001Okay, it is Monday, January 26, 2026, and I call this business meeting of the Elizabeth School District to order at 6:00 pm. Can I get a roll call? Director Callahan >> here. >> Director Fletcher >> here. >> Director Hunt >> here. >> Director Olsen >> here. >> Director Pal >> here. >> Okay, let's stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance >> 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. Okay. I move that the board approved the business meeting agenda for January 26, 2026 as presented. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Okay. Can I get a roll call? >> Director Callahan. >> I. >> Director Fletcher. >> I. >> Director Hunt. >> Hi. >>
002Director Olsen. >> Hi. >> Director Pal. >> Hi. >> Okay. Okay. I move that the board approve the minutes from the board of education special meetings on January 13, 2026 and January 19th, 2026. >> Second. >> Any discussion on those? All right. Can I get a roll call? >> Director Callahan. >> Hi. >> Director Fletcher. >> Hi. >> Director Hunt. >> I. >> Director Olsen. >> Hi. >> Director Pal. >> Hi. >> We have uh some wonderful guests here today. So, I think what we will do, if you don't mind, um, let's let's flip, uh, 61 and 62 and let's, uh, let Running Creek do their presentation if that's okay. >> You're hi. [laughter] >> So, Pauline, you'll just need to push the button on the on the microphone so the lights come on. >>
003Lights or numbers? >> Hold it down for a minute. Yeah, >> says 597. There we go. >> Awesome. All right. So, before I begin, I would like to thank both the Elizabeth School Board and Superintendent Snowberger for this opportunity to showcase Rain Creek Elementary School this evening. But rather than hearing me talk so much, because I do have a tendency to do that, I decided um because I could blog about our excellent teachers, our staff, our students, our families, and our community all day long. But I believe it's far more meaningful for you to hear it directly from those who live it every single day. So it is my honor to present the Running Creek Elementary Schools ambassadors and class representatives. [applause] So I would like to begin with our fir. >> All right. So
004we're going to begin with introductions with our fifth grade, then fourth grade, then third grade. Go ahead and begin. Fifth grade. >> When I first became >> You're introducing yourself right now. >> I My name is Macy Collins. I'm in fifth grade. I am a student and I'm a creek elementary student ambassador. >> My name is Teddy. I'm in fifth grade and I am a Ring Creek student ambassador. I am a student. I am Karen Hansen and I'm a running I'm in fifth grade and I'm a learning creek student class representative. >> My name is Annary Hy and I am a fourth grade student ambassador at My name is Ethan Briggs and I'm in fourth grade. I'm a student ambassador. >> My name is Jackson. I am fourth grader at Running Creek and I'm a
005student ambassador. >> My name is Vienna Hill. I'm a Running Creek student representative. I mean class. >> My name is Annabelle. I'm a fourth grade student ambassador. My name is Creek. >> My name is Owen Messer. I'm a Running Creek student. >> Hello, my name is Jayen. Good evening. And I third grade students. >> My name is student ambassador. When I first became suggestions, but now I see it's about being a leader and role model for not only yourself, for your peers in the school. I am proud to be a student ambassador for the school. We have come very close as a school community and we have learned so much as I have had the opportunity to see how students in all seders and staff for all their support and for helping us become strong
006responsib school has been a fascinating this school year has been a fascinating and neat kind of show by the st the students and staff the quiet in the hallways and beautiful every working together make our school a positive and welcoming place. We strive to help others whenever we can lead by example. Our goal is to be strong role models to encourage all students to learn, grow, and succeed. We have grown together as a school community much like a beautiful tapestry carefully woven by a skilled weaver. We have learned so much from our amazing and talented staff and we students have worked hard and achieved great things. We are proud of the determination, effort and dedication shown by my fellow students and our staff. Running tree commission focuses on fostering a collaborative, safe and engaging environment
007where staff, students and community members work together to promote individual, academic, social, and emotional growth. The school emphasizes, building on student strength, cultivating a love of learning, and ensuring each child feels valid. We empower every student to thrive in a safe, positive environment where strong relationships, accident excellence, and a united commitment to community drive success. Our goals for the 2025 through 2026 school year are creating climate and culture by positive mindset. Students commit to growth opportunities. Model by being a good example building student leaders by adding and by adding first grade ambassadors and class representatives. Raise our data scores on IMAT. already cath scores for third through fifth grade students. Increase our participation rate adding STEM through fourth and fifth grade. Work together as a united team of Jaguar students through our core group. These
008values define us as Jaguars. They shape our actions. They guide our choices and they strengthen every connection we build as school command. Attendance. We arriving on time and ready to win each and every day. >> We are working on our specific area of need to take flight boost in other areas. Encouragement for our high performing and gifted and talented students. >> Direct instruction. We are learning in our classrooms through direct instruction from our teachers both in whole groups and small groups. >> Who are we? We are running to excellence. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> That was wonderful. Thank you so much. Keep up the great work. >> Does anybody have any questions for our peoples? >> Because they're willing to answer them. >> Any questions, board members? >> I'm just so overwhelmed. [laughter]
009>> You guys did such a wonderful job >> and a very thorough job. You covered it all. Good job. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Keep up the great work. >> Yes. >> And thank you guys for this opportunity. We really appreciate it. >> Thank you parents. >> Thanks parents. Round of applause FOR YOU TOO. YOU GUYS BE CAREFUL OUT THERE. Stay warm. >> You too. >> Yes. At least it's warming up a little bit this week. >> Thank goodness we're over that. [laughter] Interesting take. >> Interesting take. >> So, what grade are you guys in? >> Third. >> All right. Good job. >> Kindergarten. >> I thought you said college. [laughter] >> Yep. Eventually. That's the ultimate goal, right? Either that or you know, whatever he chooses. That was cute. Very cool. >> Yeah, normally.
010>> All right. Okay, bring them back in. [laughter] >> One more time. >> Yes, >> Apple TV. >> I kind of like that picture. I like that kitchen. [laughter] >> That's my guess. >> Thank you. >> Show me how you fixed that. >> Okay. >> Well, good evening. I am here this evening to present our middle of the year data. Um so I will be presenting the middle of the year data on I ready for kindergarten through um high school actually at this point. So and it's not going there we go. So we're going to sorry we're going to start with Running Creek middle of the year benchmark. We're going to look at reading scores first. So at the beginning we have both the beginning of the year and the middle of the year scores
011projected up here. Um as you can see so this is Running Creek. The bottom score is the beginning of the year. The middle of the year is the the score on the top. Um at the beginning of the year we had 23% of our students scoring in the red. At middle of the year we have 14% of our students scoring in the red. So we had a 9% decrease. Um but the nice part of this was that there was a a big increase um in the number of students scoring in the green. So at the beginning of the year we only had 24% of our students at or above grade level and we have um at the middle of the year 42% of our students scoring in the green. So, we said saw a nice
012progression of those students scoring um from red moving into yellow and then yellow students moving into the green. >> Kim, can you talk about the colors just real quick what what the colors mean? >> You bet. Um so, the dark red are students that are scoring three or more grade levels below. The lighter red is sorry is two grade levels below. The yellow is students are students that are scoring one grade level below. Um, and at the beginning of the year, we would expect that they would be yellow because they haven't gotten the the um curriculum. They haven't been taught the standards. These are based on the expectations at the end of the school year. So, the lighter green is early on grade level and then the darker green or the hash colored green is
013mid or above grade level. >> Thank you. >> Sorry. >> No, that's right. talk about them so often that I we should have stopped and done that. So, thank you. >> Just so we >> Yes, sir. >> I won't ask this on everyone, but like the >> for those kids that are in that dark or light red >> um or reading like what's what are we doing for them? >> So, those students are receiving so remember at every elementary school we're doing wind time. So, we have small groupoup instruction time. Um, for the reds, the students scoring in the red, um, those students are being pulled out for small groupoup instruction. Some of those students are getting support through, um, their special education teachers or they might be being pulled out for takeflight therapy. Um,
014or they might be working with the reading interventionist on another reading program during that win time. So all of our students, whether they're below grade level, at grade level, or above grade level, are getting the support they need during that win time. So sometimes that's in a small group setting outside of the classroom. Sometimes it's with their classroom teacher. Um, and sometimes they get pulled and are getting some support like above grade level. I know that at Running Creek they're doing some above grade level support um in the library. So they're pushing those students that are already at grade level or above to make sure that we're extending them as well. So everybody during win time, win time stands for what I need. So everybody is getting whatever it is that that they need at
015that time based on their scores. So we revisit the scores after every benchmark and revisit the groups and make adjustments as needed. And the parents are they they're notified >> and so they're also helping at home. >> Yes. And we send home a report that um also provides some supports that parents can do at home as well. >> So is it something that they work on monthly, weekly? Do the parents come in and here's where your child is and or how often does that happen? We do the benchmark three times a year and so we have those conversations um during MTSS meetings. We'll have those conversations during parent teacher conferences um or if it's a reading issue it may be during a read plan meeting. >> Okay? Because sometimes parents may not know what to
