Feb 22, 2022 School Board Regular Meeting

[00:00:01]

GOOD EVENING. THE TIME IS NOW 5:30, AND I CALL THE FEBRUARY 22ND MEETING OF THE EISD BOARD

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

MADAM SECRETARY.

DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE DO. GREAT, THANK YOU.

[3. CLOSED SESSION]

WE WILL RECONVENE IN AN OPEN SESSION AT APPROXIMATELY SEVEN O'CLOCK.

THANK YOU TO ANYBODY THAT LOGGED IN TO WATCH THIS.

THERE WILL BE MORE TO SEE IN A BIT.

SEE YOU THEN.

[4. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION (Approximately 7:00 PM.)]

GOOD EVENING. AND WELCOME TO THE EISD BOARD MEETING, I'M VERY GLAD YOU'RE HERE, SINCERELY, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD WHEN I SAY WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GOOD MEETING. NOW I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO NEED TO COVER QUICKLY.

FIRST, FOR THE PURPOSES OF TONIGHT'S MEETING.

THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING IS FOR THE BOARD TO DELIBERATE AND VOTE ON THE MATTERS LISTED ON ITS AGENDA.

THE DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO TREATING EVERYONE HERE WITH RESPECT, AND WE EXPECT THE SAME IN RETURN. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM OUTBURSTS OR ANY OTHER FORM OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.

THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE MEETING.

IT APPEARS THAT WE HAVE 25 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND EACH PERSON WILL BE AFFORDED THREE MINUTES.

LAST THING, IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE EMERGENCY EXITS NEAR YOU, EVERYONE THAT WAY AND THE ONE THROUGH THE HALLWAY THAT YOU ENTERED.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOLS.

AND WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW BEGIN OUR AGENDA.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THAT AGENDA IS DR.

LEONARD SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.

OH, YEAH, OK.

NEVER MIND. YEAH.

[5. EANES ISD MISSION STATEMENT]

UNITE, EMPOWER, INSPIRE EVERY PERSON, EVERY DAY WE UNITE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS, CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR ALL.

WE EMPOWER STUDENTS, PROVIDING AN EXEMPLARY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPS CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY AND INDIVIDUAL TALENTS, AND WE INSPIRE EACH OTHER TO LEAD PURPOSEFUL LIVES OF EMPATHY, GRATITUDE, AND COMPASSION.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WE GOT FLAG RIGHT HERE ON THE CENTER COLUMN.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.

NOW, I GUESS WE CAN GO INTO DR.

[7. REPORTS]

THANK YOU, JOHN, AND I'LL BE FAIRLY CONCISE, BUT THERE'S TWO THINGS I DO WANT TO MENTION.

WHOOPS. FIRST OF ALL, THAT IS THE PICTURE OF THE POOL WITH WATER IN IT, AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THERE ARE NO KIDS IN THE PICTURE IN THE WATER, BUT THAT IS COMING SOON.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF DAYS THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH CHEMICALS AND GETTING EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO WE'RE WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT THAT.

SECOND. AND I TRY TO KEEP THIS BRIEF.

THERE'S I THINK IT'S THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

WE'LL GO THROUGH THE TAPER REPORT AND THE TAPER REPORT IS DATA FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT THEY COLLECT FROM ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND IT BASICALLY SHOWS HOW OUR KIDS ARE DOING.

AND THE LATEST RESULTS WE HAVE ARE FROM APRIL OF 2021.

THAT'S THE LATEST YOU CAN GET, RIGHT? AND THAT THOSE RESULTS ARE KIDS TAKING TESTS ABOUT A YEAR INTO COVID AND INTO ALL THE THINGS WE DEALT WITH. IT'LL BE AN IN-DEPTH REPORT.

SUSAN AND HER TEAM WILL GIVE THAT REPORT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND INTERESTING.

THESE ARE ALSO PART OF THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT THAT I'M DOING JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES.

THOSE ARE OUR NUMBERS FOR THE CLASS OF 2021 OF NATIONAL MERIT FINALIST COMMENDED SCHOLARS, YOU CAN SEE THOSE NUMBERS THERE.

THOSE ARE AS HIGH AS ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AGAIN, WE COMPARE TO OUR CONSORTIUM SCHOOLS THAT ARE FROM EVERYWHERE, IN MULTIPLE STATES.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

BUT HERE ARE SOME OTHER NUMBERS THAT YOU MAY FIND INTERESTING.

WE HAD EIGHT PERFECT SCORES ON THE ACT.

AND WE ALSO HAD THE HIGHEST AND ALSO HIGHEST ACT IN WESTLAKE'S HISTORY, AND THAT WAS 29.2.

[00:05:01]

AND I'LL SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THAT IN COMPARISON TO SOME OTHER SCHOOLS IN A SECOND.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE STAAR TESTS.

I'M JUST GOING TO SHOW YOU ONE SLIDE ON STAAR.

YOU COME TO THE NEXT MEETING, YOU'LL SEE A HUNDRED, BUT RIGHT NOW JUST ONE.

AND THIS IS ALL THE TESTS IF YOU JUST DO THE FROM THIRD GRADE ALL THE WAY THROUGH END OF COURSE, EXAMS, HOW DID OUR KIDS DO? AND WE LOOK AT IT, OUR KIDS DID WELL.

THIS IS ONE OF MY HEROES.

JAIME ESCALANTE. HE WAS AP CALCULUS TEACHER.

IF YOU EVER SAW THE MOVIE STAND AND DELIVER.

THAT'S WHAT HE HAD ABOVE HIS BLACKBOARD FOR HIS STUDENTS DETERMINATION, DISCIPLINE, HARD WORK. THAT'S THE WAY TO SUCCESS.

I ACTUALLY, WHEN I WAS TEACHING CALCULUS, I PUT THAT SAME SIGN UP AFTER I GOT IT FROM HIM. BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE'S SOME, AND I THINK OUR KIDS WORK HARD.

I THINK OUR COMMUNITY WORKS HARD.

I THINK OUR TEACHERS WORK HARD.

I THINK OUR PARENTS WORK HARD BECAUSE THEY WANT THE KIDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

THERE ARE OVER A THOUSAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

I'M NOT WORRYING ABOUT HOW WE DO COMPARED TO A THOUSAND.

I'M JUST GOING TO LOOK AT THESE 10 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SHOW YOU SOME DATA ON THOSE 10 IN RELATIONSHIP TO US.

AND THOSE 10 ARE THE HIGHEST PERFORMING DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT A THOUSAND, BUT NOW WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE TOP SCHOOLS.

IN THE OVERALL STAAR PERFORMANCE ON ALL TESTS.

THIRD GRADE UP, THAT'S WHERE WE SCORED.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT, IT'S HARD TO READ, BUT WE'LL PUT THESE ON THE WEB FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM.

THESE ARE THE OTHER DISTRICTS, ALAMO HEIGHTS, CAROL, YOU CAN SEE THEM LISTED THERE.

HIGHLAND PARK, LAKE TRAVIS.

BASICALLY, WE ARE RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE TOP SCHOOLS.

IN SOME CASES WE'RE ONLY ONE OR TWO PERCENT OFF AND OTHER CASES WHERE SEVERAL PERCENT, DOUBLE DIGIT PERCENT AHEAD.

BUT I JUST GOT THIS INFORMATION ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, AND I WAS THRILLED AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THIS TONIGHT.

I ASKED MY TEAM TO LOOK AT THE ACT AND SAT SCORES OF THOSE TOP DISTRICTS.

AND I'M GOING TO BRING THEM UP FROM 10 ALL THE WAY TO NUMBER ONE, AND I'M RANKING THEM BY ACT. SO IN 10TH PLACE, WE HAVE NORTHWEST ISD.

NINTH, ALAMO HEIGHTS.

EIGHT, I WON'T READ THEM ALL.

SEVEN, SIX, SIX IS LAKE TRAVIS FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO. AND I KNOW TWO THINGS, WE RANK THEM BY ACT BUT IF YOU LOOK AT SAT, WE ARE ALSO AHEAD OF ALL OF THOSE DISTRICTS.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, IN CERTAIN CASES, OUR AVERAGE IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN OTHER SCHOOLS. OUR KIDS WORKED HARD.

OUR TEACHERS WORKED HARD AND OUR PARENTS SUPPORTED THEM THROUGH SOME OF THE TOUGHEST TIMES. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT A THOUSAND SOMETHING DISTRICTS AND YOU TAKE THE TOP 10, THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT STATEMENT IS A WHOLE LOT OF THE REASON WHY. SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT AND THAT'S MY REPORT.

I WANT TO KEEP IT SHORT.

THANK YOU, DR. LEONARD. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE OPEN FORUM PORTION OF OUR MEETING, I

[8. OPEN FORUM]

IT IS NOW TIME FOR WE HAVE TWENTY-FIVE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP THIS EVENING AND EACH SPEAKER WILL BE AFFORDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

I'LL CALL YOU FORWARD WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN AND LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.

ONCE YOU ARE NOTIFIED THAT YOUR TIME IS UP, PLEASE FINISH YOUR SENTENCE AND THEN STOP.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE NO REASON TO SUSPECT THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN, BUT IF ANY SPEAKER REFUSES, THIS WILL BE CONSIDERED A DISRUPTION OF THE BOARD MEETING AND WE WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION AND RECITATION OF EXISTING POLICY MAY BE FURNISHED IN RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES, BUT THE BOARD CANNOT DELIBERATE REGARDING ANY SUBJECT THAT IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE AUDIO OF THE OPEN FORUM PORTION OF THE BOARD MEETING IS RECORDED AS PART OF THE RECORDING OF THE ENTIRE MEETING AND IS PUBLISHED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE WITHOUT ALTERATION.

PERSONS WHO CHOOSE TO SPEAK IN OPEN FORUM ARE CONSENTING TO THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THEIR COMMENTS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE TIME AND MAKING THE EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. WE ARE READY FOR OUR FIRST SPEAKER, AND THIS EVENING OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS BRIAN TALLY, WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOOKS AND MORE.

WELCOME, BRIAN. GOOD EVENING, AND THANKS TO OUR TEACHERS ADMINISTRATION AND VOLUNTEERS FOR YOUR SERVICE AND TO SPEAK QUICKLY.

THIS HAS BEEN A NEWS PACKED WEEK.

JUST YESTERDAY, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY PROMOTED LGBTQ FRIENDLY SPRING BREAK SEX ED

[00:10:05]

I SHARED THESE CONCERNS WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND OF COURSE, GOT NOTHING IN RESPONSE.

I SHARED WITH THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS AND INCUMBENT REBECCA [INAUDIBLE] WHO WAS KIND ENOUGH TO RESPOND WITH HER THOUGHTS.

HER THOUGHTS WERE THAT PARENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE HOMESCHOOL IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THE CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS OFFERED IN THEIR LOCAL SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU, REBECCA, FOR SHARING YOUR SENTIMENTS TOWARDS CONCERNED PARENTS.

WE'RE USED TO IT, BUT IT GETS BETTER.

THE INFAMOUS AND NOTABLY ANONYMOUS DISCRIMINATION ACCOUNT ON INSTAGRAM YET AGAIN ATTACKED MY FRIEND JENNIFER FOR SIMPLY SHARING CONCERNS WITH BOOKS PROMOTING SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND IT APPEARS THAT SOME OF THE COMMENTS MAY BE COMING FROM TEACHERS NORMALIZING SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND PROFANE MATERIAL AND SUGGESTING JENNIFER SENT HER KIDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOL.

TEACHERS. IS THIS ALL SOUNDING LIKE A TREND? BECAUSE HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

YOUR CHILD IS OUR PROPERTY, YOUR MONEY IS OUR PROPERTY, AND YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL IS OUR PROPERTY, AND YOU CAN LEAVE IT IF YOU DON'T LIKE.

BUT FORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF US, WE CAN LEARN FROM THE PAST BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN ALL OF THIS PLAY OUT BEFORE WHEN ADULTS NORMALIZED SEXUAL BEHAVIOR TO SEXUALLY GROOM CHILDREN.

LIKE THE BOY SCOUT SCANDAL, THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH A 2.7 BILLION DOLLARS SETTLEMENT RIGHT NOW, WHILE THE BOY SCOUTS WERE BUSY WITH IDENTITY POLITICS AND NORMALIZING SEXUAL BEHAVIOR WITHIN THEIR RANKS [INAUDIBLE] EAGLE SCOUT, THOUSANDS OF BOYS WERE GROOMED AND SEXUALLY ABUSED AND RAPED.

THAT HAPPENED. THERE WERE MORE THAN 82,000 ABUSE CLAIMS FILED.

THINK ABOUT THAT.

SO I'D LIKE TO ASK THE AUDIENCE A QUESTION AND SEE A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY OF YOU PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN SEXUALLY GROOMED? OK. HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE FORCED TO HAVE THEIR KIDS SEXUALLY GROOMED BY THE SCHOOL? AND BEFORE WE WRITE ALL THESE CONCERNS OFF, AS THEY WILL ON THESE ANONYMOUS DISCRIMINATION ACCOUNTS AS CONSPIRACY, LET'S NOT FORGET THE DISTRICT HAS ALREADY HAD A NOTABLE PARENT TEACHER SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP IN THE NEWS.

FEMALE TEACHER, MALE STUDENT, SO ONE MIGHT ASK THE QUESTION IF THAT TEACHER CAME BACK TO THE DISTRICT AND READ ONE OF THESE BOOKS TO 10 AND 11 YEAR OLD BOYS, WOULD THEY VIOLATE THEIR PROBATION AND GO TO JAIL? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS. AND IF SO, WHY IS THAT OK FOR TEACHERS TO DO THE SAME? CAROLYN IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT DIVERSE BOOKS IN LIBRARIES.

MS. [INAUDIBLE] ARE YOU HERE? THANK YOU.

WELCOME. THERE'S THE TIME.

A LITTLE SHORTER. OK.

WHEREAS THE TIMER I'M WATCHING HERE.

OVER THERE. OK.

OK. AS A RETIRED LIBRARIAN WITH 29 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND EANES, I WANT TO THANK THIS BOARD AND ALL THE PREVIOUS BOARDS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF EXEMPLARY LIBRARIES.

TODAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE AS AN EXPERIENCED LIBRARY AND BACKGROUND ON HOW LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE SELECTED.

BOARD POLICY IF LOCAL OUTLINES THE CRITERIA FOR LIBRARY SELECTION, THE MATERIALS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT STUDENTS VARIED INTERESTS, ABILITIES, AND MATURITY LEVELS THAT IT STIMULATE ENJOYMENT OF READING OR LITERARY APPRECIATION.

THAT THEY PRESENT VARIOUS SIDES OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES SO STUDENTS CAN EMPLOY CRITICAL THINKING AND MAKE INFORMED JUDGMENTS IN THEIR LIVES, AND THAT IT REPRESENT MANY ETHNIC AND CULTURAL GROUPS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.

LIBRARIANS CAREFULLY DEVELOP THE QUARTERS BY READING REVIEWS AND LIBRARY AND TEACHER MAGAZINES, ATTENDING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, CRUISING STATE AND NATIONAL BOOK AWARD LISTS AND THROUGH STUDENT RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE INTENT IS TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS ON OUR CAMPUSES.

MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE EF WORD LOCAL POLICY.

IN REGARDS TO SERVING ALL STUDENTS, LIBRARIANS SAY EVERY BOOK HAS ITS READER, OUR THREE KIDS WENT TO SCHOOL IN EANES.

ONE STEPDAUGHTER LIKED HORSES, ONE LOVE BOOKS LIKE WALK TWO MOONS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS, WHILE MY SON LIKED HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, SCIENCE FICTION.

[00:15:03]

THE SUPREME COURT WROTE IN 1982 THAT LIBRARIES ARE PLACES IN SCHOOLS OF VOLUNTARY INQUIRY . MARKETPLACES OF IDEAS WITH BOOKS ON THE SHELF WHETHER YOUR KID LIKES HUNTING, OR IS IT A VEGETARIAN? THERE'S A CALL NUMBER FOR EVERYONE.

DR. RUDY SIMMS BISHOP, A RESEARCHER, WROTE THAT BOOK SERVE AS MIRRORS, WINDOWS, AND SLIDING GLASS DOORS FOR OUR STUDENTS, MIRRORS THEIR BOOKS THAT MIRROR OUR OWN EXPERIENCES AND HELP US KNOW WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THE WORLD.

