001want to do a public comment here. Other public comments. We had to modify yours. >> Mine? >> Yes. >> Oh, cuz it had a name in it. >> Yes. That was changed. >> Okay. >> Just want to be transparent here. >> Everybody ready? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Any person person present who wishes to address the board or raise any questions about public school district matters or governing policies may do so under public participation. No discussion of personnel or individual students committed at this time. A limit of three minutes is placed on each speaker. Persons who want more time may make arrangements to be placed on future agendas.
002The public is also reminded they may provide input on all motions being considered by the board at this meeting. Additionally, anyone wishing to make public comment virtually may submit the following virtual public comment form. All received messages that comply with the following criteria will be read at the meeting. No discussion of personnel or individual students is permitted including include your name and address in your message and limit of 500 words placed on each person. The same length may be used to provide input on action agenda items prior to before taking action. Note to guest visitors wishing to record this meeting electronically may do so providing the recording does not disrupt orderly conduct of the mission of the meeting. Sorry. Public comments. We have three, I believe. First one is from Charity Bowler. I am writing
003a response to the recent administrative letter in which the administrator characterized herself as educational expert dismiss the role of the community in public education and deeply troubling generalizations about parents, students, and the elected school board. Public education exists because of the public. Our schools are funded by taxpayer governed by elected boards and meant to serve students in partnership with families and the board and the broader community. To suggest that the community had no business in education fundamentally misunderstands both the purpose of the public school and the role of the public servant. Equally concerning were the statements implying that the parents are largely absent, struggling with substance abuse or failing to meet their children's basic needs. Such sweet and demeaning characterizations are not only inaccurate, they are harmful. They reflect a deficit deficit-based view of families
004and students that is incompatible with the values of respect, equity, and collaboration that our schools claim to uphold. Our students deserve educators who see their families as partners, not as stereotypes. Aser assertion that children need someone in their corner because parents allegedly are not is especially troubling. Parents are and always have been their children's first and most supportive advocate. While schools play a critical role in supporting students, the role should never be framed as replacing or dismissing families. The comment regarding the school board were also inappropriate. Our board members are elected by the community to represent its interest, ensure transparency, provide oversight, allowing public comment is not a weakness or an embarrassment. It is a cornerstone of democratic governance. A board that listens to its constituents is doing exactly what is elected to do. It
005is not the board's role to stand up or administrators at the expense of silencing the public. It is a responsibility to balance perspective and act in the best interest of students and the community as a whole. Respect for leadership goes both ways. Trust is not built by dismissing community voices or belittling families. It is built through humility, accountability, and genuine partnership. Our students are watching the way that we speak about their families, their community, and the advocates and their advocates matter. I urge the district leadership to reflect on the tone and substance of these remarks and to recommmit to a vision of education, the val the values, collaboration, respect, families, and honor the public trust. Next one is from Jennifer Queensberry. Quezinberry, I'm sorry. The open door policy is not as open as she makes
006it sound. In this letter, I witnessed some concerning things several years ago when my daughter was in primary and when I was attempting to bring it to blank attention, it was dismissed repeatedly until I made it address the court to be heard. She claims she chose locker to be there for the less fortunate, but then ignores the parents concerns over children and blows her attempts with no codes trying to get in and denied until it is time. Also, multiple times it has been brought to administrators attention that there is bullying issues and it has been denied and refused acknowledgement, but I'm reading that she sits and laughs at board meetings when the narrative does not suit her. So, where else is she laughing? When kids are reporting bullying, she doesn't see it that way. The
007letter is very concerning. Parents want to be involved. And in the nine years we've been a part lock with school, I have never felt it is easy to be involved. In fact, it is overly difficult at times and trying to get concerns met is even harder. The admin does a fantastic job of making you feel irrevalent and dis irrelevant and dismissed. I would be thrilled if what was put in the letter was what the behaviors and actions of the staff actually is, but this is nowhere near the experience we've had. I also was disgusted when the perception she was the what she has of Lockwood. Sounds like we are all bunch of lowle junkies who don't care about our kids. Last is from Kelly Bashard. When I called out the administrators that routinely sent in
008the back of the board meeting that they laughed and mocked the parents I expected the strong denial. Not only did it not get denied the primary principal doubled down and try to justify her disrespectful actions as acceptable. She directly insulted parents and community members as a whole and inferred that the board is incapable of running a professional meeting and belittled those that are trying to advocate for the children and others in our schools. Her behavior is absolutely unprofessional and unacceptable. If she is willing to proudly make these comments in public, one can only imagine how she refers to parents and maybe even other students behind closed doors. All the good deeds and education she was touting did not negate the unprofessional and immature bullying. Obviously, personnel records and discipline cannot be disseminated to the public,
