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Yeah, we found it awful. >> Good afternoon and welcome to the board of education work session for Gley Evans School District 6. This meeting will now come to order. Miss Lemon, will you please call the role? >> Director Azari. >> Director Bentley, >> present. Director Campus Spitzy
>> present. >> Director Edmonds >> present. >> Director Lomos Garcia >> present. >> Director Mash >> present. Director Roi >> present. >> Six board members present. >> Thank you. And Director Azari is excused this evening. Um our first item is to review our calendar which looks much
smaller than it did before graduation. Um so this is our last board meeting for the summer. We will take the second meeting in June and the two meetings in July off. Um we do have the opportunity for a legislative wrapup tomorrow at
UNC. Um if you haven't attended that in the past, some of our local legislators um attend as well as the lobbyists for Ames Community College, UNCC, our lobbyist and also I believe the chamber. >> Yes. And actually our lobbyist is out of
town. Okay. And so uh Mr. Fall, attorney counsel for the district, will represent uh K12 education. Okay. At the event tomorrow. >> Excellent. Do you know which um legislators might be in? >> I do not know. I have not seen anything on that yet. >> Okay. Well, that's that's a great event
to attend and and hear how things that went through the legislature will affect us as well as our um other community entities. Um we also have our GAP summer graduation as well as Habitat for Humanity um impact breakfast.
Um another event that you would like to attend, I will let you know that you would like to attend is the district 6 community kickoff. Um just a whole lot of fun. We have thousands and thousands of our families come um receive a free
backpack full of um school supplies and then many um local vendors, nonprofits um are there to offer their their services. You can get on the smoothie bike, get a smoothie, talk to district wellness. Um there's like Dennis,
there's the library, there's UNCC. Anyway, it's a lot of fun to just welcome our families back. And uh President Mash, I'll just share that we are still um accepting participants in that event. If and that's unusual for this time of year. Usually all the tables are full by now, but if uh
organizations are interested in being a part of the event, they could go to our district website and go to uh what's where do they go, Casey? >> Uh kickoff. >> Okay. >> Um or and then sign up >> for sponsorship. Sponsorship. Yes. Um,
as a board member, we just we just walk around and say hello and um >> if you need actual >> volunteer like help, let let us know. >> I will. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Um >> we could share the social media post maybe if you guys are still looking for
>> Okay. >> Um and then our first works uh first meeting for the 2026 27 school year will be on August 10th. Um Dr. Dr. Pilt, would you like to tell us a little bit about the GAR um lunch?
>> Uh well, this is different than what we have done in the past, so I'm I'm a little uncertain about it. I mean, usually uh president usually I would go, sometimes the president would go with me. Um usually the chief of communications would go with me and then we would present at that lunchon about
the school district. So, let me get a little bit more information. Um but this this this is an association that meets monthly. It's it has realators and loan officers and real estate appraisers and in um inspectors. Those those kinds of folks are the folks who attend. It's a
networking event for them and then they give us time to present about the school district. So I I need to find a little bit more information out about that event. >> Okay. Well, we got some time. Yeah. Does anyone have anything else they would like to add or discuss? All right.
we will move along to our board member comments and let's begin with Mr. Edmonds this evening. >> All right. So, uh, it's just a wonderful, I mean, I know still within the first
year of being on the board, but I think participating in all the graduations felt like kind of a culmination of really that I don't even know if I want to call it honeymoon stage, but really seeing full picture of why the board is so important because to be able to shake
hands with hundreds close to thousand students and tell them all congratulations to be firsttime high school graduates. To see people stand up who are going to be firsttime college gradu or college attendees was just like it brought full circle just why our work
is so important and why our students are really should be that number one priority. Um I think maybe the most heartwarming was to allowing space at the um was it west or central where they had the two students graduate ahead of time. I feel like that was that was Gly
West. So just even making room for students who have >> certain um needs, but to make graduation still an opportunity for them is just wonderful. So hats off to grounds crew um to all the administration who uh put
in hours and hours of making sure the fields are ready and the chairs are set up and that it was just a successful. Thank you to security Wade. I know that you had to be at every single one and just providing that that space for families to be there safely and have a good time and and congratulations to all
the families. I know it was the students that did the hard work, but also the parents um and siblings and grandparents who helped them get to that to get to the stage, whatever stage they walked across. Um uh more hats off and kudos to students at Gley West. They hosted a theater camp
this last week. my daughter was able to take part in that. It was just wonderful kind of an introduction to theater, but also to even planting that seed ahead of time of just what their options could be as far as what high schools they look at to attend. So, it was at Gley West for
three or four days and kids worked on songs from Annie and then had a performance. I unfortunately wasn't able to be at at the performance, but my daughter loved it. So, thank you to those students who helped lead that. Um, a thank you to District 6 staff. They came in last week and volunteered at the
food bank um a couple times Wednesday and Thursday helped us uh repackage bulk eggs. Um so it's just wonderful to see that opportunity for the give back program that District 6 does. So any um D6 admin or teachers or anyone that
wants to take part in that uh Weld food bank is always always looking for help. So if you're looking for a quick easy team building um please reach out to our volunteer person or reach out to me. I'm happy to connect you as well, but just thank you for for that. And then lastly,
I want to say congratulations to Miss Nicole Cox, first grade teacher at Hyman Elementary, on being named a 2027 teacher of the year semi- finalist. So, it's just again, District 6 has amazing teachers. They have amazing um administrators. They just have amazing
people working here that's continuously getting that recognition. I know just even being nominated as you always hear at the Academy Awards, it's always wonderful to just be nominated, but to have so many teachers and you make it to the top 21, it's just incredible. It just speaks so much to what Miss Cox does there and what Heyman Elementary
provides for their teachers. So just grateful to continuously see District 6 um in the in the news. So that's it for me. Thank you. >> On a roll. >> Yes, on a roll. >> All right, Dr. Kemp Spitzy. Yeah, look,
I keep kept mine brief. I can type them out. >> Um, so graduations were amazing. Um, and uh I I you know, you said you have honeymoon eyes with school board and graduations, but they still tear me up every time. The student speeches are always my favorite. Um, and so grateful
that Gley Central was willing to move from their traditional D6 stadium graduation to Nottingham Hill or Nottingham Field. Um, so I know sometimes that can be hard, but I'm grateful that they were willing. Um, I also wanted to
give a a shout out for a camp um that happened last week at Ankheimman. It's called Camp Invention. Both my kids got to participate. Um, it's a STEM camp. um lots of sponsors like Wellress sponsored it and a lot of other very generous um sponsors to where I think it was 20
bucks for the whole week which uh I think might have been an error but it was very affordable for families. 180 kids participated and had an absolute blast. And so Mr. Zwickle who's the smart lab coordinator at Ankheimman was
the camp director guy and he told the kids they can call him Mr. Zwickle Mr. Z camp director guy. and my six-year-old was like, "I'll just call him guy." So, he shortened it. Um, and uh, just wanted to make some comments um because it's our big budget
meeting, end of the year budget approval meeting. Um, encouraging folks um, of all the pages to look at. I think every year I highlight different pages. Um the one I felt um most wanting to share and to highlight for folks out there was page
52 um which uh has the breakdown of the general fund compensation by job classification. Um, so I've always been proud since I've been a schoolboard director almost five years now that we run lean in this organization. And that
page 52 shows you that we do that um 60% of our staff is certified, 31% is support and less than 10% are are school-based and central admin. Um so just encouraging folks to look at us under that magnifying glass as they
should. Um but to be reassured um that we do put our dollars mostly in the classrooms um by a long shot. Um I know at the this work session we we're going to get to talk about initiatives 195 and 135 a lot more. Um so I'll be brief
about that, but um I will say personally I am highly invested in in this initiative uh passing. Um, right now there's 35 Senate districts and we have to have 2% of signatures from each of the 35 Senate districts to get this on the ballot.
There is no corporate interest, so there is no money behind the this initiative. So relying on volunteers circulating this petition. Um, so a a call to the community, to the school community, if anybody wants to carry a petition, I can
give you one. Um, so far I have completed 11 and there's 40 40 signatures on each. So, I've collected a total of 440 signatures. Um, have talked I've gone a lot door knockocking a lot and talked to a lot of educators because I'm coming at it from the fact that
it'll raise potentially 19 million starting next year for just district 6. Um, and during our budget meeting with our CFO, Megan Sponsor, um, she pointed out, you know, what D6 can do with 19 million because we did it during COVID
when we had those relief funds and we were able to bring our classroom sizes down with those 19 million and it was a priority and it happened and then COVID money went away. And so it was really cool for Megan to kind of put meaning behind those dollars of that
this district in the last five years have proven what we will do with those 19 million um and and excited um to see. But yes, out of 35 districts, Gley is in third place in Colorado for signature gathering, just behind Denver and Fort Collins. So I'm pretty proud of that. Um
and did want to give a shout out to the report to the community. I have gotten so much positive feedback about this report. Um, I think we've gotten to live through our celebrations over the years, but to see them all in one place back to back to get to see all of our our
teachers and school counselors and superintendent highlighted and the fact that we have 18 schools at performance level, which is our the highest rating all in one magazine, um, is is pretty impressive and makes me so proud. Um,
and then I also wanted to give a shout out to Nicole Cox, first grade teacher, Anki Heyman. Um, and so Weston pointed out she is one of the 21 finalists out of a,380 teachers. So like a really big deal um
that we keep getting recognized and that we're we're doing something right in D6 and our educators are heroes. Um, last but not least, I wanted to say happy pride to our Gley and Evans District 6 community. I am an ally and a friend of the LGBTQIA plus or queer community. Um,
and just wanted to say that I see you, I accept you, I respect you, I support you, I admire you, and I love you. Um, and wanted to invite everyone to a family-friendly celebration this Saturday at Ames Community College from noon to 5:00. Um, they have a pride
celebration that's really awesome. They take over like the first three floors of that welcome center and have a lot of fun activities. So yeah, that's all. >> We are on a roll. >> Thank you very much. Um, directors Garcia.