WINDOWS ARE BOOKS THAT HELP US SEE INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE AND HAVE EMPATHY FOR THEIR EXPERIENCE AND MAYBE HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WE'D NEVER HAVE, LIKE RACING IN THE [INAUDIBLE], BUT HELP US BE MORE COMPLEX PEOPLE CUSTOM.

LIBERIANS, CELEBRATE YOUR CHILD'S FIRST CHAPTER BOOK, HELP A DISCOURAGED READER FIND A NEW AUTHOR TO LOVE AND HELP STUDENTS FIND THOSE MIRRORS AND WINDOWS.

AND WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO COLLEGE AND WE WANT THEM TO BE PREPARED TO INTERACT IN THE LARGER WORLD.

AS LIBRARIANS, WE ALSO PRESSED OUR STUDENTS AS CRITICAL THINKERS IN TWENTY NINE YEARS IN EANES I SAW THE DEPTH AND RICHNESS THAT GOES INTO THE EXCELLENT TEACHING IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES.

AND I TRUST THAT STUDENTS CAN HANDLE COMPLEX IDEAS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF LIBRARIES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY [INAUDIBLE] KELLY.

IS KELLY HERE? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL JUMP KELLY AND GO TO GREG [INAUDIBLE].

GREG, ARE YOU HERE? OK.

GREG'S GOING TO SPEAK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOOKS.

WELCOME, GREG. THANK YOU.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EANES EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS.

MY NAME IS GREG [INAUDIBLE].

I'VE HAD THREE OF MY KIDS ATTEND EANES.

MY STEPSON GRADUATED WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL.

MY DAUGHTER'S GRADUATING FROM [INAUDIBLE] ELEMENTARY.

THE HALLMARK OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT CONTINUES TO SERVE THEM YEARS AFTER THEY ATTENDED ARE THE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THAT THEY LEARNED WHILE HERE.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IS DEFINED BY THE OXFORD DICTIONARY ARE THE OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF AN ISSUE IN ORDER TO FORM A JUDGMENT.

YOU CANNOT BE OBJECTIVE WITHOUT ACCESSING AND CONSIDERING DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS.

THESE ARE SKILLS THAT ARE VALUED THAT ARE SOUGHT OUT IN THE WORKING AND PROFESSIONAL WORLD. THESE ARE SKILLS THAT SHOULD BE NURTURED IN OUR STUDENTS.

I COME FROM A MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE MOST VALUED ARE THOSE WHO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS, WHO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO, WHO FIND NEW AND NOVEL SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS, WHO WORK WELL IN TEAMS AND WITH OTHERS.

DON'T SELL YOUR STUDENTS SHORT BY DENYING THEM THIS ACCESS.

DON'T SELL YOUR STUDENTS SHORT BY CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE THOSE WHO TEACH ARE SO RELUCTANT ABOUT THEIR SUBJECT MATTER THAT THEY SELF CENSOR CONTENT.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, COUNSELORS, STAFF AND STUDENTS DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.

RECENT ATTEMPTS TO BAN AND REMOVE HUNDREDS OF BOOKS IN A WHOLESALE MANNER ARE ANTITHETICAL TO THE PURPOSE OF TEACHING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.

YOU HAVE A PROCESS FOR BOOK CHALLENGES.

I URGE YOU TO FOLLOW IT.

BECAUSE BY FOLLOWING THE PROCESS, YOU PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE INSTITUTION FROM THE WHIMS OF ANY PARTICULAR VIEWPOINT.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE EANES EDUCATORS THAT HAVE WORKED SO HARD DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN TIPTON HINES.

MS. HINES IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT TRANSGENDER PROMOTION IN SCHOOLS.

NO. OK.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MAGGIE SUTTER.

MAGGIE IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT INCLUSION AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM.

MS. SUTTER.

WELCOME. HELLO, WELCOME.

I DON'T HAVE MY USUAL SPEECH PRINTED OUT, BUT I'M GOING TO JUST WING IT A LITTLE BIT.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, EDUCATION AND ALSO SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING.

I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THESE SKILLS ARE NOT ALWAYS DEVELOPED AT HOME.

SO FINDING THEM IN THE SCHOOL SETTING SUITS THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE, AND IT'S JUST BETTER FOR SOCIETY IN GENERAL.

[00:20:02]

I'VE BEEN HEARING TRICKLING COMING DOWN FROM SOME OF THE BOARD SUMMIT CONVERSATIONS, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUR WAY AND THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON, HOPEFULLY.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT HARD WORK AS WELL.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT BOOK BANS ARE NOTHING NEW.

YOU KNOW, EVERY 10 OR 15 YEARS THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME KIND OF POLITICAL MOVEMENT OR SOMETHING THAT WE SEE THIS POP UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND GENERALLY, THEY DON'T LAST.

AND I'M REALLY HOPING THAT THE SAME THING KIND OF HAPPENS THIS TIME.

I'M HAPPY WITH OUR BOARD POLICY ABOUT THE BOOKS AND THE PROCESS FOR JUDGING WHETHER OR NOT A BOOK IS APPROPRIATE.

I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HEED TO THAT PROCESS.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE.

AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THROUGHOUT HISTORY, WHEN THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO CENSOR KNOWLEDGE AND TO CONTROL PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO ACCESS KNOWLEDGE, THOSE KINDS OF.

THOSE KINDS OF POLITICIANS AND MOVEMENTS TEND TO NOT STICK AROUND, AND SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT THIS PASSES AND THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS AND WE ALL STILL LOVE EACH OTHER AND CONTINUE TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS ANYWAY.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN, AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW PROTOCOLS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BIT OF A SUBSTITUTE.

ALISON COLLINS IS GOING TO READ A STATEMENT PREPARED BY MEGAN [INAUDIBLE] AND IT IS ABOUT TRANSGENDERISM. AND LET'S SEE.

I'LL READ IT. I'LL READ IT DIRECTLY.

IT SHOULD BE A SUBJECT THAT IS THE CHOICE OF THE PARENTS TO SHARE AND TEACH.

NOT A PUBLIC SCHOOL. MS. COLLINS.

THANK YOU. DUE TO EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, AS MR. HAVENS SAID, THE BOARD IS ALLOWING THIS COMMENT TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD TONIGHT.

GOOD EVENING TO YOU ALL. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN THERE.

HOWEVER, THE SIMPLE HOLDING OF A SIGN BY A MOM ON SCHOOL PROPERTY SOMEHOW EQUATES TO TRESPASSING, WHICH IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.

THAT BEING SAID, THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE PARENTAL CHOICE, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND VIEWS ON HOW TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN AND WHAT THEY ARE EXPOSED TO, AND THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE.

TAKING AWAY PARENTS RIGHTS BY TEACHING LESSONS, READING BOOKS OR EXPOSING CHILDREN TO TOPICS THAT ARE AGAINST A PARENT'S CHOICE FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN IS WRONG AND UNACCEPTABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONFUSION CAUSED ESPECIALLY IN YOUNG CHILDREN, BY ASKING THEM TO USE ANATOMICALLY INCORRECT PRONOUNS FOR THEIR PEERS AND READING BOOKS THAT EXPOSE CHILDREN TO SENSITIVE TOPICS IF SCHOOL CLUBS OR GROUPS WANT TO BE STARTED WHERE CHILDREN TALK ABOUT AND DISCUSS THEIR GENDER CONFUSION THAT SHOULD BE VOLUNTARY AND AFTER SCHOOL NOT MANDATORY DURING LUNCH OR FREE PERIOD.

THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN AND NOT YOURS.

PARENTS HAVE RIGHTS.

SECONDLY, THE SEXUAL GROOMING PROTECTION ACT OF 2023, WHICH WILL BE PASSED AND PERTAINED TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, REFERS TO THE DESENSITIZATION AND GROOMING OF OTHER FOLKS.

CHILDREN SHARING SEXUAL INFORMATION, SUCH AS THE ACCEPTANCE OF A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A CHILD AND AN ADULT, WHICH NOW UNBELIEVABLY HAS A NAME, MINOR ATTRACTED PEOPLE.

IT USED TO BE REFERRED TO AS PEDOPHILIA OR A PEDOPHILE.

NOWADAYS, ANYONE WITH HALF A BRAIN CAN LABEL A DANGEROUS GROUP, AND PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BIG SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.

THIS IS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN.

WE PARENTS NEED TO AND FRANKLY MUST CONFRONT THESE ACTIVE ATTEMPTS OF STRIPPING AWAY PARENTS RIGHTS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM HARM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LESLIE GOLDSON.

MS. GOLDSON IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR DIVERSE BOOKS.

MS. COLSON. IS SHE HERE?.

I DON'T SEE ANYBODY. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ZOE MILLER-PAYNE.

I DON'T HAVE A TOPIC FOR MS. MILLER-PAYNE. WELCOME, FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR COMMENTS, THANK YOU.

HI. I AM A STUDENT AT COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I'M A STUDENT AT HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME .

WE READ THEM, WE LEARNED THEM, WE READ THEM FOR FUN.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD TO READ, IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN.

SO FINALLY, I LISTENED.

I READ AND I READ AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM.

THEY BROUGHT ME A WHOLE NEW WORLD AND FUN, BUT MOSTLY THEY HELP ME LEARN.

I LEARNED ABOUT OUR WORLD.

THEY HELPED ME UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE BETTER.

THEY THOUGHT THEY TAUGHT ME THAT WHILE WE MAY BE DIFFERENT, WE BOTH HAVE OUR TROUBLES.

YES. WELL, IT'S A BIT UPSETTING TO HEAR ABOUT THINGS.

[00:25:01]

I KNOW PARENTS WANT TO SHELTER THEIR KIDS, BUT IF A KID IS OLD ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE RACISM, SEXISM, HOMOPHOBIA, THEN KIDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO LEARN ABOUT IT BECAUSE IF KIDS LEARN ABOUT IT PROPERLY, THEY WON'T DO IT.

SO WHEN THEY HEAR THEIR KIDS BEING HORRIBLE AND BIGOTS, THEY WILL STEP IN AND SAY, HEY, THAT'S NOT OK INSTEAD OF JOINING IN.

PARENTS STOP TRYING TO STOP YOUR KIDS FROM LEARNING ABOUT UPSETTING TOPICS.

INSTEAD, TEACH THEM IN A WAY THAT IS FOR KIDS.

YOU CAN DO STUFF LIKE READ YOUNGER KIDS PICTURE BOOKS THAT HAVE A QUALITY AND TEACH YOUR KIDS AS THEY GET OLDER.

YOU CAN'T JUST BAN BOOKS.

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LAND OF THE FREE, SO PLEASE TELL ME WHY WE ARE GOING BACK IN TIME AND BANNING BOOKS.

WE MUST MOVE FORWARD, NOT BACKWARDS.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOAN MCCLAIN.

MS. MCCLAIN IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT DEI, CRT, AND INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS.

WELCOME, MS. MCCLAIN.

CRT AND DEI, IN MY OPINION, ARE MARXIST BASED PHILOSOPHIES THAT HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS IS JUST A FACT.

THEY ARE THE ANTITHESIS OF THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED AND HAVE AS THEIR GOALS, TEARING DOWN EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR COUNTRY AND THE GAINS WE'VE MADE OVER ALL THE YEARS OF OUR EXISTENCE, INSTEAD OF BUILDING UPON SUCCESSES AND WORKING TO OVERCOME OUR CONTINUED CHALLENGES.

THEY REJECT FREEDOM AND EQUALITY AND JUDGE ALL PEOPLE BASED ON RACE AND IDENTITY INSTEAD OF THEIR CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY, THE UNCONTROLLABLE INSTEAD OF THE CONTROLLABLE.

THIS ONLY CAUSES DIVISION, RESENTMENT, AND CONFLICT.

BUT OF COURSE, THIS IS JUST WHAT MOST VOCAL PROPONENTS REALLY WANT.

THEY'RE NOT AFTER IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR SOCIETY AS WE KNOW IT.

THIS MUST BE REJECTED.

WE NEED OUR BOARD AND OUR EDUCATORS TO SEE THIS FOR WHAT IT IS AND REVERSE COURSE INSTEAD OF CONTINUING DOWN THIS OBVIOUSLY DIVISIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE PATH.

THERE SHOULD BE NO RACISM OF ANY KIND IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ANY ASSUMPTION THAT A PERSON IS BAD OR AN OPPRESSOR BECAUSE HE OR SHE IS A CERTAIN COLOR.

THERE SHOULD BE NO ASSUMPTION THAT SOMEONE IS A VICTIM SOLELY BASED ON THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. THIS IS A DISSERVICE TO ALL OF THE TALENTED, INTELLIGENT, MOTIVATED, KIND AND ACCEPTING PEOPLE AND MOST ESPECIALLY KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. ARE WE PERFECT? NO. THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PROBLEMS, BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

BUT MANY, ME INCLUDED, DO NOT FEEL THAT THEY'RE EVEN BEING HEARD.

WE FEEL DICTATED TO, NOT LISTEN TO.

WE DON'T FEEL CONSULTED ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. WE SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS, BUT WE FEEL IGNORED.

I'M SURE THAT THE DECISION TO BRING DEI INTO OUR DISTRICT WAS DONE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT A LOT HAS BEEN LEARNED SINCE THEN AND THE TIME HAS COME TO REVERSE COURSE.

ADMITTING MISTAKES IS A SIGN OF COURAGE, NOT WEAKNESS.

I HAVE WAY MORE RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LISTEN, TO LEARN, TO CONSTANTLY REEVALUATE AND TO ENGAGE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CASE PARENTS IN THEIR QUEST FOR THE RIGHT PATH. THIS IS WHAT IS BEING DEMANDED AND IS WHAT IS HAPPENING ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, AND IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND THE RESULTS, IN MY OPINION, WILL BE VERY REWARDING. WE MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE AND MUST REJECT THE LANGUAGE THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY.

WE MUST ENSURE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BUT REJECT THE NOTION OF REDISTRIBUTION, WHICH IS EQUALITY OF OUTCOME AND MARXIST IN NATURE.

WE MUST LOVE AND ACCEPT PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE, THEIR INDIVIDUAL QUALITIES AND CHARACTER. WE MUST GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF TEACHING SUBJECT MATTER AND LEADING MATTERS OF POLITICS AND MORALITY TO THE PARENTS.

FAILURE TO DO THAT WILL BRING OUR DISTRICT DOWN AND WILL RESULT IN SOME PARENTS PULLING THEIR CHILDREN OUT. HAS THIS AS HAS ALREADY OCCURRED? THIS DOES NOT PROMOTE INCLUSIVENESS.

IT IS THE ANTITHESIS OF THAT.

IT IS ITS OWN KIND OF INTOLERANCE, COERCION, AND DISCRIMINATION.

I TRULY BELIEVE THAT MOST OF OUR OUTSTANDING TEACHERS DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE ISSUES. I THINK THEY JUST WANT TO TEACH THEIR SUBJECT MATTER TO THEIR STUDENTS.

LET'S GET BACK TO THAT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU, MS. MCCLAIN. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH [INAUDIBLE].

MS. [INAUDIBLE] ARE YOU HERE? THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JILL [INAUDIBLE], MS. [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.

JILL. WELCOME.

HI, EVERYONE, THANK YOU BOARD, ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR TIME AND EMOTION AND INVESTMENT IN OUR CHILDREN, DO APPRECIATE IT.

I'M JILL [INAUDIBLE].

I'M A MOTHER TO DILLON, WHO'S A JUNIOR HERE AT WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M ALSO THE DAUGHTER OF A RETIRED 30 YEAR ENGLISH TEACHER AND THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF A SPEECH PROFESSOR AND COACH DEBATE TEAM AT NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY.

I GREW UP SURROUNDED BY BOOKS.

I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS, AND I'M KIND OF DIVERTING OFF MY SPEECH BECAUSE I'M SO

[00:30:03]

I ASKED MY MOM FOR A QUOTE TO COME HERE TONIGHT FROM AN ENGLISH TEACHER, AND HER FIRST ONE WAS, WELL, I'M SURE ALL THE AUTHORS OF THESE BOOKS THEY WANT TO BAN ARE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE BOOK SALES ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW.

