- I call to order this work study meeting of the school district ofIndependent School District 624. I would ask the clerkto please call the roll. - [Clerk] Arcand.- [Arcand] Here. - [Clerk] Daniels?- [Daniels] Here. - [Clerk] Ellison?- Here. - [Clerk] Newmaster?- [Dr. Newmaster] Here. - Streiff-Oji?- Here. - Wonderful, thank you. Welcome back, everyone. I hope you all had a good summer. And it's the surface of the sun, finally, like at the end of summer. So I hope everybody's staying cool. So we're moving into, we havetwo discussion items tonight. Discussion item B1, 2024-25 School Year cellphone Procedures. Dr. Gillespie. (microphone clunks) - Chair Ellison, membersof the board, good evening. Tonight we're going to talk about student cellphone use guidelines. I have Cathryn Peterson here with me who's a essential principal. Russ Reed I believe willbe joining us tonight, is also at parent nightat the high school. So if he doesn't join us, we will do our very best in hisabsence to answer questions. So as you know, cellphoneuse has been a topic, to say the least, in the news and this past legislative session. And so we wanted to come together and really talk about what are we doing for our cellphone use guidelines and make sure that you understand. And then this would be the first message that our public would be hearing. All of our principals reachout, either through newsletters, and then I'll talk alittle bit more in depth about what the high school will be doing to let their families know. So the why behind thisand why have cellphones and the use for our youngpeople been on the radar even more now is because there really is more and more research showingthat the impact on our kids is really negative. It they can be a major source of distraction in the classroom. Our goal is obviously for students to be able to developmeaningful relationships with their peers and with their educators. We find that students have areduced focus and attention. They can be really temptedto check their social media and feel it buzzing in their pockets when it's on their person. And then research keepscoming out around the impacts of on student health, wellbeing,and academic performance. And so that really is the why of why people are diving into it. (Dr. Gillespie mumbles) So what will our guidelines be? (members whispering) Did it go? Okay. Hopefully it doesn't go a million, okay. Our guidelines will be, during the day, cellphones are notallowed during class time and should be stored in lockersor backpacks and silenced. That is not new guidelines for us for K-8. We've had that for a very long time. Our schools have worked through that with students and families. That is new guidelines in terms of what the high school has done. And so Russ Reed's principal and his team have done a lot of work around communicating with families, and I'll talk a little bit more about that communication in a second. The other pieces is whatis a general guideline across our system is cellphones and use outside ofclass will be determined by the school, individual school. And so that can be, someschools will allow it before or after school or during breaks. And really that's whatour high school is doing after feedback with their families. And so I didn't wannachange what we're doing K-8, especially since we havethose cell phones off and out of sight is what you'rehearing a lot in the news and nationally. And that's been successfulfor our principals, but there are some nuances thatprincipals will communicate in terms of when they can use the phone outside of those academic times. So at the high school, Russ and his team surveyed their parents, and I wanted to share that data with you just so you kind ofknow where the families of our high school were sitting. So 813 parents respondedto a survey in the Spring. And the three questionsthat really stuck out to me, and he will share this data again when communication goesout tomorrow to families, is 81.4% of parentsagreed or strongly agreed that cellphones are a majordistraction for their student. 79.8% of those parents thatresponded to the survey, which is a strong response for us, support or strongly support no cellphone use in the classroom. And then 81.7% of those families support or strongly support use during breaks, and lunchtime, and things like that. And so Russ is reallyhelping high school students and families understand the why behind it, how it connects to thecommunity that they're creating at our now 9-12 high school,which is very exciting. And then they're going todo education with students throughout the first few weeks of school so that they understand. As we know, you know, when Iwas a high school principal, it wasn't really that long ago, but the guidance thatwe had was different. It was very nuancedclassroom by classroom. And the research just