[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
>> [NOISE] [BACKGROUND] THE TIME IS NOW 6:02, AND I CALL THE AUGUST 27, 2024 MEETING OF THE EANES ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ORDER.
AS OUR LONGEST-TENURED BOARD MEMBER,
[2. ESTABLISH A QUORUM]
ELLEN, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM?>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO
[3. CLOSED SESSION]
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 551.071 AND 551.074.WE WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 PM.
THANK YOU FOR COMING. SEE YOU IN A BIT.
[4. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION (Approximately 7:00 p.m.)]
THE TIME IS NOW 7:15, AND WE WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.WE RAN A LITTLE BIT LONG IN OUR CLOSED SESSION, BUT WE ARE READY TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS NOW.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE AN AUDIENCE HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN THE BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WE APPRECIATE BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE PART OF OUR VOLUNTEER LIVES TO SERVE ON THE BOARD FOR OUR DISTRICT.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ATTENTION. REAL QUICK.
THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING IS FOR THE BOARD TO DELIBERATE AND VOTE ON MATTERS ON ITS AGENDA.
THE DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO TREATING EVERYONE HERE WITH RESPECT, AND WE EXPECT THE SAME IN RETURN.
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM OUTBURSTS OR ANY OTHER FORM OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.
APPLAUSE IS OKAY, AND RECOGNIZING ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE TALK ABOUT HERE IS FINE.
THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT LATER IN THE MEETING, BUT NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK SO WE WILL BYPASS THAT SECTION.
I DID WANT TO SAY REAL QUICK THAT WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT FLOW, AND PEOPLE MAY BE INTERESTED IN CERTAIN TOPICS WE'RE DISCUSSING.
DOESN'T OFFEND US IF YOU GET UP AND LEAVE.
IF YOU NEED TO GO, THAT'S FINE.
WE JUST ASK THAT YOU DO IT QUIETLY AND TAKE CONVERSATIONS OUT INTO THE HALL.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOLS.
WE WILL START WITH OUR MISSION STATEMENT; UNITE,
[5. EANES ISD MISSION STATEMENT]
EMPOWER, INSPIRE, EVERY PERSON, EVERY DAY.WE UNITE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS, CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR ALL.
WE EMPOWER STUDENTS, PROVIDING AN EXEMPLARY EDUCATION THAT DEVELOPS CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, AND INDIVIDUAL TALENTS.
WE INSPIRE EACH OTHER TO LEAD PURPOSEFUL LIVES OF EMPATHY, GRATITUDE, AND COMPASSION.
WE WILL NOW HAVE OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
TONIGHT, WE HAVE FRANK EDWARDS, A SENIOR AT WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, LEADING US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
FRANK IS A MEMBER OF TROOP 30 HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HE HAS BEEN IN EANES ISD SCHOOL DISTRICT STARTING AT FOREST TRAIL ELEMENTARY, WHERE MY OWN KIDS WENT. THANK YOU.
THROUGH WESTRIDGE, AND NOW WE'LL GRADUATE FROM WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL THIS SPRING.
THANK YOU, FRANK, FOR JOINING US, AND WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.
WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. DR. ARNETT.
[7. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT]
>> THANK YOU, MR. SPRADLEY. WELCOME THIS EVENING, EVERYONE.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WITH US IN PERSON AND ALSO WATCHING ONLINE.
AS WE REFLECT OVER THE LIFE OF ANY ORGANIZATION, IT'S ALWAYS BITTER/SWEET WHEN A VALUED COLLEAGUE LEAVES US AS JEREMY TRIMBLE DID THIS PAST SUMMER.
HOWEVER, IT'S ALSO AN EXCITING TIME WHEN WE FIND SOMEONE WHO WE FEEL IS A PERFECT FIT FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THIS EVENING, I AM VERY PLEASED AND PROUD TO WELCOME DR. MIGUEL GARCIA, WHO IS JOINING US FROM THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
DR. GARCIA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[APPLAUSE] DR. GARCIA WILL NOW BE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR FACILITIES PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION.
HE'LL HAVE THE VERY LARGE RESPONSIBILITY AND SCOPE OF OVERSEEING ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS WITHIN OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENTS, WORKING ALONGSIDE DR. KRISTY SAILORS, OUR NEW ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR OPERATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY.
DR. GARCIA, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU THIS EVENING.
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU JOINING US, I THINK, SHORTLY AFTER THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY, IS THAT RIGHT? GOOD. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF HIS QUALIFICATIONS AND THE POSITIONS, AS WELL AS HIS VARIOUS ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS.
DR. GARCIA, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING.
ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT LAST WEEK, MRS. BALTHAZAR AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF WORKING WITH DR. LAUREN TUREK FROM TRINITY UNIVERSITY, AND WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT
[00:05:02]
AN EXCITING PARTNERSHIP TO HELP PRESERVE SOME OF THE HISTORICAL SITES, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT EANES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.THERE ARE SO MANY ON THAT CAMPUS, AS YOU WERE PROBABLY AWARE, FROM THE ROCK SCHOOLHOUSE, THE ROCK CHURCH THAT AT ONE TIME BELONGED TO WESTLAKE PRESBYTERIAN, THE CEMETERY, THE WAGON BARN, THE FARMHOUSE, ALL OF THOSE SITES THAT ARE ALL WITHIN THE EANES ELEMENTARY CAMPUS.
MRS. BALTHAZAR, I THINK I SPEAK FOR YOU IN SAYING, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP, TOO.
>> LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THIS MAY BRING AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE THEIR MUSEUM STUDIES STUDENTS IN HELPING US TO PRESERVE THESE VERY IMPORTANT SITES.
FINALLY, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THIS HAS BEEN A DAY FOR THE ROTARY CLUB OF AUSTIN, WESTLAKE.
WE BEGAN THIS MORNING WITH THE ROTARY CLUB'S FIRST MONTHLY CHECK PRESENTATION TO OUR EDUCATOR OF THE MONTH, AND THAT IS MR. ERIC MARTIN, A LONG-TIME AP BIOLOGY TEACHER AT WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WAS FUN TO BE THERE AND TO TAG ALONG WITH THAT SURPRISE PRESENTATION.
TRUSTEE HERN AND TRUSTEE SHEFFIELD WERE ALSO THERE.
OF COURSE, DIANE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROTARY CLUB, AND HEATHER IS THE PAST PRESIDENT.
FOR US TO BE THERE IN THE CLASSROOM, TO SURPRISE HIM, TO SEE THE ACTUAL PRIDE ON HIS STUDENTS' FACES, AS WE PRESENTED HIM WITH THAT CHECK WAS A LOT OF FUN.
BUT IT DIDN'T END THERE BECAUSE WE ALL WENT DIRECTLY TO THE ROTARY CLUB'S WEEKLY MEETING.
AT THAT MEETING, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM PRINCIPAL STEVE RAMSEY, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CALLAN NOKES, AND VARSITY HEAD FOOTBALL COACH TONY SALAZAR.
THEY ALL SPOKE ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE BEGINNING OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON, WHICH IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR WHEN THE CHAPS FACE OFF AGAINST PROSPER HIGH SCHOOL TO OPEN THEIR SEASON.
IT WAS A GREAT DAY, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT THE ROTARY CLUB DOES FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO BE A PART OF ALL OF THOSE FESTIVITIES TODAY, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR INVESTMENT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT FOR THIS EVENING.
>> THANK YOU, DR. ARNETT. YES, HEATHER.
>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GIVE DR. ARNETT A PLUG AS BEING THE SECRETARY FOR THE ROTARY CLUB FOR YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE ROTARY CLUB ALSO.
>> AWESOME. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO OUR AGENDA.
WE DO NOT HAVE OPEN FORUM, SO WE WILL START WITH MARIA ROCKSTEAD WITH OUR MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT. WELCOME, MARIA.
[9.1 Financial report and budget amendment(s) for the year ending June 30, 2024 and one month ending July 31, 2024]
>> SINCE WE DIDN'T SEE EACH OTHER LAST MONTH, WE HAD A BIG PACKET TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE HAD AN 863-PAGE BOARD PREP PACKET, NOT KIDDING. [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S NOT ALL MINE. [LAUGHTER]
>> NOT ALL [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER]
>> OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T MEET LAST MONTH.
WE HAD NOT COME TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD PRESENTED JUNE FINANCIALS, AND SO THIS PACKET INCLUDES THE JUNE FINANCIALS AND THE JULY FINANCIALS.
JUNE, OF COURSE, IS THE MORE IMPORTANT ONE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT'S THE END OF YEAR FOR '23/'24.
THIS IS OUR NEAR-FINAL NUMBERS.
WE ARE STILL, OF COURSE, PUTTING IN ALL THOSE FINAL JOURNAL ENTRIES FOR THE YEAR.
THE AUDITORS ARE AT THIS CURRENT POINT AUDITING US, WHICH IS JUST OUR ANNUAL RECURRING AUDIT THAT WE HAVE.
BUT FOR JUNE 30TH, 2024, FOR THE GENERAL FUND, OUR NEAR-FINAL NUMBER IS ENDING AT AS A BUDGET DEFICIT OF 294,000.
THAT REPRESENTS A SAVINGS OF ABOUT 1.2 MILLION OVER WHAT OUR BUDGETED DEFICIT WAS.
THEN ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD MENTIONED WHEN WE MET LAST WAS THAT OUR CHILD NUTRITION FUND WAS ANTICIPATED ENDING AT A DEFICIT AS WELL.
THEY DID END UP AS A DEFICIT AS WE EXPECTED, BUT IT WAS NOT AT THE POINT TO WHAT WE EXPECTED.
THE GENERAL FUND HAS ALSO LOAN THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND, 275,000 TO BRING IT INTO A POSITIVE FUND BALANCE, AND THEN THE PLAN IS THAT THEY WILL PAY THAT BACK WITHIN THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS.
IF THEY CAN PAY IT BACK SOONER, THEN THEY'LL PAY IT BACK SOONER.
THAT IS FOR THE JUNE FINANCIALS.
DO YOU WANT TO DO QUESTIONS, NOW WE'RE GOING TO WAIT. [BACKGROUND] SOMEBODY ELSE.
LET ME STOP TO JUNE. AS HAPPENS IN JULY, NOT VERY MUCH ACTIVITY.
WE HAVE, AT THIS POINT, AS OF JULY 31ST, THE TEACHERS HAD NOT COME BACK, SO THERE'S NO EXPENDITURES RELATED TO SALARIES, SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE VERY FEW EXPENDITURES.
BUT IT FELL BASICALLY WHAT WE EXPECTED IT TO FALL.
THEN AS FAR AS BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY,
[00:10:01]
THERE WAS NOT ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR ANY OF THOSE THREE FUNDS; FOR THE GENERAL FUND, DEBT SERVICE, OR THE CHILD NUTRITION.AGAIN, BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE TYPICALLY DON'T SEE A LOT COMING IN FROM CAMPUSES OR DEPARTMENTS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO OTHER THINGS BESIDES WORRYING ABOUT SUBMITTING BUDGET TRANSFERS.
