All right. Like to welcome everybody uh to our Montazuma Cortez School Board meeting. Uh today is May 19th, 6 PM and we will start with our pledge of
allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> And I would just like to quickly review
our uh school board or school district vision and mission. Uh our vision is for Montazuma Cortez schools inspire resilience, lifelong learning and civic purpose by fostering high expectations,
critical thinking and accountability in a safe and diverse environment. And our mission as stated as we strive to become a district of choice, we celebrate diversity, build meaningful relationships, and open doors to personal growth and a world of
possibilities for every student. All right, let's move on. Do we have a call to order, please? >> We have seven board members in attendance tonight. We're using microphones. The meeting's being recorded and broadcast on YouTube, and we're using diligent community for our electronic voting.
>> Very good. Oh, I don't think I I recognize the those in attendance today. Thank you for coming and supporting uh our students and thank you to those that are joining us virtually as well. Right. We will go on to set our agenda.
>> Um I move to approve the agenda with the following change. That the administrative contract renewal recommendations are removed from the consent agenda and placed as a separate action item after 9H.
>> I second the motion. online voting is now available. Oh, actually um Deb uh move to after 9H is what I said. Okay. I don't Did you Do you guys see
that on your side? >> Do you want me to resend it? >> Yeah, resend that. Okay, online voting is now available. See if you have a new new wording. >> My previous vote shows can I just leave
it or shall I revote? >> Um, it is there, I think. Did you vote four? Okay. Okay. Yeah, you're fine. Thank you, >> Director Hall. Did you get your vote?
>> I did not. >> How do you vote, sir? >> Motion passes unanimously. See if I can show the results on the screen. Hey, it's working tonight. >> Very good. >> So far so good. >> All right, then we will move on to our
first presentation. um >> with the elementary restructuring a two-year plan. >> Yes, sir. President Shamway, members of the board, I ask for a little bit of
grace because this is a confusing uh initiative and time. It's all beginning in the first phase of what you've heard preliminary a little bit over the past two months. And the second phase that
we'll talk briefly about is not even been discussed or explored at the campus and staff level as the first initiative about the NEES. The staff were in it was introduced to the staff at an elementary
summit and then they began to study it. Then they got to visit the district that hosts this model and then they got to make a decision about uh on their own if they wanted to implement this change for the coming 26 27th school year. So it'll
be a little bit more evident as we go through this PowerPoint. You also have the PowerPoint at your side because it has my speaker notes. And uh I want to jump around on the slides. So the first slide which is page one uh is a presentation over a two-year phase
approach to elementary restructuring design for our school district. uh we are combining strong instructional practices because we talked about the tier one uh quality and improvement on that and also some non-negotiables that
you'll see in some later slides. And the purpose of this was to have also in the next phase innovative staffing to better serve students and unbburden the teachers to focus on instructional data driven instruction.
So I might beg to uh communicate to you that this isn't a sudden change. It's a strategic phase implementation. So with that said, I'm going to slide four in the PowerPoint and it talks about the first year which is a 2627
school year which is year one in the foundation year and we are intentionally not changing any staffing roles. We are not changing the master schedule other than reducing the number of minutes for some of the course subjects. Uh this
school year reading had 120 minutes and uh next year we're looking at 90 minutes for reading and that's because there's a 45minute win time that's built in the schedule for this coming year. We begin shifting the pract practice through shared intervention
responsibility and we're building strong systems that have consistency and instructional clarity. On on page five, the key design focus areas uh is about the instruction model and they're bulleted there for your
review of some non-negotiable points. This model is based on the direct instruction model. The I do, we do, you do tier one quality components. Uh we had explained before to the board that this is the number one instructional
methodology uh that has the most effective student outcomes. And that is proven in the uh United States Department of Education's research study that uh was done in the
70s uh by the government. the whole group instruction daily and progress monitoring the wind time for tier two and a level system that informs where students uh will go for win time whether
they go to tier 2 uh retach with a core teacher or whether they go to enrichment in advancement for those students that are on level or above level to the enrichment team center. So all students are advancing uh from their point uh
where they start the academic year. The common pacing and guaranteed daily curriculum is some of the uh key design focus area. So in summary, we're tightening tier one instruction across all the classrooms. Every classroom will
consistently use the I do, we do, you do. And the win time becomes a daily intervention system that's not optional. the page six uh about individual planning
for the 26 2 uh 7 academic year. Uh we want the first day to be used for u team kind of planning about the new curriculum. uh and also about grading
communication with parents and lesson refinement on the Tuesday through Thursday. Later on in the presentation, we'll hear about a a staffing efficiency model that calls for two planning periods and that
would be in year two. Again, if the staff elects it has not begun to be steadied, it would begin in January of 2027. In addition, I've been in communication with CDE about being a participant uh in
a grant application that is going in this Friday uh to the US Department of Education and for this uh innovation efficient staffing model. On
page seven, uh the daily schedule as we mentioned is a literacy block of 90 minutes, a math block of 90 minutes, a win time of 45 minutes, and also the content block shared of science and social studies, embedded team planning on Mondays and individual planning
Tuesday through Thursday. And this is by not changing the master schedule what it looks like for the 2627 school year. So we begin standardizing the elementary schedule throughout all our elementarymentaries. This ensures consistency across campuses and
instructional uh equity for students. It also allows us to better align intervention and instruction that is daily. The staffing model on slide on page eight has a transitional where we maintain the
traditional classroom teacher assignments as was this school year and then we introduced the concept of shared responsibility for intervention groups and that's crossclass grouping during win time. no major title changes and uh
we need to have some stability for the coming year to understand all the dynamics of this model. On page nine, the next slide, the curriculum and data systems, we have tight alignment with the Colorado academic standards with
common assessment and weekly dating data meeting on Mondays uh in year one, but also expanded in year two. So these are some strengths or focus areas of our foundational first year in
the 26 27th school year. Also, it focuses on principal training on master scheduling, protecting planning time for the teachers, and monitoring instructional consistency. We've learned that principles play a critical role in protecting this model,
and their focus is scheduling, protecting planning time, and monitoring instruction in the classroom. Leadership consistency will determine success. Also on page 11 of the PowerPoint, some success metrics in the first year would
be the evidence of whole group direct instruction that the principal would monitor and be able to coach with the teachers regarding that functioning win intervention blocks. again the protected planning time and
the improved instructional quality and consistency across the classrooms. This slide while rather small uh is a visual for you about the I do we do you do the learning targets the success criteria
uh the teachers models and thinking the practice with support and the independent practice that students can go on to when they dis demonstrated mastery in the check for understanding portion of the teacher. Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt your
presentation. Can you tell us a little bit more of that because I can't read anything on that slide. >> Yes, sir. Uh, so I do the teacher models for uh the students. Uh the we do is we do it together the teacher and the students
and then the you do is when we go to that phase when teachers have de uh students have demonstrated in the we do phase that they are able to master and comprehend this. This repetition is very uh a key success
point for students routine daily in grappling with new information. And so uh those are the components of that slide. Then on page 13 we have the
year two that no one has explored or talked or anything. This is the first time. Uh I try to uh begin that steady uh depending if we're successful on the grant with CDE, but I
also have backup budget planning not for next school year uh that the board will see later in the month of May when we have the budget workshop number four I believe >> three >> three. Thank you. So the year two
is a Arizona State University model uh that is used in about 17 states throughout the nation and it involves a a different design. We have been undergoing uh difficulty in recruiting
teachers and finding the abundance of teachers that are licensed uh uh in the district uh since I've been here in 2022. It also is a model that is based on team teaching. It's a model where helps where
student behavior, student management, student instruction because it's a team of adults which is led by a master teacher. Uh then another resident licensed teacher and then also a pair
professional. Uh I've been to see several models in the state of Colorado. One is in Canyon City. Also, it's being done in Montro and there's several other nearby districts as well. U so this
process uh is totally dependent upon the staff's willingness to want to implement or move to this. If not, we continue to go with the first foundation one model which is being implemented in the 26
27th school year. This slide just shows and talks about some of the uh components of the team the power of three and uh we also had tried to answer that in the prequests but uh we were back and forth because of
the terminology that's used in the NEES model and what they call uh they don't call that a team of three it looks different because every teacher like in the traditional model has their assigned number of students. We're also working with principles at all level about their
staffing uh and have asked for uh for them and their leadership teams to create master schedules and what their needs are and the district office and the finance director and myself have been attentive to their wants and needs
and working with them. Uh so that that staffing request that they have is built into and you'll see when we go to the budget workshop number three. Got the number right this time? Uh on May the 28th
>> sixth. All right. May the 26th. So there are different systems that are being moved. One is a budget process building for next year. Two is a staffing model. Three is a principal request for
additional staffing. Four is also uh the method of in the secondary of other topics like the blended uh traditional model with online and three different versions. I've attended the middle school and high school parent
orientation meeting conversation about that. And so it's exciting to see uh the attentiveness of the and ownership of the campus leadership and teachers and also the parents willingness to listen
and questions that they've asked and uh I think both presentations have have been uh spot on and uh we're looking at two different models that are happening in elementary and then one that's happening in secondary. So, sorry for
getting off task on the PowerPoint, but I just wanted to uh explain and there's more slides there with the speaker notes for your benefit. And I think I'll leave it that and and uh ask entertain any questions the board have,
but right now a lot of it is unknown because it's in the beginning phase of exploration. It's I'm sorry if I confuse you but it's a it's a different uh system thinking for how the structure of staff is. The
number one point that I can tell you about the elementary model that it unburdens them from the lesson plan. It unburdens them if you go to the team uh the second year with a team teaching about having no isolation in the
classroom but to be with other educators and dealing with 75 to 100 students not at one time. That master schedule looks different about how that rotation occurs. But when you have more adults in the room, you're able to meet all the students that maybe are not being
successful in one of those I do, we do or you do uh model about the direct teach. In June, we have the campuses that want to come and and uh talk to the board about uh the foundation one first year
and uh later on we're asking for uh approval of theou with Houston ISD and also with the changing of the benchmark to the HM uh textbook adoption. That's one of the adopted lists on the uh CDE
list. And uh this is where most of the curriculum that's provided free and no charge by Houston ISD and theou has been reviewed by our legal as well Adele Rester and uh so all the different
components and checks and balances are coming together. >> Can you help me understand this team teaching? So you said it can serve up to 75 to 100 students. So, how does that rotate work and what class size are we looking at at a time?
>> Uh, they have different options to pick and Arizona State would facilitate those discussions with the principal and all the teachers and they have several options to pick from on that. But usually there's a rotation with uh the
specials, other things that we offer uh students. And so uh they're able to rotate with that team, those 75 kids through specials and with that team of three or four teachers for reading, math, the core subjects. And so the
diversity of the adults that make up that team have uh team meetings every Monday and they discuss every day the curriculum slides and the curriculum that's being implemented and who will be responsible for teaching and leading on each component. All of them are involved
there in the teaching but one takes the lead for the presentation of that information and then all the other adults are within the different groups of students for that are assigned there. you know, anywhere from 20 to 22 students in the at one time and they're
able to have more adult to student ratio with those students for instruction. >> So, it wouldn't be like a team of three to cover like all third graders. It would would there be multiple teams to cover that age, >> right? It will never be more than 125 students
for a team, but mostly it falls in between 75 and uh above, but ne never over 125. So we're always so this is preliminary because uh but those are good questions and that's what the staff will also ask and then start
understanding and then make decisions and if they choose to fine if they don't we stick with the foundation one that we're doing this coming year 26 27 >> what's the initial buyin from the administrative staff at the elementary
schools? Are they >> initially on board or >> they're all they're on board and I want them to tell or explain that to the board on the June work session. >> Okay. >> So they'll be here with their leadership teams. >> Sounds good. >> Yes, sir. >> So is this proposed for kindergarten
through fifth grade >> for the Yes. for the for the tier one first year? Yes. >> Okay. >> But it looks different in the K through two because it's emergency emergent. So, you know, it's uh uh it's still the
single classroom assignment with extra staff because we're looking at the number of students per teacher. Uh so, the preliminary discussion has been not so much to be so tight about right sizing. Uh especially with the carryover
fund balance that the district commands. Uh so uh when times were tight and things had to be balanced that might have been effective at the time but now with uh Danielle what is that carryover amount now roughly
just a rough educated guess about 21 >> so right now we're at 21 million and I anticipate a surplus again this year. Yep. So, uh, we need to be more attentive that we're staff so that the
staff has optimum instructional time with kids and not stress and over over schedule with students and those kind of things. And it also to be honest is a freedom to uh have staffing designs that are conducive to teacher uh retention,
teacher uh stamina and also timely interaction with students uh when you have less and you're able to uh hopefully interact more with students and especially with a win time with a tier 2 intervention. So, I know it's a
broad answer, but uh it starts to affect everything when you have lower staff. >> So, um my understanding of how what we're calling intervention time works in the elementary school or has worked. It seems like it's it's varied over the
years, but there's already tiered interventions where um during intervention time there will be um kind of a separation out viability. Um so this is seems to be presenting that as a new thing which is confusing
to me because I think that's something that we're already doing. >> I think it's because we never had we expected the teacher to do retach for those who didn't master at tier one instruction. And then we also expected them to uh which we never have gotten to
that level about enrichment for the gifted or those that are above level. So there's there's those that are all level and above that level and then there the there's some students that are even higher and we expect the teacher to do those three or two different groups and
then we expect them also to retach those that aren't getting it. And so that's a a heavy burden. >> But I recall my daughter like will move to a different classroom during that intervention time. And so they are going
with a different teacher um based on their leveled ability. >> There are there is some of that and that that's one technique. Yes. >> Okay. So, how is this different than that other than the the um the testing,
>> the rigor and the pacing of it, the delivery of it in tier one? >> Okay. >> And and the the level system which gives you uh everyday assessment data of which group they're going to participate in, whether they stay in tier 2 or whether they go into the team center.
>> So, oh sorry just >> but they can divide it. You are right. can divide it even more with other specials but sometimes uh the other specials are not teachers they're paraprofessionals but there sometimes it is teachers it just depends but every teacher has their core tier one that
they have to I mean tier two that they have to do so you're already uh limiting the exposure that kids all level or above have an opportunity to interact with I mean I can understand what's appealing
about the model um having the pacing guides and the slides and the immediate assessments and the grouping strategies, but what I'm trying to understand is this seems to me like it requires um more staffing than we have right now. >> That's correct.
>> Um not less. >> No, it calls for more. Um >> it it calls for uh an instructional additional instructional coaches for every 125 students. And it calls for uh
teacher apprentices which are uh degreed uh personnel but not licensed. And it calls for one of those for every 125. So you start to have more staff. While it's not the team teaching yet, it's almost close to it. and there's that additional
support staff is helping with that. >> So, um what I'm trying to understand is we already have gaps and staffing um for what our staffing staffing model is right now. Um and when we're looking at the
beginning of the next school year, that that's not that far out, >> correct? >> Weeks away. Um, so how many overall staff for the elementary schools are we going to how many certified teachers to be fully
staffed? How many paraprofessionals to be fully staffed? How many interventionists? >> So >> um including our our current vacancies. >> Right. So at Mesa we're currently staffed at all the vacancies that we have. uh Keer, we're moving fast on that
and we're catching up, but we're adding additional staff above that and those are the ones that we have been holding tight. We've put in the budget, but we need to get approval so we can go on and get to and implement that without and
I'm waiting for the budget for the approval when the board adopts the budget. So, do you have an estimate of how many how many of each category need to be hired and recruited? >> Correct. I have uh two instructional coaches in addition to Keer to the one
that's there. I need one more instructional coach for Mesa because of the student number of 288 while Keer has 350 range. It fluctuates around there. uh and then from there uh I'm looking very
closely at the paraprofessional count and so part of that is based on a review of where we have pair professionals out now throughout the district and I would like the first wave to be uh validation of where they are now and if not to
reassign for the elementarymentaries and then of course recruit new and we also want to do the grow your own in that area for professionals to be licensed teachers because right now we have that opportunity with Fort Lewis that's offering that uh program that uh for a
teaching certificate for pair professionals and uh we also work with PEBC for the alternative lensure route for our teacher apprentices and so Mr. Schmidt and I go back and forth on the terms of what these different positions
are called and part of it is mine because of the mixture of two different types of programs here. But it all both call for additional staff and >> we feel we feel pretty confident that we'll be closer or be able to. Now I me
earlier I mentioned that the team teaching is an opportunity to have more additional adults whether they're degreged or whether they're pair professionals under a master teacher and just to have more adults helps with the delivery instruction and training that
goes with that. But uh I I'm seeing success in the recruitment and hiring of teachers and I'm not talking about J1s. talking about teachers here and they go through the college systems here in in Colorado.
>> So when you say instructional coaches, help me understand what you mean by instructional coach. >> Uh well, we have uh Emily Pearson at Mesa is the instructional coach there and Julie Eagles at Keer. Uh and so
those are degree master licensed people that are in those positions. So are they coaching the teachers or are they working as interventionists with the kids? >> It's been it's been a model that's least effective because they're doing
interventionist as a pull out. >> Okay. >> And this other model >> so they're working with students. >> Yeah. >> On closing the gap. >> And and this other model would call for the coaches to go into the classrooms with the teachers. It also calls for all our parah professionals like we have uh
an an ELD or we have uh uh Native American uh parah or we have the different programs of ESS and so we want those to be pushing in the classroom to have more adults working with kids and
and that's part of the answer to some of the parah assistance but I that is doable. >> Mr. Ramirez, have you received um specific requests by grade by classroom
for additional teacher staff? I'm I'm assuming that not all classrooms look the same. Not all grades look the same in the sense that they need one full team of each. Maybe one team
looks like two lead teachers and one team coach and one instructional coach. >> And just because of, you know, I'm thinking of the high number of IEPs and 504s that we have in our district, I am sure that there are some classrooms that
are a lot more challenging than others in terms of numbers and in thinking of 75 to 100 students per grade, that could be a lot. >> Well, >> when it comes to when it comes to a single leader,
And that's why I'm trying to be clear because you're talking about two models. You're talking one about the teen teaching model and then you're talking one about the traditional model that we have now with kids assigned to one teacher. But in that model, we're trying
to add more staff because we want to eventually prepare for when we it can be more than three in the second year. It can be what we call the team of four. And so different groups and different uh
levels call for different amount of adults. It's uh much more difficult when you're beginning to emerge in literacy and numeracy acquisition like in the early grades, kinder and first and then it gets a little bit more manageable
with less adults when you have upper grades, but they still need more more staff for the upper grades too. So you are flexible and fluid when it comes to the lower grades especially potentially needed more supports in the classrooms. >> Right. >> Right. >> Thank you.
