Nov 04, 2025 School Board Study Session

>> THE TIME IS NOW 6:14.

[1.

CALL TO ORDER

[00:00:05]

MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM?

>> YES, WE DO.

>> THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

[3.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

>>THANK YOU. LET ME START WITH A SHORT RECOGNITION AND SIMPLY SAY THAT SOMETIMES YOU GO THROUGH PHASES IN LIFE WHERE YOU END UP WITH A NEW NAME OR SOMEONE CALLING YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE THAT PERSON IN THE ROOM TONIGHT.

I WANT TO BE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT GG IS OVER HERE SERVING AS OUR CLERK OF THE BOARD.

[APPLAUSE] SO YOU CAN READ INTO THAT WHAT YOU WANT, BUT CONGRATULATIONS, GG. NOW, MOVING ON.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR VARSITY VOLLEYBALL TEAM.

THEY WON THE AREA CHAMPIONSHIP.

THEY'RE MOVING ON TO THE REGIONALS, AND THEY WILL PLAY NEXT FRIDAY.

IN THE AREA CHAMPIONSHIPS.

ALSO SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO THE CHAP BAND, QUALIFIED FOR UIL STATE COMPETITION AND PERFORMED REALLY WELL, AND WE'RE JUST PROUD OF THEM IN THE WAY THEY'RE WRAPPING UP THEIR SEASON.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY DO HAVE ANOTHER COMPETITION COMING UP THIS WEEKEND, AND IT'S A BAND OF AMERICA COMPETITION, AND THEY'VE JUST DONE EXTREMELY WELL IN THE PREVIOUS BAND OF AMERICA COMPETITION.

BEST I'VE LUCK TO THEM, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON A WONDERFUL SEASON.

BE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE.

LAST WEEK THAT WAS SHOWCASING OUR SOLAR ENERGY PROGRAM WAS FUNDED BY THE 2023 BOND.

WE LEVERAGED $3.5 MILLION IN AUSTIN ENERGY REBATES, $2.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL INCENTIVES, AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR SOLAR CAPACITY TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW, ACTUALLY HAVE REDUCED OUR ELECTRICITY BILL BY ABOUT 50%, AND WE LOOK FOR THAT CONTINUED SAVINGS IN THE FUTURE.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THOSE THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH BEING SURE THAT BECAME A PART OF THE 2023 BOND PROGRAM, BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS VERY VISIONARY, I THINK IT'S PAYING OFF, AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW AND BE AWARE OF THAT.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL AS TRUSTEES, AND THEN REALLY TO OUR STAFF AS WELL, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT WERE INVOLVED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT EASY.

I WAS PRIVILEGED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS LAST FRIDAY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE OUR JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM HOSTS THE LIFE SCHOOL STUDENTS.

WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY.

YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES UP THERE.

IT WAS JUST A LOT OF ENERGY, A LOT OF INTERACTION BETWEEN OUR FOOTBALL TEAM AND KIDS IN THE LIFE SCHOOL SKILLS PROGRAM.

A LOT OF THOSE PARENTS SHOWED UP, TOO, AND IT WAS JUST REALLY, REALLY A FUN MORNING.

THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER.

THEN LASTLY, JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT OUR NEXT MEETING WON'T BE UNTIL AFTER VETERANS DAY AND SO WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF VETERANS DAY CELEBRATIONS TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION NOVEMBER 7TH, AND THEN THE BULK OF THEM ON NOVEMBER 11TH, ACTUAL VETERANS DAY.

WE'RE ENCOURAGING VETERANS TO ATTEND AND ASKING THAT THEY MIGHT RSVP, JUST SO THAT WE CAN KNOW WHO MIGHT BE IN ATTENDANCE, SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE THEM AND PLAN FOR THEM.

I'M GOING TO PUT EVERYBODY ON NOTICE.

PROBABLY A SPECIAL PARKING, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO WELCOME THOSE FOLKS TO OUR CAMPUSES.

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND SECONDHAND, THIS COMMUNITY REALLY CELEBRATES VETERANS AND VETERANS DAY.

I COMMEND ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES FOR MAKING THAT SUCH A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE.

NOT ONLY FOR THE VETERANS, BUT FOR OUR KIDS TO EXPERIENCE THIS AND TO SEE AND TO HONOR THOSE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE THEM AND REALLY BEEN A PART OF ENSURING THAT OUR COUNTRY IS WHAT IT IS TODAY.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

>> THANK YOU, DR. TRIGG.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY VETERANS' DAY.

ALL OF THE CAMPUSES, AS YOU SAID, THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. TRUSTEES, ANY COMMENTS TO DR. TRIGG'S SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT? WELL, THEN, BEFORE WE GO TO THE REPORTS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, FOR THOSE ONLINE, I DID WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE MEETING.

I'M KIM MCMATH, AND I'M PRESIDENT OF THE EANES ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION, WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS FOR THE BOARD TO DELIBERATE AND VOTE ON MATTERS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.

AS ALWAYS, WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

[00:05:05]

THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR OPEN FORUM TONIGHT IN THE MEETING, AS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.

I THINK AT THIS POINT,

[5.1 Board Strategic Priority update: Safe School Communities]

WE ARE GOING TO WELCOME HEIDI SAUER, WHO IS DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING.

DID I GET YOUR TITLE RIGHT, AND MOLLY MAY, OUR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, AND CHIEF MATT GREER.

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

>> YES, THIS IS THE SAFE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, OUR STRATEGIC BOARD PRIORITY.

THIS YEAR, IT'S ACTUALLY ONE PRESENTATION.

LAST YEAR, WE BROKE IT UP INTO TWO SEPARATE PARTS WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH AND COUNSELING.

HEIDI AND I DID THAT, AND THEN HEIDI AND MATT DID THE PRESENTATION AROUND THE ACT TEAM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THIS YEAR, WE DECIDED TO PUT IT ALL INTO ONE PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE REALLY SEE THAT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS GLOBALLY AND THOUGHT THAT THE TWO TOPICS WORKED WELL TOGETHER IN ONE PRESENTATION.

I AM GOING TO START OFF AND PASS IT TO HEIDI.

>> THANK YOU. IT'S LOVELY TO SEE ALL OF YOU FIRST TIME THIS YEAR TO GET TO SEE YOU.

WANTED TO START BY JUST REMINDING YOU OF WHO OUR MENTAL HEALTH STAFF ARE.

WE DO HAVE SCHOOL COUNSELORS THAT ARE MANDATED BY THE STATE.

WE HAVE ONE PER CAMPUS AT THE ELEMENTARY, THREE AT EACH OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND THEN SEVEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THEN WE ARE ALSO FORTUNATE TO HAVE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS ON ALL CAMPUSES.

THANK YOU TO YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO GET TO THE POINT THAT WE HAVE THAT.

WE HAVE ONE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST ON EACH ELEMENTARY CAMPUS, ONE ON EACH MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS, AND THEN TWO AND A HALF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THE HALF BEING AT THE LEARNING CENTER, TLC.

THEN WE ALSO HAVE 12 SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND THREE INTERNS.

I DON'T WORK WITH THEM AS MUCH.

THEY PARTNER WITH THE CAMPUS SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS.

I WORK CLOSELY WITH NICKI KENNINGTON WHO OVERSEES THAT TEAM.

WAY BACK IN 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SENATE BILL 179 ESTABLISHED THE 80 20 RULE, AS IT'S COMMONLY CALLED, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS SHOULD NOT SPEND MORE THAN 20% OF THEIR TIME ON NON-COUNSELING DUTIES.

THIS WAS A WAY TO REALLY FOCUS SCHOOL COUNSELORS WORK ON ACTUALLY SERVING STUDENTS AND DOING THE THINGS THAT WE ARE EXPECTED TO DO BASED ON THE TEXAS MODEL OF A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM, WHICH IS THAT IMAGE THAT IS ON THE SCREEN.

SCHOOL COUNSELORS ACROSS THE STATE ARE REQUIRED TO TRACK THEIR TIME ANNUALLY.

THEN EACH YEAR, TEA SELECTS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CAMPUSES TO AUDIT THAT DATA, AND WE GOT PICKED FOR THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR DATA FOR '24-'25, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS RULE.

I THINK THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE WE HAD WAS 17% OF NON-COUNSELING DUTIES AMONGST OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

THIS REALLY IS TESTAMENT TO THE CAMPUS PRINCIPALS AND THE WAY THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO SEE THE VALUE OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE REALLY BUSY.

THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES ARE REALLY BUSY.

THEY NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO DO A LOT OF THINGS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WILLING TO REALLY SUPPORT SCHOOL COUNSELORS DOING THE WORK THAT THEY'RE INTENDED TO DO.

I ALSO WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.

MOLLY AND I HAD A GOAL FOR THIS PRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IN TERMS OF COUNSELING.

ONE OF THOSE IS, WHAT DO OUR COUNSELORS DO TO KEEP UP WITH PROFESSIONAL LEARNING? ALL OF THEM DO THINGS INDEPENDENTLY.

THEY'RE READING BOOKS, THEY'RE GOING TO WEBINARS.

THEY'RE ATTENDING PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CONFERENCES BASED ON THEIR CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSURES.

BUT THEN WE OFFER SOME OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.

REGION 13 IS OUR EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER OUT NOT FAR FROM HERE, AND THEY OFFER A SERIES OF FREE WORKSHOPS, LUNCH AND LEARNS, AND I MAKE SURE THAT COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS, AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ALL ARE AWARE OF THOSE, AND SO THEY CAN CHOOSE TO ATTEND THOSE.

THEN OUR DISTRICT PAYS FOR SEATS THAT ARE IN THE COUNSELOR SUPPORT SERVICES COOPERATIVE AND ALSO THE MENTAL HEALTH SERIES.

THESE ARE SOME OF MORE IN-PERSON SESSIONS, SOME ARE VIRTUAL SESSIONS.

AGAIN, COUNSELORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THESE.

IT'S ABOUT 20 SESSIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE EACH YEAR FROM REGION 13.

THEN AS A DISTRICT, I BRING IN PEOPLE TO TRAIN OUR STAFF, AND I ALSO INVITE THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY TEAM TO THESE WHEN THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THAT AND LEVERAGING THE COMMUNITY,

[00:10:03]

THE SAMA TRAINING IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, WHERE WE USE SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF TO TRAIN OURS.

I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWARE THAT SMALL GROUP COUNSELING IS A PRETTY BIG PART OF WHAT HAPPENS ON OUR CAMPUSES.

BOTH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS CAN DO THIS, BUT IT'S MOSTLY THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS THAT ARE RUNNING OUR GROUPS ON CAMPUS.

ALL OF THESE GROUPS ARE DONE WITH PARENTAL CONSENT, SO THERE IS SOME NEED OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S THE STAFF RECOGNIZING A NEED, WHETHER IT'S PARENTS RECOGNIZING A NEED.

THEN THE COUNSELORS DECIDE HERE'S SOME TOPICS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND THEN THEY IDENTIFY THE STUDENTS FOR THAT, REACH OUT TO PARENTS, AND SAY, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THIS? THEN THEY DO THESE.

THESE CAN BE PROBABLY ANYWHERE FROM 4-6 WEEKS, JUST AS A GENERAL IDEA FOR A TIME FRAME THERE.

YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TOPICS.

THESE ARE DIFFERENT BY CAMPUS.