THAT'S WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH JULY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON JULY ACTIVITY?
>> OF THE 4.6 MILLION REMAINING IN THE 2019 BOND FUND, HOW MUCH OF THAT HAS BEEN EARMARKED FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVEN'T STARTED YET, ETC? IN OTHER WORDS, IS THERE TRULY REMAINING FUNDS OR IS THAT EARMARKED FOR PROJECTS AT THIS POINT? CHRIS IS GRABBING THE MICROPHONE THERE.
>> IF YOU REMEMBER, YOU DESIGNATED ABOUT $2½ MILLION DOLLAR AS UNDESIGNATED WHEN WE CLOSED OUT 2019 IN THE 2019 BACK.
THERE WAS ABOUT TWO POINT-SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS THAT WERE STILL IN PROJECTS.
A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE USED AND SO I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT PROBABLY AT LEAST 1½ MILLION OF THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS.
>> THEN IN THE FUTURE, WE COULD TALK ABOUT POSSIBLE?
YOU'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 401, AND SO WE'RE THINKING THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY WOULD PROBABLY BE USED FOR 401.
>> IS SOME OF THAT ALSO THE MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED FROM SELLING TECHNOLOGY, THE OLD IPADS, AND STUFF? IS THAT THE MONEY THAT WENT BACK INTO THE 2019 BOND?
>> [BACKGROUND] YES. ANYTHING THAT WE DO, ANY OF THESE DEVICES THAT WE SELL GOES BACK INTO THE BOND THAT WE USE TO PURCHASE IT WITH.
>> THEN, CHRIS, PERHAPS, ONE OTHER QUESTION.
NONE OF US KNOWS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT A FED RATE CUT.
I THINK I HEARD DR. ARNETT SAY, YOU'RE WORKING THAT INTO YOUR CURRENT FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS?
>> I HAVE. WHEN YOU ADOPTED THE BUDGET IN JUNE, BASED ON THE GUIDANCE WE WERE RECEIVING AT THAT TIME, WE WERE LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT SLOWER PACE OR IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT THE PACE WAS GOING TO BE SLOWER.
I USE A WEBSITE CALLED FEDWATCH, WHICH IS THE GO-TO FOR ESTIMATING THIS THING.
SINCE THEN, THE ESTIMATES HAVE CHANGED.
I PUT IN THE CONSENSUS MODEL NOW, AND SO IN THAT JUNE BUDGET THAT YOU ADOPTED, I SHOWED INVESTMENT REVENUES OF ABOUT $4.4 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S CLOSER TO 3.8 BASED ON WHAT WE THINK OF, SO ABOUT $600,000 TO THE BAT.
>> GOT IT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, TRUSTEES? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE HAVE ON HERE IS THE UPDATE ON THE ANNUAL RECURRING ROUTINE EXPENSES.
>> PERFECT. I SAW THAT IN THERE.
>> PER BOARD POLICY, WE NEED TO JUST GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF THOSE ITEMS THAT EXCEEDED.
I THINK THE POLICY DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY SAY 50,000.
I THINK AT SOME POINT WE DECIDED THAT WAS A THRESHOLD, AND SO THIS IS A LIST OF ALL THE ITEMS THAT FALL WITHIN THAT CATEGORY OF RECURRING ROUTINE AND THAT WERE OVER 50,000.
AGAIN, WE LIST ALL THOSE VENDORS, THE AMOUNTS, AND THEN A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THEY WERE RELATED TO.
>> I ALWAYS HAVE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO ONE OF THESE LINE ITEMS THAT IS WELL OVER $50,000, AND THAT IS THE RECAPTURE PAYMENT THAT WE MAKE TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, WHICH BASICALLY GOES TO THE STATE IN THE AMOUNT OF $121,959,556.
THAT'S AN EYE-OPENING AMOUNT THAT WE COLLECT IN TAXES AND THEN GIVE BACK TO THE STATE, WHICH DOES NOT GO TO OUR CLASSROOMS. I BELIEVE 58 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR NOW IS RECAPTURED, WHICH IS INSANE.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THAT, SO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER HANDY. BE MAD ABOUT.
>> WE HELP EDUCATE A LOT OF TEXAS CHILDREN RIGHT OUT OF THIS DISTRICT.
THANK YOU, MARIA. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REAL QUICK? THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL MOVE TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM,
[9.2 Enrollment & class size update]
AND MOLLY IS MAKING HER WAY UP AND CHAD.[00:15:02]
MOLLY MAY AND CHAD BURNETT FOR THE PRELIMINARY '24/'25 ENROLLMENT UPDATE. TAKE IT AWAY.>> GOOD EVENING. CHAD AND I ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME NUMBERS.
OUR PRELIMINARY ENROLLMENT, AND THIS WAS BASED ON LAST WEDNESDAY AS WE NEED TO GET TO A STOPPING POINT TO DO A BOARD PACKET WAS SEVEN [INAUDIBLE] THE BUDGET PROJECTION WAS 7,718.
THAT WAS BASED ON THE DEMOGRAPHERS' PROJECTION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DID NOT MEET THAT TARGET.
LAST YEAR, OUR ENROLLMENT AT SNAPSHOT WAS 7,732.
THIS NUMBER, OBVIOUSLY, THE 7,594, WILL CHANGE SOMEWHAT.
>> WE ALREADY GOT A COUPLE KIDS THIS WEEK THAT CAME IN, BUT ALSO TODAY IS THE 10TH DAY IF WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT HAVE NOT SHOWED UP AT ALL, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT THEIR FAMILIES.
WE'VE HEARD NOTHING FROM THOSE FAMILIES.
YOU KEEP THEM FOR 10 DAYS, BUT THEN TOMORROW THEY'LL BE WITHDRAWN.
THE NUMBER FLUCTUATES A LITTLE BIT EACH DAY, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A HUGE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND LET YOU GUYS KNOW AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE NEXT THING I WANT TO ADDRESS IS THE ELEMENTARY SECTIONS, AND I KNOW THIS IS A SHEET THAT YOU GUYS ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH AND I WILL TALK THROUGH IT.
A LOT OF IT'S THE SAME AS WHEN JEREMY HAS PRESENTED IN THE PAST, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CHAD AND I, NOT JEREMY, SO WE'RE DOING THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AS WE LEARN OUR WAY AROUND ENROLLMENT.
YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A KEY ON THE RIGHT SIDE, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE YOUR TRADITIONAL SECTIONS, THE RED SECTIONS ARE SPANISH IMMERSION, THE SECTIONS THAT ARE SHADED GREEN ARE THE COLLABORATIVE SECTIONS, AND THEN THE SECTIONS THAT ARE OVER GUIDELINE ARE IN ORANGE.
IF YOU REMEMBER FOR OVER GUIDELINE, AS A DISTRICT OF INNOVATION, WE DO NOT HAVE TO PUT IN A WAIVER FOR THAT, BUT WE DO TRY AS HARD AS WE CAN TO TRY TO KEEP OUR CLASS SIZE AT 22 OR BELOW, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S NOT FEASIBLE WITH THE WAY THAT THE SECTIONS AND THE WAY THE STUDENT NUMBERS COME INTO PLAY.
A FEW THINGS THAT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON THIS SO YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A COUPLE SECTIONS WHERE YOU MIGHT SEE, FOR INSTANCE, I'LL POINT TO FIRST GRADE AT BARTON CREEK, AND YOU SEE A 21 AND A 23 AND YOU MIGHT SAY, WHY ISN'T THAT 22 AND 22? WELL, THEY ACTUALLY KNEW THAT A STUDENT WAS COMING IN THAT MADE IT 22 AND 23 AND SO SOME OF THIS IS BASED ON, WE KNOW SOME KIDS ARE COMING IN, THEY JUST HAVEN'T SHOWN UP YET.
ALSO, THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN SPANISH IMMERSION, WHO LEAVE THE SPANISH IMMERSION CLASS TO GO INTO A COLLABORATIVE CLASS TO RECEIVE THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND SO THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSEFULLY KEEPS A COLLABORATIVE SECTION LOWER, KNOWING THAT DURING THE DAY THAT CLASS SIZE ACTUALLY GETS HIGHER.
THESE CLASS SIZES ARE NOT ALWAYS COMPLETELY STAGNANT FROM CLASS PERIOD TO CLASS PERIOD.
DEPENDING ON THE SERVICE THAT THE STUDENT NEEDS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, SOMETIMES THAT'S PROVIDED IN SPANISH IMMERSION, BUT OFTENTIMES THEY NEED TO COME OUT OF THAT SPANISH IMMERSION CLASS FOR THAT ONE SUBJECT TO GET THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN ENGLISH.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ON THE COLLABORATIVE SECTIONS, THOSE AREN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER.
OUR COLLABORATIVE MODEL IS THAT THERE'S A TEACHER OR A TEACHING ASSISTANT IN THAT CLASSROOM.
IF THERE IS A TEACHING ASSISTANT IN THE CLASSROOM, A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND TA ARE PARTNERED, SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE TA WILL ALWAYS BE IN THAT CLASSROOM FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
THEY MIGHT BE IN THE CLASSROOM, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, AND THE TEACHER IS IN THEIR TUESDAY AND THURSDAY OR THEY MAY EVEN SWITCH DURING A CLASS PERIOD.
THEY HAVE ALWAYS SO ANY CLASS THAT HAS A TA WITH IT ALSO HAS A TEACHER ASSIGNED, AND THEY WORK TOGETHER IN TANDEM AS A TEAM.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT, YOU MIGHT THINK, LIKE, LOOK AT ALL THOSE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ALL TEACHERS IN THAT GRADE LEVEL.
THE OTHER THING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT IS FIFTH GRADE, WE DID NOT INDICATE SPANISH IMMERSION BECAUSE FIFTH GRADE REALLY LOOKS A LOT MORE LIKE SIXTH GRADE OR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[00:20:03]
THOSE STUDENTS BECAUSE OF SPANISH IMMERSION IN SCIENCE AND BECAUSE OF FIFTH GRADE FIFTH, SIX COMPACTED MATH, EVERY PERIOD LOOKS DIFFERENT.THE CLASS SIZE LOOKS DIFFERENT AND SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO REPRESENT THAT ON THIS TYPE OF CHART.
IT LOOKS MORE, LIKE I SAID, LIKE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WHEN YOU SEE, LIKE WHAT'S AN AVERAGE CLASS SIZE.
THAT'S WHY YOU WILL SEE THOSE CLASSES DO LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE EVENED OUT.
BUT DURING THE DAY, IT COULD BE DIFFERENT JUST DEPENDING ON HOW THOSE STUDENTS ROLL INTO THAT SPANISH IMMERSION SCIENCE CLASS AND THE FIVE, SIX MATH.
THOSE ARE JUST WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, IT'S NOT ALL, WHY IS THIS NUMBER HERE? WHY IS THIS NUMBER HERE? BUT THE PRINCIPALS ARE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT THE STUDENTS THEY'RE PLACING IN THE CLASSES, THE TYPES OF SERVICES THEY NEED, WHO MIGHT BE COMING OVER TO THAT CLASS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT THESE CLASS NUMBERS.
