Dec 13, 2022 School Board Regular Meeting

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>> GOOD EVENING. THE TIME IS NOW SIX O'CLOCK AND I CALL IT THE

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

>> WE DO.

>> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION

[3. CLOSED SESSION]

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

WE WILL SEE YOU IN JUST A BIT.

GOOD EVENING.

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

THIS IS THE LAST BOARD MEETING OF THE YEAR AND WE WELCOME YOU.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU FOR COMING.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I NEEDED TO COVER VERY QUICKLY.

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

THE DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO TREATING EVERYONE HERE WITH RESPECT AND WE EXPECT TO SAME IN RETURN.

PLEASE REFRAIN FROM OUTBURST OR ANY OTHER FORM OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.

THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT LATER IN THE MEETING, 13 SPEAKERS HAVE SIGNED UP, AND EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU.

LAST THING IN THE EVENT OF EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE EMERGENCY EXIT NEAREST YOU.

IF THE NEED ARISES, PLEASE HEAD TO THAT EXIT IN AN ORDERLY MANNER.

THERE'S ONE THROUGH WHICH EVERYBODY ENTERED AND THERE'S ONE DOWN AT THE END OF THIS HALL.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND IT THE FIRE MARSHAL HAS RULES AND WE'RE COMPELLED TO FOLLOW THEM.

AS SUCH, I NEED TO ASK EVERYONE TO FIND A SEAT AND KEEP THE AISLES CLEAR.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR KIDS.

WE WILL NOW BEGIN OUR AGENDA.

I WILL BEGIN WITH THE READING OF THE MISSION STATEMENT.

[5. EANES ISD MISSION STATEMENT]

WE UNITE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS, CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR ALL.

WE EMPOWER STUDENTS, PROVIDING AN EXEMPLARY EDUCATION THAT 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.

OUR FIRST REPORT THIS EVENING IS

[7. REPORTS]

[LAUGHTER] DR. BARNETT, TAKE IT AWAY.

>> IS THAT A REMINDER? WELL, I WILL BE BRIEF.

WELCOME, EVERYBODY. I HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.

FIRST OF ALL, THE WESTLAKE ROBOTICS TEAM PLACED FOURTH OVERALL. LET ME GET TO THEIR SLIDE.

FOURTH OVERALL IN ONE, THE BEST PRESENTATION AND ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK AWARDS AT THE BELL HELICOPTER ADVANCED VERTICAL ROBOTICS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD IN ARLINGTON LAST WEEK.

THIS WAS THE SECOND YEAR TO COMPETE IN THE CONTEST AND THE SECOND TIME TO WIN THE PRESENTATION AWARD AND QUALIFIED FOR NATIONALS.

WESTLAKE HAD FIVE ROOKIE TEAM MEMBERS THIS YEAR.

THE FUTURE LOOKS EVEN BRIGHTER FOR A ROBOTICS CLUB.

[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM.

THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR CHAMPS.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB.

THEIR 54-GAME WINNING STREAK, UNFORTUNATELY, CAME TO AN END LAST WEEKEND, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY PROUD OF THEM.

IT WAS AT THE TIME THE LONGEST WINNING STREAK IN THE NATION.

THEY WERE BUYING FOR THEIR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONSHIP.

IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE.

BUT NONETHELESS, WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR CHAMPS FOOTBALL TEAM.

CONGRATULATIONS TO WESTLAKE.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL SEASON AND WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.

[APPLAUSE] THAT CONCLUDES MY BRIEF SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS INTRUDER DETECTION, AUDIT REPORT FINDINGS, AND WE HAVE JEREMY TREMBLE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ANYBODY JOIN YOU, JEREMY?

>> IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ME.

AN UPDATE ON INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT.

I'M REQUIRED TO READ A SCRIPT THAT IS PROVIDED BY TEA AND THE TEXAS SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER SO BEAR WITH ME.

I'LL BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.

THE TOP PRIORITY OF EANES ISD IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS KEEPING STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE EVERY DAY.

TO PROMOTE SCHOOL SAFETY, THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY AND THE TEXAS SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER ARE REQUIRING THAT ALL TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNDERGO RANDOM UNANNOUNCED INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS THROUGHOUT 2022, 23 SCHOOL YEAR.

THE AUDITS TEST WHETHER OUR CAMPUS IS ACCESSIBLE TO UNAUTHORIZED INDIVIDUAL.

[00:05:02]

THE AUDIT PROVIDES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A SAFER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.

THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY ALSO REQUIRES THAT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT PRESENT ANY INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT FINDINGS TO THE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT A BOARD MEETING.

TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT, THE DISTRICT WILL PRESENT THIS REOCCURRING ITEM TO THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY AT THE BOARD'S REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS AS THE AUDITS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

SHOULD ANY CAMPUS HAVE AN AUDIT FINDING THAT INFORMATION, ALONG WITH ANY SPECIFIC CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN WILL BE SHARED WITH THE BOARD IN CLOSED SESSION DUE TO THE SAFETY-SENSITIVE NATURE OF THIS INFORMATION.

SINCE THE START OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR OF THE TEXAS SCHOOL, SAFETY CENTER HAS CONDUCTED AUDITS AT FOUR OF OUR CAMPUSES.

OF THE FOUR AUDITS CONDUCTED AT EANES ISD CAMPUSES, THREE HAD NO FINDINGS AND ONE HAD FINDINGS.

DISTRICT STAFF HAVE ALREADY ADDRESSED THE FINDINGS AND ARE IMPLEMENTING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, INCLUDING STAFF TRAINING.

WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR DISTRICT SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE TRAINING ALL OF OUR STAFF AND SECURING ALL OF OUR DOORS FOR THE PROTECTION OF EVERYONE AT OUR CAMPUSES.

THE SUPPORT FROM THE STATE IN CONDUCTING INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY ACTIONS WE ARE TAKING TO ENSURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE LIKELY VERY INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS OF THE AUDIT RESULTS.

HOWEVER, IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE DO NOT SHARE THIS INFORMATION TO THE BROADER PUBLIC AS IT COULD LEAD TO COMPROMISING IMPORTANT CAMPUS SECURITY INFORMATION.

SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION AND WITH THE SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE.

EANES ISD IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A SAFE AND SECURE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.

WE KNOW THAT THIS WORK DOES NOT END AND WE APPRECIATE THE BOARD SUPPORT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEREMY. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? I APPRECIATE THAT.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT AND BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

MARIA ROXTEAD. MARIA, WELCOME. GOOD EVENING.

>> THE MAIN THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT FOR THIS MONTH'S FINANCIALS WAS THAT WE DID THE MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENTS FOR BOTH THE GENERAL FUND AND THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND.

IN BOTH INSTANCES, THERE WERE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED THAT DID CHANGE THE BUDGETED FUND BALANCE.

FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE BUDGET DEFICIT WAS CHANGED FROM A NEGATIVE ONE MILLION TO A POSITIVE 400,000.

THE CHANGES THAT AFFECTED THIS WERE RELATED TO CHANGES IN PROPERTY TAXES AND ESTIMATED ENROLLMENTS.

THESE ARE ALL ITEMS THAT CHRIS IS GOING TO DISCUSS LATER IN A LOT MORE DETAIL.

THEN FOR THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND AS WELL, THERE WERE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE FOR MIDYEAR AS WE TYPICALLY DO DURING THIS TIME.

THE BUDGETED FUND BALANCED DEFICIT WAS DECREASED BY 134,000.

THE OTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS THAT, FOR OUR CDA LOCAL, WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ANNUAL INVESTMENT REPORT.

THIS TYPICALLY IS PRESENTED IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH, BUT WE DIDN'T GET IT IN TIME TO PRESENT IT, SO IT'S INCLUDED IN HERE. WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?

>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARIA?

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALMOST.

THE NEXT ITEM IS THE BOARD PRIORITY UPDATE, A STUDENTS SERVICES AND COUNSELING.

WE'VE GOT ALISON ICKY AND HYDE SOWER? WELCOME. MOLLY MAY.

>> GOOD EVENING. I'M ALISON ICKY, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES.

WE WILL GO THROUGH THE BOARD PRIORITIES.

OUR BOARD PRIORITIES FROM LAST YEAR WERE TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS TO INCREASE CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT IN STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR SST PROCESS, RTI, SECTION 504 SERVICES AND ESL SERVICES TO PROMOTE EARLY INTERVENTION.

INCORPORATE DATA ANALYSIS INTO NEW SCREENING AND IDENTIFICATION MEASURES TO BETTER ALIGN INSTRUCTION AND SERVICES, AND THEN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR STAFF IN SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA, THOSE SERVED THROUGH ESL AND THOSE THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS TWICE EXCEPTIONAL.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE TERMS THAT YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT RELATED TO STUDENTS SUPPORT SERVICES, ARE DYSLEXIA, SECTION 504, ENGLISH AS OUR SECOND LANGUAGE, WHICH IS OUR ESL PROGRAM, AND THEN OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND THEN ACTUALLY FIRST THE STUDENTS.

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THEY ARE NOW REFERRED TO AS OUR EB STUDENTS.

THEN OUR MULTITIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT, THEY'RE STUDENTS SUPPORT TEAMS, SST, RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION, WHICH IS OUR RTI AND THEN CAMPUS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, WHO ARE THE SPECIALISTS THAT PROVIDE THAT INTERVENTION IN RTI.

THEN AGAIN, YOU HAVE OUR TRIANGLE OF SUPPORT.

TIER 1 IS OUR GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS WHERE IT'S UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT FOR ALL STUDENTS.

TIER 2 ARE THOSE TARGETED INTERVENTION THROUGH RTI.

THEN TIER 3 IS OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

THE FIRST BRANCH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS DYSLEXIA.

AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE DID HAVE A DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK UPDATE FROM THE STATE LAST YEAR THAT TOOK EFFECT ON FEBRUARY 10TH.

THIS ACTUALLY CHANGED OUR EVALUATION PROCESS FOR DYSLEXIA AND RELATED DISORDERS NOW THAT PATHWAY FUNNELS THROUGH SPECIAL EDUCATION.

THEN WE'VE ALSO NOTICED FROM THAT CHANGE IN JUST OUR EARLY INTERVENTION AND EARLY SCREENERS, THAT WE HAVE HAD AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS IDENTIFIED WITH DYSLEXIA THROUGH SPECIAL EDUCATION AND SECTION 504.

AGAIN, WITH THAT INCREASE, WE NOTICED THERE WAS A NEED TO TRAIN MORE STAFF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE OUR DYSLEXIA INTERVENTION.

PART OF OUR GOAL WAS GETTING SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF MEMBERS AND SOME OF OUR CAMPUS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS TRAINED IN A PROGRAM CALLED READING BY DESIGN.

AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN USING THE WILSON READING SYSTEM FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THAT'S THE ORTON GILLINGHAM BASED PROGRAM.

READING BY DESIGN IS ALSO AN ORTON GILLINGHAM BASED PROGRAM.

WE WERE ABLE TO TRAIN A FEW STAFF MEMBERS THIS SUMMER AND FALL AS WELL IN THAT.

WITH THIS NEW PROGRAM, WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS TO SERVE STUDENTS THAT WERE SERVED IN THE WILSON READING SYSTEM AND THOSE THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED TO READING BY DESIGN.

WE MADE A SIDE BY SIDE DOCUMENTS, SO IT WAS EASY FOR STAFF TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE THESE STUDENTS NEED TO BE SUPPORTED IN READING BY DESIGN AND HOW THAT WOULD FIT WITH WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED AS WELL.

THEN WE STILL HAD A FEW STAFF MEMBERS THAT WANTED TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR WILSON LEVEL 2 CERTIFICATIONS.

I DID APPLY FOR A GRANT FROM THE SAN MARCOS CIVIC FOUNDATION, WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION THAT PROVIDES GRANTS TO SEVERAL CENTRAL TEXAS DISTRICTS TO TRAIN STAFF IN DYSLEXIA INTERVENTION.

FOR TWO OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, WE DID GET A GRANT FOR 5,450 DOLLARS SO THAT THESE TWO STAFF MEMBERS COULD GET THEIR LEVEL 2 WILSON CERTIFICATION AND THAT'S THROUGH THIS YEAR.

THEN WE'VE ALSO CONTINUED WITH OUR DYSLEXIA SCREENERS, SO THAT OCCURS FOR FIRST GRADERS IN JANUARY AND KINDERGARTENERS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

WE ALSO ARE SCREENING OUR SEVENTH GRADERS WHO DID NOT PASS THE SIXTH GRADE READING STAR.

THROUGH THAT IN OUR EARLIER INVENTION, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY MORE TWICE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS THROUGH ALL THOSE SCREENINGS AND DIFFERENT PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

THEN WE HELD OUR DYSLEXIA AND RELATED AWARENESS NIGHT IN OCTOBER.

THESE ARE SOME OF OUR DYSLEXIA BY NUMBERS.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE 41 STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE TRAINED TO PROVIDE FORMAL DYSLEXIA INTERVENTION.

OF THOSE 41 STAFF MEMBERS, WE HAD 13 SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF MEMBERS TRAINED IN READING BY DESIGN, AND THEN FOUR CAMPUS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.

THAT'S THAT NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GETTING STAFF TRAINED ON AND OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE MORE TRAINING TO MORE STAFF MEMBERS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH CAMPUS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS OR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF.

THEN LOOKING AT OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED WITH DYSLEXIA, WE HAD 560 LAST YEAR.

AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR FROM OCTOBER'S SNAPSHOT, WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE OF 21 PERCENT.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S QUITE AN INCREASE FROM OUR STUDENTS FROM LAST YEAR TO OUR OCTOBER SNAPSHOTS.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE EVIDENCE OF THAT WORK.

AGAIN, THAT IS OUR WILSON AND READING BY DESIGN SIDE BY SIDE DOCUMENT.

THE STAFF CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS WHEREVER THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT.

IT'S OUR DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK UPDATE SO THAT WE KNOW THAT OUR IDENTIFICATION PATHWAY STARTS THROUGH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESS, AND THEN THE GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE SAN MARCOS CIVIC FOUNDATION.

SWITCHING GEARS A LITTLE BIT TO ESL.

AGAIN, ESL REFERS TO OUR PROGRAM AND EB REFERS TO OUR STUDENTS.

WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE IN OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL POPULATION, AND THAT IS MORE FAMILIES MOVING INTO THE UNITED STATES AND TO TEXAS.

WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING FROM UKRAINE AND RUSSIA THAT ARE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AS REFUGEES AS WELL, AND THAT IS INCREASING SOME OF OUR POPULATION OR EB SUPPORT.

WE'VE ALSO REINSTATED OUR FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT PROGRAM SINCE COVID, SO THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR TO HAVE FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR AT THE HIGH-SCHOOL, AND THE MAJORITY OF THOSE STUDENTS DO REQUIRE US TO TEST THEM FOR ESL SUPPORT, AND A FEW OF THEM DO REQUIRE ESL SUPPORT AS WELL.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING INCREASE FROM PRE-COVID AS WELL.

[00:15:03]

HOWEVER, AT HILL COUNTRY AND WEST RIDGE, WE DO ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT FOR BOTH CAMPUSES.

WITH THE INCREASE OF OUR EB POPULATION, WE ARE SEEING THAT AS A BIT OF A STRUGGLE, BUT SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB TO PROVIDE ALL THAT SUPPORT THAT SHE CAN.

THAT BEING SAID, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING TRAINING FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF THAT ARE SERVING THOSE EB STUDENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.

THEN WE WERE ABLE TO RECLASSIFY SOME OF OUR EB STUDENTS THIS YEAR, SO THAT MEANS THEY ARE NO LONGER IN OUR ESL PROGRAM.

THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED OUT OF IT, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEIR PROGRESS AS WELL.

THEN THE STATE ALLOWS US TO APPLY FOR A WAIVER WHEN WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE NOT ESL CERTIFIED, BUT THEY ARE SERVING OUR ESL POPULATION.

I HAD 15 STAFF MEMBERS THAT WE APPLIED FOR A WAIVER AND AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH HR FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SO THAT STAFF MEMBERS CAN OBTAIN THAT CERTIFICATION, IDEALLY BY MARCH 1ST.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE A FEW SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL NEED THAT EXTENSION INTO THE SUMMER.

JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM AS THEY OBTAIN THAT ESL CERTIFICATION.

THEN TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR EB STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, WE ARE HOLDING A EB STUDENTS SUPPORT NIGHT THIS SPRING.

THEN LOOKING AT OUR ESL SUPPORT NUMBERS, LAST YEAR, 27 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS PROGRESSED ON ONE OR MORE LEVELS ON TELPAS.

TELPAS IS THE STATE MANDATED LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT TESTS THAT WE GIVE AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR, AND THAT ATTESTS THE STUDENTS LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING, AND WRITING SKILLS.

THIS YEAR WE CURRENTLY HAVE 234 EB STUDENTS DISTRICT WIDE, 203 STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE ESL CERTIFIED AND A7 ESL CERTIFIED STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT FOR OUR EB STUDENTS.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 23 PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR OF OUR EB NUMBERS.

TRANSITIONING ONE MORE TIME TO SECTION 504.

WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR 504 SERVICES AND 504 CAN INCLUDE DISABILITIES SUCH AS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ADHD, DYSLEXIA, AND OTHER LEARNING DISABILITIES AS WELL.

WITH THE INCREASE IN THIS, ALL CAMPUSES, BUT ESPECIALLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE LOOKED AT OUR DATA AND SUPPORTS FROM LAST YEAR AND WE REDEFINED OUR ROLES AND RECONFIGURED THE SST PROCESS TO SUPPORT MORE STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THE SERVICES THEY NEED AS WELL.

I DID STREAMLINE AND SUPPORT OF SOME OF OUR 504 DOCUMENTS FOR ALL OF OUR 504 COORDINATORS.

BUT ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF OUR NEW 504 COORDINATORS WHICH ARE OUR NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT BRIDGE POINT, CEDAR CREEK, AND HILL COUNTRY.

THEN I'VE CURRENTLY BEEN WORKING WITH MOLLY MAY AND EMILY DUNLAP ON OUR HOMEBOUND SERVICES.

EMILY DUNLAP AND MATT ZIMO OVERSEES SPECIAL EDUCATION, HOMEBOUND SERVICES, AND I OVERSEE SECTION 504 HOMEBOUND SERVICES.

GREAT NEWS IS THERE'S BEEN A DECREASE IN STUDENTS NEEDING THAT HOMEBOUND SUPPORT FROM LAST YEAR.

STILL LOOKING AT OUR SECTION 504 NUMBERS.

DISTRICT WIDE, WE HAVE 1,138 STUDENTS THAT ARE RECEIVING 504 SERVICES.

ELEMENTARY, THAT'S 236 STUDENTS, HILL COUNTRY AND WESTERN RICH, 313 STUDENTS AND THEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, 589.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN INCREASE OF FIVE PERCENT, BUT IT'S FROM OUR FALSE SNAPSHOT IN OCTOBER AND WE EXPECT THIS NUMBER TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THEN SOME OF OUR OTHER INTEGRATED PROCESSES, AGAIN ARE REFERRED TO OUR STUDENTS SUPPORT TEAM.

THAT IS THE FIRST STEP WHERE A CAMPUS GOES IF THERE'S A STUDENT OF CONCERN AND THEY THINK THEY MIGHT NEED A MORE EVALUATION.

OR WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR CAMPUS DATA TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

WE REQUIRE AMPED UP SOME OF THE TEAM MEMBERS REQUIRED FOR THAT PROCESS.

THINKING ABOUT OUR LSSPS AND MAYBE OUR COUNSELORS TO BE INCLUDED IN THOSE MEETINGS AS WELL.

THEN REALLY LOOKING AT OUR CAMPUS AND DISTRICT DATA COLLECTION PLATFORMS, WE'VE REALLY STARTED USING M CLASS FOR OUR DATA COLLECTION PLATFORM AND OUR PROGRESS MONITORING.

THAT IS A GREAT TOOL THAT CAN ALSO BE SHARED WITH PARENTS AS WELL.

THEN REALLY LOOKING AT OUR HISTORICAL STUDENT DATA AT ALL STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE RECEIVING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED IN ALL AREA.

THEN OUR RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION.

AGAIN, THESE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE RECEIVING INTERVENTION IN THE AREAS OF DYSLEXIA, READING AND THAT MIGHT BE READING, DECODING OR COMPREHENSION, MATH AND THEN OUR ESL SUPPORT DISTRICT-WIDE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ARE GUARANTEED VIABLE CURRICULUM AND BEST INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES IN TIER 2 WITH OUR CAMPUS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.

THEN A LOT OF OUR CAMPUS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE REGISTRARS,

[00:20:01]

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MOLLY AND [INAUDIBLE] ON OUR TITLE 1 FUNDS FOR OUR TWO TITLE 1 CAMPUSES.

THEN MAKING SURE THAT OUR CAMPUS SUPPORT SPECIALIST ARE WORKING WITH ALL GEN ED AND SPECIAL ED STAFF AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL TO PROVIDE TRAINING IN MCLASS, WHICH IS OUR DYSLEXIA AND READING SCREENER AND HEGGERTY, WHICH IS OUR PHONEMIC AWARENESS CURRICULUM AND THEN READING A-Z, WHICH IS A FANTASTIC LITERACY RESOURCE.

SOME OF THE EVIDENCE OF THAT WORK IS THIS IS DON SHAKESPEARE, WHO IS OUR LEAD DYSLEXIA SPECIALISTS PROVIDING HEGGERTY TRAINING TO ALL OF OUR NEW ELEMENTARY STAFF AND OUR NEW TEACHER INSTITUTE IN AUGUST.

THEN READING A-Z, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN A TEAM MEMBER FROM THEM TO TRAIN ALL OF OUR STAFF THIS SUMMER.

THEN THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROGRESS MONITORING CHART FROM MCLASS.

YOU CAN SEE THE FREQUENCY THAT THAT CHILD WAS PROGRESS MONITORED AND THE GROWTH IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA.

YOU CAN SEE WHERE TRANSPORT MANY STUDENTS IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS.

>> THANK YOU. JANE AND THEN I'LL COME OVER TO HEATHER AND THEN ELLEN.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT.

JUST ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS.

HOW MANY EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS ARE IN OUR SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM?

>> 2.7 PERCENT.

>> 2.7 PERCENT OF THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM IS EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND ARE THEY ALL NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS? WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM IN THEIR ACQUISITION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE SPANISH LANGUAGE?

>> FOR SOME STUDENTS.

>> FOR SOME STUDENTS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. LET'S SEE HEATHER AND THEN ELLEN.

>> THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION YOU KNOW IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVERY YEAR.

I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU ALSO BECAUSE I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE SWITCH FROM WILSON TO READING BY DESIGN.

I REALLY APPRECIATED THE SIDE-BY-SIDE OF THAT AND THE UPDATE ON HOW IT'S GOING.

I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK THE SAN MARCOS CIVIC FOUNDATION FOR THAT GRANT BECAUSE THAT'S AMAZING, ESPECIALLY SINCE TEA WOULDN'T GIVE US A GRANT. THANKS TO THEM.

JUST TO SAY, HOLY SMOKES WOW.

I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO HAVE DYSLEXIA, BUT TO SEE THE INCREASE OF 21 PERCENT.

THAT IS GOOD NEWS IN MY OPINION.

THAT MEANS WE'RE CATCHING THESE KIDS EARLY AND GIVING THEM THE INTERVENTION THAT THEY NEED AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S PHENOMENAL.

THAT ACTUALLY MAKES ME HAPPY TO SEE THAT INCREASE BECAUSE WE'RE DOING OUR JOB AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED BECAUSE ONE IN FIVE KIDS HAS DYSLEXIA.