>> But what's difficult in all this is that you're in one year one and then you're planning to make the jump to provide more support in year two. And that's that's not the it's I don't want to call it awkwardness, but that's the dynamics
of how it evolves to get to even a more efficient step in for instruction. Yeah. >> I have a question for you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Mr. Ramirez, um, what feedback have you received on such a scripted, rigid
curriculum, you know, like the just in general servicing the kids? >> Mr. Schmidt, you want to address that because you went on that trip as well and working with the campuses.
>> Yeah. So, the the the teachers that we were able to bring with us on that trip uh were and a lot of them are here today and so they can probably speak to this as well. Um they were very impressed with the model. They weren't concerned about um the idea of scriptedness
because what is being scripted is not hey this is what you say all day long. there. What what's being provided is the resources that take the load off of teachers plates so that they can focus on the instructional component in the classroom. Being attentive to the students, what they're learning, what
they're missing. It gives them the opportunity to retach that they don't have right now in a in a leveled way so that they can really focus on the students who haven't mastered it. Those are daily uh differentiations. They're not tracked into a particular group, but it's every day. How are they doing? Can
I can I have an opportunity to retach? Um, but you know, I haven't spoken with every teacher in our district about this, but I have spoken to all of the teachers who went on the trip, and I didn't hear from any teacher that that they thought that this was a bad model. In fact, they were very receptive to the model and felt it would be highly
effective. The other thing is is a lot of this is what we already do. The lesson plan template that we utilize um is the Maline Hunter style lesson plan. We already write lesson plans in that way. um coaching of teachers. We already are providing coaching with teachers,
but this ramps up the coaching so that it's more immediate and more real time to have more uh an impact quick more quickly. Um we already have a lot of the engagement strategies built in as a part of our vision of instruction which is
modeled after the get better faster um methodology that has been adopted by our district. So, it's not really a dramatic change. It's providing more resources and making it more consistent across the board. We want a student who, you know, attends
classroom A to have the same experience as a student attends classroom B. What we don't want is the teacher who the the parents who have the influence or have the luck of their kid going to classroom A, their kid gets a great experience and classroom B doesn't. Um it this provides
teachers with tools so that they can you know if they are beginning teacher or a teacher that maybe requires a little bit more development it provides them with tools so that they can perform at a higher level than they would otherwise. So I I know that there's some some idea
out there that hey you know we have to just let teachers do whatever they want have all the autonomy they want. I'm not saying this is your idea, but some some feel that, you know, they just need all the autonomy in the world to be able to do whatever they want in the classroom. Those days are gone. You know, we're in a we're in a day in a in a in a period
of time now where we have standards that we're accountable to and we're on a 4-day school week where we have to get through a lot in a short period of time. And so, if we don't maximize the instructional time and we're teaching bell-to-bell highly effectively, then our kids are not going to keep up. >> Perfect. Thank you.
>> You're welcome. May I just ask sorry >> just a quick followup question Mr. Schmid how many total staff in the elementary schools are there between >> staff or teachers >> just to teachers
>> in all the elementary schools. >> So Lewis is a is a onetrack system and so they have six classroom teachers they have one special education teacher and they have one specialist teacher. Did I get that right Angie? >> And okay one I I miss I thought I said
that but I think I said the wrong word. Um uh Mesa is a combination of a two track three track depending on the size of the grade level. Um is Melissa still here? How many teachers do you have right now? >> And how and two specialist teachers and
>> so how many is that total? >> I don't have all the numbers. that off of hand off hand, but it's >> guesstimate >> about 24 at Mesa and Keer has a few more because there are three track and all but one grade level
>> and a total of out of all these how many went to the conference or the presentation? >> We were able to bring three people per campus. So, one lead teacher or one teacher, one uh interventionist, one administrator.
We also brought our our prek director. Um so, in total there were four administrators plus myself and there were six teachers.
>> And how how was the information relayed back to the entire staff when you got back? Was there survey was there presentation of the material where they were >> I think that's a great question to give you the best answer I think that the principles could answer that question
because they they were the ones that conducted that >> by exact words also could we ask the elementary principles to come forward to address that >> question select who got to go how was that
>> we asked the principles to invite their interventionists and also one of their lead teachers. >> Hi everybody. Um so this is Miss Sock from Lewis. Uh when we returned from the trip to Houston, Lewis held multiple
staff meetings where I basically had the two teachers that went with me present what they saw. Um and we asked for comments and some feedback on that. And so that was over the course of probably the last three weeks. And I think we've probably had multiple staff meetings and then conversations one-on-one in the
hall. Um, and then I chose staff based on availability. It was right before state testing, so like a class couple of classroom teachers weren't able to go. Um, so I took my lead teacher, Miss McGee, who was our reading interventionist, and I took my second grade teacher, um, Miss Wallace, um,
because it's kind of a pivotal grade for us. Um, and the model in Houston really focuses on this switching grades three through five, but I knew she would be interested in this, so I wanted her to see it to see if it was something she wanted to do.
Any questions on that? >> Thank you. Um, I'm at Mesa Melissa Carver. Um, and we followed a similar process. I chose my teacher based on an old like an upper elementary teacher because I knew this was gonna affect them probably the most
um from my leadership team also Miss Pearson who is our interventionist and instructional coach. Um, and then when we got back, we met as a team, and then we held a staff meeting to kind of present it, get questions from teachers, um, and then I've met one-on-one with
many of them, um, to get feedback. We have some sample materials that I have not shared with everyone yet, but we are going to do that uh, depending on the outcome of this. So, >> thank you. >> Good evening board. Plet Porter,
principal at Keer. Uh, I took Julie Engel, who is with me tonight. She's my reading interventionist and or reading coach for Keer. And then Dana Cyra, who had a prior obligation, could not be here tonight. She's my fifth grade teacher and a team lead in the building.
Um, she was selected. She's leadership. I knew she was a teacher that was returning and just kind of a driving force in that upper intermediate hallway. Um, again with state testing, um, not everyone was available. Um, Dana was my first my first mindset there is
is, um, someone that would be, um, a good lens for me to gauge because she doesn't hold anything back. So, you're going to know exactly where she stands and so and exactly what she thinks. So, that was that that that's always helpful. Um, we met as a team when we
came back and then we met with whole staff later and I I handed it over to Julie and Dana and and they and they drove that presentation. I was there to answer questions. Um, have told like I've have not had a lot of follow-up conversations with staff that will be
coming again. we are this team is we've got our thoughts together along um with information and met with Melissa and Angie um kind of going from this point forward. So >> thank you. >> Thank you M Porter.
>> I ask one more person to come up and that would be Katie Nelson. Katie, can you tell me how this is going to improve services for ESS students >> or I mean Sorry. >> Good evening. Um, so looking at this
model, um, to Mr. Ramirez's point of doing a lot of pushin services for our special program students with plans, um, and making sure that that targeted instruction is embedded in an inclusion model. But then in addition, there's a
45 minute um intervention block where pullout services can take place as well for students that have those pull out services on their hes. But it also embeds those other service um those special programs of our EL ELLL kids and
um 504 students have accommodations. Those will still continue to be embedded in the general education setting. >> Perfect. Thank you. So in which way if you can explain to me does this retain instructors
anybody how how does this retain the staff instructors teachers pair of professionals I'm manner. >> I'm sorry. Could you repeat that, Miss >> How does it retain? I'm just curious >> how how does it
>> You say retention is broad throughout these pages. I'm just curious. >> Good question. Good question. Well, it shares the the load in the work uh that's important uh for all student outcomes, for all students. Uh, I think
it rejuvenates the staff because they're not isolated in their room all day working and to fend for themselves and that you have more adults to deal with the instruction but also with the behavior. Um, and you give them ownership of it for
that and they get to make datadriven instruction decisions that they sometimes didn't have time uh for when they were in a model where they're isolated in one room. I think it was a model that served well for a time but
this day and age uh where all the levels where students are at and what we schools are facing it's a team approach eventually if we go to the second year but in the first year you're already having that teaming effect by doing the pushin model with all these different
programs that you heard uh speak up here and the other benefit is that it allows us to expand on the special rotations Because shouldn't all students have exposure to music? Shouldn't all students have exposure to
art? Shouldn't all students have exposure to lifelong sports uh that uh enrich uh them as far as pickle ball, golf, tennis, etc. So uh this is about a
holistic approach to the child as far as their self-esteem and wellness and love of wanting to come to school. And I think uh before uh don't get me wrong for accreditation and for schools to do well but it's
school is more than just the testing. It's about what we uh want for our children uh going forward. and we don't know what their aspirations are going to be. So, uh you can already see in the middle school where the CTE is coming
down with some of the offerings that they have for the online that they haven't had before. It's allowed us to expand what we're offering students and families. So, it's an exciting time, but that's how it helps with the retention
of staff. It seems like it would be valuable in the sense that not all students get along with all teachers. So if you have a mixture, >> right, >> then some can >> connect better with others. >> You're correct because there's different
staff that have different skills in that >> and they'll be able to adjust and work with that child. So you're right >> along those lines, has there been a discussion about the younger grades um like kindergarten and first in particular where um those children's
really uh really identify a strong bond usually with their teacher. So I'm just wondering where maybe a larger group mixing might be okay for fourth and fifth, but I know kindergarten they're like little ducklings with their kinder
teachers. >> Yep. Yep. in that area, we had to work on being lower studenttoteer ratio. Uh but also uh because I was an early childhood principal of a 10,00 student
uh membership campus of prek and kindergarten and my prek program was half day and my kindergarten was full day. But what better than to learn from your peers? I had mixed prek and kinder
because half am prek would be with five prek with 10 kindergarten students and they were able to advance uh in their learning and their language acquisition because they had a large population of bilingual also and so uh
kids are very resilated and adaptable but this is Dr. Dit is correct about building relationships that great at that age level because uh you have to develop trust and so uh it really
the next phase is to look at beach and it's embedded in elementary schools because they're isolated now they're and right now we only offer prek for those who qualify that are either ESS or the language uh issue and all other students
students that aren't in that category don't get the opportunity to come to prek. And so, uh, where it's best to invest the energy and the staffing and money is to begin prek for everybody that elect. Parents elect.
Some parents do not because they do a wonderful job of interacting with their child, reading to their child, providing experiences for their child, and that's okay. But eventually they have to have the social skills to deal with a group when they come to public school. If they
come to public school, they may go to private school or charter or something different. U there's a lot of variables in there that you're correct Dr. Dit that at that age it uh it looks a little bit different
but uh it's still very powerful about how you mix children and how you instruct children uh that are emerging and how they learn from each other. Also, I hope that answers the question. I didn't want to dance around it. >> May I? >> Yeah, go ahead. Go ahead.
>> I just Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to clarify because I thought the question you asked was and I could be incorrect, but with this model, were you asking if the kinder and first and potentially second grade students would be switching, you know, at that 45 minute block?
>> Yeah, because I had asked which grades it affected and I was told kindergarten through fifth grade. So I'm, you know, I know they switch for specials and things like that, but having like a group of shared responsibility for 75 kindergarteners seems >> Mr. Ramirez, are you okay if I address
that? So I I think based based on that, so this is addressing K5 in terms of the curriculum, the instructional slides, but the kindergarten, first graders, and based on the schools, it's up to the school like what grades are going to implement this. second grade possibly
will not be doing that switch at the 45 minutes. So, there's still carpet time for 10 minutes, 15 minutes. And the K my my um ideal with this is kindergarten first and possibly second are still going to look the same. It's just the curriculum, the program that we're using is going to be different. It'll be slide
based. It'll primarily be grades three, four, and five that would be switching at that 45minute block and then up to the individual schools if they want to do second. Does that make sense? So, I don't think you're going to see anything different in those lower levels other than um you know what material they
might have. It might be coming. It's all the the stuff off of the slides potentially, but they'll still have phonics in the afternoon and have different stuff going on and there'll be still heavy movement just like there is now. >> Well, we are looking at the number of students per teacher at that level. And
we're blessed to have uh Andrea Martinez here, our director for prek. Could you thank you talk a little bit about that? because she got to go to Houston and she saw also those grade levels. >> So, the preschool model was a little bit different. Um, the lesson plans were
still wrote out for the preschools and I went to every they had 11 preschool classrooms in the first preschool that I got to visit and all of those classrooms were doing the same thing at the exact same time. So, they were all learning about the same lesson. the teachers
modified it a little bit depending on their classroom. There were, I think, seven bilingual classrooms, but um they still followed the same model that the elementaryaries followed. It was just modified for preschool, but you know, you could go into any
classroom and they were all doing the exact same thing at the exact same time and they were all on the same schedule. Um, one of the biggest things that I noticed was the classroom management because of the coaching that they had that, you know, the kids were on point. You know, you weren't seeing a lot of
those behaviors and things because they knew what was expected of them and they knew what to do and if the lead teacher needed to step away for a second, their aid knew to step right in and take over. So, I think that coaching is a big part
of it. And also just having someone there who can step in like you do need to have another adult that can >> well and yeah that's you know the principal is in there coaching the teachers. There was a coach that went with the principal. He went around with her weekly and did observations for the
teachers. So the coaching piece is the huge part of it. But and that and the structure, you know, just having it all laid out so everybody knows what's expected. They knew um what words they were supposed to learn. They knew it was just really
structured. So, >> do you guys have any other questions? >> Um, this one is probably a little bit more for Mr. Ramirez, but what happens if we're not able to hire sufficient staff
to support this model by the beginning of the school year? >> Yeah, we we have that issue now when we don't find certified st for some of the vacant. But that's what I'm trying to turn around and uh that's why I've asked the board to increase the pay also in
this round of budget adoption. But uh I'm working hard on that all summer long also because this model also allows you to when a teacher is absent, you're allowed to cover with one of those persons. So I
really want to data m I mean uh uh recruit from the substitutes uh pool that we have to have additional staffing for uh this initiative. So, uh, but I'll let Justin and Rhonda speak about that
because they hear from me every day and, uh, about recruitment and about being innovative and we face this and bus driver shortage and all the things that we've done to not have that shortage. So, uh, being in the southwest region of
the state presents different, uh, difficulties at time for staffing, but it's also how welcome the new hires and the work environment that they're going to be working in and not being isolated by themselves, subing for or hiring for
one teacher to 20 students. So, I think the model helps for recruitment. Also, >> one of the Excuse me. One of the benefits is having that teacher apprentice person in the classroom when a when a teacher is not able to be there, whether it's part of the day or
all of the day, they can step in and there's not a drop in instruction like there is if like a sub who's not a familiar with the curriculum comes in. I have had conversations uh with Britney Lang at PEBC. She has already some people in mind that can step in in a teacher apprentice role. We have some
teachers uh some pair professionals in our district that have expressed interest in becoming teachers and and and going through an apprentice program to become a teacher. There's two different apprentice. One is within our district and one is for lensure. Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse, but there's two different types of
apprentices. Um, the other thing that I would say is probably or is definitely the case is it doesn't matter what model we operate if we can't find staff. Whe whether it's this model or whether it's our current model or whether it's some other model that we've never heard of.
If we can't find staff, we're in a bind regardless. The benefit of this model is that it gives you extra bodies so that when you are short, you can plug those people in and not have a a gap in learning. The other thing that I would say is that
since the board has um raised salaries, both the last board and this board, and we're at a point now, I've seen a lot more applications come in in the elementary than I have previously seen. We're still trying to fill some positions, but there's there's
more applicants coming in. We have doing more interviews and we're doing them earlier in the in the season. So, I'm I'm more hopeful now that we'll have less vacancies than than I would have been in prior years. My concern is that we implement a model that requires more staffing, but we um
if we start without that support, then um our staff are asked to to implement a model without the tools that they need for that support. Um, and I know, um, it's really,
um, you know, I every year my daughter's been in school, there have been staffing issues where a teacher unexpectedly leaves. So, an administrator is filling that position and then you have um some gaps where that administrator isn't able to do all of the coaching or the
behavior mitigation. Um, and so I think it's um, well, I like to be hopeful. It's a little bit of magical thinking to not say, well, that's probably going to happen every year that something um, isn't going to happen. So, you know, this model admittedly requires more
staff. >> I want to maybe push back on that just a little bit. And the reason I say that is in its optimal operation, it would require more staffing. Yes. Because you're adding a body to a classroom that's an instructional support person.
However, that instruction can still be done with those mi with those same materials and with the same coaching model without that additional body. That's not ideal. Just like right now in some of our grade levels, we have a a pair professional because they have a high number of
students. Could it could that class continue? Could instruction continue without that extra body? Yes. But does that extra body again regardless of model provide additional support, additional uh lower ratios? you know, a person to step in when somebody's gone.
Yeah, it does that, but it's not required for the model to be implemented. It's just required if we're going to have the the best possible scenario is yes, we have those all filled. >> I just am confused how one teacher is going to do the kids who in the win time
who are, you know, at below and above. I mean that's that seems to be like the part where you need extra staff or that more smaller group intervention for the kids who are struggling or who need more. >> So right and and the master schedule
isn't changing for next year. It's still the same master schedule as far as uh the student rotation. So uh and where it grows to bigger numbers and why we need additional staff is a team center
because a number that stays with a core teacher for win time is a smaller number of kids that need more intensive retaching but then the team center has uh more staff and I mean more students and
that's why we need more staffing for that rotation and uh Before we only rotated to specials. We didn't have a team center. That's the new thing. Uh so uh we don't move to the second model if we can't make the first model fully
staff. It can still survive because it's still keeping the same schedule that we have this year. But that's the safety net, the check that if you can't get the staff to make that next year's jump that is hasn't even been bought. There hasn't been a buy in
yet. It hasn't even presented. They haven't even explored yet. So, that question's a little We're ahead of ourselves until they to see if they're going to want that. But then we have that year and a half to build that extra staff. So, there were two phrases that were
used during the presentation. One is datadriven instruction and the other one is get better faster. And uh I'd like to suggest that uh for any of the board members who are interested that the district offer to purchase those two
books as a resource for that board member. I have some I have some copies in my office if anybody needs some >> when it comes to recruitment for the grow your own. Have we looked at our graduating class? Like is that are they
too young or is it just something that wouldn't be considered a good recruiting place or is it an idea? So there's a couple of of ways that the grow your own has worked and one is with our pair professionals who have expressed an interest in getting a
bachelor's degree in a teaching field and then we would support them with tuition to do that uh by paying the tuition for them to do that. So, they would need to be a a full-time employee. And so, if one of our graduating seniors became a pair with us and then wanted to
pursue that route, they could absolutely do that. Definitely an option. >> I don't know that we've recruited it in that way, though. >> Correct. They're not too young. And when I was in Canyon City, there were some high school gra recent graduates like in May and they went to work in September.
