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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=nmOCFqOTo54

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All right, let's stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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>> Okay, I move that the board approve the agenda as presented. >> I second. >> Any discussion? >> Director Fletcher? >> Aye. >> Director Hunt? >> Aye. >> Director Olson? >> Aye. >> Director Powell? >> Aye.

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>> All right. Next up, we have communications, board member reports. I know we haven't had a whole lot of time since our last meeting, so anybody have anything they want to bring forward? >> No. >> Okay. All right. >> [snorts]

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>> Superintendent report? >> No. >> Okay. Okay. So, next up, we have our public comment, so Oh, okay. All right. Don Taylor. I believe that the mic is on. >> Great. Thank you, Don.

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>> Board of Education, fellows and members of the I guess here. My name is Don Taylor. I'm a 28-year veteran teacher at the high school. Last 2 years, I've been teaching bridging the gap, so to speak, at the Little Lake School, the gap that exists between the high school and the Little Lake

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Middle School. So, I'm going to introduce some information that you may not be aware of. You will [clears throat] eliminate a CTE program. CTE is a career technology education program at the high school level. You will lose funding. CTE,

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CTE teachers and their salaries are paid through what they call the CTA, the Career Technology Act funding through the state of Colorado. So, a percentage of all of our salaries are paid for by the state.

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If you lose the CTE program, you're also going to be losing some Perkins money. Perkins money is the money that you That's given to us to those programs from the federal government. That will affect all the other programs that are about the building. A loss of a CTE program can be pretty

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devastating to high school. There will be a loss by CTE and the Perkins money. Funding, um, it's going to be very difficult to get back. Once the program's approved, it goes with the teacher. So, if when I leave, it goes with me.

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It's only specifically designed for just the teacher, cuz the state wants to make sure that there is a certified certified teacher in that classroom teaching that specific topic. So, once I leave, you are left with program at Elizabeth High School without a certified teacher

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to teach that program. I don't know if you've taken a look around lately, CTE teachers are not plentiful. Because most of us have worked in an industry for many, many years and then have gone into public education. A lot of people in the public sector

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stay in the public sector for one big reason, the pay. I decided to get out and donate back to my alma mater. I'm a 1987 graduate of Elizabeth High School. I thought I got a great education at Elizabeth High School. And so, I wanted

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to take my career and try to give back to the students that were still in Elizabeth High School Elizabeth High School and Elizabeth Middle School. >> [clears throat] >> A few things that you might want to ask yourself, and I don't mean to be beating up on the

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athletics. I am an athlete. Let's ask ourselves this question. How many of our athletes have been to have been recruited by a Division I college or university? Not many. How many of those students that have been recruited go on to a professional a

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professional career in that specific type of athletics? None. I can list several students. I have three that have gone to the United States Air Force Academy. I have one that got a full ride scholarship to MIT. I have one particular student that I

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like to dote on quite a bit. His name is Andy Darter. I'm going to talk to you a little bit about Andy Darter for just a minute. Andy Darter was a three or a four-time robotics champion for TSA. TSA is the Technology Students Association. That is a direct club directly out of

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the classroom so students can compete with other students in the state and around the nation. You are going to lose that program. That is a great opportunity for students to prepare themselves for a career in the technology fields.

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Andy came to me after he was getting ready to graduate from college. He said, "Mr. Taylor, I have a dilemma." I said, "What was the dilemma?" He said, "I've gotten all kinds of job offers and I don't know where to go." I said, "Well, lay them out for me." He said, "Well, I can go work for the Department of Navy. I can go work for Texas Instruments

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or I can go work for Hewlett-Packard." And I said, "Okay. Which one's Which one of those careers do you think is going to look better on your application?" He said, "Probably the Navy." I said, "Okay. What are you going to be doing on the Navy?" This young man worked on the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35 program. And he got those skills by working with me and

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the program built by Elizabeth High School. I have direct results in the field of technology with students. If you eliminate this program, that program goes away and how are we going to prepare be preparing students for a technical world?

