001Trusty Burlesen. >> Uh, excused. >> Trusty Black >> here. >> Trusty D >> here. >> Trusty Lucine >> here. >> Trusty Moran >> here. >> Trustee Neil >> here. >> Trustee Sandy Wilson >> here. >> Trustee Sarah Wilson >> here. >> Thank you. As we come together this evening, we pause to acknowledge the loss of BHS and BCA senior Ferguson Rooney. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Rooney family, friends, classmates, and staff members. During the difficult time, we stand together as a community in support of remembrance. Following the pledge of allegiance, we will stand. We will remain standing for a brief moment of silence for Ferguson and his family. >> To the flag of the United States of America and to the rep for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
002justice for all. Thank you very much. Welcome to the February 28th Boseman School District board meeting. Thank you for joining us. Public comment will be taken throughout the meeting on agenda and non-aggenda items. During public comment, no member of the public will be allowed to comment on contested cases or other adjective proceedings or personnel matters. The public portions of this board meeting are being recorded in accordance with district policy 1420 and section 32-3-214 MCA. By remaining in the meeting, all participants and attendees acknowledge that they may appear on the recording, which will be placed on the school district's website for a minimum of one year from today. Further instructions about participating will be provided throughout the meeting. Before we engage in the business of the board, we would like to share the core purpose of
003the Boseman School District, which can be found on the back of our name plates as well as to the left of me. It reads, "Boseman public schools exist to ensure high level of learning for all students." All right, getting into our meeting. We'll go to 2.3, recognition of awards. I think Greg motion to remove item 2.3.1 from tonight's agenda. We'll have to add it to a future meeting agenda. Mr. Halverson is under the weather tonight. Second. >> Okay. Uh motion made by Trusty Neil, seconded by Trustee Moran. Any public comment? All those in favor? Motion passes seven to zero. All right. Up next, uh Mr. Ader. Good evening. We're going to start talking about speech and debate. I will introduce our two coaches. Uh Miss uh Jackson for uh Gallton High. We'll speak about the
004Gallatton High speech and debate team and then I'll have Mr. Thane speak about the Boseman High speech and debate team. And then I'll remind him to stay everybody to stay up here afterwards. >> Perfect. Does this work? >> Oh, perfect. >> That's it for Sorry, it's kind of awkward for me to just like sit and stare at you. Um, >> and then just just a minute. So, if you're standing behind a column, >> I know it might be comfortable, >> but most of the trustees would like to see you guys. So, if you can get in front of a column, that would be great. Yeah. Or you guys can like some of you guys can go over here too. Show Sophie some love over here. >> Thank you. >> All right. Well, I'm Shelby Jackson.
005I am the head coach for Gallatin Speech and Debb. Um and up here with me are some of our great talents from our team. We've had a fantastic season. Um we actually uh broke a lot of our records this year. And um even though we had a smaller team than we've had in the past, we had 55 um members on our team. We've had one of our best seasons thus far. Um we have had another state champion. That's three state champions in three years, which is incredible for a young program such as ourselves. Um we have two people going to nationals. Um which was is fantastic, especially after um they decreased how many people were allowed to send to nationals. And so in years past it was the top three. And so we have two
006wonderful uh students who are going to be going to nationals this year. And then we also have four academic all-Americans um which are the top 2% in the country um from the National Speech and Debate Association. And so I'm going to pass the microphone to the kids so that way they can just introduce themselves, what event they're in, as well as their grade level and how many years they've been doing speech and debate. So I'm going to start with you Ezra. Hi, my name is Ezra Graham. I do Lincoln Douglas debate. This is my third year in debate. Um, I'll pass it to Montana. >> Hi, I'm Montana Gwyn. I'm a senior. I compete in original oratory and memorized public address and this is my fourth year in speech and debate. >> Hi, my name
007is Evie Taylor. I compete in policy debate. I'm a senior and I've been competing for the past four years. >> Hi, I'm Cole Fischer. I compete in both hi and duo. And if you count middle school, I've been competing for at least six years. >> Hi, I'm Sophie Kellum. Uh I'm a senior and I compete in Lincoln Douglas debate. Oh, and I have for the past four years. And so Sophie here is our first ever state champion in Lincoln Douglas debate. Um she did an amazing job this season. She comes uh to us from was it Hav? >> Sorry, Roundup. I don't know why I was saying that. It was from from Roundup. So, she uh she got to have like a nice little culture shock from going from the ABC to the double A.