016do, [cough and clears throat] right? >> They're they're like, "What do you want me to do? You just want me to read a Dr. Seuss book and or the uh >> we encourage open conversation between the teachers and the parents in order for parents to help um provide support at home as well. And can I just ask a clarifying question because I think it will help as we >> uh aim for that straight stick rather than the crooked stick >> is in an ideal world you're starting the year out your >> bo >> would be mostly green. Is that right? >> No. Because when we're looking at the yellow with one grade level below, >> right, that makes me that suggests that we're already starting off a whole year behind, not a year ahead. So
017maybe just clarify in an ideal world, what are the colors that we're starting with? >> It would be wonderful if all of our students would be green at the beginning of the year. However, when you're testing at the beginning of the year, let's say second grade, it's testing those just finished first graders, right? On the end of the year, second grade expectations. So, you would expect that the students wouldn't be green because they haven't been taught that those standards yet. So, seeing yellow on your score at the beginning of the year is not unusual because the students haven't been taught second grade material. So even though it's yellow, which gives the idea of caution, caution, this is a yellow flag. >> Yes. >> What we're actually saying is that this child is on track. They
018are not behind yet. Even though it says one grade level below, which suggests they are behind, >> it's actually on track at beginning of the year. Of course, we would want to see come middle of the year more students in the green than we did at the beginning of the year, right? And so we're looking for that movement. And then if we have students that aren't making that progression, then we would be looking at them for >> I see. So what you're saying then is also when you get to the end of the year, there really shouldn't be a yellow. It's either you are green or you're red, >> right? >> There's no longer a yellow. >> There's no yellow. Obviously there's >> but but the point being is that you either are on track
019now. You completed the material or you did not complete the material and understand it. Yes, but if you're if you're in the yellow at the end of the year, you're a year below grade level. Um, so that's the year below grade level mark. So if you're in yellow at the end of the year, you're you're still a year below. Some of those red students, if [snorts] they close the gap, [clears throat] they move into yellow because instead of being two years below the beginning of the year, they've closed the gap and now they're only one year below. And that's really our intent is we've got to grow students to grade level. And so students are behind can't just grow a year's worth of growth. They're never going to catch up. And so we choose this
020option. So there are multiple reports. We could do norm reference. We could say, let's compare our our third graders to other third graders across the nation and how they're scoring in relationship to their peers. We don't choose to do that. That's normationally kids aren't reading on grade level. When 40% of the country reads on grade level, why do we want to compare our kids to other kids in the country? We want to compare to what they need to know by the end of the year. >> Well, and I guess the reason why I'm asking for the clarification is that if you're a parent looking at this, it looks like your child is a grade below at the beginning of the year. It doesn't look like your child is on track. So, I might even suggest
021that if you're doing the beginning of the year, what that yellow should actually say is on track >> rather than ahead, right? Which is what the green is saying that they're ahead. They're a little bit ahead of their grade level versus being on track. But by the end of the year, what I hear you saying is if you're still in the yellow now, you have fallen behind. >> Yes. >> Or or you're still behind, but you may have caught up. You may have caught up some. You may have >> But you're still behind. Yeah. Behind what your grade level is. Correct. Yes. Correct. Which is the point. >> And the reality is is if you're in that hash mark red, that means you're three or more grade levels below. If we moved a student in
022third grade to yellow, that means we've grown them two years in that one. Sure. So, and then hopefully if we do that next year, they'll move into green because they'll they'll catch up. So that's the key is is we always want to see students compared against what we expect them to know and be able to do. Um and so that's why we choose this option. Like I said, if we presented the norm reference data, it would probably look great. Um compared to to nationwide, we have expectations that we >> I'm glad we use this model. I just think that um for >> for parents to understand what that means, right? It doesn't mean my fourth grader is only at third grade level. It means if they're in the yellow, they're on track. >> But by
023the end of the year, we need to make sure that that's mostly green. >> Yes. Exactly. >> Okay. Exactly. All right. Thanks for the clarification. You bet. >> Good conversation. >> Thank you. And so I also included a slide I haven't um provided before. This is placement by domain. So reading has um seven domains. And so this is a breakdown of of our strengths and some areas for improvement. You can see that we seem to do really well with high frequency words and phonics. Um, and you can see that there's um some opportunities for improvement in vocabulary, comprehension, literature, and thenformational test text always seems to be an area across all grade levels that seems to lag a little bit behind because if you think about it, when you go home and you're reading to
024your child at night, you're probably not reading them you know, any kind of informational text. You're reading them a fairy tale or you're reading them some kind of fun literature. So, in our classrooms, we also focus onformational text. Our curriculum has a lot offormational text. >> So, so informationational text that would be like >> noniction, >> the encyclopedia or >> noniction instruction, a book about the moon, it might be about space. it, you know, but without aliens and you know, >> true, >> which is what they're I mean, when they take the SAT, there's a lot of that, right? ACT has a lot of that. >> Yep. >> And basically, when you look at it, you can learn to read while learning history, while learning something as well. >> Yeah. So, >> well, and that's
025one of the reasons that we've utilized core knowledge is because the fact that it does come with anformational text and a lot of historical and science stories provided. Yeah. >> Now you're just trying to be teacher's pet by bringing up poor dog. >> So here's a breakdown of the scores beginning and middle of the year. Kinder, first se and second grades. So again, remember this is for reading. So you can see the growth between the the beginning of the year and the middle of the year for all of those grade levels. Obviously, you're not going to typically see a lot lot if any red in kindergarten and first because remember those are two years below >> or more and then third, fourth, and fifth grade. questions. >> And this is still running creek. >> Yes,
026this is still running creek. >> A lot of progress on grade five. >> Yes, grade four was kind of static. >> Was static. We did have a teacher leave in October, so we had to replace a teacher um in fourth grade, which if you recall, that's the same grade that we struggled with last year with multiple teachers in that in that classroom. Um we do have an instructional coach coming in and helping support not only those teachers, but some of the other teachers in our building. She's coming alongside them. Um she's an experienced teacher, has taught fourth grade for for many years. She um is coming in and helping doing lesson planning and unit planning. She's modeling lessons. She's helping with small group instruction. So, she's really coming in and and helping support those teachers,
027but she's also helping out throughout the building as well. It's good to see though the fifth graders who were in the fourth grade last year who came in were sad at the beginning closing the >> gap. Yep. >> Good job there. >> Yep. >> Yeah. You look at the red at the beginning of the year in fifth grade um that those teachers have been able to gain was impressive. Yeah, absolutely. >> Questions about running creek reading? Okay, we'll move on to Sydney Hills. This is reading again. Same kind of slide. If you'll look um at the beginning of the year, we started out with 17% of our students scoring in the red. We had a decrease of 8%. So, we have only 9% of our students scoring in the red at the middle of the
028year. Our green grew from 32% to 58% from beginning of the year to the middle of the year questions on this. Okay, again a breakdown by domain. You can see that again high frequency words seems to be a strength of ours. Um and the phonics and then literature again strong. So we looks like we might need to focus cross the the two elementaryaries a little bit on our vocabulary and someformational text >> questions. >> Excellent. And this is a breakdown of those same scores by grade level. So you can see the growth in our students in kindergarten, first grade. You see a little bit of the red there in first grade and then second grade. Third, fourth and fifth. Look at our fourth graders. to the last column. That's kind of how many how many
029students out of the total took the assessment. So, uh we talked before about how some people opt their kids out. So, this actually looks pretty high. >> This they don't opt out of of I Ready, they will opt out of CMS. >> Oh, CMS. >> Um we did have during the time period that we were taking the assessment, you have an assessment window when it's usually open for for two or three weeks. Um, we had a lot of sickness going around in the district. So, we had some students that they ended up taking the test, but it may have been after we closed the window. Okay. >> So, um or some of those students um No, that probably is all students that um were sick or vacationed because it was before Christmas. Okay. So, thank
030you questions. >> Okay, we're going to look at the middle school reading scores. >> So, we do we feel that this is significant improvement. >> It it's it's definitely improvement. Um again what we're trying to do right now um is is disagregate the data find where where are we struggling where other specific groups of students are struggling and how do we further move them. So we're moving but obviously until every student's out of the red we're we're not satisfied. So we've got work to do. >> Yeah. But it's definitely massive improvement over what we were seeing. I think we're we're still working on shoring up our tier one instruction, making sure that we're utilizing the the curriculum that that we are using with fidelity and making sure that that instruction in front of the in
