019perspectives are reflected in the final version of the plan. With your partnership, we're confident the strategic planning process will provide a strong and steady compass for our district's voyage moving forward. So with that, I'd like to turn it over to Heidi who will start with number one, student achievement and learning. Okay. Uh so start out and just want to give you a couple minutes. You probably have, but even if you have before, take a minute to peruse that first paragraph and then we'll talk both. Okay. Um, having read the paragraph, I just want to give you just to kind of make sure that we're all on the same page, just some examples of some things that we've done recently or that we're talking about doing for each of the bullets underneath. we kind of pulled

020the bullets out as some of the things that within that paragraph that we know are will be priorities for us. So just an example of um the high quality curriculum and instruction and technology. One of the things that we've done in the last couple of years is just making sure that we're using a curriculum implementation cycle so that we are making sure that every one of our subject areas has a current curriculum um that's relevant for today's for today's students and has current resources. So that's just an example of something that that's new in the last couple of years that we're doing. Um supporting datadriven decision making. Um, we have had pockets of professional development for admin and staff on PLC's over the last many years where we've sent one sent a principal or maybe

021one teacher and we are we are feeling like we're just not getting off the ground with those only those little tiny pockets of people getting the professional development. So this summer, um Katie and I, we were fortunate enough to go to an amazing training last month, um from Solution Tree, and we will be presenting that training to our principles and significant numbers of staff from each school up to 15 staff members with a goal of having every grade level um and every subject area at the high school represented at that training so that we can feel like, okay, we've got the training out there and now we can move forward. work. Um so that um that is something that we're excited about doing. Um closing achievement gaps and promoting equity. This past summer um or

022we're having a data retreat this summer. I was going to say something else about this and I changed my mind. Um this summer we're having a data retreat with our admin team and building leadership teams. And we haven't had a really strategic data retreat in MPSD in my time that we've been here where we have our principles and they're bringing their leadership team. We're collaborating with CISA7 to help us to make that um just the most meaningful data that it can be where we're digging into data looking for those those gaps. Um that's going to be a strong a strong piece of that work is looking for those achievement gaps and figuring out you know what we're going to do about those gaps. Um intervention and enrichment programs is something we've done a lot of

023work a lot of work and yet there's still so much more to do. We do have intervention um as a strong a stronger um a stronger course of is intervention enrichment is something that we know we need to continue to grow. Um but we have a solid intervention program in place at the elementary level. Middle school now has identified ELA and math um intervention that they have and the high school is getting started with that work as well. So we have we have a really good foundation for that work and we know we have more to do. Um I think that's probably professional development for administrators and teachers is ongoing. We are really focused on our PD days bringing in people from CISA offering things from our from our own leadership teams. Um again that's

024stuff that we need to just continue to grow. Yes. Okay. This is not despite the way I say it joke. Okay. Okay. All right. Going all the way back to Marshia Flity, we've had PLC's. Yes. Are they so complicated that it's taken us over a decade and a half to do them or what are we looking at to figure out why they're not being successful? Some people do them very well. I'm not painting it. But if we're always going back to say we're going to teach people how to do PLC's and we've been doing it for over a decade, I have to say where's the problem with that? That's one of two questions I have. We've never had a district-wide training like where everybody heard the same thing. And I do think that helps. Um,

025I feel like PLC's, what's hard about that is lots of people are really good at planning together and getting together and talking about what they're going to be doing in the next in the next week's lessons. Um, and that is what a lot of people default to because PLC is hard. Um, you have to have fresh data that you're looking at. You have to use your time really well. One of our challenges, especially at the elementary, is that we don't give our staff time to do that work. um we ask them to give up their prep time in order to do the PLC work because they still have to cut stuff out and they still have to get things ready for for the little people that are in front of them all day. So, I

026do think it's complicated. I don't think we've had a a quality um professional development that would that would be enough to get it off the ground um in the sense of lots of people hearing the same message. I think that was our takeaway. Um, when Heidi and I were fortunate enough, like she said, to to attend some training, it was sort of an aha moment for us because the PLC training can be pretty general. Um, and I think we all know you should be collaborating with your peers. We should be talking about kids. We should be looking at data. We should be informing our instructional practices or adjusting them based on what students need. And I think that, you know, with an analogy and a conversation that I had with one of our Lincoln High

027School APs is that our plane is built. we it's all ready to go. It's in the hanger. The the doors open to the runway and we just don't necessarily have a pilot. So, part of the training that we've had um was is really next steps. And so, we had I think we came to the board and asked for outofstate travel to take a small group of leaders from every building to go to Madison. Um after we had this training, we recanted that because we don't need the overview anymore. We need the we need the dial mover. Um and so the tools and resources that we'll be able to share with our building leaders now are um you know rubrics for assessment for building administrators to go in and see specifically where on a proficiency rubric

028based on actionable items our staff are and having conversations because to your point everybody's at a little bit different place. Um, so we've got some teams that are super strong and PLCing and using student data and they're seeing the fruits of that labor and then we have other teams that because it requires so much vulnerability in those conversations and it requires a level of trust that they're they just haven't gotten there. So now we'll give our our leaders and our building principles tools to go in and really determine where our teams are at. And then it also these resources give actionables for now your team has identified as here this is what you need to do to get to proficient. So we're excited to be able to share those resources with you as well because

029it was sort of like us sitting there going like so it was it felt good but this will this I think will be the dial mover. So it'll be it'll be good to share with you. And my and my second thing is I would say I'm not asking for a zillion bullets. So, I I apologize for asking for another bullet, but it would be nice to see something on here about uh clear grade level academic goals. Yeah, since that's something the board actually has to approve. Every seems like that might be an action plan kind of it might be might be more in the in the weeds a little bit than what we wanted to present here today, but I think I'm writing that down right now. Okay. Is this is this the plan now

030to ask questions or So So here here's what we're hoping to do. So if you have questions for clarification, in other words, you're not quite getting what this means or if you have to ask a question for clarification, that would be now. If it's not about clarification and it's just a general question, we'll get to it. But we'd like to have some dialogue between board members to to discuss a little bit. So does anybody have any clarifying questions about the first four? Okay. So then, so we get to do Oh, yeah. I was curious because in number three, and I know I'm jumping, but it's on purpose. Number number three references your MLSS. Why Why wasn't that built into the number one? And I I think it might be because like targeted supports and intervention,

031I see the words, but it's not called out. I thought it was interesting that we call it out related to behavior and nuance is different but we didn't call it out related to academic so perhaps just some rewarding thank you l I don't know I see it I see three fundamental focus very much but so you know I guess I'd like to keep them clean and and and u but you know I I I mean we did get to three. Yep. Yep. So number three the MLSS is supporting. Why do we need a hybrid in one? I'm not asking for a hybrid. MLSS there are targeted supports in place to improve behavior. There should also be targeted supports in place to improve academics. So a true MLSS integrates, right? We're doing it. And you're right.