>> Yes. Um, I too like Weston feel that this first year of being on the board has been just such a joy. Um, learning, absorbing, watching, uh, listening, um, has just been so amazing. Um, and
then to end it all with the graduation. So, I figured I attended nine graduations and high-fived, fistpumped, or shook over a thousand students. And just to see them cross over that stage and hear the crowd and their parents
just feel so proud was just um so wonderful. I don't know why I'm getting so emotional, but and it really is. And then um you know to hear the music from the choir and the orchestra and the band and just how proud they are. It's just
it's just such an amazing event. Um I think one of the pieces that really resonated with me is when I heard all of the speeches. It's all of them really um had one full message and it was for people and humans to be kind. and um hearing all of their speeches just
really um made me feel proud to be a part of district 6 and all the collaboration and the same message that was sent even though they were different schools. Um it was it was just such a great um time to be a part of district 6. Um I also want to recognize Nicole
Cox and and uh congratulate her as well. um as everyone else here today. Um and mine is short and sweet, but um certainly the graduations was really the one that's that took my heart away. >> Thank you, >> Director Roi.
>> Well, I'm trying to look back on this calendar here and I'm I can't even remember some of these events that I went to, but I think um I because we didn't have that board meeting, I went to the Frontier House breakfast. Um that was a a a really nice event. And then a
real highlight for me was visiting the transportation center. That was so impressive and just um just could not believe the complexity of what they put together in terms of making runs and all of that kind of thing. And um also the
movement forward and making those jobs appealing jobs um was really encouraging for me. and uh just the pride that um is felt about that center. And then just um just the graduation's kind of ditto in
terms of what a kind of a neat way to wrap up um the first year of being on the board and how quickly it's gone. It's just very gone very very quickly and just exciting to see a kid kids on that day in their life. that's just it's such a big thing for them and their
families and to be a part of that and and to feel um like we get to gradu uh congratulate them that was just a real honor. So yeah, I just I it was a wonderful way to wrap up the school year.
>> President, >> um I'm very thankful you guys are so thorough. It leaves very little for me to talk about. Um, in all seriousness, I am very thankful for for the diligence you guys put into your board seats. Um,
you know, the the contrast from previous boards to this one is is night and day and it it makes it a lot uh easier and and less demanding on on all of us that have, you know, other responsibilities and duties. So, thank you guys. Um, everybody kind of covered everything. I don't really have much to add except the
graduation season was a a huge success and it was really fun and uh like always you know everybody did an outstanding job. Um, Robin Robin is right. The transportation district is probably one of our uh uh I don't know if you want to say
unsung, but maybe uh less less spoken about uh gems here in the district. And something they should be really proud of a shop like that uh running like they do. And then the work they do uh day in and day out kind of uh unseen and behind the scenes is is is very impressive. and
then um yeah, just excited for summer and and everything that that holds. So, thank you guys. >> Yeah, I think we've we've been saying this for as long as y'all have been on the board, but we just really appreciate you jumping in with both feet and it's
really fun to get to see your your enjoyment of what we've like Yeah, I know. It's so great. And now you get to be a part of it, too. So, um yeah, thank you to all the teams who set everything up for each different graduation. It's so much fun to see the different um
personality that each school brings to their graduation uh ceremony. And thank you for highlighting the the report to the community. And yeah, we now have another teacher of the year semi-finalist and Billy Martinez Elementary School of Excellence award.
So, we just can't even keep up with all the amazing um celebrations in District 6. So, >> getting sick of all that winning? >> Yes. All I do is make our new theme song. >> And imagine what we could do with 195. >> Yeah. Right. So, this is a big meeting.
We're making, you know, this is very much the the the crux of what board members do, pass the budget um and pass all of the the contracts that are needed for the district to run. So, um we get to celebrate and we get to do some good
work and have some good discussions. So, >> can I add one more thing? As we talk about budget, I just want to give another shout out to Megan. Thank you as a new board member. It was a lot to take in. Uh Dr. Brenda helped me when I was running for school board to see some of the things, but thank you for
your thoroughess, for your intentional working with that to help us understand it, but also make a clear document. I mean, somebody says they can't find something, they're Yeah, I know that you're open for those questions, but like this is so well laid out. Thank you again.
And with that, we will move on to our discussion of the proposed budget document. >> I could have saved that comment. I thought you were leaving this part of the >> Perfect. Yes, >> we will. I will read page one. Who wants
to read page two? >> You're not done with me yet. So, as you have mentioned, I did get to meet with all of you and we got to go through the the budget document and I was able to answer questions, but I'm sure that as you've had time to process,
you might have more questions. So, I just wanted to kind of hit some of the highlights that we talked about already um in this public work session so that the public can hear what we're looking at in terms of our budget.
So, just to start off, um, two pieces of key legislation this year. We have the, uh, House Bill 241448, and that is the new, what we still call the new school finance formula. It's not so new anymore, but it's still a work in
progress. And then Senate Bill 2623 is the school finance act that will fund schools for the coming year. So in that school finance act that um increased the base per pupil funding by about $29.
That's about 2.4% for inflation which is required by law. And it also phases in that new school finance funding formula at 30%. And so the way they calculate that is they look at the old formula compared to the new
formula and they take the difference and 30% of that difference is what we get in additional funding. And so when you combine those two the total increase is about 3.5% in our per pupil funding. So looking at our revenue from all of
our funds and just a reminder that we use fund accounting and so we have lots of little checkbooks for a lot of different things. But when you look at all the revenue from all funds, this is what it looks like in terms of this where it's coming from. Most of it is
coming from state equalization through the school finance formula. um state grant revenue and then we have a big chunk from our local property taxes and you can see I've broken that out into three different buckets of local property taxes. So we have the
operational portion that goes through school finance act. Then we have the mill levy override. So that's something that our voters have approved and then our bond debt and that is something that voters have also approved to pay for our
new buildings. So all in um our revenue is about $440 million. So on the flip side when you look at the money going out. These are the appropriations most of the money again goes through the
general fund. That is the fund that we have the most discretion over in terms of how we spend it. But we have some you know some other funds. our special revenue fund that is the food service fund. So Danielle's fund runs through that. Our grants fund is a special
revenue fund. We have our capital projects funds and debt service and then agency funds. So I'm taking you from like the 30,000 foot view down a little bit closer to just the general fund. And so a big part
of the school finance act of course is the number of students that we get to count. And so we're projecting a decrease in our funded pupil count. So we're projecting 79 fewer students. That's about a4% decrease.
And you can see that the total for non-charter schools is 17,078. And our charter schools we're projecting 5,024. for a total of 22,102. Now, this graph, I think, is important
to point out that when we have declining enrollment like we have had for the last couple years, that the funding doesn't drop off at the same rate as our pupil count. So that helps us because we've
already committed to paying people for teachers in the classroom or um having curriculum available, all of those things. And so when the revenue drops off at a faster pace like the enrollment does, that really creates a budget
problem. So this really kind of helps soften that blow. We have a little bit of a softer landing. We still don't like to see that declining enrollment, but it makes it a little bit easier to manage. And then this graph shows the trend for
the per pupil funding over time. So this is the first year that we will be over $12,000 per student. So that's exciting. You can see that over the past five or six years, we've made some good progress in terms of pupil funding. still not
where we need it to be, but at least it's going in the right direction. Those first few years on that graph, um difficult financial years, and those were years when the budget stabilization factor was in in effect.
So for our general fund we are projecting revenue of about 330 let me get that number exactly 340,000 462 340,462,000
um that is mostly coming from school finance act and so I like to point out this chart because I think it's so important that we all realize what the significant role school
finance act plays in our funding. Um, we have to pay attention when the legislation is is being written and debated. We need to be paying attention to everything that goes into that. And
so this was one of those years where something got changed at the last minute and we were like, "Wait, wait, wait. that has a big impact for us. And so we were able to get that undone um just in time for the bill to be passed. But when
86% of the funding is really coming through one piece of legislation, that's pretty significant. And then this slide shows that our general fund expenditures. Um, as you would expect, most of that goes through
salaries and benefits, but I think it's important to share that 84% of our budget goes into people. I was um at a meeting with another board last week and they asked me that question and they were just shocked that so much of our
budget goes into people. These are business people that don't operate an organization like this, but for them to have so much money tied up in people was just unheard of. So, I think that's something that we need to remember.
And then this shows the expenses broken out by categories. And so, these are all defined by CDE. All the districts in the state of Colorado use the same categories. And it's a way for them to kind of compare how districts are
spending their money. As you would expect, the most of the money goes into instruction, but that's not to say that other um functions are not important. We've talked about transportation, that's important. Operations and maintenance, we need to keep our
buildings running. So, all of these different categories are important. And then this chart shows how the the money is going out to different departments and to schools. And so often we hear you should keep the cuts out of
the classroom. And we try, but my point with this chart is that most of the money goes into the classroom. And so there's just really not much that you can cut without impacting students in some way.
And then the last thing that I wanted to touch on is our fund balance. And so you can see that that purple section of that bar is going down. We are proposing that we will spend some of our fund balance this year on a few things. Um the first
thing is to transfer $3 million into our health insurance fund. That's really to just shore up that fund to make sure that we have the money there to pay claims as they come in. It's possible that we won't have claims, but we'd rather have it there if we need it, and
that's something that will stay there long term. So, if we don't spend it this year, it'll be there in the future. Um, another thing that we'll be spending the fund balance on are the coops for our new building. So, that's about 3 million. And then the last thing is uh
$2.2 million to go into technology. So that's replacing Chromebooks, staff devices, um teaching walls, those kinds of things. So with that, what questions do you have? Um, I want to point out something
actually that director Bentley and I discussed um earlier today um about the IT refresh. And so it was about how the state actually tests our youngest ones, the kindergarteners on screens. And so
that that's one of the reasons because I've always thought it was very silly that my kindergartenner has a laptop. Like I just I think that even sounds silly, right? Um, but yeah, I I wonder if there's a way to reach out to the state board of education and be like, can we do bubble
sheets for kindergarters? Like, do they really have to test on a screen? Because if that's the reason we have screens in kindergarten, um I I can see that that you want them to get used to a screen if that's how they're going to be tested. Um, but I wish that was the case.