031front of the classroom teacher is really strong. Our goal is to hopefully not need, you know, the the small group really intense intervention. That means we have to start with our tier one instruction. So um this is probably um first full year of implementation of our core curriculum with fidelity and with intentionality. So >> do we believe that take flight has that moved any of the kids children who have not moved for a long time is moving which is critical. So when when you have dyslexia it's not a longer and louder it's a change in instruction and that's what take flight is. So, we're pleased. Um, could we use three or four or five or eight more, 10 more groups? Yes. And so, we had five teachers step forward interested in becoming counts um for
032next year. And so, we're excited about the interest in our staff to really get that professional development to become a certified academic language therapist so we can increase the number of groups we have next year. But the kids who are intake flight are definitely showing massive growth. Many of those kids are three grade levels below. And so at least >> it's going to take some time for them to grow and catch up while their peers are still moving ahead another year over year. So >> but you have kids that are moving out of the red and into the >> Exactly. Exactly. Which is critical. This this slide is probably the one that I think outlines the biggest challenge and why we asked you to change your policy on on progressing children out of elementary school
033who are on grade level. When you look at the number of students at the beginning of the year at the middle school that are two or more grade levels below the including those that are three or more grade levels below, we're moving them to a grade level pattern where we don't have teachers who went to school to teach reading. We have content teachers at the middle school. And so we have intervention programs. We have take flight there. But we have to stem that. we have to, you know, the research says children who leave elementary reading below grade level are eight times more likely to drop out of school. This is this is exactly what you get. You get kids who arrive at middle school and they can't read. Um and you don't have teachers there
034that are necessarily special specialized as reading teachers. And so we've tried to close that gap. We have a reading interventionist. We have um certainly work that's happening there um would take flight. But um hopefully as we look at children very carefully at elementary school and intervene and and make sure that they're no less than a year so they wouldn't come here unless they were yellow. Um we hopefully will change that time for our students in the district. So that's really critical. >> Is there incentive for teachers to become certified? Um other than >> there there is our our plan is to create a kelt um uh salary scale. Our special ed teachers currently have a separate scale. We've not moved our kelts yet off of the regular teacher scale. I think our intention for next
035year is we will they receive specialized training. It's a master's level training program. So certainly we believe that probably warrants >> and and the district pays for that training. >> Yes. >> Correct. That's an agenda all by itself. >> Teachers who go through that training are required to commit three years. So, >> one thing I will will tell you is take flight therapy is a two-year program. So, students are intended to be in that program for two years. So, while we're seeing some movement now, I think it'll be next year and even the year after that that you'll see the most growth and the most movement in those students. So, we have to think of it more long term for some of those students. It's it's not a oneanddone kind of thing. Um, but we're
036filling in those gaps so that they can be successful in the future. So, >> yeah, take that goes all the way back to the very beginning of foundational reading and learning sounds and learning in a way that connects with the the brain of a student who has dyslexia. And so, you're really like going all the way back to the beginning to fill in all those gaps before you can watch. So, we're talking about at at the middle school, we have actually a couple of the high school students coming down for takeflight therapy and starting [clears throat] at the beginning. And we're talking learning letters and sounds all over again >> from the high school. >> Yeah. >> They've made progress. They made >> progress. And and one of them has expressed great support for the
037program. He realizes that he's wanting to read. >> Awesome. >> So, >> and eighth grade. If they're in the red, they don't move on. >> We're going to be looking very carefully at every student who's in the red to make sure that we either have a plan, they come to summer school, we do some massive instruction over the summer, or we consider whether it's best that they have another year at the middle school. So, all of those are options that we'll be talking about with each of those families. Okay. One of the things that Take Flight does have is they have a consolidated program, an accelerated program called JET, which is a one-year program, and it's intended for like late middle school, high school kind of students because obviously we don't have as much time
038with them before they graduate, right? So, the intention is um to get some um takeflight therapists that are specifically trained in jet um to to the high school and also over to the middle school to try to >> to consolidate that work. >> And I would hope that those conversations with those families are starting now at the beginning of this semester because they only have this one semester >> to make it happen daytoday. And I think if parents know and kids too know that, oh gosh, I might get held back if I can't get my reading up, >> they're going to take it seriously. >> Right. Well, and that's exactly what we changed our policy to read >> just a few months ago that, you know, the third grade, fifth grade levels at after this
039midyear assessment, if it was certain amount below, those conversations would happen and the parents would be alerted to the fact that their child either needed intervention or potentially be held back. That's what the polic but I'm saying that I think if kids know too that I might not be able to go on with my friends they're going to take this semester a lot more serious >> though is we also we also can't assume that a student needs a whole another year of of nth grade or of eighth grade. And so we have to shift this mindset like if you're held back you're held back for a whole another year. As soon as you're ready to launch you need to launch. We we can't we can't continue because you disincentivize. What if I'm missing these eight
040core skills? Do I really need to stay a whole year to get those? Um, we've talked at the high school about the fact that, you know, you need to second semester actually have start of whatever our first level of math is again because there are kids who in that first semester can close the gap and be ready to move on. And so we have to we have to shift this whole paradigm of you're held back for a year to you're held back until you're ready. Um, and granted we can't say middle of October we're going to move you on because classes are in the middle, but certainly we can say at semester you have the opportunity of moving on. And so that's a whole different mindset and it's a whole different shift in the system
041because we're so used to, well, you you need to be a third grader again next year. Well, what if you only needed, you know, six months to catch up? Let's not hold you back and and have you waste your time. And what if you're, you know, you are at grade grade level and you're doing well in all of the other subjects, but it's just math or it's just reading >> that, you know, >> that's the piece that might say, you know, if math is the area of concern, but reading their own grade level, do we retain them or do we ensure that when they go to high school, they have what they need to continue to close the gap in the other areas. So, those are all going to be conversations that we'll have over
042is retention right. So if you're two or three grade levels below in all areas, it makes sense for you to remain and get the right instruction. But again, the best retention, what the best teacher is qualified to teach reading and the foundational skills is at the elementary level. And that's where our policy is really clear moving forward. So, >> but as you said, because the dropout rate is so high for kids who are in the red once they get into the upper levels, we can't just keep passing them on. We have to make sure that they know what they what they need to know. Yeah. >> To be successful. >> That's not fair to them. >> No. >> Yeah. Just because you're a sixth grader doesn't mean the sixth grade math is what you need.
043You may need something less. And you've got to we've got to expand those [snorts] options for kids who have already moved beyond that. We don't have that ability to say let's get you a grade level. So, so that's going to be critical. >> Next slide. Placement by domain. Obviously, funological awareness was not at the middle school level, but you can see the majority of our students at middle school are are solid in phonics or high frequency words. You can see um that we need to look at maybe some development of some vocabulary and sorryformational text again >> kids who are probably reading phonics would be our take flight kids or kids who are really still struggling to decode. >> Thank you. because I was like that's >> kind >> or they may be students that
044that have developmental delays that haven't ventured away from products >> at some point. >> I don't I don't know if this district ever did. They might have at some point. That was a trend in the in the late 80s early 90s. Let's not do phonics anymore. But it shouldn't have impacted these kids. I would think it should not have. >> Yeah. Phonics would have been part of the program for these students. And here's the breakdown by grade level. Questions on this. What this tells me is we need more intervention available at the middle school. So retaining a student at middle school is not necessarily the end all be all unless we can increase the number of professionals who have high skill in teaching reading because again when you look at the eighth graders you see
045very little movement of that red group. Um and again you know we've got to be able to intervene. We've got to be able to grow them. We've got to be able to fill those gaps before we push them on. So, um, if they're students in that band for both math and language arts, then the question is going to be, um, another year, but another year with what? We've got to we've got to look at increasing intervention options at the middle school. Um, we've got to look at similar to I think what David said earlier is, you know, it may mean that you only get one one elective because we may need you to do a second math block to actually close that gap or we may need you to do a a reading targeted class.