THEN I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM OR REALLY BECAUSE 504 COULD BE A FOOD ALLERGY, COULD BE ANYTHING THAT'S NOT AN EDUCATIONAL ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S A CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ACCOMMODATION IN THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION.

I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE SOMETHING AT SOME POINT, OBVIOUSLY NOT TONIGHT.

THEY JUST GIVES US A BREAKDOWN ON HOW MANY OF OUR STUDENTS CHOOSE TO STAY IN 504 VERSES GO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ROUTE.

THAT WOULD JUST INTERESTING TO ME. THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE READING NIGHT ALSO.

I WISH THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD ATTEND THOSE BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD YOU GUYS GET GREAT INFORMATION.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. ELLEN.

>> THANK YOU FOR THIS WORK, AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATION.

IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF PROVIDING SUPPORT TO A WIDE VARIETY OF STUDENTS. THANK YOU.

JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. ON THE INCREASE IN 504 NUMBERS, WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ARE WE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE PRE-COVID? THEN I KNOW THINGS DROPPED, I MEAN, COVID DISRUPTED A LOT OF THINGS.

ARE WE BACK TO THOSE SAME NUMBERS? ARE WE STILL ABOVE? WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO?

>> WE'RE STILL ABOVE. I THINK AS YOU NOTICED NATIONWIDE, THE INCREASE OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, SO MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT CAN BE RELATED TO COVID.

HOWEVER, IT'S ALSO JUST AN INCREASE IN MORE STUDENTS NEEDING SUPPORT ACROSS DIFFERENT AREAS.

>> THANK YOU. ON THE ESL SUPPORT, AND 27 PERCENT OF STUDENTS PROGRESSED ON THE TAIL PASS, IS THAT A GOOD NUMBER? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT TAIL PASSING AS AN INSTRUMENT AND ALSO COMPARED TO A GOAL, OR A STANDARD, OR TO OTHER DISTRICTS.

WHAT IS 27 PERCENT MEAN?

>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS A GREAT GOAL.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT RANKINGS FOR THE STUDENTS, AND IF AS STUDENTS ALREADY ADVANCED HIGH, THAT'S THE HIGHEST THEY CAN GET, SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STUDENTS ARE PROGRESSING THEN,

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>> THE STUDENTS THAT DON'T PROGRESS JUST RECEIVE MORE INSTRUCTION UNTIL THEY DO AT SOME POINT GET TO THAT LEVEL. IS THAT?

>> RIGHT. OR THEY MIGHT HAVE PROGRESSED ONE LEVEL INSTEAD OF THAT TWO-LEVEL JUMP.

>> THANK YOU.

>> IN TERMS OF THE DYSLEXIA NUMBERS AND THE 21 PERCENT INCREASE, I HOPE LIKE HEATHER SAID, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A FABULOUS JOB OF IDENTIFYING, BUT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THAT CHANGE.

ARE WE SEEING A CHANGE IN OUR STUDENT POPULATION? WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT IS INCREASING THEIR HONDA HAD INCREASED.

>> I THINK IT'S BOTH. I THINK IT'S MORE OF OUR SCREENERS AND MORE OF OUR EARLY IDENTIFICATION.

I ALSO THINK IT'S, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT OUR STUDENT POPULATION AND THEIR ACADEMIC HISTORY AS WELL, WHICH IS PART OF THAT SST PROCESS.

WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT ALL OF THE HISTORICAL DATA ON STUDENTS.

> MY LAST QUESTION IS, ALARM IS GOING OFF.

SO CLEARLY I'M NOT BEING BRIEF.

[LAUGHTER] THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WHO ARE RECEIVING ESL SERVICES, DO WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS? ARE THEY CONSIDERED TEXAS RESIDENTS AND THEREFORE, WE CAN COUNT THEM AS RESIDENT STUDENTS. THANK YOU.

>> ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HEIDI TALK ABOUT COUNSELING AND BOARD PRIORITY UPDATES.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. [BACKGROUND]

>> GOOD EVENING. IT'S NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD EVENING.

>> I AM HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT COUNSELING IN THE WORK THAT MIGHTY SMALL TEAM DOES IN THE DISTRICT.

WRONG DIRECTION. THAT WAS SUPER QUICK.

[LAUGHTER] I TOOK IT TO HEART.

LOOKING AT THE BOARD PRIORITIES, WE TALKED ABOUT EXPANDING COUNSELING SERVICES.

THAT WAS THE MISSION THAT YOU SET US ON LAST YEAR AND WE HAVE FOCUSED WITH AN EMPHASIS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING, STUDENTS SAFETY, AND FAMILY SUPPORT WITHIN THOSE PRIORITIES.

STRETCHING WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE FALL SEMESTER, THERE WAS A SAFETY AND SECURITY UPDATE THAT WAS PART OF THE AUGUST 23RD BOARD MEETING, AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT OUR FIRST TOWN HALL FEATURED COUNSELING SERVICES IN THE CONTEXT OF PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND MITIGATION.

AND AT THAT TOWN HALL, WE ALSO HAD SOME COUNSELORS PRESENT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

DURING THAT SAFETY AND SECURITY UPDATE, WE DISCUSSED DIRECT STUDENT SUPPORT, EXCUSE ME.

THIS INCLUDED THINGS LIKE OUR CONTRACTS WITH AUSTIN FAMILY COUNSELING AND TCHATT, THE ADVERTISEMENT AND PROMOTION TO SECONDARY STUDENTS OF THE NEW THREE-DIGIT CRISIS LINE.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT COUNSELOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.

AT REGION 13 WE PAY FOR SEATS FOR TWO PROGRAMS, THE MENTAL HEALTH SERIES AND THE SCHOOL COUNSELING CO-OP.

COUNSELORS GO TO THAT AND THEN REGION 13 OFFERS A LOT OF OTHER OPTIONS FOR TRAINING AS WELL THAT WE ATTEND.

I ALSO BROUGHT IN LOCAL ORGANIZATION WONDERS AND WORRIES TO OUR JULY K12 MEETING WHERE THEY LEARNED ABOUT HOW THIS ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING SERIOUS OR TERMINAL ILLNESS TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE FAMILY, STUDENT AND PARENTS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

COUNSELORS ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO TEACHING STAFF AND TWO EXAMPLES OF THAT FROM THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN DURING THE NEW TEACHER INSTITUTE.

THE COUNSELORS HAD A SESSION FOR ALL NEW TEACHERS ON FOSTERING CONNECTION AND BELONGING IN THE CLASSROOM.

THIS IS BASICALLY TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING IN THAT SETTING AND GIVING THEM SOME TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS.

THIS FALL SEMESTER ON EACH CAMPUS, A COUNSELOR DID AN IN-PERSON TRAINING WITH THEIR CAMPUS STAFF ON REPORTING ABUSE AND THEN IDENTIFYING SIGNS OF STUDENTS WHO MAY BE AT RISK FOR SELF-HARM, AND PROVIDING STEPS TO TAKE IN THAT SITUATION.

SINCE THIS WAS AN IN-PERSON TRAINING, THERE WAS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GET FURTHER INFORMATION.

THEN FINALLY, WE'VE ALSO CONTINUED OUR PARENTAL SUPPORT BY ONE WAY WE DO THAT IS THE WESTLAKE SPEAKER SERIES, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO ADVERTISE THAT MORE BROADLY.

OUTSIDE OF THE HIGH-SCHOOL REALM, THE IMAGE UP THERE WAS THE MOST RECENT ONE HELD IN NOVEMBER THAT WAS LED BY ACTUALLY FORMER WESTLAKE PERSON LISA JOHNSON, WHO'S EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT MANY THINGS.

TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE ROLES THAT COUNSELORS HAVE, I OVERSEE THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

THERE ARE 19 OF THEM IN THE DISTRICT.

EVERY CAMPUS HAS AT LEAST ONE AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM DO HAVE TEACHING EXPERIENCE.

AND THEY SUPPORT STUDENTS THROUGH THESE FOUR AREAS OF THE TEXAS MODEL OF A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE PROGRAM.

WE WORK ON TEACHING SKILLS THAT CAN BE APPLIED ACROSS VARIOUS CONTEXTS.

[00:30:01]

THEN WE ALSO ARE INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE INDIRECT BENEFITS TO STUDENTS.

THESE MIGHT BE THINGS LIKE ATTENDING 504 OR ARDS, CONSULTING WITH STAFF, OR TEACHERS, OR ADMINISTRATORS, AND ALSO EVEN DOING OUR OWN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO KEEP FRESH.

WE ALSO HAVE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST.

THESE ALL ARE LICENSED PROFESSIONALS IN OUR DISTRICT.

THERE ARE SOCIAL WORKERS AND LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS.

EACH CAMPUS HAS AT LEAST A PART-TIME SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST, AND THEY ALSO SUPPORT STUDENTS THROUGH THE RESPONSIVE SERVICES, INDIVIDUAL PLANNING, AND SYSTEM SUPPORT.

OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, IT'S BECOME APPARENT THAT IT BRIDGE POINT UNIVERSITY, WE HAVE INCREASING NEED OF OUR STUDENTS IN ADDITION TO HIGH ENROLLMENT.

AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE HAVE MOVED RACHEL SHERMAN, WHO IS THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST WHO SERVE SPARTAN CREEK AND BRIDGE POINT.

SHE WILL AS OF JANUARY, BE A FULL-TIME SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST AVERAGE POINT AND IN ORDER TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS ON THAT CAMPUS.

WE HAVE POSTED A 0.5 POSITION OR BARTON CREEK ELEMENTARY TO SERVE THE BARTON GREEK STUDENTS AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE HIRED SOMEBODY TO FILL THAT ROLE AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING HER TO OUR TEAM.

THAT BRINGS OUR TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST UP TO SEVEN FOR THE DISTRICT.

LIKE ALISON, WE HAVE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT WITHIN THE REALM OF COUNSELING.

YOUR TIER 1 UNIVERSAL SERVICES IN THE COUNSELING WORLD INCLUDE INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS, INTRA-PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS, COLLEGE AND CAREER EXPLORATION AND PLANNING, AS WELL AS PERSONAL SAFETY.

TIER 2 IS VERY TARGETED AND THIS IS WHERE YOU SEE INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, GROUP COUNSELING PROCESSES FOR CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT WITH STUDENTS, PRICES SUPPORT AND THEN SOME TARGETED CLASSROOM LESSONS.

MORE SO AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THESE ARE GONNA BE SITUATIONS WHERE MAYBE A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER SAYS, OH MY GOSH, THIS CLASS IS CRAZY.

THEY'RE ALL DOING THIS THING. CAN YOU COME HELP? THEN [LAUGHTER] THE COUNSELOR OR SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO GO IN THERE AND PROVIDE TARGETED INSTRUCTION FOR THAT GROUP OF STUDENTS.

DIVERGING FROM THE ACADEMIC MODEL.

OUR TIER 3 SERVICES TEND TO BE REFERRALS TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND RESOURCES.

I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REASONS WHY STUDENTS WOULD COME AND SEE A COUNSELOR, SO THESE ARE LARGELY TIER 2 AND TIER 3 SERVICES SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S ONLY INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING INTO OUR OFFICES.

TWO THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.

THE FIRST IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY WORLD.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE ORANGE COLUMN, THIS IS REPRESENTING SMALL GROUP COUNSELING AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT MORE PREVALENT AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL THAN WHAT YOU SEE AT MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL WHERE IT DOES HAPPEN THERE.

IT'S JUST LESS COMMON.

THEN ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF THAT.

AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, YOU HAVE A LOT MORE INTERESTS OF STUDENTS WITH CONCERNS AROUND GRADES, THEIR SCHEDULE, OR COLLEGE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT.

YOU DON'T REALLY SEE THAT IN THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.

TWO OTHER POINTS I WANT TO MAKE ABOUT THE DATA ON THIS SLIDE OR THE INFORMATION ON THIS SLIDE.

THE FIRST IS THAT THE CATEGORY THAT IS DOMINANT ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS IS THE PERSONAL CATEGORY.

THIS ENCOMPASSES SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, ANYTHING YOU MIGHT IMAGINE THAT A KID WOULD GO TO A COUNSELOR ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAVE A FIGHT WITH THEIR SIBLING.

THEY'RE FRUSTRATED WITH THEIR PARENTS, THEY HATE THEIR TEACHER.

IT COULD BE DEALING WITH SOME INTERNALIZED PROBLEMS, THINGS LIKE BEING SAD, HAVING TROUBLE EMOTIONALLY REGULATING, HAVING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, WHICH HAVE BEEN ON THE INCREASE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT CERTAINLY IN OUR DISTRICT AS WELL.

THIS COULD ALSO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE A SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT, SO A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS FALL INTO THE PERSONAL CATEGORY.

THE LAST COMMENT I'LL MAKE ON THIS SLIDE REGARDS THE CONSULTATION CATEGORY.

THIS IS WHEN A COUNSELOR MIGHT BE CONSULTING WITH THE TEACHER, WITH AN ADMINISTRATOR, OR EVEN WITH AN OUTSIDE THERAPIST ON BEHALF OF A STUDENT, SO THE STUDENT MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRESENT DURING THOSE CONSULTATIONS, BUT IT'S STILL REFERENCING WORK THAT IS DONE BY COUNSELOR THAT IS TARGETED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT AND THIS DOES REFLECT DATA COLLECTED FROM THE START OF SCHOOL UP UNTIL THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.

OUR OFFICE VISITS OVERALL, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT EACH LEVEL CAN BE SEEN HERE, AND THEN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFICE VISITS, THE DISPARITY IN THE RED AND THE BLUE COLUMNS SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE WHERE YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO COME IN ONCE KID'S GOING TO COME INTO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR, THEY NEED TO SCHEDULE CHANGE AND THAT'S THE LAST TIME WE'RE GOING TO SEE THEM UNTIL THEY NEEDED ANOTHER SCHEDULE CHANGE OR THEY HAVE A QUESTION.

BUT THEN OTHERS OF THESE ARE REPRESENTING STUDENTS WHO HAVE REPEAT NEEDS.

THEY MIGHT BE IN EVERY WEEK, THEY MIGHT EVEN BE IN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, AND AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL THAT REALLY LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE BLUE AND THE RED ALSO REPRESENTS GROUPS BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE COMING IN AND BEING DOCUMENTED AS BEING AN OFFICE VISIT BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING FOR GROUPS WHICH ARE WEEKLY FOR A SET PERIOD OF TIME.

I MENTIONED THAT WE DO SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENTS.

WE USE THE COLUMBIA PROTOCOL AS OUR INSTRUMENT FOR THAT.

THIS IS A WIDELY USED PROTOCOL.

IT IS DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY TO BE EASY TO USE AND TO BE USED BY ANYBODY WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.

IT IS SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST,

[00:35:02]

YOU CAN SEE THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST DO MOST OF THEM AND EVEN THOUGH LSPS ARE NOT PART OF MY DOMAIN, WE COLLABORATE CLOSELY WITH THAT TEAM OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN SUPPORTING STUDENTS.

LOOKING AT OUR TOTAL SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENTS AGAIN FROM AUGUST UNTIL THE THANKSGIVING [NOISE] BREAK, THERE HAVE BEEN 44 TOTALS ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED ON 39 STUDENTS, WHICH MEANS THAT FIVE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ASSESSED TWICE FOR A RISK OF SUICIDE.

LOOKING AT THE SAME INFORMATION BY GRADE LEVEL, THEY DO RANGE FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL.

OUR YOUNGEST STUDENT WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE SCREENING PROCESS IS A SECOND GRADER.

WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TWO SECOND-GRADERS SCREENED.

THEN I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE LEVEL OF RISK BECAUSE ANYTIME ONE OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS DOES THIS, THEY'RE ASSESSING WHETHER A STUDENT IS AT LOW, MEDIUM, OR HIGH RISK.

THEN BASED ON THAT, THERE'S CERTAINLY GOING TO CALL A PARENT REGARDLESS OR EMAIL A PARENT.

THERE'S CONVERSATION WITH PARENTS REGARDLESS OF THE LEVEL OF RISK IN ALL INSTANCES, AND WE HAVE A PROTOCOL TO FOLLOW FOR THIS.

I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING ON THIS SLIDE THAT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SCREENING FOR SUICIDE, THESE ARE TIME-CONSUMING THINGS BECAUSE EVEN IF A STUDENT IS AT LOW RISK, THERE'S CONVERSATION WITH THE STUDENT TO GET AT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S BEHIND IT.

THERE'S REACHING OUT TO A PARENT, WHICH DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET A HOLD OF SOMEONE.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUTSIDE AUTHORITIES WHEN WE NEED SUPPORT FOR A STUDENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL.

THEN WHEN A STUDENT RETURNS, SAY THEY HAVE GONE HOME AND BEEN ASSESSED IN A MEDICAL SETTING.

THEY THEN RETURN TO CAMPUS AT SOME POINT AND THERE IS ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP WORK RELATED TO THAT.

WE'RE VERY THOROUGH IN OUR WRAPAROUND SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS LEVEL OF CONCERN.

ALSO PART OF TIER 2 COUNSELING IS GROUP COUNSELING AND SO THIS VARIES BY SEMESTER.

IT ALSO VARIES BY CAMPUS BECAUSE ALL GROUPS ARE STRUCTURED BASED ON NEED.

IT'S EMERGING ON THAT CAMPUS IN THAT MOMENT.

THESE ARE ALL TOPICS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THIS SEMESTER ON VARIED CAMPUSES.

THEN THERE'S ALSO COMMON AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL FOR THERE TO BE LUNCH BUNCHES THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE INFORMAL OF A PROCESS.

THESE ALLOW STUDENTS TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND INTERACT AND THEY ARE ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COUNSELORS TO GET TO INTERACT WITH THESE STUDENTS, BUILD TRUST AND CONNECTION WITH THIS MORE INFORMAL CASUAL SETTING BECAUSE LUNCH IS FUN.

NOW I WANT TO GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE INTO LIFE AT THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS AND I'M GOING TO START WITH THE ELEMENTARY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS OF COUNSELORS THAT WE HAVE, THERE ARE SOME RATIOS OUT THERE THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR A COUNSELOR TO STUDENTS.

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELING ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS ONE COUNSELOR FOR EVERY 250 STUDENTS.

IN A GROUP OF THREE TEXAS ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE COUNSELORS AND PRINCIPLES SUGGEST A RATIO OF ONE TO 350. THAT'S RIGHT. [NOISE] THANK YOU.

ONE COUNSELOR TO 350 STUDENTS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE RED DIAGRAM ON THE LEFT OR CHART ON THE LEFT, THOSE ARE REPRESENTING OUR SIX ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

THERE'S ONE SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT EACH CAMPUS WHO IS DEDICATED FULLY TO THAT LOCATION.

THEN ON THE RIGHT ARE OUR SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST.

WE HAVE THREE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST AND EACH OF THEM CURRENTLY ARE SPLITTING TIME BETWEEN TWO CAMPUSES.

OBVIOUSLY THOSE NUMBERS ARE LARGE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT RACHEL SHERMAN AT BARTON CREEK AND BRIDGE POINT IS LITERALLY SEEING OVER A THOUSAND STUDENTS EVERY DAY.

THAT IS THE POPULATION THAT SHE IS SERVING AND AT ANY GIVEN TIME, ANY NUMBER OF STUDENTS COULD NEED HER SUPPORT IN ADDITION TO THAT OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR.

SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.

EVERY SPRING THEY GET TOGETHER AND DETERMINE THEMES FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR THAT SUPPORT OUR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING EFFORTS AND THAT ANCHORS FOR TEACHERS THAT ARE LEADING MORNING MEETINGS.

ON THE LEFT, THE TWO PICTURES TOP TO BOTTOM, NATURALLY COME FROM NOVEMBER WHEN WE WERE STUDYING GRATITUDE.

BARTON CREEK READ A BOOK CALLED WHEN GRANDMA GIVES YOU A LEMON TREE AND HAD A PROJECT RELATED TO THAT.

SEVERAL SCHOOLS DID GRATITUDE JOURNALS.

THIS PHOTO SPECIFICALLY COMES FROM VALLEY VIEW.

A FOREST TRAIL STUDENT SHARED HOW TO BECOME A PEACEMAKER TO CELEBRATE THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE AND IN EANES ELEMENTARY FIFTH GRADERS FOCUSED ON A SINGLE WORD THAT THEY COULD USE TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE YEAR THAT WOULD GIVE THEM MEANING AND PURPOSE AND THEN THEIR COUNSELOR MADE THIS WORD MAP OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CAME UP WITH.

STILL AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, EACH ELEMENTARY HAS A STRUCTURE, STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO WELCOME AND CONNECT STUDENTS THAT ARE NEW TO THEIR CAMPUS SO THEY CAN BELONG, HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING THERE.

MANY OF THE CAMPUSES ALSO HAVE SOME FORM OF A NEWSCASTS THAT IS LED BY STUDENTS, IT'S VERY ENTERTAINING AND IS ALSO FOR THE STUDENTS ON THAT CAMPUS TO VIEW.

THERE ARE FRIDAY DANCE PARTIES IN THE MORNING AT BARTON CREEK AND BRIDGE POINT.

I FORGET WHICH CAMPUS. ONE OF THEM WEARS WIGS AND THAT'S THE ONE WITH THE PICTURE RIGHT THERE.

THEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS, THE COUNSELORS AT FOREST TRAIL ARE STARTING

[00:40:03]

NOT SHIFTING GEARS YET. UNITY WEEK.

UNITY DAY WAS OCTOBER 19TH AND THAT IS A DAY THAT ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES AND OTHER CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOCUS ON SPREADING KINDNESS, ACCEPTANCE, AND INCLUSION.

THIS IS AN ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVE.

STUDENTS OFTEN WEAR ORANGE. THEY DO OTHER THINGS.

THESE ARE VARIOUS THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED ON CAMPUSES AND THEN INTER-ELEMENTARY THIS YEAR DID A WHOLE WEEK OF DRESS-UP DAYS TOO TO PROMOTE THIS SENSE OF INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE.

NOW WE'RE MOVING ONTO MIDDLE-SCHOOL.

ON THE LEFT YOU HAVE YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, SCHOOL COUNSELORS DIVIDE STUDENTS UP BY GRADE LEVELS.

AT EACH CAMPUS YOU HAVE A SIXTH GRADE, SEVENTH GRADE, AND EIGHTH GRADE COUNSELOR.

THEN WE HAVE ONE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST WHO SERVES BOTH CAMPUSES.

EMILIA GATES GOES TO ONE CAMPUS IN THE MORNING AND THE OTHER CAMPUS IN THE AFTERNOON.

HER POSITION IS NEW THIS YEAR AND FUNDED THROUGH ESSER.

SHE IS AMAZING.

WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER IN THIS ROLE.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, 1,800 STUDENTS, THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT IS A LARGE RESPONSIBILITY.

SHE AND ALL OTHER COUNSELORS ALSO SERVE STUDENTS AT THE DAEP.

THIS FALL SEMESTER, WE'VE HAD SIX MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS, WHICH IS LARGER THAN USUAL AT THE DAEP AND SIX HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SUPPORT BEING PROVIDED BY COUNSELORS.

THE REASON I MENTIONED THAT IS THAT A LOT OF THAT WORK INVOLVES THE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES THAT CAN HELP THEM COME BACK TO THEIR HOME CAMPUS AND TRANSITION THERE SUCCESSFULLY WHEN THEIR TIME AT DAEP IS OVER.

MOVING ON TO SOME OF THE AMAZING WORK COUNSELORS DO AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE DONE LESSONS ON MINDFULNESS TECHNIQUES.

AS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAD SOME STUFF ON BULLYING, THE MIDDLE-SCHOOL DOES THAT AS WELL TO HELP STUDENTS KNOW HOW NOT TO DO THAT AND CONSEQUENCES FOR IT.

