##VIDEO ID:SkDMmcV-Vl8## e starting February 12th 2025 the agenda review committee meeting will consist of three standing committees Student Success which begins at 8:30 a.m. operations beginning at 12:00 p.m. and finance and audit beginning at 3:30 p.m. cpsb.org has been updated to include upcoming AR standing committee meeting dates the board meeting and Arc standing committee meetings will be held at 42 West Madison Street Garden level boardroom for details on how to register to speak or observe at the meetings and to learn about the speaker Lottery process please visit the Chicago Board of Education website at cpsb.org if you have any questions about registration or public participation please please contact the board office for assistance thank you for joining us today president Harden we are now ready for you to begin the meeting good morning everyone welcome to the Chicago Board of Education review committee meeting to today is January 15 2025 I'm president Shan B Harden and on behalf of my fellow board members I want to thank you for joining us today we're holding today's agenda review committee meeting in the Board Room at the CPS Loop office 42 West Madison Street Garden level I would like to note that the board members and Senior leadership are physically present in the boardroom registered speakers may join us in person or virtually if they've opted to do so and register observers are joining us in person the agenda review committee meeting of Wednesday January 15th is hereby call to order Bo secretary please call the role thank you member Bautista present member Dr Smith present member Lopez present member Thomas pres member Bole present member Pope present member Rosenfeld present member Ras present member Rio Sierra present member Brown present member blae present member Lozano present member gutiz present member bigs present member th thakura present member Bannon present member zachor present member Deber present member kuster present president Harden present there are 20 members present we do have a quorum I'd also like to recognize Pedro Martinez chief executive officer rui Verma general counsel Bogdana shikuma Chief education officer and Charles Mayfield CH Chief Operating Officer the the order of the meeting will be as follows both of office for new board members motion to elect vice president and vote on public agenda items public participation discussion of agenda review committee meeting items 1-4 recess will reconvene from Recess discussion of agenda review committee meeting items 5 through 8 call session reconvene from call session adjourned board members we will begin today's meeting with the oath of office I name of board member do solemnly swear that I will Faithfully discharge the duties of the office of member of the Board of Education of the city of Chicago in accordance with the Constitution of the United States the Constitution of the state of Illinois and all applicable federal and state laws to the best of my ability ability I charge the duty the office of the M of theard of Education of the city of Chicago in accordance with theit of the United States theit of the state of Illinois and all my ability I further swear that I shall respect taxpayer interests by serving as a faithful protector of the school district's assets I shall encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow board members and others who seek a hearing before the board while respecting the privacy of students and employees I shall recognize that a board member has no legal Authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a vote at a public board meeting the faithful protector of the school district encour thee expr of opinion and while Respec students and employees decision public meeting I shall abide by the decisions of the board while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels I shall abide by the Board of Education operating procedures manual and board rules and policies I shall avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance of impropriety which could result from my position and will not use my board membership for personal gain or publicity I shall Foster with the board extensive participation of the community formulate goals Define outcomes and set the course for Chicago Public Schools I I shall abide theard of Education operating procedures man andard rules and policies interest my participation of the community goals and scho I shall assist in establishing a structure and an environment designed to ensure all students have the opportunity to attain their maximum potential through a sound organizational framework I shall strive to ensure a continuous assessment of student achievement and all conditions affecting the education of our children in compliance with state law law I shall serve as a key Advocate on behalf of students and our community schools to advance the vision for Chicago public schools and I shall strive to work together with the chief executive officer to lead the school district towards fulfilling the vision the board has created fostering Excellence for every student in the areas of student learning and well-being as well as healthy safe engaging and academically challenging School experiences that prepare each student for college career and Civic life ACH and all children comp St La I shall ser students our community school tool and together with the chief officer to school district toward Excellence for every student in the are student learning and as as healthy engaging acally challenging School experience each student for college and city of life I would like to welcome our new board and invite each of you to provide remarks please state your name before you provide your remarks hi I'm Debbie Pope I am a retired bilingual history teacher I retired from Gage Park High School I've been long active with the Chicago Teachers Union in the past and I've been a community activist as well fighting for economic and social justice uh in my community in the school communities I taught in and throughout the city I'm very honored to be here and be a part of this really historic groundbreaking experience of the hybrid board which will lead to an elected board and I welcome you all hi I'm en rosenfelt and I thank you all for being here today I sit before you humbled and deeply honored to take this oath of office for the Chicago Public School's first elected School Board this moment is no doubt historic not just for me but for all of us because it partly reflects the voices and values of the majority of the people in our district I am proud to represent forb a community that believes in the power of Education to transform lives in a future built on Equity opportunity and shared responsibility I want to take a moment to thank my family my husband and my kids for your endless support and love to my kids you've been My Greatest Inspiration and let's be honest my best reminder to keep things real navigating cps's a parent has taught me a lot about persistence a little bit about patience too to my husband thank you for being my anchor and for reminding me to laugh even when things got tough being elected by the majority of the fourth distric is a responsibility I take very seriously it's both an honor and a charge to work tirelessly for every student every teacher and every family so as I take this oath I promise to be a voice for all the families in our district to listen with an open heart and to lead with courage and conviction together we can make sure every school is a place of possibility and every child has a chance to succeed thank you for your trust thank you for your belief and your partnership we're going to make history together for all of our children good morning everyone uh my name is Carlos Rivas uh I'm very proud to be here today representing District 3B The Humble majority of the of the Humble Park Community uh which has been uh my home um my entire life so I'm very very excited to be here and to get to work with everyone and ensure that we have um the student voice and family voice uh with us at the very center muchas Park thank you name nor Sierra it's an honor to serve the families of District 3 as your appointed School Board member far too long our families have faced systemic barriers and countless inequities in our education system today marks a new chapter of hope I believe students deserve access to the highest quality education no matter what their background count on me to engage with all the families of District 3A and Beyond I commit to listening and making decisions that Center the needs of our families laas good morning my name is G2 Brown I represent uh the fifth district 5A I want to thank my wife my beautiful wife my wonderful son for giving me the inspiration to get up every morning knowing what I'm fighting for I want to say thank you to everybody who believed in this moment there's an old saying first they laugh at you then they fight you then you win in 2006 when we passed out petitions at the bud bilican Day Parade they laughed at us when we've proved in 2014 that 90% of Chicago wanted an elected School Board they fought us and today we sit here the difficult we do right away the impossible just takes a little longer I am honored to be here I am fiercely committed to earning the respect of the children of the city of Chicago being able to look them in face and say we are giving you an equitable school system again to everybody who has helped make this moment possible and you know who you are I love you I appreciate you and I will be a good partner in bringing equity for our children good morning my name is MAA Blaze I'm representing the 5B District on the west side and unfortunately I have to follow G2 Brown and speaking um the main reason I wanted to become a board member was because I wanted to make sure that um I knew this was an opportunity for Community to have a real voice in what happens in the school board and my experience in government my experience organizing my experience on political campaigns and um issues-based campaigns um gives me a a certain set of skills that will help me to make sure that we're communicating with the community it's going to be one of my main um sticking points and something that I really hope um and and I know that everybody on this board wants is that we will now have the opportunity to make sure that everybody not just the people who can make it to board meetings and can make noise not just the people who know people but every single person in the different districts has representation and has a voice here so I'm super excited to be here I am grateful to everyone who helped me folks on my campaign folks um who just sent me notes um people who just were on Facebook I see you sis all of those folks because there's days you have no idea everybody up here will tell you there's you have no idea how much those notes mean um this is a this is not easy we're not getting paid I just want to say that one more time this is all because we care and we want we want to make a change and we see an opportunity for that so thank you all for being here thank you for everybody who's listening thank you for the you know the folks who had to go to work but they're they're sending shout outs um and I'm grateful honored to be here I'll do my best for all of you my name is EBA loan I'm a pastor and I promise all of families [Music] and check mine is not working very well is somebody else why don't why don't we skip I Gra good morning everyone my name is angrew Gutierrez and as a lifelong chicagoan I stand Here deeply honored and grateful for the trust the voters in District 8 placed in me and for supporting the opportunity to serve on The Chicago School Board of Education today marks an extraordinary moment not just for me but for all of us for the first time the the voters like you have a voice in shaping the leadership of one of the most important public institutions and second largest government government entity in our city of Chicago Chicago Public Schools impacts the lives of countless families and plays a vital role in the future of our communities your decision to participate in this process is a testament to your belief in the power of education and the importance of accountable ability but today is not just about the shift in governance it is about the students it's about making sure that every child no matter their zip code or background has access to the tools they need to succeed they are the reason we do this work I want to make it clear that I am committed to ensuring that I work along with my board members to focus on our students and their families independent of any special interest our duty is to serve the people of Chicago and to put the needs of children above all else let me repeat our duty is to serve the people of Chicago and put the needs of children Above All Else as I step into this role I do with humility resolve and a deep sense of purpose together we can strengthen our schools and Build Together future for every child in the city of Chicago thank you for your support let's get to work good morning my name is Jessica bigs and I am proud to represent the southern portion of district 6 the neighborhoods of South Loop bronzville Washington Park wood law and chadam I became a board member because of the Brilliance that is in my daughter Claire that is in my that is in every single student at Burke Elementary School where I'm proud to have served as principal and throughout all of Chicago public schools and because of my desire to be a part of the process that ensures that every single one of those students is able to participate in an education system that sees them honors them and that lifts them up I'm eager to partner with my colleagues and District staff to support the implementation of our new strategic plan it's some of the most thoughtful work that I have seen come out of this district and to work to ensure a joyful rigorous and Equitable experience for all of our young people I'm particularly excited about the focus on our youngest Learners and on black Student Success it's an honor to be here and it's an honor to serve thank you you my name is Anusha Thora I'm proud to be representing District 6A I'm here because I believe in the power of public education to change and transform lives and because I believe that all children deserve access to excellent public education no matter where they live where their family comes from what learning needs they may have or what language they speak I'm looking forward to working with this board to make that a reality thank you good morning my name is Ed Bannon I'm a lifelong Northwest Sider I represent District 1A uh neighborhoods including uh Portage Park Jefferson Park Gladstone Edison Park and where I live in the the Dunning neighborhood um