046Um, so that means that I can't always get three electives. I might only get one and I may need to do something different. I I'm firm that I'd like them to get an elective um, but they may not get three. And I personally think that providing more opportunities for that type of personal tutoring is exactly not just what the kids need, but what the families would want as well. >> Absolutely. >> Because it is like a a personal tutoring session that they get to work on their specific skills that need >> those gaps for them. >> Yes. Is there is there I mean kind of to your point there, I was just going to ask because I I know that there are some parents who are resistant to their kids having these interventions. Is that
047an issue especially in middle school or not? >> It was at the middle school. Yes, >> it's a thing. >> We actually had several parents that were notified that their students would be in a reading intervention program that then opted their child out >> because but because at this point they're saying, "Well, I never heard this before, so I'm not going to go." >> I will say though, we had many parents who second semester said, "Okay, no, let's do that." So, so it was a culture shock when you have when you have this test doesn't matter. It doesn't mean that your child's really below. It's just another test um to oh my gosh, this really means something and yes, there are really caps. >> Hallelujah. >> To shift into culture >> in that attitude. >>
048Good. I'm glad to hear that. Thank you. >> And I think the increase in communication with the parents and the families ahead of time. So looking at the data at the end of this school year and saying based on this, your child will be in a reading intervention class. That way they're prepared for that when they come back in the fall. And and then if they score well, let's say the end of the year scores it were a fluke, right? And they score much better at the beginning of the next school year, then maybe you make that adjustment and put them in another elective. I think having those conversations ahead, >> right? because you said the take flight is intended to be a two-year program, but if the students are progressing and they don't need
049to stay in the program, right, >> then they can go back to the two electives or whatever the option is. >> Yeah, most of the students in Take Flight are going to remain there. >> They're so low that if you're if you're in Take Flight, then then we've already dissected to the point of which you clearly have dyslexic tendencies that are getting in your way and it's going to take some time to overcome that because again, we're going back to the very beginning to actually you how to read. Um, you you may have built compensating skills, you may memorize words, you may have, you know, limped your way through, but you still can't decode words that you don't know. And so, um, so take flight students typically are not going to like >> So, you
050think it still takes a two full years for them to be able to develop, >> especially if they're at the middle school level and they I mean, most of our middle schoolers plateau at third grade if they're dyslexic. It's hard to get beyond that level because again, you're you're you're memorizing words and you can only memorize so many words. And so as you're introduced to new concepts, it's harder for you to figure out meaning without being able to actually decode the word. Um, and so you, like I said, third grade is not an uncommon grade to see someone plateau at who's dyslexic. And and again, you got to go all the way back and learn how to decode uh before you can move forward. So, >> so are you suggesting though that everyone in the
051red is part of the take flight? >> No. Okay. >> No, that some students are in takeflight, some are just in reading intervention classes. So, we're filling in gaps. Maybe it's a comprehension or vocabulary issue. So, those students would be able to maybe test out early. students that are in take flight would not >> because I think on the last uh the last screenshot you had up here it was oh sorry the one before this wasn't it just around a hundred student or no a little over a little over a hundred students that were factoring in the red but not that many who are take flight the majority >> we can only do five >> that are just getting intervention >> right >> yeah they're getting other interventions and again there are kids who need
052take flight that we just don't have a spot for um and that's where we need to increase our intervent our counts because we can serve only so many. You can't cram those classes with 20. It is a five maximum program. So if you go over five, you've lost the effectiveness for all students. And so and if a student moves out, you can't drop another student in because they're already x number of lessons into the so you have to start a group in a cohort and those that cohort stays together or kids at that point have to stay together. If you had two groups that started at the beginning of the year and one lost two, one lost three, you could combine those and teach them together, but you can't just, oh, there's an opening. Hey,
053you're dyslexic, go into that program. They'd be lost. >> Do we have much turnover in those groups? Hopefully not since it builds a whole lot. No, we have had some. So, we have some groups that are not five anymore because again student moved out >> and so if that occurs and that group is now a four four member group. Do you always start the groups at a little bit later or can you start them like >> we can start? >> We just have we just have to have a we just have to have another section and then starting at the beginning and then that group will become a cohort. >> Our problem is is not having enough time and not having enough instructors. So, okay, we will move on to math then. This is we're
054going back to Running Creek. So, math, beginning of the year, middle of the year comparison. At the beginning of the year, we had 25% of our students scoring in the red. At the middle of the year, we had 13. So, nice 12% decrease there. Um, in the green, we had 13% at the beginning of the year. And at the middle of the year we have 29%. So good decrease in students scoring in the red and moving into the yellow breakdown by placement. So number and operations, algebraic thinking, um measurement and data and geometry. And yes, they do algebra in elementary school. It's kind of neat. [cough] [clears throat] So, here's breakdown by grade level. You can see the growth. >> So, you're going to notice the red in our district continues to grow as students
055progress through our system. We talked about this at our curriculum review committee. And so, that's the area of concern is is if we're the red continue to grow over time, then Houston may have a problem and you should look at it and that's what our curriculum review committee will begin doing. Um, now effective immediately. >> Here's your third, fourth, and fifth grade students. >> Now, in that case, you see fifth grade eliminated an awful lot of it. >> So, again, there are there are situations where we're seeing some great growth, but Sing Hills middle of the year. At the beginning of the year, we had 21% of our students scoring in the red. Middle of the year, we had 10%. And at the beginning of the year, we had 17% of our students scoring in
056the green. And we're up to 38% middle of the year. We're seeing some pretty good progression in students. >> Break down by domain. >> It's just interesting. Geometry keeps geometry is the most tactile of all of these. It's the least esoteric and yet children are having more children having problems with that than any other. Actually when Bill Dallas was here his last year and I think maybe part of when you joined we actually and geometry falls into some of the last units in the in the book >> consistent testing even cam mass testing is in April and they don't learn until May >> right >> so so recognizing that >> even though the book doesn't teach till the end we probably need to accelerate students because again that's a critical skill And that's what we're
057not getting to. Kind of like when we were in high school, how many of us didn't get past the, >> you know, Korean role that might have been as far as we got, [laughter] but you know, it just whatever is at the end of the book is most likely to to be to be compromised. So, we got we've got to figure out how to make sure that pacing occurs >> in such a way that students are introduced to every concept. >> And so, you shuffle around in your planning before school starts. shuffle around some of the the chapters or the units of instruction to make sure you hit those before especially before testing. Not that we teach to the test, but it it it's not >> fair to students the numbers. Right. >> Right. So,
058it's it's really not fair to the students for them to be sitting in front of the the assessment and not having gotten that instruction yet. Right. So, >> here's a breakdown by grade level. Kindergarten first. Second. And then for third, fourth, and fifth. In that case, if you look at fifth grade, we've got kind of stagnant group moving kids from yellow to green. But we need to dig a little deeper as to What's the challenge? What's the impediment there with those students? Questions? Okay. Middle school math. Beginning of the year, we had 33% of our students scoring in the red. Middle of the year, 26%. So, a little bit of a decrease there. Um at the beginning of the year we had 31% scoring in the green and 40% at the middle of the year.
059So good increase there. I'm concerned about how are we intervening with students if all we do in sixth grade is put kids in sixth grade. We don't have math interventionist. We're not thinking what do they need? We're just plugging them into >> math. There may just be a particular concept that is just buggering that >> and they just and if we give direct instruction in that we can close that gap. >> The way math builds upon itself if you're walking the foundation you're going to have really quick >> goals. So >> so having a math um intervention class would be helpful. That way you have the teachers have that time to be able to to hone into what that skill is and being able to fill that gap and then once they have it, they
060send them on. They don't need to be in there all year. >> And we are looking and talking about that for next school year as we're planning for next school year. So >> the the person that teaches that class doesn't need to be a PhD mathematician, right? that person just needs to be able to understand what what is the deficiency and then >> have the knowledge. >> Yeah. Every adult in our district should be able to teach directions, right? >> Yes. >> A lot of people who again we have teachers who teach math who will will say my worst subject was math. We as Americans get you're good at that or you're awful at that. >> That's got to stop. >> Many people say, "I'm just not good at that." >> We kindate that thinking
061to our students. And so, so we do need someone who's got a very strong grasp on that. >> Here's a breakdown by domain. Measurement and data was was a strength of ours during this assessment. So that's good to see and algebraic thinking and number of and operations questions on the middle school this breakdown by grade level. Again, we see green growing. We don't see red necessarily decreasing except in sixth grade. We do see sixth grade moving a few more kids um in seventh grade moving some, but we're just not seeing the mass movement that we're seeing earlier in the in the grades where students might have less of a gap or may have less of those foundational skills missing. So, >> and the three grades or below for eighth grade didn't change at all, unfortunately.
062It's definitely not good for our eighth graders. >> Yeah. >> Well, and again, they're not doing well in there. There's not enough >> You're eighth grade. You're an eighth grade and and you're trying to scaffold for students who are levels below. So, it just >> it makes sense. Obviously, we have to change that. And we are working on a math intervention kind of program at the middle school, but also talking about that at the high school too. So maybe possibly remedial math or something like that for students that aren't ready for the next level. Okay, questions. Okay, I will preface that this is the first time these students have taken the I Ready benchmark >> in high school. So we this was given to our students that are in integrated math one, two, and three.