032Maybe visually describe components of the MLSS. We just don't have called out and knowing that you are working with your group this summer to do the data retreat beef up MLSS. I think calling it out in area one year adds some accountability to yourselves and to our staff to uh really use that new system that you're developing. So I'm not critical of what you are planning. I think it's spot on. I want some language added and you're both nodding. So, we are strongly agree. Agreed. Totally. Thank you, ladies. Yes. Yeah. Um, you know, when I when I when I read this, I thought, well, gee, haven't we been doing this stuff? And the answer is like, no, we haven't. We haven't been doing it systematically, and we haven't been doing it, you know, kind of

033across the district. But what I what what what occurred to me was is maybe something that will come later, but um I remember there was a dean in in the W colleges who kept stressing on you know results exit at result results education that that we should have goals and we should have standards and we should be shooting for uh getting from here to there. And I think what we have in one and maybe in in all of them is uh kind of a kind of a statement of philosophy and a statement of a of of process but we don't have any we don't have any indication of what the goals of the process are. That'll be part of the 100 day plan. That'll be part of the So then you'll have measurable goals that

034will align with each of these areas and then that's what we'll be reporting. Okay. I didn't know that. Ann um just a question on so it's the way I'm reading this the main target of success or the main emphasis is cultivating these PLC's. Is that a fair statement? I think that's a that's in paragraph one and that it's a way to get there. Okay. It is a way to get it is one of the most heavily like um researched and shown to be shown to make a difference for moving kids. So in that 100 day plan things like who's doing it well because it see what I'm hearing is it sounds like you kind of know what you need to do. You're just it's just not culture yet. Yeah. Yeah. Who's doing it the best?

035because I just toured a school and that was I asked what what do you think you're doing well and that was the answer I got was the PLC's. So I guess will that be part of the harden a day plan and how do you make it that culture by hey these people who have embraced it and love it and can sell it that's what's going to be in there. Yes. And I think that the the the rubric process that we're going to be sharing with principles this summer and it's it's like it's a rubric, but it's like here we are in this rubric in this this group that we just observed right now. This is where they're at. And it gives principles the language to give the feedback to move them just to that next

036spot. And that is what we've been missing a lot is for principles to be able to observe PLC and give them the feedback to get them to that next space because um yeah so it seems like the a word accountability is coming into play. Yeah. Which is much needed. Yeah. Agreed. That's a theme in the whole document. The a word. Yeah. I like that. Yeah. All right. That's okay. So, you know, there's good dialogue happening and I'm comfortable if it's the whole group instead of pairing off. So, if you you want to be that was that but that's fine. It seems like the dialogue's going fine. So, I mean if if you want to just continue with your questions, comments, and concerns in general on number one and then when we've exhausted those, we can

037move on to number two. Okay. So PLC Mhm. the ones that are doing well, you walk into a school and they go, "We're doing a great job." How do they know that? How do they know that they're one of the good PLC schools and and and they're actually effective in what they're doing? Hopefully hopefully they know that because their kids are moving. So I think that's the first thing. It's not just that we have this process and we're doing this process well, but you've got student growth to show that. And I think that's the piece where we can say we're doing great. But what is this data say or what is our student growth data say? Does it match like that school that you are visiting? Do they have forward scores that are coming out

038very soon that are going to say yep. So I think that's where well there's all kinds of assessment happening in this also this this in the summer training everyone's gonna have a very clear rubric to say how are we doing oh we're over here we thought we were over here so the rubric is going to really I think it's going to be a game changer Keith um I agree with Chris PLC they've been around for a long time probably even before Marshall clarity um but one of the things I'm not I can't speak for elementary because I've never I've never walked in that shoot but I can secondary we've had we've had PLC's and and it's a hybrid it's it's a group of people um but in this group you have elective teachers that say

039well now you're core the core teachers think this is the way to go and elective teachers don't jump on the same bag bandwagon as the core teachers do um then you have your AP teachers who say you know what my standards are higher than your standards because I'm the AP teacher so you have all these these intricate groups coming together and now it sounds like we want them to all jump on the same bandwagon and follow the same rubrics. But in that high school level, we have the elective teachers who really don't have a lot of relationships with the AP English teachers or the AP bio teachers. And the AP bio teachers say, I really don't have a lot to do with fed. So you have a lot of disjointed people on this committee. How

040how are how are we gonna how are we going to work that so everybody's on the same page since we've had the opportunity to build into the schedule um at Lincoln when we change to a block schedule. So all of our all of our teachers have a prep period, they have a duty period and then they have a PLC period. So um we have much more like aligned PLC's than we've had in the past. So, the algebra team is a PLC, the geometry team is a PLC, the history team is a PLC, and there may be an AP US history teacher on that history team. But, um, you know, David can probably help me when I if I screw this up or when I screw this up. But, um, so there's much more focused much

041more focused contentbased teams. And then our electives um because many of our standards also al align skills and prof skill proficiencies and target proficiencies. Our elective teachers are able to look at skillbased work and outcomes for students when they're assessing the effectiveness of their instructional practices. So you know the the music department maybe occasionally collaborated with the arts department. Um, but those were like a there was a performance standard that they may be looking at or other skill standards that crossigned those elective areas. Um, so it's much more focused. It's what am I? I'm probably missing something. No, you're you're on the right track. Um, one of the things that I've always brought up when um we talk about this and this is great. Um, first of all, um, one of the things I see,

042student data to drive instructional decisions and just drive what we're doing curriculum wise, um, I want us to make sure that we're also looking what a 5-year-old's brain is ready for. Okay? I know a lot of times our tests are testing what a 5-year-old's brain is not ready for, right? And how do we bridge that gap? Philosophically, I think to be able to know and do are important, but if you don't know why you should care about doing it in the first place other than being able to do a test, you're going to have kids that shut down, right? So, I think some somehow we need to continue to build that idea of education just because, not because here's what our test scores show. So, I don't know how you do that in the verbage,

043but that's that's a guiding philosophy that we have to have. I think you're saying developmentally appropriate is the concern that you have. And I think that's something that we could look at adding in here. Okay. Easy. Okay. I I love the language in here. I mean, we we could probably we could probably all there's nothing in here that we disagree with. High quality, rigorous instruction, supportive, effective instruction. How how do how are we going to get the buy in? Who's going to hold all the players responsible for understanding and saying yes to every one of these things? How is that going to be measured and who's going to be responsible for holding every person out there in these groups accountable to reach this? I think it's um me holding Katie and I accountable and us

044holding the principles accountable. I think at the end of the day, I was a principal for 10 years and I I took so much responsibility for what my teachers were doing in the building. Were they doing PLC or not? And and we are going to be expecting our principles, they've got a lot on their shoulders. Um but being an instructional leader is like 75% of their job. And so as an instructional leader, you should know right now today, if I asked any of our principles, I would want them all to be able to tell me which of their departments are rocking it with PLC and which of them aren't. and what is their plan for those that aren't okay and I think that's the that's the key thing yeah and I think what we have

