Everyone, please take your seats. We will begin shortly. Tech team, please start the meet the recording. President Harding, before you begin today's meeting, I would like to read a few announcements. Welcome to the 11/04/2025 special board meeting. Before we start special board meeting, I would like to share a few safety points and next meeting announcements. Please know that primary exit and entrance to the boardroom is the door that you used to enter this morning. If you are leaving the room, please use this door. The restrooms are outside the boardroom doors to your left. During the special board meeting, we ask that you keep all aisles and exits clear.
If you need any assistance during the special board meeting, please waive the attention of one of our security officers. Mark your calendars for the upcoming meetings. A special board meeting is scheduled for 11/10/2025 at 10:30AM. And the next agenda review committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 12/03/2025 at 10:30AM. Both 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.
If you have any questions about registration or public participation, please contact the board office for assistance. Thank you for joining us today. President Hardin, we are now ready for you to begin. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the Chicago Board of Education special meeting. Today is 11/04/2025. I'm president Sean b Harden on behalf of my fellow board members. Thank you for joining us today. We're holding today's special meeting in the boardroom at the CPS Loop office, 42 West Madison Street Garden Level. I would like to note that board members and senior leadership are physically present in
the boardroom, and registered speakers may join us in person or virtually if they've opted to do so, and registered observers are joining us in person. Special board meeting of Tuesday, 11/04/2025 is hereby called to order. Assistant board secretary, please call the roll. Member Lozano? Present. Member Smith? Present. Member Velez? Present. Member Boyle? Here. Member Wallace? Present. Member Pope? Here. Member Rivas? Present. Member Brown? Here. Member Rio Sierra? Present. Member Bannon?
Present. Vice president Bautista? Present. Member Gutierrez? Present. Member Biggs? Present. Member Dodecora? Present. Member Blaise? Present. Member Sackhor? Present. President Harden? Present. I would also like to acknowledge doctor Macklin King, interim superintendent chief executive officer, Elizabeth k Barton, acting general counsel, doctor Alfonso Carmona, acting chief education officer, and Charles Mayfield, chief operating officer. The order of the meeting will be as follows. We're going to call session, reconvene from call session, recess, reconvene from recess, go into
poll participation, discussion of public agenda items, vote on public agenda items, and then adjourn. We'll now move to executive session. Board members at core, do you have motion m o one? I move for the passage of motion number 25 dash 11 o four dash m o one and the commencement of a closed session to consider matters permitted under section two c of the Open Meetings Act subsection one as specified in the motion. Is there a second? I second the motion. I will proceed with a roll call.
Member Lozano? Yes. Member Smith? Aye. Member Velez? Yes. Member Boyle? Yes. Member Wallace? Aye. Member Pope? Yes. Member Rivas? Yes. Member Brown? Yes. Member Rio Sierra? Aye. Member Bannon? Aye. Vice president Bautista? Yes. Member Gutierrez? Aye. Member Biggs? Yes. Member Dodecora? Yes. Member Blaise? Aye. Member Sarkor? Yes. 16 I, zero nays. Zero abstentions. This motion is adopted by the board. Page two, president Harden. This mean we're not going to call session.
Sorry. Thank you. What's that? Ellen is on. The special board meeting of the Board of Education has reconvened. Assistant board secretary, please proceed. President Harden, I would like to note for the record that there were there are no items to vote on from executive session. Miss Custer, do you have a motion? I do. I motion that we withdraw the fifteen minute recess from the agenda and proceed with public comment. Is there a second? I second the motion. I will proceed with a world call. Board member Lozano? Yes. Board member Smith? Aye. Board member Lopez?
Aye. Board member Velez? Yes. Board member Boyle? Yes. Board member Wallace? Aye. Board member Custer? Aye. Board member Pope? Board member Rosenfeld who has joined us virtually? She's having technical difficulties. I'll continue with member Rivas? Yes. Member Brown? Yes. Member Rio Sierra? Aye. Member Bannon? Aye. Member Gutierrez? Aye. Member Biggs? Yes. Member Dodecora? Yes. Member Sackcourt? Yes. Member Dee Berry? Aye. I think you can hear me now. I'm a yes. Thank you. 18 ayes, zero nay, zero abstention.
This motion is adopted by the board. Residence has been withdrawn. Thank you. We'll now proceed with today's poll participation session. Thank you for joining to share your comments with the board. In compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, poll participation, sometimes referred to as public comment, is a portion of the board meeting or hearing that grants district stakeholders the opportunity to address the board with their concerns and their comments. Note that poll 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, whole 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 seriously. And while we may not address your comments directly during poll participation, CPS 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 our board members host board office hours so that you can have a conversation. We invite you to use our website, cpsb0e.org, if you want to meet with the board member during office hours. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with board members outside of a board meeting, and we thank you for your attention and consideration. And finally, as a reminder, union representatives will be allotted five minutes to speak before public participation, and any elected officials will be allotted five minutes to speak after the
conclusion of public participation. Assistant board secretary, please share the rules of public participation. 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 via 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 a weak Internet connection could still participate using their phones. Also, members of the public may submit written comments for the board of education special board meeting via the written comments form on our board's website or mailed at 42
West Madison Street Garden Level. Written comments received between the day the public agenda was posted through 5PM the day after the board of education special board meeting will be submitted to the board and published within five business days on our website. Speakers, please listen while I provide directions for pub for public participation. I will call your name and number when it's your turn to speak. For speakers joining us virtually, as a reminder to unmute, please press 6. Once you hear your name, please state your name for the record. I will then start your two minute timer. When there are thirty seconds remaining, I will inform you so that you can proceed
to conclude with your remarks to allow for the next speaker to begin. For anyone standing with a speaker, know that in order to comply with city fire code, please stand along the glass partitions on the mark spots to keep the aisles clear. Thank you. President Harden, before we begin calling registered speakers from the speakers list, we do have union reps who would like to address the board. We will begin with Jackson Potter, CTU vice president, who is here in person. Good afternoon. You know, how sometimes you don't realize how much you've missed a person until you
see them for the first time in a long time. That's Rosemary Vega right here, who's a parent that was a fierce advocate and champion fighting the school closings when Rahm went on his rampage and closed a record number in the 2013 school year. And she was up here advocating for Lafayette that had record winning orchestra and programming and defending the interests of black and brown children then. And here we are now today with the wheels coming off that charter experiment that
was supposed to solve all the ills and create the stability that, it, you know, never created. And yet, we've got charter operators taking advantage of a system that has holes you can drive a truck through. And so, you know, don't envy the position you're in, but I am glad that you're in these seats to monitor, protect, defend, and ensure the public interest even if the entities that closed the schools took advantage, privatized, and now are closing again didn't.
I think it's critical, and I stand in unity with our siblings and the principals association and, with president Banks, that we really need to see maximum stability in this process. That means school communities that aren't being devastated by loss of educators, programming, displacement, that children and their families are being listened to and heard when they say they want continuity. So to the maximum extent possible, that should be our way. It's what we did in Shields Middle School. It's what, you know, we've done in other parts of the city when we've created
middle schools and ensuring there's some continuity of staff and programming. So there's a template. Let's use it. The district's own history points in the right direction in these discrete examples. I will say another part of, maintaining and enabling maximum stability is what LA Unified just did in serving dinner to students in danger of losing all their SNAP benefits think, at 5PM every day. I think the district needs to consider similar efforts.
We have asked to coordinate around mutual aid as it relates to food banks and pantries and doing some initiatives together. You know, would love to hear back from that offer to coordinate more. EPIC is another de facto school closing in the making and a predominantly black school. It's what we saw in 2013, you know, over and over again. And this is even worse in some ways because at least in the school closings of bygone eras, we had a commitment to staff and students when they were receiving
schools for there to be following students so that there was the least disruption possible. That's in our agreement with the district. We cannot toss people to the wind. So to the extent that you can utilize your existing resources and examples to replicate best practices, I would encourage that. You know, Sido Carmona, you, experienced this at Von Humboldt. You know, you know how dangerous and problematic it is to disregard the interests of schools and communities.