063Okay. At the high school level with this assessment, 61% of our students are scoring. >> Yes. >> What percent of kids are in the green? >> 23. >> Last year on P 23%. >> It's interesting that those numbers jive, right? So, anybody wants to argue, well, this is skewed, it's like, well, >> but I got this other data set that also says the same thing, right? So this data definitely aligns. Again, you have students, we did have some students who allegedly took the test with a sub because a teacher was all sick. You know, did that skew it? The students take it as seriously. There's lots of things, but to that point, the data has aligned. Yeah, if all we had was this. Okay, maybe >> what I will say is for those students, administration
064did walk through the classroom and while they were assessing >> and here is a breakdown by domain. I knew you'd be interested in this one. Strength is in number and operations, measurement, and data. We did not take this assessment at the beginning of the year. We've not had a high school assessment that we've given. >> So that we have this. So this is the first. Um, >> I would like to go ahead and plan on giving this assessment at the end of the year so we can see there's how much growth there is beginning or middle of the year. I think prepping our students with it being important for placement for next year is going to be really critical. The students know that, you know, do your best on this because it is a piece
065of that data that we're going to consider >> as we think about what do you need next year. Just because we have students who have been in math one who haven't progressed doesn't mean we're going to force them on to math two. It doesn't mean we're going to repeat >> nth grade math if they're that far below. We need to need to be prepared. So I think the conversation with students about what this is about is going to be really critical. I think there was some of that this year but I think we want to increase that at the end of the year questions. See if we can make it work this time. >> That was the end of >> Oh no. Oh, [cough and clears throat] I'm sorry. No, it was not. I have
066one more slide. I'm so sorry. >> Yeah, that's why I said go ahead. >> I was like, what? No. Confused. >> We'll try this again. >> Sorry. Breakdown by grade level. >> So, for 12th graders that are still struggling in integrated math, it's clear it's just not working. So the 12th graders in integrated math, I know the plan is sort of ninth grade is integrated one, 10th is integrated to >> 11th. So are the ones in 12th grade who are still in it, are they >> successful and they were repeating? >> Okay. >> Um the eighth grader that's there is there because he's ready or she's ready. I'm not sure who that is, but there's one eighth grader who takes who goes to the high school for math and obviously they're there because we've determined
067they have all the prerequisite skills. So that's the success >> of a student who's ready for that. >> Yeah. >> Versus >> you're in ninth grade, so you got to take it whether you're ready or not. That's pretty cool. >> So there's actually two students according to that. >> Uh it says one out of two, but only one took the assessment. >> It could be that the other one was gone. >> Yeah. >> So >> that's interesting. I didn't know we had any eighth graders who went to eighth graders who we have advanced math at the middle school, but we have students who are so far advanced that they're ready to actually walk across the street and do that class. >> I hate the idea that >> that's a lot of grade 12. >> Definitely
068not ready for college. >> Well, but this is >> not college math. >> This is why you do assessments so you have information to make decisions. We know we know that na nationally students who are going to college are taking more and more remedial classes. I mean again this is not a let's get down on ourselves. We want better. I think looking at this data is what it takes for us to get better. So >> why did only 20 12th graders >> because there were only 20 that were in still integrated math. We didn't test We tested We only tested who were in Cal or in TR or whatever the classes were offered. >> That makes sense. >> Strictly the kids who were in integrated test. >> It would be interesting to test the ones
069in >> they would be so far advanced. I'm not sure that this would be beneficial. >> That would be it'd be nice there see more green. >> Yeah, [laughter] we just want to see more. We want the first line. >> That is true. That is true. >> Nice to see more green, right? [laughter] questions. >> Well, one I guess one clarifying question on your point, Mike, is that 153 that's the number of seniors that there are, but not every senior is taking math in their senior year either. >> They're not correct. There are some who don't have to take math. >> Some of them aren't taking math at all, >> right? They're there's a plausibility where they didn't. They might have taken advanced math. I do we require I think we require four years of
070math. So, they're probably taking some math, >> like a statistics class or they've earned an extra math credit prior to coming to high school or while in high school, they may have taken two math. So, there there is a plausibility that there's a 12th grader who's maxed out their math. Um, but but the reality is most of our 12th graders are not taking integrated anymore. They're taking something else. >> So, we do require four years of math. >> I think it's in our graduation requirement is four years of math and four years of language arts. So, we need to change that to four passengers. >> What' you say? >> Four passing years. >> Oh, I think that's a requirement in the still credits because you don't get the credits if you don't pass. >> You
071have to have four credits of math on >> Well, and that does, you know, make you question, is it possible that that many students are still getting passing grades when their level is clearly not reflective of understanding the material? How can that be? I think it it's a it's a bigger conversation about do grades mean mastery or do grades have some citizenship? Am I doing my homework? Am I am I doing some extra credit? You know, those are all things that come into play that high school is talking about is how do we make sure grades are mastery. >> Um and again, um we've got a lot of ninth graders who aren't ready for integrated math one, but it's all we have to offer. And so we have some kids who are failing math because
072we put them in a class that not prepared for it and so you know whether the curriculum's right or not truly their their their proficiency is not where it needs to be them to even engage in the curriculum we currently have. So, we have to change that pathway and we will for next year. >> Given the status of that curriculum, it's no wonder that kids don't progress. >> Well, and I do want to say thank you because when we did talk about integrated math earlier in the fall, one of the questions that came up during the presentation was, well, is there any data that shows that it's successful? And so it was spurred out of that conversation that we ended up having this testing to be able to say is the path that we're on
073actually [cough and clears throat] equipping the kids to be able to graduate um with a good knowledge base of math. And I think what we see is that the you know the data is telling us no. But I'm grateful that this board was willing to do the testing to see what are the results. Let's just look at the facts and we'll go from here. data has to drive our our decisions and >> um if we don't have data, we better go find it. >> Just because other districts use it, it doesn't mean it's a good fit for us. Um you know, one of the things that confused me was it's like, well, integrated math is taught in it's taught in Japan, it's taught in, [snorts] you know, China, it's taught in these countries that have
074very strong, but I actually looked it up. It's taught, but not the same way here. you know, they they basically have a pathway like traditional math used to have, >> but what their integration is, they integrate it into other subjects. >> We don't just say, well, this week you're doing calculus, next week you're doing algebra and just it's all integrated together. Math, no, they have pathways >> and the pathways start in kindergarten. >> It's there is a preparation >> to be at that level. That's why those countries are successful and and we we have >> we used to do it. >> Yeah. And we kind of talked about that in the curriculum review committee earlier how it's kind of like a whole different way of teaching. But that's not how we've sorry that's not how
075we have uh you know taught K through eight. And so all of a sudden you've got this one system and then you dump them into this other system and you're like what the heck? [clears throat] And so u that's that's what we're discovering what we're realizing and that's what we're preparing to change. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Next up, we have board updates. Who wants to kick it off? >> I don't really have anything particular today. >> No update. >> Well, I have uh I was at I don't have too much, but um I was at and good stuff. I was at the DACK meeting last Thursday and it was exciting to hear the different things they have going on at the schools. It's exciting to hear >> um
076for example, Singing Hills has they have um nights where they're bringing in the parents like literacy night, math night to help the parents um basically engage with them and help them to help their help their child with instruction in the evening. So it's that was that was very exciting. >> That's good. >> Yeah. I think the math night at Singing Hills is on the 11th because we were scheduling something around that. So, it was exciting. That's cool to see. >> So, that was >> that was my little book. >> And you did you go to the Hunter Legacy? >> No. >> Oh, anybody [clears throat] go? I didn't get to go, but >> yeah. So, it's always good that they do that morning trying to get that cold that's Jamie got instead. >> Sorry. I
077I did spend a lot of my time I Are you done? Yeah, I didn't interrupt you. >> No, not at all. >> Okay. The Yeah, I did spend a lot of my time over the holidays um working on a point paper for math. I know you read it and you read it and just um if you get a chance, look at it. It's it's not meant to be here's my recommendation for this Xcurriculum. It's supposed to be like just kind of our guidance of how we want to go about selecting a curriculum, things that we believe should be considered for math. Um, and uh, so that's I think I sent that to everybody. So if you >> and thank you because that was a lot of work, but it was very informative. Thank you. >>
078The appendix is meant to be a look at assessments. So that's supposed to be district. That's not just the high school. That's just how we look at assessments. And I expect some push back on that. I don't think that that's probably not how a lot of math teachers want to do things. Um, but I'd like to get us to a point where we don't use calculators or technology for math instruction because I think it's a detriment to actual learning. Um, I know that runs against the grain. Um, but it's I mean Silicon Valley is removing technology from their from their kids. So, I don't think that's a bad thing. um you know, you you shouldn't be using a calculator at all in elementary school and then even even up into high school. So anyway, that
079it's almost two different papers. Um the assessments piece because, you know, we've had some issues with assessments and how we should look at that. So that's that's what the second is. >> Well, I like the fact that we're moving forward, starting to make some progress. Yes. And I think our CRC meeting was very good today and uh I'm excited for some things coming up. >> Okay. Well, I have the great pleasure of introducing not only to you all but to our community um Ted Knight. Uh TED will be as you know Kim is retiring at the end of the year and with all of this work we have under in curriculum. Needless to say we all have time to to to lose that opportunity of having someone engage and start carrying the load um as