NOT EVERY CAMPUS DOES ALL OF THESE TOPICS, AND THEY DON'T DO THEM EVERY YEAR BECAUSE IT REFLECTS THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS.

SOME OF THESE ARE MORE TYPICALLY SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, LIKE A PERSONAL SPACE CAMP.

WE HAVE SOME KIDS WHO DON'T KNOW BOUNDARIES RIGHT NOW AT ONE OF OUR CAMPUSES, SO THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT.

THE EMOTIONAL REGULATION IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OBVIOUSLY KINDER CONNECTIONS ARE A LITTLE MORE ELEMENTARY ORIENTED.

WE HAVE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION GROUPS GOING ON AT BOTH AN ELEMENTARY AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, THE NEW-TO-EANES GROUPS GO ON ON MULTIPLE CAMPUSES.

THEN A PROCESSING GROUP IS USUALLY MORE THE OLDER KIDS.

THOSE ARE A LITTLE LESS STRUCTURED.

IT'S OFTEN THE KIDS BRING THE TOPIC TO THE SESSION, AND THEY'RE PROCESSING THAT.

THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN IS FROM WESTRIDGE, WHERE THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST WAS DOING A PROCESSING SESSION AND THEN HAD SOME YOGA GOING ON WITH THOSE STUDENTS.

OUR COUNSELORS ALSO PROVIDE PSYCHO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

RECENTLY, WE DID, I THINK IT WAS SEPTEMBER, HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THEIR SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST LED A SESSION CALLED HELPING KIDS THRIVE BEYOND THE SCREEN, WHERE SHE LOOKED AT THE LINK BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY USE AND HOW THAT IMPACTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND CONNECTION IN THE SCHOOL SETTING IN A NEGATIVE WAY IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH.

THIS WAS ALSO BASED ON THE ANXIOUS GENERATION, A BOOK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT.

HEALTHY CHAPS SPEAKER SERIES IT WAS DONE AT WEST LAKE, BUT PROMOTED ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

THIS RAN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES THAT WERE GOING ON AT WEST LAKE.

THESE WERE FOUR DAYS OF SPEAKERS DURING LUNCH.

IT WAS TWO SPEAKERS PER LUNCH, SO A TOTAL OF EIGHT SPEAKERS THAT COVERED A VARIETY OF TOPICS.

A FEW THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY WERE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT'S BEEN OFFERED IN THE PAST.

THESE INCLUDED A SESSION ADDRESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF TEEN BOYS.

ANOTHER SESSION ADDRESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ATHLETES, AND THEN A THIRD THAT LOOKED AT THE LINK BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS.

AGAIN LEVERAGING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

THE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS ARE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT DO IT FOR FREE, AND OUR SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS AT WEST LAKE USE THEIR CONNECTIONS TO BRING THESE SPEAKERS TO US.

THEN WE ALSO HAVE CAMPUSES THAT DO COFFEE WITH THE COUNSELORS.

THIS YEAR, I'LL FOCUS ON FOREST TRAIL ELEMENTARY.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING THESE MONTHLY, WHERE THEY'RE OFFERING THESE TRAININGS FOR PARENTS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY OPTIONAL.

IN OCTOBER, THEY DID ONE ABOUT HOW TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS BUILD HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.

THEN THIS MONTH IN NOVEMBER, THEY'RE DOING ONE ON HELPING THEIR STUDENTS BUILD SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY A PARENT REQUEST TOPIC FOR FOREST TRAIL.

THEN ALL OF OUR COUNSELORS DO PRESENTATIONS FOR BOOSTER CLUBS OR PTO ORGANIZATIONS AT DIFFERENT TIMES UPON THE REQUEST OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.

THIS YEAR, AS AN EXAMPLE, WESTRIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL THEY DID A PRESENTATION ON MENTAL HEALTH IN GENERAL, AND IT WAS MORE ABOUT TRENDS THAT WERE BEING SEEN, AND THEY TOOK A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM PARENTS ABOUT WHAT WERE WE SEEING MOST OF, WHICH CONTINUES TO BE ANXIETY.

THEN, ASKED FOR SOME SUGGESTIONS AROUND THAT.

THEN OUR ELEMENTARIES OFTEN USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

THE COUNSELORS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THEIR ROLES THROUGH THE PTO MEETINGS.

THEN FINALLY, THIS YEAR, WE HAVE SOME CAMPUSES DOING BOOK CLUBS WITH PARENTS.

BOTH CEDAR CREEK AND FOREST TRAIL ARE DOING THEM.

CEDAR CREEK HAS ALREADY DONE TWO BOOKS.

THEY DID THE ANXIOUS GENERATION AND SIBLINGS WITHOUT RIVALRY, AND THEY HAVE A PROCESS WHERE PARENTS ARE CHOOSING.

THEY HAVE A FORM, SOME PROCESS WHERE THE PARENTS ARE VOTING ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, AND ARE DOING THAT.

THEN ONE OF THE IMAGES THERE IS THE FOREST TRAIL BOOK CLUB THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THE OTHER IMAGE IS FROM THE HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT PRESENTATION AT THE BOTTOM.

ADDITIONALLY, THE COUNSELORS ARE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO CONNECT, DISTRESS, AND LEARN.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE HAS REALLY DEVELOPED MORE RECENTLY.

I WOULD SAY, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2013,

[00:15:01]

THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREASING INFLUENCE WHERE THE COUNSELORS ARE SEEING WAYS TO REACH OUT TO THEIR COLLEAGUES AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES AS PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY ON THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TIMES, USUALLY TO DO SOMETHING.

WE HAD TWO CAMPUSES THIS YEAR, DO COOKIES WITH COUNSELORS OR COFFEE WITH COUNSELORS, WHERE IT'S BASICALLY A CHANCE FOR THE STAFF TO JUST COME DOWN.

JUST TAKE A LITTLE BREAK DURING THEIR CONFERENCE PERIOD.

THEY GET TO MEET THE COUNSELORS, ASK QUESTIONS.

IT'S JUST A BRIEF SOCIAL INTERACTION THAT'S BEEN REALLY REWARDING, AND THEY'VE ALSO USED IT WHEN THEY HAVE NEW STAFF.

HILL COUNTRY HAD A HUGE NEW STAFF THIS YEAR IN THE COUNSELING OFFICE, SO IT'S A WAY FOR THEM TO INTRODUCE THEIR NEW STAFF TO THE TEACHING STAFF AS WELL, WHICH IS REALLY FUN.

WEST LAKE THIS YEAR IS DOING SOMETHING NEW.

THEY'RE DOING WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS.

THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, THEY HAVE THERAPY DOGS THERE FOR THE STAFF, AND THEY ARE DOING AN ACTIVITY, AND THEN DOING A LITTLE BIT OF A LEARNING WITH IT.

FOR EXAMPLE, FOR NOVEMBER, THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING TOMORROW, GRATITUDE-RELATED, WHERE THEY'RE ASKING TEACHERS TO HAVE THEIR STUDENTS WRITE WHAT THEY'RE GRATEFUL FOR ON POSTED NOTES, POSTED ON THE DOOR, TAKE A SELFIE.

THERE'S SOME COMPETITION INVOLVED IN THAT AND THEN THERE'S SOME EDUCATION ABOUT THE VALUE OF GRATITUDE.

IN OCTOBER, THEY DID LEADING UP TO ACL.

THEY HAD TEACHERS PUT THEIR FAVORITE HYPE SONG IN, AND THEN THEY PICKED SEVEN OF THEM TO PLAY DURING THE PASSING PERIODS.

JUST CREATING CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT, MAKING SOMETHING FUN.

THEN THERE IS A HOST OF SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES THAT THE COUNSELORS ARE PUTTING TOGETHER FOR STAFF ON THESE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS.

THESE RANGE FROM THINGS YOU MIGHT EXPECT FOR MENTAL HEALTH, LIKE A SOUND BATH OR A MASSAGE CHAIR, A MINDFULNESS WALK.

TO HAVING AN AUTHOR COME AND DO A PRESENTATION ON A TOPIC.

THEN THIS YEAR, EANES ELEMENTARY FOR A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, THEY'RE PLANNING A PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT AT ONE POINT, AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO HAVING THEIR OWN TEACHERS TEACH OTHER TEACHERS THEIR PASSIONS, WHETHER IT'S HOW TO PLAY MAHJONG OR TO DO AN ART PROJECT, HOW TO PLANT THINGS, STUFF LIKE THAT.

JUST SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO CREATE CONNECTION FOR STAFF.

>> OF COURSE, THEY'RE WORKING WITH STUDENTS.

SAVE THAT FOR LAST.

THIS IS I'M FEATURING THINGS THAT ARE IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR GUIDANCE LESSONS THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT SCHOOL COUNSELORS TO BE DOING THAT ARE PART OF THE PROGRAM.

THIS IS WHERE OUR COUNSELING TEAMS, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS ARE BRINGING IN OUTSIDE AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH CRIME STOPPERS SAFE SCHOOLS INSTITUTE.

THEY'VE BEEN COMING FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT CYBER SAFETY.

THIS YEAR, THEY'RE ALSO COMING TO AT LEAST ONE CAMPUS TO DO A GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH PRESENTATION. IT'S CALLED BE NICE.

WE'VE ALSO USED THEM FOR STAFF PRESENTATIONS, AND EVEN FOR NEW TEACHERS, OUR NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION, WE'VE USED THEM FOR THAT.

YOUTH AWARE OF MENTAL HEALTH IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT IS COMING IN TO WEST LAKE.

I THINK LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THEY BROUGHT THEM IN.

THIS IS AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS WHERE THERE'S FIVE LESSONS THAT THEY COME AND TALK ABOUT GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH.

THEY'RE ALSO TEACHING KIDS PROBLEM-SOLVING AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE SKILLS.

THIS IS BEING DONE THROUGH TEEN TEACHING, AND THEN ALSO THROUGH THE HEALTH CLASSES.

AGAIN, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN OTHER CONTEXTS, SOMETIMES EVEN THOUGH OUR COUNSELORS ARE TEACHING THESE THINGS, THE PARENTS ARE TEACHING THESE THINGS, YOU JUST NEED TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE TO COME IN, THEY NEED TO HEAR IT FROM SOMEBODY DIFFERENT FOR IT TO SETTLE IN.

I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWARE THAT JEFF SELINGO WAS HERE AND DID A BIG PRESENTATION FOR FAMILIES.

HE ALSO MET WITH STUDENTS, OVER 260 STUDENTS SIGNED UP TO MEET WITH HIM OVER LUNCH.

THIS IS THE PICTURE OF PART OF THE PACK AND THEM ATTENDING THAT PRESENTATION.

THEN THE COURAGE TO STAND IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED ACROSS OUR ELEMENTARIES OFF AND ON FOR DIFFERENT YEARS.

THIS YEAR IS AN EXAMPLE.

BARTON CREEK ELEMENTARY IS DOING THIS WITH FOURTH GRADERS.

IT'S FOUR SESSIONS THAT ARE BASICALLY FOCUSING ON ANTI BULLYING BEHAVIOR, SPECIFICALLY BEING A COURAGEOUS BYSTANDER, TEACHING KIDS HOW THEY SHOULD ACT IN THESE BULLYING SITUATIONS.

COUNSELORS ARE ALSO COORDINATING OTHER STUDENT EXPERIENCES THAT ARE ENRICHING AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR REFLECTION.

ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES DO SOMETHING RELATED TO BACK TO SCHOOL AND NEW STUDENTS.

IN SOME CASES, IT'S A COUNSELOR-LED EVENT, WHETHER IT'S A TOUR AND A PRESENTATION, OR THEY ARE SIMPLY SUPPORTING CAMPUS EFFORTS, WHERE THE PRINCIPAL MIGHT BE LEADING THAT.

WE'VE FEATURED BE KIND TO YOUR MIND BEFORE.

I THINK THIS WAS YEAR 4.

IT WAS YEAR 3 OR 4 OF THIS EVENT AT WEST LAKE DURING SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK.

IT'S FIVE DAYS OF ACTIVITIES, THE HIGHLIGHT BEING A MENTAL HEALTH FAIR THAT HAS SO MANY VENDORS COMING IN, OR NOT EVEN JUST VENDORS, PROVIDERS COMING IN AND DOING FUN THINGS FOR STUDENTS.

ON OUR SHACK COMMITTEE RECENTLY, THE STUDENT MEMBERS FOR THAT JUST TALKED ABOUT HOW REALLY WONDERFUL THAT DAY IS FOR STUDENTS.

ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES DO SOMETHING RELATED TO CAREER AND POST HIGH SCHOOL PLANNING.

AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S A LONGSTANDING TRADITION OF

[00:20:02]

UNITY WEEK IS ALSO DONE ACROSS THE ELEMENTARIES.

THIS IS IN OCTOBER.

IT'S ANOTHER BULLYING PREVENTION ACTIVITY.

IN THIS YEAR, WE HAVE WESTRIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTING WORLD KINDNESS DAY ON NOVEMBER 13.

THEY'RE SETTING UP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CAFETERIA DURING LUNCHES WHERE STUDENTS CAN WRITE NOTES TO STAFF THAT ARE THANKING THEM OR JUST EXPRESSING SOMETHING POSITIVE.

THEN THOSE TEACHERS THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A TEACHER, ANY STAFF MEMBER WILL GET THAT NOTE IN THEIR MAILBOX.

THAT'S A DAY THAT THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TRYING THAT.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME FOR THAT.

THEN FINALLY, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SECOND STEP, WHICH I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS GOING ON.

BUT THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT ARE NEW THIS YEAR IN TERMS OF SECOND STEP.

THE FIRST IS THAT WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH AMY WILLIAMS, WHO'S THE ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM COORDINATOR. IS THAT HER TITLE? CURRICULUM COORDINATOR TO INCORPORATE THE PACING OF THIS INTO REPORT CARDS.

NOW, EVEN THOUGH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL THING CATEGORIES HAVE BEEN ON REPORT CARDS PREVIOUSLY, NOW IT'S SPECIFICALLY ALIGNED TO THE CURRICULUM, THAT'S IN SECOND STEP, AND GOES ALONG WITH THE NINE WEEK GRADING PERIOD.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

SECOND STEP ADDED OR HAS A BULLYING PREVENTION CURRICULUM, AND LAST YEAR, BRIDGEPOINT INDEPENDENTLY, BOUGHT THIS CURRICULUM AND IMPLEMENTED IT ON THEIR OWN ON THEIR CAMPUS, AND THEIR SCHOOL COUNSELOR WORKED WITH TEACHERS TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING, AND SHE TOLD ME THAT IT'S BEEN REALLY EXCITING THIS YEAR AS YEAR 2 TO GET TO SEE THE RETENTION WITH STUDENTS.

SHE SAID THEY ALL HAVE THIS COMMON LANGUAGE.

THEY'RE RECOGNIZING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONFLICT AND BULLYING AND IDENTIFYING SOME OTHER BEHAVIOR.

IT'S BEEN EXCITING TO SEE THAT IT'S ALREADY TAKING EFFECT AFTER JUST ONE YEAR.

WORD SPREAD OF THIS SUCCESS, AND SO MOLLY AGREED TO PURCHASE THIS CURRICULUM FOR THE OTHER FOUR ELEMENTARIES.

THEY NOW HAVE THAT, AND CAMPUSES WILL BE ROLLING THIS OUT AT THE OTHER ELEMENTARIES AS WELL.

THEN SECOND STEP RELEASED TIER 2 GROUP INTERVENTIONS IN LATE AUGUST IN THESE THREE CATEGORIES.

SO FAR, ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARIES FOREST TRAIL, THE SCHOOL BASED THERAPIST THERE.

SHE'S ALREADY PLANNING GROUPS THAT ARE USING THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN RELATIONSHIP AND PRO SOCIAL SKILLS CURRICULUM, SO SHE CAN PILOT THAT, SEE HOW THAT GOES.

AGAIN, SOMETHING NEW THAT I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT AND BENEFIT STUDENTS.

SECOND STEP IS SOMETHING THAT WE PAY FOR WITH GRANT MONEY.

AS PART OF THE GRANT, WE HAVE TO SURVEY TEACHERS ON A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT MOLLY AND I CREATED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THIS YEAR IN THEIR FREE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY REPORTED SEEING A DECREASE IN CERTAIN BEHAVIORS IN 24-25 AS A RESULT OF USING THIS CURRICULUM.

YOU CAN SEE UP THERE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE IMPROVED, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ALIGNMENT IN THE REPORT CARD NOW THAT WE CAN MAYBE CONTINUE TO SEE THESE BEHAVIORS ADJUST AS KIDS MOVE FROM KINDER THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.

>> THEN I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY MENTION OUR CARE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS OUR COMMUNITY ACCESSIBILITY RESPECT AND ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

THIS WAS REFORMULATED THIS YEAR, AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR MISSION ABOUT PROMOTING BELONGING, UNDERSTANDING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND ALL IN EFFORT TO SUPPORT EANES ISD GRADUATE PROFILE.

THE COMMITTEE IS STILL CHAIRED BY DIANNE PARKS AND MONIQUE PIKUS PAYNE.

THEY CONTINUED TO DO THEIR GOOD WORK.

WE HAVE 24 MEMBERS, PARENTS, STAFF, STUDENTS, ADMINISTRATION, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THEY HAD ONE MEETING WHEN THIS WENT TO PRESS.

THAT WAS MORE OF A GET TO KNOW YOU, THEM FOCUSING ON THEIR TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR.

THEY DID HAVE A MEETING LAST NIGHT, BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANYONE TO SEE HOW THAT MEETING WENT.

I CAN UPDATE YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER.

BUT IN THE BROADER SCOPE OF THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO THIS GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ADMINISTRATION AND STUDENTS AND PARENTS WHO ARE LOOKING AT OUR STUDENTS AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY SUPPORTING THAT BELONGING.

THEY'RE A GROUP THAT WE GO TO FOR VARIOUS THINGS TO HELP US IN THE DISTRICT, MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S A FOREFRONT AND A FOCUS. THEN, MATT.

>> THANK YOU. WELL, LAST YEAR, I GAVE A PRETTY IN DEPTH PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR ASSESSMENT AND CARE TEAM.

I FIGURED THIS YEAR, I'LL JUST GO OVER SOME BASICS JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORIES AND THEN GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES TO THE TEAM AND SOME OF THE ACTIVITY AND TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING.

OUR TEAM, WE CALL IT OUR ASSESSMENT AND CARE TEAM.

[00:25:02]

WE HAVE MEMBERS THAT REPRESENT A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS ON THE TEAM.

MYSELF AND HEIDI CO CHAIR OF THE TEAM.

I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE, AND MOLLY IS ALSO ON OUR ASSESSMENT AND CARE TEAM.

WE MEET EVERY TWO WEEKS OR AS NEEDED, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.

WE IDENTIFY STUDENTS EXHIBITING CONCERNING BEHAVIOR THAT INDICATE A POTENTIAL FOR SELF-HARM OR VIOLENCE TOWARDS OTHERS.

OUR TEAM IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE ACTUALLY SEEK TO IDENTIFY THAT BEHAVIOR EARLY ON RATHER THAN REACTING TO A SPECIFIC THREAT ONLY.

WE USE A RESEARCH-BASED RUBRIC TO PROVIDE SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS, AND THAT'S THROUGH NABITA, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION AND THREAT ASSESSMENT.

I MENTIONED, WE TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO INTERVENE EARLY, BUT WE ALSO DO RESPOND TO CASES INVOLVING SPECIFIC THREATS.

OUR TEAM IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE DISCIPLINE PROCESS, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES DISCIPLINE IS INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

WE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THOSE DECISIONS. LET'S SEE.

OUR MEMBERSHIP, WE HAVE ADDED A COUPLE OF NEW MEMBERS, GLORIA LITT, WHO IS AT HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A SCHOOL BASED THERAPIST, IS A NEW MEMBER, AND NICKI KENNINGTON, WHO'S A SPECIAL ED COORDINATOR IS ALSO NEW.

GLORIA WAS ABLE TO JOIN US.

HEIDI AND I AND SEVERAL OTHERS ATTENDED THE NABITA CONFERENCE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND GLORIA WAS ABLE TO JOIN US AT THAT CONFERENCE, WHERE SHE WAS ABLE TO GO TO SOME OF THE SPECIFIC TRAINING FOR THREAT ASSESSMENT.

WHAT'S NEW WITH OUR TEAM? LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE WE MENTIONED THAT SENTINEL WAS COMING. IT'S NOW HERE.

IT'S NOW REQUIRED BY THE STATE THAT WE USE THIS SYSTEM THAT'S CREATED BY THE TEA TO CONDUCT ALL OF OUR BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENTS.

ALL OF OUR CASES START IN SENTINEL ANYWAYS.

WE START THE PROCESS IN SENTINEL, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH AN OFFICIAL THREAT ASSESSMENT.

WE MAY ENTER SOME IN, SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION ABOUT A CASE, BUT THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE MAY DETERMINE THAT A FORMAL THREAT ASSESSMENT IS NOT NECESSARY.

IN OTHER WORDS, THERE ARE SOME OFF RAMPS IN THE SYSTEM THAT ALLOW US TO MOVE AWAY FROM A FORMAL THREAT ASSESSMENT.

IT'S A RATHER CUMBERSOME SYSTEM, TO BE HONEST, BUT WE'RE GETTING USED TO IT, AND WE'RE USING IT.

THERE ARE SOME BENEFITS TO IT.

IT DOES COLLECT INFORMATION RELATED TO OUR CASES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COLLECT THAT INFORMATION OURSELVES AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

THAT'S NICE, AND THEN IT'S USED TO TRANSFER DATA FROM ONE DISTRICT TO ANOTHER.

IF WE DO CONDUCT A FORMAL THREAT ASSESSMENT ON A STUDENT, THAT DATA IS TRANSFERRED SENTINEL TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS THE STUDENT MIGHT TRANSFER TO AND THEN VICE VERSA, IT COMES TO US AS WELL.

WE'RE STILL INVOLVED WITH NABITA, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION AND THREAT ASSESSMENT.

WE CONTINUE TO USE THE RISK RUBRIC ON EVERY CASE.

WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE ALTHOUGH SENTINEL PROVIDES A PROCESS, IT DOESN'T PROVIDE CORRESPONDING INTERVENTIONS.

REALLY, THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TRYING TO INTERVENE EARLY ON, NOT JUST IDENTIFY THREATS.

WE WANT TO IDENTIFY CONCERNING BEHAVIOR AND THEN PROVIDE INTERVENTION SO THAT THOSE BEHAVIORS NEVER BECOME THREATS.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO USE THAT PROCESS IN EVERY CASE.

WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT THE NABITA CONFERENCE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND WE'VE SPOKEN ON OUR PROCESS.

WE DID THAT LAST YEAR, AND THEN GAVE ANOTHER VERSION OF OUR PROCESS THIS YEAR, AND THE FOCUS THIS YEAR WAS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR ASSESSMENT AND CARE TEAM AND ADMINISTRATORS.

ERICA BACON FROM WEST RIDGE CAME TO THE CONFERENCE WITH US AND SHE AND I PRESENTED TOGETHER, AND THE TOPIC WAS REALLY HOW WE WORKED TOGETHER TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, AND THEN OUR TEAM PERSPECTIVE.

I DO SERVE ON THE NABITA K-12 ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT FOR OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US

[00:30:01]

THEN THEY CAN TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND USE THAT IN THEIR RESEARCH AND IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME OF THEIR TOOLS AND PUBLICATIONS TO GIVE US BACK THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE.

A LITTLE BIT OF ACTIVITY.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT 21-22. THAT WAS COVID.

WE HAD A LOT OF CASES, AND THEN WE DROPPED DOWN TO NOT VERY MANY.

I CAN'T REALLY EXPLAIN THAT, BUT THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS AND THEY HAVE BEEN INCREASING, AS YOU CAN SEE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'RE ON TRACK TO BE ABOUT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.

WE'RE NOT SEEING A HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE'RE REVIEWING, WHICH WE DO WANT TO IDENTIFY MORE CASES.

THAT IS THE GOAL SO THAT WE'RE INTERVENING AND REALLY HELPING KIDS.

BUT THE FACT THAT THE TREND IS MOVING UP A LITTLE BIT, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS THIS YEAR.

I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GAGGLE AND WESTLAKE WATCH.

I THINK LAST YEAR, WE DID DISCUSS, WHAT I THINK A QUESTION THAT YOU HAD WAS, WHAT ARE THE TRENDS? WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? I WANTED TO BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU.

YOU CAN SEE THAT REGARDING GAGGLE, MOST EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DRUG USE, WHICH IS INTERESTING AND GOOD.

I HOPE THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S LESS DRUG USE.

AT LEAST WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IT AS MUCH.

WHAT WE FOUND WITH GAGGLE IS THAT SURPRISINGLY, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WE HAVE IT AND USE IT, PEOPLE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT WHATEVER THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT OVER EMAIL AND SOME OF OUR GOOGLE DOCUMENTS.

HOPEFULLY, THAT DOES MEAN THAT DRUG USE IS DECREASING.

THE SAME WITH WESTLAKE WATCH.

ALL CATEGORIES, AS YOU SEE, HAVE INCREASED, WHICH COULD BE A RESULT OF INCREASED REPORTING.

WE'VE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I THINK DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF ADVERTISING WESTLAKE WATCH.

I THINK THE WORD IS OUT THAT THAT IT'S THERE AND STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND EVEN STAFF MEMBERS ARE USING IT.

I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WITH BOTH WESTLAKE WATCH AND GAGGLE, EVERY TIP AND EVERY GAGGLE ALERT IS ADDRESSED BY OUR ADMINISTRATORS.

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT IT'S THE TIP IS JUST I DON'T LIKE SPANISH CLASS, EVERYTHING IS LOOKED AT, AND IF FOLLOW UP IS NEEDED, THAT FOLLOW UP HAPPENS AND IS DOCUMENTED.

IT DOES CREATE SOME WORK FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF DOCUMENTING ALL OF THESE CASES AND THEN FOLLOWING UP AND DOCUMENTING THEIR FOLLOW UP.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR TEAM BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT A CASE, MAYBE WE LOOK AT A STUDENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEN SEE THAT STUDENT AGAIN, SEVERAL YEARS LATER, WE CAN SEE THE HISTORY OF WHAT THE INTERVENTIONS HAVE BEEN AND WHAT ACTIVITY REGARDING ANONYMOUS TIPS, AND GAGGLE ALERTS, AND RISK ASSESSMENTS, AND OTHER FACTORS THAT COME INTO PLAY WITH THAT STUDENT.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> YES. I'M SORRY.

THE CATEGORIES ON WESTLAKE WATCH.

THE CATEGORIES ARE CHOSEN BY THE PERSON MAKING THE TIP.

I'VE SEEN FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY.

MY TEACHER GAVE ME HOMEWORK ON A NO HOMEWORK NIGHT.

WE HAVE TO TAKE IT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAIN OF SALT BECAUSE THE PERSON MAKING THE TIP DOES CHOOSE THAT CATEGORY.

THAT CAN BE A FACTOR IN THE REPORTING. ANY QUESTIONS?

>> THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, CHIEF GREER. THANK YOU, HEIDI.

THANK YOU, MOLLY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM TRUSTEES? KELLY?

>> HOLD ON. I HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO MY BEGINNING HERE.

>> I WANTED TO SAY REALLY QUICK THAT THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[00:35:02]

I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO EEF BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE MADE A MISSION TO SUPPORT AND FUND AS WELL, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY PROVIDE THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS A NON-COUNSELING DUTY?

>> GREAT QUESTION. I ACTUALLY HAD A WHOLE PAPER PRINTED OUT OF THEM, WHICH I LEFT ON MY DESK.

BUT BASICALLY, THEY'RE THE THINGS THAT DON'T FALL INTO THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES THAT ARE THERE.

SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. AGAIN, COUNSELORS ARE DOING THESE THINGS.

THE POINT IS THEY SHOULDN'T BE MORE THAN 20% OF THE TIME.

FOR EXAMPLE, DOING LUNCH DUTY AND BEST DUTY, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COUNSELING, ALTHOUGH AN ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE THAT YOU'RE CONNECTING WITH KIDS, WHILE YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING THAT, DOING ANYTHING RELATED TO TESTING.

IF IT'S STAR AND, OF COURSE, EXAMS, COUNSELORS SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THAT.

OURS DO SOMETIMES HELP OUT IN MINIMAL WAYS, JUST FOR THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING, GETTING SOMETHING HANDED OUT WHEN WE HAD ALL PAPER STUFF.

IT'S ALL GOING DIGITAL NOW, SO THAT'S LESS SO.

THEY MIGHT OCCASIONALLY HELP OUT WITH A HALL DUTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT ALL THE DIFFERENT STANDARDIZED TESTING IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A COUNSELING DUTY.

THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE INVOLVED IN ANYTHING DISCIPLINE RELATED.

THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE BIG CATEGORIES.

THERE'S A LIST OF OTHERS THAT I HAVE FOR MY COUNSELORS SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR TIME TRACKING, THEY CAN IDENTIFY WHERE DOES THIS FALL.

I DO REMIND THEM THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE JUST DUTIES THAT EVERYBODY DOES SOMETIMES. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S JUST PART OF BEING ON A CAMPUS AND BEING PART OF A TEAM AND GETTING THINGS DONE.

THERE ARE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, AND IT'S REASONABLE THAT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DO THEM.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.

>> THANK YOU. THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS AROUND THE CARE COMMITTEE.

HOW DID WE COMPILE THAT GROUP?

>> THEY REACHED BACK OUT TO A GROUP THAT USED TO EXIST AND ASKED IF THOSE PEOPLE WANTED TO RETURN THIS YEAR AND THEN SOLICITED WHERE THEY HAD SOME VACANCIES.

THERE'S STILL A COUPLE OF STUDENT SPOTS THEY'RE TRYING TO FILL.

BUT IT WAS FROM COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS AND PARENTS THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME ORGANIZATIONS IN THE DISTRICT.

>> DID WE HAVE ANY APPLICATIONS OR SUPPORT FOR IT OR WE ALREADY HAD THAT GROUP PUT TOGETHER?

>> DIANE AND MONIQUE, THEY DID HAVE AN APPLICATION PROCESS AND THEN THEY LOOKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALSO HAD A BALANCE WITH CAMPUSES AND DIFFERENT POSITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SURE.

>> THANK YOU, KELLY. DIANE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS VERY COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.

CLEARLY A LOT WITHIN YOUR GROUPS.

I LOVE THAT YOU COMBINED THIS INTO ONE MEETING.

THANK YOU FOR THAT TO BEGIN WITH.

I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

I'M GOING TO MAYBE GO IN REVERSE ORDER OF HOW IT WAS PRESENTED.

WITH THE REPORTING ON WESTLAKE WATCH AND GAGGLE AND EVEN WITH YOUR ACT INCIDENTS, DO YOU SEE THAT MOST OF THOSE ARE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL? ARE WE SEEING AN INCREASE IN YOUNGER AGES? BECAUSE WE'RE JUST HEARING ABOUT MORE CONCERN AT YOUNGER AGES THESE DAYS.

I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE.

>> I WOULD SAY THAT ABOUT 40% OF THOSE ARE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

ANOTHER 40% ARE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS SPLIT EVENLY AND THE REST ARE REALLY SPLIT AMONGST THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

VERY FEW AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, REALLY.

>> IS THERE A TREND OF MORE AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, OR IS IT JUST BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A WHILE NOW?

>> IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A WHILE.

WE DON'T GET NEARLY AS MANY GAGGLE ALERTS OR WESTLAKE WATCH TIPS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AS WE DO AT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.

>> THANK YOU. COMMENT, I LOVE THAT THE SENTINEL, WHILE CUMBERSOME ALLOWS SCHOOLS TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION.

THAT SEEMS EXTREMELY VALUABLE.

IN AND OUT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS, WE DON'T GET ANY INFORMATION LIKE THAT, DO WE? ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS I LOVE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT SCHOOLS PILOT THINGS SUCH AS BRIDGEPOINT WITH THE BULLYING CURRICULUM.

I WAS FORMULATING YOUR QUESTION,

[00:40:01]

THEN WE SAW THAT IT WAS GREAT, SO THEN EVERYONE ELSE IS NOW GETTING IT.

IS THAT JUST A FORMAL PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE WHERE A SCHOOL SAYS, WE WANT TO DO THIS, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

THEN THERE'S A PROCESS WHERE YOU SHARE IT OUT. HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> A LOT OF TIMES FOR THE CAMPUS, IT'S ALSO VERY SPECIFIC TO THEIR NEEDS.

WE'VE HAD CAMPUSES THAT, I WON'T NAME THE CAMPUS, BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THERE'S A CERTAIN GRADE LEVEL, AND THEY WERE JUST EXHIBITING A BEHAVIOR THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.

THE PRINCIPAL WAS LIKE, I WANT TO BRING IN THIS ORGANIZATION TO DO THAT.

THEN IT MIGHT BE TWO YEARS LATER, AND ANOTHER CAMPUS IS LIKE, I'M HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S LIKE, OH, WE HAVE THIS RESOURCE.

THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS DOING EVERYTHING EVERY YEAR.

IN TERMS OF THIS FOR SECOND STEP BECAUSE IT WAS A CURRICULAR RESOURCE.

IT WAS SOMETHING. I ACTUALLY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT SHERI HAD DONE THAT.

SHE WAS WANTING TO ADDRESS THAT ON HER CAMPUS.

WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, SHE BROUGHT IT UP TO THE OTHER PRINCIPALS, AND THEY WERE LIKE, YEAH, WE WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING.

SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE MORE ORGANIC IN A CONVERSATION.