THEY ALWAYS START THE YEAR WITH AN INTRODUCTORY LESSON WHERE THEY GO IN AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO THEIR GRADE LEVEL.

THEY TALK ABOUT COUNSELING SERVICES AND IN SEPTEMBER SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS OFTEN DISCUSSION ABOUT SUICIDE AWARENESS.

THEY ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SELECTION FOR STAR STUDENT AWARDS.

THIS IS, AGAIN SOME OF AMELIA'S WORK.

SHE HAS BEEN TEACHING STUDENTS SOME BRAIN SCIENCE, HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND HOW WHEN THEIR BRAINS GET TRIGGERED BY SOMETHING, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CALM DOWN BEFORE YOU RESPOND.

THIS IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR KIDS THAT MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH ANGER MANAGEMENT AS AN EXAMPLE.

SHE ALSO RECRUITED ASSISTANCE FROM STUDENTS TO HANG THE NEW POSTERS FOR THE 988 CRISIS AND SUICIDE LIFELINE.

SHE HAS IN HER OFFICE A WALL THAT HER STUDENTS MADE OF COPING STATEMENTS SO THAT STUDENTS CAN WALK UP THERE, GRAB A MANTRA TO TAKE WITH THEM FOR THE REST OF THE DAY TO MAKE IT THROUGH.

SHE ALSO LIKES TO INCORPORATE ART WHERE POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL MEANS OF THERAPY.

ON THE TOP RIGHT YOU HAVE AN ILLUSTRATION OF TIPS FOR DEALING WITH ANXIETY WHEN YOU'RE DROWNING UNDER THAT.

THEN AT THE BOTTOM, SHE HAD SOME STUDENTS DEMONSTRATING THEIR STRENGTH.

ALSO IN MIDDLE-SCHOOL RIGHT BEFORE THE THANKSGIVING BREAK, HILL COUNTRY HAD COLLEGE WEEK.

THEY HAD A DOOR DECORATING CONTEST AMONG STAFF.

THE STUDENTS CREATED THEIR OWN PENNANTS FOR DIFFERENT COLLEGES AND THEN OF COURSE, TEACHERS WORE THERE COLLARED SHIRTS.

I WILL SAY DANIELLE, WE SENT ME A LOVELY PHOTO WITH DIVERSE COLLEGES IN IT, BUT I INSTEAD CHOSE TEXAS A&M BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SUCH A ROTTEN SEASON [LAUGHTER] IN FOOTBALL THAT I NEEDED A MOMENT OF JOY.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> EXACTLY [LAUGHTER] IMPORTANT ONE BUT IT WAS ONE.

BOTH CAMPUSES ARE ALSO DOING CAREER EXPLORATION.

NOW WE'LL SHIFT OVER TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE WE DO HAVE COUNSELORS SORTED AGAIN DIFFERENTLY OVER THERE.

THEY WORK WITH STUDENTS BASED ON THE FIRST LETTER OF THE LAST NAME, SO THEY DIVIDE IT BY ALPHABET.

[NOISE] THERE ARE SEVEN COUNSELORS.

LISA SANDERS IS THE LEAD COUNSELOR AND SHE HAS A SMALLER CASELOAD.

SHE REPRESENTS STUDENTS WITH LAST NAME W, AND THEN DOES A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER WORK.

WE ALSO HAVE TWO FULL-TIME [NOISE] SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST, BOTH ARE SOCIAL WORKERS AND THEY ARE AT WESTLAKE.

THEY DON'T DIVIDE STUDENTS IN A PARTICULAR WAY, THEY JUST WORK WITH WHICHEVER STUDENTS ARE NEEDING SUPPORT.

LIKE THE COUNSELORS AT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS DO GO IN AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE LESSONS ON VARIOUS TOPICS.

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN IN THERE THIS WEEK DOING SOME AND ALSO THIS WEEK THEY HOSTED A PARENT NIGHT, WHICH WAS THE THIRD ONE FOR THIS SEMESTER.

NEW THIS YEAR THEY HOSTED A COLLEGE APPLICATION WORKSHOP WEEKLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

THIS WAS IN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER DURING BOTH LUNCHES.

ANY STUDENT WHO NEEDED ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE AROUND COLLEGE APPLICATIONS OR [INAUDIBLE] COULD JUST WALK ON IN, NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY, SPEAK WITH ANY COUNSELOR THAT WAS SITTING IN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER AND GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEEDED.

ALSO NEW IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MILITARY FAIR AND A TECH AND TRADE SCHOOL FAIR.

THESE WERE HELD IN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER.

I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM OF COUNSELORS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON DEI WITH NICOLE TUCKER SMITH.

SHE HAS REALLY TRIED TO MAKE US UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WINDOWS AND MIRRORS,

[00:45:05]

EVEN THOUGH A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF WESTLAKE STUDENTS DO CHOOSE A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE, WHICH YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ALL ABOUT THAT ALREADY, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL THOSE STUDENTS WHO DON'T, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE ANOTHER PATH AND SO THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE THEM WINDOWS INTO THEIR POST HIGH SCHOOL FUTURE.

ALSO, WE HAVE OUR SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST WHO MENTOR OUR SOCIAL WORK INTERNS.

THEY TRY TO DO TWO MENTORED INTERNS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

THIS PICTURE ARE THE INTERNS FOR THIS YEAR.

THERE'S ONE FROM TEXAS STATE AND ONE FROM LSU.

THE IMAGE TO THE RIGHT IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CONTEST THAT THEIR INTERNS FROM LAST YEAR DID IN THE SPRING SEMESTER.

THIS WAS REALLY WELL RECEIVED.

STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO SUBMIT VIDEOS ON FOUR TOPICS.

STUDENTS COULD GO AND VOTE ON THEM, AND THEN THERE WERE PRIZES FOR WINNERS IN EACH OF THE FOUR CATEGORIES.

ON THE RIGHT YOU HAVE OUR SPEAKER SERIES.

THE IMAGE AT THE TOP IS FROM A FALL SESSION, AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM THOSE ARE THE REMAINING SPEAKER SERIES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE SPRING SEMESTER AND WE HOPE TO SEE MANY PARENTS ATTENDING THOSE, AND AGAIN, MANY OF THESE ARE BROAD TOPICS THAT COULD APPEAL TO STUDENTS ACROSS GRADE.

THEN FINALLY ON THIS PAGE, THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN IN WESTLAKE'S HALLS KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE HALLS LOOK VERY SIMILAR, AND THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST ARE DOWN A RANDOM HALLWAY, AND SO THEY HAVE THIS GLORIOUS BANNER THAT THEY'VE POSTED THIS YEAR THAT IS RED AND HUGE, AND SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO WALK IN AND SEE WHERE YOU CAN EASILY FIND THE SUPPORT THAT THESE PEOPLE PROVIDE.

AT THE LEARNING CENTER, WE HAVE 43 STUDENTS.

THESE STUDENTS ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY WESTLAKE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A PART-TIME SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST.

ROBERT ROWLAND IS A SOCIAL WORKER WHO HAS BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND HE ALSO SERVES AS A LIAISON BETWEEN TLC STUDENTS AND STAFF AND THE MAIN CAMPUS AT WESTLAKE.

HE ALSO DOES THE SAME THINGS THAT OTHER SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST DO.

HE'S PROVIDING INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, GROUP COUNSELING, CRISIS SUPPORT, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, HE HAS THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS FOR TLC STAFF AND STUDENTS IN ORDER TO TRY TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ALL FEEL UNDERSTOOD, ACCEPTED, AND COMPETENT AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR FUTURE IN THE ENTIRETY.

LOOKING AHEAD SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I AM WORKING ON, I HOST REGULAR COUNSELOR MEETINGS FOR ALL OF THE COUNSELORS, SOME OF THEM ARE K12 TOGETHER.

THE MAJORITY OF THEM I SPLIT ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NOT A HUGE OVERLAP BETWEEN THOSE TWO GROUPS.

WE WORK ON VARIOUS COLLABORATIONS AND COMMUNICATION AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

THIS SPRING I AM BRINGING IN OUT YOUTH TO MEET WITH THE COUNSELORS AND THE LSPS TO DISCUSS LGBTQ PLUS YOUTH ISSUES, AND I'M ALSO HAVING SOMEONE COME IN FROM DELL CHILDREN'S ASCENSION TO TALK ABOUT SAFETY PLANNING, WHICH IS PART OF A SUICIDE SCREENING PROTOCOL AND LSPS ARE INVITED TO THAT AS WELL.

FINALLY, CLOSEGAP IS A MENTAL WELLNESS SOFTWARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PILOTING AT CEDAR CREEK ENFORCE TRAIL.

THIS IS AT THE INITIATION OF DEZ BURNS, WHO'S ONE OF THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST THAT WE HAVE.

SHE IS GOING TO HAVE A THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM AT EACH OF THOSE CAMPUSES.

I LIKE THE SOFTWARE, BASICALLY IT'S A DIGITAL CHECK-IN.

SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN DURING MORNING MEETING, IT'S VERY BRIEF.

WITHIN THE SOFTWARE, STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO AN IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION.

IT MIGHT BE A BREATHING EXERCISE, IT MIGHT BE A JOURNALING ACTIVITY.

THERE'S A WHOLE LIBRARY OF THINGS THAT STUDENTS CAN CHOOSE TO DO.

THEY TAKE LESS THAN TWO MINUTES.

IN THE VALUE THAT WE THINK THAT IT HAS.

IF YOU THINK BACK TO MY EARLIER CHARTS WHERE I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OFFICE VISITS IN TIER TWO AND TIER THREE.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE REPRESENTS EITHER A STUDENT WHO HAS CHOSEN TO GO TO A COUNSELOR HIMSELF OR HERSELF AND NEEDS ASSISTANCE OR SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN REFERRED BY A TEACHER OR BY PARENT.

WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MAYBE AREN'T ON ANYBODY'S RADAR, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS CAN DO IS CLOSE THAT GAP BETWEEN STUDENTS WHO ALREADY KNOW THEY NEED HELP AND THOSE WHO MAY NOT AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO PILOT THIS, ALLOW AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO CHECK IN WITH STUDENTS AND TO MAYBE NOTICE TRENDS.

AS A STUDENT ALWAYS FEELING A PARTICULAR WAY ON MONDAY MORNINGS THAT MIGHT LEAD TO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

THAT LEAVES ME TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN ASK FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.

[LAUGHTER]

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF INFORMATION. [LAUGHTER]

>> AND I DID IT PRETTY FAST.

[LAUGHTER].

>> AND AN ALARM DIDN'T GO OFF, SO DON'T WORRY. [LAUGHTER]

>> YEAH. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.

>> YOU'RE GREAT HONEY. OKAY. JENN?

>> YES. THANK YOU. THAT WAS SO MUCH INFORMATION AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.

HOW DOES OUR RATIO OF COUNSELORS TO STUDENTS COMPARED TO OTHER DISTRICTS?

>> I DID NOT PRINT ANY OF THAT OUT.

I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO ASK INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS FOR THAT.

IT'S PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN LOOK UP ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THAT.

I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.

[00:50:02]

>> I THINK COULD MAYBE BE SOMETHING INTERESTING FOR US TO MAYBE LOOK AT THE SUMMIT.

THEN I'M ALSO CURIOUS.

ARE THERE RECOMMENDED RATIOS FOR OUR SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST AND FROM ORGANIZATIONS?

>> NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE THEY AREN'T MANDATED IN SCHOOLS, AND SO WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM THERE.

I LUMP THEM IN WITH EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF THE SAME WORK, THEY'RE NOT DOING THE GUIDANCE LESSONS.

THEY'RE MORE TIER TWO, TIER THREE SUPPORT AND NOT LESS TIER ONE SUPPORT.

I HAVE CHOSEN TO LOOK AT THEM THAT WAY.

BUT YEAH, NOT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT EVEN HAS THEM.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A MANDATE.

I CAN LOOK FOR THAT, BUT I'VE NOT SEEN THAT IN THE PAST.

>> OKAY.

>>THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

>> JUST CURIOUS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR THIS IMPORTANT PRESENTATION.

IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT GREAT INFORMATION.

ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY THE SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENTS, THAT NUMBER IS ALARMING TO ME, ESPECIALLY THAT WE'VE HAD SEVERAL STUDENTS ASSESSED TWICE, HOWEVER, I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE ASSESSING THEM AND GETTING THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.

TO THAT POINT, I NOTICED THAT YOU'D SAID THAT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR IS FUNDED BY SR FUNDS.

I'M GUESSING THAT THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUND THAT POSITION.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IT IS IMPORTANT.

>> YES MA'AM.

>> THEN I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE ADVANCED NOTICE ON THE SPEAKER SERIES.

I WENT TO THE LAST ONE AND IT WAS GREAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO MORE HAVING THEM ON THE CALENDAR EARLY IS AWESOME SO I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT.

THEN THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING, BUT IT'S GONE NOW. THAT'LL BE IT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, KIM.

>> I ASSUME THAT IF CLOSEGAP, IF YOU SEE SUCCESS OUT OF THAT, THAT WOULD BE ROLLED OUT TO THE REST OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

>> CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS ON CAMPUSES.

>> OKAY, GREAT. YES, I THINK SO TOO.

THEN FOLLOWING UP ON JENN'S QUESTION ABOUT RATIOS AND NORMS, I MEAN, MY THOUGHT WAS IF WE COULD FIND OUT BOTH RATIOS, IF THERE'S A STATEWIDE REQUIREMENT, IF THERE'S A NATIONAL REQUIREMENT, I KNOW WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO SURROUNDING DISTRICTS OR LIKE DISTRICTS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT STANDARDS THEY ARE.

>> REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL NUMBERS OR SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST, I CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT AND THESE ARE I MEAN THE RATIOS THAT ARE UP THERE ARE WHAT THEY ARE FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELING ASSOCIATION IS ONE OF THEM AND THEN THE OTHER IS TEXAS COUNSELING ASSOCIATION.

TEA SPECIFICALLY SAYS SMALLER IS BETTER.

THEY DON'T PROVIDE A NUMBER.

THEY SAY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE ENOUGH COUNSELORS TO MEET THE NEEDS ON YOUR CAMPUS, AND THEN THEY ADD A STATEMENT THAT BASICALLY SAYS IT'S JUST LOGICAL THAT THE MORE SUPPORT YOU HAVE, THE MORE STUDENTS YOU CAN SERVE.

>> RIGHT. JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, I MEAN, WE CAN HAVE RATIOS, WE CAN HAVE NUMBERS AND WHEN I LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS, I THINK THEY'RE DAUNTING THAT ONE SCHOOL COUNSELOR WOULD SERVE 500 STUDENTS.

I GUESS. WITH YOUR EXPERTISE, IS THAT ADEQUATE? ARE WE HOLDING LEVEL? I MEAN IS THERE A REAL NEED FOR MORE? MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSS IN DEPTH DOWN THE ROAD.

>> I MEAN, I CAN SPEAK BROADLY.

I'M ALWAYS GOING TO TELL YOU THERE'S A NEED FOR MORE, ELLEN, I REMEMBER MY VERY FIRST BOARD PRESENTATION A LIFETIME AGO ON THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS THING AND YOU SPECIFICALLY ASKED DO YOU NEED MORE COUNSELORS? AND THAT WAS NINE YEARS AGO OR EIGHT YEARS AGO.

I SAID YES, AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED.

I THINK WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL COUNSELORS, THE REALITY REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND CERTAINLY IN THE STATE IS THAT NOBODY HAS ENOUGH OF THEM.

I THINK WHAT'S UNIQUE? MAYBE UNIQUE ISN'T THE RIGHT WORD, BUT WE'RE SO FORTUNATE HERE TO HAVE THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST, AND SO THEY ARE THE VALUE-ADD, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL PEOPLE THAT ARE SPLITTING CAMPUSES.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION IS, OF COURSE, PIE IN THE SKY DREAMING.

OF COURSE, I'D LOVE MORE SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND OTHER STAFF TO SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, 500 KIDS IS A LOT FOR ANYBODY TO DEAL WITH OR YOU LOOK AT THE CASE LOADS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT ARE UNDER 500 PER COUNSELOR, BUT STILL THERE'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY THERE.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE SPLITTING TWO CAMPUSES, I THINK THERE'S SOME OTHER VARIABLES THERE, INCLUDING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND COMMITMENT TO CAMPUSES,

[00:55:02]

A LOT OF THE CAMPUSES HAVE MEETINGS ON WEDNESDAY, SO BASICALLY THEY'RE ONLY ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, WHICHEVER CAMPUS IS THEIR WEDNESDAY CAMPUS.

SOME OF THEM WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN SOME OTHER COMMITTEES AND ORGANIZATIONS.

I KNOW WE HAVE ONE WHO'S DEEPLY INTERESTED IN DEI, BUT ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT THEY DO, WHETHER IT'S BEING PART OF A LEADERSHIP TEAM, COMMITTEES, ANYTHING ELSE TAKE AWAY FROM TIME THAT THEY'RE ON THAT CAMPUS BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE SUCH A PRECIOUS SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME WHEN THEY'RE SPLITTING HALF-DAY.

SO THAT I KNOW I JUST WENT OFF ON A DIRECTION THAT WASN'T QUITE WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.

BUT I THINK WHEN YOU'RE SAYING DO WE NEED MORE PEOPLE, THE ANSWER IS YES, AND I THINK IN THE IMMEDIATE NEED IT WOULD BE TO ADDRESS THESE PART-TIME OR NOT PART-TIME, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE SPLITTING THEIR FULL-TIME STAFF SPLITTING CAMPUSES.

>> THANK YOU. THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, YOU SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.

>> YES.

>> AND OBVIOUSLY, IN YOUR SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT STUDENTS BRINGING THEMSELVES TO COUNSELORS, THERE ARE CERTAIN LEVELS.

YOU TALKED ABOUT SUICIDE RISK, WHERE PARENTS ARE GOING TO GET INVOLVED.

IS THERE A CUTOFF OR IS THERE ANY GENERAL GUIDELINES WHERE PARENTS ARE BROUGHT IN, ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL?

>> YES. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR ASKING IT.

THERE IS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDENTS, BETWEEN SITUATIONS, AND BETWEEN LEVELS.

SPECIFICALLY, AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, THERE'S A GREATER LIKELIHOOD THAT A PARENT IS INVOLVED REGARDLESS.

YOU GUYS ARE LIKELY AWARE THAT WITHIN THE COUNSELING WORLD WE HAVE A CONTRACT OF CONFIDENTIALITY WITH OUR STUDENTS AND SO THAT CAN ONLY BE BUILT ON TRUST.

TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR STUDENTS TRUST US AND NOT THAT EVERY TIME A STUDENT COMES IN AND TALKS ABOUT HOW THEY DON'T LIKE THEIR LITTLE BROTHER.

THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND TRUST THAT THE COUNSELOR ISN'T IMMEDIATELY CALLING A PARENT SAYING, "HEY, BY THE WAY, DID YOU KNOW THIS KID DOESN'T LIKE YOUR LITTLE BROTHER?" BUT WHAT SHE MIGHT DO IS SAY, EMAIL THE PARENT AND SAY, "HEY, JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW I SPOKE WITH SO AND SO TODAY, YOU MIGHT WANT TO REACH OUT AND ASK THEM ABOUT THE CONVERSATION." THAT WAY THEY'VE COMMUNICATED.

THE STUDENT WAS HERE, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION, BUT THEN THEY'VE ALLOWED THE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE PARENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.

BUT ONCE YOU GET UP TO THE SECONDARY LEVEL, PARENTS ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED UNLESS IT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES THREAT TO SELF OR OTHERS.

LESS LIKELY, I'M NOT SAYING BLANKET SITUATION.

THERE ARE CERTAINLY THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN THAT COULD LEAD A PARENT TO BE INVOLVED WITH A STUDENT.

BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH THE INDIVIDUAL SITUATION AND WHAT A STUDENT IS TALKING ABOUT AND COUNSELORS ARE ALWAYS BEING CLEAR WITH STUDENTS ABOUT WHERE THAT CUTOFF IS.

THE PRIMARY ONE IS ANYTIME A STUDENT DISCUSSES HARMING HIMSELF OR OTHERS, IT IS GUARANTEED THAT THERE WILL BE COMMUNICATION, NOT JUST WITH PARENTS BUT WITH OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

>> NOW, THAT GIVES ME SOME CLARITY ON THAT.

I KNOW IT'S NOT A BLACK AND WHITE.

>> IT'S NOT. YEAH. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. AGAIN, THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO.

>> THANK YOU, ELLEN.

>> I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO SAY, WOW, THAT THIS FEELS SO SPOT ON.

THE FRESHNESS, THE RELEVANCE, THE WAY THAT YOU ARE APPROACHING THIS, TO ME IN THIS POST-COVID WORLD, WE'RE IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY.

WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.

THE RESPONSIVENESS THAT I'M SEEING AND THE ABILITY THAT WE HAVE TWO RESOURCES TO THE LEVELS THAT WE HAVE AT THIS POINT, I THINK YOU ARE JUST SO SPOT ON IT AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE THE TWO OF YOU LEADING THE CHARGE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE 27 SEEM TO BE 28 YEARS. FORTUNATE I HAVE THAT.

>> THANK YOU. LAURA.

>> I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS QUICK.

THE COLUMBIA PROTOCOL, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN USING THAT?

>> WE'VE USED IT FOR MY DURATION HERE, I'VE BEEN HERE NINE YEARS.

IT IS FAIRLY COMMON.

THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE.

BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IN THIS DISTRICT, AT LEAST FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN USING THAT.

>> OKAY. I'M THINKING ABOUT IS CHALLENGED SUCCESS AND WHEN WE DID THAT, WE BROUGHT IN CHALLENGE SUCCESS AS A RESULT OF A SURVEY THAT WE FOUND OUR STUDENTS WERE VERY STRESSED.

MY QUESTION IS THE SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENTS, DO WE HAVE A TREND ON THAT? I KNOW COVID HAS TURNED IT ALL OFF, BUT DO WE HAVE A FEEL OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE BIG PICTURE, THE LAST 5,10 YEARS?

>> WITHIN OUR OWN DISTRICT?

>> WITHIN OUR OWN DISTRICT.

>> YES AND NO. I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THE DATA THAT I'M SHARING TODAY SIMPLY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN CHARGE AND I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD WITH COUNSELORS TO BE SURE THAT THINGS ARE DOCUMENTED.

FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT LAST YEAR.

WE DO HAVE DATA FROM BEFORE THAT, OBVIOUSLY, COVID WAS A VARIABLE.

IT'S JUST HARD TO KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE OVERSEEING THIS AND SO THAT'S WHERE I DO HAVE NUMBERS, I CAN SAY COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

[01:00:02]

AS OF TODAY, WE ARE AT 58 TOTAL ASSESSMENTS FOR THIS HALF OF A YEAR AND THAT WAS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS LAST YEAR.

AGAIN, GRAIN ASSAULT.

I FEEL SUPER GOOD ABOUT EVERYBODY BECAUSE THIS IS ALL DONE THROUGH A GOOGLE DOC WHEN PART OF OUR PROTOCOL, ONE OF THE LAST STEPS IS FOR COUNSELORS TO FILL OUT THIS DOCUMENT THAT COME STRAIGHT TO ME SO THAT I CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND FOLLOW UP WITH ME AND THEN GET THIS DATA TO SHARE.

BUT THEN YOU CAN LOOK BACK AT SOME OTHER YEARS WHERE THE NUMBERS MAYBE WERE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, BUT WAS THAT COVID? YES TO THAT WAS A LENGTHY ANSWER TO HERE AND RELATIVELY SIMPLE QUESTION.

>> I ASKED THAT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE RISK ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION IS JUST ONE PART OF WHAT YOU ALL DO AND IT'S A CRUCIAL PART OF WHAT YOU DO.