>> So, it's not off it's not off the table. >> No, it's not off the table. That is very viable. Okay. >> And then since then, Mr. Romero has mentioned that Fort Lewis has um created a pathway for again instructional aids to pursue a bachelor's degree. And you
know, they make it conducive to their work environment. So, a lot of it's remote and online, but they are able to do that at low or no cost. You know, it's too late to present that to them now. Obviously, they're they're done. So, um I guess maybe over the over
the next couple years, I guess that would be a good idea is maybe present that to them in a job fair, something like that. >> We're we're still going to reach out and and uh do that because u I want them to know that that there's that opportunity for growth. For
>> sure. >> It benefits them and it benefits us. >> Yeah. >> It benefits the kids the most. Do >> we have any further questions from the board members? >> That was a 10-minute item and it took us 60. >> That was so good discussion. So, let's
just keep moving. >> All right. Thank you, board. >> All right. Thank you. >> All right, let's go on to our reports. Starting with our celebration reports. >> Can I just start because I'm excited for fifth graders?
>> Yeah, go ahead. Yes. Go. >> I went to the Keer fifth grade promotion yesterday and it was amazing. The students picked their their entry song and it's the Darth Vader song.
So, I saw my son, Disclosure, I have a fifth grader who's going on and I saw my son try march in to the Darth Vader song and I'm about to start crying because those kids got all the props. They got all the screams from the audience, all the embarrassment that they were due
>> by parents and they were highlighted and cheered on to that next step. So, thank you, M. Porter, for the great event. I hadn't done it with my oldest son because when he was getting promoted, it was during COVID and it was, you know,
it wasn't the same field. There was no event. So, this is my first fifth grade promotion. And I don't know if Mesa did theirs at another time. >> It is. Is it going to be at the high school as well? >> Okay. Well, I hope it's Sorry. I'm not
trying to put you guys down, but this this was amazing. I just I'm so glad that the fifth graders were celebrated. So, thank you so much for what you did for them. teams are amazing. >> Please pass it on because >> so on on the agenda, make sure that I
mention this, Dr. Bonaface is nominated for the 2026 CASSP Rookie Secondary Principal of the Year. Um I don't know if the voting's happened there yet, but she was nominated for that. Um and I have a lot I'll try to make it fast for
the It's a lot of extracurricular activities and accomplishments that the kids have done. um our MC uh our middle school track team broke several records uh school records for um team events and
one individual event the individual event was the boys 100 meter um Braxton Thornber broke that record. Um our boys 4x400 meter team um Noah Zayn Zayn and Ninsio. Um our girls medley team Harley
Ellie Ashlin and Summer. Our boys medley team, Zayn, Zayn, Braxton, in andio. And our girls 4x100 meter team, Harley, Ellie, Presley, and Ashlin. And then another individual, sorry. Uh, we did have an individual girl that broke the
50 meter record, Harley Hampton. Um, >> wasn't there a child by the name of Trey? >> Yeah, I'm It's on there. Yeah, it's on there. >> It's on there. I don't want to highlight him because then I make feel like a bragging dad. This is your moment. >> Yeah.
>> So, the FFA, we sent eight students are going to the Washington leadership conference. Um, we also had five uh state degrees issued to five of our students and two American degrees issued, which is a level of achievement.
Um, we had for track and field, we had four state qualifiers for girls. Um Addie Spitzer qualified for the high jump and so did Tessa Jackson. She also qualified for a high jump. Tessa wasn't able to compete because she had an
injury. Um Hayden Matias qualified for the 100 meter and 300 meter hurdles. So she qualified for two events. Um Faith Muzzy qualified for the 300 meter hurdles. Um it was quite I went to the state track meet. It was quite a show. The state track meet is just awesome.
It's huge event. 1A through six or 1 A through 5A. schools are all there. It's a lot of fun and you get to see some really good athletes. Um, boys 4x400 meter team which consists of Trey Hall, Wyatt Oliver, Landon Yarro,
and Isaac Dozel also with alternates of Josh Yarro and Micah Stimbridge. They didn't they didn't run. Um, the four were able to do it. They went from 18th to 16th, so they didn't qualify for the finals. Um, but they did make it to the
state track meet. And then Trey Hall, who's my son, he he actually won the high jump and he's the state champion for the high jump. Um, >> expectations are getting high with that kid. >> I know.
>> Uh, baseball boys, they're headed to the state um tournament and they're are ranked third right now. So, they're gonna play the sixth ranked team, which I think is the Evelyn on Friday.
I'm guessing Cory's mom knows. Um, girls soccer, they went to the first round of the state tournament, which is a regional round, and we hosted that game. They took a a tough loss. Um, we were the favorite in that game, but but the girls played
good. They dominated the game, but they just could not get >> some into overtime. >> Yeah, it went into overtime. They couldn't get goals to they the ball was on our side of the field most of the time, but didn't get the goals to go in. Um on that team, Mia Glazner broke two
school records. She broke uh the single single game scoring record that was four that was four goals in a game and she actually scored six. Um, and then she also broke the single season scoring record, which was 17
goals in a season, and she scored 34. She had a good year. Um, so in girls golf, which just happened today, the finals were today. Amita Crowley made up three strokes to finish 11th at
the state tournament, the state golf tournament, and Aftton Unrin finished 20th. Um, and I'm guessing there's probably, do you know how many girls qualify for the state? I'm guessing 100, but I don't know the actual numbers of how many. Yeah. No, they they finished
in the top 50% for sure. Um, and then we had two college signings. Key Clark is going to play volleyball at Marshalltown Community College and Sariah Jackson is going to play basketball at Ward Waldorf
University in Iowa. And I know I missed some something, but I can't remember it now. >> Director Hall, where you're while you're talking about the athletic teams, six of our baseball players are seniors that are going to state and they will not be at graduation and they have uh reached
out to invite the board to come tomorrow night to their awards night because they are going to receive their diplomas at awards night. So, they still have the opportunity to wear their gown and walk across the stage and make it to state baseball. >> I will be there. What time is that?
>> I believe it starts at 6:30. >> Seven. >> Is it seven? >> Please tell me seven because the middle school graduation is until 6. >> I'll double check while we're sitting here. Do you know? >> Oh, okay. They have changed it since I worked there. It is at seven. >> Thank you, Mr. Pearson.
>> All right. >> Do you guys have any celebrations to share? >> Uh, one thing that was missed was Band and choir place first in music in the park. >> Is your microphone on? >> Yeah, it is a little closer. >> The blue light is on.
>> Band and choir place first in music in the park. I think that was >> that. Was that where they went to in Salt Lake? The thing you went to in Salt Lake? >> That was I forgot. >> Gotcha. >> Say congratulations. Um, I'm not sure if this has already been reported on by Miss Bonafice, but
we have new course offerings with seven credentialed PCC teachers and 10 PCC classes on campus. That's what I have for celebration reports. >> Very nice.
>> I director Lynch and I attended the Beach Street preschool graduation and that was just lovely. each student got up and or they they were announced like what their favorite thing about school was and um what they
wanted to be and so many of them said their favorite part was seeing their teacher and that just speaks a lot to uh to that staff and environment and then um were you going to talk about the shark thing or do you want me to
>> you weren't there that was you >> Mike was actually there the next day Oh, okay. >> No, you go ahead. >> Okay. So, uh we were invited to judge um the Shark Tank uh for I think it was economics class um at the high school with Miss Olsen and that was just really
fun um to watch those kids get up and put themselves out there. They had some super creative ideas. So, um that was that was great. Appreciate that invitation. >> There is one that I think we forgot. I don't think we talked about this at a prior meeting, but the middle school
band um for LA is the sixth out of the last seven years. And again, they were awarded best community music or community for music education. They were only one of 127 nationally and the only school in Colorado to get that award
again this year. >> Well done. So, um, as was mentioned, I also attended the, uh, preschool graduation and, uh, as you've been told, each child had been
asked two questions beforehand. What what they wanted to be when they grow up and then second, what they like most about coming to school. And um I am happy to report that there are, if I heard correctly, among the many choices that were
announced, nine students who aspire to be policemen, five firefighters, five teachers, one doctor, one dentist, one like their mom, one like their dad,
and and and an independent thinking preschool graduate who aspires to grow up and be an angel. >> Mr. Lynch, you have a great knack for bringing us to tears.
Right. Any other celebrations? >> Just a round of applause for all of that would be nice. >> Yeah, that was a long list this time. So, >> it's amazing to hear all the great stuff that's happening.
>> Uh we'll continue on with our reports and we will turn to our student representatives. Um, we did a survey that I'll let Ke and I get to in a second because he was the one that put it together and did all of the data
collection. Um, but first we've been working with admin for uh senior activities for next year. Um, we're hoping to get to senior parking spots, um, senior banners that will be hung up on Monizuma. Um, we've talked about
doing a community signing day event for sports and uh, you know, Navy, Navy, military, all of that, so that it's more of a collective. Um, and then we also talked about doing a senior decision
social media page for college commitments so that we can get those recognized as well. Um, and then for the surveys, we did one uh for clubs or clubs as classes um that
would hopefully provide more opportunity for engagement that wouldn't take as much time or commitment as say doing it um at lunch or after school. And then I had introduced the idea of doing white robes at graduation for academic
achievement and GPA benchmark. Um, which is also part of the survey that I will get to in a second after we go through it a little bit. All right. So, she's gonna come around and hand these out to you guys really quick. Kina, you want to introduce yourself? I
want I want your mom to be sure to know that you spoke tonight. >> My name is Kina Codonuts. I am the student body president at the high school. I am the yearbook editor-in chief at the high school and I am now a student board representative. Welcome.
All right. So if you look at if you look at the papers um just under the title you'll see that um it says 234 responses that is just over half of our high school not including our seniors at 53% of our school.
So yeah which was sent out yesterday. So that's actually impressive good participation. Um when asked are you interested in clubs? Our students that responded had the following statistics. 25.6%
of them, so just over a quarter of the respondents said yes, they were interested. 32.1% said they were unsure, and 42.3% said no. But that might have possibly been because the wording on some of the
questions might have been a little misleading. Um, if you'll turn the page. Um, when asked, "Are you currently or have you been in any clubs?" Our respondents replies were the following.
30 responded no, NA, ornone. Nine responded theater or drama. Three responded FFA. Four responded National Honor Society. Other activities were mentioned such as yearbook and student government.
Um when given choices and asked which of these clubs would you be interested in, the responses are as follows. 106 said none. 57 said yearbook. 50 said outdoor club. 27 said student government. 22
said knowledge bowl. 19 said chess. 12 said yoga. And 14 chose other options such as theater, debate, etc. So, next on the form, we asked students to rate how they felt about turning clubs into classes on a scale from 1 to
10. And this is where it kind of got confusing as we meant for the clubs to be primarily something during our home room schedule. Um, this rating received an average of 5.26 out of 10. One being they hated this idea and 10 being they loved it.
The diagram that you guys can see shows the following with the numbers being out of 234 responses. Those who chose one made up 15% of replies, two made up 3%, three making up 8.5%, four making up 6.8%,
five making up 23.5%. Six making up 10.7%. Seven making up 11.1%. Eight making up 8.1%. nine making up 4.3% and 10 making up 9% of the replies.
So this question was most likely very understood again because we meant for the clubs to be held during home room instead of as an actual class or elective. So I would ask that these numbers be considered a little less than others. Um when asked if they had any comments
about the clubs to class idea, the following answers were received. 41 of those answers that you guys can see to save you a little bit of time, 41 of them said no. Um, any actual comments we received that gave actual answers other
than no have the following ideas. This idea should apply to clubs where participation is important. It would count as a credit and would be beneficial to many. Clubs should be a choice, not something we are forced into. Having certain clubs during the
day would be good, but there are certain clubs that this should not apply to, and it depends on the club. When we gave a similar rating question asking how they would feel if we had clubs during lunch, the responses were fairly low. On a scale from 1 to 10,
again, one being the worst and 10 being the best. This is out of 234 responses, the average rating for this one was a 3.85 out of 10. Um, those who chose one made up 29.5% of the responses,
two making up 5.6%, three making up 10.3%. Four making up 12%, five making up 24.8%. Six making up 2.6%, 7 making up 5.6%, eight making up 4.3%, nine making up
2.1%, and 10 of the responses making up 3.4% of the responses. And when asked if they had any comments about the club's during lunch idea, the following was received. To save you time
again, 52 said something along the lines of no. Any other responses that gave actual answers provided the following ideas. Clubs would be better if there was more information about when they are happening. Clubs help create a better connection between students and teachers.
Many people had neutral opinions about this. People said there is not enough time for many people to do this. And there was one response that said, "School lunch is usually not enough to feed us, so we can't join a lunch club and be fed decently at the same time."
I'm going to go ahead and turn this to Kyle so she can introduce our white graduation gown idea unless you guys have any questions. >> So, what is your overall conclusion? Um, I feel like we should have been a
little more straightforward with the the form. Um, the idea of clubs to classes was definitely a little confusing the second time we looked at it. And I think it the data is slightly skewed right now
because there's that idea and aspect of it that students are thinking their clubs are going to be throughout the day a part of their daily schedule and that's not what we intended. >> Um to give a little bit more elaboration on that what we had discussed for doing
it as a home room option. Um, right now we only have home room uh for I think 40 minutes on Mondays, which is for the IAP um things that we do. So, Zello and college prep. Um, and for the upcoming
year, I think there was talk of doing home room every day. um and designating each of those 40 minute blocks to specific or to targeting specific like workshops or things that are similar. And one of those days would be able to
choose a club. Um so that students, like I said, wouldn't have to take time out of their lunch, which from what we gathered from the survey was not a popular idea. People uh students did not like the idea of doing or keeping them at lunch. Um, and then we would also
avoid doing them after school because of transportation issues and conflicting schedules with sports. Um, so that's kind of what we were thinking for putting them at home room. Um, I agree that we could probably send out another
one, um, that is more specific to what students think about doing it in those 40 minute blocks rather than as a class period where they think that they might get graded on it or they have to sacrifice a different class for something like home room or or sorry, yearbook or student government. Um, so
that's kind of what we gathered from that survey. Um and then we got to the white robes part of the survey. Um there was a good amount of appreciation for or like desire to recognize academic achievement
and the message behind it which is the encouragement to maintain good grades especially towards the end of your senior year when say some people might already be accepted into colleges or programs and it might not be as much of a priority to maintain that 3.8 or 4.0 you know, whatever it is the benchmark
would be. Um, but there were also quite a few responses that expressed concerns for the visual segregation that might occur at graduation and many felt it risks lowering the value of students who hadn't quite reached that GPA criteria.
Um, for example, one student said something along the lines of, "I wouldn't want to be the only one in a black robe in the midst of other students who achieved white robes." So, as sort of a compromise in order to still recog high GPA students. Today we discussed um
doing golden stoalls in addition to the school's original black regalia um which can still catch your eye and give recognition but doesn't create as much of a um division an obvious division between two
groups of students. Couple questions if that's all right. Um, so just for clarity, so with the clubs, it's not that it would be home room every day. It'd be like once a week. >> Um, it wouldn't necessarily be called
home room. You but we would be uh keeping those 40 minute like class periods every single day instead of doing it once a week on Mondays. And um we would do I think we talked about doing like IAP on Mondays. Um like a a
study hall on Tuesdays, the club you would choose a club to participate in on Wednesdays. And then Thursdays would be the opportunity that counselors and academic adviserss can speak to you just so that we're using that 40 minutes effectively every day rather than having
kids sit there for 40 minutes every day doing essentially nothing. >> And then the other When I saw as far as like the white robes, someone made a comment about chords. Do we not do chords? >> Uh, we do do chords. I don't think there's anything
right now for high GPA, which is what we would add um with either which cords could be an option, but we u we're talking about stoalls, but normally cords right now are for like blood drive and um participating in sports. I think
I don't know. I'm not graduating this year. So, not super an expert on the courts. >> Great work that you did with these service and the fact that you're you realize that could be like a work in progress because you are taking all
these voices into account. So, that is a lot of work to do and you're listening to your peers which is the most important part of it. And we do have those numbers on the white robes, but I think that they're kind of self-explanatory and the
responses are a little bit silly. >> You'll see on the last >> It's quite interesting. >> Anything else from your student report? >> Um, no, I don't think so. >> Thank you for coming, ladies. Thank you guys.
Thank you. All right. Um, our next reports, board reports. I think some of that kind of blended in with our other ones, but do we have any uh additional board reports that we'd like to present at the site? >> I uh I attended the play The Clue or
Clue at the high school. They did a pretty good job. I enjoyed that. They did such a good job. It was so good. >> And the end of year uh band concert at the middle school was fantastic. I got
to see for the first time how Mr. Compo directs his musicians and everybody was great. And he got what was the name of his character that he had to dress in? I don't know >> because the students chose
a piece and he had to dress accordingly and he had a mask that he had to >> he's won so many awards. >> Jack Skellington. Yes. And he had to be in a mask and he was sweating it out and he probably couldn't even see what he was doing, but he still did it anyway.
And just everybody was fantastic. So kudos. All right. Very good. All right. Then let's proceed on. Next up, we have our
citizens address the board. Is this only one for today. >> Y >> All right, we have a Mindy Nielson. Hi everyone. I have closely I've been closely observing our board meetings and after careful consideration, I'm requesting
clarification on several matters regarding board conduct and transparency. First, I would like to address Miss Blair regarding her previous statement's current conduct. Miss Blair, during the candidate forum last October, you identified yourself as a proud
immigrant. Upon your election, you took an oath upon the constitutions in the United States of Colorado. During during the upcoming discussion following public comment, I request that you explain the apparent discrepancy between the oath and the decision to abstain the pledge
of allegiance. Um second, the attendance record of this board is concerning. Out of the last 12 meetings, only five had all seven members present, excluding the excluding the swearing in ceremony, the rate full
attendance was approximately 33%. A figure that mirrors the percentage of our student current reading at grade level. I'm interested to know if the level of engagement is what should be expected from the board moving forward. Furthermore, the district website
states, "What does the school board not do? They do not represent special interests in partisan politics. However, there appears to be efforts to exceed board authority regarding the establishment of clubs during lunch hour. It's a matter of public record that Mrs. Dit and Miss Blair each
received $10,000 in campaign contributions from a teachers union in every identifiable contribution to school board and state legislature candidates went to a single political party. Given that board is responsible setting policy and ratifying curriculum,
it is vital to ensure that these influence do not supersede the diverse interest of our staff and community families. Finally, there have been instances where information appeared on the RE1 reality check group social media page prior to being discussed in public
board meetings. As this group operates, a manner and contrary of the board's mission of transparency, I'm requesting a direct answer from Mrs. Dit and Miss Blair. Are either one of you owners or contributors of that social media group? Thank you for your time and addressing
these concerns. >> Thank you. All right, we'll proceed on to our discussion items. First up is our board discussion if we have any.
Um, I had things also along the lines of transparency. Um I've had some questions about why some of the documents are um a members only.
