001Good evening everybody. We're going to go ahead and get started. We'll go ahead and uh call the meeting to order and then um we'll call the meeting to order. We'll do the pledge of allegiance or excuse me, we'll do roll call then we'll do the pledge of allegiance and then we have a moment of silence and then we will get into our agenda this evening. So, okay. Mrs. Heights here, Mr. Jones here. Miss Lima here. Mr. Dr. Levenson here. And Dr. Schulties here. Can she hear us? Can you hear me? I'm here. Okay, she's here. Yeah, I'm here. She's here. Okay. Okay. Can she hear us? And we just want to make sure her audio works too before we Okay. Thank you. There she is. Okay. All right. And if you guys can go ahead
002and stand and do the pledge of allegiance with us. Director Jones, if you could kick us off to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All righty. Do I have a motion to approve this evening's agenda? So moved. Second. Okay. Mrs. Heights? Yes. Mr. Jones? Yes. Miss Lima? Yes. Mr. Levenson? Yes. Dr. Schulties? Yes. All right. All right. Do I have a motion to approve the meeting minutes from April 4th, 2023, April 13, 2023, and April 18th, 2023? So moved. Second. Okay. Mrs. Heights? Yes. Mr. Jones? Yes. Miss Lima? Yes. Mr. Lemonson? Yes. Dr. Schulties? Yes. All right. We are going to be moving into our recognitions, which we have a packed house tonight. We have
003lots of recognitions to give out. If you are a smaller group being recognized tonight because we also have some larger groups being recognized, our public information officer is asking um if you could stand at the front for the smaller groups and she will take your picture inside. If you're a larger group, we ask that you could go back to your seats and at the end of the recognition ceremony, if you could meet us outside, then she'd like to get a bigger picture of that group. So, um if you don't mind, we'll do some inside and then the larger groups outside. Does that help? Okay. Awesome. All right, our first recognition up this evening is the state engineering inspiration award and the high- fives robotic team. So, if you're here this evening for that, if you
004could join us at the front, that would be great. [Applause] All righty. Good evening. Will the High Five Robotics team please join me at the front of the room? Guys are pretty uh pretty quick there, bud. Trying. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. You don't have very many here. We'll try. Yeah, feels good. All right. In April, the high- five robotics team comprised comprised of advanced robotics students from Central High School, Palis High School, Fra High School, Grand Junction High School, Grand River Academy competed in the first robotics competition in Denver. They were awarded there. They were awarded the Engineering Inspiration Award and earned themselves a spot at the World Championships. The inspiration award is awarded to a team that excels in inspiring and motivating others while actively promoting the fields of science, technology, engineering,
005and mathematics. This prestigious award recognizes the remarkable efforts made by a team to ignite enthusiasm enthusiasm, foster a love for learning, and create a passion for innovation among individuals and communities. Under the leadership of coaches Jason Bogart Bogart, Sergio Galindo, the high-fives are exhibit have exhibited exceptional dedication, creativity and perseverance throughout their journey to state and the world compet world competitions. Their unwavered commitment to excellence and passion for robotics has been inspiring by securing a state engineering inspiration award. They have demonstrated their outstanding cap capabilities, innovative problem solving skills, and collaborative spirit. The board of education and Dr. Hill like to congratulate the high-fives on the outstanding achievement and thank them for their continued commitment of making STEM captivating for [Applause] everyone. Mr. Wyatt Armstrong How about Kiara Crawford? How about Carissa Dory? How about
006Shiloh Dimmick? [Applause] Zayn Eel, Eric Enriquez. Ryan Fairbanks. How about Kaden Fitzgerald? He's not here. Andrew Montani Tiller, Alex Morelis, Braxton Rancier, Quinn Ryell, Brozik, Draven, Shel, Monnique Streetman, Gavin Sullivan, Hayden Wizzley, Casper friendos. All right, congratulations everybody. Yeah. Congratulations, guys. Good job. [Applause] Congratulations. So, next up we have the Future Business Leaders of America, the state winners and national qualifiers. If you're here, you could join us at the front. In early April, the district's four comprehensive high schools, FBLA chapters, broke club records as they attended the Colorado State Leadership Conference in Denver. At the event, students had the opportunity to engage and compete in businessoriented activities alongside more than 3,000 students from across Colorado. The state competition allows them to demonstrate their abilities to gain valuable preparation for their future endeavors. Future Business Leaders
007of America is a nationwide association committed to assisting students interests in business, aiming to help students cultivate leadership abilities, networking tactics, and presentation profic proficiency. The students being recognized tonight have displayed exceptional dedication and hard work. Their their outstanding achievements have set them apart as true leaders in the field of business. They have demonstrated skills, knowledge, and professionalism in various FBLA competitions, and their ability to showcase their talents has earned them this well-deserved recognition. These students success in FBLA not only reflects their individual accomplishments, but also highlights the commitment and guidance provided by teachers, adviserss, and mentors. teacher, adviser, and mentor have played a pivotal role in in these students journey and should be commended for their invaluable contribution. The board of education and superintendent Hill would like to to recognize and congratulate the following
00810 students for advancing to the national competition. We are excited to watch these students embrace this opportunity with passion, determination, and integrity, knowing they are among the best and brightest in the nation. Okay. From Palisad High School, advisor Melissa Wright, and students Clara Ely Rasmuson, Clayton, Leighton, I'll do them all, then you can count. Um, Leighton Tobin, Trevor Rund, Mia Moore, Mallerie Brownell, Bailey Edwards, and Will Nice I believe is right. Give him a hand. Furthermore, Leighton Tobin, Trevor Rend, and Bailey Edwards achieved the esteemed titles of state champions by securing first place in their respective events at state championship. from Fra Monument High School. Their adviser Kathleen Recker here along with Britain Havland and Jacob Cornelen. And from Grand Junction High School, advisors Suzanne Dunlap. [Applause] uh and Tatton Cooblitt who placed second at
009state in personal finance. [Applause] [Music] All right. Next up, we have the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America State Winners and National Qualifiers. So, if you can join us at the front in early. Can you hear this? Hello. Okay. In early April, these students competed in the state FCCLA competition. Family career and community leaders of America is a student-led organization that focuses on family, excuse me, and consumer science sciences, education, leadership development, and community service. The FCCLA National Competition provides a platform for students to showcase their talents and give them opportunities for networking, learning, and personal growth. These four students, there's three here. There's one more missing. Um had the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, abilities, and strengths in a range of categories related to family and consumer sciences such as culinary arts, fashion
010design, early childhood education, entrepreneurship, and more. During the competition, students present their projects, deliver speeches, participate in skilled demonstrations, and engage in roleplaying scenarios highlighting their expertise. The 2023 FCCLA state competition resulted in several top three finishes for Palisad High School. Hannah took Hannah took first place in leadership. Lanessa Espun, did I say that? Aspen, forgive me. And Eliia Craig took second place in nutrition and wellness. and Maya Mu took home second place finish in job inventory category interview category. These four students are advocates for excellence in leadership and community service. The skills they have mastered throughout this process and the knowledge they continue to gain and expand upon expand upon undoubtedly will allow them to pursue future community leadership roles in their chosen fields. They are hard workers, dedicated and talented students and natural-born
011leaders. The board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill would like to recognize and congratulate Hannah, Lanessa, Aliyah, and Maya on this outstanding accomplishment. and thank them for representing our district so well. We look forward to hearing about their success at the FCCLA National Competition in July. [Applause] [Music] Did you see? Next up, we have the National History Day Seventh Grade History Challenge, the national qualifiers. So, if you're here, you can come to the front. [Applause] National History Day in Colorado is a social studies and literacy program that equips elementary, middle, and high school students with the skills to succeed in college and the real world. Students participate in a projectbased learning curriculum, emphasizing critical reading and thinking, research analysis, and meaningful conclusions. Top two in each category at the state competition qualify for nationals. Seventh
012graders Olivia Nicodemus, did I do that right? Good. Won second in the individual documentary category, junior division. And Gordon Robinson took second in the individual performance category, junior division. Through their participation, these students have embraced the challenge of uncovering the stories of the past and sharing them with others. Both Olivia and Gordon have become ambassadors of historical knowledge, embodying embodying the importance and preserving the understanding of our history. These two students spent hours conducting extensive research, analyzing sources, and crafting compelling historical narratives. They have mastered crucial skills such as critical thinking, historical analysis, effective communication, and teamwork. skills that are not only valuable in the realm of historical research but also in various aspects of life. They are phenomenal students who have a passion for learning, are well-rounded individuals, and have fostered a deep appreciation
013for the importance of history in shaping our present and future. The board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill would like to congratulate Olivia and Gordon on their remarkable achievements and applaud them for their dedication and intellectual curiosity and wish them the best of luck as they head to nationals in [Applause] [Music] June. Congratulations. All right, up next we have the 2023 National Archery, excuse me, in the schools program, the National Qualifiers. So, if you're here, go ahead and come on up. Alexandria here. The National Archery in Schools. NASP program is an initiative that promotes archery as a sport and educational activity in schools across the United States. NASP aims to engage students in a fun and inclusive activity that promotes physical fitness, mental focus, and character development. Isaac, a fifth grader student, or sorry, a
014fifth grader student from Monument Ridge Elementary, and Alexandria Sample, who's not here, a fifth grade student from Per Park Elementary, both qualified for the 2023 NASP Western Nationals Archery Tournament and have placed in the top 10 in the state. These students have displayed remarkable skill, dedication, and sportsmanship throughout their journey to qualify for national competition. Their commitment to excellence in a sport of archery requires relentless practice, perseverance, and determination. Just kidding. Competing at the national level is a testament to the training and preparation undertaken by these two students. The various skills learned through NASP extend far beyond the practice range, providing life lessons that are required to to be successful in both the classroom and and in life. This will undoubtedly serve them well in the future. The board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill
015would like to congratulate Isaac and Alexandria on their accomplishments. We are proud to celebrate celebrate with them and wish them continued success in their future endeavors both on and off the archery range. First record. Well done. Congratulations. All right. Up next, we have the Colorado Student Media Association Best of Colorado Awards. So if you are here for that one, if you could come to the front is um Steve Fox here as well. Steve, you want to join us up here, please? We need you up here. Steve is their adviser. Can't say no to that. Thank you. Well, first of what I'd like to do before I get to the script is could you just introduce yourselves to everybody so we get your names correct one time at least because I know I'll mess it up
016later. I'm Llaya Matram. I'm Alandre Sanchez. I'm Maline Berman. I'm Connor Kzer. And I'm Maline Parkhurst. Mr. Fox, thank you. All right. Well, thanks for joining us. And here we go. In the remarkable 105th year annivers Let me start that again. In the remarkable 105th year of publishing, the student newspaper of Grand Junction High School, The Orange and Black, achieved outstanding success in the Colorado Student Media Association, CSMA, annual contest, Best of Colorado. A total of 11 awards were earned by nine of our talented Grand Junction High School students, including three 2023 graduating seniors. The Orange and Black competes in the CSMA contest for both print and online content and continues to be a highly recognized school uh for journalism in the valley and throughout the state. These prestigious awards celebrate excellence in student media
017and recognize the remarkable talents, skills, and achievements of Colorado's aspiring journalists. The Best of Colorado Awards highlight the exceptional work produced by student journalists across the state. Through their dedication, passion, and commitment to journalistic integrity, these talented individuals have consistently demonstrated their ability to inform, engage, and inspire their audiences through various forms of media. From exceptional news reporting to captivating feature stories, thought-provoking editorials, impressive photography, innovative multimedia productions, and more. The award-winning student journalists have showcased their excellent abilities in storytelling and communication. Their work embodies the highest standards of journalistic excellence and is a testament to their talent, hard work, and dedication. These remarkable achievements would not have been possible without the guidance, mentorship, and support of their dedicated advisor, Mr. Steve Fox. Thank you for Thank you for nurturing the creative talents of your