THEN SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY HAVING A BANK OF RESOURCES THAT WHEN THEY REACH OUT, AND THEY'RE LIKE, ONE OF THE CAMPUSES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO REALLY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT CYBER BULLYING BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING ON SPECIFICALLY FOR A GROUP OF KIDS.

IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE IS REALLY WORKING, WE MIGHT ADOPT IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY, OR WE MIGHT JUST SAY, HERE'S A RESOURCE IF YOU NEED IT IN THE FUTURE.

>> GREAT. THANK YOU. I LOVE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO HAPPEN FOR IT TO DEVELOP ORGANICALLY AND BE SHARED. THANK YOU.

THEN ANOTHER COMMENT YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW WE DO SO MUCH PEER WORK.

I LOVE HEARING THAT THAT'S A BIG FOCUS FOR US, BOTH WITH THE STAFF AND WITH THE STUDENTS TOO.

I'VE JUST HEARD THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL TOOLS THAT WE CAN HAVE.

THANK YOU. ANOTHER QUESTION.

THE VARIOUS PRESENTATIONS, BOOK CLUBS, THINGS LIKE THAT, DO WE TRACK HOW MANY PARENTS ATTEND THESE? WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF IT IS TRACKED VERY FORMALLY.

LIKE WHEN I'LL ASK, HOW MANY ATTENDED SOMETHING? THEY'RE ANECDOTALLY LOOKING, THEY'RE MAKING A COUNT, LIKE THE SPEAKER SERIES THAT'S EASY TO COUNT BECAUSE IT'S ON ZOOM.

MOST OF THOSE HAD ABOUT 20 PEOPLE GIVE OR TAKE, DEPENDING ON THE TOPIC THAT SHOW UP.

IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON THAT.

I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS OVER THE YEARS WITH COUNSELORS WHERE YOU ALWAYS WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO YOUR THINGS.

BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING IN THE WORK AND YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE HAPPY IF TWO PEOPLE CAME BECAUSE THAT'S TWO PEOPLE WHO FELT LIKE THEY HAD A KNEE.

THEY WANTED SOMETHING, AND THEY CAME, AND THEY GOT A VERY PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE WITH THAT.

I THINK THE COUNSELORS HAVE BEEN PRETTY HAPPY WITH WHATEVER THEY GET FROM THAT BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT TO PUT IN THE EFFORT.

SOME OF THIS SPECIFICALLY, WAS REALLY BROUGHT FORWARD WITH FORMER TRUSTEE BALTHAZAR.

I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR'S PRESENTATION WHERE SHE WAS REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT DO COUNSELORS DO TO SUPPORT PARENTS AND TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO I WAS EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT ALL THE THINGS THAT MY COUNSELING TEAMS ARE DOING.

>> HOW DO WE LET PARENTS KNOW THAT THESE ARE HAPPENING? IS IT JUST THROUGH PRINCIPAL NEWSLETTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT?

>> THE NEWSLETTERS PRIMARILY, THE COUNSELORS DO HAVE A COUNSELING CORNER AND ALL THE NEWSLETTERS.

THEY DO SOMETIMES SEND INDEPENDENT E MAILS THROUGH PARENT SQUARE, THROUGH WHATEVER OTHER MEANS THEY HAVE FOR THAT.

THEN EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU GET SOMETHING LIKE THE JEFF SELINGO THING THAT IS REALLY ADVERTISED A LOT MORE BROADLY WITH CLAUDIA AND HER TEAM STEP IN AND HELP YOU WITH SOME OF THAT.

BUT THE MORE LOCALIZED THINGS ARE JUST THROUGH THE CAMPUS SPECIFICALLY.

>> THANK YOU. I THINK MY LAST QUESTION THEN IS AT THE VERY TOP OF THE PRESENTATION YOU TALKED ABOUT, THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, AND THOSE ARE STATE-MANDATED, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SCHOOL BASED THERAPISTS WHO ARE CLEARLY DOING VERY IMPORTANT WORK WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.

CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE AND IT MIGHT VARY AT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS, ELEMENTARY MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL.

MY IMPRESSION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL TO SAY IS THAT THE COUNSELORS ARE FOCUSED SO MUCH ON ACADEMICS AND HELPING STUDENTS WITH THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS, THAT A LOT OF THE SELINGO PRESENTATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT FALLS ON OUR SCHOOL BASED THERAPIST.

IS THAT GENERALLY HOW IT'S BROKEN OUT OR?

>> MAYBE IN SOME WAYS, THAT'S TRUE, BUT SCHOOL COUNSELORS DO ALL THE THINGS.

THEY DEFINITELY ARE THERE TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT WHATEVER THEY'RE UPSET ABOUT AND ALL THAT, IT MAY NOT BE THE FULL BLOWN MENTAL HEALTH STUFF AS OFTEN, BUT KIDS CAN COME IN AND HAVE HAD A FIGHT WITH A PARENT OR ISSUES WITH FRIENDS OR BOYFRIENDS, GIRLFRIENDS, THAT STUFF, AND SO THEY'RE ALL DEALING WITH THAT.

I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS LESS ABOUT ACADEMIC AND MORE THAT A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR'S ROLE IS THAT GUIDANCE CURRICULUM.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS JOB AT ALL.

[00:45:03]

THEN THEY'RE ALSO DOING THE GROUPS WHICH THAT'S MORE SO AT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL THAN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THEN THEY'RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF THIS OTHER PROGRAMMING.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WESTLAKE, THE TWO SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS THERE AND THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPIST AT THE LEARNING CENTER, THEY SPEND ALL DAY EVERY DAY WITH KIDS IN AND OUT OF THEIR OFFICES, AND SO A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING IS DONE, EITHER AS A PARTNERSHIP, DEPENDS ON THE CAMPUS AND WHAT THE EVENT IS, AND THEN OTHERS OF IT IS.

THAT IS WHAT THE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPISTS ARE DOING BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME FOR SOME OF THAT. GOOD QUESTION.

>> I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, DIANE, LAURA.

>> JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.

WELL, FIRST A COMMENT IS THAT, CHIEF, I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING OUT THAT WE WANT TO IDENTIFY MORE STUDENTS.

BECAUSE AS WE SEE THE NUMBER OF CASES REVIEWED GOING UP, THAT COULD BE A SCARY THING.

BUT IT'S LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION IS THAT WE WANT TO IDENTIFY THESE STUDENTS. IT'S NOT A BAD THING.

IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY HELPFUL THING TO IDENTIFY THE STUDENTS WHO NEED THAT EXTRA SUPPORT.

IT'S INTERESTING DATA, BUT NOT CONCERNING.

>> YES, MA'AM. I COMPLETELY AGREE.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BAD.

WE WANT TO LOOK AT MORE CASES BECAUSE WE WANT TO INTERVENE EARLY ON.

>> DEFINITELY. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THE GAGGLE TRENDS.

THE INCREASE IN SUICIDE THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THE OTHER CATEGORIES.

I KNOW IT'S CONCERNING TO YOU ALL, BUT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT MAKING ANY ADJUSTMENTS, OR IS THERE ANY THOUGHT? DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT BEHIND THAT?

>> WELL, I'LL JUST SHARE MINE AND THEN MAYBE HEIDI HAS SOME ADDITIONAL, BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, A LOT OF THE GAGGLE ALERTS INVOLVING SUICIDE AREN'T NECESSARILY DOCUMENTS OR E MAILS TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY INTENDING OR THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE.

A LOT OF IT IS MAYBE A COLLEGE ESSAY ABOUT SOMEBODY THEY KNEW WHO WAS CONSIDERING SUICIDE OR A BOOK THEY READ ABOUT SUICIDE.

IF THE WORD SUICIDE'S MENTIONED AT ALL, THAT'S GOING TO BE FLAGGED.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE STUDENT IS CONSIDERING SUICIDE.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND I DON'T KNOW IF HEIDI HAS ANYTHING ADDITIONAL FOR THAT.

>> I AGREE FULLY.

I DON'T KNOW ALL THE WORDS THAT GAGGLE IS SET UP FOR, IT'S AI, SO IT'S NEUTRAL.

IT'S JUST GRABBING THE WORDS, NOT THE CONTEXT FOR IT.

SOME OF IT, LIKE HE SAID, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT IT.

MY COUNSELORS ARE GETTING THOSE AND THEY ARE THEIR ADMINISTRATORS ARE GIVING IT TO THEM, AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT, THEY'RE CALLING IN THE KID, TALKING ABOUT IT, AND ASKING THE QUESTIONS JUST TO BE SURE, BUT NOT ALL OF IT REPRESENTS AN ACTUAL OUTCRY.

>> THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW DATA DOESN'T ALWAYS GIVE US THE FULL STORY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

DATA AND FULL STORY ON WESTLAKE WATCH.

WE HAVE THIS CATEGORY THAT'S OTHER.

IT'S LIKE 30% OF THE REPORTS.

>> WE DO SEE A LOT OF WESTLAKE WATCH REPORTS FOR THE BAD SPANISH TEACHER.

I'M SORRY, WHOEVER THE SPANISH TEACHERS ARE, IF YOU'RE WATCHING, I'M NOT PICKING ON YOU.

THE NO HOMEWORK. WE GET A WIDE VARIETY.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, ESPECIALLY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT'S WHERE KIDS ARE REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S APPROPRIATE TO REPORT AND SAY AND WHAT ISN'T.

IT GETS A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT WE DO GET A LOT OF OTHERS.

>> THOSE ARE NOT OTHERS AS IN CONCERNING REPORTS.

THEY'RE JUST MORE THAN LIKELY A TEACHER THAT GAVE THEM HOMEWORK ON A HOMEWORK?

>> YES, MA'AM. WE GET QUITE A BIT OF THAT.

BUT THROUGHOUT ALL THOSE TIPS THAT WE GET, WE GET SOME VERY CONCERNING INFORMATION THAT WE ACT ON ALSO.

[00:50:01]

EVEN SOME OF THE SUICIDE REPORTS THAT ARE REFERRING TO SOMEBODY ELSE, THEY'LL CALL IN THE STUDENT AND THEY JUST ASK, HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THAT? WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE BOOK, AND IT MENTIONED SUICIDE? THEY'RE JUST DOING A GREAT JOB.

>> THAT WAS THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JOHN.

>> JUST ONE QUICK ONE. FOR WHEN WE'RE MONITORING THEIR DEVICES, HOW ARE STUDENTS INFORMED THAT WE'RE DOING THAT? IS THAT ONE OF THE FORMS THAT WE SIGNED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THAT BASICALLY SAYS, HEY, BE AWARE OF THIS, OR HOW DO THEY FIND OUT THAT THAT'S HAPPENING?

>> I BELIEVE THAT'S IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK.

>> THEY'RE ALSO TOLD BY THEIR ADMINISTRATION AND THEN THERE'S DIFFERENT TRAININGS THAT THEY DO WITH THE STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR DEVICES, AND THEY WALK THROUGH THAT.

THEY'RE TOLD HOW WE'RE MONITORING THAT AND WHAT THE DIFFERENT SOURCES ARE, BECAUSE A LOT OF STUDENTS KNOW OR THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT IF THEY PUT SOMETHING IN AN EMAIL OR IN A GOOGLE DOC, WE'LL KNOW ABOUT IT.

YET, THEY STILL DO, WHICH, SOMETIMES IS REALLY GREAT FOR US BECAUSE WE FIND OUT SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THROUGH THAT.