You helped shepherd what we just saw at Haugen, to maximum impact and stability. We should take that and run with it. Superintendent King, similarly, at Courtney when it merged with Stockton. So we we have to defend our most vulnerable students. Please consider that as a priority in your deliberations today. And then lastly, I would just say that we had a productive conversation last week, district officials, around, provision of transportation. We had a a good exchange with COO Mayfield and would like to hear back
as to the results of some review and determine if there's ways we can help students who don't have access to transit but are fearful and traumatized by ice assault on their families and school communities. We also, you know, would like to hear back on necessary updates to the district guidelines around the virtual academy. You have thirty seconds remaining. Please conclude. And then, we wanna make sure there's no adverse action taken to educators who are trying to respond in the moment to the needs of their students if their, you know, attendance is spotty, providing, you know, the resources necessary for them to maintain their
academic engagement. And then, you know, we've offered an idea around stipends. We are open to exploring that in any way, shape, or form to conduct school visits, from staff or visits from school staff, wellness checks, food delivery, dropping off academic material, etcetera. Thank you for your comments. Please go ahead. We really need that coordination and support. We stand open to receive any mutual efforts in that regard. Thank you. For the record, president Harden, vice president Bautista has joined the meeting via Zoom at
02:36PM. I will continue with our next union rep is Caroline Rutherford, CTU Charter division vice chair who's here in person. Good afternoon, members of the board and CEO King. Not here, but maybe sometime. I have been a charter school teacher for fifteen years, but I am disappointed in the charter industry. I'm disappointed in some board members sitting before us today and claiming to support charter schools, but last week walked by a group of charter educators facing school closure and said nothing to them. I'm grateful for board members who show their passion for students, teachers, and families.
Board member Brown, thank you for your words last week. EPIC educators were moved by your support and that you actually named the tragedy that they are living and want to fully support them. Last week, I heard board member Rivas say he was disgusted by comments made about charters. But please be clear with the folks in this room. Is it charter operators you support or charter educators, families, and students? In these ongoing failures by the adults in charge of those charter networks, those are the sides. These schools are not closing because students failed.
These schools are not closing because teachers failed. They are not closing because parents and community failed. They are closing because their operators failed. Board members, you have spoken to the students, families, and educators. Have you spoken to the students, families, and educators at Epic Academy since the closure announcement? Many of you came to visit Shai Arts. Thank you so much for your support. But what about the charter schools in your own district facing closure closure? Epic parents have signed up to speak, but have not been chosen in the lottery. CPS has held no meetings with them or even sent them notice that the board was voting on their future today.
CPS is proposing to give them even less support or guarantees than the students got when Rahm closed 50 schools. Today, you are voting on two schools with very different outcomes presented by CPS. But there are some things that are similar. Number one, neither Shire Arts, Shy Arts, nor EPIC families, parents, students, or staff have been consulted about their own futures by CPS. No one has enough information to support everything in each of these agenda items because they have not been explained to us. Board members, have they been properly explained to you? While both provide financial support in various ways, they don't go far enough.
Schools are built on relationships, trust, and community, which both of these schools have successfully developed. Where is the language to preserve those essential parts of a community? CPS can do better. We understand existing district policies may not fit these scenarios entirely, so policies need to change. And you all have the power to do that. Doctor Carmona, I respectfully disagree with the statements you made on October 23. You stated when it comes to staffing, we keep the schools as close as possible to what they look like today, but there are limitations, certification, residency, and current staff
members who do not want to work at these schools. I've been an Acero teacher for fifteen years, and I've been elected by hundreds of Acero teachers and educators. And so this is very important to me. Have you actually looked at how many of these limitations exist? Because I have. We surveyed all of our members. We have the data. The number of members at each school that meet the qualifications and want to stay at their school under CPS management, Casas, 16 out of 21. Cisneros, 17 out of 25. Fuentes, 25 out of 31. Santiago, 18 out of 25. And Tamayo, 19 out of 23.
And those are the hard yeses, not the maybes. Yet, they have no idea if they will be offered a job by CPS when Nasara lays them off in two weeks. These five schools will be broken piece by piece instead of valued and preserved. Board members, we have stood before you at every meeting for over a year, pleading with you all to protect students, staff, and communities. And we are asking you again today, please provide EPIC, the option for students and staff to stay together at a high quality CPS school like South Shore. They deserve happy, healthy, secure high school futures.
Engage the EPIC parents, families, and staff in town hall discussions to develop these paths. Provide the Shireard students and staff a guarantee the heart of their school, which is the Arts Conservatory pre professional training program will remain intact. Work with the Shireard's teachers, teaching artists, students, and parents. Learn about the operations of the Shire Arts Conservatory model in order to maintain it and replicate it at other schools across Chicago in the future. Commit to funding arts education. At Shai Arts and across the state seconds remaining.
Please conclude. That are not solely relying on donations from a foundation. After over a year now, the teachers and staff at the five Acero schools deserve stability in their future employment. CPS must make the effort to keep these highly qualified and committed educators before we lose them and, frankly, lose the schools. I know we've been waiting for answers, but if the language before you today does not protect students, staff, and school communities, and we need to get it right. Thank you for your comments. The next union rep is Troy La Rabier from American Federation of School Administrators Midwest
region president, who's here in person. Morning, beautiful people. I'm gonna try this morning. I'm gonna start by saying, thank you to the superintendent search committee, for the work you're putting in to identify a superintendent for our school. I come with a concern regarding that work, but I don't wanna be another person launching into a concern without expressing a deep appreciation for the time and effort that you're putting into the search. You have my gratitude. I'm here to point out that you're moving forward with selecting a superintendent of schools
without including accountable representatives of the principals and assistant principals who lead the schools. And those of you who have community organizing backgrounds, you know that people can't claim to represent a group if they are not communication avenues and account lines of accountability between them and the people they are said to represent. And no such lines exist here. I know that you can't make every stakeholder happy. At the end of the day, you gotta get your work done. At the same time, principals and assistant principals are not your average stakeholders. Principals are the only leaders who directly manage every part of a school's ecosystem.
The only leaders who directly manage every part of a school's ecosystem. Instruction, safety, budgets, hiring, evaluation, procurement, operations, culture and climate, community engagement, and that's just a few. That's literally just the beginning. They manage all of that plus. So when you have a decision to make or an initiative to plan for, I want you to start thinking about our union of principles and assistant principles as strategic priority partners. Leaders that you have to bring in early, engage deeply, and sustain involvement throughout the
planning and decision making process because of the principal's position once again as the only leaders who directly manage every part of the school's ecosystem. They have to be there in the beginning. They have to be there early. They have to be in deeply, and it has to be sustained. Superintendents issue directives and launch district wide initiatives across each area of that ecosystem, And principals see how those directives impact schools for better and for worse in real time. Representative principals would help you evaluate candidates, not just on lofty goals, but on how
well they can stage and support the execution of those goals in schools. The My point here is bigger than just the search committees. It's about how the district has approached principals in general. The search committee is just another example. I wanna make a larger point about the weight that our principals take on. Principles are public facing leaders who absorb the impact of the district's decisions every day. When policies miss the mark, school communities turn to principals for answers and often hold
principals responsible for your decisions. That's why principals have an urgent need for this board and the next superintendent to recognize and honor that accountability. They need you to honor it with actions that say, we respect and value what you bring to the table, principals. You can show school communities respect by deeply engaging the principals who lead them, whether the process be the superintendent search, absorbing charter schools into the district, or budgeting for the upcoming school year. If it's important, then representative principals who are accountable to their colleagues should be at
the table by nature of their positions as keepers of the ecosystem. In terms of the superintendent search, we believe the search committee should invite elected representatives of principals to interview the superintendent finalist and submit a well reasoned recommendation to the committee and to this board to help make your decision stronger. It is my understanding that a different course of action is being discussed with president Banks. And although it fall falls short of our recommendation, it does show that the lines of communication are open and that this board is moving towards showing greater respect for
principals and the assistant principals who make up our union. So we appreciate that, and, the lines remain open. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Our next union rep is Kia Banks, CPAA president, who is here in person. Good afternoon. I understand that there's there's pain here. A mostly black school is being dissolved, while a mostly non black school is being absorbed. That contrast is jarring, and the optics, they're bad.