018students and providing them with valuable opportunities to explore and excel in the field of media. The board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill would like to congratulate the following students who received the best of Colorado awards from the Colorado Student Media Association. We are proud of your accomplishments and excited to see the continued success of the Orange and Black newspaper. So, let me mention each of your So, Izzy, who's Izzy? She's not here. Well, we'll talk about Izzy for a second. is he's a senior and the editor-inchief second place for a feature article about twin sisters at Grand Junction High School who were adopted this year. And Becca not here either. Okay. Becca is also a senior and the online editor of the news. OMBbnews.com. Thank you. Second place for a breaking news article about
019student protest. Alandreandra is a senior and the managing editor. Second place for print edition page design. Congratulations. And Laya Laya is a sophomore new to the staff this semester. earned second place for a news feature article about the proposed school-based health clinic in the new Grand Junction High School building. An honorable mention for a sports feature article about the Grand Junction High School swim team members in search of practice locations. And we have sophomores Meline and Haley. Okay. Matteline Berman. Okay. Okay. So, Meline and Haley teamed up to earn second place for in-depth news reporting for an article about new furniture being tested for the new Grand Junction High School building. Shane also received honorable mention for a lifestyle feature article about body positivity. And sophomore is Maddie. Maddie. Okay. And staff photo editor Serenity
020Schmidt. She's not here. Okay. So, Maddie, let's see, teamed up to earn third place for an online photo essay about the continuing construction of Grand Junction of the new Grand Junction High School building. And Maddie also received third place for her two-page spread design for the same article. and Connor earned third place for his general column writing and an honorable mention for his critical review opinion about a new event at the school. So, congratulations to all of you. Would you like to get in? You sure? [Applause] All right. Would Monument Ridge Principal Emily Larson join me at the front of the room? Yes, please do. Whoever you have with you, do you need a chair? Are you good to stand? Okay. All right. So, Monument Ridge Elementary. This is Sorry, this is for the CS100
021school award recipient, which is Monument Ridge Elementary School. Um, Monument Ridge Elementary recently received the CS100 award, which honors schools that commit to teaching every kindergarten through fifth grade student at least 10 hours of computer science per year. In early April, CSIS Elementary and CS for All announced the inaugural group of 160 nationwide schools that would be receiving the CS100 awards, and Monument Ridge Elementary was among those announced. The CS100 awards signify an increased importance placed on elementary tech literacy. With a rapidly evolving digital landscape less than 6% of high school students in the United States enrolling in a single computer um science course, it is more important than ever to provide our students with the tools and resources to be successful once they leave the D-51 community. Through innovative teaching methods, personalized instruction, and
022a comprehensive curriculum, Monument Ridge Elementary has fostered an environment where students are empowered to explore their interests, develop their talents, and become lifelong learners. The executive director of CSIS Elementary said, "It turns out that our computer science is a literacy, and like others literacies, it must be acquired in the elementary grades." The board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill would like to thank Principal Emily Larson and the Monument Ridge staff for their unwavering dedication to providing access and opportunity to our students. Their collective efforts have created an environment where students can thrive, discover their passions, and prepare for a bright future ahead. This is a shining example of what can be accomplished through visionary leadership, collaboration, and a shared commitment to the success of every student. So, well done, [Applause] All right. Would Chapita Elementary
023Principal Jamie Chairo please join me at the front? All right. So, Chi Chapita Elementary was recently awarded the prestigious Colorado Governor's Math Bright Spot Award. This remarkable achievement highlights Chapida Elementary's commitment to excellence in mathematics education. Only 12 schools in Colorado received this award, two of which are in District 51. The Colorado Governor's Math Brightpot Award recognizes schools that have demonstrated exceptional results in math education, fostering a positive and engaging learning environment for students. Chapita Elementary has consistently set an example of inspiring and empowering students to excel in the realm of mathematics through innovative teaching methodologies, dedicated educators, and a collaborative approach to learning. Principal Cairo and her staff have created an environment where students thrive and develop a deep understanding and appreciation for mathematics. The Colorado Governor's Math Brightpot Award is a testament to
024the hard work, dedication, and passion for the entire Chapita Elementary community. from the talented and dedicated teachers who provide exceptional instruction to the students who consistently demonstrate their mathematical skills. This achievement is a collective effort that exemplifies the school's commitment to educational excellence. The board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill would like to congratulate Principal Chairo and the entire staff at Chapita Elementary School community on this welldeserved recognition and thank the Chapita staff for continuing to foster a love of mathematics among their students. So, I think we've got some of the awards. Oh, wait. Right here. Sorry. We've got these extra special awards. So, let her And just for clarification, because we said in the recognition there were two schools, that's because Chhatfield, we already recognized Chatfield before the state forgot to tell us that
025Chapida also won this award. So, we found out more recently. So, Chhatfield and Chapa both got the governor's math bright spot award and they both are receiving $50,000 from the state to be able to use for things at their school. So, again, congratulations. We didn't want to miss recognizing any of our schools for those achievements. So, all right, the next one up is the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award. Um, so with the principles of Chima Elementary, Mesa View Elementary, Scenic Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Taupe Elementary, and Winggate Elementary Schools, please come to the front if we have our leadership from those schools there. Just come on to the front. I got a lot to read and then we'll hand out. Yes. Awesome. All right. So, the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award honors schools that have demonstrated remarkable progress
026in academic performance showing significant improvement and growth over time. Um, when I say your school name, maybe wave just so everybody knows which school you're So, we have Chapa, Mesa, View, Scenic, Taylor, Taupe, and Windgate. Awesome. All right. Uh they have all gone above and beyond in fostering a culture of excellence, engaging students in meaningful learning experiences and providing the support necessary for their academic success. Through their relentless dedication and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, these schools have cultivated a positive and enriching environment where students thrive and reach their fullest potential. Receiving the governor's distinguished improvement awards is also indicative of achievements of their students incredibly hard work and the unwavering commitment of the administrators, faculty, staff, and parents who have worked tirelessly to create an atmosphere conducive to academic growth. Chapida, Mesa View,
027Scenic, Taylor, Tupe, and Winggate have all embraced the challenges of educational improvement, exemplifying perseverance, collaboration, and a deep belief in the potential of every student. So on behalf of the board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill, we would like to congratulate principles Chairo Cohen. Well, I guess you can also wave if so people know your name too. Chairo, Cohen, Alexander, Rainey, Bullinger, and Shrader with their entire school communities uh for their remarkable accomplishments. These schools have made the district proud and their collective efforts and unwavering commitment to academic growth have profoundly impacted the lives of their students in our community. So, thank well done everybody. So, if you guys want to move to the middle, she'll want to get your I think they have a nice banner to hang up in their school. So, if
028you guys want to move to the middle, then Callie will get your picture there. Thank you. Congratulations. [Applause] All right, one last one. We have the John Irwin Award. Um, so with the principles of Broadway Elementary, New Emerson Elementary, Scenic Elementary, and Winggate Elementary, uh, come to the front of the room. Oh, is she taking him out front? Oh, no. Oh, there we go. Okay. Sorry. We thought we lost some. All right. So, the John Irwin Award, named in honor of the former Colorado State Senator John Irwin, who was an advocate for quality education, is a prestigious recognition in the field of education in the state of Colorado. The award is presented annually to schools that have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and growth over multiple years. Schools receiving the John Irwin Award have consistently exceeded
029expectations and achieved high levels of student academic performance. They demonstrate outstanding achievement on state assessments and show significant growth in student performance over time. This is why we love to track our data. So, earning the John Irwin Award is a prestigious distinction for schools, highlighting their dedication to providing highquality education and ensuring the success of their students. It serves as a testament to the hard work, collaboration, and commitment of administrators, teachers, staff, students, and parents in creating an environment conducive to academic growth and achievement. Not only does, and then if you can wave when I say which school, um, not only does Broadway, New Emerson, Scenic, and Wingi Elementary Schools embody all the characteristics of an academically successful school, the principles are committed to creating positive and supportive learning environments, implementing resources and support systems
030to help their students thrive, creating effective instructional strategies, and fostering a love of learning, which ultimately leads leads to a culture of academic success. The principles ingrain the district's mission to engage, equip, and empower each and every student each and every day into the core of everything they do in their buildings. These principles inspire and motivate educators across the state for continuous improvement at the highest standards of academic achievement and we are lucky to have them at district 51 serving our students and staff. The board of education and superintendent Dr. Hill would like to congratulate principles Westbrook, Schmalz, Alexander, and Shrader and their entire school communities for cultivating supportive, positive, and effective learning environments that uplift students and empower their growth. Thank you so much and well done. If you guys want to move to
031the middle, she'll get your [Music] [Applause] All right, we'll give just a couple minutes for people who want to leave. And I know I don't know if we have any people standing at the back, but then some of these chairs will open up. So if anybody President Heights Oh, um if if we may please. I do have one more recognition that we failed to put on the agenda. Right. So, give me one second and I'll be right back. Sorry. So, hello. All right. So, every meeting we hear Dr. Hill speak about how we're one big happy family here. And as we all know, there's always a mom that's in that family. So, for over 30 years, our mom has been Miss Bridget's story. Um, we can always count on Bridget to help us out with
032anything, any questions, anytime of day. I called her up at 3:00 in the morning, stuck in San Diego with a problem, and she you just answered it for me right away. Took care of it with no problem. So, Bridget has been with our our district for a long time, and for the last couple years, she's been everything to us. So, we want to appreciate her for all of her service and her hard work as she is retiring this year. So, on behalf of the board, we want to thank you for everything you've done for us. We will greatly miss you and come on up here. [Applause] And then during break, there's a cake back there for you. So, we want to thank Br. So, Bridget has two more meetings with us and she's going to
033stick around and help out the new person, but we just wanted to say thank you. So, thank you, Director Jones. Yeah, we're all in we're all in trouble because Bridget really runs the whole district. I think it's usually it's usually how it works, right? she has a couple more meetings with us because we do, as Bridget would do in Bridget fashion, she has to make sure that we all transition very well. So, but we just figured this was kind of one of the last bigger uh meetings and we wanted to um show her our appreciation. So, we'll just get to say bye to her again as well. So, um thank you board for helping with all the recognitions. Appreciate your help on that. So, um, next we have our board reports. So, um, just like
034the students in our classrooms go over good things with their teachers and their classes, uh, the board likes to do the same thing. So, board members, do you have some good things that you'd like to share? I know we've all been quite busy. Well, we just wrapped up graduation week, which was very, very exciting. Uh, I think you and I, Andrea, and I did eight. will did nine because there was an additional one due to some track meets that were um in conflict with the graduation dates. So, it was it it's always the highlight of the year to get to participate in the graduation ceremonies and congratulate the students and their families on completing their careers in D51. Yeah. And I think for me, I just want to thank everybody that invited us out to