first of all I want to thank my wife for her endless support um and I want to recognize all the people who came before me to make this um uh this new board of reality um especially want to um recognize a legislator from my district um state senator martwick who's here today he was one of the legislative leaders uh that made this happen so I want to thank him for um his all his efforts and yeah of Applause um I I pledge to honor all that hard work of of everyone before me and uh finally I look forward to collaborating with all my fellow board members um as angel said to to put the students of CPS first and uh fight uh to bring them all the resources and um um uh they need to to do that thank you good morning everyone uh my name is Karen zachor I am so honored to be here representing subdistrict 4A I'm excited to work with my fellow board members to bring opportunities and academic Excellence to all our CPS students beginning with a focus on those schools uh those whose schools have historic Ally been underresourced and whose communities have been underserved together we can transform CPS into a system that truly Embraces Equity I am proud and humble to be part of this historic moment thank you to the parents and Community organizations who initiated the movement for an elected representative school board and put in the work to get us to where we are today good morning all my name is Ebony DeBerry and I'm a proud elected representative from District Two far north side I am a former student former parent teacher in the Chicago Public School System I'm so proud to be a product of Chicago public schools and I just want to further the greatness and the high expectations of what our school district can do and will do in the future I believe all of our children are our most uh precious and most valuable uh products and I will do all I can to make sure that they have a safe rigorous joyful um and liberating experience as much as possible I want to thank my community members who got me there got me to this point those who voted for me those who gave me guidance along the way those who knocked doors with me those that gave me money those I love you all so much and this is just another expression of the love I have for my community and the search for the righteousness that we all deserve good morning my name is Jenny kuster um I am deeply honored and proud to serve as your elected representative from District 1B um I am a lifelong educator myself having served in multiple areas of Education um I have students in the district future one on the way um and very excited to be a parent um of a CPS student um I want to start by just thanking my family um and especially my husband for their constant support and for allowing me to be here um and to do this work and I am very excited to continue the great work that CPS has been doing to work with all of the different people in the district outside of the district community members um to ensure that our students have the best education possible um and the most Equitable education possible as well so thank you very much good morning thank you for being here my name is theres Bole I am a retired Chicago Public School educator um I worked 35 years uh as a teacher and school psychologist and I was elected to represent uh District 9B which is on the far far south side and the southwest side uh the 19th Ward the 9th Ward the 21st board and um I want to thank my family my husband is here today and my daughters who are working today in the Chicago public schools and um I want to thank everybody who supported me in getting to this position and I promise you that I will do everything in my power to uh support the children I I love the city of Chicago and I want to do what's best for our students our school communities um and I want to improve student outcomes that's probably my main goal thank you good morning my name is Frank Niles Thomas I serve in District 9A I am a graduate of Chicago Vocational High School when I returned from the service I started working at International Harvester in the labor movement when de-industrialization came I went to work in environment working for Waste Management organizing in environmental issues I spent the last 12 years of my work Life as a ward superintendent on the far south side and here I am 60 years later still trying to work for Citizens on the far south side The far south side of Chicago Still Remains The Rusty remnants of better times with environmental issues and the lack of vocational education another special interest is special education where hundreds of students still need help it is a pleasure to work for the children and the citizens of Chicago I look forward to this new challenge and I would like to welcome all of the new incoming board members thank you wenos good morning I am yenia Lopez I'm honored to have been elected to represent District 7B in the southwest side of the city of Chicago as a daughter of immigrants and a proud graduate of picker Elementary School and benites Community Academy I ran for this position because I believe every student no matter the ZIP code deserves Equitable resources and quality education my goal is to ensure that working class families like the one I grew up with have a strong voice advocating for their children's future as a board member my focus will remain where it belongs on serving our students their families and our schools our decisions might must reflect and I repeat our decisions must reflect the needs of the classroom are in the students we serve not the pressures of out side interest during my time here I am most excited about collaborating with parents teachers and Community leaders to bring meaningful change to our schools together we can create a stronger foundation for every student to be successful thank you to my parents and my brother who are here with me today also to community leaders and supporters thank you for trusting me with this responsibility thank you for those that organized to make this happen I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members and CPS leadership to make a lasting impact I'll say a few words in Spanish good morning my name is Dr Chay Ryan Fest Smith I am thank you I I am a I am a former Chicago public uh school Chicago student and Public School parent uh I've been able to accomplish a lot in my life uh traveling the world living in different parts of the world uh being able to earn Academy Awards and Grammys and that was not the Pinnacle of the beauty of My Life The Pinnacle of the beauty of my life is being elected by a community who sees fit to have a new era in education and who can see what Chicago Public Schools can be we have the tools for a new era in education I'm looking forward to communicating uh with District 10A which is the district I was elected in I want to thank my family first my wife uh who keeps my mind right my wife who keeps my ethical Compass shined up every day my mother who lives with me I don't live with my mama my mama live with me I want to thank my mother for the resilience that she's example for me all my life I learned to be resilient and how to endure from my mother I love you so much Mama thank you so much for the life you've given me I want to thank my new arrival brother who walked through months through the Daran Gap that has been living with us for 2 years thank you El Hassan for teaching us Community Village and African values that's why I cannot wait I'm looking forward to working with my colleagues on how we protect our new arrival students and how we protect all of our students in Chicago public schools and I just want to thank my extended family and friends who came out to support this new era for our children in education and with that being said let's not forget today is the actual birthday of our ancestor Dr Martin Luther King and as we enter this board I want to I want to end with something King gave us over 50 years ago that we should be thinking about today Dr King says education must enable one to sit and sift and weigh through evidence and discern the true from the false the real from the unreal and the facts from the fiction in this world that we are coming into into 2025 it is important not only that we know but that we know how to teach our children how to sift through fact and fiction more than ever and so I am honored to be elected by District 10A I am honored to be embraced by Chicago and I am honored to be your partner in a new era in education thank you just my luck right having to follow Jay my name is Olga Bautista I am I have a thank you I have a deep commitment to the future of Chicago and CPS my vision is to create a safe and healthy school environment for the CH children of Chicago I want to thank my family and my community for all the support they have given me many who are here today thank you for coming today I have dedicated my professional career and efforts to improving the lives of community members in my community and across the city I have been a local school uh Council parent representative a y YWCA crisis intervention specialist a board member of the Immigrant defense Alliance a board member of the center for neighborhood technology I have been trained in restorative justice conflict resolution and I have previously worked as a state recruiter for the Illinois migrant education program and the adult education and as adult education coordinator for the association House of Chicago and I was able to hone my skills at responding to the vast needs of a very diverse communities in my career I am extremely humbled to be appointed to represent the 10th District and I will continue as I have always to serve my city not for the accolades but for the justice and the joy that all of CPS students deserve because we didn't get this far just to come this far right let's do this thank you congratulations fellow board members on becoming part of history as members of the largest public school board in the United States you are true history makers let's give them Round of Applause this is a time for celebration for the Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools students and families throughout the city and Chicago the city of Chicago have a board that reflects their neighborhoods and their best interest as a b as board president and a proud product of public schools I am incredibly humbled and excited to experience this moment with all of you CPS students staff administrators and stakeholders I am incredibly optimistic about the district's future and I look forward to building new relationships developing consensus with my fellow board members and keeping students and their families at the core of our work as we continue to elevate the district we have an amazing opportunity to create an educational environment that's unmatched in the United States we'll make it happen together congratulations again new board let's get it done thank you for the record note that pursuant to 105 ilcs 5343 B10 beginning today the president of the board will only cast votes in tiebreakers so for any items requiring action the president will not be casting votes unless it is to break a voting tie this remains in effect until the 2026 general election where the president is elected at large and beginning January 17th 2027 the president then votes as any other member president Harden we will now proceed with M1 election of the vice president thank you I would like to accept nominations for the vice president of the Board of Education Mr President I would like to nominate Jessica bigs from District board member bigs from district 6 I second that motion Mr President I would like to uh place the name and nomination of Olga Bautista for the vice president of the Board of Education of the city of Chicago second I'm sorry uh who seconded the motion to n Olga Bautista thank you are there any other nominations is there a motion to callose the nominations of Vice President second I'm sorry um for us that are um not able to hear as well can you speak loudly into the mics when you motion and second can I um please um the board member that just motioned for the closing of nominations so moved Emma loan thank you and who seconded G2 Brown thank you I'll now proceed with a roll call member Bautista this is to close nominations um yes I know yes member Dr Smith yes member Lopez member Thomas yes member Bole yes member Pope yes member Rosenfeld yes member Rivas yes member Rio Sierra yes member Brown yes member Blaze I member loano yes member Gutierrez I member bigs yes member thakura yes member Bannon yes member zachor yes member Deber yes member kuster yes we have 19 eyes zero Nays this motion is adopted by the board we will now take the tally vote for the motion to elect vice president the um member Bautista I vote for myself so for the record member Bautista is voting for member Bautista as vice president of the board member Dr Smith board member chessica kigs for the record member Dr Smith is voting for for Jessica bigs as vice president of the board member Lopez I vote for board member Bautista for the record member Lopez is voting for member Bautista as vice president of the board member Thomas member Thomas votes for Olga Bautista for the record member member Thomas is voting for member Bautista as vice president of the board member Bole I vote for board member Jessica bigs for the record member Bole is voting for member bigs for vice president of the board member Pope I'm voting for member Bautista board member Bautista for the record member Pope is voting for member Bautista for vice president of the board member Rosenfeld I'm voting for Jessica bigs and wish I could tell you why for the record member Rosenfeld is voting for member bigs for vice president of the board member Ras I'm voting for uh board member Jessica bigs for the record member rias is voting for member bigs for vice president of the board member Rio Sierra my vote is for member Bautista for the record member riio Sierra is voting for member Bautista for me a vice president of the board member Brown Batista for the record member Brown is voting for member Bautista for vice president of the board member blae I'm voting for ogga Bautista for vice president of the board for the record member blae is voting for member Bautista for vice president of the board member Lozano my vote goes for Olga Bautista for the record member Lozano is voting for member Bautista for vice president of the board member Gutierrez I cast my vote for board member Jessica bigs for the record member gutiz is voting for member bigs as vice president of the board member bigs I cast my vote for member bigs for the record member bigs is voting for member bigs as vice president of the board member thod I'm sorry thod takura I cast my vote for member Olga bista member thoro takura is voting