009but I really hope the upper administrator does not let their personal friendship with blank blind them with their behavior and appropriate consequences are imposed. Come in while I was reading I can now. >> Okay. >> I just want to remind you no >> uh three minutes it's going. Okay. >> I'm here tonight to speak about accountability specifically accountability at the administrative and leadership level and how it directly impacts staff, students and accountants across this district. A school cannot function effectively if the individuals responsible for leading it are not being held accountable for their core duties required to run it well. Teachers and support staff are the ones working with students every single day. When those staff members feel unsupported, unheard, or placed in environments marked by inconsistency and poor communication, that is not a staff
010failure. It is a leadership failure. The environment staff are expected to work in is a direct reflection of the leadership's ability to perform their own roles and responsibilities at an acceptable level. At what point does the public step in and ask the board to ensure accountability is being placed where it belongs? When are the same concerns that continue to surface over and over and over again? Low staff morale, inconsistent discipline, and strained relationships with families. Is it no longer appropriate to shift responsibility downward? Accountability must exist every at every level, including the top. Equally important is the partnership between parents and educators. Schools are most successful when parents and educators are treated as partners, not obstacles. The assumption that parents cannot understand or help regulate their own children simply because they are not educators is
011unacceptable. Parents bring critical insight, context, and support. Dismissing that knowledge weakens the entire system. Yes, there may be a moderate percentage of students in this district whose families are not currently able to meet all their child's needs. That reality reality exists everywhere. However, continuing to discredit and devalue the parents who are showing up, advocating and supporting their children because of the actions of a much smaller group is deeply harmful. Parents automatically assuming that involved parents are avoiding accountability or placing blame on schools discourages engagement and erodess trust. The school the goal of a district must be to meet the needs of the majority of students not to continually structure policies, discipline and communication around a very small percentage of outliers. There will always be students who require different or additional supports and alternative programs and
012services should be available for them. But those exceptions should not dictate how the entire district operates. Finally, ongoing discipline issues cannot be placed solely on students or families. A lack of fair, consistent, and transparent discipline abide equally and without exemption creates confusion and resentment. Consistency is essential. I urge the board to reflect on leadership accountability, staff support, and whether parents are truly being welcomed as partners in this district. These are not criticisms for the sake of criticism. They are necessary conversations if we are serious about building a school system that works for everyone in our district. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Is there any more public comments? >> After this, you can only comment on action items B and C. Okay. At this time, the board may vote to enter a
013close session pursuant to MCA2-3-203203 to discuss personal matters where the demands of individual individual privacy clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure. The purpose of this executive session is to discuss administrative communication and related governance concerns. No action will be taken in this executive session. I move that we enter executive session to discuss the administrative communication and related governance. Second. I got a motion from Josh, second from Shane. Discussion from the public. Who who is the person that you're protecting it? Person staff or student or whatever? Staff. >> Staff. >> Yep. And there specific people that you will be discussing rather than general terms or something. >> I think they can disclose that. >> Yeah. Well, have they chose has that person chosen to be here and or waved their rights? >> They have not
014chosen to be here now. >> Okay. So, I think that's kind of what Elo's asking is if if we're speaking specifically about somebody, they have >> Right. So they have the ability to wave that, right? >> She did not wave. >> She didn't wave, right? She's not here. So we couldn't do that anymore. You have to be present to >> Does she know that you're having >> Yes, she does. >> Okay. I think that's Yeah, that's what we wanted. >> The the right to a closed meeting in that regard is supposed to belong to the person involved and they can reject having a closed session if they want. can be here or should be here, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Did I answer your question? >> I think so. >> Okay. Any other discussion with
015the public? >> We move on to B and C so that the closed door meeting could be left. >> That can only be done if uh we have a motion and a second on the floor right now. So if this motion of second fails, then we can also move to have B or A move to the bottom and B and C move back to the top. >> But since we already have a motion of a second, we have to see this through. >> So we all step out while you guys and then come back. >> You guys can come back after us. Absolutely. >> But not correct. So all those in favor of the board going to executive session say I. I. All those oppose same sign. >> So we got >> no. Uh okay.