I SAID, OK, CAN YOU GIVE ME SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE DEEP THAN THAT? AND SHE WROTE THIS TO ME AND SHE SAID, YOU CAN'T SHELTER YOUR CHILDREN FROM IDEAS YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN. THE BEST WAY TO ARM THEM AGAINST CONCEPTS YOU HATE OR FEAR IS TO EXPOSE THEM TO THESE IDEAS.

READING DIVERSE THOUGHTS GIVES THEM TIME TO PREPARE AND EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH BOTH THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CONCEPTS IN LIFE.

THAT'S CRITICAL THINKING, AND I'M SO THANKFUL WE'RE IN A DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS FOR CRITICAL THINKING. I'M JEALOUS OF THE EDUCATION MY SON HAS RECEIVED HERE.

I GREW UP IN A DESEGREGATED RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE WE WEREN'T REALLY TAUGHT THE REAL TRUE HISTORY THAT HE HAS SEEN.

I WAS ALSO RAISED BY MY GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS RETIRED PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AS I WAS BORN, AND I WOULD SIT ON THE ARM OF HIS CHAIR AND HE WOULD READ TO ME ALL OF HIS BOOKS, EVERYTHING FROM SHAKESPEARE TO GOLDWATER.

AND IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW THAT THE GOLDWATER DIDN'T STICK.

SO I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THESE LIBRARIANS.

I READ THE QUALIFICATIONS A CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN HAS TO HAVE IN TEXAS.

I HAD NO IDEA.

I CHAIRED THE BOOK SPRING READ A THON FOR TWO YEARS AT BRIDGEPOINT, AND I'M EVEN NOW MORE IN AWE THAN EVER OF THE CERTIFICATIONS THEY HAVE TO HAVE, BACHELOR'S DEGREE, MASTER'S DEGREE, TWO YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE FOR STATE CERTIFICATION TESTS.

IT'S STAGGERING THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION.

I ALWAYS JUST THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST REALLY SUPER COOL BECAUSE THEY COULD ANSWER ALL MY QUESTIONS. AND NOW I'M JUST MORE NOW THAN EVER, AND I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR LIBRARIANS AND OUR ADMINISTRATION TO CONTINUE A PATH FORWARD THAT WE'RE ON. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KERRY COLLIER BROWN.

SHE WANTS TO SPEAK TO, MS. COLLIER-BROWN IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT LIBRARIES.

WELCOME. OK, THANK YOU.

HELLO, MY NAME IS WILLOW BROWN, AND I'M A SIXTH GRADER AT HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHY WE SHOULD NOT PUT THE BAN ON THE EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY BOOKS ABOUT RACE, SEXUALITY IN HISTORY THAT WILL ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT, MAYBE BEING BANNED. I'M A PERSON WHO READS AN IMMENSE NUMBER OF BOOKS LOOKING OVER THE 16 PAGE, EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY BOOK LIST.

I NOTED MANY BOOKS THAT LOOKED LIKE GREAT BOOKS THAT I WOULD READ.

IF THE BAN WAS IN PLACE AND I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO READ ANY OF THEM.

AS FOR THE BOOKS ON THE LIST THAT I HAVE READ, I'VE LOVED ALL OF THEM.

WE SHOULDN'T LET SOMEONE ELSE'S PARENTS DECIDE WHAT BOOKS WE CAN READ.

SHOULDN'T OUR PARENTS DECIDE WHAT BOOKS TO READ? IF A PERSON FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE BOOK BECAUSE OF WHATEVER REASONS THEY CAN JUST CLOSE THE BOOK AND WALK AWAY, THEY DON'T NEED TO BAN A BOOK FOR ANOTHER PERSON WHO MIGHT ENJOY IT. LGBTQIA COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF COLOR BOOKS ABOUT BODY PARTS AND REPRODUCTION AND ALL OF HISTORY, EVEN ITS GRUESOME OR DISTURBING SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED.

IT SEEMS SO IDIOTIC THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY CAN BAN A BOOK JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE IT. MAYBE, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN READ IT.

IF THE BAN WAS IN PLACE, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REREAD SOME OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY, SUCH AS CINDERELLA IS DEAD, THE HANDMAID'S TALE AND I AM JAZZ.

FOR THE CHILDREN, BANNING BOOKS MEANS A DENIAL OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND A NARROW WORLDVIEW. LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS MAY NOT REMOVE BOOKS FROM A SCHOOL LIBRARY SHELVES SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DISLIKE THE IDEA CONTAINED IN THOSE BOOKS THAT WAS SAID BY THE U.S.

SUPREME COURT AND BOARD OF EDUCATION ISLAND TREE SCHOOL DISTRICT V.

PICO IN 1982.

THE LAW REQUIRES THAT IF A BOOK IS TO BE REMOVED AN INQUIRY MUST BE MADE AS TO THE MOTIVATION AND INTENTION OF THE PARTIES CALLING FOR ITS REMOVAL.

IF THE PARTY'S INTENTION IS TO DENY A STUDENT ACCESS WITH WHICH THE PARTY DISAGREES, IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MS. WILLOW. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS [INAUDIBLE] BENJAMIN WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIBRARIES.

MS. BENJAMIN. WELCOME.

[INAUDIBLE]

[00:35:03]

ONE, LIBRARIANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE BEST PEOPLE I KNOW.

MANY LIBRARIANS GO INTO THE PROFESSION LIKE TEACHERS BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE AND PASSION FOR INFORMATION AND LEARNING.

AND IF YOU'RE A PROPONENT FOR FREE SPEECH AND DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT, THEN YOU SHOULD ALSO NOT BE A PROPONENT FOR CENSORSHIP OF THE IDEAS IN BOOKS.

AND SOMEONE WHO'S ALWAYS LOVED TO READ FROM AN EARLY AGE AND SPENT MANY YEARS WITH MY CHILDREN AT STORY TIMES.

I VOLUNTEERED IN A LOT OF OUR LIBRARIES.

I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BY THIS AND THAT THIS WAS COMING UNDER THE GUISE OF FULL TRANSPARENCY AND PARENTAL CONCERN.

AND OUT OF FEAR IS WHAT I FEEL THAT ALL TOO OFTEN PARENTS HAVE NOT EVEN READ THE BOOK THEMSELVES, AND I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE LIST THAT WERE PUT OUT THERE.

I HOPE THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD READ THE BOOKS AND NOT TEACH SHAME, BUT INSTEAD SHOW EMPATHY BY HIGHLIGHTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN MARGINALIZED AND OPPRESSED.

BOOKS, I FEEL, OFFER HOPE TO OUR READERS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED WITHIN THE PAGES AND A WAY TO EMPATHIZE WITH FOLKS WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM OUR OWN.

AND SO WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS TO CREATE MORE INCLUSIVITY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

SECONDLY, I FEEL AS A PARENT, I STRIVE TO FIND DIVERSE BOOKS FOR MY CHILDREN TO READ SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT OTHER CULTURES AND SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED.

I LIKE TO SHOW THEM THAT EVERYBODY MATTERS AND EVERYBODY BELONGS, AND I THINK THAT AS A PARENT, WE ALL STRIVE FOR THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE MORE SIMILAR THAN WE'RE DIFFERENT. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. BENJAMIN.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DYLAN [INAUDIBLE], DYLAN.

WELCOME, DYLAN. THANK YOU.

HELLO, GUYS. GOOD EVENING.

I'M AN 11TH GRADER HERE AT WEST LAKE HIGH SCHOOL AND I TAKE AP U.S.

HISTORY. AND ONE THING THAT KIND OF CAME ACROSS THE OTHER DAY I WAS, WE WERE READING ABOUT LYNCHINGS IN THE SOUTH FROM THE 1800S ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE 1980S, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS THE LAST RECORDED LYNCHING.

AND THE BOOK WENT INTO, YOU KNOW, GRAPHIC DETAIL ABOUT THE TORTURE AND GETTING HUNG AND BURNED AND MANY OTHER THINGS.

AND IT MADE ME SICK TO MY STOMACH.

IT REALLY DID. IT HURT ME, AND YOU KNOW, IT MADE ME KIND OF THINK AND REFLECT.

BUT ONE THING IT REALLY DIDN'T DO IS MAKE ME FEEL BAD ABOUT MYSELF OR MY OTHER ANGLO-SAXON BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT IT'S ANYTHING TO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM AND NOT REPEAT HISTORY.

AND I THINK THAT TAKING AWAY BOOKS JUST BECAUSE IT'S A SENSITIVE SUBJECT OR IT MIGHT UPSET SOMEONE IS REALLY JUST A STRIPPING OF OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO THINK WHAT WE THINK AND BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE IN, LOVE WHO WE LOVE.

AND I DON'T THINK I THINK WE'D BE MOVING BACKWARDS IF WE TOOK AWAY SOME OF THE BOOK'S CAUSE I MEAN, AS A KID, I MEAN, I KNOW HOW TO WORK THE INTERNET.

I KNOW HOW TO USE MY PHONE, I KNOW HOW TO USE A COMPUTER IPAD, AND I CAN PRETTY MUCH FIND ANY INFORMATION I WANT TO, REGARDLESS OF PAPER, COPY BOOK.

SO AND REALLY, THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT IN MY 12 YEARS HERE, I HAVE NOT ONCE SEXUALLY BEEN GROOMED.

SO I THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DYLAN.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATE SANDERS.

MS. SANDERS. SEEING NO ONE MOVING.

[00:40:03]

LUKA MONTOYA, LUKA MONTOYA IS LUCA HERE.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DENISE [INAUDIBLE].

WELCOME, MS. [INAUDIBLE].

SO THIS IS TAKING SO LONG.

OK. SO I'LL START NOW, ALTHOUGH BANNING BOOKS ISN'T A NEW PRACTICE IN THESE PAST FEW WEEKS, THIS PROBLEM HAS GROWN DRASTICALLY.

AND AS A STUDENT OF THIS SCHOOL, I FEEL AS THOUGH I MUST SPEAK UP AGAINST IT.

WELL, NATURALLY, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT, AND I SAID THAT I'M OPPOSED TO THIS ACTION, BUT I THINK, WELL, ACTUALLY, I HOPE THAT I REPRESENT THE MAJORITY.

I'M SORRY. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT AS PARENTS MAY SEEM REASONABLE TO ISOLATE CHILDREN FROM DEPRESSING ISSUES SUCH AS RACISM OR NEGATIVE SENTIMENTS TOWARDS THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT A PART OF EITHER OF THESE GROUPS, I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, AND I HOPE MOST OF YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT.

THERE ARE VERY REAL PROBLEMS THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO FACE, SUCH AS DISCRIMINATION.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ROOT OF THESE PROBLEMS IS THE GENERAL BIAS, A BIAS WHICH COMES FROM MAINLY IGNORANCE.

AS CHILDREN, WE ARE THE FUTURE AND IT IS UP TO US IF THEY'RE SHIELDED FROM THESE MATTERS IF YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THEY EXIST.

HOW ARE WE TO SOLVE THEM? AND, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU START BY RESTRICTING OUR ACCESS TO THE BOOKS THAT TELL US ABOUT THE WORLD IN AN UNFILTERED WAY, THEN VERY LITTLE AND REALLY PREVENT US FROM READING THE NEWS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS COME UP, WE WILL PREVENT US FROM LEARNING ABOUT OUR HISTORY OR WHAT IF WE WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS, BUT IF WE WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THESE TOPICS? AND ALSO, I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THIS.

WHY IS IT ALWAYS THIS WITHOUT CONSULTING TO US THAT WE'RE NOT CAPABLE OF READING BOOKS THAT ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY, THE REALITY OF CONSTANT AND ENDLESS DISCRIMINATION, THE REALITY OF VIOLENCE, OF INEQUALITY, BOTH RACIAL AND IN A GENDER BASED WAY.

ALSO, LET US NOT FORGET THAT EVERYONE HAS THE INDEPENDENCE OF NOT TO READ THE BOOKS THAT THEY SEE AS THREATENING TO THEIR MENTAL WELL-BEING.

LASTLY, I WANT TO LEAVE ALL OF YOU WITH TWO SIMPLE QUESTIONS.

WELL, ACTUALLY, I HAVE TIME.

I'LL SKIP TO THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT UNTIL ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I LIVED IN A COUNTRY WHERE FREE SPEECH AND LITERATURE WAS HIGHLY CENSORED, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WHY I WAS VERY, VERY HAPPY TO COME HERE AND TO BE EDUCATED IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND IT PAINS ME VERY DEEPLY TO SEE HOW THIS COUNTRY IS ALSO STARTING TO MOVE TOWARDS AUTHORITARIANISM. IT'S VERY PAINFUL.

AND YES, I'LL GET TO THIS NOW.

I WANT TO LEAVE ALL OF THIS TO SIMPLE QUESTIONS OF THE FIRST OF THEM BEING, IS IT NOT UNJUST TO RESTRICT OUR FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE BOOKS THAT WE WANT TO READ? AND ALSO AT THIS AGE, DOES IT REALLY FALL ONTO THE PARENT TO DECIDE WHICH BOOKS WE CAN READ? IS IT NOT OUR CHOICE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JONAH JACKSON.

MR. JACKSON IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ON BOOK BANNING.

WELCOME. I TURNED MYSELF OFF. I DID THINK I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT BOOK BANNING BUT I WILL JUST BRIEFLY AGAIN, MY NAME IS JONAH JACKSON. I'M A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN WHO HAVE MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH THIS DISTRICT INTO HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THERE ARE TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE DISTRICT HAS DONE AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE AND I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT.

AND IF YOU KNEW ME, YOU'D KNOW IT WOULD TAKE A LOT TO GET ME TO COME AND SPEAK AT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

I TEND TO TRUST THE BOARDS THAT WE ELECT TO DO THEIR JOBS, AND I THINK YOU ARE.

YOU KNOW, BUT I MAY THINK EVERY SPEAKER TONIGHT IS TALKED IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER ABOUT BOOK BANNING AND KNOWING THAT THERE WAS EVEN THOUGHT OF IN MY COMMUNITY.

I THOUGHT, I JUST, YOU KNOW, SHOW UP AND SAY FOR 30 SECONDS THAT I THINK THAT'S RIDICULOUS. AND I HOPE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO NOT DO SUCH A THING, BUT I WAS STRUCK BY LISTENING TO SPEAKERS TONIGHT, AND I JUST WANT TO

[00:45:04]

ONE IS I WAS A LITTLE STUNNED THAT WE WERE HAD WE HAD TO BE ADMONISHED TO BEHAVE OURSELVES UP HERE.

I THINK EVERYBODY HAS, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE SHOCKING TO ME AND I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT I WOULD APOLOGIZE FOR MYSELF THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. I REALLY THINK THAT'S KIND OF UNFORTUNATE.

AND THE SECOND THING IS, I DON'T REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO ME.

I THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THESE KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN UP HERE TONIGHT AND SAID SUCH AMAZING THINGS. I MEAN, IT'S A REAL TESTAMENT TO THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN BUILT.

THESE ARE SOME FABULOUS, ARTICULATE CHILDREN, AND THEY'VE REALLY SAID ANYTHING BETTER THAN I COULD POSSIBLY SAY ON THIS SUBJECT.

AND THEY'VE DONE SO HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS SCHOOLING AND BEEN EDUCATED BY THE CURRICULUM AND READ THE BOOKS THAT YOU GUYS PUT ON THE SHELVES.

SO I WOULD LISTEN TO THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVE [INAUDIBLE], AND DAVE IS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT LIBRARIES AND BOOK BANS. MR. [INAUDIBLE]. WELCOME, THANK YOU.

SO YOU PROBABLY KNOW IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR HERE IN TEXAS, AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE MATT CROSS WANTS TO BE OUR NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL, SO HE CRAFTS THE PERFECT CULTURE WEDGE CULTURE WAR WEDGE ISSUE DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO HIS BASE A LIST OF 850 BOOKS THAT HE WANTS THAT SPANS FROM TEXAS SCHOOL.

IT'S 2022, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOOK BANS.

I MEAN, IT'S SORT OF OUTRAGEOUS.

THERE ARE BOOKS ON HIS LIST ABOUT YOUNG ADULTS EXPLORING THEIR SEXUALITY AND GENDER IDENTITIES, BOOKS THAT CONFRONT OUR NATION'S LONG HISTORY OF RACISM, AND ABOUT SEX ED, AND PREGNANCY AND SO MANY TERRIFYING IDEAS.