Um so that would be the salary schedule. Um and um the concern that was brought to me is those are not made public until we vote on them. Um and I sympathize with
that. Um, as a board member, if there's objections to decisions that I votes that I'm taking on the expenditure of public funds, um, I would prefer to know that before I vote as opposed to after. So, um I
wonder um if we could have a discussion about how we're deciding what's in the locked executive session or executive content only compared to the public content because it doesn't seem like it's always consistent.
Anybody else had to talk to them about that? >> Mr. Oh yeah. Do you how how is that decision being made? Usually when it identifies individuals my experience has been to that uh is not
for public access is the only time we use the executive or members only it's called on diligent but uh this on the salary scale this was because it was a recommendation it
hasn't been uh approved by the board I I have no problem make it transparent and being not members only but uh just so that the public can know where the direction that we're moving and of course it'll always be decided upon the
board's action final when they take the vote on it. If it passes fine if it doesn't then I mean there's nothing wrong with that. So we can move forward that way. But we can list it as a public I mean as a discussion item for our work session and that way we can get clear
direction for the board >> and I'll come back and if there's any more to add to that I'll share with the board at that time. It would be good to get um a legal opinion as well because I know with bids and certain things um personal things need to be executive but
to have >> um a clear definition of what absolutely has to be an executive content and what does not. >> Yep. It usually has to comply with those areas that six items that they identify.
Okay. But I'll get an opinion from the lawyer so that way it'll be part of the work session discussion. >> Thank you. >> Um and then the other um I'll bring it up now because I don't know where else to put it in. I was just
curious as I was looking through um some of the HR actions if exit surveys are being sent out because we have not seen any returned um in the last few months.
>> They should be sent to every person that resides or retires, every employee. There should not be anyone that does not receive it. >> Okay. >> So, I'll follow up and I'll also put it as an item on the June work session. >> Okay. just to verify that that's being done and people are encouraged to fill
that out. Okay, >> that's what I have. >> So, um I continue to urge everyone to listen to sold a story at soldstory.com and learn about a povertystricken district that has figured out how to teach their students to read achieving
almost 100% grade level results. If they can do it, I think we can too. something else. Um, I'm seeing indications that this board wants to have a part in most of the decisions made by the superintendent at his administration.
And while I don't think anyone can stop a board that goes down that path, that is the path of micromanaging the district, that is uh not the function of a highly effective school board from what I've read. and it is outside our
lane and outside our guard rails. At some point, the superintendent might feel that he is not able to freely implement his strategies for improvements in the district. I would caution the board that if we hinder the superintendent from doing his job as the
CEO of the district, either by burdening him and his staff with requests for volumes of information to justify his proposals or by voting to accept one part of an implementation plan and rejecting another part of the same plan, we run the risk of violating his
contract. And if the superintendent can justify making that claim, then the risk to the district is that he could leave and the district would have to pay out his entire contract. On another note, something else I am
seeing from our board is a question that is asked of the superintendent and his staff repeatedly. The question has to do with getting feedback before coming up with a final plan. And in my opinion, a good leader knows when to solicit input or feedback. But he also knows that he
can't ask for input and feedback on every decision before he makes it. If he did, he would end up missing deadlines. He would be slowed down to a crawl because of the time issue uh necessary for that process each time. And he would no longer be a leader. He would be a
consensus manager. And he would lose the respect of the staff in my opinion. getting um input on uh certain decisions is prudent. I agree. But um requiring it
on the majority of decisions is overly cumbersome and could stretch out every uh potential academic improvement, multiple years, or possibly even prevent improvement. In my opinion, this board should consider taking stock in the fact
that our superintendent has 45 years of experience in multiple positions, in multiple districts, has been uh recognized for his achievements, and has experience and success in improving student outcomes. My impression is that
uh this board doesn't yet know or understand its duties and its boundaries. And I'd like to request this board asked for training from CDE. I believe the training that we received at um the last the last board received was from uh Mr. Jorgensson. Is that correct,
Mr. Ramirez? >> Yes, sir. >> Mr. Jorgensson did our training. I've got a lot of value from that and I I request that it be held at the earliest pos possible date. Thank you. Do we have any other comments, ideas,
discussions that we have for this item? Okay. Nope. Let's continue. Um, we will now proceed into our consent. >> Nope. I'm skipping a part.
>> Item B, I'm sorry. >> Our policy committee uh position for the board of education requests review on campus lunchtime clubs. >> Yeah. So, At the March regular board
meeting, uh, two high school students presented information to the board. They included a request. A few years back, student students used to be able to have non-educational clubs on campus during lunch. The policy was changed and no longer allows this. The students
requested the policy be changed back to allow lunchtime clubs again. The policy in question is JJ-2 student organizations-open forum. Because the school district cannot discriminate between clubs if the
policy were changed back to the previous version, then any and all possible clubs would be allowed to meet on campus during lunchtime. There are groups that could start clubs and meet on campus during lunch that would likely stir
community disfavor and protest. This was the case before the policy change was made. Due to community unrest and disfavor, the policy was changed to prevent any non-instructional clubs from meeting on campus at lunch. However,
those same clubs are allowed to meet on campus before or after instructional time, that is before or after school. The policy committee therefore recommends no changes be made to poly policy JJ-2.
>> I have a question, Mr. Lynch. Um, I looked at the CASBY policy and I looked at our policy and the CASBY template policy, the only difference I could find is that our
policy says that lunch is instructional time. So, my question is, are there are students required to be on campus during lunch and are their classes being held over lunch?
Um, is lunch in fact instructional time? >> Yeah, I wondered about that myself. >> Students are >> right. So, how >> upper level students are allowed to leave for lunch time don't have to stay
on campus. >> Mr. RmIrez, is lunchtime considered a instructional time? We don't have instruction at lunchtime because but it's within the school day from start to end but uh you're correct
the upper classmen are allowed to leave at lunch and uh we're also required to provide teachers a duty-free lunch and I think that's the bigger conflict of uh having an adult teacher present at
the at that time would be in conflict with a duty-free much. >> It would just seem that the statement of our policy is not correct. Um that it is not instructional time. Um and I I'm
just confused as to why um we're different differentiating from the CASBY policy based on that. So in general um the CASBY policies are
um model policies and um they are copyrighted until the district adopts those policies and then the copyright leaves and the districts are encouraged
to um modify those model policies to fit the way they would like them to be handled in their own district. So, it's not wrong for um a district to change the wording of a CASBY model policy. As
a matter of fact, my understanding is it's um assumed that that will happen. And many policies when they were um uh adopted have places in the policy where the district is expected to change the
wording. um to match the district. On another note, um every time that uh the policy committee has recommended uh changes to the wording from a CASBY
policy, we've um differentiated the policy from CASBY by putting underneath the title MCSD local so that we recognize that this is a policy that's been um changed in some way from the
asby model policy. >> I guess it would make sense to me to make that change if I'm you know if students are required to stay on campus and they're actually expected to be getting extra instruction over lunch. So
that's um that's why the change I I understand that policies are adapted and should be adapted and that would be the case if there was instruction going on during lunch because wouldn't students actually be breaking policy based on this language
if it's instructional time? How are students allowed to leave campus during lunch hour without a teacher? So moving forward, what do we need to do? Adjust the wording?
>> I mean, if if clubs aren't I would say if clubs are still not allowed because there is a required adult teacher needed at each club, but lunch is actually not instructional time. We need to change that language. So, I could be wrong
about this and we probably ought to ask uh legal counsel, but I believe that the district may choose to identify that time as instructional time even though it is not um a class time. Um but that
would need to be um confirmed by legal counsel. >> And why would we want to do that? uh because it allows the district to um uh exclude any non-instructional clubs
um non non-educational related clubs at lunchtime and that was the purpose for that change. >> What would fall under non-educational? Wouldn't every club be some form of educational? Um, no, there are educational clubs and
and non-educational clubs. Um, and we had these discussions in the committee, but I can't remember uh what the one which ones would be good examples for each, but um perhaps uh perhaps chess club would not
be um instruction related. Um um >> well instruction related versus educational. I feel like chess would be educational and beneficial. But >> no, it we're not we're not using the
word educational in the broad sense. We're using it in terms of the program of the district. >> Program. What do you mean by program of the district? >> Educational programming of the district. >> Using a curriculum >> like curriculum like class time. Okay.
>> It it's not in the broad sense. >> So then we want to limit clubs to just the curriculum clubs >> uh curriculum related. >> But why >> shouldn't the students have an ability to form clubs based on their current
interests and needs? the the as I understand and I wasn't here when this happened um but as I understand uh at least I don't remember being here then um the change was made because there
were clubs meeting at lunch on campus that um caused um some concern from the community and some parents and um Do you know what the historical issue
was? >> Were you here, Mr. Mur? >> Can't talk now. >> I I was part of this discussion. >> Okay. >> I started October the 10th, 2022. So, I'll have to go look at the adoption of
that policy on the bottom that says the date. >> Okay. >> And that'll kind of give me >> permission for me to answer because I can't remember. One of the biggest issues though is still is still the the staffing of the clubs like Right. >> Mr. says like they're required to have a
lunch >> like a like a teacher sponsor. Yeah. >> I believe is what you would want. >> But I also think that that giving opportunity before and after school >> is is sufficient for club meeting. And I
can believe that if you want to go and have >> lunch with your peers that that they are able to do that at their at, you know, with their free will just to go meet. Um I don't think that it's going to require a teacher sponsor to share lunch with
someone. >> Um so I don't know how this has turned into something so big. So, I'm I'm good with the policy the way it stands with before and after because the lunchtime just gets a little cloudy when you have to have a teacher sponsor
or an adult there. >> I guess my thought is if we're um you know, if we're making saying that we don't want to have clubs because of staffing, let's you know, put the criteria for the staffing there. um it
feels a little disingenuous to say, well, we're just going to say it's instructional time even though it's really not. So, I I think that is my um you know, I think Dr. Bonafice probably has a lot of considerations um to take care of. Um, I
know she was worried about overt taxing her teachers and things like that, but to um make it completely not a possibility, it seems disingenuous if it's actually not instructional time.
>> And um it doesn't prevent uh students from meeting off campus in any club that they that they want. It just prevents them from meeting on campus during lunch for um the non-instruction,
non-education related clubs. And as was mentioned um the time before uh school and after school on campus can also be used for any club. And when this decision was made, I was
in the discussions with the policy review committee and um the decision was represented at the time as being the decision of the policy review committee. Um it it was not. Um I do have a documentation of
that email chain where the meetings were repeatedly cancelled and postponed and so the policy review committee did not actually make a recommendation on that. Um I don't know if that's gerine to this discussion but
if any I can share that email chain with anyone who's interested any further discussion on >> just wondering how many if we have an idea how many clubs were actually meeting at lunch Excuse me. >> Like prior to this
>> because they say there was um there was some sort of bad interactions or bad feedback coming out of a number of clubs. So I would like to know which clubs were producing bad feedback and whether those clubs
were all meeting and whether they're meeting now elsewhere. So which which are the clubs that were pinned for producing bad feedback or or producing social.
So as I yeah so as I recall there were there were two clubs um I was going to board meetings as a parent at that time and um the two groups that I remember presenting um there were the athletes for Christ and a lot of those students
got up and um spoke and as I recall their argument for keeping them is that there are conversations that um students want to have in school that might not fit into a class um and they felt that that was um an
opportunity for them to meet and do that. And the other group that had a lot of community interest was the Gay and Straight Alliance. and they had a similar um conversation
um about how um it was a time for them to meet and um to support and to recognize their fellow students um in that capacity. So those I think were the two clubs that were vocal at
the board meetings. >> So I understand the h the high school uh counts re or the school district counts recess and passing as instructional time but there's no instruction going on then is there and if I had to guess I would say that
the term of instruction is tied more to that the clubs and groups are extension of the courses or classes that are offered in the instructional day and not the time but u I would probably recommend that uh we seek a legal
opinion from our school attorneys to give us direction on that. >> Yeah. And we can add it to our work session agenda. >> Yes, sir. >> Perfect. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any other comments before moving
on? >> I'd like to hear from the students next to me. Um what is your what are your thoughts on um clubs in the school? >> Are you talking about the ones that um got taken out or just the ones that we
have currently >> in general? >> In general your thoughts for pros, cons? Um, I think that pros of clubs is that it gets students together that maybe you wouldn't typically see hanging out in a friend group. Um, I think it creates
more variety and in getting to know your peers and your classmates. Um, I think that's one of the best things about clubs. Um, I don't know that I could think of any cons sitting here. Um, I'm not particularly involved in too many. I'm
in student government. Um, I guess if you consider NHS a club, so I don't have like a whole lot of variety to speak from. Um, maybe if you had the opinions of students who were in those clubs
previously or who would be interested in those clubs, they would have a better opinion than I would. Was it when it was revoked, was that um did that create some type of
riff raff or were the students frustrated, upset, did they not care? What did you see happen when that took place? >> Um, what year was that? Was that >> I'm not sure. >> A couple years. >> It was 20 probably 2022.
>> I think 2022 I was in eighth grade in a completely different school district. >> I can't give a a perspective on that. So that would have been my freshman year. Um,
so those two years I wasn't particularly involved in clubs. I know a lot of my friends were and they were fairly disappointed about it. Um, I know now because of this policy like for student government, we all know I'm the student
body president. Uh when we were writing our constitution, I had to go back for countless hours and take out the word club because it contradicted policy and I had to replace it with the word organization so we could continue the student government.
And I know that that sounds very ridiculous. I agree. Um, but I think clubs, academic or not, give students something to look forward to because I know, at least for me, there's a lot
about school that I don't look forward to and clubs and after school activities. It's kind of something to offset that. Mr. Mayor, correct me if I'm wrong, but um the reason the teacher time issue
comes up is that uh it's um policy that uh any club or group meeting on campus um has to have uh either a sponsor or adult supervision
depending on the um people attending the the the meeting. Correct. >> That's correct. And I do recall Dr. Bonif say that she will put out an APB to ask any of her staff if they would be interested
because she is aware that some might would like to do that. I just remember that. >> And are are adults that are allowed to be, you know, the trusted adult in the
club, the organizer basically, do they have to be staffed? Can they be uh background individuals that have applied for volunteering at the school? What is >> I would say during the day usually it has to be staff but of course in policy
if you expand that to background check volunteers uh then the policy will need to include that to give us that freedom that protection of that. Right now, the policy says a member of the professional staff must be invited to attend every
meeting or activity scheduled on school premises as a monitor for purposes of general supervision. >> That makes sense. >> That seems like >> Yeah, that's protect school as well. >> Yes. >> Okay. Well, I'm I'm sure we have more
comments, but I think we need to wait for further information from our legal counsel, and we'll continue this in our work session discussions. >> Yep. And I'll communicate with the attorney tomorrow. >> Yeah, >> President Shamay, now is a good time for a break. >> You beat me to it.
>> Yes, we will take a 5m minute intermission. Um, right now time is 8:04. We'll come back uh roughly around uh we'll say 8:10. Thank you. It's on. Recording is going.
>> All right. Welcome back to our school board meeting. Time is 8:10 and is still May 19th. So, Continuing on to our consent
section, starting with our uh consent action items. I move to approve the consent action items. >> I second the motion. Online voting is now available.
>> Did you guys? >> No, nothing's come over. >> Okay, try now. >> Sorry about that. >> Still nothing. >> Still nothing. >> Let me hit refresh and see if it's the computer being on me.
Don't need to hit refresh. >> You jinxed yourself. Did I Did it come through? >> No. >> Looks like came up. >> You just said it was working. Well, >> the prior >> was that the prior one that came up? >> Yeah. >> Oh, >> I didn't get anything.
>> Did you get something? >> Some of them did. Not everyone. >> Well, it just popped up. It just showed the previous vote because I hit show voting. Oh, wait. Okay, let's try that.
You can also do show voting button show. >> Did you receive >> show voting on the top? >> Hit that one. >> There we go. >> Oh, okay. >> Did you receive them?
>> No, but you click the button up in the >> right corner that says show voting. It'll >> pull it up. I'm not sure what's happening there. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> All right, >> let's see if we can
I can't show that on the screen. >> It's showing. It's showing. No, she's trying to show it up. I'll call. >> Okay, it's not going to let me show it, but it was unanimous. Okay, now on to our action items. Um, first
one uh item being the Colorado Rural School Alliance membership. Uh, I move that we approve the membership in the Colorado Rural School Alliance.
>> I'll second. >> Now for this one, Mr. Ramirez, is this one that we wanted to continue with or >> I don't >> I thought this is one that we weren't using. I don't use it but uh because I
uh use a CDE commissioner uh superintendent letter and uh but I think members if any members of the board use it that's a decision I know Mr. Le just said used
it. >> Yeah. >> What do you what information? They have a weekly Zoom meeting and they're constantly presenting information on all things related to
rural schools. Um online training was online schooling was one. Um they recently did uh I missed this meeting but they did CP presentation on schools. Um I actually I had to ask for
their help and they sent me that presentation which I got my answers from. If I would have been on the Zoom meeting, I could I could have seen that. But they they they have provided me with all kinds of information, some of which I passed on to ED and the previous
superintendent, which was helpful to them as far as statistics. Um they all almost always they go over what's happening in the legislation in the legislature and so I I find value.
Do they do um advocacy at the state level for rural districts? >> They do. >> They do. >> They have somebody dedicated to that. >> Yeah. This was just part of the review that we did like a month or so ago.
Yeah. I mean, if it's something we weren't using, I wouldn't want to approve it. The dues are how much? >> 4,200. But if um at least one of our members is getting
information and then it's also support of a I guess of an organization that does advocacy for for our districts at the state level. Would it be possible to get like information from them when we renew the membership
so that each one of us could >> access it if needed? >> We can asking for the the weekly emails. >> Yeah, >> you can. Okay, let's proceed. Online voting's now available.
Should work this time. I think I did something different. >> If I force it and I click the show vote, then it pulls up. >> But then she can't I think she's so that you can show it on the >> Well, that usually happens after you vote, but it wasn't doing that, right?
Everyone except for President Shamway has voted. >> Oh, sorry. There you go. >> So, you guys are able to force the vote? >> Yeah, >> it doesn't it's Yeah, it's not auto populating. >> I don't know why that's happening, but
motion passes unanimously. And I think can show those results possibly. Do it. Okay. Okay. Uh on to action item B, our capital reserve for Lewis Aerial
Irrigation Engineering Services. >> Um I move that we approve Um, there is no >> Okay, >> there's not. I go ahead and I'll type it out. >> Um,
I move that we approve the capital request. See, sorry. not take this long. Somebody else I move that we u approve the capital reserve request for Lewis Areola Irrigation Engineering Services
>> and that's just for the engineering right not not the actual work >> correct >> any second before we can discuss >> pardon me >> we got the we got the second during the comment >> I second
>> and Blair I mean director Blair just a second. >> Yeah, >> I already know the answer. >> Yeah, just for the engineering. >> Thank you. >> Do I have any questions about the engineering? Good. All right, let's proceed.