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That is also one of One of for TSA. Learning to live in a technical world. We're not going to go backwards, people. The electronic revolution is is here. We're already talking about AI. We're talking about all kinds of technologies that are coming down the line. We need

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to get our rural students prepared for those career paths because those are going to be very competitive career paths for these students. Like I said, I have also had very I've had a lot of students in my program that have gone to the University of that have gone to the

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School of Mines. I can count probably 12 to 15 students right now that have gone to the School of Mines directly related to my program. Several of those students are working for Lockheed Martin in Waterton Canyon. I have a couple students that are working for Ball Aerospace

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putting satellites in space. Those are good programs for students. Another program I'd like to talk about is FRC. FRC is the First Robotics Competition. We are team 7479. >> John, if we can, just to make sure we give everybody an opportunity

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>> going to wrap it up real quick. Okay, I just need like 45 seconds. Team [clears throat] 7479 is the only rural school We're are the only rural school in the state of Colorado that has this this program. This program is completely funded by the industry. When these students can go to these

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competitions, they are rubbing elbows with people that work in the industry. They're talking to people that work for Ball Aerospace. They're talking to people that are working for Arrow Electronics because they're the judges. This is a great opportunity for those students. If you take that away I'm not quite sure if

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you're going to get them back because you have other schools around that are already doing this. And if students are going to go into a technical field, they're not going to go to Littleton High School. >> [applause] >> Can I interrupt for 1 second? >> Um we are on live. It's hard for people to stream from the feedback, so can we

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make sure that they speak into your mic, so and for anybody who's coming up here, too, there's a mic just right here. I'm going to move it closer to the to the table there, so thank you. >> Okay, next up we have Frankie Hayes. >> Hello, my name is Frankie Hayes. I'm 17

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years old and I'm the newly elected vice president of the Elizabeth High School theater club. And I just want to talk a little bit about what this program means to me and what I know it means to a lot of other students at our school.

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I've been in theater for 6 years now. But it's meant so much more to me for so long. Ever since I think I was 6 years old, I went to go see Peter Pan in a theater and I knew right then that I wanted to

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do that. Um, it just it spoke to me so quickly and ever since I joined at the ripe age of 11 years old, it's been such an enormous part in my life. And I've grown to make so many friends

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and created so many relationships with teachers, peers, everyone. I've met so many parents and friends from all around that are some of the kindest people in my life.

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And I really think that theater is an important part to so many people. There are more students participating in the spring musical than there are in football. And I think the fact that we're cutting

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it down on funding is really difficult for a lot of people to handle. I'm going to speak about something that one of my peers said to me. He was a first-time actor. He was a football player and an athlete and

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everything before that. And it was his senior year, this past year. And he decided he wanted to to do the musical just for fun. And before each of our shows every week, we do warm-ups.

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Fun little warm-ups, it's a wonderful time. And on closing night, we always make sure to make sure everyone says their favorite part about the show was. And what he said really spoke to me. He said that he had never felt more welcome than he did when he came into the

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theater. He said through all of the sports he'd ever done at the middle school, at the high school, through his whole childhood, theater was where he felt most welcome. He said he never felt judged for

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anything. As soon as he came in, his first rehearsal, he felt like he was just one of us. And I think that really speaks to what theater is as a whole. I think it's just a really beautiful place where everyone is welcome, whether you

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are the most talented actors or actor we've ever seen in this school, or whether you're in the ensemble and you have no lines. I think it's such a powerful place for people to get along and create relationships that will last forever.

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One of my best friends, he was sitting back there. His name is Devin. And we became friends through theater in sixth grade. And I just think it's such an important part in so many lives that we need to

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pay more respect to it. Just because it's theater, it doesn't mean it's not important like football or like volleyball. And that's coming from an athlete myself. I'm on the volleyball team at the high school. It just it's a place where everyone can talk and

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feel free to express their feelings. And I also want to talk about Ms. Barclay because she might just be the best teacher I've ever had in my life. She works so hard to create relationships with every individual students.

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This past year, I was in three of her classes over the course of the entire school year. And I always felt like I could come to her with any of my needs. She knows so much about me. Um

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we were talking one day and I mentioned in passing a book that I had written in second grade with my class about beavers. And a week later, she came to class with the book that I wrote in second grade and she asked me to sign it. She

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works so hard to create beautiful relationships with all her students. I know she keeps in touch with graduates of the theater program. And I just think that is just as important as getting a strong

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education is creating strong memories and relationships with the people in your high school and your teachers and your friends. And I think theater is an amazing place to do that. THANK YOU. >> [applause]

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>> OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE BETHANY MOTT. >> GOOD EVENING. My name is Bethany Mott. Sorry. I love you, kids. And I am here tonight as a parent of five past and present students in Elizabeth School District. I'm an active volunteer in the Performing Arts Department at EHS, and

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I'm here to ask you to reconsider reducing our high school's theater position from full-time to part-time. I have spent countless hours volunteering with our theater program, and I have seen firsthand the dedication, time, and expertise it takes to build a successful program.