>> Yeah, that just shifted this year actually to a requirement. We had the paper pencil option for testing up until this year and than it was required this year statewide. And part of that is uh as school districts, we've been asking for a quicker turnaround on test results
which we we are getting. We have the first run um of our our CEASS data from the state. It has already come in last week. So, um, they did they they kept good on their promise by doing it all electronically that we would get results
earlier, but we we did see some dip in performance in in schools that went to the online version for the first time because, you know, students haven't practiced as much. >> And so, it's the third grade assessment
where students begin testing for CMAS. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I can see the turner wanting the fast turnaround so you have like actionable results that aren't like so late that you know it just feels like but man I think >> and it's all and it's also just workload
and I I think for the for the state it's also on their part it's workload >> just a comment. >> Thank you for that. Maybe those laptops last a little longer because they're not used as often, but maybe they get dropped more often. I'm
not sure. >> We've had those conversations. >> Yeah, for most elementary children, we do not send laptops home unless the family requests or there's some special need that and sometimes families will want them so their students can continue with some of the intervention programming or tutoring programs that we
use in the classroom. But typically, we don't send laptops home. We keep them in the classroom for the littleer guys. >> I think it's always beneficial to to go over it a number of times. I was fortunate to get to do it with Mr. Bentley and then also with um director
uh Roi. So this is actually my third time and and you know because it hasn't all been entirely committed to memory. So I appreciate um really having a robust understanding. Does anyone have any other questions? >> I guess going to your last slide. Um,
so it sounds like we're spending down by let's see about 8 million. >> 8.2 >> 8.2 million. >> Um, does that make you nervous? Um, what is a nice number for you for available to
spend? I think we have a very healthy fund balance and I think that what we're planning to spend into fund balance for next year is very reasonable. Where I would get concerned is in three years if we're still spending into fund balance
for ongoing expenses, that's a problem. And so >> that's when we would have to have a more serious conversation about, okay, what are we not going to do so that we're not spending that fund balance? And we were able to grow our fund balance as really as a result of of less spending during
COVID and then the COVID relief dollars and we intentionally grew our fund balance because we knew we wanted to make some land purchases. The land in Evans, there's a couple of pieces of land right now we're looking at uh that we would we would hope to purchase for future sites. And so it's important to
have a fund balance. This is a very very healthy reserve actually. Um you can you can see where the CO dollars came in and you see the increase. We also saw some increase in oil and gas production during that time. So we collected more on mill levy override dollars with oil
and gas production and personal property or commercial property. But we and we also collected more on our own mineral rights. And now we are seeing some decline in the oil and gas production. So, we are seeing some decline in being able to have those dollars, you know,
feed our fund balance, but this is a healthy fund balance. And like Miss Sponsor said, I too would be concerned if we're looking at multiple years of 89 million of of spending in your reserves. It's, you know, we we that would be concerning
>> and I think it's important to as we look towards perhaps a future bond issue. Um, having this kind of fund balance was very very helpful in our last bond issue. It allowed us to have a much better credit rating and so we were able
to issue our bonds I think a lot easier than some other districts. >> I had one other question. Um, so we have we're predicting 79 fewer students and and possibly that continuing to to be a trend with a a decrease in birth rates
across the country and including Colorado. Um, I'm curious, have you met with the demographer? >> We have not. Okay. >> No, we have not. It looks pretty stable though for us. When we get 10 years out, we look pretty flat. So, we're not seeing a a significant decline, I don't
think, over the next 10 years, the the most recent data he has sent us. But, uh, we have data from him and now we need to meet with him to really understand what he's looking at cuz I I know that those of you who work in in healthcare are telling me that we have lots of babies being born. So, is he
accounting for them? >> Where is it? Where's >> the hospital? >> I'm sure he is. I I would guess he's looking at births in county. >> Yeah. Anything else? Well, I'll just echo what Director or
Director Edmond said that we just so appreciate you making it easy for us to understand, for the um public to understand. Um, congratulations on our continued clean audits and um we will be voting on this in our business meeting.
>> I'd like to give a shout out to Megan's team, the finance team, because to uh this was a a rough budget year. We did not know what what was happening with the state dollars and we received runs and they were incorrect runs on what what we would be getting from state
funding and then they found this last minute piece in the new funding formula that would have meant you know two to seven million for districts without districts knowing that was coming because that wasn't in the run from January. And so then she's shuffling
again and and working to to build a budget and and balance a budget. And so, uh, you don't do that kind of work without a strong team behind you, right, Megan? And so, I want to give a a shout out to her finance team as well and to the support that they provide so that so that she can do this really high level
important work for us. >> Thank you. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. >> All right. Moving on. We will have a discussion on our proposed resolution. Just talking dollars, dollars, dollars, dollars, dollars. See, Mr. Fall is
attorney Fall is going to join us. >> What's the Mickey Mouse about? >> For West. >> Oh, >> I think this will be Mr. Fall's last board meeting as in-house counsel for district 6. He may be back uh with us. I
would expect at some point as as we contract with Kathlan and Ernst and that is who he is leaving us to go work for. And so we may see him back in our boardroom or in executive session or in a training at some time, but this will be his last official act as attorney for
district 6 in a board meeting. >> I think don't we still have him through June? >> That's why I said in a board meeting. >> Thank you, Dr. Pelch, President Mash, members of the board. Uh my name is Nate Fall. I'm legal counsel for the school district. Um as Dr. shared this is
likely my last presentation for you all as in house legal council uh for the board. Um and so I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. Um today we're so on the business agenda you have a resolution in front of you and that
resolution as it's written is one to support two proposed ballot initiatives that are coming in front of voters in November. Um, so I just wanted to kind of give you kind of a highle summary of what they
are and then give you the opportunity to ask questions and have a discussion about it. So, um, both initiative 195 and Senate Bill 26135 aim to increase the state's budget
through revising Taber in a way. um but they really differ significantly in their approach and the how they uh how the funds will be allocated. So uh initiative 195 is a citizen initiate initiated measure that creates a new tax structure by replacing Colorado's flat
income tax with a graduated progressive tax system. What you have in front of you I didn't create this is from great education Colorado which is essentially a factual summary of 195. If you go to the back page of it where on the top it says how initiative 195 works, this is
kind of what I'm explaining. Um, and then just to jump over to Senate Bill 26135. I'll just call it 135. Um, that's a legislative measure that doesn't change tax rates. It doesn't actually change the tax structure. What it does is it changes how the state uses
existing Taber revenue limits. um and which would allow the state to retain some of those TABER revenue uh limits and put those towards education. And they've earmarked approximately $200 million a year um for those Taber refunds to go directly to um schools. So
um in terms of financial impact, initiative 195 is projected to raise approximately $2.7 billion annually in new tax revenue uh which would be completely exempt from Taber revenue limits. On the other hand, 135 would allow the state to retain between
roughly 1.1 billion and 4.8 billion in the first year. And that of course would depend on how prior education funding is calculated as well as if there's actually any revenue available um or surplus. And then in terms of allocation, initiative 195 strictly
earmarks funds for K12 public education and that's up here, healthcare and earlyhood childhood education. and for K12 public education, more specifically for improving schools, uh increasing teacher pay, retention, uh as well as career technical education
opportunities, expanding those opportunities. Uh and then 135 would direct a specific portion again around 200 million to education, but then there would be potentially some kind of leftover revenue that might go somewhere else, right? Um so, uh the other thing I want
to mention is neither of these measures, I'll just call them measures even though they're not technically not measures yet. um or proposed measures. How about that? Um they don't conflict legally. So technically both could go in front of voters and both could be passed and they would operate differently and so there
would be kind of additional sources of revenue coming forward. So um I think in my eyes and in in Miss Sponsor's eyes that that either initiative could be beneficial to public schools. Um, I think as the sponsor just pointed out,
you know, there's there's always concerns with future outlooks with finances and, um, just knowing that we have something like 195 or 135 coming that could help produce additional revenue is inherently a good thing. So,
um, that's just kind of what those are. Um, I did have some notes about kind of arguments in favor or in opposition to 195, but I think for now I'll just leave it at that and then if you have any questions, maybe we can try answering them for you. Um, and then if you turn back to the front page of the Great
Education Colorado, this is kind of more the data. This is district specific. They came out with data for all school systems in the state. And this is where they came. If 195 were to pass, we would be projected to receive $19 million in
2027. 19 million. I mean that's that's significant, right? So >> um >> so they did a additional like projected additional revenue. Has 135 done that like is there a dollar amount behind that one >> for like district 6 specifically? So,
I'm using the fiscal note that was attached to the bill. And so, they do have a projection. Um, for 26 27, our district would be looking at believe it's two.
>> This is why I asked Miss Sponsor to stay at the table. >> 2.8 million the first year and then after that, it's really dependent on if there are Taber refunds or not. Um, >> was that the same with the 2.8? Like the
2.8 if there's tab or like the 2.8 is a promise and then Okay. So, even that one is dependent on whether or not there's even funds. Okay. >> Yes. >> That's for 135. >> 135. >> But 195 is a guaranteed 19 millionish is guaranteed.