008Um Cole Fischer here actually went the furthest anyone has had on our team in interp uh in his event at state taking sixth. Um Eevee Taylor consistently was in um the top for policy debate and she is one of our academic all-Americans and she has some of the our highest points. Um Montana Gwyn here has also um double entered in both MPA and original oratory and she is also one of our highest point getters um for the season for consistently being in the top three at most tournaments. And then Ezra is our uh one of our wonderful natquals um going to nationals. Um he's also an academic all-American as well. And so very uh proud of all these wonderful faces. Miles Minders unfortunately could not be here tonight. He had a scheduling conflict. Um but
009he uh is one of our first ever um going getting in top four. Uh so that's all state at state at the state competition. He placed fourth in impromptu and fifth in extent at state and he's also double qualified for nationals in both international uh extempiraneous speaking and United States extempiraneous speaking. And he will be competing in international. Um, and so I'm just going to open the floor up to you guys because I don't really have much more to say at this point. >> Well, thank you for all you guys did this year. Congratulations. Thank you, coach. Is there any comments from trustees? I I think what we'll do is we'll probably have you guys go um have the Hawks come up and then you guys can and then at the end we'll do the
010recognition. So, all right. Thank you. Thank you, >> Mr. Thane. Welcome. Come on up. Thank you. >> Yeah, we'll see if they pass the test. I gave him instructions a few seconds ago. I hope they listened. I don't think we were in here yet. Ah, >> you guys were in here. Yeah, you guys can fill in and fill in preferably in front of the column instead of behind it. We can all be friendly. >> Okay. Um, so this is uh actually a fairly small group for us this time uh because it's a really hectic week. I think we've got play rehearsals and play tryyouts and various other things going on. But um with me are some of my assistant coaches. This is uh Max Hatton who's been one of my longer serving assistant coaches. Uh
011that's Riley Scott who hustled over here from uh helping with auditions for Mama Mia over at Boseman High. Sparta Evans is up at MSU uh getting an art and art teaching degree. Jake Hoskins of course teaches English at the high school. Um not pictured are Emily Daniels who is flying a plane somewhere I think. Um and Haley Vidmar who um had a rough day today. Um sorry >> and Chris Warren uh who's a teacher at Saka Juia as well. Um then obviously a small portion of the state team are here at the moment. Uh you have Meredith Waterman over there. She competed in public forum debate. Uh Gracie Dice is a policy debater. Isaac Isaiah Isaiah Carlson is a Lincoln Douglas debater. Also a Lincoln Douglas debater is Cooper White. Uh, Adam Bukowski is a
012legislative debater. Avery Harris is a policy debater. Owen Bernett is a extemporaneous and impromptu speaker. This is Owen T. Bernett. I have to specify that to our secretaries all the time because there are two different Owen Bernetts who are both sophomores at Boseman High. Um and so uh next to Owen is Mitchell Rast who actually is a national qualifier in congressional debate. Um then we have Lily Kroski who does oratory and informative. Ryan Loftsgarden is a legislative debater. Aie Patterson is an interpreter. River Meyers also an interpreter. Ray Clark one of our freshman phenom this year. I think you took second at state. Is that right? and we'll be coming to nationals as well. >> That's all right. I don't hate to be corrected. Then we have Jet Burger behind who's a legislative debater, Phoebe
013Cross who is a policy debater, and Tommy Meltzer who is a short prepper so extent and impromptu. Um we had a fairly good season this year. Um started off with recruiting. Uh, I think we had 68 freshmen join this year. So, more than one in six freshmen at Bosezeman High are on the speech and debate team this year. It's a fairly good recruiting year. That put us at 147 who were either uh paid or got scholarships this year to compete in speech and debate. Um, which I think would put us only behind track in numbers of Bosezeman High. Um so uh pretty good team, pretty good group. Um these are mostly upper classmen who then also helped mentor that huge crew and we uh >> kept them >> together I think mostly. Um only lost
014one or two in you know rest stops here and there and you know mostly made it through intact. So that was good. Um state championship was uh the capper. Um this is the first time in 39 years that any noncalispel team has won any speech and debate tournament in Callispel. So uh a taking state there in the squeaker was pretty good. Um then national qualifier we qualified 28 people. Um we have 24 academic all-Americans. Uh something on the order of 16 all state five state champions. Um so fairly good year for us this year. Um, yeah, we'll be heading to Richmond, Virginia in June and I think we'll do all right there. So, this is the crew. Congratulations to all of you guys. Great job. Are there any trustee comments? All right. Um, then I
