Call this meeting of the Robindale Area School Board to order. Today is Monday, May 18th, 2026. It is 6 p.m. We are in the Education Service Center ballroom. And at this time, I would like to say welcome to everyone who is here. And will Director W please read our land acknowledgement? >> Sure. We acknowledge Robinsdale area schools is located on the homelands of the Dakota and Ojiway people. We recognize the painful history of genocide and false assimilation of the indigenous inhabitants of this land. We honor and respect the many indigenous people who live on and hold sacred these lands and we stand with members of these nations to fight injustice in all of its forms. We uphold the preservation of Dakota and Ojiway languages, landbased education, and tribal sovereignty. >> Thank you. At this time, will our clerk please call the role? >> Yes. With pleasure. Director Basset >> here. >> Director Bowman marks herself here. Director Bren Brennesen >> here. >> Chair Evans Becker, >> I'm here. >> Director Hillbrand >> here. >> Director Long >> here. >> Director Wuto here. >> And Dr. Stalo here. >> We have a quorum. more than a quorum and we're all here. That's great. All righty. Um, first thing up is approval of our agenda. Do I have a move to approve our agenda? >> So moved. >> Moved by Director Binderson, seconded by Director Bowman. All in favor, please say I. I. >> I. Oppose. Say no. >> We've got an agenda. It's time to move on. And we have a special report from the District 281 Youth Council. Superintendent Stella. >> Actually, welcome uh this evening. We are delighted to see you again and to um listen to your presentation and the research in which you've been engaged. I'm going to go ahead and hand it over to Executive Director Williams as an introduction to our youth council. >> Right. Thank you. Um good evening, Chair Evans Becker, members of the board, Superintendent Nostal. Um it is my pleasure here to uh to to present to you the 281 Youth Council. Um in the spirit of theme C, collaboration and partnership specifically about elevating student voice and decision-making process. um tonight they're going to present their research and their recommendations to the board um and then you'll have an opportunity to uh to ask questions and we just we do ask that the questions are um pertinent to what they are presenting tonight and the work that they've put in this year. So u thank you and I'll pass it over to Dr. Beaton and the 21 youth council. >> Good evening everyone. Um thank you for having us. We're excited to share what we have um researched this year. I've got u most of the students with me. I'll let them introduce themselves for one of our first slides. Um I'm Dr. Eaton. This is my third year with the youth council and so I'm excited to see how it's grown. Um and excited to show you what they've done. So first our purpose statement. Is that you David? >> The purpose of this presentation is to introduce this year's 281 Youth Council, share our research process, and offer recommendations to Robindale District Leadership, the school board leadership team, and leading learning leaders. >> [clears throat] >> The 281 Youth Council mission is to work on behalf of District 281 student body to improve the overall experience for every student by incorporating youth voices into the decision-making process. [snorts] >> Um, my name is Lamar and I'm a 10th grader. >> My name is Barbara Rodriguez Aeros. I am an 11th grader. My name is Brena. Oh, >> my name is Brena Hines and I'm in 10th grade. >> My name is My name is Brier Kimmas and I'm a 10th grader. >> My name is David Johnson and I'm an 11th grader. >> My name is Homa Badasso and I'm an 11th grader. >> Uh my name is Arada and I'm a 10th grader. And then we have two um two other members that are not with us tonight but have been a part of the journey. So I'll just start by saying that this has been um a series of phases and so we do follow authentic research practices starting with working backwards from this year the district vision 2030 and then also we um we're looking at schoolboard notes and things that have been happening uh in January around the decision-m for our district. And so the first thing we did when we got together as a group was did um some student lived experience around the notion of transition. And so the kids did some writing um what it was like for themselves in moments of transition to get ourselves used to that word and used to that idea. And then the kids came to ideas of sense of belonging, transition and change as some words that moved us forward. And so right at the very beginning they were wondering can we support students sense of belonging during transition? So knowing what our district is going through that felt like a really pertinent dive to to dig into and so that led us to our second phase. This group is a a strong group of readers and they like to read research and so they were reading about schools in transition sense of belonging and then they were starting to think about what do we want to do for our research project and they were thinking about focus groups. So, they read more about what that is to do focus groups. And then they designed the research project to um really get after how students are feeling in times of transition, but they're also making sure that they didn't talk to any students about schools closing because we wanted to be protective of especially our younger kids that might not know at the time that we did this. So, they were really cognizant of that part of the process. And so, then for phase two, um we did focus groups and observations. this group, you'll hear about it, but they chose third grade on purpose because the kids were old enough to have group discussions and also um had been at the school before but would continue at the same school the following year. And same thing with seventh grade. So picked seventh grade, they'd already been at the school but then would still have another year at the school. And we ended up um interviewing students from five different schools using that focus group method. And then we