It hurts. But here's the thing. I feel what our board members are trying to do here. And I agree with my brother in in labor, Jackson. Maximum stability for children is the goal. But I cannot stand by and allow for any discussion, amendment, or motion that would override a statute. We all want students to see familiar faces, but they deserve the right educators with them. Principles are trusted to make that call, and CPAA won't support anything else.
It's not because we don't care, and it's not just because it violates our agreement. Also, it's not just because it creates a very dangerous precedent, but it is because it puts adult needs before our students' needs. It forces our school leaders to take on new students or staff without the support that's necessary to support those students, build the teams, and create the culture of success
that they deserve. We've not once talked about the resources that need to be in every school where our students will land to ensure that they are properly received, welcomed, and that communities are built around them. It tells principals once again to stabilize chaos while cutting them off from the very needs and tools that they need in place to do so. Principles must be allowed to build culture.
They must be allowed to shape climate. They must be allowed to choose the staff who fit the needs of every student they serve, and that's not a preference. It is a requirement for our student success. This charter situation is a crisis, and we cannot tie the hands of the very people charged with leading schools through these crises. We do not solve harm by creating new harm. Not if we care about stability, not if we care about student outcomes, and not
if we actually care about true equity. Our students, whether they are CPS students, charter students, public school students, private students, they deserve schools that are led with care by people who shake every hallway, who support every staff member, who elevate community, and who always choose children first. So board members, we are asking you to consider your choices carefully.
The precedent you set impacts every child. The child the children that are in place now and those that we will be receiving. Thank you. President Harden, we are now ready to call register speakers from the speakers list. We will begin with Rosemary Vega, who will be joined who is here in person. Hello. My name is Rosemary Vega. I said I wasn't gonna cry today. In 2013, under David Talley, Barbara Byrd Bennett, and Rahm Emanuel, 50 schools were closed.
That was a devastating hit to Chicago, especially to our black and brown communities. We saw after that closing what that did to our black and brown families. We lost so many children to CPS. We lost them at CPS. We took death to the suburbs, to wherever, but we lost them because they didn't have the security of a board, of a mayor backing them and protecting them. Today, I stood here with CTU and, again, in 2013, I was strictly fighting against
charter schools. But today, I stood for them because what is happening to our black and brown children is not right. It's not their fault that they don't got stability. It's not their fault that adults making decisions are not making decisions in their best interest. So I'm here begging you guys. I know you guys understand. When you make these decisions, please make these decisions with our children, with our black and brown children in your hearts. Because let me tell you something. Every white parent that is in Cheyenne Arts has a choice to take their children
somewhere else. You have 36 Our black and brown parents our black and brown children don't have that choice. Don't have that option. So, please, when you keep that in mind, when you make that vote, they travel for the conservatory. Please keep the conservatory. To hear staff at the school worried about their job, black staff, worried and not knowing about their future is heartbreaking. And, Rivas, you said you were gonna support us 100%. And God forbid if I hear that you don't because I will move heaven and hell place concluded.
To make sure you don't contain in that seat. So I hope that this is not just Thank you for your comments. Please conclude. I am begging you. Shy arts need the funding. Our children need the investment. They deserve the investment because you will be doing a disinvestment to the city of Chicago by removing anything from shy arts because the uniqueness of the school is what makes shy arts. Please, I am begging each and one of you.
Keep our black your comments. Please consider. They deserve. They traveled to get there. Thank you. Our next speaker, speaker number three, Samantha Gonzalez, who's here in person. Hi, everyone. I'm Samantha Gonzales. I'm a junior musical theater major and student body president at ScheI Arts. This school has changed my life, and I wanna take a moment to share just how much this school has impacted me for the better. I found my passion at this school. I've always loved performing, but it was a dream. Something out of reach, whether that be because of cost or just lack of knowledge about arts education in my community.
But then I found Chi Arts, a free program in arts education, and everything changed. I feel blessed to know that I have a school that gives me access to arts programming and opportunities that would normally cost too much. To know that's at risk breaks my heart. To know my staff here is at risk breaks it even more. I love the school so much because of the people inside of this building. So many people have put opportunities in my lap that seem almost impossible without them. I have been able to win a regional acting competition. I got I've worked with different theater companies such as Looking Glass Theatre and Collabra Action.
I got signed to a leading talent agency and, yes, it was because of this school. All the people who believe in me, mentored me, and connected me to other artists. It's because of the people in the school I'm able to pursue my dreams confidently. Our current teaching artists are a huge part of what makes Chi Arts Chi Arts. Our curriculum and teaching artists need to stay. They are the reason that so many students Chi Arts students here are fighting for our school. The teachers not only teach, but inspire us. They treat us like family, and that's what Chi Arts is, a family. To know that majority black and brown students from all over the city will be
deprived of arts education is sickening, and we cannot let this school go. Arts education for POC youth is a privilege. You have 36 Can you please conclude? This school makes it accessible to every student. Every student in the city deserves this opportunity. We all deserve to create. Shy Arts gave me and so many others a voice, a purpose, and a future. I'm here today because this school made me who I am, and I refuse to let it go. In order to save Shy Arts, we must save our teaching artists, our curriculum, because that's what Shy Arts is.
Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Esmeralda Delgado, speaker number four, who is joining us virtually. Please press 6 to unmute. Good evening, members of the board and CTS leadership. My name is Esmeralda Delgado, and I'm here once again to speak on behalf of our school community, Esmeralda Santiago, regarding the building we have we have been asking CPS to purchase. I want to share an important update. The building is no longer on the market. We recently spoke directly with the realtor who had it listed.
He explained that the arch diocese doesn't want to displace students and is open to continue to leave the part of the property. The building was originally listed for sale under a misunderstanding, the assumption that the school had closed and that the students no longer needed the space. That was never the case. Our students are still there, still learning, and still depending on the building every single day. Now that we know that the Archdiocese is willing to continue leasing, we are asking CPS to contact them directly and take over the lease so that the resolution, which
was promised to us, can finally be fulfilled. We waited patiently. We followed the process and continue to show up because we believe in CPS commitment and to keeping promises made to families. Please take this new step. Work with our diocese to secure the lease and give our students what they deserve. Also, we wanna let the leadership know that when the five schools began this journey, our goal was always to keep our principal and our beloved teachers together. We've been hearing that some teachers might be let go, and that is hurting our
part. Seconds for me to conclude? We don't want more changes. We want to stay together as the beautiful family we are. Also, to board member Brown, another mom from our school follow the rules like the president asked for office hours with you, and we send you an email. And we send an email to the person you asked us to until this day, we haven't gotten a reply. So we kindly ask you to please double check with us and give us an answer. Thank you for your time, and you continue attention to this matter. Please save my full comments.
We will continue with speaker number five, Lisa Miranda, who's here in person. Good afternoon. I know with all the turmoil in Chicago in our and across our country, it might seem small, even selfish to fight so hard for one school, but it isn't small. It's essential because the same leaders fighting to keep CPS families safe and fed must also fight to protect Where young artists learn to imagine and build a better world.