015will have the Gen High students come up as well. And then um oh trusty Sandy Wilson has maybe some questions for everybody a few people and then we'll read our award as well. So >> well congratulations. I always look forward every year you these teams come in front of us and I look forward to seeing these faces. It's just um an incredible accomplishment and a wonderful wonderful uh experience for you guys. One of my questions is from the seniors. Um, if you choose to answer this, I I'm really curious to hear from you what you take from being on the speech and debate uh team for however long you've been on. What do you how do you think you're what are you going to take into life after this? Whatever your next move is. >>
016So, seniors can go first. >> Okay. I'm Tommy Meltzer. I'm a senior. I've been on the team for four years. And I would say like the biggest thing that I'm definitely taking away from this team is the ability to have good faith discussions with people that you are diametrically opposed with in terms of opinion. In our polarized world nowadays, it's so easy to get inflammatory and argue with people over opinion. But speech and debate builds these skills with which you can have these opinion opinionated discussions without getting argumentative almost immediately. >> Thank you. >> That was a good answer. >> That was a great answer. >> What one of the things I think I've taken most from debate is with with debate, you have to be ready to debate both sides of an issue. And
017one of the things I've learned most from debate is how it's important to always be able to see both sides of a topic, no matter where you may stand on it. So no matter where where my opinion may stand, I've definitely learned to be able to take both sides of an issue into account. >> Of course. >> Yeah, sure. Um, I think one of the main things that I took away from speech and debate doing it all four years was definitely the speaking aspect uh of what we do, especially because you have to speak for so long, come up with your own speeches. It's definitely more um on the academic side where you can do more intense research, you can build more intense speeches, and you're not afraid to talk to a large crowd. And
018I feel like that really would help you with a lot of life skills that most high schoolers don't get if they're not in this um sport. So, I really think it's really important for people to do this sport. >> Yeah, I really agree with Sophie. I think it taught me a lot more self-confidence when I went into it. And I also think I met some really, really amazing people and made some awesome friends. So, I'm going to take that into my future as well. I think that the biggest thing speech and debate taught me was just how much I appreciate um the other people that I met through this activity. Um I had kind of a a tearful goodbye at state with the folks that are in the in the other district in Montana since
019we're divided in in half. And um I'm grateful to see a lot of people that I'm also going to be very sad to um to miss next year in this room. So I think the people for me is what I've really learned to appreciate. Um, I think being in speech and debate for the last four years has obviously taught me to be a good public speaker, but I also really think it helped me harness my voice and learn how to use that to advocate for what I believe in and like help others. So, is that all the seniors that want to speak? Okay. Um I'm also interested from these also seniors is what you may what might be your next move um next year. >> Right now it looks like I'm going to take a
020quasi gap year possibly by going to U of M for a year and then I have a deferred entry offer at Cambridge in the United Kingdom. >> Um I plan on going to a university next year. Not sure which one yet, but I do know I want to major in political silent science hopefully on the pre-law track. >> I plan on becoming a financial broker at my parents office, Canon Financial, right here in Bosezeman, Montana. I'm not sure which college I'm going to go to yet, but I got um a full ride to Berea College in Kentucky. So, that's looking like a pretty good option for me. And I'm also doing similar to Montana a political science track within going into pre-law in the future. Um, I'm gonna take a gap year and figure things
021out. >> Nice. Nice. >> Uh, I'm going to major in astrophysics somewhere in college. I don't know where yet. >> Okay. I'm going to major in international relations and sociology, and I don't know where yet, but probably in the UK. I I don't know where I'm going to go yet, but right now I'm planning to major in computer science. >> Um I'm going to Colgate University in New York to major in political science and psychology with minors in economics and philosophy. >> Uh I haven't committed to school yet, but uh my top choice is Yale. Got an early action. Um majoring in government, hoping to go into law school after that. I plan to study electrical engineering. I have a couple of colleges that I've applied to, but no decisions have really come out yet.
