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The board would like to welcome the audience and thank you for attending. Viewers may watch TCAPS board of education meetings and committee meetings live or on demand at any time at tcaps.net/board. Please rise and join Mr. Walter's fourth grade class from Blair Elementary in the
pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of American. [Music] I think that was actually more catching on a different one. So I apologize about the technical difficulties.
Where's Larry? Yeah, we are at the review approval portion of the agenda. We have a motion to approve. I move to approve the agenda as presented. I second. Second. All those in favor say I. I.
All those post say nay. Motion carries. Uh, moving on to the first item is Oh, I do have something that I requested. So, we may have to revisit that or I may need a supermajority at this point. I will now need a supermajority as well.
So, I do have an item that I've informed the board that we do have some curricular materials with uh that some teachers need relatively small amount of materials from the past um with CKLA. I provided the updated memo for all of you on your
desk and all day as well. So that it was there um just to inform the community of it. So I am requesting that to be added to the agenda. Okay. Do you need to resume? Nope. You don't need to res have to actually do it now and it would take a
super majority to do so. So I just take a motion to add that. I move to add the elementary English language arts uh for the CKLA material purchase to the agenda. I second that. Second. Any discussion?
Tammy, please conduct a roll. Okay. Um Trustee Moon, yes. Trusty Veras, yes. Trusty Ballinger, yes. Trusty Hardy, hi. Trusty Pac, yes. Trusty Schmidt, yes. And Trusty News, yes. motion carries and that will become item F and so
apologies for notion. I I move fast. All right. Um moving on to the next discussion item recognition. Time to talk about Okay. Tonight uh we're going to take the time to uh recognize StepUp Northern
Michigan. So uh StepUp Northern Michigan is a program that provides vital resources of uh basic needs for many many of our kids. they have for uh I believe well over at this point two decades um done the work uh started a
lot at Trevor City High School but has worked I know with our SSN uh to expand a lot of that um and so uh when I first got here I had the chance to meet Kathy Okconor uh who's really a pivotal founding uh uh member of the
organization and and really has put her heart and soul into this program uh for years and years and years and So, uh, I'm really happy to recognize StepUp Northern Michigan and also want to give Kathy the opportunity to, uh, talk about her staff, uh, that she works with and
and, uh, and the work they do on behalf of the children here in TCAP. So, with that, I'll go ahead and have Kathy come up and say a few words. Well, thank you so much for this award. of my is our executive director and Melissa
O'Brien is one of our board members and we couldn't be more happy to be of service to the idea that strong schools also require a a community input and we like to be the bridge between those things and we we are always just over
impressed with the staff dedication that we experience in all of our buildings. It's sometimes overwhelming because these people go above and beyond. And so we wanted to do the same thing and help them bridge that gap of what you know schools can do and what parents can do
to be a bridge to help students and families that are lacking in food security right now. We know that's paramount in discussions and across the district. So we're just honored that you have chosen to recognize us this year
and we are looking forward to doing all that we can moving forward. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Like to get a picture behind you and and a flower. Not just a flower. Should we just do it here?
Up to you. The background. No, no, the background. I think you're going to come up here. Hi. How's it going? You can put down or up, your choice. Somebody get to hold us [Laughter]
over that way. Can you scoot just this way a little bit more? Then on coming this way. Yeah, this way a little one, two, three. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks again for every appreciate it
very much. Thank you. Thank you for all you guys. Thank you. Good. Keep up. Okay. Thank you. Um, next discussion item is public comment. Uh, and we have
public comment. So, it's interesting. I don't actually have a second. The board has set aside this time for public comment and individuals addressing the board shall have one opportunity to speak. This shall be limited to three minutes. Individuals should not make personal attacks
unrelated to actions affecting the school system and we strongly encourage common courtesy and constructive feedback. Detailed rules and procedures including a complaint process are outlined in board policy 25504. Betty Dickinson members of the board.
My name is Dickson and I'm a second grader at elementary. Last year in first grade, my son had difficulty following directions. And this year, as far as I know, the class sizes for second grade are 28 and 30 at this
point. and I and several other parents are deeply concerned for how this is going to impact um not only my son's ability to learn and focus but all the other students as well. And we appreciate the district's efforts um to support these classes, including the addition of three-hour aids. However, we
still lack clarity around their qualifications and aids we know alone can't replace guidance of a fully qualified teacher throughout the school day. And so while we understand these constraints, we strongly encourage the district to take additional proactive
steps to recruit a qualified teacher for these students. And large class sizes aren't sustainable for student learning. Um teacher effectiveness or alignment with I know TAP strategic plan emphasizing improved literacy and math achievement beginning in grades
two through five. Um and also the goal to focus on student well-being and having a trusted adult at school. So, I I just respectfully ask that you continue to pursue additional efforts um and every possible solution, especially an an added teacher or providing
targeted interventions and communicate openly with Willow Hill uh families along the way. So, our students deserve a learning environment where they can truly thrive. Thank you for your time and consideration. Bill Bill Weezner, Traverse City. And the
handout I gave out has uh Alberta, Canada, Premier Danielle Smith confirms order to remove pornographic books in school libraries. They're sexually explicit ones, too. Will TCAPS do the same with their 307 books in K through
12 right now? Uh just mainly reading the highlighted portion on page two. He's talking in this article. In May, Alberta announced its plan to ban books with sexually explicit as well as pornographic material, many of which
contain LGBTQ and even pedophilia pedophilic content from all school libraries. Under the new guidelines, all sexual books for school children under grade 10 will be totally banned. And for students in grade 10 and older, books containing
nonexplicit sexual conduct will be permitted. Uh but the ones that have explicit sexual conduct will not. Uh and TCAPS again has 307. Are we going to get rid of these? Uh Flamer is an example. I'll
read an excerpt of that at the end. And then Smith uh quickly uh LGBT activists were concerned about this and complained. Smith quickly responded to these allegations reaffirming that Alberta is not censoring literature but says protesting it should be protecting
innocent children from reading pornographic books at the school. Quote she says I'm going to be more explicit than usual so there is no misunderstanding this policy. you wrote on X. One, get graphic pornographic images out of the school libraries. Two,
leave the classics on the shelves. Three, we all know the difference between items one and two. Let's not play any more games in implementing this policy for the kids. And uh second point, um referring back to that earlier
article, this is something I've shared with you guys before. The excerpt only on page three says, "Alberta Premier Daniel Smith stressed that this isn't about banning books. It's about protecting kids from graphic sexually explicit content content that has no
place in the classrooms." And three is Kinsey his chart up there anyway with table 34 uh sexually molesting a six-month-old and a and a fouryear-old 26 times in 24
hours. On number four, the porn stuff that you're saying is bad uh very good on the top of page four. The excerpt on point five is, "Hey, Navaro, suck any good dicks lately?" Haha.
What's wrong, Navaro? I thought you like big sausage in your mouth. Haha. There's two religious beliefs, one based on Kinsey and one based on Christian. Read those last two points. Thank you very much, Sharon Workman.
[Music] Hi, thank you for this opportunity to comment. Um, my name is Sharon Workman. I'm with the Sunrise Rotary Club Born to Read Project and I'm here with Betsy Moore who is with the Dolly Parton's
Imagination Library. So, we're we're talking as a duet. Um, we started two years ago a new initiative called Books from Birth in partnership with each other and with other organizations in the community. So, I'm going to tell you
a little bit about that. But first, I wanted to thank you um each of you for your commitment, your time, your dedication on this board for our community's children. Um, I know how much time and effort this takes. Um, I'm
too old to have children in the school, but I do have a therapy dog. Her name is Gracie, and she visited Court every week for two years with me. And we were able to witness firsthand the dedication and commitment of the teachers, the
principal, the janitor, um, the social work staff in creating a nurturing learning environment for the kids. and we saw the progress that they made in that year, those two years that we were there.
So, we are great supporters of TCAPS and uh like you, we were disappointed to see the third grade reading results for the tests that were recently done. Um that half of our third graders aren't reading proficiently.
It's not a new problem. We know that. And it's not just a TCAPS problem. We believe that the entire community needs to work together to change these disheartening trends. So we're here to offer our support and collaboration as
you develop strategies for addressing and increasing the percentages of third graders that are reading proficiently. Sunrise Rotary. Oh, the other thing I wanted to mention is today is International Literacy Day.
Um, it was declared by UNESCO back in 1966, 60 years ago. And it's to remind policy makers, practitioners, and the public of the critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society.
So, it feels really fitting that we're talking to you here tonight. Sunrise Rotary started Born to Read in partnership with Mson Medical Center and other partners over a decade ago. Our mission hasn't changed since then. It's
to increase early literacy starting at birth when brain development and language acquisition are at their peak. 15 seconds remaining. Uh we provide books to every baby born at Mson and we encourage parents to read with their
child right from the start. It's the single most important thing they can do to ensure school success and success in life. In 2023, we partnered with Dipple to form Books from Birth.
Thank you. Okay. You're welcome. That's okay. You're going to hear from her. So, I have flyers here um that I will leave so that you can learn more about books from birth. See more. Thank you.
Thank you. Oh yeah, I've broken all that. Um, so Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is part of this book, the books from birth initiative. We partnered with Rotary. I just wanted to tell you a little bit about it and thank you for your time and sort of listening to us. So um, Dolly
Parton's Imagination Library Grand Traverse Region is a local affiliate of a national actually international program that supports early literacy from birth until age five. mails an age appropriate book to children every month from the time they're registered until their fifth birthday when they graduate.
Um the books are chosen by a panel of early childhood experts and are always free to families. Uh children who re who so are children who are registered at birth at Mun Medical Center when their child's born before they ever leave the hospital will receive 60 books before they ever um enter kindergarten.
This is an evidence-based program. So there's a lot of research because it's a national program. There's a lot of research that have been done. We know that children who participate in the Imagination Library are read to more often. They learn to enjoy books and they build skills they need to succeed when they start school.
So our our we are an all volunteer very dedicated team very committed to early literacy. And our team is made up of teachers, retired teachers, and librarians, elementary teachers, and kindergarten teachers in particular, who know the impact and the importance of reading to kids daily um before they
ever start school so that they're kind of set on a path to success when they start kindergarten. So, we're working really hard to get children off to a great start um and we do that by registering children across the Grand Travers region um and paying for the books that are mailed to them. Currently, that might find this
interesting, there's 2,410 children in Grand Traverse County that are receiving books every month, which is about 52% of all eligible children. Um, that's double what it was less than two years ago when we launched the books from birth initiative. So, we've seen tremendous growth and we're very excited about it.
Um, and the children are being enrolled younger and younger because we're sort of starting at the hospital, which is terrific because the research shows the longer they're enrolled, the greater the impact. So, I just finally want to thank you. I want to thank TCAPS for their help in um allowing us to we actually have flyers that are going out all into
all the prek classrooms and GRS GRS GSR you know what I you got it um into their classrooms um and Head Start uh so all of those families are receiving these this fall. I also want to thank the elementary principles who have been very
welcoming when we've asked to come in on uh open house nights and literacy nights and let us um help to enroll families there. In fact, we were at we were at um Blair and Traverse Heights just a couple weeks ago and we enrolled 24 children that evening. So, thank you. Thank you
for your support. Thank you. Oh, did you set them right here? Just so you can see where the flyers, there's a book list on the back in case you're interested. All right. Thank you and thanks uh everyone for that.