035these uh graduations and little things going on. And um I think of all the ceremonies. I mean, they're all great ceremonies, but I think the the insteps one at the queer center probably had to be the best one for me. We had a guy in there that was just amazing and, you know, loves Texas barbecue, but I I don't think there was a dry eye in the place just from a graduation and everybody, including me, was wiping eyes and crying, but it was just an amazing thing. So, it's get really good to see some thing good things going on in our community. So, thank you to everybody that invited us and included this in it. Um, one Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. Okay. I would like to say so East Middle School had its um
036time capsule se celebration. It was a student led event um and each class got to put some I mean thoughts and ideas and things into a time capsule that they buried with the help of facilities. And then East also had its last um band concert with a bunch of alumni from high schools and college well from CMU and it was a really beautiful event as well. Awesome. Yes. Um all of us Doug's been on vacation which has been nice. That's great. Um but all of us were able to make the East um time capsule um event which was uh really really neat. And then what I found interesting with the graduations was um you can tell each school's sort of personality. Um Doug, you probably were familiar with that. Um just based off of um
037kind of the principal and the staff and um and every graduation was very unique and special in its own way from you know uh like Will said within steps um a touching program that just works with kids to um find them opportunities in the community um which was really touching um to to all of our other students and all the graduations. It was fun to see um everybody be recognized. And so um that was a fun week. And then um and then in the last um couple of weeks I was able to I think finish up getting to all the elementary schools in the district. And so I've been able to meet um uh every principal face to face um and be in every one of those buildings and some of the um and the
038last of the middle schools that I wanted to touch base on as well. So, um, so that has been fun to be able to get out and, uh, and just see everybody and see the students. So, Doug, how was your vacation? You have some good things. See some great scenes, sites. We did. Awesome. It's always good to be It's always good to be home, though. So, always. Yeah. Thank you. Great. You were in my thoughts for a little bit. Hopefully for not too long. I hope you were having fun. Dr. Hill, I don't know about you, but I think after all these graduations, I think I need to step up my shoe game a little bit. I've seen some unique shoes out there, so it just your shoe game was got to step it up
039a little bit. Awesome. All right. Thanks, board, for sharing good things. All right. Are there any committee um or activity updates from any board members? I think most of our committees were were tied up a little bit with with all the graduation and all the end of the year ceremony. So, um we I attended the D-51 Foundation committee meeting. Um nothing particular to report back but just um some great things going on in our community. Some very generous um folks in our community giving to the foundation which in turn helps our teachers to get what they need and it it's it's a really great organization. Awesome. Can I ask a question about the D51 Foundation really quick? Um Director Lima, um is there a discussion yet? I've heard that they are working on a fundraiser
040or a grant writer for us. Is that something that um where is that discussion at? Yeah, there there's definitely a discussion. Go ahead, Dr. Hill. Chime in. Yeah. So, the last meeting um it was good because they they've been going through a strategic planning process themselves, the foundation. And so, um they've been identifying priorities that they want to uh raise funds for moving forward because, you know, their focus in the past has been technology and professional learning. And so, um and for a while there was trying to get students to a onetoone. Well, all of our kids are at a 1:1 um with Chromebooks now. So, they're going through a strategic planning process right now to look at uh what would the priorities be moving forward and how would they uh go out and raise
041funds for that. And then they have brought up the topic of a um having a part-time grant writer on the foundation staff. But um so they're they're working through that. I just to be clear, it'll be a foundation grant writer. So it will not be somebody who's um accessible just to anybody in the district. Um it would be foundation priorities that they're trying to fund. They would charge that person to go out and and raise those funds. So, yeah, it sounds like they're moving forward with it, but um just to clarify, it'll be the D51 Foundation grant writer, not the districts. Okay. I apologize for jumping the gun on that one and for not Thank you for clarifying. Fair question. All right. Any other updates or Okay, we can move into the D-51 happenings and
042celebrations. All right. How do I get it up on the screen? While we're waiting on that, I don't know if anybody is new to um joining our meetings, but if you're wanting to give public comment, um the signup sheet is right up here by Bridget and we do allow you to sign up for public comment up until um we're about ready to take public comment. So, if you're not familiar, just want to make sure everybody knows that the sheet is up here. Okay. Well, it's hard to believe that today was the last day of school, huh? [Music] I think our technology is thinking it's the last day of school, too. So, there we go. Thanks, Dave. All right, so we do have a little bit to highlight tonight, even though it was the last day
043of school today, which is always fun. Um, but to kick us off, I did want to shout out something that happened at the end of April. Okay, perfect. Uh, we wanted to highlight the D-51 students who achieved the Superintendent Scholar Award. So, this program is designed to reward and recognize outstanding academic performance among our high school seniors who earned a cumulative GPA of 4.0 or higher. This is a phenomenal way to inspire and support academic excellence in high school students and encourage them to achieve their full potential. We have the privilege of recognizing 174 students from six high schools across district 51 who had a GPA of 4.0 or higher. What an outstanding achievement and we are so proud of all of them. May 1st was National College Decision Day, a day to celebrate and
044congratulate high school seniors on their academic achievements and exciting future endeavors. So, in partnership with Colorado Mesa University, District 51 and CMU toured our district high schools for a check presentation, CMU awarded over $4.5 million in scholarships to our D-51 seniors for the 24 2324 school year. and the check presentation represented the dollar amount in which students at each of those high schools received. We look forward to watching these students thrive as engaged, equipped, and empowered community members. On May 2nd, over 375 District 51 students representing 35 schools participated in the Special Olympics Western Colorado track and field event. This event provides our D-51 athletes with a valuable platform to showcase their abilities, build their self-esteem, and foster a sense of community. This event was incredibly inspiring, and you can tell from these photos that
045these athletes compete with so much passion and determination. We all had such a great time at this event. The Grand Junction Rotary Club donated $10,000 worth of trees from Valley Grown Nursery to eight of our district 51 schools and the district generously contributed an additional 2500 to that initiative. Over 60 trees were planted at these eight schools including Appleton, Chatfield, LMA, Mesa View, Rocky Mountain, Orchard Mesa, Fruda 89, and Central High School. Students from Orchard Mesa Middle School and Appleton Elementary got to join in on the fun and help plant the trees that our school communities will be able to enjoy for years to come. CMU's cycling team rolled into Fra Middle School celebrating Grand Valley Bike Month. The team taught Fruta Middle School students about proper helmet wearing, road safety, and different types of
046racing. Students had time to ask the team some questions about biking and those who ate their waties that morning provided proved their strength lifting each bike to feel how they vary in weight. We are thankful for community partners like CMU who help us provide educational and unique opportunities and experiences for our students. Elevate Kids is an organization that aims to help I'm sorry that aims to help elevate kids lives by using unique fundraising efforts to raise awareness for and donate funds to nonprofits that support children. In April, the Steam at Taupe Elementary track team participated in the Elevate Kids fund run at Los Colonius Park. They had the biggest representation of all schools throughout District 51, earning them a $1,000 donation from Elevate Kids that will be used to help fund their PE program. And
047I know Dr. Schulty spoke about this a little bit, but last week, East Middle School students and staff celebrated their time at the school and the legacy that East Middle School community will leave on the Grand Valley. A team of students from East Middle School participated in the D-51 STEM Design Challenge this year. The theme of the challenge was small acts lead to big impacts. East Middle School students identified the problem of helping students each helping each other navigate change. One of the solutions that they implemented from their project was filling and burying a time capsule at the school. The time capsule held pieces from each advisory class at EMS and will be reopened in 50 years. Students who spoke at the event talked about navigating change, approaching that change with the possibility of growth
048and the opportunities that lie ahead. Perfectly spoken, when one door closes, another door opens. Eggs typically aren't fond of Fridays. Just because school was coming to an end didn't mean the learning was. Last Friday, third grade students at Rocky Mountain Elementary built devices to protect an egg to prevent it from breaking when dropped. About a dozen students made exceptional devices and the rest took a crack at it, but the yolk was on them. And and okay, I should really preface it this with I totally stole that from Rocky Mountain Elementary Facebook page. That was not my writing. I am not that funny. All right. Um over the last week and a half, elementary schools across the district participated in Field Day, an exhilarating event that brings together students, teachers, and staff for a day filled
049with fun, friendly competition and outdoor activities. While joyous chaos might also be another way to to describe it, elementary school Field Day is an annual highlight for many of our students and staff. a day of pure delight and celebration that nurtures not only physical activity but also friendship, sportsmanship, and a love for the spirit of competition. And then last week, we did have the opportunity to celebrate over 1300 D51 students who walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. What amazing week we had celebrating the culmination of years of hard work, growth, and achievement. Congratulations to all our D-51 graduates. This may mark the end of an era, but truly it is just the beginning of endless possibilities. And then today, students at Independence Academy participated in their annual change for change drive. This year,
050students raised money to support other students at Dos Rios Elementary. The money that was raised during their leadership project, which totaled over $7,000, was put towards food that was then divided into take-home bags and given to students at Dose Rios that may be unable to afford to buy food at home. These students donated their time, energy, and money to make a change, a big change. This morning, they delivered 250 bags of food for students at Dos Rios. We are so lucky to have such an inspirational and giving We are so lucky to have such inspirational and giving students as part of our D51 family. And I know they're not here, but I think they do deserve a big round of [Applause] applause. All right. And then to close us out, we'd like to show a
051video highlight of the new Grand Junction High School building. The anticipation for its grand opening in the fall of 24 is steadily growing closer. Oh, I downloaded it already. Can I play it from here? There we go. [Music] It's amazing. I pull up in the morning, you know, at 7 o'clock in the morning and I look at what's been done and then I go inside, I come out later and it's amazing what else has happened in the process. Everyone is just excited. Walking around the school, you can tell it's just outaged and stuff is like old like the gym. Everything's pretty old in the gym. The wrestling room's pretty rough. You walk around and you see all kinds of holes and damaged doors and there's a lot of broken desk and chairs and it's really
052hard to work on them. Just like sitting there, I think a new school will definitely be very motivating for people just sitting there having the tools to be able to learn and like learn well. People will want to be here. The overall learning environment is definitely going to get a lot better. I think it'll be nice to have a properly functioning building. I think a lot of people will definitely enjoy just new environment and scenery. It might make people just enjoy being here more. getting a a state-of-the-art building is is going to be awesome just to draw for the community to to bump some of that enrollment and then across the state to be able to um kind of showcase like our academics, our athletics, different things to be able to upgrade all of that
053just to stay current for students. It'll be awesome to for them to have all the resources that they need. Grand Junction High School has always been a very community centered entity and so this is just going to be, you know, a big beautiful beacon for all of Grand Junction. Grand Junction High School's always been about putting students first. And when you talk to our students about feeling included and feeling a part of the school, I think that's one of the things that is as a staff we're most proud of that we have an inclusive group of kids that want everybody to be involved in what's happening. And I think that that is the thing that will carry into this new building. And I I see it growing. I see it moving and and developing and