022So, once I get those decisions, I'll choose an institution. >> Well, thank you for that. Um, I I it is my honor and privilege to bring this resolution forward. It is recommended that the board of trustees adopt the following resolution. whereas the Boseman High and Gallton High speech and debate teams participated in the state doubleA speech and debate tournament held in Callispel on January 30th 31st 2026. And whereas the Boseman High Hawkers finished as state champions, I've tried really hard to learn everyone's names and how to say them, and please correct me if I don't say them correctly. Um team members include Nathan Andcker, um Amina Baka Flores, May Bombberg, Siri Bateson, Claire Becker, Jet Berger, Adam Buk Bukowski, Owen Bernett, Isaiah Carlson, Lucy Child, Ray Char, Ray Clark, Lily Kroski, Phoebe Cross, George Dendrinos,
023Gracie Dice, AJ Edgar, Annabelle Ellis, Reagan Flenty, Sam Thunderberg, Teranobo, Val Kun, Gabby um Kaine Leane, Ryan Lavsgarden, Charlie McGee, Wyatt Magcguire, Thomas Meltzer, River Meyers, Charles Morris, Aki Patterson, Natalie Potter, Sunni Rabinsky, Emerson Ritter, Penelopey Roso, Solomon Shank, Stsons, Gabe Stoddall, Pierce Summerhill, Meredith Waterman, Quinn Warernner, Cooper White, M. Williamson, and whereas the following students are individual state champions. Rowan Keith and Charlie McGuean and do an inter duo interpretation. Rowan Keith and original oratory. Charlie McGeehan and humorous interpretation. Adam Bowski legislative debate. Gallatton High. Sophie Kellum Lincoln Douglas debate. This This will be a moment. We've got to give you all credit for all your all your hard work. And the following students earned all state honors at Bosezeman High. Rowan Keith, Charlie McGeehan beat McGeehan. Rowan Keith. Um oh, I should tell say
024what they're what they were. Ron Keith and Charlie McGee was in duo duo interpretation. Rowan Keith original oratory. Charlie McGee humorous interpretation. Ray Clark. Am I reading this? I feel like I'm >> You're good. >> I'm good. Okay. Awesome. Perfect. Seems like never mind. Ray Clark, humorous interpretation. Adam Bukowski, legislative debate. Nathan Andcker, legislative debate. Avery Harris and Poppy Cap Kappaman policy debate. Alex Hansen and Charles Morris public forum debate. Owen Bernett, extemporaneous speaking. Gabe Stewall, impromptu speaking. M. Williamson, impromptu speaking. AJ Edgar, memorized public address with analysis. Lucy Child, informative speaking. Gallatin High students, Sophie Kellum, Lincoln Douglas debate. Miles Menders, impromptu speaking. Whereas the following students are national qualifiers and will compete in the National Speech and Debate Association high school tournament on June 13th through the 20th, 2026 in Richmond, Virginia. Boseman
025High students, Rowan Keith and Charlie McGeehan, dual interpretation. River Myers and AJ Edgar, dual interpretation. Rowan Keith, original oratory. Sam Thunderberg, original oratory. Charlie McGeehan, humorous interpretation. Ray Clark, humorous interpretation. George Dendrinos, humorous interpretation. Adam Bowski, congressional debate, Senate. Nathan N. Decker, congressional debate, Senate. Mitchell Rast, Congressional Debate House. Jet Berger, Congressional Debate House. Ryan Lofgarden, Congressional Debate House. And Gabby Ka uh Leane and Jessen Stalks, policy debate. May Bombberg and Gracie Dice, policy debate. Alex Hansen and Charles Morris, public forum debate. Wyatt Maguire and Solomon Shank, public forum debate. Cooper White, Lincoln Douglas debate. Gabe Stoddall, interpreta international extempor extemporaneous speaking. Tommy Meltzer, United States extemporaneous speaking. Um Lucy Child, informative speaking and dramatic interpretation. Reagan Fenty program oral interpretation. Gallatton High students Ezra Graham Lincoln Douglas debate. Miles Maers International and United States
026extemporaneous speaking. Whereas the following students earned academic all-American honors from the National Speech and Debate Association. Boseman High students Nathan Andcker, May Bombberg, um Siri Bateson, Adam Bowski, Lucy Child, Phoebe Cross, AJ Edgar, Rowan Keith, Avery Harris, Alex Hansen, Reagan Flenty, Sam Funberg, Funberg, Aubrey Hansen, Poppy Kapperman, Laster Noble, Val Kun, Thomas Meltzer, River Meyers, Charles Morse, Emerson Ritter, Gabe Stoddall, Quinn Werner, Cooper White, M. Williamson, and the Gallton High students, Cole Fischer, Ezra Graham, Montana Quinn, Evelyn Taylor. Therefore, be it resolved that the board of trustees recognize and honor the two 2025 2026 speech and debate individual state champions, all state individuals, national qualifiers, and academic all-Americans. Second >> motion made by Trustee Sandy Wilson, seconded by Trusty Neil. Any public comment? >> All those in favor? Motion passes seven to zero. >> Sandy,
027that was very impressive on all the names. Good job staying on point. That's not easy. Um, if if all of you guys could come up and kind of spread out throughout here, might need a stack up or something like that. We'll get a quick p quick picture and then >> this way. >> Yeah, we don't have a camera that way. >> Yeah, we can't have people. >> And then Yeah. I was going to go all the way. >> I think as tall as Tony. >> Congratulations I should have had those Next item, action items, consent. >> Looks like we have one action item in the high school. So >> motion to approve consent agenda item 3.3.1. >> Second. Motion made by Trusty Neil, seconded by Trusty Lucine. Any public comment? All those in favor? Motion
028passes seven to zero. Next is uh action item singular uh 4.1.1 consider approval of non-residential students. Casey. Uh, thank you, Chair Neil, or Chair Black. Excuse me. I'm going back in time. Uh, what you have before you is a um agenda item for non-resident students. Um there are um a variety of pieces to this puzzle. Um the spreadsheet that's linked in the agenda item um kind of walks through that. Uh what you have are 26 27 applications recommended for um approval. Um as you know we go through about a monthlong open enrollment period where we um collect those applications for the following school year. Um, as part of that list, um, we've sorted it by, um, new applicants, um, to the district, staff requests, and then returning, um, students. Um, you also have, um, two
