Lawrence Public Schools Board of Education Meeting | April 13, 2026

001We're we're going to go ahead and call to order the April 13th, 2026 board meeting. Uh member Kadub Blackwood is on her way. She's caught in traffic, so she'll join us as soon as she gets here. Um can I have a motion to approve the agenda, please? I move we approve the agenda for the April 13, 2026 board meeting. >> Seconds, >> yes. >> Gordon Ross, >> yes. >> Franklin >> Jones, >> yes. >> Thank you, Member Franklin. >> Kimble, >> yes. >> Lancaster, >> yes. >> Motion passes 6. >> Okay. Thank you. Moving to item 1.3. We're going to recess to executive session. Can I get someone to read that motion, please? >> The board of education recess to executive session to protect the public interest in negotiating a fair and equitable contract to

002discuss negotiations pursuant to the exception for employer employee negotiations under KOMA with Dr. Janice Kersswift. Superintendent Dr. Larry Ingleick, Deputy Superintendent of Finance Facilities and Operations. Samry Devon, assistant superintendent of human resources and employee relations. Kristen Ryan, assistant superintendent of student support services. And Cindy Frick, executive director of finance, invited to be president and with the board to return to open session in 30 minutes at 6:32 with no action to follow. >> I second. >> Gordon Ross. >> Yes. >> So 632 >> said in 30 minutes. No, he said. >> Oh, did you? Okay. All right. >> Kimbell, >> yes. >> Franklin, >> yes. >> Buyers, >> yes. >> Lancaster, >> yes. >> Jones, >> yes. >> Motion passes 6. >> James, >> thank you. >> Where are they? We are back from executive session

003and we need to extend. So can I get a motion to extend please? Technology is hard. >> Still trying to get in my MacBook. >> I move to >> We have You have to read the whole motion again. >> Oh, okay. >> Sorry. >> Give me 10 seconds. I move the board of education res recess to executive session to protect the public interest in negotiating a fair and equitable contract to discuss negotiations pursuant to the exception for employer employee negotiations under coma with Dr. Janice Kursswift superintendent Dr. Larry Angelbrick, deputy superintendent finance facilities and operations. Samry Devon, assistant superintendent of human resources and employee relations. Kristen Ryan, assistant superintendent student support services. And Cindy Frick, executive director of finance, invited to be present and with the board to return to open session in 20 minutes

004at 6:54 p.m. with no action to follow. >> Second. >> Jones. >> Yes. >> Franklin. >> Yes. >> Kadu Blackwood. Yes. >> Gordon Ross. >> Yes. >> Kimble. >> Yes. >> Buyers. >> Yes. >> Lancaster. >> Yes. >> Motion passes 70. You have good peripheral. >> Um, we are back from executive session with no action to follow. So, we will move on to item 1.5, report of the superintendent of schools. Dr. Swift. >> Thank you. uh President Gordon Ross, members of the board, all of you who are joining us in person and remote. Uh we are approaching as we all know midappril uh this week and wow is it a busy time across the district. Just want to give a shout out and a big thank you uh to our students, our teachers and support

005staff and leaders and our parents and community for all the work to ensure a solid, strong finish fourth quarter of this school year. Uh great news this week. You've heard by now, I think there she is. Um, Cordley Elementary uh had the tremendous honor to welcome US Supreme Court Justice Sodto Sonia Sotomayor last week uh as a visiting author and guest reader. Justice Sotomayor spent time with students in grades kinder through five. She shared excerpts from her children's book, Just Shine, and engaged students in thoughtful conversations about education, perseverance, and the influence of important educational mentors in their lives. She encouraged them to reflect on the educators who've made a difference for them, sharing that her own mother was her most impactful teacher. Um, in addition to connecting with students, uh, the justice spent time

006with staff over, uh, a Wefield sandwich after, uh, three, uh, groups of students. She literally read to and shared with every student on the cordly staff. So, it was a really demanding schedule. But then she took time afterward uh with staff and expressed her strong support for public education specifically for teachers and for the important work happening in our schools each day. I would just really share that I I felt extremely privileged that she spoke to children uh as humans. She spoke to them in uh in very realistic language. a student approached her in the group photo, began speaking Spanish to her, and she responded to him in Spanish and just really shared her personal stories of her mother growing up in Cuba and joining uh the women's air during uh World War ultimately landing

007in New York City where the justice grew up in uh the projects in the Bronx. So, we're just so deeply honored to have had the opportunity in the district to host this visit. I want to give a special uh gratitude for the collective efforts of our staff at Cordley Elementary uh led by Principal Reaver uh Jake Potter Potter and members of the communications team, facilities and operation team members who ensured that the building sparkled. We were over there on Sunday a week ago and it was really in top shape. Uh, and appreciate the additional support provided by the Lawrence Police Department and the Kansas State uh, troopers who were present. All of that behindthecenes work made for a smooth and productive visit for Justice Sotomayor. This must have been our week this past week because

008we also were delighted to welcome USDA Food and Nutrition Service Deputy Under Secretary Patrick Penn, who joined Mountain Plains Region Acting Child Nutrition Director Josh McDaniels and Kansas Department of Education Child Nutrition and Wellness Director uh Kelly Chennai for a visit to Community Connections at Pinkney and to Hillrest. Elementary School. There they experience both the innovation and the care that define our meal programs. At Community Connection, um visitors toured the district's bakery where fresh scratchmade items are prepared daily while also providing hands-on learning opportunities for our students at the Pinkney Camp campus. Uh at Hillrest Elementary, our guests joined students for breakfast and connected directly with our nutrition team there, recognizing the important role that school meals play in supporting student health, learning, and a sense of belonging. I'm so grateful to Julie Henry and

009to our nutrition and wellness team for their leadership and dedication and for the opportunity to showcase the meaningful work happening with food and nutrition across our schools each day. Uh the first Wednesday of April was paraprofessional appreciation day recognizes the vital role that para educators play across Lawrence public schools. Our parah educators provide essential instructional and emotional support to students each day, helping meet the diverse needs of every learner while supporting classroom teachers and school teams. Their dedication strengthens our schools and ensures that students are supported, engaged, and successful. And now just a few seconds of a highlight of a brief video in celebration of our paraprofessional contributions in support of students. >> How would you feel if there weren't paras at school? Um, I would probably um be like shy and not talk as

010much because he helps me like learn not to be shy. Miss Wilson loves to help me talk to friends, etc. >> If she was here and and I would then I would tell her that that she is like a very great supporter. Thanks for your service. That's what I would say. Parents would be really happy to know that they have these people in the schools other than teachers who are sitting there and working with their kids day in and day out getting to know them, loving them, helping them learn and grow into wonderful people because of the influences they have. And I think paras are a huge part of that influence. Thanks to Andrew for that great video. Um, we are delighted to share uh regarding preschool enrollment tonight. I'm going to just flip ahead

011here because I think maybe maybe we've lost it >> for a little bit. >> Okay, I'm going to talk about preschool, James. How about that? All right. We're pleased to share this week that we will be responding to all of our parents who submitted applications for preschool enrollment. The applications were due by March 22nd and we received approximately applications. Uh in the next 24 to 36 hours, we will be confirming that all applications are improved for enrollment in the fall. So, we are delighted to report that all students who applied will have seats reserved for this fall in Lawrence Public Schools. Now, isn't that a great day? Yeah. Thank you, board, for your support. We ask that parents uh watch out for that email and confirm their enrollment because it's that parent confirmation that uh

012will tell us that we are to reserve their spot uh for preschool. We look forward to welcoming the largest fall class of three and four year olds for early childhood education classrooms at Kennedy Early Childhood Center, Deerfield, New York, Monasuri, Prairie Park, Sunflower, and Woodlon. In addition to such a robust response from parents of preschoolers in preschoolers in enrollment, we are also inspired members. I don't think I've even been able to share with you yet. We've been inspired by a strong response and high levels of enthusiasm from talented teacher candidates who are looking for preschool opportunities uh with these preschool positions. Stellar teacher candidates who are excited for preschool and the largest class uh in Lawrence public schools uh this year coming up. What a better match could we get? In addition, we're really thrilled

013these last few weeks of school to be supporting rising kinders. That's this year's preschool classrooms. And those students currently in our preschool programs, school teams are using these final weeks of schools to connect and build on the momentum from this year's preschool right into kindergarten to ensure strong transitions. Uh very exciting time as we uh honored our ACE award winners. Can you help me James with that? >> Okay, very good. ACE award winners. Uh what a delight to join the Lawrence Schools Foundation a few weeks ago to to surprise two extraordinary members of our Lawrence Public Schools team with the 2026 ACE award. We were over at Hillrest Elementary for PAR educator Nathan Perkins Rock and District IT support specialist, our own James Jarvis. Will you join me in congratulating James? Nathan was surprised with