also spent time doing observations while at each building. And most of the kids got to go to two buildings in one day. And then one group of kids went to one building. For our third phase, we had gathered all of our data and then we spent time together analyzing it. And so we were really trying to identify themes. They found identity, friendships, and learning and then also the arts which you'll hear about today. And then they read more. And so they again strong readers and really wanted to know more about these concepts and these themes. So, I just wrote down what they had been reading about the power of art in schools, the impact of school closure, um adolescent friendships, feeling safe and valued, and how it increases learning. And so then we got the chance to look at some of the 281 student and um caregiver survey data and that aligned quite nicely with what we had studied. And then for our final FRA phase, we started to talk about right what do we have for priorities knowing that we get to present to different groups and then also what do they want to offer as recommendations. And so that's what they'll share with you today. Oh my one more slide for me. Um we always start with context. And so the context is in our district right now with the transition happening. Um recognizing that it can be isolating. Arada found a quote from something she had read that's talking about until their sense of belonging is secure, students will not reach anything close to their full potential or feel safe enough to bring out their gifts to experiment with their identity to find what is authentic to them or to take the risks and apply the energy needed to reach their academic potential. And so just always on the mind of how important it is. Um and the kids were paying attention to how it can be isolating but does it need to be? And so that's where you can see some of their notes in that photograph on the right. um that's pulling from their time at the schools and what the younger kids were saying. And so I'm really proud of this group for sharing their high school selves with the rest of our district and pulling from our elementaryaries and our middle schools. Um I thought that was really special. So I'll let them start and we'll pass this [clears throat] microphone around. So who's first? Um, our initial reading led us to wonder about many different themes and that wondering led us to the development of our research question. How we can how can we support student sense of belonging during transition? To answer this, we determined the best methodology would be to perform focus groups with third and seventh graders. And as Dr. Dr. Beaton mentioned previously. Um we chose third and seventh graders because they had already been in their school but would also remain in this school for the changes in the following year. Uh we developed our own set of questions for the focus groups. For example, what is your favorite spot here at school and why? And what do you look forward to each day when you come to school? We decided to develop our own set of questions so we could get the or so we could facilitate the discussions that we wanted related to these topics so we could learn how these kids feel about their school. And after each reading and each time we went out to gather research, we would come together for group discussion. And that uh table that you can see in the top corner is our observations from our focus group which we discussed as a group. Throughout our research pro process, we found two overarching themes. Friendship and new identity. For us, new identity would mean to create the school that is leaving to rather than assimilating them into the new school to create a community that fosters a space for both of the schools. New leaders found that connection happens when the school community collectively feels supported, respected, and accepted by one another. And this only happens, this sense of belonging only happens by intention. A student from fair stated that we want a group where we can talk about the community and how we can make it better. The students cons the students actively talked about how they wanted to be active in the community and further develop this culture of the schools. The other overarching ident overarching theme was friendships. Friendships foster a supportive environment for collaboration and knowledge sharing and contribute to the overall academic experience. And in fact, friendship was mentioned 65 times throughout the focus groups. An example of this is a is a Neil student saying, "I'm going to miss my friends." in regards to their to spring and summer break and just any times when they when they are not able to see their friends because especially with younger students it is hard to make these to maintain connections with their friends as they don't have phones to communicate and transportation to meet their friends. Another example of this is a Samberg student responded to the question, "What is your own view on the new kids coming in?" And they responded with, "I mean they're my friends." The students actively talked about how much they value their friendships and how they are excited to make new friendships throughout the years in the Robinale district. >> Um so one other theme we had was uh protecting student learning understanding that transitioning can be isolating. We found that understanding that transitions can be isolating, disruptions in sense of belonging and um relationships could be harmful to academics. So to support this one um from my research in our research I we found according to Osman uh 2000 students who experience acceptance are more highly motivated engaged. Additionally from Scalario, a sense of belonging is a significant driver of academic success. This means that students who experience sense of belonging in their schools and who are having um good uh relationships with peer relationships in schools can have is linked to um good academics. to support this uh and show the importance for this in our district. One Stanberg student mentioned that everyone has their own certain little groups