THERE'S ALSO BOOKS ON THE LIST ABOUT WELL ESTABLISHED LEGAL RIGHTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, HOW TO STOP BULLYING, AND A BOOK ABOUT A YOUNG WOMAN'S QUINCEANERA.

MEANWHILE, BOOKS LIKE THE HUNGER GAMES, WHICH IS ABOUT TEENAGERS MURDERING OTHER TEENAGERS FOR SPORT, SOMEHOW GOT LEFT OFF THE LIST.

SO IF MATT CROSS THINKS HE HAS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE MORAL PRINCIPLES OF OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN IN TEXAS, HE NEEDS TO REEVALUATE HIS PRIORITIES.

BUT REGARDLESS, IT WORKS.

THE LIST FIRED UP HIS BASE, AND SO NOW WE HAVE THE LIBERTY AND FREEDOM FOLKS HERE TO TELL US THAT THEY WANT TO RESTRICT LIBERTY AND FREEDOM BY REMOVING ALL THESE BOOKS FROM OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

THESE FOLKS ARE OUTRAGED THAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE FORCED TO READ ALL THESE BOOKS THAT THAT'LL FORCE THEIR KIDS TO CONFRONT NEW IDEAS, AND THOSE IDEAS MIGHT MAKE THEIR KIDS GAY OR PREGNANT, OR MIGHT MAKE THEM CONFRONT RACISM.

OR EVEN WORSE, IT MIGHT MAKE THEIR KIDS WOKE.

SO BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY THE REALITY THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

NOBODY IS FORCING ANY KIDS TO READ THESE BOOKS.

THEY'RE ON A SHELF IN A LIBRARY FOR KIDS WHO WANT TO GO TO SEE IT, TO CHECK THEM OUT.

IF THESE PARENTS DON'T WANT THESE KIDS TO READ THESE BOOKS, THEN THAT'S FINE.

THEY HAVE THE LIBERTY AND THE FREEDOM TO DO THAT.

THE DISTRICT HAS A WELL-ESTABLISHED POLICY AND PROCESS WHEREBY THESE KIDS CAN.

THESE PARENTS CAN MONITOR THEIR KIDS AND THE BOOKS THAT THEY'RE READING, AND THEY CAN FILE OBJECTIONS TO BOOKS THAT THEY FIND REALLY OBJECTIONABLE.

THAT PROCESS IS THERE AND IT WORKS.

BUT MY UNDERSTANDING FROM HAVING TO TALK TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IS NOBODY HAS AVAILED THEMSELVES OF THOSE PROCESSES IN RECENT YEARS.

IT'S HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE IN THE LAST 30 YEARS, AND THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS FOR CATCHER IN THE RYE.

I MEAN, COME ON, IT'S PHONY.

BUT WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THAT OUR SCHOOLS SERVE MORE THAN THIS THE CHILDREN OF CISGENDER, STRAIGHT, WHITE, CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN FAMILIES.

OUR SCHOOLS SERVE ALL KIDS BLACK, BROWN, GAY, TRANSGENDER, PREGNANT AND EVEN WOKE KIDS.

ALL THE KIDS.

AND THESE KIDS DESERVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS THAT REFLECT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR VALUES AND THEIR BELIEFS.

THAT IS WHAT LIBERTY AND FREEDOM LOOK LIKE IN 2022.

SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE HOLDING TIGHTLY TO THIS OUTDATED VISION OF WHAT THEY THINK, OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD LOOK LIKE, HOW OUR KIDS SHOULD THINK AND ACT, AND WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, I SAY, NO, THAT'S JUST WRONG.

I REALLY WANT TO APPLAUD DYLAN IN THE GREAT COMMENT THAT HE MADE.

LEARNING IS SOMETIMES UNCOMFORTABLE.

IT FORCES US OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES BY CONFRONTING IDEAS THAT MAKE US THINK THAT MAKES US BETTER PEOPLE.

AND IF YOU RAISE YOUR KIDS WELL, THEY CAN SHOW DISCRETION ABOUT WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN [INAUDIBLE].

AND MRS. [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF LIBRARY BOOKS, MS. [INAUDIBLE].

WELCOME.

SO IN THE INTEREST OF BREVITY, I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF EVERY STUDENT

[00:50:04]

I WANT OUR LIBRARIES TO HAVE BOOKS THAT ARE AS DIVERSE AS OUR WORLD.

WHAT'S TROUBLING SEEMS TO BE THE BOOKS WITH THE NONWHITE CHARACTERS ONES ABOUT RACISM, ONCE WITH BLACK AUTHORS AND ONES WITH LGBTQ CHARACTERS IN THEM THAT SEEM TO BE THE ONES TARGETED MOST AT THIS TIME, UNFORTUNATELY.

EACH PARENTS CAN LIMIT THEIR CHILDREN'S READING CHOICES IF THEY CHOOSE AN EMAIL OR A CALL TO THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN CAN HELP YOU DO THAT.

BUT A FEW PARENTS SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DECIDE FOR WHAT IS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES FOR EVERYBODY. I BELIEVE BOOKS ABOUT NONWHITE PEOPLE AND LGBTQ CAN HELP OUR WHITE, CISGENDER KIDS AS WELL, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH NONWHITE LGBTQ KIDS ARE IN THE MINORITY IN OUR DISTRICT, THE LAST LINE OF OUR DISTRICT'S MISSION AND GOALS SAY WE INSPIRE EACH OTHER TO LEAD PURPOSEFUL LIVES OF EMPATHY, GRATITUDE, AND COMPASSION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEFF [INAUDIBLE].

MR.[INAUDIBLE]. MR. [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT CONCERNS REGARDING EISD WELCOME.

SO I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT AN EXCERPT FROM THIS BOOK.

IT'S ME, EARL, AND THE DYING GIRL BY JESSIE ANDREWS.

THIS BOOK IS IN THE LIBRARY THE HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WEST RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL.

TWENTY-TWO CHILDREN, AGES 11 TO 13, HAVE CHECKED THIS BOOK OUT OF THE LIBRARY.

I'LL BE HONEST, I'M A LITTLE HORRIFIED BECAUSE WE HAVE KIDS AT THIS AGE HERE, AND THIS IS NAUSEATING. WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN ON PAGE FIFTY NINE BIG CONVERSATION.

HEY, EARL, I CAN'T WATCH OUT FOR BILL AT NIGHT.

WHY THE HELL NOT? I'M SORRY, MAN.

I HAVE TO HANG OUT WITH THE GIRL FROM THIS GIRL FROM THE SYNAGOGUE.

WHAT SHE'S, ARE YOU GOING TO EAT HER PUSSY? EARL CAN BE SORT OF PROFANE SOMETIMES HE ACTUALLY MELLOWED OUT A LOT SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL DAYS. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BACK IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, HE WOULD HAVE ASKED THIS IN A MUCH MORE VIOLENT AND HORRIBLE WAY.

YEAH. EARL, I'M GOING TO EAT HER PUSSY.

YEAH, YEAH. DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO EAT PUSSY? NOT REALLY. POPPA GAINES NEVER SAT YOU DOWN IN THE SON AND SAID, ONE DAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EAT THE PUSSY. NOPE.

BUT HE DID TEACH ME HOW TO EAT A BUTTHOLE.

WHEN EARL IS FULL ON GROSS OUT MODE, YOU HAVE TO PLAY ALONG OR YOU'LL FEEL STUPID.

GOD BLESS THE MAN.

YUP. I WOULD TEACH YOU SOME PUSSY EATING TECHNIQUES, BUT IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED.

THAT'S A SHAME. I WOULD NEED SOME DIAGRAM AND WHATNOT.

WELL, TONIGHT YOU CAN DRAW SOME UP.

SON, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT.

I GOT LIKE 20 PUSSIES OVER HERE THAT I NEED TO EAT.

IS THAT RIGHT? I'M A PUSSY DEADLINE.

YOU GOT TWENTY VAGINAS ALL LINED UP NOW.

NOW IT CONTINUES TO GO ON.

BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM.

THIS IS SEXUALLY INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL THAT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO STUDENTS BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL. IT IS IN VIOLATION OF THE APPLICABLE EDUCATORS CODE OF ETHICS, WHICH INCLUDES REASONABLY PRUDENT, EDUCATED STANDARD AND REQUIRES THE MAINTENANCE OF PROPER EDUCATOR STUDENT BOUNDARIES.

REMEMBER, THIS BOOK IS ACCESSIBLE TO KIDS AGED 11 TO 13 AT HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WESTLAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL OR WESTRIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICHARD MCKENZIE.

MR. MCKENZIE IS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE INDOCTRINATION.

MR. MCKENZIE. WELCOME MR. MCKENZIE. THANKS.

ACTUALLY, A LITTLE TWIST, A LITTLE BIT HERE.

SEXUAL GROOMING IS ANY EFFORT TO DESENSITIZE CHILDREN TO SEXUAL EXPERIENCES OR TO NORMALIZE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS OR WITH CHILDREN OF THE SAME OR OPPOSITE SEX.

OK. THAT'S THE LANGUAGE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE SEXUAL GROOMING PROTECTION ACT OF 2023 WHICH WILL BE PASSED BY THE NEXT LEGISLATURE AND BIND ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

EANES HAS ADOPTED A CURRICULUM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS THAT CLOSELY TRACKS THE DEFINITION OF SEXUAL GROOMING. WE CAN ONLY ASSUME FROM THE BOARD THAT SEXUAL GROOMING CAUCUS SITE THAT THE SEXUAL, WE CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THE BOARD'S SEXUAL GROOMING CAUCUS HAS TAKEN LESSONS FROM WEST LAKE HILL'S MOST FAMOUS SEXUAL GROOMER.

BOY SCOUT LEADER MARTIN TURNER'S PROLIFIC SEXUAL GROOMING CAREER SPANNED MORE THAN THREE DECADES AND INVOLVED A DOZEN PRE-TEEN BOY SCOUTS.

WE WERE ASKING THE BOARD TO PLACE AN AGENDA ITEM CALLING FOR RENAMING THE SEXUAL GROOMING CURRICULUM, QUOTE THE MARTIN TURNER SEXUAL GROOMING PLAN END QUOTE IN HONOR OF HIS

[00:55:05]

IF MARTIN HAD A FAILING, IT WAS HIS LACK OF INCLUSIVENESS AND DIVERSITY IN HIS GROOMING TARGETS. HE PRAYED EXCLUSIVELY ON 11 AND 12 YEAR OLD, FULLY ABLED ANGLO BOYS.

EANES IS CERTAINLY BETTER THAN THAT, AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL GROOM BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS K THROUGH 12 HANDICAPPED HISPANIC, BLACK, ASIAN AND NATIVE AMERICANS WITH COMPLETE AND TOTAL EQUITY.

ALL WILL BE INCLUDED.

KATE [INAUDIBLE], YOU ARE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.

WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU. MY FAMILY LOVES READING, ALL FIVE OF US WILL OFTEN STAY AWAY TOO LATE, READING TOGETHER OR WITH OUR TEENY TINY BOOK LIGHTS.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW AND WHEN WE INTRODUCE BOOKS AND THE CONCEPTS THEY CONTAIN TO OUR THREE CHILDREN.

WE REALIZED WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF LEARNING THAT HAPPENS ON THE BUS.

AND BUT WE CONTINUE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE BOOKS THEY CHOOSE AND READ ALONGSIDE THEM WHEN THE CONCEPTS ARE HEAVY OR WHEN THEY WANT TO, WHEN THEY NEED TO TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE READING. WE HAVE FOUND THAT SINCE THEY ARE RECEIVING AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION HERE IN EANES, THEIR READING LEVELS OFTEN OUTPACE THEIR MATURITY, MAKING MAKING THIS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. WE THEREFORE UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT PARENTS WHO HAVE WANT TO HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO AT VARIOUS AGES AND STAGES.

EANES ESPECIALLY OUR AMAZING LIBRARIANS AND OUR TEACHERS ALREADY HAVE SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES IN PLACE TO DO THIS.

THEY ALLOW PARENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN MAKE CHOICES, AND OUR LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS CAN DISCREETLY AND LOVINGLY HELP STUDENTS CHOOSE BOOKS BETTER ALIGN WITH THEIR FAMILIES VALUES AND WISHES.

WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO OUR THE TEACHERS OUR CHILDREN HAVE HAD OVER THE YEARS AND OUR AMAZING LIBRARIAN WHO HAS HELPED OUR CHILDREN FIND THE BOOKS THAT ARE JUST RIGHT FOR THEM, USING THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE.

OUR FAMILY ALSO VALUES BOOKS AS WINDOWS INTO OTHER TIMES, PLACES AND CULTURES, AS WELL AS MIRRORS THAT REFLECT BACK OUR OWN TIME, PLACE, AND CULTURE.

HAVING ACCESS TO BOTH IS SO IMPORTANT AS WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN EMPATHY, COMPASSION AND THE HISTORY THAT HAS SHAPED OUR WORLD.

WE THEREFORE THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT BOOKS REMAIN ON OUR LIBRARY SHELVES THAT REFLECT A DIVERSE RANGE OF LIVED EXPERIENCES, AS WELL AS OUR AS WELL AS OUR COLLECTIVE HISTORY.

NO MATTER HOW UNCOMFORTABLE AND PAINFUL IT IS.

EVERY CHILD IN OUR DISTRICT DESERVES TO SEE THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND THEIR CULTURES REPRESENTED IN OUR LIBRARIES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEX [INAUDIBLE].

MR. [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT CRT.

OK. OK.

MS. [INAUDIBLE], YOU WERE OUR LAST SPEAKER, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE OPEN FORUM PORTION OF OUR MEETING.

WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE ACTION ITEMS.

[9.1 Appointment of Superintendent of Schools and Approval of Employment Contract]

BEFORE WE, BEFORE I TAKE YOUR MOTION, JEN, LET ME READ A STATEMENT THAT'S BEEN PREPARED.

THIS IS A BIGGIE, FOLKS.

TONIGHT MARKS THE CULMINATION OF OUR SEARCH FOR THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF EISD, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.

I THINK I CAN SAFELY SPEAK FOR THE BOARD IN SAYING THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY PLEASED BY THE REACTION OF OUR COMMUNITY, FACULTY AND STUDENTS.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK TO THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

IT WAS IMMENSELY VALUABLE.

I WANTED TO THANK DR.

MOSES, MIKE MOSES AND MR. DAVID THOMPSON FOR THEIR EXPERTISE AND MEASURED GUIDANCE, AND I THANK DR.

LEONARD FOR PROVIDING US THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WITH THE GRACE AND SPACE TO DELIBERATELY AFFECT THIS TRANSITION.

AS I SHARED IN OUR MEETING ON JANUARY 25TH, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR UNIQUE POSITION.

WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, OUR PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE SOMEONE WHOSE LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS ALIGN WITH THE WANTS AND NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE HAVEN'T TALKED TO OUR NET, ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES IN THE COUNTRY.

SO HERE WE ARE. WE HAVE WAITED TWENTY ONE DAYS.

STATE LAW REQUIRES WE HAVE NEGOTIATED TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WE WILL TAKE A FINAL VOTE

[01:00:01]

THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE AGREEMENT IS JUNE ONE, BUT KNOW THAT DURING THE INTERIM BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, OUR FOCUS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON THE STUDENTS AND THE FACULTY AND THE FAMILIES THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE.

OUR FUTURE COULD NOT BE MORE BRIGHT.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? JEN? YES, I GLADLY MOVED THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPOINT DR.

JEFF ARNETT AS SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR EISD AND FURTHER MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED DR. ARNETT'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AS PRESENTED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

DO I HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE. CONGRATULATIONS, DR.

ARNETT.

YOU'RE STUCK NOW.

[9.2 Level Three Parent/Student Grievance]

OK, EVERYBODY, WE'RE ABOUT READY.

LADIES AND GENTS, LADIES AND GENTS, WE ARE READY, WE ARE READY.

OK. THE TIME IS NOW 8:55 AND WE WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.

ITEM 9.2 LEVEL THREE PARENT STUDENT GRIEVANCE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE? MOTION.

[INAUDIBLE]. ALL RIGHT.

I'VE GOT A MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS POSTED.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT. I GOT A MOTION BY, I GOT A SECOND BY ELLEN AND A MOTION BY.

YOU WANT IT? NO? WHO WANTS IT? OKAY, THERE WE GO.