014the award in front of students and staff at Hillrest Elementary. His impact, you could just feel it in the room uh is so strong in that school as he greets students with warmth. He has strong relationships. As soon as he was announced, a whole group of kids just charged him and gave him a big group hug. He is known for his patience, consistency, and ability to connect with students, particularly those students who benefit most from strong, caring adult relationships. In addition, we have the great opportunity to be right here upstairs with the IT team to congratulate our own James Jarvis. Jane plays a critical role in supporting the day-to-day operations of our district. From assisting with classroom and staff technology needs to ensuring important events and meetings run smoothly. His professionalism, responsiveness, and positive approach

015make him a trusted and valued resource for staff across the system. Uh we also appreciate his support uh throughout our board meetings twice each month and other times uh just to help us out. So congratulations to our spring ACE award winners for this welldeserved recognition and many thanks to the Lawrence Schools Foundation for their ongoing support and honor honoring the exceptional individuals who serve our students and schools. I've so been looking forward to sharing with you this piece. Members, our Lawrence Public School students earned four gold medals at the national level in the prestigious art awards representing an extraordinary accomplishment in visual arts. So each year more than 10,000 works of art from students across the US and Canada advance to the national stage where panels of professional artists select the top entries. Only the

016top 1% in the country are awarded gold medals. So I need to say that again. Only 1% in the country are awarded gold medals. And we have four Lawrence High School students who earned prestigious gold medals in three different categories in in three different categories this year. Leela Aubal painting. Ren J also in painting. You can see their submissions here. Lenora Roberts mixed media. And Rio Schultz jewelry. National Gold Medal recipients are invited to be honored to a formal awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City and they are featured in a national exhibition and annual publication highlighting their work among top student artists in the country. These recognitions not only reflect individual talent but also the depth of commitment, creativity and discipline that our students bring. I also want to give a shout

017out uh to our amazing arts teachers uh art teachers Todd Boutit, Angela Perkins, and Emily Maralados. We congratulate these students and their teachers for this exceptional accomplishment and we celebrate the arts advantage offered in Lawrence Public Schools. I do want to note that over the past six years, Lawrence High School students have earned more than 250 regional and national scholastic arts awards, demonstrating a consistent tradition of excellence in visual arts education. Free State students supported uh the community through a CTE project. Uh just recently, students in the geometry and construction course at Free State High School recently applied their learning through a handson project benefiting uh Douglas County Youth Services. So they work collaboratively to remove an existing greenhouse structure and design, build and install a new prefabricated greenhouse on site. This project required students

018to apply skills in construction, mathematics, teamwork, and problem solving in a realworld setting. The new greenhouse you can see here will support agricultural programming and provide opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning experiences. It will also contribute to the district's broader farmtoschool efforts by supporting plant starts for school gardens across Lawrence public schools. This project reflects the strength uh of what you heard about last board meeting, our career and technical education program and the meaningful ways that students are connecting their learning to community impact. I am delighted to share with you an update uh from community connections at Pinkney. I recently ran into principal Jennis Comey and they are glowing in the dark at Pinkney Community Connections because our student team took first place at the 2026 Johnson Community County Community College job Olympics.

019They earned an impressive 48 medals competing against more than 500 participants. CCAP students earned medals from career readiness and workplace skill events including categories such as job application, job interview, product matching. And you can see them doing some of that in some of our photos that are out. stocking groceries, sorting mail, bag stuffing, and making change. Real life skills for our students who are transitioning there at Community Connections. So, congratulations to Community C Connection students, teachers, and to principal Jenna Viscomi. Just wanted to give a shout out to our LVS Lawrence virtual school team. Uh folks may wonder, well, what do they do during assessment season anyway? Well, I'm here to answer that question this evening, and I just want to honor the work of LVS uh of our LVS team. State assessments definitely look

020different uh for our virtual students and staff. Principal Zack Harwood recently shared with us that the LVS staff have a great opportunity to spend the testing season meeting with students in person in Witchah, Topeka, Overland Park, and right here in Lawrence with two days uh as you can see there, their schedule, two days in Witchah and Topeka, four days in Lawrence, and four days in Overland Park. uh LVS students uh are able to participate in testing at those events or they will also have the option to test from their homes in late April and early May after the traditional school window close. This means that the LVS team have to research, identify, and reserve locations throughout the state of Kansas to facilitate in-person proctored testing in a secure environment. It also means during those testing

021windows when our staff is out on the road that we are making adjustments in order to maintain ongoing learning opportunities for all of our virtual school um students. So, we're extremely proud of the work of LDS school staff throughout the year and just wanted to recognize their additional efforts that are required during state assessments. Well, we wanted to give an update on the choice campus at Centennial. Um, every time I drive there, I was teasing Dr. Engle Brick recently that every time I drive by there, there's a new pile of dirt uh on the side uh of the street there uh near Centennial. They have uh almost finished the demolition phase uh to prepare for the renovation work uh which is beginning on site at Centennial. Roof replacement is scheduled to begin this month, marking

022an important milestone in preparing the building for transformation to the next chapter for this historic Centennial campus. The facil's adjustments are just as intentional as the school and program, creating a space where Lawrence Public Schools can offer high school students a flexible, customized learning environment based around their individual needs. We're really proud of this building that opened back in 1955, uh, so 70 years old, and has remained a part of Lawrence's unique history. We are committed to thoughtfully repurposing this existing space. It has beautiful red brick on the interior which will remain in place. um and they are renovating, repurposing thoughtfully and intentionally to meet the evolving needs of today's students, particularly those students for whom a comprehensive high school is not the best match. So, I appreciate the strong stewardship of district resources in

023our capital outlay program and we look forward to sharing more updates members in April and May about the progress on upcoming program opportunities. Well, it's a great time as we prepare to welcome the Kinder class of 2026 27. The date is coming up very quickly. April 22nd, kinder orientation on Wednesday, April 22nd. So, families of incoming kinder students, uh you are encouraged to go right online. There's an entire part of the website that's designed for you. We would ask you if possible go ahead and complete your enrollment in advance of April 22nd so that we know you're coming. Um and you know you'll be glad you have that out of the way. Uh future rising kinder parents and prepare to join us at your school. uh members you have in your folder this evening uh

024those dates the dates are published and they're different at every school there are different times offered kinder orientation is an important opportunity to begin building those connections with families and schools and to set the foundation for a fabulous uh kinder experience uh as we look ahead oh there it is April 22nd As we look ahead, middle school transition, we are busy at each of our four middle schools, welcoming uh those rising sixth graders and really uh informing families about what to expect in middle school. It's a big bridge to cross from elementary middle. So, I appreciate Dr. Durant and the middle school uh leaders and teams for making uh those transition meetings happen uh at our middle schools. Now, coming soon uh on this Friday, uh just a reminder that there is not uh there

025are not classes for students. Buildings will be closed to the public. Um, again, I believe that's supposed to be April 22nd um for kinder orientation. Mr. Potter, will you confirm? Yes, we'll make that correction before we file this report. Um, and then uh Monday, April 27th, upcoming board meeting. I believe we're getting is that to the end? I just want to >> I just want to share uh coming soon we will be sponsoring uh the two-mile fun run this Saturday, April and that is the 19th, correct? April 19th 18th, thank you. On Saturday 9:00 a.m. we'll be kicking off that race near Lawrence Sports Pavilion in Rockchock Park. Uh, this course is a onem out and back on sidewalks and paved areas. I'll look forward to being over there to greet all of our participants.

026And after the event, everyone's invited to stay for coffee and treats. There'll be prizes and giveaways. And wow, we have a long list of sponsors. I'm very proud of each and every one of those. Um, and there will be raffles for the best costume and best team spirit. This event is free and I emphasize it is non-competitive. We want everybody to take good care of themselves uh and celebrate the health and well-being of our USD 497 staff. I do want to uh just appreciate the hard work of members of our team and the support of our members as we've navigated to a new board document tool. Uh it's called diligent community. I wanted to mention it this evening uh publicly because as you're in and out of the board documents and the board agenda, you

027may notice that it looks a little different and it may take some adjustment on all of our parts. I just appreciate members your uh patience as we work with the new tool and would ask everyone media, our staff members, our community parents um and board if you have questions or concerns just feel free to reach out to our own board clerk Nikki Nommen who will be pleased to help you and support you. Uh our goal is always that all of the our documents are transparent and easy to find and in these first couple of weeks though they will look a little different so we'll get used to that. Thank you for the opportunity to share the superintendent report and for the honor of serving in the Lawrence public schools. I apologize that length was a

028little bit longer than we wanted to be. Thank you. >> Does anybody have any questions for Dr. approved. Yolanda, do you have any questions? >> No. Thank you. >> So, we'll move on to the president of the board of education. Um, mine will be uh pretty brief this evening. Um, I also wanted to take a moment and congratulate uh Nathan Perkins Rock and James Jarvis for the um spring ACE awards. Um, I had the opportunity to come and be here for uh, James. So, that was a lot of fun. On Wednesday, April 1st, I was able to um, attend a facilities committee meeting. Um, I'll touch base a little bit. I'll let Shannon um, fill in anything that I might miss. Um so we talked about um in the month of March we had 1,287