BUT THEY'RE MADE AWARE OF HOW WE MONITOR THEIR DEVICES.

>> MORE THAN JUST IN THE HANDBOOK AND EVERYTHING.

>> JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. THANK YOU.

>> JOHN, IF I MAY ADD, IT'S ALSO IN THE RESPONSIBLE USE GUIDELINES THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO, AND THEY SIGN THOSE EACH YEAR.

>> GREAT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, JOHN. I'LL JUST ADD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND I HAD ONE QUESTION.

THE BREADTH OF THIS PRESENTATION TO ME, IT'S FANTASTIC.

I APPRECIATE EACH ONE OF YOU.

I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TEAMS. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS EITHER AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND UP HERE AT THE DAIS ON HOW WE TREAT OUR STUDENTS AND MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE.

I THINK THAT ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS TOGETHER ARE FANTASTIC, AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS, BUT IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

THE COMMITTEES, THE TEACHER INVOLVEMENT, THE COUNSELOR INVOLVEMENT, THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ALL COMES TOGETHER AND JUST CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE'RE HELPING OUR STUDENTS, NOT JUST EDUCATING THEM, BUT HELPING THEM IN A VERY SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

I APPRECIATE EVERYONE OF YOU AND YOUR TEAMS.

>> I DID HAVE, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I ASKED THIS LAST YEAR OR NOT.

BUT CHIEF, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE THREAT ASSESSMENTS OR THE ACT, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR PURPOSES OF THAT INDIVIDUAL'S CONFIDENTIALITY? I KNOW WE HAVE PARAMETERS AROUND THAT SO THAT WE ARE TREATING THESE MINORS FOR ANY CONCERNS WE HAVE ABOUT THEM, BUT ALSO, KEEPING THAT INFORMATION ONLY TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE.

HOW DO WE DO THAT? MAYBE ALL OF YOU ANSWERING.

>> WELL, WE NEVER DISCUSS ANY OF OUR CASES OUTSIDE OF OUR TEAM UNLESS IT'S WITH AN ADMINISTRATOR, AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATORS COMMUNICATE ALL OF THIS WITH PARENTS.

THAT'S JUST IT. IT'S ON A NEED-TO-KNOW BASIS, AND WE DON'T DISCUSS IT WITH ANYBODY ELSE.

I DON'T KNOW, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT?

>> I REMEMBER THAT, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO [INAUDIBLE]?

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, WE COMMUNICATE THAT WITH THE PARENTS, TOO, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM GET REALLY NERVOUS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DO HAVE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT, AND THERE'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED, AND IT'S SIGNIFICANT, AND OUR TEAM LOOKS AT IT, AND THEY GET NERVOUS THAT, THERE'S NOW A RECORD, AND WHERE IS THIS GOING TO GO AND HOW IS THIS GOING TO FOLLOW THEM? WE'RE EXPLAINING TO THEM THAT THIS IS, AGAIN, A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT KNOW THIS.

IT IS DOCUMENTED SO THAT AS THAT STUDENT PROGRESSES, PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT THAT.

BUT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO FOLLOW THEM INTO COLLEGE.

IT'S NOT GETTING SENT SOMEWHERE.

BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT DOCUMENTATION AND THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN GO BACK AND REFER TO IT IF WE NEED TO, BUT MAKING SURE TO MATT'S POINT THAT THIS IS NOT DISCUSSED IN A BROAD SENSE, AND ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS INFORMATION HAVE THAT.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US, TOO, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANY CHILDS SOMETHING HAPPENED, WE'RE ADDRESSING IT.

[00:55:02]

EVEN WITH SOMETIMES OTHER FAMILIES MAY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT PARTICULAR STUDENT, OR THEY ASK US QUESTIONS, THAT'S NOT THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO HAVE.

>> I'LL ADD ONE MORE THING, WHICH IS THAT DURING OUR MEETINGS, WE'VE GOTTEN PRETTY GOOD AT SEPARATING CASES SO THAT WE DON'T EVEN INCLUDE PEOPLE FROM OTHER CAMPUSES.

IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR STUDENT FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT AT THE SAME MEETING, WE MAKE SURE THAT THE MEETING IS SEPARATE, SO THAT WE ONLY HAVE OUR CORE MEMBERS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN 30 MINUTES LATER, MAYBE WE START THE SECOND PART OF THE MEETING INVOLVING THE OTHER STUDENT, AND THE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T INVOLVED AREN'T IN THE MEETING.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, WE JUST DON'T WANT THAT INFORMATION GETTING OUT TO WHERE IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE.

>> THANK YOU ALL. THAT HELPS ME, AND I'M NOT SURPRISED BY YOUR ANSWER, BUT IT GOES TO THE WAY WE ARE KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE, AND WE'RE HELPING THEM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I THINK THAT WE ARE NOW MOVING TO OUR REPORT ON AN INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT.

[5.2 Discussion of Intruder Detection Audit Report]

>> I'M NOT EVEN DOING A SCRIPT ANYMORE, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL PRETTY USED TO THIS BY NOW.

THE TEA AUDITS US.

THEY AUDIT EVERY CAMPUS ONCE A YEAR, AT LEAST.

SO FAR THIS YEAR, THE TEA HAS AUDITED TWO CAMPUSES.

DURING ONE OF THOSE AUDITS, THERE WAS A FINDING.

THAT COULD BE A BROKEN DOOR, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN CLOSED SESSION IF YOU'RE INTERESTED THE SPECIFICS OF THAT FINDING, BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT IT WAS A RESULT OF FAILURE OF EQUIPMENT AND NOT HUMAN ERROR.

WE DO HAVE SCHEDULED TRAINING, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY TEA, AND THAT TRAINING INVOLVES, WHENEVER THERE'S A MALFUNCTION, IT MOSTLY INVOLVES HOW TO REPORT A MALFUNCTION.

WE'VE GOT THAT SCHEDULED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THEN WE'LL DISCUSS THIS ALSO AT OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE 14TH.

>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? ANY COMMENTS? THANK YOU.

WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE FROM OUR REPORTS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA

[6.1 Request to adopt a 2026-27 Calendar]

THANK YOU. IF YOU COULD COME BACK UP AND HELP US WITH THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR ADOPTION FOR 2026/2027.

>> YES, THIS IS THE 26/27 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR.

AS Y'ALL REMEMBER OR MAY REMEMBER, WE HAD ADOPTED A VERSION LAST YEAR, AND THAT WAS BEFORE WE HAD TAKEN AWAY THE SECONDARY PLC.

WE WENT BACK TO FOR THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR AND ADDED IN THOSE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS FOR STAFF, AND DECIDED AT THAT POINT NOT TO TACKLE THE 26/27 CALENDAR BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON.

WE STARTED VERY EARLY THIS YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THAT CALENDAR SO THAT WE COULD POST THAT.

BUT THE MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WENT BACK IN AND PUT THOSE DAYS IN AND HAD THAT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TIME.

JUST A REVIEW OF WHAT THE CALENDAR ADOPTION PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.

DRAFT CALENDARS AND OPTIONS GO TO DLT THOSE MEMBERS THEN, AND THAT'S COMMUNITY, THAT'S STUDENTS, THAT'S TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, THEY GO BACK TO THEIR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, THEY GET INFORMATION.

THE PARENTS ON OUR GROUP ARE TALKING TO OTHER PARENTS.

TEACHERS ARE TALKING TO TEACHERS, AND THEY GO, AND IT'S ALWAYS DISCUSSED AT THEIR CLTS.

THEN THEY COME BACK LATER TO THE NEXT DLT MEETING.

WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS DISCUSSED, IF THERE WERE ANY THINGS THAT WE WANT TO CHANGE, OR WHAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT GOING FORWARD.

THEN WE TAKE A VOTE.

THE CALENDAR THAT YOU HAVE THIS EVENING IS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM DLT.

WE HAVE NOT ADDED IN YET NO HOMEWORK NIGHTS.

THEY DON'T NEED TO BE VOTED ON BY THE BOARD OR APPROVED BY THE BOARD.

BUT THOSE DO FOLLOW SPECIFICALLY RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL HOLIDAYS.

THE CARE COMMITTEE IS WHAT LOOKS AT THOSE AND

[01:00:03]

AFTER THE CALENDAR IS ADOPTED, THEN WE GIVE THAT TO THE CARE COMMITTEE, AND THEY WILL COME BACK WITH OUR NO HOMEWORK NIGHTS.

THEN, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE STUDENT CALENDAR, THEN WE ALSO GET TO WORK ON THE STAFF CALENDAR, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT, AND THEN THAT WOULD BE POSTED SOON AFTER THAT.

THAT'S THE PROCESS.

THE CALENDAR THIS YEAR THAT YOU'LL SEE, THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

LAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS AGO, WE GAVE TWO DAYS OPTIONAL FOR PLC TIME BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED FOR TEACHERS JUST TO SEE HOW IT WOULD WORK.

TYPICALLY, OUR TEACHERS HAD HAD SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

TWO YEARS AGO, WE GAVE THIS OPTIONAL TWO DAYS, AND THE TEACHERS REALLY LIKED THAT, BECAUSE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THOSE DAYS BEFORE SCHOOL, THEY'RE JUST SO BUSY.

THERE'S A LOT OF MEETINGS.

THERE'S A TON OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE.

THERE'S GOING THROUGH SCHEDULES.

THERE'S THE ELEMENTARY ARE DOING ALL OF THEIR MEETINGS WITH THE KIDS COMING IN AND DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

THE IEP MEETINGS AND FIVE OH FOUR MEETINGS.

WHAT THEY WERE MISSING WAS A LOT OF TIME TO JUST SIT AND WORK WITH THEIR TEAMS AND GET READY FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL TO TEACH KIDS.

THEY WERE SO BUSY PREPARING THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO REALLY DO THE INSTRUCTIONAL PIECE.

LAST YEAR, WE DECIDED TO ACTUALLY MAKE THOSE DAYS MANDATORY, AND WE PUT THEM INTO THE CONTRACT.

THEY STILL HAD FOR THIS YEAR.

THEY STILL HAD THESE NINE DAYS, AND WE PUT THAT INTO THE CONTRACT.

HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAD THEM START AT THE VERY END OF JULY.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT WAS PSYCHOLOGICALLY UPSETTING TO OUR TEACHERS.

[LAUGHTER] THERE IS SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT BETWEEN STARTING JULY 30TH AND STARTING AUGUST 1ST.

THEY CAME BACK TO US, AND WE'RE JUST LIKE, WE DO NOT WANT TO START IN JULY.

HOWEVER, WE LOVE HAVING THESE PLC DAYS BEFORE SCHOOL.

WE HAD TO REALLY BE CREATIVE AND COME UP WITH SOLUTION, AND WE HAD TO COMPROMISE.

THE COMPROMISE WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE EIGHT DAYS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, NOT HAVE THE TEACHERS COME BACK IN JULY, BUT THAT MEANS THAT THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A THURSDAY START DATE INSTEAD OF A WEDNESDAY START DATE.

IT'S DIFFERENT, AND WE KNOW.

WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IS A THURSDAY START DATE, NOW GOING TO THROW THINGS OFF, AND FAMILIES ARE GOING TO SAY, SINCE IT'S THURSDAY, THEY'RE ONLY MISSING THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL, WE'LL JUST HAVE THEM COME ON MONDAY.