THEN OBVIOUSLY, THEY CHANGE WHEN A NEW KID JUST DECIDES TO ENROLL, AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, I'M GOING TO PUT THEM OVER HERE IN THIS CLASS.
THAT IS WHAT OUR SECTIONS LOOK LIKE FOR ELEMENTARY.
BACK ON THAT CHART, YOU CAN COMPARE THE 2023, '24 ENROLLMENT TO THE ENROLLMENT THAT WE HAVE NOW, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE '23, '24 IS IN PURPLE AND THE ENROLLMENT FOR THIS YEAR IS IN BLUE, SO JUST TO GET AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE NUMBERS WISE.
THEN MOVING ON TO THE SECONDARY ENROLLMENT, YOU CAN SEE HILL COUNTRY WESTRIDGE AND WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL.
HILL COUNTRY AND WESTRIDGE ARE BOTH DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
THE HIGH SCHOOL IS ACTUALLY UP FROM LAST YEAR THAT WAS AT 2813, IT'S NOW AT 2852.
OUR ATS NUMBER STAYED STABLE THIS YEAR AT 23.
I THINK THAT, LIKE I SAID, WE MAY BE UP A A FEW KIDS TODAY, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CHAD, AND HE'S GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR TRANSFERS.
>> THE FIRST ONE, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD JUST GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE SAT LAST WEDNESDAY WITH TOTAL OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFERS.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE THERE, THE BIG THING HERE IS WE DID LOSE SENIORS BECAUSE WE HAD SOME SENIORS THAT WERE OUT OF DISTRICT.
WE WERE ABLE TO BACKFILL THAT, BACKFILL ANY POSITION OR STUDENT THAT MAY HAVE LEFT, AND THEN GAIN A LITTLE BIT OF GROUND AND INCREASE OUR OVERALL OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR.
WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT INCREASE AT THE DISTRICT EMPLOYEE LEVEL.
WE GAINED ABOUT 20, I'M GOING TO DO THE MATH ON MY HEAD NOW, 21 THERE THIS YEAR.
WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE COMPARISONS FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
JUST FOR A REFERENCE IN '22, '23, I WAS ABLE TO FIND WE HAD 678.
WE'VE SEEN A SLOW INCREASE OVER TIME FOR THOSE OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFERS.
OUR IN DISTRICT STAYED CONSISTENT AT 185.
THE NEXT SLIDE, WE BROKE THAT DOWN FOR YOU, [INAUDIBLE] WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHAT CAMPUS THAT THESE TRANSFERS IN DISTRICT AND OUT ARE AT, AND THEN PROVIDED FOR YOU THE PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL STUDENT POPULATION THAT MAKES UP TRANSFERS.
YOU'LL NOTICE AT CEDAR CREEK ELEMENTARY IS OUR LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL ENROLLMENT FOR A CAMPUS.
WE'RE AT 22% OF CEDAR CREEK IS MADE UP OF OUT OF DISTRICT AND THEN WE START GOING DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THERE DEPENDING ON WHICH CAMPUS YOU'RE AT.
WE WANTED TO PROVIDE A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE THEY'RE AT, NOT JUST OUR TOTAL NUMBERS, BUT WHERE THEY SIT AND THAT IS THE QUICK DOWN DUTY.
>> OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT ENROLLMENT.
WE CAN PROBABLY ANSWER SOME, IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS TODAY.
WHAT CHAD AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, AS THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME DIGGING INTO THIS AND TAKING OVER FROM JEREMY.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION WE PRESENTED TONIGHT THAT WE FELT VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT IN THESE NUMBERS WE DO.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, SO WE DIDN'T PRESENT A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS.
TYPICALLY, AFTER SNAPSHOT IN OCTOBER, USUALLY AROUND NOVEMBER, THERE'S A MUCH MORE THOROUGH PRESENTATION, AND CHAD AND I WILL BOTH BE DOING THAT AGAIN, TOO, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A LOT MORE INFORMATION.
BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE THIS EVENING IF WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT GOOD DATA TO GIVE YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MOLLY. WE'LL GO TO HEATHER AND THEN KELLY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, [INAUDIBLE] THIS, AND YOU GUYS KNOW I LOVE A BIG PIECE OF PAPER.[LAUGHTER] IT'S EASIER ON THE EYES.
>> I THINK THAT'S PATTY, SO THANK YOU, PATTY.
[00:25:02]
>> THANK YOU, PATTY. THAT'S HELPFUL BECAUSE OTHERWISE I'M LIKE ZOOMING IN. THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT.
ALSO, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING MORE ABOUT THE CABING BECAUSE I DID REQUEST THAT THAT BE ADDED TO THE SHEET, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THAT IS THERE AND ALSO THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TA VERSUS THE SPED TEACHER.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IT'S ENOUGH TO BE TONIGHT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT ENROLLMENT, THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT HOW WE ARE USING THE TAS WITH THE SPED TEACHERS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE.
BUT IN TERMS OF THIS, I DO FIND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT EVEN WITH ADDING TWO SECTIONS OF SPANISH IMMERSION AT VALLEY VIEW, THAT THEY ARE STILL DOWN FROM LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE REALLY HOPING THAT VALLEY VIEW WOULD INCREASE IN SIZE THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S NOT A QUESTION.
>> YES, WE HAD THAT SAME OBSERVATION.
>> BUT THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING AND I ALSO, ANOTHER JUST COMMENT THAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS THAT, I REALLY AM HAPPY TO SEE THAT OUR STAFF ARE BRINGING THEIR KIDS BECAUSE THAT DOES SHOW THAT THEY TRUST US WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN AND SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THAT NUMBER IS UP BECAUSE I LIKE THAT THEY WANT TO BRING THEIR KIDS TO OUR DISTRICT.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY SEE THE VALUE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TOO, SO THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THAT TO US.
THEN I DO SEE THAT WE ARE MAXED OUT A CAPACITY, IN THIRD GRADE AT INS FROM A NUMBER OF CLASSES, LIKE, ROOM CAPACITY, MOST LIKELY, BUT THERE ARE STILL RELATIVELY SMALL CLASS SIZES, ESPECIALLY IN SPANISH IMMERSION.
I GUESS, THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR NEW KIDDOS TO COME IN, BUT THAT'S A LOT OF CLASSES AND SAME THING IN THIRD GRADE AT CEDAR CREEK, SAME THING, A LOT OF THE CLASSES AT BARTON CREEK, AND THEN SECOND GRADE AND FOURTH GRADE AT FOREST TRAIL.
I GUESS THAT'S SOMETHING MORE FOR THE LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE SHORT ON CLASS ROOMS. IS THAT ACCURATE?
>> YES. LIKE AT BARTON CREEK, FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S NOT ONE MORE CLASSROOM.
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT, EVEN WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT OUR K AND ONE NUMBERS AND GETTING A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
THERE IS NOT ANOTHER SPACE, BUT YOU ARE CORRECT THAT WHEN THEN YOU LOOK AT SECOND THROUGH FIFTH, THERE'S A LOT OF CAPACITY WITHIN THOSE CLASSES AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S VERY CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THIS.
IS THAT OUR NUMBERS, THERE'S VERY FEW PLACES WHERE WE'RE AT THAT THRESHOLD OF 22 ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE DO HAVE CAPACITY PRETTY MUCH IN MOST GRADE LEVELS AT MOST CAMPUSES.
>> FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, IT'S A BUMMER THAT WE'RE DOWN, BUT FROM A CLASS SIZE PERSPECTIVE, AND I'M SURE OUR TEACHERS AND PARENTS APPRECIATE THAT, SO DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.
>> THANK YOU, HEATHER, WE'LL GO TO KELLY AND THEN ELLEN AND THEN DIANE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS REPORT.
I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU COULD JUST GO OVER THE PRELIMINARY TRANSFER ON THIS SLIDE AGAIN, WHERE THERE'S THE ESTIMATED VALUE AND REDUCED RECAPTURE PAYMENTS.
JUST GO OVER THAT WITH US ONE MORE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> MAYBE CHRIS COULD PROBABLY JUMP IN A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE.
ALL THAT DID THERE WAS TOOK THE MULTIPLIER THAT WE USED LAST YEAR, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS 6,000 AND SOME CHANGE AND JUST MULTIPLY IT TOWARDS OUR TOTAL OUT OF DISTRICT NUMBER, SO IT WOULD BE 749 TIMES THE MULTIPLIER THERE.
THAT WAS 6,019. DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT?
>> JUST TO GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THAT OUT OF DISTRICT MONEY IN WOULD LOOK FOR US.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTION, KELLY? ELLEN.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF DETAIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FIRST, ALL START WITH AN OBSERVATION.
THIS YEAR, I HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE IS A LOT MORE UNEVENNESS IN THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS GRADE LEVEL TO GRADE LEVEL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE WATER BACK SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT IT USED TO BE THAT IT WAS FOUR SECTIONS, FOUR SECTIONS, FOUR SECTIONS, FOUR SECTIONS.
I CAN'T FIND A RHYME OR REASON AND BETWEEN CAMPUSES, YOU MIGHT THINK, OKAY, MAYBE SOMETHING HAPPENED AND THIRD GRADE'S GOING TO BE BIG EVERYWHERE, BUT IT'LL BE THE SMALLEST GRADE IN TWO OF OUR CAMPUSES.
THAT UNEVENNESS CREATES MORE UNPREDICTABILITY AND
[00:30:01]
IS THEREFORE MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO PLAN AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO BE EFFICIENT, WHICH ARE NOT GOOD THINGS.BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS AND I JUST MAKE THAT OBSERVATION THAT IT'S PERHAPS ANOTHER NEW REALITY THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE INTO OUR MIX, PARTICULARLY FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT.
ALSO JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE BREAK EVEN IF YOU ADD MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'RE DOWN 30 AT THE TRANSFER STUDENTS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BUT UP 40 OR 39 AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THEREFORE, OUR ENROLLMENT DROPS ARE PRIMARILY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
>> OKAY. KINDERGARTEN IS CERTAINLY TAKING.
>> KINDERGARTEN DEFINITELY IS TAKING.
>> PRE SECTIONS OF KINDERGARTEN FIRST TRAIL, IT JUST BLOWS MY MIND.
>> YEAH, THROUGH AND NOT FULL SECTIONS. FOR SURE.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, CHAD AND I READING A LOT, IT'S JUST AGAIN, THE NATIONAL TREND SEEING THIS LOWER BIRTH RATE.
JUST ALL THOSE FACTORS THAT ARE PLAYING INTO IT.
>> RIGHT. I WOULD HYPOTHESIZE THAT CEDAR CREEK IS IMPACTED HEAVILY BY ONLY ONE SECTION OF SPANISH IMMERSION.
IT'S HAD LOWER ENROLLMENTS FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE SPANISH AND BEEN ABLE TO DRAW IN MORE TRANSFERS.
I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THE TRANSFER NUMBERS IN KINDERGARTEN AT CEDAR CREEK ARE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN YEARS PAST.
THAT MIGHT, EXPLAIN THAT MIGHT NOT, FOREST TRAIL, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN THAT.