029events requested with 1,1,136 events held and 76 cancelled. Um we talked about um several donation projects happening and then we got updates on asphalt and concrete work and um the Centennial Choice campus and then we talked about all the summer projects that we have. So, we have HVAC work, roof and recovery work at uh West Middle School, Billy Mills, asphalt and concrete work at Pinkney Knee Prairie Park, Quail Run Southwest, Billy Mills, some exterior work at Lawrence Memorial at Lawrence Memorial, LMCMS. Acronyms are hard. Um the track work at Free State and Lawrence High. um the field lighting also at Free State and Lawrence High working on uh preschool classrooms and then um some uh the solar project at Woodlon. Um, and then also ear that morning on April 1st, I was able to come

030and participate in a meeting of the Kansas Educational Foundation Association, which is a group that uh Dana Johnson of the schools foundation has helped facilitate of getting um other groups like the schools foundation together to form an association. Um that would be thunder. Um, so, uh, as far as I'm aware, I believe we are okay at the moment. Lori Greenfield got activated to go spot and she told me that we are safe, but she'll let me know if we're not safe. So, I will let everybody know that Lori has said we're safe. It's not me. So, trust Lori, don't trust me. Um and then um on consent agenda tonight, there is uh an item from facilities, some Lawrence High uh boiler replacement, some preventative maintenance work for Lawrence High, the boiler system for $26,750. And

031then lastly, um, one of the things from the Centennial project, there's been some questions out there about, uh, the time capsule at the Centennial campus. Uh, during the construction work, um, facilities and operations and the construction crew, uh, in where the garden was found the concrete slab where the time capsule was originally located, and they dug that up. And then when they went looking, the time capsule was not there. Um, so they they were very careful when they dug around there and they looked. Um, so they they have not given up. But the the the prevailing theory at the moment is that when the building closed, someone went and dug it up and has it. It's just not us. So, if someone out there has that time capsule, we would love to get it back

032so we can officially open it with the building, but it was not where it was supposed to be when we found the location as part of that construction work. Um, uh, so with that, we're going to move on to item 1.7, public education legislative legislative and state board of education update with Shannon. >> All right. Uh, thank you very much, GR. Um to start off tonight, just want to let everybody know that this week is state board of education meeting week. They are meeting uh tomorrow. Um and they will be at noon tomorrow announcing sorry uh the state board of education tomorrow around noon will be announcing the next education commissioner for the state of Kansas. Uh the board has chosen from one of three finalists. The three finalists were uh that were named were

033Dr. Jake Steele who is currently at the Kansas Department of Education. and he is the director of strategy and operational alignment. Uh Dr. Reggie Egleston who is currently uh the Kansas superintendent of the year and superintendent in Gary County schools. And then uh the third candidate is Dr. Lisa Coons who most recently was the Virginia Department of Education superintendent of public instruction and previous to that was the chief academic officer for the Tennessee Department of Education. So one of those three individuals will be our new education commissioner and we're all going to find out tomorrow. Um the because of that announcement, I believe the state board's agenda um substance-wise looks pretty uh pretty light. Uh it's pretty much uh just the must do business. And then they are spending all day um on Wednesday at

034the school for the deaf and school for the blind. And I believe they may be um they are searching for a new leader for one of those schools. And so some of their work on Wednesday will will be related to that. So that's the state board of education update. Um, wow. Uh, we I could we could have a whole meeting about what just happened in the last week in the legislature. Um, so I'll try to I'll try to be brief and give you a flavor of where things are at. Um, legislature concluded their 2026 session um in the we uh early hours of Saturday morning. They gave out siny die. So they are done. They will be um the veto session is over. The legislature legislature is done for the year. Um they uh passed

035the budget. Uh no changes really to speak of um from when I reported last time. It fully funds um base state aid in the inflation adjustments in our school finance formula. It only provides $6 million in new special education funding. It uh requires KSD to fund a bunch of things out of existing funds which essentially means that they won't be funded. things like uh the professional development program, teacher mentor program, national board certification stipens, um and some other things. Um the the budget did reinstate the safe and secure schools grants. So for this school year, that was zeroed out. Uh the legislature put $2.5 million back into that program. Uh that still requires a one to one district match. That's $2.5 million statewide. uh not this last the last year that they had the grant

036program, they had something like $16 million in requests statewide. So that $2.5 million won't go very far. Uh but they did at least reinstate it. um uh the um the policy pieces that came out of the legislature. I mean the funding piece is disappointing on special education obviously that uh we will be somewhere down in the mid60s in terms of the percent of excess cost that uh is funded by the the state's appropriation for special education services. To put that in context, in Lawrence public schools last year, uh, we had to take something like $15 million out of our local property taxes and our our general operating funds to cover the shortfall in special education funding um, from the the state legislaturator's refusal to fully fund special education services. That is significant. That represents near

037somewhere around 50% of what we spend as a district. on uh on special education services and we could if you want to know why our percentage is different than the statewide percentage we can have that conversation offline. It's complicated. Uh be that as it may um it's a crisis and it did not get any better with the budget that was um passed and signed by the governor. Uh she did have a lot of choice words to say about that in her veto message, but really at that point there wasn't anything she could do to change it uh other than to point out how woefully inadequate it is. Um there were just a lot of policy things that passed right at the end um and some things that were in the budget as budget provisos that

038she vetoed and then the vetos got overridden. So um just a brief kind of flavor of some of those things. Um there was a tax bill that uh put caps on local spending for cities and counties. Um at one point during the legislative session the last month or so schools were in that and there was great deal of concern about that in the final version of that tax bill. Uh schools are not in school districts are not included. Um it's not great for our school and county partners. Uh but it is not the worst case scenario for public schools. um vouchers. Uh we did not expand the uh state the existing state voucher program. The veto governor's veto of that bill held. Unfortunately, uh the legislature overturned her veto of the bill opting us into

039the federal voucher program. So, Kansas will be participating in that federal voucher uh program starting in 2027. Um uh this happened largely because there was a great deal of disinformation shared by uh legislative leadership about public schools being able to benefit from that federal voucher program. I am here to tell you folks that is not going to happen. Uh the it's it's a it's a it's based on a misccharacterization or a misunderstanding of the existing federal rules around qualified expenses for Coverdale education savings accounts. Happy to have a conversation offline about about that. But um the gist of it is that uh the qualified expenses under the new federal voucher program are only those expenses that parents pay out of their pockets. Which means that um people who say to you, "Oh, well, school public

040schools are going to benefit from this. You can pay for special education services and transportation, whatnot." No, no, no. Our parents do not pay for instruction. They do not pay for special education services. They do not pay for transportation. We provide all of those things for free to our public school students and their families. And therefore, we will not as a district or our families that attend public schools will not be able to benefit from u scholarship granting organizations that are going to be giving out this voucher money. So, uh it's unfortunate that that that veto did not hold. It was two votes. Two votes in the House of Representatives is the difference between being in that program and not being in that program. So, um, and then there's just a tsunami of mandates, uh,

041telling school districts what to do. We already talked at length about the cell phone ban and the and the, uh, bathroom bills. There's, um, a new set of of mandates around blueprint for literacy and every child can read act. um including that there will be a universal screener to be adopted by the state department of education that all districts will be required to use starting in 2027 28 school year. That screener will be used to identify students in grades K through three who perform at who are at risk in literacy and then um districts will have to have individual student literacy plans for each student who is at who is at high risk on a screener. Those plans will have to include 90 minutes per week of targeted and tiered interventions. um delivered either through

042one-on-one or small groupoup instruction, tutoring, or summer school programs. And then there will be a progress reporting and monitoring requirement. Um in the 2029 2030 school year, this was the number I was trying to remember um earlier and I couldn't. Um each school district must employ or contract for a licensed reading specialist for each elementary school in the school district. Um there will be a lot of reporting to the state department of education around student literacy progress. Um there were some new mandates placed on school district agreements with colleges for dual enrollment courses. Um capping what um uh capping what teachers can be paid at $600 per credit hour not to exceed exceed 10 hours per semester. Um and there's some other things in that bill that um impact how we have those relationships with

043our uh higher ed partners. Um we will have a new mandate to provide fentanel abuse education. We will have new mandates about how we conduct crisis drills related to active shooters um under a law called the students safe at school act. um as a board or district as a board if we decide to decide to hire an attorney on a contingent fee council ba a contingent fee basis we now have to get permission from the attorney general to do so um uh if we we as a district have any schools and I don't believe this currently applies to Lawrence public schools u but it could in the future any district that has a one or more schools in it with 50% or more of their students who receive free lunch because they are directly certified