054becoming something more that that we can establish as as ours. I hope also too that the message to the public in general is that through their support of public education, this is what we can do. This is the future that we can provide for students in district 51. And it's through the generosity of our community voting yes on bond issues that we can create futures like this for our students. This school brought this community together and you saw people allow education to be a olive branch. It allowed education to be the thing that we all stand for. This is what happens when a community comes together and that's what we're most excited about. I feel like it's going to be awesome to be able to be the first graduates out of here. I feel like
055our class can put a really good like stomp on the first year of it here. I believe that we have a good class to kickstart it and I feel like we are the foundation that it needs. There's so many wonderful memories that I have here that I'm I'm going to cry when this building goes down, but I'm also ready to embrace the future and the excitement in the beautiful building that we're going to get to. And that's it for me. Awesome. That was a great video. All right. Now we have our superintendent report. Well, thanks Cali. That was exactly what we needed. I apologize. I apologize. That was terrible. Sorry. No more egg puns. Okay. Um, so we have one item tonight under superintendent report. I know. Um, I think Alex is joining us virtually.
056Alex, can you hear me? You bet I can. Oh, can you hear me? Yeah, I can hear you. Okay. Uh, so Alex is joining us um from CI. remember Alex has been um helping us navigate well one he helped us create the strategic plan a year ago um and then also has been supporting us through our first year of implementation with the strategic plan. So um we do have one more focus group presenting next month um but we wanted Alex to uh come in and give us a little recap of uh where we've been this year and then also talk about um how we're going to move forward working with CI even next year. So I'm going to turn it over to Alex who I think is going to share a screen with a presentation.
057right on Q. Thanks, uh, Dr. Hill. Hi, board. Good to good to be back, um, with you. Can you see my presentation? Yeah, but you sound a little muffled. That's weird. Um, let's see. Sometimes Google gets goofy on this. Let me see if I can change my We're just going to go with it. I'm gonna I'm gonna yell and that way you'll be able to hear me. Um, is this any better? Yes, sure. Okay, we're gonna go with the technology, right? So, um board, it's good to to be with you. Um we're at 92% um of done with this year and uh with the strategic implementation like like Dr. Hill said, we've got um one more presentation to go. You've you've heard from uh uh the three focus areas almost all of them three times,
058just one left. uh two more and um and then you'll be done with your uh uh uh like your presentations for this year. Remember when you were building your strategic plan, if this is Carter's change framework, you uh created a sense of urgency. We need a new plan. You build a guiding coalition. We had um almost 60 community members that came uh and worked over a period of of months to build the plan. We also had uh uh hundreds of other people participate in empathy listening sessions. Um and then with all that work and data, we formed that strategic vision and that strategic plan. And it really adds up to um you've got your uh your graduate profile. We know what we want every student to know and be able to do when they graduate.
059We know what we need to do to to move towards that vision where we've got every student demonstrating those competencies. And that is your three focus areas and your nine strategic priorities. Um and um and hopefully you've heard of heard from them uh a lot this year and you feel good about what you've heard. Um really the second year where we were trying to do these three things enlist a volunteer army. First thing that happened was each of those strategic priority teams built a task force that would help them um uh execute the plan. Um uh then what they did is they used that task force to say what do we need to do in our district to to remove barriers so that people can get going. And what we were trying to get done
060this year were short-term wins like getting those first big wins off the ground so that we could see that we had a path towards getting to our our ultimate outcomes. Um the reports that you got you got three this year. I've talked to you about this. The first one really was saying this is what we plan to do this year in order to achieve our outcomes. The second reports which were January through March, this is what we're doing. So they should have been reporting on like their actions um how go how it's going, what they're um feeling good about where they saw some some struggles. And then these last three reports are about outcomes. What did we get done in year one of our strategic plan? Hopefully, you heard some great stories, some uh what
061I I like to talk about roses, buds, and thorns. Um roses, these are things that are blooming. We achieved this buds. These are things that aren't quite there yet, but we feel like they're promising, so we're going to keep working at them. And thorns, gosh darn it, B board, we worked our butts off on this to get this thing done, and yet we're getting bad results or we're not getting what we expected to get. and and hopefully the reporting you're getting all those stories because that's real work. This is complicated complex work. If it wasn't, we would have done it a long time ago. So those are the three types of reports hopefully you were hearing this year. And if you keep hearing this and keep focusing on these things by year three, you're going
062to start seeing some real impacts, some real effect of this change. Um is it okay if I ask you a couple questions? I I'd like to get some feedback and I'd like Dr. Hill to hear some feedback. When you guys zoom out, don't you're not talking about any one presentation, but you're zooming all the way out to as a board member, my job is to hold my district accountable for moving towards its vision. Um, in many districts, they hear about the kind of the strategic plan once or twice a year. You've been hearing about it month after month after month. Hopefully, that has informed you of what's going on. you feel very informed as a director of the district and I'd love to also know like how invested are you have you become um this
063year into the plan of this uh that the district's moving forward on. So can I just take a pause and ask you guys to give me some some feedback so so Dr. Hill can remember okay this is what the board liked last year this is maybe what the board would like to see um differently. I'll go ahead since I can't see anybody or read any cues. Um, thanks for opening that up. Um, so I would like to say yes, I felt um I appreciated the updates. There's, as you know, as we're implementing this, there was so much information that as I look back on the past year, I'm not sure how much I could articulate about what has been done except the broad contours of, you know, the really big picture of what we've been
064doing and how we've set the teams up. And that ultimately is our job to understand the process. Um or that's what I interpret our jobs to be. But um I'm the them presentations were very long and I'm not sure how much actionable information I myself have been able to extract from them just based on like the deep density of information that we've gotten from them which I think goes both ways right. I think of course I really appreciate it and I appreciate it at the time. Um, but as I'm sitting at home because I couldn't make it to the meeting tonight because I couldn't get a babysitter to stay at my house for some unknown period of time between three and seven hours. Um, you know, I I'm I'm stuck wondering how much um, you
065know, actionable information I had and how much actionable information I need. And I think that it's a great focusing force and we, you know, and and what we've gotten to is is laying out the contours of the data that we have and how we're going to interpret those data as we collect them in the coming years and as we built systems in order to collect them in the coming years. Um, so I think at the time they feel really helpful. I think when we zoom out, um I feel like it's a lot of time and I'm not sure at this point what I can look back on. Um, so I think for me I think truncating them a little bit that just the the the content at the meetings I you know I think as
066a as a professor I always get so stuck between wondering you know I can teach my kids every equation in our book or I can really like dig down into a few things and that's such a hard set of decisions to make and um I'm always struggling with it and I'm always refining it. I think for me, I think I would have wanted it to be a little bit more um truncated just so I could feel like I had more at this point, that I understood more at this point. But I I appreciate understanding everything that we did in each meeting, but a year later, I'm not sure what all I walk away with. So that's my very um you know big picture but I I do appreciate it and I think it's been helpful
067to see what all the teams are doing and how much work it is. I think that it definitely communicates that. I think it communicates positive work that all of our teams are doing and I think it communicates all of that to the community and I think you know just educating the community on the real work that the district is doing is really critical too. So I know it serves a few different purposes. Um, so I think those are my myriad thoughts about it. Can I can I repeat back what I think I heard you say? Like one of the things I took is like maybe if some of the focus or maybe one of the three reports was really just focusing on one issue uh where you can go deep and really pull it apart
068as a board and like maybe something they're struggling with or something you know that's that's really interesting. make it more so that you can feel like you can really understand the complexity of the work rather than sitting back and getting like the broad brush this is everything we're doing districtwide for student wellness. Yeah, I think that that's a good synthesis. I will say even as you said that back to me though I'm thinking back for example about um the student prepared and supported students um presentation that we got and at the end of the presentation it was really helpful for us to see how um widpread all of our just how many programs we had. You know I think we all walked away from that meeting feeling so overwhelmed that we didn't have a lot
069of focus in that task. Um, and I think that that's been directive for us. I think we've been able to say, "Okay, we need to be a lot more focused with this." And maybe that wouldn't have happened had we not seen that massive array of um, programs that we have and initiatives that we have. And so maybe, you know, as you said that back to me, I was like, well, maybe it was really helpful for us just to see where as a district where we do focus and where we don't focus. Um and and I think that that was one place where we found that we can focus better and I think the only real format for understanding that was to have that meeting. So I I find myself kind of um contradicting what I
070what I said before. I think that I think that it's just we're a huge district, right? we're doing a lot of things and and maybe it's okay that I walked away without a without a clear, you know, being able to articulate any particular thing that I learned from those um presentations. Carrie, if I could throw in um I was thinking similar things as you were talking through that um brand new strategic plan um brand new group of people putting that plan into action. And so I I think we it was a lot like drinking out of a fire hose at some of those presentations. It was a massive amount of information, but I think we kind of had to do that this first year. I'll be curious to see how this year goes with with
071uh subsequent presentations. Maybe we can drill down and get a little bit more focused in some of those areas. Uh for me, I'll say I it was long. it was heavy in content which is sometimes a little bit um difficult like you said to walk away and and and really feel like you own all of that information. Um but I think that was necessary to be exposed to all of the information upfront first year and now we'll now we'll drill down on some of those other areas as as they're succeeding in implementing those areas. I think that I agree with you. Thank you for saying that. Yeah. And I agree. I I I think for a first year, you got to have as much as possible, even though it may seem long. Um it'd be
072interesting to hear us, you know, next year, how we're looking at knowing that what we're doing right now and where we started at and where we started from to where we're at now, to sit here next year and say, "Okay, now how do we, you know, how do we feel that this year went compared to the first year?" you know, and I I get, you know, it's a long long presentation, but sometimes you got to, you know, got to get it out there and get it done to in order to really understand where you're at. So, I'd be more interested to see where we're at next year at this time. Yeah, I've I've enjoyed the comm or the presentations and even though they have been um you know dense with information and they've been really
073good, I don't think we can overcommunicate to our community what we're what we're doing. And so I know they were long meetings for the board to sit through and I know they were long meetings for people to watch. Yet all that information is really important I think for our community and I think for the board to completely have um especially the first year. I think it can become more succinct as we now move forward. Um and I you know some areas um we had you know they had some information right away. Others are more nuanced and they have to be a little bit more nimble when they're getting their information. So, um, each each strategic group was also very interesting and so I found them to be very helpful. Um, I I'm, yeah, interested to
074see how we'll dive into them this next year. Um, and we can start highlighting some things, but I think having the overall foundation and all the information has been really good. So if I could throw in or something, you know, going back to the presentations, I I guess the question I always come up with is the information we get, which is a lot, is and and I think going forward, I hope the members of the board, because obviously my my time's limited, you know, continue to ask how is this impacting in the building? Is is this making a difference with our kids, with our teachers, with our families at the school level? Because I I know one of the concerns I I I hope I'm representing Dr. Hill correctly, but is being part of the