THEN ON THIS SLIDE, I KNOW THAT AS A GENERAL RULE, OVERALL, AS A DISTRICT, WE TRY TO STAY UNDER 10%, AND THAT GENERALLY IS NOT INCLUDING THE EMPLOYEE CHILDREN AND YOU REALLY CAN'T TELL THAT FROM THIS.
I DON'T WANT FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC TO SEE NUMBERS LIKE 22% OF THE STUDENTS AT CEDAR CREEK BEING TRANSFERS AND BEING NERVOUS ABOUT THAT.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THAT OUT OF DISTRICT AND EMPLOYEE TRANSFER SPLIT? BECAUSE IT'S MY RECOLLECTION BASED ON OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH US THAT CEDAR CREEK HAS A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEE CHILDREN.
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT. YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY SEGREGATE THAT.
BUT THAT IS TRUE THAT A LOT OF EMPLOYEE'S TRANSFERS ARE AT CEDAR CREEK.
>> ALSO, I WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK, LIKE, LOOKING AT BARTON CREEK.
IT SAYS, IN-DISTRICT TRANSFERS, AND WE KNOW PROBABLY MOST OF THAT SPANISH IMMERSION, 54 OR 10% AND THEN 69, ARE THOSE ADDITIVE? BETWEEN THE IN DISTRICT AND THE OUT OF DISTRICT AND THE EMPLOYEE, THEN WE HAVE WHAT 120 EITHER THREE OR FOUR?
>> THAT WAS MY LAST QUESTION. THANK YOU.
>> HEATHER WITH A QUICK COMMENT?
>> YEAH. TO ELLEN'S POINTS, I THINK IN THE PAST, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN REALLY COGNIZANT OF SAYING THAT STAFF KIDS ARE OUR KIDS.
THEY'RE NOT LIKE REGULAR TRANSFERS, THEY ARE OUR KIDS.
>> I LIKE THAT. THEN, ALSO, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT KINDERGARTNERS, I THINK WHEN WE ALL BOUGHT OUR HOMES IN THE DISTRICT, THE PRICES WERE A LOT DIFFERENT.
TODAY I SAW THAT THERE'S A TWO BEDROOM CONDO FOR $500,000.
I THINK WE'VE ALL DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE, THE ENTRY LEVEL HOMES ARE NOT WHAT THEY USED TO BE.
I THINK THAT THAT DOES PLAY INTO THAT.
>> I DO THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT WESTLAKE'S NUMBERS, I THINK THAT DOES TRUE THAT ASSUMPTION UP, THAT OUR HIGH SCHOOL NUMBERS ARE STILL VERY HEALTHY, AND YES, WE HAVE THOSE TRANSFERS STILL THERE, TOO, BUT OUR HIGH SCHOOL NUMBERS ARE NOT GOING DOWN, AND I DO THINK FAMILIES ARE COMING IN WITH THEIR CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE OLDER FOR SURE WHEN THEY CAN AFFORD THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND A QUESTION.
FIRST, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT OUR TEACHERS, LOVING THE EDUCATION THAT WE PROVIDE I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY JUST SPEAKS TO THAT BEING A RECRUITMENT TOOL.
IT'S JUST A FANTASTIC RECRUITMENT TOOL FOR US.
I WANTED TO ADD THAT IN THERE AND REMIND US OF THAT OBVIOUS THING.
THEN GOING BACK TO THE LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE WE WERE AT THE OTHER NIGHT,
[00:35:01]
THE WHOLE IDEA OF TRANSFER STUDENTS AND THE EFFORT THAT WENT IN TO REALLY MARKET TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY THIS YEAR, AND SEEING SOME INCREASE, BUT IT'S NOTHING THAT BLOWS THINGS OUT OF THE WATER.I BELIEVE YOU MADE A COMMENT THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY EXPECTING THAT WE CAN TAP INTO MUCH MORE THERE, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT MORE TO BE GAINED THERE.
>> YEAH COLLECTIVELY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN EXPAND THAT MUCH MORE UNLESS WE EXPAND SEATS IN CERTAIN AREAS.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING JUST ANECDOTALLY, THE TRANSFER, ESPECIALLY KINDER 1, 2, WE'RE MISSING A BIG POCKET BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION OR TRAFFIC TRENDS.
AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE AT BARTON CREEK, WE HAVE NO SEATS, YOU ALL JUST TALKED ABOUT BEING FULL.
IF A FAMILY FROM LAKE TRAVIS SAYS, WE'D LIKE TO COME IN, GREAT, AWESOME, WE'VE GOT SEATS AT FOREST TRAIL.
I'M NOT GOING TO DRIVE BY BARTON CREEK TO TAKE MY KID TO FOREST TRAIL.
WE DO, UNFORTUNATELY LOSE SOME BUT THE OPPOSITE OF THAT IS, WE'RE SEEING THOUGH A SIGNIFICANT JUMP FIVE TO SIX AND EIGHT TO NINE.
MAYBE WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INDIVIDUALLY DO THEY COME BACK TO US EVENTUALLY AND JUST FINISH ELEMENTARY AT THEIR RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL, OR DO THEY TRY EVERY YEAR AND THEN EVENTUALLY COME WITH IT? I WAS TALKING TO RACHEL, WHO RAN THE WHOLE TRANSFER PROCESS.
ASK HER WHAT ARE YOU HEARING WHEN THEY'RE LIKE, NO, THANK YOU, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT? SHE WAS REFERENCING A BUNCH OF, WELL, I'VE GOT TO DRIVE PAST BRIDGEPOINT TO GET TO THIS SCHOOL, I REALLY CAN'T DO THAT.
THAT'S JUST GO TO ADD AN HOUR AND A HALF TO MY COMMUTE EVERY MORNING, ESPECIALLY AT THE EARLIER AGES.
WHEN YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND THEN SEEING BARTON CREEK, CEDAR CREEK, OUR OUTSKIRTS SCHOOLS ARE FULL, I DON'T KNOW AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, ONE, HOW MANY MORE SEATS CAN WE OFFER, AND THEN TWO, WHAT'S THE REALITY OF FEELING THOSE?
>> THAT GETS TO MY QUESTION WAS WHEN THEY'RE FILLING OUT THEIR FORMS, THEY PUT A PRIORITY OF SCHOOLS, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING THEIR FIRST OR POSSIBLY SECOND CHOICE, THEY'RE OUT.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE DECLINE RATE IS ON THE TRANSFERS? ARE WE LOSING A LOT OF KIDS FOR THAT REASON? WE GET A LOT OF APPLICATIONS, AND THEN WE'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO?
>> WE'RE STILL DIGGING THROUGH THAT.
THE BIG JUST TO CLEAN UP DATA THIS YEAR IS WE ASKED ALL TRANSFERS, NEW AND RETURNING TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION.
WE'RE MUDDYING THROUGH WHO WAS A RETURNING, WHO IS A NEW.
THEN UNFORTUNATELY, UNLESS WE TALK TO SOMEONE, WE DON'T GET A FORMAL DECLINE.
BUT THERE ARE SOME LIKE RACHEL WOULD CALL AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT A SEAT.
THEN THERE'S THAT INITIAL CONVERSATION, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING SOME OF THAT ANECDOTAL INFORMATION.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE I COULD SAY DEFINITIVELY, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DECLINING FOR, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT A LOT OF TIMES.
>> BUT WE'LL SEE PEOPLE ALSO ON THE APPLICATION WHERE IT'S FIRST CHOICE AND SECOND CHOICE, AND THEY PUT THE SAME SCHOOL.
I MEAN THEY'RE SAYING, I DON'T WANT A SECOND CHOICE.
IN THAT CASE, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT EVEN A CALL TO BE HAD BECAUSE THEY SAY BARTON CREEK, BARTON CREEK.
I CAN'T GET IN, THEN I'M NOT INTERESTED IN COMING.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, TOO, I WOULD THINK THAT THE DECLINING BIRTH RATES THAT WE'RE SEEING AFFECTING OUR OWN RESIDENT POPULATION ARE TRUE IN OUR TRANSFER POPULATION AS WELL BECAUSE THERE ARE FEWER STUDENTS THAT WE'RE COMPETING FOR WITH EITHER THEIR RESIDENT OR HOME DISTRICT OR OTHER DISTRICTS.
WE'RE SEEING THAT PLAY OUT TOO.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR ARNETT. ELLEN.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD A COMMENT BUILDING ON WHAT BOTH DIANE AND HEATHER MENTIONED, BECAUSE I'M REALLY PROUD OF THIS IS THAT OUR EMPLOYEE TRANSFER NUMBERS DON'T JUST INCLUDE TEACHER STUDENTS.
THEY ARE THE STUDENTS OF OUR ENTIRE STAFF, AND THIS INCLUDES BUS DRIVERS AND CHILD NUTRITION.
FROM MY OBSERVATION, THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF OUR STAFF WHO, IN FACT, ONE OF THE MAIN BENEFITS THEY SEE IS TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN HERE.
I THINK THAT REALLY HELPS US WITH RECRUITING AND RETENTION, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE AREAS, AND I'M VERY PROUD THAT THEY'RE OUR KIDS AS WELL.
>> ONE LAST THING. I DO THINK THAT THIS IS INTERESTING INFORMATION FOR OUR LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE TO EXPLORE.
IF WE DO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ONLY WANT THOSE EXTERIOR SCHOOLS, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE CAPACITY THERE TO OFFER THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IN TURN HELPS US FINANCIALLY? I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, I'M SEEING NO ADDITIONAL FINGERS OR HANDS FROM THE OTHER TRUSTEES.
[00:40:01]
BY THE WAY, I THINK THAT WHAT GETS LOST IS WE TALK SO HIGHLY OF TRANSFERS AND THE REASON I MEAN, IT'S A FINANCIAL THING FOR OUR DISTRICT, BUT REALLY IT STARTS TO GET TO.WE CAN MAINTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS BY HAVING SEATS FILLED IN THOSE BUILDINGS.
THERE ARE MANY DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE THAT ARE SHRINKING.
THEY ARE SHUTTING DOWN NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, AND IT'S CAUSING FAMILIES THAT HAVE WALKED TO SCHOOL, AND VERY FEW OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THAT LUXURY, BUT FAMILIES THAT HAVE WALKED TO SCHOOL TO NOW BUS OR DRIVE THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, AND WE ARE FIGHTING REALLY HARD.
THIS BOARD, THIS ADMINISTRATION, ARE FIGHTING REALLY HARD TO KEEP ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS OPEN AND THAT IS OUR ULTIMATE DESIRE.
THERE MAY BE UNFORTUNATE DECLINING BIRTH RATES, AFFORDABILITY ISSUES, ETC, AND WE'RE FIGHTING SO HARD AGAINST THOSE.
BUT IT ISN'T THAT WE'RE WILLY NILLY JUST GOING AFTER TRANSFERS TO TRY TO A BIGGER BUDGET OR WHATEVER, THIS IS ABOUT MAINTAINING NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
THIS IS ABOUT KEEPING DOORS OPEN ON OUR BUILDINGS.