044ified. So that means they uh they their families participate. They are on Medicaid or they get food assistance or other things. They're directly certified. They're not filling out the application to get free lunch. They're directly certified. If you have a school or more than one school that's 50% or more of those students, uh you must uh take a board vote whether or not you're going to participate in the federal community eligibility program. and you must demonstrate financial hardship if you decline to participate as a as a district. Um there's some mandates around how we provide records transfers for students in foster care placements. Um uh KSD is going to be required to recreate a policy and complaint process that punishes student walkouts. Uh, I think this is one that we will need to have um

045awareness of in our district because we have fantastic um committed civically engaged students um who now if they walk out of school in protest during the day, the KSD policy is going to require that the district cannot count that day as an instructional day and there will be a financial penalty to the district for having student walkouts. Um, my editorial comment is I believe this is unconstitutional. So, we'll see how see how long this one stays in place. That was a budget proviso of all things. It wasn't even a bill. It was in the budget. Um, uh, let's see. >> Shannon, what's the financial penalty to the district for that one? >> Uh, for each day of walk out, it's your superintendent's salary. >> Yeah, it's it's it's ludicrous. There is no relationship between the

046concern that they have about students leaving school and instructional time and the penalty that is being posed and proposed and they're disconnected. The students students have to have consequences for missing instructional time like they have to be counted whatever our policy is around truency or or absences we have to apply that. Okay, fine. Um the complaint and penalty process can be triggered by a complaint from anybody anywhere about something that happened in our district and it goes to KSD. They have not obviously they have not written KSD has not created this process or written their policy yet. They are being directed by the legislature to do so at this point. >> But it has to be in effect for this next school year. >> Because it's a proviso and not a bill. Does that mean

047that it it will that this will stand past the 2028 budget? >> Um, that's a very good question. >> Uh, I am not sure if KSDE could adopt a policy that says this is only in effect for one school year because it was a budget proviso or if they will have to adopt a policy that is an ongoing policy. I I will follow up on that >> and then yeah, I would like to know that and then I would request um some advocacy if it's if it's if it could be a policy that was for one year um in collaboration with other boards and district superintendent. >> Sure. >> I'm just making a note. >> Thank you. I know there's a there there was a lot that just happened in the last week, so I

048apologize for the length. Um, I want to make sure I didn't leave anything out of my notes here. Um, there are a couple bills that are pending the governor's signature because they were passed during the veto session. Um, one of them is the bill that would require patriotic education and impose a civics test graduation requirement. Um, my prediction is that the governor will veto that one and because and because we are past the time of the veto session, um, there won't be any opportunity to overturn that veto. Um the other one, um, House Bill 2763. This is a bill that has a mandate in it for 30 minutes of recess at grades K through five, plus a mandate that we give the presidential fitness test to every student um, kindergarten through 12th grade annually going

049forward. Um, I I as disappointing as it is, I do not believe that the governor will veto this bill because there there's an unfortunate tie to the rural health transformation grant that was awarded by the Centers for Medicaid um by CMS at the end of December. It's like a $220 million statewide grant to help shore up rural medicine uh because of the um because of the Medicaid cuts in the federal budget. um the grant authors wrote in this requirement about the presidential fitness test to that grant application unbeknownst to anybody in the K12 space in Kansas until the end of the legislative session when people started saying, "Oh, we have to pass this because it's in the it's in the grant narrative that was approved by CMS for this $220 million." So, uh so there's

050that. Um there's a there's a lot in all of that that undermines local control that really um kind of speaks to a general distrust of our ability to do our jobs at at this level which I think is really unfortunate. Um, I hope that the I hope that the 2027 legislative session is more positive toward public education than this one was. Um, frankly, it was it was disappointing in many ways. Um, I do appreciate and off want to offer appreciation to um everyone who engaged. There were lots of people that engaged this session. um and uh a lot of effort to make voices heard um and we have to keep that up um in order to um advocate for our students and our staff and and for the things that we do in in our

051public schools. So um with that if you have any questions a question. Um so I have for social emotional reasons um been an advocate for more physical education for our students. But I so I'm asking that with that I'm asking the next question with that qualifier. I think recess is generally good and more recess when we can fit it in makes sense. But the loss of instructional minutes is challenging. So because they you have mentioned that they will count the recess toward instructional minutes, can um those minutes be used for actual instruction like around science or health? >> No, because the statute the statute actually says that it has to be unstructured free play time. >> Thank you. Yeah, I um in the past couple of weeks um as I've been out and about at

052a couple of things, um several parents and families and community members have approached and and firstly expressed appreciation for your recap of all the horrible things that are going on. Um but secondly, um have expressed that they don't really know how to get involved or what to do. Now, I know the legislative session is over. Um, but the time to care about this stuff is not just during election season and and and legislative season. So, I wanted to ask what advice would you give to those families, parents, community members that want to be involved in advocacy on our um in in partnership with us groups, things they can do. Just where do people get started? >> That's a great question and thank you for um for asking it. So, uh I think I I probably

053have three buckets of suggestions. Um the first one is that there are uh parent advocacy groups that already exist in this that are working on a statewide basis in the state of Kansas and they are um excellent. They are effective. They are trying to grow their reach outside of our um larger uh towns and and cities. And so um and they are excellent sources of information about what is going on and ways to engage and when to engage. Um so the three that come to mind um right at the top Kansas PTA um they have legislative liaison who testify a lot and they I know they provide a lot of information to their members. Um, Game On for Kansas schools. Um, Game On has been doing this work uh since the Great Recession. That's in

054fact the the people that started that group got started because of the cuts that happened to public schools in 2008 910. Um, they were the ones that were doing the the walks from Kansas City to Topeka back then to advocate for school funding. Um, they have a wide a statewide network and they provide excellent information. So they have you can follow them on social media. I think they do in Instagram um maybe Facebook. Uh I know they have a website but they're updates are on um are on Instagram and Facebook. And then uh six degrees of act activism um they uh are also on Instagram. You can sign up with six degrees to get emails and when they have advocacy alerts like here are things that you can do. you'll get an email from them

055and it will lay out okay this is these are your talking points these are the people you need to contact this is the time frame um they're they provide a lot of really excellent support and information so I would I would recommend you know starting by taking a look at some of those groups that are already doing this work at a high level and doing it really well um in the past Lawrence public so this bucket number two in the past Lawrence public schools had a kind of district affiliated advocacy not advocacy but kind of like information group called educate Lawrence. Um being affiliated with the school district means there are certain limitations on some of the activities that that group can engage in. they they couldn't engage in a lot of the things that

056these groups um like game on or six degrees were doing or if you look at some of the kinds of groups like this in other school other school districts other communities like standup blue valley um educate Lawrence couldn't do that because of its affiliation with the school district um it's not active right now but if we have parents out there who want to take that on and try to create a Lawrence version of something like standup blue valley there is space for that and there is a need for that. So um and there are people that that anybody interested can be connected with to kind of work on that. Um and then I would say the the third bucket is things that now that the legislative session is over that you can do um to

057impact next year's legislative session. Um if you don't know who your state senator or your house member is, find out. send them an email if they voted if they if they supported public schools in the way that you think they should have this session. Send them a thank you email. Um if they didn't support public schools in the way that that you think they should have, let them know that and let them know that you're paying attention. Um you know, we have historically had a an excellent group of legislators representing public education from Lawrence public schools, but not universally. So, um, so that's it's important to know who your people are that represent you individually. Um, then obviously going through the rest of this year, it's an election year. All 125 members of the Kansas

058House are up for election this fall, as are a number of statewide um all the statewide officers. So, Governor, uh, Secretary of State, insurance commissioner, all of those people, attorney general. Um uh you'd be surprised at how much the attorney general's office has tried to take over authority over public education issues. That is something to be thinking about in the attorney general's race. Um so get involved in paying attention to who those candidates are and whether they truly support don't just take their word for it that they support public schools. You need to look at what they've been doing. Um but also there's ballot issue in August about judicial selection and that has a huge impact on public education because frankly the Kansas Supreme Court has been responsible for us having uh a school funding

059formula that is adequate and equitable. Um and that could change if we have a court that is elected and and people are campaigning um for that job instead of being chosen because they are qualified for that job. So, those are um I would say those are some big um three big buckets of things that people could do to to be to begin to be engaged and and um help support their public schools. >> Thank you. >> You bet. >> All right, we'll move on to board committee reports. We'll start with Bob. >> Okay. Since um my our last board meeting um I've had two board committees that have met and I think the district site council meets next week. So so that's on the list coming. Um for the equity council we met last week.