>> Mhm. Mhm. >> I think uh the some of the opposition from superintendents to 135 early on was that th those kind of dollars are not going to solve K12 problems. I mean they're helpful, right? I mean they
would take care of the cost of our almost the cost of insurance increase that we're putting over into our insurance fund. But um then you know but but we will take them if this measure passes. We will we will rejoice in having those dollars, but but we want to
be really clear about messaging, I think, because it there there could be a mis here that this is going to fix K12 um the cut the ropes measure 135. Um and that's kind of where we landed with the the marijuana dollars, the tax dollars
on marijuana, thinking that that was going to solve the problem. And there just isn't the revenue has not been generated from the taxing on marijuana that was once hoped. And we're hopeful that that the legislature the legislators had the courage to to pass this and put
something on the ballot at the same time. We're we're pleased about that. >> And they did a lot of work, I think, to improve the bill over time. >> A lot and a lot of work to get there. >> Yeah, I think there was a lot of negotiation happening and I think it ended up in pretty good place in terms
of supporting K12. Well, and this goes uh hearkens back actually to the report you just gave, but remind me how much in reserves are we looking to spend? Is it was 8.2 you said? >> So 8.2 million we're taking from
reserves the possibility of almost recuperating that in a way >> and this is every year. That's I guess that's another important thing is that this isn't a one-time thing. This is a every year potential >> for 195
>> 195 for 195 >> 195 is guaranteed and the amount is not fully guaranteed right >> um but it is guaranteed that there will be dollars 135 is not guaranteed depending on you know if there's dollars for table refunds but it makes you know
I don't want to sound ungrateful that it's on the ballot the 135 I mean it it it will be helpful to have those additional dollars in the K12 system. Yeah. >> And and to slow the drain on other, you know, other entities that rely on the state budget for funding,
>> as Dr. Brenda pointed out, like we're operating lean. >> This gives us a little bit more room to take a a deeper breath. Mhm. >> And the the COVID do dollars that we had over five years about $20 million
allowed us to meet a lot of our goals of um our strategic plan, lower our class sizes. >> Um we know that our students and staff um have additional mental health needs and we were able to to add social workers and counselors and things like
that. Some of those were only funded with those dollars and we haven't been able to retain all those positions. So, I think that's really where some of those vital dollars would go as well. And then, um, those of you who are new to the board, you may have heard us talk
about the budget stabil stabilization factor that from 2010 to 2023, the state balanced their budget, unfortunately, on the backs of education and took away a certain percentage from each district. But that's a total of
$250 million that we are short or were shorted. So, you know, we won't ever be able to like feel like we made up for that, but um yeah, this this these dollars um would
be yeah, absolutely valuable to our students and staff. in Weld County. Um the greater ed Colorado looked at u median income in all the different counties um of Colorado. And so according to the median income in Weld
County, if this passes, 99.2% of Weld County residents would actually pay less in income tax. So this would only be taxing the highest earners, 0.8% of Weld County, a little bit more. Um,
so not 13% which is what California has an income tax nowhere near that. I think the highest bracket was like 8% if you earn over $2 million. Um, so 0.8% of old county would pay a little bit more. 99.2% would pay either the same or less
and we get $19 million for Gley Evans District 6 as a conservative estimate. So that the est that 19 million where is that coming from? So, so the 2.7 that's in the ballot language, the 2.7 billion that's in the ballot language is actually um like an overestimate. And so
they were asked to uh come up with the maximum possible revenue to put on the ballot language. And so they actually the 2.7 billion is 34.4% higher than the actual estimated revenue. So the estimated revenue is less than 2.7. Um, but they're thinking
if if let's say there's two billion that come in um with this change from flat rate tax to graduated income tax. Um, which historically I I wish Doran was here. He he likes history. But when Colorado was created as a state, we had a graduated income tax system and it
wasn't until 1987 that it was changed to flat rate and then in 1992 when Taber passed, it was put into the constitution as a flat rate. Um, so actually the signature gathering is harder for the for 195 because it's a constitutional amendment. um saying we're going to go from flat rate back to graduated income
tax, which is where we used to be. Um but I digress. Um yes, so if we get two billion and we say that K through 12 gets 35% of the pie of the 2 billion, that's about 700 million. And they did the math, you know, with uh pupil count
and all that for all the school districts. And that's how they came up with that 19 million. If all we get is 2 billion, although there's an estimate that it could be more than 2 billion. um and and K through 12 gets 35% of the pie. Um it would be 19 million for
district 6 and and so they're calling that a conservative estimate. So it could technically be more. Um the questions I had for some of the organizers were and this is because of my healthcare hat that I know Medicaid is also underfunded which is another reason um this is is being proposed is
because it would also help with Medicaid funding. So I was like how do we know Medicaid isn't going to take all the dollars? Right? which I get it. Medicaid also needs it. U my heart is in education and so I'm a little torn torn there. Um some things I like about the
language is that the the 19 million would supplement not supplant existing invest in investments in pro in K- through2 programs. So meaning it's not like okay we're going to instead of giving it to you from our the state budget how we always have we're going to
just take it out of this new thing. No, it's it's 199 million extra, not not supplanting, but supplementing. And then the other thing I really liked was it requires an annual audit and public reporting to demonstrate that the dollars are spent as the measure requires. And so I've been describing it
as four buckets is where the money goes. We don't know how they're split, but it's K through 12, it's preschool, child care, and healthcare. So those are the four buckets that that get to split the two billion. And 99.2% 2% of us actually
will pay less in taxes if this passes. So, I think that's a pretty creative bell's policy or whatever they're called. Solution, >> the bell policy. >> Policy. Yeah. >> What questions do you all have or comments? >> Well, I should probably just go ahead
and speak up. I I um I am not planning on voting yay on this um this. I don't think it'll make a difference in terms of the total vote, but I um I take exception to the legislation in that it it targets a um a de a a demographic of
our community and um I feel like that public education be should be a shared thing and it's it targets the group of people in our community that we look to to support um a lot of the things that
United Way dream team, all those kinds of things. Those are the same people we target. And I just I feel like we're shooting ourselves in the foot uh looking to graduate um the tax on those those higher earners
who are the people that are the entrepreneurs, the job providers, um the um business leaders. And I, you know, my concern is is that we get people angry towards public education
and resentful because we keep looking to them. You know, well, they've got money. We they can, you know, they can afford it. They can afford it. And um we want them on our side when when it comes to bond issues and that type of thing. So,
um I I you know, the money is super enticing. you know, you look at that much money and you go, "Yeah, how we can figure out to get it." But I think that the plan to get it in that way is a poor plan. So that's why um I will be voting
nay. >> And I would vote I would have vote avoid voting or or >> saying how you're going to vote right now. Yeah. But it's okay you did. >> It's okay, >> Director Roi. But let's not the rest of us. >> Yeah. >> I I think I you're okay. I mean, just I
>> as long as we don't go around the table, >> let's talk about supporting or opposing it. I just wouldn't say what your vote is right now. >> I will point out we're in the minority of states of the 50 states in the United States that still has flat that has flat rate income tax. Most states are
graduated and federal income tax is graduated. So, >> I'm pretty we're sure we're in >> the minority. There's 27 states that are are graduated. I I don't know enough about it to answer.
>> Just a perspective I would offer is that I think that this is a question of equity versus equal. So right now it is equal that everyone pays 4.4%. So we're all paying the same percentage
of our income. But um that is suggesting that a dollar is a dollar for the family that makes $30,000 and the family who makes $3 million. So for example, my mortgage is going up by $100. I can
handle that. That's not going to set me back. I have a family member whose rent is going up by $100 and that is um 25% of her rent. She's on subsidized housing. And even with that, it's going
up um a significant amount. So So $100 being equal, it's $100. Yes. But the spending power and the value of that dollar for 99.2% of our voters, um I think it's a I think it's a
different conversation. It's not about equal. It's about equity and how um those dollars go further with a different family. So that's my perspective on it's not meant to be um a villainizing or a it's it's actually
meant to be more equitable all things considered. And in the in the ballot language there's like a lot of sub subtext to read. Um, one of the things that stood out to me of of the subtext,
um, it's called the legislative declaration and it's section one and it's the bullet point C. And it's a really interesting point. I'll just read it verbatim. So it says in Colorado combining state income, sales, and property taxes. So, state income, sales,
and property taxes. The wealthiest 1% of Coloradoatans, those who make over 850,000 per year, pay only 7% of their income in state and local taxes every year. Whereas the 60% of Coloradoatans making between 25,000 and 150,000 per
year pay between 9 to 10%. So, the system that currently exists does already favor the wealthy. So, it is an unequal system. If you combine state income and property taxes, >> um, as I told Brenda earlier, there
there's reasons that those top earners pay less money and it's because they're incentivized to reinvest their money back into the system. So there's also that's a skewed data point because the also the top 10% of taxpayers are already paying approximately 50% of all
tax revenue. So, depends on how you you look through that glass of of of fair or not fair because to to get your taxes down, there's only one way to do that and it's through legal deductions that the same Congress people and the same senators have already uh made legal to
to utilize. So, it's not uh it's not really a fair assessment in my point of view. I also um have a hard time sitting here and watching the state as a whole make economic decisions around certain industries that would
greatly benefit the u you know the property tax income via oil and gas investments or you know even even a data center. The personal property tax on a data center is ginormous. You're you're talking billions of dollars in personal property
taxes per data center. Um, so to to watch them, you know, make decisions uh in that regard, but then to ask uh our highest income earners to to continue to pay more taxes is is hard to swallow. Um, it's probably not the straw
that'll break the camel's back, per se, but it is a straw on the camel's back. And and I'm just not a fan of trickle up epic economics. I think it's it's trickle down, you know. Um, that's that's the only way it really works. There's got to be enough money generated to pay for all these programs and such
and and you you you don't get that by taking and taking and taking and taking. It's got to be generated through through commerce and and stuff like that. So, um I'm not I'm not a fan I I am a fan of District 6 getting more dollars and I will support what the board decides, but
I'm not a fan of of taxing our highest income earners more. Just taking a quick perusal through the wonderful budget guide that you provide looking at school by school and save for Fred Chartis. All of our schools are
above 50% free and reduced lunch rates. We live in a very low our families in our schools are low income. I mean average household income is 70 to 75,000 a year. I mean you think about rent and
cost of everything else. So, I'm viewing this also from the perspective of how can I help my neighbor who can't even make it to the end of the month with their paycheck? And if I can get them another $210, it seems like another worthy
opportunity for our neighbors. Um, I know that this doesn't impact me because working in nonprofit, I am also closer in those ranges. Um, but I've got to think I I've I've always tried to do the best I can to think what's best for
my neighbor. Um, if that means uh making adjustments that make things uncomfortable for other people. Um, I I know that's a tough thing to say, but I guess ultimately what I'm saying is boiling boiling it down is to see how many of our schools, our students every
day come there and they they might have not had breakfast not because there wasn't food in the home, but because that that they just were running late, but there wasn't food in the home. Um, and so our our students and our families are always continuing to fight to just
provide what's best for their families. So, if we can provide another$ 199 million for our school district, for our teachers, for our families, I I think it's a worthwhile venture um to do that. And so, I I do love the opportunity that we can look at things that help provide
this to make Megan's job a little bit easier, but also ultimately to make our teachers and our administrators jobs a little bit easier because they love our students. And we all love our students. I mean, that's the that's the tough thing, the tricky thing about this is it's so frustrating that we're in this situation.
that I say this all the time when I give tours at the food bank that a hungry child should not sit right with anybody no matter how what side of the political aisle you vote on and it doesn't sit right with us and a child that is underserved in public education shouldn't sit right with anybody and it
certainly doesn't sit right with us how we go about that um I know differs I as far as we look outside the classroom but in the classroom I am also grateful that we have a board that does want to have what's best for our our teachers and our
students. And so, um, that's just why I think initiatives like this are important to talk through and think through. And, um, I respect everybody, regardless of how you vote tonight, that I I don't think this reflects anything on how much you love our students or how much you love our community. This is
just the messiness that unfortunately public education continuously ends up in the crosshairs for. um underfunded um underappreciated but amazingly overly relied upon for for our families like
teach our students, take care of our students, watch them for 13 years every day. Um but also doing it on a very tight budget. It's just it's it's a hard thing to have to balance with. So thank you Nate for providing also the insights for this and knowing um some of the ins
and outs and where you don't. Megan helps fill in that as well. Um, so yeah, >> I think for me, um, we live in such a great community. Our community gives so much and so much to so many spaces that for me, my support for 195 is positive
because I think about people already giving. And if you think about the 08% people who might be asked to give just a little more for a duration of time that they give already and so it's giving in a different perspective. that's giving in a different avenue that will provide
so much more money for the things that they believe in like our education. And so for me, when I look at this, so while it does impact our 0.08% of population um maybe a little differently than they would normally have it, they give anyway, right? So when you think about
I'm giving in the way of of through the 195 initiative and maybe I might not give in the way that I used to give, but it looks differently. And so for me, I feel that when we talk about the 195 and the amount of money that we can give for the duration of time for education, so we're talking about education and our
our students, our future, our teachers. Um that's why we're here. That's why we sit at this table. And so when we really think about it in that perspective, it's, you know, can can we give a little more? Um and I think we can. And so I certainly am um going in favor of
initiative 195. I just think on principle there's a big difference between someone having the ability to give and giving freely and requiring them to give. And that's kind of where I draw the line. It's it's it's not so much can they give, you know,
it's it's it's more of a a goodwill, you know, between everything and them having the ability to give and them choosing to give is is just a whole different story on principle than taxing them and forcing them to give. >> Well, it will be a vote of the people.
