WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: https://vimeo.com/1165460474

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: https://vimeo.com/1165460474):
- 00:44:04: Meeting Called to Order, Roll Call, Pledge
- 00:46:08: Gifts to Schools, Approval and Acceptance
- 00:49:48: Recognitions: Scholarships, Ascents, and CTSO Qualifiers
- 01:13:41: Recognizing Irving and Hoff Elementary School Awards
- 01:18:49: Citizen Statements: Concerns About Excessive Screen Time
- 01:23:19: Communications, Board Comments, and Superintendent Remarks
- 01:26:18: Special Resolutions: Juneteenth and Pride Month Proclamations
- 01:44:01: Charter School Application Presentation: Pueblo Classical Academy
- 02:36:02: Charter School Application Presentation: Swallows Charter Academy
- 02:55:29: Discussion and Clarification About Swallows Charter Academy
- 03:18:30: Third Quarter Financial Report Presentation and Review
- 03:50:22: Right-Serving Plan Update and Superintendent's Briefing
- 03:53:45: Board Policy JIBB and Consent Agenda Discussion
- 03:57:14: Consent Agenda Discussion and Vote (Excluding Item 9)
- 04:00:09: Consent Agenda Item 9 Discussion and Vote
- 04:06:53: Action Items: Leadership Appointments and Student Expulsion
- 04:11:20: Approving Charter School Contracts: PSAS Fulton and Jones Campuses
- 04:14:16: Future Agenda Items, Announcements, Meeting Adjournment


Part: 1

1
00:44:04.250 --> 00:44:50.450
Good evening. I'm going to call the Pueblo School District Number 60 Board of Education meeting to order. Our digital clock says 6:00 PM, and I'll ask our secretary to call the roll. Director Ferrell. Here. Director Ibarra. Here. Director Mays. Here. Director Panaccio. Excused. Director Teboe. Here. So with four present and one excused, we do have a quorum, and so the next item on our agenda is our pledge of allegiance. Would you please stand and join me in the pledge? I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the United States of America,

2
00:44:50.970 --> 00:45:23.510
and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you so much. Now our agenda is at the point where the chair is going to ask for any corrections or modifications to our agenda. Does our superintendent or Board of Education members have any corrections or modifications to the agenda?

3
00:45:25.530 --> 00:46:08.790
Seeing none, we'll move on then to item 3.0, adoption of the agenda. Is there a motion to adopt the agenda as presented in our board materials for this evening? I move we adopt the agenda. Motion by Director Mays. Is there a second? Second. Second by Director Ferrell. Is there any discussion? Any comments? Hearing none, we'll ask the secretary to call the roll on the motion Director Ferrell. Aye. Director Ibarra. Aye. Director Mays. Aye. Director Teboe. Aye. So with four aye votes and one excused, that motion carries and is declared adopted, and we'll move on now to gifts to schools, which is item 4.0 on our

4
00:46:08.830 --> 00:46:45.270
agenda, and I'll ask our superintendent, Dr. Kimsey, if we have any gifts to present this evening. Good evening, President Teboe, board directors. It's my honor and pleasure to announce gifts that total $9,219. We are always very appreciative of all of our community members who donate to our schools and support our students. The first is the Pikes Peak chapter of the Military Officers Association of America,

5
00:46:46.270 --> 00:47:21.290
donated $550 to the Centennial High School JROTC program, $1,100 to South High School's JROTC program, and $550 to the East High School JROTC program. Collins Aerospace donated $249 to the East High School cheer program. Paul and Shirley Arriaga donated $1,000 to the South High School boys' volleyball program. Raising Canes donated 170 combo meals

6
00:47:21.430 --> 00:47:56.610
valued at $1,700 to D60 Online School. Pueblo Parks and Recreation donated 170 free popcorn coupons and 170 buy one get one free swim passes valued at $1,700 to D60 Online School. Sons of Italy, Colorado, donated $400 to South High School for SkillsUSA Nationals registration fees. Mortenson Construction donated several hundred pairs of

7
00:47:56.670 --> 00:48:34.270
cut-resistant gloves valued at $1,500 to D60 high schools. And Books Again donated 170 free book coupons valued at $1,020 to D60 Online School. And President Teboe, the board is asked to approve and graciously accept these gifts. Thank you, Superintendent Kimsey. For those of you who are listening, in our detailed and expanded agenda, it looks like the total amount of the gifts was $9,219,000. So

8
00:48:35.410 --> 00:49:11.700
as you leave the hearing room here, there'll be a basket so that you can put some money in there till we get to that $9 million. But just wanted to let you know that. So, is there a motion to approve and graciously accept the gifts to schools as presented by Dr. Kimsey in tonight's board materials? President Teboe, I'll move that the Board of Education approves and graciously accepts the gifts to schools as presented in this evening's materials. Thank you, Director Ferrell. Is there a second? Second. Second, Director Ibarra. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll ask our secretary to call the roll on that

9
00:49:12.770 --> 00:49:48.770
Director Farrell? Aye. Director Ibarra? Aye. Director Mays? Aye. Director Thibeau? Aye. So with four aye votes and one excused, that motion carries on a four-vote margin and is declared adopted. So now we're moving on to item 5.0, recognitions. We have several recognitions on our agenda tonight, and I'll turn it over to our superintendent to walk us through the various recognitions. Dr. Kimsey? Thank you, President Thibeau, board directors, and our families and staff, and everyone gathered here.

10
00:49:48.910 --> 00:50:25.050
It's my distinct honor and pleasure to welcome to the microphone Ms. Marcie Eims, our executive director of secondary education and CTE, and she will take us through the first sets of recognitions. See if I get this mic correct. So good evening, Board President Thibeau, Dr. Kimsey, and members of the board. We're here today. We have several recognitions as you see on your agenda. The first one is going to be scholarship recipients, followed by our ascent students, and then we're going to recognize our national

11
00:50:25.090 --> 00:50:58.250
qualifiers for CTSO students, and we're going to roll right into all of that. What I will say is we have a lot of celebrations happening tonight, a lot of recognitions at the school level and various other places. So many of our students are not with us tonight, but we will recognize them anyway. So we're going to start with our scholarships. While many of our students have earned a multitude of scholarships from colleges, community colleges, and universities, tonight we would like to give special recognition to a select group of students.

12
00:50:59.070 --> 00:51:36.820
We're honoring students who have received some of the most prestigious awards available, including the Kane Family Foundation Scholarship, the Hurliman Scholarship, the Boettcher Scholarship, which we don't have tonight, and other significant university and college scholarships. In addition, we'll recognize our ascent scholars for successfully completing their inaugural year of full-time collegiate study, achieving a significant milestone in their higher educational journey. Before we do that, I'm going to ask the

13
00:51:36.870 --> 00:52:24.190
board to come on down, come on down, and stand in front of the dais to help us congratulate our students. The first scholarship we will recognize tonight is the Kane Family Foundation Scholarship. The Kane Family Foundation Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship awarded to the students eligible for in-state tuition who plan to attend participating colleges and universities in Colorado. Each scholarship covers tuition and is renewable for up to four years for a bachelor's degree or up to two years for an associate's degree.

14
00:52:25.290 --> 00:53:06.270
Again, the Kane Family Foundation Scholarship recipient-- The Kane Family Foundation Scholarship reception is this evening, so our Kane recipients may not be here. But we will recognize the following students as we go through our Kane. Gali Acuna will attend Colorado State University, Pueblo, participating in the 3+2 program. And while in college, she would like to study abroad, and following graduation, she intends to pursue a career in accounting. Then we have Nathan Newton who will attend the

15
00:53:06.350 --> 00:53:42.090
Colorado State University in Pueblo to major in civil engineering. Following graduation, he intends to pursue a career in civil engineering. Michael Musso also earned the Kane Family Foundation Scholarship and will attend Colorado State University, Pueblo. And then Laia Finn will attend Colorado State University in Pueblo to major in psychology with a minor in sociology.

16
00:53:44.550 --> 00:54:34.390
I know you're looking for those. We had our presentation a little out of order today, so just bear with us. And we were probably not going to have a PowerPoint presentation, but since we already have it, we'll show it to you anyway. You'll love it. The faces are awesome. Following graduation, she intends to become a therapist focusing on occupational therapy and services for children and families. And then we have Diana Flores-Hurtado accepting the Kane Family Foundation Scholarship, and she also earned a Hurliman Scholarship. Diana will attend the Colorado State University and join the

17
00:54:34.410 --> 00:55:17.260
Honors and Leadership Program while pursuing a Master's of Architecture degree. Following graduation, she plans to pursue her passion for community engagement and philanthropy. Congratulations to our Kane Family Foundation Scholarship recipients. The next scholarship we would like to highlight is the Hurliman Scholarship. The Hurliman Scholarship was established to recognize students who demonstrate superior scholastic ability and outstanding strength of character. Recipients must reside in Pueblo, Fremont, or Custer County and may attend any accredited college or

18
00:55:17.370 --> 00:56:01.558
university in the United States.At this time, we would like to recognize the following recipients. Florencio Gonzalez will attend Iowa State University and major in mechanical or materials engineering, and then following graduation, he intends to pursue a career using his engineering degree. Sophia Gonzalez is also a student at Central High School, and she plans to attend Colorado College. Sarah Fairman Lynch will attend either the University of

19
00:56:01.698 --> 00:56:40.318
Oregon or CU Boulder to major in cinema studies and moving image arts. Following graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in animation and filmmaking with the dream of one day creating and producing her own animated movie. And then Katlyn Bonacelli. She will attend CU Boulder to major in biology with an emphasis in biomedical science, and then following graduation, she intends to pursue a career as a biomedical scientist. Chase Hurley plans to attend

20
00:56:41.958 --> 00:57:26.368
the Colorado School of Mines and major in petroleum engineering, and after college, Chase hopes to build a career in this field of work. Congratulations to our Hurliman Scholarship recipients. Congratulations. We also have our university and college scholarships, which are awarded to students who demonstrate superior academic achievement and have been recognized for their success with their schools and communities.

21
00:57:27.038 --> 00:58:01.898
Many of these outstanding students have earned multiple scholarships. However, tonight, we are highlighting students who have received a single scholarship of at least $80,000 or more for a single institution. Havoc Martinez was awarded the Walter Scott Jr. Undergraduate Scholarship and plans to attend the Colorado State University Fort Collins this fall, majoring in mechanical engineering with an aerospace concentration. Following graduation, Havoc hopes to pursue a career in NASA.

22
00:58:04.338 --> 00:58:47.258
Jordan Alfonso earned the Regis Merit Board of Trustees Scholarship and will attend Colorado Mesa University to major in nursing. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in nursing. Tori Smith earned the New Haven Presidential Scholarship and will attend the University of New Haven to major in forensic science. Zechariah Dilley earned the George Fox Merit Scholarship and will attend George Fox University in Oregon. We also have with us tonight our ASCENT students. This year, we had nine students who successfully completed the ASCENT

23
00:58:47.318 --> 00:59:23.038
program. Accelerating Students Through Concurrent Enrollment, or ASCENT, allows students to continue taking college courses and earning college credit during the year following their senior year of high school. To qualify, students must complete at least nine college credit hours prior to completing their 12th year. We are excited to recognize these students for successfully completing their first year of college coursework as an ASCENT student. Tonight, we're proud to recognize them.

24
00:59:23.638 --> 01:00:41.178
Jayden Archuleta-Rosales, Dimitri Baca, Elle Benedetto, Luis Vazquez Cruz, Wyatt Hyslop, Josiah Morales, Kabias Martinez, Aiden McIntyre, Brayden Pollock, and Elijah Rodriguez. Congratulations to all of our ASCENT students. All right. Each year, our students engage in rigorous district, state, and national leadership competitions. These events challenge them to develop and present projects,

25
01:00:41.658 --> 01:01:17.018
complete exams, participate in role-play scenarios, and create simulations and deliver presentations to diverse professional audiences. A CTSO, or Career and Technical Student Organization, is a valid component of career and technical education. We are proud to have a strong presence of several CTSOs across our high school, including HOSA, TSA, DECA, FLA, SkillsUSA, and FCCLA. Students involved in these organizations demonstrate skills and knowledge evaluated against rigorous rubrics at each

26
01:01:17.058 --> 01:01:50.610
competitive level. They compete for the opportunity to represent not only their school and district, but also their state and, in some cases, our nation.Which you'll see tonight. Tonight, we celebrate the exceptional achievements of our students who have excelled at the state level and earned the honor of advancing to national competitions. I am also here pleased to introduce Ms. Penny Grinstead, our CTE and concurrent enrollment manager for our district, who will help present these well-deserved recognitions.

27
01:01:56.090 --> 01:02:32.730
All right. Teachers, once your group is lined up, if you want to come up to the front, and then I'll call the name, and you can give them their award. All right. Our first CTSO we're honoring tonight is the Future Business Leaders of America organization at Pueblo Centennial High School. With over 200 schools competing in the state level this year, James Brady earned third place in cybersecurity and is national qualifier. This makes sponsor Sean Sandeen and his team's first year competing an incredible accomplishment for a newcomer.

28
01:02:32.750 --> 01:03:19.610
Congratulations to both Mr. Sandeen and his students. And Mr. James is at a concert tonight playing for Centennial, so he won't be here. Our next up is Pueblo Central High School HOSA. We had another very successful HOSA State Leadership Conference with eight Central High School students qualifying for nationals in Indianapolis this summer. Under the leadership advisory of Ms. Ackerman and Mr. Cox, we have the following: Katie Purfield, Ryan Struble, Isabelle Lewis, Bailey Loe, Jaylee Fifer. They all earned second

29
01:03:19.710 --> 01:04:11.990
place mental health promotion awards. Good luck to them. Additional HOSA qualifiers are Everett Turner, second place in occupational therapy; Brett Mestas, third place, research persuasive; Sofia Gonzalez, second place, prepared speaking. Yes. Great job, HOSA qualifiers. Central High School DECA chapter, led by advisor Mr. Robbie Trujillo, recently returned from their national conference in Anaheim, California. In order to qualify for nationals, students must place

30
01:04:12.050 --> 01:05:04.510
within the top six. Exactly. Jackson Jimenez placed sixth in human resource management, and Seraphima Lynch qualified for quick serve restaurant management. We are proud of their representation at the national level. Our next CTSO recognition tonight is SkillsUSA chapter at South High School. They're led by advisors Lauren Montoya and Kristin Graham-Benitez. Gabriela Salazar, Diana Flores-Hurtado, Jazlyn Villanueva, and Yasmin Valdez Real earned first place in

31
01:05:04.530 --> 01:06:03.580
video news. They will advance to nationals in Atlanta this June. In their first competition, Treyvon Mills and Emiliana Armijo earned second place in audio/video production. What an impressive accomplishment. Great job to our SkillsUSA. With over 4,000 students competing in the DECA State Conference, Pueblo East High School continues to excel under the leadership and advisor of Jacqueline Armenta. A special shout-out to Cade Markert, who served as the District Nine representative on the state officer team, an outstanding leadership and

32
01:06:03.650 --> 01:07:00.550
accomplishment. Six students qualified for ICDC, with Gianna Miceli double-qualifying, and in second place for Chapter of Excellence is the following: Aaliyah Johns, Iveth Alvarez-Quintana, Addison Bean, Gianna Miceli. Additional recognitions. Gianna, you want to turn around? Gianna Miceli with sixth place apparel and accessories and second place in sales project. Nicholas Paolello was a finalist in automotive service management.

33
01:07:02.770 --> 01:07:48.778
Jada Francis and Kadence Lujan were ICDC qualifiers for chapter campaigns. We are incredibly proud of these students and their dedication. East High School DECA continues to lead with passion, professionalism, and pride. Our next CTSO is Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, FCCLA, at Pueblo East High School, and is led by the outstanding advisor, Janae Passalacqua. Pueblo East FCCLA has five students advancing to the National Leadership Conference in Washington, DC this summer.

34
01:07:49.448 --> 01:08:33.119
That's an incredible accomplishment. Sofia Romero won first place gold on Focused on Children. Peyton Lamas and Ashlyn Harmison placed first place gold in Promote and Publicize FCCLA. A huge congratulations to Sofia Romero. Sofia has been awarded the FCCLA Japanese Exchange Program Scholarship, a highly prestigious honor. She was the only student selected and will travel to Japan for six weeks this summer. We are incredibly proud, and we look forward

35
01:08:33.159 --> 01:09:26.538
to hearing about your experience. Sofia, come back around and get your congratulations. Come back around. I said come back around and get your congratulations. Congratulations. And we accept a presentation. Gianna, let me- Nothing ... Gianna, can I get a picture? Come on up real quick. Big award here. Did you say Gianna? Or you want Gianna, or you want Sofia? She won- This is Sofia. Mm-hmm. This is Sofia. All right, big smile. One more. All right. And we expect a presentation when you get back. Also with us today is Gianna Maselli again. Oh, there she is.