AT THE SAME TIME, I ALWAYS LIKE TO LOOK AT HOW DID WE GET HERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THE COUNSELORS ARE DOING ON THE TOOLS FOR HANDLING ANXIETY AND THOSE TYPES OF TOOLS.

BECAUSE HOPEFULLY THAT CAN HELP PREVENT THESE KIDS FROM ENDING UP BEING ONE OF THE 58 RISK ASSESSMENTS. THANK YOU ALL.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK THAT WRAPS UP YOUR PORTION OF THE MEETING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MOLLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH HEIDI.

YOU GUYS DO FANTASTIC WORK.

[APPLAUSE] YEAH, INDEED THEY DO GOOD STUFF.

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC FORUM.

[8. OPEN FORUM]

NOW, IT'S TIME FOR THE PUBLIC FORUM PORTION OF OUR MEETING.

WE HAVE 13 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.

IN EACH SPEAKER WILL BE AFFORDED THREE MINUTES.

I'LL CALL YOU FORWARD WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN, 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 WOULD BE CONSIDERED A DISRUPTION OF THE BOARD MEETING AND WE WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION, RECITATION OF EXISTING POLICY, MAYBE 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, THIS OPEN FORUM PORTION OF THE BOARD MEETING IS RECORDED AS PART OF THE RECORDING OF THE ENTIRE MEETING AND IT'S PUBLISHED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE WITHOUT ALTERATION.

PERSONS WHO CHOOSE TO SPEAK AND 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 EVENING WITH US.

WE'RE NOW READY FOR OUR FIRST SPEAKER.

I THINK SOME PEOPLE CAME IN AFTER I RECEIVED THIS NOTE.

I'M JUST GOING TO GO DOWN THE LIST AND IF SOMEBODY IS NOT HERE, WE'LL MOVE ON.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS GINNY MCKNIGHT.

GINNY, WELCOME. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS. HI, EVERYBODY.

WHEN I WENT TO WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE.

YOU'RE LEARNING ANOTHER LANGUAGE AND BEING EXPOSED TO ANOTHER CULTURE, MY LIFE HAS BEEN FOREVER CHANGED.

HOW AMAZING IS IT THAT THESE KIDS HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AT A YOUNGER AGE? IMAGINE WHAT THAT WILL DO FOR THEIR LIVES.

I WAS A SECTION 504 KID, READING BY DESIGN HAS A SPANISH VERSION CALLED ESPERANZA.

SPANISH IMMERSION REALLY NEEDS A COMMITTEE.

WE ARE READY TO DO THE WORK AND LEAN IN AND FIGURE THIS OUT.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BOB WOODY.

MR. WOODY, WELCOME. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> BOB WOODY, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE RISE SCHOOL HERE IN AUSTIN.

I LOOK AT THIS COMMITTEE THAT COME IN SO TO SPEAK AND GAVE THIS REPORT AND I THINK TO MYSELF OUR LITTLE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM COULD EASILY COME IN AND DO THAT SAME THING.

MIGHT BE NICE FOR YOU ALL TO GET A CLEAN REPORT FROM SOME THINGS THAT WERE DECIDED.

I RECOMMEND A COMMITTEE OR A TASK FORCE BE APPOINTED.

YOU PICK OUT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT, YOU-ALL PUT THEM ON THERE.

THEY'RE BRINGING YOU BACK A GREAT REPORT.

THEY TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM YOU AS TO THOSE THAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO KEEP HAPPY BY GOING WITH THE REPORT.

I'M CONFIDENT WE WOULD BRING YOU GOOD INFORMATION.

I ASK FOR SOME INFORMATION TODAY AND FOUND OUT THAT

[01:05:02]

THAT'S GRADES 1 THROUGH 5.

RIGHT NOW IT'S 27 PERCENT.

BUT AS SOON AS WE GET INTO 23, 55 MORE WILL JOIN AND IT WILL BE 30 PERCENT.

PRETTY EXCITING, PRETTY BIG NUMBER.

THINK ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID PAGE.

WELCOME, MR. PAGE. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> GOOD EVENING. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR LAST MONDAY'S PARENT MEETING ON SPANISH IMMERSION.

I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT FORMAT MAY HAVE BEEN SELECTED BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE ALL HAVE HOMES TO GET BACK TO.

BUT IF IT HAD BEEN MORE TOWN HALL LIKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SI PARENTS, SUCH AS THE ULTRA REASONABLE ONES SITTING HERE WITH ME TONIGHT.

TO DEMONSTRATE TOOLS SIDES, SPECIFICALLY THE GEN ED SIDE, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUE HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE OCTOBER.

I WAS UNFORTUNATELY LOST OPPORTUNITY FOR SI PARENTS TO EXPRESS GOODWILL TOWARD ALL CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT AND TO SHOW THAT THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE RESOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE FOR AT LEAST THE PARENTS I DISCUSS IT WITH IS ONE THAT BRINGS BOTH SIDES UP.

WE DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS TO ANY GEN ED PARENTS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WE TRULY SEEK A RESOLUTION THAT ADVANCES EQUITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE PART IN FRONTIERO.

>> TO SOME OF THE PARENTS, THE DATA SHOWN LOOK LIKE IT HAD BEEN CHERRY-PICKED TO RETROACTIVELY JUSTIFY THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PROGRAMMATIC CONSIDERATIONS SPECIFICALLY THE CUT.

A LOT OF DATA THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN RELEVANT WAS NOT PRESENTED AT ALL, WHICH WAS ALSO UNFORTUNATE.

I SENT A LETTER TO YOU IN THE VERY EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING INCLUDING SOME QUOTES.

MANY THINGS THAT SOME OF THESE PARENTS SAID ARE TOO HARSH THAT PEOPLE FEEL HOW THEY FEEL ON THE ISSUE AND PARTLY THAT'S BECAUSE OF A PERCEIVED LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.

TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH I HAVEN'T REALLY SPOKEN ON BEFORE.

THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF CONCENTRATION THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OFFERING SEEM TO BE IN A POOR STATE OF PLANNING.

THIS IS DESPITE THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS HAD TO PREPARE FOR THE ROLL-OUT.

THERE WAS ALSO FRUSTRATION THAT ALTHOUGH THE CHALLENGES WERE LAID OUT, THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO DISCUSSION OF PROSPECTIVE SOLUTIONS OR AT LEAST WAYS TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE HARDSHIPS ON THE GEN ED SIDE.

PARENTS HAVE WRITTEN MANY LETTERS WITH WORKABLE IDEAS.

I SOMETIMES GET THE IMPRESSION THAT CERTAIN PARENTS HAVE DONE DEEPER DIVES ON ISSUES LIKE TRANSITIONS THAN DISTRICT EMPLOYEES HAD.

SOME OF THE EXPERIMENTS WE HEARD ABOUT, I THINK NEED TO BE GIVEN MORE TIME AS OUR CHILDREN HAVE HAD UNUSUALLY UNSTABLE EARLY YEARS EDUCATION DUE TO COVID.

THERE WASN'T MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE ADDRESSED AND DONE A BETTER JOB OF RESOLVING SOME OF THE ISSUES [NOISE] THAT THEY FACE TOO.

[NOISE] I THINK MY TIME IS UP.

[LAUGHTER]

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PAGE.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHANDLER HATCHET.

MISS HATCHET, WELCOME THIS EVENING. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> YOU ALL BEAR WITH ME.

I'VE GOT AN EIGHT-WEEK-OLD AT HOME AND AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGMENT, I DECIDED TO BRING HOME AN EIGHT-WEEK-OLD PUPPY AS WELL.

MY BRAIN IS JUST MUCH.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S BEEN A VERY LOUD AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSE FROM THE PARENTS REGARDING THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM.

MANY FEEL BLINDSIDED BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO CUT THE PROGRAM IN HALF, AND EVEN MORE SO WE'RE CONFUSED BY WHAT SEEMS TO BE VACILLATING RHETORIC THAT WE'RE RECEIVING SURROUNDING THE REASONS BEHIND THE DECISION.

I CANNOT SPEAK FOR ALL PARENTS, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE SENTIMENT BEHIND THESE EMOTIONS.

THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DISTRESSED FROM PARENTS IN THIS DISTRICT, BOTH TO THE BOARD AND TO THE ADMINISTRATION.

BUT SPECIFICALLY WITH THE SPANISH IMMERSION PARENTS I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS DECISION WAS JUST UNFORTUNATELY POORLY RUN OUT.

IT SEEMS IN CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EXCEPT FOR ONE, THAT THERE'S A WASHING OF HANDS OF IT.

LIKE IT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM.

WE'VE PUT THE ADMIN CHARGE OF THIS,

[01:10:03]

ALTHOUGH THERE'S PROMISE THAT THERE WILL BE FUTURE.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE FAITH THAT THIS IS GOING TO MOVE IN A TIMELY MANNER, IN WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO GENUINELY FIND SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT ALL OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS AND SPECIFICALLY ALL THE CHILDREN.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY EITHER HAVE FAITH THAT INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM WILL GENUINELY BE CONSIDERED EITHER.

I THINK THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THAT EMOTION IS COMING FROM BEHIND.

THAT SAID, I HAVE TWO ASKS OF THE BOARD TODAY AND ONE ASK OF THE ADMINISTRATION.

THE FIRST ONE IS THAT THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES TO THE ADMINISTRATION SPECIFICALLY, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES.

YOU GUYS LAY THOSE OUT. I WAS GRATEFUL TO HEAR SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S HARD, BUT WE'RE INS, I'M A PRODUCT OF INS AND WE DON'T DO THE EASY THING.

WE DO THE HARD THING. WHEN THINGS GET HARD, WE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OURSELVES.

SOMETIMES THE HARD THING AND THE RIGHT THING ARE THE SAME.

I REALLY ENCOURAGE US TO BUCKLE DOWN AND DO THE HARD THING, WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN.

THEN THE SECOND THING IS THAT THERE ARE CURRENTLY 843 STUDENTS IN THE SI PROGRAM.

THAT'S ROUGHLY 730 FAMILIES THAT ARE IN THIS DISTRICT AND 43 TEACHERS.

THE TWO ASKS FOR THE BOARD IS THAT ONCE A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION GO TO A BOARD VOTE AND THAT THE BOARD STAY ON TOP OF THIS, THAT WE MOVE QUICKLY.

WE CREATE THIS TASK FORCE.

I WANT CONSTANT CHECK-INS SO THAT WE'RE ALL MAKING SURE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY-WISE, THIS IS MOVING QUICKLY.

I KNOW AS AN EDUCATOR IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE THAT DECISIONS WE ARE DECIDING ON NOW ARE NOT GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

WE'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT-BALL ON THIS.

I WOULD ASK THAT WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND MOVE QUICKLY.

THANK YOU. [NOISE] [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CATHERINE WILDER.

MISS. WILDER. I DO NOT SEE ANYBODY MOVING FORWARD.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA HANOVER, MISS HANOVER.

WELCOME, MISS HANOVER. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> TO YOU TOO. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I'M HERE LIKE MANY OTHERS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM.

I MENTIONED LAST TIME WHEN I SPOKE TO MY DAUGHTER IS NEW TO THE DISTRICT WE ARE OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFERS.

SHE'S IN KINDERGARTEN AT CEDAR CREEK.

I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY OF THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM.

I'D LIKE TO URGE ALL OF YOU TO SUPPORT CREATION OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES THESE REALLY MOTIVATED AND PASSIONATE PARENTS.

I THINK WE ALL WANT TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS.

WE HAVE LOTS OF IDEAS AND WANT TO SUPPORT ALL OF YOU AND THE ADMINISTRATION IN MAKING THIS PROGRAM AND EVEN STRONGER PROGRAM.

THE MEETING ON DECEMBER 5TH WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT IN MANY WAYS.

I THINK THAT JUST THE LACK OF A FULL PICTURE OF THE DATA THAT ARE AVAILABLE WAS TROUBLING.

IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE DATA AND TO REALLY GET SOME TRUE APPLES-TO-APPLES COMPARISONS.

BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE WE WEREN'T ALWAYS SEEING THE RIGHT CONTRAST BEING MADE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES AND WHAT ARE BENEFITS OUT OF THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAMS. HAVING MORE ACCESS TO THOSE DATA AND WORKING ON THOSE DATA TOGETHER TO GET TO REAL SOLUTIONS WOULD BE REALLY WELCOMED.

I THINK ALSO HAVING THE PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WORK WITH ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD ON THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM WOULD ALSO GIVE US A CHANCE TO REALLY STRENGTHEN THE PROGRAM.

I MENTIONED LAST TIME I WAS HERE THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, INCLUDING AISD, AND I WAS REALLY SURPRISED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS TO LEARN THAT THE FOUNDATION OF THIS SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM IS NOT REALLY WHAT I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN.

YOU'VE HEARD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE LATER YEARS, THE MIDDLE-SCHOOL PLAN ISN'T AS ROBUST AS WE HAD EXPECTED.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AND START WORKING ON NOW.

THE LAST POINT I WOULD MAKE IS IT'S REALLY BEEN GREAT AS A NEW MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY TO ATTEND THESE BOARD MEETINGS AND LISTEN TO ALL THE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, EVEN JUST TONIGHT HEARING THE PASSION AND THE FOCUS AND THE HARD WORK THAT GOES INTO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT INS AND I THINK THAT THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM IS ONE OF THESE THINGS.

IT IS A SHINING STAR OF THE DISTRICT.

AS YOU MENTIONED, I'D LOVE TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY PRESENT YOU WITH THOSE DATA AND THAT INFORMATION.

[01:15:01]

I KNOW IT BRINGS OTHER FAMILIES TO INS AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN IT AND MAKE IT EVEN BETTER SO THAT INS REALLY GETS AS MUCH AS IT CAN OUT OF THE REPUTATION OF THE PROGRAM.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

[NOISE]

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEFF SIMPLER, AND JEFF IS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE BAND.

JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ROOM, IN A NORMAL BOARD MEETING WHEN WE HAVE A VARIETY OF SPEAKERS SPEAKING ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS, I'LL INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT THAT THE SPEAKER IS GOING TO SPEAK ON.

BUT JEFF IS THE ONLY PERSON HERE THIS EVENING WHO'S GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT BAND.

WELCOME, JEFF. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS. THANK YOU.

MR. PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, DR. BURNETT, REST OF ADMINISTRATION, FELLOW PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MY NAME IS JEFF SIMPLER.

I'M PRESIDENT OF THE WESTLAKE BAND PARENTS ASSOCIATION ORGANIZATION.

I REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 1,300 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE BAND MUSICIANS ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.

WE FUNDRAISE, WE PAY FOR PROGRAMS THAT THE STATE DOLLARS OF COURSE CAN'T COVER LIKE BUS RENTALS TO COMPETITIONS, CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE OUR MUSIC CAN PROVIDE CHOREOGRAPHY.

WE PUSH INSTRUMENTS AND PROPS DURING MARCHING SEASON, WE CHAPERONE OUR KIDS ACROSS THE STATE AND COUNTRY, EVEN TO OUR PERFORMANCES, INCLUDING STARTING ON THE SUNDAY AFTER CHICAGO FROM MID WEST CLINIC.

WE PAY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS WHO WISH TO CONTINUE THEIR MUSICAL EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY AND CONSERVATORIES AFTER THEY LEAVE WESTLAKE.

OUR MUSICIANS ARE LIKE ANY OTHER STUDENTS IN EANES AND IN WESTLAKE, THEY FEEL THE PRESSURE ACADEMICALLY, BUT THEY ALSO SPEND MUCH OF THEIR WAKING HOURS IN THE FINE ARTS FACILITIES.

LAST WEEK ALONE, IF ANYONE ATTENDED THE NUTCRACKER, THOSE BAND MUSICIANS AND ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS SPENT OVER 25 HOURS OUTSIDE OF THEIR REGULAR DAY JUST IN SUPPORT OF THAT PROGRAM.

IT'S INCREDIBLE, AND THIS ALL THE WEEK BEFORE FINAL EXAMS. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME VERY DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR CRAFT.

EQUALLY PASSIONATE ARE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH OUR BAND DIRECTORS THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY.

OUR NUMBERS ARE CLIMBING BACK UP AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WHICH OF COURSE HAS IMPACTED OUR BAND AS WELL AS EVERY BAND AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THAT SAID, IN THE HIGH SCHOOL ALONE, WE ARE ABOUT 160 PERCENT GREATER IN TERMS OF OUR POPULATION THAN WHEN THE BAND FACILITY WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BACK IN THE MID '80S.

A FEW YEARS AGO IN OUR PEAK WE WERE ABOUT TWICE AS MANY THAN WHAT THOSE FACILITIES WERE BUILT FOR.

WE KNOW THAT THE FACILITIES NEEDS ARE NUMEROUS ACROSS EANES, WE'VE KNOWN THAT FOR YEARS, BUT THEY ARE PARTICULARLY POINTED AT WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL.

MY REASON FOR STANDING HERE IS VERY SIMPLE.

AS A COMMUNITY AND SPECIFICALLY TO USE A BOARD, WE MUST PLAN FOR HOW TO ADDRESS OUR CAMPUS FACILITY THAT HAS EVOLVED IN A SEEMINGLY AN HAPHAZARD MANNER OVER THE LAST MANY YEARS, AS OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN CONVENTIONALLY WITH THAT.

YOUR UPCOMING DEBATE AND CONSIDERATION OF WHAT TO INCLUDE ON OUR NEXT IMMEDIATE BOND PROPOSITIONS SHOULD INCLUDE DOLLARS FOR DETERMINING WHAT COMES BEYOND OUR MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

WE KNOW THOSE ARE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.

I'VE BEEN TO THE LAST SEVERAL BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE HARD TO COMPARE THAT DOWN.

I DON'T ENVY YOU ON THAT.

BUT THAT MEANS THOSE DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR STRATEGIC CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEANS WE HAVE TO HIRE ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING FIRMS SO THAT WE ARE BEST SET FOR OUR GROUNDBREAKING THAT COMES NEXT.

WE START THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN 2026, EXCUSE ME, IF THAT IS REALLY WHEN IT COMES.

NATURALLY I'M ADVOCATING THAT OUR BAND FACILITIES EXPANSION COME AT THE EARLY STAGES OF THAT.

WE ARE THE [NOISE] PROVERBIAL CAN THAT KEEPS GETTING KICKED DOWN THE ROAD.

WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO BE THAT ANYMORE.

I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEFF ORBERY. MR. ORBERY? I DO NOT SEE HIM.

FOLLOWING MR. ORBERY WE HAVE TOM PEI.

MR. PEI? WELCOME, MR. PEI. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> I DON'T HAVE A PREPARED SPEECH, SO HOPEFULLY I DON'T REGRET MYSELF ON THIS ONE.

I THINK IF YOU SAW, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF YOU WERE THERE.

I THINK EVERYONE WAS THERE LAST WEEK WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT SPANISH IMMERSION.

CLEARLY WE ARE A VERY PASSIONATE, AND INVOLVED PARENT ORGANIZATION THAT ARE ASKING, REALLY IMPLORING YOU ALL TO LET US FORM THAT COMMITTEE.

LET US FORM A GROUP THAT WE COULD FORMALLY PRESENT TO ANY DECISION-MAKER OUT THERE THAT HAS INFLUENCE IN THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN SPANISH IMMERSION.

I SECOND EVERYTHING THAT THE PARENTS HAVE SAID.

EVEN THE BAND, HE SAID IT RIGHT.

[LAUGHTER] THERE'S A LOT OF TOUGH DECISIONS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, THE BOARD, EVERYONE HAS TO MAKE.

[01:20:01]

PLEASE LET US BE AS INVOLVED AS YOU WANT, AND AS INVOLVED AS WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN HELP YOU IN MAKING THESE DECISIONS.

I DIDN'T GO TO A GREAT [LAUGHTER] SCHOOL WITH A VERY INVOLVED BOARD AND COMMITTEE ADMINISTRATION OR AT LEAST AS A STUDENT, I PROBABLY DIDN'T RECOGNIZE.

I'M SURE THEY WERE VERY INVOLVED, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT US, [LAUGHTER] BUT AS A STUDENT IT WASN'T AS VISUAL AS THIS NOW.

BUT EANES IS UNIQUE.

IT'S A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.

I KNOW THAT THE RATING AND THE RANKING THAT HAS ESTABLISHED US AS HIGH AS WE ARE DIDN'T COME EASY.

YOU HAD TO DO A LOT OF HARD WORK, A LOT OF EFFORT, LONG NIGHTS, AND EVEN THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS BUILT OUT, I'M SURE IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST WHIPPED UP THAT MORNING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKED AT THE DATA.

WE JUST WANT TO BE INVOLVED AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS, BECAUSE JUST LIKE YOU ALL, WE NEED THAT INVOLVEMENT.

WE ASK YOU, PLEASE TELL US, CAN WE FORM THAT COMMITTEE? CAN WE GET INFORMATION? CAN WE DO A FORMAL PROCESS WHERE WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO PRESENT YOU THE DATA THAT WE HAVE AND TO WORK WITH YOUR TEAM TO DO IT? BUT REALLY ALSO TOO, I WANT TO SAY THIS AS THANK YOU.

I KNOW IT MIGHT FEEL A LITTLE BIT CONTENTIOUS.

AT TIMES A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT.

I KNOW WE'RE ASKING FOR A LOT, BUT I DO WANT TO PUBLICLY FORMALLY SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME, EFFORT, THE ABILITY FOR YOU TO WORK WITH US AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT LOST ON ME OR ANYONE ELSE THAT THESE ARE HARD DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT EASY TO MAKE.

BUT WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, THE TIME THAT PUTTING INVOLVED.

I WISH YOU ALL A GREAT CHRISTMAS IF YOU CELEBRATE IT.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, I LOOK FORWARD [NOISE] TO SEEING YOU ALL NEXT YEAR TO WORK ON THESE HARD PROBLEMS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH CROCKER.

IS MS. CROCKER HERE? I DON'T SEE HER. MIWA GARDNER. MS. GARDNER?

>> THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE].

>> HELLO, HAPPY HOLIDAYS. WELCOME.

>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MY NAME IS MIWA GARDNER.

MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN WESTLAKE FOR ABOUT 35 YEARS.

I WENT TO CEDAR CREEK.

I WENT TO HILL COUNTRY, I ALSO WAS A WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL GRAD.

AND I MOVED AWAY FOR 15 YEARS, MET THAT ONE OVER THERE, DAVID WITH A BRITISH ACCENT.

I THOUGHT I GOT TO BRING HIM BACK HERE.

I [LAUGHTER] SOLD HIM ON THE IDEA.

WE STILL LIVE IN JAPAN.

HE WASN'T EXACTLY EXCITED ABOUT COMING BACK PERHAPS TO THE UNITED STATES OR TO BE EVEN LIVING IN TEXAS.

BUT I SAID, LOOK, THERE'S AN AMAZING SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE.

JUST TRUST ME ON THIS.

WE LOOKED AT ALL THE RATINGS.

WE LOOKED AT THIS FROM FAR AND ALSO VERY CLOSE UP, THROUGH THE LENS OF MY OWN EXPERIENCE.

I WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE HIM, BRING HIM HERE.

HE IS NOW A US CITIZEN.

HE HAS NOT ONLY FALLEN IN LOVE WITH WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, BUT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE A PART OF.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE THAT BACKDROP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED IN MAKING EANES AS SPECIAL AS IT HAS BEEN WHEN I WAS A KID.

WE DO HAVE A CHILD WHO IS AT BRIDGE POINT ELEMENTARY, HE'S A FIRST GRADER.

HE IS IN THIS SI PROGRAM, AND IT'S BEEN MAGICAL FOR US.

COULD IT BE BETTER? ABSOLUTELY. COULD THIS EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS BEEN IMPROVED? OF COURSE, BUT AS YOU CAN TELL, ONE-THIRD OF THE FAMILIES, WE ARE CRAZY INVOLVED AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE LOVE TO DO.