016Just let me think here a second. With the votes being three no and two four. The motion has failed. >> I move that we change A to move A to the bottom to the bottom. >> Okay. Second. I have a motion to move agenda agenda item A to the C. I have a motion by Corey and a second by Shane. Discussion from the public. Thank you. >> Thank you. We have We're not there yet. >> Discussion from the board. All those in favor of moving agenda item A below agenda item C in the bottom of the list say I. >> I. All those opposed, same sign. Hearing none. Motion passes. Don, can we move on to NF 540 NF1? >> Yes. What I'm going to ask tonight is that we approve just the edits that
017are showing and then Darlene and Paul and I are going to meet because this policy hasn't been reviewed since 1999. So, there's stuff in here that we have to change out and figure out how we're going to store some of this. But, we can actually get the edits done tonight and then we'll I'll close it at the next meeting when we do all the other policies. And if you look at the changes, we there was nothing in there that staff had to annually sign that NF1 and now we're adding that annually. They will sign NF1 acknowledging on how to use proper correspondence through electronic means social media. Correct. >> Yeah. Covers it. >> So it'll be a yearly. We're looking at what May when they sign contracts. >> The digital. Yeah. a digital and a
018spreadsheet >> and it will be kept and anybody who doesn't will not have access to district servers or district equipment. So even if they bring in their own computer, they can't access the district server. So any other questions >> that I mean on a student level the same thing each student can get in trouble getting their own device. Correct. >> Employees >> but the students also are that standard somewhere is my understanding right if they access something inappropriate on their own >> that's why we're doing this. So they have to handle check out the Chromebook and that kind of stuff. >> I think they're held accountable. >> And then there's also going to be a new form 5450 NF3 is actually where they're going to sign. So we have to put that under that. >>
019That one we can do that. Yeah. do a first. >> So if we approve it on this one, we have to have it read again February board meetings and then it will be in effect after >> yeah this >> I move to approve the first reading to update policy 5450 and F1. >> I have a motion from Stacy. I'll second a second from Shane on the approval of first reading of 5418 NF1 discussion from the public discussion from the board. >> I have a question I guess just on um because I see 5450 was last reviewed or revised in 2012. Um but this form is a NTSBA form. >> Yes. From their policy book. Yeah. And so they haven't reviewed it since 1999, >> but we and we when did we adopt it? Do we
020know? >> 1999. >> I >> originally adopted 111 of 99. Last reviewed 1119. >> Well, last review date is I mean again, >> you guys have reviewed it and we just didn't pick it up adopted. I mean, >> that's what I wondered is when we might have adopted it. Well, that was the last date we debuted in our manual. It's 1999 because they keep our manual on their website. Okay. So, everything that's updated is the date that's in there. >> Did we check with MTSBA on guidance on this form per se? >> They don't they don't do that anymore. They just send you out the recommendations and it's up to us to review our manuals. They don't do guidance anymore. >> When did that's changed? >> Sure. I'm now having to policy manuals based on
021what they send out and recommend. >> Okay. And is there any recommendation on that NF1? I guess you say they just send it out. >> I can go back and look, but um I don't know if we just didn't do anything with it or not, but it's in our manual. We didn't change it though. If they did any changes, we didn't adopt it. So I I have no way of tracking if they've updated this anywhere else. Well, I guess what I'm asking is just because I mean I sat through a painful I mean we sat a couple of years ago through um all of the all of the policy reviews and MTSBA guided us. I understand if they don't do that anymore, but what I'm wondering is if we have asked them for guidance on
022the NFM NF1. Um again, I'm just asking that we also, you know, ask them >> I can reach out. Last time I reached out, they just told me that they don't talk about that anymore. They just make recommendations and people have to decide, >> which I think is what I'm asking for is if they have any recommendations and or have any concerns with our verb verbage change, >> we can we can send it to them and ask them for any recommendations. >> Yep. >> That won't affect the first reading because anything here and the next meeting we can do on the second reading if there's any input from FTS. Correct. Yes. No. And that's all I'm asking is that we use our resources that we paid for to ask them if they have any concerns
023with our changes and or any recommendations for the NF1. That's something we can do with individuals too. Like >> I don't think that they're doing what they're asking. >> Okay. >> Now he sent Tony sent everything back to me and said you have to put this in your own policy manual. No, we don't do that. Well, they >> they send either two or three options or we added support into the lawn. That's all they do. Now, they don't update our policy anymore on their website. So, it comes to us. I have to go on our website and you sell it. >> Right. But that was a service that they used to offer. >> They still charge us for it, but they don't do it. >> Okay. Well, that's another topic. >> We can reach out.