keepscoming out that this is how we best support ourkids with their learning. So again, what we're wanting to do, and this is aligned withwhat we talked about in our strategic plan, what our principals arereally striving to do, what our families want us to do. We wanna create a supportivelearning environment so we can increase focus andengagement for our students, obviously reduce distractions so that we can lean even harder and more into our academic outcomes so that they can increase. We want a safer and morerespectful school climate. And so how do we makesure that we're reducing behavior incidents thatcan sometimes occur because of cellphone interactions, how do we make surestudents have opportunities to truly connect with each other and with their staff members? And then again, teachingresponsible technology use, and we are doing that by helping kids maybe establish boundariesthat they can't quite yet establish for themselves. Because that social mediaand that constant connection does have them really sometimes, words that they're using now in research is the word addicted. And I'm not an expert,but I keep reading that. But that is, our studentsjust can't stop that for themselves. And so how do we help them there, but then teach them when they can use it and so that they really canbalance still being connected 'cause they are a generation that has grown up with technology, but do it in a healthy way for themselves. The other piece is wereally need to work together for this to be successful. Like I mentioned, we continueto do student education. Our parents and guardiancommunication will be ongoing but helping. You know, we understand whenpeople are worried about emergencies and things like that or when students have individual needs. So our schools will absolutely work with those individual families and students to figure out something that can help the students be successfuland still again, be able to engage in learningat the highest level possible. We're teaching. We're doing teacher training. I see I have a typo in there. At teacher training andreally helping our teachers when and where they need it. So at the high school theymight right now need it a little bit more becauseit's different guidelines. However, as we continue towork with our educators, our administrators are constantly looking for resources to help them. And then again, we will continue to review and adjust as we get better research, as we're seeing what's working. If we need to bring, youknow, stronger guidelines to support to the board, wewill ask for that support. But right now we reallyfeel like what we're doing, and then aligning the highschool to what we've been doing, K-8, will help us as we leaninto this next school year. So Cathryn and I are here for questions. - [Chair] Any questions forDr. Gillespie and Ms. Peterson? Dr. Newmaster? - First I have to say aza! It's time. And we've talked aboutit as classroom teachers on a school level, how hard it was with different expectationsin different classrooms and having this clearly presented, and you did a really goodjob of making it clear. My only question is, I know the state hasalso been working on it with the Department of Ed. So have they done their finalized version, and are we in sync or? - They have. What it said in the guideline is that they would ask school districts to make sure that you had theschool's develop guidelines, which we are in compliance with that. I haven't looked at, I haven't seen yet ifthere's an updated policy. If there is one that we needto bring the policy committee, we will. The other piece is at the legislature, they said they would workwith the Minnesota Association of elementary school principals and secondary school principals to develop a toolkit for our principals, and they've published that. So our principals have that as well as they continue to lean in, and all of what we'redoing is aligned to that. But it gives even more research and helps, you know, familieswhen they have questions. - That gives us a lot more. - [Dr. Gillespie] Yeah.- School on ramp. - [Dr. Gillespie] Absolutely. - [Chair] Ms. Daniels. - I was impressed with the number of parents you have responding. That was really, really great, and also impressed thatthey were so in favor. It sounds great. And I'm sure you've thought of this, but a couple things. I was thinking about some of those kids that have medical issues, and they wear their cellphone because maybe they're adiabetic or something, and they have their, they have a need. So I'm sure you'll make exceptions for those kids that have those special- - We actually last year were at Central, just came together as astaff and really focused on clear and consistent expectations. And I started at theend of my announcements every single morning,started by reminding kids why we were putting our