>> THE TIME IS NOW 06:00 AND I CALL IT THE APRIL 11TH MEETING OF
[00:00:05]
THE EANES ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.MADAM SECRETARY DO WE ABOUT WANT?
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO
[3. CLOSED SESSION]
CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, 551.074, 551.076.WE'LL READ AND WE WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION AT APPROXIMATELY 07:00.
[4. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION]
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE.THE TIME IS NOW 07:00 AND WE WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.
I GOT TO REGIONAL REAL QUICKLY.
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE EANES ISD BOARD MEETING.
I'M VERY GLAD YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I KNOW I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD AND SAY THAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT MEETING AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING SOME GREAT KIDS.
THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT LATER IN THE EVENING.
FOUR PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP AND EACH WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
LAST THING IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE TAKE NOTICE OF THE EMERGENCY EXIT NEAREST TO YOU.
IF THE NEED ARISES HEAD, THERE IN AN ORDERLY MANNER.
THERE'S A DOOR THROUGH WHICH YOU ENTERED, AND THEN THERE'S ONE AT END OF THIS HALL.
THANK YOU SINCERELY FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
WE DON'T HAVE A FULL HOUSE VERY OFTEN AND THIS IS PRETTY COOL.
WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, DR. ARNETT.
[5. REPORTS]
>> THANK YOU, MR. HAVENSTRITE. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME. BEFORE OUR FESTIVITIES HERE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR COUNTRY ONCE AGAIN.
OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF TRAGEDIES OCCUR, BOTH IN SCHOOLS AND IN BUSINESS SETTINGS.
IT HAS BROUGHT TO MIND ONCE MORE THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE VERY VIGILANT IN PROTECTING OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN PUBLIC IN OUR DISCUSSION OF THIS TOPIC OR OUR CONCERNS OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF WEEKS, BUT I DO WANT TO ASSURE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE TRUSTEES, AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND SECURITY ON OUR CAMPUSES.
WHILE IT MAY APPEAR THAT WERE INACTIVE ON THIS TOPIC, IN FACT, WE'RE DOING QUITE A BIT OF WORK LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR AND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS PERHAPS WILL HAVE A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT THESE PLANS MAY ENTAIL PUBLICLY.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE CONVERSATIONS ARE DEVELOPING AND THAT THERE ARE PLANS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED.
WE WOULD ALSO ASK THE COMMUNITY TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MANY PERSPECTIVES AND THERE ARE MANY ISSUES RELATED TO THE TOPIC OF SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WE HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF ALL THOSE AS WELL.
WE WANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS AND OPINIONS ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY.
THERE WILL BE ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO SHARE THOSE WITH US MORE PUBLICLY IN THE COMING WEEKS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENTS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE DID WANT TO UNDERSCORE HOW IMPORTANT WE TAKE THIS TOPIC AND HOW WE HAVE BEEN MINDFUL OF WHAT'S BEEN OCCURRING IN OUR COUNTRY AND HOW THAT APPLIES TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR SCHOOLS, THE PROTECTION OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS A PREFACE FOR TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION.
I ALSO WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE MS. KATHLEEN SULLIVAN AND MANY OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF HER YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE LEGACY AND THE IMPACT THAT SHE HAS HAD ON GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF.
SHE ANNOUNCED HER RETIREMENT LAST WEEK.
IT'S A VERY BITTERSWEET MOMENT.
OR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE TRANSITION OF LEADERSHIP AND SAYING GOODBYE TO A BELOVED COLLEAGUE IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT.
BUT WE WILL HOLD KATHLEEN SULLIVAN IN HIGH ESTEEM NOT ONLY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, BUT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE HILL COUNTRY COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE STAFF THERE ABOUT WHO HER SUCCESSOR WILL BE AS PRINCIPAL AT HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE-SCHOOL.
YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AS WELL.
THEN TODAY FOR THE TRUSTEES AND FOR OUR AUDIENCE, WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SPENDING THE ENTIRE DAY WITH ALL OF OUR BOOSTER CLUBS AND THEIR LEADERSHIP ALONG WITH THE EANES EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
WE WANT TO SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS.
CERTAINLY WE WANT TO APPRECIATE THEIR GENEROSITY AND THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
WE MET WITH EACH OF THEM TODAY AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE CABINET PRESENTED THEIR VARIOUS AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE BOOSTER CLUB LEADERS ARE PREPARED FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR AND THEN WE CAN DO EVERYTHING TO CONTINUE THAT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP.
[00:05:01]
I WANT TO THANK CLAUDIA MCWHORTER FOR ORGANIZING THIS DAY AND CREATING A VERY ROBUST AGENDA THAT PROVIDED A BACKDROP FOR SOME VERY MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION.CLAUDIA AND ALL THE LEADERS WHO PARTICIPATED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> IT IS THIS IS USING THE NEW SPACE AT 401 CAMP CRAFT.
WE DON'T USE IT OFTEN YET, BUT WE FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO THIS GROUP BEING INTRODUCED TO THE FUTURE PERHAPS.
IT PROVIDED A VERY NICE SETTING FOR OUR CONVERSATION AND OUR MEETINGS TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR NOTICING THAT, ELLEN.
WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION NOW TO THE RECOGNITION OF SOME VERY DESERVING STUDENTS.
I'M GOING TO ASK MR. STEVE RAMSEY, THE PRINCIPAL AT WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, TO COME FORWARD ALONG WITH HIS TEAM.
I ALSO, WHILE HE'S DOING THAT, IF THERE ARE TEACHERS OR EDUCATORS IN THE ROOM, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST EITHER STAND OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE VIVIAN ROJAS IS WITH US TONIGHT.
I POINT OUT MS. ROJAS AND OTHER EDUCATORS BECAUSE AS YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE STUDENTS, THEY RECOGNIZE THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE INFLUENCED THEM DURING THEIR YEARS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HAVE GOTTEN THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE THIS SUCCESSFUL.
WE'RE PROUD NOT ONLY OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO OTHER TEACHERS WHO HELPED PREPARE THEM FOR THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO HEAR ABOUT.
MS. ROJAS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
I KNOW THE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO THANK YOU AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. RAMSEY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. ARNETT.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE OUR NATIONAL MERIT SEMI-FINALISTS.
WE HAD 35 THIS YEAR, WHICH IS A VERY LARGE NUMBER COMPARED TO ANYBODY AND IN OUR STATE REGION, IN THE US.
YOU TELL THEY'RE VERY LOUD AND BOISTEROUS GROUP OUTSIDE.
[LAUGHTER] I THINK THAT'S VERY EXCITING.
I THINK THEY'RE READY TO MOVE ON FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THEY ASKED IS HOW DO WE NEED TO DRESS FOR THIS? WE SAID, ANYWAY, YOU WANT TO, AND YOU CAN SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME WE GOT A LOT WHO ARE WEARING THEIR UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE CHOICES FOR US.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH LISA SANDERS IS GOING TO GO WITH THE PROGRAM IS JUST FOR A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
THEN EACH ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WILL CALL OUT THEIR STUDENTS AND THEY'RE GOING TO WALK AROUND AND GET READY FOR THE BIG PICTURE.
WE DID PRACTICE FOR SOMEBODY ALL HERE EARLY.
[LAUGHTER] WE FEEL LIKE THIS CAN GO BETTER THAN GRADUATION LAST YEAR.
[LAUGHTER] WE DID A LITTLE BIT MORE INTUITIVE FOR YOU THERE LAST YEAR. MS SANDERS.
>> THANK YOU. THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HONORS INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS WHO SHOW EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC ABILITY AND POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS IN RIGOROUS COLLEGE STUDIES.
THIS SCHOOL YEAR THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP CORPORATION ANNOUNCED THE NAMES OF APPROXIMATELY 16,000 SEMI-FINALISTS.
THIS REPRESENTS LESS THAN THE TOP 1% OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TO BECOME A FINALIST A STUDENTS MUST HAVE AN OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC RECORD THROUGHOUT HIGHSCHOOL, BE ENDORSED AND RECOMMENDED BY A HIGH SCHOOL OFFICIAL, WRITE AN ESSAY AND OR AN SAT OR ACT SCORES THAT VALIDATE THE STUDENTS EARLIER PERFORMANCE ON THE QUALIFYING TEST.
ABOUT HALF OF THESE FINALISTS WILL WIN A $2,500 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP, SO FAR, FIVE OF THE STUDENTS BEING PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT HAVE EARNED THIS $2,500 AWARD AND SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS MONTH IN MAY, JUNE, AND JULY.
OUR ADMINISTRATION TEAM NOW BEGINNING WITH MS. CRAWFORD, WHO WILL INTRODUCE THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL MERIT SEMI-FINALISTS.
>> GOOD EVENING. OUR FIRST RECIPIENT GOES TO BOBBY ADALLA. [APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE] ADELAIDE FREDERICK.
>> DANIEL LI. [APPLAUSE] JENNIFER LI.
CATHERINE MELTON [APPLAUSE] AND TROY MICHAUD.
>> GRADY O. [APPLAUSE] CATE O'BRYON.
[00:10:04]
[APPLAUSE] ANDREW PAULSON.[APPLAUSE] CALLA SONG [APPLAUSE], AND KATE STONECIPHER.
>> ALAN WANG. [APPLAUSE] CHERIE WANG, [APPLAUSE] AND HARRY WANG.
[APPLAUSE] OUR LAST RECIPIENT IS PETER ZHENG.
[LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE].
>> THANK Y'ALL. THIS IS AMONG THE COOLEST THINGS WE GET TO DO ALL YEAR.
>> THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THIS EVENING.
[6. OPEN FORUM]
>> LET'S SEE. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE OPEN FORUM PORTION OF OUR MEETING.
I'VE GOT ANOTHER THING I NEED TO READ.
WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS SIGNED UP THIS EVENING AND EACH WILL BE AFFORDED THREE MINUTES.
I'M GOING TO CALL YOU FORWARD AND WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
ONCE YOU'RE NOTIFIED THAT YOUR TIME IS UP, PLEASE FINISH YOUR LAST SENTENCE AND THEN STOP.
SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION AND RECITATION OF EXISTING POLICY MAY BE FURNISHED IN RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES BUT THE BOARD CANNOT DELIBERATE REGARDING ANY SUBJECT THAT IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE AUDIO OF THIS OPEN FORUM PORTION OF THE BOARD MEETING IS RECORDED AS PART OF THE RECORDING OF THE ENTIRE MEETING AND IT'S
[00:15:01]
PUBLISHED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE WITHOUT ALTERATION.PERSONS WHO CHOOSE TO SPEAK IN OPEN FORUM ARE CONSENTING TO THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THEIR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE TIME THIS EVENING.
WE'RE READY FOR OUR FIRST SPEAKER AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MATT MORRIS.
WELCOME MR. MORRIS. THANK YOU.
>> HI EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MATT MORRIS.
I'M A DAD TO TWO KIDS WITHIN EANES AND HAVE ONE MORE ON THE WAY.
I LOVE THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE STUDENTS, AND THE TEACHERS BUT I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT SECURITY.
BRENT KELLY AND MATT GREER HAVE DONE AMAZING WORK OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO SHIELD AND PROTECT OUR CAMPUSES.
WE MUST DO MORE TO PROTECT OUR KIDS AND TEACHERS.
WE MUST DO MORE TO EMPOWER BK AND MATT.
I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SECOND AMENDMENT OR POLITICS.
I AM HERE BECAUSE PARENTS ARE CONCERNED EVERY SINGLE MORNING WE DROP OFF OUR CHILDREN.
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE TERRIBLE STORIES ON THE NEWS WITH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IN COMMUNITIES JUST LIKE OURS.
EANES NEEDS ITS OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE ALL HYPER-AWARE THAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND DRUG USE INCREASED MEANINGFULLY DURING COVID.
WE'RE ALSO AWARE THAT THE COMMON CAUSES OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS ARE BULLYING, DEPRESSION, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
THE KAISER FOUNDATION RECENTLY REPORTED IN FEBRUARY THAT 49.9 PERCENT OF ADULTS AGES 18-24, THE KIDS WHO WENT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL DURING COVID HAVE REPORTED SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, ONE IN TWO YOUNG ADULTS.
THIS IS A TRAGEDY AND WE CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF ALL THESE PEOPLE AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ON CAMPUS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OFF CAMPUS, WE CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF.
A BROOKINGS STUDY SHOWS THAT HALF OF K THROUGH 12 SHOOTERS HAVE A HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. THE US GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY SHOWS THAT 49 PERCENT OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS ARE PERPETRATED BY CURRENT OR FORMER STUDENTS.
MYSELF AND OTHER PARENTS ARE NOW TAKING ACTION IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR KIDS AT A PACE THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
WE'RE GETTING VERY IMPATIENT AND ARE TIRED OF WAITING FOR THE BUREAUCRATIC MACHINE TO WORK THROUGH MONTHS OR YEAR-LONG PROCESSES OF AUDITS, BUDGETS, HEARINGS, AND STUDIES TO PROTECT OUR KIDS.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR EANES.
IN FACT, EANES IS WAY BEHIND RIGHT NOW.
EANES IS THE ONLY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT OUT OF THREE IN AUSTIN THAT DOES NOT HAVE ARMED GUARDS AT EACH SCHOOL OR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, 309 SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE THEIR OWN INTERNAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
THIS HAS BEEN DONE MANY TIMES BEFORE.
LET'S BRING ABOUT SECURITY EQUITY.
TO BRING ABOUT SECURITY EQUITY, WHY CAN'T EANES HAVE OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PROTECT OUR NINE SCHOOLS? THIS IS AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION TO EASE THE WORRIES OF KIDS, PARENTS, AND TEACHERS.