045been missing is this component of eval of this evaluative sort of rubric it's not for evaluation yet it is it's a way for the principles to look on the rubric and say this is what I'm seeing they're falling in the developing category what do I need to do to help move them to this next category so it is going to fall on our principles okay which is going to fall on us and then we're going to it's going to be really ultimately Lee's fault. So, and and I think one thing that she said is really important was extremely well thought out in a previous district is I love hearing from you guys, but I also think it's good for the board to hear from a building principal what they're doing and and tell us as

046a building principal, not having to come through you guys. That building principal come in meetings and say, "What are you doing? How's it working? What are your weak spots? What do we need to do? here's our growth, here's our weakness, here's our strength, here's but it's it's not necessarily your job to report to us as much as it is a building principal's job to say here's our weakness, but here's where we're really growing and this is what I'm doing. Just a just a suggestion. Um the rubrics will be included in the 100 day plan, right? And are they going to be a generic rubric for all grade levels that it's a rubric that's about it's not about student it's not about student learning or student goals. The rubric is about what we see like the

047PLC rubric for the teachers involved in and how are they implementing the policies. It will be the same for every teacher, every part. It's very generically written. One page, top, middle, bottom, position, developing, beginning. Y David, did you have something? No. Okay. Anybody else? I don't know. I I this is like maybe totally irrelevant but um this is this is very this is very um right is it right or left brain? This is like you know the the huh this is Yes. Because to run a PLC is an art right I was going to say that's that resides in both sides of your brain. So the check the checklist is leftrained. Yeah. Yeah. Right. So if if if we're if we're doing, you know, um kind of data analysis on everything, the stuff that doesn't

048reduce itself to data. Mhm. Where does where does that come? And I guess I would I would I would like to like make a plug that we have a little sentence in there saying that there should be a wow factor in all of this because um I don't know. Oh, I was a I was a very poor student early on in in in in grade school. And the only thing that the only thing that really awakened me and allowed me to get a decent education was I'd say, "Holy that's really interesting, isn't it?" I mean, uh, and I think people that teach teach in the arts and and certainly, you know, I I wasn't a social scientist. I was a humanist in teaching history because I wanted people to I wanted people to have a

049sense of the wow of being a human being you know over over a lot of time and you can do that in any discipline you can do that in any discipline but I think we're sort of doing I think we need we need to have some representation of both hemispheres of the brain you know at least in in at least in in in terms of what our what our goals in education I mean, if it's all reducible to an empirical set of forming, wow, that's a that's a that's an intellectual desert in some ways. Certainly a creative desert. Who has observed a lot of teachers I agree with what you're saying to an extent, but I feel like um I've observed some teachers that have their own every teacher has their own way. Yeah, sure.

050And I've observed teachers who do the elaborate show that gets kids engaged and sometimes that produces data and sometimes it doesn't. And then you've got some teachers who maybe have a little bit more of a dry delivery who get amazing results. Yeah. So I I couldn't agree more. I mean you need them both. We do need both and I don't know how we could put that language in here but we can definitely mow on that. Okay. See thank you. I think that Sorry. No, go ahead. that that comes out of this though because you create relationships. The word vulnerability has to be there. You have to be I mean teachers are the only profession that operate in a vacuum. A doctor is going to cut with six other people in the room. A lawyer is

051practicing in front of everybody else. Teachers have to learn to be vulnerable. That's up to the principles to make sure that they're okay with being vulnerable. And if you got a principal that has most of their staff not feeling that, you got to get rid of that principal. Yeah. Well, maybe that's where this stuff comes in. Hold them accountable that way. Yeah. But what I like about this is it's clarifying what a PLC is. Yes. I mean, as somebody who's many of us have been on PLC's for years, and there wasn't weren't standards or there weren't there wasn't a way, not that we're all going to teach the same, but there wasn't a way for us to get the information and to come together as a teaching group and do it correctly to get results.

052See, all mis mismashed at times. So I think some of your concern if if the education improves and the classroom improves I think those wow moments for kids are going to come because they'll have more knowledge and they'll start a little differently rather the wow may come after they learn how to read right yeah you know so and sometimes we don't do example we have a highly effective science department at the high school who I would you know put in front of most teams to say this is how this is what PLC should look like And what they do is because they're, you know, they have that art of teaching behind them. So some of them may choose different experiments to teach the same skill. But what you can do then is bring your testing

053data and say, "My kids absolutely sucked at this standard, this standard, this question, this question, and Heidi's kids rocked it, and she did a completely different experiment to get them there." So we have the opportunity through the PLC's process to talk about maybe what her what the nuances of her experiment were that mine weren't that got her kids to be able to demonstrate some proficiency. And that's our music department when David was there was the same. They were just able to like how how are we getting these skills out of there and just having great conversations. It doesn't take the art of teaching away. It just allows So this is basically an infrastructure. Yes. Yeah. And I I I I couldn't I I don't disagree with anything there. I mean, I think wow, yeah, it's

054it's good that we're finally getting to this. Um, but um, you know, there's we have the things in place. We just now we need like the move the dial to the next. That's what the 100 day plan will will set out for you is that, you know, we're we're going down this hole and this hole, but the whole idea is, you know, the vision is this big view of it and are these the right things? And if they are, then we come back to you and say, "Well, this is how we plan on getting there. This is what we're going to do to measure our success." And then bring that back to you to say, "Okay, here's and here's what the next part is." Anything else on number one? Thanks for your feedback. Nice job,

055Heidi. Yeah. Okay. Um, we for number two. Let's go to number two. All right. And and you'll I hope you'll see that there is connection between a lot of these with the systems and things. Um, so number two is around district leadership and organizational effectiveness. Yeah. And I'll just give you a minute to read that opening um paragraph or review it if you have already read it. and then I'll have a couple things and then I'll take comments, questions, and concerns. Sure. So the idea of results orientation and continuous improvement, you saw in a microcosm when we're talking about PLC's because that's what a PLC is in a classroom for teachers to collaborate. What we're looking at doing is in creating an our entire organization into the microcosms of results orientation and what our priorities

056are, how we organize to achieve those priorities to move us towards the vision. And so what you'll see in this particular one is this. This means we have to have the right people in the right places doing the work that we've planned to do and then holding folks accountable to that. and and and to me there's no more better accountability than the results. And so um this is just primarily a way to show that we want to have a it's important that we have strong leadership and the leadership positions in the district that comes from from from the office of superintendent to directors to principles to teacher leaders to our our folks in our support staff realm who who step up and lead. We have them all over the district and it's important that we