>> Okay, digital voting has begun. Tell me if you get it. Director Lynch did his computer's better than mine. >> Nothing's popping up. >> I didn't votes
for everybody but Dit and Blair. Yeah, I can't get it. I vote yes. >> Thank you. >> Do you get my vote? >> Director Blair, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Got her blow up. Melissa >> director Dit did and now she gets
nothing. So I'm afraid to. >> All right. Proceeding on. Uh we will go to action item C. Sorry. Yeah. Uh capital reserve for Keer digital sign upgrades. >> I make a motion to approve the capital
reserve funds for Keer Elementary to upgrade their digital outdoor signage. >> I second. Now with that uh motion we didn't indicate which bid
and so we do have three of them um listed here and I believe I the recommended one is the steward signs if I >> is that the approximate 11,000 >> I believe so probably tell us
Come on down. >> Sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to come up so soon. >> Good evening, board. Yes. Uh, so this sign over at Keer's been in the process for a few years now. Um, it's just one of them items that we kind
of like hold off on a little bit because it's not but we need to advertise what's going on with the school and what so everybody has a sign. Uh, Ker, I think, was the first one to actually get the sign. uh before any other building actually took place. So Steuart sign
approached us way back 14 years ago probably 10. Katie wasn't there. I am but it's been there for a while. So that the circuit panel went out. So it's an obsolete part. So we pushed forward to get a new one uh installed. So basically
with Steuart signs the pads already there, the electrical and the network's already in line. So basically the sign that they're going to that we're this this sign here is just going to mount directly on the pad. So the maintenance department end up doing the install to
it. So that's where we're saving on some cost or any install. So your other bits probably showed an install cost due to the fact that it wasn't apples to apples replacing sign. It was their sign coming in and they had to install it. So,
so the the sign that we're going to get here is like I said, it's going to mount to the pad that we already have there existing. And it might be a little bit smaller, but not much. But I do have this here to kind of show the size. >> Is it the one that just stands right by
the >> So, one thing we've been working with them a little bit. So they the sign right now has a I believe it's a panther, not a cougar. So anyways, that one right there actually shows uh the cougar on there.
>> All right. So anyways, so that kind of kind of makes some improvements for the for the Keer Elementary School kids on that part. >> Stole the high school. >> What's that? >> We stole the high school. Correct. >> Yeah. So anyways, that's one of the things we
went with. So like I said, we've been working with Stuart and this is like a promotion price. Normally it'll be like a 15,000. So they're giving us like a 30% off on it. Uh we did the research on the LED display, the circuit panels.
It's a 10-year. Uh if they do start going bad, we can make a simple call and get another one in before the sign goes out. questions. >> Yep, we're good. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you.
>> Are you ready for a vote? >> Oh, we're waiting for a computer. high school even want their path back >> when you go in that route. Does it bring up the slides for you? >> Here's a copy. >> Does it like make you follow
>> like that? >> Yeah. That's the bottom here. Just click on that arrow right there. >> Good. >> Okay, let's try again. >> Online voting now. >> Sorry. With our current motion. >> Oh, it popped up that time.
>> Um, I think we have an issue with our current motion because we do not specify >> what bid. >> Did Did Ray say which bid? >> Well, we know which bid, but in the motion that was presented, it did not state it. I see
>> that is the issue. It's with us. >> Yeah. >> I move to amend the motion to specify the cost at 11,56722. >> The original motion has that
>> it has the not the not the vendor. >> Okay. But you didn't say it. >> It's in there, but you didn't say it. >> Sorry. Sorry, Laura. >> That's what matters. >> We don't have a second on that last motion.
>> Anybody wants to make another one? >> I second that. >> Or second it. >> Now remember, this is for the amendment. This is not for the motion. >> Will you repeat it? I amend the motion to specify the cost
$11,56722 and the vendor Stewart >> signs. Ignore my vote, please. You gave the price and you said >> Steuart signs. >> I missed if there was a second. Was that
your second hall? Okay, I sent that for a vote. Check your wording. Did anybody get a popup? >> Director Blair, were you able to vote? >> Yes. Amend it to amend the motion carries.
Um, all seven voting yay. Go back to the original. Right. Um the vote on the original now correct digital voting is now available. >> Motion passes unanimously.
See if it will show us the results. No, it will not. See if it's you. Might just be. >> We've gotten better at those though. >> Yeah. I I think I feel like it's where I'm clicking on the agenda
that is doing that. There it is. Okay. Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Now on to action item D. We have our supplement budgets. Uh yeah,
I move that the board approve a supplemental budget for title 4 part A reallocated funds of $100,000. >> I second. I'm getting open up to the floor for discussion. Do we have any comments,
questions? >> So, I just want to make sure that I understand this right. Um, this is u money that has come through. We were anticipating it coming through, but we had covered it with maybe general fund money or something else. So, now
that the money's gone through, no. It it it's federal money that's being reallocated in the state that wasn't expended by other districts and it's uh we qualified for that $100,000. So this is a res resolution for the board to
agree to that. >> So this is extra money that we weren't expecting that we're getting. Okay. >> Yes. Correct. I'm sorry. >> That's kind of money. >> Yeah. >> Extra money. Okay. >> In in May and not December.
Okay. >> All right. Then let's proceed. Online voting is now available. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> It still have some because mine would say whether I voted or not. And now it
just kind of goes shows the result and then I get the voted in progress here at least in >> okay mine's working but mine's not acting normal either so >> it's a night
>> yeah all right moving on to action item E another supplemental budgets for EA SI cohort I move the board approve a supplemental
budget for 2025 2026 for EZ ASI cohort 9 funds of $18,000. >> Second. Again, we'll open it up to the board for any discussion or questions.
>> Is this a similar allocation or >> This one is one we had to apply for. Um, so we had Keer Elementary qualified for this. In the past, Mesa Elementary and the high school qualified. We applied and basically it's funds to help schools
who are performing below proficient. So if your priority improvement or lower and so we had a certain number of points that qualify us for this and we're wanting to use that funds for a continued partnership with Strive. There's the consultants we've been using
at both Mesa and Keer this past year. We've gotten great feedback from the administrators um and some of their team members who have worked directly with Strive. So they help um they help coach professional learning communities, they help coach instruction, they help um
I don't know a whole whole variety of of improvement efforts. So this is this is paying for activities that have already happened during the year. >> No, those happened the last year and this allows us to continue those activities. So the 18,000 is like a planning amount for the rest of this
year. >> Okay. Um, but it's for planning for the next two years. In those years, we get approximately 80,000 per year. >> Okay. I understand. >> And this is to complete work in the current fiscal year. >> No, this is planning for next year. We haven't actually paid for the or had
these services delivered yet or paid for these services yet. >> Okay. >> This is >> but it's coming out of this year's budget. >> Correct. Okay. And so what we're using it specifically for for the 18,000 are two days of planning with on-site representatives from Strive in June and then professional development in August.
So even though that's next fiscal year, we're allowed to use the money up until September for this fiscal year. >> Okay. >> All right. Let's proceed. >> Online voting is now available. Motion passes unanimously. >> There's the results.
>> Action item F. We have a supplemental budget. This is the children's keep it pass through for the charter school facility assistance grant. I believe this is the one you have a note about.
>> I move that the board approve a supplemental budget for the 2526 charter school facility assistant program funds of $19,770 for children's keep charter. >> I second the motion.
The motion's now on the floor open up to discussion and questions. Um, this one we did get a email um because we weren't able to upload uh the attachment uh it wasn't received in time
uh for the keep it pass through. So uh the question was if we want to proceed or we can table this uh for the June for resubmission. I guess my question is is this money that KA is relying on for their budget?
I don't want to penalize the charter for us not having our documentation. >> It is money that they rely on for their rent fac. I would also say I mean typically it's a reoccurring and
um so typically they will receive it. I don't think it's going to harm them to wait till June. Um however they do rely on a rely on it on an annual basis >> and so that's a grant that they applied for and it just passes through us.
>> Right. >> Okay. Then I I have no objection. >> We're we're able to recoup any money that has already. >> So, has there been any any funds up fronted for rental assist for rental for them that we were expecting to receive back with this grant?
>> Yeah, some of these supplemental budgets too, we've already received money for and this is more a formality of putting it um getting it approved into the budget so we don't exceed our expenditures when it comes time for audit. Um so, I don't anticipate any problems with that in this situation.
Um, and I actually believe they have received some of these funds already. So, it's more a formality for this particular one. >> Any other questions? Okay, let's proceed. >> Online voting is now available.
Motion passes unanimously. Action item G. Uh we have our supplement budgets of the lower MCMS outdoor learning uh equipment. I move that the board approve the
supplemental budget for the 2526 fiscal year for the purchase of Monuma Cortez Middle School outdoor classroom chairs with funds from the Lore Foundation costing $6,290. I second
>> and open up to the board for any discussion or questions >> because um I think one of the teachers was here to kind of give us some background on that. So >> I don't have to question. >> Well, this is early for us.
>> I would I would love to hear a twominut um explanation. like I'm a teacher. This is my idea. Um >> the goal with this is just that we have a lot of beautiful outdoor space at the middle school that we don't currently utilize um as an outdoor classroom very
much. Um some of that's because we have a lot of road noise. Um and we don't have a lot of outdoor furniture. We've been working on that as a school. Um so we have some options. Uh the chairs that we would be purchasing are basically Crazy Creek chairs that you can just um
move around, sit in different configurations. Um so especially for language arts classrooms, it provides us opportunities to work in small groups independently. Socratic seminars whole class. Um my colleague Forest Coher tested this theory out this year and
used his classroom money to purchase a set and it was really successful for him. Um but they were pretty lowrade chairs and so um I appealed to the foundation for some funds to get us nicer chairs and sets um for multiple classrooms throughout the school. So
that's the idea behind it. >> Sounds wonderful. >> Thank you. >> All right, let's proceed. >> Online voting is now available. Motion passes unanimously. Okay. Action item H. We have our salary
salary schedule fiscal year 26 and 27. Um, I move that we approve the revised fiscal year 2627 salary schedule.
>> I second >> and open up to the board for any discussion or questions. Um, so, um, I want to share a concern that I've been working through, um,
on this, um, and, um, kind of walk through a specific example and get it on the record. Um the board votes on a salary schedule each year and embedded in that document are the rules for step placement
including how many years of outside experience can be credited at hire. Um that's board policy. Um it determines what we've authorized to pay. So, in reviewing um some of the records,
I've identified um at least one executive director position where step placement hire doesn't align with the board approved rules. So, um if this person was hired in 2324, the
salary schedule allows a maximum of seven years of outside experience credit for that employee class. Um so under that rule the correct placement at hire should have been a step eight and the actual placement was
a step 15 so eight steps above what the board policy allows. So looking at the financial input uh impact um in 2526 that position is at a step 17
so earning $110,000 at the correct step placement if the policy was followed um step 10 the board approved salary would be $103,000. So that's a $7 uh000 gap in this year
alone. Um so carried over three years the cumulative difference was over 20,000. So um I'm not making um any allegations about intent and I'm not asking to
reduce anyone's salary. Um but I have reason to believe this isn't an isolated case. Um, I've also documented multi-step advancement between years for other administrators, which exceeds the one-step annual
advancement the board has approved. Um, so my position is the board can't responsibly vote to authorize further increases on the um director and above level schedule when we don't have confidence that the
baseline is correct. Now, um so I'd like to propose that the right path forward would be a full audit of step placement for all director and above level employees. Um and that would verify
against the date of hire allowable outside experience and credit for each applicable year and annual advancement records. Um, so until that audit is complete, I don't think the board should be approving new increases
um for this class of employees. And I'm prepared to support contract renewals at the current step in pay um until this is uh until this is resolved. >> Mr. Ramirez. Um it seemed like
uh in past years there was a um a discrepancy between what our district uh gave
in terms of past experience in regard and in comparison to other districts. and ours was very low compared to other districts. And as a result um or because of that there was a conscious decision
made to move our district toward the um model that other districts were using where there were more uh years of experience allowed um and it wasn't hurting uh employees.
uh as bad. And if I if I remember correctly, the way that transition was going to be was that an additional year was going to be added to the um each of those persons um
uh experience that is recognized. Does does that ring a bell with you? Am I am I describing it anywhere close to what it was? I'm familiar that there was a lower
number that seemed to be frozen for a period of time prior to what I understand before I got here. And I know that uh personally when uh I applied and
uh talked about salary it was at a different amount but I really didn't get to speed on this uh policy that Dr. witness and she's correct about the number of step that was allowed and but
we were moving to add a year every year but I know there are discrepancies that have occurred so I really didn't go into the full audit but I think it merits to take a look at it and but we were trying to be competitive I know but I know I
wasn't the superintendent at the time and I didn't make that decision but uh and we had a previous HR director, executive director for HR also. So that's a lot of information that I'm a little gray in about this situation. Uh
but I would like to see what the data reveals. So it am I correct in saying that uh um the some individuals I don't know if it was just uh >> yes >> teaching staff or if it was the entire staff uh if they had 15 years of
experience for some reason our district limited the number to something less than 15. >> Yes that's correct >> and and other districts do not. >> Correct. And so the transition was to make our district more like the other district, but we weren't going to do it
all at once. >> Correct. >> We were going to do it by adding those persons experience one year at a time, which moved them up the salary scale. I I think what you may be referring to is when you look at the salary schedule at the bottom of each
page for each class of employee, you know, for a teacher, it will say um if for last year they had were allowed eight years of experience coming in, then a new teacher coming in this year would be allowed nine years of experience. Um the policy just states
for that particular year and that particular class how much experience um is brought in. Um and that number does go up each year. So for that same if in you know 22 23 or 23 24 they're allowed
a maximum of eight years then if that person was applying the following year they would be allowed a maximum of of um I'm sorry of seven. It would go up to eight. Um but the way it's written, the way the policy is is written, um it
doesn't say that you can add on and you know it's explained that you go up one step each year for additional experience. Um and you know I can understand that there might be reasons that um you know you
would want to adjust a salary or offer a higher compensation package. Um however um to my knowledge um you know since this is um this is board policy if that were to be
um violated and you wanted to make an exception um it's my position that that should be done with a justification and a statement of fiscal impact um and approved by the board if we're going to make an exception to the policy that
we're approving. >> So, um I'm trying to understand what you're telling us. >> Uh it sounds like what you're describing the policy to do is um uh for any given year a person can be hired and so much
of their experience is brought in and they're given credit for that. If another uh staff member is brought in the following year, they get to have an additional year of their experience count where the previous one did not. Is
that correct? >> Yeah. So it goes up each year. So I think that's what you're talking about the phased in part. So um you know perhaps I wasn't part of this discussion but perhaps there was a recognition that limiting outside experience was um
affecting our ability to recruit. So, um, they instead of going all of a sudden from you can get from, you know, 10 to 20, you know, each year they would add on one. And, um, you know, it would
make sense to do it that way so that somebody coming in the following year wouldn't like, you know, skip over somebody else. You know, they'd be hired at the same kind of >> Do you remember the policy number? >> It's on the bottom of every salary schedule page.
>> Oh, okay. Yeah, if you just look at it, it'll tell you. Um, >> that's what I was thinking. It was in embedded in the >> when they were hired for the salary. >> Yeah, it's part of that policy. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Can I add? >> Yes.
>> So, um, probably around 23. I was I'm not sure exactly when um but a lot of our salary schedules were designed in a different way where there were I believe up to five years um included in a step and that was a way of I think the
district saving money for certain years um so after fiveyear increments might have been three year I don't recall right at this moment three year um so that's how it was designed at one point um it was probably 23 um when we decided
to go to those annualized steps instead. Um, and that did cause some movement among those salary schedules and I think there was a very thoughtful approach to where everyone would be placed based upon how that um, restructuring of the salary schedule impacted everybody. So,
I think that could be part of what you might be seeing too and that audit would show that. Um, but all of those did go before the board. And I guess my question is if we're not going to follow the policy that we have, why do we why do we have it?
>> In that situation, the policy changed. So it was based on a range of steps where someone with one year of experience was paid the same salary as someone with three years of experience. For example, when that changed to be a one-year step, then that caused some people to jump from a one-year pay to
like maybe a four-year pay because now we have four years of experience, but they don't fall into the one to threeyear range any longer. They fall into the annual range that is now step four. So, that did happen with quite a few of our principles and uh executive directors and directors who were on a
ranged salary schedule. There's other examples as well as why someone might approve more than one step. For example, if the board approves a raise, but they're also approving a change in a salary schedule for stratification, like
we're asking the board to do right now, the stratification might not permit for a raise to happen for certain individuals, but the desire of the board might be for those individuals to receive a raise. And so the option would be those people could potentially receive a negative impact to their
salary or the board could say we're going to go ahead and approve the raise for this individual. But to do that they have to skip a few steps in order to make that happen on the salary schedule. >> So that's another example of how that could happen. >> But that would be documented in the board meeting documentations. But that
doesn't explain why someone hired in 2324 would be hired um however many seven steps above what was allowed by that salary schedule that year. >> I I I can't speak to that specific case
without looking into it. I'm just giving you some examples as to why people might move more than one step. Um I I would say that when people are transitioned from step to step um that is something that goes on the personnel action forms that the board approves at board
meetings or not the action form itself but the the listing and so that stuff doesn't happen without board approval. >> Yeah. But I mean when something's on a consent calendar um my assumption if it's not specifically flagged is that
it's following board policy. Um, and I don't know, you know, I would like to see the documentation that that was flagged with the fiscal impact of what was happening and a justification um, for why that would help me feel more confident. This is just me looking at
it. I don't have the ability or expertise obviously to review resumeumés and see if you know the outside experience is you know truly there. Um sometimes the date of hire is you know
you know decades ago um but you know that person might have worked there. So you know I don't have that and it's not my role and that's why I'm asking for um a pretty thorough audit of that um before we approve additional increases.
Director Dit there is no board policy quoted on the salary schedules. I just went through the whole thing. There might be a board policy but it's not quoted on there >> right but the salary schedule when we approve it that is policy correct that
is our our directive of how we are going to pay employees okay I also have if you're done I have a couple questions that frankly maybe go down the road of not
wanting to approve the schedules right now just because of We talk about stratification and providing executive team and directors and above can measure it inre increase
when staff and teachers receive an increase but it's not really to measure it. They are the boots on the ground. Not the executive team, not the directors, not the executive directors. The teachers are and the teachers are are
not getting a big increase. Look at the living wage for the state of Colorado. For a single individual without children, it's $24 an hour.