MY LITTLE SOAPBOX ABOUT TRANSFERS. COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I DO WANT TO SAY, I ECHO THE BENEFIT OF HAVING OUR EMPLOYEE CHILDREN IN OUR BUILDINGS.
WE VISITED HIGHLAND PARK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND WE WERE STANDING IN ONE OF THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARKING GARAGES, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY HAD JUST THAT YEAR ALLOWED THEIR TEACHER AND OTHER EMPLOYEE CHILDREN TO ATTEND THEIR SCHOOLS IN THEIR DISTRICT AND I WAS SHOCKED.
IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT BENEFIT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE THE ONLY GREAT DISTRICT WHATEVER, I'M SURE THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO CLOSER SCHOOLS TO HOME, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, TOO, BUT WE HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, SHUT OUR DOORS TO EMPLOYEE CHILDREN THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK LORI TO ONLY HIRE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE THREE PLUS CHILDREN IN K THROUGH EIGHT FOR CONSIDER AS SIGNING BONUS, IF YOU DO.
[LAUGHTER] THAT WOULD BE JUST ONE REQUEST THERE.
ONE QUESTION, DOCTOR ARNETT, OR MOLLY AND CHAD, ACTUALLY, WERE WE UNABLE TO MEET ANY SI APPLICATIONS AT THEIR CAMPUSES? I SEE 18 19 STUDENTS, I SEE 22 AT EANES.
DID WE HAVE TO TELL ANYBODY, NO, YOU DON'T GET TO BE AN SI?
WELL, WE HAD TO TELL SOME PEOPLE AT EANES ELEMENTARY THAT YOU COULDN'T GO TO EANES ELEMENTARY, AND THAT WAS A DEAL BREAKER FOR SOME PEOPLE, IF YOU LOOK, THAT'S THE ONLY SECTION WHERE WE'RE AT 22.
>> WE OFFERED MAYBE 30 OR MORE?
>> YES, EVERYONE WAS OFFERED AT EANES.
>> THEN THAT BEGS MY NEXT QUESTION OF THE 15 AND 16, SO 31 STUDENTS AT VALLEY VIEW.
HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE IN DISTRICT TRANSFERS FOR SI?
BY THE WAY, THAT'S IN DISTRICT.
>> CORRECT. FOUR IN DISTRICT 13 OUT OF DISTRICT.
>> I KNOW THE BOARD WANTED TWO SECTIONS THERE, AND I STAND BY THAT, BUT WE TEND TO SEE ATTRITION IN SI.
NOW WE'VE CREATED A SITUATION WHERE WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE 28 AND THEN 26, AND WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH A LITTLE ANCHOR THERE GOING FORWARD.
I LOVE THE KIDS WHO ARE IN THE PROGRAM AND LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT PROGRAM THERE AND I STAND BY THAT DECISION, BUT THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK.
THE OTHER IS ON THE 54 IN DISTRICT TRANSFERS TO BARTON CREEK.
I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY TO LOAD UP BARTON CREEK.
A LOT OF THOSE ARE SI, I ASSUME.
>> THEN SIBLINGS OF SI THAT WE ALLOWED GRANDFATHERED IN, THAT EVEN IF THEY AREN'T IN SI, I HAVE A BROTHER WHO'S AN SI AT BARTON CREEK SO I'M GOING TO GET TO GO THERE, TOO.
BUT OTHERWISE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO FILL THAT SCHOOL UP OVER.
WE'RE CAPACITY ON CLASSROOMS RIGHT NOW.
>> YEAH, NO, WE WERE NOT JUST FILLING THE SCHOOL UP, AND IN FACT A LOT OF THOSE TRANSFERS ARE FROM VALLEY VIEW, AND WE HAD VALLEY VIEW PEOPLE WANTING TO GO TO BARTON CREEK THIS YEAR IN DISTRICT TRANSFERS, AND WE DID NOT APPROVE ALL OF THOSE TRANSFERS.
>> THEN THE OTHER OBSERVATION I HAD IS MY REAL QUICK MATH SITTING HERE WAS THAT ALL OF THE ELEMENTARIES ARE DOWN 3-4%, AND FOREST TRAIL IS DOWN 8%.
WAS THERE ANY ACTIVE DECISION OR ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN AT FOREST TRAIL, OR IS THAT JUST THE NATURAL, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE BUBBLE WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THERE?
[00:45:04]
EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE, WHAT DID YOU SAY? IT'S FOUR IN DISTRICT TRANSFERS TO VALLEY VIEW, FOR KINDER, I THINK THOSE FOUR FROM FOREST TRAIL, YOU CAN ADD FOUR BACK TO FOREST TRAIL KINDER, BUT THAT'S NOT SIGNIFICANT.
>> YEAH. FOREST TRAIL KINDER IS 47 RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS RIGHT NOW.
>> LET'S SEE. I THINK THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? YEAH, IT'S SUPER INTERESTING, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
YOU CAN SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AND DIVING DEEP AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THOSE TRENDS, AND WE ARE.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THINGS AND HAVE SOME MORE ANSWERS FOR YOU GUYS AS WE TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT, BUT SOME OF IT TO ELLEN'S POINT IS A LITTLE BAFFLING, AND WE CAN'T FIND THE TREND BUT WE'LL KEEP LOOKING.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY REAL QUICK ON THIS ONE.
IT'S INTERESTING, TOO AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT HIGH SCHOOL TENDS TO GROW.
WHEN YOU TAKE THE NINTH GRADE NUMBER AND MOVE IT TO 10TH.
SO YOU TAKE LAST YEAR'S NINTH AND MOVE IT UP TO 10TH, YOU SEE 679 GOES TO 688, 721, 718, 722 TO 726.
A HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUES TO GROW ALMOST IN EVERY GRADE, EVERY YEAR, YOU SEE THIS ADDITIONAL STUDENTS COMING.
I ASSUME SOME OF THAT IS TRANSFERS.
IT ALSO GOES TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING IN TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT OLDER AND THEIR KIDS ARE A LITTLE BIT OLDER.
WE SEE THOSE ADDITIONS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
>> I THINK WE ALSO SEE SOME STUDENTS WHO LEAVE US AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN I THINK WE ALL KNOW, THERE IS AN APPEAL OF GRADUATING FROM WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE SEE PEOPLE THAT COME BACK AND WANT TO GET THEIR DIPLOMA FROM WESTLAKE, FOR SURE.
>> IT SURPRISES ME THAT WE STILL HAVE FEWER TRANSFERS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL THIS YEAR OR FEWER STUDENTS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS NOT BROKEN OUT.
WELL, I GUESS IT WAS ON THERE.
>> OUR TRANSFERS ARE UP A LITTLE BIT FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS, SO OUR RESIDENTIAL ENROLLMENT'S A LITTLE BIT DOWN AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO REMIND US TOO OF SOMETHING I THINK OUR DEMOGRAPHER BROUGHT UP WAS THE INCREASING TREND IN HOME SCHOOLING, AND THEN ALSO THE FLEXIBILITY THAT PARENTS WANT WHEN THEIR KIDS ARE YOUNGER.
THEY REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT WE OFFER IN HIGH SCHOOL, IN PARTICULAR, MAYBE SOME IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT IT'S THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, WE'LL DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR THAT TIME.
SO IT'S MAYBE A COMBINATION OF ALL THOSE THINGS.
>> I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MOLLY AND CHAD.
THEY HAVE GREAT MINDS FOR THIS DATA ANALYSIS.
THIS IS AN ALL NEW RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM, BUT THEY IN OUR REORGANIZATION OF STAFF HAVE ASSEMBLED SOME PEOPLE AROUND THEM TO REALLY DEVOTE FULL ATTENTION TO THIS.
I THINK WE HAVE A VERY HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE IN OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
WE MAY NOT EVEN NEED A DEMOGRAPHER GOING FOWARD.
>> WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM SECTION OF THE AGENDA.
[10.1 Request to approve tax rate resolution and adoption of 2024- 25 tax rate]
WE'LL START WITH A MOTION ON THE APPROVAL OF THE TAX RATE RESOLUTION, AND CHRIS WILL COME UP AND GIVE US A LITTLE TALK AFTER THE MOTION IS MADE.DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I REQUEST THAT WE MAKE A MOTION.
>> I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE FROM 88.8 CENTS TO 88.55 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE.
THE TOTAL TAX RATE OF 88.55 CENTS INCLUDES 76.55 CENTS FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND 12 CENTS FOR INTEREST AND SINKING.
DO I HAVE TO READ THE RESOLUTION?
MOTION BY HEATHER SECOND BY DIANE.
CHRIS, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US A REAL QUICK INTRO?
>> SURE. THERE'S NOT MUCH CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR.
REMEMBER WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET IN JUNE, WE HAD THE TAX RATE HEARING, BUT THAT WAS BASED ON THE ESTIMATED VALUES FROM APRIL, WHICH ESTIMATED MORE GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE THAN ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
THE ACTUAL GROWTH WAS QUITE SMALL, WHICH IS WHY WE SEE VERY LITTLE COMPRESSION FROM LAST YEAR.
VERY SMALL CHANGE, 0.25 OR A QUARTER OF A PENNY LOWER THAN THAN LAST YEAR.
[00:50:01]
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF THE FACT THAT WHILE WE ARE REDUCING THE RATE, THANKS TO TAX COMPRESSION AND GOOD FISCAL MANAGEMENT HERE IN EANES ISD, THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL PEOPLE'S APPRAISED VALUE, UNFORTUNATELY AND I'VE SEEN THAT IN OTHER DISTRICTS, AS WELL, THAT APPRAISED VALUES ARE STILL GOING UP.
SO WHILE WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO KEEP TAX RATES LOW, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT, UNFORTUNATELY.
I KNOW MY HUSBAND WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR TAXES GO DOWN, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT ANYWAYS, IT GOES TO PAY FOR OUR AMAZING SCHOOLS.
BUT THEN ON THAT NOTE, AS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, THAT RECAPTURE PAYMENT IS PAINFUL.
SO OF THAT 88.55 CENTS, WE DON'T GET TO KEEP ALL THAT.
>> THANK YOU, HEATHER. OTHER TRUSTEES?
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE ARE SUBJECT TO STATE IMPOSED COMPRESSION.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE MISLEADING TO SIT HERE AND WATCH US SAY, WE WANT TO GIVE OUR TEACHERS A RAISE, WE WANT TO GIVE OUR STAFF A RAISE.
WE WANT MORE MONEY, YADA-YADA.
THEN AS A BOARD TO CUT THE TAX RATE.
PEOPLE WOULD SAY, YOU'RE WORKING AGAINST WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
I'D LOVE, BY THE WAY, TO SIT UP HERE AS A TRUSTEE AND SAY, HEY, COMMUNITY, THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO REDUCE YOUR TAX RATE.
BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
THIS IS STATE IMPOSED COMPRESSION.
>> YOU'VE NAILED IT. THAT'S CORRECT.
>> THE OTHER IS THAT ALTHOUGH WE'RE REDUCING OUR TAX RATE, IT DOES NOT IMPACT OUR PER PUPIL FUNDING.