and it's hard to join one another because they've already been talking for a while. This means that in our district that some students find that once groups are created, it's hard to um um come up one with one another and uh join into another groups. And for the transitioning students, this may impact um their sense of belonging and their relationships. >> So we recommend that in we recommend that there are in-class times and opportunities for students to build these relationships [clears throat] along along with building relationships with their peers. Students in our focus groups talked a lot about how in their classrooms they wanted more support and more protected student learning in the classroom. Meaning that sometimes they felt as though there were disruptions in the classroom that got in the way of their learning and they did not appreciate how often times these disturbances were ignored or not dealt with in time. Like a fair student said, "I feel like students could be disruptive and the teacher is flexible with it and doesn't solve the problem." The friendships that are made in school help student achievement, but additionally they need students need support in the classroom to further fuel their achievement along with the relationships that they make. And additionally uh more structure in their classes and overall understanding of what is expected expected from them and what they and what the adults believe that these students can achieve. That fosters a group identity and that fosters schoolwide unity which is important in the time of transition when a lot of these students are used to different things in each school. Students feel more engaged in school when they have opportunities to practice arts, clubs, and sports. A fair student said specifically the arts because experiencing things helps you feel connected to the school and you learn new things with other students. When we went to these schools, middle schools and elementary schools, there was a common theme in which they all said that because of arts and sports, that was like their favorite part of the school day and that's what they were looking forward to when they came to school. When we went to Sonison, a student said, "Every day I look forward to going outside." And this also shows that recess and free time was a way in which school became fun for students and they also had time to make meaningful connections with their peers. >> Go back. All right. Um, and we noticed that one of the best ways to integrate arts, clubs, and sports throughout school is through flex time. The image shows Southby Middle School, which had a flex time during this day, which was 30 minutes, 4 days in the school week. And within this flex time, students that participate in different arts, clubs, and other activities spent time with one another. And Southview Middle School found that having this flex time allowed students to build uh connections with other students. And additionally, it provided a space for teachers to form relationships with students outside of an academic setting, which overall helped to form a sense of community. Research done by Ava O'Brow concludes that when students are allowed to join extracurriculars, it helps promote positive youth development and helps them build new friendships and relationships in school. Furthermore, when they are allowed to join extracurriculars, it allows them to feel welcome in the school and feel more welcome to join already existing friendships that may have otherwise been closed off like Amar said over there. And especially because during these new times of transition, they might not feel okay with putting themselves out there. So with extracurriculars, it allows them to make new friends and feel more welcome, which alleviates the stress of joining new schools during this time of transition. Additionally, when students are allowed to make school arts and put up school murals or participate in school events, it helps facilitate and strengthen a schoolwide identity that is made up of all the students combined, which helps them all feel welcome despite being from different schools or different identities prior, which does help with avoiding that sense of assimilation that they might feel might be happening otherwise. Um, students at every school wish they had a stage to present their fine arts and musics and festivals at because it made them feel it would make them feel like they were important and it gave them the spotlight that they wanted after putting all their time and effort into their arts and or sports. From the research you've seen, we developed some priorities and some recommendations. [clears throat] Our first priority is to keep in mind the idea of blending school identities, not assimilating. So the kids from the receiving school already have their own built school identity and the kids from the leaving school also have that sense of belonging with their old school. These kids from this old school don't have to be forced into the box of the receiving school. From that, both groups of kids together can be combined to create a new identity where everyone feels like they belong. So, a lot of our reading led us to the led us to the conclusion that students need to make friendships and feel comfortable in their environment before they're actually able to learn. So our priority is to create opportunities for students to develop friendships and we want these opportunities to be very intentional rather than to leave it up to luck for the students to to develop their own friendships. So creating intentional opportunities for students to develop friendships will create overall better academic experience and overall experience for the students. In our research, we also found that students uh having that students would have liked to have schoolwide clarative expectations for the sake of understanding what is expected of them and having a way for everyone to be united in some way. Understand that the they all share these expectations. Additionally, having clear expectations um in the time of transition would lead to people