057have those. But really, it's about this continuous improvement model and the idea of setting measurable goals, reporting out transparently what we're doing with those goals, how we're doing, and then what we're going to do next. And that's what this one's all about. So, comments, questions, concerns about number two. Yes. is strong leadership. Um boy that's you know do we know what that is? Yes. Do we absolutely okay all right strong leadership transformational leadership is very clear the folks need to have or or or collectively we need to have people who are good communicators who can um who can build others the capacity of others who can hold folks accountable to results these are the components of transformational leadership now how you get that is you have to develop it or you have to hire it,

058right? Those are the two ways you get it there. And so I can give you an example, and again, we're trying not to get too far in the weeds, but um just as an example, strong leadership at the district and school levels. Um one of the exercises that you put me through to get this job was to do the strength finder index. We're having a two-day workshop with our entire administrative team that they do the StrengthFinder from an inside look and then a collective look because there's no Superman or woman principles out there that have all four of those transformational skills that there's. But what we do have are people who are very gifted and talented in each of the different areas. So our job collectively as how we'll collaborate to to lead the district

059is by putting those people in the right place to help make the difference in the areas that they're strong in. So so we'll cover for this person who may not be as strong here by putting someone who's strong there to help them, you know, and that and that would be just an example how we would do that from a developmental standpoint. But we'll also have goals at each building where we'll have folks. So, so what you have to understand is this 100 day plan structure isn't just for us to write for the board. It's for principles to write for their building and their goals and for teachers to write from their perspective on how they're going to get their kids there. Like it's just a structure that when we're clear about what we want to

060have as an outcome and then we have I mean the accountability is in producing the results. So here are our results and where are we? Well, sometimes you're not going to meet results, but why didn't we meet the result? What do we have to do differently next time? That's that's the real crux of it. Principles are held to the um six standards in in that um CISA strong or how do we evaluate our principles? You switch to the Danielson model. This Oh, you did switch. Okay. So, I mean to me, back to the rubric, there's your accountability piece, right? And then our are our directors doing a good job of giving those principles that same kind of feedback, but you're asking your principles to give your correct PLC. So, I'm harping on the A word

061tonight, but I think it is the system exists. Are we using it to the max? And I suspect it would show up in the 100 day plans. Correct. Thank you. David, anybody else? Uh, number two. It's good. All right. Number three. You'll see um some crossover and similarities to our conversation about number one, but this one is all about um behavior. So, a very hot topic um in our district for the last few years. Um so trying to bring together all of the things that we've been working toward um in supporting proactive positive supports for students that um reducing the you know the negative um really narrative that's out there around student behavior in the MSD and creating and promoting positive school culture. So I can give you a moment to take a look at

062that paragraph. Yeah, I just want to say I'm I was really pleased with with with the content here. I came, you know, I've seen this I've seen this Manor Rock public school district at its very worst. And the people who who used to run this this this this outfit, you know, were just so so opposed to, you know, emotional social emotional aspect of things. And it always seemed to me that God we got to we got to have the whole we have to have the whole human beings in this not just like oh well we'll beat you if you if you if you don't learn the multiplication tables which used to be the old method. uh and at a time when you know the the the psychological psychological u aspects of education have become pretty

063problematic in ways and I'm I think that there's a very holistic response to that need here there I like the idea of the restorative practices um I would like to see us if we are going to do this to be very very intentional about teaching people what restorative actually is because some of the restorative stuff that I've seen is not okay and it actually has no power then and it becomes a joke. So just pointedly make sure that many people are trained in what that looks like and how to do it and that will be a key component in the roll out of our new curriculum. Um, and there's some really good PD that comes with that around restorative practices and exactly what they are so we can focus on using a couple and getting

064really good at those for different circumstances. So, yeah, I I agree. We we can call things restorative, but it really is it it really is it requires some practice and a level of understanding and some training. So, I'm excited about the the PD that comes with that, which would be great. Yeah, this seems like a very it's a a warm fuzzy. It's a human element to it. So science brain is saying how do we measure this and how do we know which action produced the intended results? It seems like we've already taken some changes since brand new to the board. We've taken and gone the social worker route to the guy. How do we know that if that's going to be the right answer or is it going to be what you were just talking

065about? I guess somehow in that 100 day plan, I'd ask you to say how are we going to measure our specific actionable items. I know it's tough because it is a an emotional definitely more ambiguous than looking at academic data. Um part of our data retreat though will be buildings having the opportunity to look at their own internal behavioral data and we already started some work with um our CISA7 people. So we we came up with some collective commitments about how and what we will be documenting in IC. So there's some consistencies as we're looking district-wide at behavior data. Um but what buildings will do is they'll be able to look in Infinite Campus and say, "All right, um you know, inappropriate language was our biggest issue in one of the buildings." So then they'll

066be able to say we're going to target inappropriate language in these ways and we're going to do this proactively and when a student is using pro inappropriate language then we're going to have this level of intervention that the teacher will try first and then if it continues we'll go to so we'll be able to implement that process and then really buildings will determine what we're looking at in order to evaluate what intervention worked and if it did work and if we've reduced the amount of inappropriate language referrals that we're entering infinite campus. So, um those those measurable it, you know, it it might not be like as specific as 90% of students meet grade level proficiency, whatever, but we could say we're reducing the incidence of this behavior in our building or we're increasing engagement

067because we know that we've supported through this way. So, it'll be a little bit more general, but there will definitely be measurable metrics. But that's a big one. pursue. And you're right, there's no good rubric that says this kid is less of a jerk than they were. But we know what I would say is all the schmazzle you have in here, it's great. Okay. But the truth is you only need the last sentence where together these initiatives will create an atmosphere where every student can excel academically and socially leading to a positive impact on the entire school. I would argue the entire community period really um is absolutely what we need to be doing with everything not just behavior but everything so and and when and I know that's a big goal of the all

068so and when it happens it's awesome is it uh I give you 50 of the 100 days thank you for the manageable realistic and and then I increase your tariffs. Um, some of the data is going to be relatively easy. It comes off infinite campus. So, you can look at your discipline referrals and it's pulled right off campus. You can see exactly if it's from teacher to teacher to building to building to hour to hour. You can you can you can compile all that information that's f there for you. So, that's that's yeah, the challenge will be to parse out it was because a social worker, it was because you woke up better that morning. You know, I mean, that's that's the problem. Somebody had a good breakfast. That can be it. You know, absolutely.