Um, okay. We're moving on to superintendent report deferring to Dr. Banga. Okay. Um, Tuesday, se uh, September 2nd was our first day of school. We had a great first day across the district. We had our team all out and uh,
construction wise, we were 99% there. U, but all able to get into classrooms and, uh, see all the kids uh, welcome faces. uh lunches served and uh just an overall great day to be able to uh celebrate. Uh across the district,
our uh fall sports are in full swing with over 800 student athletes participating in nine varsity sports which includes swim dive, sideline cheer, boys tennis, girls cross country, boys cross country football, boys soccer, volleyball, and girls golf. Um,
we also have our music uh programs, as you can tell, are running right now. Um, both CHS and West Senior High Schools kicked off the year with successful band and choir camps while welcoming hundreds of students back to campus before classes even started. The Central High
School marching band performed their show for the community on August 27th. And the West Senior High marching band has already performed at two football games. And we're joined by the West Middle School Symphony Band for the September 5th game. The Central High School fall musical year in town is in rehearsals and will
open on November 14th. Uh West Senior High has added a third orchestra class for the first time due to growing enrollment. And the All City Choir made up of fifth graders will begin rehearsals on September 29th for a district tour in November. To support all these programs, a discount card
fundraiser is running from September 12th to the 26th across the district. Cards are $10 with 86% of the proceeds going directly to the music programs. Congratulations to Tanya Donahghue, a teacher at West Middle School who has been awarded the AIM supporting active
teachers grant. The funding will support ESL, ESL, and ELA opportunities for our students. Way to go, Tanya. Um, and then also uh rather an extension now of our Northwest Michigan Health Services and TCAP Student Health Center, which you know is at West Middle School. Um we are
now going to partner with Trevor City High and we have um a program that we are looking at doing a mobile unit. Um so essentially it runs under the exact same program. All of the parameters are the rules are the same. Parent uh you
know uh permission all those things are identical. Um but it will uh do a road trip over to uh Trevor City High School. Um, and uh, we're hoping to be able to do that first one tentatively right now on September 25th from 9 to 3. Um, I have a flyer for each year tonight that
I'll hand out here in the end. And we're hoping also to get them to a future curriculum committee to be able to talk about what they're trying to do and uh, and again how that is to try and work to kids get more to know about the health center at West Middle School and provide
to some of our most vulnerable students. Um, also want to let you know that uh we are continuing our push um to let all parents know that uh we are asking them to complete um the uh federal and state benefits form, also known as a free and
reduced meal application for the current school year by October 1st. This application remains critical to secure essential state and federal funding that benefits every student in the district. And I think it's important to identify that the federal until uh September
30th, we have universal free breakfast and lunch across the district with the state budget. We don't know where that's going to go. We do know that as of October 1st, the federal program will remain for our kids that qualify under the free and reduced lunch. However, we need that form filled out. One form for
a whole any TCAP student families. So, we're asking you do that. However, we also get more funding in and at risk funding and state and federal grants that come to every building is based on the number of the forms that we get. So, we are asking every family regardless of
you think you qualify under the free and the federal free and reduced lunch program. We're asking everybody to do that so we have those vital resources that are available to and affect all of our students across the district. Um, and that includes, you know, numbers
that we have for reduced cost for essential programs like yearbooks and field trips and AP exams, making sure students have access to those. Um, looking at valuable education extensions, um, unique opportunities and robust afterchool programs. A lot of
that data is based off of the number of these forms that we get at the state and federal levels. Um, so again, we ask that all families complete that application by October 1st. You can find it on our website. We have lots of different emails and things, a campaign going out over the next week. So, you'll
see that. Uh we have a media release going out. So, again, you can uh our newsletter that went out has the link to it. So, we would ask that everybody PTO's talk to parents look at that and please try and get as many of those filled out as we possibly can.
Dr. Van Wagner, I have a clarifying question about can I got this question from a parent. Can a student fill it out or does it have to be a parent? just take the parent because it asks parent information in there specifically come I mean so if a high school student happen to know all that could they submit
still takes a signature digital signature of a parent um again so it can be filled out on paper but digital is easy so it does take the digital but it really is required by law to filled out by a parent and again the only exception with that would be an emancipated 18-year-old right it's considered law but 99% of the
time it's a parent or legal guardian um legislatively I don't have a lot to update on Unfortunately, we are sitting right now. It's still without a state budget. Um, we have, you know, the the hardest part, as I've talked about in the media lately, is there is such a gap
between the Senate, the House, and the governor's version of the budget. Um, based on categoricals and different things, you know, this budget could easily swing$2 to3 million for us depending on where that lands, where it falls. Can tell you all the updates I had today, a couple of different calls
with some folks in Lancing. Um the general spirit is not optimistic that we will not have a state shutdown on October 1st. Um where that gets real scary is that our state aid payment the button is hit for that first payment um
October 20th is my understanding. The problem is is October 1st if state government shut down the department of education is shut down the state level. And so they they believe they need a certain amount of time. We've heard everything from 7 to 14 days based on what comes out of that budget of what to
each district will get and to be able to fulfill that payment. If we do not get that payment, that means that we are using our reserves to be able to use it for cash flow for for payroll all those kind of things. It's why it's important to understand to our public of having a fund balance. We
sit right around that 10%. It's actually recommended to have 15 to 17% by the school business officials association essentially three months operating. We are probably sitting on closer to two months operating cost in a unique situation. So, um, keeping an eye on it,
still advocating, especially, you know, you're seeing right now $12,000 a student from the the House right now, Republicans, that doesn't include categoricals and a big retirement pay payment that's there. That's not there, which is not in their agreement. We're
upward of 40 cents of every payroll dollar that we have to pay back to the state versus about 24 cents, I think, or 26 cents we're paying now. So I can tell you without that retirement payment, we've done the numbers. The house budget without that retirement payment is less than the governor in the Senate version.
Okay. Our hope is critical categoricals like transportation, like rural and isolated district, like uh at risk funding, universal breakfast and lunch, and the retirement things are all key things especially for northern Michigan
school districts. So I would encourage any board members, any parents that talk to our local state legislators. It is imperative we keep those categoricals that give an a difference for equality and equity for our region. Again, there are districts downstate that are two
square miles that have three buses with 7,000 students. There are districts in the state that have 2,000 square miles with 500 students. We fall in that range of about 8,800 with 300 square miles. So, we have a big difference in the $6
million we spend in transportation to an East Grand Rapids, for instance, that has only a few buses they use for athletics. Berkeley schools in in Southeast Michigan doesn't provide transportation at all. So, if you get the $12,000 there, they they get it just like we'd get it. They don't do busing.
We have to do busing. There in lies your problem without categoricals. So again, we understand that 150 is probably too many can be limited down all the grants and everything that takes people power to write and all that, but there are those very specific ones we've talked
with our legislators. We're going to continue to advocate for to try and find a happy medium somewhere in this budget between our governor and our two houses of the legislature. So, we're going to keep advocating that. If you have any questions, please let us know. And again, we're going to continue in in
media um as well as uh you know, in every opportunity we have to speak to different folks to to really hit home and have the understanding of what that means for us and for our kids. That we've had to do a lot of guesswork right now and we we've deficit spended in our budget and we've continued to even do
that with some of the recent things we've done that we may not get the money back for based on the budget. It's a gamble we've taken. Um, and we're hoping to advocate for where that is. So, any questions on any that I can help provide. Do you think there'll be some school
districts that will will actually have to close? They don't have So, here's what we we've been told. There are some districts across the state that have already contacted financial institutions to take out loans to be able to make payroll. So, if you're sitting at 5%, for instance, you're at risk of takeover. if you you
know already in the summertime you don't get money from the state so you have to float. So you know there there's a time even in one of my former districts we had to borrow $2 million and pay interest on that just to be able to make payroll. And so I do believe there's going to be districts that are already
close to that 5% hovering fund balance that are are already going to have to take state a they're already doing it just to be on the safe side borrowing money to make sure they have it to be able to keep their doors open in those first months. What are the political pundits saying
about the likelihood of a shutdown that would really last more than a matter of hours or perhaps days? Because I've heard like it's only happened a couple times in the last 15 years. It's anybody's guess, right? But, you know, it's um you know, it's uh the hard
part is especially when state government if it does shut down for a day or two even, it disrupts the flow of all of those things. So, you know, I've heard everything from, you know, it could go 30 days to it'll be done at 11:59 p.m. on on, you know, just before the clock
strikes midnight on October 1st. So, we'll be there. I I wouldn't shock me if I get called down to land thing to be there that night. Um, you know, we've done it before and but again, we just we are not going to let our local legislators, you know, go to a point
where they don't understand those, especially those very five, six key categoricals that matter for TCAPS, matter for Northern Michigan schools, that don't matter as much for charters, don't matter as much for some districts in Southeast Michigan that do not have
the geography and the miles that we drive. So, we're going to continue to hit that home and uh and try and fight for what we believe are huge differences that we need in Northern Michigan. There's a lot of them. Isn't even just northern Michigan. It's rural. It is rural. But, you know, we have in
Northern Michigan. We have like the top five largest geographic districts. Just be in our ISD. We have three of the largest right across from Kasca, Traverse City, Benzy is almost 1500 square miles between three school districts. Um massive amount to do. So,
uh, so while yeah, there are a few, it matters to everyone. It matters to all of us in Northern Michigan. Yes. Um, and to your point, for the first time, I think I've heard more people than not say that they believe it could be longer, which is a bad sign when
Mhm. there was always been historically it's hit midnight, now we panic. Um, it's a lot of bad publicity for legislators. So, they're under pressure to get it done. I can't imagine it going on, but there's there's definitely been to do. Well, it's parties. It's not just the
legislature, individuals. It's parties. Oh, yeah. I just wanted to make a point that thank goodness that we have you. I mean, because I think in this day and age to have your voice down there with our local um legislators, I think, and
they're they need to hear that. And I think you're so well educated on it that it's it's I appreciate they have a whole team. Christine sits on the government relations committee with with Traverse Connect and you know Senator Representative Roth was there you know and already I know Scott Scott even does
as well sits on that. So you know and that's why I would say every board member, every parent to contact local legislators, put it out in the media like there's a reality that could swing huge for our kids in what we're able to support. We already are struggling to
support what we want to support and haven't been able to to an extent support what we want to support and we wanted to go the other way and there's the ability in this deal to go the other way but there is an easy ability to go the opposite way that negatively affects
our kids and we've got to advocate how do we even do planning on like because obviously we're going to go to bed pretty sure we're going to go to bed on the 30th and not know what's going to happen on Again, we John, yeah, John, right? We We have a budget,
right? And we, you know, this I can't say this enough. This is why you have a fun equity, you know, to be able to weather a storm, especially like this. You know, last thing I want to be doing is going to, you know, local uh you know, banks and and you know,
investments and those things going, we need to borrow money and pay interest. Um, so that's key, you know, but like I said, as as I've said and talked in some of the local media, the hardest part of this is as the board knows over the last quite a few years when when we've gotten the budget, we've said, "Okay, we have a
little bit more than what we budgeted. What can we do? Let's hire some more teachers. Let's get rid of some of our split some of our class size. We've done it each year of the last three or four years I've been here when we, you know, were able to see more curriculums materials." Yeah. And and materials, right? And so
this year we, you know, we were we already had a negative budget going in. Our board did what we could with what we could find as far as teachers, you know, in that element. Um we we hired everyone that was viable that we could find. Again, we weren't going to we all agreed we're not hiring people that don't have
the skills to be in front of our kids. But if we had known that three months ago or two months ago, would have made a huge difference when people can figure out maybe a place to live that's really hard to find up here. Like we know those challenges. So, this has put us in a horrible bind and and I don't think all
of our legislators quite understand the realities of that and that some of it awfully hard to replace. It's awfully hard to now get somebody to move from downstate, you know, after the school year started, you know, or from another state. It it's very unique for anybody to move in, especially with our housing
crisis. Um, so, but we're going to advocate get every resource we can to do what we can. Um, we all want to do what's best for our kids and find all the resources we can for our kids. So, uh, again, if I hear anything at any point, as you know, we'll let you know. And, uh, and I just ask if you do get
the chance to advocate professional associations, MASB, those things, please do. One one last question. Is there any chance that the house will increase their base for the foundation?
I I no I don't think so because they are using all of the categoricals wrapped up. So in other words, let's say they get to that 12,000 number. That means for us just under a million dollars in transportation funding goes away. That means retirement that we've been getting paid down goes away. That means being a
rural district funds that we get goes away. at risk kids, kids that are poor and need more support, that money goes away. And it just takes all of those away and puts it into one foundation amount. And so the problem is is when you look at all of the categoricals we
get and compare it to that with the retirement that they're proposing in the in the House budget that the Senate version with the categoricals we get and 10,000 per student or 10,100 I don't remember which is actually more than the
12,000 foundation because I heard it takes more to administer with all the categoricals and your management course and we will tell you that it 150 is too many. I agree with the with the, you know, our the Republican legislators
that believe that that part. I I will not argue that. But there are some key ones there that I just talked about that if we don't get other people down state get the money and don't have to provide the services
that we we have to provide. So I'll give you again that example. East Grand Rapids. Same foundation as us. Same all that. They don't have to do buses. They have like four of them. They're like three square miles. God feel one square
mile. We're 300. We We provide busing to our kids. It's essential. We spend six million on it. So, if we both get the same foundation and we don't get anything more, what good does the more foundation do? So, I'm hoping for a happy medium. I'm
open to see a foundation that bumps up keeping those key categoricals, not all, not all these that you have to write all the grants for and all these different things that take all the the the people power to do. limit it down. But let's take those ones that, you know, that
solve some inequities like transportation, like at risk, like rural districts, like the retirement component, you know, that that matters for us and keep those with that foundation. That's the best the outcome that as Northern Michigan schools we're
trying to make happen. I I think in a general sense the conversation about getting rid of categoricals, it's like changing the whole funding scope for schools, it's like going back and revisiting proposal A. It's not just a budget conversation. Yeah. It's revisiting the whole entire way
schools are funding funded. Well, it's about equity, too. We went through the 2x funding and that seemed to solve the problem temporarily. This sets us right back where we started before 2x and that's what category once the 2x was reached. Now the categoricals were helping to do that.