WE'LL WEAR NAMETAGS AFTER NINE O'CLOCK.

THERE YOU GO. IT IS 8:56 AND WE HAVE GOTTEN TO THE STRATEGIC SUMMIT PORTION OF OUR MEETING APOLOGIES TO ALL OF YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE. THERE WE GO. SORRY AGAIN.

NO, IT'S GREAT.

IT'S LATE. OK, AMY, TAKE IT AWAY.

THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU.

OK, SO WE CONSOLIDATED ALL OF THE INFORMATION, AND THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED COPIES, I BELIEVE THOSE WERE SENT OUT EARLIER AND SO YOU HAVE A WORKING DRAFT, IT HAS THE BOARD PRIORITIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE GOALS IN THEIR ENTIRETY AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A WORKING DRAFT WITH EDITS.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IS WE'RE GOING TO JUST GO THROUGH THE THE BOARD PRIORITIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE GOALS THAT ARE, I WON'T SAY, PROPOSED, BUT THE WORKING DRAFT THAT WE ARE AT RIGHT NOW.

AND THEN WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES BECAUSE AS YOU NOTICE, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT WE TOOK THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING

[01:05:07]

AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT SPREAD OUT.

AND THEN WE THERE WAS SOME REGROUPING.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES AND THE STUDENT SUPPORT PRIORITIES.

AND THEN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE SPECIFICS FROM THE STAFF, JUST AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE GOT FROM HERE, FROM OUR WORKING OUR WORKSTATIONS TO THIS DRAFT, THEN WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR THAT. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO JUST BE WORKING THROUGH JUST ANY QUESTIONS OR THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A DRAFT THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FOR THE UPCOMING MEETINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.

SO WE'LL START WITH THAT.

DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD ANYTHING RIGHT NOW BEFORE WE HEAR FROM OUR STAFF? ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, SO, SUSAN, I THINK YOU'RE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO AN OVERVIEW OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES.

AND SO WHAT WE DID AND YOU COULD SEE THIS FROM THE DRAFTS IS USING ALL OF THE INFORMATION CONSOLIDATED, SOME INFORMATION THERE WERE TWEAKS MADE, EDITS MADE AND THEN WE LEFT SOME OF THE THE JUST THE NOTES THAT DIDN'T NECESSARILY TIED TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE OR BOARD GOAL. WE LEFT THOSE AS JUST NOTES FOR ADMINISTRATION, FOR FUTURE PLANNING.

SO SUSAN, WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

BEFORE WE START. CAN I ASK WHAT THE YELLOW? YES, AND MY APOLOGIES BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE INTRO.

SO THE YELLOW, IF YOU WILL, NOTICE ON THE WORKING DRAFT, THOSE WERE ACTUALLY ADDED.

AND SO THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY LISTED IN THE WORKSTATION THE OTHER DAY.

BUT TAKING TAKING THE NOTES AND THE INPUT FROM THAT, THOSE WERE THEN ADDED.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT SUSAN'S GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE AS WELL.

SO, ELLEN, I THINK I CAN CLARIFY.

SO THE FIRST THREE BULLETS, THE FIRST THREE GOALS ARE THE GOALS THAT CAME OUT OF SUMMIT DAY ONE. THEN WE WENT BACK AS A TEAM AND KIND OF REVIEWED THOSE.

WE HAD HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT GVC, WHAT IS GVC AND OUR TEAM REALLY FELT LIKE MAYBE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO TWEAK THAT GOAL AND ACTUALLY IDENTIFY WHAT GVC IS.

SO THE BOTTOM THREE THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, THAT REPLACE THE TOP THREE.

YES. YES, THAT YES, THERE'S YOUR ANSWER.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT WAS SO NICE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU EACH AT OUR POSTERS, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE LAST TIME. AND THAT REALLY HELPED US TO TO HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION FOR OUR GOALS.

SO IF WE COULD START WITH THE FOURTH GOAL, WHICH ACTUALLY WILL BE OUR FIRST GOAL, IT'S THE FIRST HIGHLIGHTED GOAL THAT STAYS THE SAME TO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGH UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING.

BUT WE HAVE TO SUB BULLETS UNDERNEATH THAT TO ALIGN OUR CAMPUS INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT TO ENSURE INSTRUCTIONAL ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

AND THEN WE PUT OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING GOAL UNDER THAT AS WELL.

AND WE JUST LEFT IT AS PROVIDE MEANINGFUL AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR ALL STAFF. OUR SECOND OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO CREATE AN ALLIANCE SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES TO IMPLEMENT KEY ELEMENTS OF GVC.

WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, AS I STATED, WAS TO ACTUALLY DEFINE GVC.

WE WANT TO UTILIZE THE DISTRICT CURRICULUM, WHICH INCLUDES THE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE UNITS OF STUDY LEARNING TARGETS AND COMMON ASSESSMENTS.

WE ALSO WANT TO USE STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION TO PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION AND PROVIDE MEANINGFUL AND AUTHENTIC LEARNING ACTIVITIES TO FURTHER SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT THROUGH READING, WRITING, LITERACY, SPEAKING, LISTENING AND CRITICAL THINKING.

SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS ACTUALLY IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE KEY ELEMENTS OF GVC ARE.

AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, OUR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION FOCUS WAS THOSE FOUR QUESTIONS.

WHAT IS IT WE WANT STUDENTS TO LEARN? HOW ARE WE GOING TO KNOW IF THEY LEARN IT? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF THEY DON'T KNOW IT? AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF THEY ALREADY KNOW IT? AND THEN OUR LAST ONE STAYED THE SAME.

TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AT EVERY LEVEL.

MM-HMM. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY IN THE CONVERSATION LAST WEEK, I'M ECHOING SORRY, WAS THE NOTION THAT THE SUPPORTS UNDERNEATH THE GVC IN

[01:10:04]

YES, MA'AM. DID IT MAKE THINGS CLEAR AND IT MADE THINGS MUCH EASIER TO FULFILL ON THE GVC AND FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB AND WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTED TO DO? COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PLAYS OUT SPECIFICALLY IN WHAT'S IN, DID THAT GET TRANSLATED INTO THIS OR SHOULD WE LOOK FOR IT SOMEWHERE ELSE? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRANSLATED INTO THIS.

AND SO OUR TEAM, HEATHER MEEK AND CHAD BURNETT, ARE DIRECTORS OF CURRICULUM ARE GOING THROUGH THE TEXAS ASCD CURRICULUM PROGRAM RIGHT NOW SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO EMBARK ON OUR CURRICULUM WRITING.

SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR TEACHERS TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO BE A PART OF OUR WRITING CURRICULUM TEAM AND TO BE A PART OF THE VIP SUMMIT, THE BEST INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES SUMMIT. AND WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING TEXAS AICD IN ON JUNE 6TH AND 7TH SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE TEACHERS WITH THAT FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO EFFECTIVELY WRITE CURRICULUM AND SCOPE AND SEQUENCES.

AND SO OUR WHOLE GOAL IS WHAT A NEW TEACHER COMES TO OUR DISTRICT DO.

ARE WE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM? THIS IS WHAT THIS IS, WHAT WE TEACH IN THE SECOND GRADE.

AND SO WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH THAT JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT AND HONEST.

AND SO WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR TEACHERS BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS MIC] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I HAVE A QUESTION COMMENT, I DON'T KNOW.

PROVIDE SOME CLARITY FOR ME ON LET'S SEE, I GUESS THAT'S THE SECOND NEW BULLET LAST BULLET PROVIDE MEANINGFUL, AUTHENTIC LEARNING.

AND THEN YOU LIST THE WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT THROUGH READING, WRITING, LITERACY, SPEAKING, LISTENING AND CRITICAL THINKING.

I KIND OF FEEL LIKE.

WE'VE SOMEHOW MOVED AWAY FROM A DISCUSSION ABOUT STEM EDUCATION, AND WE'VE GOT NOTHING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY ANYMORE.

SO I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL THINKING PROBABLY COVERS THAT A BIT, BUT ARE WE NOT BEING DETAILED ENOUGH AND EXPLICIT ENOUGH IN OUR DESIRE TO PROVIDE A STRONG STEM EDUCATION? AND WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD THAT.

I THINK WE WERE TRYING TO COMBINE THAT ONE GOAL THAT WAS ABOUT THE READING LITERACY, SPEAKING, COMMUNICATING CRITICAL SKILLS, BUT WE COULD ADD THE STEM PIECE AS WELL FOR MATH AND SCIENCE TO THAT BULLET.

BECAUSE THAT IS A PART, SO OUR FOCUS, OUR BIG FOCUSES THIS SUMMER WILL BE [INAUDIBLE] AND MATH. RIGHT.

SO WE COULD ADD SCIENCE AND MATH TO THAT TOO.

I'D BE INTERESTED IN THAT IF OTHERS ARE.

OK. THANK YOU, LAURA AND THEN KIM.

THANK YOU. THIS IS GREAT.

THE PROCESS AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE WERE ALL TOGETHER DISCUSSING THIS, BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE HOW WE KIND OF CHANGED THINGS UP LAST TIME AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TWICE.

I THINK IT WAS IT WAS QUITE IMPACTFUL.

THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I SAW THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME THAT MAYBE WE COULD MOVE UP INTO GVC. YOU CAN ALL DISAGREE WITH ME, OF COURSE.

AND THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR MOLLY.

IT'S UNDER UPHOLD THE VALUE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION WHERE IT SAYS ANALYZED RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY MODELS TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY WITHIN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THAT FEELS LIKE A LITTLE MORE OF A CULTURE OF GVC.

I MEAN, IT IS SPECIFIC TO SPECIAL ED.

BUT TO ME, THAT READS MORE GVC THAN STUDENTS SUPPORT.

CRICKETS. OK, WELL, IT WAS JUST I JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE.

OK.

I SAW THAT MORE AS AN EFFICIENCY.

THE COMMENT IS ABOUT EFFICIENCY AS OPPOSED TO CONSISTENCY.

SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD ASSUME IT'S STILL IN SPECIAL ED, BECAUSE IT IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT EFFICIENCY. IS MOLLY OVER THERE? SO, MOLLY, THE QUESTION IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE BULLET UNDER UPHOLD THE VALUE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND ANALYZE RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY

[01:15:02]

AND REALLY, JUST WHAT SHE WAS SHARING IS WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE FIT BETTER UNDER THE GVC? I THINK SPECIFICALLY FOR SPECIAL ED, WE'VE JUST BEEN OFTEN IT'S UNDER SPECIAL ED BECAUSE WE'VE OFTEN BEEN ASKED TO SORT OF LOOK AT THAT AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OUR PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CAMPUSES WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT, ARE WE GOING TO DO CLUSTER SITES? WHY OR WHY WOULDN'T WE DO CLUSTER SITES? SO IT'S LIVED UNDER THERE SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT PURPOSE, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST.

I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T DO THOSE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY, FOR PROGRAMS AND EVERYTHING ACROSS THE DISTRICT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN SORT OF A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AROUND SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHICH IS WHY IT'S THERE.

OK, I I UNDERSTAND AND I'M FINE WITH LEAVING IT THERE.

I ALSO WOULD BE HAPPY GOING FORWARD TO WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING GVC TO INCLUDE SPECIAL ED WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE THERE YET WHERE WE CAN NOT CALL OUT SPECIAL EDUCATION, I THINK WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES, BUT I THINK WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO. AND I ACTUALLY HAD A NOTE TO MYSELF THAT I I LIKE THE OLD WAY THAT WE HAD THAT FIRST BULLET POINT UNDER UPHOLD THE VALUE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.

PREVIOUSLY, I DON'T LIKE THAT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST MAKING IT ANALYZING AND WE'VE REMOVED ENSURING THE GROWTH OF ALL STUDENTS. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST AN EFFICIENCY, AND IT'S NOT ABOUT PROVIDING GOOD SERVICES TO KIDS THE WAY THAT IT'S REWARDED TO ME RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T. BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION IF WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO HAVING JUST ANOTHER SPED. BUT I DON'T I DON'T WANT IT TO JUST BE UNDER GBC.

WELL, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, I GUESS I'M NOT ASKING TO TO REMOVE IT.

WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GVC, WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT FOR ALL STUDENTS, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S THAT'S JUST AND WE CAN DO THAT GOING FORWARD.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING I'M NOT.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT GOING FORWARD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS FOR OUR DISTRICT, FOR OUR STUDENTS, THAT WE INCLUDE SPECIAL ED WITHIN THAT DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU, KIM.

I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ANYMORE.

I FOUND WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR IN THE SUGGESTION.

THE ONE THING, YOU KNOW LAURA, TO YOUR POINT.

AND I DO LIKE IT STAYING WHERE IT IS UNDER SPECIAL ED THE EFFICIENCY PIECE.

WE'VE HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATION ABOUT DELIVERY MODELS AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY INTERESTING DIFFERENT DELIVERY MODELS THERE.

AND ONE ANGLE OF THIS, THOUGH, IS GBC IN GENERAL.

THE OTHER ANGLE OF IT IS JUST GENERAL EFFICIENCY IN THE CURRICULAR PROGRAM, OK.

YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO YOUR LONG RANGE OPERATION AND LONG RANGE PLANNING AREA AND YOU TALK ABOUT STUDY POTENTIAL BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES.

LOOKING AHEAD, YOU MAY NEED TO START LOOKING AT SOME EFFICIENCIES IN ALL AREAS AND YOU COULD PUT SOMETHING IN THE LONG RANGE AREA THERE ABOUT LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES IN ALL AREAS, CURRICULAR AND OTHER.

BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TOO WITH SOME FOCUS ON THAT.

OK, ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT WAS IT FOR GVC.

MM HMM. OKAY, HEATHER.

SORRY. IN THE SECOND NEW BULLET UNDER THE CREATE ALLIANCE [INAUDIBLE] IN THE [INAUDIBLE] STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA.

I KNOW THIS IS NITPICKY, BUT CAN WE ADD MEANINGFUL STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA BECAUSE I REALLY JUST DON'T WANT TO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT STAAR.

SURE. ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT JUST STAR VARIETY.

I LIKE THAT. THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE ON GVC? ALL RIGHT, MOLLY, WOULD YOU WALK US THROUGH THE UPDATES TO STUDENT SUPPORT, PLEASE? SORRY. YES.

SO THIS DOES LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

WE TRIED TO ALIGN THE GOALS SORT OF WITH THE THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTORS IN THAT IN THAT KIND OF WORK IN THAT AREA BECAUSE BEFORE IT WAS KIND OF EVERYBODY WAS A LITTLE BIT IN

[01:20:01]

SO AT THE BEGINNING, WE HAVE AROUND COUNSELING SERVICES AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL WELL-BEING, RESILIENCY AND ACADEMIC GROWTH AND THEN LOOKING AT THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT COUNSELING PROGRAM, CURRICULAR RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF STUDENT SAFETY AND ACCESS TO SUPPORTS AND SERVICES.

SO WE WANT TO BE LOOKING AT BOTH THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT KIND OF THOSE SAFETY COMPONENTS TO.

AND THEN WE'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSING AND TALKING A LOT ABOUT AND HEARING FROM YOU GUYS, TOO AROUND MAKING SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES HAVE WAYS TO REALLY ENGAGE AND WE OFFER MORE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OUR FAMILIES IN THAT AREA.

SO THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF THE AREA OF COUNSELING.

AND THEN WE GO INTO THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT'S KIND OF IN BULLET ONE UNDER THERE TALKING ABOUT SST DYSLEXIA FIVE BEFORE AN ESL.

AND SO REALLY TRYING TO AND THIS GOES A LITTLE BIT BACK TO, I THINK, LAURA, YOUR POINT, TOO, BUT LOOKING AT CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT IN THOSE SUPPORT PROGRAMS. AND SO MAKING SURE YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO STREAMLINE PROCESSES, MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S USING THE SAME KIND OF FORMS ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ON THIS CAMPUS AND THIS CAMPUS JUST TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE CHILDREN'S NEEDS WHERE THEY ARE AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE PROGRAMS ARE ALIGNED.