Art and activism can never be separated. At Shy Arts, scholar artists create work that make us laugh, bring us joy, and make us see each other, truly see each other. They also create art that shocks us, stirs righteous anger, and calls us to stand up to injustice wherever it exists. Good trouble is what Shy Arts does. It's what a commendable school does. It builds it trains truth tellers.
It builds empathy. It produces artists who change the world. I've seen that transition up close. My daughter is a freshman at Shry Arts. In just two and a half months, I have watched her focus, her commitment, and her artistry deepen in breathtaking ways. Her teachers, working artists You have thirty seconds remaining, please, from the to take creative risks, explore new materials, and grow as a young professional. That is the conservatory model.
Real artists teaching the next generation, nurturing their voices three hours a day, fifteen hours a week. And I am not alone. Over 2,600 people have signed the petition to save Char Arts and the conservatory. We stand united, asking you to invest in our artist's future. Thank you for your comment. Creative and courageous as our students. Find a way through every logistical, financial, and ideological challenge to protect the conservatory model
and engage all stakeholders in the transition process. Help our scholar artists shine truth and joy into a world that need both so desperately. Champion Shy Arts, the school and motto that turns motto that turns Chicago's young artists and activists into leaders, bold, visionary, and waiting to shape our future. Thank you. Our next speaker is speaker number six, Scott Stewart, who's here in person. My name is Scott Stewart, and I'm the student of teaching business and finance at
a Spirit of Business and Finance High School. When my principal invited me to teach a business at a spirit last year, I didn't want I didn't wanna go. Honestly, because I just knew the challenges that they were facing academically, spiritually, emotionally. But my principal believed in me and believed that, we could face the challenges, and that's what we've been doing. Together, we set to rebuild a culture, one where students want to come to school, want to learn, and want to lead, a place where education feels alive again.
And every day, we see progress, small victories that whisper louder than statistics, students showing up early, students staying late, students dreaming bigger. The work that we do over at Spirit is sacred. It's the work of turning pain into purpose, struggling to strengthen classrooms into communities of hope. Right now, Espirit is, you know, as many of these other schools experiencing significant financial challenges and staff reductions that threaten to slow the momentum of what we've been doing
over at the spear. The hope, the pride, the belief, it's just too meaningful to lose, and I'm too invested at this point. So I'm here to ask the board to provide the support You have thirty seconds. Please conclude. That will help us protect the progress that sustain our growth. The support that will give us what we need, time. Time to finish what we started. Time to stabilize our foundation. Time to show what happens when you invest in not just programs, but invest in people. Because the true return on that investment isn't measured in numbers.
It's measured in futures. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. We will continue with speaker number seven, Gray Sendako, who's here in person. My name is Grace Sindico, a teaching artist in the theater conservatory at Chey Arts. My work has been shown at Steppenwolf Theatre, Citadel Theatre, the Beverly Arts Center, among many Chicago and New York theaters. I've had Tony winning producers work for me, and I've worked alongside Broadway professionals. But my proudest achievements are with my students. In the twenty twenty four August Wilson Design Competition, a student I coached in the elements of theatrical design placed first in the nation.
Using the same techniques, I've mentored Shaiart students that have earned acceptances at Carnegie Mellon and Northwestern. These accomplishments are a direct result of the Shaiart's conservatory model. I also attended a performing arts high school where a single teacher ran an entire theater program. It was never enough. As thespian president I saw firsthand how students suffer without proper, support or in-depth education. At Shy Arts we do things differently. Our students thrive because working artists, though most not certified, develop and teach specialized professionally
leveled curriculum. Though we may not fit the mold of a traditional teacher, we are still educators in our own right, leading rehearsals, creating theory, and redefining our craft. Without the fair pay that we currently earn, shy arts will lose these artists and the unique training that keeps our scholar artists nationally competitive. When they walk into those collegiate and professional art spaces, they are prepared. They match and exceed expectations. In my class, for example, students train in Suzuki physical training and physical text analysis, a rare college level technique that, to my knowledge, no other high schools in the
country offer. In fact, I I am one of the few artists in Chicago with the community. You have thirty seconds remaining to conclude? At Shy Arts, students receive a level of training otherwise gatekept by expensive tuition and private programs. Teaching artists are what keeps our students and this program extraordinary. Please maintain the arts conservatory model and find a way to continue employing even non teacher certified working artists like myself. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. We will continue with our next speaker, Christian Helene, speaker number eight, who's here in
person. Good afternoon, members of the board. My name is Christian Hellum, and not only am I a proud alum of Shy Arts, but I'm also a current teaching artist there, and I've been there for eight years. I was also part of Shy Arts' first class in 2009. And if anyone remembers that, we didn't have an address until about a month before school started. Talk about risk. At Shire Arts, I was taught the value of a good ensemble. And if you don't know what an ensemble is, it is a group of people,
a group of artists collaborating, connecting, taking risks together, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding, but always returning back. And when I started there, I knew finally that in a world class city like Chicago, where art is thriving, performance is around the corner, that I had found a piece of that right there in my classroom for free, three hours a day, five days a week.
And if not for Shy Arts Conservatory, I often wonder to myself, where would the young artists of Chicago go? Where would they find a space to not only collaborate in a world that needs collaboration, that needs connection and in a country where the freedom of speech hangs in the balance, where will they go? Where will the young student with ESL learning You have thirty seconds remaining. Please conclude. Where will the young black man from the from the South Side who wants to
not only be a ballet dancer, but a choreographer, where will they go? Where will the young artists of Chicago, regardless of economic status, immigration status, or background go if not for Shirearts. We are done with an executive director or foundations and boards. We are looking for an ensemble member with CPS. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Maya Davis, speaker number nine, who's here in person. Good afternoon, members of the board. My name is Maya Davis. I'm student body treasurer, and I'm a senior acting major at the Chicago High School
for the Arts. We students go through a nine hour school day, academics from eight to 01:15, and arts from two to five. While it is demanding and often tiring, we wouldn't have it any other way. In addition to being a scholar artist, I'm also a signed and working actor. I remember a day my freshman year. I woke up at 4AM to arrive at a commercial shoot at 5AM. Then I went to school for nine hours, excuse me, and performed in our winter showcase till 9PM. This is the dedication we scholar artists demonstrate every day. Since then, I worked for organizations like Nike, UIC, and the Chicago Blackhawks.
A PBS episode I started was recently nominated for Chicago Emmy. I state these accolades not to boast, but to show what Shirex makes possible. The foundation Shirex has built for me. The rigorous training, the support from my teachers, and the collaboration with my peers have shaped me into the artist I am today. And I would not be the actor or person I am without this school. Shy Arts is a hub, a hive that hums with vigor and fosters creativity. We encourage boldness. A mantra I learned my freshman year from my wonderful teacher, missus Lauren Wells' man,
was leap and the net will appear. So I, and the entirety of shy arts, are leaping together, imploring you to take a chance on us. You have thirty seconds for me. You hold something special in your hands. You hold the livelihoods of more than 60 arts teachers. You hold the sanctuary, the sanctuary, over 600 art students run toward in a world that frequently tells us we aren't necessary. Let it be the haven I've experienced it to be. Let it become the institution I know it can be. Because art is an eternal flame. Our students' passion is the fuel. Our teachers' guidance is the wind that wafts.