36
01:09:27.598 --> 01:10:14.498
Second place gold for Event Management. Axarian Montoya, second place silver for Chapter Service Portfolio. Please join us in wishing Ms. Passalacqua and her students the best of luck as they head to Washington, DC this summer to compete in the national stage. Okay. Last but definitely not least, Ms. Passalacqua was honored with FCCLA Red Thread Award, a prestigious honor recognizing advisors who demonstrate leading with presence that is reliable, heart-led, and grounded in kindness. Nationwide, there are over

37
01:10:14.778 --> 01:10:49.848
7,400 chapter advisors, and during the recognition session of 2026 National Leadership Conference this year, Ms. Passalacqua will be one of only 100 nationwide to be recognized. But that's not all. Along with the Red Thread Award, Janae has also received the 2026 National Spirit of Advising Award recipient. The Spirit of Advising Award was created in 1998 to acknowledge chapter advisors who are constantly faithful, often quietly working behind the scenes to ensure the success of

38
01:10:49.898 --> 01:11:29.858
their students. They are advisors with good humor, flexibility, and skill from the foundation of FCCLA at the state and local levels. And these recognitions follow her recent honor as one of the Outstanding Women of Pueblo. The Pueblo City County Library District hosts the annual Outstanding Women Awards in March to honor women who have made significant contributions to the community. We are so proud of Ms. Pass, who continues to make a significant contribution to our district and our community,

39
01:11:30.238 --> 01:12:29.218
and who serves as a mentor to many of our CTE teachers as well. Congratulations, Ms. Pass. Ms. Pass. Ms. Pass, can you step up on that level there? Okay. Okay. I'll grab a picture. Thank you. Okay, let's get a picture with... Great job, Pass. Okay. Let's get our whole team over here, and then maybe we can- Microphone ... hold your flowers here. Maybe with the students on both sides of Ms. Pass here. Oh, yeah. It's like it was meant to be. All right, here we go. Ready? One, two, three. We're going to take a couple here. Perfect.

40
01:12:30.618 --> 01:13:02.338
Congratulations. Congratulations to our CTSO national qualifiers, scholarship recipients, and Ascents Scholars. You represent the pinnacle of academic and technical excellence within the class of 2026. Your collective accomplishments are a testament to your ambition, and we are honored to celebrate the

41
01:13:02.398 --> 01:13:41.162
profound impact you have made throughout our district. Congratulations on your remarkable achievements and the bright futures that you have built. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Zines and Ms. Greenstat. At this time, it's my honor and pleasure to ask to come forward our Executive Director of Elementary Education, Ms. Kim Kura, who willGive us some background on some really powerful awards. You may wonder why we have so many educators in the room

42
01:13:41.222 --> 01:14:17.522
tonight, and you're about to find out. Good evening, Board President Thibeau, Dr. Kimsey, superintendent, and members of the board. It is definitely my esteemed pleasure and with lots of pride, to bring to the board to recognize Irving Elementary as a recipient of the prestigious 2026 CDE Center for Excellence Award. Irving Elementary was one of only 18 schools statewide to be honored with this award.

43
01:14:18.322 --> 01:14:53.022
Each year, Colorado Department of Ed recognizes public schools that enroll a student population of which at least 75% are at-risk pupils that demonstrate the highest rates of student longitudinal growth, as measured by Colorado Growth Model. With a Center of Excellence Award for the second consecutive year, Irving Elementary School has received another CDE Center of Excellence Award. On April 28th, Principal Jamie Schwab was joined by our

44
01:14:53.042 --> 01:16:44.762
superintendent, Dr. Kimsey, to accept the honor from state education officials in Denver. At this time, I would like to have Jamie Schwab and her amazing team come up to get a congratulatory applause and be honored by the board. And if that's not enough, we have another request for our board to formally recognize Hoff Elementary School as a recipient of the prestigious

45
01:16:45.082 --> 01:17:18.142
2026 Colorado Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award. The Colorado Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award are given to schools that demonstrate exceptional student growth. These schools exceed expectations on the indicator related to longitudinal academic growth at all grade levels on the school performance framework that is used by the state to evaluate schools. On April 28th, Principal Betsy DiCesaro was joined by our superintendent, Dr.

46
01:17:18.422 --> 01:18:49.742
Kimsey, to accept the honor from the state education officials in Denver. It is with my great pleasure and pride to also invite Principal DiCesaro and her amazing team to come and receive their well-deserved award. Congratulations

47
01:18:49.802 --> 01:20:09.786
again to our amazing staff and principals, and thank you board for accepting their awards. All right. Our thanks to everyone who was A participant and showed up to support these wonderful recognitions that we went through tonight. Wow, very impressive. We'll move on now to 6.0 in our agenda, citizen statements. And I have one individual signed up to speak to the board. Alexandra Aznar. Please join us here at the table, if you will. And Mr. Sprouse, can you... Yeah. There's lots of lights there, and

48
01:20:11.226 --> 01:20:49.286
you've got three minutes, so take advantage of that, and we're anxious to hear what you have to say. All right. Good evening, board members and Superintendent Kinsey, and congratulations to tonight's award winners. My name is Alexandra Aznar, and I am a parent of a kindergartner in D60. And I'm here tonight to voice my concerns about excessive use of technology and screen time in the classroom. Upon entering kindergarten, my five-year-old was handed his very own internet-connected personal device, a laptop, and since then I've been

49
01:20:49.306 --> 01:21:24.676
regaled by his stories of playing computer games every day, rushing through levels of gamified learning apps to reach the ever-important next level, and getting help from buddies to covertly switch from assigned computer-based work to more computer games during instructional time. Can this really be what kindergarten looks like in 2026? I'm not alone in my alarm. Evidence is building that excessive screen time in schools for students, especially our most vulnerable, K through five, impairs focus, worsens physical and mental health, and negatively impacts learning outcomes. Similar to the presence of smartphones in schools, one-to-one internet devices are

50
01:21:24.706 --> 01:21:57.946
regularly used to access harmful content, bully fellow students, and create an atmosphere of distraction. School districts across our country are reevaluating their approaches to classroom technology. We may have needed the devices during COVID when remote learning was essential, but we know better now. Just weeks ago, the Los Angeles Unified School District unanimously passed a resolution to reduce and limit the use of screens in classrooms. Among other things, the resolution commits to eliminating the use of student digital devices in TK, kindergarten, and first grade;

51
01:21:58.886 --> 01:22:35.026
prohibiting student-led access to YouTube and video streaming platforms; establishing maximum daily and weekly screen time limits by grade level; prohibiting device use during lunch, recess, and passing periods in elementary and middle school; encouraging the use of paper, pen, and physical textbooks; and encouraging off-screen homework assignments, particularly for younger children. This resolution passed unanimously, reflecting a growing consensus that the current approach to classroom technology must change. Our Pueblo students deserve the same commitment as the students of LAUSD.

52
01:22:36.106 --> 01:23:18.426
I'm asking the district to commit to meaningful policy changes for the 26-27 school year. The timing makes sense. The district is already evaluating policy changes for phones in schools. So let's build on that and include the other, bigger smartphone in the room, the school-issued laptop. I look forward to continuing the conversation, and thank you. Thank you for being with us tonight and your comments. We appreciate that. I don't have any other individuals signed up for public comments, but Mr. Sprouse, has anyone called in with a voicemail? President Thibeau, we did not receive any recorded messages for tonight's meeting.

53
01:23:19.066 --> 01:24:04.506
All right. Thank you so much. We'll move on now to our next item on the agenda, 7.0, communications and board comments. Does the superintendent or any board member wish to share any comments or communications tonight? Director Ferrell. Thank you, President Thibeau. I was invited kind of last minute this weekend to go see a production at Central High School. They put on Murder on the Orient Express, and a friend invited me to come along. I was amazed at the talent of the students. A few of them were here receiving other awards tonight, in fact.

54
01:24:05.166 --> 01:24:54.006
The show was funny, professionally done. The comedic timing was great. It was one of the best high school productions I've seen, and I just wanted to express my thanks to Central and their theater. Is it a club there? Whatever the group is, they did an outstanding job, and I wanted to thank them for sharing their talents with the community. Thank you. Any other board member? Director Mays. I was real impressed with the awards that were just presented. And I think I'm particularly impressed with what shows the versatility of the student that attends

55
01:24:54.066 --> 01:25:34.886
D60. Many of the awardees could not be here tonight because they were involved in many of their other activities, and that's pretty much the standard for the students that choose D60 as their destination school. So, just kudos to the students that were involved, and obviously to the supports team that they have in their schools, in their administration in their schools, and in the administration here at the building. So thank you, and I just... Again, I'm repeating myself, but it shows the versatility of our

56
01:25:34.946 --> 01:26:18.206
students and how well-prepared they are for many challenges. Thank you, Director Mays. Any other comments? Superintendent Kimsey? I would like to just make a couple of comments. Oftentimes, when I have my turn to speak, I always extend my thanks to individuals who come to our meetings for public comments or record comments for us to hear. They are taken seriously by the board. And also, I like to congratulate and offer support to all who are part of this district, from Superintendent Kimsey all the way down

57
01:26:18.266 --> 01:27:03.686
through the buildings and all that are involved in making District 60 the great school district that it is. But tonight, I'd also like to add that I'm especially honored and pleased to serve with our board members that were elected in these past few months. I know that they have spent a lot of time on very critical issues and give those issues proper thought and deliberation. And during this month and next month, as we finalize things such as our budget and act on some very important matters,

58
01:27:04.766 --> 01:27:46.406
I know that the board members take it very seriously, as I do. And of course, we're all volunteers, but we wouldn't do it if we didn't love doing what we're doing. And then just in passing, I would like to say that I always mention my appreciation to Mr. Sprouse for keeping me advised of a lot that's going on in the district, because there's just a tremendous amount of positive things that are going on in the district. And today, I happened to, once again, take a look at the website, and I saw where our superintendent was honored by the YMCA as the Changemaker

59
01:27:47.386 --> 01:28:28.906
of the Year Award. And those are the kind of things that happen with our leadership around this district, and I just wanted to recognize our Superintendent Kimsey for receiving that award. She's only been here just a little over a year, maybe going close to two years. And it's just remarkable the kind of effort that has been undertaken with regard to all the things that are pressing on this district. So again, just my thanks to all concerned. So now we'll move on to 8.0, special resolutions. And these two resolutions,

60
01:28:29.986 --> 01:29:11.826
I'll ask the first one to be presented by... So this one is Director Mays. Thank you. The Board of Education is asked to adopt the 2026 resolution recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth. Whereas news of the end of slavery did not reach the frontier areas of the United States, in particular the state of Texas and other southwestern states, until months after the conclusion of the Civil War, more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the

61
01:29:11.866 --> 01:29:52.726
Emancipation Proclamation on January 119. I don't think that was 1963, but that's what it says here. Right. I never did meet President Lincoln, although I was around in '63. Not 1863. Whereas on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and declared that more than 250,000 enslaved people were free. And whereas African Americans had been enslaved in the Southwest

62
01:29:53.606 --> 01:30:26.926
celebrated June 19, commonly known as Juneteenth Independence Day, as inspiration and encouragement for future generations. And whereas the United States Congress has designated June 19 as Juneteenth Independence Day in recognition of the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day to the United States, and in order to support the continued nationwide celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, to provide an opportunity for the people of the United States to learn more about the past,

63
01:30:27.786 --> 01:31:03.816
to better understand and reckon with the experiences that have shaped the United States, and to recognize that the observance of the end of slavery is part of the history and heritage of the United States. And whereas the state of Colorado has designated Juneteenth as a state legal holiday, in remembrance of the rejoicement of the emancipation of all enslaved people in the United States. Now therefore be it resolved that the Post School District Number 60 Board of Education recognizes Juneteenth as a day to honor and reflect on the significance and historical

64
01:31:03.846 --> 01:31:42.486
legacy of Juneteenth. With that in mind, board members, I do request the Board of Education to adopt the 2026 resolution recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth as presented in the May 12, 2026 board materials, and I so move that at this time. Thank you. That's a proper motion. Is there a second to the motion? Second. Second by Director Ferrell. Is there any discussion on the motion? Director Mays, will you consider, along with the seconder, a friendly amendment by interlineation

65
01:31:43.146 --> 01:32:28.886
changing 1963 to 1863? Okay. All right. So we'll be voting on the resolution and the motion attached to that with the interlineation of 1863 in the place of 1963. Is there any other discussion? Hearing none, we'll ask our secretary to call the roll. Director Ferrell. Aye. Director Ibarra. Aye. Director Mays. Aye. Director Tebow. Aye. So with four ayes and one excused, that motion carries and is declared adopted. So we'll move on next to the

66
01:32:29.006 --> 01:33:07.046
2026 Pride Month proclamation. Director Ferrell. Thank you, President Tebow. This is the 2026 Pride Month proclamation. Whereas it is the right of every child, regardless of gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, to access a free public K through 12 education, and Pueblo School District Number 60 welcomes and supports all students. And whereas the district recognizes that there are employees and educators of the highest caliber who are LGBTQ+, and that all employees are valued

67
01:33:07.126 --> 01:33:41.486
members of the school community, regardless of their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. And whereas Colorado law prohibits discrimination, including discrimination based on transgender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. And whereas the district is committed to maintaining safe, healthy, and welcoming learning environments for all members of our community, including the LGBTQ+ community or those who may be

68
01:33:41.606 --> 01:34:17.586
perceived as such. And whereas LGBTQ+ youth who find their school to be affirming reported lower rates of suicidal thoughts. And whereas the month of June is an opportunity to celebrate the identities and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. And whereas the first gay Pride march was held in June 1969 to commemorate the Stonewall riots. And whereas the celebration of Pride Month is rooted in that history of resistance and

69
01:34:17.786 --> 01:34:55.566
struggle for equal rights as guaranteed by the US Constitution. And whereas the district is committed to supporting dignity, equity, and visibility for all people in our community. And whereas by recognizing Pride Month, we affirm that supportive school environments substantially improve the mental health and school engagement of LGBTQ+ students. And whereas by recognizing Pride Month, we support policies, practices, and curriculum

70
01:34:55.986 --> 01:35:30.846
that honor and respect LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families. And whereas by recognizing Pride Month, we reaffirm our commitment to a supportive environment that promotes trust, growth, and achievement for all students. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pueblo School District Number 60 Board of Education proclaims the month of June 2026 as Pride Month, and encourages the superintendent and all district staff to support lessons and

71
01:35:30.926 --> 01:36:15.066
activities that engage students in meaningful learning about the accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community and the experiences of our LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families. President Tebow, I move that the Board of Education proclaims June 2026 as Pride Month as presented in this evening's board materials. Thank you, Director Ferrell. That's a proper motion. Is there a second to the motion? Second. Second by Director Mays. Is there any discussion or comments on that motion? Comment. Director Ibarra. I want to begin by affirming that

72
01:36:15.146 --> 01:36:52.756
every student in our district has inherent worth and deserves to be safe, respected, and treated with dignity in our schools. I fully support our legal and moral obligation to maintain a non-discriminatory and welcoming learning environment for all students and staff. As a matter of personal conscience, shaped by my Christian faith, I have concerns about the board adopting symbolic proclamations that may be interpreted as extending into curricular or instructional direction beyond its governance role. I believe the board is at its best when it focuses on

73
01:36:52.826 --> 01:37:25.946
academic excellence, student safety, and compliance with law, and exercises caution in adopting resolutions that move into broader cultural or advocacy statements. For these reasons, I will not be able to support the resolution. My vote is not a judgment on the dignity of any student, staff member, or family. It reflects my view of the appropriate role of the board applied consistently across similar proposals. I remain committed to serving all students with respect and ensuring schools remain safe,

74
01:37:26.786 --> 01:38:04.014
focused on learning, and welcoming every child. Additionally, I have a letter to share from a board director, Sue Panenza, who cannot be here today. "Dear fellow board members and Pueblo families. As a member of the Pueblo School District 60 Board of Education, I approach this matter with deep care for all students, families, and the community we serve."With a caring heart for every child in our district, I respectfully urge my colleagues to decline approval of this proposed resolution or a proclamation recognizing Pride Month as an official district position. Our public schools are entrusted with educating

75
01:38:04.094 --> 01:38:38.494
all children from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and family traditions. We each have a shared responsibility to create an environment of true inclusion that prioritizes learning and wellbeing over divisive cultural statements. After thoughtful consideration, I believe approving this proclamation would not best serve that goal. Here are my primary reasons shared with care and concern. Number one, our primary focus must remain on academics and supporting every child's success. As a retired teacher who spent over two decades in this district, I know

76
01:38:38.534 --> 01:39:13.094
firsthand how precious our time and resources are. We should devote them to strengthening reading, writing, math, civics, and graduation rates, and not preparing students for their futures, not to endorsing contested social campaigns. Official proclamations can unintentionally lead to expectations, materials, or activities that make some families feel overlooked or pressured. Number two, true inclusion means remaining neutral on deeply personal and divisive issues. Our district serves families with a wide range of faith traditions, cultural values, and scientific

77
01:39:13.154 --> 01:39:45.794
perspectives. By issuing proclamations for one viewpoint while not doing so for others, we risk making some students and parents feel their beliefs are unwelcome. Neutrality protects everyone and builds trust. Number three, parents are the heart of a child's life. We should partner with them, not step around them. Many loving parents want to guide these sensitive conversations at home. School policies tied to identity recognitions have sometimes created unnecessary division when families were not fully included. Across the country, many parents are choosing to leave public school districts

78
01:39:45.834 --> 01:40:19.334
precisely because they disagree with such proclamations and related teaching, leading to the declining enrollment and lost trust in our schools. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend tonight's meeting. If I were in attendance, I would be voting no on this proclamation. I hope you would do as well. Instead, let us continue focusing on resolutions that unite us, and private groups and families remain free to celebrate as they wish. Our role is to provide excellent, neutral education for every Pueblo child. I care deeply about every student in D60 and believe this decision will best honor our duty

79
01:40:20.174 --> 01:41:08.514
to them as well as their parents. Thank you. Thank you, Director Ibarra. Is there any other comment or discussion? Director Mays. I guess I don't understand my two colleagues' response to this. I don't see how this resolution in any way, shape, or form affects any relationship the school has with any of their students, with any of their parents. And quite frankly, to oppose something like this seems to be the exact opposite of what my colleagues are saying. It is excluding people. It's a specific exclusion that we should not recognize individuals that have every bit

80
01:41:08.554 --> 01:41:46.234
as much worth as any other student that walks into these particular schools. I am aware of no data whatsoever that the declaration of this month as Gay Pride Month in any way affects anybody's academics, anybody's self-worth, is divisive and provides cultural differences. It's only in the minds of those people that believe because someone might be a little bit different than them that provides those kind of artificial barriers.