Yeah. Yeah. That's I guess that's a good reminder. This is just a resolution on it and the real action happens in November should this make it onto the ballot >> and volunteer so that it does.
>> Are there any other like numbers or legality questions? >> Does this take when does this go into effect? If it passes, >> it would be on the November ballot. No, I mean I mean if it passes in November, >> when does that does that strike
immediately? January 2027? >> I believe it would be immediate. Yeah, it would be for the 202728 fiscal year. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Yeah. This says that >> if folks fired the taxes in 2027, that additional amount would be accepted. >> Y
>> says July 1st of 2027. So about a year from now is when we would have >> our next budget we would have. >> You're saying it's right in front of me. >> It's right. It's the the snap. >> Oh, look at that. It's right there in front of me. >> And is this a is there a an end date on this? >> So, this becomes constitutional
>> constitutional amendment. So, it's it's an ongoing um Okay. >> I think 135 does sunset, right? That >> Yeah, I thought I couldn't remember which one was it. Was a 10-year. I have not fact checked this, but my understanding is that the Colorado Constitution is one of the most heavily
amended constitutions in the union. >> Interesting. >> So, I had a a neighbor who was like, I never vote for constitutional amendments cuz they're impossible to undo and they're like, >> I mean, this is this is Yeah. going to be there forever. >> This is an amendment to an amendment because Taber was the amendment. And
then and this does not undo Taber. It just undoes the flat rate income tax part of Taber. All right. >> They're calling it a repeal, not an amendment. >> Oh, >> okay. Right. So, we're going back to the original Constitution of
>> Um, so we've had a robust discussion. Um, but when we go to vote on this, you will have an opportunity to let the the folks watching that meeting >> I didn't wait, but >> Oh, well, I mean, I think we >> you can repeat generally.
>> Yeah. Say it again. Yeah. I mean I think it is um important for yeah the public to know where why we're choosing to vote the way that we are. So when I say is there any discussion that is the time for the discussion >> and and it's probably important to note
that far more people watch the business meeting than watch the work session. Yeah. So >> you know if you you want folks to understand your comments you it's probably more important to put them in that that meeting than this one. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you both for for the
budget information and for the measures proposed measure information. >> Thank you for all the years. >> Yes. Thank you, Nate. >> Got us through co >> book fans.
>> It's been piece of cake for you. >> Walk in the park. First job out >> so well. He left us. >> He's going to be back every second and fourth Monday. Will you be at Casby? >> Maybe. I might be standing in a booth. >> No, she said they're not going. Oh,
Casby. Yes, not Case. >> They're not going to case. We'll go. We'll go visit your booth. >> Make sure you have some good swag. >> Okay. Well, let's debrief the meeting. And I believe we'll start with you, Director Roi, because you were last on
the front end. Um it's a good discussion and a good meeting and it's just interesting to hear everybody's perspectives. So I appreciate that. >> Um I just want to thank Nate um for all the information you provide and all the
guidance you've given us and you certainly will be missed. And then Megan and team, um gosh, I I thank you so much for giving us the guidance on the budget and um putting all those terms and everything in layman's terms so I can
really absorb what it is that we're talking about and um where we're headed. So I appreciate that, too. >> Campus Spitzy. Um, also thank you Nate for the years um and for keeping us all honest and legal. Um, I remember our
first meeting was about social media 101, how not to put everything out there in the public. Um, and and Megan, I I know I've told I've told you this multiple years, but I also get to review the budget for UNC.
And I I love Dale Pratt, our CFO there, but it and his team, but it is nowhere near as clear and beautiful and pretty and just transparent. Um I I wish everyone had the motivation to go and look at your document.
Um but I am highly appreciative um of what an outstanding job you guys do. >> Director Bentley, >> uh Ditto, appreciate you guys and good luck, Nate, in your in your next job. Appreciate everything you've done. It's been been a pleasure getting to know you and working with you and obviously
thanks to Megan and their team. They they always knock it out of the park with the budget presentation. Uh I know that that's a snippet of of what the actual budget entails, you know, to get that doc those documents produced, but it is a very good tool for us and and
the community in whole. So, thank you guys. And I will also thank you uh Megan and your team for um for all the work you do especially on the difficult years. And Mr. Fall, we will miss you. You've kept
us out of court and we understand >> got to the end of the month. >> Um yeah, just just educated us so much and um supported us and we thank you. Best wishes. >> All right, this meeting is adjourned.
We'll see you back on Wednesday. >> 6. >> Did I forget? >> Did I forget? Wa. little heat. Part: 2
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. All right. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Happy birthday to you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
That's what Heat. Heat. Good evening and welcome to the board of education meeting for Gley Evans School District 6 on June 8th, 2026. This meeting will now come to order. Please join us for the pledge of allegiance.
I pledge algiance 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. >> Miss Lemon, will you please call the
role? Director. Director Bentley, >> present. >> Director Campos Spitzy, >> present. >> Director Edmonds, >> present. >> Director Lemos Garcia, >> present. >> Director Mash, >> present. >> Director Roi, >> present. six board members present >> and director Azari is excused this
evening. Well, thank you all for joining us. It's fun to see our boardroom full of so many students that we get to honor this evening. Um, as this is our last board member for this school year, I just wanted to take an opportunity to celebrate uh the amazing accomplishments
of our staff and our students and offer some some thank yous. Um, for starters, I just wanted to point out that our report to the community came out this last couple of weeks. Um, it really is all your district 6 information in one place. And this year, it really was so
fun to have all of our celebrations, all of our of the years, our superintendent, teacher, and counselors and principles, and the many schools who have been or um honored. and we're on such a roll and we continue to do so much great work that there are two things that aren't even in
this because we didn't have time to add them and that is I would like to recognize Nicole Cox um from an Kyman who is a semi- finalist for the teacher of the year Colorado teacher of the year for 2027 and also Billy Martinez which we will be honoring later today as a center of
excellence. So, um, we couldn't do the work in District 6 without, for starters, our community. Um, there is never, uh, too many thank yous that can go out to our community for, um, p supporting District 6 with a mill levy
override, which helps us to keep our students safe and secure with our technology. It helps us to fund programs. Um and of course our bond issue that built beautiful new schools again with the safety um added safety measures to each building. Um we have
partnerships with individual schools um different we want to thank our faith communities. We want to thank our business communities. We want to thank individuals that offer their time and talent to our students volunteering in classrooms. Um we appreciate all of you telling the good stories of district 6.
I also want to thank our families for trusting us with your child children's education, supporting the staff, supporting your students. We want to thank our students for working so hard, for caring for one another, for representing our community as you go out
with your sporting events and your clubs. And of course, we cannot do any of this work in District 6 without the dedication, innovation, leadership, and heart that our staff brings to our buildings and our buses every day. Um,
so we have just had a banner year at at District 6 and we're on a roll and the momentum is amazing and we want to thank each and every one of you for your part in supporting District 6. Um, and we hope you all have a fantastic summer. All right.
At this point, we would need to approve the agenda. >> I move that the board of education agree in school district 6 approves the agenda as presented. >> A second. Thank you both. Is there any discussion on the agenda? Seeing none, Miss Lemon, will you please
give us a vote? >> Director Bentley, >> I. >> Director Campos Spitzy, >> I. >> Director Edmonds, >> I. >> Director Lemos Garcia, >> I. Director Mash >> I. >> Director Roi >> I. >> Motion carries 6. >> The next item on our agenda is a public
hearing for the 2026 2027 district budget. Um, pursuant to Colorado revised statute 22-44-110. Any taxpayer residing in the school district is entitled to register his or her comments on the proposed budget with
the board of education either in writing or in person at a public hearing. Um, and I don't believe that anyone has signed up to speak to us about the budget. At this time, I'll turn it over to you, Dr. Pilch, for your honor role. Thank
you so much, President Mash, and thank you so much for for all those thank yous that you offered uh to our school district community. and I truly appreciate that. Uh we're going to start our honor roll tonight with Assistant Superintendent Anthony Osmus coming forward to introduce our spring state
champions and qualifiers and our state recognitions. >> Thank you, Dr. Pilch, President Mash, members of the board. It's an honor to be here um tonight. I'm Anthony Osmouth serving as the assistant superintendent of secondary schools and K8 schools. And
this is the very last board meeting, but um some of our students athletes just finished up their season, so this is why we do this so late. Um I'll invite Jeff up first, Mr. Collins, and and your group. While I'm doing that, I'm going to share some um some spring
participation data. As you know, last year, this is the second year of fourth and fifth grade athletics. So, we just finished up the spring fourth and fifth grade athletics. So, we had about 400 students this spring and about 800 students overall this year that participated in fourth and fifth grade athletics, which is amazing. These are
students that will be feeding into our middle schools. Um, this spring over 1,200 students participated in middle school athletics. Um, they participated in soccer and uh track and also golf this year that this is the second year of golf
that we had. And then we're also looking forward to um kicking off our flag football season this fall. We have girls, high school, athletic, um, part of the JASSA program for flag football. And flag football is actually one of the largest growing sports in Colorado. So,
this would be nice to have our own team here in Colorado. Um, and let's celebrate some of our extracurricular um, all state honores and I'll turn this over first to Jeff to Jeff Collins, our AD at Northridge. >> Hi, good evening. Thanks for having us.