for member Bautista as vice president of the board member Bannon I am voting for ogal Bautista for the record member Bannon is voting for member Ogo for member Bautista for vice president of the board member zachor I cast my vote for ogga Bautista for the record member zachor is voting for member Bautista for vice president of the board member DeBerry Bautista for the record member DeBerry is voting for member Bautista as vice president of the board member Custer I cast my vote for board member bigs for the record member Custer is voting for member bigs for vice president of the board the tally is 12 eyes for Olo Bautista as vice president of the board seven eyes for member bigs as vice president of the board member Bautista is the vice president of the Board of Education of City of Chicago congratulations board member btia the vice president of Chicago Board of Education board members will now open the floor for questions or comments on the item of public agenda board members are there any comments or questions on any of the public agenda items thank you we will now proceed with the vote on public agenda items board secretary please proceed thank you president Harden I will proceed with the item on the public agenda read the board report and title this item does require a vote rs1 resend board report 24220 rs1 and adopt a new resolution authorizing signature proxy for president Shan B Harden president Harden this item does require a vote is there a motion so move there second I'll second thank you I'll proceed with a roll call member Bautista I member Dr Smith I member Lopez I member Thomas I member Bole I member Pope I member Rosenfeld I member Rivas I member riio Sierra I member Brown I member blae I member Lozano I member gutiz I member BS yes member thakura yes member Bannon yes member zachor yes member Deber I member kuster I 19 I Zer n this matter is adopted by the board board president Harden there are no further items on the public agenda it's not proceed with today's public participation session thank you for joining to share your comments with the board in compliance with the Illinois open meetings ACT public participation sometimes referred to as public comment is the portion of the board meeting or hearing that grants District stakeholders the opportunity to address the board with their concerns and comments note that public participation is a time for the board and CPS senior leadership to listen and hear from you rather than a time for dialogue with board members during or after your remarks while we can't discuss Personnel matters public participation is a key component of transparent governance and it provides us as board members as well as senior leadership an opportunity to listen to everyone who has signed to speak this board takes Equity of voice very seriously while we may not address your comments directly during public participation senior leadership is always present at our meetings and are able to address concerns as follow-ups after the meeting as a district and as a board we also have many other spaces for authentic dialogue for example each and every one of the board members hosts public Board office hours so that we can have a conversation please use our website cpsb.org if you want to meet with a board member during office hours we encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with board members outside of a board meeting thank you for your attention and consideration as a reminder Union Representatives will be allowed five minutes to speak before public participation and elected officials will be allowed five minutes to speak after the conclusion of public participation board secretary please share the rules of public participation thank you president Harden members of the public who registered to speak were given the option to attend in person or via an electronic format for those who prefer to attend V an electronic format they were given information to access this meeting by dialing a number and using their phone we did this so that speakers with limited or no access to the internet or who may have weak internet connection could still participate using their phones also members of the public May submit written comments for Board of education meetings via the written comments form on the board's website at cpsb.org or mail to one North Dearborn s950 written comments received between the day the public agenda was posted through 5:00 p.m the day after the Board of Education meeting will be submitted to the board and published within five business days on our website at cpsb.org speakers please listen while I provide directions for public participa participation I will call your name and number when it is your turn to speak for speakers joining us virtually as a reminder to unmute please enter star 6 once you hear your name please state your name for the record I will then start the 2-minute timer when there are 30 seconds remaining I will inform you so that you can proceed to conclude your remarks to allow for the next speaker to begin for anyone standing with the speaker please stand along the glass partitions to keep the aisles clear thank you president Harden before begin We Begin calling speakers from the speakers list we do have Union reps who would like to address the board we'll begin with Stacy Davis Gates CTU president who is here in person to apologize for being emotional In This Moment good Lord there are 21 people up here and people were elected to be here you have no idea how absolutely confirming affirming this moment is for people who imagine fight hard for and sacrifice for justice and Equity thank you for being a manifestation of that I know the debates that I participated in with Karen and Debbie and theres about our Union's participation in this endeavor I know the doors that I knocked with G2 the debates we had I know the work Senator martwick did to make this happen as a representative and then as a senator working with congresswoman deia Ramirez to make this happen Happ see I I I understand the sacrifices that were made and the work that was done by women like Karen Lewis people like Al Raby Grady Jordan Maran stamps to Manifest this moment God is faithful yes and it is because of this experience that I'm having that I know for a fact that we are going going to transform the Chicago public schools into a place that provides an equitable and just education no matter what neighborhood they live in I know that is possible and I know that it is possible because there are almost 30,000 members that I get to represent as their elected leader who are going to work with you to make that happen they are putting forth a vision for this school district that sustains it that provides it with infrastructure the type of young people who get a library in a library and every single school right now 80% don't have them only 12 high schools do a school district that makes good on making sure that 300 Special Education vacancies that could be serving our special education students in this moment are filled and those students are receiving the supports and the resources that they are old a school district that will protect the teaching of Cho history of black history of ethnic studies in the face of the conditions that Donald Trump will give you at some point right building a force field around a school and making sure that ice doesn't come in because we got people down the street talking about that I need a school board who believe in the humanity of the young people that attend for my children who are students and for all the children that I see in this community that I helped to educate as a high school history teacher see Louise Robinson is a social worker but Louise Robinson wasn't supposed to be a social worker she was a social worker because she had teachers and counselors she had a Dean she had a principal she had a school community that embraced her and made sure that she she could become a social worker that is what our collective bargaining agreement is putting forth and we're going to need your help to get that across the finish line and we are open to unpack every element of it in fact we are going Community to community neighborhood to Neighborhood school to school church to church to talk about the opportunity to produce more rhyme Fest by making sure that we have fine arts classes in our school communities in every single school right and in order to do that we can also enable things like preparation time like teachers which Miss kuster knows about because she is too a teacher we want more ebony DeBerry so we are going to Endeavor to make sure that we have black teachers and in order to do that we have to marginalize a very unfair evaluation system that de privileges you from teaching black children and communities in rosand at schools like Fernwood that is the work that we get to do together and like brother Brown just told us impossible just takes a little longer well a little longer is here today in this moment and so I invite you to these Community meetings that we are going to have so we together can sustain our school district and provide the repair prare the justice and the equity for all of our children thank you so much for this moment thank you for your comments the next union rep is Jen Conan CTU Charter division chair who is here in person good morning members of the Board of Education welcome to all of you who are new my name is Jen conent I'm a math teacher at CICS Northtown where I've taught for more than 11 years I'm also the elected chair of the Chicago Teachers Union charter division you will see me or another Charter Union officer at many of these meetings I want you all to know that I love my school deeply I love my students and I love my colleagues the charter school industry sometimes likes to claim that CTU is simply anti-ar I'm here to make sure that you all know that we are pro-charter educator pro-charter student and pro- Charter parent we believe in accountability for Charter operators we fight for the learning conditions and working conditions that all students and all Educators across the city of Chicago deserve you all are taking on leadership roles at a critical moment for Charter Schools a recent research report found that nationally within 5 years of opening 26% % of charter schools close within 20 years 55% of them will have closed the bankers and businessmen sitting on Charter operators Boards of directors move on leaving behind thousands of students overwhelmingly black and brown and leaving parents who had no say and leaving the school districts that funded them to pick up the pieces the charter school model is broken because baked into the model is the ability for a charter operator to close a Charter School at any time even though we know that school closures are bad for students for educators and disrupt the community as a whole closure based on business calculations is baked into the model and is seen as a right by Charter companies more important than the rights of the students they pledge to educate or the school district that supports them that's why when the asero board of directors voted to close seven schools this year the Illinois network of charter schools and other Advocates and lobbyists for the charter operators said nothing they didn't jump in to support the actual parents students and teachers at the charter schools instead they defended the right of operators to close schools they think competition among schools is good but students are harmed when schools go Belly Up families are abandoned when corporate bosses on Charter School boards deci school is not profitable enough and we are seeing this happen more and more often just last week spir announced that they would close Hogan Middle School at the end of this year you will likely hear from parents at Hogan who are devastated and don't want their school to close either last month some of you seated today advocated for the Board of Education to wait and do nothing about the asero school closures but parents and Educators fought hard for a decision to be voted on as soon as possible and we are grateful that the board voted in December to save at least five of the seven schools from closure inaction would have caused them to lose even more families and teachers due to the uncertainty that AO has created likely dooming efforts to save their schools because of that Vote many parents students and Educators were able to relax and enjoy the holidays with their families like they deserved there are SAR parents here today to thank board members who are willing to act and to call on this board to ensure that Aero does its part now to keep the school open and to transfer management of them to the district we urge you to land anou with Aero as quickly as possible families and Educators deserve it we need you to listen to parents and Educators voices as well as these schools transition from a Sero to CPS families and Educators know what their schools need both now and in the future and as board members I hope you see the incredible impact you can have creating new models not only for Chicago but for the rest of the country by investing in our students holding Charter operators accountable and protecting students and Educators when charter schools close charter school students are Chicago public school students and you are demonstrating that districts do not have to sit idly by if a charter operator fails large numbers of students the district can step in to protect those students interests instead I also cannot overse have 30 seconds essential role that CPS and this board play in overseeing Charter operators CPS cannot wash its hands of responsibility when a charter operator fails for example aspir hogin started with 800 students it's now down to 85 enrollment has been dwindling for years but CPS did nothing to prevent the closure of Hogan or to help families plan for this crisis that seemed to be coming it was just the market and competition at work this is what charer Advocates claimed would save us but these CPS students and they deserve better I look forward to speaking with you more about our Educators students and parents in the charter space I hope we can partner together to ensure that every student in Chicago gets the supports that they deserve thank you thank you for your comments president how we Harden we are now ready to call speakers from the speakers list and we we will begin with the group from um Acero starting with Lucy solado speaker number one followed by Gloria Miranda speaker number 18 who is joining us virtually and Angelica horz speaker number 24 who is also joining us virtually Lucy Salgado good morning my name is Lucy Salado I am a mother of two students currently attending to Mayo part of an aeto Network I'm here today to express my heartful