And so if you take that away now it creates a wider divided inequity again. So again let's fight for the ones that really matter to us. We'll take a foundation bump to an extent but we need some of these categoricals that help with some of those bin equities. special
ed, transportation, retirement, at risk, universal breakfast, you know, that element be across your state, you're at risk, right? Because grandkids are at risk 100% right. But but like I said, in the Republican version in the House right
now, none of those are there. It just gives you a flat dollar amount. Here you go. Basically, those districts can allocate more towards the classroom, which is teacher salaries, and then they become more competitive to get the best teachers and have more teachers and lower class size and all those things because and
we're sitting spending $6 million a year on transportation, you know, like and you know, we we still do that. We only get a little less than a million, but we got that two years ago. You might remember we fought for years, decades for that categorical, right? You know, support. And it was bipartisan. Wayne
Schmidt fought much as Betsy Kopia did like to get that understanding. We don't want to lose it after fighting that long for it, you know, and so there are some key ones as Northern Michigan that we're going to try to advocate, but I will acknowledge some of them can go down, you know, especially those that take all
the time to write all these grants, especially small districts that don't have grant writers. Those people, it's nearly impossible for us. So that's fair. Like there's a happy medium here, no doubt. But, you know, it's time to compromise and find the happy medium in Lancing. I'm sure that will happen in late late
September. If you really if you really want to rile up the public and get the legislators attention, you can always cancel football season. Remember that was the the advice of the political pundits at that Northern Michigan legislative dinner that we all
that many of us attended in in August. Stop busing. Yeah, busing is not required by state law. Yeah. Yeah. To do in Illinois is to stop busing for about a week. Yeah. But Okay. But that would hurt kids. We don't want that. And so we want our legislators to
get together and get us a dang budget. Mhm. Okay. And most we're we say all of this, but we're not the school the school budget is not the big fight. I mean, I think they would figure road funding's in there, but but it has
an impact because they're now trying to basically take some general fund obligations and pay out of the school fund for universities out of it that does. So, that's a big piece of this battle too with the Senate. So, so we've got our fight in this piece and they got a large fight in the whole
shell game. So, but we'll argue that one too. Any uh anything else on this fun topic? All right. We will move on to board committee report outs. First, our board curriculum committee August 25th reporting out by Trusty B.
Okay. So, we met on August 25th and there were no public comments. We approved the minutes. There were no changes or updates to our district course catalog. So, as usual, that is on our consent agenda tonight. Um, our
learning series this month was on professional learning over the summer and also opening the school year. So Jesse Hton and Dan Tyworth walked us through several learning opportunities um over the summer like 11 teachers took
uh week-long AP instruction um and so on. The uh district assessment schedule was anformational item and I'll just go over very quickly the key changes. Um there were no changes to high school
testing. So 9th, 10th, 11th graders all take PSAT and or SAT. Um plus in 11th grade they take the MSTEP for social studies and science. So no changes there whatsoever. middle school. Um because there has been a lot of discussion and I
think most of us have been part of this for years about um the amount of testing that our kids undergo um the testing fatigue, the the number of instructional days that are required. Um Dan and Jesse did reach out to teachers and got their
input and they decided to drop the spring NWA and sixth and seventh grades. um they'll still take the NWA in October and February, but that last one that was, you know, in like the April, May time frame, very close to the MSTEP, um
is the justification for removing that one. Um so there still will be the MSTEP ELA and math in May as well. There's still a lot of testing. I think that's the bottom line. And then for eighth grade, we're dropping the NWEA alto together because of the transition to
PSAT 8th and 9th grade for for PSAT 89, which is taken twice a year, October and April. And again, eighth graders are subject to the MSTEP science and social studies. And then going down to the elementary level, um pretty much status
quo there, but the um K through five NWA reading in winter has been discontinued. And this was with 75% of teachers supporting that decision. Um they're going to continue with the math for now because of the Delta math for tier 2
students. They wanted some continuity there. Give that one more time, but they might be looking at discont discontinuing the NWA math in two after two years. So that was it. Jesse, Dan, did I miss anything there? Okay. Um,
moving on forformational items, we also talked about the district free and reduced benefits form um with the big push September 8th to 19th. And our next board curriculum committee meeting will be September 30th here in this room at
8:30 a.m. and televised as usual. Thank you. Any questions on curriculum? Uh I have one question for John and that is have you been able to kind of follow whether you're seeing an increase in the number of forms being filled out or you
will not know until later? Don't know that yet where we just today had an initial conversation with it. Something that's really important to understand is we do not see any of these forms. We have just two people in the district that work that our food service director um and and manager they that goes directly to
them. That way there's no, you know, ability for any of our staff, including the superintendent, do not have that. So, we can make sure that that is kept confidential. It's really important to a lot of our children, a lot of parents, and that that confidential information. Um, and so, you know, that's kept there.
So, they're keeping that tally, but I I just asked today to get an update, so I don't have that yet. Um, but we're keeping an eye and we're going to compare it kind of here over the next week of we're doing a push, you know, media release going out. Uh, did that go up today or is it tomorrow? We just did we did social media today,
but we've got a press release this week. Yep. So, we've got a whole campaign here. So, we're going to keep an eye here in the week of how that goes. So, we'll let you know. Thank you. It's a full court press effort. I will tell you that. I can tell.
Okay. Um, next uh report out finance committee August 28th reporting out Trusty Audi. Well, we did meet on August 28th right here in this room at 8:15 in the morning and it was a fairly quick and efficient meeting. We had the majority of the
meeting we spent talking about the allocation of funds to the Saven renovation to be able to consolidate admin at Sabin. And there's a conversation that Christine can have later in the meeting if we want to about the need for that. But it made great
sense that we not have all of our administrative staff in a senior high either east or I mean either central or west in case some kind of an incident occurred. We need that autonomy. Um we also talked about Central High School renovations, the West Middle
School renovations. Um, we also went into some of the upcoming bond purchases that we're going to be doing and the fact that we don't have a budget. This seems to be a recurring theme. And I should say, I probably should have
said it earlier. Um, I I think our state representatives, at least the ones I've talked to, John Moose and John Roth, understand our issue. A lot of the problem lies with the fact that nobody's listening to them or at least not enough
people are listening to them. So the finance issue, if we're going to lobby people, we need to lobby people that have a larger influence than some of our legislators do. So I don't want to be unfair to them. They're going to get home with
this no matter what happens. But they're trying, seem to be. And I think the key part of that is all of our Northern Michigan delegation unifying. Right. So we're uh we adjourned uh at 9
10 and we have our next meeting um on the 2nd. Okay. Any questions on finance? October. Um next uh board executive committee uh August 28th reporting out by Trusty Moon. So, we had a busy day on the 28th.
The uh exec committee met at 4:00. Um we had no public comment. Uh went right into procedural items. Um our minutes from the July 31st meeting uh remain as posted. Um we had a board policy discussion uh regarding policy 5420. And
just I know we're going to talk about it later, but our uh associate superintendent um Miss Connie Taylor wanted to just clarify um that that sex education is not required, but that teaching about communicable dis diseases, HIV and AIDS is um and so I
think there was a discussion earlier and so we had some clarification on that and and again we'll talk about that I think later in the meeting here. Um so I just wanted to make that note again. Um and then we went on to review the agenda for tonight and then went into
ourformational items. Uh had a human resource uh update again from uh Miss Taylor and um uh let's see. So um they were able the HR department was able to hire staff and dissolve five of the
splits. Uh Dr. Van Wagner added that there is still an elementary teaching position that is posted. I think we heard from um some community members tonight uh in that plea uh with Willow Hill. And so there's been some good communication back and forth just with the board and and administration. So
that's great. Um Miss Taylor said that they're still looking to hire full-time positions as follows. Um building subs, uh two Central High School custodial positions, a bus mechanic, a lead maintenance technician, and a toddler room aid at the monastery school. Um
there are also lots of part-time instructional aids and noon duty positions still available. So if anyone is listening um there will be some open interviews on September 17th uh from 8 to 10 uh here at Glen Lumis and then also October 15th from 3:00 to 5:00 here
again uh at at Glen Lumis. And uh Miss Taylor also wanted to thank Jimmy Johns who fed our instructional teams uh when we were back in the buildings before the kids. So, thank you to Jimmy John's for for for taking care of our our staff. Um, and with that, our next uh exec
meeting will be October 2nd at 4:00 and we adjourned at 4:16. And thank you for covering me. I had to uh draft my wife back to work for the holiday weekend and that left me with a baby. And although she has been with a committee meeting once, I she moves a
little bit more than she did the first time. She's a ex official member once in a while. It's getting a little harder now with her. So active. Yeah. She starts talking. Yeah, I know. Um but then you did also have the joy of
going straight into office hours that day. Yeah. A busy TCAPS day. Uh yes. And uh I just thank you to our local public library for allowing TCAPS to have our meetings there. Um, I did just have one uh community member show up and we had a
a conversation and um so that was that was my board office hours. Okay. Um the next uh board office hours September 25th uh is uh Sarah Bgeras is uh in the virtual meeting. So the link
will be posted and is coming up in a few weeks. So again a virtual meeting September 25th. um and look for that link. Okay, we are moving on to consent. Do I have a motion to approve the consent calendar as presented?
As presented. Yeah, as presented. Be accepted as presented. Is that good? Okay. Um any discussion? All right. All those in favor say I. I. I. Those oppos say nay. Motion carries. Um,
next next up is discussion of school safety update to talk. Yes. So, uh, Secure Educa Environment Consultants. So, they've changed their name a little bit. So, this is the group you may remember quite a few years back that did our school safety assessment.
Um, and TCAPS have continued their partnership to evaluate and enhance the safety and security of sport venues throughout the district. Last week, an SEC consultant attended some of our after-school events with Patrick McNanas um to conduct on-site assessments of our facilities to identify vulnerabilities
and areas for potential improvement. SEC will provide us with expert feedback and actual insights into strengthening security protocols. The district reimagined safety drills last year to build trust and reduce anxiety as well. After receiving a lot of positive feedback, we've decided to continue this
model throughout this year. This presentation reduces fear, encourages participation, builds community, and increases preparedness. You might remember he's going in and talking and talking about what it means when we're doing this, not just a drill. Okay, we go back to normal in that element. So,
definitely I think a teaching component to this of learning uh for our kids and staff. And so, uh, appreciate all the work Patrick's doing and happy to continue working with SEC and see what we can learn to just constantly be vigilant on what we have across the
district as far as safety and security. Is that still Jason Russell? It's the He's the owner and he has it's it's quite a few different consultants now that it's, as you can imagine, I'm sure he's grown. Yep. Okay. For sure. Thank you. That's it.