Um, I do want to apologize. It's tough to get kids in at a meeting on a Monday afternoon in June. Um, but we do have two here. So, Kora and Jessica Santos both qualified for the state tennis tournament. That was down in PBLO. So,
congratulations to them and thanks for coming. Uh, we did have three girls golfers qualify for the state uh tournament as well. If you remember that day, that Monday, it was like 40 degrees and windy and rainy and all of that stuff. They were out there playing golf
that day. Um, Jade and Maddie, Jade Heepler, Mattie Nations finished 13th and 19th. So, they are second team all state individually. Um, LJ from Northridge, LJ Garcia, qualified um on
the number and shot 72 or sorry, placed 72nd. Um, but we finished seventh as a team out of 18 that qualified as a team, which was great. Good for girls golf. Uh, we did have two relays, one girls, one boys relay team to the state track
meet. Um, and then I'd like to shout out Kade Beck and Sam Evans qualifying as individuals. Um, and we did have four kids sign um, scholarship offers to play at the next level. So, it's three softball players,
uh, Keegan Hood, Aya Ensa, Noel Rodriguez for, like I said, softball, and then Matthew Casia signed to play baseball next year. So, thanks again for having us. I'd like to introduce to you Jacob Rez,
our new athletic director at Gly West. Good evening and thank you for having us. I am proud to introduce our accomplished teams and athletes led by their coaches who participated in a spring sport in the 2026 season spring season for swim led by coach Colin
Shahhei. The Gley West swim team had eight state qualifying athletes across eight events athletes and coach Sehei. Congratulations on an incredible season and thank you for representing the greatness of Gley West. Led by coach Billings, the Gley West track and field team consisted of five state qualifying
athletes. Athletes and coach Billings, congratulations on an amazing season and thank you for representing Gley West to the highest of standards. In tennis, led by coach Ryan Pace, the Gley West tennis team consisted of four state qualifying athletes, athletes and
coach Pace, thank you um for representing Gley West and congratulations on your successful season. I do have coach Ryan Pace here who is going to say a couple things about his tennis team. >> Thank you guys again for having us and thank you Jacob for coming here tonight
um as he just gets started. Um I just wanted to shout out our tennis team. Two of our players couldn't be here. Um D made it as a one singles player at 5A. Um and Hayden who was Khloe's partner couldn't be here too. But um our one singles uh actually made the state tournament and two singles was Harlo. Um
she defeated Pine Creek to get there uh which was one of the best matches that I've ever been a part of as a coach over 16 years. And then Khloe was part of our two doubles with Hayden. Um they had a quite a run. They actually got out of their first round match. Um they dropped in the quarterfinals to Valor Christian,
but it was such a good representation for Gley West. So thank you all. And for Central, we have Principal Amy Zulaf, who's actually just off the field herself doing some coaching. And so, she'll introduce um Brian from Central.
>> Hello. Yes, I would like to apologize for my inappropriate board attire. Uh Mr. Devo had a family conflict pop up and so I came over from my son's baseball game, ran over and I did catch my breath. But I am so excited to introduce Mr. Brian Humphrey and Cat
Um Cat and Mr. Humphrey won what is called the Bobby G award, which my wonderful Thespian friends have explained to me that it is essentially the state championship in theater, which is fantastic. And so Cat won and Mr.
Humphrey won for their set design for the Drowsy Chapron. And if you saw the show, it was absolutely incredible. Literally, the back of the stage opened up and a full-size plane came out. And that wasn't even the biggest part, which is absolutely incredible. And so I'll invite them to the stage to talk more
about it to the podium. >> Um so it's the Bobby G's uh is presented at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in um Denver as part of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and it's um a pretty big deal that we've we've come to
recognize. Uh and it's essentially sort of the Tony's of the high school theater world. Um so to be nominated is a huge honor. And um then to to win is pretty fantastic. Um and so Cat did an amazing job on this uh on this set design. Um
took on some very complicated working pieces that had to not only move but had to support student weight in a very safe way um and still be presentable and and have a really nice aesthetic to it as well. and um she came through uh very
successfully and um we're very proud of of her work in that in that field. So um that's that's what she was presented and it was a very elegant night and she was put on the spot and I'm not going to do that to her here. Do you want to say anything? No. Okay. She said no. Um but thank you very much for for bringing us
in and for offering that recognition. Thank you. Have you guys go to the center? We'll do a picture right here. >> We'll do a picture, Dr. Belch, and then turn it back to you. I say one more thing.
>> Did we talk about Mauricio? Uh we do have one more student. He's up here. Mauricio. He swam at Gley West. um goes to Northridge I think two years ago. He wanted to learn how to swim so he joined the swim team if I'm not mistaken.
Um but also got to swim at the state uh unified unified portion of the state swim meet. So congrats there. We really do appreciate you coming out um in your during your summer break, but congratulations to all of you and your teammates as well. Back to you, Dr.
Pelch. Thank you, President Mash. Uh next, I would like to recognize um a young man who has become known to me. Uh, and I I've really enjoyed getting to know this this individual and I I'm so excited to see what what he does with
his his future. So, I am excited uh to recognize Jesse Granados Ramirez um who has been selected as the Colorado Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year. So, he was our local Boys and Girls Club
Youth of the Year. Um, and he spoke a year ago at the Boys and Girls Club dinner and or bank Gayla, their annual Gayla, and then he this year won the Colorado Award. And come on up, Jesse. You can get closer to the podium. It's okay, guys. Um, I want I I first got to
meet Jesse when he spoke at last year's Boys and Girls Club Gayla in 2025. And Jesse approached me and said, "Hey, I know you. You're the superintendent, Dr. Pilch and I I want to meet you. I am Jesse Granadoos and um I I just have
really enjoyed watching you speak to students and things and I I want to know you and I'm sending you an email which he did and he sent an email asking for seniors to be allowed to paint their parking spots at Northridge High School. And I had been a hard no on this. Um and
then but then Jesse had a great plan for doing it and how it would be managed as the student body president. and uh he advocated for his his colleagues at Northridge High School and we now have seniors with painted parking spots at Northridge High School. So uh with J
that and that is certainly not his greatest claim to fame. It is just a fun story. Um I got to see Jesse along with his other senior classmates um on the last day for seniors at Northridge High School where they did the right of passage and uh saw that he is he
exhibited his true leadership there as a leader really of that entire student body, Jesse. So thank you. Thank you for your leadership and thank you for doing that here in District 6 as well as in Colorado. With Jesse tonight is the CEO of the Weld County Boys and Girls Club,
my friend Dave Dixon. Um, and he's gonna tell you a little bit more about Jesse and about this honor. >> Good evening. Uh, thank you, Dr. Pilch, President Nash, and me members of the board. Thanks for uh having us here this evening and recognizing Jesse. So, as
Dr. Pilch mentioned, um Jesse is the Colorado Youth of the Year. And to back up a little bit and make and explain to how that works, youth of the year is a national program within the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. And it starts at the local level with organizations like
Boys and Girls Clubs of Well County. There's over a thousand organizations like us nationwide. And so each organization identifies or selects their youth of the year and they all advance to their local or to their uh state competitions. So in this case, Jesse
advanced and competed against 13 other Boys and Girls Club organizations around the state where he was ultimately selected to be the Colorado uh youth of the year. From there though, there are five regions within the Boys and Girls Club. So Jesse moved on to the regional
competition just this past May as the Colorado State Representative and I am happy to report that in my mind he won, but he was runner up at the regional competition. So, uh, had he won there, he would have advanced to the national
competition, which would have just been the top five kids in the country. Um, so in my book, uh, if there was a a regional winner and a runner up from five regions, Jesse is the top 10 youth of the year in the country. So, we're
super proud of him. Um, for not only leadership examples like Dr. Piltz just mentioned, but, uh, the list goes on. And what I wanted to save some time for though is with that backdrop is just let Jesse come up here and explain a little bit what the youth of the year
experience has meant to him. >> Well, thank you. Thank you so much guys for having me. I think this is such an incredible opportunity especially because truly it takes a village. I think really Colorado as a community has done so much for me especially within District 6. All the opportunities that
you guys have given us and offered for us is incredible. I've been able to do so many cool things and been a part of so many great things through this district. Um, some of which being unified, which is such an incredible program to me. I I truly adore it. And
yeah, it takes a village. So, District 6 was such a huge part in my success as well as Boys and Girls Clubs. And honestly, when I first started chasing that state um plaque in my freshman year, I didn't know what I was going to come out of it. I was going in as a shy kid who didn't really understand the
world or the people around him as much. I thought fitting in was being cool. But there's no need to fit in. There's just need to stand out. So that's what I did. And I finally did it. And I was runner up at regionals. But regionals is such an incredible place because I got to
build my network a little bit. I got to meet people like Clark Hunt and Jim Clark who are the CEOs of the Chiefs and the CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of America. So expanding my network was such an incredible opportunity. Um and being here just representing Colorado for the Boys and Girls Club is truly
just an honor. Um if you would have told me when I was 5 years old that this would be me, this would be the title that I held, I wouldn't believe you because truly growing up the way I did, none of this seems like it would have been in my reach or possible. But I thank all of you guys for your work that you guys do
through the district because truly I don't think this would have been possible in any other district. I love district 6. I may be biased, but this is incredible. And thank you guys for all the work you guys do. >> You too. >> Yeah. Come on in. Okay, I have one more pretty exciting
stuff tonight. Uh I this is the best part of our schoolboard meetings, let's be honest. Uh so finally uh we want to recognize some some outstanding scholars in the world of culinary arts and we have two students tonight to recognize
who have been a part of the Gley West Culinary Arts Career Pathway which is led by Brenda Guzman. Uh these students earned awards and competitions that were hosted by the Family Career and Community Leaders of America or you may have heard it called FCCLA.