gratitude for your decision to pass the resolution on December 20 2024 to keep our schools open thank you this decision reflects your comments listening to the voices of the parents to Mayo Santiago ciso Kasa Pas Cruz and Fuentes since October 9th we've been fighting Tire tirelessly for our children's education and your support has been a Beacon of Hope we will continue to advocate for our schools and ensure that our children receive the quality education they deserve as we move forward I urge you I urge you to uphold the resolution and to ensure that our voices are included in the neot the negotiations between CPS and Aero specifically we would like we would also like to add comments and additions to this agreement like retaining our dedicated teachers principles and staff who are essential to our children's success we deserve to be taken into consideration and so far the only ones who have listened to us attentively are you thank you so much for that asto continues to to work only to protect their own interests despite their stated values and Mission it has become evident that their focus has shifted away from their true priority the students they have entrusted to serve let's continue to make history together thank you for standing with us and prioritizing our children's future also moving forward with this new Trump Administration coming in you might not see a bunch of parents anymore because they're afraid I'm hearing a lot of talk our communities are afraid of what's going to happen to our our children I'm afraid that I might not see children coming into school anymore because of this I'm hoping you guys as a board come together and help these children these Latino communities we don't know what's going to happen in the future but let me tell you we are afraid I am afraid what's going to happen thank you so much thank you for your comments the next speaker Gloria Miranda speaker number 18 who is joining us virtually please enter star 6 to unmute bu is Gloria Miranda for for for and we'll have our Spanish translators translate the statement um good morning everyone my name is Gloria Miranda and I stay before you today not just as an aero Casa's parent but as a passionate advocate for the future of our youth first and foremost I want to extend my heartfelt wishes to each of you for a happy and successful New Year together as we embark on this new year we have a Critical Agenda ahead of us one that focuses on the well-being and Bright Futures of our children I also want to take a moment to express my deep gratitude to for your unwavering support and the generosity you have shown this holiday season your gift of passing a resolution has had a meaningful impact and I carry each of you in my thoughts and well wishes to our new members here today while our faces may not yet be familiar I assure you that we will become like family in unity we share a common goal to advocate for the bright future of our city our children and our community together we have stood firm in every board meeting United in our mission to protect our schools we are deeply grateful to this board for passing the resolution on December 20th that affirmed our commitment to save our schools and support our communities however while the resolution was a significant step forward we must be clear our work is not yet done we are still awaiting Vital Information on how we will move forward I urge you to ensure that the voices of our community parents teachers and students are not just heard but actively included in the decision-making progress process we are a strong community and we are an united front together we have the power to shape the future of our education system let us rise together for we are undeniably stronger where we stand United thank you for your commitment your passion and your unwavering support thank thousand thank yous and have a good day thank you our next speaker from the assero group is Angelica huarez speaker number 24 who is joining us virtually please enter star 6 to un mute good morning my name is Angelica hes I am a parent of two students at Carlos Fuentes Aero school first I would like to to welcome the new CPS board members and their positions with this said I would like to wholeheartly thank the previous board members for the resolution approved on December 20th in saving my children's school as well as the other six assetto schools from closing down their action gave all of our families some peace of mind before our school's winter break as we all know asto's president and board members made the treacherous decision of closing down seven of their Learning Centers without any previous no ification and input from the administration teachers and families of the school communities my family as well as many others was tremendously affected by this unreasonable decision which brings up the point that the contractual agreement between CPS and any Charter assetto board should make it mandatory to obtain previous input from parents in the whole Comm School Community when making such great decisions as we are the ones directly impacted by them it is for this reason that we came together to fight for our children's educational rights and we will continue to fight as we are well aware that nothing is set in stone yet therefore I would like to appeal to this board and CEO Martinez to truly commit and be accountable to the position that they've been entrusted with and make it their priority to finalize an mou as soon as possible remember actions speak louder than 24 you have 30 seconds remaining our schools commun ities deserve to see that the resolution already approved is said and done thank you for your time and hearing me out today thank you for your comments the next group of speakers are from urvan prep Bon Chapman speaker number two Dr Mustafa moanda speaker number five Brandon Lenor speaker number 15 Melvin Mack speaker number 22 Joseph Jones speaker number 25 Jessica Chandler speaker number 27 and Johnny dorsy speaker number 30 Bon Chapman speaker number two yes please proceed um good morning family my name is Fon Chapman class 2013 prior relentlessness I'm my ear prep alumni I'm proud to serve as dean of students at Urban PR bronzville campus I stand before you today as a proud alumnist and a dedicated administ of the ER prep bronville campus I am alumnist I am the living proof of the ER prep transformation power the Brotherhood I experienced as a student laid the foundation for the personal and professional success you see today what makes this place even more special is that many of my brothers former classmates have returned to Urban prep to work as teachers mentors and volunteers they are paying it forward ensuring the next generation of black and brown young men has the same opportunities we had Urban prep impact goes beyond academics the prod it provides a safe and supportive environment where black and brown young men can be themselves find a voice and build a vision for their future the school does not I'm sorry doesn't just prepare students for college and prepares them for life to lose Urban prep would be to lose a base a foundation and a main and greed of our community and Lifeline for our young men we must stand together to ensure this institution continues to uplift ower and transform transform the lives of black and brown boys in in the city of Chicago for to come her Pur is an anchor and our community provide opportunities and services that are often absent in other schools our provided programs internships community service equip students with self-confidence accountability leadership and life skills for almost two decades ear prep has been consistently rated a convenable school by isby speaker to you have 30 seconds remaining according to ISB data we have exceeded the four-year graduation rates um freshman on track metric attendance and college enrollment rates for black and brown boys across the city and state state allows for a minimum of 10 years Char renewal We Believe based on the ver um verifiable data that our success deserves at least a fiveyear renewal thank you family thank you for your comments next speaker is M Dr Mustafa moanda speaker number five greetings everyone Dr Mustafa Menda rise to uh remind each of us that our purpose is for being here is to serve those that will come after us our students our children and all the youth of this population the great Reverend Dr Martin Luther King said once that intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education Urban prep acmy has been doing just that 14 straight years of 100 plus College acceptance 14 plus straight years outperforming others who serve our populations 18 years of exemplary service and our youth have been exemplary in the community the data exists for us to look at the data exists you've all seen it for the record I am not just a scholar or researcher or public health professional I am a senior advisor and the rights of pastors coordinator but most importantly I am the proud parent of a urban Prep Academy freshman my choice to bring this my son to Urban prep was not that hard after I looked at the record and I'm so proud of him and I'm so proud of all those who look like him who are there and I'm proud of all of us five years everyone five years thank you for your comments the next speaker is Brandon Lenor speaker number 15 uh good morning uh every day during uh our ritual at Urban prep we call Community we recognize and and educate our young men about historical events um through what we call know your Shai culture history and identity I would first like to start off by recognizing this moment and congratulate all of you um for for being a part of History uh today so thank you and and congratulations I am Brandon Lor director of student programs and Community Partnerships with Urban prep Academy's network uh one of the things we value at Urban prep is our intentionality around providing our young men with access and opportunities for elevation over 76% of our student population are currently enrolled in two or more activities which strengthens their soft skills and better prepares them for life not just College with strategic Partnerships in our schools we have over 21 partners that believe in our young men and do so vigorously organizations like the Obama youth job corp Chicago Urban League Urban Alliance communities that care hidden genius project oldest elevators just to name a few universities like Northwestern University of Pennsylvania LSU Southern University Chicago State University NIU the University of Notre Dame work directly within our classrooms to impact access and opportunity Urban prep is intentional speak 15 30 changing the narrative inside and outside of the classroom and creating civically engaged men that will change our families and Community don't just renew Urban prep for the maximum allotment but join Urban prep and allow your vast knowledge and resources to be a part of this change I'm asking you to do more than just believe but to be an active participant in what that belief looks like so this is an open invitation for all of you to visit Urban prep cies thank you thank you for your comments next speaker is Melvin Mack speaker number 22 Mr Mike pride of solidarity class of 2026 as someone who believes deeply in the mission and culture of Earth Urban prep I know how important it is to renew its Charter Urban prep is the Premier school for for young black boys teaching them to to build a positive healthy and strong identity as a as a black man for nearly two decades Urban prep has consistently been a commendable school by the state of by the Illinois State Board of Education state law allows for a minimum of 10year Charter renewals and based on on our track of verifiable achievements we believe that Urban prep deserves at least a 5year charter renewal Urban prep is more than just a school it's a it's an anchor in the community it's a safe place where young black men are empowered to thrive academically develop leadership skills and prepare and prepare for a a a successful future so we ask that so we ask that before you make this critical decision next month we invite you to our school to visit our daily morning assembly called Community to meet our young men teachers and staff we would we would love the opportunity for you to engage with our young men and see what see what we do dayt day at Urban prep and why we believe thank you thank you for your comments next speaker is Joseph Jones speaker number 25 good morning my name is Joseph Jones and I'm a proud alone from Ur Prep Charter Academy inle wood campus and a proud graduate of the University of Illinois orand champagne I am also honored to say that I am currently the de of students at ever prep as well a 5-year Charter renewal is what ever prep needs in order to continue educating our beautiful black and brown young men and ensuring that they get accepted into a college or university I can easily say that E Prep has played a huge factor in the man that I have become today like a lot of our young men I grew up in Eaglewood as well and walk the same streets and hallways I am well aware of the many obstacles our young men face daily and however still need to come to school and dwell in a rigorous learn environment such as uran prep Urban prep is not just a school but a staple and a shield for our young men in the heart of ingwood addressing and acknowledging these concerns by teaching our young men not to fault in the face of any obstacles placed before them we expect nothing but the exceptional effort from our young men as our goal is to teach our young men to stay dedicated committed and focus we operate in the Eagle Wood Community where gun violence poverty drugs and gangs are our kids reality yet Urban prep provides hope for our young men by helping provide the opportunity for them to go to college and overcome all the obstacles that they've endured our community needs up prep and a 5-year renewal will give us the a lotted time to continue to save and educate beautiful black and brown young men granny Urban prep a 5-year renewal will give us the ability to see our young through the experience watch them grow confidence in achieving their dreams and goals let's do everything we can to not take that opportunity away uh we would like to distribute current and historic Urban prep uh compar data that we put together from Illinois State Board of Education I believe that you all already have uh I truly believe I truly know and believe Urban prep is saving our young men in our community our young men need this opportunity first thing we must do is believe that it can happen I believe we believe and hopefully you can believe as well thank you thank you for your comments the next speaker is Jessica Chandler speaker number 27 good morning everyone my name is Jessica