075district for as long as I've had many I don't know if they've all been called strategic plans, but these big idea plans that that at this level, you know, has some relevance, I suppose, but in in in the day-to-day operations and schools and what goes on there, is it is it really living and as vibrant as as we hope it will be? And I know it's too soon to tell, right? We this just started but I think the question that can be asked each time is we we hear the presenters but um years ago early on in my board career we would at times and it was I always found it the most valuable we would have teachers and principles speak directly to the schoolboard no one else around and we could ask questions about
076okay what we is what we're hearing in our meetings what the public's digesting is that really what's happening you okay what what do you really need because ultimately the goal is is that it's making this strategic plan or whatever plan is making a difference in our schools and I and I have every reason to believe it it is and has and will be but I think that we want to be vigilant what is what is the end goal what are we really after in the long run right and it's it's that everything's fitting together to help our schools kids teachers to be successful. I hope that makes sense. Kind of that way out view other than the the details we get is is looking back and say is this is this making a difference? And
077I look over there at Mr. Worth. Is that a worth if he paid? You know, we we talk about Mr. worth is a a teacher at Scenic who's phenomenal and and we always you know we talk often about is it making a difference in our buildings with with at an elementary level or high school level wherever it may be and so if it does then we're hitting the mark. Is that about right Dr. Hill? Is that what you're after Mr. Worth? There you go buddy. All right. Thank you. that uh boy that that is uh I don't want to interrupt. Is that does anyone else have any feedback? Nope. Go ahead. Okay. I I really uh uh uh Director Leven said that it's just like it's like you're teeing it up for me. I just
078really appreciate it because um thinking about next steps when you're thinking about the Cotter model, year one really is about honestly my recommendation mostly to the like Dr. Hill and his team is year one. You don't want to push it out too fast out to the buildings because nothing's been tested yet. You haven't actually built the foundation to run at your strategic plan. Um it's okay for central office people to be holding it a little tighter and then at by the end of the year start releasing it to the buildings, but year two and three you should be in the sustain uh acceleration and instituting change. This is where you you make hay. um in years two and three, if you did a good job building momentum, getting that like the enlisting that volunteer army,
079removing barriers, and then generating the short-term wins. And the short-term wins really are, okay, now we've actually figured out what we're going to do because, as anyone knows, anytime you start an initiative, you have all these ideas of what you're going to do, and then you start doing it, you realize, oh, some of these aren't working. Some of these don't make any sense. This one here makes a lot of sense is getting outcomes. let's double down on this one. And those are the ones that you're actually uh sustaining and you're accelerating into schools and hopefully instituting the change over a period of years so they become the new normal. And these are good highquality practices that are getting to outcomes. And I hope and pray that next year that's what you're hearing about in your
080board reports um from these strategic priorities. And uh uh uh uh Doug, I couldn't agree more. Having teachers, principals, counselors, um other staff members showing up and being like, "Hey, I'm here to represent student wellness and let me tell you about or how about this students showing up to say these practices are actually impacting my teach my learning." Um teachers saying these practices are affecting how I show up as a teacher. So, um, this this is exactly what we're hoping will happen next year and the year after as you are completing the strategic plan. And then as you roll up and you start to think about the next strategic plan, it could be a pretty fast process if you're not done. You go, hey, these two or these of the nine focus or strategic priorities,
081these seven we're just going to keep doing. And then we need to figure out, do we want to just do those seven or do we need to think about a couple other things? So, there's really um great work ahead. I'm excited for D51. Um I know that this team is ready. A lot of the work that we've done this second semester is both helping them think about implementation in year one, but we've also transitioned. You can ask those teams. We've transitioned to start thinking about what is it what is it going to look like next year. So they've already started building out their strategic purpose statement, their logic model, and starting to uh uh create their their measurement plans and uh their action plans for how they're going to get it done. So, this is
082all in progress right now. I get to come back for one last meeting with your team on June 7th. I'm real excited about that. Um, uh, for in this contract and then, um, I'm just real excited that about the work you're doing, D51. I think it is a model. um the way that you're that you showed up as a board to um encourage to uh hold uh uh even though Carrie it sometimes might feel perform that you're just sitting there and listening to these big things, you are actually holding those those teams accountable for doing the work that they said they're going to do because they they think about these board presentations a lot and they know, hey, we can't show up to this board presentation without having done the work that we said we're
083going to do. And really, isn't that the job of a a great board? It's like, hey, we're making sure that you are focused on getting us to where we're trying to get to. So, board, I just want to thank you for uh for letting me be a part of this this year. Um it's been a real pleasure working with Dr. Hill and his team and everyone because I get to work with the community quite frequently um when they're when we're when we're doing work uh in the task forces. It's been a pleasure and thanks for letting me come to report out this last time. No, thank you for all your work. Thank you. Thanks, Alex. So, I um one, thanks for doing those questions at the end because I do I actually I really do
084value the feedback and if board members have obviously if you have more feedback then let us know. Um and you know, as as Alex mentioned, this is new. Um this is a a learning year for us. And so, um, re rewind reinding to 2019 when I got here, I remember we were saying we didn't even have a strategic plan and the previous one had expired two years prior. So, um, so this was a good process to even create one. And then also just a learning process for how do we keep it at the forefront of everything that we're doing so it doesn't get lost um, down the road. And so, and also just that level of transparency that was was our hope was to be able to report out on those goals. But yeah, we
085can always make adjustments to that. Um it is a lot of information. Um and it's hard it's always hard to articulate um a lot of information when we're on the inside, you know, at the district level. It's easy cuz we're living it every day. But to try to articulate it, um we can we can do better with that as well. I'm I'm even thinking like maybe there some sort of like board talking points after the each presentation or something that just kind of summarizes or synthesizes the information uh to help with that. but we can talk about ideas and then I do agree getting it down to the school and student level and making sure that we're um that we're it's actually having an impact there and they can see that. Um so this is
086great. I I appreciate the feedback and I do want to just say um thanks to Alex and the folks at CI for helping us over the last really two years um through this um and also thanks to the board for um supporting this and helping us move forward. So thanks Alex guys. Have a good night. Yes. Thank you. All right, take a break now. Quick. Yeah, quick break. Okay. All right, we're gonna do just a quick break and then we'll be back for um audience comments. So um if we can make it five, seven minutes that'd be great. So speaking of story, We can get everybody to take their seats, please. We'll go ahead and get started with the second half of our meeting. Doug Wilson, sit down. All righty, folks. We want to thank
087everybody for coming back for and thank you for that short break that we all needed. Uh so this is a part of our audience comment uh session and I think we've added a we've added a clock that's up here this time so you guys can actually see the timer in front of you. Um the timer is not working for the beeper is not working for some reason. So at the end of your time I will stop you and just let you know the time's up. Uh so I want everybody to be aware of that. But just so you know as soon as I set this timer right here you should see it right there of how much time you have left. Uh, so three, yeah, you have three minutes to go and at the end
088of that three minutes, I'll have to stop your time. Uh, so we're gonna go ahead and get started and I will announce who's up and then who's on deck. So, first up tonight is going to be Bruce Lom Miller and Mary Orokowski is on deck. Good evening. My name is Bruce L Miller and what I would like to do this evening is uh tell you about a city council meeting that I attended. And when I attended the city council meeting, we were having issues about the actual reading of the law. It it's called animal cruelty and it's part of what I'm trying to implement into your comprehensive sex education class. Uh the actual uh information from here. And what Mr. Shaver, the city attorney, said he would do is he would read the law. He
089he would would go ahead and uh review it and tell me whether it matches the actual uh input I gave you for the comprehensive house resolution sex education class in your schools. Okay. And he also gave me a referral to Tammy Erit. Is that you young lady over there? Tammy Erit. Yeah. Hi. Okay. Mr. Shaver, the city attorney gave me uh your name and I will leave this with I can leave it with you but I'll probably leave it with her. It's a copy of the actual law itself and it is his referral to your attorney. Okay. Two other things. Uh Mrs. Story, I I I hope that she will refer me to whomever is appropriate so I can continue this work after her parting. And I asked her nicely to do so. And she
090said, "You have to hire somebody." Okay. There's another thing. I will run for office. And I'm going to run for office for a reason. Apparently, we still have issues with things we're not supposed to have issues with. and I will run for an office in an attempt to keep them honest than they might be otherwise. Okay. And the other thing is one mistake uh Mrs. Mrs. Story actually made in her last school board minutes. Uh there is a uh uh CD uh the police department CD interview regarding all these different matters that they got me involved in that they should have got me involved in. It was cool. You had to been there. But the point being to it is that the the actual CD uh is in the police files and it was uh
091Chief Henry Stopple from the GR in Mesa County Sheriff's Office now has the actual CD with the actual reports and so forth and so on and everything else in there. And the point being that to that is that he has he has he is not only the undersigned officer, he has his badge number on there and everything as to the actual protest to these cases, but he has the actual folder as well. And see now I'm going other places. Oh, would you would you like it or should I give it to her? Bridget. Maybe better if I give it to her. Bridget. Oh, Bridget is good. Thanks, Bruce. Good luck running for office, bud. Okay. All righty. Uh, up next we have Miss Mary Orzakosski and on deck Sue Carbone. Good evening everybody. You're getting
092lots of handouts tonight. So, I have a couple questions. I um first I'm going to address an article that was in the Grand Junction Sentinel on May 16th and it's talking about the school finances, schools getting more money and it says that you know the 2324 school finance act was signed by Governor Polus and it further goes on to say that Mesa County District 51 will meet will that means nearly $4.4 4 million more this year. You get that we'll be getting bringing the per pupil funding up to $10,034. My question about all this is with this increase in funding, will that um will the issue of school closings still be will that be dropped now that we have this influx of money? That's my question. If not, that leads to my next part and
093that is if it's determined that schools still need to be closed based on declining enrollment, will factors other than the demographers reports be used? Because right now, reading the reports coming out of the declining enrollment committee, doesn't seem like they're looking at that, Mr. Bingham and I don't know the name of the other demographer. I I hear they they I read they gave a report at the last meeting, but I don't see any other avenues being looked at. Like the Colorado Board of Education already has performance evaluations out there. Are those being looked at? Is that being considered at all? So that's my next question. Will all the schools be looked at and will criteria other than demographics be looked at if schools do need to be closed? Then my final one is about um
094there's a a law called an open meetings law or the sunshine law and based on what I've read and the the um declining enrollments committee falls under the criteria that would mean those meetings do need to be open. So I would like that looked at and I'm going to leave all this for you and that's all I have for tonight. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Mary. And I apologize, I misspoke. Uh, Miss Carbone will not be speaking. Uh, so up next would be Miss Katie Bloom. And on deck, Bethany Hansen. Good evening. I'd first like to thank the board for your dedication, especially during this season of difficult decisions. Um, so we do appreciate your time and your effort. Um, I'm here today to start the conversation of classroom values and how they are prioritized.