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What audiences see on stage is only a small part of the work. Behind every production are months of planning, teaching, mentoring, problem-solving, fundraising, costume construction, technical preparation, and investing in students. This is not a part-time job in

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the real world, even if it becomes a part-time position on paper. Reducing this position doesn't reduce the salary. It puts the future of our theater program at risk. >> [snorts] >> It is already late in the summer. Finding a qualified theater teacher would be difficult under any

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circumstances, and finding someone willing to accept a part-time position without benefits will be even harder. And then what? Hope is not a staffing plan. So, I have a question for the board. What is your contingency plan when there

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is no one to hire? What happens when there is no qualified theater teacher willing to accept this position? >> [snorts] >> Will students spend the year with a revolving door of substitutes? Who will direct the fall play, the spring musical, and the countless hours of rehearsals that happen outside the

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school day? Theater programs do not run themselves. They require an experienced educator who is committed to students far beyond the classroom. They require someone who builds relationships, develops student talent, and creates opportunities for students year after year.

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>> [snorts] >> There are 20 athletic programs our students can participate in, but there is only one theater program. And this is not a small program. In our most recent spring musical, 13% of the student body participated. And as said

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before, that is more students than participate on the football team. >> [snorts] >> For many students, theater is their team. It is where they discover confidence, learn leadership, develop communication skills, and find a place where they belong. I understand that difficult budget

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decisions have to be made. But before reducing opportunities for students, I ask you to carefully examine other areas of the budget. Please consider whether reductions in administrative staffing or other non-student facing expenses could be made before making cuts that will

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ultimately lead to the demise of a program that serves so many students. Tonight, I ask you to choose the students, choose stability, and choose the future of our theater program. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> NEXT UP, WE HAVE MICHELLE GAZINSKY.

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>> WITH profound gratitude, I want to recognize our common ground. Thank you for listening to us parents. Thanks for leaving our Moses, firing the attorney, and getting a new superintendent. A handful of us passionate parents have been saying these things for a very long time. And

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this is a giant step in the right direction. I do thank you. The honesty and transparency of the new superintendent is not only refreshing, it should be the industry standard. He's a board He is the board's own one and only employee. And though he stopped short of putting blame on the board for

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the fiscal nightmare he uncovered, you all know you should have known. I'm actually surprised you didn't apologize to your constituents. I'm surprised you doubled down that a second bankruptcy in 2 years is no big deal. But he's right, that's in the past and

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we're only looking forward from here. Literally, the only way to go is up. We have hit rock bottom. Some education directors are so plugged into schools, they know the names of nearly every teacher and staff member and so many students. They're no stranger to hanging out in the teachers' lounge or stepping in to

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help with lunch and recess when subs can't be found. They know the sprinkler system is still broken when they see the hourly rounds done by security. They know who could use extra help in the back office because finals because approaching and that staff member is working on their BA or their master's degree.

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So when things aren't right, staff doesn't hesitate to pull you aside in the hall and tell you something they feel you should know. They feel a connection. They have your cell phone number to text you heads up about what up, fill in the blank. That you are one of them, not a puppet master above them. Our district is not

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big. Perhaps you wish it were so there would be more flexibility on spending where you want versus what our students need. Let this finally be the time you recognize what you've been doing the last three or four years isn't working. Let this be the rock bottom of this district. Let the next board member be

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already intertwined into the schools, the parents, the community. Let the next board member bring the voice of those who are so neglected that they leave the district. Let me be that person. I look forward to the full transparency of your discussion and decision in the

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open and non-predetermined behind closed doors. You can categorize yourself as a board who knows they messed up and needs to change or a board who remains disengaged from the actual needs of kids. Because it's kids. It's not ideology.

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It's not voters in the next election. You serve the needs of ed to educate our children, my kids. Show us that you do finally put them at the heart of everything we do. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Next up, we have Roxanne Abiuso. Abeyta.

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>> Five years ago I sat at a table in this very office being interviewed by the previous board for a vacant seat on the Elizabeth school board. Rhonda Olson was selected for that seat. And while I was disappointed that I was not chosen, I was I respected the process because it was transparent.

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I remember that process clearly because not only was it transparent, it was also public and fair. In October of 2021, six qualified applicants were interviewed in an open public meeting. Each applicant was given 15 minutes. The public could attend. The

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proceedings were recorded and this board made the decision the following week. Whether I agreed with the outcome or not, there was a process. There was accountability. Over the last five years, I've continued to submit my interest in serving this district because I've lived the consequences of this board's decisions

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as a parent in this district and because I believe the community deserves representation beyond a single point of view. But what has changed is not my commitment, it is the process. What once felt like an open opportunity now feels increasingly closed and predetermined. It feels like vacancies

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are no longer being filled through transparent public consideration but through a process that favors ideological alignment over diverse representation. The concern is exactly why I submitted a CORA recently asking for the letters of interest submitted for this vacancy, the

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names of all individuals who applied or expressed interest, any interview questions, evaluation criteria, scoring rubrics, and all records reflecting the selection process including interview schedules and recommendations. Unfortunately, the only documents that

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existed were the letters because there is no process. If this process were fair, transparent, and objective, those records would reflect that. A school board should represent the full community, not just one political perspective. And it's important to acknowledge that

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several current board members, Mary Powell, Nicole Hunt, and Ronda Olsen, do not currently have children enrolled in this district. While I made the difficult decision to remove all four of mine because of the polarization and loss of trust this board has created. That matters.