cellphones away, turning them off and goinglike through all of that. And when the staff all came together, there really had limited issues, and it was never aproblem for like the kids that have like needed to beable to read or to monitor. And I think other kidswere aware of that too. And then we do thingslike that for MCA's too. So that- - That's really great. The other, I just havecomments not really question, and I don't even know, itwas not one of our schools. It was not a person in our community, but just said they hadwalked into a lunch room, a public school, and it was during, you know, during, like any lunch period andkids were (indistinct) They didn't even know theywere getting close to it because all the kids hadtheir phones in one hand. You know, that used to be likethe biggest part of the day was the kids connecting at that time. So I know it's at the timethat they have a break, and they can use them, butalso it makes me feel sad. I don't know that thathappens in our lunchroom, but I think that that's, they're not like lookingat the kid across the table and text to 'em then actually talking. And I know you- - [Dr. Peterson] TheCentral lunch room's loud. (members laughing) - If you want a dose of goodkid laughter, come on down. And actually I would saythey've had their phones out. And the fun part for me is they'll say, "Ms. Peterson, come here. I wanna show you the new dog that I got." And so you start to learn a lot of things like about kids that way too. And- (member speaking indistinctly) Yes, and they are definitelyinteracting with each other at lunch the whole time. So that's a positive. - [Member] Yeah.- Yeah. - [Chair] Ms. Streiff-Oji? - So I'm super glad you guysare doing something around this and excited for our kids whoneed help to put it down. It's a great escape. My question would bearound the consistency. Did I hear that the highschool's gonna do one thing, and then the other schools are, it's gonna be school by school as far as outside the classroom? - Yeah, so the high school allow it, and then historically our middle schools have been different. One allows it and one doesn't. We haven't had a problem. So they communicate that with kids. And at this point it'sreally working for them. So I didn't wanna haveto really force that part because the consistent part is the one that we really are focusing on,which is the academic piece. But again, we'll monitorit ongoing, you know? Technically the legislaturegave us to March of next year. You know, it's much betterto start it now with kids, but we might have somethingelse to bring to you, you know, next yeardepending on how it goes. But it'll be great to track data and see the impact it'shaving now that we do it K-12. - And I really like thatyou're involving the parents in the decision and getting that feedback. - Yeah, I think the highschool team has done a really great job. - Dr. Arcand? - You know, we know it's time, and I know we've had a couple of studies that said you could lose upto 30% of your class time because of distractions of the cellphone. And that's significantwhen you're trying to get through the state standards. The question that keepscoming to my mind is how are we supporting our teachers who are on the front line, you know, because they're the ones that have to then handle the students that don'twanna put their phone away or continually pull it out. You know, what plans do wehave to support our teachers? - Yeah, talk to the middle school? - Yeah. I mean, I can just, we, lastyear it was a group of teachers who really came together tosay what do we want to do to be clear and consistent? Because we know when we haveall the adults on the same page that then the kids canbe on the same page. And so we've continued to do that. Then I started in Augustreminding families, like, talk to yourchild about these pieces about cellphones. We will have some different reminders on the written announcements, but continue to saythose things to students at the beginning of the day. I think both buildings also have, if a student is reallystruggling, a tech pickup and some student supervisorsthat can come in. And we always enter the middle school from a place of education. Like what's happening? You have the cellphone? Like how can we help you to problem solve? Like there's some needthat is not being met. And so we have that process to be able to tap in and remove that 'cause we absolutely wantthe teachers to focus on their learning with the students. - The high school, they've figured out multiple different ways thatthey can support the teacher. I think the biggest piece willbe that consistent education like Cathryn talked about for students and then thinking throughif and when kids won't, what are the consequences? How do they get support, and how do we partner withfamilies so that, you know, really it's