IN A SCHOOL SHOOTING SECONDS MATTER AND MINUTES ARE AN ETERNITY.
SOME OF OUR EANES SCHOOLS ARE MORE THAN 20 MINUTES FROM THE POLICE STATION.
IMAGINE TAKING OFF ON A FLIGHT FROM AUSTIN AND LANDING IN HOUSTON.
YOU'RE IN THE AIR FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES.
THIS IS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME IT WOULD TAKE FOR POLICE TO DISARM A SCHOOL SHOOTER WITHIN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT DUE TO THE DISTANCE FROM POLICE HQ.
IMAGINE BEING A STUDENT HAS [NOISE] 25 MINUTES BEFORE THE NIGHTMARE ENDS.
THOSE WAIT TIMES ARE UNACCEPTABLE IN LIFE-AND-DEATH SITUATIONS.
>> THANK YOU MR. MORRIS. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIDGET ROMERO.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE. I AM BRIDGET ROMERO, AND I HAVE TWO SONS THAT ARE ALSO ENROLLED HERE IN EANES ISD.
EVERYTHING MATTERED, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT, AND THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR TAKING SERIOUSLY OR PRIORITIZING SCHOOL SAFETY.
AS YOU MENTIONED, DR. ARNETT, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND WE'RE JUST HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
WE ARE VERY CONCERNED. THIS IS VERY FRIGHTENING.
I KNOW WE ALL WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR EANES ISD, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY.
BK AND MATT GREER, WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
WE KNOW YOU GUYS ARE REALLY STICKING YOUR NECKS OUT FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE JUST SO THANKFUL.
WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE WE WANT TO ADD QUANTITY.
WE LOVE THE QUALITY, WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE QUANTITY.
MY ASK, AS A MOTHER, A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AND A FRIEND, I CAN'T SIT IDLE KNOWING THAT THERE'S A GAP IN OUR SECURITY PLAN.
WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO PREVENT OUR SCHOOLS FROM BEING TARGETED FOR ONE OF THESE TRAGEDIES THAT WE KEEP SEEING ONLINE OR ON THE NEWS ALMOST EVERY DAY.
I KNOW WE ALL WANT TO CONTINUE THINKING THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN HERE IN WESTLAKE, BUT I DO FEEL LIKE WE'RE LIVING WITH A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY,
[00:20:03]
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE TAKING THAT RISK.IN THIS DAY AND AGE, AND WITH ALL THE RESOURCES IN THIS COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO NOT HAVE POLICE OFFICERS AT EVERY SCHOOL TO PROTECT OUR KIDS, THE TEACHERS, AND THE SCHOOL STAFF.
AS MATT MENTIONED, WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND HERE THAT DO NOT HAVE THAT AND THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS.
I CAN'T LOOK MY KIDS IN THE EYE AND GRANTED THEIR AGES PREVENT US FROM HAVING THESE DIRECT CONVERSATIONS, BUT KNOWING IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD HAVE DONE.
I CAN'T SIT, SO I'M READY TO ROLL UP MY SLEEVES, I'M READY TO HELP, WHATEVER YOU GUYS NEED, LET US KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE, BUT WE'RE READY TO TAKE ACTION AND WE'RE READY TO ADD OFFICERS.
MY REQUEST IS THAT YOU PLEASE ACT WITH URGENCY TO PLACE AN OFFICER AT EVERY EANES ISD SCHOOL CAMPUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MATT MCKNIGHT.
MR. MCKNIGHT. WELCOME MR. MCKNIGHT.
>> MATT, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT DATA DRIVEN EVIDENCE.
I DIDN'T COME AS PREPARED AS YOU DID, THAT WAS GREAT.
I'LL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BROKEN RECORD HERE.
I MEAN, THE RECENT TRAGEDIES HAVE PUSHED SCHOOL SECURITY TO THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY PARENT'S MIND.
CURRENTLY IN EANES, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS ARE NOT BEING UTILIZED ACROSS THE BOARD EQUALLY OR IN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER, IN MY OPINION.
WE'VE MET WITH THIRD PARTIES AS I BELIEVE YOU'LL HAVE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, REGARDING THE POTENTIAL OF EANES HAVING THEIR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NOT ONLY DOES IT MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE, BUT IT WOULD CHECK EVERY BOX FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE FOR ALL SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE'RE SEEN AS LEADERS AND STANDARD BEARERS, NOT ONLY LOCALLY BUT ACROSS THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO ACADEMICS, SPORTS, ET CETERA.
I IMPLORE YOU ALL, LET'S CONTINUE THIS PRECEDENT WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING AS SACRED AS OUR KIDS SAFETY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR LAST SPEAKER IS RYAN THOMPSON. RYAN WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND I WANT TO ALIGN MYSELF WITH THE COMMENTS OF EVERYBODY THAT CAME BEFORE ME, NOT ONLY IN THEIR SENTIMENTS, BUT ALSO IN EXPRESSING THEIR GRATITUDE TO THE BOARD FOR SPENDING AS MUCH TIME AND ENERGY AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RYAN THOMPSON AND I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS IN THE EANES SCHOOL SYSTEM AND LIKE ALL PARENTS AS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD TONIGHT, I WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY EVERY MORNING WHEN I DROP THEM OFF AT SCHOOL.
SADLY, THIS IS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE TRAGEDIES THAT DOMINATE OUR NATIONAL HEADLINES.
THE HEARTBREAK WE'VE SEEN IS UNIMAGINABLE FOR ANY OF US TO TRULY APPRECIATE.
EANES MUST BE FORWARD-LOOKING AND DECISIVE, IF WE'RE TO BEST OUR ODDS OF AVOIDING SUCH EVENTS HERE.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MACRO POLITICAL THEMES, DEBATES, ET CETERA, IN THIS COUNTRY ABOUT INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, THIS IS SOLELY ABOUT KEEPING KIDS SAFE.
EANES MUST HAVE ITS OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENCE ON EACH OF OUR NINE SCHOOL CAMPUSES.
GIVEN THE CLEAR THREATS TO SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE, WE OWE THIS TO OUR CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND STAFF.
TEACHERS SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON TEACHING OUR KIDS, NOT WORRIED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
THE TIME FOR EANES TO ESTABLISH ITS OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOW, OUR MOMENT IS NOW AND WE CANNOT DELAY.
I KNOW THE BOARD IS THOUGHTFULLY CONSIDERING THIS ACTION AND I'M HERE TO LEND MY VOICE TO THE CHORUS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS THE CREATION OF AN EANES POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO HAVE AN EANES POLICE DEPARTMENT IN PLACE AND BEGINNING TO OPERATE IN THE BEGINNING OF NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AS BRIDGET JUST POINTED OUT, I CAN'T HELP FEEL BUT LUCKY THAT WE'VE BEEN LIVING ON BORROWED TIME.
THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY LUCKY TODAY, BUT THERE'S NO GOOD REASON THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE STANDING UP OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT AT THIS MOMENT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT EANES IS ONE OF ONLY TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY THAT DO NOT HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE IS NO FIRST MOVER RISK FOR THE BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION HERE.
IN FACT, IT'S THE OPPOSITE, ALL THE RISK IS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ALL THE RISK RESIDES WITH KEEPING THE STATUS QUO, AND EANES MUST CATCH UP.
THE TIME FOR THIS IS NOW, OUR COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS THIS EFFORT, AND WE AS PARENTS, AND WE REPRESENT A LOT MORE, WILL CERTAINLY HELP EANES WHERE IT IS NEEDED ON THE RESOURCES.
THE KIDS IN THIS COMMUNITY DESERVE THE PROTECTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY.
I CAN THINK OF NO STRONGER MUTUAL AGREEMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY THAN OUR LOVE FOR OUR KIDS AND APPRECIATION FOR OUR TEACHERS, WHICH WE ALL SAW ON DISPLAY TONIGHT, BEAUTIFULLY.
WE'RE READY TO PARTNER WITH THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT WHEREVER, HOWEVER IS NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT AN EANES POLICE DEPARTMENT IS STOOD UP BY THE BEGINNING OF NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMING THIS EVENING AND SHARE YOUR CONCERNS.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[7.1 2023-24 Draft District Improvement Plan]
[00:25:01]
OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM AND THAT IS TO DRAFT DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.>> AS THEY ARE COMING FORWARD, LET ME INTRODUCE MOLLY MAY, WHO IS OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT, LAURIE LEE IS OUR CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, CLAUDIA MCWHORTER, CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, JEREMY TRIMBLE, OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR OPERATIONS AND PLANNING, CHRIS SCOTT, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND KRISTY SAILORS, OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.
I THINK THE WHOLE [INAUDIBLE] AT SOME POINT DURING THIS PRESENTATION.
THIS GOES BACK TO JANUARY, AS YOU RECALL, AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS, THE BOARD HOLDS ITS ANNUAL STRATEGIC SUMMIT AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD TOGETHER WORK ON WHAT ITS PRIORITIES WILL BE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
THEN WE USE THOSE PRIORITIES AS THE BASIS FOR DEVELOPING THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
WE LOOK AT THAT FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT AND DEVELOPING THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
FROM THAT EVOLVES THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO REVIEWED WITH THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAM.
THEY DID REVIEW THIS DOCUMENT AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AND RECOMMENDED THAT IT COME FORWARD TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR REVIEW.
WITH THAT, MY COLLEAGUES ARE GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
IT'S AN EXTENSIVE DOCUMENT, IT DOES REFLECT YOUR PRIORITIES AND IT IS AVAILABLE IN ITS ENTIRETY IN THE AGENDA AS WELL AS ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW THIS EVENING AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, SO TURNED IT OVER TO THEM.
>> GOOD EVENING. YES, THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS THIS EVENING, IS THE THREE OF US WILL PRESENT OUR PARTS AND THEN STOP, TO LET YOU GUYS ASK ANY QUESTIONS AND HAVE US CLARIFY ANYTHING ON OUR PART, AND THEN THE NEXT THREE PEOPLE WILL COME UP AND DO THEIR PARTS.
WE FIGURED THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE EASIEST TO DIGEST THE DIP LIKE THAT.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START OFF ON OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITY, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
WHEN WE START OFF, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IN THE BOARD PRIORITIES THE SPECIFIC ELEMENT AROUND DEI WAS NOT IN EACH SECTION AND IT WAS NOT ON FOCUS OF SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THIS SECTION WE'RE ALSO REFERENCING WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
BECAUSE WE FELT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE WORK WE'RE DOING AROUND INSTRUCTION ALSO FOCUSES ON THOSE ELEMENTS.
YOU'LL SEE THOSE THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT, NOT JUST IN THAT ONE PLACE THAT THEY LANDED IN THE BOARD PRIORITIES.
WHEN WE GO TO LOOK AT THE FIRST ITEM, THIS IS AROUND IMPLEMENTING AND ALIGNING EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS THAT DRIVE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OUTCOMES.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE VERY FIRST FOUR ELEMENTS IN THIS PARTICULAR DOMAIN, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT TEACHER SUPPORT.
WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES MAKING SURE THOSE ALIGNED.
WE HAVE COLLABORATION AND LEVELS OF TEACHER SUPPORT.
WE'RE HAVING TALKING ABOUT BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF TEACHERS THROUGH THE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE OUR CURRICULUM DOCUMENTS AGAIN THROUGH THE PLC PROCESS, UTILIZING THOUGHTFUL USE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND THEN THE FRAMEWORK WITHIN THE PLC PROCESS TO MAKE SURE AGAIN, THAT THE CURRICULUM WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN HERE, YOU'LL SEE AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE MENTIONED IS AROUND DEI IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ARE REPRESENTATIVE, INCLUSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THOSE FIRST FOUR ELEMENTS ARE REALLY AROUND HELPING DEVELOP OUR TEACHERS.
WE'VE TALKED IN PAST THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW PROFESSION TEACHERS THAT ARE COMING IN, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE REALLY STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND FEEL COMPETENT IN THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.
ON THE NEXT ELEMENT ON NUMBER 5 WE'RE LOOKING AT CROSS LINGUISTIC CONNECTIONS.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY AROUND SOME OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING IN OUR SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM THROUGH OUR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT AND ALSO TO SUPPORT OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL POPULATION.
REALLY LOOKING AT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS.
YOU'LL NOTICE ON NUMBER 6, WE TALKED SPECIFICALLY AROUND TARGETED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE LATER ON THERE'S SOME CONNECTIONS, WHICH IS HOW IT SHOULD BE FROM THE CLIMATE SURVEYS THAT WE'VE DONE INTO THE DIP, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WITH MAKING SURE WE HAD VERY TARGETED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
SOMETIMES WE REALIZE WE OFFER MAYBE A LOT OF CHOICE, BUT NOT ENOUGH DEPTH, AND LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS NEEDS OF CERTAIN GROUPS AND GO DEEPER IN WHAT THEY SPECIFICALLY NEED.
THAT'S LOOKING AT THOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS THAT WE HAVE.
WE ARE VERY HIGH-PERFORMING DISTRICT.