You add a child and that goes down to up to $47 an hour. None of our teachers are doing making that. I cannot look at a salary schedule for directors and executive directors and
look at the amounts that I that they are already receiving and look at increased amounts for those positions. There are two director positions that are receiving a $10,000 increase. I'm not sure if that's a a typo or if it's
correct. And it's just a one step increase. And in one case it's no step increase. I can't understand how somebody is going to receive a $12,000 increase when our teachers are starting at $50,000 a year.
It doesn't seem like stratification is goes today. I cannot make it work in my head that that's okay right now. I understand everybody deserves a fair living wage and executive team is
getting that wage. staff is not >> just well I have some questions too but just to I think some things to take into consideration is 12 months versus 9 or 10 month contracts um so when you look
at some of those contracts 12 months is is more than a teacher's working um >> but they work with students all day long. >> Sure. Sure. So are are did you are you done or >> Yeah.
>> So one of the qu the one of the bigger questions I have is the the step increases like the the amount of diligence maybe that was put into the salary schedule. Generally speaking it's a percentage. Um
and I see $50,000 employees getting $1,000 a year in step increase. And I also see the exact same step increase with $100,000 a year employees. So if you look at the big picture, the $50,000 a year employees
are getting twice the raise on an annual basis that the $100,000 employee is. Um, I know that the money is bigger at $100,000 obviously and that living wage. If you look at Director Blair's point, that living wage is a lot higher. But if
you look at percentages, that's a that's a small raise. A 1% raise for a $100,000 employee is a very small way raise. That's not even close to keeping up with inflation. Um, so I I think there should
be a little more It's it's across the board. It's $1,000 a year per step per and on across the whole schedule. So, it just seems to me like that that should be percentages should be a little more effort or a little more put into that because it just seems like
it's just really easy to do. Um, and I'm not sure that's what happened, but that's that's what I see. Um and then on the and then the second one the like the full
there was item or uh item A B C D E or whatever and where you when we approved the one last time there was where we approved like I think it was item B and then we added a couple couple positions into that and then the last one excuse
me was a a raise for everybody. Um, but on that what we were talking about earlier on that there is two there is two positions that are not getting raises and for full transparency my wife is one of those positions so I prefer not to talk about that one. Um,
and if you look at the other position that is that's getting a 6% decrease in the salary schedule. um when I can see how you can make up for that with
step increases, but when those when those employees are hired originally, um a employee that's looking at the long term, they're going to look at that final step because they're that's going
to affect their pay at 25 years or less. Um and then also if you look at the PARA part of it, the retirement part of it, that's going to affect what they get paid for the rest of their life. Um if there is a decrease in that schedule,
that last step falls and that does negatively affect the pay for the rest of their life. Um I understand that you can make up for it as a pacifier or a band-aid for with steps, but in the long term it's a
negative effect. Yeah, I I had a similar concern about those positions. Um, and also I wasn't sure that my answer my question in the premeating questions was answered. um
the there was a there was a lot bigger discrepancy um between the 10 and the 12th month if you divide it out by months. Um you divided it out by days. So help me understand why the day rate would be so
different than when I did the calculation by month. Um it would not have been as big of a discrepancy. >> Yeah. So our um system gives everybody a daily rate based upon how many contract days they work. So while a salary schedule may say 9 and a half or 10 or
11 months, the reality is there could be as few as three day difference between those salary schedules. So for example, I think our 9 and a half month is um 169 days and then we have the next one up is 172 days. So it wouldn't
necessarily be equitable to just divy divvy it out by months. We look at a daily rate and that's how our system calculates it as well. >> So they're not really working 10 months. >> They are in the calendar months but the days vary significantly.
>> So we don't expect the director of nurses to be there during the school year. Sorry. >> I mean for the school year. Yes. We don't have any calendars that are less than the school year. So that there's a difference in the daily rate. That's how
the system calculates things. It doesn't allow us to calculate it by month. So when you look at our 10-month employees, they work 178 days. Our 11-month employees work 188 days. Our 12-month employees either work 213 or 239 days depending on whether they work Fridays
every Friday or one Friday a month. And so when we were creating when we were what we were attempting to do with the director's salaries is to stratify those in in two ways. One by days worked and two by the level of responsibility. And while no one is disputing the importance
of a teacher position and and that's not really the point I'm trying to make here. It is important to note that someone that takes on a responsibility of a supervisory role has higher levels of liability and legal risk in their position. They have supervisory responsibilities. They work
more days and longer hours by contract. And so they are typically, and I would say in pretty much every district you'll find, going to have a higher salary schedule than a teacher salary schedule. >> Yeah. But why are the days so different?
I mean, there's usually 30 or 31 days in a month. So, how does the math work out? Are you just not paying some people for like spring break, but other people do get paid for spring break? >> It has to do with where it has to do with where holidays fall. And so
sometimes at the beginning of the year, like your August for example is a heavy day. I mean a heavy month of a lot of work days. But if you look at November, especially December, there's very few work days in there. So the system does not calculate it by in that way. It
calculates it by total days throughout the year. And so, um, if someone leaves early or if they start late and they didn't, let's say they worked August, but they sorry, let me take that back. They didn't work August. They started later and they started
during a month that had less days. The system is actually going to prorrate their salary based on that because they there was more total work days prior when they started than when they started. When I started in this role, I asked a lot of those same questions because it doesn't make sense intuitively why you don't just divide it
monthly and everybody gets the same amount monthly, but that's not how the system calculates. And we've we've also checked that with all other districts and and and the software providers and everything else. That's just that's how that's how it's calculated. I can't give you better I can't better
to give you a better explanation. Um moving on from that I I would as a medical professional make the point that um someone who's heading the medical services in our school has very strict
lure and also very high liability and responsibility. Um, and we know that that role becomes very visible when we do have um public health outbreaks um and concerns. Um,
>> and I I don't think we would dispute that either, but what when we created that stratification, we looked at a whole host of other districts. What are the what are the areas where people get a higher rate of pay and whether they get a lower rate? We calculated again levels of responsibility, how many staff
they supervise, how many days they all of those things. So, not everybody might come to the same conclusion about where the stratification falls, but I would tell you if you were to look at other districts and and most of them that we looked at in fairness don't have a director of health services. Um, but
when you look at the other positions that most districts do have, our stratification is right in line with other districts. If you also look at the average salary that directors in our district get paid compared to the directors in other districts of comparable size in our region and and statewide, it is far far lower than than
others. We're we're ranked dead last. I think I as a board member would like to see um maybe in the next next school year that we do become a little more um aware of the hourly rate for bus
drivers, paraprofessionals. I mean, $19 an hour just isn't enough to, you know, I I would just like to see everyone in the district have a living wage. and those hourly rates, especially for substitute teachers or the substitutes that I saw on there. And I know we've
already voted on that, but just to think ahead, I think we really need to look at look at the um the other services and the other members of our district because, you know, I don't know. I I just think that they also deserve
consideration when it comes to, you know, being able to make a living wage. And I I know we have raised salaries for teachers. Um however, I don't think in the last two years any of that has come from the general fund. It's all come
from the additional revenue from the mil levy. Um and I know when I voted for that, my assumption was that there would be it wasn't just going to be like, oh great, we don't have to spend money from
the general fund anymore. We can use it for something else. So again, we've already approved teacher salaries for this year. Um but looking forward, um I I don't think the mil levy was meant to mean that there aren't other increases
um to make the job more recruitable. But I personally don't feel comfortable um approving further increases until we understand um how the placements were done and uh see documentation of how it aligns with the board understanding of how people are uh positioned on the
salary schedule. >> And for clarification on the stratification of the director's salaries, the intent was not that any director would not receive a raise. It's just that the scales themselves would be adjusted. >> So why is it that these two directors
are getting a $10,000 increase? Again, it comes to the stratification. So, if you look at if you look at some of our directors that were that were routinely working 239 day years, they were getting the same rate of pay as other directors
that were working 213 days. That was a stratification that we had not made. Secondly, when we were looking at the the level of responsibility, the exposure to liability, all of those things that I mentioned earlier, those
specific positions typically rank higher in districts than some of the other positions because the job requires more. So, it's not the raise that we're so much going after, it's sorry, it's the it's it's better separating those
positions. more the level of responsibility and the number of people they supervise in their department. I had a question on the one the one director tier group it's the human resources do we have I know in so how
have we structured that like I know there was a time that you were the human resources director and then it was I think Rhonda was a like a organ was it organizer or >> specialist >> specialist or something like that so there was uh the history of that position is there was a human resources
it was a there's a whole lot of background there so it was an added duty of an assistant superintendent. At one point, it was a director. It was elevated to an executive director position and then we also changed the staffing in that not we like over time,
not just since I've been here, but they've >> changed the staffing in terms of there was two people in the department versus three people in the department. Um, some of that has to do with the level of experience of those individuals that are in the department. Do they have HR experience? Do they have education
background and lensure? Things like that. And so it's it's gone kind of back and forth. Uh our current uh situation is that we have a director of HR. We don't have an executive director of HR. Um Mr. Ramirez and myself both help to
oversee HR from an executive level. >> So So Ron is the executive director or is the director of the director of HR? Correct. >> And when was that change made to director from specialist? >> Uh it was never a specialist position.
Um, but it was a coordinator position. >> Coordinator. Yeah. >> And now it's a still a coordinator position or a director position. >> It's a director position currently. Um, it there's some certain responsibilities in that department including some of our policies and stuff that reference a
director role. And so we we're trying to make that more commensurate with the with the responsibilities. >> And did that change already happen or is that proposed with the salary schedule change? Um I believe that change happened a while back. >> It was after we changed you guys
approved the last org chart because that's when the director of human resources was listed. So that would have been what December or January by January. >> Um Um I moved to table I'd like to amend my original motion.
Um, I move to table action on the FY 2627 salary schedule pending completion of a full audit of director level and above step placements, verifying compliance with board approved salary schedule rules for outside
experience credit and annual advancement with audit results to be presented to the board at a future meeting. >> Point of order. Um if if the director wants to table the
motion that's been made um then a motion can be made to table it. Um but amending to table is >> okay >> I will say it again.
I move to table action on the FY20 2627 salary schedule pending completion of a full audit of director level and above step placements verifying compliance with board approved salary
schedule rules for outside experience credit and an annual advancement with audit results to be presented to the board at a future meeting. >> Can I take that to type it up? I I can email that one to you.
You should get an email from me with the language you can copy and paste. >> I guess she made the motion, but we also need a second. to proceed that around too. >> Second to the motion to table. >> You need a second? >> Yes,
>> I second the motion. taught us to be very precise. >> Miss Blair, you gave the second. >> Are we ready? >> Yes. >> Online voting is now available. So the reason I abstained is to because
it directly affects the salary of my spouse. >> Thank you. motion to table passes, but it will not let me put it on the screen. There's no button. No, it's not even giving me the button.
Um, it was 52 one and one obsession. She's ready for bed. >> I'm sleeping in until 7:30 now. >> Do we don't have to go back on the other motion and do anything with it, right?
The table. Okay, just checking. Okay, moving on. Thank you. >> Okay. All right, we got action item I. We have a initiate MCHS math curriculum review and adoption process.
>> Um, >> there was an insertion. >> Oh, there wasn't there >> um in the setting of the agenda. Director Dit asked that we move this item to after H or after whatever that last one
was. So, this is the item that got during >> I'm refreshing. Let's see. My understanding is it would be after H, not at the bottom, right? It would be after H. >> Yeah, that's what her wording was. >> Administrative contracts.
>> There we go. Yep. I just had to refresh. My bad. Okay. >> New action item or appropriate one, I should say. I We have the administrative contract renewal recommendations. I move I move to approve administrative
contract renewals as presented with the following exception. Contract renewals listed under the director's section are approved at each employees current step and salary pending completion of the HR
audit requested under action item 9H. I can email that one to you. Do we have a second on the motion? >> I second the motion. You should have an email from me. Um, I heard a second but I didn't catch
the name. >> He didn't hear me. >> I didn't make a note. That's the first time. Online voting is now available. I didn't get a popup. I'll do better. Director Hall, are you voting on this
one? >> Mr. Lynch, did you receive a vote? >> I'm still thinking. >> Time allotted. You're okay. Take your time. Motion carries. Put that up on the screen.
>> I don't think the screen does show that there is one person abstaining. >> But note that >> 511. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Thank you.
>> All right. On to action item J. Initiate MCHS math curriculum review and adoption process. >> I move the board approve to begin the 30-day process for Monizuma Cortez High
School math curriculum review and adoption. I'll second >> and open up to the board for any discussion or questions. >> Can I make a point real fast? Um, we don't actually have 30 days until the
next board meeting. We have 28 days. 30 days is not a board policy. It's a it's kind of a procedure we've followed. So my request would be that we allow it to take place within a 28 day time frame so that we can take action prior to the end
of the month of June. >> Actually, I believe it is policy. >> We we spent some time reviewing that and we could not find that in policy. I stand to be corrected if you have it. I just I couldn't find it. >> Can we make a notation that the review
process will be completed at the next board meeting? or does it need to be 30 days language >> if we want to adjust the 30-day uh issue? Yes, we would have to adjust
the current motion. Sorry, I would have said that before. >> No, >> I guess it would be helpful for me to have a little bit of context of where this um this uh how the math curriculum
was identified for review and um what work has already been done on it. >> I have some handouts for you and then there's also the math team and the assistant principal at the high school is here that can answer some of those questions as well. Okay,
>> Mr. Lynch, did you have something? >> I think he's looking at policy stuff. >> Yeah, we we could make this really we could make this more quickly resolved if we just say according to policy >> rather than trying to find the number of
days. Just say it will be reviewed according to policy. >> We need to amend. >> I so amend. >> It's not that easy. What I'm handing to you right now is a is a
timeline that created when he was here. That timeline was not we got ahead of that timeline quite a bit. outside that cycle. So now I'm handing you information
Yes, please. Math team. >> Is it mathletes? Is that what we call you? >> Yeah. >> Hello, I'm Candy Lion. math department chair and we have our other math teachers here as well
>> and Aaron Schmidt, one of the assistant principles at the high school. I work closely with the math team. >> Um so we started um we found out that our curriculum was going to expire our current license. So we started down the
path of what we wanted to do and it was decided that uh to meet the board's goals and the district's goals of direct instruction. Our current curriculum doesn't do that. It's a very investigative approach. And so to meet
that direct instruction goal, we decided that we would look at some other things. Um we've looked at about five curriculums. um mathematic um as well as the current one we have. Um and then um I forget
which other one. Oh, big ideas which was more investigative as well. Um we narrowed it down to two and you can see our um top choice was the envision curriculum by SEAS. Um it is
light years ahead of where we are now. Um it offers us a lot of tools for differentiation not just for the lower students but for those upper end students and those GT students as well. Um it's very datarich. So right now um
we give all of our math tests paper pencil. Um and this would allow us to give more PSAT SAT type test to our students. Um it also incorporates um a lot of digital tools. So, calculators
and then in geometry, it allows for online constructions and the kids can then compare constructions or activities and not have to just pencil paper and take so much time do more learning instead of just
like how do I use a compass? Um, so those types of things are a part of this curriculum. So are you saying that their like math assignments wouldn't be paper and pencil? It would be more online. >> So the what we've chosen has both. >> Okay.
>> So everything that we do is available paper pencil, but it's also available digitally. So if we had a kid that was sick at home, the teacher did something in class on paper, that student at home would still be able to do something
online. So every resource with this curriculum is available both ways. >> I want to add to that another thing that prompted this from the math department. They were very proactive in that the math standards are changing and um for
Colorado and they researched these new standards. the draft is out and a lot of it has standards that are specifically done with technology and math standards that are done or skills that they work on without technology. And so right now
our curriculum does not have that technology and these curriculums have the Desmos calculator built into them and that is a huge learning curve for our students on the SAT and PSAT. That's a calculator that's provided for them on
those on those tests. >> Just having the physical sorry instead of have the physical calculator they get the digital one but same thing that they would be given for the actual test. >> Yes. And then um if the new curriculum is
adopted um typically what is the um roll out um how are teachers um how do they have the time to become familiar with it because I'm sure it's going to you know change a lot. It's um even if it's something they're welcoming. So how do
you guys you know make sure when school starts they're prepared for that? Um, so when we looked at this curriculum, we were presented with that PD is really customizable to us and what we feel like we need. So if we need a couple of days
with those online tools for kids before we roll out, that's what they will come and train us on. Um, this PD also um or this curriculum has a lot of uh self-paced PD. So if there's something you want to know, there's a tutorial,
there's a video for teachers to feel comfortable before they launch it to students. >> So, is that done usually the first week of school or do the teachers like once it's approved, they have the curriculum over the summer to take a look at it?
>> Uh, when we we did that last year with our social studies curriculum, our English curriculum, and our science curriculum. So, we actually did pay teachers to come in a little bit early in the summer and get that PD and start working on their pacing guides. A lot of curriculums are built for five day
weeks. So, our teachers have to put in that time to really prioritize for a four day week school. >> And then who's uh responsible for kind of making sure that with the new curriculum that all those all of the teachers are are prepared and and kind
of ready to go with that? Is that the department chair or the principal? >> I would say it's a shared leadership. So yes, the principal, me, I'm like the instructional coach for the math department and then she's the department lead and then we work as a team to make
sure we hold each other accountable and work through the curriculum and um provide the best possible implementation that we can in the first year. >> One thing that I wanted to add is uh if you look at that original curriculum
adoption cycle uh math is up for adoption. We did wait until second semester to start this process because we were waiting for standards to be adopted by the state. The only standards that they changed was high school. They didn't change the other standards. Um, a
lot of it was reorganization of standards. It wasn't completely like, hey, we're, you know, math is still math, but they reorganized how how the delivery was going to be or the sequence. Um, the other thing that they haven't mentioned yet is that the current curriculum is is up. Like our
digital license component is is up and it has to be renewed if we're going to stay with our current curriculum. So, we have to make a change or we either have to make the decision to continue or make a change. Um, and then the only other thing I would say is the math team has spent a lot of time reviewing this
curriculum and they've already these curriculum options and so they have some preferences. However, a decision has not been made yet. So, we still have to that's why we're asking for this this month. We still have to make it available for public review and and things like that before a final decision
is recommended to the board for approval. >> Any other questions for our math advisors? >> Thank you. policy. So better
than No, I'm saying policy says 30 days policy. >> We have to follow policy. >> Yes. >> Okay.
>> Okay. >> So, we can't do the 28 days if the policy says 30. >> Correct. >> So, Yes. So, the current motion we are >> Well, then we're stuck. I
>> I I see it. Okay. >> I move to amend the motion to remove 30-day process and replace it with 28. and replace it with policy approved
process. >> Yes, >> I second the motion >> and replace it with >> policy approved process. Second from Blair. Online voting is now available.