ALSO LOOKING AT THE DATA ANALYSIS INTO OUR SCREENING AND IDENTIFICATION MEASURES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW, ESPECIALLY AROUND DYSLEXIA ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE COME OUT LOOKING AT OUR MCLASS THAT WE'VE TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT AND MAKING SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT INFORMATION AND INCORPORATING THAT INTO INSTRUCTION IN OUR SERVICES AND THEN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO STAFF IN ALL AREAS.

SO JUST ANYONE WHO HAS A STUDENT THAT HAS ANY SORT OF LEARNING NEED THAT WE'RE PROVIDING EXTRA SUPPORT FOR THOSE TEACHERS.

SO IF THEY HAVE A STUDENT THAT IS AN EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENT, THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO WORK WITH THOSE STUDENTS.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE DO WE KEPT THE UPHOLD THE VALUE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT FIRST BULLET.

THE SECOND BULLET LOOKING AT AND I THINK HEATHER THIS MIGHT ADDRESS, WE MOVED THAT THAT LINE DOWN TO THAT SECOND BULLET, WHICH WAS EXPANDING THE CURRICULAR RESOURCES, THE RESEARCH BASED INSTRUCTION TO ENHANCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND MAYBE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND GROWTH FOR ALL STUDENTS.

I THINK THAT WAS SORT OF WHAT YOU WERE MAYBE LOOKING AT, BUT WE CAN KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PLAN THAT WE UPDATE YOU GUYS ON EVERY YEAR AND THAT WE UPDATE PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND THEN WE ADDED THE LAST BULLET THAT SEEMED TO REALLY RESONATE FROM THE LAST SUMMIT CONFERENCE THAT WE HAD AROUND THOSE EXTRACURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, LOOKING AT THOSE AND PUTTING A LITTLE BIT MORE EMPHASIS ON THAT.

SO THOSE ARE THE THREE AREAS OF KIND OF THE THREE BUCKETS UNDER STUDENT SUPPORT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

WELL, HEATHER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, MOLLY, I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS.

I THINK THE ONLY THING IS THAT I'M STILL MISSING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PRIORITIES PREVIOUSLY THAT I DID NOT THINK ANYONE WAS WANTING TO GET RID OF MENTIONING WAS OR TWICE EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS.

WE HAD THAT EXPLICITLY MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THAT.

AND THEN ALSO WE HAD EARLY INTERVENTION MENTIONED, WHICH I ALSO THINK THAT THAT IS STILL SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.

THANK YOU. JAMES.

AND MAYBE HEATHER TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE.

UNDER THE THIRD BULLET, UPHOLD THE VALUE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.

CAN YOU REPHRASE THAT ANALYZE RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY METHODS TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY WITHIN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM? CAN YOU REPHRASE THAT IN A WAY THAT CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT MEANS? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE USING A LOT OF WORDS TO SAY SOMETHING THAT WE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE MEAN THERE.

AND FIRST AND SECOND OF ALL, I DON'T THINK OUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO ANALYZE SOMETHING, RIGHT? THERE'S AN ACTION THAT COMES OUT OF ANALYSIS.

THAT'S ALL. [INAUDIBLE] SO, YEAH, SO IN THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT AND I MENTIONED BEFORE, SO WE'VE LOOKED AT JUST EVERY YEAR, WE KIND OF LOOK AT WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE, WHERE OUR RESOURCES ARE. WE'VE LOOKED AT AGAIN, DO WE WANT CLUSTER PARTICULAR PROGRAM OR IN A PARTICULAR YEAR? YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.

IF WE ONLY HAVE ONE STUDENT THAT'S NEEDING THIS TYPE OF SERVICE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT HOLISTICALLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT BEFORE THAT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LOOKING AT OUR MODEL, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE THE COLLEGE SUPPORTS THAT STUDENT GETS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT HAVING EVERY STUDENT IN A COLLABORATIVE CLASS THAT THEY CAN

[01:25:01]

SO WE'VE TIERED SOME OF OUR TIERED SOME OF OUR OF OUR RESOURCES AND OF OUR SERVICES.

SO IT'S REALLY JUST LOOKING AT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO BE IS TO BE MOST EFFICIENT.

AND WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRINCIPALS ON STAFFING BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT SAY, OH, WE HAVE SIX SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THAT NEED A COLLABORATIVE CLASS.

LET'S PUT THREE OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THIS CLASS AND THREE OF THEM IN THAT CLASS. WELL, THEN THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO FIND TWO SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF IF YOU DON'T HAVE SIX IN ONE CLASS.

SO IT'S ALWAYS JUST KIND OF CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING AT HOW WE HOW WE UTILIZE THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AND WE CAN LOOK AT A DIFFERENT VERB.

I LOVE TO HEAR YOU CONSIDER PUTTING THE RESOURCES WE HAVE IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN BENEFIT THE MOST STUDENTS, THAT KIND OF PHRASING.

YOU SAID I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT ANALYZES A GOAL.

I THINK TAKE ACTION AS A GOAL BASED ON ANALYSIS.

AND SO I'M SAYING PUT RESOURCES WHERE THEY CAN BEST BE UTILIZED KIND OF WORDING.

OH, I'M SORRY. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD DONE IN THE PAST WAS WE DID SOME COMPARISONS WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR COST PER SPECIAL ED STUDENT LOOKING AT THE TEA SITUATIONS.

AND MOLLY DID A WONDERFUL ANALYSIS ON, IN SOME CASES, WHY OUR MODEL AND SOME OF OUR DELIVERY METHODS ACTUALLY MIGHT COST A LITTLE MORE, BUT MAYBE GOOD FOR KIDS IN A DIFFERENT WAY AS WELL. AND I THINK THE BOARD AT THAT TIME WHEN THEY WROTE IT, I'M NOT SAYING NOW AT THAT TIME WHEN THEY WROTE IT, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SAY WHAT TO DO.

THEY JUST WANTED TO SAY, ANALYZE IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SAY, CUT THIS CODE TEACHING MODEL.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SAY, CUT THE CLUSTERING, YOU KNOW, DON'T, YOU KNOW, CLUSTER INSTEAD OF TRYING TO DO IT EACH BUILDING.

BUT THEY DID FEEL THAT THERE WAS.

AND SO I DON'T THINK IT'S WRONG IN SOME GOALS AT TIMES TO JUST USE THE WORD ANALYZE BECAUSE YOU MAY TAKE A YEAR TO ANALYZE BEFORE YOU TAKE A YEAR TO ACTUALLY SAY, GO DO THIS, BUT THAT'S JUST WANT TO GET SOME HISTORY ON THAT.

YEAH. AND OUR WORDING THAT WHAT'S BEEN CROSSED OUT, THE WORD WE HAD INSTEAD OF ANALYZE WAS REFINE, REFINE RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANALYZE.

ANALYZE HAS BEEN ADDED IN THERE NOW.

AND THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. I DON'T I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH, BY THE WAY, ANALYZING THERE'S VALUE THERE, BUT THAT'S NOT OUR GOAL.

OUR GOAL IS TO ANALYZE SO THAT WE CAN BLANK.

MAYBE. SOMETIMES WE ANALYZE BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE'S SAYING, SHE'S SAYING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESOURCES TO SEE WHERE TO PUT THEM. THERE IS A PURPOSE TO THAT ANALYSIS RIGHT NOW.

HEATHER.

AS IT STANDS, THIS WORDING, I THAT'S NOT MY GOAL.

I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS AT ALL.

OF WHAT SORRY? OF THE ANALYZED RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS AND INSTRUCTION.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT THE ANALYZED PART YET.

I THINK WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF THAT WORK, BUT I'M NOT AT THE ANALYZE AND EFFICIENCY. I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND WE HAVE TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR DISTRICT.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS AND THAT THAT WORDING DOES NOT GIVE ME WARM FUZZIES AT ALL.

SO SOMETHING LIKE POSSIBLY ALLOCATE RESOURCES AND STAFFING TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING AROUND PROVIDE EFFICIENCY OR SOMETHING.

I MEAN, I LIKE THE WAY WE HAD IT BEFORE.

THE REFINED.

OK. IS THAT THE ONE YOU'RE LOOKING AT? REFINED RESOURCES.

I MEAN. WELL. NO, NO, THAT'S NOT A GOAL THAT WE HAD.

WELL, WE HAD REFINE RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY MODELS ENSURING THE GROWTH OF ALL STUDENTS.

I LIKE THAT GOAL.

I SUPPORT THAT GOAL.

I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS NEW VERSION.

JEN AND THEN LAURA AND THEN KIM.

I THINK MAYBE THIS IS A LITTLE MORE MAYBE IT'S ANALYZED AND THEN BRING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD IF WE'RE STILL AT THE PHASE WHERE WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY READY TO LEAP AND TAKE ACTION LIKE DR.

LEONARD SUGGESTS, IF IT'S ANALYZE AND BRING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.

JUST A THOUGHT. LAURA? YEAH, HEATHER, I MEAN, THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT GOALS.

[01:30:06]

I THINK THE EFFICIENCY IS IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, THAT IS A THAT IS AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH STAFFING.

AND I THINK THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW WE CAN WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.

HOW CAN WE BEST DELIVER SERVICES TO THE STUDENTS? SO I ACTUALLY DO LIKE THAT.

AND IT ISN'T WARM AND FUZZY, BUT I THINK IT'S THE REALITY OF WHERE WE ARE.

SO, YEAH, SO I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP A TOTALLY JAMES.

I GET IT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO WORDSMITH IT, WORDSMITH IT.

BUT I THINK OVERALL PRIORITY IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.

THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GO KIM, ELLEN, JAMES, I'D LIKE TO GO.

I'D LIKE TO GO BACK UP TO THE EXPANDING COUNSELING SERVICES.

YES. WHICH I LIKE THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT.

BUT IN COMPARING IT TO LAST YEAR'S GOALS ON IMPLY THE EVIDENCE BASED APPROACHES.

WE'VE DROPPED SUICIDE PREVENTION, WHICH I THINK SHOULD BE CALLED OUT IN THIS IN THIS SUBCATEGORY. SO THE TWENTY ONE GOALS READ, IT HAD SUICIDE PREVENTION NOW IT'S LOST.

OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ELLEN, DID YOU HAVE SOME? I WAS JUST GOING TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULARITY TO WHAT TOM WAS SAYING ABOUT WHERE WE GOT TO OR HOW WE GOT TO THIS GOAL PREVIOUSLY.

AND OF COURSE, WE WANT KIDS TO HAVE WHAT THEY NEED, BUT WE LOOKED AT STUDENT OUTCOMES AS WELL AS THE COST OF PROGRAMS VERSUS OTHER HIGH PERFORMING DISTRICTS LIKE HIGHLAND PARK.

AND WE WERE BASICALLY THE IDENTICAL OR VERY, VERY SIMILAR OUTCOMES FOR 300 PERCENT MORE IN COST. SO THAT IS WHERE THAT CAME FROM, THAT AS WE CONTINUE.

IF YOU THINK BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET, IT WAS PERHAPS EVEN MORE CRITICAL.

BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE MOLLY AND HER TEAM HAVE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB OF LOOKING AT WHERE WE COULD WITHOUT SACRIFICING STUDENT OUTCOMES.

WE COULD USE OUR STAFF MORE EFFICIENTLY.

AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO ALWAYS CONSIDER BECAUSE THAT IS SO STAFFING INTENSIVE. JEN.

I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO KIND OF MARRY THE TWO, HONESTLY, BY ADDING A WORD, ANALYZE RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY MODELS TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY WITHIN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM WHILE ENSURING THE GROWTH OF ALL STUDENTS. IT JUST COMBINES IT, I MEAN, WE'RE STILL WE'RE STILL DOING THAT ANALYZING, I CAN'T EVEN TALK ANYMORE, IT'S LATE.

BUT OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS KEEPING FIRST AND FOREMOST OUR STUDENTS AT THE HEART OF EVERY DECISION WE MAKE. THANK YOU FOR THAT, JAMES.

YEAH, I AGREE, I LIKE THAT.

JEN, I JUST WANT TO I THINK THAT SOMETIMES WE GET HUNG UP ON THE WORD EFFICIENCY BECAUSE I THINK EFFICIENCY GETS INTERPRETED AS REDUCTIONS OR CUTS.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT MOLLY IS TRYING TO APPLY HERE.

I THINK THAT THE IMPLICATION IS MORE AROUND SOMETHING I WAS TRYING TO SAY A MINUTE AGO OF MAKING SURE THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE THE VERY LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE KEY TO THE KIND OF EFFICIENCIES WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THE RIGHT PEOPLE WE HAVE ARE HELPING THE RIGHT STUDENTS.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT WE WENT BACK AND FORTH FOR QUITE A WHILE ABOUT THE WORD EFFICIENCY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT IT THERE TO BE ANY SORT OF NEGATIVE CONNOTATION ABOUT THE WORD.

BUT WE REALLY TRY. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PLACES THAT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LOOK AND BE, YOU KNOW, MORE EFFICIENT WITHOUT SACRIFICING ANY QUALITY.

AND SO BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND THE WORD EFFICIENCY, BUT WE FELT THAT AFTER REALLY TALKING ABOUT IT, THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE WE WERE LOOKING AT.

AND THANK YOU, JAMES HEATHER.

SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO HIGHLAND PARK, I GET PHONE CALLS FROM PARENTS ALL THE TIME, AND THIS IS TO MOLLY'S CREDIT THAT WE ARE LIGHT YEARS ABOVE BETTER THAN HIGHLAND PARK IN OUR SERVICES FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO REQUIRE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR DYSLEXIA INTERVENTION.

SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT HIGHLAND PARK, LET'S NOT BECAUSE MOLLY DOES A FANTASTIC JOB OF DOING THIS AND KUDOS TO HER AND HER DEPARTMENT FOR THAT.

[01:35:05]

AND JEN, I CAN SUPPORT YOUR YOUR WORDING ON THAT.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO TAKE OUT THE ENSURING THE GROWTH OF ALL STUDENTS, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO FEEL LIKE A BUDGET CUT BECAUSE I AM GOING TO GO ON THE RECORD TO SAY I AM STRONGLY AGAINST CUTTING DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU.

IN THAT GOAL, THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION OF THAT GOAL.

LAURA. OK.

CAN I MOVE ON TO A DIFFERENT BULLET POINT? OK. EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES IN THE AREAS OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH . I THINK THAT'S A NEW ONE FOR THIS YEAR.

WELL, THE MENTAL HEALTH PIECE WAS WHAT WE HAD WE'D HEARD A LOT ABOUT JUST WITH THE FAMILY. YES, IT'S NEW.

SORRY, YES, IT'S NEW.

OK, YES. SO CAN WE MAYBE TALK ABOUT OR CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT THAT BULLET POINT? WELL, LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING IS BRINGING IN NAMI, AND WE'RE TRYING TO START SOME FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS THROUGH NAMI.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS.

WE ALSO WORK A LOT WITH OUR FAMILIES.

AND FOR US, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMBINATION OF BOTH ACADEMIC AND MENTAL HEALTH.

WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS ON THAT SORT OF STUDENT LIFE ACADEMIC CHALLENGE BALANCE AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS OF LIKE, OK, THE STUDENTS MAYBE TAKING SIX AP CLASSES AND THEY'RE COMING IN AND THEY'RE VERY STRESSED AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF ANXIETY.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT? AND SO WE WANTED TO KEEP THE ACADEMIC COMPONENT IN THERE BECAUSE WE SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THE ACADEMIC COMPONENT IS WHAT IS CAUSING SOME OF THE STRESS AND ANXIETY FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE AND JUST REALLY TRYING TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO OUR FAMILIES OF HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS BETTER.

AND THEN WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO THE ACADEMIC, THE ACADEMIC CHALLENGES OR RIGOR ARE NOT WHAT'S CAUSING SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, CAN BE JUST SOMETHING SEPARATE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR FAMILIES WITH. BUT IT DID.

IT IS IT IS A NEW GOAL, BUT WE FELT LIKE IT CAME FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAD BEEN HAVING WITH US. I MET A COUPLE WITH A COUPLE OF YOU GUYS SPECIFICALLY AROUND MENTAL HEALTH. I THINK YOU AND I THINK THAT WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION WHEN WE WERE SPEED DATING.

MAYBE IT'S JUST A WORDSMITH AND MAYBE JUST ADD MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, MAYBE ADD SUPPORT AT THE END OF IT. OKAY.

MENTAL HEALTH FELT LIKE IT WAS MENTAL HEALTH WHAT? JUST WAS SITTING OUT THERE SO.