It's a burning fire that lives in me. And if you look closely enough, you can feel that warmth in yourself. Thank you very much. To embrace it conclude. And be brave enough to fight for it. Thank you. Our next speaker is Jada Love Ramos, speaker number 10, who's joining us virtually. Please press star six to unmute. Hello. My name is Jada Love Ramos, and I am a vocalist at Shire Arts and a freshman. I would like to start off by reading a poem that board member Pope taught my mother when she was my age at Carl Schurz High School. First, they came for the socialist, and I did not speak out because I was
not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionist, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me. I would like to thank every board member for coming to save our school on behalf of all the students at Shire and for not abandoning us in our time of need, like Tina Boyer Brown, who should be held accountable for not informing anyone
in her decision not to sign a renewal contract for the school. Thank you for coming to visit Shy Arts and seeing how Shy Arts work. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. President Harden, this concludes public participation. We'll now open the floor for comments on the items of public agenda. Are there any comments or questions from the board? Doctor Smith. Thank you, mister president. After hearing some of the comments today and working with the families and leaders at EPIC Academy, there is a resolution today coming before the board that I want to
address both in process and principle. EPIC Academy is in the 10th District that I was elected to represent. I visited EPIC multiple times, and I reviewed its data. On the five essentials, Epic has no negative ratings in any category, not one. And in fact, it's strongest in families that are involved. This means that the parents are fully engaged, invested, and parents are working alongside teachers and leadership to support the students of Epic Academy.
When families show up, it's our job to show up with them and not pull the rug from under them. Yet, today, we will be we will be discussing this school's future without hearing directly from its leadership or consulting the board member who was elected to represent its community. On October 7, I sent a written request to the office of the deputy chief of staff asking for EPIC's executive director to brief this board directly to explain their
situation, their transition plan, and the student impact. There was no response from CPS leadership. Though, the school's director, doctor Leandra Khan, did reply immediately. Still no response from the deputy chief of staff of CPS. Now, we're being asked to vote on a resolution written in part with outside political actors that have determined where these students will go next. And we keep hearing the the name South Shore, which is also in my district, and I wasn't consulted about.
That is paternalistic. It denies agencies to families who have already shown that they value their voice, choice, and partnership, and it would still be wrong even if we were sending all of those students to Whitney Young. According to the board bylaws one through four, our primary obligation is to serve as key advocates on behalf of students and our community schools and to act collectively, not unilaterally, introducing a resolution about a school without the participation of its district representative violates
both the letter and the spirit of our commitment. If EPIC is running out of funding, our immediate obligation is stewardship. I urge this board to appropriate emergency funds so that EPIC can complete this school year with dignity while we open a transparent, collaborative process that includes families, staff, and leadership. When the several schools came up for a vote and I wasn't sure, I consulted with member Lopez, who knew the impact it would make in her district. When I didn't understand the funding structure of Lane Tech, I visited that school with
member Rosenfield to gain a better understanding. I pray that in these times, we can be self aware enough to turn our ideologies into curiosities. Governance is not control. It's care. It's data. It's collaboration. I am asking this board to show goodwill to the families of EPIC and reject this resolution in favor of a process that our students deserve. Thank you. Member Reedus. Thank you, mister president. Thanks everyone, who has come out today for public comment. Obviously, this is a very, difficult situation, with these school actions.
And, unfortunately, we have to make, choices this month because we have until December 1, to be make make announcements related to school actions. As I've said to, the dozens and dozens and dozens of folks that I've met with, that I've talked with, you know, on on the issue with, Shai Arts, which is in my district, it's I don't think that it's ever been on the table for anyone on this board that that school would close. Right now, it's just thinking thinking through, what is what is it gonna look like,
next year after the with the transition plan, considering all of the obligations we have, once it's a district managed school. There are rules. There are policies. Mhmm. Every one who's met with me, who I've talked to, about it, I've been very honest and transparent about those things, and I'll continue to be open, transparent, and talk to anyone who wants to talk to me about it, because that's what my what my community elected me for. And, I'm really happy that I have been open, transparent in meeting with our Sharad families, meeting with our Santiago families because, the school is not in my district, but
it's in my community, related to, those issues there. So, always feel free to email, contact us, use the board office hours, form to be able to meet with us, because we are here to represent, the needs of the schools in our districts, to represent the families, in our districts. So thanks. Member Blaise? I just wanted to say thanks to board member Smith for for reiterating a lot of the things that member Brown was saying last week when you were unavailable.
There is a great deal of concern, and and the one thing board member Brown said that really resonates with me is how do we keep this school together, and how do we make sure that the kids go to another school that is better? Typically, when a school closes, students are pushed around to schools that have openings, then they might not be as good as the other schools. So I'm glad you're both on the same page with actually helping students to make sure that they're getting to where they need to be.
And for Shy Arts folks, thank you so much for coming again and showing up for yourselves as you always do. There's gonna be lots of questions. As you know, you are the unique, beautiful school that you are, and we're gonna have to unravel all those pieces and figure things out. But the conservatory is important to I think, to a person on this board, it's it's important to all of us, and we've gotta make sure that we get this right. So thank you all for coming.
Did you have another comment, mister Smith? Yes. I just wanna briefly say, thank you, member Blaze. I I do wish we were on the same page. I contacted member Brown September 8 to ask him for collaboration. I never received a response. I think the same page is when we do actually talk and visit the schools and talk to the families together, not just when we make comments in separate silos. There are other great schools in that district, not just one. And the families deserve the opportunity to explore those schools, not just to be told
where their children will be going through proxy and policy, and through outside entities helping to write resolutions that decide that I'm I'm speaking. I'm I'm done right now. But I think true collaboration is more than just us talking here. True collaboration is when members respond to other members and visit their schools and families with them. Thank you. Never Brown. Yeah. First, I wanna apologize to the families from Spirit, from Shai Arts, from Epic. It hurts me to see people have to beg for their survival in a district
where we all pay taxes, and we should be thinking about how to improve education, not just how to how to survive. For me, personally, that's traumatic. I'll also say, I apologize to board member Smith if I if I did not respond. I've had the same number since prime code. 7733176343. And I've never ran from a conversation. So I apologize if but there is time to time that I may get a
call and miss it. But there's never any intent not to talk to anybody on this board. And if anybody knows me, I run to the smoke, not away from it. So I apologize again if that was not the case. But what I will say is when we were sitting here last week and that vote was getting ready to happen, I didn't hear any resistance to what was getting ready to happen to those epic families. So, yes, it is not in my district. But what I will say is by I'm I'm far from perfect.
But what anybody in in this city knows is that I have stood with families when it has not been popular. And I have put my body on the line, not just in the case of Diet High School and not just with Rahm Emanuel, but before Rahm Emanuel even thought about being a mayor when Mayor Daley was shutting down the projects, I was on the front lines with families. So what I offer is not an opinion. I actually offer wisdom on the issue. And so when I hear family struggling, I can't I can't compartmentalize it as, well,
we have to make tough decisions. Because often those tough the people making those tough decisions don't have to suffer through the impact of those decisions. And not on my watch. I don't care what district it's in. Not on my watch. I'm gonna always stand up for families. And so, again, I apologize, brother, if I missed your call, but and then I well, I'm it it I'm it's kinda dope that you, like, called that out here in the board meeting. But what I will say is I have never intentionally ignored anybody's call on this board.
And if I missed it, you know, blame blame the head, not the heart. And that's it. Remember, Paul? So you went public over a text, brother? Sure. Come on, black man. Come on, brother. Let's stay focused. Oh, come on, man. We better than let's add it in that. We better. Yes. We should. Okay. Hey, Santiago. Waiting too. No. We love you, brother. I love you, brother. Okay. In regard to Epic, I think that nobody is suggesting that anybody wants to corral and force anybody to go to South Shore High School. I think that's important to understand.
Of course, parents and their students have agency and have the ability and the right to go wherever they want to to school. So I think that that is not an argument that pertains to this. I think what we are hoping to have is the opportunity for a community that loves one another, has built bonds, has built confidence, has built trust to stay together to the maximum extent possible. Of course, someone can opt out of that if that doesn't meet their needs or the needs of their children.