A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS DO REALLY WELL, BUT WE ARE ABOUT ALL STUDENTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE GROUPS THAT HISTORICALLY MAY HAVE STRUGGLED SOME MORE, ESPECIALLY AROUND OUR EB STUDENTS SPECIAL EDUCATION,
[00:30:01]
AND THOSE THAT ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.JUST A LITTLE PREVIEW OF NEXT YEAR, THERE'S GOING TO BE A WHOLE NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO GET TO FIGURE OUT, AND THEY'VE USED THE TERM IN THE PAST, SUPER GROUPS, WHICH OFTEN ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
THEY'RE NOW CALLING THEM HIGH FOCUS GROUPS, AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT WAY THAT THEY'RE CALCULATING OUR GRADE THAT WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON HOW WE ARE CLOSING THOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS WITH THOSE SPECIFIC GROUPS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR DIP AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS OF AND MAKING SURE WE'RE USING BEST INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT TARGETING THOSE GROUPS, ESPECIALLY MOVING DOWN TO NUMBER 8 AND 9, YOU'LL SEE THOSE ARE REALLY AROUND OUR STUDENTS SUPPORT PROGRAMS. HOMEBOUND NUMBERS THIS YEAR FORTUNATELY HAVE DECLINED, WHICH IS GREAT LAST YEAR DURING COVID WE SAW A REALLY LARGE INCREASE IN OUR HOME-BOUND NUMBERS.
THEY HAVE DECLINED, BUT WE WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE WE HAVE REALLY GOOD PROCESSES IN PLACE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE FIVE OR FOUR NUMBERS CONTINUE TO INCREASE, AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE JUST HAVE REALLY GOOD TRAINING AND SHARED EXPECTATIONS ON WHAT OUR MEETINGS SHOULD LOOK LIKE AROUND THOSE AREAS.
NUMBER 10 ALSO FOCUSES AROUND JUST THAT STUDENTS SUPPORT PROCESS AND AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE ALIGNED, THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO OUR DOCUMENTS, THAT EACH CAMPUS IS USING THE SAME KINDS OF SYSTEMS TO REALLY HELP SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS.
THE NEXT TWO DEAL SPECIFICALLY AROUND INTERVENTION, FOCUSING AROUND OUR TWO TIER INTERVENTION OR TIER TWO INTERVENTIONS, AND AGAIN, THEN BUILDING CAPACITY FOR OUR STAFF AROUND OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS.
THEN, ON NUMBER 13, WE ARE LOOKING AT INCREASING OUR STUDENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT FOR THOSE STUDENTS OR FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO MAY BE A LITTLE BIT HARDER FOR THEM TO ENGAGE DUE TO LANGUAGE ISSUES OR PERHAPS OTHER CHALLENGES OR BARRIERS THAT THEY HAVE.
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY IDENTIFYING HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR PARENTS IN EANES, NOT ONLY JUST OUR STUDENTS, BUT OUR PARENTS FEEL INCLUDED IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MOVING ON, THE NEXT PRIORITY, STILL FOCUSING ON SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THIS IS SPECIFIC TO SPECIAL EDUCATION, CONTINUING TO ADVANCE AND ENHANCED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR STUDENTS.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE AGAIN ON THIS PAGE THAT WE HAVE AGAIN PUT IN OUR PRIORITY AROUND DEI RELATED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THE FIRST TWO ELEMENTS UNDER THIS DEAL, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HIRING PRACTICES.
I WILL SAY THAT MATT ZEMO AND EMILY DUNLAP IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, TRYING TO GROW OUR OWN, AND SO WE LOOK AT THAT IN TERMS OF OUR TEACHING ASSISTANTS TO TEACH OUR PROGRAM OR LSP INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND THEN REALLY JUST CONTINUING I THINK MATT AND EMILY LITERALLY INTERVIEW AND HIRE ALL YEAR EVERY DAY.
JUST ABOUT CONTINUING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE ALREADY HIRED SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS FOR NEXT YEAR, AND I THINK THEY STARTED IN JANUARY KNOWING WE HAD VACANCIES.
KNOWING THAT YOU GUYS MAY KNOW THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION AND BILINGUAL EDUCATION ARE THE TWO TOP AREAS RECOGNIZED IN THE GOVERNOR'S REPORT IN ON VACANCIES, AND SO WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO HIT THOSE AREAS HARD.
NUMBER 15, AGAIN, DEALING WITH PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S TARGETED, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR TEACHERS THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS.
NUMBER 17 DEALS SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE CURRICULUM THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND SPECIAL EDUCATION AROUND TRANSITION, I'M LOOKING AT STUDY SKILLS COURSES, MAPS COURSES, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON OUR YOUNGEST LITTLE BABIES AT THREE ALL THE WAY TO OUR OLDEST STUDENTS AT 22.
OBVIOUSLY, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO WITHIN THE REGULAR CIA DEPARTMENT IMPACTS SPECIAL EDUCATION.
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN SPECIAL ED THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE UNIQUE.
NUMBER 18, FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE COVER LATER ALSO IN THE DIP.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT THROUGH A SPECIAL EDUCATION LENS TO SO MAKING SURE WE HAVE AWARENESS OF BEST PRACTICES TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND MAKE SURE OUR TEACHERS FEEL PREPARED TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS.
NUMBER 19 SPECIFICALLY DEALS WITH MATH AS AN AREA OF FOCUS FOR THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR.
NUMBER 20 IS AROUND OUR INCLUSIVE PRACTICES.
YOU GUYS GOT TO HANG OUT WITH THE BEST BUDDIES AT THE LAST MEETING, WHICH PROBABLY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE FUN.
THEN TONIGHT, THEY JUST FINISHED THEIR SECOND PRACTICE OF UNIFIED SWIMMING, AND SO IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
WE HAVE GROWN AND OUR UNIFIED SPORTS ARE SPECIAL OLYMPICS, ARE INCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES ARE JUST GO IN AND BLOW IN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
[00:35:04]
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.THEN AGAIN, LASTLY, LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PARENTS TO FEEL INVOLVED AND TO HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THAT IS AROUND INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES, AROUND FOCUS ON SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
STILL WITHIN MY DOMAIN, WITHIN MY DEPARTMENT IS THEN THE INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITY ON FOSTERING SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS.
THE FIRST PRIORITY THERE IS PROVIDING AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT OF BELONGINGNESS, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND PHYSICAL SAFETY AS A FOUNDATION FOR ACADEMIC AND CO-CURRICULAR EXCELLENCE.
THE FIRST ELEMENT WE HAVE THERE IS AROUND THE ADOPTION OF AN ELEMENTARY HEALTH CURRICULUM, WHICH YOU GUYS WILL BE INTRODUCED TO AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
SHACK HAS MET IN AS BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD TO ADOPT A HEALTH CURRICULUM.
WE ALSO HAVE LOOKED AT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO SOME OF OUR STUDENTS SURVEY DATA THAT WE DID AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S INCORPORATED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE MORE STUDENT VOICE AND JUST OFFERINGS WE HAVE ISSUES AROUND COUNSELING, MAKING SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE THINKING OUR STUDENTS NEED OR WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE TELLING US WE NEED, AND SO REALLY OPENING THOSE LINES OF DIALOGUE ALONG THAT FRONT.
THEN WE OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE UPDATED DISTRICT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AROUND BULLYING, DISCRIMINATION, RETALIATION, AND ABUSE, AND OF COURSE, ALLISON IS ON TOP OF THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH WE ARE TOO.
JUST MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT IS NEWLY INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WE ARE INCORPORATING INTO POLICIES OR ANY TYPE OF TRAINING THAT WE HAVE.
THE NEXT AREA IS SPECIFICALLY WAS LISTED ON THE PRIORITIES ON OPTIMIZING PERSONAL GROWTH AND LEARNING FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS AND TRUSTEES TO SUPPORT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S REALLY THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORK WE'RE DOING.
THE FIRST GOAL UNDER THERE IS EXPOSING OUR STUDENTS TO A FULL SPECTRUM OF POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS, BOTH FOR EDUCATION AND CAREERS.
HEIDI THIS YEAR HIGHLIGHTED THAT NOT ONLY WE HAVE IN COLLEGE FAIRS, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAREER FAIRS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TRADE SCHOOLS BRINGING IN OTHER TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS SO THAT THE EXPECTATION IS NOT THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT FITS INTO THIS PARTICULAR PATH.
IT HAS TO GO TO A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY.
REALLY HONORING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR KIDS INTERESTS AND WHAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO.
THEN ALSO LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT STUDENT GROUPS.
SOME GROUPS THAT MAY FEEL MARGINALIZED.
AGAIN, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE LEGISLATURE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYTHING THAT PASSES, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY FEEL INCLUDED AND SENSE OF BELONGING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT AREA IS AROUND APPLYING EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ADOPTING A MIDDLE SCHOOL SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS PROGRAM.
HEIDI MET WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SO WE WILL HAVE A SPECIFIC SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS PROGRAM.
THE HEALTH CURRICULUM THAT WE'RE ADOPTING, WHILE IT'S NOT A SUICIDE PREVENTION CURRICULUM PER SE, BECAUSE IT'S AT THAT LEVEL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS.
IT DEFINITELY BROACHES ON THE TOPICS WE WOULD WANT ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO HEAR ABOUT SELF-ADVOCACY, SELF-CARE, AND HOW TO REACH OUT IF THEY NEED HELP.
THEN WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE ALSO WE PILOTED THIS YEAR CLOSEGAP, ITS A CHECK-IN SYSTEM FOR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND WE HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND JUST TWO OF OUR CLASSES.
IT'S BEEN WORKING VERY WELL AND WE WANT TO LOOK AT HOW WE COULD EXPAND THAT PILOT FOR NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON NEXT YEAR IN MY AREA.
>> YOU HAVE A VERY WIDE FOCUS.
>> [LAUGHTER] I HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE.
>> LET'S SEE. I'M GOING TO START WITH KIM AND JESSE ALLEN.
>> THANK YOU, MOLLY. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND THEN A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
THANKS FOR ENDING ON CLOSEGAP BECAUSE I KNOW YOU TOLD THE BOARD ABOUT IT, AND I HOPE THAT THAT CONTINUES.
I ALSO LOVE THAT YOU MENTIONED HERE ON HAVING STUDENTS INVOLVED IN THE COUNSELING AND STUDENT VOICES BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S NEEDED, ESPECIALLY AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT YOU COVERED.
[00:40:02]
YOU MENTIONED NUMBER 15, MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU, LORI, THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT AND THE TA TO TEACH YOUR PROGRAM.CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF HOW MANY TEACHERS OR EDUCATORS THAT WE'VE CAPTURED THROUGH THOSE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS? EVEN ONE IS GREAT.
>> I DON'T HAVE A MICROPHONE, SO I'M NOT HELPING MUCH.
>> SO YOU'RE SAYING 15, WHICH IS GREAT, GOOD.
THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I HAD WHICH WAS FOR MOLLY, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT TARGETED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, CAN YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS? IS IT INDIVIDUAL FOR SCHOOLS OR FOR PROGRAMS OR HOW WOULD THAT WORK?
>> ALL OF THAT. IT MIGHT BE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A GROUP OF NEW TO PROFESSION TEACHERS AND/OR PERFECT EXAMPLE.
SOME OF THEM, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IS A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE HONE IN ON THAT SPECIFIC AREA FOR THOSE TEACHERS, THERE'S ONES THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT.
YOU GUYS KNOW WE BROUGHT IN OUR REGION 13 CONSULTANT TO WORK WITH US ON THE SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM REVIEW, AND SHE HAD SOME VERY SPECIFIC TRAINING TO HELP OUR SPANISH IMMERSION TEACHERS, AND SO THAT WOULD BE SOME DIFFERENT TYPE OF TARGETED LEARNING.
WE ARE INTRODUCING STEM SCOPES NEXT YEAR IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MATH AND SCIENCE.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CORE TEACHERS HAVE THAT TRAINING.
THE MUSIC TEACHERS THIS YEAR REACHED OUT AND THERE'S SOME NEW CURRICULUM THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, AND SO WE'RE PURCHASING SOME SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET THE LEARNING THAT THEY NEED IN THOSE AREAS.
IT'S REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH GROUP THAT'S REACHING OUT TO US AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE NEEDING.
EITHER THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO US OR WE'RE SEEING A STRUGGLE AND MAKING SURE WE'RE GOING TO THEM AND SAYING, OKAY THIS IS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT.
WE NEED YOU TO LEARN BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S FUN TO LEARN OTHER THINGS, AND YOU MIGHT BE LIKE, I HAVE A DAY THIS SUMMER AND I'M GOING TO GO HERE, AND WHILE WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO THERE, WE MAY ACTUALLY TELL YOU YOU ALSO NEED TO GO [LAUGHTER] HERE, AND SO JUST TRYING TO REALLY, AGAIN, LOOK AT WHAT WE KNOW THAT OUR TEACHERS NEED AND HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT THEM.
>> THANK YOU. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BOTH PLANNED AND REACTIVE.
>> JUST A [OVERLAPPING] GREAT. THANK YOU ALL.
>> THANK YOU. HEATHER AND THEN JEN.
>> ONE COMMENT AND THEN A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU MENTIONED THE NEW STAR REDESIGN AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE THAT EVERYBODY IS ALREADY SAYING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A DIP IN THE PERFORMANCE AND OUR ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS JUST BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT, AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A GROUP OF SUPERINTENDENTS, I THINK 120 SOMETHING.
THEY GOT TOGETHER AND WROTE A LETTER ASKING FOR A PAUSE IN THE PERFORMANCE RATINGS BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A DIP, AND SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE OF, POTENTIALLY,.
THEN I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW, THIS LOOKS GREAT, BUT I THINK IN THE PAST WE'VE SEEN THE TEXAS LAYOUT WHERE IT HAD THE MANDATORY TEXAS THINGS VERSUS WHAT'S AN IN THING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IF POSSIBLE.
IF THAT'S STILL THE WAY WE DO THE DIP. I THINK IT IS, RIGHT?
>> THE MAIN AREA ON THE TEXAS WAS ALWAYS AROUND THE POLICY, AND PROCEDURE, AND THE BULLYING, AND SO WE JUST INCLUDED THAT THIS YEAR AS THE MAIN THING WE NEEDED TO KNOW, THE MAIN TEXAS ITEM THAT WE HAD.