81
01:41:47.194 --> 01:42:26.534
I believe in this resolution that was made. I think it's a statement to all our students, and particularly to those who identify with this particular resolution, that we are there for them. We will always be there for them, and they are worthy of the recognition that they deserve. Tonight, we've recognized a number of people on all different levels, and I didn't hear anybody saying, "Well, why do we do that?" Or, "Why do we do that?" We do it because they deserve it.

82
01:42:27.294 --> 01:43:15.794
That's why we do it. And so I will definitely be a resounding yes vote on this resolution. Thank you for your comments, Director Mays. Any other comments? Any other discussion? The chair is going to accept Director Panunzio's letter into our minutes. If Director Ibarra can give that to our secretary so that it can be spread across the pages of our minutes. And with no other discussion, I will ask the secretary to call the roll. Director Ferrell? Aye. Director Ibarra? No. Director Mays? Aye. Director Teague?

83
01:43:16.014 --> 01:44:00.266
Aye. So with three ayes, one no, and one excused, that motion carries and is declared adopted. We'll now move on to 9.0 reports. We have several reports tonight. The reports will be Pueblo Classical Academy and its presentation regarding charter school application, followed by Swallows Charter Academy Pueblo Campus presentation for its application for charter school. We then will talk about-Some financial reports in our budget update,

84
01:44:01.226 --> 01:44:42.546
our right serving plan, and our superintendent's board brief. So, Superintendent Kimsey, I'll turn over all those five items, or six items rather, to you for presentation. Thank you. Thank you, President Teboe. Board directors, it is my honor and pleasure to introduce Mr. Ted Johnson, our assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, who is my designee for all of our charter application reviews and process. So, Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Dr. Kimsey, and good evening, President Teboe and members of the board.

85
01:44:43.386 --> 01:45:19.266
The Pueblo School District 60 District Accountability Committee, or DAC, consists of administrators, educators, parents, and community members from throughout the district. One of the roles of the DAC, as outlined in Colorado State statute, is to review charter applications that are submitted to the district. You have all received a detailed report from the DAC regarding their review of this application. And so this evening, I'm just going to be highlighting some elements of their review before I turn it over to the team from Pueblo Classical Academy, to present on their application.

86
01:45:19.776 --> 01:45:58.166
And I just want to take a moment as we get started to thank our District Accountability Committee members. It is a volunteer role. They show up several times a year, and they put quite a bit of time into this process and the review of this application. So, as I mentioned, the DAC's responsibility is outlined in the state statute, requiring a review of applications at least 15 days prior to any board action on the application. We're well ahead of that timeline, but that's where it lives in the statute.

87
01:46:00.946 --> 01:46:35.666
Our DAC engaged in a multi-step process to review the application submitted by Pueblo Classical Academy. Way back in January, at their January 14th meeting, the DAC received an overview of the Charter Schools Act and its statutory requirements. They reviewed the application process and their roles and responsibilities as related to the review. We received a letter of intent in February and an application from Pueblo Classical Academy in March, and then the DAC convened again on April 7th. They received some additional

88
01:46:35.706 --> 01:47:11.126
training and information on the review process. This included a review of the rubric that we utilized to evaluate the application, and it was developed in part by the Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers, or CASCA. And we chose that rubric because it aligns exactly with the components that are required to be submitted in the application by PCA. So in addition to reviewing the components and the performance rating, committee members also practiced applying the rubric, providing committee members an opportunity together to

89
01:47:11.386 --> 01:47:50.726
discuss the rubric and calibrate its use. And then we gave the committee several weeks, a couple of weeks, to review the application on their own in its entirety, and they submitted their evaluation or their ratings using a Google form that we developed. We met again a final time last month on the 29th of April, and we went through the survey results that they and their colleagues had input into that form as part of the review process. The Charter Schools Act of 1993 identifies that the purpose of a charter

90
01:47:50.826 --> 01:48:31.446
school is to improve student achievement by offering innovative, specialized, and high-quality educational options within the public system. So with this in mind, our District Accountability Committee really sought to respond to two key questions in developing this report. The first question is, what value would the proposed charter school bring to the students and families of our district? And then the second was, what questions or concerns remain that the board should consider in making their decision? And so our report tonight is framed around those questions. So in response to the first of these questions, DAC committee members noted that

91
01:48:31.486 --> 01:49:07.446
the enrollment and structure of the school could provide a lower teacher-to-student ratio and that there was some unique programming available at PCA, including Latin, that isn't currently offered in the district. DAC committees further identified that although PCA provides a choice for students and families and a different opportunity, this would likely have minimal impact on students within District 60, as PCA is located in Pueblo West, well outside of district boundaries. The committee also noted that the application does not include transportation, so really

92
01:49:07.506 --> 01:49:46.246
only D60 students that chose to attend that had access to that daily personal transportation would be likely to attend PCA. With regard to the second question, the DAC raised several questions and concerns regarding the application for the board to consider. First, there were several concerns raised related to the financial status of PCA. These included questions regarding the alignment of the budget related to projected enrollment numbers outlined in the application. Some committee members also expressed concerns about whether or not financial issues were part of the reason D70

93
01:49:46.886 --> 01:50:20.594
no longer chose to serve as the authorizer for PCA. An additional concern identified by the DAC was the perceived limited capacity of PCA to serve students with special needs, which is under element Q within the application and rubric.Specifically, the DAC expressed concerns regarding their potential reliance on the school district for supporting students with special needs at the charter school, noting that district personnel and resources are already very limited, and that trying to fulfill additional special education service and support requirements to the charter school could spread these

94
01:50:20.634 --> 01:51:02.214
resources too thin within the district itself. I will now turn it over to the team from Pueblo Classical Academy to give a brief presentation regarding their application. Before we do that, if you're done, Mr. Johnson, I'll ask any board members if they have questions to you, or is there a DAC member here, or is the team here, or? I'm here representing the DAC tonight. You're representing them? Okay, great. So the record should show that. If there's any questions for the board? Hearing none, then we'll turn to Mr. Martin. Yes, sir. And why don't you introduce your team there for us initially, and then

95
01:51:03.334 --> 01:51:44.994
if there are any questions that board members want to ask along the way, I'll allow them to do that. It may interrupt you, but just bear with that. Otherwise, at the end of your presentation, there may be some questions. So introduce your team for us, please. Totally fine. So to my left is Teresa Shoda. She is our business office director, and our director of curriculum, Susan Flores. We do have, in the back is our ESS director, Chris McCauley. He is here as well, so if there are questions that pertain to some of the special needs, we can probably address those as well.

96
01:51:45.474 --> 01:52:28.174
So we'll give you this presentation tonight, go through some of the things that you probably already know about PSAS and our Paideia philosophy and how it's integrated into the classical academy approach. We're going to give you an overview of the school's model and how we've designed the model and how it approaches education for our students that are currently attending. And we'll go through the history a little bit, but we'll move through that accordingly. So pretty much if you look at the PSAS mission and vision

97
01:52:28.274 --> 01:53:00.454
statement is our mission has always been to provide an integrated K-12 curriculum grounded in Paideia principles anchored in the arts and sciences to ensure the success of all students. Our vision has been an exemplary education community which teaches skills and provides opportunities inspiring respectful, creative component, and productive lifelong learners. So if you look, we go one step further is the Paideia Way. Sorry. I've got this cold I'm dealing with. So

98
01:53:02.014 --> 01:53:35.594
the Paideia Way is basically an integrated K-12 curriculum that provides a seamless educational journey based on Paideia principles, ensuring the best education for the best education for all. Paideia curriculum is predominantly based off of hands-on learning is if we look at this, what does most of this mean? It's anchored in the arts and sciences. Our philosophy promotes deep learning through hands-on experiences. By anchoring our curriculum in the arts and sciences, we empower students to discover the fullest potential. The commitment to

99
01:53:35.634 --> 01:54:15.694
lifelong learning fosters excitement in the classroom and mystery beyond it. So here goes to PSAS's history. We started out with our Paideia roots in 1996. We were part of, I believe it was then USC, University of Southern Colorado. We actually had a K-12 campus at that point in time, and then when we broke off from USC, we went and moved to the Jones campus and basically started a K-8 program. 2017, District 60 authorized us for the Fulton campus, which we

100
01:54:15.734 --> 01:54:55.644
basically went and integrated a STEM program in our Fulton Heights campus in a maker school concept to basically incorporate the Paideia principles into that approach. In 2021, we basically were authorized by D70 to open our classical model, which we've been open since 2021. And that was the launch of our classical academy for the rigorous liberal arts path for that community. Any questions on those timelines? Any questions? Go ahead and proceed then. I just don't want to blaze through it and-

101
01:54:55.674 --> 01:55:31.454
No, that- You get to the end and then... So if you look at the Paideia Foundation, I'm not sure how... Oh, sorry. My left and right-hand folks are always correcting me, so if you look at the PSAS Paideia Foundation, basically, I'm not sure how familiar you are with it, but it's basically the holistic integration of humanities, high-level science, and STEM emphasis focused on performance for a school of excellence. So we've had a lot of success at the Jones campus over the years in this approach. One of the things that if you look

102
01:55:31.494 --> 01:56:13.534
at PSAS as a whole, I've been executive director since 2020, going into my fifth year. And probably when I first came to PSAS is that one of the things that I found was a practice is basically we had less than six special student population students in our whole school. Now we're looking at probably almost 20% of our student populations that are inclusive of those special populations. So folks can look at our performance based off the Paideia FoundationAnd look at how it may have declined.

103
01:56:13.894 --> 01:56:50.674
But I think there's another way of looking at that, that we're more inclusive of those populations than most charter schools have been in the past. So we're taking on that student population, and we're taking it very serious. So I just want to make note of that. So Paideia meets classical is our next approach. Basically, our Paideia establishes the goal, the best education is the best education for all. It focuses on inclusive excellence. The classical model provides the model time-tested tools for trivium and quadrivium to achieve that excellence.

104
01:56:51.314 --> 01:57:31.434
So when you look at-- I told my folks today, they're like, "Don't ever do this," but I did. So the classical approach basically teaches you to be inquisitive learners, to ask questions, to basically understand the why behind the reason. So I used the Judge May's example in our meeting today, and sorry, I may be using the Judge May's example a little too much. But if students in the classical approach are taught to look beyond two plus two equals four, one plus one is one.

105
01:57:32.234 --> 01:58:07.174
You go into the judicial center downtown, and you see a picture of an individual, and you look at that individual, and it may be what is that picture saying to you other than what does that individual do? What is it about him that- Be careful with that one. Okay. Well, I'm going to try to be careful. But what it tries to do is it teaches our students to look beyond what's in front of them, beyond the textbook approach, and it makes them inquisitive learners. So that's what our classical and Paideia approach is.

106
01:58:07.594 --> 01:58:45.214
If you combine the hands-on theory with our Paideia and our classical approach is, is that we feel like our students are actually getting educated at a very high level. So here's kind of the model, if you look at it. The trivium aligns education with a child's natural cognitive development, moving them from absorbing facts to critical thinking, and finally, persuasive communication. So again, we'll take the picture example. We look at it. It may be a man that's got a goatee and gray hair. What does that really mean? So we teach those children to look past that a little bit, to be

107
01:58:45.254 --> 01:59:20.834
more inquisitive. And then we keep going down, and the four arts of number and space is about the mystery and number and physical universe. It was designed to bridge the visible sensory word without abstract reasoning, teaching students to appreciate the inherent beauty, order, and proportion of the universe. That's the quadrivium. And so when you look at that, that kind of gets deep. I bet if you ask every fifth grader in our school, they'd be like, "Huh? I don't know." But our teachers do understand that in their education

108
01:59:20.874 --> 01:59:58.774
delivery model. And so we practice that every day. The five pillars of success are the specific culture and philosophical values that anchor our school's unique environment. Any questions so far? Any questions? Nothing yet. Okay, I'll keep going. I'll try to make this short and sweet then. So if you look at the trivium, it's based off of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Grades K five focus on the building blocks of knowledge through facts, rules, and memorization. Logic grades six through eight develop critical reasoning and

109
01:59:58.894 --> 02:00:42.854
learning the laws of valid argument. Rhetoric is our grades nine through 12, is a mastery of persuasive communication and synthesis of complex knowledge. And I guess I kind of laugh at that one because when our kids get to be teenagers all we need them to know is how to argue with their parents a little bit more. So I think that's going to be an important one, so . And then we go basically to the five pillars where we go to beyond the language and the quadrivium is order, astronomy, and harmony. And I skipped way ahead on my slide. So, and it's not in my...

110
02:00:43.834 --> 02:01:19.194
Oh, there it is. Okay. Yep. So basically, the order of study of mathematics and geometry as the architecture of the physical world, astronomy, understanding our place in the cosmos through scientific inquiry and observation. And our harmony is the study of music, the mathematical relations of sound and time. So music and art is built into most of everything that we do at PSAS, is that all of our schools are required to have music and art. And we do take that as a pretty serious

111
02:01:19.394 --> 02:02:00.374
approach to the whole child. Five pillars of success is our classical virtue, scholarship, pride, and tradition. The primary goal is wisdom and citizenship. Curriculum focus is integrated liberal arts, and our human view is the whole person. So if you look at the classical aspect is the immersion in liberal arts language and classic literature to build deep mastery. Virtue is character training woven into the fabric of all school activities and courses. Our scholarship is independent thinking fostered through

112
02:02:00.414 --> 02:02:40.366
Socratic dialogue and rigorous inquiry. Pride, citizenship, and responsibility to school, community, and country. And our tradition is focusing on effective research-based best practices over educational. SoHere we go. Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. So what that really means is that we're looking at developing the whole child, not just some aspects of just shoving curriculum in front of them, but it's, again, developing that inquisitive learner.

113
02:02:40.486 --> 02:03:25.606
So, oops. And then this slide basically goes to some of the educational models compared to it. If you look at our educational model as our primary goal is basically in a classical PCA approach would be wisdom, virtue, and citizenship. Most standard models are job training and basic skills. Our curriculum is integrated liberal arts. And some standard models are basically fragmented subjects, and our focus is deep mastery of foundations, versus the standard model is broad exposure. Whole person, body, mind, and soul, and then the standard model basically is

114
02:03:25.646 --> 02:04:08.626
worker and consumer. So again, it's all built on the idea of developing inquisitive learners. So I'll move to the end and ask if there's any questions. Any questions? Director Mays. Mr. Martin, with this model here now, you'll have an online component to the school as well? What we have is... I'm kind of glad you asked that question because it's come up quite a few times. So I wanted to address it head-on, if that's okay. Please. So in 20-- Just before COVID, PSAS received an MDOL from the state

115
02:04:08.666 --> 02:04:47.016
of Colorado. Then COVID hit, so everybody went online learning. So when we came out of online learning, we had approximately 160 kids that we still had a program with throughout our different campuses. And so when we went into COVID, we basically told the state, "Well, since you've authorized online learning, we don't need our MDOL anymore. We're well within-" Could you tell us what the acronym is again? M- The Multi-District Online Learning is what that- Okay. Thank you.