How do you vote? Director Blair. >> Yay. >> Motion to amend carries. >> Proceed with the motion. >> I am going to do this a little different. I did the last time we think
that was an error. Online voting is now available. Says community encountered a big problem. Did anybody else see that? Might have been why it jumped me off the screen and it was searching for where we were.
Mine disappear. >> Did you guys get the vote? >> Yeah. >> Oh, there we go. >> No, mine cycle changing. >> Yeah, I think it was just showing the vote on the amendment, not on the >> So, I see the amendment.
>> Okay, let's see. >> Let me try to resend. showed up for me. >> Maybe I've just typed it wrong. I might need to just add that wording to the original >> it popped up for me again. >> But is the wording right?
>> It looks like the amendment >> moves to remove the 30-day process and replace it with policy approved process. >> But that cuts out the big the original. Okay, it's it's me. Last time we lost our order of events if I went back to the beginning.
Sorry. recommends the board approved. Um, okay. I've resent. Look at that wording. Is that correct? >> It's not showing up for says we already voted.
>> That'll work. I do not know how to >> um do you want to take a verbal vote so we can speed this up? >> Oh, I just voted. >> It just went through. >> You did? Okay. >> Yeah, it showed on. >> I don't know which ones you guys are saying as previous. >> They was unanimous. It's >> all good now. >> Yeah, we're all good.
Does everyone agree that they've voted? Yay. >> Yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. >> Okay. Um on to action item K, our curriculum consent distribution.
>> You can hand them out, but we won't discuss it until there's a motion. Uh, I move the board approved the replacement of benchmark advanced K5 ELA curriculum with Hton Mifflin Heart Court K5 ELA curriculum
to support the implementmentation of the Houston ISDO. I second. >> We'll open it up to the board for discussion and questions. >> So, this would go against policy. Um, but
I think it's possible to make an exception because there's a purpose here why the curriculum is being adopted. It's in regard to a um anou that we want
to enter into and it is to match the other district and it will be used next year. Correct. >> Correct. So I feel like >> so we got to do another amendment.
>> No, I I feel like I feel like this is um a justifiable um reason for not going through the regular curriculum process. Um
>> or the option is that um we can adopt it on the condition that the policy approved process is followed beginning uh today
and conditional upon the success of that process. I'd like I I had some other questions. >> There's a motion. >> There is a motion. >> So, we're open for discussion
>> to discuss. Um so, so I have a I have a a few questions or or concerns. Um, one is, uh, what director Lynch just brought up is that this is coming to us as anouou approval and purchasing decision, which bypasses the the usual curriculum
adoption policy entirely. So I was a parent member of the community who reviewed when the benchmark was adopted and I remember it was fairly robust where we came into this room and reviewed it and you know we met and um
you know I had talked with my daughter's kindergarten teacher about what she had she had liked and didn't like about it. Um also and and so we we seem not to be following that that policy to replace the benchmark.
Um I also recall teachers saying at that time um if you're going to give us a new policy, please don't hand it to us right before school starts without the proper training. Um and this past year I have heard identified that that is uh a lot
of the reason why identified as an issue that there was not proper um preparation and training and and ability to be prepared to to properly implement that curriculum. Um
so I'm concerned at this particular date right now if we have the time or are we going to repeat that? Um, we had talked I I'd raised some of my concerns about the staffing. Um, in the
previous discussion um, and then I guess the the question that I have is about theou. Um, at the time of the Q&A, the legal review wasn't complete. Um, is it complete at this
time and were there any modifications that were recommended by legal counsel? You see that? >> I don't feel like I have I don't I don't think I have on this item. >> I will check tomorrow, but I would
recommend to the board to uh amend the original motion condition upon the legal review completion. >> Okay. Um, one of my concerns in theou is that HISD can pull access at any time. Um,
they say especially for misuse, but it's not only for misuse. So, one of my concerns is that we have switched over to this new thing. We have teachers in the middle of the year. Um, and we've said that we're using this
because these supplemental curriculum because there are slides and quizzes and things that are pre-arranged. However, if HISD decides for whatever reason they have a change in leadership, different legal counsel that they're
pulling that, then our students and our teachers are left scrambling um to to figure that out. Um I also um I'll also stop there
if I could add one thing. Um the Hooten Mifflin Hardcourt ELA curriculum is a comprehensive K5 ELA curriculum. So, and it is on the approved list from the CDE for approved reading curriculum. Uh, reading is the one content area where the state
does have a approved list that you you need to make sure you're pulling your material from. The other thing that I wanted to add is the reason one big reason that this doesn't follow the traditional curriculum adoption process is because
we don't have multiple options to select from. if we're going to try to implement the curricular resources that are created by Houston ISD from these materials that we have to have licensing for, which is the list that you guys have in front of you. Um, we can't pick
and choose. We can't say, "Hey, we're going to do theou, but we're going to choose another ELA curriculum that's that's not supported in those materials." So it's it's not a typical adoption process if we we can't present to community hey do you want HMH or do you want benchmark or do you want you
know open court because those other two resources won't support what we're trying to do. So they they go handinand glove with one another otherwise we should just not do any of it. I I guess my point is if it's a curriculum plus a staffing and instructional model change,
that would be even more reason to open that up to public comment. If just a curriculum change alone is enough to do that than if it's a curriculum change plus instructional model plus staffing model
change, um I I don't think that's a reason to not go through the normal process. We're not opposed to that, Director Dwit. Uh we can follow the same process we're doing for the high school mathematics.
Uh but it would also be uh after contact conversation that I have with our legal counsel. I would make that that if uh it were to be uh MOU were to end that it would only be at the
end of the academic year to not jeopardize the upcoming year. also. So, uh I'm ready to work with that with the wishes of the board should they desire that. So, um what
I'm trying to understand the the tie with the Houston district in regard to the curriculum. This is the curriculum that they use. But what I what I'm guessing is that all the support
materials that they've developed are for that curriculum and it's based on a certain their whatever their days are of instruction. And so if uh we were to say well we want to compare this with two
others the two others have no support as Houston has put together for their program. So, so this is this is basically um this isn't choosing between curriculums. This is accepting a another
district's um successful use of this curriculum. We're not we're not here. The idea behind this is not to select the best reading curriculum. The idea is to you is to select the one that Houston used
so that Houston's program can be replicated here. Is that not correct? >> That's correct. And it's also a very advanced curriculum uh that they've developed from data mining the HMH the textbook. So you're right. It's not
about the textbook, but it's about the licensing for access to the Houston curriculum that's developed, highly developed, because they have teams of curriculum writers, teams of psychometric people that uh created the
daily uh assessments and also the other assessments that go on with it. Our team is faced with looking at that and be able to accommodate it to our instructional days, the four day week from the five day week that Houston ISD
has. And that's work that our teachers have to do in in regard to um director Dit's concern about the other district uh cutting short the use or or their support or whatever. How would that
affect us after having started? Are they going to are we required to send the materials back? Are we required to discontinue using it? Or are we just going to use uh um lose their uh
consultation and their uh support from instructors and so forth. I think if we would violate anything on theou, we would jeopardize the risk of losing uh that curriculum where we're at. And so my recommendation
as superintendent is to make sure that we safely guard for that that it's not done and I don't we're not going to violate what theou says in the use of it. That means we're not going to use it or give it to some other district or use it in ways that are not approved in
theou I think that's the safety factor Houston has in theirou for that. But again, when it gets to that point, it's legal ease and I want to make sure with our legal counsel about that. >> But but it's not difficult to stay out
of trouble with theou. It's very easy, >> right? >> But it it doesn't stipulate that it's only for a violation. It just says especially. Um >> we would have language that would specify or clarify that. So it's not vague. Well, and and I in in this conversation,
I I met with numerous people from their executive leadership, including the person, Dr. Nicole Esh, who puts together that agreement, and their primary consideration is they don't they're not trying to make money off of this. They provide it to us free of charge. Their primary consideration is
they don't want to be violating copyright law by providing us access to material that has copyrighted that is pulled from copyrighted material. If that makes sense. However, we go by what is in the contract and they're writing the contract to protect their
self-interest and it's our job to protect our students here. Um, so yeah, I I I would if I were them, I'd write the contract the same way. Might not be the one that I would want to accept, though.
>> And to your to your earlier question, Mr. Lynch, um, it is a it is a variety of pieces of material. So there's hard copy print resources that are a part of that that come from Amplify um is the publisher of those. There's digital licensing with HMH and some of the
supplemental resources. So there is there's a full content library of materials that we receive. The advantage is that it's packaged for teachers so that they don't have to do the packaging. They don't have to do the lesson plan creation. They they already
did that for them. The other advantage to that is um you know they have a lot of data that supports the effectiveness of that model. >> I I just have a concern. I don't feel that we are ready at this point. Um, I
would 100% support um using this year to um get our staffing in place um to demonstrate that we can hire the number of people that are needed to do this
correctly. And I think that all of our students would benefit from that. Um and um I would approve anou so that we would be able to maybe review those materials a little bit more. Um I don't
know if we can do a community review without um having anou to show those slides, but to just in one vote say we're approving a per uh completely changing all of our elementary curriculum and our staffing model. Um I
I understand a lot of thought and work has gone into it, but I don't see how we would be prepared for this in just a little over 10 weeks to to start it. >> One other point that I would make is typically when we adopt a new curriculum, that professional
development happens either over the summer or in the first the initial professional development in the first week leading up to the start of the school year. It is not typical to spend an entire school year doing professional development for material that you won't be implementing until the following year while you're still trying to implement
the curriculum you're currently using. So regardless of when we decide to do this or not, we have we'll have the same timeline in terms of preparing. Um Houston won't give us access to this without anou, which we can't have unless we have
rights to the material that theou supports. So I think there there are some considerations there. >> Yeah. And so that's kind of interesting that this time we're asking to approve a curriculum that we're not able to review. >> We could review HMH and the other
curriculum, but the actual material we wouldn't be able to in full. >> Yeah. >> Um and that's something I would also want to see. I mean, as a board member, also as a parent, um, I think probably the teaching staff who didn't get to go
would also like to see, you know, when we do a new curriculum, you can pull it out, you can look at it, um, and kind of see that. So to see what that model actually looks like, what what is the timeline
uh for preparing to use these materials um for next year? what what has to happen by certain drop deadad dates >> if we're going to be using print resources that require shipping and and receiving and distribution in our
district. If we wait, you know, past past the June board meeting, I don't think we would get them in time. The digital resources have a quicker turnaround time >> as far as professional development. you know, we can we can build that in our
ourselves um to our to our PD calendar. Um if we're relying on outside vendors to provide PD, then you know, we have to make sure that we're on their on their schedule. And the longer we wait, the harder it is to schedule them.
>> And then when is the elementary um ELA curriculum up for um like when would that normally be reviewed for replacement? the ELA curriculum was adopted in 2122 and typically we're looking at like a
five to sixyear period of time. A couple of pieces that I would that I would add is that benchmark curriculum that we currently use has a pretty hefty recurring cost every year. I think if you look at the piece that I gave you, it's it's over $50,000.
It's about $59,000, not including the PD. Um, so you're looking at a similar expense. The other thing that I would say, and this is anecdotal, I haven't done a a survey, but I would tell you that the benchmark curriculum is not widely liked
by our current staff. >> I've heard that as well. Um I but I haven't heard widely we don't like benchmark and we want to switch to the Houston model. Um
I have heard um you know a lot of interest in some of the aspects of it but um concern about um that we're actually ready to implement
it. um and that all of the different roles will be supported. And I I didn't hear anything tonight that kind of changed my mind on that. >> I would my final comment would be that
anytime you implement a new system, it's it's version 1.0 is never going to be as good as version 2.0. It's going to take time to learn it. It's going to take time to implement it regardless of what it is. If you look at the Houston implementation of this very system, they did it this late in the year. And
version 1.0, while it had some successes, was not nearly as successful as the following year where they ironed out kinks. It's going to be the same for us whenever we choose to do this or whenever we choose to adopt any other program. Um, so yeah, there's some there's some nerves. It's going to be a little scary to start a new program.
It's going to people are going to be uncertain. Not everybody's going to have the same degree of buyin initially. Some people are going to be gung-ho. Others are going to be resistant. Some people don't like Generally speaking, it's going to be hard work, but any any change is is
going to be that way. So, I I don't expect year one to be perfect. I would expect year two to be perfect, but each year is an iteration that's going to get better. >> Yeah. I mean I I agree that's a that's a realistic growing model but we haven't
from my perspective demonstrated that we can have stability and staffing in our elementary schools under the current model. Um you know when we talk to our principles about reasons that um you know certain grades are struggling it's because of the use of
long-term sub subs. And so, um, I really do have a feeling that we need to get the basics right. Um, and one of those things is staffing. And yes, it's a challenge either way. So, let's put our focus on that um, for a year. Demonstrate that we can stabilize
staffing that we can recruit um, the qualified pair of professionals um, and additional teaching staff that we need. Um because otherwise um I can see a system where oh you're taking this quiz there's a
differentiation but there's not there's not somebody to actually um you know sit with the with the different groups and do that. Um and so that's that's my concern. I haven't heard um I mean I would like to see I would like to see
stable staffing first before we do that. >> So that was my last comment. I like >> um the this I hope this one is my last comment. What what I would say is >> I do share the staffing concern. >> I do share the staffing concern. However, it is, in my view, a better
system to have a staff member come in who's not trained or is a long-term sub or who's a PEBC teacher and you have material that's pretty well structured versus them coming in and trying to learn a program like Benchmark that's
extremely dense and has a whole lot of training that really should go with it. So my argument would be that having a system like this actually would support a less trained staff better than our current system.
>> Who is the publisher of our benchmark? >> Is the publishing company >> benchmark benchmark education company publishes benchmark advanced ELA curriculum. >> Okay. >> Is there any prof sorry
>> go ahead. professional development available from HISD for when needed for our local staff or local teachers. >> We we've talked a lot about what PD looks like if we implement this model.
>> Um, a lot of it has to do with instructional coaching. It has to do with get better faster engagement strategies, classroom management strategies. there needs to be some some PD on on the actual
um supported curriculum like the HMH and the things like that. But as far as Houston providing PD, that's not a part of the agreement. >> So, who's going to be the local expert on this curriculum? So we've contracted with some different individuals in
consulting companies that provide a lot of the actually a lot of the same training that we would require for this. Um an example of that is an organization we work with called intentional design um solutions or consulting and they provide a lot of PD around lesson planning and
around um get better or faster instructional strategies around uh data meetings and using data to drive instruction. So we we have already utilized some of those folks and you know as a principal that particular organization I got the best feedback I'd
ever gotten about a PD firm. So we can we can definitely contract for services if we don't have staff on site that feel able to provide some of that PD. The piece that is that we don't have an answer to yet
because it really depends on board action is how we're going to train on the on the materials themselves because we can't get that far until we have access to the materials themselves. And so we would do what we do in a lot of cases, which is bring in teachers who
are interested over the summer to do paid training and administrators and then they can then um it would then be a train the trainer sort of situation or depending on how many teachers come in, they could they could have direct training. >> How how many districts um have gone the
route that you're recommending where they have anou and adopted the curriculum in the slides from Houston? I don't have that number. I just have the Oh, go ahead, Mr. Ramirez. >> I don't think that there are many that
are being as innovative as we are in approaching uh our needs academically. uh but it's solid foundation and it's proven and uh
I know that what can't change the last slide in the PowerPoint is if we don't make a change we can't continue to think that we're going to improve tier one core instruction and I think it's a tremendous lift off
the teacher uh of having to develop everything and uh that it's good for uh teachers to have that product already developed for them and benchmark was so
massive and so cumbersome and so difficult that uh it it just wasn't in the best interest of the district when that was adopted. But uh >> so if this isn't this is tested in
Houston where there is way different I'm assuming funding um teacher salaries I've heard are a lot higher um have you considered um piloting it
here for one grade level um or a limited so you can kind of go through um kind of uh lessons learned um how is this working, how is this not before just kind of white scale changing
everything. Uh sometimes that's a good option when it's something that hasn't been proven or tested, but I feel confident in a widecale change like you've mentioned. But uh and that's why the staff is
buying in, the principles are buying in. They've seen it. They you've heard them this evening. uh you know I can't do more than to expose that to the board to understand how uh the whole team is
trying to work together about uh providing better instruction and providing uh more support for teachers whether it's additional staffing or with it's a product like this that they have that they're able to
concentrate on the instruction methodology of direct teach and uh these are not new components of I do we do you do and or direct teach uh they're things
that uh they have known and been using but we haven't been consistent across the board as you know when you disagregate the student data and look at uh the results and uh so
you know there are a lot moving pieces, a lot of different systems and it's uh it has been a lot of work from the team to move at both at the campus and district level this fast. Uh and I
understand the fear that comes along with that that uh for people that aren't practitioners in education as well. U it's it's just uh
It's normal for people to have fear or concern about change and uh but we try to uh have that exploration by all to feel comfortable and have a buy in in it and
what we're trying to do. >> I mean I I I there are a lot of things that are appealing about the model. Um, but I I can't just support approving it tonight. Um, just because I don't feel like we're
ready. um primarily with the staffing support um and I would prefer longer discussion um if there's dissatisfaction with the curriculum if
this is the route that we want to go or just replace the current curriculum um without changing the teaching and staffing model um because you know from what I've heard heard there is a lot of enthusiasm for
elements, but there I haven't heard a lot of confidence that it will be properly staffed. Um, and a lot of that has to do with um, Houston's very different and the amount of money they can offer people, they can offer teachers. Um, it is very difficult to to
recruit here. So, I I appreciate everyone's input and and thought on it. >> I have a question. Director Dit, um I want to understand better some of the comments you made earlier and and now um
about staffing um u I'll tell you what I thought I heard and you correct me where I'm wrong. Uh what I thought I heard you um suggesting is that uh the district get the staffing
in place and wait and not do any of the other changes except the staffing next year and then after next year move forward with curriculum and all the other pieces. Am I not understanding?