Chandler and I have the honor of serving as the assistant principal of urban Prep Academy bronzville over the past seven years my journey with Urban prep has been one of immense growth and inspiration unlike any other school I've experienced Urban prep is uniquely designed to empower young black and brown boys serving as a Cornerstone of Hope education and transformation in our community now in my second year as the assistant principal I remain deeply committed to advancing this Mission our students begin College exploration as early as their freshman year participating in trips across the country often completely free thanks to our incredible Community Partners and our supporters these Early College visits open up our young men's eyes to what's possible allowing them to dream big and plan for their future long before they become Juniors and seniors in addition to college trips Urban prep connects students with meaningful internship opportunities that provide real world life experience for many these internships lead to job offers after college further ensuring their long-term success Urban prep has consistently as my team mentioned been rated commendable by ISB standards in four-year graduation freshman on track attendance in college enrollment for young black and brown boys these achievements are a testament to the dedication of our staff the belief of our families and most importantly the hard work of our students Beyond academics Urban prep Fosters a positive healthy strong for our young black men we provide a space where they can grow learn and develop into leaders who challenge societal stereotypes renewing Urban preps Charter for another five years ensures that this vital work continues it is a vote of confidence and approving model that uplifts the most underserved members of our community it is an investment in the academic social and emotional development of young men who are defying expectations in making history every day I invite each of you to visit us in community it is the heart of Who We Are as a school and it offers a powerful glimpse into why we believe as our model States thank you thank you for your comments Johnny dorsy speaker number 30 good morning my name is Johnny dorsy and I'm currently the personal counselor for the students here at Urban prep congratulations to each one of you all you have woken up our ancestors first of all I would like to say Urban prep deserves a five-year renewal contract I have worked in the field of education for over 25 years I have offered my experience expertise to CPS and Charter Schools as a teacher counselor dean of students and mentor to students and some teachers first I'd like to personally invite each of you out to yourself for yourselves to see the culture and the unique learning that goes on at Urban prep for example how we started each and every day then there's a class called Pride that they must take for 4 years Urban prep we take boys from the south side of Chicago and turn them into men the stats speak for themselves 100% accepted to college or universities but we don't stop there when they graduate we hire them to come back and give what was freely given to them that's proof enough for anyone to see we educate black and brown young men academically socially and emotionally pride is our right of passage that was created to help our young men navigate through the daily challenges that they face not only in school but outside of urban prep in their everyday lives we need Urban prep a school that gives culture positive relationships cidence to become leaders importance of giving back at Urban prep they see men that they can relate to have access to and can confide in We Believe discipline before punishment conflict resolution before suspension that is just one way of stopping the black and brown young men from being pipelined in jail you give a fiveyear renewal and in four years you'll be proud of the decision you have made today my name is quab and I approve this message thank you for your comments the next group of speakers is from Catalyst we'll begin with speaker number four Charles Meyers followed by Christina Henley speaker number six who is joining us virtually Veronica Lane speaker number eight and Albert Ramirez Alberto Ramirez speaker number 20 who is also joining virtually Charles Meyers speaker number four my apologies Charles Meyers is actually joining us virtually please enter star 6 to unmute good morning thank good morning please proceed thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today my name is Charles Myers and I am both a proud graduate and dedicated staff member of catalyst circle rock Charter School catalyst is not just where I attended from kindergarten through 8th grade it's where my purpose was ignited today as a school culture coordinator I work alongside our principal Miss jayon and other Educators to cultivate an environment where students can Thrive both academically and personally catalyst's mission of teaching minds and touching Hearts is deeply personal to me it shap who I am and inspired me to give back to the community that raised mea growing up in Chicago's Austin neighborhood I saw the barriers of our our students still face today systemic inequities generational trauma and financial instability I also saw the transformative power of Education catalysts introduced me to programs like high jump in the Daniel Murphy Scholarship fund that expanded my world beyond the challenges of my environment helping me to exceed at Fin High School and Bradley University those experiences taught me that when students are given the right resources support systems and encouragement they can achieve extraordinary things I want that for every child at Catalyst circle rock our school is a vital pillar in the community that desperately needs Equitable opportunities we complete uh daily we compete daily with the effect and lack of Mental Health Resources yet we remain steadfast in our belief that every student has a unique purpose and the ability to achieve greatness as an alumnist I can attest to the power of catalyst to shift trajectories and Inspire change as an educator I am committed to ensuring that each student has the tools they need to grow and to the leaders our community deserves I urge you to continue supporting Catalyst circle rock in schools like it together we can provide our students not just with education but with the belief and resources they need to build brighter futures for themselves in our city thank you for your time your support and your dedication to making Chicago a place where every child can reach their fullest potential thank you thank you for your comments next speaker is Christina Henley speaker number six who's joining us virtually please enter star six to unmute Christina Henley speaker number six please enter star 6 to unmute good morning members of the board my name is Christina Henley and I am a proud principal of Callis Maria elementary school I have been part of the Callas Network for 15 years and I'm also a parent of three CPS Scholars our existence as a public charter school is rooted in collaboration we were invited by CPS to serve the scholars of this city and we have remained steadfast Partners ever since together we share the same values and commitment to educating Chicago Future Leaders at Catalyst we believe that success starts with being present and our attendance rate reflect this commitment catalst Maria's High School's chronic absenteeism rate is 26.9% nearly 20% below the CPS High School average Maria Elementary rate is 18.2% which is 7% below the CPS Elementary average these numbers mean our Scholars are in the building and ready to engage Circle Rock Elementary Works ranks 31st out of 483 CPS schools from Ela growth on the I while Maria Elementary rakes 28 for math growth both schools are in the top 10% of CPS charters for this metric additionally our elementary schools outperform the district and Ela proficiency with circle rocking the top 10% of CPS Charters lastly our Network meets and exceeds every metric on the CPS Financial scorecard demonstrating fiscal responsibility and sustainability the C schools provide critical neighborhood stability we are deeply rooted and committed to service both of our campuses Maria and circle walk are fully enrolled serving over, 1600 Scholars from kindergarten through 12th grade with a long weight list of families eager to enroll their Scholars speaker number 30 seconds remaining Callis Maria is continuing the 101y Year Legacy established by the sisters of k m Sisters of St Kashmir and we are Beacon and Community maintaining Community Partnerships with organizations like holy cross and the Southwest Organization project to continue this progress we need stability a fiveyear or long longer renewal is not just the vote of confidenc in the investment of our Scholars future with this renewal we can deepen our programs and practices and ensure every scholar reaches their full potential thank you for your time and for considering the future of the Catalyst schools thank you for your comments Veronica Lane speaker number eight who is joining us virtually I'm I'm sorry Veronica Lane speaker number eight is here in person thank you Wednesday greetings to you all and congratulations to the newly elected board members my name is Veronica Lane and I am a parent representative president of our family advisory Council and also I sit on the board at Catalyst circle rock I have a fourth grader that attends TCR and we've been a part of the Catalyst family since second grade catalyst is a great charter school and I invite any of you board members to come visit and be a part of the CCR experience and see why it's important for CCR doors to remain open now and for generations to come Catalyst to me is a family oriented and the teachers faculty and staff are absolutely here for scarla advancement this among other favorable things is what appealed to me and my daughter Catalyst holds many clubs and organizations like circle of Brotherhood and Ladies of Distinction that assists with the development of all Scholars I hope that the board will take all of this into consideration and Catalyst will re be renewed along with ushering in this new era of CPS thank you for your time thank you for your comments the next two speakers are U from Harland speaker number seven Robert pincham and speaker number 19 Leona Ramsey good morning and thank you for having us today uh as an elected public official I'm reminded by member maaa blae and Dr Smith and Mr Thomas that I like you am an unpaid elected public official and as such I would respectfully ask that you allow me the five minutes that you allow public officials to speak if you this is our third appearance and so I really don't need the five minutes uh we've been here before and we're going to be here again if necessary when we look at what's happened at Harland and we look at Harland today in 2006 uh there was an intervention our principal removed for cause and at that time the board passed a resolution that harland's LSC would not have its Authority until the school was removed from what was called probation when we look at harland's statistics today we see that attendance is at 83.1% freshman on track 94.3% sophomores on track 93.8% the students passing all classes 86.7% and students earning 3.0 or higher at 49.4% if these statistics are to be accepted and that is from the principal's most recent report of two weeks ago har should no long number you have 30 seconds remaining thank you harand should no longer be on probation and its Authority should be restored we're asking today that Harland that the board pass a resolution restoring harland's LC's full Authority without reservation or limitation however those statistics are not accepted you have received a a letter addressed on March 19th of 2024 delivered to Pedro Martinez Mr Martinez you have a Friday May 31st synopsis and a most recent November audit by the office of internal audit and advisory Services uh reflecting the situation at Harland if those records are to be accepted the board's uh control of Harland for the past 20 years has been unsuccessful and we should have our LSC speaker number seven please conclude your remarks thank you thank you thank you for your comments Miss Ramsey Leona Ramsey speaker number 19 thank you I'll say good afternoon um to the new board to the new board here uh I am so honored to be part of this moment uh just don't know it moves me to tears because listening to the oath of office that you guys have taken is why I'm here because there should never be no student left behind and in particular I stand once again asking what about Harland High School who cares about the students I ask each of you to think about the students of Harland high school but I'mma answer the question who cares rosn Heights Community Association cares and harland's LSC cares the local school council was created so parents teachers students and Community would have a voice for over 15 years harland's LSC has been stripped of that opportunity transparency from Chicago's public school regarding harland's future is not just requested it's required ired we deserve to know what strategic measures are being taken to restore Harland as a pillar of educational seconds and Community Pride I urge this board to honor its commitment to equ equity and inclusion by ensuring the voices of this community are not only heard but reflected in the decision-making process I thank each of you for your time and I ask you to take an an immediate action at your next board meeting to address these pressing concerns thank you thank you for your comments we do have one more speaker from the Catalyst group who is joining virtually Alberto Ramirez speaker number 20 please enter star 6 to unmute hi good afternoon and thank you for allowing me to uh share my comments uh my name is Alberto Ramirez and I have the privilege of serving as the parent and community outreach coordinator for Catalyst Maria I am also a proud parent of a scholar at this school my work allows me to see the incredible impact catalst Maria has on our community and my confidence in this school is so strong that I entrust my own child's future to it Paris Maria is not just a school is a vital part of this community We Exist because the families and leaders before us so the need for a school that TR truly serves they advocated for Catalyst to continue their mission passing the torch to us to ensure that this vision of education and opportunity lives on that's a responsibility we take very seriously our results demonstrate that we are fulfilling this Mission last year Maria High School achieved a ninth grade on track rate of 92.3% the highest in our history and far above the CPS average of 83.1% we rank in the top 10% of CPS