Okay. Um next up is bids and services uh capital projects and save and change order. Um defined to Dr. Mner. Okay. So uh again we've talked a little bit about this. I've informed the board. Um lots of different thoughts as you
know that we have central grade will be moving into this building. We will actually start moving stuff as we get the transition at the end of the year. So we're working to try and be out of this building as soon as possible. Um we've had we've had different conversations and different thoughts over the last three four years knowing
this is coming. Um we talked about in finance um really at one point um I was of the mindset that we try and and really be as frugal as we can and we have the vacated space at Central High School where the robotics labs uh have
been with the uh innovation manufacturing center opening there. it vacated some rooms and so my thought was to try and really do some very minimal uh construction, you know, temporary similar to what we've done here uh to
move into there. But um Christine and Patrick have had the opportunity to do some professional development um and go listen to some people nationally and locally in our state. I also had the opportunity um as well to do that. We both had the chance to hear some of the
administrators that were in um Oxford Community Schools when the tragedy happened in Oxford and to hear about some of the way that they approached it at that time. Natural instinct was to run to the site and do that. Well, as soon as the lockdown happens, they were
all trapped in. And so our protocols and everything that are in place now as best practice is for whoever's in that building to stay in place. you're not moving because they don't know who the threat is. All that element. So, it really kind of was an aha for all of us
to go, we've got a problem with our communications, our chief academic officers, our superintendent, our executive assistant for the superintendent all being in a building that is a secondary school especially where more of this has happened. Not
that it, as we all know, unfortunately, even recent to our community, it can happen anywhere, but but having it been in one site that there are generally students in is not best practice. And so, um, we've tried to evaluate all of
our our budget. Fortunately, our projects have been relatively under budget. Um, and so we've been able to to look at Sabin, um, which has been under budget. Our train project has been under budget. So, I challenge Christine with taking a look at that. So, I'll go ahead
and pass it to her and let her talk about where we're at with all of that concept and uh and our recommendation um to make this move very frugally still um and and not to um have an issue where we wouldn't be available in case of an
emergency. So, Christie. Yeah. And if it's okay, I want to kind of take a step back to several years ago because we do have quite a few board members. So when we first started talking about a 2024 capital bond campaign, we did a facility assessment of all of our buildings. And at that time it was estimated to be between 6
and $8 million to renovate and upgrade the Boardman building. At that time the board had a conversation um and decided to sell the building. And part of selling the building was a plan for us to move here and either stay here, go to Sabin. Those were all options to be explored. But the whole premise behind
that was $68 million of cost avoidance. So that's why we're here. Um, we had anticipated moving here, either coming back here afterwards or moving to Sabin permanently. Um, John had asked me to kind of look at the budget and we originally had $10 million set aside for
that. Um, we only spent about 3.6 on getting the business office and HR there. And so we're able to to do an addition of about 3,000 square ft to get the superintendent, his assistant, curriculum instruction, and the fund development department over there. Very
minimal sized offices, but in a permanent structure so that they are um they will last uh 50 years in an addition to Sabin that will be connected to HR and business office. So we wouldn't be touching the octagon at this point. There is a cost associated with
demo of that building. We're currently using it for storage, so that's good news. Um, we've got a lot to do with storage when our other facility gets built and moving that around and kind of assessing what we've got. But at this point, we don't have to deal with the octagon. So, we're looking strictly at about three, I think it's 3,300 square
feet of an addition for about 13 to 14 offices for 1.5 million. And then will you just talk a little bit I and I know this but just for the community that the state police and it and our print shop like a little bit about who's in there right
now and just Sure. Yeah. Yeah. And actually that I can't even remember the year that Sabin was actually closed as an elementary school but it is sat vacant. The majority of it has sat vacant untouched. Um and is sorely in need of some type of upgrade
or tear down if we're not going to use the space. So over the years, we've made decisions like putting the SA the Sabben data um data warehouse there. So all of our technology staff is there. Um we also rent space to Michigan State Police. They used to take two
classrooms. Now they're at three. Um we also moved our print shop, what used to be in the basement of um the Boardman building when we decided not to spend um at that time 6 to8 million upgrading that. If you'll remember, the elevator was pretty close to being non-operable
at that point. Um we um spent money from the sale of the Boardman building and we moved them into um what used to be the gym then cafeteria at Sabin and so that's their permanent home. They're all in one open space, much less square feet they need now that it's one big open
space and much more efficient. Um so they're also there. So, we have a lot of our actual central office type district resources there. Um, it's also just a couple hundred feet um down the road from our facilities, our food service, and our transportation offices. So, all
of operations is out there as well. Christine, if uh saving gets renovated for administrative offices, then that is exactly where you're going to stay indefinitely. That is our plan right now. Um that is
my recommendation. Um you know the board different people you know uh five six years remember we're a year away from even starting Central grade. You're at a three-year you know renovation of Central grade. So you're at least four years out before this building or Oak
Park, our other building that we lease out, the lease comes to an end there. So you're at that point before you can ever make any other real decision at that point. Um, as we've explored the this building and Oak Park, we think there's
some real opportunity for early childhood programming that's needed in our community. We think we know that these two are in the city limits and we know that that that is when people often maybe work and come in from the outer
areas from a space for children. These are more needed and usable than I think a a space for administration is. And so it is my recommendation that we do make that full move there. That being said,
if the board in the future wanted to change their mind and something else comes available or whatever, it's space that you can lease. And you know, I've talked with Scott. We originally took a look and and informing the board. I originally did take a look at leasing some space. Could we do that for four or five years? Our issue with that is we
cannot use bond dollars. It comes out of general fund dollars that we know are precious, that everything we're trying to do to raise achievement with kids are dollars we need. And then also with that, we wanted we want to make sure that, you know, those those resources are used in the best way and and we were
going to spend quite a bit of money. Leasing space isn't cheap, especially finding places where you have parking in anywhere in town is next to impossible. So we explored it, looked to talk to the college again. they're still in in not sure what they're doing with the university center. I went and explored
that with their vice president and again it it in the end I kind of feel like we're spending general fund dollars that money that we really need for operations and I believe this is an investment if in the future the board decided to go in a different direction. I think it's
space that many entities um you know I could see entities such as big brothers big sisters many of our partners that maybe lease space I could very much see them interested in space you know within some of TCAPS we already at for instance at Trevor City High School we have
generations ahead that has space there you know that we have so I don't think that's something that in the future would would go to waste you know I think that's the biggest question is when you're going to invest a million and a half in that I don't believe it would at all Um, and again, it's it's 6 milesi
outside of town. You know, when you look at across our district, we have, I don't know, 15 16,000 people in the city of Traverse City. Garfield Township itself is much larger. You know, we have actually more people on the outskirts and it's a little bit actually more central from that standpoint and a base
of our operations of transportation, facilities, everything out there. So, I think it's a good spot. I think it's an investment. We're still being very frugal. We're not adding big conference space. We're not adding those kind of things. And that's something in the future. I think the board, we think we have a space. We could do smaller board
meetings within um the technology classroom there if we need to temporarily transform that. If not, we could move. There are many districts doing them at high schools and those kind of things. Ty. Yeah. I guess that's what I was looking to hear for tonight because I've been thinking about this in finance. But I'm I'm happy to hear that this will be a
permanent solution, not a stop gap between construction and and I love Christine saying 50 years. And that's my and I know we can't control what other boards do, but I I just want to talk like this will be our permanent headquarters for that's my recommendation. Yeah. And and I changed my mind on moving out to Garfield is fine, you
know, as long as it doesn't hurt our families and our community members and staff. Um so I I I I support it as long as you know because it's it's we just approved 3.6, right? 1.5. So five 5.1 which is less than what was half of what was initially earmarked in which we're able and you know I did
that purposely because I wanted to make sure we have that other 5 million for some other projects that is important to our kids in our community. So we're still being very frugal. This is not Taj Mahal space. I can promise you as far as what that is and putting what's important to our kids. That's really important I think to the board and our
and our administrative team that you know we're not we're not building something that's fancy. stuff that's useful and that's what this is and we're going to be in for 50 correct. Okay. Another question came up from the community. All of us I think got that and it was when uh Scott suggested even
looking at the third floor at central grade and we had talked about that parking would be more of an issue I would think by a long shot and also you have kids in the building and so from a safety and security standpoint of people coming in and out all the time. We have a lot of traffic
in this building. We have a lot of different things with our SSN people. today. We had Amazon in here delivering backpacks. We have people getting fingerprinted for human resources, contractors from the outside doing that. So, I I do worry about that. That's
something Secretary Balinger and I have had that conversation many times about, you know, school safety. We're doing all this work, but like doesn't make sense to have people coming in and out of that same area. So, I think that that third floor will get utilized. They think that, you know, we do not have conference room space in this district.
You know, very much for a large professional development. You know, we're often having to try and get space at at the resort or the ISD or different places even for our own retreats. We this is the biggest space we kind of have really had. So, I think that when
when that's looked at and a part of that design, we have different thoughts of what that could be. I think the third floor will still be very useful. It has to be done. It has to be brought to to code and that element. So I think that's something as we get in design we'll figure out that but I personally don't
think that that is a solution for an administrative office anyway like the same we're back in the same exactly exactly just from a financial point of view because I had a few community members ask me as well but from just my putting my finance hat on is is one and a half
million sounds is a lot of money and it sounds like a lot of money but when you take the interest payment on the 1 and a half million it's around 50 grand a year uh is if you look at renting which comes which
is out of our bond funds versus renting a spot for four to five years which is going to come out of general fund and I don't know we've got a few real estate people put you on the spot but I don't know what it is right now like well 16 17 18 bucks 18 bucks a square
foot for office per square foot uh outside down. Okay. Yeah. So 18 20 bucks whatever 20 22. So that is over that dollar amount. So either way this is costing us less per year
out of bond funds versus general funds. So we not taking out. So and it's a permanent thing. Again my intent is we stay there for the long haul here. Right. But again I don't think it ever is used is wasted space. No. Right. So, like I think it's not a
temporary even a temporary. Correct. We're spending more because it's going to save us money in the long run. Correct. Yes, it is. And and I took a look at that route first. You might remember I I told all of you I went look in fact Scott wasn't on the board yet and we I we kind of worked towards it and you know parking's often tough or structures are old. So I
I firmly believe this is the best route for us to go. Just one thing about child care um down the road because I I totally agree that you know we've just it's a perennial issue that we have a shortage in this area. So between Oak Park and this building
and Sabin I mean I could foresee one in town location and then the Sabin location because of how huge our area is. I think that but I think having an east and a west kind of almost is a little bit because our growing areas I mean if you think of eastern in the size
like you know we have a lot of preschool there that you know is like we're right around the corner could go you know and we're even kind of that whole uh Garfield corridor like look at all the housing that's being built out East Bay Township in that. So I think that element there and then the in town
component here I think again but you know I would say that I think there's a time to kind of talk about that. I don't think it's now. I think that we're a long ways away. I'm I'm happy to you know I do think one of the things I'm thinking is maybe for a study session coming up maybe to us. We haven't really done a lot with early childhood. I think
it'd be good to have that conversation for the board to know what we do, what we have in all those aspects with that to just kind of get that conversation going to know what we have. Um, but I think, you know, we're probably a year or two down the road to really start that conversation. You know, what that
looks like. That's fine. I just was I was just noting based on the community interest and your interest in you know the long-term use and the child early childhood like could Oak Park be the east location and save in the west location and then administrations back here as central
you could do whatever you want. Well, no, I'm not pushing. I'm just saying like again, you know, how confident are we in this? I just don't think that that space would be, you know, you'd have to renovate it and spend more money, you know, from that where here we want to avoid, right? Which here is a little bit
easier. Obviously, you know, we've done very little to make it you all know my office is a classroom with a desk, right? You know, and so like like you know, that that's kind of the concept. We we needed Central grade to be able to move right back in here. So you would literally go from that right to moving
it for early childhood programming, which a lot easier than office spaces that are small and demolition. Like the biggest piece of this that to Scott's point, I don't want to spend good money and tear it out in the future. That's the worst thing we can do with our vital resources and this plan right now
doesn't do that. I also think it's important not knowing uh trends with enrollment. I think it's critical to remain this have this as an actual school building. We don't know where enrollment trends are going to move in the future and at some point we've sold a lot of our extra school
buildings. If we don't have schools ready to go to meet that demand, we'll be building new buildings. And so I caution against renovating this completely to be a permanent housing for administration for that reason. Well, in case of emergency. Yeah, absolutely.
Okay. I'd like to speak up and I'm going to disagree with Ty where we agreed at finance. I think it's important for the administration of this school district to be within the confines of the city of Traverse City. It's expected from a lot of the taxpayers who are out there. It's
the Traverse City public school system. However, I am in agreement with this proposal of moving out to save it. But I don't want to plant my flag out there for the next 50 years. I think we ought to at least consider this as an alternative at some point in the future.
And the reason I brought up Central Grade School is that is the historic epicenter of this school district. Historically, and there will be appropriate space on the third floor. We can talk about the upsides and the downsides, but I think it's an option we ought to consider. So, and I'm in the minority, so we'll
move on with this. Five years from now, when I'm retired, I'll come and say hi. and say hi to you and want to say something. Well, I mean I think Josie hit on it and I was just I was about to make a motion, but I I would like and I saw Tammy sent
out study sessions and I would like to get this early childhood to talk about strategic goals for this building in Oak Park. You know, maybe not we don't have to wait two years, but I think it is piece of the puzzle because the only reason I'm going to support this is that it is a permanent thing. And I'm with you. I I I wasn't initially crazy about
moving out of the city. Um but I heard and you guys changed my mind just like you changed your mind and and I think if this makes sense in that in my mind to keep this a school building to help meet the need for early childhood child care months and
families. Um I know heard may not come into town as much um but there isn't a need for in town um employee people who live in the township who come into the city to work and that might mean community partners it may not mean even just ECAPS right like you know you know that's Mson I
mean has needs different things so I think it's I think it's a part of our community early childhood conversation in the future um but again I think it'd be good for the board you know in a study session here to learn a little bit more about our early childhood programming and kind of hear that. So I
think that kind of may be a first step. We are also now maintaining a list when we come up with it as ideas. So Tammy, if you can add that to the list and uh that way when we come around in January, we'll remember all of these conversations. Um so with that, I'll make the move the board of education approve additional
funding amount of 1.5 million to support the scope change to the Saber Innovations funded by capital bond funds. Okay. Any further discussion? Um, yeah. Second. Second. Second. You have a second.
All right. Any further discussion? All right. Uh, Tammy, can I have a roll? Uh, trusty Schmidt. Yes. Trusty Moonar. Yes. Trusty Varis. Yes. Trusty Ballinger. Trusty Hardy. Trusty Pack. Yes. And Trusty New? Yes. Motion carries.