095Over the last school year, I have listened to my child's issues of bullying at school. A particular event stuck out to me more so than others. My child struggled with a classmate who was disruptive and loud. When my child asked the classmate to be quiet, the classmate's response was to call my child a string of expletives. My child went to a teacher and the teacher's response was, "I'm ignoring them. They're always like this. This was a repeated behavior. I felt heartbroken to know my child was harassed. My child asked for help but from a person of trust and nothing was done. My child was made to feel verbal abuse was accepted. I'm telling you about this event because I'm not only not the only parent in the district who has had a child with experiences
096like this. There are policies related to student conduct and the student parent handbook that outline these procedures. I asked why are we not upholding classroom expectations and how do we do better to support teachers so that they can maintain a healthy, productive and safe learning environment? What can be done to provide a positive, safe, and equal opportunity environment for all students? Teaching and upholding values such as respect, accountability, trust, and integrity prove valuable in a student's educational, professional, and social success. I hope that we can work together as parents, teachers, administrators, and board members to provide the support necessary to create citizenship in and out of the classroom and to provide a better opportunity for overall academic success. At the end of the day, we are all here for the same reason, the educational success
097of the students of district 51. So, I thank you for your time. Miss Bloom, if you wouldn't mind, would you mind emailing the board a comment so we can chat further? Yeah, I'm sorry. What was that? Would you mind emailing the board so we can Yes, absolutely. Yeah. Thank you so much. Up next, we have Miss Bethany Hansen and on deck, Miss Sarah Fletcher. Um, I would also like to thank you for the actions you've taken this year. Um but I am kind of following up on Katie um what she had to say. I have two students in the district. One is at the high school level and one in middle school. They both started their education at a local charter school but have transferred to the district last winter. For my youngest, this change
098has been nothing but being bullied and made fun of by peers. Last year, during the last two weeks of school, she was told daily that she was going to be beat up on the last day. Both of my daughters submitted incident reports and on the last day during field day, my daughter felt she was only allowed to be in the courtyard or gym rather than partaking in all activities as the bully was able to. This fall, a group of students were relentless in bullying her over a video of her singing a song. They played the song and video during classes or saying it as they passed her in the halls. When she asked them to stop, they kept on. Unfortunately, my daughter didn't tell anyone until she had been in a fight with one of
099these girls. She was alone in the bathroom with this girl and three of that girl's friends who were there to film the fight and be a lookout. My daughter was given the same punishment as a girl who had bullied her for several weeks. That same night, that student was overheard at a high school volleyball game bragging to a friend that she had beaten up the autistic girl at school that day. Um um the bullying from that group continued for several more weeks um even off of campus at non-school events. My daughter changed electives during um the year from PE or from art because of the constant torment from one boy only to be moved into PE where those boys in there throw balls at her head almost daily. A few weeks ago, one girl told
100my daughter at lunch, "I hope you, your sister, and your parents die soon." Due to almost daily issues during passing periods with multiple peers, my daughter was allowed to leave classes early or late to avoid seeing the aggressors in the halls for the last 3 days of the year. For the past few months, she has been asking to homeschool or at the very least if she can stay home from school each day. She has been told, "We'll talk to them, just ignore them, or let us know if it gets worse." She's learned that talking to them hasn't helped to change the situations, the actions, or the behaviors of those other students. What happened to holding students accountable for their actions? The district website states that there is a zero tolerance bullying policy. But what does
101that mean? In our experience, the student being bullied gets the punitive treatment while the students doing the bullying are free to continue in their actions. Two things for me with this. With the mental health problems amongst our youth in this valley, these types of behaviors need to change. Second, this may also be one contributing factor to the declining enrollment in the valley. Thank you. Up next, we have Miss Sarah Fletcher. And on deck, Mr. Mark Morell. Can I also just reiterate and ask if you've got any of this kind of um statement that you want to make, do please email each of the board members. Good evening board. Um I just wanted to reiterate my gratitude for the board members to standing up for parental rights. Um the things that happened during COVID were highly
102impacting to me and my family and I've been going to board members uh board meetings a lot since then. And the reason I'm bringing that up is it's not been so long ago when we had to go to the university and have hours and hours of public comments over parental rights and concerns for masking and what a detriment it was to families and children. Um, the reason I'm stating this is because I want to reiterate how thankful I am that you all stood up to protect our parental rights with the decision about the clinic. And the reason that this is a protection against parental rights is because the fact that the state of Colorado has diminished parental rights. And so if there were a school-based clinic to go into high school, they would have direct
103access to our children, unfettered access to our children, circumventing the rights of as uh us as as parents who want to be involved in in the decisions that are made uh medically for our children. So I just wanted to thank you all for your effort and all the hours and time and energy that you put in. And I just want you to know that it hasn't gone unnoticed and our family personally appreciates you making difficult and hard decisions and choosing to protect parental rights. Thank [Applause] you. Up next we have Mr. Mark Morel and on deck Karen Romeo. Thank you. Um, I am officially releasing my decision to resign from the school district as a teacher at Grand Mesa Middle School. I want to thank the district very much for the opportunities for the professional
104development that I have been provided throughout my time here. Uh in spite of this fact however uh I feel that I cannot continue due to recent significant changes occurring in the district. I had the desire to continue teaching in the school district that I attended as well as my children until I retired. But that will not be the case. Unfortunately, the various decisions made the past few years have brought to light a dysfunction in the school district that cannot be ignored. The old adage, it's not what you know, but who you know, cannot be applied more aptly than here. School administrators with years of positive experience have been swept aside due to a lack of personal friendships with certain district administrators. Some of these administrators had guided their schools to the Colorado Governor's Distinguished Improvement
105Award as recently as 2022. Investigations have turned into witch hunts, showing the district as vindictive and spiteful. safe to tell has been weaponized to the point where its true calling is called into question. The victims, the real victims are the students at these schools where these people were positive influences. But that does not seem to matter anymore. The middle school model is now a sham. What used to be a positive transition from elementary to high school has now become a way station. Housing students for three years with little or no expectations other than moving them on to the next grade. Students recognize that their behavior in class will have no significant consequence as long as the standardsbased grade is the only thing parents look at. Selling our collective souls to an organization that does all
106the work for us is a fairy tale. Amplify is not a resource. It is the curriculum. As we are preparing these students for high school and beyond, the practice of ignoring formative assessments in the gradebook is a great disservice to the real world expectations laid upon them in the next few years. Meanwhile, cores are being eliminated along with teaching positions that made the middle school model unique. A junior high standard has found its way back into District 51 after a 40-year absence, and no one can tell me why. Was there a study I missed that indicated its return a priority? Did finances dictate its use? I would ask our superintendent, but this team but his team tells me that he receives too many emails and can't possibly read them all, let alone answer them. I
107cannot in this time aloud express my disappointment in how this district has changed. I can honestly say that when my grandchildren are old enough, if the current situation has not resolved itself, they should not be attending this school district. I take solace in the fact that a system that is unsustainable will not and cannot be sustained. Thank you, M. Thank you for your time. Thank you. [Applause] Up next we have Miss Karen Ro Romeo and on deck Miss Anna Elliot. Good evening board and um Dr. Hail. I just wanted to let you all know that I really appreciate what you all have done this year. I know that there's a lot left to do but you have made some great strides. I believe in um uh doing some hard things to try to get our
108schools back to um uh their best. I believe just um one thing I would like to say is that I am grateful that you did use a use professionals to um negotiate the teachers um salaries with the teachers union. I just want to say that you five six are the representatives of a lot of us taxpayers that can't be at that table to negotiate and I appreciate that. Well, I just think that ones who don't have the experience that it was a really good plan for you to get um professionals and maybe as you um are in this position for longer, you will be in that position too. But just wanted to say that thank you and that I really hope though that you will continue to work on getting us uh our children back
109into really learning and uh excelling academically. One thing that I just would like to ask is that in doing so that we would have um a little look at the libraries and what kind of books are available there. First of all, I'd just like to say that when I was in school, and that's been many, many years ago, the books that we were encouraged to read were generally those who um taught us uh good citizenship and um good values, but also that we were encouraged to look at how we could change the world for the better when we were growing up and out in the world. And it seems to me that what I've seen with some of these books is that it's just focusing totally on self and um feelings. And I'm sorry to
110say some of it it actually looks pornographic, but it also attend is difficult to actually see what is in the libraries because it's closed to parents and the public in all ways in our schools. So, I would just like to say that just seems like that means that there's something to hide. Thank you. Thank you. All righty. Up next we have Miss Anna Elliot and on deck Tom Sharon. Good evening, Miss Elliot. Good evening. I'm kind of excited, too. It's almost done again for another year. Um, I just wanted to say the last time I was up, I had inquired about being able to um, ex, you know, visit some of the libraries and I did send an email and, uh, Dr. Schulties did recommend that I check with the principles and and make appointments.