OUR TOTAL PER PUPIL FUNDING WILL REMAIN THE SAME UNTIL THE STATE DECIDES TO INCREASE IT THIS YEAR.
>> SINCE BEEN THE SAME SINCE 2019.
THIS REDUCTION IN THE TAX RATE DOES NOT IMPACT OUR FUNDING PER STUDENT OR OUR TEACHER PAY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THIS IS STRICTLY OUR RECAPTURE MAY CHANGE, BUT OUR FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE STATE PER STUDENT STAYS THE SAME.
>> CORRECT. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE COLLECT AND GET TO KEEP AND THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE STATE ON A PER STUDENT BASIS IS UNCHANGED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.
THANK YOU, CHRIS. OUR NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION
[10.2 Request to approve resolution authorizing redemption of certain of the district's outstanding bonds]
AUTHORIZING REDEMPTION OF CERTAIN OF THE DISTRICTS OUTSTANDING BONDS. DO I HAVE A MOTION?>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DEFEASANCE OF CERTAIN DISTRICTS OUTSTANDING BONDS.
SECOND BY KELLY. WE'LL HAVE A QUICK DISCUSSION.
CHRIS, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US REAL QUICK INTRO?
>> I PUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS UP HERE TO SHOW OUR OVERALL DISTRICT DEBT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
THE TOP TABLE THAT YOU SEE THERE IS BOND REFUNDINGS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE SELL BONDS, WE CAN'T, UNLIKE YOUR MORTGAGE, WHEN YOU CAN PAY IT BACK AT ANY TIME THAT THE INTEREST RATE GOES DOWN, THE BONDS THAT WE SELL BECOME CALLABLE AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, USUALLY NINE YEARS.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU LOOK AT IT, SO WE HAVE THESE BONDS WHICH ARE NOW CALLABLE.
WE COULD PAY THEM OFF, WE COULD ESSENTIALLY REFUND OR REFINANCE THEM AT THIS TIME.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU LOOK TO SEE, WHAT IS THE INTEREST RATES NOW COMPARED TO WHAT THEY WERE WHEN WE BOUGHT THESE BONDS SOMETIME BACK? YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LAST TIME WE DID A REFUNDING WAS IN 2020 BECAUSE RECENTLY, THE INTEREST RATES HAVE BEEN GOING UP.
WE'VE NOT DONE ANY REFUNDINGS RECENTLY, BUT WHEN INTEREST RATES GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THEN WE'LL START DOING THOSE AGAIN.
TONIGHT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, ACTUALLY, IF WE COLLECTED MORE MONEY THAN WHAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE OUR REQUIRED DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, THEN WE CAN USE THAT EXCESS MONEY TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE CALLABLE BONDS AND JUST PAY THEM OFF AND SAY, TAKE THAT OFF THE ROLL.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT.
THIS IS THE OLDEST OF OUR 2015 BONDS.
WHEN WE SOLD THOSE BONDS IN 2015, THEY WENT OUT TO 2035.
THIS ONE, I BELIEVE, IS A 2031 MATURITY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OLDER THAN THAT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY REDEEMED THOSE OLDER ONES.
WE HAVE A FEW MORE OF THOSE 2015S OUT THERE, WHICH WE MIGHT BE DOING SOMETHING WITH NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE'LL REDEEM SOME MORE OF THOSE AT A LATER TIME.
>> CHRIS, COULD YOU COMMENT ON WHAT,
[00:55:03]
IF ANY EFFECT, THE DEFEASANCE WOULD HAVE ON BOND CAPACITY AS WE LOOK TOWARDS A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL BOND IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS?>> SURE. OBVIOUSLY, COME 2031, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THAT TWO MILLION DOLLAR PAYMENT.
THAT'S TWO MILLION DOLLAR OF ADDITIONAL CAPACITY.
ESSENTIALLY, WE COULD PUT TWO MILLION DOLLAR OF DEBT THERE AND IT WOULD REPLACE WHAT WAS THERE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT, SO THAT'S GIVING YOU A LITTLE BIT EXTRA CAPACITY THERE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, EVERY YEAR, WE'RE MAKING INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THESE.
I BELIEVE THESE HAVE A 5% COUPON.
WE'RE PAYING ROUGHLY $100,000 A YEAR IN INTEREST THAT NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE PAYING BETWEEN NOW AND 2031.
THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS, AND FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT THAT OUR DISTRICT DOES BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY HEALTHY, I THINK.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TRIED TO TAKE THIS OPTION AWAY FROM US THIS PAST SESSION.
I THINK THAT BEING FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND PAYING OFF YOUR DEBTS EARLY IS A GOOD THING.
I KNOW I'VE HEARD THAT THAT BILL WILL COME BACK AGAIN THIS SESSION.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDE THAT IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AS A DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO PAY OFF OUR DEBT, OUR BONDS EARLY.
CHRIS DID A GREAT JOB OF GOING TO THE CAPITOL LAST SESSION TO TALK TO OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT THIS.
THANKFULLY, THAT BILL DID NOT MAKE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
FINGERS CROSSED IT DOESN'T AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU, HEATHER. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS.
I'LL MOVE TO THE QUESTION HERE.
THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[10.3 Bond Oversight Committee (BOC) charter review and update]
THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND CHRIS IS STAYING RIGHT THERE.LET'S GET A MOTION, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO YOU, CHRIS.
>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE UPDATES TO THE BOC CHARTER AS PRESENTED.
SECOND BY HEATHER. CHRIS, PLEASE GIVE US AN INTRO.
>> AS A PART OF THE BOC CHARTER, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT THAT WE REVIEW THE BOC CHARTER EVERY YEAR, AND IF WE HAVE RECOMMENDED CHANGES, THAT WE BRING THEM TO YOU.
WE DID HAVE A COUPLE. THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU SEE THERE ELIMINATE THE ROLE OF SECRETARY.
HISTORICALLY, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE HAD OUR SECRETARY KEEP THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS.
THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY THEIR DUTY.
SHOCKINGLY, NOBODY WANTED TO DO THAT.
WE'VE ESSENTIALLY COME UP WITH A WAY WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION CAN KEEP TRACK OF THE MINUTES AND THEN SUBMIT IT TO THE BOC MEMBERS FOR REVIEW.
THIS IS NOT ADDING SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL WORK FOR US, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT.
THE BOC MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE THAT ROLE AND JUST KEEP THE ROLE OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS TO ELIMINATE PROXY VOTING.
THE BOC CHARTER HAS HISTORICALLY HAD THE ABILITY FOR A MEMBER TO GIVE A PROXY AND VOTE ON MATTERS AT BOC MEETINGS.
MOST OF THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE BOC FOR A WHILE WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF THAT, AND THE COMMITTEE WAS OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE MATTERS THAT WE'RE VOTING ON IN GENERAL, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE SERVING AS A BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THERE'S LOTS OF DISCUSSION, LOTS OF NEGOTIATING THAT GOES ON.
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR SOMEBODY TO GIVE A PROXY TO SOMEBODY BECAUSE THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON.
IN ESSENCE, IT'S GIVING ONE PERSON TWO VOTES.
WE WANTED TO JUST GET RID OF THAT ALTOGETHER AND JUST SAY, IF YOU'RE PRESENT, YOU VOTE, IF YOU'RE NOT PRESENT, YOU DON'T VOTE.
THEN THE LAST ONE IS A CLEANUP OF SOME WORDING.
I SAID THAT WE NEED TO REVIEW IT EVERY YEAR.
PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS NOT KNOWN AS THE BOC CHARTER.
IT WAS KNOWN AS THE BOC OPERATING PROCEDURES.
IN THE SECTION THAT SAYS THAT WE NEED TO REVIEW EVERY YEAR,
[01:00:02]
THE BOC CHARTER, IT ACTUALLY SAID BOC OPERATING PROCEDURES.I CHANGED THAT TO SAY CHARTER JUST TO MATCH WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO THE BOC FOR SUGGESTING THESE CHANGES.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ATTENDANCE AND THE VOTING PIECE BECAUSE I THINK THAT ATTENDING IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOC, REALLY ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES, BUT THE BOC IS A REALLY BIG ONE.
>> TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT HEATHER IS MENTIONING ABOUT ATTENDANCE.
DEFINITELY AGREE. FOR ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES, WE WANT TO SEE GOOD ATTENDANCE.
I KNOW THAT AT LEAST IN ONE OCCASION IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR THE BOC.
WHEN YOU WERE DISCUSSING SOME OF THESE CHANGES IN THE COMMITTEE, DOES THE IDEA OF HAVING THE OPTION OF HAVING A HYBRID OR MEETING EVER COME UP WHERE SOMEONE COULD ZOOM IN AND ATTEND JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE SICK, THEY MAYBE HAD COVID AT THE TIME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? DO WE HAVE THAT ABILITY? DO WE HAVE THAT INTEREST?
>> WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE ASK US ABOUT DOING A HYBRID MEETING.
HYBRID MEETINGS ARE REALLY DIFFICULT.
WE HAVE DONE ON OCCASION FULLY REMOTE MEETINGS, AND THOSE ARE MUCH EASIER TO HANDLE, BUT A HYBRID MEETING IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO PULL OFF.
WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. WE HAVE HAD, AND WE MAY IN THE FUTURE, AGAIN, HAVE A FULLY REMOTE MEETING. AM I CORRECT?
>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU'RE THROWING HER UNDER THE BUS.
>> KRISTY STILL SAYS, NO. WE'RE NOT DOING HYBRID.
>> PRETTY GOOD IMITATION OF KRISTY ACTUALLY.
>> I GUESS I GOT TO TAKE THAT ANSWER [LAUGHTER] MAYBE NEXT YEAR, I'LL ASK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU.
>> HEY, CHRIS. I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ATTENDANCE TOO.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAD VISITED THAT AT ALL, BUT JUST DUE TO THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS I KNOW THAT WERE RECEIVED FOR THE COMMITTEE AND SUCH.
I KNOW SOMETIMES EVERYBODY'S REAL GUNG HO AT FIRST AND THEN THEIR ATTENDANCE FALLS OFF.
WE HAVE A TWO CONSECUTIVE ABSENCES RULE ON THE WESTLAKE CHAMBER BOARD.
THAT'S JUST BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES THE DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATION OCCUR DURING THAT MEETING, BUT THEY'RE ONGOING.
PEOPLE WHO AREN'T REGULARLY ATTENDING OR MISSING TWO IN A ROW ARE MISSING A LOT.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE DONE THIS TIME, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU-ALL TO THINK ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE POLICY SOMEWHERE TOO.
>> WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT HISTORICALLY IT'S NOT BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE BOC.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH DIFFERENT BOC SINCE 2016.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST IS MEMBERS COME, AND IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME, THEY LET US KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE AND WHY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE.
THAT CERTAINLY COULD BECOME AN ISSUE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT HISTORICALLY HASN'T BEEN.
>> I'LL JUMP IN TOO AND SAY THAT I ACTUALLY HAD WRITTEN DOWN ATTENDANCE ON MY LIST HERE.