116
02:04:47.046 --> 02:05:26.826
Okay. So basically, an MDOL versus an SDOL means that it's a multi-district, meaning that you can go statewide, you can go from corner to corner of the state. Single district would mean that you basically stay within the parameters of the district that you're authorized. So if we were authorized by D60, we would have to have no more than 10 kids in an SDOL. If we were in an MDOL, we could have unlimited kids outside of our single district or our authorizing district. So that's what the difference between the two is. So when we went through COVID, we come out of

117
02:05:26.866 --> 02:06:09.586
COVID, we still had quite a few number of families and students that didn't want to go back in person. We were one of the first to go back in person, so we kept this online program going, and we had forgiven our-- basically vacated our MDOL at that point in time. And so Pueblo Classical Academy was authorized by D70 at that point in time and basically gave us an online authorization. So within the Fulton and Jones campus, which were authorized by D60, we could still maintain a program, which there was about 40 students between the

118
02:06:09.606 --> 02:06:47.666
two campuses that wanted to do online or some type of online and integrated learning with our staff. And then there was another, I'd say 80 to 90 students at that point in time with D70 that still wanted to stay online. So we were well within our parameters of what CDE requires for an online program. The problem is, is that once D70 took the action that it did, it put us in a quandary to where we are still serving these somewhat 160 students that

119
02:06:47.746 --> 02:07:31.446
we don't necessarily-- If you look at the letter of the law with CDE, it doesn't fall in any of those parameters. So we're serving students, but we can't be an SDOL because we have 10 or more students outside of that district. We can't, because ER BOCES is a collaborative part, we can't just have an online MDOL without going and getting approved by the state again. So in essence, what it is, is that basically we have a student population that we've been serving for four or five years that we have applied for an

120
02:07:31.526 --> 02:08:09.734
MDOL just so that we are within the confines of the regulations provided by CDE. We've met with them. CDE even gave us an-- They gave us an SDOL. It lasted for about two weeks? It was about three and a half months, and what they didn't realize is that an ER BOCES or any BOCES in the state of Colorado cannot authorize an SDOL. They can only authorize MDOLs. And so we had worked really closely trying-- We wanted to move from a program into an actual school, which helps with our accountability and delineating data.been making good

121
02:08:09.744 --> 02:08:42.854
decisions. And so, we wanted to move in that direction because it gives us a lot more access for looking at our various schools, and how well we're performing, and what we need to do differently. And then CDE came back and said, "Oh no, we're not allowed to have your ER BOCES be your oversight for an SDOL. You need to put in an application for your- Yeah ... MDOL, but we're going to allow you to finish this school year operating accordingly." So we've been- So- ... meeting all the guidelines in that regard. So we've met with the audit team- Before you go on, I'm sorry. Could you just identify yourself again?

122
02:08:43.614 --> 02:09:22.474
Susan Flores, Director of Education, PSAS. Yeah. It just helps for the record if you just- That's fine ... before you speak, you just sort of say, "Susan here," or "Teresa here," or whatever. My apologies. Thank you. That's all right. It's a very convoluted approach. What we're really trying to do is not be a goal or a hope online. We're just trying to continue to serve the 160 family kids that we currently have. That's basically it. We even met with a CDE audit team, and basically between the audit teams, Cotton Steady's office, and it just seemed that this was the best

123
02:09:22.514 --> 02:10:00.764
approach. So we do go in front of the state board on Thursday to basically see if they're going to authorize us to continue to do it. We can continue as a program as long as we don't have more than 10 students that basically are outside of the authorizing district, and then if we don't have more than 100 students in a program. What that would do would probably put some families at risk that we've served for years,

124
02:10:01.434 --> 02:10:43.774
siblings and families at risk, and just kind of throw them back to the goals of the world or another approach. A lot of those families that we serve in those programs, some of them are the court-ordered students that are in those programs. Some of them are truancy students that are in that program. I would say that probably more than half of the students are probably at-risk students. So yeah. And they're showing me these because we beat our head against the wall on that 100 ways from Sunday to how do we continue to serve those students?

125
02:10:44.194 --> 02:11:24.714
So that's a long answer, but a complicated one. So you have something presently pending before the state board of education about changing your status then. Is that what I understand it? Yes, sir. And that's the- This Thursday ... acronyms you've been throwing around. I don't want to try to do them myself, but... Yes, sir. This Thursday. Okay. Can you tell me in terms of how many students are directly involved in online learning at this time with your school? So if you look at all three campuses, each campus is authorized up to, under a program, is

126
02:11:24.754 --> 02:12:13.814
authorized up to 100. So we have about 100 and... It fluctuates, 140 to 160 students between all three campuses. Yes, sir. Okay. And what are the qualifications in order to be one of the teachers in your online school? Do you need a certification for it? I understand you're a charter school, okay, but are there other concerns that you might have? What's the ratio? Do you have an administrator of the online program itself? We do. I'm interested in those. We do. We have an ESS teacher that's specifically for those special populations.

127
02:12:13.854 --> 02:12:58.814
We have eight staff members. We have licensed teachers and coaches. There's a mixture of both licensed teachers and coaches with those individuals, and yes, we do have an administrator. And part of the MDOL process too is it, a lot of... I'm trying to be cautious with my words because I'm not a fan of Goal Academy. I'll just go ahead and say it. It's putting a computer in front of an individual and hoping that they learn something. The beauty of our program is our students come in typically twice a week with their coaches and

128
02:12:59.794 --> 02:13:42.164
with their instructors, so we have certified staff teaching them. The MDUL requires you to have a licensed administrator and licensed teachers. So that's, we're not shying away from that. That's one of the reasons we want to go for it, is so that we completely fit the requirements for CDE. But I'm not looking at trying to get kids from Colorado Springs or Denver into this program because ours is very unique in that we have coaches and teachers here. We don't have drop-in centers throughout the state, as most of our families,

129
02:13:42.534 --> 02:14:21.604
sometimes kids start in our K8 program, and we have to try to figure out what's best for that individual, and they're integrated between our in-person and our online. It gives us that flexibility to address those needs for that student. The multi-district one. Excuse me. The multi-district one would allow you to have students outside Denver if you wanted to under your auspices. It would. We could have them in Fort Collins, but I think probably through our enrollment process, we wouldn't accept themJust because we are committed

130
02:14:21.724 --> 02:15:08.944
to our local community and the student populations that we're not looking to be an online Megatron. We're just not. President Thibault- Yes ... may I ask Dr. Kimsey a question on this? Absolutely. Dr. Kimsey, do you have any thoughts on what we've heard here today? What's your take on it, I guess? So they are going for the multi-district designation, as this board knows, we are as well. We're going for it for D60 online, our middle school students, and for Dutch Clark Digital Paragon for our high school students. We offer a blended approach,

131
02:15:09.444 --> 02:15:47.764
sounds like that's what they're talking about at their campus. And we are going for that designation because we turn students away that are living close by and can't enroll after you get to that 10. With brick-and-mortar, you are unlimited in how many kids you take from a different district, a different whatever. But with online, the state is very specific. You can't take more than 10 that don't reside in your district. PCA is unique because it operates

132
02:15:47.864 --> 02:16:30.244
in Pueblo West. As Mr. Johnson shared, it is not within our geographical boundaries if we were to authorize them. So we all have to be aware, we have finite numbers of students and we want to make sure that we're serving the students as best as we can. We do have some concerns around ESS. I know that our DAC has been pretty clear about that and in the report. We want to make sure that all students are served and served

133
02:16:30.324 --> 02:17:07.644
well, and that it doesn't end up stretching our D60 resources. As you'll remember in our right-sizing process, part of it is that economy of scale, and we were putting schools together so that I'm not stretching folks having to visit multiple different schools, they're all in one place. So it could be a concern for our staff to have to travel to Pueblo West to go provide service or support something. So that is, from my

134
02:17:07.724 --> 02:17:45.204
perspective, a concern. Other than that, PSAS has been a good partner. I know on our board agenda tonight is the approval of our contracts for Jones and Fulton Heights. They have really come to the table with us. They've cooperated with us in that regard. With regard to concerns about ESS, I'm assuming that any concerns could be written into a contract with regard to addressing those particular issues. Oh, absolutely. Just like we wrote other things into the contracts you guys are approving tonight.

135
02:17:45.904 --> 02:18:26.184
Thank you. Any other questions? Director Ferrell. Thank you, President Thibault, and thank you for the presentation. I'm thinking about the school operating outside of our geographic boundaries as Dr. Kimsey spoke about. Do you have readily offhand information as far as your enrollment now, where those students are coming from? How many of them are from the 70 boundary? How many are from 60s boundary? Where are the students currently

136
02:18:26.224 --> 02:19:02.444
coming from? I don't have the exact numbers. I would say that, again, that it is a school of choice without transportation, so I would imagine that it's very similar demographics as our other three campuses. I can get you those numbers, but I'm not even going to guess. Okay. I'd appreciate knowing, out of curiosity, but looking at the stat question about how PCA would serve students and families of District 60, given that it's outside of the boundaries, I'm curious,

137
02:19:03.524 --> 02:19:46.444
are you already serving kids that could be in District 60? Chances are highly likely that a lot of those students are a lot of D60 students. Because the way our model is set up is that there's three K8s, so you've got PCA K8, you've got Fulton K8, and you've got Jones K8. And you got to remember, our schools don't have a lot of sports teams. We don't have a lot of those things. So our student population can be unique in certain ways. So what we've done with that 9-12 program is giving

138
02:19:46.505 --> 02:20:25.204
that small number of students an opportunity to continue that PSAS experience in the 9-12 realm. So, and to comment on it is outside of D70, probably by a mile, and D60 by a mile and a half, if we're geographically correct. But I do think that those students, the reason we're here is because we recognize those students need to be a part of a good home, and we do value the partnership with D60, and I do think it's our responsibility to come

139
02:20:25.224 --> 02:21:17.432
before you and ask for those students to be a part of an organization such as D60. Thank you. And thank you again for the presentation tonight. Any other questions? I'll ask a few questions then. Earlier in the presentation, I don't know if, Mr. Johnson, you can put up key question number one on the board so we can all follow. The question was what value would the proposed charter school bring to the students and families of our district? I interpret that to be what is the benefit that District 60 will receive, just in general and maybe specifically

140
02:21:17.512 --> 02:21:54.812
now. It appears that the first... Maybe if you go to the next slide, it says something about lower teacher-to-student ratio. That seems like an advantage to me, if that's what DAC was saying, with some unique programming. And how many students do you have right now, K through 12? So our- Just a number ... our Pueblo Classical Academy K through 12 is sitting somewhere around the range of 225, and as we know, that could vary day by day. It could vary. That's elementary, middle, and high school?

141
02:21:54.912 --> 02:22:31.622
Yes, sir. It is. And then the unique programming is the Great Books program, if I'm not mistaken. Is that right? Yes. How do you instruct elementary students on the original writings of great authors such as Aristotle and Rousseau and those type of authors versus high school students? How does your unique programming fit that? Okay. I'm going to ... Susan Flores ... I'm going to let Susan answer that one. So when we look at our model for the classical approach, our

142
02:22:31.672 --> 02:23:05.822
K five, the grammar approach, is more those foundational skills. So it's more by immersion, but we're really focused on that foundation, the love of learning, multiplication tables, phonics, phonemic awareness. So we're building that root, that ground foundational base. So it's through immersion, and then it goes to the logic phase, six through eighth grade. So when you talk about the Trivarium, you're looking at the three components coming together as students move through the educational process.

143
02:23:06.272 --> 02:23:40.282
So our kindergarten through fifth-grade kids might not be at the rhetoric phase of what we're doing in the classical approach. So as they emerge through their learning, they will eventually, nine through 12th is when we really focus on the rhetoric phase of the classical approach. Are they taught by books that say what these authors said, or are they taught the original language of the book? I think that's what I'm trying to get at. So they teach the original language, and then what we do is our kids become the thinkers, and so we expose them,

144
02:23:40.392 --> 02:24:16.562
and then they actually emerge more in that critical thinking and the rhetoric, bringing in the logic that they've learned from sixth through eighth grade. And we've, of course, had to backfill a little bit for our kids that haven't been there with us from K eight. So. Would you agree with me that sort of the overall objective is to teach just humanity, just how human beings... The nature of a human being? Yes. And our program that we use, our core program to meet the curriculum requirements for our grammar students, it's embedded into that program. So it's not the same level of

145
02:24:16.652 --> 02:24:58.732
rhetoric, but it is through that immersion of learning for our students that are K six. Okay. And then, thank you, if you look at the screen again on the second bullet point, lack of significant value for D60 students and families, that seems like a negative, and I need your comment about that. The benefit, the value to District 60 students and families seems to be in question. Can you comment about that? I don't know how to answer that question other than significant value for D60 students is if you were to authorize this, they would be D60 students. So there would be value in

146
02:24:59.412 --> 02:25:38.552
that. I think that's one aspect, a way to look at it. If there are currently D60 students that may... At PCA, we have a-- This is another thought as well, is we invite all D60 schools to each one of our eighth-grade open houses. So all the high schools get to come to our campuses, and they have the opportunity to explore their options. So I would say that it could be a future D60 student. And so, yeah. Susan Flores, if I may add to that.

147
02:25:38.622 --> 02:26:14.642
Sure. One way I like to look at our classical academy is if you've ever been to Estes Park, it's a very eclectic community. Our school is very eclectic. We're very different. So not all students have that opportunity to go somewhere where they can think differently, be a little differently, and sometimes when you don't think like the typical learner, and you need to dig a little bit deeper, and you need to arrive at answers, it's a classical approach. It's not our everyday learning style, which really works for a lot of students. So I think the value is if parents or

148
02:26:14.672 --> 02:26:47.962
families are looking for something where their student might think a little differently, might need a little more higher-level thinking, it works for them. And that's the approach that we bring in. It's not every student. Not every student learns that way, but there are students. When you walk into our campus, we've actually had Judge Mays that has come to our campus-It has been... It's different. You walk in, and the way our students greet you, the way they ask questions, it's different. And it's their style of learning, and it just fits.

149
02:26:48.242 --> 02:27:24.102
It works for them, and it works for our community. And it might not be the whole of the community, but it is a niche of our community that is meeting a need. And I think that's regardless of where they reside in Pueblo, it does meet that need for those students. Would you agree, though, however, that our curriculum here in District 60, absent your charter school, could offer that kind of curriculum if the board decided to engage in that? I'd be amiss to say that I didn't believe in that. I think if we're passionate about what we're doing for education and our students,

150
02:27:24.202 --> 02:27:59.002
that yes, you could do that within your own schools. I think we're doing a great job. We're a high-performing school. So we're doing it right. So I think you can always create and do that, but we already are, and I think we're doing it quite well, to be quite honest. So yes, I think you could do that. All right. Thank you. Mr. Johnson, could you go to the next slide that says Key Question Number 2, Financial Concerns? If I'm understanding your testimony, Mr. Martin, it seemed to say to me that-- Or your comments. It's really not testimony.

151
02:27:59.062 --> 02:28:40.302
You're not under oath, and you're not subject to imprisonment if you answer incorrectly. That's what happens when you get a former judge and a DA. Yeah. I'm trying to be sure I understand. You started off at USC, but that was sort of like the Jones-Fulton campus idea curriculum, if I'm not mistaken. Correct. And then you kind of moved out into Pueblo West with the classical over time. Your authorizer there initially was District 70, and the question here is from DAC, were there financial concerns that District

152
02:28:40.522 --> 02:29:19.842
70 had with respect to you, is why they didn't authorize you any further? The financial concerns honestly kind of take me back a little bit. I would put our finances darn near against any charter school and a lot of traditional public school finances in the state of Colorado. So that one really takes me amiss a little bit because we probably are one of the most financially solid institutions, I bet, around the city and state.