029applications that are, um, recommended for denial based upon um, uh, chronic attendance issues. Um, and then you have one standalone application that, um, is a mid-year transfer. Um, and so that one you're more accustomed to. Those happen on a periodic basis as families move out of the district. Um we we offer them the opportunity um uh to stay through the remainder of the year. Um with that I know we have um some families in the room. I would ask if um any of the families in the room are here because they are wishing to um move forward with a um executive session um for the applications that are recommended for denial. If that's I do not see that. Um um with with that said, I would take any um questions from the from the board
030of trustees. Um and it's uh my recommendation that you approve the non-resident student applications as presented. >> Any trustee questions or comments? If not, uh I would entertain a motion. I move that we accept the superintendent's recommendation um and and approve um >> As presented. Yes. >> Second. >> Motion made by Trustee Sandy Wilson, seconded by Trustee D. Any public comment? All those in favor? Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you. Next item 4.2.1. Uh I think this is Casey. This is you again. >> Yeah. Thank you, Chair Black. Um agenda item is consider approval of girls MHS MHSA high school flag football. Um the district has been um watching this um evolve across the state and has been um vetting um the possibility of adding girls um high school flag football in Bosezeman for
031some time. Um, a few important pieces of the puzzle. As um, as you know, we've had um, deep conversations in this boardroom around Title 9 implications as it related to um, Title 9 in general, as it related to the Ridgeway settlement specific in Montana. Um, in relationship to um, our conversations around high school baseball. Um, we did our due diligence with district legal counsel. Um, sought a formal opinion on a variety of questions. Um, and I I've summarized those in in the agenda item. Um, there are some um uh districts in the state that have um articulated that when the um grant funding runs out that they're going to proceed um with asking um families in the community to fund raise for that sport. Um legal opinion is that that's highly problematic and would create
032almost immediate Title N issues. Um from the broader title nine lens, adding flag girls flag football is um greatly advantageous um to the district as it does two things. It decreases our disproportionality that we have um at at both high schools and it also increases access um for girls in sport which is the sort of the the foundational component of Title 9. Um there's a minor concern related to the fine print in the Ridgeway settlement. Um the Ridgeway settlement said at the MHSA level they need to offer at least the number of um girls sports that they have in in boys sports when it moves to the um actual high school level. Um the Ridgeway settlement said that those those numbers need need to be the same. Um and so adding adding um girls flag
033football um would increase one we'd have one more girl sport than we have boys sports currently. So, it would technically be out of compliance with the Ridgeway settlement. Um, but we see in talking with legal counsel, it would be very bizarre to have um a Title N um complaint come forward when we're actually increasing access for females in sport. Um we we've had ongoing um positive um uh a couple things. one we did um as is recommended we did a participation survey um related to the baseball conversation and I don't have the numbers in front of me but there was a fair number of um students across our middle schools and high schools that in the questions around what what sports do you wish were added that they signified um girls flag football as you
034know in the trustee emails um and public comment we've received a variety of um parent community member and student um interest uh so upon vetting the topic um and our executive team having lots of conversations about this. Um we're making a recommendation to move forward with um girls flag football in the fall of 26 based upon um a few um a few areas. One, student and family interest um in response to u what we believe is going to be a very positive opportunity for girls in our community. Um it gives some expanded participation opportunities. As you know, as part of our um effort to um provide access to girls and to maintain compliance with Title 9, we added um freshman B volleyball um this fall. Um as a um opportunity to increase participation, this would
035expand participation during that same season in a no cut sport um option. Um Title N considerations, I already already talked about those. um moving forward positions us positively in terms of Title N. The minor ridgeway settlement, which is a um I I I don't think it was anticipated to be a um stumbling block for for things like this is is a non-issue in my opinion. Um cost considerations as an emerging sport. Um it operates at a relatively modest annual cost compared to other factors. um when you when you take into account equipment needs and uniform needs and and how the travel is currently done and how officiating is currently done um um it's a um relatively lowcost um sport. Um, also important to note that although we went through a $4.1 million reduction recently, um,
036because we had a structural imbalance in our K12 budget, that um, the combination of balancing um, taking efforts to balance the budget and increased enrollment at the high school, we're currently operating with a right-sized um, high school budget. So, um, the relatively low cost um, is um, fits currently in the high school um, budget. And then there's also potential for um for one year um possibly more years of grant funding um from the Arthur Blank Foundation. We've had some high schools in the state operate multiple years uh on that grant funding. It's really um no crystal ball in terms of um how long those funds would last, but it's um the current application period, which um is due today, I believe, um is is based upon a one-year application. And so, um, pending, uh, the