helpingkids understand the why they wanna be successful too? - And I think it'd be fair to say that if we're consistent at the middle schools, it's nothing new whenthey get to high school. It's been that way for K-8,so hopefully then, you know, it might just be a couple of years as we're transitioning that, but eventually it'll just be the norm. - For sure, yep. - [Mr Arcand] Thank you. - I could not wait to fill out that survey when it came to my class as a parent. (members laughing) I was so excited. And I, you know, I think it helps because even as a parent,no matter how many times you talk to your kids aboutthis is good cellphone behavior, these kids are born, like yousaid, growing up with this, that they fill emptyspaces with their phones. So I really appreciate the thoughtfulness and attention to detail. And you know, like mycolleagues have said, it's time. So I think it's really great. I had a question, and now it left my head. But thank you so much. I really appreciate you jumping into the unified high school with this rule. - [Dr. Gillespie] Yeah. - Any other questions? Oh, Dr. Newmaster? - I was just gonna say, Ithink it might even help the conversation at home. Because I have a neighbor who was, no cellphones at the dinner table, no cellphones at sleepover. And when the friendscame for the sleepover, she had a basket. The cellphones went in there. Because I said we're notgonna play cellphone games at two in the morning. So I think when peoplehave that conversation about all the positives andall the negatives at school, it kinda opens it up tohave a conversation about what would make it better at home too. - Oh, I remember my question, I'm sorry. Is the policy at elementary schools, I forget if you said that in here, just no cellphones at all? - Yeah, basically they communicate the same way with families. Fifth graders sometimes can have 'em more, so then it's more, you know, for the most part, all of 'em are, no. There's one school thatallows some flexibility before and after schoolfor some of the older kids. But they've worked with that with their families for a long time. And again, work on, youknow, if there's emergencies, or whatever's going on, itreally is the fastest way to get ahold of a studentis through the main office. - [Chair] Yep. Alright, thank you both so much. - Thank you. Thanks. - Moving to our next discussion, item B2, overview of back to school events. Dr. Kazmierczak. - Right, just a, brief overview here and I ask maybe some ofmy cabinet colleagues to chime in if there are some things that I'm not covering asthoroughly as I should about, we have back to school preparations. We have our website. It's a one stop shop for allsorts of things related to back to school. So supply list, annualfamily update links. Each year families have togo through a fairly extensive update of all theirinformation for students. So that link is there. It's been streamlined,so it's easy to navigate, and parents and studentsfind the information they need quickly. Each school is currently sending out quite a bit of informationtailored to their families and students. Especially this week,everything's ramping up. So schools handle a lot ofthat day to day communication. Back to school events by each school. And we have a lot of those, great opportunity for students and parents to meet their teachers, tour the school, connect with other families. We had one of the wrap up days today again at the high school. I almost said North. (members laughing) We're trying not to do that, right? We point, say North. So at the high school, and a lot of smiling faces, alot of real positive energy. So that's been great. Enrollments, processesare running smoothly. We're seeing new studentsenter the district. So we'll share that enrollment, opening day enrollmentreport at the next meeting. So hopefully we'll have somegood news to share there. And yeah, we're hiring and continue to need certainpositions, extended day. I think we're still in a few. Any other categories thatwe're a little short in, Matt? - [Matt] Other than that, we'rereally looking pretty good. There's the kind of natural flow, but for the most part, youcould have taken a snapshot at many different times during the summer. We have what we're looking for there. - Yeah. Awesome. And then we had ourconvocation event this morning. I'll talk a little bitmore about that in a bit. Construction timeline. So Tim, I don't know ifyou, I'll talk a little bit, but maybe you wanna fill ina little bit more detail. So Central Middle School, things are, we're buttoning up thesummer's work this week, so it's busy. You'll see, you know, one of the effects, and we're experiencing it today, the district center is offline with error, but that, you know, sometimeshappens during construction. So they're working through that. Mariner Middle