WE REALLY FELT LIKE, AND THIS WAS THE DLT DISCUSSION, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR KIDS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IF IT'S ON A WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY.

WE REALLY FELT LIKE FAMILIES ARE GOING TO WANT THEIR KIDS THERE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SWITCH THERE.

IT ALLOWS US TO BUILD IN THAT PLC TIME WITHOUT THE START DATE IN JULY.

YOU'LL ALSO SEE ON THE CALENDAR, THERE'S FOUR-FOUR DAY WEEKENDS FOR STUDENTS.

THERE'S FOUR-DAY WEEKENDS IN OCTOBER, FEBRUARY, AND APRIL.

WE HAVE BUILT IN, AGAIN, THOSE EARLY RELEASE AND FULL PLC DAYS.

WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM OUR TEACHERS ABOUT HOW MEANINGFUL THOSE ARE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SECONDARY CORE PLC BEING TAKEN AWAY, AND THEY ARE USING THAT TIME VERY CONSTRUCTIVELY AND REALLY FEEL THAT IT'S POWERFUL.

I SAID TO DLT, TOO, AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, SO APPRECIATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE PARENTS.

WHEN WE BUILT IN THIS TIME, WE NOW SOME PARENTS HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY ON A WEDNESDAY TO COME PICK UP THEIR KIDS, OR NOW THEIR KIDS ARE OFF MORE DAYS THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.

I HAVE HEARD ZERO COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH OUR COMMUNITY RESPECTS OUR TEACHERS AND UNDERSTANDS HOW HARD THEY WORK, AND THAT THIS TIME IS CRUCIAL.

THEY KNOW THAT THE MORE TIME THE TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO PLAN, THE BETTER THE INSTRUCTION IS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE PARENTS FOR, WE'RE INCONVENIENCING THEM, AND WE RE APPRECIATE THAT.

ANOTHER INTERESTING PIECE ABOUT THE CALENDAR IS WE ARE CONCLUDING ON MAY 21ST, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A FULL WEEK BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY, BECAUSE MEMORIAL DAY IS REALLY LATE THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

IT'S ALWAYS EVERY YEAR, YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE EASY, AND EVERY YEAR, IT IS NOT.

WE TALKED ABOUT, SHOULD WE GO THAT NEXT WEEK, INTO MAY? IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCUSSION.

SOME OF THE PARENTS, ESPECIALLY OF YOUNGER KIDS, WERE LIKE, WE WOULD LOVE THEM TO BE IN SCHOOL THAT EXTRA WEEK IN MAY, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE LESS WEEK THAT MAYBE WE HAVE TO FIND A CAMP OR SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO.

BUT AFTER A LOT OF DISCUSSION, EVERYONE JUST DECIDED, THIS IS THE DAY WE TYPICALLY GET OUT OR AROUND THAT TIME, AND SO THAT'S HOW OUR CALENDAR LANDED.

[01:05:01]

WE'VE OFTEN BEEN ASKED TO HAVE THESE VARIOUS DAYS OFF OF SCHOOL.

IT JUST GETS VERY CHALLENGING WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE YOUR SEMESTERS ARE BALANCED, STARTING HERE.

WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY LIKES TO END BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY.

HAVING ALL OF THOSE DAYS OFF IS VERY DIFFICULT.

A LOT OF THOSE DAYS ALSO FLOAT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

WHILE THE HOLIDAY MIGHT BE ON A TUESDAY, ONE YEAR, IT MIGHT BE ON A THURSDAY THE NEXT YEAR.

THAT ALSO IS HARD FOR PARENTS.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE OFF.

IF WE'RE DOING AN EARLY RELEASE, THAT'S ALWAYS A WEDNESDAY, OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OFF A MONDAY OR A FRIDAY.

TO COME TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, THEN HAVE OFF TUESDAY, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE TRICKY.

WE HAVE DECIDED, AND WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST YEAR WITH DLT, AND DLT MADE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL ONLY OBSERVE FEDERAL HOLIDAYS AS NON-WORK IN SCHOOL DAYS.

WE'RE NOT HAVING SPECIFIC HOLIDAYS OR HOLIDAYS OFF UNLESS IT DOES HAPPEN TO BE A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.

HOWEVER, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CARE COMMITTEE THEN GOES THROUGH AND LOOKS AT ALL OF THOSE CELEBRATIONS AND MAKE SURE THOSE ARE NO HOMEWORK NIGHTS.

THAT IS OUR WAY OF TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL OF ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT HOLIDAYS AND CUSTOMS. HERE'S A VERY TINY VERSION OF THE 2026/2027 SCHOOL CALENDAR.

YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE NO HOMEWORK NIGHTS.

SORRY, NOT NO HOMEWORK NIGHTS.

YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PLC DAYS.

YOU CAN SEE THE DAYS THAT WE HAVE OFF.

WE THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT WEEK FOR SPRING BREAK.

SOMETIMES SPRING BREAK GETS A LITTLE BIT.

WE'RE TRYING TO ALIGN IT.

WE BELIEVE THIS YEAR WERE ALIGNED WITH WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WILL BE DOING.

THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.

THAT WAS THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH FOR THE 26/27TH SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR, AND I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, MOLLY. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE EXPLANATIONS.

TRUSTEES, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? KATHERINE.

>> HI, MOLLY. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE THURSDAY START.

MAYBE FOR PARENTS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLER OR A HIGH SCHOOLER, THAT MID-WEEK START ISN'T SUCH A BIG DEAL, BUT I THINK FOR A LOT OF ELEMENTARY FAMILIES, IT'S A REAL SHOCKER TO THE SYSTEM, RIGHT TO GET YOUR CHILDREN IN A ROUTINE IN MID-WEEK AND THEN ABRUPTLY GO TO A WEEKEND AND THEN START ALL OVER.

I DEFINITELY HEARD WHAT YOU WERE SAYING OUR TEACHERS NEEDED MORE TIME TO PREPARE.

I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY WE WOULDN'T PUSH TO THE FOLLOWING MONDAY.

IS THERE AN OVERARCHING STRATEGY ON WHY EANES CHOOSES A MIDDLE-OF-THE-WEEK START? BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR YEARS AND YEARS, AND OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T.

I THINK AUSTIN GENERALLY DOES A MONDAY START. AUSTIN ISD.

>> GOOD QUESTION. WE WENT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK START AND HAVE RECEIVED REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FOR JUST EASING BACK IN.

WE DO REALIZE THURSDAY IS MAYBE LESS MIDDLE AND MORE END.

WHERE THIS GETS TRICKY IS THE SEMESTERS.

WE HAVE TO START WHEN WE START BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET ENOUGH DAYS IN EACH SEMESTER, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN THE WINTER BREAK HAPPENS, AND THEN YOU'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THE SEMESTERS.

THEY'RE NEVER TOTALLY EQUALLY BALANCED.

SORRY, LET ME GO BACK TO THE CALENDAR. THERE WE GO.

THEY'RE NOT TOTALLY BALANCED, BUT IF YOU WAITED UNTIL NEXT MONDAY, YOU'VE ALREADY JUST LOST TWO DAYS OF FIRST SEMESTER.

THAT'S A BIG PIECE OF THAT.

THAT'S ALSO WHY IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO FOR US TO ADD IN A LOT MORE HOLIDAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT CERTAIN NUMBER OF INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS.

>> THANK YOU, KATHERINE, JOHN.

>> THANK YOU, MOLLY, FOR YOUR WORK IN THE DLT.

I WAS SAYING THANK YOU TO YOU AND THE DLT FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.

SO MANY FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND. I CAN SEE THAT.

THE ONE QUESTION I HAD THAT'S GIVEN ME A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE IS THE REMOVAL OF GOOD FRIDAY THAT WE'VE DONE.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

[01:10:02]

THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A DAY THAT WE'VE GIVEN STUDENTS OFF, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> IT HAS, YES AND IT'S THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE IT OFF.

>> RIGHT.

>> TO ME, THAT GIVES ME PAUSE, AND I'D SAY THERE'S THREE REASONS IT GIVES ME PAUSE.

ONE, WE ALREADY HAVE A CALENDAR ON THE WEBSITE FOR '26/'27, AND IT HAS IT OFF.

ANYBODY CAN GO ON THE EANES WEBSITE RIGHT NOW, SEE THE '26/'27 CALENDAR, AND IT HAS GOOD FRIDAY AS A HOLIDAY. THAT'S ONE REASON.

TWO, I'VE REALIZED WE DON'T HAVE ANY DATA BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS GIVEN IT OFF.

BUT MY BEST GUESS, MY ASSUMPTION IS HAVING THAT AS A HOLIDAY IS GOING TO COST THE DISTRICT MONEY BECAUSE SOME STUDENTS AREN'T GOING TO SHOW.

WELL, GO AHEAD.

>> IT'S ACTUALLY AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY.

WE WOULD GET FUNDING FOR ANY STUDENT WHO CHOSE TO BE OFF THAT DAY.

>> THAT'S GREAT. WHAT ABOUT STAFF? STAFF THAT DON'T COME, WE HAVE TO THEN HIRE SUBSTITUTES WHO, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TAKE THE DAY OFF TO OBSERVE, THAT'S STILL A COST OF THE DISTRICT, THOUGH.

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> FOR ME, ONE, I THINK PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING IT, BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT AND WE'VE ALREADY PUBLISHED A CALENDAR THAT HAS IT.

TWO, IT WILL COST US SOME MONEY, AND WE'LL LOSE SOME INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WITH KIDS THAT AREN'T THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE OBSERVING IT.

THEN THREE, WE'RE GOING TO ASK A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS WE TACKLE THESE BUDGET CHALLENGES.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE DIVISIVE PERSONALLY.

I THINK IT'S A PAIN POINT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE CONTENTIOUS.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN AWARE THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING TAKING IT AWAY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THERE WAS LIKELY NO PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT.

IT'S ON THE DL.

I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE REALIZE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE '26/'27 CALENDAR RIGHT NOW IN EARLY NOVEMBER.

I THINK FOLKS WILL BE FRUSTRATED BY IT, AND I JUST DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO WALK THAT PATH RIGHT NOW.

HOW MUCH DID THE DLT GET INTO ANY OF THOSE THREE TOPICS?

>> THE STUDENT PART, ANY RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY, THAT PIECE, LIKE I SAID, IS COVERED.

YES, THERE MAY BE SOME STAFF THAT TAKE OFF.

WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT AS MUCH.

I THINK WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS TRYING TO BE EQUITABLE TO RELIGIONS, AND WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK TO HAVE ALL OF THESE OTHER RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS OFF.

OUR DISCUSSION AND DECISION WAS THAT IF YOU ONLY HAVE OFF THESE FEDERAL HOLIDAYS, THEN YOU'RE JUST BEING EQUITABLE ACROSS THE BOARD.

THAT WAS THE ONLY SPECIFICALLY RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY THAT WE HAD OFF ON THE CALENDAR.

THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.

>> I GET THAT. I REALLY DO.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, AND YOU CAN'T DO EVERY HOLIDAY FOR EVERYONE.

IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE.

I DO RECOGNIZE THAT.

FOR ME, THE THREE I WALKED THROUGH, WE'VE ALREADY PUBLISHED A CALENDAR THAT INCLUDES IT.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING IT FOR THAT REASON THAT IT'S BEEN PUBLISHED AND BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.