Yeah, I would um I would support improving the staffing ratios and um looking at specific staffing ratios which we we kind of got general staffing ratios tonight but I wasn't able to I would like to see how many positions do
we have approved um for each school and just to understand and again it's not so much to second guessess um but I need to see that this has been thought out and see the fiscal impact um and And then if we demonstrate that we are able to
recruit, that we have a staffing model, we're able to recruit and um take the year um to have a further conversation about is this the direction that uh the teaching staff wants to go. Um do some
interaction with you know parents or students that are interested. Um yeah, then I then I that I could support it. Um I sorry it's after 10. Um I'm going to stop because
>> um Mr. Romeirez um without implementing all the puzzle pieces that you're putting together here. Is it for instance by excluding the curriculum and
just doing staffing? Are you going to be able to implement direct instruction with the current curriculum that we're using in all the schools? We would we would have to double down on the PD training, the
monitoring, the coaching of that. The curriculum is the heartbeat of the direct instruction. And uh so to me, you're just having the same
system, the same model, and you want me to throw extra positions that not that doesn't support uh these new uh methodology of instruction that we're we're trying to
bring to the district. So it uh it's like having part of the planning but not all the planning. >> Right. So in order to do direct instruction, it would not only have the the um
curriculum that we have would not only have to be taught to the staff, but the staff would also have to develop their own lesson plans and their own curriculum map. >> Correct. >> That they would have to develop it all. >> Correct. And and what you're saying is
by adopting something that's already in place in Houston, even though we don't know about it, it's been successful in Houston and and it's all prepared for us to drop into our district and run with
without having to do a lot of um uh as much instruction PD uh as uh it takes away the requirement that the the staff prepare their own um lesson plans and
their own um uh curriculum mapping too, doesn't it? >> Yes. It lets a practice uh and plan more and have discussions about the implementation something that's created already and not have it to create it and then also have to have
well how am I going to implement that? How do I how should I teach that? So, uh and because our staff is at different skill levels too. So, uh this kind of brings everybody to that level as far as a product that they're trying to
implement and they're not having to do all the time about creating those lesson plans and assessments and so forth. Uh it's a double-edged sword. Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds to me like if you if you take the
ideas for um ramping up the staff, but you don't take the rest of the puzzle, you just apply the staff to what we have. It will be difficult for the more difficult for the staff. It will be uh
it will actually be not implementing. there may be more staff than is necessary because we're using the old model of curriculum and teaching. >> I I'd like to push back a little. My daughter's in fourth grade. She's got a class of 24
and I love those kids, but some of them are pretty wild. Having an extra adult in the room um makes a really big difference. Um, when you have a child who's struggling,
you have an adult who can uh sit down and just do some oneon-one with that child. Um, I'm not a teacher, but I'm a parent. I know that's how kids learn. Um, when you have a child in tears in the class and there's not an adult in
there because the counselor is already with there and the licensed teacher can't leave the class alone, so the kids's just sitting there crying. Um these are things that I've seen. Um I have friends who have removed their children from the school um based on
classroom environment um when there are discipline um issues that can't be addressed because there's not an adult to sit with that child. So no, having extra staffing makes I
believe a world of difference. Um, I absolutely agree that every child can succeed. I was in foster care for most of my childhood. I succeeded. I had a lot of extra supports.
So if we acknowledge that our children in this district have a lot of challenges at home and they absolutely can be successful but some of those children are going to need different supports than a child who
has a family who has the capacity to get that. So absolutely increasing the staffing of adults who are working with kids in the classroom makes a difference. I believe it allows instruction to go on.
Um >> well I think we're all on the same page about increasing staffing, but adding bodies without a plan is not nearly as effective as adding bodies with a plan. If you look at the Houston model, they had very high levels of poverty, very
light high levels of uh students that are learning English as their second language and they saw tre I mean and those numbers are higher than the numbers we have in our district and they saw they went from F-rated schools to B and C-rated schools across the board. It
wasn't one here or there. It was hundreds of schools that saw success. So it's a not a small case study. And so while we agree that you need to have more bodies to implement that, um just adding a body without a plan is not going to be a success. Adding a body
with a plan where they have a purpose is going to show you the success that you're wanting to see. >> Well, I think what I'm hearing is we want more bodies, but we don't want to do a new system. We just want more bodies because everybody's complaining that there's not enough um people in the
room. and and if we're going to do that, we're going to stay where we are forever. At the current level of achievement, we're never going to get anywhere. This is an idea that's been proven somewhere. We're trying to take what they are offering in a very gracious
manner to share with us and help bring us up to speed and possibly make huge increases in student outcomes as a result. But it takes the whole package. You can't just hire the people and not
hire not have the curriculum that they used. You can't just come up with your own curriculum and hire enough people to do their system. You have to do their system. You can't just hire enough people to do it. You have to do the whole thing. Otherwise, you're you're
you're automatically um discounting your chances of success at what they did, which is the whole idea. We're trying to copy success. Somebody did it. We're asking them to show us how. They're going to show us
how. They have the system. And here we don't want to do it. We only want to get the people so that we can feel better about the way we've been doing things, not moving forward with a new idea. >> I would imagine in some districts
benchmark is really successful and um they get great scores with benchmark, but that doesn't mean it worked in our district. Yes, we can probably find other um schools that utilize what we currently have that are
successful and emulate that as well. It's not the only proven system. Is there a way to perhaps compromise and get aou
so that we can then vet the curriculum similar to what we're going to do with the the math. Uh, so we have an opportunity for the public and teachers who didn't go to Houston to review it
more in detail and then revisit in a month or two when uh we've had adequate time to review that curriculum and then we could know exactly what we're voting on. >> Well, so what are you going to do if you don't like the curriculum?
>> Then we know we need something else. >> Yeah. Yeah. So if we don't like the curriculum then the entire idea of using that system of teaching and that system of implementation is out.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. So what we're saying is we don't trust uh our superintendent to be able to hire people and we don't trust our superintendent to be able to implement this huge thing that we we see a possibility of success. So, let's have
the board restrain the superintendent so that we take it in small steps and possibly we can make a little bit of um achievement each year. I I I uh suggest that the board look at the achievement scores of all the districts
in our state and see how low it is. that our state is very low in uh in achievement and uh I'd like to know I'd like to know any district who is using uh benchmark who are above the state
average in achievement in reading. I'd like to know that. I don't think there is one. >> Well, I don't think we're questioning Mr. RmIrez's leadership here. What we're what's being questioned is the curriculum which as a
board we have the right to approve or deny a curriculum. >> You can you can and and it is actually your um state um how do you say responsibility
to approve curriculum. That's why this curriculum is before you so that you may approve it. >> But we we can't see it. That's the problem. So sign theou, get it up here and look at it and let the let the community see it for 30 days and see if
there are any concerns with it. >> That's what I said. That's what I'm suggesting. >> I thought you were suggesting that we wait and not do anything for two months. >> No, I'm saying let's sign theou so we can get the curriculum and so we can get feedback on it.
One one thing and I'm not trying to say this in a way that is trying to hold the board ransom but we have we do have to make a decision. So if we don't go with Houston and we go with Benchmark, we stay with Benchmark, we have to order materials.
>> And so if we wait until the end of June or maybe end of July and we're then we're going to be behind the eightball getting that ordered. Um licenses have to be renewed, all of those sorts of things. So, just keep that in mind as you make your decision, please. >> M.
>> So, so I think that it's probably going to be a split I'm positive it's going to be a split decision between the seven of us. Um, I don't know if there's anything more that can be said that would change any of the seven of our minds. So, I really think
that we should move forward with the motion and just do the vote. And then if it falls to the table, then we got to go through that 30-day process. If it approve if it's approved then well 30-day process because the current motion is whether to accept it or not
>> with the with the I think we need to change it to the whole legal thing right to put the add the legal stuff onto it. Yeah. >> Some type of amendments that we probably need. But what I'm trying to say is
if we make it available to the public to review, >> Sure. >> then we could come back with a better understanding of what we're voting on cuz right now we're being asked to vote on a curriculum that we're blind to. Um
the structure and everything you explain I think sounds great but I don't know the curriculum and that's the problem. Um, so if we can get theou signed so we can see the curriculum, then we can have an honest vote on what we are actually
voting on. >> Can you make that? You can't make that. No, I cannot. >> Director Hall, do you call for the question? Is that what you're trying to say? >> I'm sorry. >> I think you call for the question. >> He that that's what he means. It's
technically called I question which is means let's stop discussion and have a vote. Is that what you want to do? >> No, I think we need to amend the motion first. >> Okay. >> Can we can we see the motion?
>> Um, it is on the board. >> You can see it on your screen too, I think. looking for an amendment, right? >> We're looking for something >> because I would be >> pending at the end of the motion. We
could just put pending legal review. >> Well, it's more than a legal review. Well, from what I'm suggesting, >> well, I think we do the pending legal review and then we then we do the call to the question, right? >> Correct me if I'm wrong. Isn't legal review part of any contract that we
enter into? >> Yeah, but I've already set it to legal. >> Yeah, we haven't got >> I haven't checked my email to see if she's replied. >> So, the pending would be for what? The answer or >> the review?
legal review of theou. There's that in question. We haven't heard back from legal on that. And then the other question that I was proposing is signing the so we can get the curriculum so that we can view it and make a final
decision on that and months later. >> Yeah. So there was apparently a concern about the use language uh us being at the mercy of another district as to whether or not it's pulled from us.
>> We're asking to approve anou that has language that is incorrect. It lists canvas on there which we don't use and that has not been approved yet by our legal counsel. >> But we don't want to just approve it. We
want to actually suggest changes to it by the legal department. Right. >> Right. And it's not just Canvas. It's Google class. Uh Google what we have is what would be used for it because we don't have canvas.
>> And I asked that question specifically. Canvas is just a repository where you can put the content. So is Google. So they they actually said it was created using Google. So it's easier to put it there anyway. >> But if we sign it using the word canvas,
it could what kind of ramifications would it have? We're not using correct terminology for it. >> So what what you were asking about was it call the question? >> Yeah. If a director calls for the question. Yeah. >> That means they're requesting that discussion stops and you go to the vote
of the current motion. >> Yeah. So it's not just an ask vote. It's actually the real vote. So if the vote doesn't go through, then it falls to the table. Then we're then we're behind again. >> Right. >> Right. Would
it be helpful if we if if the board did approve an adoption to or to start the process that we provide access to the HMH, which is the core curriculum that is used to derive these teacher resources. That would be
pretty easy to get because they do that all the time. I can I can get access to HMH. I don't know if that's helpful or not. >> I it it might be, but I think not only our review that's in question, but we'd also would like the public to
review as well because the the Houston content is simply a presentation of curriculum and the curriculum is the HMH curriculum. So, I can I can work on getting materials if that's what the board would like to.
>> Did they offer to allow us to do that without an >> so that that piece is on is on this side you know all the curricular resources it's on us >> oh >> to find to you know to get quotes to purchase all of that sort of stuff so
that's what I did in that document that's in front of you is I got quotes from HMH I got quotes from Amplify I got quotes from Newella all the different pieces we have to purchase those to satisfy the copyright expectation of theou
that's the actual curriculum >> the piece that >> they didn't send a list of items and prices included in their for their products. >> No, because they're not the vendor of those products. >> Yeah. So we have to contact those vendors and that's provided to you in
this list at the cost and then we've also gone of what products we do have and other vendors and what we want to cut because we want to show that we have the financial ability to afford this >> and then there is no cause for the actual Houston curriculum that's
provided uh to us free as long as we agree with theou. So if they're not the contractors in this, how do they have >> they have these products, these licenses, and this is what they use to
data mine to create the Houston curriculum. >> So we're not necessarily getting the curriculum from Houston. This here is the curriculum. >> No, we're getting the curriculum from Houston that's more advanced than just these products. and they've taken all
those products with their team of curriculum writers to make the curriculum for Houston for the 178 day student calendar. And the reason we need theou is because our staff needs to look at it one to get
it adjusted to a 147day calendar. So they've essentially packaged these curricular resources into a teacher >> a product for the teachers that unbburdens them from having to create everything like we're doing now in our
model >> and then HMH is sort of just the core of it and these other pieces are supplemental to it. And you said that intentional design consulting might still be a cost as well if we need that professional development.
>> So we we built into the budget um a lot of these items and so intentional design consulting could fall into the line item of professional development. >> But I would like to evaluate that and make that determination whether it's that or something else.
>> I'm sorry. >> I would like to have that authority. I mean, I have that authority to review who we will use as consultants for PD, >> but we're still >> you're still intending to have professional development. >> Yes, we have to >> this line item >> because that's one of the complaints
teachers had before with benchmark that there wasn't ever any training until we started it two years ago. >> But it's it's under the non-renewal. >> So, there was two things. So one is we use them for principal coaching and so that's what we're not going to continue
as the principal coaching piece. We have the ability to select a vendor to provide professional development and there is a line item in our budget for professional development but it does not specify who that vendor could be because as Mr.
was saying, you know, he he may not choose to work with him. He might choose you work with another vendor. >> And right now, we're developing all the pro professional development, not just for this, but for all the other campuses. Uh, and we're doing campus based professional development, working
with the principles because the principles are giving us feedback on that. We don't want it to be district driven. We wanted each campus to have their specialized professional development for their plan. Okay. I'm just confused as why it's down
here. I guess we're just not going to renew the the renew these things. >> If you take these on, these will not be renewed. Is that what this is? >> Correct. These are the things that we're trying to streamline because we just had a history of the shotgun approach and we
have so many things that are overlapping, not implemented correctly, duplicative, and we have gaps in some of our areas. Thank you. >> Some of these pieces are going to be cut regardless. >> Okay. >> And some of them would depend on what we
do with our >> with our uh elementary curriculum. >> Mr. Smith, um could you clarify again? Is it possible to get a hold of the u curricula materials so that we can start
reviewing that right away without signing theou? We can wait on theou until legal has looked at it and made the changes that they'd like to see. >> Yes. So any any of these items that we see up here um which the core would be
HMH, we can get samples that can be reviewed. >> But that's he's making that comment because the board is exercising their right that uh of approval of curriculums. But getting these products isn't going
to what we need isou to get that for our teachers to review and evaluate also. So you're trying to use a textbook policy a board policy about textbook adoption and in this case it's not so much about
the adoption of HM it's about theou with Houston to get the curriculum that they have developed. >> Yeah. I think just before we wrap this up, um I would like to say as a former
educator and teacher in the elementary school and the people who have presented tonight, I thoroughly and wholly trust that they have the best interests of the success of their students. And I as an educator would love to see, you know,
more support. I want to see that in each classroom, but I also see how this levels the field for advanced teachers, highly functional teachers, teachers who just know their way around the classroom and also being able to support those new
upcoming teachers. And so I was very skeptical about it at first because I am not one who likes scripted curriculum. Um, but I can see how it does level the playing field and, you know, gives all students the same opportunities. And I,
as an educator, wouldn't want to say, okay, we're going to hold off on on one piece, the curriculum and these the programming. I want the whole bundle so I can see what I need to do for an entire school year. Um it it would be
difficult to say, "Oh, we're we're going to staff these classrooms," but then not have the direction or, you know, having my building principal or leadership being, you know, be able to say, you know, this is we're going to do this all
together. And so I really do see how all of this fits together and we can't just pick it apart because we will be hindering our educators in the classroom by not having each of those pieces fully functioning altogether.
>> I guess what I'm uncomfortable with is I'm asked I'm being asked to approve anou that I haven't that hasn't been approved that needs changes. I'm asking to approve curriculum I haven't seen. I'm being asked to approve a staffing
model that hasn't been presented clearly. Um, and an instructional model that also hasn't been presented clearly. I haven't seen examples of the slides. I haven't seen that and neither have a lot of our staff. And so, yes, it would be great to
approve this in one piece. Um, but as a board member, I don't like to approve things that I don't understand and kind of just cross my fingers and hope it's going to go okay. President Shamway, I have one suggestion. Um, next Tuesday,
you guys have a board workshop. you have space afterwards to have a special meeting that would give the lawyer time to finish their work on theou and have a couple days to back and forth about wording on it and you could have a one
agenda item where you relook at this next Tuesday >> possibility >> doesn't cost us a ton of time >> director Lynch >> I think it'll pass like just judging by what everybody's saying. I I think it's
going to be a four to three vote. I don't Or maybe five to So I don't I don't know. >> Yeah, we don't Nobody knows obviously, but >> we're just throwing out ideas here. >> Yeah. So, >> but if we were to go the route that you're suggesting, I believe, Director Lynch, because since you're the
secretary, we would have to I guess we would just have to announce that, right? >> You would have to table the item. >> Yeah, table the item, but we would have to make the announcement that we will have an action item on the whole work
session. >> No, it can't be during the work. >> It it would be separate but be >> a special meeting. >> Yeah, special meeting after the work session. >> After the workshop. >> Yeah, after the workshop. >> So, we have a motion and a second.
>> The motion still exists. the original one that's in there. And so we can proceed with the vote if we want or we can table it and look at a possible option of later dates.
>> Mr. Chair, I call the question. >> Yeah, I think yeah and I sorry I was like what's the question? Is it is the legal part going to be in included in that if we just go to the vote or do I need to >> Mr. Lynch has called for the question discussion ends.
Online voting is now available. Director Monte, did you get a popup? How do you vote? >> Not an option. >> You can only abstain if you have a valid reason. How do you vote?
>> Um, >> the motion's on the screen. It's the gray motion. Motion passes. to put that result on the screen. Kim, can you um whatever that's called
that we do before 10 o'clock. >> Thank you. to our next action item. We have L. Um, >> what is I was like, what's the title of this one?
>> This is the title of this one. >> This is the where it says Mr. RmIrez recommends >> the non-renewal of the list of probationary teachers provided to the board in the executive content section of the board agenda.
>> I make a motion to approve the non-renewal of the list of probationary provided to the board in the executive content section of the board agenda. >> I second. >> Open up to the board for any discussion
or questions. >> May I just ask a question? I'm so sorry. Were uh these potentially because the classes weren't filled mostly. I'm not asking for any personel matters. Just wondering looking at looking at the categories.
So this these were already on the agenda at a prior meeting and were voted on as a group of action items. We were given guidance from our legal council that for non-renewals, there's a specific consideration within the statute that an
affirmative vote specifically for non-renewals of teaching staff has to be taken separately. That's why it's coming back to you a second time. >> Okay. >> Got it. >> Thank you. Thanks. >> Thank you for the question.
>> Okay, let's proceed. >> Online voting is now available. >> Motion passes unanimously. Action item M, revise 2026 2027 school calendar. The calendar recommended change is to
move from a 9week grading period to six weeks to have progress monitoring that's more timely. >> We need a motion on the table. >> Yeah. Sorry. >> I'm sorry. I'm tired. >> Yeah.
>> I make a motion to approve a revised version of the 2026 2027 school calendar. >> I second it. >> Now open to discussion or questions. Can you say that again, Mr. Ramirez?
>> Yes. Uh the recommendation to the board is to approve the revised version which moves the nineweek grading period to six weeks. And there's also one day that was too much originally for the teacher
contract and the recommendation of is to have the prep days half days on those Fridays at the beginning and at the end of this school year. >> Okay. And the staff will be released earlier. >> Okay. Let's proceed.
Online voting is now available. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. And last part of the meeting. Thank you for everybody who stuck through and joined us today. Um, thank you to those that have joined us virtually. Uh, we will end today is May
19th. Time is 10:47 p.m. >> Thank you, board. They're the last one out.