Yeah. We hope it comes in under budget. Yep. Continue the trend. Um board policy. Next item, board policy 5420, sex education. Uh refer to Taylor. Yeah. So as um Trusty Moore had
indicated going back following our last meeting, we had a number of changes proposed by Trusty PAC and we had shared that you know currently the policy as presented by Trun is required and I went back and pulled all of the statutes. All of the information in that policy is
required. Um, if the district elects to provide sex education, what is mandatory by statute is the education on the communicable diseases at some point. Previously, the board whether the previous boards had made the decision for the district to offer the sex
education because that's what's currently in place. That's how the policy needs to read. But I I know we wanted to revisit given this additional information, is that still the position of the board? Um, and are there any other additional modifications to the policy? um given the constraints that we
have from a legal standpoint that you all might be okay with and recommend. So this is obviously your decision, but I wanted to bring it back in front of you for for a conclusion. And for the record, the board has made that decision to pass. So it doesn't take a reaffirmation by vote. You know,
it's just we want to make sure legality. I misspoke. I I I knew that a long time ago, but that came back. But again, the communicable diseases and HIV AIDS is required. Um so I just wanted to make sure to be correct in in the record. And uh but again, um I've anticipated the
board to move forward. We follow all the rules as required once the board did elect that. Um so it really is at this point if the board's still good with that it's the policy. I have a few questions of course
um and one of them starting with the top communicable disease instruction. Can we add sexually transmitted communicable disease? And the reason is there are 12 sexually transmitted
diseases. Well, there are hundreds of communicable diseases. The call to add sexually transmitted really focuses where the teaching is going to be. I don't know. We can't that's like one thing we have to do the communicable
diseases which is defined. It is defined in state standards by statute. Yeah. Which the state board actually is visiting tomorrow in their state in the agenda. But they will also call it sexually transmitted diseases and the
department of statistics refers to it as sexually transmitted diseases. what the statute says. Yeah, the statute says communicable, but you know, I can certainly circle back with, you know, with Trune to see if that's
something both of them together if you need to, but it'll be more uh exacting for a parent who's reviewing it. Uh if you kind of clarify it right there, even though it's under 5420 sex
education, the it refers to it later on the policy as sexually transmitted. I may have a I may have a a solution. Communical disease is the minimal expectation of the law. So if you had
that and the board can go above and beyond at any time in your policy. So if you had that and you could do that right now the the statute calls it section 380.1169 refers to it as dangerous communicable
disease. Well, so you have to have that. And a communicable disease is an ill, this is what the statute says is an illness due to a specific infectious agent or its toxic products that result
from transmission of that infectious agent or its products from a reservoir to a susceptible host directly as from an infected individual or animal. going into it. Well, it didn't directly through the agency or intermediate plan. I actually
thought this would actually make it easier. Clearly, that's their definition. Um, an inate of an innate environment, which is not what they're saying, but I think that if the board wanted to have that, that would just we would make sure would be included in the sex education.
if the board wanted to add that above and beyond because communicable disease includes tuberculosis, legionnaire's disease, mumps, musles rebella and so on and so on and so on. And in your second paragraph under communicable disease
instruction right there, second paragraph uh towards the end it says something about a responsible and effective method of preventing sexually transmitted diseases. It doesn't say again back to the more
nebulous communicable disease. So I'm just asking add a couple words point of clarification. You've killed two birds with one stone. I just think and is important and I agreed. Mhm. Yeah. So you comfortable with it if we did it
the way that John's proposing? Yeah, I think that's fine because I also do think that the definition now I'm reading it is comically one of the more like all I care I read a lot of them and that one's actually one of the better ones of like I was like as I was halfway I think if you say and the the committee
will just take that back knowing that's above and beyond what's under statute providing it meets the statute and and I do think you're going to be fine because if you look at the statute it does reference specifically HIV you the sexually transmitted so we
are not under an obligation to is per you know trustee pack's suggestion to teach about tuberculosis or any you know any of those other communical diseases. It is it is specific to those identified communical diseases. Is that what you're worried about Beth
is teaching other communicical diseases? No, I'm more concerned about the sexually transmitted. I think my Sure. And you're the nurse. I'll defer. you want it expressed about behavior and you're going to talk about prevention more in a different way than you would
talk about TB or Legionnaire's disease which are airborne I do I just wonder and I asked the question because you're usually the my technical person there's more ways than one to get HIV it doesn't always has to be sexually trans it's bloodborne
correct it's bloodborne and and actually you know I keep thinking why isn't somebody talking about hepatitis Well, we do talk about that with our teachers. They go through training and we when we talk about bloodborne pathogen, but yeah, that's that's different than what the statute is.
So maybe that's why the statutory language doesn't say sexually transmitted, right? Because HIV I didn't think about that the other pathways. I'm going to go back. Let's meet the stat. You say serious. You said it defines as a serious commun communic in the statute
it under the statute it references dangerous communical diseases HIV um virus infection specifically is is called out from that and then if you look at the policy under communical diseases the superintendent doesn't need will ensure that students are taught
about dangerous communicable diseases. So it that word is in the first paragraph. Mhm. We've gone down this rabbit hole twice. In sex education, that is the direction you're going to deal with that. You're not going to be
talking about blood transfusions in sex ed. I would think I think they do. He does actually. Yeah. I'm pretty sure in that slideshow they included all of those on there.
All right. So, um Okay. Whatever. I'm going to make a motion. I move that the board of education No, no, no. He can make that. There can still be discussion. No one can second it. Yeah. So, I move that the board of education approve policy 5420 sex education as amended.
Okay. I'll second that. A second. And uh we do discussion to Yeah, you can still discuss. There's just uh Okay. Um then in B um that first paragraph
where it says before revising curriculum about dangerous communicable diseases the board will hold at least two public hearings occurring at least one week apart on proposed revisions. I would add the board of uh education then approves
the final sex education uh curriculum which is age appropriate and biologically active. I don't know if we'll be able to be making that determination personally
because we do talk about age appropriate. Yep. I I guess there is that's it's a discussion item, but if there's if there's no other comments, there is a motion. Um, everyone else I mean I would just say Beth that I understand what you're trying to add,
but it is under the heading of revision to the materials and methods. So, it's specifically outlining what and how the revisions are handled. It doesn't necessarily say that it will come before the board. It's saying how those revisions will be handled and and
presented to the board. So, I just don't want to say something that was not included in that heading, I guess, is what I'm trying to say because then it goes on to explain the advisory board. And then that's another question that I
have because the way this is written, it says we will create one, but there's one already in place. Are we going to create another one? No. It's already created. You have to. Exactly. So, the board will authorize the continuence um is more accurate to
what is actually the situation here in TCAPS. We're not creating new boards sematics but I don't but I don't think annually you have to reauthorize the the board but that's well we don't recreate it. No once it's been originally created it
just continues without any additional board action and at one point it was created by the board. So I think this is intended to say that when that board is originally uh implemented, it is created by the board or the board uh created or something.
But this sounds very futuristic. I think it's confusing if you don't know what's going on. So just as a point of clarification here, there's a motion on the table that has to be voted on one way the other, which is to accept it as is. I don't necessarily disagree with Beth's last
point on creation versus uh continuence. Um nature versus nurture. Yeah. Like and and uh but if that was to the case then we'd have to strike down the motion that's on the table and we could re reintroduce it with that change
or the board can uh choose to just vote it in as is. I personally do agree that there could be clarification. I don't think it I think it is a little semantic but I don't mind either way. But as a point of order, I cannot make that change without voting on the existing motion. You're right.
I think you we have a first and a second or the or you have a first and a second. Yeah, first and second. So that's something to call the question. No, I'm just saying that that is the process. I'm going to call a roll call voted unless there's any other discussion. I'm just letting you know what your vote is.
Um if you feel like that it can go back and clarify immediately afterwards and then we vote no and then do that afterwards. If you want it as is, you and you can do it either way. You can pass it and pass another revision. You could also pass it and pass another revision as well, but it won't be a discussion potentially. We'd have to
have a motion to change the change agenda to act as another which would So we're going to move. Yes. Can I just I wanted to ask for per discussion. I just want to ask Miss Taylor a question. Is there perhaps like
alternative language that would cover you would just instead of saying creating or continuing like a sex education advisory board will annually report to the board on the following and then you just keep all these clauses the same or like a sex
advisory board will exist too. I mean, you know, something like this just acknowledges there's an existence of this board, but it removes the whole tent. But again, if that's the way you want to go, then you would vote no on this and we we can Well, I want to find out before I vote
if that I would be really from changing what is legislatively written. The the statute says that the board will create and so basically what Sherman has done is take the statutory language and drop it into a policy form. Yeah. You know, so yeah, this is probably not the only
policy we have that says something like that. Again, if you wanted to add a word, it's better than changing a bunch of words. Yeah. And we can also leave literally if we wanted to, we can come back to it literally bring it back with another change with that proposed change if we wanted to. Oh, please. Well,
you I just the options and I guess at this point from a from a legal if you're asking my legal opinion, my suggestion is unless you're substantively changing the nature of the policy based on a new direction of the board, this is statutory language
and it is sematics if we really want and or clarity and I don't know that you know this language was in Neiola 2 that any you know I've never heard from a community member or anyone saying I don't understand the policy or the role of the advisory board, but that is
completely the, you know, that is your discretion. So, I would speak to substantive changes. These, that would not be a substantive change. That would be a preference on the part of the board. So, with that, um, Tammy, please conduct a local. Trusty Schmidt,
yes. Trusty Hardy, I with all due respect to Beth. Trusty Bajaras, yes. Trusty Ballinger, yes. Trustee Moon, yes. Trusty pack. No. Trustee
B. Yes. Um with the same uh comment. I don't disagree with that last part. So motion carries for um constellation prize. We will have the conversation with TR to see that's ever been thought of or do
I was going to ask because it does make sense. Well, it's sort of ironic that here you have a board whose one of their two primary functions is to do policy and yet we are so hamstrung in doing it correctly and doing the language
correctly. And so I I sort of I guess this is where I promise you I'll have the conversation. Yep. Thank you. Um okay, moving on to ratification of hot tax. Uh next
discussion uh or next agenda item is uh the contract ratification. Brand it over. Yes. So um we've had the chance to have conversations with the board um on contract uh ratifications. And so I'm going to pass it over to Connie Taylor
and Christine Thomas Hill to take the board through the discussion on the various uh contracts that the board would be under consideration for tonight. So obviously we had had an opportunity during close session to go through the summaries of our tenative agreement. So
unless there's additional questions, I don't know that we need to um redo those here at the board meeting. Um but I do but I'll certainly be open to any questions that you may have. But prior to doing that, I just wanted to say thank you. Um, I'm speaking on behalf of
our our team, but we are absolutely a team at the table. Also, thank you to Erikica who's also a member of the management team who's meeting with our associations. But I want to do a huge shout out to the members of the negotiation teams for our various units.
for our tca teacher unit. Um Chandra Fles who's here with us today as our president, Ben Zenner, Courtney Deadman, Andy Hayes, Stephen Rubinous, and Mike Living good. a lot of time. We've been at this since February having these
dialogue and ongoing meetings and and as always, I'm thankful for the collaboration uh for our TC CAPSA support unit. Liz Y, Laura Ashton, Jen Cateria, um Kim Ba Bales, um Jill Jenkins, and Andrea King for our
transportation unit. Um Jeannie Krauss, and Jesse Sha. And then um overall our UNISER director for those MBA units that I just mentioned, Mary Mickey Colin, she's always pivotal at coming to the table and assisting all parties in
getting to a fair and equitable agreement for um both the district and for our units. Um and then for our other units, our food service group, John Labarbor and Sue Wilkins, our administrative unit, Ben Ber, Joe Esper,
and Victoria Dirks. And then last but not least, our APSME unit, uh, Jeff Adomik and Gary Gavin. We're the conversations were always very productive moving forward. Um, and so we're we're grateful for that strong union relationship and um, as as we've
shared with you, the the terms of the agreement, we would highly recommend that the board approve the the tenative agreements with those units. But having said that, I will open that if there's any questions about what we had covered previous. I have only one question in in
the effort to be transparent. These agreements are public documents are they not? Should someone correct once? Yes. Once ratified, we are required to post them on our transparency reports. So we have been, you know, kind of in anticipation and hopefulness of the board's approval been
working on those so that we can get those not only on our website but distributed to all of the members. So yes, those are public documents and open to the community. I move that the board of education ratify the contract extensions for the Traverse City Education Association, the
TCEA, as presented. I second that. Okay. Um, just there is u are we good to move on one after the other just for efficiency? I think it's further. It is. No, I'm fine to do that. I just
wanted to make sure that we can go through. Wait, what do you mean one at a time? One at a time. Oh, okay. I was like, should I I just I was just I can lump it on. All right. Um Tammy, please conduct a roll back. Trusty Monmore. Yes. Trusty Veraris. Yes. Trusty Ballinger.