060Um actually uh Dr. May uh did a presentation on high quality instruction did an excellent job. Um I we took a look at it from an equity stance. So um and actually about all of the members present thought he did a good job. Thought it was definitely a great direction. And my view as an old systems guy is I love a systemic approach to instruction and um how the plan seems to fit things together so it flows. I think our students and families will find it refreshing. Uh the other uh thing um I'm involved in negotiations for both ESPs and certificated staff. Um never know exactly what to say about negotiations uh other than that we're working, we're moving, and we're meeting, which is what we should be doing. >> Okay. Carol, >> I don't

061have anything. uh policy committee met and we are working on um uh some of the ways in which the district's impacted by several of the bills that Shannon mentioned and we continue to look at other updates as well to policy. Um I think I mentioned at the last board meeting there's some focus on um looking at the cell phone bill which is inclusive of things other than the cell phone use. So that's one area but then we're also just trying to bring things up to speed and that will be the primary of our of our work um when we receive model updates from uh KSB which I imagine will be coming in June. So that will be what we continue to work on through the summer. Uh I'll just add to Bob's um comments about

062negotiations. Just a few details. Um the negotiation teams on both sides uh both the ESPs and the um certified staff are shifting work to have um discussions about wages and uh um committee work is happening on the certified side. And then on the ESP side, while they had, I think, 13 items that they gave notice on, the first meeting focused on um I would say norm setting, but also focused primarily on wages. Um and we had a very um productive meeting. I also want to mention that forwarded to you all was a video on um living wage impacts that I think uh Crystal Hunter put together um and that I know a lot of you had a chance to view. So I appreciate your taking a look at that. And I also want to extend

063that that was it was also um meaningful for those of us on negotiations. Um, and I think those are those are my updates. Is there anything I missed on policy that you want to add? >> Okay, >> I you all updated all the committees that I attended. Thank you. >> Matt. >> Yeah. On um March 24th, uh we haven't had a meeting since then, right? Yeah. So March 24th, uh the AI advisory group uh met here. Uh that was a really uh productive, positive and and interesting conversation. I took terrible notes and didn't bring them with me, but we framed several of the questions under under our district leadership. Um talking about things like academic integrity, how to um support teachers versus, you know, making a hindrance for them, what to do about people that

064are AI resistant, etc. Um it was really good conversations and and some um after the group uh conversations and kind of subwork groups and stuff started to emerge. So um clearly a topic that um dedicates some more attention. Um I think everybody was willing to extend beyond the initial scope as well um just to make sure that we try to get this right um as it changes. So that was great. Um also a part of negotiations. I don't have much more to add um beyond what you know the two of you have have said. Um I appreciate the chance to to be in there and appreciate the those of you that are in the room with us here on a stormy Monday night. >> Yolanda, do you have anything to report from committees? >> No.

065>> Do you have any board commentary to report? >> No board commentary. Just keeping an eye out on the weather. There's a possible tornado in Ottawa. So you guys just keep eye out on the weather. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right, Matt, we'll come back down the table. You have any board commentary for us? >> Uh very briefly, um I got to uh witness on March 27th um the ACE award uh for Nathan. And that was really cool. Like Dr. Swift said, I mean, he just got mobbed by by kids as soon as that was announced. And that was that was really um awesome to see, you know, so many so many people excited for that. And then last week, um, you know, got to meet with, uh, staff leadership and families at, uh,

066Liberty Memorial Central and at Prairie Park and have some really good conversations about things that are going on over there and goals for next year. >> Um, just wanted to note, um, I believe each board member has a copy of the cell phone bill at your spot this evening. Thank you, Dr. Swift. Um, it would be helpful for the policy committee work that we're gonna have to do. um if you if folks would read this um and kind of have an understanding of what we're going to have to try to accomplish um and the timeline on which we have to do it. Um and then the only other thing I wanted to share u many thanks to uh leadership Lawrence for inviting me to participate in the civic responsibility day to talk about uh serving

067on the board of education um serving on a board in an elected role. um had a chance to talk with all the members of this year's leadership Lawrence class um in doing small sessions along with Erica D'Vorski who uh is uh I met um in 2010 when I met GR and Kelly um and um and Bob uh doing the elementary school task force work and all these years later it was really fun to get to do that um that uh presenting work with her this week. So, um, that's all I had. Thank you, >> Billy. >> Okay. Uh, let's see. I attended the the Lawrence branches in uh the Let's see. I spoke I met with the Hold on just a moment. I don't have my notes with me. I attended the NAACP's uh listening

068listening uh uh the discussion among the um the panelists Douglas County Sheriff Jr. Armbberster and the Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart and the KU Police Department Chief Nelson Mosley. I uh it was well attended. The room was packed and I really appreciated the honest answers from three uh the three leaders and um let's see and I also listened to the US Supreme Court's oral arguments on the the birthright citizenship case that's um being um we we are all waiting eagerly to hear the Supreme Court's answer on who is a citizen and who is not. And I'm always amazed and just dumbfounded about how people have little or no knowledge about Native Americans. And I I sat there and I was sat there and I and one of the um Gorsuch, Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch asked

069Justice um Sour, US Attorney Solicitor Sour if the birthright citizenship would apply to Native Americans. And his answer was, um I think so. I'll have to get back with you. So I just sat there said really and so that just exemplifies how much the Native American curriculum is really needed in our schools and I really appreciate it. Um Justice Sotomire coming going to Cordley Elementary which is my former elementary school. So I'm hoping that that visit will have some some kind of impact on her decision especially when you have an answer of I will have to get back with you on that. Um, and that is all that I have for now. Thank you. >> I have none. >> Okay. Right. All right. With that, we'll move on to our consent agenda after Bob does

070retirements that he just told me about. >> Okay. The the board would like to thank the following people for their years of dedic dedication and services to Lawrence Public School. Esther Cotzwitz uh for seven years, Donald Mack for 11 years, Joseph Wedding Gale for 25 years, and Denise Osdall for 31 years. Congratulations on your retirements. >> Thank you. >> All right. Now, we will move on to consent agenda. Consent item agenda items are those that are considered routine and are adopted by one motion unless any board member or the superintendent request that an item be removed. The item or items removed or voted on separately. Can I get a motion for the consent agenda, please? >> I move the board of education adopt the items listed on the consent agenda. >> I second. >> Could

071you Blackwood? >> Yes. >> Buyers, >> yes. >> Kimble, >> yes. >> Lancaster, >> yes. Gordon Ross, >> yes. >> Franklin, >> yes. >> Jones, >> yes. >> Motion passes 70. Okay. >> Before we move on to item 5.1 or in moving on to 5.1, I'll turn the time over to Dr. Swift. >> Thank you. I want to publicly share my gratitude uh members for your support of the recommendation of David Hastings to fulfill the role of assistant director of visual and public and performing arts. Since my earliest uh days in the district, we've heard widely of the need from students, teachers, and community for an arts lead educator who would fulfill the role to advocate for, support, and enable our tremendously talented visual and performing arts staff, students, and programs in our district. I

072just want to give a thanks to all of the talented candidates who applied. It was an extremely competitive process and I want to give special gratitude to so many arts teachers, school and district leaders who gave their time to participate in a robust multi-round selection process. I've shared with you members uh earlier this afternoon um a video that was made about this arts educator because you were in route to the meeting. You probably haven't seen it yet. I encourage you to take a look at that. Uh Mr. David Hastings is a gem. He will be a tremendous arts leader and will give rising strength to our amazing arts team. So, I'm delighted for this announcement tonight and thank you for your support. >> Just keep going >> for family engagement. Very good. So, our uh

073student supports team is coming forward um to help us with our family engagement. Uh we're very delighted to share as one in our series of enhancements an enhancement that's about family engagement. Um we have been busy preparing for this night. I was thinking today team, we've been preparing for this night for over a year now in terms of planning for a more um a more intentional um cohesive districtwide parent engagement endeavor. We've never doubted the commitment of our schools and of our school teams uh to involve parents and uh my superintendent reports are filled with all of the ways that we involve our parents through schools. But as we were out on tour last year and in our early conversations with the board, we also understand that at the district level, we aren't always able

074to answer the question. And I remember uh member buyers, before I even applied for the job, I remember one night you were asking, well, how is it that we as a district engage our families? And that question stuck with me all these months of what is the answer to how we engage our families. So I uh for our opening tonight um and it's a great rainy storm and you don't want to go out there anyway. So uh just sit back and we're going to do a great topic that would would have been a wonderful study session. I'll move quickly through the introduction. Um there are our district our okay our work for this evening is really to talk about how we would normalize the behaviors around family engagement. And in doing so, back to our

075book for this year on dignity, I'll wave it at you members one more time. um but really to create and sustain a culture of dignity. So my job in opening for this amazing group is to really talk about the standards for dignity. Dignity sounds like a bumper sticker that maybe is vague and doesn't mean very much, but when we unpack our dignity uh research, there really is a lot to it. And members, I will point out that you have a bookmark tonight that will remind you of the four standards of dignity. But these standards really are the connection, the bridge into a model for family engagement. During our preparations, I kept referring to it as a new model and the team corrected me because as a district, we have not had a model for family

076engagement. So, it is a new model, but it's not replacing a systemic prior model. Um, so we see the four standards uh for maintaining a culture of dignity. They play into what you're going to see this evening. presume competence and positive intent. Build partnerships and community. Repair harm and restore relationships. Affirm differences and uniqueness. And we um know from the research, I'm just going to share a couple of sentences and then we'll get right into the model. Um to presume competence is to assume capacity, capability and even the brilliance unique to each person. It assumes that each of us is the expert in our own experience. Each of us is the expert on our own experience. And uh then secondly building partnerships and community. We know our partnerships with community and in partnership with parents.