069I think another point of input um this year, Mike had given a survey a couple times, a staff survey, um where they had some pretty loud feedback about behavior for sure. And I think that kind of input's pretty important and needs to be listened to. So, revisiting where their frustrations were. Um but definitely there were some celebrations as well staff feeling better about about behavior and students um discipline. So we asked that that be included in an action plan as well like I think that was through school perception perception. I Okay, my big rock, sorry, is I get this. I've worked with EBD kids and behavior problem kids for 28 years. I get this. I am concerned because through all of that work we're going to do try to change behaviors and get kids not

070misbehaving. What are we going to do to stop the things that happen dayto day cause people to go, "Oh, there's behavior problems at that school." Um, yeah. I I I I get it. But how do we say if somebody does something that is truly a behavior issue, a problem, something that in the community they would have gotten in a lot of trouble for, how do we say, "Yeah, we're going to deal with that in a positive way." I think there um you know that's an important that's an important piece is there will there will be those behaviors that we can't predict or we you know we can do lots to mitigate and try to be proactive and teach expectations and put supports in place for kids but there will be those things that we just

071can't prevent. Um and when there is a safety concern, a serious safety issue for that student themselves, a peer, the learning community at large, um we do have our student code of conduct that was modified by a team of teacher stakeholders. So there's one specific to the secondary level and one specific to the elementary level because we need to respond in different ways. Um but we also have implemented I think you know some more consistency in acknowledging that those serious safety issues need to be addressed in a different manner and you know we're we're working to create some more at risk programming for students to address those needs and make sure that they have access to more extreme supports then I I just I think that's important and to something Murray was talking about in

072that survey I heard some comments from educators saying that it was hard to teach at times because of interruptions. So, yeah, I I understand all of this, but it's like there there has to be this is the wrong way to say it, but there's got to be a way to to stop some of those things while we're working through the process of helping some of these kids heal. You know, in the wrong decision, Keith, I I totally agree. But if you take a look at at what three and four are doing, and I think if you look at number four, it it helps that whole thing. As a building administrator, I never once found where parents were on not on my side and wanted their kids to behave and do well in school. No parent

073really came up to me and said, "I don't want you to do anything for my kid. I don't want them to be well." So if we take a look at number four in this engagement and this community support and we're getting the parents and and everybody involved, it's like the old circle theory in social uh social work is that wraparound program. If we connect with mom and dad early as number four says and get that partnership in, it's going to help behaviors. you you bring you bring that parent group together and start helping to solve rather than the constant demeaning and and thumb down approach but it takes an effort. I mean it it takes a lot of work but I think four addresses that support quite well. Yeah, I think the whole thing is

074like a kind of a mosaic that becomes very holistic in the end. I mean each part complements the other but I I I I think that you know in terms of number three I think I I don't think we can overemph emphasize the importance of strong leadership. Right. Right. I mean I my kids went to went to Washington when when when was the principal there and honestly it was it was a wonderful school I thought and I think that the the the evidence I mean it's sort of anecdotal I suppose to pick on one or two because uh the principal that came after her was quite quite good too. Um, but I do think that strong the strong leadership thing is is really kind of the glue of this whole this whole strategy. Anything else

075on this? Okay. All right. Four is communication engagement. So I'll just again just give you a minute to look at the picture. The big thing here is that our school district, in my opinion, is the backbone of our community in many, many ways. And the district needs to be in constant communication with that community about what's happening. I think we're reminded all of the time that a vast majority of the citizens and the folks who pay their taxes to fund our school system don't send kids to our school system. And so that's a trust thing. And so in this in this big rock, what you see is our efforts uh to strengthen those relationships both public relationships like intergovernmentally the city and the county uh as well as uh with nonprofits uh I I the

076chamber of commerce and the the lakeshore project lakeshore progress lakes shore um economic development that all interconnects and it's important that the school system is at the table when we get to that piece. It's also important with our family units that we understand a very important point that student achievement of kids is really about them feeling like they belong in our schools and then that they're actively involved in things outside of learning like the arts, like sports, like clubs. And so all of these all of these things can come become possible when people know and understand what those opportunities are and what impact they're having. And it's our job to communicate that impact with our community and listen to them along the way. Um so it's a two-way street. So that's the essence of this

077one and then I'll take your comments, questions, or concerns. I see an area for um improving communication and transparency. So, I appreciate that you included that. Um I also see an area where the board could improve in that. Um so, would love further discussions or some ideas built into your day plans around around the board and how we can support and model that. Mr. triangle is giving me a funny look, but it's probably for another meeting, right? It may be something some of the CISA offerings for functional boards, collaborative boards maybe entering something like that to make sure we're steering in the we're learning since some three of us are new. We have a lot to learn. So maybe some of those offerings in that pen. Sure. Thank you. I would agree. I learned when

078I attend the CE board meetings, it's there's a lot of things that help a lot of different boards probably should be something lot of opportunity. Thank you. Thanks for the feedback, Chris. the the only thing I would suggest you think about adding for communication engagement is um other educational institutions in our larger community. So that is not just um um University of Wisconsin Green Bay Manto campus I think is the new official name of it. Uh I I think that's also our parochial schools. We want to be in good communication with everybody. That's the other schools in the county. Keel, Valders, all these guys, you know, it's not we're it is not what are they? The Sharks and the Jets. Did I get them right? Okay. You know, that's not what we're that's not what

079we're doing here. I I think it's really important that we're communicating with everybody like uh LTC. I really would love if we're doing everything we can to make sure not only do we have a good plan for kids that are going to college, but a good plan that slides them right into technical school or wherever else they're going too. So, you know, we're doing that with the youth apprentichip stuff, but we we can do that everywhere. So, that's the only reason I say, you know, that's a great idea. To add on to that, you were saying in the geographical community, but I'd like to extend on that in looking at some of the data. um from our performance in sorting by size of school district and how are they performing things that stuck out to

080me were to peers. Yes, they probably have a lot stronger financial base, but their scores were also much higher. So, what beyond the things we can't control can we communicate and learn from districts our size with our demographic? with our demographic and I mean we might have to go outside the state for that because in looking at our dem in our size and our demographic we have some yeah Wisconsin Rapids Blo okay there are some that is one of the things with our communication piece Malcolm Gladwell said the best indicator of what a test score shows is the size of the the kid's parents house yeah that's probably you can predict better what that is based on their passport than anything else. Yeah, that's right. And our community doesn't understand that because the way it's

081presented, but that's a communication thing. But, you know, um we were a community that when I first came to Manitoba, honestly, I was just stunned by how how you know positive people in this community were to school system. I mean, you know, they ranked very high. uh the teachers were highly demographic and and and certainly even you know even before Ron Rubik won three state championships people were really into the Manitoba public schools and I think that's fallen off for a lot of reasons demographic and economic and a lot of other things but the fact of the matter is is that we need to we need to be really inclusive I think and um you know pump the positive stuff for sure, but also share the concerns as well. We had a discussion this week

082about a situation that that uh sometimes I wonder if our staff understands that commi community relationship that we need to have um that that um we we share things with the community that we have be our auditorium if they need be it our athletic fields. Um, and I think sometimes we we need to set that out as an example and and get that out there. Um, I'm not sure why I get those phone calls, but I do. And and uh those are things that that I think sometimes we just we we have some nice facilities. We have some old facilities. We have some nice things that we have that other places don't have. We have to learn that, hey, it's taxpayers in the complete district that are funding those things. It's it's not our kids