153
02:29:21.982 --> 02:30:03.602
We are very diligent about our finances. Our reserves are strong. We've been able to finance this campus. Unlike some of our counterparts in the past, we haven't went out and done $50, 60 million worth of facilities that we can't afford. We've paid our way as we went. Our campus pretty much, I believe, will be paid off in- Two years ... yeah, two years from now. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That one surprises me a little bit. I would have to ask what those

154
02:30:04.682 --> 02:30:47.552
specific concerns are. In your application, do you address your financial situation? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I'll take a look at that again and see what that is about. And the other bullet says something about a concern about your support resources for special needs students. You made some comments earlier about that, but that's very concerning to hear. So I want to give you a chance to respond to that. And I'll let Susan kind of chime in on how it works a little bit. That one as well kind of surprises me a tad. Not only do we have a special ed

155
02:30:47.662 --> 02:31:25.572
teacher for our program, we have a special ed teacher for our in-person students, and we have a director that basically monitors all those plans. And I'd kind of probably need to know specifically what they're talking about there. But Susan, can you help me with that? Susan Flores once again. I think where part of this comes from, Dr. Kimsey, if I may just clarify, is the fact that we work very closely with District 60 when it comes to psych services for initials or reevaluations. Currently, our status, and one thing that I

156
02:31:25.622 --> 02:31:57.842
will again speak for our staff, our students, we might have a higher special education population, but they are performing at or above the state across our whole campus, all grade levels. They're doing a phenomenal job. We currently have two teachers. One is working with our students that are in our program and supports one grade level for us at our PCA campus. We have two paraprofessionals. We have very few students that receive speech or speech only. So that would be a

157
02:31:57.902 --> 02:32:33.132
minimal cost, as District 60 would normally provide the speech, the SLP or the SLPA that provides those services. We don't have any students that are OT/PT at this time. All of our students are currently 301, and so the service delivery time that they have is very reasonable and manageable at our campus. So we've been doing a great job meeting those needs. We would, of course, have to, when we went to contract, discuss what that would look like for psych, for evaluations, and some potential SLPs. But both Mr.

158
02:32:33.342 --> 02:33:06.582
McCulley and I are aware of what that service time has been. I have been a part of that. I've been here since the year after PCA was incepted and have been a vital part of our ESS students, and we'd be able to speak to how many hours we provide in a year for each particular category of special education.If that were a question, that we'd have to discuss- Sure ... once we are approved. Okay. Thank you so much. And we currently contract for all those services right now. Oh, okay. So the students aren't going without those.

159
02:33:06.762 --> 02:33:52.422
I just want to make that very clear. Any other questions from the board? Director Mays, please. Just for clarification, is that that 20% you said you've increased in with special needs students, that before you had very few students, but now you feel you're a little bit more inclusive because you have attracted students that might otherwise not have been there in the past? Yes. That extra staff member is specifically for that population. You can go ahead, Susan. I was just going to clarify. Susan Flores. Judge Mays, I just wanted to clarify that when you were asking that, that

160
02:33:52.482 --> 02:34:31.812
increased 20% population is not just our PCA campus. The 20% increase in population was across our three campuses, where we've seen an increase. We don't deny any enrollment for any student population into our network. So we've had a little bit, around a 20.4% increase in special education across our network, not just the one campus. Okay. Any other questions? Mr. Johnson, do you have any final comments that you wish to make on behalf of the DAC or- No, not at this time. Thank you. And Mr. Martin and your team,

161
02:34:32.642 --> 02:35:17.742
do you wish to make a closing statement and avoid your prison sentence or- Anything you want to offer at the end here, I'll give you that opportunity. I'm not much of a politician. As you look at our application, I do want to encourage you that it's a very unique school. It needs a solid home. It needs a place to go that it can call home. We are trying not to be a contract school for those students. There's a lot of things that we can't do because we are a contract school, capital monies, so forth, that we can't look at. And I think that student population just really deserves the best it

162
02:35:17.802 --> 02:36:01.962
can get, and that's why we're before you today. And I guess we're at your mercy, and I would ask you to dig deep and look at that when you look at our application and consider voting on it. Thank you for those comments. Now, I know that we will be having public hearings in June. I'm not quite sure of the date, but we'll work through that, and then we'll be acting on it as a board in June as well. So thank you again, and stay tuned. Thank you. Appreciate it. Okay. I will once again tee up Mr. Johnson, who will now be sharing information on the Swallows Charter

163
02:36:02.042 --> 02:36:46.002
Academy application, and then you'll hear from their team. Mr. Johnson. Thank you again, Dr. Kimsey, and good evening again, board. I'm going to move through a few of these slides at the beginning a little more quickly because they're similar to what you saw in the PCA presentation. The one thing I would just ask that you note is that the process and the timelines for the review of the Swallows Charter Academy are essentially the same as they were for the PCA. The DAC met, went through that same process, and completed that

164
02:36:46.042 --> 02:37:28.202
review at the same meeting on the 29th. We also utilized the same questions in terms of what value would the proposed charter bring to the students and families of our district, and what questions or concerns remain that the board should consider in making their decision. So with regard to question number one, DAC committee members did identify a few potential benefits within the charter application, including the opportunity for choice for families, that there's a K12 model within the application, and that there would potentially be

165
02:37:28.482 --> 02:38:07.322
smaller class sizes. DAC members also noted that the Swallows Charter Academy that currently operates in Pueblo West has had a demonstrated record of success with the students that they serve out there. DAC members did not feel that the proposed educational programming in the Swallows application provided something significantly new or different from existing options that exist in the district. With regard to question two, the DAC raised several questions and concerns for the board to consider. First, there were concerns related to the financial analysis provided by Swallows

166
02:38:07.362 --> 02:38:44.742
within the application. The DAC expressed the concern regarding a need to apply for and receive grants, including the Colorado Charter School Program startup grant, and if they didn't receive that grant, would that have a potential impact on school operations and startup? There was a concern brought up about the proposed use of the former Chavez Huerta campus and whether that was a truly viable option considering the costs that are associated with that site. The DAC also raised concerns regarding inconsistencies between potential enrollment and the amount of general funding and categorical funding that the

167
02:38:44.782 --> 02:39:21.302
school projected it would receive over time. Further concerns were expressed by the DAC regarding whether enrollment projections were realistic. They felt like they might be too highAs well as the potential impact that adding a charter school might have on the enrollment of neighboring schools on the west side, including the Hyde Park Pre-collegiate Middle School, which is set to open this fall. And in particular, concern was expressed regarding the potential impact of adding a charter school so soon after our right-sizing process, and whether adding another charter school could potentially

168
02:39:22.122 --> 02:39:57.982
require the district to re-engage in additional right-sizing measures sooner rather than later. DAC members also noted that the application demonstrated limited evidence of support for the school, and that the application relied heavily on informal outreach and input from community members regarding interest in the school, and that seemed to have occurred shortly after the closure of Chavez Huerto Preparatory Academy. The committee noted there was an assumption within the application that families who had previously attended CHIPA would enroll at the school. They expressed skepticism with that, considering that

169
02:39:58.022 --> 02:40:38.302
most of those students have already enrolled elsewhere, and that with the application timeline, it would be about two years since CHIPA's closure before the Swallows Campus would open. And similar to the previous applicant, an additional concern was identified to DAC, was the capacity to support serving students with special needs. The DAC was concerned about the potential reliance on school district to provide some of the support for students with special needs at the charter school. Again, noting that current district personnel and resources are already very limited, and trying to

170
02:40:38.342 --> 02:41:24.302
fulfill additional special education service and support requirements to the charter school could spread these resources too thin within the district itself. I'll pause if there are questions for me. Any questions for Mr. Johnson? Okay, well then we'll turn it over to you. I would like you to identify yourself, introduce your team, and again, we may ask questions along the way. It's important for you to identify yourself when you speak to the extent that we can get that done so the record is clear. So please, identify who you are and your team. There we go. Thank you very much. My name is Dr. Cindy Compton.

171
02:41:24.362 --> 02:42:01.022
I'm the executive director at Swallows Charter Academy. To my left is our Director of School Services and CFO, Dr. Catherine Meyer, followed by our Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Academic Services, Mrs. Deanna Storm, and our K12 principal, Mr. Matt Hawken. Over to my right, we have three of our board members in the front row, our board president, Kirsten Roberts. We have board member Jennifer Reese, and board member Emma McWhorter, who was recently elected for her second term just last night. So congratulations, Emma. Sitting behind them is our

172
02:42:02.962 --> 02:42:38.302
instructional coach, Dolores Vigil. So thank you for the opportunity to be here. Nice to meet you. Director Kimsey and members of the board, good evening. Once again, I want to thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight. My name is Dr. Cindy Compton, and I am the executive director at Swallows Charter Academy, where I have served for the past 16 years, along with a very consistent and dedicated leadership team and a visionary board of directors, several of whom are here this evening. We are very appreciative of your consideration.

173
02:42:39.502 --> 02:43:16.042
So imagine in August of 2027, a year and a half from now, a brother and sister could walk up the front steps of a new school on West 18th Street. They might be carrying a new backpack, might be a little bit nervous. Their mother might walk a few steps behind them, and their grandmother, who maybe was born in the neighborhood, who raised her children in the neighborhood, who watched another school down the street close just a few years ago, last year, might be watching from the curb. That is the moment that we feel is on the table tonight, and as you

174
02:43:16.082 --> 02:43:50.122
consider this decision through June. I would like to use our time with you thoughtfully and share with you a little bit about who we are, to tell you what those young children's school might actually be. And I'm going to make you three promises tonight, promises that we are willing to put in the charter contract in writing. Before I get to the contract promises, though, I'm going to share more about why approving our charter application is in the best interest of the District 70 students, the school district, and the community.

175
02:43:51.022 --> 02:44:24.762
Swallows Charter Academy has been operating in Pueblo County for nearly 30 years, three decades. We have held a performance rating on the Colorado School Performance Frameworks, the highest tier, ever since 2017. Our audits have been clean every year. We operate at capacity with large waiting lists, especially at the elementary levels. And in three decades, we have never returned to District 70, our authorizer, for financial relief, never asked for a

176
02:44:24.782 --> 02:44:59.014
bailout, and never asked for special accommodations. We have earned the prestigious Baa3 Moody's investment grade credit rating, which very few charter schools ever accomplish, and it took us many years to achieve. It required not only that we maintain strong financial practices, but we also demonstrate excellent governance and stability.This enabled SCA to obtain credit enhancement through the state of Colorado's Moral Obligation Program and long-term

177
02:44:59.434 --> 02:45:35.704
facility, excuse me, fully amateurized bonds for our facilities in Pueblo West. I tell you this not because we are extraordinary, but because when I make commitments to you tonight, I want you to understand the foundation that those commitments stand upon. We are not a startup. We are not theory. And what I'm about to describe, the curriculum, the financial discipline, the special education services, the cultural programming, and concurrent enrollment preparation and opportunity, is what we already do every

178
02:45:35.794 --> 02:46:11.774
day. So this brother and sister will be taught a K-8 curriculum called Core Knowledge, a coherent, proven, cumulative sequence in literacy, science, history, and the arts. What they learn in kindergarten will connect to what they learn in first grade, which will connect to second grade, and so on through middle school. There will be no gaps. By the time they're ready to graduate, they will have the deep background knowledge that distinguishes the students who succeed in college from many who struggle. Core Knowledge is designed to systematically build that shared

179
02:46:11.814 --> 02:46:47.024
knowledge base so all students, regardless of their starting point, can access complex texts, academic vocabulary, and rigorous coursework. When they reach ninth grade, they will choose a pathway, early college, skilled trades, health sciences, business, information technology, whatever calls to them. And while they pursue those pathways, they will be taking concurrent enrollment courses with Pueblo Community College, CSUP, and Intellitech, earning college credit that

180
02:46:47.054 --> 02:47:21.094
will appear on college transcripts before they ever receive their high school diploma. This year, our current class of 38 seniors boasts a whopping 2,290 total college credits, 779 credits from PCC and 1,487 credits from CSUP, 24 credits from Intellitech. Six of our seniors of the 38 are graduating with their associate's degree, and SCA is one of the most successful concurrent enrollment

181
02:47:21.103 --> 02:47:56.554
programs in southern Colorado. Our goal is that every graduate of Swallows Charter Academy, Pueblo Campus, leaves with college credit, an industry credential, or both. And that is precisely the case for each and every one of our current 38 seniors graduating this month. In that first year, this brother and sister will hear something that their parents might remember, the sound of mariachi music coming from the school auditorium, the sight of folklorico dancers practicing in the gym. We will reinstate both

182
02:47:56.574 --> 02:48:42.244
programs in our first year with dedicated funding, experienced instructors, and performances on the school calendar. Because what closed years ago before those... Excuse me. Because what closed years before they walked up those steps was not just a former charter school. It was a home for traditions passed down for generations, and we don't take that lightly. It was a family. It was a community that closed. We are not a for-profit management company or a charter school network from

183
02:48:42.244 --> 02:49:18.963
another part of the state. We are part of the Pueblo community. And so now for our three contractual promises. These are not aspirations, and they're not best efforts. They are our commitments that we will put in writing, ready to be incorporated as binding terms in the charter contract, with consequences for non-performance. Our first promise is about your special education resources. The DAC raised, rightly, the concern that a new charter school might draw on District 60's already stretched special education resources and

184
02:49:19.054 --> 02:49:53.054
personnel. And in the application, we stated that we would partner with D60 to provide specialized services in the first two or three years. And we also stated that we would assume responsibility for staffing special education. So to clarify our intent, SCAPC will provide its own special education staff from day one. We will provide specialized related services, including speech, occupational therapy, school psychology, school psychologists, excuse me, through either the Pueblo BOCES, private

185
02:49:53.194 --> 02:50:25.734
providers, or preferably through part-time and full-time employees. We will not rely on District 60 for special education staff time to deliver services on site, not in year one and not in year five. The only exception would be to purchase and utilize the District 60 ESS administrative staff for oversight as our administrative unit, which is the model we currently use in District 70. That said, though, we would envision

186
02:50:25.774 --> 02:51:01.254
within the first five years of operation becoming our own administrative unit, relieving District 60 of any administrative oversight responsibilities. Currently, SCA employs three full-time ESS teachers, five full-time paraprofessionals, part-time speech pathologist, school psychologist, and part-time occupation and physical therapists as needed. In addition to the ESS staff, we employ a full-time RTI literacy specialist, full-time RTI math specialist, and an instructional coach.The

187
02:51:01.344 --> 02:51:39.124
second promise is about money. Our operating budget balances with or without the Colorado Charter School grant. Our break even is 225 students against a year one target of 325 students, a 100-student cushion. And if our enrollment falls more than 10% below projection, we would delay opening by a year. We will keep canvassing. We would keep listening. We will not become a financial liability to District 60.

188
02:51:39.804 --> 02:52:13.284
We are an investment grade rated charter school who has the proven financial wherewithal to succeed, and our financial history speaks for itself, as evidenced by that independent third party Moody's rating. Further, we have a proven track record of success with our bond holder, who is the same bond holder as of the CHPA campus. And that bond holder financed our phase one and our phase three of the build-out of our campus. And they know we will be successful because they have been with us, right alongside us, for more than a decade

189
02:52:13.764 --> 02:52:49.664
as we have built and grown SCA in District 70, and even now as we are embarking on launching a preschool. We are an investment grade charter school who has the leadership experience, the academic track record, and financial history that has been recognized through that Moody's credit rating. Our third promise is about the community. We will not open unless the community is genuinely there. During our planning year, we would collect formal letters of intent from families across the west side of Pueblo.

190
02:52:50.404 --> 02:53:31.444
If we do not reach 225 students enrolled by April 2027, we will not open. Until the community evidence supports it through enrollment, we would wait. These are the kinds of promises that are very serious, and I think that's important when we're asking an authorizer to make a serious commitment as well. We're asking you to put these things in the contract. I would also like to close where I began. In August of '27, this brother and sister may walk up the front steps of a school on West 18th Street with hundreds of other students, and the families of Pueblo who

191
02:53:31.564 --> 02:54:09.604
lost a school will have a second chance to choose for themselves to enroll at a community K-12 school with a proven track record, a place to call home. Their choice, and we believe every family deserves a choice. On behalf of the Swallows Charter Academy Board of Education directors, I respectfully ask the Pueblo School District 60 Board of Education to consider authorizing the establishment of the Swallows Charter Academy Pueblo Campus, a K-12 charter school at the site of the former Chavez Huerta Preparatory Academy, opening in August

192
02:54:10.144 --> 02:54:47.404
of 2027 under the SCA Charter Network with the commitments that I've described tonight and with the others in our written responses. This is what tonight's consideration is really about for us. It's about the children of Pueblo who lost their school and whose parents had to make a different decision about their school of choice. I want to highlight that our SCA board president, Mrs. Kirsten Roberts, resides in District 60. And since 2017, for a decade, excuse me, '16, for a decade, she has driven her four children to Pueblo West to attend

193
02:54:47.504 --> 02:55:27.704
SCA as a District 60 parent. This is a big decision on your part. It could impact Pueblo for decades, and our desire is to partner with you. We want to give back to the community and serve the community. We want to create and offer another option, another choice in District 60. But whatever you decide, I want to thank you for your time and thank you for your consideration of our application. Thank you for the thoughtfulness of the questions from the DAC and for the chance to be considered. And we welcome your questions. Thank you.