WE WANT TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

I HOPE IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A THREAT.

WE REALLY WANT TO BE HERE.

[LAUGHTER] I WANT TO SAY WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED.

STEPPING BACK TO A WEEK AGO WE RECEIVED ALL THIS INFORMATION.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING DATA DUMP, BUT IT GAVE US A GREAT PERSPECTIVE OF ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.

MY QUESTION, AND MY REAL ASK TO THE BOARD AND THE TRUSTEES AND TO REALLY EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS SAY HEY LOOK, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE HERE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT, TRYING TO REALLY ENSURE THAT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITY, THAT ALL PARENTS AND ADMINISTRATION ARE VERY FRONT AND CENTER.

HOWEVER, WE NEED SOME GUIDANCE AROUND WHAT'S PRIORITY. WE DON'T KNOW.

WE GOT THIS LIST OF CHALLENGES RANGING FROM COST OF TEACHING, TO INFRASTRUCTURE, TO CURRICULUM, TO TIMING.

I JUST SAW THAT AND I GO, BUT WHAT MATTERS TO US ALL? CAN WE FRAME THIS OUT AND SAY, LOOK, BY PRIORITY, BY URGENCY, BY ABILITY, BY MEASURABILITY,

[01:25:01]

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD URGE. JUST GIVE US SOMETHING WE CAN STICK TO.

YES, THERE'S GOING TO BE A COMMITTEE, BUT PLEASE GIVE US SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AT LEAST EXPAND OUR ENERGY INTO CREATIVELY, SO THAT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND NOT FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING DOWN A BUNNY HOLE TALKING ABOUT TRANSITIONS OR TALKING ABOUT DATA POINTS.

WE WANT TO COME TOGETHER AROUND SOMETHING THAT MATTERS TO ALL OF US.

THAT'S IT, THANK YOU

>> [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHLEY SCRIPTS. ASHLEY.

>> HELLO.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. WELCOME.

>> HOLIDAYS. BEAR WITH ME I HATE PUBLIC SPEAKING, SO I'M GOING TO PROBABLY NOT LOOK UP AT ANYBODY.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US SPEAK TONIGHT.

EVEN THOUGH I'M THANKFUL THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PAUSE FOR THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE SI PROGRAM.

I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN HANDLED AND WORRIED FOR ITS FUTURE.

I'M SHOCKED THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM HASN'T BEEN MORE THOUGHT OUT AND FOCUSED ON RATHER THAN TRYING TO MAKE SUCH DRASTIC CUTS TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CHALLENGES AND AT THE ELEMENTARY GRADE LEVEL IS FACING AND I KNOW THAT WITH PARENTS SUPPORT, WE CAN FIGURE OUT SOME GREAT SOLUTIONS.

YOU HAVE SOME VERY PARENTS WHO BELIEVE IN THIS PROGRAM AND UNDERSTAND ITS VALUE TO SO MANY KIDS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

I KNOW WE MIGHT START TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD TALKING ABOUT ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND I HOPE YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING.

I WON'T STAND HERE AND RECAP THEM AGAIN, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE MOST RECENT PARENT MEETING WE HAD ON SI AND MY DISAPPOINTMENT ON HOW THAT WAS HANDLED.

FIRST-OFF IT FELT LIKE WE WERE DEMEANING BEING TOLD ABOUT AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WHAT THE MEETING WAS AND WASN'T BEING TOLD WE WEREN'T WHERE WE WERE AND WEREN'T GOING TO DISCUSS.

I CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HEARD THE PHRASE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF DATA, YET THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION, VERY LITTLE WAS ACTUALLY PRESENTED.

OUR QUESTIONS WERE SCREENED AND WE DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO ASK THEM OURSELVES, WHICH I FEEL IT WAS ALL RIGHT.

FOR THE DEI MEETING, MODERATOR WAS THERE TO CREATE SMOOTH TRANSITION BETWEEN QUESTIONS.

THERE WAS SUCH AN OBVIOUS STRONG PUSH AGAINST THESE CHANGES TO THE SI PROGRAM BY THE PARENTS AND WE'RE ABLE TO PAUSE ANYTHING FROM GOING FORWARD FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

WHY WOULDN'T MORE EFFORT BE PUT INTO THIS MEETING FOR US PARENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS? THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE THERE THAT NIGHT OR HAVE WATCHED, I HOPE YOU'VE COME TO A SIMILAR CONCLUSION.

I FIND IT STRANGE THAT NO DATA HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO SHOW THAT A SEGREGATED CLASS OF KIDS FROM THEIR PEERS FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DAY, FOR 4-6 YEARS IS A BENEFIT FOR THAT GROUP.

I CAN'T SEE HOW JUMPING TO THAT CONCLUSION SO QUICKLY WITHOUT LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBLE RAMIFICATIONS WAS RECKLESS.

I HOPE THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM THE EMAILS THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED THE SEVERAL BOARD MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN AT, THE PRIVATE MEETINGS, THE CAFE MORNING SERIES, THE SI PARENT MEETING, AND NOW THIS MEETING THAT WE ARE LISTENING, WE ARE HERE AND WE WANT TO HELP.

BY NOW IT SHOULDN'T SURPRISE YOU WHAT PARENTS CAN DO WHEN WE COME TOGETHER.

WE HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN A SEAT AT THE TABLE RECENTLY, AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN A HUGE OVERSIGHT.

THE BOARD NEEDS TO GET THEIR SKIN IN THE GAME AND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE GET A COMMITTEE FORMED SO THAT WE AS A WHOLE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM TOGETHER.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT MIDDLE-SCHOOL BY EARLY 2023.

IN THE MEANTIME, FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WILL HELP LIGHTEN THE LOAD OF THE TEACHERS ACROSS THE ELEMENTARY LEVELS AND HOPEFULLY FIND A REAL LONG-TERM SOLUTION THAT BENEFITS AS MANY STUDENTS AS WE CAN.

THE GOAL IS FOR ALL STUDENTS, BUT ALWAYS NOT ALWAYS ACHIEVABLE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE THESE TALKS IN THE NEW YEAR AND GET THIS PROGRAM TO GROW AND BECOME REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE LAST SPEAKER THAT SIGNED UP WAS ADRIAN SNEAD.

IS ADRIAN HERE? ADRIAN? NO. THAT CONCLUDES THE OPEN FORUM PORTION OF THE MEETING.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO COME AND SPEND YOUR EVENING WITH US.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE DISCUSSION PORTION OF THE AGENDA.

[9. DISCUSSION]

JEREMY. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYBODY. WELCOME.

>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU TOO.

>> CHARITY, WELCOME.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> MR. MIKE DANSBY COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE HAVE HOLLY.

>> I'M AN AMATEUR OVER HERE.

>> PRESS ALL THE BUTTONS AT ONE TIME AND IT'LL WORK.

WE'VE COME TO THE MOMENT THAT WE ARE ON THE LAST OF FOUR TABLES IN

[01:30:03]

WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT IS THE RESULT OF ABOUT A FOUR-HOUR MEETING, AND WHY IT'S FOUR HOUR IS BECAUSE WE HAD REALLY GOOD DIALOGUE, BOTH FROM OUR AUDIENCE, FROM PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS AND ALSO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL.

I'M GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE AUDIENCE WE HAVE IN THE ROOM, BUT AUDIENCE THAT WE MAY HAVE ONLINE TO GO THROUGH SOME VERY IMPORTANT SLIDES THAT ARE TIED TO A POTENTIAL BOND DEVELOPMENT.

HERE WE SEE OUR TIMELINE.

THIS TIMELINE HASN'T CHANGED, AND SO WE'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST SOME DATES.

THE END OF THE YEAR.

THIS IS THE LAST UPDATE WE WILL GIVE YOU BEFORE THE NEW YEAR ON JANUARY 3RD, THE BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS GOING TO ACTUALLY COME TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THAT FINAL RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WILL BRING TO YOU ON JANUARY 10TH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DATE BY WHICH YOU NEED TO CALL A POTENTIAL BOND ELECTION IF YOU WANT TO DO SO, THAT BOND ELECTION WOULD HAPPEN ON THE 6TH OF MAY.

THIS IS THE STRUCTURE OF A POTENTIAL BOND.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A BOND CAPACITY OF APPROXIMATELY $130 MILLION THAT'S BASED ON A NO TAX RATE INCREASE.

THERE'S JUST UNDER $155 MILLION WORTH OF IDENTIFIED NEEDS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EVALUATE THROUGH THE FOUR TABLES.

THOSE FOUR TABLES WE STARTED WITH SAFETY SECURITY THAN WE WENT THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY, CONSERVATION THEN FACILITIES, AND NOW FINALLY, AT STUDENT PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT.

OUR PROPOSITION REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED.

YOU'RE USED TO A GENERAL PROPOSITION AND THAT IS STILL SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL SEE, THAT'LL BE PROPOSITION A, BUT SOMETHING NEW THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OR SEPARATE SPECIAL PROPOSITIONS, AND WE ESTIMATE TWO OF THOSE.

ONE OF THOSE ARE BEING TIED TO THE STADIUM.

ANY IMPROVEMENTS, REPAIRS THAT ARE MADE TO THE STADIUM HAD TO BE ON TWO SEPARATE PROPOSITION, THAT'D BE PROPOSITION B.

THEN LASTLY, THE ACQUISITION AND UPDATE OF TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON SEPARATE PROPOSITION, THAT'S PROPOSITION C, AND YOU'RE FINALLY GOING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE LINE ITEMS THAT WOULD LAND ON PROPOSITION C TONIGHT.

TWO TYPES OF BOND PROGRAMS. THAT MAJOR CONSTRUCTION BOND PROGRAM AND THEN A MAINTENANCE AND EFFICIENCY BOND FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS STRUCTURE HAS BEEN AROUND THE PROGRAM MAINTENANCE AND EFFICIENCY STRUCTURE FOR THIS BOND.

FUNDING IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS.

ONE IS YOUR BOND, YOUR I&S, YOUR INTEREST AND SINKING, AND THEN THE M&O.

ON THE BOND SIDE OF IT, FOR EVERY TAX DOLLAR THAT WE COLLECT, WE KEEP 100 PERCENT OF THAT DOLLAR.

THAT'S VERY USEFUL WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LINE ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TONIGHT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE BOND DOLLARS CANNOT BE UTILIZED TO PAY TEACHERS SALARIES, SO THAT'S THE UNFORTUNATE PART.

WHAT'S THE STRATEGY? TRY TO LESSEN OUR BURDEN ON THE M&O SIDE IN ORDER TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDS TO THOSE STAFF SALARIES.

ON THE M&O SIDE, FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE COLLECTED TAXES, WE KEEP 0.36 OF THEM.

THAT MEANS THAT WE GIVE 64 PERCENT OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE COLLECT BACK TO THE STATE OF TEXAS THROUGH RE-CAPTURE.

THIS M&O DOLLARS IS WHAT WE PAY OUR UTILITIES, IT IS WHAT WE PAY OUR STAFF, AND OUR STAFF COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 86 PERCENT OF OUR M&O FUND.

ON THE ACTUAL RATE SIDE, 0.12 OF OUR TAX RATE GOES TO THE BOND I&S, AND THEN 0.8846 IS THE M&O FOR TOTAL TAX RATE OF $1.0046.

THAT'S WHAT WE ASSUME BECAUSE THE POSSIBLE MAY 2023 BOND WOULD ASSUME NO TAX RATE INCREASE.

TABLES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU'VE SEEN THE EXAMPLE PROJECTS, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS SHOW WHAT WILL BE INCLUDED JUST AS AN OVERVIEW FOR TONIGHT'S TABLE.

OUR TIMELINE WE'RE GETTING TOWARDS THE END, I TALKED ABOUT JANUARY 3RD AND THEN JANUARY 10TH.

ONE THING WE DO HAVE IS WE HAVE AN OPEN MEETING FOR A BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE 17TH, IF WE NEED TO COME BACK TOGETHER AND MAKE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, WE WILL DO SO.

ON THE 24TH, WE WILL TALK ABOUT BOND, BUT WE'LL ALSO HAVE A BALLOT REVIEW WHICH IS A VERY CRITICAL PART IN A POTENTIAL BOND REFERENDUM.

IN FEBRUARY 7TH, WOULD BE THAT BOARD MEETING PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE TO THE CALL FOR BOND ELECTION.

OUR CATEGORIZATION, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE TO REVIEW THIS BEFORE WE START EVERY BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE DIFFERENT PROJECTS YOU CAN READ THROUGH THESE CATEGORIZATIONS,

[01:35:01]

CATEGORY 1 IS A PROJECT THAT IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED AND IF WE DON'T USE BOND DOLLARS WE'RE GOING TO USE M&O DOLLARS.

BUT ALSO IT'S A PROJECT THAT COULD CREATE SAVINGS ON OUR M&O SIDE.

THAT'S CATEGORY 1.

THEN WE GO TO CATEGORY 2 THAT THAT NEED IS ESTIMATED TO ARISE DURING THE CYCLE OF THE BOND.

THIS BOND CYCLE WOULD TAKE US THROUGH THE '27, '28 FISCAL AND SCHOOL YEAR.

THEN THERE'S CATEGORY 3, THE CAMPUS AND DISTRICT OPERATIONS COULD CONTINUE BUT THERE COULD BE PROGRAMMATIC ADVANTAGES TOO INCLUDING THAT PROJECT WITHIN THE BOND.

YOU WILL SEE ALL THREE OF THESE CATEGORIES IDENTIFIED THROUGH THESE PROJECTS.

QUICKLY ON THE STUDENT PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT, I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME HERE, BUT WHAT I WANT TO DO IS HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE.

THE FIRST ONE IS JUST YOUR FINE ARTS.

WE'VE SEEN THIS IN THE PAST, WE HAVE TO REPLACE EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE TO REPLACE INSTRUMENTS.

THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO FINE ART.

IT IS NOT JUST BAND.

THIS GOES K12.

FINE ARTS REALLY TIES TO EVERY SINGLE GRADE LEVEL ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 3,700 STUDENTS IN FINE ARTS, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ENROLLED STUDENTS, SIX THROUGH 12.

YOU CAN SEE THE AMOUNT OF IMPACT, WHEN WE TRIED TO BREAK DOWN $1.7 MILLION, YOU'RE BREAKING IT DOWN ACROSS 3,700 STUDENTS.

THE BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE DID CATEGORIZE THIS AS A CATEGORY 1.

THEN WE GO TO ART FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS.

ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS CUT FROM 2019 BOND WAS AN ADDITIONAL PACK/BANDS STORAGE ON THE FRONT OF THAT BUILDING ON THE WEST BANK SIDE.

THAT'S INCLUDED HERE. BUT ALSO YOU MAY HAVE HEARD BUT WE HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL ENTERTAINMENT CREW THAT WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT COMPRISE THAT GROUP.

WHEN THE PACK WAS RENOVATED IN 2008, THAT PROGRAM WEREN'T THERE YET.

ONCE THAT PROGRAM CAME ON WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A SPACE WITHIN THE PACK TO DEDICATE TO THAT PROGRAM, SO THEY'RE SPREAD ACROSS FOUR CLOSETS FOR THEIR PROGRAMS. THAT GROUP, EVERYTHING THEY DO ACROSS FOUR ROOMS IS WHAT GOES INTO THE NUTCRACKER, WHICH A LOT OF YOU ALL SAW AND THE SUCCESS BEHIND THAT PROGRAM.

WHAT IS NEEDED IS A CENTRALIZED ROOM WHERE THEY CAN HAVE ALL THEIR EQUIPMENT AND ALL THEIR STUDENTS IN ONE PLACE.

THEY LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, THEY CROSS TRAIN AND SO THIS WOULD CREATE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THIS WAS FIVE FOR CATEGORY 1, FOUR FOR CATEGORY 2.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO BRING THOSE UP BECAUSE THAT'S A REALLY CLOSE VOTE.

WHAT WE'LL DO ON JANUARY 3RD IS WE'RE GOING TO REVISIT SOME OF THESE REALLY CLOSE 5, 4 VOTES ON THIS AND GET A LITTLE BIT FURTHER EXPLANATION ESPECIALLY FROM DAVID PAUL AND HIS GROUP TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT.

BUT OVERALL, THEY DID CATEGORIZE THIS AS A CATEGORY 1 WITH THAT CAVEAT TO REVISIT IT. PERFORMING ARTS.

THIS GETS TECHNICAL BUT I WILL COVER SOME OF THIS.

WE USE CONSULTANTS ON A LOT OF OUR EQUIPMENT IN THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPLACEMENTS.

ONE OF THESE, WE'VE PLAYED CURTAINS IN LAST BOND.

WELL, WE DID SOME CURTAINS ESPECIALLY IN OUR ELEMENTARY, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE CURTAINS ON THE SIDE INSIDE YOUR CONCERT HALL AND THE MAIN CONCERT HALL.

THESE ARE ON THE SIDE PANELS WHERE YOU HAVE THE WOODEN PANELS, THESE ARE THOSE CURTAINS.

WHAT HAPPENS IS THOSE AREN'T IFR CURTAINS.

IF YOU WONDER WHAT IFR MEANS, THAT IS INHERENTLY FIRE-RETARDANT, SO THEY'RE FIREPROOF. THOSE AREN'T.

REPLACING THOSE WITH THOSE INHERENT FIRE-RETARDANT CURTAINS WOULD ALLOW US TO BE WITHIN CODE WHEN WE DO MAKE THOSE REPLACEMENTS.

THE COMMITTEE ELECTED CATEGORIZED THAT AS A CATEGORY 1.

PACK PRODUCTION LIGHTING.

DAVID PAUL DOES A GREAT JOB OF SETTING UP HIS REPLACEMENT CYCLES AND STAGGERS THEM SO HE'S NOT REPLACING EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME.

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ROUND OF TAKING INCANDESCENT FIXTURES INTO LED TECHNOLOGY.

THE COMMITTEE ELECTED CATEGORIZED THAT AS CATEGORY 1.

ALSO ON THE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY, THESE ARE ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT SUPPORT THE PRODUCTIONS THAT YOU SEE.

EVEN THAT FIRST ONE, THOSE VIDEO SWITCHERS ALLOWS THEM TO DO DIFFERENT VIDEO PRODUCTIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHIN THE PRODUCTION OF NUTCRACKER OR EVEN A FOOTBALL GAME.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT DON'T HAVE REPLACEMENT CYCLE, VERY SIMILAR TOO ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE, SOME OF THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT EVEN ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE.

THEY'VE REPLACEMENT CYCLES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE CYCLE OF THIS BOND.

BUT COMMITTEE ELECTED CATEGORIZED THAT AS A CATEGORY 1.

THEN WE MOVE TO ATHLETICS, JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.

WE WANT TO BREAK OUT THIS,

[01:40:01]

THIS GOES TO UNIFORMS, THIS GOES TO EQUIPMENT.

WE'RE TALKING FROM TENNIS BALLS, TO CHEER MATS, TO SHOULDER PADS, AND TO ATTRACT HIGH JUMP PIT.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THIS NOT JUST UNIFORMS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.

WE DON'T REPLACE EVERYTHING EVERY SINGLE BOND CYCLE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CONTINUALLY HAVE TO BE REPLACED, UNIFORMS ARE ON ABOUT A THREE-YEAR CYCLE.

WE HAVE THESE FUNDS, WHY? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE M&O FUNDS OR BOOSTER FUNDS IN ORDER TO FUND SOME OF THESE REPLACEMENTS.

THE COMMITTEE CATEGORIZED THAT AS A CATEGORY 1.

ATHLETIC FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, HERE ARE JUST SOME PROJECTS THAT WERE NEEDS COMING OUT OF ATHLETICS THAT WERE TIED TO A SPECIFIC FACILITY.

YOU'LL SEE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL BATTING CAGES.

ONE THING TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S AN OUTDOOR SPORT AND IN ORDER TO TRAIN, YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.

THIS WOULD ALLOW TRAINING TO STILL HAPPEN EVEN WHEN IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE, THE SNOW IS SLEDDING, THEY WILL STILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THEN PRESSBOX CONVERSION WAS ON THE LAST BOND THAT GOT CUT, SO TRYING TO GET THAT DONE IN ORDER TO HAVE IT AT THE SAME TYPE OF PRESSBOX AS THE BASEBALL.

THEN THE OUTFIELD, ONE THING TO UNDERSTAND IS THE INFIELD AT BASEBALL'S TURF, THE ENTIRE SOFTBALLS FIELD'S TURF THAT CAME FROM DONATED FUNDS AND THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ALLOCATED FUNDS IN ORDER TO DO THE OUTFIELD.

THE OUTFIELD IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD, SO IT'S EXPENSIVE.

IN ORDER TO GET THE OUTFIELD UP TO THE SAME STANDARD AS SOFTBALL BUT ALSO THE INFIELD, THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED HERE TO CHANGE FROM GRASS TO TURF.

ATHLETICS PE STORAGE.

WE HAVE LIMITED STORAGE AT WEST RIDGE.

IF YOU GO ABOUT WEST RIDGE WE HAVE TO MOVE THINGS INSIDE THE GYM AND THEN OUTSIDE ON THE CONCRETE SIDEWALK IN ORDER TO ALLOW EVENTS TO HAPPEN.

THEN GOLF PRACTICE HITTING BAY, WE HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL GOLF TEAM THAT ACTUALLY HAS A SPACE INSIDE THE PE GYM.

WE HAVE EVERYTHING EXCEPT JUST THE BAY, THE NETS AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE ON THE TECHNOLOGY.

THIS IS THAT LAST COMPONENT TO FINISH UP THAT SPACE.

THE COMMITTEE ELECTED CATEGORIZED THIS AS A CATEGORY 2.

THEY DID VIDEO PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, THIS IS WHAT SOME REFERRED TO AS THE JUMBOTRON AND IT'S ABOUT 11, 12 YEARS OLD.

NOW THAT'S USUALLY ON A 10-YEAR REPLACEMENT CYCLE.

THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

IF YOU WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME YOU SAW A BIG BOOM LIFTED SET OUT IN FRONT OF OUR STADIUM EVERY SINGLE GAME.

WHY? BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO REPLACE SMALL VIDEO BOARDS BEFORE EVERY GAME IN ORDER FOR IT TO FUNCTION.

IT IS ON ITS LAST LEG, IT IS LIMPING ALONG.

WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE TIED TO THIS JUMBOTRON THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PROBABLY DO THAT ANYMORE.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAINTAIN, SO IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ON A REPLACEMENT CYCLE.

THEY ELECTED TO HAVE PUT A CATEGORY 1 DESIGNATION ON THIS.

IT'S GOING TO BE SAME TECHNOLOGY.

THAT WOULD BE ON THE PROPOSITION B, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STADIUM.

VIDEO BOARD INSTALLATION AT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.

THIS WAS TALKED ABOUT OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, IS REQUESTED FROM BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS TO INSTALL VIDEO BOARDS.

THEY'RE INDEPENDENT OF THE ACTUAL SCOREBOARD, SO THE SCOREBOARD WOULDN'T BE REPLACED.

THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TOO.

THIS WOULD ALLOW OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCTION LIKE WE DO AT FOOTBALL GAMES AND TO ALLOW DIGITAL GRAPHICS, ETC.

WE'RE NOT TALKING FILMING CREWS OUT THERE, BUT OTHER TYPES OF PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS WAS CATEGORIZED AS A CATEGORY 3.

I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT WHEN WE GO TO LOOK AT THE BOND, CATEGORY 3 IS PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO MAKE IT ONTO THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION.

FURNITURE, FIXTURES, AND EQUIPMENT.

THIS IS GETTING THE NEXT ROUND.

HOPEFULLY, WE'LL BE FINALIZED FOR OUR CLASSROOMS THROUGH THIS LAST ALLOCATION FOR FURNITURE.