Yes. Trusty Hardy. Hi. Trusty Pack. Yes. Trusty Schmidt. Yes. Trusty Mail. Yes. Motion carries. Um next discussion item and that was where I was kind of clarified. Is there any further discussion on on any Can can I just make one point? I also
want to thank the board for the support because having three-year contracts with staff really really helps with morale. Um, it helps with recruiting and retaining staff. It also helps with budgeting. Um, I think that we've done a good service to our employees by committing to them and I just want to
thank you guys for supporting us. Thank you everyone. That's because it's our strategic plan. I move that the board of education ratify the contract extensions for the Traverse City Administrators association TCAA as presented.
Second. Okay. Any discussion? Tammy, please conduct a roll call vote. Trusty Schmidt, yes. Trusty Moonar, yes. Trusty Bajaras, yes. Trusty Ballinger, yes. Trusty Hardy, I. Trusty Pack, yes. Trusty Newman Bale, yes. Motion carries. Um,
next discussion item or next motion. I move that the board of education ratify the contract extensions for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. Ask me as presented. A second. Uh, Trusty Moonmore, yes. Trusty Ballinger,
yes. Trusty Veraris, yes. Trusty Hardy, hi. Trusty Pac, yes. Trusty Schmidt, yes. And Trusty Newman, yes. Motion carries. Next, I move that the board of education ratify the contract extensions for the Food Service Employee Association, the
FSEA, as presented. I second. Tammy, please. And Dr. W. Trusty Moonmore, yes. Trusty Peris, yes. Trusty Ballinger, yes. Trusty Hardy. Hi. Trusty Pek, yes. Trusty Schmidt, yes. Trusty Num,
I. Um, motion carries. Uh, next contract. I move that the board of education ratify the contract extensions for the Tarver City Clerical Assistance Parrofessionals and Secretaries Association to CAPSA as presented. Second.
Can you please conduct a local? Trusty Ballinger. Yes. Trusty Munar. Yes. Trusty Bajaras. Yes. Trusty Hardy. Hi. Trusty Pack. Yes. Trusty Schmidt. Yes. And trust. Yes. Motion carries. Um, next discussion item. Your next motion. I move that the
board of education ratify the contract extensions for the Trevor City Transportation TCTA Association as presented. I second. Thank you, please conduct the roll. Trusty Moonmore. Yes. Trusty Bajaris. Yes. Trusty Ballinger. Yes. Trusty Hardy. Hi. Trusty Pack.
Yes. Trusty Schmidt. Yes. And yes. Motion Garris. Uh final uh contract. I move that the board of education ratify the contract extensions for the non-affiliated administrative and non-affiliated support staff as
presented. Second, please take the local vote. Trusty Moon, yes. Trusty Hardy, Trusty Bajaris, yes. Trusty Ballinger, yes. Trusty Pack, yes. Trusty Schmidt, yes. And trust, yes. Gary. All right. Thank you
everyone. That concludes that uh section. Um and after the quick fire round, we now move on to the strategic plan and def real quick. We added uh um Oh. Oh, yeah. Strategic plan E. Sorry, Miss
CKA. Yes. Okay. Just because that's why I So, okay. So, we are at a point with the strategic plan. Um we also it was asked um that we take a a look again at the
vision and values. This is the document that we had from the study session. Tammy also sent you a copy. It was also posted into our packet online earlier today. So um there was some thoughts about um some addition of language um
might be easiest. Tammy, you want to pull up the can you pull up the document? Is that what this is? Yeah. the mission and vision statements. Yeah. So Tammy uh earlier today I had her take the what was already there and added in
red what you're seeing there from that standpoint. And so the question is is what of we kind of left this right there. We didn't take it any further. So the question is you know is this what we want to adopt? Is there still any word smithing wants to be done? Um, just
really it's just a conversation of the board's perview of where you want to go with this. The only I'm color blind so I can't really see the red but um behind you too. Okay. The only I mean I love that we
consolidated the values so we have less than we did before. I still love the the vision that we relentlessly support all kids. Um if you just scroll down um under leadership, the only thing that
I'd consider adding um to honor Holly and her work with sustainability, you know, John gave a report out during finance that we are pursuing a climate action um plan for the very first time as a district. And you know, the word sustainability isn't mentioned in there.
Um I think it would be a nice touch if it is going to be a focus of ours for the for the foreseeable future. So something after mindfulness and sustainable practices um I think it would be a a nice nod to
Holl's leadership and and I'll just add that during one of those strategic planning sessions I had put sustainability up on the board and it did I literally was the only person who voted for it. But I'm happy to add it in like we did
with the fiscally responsible manner. So I mean under integrity or leadership. But either way I fully support very proud of that work too. I mean I I I totally agree with what Josie is saying. We went through that
process and included all the voices at the table to really narrow down what those areas were. And um there was a sustainability um sticker, you know, tab. Um
and yeah, I mean there was there was one one tab you just did. Yeah. Yeah. I think maybe it was overlooked accidentally, you know. I mean democracy we do still have a sustainability
committee. it. And I don't disagree that that's not um something that's important to TCAPS, but does it fall into this level of importance of our values and how we're going to outline them to our community? That's just my only
thought on that. Beth, you've also served on the briefly. Um, it seems to me it's a matter of stewardship as much as it is sustainability because we're constantly renovating
things or or doing something along that line. And and so again, it's it's stewardship for your resources to the greater good um across your district. if you're not going to sustain certain
things that make no sense, God will. I'll just add that we do have a sustainability committee and I'm just going to read the definition of sustainability is the capacity for a system to maintain itself over a long period by meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. And again, we do have a sustainability committee. We are working on a climate action plan. Um it it I and if it's not a value then I would reconsider us having a sustainability committee I
guess um because if it's not what we want to focus on then we can leave it out. So I I remember you Scott new and bale came up with it in a fiscally responsible manner that was to eliminate another item. I
think there was wasn't there like wasn't there like well that removed the goal that was around finance you know you know that moved us from 12 focus areas to five which I again I support it's in our values but that wasn't a value initially was a goal
that's right and and so at the time I thought why why not say in a fiscally responsible and sustainable manner to me that would be the easiest fix here period that would fit in that's kind of where we were fine as well. I guess
that's fine too. Can you say that again, Josie? Just the integrity. The third bullet. Operating with honesty, transparency, and fairness in a fiscally responsible and sustainable manner. Can you just add that right now? I can move. Well, I don't have to type. I just have
the mouse. Wait, maybe I can. Hold on. Don't do it in red. Can't see. We put it in. Tie. It's in white. Fiscally and sustainably sustainable.
Sustainable. Fiscally just Oh, it wants to be It wants to look like that. Fiscally responsible and sustainable. You don't want to hear it. It was fiscally responsible and sustainable manner. She's got it
responsible and take the and out and up. I got it. All right. Good job. Good job. Good job. Pressure. Let me ask one question and this has to do with sustainable. I don't have a clue
what mindfulness means. There's a whole body of work around that. Well, there may be, but I can guarantee you the general public won't know what mindfulness. I mean, it's probably auditory. Yeah, you'd be surprised. There's been a ton of work, especially in corporate America.
Okay. And you're on corporate America, too. I'm part of a small part of corporate America. Yeah. I I just I don't I don't know when we've gotten to meeting that objective. We have and we will invite you to some
of our mindfulness work. If I have to go to that to understand what it means, it'll be great. I I'm just saying there's a bunch of people in I think Sarah could really speak well to some of it. Go ahead. You want me to give you the AI overview?
A state of active non-judgmental awareness of one's pre present moment experiences including thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and external stimuli. It involves paying attention to the present moment without getting caught up in the thoughts about the past or future or judging one's
experiences. Is it similar to it's something that the elementary schools used a lot with and I'm only speaking from elementary level. I'm guessing middle school and high school
use as kind of a reset down time if you all. That's a good question. I asked it during the workshop too. I asked the same question. It's new math Scott. Okay. No, no, no, no, no. There's no new math.
I'm not mindful in math. It's the idea of awareness, right? Being aware of your actions, your impact to others. Um, you being part of a bigger community, right? So, like the holistic approach is what
we would I don't disagree with the intent. It just sounds like it speak to me. I'm sorry. Yeah. Not in your ballpark on that one. We don't use it in healthcare. I don't use it in real estate.
Maybe I would think but like mental health care. Mental healthare absolutely you may use it mental health perhaps but you know if you're looking holistically at someone um that's just more terminology I think.
I don't know it's real helpful in man are you getting invited to the next PD on that. I'm not sure. Well, here I care about word usage in the sex ed, but then we end up in
communicable disease, which is very nebulous. So, it's not nebulous. It's far less exact than what I was asking. So, just before we continue this, just to back up a second, we are okay with the in a fiscally responsible and
sustainable manner. I know that you know what that means. Is that a word for everyone? That that's been around longer. All right. Okay. I just wanted to at least clarify integrity. Yeah. So that's then back to the other one. I just wanted to close one out.
Could I can I just um about the fourth bullet inclusive community. I mean everything else except for students first which I like as is just a noun and that's an adjective and a noun. You know, I just wonder why is it inclusive community as opposed to inclusiveness?
I just does anybody remember the origin story of how we got to adding the community? I'm having a hard time following what you're saying. Well, just the parallelism of excellence, integrity, leadership, and then it's inclusive community instead of inclusiveness as a noun.
It's been brought up a couple of times over the past three years to be honest with you, and I didn't have an answer other than that's what the board did. back at the You mean the the the original when we first started when we first came up with this? Yeah. The staff wondering what Yeah. I've just had a few people over the last three years have mentioned that
to me. Like I feel like it I inclusiveness should have maybe been the fix. I feel I'm I feel like this is true, but I'm not totally sure. But I feel like the it was inclusiveness. And then we had lots of other
groups that we were worried that it was inclusiveness. Sounds like a very narrow focus when we were talking about community stakeholders like businesses and everything else. So we had like a bigger section at one point. Well, we had an inclusive value and a community value and and I believe during
the workshop we wanted fewer values. So we combined those two values. Okay. So that was what because we had the comm we had two. Inclusive was ensuring equitable access and acceptance for all and community was connecting with each other. So we could make it inclusiveness and we have captured the community there in red
that last word in the description. Just take community out. Yeah. Just say inclusiveness. I think the again which I'm fine with but I think the reason was is that the original intent was it was a big focus on all the stakeholders
and it says greater community. The last word is community. So the word community is twice there. It is. Yeah. I'm fine with that. But that's why I think it it'd be nice to just be more concise. Want to do that. We're I first think of the students and the staff with support.
You want this to say inclusiveness. So then mindfulness in or out? I'm fine with it. But I I like it. I do too. I really like it. Okay. In a lot of different mental health
readings that it's a very very very common of awareness. It's which I think I think we have a majority there. Yeah. I think it's it's nice and concise. Nice and concise. Do we feel good? Do we feel good with this at this point? With the third graders.
Okay. And so I think we're good there. We'll incorporate have those changes on it. And so going back to the uh strategic plan, there's only one little I think correct me if I'm wrong. There's one little change we made. Um Beth had brought up in curriculum and we and
Josie, we've talked about this quite a bit about a metric for our special education students. One that is very very important to many of our parents in the special ed community is you'll hear about the the testing of my access
versus um taking the MSTEP or SAT those elements. Um one thing that the state has put a lot of um focus on is for us to not have any more than 1% of our students take the alternative assessment. They want us to really work
hard to try and get every kid to have the opportunity in a least restrictive environment concept to take that state test. And so this is a metric we thought we have to do. We have been above that in the past. We've just recently gotten
there, but it it's hard. We have to continually stay focused on it. So talking with Tiffany, this is one we thought would be a very important metric to have in there. And what's the baseline? We're at 1% now, which is really what
the state has targeted to do and really feel strong, but we have been above that. And there have been trends across the state of that going back up. And so we just think to have a focus on that number, especially for our parents of students with with special needs, that
we we monitor that and that we we talk to the board about that and continually have that at the forefront of our conversations. Y that's a great idea. Yeah. I just didn't know what the this one area that I'm not as familiar with,
which is why we thought and Beth brought up, you know, I think honoring, you know, that because, you know, what you get into is is a lot of of assessing kids and and you know, the point of having our students in least restrictive environments is to give them as much possible full access to the the the
curriculum. and and if you're going to give them as much full access to the curriculum as you can, you obviously want to give them the absolute full access to the assessment that's proper that you can now through a IEP process and that element. There are times where
it is not, you know, proper to have a kid take that to do my access is what we call it. But in the state in the past that they felt that there and the feds have also felt across our state there's been too much of a reliance on on having
kids not reach to that potential. And so and especially with our special education parents this is an important metric that we're trying to consistently be at that 1% or less. But again, you don't want to get so much where kids are being forced to do something that's not
a part of their IEP goals, not a part of that process that is in place with our ISD, our our special education partners. So, this is one that we felt was a a good metric to always have the board and publicly talk about so the board's aware.