194
02:55:29.024 --> 02:56:06.224
Thank you for that presentation. We appreciate that. Any questions from the board? Director Ferrell has a couple of questions for you. Thank you, President. Or your team. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, President. Thank you for the presentation, Dr. Compton. You mentioned at your current Swallows campus that you're often at capacity with a large waiting list. What is that enrollment like, out of curiosity? The K-12 enrollment right now is at 855, and the waiting list varies by grade level. Okay. So while we just accepted or invited

195
02:56:06.664 --> 02:56:43.084
the first 75 kindergartners on the list to attend next year, there's about 20 to 25 that did not get accepted, so they remain on the waiting list. There's not a waiting list at the high school because it's not bound by the facility because most of them attend early college. What does your admission process look like? Is it first come, first serve? Are there- Yes ... requirements or? It is a first come, first serve, and the waiting list is something that is governed by policy. It's very strict with the application. Once we receive the application,

196
02:56:44.364 --> 02:57:20.228
the intake includes a time and date stamp on it, and that puts them on the waiting list. Okay. Siblings and staff members' children do have priority at the grade levels, and they have very limited, I would sayquestions that they have to respond to on the initial application. After they are offered a position and accept that position, then we find out and determine if there are needs we need to meet in terms of ESS or 504 accommodations. And then those meetings are often scheduled, sometimes with the district

197
02:57:20.268 --> 02:58:09.498
administrator, and sometimes we can have those with internal staff. Understood. Thank you. Mm-hmm. You also addressed the financial concerns that the DAC had mentioned, and I appreciate that. You mentioned 225 being break even for enrollment. Is that with or without the grant? Without. Okay. So that would be break even- Mm-hmm ... without a grant. Yes. Understood. Okay. Thank you, President Tebo. Any other questions or comments? Oh, boy, that leaves me to do all the cross-examination tonight, huh? Uh-oh. Yeah. You're going to have to do a little educating for me, because I'm just not familiar

198
02:58:09.688 --> 02:58:46.888
enough with your current situation, your current school. It's located in the Pueblo West area, if I'm not mistaken, right? Swallows? That's correct. And you had indicated the enrollment. Remind me of that again, so that I've got that clear. Current numbers are right at 855. And is it a K through 12? It's a K-12. We have been in the process of trying to launch a preschool program to serve, depending on if it's full-time or part-time classrooms, morning, afternoon programs, or full-day programs, anywhere from 75 to 125 students. And we are in the

199
02:58:46.928 --> 02:59:24.568
design phase right now, and so we don't have that preschool quite open. So right now, enrollment sits at a K-12 number of 855. And who is the authorizer of the school now? District 70. Okay. And so, it seems as though even DAC admits, if you will, that you have pretty good record out there, and you serve the citizens of District 70 fairly well. That's just a generalized statement, but that's what this seems to say to me. You would agree with that? Thank you. I would agree with that, yes. Okay. So now you're going to move, not this group of

200
02:59:24.628 --> 03:00:01.728
students, but you're going to seek a new group of students on the campus of the old Chavez Huerta buildings. That is our vision. Okay, so who's going to pay for the buildings? Who's going to pay those bonds that are out on the building? Do you have an idea about that? Well, the bonds, as we've been in discussion with the bond holder representatives who are with D.A. Davidson, the conversations have been around if District 70 approves the charter and for us to move forward, then one of the first things we would do is... Excuse me, District 60. Thank you.

201
03:00:02.068 --> 03:00:41.568
No. One of the first things on our to-do list would be to negotiate terms of new bond agreement, and we believe that our bond holder is supportive of coming to the table, even though it's a negotiation, with a way to make it work, so to speak. And one of our thoughts is to base the repayment of the bond on a percentage of students enrolled. So if 225 students are enrolled or 325 students are enrolled, then that number could be a little bit flexible based on the percentage of the PPR that's received.

202
03:00:42.168 --> 03:01:28.688
Are those commitments relative to the bond issues in your application, or are those things that you did not mention in the application? I think it's cursory information in the application. Yeah. I don't think it goes into great depth. Okay, and so you're looking at 225 students, and if you don't get the 225 students, I think you said in your comments that you were going to delay the opening until you got sufficient number of students. Right. If the support from the community turns out to not be there, that's a big consideration. We wouldn't open with less than 225 students.

203
03:01:28.908 --> 03:02:10.248
All right, so that's frankly where I'm having a little trouble because the way that the statute reads is that the community interest, the District 60 interest, the interest of the students and pupils, and so on, of District 60 need to be evident to us as we make our decision, and yet you're not quite sure if you're going to have that, at least initially. And it just seems troublesome to me that you're hoping for 225, but there doesn't seem to be a real factual basis that you'll get anywhere near that.

204
03:02:11.748 --> 03:02:48.338
Do you understand what I'm asking? I certainly do, and I appreciate that because we approached this entire project with that same trepidation. There was the sense that from watching the media coverage when the DHPH campus closed, we've had informal conversations, but this is something that is a big concern of ours as well. So our grassroots efforts have to be there, or we're going to fall short. And we're prepared to do that. One of the things that we went into more detail, I would say, in the application

205
03:02:48.808 --> 03:03:22.712
are those marketing strategies and how to really go back to the neighborhood that surrounds this campus and do some outreach programs there, and to do in bilingual Spanish and English events, to attend some of the community-sponsored events, and really network the community and the neighborhood. That's going to be a big push for us. But you do understand that this board has approved a right-serving or right-sizing plan, if you will, that has a new enrollment

206
03:03:23.132 --> 03:04:02.852
of that area of the community at Hyde Park right across the street. How do you square that with your hopes to generate interest in the community? Well, we understand that is Hyde Park, if I understand correctly, is it going to be an online middle school? Is that right or it's not? It is a traditional middle school program? Yes. We are not wanting to discourage anyone from attending their school of choice. We want to encourage and offer a choice for families, and if they make that choice, then we want to welcome them into the

207
03:04:02.932 --> 03:04:34.552
SCAPC campus. So we don't want to go out there and try to be competitive with that because our program and our offering looks very different. We want people to have a choice. We feel like what we do is we do it very well, but it is located in Pueblo West. Our vision has always included expanding into a network and bringing more opportunities to more children. This one happens to be with the new addition of Medal of Honor Highway coming through, very close to us in location. And so we believe we can partner

208
03:04:35.532 --> 03:05:22.332
with District 60 to bring a great option that's not necessarily the same option that they already have at Hyde Park. It's a different option. It's a K12 community school. So, let me see if I understand your issue. There was a lot of concern a- as there was with the previous application, and I assume you were here when all that testimony occurred. Is that right? Yes. So there was a lot of discussion about special needs, and you've tried to address that- Mm-hmm ... in your presentation, in answering questions, and so on. That is a very big concern. And, can you go over that again? Because the DAC was a

209
03:05:22.372 --> 03:06:04.512
little bit skeptical that you'd have the capacity to serve students with special needs, if I understand this correctly. Mm-hmm. And, if I'm mistaken, correct me, but- No ... it seems to be that that's their view. And so I want to know from you how you're going to deal with that. I think that's an excellent question because I think when I reread, after we submitted the charter application, when I really went back and read it and gave it more thought, read it multiple times, there were a couple different locations in the application that seemed to contradict themselves around special education.

210
03:06:04.532 --> 03:06:38.372
And so if I had that now to rewrite a little bit, rephrase differently, I would. So that's why I really wanted to clarify that because I think the original conversations that we were having would be to outsource basically special ed to the district. But we don't have that model now, and we don't want to create that model here. We want to replicate what we already do because we think it works really well, and that includes hiring part-time or full-time staff. We have both. We have part-time school psychologist and part-time speech pathologist, but full-time ESS teachers and full-time paras,

211
03:06:39.812 --> 03:07:14.822
including eight full-time ESS staff members for approximately 70 ESS students, K12. Mm-hmm. So we want to replicate that. And so my exception that I spoke about in the beginning here was just having District 60 serve the administrative staff, serve as an administrative unit for this campus, for this network, in the same way that District 70 does currently for us. So we want to replicate that and not be a burden to District 60, but

212
03:07:15.272 --> 03:07:53.922
enhance what you already do. Well, just a couple of more questions. Absolutely. And I won't have these flashed on the screen like I did the last time, but in the key question number one, what value would the proposed charter school bring to the students and families of our district? This goes to the issue of what you brought up immediately about the best interests of the pupils, school district, and community. But in the DAC report, it says that they did not feel that the proposed educational programming provided anything significantly new or different from existing

213
03:07:53.932 --> 03:08:34.922
district options. So, you've talked about that, but I'd like you to specifically respond to that concern. Okay. I think that is factually weak when compared to what we actually propose. We have unique program elements that are not widely available in District 60, including being an integrated, eventually preschool through 12th-grade model. I think that's rare in the district, if there is one. The core knowledge curriculum is not widely used across District 60, to my knowledge, and it is coherent and cumulative and

214
03:08:34.972 --> 03:09:09.972
literacy-driven. We would like to have embedded CTE and early college models starting in high school and exploratory courses starting in middle school. That might be a little bit more common because early college and concurrent enrollment is available across the district, I believe. We want to partner with some community resources that could help provide industry certifications and workforce alignment based on what Pueblo County needs. We have a partnership with Intellitech, and to my knowledge,

215
03:09:10.032 --> 03:09:45.244
we're the only school in this county that has that partnership for concurrent enrollment. We were the first, and we still are the only. Now it's new to us, so it hasn't been broadly used by students. This was our first year to incorporate that, but that is something we bring that no one else has.And then ultimately, we think we provide parent choice where they can have... One of our slogans, if you will, is from crayons to college. We've used it on lots of marketing applications in different ways for many years, and we believe that we do that very well.

216
03:09:45.804 --> 03:10:20.144
There are, I believe, nine students out of the 38 who have been with us since kindergarten all the way through graduation and concurrent enrollment. So it's a slogan that we believe in and we live every day, especially these nine faithful Spartans, as we call them. And I don't know that that exists anywhere else nearby. I think it's a great option, and it gives families school choice, which we believe in as charter school advocates and charter school supporters. We would not be doing what we're doing, and we wouldn't be here tonight if we did not truly

217
03:10:20.724 --> 03:11:09.964
desire school choice for families. Yeah, I can tell that for sure. Thank you. Does any other board member have questions? Director Mays. So would you give us an outline of the demographics of the families that attend your school, the 855 students that you have? For example, how many at risk? Those sorts of things that kind of play into some of the information you provided on your, what I consider to be negatives for District 60. Although we have, as you know, we take every student that comes to our door- Mm-hmm ... regardless of where they are in society. Tell us a little bit about the demographics of

218
03:11:11.484 --> 03:11:48.044
the families that attend your school. Well, I don't have exact numbers in every category at my fingertips, but I'm certainly able to get those for you in the next several days. Like I mentioned, we have 855 students K-12 enrolled. Seventy of those students are receiving services in special education. We approximately have 45 to 50 students on 504 accommodation plans. The school makeup, I would say probably it's two-year-old data, but the school makeup was approximately 30% to 35% Hispanic population.

219
03:11:49.104 --> 03:12:24.764
We have students that predominantly reside in Pueblo West, but we do have approximately, and this is an approximation, I would say less than 10% that travel in from District 60 to District 70 to go to Swallows. Some of those students are concurrent enrollment. They live in the neighborhood of, say, CSUP or PCC, so it's convenient, but they are enrolled with us. I would say that is less than 10% of our population, though. We have, like I said, long waiting lists, mostly in the elementary levels. For example, there are, I believe,

220
03:12:25.084 --> 03:12:58.704
around 75 seventh graders on the waiting list, approximately 55 sixth graders on the waiting list, and we're adding another eighth grade and fifth-grade class this next year in the fall of another 25 students at each of those grade levels because we felt like we had the capacity in the building to do it, and we could serve students on those waiting lists. So those numbers were a little bit smaller, but they're going to really exhaust those waiting lists once those students enroll. So I can get you a broader picture of the demographics.

221
03:12:59.004 --> 03:13:30.924
We've actually included them, I believe, in our bond documents over the years, as well as our Best Grant application, which you might be familiar with. We got a Best Grant in 2018 and opened under COVID in 2021 when other schools couldn't open. And the reason we could was because it was a brand-new building. It was brand-new ventilation systems and so forth. And so we were able to do almost the impossible at a time with a brand-new school. So I can definitely get you more on that piece though. I would certainly like that.

222
03:13:31.424 --> 03:14:10.284
Mm-hmm. Talk a little bit about, you're very supportive of the financial condition of the school, rightfully so. If I understand you correctly, you're thinking about reopening the Chippewa campus in some way or another. Is that right? Can you say that one more time? Where it- You're thinking of reopening, not as Chippewa, but the facilities. Yes, or at least a portion of them. Okay. What's the bond liability out there right now? What are you going to have to do in order to strike an agreement with the

223
03:14:10.344 --> 03:14:51.904
bond holders to use those facilities? Well, I don't know that we would need to use all of those facilities. So a portion of those is probably more likely. And I believe that the enrollment would drive the square footage that we're going to need. But the conversations with the bond holders, we have already started with them to say, "Would you even support us, and would you sit down at the table and come to some terms and negotiate with us something that's very manageable and doable in terms of the refinancing of the bonds?" My understanding is that District 60 received the Best Grant also

224
03:14:51.964 --> 03:15:36.884
for that campus. And so not all of it is bonded, but a portion of it is. Is that correct? Is my understanding correct, that there was a Best Grant received? Not by the district. By Chippewa. Okay. By Chippewa. Okay. Well, and again, I guess- And then... Go ahead, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Go ahead. Well, I would also like to maybe ask our CFO, who knows much more about the money than I do, to also address your question if you would like more information. Sure. Dr. Katherine Meyer. Thank you. To reiterate what she was talking about as far as renegotiating

225
03:15:36.944 --> 03:16:12.733
those terms, the bondholder is very willing to negotiate with us. In fact, he probably approached us to come to the building and hopefully come up with some ideas to be able to offer another educational programming similar to ours, because we have had success. We've had a long-term relationship with him. We've made all of our bond payments. We have a healthy cash fund balance, carrying over 130 days cash on hand. And we're continuing to, like I said, build a preschool, things like that. So as far as the finances are concerned,

226
03:16:13.304 --> 03:16:52.484
that would be in negotiations with the bondholder and making sure that we can do that. Have they given you a drop-dead number of what you're going to need to start? Not yet, no. We feel that would be a little premature before we actually have the actual enrollment of students. So it'd be based on what we have coming in on the revenue. And of course, I think you're somewhat aware of the situation with Chippewa. One of the problems they encountered was severely overestimating the number of students that they thought they were going to get. Correct. Would you agree that that's kind of what put them in a bind to begin with? Correct. And you've indicated that,

227
03:16:54.184 --> 03:17:36.904
for instance, I think you said the seventh grade, there's a 75-student waiting list. Mm-hmm. So isn't that already a built-in enrollment for you that you can go to somebody and say, "Hey, we already have this, or we got 75 kids waiting outside ready to come to school with us"? Mm-hmm. So that you can get a definitive. I don't recall, you might have said this, but how many students do you have on the waiting list now? It depends on grade level. The lower the elementary are higher, I would say about 250 to 300 on the waiting list. On the waiting list? On the waiting list, yes. Okay. Which would, I guess, fulfill your thought that that would replace

228
03:17:38.604 --> 03:18:29.994
some of the students that left Chippewa. Yes. Potentially. Potentially. Mm-hmm. Do you know for sure what happened with the students that left Chippewa, where they went? Did they move? I think you made a statement here that some of them left the district entirely. Do you have data on that? Not specifically other than what was reported through our resources on CDE. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Okay. Thank you. Mm-hmm. Thank you, Director Mays. Any other questions from the board? If not, I'll turn it back to you, Mr. Johnson, to see if you have any closing thoughts or comments. No additional comments or thoughts at this time. Okay, and Ms. Compton, right? Yes. Okay. So why don't you make your final argument here if you'd

229
03:18:30.024 --> 03:19:16.284
like, and we may have one more question. I'm wondering, Dr. Kimsey, do you have any comments on any of the information you've heard tonight? Any observations, thoughts that we could have out on the table at this time? Sure. I would share, we enroll between 75% and 78% Latino students. We enroll 83% students on free and reduced lunch, as opposed to 70 that has 48%. Mm-hmm. Our students come to us with significant challenges.