THEN WE ALSO HAVE A MODERNIZED FRONT OFFICE.

IF YOU GO INTO OUR FRONT OFFICES OF SOME CAMPUSES LIKE HILL COUNTRY, THERE'S ABOUT AN ACRE OF SPACE AND IT JUST COMPRISE OF BIG BUILT-IN, JUST LIKE YOU SEE HERE, THAT SPACE CAN BE UTILIZED SUCH AND SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY.

THIS WOULD ALLOW THAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE SOME FLEXIBLE FURNITURE AND ADJUST IT AS CATEGORY 1.

MODERNIZED LIBRARIES, I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW.

MODERNIZING LIBRARIES MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT AT EVERY SINGLE CAMPUS.

[01:45:02]

IT'S BIG, BULKY FURNITURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO MOVE FOR MEETINGS.

IT JUST DOESN'T LEND ITSELF TO BEING ABLE TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE WITHOUT BUILT-IN BOOKSHELVES.

THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR SOME MODERNIZATION THERE FOR FLEXIBILITY SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS IN THOSE SPACES.

THEN MAKERSPACES COMING OUT ENVISIONING THIS AS A BIG PRIORITY FOR THEM TO CREATE THESE CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE CAMPUS.

WE HAVE SOME EXAMPLES RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT THE FINAL PRODUCT? I CAN'T TELL YOU IT IS. WE CAN LEARN FROM THOSE AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY.

BUT INTRODUCING MAKERSPACES AT OUR ELEMENTARY LIBRARIES WE INCLUDED HERE.

THAT WAS CATEGORY 2, THIS WAS A FIVE-FOUR AS WELL, SO FOUR FOR CATEGORY 1, FIVE FOR CATEGORY 2.

WE'LL REVISIT THIS WHEN WE COME BACK ON THE THIRD.

TECHNOLOGY IS DEVICE HEAVY.

THIS IS ALL THOSE ITEMS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE INCLUDED IN ITS OWN PROPOSITION ON PROPERTIES AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, KRISTI CAN ANSWER THOSE.

BUT THIS IS YOUR LAPTOPS, THIS IS YOUR IPADS, THIS IS YOUR PRINTERS, ALL OF THOSE DEVICES. ALSO AV.

WE STILL HAVE SOME AV THAT WE NEED TO DO AT OUR SECONDARY CAMPUSES.

ALSO, WE DO CHANGE THE USE OF SOME CLASSROOMS AND SOME ROOMS ALONG THE WAY.

THIS WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE SOUND SYSTEMS AND VIDEO WITHIN THOSE ROOMS, BUT THIS IS HEAVY ON SOUND FOR SECONDARY CLASSROOMS. THEN ELEMENTARIES HAVE A PLETHORA OF BOOSTER-PROVIDED EQUIPMENT IN THEIR GYMS. THIS WOULD PROVIDE A CONSISTENT SOLUTION TO THE ELEMENTARY GYM SOUND SYSTEMS. THIS WOULD ALSO BE ON PROPOSITION C, AND THIS IS CATEGORY 2.

ALL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, IS THIS YOUR PLIERS AND WIRES? I LIKE HOW KRISTI CALLS THIS THE PLIERS AND WIRES, LINE ITEM OF THE BOND PROGRAM THAT GOES TO SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITHIN TECHNOLOGY.

THIS IS THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAKES IT SUCCESSFUL.

IN ORDER FOR THAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ON A REPLACEMENT CYCLE JUST UNDER 13.5 MILLION FOR CATEGORY 1.

THEN WE GET INTO CLASSROOM LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR OUR CLASSROOMS AND OUR TEACHERS, OUR STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, OUR SKYWARD SYSTEM.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF TECHNOLOGY.

THE TECHNOLOGY NUMBER IS LARGE AND IS BOND.

BUT IT'S INTENTIONAL BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING THINGS THAT WE ALREADY OWN AND THEN WE ALREADY PAY FOR AT THE M&O AND BRINGING OVER TO THE BOND SIDE BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THE BOND CAN BE STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THAT WILL LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS ON THE M&O SIDE.

THAT'S ONE REASON WE'RE BRINGING SKYWARD INTO BOND, BUT YES, WE CAN BRING SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE OVER TO THE BOND SIDE.

THAT'S A CATEGORY 1.

THEN OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, REMOTE DESKTOP, ALLOWING OUR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TO SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR TEACHERS BY ALLOWING A PROP PLATFORM THAT WE CAN REMOTE INTO THOSE COMPUTERS WITHOUT HAVING TO SEND A TECHNICIAN OVER THERE.

ASSET MANAGEMENT BUT ALSO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, THE BOARD STREAMING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MOVE THAT OVER TO BOND TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THAT'S INCLUDED HERE AND THEN BOND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, HOW WE MANAGE ALL OF THE PROJECTS WITHIN A CENTRALIZED SOFTWARE PLATFORM.

ALL OF THAT 621,000 WAS A CATEGORY 2.

ACROSS ALL THE TECHNOLOGY LINE ITEMS, I WANTED TO IDENTIFY THAT THERE'S APPROXIMATELY ANNUALLY THREE MILLION DOLLARS IN COST AVOIDANCE ACROSS ALL THE TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING IT FROM M&O OVER TO THE BOND SIDE.

THAT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.

THE NEXT IS A CTE, CAREER TECHNOLOGY.

YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE.

THROUGH OUR RESEARCH IN THE ENVISIONINGS, THIS POPPED UP AS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE CLASSROOM SETS OF SCIENCE EQUIPMENT WE JUST NEED MORE EQUIPMENT AND WE NEED MORE RESOURCES WITHIN OUR CTE CLASSROOMS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO TEACH THE BEST THAT THEY CAN.

THIS ACTUALLY ALLOCATES DOLLARS TO PURCHASE NEW EQUIPMENT.

A LOT OF IT IS SCIENCE-HEAVY, BUT FOR SOME OF THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS, THERE'S MONEY IN HERE TO REPLACE EQUIPMENT.

CHAD BURNETT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS WITHIN THIS PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE JUST LAID OUT IN THE SPREADSHEET AND THAT'S ALL CONTAINED WITHIN THIS LINE ITEM.

THAT'S A CATEGORY 1.

THEN LASTLY, WE GET TO THE STUDENT PROGRAMS, TRANSPORTATION, AND SUPPORT.

[01:50:01]

IF YOU REMEMBER BACK IN 2011, WE REPLACED 20 BUSES.

WHY? BECAUSE WE WENT FROM DIESEL TO PROPANE.

WE GOT A BIG GRANT FOR THOSE. GUESS WHAT? YOU BOUGHT THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME SO THEY ALL COME UP FOR REPLACEMENT THE SAME TIME.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE WORKING ON A GRANT THROUGH TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENT QUALITY TO REPLACE PROPANE WITH PROPANE.

THAT WAS ONE ISSUE THAT THEY DIDN'T DEVELOP.

THEY WEREN'T AHEAD OF THE GAME BECAUSE THEY WANT TO INCENTIVIZE YOU TO REPLACE THESE WITH PROPANE.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PROPANE NEED TO BE REPLACED? THEY DID, THEY DEVELOPED A PROGRAM NOW THAT IS APPROXIMATELY $50,000 A BUS.

APPROXIMATELY 20 OF THE 25 BUSES WILL QUALIFY FOR THAT REBATE.

WE DON'T HAVE IT BUILT INTO THIS NUMBER BECAUSE THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE REBATE.

BUT LUCKILY, OUR TRANSPORTATION TEAM HAS JUMPED ON IT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY ARE FULL.

THEY CAN'T ACCEPT ANY MORE APPLICATIONS EVEN THOUGH IT GOES THROUGH DECEMBER 19TH.

WE'RE IN LINE FOR THAT.

I HOPE, I'M OPTIMISTIC THEY WILL RECEIVE THAT GRANT WHICH WOULD ADD, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS THAT COULD COME OFF OF THIS LINE IF WE WERE TO RECEIVE THAT.

WE WON'T KNOW PROBABLY BEFORE WE HAVE TO GO OUT.

WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER OUR BASIS JUST IN CASE.

THE PRICE PER BUS HAS INCREASED 40 PERCENT IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, SO IT COULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE EVEN MORE.

IT'S AMAZING THE PRICE OF A SCHOOL BUS.

THEN YOU'LL SEE THE TWO GREEN ASTERISKS, THAT THERE'S ANOTHER IDENTIFIED SAVINGS IN THERE THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR BUSES IN A WHITE FLEET.

BUSES IN A WHITE FLEET ARE PURCHASED THROUGH BOND FUNDS.

WE CAN UTILIZE BOND FUNDS TO MAINTAIN BOND ASSETS.

WE SPEND APPROXIMATELY $95,000 IN TRANSPORTATION, THAT'S AN ESTIMATED COST AVOIDANCE FOR EACH YEAR.

THAT LAST ONE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE BAND TRACTOR TRUCK.

AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BAND TRACTOR TRUCK.

[LAUGHTER] BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAD TO USE M&O GENERAL FUND DOLLARS IN ORDER TO PURCHASE THAT.

UNDERSTANDING THAT WE COULD DO A REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION IF THIS BOND WOULD WAS TO PASS TO REFUND OUR GENERAL FUND THROUGH THIS CURRENT PROPOSED BOND THAT MAY GO OUT IN 2023.

THAT'S OUR SUMMARY THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH.

I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OTHER THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE DONE EVALUATING ALL THESE TABLES AND PROJECTS.

YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE BY TABLE, BY CATEGORY.

DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THAT, CATEGORY 1, WE HAVE $117.6 MILLION, CATEGORY 2, 33.7, CATEGORY 3, 1.2 MILLION.

YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DRAW THE NUMBER FROM 155 DOWN TO 152.6 BY JUST LOOKING AT SOME MAINLY IN THE FACILITY SIDE AND DEFERRING SOME THINGS.

WE'VE DRAWN THAT NUMBER DOWN, BUT WE STILL HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF WORK TO DO TO GET TO THAT 130 NUMBER.

THEN WE GO TO BREAK IT DOWN BY PROPOSITION BY CATEGORY.

YOU'LL SEE THAT PROPOSITION B ON THE ATHLETIC STADIUM SIDE, IT'S ALL CATEGORY 1.

BREAKING THIS DOWN IS YOUR GENERAL PROPOSITION.

IF WE WENT ALL IN WHETHER WE HAVE NOW JUST OVER $136 MILLION IN GENERAL PROPOSITION.

YOU'LL SEE PROPOSITION B IS THE HUGE NUMBER.

JUST AROUND TWO-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION JUST BROKEN DOWN IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

WHAT OUR PLAN IS, IS TO MOVE FORWARD TRYING TO GET THIS TO $130 MILLION.

THAT WAS THE REDIRECTION THAT WE GOT FROM YOU AS A BOARD AND I WILL TELL YOU IT WILL BE DIFFICULT, IT WILL NOT BE EASY.

WE ARE DEVELOPING AN ACTUAL TOOL THAT WE WILL GET OUT TO OUR BACK MEMBERS SO THAT WE CAN HELP FACILITATE THIS WHOLE ENTIRE PROCESS AND HOPEFULLY GET IT DOWN TO A NUMBER AROUND 130.

ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SHARE, HOLLY, OR ANY HIGHLIGHTS?

>> WE HAD A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS GREAT, MEMBERS OF THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, THE SHOP CLUB, BAND, THEY WERE LEADING THE BUSINESS INCUBATOR.

IT WAS GREAT TO GET ALL THAT FEEDBACK.

I THINK THIS WAS BY FAR OUR MOST CHALLENGING TABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR CUT WITH HOW WE TYPICALLY TABLE THINGS WITH M&O SAVINGS, CERTAINLY IN THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE AND THE TRANSPORTATION, THE BUSES SPECIFICALLY, THERE WERE SOME VERY CLEAR CATEGORY ONES.

BUT GOING THROUGH A LOT OF JUST THE STUDENT SUPPORT,

[01:55:04]

I THINK, TO THE THINGS THAT WE'VE THOUGHT THROUGH, WERE REALLY EQUITY AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SPREADING THE MONEY AROUND AND MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT REALLY WOULD HELP THE MOST NUMBER OF STUDENTS.

AS WELL AS THERE ARE THINGS THAT JUST SPECIFICALLY ON THE FACILITIES TABLE LAST TIME AND THEN ON THIS TABLE ALSO THINGS WHERE IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER WE WOULD USE M&O DOLLARS TO FIX IT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, BUT WE HAVE JUST FALLEN FAR BEHIND A NORM THAT IS CONCERNING TO US AS A BACK AND SO THERE WERE DEFINITELY THINGS IN THERE THAT PULLED THINGS THAT PROBABLY WEREN'T CLEAR CATEGORY 3 INTO A CATEGORY 2.

WE DID HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE LOCKER ROOMS AT WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY EYE-OPENING FOR A LOT OF THE BACK.

JEREMY IS GOING TO WORK WITH THEM HOPEFULLY TO SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH ACHIEVABLE SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR THAT.

SPECIFICALLY, FOR THE LACK OF RESTROOMS THAT THEY HAVE AND SOME FLOORING ISSUES AND OTHER MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT REALLY, FOR ME WERE SHOCKING.

[LAUGHTER] WE'RE WORKING THROUGH A LOT OF THAT STUFF.

BUT AGAIN, IT WAS A GREAT MEETING.

IT WAS A FOUR-HOUR MEETING.

IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR WHERE EVERYONE CAME FROM AND THERE WAS A LOT OF REALLY HEALTHY DISCUSSION AROUND WHERE WE ENDED UP.

WE DEFINITELY HAD SEVERAL VOTES THAT WERE CLOSE.

I HAVE A NOTE HERE ON THE OPERATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS A UNANIMOUS CATEGORY 2, BUT THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHERE SPECIFICALLY THERE WERE THINGS IN THERE THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE NOTES TO PULL THE CATEGORY 1 WHERE THERE WERE CLEAR M&O COST-SAVINGS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF NOTES. [LAUGHTER]

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT WAS A TON.

I'M GOING TO START WITH LAURA AND THEN I'LL MOVE OVER TO ELLEN AND KIM.

>> I JUMPED IN HERE BECAUSE HOLLY MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE LAST THING THAT YOU REFERENCED WHICH WAS THAT OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AS A CATEGORY 2, ARE THOSE THINGS CURRENTLY BEING PAID FOR OUT M&O THE REMOTE DESKTOP MANAGEMENT, ASSET MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING, THOSE THINGS ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF M&O, CORRECT?

>> I WOULD SAY I THINK SWAG IT IS.

IF YOU LOOK AT PROJECT MANAGEMENT, THAT GOES WITH A BOND, THOSE WOULD BE TWO THAT I WOULD SAY.

PROBABLY PULL THOSE OUT.

REMOTE DESKTOP AND ASSET MANAGEMENT, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THOSE.

>> I THINK THAT WAS MY BIG QUESTION. THANK YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU, ELLEN AND THEN KIM.

>> THANK YOU. IT WAS EXCITING A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS BACK TO SEE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CAPTURING SOLAR ENERGY AND THAT THING.

HAS THE GROUP DISCUSSED ELECTRIC BUSES VERSUS REPLACING PROPANE WITH PROPANE AND GIVEN THE ADVANCEMENTS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE ON THE ELECTRICITY FRONT, I'M SURPRISED THAT WE'RE BACK TO PROPANE.

>> I CAN SPEAK ON THAT. WE DID DISCUSS IT A SMALL BIT.

ME PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT WE MAY BE ONE BOND AWAY FROM POSSIBLE ELECTRIC BUSES.

CURRENTLY, GETTING YOUR HANDS ON A NUMBER OF ELECTRIC BUSES IS VERY DIFFICULT, BUT I ALSO TELL YOU THEY COST THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS A REGULAR BUS.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO CHARGE ELECTRIC BUSES, THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT COST TO PUT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN AND THEN THERE'S JUST OTHER CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY.

IF YOU LOSE POWER, WHAT HAPPENS? YOUR BUS ISN'T GETTING CHARGED AND SO IN OUR OPINION AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT WE MAY NOT QUITE BE THERE.

IT'S A SOLAR CONVERSATION.

IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE FOR IT TO BECOME PRACTICAL.

I THINK WE'RE JUST NOT QUITE THERE ON THE ELECTRIC BUSES JUST QUITE YET.

SOME STATES HAVE TAKEN THAT AS A PRIORITY.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT MAJORITY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE STILL RUNNING DIESEL BUSES AND THEY'RE REPLACING DIESEL WITH DIESEL.

WE'VE BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF NEAR-ZERO EMISSIONS.

THAT'S WHY PROPANE IS CONSIDERED AND SO I THINK

[02:00:01]

IT'S STILL A VERY EFFICIENT WAY OF RUNNING YOUR TRANSPORTATION AND WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW DISTRICTS THAT HAVE MAJORITY OF THEIR BUSES PROPANE.

>> ESPECIALLY WITH THE GRANT FUNDING, THERE'S IMPORTANCE FOR THAT.

BACK IN 2011, WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF REPLACING 20 BUSES.

IT WAS A GREAT GRANT PROGRAM.

WE GOT THEM VERY INEXPENSIVELY WITH THAT BUT NOW WE HAVE TO REPLACE 20 AND THAT'S WHAT CONCERNS ME IF IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER 15 YEARS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY CONSIDER OTHER ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.

YOU JUST THROW THAT INTO THE MIX.

PLANNING DOLLARS.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE SUCH A WISE THING FOR US TO DO AND I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S COME UP OR IS IN ANY OF THE TABLES.

>> PLANNING DOLLARS FOR CONSULTANT.

>> FOR ARCHITECTURAL.

>> IS IN THE FACILITIES TABLE LAST MEETING, I WON'T SAY LAST MONTH.

IN THE LAST MEETING THERE IS A LINE ITEM FOR CONSULTANTS.

>> IT WAS CATEGORY 1.

>> CATEGORY 1, YEAH.

>> GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

THIS MAY BE PREMATURE, BUT DO WE KNOW WHAT BALLOT LANGUAGE IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED AND WILL IT IN FACT EXPLAIN WHY WE'VE GOT A, B, AND C, OR WILL IT BE JUST A MUSH AND OUR CONSTITUENTS WILL BE LEFT TO GUESS AT WHY WE HAVE A BIG POT, A LITTLE POT, AND ANOTHER POT?

>> WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT BALLOT LANGUAGE, BUT THERE IS SOME SPECIFIED BY-LAWS PROPOSITION B WILL BE THE GENERALLY C. ALTHOUGH THIS BOARD HAS PROVIDED US WITH OTHER [INAUDIBLE] PROPOSITION B WILL CLEARLY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT STADIUM.

PROPOSITION C CLEARLY HAS [INAUDIBLE]

>> EQUIPMENT.

>> TO THE BEST WE CAN WITHIN THE LAW WILL IDENTIFY, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO RELY ON [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.

CHRISTY, IN YOUR CATEGORY OF PLIERS AND WIRES, THAT WAS NOT ON PROP C AND I ASSUME I UNDERSTAND WHY, BUT IS THAT IN ANY WAY CORRELATED WITH TECHNOLOGY? IN YOUR TECHNOLOGY WORLD IF THAT AND PROP A, WERE TO PASS, BUT PROP C WERE NOT TO PASS, IS THERE SOME DISCONNECT IN SOME THINGS GOING FORWARD WITHOUT OTHERS?

>> YES. THEY HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE NEW PROP LANGUAGE.

IT'S A VOTING REQUIREMENT, IF YOU WILL, FOR ONE-TO-ONE DEVICES, FOR STAFF DEVICES, FOR THINGS THAT WE USE, IT HAS TO BE ON ITS OWN PROP.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS LONG AS IT'S TIED TO A PHYSICAL BUILDING, SO OUR DATA CLOSETS OR SERVERS OR SWITCHES AND EVERYTHING CAN BE PART OF THE GENERAL M&O BUDGET.

THAT'S WHY THERE HAS TO BE TWO SEPARATE.

>> GREAT. I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING IT DIFFERENT AND WHY THIS IS NEW BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT BEHIND THIS.

BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, LET'S SAY ONE PASSES, ONE DOESN'T, ARE WE THEN LEFT WITH THINGS THAT WE CANNOT USE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE CORRESPONDING EITHER TECHNOLOGY OR THE PLIERS AND WIRES?

>> YES.

>> OKAY. WHAT DO WE DO IN THAT SITUATION? IF WE HAVE SOME EQUIPMENT THAT IS UNUSABLE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE CORRESPONDING EQUIPMENT.

>> WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN.

WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE EQUIPMENT.

WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO ENTER INTO EXTENDED MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS, PROBABLY TRY TO BUY ADDITIONAL EXTENDED WARRANTIES.

SOME OF THE DISTRICTS ARE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET REFURBISHED PARTS.

I'M JUST TRYING TO BE REALLY CREATIVE TO KEEP THOSE SYSTEMS THAT WE RELY ON FUNCTIONING TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY FOR AS LONG AS WE CAN UNTIL WE CAN FIND A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE OR A DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY STRUCTURE THAT MAY REDUCE OUR FOOTPRINT OR OUR NEED.

>> DR. STEELERS. I'M SORRY, IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY.

IF THE FUNDS ARE DEPENDENT ON EACH OTHER AND ONE PASSES AND THE OTHER DOES NOT, WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPAND THE FUNDS FOR THE OTHER ONE; IS THAT CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>> OKAY.

>> CORRECT. YES.

>> OKAY.

>> WELL, HOPEFULLY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT SITUATION.

[02:05:01]

BUT YOU THOUGHT OF IT OBVIOUSLY.

SOUNDS LIKE ADMINISTRATION HAS THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THEN MY SECOND QUESTION WELL, A QUICK QUESTION.

JEREMY, YOU BROUGHT UP THE IFR CURTAINS AND I KNOW THAT IN THE 2019 BOND, THERE WERE PACK CURTAINS THAT WERE INCLUDED, AM I MIS-REMEMBERING? BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A LARGE LINE ITEM OF PACK CURTAINS AND I GUESS IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT LATER, BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE NEW PACK CURTAINS?

>> YEAH. I DON'T RECALL PACK CURTAINS.

I DO RECALL CURTAINS ACROSS ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES.

OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL CAFETORIUMS AND ALSO ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAFETORIUMS AND PLACING ALL OF THOSE CURTAINS.

I WOULD HAVE TO CLARIFY THAT, BUT I DON'T RECALL PACK, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WASN'T ON THERE, BUT THESE ARE JUST A SPECIFIC CURTAIN INSIDE OF THE CONCERT HALL, WHICH ARE ALL ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING AND DON'T HAVE ANY TYPE OF FIRE-RETARDANT CHARACTERISTICS. YEAH.

>> OKAY. THAT'S IMPORTANT.

MY LAST QUESTION.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF VOTES THAT WERE REFERENCED AS FIVE-FOUR.

MAYBE THIS IS PREMATURE AND WE PUSH IT TO JANUARY 3RD, BUT IN THE TEC VOTE, A FIVE-FOUR, I'M ASSUMING THERE ARE COMPELLING ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES AND ARE THERE ANY THAT COULD BE SHARED?

>> WELL, I THINK WHEN THE VOTES ARE CLOSE LIKE THAT, IT'S USUALLY NOT THAT SOMEONE FEELS REALLY STRONGLY, IT'S A CATEGORY 1 VERSUS CATEGORY 2, IT'S THAT WITHIN THE TABLES THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT COULD BE A CATEGORY 2 AND COULD BE A CATEGORY 1.

DEPENDING ON HOW YOU VIEW THAT, THAT SWAYS WHICH WAY YOU VOTE.

LIKE I SAID, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF GRAY AREA.

IN THOSE CASES, WHEN WE GO BACK, IF WE HAVE A CATEGORY 2 THAT WAS VERY CLOSE.