077The research says when in partnership people in positions of authority do things with people instead of doing things to or for people. So that's tenant number two. Number three, repairing and restoring relationship. I was reminded of this premise member Kadu Blackwood as you were just sharing your experience that in order to repair harm and restore relationship there must first be a relationship in order to restore that relationship. And so repairing harm and restoring relationships is a process that we've worked on in the district and we have those processes, but it's one that we need to keep at the front. Finally, affirming differences means that we believe that diversity is our strength. It is our asset and not a deficit. Tolerating implies merely putting up with differences. Affirming implies proactively seeking to discover, understand, and positively

078re reinforce the presence and significance of differences. So what we want to share this evening members is a framework for family engagement. It's about connecting with families, which is stating the obvious. But what you'll see this evening is an intentional district level framework so that our engagement with families is not just left to school PTOs or to well-intended principles and all the amazing work that's going on to involve parents. Our schools are busy involving parents. And yet this framework is about how our outreach and connections to families can be designed into the DNA of our organization and can be an intentional act, not something left to chance. So with that, our our team whom you know well are going to walk us through uh the model for family engagement. Our desired outcome for this evening

079is to have a conversation and then we'll talk more about some next steps, but our goal this evening is really just to engage with the board in a conversation about uh a framework for family engagement. Miss Kristen Ryan, assistant superintendent of student support services. And also a shout out to Mr. Kevin Herell, uh, who has built this foundation and on whose foundation we're going to move forward. Yes. >> Very good. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Swift, and thank you, board, for your time this evening. Tonight, the student services team is honored to present on the very important mission of authentic family engagement in our schools. This work is the heart of what we do, building meaningful partnerships with families to support the success of every student. I do want to introduce the team um

080that's here tonight that will be supporting and leading this work with our schools. >> Good evening, board. I'm Tina Mitchell. I am the director of equity and family and community engagement. >> Good evening. It's great to see you all again. Kylie Luckett, director of mental health >> and also um Kevin Hurell is here tonight, executive director of student support services and do want to thank um Kevin's leadership and wisdom on all topics but specifically family engagement not just for this past year but his whole entire year and dedication for public education. Thank you Kevin. So, we have forever valued the importance of working with families um in education and tonight we just want to elevate that work and build our capacity not only as educators but alongside our parents creating that partnership because when authentic

081family engagement increases the impact on all our stakeholders is um excellent for our student success. And so when we think of our stakeholders, we're I'm going to talk about three of them. And the first one is our educator stakeholders. So when educators have those meaningful partnerships with our parents, it leads to greater academic success socially, behaviorally, they educators feel um better in terms of motivating students. they can collaborate more and it also it helps reduce that sense of isolation and strengthen strengthens the entire school community for our students when we have strong authentic family engagement. It builds stronger relationship and it increases access and opportunities for um our students. It can increase attendance and and student outcomes as well. And for families, um I think this is such a strong statement. Um and as a

082parent, when schools and families partner together, parents have a better experience with their own child. Um so as um we look at authentic family engagement, we want to know the difference between family engagement and family involvement. Family involvement has been a traditional approach in education. It focuses on how schools serve families often measured by parent participation at parent teacher conferences or the music concert looking at numbers. Family engagement on the other hand is about a partnershift. Partnership it shifts the focus from serving families to collaborating with them. Engagement requires intentional efforts from the school to listen and value voices um builds relationships and works toward shared goals. While involvement might look like parents showing up, engagement is about schools showing up for families by recognizing their perspectives, responding to their needs, and working to understand

083and address the barriers that they may face. This shift from involvement to engagement is what transforms relationships and creates meaningful lasting impact for students. I'd like to take just a few minutes to share the planning and preparation that the team has done this past year to learn more and gain background on authentic family engagement. We have been intentional about our time together and learning and learning new perspectives. We've connected with other school districts through virtual visits. We participated in an um many on-site visits. We attended a conference and one of the most impactful learning experience was our participation in the school superintendent authentic family engagement cohort which began last fall. Through this cohort, our team engaged in six learning modules along educational leaders from across the country. And this experience gave us the opportunity to

084learn directly from other districts that are successfully shifting from family involvement to true authentic family engagement. It definitely challenged our thinking. Um it helped us reflect on how we can better partner with our families. And I do want to give a shout out to Tina and Dr. Lynn Rance and Kevin. they were recognized as being cohort completers um once they finished all the modules and just thank you for your leadership and guidance and commitment to making um our district better. Thank you, Kristen. Now, I'm just going to take a few minutes to talk about authentic family engagement, how engagement is defined, and how this work is grounded in equity, ensuring that all families, especially those who have historically been under reppresented or underserved, has access, voice, and opportunity to partner in their child's education. In

085the fall of 2026, we will open the doors of the Lawrence Public Schools Engagement Center here at 110 McDonald Drive. The center will serve as the front door to the district and be the model for the other 22 district schools and programs. The Family Engagement Center will provide access and connection as a one-stop location in assisting families with wraparound supports, learning assistance, removing barriers, and increasing equitable access for all families. Lawrence Public Schools proudly serves 10,000 plus students through all of our sites. Our goal is for every school and program to function as a welcoming center of engagement. Every visit by a fam family member to one of our locations is an opportunity to enhance, to strengthen, and to rebuild relationships if necessary. Our goal is for every student and family to feel welcomed each

086and every time they enter one of our buildings. Cobb and Cranapple emphasized that building a culture of dignity and belonging requires people to show up with patience, openness, listening, and empathy, especially when working across differences. This reflects the culture of belonging and equity we strive to cultivate in every building. As a district, we have been intentional about embedding dignity into our daily operations, and this intentionality will continue to drive these four dispositions into the future. MAP and Henderson have provided us with a definition of engagement, highlighting the essential partnership of family, community, and schools. The Family Engagement Center will lead the efforts to help schools and families partner in the education and success of all of our students. Dr. M is the leading expert in family engagement and her research has guided our efforts in

087these works. Her book, Beyond the Bakeell, co-authored with Dr. Anne Henderson outlines four core beliefs that are fundamental to authentic family engagement and to building a culture rooted in dignity. They emphasize that these core beliefs are especially important to our educators mindsets and to their actions. They are more than just ideas or suggestions. Our first core belief is that all families care and have dreams for their children. All families care regardless of their challenges and differences. Parents and caregivers have hopes for their children. They have hope for their children's happiness, their safety, and security, and they hope for their child to have an opportunity to thrive. Core belief number two, all families have the capacity to support their children. Regardless of how a family might show up, each family has its own strengths and experiences

088to support the education of their child. Core belief number three, family and school staff should be equal partners. partnerships of mutual respect, shared responsibility, and a common goal of supporting all students in the success of their education. Core belief number four, the responsibility for building and sustaining partnerships with school staff and especially with school leaders rest primarily with school staff and especially with school leaders. Our leaders set the tone. They create the welcoming environments. And our leaders ensure opportunities for meaningful and authentic family engagement. Our staff and building leaders do an absolutely excellent job of providing opportunities for student and family involvement through sending out newsletters, events, and meetings, just to name a few, as well as participation opportunities like volunteering and community committee work. These efforts lay a strong foundation along the family engagement

089continuum. The planning and structures being put in place through the family engagement center will build on this foundation by continuing to develop skills and confidence on both sides. Schools deepen their ability to connect with families while families gain the knowledge, tools, and support needed to take a more active role in their child's education. As this work progresses from involvement to participation to true authentic family engagement, educators and families are increasingly empowered through shared ownership and through shared leadership. Dr. M tells us that engagement work is truly joyful work. When families and educators connect, when they collaborate, they see the positive impact on families. This creates a sense of purpose, trust and shared success which brings genuine joy to the work. There is absolute power in engagement and the impact is well researched. There is evidence

090of improved academic performance in both math and literacy, gains in social emotional learning, and increased rates of attendance and higher graduation rates. There are great things happening all over our district between families and schools. And our goal is to strengthen that work and ensure all families have the opportunity to truly partner. We will capitalize on the impact of engagement by implementing it as a strategy rather than a goal. In simple terms, the goal is student success. We want all of our students to be successful. Family engagement is how we get there. Instead of treating engagement as something to check off the list, like attending an event or sending out that weekly newsletter, it's used intentionally to build authentic relationships to enhance trust, to build skills and confidence on both sides, on the sides of the

091family and on the side of the educators. Through ongoing engagement, both groups learn how to work together to share the responsibility and to support student learning more effectively. So engagement, it is not the finish line. Engagement is the way families and schools partner to help students grow and to succeed. So while they're changing over members, I'll report a couple of the slides are have a lot on them and you have the full size here if you want to refer to those so you can actually read them. >> Good evening. We are now going to dive in deeper to what the dual capacity building framework for family and school partnerships actually is. Before we do that, we want to look into the rationale for why we chose this framework. significant time was put into researching frameworks