037decision of this board, um, we would submit that application to the Arthur Blank Foundation for year one funding. With that, I'd take any, um, questions you'd have. Um, also want to thank, uh, Mr. Vanver, who has spent, um, um, a lot of time, uh, vetting this and working with Mr. Ader and, um, Mr. Ader gathering costs um, proposals from around the state of what it's actually costing doubleA's to run this sport. Uh, Miss Mr. Mr. Vanver also meeting with community members on this um and fielding a lot of email traffic. So thank you Mr. Vanver. >> Greg. >> Yeah. I just also want to thank Mr. Van Vern and anyone else in executive cabinet who was involved with this process and vetting it out and corresponding with stakeholders, community members. I know there was a
038lot of um uh communication that came in throughout this process and um appreciate your professionalism and how you dealt with the community and um grateful that we arrive arrived at this recommendation. If there's maybe there's more tr I'm prepared to make a motion, but looks like there's other trustees that are going to comment. So, I'll turn it back off here. >> Um I just have a couple questions. I support this uh wholeheartedly. It's really interesting how when I start asking former students or or young people who are in high school about girls b uh uh football flag football, it's like really important to them and this is an exciting possibility for them and I didn't even know it was a thing out there. So I I I really support this. Um um I'm just curious
039where will they play? >> Yeah, that that that's sort of the million-dollar question, I think. >> Okay. And and I say that semi- jokingly. I I think this board has learned that um the concept of um our proposed one Boseman concept in two high school campuses um has um become expensive over time and that um we have community and parent expectations that often exceed what our current facilities are. um we have learned and Mark has learned from other high schools that um this is a smaller field um and that it's coexisting um well on double A campuses and A campuses across the the state. So in terms of where they will play, I think it's um a variety of areas. I I think um existing um high school softball outfields, existing football fields, existing open
040soccer fields, um existing middle school fields, existing Van Winkle stadium, all of those pieces of the puzzle are um are important. I think also the scheduling of this um has been done in a way thus far where it takes into account some of those field constraints um and and so it happens on different days or on weekends or jamborees or you know different ways of um scheduling it. So um it it is a minor concern that was raised in our team because of the community expectations around wanting access to turf um that um we can't guarantee access to turf for all practices and games. Okay. Um, I had another question, but I can't think of a I lost it, I think. But thank you for that. >> Oh, I know what. Sorry. >> What other
041uh do all the rest of the ADA schools have women's foot flag football? >> I would say it's most at this point. I I believe that um there's a maybe list. I think there's other conversations like this happening in a couple communities, but most of the double A's. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Gary. >> Yeah. Thank you. I also want to support everybody involved in investigating this and the due diligence uh put into this. I totally support this. And I'm curious what um what's would happen at the like the middle school level on getting younger girls even at the elementary level of club sports or something and flag football to >> Yeah, that that's a that's a good question. That's been part of um the conversation with the community members that Mr. Vanver has been
042working through that um we would like to see um community programming for younger students um owned by the community in some way, shape or form. It's sort of like chicken or egg um some of those conversations where if we launch the high school component, it could spur some of those conversations and build excitement towards playing for the Hawks or the Raptors. At this time, we don't anticipate any middle school um programming in this area. >> I would I would just like to add thank you to I know Miss Rder and Mike, you guys spend a lot of time I I know a lot of people spend a lot of time on this as well. I would just also encourage I know you just mentioned it Casey is that the the people that are super passionate
043about it that we got all these emails from. Um I don't think there has to be a flagship program that runs a youth program. um that can be a a group of parents getting together and uh just doing a couple practices a week and having some field space to do it or a park or whatever. So that can look a lot many different ways. Um so I would just encourage as many parents that have a great interest in this and especially at the younger ages to to get together and um it could run for six weeks. It could be really simple. Um it doesn't have to have a brand on it. It doesn't have to shirt shirts are cheap. 20 bucks maybe for two something like that. But um I would just encourage them to
044do that at a younger age even if you don't have a a flag or a ship or somebody that's actually sponsoring it. So um that would be my my comment on this. I do think this is a great opportunity to add to what we're offering. Um also uh I think most of the schools bes were out of balance um with go girls sports with having softball. So um that has doesn't seem to be a problem. So that doesn't really concern me very much at this point in time either. So, um, I don't think there's any other comments. So, uh, from the trustees. So, I would just, uh, entertain a motion. Greg, I think you said >> motion to approve the superintendent's recommendation as presented. >> Second. >> Motion made by Trusty Neil, seconded by Trusty
045Moran. Any public comment? All in favor? Motion passes seven to zero. All right. Thank you. Next item. Board discussion 5.1.1 discussion of recommended policy revisions. Thank you, Chair Black. Uh what you have in front of you are um a variety of um policy recommendations. most of them um from M MTSBA model policy updates. Um as you know you re you approved a bunch of those post legislative session. Um some of these are tied to um diff later um effective dates of bills and so they didn't come out in the first um wave. And also you should know that this is roughly half of the um policies that we were churning on. And so to get some of these moving forward, we the ones that we were settled on um we have put in this package.