WE'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE FOUR ITEMS IN THAT AND SAY, WELL THIS SHOULD GO HERE AND THIS SHOULD GO THERE RATHER THAN JUST LUMPING EVERYTHING TOGETHER AS A CATEGORY.

>> SOME OF IT IS JUST PROVIDING MAYBE SOME ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THAT ONE LINE ITEM.

BOTH OF THEM MIGHT GO FROM A CATEGORY 1 OR BOTH OF THEM MIGHT GO TO CATEGORY 2 OR YOU MAY SPLIT THEM DEPENDING ON THAT CLARIFICATION AND WE'LL REVOTE ONCE WE GET THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

>> GOOD. THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A PROCESS AND YOU'VE IDENTIFIED IT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL SEE NEXT.

>> I THINK THAT HAPPENED ON THE SECOND LINE ITEM WE EVER COVERED, I THINK IN THE SAFETY AND SECURITY TABLE.

WE WORKED OUT HOW WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

>> GOOD.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU ALL.

>> LET'S SEE, MOTHER GINGER, AND THEN THEN EVAN.

>> SEE I KNEW WE'D GET THAT IN THIS MEETING. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.

REAL QUICK. I SENT YOU A FEW QUESTIONS JEREMY YOU REPLIED ON THOSE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

I HAVE A COUPLE MORE AND I'LL JUST EMAIL THOSE TO YOU REAL QUICK IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.

I DID WANT TO SAY THANKS TO THE BACK AGAIN.

I ALWAYS WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND JEREMY AND YOUR TEAM AND CHRISTY AND THE WHOLE TEAM FOR PULLING THIS TOGETHER.

I APPRECIATE THAT AND I'LL SEND YOU SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WAITED ALL EVENING FOR YOU TO ASK A QUESTION.

[LAUGHTER].

>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ECHO MY THANKS.

I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT SO MUCH EFFORT AND TIME INTO GOING THROUGH AND FIGURING OUT WHERE WE CAN TAKE MONEY OUT OF OUR M&O BUDGET AND TRANSFER IT OVER.

THAT IS HUGE FOR US. THANK YOU.

I UNFORTUNATELY, WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE LAST TIME, SO I APPRECIATED YOUR UPDATE A LITTLE BIT ON THE FACILITIES.

I HAVE PAID ATTENTION CLOSELY AND READ MY BOARD PACKET AND ALL THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT THE RESTROOM SHOWERS HAVE BEEN A HUGE ISSUE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. THEY'RE GROSS.

THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THAT.

THEN MY FAVORITE PART WAS THE COPY MACHINES OF THE LAST BOND, WHICH IS SO WEIRD, I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST GLAD THAT WE HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT IN THIS, AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME REALLY AWESOME THINGS TO SHOW FOR OUR LAST BOND, BUT THAT WAS EXCITING.

>> MORE COFFEE MACHINES THAN THIS ONE.

>> OF COURSE, THERE ARE, OF COURSE.

THEN I JUST ALSO WANTED TO BRING UP BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT BOND LANGUAGE AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF BONDS AROUND THE STATE HAVE NOT PASSED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY.

I KNOW THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE BRINGING THIS UP, BUT THIS WON'T HELP US ANYTIME SOON ABOUT POTENTIALLY PUTTING IT INTO THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ALLOTMENT, FINGERS CROSSED, THAT'D BE GREAT, BUT THEN IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE THAT MONEY TO ALLOCATE TO SOMETHING ELSE, BUT WE'LL SEE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY LONG SESSION.

ALSO THE BALLOT LANGUAGE TO ALISON AND ELLEN'S POINTS,

[02:10:01]

THAT'S DEFINITELY A HUGE HURDLE THAT I JUST WANT TO PUT OUT THERE BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO CONSERVE OUR MONEY AND SPEND IT WISELY, AND WE AREN'T GOING TO GET ANY CREDIT FOR THAT.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN UPHILL BATTLE. I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE EVERY EFFORT WE CAN TO KEEP AS MUCH MONEY LOCAL AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, SO THANK YOU.

>> DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING TO TRIM THAT.

THE NEXT ITEM IS NEW COURSE PROPOSALS AND MR.RAMSEY IS COMING UP.

I HAVE SOME CHOCOLATE HERE THAT I'M HAPPY TO, [LAUGHTER] WE'RE GOING TO PASS THE CHOCOLATE AROUND.

[BACKGROUND]

>> THE AGE OF THE CHOCOLATE MAY BE DUBIOUS [LAUGHTER].

>> WE'LL START WITH NEW COURSES.

>> CASEY, STEVE, WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> WHAT?

>> HAPPY HOLIDAY.

>> OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU ALL TOO.

ONE THING WE WANT TO START WITH BEFORE WE GET TO THE ACTUAL COURSES IS TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS WE GO THROUGH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND WE'RE EXCITED IN ANOTHER STEP TO IT THIS YEAR.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THOROUGH AS POSSIBLE.

MAKE SURE IF I HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AND MAYBE GAIN A NEW COURSE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S PRETTY COMPETITIVE PLACES.

YOU GUYS KNOW OUR COURSE SCHEDULE.

A LOT OF OUR SENIORS WILL TELL YOU IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENSE.

A LOT OF SCHOOLS OUT THERE THAT THEY ACTUALLY ATTEND FOR COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY CHOICES.

PRETTY PROUD OF THAT, BUT WE ALSO FEEL IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT THE PROCESS BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE THAN NORMAL IF YOU LOOK AT THIS TOTAL NUMBER, BUT THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT CASE IS GO THROUGH THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTIVES AND ESPECIALLY THE WORLD LANGUAGES, HELPING NEW ELECTIVES, AP DECIDED TO GET BACK IN THE GAME AND HAVE A PRE-CALC CLASS.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT WE ADDED AN EXTRA STEP OF MAKING SURE IF YOU WANTED TO PRESENT A NEW COURSE PROPOSAL, YOU NEED TO COME BEFORE OUR DEPARTMENT CHAIRS AND SO IT WAS A NEW STEP AND PEOPLE AT WESTLAKE ARE VERY GUARDED AND THEY MAKE SURE OUR CURRICULUM IS AS SOLID AS POSSIBLE.

THAT'S ACTUALLY A SCARY THING.

THEY HAD TO COME IN AND PRESENT BEFORE OUR DEPARTMENT CHAIRS.

AFTER THEY GOT THE GO-AHEAD FROM OUR DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, THEY THEN GO TO OUR CAMPUS LEADERSHIP TEAM.

WE PROBABLY THE LARGEST CANVAS LEADERSHIP TEAM AND I THINK THE STATE, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE SOUP FEED THEM EVERY TIME THEY COME AND IT'S DURING LUNCHTIME SO 40 ISH PEOPLE, THEY PRESENT THERE AND THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AND SO THEN THEY CASE AND I CAME TO DLT BECAUSE THEY EACH SPEND ABOUT FIVE SIX SEVEN MINUTES PRESENTING VERY PASSIONATE PLEASE ABOUT WHY THESE COURSES SHOULD MAKE.

IT WAS VERY WORTHWHILE FOR US TO SEE THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT JUSTICE.

BUT WE PRESENTED EVERYTHING TO YOU IN THE PACKET TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH BACKGROUND AS POSSIBLE AND THEN WE BROUGHT IT TO LEADERSHIP TEAM.

THEY ALL SAID YES AS WELL.

IT'S GONE THROUGH QUITE A PROCESS HERE SO WE FEEL WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD SELECTION OF COURSES FOR US.

ONE THING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE MAKE DECISIONS SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DROPPING COURSES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

A LOT OF TIMES IT'S HARD. WHAT DO YOU GET RID OF YOUR READING STUFF? WE'VE FOUND THAT SOME COURSES WILL MAKE AFTER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.

MAGICALLY, IF WE ADD ONE OF THOSE HAPPENED IN HR WHO ACTUALLY WANTED THAT COURSE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY LEFT AND SUDDENLY IT MADE WITHOUT THEM, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING [LAUGHTER].

BUT IT MADE AND IT'S DOING WELL AND IT ACTUALLY SERVES SOME OF OUR KIDS AND OUR PROGRAM AS WELL, CO-CURRICULAR.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR NEW COURSES.

ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. THESE ARE OUR CORE CLASSES.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO THE FIRST ONE BEING THE MATH, THE AP PRE-CAL COLLEGE BOARD INTRODUCE THAT, I GUESS LATE SPRING, SUMMER, THAT THEY WERE ADDING THAT TO THE 23, 24 OFFERINGS.

WE DECIDED TO ADD THAT.

I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS TO THAT WILL BE STUDENTS WHO ARE STARTING ALGEBRA AS A FRESHMEN WHO MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AN AP MATH COURSE, THEY'D BE ON TRACK FOR THAT THEIR SENIOR YEAR AS WELL I THINK THE BENEFIT OF KIDS WHO INTEND TO DO NON-STEM MAJORS AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL FOR A LOT OF THEIR PROGRAMS. THIS ALL CHECK THAT BOX AND THEY'RE DONE WITH THEIR MATH, WHICH I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE KIDS.

WE'VE HAD THAT THE ASTERIX DOES INDICATE THERE'S WAITING, OR WE CALL IT WAITING, BUT IT'S THE PLUS FIVE, PLUS TEN.

SCIENCE, MODERN PHYSICS, AND SO PART OF THAT IS THAT THE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS, THE WAY IT'S TAUGHT, HAVEN'T CHANGED AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS ON THE BASIC PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.

BUT A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN SCIENCE, LIKE HISTORY AND EVERY OTHER SUBJECT.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO IN FOR THOSE KIDS THAT REALLY ENJOY PHYSICS, THE PHYSICS ASPECTS OF SCIENCE TO TAKE AND LEARN ABOUT SOME MORE MODERN DISCOVERIES,

[02:15:04]

IT GIVES ANOTHER OPTION FOR OUR KIDS, FOR THAT, FOURTH SCIENCE.

THAT I THINK IT'S BEEN A BIG PUSH THE LAST FEW YEARS TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS, THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR FOR DIFFERENT SCIENCE OPTIONS, AND THEN FINALLY, SOCIAL STUDIES, ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS.

THAT GOES WHERE TYPICAL WORLD HISTORY STARTS RIGHT NOW.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THAT, EVEN AND SO MR. TESTIFIED, THE TEACHER PROPOSE THAT AS A CLASS HE TAUGHT BEFORE MOVING TO TEXAS, AND SO HE WAS EXCITED TO OFFER THAT, AND IT'S GOT SOME KIDS ALREADY INTERESTED IN THAT.

WITH ALL THESE COURSES PENDING APPROVAL, THEY'LL ALL GO IN OUR COURSE CATALOG AND OUR MENU OF OPTIONS TO STUDENTS TO CHOOSE FROM.

BUT THEN BEING OFFERED TO STUDENTS NEXT YEAR.

IN FACT, ACTUALLY FILLING IT WILL DEPEND ON REQUESTS ONCE WE DO THE REGISTRATION AND SCHEDULING FOR NEXT YEAR.

ALL RIGHT, INTO OUR WORLD LANGUAGES.

WITH ASL, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ASL 3 AND ASL 4.

BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS ADD THE WAITING TWO THREE AND FOUR WHICH ALIGNS IT WITH OUR OTHER LANGUAGES, AS WELL AS THE WAY THEY'RE TEACHING THAT NOW IS A PROGRAM CALLED TRUE WAY ASL, WHICH IS WHAT A LOT OF THE UNIVERSITIES AND SO OUR STUDENTS GO AND THEY'RE EITHER TESTING OUT OR ADVANCING DIFFERENT LEVELS.

THOSE THAT ARE STILL CONTINUE ASL THAT HAVE DONE FOUR YEARS BASED ON THE CURRICULUM AND EXPERIENCE THEY'RE HAVING IN OUR CLASSES, [NOISE] AND SO WITH THAT PROVIDING THAT WAITING FOR THE THREE AND FOUR AND CALL HIM HONORS CLASSES ALSO ALIGNS AND SO IT'S NOT REALLY A NEW COURSE, BUT IT MORE AS A LINING TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ASL TO OUR OTHER WORLD LANGUAGES RIGHT NOW.

GERMAN VI SO TO KEEP ADAMS, SO WE DO HAVE A GROUP OF STUDENTS, THERE'S A FEW STUDENTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE IN GERMAN VI AS JUNIORS.

WE WANT TO KEEP THESE STUDENTS THAT ARE CONTINUING.

THERE'S STILL WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT OPTION.

NOT WHERE THEY'RE DONE AS A SOPHOMORE JUNIOR BUT IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE INTO THEIR SENIOR YEAR, SO GIVE THAT OPTION WILL BE STACKED WITH THEIR HIGHER-LEVEL GERMANS, BUT IT GIVES THOSE STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE.

MISS CAROL IS LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE DOING FILM ANALYSIS, MORE WRITING, THINGS LIKE THAT FOR SOME PRETTY ADVANCED GERMAN SPEAKERS AND LEARNERS, AND THEN OUR FINAL ONE IS AP SPANISH IV THIS IS FOR NATIVE HERITAGE AND IMMERSION STUDENTS.

OBVIOUSLY, THE IMMERSION STUDENTS NOT THIS WILL BE ONCE THEY'RE IN SPANISH IV NOT SPANISH I II OR III, BUT THOSE STUDENTS THAT HAVE A MUCH MORE ASL, LONGER HISTORY, SAY REPEATED LONGER HISTORY AND THEIR LEARNING AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE.

WHETHER THAT IS THAT ENGLISH OR SPANISH WITH THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, WHETHER SPANISH WITH THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE AT HOME, OR STUDENTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE IMMERSION PROGRAM.

AN OPPORTUNITY ON HOW THEY WOULD BE TEACHING THIS OR TO USE INTRODUCED THIS ON HOW SHE WOULD DO THAT WITH THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE A MUCH STRONGER OF KNOWLEDGE BASE IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SHE WOULD DO WITH HER IS PRIMARILY ENGLISH SPEAKERS.

THEN FINALLY, FOR OUR ELECTIVES, WE HAVE CTE IS INTRODUCED IN KINESIOLOGY.

THIS CONTINUING FROM OUR KINESIOLOGY ONE CLASS TO GIVE THOSE STUDENTS AND THEN ALSO ALLOWS THE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THAT FOUR-YEAR TRACK WITH THEIR CTE PROGRAMMING, WITH MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY PRINCIPLE HEALTH SCIENCES, KINESIOLOGY I AND KINESIOLOGY II.

MR. DURR WHO IS OUR TEACHER FOR THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH PLACES, I BELIEVE LIKE TRAINING FOR THE GAME, GOLD'S GYM ON A LOT OF STUDENTS, OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS WILL HAVE AT THE END OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO GET THEIR PERSONAL TRAINER CERTIFICATION, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GREAT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE SENIORS HAD AN OFTEN TO COLLEGE, PRETTY GOOD LITTLE SIDE JOB MARKET YOU GOT WAITING FOR.

YOU CAN GO TO THE REC CENTER IN COLLEGE AND YOU GOT A CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER AND DEFINITELY.

COACH [INAUDIBLE] IS DOING A GREAT JOB GOAL IN THAT PROGRAM.

THEN IN FINE ARTS, THIS IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, IS INTRODUCING AND TAKING DOWN OUR COLOR GUARD PROGRAMS WE HAVE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, BUT ADDING THAT INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TO GIVE THOSE STUDENTS AT ANOTHER DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR PE CREDIT.

AS WELL AS OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL BE HOPEFUL GROWTH IN OUR OWN PROGRAM WITH THOSE STUDENTS ALREADY STARTING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL AND CONTINUING THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP I II AND III.

THIS IS FOR OUR JOURNALISM.

OUR YEARBOOK AND NEWSPAPERS STUDENTS THAT ARE EDITORS AND LEADERS AND THAT, THAT THEY WOULD GET A MULTIPLIER WITH THAT, AND THAT AGAIN, IS ALIGNED WITH OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HAVE SOME JOURNALS AND PROGRAM'S OURS ON HOW THOSE STUDENTS ARE ACKNOWLEDGED IN THOSE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND THE EXTRA HOURS AND TIME THEY'RE PUTTING IN.

I THINK THAT IS IT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU TOO.

>> LET'S SEE, JAMES AND THEN KIM AND THEN ELLEN.

[02:20:03]

>> A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.

THESE CLASSES, I THINK YOU SAID MAKING THESE CLASSES IS DEPENDENT UPON STUDENTS ENROLLING.

OR IS THERE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED? I'M ASSUMING THAT'S DIFFERENT BY CLASS.

>> YES, SIR. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT OUR STAFFING AVAILABLE, IT'S NOT WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE.

WITH THE EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP, THOSE ARE STACKED.

OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE'S TWO OR THREE KIDS, SAME AS THE GERMAN, WHEREAS OBVIOUSLY KINESIOLOGY, WE WOULD NEED ENOUGH TO RATIONALIZE A FULL CLASS PERIOD.

[OVERLAPPING] I AM CONFIDENT IN THESE.

I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT YEARS WE'VE INTRODUCED SOME THAT IT'S BEEN, OKAY.

BUT THIS YEAR I THINK, BASED ON THE PEOPLE INTRODUCING THEM AND THEIR CURRENT STUDENTS AND I THINK THERE'S ALREADY A DESIRE FOR THIS, I'M QUITE CONFIDENT IN THESE COURSES.

>> OUR PHYSICS TEACHERS ACTUALLY DID QUITE THE SURVEY PROCESS, AND THEY FELT LIKE THEY'D GET 30-90 RATHER EASILY.

THEY WENT THREE OR FOUR STAGES TO MAKE SURE BEFORE THEY CAME TO US.

IT WAS JUST, HEY, WE THINK THIS WOULD WORK.

IT WAS A REALLY DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF HOW THEY GOT TO THAT ARRIVAL. COOL.

>> I NOTICED I READ THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS AND THERE ARE SOME COURSES ASSOCIATED THERE, RELATIVELY SMALL IT SEEMS. IS THERE ANY HEADCOUNT IMPACT? DO WE NEED TO ADD HEADCOUNT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THESE CLASSES?

>> WE DON'T THINK SO. THERE ARE A LOT OF THE ONES ALREADY EXIST OR WE'RE ADDING A LITTLE BIT TO THEM AND WE ALREADY HAVE THE PERSONNEL THERE.

KIDS HAVE TO GO TO ELECTIVES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

HIGH SCHOOL ARE LARGE ENOUGH AND OUR EXPANSIVE COURSE SCHEDULE ACTUALLY ALLOWS US TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH MOST HIGH SCHOOLS WHEN IT COMES TO ADDING IN ELECTIVES OR TAKING AWAY CLASSES AS WELL.

THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO, WHICH IS NICE. COOL.

>> THEN ON THE COLOR GUARD PROGRAM, WHAT GRADES IS THAT? IS THAT ALL 6, 7, 8?

>> SEVENTH AND EIGHTH.

>> 7, 8?

>> YEP.

>> THAT IS AN IMPORTANT FEEDER PROGRAM TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL CLARK.

I LIKE TO SEE THAT. I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. LET'S SEE, KIM AND THEN ELLEN.

>> JAMES JUST MENTIONED THE COLOR GUARD, SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S A COLOR GUARD CLUB AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

DOES THAT WORK IN COMBINATION WITH THE CLUB? DOES THE CLUB GO AWAY?

>> HOPEFULLY, THOSE STUDENTS WILL BE SELECTING THIS CLASS.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK THERE ARE PUTTING IN THE WORK AND THE TIME BUT THEY'RE DOING IT OUTSIDE.

AS THIS GIVES ME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR PE CLASS TO BE DOING AT THAT.

I THINK ALSO RECRUIT MORE.

I THINK A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN COLOR GUARD, THE FIRST TIME THEY MAY SEE IT IS ONE OF THEIR FIRST FOOTBALL GAMES FRESHMAN YEAR.

THEY'VE ALREADY SELECTED THEIR CLASSES SO THEN MAYBE THEY'RE JUMPING IN LATER, WHEREAS THAT GIVES THEM, I WOULD THINK OF DEFINITE DOMINO EFFECT AND WATCHING OUR NUMBERS GROW WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WITH THAT PROGRAM BASED ON THIS.

>> GOOD. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT IT SEEMS. THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, YOU'VE REFERENCED CLASS BEING STACKED.

I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS, BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE STACK ASPECT? [OVERLAPPING]

>> THE EASIEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT, LET'S SAY WE HAVE INSIDE A CHINESE 4, A CHINESE 5 CLASS, WE MAY STACK THE STUDENTS IN CHINESE 6.

YOU HAVE DIFFERENT CURRICULUMS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME TAUGHT BY THE SAME TEACHER. YES.

>> YES. WE SAVE SPACE THAT WAY.

BUT IT'S WITH OUR HIGHER LEVEL CLASSES USUALLY THAT WAY STUDENTS WHO ARE BEING MORE INDEPENDENT WORK THAT STUFF.

>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

>> THANK YOU. ELLEN.

>> TO GO BACK TO JAMES'S QUESTION.

WE USED TO HAVE A THRESHOLD OF 15 EXCEPT FOR THE NON-STACKED.

IS THAT STILL WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?

>> FIFTEEN IS THE NUMBER THAT WE USE, YES, BUT IT'S NOT A HARD NECESSARY, MAKE 15, IT'S GUARANTEED.

IF YOU'RE 14 OR BELOW, YOU'RE NOT GUARANTEED.

IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF OUR CTE CLASSES THAT ARE WELL BELOW 15, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE 15-20 STUDENTS WHO WANT TO BE A PHLEBOTOMIST IN HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO LOOK AT, BUT 15 IS THE NUMBER THAT WE DO USE AS A STANDARD.

>> GOOD. I'M GLAD WE HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY, PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF OUR STRANDS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE ELECTIVES, AS YOU MENTIONED.

WITH THE ASL 3 AND 4 GOING TO HONORS, WILL THERE BE NON-HONORS OPTIONS OR WILL 100 PERCENT OF THE THREE AND FOURS?

>> IT'LL JUST BE THE HONORS AT THE 3 AND 4 LEVEL.

>> I'M ASSUMING THAT GERMAN 6 WILL ALSO BE HONORS?

>> YES. THAT'S POST AP.

>> THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAD IS, IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD THE SPANISH EMERGING SIXTH GRADE OPTION? I WAS SURPRISED IT WASN'T ON HERE.

[02:25:03]

>> MOLLY, YOU CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT BETTER THAN ANYBODY.

>> WE DIDN'T CONSIDER THAT A NEW COURSE THAT NEEDED TO GO THROUGH APPROVAL BECAUSE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN THE PLAN WITH SPANISH IMMERSION GOING FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATED THAT UPDATE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THEN THE NEXT ITEM IS BUDGET UPDATE.

[NOISE] HAVE SOME CHOCOLATE CHRIS.

HELP YOURSELF.

>> GOOD IDEA. I SHOULD PROBABLY LOAD UP MY MOUTH IN CHOCOLATE BEFORE I START HERE.

>> YOU LOOK LIKE A GROUP THAT'S READY FOR A DEEP DIVE INTO TEXAS SCHOOL FINANCE.

[LAUGHTER] LET'S DON'T DO THAT.

LET'S DO A QUICK OVERVIEW.

I DO LIKE TO START OUT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BASICS OF HOW SCHOOL FINANCE WORKS.

NOT JUST FOR YOU BECAUSE I TELL YOU ALL THE TIME, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND ME WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING AT HOME.

I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO JUST REMIND PEOPLE WHAT OUR LIMITATIONS ARE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET.

TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT PROBABLY THE LAST TIME FOR A WHILE, THE 22-23 BUDGET.

WHERE ONCE WE KNOW SOME THINGS, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN HE ADOPTED THE BUDGET IN JUNE.

STARTING IN THE NEW YEAR, WE'LL START LOOKING AT THE 23-24 BUDGET.

A LITTLE BIT ON BUDGET BASICS.