charterers for the Illinois Science assessment a testament to our academic strength but beyond the numbers this school is a place where Scholars are known supported and empowered to thrive carth Maria is built on a foundation of restorative practices lalian inspired values such as quality education respect for all persons and a deep respect for the community we serve we are consistently over enrolled because families trust us to deliver on this Mission I see this trust every day in my role speaker seconds remaining as a parent a 5ye longer renewal isn't just about sustaining our school it's about honoring the vision of those who fought to create it and ensuring that the torch continues to be passed for generations to come this renewal will provide the stability resources and confidence we need to build on our success and keep transforming lives thank you for your time your consideration and your partnership in supporting Catalyst Maria thank you for your comments our next speaker is Rosita shat speaker number 10 Rosita Shanda speaker number 10 we'll move on to the next speaker as we wait for the speaker number 10 to return the next group of speakers are from learn Greg White speaker number 11 Ayan Mitchell speaker number 14 and Shira Morhead speaker number 29 good afternoon my name is Greg White I'm the CEO of learn charter school I'm celebrating my 18th year as CEO and I was in the war for seven years so I've had a 25y year commitment to the staff students and their families to the board congratulations and welcome thank you thank you thank you for your volunteer service and thank you for volunteering to share your time and talents to ensure that all Scholars have both an equitable and high quality education learn educates 2,600 Scholars we have seven schools prek through 8th grade in the South and West sides of Chicago in communities you recognize East Garfield Park North laale ARB gam in South Chicago 96% of our students are African-American compare that to CPS which is about 35% and 93% of our students qualify for free and reduced lunch and we demonstrate that low income can also mean High academic achievement we stay connected to our students when they graduate from e8th grade all the way through high school and college speaker 11 you have 30 seconds remaining and I assure you onethird about 33% have earned a four-year college degree another 7% a 2-year degree so over 40% earn a post high school graduate degree but I'm most proud of the fact that we live our values we have a safe and nurturing environment high expectations we always meet the needs of the whole child we partner with our families and treat everyone with respect let me close by extending a personal invitation please visit learn please come we're eager to get to know you and partner with CPS thank you thank you for your comments next speaker is Ayana Mitchell speaker number 14 hello I'm Ayana Mitchell the manager director of academics for learn Charter network I've worked at learn for 10 years first as an assistant principal then as a principal at our Campbell campus in East Garfield Park previous to that I was a CPS teacher for 15 years our schools are Community Schools embedded and rooted in our neighborhoods North lale East Garfield Park arban Gresham and South Chicago there are many aspects of Larn program that I'm very proud of one in particular is our ongoing partnership and relationship with the boys and girls club to provide free swimming lessons to over 120 learned Scholars we want our students to excel in the classroom and in life and are seeking ways to bring joy back into our classrooms after the P after the pandemic please board members come visit our school our doors are always open and we look forward to welcoming you to learn thank you very much for your service and your time thank you for your comments our next speaker is Shira Morhead speaker number 29 good afternoon my name is shironda Morehead and I am the very proud principal of learn Romano Butler Campus our Flagship and I've been with the learn Network for 20 years I want to begin by extending a warm welcome to each of you and expressing my deep gratitude for your dedication to the children and families of Chicago your commitment to education is not just shaping the future of our Scholars but Transforming Our city as a whole learn Romano Butler has been a proud pillar of North lale Community for decades as a native of this community I understand firsthand the challenges our scholar and families face but I also know that we are surrounded by immense strength resilience and potential at learn Romano Butler we don't just focus on academics we focus on the whole child our secret sauce is just a holistic approach that meets the academic social emotional and psychological needs of every scholar we believe that TR success goes beyond what's taught but more so focus on the needs of every scholar we believe that true success in the classroom is about nurturing leaders and the change makers of tomorrow thank you so much for your time and your service and today I extend a warm welcome for each of you to visit our campuses at learn and to see the amazing work that is taking place and every day thank you thank you for your comments we'll call Rosita shat speaker number 10 good afternoon congratulations to the new board members most of you I know in some kind of capacity or the other um I'm here today on Dr King day uh to talk a little bit about let me back up a little bit and say I'm Dr Rosita chunda I am the founding president of cause teachers which is an advocacy group for former and current CTU members and um I'm also the executive director of teach for the future Incorporated and I stand before for you today to address a pressing issue in Chicago public schools that is the missu of the do not hire DNH policy the DNH policy is a mechanism that has been weaponized specifically against black teachers perpetuating systemic inequities and contributing to the alarming Mass firing of black Ed Educators black teachers have been terminated in every category when it comes to firings they are the largest demographic when it comes to the firings due to school closings unsatisfactory ratings and unsubstantiated charges unsubstantiated meaning that those charges 30s to CPD or to DCFS and even though all employees are mandated to report these offenses the office of the inspector General's oig report on CPS makes it undeniably clear black teachers are disproportionately kept on the DNH list while individuals of other racial backgrounds are more likely to be removed this there these are the four pillars to consider one they've never been arrested or have any charges with CPD two they have no cases with the Illinois DC uh Department of Children and Family Services four they have still hold a valid teaching license with isy due to the fact that they have no misconduct speak also they can pass a background check so we ask you to consider these things as you go forward we have numerous black teachers and they're afraid to be here that's why I come out to do the advocacy because of the retaliation that they have had and trust me we have over 50 complaints thank you for your time and welcome new board thank you for your comments our next speaker is Claudia beltron speaker number 12 good afternoon my name is clavia belan I'm a product of Chicago Public Schools uh my three kids all went to CPS and my last son is a senior at LM blo high school I'm really proud of that I firmly believe that every child deserves the highest quality education like my kids and I believe this happens when educators are are allowed to focus on educating children and families can choose the best fit for their uh the best fit school for their children we owe it to every child for whom we are responsible to ensure that they are in a school that prepares them to go to college succeed in a career and be a good Community member CPS central office was my home for almost 19 years I started in '97 and worked in various departments my last 10 years were in the office of innovation and incubation where I supported CPS charter schools in 2015 I left CPS and joined the Illinois State Board of Education as a state director of quality School options and oversaw all charter schools in the state of Illinois my current role is with uh Chicago International Charter Schools as the managing director of governance and enrollment cic was one of the first five original charter schools awarded by I CPS in 1997 cic proudly educates 7,000 students across Chicago on 13 campuses 30 seconds across the city we are as far north as sanos as far south as alto altel Gardens and as far west as Belmont Craven over 90% of our students qualify for free reduced lunch and our students of color we are proud to be part of CPS and would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners at the CPS office of innovation and incubation we're deeply committed to Chicago to educating the students across the city we have we're committed to our community CPS and to the parents and Guardians who believe that CICS provides the best education for their children we're here to I'm here today on behalf of the CICS board and staff we thank you for volunte in for this important position you will have many difficult decisions please conclude your remarks to make over the next year and we recognize that you came here to support all of the schools that serve Chicago children regardless of their governance structure CICS didn't want to miss this extraordinary opportunity to attend this first meeting of the new board to be present at the first chapter of the new Democratic Chicago School board in closing I invite those of you who have never visited a charter school to come see CICS teachers and action most importantly I ask that as you make decisions and recommend recommendations you do so speaker 12 please conclude your remarks with all Chicago children in mind you'll be respecting the autonomy and decision-making of CICS parents Guardians teachers and Chicago like me to choose the school that is is Right fit for our children and our families thank you thank you for your remarks our next group of speakers are from the Illinois network of charter schools speaker number 16 Jessica rafino and Allison Jack speaker number 23 good afternoon I'm going to attempt to bring the joy that you had this morning back to the end of this session uh my name is Jessica rapino I'm the director of Charter School growth and support for the ler network of charter schools a proud pilson parent and today especially a very proud Chicago border um and here to represent the more than 50,000 Charter students across the city um in their schools H sorry and I'm so very proud to greet all of you uh and celebrate this momentous occasion for those of you that are continuing and for those that are of you that are new I'm very excited uh for the course they you're about to Charter over this next year Equity has been a Cornerstone of CPS and from hearing your remarks earlier this morning I trust that this board will continue to Champion it equity for CPS students means equity for Charter students 96% of which are part of the two largest populations in the city and 100% of which have chosen to go to the kinds of schools that deliver the equivalent of 40 additional school days in reading and an additional 48 days in math as noted in research from the Stanford's University's Credo study Charter students in their schools contribute significantly to been Ming for positive outcomes of the district Charters are a thriving part of Chicago's education system they are Community Schools and can be found as you just heard as far north as Rogers Park as far south at Al Gardens and as far east as Walmart kraan I would love to say I'm sorry as far west as walmont Craven and I would love to say as far east as the lake but we haven't founded a charter school on the water yet um our Charter Schools exist because families choose them and I encourage you speaker number 16 you have seconds of strategy to ensure every student has the access to an excellent school as you begin and continue your work I want to invite you to visit the more than 100 CPS Charter Schools meet the students and families and see firsthand the welcoming inclusive environments where learning flourishes having having spent the last 15 years of my career volunteering incubating advocating or working at a charter each School visit I've made has been a grounding reminder of why Charter students deserve Equity amongst their District peers thank you for all that you do and we look forward to working with you thank thank you for your comments the next speaker Allison Jack speaker number 23 welcome board members greetings CEO Martinez and sitting board members I'm so happy to be here on this historic occasion democracy has come to the Chicago public schools at long last I'm Allison Jack I'm director of advocacy at the Illinois uh network of charter schools I worked in two CPS schools Beethoven and Holmes and I also worked in the charter schools office I've seen the transformation of charter schools from their start in 199 7 to the growth of charters in Renaissance 2010 and now the blaming of charter schools for much of the district's problems I want to I I'm here to and then the whole Charter Community a lot of Charter people are here today to ask to partner with you we need to have more partners and we need to work together better I was disappointed to hear some of Jen ket's remarks about Charter Schools we want to work with her we want to see CTU up here asking for Charter School to have Equitable funding to have Fair transparent renewals when the previous board voted to close C uh Urban prep twice CTU never stood up with them and said don't close this school the school is serving an important part in CPS we want to work with CTU we want to work with you Charters are here today to to as a united front and and showing a commitment to work with you as has been said Charter Schools serve the students that I know this board is prioritizing Charter Schools s serve more students of color serve more students uh uh that are qualifi for free and reduced lunch than the district as a whole and Charters Embrace this role this is 23 you have 30 seconds remaining thank you we hope that this board will usher in a collaborative time at CPS a time when certain schools and people are no longer villainized when all the Myriad Partners at CPS work together with a singular focus on students and politics start to play maybe a back seat a time when people will talk about how democracy brought a golden age to the Chicago Public Schools Charter Schools stand ready and willing to work with you welcome and uh congratulations for the new people who are here and we are so excited to work with you and I love your new