080Kim begins to step back. And so Ted um is our new uh academic uh systems consultant. He will be working with me um and our staff, our teachers. I will say that's probably uh where Ted's strengths will be. is coming alongside our teachers getting their voice and and understanding of where we are and what we're doing. And so I'm really excited. Ted Ted has uh been a teacher, a principal, um a district administrator, a superintendent. Um he brings a a vast array of uh experience. most close here is assistant superintendent in Douglas County for a number of years and Ted was very instrumental in the beginnings conversations of the legacy program that exists now in at Douglas County where we have that great career center. Um that's one of Ted's passions. And then also um
081I'm always excited to brag on Ted. Ted was a principal at Harrison School District when I was there and Ted intervention in that building of building the high poverty over 80% poverty was first school to actually achieve 100% efficiency ex so we know we we know it can be done we know that good instruction kids can learn and so I'm excited to have a department begin to work he was here today for his first day and two of our schools and we'll continue to get to all of our schools this week and doing dayto day tomorrow and really help us kind of jump start moving forward. So, >> thank you. >> We're very excited that you're coming. Thank you. >> Very excited. And you kind of just jumped both feet right in the fire. >>
082Yeah. [laughter] >> Get in it way. That's for sure. Hunter's Legacy. Um we're excited about the what we do every year. Wish Week is an important week across the districts. Our elementaryaries, our middle school gets involved. And Lex is our four-year-old that we've adopted. Lex wants to go on a Disney cruise. He's a bulary transplant survivor and and someone who obviously is is uh overcoming a lot of challenges. And so I'm just really proud of our kids who who make that a focus for a week. And so there's so many restaurant nights this week. Uh I think tomorrow is Chick-fil-A. I saw you at Chick-fil-A. >> Tomorrow night you got to get it too. >> Wrong night. Tonight was [laughter] I think Panda Express. So >> Okay. So, >> so um anyways, anything you can
083do to support and there is the ability for people to give online um I gave online today. So, if anyone wants to donate uh to help uh the our district achieve the goals for Lex certainly feel free to go online and do that. U midyear assessments as you've seen um we've completed midyear's assessment and it's one thing to do assessments it's another thing to use them and so I'm really proud of our staff and principles who've been digging into that during their PLC time really trying to find okay what do we need to do different for our kids and so know that the data isn't admired it's it's acted upon and so really proud of that work um again we do have an expectation of mastery and closing that gap and so difficult conversations will
084begin with families. We are planning a summer uh learning institute for students who are behind. Um a very concentrated, very focused instructional experience for them to close that gap. Um and so that will be something coming up. It'll be six weeks during the summer. So it's not a a quick, you know, two-day week and we're done. It's it's definitely an intensive experience for students to hopefully close the gap. And then lastly, my next forum is on Thursday, February 12th. Um so um uh again just an opportunity for parents to come and engage in conversation about what are we doing well and what can we do better and how can we work together. So that'll be at six o'clock here in the boardroom. I think with that I'll stop. >> Okay. And no public comment this
085evening. Okay. So we will move on. So um next up we have consent agenda. So I move that the board approve consent to items 81 through 83 as presented. >> Second. >> Can I get a roll call? >> Director Callahan. >> Hi. >> Director Fletcher. >> Hi. >> Director. >> Hi. >> Director Olsen. >> Hi. >> Director. >> Hi. >> Okay. So next up we are going to discuss our midyear budget revisions. Motion first question afterwards. present first. >> Um, let's have him present first. >> Hi, everybody. >> Hello. >> All right. Midyear numbers are almost finalized. We had an update from the auditor last week. I was on site completing their um kind of review and on-site audit uh speaking with Dan and myself just kind of going over everything from prior to my
086helm and uh kind of trueing up some year end acrruels that have to be done. Just to remind this board, we are on a modified acrruel accounting schedule which is um very very unique situation. So, I'm going to do updated financials for everyone because we've been talking in cash lately because of our cash position, our financial stability. I talk about actual pennies in the bank. Well, now with midyear audit, we are talking about fund 10, general fund, fund 23, fund 26. So, you take the general fund um or let me step back. You take the total cash balances that is comprised of fund 10 23 26 43 and that makes up the aggregate bucket. So what you're looking at on page one on the midyear projections we are anticipating a beginning year cash balance. It
087is not finalized through audit, but that is what they are expecting it um to be when they they do release the draft and the final version that I'll present to the board of $681,773 in fund 10. That does not include the student fund, the athletic fund, um the food fund, um or the nutrition fund, I should say. So that is just that one fund balance. Um with the cost cutting and expense management that we have implemented throughout the year, it is forecasted to be 2.2 million at the end of the 2526 school year. Um bringing our fund 10 ratio to just under 8%. Um in the 2728 school year, um there should be no problem being well over that 10% threshold. So, that's where we're at. I will be doing a true up of the
088midyear budget into our financial systems and realigning proper things, um, utilities and insurance, putting them at the school level versus budget differently that I kind of inherited when I walked into just kind of realigning it and making it more accurate for your end. So, >> so the memo um attached to the financials gives you kind of those big bucket changes that occurred. Um again, I think um one of the things I really appreciate Justin's efforts is to the long expenses with the right cost center. So, I think I shared with you an example when I first got here making pay for all the paper, [cough] which made absolutely no sense. Um again um insurance costs, utility costs and all. Um I he's worked very hard to get those at the right cost center so we
089can look at okay what's the cost of this building versus uh trying to find it from multiple locations. So there's [clears throat] been a lot of work um we've cut expenses uh to the tune of um actually 1.5 million >> 1.5 million this year. >> Yeah. and and let me let me 1.5 million expected cost savings for the year. >> So um and and that's on my forecast. I saw Mary has the the one long page that is a living breathing document. So if I get information this morning, I will update that you know tomorrow or tonight and and that is a living breathing document on tax forecasts. So is our our true and best estimate on where we're going to end the year. So >> okay. >> So with that, I move that the
090board accept the 2025 2026 midyear budget revisions. >> Second >> presented. Okay. And questions or >> is easy. >> It's it's absolutely wonderful. >> [laughter] >> When I walked into the budget on day four of my tenure, um we anticipated a excess of a couple thousand dollars. So in in able to report a $1.5 million swing in in nine months, that's that's a big swing in nine months. So we roll that out to year two, um we're in a good financial position in year two. And then come year three, depending on our investments and the graphs that we just watch on academic progress and something that'll be the exciting year is month 25 to 36. So, >> one of the things I do want to before we vote on this because it's related to this
091is we shared that we did have some land parcels in the area that are too small for us to ever do anything with an acre here in an acre there and we do have an offer on one that we spoke about not a very good offer. It's actually much higher than we talked about. Um, so that will be brought to you for dispensation to give us authority to go ahead and move forward. It's actually the owner who who borders that piece of property who for years has assumed it to be his. He came in with a very very attractive offer allow that to become his land. So that will come to you at the next board meeting. So if you have questions certainly don't hesitate to reach out to Justin talk about that disposition the
092property next and building on that um once the wonderful budget season is underway but I'm also currently looking at all real estate owned by the district what is the best used for it also evaluating use and um square footage within our schools what is the best most utilized space at Singing Hills. We have a growing child care problem on where am I going to put the I call them the littles. Um we are stressed for space at Singing Hills for the littles. I have to find real estate um somewhere to place these kids and then that will also grow into a full um brickandmortar analysis of the district on what I recommend on on kind of moving the shells and and how how to find space and most proper space. Um in addition to that
093we have also started uh renovations and progress on the frontier building. So identifying that as possible child care offices um and and that progress is currently in the works. So, we're almost done uh sterilizing the second story and we'll begin hopefully rebuilding that early next month on walls and paint. Um, right now our current best use is child care. Um, but I evaluate that on a almost daily basis on what is the best use to revitalize that facility and and um with homeschools and other initiatives, I'm kind of out of real estate in that building right now. I have so many claims and so many people that want it. Um, I'm going okay, it is the field of dreams where I build it, they will come and they are coming in masses. um which has
094also sparked the analysis and review of our schools in that real estate of other programs and other opportunities that we have. How do we repurpose or rethink or redefine um what is the best use for this space? So that's coming. I don't know when it's coming, but but it's in our trailer. So >> all right. So with that, if there's no further discussion on 91, can we get a roll call? >> Callahan. >> Hi. >> Fledger. >> Hi. >> Dr. Hunt. >> Hi. >> Dr. Olsson. >> Hi. >> Okay. And next up, we have the cash and fee increase. >> I'm going to point out, unfortunately, we just realized the copies of printed did not print all of the all of the slide information. So, I'm going to put them up here just so that
095you can see them. Um, some of it I think the first page printed, but the others for whatever reason it's there, but it did not print. >> I was thinking when I looked at the blog post. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I have my hard copy. As long as you give it back. >> On mine, they were empty as well, actually. >> I'll kind of walk through them. So, >> uh, Shannon Bigum is kind of the demographic company in the state. He works with all the large metro districts, every one of our surrounding districts, including has been doing this for years um for the Elizabeth School District. He um at my request is looking at the cash and loo um impact on the development or the development in the the city and county as well as
096land values. We last did this about four years ago and as everybody knows land values from four years ago are not current to today's standards. Um so based on his analysis and his recommendation um I put forward an increase in the cash inlue fee of approximately $800. um that will increase only new developments, no existing homes, no existing properties, increasing that cash and loo of approximately $800. So minimal impact. Um and it's actually the most conservative figure that he came up with that that I elected to go with [clears throat] just to minimize the impacts on the community and [snorts] the developers. So >> sorry it's >> you said only new developments. So um so like for examp >> some houses aren't built yet. >> So depending on final platting is is the trigger. So