HERE ARE THE BUDGET DRIVERS.

ON THE REVENUE SIDE, STUDENT ENROLLMENT, BASIC ALLOTMENT, AND THE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUE.

THOSE THINGS ALL WORK TOGETHER.

I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE BIG DRIVER IS PAYROLL.

FIRST I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE DRIVERS OF THE REVENUE.

IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE SETS THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SCHOOL BOARDS DO.

IT'S A LIMITATION.

REALLY I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THOSE LAST TWO BULLETS THERE, WHERE I'M TALKING ABOUT TIER 1 AND TIER 2.

HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE M&O TAX RATE, WHICH AGAIN, IT'S DIVIDED UP INTO ALL THESE SECTIONS, AND HOMEOWNERS DON'T SEE THAT, BUT THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THEM OPERATE DIFFERENTLY.

THE BIGGEST HUNK OF THAT, AS YOU SEE IN THE THIRD BULLET THERE IS WHAT'S KNOWN AS TIER 1.

THAT'S WHERE WE SEE RECAPTURE.

91 PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL M&O TAX RATE IS AT TIER 1.

JUST 9 PERCENT OR ABOUT EIGHT CENTS OF IT IS THE TIER 2 OR THE GOLDEN PENNIES THAT DON'T GET RECAPTURED.

I WANT TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HOW THAT PLAYS WITH HOW WE GET FUNDED.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT, OUR FUNDING IS ESSENTIALLY A FUNCTION OF HOW MANY KIDS DO WE HAVE AND WHAT DOES OUR STUDENT BODY LOOK LIKE AND THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.

AS YOU SEE ON YEARS WHERE THE ENROLLMENT IS GOING UP, YOU CAN GENERALLY EXPECT THAT YOU PROBABLY GOT MORE MONEY TO WORK WITH THAT YEAR THAN YOU HAD THE YEAR BEFORE.

OF COURSE, THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE.

IF THE ENROLLMENT IS GOING DOWN, YOU PROBABLY GOT LESS MONEY IN TIER 1 TO WORK WITH THAN YOU DID THE YEAR BEFORE.

HERE'S WHERE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT COMES IN.

I PUT A STAR ON THE YEARS WHERE THE LEGISLATURE HAS INCREASED THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.

IT USED TO BE STANDARD POLICY PRACTICE TO INCREASE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE INFLATION.

ACTUALLY THE LAST TIME THAT THEY'VE DONE THAT WAS 2019.

YOU GUYS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD, THERE'S BEEN SOME INFLATION SINCE THEN.

WE'RE STILL BEING FUNDED AT THE SAME BASIC ALLOTMENT LEVEL THAT WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO.

HERE'S HOW TIER 1 WORKS.

AGAIN, REMEMBER THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF THE M&O SIDE.

BASICALLY, THE SYSTEM GOES IN AND IT LOOKS AT WHAT, DOES YOUR STUDENT BODY LOOK LIKE? HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU HAVE? ALL THESE DIFFERENT SPECIAL POPULATIONS.

IT COMES UP WITH A NUMBER.

THESE KIDS, EACH ONE HAS AN AMOUNT.

YOU HAVE A TOTAL COST OF TIER 1, AND THAT'S REPRESENTED BY THAT DASHED LINE GOING ACROSS THERE.

CHAPTER 48 DISTRICT COLLECTS LESS MONEY IN TIER 1 ON THEIR TAXES THAN WHAT THE COST OF TIER 1 IS.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE OR THE FUNDING SYSTEM WILL MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE IN STATE AID.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE CHAPTER 49 WHO COLLECT MORE THAN THE COST OF TIER 1,

[02:30:05]

ON TIER 1, CHAPTER 48 DISTRICT, CHAPTER 49 DISTRICTS HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY TO WORK WITH IF THEY'VE GOT IDENTICAL STUDENT POPULATIONS, AND SO THERE'S RECAPTURE.

IF THAT COST OF TIER 1 CHANGES, FOR EXAMPLE, IF ENROLLMENT IS LOWER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE, THE STATE AID FOR THAT CHAPTER 48 DISTRICT IS GOING GO DOWN WHILE THE RECAPTURE FOR A CHAPTER 49 DISTRICT IS GOING TO GO UP.

OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, HERE'S HOW MUCH HAS GOTTEN LOPPED OFF EACH YEAR.

THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 122 MILLION.

NOW THAT'LL OBVIOUSLY FLUCTUATE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE'RE STILL GOT A BUNCH OF ESTIMATES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE AND SO THAT CAN FLUCTUATE.

ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PAYROLL.

I JUST WANT TO POINT THIS OUT AGAIN, YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF IT.

BUT MOST OF THE MONEY THAT WE SPEND, WE'RE SPENDING ON PAYROLL.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, PARTICULAR 2020/21, 21/22, AND AGAIN, AS I'LL MENTION IN JUST A MINUTE IN 22/23, WE'VE BUDGETED MORE THAN WE'VE EXPENDED IN PAYROLL.

TYPICALLY, WE SPEND PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE BUDGETED IN PAYROLL, BUT THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONAL AND WE'VE BEEN UNABLE TO FILL ALL THE HOLES THAT WE'VE GOT.

ACTUALLY, PARTICULARLY IN 2021 AND 21/22, THOSE NUMBERS WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AS A PERCENT IF WE HAD ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO FILL ALL OF OUR ROLES THAT WE HAD.

THAT PART UP THERE, THE ORANGE PART IS EVERYTHING ELSE.

THAT'S WHAT JEREMY WAS TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.

WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO MOVE STUFF OUT OF EVERYTHING ELSE SO THAT WE CAN USE IT ON PAYROLL.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO STAND WITH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

OUR JUNE BUDGET WAS BASED ON AN ASSUMPTION THAT WE'D HAVE 7,875 KIDS.

WE DIDN'T GET THERE, ABOUT 7,731, SO THAT MOVES THE NEEDLE DOWN ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.

TAX LEVY, YOU GOT TO THINK THROUGH THIS ONE A LITTLE BIT.

THE M&O TAX LEVY BASED ON THE APRIL ESTIMATE OF CERTIFIED VALUES, I PUT IT $193.7 MILLION.

ONCE WE GOT THE CERTIFIED VALUES IN JULY, I ESTIMATED THAT IT'S CLOSER TO 187.9.

THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF ALMOST SIX MILLION DOLLARS, BUT I'M SHOWING A DIFFERENCE IN THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF $400,000.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS MOST OF THAT SIX MILLION DIFFERENCE IS IN TIER 1, ABOUT 91 PERCENT OF IT, AND THAT JUST LOPS OFF A LITTLE BIT.

WE'VE GOT [NOISE] LESS RECAPTURE TO PAY, SO OUR RECAPTURE PAYMENT IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN.

THE $400,000 IS THE LOWER COLLECTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON OUR GOLDEN PENNIES.

SIX MILLION DIFFERENCE IN COLLECTION WORKS OUT TO BE ABOUT A $400,000 DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. INVESTMENT EARNINGS.

IT'S WAY OVER-PERFORMED.

[LAUGHTER] WELL, WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO IN JUNE THAT THE FED HAS MOVED A LOT AND IN MY MODEL, I'VE ACTUALLY INDICATED THAT THERE WILL PROBABLY BE ONE MORE 50-BASIS POINT MOVE.

WE'LL KNOW TOMORROW.

THEN I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE BUILT-IN FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

THERE MAY BE SOME, BUT THEY'VE INDICATED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO START SLOWING THE RATES INCREASES.

IF WE SEE THE 50 BASIS POINT MOVE TOMORROW AND THEN WE SEE SOME MORE IN THE SPRING THAT I'VE NOT MODELED, THEN THAT NUMBER WILL PROBABLY END UP BEING HIGHER THAN IT IS.

THIS CALCULATION WAS MUCH EASIER.

I JUST SUBTRACTED THE FIRST NUMBER FROM THE SECOND NUMBER AND CAME UP WITH 2.4.

PAYROLL. AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO FILL ALL THE POSITIONS.

IN FACT, THIS IS JUST RECOGNIZING SOME OF THE UNFILLED POSITIONS THAT WE HAD FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER.

WE MAY FILL THEM IN THE SECOND SEMESTER, IN WHICH CASE THAT 0.5 IS GOOD.

WE MAY NOT FILL THEM IN THE SECOND SEMESTER, IN WHICH CASE, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY DRIFT UP A LITTLE BIT AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE SAVINGS.

ONE THING THAT YOU DO NEED TO BE AWARE OF THOUGH IS WE'VE GONE TO SOME EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES THAT WE'D RATHER NOT DO ON FILLING SOME POSITIONS GOING AND USING TEMP AGENCIES

[02:35:03]

BUT WE'VE JUST DONE WHAT WE FELT LIKE WE HAD TO DO TO GET THE TEACHERS AND WELL, MOSTLY NOT TEACHERS BUT HOURLY PERSONNEL.

WE'VE DONE WHAT WE FELT WE HAD TO DO TO FILL THOSE ROLES THAT WERE CRITICAL.

THAT'S COST US A LITTLE BIT NOT IN PAYROLL BIN BUT IN CONTRACTED SERVICES.

BUT OVERALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT A SAVINGS OF ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.

HERE'S ONE THAT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THEN, BUT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

THAT IS WE HAVE THE LAST OF OUR ESSER FUNDS AND ALSO SOME IDEA PART B, WHICH IS SPECIAL ED MONEY.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING WITH THOSE IS WITH THE ESSER FUNDS WE'RE GOING TO RECLASSIFY SOME OF THE RAISE THAT YOU GAVE TO OUR STAFF BACK IN JUNE TO THE ESSER.

WE'VE ESSENTIALLY DONE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO AS FAR AS SERVING KIDS.

TEACHER RETENTION IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN USE ESSER FUNDS FOR, THE ONES THAT AREN'T SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO KIDS, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE INTEND TO DO.

THE IDEA PART B, IT'S A ONE-TIME INFUSION.

WE HAVE IDEA PART B OTHERWISE, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN USUAL AS A PART OF COVID.

WE'RE GOING TO RECLASSIFY SOME SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS INTO THIS FUND.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO ACTUALLY SHOW UP.

WHEN MARIA GAVE YOU HER BUDGET UPDATE A WHILE AGO, SHE SAID WE HAD A BUDGETED DEFICIT OF A MILLION DOLLARS BEFORE AND NOW WE'VE GOT A BUDGETED SURPLUS OF ABOUT $400,000, THAT'S NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THIS ESSER IDEA PART B BECAUSE IT'S STILL BUDGETED IN THERE, BUT WE'RE JUST GOING TO MOVE THE EXPENSES OUT SO YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THAT AS A SAVINGS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

WE HAD A BUDGETED DEFICIT WHEN YOU PASSED IT BACK IN JUNE OF ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WE SAID WOULD BE ROUGHLY A $40,000 DEFICIT WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE.

NOW, WE HAVE A BUDGETED SURPLUS OF $400,000 AND EXPECTED PERFORMANCE OF ABOUT $1.4 MILLION.

THEN WHEN WE INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL SAVINGS OF ABOUT $1.3 MILLION, WHERE WE'RE RECLASSIFYING SOME EXPENSES TO THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A PERFORMANCE OF SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF A $2.7 MILLION SURPLUS FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR.

I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

[BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]

>> THAT'S RIGHT. MOTHER GINGER.

CHRIS, IN DISCUSSIONS I HAVE WITH PEOPLE SOMETIMES, I EXPLAINED IT, WE'RE LIKE A PENSIONER ON A FIXED BUDGET.

THE STATE GIVES US OUR MONEY AND THAT'S WHAT WE SPEND AND IT'S VERY DISCONNECTED AS YOU EXPLAINED FROM TAX REVENUE.

THEREFORE, A LOT OF TIMES IN ORDER TO ADD SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO SUBTRACT SOMETHING.

THOSE ARE THE TOUGH CHOICES THAT WE MAKE AS A BOARD.

BUT LET ME JUST ASK YOU, AND I THINK WE'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE.

WHY DON'T WE JUST RAISE OUR M&O TAX RATE BY A PENNY OR TWO AND GET SOME MORE MONEY? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DID THAT?

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TIER 2 ON THE M&O TAX RATE, THE FIRST EIGHT PENNIES ARE WHAT ARE KNOWN AS THE GOLDEN PENNIES.

WE'VE GOT ALL OF THEM. THEY'RE NOT RECAPTURED.

THERE ARE ACTUALLY NINE MORE PENNIES ON TIER 2.

THEY'RE REFERRED TO AS THE COPPER PENNIES.

THEY'RE COPPER PENNIES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT NEARLY AS VALUABLE AS THE GOLD ONES.

THE LAST TIME I LOOKED, AND IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE, FOR EVERY ONE PENNY FOR US WOULD BRING IN [NOISE] A LITTLE OVER $2,000,000, SO IF WE GOT ALL NINE COPPER PENNIES, THAT WOULD BRING IN AN ADDITIONAL $20-ISH MILLION, $19-$20, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.

ABOUT 80-85 PERCENT OF THAT WOULD BE RECAPTURED.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THERE IS MONEY THERE, BUT IT COMES WITH A COST.

THAT COST IS MOST OF THE MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO SEND TO THE STATE.

>> EVEN ON THAT, WHAT IS OUR CURRENT BASE RATE, 80 SOMETHING?

>> 88.46 CENTS.

[02:40:02]

>> I THINK PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND, WHY DON'T YOU JUST RAISE THAT? THAT ALL WOULD GO TO THE STATE, I THINK IS THE POINT.

>> MOST OF IT WOULD. VERY LITTLE WOULD REMAIN IN THE DISTRICT.

>> RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> VERY QUICKLY, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE ROLLOVER RATE? WOULD A MOVE LIKE THAT PUSH US OVER THE ROLLOVER RATE?

>> THE ROLLOVER RATE?

>> IN THE TAX RATE.

>> YEAH. OF COURSE.

>> HOW WE CAN RAISE OUR TAXES RATE [OVERLAPPING] BEFORE WE PUT OURSELVES IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS.

>> EXACTLY. THE STATE ESSENTIALLY TELLS US WHAT THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE IS EACH YEAR, AND OF COURSE, THAT COMPRESSES EACH YEAR SINCE 2019.

IF YOU ADOPT AN M&O TAX RATE HIGHER THAN THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, WHICH TEA WILL GIVE TO US, THEN YOU WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HOLD A VATRE, A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION TO ESSENTIALLY RATIFY WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

IF YOU SAID YES, WE'RE GOING TO SET THE TAX RATE NINE CENTS HIGHER AND GET ALL OF THOSE COPPER PENNIES, EVEN THOUGH THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF RECAPTURE, YOU'D HAVE TO TAKE THAT TO THE COMMUNITY AND YOU'D HAVE TO GET 50 PLUS ONE TO PASS IT.

>> I GUESS ULTIMATELY, MAYBE I'VE MADE THIS TOO MUDDY, IS THAT WE CAN'T COLLECT MORE BUT IF WE DO, WE'D COLLECT A LOT OF MONEY AND GIVE A BUNCH OF MORE BACK TO THE STATE AND KEEP VERY LITTLE OF IT SO THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY IN WHAT WE CAN DO AS FAR AS RAISING.

JUST RAISE TAXES AND GET MORE MONEY.

THAT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR US.

>> THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S REALLY AN OPTION IS YOUR DEBT SERVICE SIDE.

>> THANKS, CHRIS. IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A GOOD NEWS REPORT FROM YOU.

THE ESSER FUNDS ARE NOT PERMANENT; IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THIS IS THE LAST OF OUR ESSER FUNDS.

>> THIS IS THE LAST OF OUR ESSER FUNDS. THE REALLOCATION TO THE SALARY INCREASE, DOES THAT IN ANY WAY INHIBIT OUR ABILITY TO GIVE RAISES IN THE FUTURE?

>> NO.

WE KNEW THIS MONEY WAS A ONE-TIME SHOT, AND IT WASN'T GOING TO BE CONTINUED.

I THINK A LOT OF DISTRICTS, BECAUSE THEY GOT SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD LAST FOREVER.

BUT YOU'VE KNOWN ALL ALONG YOU DIDN'T HAVE MUCH, AND YOU SPIN IT VERY PRUDENTLY.

WE'VE NOT MADE ANY ASSUMPTIONS THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WOULDN'T.

>> GOOD. THANK YOU. IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, YOU'VE OFTEN SHOWED US A LONGER-RANGE PICTURE FOR YEARS OUT.

>> WE'LL LOOK AT THAT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT '23, '24.

>> PERFECT. THANK YOU. THEN I GUESS ALONG THE LINE, JAMES, AND JOHN'S QUESTIONS BASICALLY SHOW HOW COMPLEX THE STRUCTURE OF SCHOOL FINANCES, AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND ALMOST SEEMINGLY TRYING TO CONFUSE PEOPLE.

I LIKE THE WAY THAT YOU SIMPLIFIED THIS CHART SHOWING RECAPTURE, AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHAPTER 49, AND 48 DISTRICTS.

I'M CURIOUS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE AN EXACT ANSWER TO THIS.

OF ALL OF THE MONEY THAT THE STATE TAKES THROUGH RECAPTURE FROM CHAPTER 49 DISTRICTS, DOES THAT EQUAL THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY GIVE OUT TO CHAPTER 48 DISTRICTS?

>> I THINK THAT THEY ADD SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY.

ALTHOUGH IF YOU STARTED LOOKING AT IT SEPARATE FROM THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND, IT MAY NOT BE.

THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND IS A SEPARATE POOL OF MONEY THAT'S MANAGED BY LAND COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU.

THAT COMES OVER, AND THAT GETS DISTRIBUTED BASED ON WHAT YOUR ENROLLMENT WAS THE PRIOR YEAR.

ONCE YOU SEPARATE THAT OUT, IT MAY NOT, I'M NOT SURE, IT'S CLOSE.

THE STATE IS OBVIOUSLY PUTTING IN SOME MONEY, BUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY'RE PUTTING IN SEEMS TO BE DECREASING CERTAINLY, AS A PERCENT.

IT'S DECREASING SIGNIFICANTLY EVERY YEAR.

>> THE STATE FUNDS US 49 OUT OF 50 STATES, AND IT IS ALMOST TO THE PENNY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS RECAPTURED THAT GOES TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, BY THE PENNY.

>> I THINK WITH THAT, WE ARE READY TO MOVE ON TO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS.

I APPRECIATE THE HOLIDAY THEME TO THAT LIKE I GOT A GIFT.

[02:45:10]

[10. ACTION - CONSENT AGENDA]

>> I SO MOVE.

>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM ELLEN, AND I HAVE A SECOND FROM JENN.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OH, HOW ABOUT SOME DISCUSSION ANYBODY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT? NO. GOOD.

>> HALF THE CHOCOLATE.

>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

>> AYE. [OVERLAPPING].

>> THANK YOU. DAN, TO THE ACTION ITEM.

[11. ACTION]

I HAVE A MOTION. ELLEN?

>> I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE ADDITIONAL COURSES FOR THE 2023, 2024 SCHOOL YEAR FOR WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WEST RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS PRESENTED.

>> THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECOND? JAMES. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

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

>> AYE.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDER PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION. JAMES?

>> I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, NUMBER 1, APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO PURCHASE THE REAL PROPERTY AT 401 CAMP CRAFT ROAD FOR $4,950,000, SUBJECT TO THE GENERAL TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.

NUMBER 2, DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATION TO USE APPROXIMATELY $4,600,000 DESIGNATED FROM PREVIOUS LAND SALES TO SUBSTANTIALLY OFFSET THE COST.

THREE, DELEGATE THE AUTHORITY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE, AND EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.

>> I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? LAURA. I HAVE MOTION, AND I HAVE A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ELLEN.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THIS PURCHASE, AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THE STAFF HAS DONE.

IT WAS A VERY COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT IS ADJACENT TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT DOESN'T COME ALONG VERY OFTEN.

THE ABILITY TO EXPAND PROGRAMS, AND USE IT STRATEGICALLY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT BENEFIT, I THINK IS HUGE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. JENN.

>> I AGREE WITH WHAT ELLEN SAID.

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND HARD WORK ON THIS CONTRACT.

WE JUST HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT ALL OF THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE OFFER OUR STUDENTS AND HAVING THE SPACE NECESSARY TO GIVE THE STUDENTS THE SPACE THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IN A LANDLOCKED DISTRICT, AND IN A EXTREMELY SMALL CAMPUS SIZE COMPARATIVE TO MOST MODERN HIGH SCHOOLS, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ASSET, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY.

>> LAURA. THANK YOU FOR THAT. LAURA

>> YEAH, I HAVE TO JUMP IN HERE AND I THINK JEREMY, AND HIS TEAM, AND ALISON, AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO'S INVOLVED IN THIS, THIS WAS A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND.

WE WERE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE LOOKING AT THIS PROPERTY, AND WHEN WE'RE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE IT, IT'LL PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED FLEXIBILITY THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

THANK YOU ALL AND THANK YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU. JAMES.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THIS, AND FAST WORK REALLY.

I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE MAKING A GREAT CHOICE HERE IN PURCHASING A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS.

I THINK THAT'S A HUGE WIN FOR US, AND LIKE JENN SAID, VERY RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

AS WE REVIEWED PREVIOUSLY, THERE WERE OTHER OFFERS, AND OTHER BUYERS READY TO GO AT THIS PRICE THAT WE'RE PAYING.

I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE IN LINE WITH THAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY PROFESSIONALS AND WE'VE DONE ALL THE PROPER INSPECTIONS ON THAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO EXPAND STUDENT SPACES AND MOVE STUDENTS INTO NEW AREAS.

I KNOW WE'RE NOT FINAL ON WHAT THE PLAN IS HERE, BUT CERTAINLY, IT GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS REALLY A 50-YEAR VISION.

WE'RE LOOKING AT DECISIONS THAT WILL IMPACT THE FUTURE A LONG WAY DOWN THE ROAD FOR OUR SCHOOL, AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.

I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. ANYMORE DISCUSSION?

>> IF I COULD SAY SOMETHING JUST AS A POINT OF CONTEXT FOR OUR AUDIENCE.

IN 2015, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DESIGNATED THE PROCEEDS FROM PREVIOUS LAND SALES FOR FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

THAT MONEY CAN ONLY BE USED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND NOT FOR STAFF COMPENSATION, OR OTHER PROGRAMMATIC, OR OPERATIONAL COSTS.

A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THIS MONEY THAT'S BEING APPROVED THIS EVENING POTENTIALLY IS BEING DEVOTED TO THIS PROJECT.

[02:50:04]

>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION, I HAVE A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> AYE. [OVERLAPPING].

>> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE GROUND LEASE WITH WESTERN HILLS LITTLE LEAGUE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU, JEREMY.

THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? ELLEN.

>> I'M PLEASED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE GROUND LEASE WITH WESTERN HILLS LITTLE LEAGUE AS PRESENTED.

>> SECOND.

>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM ELLEN AND A SECOND FROM JAMES.

DO I HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? LET ME OFFER THAT.

I THINK ANYBODY INVOLVED IN THE SPORTING SIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR OUR KIDS.

GIVING WESTERN HILLS LITTLE LEAGUE A LITTLE MORE RUNNING ROOM TO COMPLETE THEIR VISION MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD?

>> AMEN.

>> AMEN. I HAVE A MOTION, I HAVE A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> AYE. [OVERLAPPING].

>> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO THE RECITATION OF OUR FUTURE MEETING SCHEDULE.

[12. UPCOMING MEETINGS]

WE HAVE THE FIRST DAY OF OUR STRATEGIC SUMMIT, JANUARY 20TH.

WE HAVE THE SECOND DAY, JANUARY 24TH, WE WILL HAVE A REGULAR MEETING.

WITH THAT, IT IS 9:55, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO STUCK WITH US IN PERSON, AND ONLINE.

I WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.