083and our parents and and uh just to help maybe clarify that some of our staff. Anything else? Oh, we can move on to number five. Responsibility and resource management again. Just a minute. Two minutes. Well, there isn't much of that. I mean, it got dry. The idea with this is that we use the resources we have, which are people, money, and time to the maximum to get the best results. And um I think there's opportunities for us within this big rock to develop some systems that we use to clarify what our priorities are and how they relate to our budgeting and the tools that we are bringing in for our teachers and the staff development. It's all really aligned. The people and money and time though are necessary to complete all these other things that

084we're talking about. So it's very important. some of the strongest districts in the state have actually developed um talking about rubrics how how spending how does it relate if it doesn't relate to what's on this paper then why are we doing it those kind of conversations and I think as we as we dive into that with this we're going to be look working with a new administrator in there I think we provide some opportunities for that person to understand that our vision is to go in a direction where our priorities are what we're focused on. And sometimes hard decisions have to be made and when they do, we come back to this. We come back to where we're trying to go to make those decisions. And that's really what this one's all about. As well

085as trying to secure funding sources outside of our normal uh funding sources. Our team has uh done an incredible job of looking at things outside of the district over the last couple of years. We've received a community grant, a recovery high school grant. We've had other grants that we've received through the office of curriculum and instruction. And we have to continue to do those things. Um, but really it's it's making sure that our our monies and our spending of our monies align with our priorities and where that we're looking to get the best results from from that. That's what this one's all about. Yeah. are in this considering you know the community our customers our funding source we're seeing in the state these referendum we have to finance by referendum and I think in sharing

086some of these things when I got questions just as a candidate very how do we communicate back to the number four above how do we communicate very simply what does this mean to the taxpayer and I gave them a little chart that said this will now have the board had committed to not increasing the tax base and this is how that simple of a communication so somebody can share with their neighbor because I'm trying to learn the the fund numbers and all of these things and they're very big there's a lot to it it's not a P&L like a business like I'm used to seeing agencies that are different it's so how do we and maybe including that in number five that communication tie to make sure that we are serving our customers having that

087conscience and are being fiscally responsible. I I think this will probably go into the 100 day plans. But that's also where I think you started doing a good job of explaining the why because the state has not been funding us at what they said they were going to for the past 20 years. Because the state did not keep up with inflation. We have to have those words as well. Mhm. Non-judgmental, but here's the truth. Yeah. It's the why. But it's also the difference this year with the referendum of saying we're going to be fiscally responsible. We went through the budget. You found savings that we were able to tell the taxpayers this is the why. This is what it's for. But we're going to use your tax dollars right way. Save the money. So you're

088not going to see a 40% increase as you saw two years a you know two years and and and those kind of things that responsibility helps the district. We have we have things we have to fix and if we're responsible taxpayers are going to go, "Hey, they're using my money." Correct. Support because they are support going along with what Ann said, I you know, Managewalk Managewalk is is not a community that always um clicks into the MPSD website. We need to communicate Yeah. through C Hafer. We need to communicate through the Herald Times. We need to communicate through WMT. There's people that use every one of those medias to their level of knowledge. So, we just can't rely on one source of getting that information out. It has got to be every source available. Um,

089many people in my community, they'll listen to that radio and they'll come after the radio show and say, "Hey, I just heard or I just read it on Sea Haven." I just They need that because they're not all clicking into the computer. They've got to have We can't just rely on MPSD website to convey our messages. It's got to be multi. Yes, I I've communicated mostly when people are asking me questions, forwarding the Facebook pages that said this. It's the easiest way for me to answer a lot of questions was to say, "Hey, look at this communication from MPSD." Yeah. Um, changing topic just slightly, but still in number five. I I was rereading and rereading this something about um a long range approach as well. Yeah. And I maybe skipping ahead to number seven

090a little bit, but we kind of got ourselves into that referendum situation because we weren't right. Correct. And that's specific to facilities, but there are other areas of the budget where you as the superintendent and the business director always are looking out um rather than The roof has a leak. What do we do today? But we're not thinking about five years from now. Correct. Long range. A 30-year plan for facilities isn't unusual in districts. Um 46 requires a 10-year plan. And it was hard for the community to understand. They kept asking what is the plan? And it's hard when that hasn't been built in the in the past for us to say, "Oh, here it is." Right. So, I think you're kind of building police planning. Well, it's in the air. So, I I think

091at least something in number five and perhaps it'll come in the 100 plans, but there might be a mention of something more long range. Yep. Thank you. Anything else? Six. Mr. Null, it gives me a chance to uh excuse myself for a second. All right. um when I read attracting, recruiting, hiring, and retaining quality staff, I might be a little biased because I'm HR guy, but it seems to me that that's about one of that's probably the most important thing we do because at the end of the day, if we hire in teachers loaded with teachers, teacher talent, we hire in quality, skilled employees, that sort of thing, the organization is going to flourish. And if we miss key on those pieces, obviously too often the the organization is going to fall a little bit.

092Studies show that the reputation of the school district is the primary most important thing relative to attracting and recruiting people. Um, and frankly, uh, I I I experienced that here because, uh, in the last couple years, I had a couple people that I was trying to seal a deal with, as I would call it, right? And, um, there was some hesitation and, um, so I'm hoping that we're over that over that hill and moving in in a different direction. Um the other thing relative to attracting recruiting is that uh if our if our current employees feel good about being here uh the word of mouth, you know, when they're at the YMCA and church function and uh festivals, you name it. Family gatherings, you know, if they feel good about the organization and people start

093talking about it, they're going to be talking about it. There's a position out there that they think they might be a good fit for, they might even encourage them to apply. Uh, so that's really important. We do use for our posting and advertising, we do use the Wisconsin Educated Career Access Network that's been in the state now probably two decades. Um, uh, but that's primarily the the teacher resource for uh, advertising and that sort of thing. With teachers, we use Indeed with our support staff. Our support staff really they don't really use. um they're not familiar with it, but Indeed, they're very familiar with it. And um with Indeed, we get we get a tremendous number of applicants. There's a glitch to it though. Um you know, we might have a position, a support position,

094special education pair position, let's say. We might get 25, you know, applicants in a very timely manner. However, when we look through the backgrounds quickly and stuff like that, it doesn't take long, you know, 20 the 25 and maybe we have five that we're maybe interested in. uh but at least we have some candidates and and indeed works well for us. Yeah, you know the other thing relative to um recruiting and attracting you got to have connections with university and we are connected with Lakeland we are connected with WGB and Oshkosh pretty tight. U I work closely there with John Yang out of Lakeland and Cory Baker our GB and stuff like that. The other thing is is we get an opportunity to have a student teacher. We we we we jump on that because