But what we're looking for in this is to have the teaching community and the student community that have bonded and worked together over the years stay together to the maximum extent that they choose to do so. Right. Boyle. Yeah. I just wanna make sure. I I under I wanted to respond to the comments made by CPAA today because, you know, I'm a long time union member, and I respect both.
My former union, which I had to resign from after forty years in order to sit here in this chair, and I'm also respecting the CVA that the CPAA has just finished negotiating. Thank you. There being no more comments from the board, we'll proceed with the vote on public agenda item. Assistant board secretary, please proceed. Thank you, president Harden. I will proceed with items of the public agenda read. I'll read the board report number and title. These items do require a vote.
E x one amend board report twenty four dash zero one two five dash e x four. Authorize the renewal of the Chicago High School for the arts agreement with conditions. President Hardin, this amendment is necessary for termination of the existing contract school agreement with the Chicago High School for the Arts at the end of the twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six school year, resulting in the school wind down and seizing operations effective 07/01/2026. Additionally, for the record, this item was posted as draft on agenda and final will
be included in the agenda of action. This item does require a vote. Is there a motion? So moved. Is there a second? I second. I'm confused. Thank you. I will proceed with a roll call. Okay. Can we pause for a second? Let me pause. This is for e x one. And the next one will be, the next one will be a motion for e x two, and that's what we're doing in Germany. Okay. This is just for e x one. Yeah. This is g x one. Yes. I will proceed with the roll call now. Okay. Yes. Please proceed. Board member Lozano? Yes. Board member Smith? Aye.
Board member Lopez? Aye. Board member Velez? Yes. Board member Boyle? Yes. Board member Wallace? Aye. Board member Custer? Aye. Board member Pope? Yes. Board member Rivas? Yes. Board member Rosenfeld? Yes. Board member Brown? Yes. Board member Rio Sierra? Aye. Board member Bannon? Aye. Vice president Bautista? Yes. Board member Gutierrez? Aye. Board member Biggs? Yes. Board member Dodecora? Yes. Board member Blaze? Aye. Board member Sat Kor? Yes. Board member Dee Berry? Aye.
20 I, zero nay, zero abstentions. This motion is adopted by the board. My for the record, this matter is adopted by the board, not motion. I will proceed with e x two. Establish high establish Chicago High School for the Arts as a district managed fine and performing arts school. Okay. President Hart and I would like to make a motion to amend the board report as read earlier by the assistant board secretary. The amendment is as follows. For e x two, establish Chicago High School for the Arts as a district managed
fine arts and performing arts school in the financial section one, I motion to strike out should the conservatory up into and, quote, end expansion, close quote, and add, quote, the district is committed to preserving the conservatory to the greatest extent practicable. The district will explore alternative financial strategies and partnerships to sustain and preserve the school's conservatory model to promote continued access to high quality fine and performing arts education for
students. Additional time will allow the district to engage in broader public engagement process. The district will endeavor to revisit the conservatory funding by the January following the completion of the public engagement efforts and the consideration of available financial options. Is there a second to move the amended language to the fourth? I second. It's been moved to the floor. Board members, are there any questions? Shall we move? Member Pope. Oh, no. Okay. Just to, can I Sure? Just to provide clarity for those in the room, this is, to to allow us
to do more community engagement. We want to be able to keep the conservatory as is for the children of Shai Arts, which is what I've overwhelmingly heard from the hundreds of families. I'm looking right at you, Rosemary. We met two weeks ago. Mhmm. I'm looking right at you, Rosemary. We've met. We talked. I've met and talked to hundreds of folks. This is what I've heard overwhelmingly from families from Chi Arts. This is what we're voting for right now, to give us time so we can do more community engagement to ensure that we're providing this amazing model.
And figure out more funding. Thank you for your clarity. Member Rivas. Member Lozano. The four zero's member Lozano. Member Blaze. And just to underscore what board member Rivas said, once again, lots to unravel. There are artists pay that are out of whack with what CPS is accustomed to, so we've gotta have those conversations. Right? We've got to, again, to underscore what board member Pope is saying on we have to figure out the funding model, and we have to figure out who's in charge
of that. Is that something we wanna leave with CPS, or is that something that the administration at should have? Is it should it stand by itself as it has been, which maybe didn't work last time? So, again, there is lots and lots to talk about. This conversation will continue, but we can't do it with just these folk. You've seen how we get along. We have to go and see you guys and and come to the community and make sure that all the voices are included, our labor partners, our teaching artists, our
I and I folks. Like, everybody's gotta get on the same page and and get you guys sorted out. So, the this is a little wonky in how this is moving in terms of the language, but we're here for you. And and, we looked really hard. We don't see any, flimflam going on underneath, and and, we'll get you sorted out. Stay tuned for more community events. Are there any other comments or questions? Member DeVere. Thank you so much, shy community, for coming together and being so persistent that you're
saved. You're done with us. Now we need you to help us find partners that fit you well, that keep you in the shape that you're that you love and wanna keep. Right? Because it's gonna take a group like you all to find the right partners that keep their commitment to your futures like we just have. Okay? Thank you so much for your persistence. But, finally, the this board is completely supportive of shy arts.
I don't think there's any question of that. The challenge becomes where we work together is to figure out how we identify the resources to preserve the conservatory, and that's the commitment you have from the board. Assistant secretary, please take the role. Just for clarity for the board, I am going to take the role call for the motion that's on the table, and that is to add that language. Board member Lozano? Aye. Board member Smith? Aye. Board member Lopez? Aye. Board member Velez? Yes. Board member Boyle? Yes. Board member Wallace?
Aye. Board member Custer? Aye. Board member Pope? Yes. Board member Rosenfeld? Yes. Board member Rivas? Yes. Board member Brown? Yes, ma'am. Board member Rio Sierra? Aye. Board member Bannon? Aye. Vice president Bautista? Yes. Board member Gutierrez? Aye. Board member Biggs? Yes. Board member Dodacora? Yes. Board member Blaze? Aye. Board member Sat Kor? Yes. Board member Dee Berry? Aye. 20 a's, zero nays. This motion is adopted by the board. President president Hardin and board members, we will now vote on border report 251104E x
two established Chicago High School for the arts as a district managed fine and performing arts school with the Mended Language. Is there a motion? So moved. Is there a second? I'll second this one. I will proceed with a roll call vote. Member Lozano? Aye. Member Smith? Aye. Member Lopez? Aye. Member Velez? Yes. Member Boyle? Yes. Member Wallace? Aye. Member Custer? Aye. Member Pope? Yes. Member Rosenfeld? Yes. Member Rivas? Yes. Member Brown? Yes, ma'am. Member Rio Sierra? Aye. Member Bannon?
Aye. Vice president Bautista? Yes. Member Gutierrez? Aye. Member Biggs? Yes. Member Dodecora? Yes. Member Blaise? Aye. Member Sakhar? Yes. Member Dee Berry? Aye. 20 a's, zero nays, zero abstentions. This motion is adopted by the board. For the record, the final will be included in the in the agenda of action. Page 10. Your mic We'll now open the floor for questions or comments on the unfinished business item from 10/30/2025. I'd like to note that the following unfinished business item from from 10/30/2025, two five
dash one zero three zero dash e x one, amendment board report two five dash zero four two four dash e x seven, authorize renewal of the Epic Academy Charter High School agreement with conditions. Will now proceed with the vote on unfinished business. Assistant board secretary, please call the roll. Please proceed. I'm sorry. President Harding, we will now proceed with the unfinished business items from 10/30/2025. I will read the board report number and brief title. This item does require a vote.
25Dash1030Dash e x one, amend board report 25Dash0424DashE x seven, authorize renewal of the Epic Academy Charter High School agreement with conditions. President Harden, this amendment is necessary for termination of the charter at the end of the twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six school year as the school will cease operations and voluntarily returns its charter on 07/01/2026 with 1,400,000 in additional FY '26 funding allocated to ensure successful wind down and completion of the academic year.