111It seems so elementary, doesn't it? And that's what I did. I did make an appointment with our elementary schools to to go and visit. And today I did have a chance to go and visit v visit Nisley where um director Jones and director Lima had visited. And um I was really curious at that time about the coffee that took place there because um it was poorly attended by um the parents there and I was I was concerned about that. And I thought, well, maybe the library, the library used to be the heart of of a a school where you would go and visit and see what was going on and checking out a book as an elementary school student. And so the library I visited today was kind of sad to be at and I
112experienced that with the um Janet that was there. We we spent an hour talking about how things worked. um you're going to be losing a wonderful employee, Miss Ridgeway. I got she showed me the tremendous amount of work she had done cataloging resources for the teachers to be able to use. But um a lot of the discipline and the bullying that I hear, I feel like if we could get these kids and really put the emphasis on the library and at the elementary school, reading, teaching social skills, how to be please and thank you and looking after um others, even partnering. And I remember when my 20-year-old was in grade school, you would bring a fifth grader along to partner a younger grade and they would be a buddy system. And it it developed relationships
113that carried through the school as they moved up in grades. I just I just really feel the dyslexia issue also if it's it could be screened and the kids could get help at that point. I think a lot of the problems in the middle school and bullying would be diminished if we could establish relationships that take place with reading in the library and um waiting for summer to go. Thank you, Miss Elliot. Up next, we have Tom Sharon and on deck, Valerie Hansen. Good evening, Mr. Sharon. Thanks, Will. Uh I'm going to bounce around a little bit, but it ties somewhat into the last two speakers what they've said. So I know the uh the declining enrollment in schools has been an issue. It's been all over the news. It's it's been in the board
114meetings here, meetings with the demographer, and I've attended some of those when when it was all discussed. And part of it is just it's just going to happen. It's happened in Mesa County. It's happening all over nationally. But then there's another factor in that and that's parental choice. You know, parents do have a choice. they can send them to D-51 or they can choose to go to a private school. And so, you know, D-51 needs to make sure that they're the inviting place that welcomes everybody. And and just a couple things that touches on that. So, uh I'm reading something from the Epic Times. Uh it talks about Colorado Education Association, April 22 stated their opinion that capitalism inherently exploits children, public schools, land, labor, and resources. So, I don't think that those values reflect
115very well with Mesa County. You know, my opinion, but uh you know, it'd be interesting to hear what the local union feels with regard to that statement. Do they support that statement from the Colorado Educators Association or would they disavow that? And I think that's important because if you look at the overall values of the community, you know, I don't think most of the community would support going to a socialist type society, which is basically what that CA statement says. So anyhow, as people worry about demographics and losing people in schools, that would be a factor. If the public here thought that the schools want to go towards a socialistic model, thought that was a good thing, you might not have as many students showing up in the schools. And then uh moving on to
116the the library issues. So I've also been interested in the libraries and what's going on in with the books there and public access. And I've gone through one core request. I have a second one uh in process. But uh it was interesting. One of my queries was provide all D51 written policies and procedures for the public to access and review reading materials in D51 libraries. And part of the response I got is that public access is not available due to licensing restrictions by the vendors. So my current record request right now was just to get that language of what is the licensing restriction that would prevent the public from going to look at what's in the libraries. That just seems troubling, you know, and in uh going back a couple years, I think there's been
117a lot more transparency now in what's going on in D51 than what there was a couple years ago. And if we don't want to lose students, uh, you know, the more you can build transparency, the more trust you'll have with the community, the more people want to put their kids in a D-51 school. So, it all kind of ties together. And, uh, I just think that going forward, I think there should be public access to where we could look at reading materials regardless what's in the current licensing restrictions, which I'll I'll find out what those are, but I just think that we should go to Thank you. All righty. Up next we have Valerie Hansen and our final comment will be from Jeff Warner. Good evening, Miss Hansen. Hello. Okay, just real quick, I have
118one question reading or well I have a few more things to say though. Uh reading through the most recent bit on declining enrollment. I see that there's a new term that comes out has come out equipped and empowered elementary schools. Can I ask what um what data was used to determine what makes an equipped and powered elementary school and um was this something determined outside of the committee or within the committee? So, those are just my questions there. Um and I'm going to um kind of I talked to Dr. Hill a little bit about this after one of the most recent meetings and it might be hitting on a little bit of what some other parents spoke about oddly. um in a little different way but um D-51 so we need to understand why people
119are opting out of D51. I mean I have one child at a charter and you know that was before there were was full day kindergarten and so that was she needed more than just the 3 hours. Um and then you don't move them once they're you know established. It's that way and then I have one child who cannot be served by a charter school because he's on the spectrum. And so I've seen, you know, just the differences, but I mean, I am totally just amazed and I adore our school that my child goes to. So, one of the questions that I have is um we need to understand why parents are opting out of some of their zoned schools. Like I I mean, I'm super impressed with our school. I think it's wonderful and the
120faculty is phenomenal with all the children. The interactions that I see are work so hard to build them up. So, it's my hope that we kind of figure out what's going on there and work to invite families to choose the schools, work to show them like, okay, what are misconceptions? Do do families believe because they heard somewhere and they don't really get a chance to tour schools. They don't aren't ever really open for like prospective kindergarteners or anything. Do families believe that it's a lot of screen time and they're like, "Ah, that's I want my kid being interacting with a teacher and not on screen time." what or we need to give families an opportunity to come in um just invite them and really see what we're about so that maybe some of those misconceptions
121can be done away with and I'm hopeful that we can kind of dig into that and really because we do have a lot of issues here to struggle or you know we need to work on declining enrollment demographics are not something the schoolboard can change um we have to work with what we have and I'm hopeful that we can figure out how to make sure people see what we really have and understand what their opportunities are. And then I have one last question. Um I know that there's a lot of facilities that are in rough shape. Is that I know that that's part of taken into account when you're looking at things. Um is there a way that facility replacement can be a part of this plan? Perfect. All done. Thank you. Thank you. And
122our final uh comment for the evening will be from Mr. Jeff Warner. Good evening, Mr. Warner. Hello, board. How are you? All right. Um my name is Jeff Warner. I'm a uh district 51 parent of two Chapita Cougars and live directly across the street from East Middle School. Um I came here to talk to you today and share my disappointment in the handling of East Middle School closure. Now, better people have spoken um and have written well-worded editorials regarding the faulty assumptions from which the closure was based, and I'm not here to rehash out those points. I'm here more to speak to the effect on the neighborhood. East Middle School has been an anchor to our lives and our communities. It cannot be said enough what a loss to the school will be to the
123surrounding neighborhood. We bought our home 13 years ago knowing and looking forward to our children walking to our neighborhood schools, three blocks for Chapida and literally across the street for East Middle School. I know I know change is inevitable and hard decisions must be made and I do not envy the board for their work. But for the closure of East Middle School to have happened without any input and commentary from the neighborhood from which the school resides has created a feeling of dist distrust and disrespect. And now the neighborhood is left at a loss without knowing to the future of the building. We have lost our anchor and been given no indication on what will happen with the property. And for this for a school board that ran with transparency as a priority, this quick
124and opaque decision is close to close an important and valued neighborhood school fails that goal. It seems incomprehensible to have a supposedly well-thoughtout plan for a school closure without a publicly known plan for the property and the building. Please, within the complex future decision-making process for East Middle School and the property, make more consideration to the neighborhood and the families that surround it. Please be more transparent, live up to your campaign promises, and let the let the community know your plans for the property. Finally, with my uh remaining time, I just take a moment to share my disappointment in the termination of the contract with Marillac and the school-based health care clinic. It's another loss for our community and will overwhelmingly affect those students who need a school-based health clinic most. We need to do
125more and everything we can to support those that need it most. Thank you for your time and please do more to consider the community that surrounds East Middle School. Thank you. And that concludes all of our comments comments for the evening. Thank you everybody for speaking. It takes a lot to come up here and share your thoughts and so they were some very well thoughtout comments and we appreciate it. All right. Thank you. Uh next we are going to go into our consent agenda. So the consent agenda contains personnel actions and acceptance of gift items that are routine and can be approved by a single motion. Items on the consent agenda will not be discussed individually by the board unless an item is removed for individual consideration. Are any board members requesting any items to
126be removed? Okay. All right. Seeing none, um do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? So moved. Second. Right. Um, I will mention before the vote that we did have a the amount of gifts that the district received was $15,543. So, we are thankful for um those monetary gifts that are given by members of our community. All right, we can go ahead and call the vote for the consent agenda. Okay. Mrs. Heights? Yes. Mr. Jones? Yes. Miss Lima? Yes. Mr. Levenson? Yes. Dr. Shalties. Yes. I feel very excited about the $15,000. Sorry, I didn't realize I was that loud. You are totally loud. It's all good. The heck out of everybody, bro. Speaking quietly. It's better to be able to hear you than not. So, it's all good. Um, okay. So, now we're
127going to move on to our business items. Excuse me. We have um the ratification of the Mesa County Valley School District 51 and the Mesa Valley Education Association contract. So, do I um have a motion for the ratification? So, moved. Second. Okay. Um any discussion? Good. Dr. Dr. Hill, I think at this time what we'll have you do is if you want to sort of give um an overview of that and then we'll go ahead and do the vote. Um so um yeah, some board members had asked for a kind of a brief recap of negotiations process. So I'll try to do that justice. Um so I wrote some notes. Um so bear with me. Um so we held negotiations with MVA beginning on May 4 and concluded with negotiations on May 12th. Um, this