School,extensive work there. I'm not sure, Tim, if youhave any update there, - [Tim] We're noticing that where there's some funding left to do. But they've got, you know, they have open house onthe 28th on Wednesday, and they're expectingto be up and running. There's a lot of work to do, but we got, you know,gotta handle (indistinct) Central's probably our bigger challenge. We took three seasons of construction and compressed it into two, so we know it was gonna bereally tight, and it is, so. So we're working hard this week. Open house on the 28th will be tight, and it might not be exactlythe way they'd like it to be, but it'll be, but there'llbe an open house on the 28th. - Ready or not, here they come. Okay. And then I mentionedthe high school already. Lots of the final finishingtouches on the landscaping has happened in the last weekor two and looks fabulous. - [Tim] But really justthat punch list level that high school also will beworking on that for months, depending on punch list. Good shape. Performing Arts Centerwill be early November. - So concerts held inDecember in that site, in that building- - [Tim] Just to keep thepressure on construction. (members laughing) - And Hugo Elementarywill be our temporary site for the transition education center. Anything there, Tim? They're pretty well situated? - [Tim] That's which one? - Hugo Elementary, Hugo transition. - [Tim] Yeah, pretty good shape there. - Yeah. Alright, there's a few events coming up. So we've talked about theopen house this Thursday at the high school from three to six p.m. We expect very large crowdthat day with a lot of parents and students have obviouslybeen through it already, but we expect greatinterest from our community. And then that night isour first football game in the new stadium. So playing in Minnetonka. David Law is thesuperintendent over there. David used to work here. Unfortunately, he won't be here. His son plays in themarching band at the U of M. So otherwise you're probablygonna lose some sort of a bet, but he won't be here, so. I think he's afraid tocome over, honestly. (members laughing) - That's probably- - But I'll make sure I let him know that that's how we feel about it. So, but anyway, it shouldbe a very, very festive day and a fun night of Friday night football. And the weather will be muchbetter than it's today, so. Homecoming week is October6th through the 12th, so always a big highlight. A little bit later homecoming this year, so there should beguaranteed cool weather, maybe cold weather. Bounce house carnival on October 6th as part of homecoming week, four to seven at the highschool main entrance. It's a fun-filled event for all ages. So bring your family andjoin us for that afternoon. On October 11th, there'llbe the homecoming parade at 4:30 in downtown White Bear Lake, followed by the bigfootball game at seven. To gonna close out theweek, Bear bike ride. That'll take place in themorning of October 12th. Then the homecoming dancewill happen that evening at the field house. So I don't know, Tim, do you wanna say anythingabout the bike ride? - Yeah, bike ride's athird year doing this. The money raised for thatsupports scholarships and financial assistancefor youth sports camps and enrichment and activities. We made the transition thisyear to tide to homecoming to make it more of afamily, fun family event in addition to those who aremaybe more serious bike riders. So we'll have a 25 mile, 50 mile route that we've had in the past. In addition to that, we will be starting from the high school. We'll have more of a, my kind of route, The max I'll be able to gois the little nine mile route around Bald Eagle Lake. And then for those withyounger kids, or families, or that's non-experienced riders, we're just gonna make a small route that'll go around the high school and middle school campus here that day. So different start times. Free. There's no expectation thatpeople have to pay to attend. If they want to comeparticipate, they're welcome to. We do have different apparel for the event and accepted donations should people want to receive the apparel or participate for those other rides. So if you're available, come on. - All right, thanks, Tim. And last event I wanna mention tonight is the October 9th community open house at Mariner Middle School. - I have one that I-- Oh. - I just, this pastweek, this past Saturday, I just wanted to recognizethe ready for school event that took place at the high school in the commons area there. And to thank the community members that took part in that as well. (indistinct) voluntarily. There's a lot of vendors in there as well. So just to thank everybody for that. School supplies weregiven away, and clothing, and a lot of different things, food. So it was great. - Right. - [Tim] Sure. Shout out to Susan and the tech team too. - Yes, yes. - [Tim] There's a lot offamilies with resources online to help them out. - Forms were being completed and- So yeah, it was great, so. - [Arcand] Dr. Kazmierczak.