230
03:19:16.754 --> 03:19:53.804
We did enroll most of the Chippewa students into D60 schools, and they seem to be doing well and are happy. We offer folklorico. We offer mariachi. We offer concurrent enrollment. It's over 100% growth in enrollment, in concurrent enrollment, and we offer it completely for free to our students. We also have a grant to transport them back and forth to campuses. So, they can get both the high school experience

231
03:19:54.424 --> 03:20:31.004
and the college experience. We also have an agreement with PCC where multiple of our teachers are actually certified adjunct faculty for them. And so the students get to stay in their home high school and get that concurrent enrollment experience right there at home, at Centennial, at Central. And then for some courses, they can go to CSUP, to PCC. And we're working really hard on growing those partnerships. With our STREAM grant, we're really focused on ensuring project-based learning,

232
03:20:32.144 --> 03:21:10.944
and that is that hands-on experience. We adopted the core knowledge curriculum this school year. We're ending our first year of implementation for K through 5, and we are very pleased with how that's going. Of course, it's the first year. But we have done that. So, I commend Swallows for your success. Thank you. I would encourage a look really at the demographers report that we received in the spring that talks about those enrollment

233
03:21:11.024 --> 03:21:44.864
possibilities. We are also, as you know, opening Hyde Park Pre-collegiate Middle School on the Hyde Park Elementary campus, the old Hyde Park Elementary campus, and it will also serve as a community school. And so by community school, I mean the actual technical community school. And so I actually have meetings out in the Hyde Park community where I'm going to them. We are planning canvassing in the community, where we're going door to door. So a lot of the things that you shared, we are

234
03:21:44.984 --> 03:22:26.728
doing.And so I would encourage you to just look at those. So I personally do not see where Swallows is offering something that we don't offer. But of course, this is a board decision. So in the response we received from Swallows, they talk about the thousands of students that have left District 60 over the significant period of time. Do you have at your fingertips right now, data

235
03:22:28.228 --> 03:23:15.268
addressing the reduction in enrollment, not only here, but statewide and nationally? I'm aware that in Denver, the last I saw is they were about to lay off 1,000 teachers or something like that. And I guess where I'm coming from is, I'm not one of those folks that buy that people leave 60 because they don't think 60's doing a good job. I think people leave because they leave. I don't think there's a bunch of kids around anymore and that sort of thing. But I'm interested in where all these kids are going to be coming from eventually. And that's our concern. That's why we have spent over a year doing

236
03:23:15.388 --> 03:23:54.738
right-serving community engagement planning, and developing the plan that we presented to the board, and the board, thank goodness, has approved, so that we can approach what I call the financial cliff, also known as no money, thoughtfully and strategically, where we can take a few years to reduce staff, where we can really also build on the programming that we know really does work for our kids. As far as declining enrollment, over the past 10 years,

237
03:23:56.307 --> 03:24:32.448
D60 alone has lost a quarter of its enrollment. Mm-hmm. That's not unique to District 60. District 70 is declining in enrollment as well. Almost every district. I believe there are two, maybe three, in the entire state of Colorado that are not declining in enrollment at this current time. Some of us more than others. It is not just a state, but a national problem as well. The district where I'm coming from in Virginia, significant

238
03:24:32.488 --> 03:25:09.228
problem. There is an article in the New York Times that just came out last night, night before, that talks about this as an existential crisis for schools, and that it's keeping all of us administrators up at night because the birth rates are low, and students, they're not going to come to school because they don't exist. And so it's not just a D60 problem. As I shared, I don't see the hundreds of students coming.

239
03:25:11.208 --> 03:25:51.508
Chavez Huerta had a hard time keeping 800 students. And most of those students have enrolled with us. So, the idea that there are a lot of students somewhere that are going to just have an influx, we're all competing for the same students. All of us are competing for the same students. I don't know if that answers your question. That does answer my question. Thank you. And you mentioned the demographer's report. Perhaps you're probably aware of it as well. It's online. Yeah.

240
03:25:51.568 --> 03:26:27.388
It's on our RightServing. We actually quoted it in the- I'll download that ... application quite a bit and used that data. In fact, you are absolutely right. All the things that you just mentioned, we've had these conversations as well. However, the data that we have is the data point I think you were asking about, is that the District 60 between 2014 and 2025 lost 22.3% of enrollment, and you said it was about a quarter- I said about- ... and you were right on the money I know my numbers. Yes, you do. Absolutely. And it's posted online. That's right. Yeah. We believe, though, that this opportunity would

241
03:26:27.448 --> 03:27:04.288
recapture students back to District 60, that we would use an existing facility that is already there. So not a ton of money has to go in to build a facility or revamp a facility, and we believe that this opportunity aligns with Pueblo's workforce needs as well. So a little bit of a, I hate to call it a closing argument, because I feel like our reputation is really, really good in the Pueblo community. Really good. And it didn't happen without the hard work and efforts of the people at this

242
03:27:04.328 --> 03:27:39.268
table who've been consistently together for over a decade and our dedicated board. So everything that we do, and everything that I know you do as well in your decision-making, comes down to what is best for kids. And that's what we're here to do, and that's why we are proposing this. Expanding and becoming a network, that was always part of our vision. Always. But we never envisioned it on this particular campus until last year. I would say August, when we first started having the conversations, and that little backstory is actually more detailed in the application itself.

243
03:27:39.648 --> 03:28:11.871
But we're here because we want to serve the district needs and also serve the children of Pueblo County. That's why we're doing what we do and why you volunteer and work and do the work that you do. And so we don't want to be everybody fighting for the same students. I'm not approaching it that way, and I don't want to live it out like that. We want to say, "This is what we can bring." We feel like we can retrieve students back to the district and give them an option that we think is excellent, and that's why we're here to present that option to you tonight.

244
03:28:15.132 --> 03:28:57.252
Okay, without any further questions, we'll consider that your closing comments. Yes. Thank you. And we appreciate your attendance, your presentation, your forthrightness and honesty about your application. Thank you very much for your consideration. And thank you to your team for showing up. If any of the board members want to take my place, just see me after the meeting. Okay, I'm just teasing. All right. Thank you again. Thank you very much. Have a good evening. You, too. All right. So now, let me get my bearings here. I think we're still on reports.

245
03:28:58.952 --> 03:29:40.992
Dr. Kimsey, probably looking at the third quarter financials. We are. It's my distinct honor and pleasure to introduce our Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Lana Kneehans, who will present to you our third quarter financial report, followed by our proposed budget update. Ms. Kneehans. Good evening. President Thibeault, Superintendent Kimsey, and members of the board, another report. This evening, we're going to look at two different things, the third quarter for FY25-26. It's unaudited, and I'm hoping that I have a presentation when I hit the button.

246
03:29:41.892 --> 03:30:25.052
I do. Okay, cool. First thing that we're going to look at is our general fund, and you can read the numbers as well as I. Again, we start with the 34 million in beginning reserves, and that's audited numbers from last year. Current revenues at 138 million, and allocations to charters and transfers to other funds for a total reserves of 159 million, give or take, and unaudited expenditures of 157 million, leaving us with a $2 million ending reserve. Obviously, that's false, because we also have encumbrances in there of $44 million.

247
03:30:26.012 --> 03:31:21.252
So we do have fund balance. Just want to make sure you understand that. Okay? Any questions on that, on Fund 10? No questions. Okay. And there are detailed reports attached to this presentation for your viewing pleasure. Okay? Once again, this is our classroom versus district slide that shows that we spend a whole lot of money on the classroom, and that's the big blue section. And unfortunately, I can't read the number. So if anybody can, it's a trick. Oh, okay. Sorry. Thanks. I need new spectaculars. Okay. So

248
03:31:22.492 --> 03:32:04.112
same graph, so I don't think there's any questions on this still. So we'll jump on to Fund 17, athletics. As usual, you can see their beginning reserves. Those are audited at 605,501. Revenues to date and other transfers from Fund 10 give us a total reserves unaudited revenue and transfers. From that, we are expecting to spend $2.8 million, which leaves us an unaudited ending reserve as 379,000. We know that's getting slim.

249
03:32:05.272 --> 03:32:54.002
We are monitoring athletics very closely and working very closely with Ms. Neal to make sure that we stay afloat. So any questions on athletics? No. Go ahead. We've audited... Sorry, I know how to speak. We have added a lot of middle school programs, so that's another reason for the use of the funds, because we have expanded that. Fund 18, third quarter. Beginning reserves of two million. We have unaudited revenues of $53. Transfers from Fund 10 of 1.6 million and expenditures of 2.2 leaves us a 1.4,

250
03:32:55.152 --> 03:33:52.372
give or take, ending reserve balance. We do want to maintain that because this is where we pay all of the district insurance. Any questions here? No questions. No. Okay. Child nutrition, Fund 21. It's rocking and rolling just like it has been. Dana's doing a great job. We're trying to spend that money. There's a lot of things at play here. So we are trying, and so this is the third quarter unaudited ending reserve balance of about 8 million, 8.7, give or take. And she's trying to spend it, but we have issues. Any questions there? No? No questions. No. Okay. Fund 22, the grants fund for the third quarter.

251
03:33:53.472 --> 03:34:36.152
You can see that our revenues are quite high. Some of that is a little on the false side because we do have a good carryover for Medicaid funds, and so not all those funds are currentUnaudited expenditures at 17.5 million, leaving us an ending reserve right now of 1.5. Y'all know that that needs to be zero by the end of the year. Okay? And so why is it zero at the beginning? It is zero at the beginning. Yeah. Just because, or- It has to be. It has to be. Grant fund, that fund is revenues must equal expenditures.

252
03:34:36.792 --> 03:35:17.832
Okay. So you either have deferred revenue or you have deferred expenditures. So it's an accounting thing, but it has to be equal to zero. Okay. That's the rule. Okay? Lena, can you-- Before you move on from grants- Sure ... can you remind me, multi-year grants, are those accounted for in here, or how do we account for multi-year- Um ... if we're awarded a million dollars a year for three years- Right ... for a program? You can do it two different ways. Right now, I do not believe that we have the five-year stream grant. That's not all lumped in- Okay

253
03:35:18.012 --> 03:36:11.932
... in this total number here. The biggest carryover in this federal funding is Medicaid. The Medicaid. Yeah. Okay. Mm-hmm. Thank you. Yeah. Any other questions for Fund 22? No. Oh, you just made me hit the wrong button, see? Student activities for the third quarter, they're clicking right along. We have a beginning balance of 2.6, and we end up with about an unaudited ending reserve of 2.8. So, they're spending what they're making. The kids are doing a great job. Okay. Fund 27, the Education Foundation. I'm sorry. I keep hitting that microphone. Beginning reserves of 232 million.

254
03:36:11.992 --> 03:37:05.992
Or, I'm sorry, reading. 232,000. Unaudited revenues at 85,000. Unaudited expenditures of 69,000. Unaudited ending reserves, about 249. It is what it is. Fund 31, Debt Service Fund for the third quarter. It's right where I would expect it. We have a pretty big beginning reserves at 19.2 million. And remember, we have set the mill levy to record less revenue this year, which will drive down the unaudited ending reserve, and that's what we want. We want it to start declining. And so it looks just how

255
03:37:07.092 --> 03:37:50.052
we want it to look. Do you have any questions on that? Because we have another bond payment coming in June, so that's why we want to have that hefty reserve right there. Okay? Okay, no questions then. No questions. Okay. I'm hurrying. Fund 41, the Bond Fund. We're really trying to spend this down. We started with 15 million. We have revenues about 387,000, which all of that is interest income, and that will continue to decline as we spend down. Our unaudited expenditure's at 11 million, and unaudited ending reserve's at four.

256
03:37:51.172 --> 03:38:39.961
Remember, we have Ron Collie, the gift that keeps on giving, my favorite statement. I don't know if we're going to have to add more money to that process or not. But we are trying to spend down everything that we've got. We are trying. But it's not going to get closed this year. Capital projects, the third quarter, we started with 31 million, 8 million in unaudited revenues, gives us 39 beginning unaudited revenues and reserves. We've spent 12.9 million so far and end up with ending reserves around 26.

257
03:38:41.132 --> 03:39:30.532
I expect it to go about that same fashion for the remainder of the year. We do have a lot of right serving projects that will come close to being spent down by the end of June. That's the plan. Fund 64, which is our workers' comp and dental. Same deal. We have about 2.4 million in beginning reserves, unaudited revenue's at 936, and we're looking at an unaudited ending reserve about 1.5 million. So, that's that. Any questions?

258
03:39:32.732 --> 03:40:19.852
Questions from the board? Apparently not. Okay. So we can move on to the next item. The other two attachments that you have is the statement of net position. That's not on the screen. And also, the summary of the third quarter for all the other funds, so that you can see where actually that all the numbers came from. And this is a requirement for CDE, so they will be posted. Okay? Okay. Next. This is the first draft summary of the proposed budget for FY 26/27First,

259
03:40:19.902 --> 03:40:56.542
we have to look at where we think we are going to be at the end of this year. And so that's the first slide. If things work out the way that we project them to, we should end up with unaudited ending reserves of about $26.5 million. There are some projects that could cross years which will affect that, and that's all related to some right serving and preschool things that could end up half in one year and half in the other. So that will change the way this looks. But this right now is our best guess.

260
03:40:57.782 --> 03:41:40.682
So that means that we will begin next year with $26 million. So we'll flip to the next year. So if we start with $26 million and we end up with revenues of $176 million, that leaves us beginning unaudited revenues and reserves of $203 million. We take away from that, the allocation to charters, as well as the transfer to other funds, and that's athletics insurance and a small amount to capital. Rather than pull $9.8 million out of this fund, we're going to do a quarter of that. At least that's the plan.

261
03:41:41.972 --> 03:42:24.222
And that leaves us with total reserves and revenue and allocations of $188 million. If we have unaudited expenditures of $175 million, that ends us with unaudited ending reserves of $12 million. That's pretty skinny. We have been reworking the numbers, and will continue, until you see the next proposed budget, because I think we have some options that are going to work in our favor. Okay. Say that again. We have what working in- We have some options that are going to work in our favor- Oh, okay ... that we will talk about later. It's unnerving to go that low,

262
03:42:26.402 --> 03:43:08.482
from all of us, but I don't believe we're going to go that far down the road. Yes. I'd just like to share, I want to commend Lana and the team. They are working very hard. We're prioritizing, and it will be coming to the board once we're ready for that. We're prioritizing pay for our staff. We know we are spending down those reserves. The rainy day is here. But we are looking at some things, so this is definitely a draft because there's some places where we're going to have to make some tough choices.

263
03:43:08.982 --> 03:43:45.202
Not with personnel, but with some other things, so that we can prioritize that pay so that we can do the things that we've promised to do around preschool and everything else. I know I've sent the board multiple emails, sorry for the multiple emails, around what the state is doing. It has been unnerving. The good news is we are hold harmless, but we do have to strategically plan for the future. So I want to commend Ms. Niehans, Ms. Rodriguez, everybody for working so hard on this.

264
03:43:45.462 --> 03:44:27.282
This is not the final draft. Director Ferrell. Thank you. And along the lines too of what Dr. Kimsey just mentioned, I'm looking at the most recent runs you sent. So I guess my question for you, Lana, is what is included in revenues beyond total program funding? Not a whole lot. No. I see there's not a whole lot. Yeah, no. But what else is there? Well, we have all the categorical revenues- Okay ... which is all your SPED and gifted and talented and all that. There is a built-in 3% increase for the categorical revenues.

265
03:44:28.982 --> 03:45:08.822
The total program, which includes your property taxes and your specific ownership and the PPR, we're going to take a hit. It looks like our PPR is going to be about $118 million. The rate's going to be about $12,766. It all depends on the number of kids, of course, and we are hold harmless, so we won't go down any further for the next three years, but we're not going to gain either. And so it's a real precarious place to be, so we have to be very thoughtful. And so the other remaining revenues really aren't increasing.

266
03:45:09.602 --> 03:45:50.712
So once again, my only option is to rob from capital projects, and we can't keep doing that because we're going to hit a point where the rubber's going to meet the road and we're going to have to fix something, and we need money in that fund in order to do that. So it's a quandary for sure. Mm-hmm. Director Mays. And you mentioned that you were uncomfortable with the unaudited ending reserves of $12.5 million. What would you be comfortable with? What is your comfortable amount? Well, I prefer $30 million, but- Well, I

267
03:45:51.762 --> 03:46:27.774
think a billion bucks would really help out a lot, too, but where are we usually, where you're in a kind of- Well- ... feel-good level or comfort level? Well, $26 million is a feel-good level. That was a spend down of the-- For this current year, we transferred money to capital projects, which was the difference between how we spent in the previous year, because the previous year I did not transfer money, so therefore we had ending fund in the unassigned categoryIf you remember, the assigned, unassigned, all those different buckets.