>> I JUST FIND IT INTERESTING JUST TO SEE BECAUSE THERE'S A LITTLE COLUMN WITH A LITTLE TEXAS AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A STATE MANDATE.
I DON'T KNOW, I JUST FIND IT INTERESTING.
[NOISE] THEN ON NUMBER 9, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THAT 504 RELATES TO DYSLEXIA BECAUSE I KNOW DYSLEXIA IS MENTIONED IN ANOTHER AREA.
BUT 504 COULD BE A BEE STING, IT COULD BE A BROKEN ARM, IT COULD BE DYSLEXIA, IT COULD BE MIGRAINES.
>> UNDEVELOPED AND SHARED EXPECTATIONS.
THAT REALLY HAS A LOT TO DO MORE SO WITH THE MEETING TYPES AND THE PREPARATION WORK THAT WE WANT TEACHERS TO DO.
WE FOUND THAT, FOR INSTANCE, AND I KNOW THIS IS SMALL, BUT FOR US IT'S HUGE.
THERE'S A HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE THAT'S DIFFERENT.
ON DIFFERENT CAMPUSES, THE NURSES FILL OUT A DIFFERENT HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE.
WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE ONE HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE AND WHY DON'T WE HAVE THE SAME HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE FOR 504 STUDENTS OR SPECIALISTS STUDENTS?
[00:45:01]
[LAUGHTER] SO IT'S AROUND THOSE THINGS, IS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'VE ALIGNED OUR PROCESSES AND THEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEETINGS THROUGH 504, YOU HAVE YOUR INITIAL MEETING, BUT THEN YOU HAVE REVIEWS.THEY'RE NOT AS FORMAL AS ARD MEETINGS, AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WE CAN JUST SAY TO A PARENT, HERE'S THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WERE IN PLACE.
EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS EVEN NEED, DO WE EVEN NEED TO MEET? IF WE DON'T SEE HIM THAT WE NEED TO MEET.
SOME OF THE PARENTS LIKE, WE'RE JUST GOOD AND WE CAN JUST ROLL THAT PLAN OVER.
IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE'VE HAD SOME TURNOVER IN WHO IS DOING OUR 504 PROCESSES, AND SO THAT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT THAT ALIGNMENT PIECE AROUND THAT.
IT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE TYPES OF STUDENTS [OVERLAPPING] OR THE ELIGIBILITY.
WE DEFINITELY I'M SEEING OBVIOUSLY AN INCREASE IN OUR STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA GOING INTO SPECIAL EDUCATION.
BUT WE STILL HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE DENYING SPECIAL ED SERVICES AND THEN THEY'LL GO BACK INTO 504, AND WE STILL HAVE A HANDFUL OF PARENTS THAT CHOOSE THAT DIRECTION.
>> THEN JUST TO BE, I'M SURE YOU ARE, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT ANYWAYS, THE QUESTION, WE ARE STILL INVITING OUR PARENTS TO OUR 504 MEETINGS.
>> I HAD A FEELING THAT WAS THE CASE.
>> THEN ON NUMBER 11, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE MANDATING THE FIDELITY?
>> IT'S REALLY THROUGH A LOT OF JUST THE TRAINING THAT WE'RE DOING, AND SO MAKING SURE, AGAIN, THAT, SO ALLISON ICKY WHO RUNS THOSE CSS MEETINGS TALKING TO THOSE TEACHERS, MAKING SURE, WHAT ARE YOUR SESSIONS LOOKING LIKE? WHAT DATA COLLECTION ARE YOU USING? WHAT PROGRESS MONITORING TOOLS YOU'RE USING.
SO REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S THE FIDELITY AND HOW YOU'RE REPORTING THAT BACK OUT TO PARENTS.
AGAIN, MAKING SURE EACH CAMPUS LOOKS THE SAME, AND THEN WHAT KIND OF TRAINING, AGAIN, BACK TO KIM'S, ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING? DO WE NEED TO BRING IN SOME TYPE OF TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS LOOK THE SAME ON THOSE CAMPUSES? ONE EXAMPLE TOO IS FOR NEXT YEAR, WE ARE ADDING AN ESL POSITION TO ONE OF THEM.
WE'VE HAD RIGHT NOW ONE ESL POSITION, SPLITTING THE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND REALIZE THAT THAT WAS REALLY TOO MUCH.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO ESL SPECIALISTS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THINGS. THIS YEAR IT'S BEEN EASY.
IT'S ONE PERSON DOING THE SAME THING ON BOTH CAMPUSES.
BUT WHEN YOU ADD A POSITION, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD AND THAT THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER USING THE SAME STRATEGIES.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. I DO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONCERNS AROUND FIDELITY ISSUES THAT WE MAY BE GETTING INTO WITH READING BY DESIGN AND WILSON AND ALL THE FLUIDITY OF PROGRAMS. THAT IS ONE I WOULD JUST LIKE TO WATCH A LITTLE BIT, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT.
BECAUSE THE TLC HAS BEEN A BIG DEAL TO US AS A BOARD, AND I KNOW IT'S IN A LOT OF PLACES, I'M GUESSING.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? HOW THAT APPLIES TO THE DIP.
>> LIKE THE PROGRAMMING AND THE EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAMMING POSSIBLY.
>> YEAH. I MEAN, THAT'S OUR HOPE [OVERLAPPING] WHATEVER, YEAH, THAT COULD HAPPEN SO WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IF THAT HAPPENS.
>> THAT'S CERTAINLY THE PLAN AND I THINK WE HAVE REFLECTED THAT IN THIS DOCUMENT AS IT WAS REFLECTED IN THE BOARD PRIORITIES.
>> THEN I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT KIM SAID ABOUT COUNSELING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT'S A HUGE NEED RIGHT NOW ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THAT, LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. JEN AND THEN LAURA.
>> THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF WORK AND SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED BY MY FELLOW TRUSTEES.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT I FEEL ARE LACKING IN THIS PLAN.
ONE, BEING A REFERENCE TO ELEMENTARY SCIENCE.
WE HAD A PRESENTATION JUST LAST MONTH ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD RECENTLY AND DISTRICT PLANS TO IMPROVE OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES AND HOW WE GET THERE, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING ADDED IN HERE TO THAT EFFECT SO THAT IT IS IN WRITING AND IT IS CLEAR TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO ALL OF US THAT IT'S A PRIORITY AND SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON.
>> THANK YOU. THEN FRANKLY I'M DISAPPOINTED BY THE LACK OF DEI CONTENT.
IT'S AS IF WE'VE JUST DECIDED TO WALK AWAY FROM THAT AS A PRIORITY.
I THINK THERE'S ONE PLACE WHERE THERE'S A DIRECT REFERENCE TO DEVELOPING CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION RESOURCES THAT TO BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE,
[00:50:07]
INCLUSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL STUDENTS.BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IN MY OPINION, IT'S A STRETCH TO SAY THAT THERE'S DEI IN HERE.
AND LOOKING THROUGH THE CLIMATE SURVEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING SHORTLY, I SEE WHEN 50% OF KIDS REPORT THAT THEY DON'T REPORT TO AN ADULT WHEN SOMETHING IS HARMFUL AND OFFENSIVE, I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE UPON.
AND AS YOU SAID EARLIER, HOPEFULLY THAT CLIMATE SURVEY WE'RE USING TO INFORM THIS DOCUMENT.
I ALSO SEE THAT 44% OF STUDENTS WOULDN'T SAY OR DO SOMETHING WHEN SOMEONE IS MISTREATED.
I THINK THAT'S A DIRECT REFLECTION OF DEI AND THE WORK THAT WE STILL HAVE TO DO.
EVEN THE NUMBERS THAT ARE A BIT SMALLER, 25% OF STUDENTS EITHER DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG OR DON'T KNOW IF THEY BELONG.
AND WHILE THAT'S SMALLER, THAT'S A BIG NUMBER IN MY MIND OF KIDS WHO DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A PLACE AT OUR SCHOOL, AMONG THEIR PEERS.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS AS TO WHAT THESE GOALS SHOULD BE, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO GO BACK AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO EMBED THIS INTO THE DIP A LITTLE BIT MORE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL. THIS IS AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK.
I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THE PARENT ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT IN THERE AND I I LIKED THE CONNECTION THAT IT HAS TO THAT REDUCING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS FOR THOSE PARTICULAR GROUPS.
I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THAT IN THE PAST.
I THINK THAT'S A NICE ADDITION.
AND I'M HAPPY IT'S NOT JUST STUDENT COUNSELING, ISN'T JUST REFERENCING HIGH-SCHOOL BECAUSE THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS DEFINITELY NEED THAT SUPPORT AS WELL, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW.
I HAVE TO SECOND, WHAT JEN HAS SAID.
I KNOW THAT DEI IS IMBEDDED INTO SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS BUT THE ONE CURRICULUM BULLET THAT JIM POINTED OUT, AN ASIDE FROM THAT, WE ONLY HAVE TWO AND IT'S 4 AND 5.
NEITHER THOSE BETWEEN THOSE TWO BULLETS, THOSE TWO GOALS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS, MENTAL WELLNESS, AND SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS, WHICH I NEED SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC.
I NEED SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS MORE SPECIFICALLY THAN JUST STUDENT WELL-BEING BECAUSE THAT IS TO ME VERY BROAD.
I KNOW THIS IS THE DIP, BUT IT DOESN'T. I NEED MORE.
>> CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE?
>> WELL, JUMPING HERE OFFICE AND [LAUGHTER] FEEL FREE TO JUMP ON ME ON HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT TALKS ABOUT PRIORITY OF ALL STUDENTS.
I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE DO ANYWAY BUT WE HAVE STUDENTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF DATES AND A WIDE RANGE OF SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS AND A WIDE RANGE OF CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS.
SOMETHING THAT LOOKS AT THAT AND BUILDS THAT SENSE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE ARE BECOMING A MORE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WE ARE BECOMING A MUCH MORE DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND HOW DO WE BUILD ON THAT? HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THAT AND CELEBRATE THAT? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPFUL? NO, THAT'S FINE.
JOHN WAS SAYING THAT I WAS OFF THE RAILS.
[OVERLAPPING] AM I MAKING ANY SENSE? YOU CAN SAY NO.
>> MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME OUT MORE IN THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS WHEN THEY START TALKING ABOUT LIKE THEIR INTERNATIONAL DAYS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT MY CONCERN IS IF WE DON'T SET IT IN THE DIP THAT WE WON'T NECESSARILY SEE THOSE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES.
>> I WANT TO JUMP IN HERE, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEI, THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT SCANNED DOCUMENT AND IN AN EFFORT TO HELP YOU OUT.
[00:55:05]
THE BOARD CREATED A COMMITTEE.WE HAVE SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS ON THAT COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS, DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS.
I GUESS WE HAVE CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE ON THAT COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE FRAMED.
AND WE HAVE TEACHERS, WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WE HAVE KIDS AND THEY'RE COMING UP WITH IDEAS.
AND THEY'RE COMING UP WITH IDEAS THAT THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING UNIQUELY ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES AND THAT THEY'RE SHARING DISTRICT WIDE.
I THINK YOU COULD DISCUSS THE DEI COMMITTEE, THE OVERSIGHT AS CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION HAS WITH RESPECT TO THAT COMMITTEE AND THE PURSUIT OF SOME OF THESE BROAD GOALS AND YOU CAN MEASURE THAT WITH THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING WITH THE CLIMATE SURVEY.
RECOGNIZE THAT WE DON'T DO THAT EVERY YEAR, BUT THAT DATA IS DIS-AGGREGATED BY CANVAS, SO YOU CAN GET A SENSE FOR HOW THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED ON ONE CAMPUS ARE CHANGING THE WAY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND PARENTS FEEL ABOUT THE CAMPUS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY.
THAT MIGHT BE A WAY FOR YOU TO BOTH YOU TO TIE THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS, WHICH I'M SURE THIS IS GOING TO POP UP WITH THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN BECAUSE WE DO NEED BECAUSE THIS IS A BOARD PRIORITY.
THE BOARD DID CREATE A COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE THIS.
ANYWAY, THAT'LL GIVE ME A WAY TO WATCH THAT AVENUE WORK.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CAN I JUST ADD ONTO THAT? I DO KNOW THAT THE DEI ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS ASKED FOR THE CLIMATE SURVEY RESULTS SO THAT THEY CAN DO THAT EXACT THING THAT YOU JUST SAID.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WANTED TO PRESENT IT TO YOU ALL FIRST, BUT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PRESENTER.
THANK YOU MOLLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MINE DEFINITELY IS NOT AS LONG AS MOLLY'S.
WE STARTED YOU OFF WITH THE LONG ONE.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, YOU SEE THAT THE TWO POINTS UP THERE, ACTUALLY THAT'S FOR BOTH LAURIE AND I.
BUT IN TERMS OF UNDER MY PURVIEW, WHAT WE DID WITH THE DIP AND WITH THE STRATEGIES WITHIN THAT WAS WE REALLY CONSOLIDATED BECAUSE IF YOU LOOKED AT PREVIOUS YEARS' DIPS, I THINK WE HAD MAYBE FIVE POINTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THEN ALL FIVE OF THOSE POINTS, WE WERE SAYING THE SAME THING MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT WAY OR MAYBE IT WAS SAYING TARGET THIS AUDIENCE AND THEN THIS OTHER ONE WE WERE SAYING TARGET THIS AUDIENCE.
I JUST CONSOLIDATED AND SAID WE'RE TARGETING ALL AUDIENCES, BUT SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, STAFF, ALUMNI, STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUSINESS PARTNERS, AND JUST GETTING OUTREACH THROUGH EVERYONE IN EVERY WAY, AND I DID PUT ON THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER THE THE COLUMN THAT SAYS PERSON RESPONSIBLE.