Um and by the August Escapier School of Culinary Arts. Um these honors come not only with recognition but with some money uh scholarship money that will make a big difference in these students post high school education. So to introduce these students is Brenda
Guzman and um the students are there with her. Come on up guys. >> Good evening. My name is Brenda Guzman. I am one of the family consumer sciences teachers at Gley West. Um first I would like to em introduce Emma Nautis. And
Emma is an outgoing senior. She just graduated about two weeks ago. She has earned a total of $15,500 in scholarship money to attend Escopier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder. And a significant portion of these funds were awarded through her her
participation in FCCLA competitive events and scholarship opportunities combined with the Bright Future Scholarship. These awards will allow her to compete in her degree program to complete her degree program without any student debt. Throughout her
time in family consumer sciences at Gley West, Emma has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, professionalism, and academic achievement. The knowledge and hands-on experience she gained through the baking and pastry, catering, and work-based learning courses along
with her involvement in FCCLA have played a significant role in helping her reach this milestone. Emma will begin her studies at Escoier in August will where she will pursue a degree in baking and pastry arts. In addition to her scholarship accomplishments, she earned
the National Restaurant Association Serve Safe Manager Certification while attending Gley West, which is a credential wildly wildly recognized in the food service industry and actually just helped her gain a job. And um
Emma's achievements reflect her hard work, leadership, and commitment to excellence in the opportunities that she embraced through both family consumer sciences and FCCLA. She serves an as an outstanding example of how career and technical education coupled with student leadership development can prepare
students for success in college and in their futures. Emmanatis, >> our other student that I would like to recognize is Tavan Casta Castiala. I always pronounce butcher that. >> Casta. >> Castilega. I'm going to learn that. A
junior at Gley West has distinguished himself through the success in culinary competitions, earning a total of $7,500 in scholarships through opportunities um provided by Esco Scofier and Family Consu uh FCCLA. Following graduation in
2027, Taven plans to attend Escoier in Boulder to uh further pursue his passion for the culinary industry. As he enters his senior year year, he will continue participating in his scopier and FCCLA competitions, providing additional opportunities to expand his scholarship
awards and further development his professional skills. Tavan is also committed to completing the hospitality pathway at Gley West through the advanced coursework in baking and pastry and work-based learning. His dedication to the career in technical education combined with his competitive success
and strong work ethic positions him well for continued achievement in both post-secary education and culinary the culinary profession. The FCS department at Gley West would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the school board and D6 uh for its continued support in
the CTE programs. These opportunities empower students like Emma and Taven to develop industry skills, learn valuable certifications, compete for scholarships, and successfully pursue their career goals. Thank you. Thank you all for being here as well.
And I believe that Director Roi and I got to taste your culinary delights when you served lunch to the District 6 Academy. So, we can attest to your incredible talents. Have a great night. Thanks for coming. I think you're all done with your
portion, Dr. Pilch. Um, but we do have another celebration. And at this time, I'll ask assistant superintendent Wes Tuttle to introduce the next celebration. >> Good evening, President Mash and Board of Education. um you alluded to it and this is an exciting thing to be able to
share. So I'm joined up here by two other people. You can come closer. President, this is um the principal over at Billy Martinez, Monica Draper. And next to her is the assistant principal uh on Veronica Lucero. And let me tell you about the award that Martinez just
earned. So each year Colorado Department of Education recognizes public schools in the state that enrolls student population with at least 75% at risk students and they demonstrate high rates of student longitudinal growth. So Billy
Martinez was one of the ones that was selected for that and I went through the last three years and Billy Martinez is one of only five schools in the state that has earned this twice in the last three years. So, it's a great celebration of the hard work that's going on. So, I'm going to turn it over
to Monica and let her say some words here. >> Thank you, Wes. I am never at a loss when I talk about my school. Um, I've been fortunate to be the principal there for the past 17 years and um it has been
the honor of my life. I tell people when they apply for jobs and they ask why why we stay at Martinez, why Martinez, it's because we've created a family at Martinez. And I tell people, you will never work harder in your life than you
do if you take this job at Billy Martinez. But I guarantee you, you will never love anything more because this is the hardest job I've ever loved in my life. I've been I just finished my 40th year and I can tell you that the people that we have in our building go all out
for all students every single day and it shows in the work that they do. And so I'm so honored to be a part of that and to be a part of that family and um thank you for the support that you've given us through the years. We really appreciate
it. You don't really get a plat school. >> Let's get a picture. >> Come on. >> Congratulations. And I didn't realize that you had had this distinguishment distinguished award twice. So
congratulations. All right. And you're you're up again, Dr. Pelch. Then I'm then I'm not up again, I don't think, after this. Oh, wait. No, I have one more thing. Um, I am pleased tonight to introduce our latest uh group of
hires. And we are almost done. We will bring you at our August board meeting our hire for our new uh director of instructional technology who takes the place of the retirement of Scott Ford. We finished those interviews today and I think we're very close to wrapping that
hire up. Um but but we've got um most of our team hired at this point assuming that no one goes anywhere else. So first I'm pleased to introduce to you who is with us here tonight, Miss Angela Sandy. Angela will be moving over to Mer
Elementary as the new assistant principal at Mer. Really excited to have her go there. She's just been in district 6 just this one year as a teacher for multilingual learners at Maplewood Elementary School, but she has impressed anyone who has had a chance to
work with her. Um, and she comes with very high recommendations. She's been an educator for 17 years. She's educated in both the K12 arena as well as at the college level uh in Colorado as well as in Wyoming. And she was also a volunteer
English as a second language teacher in Turkey. Um she worked at Adam State University as an assistant migrant program um coordinator as well as a student success coordinator. So her heart is in making sure that all students graduate high school are
college and career ready um and are ready for the world that they face and and really for for children who need more. Um she we are proud to have her come to us here at Miker Elementary. Again she served as an as an English language learner, teacher, an English a
regular English teacher, a German teacher I think um at at elementary middle and high school. So Angie, welcome. Glad to have you here in district 6 and glad to have you going over to Miker. Congratulations. I want to share with you the the other hires that are on your agenda tonight
for recommendation um but were not able to be with us tonight. Um Mindy Sandavville uh is the new assistant principal at Centennial Elementary School. She is coming to us from the St. Brain Valley School District where she has served as an assistant principal intern. Um her experience has primarily
been in leading data teams, multi-tered systems of support teams and she has experience in restorative justice as well and the restorative practices which is a good match for district 6. So we are excited to bring her over. Her teaching experiences in elementary education um and then as a substitute
teacher which I think has to get you ready for anything you might do in education. So uh when when Mindy is able to be in town and able to to meet you all make sure you get a chance to to meet her. And then I I want to share with you the other two hires that are hires um on uh the district 6
superintendent cabinet. We have hired our legal counsel, our in-house legal council. Um that will replace outgoing Mr. Nate Fall, who I want to recognize as he leaves District 6. Um we have trained him well and he's moving on to
one of the most prestigious law firms in Colorado who represents school law. Um so congratulations to Nate and um his replacement recommendation is Mr. Jiren Demo. Uh Jiren has served as a guardian at lightam. He served in family law uh
done a lot of child welfare um practice law and um practicing his own practice as well as working with other law firms. Uh he has practiced law for the last 11 years. He's currently practicing law with the as an assistant
county attorney in the Adams County Court off Adams County Attorney's Office um where where he's serving as a guardian at lightam um who guys is someone who advocates for children and children rights and and helps navigate the waters between them and their
schools and them and their their guardians or their foster care. Um and so uh he's he's very dedicated to working with families and working around issues around families and and uh law in relation to youth. Um so we're excited to have him. He also has experience in
his own law firm as well as um as assistant county attorney uh previously in the Adams County um system. So we're excited to bring him into District 6. He you may be wondering is he still going to practice in his own law firm? Nope, that's not the plan. He's coming full-time for District 6. So he'll be
starting on July 6th in the district. So really excited to have him. Um a strong learner and writer and I think he'll do a great job for district 6. And then I also want to introduce to you on your agenda tonight for rec recommendation is to hire our new chief of communications
who replaces Teresa Meyers who is retiring at the end of this year and she's been out as you know on um family medical leave since about February. And I'm very grateful to Casey Pearson um in our communications department who's been filling in as interim uh chief chief of
communications. He's done a great job really doing two jobs. His job as well as as Teresa's job. And um but for hire tonight, I am recommending uh Mr. Michael Matthews uh who many of you know because he served previously on our
board of education. Uh Mr. Matthews comes to us having been the lead pastor and associate pastor for over um for about the last 20 years at St. Patrick's P Presbyterian Church where he has extensive experience writing,
communicating verbally um and marketing and preparing and and leading events there. Um he also served uh in district 6 as as the board president. uh served on the board for eight years, has extensive work in passing mill levy and
bond issues and speaking publicly on behalf of the district. As you all know, he's deeply dedicated to not only District 6, but to the Gley Evans community and has a deep understanding of the community. He's currently serving as president on the United Way board. Um
he has served on on the mayor's task force for homelessness and um he currently serves on the Gley Chamber of Commerce community council on education. And so uh we're we're excited to have him. I should have mentioned that he was previously a teacher as well. So uh
we'll welcome Michael. He plans to start on July 13th here in District 6. I believe that's all I have for right now. Thank you. Thank you and welcome to all our new um district 6 employees.
Um the next item on our agenda is the approval of re resolution in support of Senate Bill 26-135, an initiative 195 to increase state investment in K12 public education and protect Colorado's future. This is an
action item and will will require a motion. I move that the board of education of Girley Evans School District 6 approve the resolution in support of Senate Bill 26135 and initiative 195 to increase state investment in K through 12 public
education and protect Colorado's future. >> I second. Thank you both. Is there any discussion on the Oh, no. First I will have I'm sorry. Director Campus Spitzy please read the resolution. resolution in support of Senate Bill
26-135 and initiative 195 to increase state investment in K- through2 public education and protect Colorado's future. Whereas the Gley Evans School District 6 Board of Education believes that strong,
well-funded public schools are essential to student success, community well-being, and the long-term prosperity and economic competitiveness of Colorado. And whereas sustained and adequate investment in public schools has been proven to yield strong returns,
including higher graduation rates, increased lifetime earnings, and reduced long-term public costs. And whereas Colorado school funding has not kept pace with modern educational demands, leaving inflationadjusted per pupil
funding near 1989 levels, which has been negatively compounded by significant cumulative reductions through the budget stabilization factor and other pressures related to increased costs such as staffing, health care, technology, safety and security and student needs.
And whereas independ independent school funding adequacy studies commissioned by the Colorado General Assembly found significant inequitable gaps between current and adequate funding levels, estimating a statewide need for
approximately 3.5 billion in additional funding. And whereas as a result of these persistent funding shortfalls, Colorado school districts face severe challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified educators and support staff.
With Colorado ranking near the bottom nationally in starting teacher pay and experiencing one of the largest teacher wage gaps in the nation, despite research demonstrating that improved compensation is directly linked to better student outcomes.