[INAUDIBLE] THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. ALI, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR US? I DO NOT. I HAVE, IN MY TURN, SORRY.

SO RIGHT.

SO THE LAST BULLET POINT IS EMOTE EXTRA AND CO-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES TO INCLUDE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND AREAS OF INDIVIDUAL INTEREST.

THIS IS AN AREA OF INTEREST FOR ME.

I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME LANGUAGE THAT STRENGTHENS THAT STATEMENT.

AND I'D SUGGEST THAT WE STRIKE IN AREAS OF INDIVIDUAL INTEREST.

I THINK THAT'S A THAT HAS THE EFFECT OF BEING DIMINUTIVE.

AND I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A STRONGER WORD WE COULD USE INSTEAD OF PROMOTE.

PROMOTE. PROVIDE.

I HAVE REQUIRE ON HERE, BUT THERE'S PART OF ME THAT THINKS REQUIRE MAY BE A BIT HEAVY HANDED, SO I'M LOOKING FOR HELP WITH A WORD.

WELL, POSSIBLY EXPAND.

WHAT? BUT I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS A SORT OF A COMPULSORY FEEL IS EXPAND FEEL COMPULSORY TO THE ROOM? YEAH. AND SO RIGHT NOW, ACCESS TO EXTRA AND CO-CURRICULAR STUFF IS THE VIA THE ARD AND I'D LIKE I'D LIKE THERE TO BE I'D LIKE THERE TO BE SPOTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE WHEN STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE IN THE ARD AND NOT HAVE TO BE CREATED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ARD.

SO I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE STRONGER THERE.

INCORPORATE. WELL, MAYBE IT IS WHAT YOU SAW THAT IT'S NOT WITH AN ARD.

I MEAN, MAYBE THE LANGUAGE IS THAT IT IS.

I DON'T MOLLY, I'M [INAUDIBLE] THAT IT'S.

YEAH, AND A LOT OF THIS, I MEAN A LOT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS.

YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WITHIN THE ARD COMMITTEE, I MEAN, TO JOIN, YOU KNOW, TO BE A PART OF BEST BUDDIES OR THE SPIRIT TEAM OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE AREN'T OUR COMMITTEE DECISIONS, BUT I MEAN, WE CAN SAY PROVIDE.

[01:40:09]

AND I'LL LEAVE THAT TO Y'ALL TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW TO EXPRESS IT AT THE AT THE END OF THIS SENTENCE. I DON'T THINK YOU NEED MY HELP WITH THAT.

BUT IF YOU KIND OF SEE WHERE I'M WHERE I'M TRYING TO GO.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH WE'RE GOING TO GET WE'RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER CRACK OR TWO AT READING THROUGH THIS. SO LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND INSTEAD OF PROMOTE, LET'S SAY, PROVIDE AND WE'LL WORK ON THE [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS FOR INDULGING.

[INAUDIBLE] IT'S A ONE THING, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC, WE'RE NOT IT'S NOT SEPARATE, IT'S [INAUDIBLE].

WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER COUPLE OF WHACKS AT THAT ONE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR INDULGENCE.

RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE FOR MOLLY? RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NO. AND AS THEY MENTIONED, BOTH OF THEM MENTIONED, THIS ALIGNS MORE WITH THE WAY THEIR DEPARTMENTS WORK. AND SO WHEN YOU SET UP YOUR BOARD PRIORITIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE GOALS TO ALIGN FROM THE BEGINNING, IT MAKES IT A LOT MORE EFFICIENT.

SO THAT'S A, ALL RIGHT.

SO FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, COMMUNITY AND STAFF ENGAGEMENT OPERATIONS AND LONG-RANGE PLANNING.

IT WAS A TRANSFER REALLY FROM YOUR WORK FROM THE FIRST DAY.

AND SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANT TO CALL UP ANYBODY OR THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ANY CLARIFICATION FROM ANY OF THE OTHERS? YES.

YES.

YES, JUST YEAH, ANY CLARIFICATION OR QUESTIONS.

SO I DON'T HAVE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT I DID HAVE WHEN I READ THIS AND I DIDN'T EVEN GO BACK TO LOOK AND SEE IF IT WAS IN THE CURRENT GOALS.

BUT WHEN I READ THE SIX BULLET POINT, WHICH WAS INCREASED PERSONAL GROWTH AND LEARNING OF TRUSTEES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, IT GAVE ME PAUSE THAT WE WERE CREATING A GOAL AROUND SEVEN PEOPLE'S PERSONAL GROWTH, SO TO ME, THE PERSONAL GROWTH SHOULD BE AROUND STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF.

I THINK THAT THE INTENT OF THAT WHEN THAT WAS WRITTEN, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR WAS TO HELP TO EDUCATE THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DISTRICT, AND YOU ALL WANTED TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT.

[10. ACTION - CONSENT AGENDA]

AND MAYBE THAT WAS WHAT I MEAN WHEN I READ IT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION

[11.1 Strategic Direction for 2022-23, including Board Goals and Priorities]

TO ME, IT'S EVERYONE ELSE IS A PRIORITY.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR DESIRE WOULD BE FOR TRUSTEES TO BE LAST IN THAT LIST.

[01:45:01]

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OH, HI, MARK.

HI. NOT A LOT FOR YOU TONIGHT.

YEAH, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

NO PROBLEM. ALL RIGHT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER AREAS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM AND LINDA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY YOU WANTED TO SHARE? OK. NOT REALLY.

ALL RIGHT, ELLEN. I DON'T KNOW WHICH CATEGORY THIS WOULD GO IN.

BUT ONE THING THAT I IN LOOKING, TAKING A STEP BACK AND LOOKING AT THIS ONE THING I THOUGHT WAS MISSING WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ALL THOSE STUDENTS IN THE MIDDLE THAT I PERSONALLY WORRY ABOUT A LOT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL HIGH END SERVICES, AP PROGRAM ALL OF THAT.

BUT IT'S THE KIDS IN THE MIDDLE.

AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE EXPLICIT ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE GIVE THE BREADTH AS WELL AS THE DEPTH THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR SO THAT ALL OF THOSE KIDS IN THE MIDDLE ARE NOT LOST BETWEEN THE TWO OTHER GROUPS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT COMES IN HERE OR IF WE JUST THINK ABOUT IT AS AN OVERLAY AND A MINDSET. BUT LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE KIDS THAT ARE THEY DON'T HAVE IEPS, SO THEY DON'T HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT'S WORKING TO SUPPORT THEM, BUT THEY ARE.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE LAST THREE KIDS BEFORE THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL SUPPORT.

YOU KNOW, WHO'S LOOKING OUT FOR THEM? DO WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FALL OFF AT ABOUT THE TOP 15 PERCENT? AND THEN OTHER KIDS GET LEFT OUT.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT GOES, BUT I JUST FELT LIKE I WANTED TO ARTICULATE THAT THOSE KIDS CAN GET LOST IN OUR SYSTEM.

AND ELLEN I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE I WOULD SUGGEST IF YOU WERE GOING TO PLAY SOMETHING UNDER GVC, THE FIRST NEW BULLET POINT, OK, WHICH IS KIND OF A REVISEMENT OF THE OLD BULLET POINT.

SO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE BASED, EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGH UNIVERSAL DIVIDE AND THE SECOND ONE RIGHT UNDERNEATH THAT LYING CAMPUS INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT TO ENSURE INSTRUCTIONAL ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

YOU KNOW, YOU MAY WANT TO TWEAK ONE OF THOSE A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT REALLY IS TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY. YEAH. AND IT'S TALKING ABOUT KIDS IN THE MIDDLE, IT'S NOT CALLING THEM UP ONLY, BUT MAYBE YOU WOULD, MAYBE PARTICULARLY FOR, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT IS WHERE WE TRY TO DO THAT, I THINK. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS BORDER WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IT, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS AND WE'LL SEE MORE IN THE TAPER REPORT.

BUT IN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE COMPARISONS AND SOME OF THE TOP LINE DATA WE'VE SEEN, WHERE I SEE THAT WE HAVE A BIGGER ISSUE IS NOT IN THE OVERALL, BUT IT IS IN MOVING KIDS FROM TO MASTERY LEVELS.

AND TO ME, THAT'S WHERE THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF KIDS IN THE MIDDLE CAN REALLY BE IMPACTED. AND YOU KNOW, I COULD SEE US GETTING EVEN MORE SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR ACADEMIC GOALS ARE.

WE PERFORM AT SUCH HIGH LEVELS.

WE TEND TO FORGET THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAKE SOME DIFFERENCE IN IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

AND I THINK THAT'S OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US GET RELATIVELY SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF WHERE OUR OPPORTUNITY IS TO GROW STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT THAT, TOO, IS AS THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN COMES TO YOU WITH SOME BULLET POINTS AND I'M FINE WITH THAT.

I'M KIND OF TALKING ABOUT A MINDSET AND DO WE HAVE A MINDSET OF WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS IN THE MIDDLE ARE TENDED TO IN SOME WAY AND IS ONE WAY LOOKING AT THEIR ACHIEVEMENT AND SEEING IF WE CAN GET MORE STUDENTS PERFORMING AT HIGHER LEVELS IN THAT INTERNAL ASSESSMENT? AND I THINK, LIKE DR.

LEONARD SAID, THAT ALIGNS WITH THIS.

AND I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IN THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS THAT YOU WOULD SEE THAT AND ESPECIALLY HEARING THIS CONVERSATION, I THINK YOU'LL THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT.

[01:50:03]

YEAH, ELLEN, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE COULD THE THIRD BULLET, WHICH KIND OF SITS DOWN THERE BY ITSELF THAT TALKS ABOUT EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHERE YOU CAN CATCH A LOT OF THIS LITTLE KIDS.

AND MAYBE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, EXPAND ON THAT BULLET POINT.

BUT THAT'S SORT OF WHAT THAT IS WHAT THAT BULLET POINT MEANS TO ME IS ENGAGING THOSE KIDS BECAUSE IF YOU CAN CATCH THEM AND ENGAGE THEM IN AREAS THAT THEY'RE REALLY INTERESTED THEM AND THEIR OVERALL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE WILL IMPROVE.

AND SO MAYBE THAT IS A BULLET POINT THAT WE CAN KIND OF.

I DON'T KNOW PLUMP UP OR SOMETHING.

GOOD POINT. GREAT POINT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, ELLEN. RIGHT, ANY OTHER CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION, I THINK ONCE WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY.

I'LL KIND OF DO A RUN BACK THROUGH WHAT WE'VE COME TO CONSENSUS TONIGHT AND THEN TURN IT OVER FOR A SOME CLEANING UP AND PRIOR TO YOUR NEXT MEETING.

SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS OR NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION? AND YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER CRACK AT THIS.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S ALL OVER.

STAFF WILL KIND OF START REWORDING A FEW THINGS BASED ON TONIGHT'S FEEDBACK, YOU'LL SEE IT AGAIN, AND EVENTUALLY YOU'LL TAKE ACTION AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN KIND OF GO UNDERNEATH IT AS WELL.

ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY.

I THINK I READ THAT IN A BOOK SOMEWHERE.

ONE THING I LIKE TO, I DON'T SEE IT ON HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT A LOT, AND I'D LIKE TO BE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SPACE TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND THAT'S IN THE NEED TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION TO OUR VARIOUS STAKEHOLDER.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SCATTERED AROUND AND SOME OF THEM ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO US OPERATIONALLY, AND SOME OF THEM ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR ABILITY TO KEEP OUR BUDGET IN ORDER. AND I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE MIND OF OUR NEED TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNICATION.

ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT GOAL? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NECESSARILY NEEDS TO BE A GOAL.

I KIND OF LIKE I'D LIKE IT AS THE AS IN THE BLUE WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO AND SUPPORT OUR GOALS.

BUT JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE? YEAH. ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT? ARE WE GOING TO IN THE OPERATIONAL OR NOT? SO WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY, BUT THIS IS THE TIME TO SHARE OUT ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION YOU HAVE ABOUT ANY OF THE PRIORITIES.

OK. IT'S KIND OF BUILT ON WHAT YOU'VE JUST SAID IN TERMS OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND HOW DOES THAT FIGURE INTO OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT SOME SORT OF LISTENING OPPORTUNITY OR DIALOGUE OPPORTUNITY IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A YEAR TO DO THAT, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD YEAR TO DO THAT. BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD YEAR FOR US TO LEAN VERY, VERY HARD INTO TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THOSE TWO ARE COMBINED TOGETHER WHEN I THINK THEY I THINK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN THE NEXT YEAR.

AND I ALSO THINK THAT TEACHER STAFF RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US AND WHEN THEY ARE COMBINED, I DON'T THINK THEY GET THE FOCUS THAT PERHAPS THEY DESERVE IF THEY WERE IN FACT, SEPARATE GOALS, SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER SEPARATING THEM INTO TWO DIFFERENT GOALS.

JAMES. YOU'RE I'M SORRY.

ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT THERE WOULD BE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOAL AND THEN THERE'D BE ANOTHER HEADING THAT HAD TO DO WITH STAFF? YES. AND THE ONE THING UNDER THE STAFF, ONE WOULD BE ATTRACT? I'D PROBABLY EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.

I MEAN, THE FACT THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE THING AND IT JUST SAYS A TRACK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF GLOBAL AND BIG.

SO THERE MIGHT BE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANT TO.

FOR EXAMPLE, IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE STAFF FEEDBACK MECHANISMS YOU'VE STARTED THE TEACHER ADVISORY GROUP IS THAT SOME OR OR, YOU KNOW, A MECHANISM LIKE THAT, IS THAT

[01:55:03]

YEAH, I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO PROPOSE REWORDING THAT BULLET TO ATTRACT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN TOP TALENT.

AND IF YOU DID CREATE ANOTHER GOAL THAT WAS TALENT SPECIFIC, YOU COULD TALK ABOUT ATTRACTING AS A BULLET.

YOU COULD TALK ABOUT DEVELOP STAFF DEVELOPMENT AS A BULLET AND YOU COULD TALK ABOUT RETENTION AS A BULLET.

I'M NOT SAYING IT HAS TO BE.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO MORE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US WORKING, I'M THE ONE WHO THREW OUT THAT ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALITY TALENT, AND I DON'T LOVE THAT PHRASING, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE COULD SAY, ATTRACT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN TOP TALENT.

AND BUT I THINK THAT MAYBE IT'S WORTHY OF ITS OWN GOAL.

I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT.

I JUST KNOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT WE WHAT RISES TO THE GOLD LEVEL IS, IN FACT WHAT ENDS UP WITH A LOT OF ENERGY TO IT AND JUST HAVING IT AS A ONE SENTENCE SUB STRATEGY FEELS TO ME LIKE WITH ALL THE INFORMATION YOU'VE TOLD US ABOUT THE FACT THERE'S GOING TO BE SHORTAGES COMING OUT OF SCHOOLS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE RESIGNATIONS THAN NORMAL.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

WE BETTER BE IN FRONT OF THE CURVE AND BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.

SO I DON'T HAVE STRONG, PERSONALLY STRONG FEELINGS ON BEING TWO OR ONE PRIORITY.

BUT I DO THINK THAT I LIKE TO DEVELOP A LOT.

BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'RE THE WHERE THE RUBBER WILL MEET THE ROAD ON THIS IS REALLY IN THE SUB POINTS UNDERNEATH.

THAT MAY BE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, OR YOU KNOW, AND SPECIFIC TYPE THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ALL THOSE CONCEPTS THAT YOU ARE THAT YOU ARTICULATED SO NICELY NEED TO BE IN. IT'S IN BULLET POINTS HERE.

RIGHT AND YES, IT WILL BE FLESHED OUT.

I JUST AM CONCERNED THAT WE'RE KIND OF BURYING IT WITH ONE PHRASE THE WAY IT IS NOW.

SO YOU KNOW, YOU COULD.

IF YOU COULD FLIP SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD YOU COULD TAKE THE NEWLY DEFINED ONE BY JAMES WITH ADDING THE DEVELOPED AND THE ONE RIGHT UNDERNEATH IT AND REALLY SLIDE THEM MAY BE HIGHER UP INTO THIS TO KIND OF GIVE IT A DIFFERENT VISIBILITY.

THAT'S ANOTHER WAY YOU COULD PHRASE IT, BUT IT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU.