I PUT YOU GUYS TOO, AND I PUT PRINCIPLES.
I EXPANDED THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT JUST ME, IT'S OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S YOU GUYS, IT'S EEF, IT'S OUR TEACHERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT BULLET.
I DID WANT TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE YOU GUYS DO A LOT FOR THAT AS WELL.
ONE THING I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I REALIZED ON HERE, WE HAVE A TYPO UNDER THE MEASURE AND EVALUATION UNDER THAT FIRST BULLET.
THAT SHOULD NOT SAY ENHANCED MESSAGES, IT SHOULD SAY REVIEW AND ASSESS, AND THAT'S REALLY JUST LOOKING AT WHAT KIND OF FEATURE STORIES, THOSE NICE FEEL-GOOD STORIES ARE WE PUTTING OUT THERE AND SPOTLIGHTING STUDENTS AND STAFF AND COMMUNITY? I DIDN'T WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? [LAUGHTER] I COULD GO LINE BY LINE.
[01:00:01]
>> I'M SORRY. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING US IN THERE.
I LOVE THAT, AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS DISTRICT TO DO THEIR BEST TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY AND RESPONSIBLY.
YOU GAVE US ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT, AND SO THANK YOU.
>> I THINK I'M NEXT, AND AS CLAUDIA MENTIONED, THE FIRST TWO ONLINE ARE RECURRING PRIORITIES.
WE KNOW THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US IS NOT ONLY TO ATTRACT BUT TO RETAIN THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE.
WE KNOW WHAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GRADUATING FROM UNIVERSITIES THAT HAS FEWER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
SO FOR US IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE REALLY LOOKED AT THE RETENTION PIECE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO HELP BUILD THAT COMMUNITY FOR THE TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE ALWAYS REVIEWING THE COMPENSATION AND WE'LL BE BRINGING SOMETHING TO YOU AT THE APRIL 27TH BOARD MEETING JUST TO TALK ABOUT WHAT CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING ON AROUND US.
BUT WE WANT TO HONOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH WORK WITH CURRICULUM AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT TOP TALENT.
WE HIRED SOME VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE JOINED THE TEAM OF SOME VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS AND WE WANT TO KEEP THEM.
LAST YEAR WE FELT LIKE IT WAS A REALLY GOOD YEAR FOR US AND WE FELT LIKE WE WERE COMING OUT OF THAT SLUMP AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE THAT AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE ALWAYS REVIEWING BENEFITS, AND WE'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT TRS.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY HONOR OUR STAFF, AND YOU DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT AND I THINK THEY KNOW THAT.
SOMETHING NEW I THINK THIS YEAR FOR US IS WE ADDED THE PIECE OF THE COMMON LEADERSHIP FROM OUR TEACHERS TO OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, OUR EPS TO OUR PRINCIPLES.
WE REALLY WANT TO DO THIS THROUGH CONVERSATIONS IN IE.
WE'VE BROUGHT SOME WORK BACK FROM HOLDSWORTH, ABBY BRIDGES, JULIA, AND I WERE THERE.
WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT THIS LEADERSHIP PILLAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GROW OUR OWN LEADERS, AND WE'RE DOING THIS EFFECTIVELY.
THE SITUATION WITH A RETIREMENT THIS YEAR WITH KATHLEEN SULLIVAN, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HONOR OUR OWN EMPLOYEES AND LOOK AT THAT.
ALLISON COLLINS HAS BEEN A BETTER PART OF THIS, AND WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH PEOPLE AND SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB IN MENTORING OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK THIS YEAR FROM OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WITH THE HELP OF MR. RAMSEY.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE WE'RE MOVING IN THAT FRAMEWORK THAT WILL HAVE EVERYBODY TALKING COMMON LANGUAGE AND KNOWING WHERE WE'RE GOING IN OUR DISTRICT AND THE WAY WE FEEL ABOUT LEADERSHIP AMONG OUR STAFF.
>> I SHOULD JUST LEAVE THE CLOSE AS IS BECAUSE MY COMMENT IS THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I HOPE THAT GOES DOWN TO OUR NEWEST TEACHER THAT WALKS IN THE DOOR BECAUSE THE QUESTION I ASKED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WAS ARE WE SEEING A CHANGE IN OUR WORKPLACE AND YOUR ANSWER WAS YES.
THERE ARE EXPERIENCE LEVEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HALLMARK OF THIS DISTRICT THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SO HIGH.
IT'S NOT QUITE SO HIGH ANYMORE.
WE HAVE A CHANGING WORKFORCE, AND MY CONCERN IS WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ARTICULATE A COMMON CULTURE SO THAT EVERYBODY FULLY UNDERSTANDS FROM THE GET-GO WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AND HOW WE'RE ALL GOING TO GET THERE TOGETHER.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT CHANGING WORKFORCE IS ACKNOWLEDGED WITHIN THIS.
DO YOU THINK THAT WILL COME OUT IN DETAILS?
I THINK THAT WORKING THROUGH, WE'VE HAD AMAZING GROUP, I THINK, OF 35 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR IE THIS YEAR.
SO EVEN WORKING THROUGH THAT GROUP, I THINK ALL OF THIS HAS A TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT TO EVEN OUR FIRST YEAR TEACHERS.
OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS ARE VERY INVOLVED WITH MENTORSHIP WITH OUR FIRST YEAR TEACHERS.
WE HAVE SOME REALLY STRONG MENTORS IN PLACE.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT JUST THAT COMMON LANGUAGE, THAT COMMON UNDERSTANDING, WHAT DO WE EXPECT IN ISD.
I THINK EVERYONE IS REALLY GOING TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE THAT BUY-IN.
LIKE WE SAID, WE REALLY WANT TO SELL OUR CULTURE.
I THINK WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE HAVE LEFT US, NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO AND HAVE TRIED TO GET BACK TO US AS QUICK AS THEY CAN.
[01:05:02]
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME PEOPLE THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATIONS AT THE CAMPUSES, OUR CAMPUS CONVERSATIONS WHO HAVE STOOD UP AND SAID I'VE WORKED IN OTHER DISTRICTS.IT'S VERY MOVING, IT'S VERY POWERFUL TO HEAR THEM, OUR TEACHERS SPEAK, FIRST YEAR TEACHERS SAY, THIS IS REALLY A GREAT PLACE.
>> WE SHOULD HAVE RECORDED THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE HAD A TEACHER IN CEDAR CREEK.
IF WE HAD IT ON VIDEO, WE WOULD PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE.
SHE'S OUR RECRUITING TOOL. IT WAS AMAZING.
>> THANKS FOR THAT. ANYONE ELSE?
>> YOU'RE NOT DONE. I'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE TO GO, BUT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE THIS TRIO THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU WERE WOVEN INTO THE THREE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE PRIORITY.
IT'S NOT A GREAT DELINEATED HERE TO HAND IT OFF TO CHRISTIE AND HAND OFF TO CHRIS.
I'M GOING TO TRY THE BEST I CAN AND THEY'LL PROVIDE INPUT WHERE NEEDED.
BUT FOCUSING FIRST ON MANAGING AND EFFICIENTLY UTILIZING AVAILABLE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FUNDS.
CHRIS, IN HIS GROUP, HAS DONE INCREDIBLE JOB OF DEVELOPING THAT MULTI-YEAR STRATEGIC BUDGET PLAN THAT WAS DONE MULTIPLE YEARS AGO AND SO DONE A GREAT JOB, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS A TOOL THAT WE ALWAYS UTILIZE AND SETTING PRIORITIES, LOOKING OUT INTO THE FUTURE.
UTILIZING THAT FOR LOOKING INTO NEXT YEAR.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO FOLD IN BOND.
THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS ALWAYS HAPPENING IN THE BACKGROUND THAT ALSO SUPPORTS THAT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION FUND.
LOOKING AT THOSE PROJECTS WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSING OUT 2019 IN THIS NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S A BIG STEP, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT, AND JUST CLOSING OUT PROJECTS, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING ACCOUNTED FOR, UTILIZING OUR BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP WITH THE CLOSING OUT OF THAT 2019 BOND.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR, AND THEN ANY LEFTOVER FUNDS WOULD GO TO THAT COMMITTEE THAT WOULD COME BACK TO YOU AS A RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO UTILIZE THOSE REMAINING FUNDS.
ALSO, THE CARRYING OVER IS JUST THOSE EXTERNAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY EMERGE THAT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT AND EXPLORE THOSE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
CHRISTIE, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT FIRST BULLET ITEM? WE COVERED EVERYTHING.
QUICKLY I'M GOING TO MOVE TO BULLET NUMBER 2, AND THAT'S MAINLY FOCUSING ON OUR FACILITIES, BUT ALSO OUR RESOURCES, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING MANAGED, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE TO BENEFIT THE PRESENT AND FUTURE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY.
YOU'LL SEE THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL ASSETS TIED TO TECHNOLOGY.
YOU SEE A LOT OF PRIORITIES WOVEN IN WITH TECHNOLOGY.
BUT UNDERSTAND WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTENANCE AND FACILITIES, LOOKING AT LIFE CYCLE AND REPLACEMENT CYCLES IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY OUR BUILDINGS, BUT ALSO OUR TECHNOLOGY.
YOU'LL SEE MAINLY ON THE FACILITY SIDE IS TIED TO THOSE ASSETS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MANAGING THOSE REPLACEMENT CYCLES WITH DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND UTILIZING THOSE BOND FUNDS WHERE WE DO HAVE THEM.
WE'RE NOT UTILIZING MNO WHERE POSSIBLE.
CHRISTIE, THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY IN THERE IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING.
>> YOU HAVE THE LESS IN FRONT OF YOU.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT OUR PRIORITY IS JUST TO FOCUS ON FINDING OUT, WHAT WE HAVE TO KEEP, WHAT ARE WE USING, WHAT ARE THE STUDENTS USING? HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE OUR PROCESSES? HOW WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE? THEN TRY TO IDENTIFY ANY CARRYOVER OR ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO INSTEAD OF.
ALWAYS FOCUSING ON THAT LIFECYCLES, IS IT GOING TO BE A PRIORITY FOR OUR CYBERSECURITY DATA? ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE DO DAILY IS FIRST ON THE PLATE FOR US AND THEN CONTINUING WITH THE WORK OF THE LONG-RANGE PLAN THAT THE TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE PUT FORTH TO US.
THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR AS WELL.
THE THIRD BULLET UNDER OPERATIONS IS THE SUPPORT, LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND PROGRAMMATIC REVIEW PROCESSES.
[01:10:03]
WE'VE ALWAYS DONE LONG-RANGE PLANNING.IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT, WE LOOK AT ENROLLMENT, DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ALL THE TIME, WHY TO TRY TO PROJECT TO THE FUTURE SO WE CAN MAKE WISE DECISIONS WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.
BUT THIS IS VERY INTENTIONAL MOVING FORWARD IN THIS PRIORITY.
WHY? BECAUSE THIS NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE LOOKING INTO THAT LONG-RANGE FACILITY PLAN, AND EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO GET TO UTILIZE LOOP, AND THAT'LL BE OUR ACRONYM FOR LONG-RANGE FACILITY PLANNING.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS.
THAT PROCESS WILL NOT ONLY BE IN THIS NEXT YEAR, BUT PROBABLY BE ANOTHER PRIORITY CARRYING OVER INTO NEXT YEAR'S PRIORITIES AS WELL.
SO WE'RE BEGINNING THAT PROCESS, THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THAT.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT AT LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND WHAT'S OUT THERE BOTH ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE, THE FACILITY SIDE, BUT ALSO A BUDGET IMPLICATIONS AS WELL.
CHRIS, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD THERE? ON NUMBER 15.
WE WANTED TO RUN THROUGH IT REALLY QUICK, BUT GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS, ANY GAPS HERE THAT YOU NEED US TO FILL IN INFORMATION, JUST LET US KNOW AND WE'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO YOU THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US ANY FEEDBACK.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JAMES.
>> YEAH. SPECIFICALLY, FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.
I'M AN OPERATIONS GUY, I LIKE THE WORK YOU DO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHRISTIE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
IF WE LOOKED BACK 10,15 YEARS, SOME PERIOD OF TIME IN THE PAST, THERE WAS THIS MENTALITY THAT MORE TECHNOLOGY WAS GOOD.
LET'S GO FIND ALL THE PLACES WE CAN PUT TECHNOLOGY.
I WOULD ALMOST ARGUE THAT WE'RE AT A POINT OF SATURATION, IF NOT OVERSATURATION AT THIS POINT, AND I'M WONDERING, AS PART OF YOUR OPERATION TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE UTILIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MAYBE EVEN IF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL IT BACK ON SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT AREN'T BEING USED, AND TECHNOLOGY MOVES SO FAST THAT THE COOL DEVICE WE PUT IN SOMEWHERE 5, 10 YEARS AGO, AND WE MAY BE REPEATING THAT PURCHASE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND REPLACE THAT THING.
BUT ARE WE SURE THAT THING IS ACTUALLY STILL BEING USED BECAUSE WE MOVED ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT REVIEW PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE UTILIZATION OF IT, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU DO?
>> YES. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THE TIME.
SPECIFICALLY WITH CLASSROOM RESOURCES.
WHAT ARE THE SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS? WHAT ARE THE TOOLS? WHAT ARE THE GADGETS THAT THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS USED TO USE? THEY'RE JUST NOW DECIDING THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEM ANYMORE OR THEY BROKE AND THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO TELL ANYBODY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT. WE'RE COMPILING LISTS WHERE FRED BENITEZ, THE DIRECTOR OF EDTECH, THE CURRICULUM FOLKS ARE DOING THIS WORK WITH THE EPDS.