offices it looks like a spaceship thank you thank you for your comments our next speaker is Ellen moani speaker number 21 I have um hello everyone um president Harden CEO Martinez um and everybody Welcome congratulations I'm so excited to see you here today my name is Ellen moani I am a former CPS teacher kindergarten and I am am now the current director of government and Community Affairs at the noble schools I have had the pleasure of working at Noble for the past eight years I'm here today to welcome you to the board and to share a little bit about the impact that Noble has had as part of the Chicago public schools for the past 25 years in the coming weeks I hope to support your understanding of what this looks like within your specific districts but also within the city of Chicago I will tell you that regardless of what district you serve uh every single district has students who attend one of the 17 campuses of noble we are a Charter Public School that serves nearly 12,000 students 269 in grades 6 to 8 and the rest in grades 9 to 12 almost all of whom qualify for free or reduced lunch we're public free and open to all and we are accountable to you the CPS board as authorizer and to the citizens of Chicago I encourage you to visit our website and of course to visit all of our schools this year as we celebrate 25 years in service as c as a essential part of CPS um I want to take the opportunity to thank CPS staff our partnership has been essential to get our work done and I know you all will enjoy getting to know them I invite all of you to visit any one of our schools our doors are open to you as you embark on this important job my hope is to be a resource to connecting you to anyone in our organization to answer the questions and to share their knowledge students staff and our CEO again welcome I look forward to meeting all of you in the coming weeks um and do not hesitate to reach out my information is on the sheet in front of you thank you thank you for your comments and our last speaker from the speakers list is Janet sad selek speaker number 26 who is joining us virtually please enter star 6 to unmute Janet salek speaker number 26 please enter star 6 to unmute Janet cleek speaker number 26 please enter star 6 to unmute good afternoon my name is Janet sedek I'm a proud parent of a CPS graduate who is a current CPS employee welcome to the new board we're excited for your future and ours I'm here to address a major Injustice committed by CPS years before your terms and before CEO Martinez's tenure over the past two months several members of the Lincoln Park High School Community have spoken in support of former Lincoln Park High School interim director principal John thit and assistant principal Michelle Brumfield in 2020 they were removed during the osp's investigation into a trip by the school's basketball team the lives of John thwi and Michelle Brumfield imploded smeared by CPS in the press and on the internet people believed they had harmed students their careers were destroyed their loves loved ones fielded hateful comments however this past June that very OSP investigation was blasted by the oig in a scathing report the oig found conflicts of interest off the book's investigations and characterized the ire entire process as quote very alarming the oig's report lays bare what those Lincoln Park High School Community knew all along two outstanding human beings were thrown under the bus by OSP personnel with ulterior motives at the time jet Jackson called the parents fools she and OSP ignored the ground swell of support for John and Michelle and what they received from their 26 you have 30 seconds remaining students who went to CP test CP PS to protest were not acknowledged it turns out that the LPS Community had all had it right all along it is way past time for the world to know the truth this board and CEO Martinez can start that process by taking John and Michelle off the draconians do not hire list show the Lincoln Park Community the students who suffered through that time that Injustice can be fixed show them in the teachers that their voices matter they fought for what was right take them off the list and as we heard earlier first they laughed at us then they fought us then we win stand up for what you know is right thank you thank you for your comments president Harden we do have an elected official who would also like to address the board Senator Robert martwick from the 10th District who is joining us in person Senator Robert martwick I believe the senator may have left the meeting this concludes public participation board members are there any questions or comments related to public participation this concludes public participation president I'm sorry do have one comment yes sir is how do we know or how do we follow up on some of the things that were raised like Haren high school and some of the other issues how do we know whether those issues are being followed up on I'd also like to ask if board members are making comments if they could start off by by um announcing your name or uh saying your name before you start your remarks I appreciate it thank you G2 Brown Fifth District Board member Brown we have executive leadership in the audience that are taking notes and will be following up on the matters as they will raised uh specifically our chief of staff are there any other comments or questions well not proceed with potential board reports to be considered at January 30th 2025 regular meeting after each item is presented board members will have the opportunity to ask their questions and make comments before proceeding to the next agenda item board members we will begin with the following education item number one resolution by the Board of Education to support District's application for the magnet schools assistance program good afternoon and welcome to the new board my name is Preston Lewis I'm senior program manager in the office of teaching and learning uh with magnet schools assistance programs uh we are recommending that the board adopt a resolution to the US Department of Education in support of of the um uh fiscal year 24 imsat magnet schools assistance program grant that was awarded to Avalon Park Brunson Kipling and Logan Square in May 2024 we submitted an application uh through the msap uh program to enhance magnet programming through personalized learning programs at those aformentioned schools avalant Park Brunson Kipling and Logan Square uh this is in alignment with the district's commitment to accelerating proven practices and uh creating 21st century uh learner ready environments for our students that really meet their needs uh their individual needs in October 2024 we were awarded a five-year $15 million Grant to implement this proposal um a requirement of the application that was submitted was a board resolution in support of the application we submitted a letter assigned by Co Martinez that committed to uh providing a board resolution of support within 90 days if approved uh if our application was approved and it was and so um we also submitted a letter of support from Mayor Johnson whip this if we're unable to provide this we risk uh losing uh the Grant and not being able to implement the award thank you for your time board members we will continue with the following Safety and Security item number two sorry can I we make a comment now or at the end you can make comment now related to that okay I just want to uh thank you for um the work that you did to can you guys hear me or is this not working can you please also announce um this is Olga Bautista btia um this is huge and I commend you all for all the work you did to get this grant thank you um written and approved and getting us this far so this is this is great news thank you really appreciate it thank you you could count on my support for this thank you are any other questions or comments related to this thank you thank you members we will will continue with the following Safety and Security item number two authorize the first renewal agreement with QBs LLC for deescalation and physical restraint training services hi good afternoon my name is ronin sheski I'm the deputy chief of Safety and Security um I'm here with uh Kylie Cosman uh our director of uh operations as well as Chief um Chief long with OSD here to present the first renewal for QBs training um I'm going to turn it over to Kylie to present thank you thank you ER good afternoon board members my name is Kylie kmek and I am the director of safety operations with the office of Safety and Security and today we are here presenting a board report to seek the extension of another term of our contract with QBs safety care training in the amount of 2765 million safety care has been the curriculum used for all CPS security officers and throughout the district since 2016 the cost of this contract has increased over time as a result of State legislation and is and ISB which requires that every school has a certain number of people trained in deescalation physical management and timeout procedures the safety care curriculum was selected for a variety of reasons that align with the district initiatives it is a research-based curriculum that is culturally responsive it teaches participants how to be TR trauma engaged as well as how to use proactive Behavior interventions and to always promote the dignity and respect of all in school year 22 the district received a systemic complaint and multiple letters of finding in the area of non-compliance with State legislation and required reporting practices around the use of physical restraint with that we recommend the renewal of the safety care contract for the district to be able to seam seamlessly continue to meet the requirements and comply criteria of the district's corrective action plan ordered by isby per the systemic complaint findings the district is required to provide ongoing training and recertification for those selected staff members in the areas of deescalation the safe and proper use of physical management and timeout procedures as you may notice on the slide there's quite a discrepancy in the spend amount that is listed for school year 25 and that of school year 26 this is due to the remainder of school year 25 being used to initially train our staff and our school buildings where school year 26 will focus more on the recertification of those staff members who have been trained we will continue to work closely with the CPS legal department and the office for students with disabilities to implement the corrective action plan and provide the training that is required as part of the complaint filed by ISB this will also allow us to maintain our own safety Department's ongoing training for our security officers and those in the district who are already trained in safety care who need to be recertified any questions okay thank you so much for your time thank you board members we will continue with the following information and Technology items numbers three and four and we will begin with item number three authorize a new agreement agreement with CDW government LLC for the purchase of Audi Visual and interactive whiteboard equipment greetings board members and to president Harden and Co Martinez thank you I have phenomenal Talent next to me I will present to you two critical items that is extremely important for this District so right now I will turn it over to Mr V Paul Valente greetings everybody and and good afternoon um uh my name is Paul Valente I'm the facility automation architect for Chicago Public Schools um also the manager of the audiovisual uh contract that the uh we are putting in in front of you today what we are uh hoping to do is authorize the new agreement for the category Award of audiovisual um technology and and uh interactive whiteboard technology for the for the board um this would be a procurement contract that would allow for the various business units within Chicago public schools to be able to purchase these goods and services that pertain to this category um the contract is valued uh from a board authority standpoint at $39 million spread over three years um just to be clear this is not $39 million of spend that I'm asking you for uh to be able to provide technology but to provide the opportunity for the business units to be able to uh secure up to $39 Million worth of Technology over the course of three years you'll notice from the spend amounts that we've had from historical spend amounts the uh prior to to uh our current fiscal year we were getting close to a$1 million cap um and then with the buildout of this very room as well as the various other phases that are going to be going out with construction um we felt it' be better to go to a $13 million per year um you know board cap on that uh so that way it would give us the Headway and then not have to cut off the procurement of U any of the the business units um with that we are committed to um maintaining the minority and women owned business so um uh requirements for this so we're meeting we're meeting the requirements for that for this particular contract and uh the equity component for this particular contract is being able to make sure that all of our business units um regardless of where they they are in the in the City you know Schools admin locations Network offices and such all have Equitable access to the best prices for technology from our services vendors uh as such by this particular contract um I want to address sort of the the jump in the the the valuation amounts that you see there from a contract for for a current contract year and that's because this contract is pivoting from a uh Omnia uh Corporation or sorry Omnia Co-op uh purchasing agreement to a source Wells uh purchasing agreement that will uh um allow us for deeper discounts um and better prices for the district any questions okay thank you very much thank you item number four amend and authorize the new author I'm sorry amend the first renewal agreement with koft technology core for identity and access Management Services good afternoon everyone my name is Steve Smith with the CPS uh identity access and management team I would like to welcome the board today the new board we would like to recommend an amendment of the board report to extend the current renewal term with kosol which provides identity and access Management Services through the identity automation rapid identity product for not to exceed cost of $1.2 million for one- year your term rapid identity constitutes the primary access point for All District staff and students to utilize our district systems it also serves as a foundational identity access management platform orchest orchestrating the automated processes for onboarding reboarding and offboarding of all Personnel staff employees and students within the