046Um so I will um just give you the highlights. So um 1401 which is really 4330 um is around House Bill 100 um regarding fees that may be charged by public agencies for filling fulfilling a public records request. Um, this one had a ton of changes and in for ease of avoiding all kinds of red lines, we just started over. Uh, and so black um, you know, it's a it's a brand new basically rewrite of the policy to align it with law and align it with the MTSBA model policy. Um, 3150 is um, part-time enrollment. MTSBA made clarifying changes um to make it more consistent with the law. Um part-time enrollment of a student is required under Montana law. It enrollment in a specific class or a section is not guaranteed and so it strengthens
047some of um that language. Um addresses our cap our ability to put capacity limits on things. Um 3610 and 3610P are not legislative changes. Those are changes that we've been churning on on the executive team for um a couple of reasons. Um one uh that again that's the equity policy that doesn't use the word equity um in it that has served us well um over time. Uh we're not making suggesting any changes to the equity portion the beginning of that policy. Um what we found and what we are living is that um that policy references multi-tered systems of support. It doesn't reference the collaboration piece, the professional learning communities piece, the whole foundational framework of what we do. PreK12 is braiding together those components. It's in it's everything that we do um prek12 on the
048academic side and the social emotional behavioral side. So it's strengthening um that language um and and really calling out that braiding together is at this point in time um the the foundation of the district's instructional framework for delivering instruction, teaching and learning. The other piece is u we don't usually bring procedures forward but we are bringing the decision-making filter which is 3610P. We've had some really thoughtful conversations around items like girls flag football. um it didn't fit the previous decision-making filter because that filter was so focused on academic achievement. So, we've changed um the the three filters to align it more broadly with the long range strategic plan. Um and so if it's um tied to any of the goal areas in the long range strategic plan or the or the um profile of a
049graduate um andor the core values of the district. So like u Mr. Waterman was having good conversations around um for example investing um district dollars to ensure that our buildings are maintained clean um and investing dollars in custodial um didn't fit the previous filter. It's still important to us uh operating a highquality school district um but it's directly tied to the core values and the long range strategic plan. Um and so we've mix um changed some of those categories not to make everything stick um but to make sure that all of the things we do in support of that mission um and that are captured on that two-page um um mission vision values and goals statement um is part of the decision-making process. So, for example, girls flag football and all of our extracurricular activities,
050speech and debate, um you could draw clear lines to the profile of a graduate. Um and you just saw examples of that in front of you where students in speech and debate are, um accomplishing many of those things, being civic-minded, um engaging in complex problem solving, um all of those pieces of the puzzle. So, it's just um some updates there to the um procedure. We wanted you to see that um procedures don't need to be approved by the board. Uh okay, a couple more. 3655 um updated from House Bill 745 um and initiation of the rule making process. It it has to do with um fingerprints and fingerprint background checks. Um 5015 um is a bullying, harassment, intimidation um personnel policy. Um, and it's um, it's intended to clarify that the district can't go after
051things that are out of the jurisdiction. So, for example, there have been examples across the state of parents making inflammatory um, Facebook or social media posts about a teacher. The teacher says it's a violation of the district policy of bullying, harassment, and intimidation. Um, but the district has no jurisdiction over parent email, Facebook, social media accounts, and when any of those things have been adjudicated, it's often a first amendment right for families. So, it clarifies the jurisdiction um of that policy. Uh, 5122 is fingerprint criminal background investigations. Um again a a lot it was a small shift um where the state moved away from the ability to do namebased background checks where we were using BIB and lots of um which is a namebased national background check search. It requires fingerprint background checks. That was
052a um and then it went to OPI rulemaking. That was a small legislative tweak that had major ramifications for our district and for um districts across the state where um our HR department um was literally spending um early on 80 90% of their week um accommodating um fingerprint um fingerprints. Um it also put pressure on the local sheriff's department and police department and MSU and others that are doing um fingerprints. Um that's the gist of this round of um policy changes. Again, some of them are based upon legal changes and could could happen in one reading, but because we have others mixed in, we bringing it as a package for discussion tonight and it'll come back as a singular action later. >> Any comments, Gary? >> Yeah, thanks Casey. I have a question on uh