THEY'RE INVENTORYING WHAT RESOURCES ARE YOU USING? WHAT ARE THE DIGITAL TOOLS THAT YOU HAVE? WHAT APPLICATIONS DO YOU NEED? HOW CAN WE STREAMLINE WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE? ARE THERE ANY REDUNDANCIES? ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE HAVE JUST CONTINUALLY RENEWED, MADE SURE THAT IT WAS THERE, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY USE THEM ANYMORE.
WE'RE WASTING OUR ENERGY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S UPDATED AND/OR THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE WHEN IT DOESN'T MEET THE INSTRUCTIONAL NEED ANYMORE.
ALL OF THAT WORK FRED IS DOING WITH THE EPS, WE'RE ACTUALLY COLLECTING LISTS OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
WHAT DOES OUR HELP DESK SAYING? WHAT ARE THE KIDS ASKING FOR? WHAT ARE THE TEACHERS ASKING FOR? LOOKING AT OUR WORK ORDERS, WHAT'S BREAKING REPEATEDLY, WHAT HASN'T BEEN USED FOR A WHILE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WEBSITES THAT THE MOST HITS, IF YOU WILL, AND THEN TALKING TO THE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS AND THOSE CAMPUS ADMINISTRATOR, YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, WE SEE ALL OF THIS STUFF PILED, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET THAT OUT OR IS IT, IT'S PILED IN A CORNER BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER FUNCTIONING OR THIS SPECIFIC TEACHER DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO USE THAT, AND SO FRED AND THE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS CAN DESIGN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND/OR SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO USE IT OR START USING IT.
YES, WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING TRYING TO BE AS STREAMLINED AS POSSIBLE.
>> YEAH. I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE I'M TRYING TO HOLD TECHNOLOGY OUT OF THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO NEED IT, NOT AT ALL, BUT IF WE FIND THESE THINGS THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED OR AREN'T BEING UTILIZED, OR WE'RE PAYING FOR SOMETHING WE AREN'T USING IT ALL, I JUST ENCOURAGE A REVIEW OF THAT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON NUMBER 3, EXPLORE EXPLORING EXTERNAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPLEMENT DISTRICT IN DEPARTMENT FUNDING.
[01:15:01]
ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT INCLUDING E-RATE AND THIRD-PARTY GRANTS OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS?>> THE MOST THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH, THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS RIGHT HERE.
OBVIOUSLY, CHRISTIE PUTS A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THE E-RATE, BUT ALSO GRANT OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE SEEN THOSE COME TO US AND WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY SINGLE ONE WE CAN.
MOLLY MAY, OUR CONTENT EXPERT, THAT REALLY HELPS US THROUGH THAT.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS IS ANOTHER SKILL THAT MOLLY HAS.
WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE.
BUT I KNOW CHRIS, I KNOW YOUR OFFICE HAS ALWAYS LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD FIND THOSE EXTERNAL SOURCES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE POSSIBLE.
>> REALLY NOTHING THAT JEREMY DIDN'T MENTION, BUT WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY COME IN AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THEM.
I HAVE PULLED THE COMMENTS TONIGHT, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES POP UP RELATED TO SAFETY AND SECURITY THESE DAYS, AND SO WHENEVER WE SEE THOSE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT TO MOVE ON THEM.
SOMETIMES AS A DISTRICT WE QUALIFY AND SOMETIMES YOUR SPECIFIC ON WHAT TYPE OF SCHOOL THEY WANT TO GO TO AND MAYBE WE QUALIFY AND MAYBE WE DON'T.
BUT WE ALWAYS WANT TO CHECK THOSE OUT.
>> YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW THAT WE APPLIED EVEN JUST FOR EXAMPLE FOR TO DYSLEXIA GRANTS.
WE DIDN'T GET ONE FROM TEA, BUT WE GOT ONE FROM ANOTHER GROUP, LIKE A NON-PROFIT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT, AND I'M COMFORTABLE AND I LOVE THAT WERE APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND E-RATE AND ALL THAT.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME OTHER MORE NEFARIOUS THINGS OUT THERE THAT I DON'T WANT US TO GET INVOLVED IN.
I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING THE TRAINS RUNNING ON TIME OR RUNNING WELL AND YOU DO IT SO WELL AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SEXY STUFF, BUT IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU MAKE IT LOOK SEXY.
I DON'T WANT TO INSULT YOU RIGHT HERE.
>> WE'RE LIVE STREAMING THIS RIGHT NOW.
BUT IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR KIDS TO FEEL SAFE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR TEACHERS TO FEEL SUPPORTED AND THAT'S WHAT ALL OF WHAT YOU DO MAKES OUR STAFF FEEL AND IT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE.
YOU CAN REALLY SEE IT WHEN TEACHERS AND STAFF FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE SUPPORT FROM ALL OF YOUR TEAMS. JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> DO YOU MIND IF I SUMMARIZE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TEAM, I'VE CAPTURED THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO ADDRESS IN THE NEXT VERSION.
ONE IS A GREATER FOCUS ON RAISING ELEMENTARY SCIENCE SCORES.
I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.
A GREATER EMPHASIS ON COUNSELING SERVICES TO STUDENTS, WE CAN FOCUS THERE.
SPECIFICALLY, PERHAPS MORE GENERALLY, A PRIORITY ON ALL STUDENTS AND EMPHASIZING THAT WE VALUE EVERYONE IN THE PLAN.
WITH REGARD TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND THE WORK OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE NEED TO CALL OUT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPHASIS THERE, AND THEN ALSO INCORPORATING CLIMATE SURVEY DATA INTO THEIR DECISION-MAKING OR RECOMMENDATIONS AT LEAST.
THEN FINALLY IN THIS SECTION, I HEARD DECOMMISSIONING CERTAIN TECHNOLOGIES WHEN POSSIBLE IT NECESSARILY.
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T MISS SOMETHING.
INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE NEXT VERSION.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THAT.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE STAFF,
[7.2 Staff, Student and Parent 2022-23 Climate Surveys]
STUDENTS AND PARENTS CLIMATE SURVEY.>> OH, WELL, THEY'VE ENJOYED A BRIEF BREAK.
WE'RE ASKING THE THREE OF THEM TO RETURN.
AGAIN, MY COMPLIMENTS TO THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE COMPILED A LARGE VOLUME OF INFORMATION.
YOU'VE SEEN CLIMATE SURVEY DATA RELATED TO OUR STAFF AND COMMUNITY PREVIOUSLY.
BUT WE'VE NEVER SURVEYED OUR STUDENTS TO THIS EXTENT.
WE DID THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND NOW SIDE-BY-SIDE BY SIDE, YOU SEE COMPARATIVE RESULTS, NOT FROM THE ENTIRE SURVEY, WHICH AGAIN WILL BE ONLINE AFTER TONIGHT'S MEETING.
BUT YOU SEE JUST SOME EXCERPTS FROM IT THAT WE THOUGHT YOU WOULD FIND INTERESTING WHERE THERE ARE COMMON THREADS OR QUESTIONS AMONG THE THREE GROUPS, AND AS CLAUDIA AND OTHERS AND MOLLY HAVE INDICATED, NOT ONLY THE DEI ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT THE CAMPUSES ARE SPENDING QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH THIS DATA.
I THINK YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE THE INFLUENCE OF THIS INFORMATION ON THEIR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS AS WELL.
[01:20:04]
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES.>> THANK YOU. YEAH. JUST AS A REMINDER, WE DON'T SURVEY EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
WE TRY TO DO THREE TO FOUR YEARS.
COVID HAD A LITTLE WEIRD IMPACT ON US, SHOCKING.
IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE RESULTS, THEY ARE ON OUR WEBSITE UNDER THE DISTRICT REPORT SECTION.
I DID. I WAS JUST CURIOUS AND I WASN'T SURE IF YOU'D ASKED ME THIS, BUT I WAS CURIOUS ON COMPARING RESPONSES FROM 2018 TO THIS ADMINISTRATION.
THERE WE HAVE THE NUMBERS, YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS.
SO AS DR. ARNETT MENTIONED, WE DIDN'T SURVEY STUDENTS BEFORE.
I KNOW THAT MAY SOUND ODD, BUT THE REASON WHY WAS BECAUSE WESTLAKE, FOR EXAMPLE WAS DOING THEIR OWN SURVEYS FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND THEY WERE DOING MORE OF A YOU CALL IT LIKE MENTAL HEALTH.
IT WASN'T A SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY, IT WAS ADMINISTERED BY THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT AND STUDENTS WERE SURVEYED SEPARATELY.
THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME TO SURVEY STUDENTS, AND WE CHOSE TO ADMINISTER THE SURVEY TO STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH 12.
IT WAS OPTIONAL, AND WE MADE SURE TO PRE COMMUNICATE MESSAGING BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SOME DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS ON THERE THAT WE KNEW THAT SOME PARENTS MAYBE WOULD NOT WANT THEIR CHILD TO PARTICIPATE IN.
IT WAS OFFERED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, BUT THERE WERE OPTIONS FOR THEM TO NOT SIT THERE IN THE CLASSROOM.
I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT FOR STUDENTS, THE RESPONSES THERE ARE 2,334.
THAT WAS GRADE SIX THROUGH 12.
FOR PARENTS, THERE, THE RESPONSES 18, 99.
IN 2018, OUR SURVEY RESPONSES FOR PARENTS WERE 2,606. A LITTLE MORE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASONING WHY, BUT THAT'S LITTLE DECLINE THIS YEAR.
THEN FOR STAFF, WE HAD 553 RESPONSES IN THIS YEAR'S ADMINISTRATION AND IN 2018 WE HAD 544.
PRETTY COMPARABLE. SO TO GET INTO THE SURVEY AND I'M JUST FRAMING IT UP FOR THESE LADIES.
BUT ESSENTIALLY WE WORKED ON THE WAY THE SURVEY WAS GROUPED OR WHOEVER WAS TAKING IT WERE IN CATEGORIES JUST TO KIND OF BREAK IT UP A LITTLE BIT SO YOU WEREN'T ANSWERING 400 QUESTIONS, YOU HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK IN-BETWEEN.
THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE DESIGNED PRESENTING THESE RESULTS TO YOU IS KEEPING THOSE CATEGORIES OF ACADEMIC PREPARATION, STUDENTS AND STAFF SUPPORT, LEADERSHIP AND ENVIRONMENT.
AS YOU'LL SEE AS WE PRESENT SOME OF THESE AND AS YOU GO INTO THE HEART OF A CLIMATE SURVEY RESULTS, ENVIRONMENT CAN BE A LOT.
A LOT OF THINGS FALL UNDER ENVIRONMENT.
TO START OFF JUST, HERE'S THE PARTICIPATION BROKEN OUT, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS THAT PARTICIPATED, HER CAMPUS.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT ATS HAS ONE ON THERE.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT SURVEY, THEY SAID THEY WERE SENIOR.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE IF THAT WAS AN ETS STUDENT AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY ADMINISTERED THE SURVEY AT ATF.
SO TAKE THAT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.
MAYBE SHOULD FALL UNDER WESTLAKE.
>> THANK YOU. WHEN KATIA MENTIONED IN 2018, WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS INFORMATION, WE WERE CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT THAT COMMUTE PER DAY.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD AS A TOPIC.
WE KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR STAFF ARE NOT LIVING IN THE DISTRICT.
THEY ARE COMMUTING THROUGH SEVERAL DISTRICTS TO GET TO US.
WE DO HAVE A YOUNGER WORKFORCE.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
I DID SEE ABOUT A 10 PERCENT INCREASE AND THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NORMAL AUSTIN TRAFFIC THAT WE'RE SEEING EVERY DAY OR IF THAT MEANS PEOPLE ARE MOVING A LITTLE FURTHER OUT,
[01:25:03]
BUT DEFINITELY DID SEE A LITTLE BIT OF INCREASE.THEN I THINK ARE HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN E1S? IT MAY BE THIS.
WE'RE SEEING THAT I BELIEVE THAT WAS ABOUT ALMOST 50 PERCENT WERE IN THE ZERO TO FIVE. OH, THANK YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S CUT OFF UP THERE.
IF I REMEMBER IT ALMOST BEING AT 50 PERCENT WAS THE NEW TEACHERS WHO WERE TAKING THE SURVEY.
>> LORI, COULD YOU TELL US WHAT THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE FOR EACH OF THE YEARS GROUPING?
>> SURE. ZERO TO FIVE YEARS ARE 46, 6 TO 10 YEARS ARE AT 22.3, 11-15 YEARS WAS 12.9, 16-20 YEARS WAS EIGHT.
>> THAT MIGHT BE IN THAT CATEGORY.
>> SO YES. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR STAFF.
WE REMEMBER WE USED TO DO THAT.
WHAT MATTERS TO OUR STAFF CONVERSATION AND NOT SURPRISINGLY, COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS IS AT THE TOP THE HIGHEST PIECE.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT WAS ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT WAS OF INTEREST WHEN WE WENT TO THE CAMPUSES TO VISIT OUR CAMPUS CONVERSATIONS WHEN DR.
ARNETT LEAD THE GROUP AND THEY ARE CURIOUS, WHAT IS COMPENSATION GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR? RIGHTFULLY SO THEY HAVE MANY DECISIONS TO MAKE IN THEIR OWN FAMILIES AREN'T SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THAT CULTURE, OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFERED THROUGH CURRICULUM, THEIR CAMPUS LEADERSHIP.
THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT MAKES THEM WANT TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY.
I KNOW THAT YOU, AS A BOARD, VALUE THAT AND REALLY WORK HARD TO KEEP THOSE CLASS SIZES LOW, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OUR FACILITIES AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER TOO.