And whereas students across Colorado are experiencing higher studenttoteer ratios and overcrowded classrooms while districts face intensifying expectations to provide safe and secure learning environments requiring greater resources
for facility security, emergency preparedness, mental health counselors, and targeted support for atrisisk students, English language learners, and students with disabilities. And whereas the Colorado General Assembly has referred Senate Bill 26-135
to the November 2026 general election, ensuring this critical decision rest directly with the voters, which asks registered electors to approve a revenue change under Taber authorizing the state to retain and spend existing surplus
revenues without raising taxes equal to the amount spent on K through2 public education funding. ing in a given fiscal year. And whereas if approved by voters, SP 26135 would create a positive factor that
provides each school district with its proportional share of additional funding for budget years 2027 to 2028 through 2020 2036 to 2037 to increase teacher pay, improve teacher retention, lower class sizes, and
increase access to career and technical courses. And whereas initiative 195, the protect Colorado's future measure would create a sustainable voter-approved revenue stream by establishing a graduated income tax system that is projected to
reduce taxes for approximately 99.2% of tax filers in Weld County while asking the highest income earners to contribute more. And whereas initiative 195 is projected to generate at least 2 billion annually in new revenue that
will help to provide additional funding for K- through2 public education, health care, and early childhood education to support the whole child needs of students, providing an estimated 19,89,000 in new annual funding directly to Gley
Evans School District 6 to support local priorities such as student and staff safety. staffing, class size reductions, and student services. And whereas the board declares that the ballot measures referred by SB26-135
and initiative 195 are matters of official concern to this district and its students, families, educators, and staff. Now therefore, be it resolved that the board of education of Gley Evans, school district 6, officially declares its support for and formally
endorses both the ballot measure referred by Senate Bill 26-135 and initiative 195, the protect Colorado's future measure. And be it further resolved that the board encourages community members to learn about and consider the immense benefits
of both measures in providing sustainable, equitable, and adequate funding for public education, teacher compensation, smaller class sizes, and expanded student support services. And be it further resolved that the board
directs the superintendent to share this combined resolution with stakeholders and the broader community to raise awareness of these vital efforts to support our schools and students adopted this 8th day of June 2026.
>> Thank you. Thank you for reading that. Is there any discussion on the motion? Director Roi, >> I would just like to go >> I would just like to go um on record just stating that I do take exception to
this legislation uh especially the initiative 195 u based on the premise that it does target um a certain group of people that are high income um earners in our state. Um I
feel like these are the people that are the um business leaders, the investors, the economy drivers and uh to ask them to take a greater percentage of the load of u public education
um on their shoulders I do not think is a a wise thing to do. For one thing, especially in our community, some of these uh highincome uh earners are the ones that invest by giving a lot into our public education.
So I um and that is my comment. Thank you. Any further discussion? Okay. Well, I would like to um express my support of this measure. Um you know, it was mostly all um carefully
delineated in the resolution. Um but these funds um will help to replace the funding that we were able to utilize during COVID. Uh we realized that we were able to do a lot of the measures that are on our strategic plan when we
were um when we had a little bit extra funding through the COVID relief dollars. We spent about $19 million a year on lowering our class sizes on providing those mental health supports for students and staff. Um those were the years that we were really able to
make our CTE offerings robust, increase our um dual enrollment for our students. Um and as we will be passing our budget later on, you can see um that 90% of funds spent in district 6 are to our
staff. Um so I am um I feel it strongly that we need these additional funds in order to pay our staff well, in order to um replace those those positions that unfortunately we've
had to lose. Um this also very specifically to our v voters will um benefit 99.2% of our voters voters and 100% of our students. So that also includes our students in charter schools as they would receive their share of that
funding. Um so that there is um my uh my two cents on this on this measure and I will be voting yes. Seeing no further discussion, uh, Miss Lemon, would you please give us a vote? >> Director Bentley,
>> nay. >> Director Campos Spitzy, >> I. >> Director Edmonds, >> I. >> Director Lamos Garcia, >> I. >> Director Mash, >> I. >> Director Roi, >> nay. >> Motion carries 42. >> I'm sorry, directors. Campos Fitzy, I didn't see you press your button.
>> I was just going to say that we we discussed it. There was a robust discussion during the work session. And so if you're interested to hear more of our individual comments, um you are welcome to uh tune in to the work session from earlier today. Thank you
for that. All right. The next item on our agenda is our budget adoption. This is a bud u an action item which will require a motion. >> I move that the board of education of Well County School District 6 approve the proposed budget for the 2026 2027
fiscal year. This includes a total appropriation of $475,996,667, the transfer of funds from the general fund, and the use of beginning fund balance where required as presented in the proposed budget document. >> We need a second, right? >> I do need a second.
>> I'll second it. >> Thank you. All right. And I see Mrs. Sponsor has come to the podium to to speak on this. >> Thank you. I just wanted to mention that we also presented this um budget document during the work session and so
I did not prepare a separate presentation. I think um we've had the opportunity to answer questions and again if people want to see that presentation they can watch the work session. I also want to note that the budget is found on our website under the
financial transparency link. So if you are curious you can look at the document online. Director Edmund. >> Yeah, I just want to um since I I heard that more people watch this meeting than
the the um work session, I do encourage folks to go to that just because there were a lot of great questions answered. I do want to again extend my appreciation to Megan and her team for the hard work they've put into this. Um, it's not easy when every year they keep telling us we get less and less money,
but we need to make sure that our kids are taken care of better. So, I uh I appreciate all the hard work that you do, not only now, but as we revisit it after student or account and and we revisit it in November and December,
that like your job doesn't stop today once we approve this. It's an ongoing continual conversation as we look at things more than just salary. I I appreciate the perspective of it and I do encourage the community to look at it. Great. Gives a good picture of our district that it's more than just that
person standing at the front of the classroom. It's our it's our transportation. It's our nutrition services. It's our folks who are making sure the lawns are taken care of and the schools are safe. And so there's so much that goes into this. Um I would encourage folks particularly to look at
the pages where there's a profile for each school that shows the what each family is facing in those schools. And I pointed this out in the earlier that that there's only one school that doesn't that falls below 50% free and reduced. So it provides a perspective of
what our teachers are facing every day. Um and so it's just a great robust wonderful for somebody who like finances are my thing. I feel like I'm like smart when I look through this thing. So really appreciate your hard work on that. Um and your ongoing hard work and
to your team as well. >> Thank you. Not seeing any further questions. Um I do thank you for pointing out that it is on the website. Um this is what it looks like in a binder form. It's over 200 pages. Um it is um quite easy for the
lay person to access this information and to understand it. Doc uh Mrs. sponsor gives a lot of great part bar graphs and piraphphs and then um as director Edmonds mentioned um the demographics of each of our schools which is just honestly kind of fun to
peruse. So um thank you to your team and Miss Lemon will you please give us a vote. Oh sorry just kidding. >> I'm sorry it's push it while I'm looking at it. >> Um I wanted to say it's so easy to find. Um, there must be a way through the
website, but you can also just Google Gley Evans District 6 budget 2026 to 2027 and it pops up. So, you can Google it. >> See, and your comments are just some great little tidbits, so I don't want to miss them. All right. Thank you for um,
Miss Lemon, please give us a vote. >> Director Bentley, I >> Dr. Campos Spitzy, I director Edmonds, I >> Dr. Lemos Garcia, I, >> Director Mash, I, >> Director Roi, I. Motion carries 6. >> Thank you. And back to you, Dr. Pelch for your report this evening.
>> Thank you so much, uh, President Mash. I just have three short things. First, I want to, uh, give a shout out, as you did, to Nicole Cox, um, who is one of our teachers at Hyman Elementary School. It's truly a big deal to have a semi finalist for the 2027 teacher, Colorado
Teacher of the Year. Um, and for us to have another semi-finalist after having just had, you know, the Colorado Teacher of the Year is really, just truly remarkable. And she's one of of 21 teachers who have been recognized as a semi-finalist. So, we're really excited for her. Um, we will not come back
together for a board meeting before our big school kickoff event. So, that event is August 1st at Island Grove. It does seem a little earlier than in the past because school the fall of where school starts is a little bit earlier. And so, um, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday,
August 1st at Island Grove. And we are still taking sponsorships and participants. Um, if there's interest in that, just go to our district website and search school kickoff and you can sign up to do that. And then I also want to give a final recognition to Mr. West
Tuttle, who is retiring after 35 years in district 6. Um he retires having been a teacher here for gifted and talented, a mathematics teacher at the secondary level at at some point in his career, an elementary teacher, an elementary principal, a director of schools and and
an assistant superintendent of elementary and uh Kate schools here in District 6. Just truly truly a remarkable leader with a remarkable career. He officially retired three years ago and has returned to us for the past three years for halftime. and he he
finally said, "It is time for me to go to Disneyland and to go be with my grandchildren and to go on those Disneyland cruises." So, u we're sending Wes and Mickey and and Goofy and Pluto off and um letting him finally retire,
but he should know he leaves having left an indelible mark on District 6. We are better for his leadership and I am certainly a better leader because of his leadership, his ethics, his high moral ground, his kindness, his compassion,
his wisdom, um, and his his just stick tuitiveness around public education. So, Wes, we're going to miss you. Maybe one day you'll decide to run to be a school board member. Who knows? Congratulations to you, Wes. Thank you, President Mash.
Poor Wes. We've made him be the center of attention all day in his honor. So, um the next item on our agenda is public participation. I do not believe we have anyone signed up to speak with us the
evening. So, the next item is to approve our consent agenda. I move that the board of education agree in school district 6 approves items as presented on the consent agenda and authorizes the officers to sign any and all contracts. >> I'll second that. >> Thank you. Well, um is there any
discussion on the motion? Make >> sure. All right. Um seeing no discussion, will you please give us a vote? Miss Lemon. >> Director Bentley. >> I. >> Director Campos Fitzy. >> Hi. >> Director Edmonds. >> I. Director Limus Garcia >> I. >> Director Mash >> I.
>> Director Roi >> I. >> Motion carries 6. >> The next item on our agenda is revisions to policy DKA payroll information. This is an action item. >> I move that the board of education of Girley Evans School District 6 approves
a revision of policy DKA payroll information as presented. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion on the motion? When we are revising policy, often it is just cleaning up some shells and wills, etc. We've all had a chance to look at
this and so Miss Lemon, will you please give us a vote? >> Director Benley, >> I. >> Director Campos Spitzy, >> I. >> Director Edmonds, >> I. >> Director Lamos Garcia, >> I. >> Director Mash, >> I. >> Director Roi, >> I. Motion carries 6. Well, >> thank you all for being in attendance this evening. Please enjoy your summer
and we will see you back in August. This meeting is adjourned. Heat. Heat.