092and different modalities and ultimately we decided on the dual capacity building framework because it strongly supports our equity work that we have been doing and will continue to do in this district. It it's rooted in trauma-informed practices. It aligns with our restorative practices and it's going to work extremely well with our multi-tered systems of support and most importantly it promotes culturally responsive and relevant modalities. you have this handout before you um so it'll be a little clearer than you may be able to see it up here but this is the five parts of the dual capacity building framework. The first is that challenge family engagement has often been inconsistent and at times inequitable. We are aware of that history that is part of the challenge that educators and families face. So we first have to

093acknowledge that challenge. Next, we move into the essential conditions. For engagement to be effective, it has to be relational, linked to learning, developmental, collaborative, and interactive. When these things are in place, engagement becomes meaningful and connected to student success. When it comes to the next aspect of policy and program goals, this work has to be built into our system. It can't just be another thing. It has to be the way that we do things embedded into our MTSS structure. Fourth, we look at capacity. We build skills on both sides. That's where we have the dual in dual capacity. It's not just working with our educators or just working with our families. It is working with both and how they work together to learn, support, and advocate. And then lastly, outcomes. The goal is improved student

094success, stronger family voice and in and increased trust leading to more equitable outcomes across our entire system. This framework helps us by doing enga by stopping doing engagement to families and instead doing engagement with families which is essential for supporting every student. And now we have the exciting part of what comes next. All right. So you've heard a lot about the research. you now have the framework. I do want to talk about next steps or or really the lesson plan of how we're going to roll this out. And it both um Tina and Kylie shared the importance of building leaders um champion this championing this work and and being the leaders for our schools. And so the first thing that we would like to do is go through six different modules with our building leaders

095as we build capacity on authentic family engagement. We had the benefit of taking all year to work through these topics. And so this is where we're going to start with our building leaders. Um the first one is the critical importance of family engagement. And the learning target is is basically from our dignity dignity work. It's highlighting the role of dignity, building trust and respectful partnerships. Um the second module is understanding parent perceptions. So going to what Tina really talked about that equitable practices where we identify gaps in family expectations and what school experiences they have. The third module is supporting developmental stages of children. So when we differentiate um our professional learning by grade level, really unpacking the early years of kindergarten, looking at our elementary school years, our our middle years and what our

096young adolescents need and then our high school years, our post-secary success, a lot what Dr. Amaya presented on last time. Um the next module is the impact on educators and we don't want this to be extra for our educators. it in terms of it being part of our system and and this is how we approach authentic family engagement. It can actually in the end decrease workload um when we partner early and often and have that strong relationship. Um the next module would be educational leadership and family engagement going back to continuing to support our building leaders as they are the champions of this work focusing on equitable and restorative practices. And then the last module is that strategic planning and sustainability. We want lasting impact. So what type of action plan will we create at

097the district level and with our schools? Um additional opportunities for professional learning. We're going to um you all have the book and our building leadership team um will also receive this book from Dr. Karen Map. Everyone wins the evidence for family school partnerships and implications for practice. We're going to spend a lot of time getting to know the dual capacity building framework. Um mindful inquiry is a professional practice we used to spend a lot of time on. So bringing that back, it supports our dignity work in terms of listening and openness, not being judgmental. And then finally, we know that in student supports, we need to be talking to TNL in teaching and learning and what opportunities that are natural for authentic family engagement on the academic side, especially as we are rolling out um

098new curriculums and just making sure that we partner and our parents know those academic goals. And then finally, we know as a team it's very important that we engage, listen um with our current supports. And so our mental health teams, our school counselors, our social workers, we want to work directly with our front office staff, they engage with parents every minute of the day. So how can we support them? We do have positions um parent involvement facilitators. We want to work with those positions. um certain schools and we have schools already um in multiple places so meeting the needs but our title schools Monttoauri our Kennedy prek they already have certain family engagement initiatives and models so how we connect with them and and support them all right so I just want to end um

099with we have this authentic family engagement model and we're kicking off like Tina shared earlier the family engagement center which will be located here at 110 McDonald Drive and the goal of this center is just to create and align and be more cohesive for family engagement across all of our schools. It is not to replace anything that's happening currently in our buildings. Um it's to provide additional opportunities for families to connect and grow. Um we want to offer supports when needed and we want to be we want to strengthen our consistency in how families experience engagement across our system. A couple of key partnerships that I do want to highlight um with the family engagement center. The first is we have a very high functioning enrollment center that that really focuses solely on our new

100families to the district. So this center is for all families and so making that distinction and we would work closely with the enrollment center also the schools foundation um they are connecting with families and um community businesses all the time and so how we can continue to support their work based on the need um that they do they do share and they're trying to address all the time. Um even meeting with Dena like our LEAP partner work they want to be more involved with our families um and our community partners do as well. Um a couple of things that when we look at this center and what would you see inside um this space um f first there could be um parent and caregiver learning. So really talking about the academic um support strategies or

101the developmental stages. There could be classes offered for parents in this space. It could be a place for cultural and community connection. So affinity spaces for families um for diverse backgrounds new to the district families when you have people lo relocating to Lawrence and maybe they're from the same area and they they didn't know it. So our team making those connections to help support our families which would build community and belonging um community resources. So just in this short time like just streamlining all of that into one cohesive place from what type of assistance our families are needing um health and wellness um resource planning. We talked to the nurse coordinator. there's lots of potential um that could also be housed out of there or a space rented or not rented but scheduled when needed.

102And I think another um piece that would be really important for us to share is we want to really align with the academic school year. So being thoughtful and intentional when it's back to school or there's school breaks or there's summer happening and all those times when a family engagement center can offer support or resources for up for those upcoming events. Um we plan to launch uh and open the family engagement center at the kids expo um supporting the foundation. We feel like that's a natural place and we're pretty excited about that. If you see a little mobile van, there there is a long-term goal to to go mobile and provide access to um as we broaden our engagement across the community. So, there's there's lots of um opportunity, there's lots of interest on how

103we can connect um just throughout this year in terms of the departments here at the ESC and how we connect directly to our schools. So, with that, I think um we would definitely take any questions. We're we're very excited. >> Anybody have any questions? >> Anybody have any comments? >> Go ahead. >> So, I'd hate for you not to have a question. >> Thank you. >> Have one. um that this is so I'm really interested in this and I think probably each of us when you're telling this story like something different comes to mind because of our positionality. >> Um I have to as you all know spend a lot of time with community partners and thinking about what that engagement might look like. I also liked the um idea of there being a shared

104space for maybe something like education around a mental health issue that you might be able to share with parents or just thinking about your position Kylie. So, those are the sort of some of the highlights of what I was hearing in addition to the underlying framework that will all be driving our parent engagement. Um, and I'm really excited about the work and the focus um on equity that's continued throughout our um our movement here from involvement to engagement. So, my question there is a question what does what does success look like? What are the benchmarks? So you're setting benchmarks now. So if you came back to the board in a year, um this you know what might be different than just outputs like we had this many classes we had because if it's not just

105like if you're not you're not measuring involvement. So what does I mean it is to some extent I heard that but what do you what is engagement going to look like having not read the book it might be in there? >> I can kick it off. I think in terms we want to be pretty narrow and tight with what what are those goals that we're really going to start and I don't think we've we haven't really solidified that yet. Um we have some work to do on getting input but that is where one thing we talked about from a year from now where where will we be and what have we measured but we do want to focus pretty in a tight way. Do you have anything to add? >> So it sounds like you're

106still developing what those benchmarks might be. Um, now you're at the getting started point, so I wouldn't expect you to know exactly, but that would be something I would encourage you to think about as you move forward. Um, and it sounds like you already are. >> I think there's definitely some qualitative and quantitative mem data we'll want to think about. But when we go to success and student success is the focus. So, what we would want to see is increased graduation rates, lower levels of chronic absenteeism. Um, and so I think it's looking at all of those things and how I mean state assessment scores, you can look at all of those things and how we've connected, you know, we've taught parents this is how to teach your child math and now we're seeing these

107increases versus we're doing it all day every day and how we bridge that gap. >> And you see doing that collaboratively at the building level too. So you're doing this work both at the building level and then the district level, correct? >> Yeah, very much so. >> Thank you. Bob and then >> okay when I think as I'm listening to you my first thing is I'm a big big u family service type of a guy but um when I look at it my question however would be okay I understand how we're rolling it out in schools and for school staff um as a partnership there's usually two sides so what are we doing to involve or invite uh families in this process. Um because I don't know that they're just going to show up by