I THINK NEW FOR US THIS YEAR WAS LOOKING AT DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS? WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU ARE MAKING DECISIONS TO CLOSE THE DISTRICT FOR MAYBE AN ICE DAY, WE ARE LOOKING AT WHERE DO OUR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS HAVE THEIR CHILDREN OTHER THAN IN THE AST.
THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO US SO THAT WE COULD SEE HOW WE WILL AFFECT THEM.
WE OBVIOUSLY TALK WITH THE COMMUNITIES AROUND US WHEN WE'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS ABOUT CLOSING, AND SO I THINK THIS GIVES US A GOOD IDEA THAT CLOSING OUR DISTRICT AND HAVING ANOTHER DISTRICT OR LEAVING OUR DISTRICT OPEN, HAVING ANOTHER DISTRICT CLOSE, THAT'S JUST THAT IMPACT.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CHANGE IT, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPACT.
>> EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO HEAR ME.
THE NEXT GROUPS THAT WE'LL LOOK THROUGH AGAIN, ARE IN THOSE CATEGORIES.
LOOKING AT ACADEMIC PREPARATION, THE GRADES THAT WE'RE GIVEN, THIS WAS FAIRLY CLOSE TO AROUND 83 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS GAVE US EITHER AN A OR B AN 88 PERCENT OF THE PARENTS.
I THINK THAT THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
OBVIOUSLY, I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN MOST OF THESE THAT THE PARENTS USUALLY RATE US A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE KIDS AND I THINK THAT'S OKAY AND PROBABLY PRETTY NORMAL.
>> I KNOW. BUT THAT ONE IS OKAY. WHO KNOWS.
LEARNING IS CHARACTERIZED BY RIGOR AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
AGAIN, THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED WEREN'T NECESSARILY EXACTLY THE SAME ACROSS EACH GROUP, BUT THESE WERE WHAT WE SAID.
LOOKING AT BEING CHALLENGED AT WORK, HIGH EXPECTATIONS ALIGNING CURRICULUM, THIS WAS ALL PRETTY STANDARD ACROSS THE BOARD IN THE LOW TO MID 80S FOR OUR STUDENTS, PARENTS AND STAFF.
IN TERMS OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY, THIS WAS ALL A LITTLE BIT HIGHER IN THE LOW 90S FOR EACH OF THE GROUPS, SO THAT FEELS GOOD AND AGAIN, VALIDATES THE WORK THAT CHRISTY AND HER GROUP DO AROUND TECHNOLOGY AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE IN MY DEPARTMENT THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT THEY NEED.
I'M NOT GOING TO LOOK AT THAT. [LAUGHTER] STUDENTS
[01:30:01]
ARE CHALLENGED AND INSTRUCTION IS EFFECTIVE.LOOKING AT I HAVE TO WORK HARD TO MAKE GOOD GRADES WITH YOUR STUDENTS, MY STUDENTS RECEIVING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION, SO THOSE WERE IN THE HIGH 80S, LOW 90S.
WHAT WAS THE LITTLE INTERESTING TO US WAS WHEN YOU LOOK AT STUFF IN MY SCHOOL MEET REGULARLY TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN IMPROVE LEARNING THROUGH THE TEACHERS, THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER, AT ONLY 74 PERCENT.
THAT GOES TO AGAIN, WHEN YOU SEE IN THE DIP THAT WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE PLC PROCESS AND THAT NOTE THOSE FIRST FOUR THINGS OUTLINING THE PLC PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HELPING OUR TEACHERS HAVE THOSE REALLY MEANINGFUL INSTRUCTIONAL CONVERSATIONS.
ALL OF THE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS HAVE GONE THROUGH A COACHING ACADEMY.
A COUPLE OF PEOPLE IN OUR DEPARTMENT JUST WENT THROUGH ANOTHER PLC TRAINING, SO THAT'S AGAIN AN AREA OF FOCUS TO TEAM LIKE ANOTHER TARGETED AREA THAT WE NEED TO BE SUPPORTING.
WHEN WE LOOK AT SENSE OF BELONGING IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
WE HAD ABOUT 75 PERCENT AND WHEN I'M LOOKING AT AGREE AND STRONGLY AGREE WITH OUR STUDENTS, BUT 87 PERCENT OF OUR PARENTS, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCREPANCY WHERE THE PARENTS ARE FEELING THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING, BUT MAYBE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE LOWER-LEVEL AREN'T, SO THERE'S SOMETHING THERE TO LOOK AT.
I WAS GOING TO TURN OVER TO YOU, BUT IT SEEMS. IN TERMS OF OUR AIR STAFF ENJOY WORKING AT THE SCHOOL, A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT, STILL A SENSE OF BELONGING, BUT NICE NUMBER AROUND 93 PERCENT.
THAT FEELS GOOD THAT OUR STAFF LIKE BEING HERE AND WE LIKE THAT.
[LAUGHTER] LOOKING AT HOW TEACHERS AND STAFF TREAT THEIR STUDENTS, AGAIN, ON THIS PARTICULAR QUESTION, AROUND 73 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS WERE STRONGLY AGREE OR AGREE, WHEREAS 81 PERCENT OF THE PARENTS.
AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN HOW OUR PARENTS ARE SEEING THINGS IN OUR STUDENTS.
OBVIOUSLY WE'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS IN THE LOW 70S.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS HIGHER.
THEN OUR STAFF, WHEN WE HAD STUDENTS ARE TREATED FAIRLY REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND OR DIFFERENCES, AROUND 78 PERCENT OF OUR STAFF.
AN AREA THAT WE STILL WANT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT, AND I THINK TO THE POINT YOU GUYS MADE EARLIER ABOUT MAKING SURE WE FOCUS ON OUR DEI WORK.
ON THE NEXT QUESTION AROUND THERE'S A TEACHER COUNSELOR, OTHER STAFF MEMBER I CAN TALK TO AROUND SCHOOL PROBLEMS, 71 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS STRONGLY AGREE OR AGREE WITH PARENTS BEING AROUND 83 PERCENT.
OUR STAFF FELT IN TERMS OF HAVING SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR SCHOOL PROBLEMS THAT FELT STRONGLY AGREE OR AGREE AROUND 91 PERCENT.
IN A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT PERCEPTION OF HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE SCHOOL ITSELF.
MY TEACHER KNOWS ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL, SO THIS PARTICULAR NUMBER FOR STUDENTS WAS PRETTY LOW AND SO SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS FEEL SEEN AND HEARD AND KNOW THAT THEY HAVE SOMEONE TO GO TO.
THIS QUESTION TO YOU NOT QUITE EXACTLY APPLES TO APPLES WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS, BUT THEN IN TERMS OF THE PARENTS WE WERE LOOKING AT MORE LIKE IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS, DO THEY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT THEY CAN GO TO ON THEIR CAMPUS, AND THAT WAS AROUND 86 PERCENT AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE.
THEN IN TERMS OF THAT BELONGINGNESS OR FEELING HURT BY THE STAFF, AROUND 87 PERCENT FELT THAT THEIR PRINCIPAL CARED ABOUT THEM AS AN INDIVIDUAL SO THAT FELT GOOD.
>> THEN AS OUR CONVERSATION CONTINUES AROUND SAFETY, YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS HERE OF THE STAFF AND STUDENTS AND PARENTS.
OVERALL, I THINK THAT IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THAT OUR PARENTS, ABOUT 20 PERCENT ARE NOT QUITE SURE, BUT IN MOST OF OUR OTHER CATEGORIES, I THINK THAT OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS DO FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL.
WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
[01:35:05]
WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT CLEANLINESS OF THE SCHOOL.WE KNOW THAT OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT WORKS VERY HARD AT THIS.
WE KNOW THAT THEIR STAFF HAS BEEN UNDERSTAFFED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
THIS IS NOTHING NEW IN THAT AREA.
WE ALSO STRUGGLE IN CHILD NUTRITION.
IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT THE WORK AND THE EFFICIENCIES OF THESE TEAMS, WHEN THEY ARE UNDERSTAFFED.
THEY REALLY HAVE PULLED TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
THERE ARE GREAT FAMILY AND THEY REALLY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACILITIES THAT OUR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL AND EVERY DAY.
WE WANTED TO DO JUST SOME GENERAL TAKEAWAYS.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS VERY HIGH LEVEL OF A LOT OF DATA.
WE REALIZED THAT MAYBE WE HAD MORE QUESTIONS THAN MAYBE WE NEEDED AND MAYBE NEXT YEAR, [LAUGHTER] NEXT TIME WE DO THIS, WE MAY HAVE LAST QUESTIONS, BUT WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF DATA, SO WE RAN THROUGH THAT QUICKLY.
BUT THEN JUST SOME TAKEAWAYS FOR US AS A DEPARTMENT AND AS A CABINET OF WHAT STOOD OUT TO US.
IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
OVERALL, I THINK THAT THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS DO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THEIR KIDS AND WE REALLY DO TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO WELL.
OVERALL, THERE IS A POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE.
THE PARENTS DEFINITELY, I WOULD SAY, FELT THAT THE ADMINISTRATORS WERE RESPONSIVE TO THEIR CONCERNS OR IF THEY HAD QUESTIONS, THEY WERE TREATED PROFESSIONALLY.
SENSE OF BELONGING WAS A LITTLE BIT OF INTERESTING.
THEY OBVIOUSLY, THE PARENTS FELT THAT THE STUDENTS HAD A HIGHER SENSE OF BELONGING.
BUT 91% OF OUR KIDS DID SAY THEY HAVE A GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT THAT THEY CAN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE WITH.
MAYBE THEY DON'T ALL FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG IN GENERAL.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE HAVING FRIENDS TO GO TO OR A GROUP THAT THEY CAN IDENTIFY IS ALWAYS REALLY IMPORTANT. THAT WAS A STRENGTH.
THEN BOTH THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS AND ALSO THE TEACHERS TO REALLY TALKED ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION.
THAT SEEMED TO BE WHERE WE REALLY SCORED HIGH ALSO, IS THAT JUST ALLOWING STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AND BE WITH OTHER STUDENTS, LEARN FROM OTHER STUDENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.
IN TERMS OF AREAS FOR GROWTH FOR US AROUND INSTRUCTIONAL FEEDBACK.
LOTS OF QUESTIONS AROUND LIKE DO I GET MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK ON MY HOMEWORK AND ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS AND QUIZZES.
IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GIVING IS NOT AS QUITE AS MEANINGFUL AS IT COULD BE.
MEETING WITH OUR TEACHERS ABOUT HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE GIVE THIS ASSIGNMENT, IT'S REALLY IS A LEARNING EXERCISE FOR THEM AND THAT THE FEEDBACK IS MEANINGFUL AND THAT THEY CAN USE IT AND IT'S NOT JUST A GRADE OR IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY PUT I WOULD SAY IN THEIR FOLDER, BUT WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
IT'S ALL ONLINE. BUT THEY JUST PUT IT AWAY AND DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.
ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE NOTICED WAS THE PARENTS FELT LIKE WE HAD A PRETTY LOW SCORE ON PARENT HAVING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL.
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO OFFER THOSE AND REALLY PUBLICIZE THINGS THAT WE DO DO BECAUSE WE DO THINGS AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET ANY TURNOUT OR WE GET LOW TURNOUT AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T DO THINGS.
WE'RE IN THIS LITTLE VICIOUS CYCLE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO BETTER WITH COMMUNICATION AND MAKING SURE WE GET ALL OF THAT OUT.
PERSONNEL SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS.
I THOUGHT ONE OF THE THINGS IN IT, THIS SPEAKS EXACTLY TO WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE MENTIONED TO.
WE DID SCORE, WE TENDED TO SCORE HIGHER ON STUDENTS FEELING THAT THERE WERE SOMEONE TO HELP THEM WITH SCHOOL PROBLEMS, BUT LOWER ON SOMEONE HELPING THEM WITH MORE OF THEIR PERSONAL PROBLEMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF COUNSELING STAFF.
WE HAVE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST AT OUR CAMPUS.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PARENTS OF WHAT RESOURCES WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE.
WE'LL HAVE A SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST AT EACH MIDDLE SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.
INSTEAD OF SPLITTING THAT POSITION, I THINK THAT WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES AND GREAT RESOURCES, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING THAT I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOU.
I'M ON THE BOARD WHO WERE SAY LIKE, MY STUDENTS OR MY CHILD DOESN'T KNOW WHO THEIR COUNSELOR IS AND I'M LIKE, WE GOT TO FIX THAT BECAUSE THERE THEY ARE.
[LAUGHTER] THEY'RE READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO HELP OUR KIDS.
JUST MAKING SURE WE WORK ON THAT.
SOME OF OUR STUDENTS DID NOT FEEL LIKE THAT THEY COULD SEE THE RELEVANCE IN SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY WERE DOING.
IT WAS A LOW SCORE, SO I PUT IT ON THERE, BUT IT MAY BE HARD AT AGE 16 TO EXACTLY SEE HOW THIS FITS INTO LIFE.
BUT ANYWAY, I PUT IT IN THERE.
THEN YOU GUYS ALSO BROUGHT THIS UP AROUND STUDENTS NOT REPORTING BEHAVIOR.
[01:40:03]
WE HAD A VERY LOW SCORE ON STUDENTS BEING WILLING TO REPORT HARMFUL OR OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR.THAT IS ALARMING AND CONCERNING, AND THAT GOES TO THE SAFETY.
I WOULD SAY THAT OUR NEW BRANDING WITH WESTLAKE WATCH, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THE STUDENTS TALKING ABOUT THAT MORE.
THE POSTERS ARE UP, THE STUDENTS ARE USING IT, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS.