I SHARE THOSE FEELINGS THAT WHEN WE HAVE 100 OR 200 OR 400 PEOPLE VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE AND CAREFULLY GO THROUGH THAT SELECTION PROCESS AS A BOARD AND SEAT THOSE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE AND THEN THEY FAIL TO SHOW UP.
I GET IT PEOPLE MISS MEETINGS.
BUT WE HAVE 350 PEOPLE WAITING IN THE WINGS SO WOULD GLADLY TAKE THAT SEAT.
I KNOW THAT THE BUSINESS GETS DONE ON THE COMMITTEE.
I GET THAT. I KNOW THAT THEY MEET AND THEY MOVE FORWARD, AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS THOSE MEETINGS.
BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE GIVING A SEAT TO SOMEONE WHO'S UNABLE TO SHOW UP FOR VERY LEGITIMATE REASONS, I'M SURE.
YET WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SITTING AT HOME WHO WOULD GLADLY COME UP AND PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY.
THEREFORE, I'M IN FAVOR OF MORE STRINGENT ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CONSECUTIVE, BUT YOU MISS TWO.
I'M SO SORRY, WE WOULD LIKE TO FILL YOUR SEAT WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN.
[01:05:01]
I KNOW THAT THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT HARSH, BUT TO JAMES' POINT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS, AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT DO WANT TO TAKE PART IN THOSE.FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT SHOULD JUST BE FOR THE BOC.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE FOR ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES, INCLUDING SSHAC, WHICH WE'LL BE DISCUSSING LATER.
AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SERVE ON ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE.
>> YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REQUESTED TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA, DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR COMMITTEES, AND IT SHOULD BE ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT GOOD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION HERE.
>> TRUSTEES CAN MAKE A REQUEST FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM ON THAT?
>> WE DID. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I THOUGHT I HEARD CHRIS SAY THAT IT HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE.
BEFORE WE LEAVE WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS AN ISSUE ON THE BOC, WE NEED TO HAVE HIM LOOK MORE CAREFULLY AND SEE IF IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.
I THOUGHT I HEARD HIM SAY THAT ON THE BOC, IT HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE.
>> NO, WE'VE HAD GOOD ATTENDANCE ON THIS PARTICULAR BOC AND ON THE PREVIOUS BOCS I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH AS WELL.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT A BOC COMMITMENT IS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
IT'S NOT A ONE-YEAR COMMITMENT.
IT'S OPEN ENDED, USUALLY GOES THREE OR FOUR YEARS.
>> THEN THE NEXT THING I WAS GOING TO ASK THE BOARD IS, DOES THE BOARD WANT TO REPLACE KELLY ON THE BOC? KELLY MOVED OFF OF THE BOC AND ON TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO FROM A PERSPECTIVE, A BUSINESS CAN CONTINUE TO GET DONE.
BUT IT'S THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE THAT WE SELECTED THAT MANY MEMBERS? LET'S GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF REPLACING KELLY.
>> I WOULD SUGGEST YOU PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO.
ONE OF THE REASONS, WE USED TO HAVE A STRUCTURE WHERE WE HAD NINE VOTING MEMBERS AND THEN ALTERNATE MEMBERS.
IF YOU REMEMBER, ONE OF THE UPDATES WE MADE LAST YEAR WAS MADE EVERYBODY A VOTING MEMBER.
WHEN I SAY THAT PEOPLE ARE GOOD ABOUT ATTENDING, I DON'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ATTRITION. WE ABSOLUTELY DO.
WE LOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, BUT ALSO PEOPLE MOVE AND PEOPLE CHANGE JOBS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS CHANGE.
OVER THE THREE OR FOUR YEARS THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL BE ACTIVE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE IT WRITTEN IN THE BOC CHARTER THAT ONCE WE GET TO NINE, WHICH WAS THE OLD, THEN WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU TO APPOINT NEW MEMBERS AS YOU SEE FIT, RATHER THAN DOING IT ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS BECAUSE KELLY'S NOT THE ONLY MEMBER WE'VE ALREADY LOST.
YOU APPOINTED 16, AND ONE OF THEM DROPPED OUT BEFORE THE FIRST MEETING BECAUSE HE GOT ANOTHER JOB AND COULDN'T PARTICIPATE.
WE'RE DOWN TO 14 MEMBERS RIGHT NOW, BUT 14 IS FINE, AND WE DON'T NEED TO CONTINUALLY BUILD IT UP TO 15.
NUMBER 1, YOU DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH THE BIG [INAUDIBLE] TO DO IT UNLESS WE HAVE TO.
THE WAY WE WERE THINKING ABOUT IT AS DISTRICT LIAISONS IS IF WE WERE HAPPEN TO DROP TO NINE AFTER A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, THEN AND OF COURSE, WE'D BRING IT TO YOU PROBABLY WOULD MAKE SENSE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY.
IF WE'RE IN YEAR 3.5 AND WE GO DOWN TO NINE OR EIGHT, PROBABLY NOT.
>> I WOULD SAY, I THINK THAT THE SUCCESSION IS ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED IN THE CHARTER AS IT IS, BUT IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN, WE CERTAINLY CAN.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT INPUT, BECAUSE THAT IS IMPORTANT.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THIS IS PART OF A BIGGER CONVERSATION TO DIANE'S POINT THAT SHE DID SEND AN EMAIL TO REQUEST THIS.
I SECOND IT SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT COMMITTEES, AND ATTENDANCE IS DEFINITELY A BIG PIECE OF THAT, BUT IT'S NOT THE ENTIRE PIECE OF THAT, I THINK.
BUT I THINK THAT IT JUST NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE LARGER CONVERSATION, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THAT IN AN UPCOMING MEETING SOON. THANK YOU.
>> EXEC HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO MEET AND LOOK AT THE AGENDAS YET, SO THAT ITEM IS ON OUR LIST.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5/0.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN APPROVAL OF A CHANGE TO THE METHOD OF
[10.4 Request to change the method of procurement for 401 Camp Craft building renovation]
PROCUREMENT FOR 401 CAMP CRAFT BUILDING RENOVATION. KRISTY SAILORS.>> WHAT THIS ITEM IS, IS WE'RE ASKING TO CHANGE THE PROCUREMENT METHOD FOR OBTAINING BIDS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION FOR 401.
WE HAD APPROVED LAST YEAR A SPECIFIC TYPE OF PROCUREMENT PROCESS,
[01:10:02]
LIMITING US TO WHAT WE COULD GET THAT TYPE OF PROCUREMENT.THE BID THAT WE RECEIVED, IT WAS AN ITEMIZED CHECKLIST, WHICH EACH INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIC THING WAS A DIFFERENT WORK ORDER AND A DIFFERENT COST, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A DELAY ON THIS PIECE.
IT WASN'T THE OVERALL BID FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE RENOVATION PROJECT.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO IS ALLOW US TO CHANGE THE PROCUREMENT METHOD TO A COMPETITIVE-SEALED BID, ALLOW US TO INVITE MORE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT BID PROCESS.
THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BID THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE, AND NOT THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF THAT PROJECT, GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY AND ALLOWS US ALSO TO PRIORITIZE IN THE SCORING.
CAN THEY ADHERE TO OUR TIMELINE? COST IS IMPORTANT.
CAN THEY MEET THE DESIGNS, BUT CAN THEY ALSO MEET OUR TIMELINE?
>> I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE CHANGING THE METHOD OF PROCUREMENT FOR THE 401 CAMP CRAFT BUILDING RENOVATION FROM JOB-ORDER CONTRACTING TO COMPETITIVE-SEALED PROPOSAL.
>> MOTION BY ELLEN. SECOND BY DIANE.
ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD. HEATHER.
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THE RENDERING LOOKS A LOT BETTER, EVEN WITH JUST THE EANES LOGO UP THERE.
IT REALLY MAKES IT A LOT MORE APPEALING TO LOOK AT.
>> IT'S GOT JEREMY LEAVING THE BUILDING.
PROUD JEREMY. DR. ARNETT, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING?
>> IF I COULD. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO THAT WE BOUGHT THIS BUILDING, AND IN NEARLY TWO YEARS, OUR STAFF HAVE WORKED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS INVESTMENT.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE NOT IN AN ECONOMY RIGHT NOW THAT IS FAVORABLE TO CONSTRUCTION COSTS, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE DELAYED THIS AND WHY DR.
WE'RE TRYING TO GO BACK OUT NOW AND TRY TO SOLICIT NEW MORE COMPETITIVE BIDS, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE WE STEWARDS FOR THE TAXPAYERS WHO HELPED US PURCHASE THIS OUT OF REAL ESTATE RESERVES THAT WERE DEDICATED FOR ONLY PURCHASES LIKE THIS, BUT WE'RE ALSO STEWARDS FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CALL THIS BUILDING HOME.
WE ARE TRYING TO EXPEDITE THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE OUT OF THIS BUILDING A YEAR FROM NOW SO THAT THIS BECOMES THE NEW HOME AND THE NEW CAMPUS FOR THE LEARNING CENTER.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT IS MOTIVATING US TO TRY TO GET THE MOST COMPETITIVE BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS THE PROJECT FOR STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE? ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES 5/0.
THANK YOU, KRISTY. OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF NEW SSHAC MEMBERS.
[10.5 Request to approve new SSHAC members]
DO I HAVE A MOTION? ELLEN.>> I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE 2024/2025 SSHAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS COMPRISED OF STUDENTS, STAFF, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT SSHAC STANDS FOR STUDENT SAFETY AND HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
DO YOU CARE TO GIVE US AN INTRO ON THIS REAL QUICK?
EVERY YEAR WE COME TO YOU AND WE BRING OUR SSHAC COMMITTEE FORWARD.
JUST PURPOSE OF SSHAC, I REMINDED THE AUDIENCE HERE WHY WE HAVE OUR SSHAC COMMITTEE, WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST COMMITTEE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ABOUT 37 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON OUR COMMITTEE.
ABOUT 11 OF THEM ARE NEW, AND SO WE DID DO A CALL THIS YEAR FOR OUR SSHAC COMMITTEE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE CODE, IT IS REQUIRED FOR EACH DISTRICT TO HAVE A SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE ADD SAFETY TO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
IN THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE MEMBERS.
WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE 37, BECAUSE WE HAVE 37 PARTICIPATING MEMBERS.
THEY FILL THIS BOARD ROOM ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH.
WE HAVE FIVE MEETINGS, AND SO WE REALLY ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
HERE IS OUR LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE APPROVED TONIGHT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I DID, IN MY EXCITEMENT, ADD MAUREEN TURNER CAREY TO THE LIST THAT'S HERE, BUT I DON'T THINK SHE'S ON YOUR LIST THAT'S IN THE BOARD PACKET.
MAKE SURE WE ADD HER, BECAUSE SHE WAS ONE OF OUR MEMBERS THAT CAME IN FOR OUR CALL THAT WE DID, AND SO WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
>> LIBRARIAN FROM WEST BANK LIBRARY AND ALUMNI.
>> YES. HERE ARE SSHAC MEETINGS.
[01:15:03]
JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY.WE HAVE THEM OBVIOUSLY RECORDED, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THOSE IN PERSON, THESE MEETINGS.