AND I THINK PART OF IT, TOO, IS IT STANDS OUT BECAUSE IT IS THE SHORTEST STATEMENT ON THERE, AND SO I THINK IT STANDS OUT AS IT IS VERY IMPACTFUL.

THE SENTENCE BUT IT STANDS OUT BECAUSE ITS BREVITY, BUT IT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO DIG INTO IT TO TO ADD MORE TO IT, THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN.

I THINK THAT ATTRACT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN QUALITY TALENT IS GOOD.

BUT I DO. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I KNOW WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH ALL OF THESE, THAT ONE, IT'S A FIVE STAR.

IT'S GOT ALL ITS ALL THE GRAIN, BUT NOBODY ADDED ANYTHING TO IT.

SO IT WAS, YEAH, WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD THAT MANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO.

I MEAN, WE'RE WELL AWARE OF THE PROGRAM OF THE PROBLEM.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVEN'T SPENT A WHOLE LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY FIGURING OUT DIRECTIONS OR PRIORITIES OR WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT OR.

RIGHT, AND TO THAT END, I THINK YOU COULD I THINK YOU COULD DEVELOP IT AS ANOTHER GOAL OR YOU COULD, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL OF THE OTHERS, YOU COULD DIG DEEP INTO IT IN THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THAT DISTRICT LEVEL PLANNING TO ALIGN TO IT TO REALLY GIVE THAT SOME MORE JUST STAMINA BEHIND IT.

BUT YOU COULD WE COULD LOOK AT IT EITHER WAY, IT'S.

I PREFER IT BE A SEPARATE GOAL, BUT ADMINISTRATIVELY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW THIS MIGHT FIT IN THE CONTEXT.

SO I'M ROLLING WITH WHATEVER, LAURA.

YEAH. ELLEN, I THINK IT IS IT'S A CRITICAL PRIORITY, HONESTLY.

I THINK IT WORKS THERE.

I THINK IT WORKS THERE. I THINK THAT TO ADD BULLET POINTS DOWN UNDERNEATH IT.

THOSE TYPES OF THINGS REALLY WILL COME FROM THE DEPTH THAT THE ACTION ITEMS WILL COME FROM THE DEPTH. AND BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD MAJOR, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSIONS AND DIRECTION ABOUT IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.

SO I'M ACTUALLY OK WITH WITH THE BREVITY OF THE STATEMENT.

I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.

CAN I TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION? IS IT SHORT IS THAT WHAT YOU ASKED?

[02:00:03]

ARE WE IMPROVING THOSE OR ARE WE IMPLEMENTING NEW ONES? I'M ASSUMING WE ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THOSE.

WE ARE IMPROVING PROCESSES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.

OK. SO IMPLEMENTING NEW.

IMPLEMENTING NEW.

SO ADDITIONAL WOULD BE GREAT.

IMPLEMENTING ADDITIONAL. OKAY, THANK YOU.

THAT WAS THAT. AND KRISTY, WHILE YOU'RE WHILE YOU'RE CLOSE TO SCHOOL SAFETY, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S MAPS AREA.

OR IS THAT PART OF TECHNOLOGY? SCHOOL SAFETY WOULD BE MAPS CYBER SECURITY AND SAFETY ONLINE AND OUR PROTECTING OUR STUDENTS DATA WOULD BE IT.

OK. THANK YOU, BECAUSE I'LL GO ON RECORD AS SAYING, I KNOW THAT THAT COVID HAS COVID HAS CHANGED THE WORK MATT HAD TO DO AND THE ABILITY TO DO THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY, BUT ONE OF THE FALLOUTS OF COVID GOING AWAY IS THAT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS HAVE BEGUN AGAIN AND WE HAD AN INCIDENT AT TWO OF OUR CAMPUSES OR THREE OR FOUR OF OUR CAMPUSES, AND WE REALIZED THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN RUSTY, BUT SOME OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, PERHAPS WE'RE A LITTLE RUSTY. AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REGROUPING IN TERMS OF OUR SCHOOL SAFETY PROTOCOLS. I THINK THEY'RE THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

I WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY REGROUP AND MAKE SURE THAT POST-COVID, WE KNOW THAT WHAT THE NEW PROTOCOLS ARE IN THIS POST COVID WORLD.

I DON'T. JAMES, DO YOU WANT TO? ELLEN, I THINK THAT WHILE THERE IS CYBER TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIES, I THINK THE IMPLEMENT SCHOOL SAFETY IS BROAD.

I REALLY DO. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THAT TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY WAS IN FACT, I MEAN, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT CYBER SECURITY A WHOLE LOT.

I GET IT. BUT TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY, I THINK, NEEDS TO COME BACK UP IN OUR THINKING OF. AGAIN, IF WE HAVE GOOD BULLET POINTS UNDERNEATH IT, WE'LL SEND A MESSAGE.

JAMES. IT'S A DIFFERENT BULLET HERE, ACTUALLY THE LAST BULLET ON THE PAGE.

IT COULD BE THE LAST COMMENT.

THE EXPLORE COLLABORATIVE OR ALTERNATIVE FUND RAISING IN REVENUE GENERATION STRATEGIES.

WE HAD A DEEP DIVE ON THAT IN 2020 WHEN WE WERE HERE OR WE WERE AT THE DOCK AT THE TIME.

IT'S JUST STILL HAVE TRACTION, I MEAN, IT'S I THINK IT'S STILL SOMETHING WE'D LOVE TO DO, BUT I HAVE WE MADE ANY PROGRESS ON THIS ONE AND WHERE ARE WE ON ALTERNATIVE FUNDRAISING AND SUCH? AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE A LOT OF MOMENTUM AT THAT TIME.

AND THERE WERE. YOU KNOW, ONE BOARD MEMBER SPECIFICALLY HAD A LOT OF ENERGY AND INPUT ON THAT, BUT I JUST DON'T I'M NOT AWARE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS.

AND THAT WAS JASON'S PRIORITY.

AND ANYBODY WANT TO PICK THAT UP? WELL, AND I'LL SAY, LOOK, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THIS, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF LET'S NOT GIVE STAFF MORE TO DO THAN DURING THESE TIMES OF KIND OF RECOVERY, WE'VE GOT FULL PLATES.

AND I FEAR HAVING GOALS ON HERE THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING ON LEADS TO NOT MAKING, YOU KNOW, FEELING LIKE WE'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE NEED MONEY.

WE HAVE BROUGHT AT LEAST, I THINK, TWO TASK FORCES TO THIS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

AND I THINK ELLEN AND ELLEN WILL TELL ME THAT THERE'S ABOUT 10 THAT WERE BEFORE THAT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF THE IDEAS HAVE BEEN EXPLORED AND THEY HAVE.

TO SOME DEGREE, I'VE BEEN MAXIMIZED TO A CERTAIN POINT.

IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP LOOKING FOR THEM, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THE MORE INTERESTING PLACE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY BE POTENTIALLY THINKING IS THE BULLET POINT ABOVE THAT AND UTILIZING SOME FUTURE BONDS FOR SOME POSSIBILITIES, FOR SOME REVENUE CREATIVITY IN ORDER TO SHIFT SOME MONEY FROM YOUR BOND TO YOUR [INAUDIBLE] AND MAKE THAT A HIGH PRIORITY.

BUT THAT'S THE THOUGHT.

AND I WONDER, JUST KIND OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IF THE BULLET ISN'T MORE ALIGNED AROUND, SUPPORTED OUR EXISTING FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES, SUPPORT EEF, SUPPORT THE BOOSTER

[02:05:01]

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SOME THAT ARE WORKING TO SOME EXTENT.

LET'S SUPPORT THOSE AND PUT OUR BOARD SUPPORT BEHIND EEF, ET CETERA.

GO AHEAD, LAURA. JAMES, I DON'T THINK WE CAN TAKE IT OFF, I THINK WE COULD LIKE DR.

LEONARD SUGGESTED, AS YOU DIDN'T SUGGEST IT, WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP IS THAT MAYBE ROLL THAT REVENUE GENERATION STRATEGIES UP INTO THE BULLET POINT ABOVE IT.

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE STOP LOOKING ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING IN MONEY FOR TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.

HEATHER.

I'M WONDERING IF WE MIGHT WANT TO EXPLICITLY NAME IN THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION IN THIS TO KIND OF RAISE THAT AWARENESS TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, THEY DO A LOT FOR US, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO START IT OUT THERE.

I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT EEF DOES FOR US, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING REALLY HARD IN VARIOUS DOMAINS AND I'D RATHER NOT GET INTO A LISTING.

AND I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE HELPING US.

I ABSOLUTELY DO.

AND LET ME JUST POINT OUT THAT.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MALLEABLE THESE THESE SUB BULLETS ARE.

SO UNDER THE FIRST BULLET POINT WE HAVE UNDER OPERATIONS IN LONG RANGE, LONG RANGE PLANNING IS MAINTAINING IS STEADY POTENTIAL.

[INAUDIBLE] STUDY POTENTIAL BUDGETING AND POLICY PRIORITIES.

NOW I KNOW THAT JEREMY WOULD LIKE TO USE THAT JUST GREATLY FOR OPERATIONAL THINGS.

BUT TO WHAT EXTENT CAN WE USE THAT REFERENCE TO MORE BROADLY TALK ABOUT WHAT IS REFERENCED DOWN HERE IN EXPLORE COLLABORATIVE OR ALTERNATIVE FUNDRAISING AND WHAT I'M SUGGESTING. WHAT I'M ASKING IS, CAN CAN WE STRIKE THIS LAST SENTENCE IN IN FAVOR OF WHAT WE GOT UP THERE AND AT FIRST, SUB BULLET? THAT TAKES WAY TOO MUCH THINKING.

ALL RIGHT. SORRY.

YEAH, YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. SORRY.

THERE WE GO. AND ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, THEY'D LIKE TO THEY'D LIKE TO PUSH FORWARD RIGHT NOW? ELLEN. AND LET ME DO ELLEN AND YOU, LAURA, AND THEN YOU, AMY, YOU CAN TAKE IT AWAY.

I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY AND DESIRE FOR SOME SORT OF LISTENING OPPORTUNITIES AND DIALOGUE OPPORTUNITIES.

AND I DON'T SEE HOW THAT STRUCTURES UNDER ANY OF THESE FOUR BULLET POINTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HERE. SO I WOULD LIKE YOUR INDULGENCE FOR US TO ADD SOMETHING THAT GETS AT BAT.

I KNOW [INAUDIBLE] HAD SOME IDEAS.

I AGREE WITH THAT. AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM BEING A THING.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, HEATHER.

SORRY. WELL, LET ME, I'M GOING TO DO I'M GOING TO DO LAURA AND HEATHER.

NO BECAUSE I HAVE A DIFFERENT BULLET POINT SO COME BACK TO ME.

I APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE PROMOTING THE EFFORTS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEAR LEGACY, BUT MAYBE WE JUST MAKE IT MORE BROAD AND CONTINUE AND GET ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS OR SOMETHING IN THERE WITH OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE WANT TO ALWAYS ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND AND WE'VE BEEN WE ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR [INAUDIBLE].

I DON'T KNOW, JUST TRYING TO MAKE THAT MORE BROAD SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND ON IT.

THAT AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A IT'S GOING TO TAKE RESOURCES TO DO IT WELL.

SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO AGREE THAT, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

[02:10:04]

THEY WERE TALKING, THE ENVISIONING SUBCOMMITTEE GROUP WAS TALKING ABOUT.

THE NEED TO REBUILD THE COMMUNITY, RECONNECT, AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

AND SO IT MAY NOT SAY TWO WAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS.

I MEAN, IT'S PURPOSEFUL CONNECTION.

AND IT WAS THE STUDENT LEARNING, AUGMENTING THE STUDENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT DID TAKE ME, WHICH ACTUALLY TO ME IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE NEXT BULLET POINT WHEN YOU INCLUDE STUDENT PROGRAMS. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE ENHANCING THE COMMUNICATION AROUND STUDENT PROGRAMS, WHICH IS KIND OF WHERE STUDENT LEARNING TAKES PLACE.

SO YOU'RE RIGHT. I MEAN, THAT WOULD WORK AS A AS AN UMBRELLA.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE EDITORS, Y'ALL ARE MAGICAL AT ALL OF THIS.

YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION THAT MAKES SENSE AS TO.

THANK YOU TO [INAUDIBLE].

ANYBODY ELSE? OK. OK, SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS JUST DO A QUICK RUN THROUGH JUST OF ALL OF YOUR YOUR FEEDBACK AND ONE THING BEFORE JUST TO LOOK AT ON OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES ON THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF ENGAGEMENT.

ONE SIMPLE CONSIDERATION WOULD BE BASED ON ALL THE DISCUSSION ABOUT STAFF AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RETAINING AND RECRUITING STAFF IS TO FLIP THAT AND THAT OPERATIONAL PRIORITY BE WORDED AS STAFF AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO THAT'S A CONSIDERATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY FEELS STRONGLY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

DOES IT MAKE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE? WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING THAT? SO UNDERNEATH OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES, JUST BASED ON THE EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND STAFF IMPORTANCE FLIPPING STAFF.

IT COMMUNITY, SO IT WOULD SAY IT WOULD READ STAFF AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THAT BULLET AS OPPOSED TO BREAKING IT INTO TWO BULLETS AND THEN FLIP THE ORDER OF THE SUBTOPICS.

IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE, I WOULD PROBABLY LEAVE IT.

AND I THINK COMMUNICATION'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT TO ME, THAT WOULD GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUS ON THE STAFF GOAL, WHICH I'D LOVE TO SEE.

OK. JEFF, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A SHOT AT THAT? OK. ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU. AMY. YES.

OK. OK.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

JUST TO RUN BACK THROUGH.

SO UNDER GVC, WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING THE WORD STEM INTO THE LIST OF PROVIDE MEANINGFUL AND AUTHENTIC LEARNING ACTIVITIES UNDERNEATH THE DEI.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE HAD ANYTHING SPECIFIC.

WE ARE UNDER STUDENT SUPPORT.

CHANGING THE ORDER.

OH YES, CHANGING THE ORDER.

INCREASE PERSONAL GROWTH AND LEARNING.

YES, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE ORDER OF THAT.

AND THEN UNDER STUDENT SUPPORT, IMPLEMENTING SUICIDE PREVENTION NAMED SPECIFICALLY BACK INTO THE WORDING AND THEN CHANGING MENTAL HEALTH TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.

INCLUDING TWICE EXCEPTIONAL AND EARLY INTERVENTION, AS IT WAS LISTED PREVIOUSLY IN OUR GOAL, IN OUR PRIORITIES.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE WORDING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH ANALYZED RESOURCES, STAFFING SYSTEMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY METHODS MODELS TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY WITHIN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM WHILE ENSURING THE GROWTH OF ALL STUDENTS. AND THEN WE'RE CHANGING PROMOTE TO PROVIDE EXTRA AND CO-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES ON THE VERY LAST BULLET.

ON COMMUNITY AND STAFF ENGAGEMENT OR STAFF AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE AD DEVELOP TO THE SECOND BULLET SO IT'LL RE-ATTRACT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN QUALITY TALENT.

WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE WORDING OF CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO PROMOTE QUALITY, THE QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION AND EANES LOOK AT THAT WORDING THERE TO INCLUDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, I THINK WAS THE WORD AND THEN ON OPERATIONS AND LONG-RANGE PLANNING, IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY.

SO THOSE ARE THE AND IT SORT OF CAME THROUGH, ELLEN.

APPARENTLY, THE AMENDMENT, AS CLAUDIA EXPLAINED, THAT IF YOU TAKE OUT TO AUGMENT STUDENT LEARNING OUT OF THE THIRD BULLET POINT, IT ACTUALLY IS CREATE PURPOSEFUL CONNECTIONS TO BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, WHICH MAY BE A GOOD WAY TO GET TO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO.

[02:15:01]

OR TO BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

OK, GREAT. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE? NOBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.

SO LET'S CHECK MIC] ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE UPCOMING MEETINGS.

WE HAVE ONE ON ON MARCH 8TH, THAT'S A SPECIAL MEETING.

WE HAVE ONE ON MARCH 29TH, IT'S A REGULAR MEETING.

AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 10 :08.

THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT STUCK WITH US THIS FALL.

APPRECIATE IT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.