THAT PARTICULAR SYSTEM IS ANONYMOUS, EITHER ANONYMOUSLY OR HOWEVER THEY NEED TO COMMUNICATE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS FEEL SUPPORTED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A TRUSTED ADULT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT SOMETHING'S WRONG.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY SENDING THAT MESSAGE OUT.
BUT CLEARLY, OUR STUDENTS INDICATED TO US THAT THEY'RE NOT SEEING THAT.
IN TERMS OF OUR TAKEAWAY FOR OUR STAFF, THEY DO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT, WHICH IS GREAT.
THEY ALSO FEEL COMFORTABLE BRINGING UP ISSUES TO THEIR ADMINISTRATION, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT OR SUPERVISOR, BECAUSE WE ALSO WANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE WERE SURVEYED, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND OTHER TYPES OF PEOPLE.
KNOWING THAT THEY FELT COMFORTABLE BRINGING UP ISSUES THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE TREATED PROFESSIONALLY AND THAT THEY'RE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS.
I THINK THAT SPEAKS A LOT TO THE LEADERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR DISTRICT.
THEN ALSO OUR TEACHERS AND THEIR SURVEY REALLY SHOWED THAT THEY VALUE PARENT INPUT AND THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR PARENTS AND THE DISTRICT, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS REALLY SUCH A HALLMARK AND ANXIETY TO HAVE SUCH GREAT PARENT INVOLVEMENT.
AREAS OF GROWTH. I SPOKE TO THIS AND AGAIN, ADDRESS THIS THROUGH THE DIP AROUND THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S MORE TARGETED AND DIRECTED.
OUR TEACHERS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE SPEAKING ABOUT SOME OF THE DIVERSE TOPICS.
I THINK THERE'S MULTIPLE REASONS FOR THAT.
I THINK THERE IS SOME FEAR OF HOW TO SAY CERTAIN THINGS IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM THE BEST WAY WE CAN.
I KNOW IT WASN'T AS REFLECTIVE IN THE DIP, WHICH I'M SAD ABOUT BECAUSE WE ARE DOING A TON OF WORK WITH LESS THAN CAST AROUND OUR CURRICULUM WRITING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REALLY HAVE VERY REPRESENTATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE AND CONTRIBUTION.
WHO'S MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUBJECTS THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT'S VERY INCLUSIVE.
BUT I KNOW OUR TEACHERS ARE STILL STRUGGLING SOMETIMES WITH HOW TO DO THAT.
THEN ENFORCEMENT OF DISCIPLINES SEEM TO BE AN AREA WITH OUR STAFF THAT THEY FELT WAS NOT AS CONSISTENT AS IT SHOULD BE IN.
ON THAT PARTICULAR ELEMENT, I WANT TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION.
I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT MEANING BY THAT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE ONES WHERE I WAS LIKE, I WANT TO DIG DEEPER AND ASK SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
IS IT FOR THE SAME OFFENSE THAT IT'S NOT OR IS IT DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS, WHAT IS IT LOOKING LIKE THAT THEY'RE NOT SEEING THAT ENFORCEMENT OF DISCIPLINES? I DO WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT THESE THOROUGHLY.
THERE IS A LOT TO PROCESS AND I HOPE YOU DO SEE THAT SOME OF THAT DID THEN GET REFLECTED INTO THE DIP USING THIS AS REALLY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR US ALONG WITH THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THE BOARD.
THAT WAS GREAT. I'M GOING TO START WITH. [INAUDIBLE] FIRST OF ALL, AS A PARENT OF TWO KIDDOS WHO TOOK THE SURVEY AND I TOOK THE SURVEYS, WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT I THINK IT'S MEANINGFUL THAT WE'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THE PARENT EDUCATION BECAUSE AS YOU ALL KNOW, THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN.
I TRIED TO ATTEND WHEN I HAVE NOTICED ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU. I'M ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS MENTIONING TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS ABOUT THE THERAPIST AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE.
IT HAS REMAINED SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO BUILD ON.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE.
I'M IN AND THIS IS JUST BEING A LITTLE BIT PICKY THAT DON'T KNOW AND A CATEGORY KILLED ME A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SUPER VALID TO SAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF OUR SCHOOL HAS SUPPORT RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS OR HELP FOR SCHOOL PROGRAM, BUT MAYBE NOT SO MUCH IF I ENJOY WORKING.
[LAUGHTER] I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIKE WORKING AT A SCHOOL OR YOU DON'T.
THAT SEEMED A LITTLE WEIRD. I DON'T KNOW.
WE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES ON THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY INTERESTS EVEN ON A TEACHER WHEN I CONTACT PARENTS ABOUT ACADEMIC PROGRESS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE.
THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A WEIRD ON SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS WE NOTICED THAT.
LOOKS GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[01:45:01]
THANK YOU. ELLEN.DID YOU NOTICE ANYTHING INTERESTING BETWEEN THE MIDDLE-SCHOOL RESPONSES IN THE HIGH SCHOOL RESPONSES OR WAS THE DATA AVAILABLE? THAT DATA IS AVAILABLE, I WOULD SAY THAT FOR THIS, WE REALLY WERE LOOKING MORE HOLISTICALLY AND DIDN'T DRILL DOWN AS MUCH WE REALLY EXPECTED THE CAMPUSES TO DO THAT WORK THEMSELVES.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT SPECIFICALLY.
DO WE THINK WE HAVE LARGE ENOUGH BASE SIZES SO THAT THE THREE CAMPUSES WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THEIR [OVERLAPPING] SPECIFICALLY WITH A ROBUST IS JUST FULL.
ABSOLUTELY. I DO KNOW THAT THE THREE SECONDARY CAMPUSES DO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
IN EVERY THEY COMPARE, THEY ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW.
I ANTICIPATE THAT THEY DID THAT THEMSELVES WHEN THEY SAW NUMBERS THAT WERE EITHER REALLY HIGH OR REALLY LOW TO CHECK WITH THE OTHER ONES TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON ON THOSE OTHER CAMPUSES.
>> LET'S SAY, LAURA AND THEN CAM.
>> THANK YOU ALL. THIS IS INCREDIBLY INTERESTING.
WE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE DEI OR THE LACK OF DEI INITIATIVES AND THE TIP.
AND WHAT I FIND VERY INTERESTING IS THAT AREAS OF GROWTH FOR STAFF.
ONE OF THE THINGS WAS SPEAKING ON DIVERSE TOPICS FOR STUDENTS.
IT WAS TEACHERS KNOW ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS REALLY LOW.
I THINK THOSE TWO REALLY GO HAND IN HAND WITH EACH OTHER.
I THINK THAT THEY ARE CLOSELY RELATED, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN BUILD THAT WITH THE STUDENTS BY HELPING THE TEACHERS LEARN HOW TO SPEAK ON THINGS, SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TOPICS, AS WELL AS THAT INSTRUCTIONAL FEEDBACK.
BECAUSE WHEN THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FACE-TO-FACE TIME, THEN THEY GET TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE THINGS SEE GROWTH IN THOSE AREAS FOR THE STAFF BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL REALLY HELP THAT STUDENT.
IT KILLS ME BECAUSE ALMOST 20% OF OUR KIDS SAID THAT OUR TEACHERS DON'T NET THEM AS A PERSON.
IT'S ROUGH. JUST LOOPING IT BACK TO DEI. THANKS.
>> I THINK I'M FOLLOWING UP ON MAYBE COMMENTS THAT JEN MADE EARLIER WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TIP AND THEN LAURA'S LATEST COMMENTS, THINGS THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME.
AND I THINK THAT YOU'VE CAPTURED THEM AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE AWARE OF THEM.
BUT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS IN THE STUDENT CLIMATE SURVEY AND THERE WERE FIVE OF THEM THAT JUMPED OUT OF ME, 22, 23, 36, 37, 38, AND THEY WERE ANYWHERE FROM 12-30% IN ENTERING IN A NEGATIVE.
THEY WERE ALL AROUND SENSE OF BELONGING.
AND SO JUST TO REITERATE, AGAIN, I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES AHEAD IN THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, OF STUDENTS THAT ARE WILLING TO GO OUT, TAKE THIS SURVEY, AND GIVE US FEEDBACK THAT THEY WANT TO BELONG.
AND THEY DON'T FEEL THAT WAY. AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO CREATE THAT GREATER SENSE OF BELONGING. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU GUYS. I KNOW THIS IS A TON OF WORK, BUT IT'S SO INSIGHTFUL AND I HOPE IT IS FOR YOU ALL.
SEEMS LIKE IT IS AS MUCH AS IT IS FOR US.
I'M WONDERING, WAS THE FOUR-YEAR GAP, DID THAT HAVE MAINLY TO DO WITH COVID OR WHAT WOULD PRIOR TO THAT, HOW OFTEN DID WE DO THE SURVEY?
>> WE TRY TO STICK AROUND A FOUR-YEAR GAP.
I THINK THIS ONE WAS MORE LIKE FIVE YEARS, WASN'T IT REALLY, TECHNICALLY? AND I THINK IT WAS JUST.
YES, COVID, I THINK IT WAS JUST TRYING TO.
>> I'M WONDERING AND I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT I'M WONDERING IF IT MAKES SENSE TO GO TO AN EVERY OTHER YEAR CYCLE.
BECAUSE YOU COULD MEASURE, IF YOU'RE USING THIS TO INFORM YOUR DEPTH, YOUR GOALS, AND YOUR PRIORITIES, THAN YOU ARE SO MUCH BETTER ABLE TO MEASURE IF IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FREQUENT.
>> THANKS Y'ALL. REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DID ON THIS.
>> ALLISON, I THINK YOU'RE NEXT.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE FIRST READING OF
[7.3 First Reading of Texas Association of School Boards' Local Policy Updates 119 and 120]
THE TASBY LOCAL POLICY UPDATE 110, 120.>> THANK YOU. THIS IS THE FIRST OF
[01:50:02]
A FEW POLICY UPDATES I'M GOING TO BRING YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.THIS ONE IS UPDATES 119, 120 CLEANING UP SOME OLD TASBY POLICIES.
PROBABLY IN MAY, I'M GOING TO BRING YOU A GROUP OF DISTRICT INITIATED POLICY REVISIONS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE AND LOOK AT, INCLUDING MAKING REFERENCES TO ALL OF OUR DISTRICT OF INNOVATION POLICIES SO THAT EVERYONE WHO LOOKS AT THOSE POLICIES ONLINE KNOWS THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THAT AREA.
THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE SOME NEW LEGISLATIVE POLICIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO PROBABLY AT THE END OF THE SUMMER.
I'VE SUMMARIZED BOTH OF THESE FOR YOU AND YOU HAVE THE REDLINED VERSIONS IN YOUR PACKET.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ALLISON? SEEING NONE.
I NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT YOUR SUMMARY, BUT IT WOULD BE FASTER FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN IT TO ME.
IT'S PAGE 56, WHICH IS GOT 56.
>> WHAT ARE THE THREE LETTERS IN THE TOP-RIGHT CORNER?
IT'S TALKING ABOUT A STUDENT OR PARENT WHO IS DISSATISFIED WITH MAY APPEAL.
IT USED TO READ A STUDENT OR PARENT SHALL BE INFORMED OF HIS OR HER RIGHT.
AND IT'S CHANGING TO THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS HAS THE RIGHT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT REMOVING THAT.
IF I HAD TO GUESS, I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT TASBY GOES THROUGH AND SORT OF NOTES EVERY CHANGE THAT THEY MAKE.
I WOULD BET THOUGH KNOWING THEIR SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE CLARIFYING TO BECOME MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE FEDERAL LAW ON THAT ISSUE TO EXACTLY QUOTE THE WORDING.
BUT THAT'S A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE.
LET ME CONFIRM THE REASON FOR THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY AND THEN DECIDE IF THAT'S THE CHANGE WE WANT TO MAKE ON OUR END.
BECAUSE I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO KEEP THE OLD LANGUAGE ON THAT UNLESS FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S SOME OVERWHELMING REASON TO CHANGE IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT SPECIFICALLY.
>> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING?
YOU'LL CONSIDER SECOND READING AND ADOPTION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW AND I'LL LOOK AT IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK VERY MUCH. NOW THE ACTION PORTION OF THE FIRST ACTION ITEM
[8.1 2023-24 Contract Recommendations for General Counsel, Assistant Superintendents, and Principals]
IS A 2023-'24 CONTRACT RECOMMENDATION FOR GENERAL COUNSEL, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, AND PRINCIPALS. DO I HAVE A MOTION?>> I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE ALL MATTERS RELATED TO CONTRACT RENEWALS FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS.
GENERAL COUNSEL, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, AND PRINCIPALS.
>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM LAURA AND A SECOND FROM JAMES.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS AN OUT-OF-STATE FIELD TRIP REQUEST.
[8.2 Out of State Field Trip Request(s)]
DO I HAVE A MOTION? LAURA.I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL OF AMERICA CLUBS OUT-OF-STATE STUDENT FIELD TRIP TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA FROM APRIL 22, 2023, TO APRIL 26, 2023, AND THE WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL THEATER TO LONDON, EDINBURGH, FROM JULY 26, 2025, TO AUGUST 8, 2025.
>> MOTION FROM LAURA AND A SECOND FROM JAMES.
HE WHISPERED BEFORE I [INAUDIBLE].
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NOW WE HAVE TWO UPCOMING MEETINGS.
[9. UPCOMING MEETINGS]
WE HAVE ONE, APRIL 25TH, THAT'S GOING TO BE A REGULAR MEETING, AND THEN MAY 9TH WILL BE A SPECIAL MEETING.WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO MOVE THIS BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.071, 551.074, 551.07 AND 076.
THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.