095we can bring typically if somebody wants a student teach at Matlock, they're from the northeast side of the state. Sometimes right from the city of Matlock right here. They were born and raised here. So if we get a chance to have a student teacher, we jump at that because that's an opportunity they if they do well, that's an opportunity possibly for photo to good hire. We also have done quite a few times. I mean interns and we look uh we do the same thing with the interns. It's an alternative to student teaching. We pay a little sum of money u you know as familiar with the situation we did with coral music a couple years ago. We also recruit out of the country the Philippines right we have Oh yeah Jolen math teacher at Wilson

096has done very well. And so Joan's here with us and her husband came in um October, November, Giovanni and he's working as a custodian. They're doing very well. She they're going to bring their daughter over for next year and their J1s and J2s have been approved. It's all good. So just just a really, you know, really nice story, great success type of story. As you're well aware, we have used elevated K12. We have used emerges and I don't envision Elevate K12 at all next year. Maybe not also, but who knows? You know, it's it's it's June June, July. So, that type of thing relative to hiring. Uh I truly do believe hiring is the most important thing we do. It's a process. And um as I've kind of heard this tonight, you know, hiring is

097not a perfect science. There's no doubt about it. But the better the better we do with the process, the more likely we're going to get who we think we're going to get, right? And you know, that process of hiring is is from from the from the from the posting and advertising to the screening to the interviewing to the checking the references and and that sort of stuff. But once again, the better we do at that process, the more likely we're going to get who we think we're going to get, what we envision we're going to get. Um and then just a little bit about retention, you know, and and retention retention does cross a lot of these areas because at the end of the day, at the end of the day, the building principles, the

098central office leaderships, you know, board of education, we all need to we all need to make sure that our staff have a sense of belonging. They feel valued. They feel listened to. Um they they like coming to work and all those types of things. because that's that really is the number one thing to attention is is people wanting to come to work here and feel good about being here. That takes that type of thing. And um um I I uh you know the other the other thing relative to to those pieces is we also have to have compensation structures that are competitive. I think we all agree to some of that. And um I I kind of leave it like this. We we want to be an organization that takes care of its employees because

099I I've said this numerous times to the principles. If we take care of our people, our people will take care of us. So, just some thoughts on those areas. I don't know what your thoughts are, but willing to listen and share questions, comments. You sound like a broken record for each of these. But in the 100 day plans, what are our metrics and how do we know we're succeeding? So, where are we getting the data from? Is it, you know, is it our exit for retention? Is it our exit interviews? Is it what are the trends? Have we done a paro on why people are leaving? Those are the things that keep coming up in my head as I'm reading this that I'd like I would like to see in the 100 day plans. How

100do we know that our changes are working? Do a lot of stuff. Keep what works. And how do we know what is working? I just had one comment from Mike in his work. It is the most important part. I agree with you. Number six, I'd love to see the word on boarding included. Um, you know, the research says that successful on boarding would lead to that retention. Oh, that's great. And what are we doing especially as we're looking at AC20 and memory and learning that bridges math and how do we on board a new teacher in that um but also other areas. How do we on board a new custodian? How do we on board a new food service person? Um, making them feel belong like they belong. Um, but also confident in their jobs

101is pretty important. Um, and I think the other part of that for all of our staff is again that feedback loop. Um, with our teachers, it's Daniel and I'm here. um but where are the other pieces and accountability um that we're giving them the feedback that they need to truly be that excellent employee, that high quality employee. So, I think that's already in the work you do, Mike. I'm just asking for it to be called out. Yeah, there's a mentor system, right? I mean, we have a manage system that that ought to be kind of an encouraging, you know, let me help you out and you're doing really well. I mean, I think that as a as a new teacher, and I think we're we're destined to to be looking for a lot of new

102teachers, um, to re really reassure them, have a, you know, have a relationships with inside to really reassure them that gosh, you're doing, you know, you're doing really well, but, you know, let me let me let me give you a hint. I mean this, you know, this, you know, maybe you're working too hard at this and and and but to to be very encouraging and to reassure people, it's a it's a it's a kind of a an a, you know, it's a very subjective kind of profession like you said, it's sort of teachers work on their own. I think David said that and um you can't you can't let that be the case for the teachers I think and on boarding is really good because I know when I started they gave me the key

103and said your office is down the down the hall and and I thought holy gez you know well no no welcome or no you know etc etc but uh I lost right I didn't get a followup. I was the only one that didn't take a anything else for Michael. Thank you. Number seven, operations and infrastructure. Mike. Oh, this one it's not as vague. I guess I that's why I like like my area here. the next few years. You know what we're working on right now with the various committees, uh, staff committees and community committees trying to work together to, uh, come up with a plan for our entire district to rightsize it, rightsize our buildings and all of that sort of thing. So, um, but you're not doing it in a vacuum like we were

104a couple years ago. True. you know, and as we move along with some of these meetings with our Michael Hacker and that stuff, you can tell that the community is becoming more well aware of what's going on around here. A lot less opposition and they're just in tune with what's going on and coming up with the ideas where we need to be. You can you can sense that out there. That's really good. I was telling Lee before the meeting yesterday two gentlemen on different polls. Okay. One of them asked me to let him know when we were going to build a new high school so he could sell his house near the old high school because there'll be riots and he and he just he was very honest in saying true the community how are

105you going to sell the community out? The other gentleman said, "When are we going to move the high school out to Waldo Boulevard across the interstate so the city grows that way and the city will give us money and MPU will give us money." So I think we have to do a really good educational job on how this is going to happen if we want it to be successful. I think that was a problem with the original. There was no education. It was this is what we're doing. And and there was a revolt among a lot of people in the community because they didn't understand the why. So, so that committee, this has to be thought out and it has to be laid out so the community understands what we're doing. I think I kind

106of showed in the referendum that we went through the process, right, that Lee went through a lot of people and uh it passed successfully be because everybody knew what was going on, where we were headed. Yeah. And the communication piece and the way that it's communicated can create excitement or fear and it has we have to create excitement for whatever we all decide is going to happen. Right? But speaking to the point of the iconography of Lincoln, I love that my kids graduated from there. But in the past few years, I had many many kids saying when are we getting rid of this piece of Yeah. as water is walking through the windows that way, right? Kids will treat with respect facilities that they can be proud of and that's just not the case in

107that building right now. Yeah. And also this rock speaks to the operational functioning of the district and the systems around that. Um I think there's there's probably things that we do here that we've just done because we've done them that way for 30 years. And I think we have to have systems in place where we're where we're where we're taking a look at some of those things. Um, you know, just, you know, we do it this way. Is there are there speaking of collaborating with other districts? How do they handle that over here? Are there are there other operational savings we can make tying number seven as Mary suggested before really to number five u in a lot of ways? Um, you know, and how to do that too. there has to be enough money