district this software serves as our District's single sign on solution and it centralizes user authen iation enabling all District employees and students to access over 150 critical applications with a single set of credentials this significantly enhances our user experience by eliminating the need to manage numerous username and passwords for each individual application there are some operational implications for non-approval of this agreement the first being disruption to our critical operations the agreement includes critical integ ation such as rostering between our student information system Aspen and Google Classroom these Integrations which are essential for the smooth and efficient operation of our schools the second would be the loss of single sign on without this agreement CPS would lose the ability to utilize a centralized SSO system which would thus Force each system to maintain its own unique set of credentials username and passwords which would rapidly result result in infused confusion for students and staff passwords falling out of sync across systems and a significant it burden across the district reestablishing an entire identity infrastructure from scratch would be a massive undertaking and this would require significant time and resources cause a significant disruption to our daily operations and potentially jeopardize system stability at a time reliable technology is critical for student student and teacher success in alignment with the CPS Equity framework particularly in the fair policies and systems Dimension we would like to enhance parent engagement this platform Fosters stronger connections between schools classrooms and homes this aligns with the CPS Equity framework by promoting Fair policies and systems that enhance and that enhance access and opportunities for all our parents this also provides support for our transgender and non-binary staff and students this platform allow allows individuals to to designate a preferred Name Across many of our systems this critical feature demonstrates our commitment to creating an inclusive and affirming environment for all our students and staff um the important considerations that I would like to leave you with are the upcoming um RFP process the CPS procurement department is diligently and actively developing an RFP for the for a comprehensive identity and access management solution this RFP is scheduled to be released early in 2025 with the goal of selecting the best long-term solution for our district the current the current contract for the existing platform is set to expire on January 31st 2025 I would like to ensure that the continued system stability and support for our Equity goals and I recommend a shortterm contract extension of the current contract while the IM RFP process is underway this extension will maintain our essential services like single sign on and and critical Integrations it will preserve the current Equity focused features and also minimize any disruptions that we should see any question I like board member Bautista uh board member Bautista um thank you so much um m quadri for the presentation and like we talked about in our in our briefing and just for the the new board members we have recently approved um a contract with IBM to transfer uh the old Oracle to the new IBM system and this is going to be a longterm project and in the um Spirit of like reducing redundancy U one of the questions and one of the things that be really helpful for us to understand is um this is a short-term contract for for one year and and then the next couple of months it' be really great to get um more information about uh the new the new program and how it can actually also if it can actually also do this thing so that we can you know not have two different programs given that the new IBM program is going to be state-of-the-art and very Advanced um there's no I I don't have a question right now or anything but I just want to continue to encourage us to um try to stream line that and hopefully with the new IBM program we can it can also be doing what this program is doing um so if you can provide that information for us in the in the coming months it's nothing super urgent but it's something that we want to we would definitely want to take a look at we both definitely will'll make sure that you guys get that in hand thank you any other questions comments yes I do have I have one um I see that this is an extension um I wanted to know why uh the MBE and wbe uh item is being excluded from from this uh transaction or if this will be provided or addressed in the upcoming RFP so uh the uh the the uh minority participation is waved for this because uh this is not further divisible this is uh uh software and that's uh basically one of our uh policies that we can't necessarily uh provide uh uh that participation for it uh software packages uh Tina Tina Lorie hi um congratulations thank you for your service uh the MBE is an exclusion um we don't wave anything because these are aspirational the kosoff is a its has proprietary software so we do not have it now for IBM we actually are doing 40% MBE and wbe so we're ex we're really exceeding our aspirational goals of 30 and seven so we have 30 for M and 10 for w with the IBM which I think is 60 million so that's very rare that it happens so but this isn't an exclusion they are aspirational we do have exclusions for utilities I ATS um government grant piggybacks does that help board member Thomas thank you sure thing thank you any other questions thank you very much okay thank you guys I appreciate it this concludes the first portion of the board reports on the public agenda we'll now move into a short recess board member gz do you have a motion m mo2 a motion to move into recess can you turn your mics on as you speak I this lope I have a motion to move into is there a second I second that motion board member Smith I second that motion thank you I'll proceed with a roll call vice president bti I member Dr Smith I member Lopez I member Thomas I member Bole I member Pope I member Rosenfeld yes member Rivas yes member Rio Sierra yes member blae I member loano yes member gutiz I member bigs yes member tho Kura yes member Bannon yes member zachor yes member DeBerry yes member kuster I 18 I zero Nays this motion is adopted by the board this meeting meeting will now go into a 20 minute recess e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e the agenda Review Committee of the board of education is reconvened board members will now proceed with the second group of potential board reports to be considered at the January 30th 2025 regular meeting after each item is presented board members have the opportunity to ask their questions and make comments before proceeding to the next agenda item thank you uh president Harden board members we will continue with the following Capital items numbers 5 through eight we'll begin with numbers 5 through 7 authorize the third renewal agreement with BNL Distributors Inc for the purchase of furniture and related accessories and services six authorize the third final renewal agreements with with various vendors for the purchase of furniture and related accessories and services seven authorize the third final renewal agreement with Herz Furniture Systems LLC for the purchase of furniture and related accessories and services good afternoon uh my name is vgu D I'm the executive director for Capital planning and construction I am joined today by Chief Ivan Hansen of facilities and capital and we are here today to recommend the board approve at the January 2025 board meeting the final contract renewals for the three contract uh three Furniture contracts to provide furniture and related accessories and services uh this final contract renewal uh option for the three current furn Furniture contracts provide furniture and related Services uh such as uh design reconfiguration repair services including White Glove delivery and installation of our furniture and accessories uh disposal of packaging materials um and they provide these services to the Department of capital planning and construction to facilities and to other departments and schools specifically these include all elementary schools and high schools for prek classrooms regular classrooms librari and media centers uh F and Performing Arts cafeterias administrative offices and supports in schools uh district and network offices um these furniture and accessories uh are include but are not limited to things like cabinets closets chalkboards uh or whiteboards tables uh specialty furniture for uh prek stem steam uh and any other specialized uh furniture that we might need in the throughout the district um the requested board authorities for the three Uh current Furniture contracts with respectively uh item agenda item five is for B&L Distributors um which is a uh 100% wbe owned vendor uh the board authority we're requesting for that contract is not to exceed of 1.75 million for the one-year renewal term agenda item six is a a a renewal for uh board authority of 8 million for four vendors um including uh one uh MBE vendor which would be space continuum and then the third agenda item seven uh is to renew the contract with Herz furniture and that would be for approximately $5 million um and um these vendors were all selected via a competitive solicitation process pursuant to uh the request for proposals um again this contract is for six vendors it in includes one M vend one minority vendor and one woman-owned vend vendor um the uh goals for mwbe participation for these contracts are 30 minority and seven women-owned businesses with an addressable spend of 10% uh past performance by these vendors um in this pool um and under their respective contracts has been satisfactory and so we request we request ing the board authorities total for all three would be about 14.75 million uh having these contracts in place uh ensures that our schools are able to order furniture that meets the CPS standards and specifications uh at contracted prices and this is done easily through the punchout or the marketplace in Oracle by all of our stakeholders uh if these Agreements are not approved then we will not have efficient vendors to provide all the necessary furniture and services that we need for uh the district um and with that i' like to take any questions for M Bo hi um I was you know how the Whiteboard contract says um central office and school-based spend would this also be a school-based SP that was that was an error that we noticed last week but we couldn't change it until after this so when it's presented to you at the January board meeting it will say central office and school-based uh spin thank you are there any other questions or comments one comment I just want to acknowledge the incredible work you guys done to build out this space very pleased with you did a remarkable job think you deserve a round of applause this is for all the team members who worked tily to do this this was a definitely a team effort clearly you guys are magical elves thank you I'm sorry item number eight authorize the first renewal agree renewal of the lease agreement with Invesco Max I LLC for the use of space at 4628 36 South KY Avenue for Columbia explorers prek program good afternoon members of the board board president and CEO Martinez my name is Steven staltz director of real estate for the Department of capital and facility operations we recommend the board authorize the renewal of the lease agreement with Invesco mex1 LLC to permit the continued use of space in the building located at 4628 d36 South Ki Avenue for the Columbia explorers prek program the space is approximately 5,000 sare ft and serves four prek classrooms we are seeking to exercise the option to extend the term of the agreement for 2 years commencing on July 1st 2025 and continuing through June 31st of 2027 CPS will have one more renewal option to extend the lease for two more years at the expiration of this 2-year renewal gross rent which includes the cost of property taxes insurance and maintenance will increase by 3% to 155,000 $169 annually payable in equal monthly installments of $2,931 that concludes my presentation for this item and I'll be happy to answer any questions are there any questions yes hi this is Lopez district 7 just want to ensure that we're also working closely with the LSC and the principal and the school on this to address any potential issues that might have so I uh did inform the principal and I did not meet with the LSC on this matter this uh will become a new practice though going forward I think we need significant amount of time to brief the lscs before an action like this in the event that the LSC had concerns about the facility it would take uh at least I imagine about two years to work through the issues look for an alternate site get funding and do a constru construction build out for a new site so I do uh I do appreciate this being asked uh last Friday um so going forward this is something we will engage in in the future well before it's time for Renewal thank you thank you uh this is uh member loano I have a question uh you said four classrooms uh do we know the size of the class the classes uh I do not have student counts but that is something we could report back through the board office thank you are there other questions or comments thank you thank you the following slides list the standard monthly reports and motions that are listed in the agenda review committee meeting agenda are posted online board members this concludes the board reports of the public agenda are there any other questions or comments thank you we'll now move into executive session board member boy do you have a motion M mo3 I move for the passage of motion number 25- 0115 dm3 and the commencement of a closed session session to consider matters permitted under Section 2 C of the open meetings act subsections 1 2 and 11 as specified in the motion is there a second this is board member kuster I second the motion thank you I'll proceed with a roll call vice president Bautista I member Dr Smith I member Lopez I member Thomas I member Bole I member Pope hi member Rosenfeld yes member Rivas I member Rio Sierra hi member Brown yes member blae I member Lozano yes member gutiz I member bigs yes member th thuro yes member Bannon hi member zachor I member DeBerry I member kuster I 19 I Zer nay this motion is adopted by the board this mean will now go on a call session e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e is reconvene board secretary please proceed president hard Harden I would like to note for the record that there are no items to vote on from executive session thank you is there a motion to adjourn I make that motion is there a second so moved all in favor we are dra thank you everyone