268
03:46:30.154 --> 03:47:18.314
And so we've shrunk the unassigned to a place that I don't feel comfortable. So these numbers always drive me nuts, but what we did is we dropped down our reserve $14 million over the year. Is that what it amounts to? Yeah, pretty much. And we can't do that, so we're working to change that so that- Yeah, if we did that again next time, we'd be in the hole. Oh, you'll be upside down. Yeah. Thank you. Yep. Any questions? Any other questions? I just wanted to sort of follow up on some of the discussion here, because as we sit here tonight, May 12th, the legislature has completed the School Finance Act,

269
03:47:19.154 --> 03:48:00.634
and that's the runs that Director Ferrell was referring to. But if you read that fiscal note very carefully, it tells me that in future years we may not be so lucky, because there's so many variables that the legislature is contemplating and I don't want to put my life in their hands anytime soon. It seems as though we might even be losing money in the future. So we have to be very careful about that. The other thing is, is that they did send off with a successful vote on what's been known as Senate Bill 26-135, which is the ballot measure

270
03:48:01.454 --> 03:48:42.594
to increase funding for education, and it's very complicated and confusing, and I think Director Ferrell had mentioned that at some point in the future, we need to get some kind of idea of what that means. But preliminarily, my understanding and my reading of that fiscal note is that it can really help our district in significant ways as the future goes on. Immediately, in the area of maybe of $1.5 million or so. But that's a ballot measure that's in the hands of the voters. And just how that's going to operate is

271
03:48:43.954 --> 03:49:28.824
a political question for the voters to take up in November. But there are other ballot measures, too. They're all competing. There's a lot of ballot measures on the local level. The unfortunate thing is that there could be so many that all of them fail. But I think what we have to be cognizant of as a board, where we are now, but be very cautious about where we might be next year, depending on if it's good news or bad news. And so that's kind of how I'm looking at this. But I appreciate your numbers and your approach. And as I understand it, we'll learn more as the month goes by and

272
03:49:29.754 --> 03:50:22.254
the calendar turns to June. So thank you for that. Okay. I don't know if y'all want to gander at our infamous chart, but it's not going to change much. This is based on budget, and of course, we are going to have to trim. And so that's what we're in the process of doing. And I haven't seen the latest run, so we'll see what that number shows. Okay. Thank you. No questions? I think we're done with questions, right? Okay. Okay, so- We're ready ... we're done with questions. Thank you for that presentation. And now, let's see. Where are we at now? I guess we're at the policy.

273
03:50:22.574 --> 03:51:04.884
Nope. Oh, no, we're not there yet. Nope. Still got two more. I'm so anxious to keep moving this agenda. We're going to go quick. All right, so the right serving plan update is next. Dr. Kimsey. Yes, and the assistant superintendents, whom I'm very pleased to introduce, are going to go super quick. Thank you, Dr. Kimsey. What I'd like to share first is that the end of the school year is always a really exciting time for our students and our schools. I want to commend all of our schools, but particularly our schools that have been participating in the right serving process because they've really

274
03:51:04.934 --> 03:51:40.944
stayed focused on providing instruction to kids and doing lots of special things for them at the end of the year. Field trips kicking off and different things happening across that. That said, we are still engaging in a lot of those kind of transition and support activities. In fact, I think Buhl Heights students will be headed over to Highland Park. I think one grade level goes tomorrow and another grade level goes the next day. And so a lot of those kind of fun things are happening still. And then from a support perspective, our team is finalizing the instructions for the sending and

275
03:51:41.014 --> 03:52:19.524
receiving schools. As you can imagine, there's a lot of equipment, a lot of supplies, a lot of, "What do we do with this? What do we do with that?" And so we're finalizing those instructions, getting those out ahead of that early release time that they have so they'll be well prepared to take the steps that need to be taken for that right serving process to wind up this summer. And we had a 45-minute presentation prepared for what was happening in staffing, but we're going to make it a lot shorter. Since the last meeting, we have communicated the calendar changes to the people impacted and to our principals so everybody's aware of what's happening.

276
03:52:19.774 --> 03:53:00.250
And then as far as hiring goes, we're just continuing the normal process, as I stated last time, throughout the summer, and we're going to continue to fill positions as we can, and we're going to get our staff ready for next year. Super. Thank you. Are there any questions or comments? Well, hearing none, we'll keep moving on. Now we're, Dr. Kimsey, at the briefing, your briefing. And I'm going to spare the board at your... If the board agrees, you have it in writing. I would just like to say there is a lot to celebrate in District 60. You saw just a tiny bit of it tonight.

277
03:53:01.030 --> 03:53:45.450
We have amazing kids, amazing staff, and they are doing amazing things. And so I'm very honored and humbled to have the pleasure of being part of this district. Okay. Thank you. There's a lot in the briefing statement and- There is ... we'll be sure to go through it with a fine-tooth comb and- ... chat with you as time- Or that ... yeah, chat with you as time goes on. Is there anything the board wishes to ask of that? If not now, we'll move on to policy, and we have a new board

278
03:53:45.510 --> 03:54:27.430
policy presented to us on first reading, Policy JIBB, which is the Student Representative to the Board of Education Policy, and Dr. Kimsey, I think you're going to present this. Is that right? I am, on behalf of our students. And so this is a first draft. We had the help of Ms. Barber in drafting this first read of the policy. Basically, as shared in our presentations with the board, we would select one student representative and one

279
03:54:27.530 --> 03:55:01.050
alternate. They're ex officio. They do not vote. They have no access to anything confidential. They don't go in executive session. But their role is to truly advise the board from the student lens and provide that student voice in decisions. For example, we're about to have a decision around cell phones. We're about to bring a draft policy to you all in June, and so, having that voice is important. We have, in the policy, we've talked about the selection process, I won't read this to you, I know you can read,

280
03:55:02.570 --> 03:55:41.790
and the responsibilities. We've tried to be very clear about that as well. And so, I'm here to answer any questions you may have. Any questions from the board? It's the first reading, so we'll have it on the agenda in June for second and final reading. I think we all received that as part of our packet, so if there are any suggested amendments, it might be a good idea to contact the superintendent before the meeting if possible. I know she's put a lot of time into working through this with our legal

281
03:55:41.930 --> 03:56:35.790
staff. So, without any further discussion, we'll move on to 11.0, which is the consent agenda. And before the chair asks for a motion to approve the consent agenda, does any board member wish to make a comment with respect to any of the items in the consent agenda, items two through, I guess it's- Is it 12? Oh, yeah. Okay, 12. Either make a comment or remove it from the consent agenda. Director Farrell. I'm not planning to remove anything. Just a question that popped into my head while Lana was presenting

282
03:56:36.550 --> 03:57:13.170
about the bond fund. We have some exciting improvements for South High School that are included in the consent agenda tonight. I notice some of them are capital projects, some of them are bond projects. I was just curious if there's an answer to why some are bond projects and why some are capital projects when we're trying to spend down the bond fund. Why don't we do this? Why don't we first have... Well, first, let's see if any member wants to remove an item, and I do want to remove item,

283
03:57:14.930 --> 03:57:57.450
I think it's item nine, the Contract Foodservice Management Company Services between Southwest Food Service Excellence, LLC, and Pueblo School District Number 60. That's item nine from the consent agenda. Then why don't we have a motion to approve the consent agenda items two through 13 minus item nine, or two through 12, I'm sorry, minus item nine. And then after that's on the table, Director Farrell, we can get to the questions that you have. So is there a motion to approve the consent agenda two through

284
03:57:58.650 --> 03:58:35.780
12 minus nine? President Teboe, I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda items two through eight and 10 through 12 as presented in tonight's materials. Perfect. Okay, is there a second to that? Second. Second by Director Mays. Now, is there any discussion relative to any of the items on the consent agenda? Director Farrell. I'm not going to restate my question. I think you got it. Thank you, Lana. Sure. Well, to be honest, I was trying to manage the funding for the South High projects between bond and

285
03:58:35.870 --> 03:59:20.180
capital, trying to use it down. And so- Some of the projects have come in lower, so it will afford me to move things back to the bond fund. So you're going to see a little bit of juggling with that. It's just changing the funding source for South High, is the main issue. Understood. Thank you. Uh-huh. Thank you for that. Okay. Any other questions relative to the consent agenda? It has been moved and seconded for those items two through 12, minus item nine, essentially. Is there any further discussion or concern?

286
03:59:20.230 --> 04:00:06.940
If not, we'll have the secretary call the roll on that particular motion. Director Ferrell. Aye. Director Beyer. Aye. Director Mays. Aye. Director Teabo. Aye. So with four ayes, no nos, and one excused, that motion passes and is declared adopted. Now, with respect to the consent agenda item number nine, dealing with the contract for food services, is there a motion to approve that particular agenda item? I will so move that agenda item nine be approved. Okay, that's moved by Director Mays. Is there a second?

287
04:00:09.800 --> 04:00:57.000
Second. Second by Director Ferrell. Any discussion by the board? I have some discussion, but I'll yield to any board member if you wish to speak first. I asked for it to be removed for two reasons. One is that I wanted to be sure that, on the record, I made clear that my wife is employed with the food service provider as a... Frankly, I don't even know what her title is, but it has to do with assisting nutrition services at Sunset Park Elementary, and she's been doing that for I don't know how many years. I've reviewed our board policy, BCB, I

288
04:00:57.060 --> 04:01:37.620
think it is, on conflict of interest, and I do not believe that I have a personal pecuniary interest in voting on this particular matter, and so I wanted to present that to the board. If the board feels that there is such a conflict of interest, we can discuss that. The second reason that I asked for it to be removed is that I will be voting no, and I will be voting no for actually a philosophical reason. First, I understand that by contracting out these services,

289
04:01:38.480 --> 04:02:21.160
the reports that we've received as the board from our financial services indicates an overall savings of district funds. My concern is that the savings in large part comes from not hiring employees who are qualified to receive PARA benefits. And I've just always believed in my service on any kind of an elective office that privatization sometimes takes away from a lot of the benefits that government-type

290
04:02:21.240 --> 04:03:08.200
employees receive. And in this particular instance, I think that kind of a retirement benefit is just crucial to the working class of this community. I know that it is very difficult to keep the staff from turning over. I know that there's always payroll issues. I know that there are other issues associated with having privatization, and it would be impractical for this district to not have a continuation of the services, because it would be asking the district to immediately try to figure something out.

291
04:03:09.120 --> 04:03:54.300
But I don't think it's impossible for the district, with the board's direction, to take a look at this again in the future and see if that's the way we wish to proceed, especially if the financial picture of all districts around the state, including ours, changes significantly in some fashion in the future. But anyway, I wanted to bring forth the conflict of interest issue and my philosophical opposition as to why I'll be voting no, and that's really what I wanted the board to know. If there's another board member who wishes to comment or respond,

292
04:03:54.540 --> 04:04:39.440
I'd be happy to recognize you. Director Mays. I think in a different economic circumstance, all of the things that you've indicated, President Teabo, would be relevant issues for discussion. In the situation we're in now, and it looks like the near future, it just seems like an impossibility to be able to accommodate those kinds of benefits. Additionally, I think the food service management company we have has done a fantastic job over the years, and I think any disruption at this time would really

293
04:04:39.520 --> 04:05:26.470
put undue pressure on an already overtaxed school administration. So I will be voting yes. All right. Thank you for those comments. Any other comments? Director Ferrell. Thank you, President Thibeau, and thank you for sharing your perspective on this, which I have to say I agree with in many ways. I struggle with outsourcing services. This was not an easy decision for me the first time when we decided to do it. It's still not an easy decision for me. I appreciate everything that SFE's done to work

294
04:05:26.590 --> 04:06:13.090
with the bargaining unit to support their employees, to respond to feedback, to do everything that they are doing every day in the schools. I have so much gratitude for the school food workers in the schools, food service workers. I also agree with Judge Mays that a disruption at this point, I think would be detrimental to our schools and to our students. I would appreciate the opportunity in the

295
04:06:13.150 --> 04:06:53.890
future to discuss how we approach food service, how we approach transportation, how we approach some of those things that have been outsourced in the past to see what the options are. But without a reliable fallback option at this point, I'll be voting yes. Thank you, Director Ferrell. Anything else from the board, discussion or comments? If not, we'll ask our secretary to call the roll on the motion relative to item nine in the consent agenda. Director Ferrell?

296
04:06:53.930 --> 04:07:36.330
Aye. Director Ibarra? Aye. Director Mays? Aye. Director Thibeau? No. So with three ayes, one no, and one excused, that motion passes and is declared adopted. So now we're going to move on to action items, which is 12.0, and we'll take them up one at a time. There are administrative leadership appointments and reassignments that are on the table. And Superintendent Kimsey, we'll ask you to address that. Thank you, President Thibeau, board directors. Very excited this evening to present for your

297
04:07:36.390 --> 04:08:16.850
consideration my recommendations for appointments. First, I would like to recommend that the board approve Mr. Darrell, also known as DJ Johnson, and he would be moving from assistant principal at South High School to become the new Colt South High School principal, and he is with us this evening. The second would be Ms. Alicia Kappes, who is also present with us this evening, moving from elementary literacy specialist

298
04:08:17.390 --> 04:08:59.650
to becoming the new proud principal for the new school year at Morton Elementary School. So the board, I respectfully request that the board appoint these two folks to these positions. Thank you, Dr. Kimsey. Does the board have a motion relative to these appointments? I'm pleased to make that motion and welcome our new leaders into the family, although they've been around for quite a while anyhow. So thank you so much for your willingness to serve.

299
04:09:00.350 --> 04:09:43.390
So I will move that. Thank you for that motion, Director Mays. Is there a second? Second. Second by Director Ibarra. Is there any discussion relative to that motion? The only thing I have to say is, DJ Johnson, where are you? He used to play basketball with some of my young daughters, and as I remember it, Mr. Johnson, they used to dribble around you, so yeah. They were pretty good, but you did your job, too. Thank you so much for being able to take that joke. I appreciate it. Okay. So is there any other discussion? If not, we'll ask our secretary to call the roll.

300
04:09:44.870 --> 04:10:44.190
Director Ferrell? Aye. Director Ibarra? Aye. Director Mays? Aye. Director Thibeau? Aye. So with four aye votes and no no votes and one excused, that motion passes and is declared adopted. How about that? Your new assignments. Do either or both of you wish to make any comments about anything tonight? Keeping in mind the time. Thank you. Thank you. Very good. Thank you much for those thank yous. And now, so we'll move on to action item number two, which is expulsion of student Is there a motion by a board member relative to this particular action item to expel student number

301
04:10:44.310 --> 04:11:18.966
168337 for one year, pending review in 45 days as presented in the May 12th, 2026 board materials?Oh, Director Mays. Sorry. I would move that the Board of Education expel student 168337 for one calendar year, pending review in 45 days, as presented in the May 12, 2026 board materials. Thank you. Proper motion. Is there a second? Second. Second by Director Ferrell. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll have our secretary call the roll.

302
04:11:20.006 --> 04:12:02.226
Director Ferrell? Aye. Director Ibarra? Aye. Director Mays? Aye. Director Thibeau? Aye. So with four aye votes, no no votes, one excused, that motion passes and is declared adopted. Now, item number three, resolution approving the charter school contract with the Pueblo School of Arts and Sciences at Fulton Heights Campus. And so the chair will open up the floor for any motion to adopt that resolution that we have in our materials tonight as presented in our May 12,

303
04:12:02.446 --> 04:12:47.266
2026 board materials. Do I hear a motion? Director Mays? First let me ask, Ms. Barber, do we have to read the resolution or can we just refer to the fact that it's in the board materials? You can refer to it. Okay. I would recommend then that we move and pass a resolution approving the charter school contract with the Public School for Arts and Sciences at Fulton Heights Campus. Is there a second to that motion? Second. Second by Director Ibarra.

304
04:12:48.386 --> 04:13:30.906
Is there any discussion relative to this motion? Any discussion? Okay, if not, we'll ask our secretary to call the roll on the motion for this resolution. Director Ferrell? Aye. Director Ibarra? Aye. Director Mays? Aye. Director Thibeau? No. So with three aye votes, one no vote, one excused, that motion passes and is declared adopted. Number four is a resolution approving the charter school contract with Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences at the Jones Campus. Is there a motion by a board member to approve

305
04:13:31.706 --> 04:14:15.366
the resolution approving the charter school contract with Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences at the Jones Campus as presented in our May 12, 2026 board materials? I will so move. Moved by Director Mays. Is there a second? Second. Second by Director Ibarra. Any discussion, comments? Hearing none, we'll ask the secretary to call the roll on that motion. Director Ferrell? Aye. Director Ibarra? Aye. Director Mays? Aye. Director Thibeau? No. With three aye votes, one no vote, one excused vote, that motion passes and is declared adopted.

306
04:14:16.626 --> 04:15:06.666
We now move to the agenda item with board discussion or recommendations for future agendas. Any future agenda items? Hearing none, we'll now move to announcements. I will not read all the announcements that are in our, whatever it is, our agenda, because it's 9:30 . And they are on the website and all presented. They all deal with basically graduation ceremonies and the May activities that are before the board. So we'll now move to item 15.0, adjournment. Is there a motion to

307
04:15:06.706 --> 04:15:36.346
adjourn our meeting? So moved. Moved by Director Ferrell. Second? Second. By Director Ibarra. Any discussion? Hearing none, I'll have the secretary call the roll on the motion to adjourn. Director Ferrell? Aye. Director Ibarra? Aye. Director Mays? Aye. Director Thibeau? Aye. So with four aye votes and no no votes and one excused, that motion carries, and we are adjourned.