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Representation should include active stakeholders, diverse perspectives, and people willing to ask the hard questions. Tonight, I'm asking for one thing. Restore integrity to this appointment process. Make it transparent. Make it public. Interview all qualified candidates openly, as was

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done before, because trust in this board is built not by controlling outcomes, but by honoring the process. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Next up, we have Raquel Adams. >> Good evening. My name is Raquel Adams, and after 33 years of teaching, I

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recently retired. I taught at Singing Hills Elementary and also at Legacy Academy. My husband and I deeply care about this community and continue to serve the community as substitute teachers in the district, and my husband Merrill is the head wrestling coach at

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the middle school. I love this community, but I truly love the children in this community. And my heart is hurting for those children today. They are losing beloved teachers, and they have over the last several months.

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And they are losing critical opportunities that will impact their lives forever. When I heard about the openings position on this board, I applied immediately. Like many applicants, I am highly

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qualified. I also have a passion and the time to commit to helping solve the deep financial and structural problems that we are facing. However, the Courier report recently revealed that my application wasn't even

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being considered. When I reached out this past Friday, I was told my letter of intent ended up in a spam folder. While I'm glad it was finally passed along late Friday, this breakdown highlights a systemic failure.

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Ever since the depth of our district's budget issues came to light, the board seems to have a word of transparency. Board members here have claimed that they had no idea that these fiscal problems were occurring because people

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weren't transparent with you. But you are not being transparent with this community. You have never publicly shared the names and the qualifications of the candidates who applied to fill this vacancy.

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You did not show due diligence because you failed to reach out to me or any of the other highly qualified candidates to hear what we could possibly bring to the table. Worst of all, you denied our community the opportunity to voice their thoughts

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on potential leaders. This closed behavior is the exact opposite of transparency. It is the very behavior that got us into this crisis. It destroys trust. It alienates our community and it directly

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fuels this the student and and teacher attrition that we are seeing today. As a voice of our children, I beg you to rethink your board selection process. If you refuse to do so, I think the

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community deserves an explanation of why you believe a closed back room process is truly what is in the best for the future of our students. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> THAT'S IT FOR

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PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. SO, NEXT UP we have our consent agenda. On that, we have employee transfers, changes, reduction in force. Do you have anything you want to speak on? >> Yeah, I just and

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Yeah, um and in response to some of our comments tonight, especially the students who are here worried about their programs, um this is certainly not something any of us ever want to do. And I know there were comments have we looked at every position? Absolutely. The five that you

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see posted tonight are the five um instructional positions that by law we actually have to reduce. There were um another seven that we don't legally have to use this riff process for that were reduced

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in conversations that I had to have last week. And an additional about $3 million of employees that we did not refill based on resignations um and reductions. And so, I am very sorry that we're at this point today, but

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um we have no other choice but to balance our budget. And we have to do that somewhere as much as my heart hurts. Um in my mind, this is part of what brought us to this point is over the last 3

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years, we failed to make the difficult decisions that we had to make. And now we end up in June having to make even more difficult ones. We are declining enrollment district. That means money is leaving and we do not have the money to

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pay for the size of staff that we used to have. And so, um as much as this pains I think all of us, I absolutely have to recommend that we move forward with this because we, quite honestly, have no other choice.

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>> Okay. So, with that, I move that the board approve the consent agenda items as presented. >> I'll second. >> Can I get a roll call? >> Director Fletcher? >> Aye. >> Director Hunt? >> Aye. >> Director Olson? >> Aye.

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>> Director Powell? >> Aye. >> Okay, and we have one action item tonight, and that is appointment of a board vacancy. And before I make my motion, I want to be

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clear as to why I am making my motion. And that's because I think that it is important to have a board that is cohesive, that's willing to work together, that is not attacking each other on social media.

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Um we need we need a solid cohesive board in order to move us forward and make progress. So, with that, I move that the board

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approve Karen Kelly. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. All right. Any discussion? All right. Can I get a roll call? Director Fletcher, I. Director Hunt, I. Director Wilson, I. Director Kyle, I.

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Okay, our next um all right, so with that, our next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11th here in the Board Room at 6:00 p.m. I adjourn this meeting at 6:30 p.m. >> A room full of disappointed people.

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You should all