097when they get platted that's when the clock starts and that's when we're looking at. I just spoke to a woman uh last week that demoed a house and is rebuilding. that has no impact on the school district because it's an existing right >> but like for independence for the new whatever the planning and whatever they get gets approved >> um but those those it will affect >> if these already >> okay >> then yes it will >> well but independence has given us land >> well that's true so that was a bad example but you know just insert another name we're good >> if they if they've already paid [laughter] Um as of like right now um it will have no impact. >> Okay. >> After this board votes um effective tomorrow morning the new
098fee will be in >> Okay. >> And just for um for context like when a big development gets approved they then develop out in smaller sections in the community at a time. So he's talking about final platting. will you only final plat certain sections at a [cough and clears throat] time. So while they might yes have built out part of that development, there's still part of it that's still yet to be developed out which now these new fees would be applicable to if we haven't taken land and I should have known that. So that was a bad example. I'm sorry. [laughter] >> I knew that as soon as you said it. I'm like well that was judged you. But but that is the uh we are still reviewing the uh impact fees but that that
099is a very extensive research project and analysis that you have to perform. So this is only the cash in the on the development. >> And what is that trigger for the number of homes that would trigger that type of a impact fee? >> One one house can trigger that fee. So if it's a um 20 acre plot and that's divided, you know, dad is gifting it to son or daughter for example, that one house will be impacted by that impact fee up to no cap. So at 100 acres, that's when the district and myself will evaluate for land dedications, but the the magic number is 100 acres. So anything 100 acres is a cash and loo unless negotiated out over 100 acres we can go after land portions. So >> and simply dividing land which
100is called like reszoning wouldn't necessarily trigger that. Again like you said it's when you're getting final plat to actually develop a house. >> That's when the impact fee is triggered. >> Correct. And is that 10 acres on one house or 10 acres on 500 houses? So quite a bit difference. So just so that we're very clear, can you can you the last cash and L fee and what it is since it's >> there's a problem with the >> So we are going from cash in L for a single family development house of $2,299 to 3,11. Um, single family attached 11,149 to 1,551. Apartment 575 to 775. So roughly $200 increase in manufactured home uh 2,299 to 3101 as well. >> So couple$100 increase for the attached apartments. So on the on the I did see
101some of the prints that you had up there and at the very bottom in blue there's a thing the fee would increase from 4546 to 534 >> that includes the impact fee. >> So you have your cash in L and the impact. >> Everyone pays the impact. So even the independent as an example paid the impact fee upon platting. >> Okay. Um, so that's that's set by the county and it's something we're talking about potentially being able to at least look at. >> The impact fee is set by the county. >> Set by the county. >> And does that automatically increase with >> it hasn't quite some time and it is >> do we know how long? >> Not every county has that ability. Albert County was one of the few who actually had an
102impact fee. Um, so Justin's in the process of talking with the county about that. determine is that something that down the road we should look at. But for a community like Cresence or Independence um who gave us land for a school um they pay only the impact fee per lot. >> Okay. So >> So they still have to pay the impact fee even though they give us land. >> They have to pay the impact fee regardless. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. Wait, those are the numbers in that what I posted was incorrect. >> And just to be clear, those impact fees are firm numbers. They're not things that you negotiate with the developer on. Is that correct? As a school district, we can negotiate. >> We have the ability to full negotiate. Yes. For the
103statutes, it's here's the math subject to negotiation. So, we can Yes. >> I guess what I'm saying is a developer couldn't negotiate to pay less for an impact fee. Um, for example, um, let's say there's a very very large development that has a 200 acre or or something here, and at the district's discretion, say option A is this, but I feel option B that we've negotiated, um, we do have that ability to negotiate. Yes. Will it go down to lessen the burden? It will never do that. It'll be what is best for the district is my office. So, but if it's say 200 acres of X compared to 150 acres of Y, um we do have that ability to addition. >> Yes. And I was understanding the cash in or the fee in lie of
104land, but I was asking about the the impact fee as a separate separate question. >> I believe I I there is negotiations available on that. >> Okay. because it would just be my hope that we would never agree to anything less than what the county has set out as at least a minimum impact fee and I just want to be on the record about that >> because I I'm sure that there are negotiations that developers especially when you are have high density development that you'd like to see a little bit less of that >> it would be what is most beneficial to the district >> see I could see a scenario where >> exactly >> there may in the aggregate that we might want to come down in order to get some other advantage or
105something, >> right? Perhaps like more land dedication or something like that. >> A great example would be, you know, we wave the impact fee if you drill a well and they put water on there, you know, something like that could be um, you know, or or a a decrease or a half or something because we gained value because of XYZ. But but it would always if that circumstance ever came I would bring to the board option A B C and I feel that option you know whatever that is is best for the district as a [cough] whatever outline you know there's water there's already a building something so yes there there is >> yeah I just want to make sure that the board had the final say on whatever that was >> yeah whatever agreement
106>> straight math or otherwise has negotiated which this board would have to >> well it doesn't look like it's changed much because that chart now up there is from 12723 2247 is the impact fee for regardless of those sizes >> impact fee is the same all the way down >> and then now in 26 it's still the same so that looks like it doesn't change >> the impact fee is not changing at not at discussion right now >> I know it's not but it doesn't look like it changes much ever I mean what triggers a change to the impact fee. >> Um, >> do we have to ask >> conversation with the council? That's what Justin started. >> I recommend we ask [laughter] >> the impact fee will change based on values of the inputs
107i.e. land houses for example um an acre of land um density of students. So his calculation and algorithm is quite impressive and that's why the analysis and only the uh this western area demographics is the company that does that. So um so there if we go back go back up one to that yellow one >> I'm sorry >> the one before >> the other slide. >> Yeah. So you you see the you know B2B B5 cost per levels the inputs materials cost inputs all of that does go into the >> okay >> so it is a very extensive analysis it is not we feel I can't just pull it out of the air >> yeah we we have to by statute have have data by which we're making a decision on and so Western Demographics
108does this for every district in the state >> or for most districts I should say that >> well I'm glad that we're getting the the fee in lie of uh land updated and I do yes let's get make sure we talk to the county because it would seem to me that that impact fee should have changed in the last all we have is what three years ago slide >> prior to >> but that hasn't changed at all >> this conversation um it was changed a couple years ago prior to that was decades >> so 23 this board changed it um we brought that forward to you it was in the $500 $00 range. >> That's the one that was okay. I do remember that vote because I was like >> Mary and Mike and were
109on the board at that point in time and that again to Justin's point it had never changed for 20 30 years. So um so first schools running a school has increased [laughter] >> you know excellent point. So let let me just kind of touch on that for FYI and for anyone listening. A elementary school is $50 million to build. A middle school is 80. And a high school is $120 to Cherry Creek spending $450 million rebuilding this. >> Oh wow. So, and that's with the aid of a billion dollar bond they passed last year and next year they will go for another billion dollar billion with a B dollar bond to rebuild their high school to the tune of 450 million. >> How much of that cost is due to the regulations >> regulation strangulation?
110>> But uh so so when you go [cough] well how much is a elementary school? Um, [snorts] we own the land and it is still a $50 million bill. Takes five years from concept to keys. >> So that's kind of think of the 5 10 15 year impact, you know, on this district and growth and development. It's not that far away. >> Yeah. And >> just just to explain the change to um when when Shannon did this for us in 23 he was using 2021 values. >> Now this is based on updated values. So at the time he didn't have. So that's why it changed. His values increase. This will change and Justin will keep his eyes on it and if it needs to change again we'll bring it back to you. >> Yep. Oh
111good. Well thank you for keeping on track of it. All right. Well, with that, I move that the board approve the presented changes to cash and loo fees charged on behalf of the district. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Okay. >> And just FYI, I wanted to update the board that we are currently four interior doors away from opening the shop. >> Hallelujah. >> So, I mean, >> thank you for providing an update on that. two doubles and two singles that literally would have been in already, but they ordered the wrong ones. The vendor ordered the wrong ones. Not our contractor, but they just they clicked the wrong box. >> Yeah. >> But we are four doors away from having that thing. >> So once they come in, it should be a one
112day job to finish up that >> So we have any any estimate of when they're supposed to be? Did you say that? I'm sorry if I missed that. >> No, it's they were on order. The last time we did the doors is three weeks and then they showed up. The contractor looked at them and said wrong. And they went, "Yeah, we ordered the wrong ones. We'll order the right ones." So when they come in, our contractor has said he will have them in within days and then we call for our final inspections. We're getting the fire and electrical inspection. I think it's Monday. So then it's just the final final, but we can't do that till we have these. So >> months, >> you said three weeks to get the other. >> It was three
113weeks to get the first set of doors in. The new ones were ordered last week. >> So applying that math is we are two weeks from having these doors. >> But no promises because we know how that goes. super [laughter] exciting, but I mean if the last thing we're checking off the box to have the CO is doors >> and that's where we are. >> Good. Well, >> almost almost there. >> Questions. Can I Can I get a roll call? >> Director Callahan. >> Hi. >> Director Fletcher. >> Hi. >> Director Hunt. >> Hi. >> Director Olsen. >> Hi. [laughter] >> Hi. >> Chad. Thank you. >> Make sure you get the right copy of the cash. >> Yeah, I did get it to print right. So, it'll be >> So, next up, we have
114our third reading of revised policy KB, Parent Engagement and Education. I move that the board approve the third and final reading of Revised Policy KB, Parent Engagement and Education. >> Okay. in discussion. >> Yes, I do have discussion and I appreciate you all waiting to do the final vote on it so that I could give some feedback um because I do have a few things that um I wanted to mention and they were areas where we had had some changes from the time before and just wanted to clarify um a couple things. Did we pull some of this language from CASBY? Is that where >> that's where we start? >> Edits. That's where it starts >> because it seems like some other red >> if class has a policy we use classes but if they