0535015. Okay. Is is that do individuals teacher or administrator or even trustees have the legal option of suing somebody for slander and something like that? Do you know? >> Um so in general our um our district insurance would not cover something like that. we it plays defense, never really goes on the offense. Um I I think private individuals could go after um parents or community members um for that. What we've what I've learned through that process is is typically anything said on on social media is protected. There's first first amendment protections for the person saying it. Um so I don't know that they would be successful doing that. >> Thanks. Any other comments or questions? >> Sir, >> as I was looking through the document, I was just so impressed with the amount of work
054that you guys put into 3610 and 3610P. Like, I just thought that it was very specialized for our district, but I just appreciated the level of attention to those sections. I thought it was extraordinary. And then when we talked about the background checks, do we know how many people have gone through our system? You know what I mean? That we now have fingerprinted because it's a lot. I can only >> Pat Strauss would tell you it's everybody in Bosezeman. It's not It's not everybody in Bosezeman, but it's in the hundreds. Yeah. >> Hundreds. >> All right. Any other questions or comments? >> All right. Thank you for bringing this forward and we'll look forward to it in now. Is it a consent agenda item next time? Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. All
055right. Uh all right. Moving on. Uh item six, public comment on non-aggenda items. >> Are you sure, Ezra? You don't want to put your speech and debate hat on and just throw out some things? No. All right. Okay. Uh, moving on to seven, uh, reports, executive cabinet reports. Uh, the the only thing I'll mention, I mentioned it to trustees earlier, is we, um, we had a fully engaged crisis response at um, Bosezeman High today. And because a um, staff member's child was involved, um, also um, minor crisis response um, at Sakodua Middle School. Um we also had um for the first time like a a really great presence of um therapy dogs. We usually get one or two but we had I don't know how many what the total was but there were three um
056three or four >> but one more >> one was huge. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. different dogs, different dogs coming and going and that was um that was that was really well received. Um I want to like publicly acknowledge that um Johanna Burkin and her team. Um I I don't know another district that does um what we do in those situations in terms of the level of detail that's happening behind the scenes of um just so you know, I'll give you a little glimpse of it. um staff um are made aware of the full situation um and then they have a link um to um a form and so any students that are showing distress um are put in the form um trained professionals are meeting with those students making parent contact that they've met with those
057students following up with those students. Um, same thing happening with staff members that are um that are um showing stress and behind the scenes. There's a whole team managing these documents and and updating um and we don't get to everybody. Um but the ones that we know about that um are showing some externalizing behaviors um we're we're checking in with those with those folks. Um, I think that's all I'll say with that. Answer any questions you have, but I'm very, if you see Johanna, very appreciative of um that team and our SRO's and Mike and Marilyn and everyone that um rallies on the weekend um drops everything they're doing to um ensure that Monday morning um our kids are loved on. Any other reports? Casey, thank you for that update and um I think we
058all appreciate all the efforts that go into it and all the planning behind and the immediate reaction um and put into action um for our community. So I know that's greatly appreciated. Um so thank you and thank everybody that's involved in that. Um all right, next six 7.2 to um any board trustee requests, calendar concerns, reports, meeting. >> Sandy. >> Um well, I went to um I'm the leazison to the Bridger Charter School, so I went and spent some time in the classrooms and then just hung out with Dan for a while and just ask questions about that. What an amazing program. I'm it just makes me so proud every time I visit that visit with kids, visit with the teachers um that are working with those kids. It's a it's a a very precious
059program to me and to a lot of families and kids. Um and I'm looking forward to I I have that and Gton High and I'm going to visit clubs. I've been a high school I've been a high school uh because I'm a high school trustee. I usually get high schools to go to and I've I've never been to any of the clubs. So, I'm going to stop by and check out the clubs and then also uh visit some of their um collaborative team meetings on Wednesday morning coming up in the next month. So, >> thank you. Any other updates? All right, I'll journ this meeting.