- Yeah. - [Chair] Dr. Arcand. - I know we've heard a lot about how Thursday is the homeopener for football, but we've gotta remember thatour girls volleyball team opens their season tomorrownight against Hutchinson. - [Dr. Kazmierczak] All right. - So that would be a goodopportunity for them. I don't wanna get them left out. And we also have to rememberthat I know their soccer teams are started in the inner seasonand cross country starting. So there's a lot going on. There's a lot of opportunitiesto support our students. - Yeah, thank you for that. And all of the athletic schedules are on the district website. So tons of opportunities to see our Bears. As a former volleyballcoach, appreciate you. (members laughing) Alright, anything else from the crew? We had our convocation event this morning. Fortunately we planned, we originally planned arelatively short program and that worked out giventhe temperature and- - Circles of the sun.- Heat index. So yeah, it started out cloudy, and then the sun came out for the event, and then the cloud covercame back when it was over. So it was, normally that wouldbe considered perfect timing, but I mean, not so much today, but, so yeah, it was a great event. We had Minnesota Education Commissioner Willie Jet in attendance. I invited him immediately after he toured North Star Elementary in December, and we had a conversation. He was invited, and then we found out a little while ago that he was gonna make it. And the big hook I think toget him here was Jim Galvin. And if you were there today and you got to hear Jim Galvin, what a wonderful, wonderful,wonderful human being. And yeah, very, very proudthat we've honored him the way we have. He's given so much to our community, so. And he arrived, and I suggested to him that, you know, "Jim, if you wanna say a fewwords, you're welcome to. You don't have to." And he said, "Well, I mighthave a couple things." (members laughing) And he stole the show. So he was very good. So, and then our teacherof the year also spoke, Michele Norcross, so. So yeah, I think it was a good kickoff. And then staff had the opportunity to go through the high school before getting back to their buildings and starting their prepfor the school year. Alright, that's the update. - Any questions for Dr.Kazmierczak or the cabinet, or comments? I was just thinking thatfive years ago right now, so it's 2019, we were prepping for thereferendum to be on the ballot. Right?- Yeah. - And so thinking about five years and the amount of buildingwork that's been done, it really kind of blows your mind when you sit down and think about it. You know, with the, all the elementaryschools getting touched, ALC, middle schools, andthen the high school. It's really a tremendous amount of work. So I'm excited and gratefulto the community, of course, but then everybody here. And I have a, one of mykids is a 9th grader, so he's starting this fall, and it's really hard for me to squeeze any reactions outta that kid.(members laughing) But he's over there right now picking out lockers with his friends, and he wanted to be leftthere for a little while with his buddies becausehe was so excited. So it's a wonderful time to be a Bear. Oh yes. Ms. Daniels. - [Ms. Daniels] The kidsthat were in the program this morning, the drumline, a little orchestra. - Yeah. - Piece and the singing. Thought that was such awonderful thing, and the tunes. They all did such a great job, and I was thinking abouthow hot they must have been out there, you know, intheir black t-shirts. Yeah, we appreciated them too. - Well and also what Jim Galvinsaid about buy the lemonade. If you were there at convocation, Jim said you shouldalways buy the lemonade. And what he meant by thatwas go to the kids' stuff, be interested in whatthey're interested in, go to the band concert, go to the game, and if you see a kid selling lemonade on the side of the road,stop and buy something. And I just thought thatwas a really beautiful way to think about supportingour students, so. All right, any otherquestions or comments? Oh, Dr. Newmaster. - One other historical comment. This room has been the pressure cooker and the planning space forso many community people and staff that were dreaming of the things that are now on display. When you think of it, I mean, before the strategic planningwe had neighborhood meetings and all sorts of things, but I mean, I think our community is special for their involvement. And you get 200 people volunteering to discuss something that maybe is kind of an academic geeky thing,and they just dig right in. And so I think a whole lotof people saw the vision, but are pretty impressed whenthey see it in the stadium, or on the field, or inthe new learning commons, or any place. So it's been a long journey, and it's just starting the next stage. Application. So, cool. - So shout out to Marge. That's her final convocationas a board member. Unless you run again downthe road sometime, but. - I don't think so.