128was the 50th year of negotiations between D51 and NVA. So, it was what I called the quote golden anniversary. And I had fun uh with that theme in my opening remarks to the meeting uh saying that don't laugh. It was a good opening remarks. They weren't very good, but I'm going to repeat them anyways. Um, so, uh, we said I said that hopefully we would mine for golden nuggets of understanding. Okay. Thank you. You gave Cali a bad time and you said that I'm not I'm not even done yet. It's going to get better. Um a aim for opportunities for agreement so that our kids get a gold medal worthy educational experience. Our staff get a gold star for their hard work and efforts and perhaps we could keep the golden rule as a guide
129in our discussion. So um that was I apologize that was part of my opening remarks. Um so through the process uh I believe we were able to accomplish all of those things while keeping the strategic plan focus areas and goals at the center of our work together. Um, as in years past, we had two excellent facilitators in Paul Vancamp and Steve Schultz who led us through an interestbased bargaining process. Um, in summary, that involves members of the teams sharing quote story uh to give background on the item being negotiated and then members sharing quote interests um to give insight on what they hope will be accomplished in the end. And then we come to a resolution on the items that everyone at the table can agree on. Um oftent times there are subcommittees um that
130will meet throughout the year to discuss and examine solutions on particular issues. Um and those subcommittees involve folks from the district and from MBA. Uh once a solution is presented to the entire negotiations team, the team must reach 100% consensus in order for the solution to be approved um in negotiations. Uh, at the table this year were members selected by MVA and members of our D-51 leadership team, including um board representation from our in-house legal council and support from local legal council um who the district has partnered with for years with U. Mr. Price. Um, I know there I know there were some questions about why board members weren't present at the table. Um, and I won't try to speak for the board, but there was a statement that was put out um, making it
131clear that um, uh, recently that they unanimously agreed to stick with their role as a decision-making body as they do not typically negotiate directly with other parties regarding other district contra contracts uh, and remain supportive of all of our over 3,600 staff members and have interest in seeing salaries increase to help uh, with recruitment and retention. Um and so even with that um change this year, I I would say we had a successful negotiation process this year. Um so the items that were negotiated this year and ultimately agreed upon between MVA team and the D51 team were um and I got a couple bullets. So an agreement on middle school planning minutes. Um also that we will continue the work of the special education workload committee. Um, we further defined the two extra days for
132special education teachers with the first three hours of the first day used for district professional learning for our sped teachers that will be designed in collaboration with our uh sped teachers and staff. Um, we are returning to a step and lane salary schedule that monetarily rewards our hardworking teachers, counselors, and school psychologists for continuing their education to be better equipped to teach our students. Um, if approved this evening by the board, um, a 7.05% cost of living adjustment will be applied to the schedule, raising our base teacher salary to almost almost $47,000, and that's compared to the $37,000 just a few years ago for a starting teacher. Um, so we're excited about that. Uh, teachers coming in with a master's degree will earn close to $51,000 to start. Um, in addition, staff who qualify will
133receive um, a step. Um, there will be a guaranteed minimum increase of $2,400. U, but most will see a much higher increase through placement on the new step and lane salary schedule that incorporates the cost of living and step increases. Um, this makes us more competitive to recruit and retain, especially uh since we know that all other school districts in Colorado received additional funding as well and they are going to be using it also to look at teacher uh payraises or staff pay raises. Um, this all ties into a budget presentation that will be presented to the board on Thursday, um, if approved that continues to prioritize fiscal responsibility while also taking care of our people, our hardworking staff. Um, and then lastly, at negotiations, we renewed um, the negotiated agreement for another three years.
134Um, so with your vote of approval this evening, this agreement will become part of the negotiated agreement as MBA members have already held their ratification meeting. Um, I want to say thank you to our D-51 staff members who worked hard on this year's negotiation process throughout the year and represented D51 at negotiations. I want to thank um say thank you to the MBA leadership and members who also worked hard with us throughout the year and represented MBA at negotiations. Um, special thank you to Crystal and Bridget for all their behind-the-scenes work they do throughout that process. Um, John Ford for videotaping the meetings and also making us laugh a few times. um Steve and Paul for facilitating the meetings and then the board of education for giving us guidance leading up to the meetings and
135throughout the negotiation process. Um so I'm pleased with the results and I encourage the board um even though I don't have a vote but I encourage the board to vote in favor of the proposal in J1 for our business items and if there's any questions be happy to answer them. Any other board discussion? Okay. Nope. when we got the packet which had all of the changes and information. So that was very helpful along with um the meetings that we had along the way. Um I personally felt like um I was much more in tune with what was going on with negotiations this year and I felt like as the uh negotiating team came back to the board um the board was actually more collaborative all of us together. um it was great, you know, last
136year, but I just felt like I kind of was able to track better this year um with the setup that we had. So, I agree. I feel like it was a it was beneficial from a board member standpoint. All right. Well, seeing no other comments, we'll go ahead and take the vote. Okay. Mrs. Heights? Yes. Mr. Jones? Yes. Miss Lima? Yes. Mr. Levenson? Yes. Dr. Schulties? Yes. All right. Yay. You can clap for that one. Yeah. All that hard work and time that you All right. Next up, let's see here. Um any board open discussion? Anything that came up? basically just for for me. I mean, I know this is the end of the school year, so I just want to personally thank all of our teachers and administrators and office people that worked their
137tails off this year, taking care of our kiddos and getting ready for further educations from, you know, elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, preschool to elementary school. Um, you guys do a lot of hard work. You guys really do the grounded work and really I appreciate everything you do for us. So, so thank you. [Applause] I can Oh, go ahead. Can I say something? Okay. Is this volume up too much? No, it's okay. Great. Um, I just want to say that as we move forward, I know that we're not doing the declining enrollment committee updates um in our board meetings. I know we're doing them in our work meetings, but I just want to say that in the last meeting, we heard from both the state demographer and from the demographer that
138we hire. And we heard, you know, we have these projections looking forward from our demographer about how we're going to lose, you know, 200 to 300 kids, students every year through 2030 with no end in sight. It's not like it ends in 2030. Um I'm I'm unsure. It's unclear when our demographer projects are declining enrollment to end. um if ever. And we heard from the state demographer that they predict our declining enrollment to end within the next couple of years in about 2027 if a lot of caveats if our you know business community is strong if effectively if the jobs are available. Um, and so I just wanted to kind of note as we move forward here that it's really unclear right now what we're facing and what we're up against and how long these
139trends are going to persist and what the magnitude will be. the difference between the two demographers projection projections is effectively 2,000 students by the year 2030. Um given the state demographer isn't considering charter schools like our demographer is. And so if you kind of factor in charter schools and online and that type of stuff, um it seems like maybe there's like a 1500 to,200 student between the two demographers numbers. Um so I just want to note that you know the the grappling with what what is the scope of the problem? What is the duration of the problem? What does it all look like? And with these massive uncertainties in the numbers, you know, how do we design a solution that considers any option? you know, we we can't exactly design a solution for the state
140demographers projections because what if Shannon's right? And we can't design for Shannon solutions because what if the states right? So, we need a very flexible, very nimble, very agile set of tools that we need to develop and need to understand and need to explore as we move forward here. Because again, does declining enrollment stop in two or three years or does it go on for, you know, again, I'm I'm unsure what Shannon's projection is, but certainly past 2030. Um and so yeah, I just look forward to understanding how this committee will what what suite of tools we can consider and explore given this very large range of unknown outcomes over a very unknown period of time. So, I just wanted to kind of note that especially as we got that um couple comments about that
141from the community comments. Okay, that's it. Thanks. Yeah, I was going to follow up to make sure that the questions that were asked um if did you write write those down? Okay. Um if we could then look at those. Um and then if Tammy can look up what the open meetings law about that those declining enrollment meetings if they should be open. Um and then uh and then if Melanie can give an update on the question about the state giving us more money um if that you know is going to play into school closure or not. So I think if we don't necessarily need to answer these like next meeting, but at some point looking at how we can answer some of these questions for the community. Well, and I'll just add not to belabor
142it, but so um we had a request for the and and writing a recap of a 4-hour meeting is very difficult. So thank you, Cali, uh for trying to do that. Um but those had only been sent to families and staff in the district. So, Cali did add a section on the website. If you go to the main page, click on the creating a sustainable D-51 where we've been housing previous presentations. There's a button right there that says the declining enrollment committee. And if you click on that, it has the first three meeting the updates from the first three meetings. Um, and then, uh, yeah, as Dr. Schultz has mentioned, we're giving updates at the work sessions. So, we have we have our fourth meeting next Wednesday, I believe, because we had to move it.
143Um and then so the work session in June um we'll give an update on that and I I I believe that will answer some of these questions because the third meeting we did have a discussion but it was at the very uh tail end of the meeting around alternative options and people in the committee gave pros and cons and so this next meeting we're going to dive into that at the beginning and and have that discussion. So, there are good questions that are being asked. Um, but we we're taking time to be able to explore all those. And so, we'll try to give updates through those updates that are now available to the public um that aren't families and and staff. And then we'll give a try to give a comprehensive update at the work
144session as well. Perfect. That's that's ideal. Thank you. All right. Any other board discussion? Okay. We have future like to just say thank you to the board for my gifts. They're very nice. Oh, we're glad you like them. Beautiful clock and a beautiful plate plaque. And that means you changed your mind. You're gonna stay. Yay. Oh, I don't think that's was No, no, no, no, no, cuz I'd have to give the gifts back. So, we'd probably let you keep those. We can pro we can prorate them. We're all right. Little extra incentive. Well, thank you, Bridget. It's a small token of our appreciation and I'm and I'm sure previous board members appreciation as well since you've worked with quite a few board members over your time. So, thank you so much. Thank you. All right.
145So, we have future meetings. Um, we do have a special meeting coming up uh this Thursday, the 25th. Um, because we are going to be presented with our 2324 budget. Um, so we have that at 5:00 p.m. here. And then June 6th is um our work session and June 20th is our board business meeting. So, all right. Thank you everybody for your time this evening. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Some moved. Okay. All right. Thank you everybody. Thank you Dr. Schulties. Thanks everyone. Good job.