Yeah, I think it's great to have that special ed piece. And I I do I do remember Beth brought this up and then I'm remiss that I didn't catch it in the earlier versions of the strategic plan measures um to ask but I guess um even I
am not clear on like what are the levers to get to one less than 1% like what what is that really what can the district do to really change? What we have to do is make sure that we are constantly making sure that our kids are in the least restrictive environment.
That we're making sure that, you know, really challenging and making sure the IEP team is consistently looking at what can we do to make sure kids are giving every opportunity to that LRE. And in in doing so also a part of that IEP team is
exhausting to make sure that at every point that we're giving the kid the opportunity to take that state assessment versus the my access and if anything just a public metric that we're consistently trying to work at that and any point we're above that 1% it's a conversation that the board needs to
have with administration of what are we doing to making sure every kid's getting that opportunity that least restrictive environment and that the IEP team is really taking that under consideration. John, forgive me. I'm going to be a very simple person here. Least restrictive
translates to meaning these kids are in the classroom with all the other kids. What you're talking correct? We're not putting them as self-contained and all that element. It It's putting them making sure they're getting access to the classes to that they're in the classroom where the
other kids are. Correct. Got that. Not always. Absolutely. you know like but but you want to under IDA you are always obligated to make sure and again I always take the approach if it's my child it's anybody's child or relative
you want them to have the best opportunity they can to succeed and it's very clear like making sure if at all possible to have that child in the LR is what we always want to strive to do and this is the corresponding assessment to that you know I I think this is from my
perspective a really important goal because one of the differentiators from TCAPS to some of the charter schools and the other schools is this is an area of focus for us and we're not only focusing on it but we're tracking it to make sure that kids
succeed in this and if I'm a parent of a special ed kid this is really important. I I I want to know you're tracking all kids, right, and their performance to know that what we're doing is succeeding, and you're not putting someone over in the corner. Correct. Correct.
And that's exactly what this is about. We're singling them out and Right. Exactly. And I' I'd like a second thing. I was thinking about that and that is and I Dan and I didn't have very much time right before the meeting but I think
that you know when we were talking about looking at growth we need to look at growth in tier 2 and look at growth in tier three and see how they're growing even within the tier. Um so that are
there kids that will actually can you begin to transition them out? Are you able to reduce those tears down because kids are catching up? Yeah, that's the natural process of the IEP when we look at growth and in tier
three, we look at how student progresses towards their goals. So that that's the idea is that they continue to progress towards their goals and once they meet their goals, they're they move out of out of tier three and out of out of that IEP. So, and it would be lovely to see if we're
if we're actually moving in that direction. We could get that in our curriculum committee reports or do data sharing, you know, once or twice because in an RTA response intervention MTSS model, right? That is the goal is to get kids 80% into tier one. Right.
Right. We're not there. So that's that's the metric you want to try and reach is 80% of kids are getting and responding and achieving you know at the in your tier one viable curriculum right and tier two
and tier three helps support to try and do that well that's their purpose so I think vis visiting and you know talking about that our MTSS system and talking about that in our curriculum committee is the way to go about that is that's not a legal requirement not not a state legal requirement It's an
educationally sound practice. You know, I would like to thank Jesse and Dan and everybody else, that whole pyramid of people, I'm sure, that's underneath you for getting us to this point because from my perspective, the biggest problem with strategic planning
is you can't measure anything. I mean, it's all well intended and they're great goals, but this has some very specific accomplishments that can be measured and I know it's a risk because I'm hoping we hit every one of these, but
we're stretching we're stretching your staffs and the admin teams too that also have to work on this. So, thank you. But the other thing it does is it begins to narrow your focus. So you could say, well, this is the problem area where we need to, it gives us more guidance in
how to begin to help some of these these kids, you know, whether they're falling behind just because of absenteeism or they're falling behind because they didn't understand it for whatever or their attention spends to give you
something to address to hopefully affect a difference to be in innovative. Um, and when we look at using testing for all of our our
assessment of how well we're doing, I was thinking there are three or four caveats that I think are important. Um because I think a lot of times testing is like trying to drive a car forward by looking in the rearview mirror because you're
always looking at something that has happened and sometimes it's it's almost in in the prior year and you've got a new group of kids. So you have to be careful how you you run some of that in.
Um testing's been done for decades and our results are getting worse. they haven't made the difference in the results. The the third thing is we don't really know what the tests are like. Are they
actually a good representation of understanding? I don't know. And then the fourth concern I have is you've heard about teaching to the test. And you'd want kids to actually have a broad enough understanding of the
material that they can use practical application at some point, not just answer ABCD, that they can actually use this for a career or for life in general. you know, it's not
mindfulness, but it's actually a practical skill or idea or concept that they can apply. And so, I think somehow we have to be careful when we really really focus in on tests that we keep those elements, I
don't know what else to call them right now, um, in our heads as well. Caveats. Okay. time. I'm I'm ready to approve this tonight. Um I think it's great. Um and I just
want to acknowledge all the work that's gone into it, staff, but also the community, all the surveys, all the students taking surveys, the community members. Um in particular, I've mentioned this before, but I think this is the first time as a district that I remember that we have explicit goals around our kids furthest from opportunity. So, I'm really very proud
of that. And I just want to again, I've talked about Holly before, but Holly was integral at pushing for that agenda item back in February. Um, so I I appreciate her passion and work with these kids. Uh, the curriculum team has taken it and ran with it and we've talked about more about economically disadvantaged kids in
the past few months than I ever remember. So I I very much appreciate that. Um, and then I I did notice that we shifted from LEAP registrations to percent of students involved with co-curriculars, which I also appreciate and support. So thank you for that. But I'm ready to approve this tonight.
Yeah, I want to add two more things in mental health. Well, you we yeah, you can have the discussions to definitely bring them up. We haven't got a motion yet, right? But go ahead. When we're talking about approving, one is I would like to continue to follow the cell phone and social media
impact and that would be in mental health in goal number two. Another thing I think is to to really look at how we use AI. um particularly when you're looking at
individualized work. Um so to uh uh what is it? Um turn down the use of AI say that you cannot use it when completing projects
uh papers things that should show independent work. Use AI constructively for evaluating how well you're doing your homework or language communication. Set up a dialogue with AI and see how
far you can carry a foreign language discussion, but don't use AI as a crutch. And I think that there's more and more evidence that's coming up with be very careful particularly
in youngsters when they're trying to develop pathways for logic and the way they process information. Don't uh close circuit it. Does that make sense? I think that's what the MIT study
was about when they were saying, you know, they use this openended uh essay question. They told a group of kids, you can use AI to answer the question, they told the other group of kids, you absolutely cannot. And then
when they came back and asked the kids if they could remember what they wrote, the kids that used AI could not. the kids who actually developed an argument, they could remember why and what they said. So I I think we need to have
something that addresses AI because AI is here. I mean I don't think it is a place for a strategic plan right now. I think that could be something as it we we did have this one study session we did and I think we were pretty comfortable with how administration were kind of
using it and I think it's going to be an an object a subject that we talk about probably every year uh or every meeting um so I think that would be in a discussion on a revision I don't think we're in a place I think you would be derailing we could talk about everything
we need to do in a strategic plan but at some point we just have I I do wonder your first one with cell phone under our mental health and that element is as a as a um you know as a strategy we can take a look at as a strategy
because I think a lot of what you said is that that's built into that goal. It's a there's a lot about mental health right now with with cell phone use and social media and that element. So I I think that's more of a strategy for us to take a look at than a separate goal. And speaking of those, I mean, I'm glad
you brought up the strategies and activities because those are I understand those are fluid. Yeah. So, but I just would, you know, like if we as because that's not part of the document we're approving tonight, but at some point we're going to take a a shot at those and then I'll be looking
for feedback from board members. Okay. Okay. And I was just going to say, I mean, I was it a year ago we looked at the AI policy and so forth, and I'll tell you, it just seemed so far-fetched to me at the time. And now it's like boom, we're all using Copilot and Chatg
GBT. And I know everybody and their brother and their father and I mean, you know, seriously, it's just it's it's moving so fast. I personally wouldn't mind revisiting that. I know there are some teachers who have expressed some concerns.
um you know that might be a study session which is why I said like I feel like it's going to be back after a study session and um I don't think we're at a position to put any meaningful measures of something to do with AI. So that's
I agree. Um, John or or someone could you just speak to the bullet item under goal two that Ty just mentioned about the, you know, that uh second bullet, the 75% of 2 to 12th graders being involved in co-curriculars
and 65% of economically disadvantaged students. That was a change I noticed from version two and version one where it had been K through eight increased by 20% and 9 through 12 by five. I think that was what we this is the kind of goal that we wanted, but we were
concerned about tracking, right? So, we um after we got through the last round, Dan and I met with Sophie, who helps us with our data. We also met with each of our our building principles of high school, middle school, and elementary went through these um as well. And and we kind of
were we're hearing that it's more than just LEAP, right? There's other ways in which kids can be connected to school. Um and so we developed a strategy to be able to track this. It's something the high schools have been tracking um more so for communication purposes. So um
middle school principles are taking on that challenge. And then um Dan's going to work with his elementary principles. We we felt like that the grades second and up was um more age appropriate. Right. I'm not necessarily sure if we want kindergarteners to extend their days after they've been at school for
seven hours because they're pretty exhausted after that. Um, so we're really going to look to track that for 2 through 12th grades and we feel like we will be able to pull that out of power school. We also kind of staying with that theme of our economically disadvantaged students. Um, we want them
connected at a higher rate or at the same rate as the rest of our students. Um, we have 65% um, that's one that our baseline is just high school students because those are the only students we tracked on on pri prior years. So, we're hoping that now that we've got a system to track that and we've got all of our
building principles and AAS knowing how to do that that we'll be able to update that um as we work through this plan. I do like that along with to Tai's point. I think one of the it's it's great fine and great to say that we want them to participate or have a participation at an equivalent rate, but
we obviously know there's barriers and so correct this acknowledges them and and I think that I don't know what the baseline is of how bad it is right now, but I'm pretty confident. I don't either. We kind of took a shot at 65%. I mean, I'd love for us to say that our students, no matter what
background they come from, they all participate at the same rate, right? That would be the ideal. So those might have to get adjusted after we sort of track this year and see where we actually are at. Yeah, we did pull just just as some interesting data for LEAP. We did pull, you know, Traverse Heights ran a program
uh where they had a donor cover, you know, the free and reduce rate um for all Traverse Heights uh kids at the elementary. We did see an uptick from when that was done this year to previous years of a of about a 25 to 30% increase in participation. So
that was all kids though, not just frame and reduced. It was but they all because they're a c they all sites automatically gets the whole school does get that rate which is really cool of heights by the way. Yes. And that rate was waved. So it it's interesting. I know I know Tai's
addressing, but when we start to look at future budget planning and and LEAP and kind of going back full circle, there was a time I was part of West Middle when LEAP wasn't called LEAP, but K8 athletics were not paytoplay and then we had our budget cut I think in half
million dollars in 2015 and then this is why we're here now. So again, to look to kind of go back and give those opportunities for all kids, it it makes a big difference. Thousands of kids participating. Yeah. And our principles are super excited to track this because what we
have done at the high schools um in prior years when we track this is we would pull the list. We we primarily focused in on our nth grade students those that were train and then we would say okay out of this list of 35 kids who are you know maybe this kid is doing ice skating. Okay so they've got something going. Maybe this kid's in boy scouts.
Okay. And then we could get down to about 16 to 18 kids that we were like, we need to make a really concerted effort to make sure that we know these kids and these kids feel like they have a connection or how do we make sure that they know about all the options. Um it
was a nice way for us to kind of track that and and and find kids that maybe needed a little more assistance connecting. So yeah, and I've said this before, I'll say it again. the success or failure of this plan is going to rest with most of
the kids that are in the middle. They don't have their own advocacy group and aren't accelerated learners and need this more than anything. And it's hard to identify them sometimes. So, it's going to depend on teachers and staff and administrators to
search those kids out sometimes to be able to get them connected. Yeah. I think that one of the things that I'm really excited about about this plan isn't isn't just the metrics is that Dan and I have gone through and made sure that we've had a way to track all of these like what are the ways in which we've got systems in place to
track these and then how do we pull the data on regular intervals to figure out how are we doing towards them um and we can sit here and say we actually have some a way to track all of these we feel pretty good about that and bring it to the classroom level I think um for the first time in a while
strategic plan that can re that buildings can relate to. Admins can get in front of leadership teams. And we can pinpoint this all the way from this big data we're looking at now to how each individual kid, you know, that that are in that low to low average that we talk
about on a strategic plan for um for looking at for learning and growing is we can find those kids. Yeah, we've already taken this document, you'll see this in future meetings and foreshadowing here. And we've um we've paired it down for high schools. So high schools have a version of this with just
their goals on it. So it's much streamlined and it really helps their staff focus in on, you know, instead of having their document instead of having six student achievement goals, it has two because there's only two that really directly tie to high school and middle school has the same. And Dan's doing the
same with elementary. And then underneath that, we're working on what are the strategies that we're going to create at those different levels because they're a little bit different. And then we added a box that said, "What are your needs to reach and make these strategies come to life?" And so, um, they're excited about about sort of having goals
that they feel like they can own and that relate to their their their level of work with kids. So, and I think to, um, Ty, you I think you gave a told me a good speak something we don't have heard before, but obviously I do not expect us to hit every single one
of these goals. And if we did, we probably failed in setting the goals because we clearly didn't aim high enough. Um, so I am really proud of this yearly when we revisiting the yearly, but the point is is that they should be
difficult and with this many goals there there could be some misses and and the idea is to break that down and say what you know was it just unrealistic? Did we do something wrong? Was it what was the point? And that's equal part of the plan. Well, and I think even in measurement, right, like you can you can
lay out a measurement plan, you can track it, but not until you're really doing it to say, are we really measuring what we're trying to achieve here, and you might have to adjust those things, you know, and um so there's, you know, there's going to be some really straightforward things, but then there's going to be some things that are going to be harder,
um, you know, harder to track. You turn up right over a rock and you find you find another problem that we're going to have to address and it's going to take a little time. That's right. Fundamental to everything. Yeah. One one thing about this goal, too. So, I mean, personally, I would love 100% of our
kids to be involved in something after school, you know, but I had to think about like especially those high school kids who have a job or have to take care of younger siblings or grandma or whatever, they're always going to be those exceptions. Um, take the bus.