024>> I can ask Tony if there's anybody out there that doesn't Everything I've sent out there has never come back when they said that they don't do that anymore. So, >> okay. because again I mean there are resources for legality and then just along those you know I I know why we're changing those policies but it's to understand um and make sure that they're you know that we we don't have any issues with enforcement. >> Yeah we'll reach out tomorrow. >> Sounds good. Thanks Josh. >> We'll have anything that they give us we'll have before the second meeting. >> Sounds good. Thank you. And just in the future like if you know so this was published on Friday. If any of us have questions about that like any policy you could or I could write
025NTSBA and ask ahead of time like ahead of the meeting. So that and we could have an answer to that now rather than the question. So any of us can do that >> and so can our administration. So that's what I'm asking for. Thank you. Yep. Any other discussion of the board? All those in favor of adoption of first reading of 5450 MF1 say I. I. I. All those opposed. None. Motion passes. Next, we're going to go to 5450 NF3. This is a brand. This is just a signature pitch saying that read the policy. This doesn't cite anything that would be changed and it's just um read it and agreed to it. And this also puts the employees name, work position, work location, employer signature, and received by day. So we can have it before
026they have access because they go live in Augustish. >> It depends because sometimes there's classes offered in June. >> Okay. >> And teachers come in, new teachers come in to take those classes. So >> Okay. >> We'll figure that out with logistics. Uh they sign contracts. They sign this also. Then possibly >> we might be discussing. >> Oh yeah. No definitely. So let's not kill it here. So we can go first >> and we can send this also to NKSBA if you want Lacy and get their >> I don't think it hurts. >> That move to approve. >> I'll second. >> I got a motion from Shane and a second from Corey to approve first reading of NF3. Correct. >> Yes. Okay. Discussion from the public. Discussion from the board. All those in favor of
027approving first reading of NF3 say I. >> I. All those oppos. None. Motion passes. Now we want to go back to a personal matter administrative communications. The mortgage vote to enter a close session pursuant to MCA2-3-2-3-203 to discuss personal matters where the demand for the individual privacy clearly exceeds the merits of the public disclosure. The purpose of this executive session is to discuss administrative communication related governance concerns. No action will be taken on the executive session. I move we move to executive session to discuss the administrative communication. Second second from Cory discussion from the public. >> If you go into executive session, is there going to be any kind of resolution that we need to hang out for or there will be nothing other than? >> We will not make any decision in executive session.
028>> Once you're done with it, then you just adjourn and that's it. There's no reason to hang out. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Correct. >> Any other questions from the public? Discussion from the board. All those in favor of entering executive session to discuss the administrative communication say I. >> I. All those oppos. Hearing none. Motion passes. The board has deemed that the individual's right to privacy exceeds the public's right to know. And at this time, we will adjourn to executive session. When we return from executive session, we will return and vote to adjourn. That is all. No other decisions will be made after you all leave. and we will be filming our journal. >> Thank you. never being the last.