115don't we use >> yes >> I could tell is >> yes I could tell >> okay so the first thing I'll mention that I definitely think we need to change is um number nine >> where um it talks about outcomes for children and youth and I think I've mentioned this before but that's a strategy and a tactic to try to assign certain types of rights to youth that's different than children. And I think that it's more appropriate to address all of our students as students rather than to categorize them into different age levels. >> So just change it to four students. >> Yeah, that one needs to be changed to four students. >> That's right. Yeah, >> I'm glad you did that. >> Absolutely. Um, and then we didn't I thought we'd mentioned this in
116the past, but I wanted to bring it up again. Um, number six, which um I think on the final version. Yeah, it's still six on the final version. Um, we talked about um the formal organizations. Now, I know earlier in this part of the policy, we talked about like DAC and SAC type of things. the these types of formal organizations I think we're talking about are not those because we've already mentioned them above. Is that right? This is more like a PTO kind of >> PTO >> suggestion. >> Um my encouragement would be rather than to say encourage formal organizations for parents. It would be more like welcome formal organizations because I understand that there are sometimes families and I'm one of them. I've been on Capitol Hill testifying for parental [snorts] rights to have
117the >> PTO the state PTO saying we shouldn't trust the parents. So I personally would not want to belong to a formal PTO or run a formal PTO. I would prefer to have something that's more organically based that's a parent organized group. So my encouragement would be to change this language to say that we welcome or for formal organizations of parents but not necessarily encourage I mean if folks want to do that or maybe even take out the word formal just we welcome parent organizations >> that way it doesn't make it sound like we're saying we we really only encourage PTO because they're not as like-minded um I think with a lot of the the families here in Elizabeth school district parent and family organizations or just parent organizations That was part of the addition
118was adding families to everything. >> Yeah, and that's that's the next thing I want to get to actually. So, let me So, can I What was the reason behind adding the families to the entire policy? >> That was Casmy's change. Just like they change. >> It's just I'm sure for >> parents that are not families that aren't necessarily parents or their uncles or aunts raising children. >> So, okay. So, but here's here's my concern. My concern is that when when you open it up to families, and in this case, we don't even define what family means, right? We we define what parent means, but we don't define what family means. Is that um aspirationally, so when we're looking to the first two paragraphs of this policy, I think it's fine to aspirationally refer to families
119because obviously we support families being engaged in their child's education. However, when you start to get into uh more rights creating language like the district will inform parents and families, um I think we need to consider situations where parents might want one thing for a child, but an aunt or an uncle who might not necessarily have the same rights to direct that child or to even have information about that child that we're potentially creating a certain type of duty to people in the family, aunt or uncle or grandma or grandpa that really those parents should maintain right the parents have the rights to [snorts] direct the education and the upbringing of their children not necessarily you know extended family. So my encouragement would be that we consider keeping the aspirational reference to family and I
120think the first two paragraphs refers to family in an aspirational way. But when we get to the part that says to that end all district schools will um all of this is active language. We're going to consult with not just parents but families. Does that mean we're consulting with grandma or grandpa or aunts or uncles? Now if the situation calls for it maybe we will. But in those cases, they're going to be guardians. And that's already identified above somebody who's a guardian. I was going to say could we could we say parents guardians and get rid of families and that way we're clear that if somebody has c custodial rights of a child and they are equally as engaged >> I personally think if we if y'all felt comfortable with that throughout I think that
121that would be better with the aspirational and the the duty language because that actually I don't think it creates any legal rights that you know would jeopardize uh a formal you know legal lawsuit but I do think it puts a duty on the count on the school district to have to do outreach and do outreach to people that aren't necessarily decision makers for the student. So I think we should dial back that language and and have it be pertain specifically to those who can make the guardianship or parenting decisions about a child. >> So one through eight because that one of them was eliminated in the clean copy. We'll just change where it says parents and families to parents/guardians. >> Is that okay? >> I think that's great. And then yes, if we would move
122remove family in general, I was going to recommend we include some kind of a legal disclaimer at the bottom that says we're not assigning any new rights to different types of people about student records or anything like that. But if we're taking a family out altogether, then I don't think that we need that. >> Well, we still want the welcome in the first two paragraphs also to change it to parent guidance. I would say if we keep >> organizations for parents parents >> if we keep family in it at all. I do think it's something like something like nothing in this policy is intended to expand decision-m authority committee participation or access to student records beyond what's provided by state or federal law. Something like that. So if we want to keep that in the
123aspirational language in the first two paragraphs then I think we include this disclaimer at within the policy. But if we remove that alto together, just make it about par technically speaking, I mean, if you look at the title of this policy, the title of this policy is parent engagement in education. It's not parent and family engagement in education. >> You're actually bringing up another good point though that that the first paragraph, that last or other adult person recognized by this child's school as the child's primary care caregiver. >> Yes. >> That it's not if I recognize them, it's who is illegal. >> The legal actually you're making >> defined by law. So to me we need to say adopt a parent or legal guardian and then period and get rid of or other person the
124child recognizes as a primary caregiver because that means that if I if I think aunt is a better caregiver I'm going to talk to aunt instead of >> it creates a lot of opportunities for loopholes for actual parents and decision makers of a minor to potentially have their power or authority user. >> Thank you for catching that. >> Yeah, that's good. And then in paragraph two then we've kind of got at the end of it for parent and family engagement. So are we going to get rid of that one again too then? >> For parent. >> Yeah. Yeah. So we're not going to have families in here at all. >> Well to me this is about parent engagement. So I'm not >> well it's in the title. >> It it is that's the name of
125the policy. >> I feel [laughter] like I should all that and bring it back though for a fourth reading. Let's do that. >> Yeah. So we'll get rid of it also in the second paragraph and then one through eight we'll change parent and families to parents >> and also in advance. So it's other adult. >> Yeah. Right. >> Is there anything else? >> I think that's good. Yeah. And I would just say when we're talking about like I think we could have language as simple as you know a child's parent or guardian as defined by state law or something like that because even biological parent in some situations you might have someone who's adopted whose biological parent might try to intervene and you don't want to create any situations where we're confrontational. As a lawyer,
126I am just trained to look at all the worst case scenarios and then try to avoid that type of language. [laughter] >> That's good. That's good. >> So, should we say means a child's biological parent who retains custody? >> I mean, I wouldn't use the word biological. I would say parent or guardian as defined by state law or something like that. >> So, it just means a child's about just a child's parent slashadoptive parent slash and legal guardian. I think I think parent is inclusive of adoptive parent. >> You don't it's not necessary. Yeah, >> that's true. >> Okay. Means a child's parent. Okay. >> Good job. >> Thank you for catching that. >> Okay. So with that, I would like to amend my motion and move that the board approve the third reading of
127revised policy KB parent engagement and education. >> Second. >> Okay. Can I get a roll call? >> Director Callahan. >> Hi. >> Director Fletcher. >> Hi. >> Director Hunt. >> Hi. >> Director Olsen. >> Hi. >> Director Pal. >> Hi. >> Okay. So, next up we have our first reading of revised policy BEDH public participation at school board meetings. So, basically what we're looking to do is revise our policy, move back to one public comment per meeting. So with that, I move that the board approve the first and final reading of revised policy BEDH public participation in school board school board meetings. >> Second. >> Any discussion on this? >> I just go ahead. >> I was just going to say just to clarify this is because we're not going to be doing the combined
128type of sessions primarily and everything is going to be separate. >> Yeah. And I think it was just much simpler to have just one public comment per meeting. >> Yeah. >> I agree. >> Yeah. >> And I just want and I I know kind of especially when we're looking at the next one which is the agenda one, but I just wanted to kind of state publicly that um in the red during times of general public comment at a regular meeting. So that that means either a working session or a business session. And then we do specifically say what you can do at a special meeting. Uh so that's called out specifically which is you know it's just on the topics on that but otherwise >> we're kind of opening it up to any topic dealing
129with >> which is how it was but I just I'm pointing out mainly that regular [clears throat] means both working and business sessions. I just want to kind of point that out and it's very clear when you get to the agenda policy but I just wanted to say that for the record. >> Okay. >> Awesome. So any further discussion on that one? Okay. Hey, can I get a roll call? >> Dr. Callahan, >> hi. >> Dr. Fletcher, >> hi. >> Dr. Hunt, >> hi. >> Dr. Olsen, >> hi. >> Dr. Pal, >> hi. >> Okay. And next up, we have our first reading of revised policy BED agenda. And again, uh, revised to move back one public comment per meeting. So, with that, I move that the board approve the first and final reading of
130revised policy BEDB agenda. >> Second. And any more discussion on this one? >> Okay. Can I get a roll call? >> Callahan. >> Hi. >> Dr. Fletcher. >> Hi. >> Olsson. >> Hi. >> P. >> Hi. >> And uh board planning new business. So our next board of education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, >> February, >> here in the boardroom at the district office. 6 p.m. All right, I'd like to thank everybody. This was some great conversation. I really appreciate it. >> Great revisions. >> I do appreciate the board members that were on here before for all the stuff y'all put in place for reading. >> I know we're lucky enough to get to walk into it and start to see the the success of it. >> Oh, look what I did. [laughter] I mean,
131it's all due to my leadership. I can say that. >> Oh, with that, I adjourn this meeting at 7:54 p.m. >> Thank you for hanging in.