Yeah. the and I also thought though about like in terms of your strategies and activities the counselors are so important middle school and high school to reach kids you know they're not only trying to ask them what what activities are you in for college purposes but just for that connectedness piece but what I
wondered about was the second through fifth graders what mechanism do we have to really encourage kids and parents to sign those students up for an a co-curricular activity I think exposure is one I mean I mean the idea of of making sure that um
parents know of the opportunities because that's that's one of the biggest hurdles I think is is knowing that LEAP and then all the individual activities that LEAP has beyond you know basketball, volleyball, I mean we talk about mindfulness um we talk about robotics those are things that that LEAP
offers um for groups is just continuing to make sure especially as new parents come in that they know about the opportunities and expansion of opportunities and having enough room for them Because you remember all of the discussion with the student or the parents that were
really sweating what to do for summer. No summer camp, no summer school, it just wasn't there. So you can create the expectation, but if you cannot meet the expectation, you've done no one service.
And just as a matter we don't have a baseline obviously right now for that kind of you done you did it at high school but we only at the high school small pockets but not systemic. So can we at least just like we've done I think on a few other just obviously baseline to be to be determined at that
first review. Yes they did you had the K through eight registrations for last year. That's all they had. Correct. Yeah. Are we going to do anything for summer? We're working on it.
We did robotics. We put our toe in. So that's that was part of our conversation about what can we find people and start looking at expanding because as a single parent I very much realized I had year round considerations not just school year.
As a as a parent with a we a spouse we were looking for a lot of everything too. Well, that's it. Still am looking at limited slots. Yes. And how do you discriminate right between the single parent household? Well, the hope is that we can service
all kids. So, that's what we got to work on. Mr. Chairman, are you looking for I am looking. I was I think we've hit that point. Is there a motion? Motion. Go ahead. That's what you're saying. Well, I don't
No, it's not written out. I move that I thought you were going to do I would take a motion adopt the TCAP strategic plan 2025 to 2030 as proposed. I will second that.
All right. Um any further discussion? All right. In time I'd like to see us add a survey for the after graduation kits. see good which I don't disagree with but that's the good part is the annual review and I think this is going this
has been a massive project for the board uh so I do appreciate everything but before that we should uh have a vote so Tammy please conduct a roll call vote trusty Ballinger better say yes trusty Hardy hi trusty Beras
yes trustee Moore yes trusty pack yes trusty schmid yes and trusty I'm about. Yes, motion carries. And again, thank you everyone, staff, um community, everyone know the amount of people who have been involved in this and the hours
put in is is huge. So, thank you. Um uh the next discussion item is the added item for CK CKLA materials purchase. Um to answer my appointment. Yep. So, I've provided you the memo that uh Dan had sent me. Um, I've also let
the board know about this. Uh, uh, Secretary, uh, Ballinger did have a couple of things I thought were really valuable that we did update just a little bit. One was identifying exactly what 31M was. It is a state grant in the school a act versus 35 million. Wanted
to make sure that was key. I thought also identifying that um, some split classrooms, we do still have a few splits. Not all of them unfortunately totally were able to eliminate and some were purposeful to make sure that our smaller schools to be able to have room to be able to have kids in different
classes and stuff in grade. Um so th those were the two that were updated just earlier um this uh early afternoon. Again, this is also was posted um as something that I was going to ask to add. So it was online so wasn't a surprise to our community beforehand.
Um, so at this point I'll pass over to Dan just to take any questions you may have on it to bring clarification. Did you want me real quickly? 35mm literacy grant. Um, it's a non-competitive grant. So schools that applied receive the grant. Jesse and
Britney uh just did a fantastic job about there's three different pots that you could apply to either professional development u materials or tier 2. um with our professional development, we felt that we had most of that covered with our title two and some of the tier
2 resources that they provided. Uh we didn't think uh were as useful as as what we were currently using or we could use with CLA. So we we decided to go with the materials. Um that was a great thing to do because we probably came out
with 75% to 80% more money uh with the materials grant than we did with the other two. So a total of 7 around $750,000 that we got with the 35mm grant to be spent um I believe before September 30th, 2026.
So we decided to expand a little bit. We had some ideas about Monastery. I know that we mentioned the splits also um making sure every teacher in Monasuri had a kit before we were just supplying it to one of the mixed grade levels and then also uh expanding our kids to junior kindergarten
um as they will transition as we continue to work on that program and and and develop that curriculum working with the JK teachers. They use a a preschool program to start the year and then we'll slowly start to mix in some of this material.
Okay. Any questions? Do I have a motion? I move that the board of education approve $76,384 from the district section 35mm of the fiscal year 2025 state school aid act
awarded literacy grant for the purchase of state approved CKLA CKLA materials through amplify. This includes a 10% contingency. I second. All right. Um, Tammy, please. Now to roll. Trusty Moonmore, yes.
Trusty Pack, yes. Trusty Varis, yes. Trusty Ballinger, yes. Trusty Hardy. Hi. Trusty Schmidt, yes. Trusty Nville, yes. Motion carries. Just want to thank the board for adding the item. I do not like to bring things to the board without going through committee, but we've had teachers need
it and we have kids in front of us and we got to order. It's important to get it. So, I thank for your flexibility on that item and I apologize for not including as well. um before we had to double through. Um moving on to public comment number two,
which there is none. Um so we do now have a close session portion of the agenda for the superintendent quarterly evaluation. Um just a reminder to everyone, we did talk about doing this an hour earlier to allow time and not the end of the meetings. Um I was planning on starting
that on December on the December annual review which is obviously the more critical one. So that's when I was going to start that. So the December meeting um would be uh put uh we have to make sure it's also posted at 5:00 as well.
Um so just a note that the December meeting should start an hour earlier. I move to enter into a close session for the purpose of conducting a periodic personnel evaluation as allowed by open meetings act PA267 of 1976 section 81A
close session was requested in writing by the employee. Um any discussion? You need a second. Uh Tammy, please conduct a roll. Um, Moonmore, yes. Or Trusty Ballinger.
Oh, I wasn't the second. No, Hardy was the second. I'm sorry. Okay. Trusty Hardy. Yes. Trusty Var. Yes. Trusty Ballinger. Yes. Trusty Pack. Yes. Trusty Schmidt. Yes. Trusty Newman. Bale.
Oh, he said yes. I said yes. I said yes. We all said yes. I The motion carries. We are now in close session. After closed session ends, we return to this server. [Music]
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All right. If no objection, we return to open session. We are now in open session. Um, board preparism and closing remarks. In fact, one thing I just did forget on the meeting that I want to make sure we do cover, Terry, sorry, I don't have my laptop
out. Um, you mentioned a study session earlier. I do believe there is a on the assigned study session that we kept for October 27th. October was it 27th? I think it's October 27th. Yes. Okay,
that was my question. So, there is a an unassigned study session on the um agenda right now. So, October 27th. October 27th. We could either I don't know, John, if you will be ready to do any anything. I noted it was mentioned early childhood
education but um I mean we can I'll say two things I think the team's a little taxed right now with everything just happened right so I wouldn't mind bumping it a month if we could and I do think early childhood would be a good one I don't know
Jessica's availability but we've never gone there and again with some of our initial conversation I think it would be the good for the board to learn just numbers different programs all those kind of things I think it's a good one to to sit and take a look at and understand and we can leave it too early next year
too. So if you want I can we can at least cancel that meeting. I actually think we should literally I mean we have added on meetings. We've had a lot of study sessions. I just I think to push it and that's my own opinion. I just think that uh from a
staff perspective I mean man they have been there's a lot of work to do right now too busting their bots. I just it's been a lot. What I'd like to see is maybe let it go and then wait until
maybe in the spring and do something on AI or do something on early child. I think both of those are important. So I think the organizational meeting you could talk about that again if you wanted to boot it to then say your call and on the organizational meeting like
we did this year we would have proposed dates if the board chooses to do so on which you won't have the strategic planning you know the study sessions well then your strategic plan this this one today is not going to start until
January one or you starting it right now as it's adopted today. Okay. Are you going to do anything on closure of the prior strategic plan or is it just going to settle into the dust? And I think they did that and yeah, we didn't. Okay. Yeah.
So, so we will have one we will have one uh strategic planning for an update to the strategic plan. Oh, sorry, a study session for an update to the strategic plan next year which I think summerish would be good.
you know, I mean, you know, the hardest part, remember, is the MSTEP of anything that's related, we don't get till late, but so, but in January, we can cover all of those. For right now, my point of this is to just um I I plan on canceling the October 27th
meeting. I don't actually know if I need an extra. That's a good move because also it comes right after the Michigan Association of School Boards annual leadership conference, which I think everybody on this board is attending. Yeah. Every superintendent. Yeah. So, I looked at the calendar like, "Oh my gosh, we're going to be
away for 3 days." And then, and the only other question I have is um for the December meeting, do we want to set a time earlier for evaluation? What time would you like that set at? Yeah. Five. Five. Five. Yep. Okay.
For December only. For December only. And then regular meeting. So then, so then we'll just go in whenever that's done, we'll just go into our agenda. Yeah. Okay. So, actually set the meeting for 5:00 starting with pledge of allegiance, all of our stuff, then right into close
session. Yes. Okay. And then we could have I mean, that's kind of weird. All the rest. Well, this is this is what we talked about. This is what we talked about as a board with like cuz at the end everyone's pretty texted with a long
text. So, like we again I can we can change that guidance. Do you think you should go like start at five and then go through sort of public comments, district highlight legislative updates, and then like the first discussion item you go or I don't
know. I I don't I'm just clear clear consent. I mean clear consent. The only problem you run into is if you have public you're waiting to talk about an issue and we're we just started for an hour. Well, the alternative is we
designate, which is risky. It limits it. And then it also means as if we're done early, we're sitting around waiting, but you can say we're going to start at 5:00 and we start the regular meeting where we'll be back in open session at 6:30. Yeah, I like that solution. Well, then let's be real clear when they post the meeting that people know that.
Yeah. So, yeah, that's a good eagle and the teacher would appreciate that. Yeah, like that. I got what you want there. I'm not sure how I'll word it, but I get it. Yeah. So, yeah. I understand the first degenerator will be a closed session. We we expect at 5:00 and then
at that point it's you know we'll just put break in like don't know how long that'll be might be 2 minutes might be 20 minutes and then you know the um next part of the agenda starts at 6:30 correct? Okay we'll figure out how to communicate word
it but that's so it would start at five totally get the understanding of it. Okay. And we'll make it clear. If you leave, we'll follow. Well, again, this is this is new. It's been a very common theme that whenever we've done this, it's typically there's something also has happened for that meeting. So, it's
usually not starting until late for whatever reason. And so, for the last several reviews, we've we've had some starting particularly late, and it's just clearly not productive. And it's one of our most critical parts of the year of evaluating the superintendent. and that's one of
our biggest jobs. So, um I want to make sure that we do it in the right mindset and give it time it deserves. So, I think that's a great solution. Then 5:00 um we'll start the meeting early and we'll make it clear that regular business will start at 6:30
and God will if we know the budget. If we don't, we probably don't have the money. That would be crazy. Yeah. Um I'll have to get back with my whole schedule. I I don't need a motion. I
as long as everyone's okay and give and uh nothing that. So, do I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? I move to adjourn the meeting. I second. Excellent. All those in favor say I. I. All those post say nay. Meeting adjourned.