TWO, IT WILL COST US SOME MONEY BECAUSE SOME HIGHER-THAN-NORMAL PARTICIPANTS, STAFF ARE GOING TO BE OUT, WHETHER THAT'S CAFETERIA WORKERS OR TEACHERS OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

THEN THREE, I THINK IT WILL END UP BEING DIVISIVE, AND WE DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW.

FOR THOSE REASONS, I WOULD SUPPORT CHANGING THE CALENDAR TO ADD THAT DAY BACK IN AND MATCH THE FACT THAT WE ALREADY HAD GOOD FRIDAY AS A DATE, THE LAST TIME IT WENT ON THE WEBSITE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THE REST OF THE CALENDAR.

I WOULD LEAVE THAT TO THE DLT AS TO HOW IT ADJUSTS ACCORDINGLY.

BUT FOR ME, I WOULD WANT TO ADD IT BACK IN.

>> HEY, JOHN. I'M JUST GOING TO RESPOND A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IN DELIBERATIONS, STAFF IS BRINGING IT TO US, SO WE NEED TO DELIBERATE OURSELVES.

IF WE CAN DELIBERATE AMONGST THAT, AND I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED YOUR POSITION, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DELIBERATING AMONGST THE TRUSTEES HERE.

>> THAT'S FINE.

>> I DID NOT MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU SO THAT WE'RE DELIBERATING, AND IT'S NOT DIRECTED AT THE COMMITTEE OR STAFF.

>> THAT'S PERFECT. THANK YOU.

[01:15:01]

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND, BUT ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? TYPICALLY, THIS POSITION WE'LL TALK LAST. JAMES.

>> MOLLY, WHY IS THIS DAY NOT MARKED AS A DAY OFF?

>> IT SHOULD BE. YEAH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME BACK ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.

[LAUGHTER] SEE HOW IT SAYS DRAFT ACROSS THERE? THAT WAS JUST A SQUARE THAT DIDN'T GET MARKED.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.

>> JAMES, ANY OTHER COMMENTS?

>> GO AHEAD.

>> LAURA.

>> WELL, I WILL RESPOND.

JOHN, I APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR AND FOR BRINGING UP THOSE POINTS.

IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO CHANGE CALENDARS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE '26/'27 SCHOOL YEAR.

YES, IT'S POSTED, BUT WE MIGHT END UP HAVING TO ADJUST SPRING BREAK BECAUSE WE TRY TO ALIGN WITH THE OTHER DISTRICTS AND WITH UT.

ADJUSTING ONE DAY, IT'S NOT UNPRECEDENTED AND WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE.

KIDDOS CAN TAKE OFF.

THE FAMILIES CAN REMOVE THEIR KIDS FROM SCHOOL THAT DAY AND OBSERVE IT.

I STRUGGLE WITH HAVING ONE NON-FEDERAL RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY, AND ONLY ONE.

I STRUGGLE WITH THAT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR POINT ABOUT TEACHERS AND STAFF NOT BEING HERE ON THAT DAY.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE APPROVE THIS CALENDAR AS PRESENTED, AND THEN REQUEST THAT CABINET BRINGS BACK TO US NEXT YEAR, IF THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN STAFFING AND SUB NEEDS FOR THAT DAY, AS A RESULT OF THAT.

>> WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION YET BECAUSE I DIDN'T ASK FOR A MOTION.

>> [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD MOVE.

>> THAT WAS A MOTION I WOULD RECOMMEND.

THAT'S MY OPINION. NO, I DIDN'T MAKE A MOTION.

JAMES, THAT'S MY POINT OF VIEW ON THAT.

>> THIS IS MY MISTAKE.

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD A MOTION GOING ON AND THEN DISCUSSION.

I MISSED THAT. AUDREY, CAN WE CONTINUE DISCUSSING THIS AND THEN HAVE A MOTION, OR SHOULD I ALLOW FOR A MOTION AT THIS POINT?

>> I WOULD ALLOW FOR A MOTION AT THIS POINT.

>> DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE STUDENT CALENDAR? THEN WE WILL FURTHER THIS DISCUSSION. KELLY.

>> I GUESS I DON'T HAVE THE OFFICIAL WORDING.

BUT I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE STUDENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED FOR 2026/2027.

>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM KELLY. DO I HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM KELLY AND A SECOND FROM LAURA.

NOW WE WILL CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION. KELLY.

>> I JUST WANTED TO FURTHER DISCUSS THE RECOGNITION OF HAVING NO PARTICULAR RELIGION CELEBRATED, BUT HONORING ALL OF THE RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS AND CULTURAL EVENTS, AND KEEPING THE FEDERAL HOLIDAYS AS OUR DAYS OFF.

I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I HAVE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CELEBRATE VARIOUS HOLIDAYS COME AND SAY HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATE THE CALENDAR AND WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE DIFFERENT CULTURES HERE AND HOW IT'S HELPED THEIR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>> THANK YOU, KELLY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM TRUSTEES? JAMES.

>> REAL QUICK THOUGHT. FIRST OF ALL, DO WE NEED TO AMEND THE MOTION SO THAT IT INCLUDES THAT 31ST AS A HOLIDAY? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NEEDS.

YOU SAID AS PRESENTED.

IT MAY JUST BE A CLERICAL THING. I'M FINE WITH THAT.

[01:20:06]

NOT CONSISTENTLY EVERY YEAR, IT HASN'T BEEN A HOLIDAY.

MAYBE, AS FAR AS WE CAN REMEMBER, BUT I WAS SITTING HERE TRYING TO LOOK UP OLD CALENDARS AND SUCH.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT YOU'RE REMOVING RELIGION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I WOULD SAY IT'S THE OPPOSITE BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOWING EVERY RELIGION TO TAKE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE ON THEIR RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS, AND THAT'S THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO MOVE.

STUDENTS, I GET IT. THE TEACHERS, THAT'S MAYBE A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.

BUT THE STUDENTS ARE FREE TO TAKE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR A RELIGIOUS REASON ON THE DAY OF THEIR RELIGIOUS OBSERVATION.

THAT'S ALL-INCLUSIVE AND THAT HONORS ALL RELIGIONS.

IT'S NOT REMOVING RELIGION, IT'S EXPANDING OUR UNDERSTANDING, OUR ACCEPTANCE AND SUCH OF ALL RELIGIONS.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT DIRECTION TO MOVE.

>> THANK YOU, JAMES. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I TOO, THEN. I'LL JUST WRAP THIS UP.

I OBSERVE GOOD FRIDAY, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.

IT'S NOT HOW IT AFFECTS ME, PERSONALLY.

IT'S HOW IT AFFECTS OUR COMMUNITY.

JAMES, TO YOUR POINT OF, AND MOLLY, YOU POINTING OUT, ALLOWING FOR AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR SOMEONE TO OBSERVE THEIR OWN RELIGION IS THE WAY TO GO.

I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT I HAVE FRIENDS THAT DON'T GET TO TAKE TIME OFF TO OBSERVE THEIR HOLY TRADITIONS.

I THINK THAT STICKING TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS BECAUSE I DON'T SEEM TO RECALL.

I'M JUST NOT EVEN SURE.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE GO.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE ADOPTION OF THE '26/'27 SCHOOL CALENDAR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> ANY AGAINST? THE MOTION PASSES, 5:2.

THANK YOU, MOLLY. OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM

[6.2 Consideration of TASB Board of Directors Nomination]

DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM JAMES SPRADLEY?

>> I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES NOMINATE LAURA CLARK FOR THE TASB BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM JAMES. DO I HAVE A SECOND? KELLY.

I'M SORRY, KELLY.

YES, I HAVE A MOTION FROM JAMES AND A SECOND FROM KELLY.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? [LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT KELLY WAS TALKING.

[LAUGHTER] JOHN.

>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M EXCITED FOR THIS.

AS SOON AS I SAW THERE WAS AN OPENING, I REACHED OUT TO LAURA AND SAID THAT I THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE PERFECT FOR THIS.

I WAS VERY PLEASED WHEN I HEARD THAT SHE WAS OPEN TO SERVING.

I'M EXCITED FOR THIS NOMINATION, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE GOOD WORK SHE'LL DO ON THE BOARD.

>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? KELLY.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER THANK JOHN FOR SEEING THAT AND LAURA FOR BEING WILLING TO SERVE US IN THE GREATER PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

I'VE SEEN YOU AT THE DIFFERENT CONFERENCES AND HOW YOU WORK SO WELL UNITING DIFFERENT GROUPS, AND HOW YOU WORK JUST TIRELESSLY TOWARDS EMPOWERING OUR STUDENTS.

YOU INSPIRE ME.

YOU JUST FIT ALL THE MISSION OF OUR DISTRICT, AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO BRING IT TO THE GREATER GOOD OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL.

>> THANK YOU, KELLY. DIANE.

>> I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT A HAT.

[LAUGHTER] WELL, WONDERFUL THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WHEN I KNEW THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THIS ROLE,

[01:25:01]

IT IS ALIGNED SO WELL WITH YOUR TALENTS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR OFFERING TO DO THIS.

>> LAURA.

>> YOU ALL ARE ALL VERY KIND.

I'M JUST GOING TO EXPLAIN THE POSITION.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A PROCESS.

THIS IS JUST THE NOMINATION, AND THEN THE NOMINATION WILL GO TO THE TASB BOARD NOMINATING COMMITTEE.

THEY HAVE OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN IT, AND I KNOW SOME OF THEM.

REGARDLESS OF WHO IS SELECTED, WE WILL BE WELL REPRESENTED.

EACH OF THE EDUCATION LEARNING REGIONS HAVE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE TASB BIG BOARD, AS WE CALL IT.

REGION 13 HAS THREE REPRESENTATIVES.

ONE IS DESIGNATED FOR AISD, LYNN BOSWELL [OVERLAPPING].

IT'S SPECIFIC FOR AUSTIN.

SHE SERVES US AND THEN BRIAN HAUBACH SERVES US ALSO, REPRESENTS REGION 13 FROM THRALL ISD.

I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HAVE OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTED AND OUR VOICE HEARD ON THAT BOARD.

WHAT HAPPENS IN EDUCATION REALLY STARTS WITH DISTRICTS LIKE OURS, AND WHAT WE SEE IN THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW, OTHER DISTRICTS WILL BE DEALING WITH IN THE FUTURE.

I HOPE THAT I GET THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT OUR VOICE AS LEADERS IN EDUCATION.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE ALSO.

>> THANK YOU, LAURA. HAVING SERVED WITH YOU FOR FIVE YEARS NOW, I TOO AGREE THAT YOU ARE THE PERFECT PERSON AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU STEPPED UP.

WE WILL NOW TAKE A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE NOMINATION OF LAURA CLARK AS TASB BOARD OF DIRECTORS? SAY AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> WE UNANIMOUSLY PASS THIS NOMINATION WITH ENTHUSIASM.

[7.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW, AND THAT IS FOR THE COMMUNITY SAKE.

THAT IS ONLY GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION AFTER ANY DISCUSSION AT OPEN FORUM.

WE HAVE A MEETING, NOVEMBER 10TH AND 11TH.

THAT'S ALSO A SPECIAL MEETING THAT WILL BE PRIMARILY CLOSED SESSION.

THEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING IS NOVEMBER 18, 2025 RIGHT HERE IN THE ADMIN BUILDING.

WE ARE NOT GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION.

WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN AT 7:42.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.