108in maintenance fixing buildings and we we haven't done that because of funding but yeah so the 100 day plan segments if I'm correct me if I'm wrong for certain ones that are more fiscally based we should see some numbers or some target dates to hey we need to have the decision squat to to to say to ensure that we're spending the right money in the right school that's going to be a little more hard numbers those metrics I'm not as you know but that's what I would expect. Well, and and and and the key idea with the 100 day plans are, you know, if you want to think of it like this, this is where we want to be here, right? The 100 day plans, remember, there's going to be a lot of 100 day

109plans to get to 3 to 5 years, right? So, here we are. This is where we want to be. The first 100 day plan is going to be what we bite off and chew to get to this part and then to this part. And so what what what this team has done is thought through some of that already, right? Like okay, well this would have to happen order of operations. What has to happen first? How do we lay the groundwork for this? And many of those things are the systems and how we do that and monitor it and the success. So the goal would be that we take each of these now go back write those plans come to the committees. You now everyone around this table knows understands where we want to go. We'll

110make the adjustments to this document that were suggested here tonight and bring it back. Well, once we do this, it's go team go. And then when those 100 day plans come back, you'll be able to evaluate those and and hold us accountable for what those plans are in relationship to where we're going to go. And you might look at it and go, well, if this is our goal, then why are you doing this? And we should be able to tell you that this is the way this, you know, this is why we think this has to be done first. But that dialogue is so critical because ideas come up. You know, you all know the community. You've been most of you have been around here for a while. You understand and know you hear from

111the community more so than I do on a lot of things. And so that's why that dialogue is really helpful and critical in the in the detail. They always say the devil's in the details. Well, that's what the 100 day plans are. with that 100 day plan. Back to Mary's point, are there going to be bullets on these are the next steps that we have to get to to get to the long-term strategic plan? Correct. That's what those are. And who's accountable for and who's Yeah, I think we have a template that we'll use. And then we also have a template for what our 100 day report looks like. And then, you know, I'd like to just tie that 100 day report to the next. We don't need we shouldn't need to wait a month

112in between a 100 day report and the next 100 day plan. That should be all taking place at one time. Yeah. I appreciate the work of the directors. Yes. And the superintendent to get to the point. Yes. Exciting work. We really appreciate dialogue. I just want to say that the final sentence while I called out I think what was it number three? I called it out number three. The final sentence, every one of these sums everything up without bullet points, without a big I understand why the big narrative and everything's in there, but really everything is nutshell which is really nice in those last things. So if you want clarity, it's all right there. I don't know if that was all one person or you all committed to collaborator. All collaborative. Good job. Well, very

113nicely done. English teacher and me says anything else on one through seven. Um I did have a friend who talked to me who had served on a school board in a different area and they said what is our plan when people start coming at us for using certain words for example equity. Do we have some sort of plan of how we're going to address that? Well I'm sorry. I mean, and my my jerkish self says, "Well, I'm sorry you've been corrupted that or that word has been corrupted for you, but here's what it means to us." So, I think that's something that in communication, I don't know, but it'll come up. Okay. Inclusiveness. Acceptance. Yeah. Okay. A rare word. I think, you know, in the context in which they're used, if we don't use those

114words specifically, then we're not then we're saying that we're okay with exclusive practices or uninclusive environments. So, um, it has, you know, what's best for all that tends to be something that now we can go like Harvard and everywhere in here where one of these words that some people have a moronic knee-jerk reaction to it. There was there's no there's no dog whistling in this document. The words are used appropriately where they're used and they're used justifiably. I would absolutely discourage using any words in an attempt to curry favor with one political perspective or the other because it's a working document that's based on reason. So 100% agree, but I just want us to be I just don't want a list of words we can't use. Law procedure process in our state statutes. As long

115as they do, then they those words should still be able to be used in the context. Correct. Mayor, you had that look like I was just wondering about next meeting. That's what we need next next meeting dates. Yep. Uh so we have our we have a school board meeting. We have our two committees uh policy and personnel are meeting next week Tuesday. Yes. At are we doing four? Did we say we're going to move it to four or are we doing 3:30? I think we did four, right? Yeah. What did you do? You remember what you put down? Because I think we said there's too long of a gap between two. Four. I think it's four. We changed it. So, yep. And then 5:00 for curriculum on Tuesday. Policy is June 3rd. I Okay. Yeah.

116So, June 3rd. Yeah. Yep. Okay. If you can't make your committee meeting, let me know. Hey, who do we have finance and facilities? Not there yet. Um the 30th of June. Thank you. So, we meet with the person we meet with Mike Mike. Yeah, he'll send Ruby will send the policies to Oh, yeah. They've already been sent out. Curriculum is when June 3rd at 53rd at [Music] 5 times that they are and if there are times for the committee to meet. That's what we did the last time. Everybody said it was okay to do the the first Tuesday. You know, if there is flexibility with the team that are available to have a daytime meeting that we could make those changes committee by committee, it's up to the committee chairs. Well, we could we could

117do that. I think it would be great for the committees to have these discussions with them at our next meeting. All right. I think we tied those two close together because of the members of the committee. I love that you tried to make a motion that really is it. We talk about that within your committee committee's decision. I I am being able I know a lot of people stay after their work days and I do have the Friday people if Fridays would work better for finance facilities I don't know Ann was saying for that she has Fridays off and if Fridays work better for finance facilities it could be earlier in the day the 28th. No just after the Friday instead of a Thursday meeting. Where's the 30th and that's a Friday? No. Any Friday?

118Any any Friday moving them moving Friday? You two have a chat later. What is What is the 30th? It's a Thursday. Is it Thursday? I thought so. No, I think it's be a Thursday at 5 is what we had originally facility. We've been bringing up Thursday. Oh, no. We said we were going to do the 30th though Monday. The Monday. Yeah, because folks are out of town. folks are out of town. Okay. Yeah. So that is Monday is the fourth. The fourth Tuesday, it Thursday is the We're out of town. Keith's out of town. I'm out of town. We're all out of town. So he talked about moving it today to Monday the 30th. Okay. If it were I did that about 8:30 this morning at 5. It would have to be at five and

119that would be the absolute soonest. 515 help. It it might five should be okay. Okay. You guys could do all this. That could be a chance. All right. That's true. All right. Thank you. Sorry for everybody in anything else. We have the quarter century requirements. And then some of us I think are reading Jackson. Oh yeah. On Thursdays. McKenzie's graduation is when? June 5th. June 5th. Yeah. Yeah. It's an exciting time here. Lincoln is 13th. Yes. So, logistics on that. I was a maybe because of work schedule, busy day. Am I allowed to just show up? Yeah. Okay. On the Kinley one, you're saying? Um, no. On the retirement. Oh, tomorrow. Oh, sure. Yeah, they already said it's Why don't you wear your There's already a notice. We're good. We noticed all those things. To

120wear your bag. Motion to adjurnn. Got a motion to second. Second. Third. Stole my motion. I never got because you're not a sheriff. Second. And everybody said I.