President Harder? Yes, sir. I would like to motion to amend the board report as read earlier by the assistant board secretary. The amendment point of order, I think we have to motion and second the first motion before you can make your amendment, board member Brown. That's correct. And then you can. Yes. So I will I will make a motion, for e x one, amend board report for the renewal of Epic Charter, High School agreement with conditions. Thank you, board. Miss Custer, do we have a second? Second. It's okay to go now? Yeah. Cool. Alright. Alright. So president Hart and I would like to, to motion to amend the board report
as read earlier by the assistant board secretary. The amendment is as follows. For twenty five dash one zero three zero e x one, amend board report twenty five dash zero four two four e x seven, authorize renewal of the Epic Academy Charter High School agreement with conditions. I'm sorry. Wait one second. Okay. I motion to add after the fourth paragraph and charter renewal proposal section, the chief portfolio officer of the Office of Portfolio Management will prepare the transition plan in consultation
with EPIC students, families, and staff. The transition plan will provide opportunities to maximize stability and continuity for EPIC families and qualified staff, including, but not limited to, allowing maintenance of the school community by offering enrollment to all EPIC students at a high performing district run school and corresponding opportunities for employment for qualified EPIC staff in open positions at such receiving school. Additionally, the transition plan will include providing all available options to EPIC students for enrollment
within district run schools and assisting interested EPIC staff by identifying and sharing information about open positions within CPS for which they may be eligible to apply consistent with district hiring procedures and requirements, including identifying which schools are receiving EPIC students. The chief portfolio officer shall report to the board of education on the implementation of the transition plan and the status of the EPIC student enrollment, staff retention, and support
activities no later than December 2025. And in the financial section, after the second paragraph, to the extent possible, the district will monitor Epic Academy's use of any additional f y twenty six funds provided. Epic Academy shall be required to return to the district any unspent public funds and or property or assets purchased with public funds. In accordance with the terms of its charter agreement, the district will investigate and make
all reasonable efforts to ensure recovery of any such unused funds, property, or assets, including, but not limited to, real estate owned by Epic Academy. Is there a second to move the language to the floor? Second. I'd like I'd like to make a motion. Alright. I would like to make a motion to amend the amendment, I believe. That's what it is. K. I second. Okay. So so I I guess it's an intervening motion.
Board member Boyle. Ask for advice. Board member Boyle. Yeah. What I wanted to do, I wanted to motion to divide the question. Can you just be, be specific about what specifically you're trying to divide? Sure. I wanted to divide the part, at the the first part that talks about the transition plan from the part that talks about allocating the financials so that the school can continue to operate, you know, for the rest of this time right now.
Like, I wanted to get the financial part. So board member Boyle, just to clarify, for everyone is asking that we divide the motion into two sections. It would be a roll call vote. There's no discussion because there was a second. I would take a roll call vote. And then after that roll call vote, if it does pass, that means those two amendments will be voted on separately. Okay. So we would first do the first section, which is the the charter renewal proposal section. And then the second section that we will vote on you all will vote on
is the financial section. So you're voting on two different amendments if the divide to question is passed by majority of the board. So I will take a roll call vote for, motion to divide the question. Can I have a point of clarification? Yes. Do you care to explain why you're opposing this? Yeah. I I'm concerned that the top part violates our, contractual agreement with CPAA, and I I need to study that part more. So I'm okay with allocating the money to Epic right now so that they may
continue to, you know, operate. They need they need the funds, but I am not in agreement with all of the stuff on the top. So I'd like to be able to approve the money piece separately. So you you'll get a chance to vote on each. Right? Right. Thank you. Appreciate the clarification. Okay. I will continue with a roll call vote for a division of question. So board member Lozano? Aye. Board member Smith? I like to be clear. What exactly divided. Yes. So I yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. I. Board member Lopez? Aye. Board member Velez? Nay. Board member Boyle? Yes. Board member Wallace? Abstain. Board member Custer? Aye. Board member Pope? Abstain. Board member Rosenfeld? Yes. Board member Rivas? Yes. Board member Brown? No. Board member Rio Sierra? No. Board member Bannon? No. Vice president Bautista? No. Board member Gutierrez? Aye. Board member Biggs? Yes. Board member Dodecora? No. Board member Blaze? No. Board member Zachar? No. Four member Dee Berry?
No. We do have a tie as 992. So, president Harding, we would need you to cast a vote for division of question. No. It's nine a's, 10 nays, two abstentions. This motion has failed of adoption. We will go back to the motion on the table, which board member Brown did. There's an opportunity for discussion? Yes. Yes. So as a former principal, I know how critical it is that our school leaders have both the opportunity, and also the challenge of hiring their team.
It's a really delicate balance to be able to ensure that, your school, represents the needs of your students and your families. And so I am concerned by the single sentence or the single portion of a sentence in this amendment that suggests that there would be corresponding opportunities for employment for qualified EPIC staff in open positions at such receiving schools, without the discretion of the school leader. And so for that reason, because that statement still exists in the amendment, I cannot
support it. Reverend Bennett. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this amendment was reviewed by legal? Yes. Board member Bannon, we did review it, today, and I sent, a communication to board members this afternoon, which contained, privileged communications regarding the legal risks associated with the amendment. Thank you. Member GoPass. Thank you, board president. Just, reading here the language before me. And the way that I'm reading it, it states, identifying and sharing information about open
positions within CPS for which they may be eligible to apply, consistent with district hiring procedures and requirements, including identifying which schools are receiving EPICS students. These the way I read it, it does not guarantee any positions. Just letting them know what is available going them through the process of applying. Okay. Thank you. Mister president. Hold on a second. Member Blaze. I wanna talk. Yes. Board member Lopez just said what I was gonna say. I think it's, I think it's important that we acknowledge and respect principal discretion, and
and it's important that we are sensitive to that and that we maybe we need to check-in language and so forth with you, but, also, I think the, the heart of of of this the heart of this language is in in effort to try to keep Epic School and their teachers together. So if there's a place where a lot of kids go, we hope that some of the teachers will be able to be hired.
So once again, I thank board member Brown for bringing this last week when when nobody was talking about Epic at all, where it was just gonna pass and roll through. I appreciate you for stopping and making sure that we have a conversation about it. And I love, in fact, all the engagement that is happening as a result of your interjection into last week's board meeting when EPIC was just gonna sail through unnoticed. So I appreciate you for that, and, thank you, board, president Kia for making sure
that we remember the principles. And was that cool? Yeah. I just wanna expand on that a little bit. So right now, principals, interview Mhmm. Displaced teachers as part of the, process of hiring someone new. They're not required to hire a given displaced teacher, but they do offer them an interview. I think this is really very similar. Right? They are they are going to offer an interview to, teachers that are from, EPIC
or from another school in a similar situation. It doesn't require them to hire that person, but we want them to have those opportunities, and that is what is stated in this, resolution. So I think it says opportunities. It says available positions. It doesn't, offer any sort of requirement. So I I think, you know, good to raise the concerns, but I don't I I think that this meets those concerns. Liz, can I ask you to offer your interpretation on the language if it is being directive in that requiring that principals hire the way that it's written?
So I don't wanna provide any sort of legal advice on the record, president Harden, but I'm happy to do so outside of the public realm, only because I don't wanna waive, attorney client privilege. Understood. Member Castro. I'd like to make a motion for a five minute recess so that board members can read their email, and seek counsel. I second. I will proceed with a roll call vote. Board member Lozano. No. No. K. Board member Smith? Aye. Board member Lopez? Aye. Board member Velez? No. Board member Boyle?