(members laughing) I think, you know, from '71 to '24, it's time to pass the torch.(members laughing) But I did say I wanna continueon the community advisory, and I'll get involvedwith the senior program. - Yeah. So, alright, I'm gonnaembarrass you maybe. Maybe you don't get embarrassed actually. Jim Galvin came to theschool district in 1970. That's the same schoolyear that Marge started. And 1970 is when I was born. So.(members laughing) - I always knew you were like my kid. (members laughing) My son is 49, so. - So anyway.- Yeah it's- - Yeah, there was some symmetrythis morning, for sure. - It kind of is, I don't know, balance. - Yeah. All right. Probably time to wrap up. - Alright. It's exciting. No, it's exciting. You know, and I think thatwe have to take a minute and pause because it's been a few years. And I think we can take aminute and just think about what our kids are gonna be walking into. - [Member] Yeah. - And our teachers and staff. So I think it's okay, - I'm gonna say one more thing then since we're taking a minute to pause. So I used to live, our firsthouse was across the street from Central here in Blue (indistinct) We lived there for, Idunno, 10-11 years, anyway. And our son was born there. It was 1983. We moved in in '81. He was born in '83, and that was the year school split apart. And it was still a junior high. It was 9th graders. So kids were driving, and you know, all those type of things. But so he turned 40 last year. And I remember thinking, you know, well, someday we're gonnaget those schools together. And then I began to teach in the district and be on committees where wewere gonna unify the schools. So I was on a lot ofcommittees over the years, and it never really, we just couldn't get over the finish line. So I, today, I mean, reallyit's just so impressive, and thanks to all the community members and people that were brave enough to push another referendumforward after all those years and have vision to make it happen. It's just incredible. It really, really is. So anyway, it was great. It is great. - [Dr. Newmaster] I gottatrust one more comment. (members laughing) - [Chair] Yes, go ahead, Dr. Newmaster. Go ahead. - Just from the perspectiveas we talk about the negatives of two high schools, that also was a big community effort, and we did it for the kids because we just couldn'tkeep the offerings rich. And we have such a wealth and things we offer thekids now to combine, but we couldn't do it without the split. And having nine, 10, and 11, 12, for some of those low demographic years that had nothing to dowith COVID or anything. It's just the cohorts were small, and the boom didn't continue. And we did it for the kids, and we did it for the kids even better. And we couldn't have done thatwithout the whole community, and taxpayers like therest of us saying yes, this is worth it. And it's a wonderful vision. But I don't think the other one was, like we did it to be a bad thing. We did it to continue, you know, academic challenge, small classes. The last time, I taught thelast year Mariner closed 'cause that was one of thebudget cuts, bumps, rips, and strands that many peopleand German teachers do. And it makes you a broader person. But I remember having 14kids in my German five class, and one of 'em was a exchangestudent from Germany. So it just wasn't enough. And when they combined, thenyou had healthy programs that could do college in the schools 'cause you had enough kids. So there was always areason focused on the kids, what can we offer them, andhow can we keep a rich program. So it's all good. - Yeah, good reminder of- - [Chair] Well said.- Yeah. Decisions are made for theright reason, you know? - [Dr. Newmaster] Yeah. - All right, well, we aregonna move into our next item, which is the review of thesuperintendent's evaluation. We do this every year. This portion of the meeting may be closed to discuss evaluation of superintendent pursuant to Minnesota statutes13D 0.05 subdivision 3A. And what we will do is wewill move into closed session. We will conduct thereview of the evaluation. We'll go back into opensession, and then adjourn. And then the board will report out at a future meeting on the evaluation. So with that, I would ask for a motion to move into closed session. - [Dr. Newmaster] So moved. - A motion by Dr. Newmaster, and a second? - [Ms. Daniels] Second. - A second by Ms. Daniels. All in favor of moving intoclosed session, please say aye. - [Members] Aye. - Opposed, same sign. And we are in closed session. We'll move up to 201.