108osmosis, >> right? >> Um that that to me also would have to be something intentional. >> Yes, you're absolutely right. It does have to be intentional. And just like in that term dual capacity, building capacity on both sides of the family and the educators, we want to connect with the community. We want to invite the families into our space and partner with them. So we want to provide activities and events that are going to bring them in and in order to do that we have to assess the needs of the family. So partnering with our families to listen to them about what it is they need and then to work on providing that in our center. >> And I would just jump in there that member buyers that is what inspired the little van down

109there. I'm not sure that anyone spoke to Dr. Ingleick about this but we will no worry. Um, but this idea being if it's an endeavor, we'll go to them. So that van could be in a park, it could be in an apartment complex, it could be anywhere. Just this idea of we want to partner and connect with our families and we'll go to them if they can't get to us. We are excited to be right next to public transportation stop here on this corner of of the building. And I think too we've had a lot of discussion. Why would a family want to come here and not just go to their school, >> right? >> And so what do we offer differently or in addition to and having conversation with school principles, you know, sometimes

110their opportunity is is once, you know, where we could repeat that and it could have a larger impact on that opportunity. So, I think the what is where we've got to really be clear on where we're going to start on what type of classes or events or that type, but and to support our schools um in terms of what they need too. But it is we've had that conversation a lot um why would they come here over just going to their home school? So you you might for example be able to like like I'm envisioning like you have a support group, right? >> Yeah, that's >> Yeah. Do you want to go? >> No, no, no. I was just a I Kelly and I are in the same wavelength brain wavelengths here, but uh I

111am seeing that perhaps community drop in nonprofit dropin hours. Is that something that you can foresee or >> we can have here? Mhm. >> I think that's wonderful. >> Go ahead. >> I I think I was thinking too I was looking at Carol because she's a mental health provider. Um the idea that there are a couple issues. I guess it goes back to that that mental health piece. Like I could envision like a um a support group for parents who have a child with a a diagnosis of one type or another. um ADHD just kind of popped to mind because that's something where we're seeing it becoming more and more challenging to get a 504 that someone might need need or just kind of strategies at home to help keep them engaged in learning. And

112that's maybe not exactly where you all are going, but those are the kinds of ideas that jump to mind when I think about like coming here might be intimidating for some folks, but it sounds like you're thinking about >> like what I like the way you're talking about like what is it that they need that would make this place less intimidating. I appreciate that a lot. where you might at a school have a couple of families that would benefit from that. When you think as the district, what kind of affinity spaces could we have that um would maybe be more comfortable being in a more neutral place than um a school building? >> Yeah, I appreciate that. >> I as I'm as I'm listening and trying to pull it together in my mind, I see

113this as a paradigm shift. And the shift is from um parent involvement to engagement which is is that partnership between a between a parent and the district around the child. So it it's more than to me would be more than um what services we can offer and it's really about the communication between the two. >> It's got a relationship. >> Yeah. So um my question is maybe a little bit related to Bob's or my observation and maybe hoping to get your reaction um in terms of this idea of cultural shift but one of the things that I am thinking about as I listen to this is that all of us who work in public education think about our public schools in a way that um kind of just without even sometimes acknowledging it is based

114on this idea of community and relationship building. Um, but what I see more and more prevalent in um spaces outside of our public schools, in policymaking spaces, in conversations in communities um of people who are not tied to a public school anymore because they don't have either don't have children in school yet or they are well past the time where their children are in school anymore. is um kind of a commodification of education services and the idea that um parents and families and students are customers and that we are needing to serve. So, I saw some of this language in your slides and kind of and I'm wondering how like how much back to basics do we need to go with some of this idea of forming partnerships with families instead of just providing them

115things to do. Um, you know, because we've we've seen the impact of CO kind of broke a lot of those community ties. um and they haven't reformed in many ways. Um and if you know we're already fighting this cultural um shift or narrative around public education. And so how is part of this work kind of more solidly identifying for parents like kind of going back to the basics of that community relationship. Um, you know, we all like to say parents are our partners, but sometimes I kind of wonder if we we're all older parents and we remember what that was like, but new parents coming into school now really don't even know what that looks like. Um, and so I'm I'm just kind of wondering >> and and I think I meant >> that I

116was like took me a minute to catch what you were where you were going. Sorry. But I'm just kind of wondering what >> how do you think about that in this and >> I think it goes on the educator side too. If we had every educator, how many classes, how much learning did they have on authentic family engagement? I mean, so in terms of just our work and knowledge and then you think about the workforce and we have new teachers and alternative lensure programs and so immediate just all the work on how to work with families and building capacity. Um, I think it's on the educator side too. >> Okay. And I go back to the the core belief side because this is as we've been doing this work the conversation we had is I

117think for some people having this core belief is going to be something that we have to remind them of. I think we've gotten to a place where we don't necessarily believe if we're being completely honest that everyone has the capacity to support their children. We have to get back to that belief and it has to be part of our core. So I think as we do some of that work it will naturally kind of go. Also as we look to um family and school staff should be equal partners. One of the conversations we had is when we talk about the partnership we don't necessarily talk about the yoking of the partnership. We are equal as far as there is no greater but the work is on us. So there is more for us to do

118but we are equal in kind of status. >> Appreciate those insights. Thank you. I um this is Carol. I'm just thinking down the road is this some maybe perhaps I mean down the road would you envision a space where perhaps parents could have maybe the district could provide daycare during schoolboard meetings because some of these are pretty long. I mean is that something that's been >> thought about or talked about? I just I don't want to put the cart before the horse but I think that'd be a great idea. Some of these are quite >> good. will note that as as a future. Yeah. Thank you. >> Yeah. I um so firstly I mean one the the first slide uh with the the standards of dignity was you know presume positive intent all that stuff.

119So I fully will will say yall know more than than I ever will on this and have clearly done your research and and done all of those things. So I don't have like specific questions today. I also um actually want to read uh this before forming more specific questions. So um just the things that are bouncing in in my head um that I that I want to verbalize before leaving this this conversation is from the educator perspective. So I I agree that you know authentic family engagement is one of the most you know powerful things um that we can do. Um, and I've seen that. Um, and it's, yeah, totally agreed. My not concern, but but where I go to is you were just talking about equal partners and status and all that kind of

120stuff. Um, wanting to protect educators from, you know, quite frankly, the abuse that they uh can receive at the hands of some families or the unequal attention that gets lavished on some families because they're louder than others. um you know, the people that don't ever talk to the school because they're of their own adverse school experiences or whatever the case may be. And then also the ways um that we uh perpetuate those in in the way that we reach out to different families. Um I know those are all things that have been a part of this. Um and I am excited to read and and learn more about how this addresses those. Those are just the things that always um greatly concern me is is how do we I don't want to set it up

121as combative, but how do we protect our educators um from bad behavior, >> quite frankly? Um and then the last thing I wanted to bring up is just um this is interesting timing, but over the last few weeks, I've gotten to talk to some folks that are doing really cool family engagement things around the district. Now, I know you know who those people are and you know all the things that they do. Um but wanting to make sure as we adopt this overarching district model that we're using the expertise and the capabilities that we have to do those things um here in house. So >> absolutely >> I think those were just the things that are bouncing around my head. You know maybe they didn't need to be said but I I felt like they

122should. >> Yeah. >> I really is it okay? I really appreciate you sharing that and we had very much wanted to say and I probably should have in the intro. This is really about aligning the work. We have fabulous examples out in the field. We've not had a district framework. So, I feel like our district framework will help us to align all those great things and hopefully cross-pollinate um the great work that's going on out there. Yeah. >> And well, I have one last com my pardon me. In my experience dealing with families, um, what I would say is authentic family engagement could also be the protection that our teachers need because the issue truly is a lot of the anger that we experience is caused by that separation of I'm the teacher and I'm

123one up on you. You or a parent that doesn't get a contact. Um and if we're doing this in my from my view if we're doing this right then then the things the outcomes should be less of those fewer angry outbursts by parents because there is a relationship there now uh that we're providing more accurate information to parents not not in disciplinary situations not once the child is being expelled but from the first time an incident happens happens with that relationship, you're you're less likely to get that anger from that parent. So, see, for me, I see this as a positive step to take care of a lot of that a lot of that those issues that threaten teachers because a lot of that comes from parents who really either hasn't been involved, hasn't been

124invited to be involved, or got involved later after there was already a problem. kids in deep trouble and if you come to me saying my kid is getting expelled and I haven't heard from you before, you can bet you I'm gonna be pissed. >> Yeah. >> And so my my view is this gives us the opportunity to frontload a lot of that. I think the benefits are though are that is that if you're doing this and you're more you're engaging families better uh from from it's more than having a place to meet. It's more that relationship building and I'll get off my >> early and often. Yes. >> Early and often. >> Yes. >> Thank you all very much. >> Thank you. All right. Um, Dr. Swift, any announcements? >> I believe we're good. >>

125Can I get a motion to adjurnn? >> I move we all in favor. >> Any opposed? >> All right. Thank you. >> See, you got a candy bar. >> He's already eaten his Kelly gave me hers. >> Oh, she did have no