Yes. Board member Wallace? No. Board member Custer? Yes. Board member Pope? Board member Rosenfeld? Yes. Board member Rivas? Yes. Board member Brown? No. Board member Rio Sierra? No. Board member Bannon? Yes. Vice president Bautista? No. Board member Gutierrez? Aye. Board member Biggs? Yes. Board member Dodacora? No. Board member Blaze? No. Board member Zach Corr? No. Board member Dee Berry? No. President Harden, it is ten a, zero nays. You would have to cast a vote.
We'll take a five minute recess. This motion has is adopted. We will now be take a recess. Can you please strike your gavel? The special board meeting of the Board of Education is reconvened. President Hardin, the floor is still open up for discussion from the last motion to amend from board member Brown. I would like to make a motion. May I recognize? The motion, is it to amend the amendment? Yes. To amend, board member Brown's amendment. Can I am I recognizing? Okay. Striking the words high performing and corresponding.
And this is on the charter renewal proposal? Yes. The second paragraph just for everyone. It's after to all EPIC students at district run school and opportunities for employment. Is there a second? Do we have a second? I second. Can can we clarify are we just striking those particular words, and then can we read it as proposed with that amendment? Because I don't think it'll make sense if we just strike those words. Okay. Striking. Yeah. It does add so the that sentence would read the transition plan will provide opportunities to maximize stability and continuity for EPIC families and qualified staff including but not limited
to allowing maintenance of the school community by offering enrollment to all EPIC students at a district run school and opportunities for EPIC's or opportunities for opportunities for, employment for qualified EPIC staff and open positions at such a receiving school. Thank you. I will president Harden, this amend this motion can be discussed. If not, I can take a roll call vote. Is there any discussion on this? You can take a you can take a vote. Thank you.
Just to clarify, I am taking a vote to remove high performing and corresponding from the pre previous amendment. Board member Lozano? Just one sec. Thank you. So as I'm listening to it, I'm just wondering if my fellow board members are hearing what I'm hearing. I don't know. I'll I'll I can support if this would get us to a resolution, I could support it. But, historically, 88% of the the people that have been impacted by school closings have
been black students. Mo the overwhelming majority of those students did not go to a better school. Now if we wanna strike the word high performing, I get it. Well, I'm I'm raising this with this body. How do we make sure that a child doesn't go from one school that's that's that's closing his doors in in the middle of the night, and then they end up at a school that's gonna be in discussions for school closings the next year? This has happened over and over and over and over again.
And it and, you know so this is this is the concern. Now if if that's acceptable, then say that. But if what I just shared with you is not acceptable, then what we're asking the district for is by December 19, what is the strategy? What is the plan to make sure that that does not happen? So if this language moves forward, there is a date of December 19 on this
resolution. Where is the commitment to make sure that that doesn't happen? And then we just go on like, you know, we're really putting children first, except for the melanated babies. That's not acceptable. And so if I understand thing correctly, that's what I'm raising. And I'm I'm looking at our superintendent because, you know, I know that you you you know, you are a person that can actualize kinda what we're talking about, sis. But that's the concern that I'm raising. Right? I don't see anything that's gonna stop this practice that has happened over and over
again. And so I can agree to this if by December 19, there's a plan that could come to us that clearly says that just like we heard those those shy arts babies and a lot of those folks look like us, but a lot of them didn't, what are we gonna say to those epic families that that says that they are just as valued, just as heard, where they can get up and they can applaud at the end of our conversation? And that's it. So, mama Lozano, I can I can agree to this if the December 19 date
is a dated? We'll have a concrete plan on how this will happen. I can I can go with it? That's in the, resin it's in the language. And network onto the amendment of the other I think we're on, my amendment striking high performing and corresponding. And I I I can speak to, like, why that is because I I 100% board member Brown. That's, like, the history. At the same time, high performing insinuates that there's schools that are not high performing, that we are disadvantaging. Well, we, as a board, have all, made efforts to look at the root causes
of why schools are not, quote, quote, high. Struggling. Yeah. So that is the intention of, striking the language based on some of the concerns that were brought up. But I agree with you 100% on we need to recognize that when there is a closure, it is it is not fair for kids to be sent to schools, that do not provide them with the same opportunities. And I hope that this plan will account for that. Mister president? Yes. Yeah. I just wanna reiterate what, member doctor Kora brought up and responded. You know, parents choose different schools for different reasons.
What one person may consider high performing may be subjective to another person. I speak with parents who send their children to a school because it's the safest school in the district for their kid to go to even though another school may have better academics. I proceed, our job as stewards of the system to make all schools high performing. If a school is not meeting, the standards it needs to meet, that is why now elected board members collaborate with communities and prayerful prayerfully more so with one another.
So that's my objection. It's not that we want a child to go to a bad school. We want a child to go to the school their parent wants them to go to. And at CPS, we we are governors now. We're not just activists. We are advocates, and we are stewards. It is our job to read the data and ensure with the district that all schools perform well. Thank you. Do you have any other comments? I will proceed with a roll call vote. Please do. And this will be, just to clarify, the amendment that board member did.
So board member Lozano? Aye. Board member Smith? Aye. Board member Lopez? Aye. Board member Velez? Aye. Board member Boyle? Yes. Board member Wallace? Aye. Board member Custer? Aye. Board member Pope? Yes. Board member Rosenfeld? Yes. Board member Rivas? Yes. Board member Brown? Ma'am. Board member Rio Sierra? Aye. Board member Bannon? Aye. Vice president Bautista? Yes. Board member Gutierrez? Aye. Board member Biggs? Yes. Board member Dona Cora? Yes. Board member Blaze?
Aye. Board member Zach Core? Yes. Board member Dee Berry? Aye. 20 a's zero nine a zero abstention. This motion is adopted by the board. Now the floor is back open with the amend with the amendment that board member Brown did, but it removes high performing and corresponding. If you're ready for a roll call vote, I will take a roll call vote. Move forward with the roll call vote. For the amendment. Okay? Board member Lozano? Yes. Board member Smith? Aye. Board member Lopez? Aye. Board member Velez?
Yes. Board member Boyle? Yes. Board member Wallace? Aye. Board member Custer? Aye. Board member Pope? Yes. Board member Rosenfeld? Yes. Board member Rivas? Yes. Board member Brown? Board member Rio Sierra? Aye. Board member Bannon? Aye. Vice president Bautista? Yes. Board member Gutierrez? Aye. Board member Biggs? Yes. Board member Dodecora? Yes. Board member Blaze? Aye. Board member Sackor? Yes. Board member Dee Berry? Aye. Twenty a's, zero nays, zero abstentions. This motion is adopted by the board.
Now I will take a roll call vote with the amended language. So we will now vote on twenty five ten thirty e x one, amended board report twenty five zero four two four dash e x seven, authorize renewal of Epic Academy Charter High School agreement with with conditions with the amended language. I will proceed with a roll call vote. Board member Lozano? Yes. Board member Smith? Aye. Board member Lopez? Aye. Board member Velez? Yes. Board member Boyle? Yes. Board member Wallace?
Aye. Board member Custer? Aye. Board member Pope? Yes. Board member Rosenfeld? Yes. Board member Rivas? Yes. Board member Brown? Yes, ma'am. Board member Rio Sierra? Aye. Board member Bannon? Aye. Vice president Bautista? Yes. Can you repeat that again, please? Yes. Thank you. Board member Perez? Aye. Board member Viggs? Yes. Board member Dodacora? Yes. Board member Blaze? Aye. Board member SatCOR? Yes. Board member Dee Berry? 20 a zero nay, zero abstentions. This motion's adopted by the board. For the record, the final will be included in the agenda of action.
President Harden, there are no further items on the public agenda. Thank you. Is there a motion to adjourn? So moved. Is there a second? Second. All in favor? Aye. We are adjourned. Thank you, everyone. Bye.