AT THE VERY END OF THE YEAR, WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR HEROES CELEBRATION.
>> THANK YOU. ANYTHING TO ADD? I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AS A SSHAC ALUMNI, I ALWAYS LOVE HEARING ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, I'M SUPER HAPPY THAT WE HAVE STUDENTS BECAUSE I WAS THERE WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT THEM IN, AND THEY HAVE JUST SUCH AN IMPORTANT VOICE TO ADD TO IT, AND THEY'VE BEEN SO HELPFUL IN MOVING IT FORWARD.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE SSHAC, AND HOW MANY PEOPLE APPLIED TO BE ON THE SSHAC THIS YEAR?
>> THE 37 THAT APPLIED, WE TOOK EVERYONE, OBVIOUSLY.
YES, WE DID A CALL THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, AND THEN ALSO THROUGH OUR CAMPUS, [OVERLAPPING] THE NEWSLETTERS THAT GO HOME, YES, TO LET INDIVIDUALS KNOW THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR SSHAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
>> THEY FILLED WE HAVE THAT APPLICATION THAT'S FOR ANY COMMITTEE, AND SO WE WENT THROUGH AND LOOKED AT THAT ALSO FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD EXPRESSED SOME INTEREST, AND THEN THAT'S THE APPLICATION PROCESS THEY USED TO LET US KNOW THEY WANTED TO BE ON SSHAC THIS YEAR.
>> HOW DO YOU FIND THE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO SERVE ON THE SSHAC?
>> USUALLY IT'S THE STUDENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS STUDENTS HAND PICK AND ASK THE STUDENTS TO SERVE ON SSHAC.
WE HAVE FOUND THAT THAT WORKS BEST WHEN THEY'RE PERSONALLY ASKED BY ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS TO DO THAT.
I'LL BE HONEST, IT'S USUALLY THE CERT KIDS THAT ARE SERVING ON SSHAC.
THEN THE SENIORS USUALLY PICK SOME SENIORS THAT ARE COMING UP TO REPLACE THEM.
>> IT'S USUALLY UPPER CLASSMEN?
>> IT'S USUALLY, I WOULD SAY, JUNIORS AND SENIORS.
>> IT'S OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM. THAT'S WHAT IT STANDS FOR.
>> HEIDI SAUER HAS BEEN REALLY INSTRUMENTAL WITH WORKING WITH THOSE STUDENTS TO REACH OUT AND CHECK ON THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
>> WHEN JAMES TALKED ABOUT 350 PEOPLE WAITING IN THE WINGS TO BE ON THE BOCK, DO WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE? WERE WE OVER SUBSCRIBED TO THIS COMMITTEE OR THERE ARE A TON OF APPLICATIONS, AND WE HAD TO REALLY [OVERLAPPING]
>> I MEAN, WE TOOK EVERYBODY WHO APPLIED.
>> IF YOU WANT TO BE ON SSHAC, WE LET YOU BE ON SSHAC.
>> WE WILL LET YOU TO BE ON SSHAC.
>> PRETTY MUCH, YEAH. I MEAN, IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT.
BUT I WOULD SAY MAYBE OUR ATTENDANCE WITH SSHAC IS MAYBE NOT THE SAME AS THE BACH.
>> IT IS. IT'S A CHALLENGING TIME, AND SO WE ARE PRETTY OPEN TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME, AND THERE'S ALSO TIMES WHERE THINGS ARE MAYBE MORE INTERESTING TOPICS THAN OTHERS, AND SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME IN, OTHER MEETINGS THEY MAY NOT COME.
WE'RE PRETTY FLEXIBLE OF WHO'S ON SSHAC.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY I SAW PEOPLE POSTING THIS TO FACEBOOK PAGES AND STUFF, WHICH I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT IT WAS GETTING AROUND TO ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WHEN I SAID THE WORD FACEBOOK, IT EQUALED ADULTS ALREADY.
BUT I SAW THAT IT WAS GETTING AROUND, AND I EVEN HAD, I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF PEOPLE LAST SUMMER WHO HAD A BACKGROUND THAT SEEMED TO FIT SSHAC, AND THEY WERE LIKE, I'D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE DISTRICT, AND I SAID, WELL, I TURNED A MERAMS WAY, I BELIEVE.
BUT YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE INVOLVED HERE, AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET INVOLVED IN OUR DISTRICT, AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S DONE THERE. ELLEN.
>> I WAS GOING TO MENTION TOO, WE ALSO SOLICIT NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS THROUGH WHAT WE CALL THE COMMONAPP.
ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN SERVING IN ANY CAPACITY IN THE DISTRICT, WE GATHER THOSE NAMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND THEN WE INFORM THEM OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
THAT'S BECOME A GOOD POOL OF PEOPLE FOR US TO DRAW FROM.
>> THIS WAS ORIGINALLY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND I WAS THE ONE WHO ASKED THAT IT BE PULLED AND PUT ON THE MAIN AGENDA BECAUSE I WANTED US TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE SSHAC IS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO US.
THAT, IN THE OLD DAYS, SCHOOLS JUST HAD A SSHAC, AND THEY HAD FIVE MEMBERS, AND THEY CHECKED THE BOX, AND THAT WAS IT.
BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY ISSUES, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS OVER THE COVID YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN SO IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT THIS HAS BECOME AN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE PARTNERSHIP I FEEL AS A BOARD MEMBER.
[01:20:03]
I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST SSHAC, AND RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED AND STEPPED UP AND SAID, THEY WILL SERVE ON THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A VERY VALUABLE WAY TO GIVE FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT AND ADVICE TO THE VARIOUS DISTRICT FUNCTIONS.I WILL NOTE THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT, SO I REALIZE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THAT, YOU AREN'T SURE WHAT HEALTH AND SAFETY YOU'RE SEEING GOING ON.
BUT ANY MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED, COULD YOU ACCEPT SOME ADDITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PARTICIPATION?
>> WE COULD. WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR THEM TO BE ADDED ON, AND I THINK OUR FIRST MEETING IS SOON.
>> IF WE COULD GET SOME MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS TO THINK ABOUT IT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A CRITICAL POINT.
>> I KNOW THAT MOLLY FEELS THE SAME.
IF ANYBODY WOULD JUST LIKE TO JOIN IN TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE, MAYBE BEFORE THEY MAKE THE COMMITMENT, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM DO THAT TOO.
>> THE MEETINGS ARE OPEN, SO THEY CAN COME AND WATCH.
>> GREAT. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL COME UP IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEE, ETC, IS HOW AGENDAS ARE SET? HOW ARE TOPICS CHOSEN? I THINK THAT WE'LL PROBABLY COME BACK TO THAT.
BUT GENERALLY, IS THE SSHAC MEETING AGENDA DRIVEN BY MANDATED OR REQUIRED TOPICS OR DO MEMBERS BUBBLE UP TOPICS THAT THEY THINK THAT THE DISTRICT SHOULD TALK ABOUT? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE LEGISLATURE HAS PROVIDED US MANY TOPICS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COVERING, AND THE SSHAC IS SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING AT THOSE.
ONE OF THE THINGS, FOR INSTANCE, THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT TODAY FOR OUR NEXT SSHAC MEETING IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH FENTANYL AWARENESS AND EDUCATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EACH GRADE LEVEL AND WHAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY GOING TO BE DOING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ANNUALLY, AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE THE SAME THING SIXTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE, AND SO, LIKE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO SSHAC.
WE'VE BEEN DOING FENTANYL AWARENESS, BUT WE WANT TO DIFFERENTIATE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE LEGISLATIVE MANDATES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
THEN SOMETIMES THINGS COME UP THAT THEY'RE CURIOUS ABOUT.
WE'VE HAD MATT GREER COME LAST YEAR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS GETTING FORMED AND PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE BROUGHT IN CHILD NUTRITION, BECAUSE THEY'VE BROUGHT UP QUESTIONS.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH WORKING ON THE AGENDA OF THINGS THAT ARE BUBBLING UP, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY COMMUNITY-BASED TOO.
WHAT ARE THEIR CONCERNS, BUT THEN SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO BRING THINGS TO THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE MANDATED TO BE THE ONES WHO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.
>> I THINK ALL OF THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
I DO HOPE THAT THIS IS PART OF THE BROADER CONVERSATION ON COMMITTEES, WELL, FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, BUT SOME OF THE TOPICS ARE SCARY, AND SOME OF THEM ARE CURRICULUM-BASED, SO I THINK THAT MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A VERY ROBUST COMMITTEE IS REALLY IMPORTANT ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG DEAL.
AT LEAST IN OUR DISTRICT, IT'S A BIG DEAL, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY HEALTHY GOOD THING.
I DEFINITELY WANT TO EXPLORE THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I MEAN, ONE THING WE GET THE NAMES IN OUR PACKET, BUT THERE'S REALLY NOT THE SAME LEVEL OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS LIKE THERE ARE IN SOME OTHER COMMITTEES, AND HOW WE BACK FILL OR IF WE BACK FILL, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN THIS COMMITTEE BUT THAT ATTENDANCE, AND MAYBE IT'S THE FORMER FIRST GRADE TEACHER.
I'M LIKE, A STICKLER FOR ATTENDANCE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE SHOULD FIGURE THAT PIECE OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE ENGAGED AS WE POSSIBLY CAN THAT ARE ATTENDING AND PROVIDING HELPFUL TID BITS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HEATHER. NO OTHER COMMENT. QUESTION FROM THE BOARD? MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY, AYE? ANY OPPOSED? NONE. MOTION CARRIES 5/0.
THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO SERVE ON THE SSHAC.
[11. ACTION - CONSENT AGENDA]
DO I HAVE A MOTION? ELLEN.>> I MOVE WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS POSTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? WE LOVE HVAC FILTERS. KELLY.
>> I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE FILTER SERVICES.
[01:25:02]
THERE WAS THE NEW CONTRACT.IT WAS FOR 147,000, BUT THEN LAST YEAR, THERE WAS SOME HVAC FILTER SERVICE ON THERE THAT WAS OVER 50,000, SO WE HAD TO APPROVE IT, AND IT WAS FOR 69,000.
WAS THAT FOR ONLY HALF THE YEAR OR WAS THAT FOR THE WHOLE? THAT WAS HALF A YEAR. IT'S ABOUT THE SAME, WENT UP JUST A LITTLE?
FILTER QUESTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE. HEATHER.
>> WE LOVE OUR HVAC SYSTEMS. I JUST ALSO WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF WESTLAKE HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR JOINING FORCES WITH OUR FORCE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT RESTROOM PARTITIONS WHILE WE'RE HERE? MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5/0.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONCLUSION OF THIS MEETING.
[12. UPCOMING MEETINGS]
PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF FUTURE UPCOMING MEETINGS.WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, WHICH MEANS A STUDY SESSION WHERE WE TAKE A VOTE ON SOMETHING.
THEN SEPTEMBER 24TH FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING.
THEN THERE'S A SLIDE THAT REMINDS ME OF BANG THE GAVEL.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 8:41. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.