unite would lead to these students from different schools to unite in what everyone knows and what everyone would every expectation that they would be sharing. >> One of the recommendations we have is to provide in time school time in school weekly to do club activities. This would promote the friendships that they would already be gaining and would allow them to express themselves during the school day in a club otherwise that they would have to do outside of school which they might not have the the free ability ability to do so which would help them feel more welcome at school and have something they can share and bond over with their peers. Another recommendation we had is in-class opportunities for the students to meet and connect with new peers. Um, one key focus was friendship and having in-class opportunities for the incoming students and the already existing students in the schools to uh to create meaningful uh connections would be a good opportunity to help what we found with academics and also creating uh a good identity or like a a well-known and identity throughout the And then our last recommendation is for schools to be really intentional about letting students sort of make um or create school pride. When we visited the schools, we saw that a lot of students liked it when there's murals and art and um things like that. And that allowed students to feel like they belonged more and more as if they um contributed to their community. And so we want schools to be very intentional about providing these opportunities for students so that they can feel a sense of pride. >> Right. So that's the that's our last slide. I'm going to leave that one up, but we are open to questions. Thanks. >> Okay. Holy moly, that is great work. I love your research steps and your approach. Your presentation was spot on amazing and also very helpful. I Congratulations everybody. Does anyone have a question or comment? Director Bernen. >> Uh first off, thank you everyone for coming and doing the presentation. It was really good. I'm assuming when you when you're laying out these priorities and recommendations, you're speaking across all grade levels from K all the way to 12th grade. Is that kind of is that a true statement? Okay, cool. So, you know, when we talk about, you know, these inschool times for, you know, recess and free time's easy in elementary school. kids can run out and play on the playground. In your mind, what was that? What would that look like potentially like a high school level? Like are there specific examples that you can think of that would be good for us to think of from that perspective? Kind of mentioned it with like club activities a little bit, but just if anyone has anyone. >> Um, we [snorts] were thinking specifically flex times like how South View Middle School had like 30 minute times like during the day where students would um participate in activities. We thought that that would build a sense of community across all schools because we also do that at the high school level. >> Right. Perfect. >> Thank you, Director Bowman. >> Thank you. Um, ditto to what Chair Evans Becker said. Thank you very much for your hard work. And just a comment for me is it really really gives me a grounded point um to look for future updates on. It gives me some really rock solid places to stand and say uh what kind of information what kind of progress are we making on these points. So uh the points really um were very helpful to more how did you put it? um the clarity the clarity piece of it was here and that was really important and it makes it easier for us or for me uh to track on what was presented tonight to make sure that um we demonstrate consistently that we've heard you. So thank you very much for being here >> Director Basset. >> Hello everybody and thank you again for being here tonight. It was nice to see you all. you did a great job. Um I apologize for having this this in my mouth, but I've been having these coughing attacks and so I have a loss and you know and throat thing here. But um one of the things I was wondering about is um who else you would present to and specifically who came to my mind are principles uh and then uh and parents. So that's just food for thought because I mean it's good for us to hear it but where the rubber meets the road in the classroom and in the buildings and so these are excellent recommendations. >> You want me to speak to that of what >> I do. But I um and I and I also wondered if there is a then maybe that's not for you. So if you would uh Dr. Beaton just go ahead please. >> So this group gets to speak to three groups. The first one was the um cabinet >> and then we did that last week and then school board this week and then next week we are learning leaders so the principles. So we're really excited about that. >> Good uh because you know they need to hear what this important information that you're sharing here. And one of the things I wondered about the the pathway way that you've taken in the participatory research focus. I'm wondering and this is more a question for the administration and I don't want to take your valuable time up right now with that but I do wonder about the process and maybe we'll hear that later in our presentation about a similar pathway to considering this merger consolidation transitions across the district and change. What is the mindful way that the administration has approached this because it's important You're the you're our best c most our customer. So for you to be thinking about it and helping us understand that is vitally important. But the people who can actually make it happen, you know, and how are they being supported, led ahas in that whole direction because it it's it's not only will you have to do it, teachers will too. Parents will too. you know, and so those are mega audiences. So, thank you so much and I hope that our listening public really hears what you said cuz everything you I I can't imagine that they will anybody else will come up with anything this different. They will, you know, their lens is different, but you've done an excellent job and thank you so much for being here and thank you to the um your department. Every time you come, you bring great stuff. last time you got us all fired up too, you know, but we were good. We We behaved. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, Director Hillbrand. >> Um, first of all, I want to say thank you very much. Again, echo all of you. I really appreciate you. You guys are doing um I know this is above and beyond your typical day. you guys are volunteering to do this and um sounds like a lot of extra reading and not every high schooler signs up for extra reading. So, thank you. Um I had a quick question just about um curious when you're talking about blending school identities and not um assimilating. Just curious if you guys had any suggestions or ideas. You know, I was thinking a lot about that. Um did you guys have suggestions about what that might look like? Is that choosing new mascots? is that what does that mean like blending school or not identities? Did you guys have thoughts on what that might look like or what that might be? I assume you guys had conversations on that. So curious what your suggestions are. >> Um great question. Um, I don't think we talked specifically about the outward presenting identity of how that would look, but I think really the root of blending these two groups of kids together is letting them have a space where they can find connections themselves like we mentioned with friendships. Like I think we really just presented this research so we can say, "Hey, this is what needs to be done to facilitate these kids to have that opportunity to build their own identity with this new change because change is difficult, especially for kids our age and younger. So like outwardly presenting like a new mascot or new school colors, we didn't talk about that specifically, but I think we really talked about the root of the feelings that these kids will have throughout the change. >> So do you think if the kids were given the process of doing something like that, do you think that would help facilitate that? I'm I'm not pushing for anything. I'm just curious of like what some of that might be. I'll let you one of you can feel this, but the word intentionality came up quite a bit and I think that that was one that we wrote up on the board like this needs to be intentional. Could it happen by accident? Maybe kids talk, but but the intentionality and I think listening to the kids that we that they did the focus groups on, they're asking for it. They're asking, they're excited to make friends. Um, there was one school that's quite small and and I was surprised when they said next year there's going to be so many more people here and so we get to make more friends and that's not the sentence I thought was going to be said next. And so I think I've loved the debriefing that we've been able to do where they're sharing what their experiences were and to have common themes come from five different buildings to your point K12. Yes, K12 because they're also in high school and they also know what's coming because we've been reading the notes from the board. Right. So I think it really does overarch the whole way. >> Thank you. I appreciate you guys. >> Thank you. Director Hut. >> Yeah. I also just want to say thank you for your presentation. I think the the word that just has been echoed, the intentionality of what we do in the next school year is very important. And I'm very glad that you guys are going to be in front of the international leaders as well because I think if there's a group that needs to hear this more than us, it's probably them, right? So, thanks for your research. Uh, great timing. >> Thank you. Righty. Oh, Superintendent Stell. >> I'll just close up if there aren't any more board questions. Um, thank you again. You know, we've had a little a week to reflect a little bit on what you said, and I think something I didn't say to you last week that I want to be sure to say now is thank you for your leadership. You know, I think the best researchers research that which they really care about and that which can make a difference. So, I think about the time that you invested to help our school district and help specifically um ensure strong and healthy transitions for students. I just want to thank you for that, for recognizing that was really a gap and a need that we had. So, really impressed with that. I think that notion of identity and culture, friendship and belonging into protecting student learning, like even the way you frame those themes and then said these are themes that ultimately help with really some focused protected learning. So did a great job. I'm very excited next Tuesday that you will be in front of um 80 district leaders including all of our principles and APS. um they're going to be very receptive to these ideas and they'll probably have a lot of questions for you as well. So, thank you. [applause] >> We'll have a photo with the >> come back here so they can be in front of so we can all be in. >> Oh, >> that'll be tricky, but okay. >> Been a while. It's been a while, but it's important. >> You know, they came to talk to us tonight. back here. >> We've done both. We used to do it all back here. >> Bring them behind the table. >> Give me a break. >> Bring them back. >> So, please sit. They can stand. >> Great. >> Great. >> Let's sit and have them be in behind us so that So that way we'll fit. >> Sounds lovely. >> Everybody else, did you want to sit on a chair in front? >> Are you on my >> We will be in the picture, but we'll be lower and then you'll be taller so that nobody has >> We're not backing. So >> yeah, >> what we thought was that the board members would sit and the students would stand behind them. If you choose to stand, that's fine, but that makes the picture short. >> Never used to be in the >> We're ready. to sit in superintendent. I love it. >> Yes. [laughter] >> Our future is >> There we go. Love it. >> Yes. Yes. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you so much everyone. >> Thank you everyone. Well, that was fun. >> Okay, fine. We're moving on. >> Yes. >> And the next item on our >> such a bunch of uncooperative people. >> Next item on our agenda is the consent agenda. item on items on the consent agenda are routine in nature and are enacted with one uh motion unless someone rem a board member wishes to remove an item from that agenda and then we will vote on that separately. So uh director uh director Bridesen >> uh please remove the teacher tenative agreement and the RSI security entrance please. >> Okay, my computer just went blank so I'm going to do it on paper. Okay, that was uh one and three for those keeping track at home. [snorts] >> Uh 5 A1. >> Yes, 5 A1 and 5 A3. >> Wait, the >> got added late. >> Consent agenda items. I can pull it back. tentative. Okay. Cuz on here it is uh different. Okay. 5 A1 tentative and 5 A3. Okay. Those are removed. Uh Director Basset. >> Uh item five. >> 585 or five >> 585. Thank you. >> Meeting minutes. >> Meeting minutes. >> Oh, that's that's a profession on here. It's professional development >> on the official 586. >> No, A5. I said A5. If you A5. Okay. In >> A6 now because it'll change >> in print. It's in print. It's on A5, but we'll do A6 if it's online. Okay. Anything else? Removing. All right. So, do I have a >> Excuse me, chair. >> Yes. >> Uh, for the public's benefit, it's not that we don't know what we're doing. The fact is is that some one of the items was not in the it got added later. And so, that's why we're having this because it got added later. >> It's a point of clarification. for clarification. >> On paper it's one number and on the computer it's another. So we we have it all settled. And so what I need now, so I will say items on the consent agenda are now uh the resolution proposing placement of continuing contract teachers on unrequested leave, the extended field trip to Costa Rica, the professional development report, and that is it. all the financial reports, uh, monthly contract report, community education contract, dispersements, personnel reports, and that would be it. So, move to approve the consent agenda with those three items removed. >> So, moved by Director Besen, seconded by Director Basset. This is a roll call vote, and I think we're ready for the consent agenda minus those three. >> Sounds great. Thank you very much, Dr. Wau. >> Yes. Director Long, >> no. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Brennes, >> yes. >> Director Bowman Marks, yes. Director Basset, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. Okay, so now we need to check on those items that were pulled. The first item that was pulled is the teachers tenative contract agreement. And um I believe the reason that it was pulled is because two of our board members need to abstain uh due to possible conflicts of interest. So is there a move to ex approve uh the tenative agreement for the teachers? >> It's been moved by director Bowman, seconded by director Helenbrand. Director Basset, do you have a question? >> Actually, I was going to ask to have it pulled because I have some questions. I have a comment more than anything else around this point. motion has been made and so now is the appropriate time for discussion. >> I was talking I know what I'm doing. That's that's why I was started to say what I was saying. >> Okay. So, uh and let me just say that uh one of the question comments that I want to make is I had questions about some of the changes that were made to the contract. Uh in particular, the one that had to do with some of the leave things. Not that I oppose them, but as many of you may know, uh there have been some new legislation that has to do with family medical leave and some other kinds of things that change. And so the reason that I have asked for this to come to close session is sort of the kinds of questions that I'm asking right now can be discussed in a closed session where we're talking about the contracts. I need to get the amendment voted on. >> Point of point of order. >> I'm having it. called it >> before we discuss. >> Yes, we're discuss vote. >> Well, no, no, >> no. We have to. >> Okay. I'm going to explain what's going on right here. We have a motion on the floor and a second to approve the teachers contract and director Basset is having a discussion item about the teachers contract. We're perfectly in order at this time. >> Absolutely. >> I resent that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Got very >> Dr. Basset, would you like to continue? Thank you so much because we are in the discussion phase which is what you pointed out chair. Thank you so much for that because it's absolutely where we are and the reality is that and I will go on and say that one of the reasons that I have asked for us to have closed sessions and this will be the third time I'm talking about this related to contracts is so that the questions that may be routine or considerations could come up that directors have that can be talked about in a closed session. So we would not have to take the time that we're taking right now to ask questions. And so while I'm supportive and we'll be voting in favor of this contract, there is some language in it that I'm confused about. I don't like to vote on things that I'm not sure about how the impact of what they mean. And that is what a closed session is for, to talk about contract negotiations. And I can't stress this enough. I want us to have those. And I have asked about it privately. I've asked about it calmly from this table. And I'm making this statement now for emphasis. >> Um, Director Brson, >> just for clarification, since the contract is sitting in front of us, do we even like if there's a question about a particular language, can we ask that question at this point in time to director Hearn? Like is that allowed? >> I I'm just I don't have a question. I'm just looking for like we have it. It's not closed anymore. >> The the contract is public information and it's already been approved by our teachers union. Perfect. >> And so if someone has a question of clarifi clarifying something they see on there, this is an opportunity that they could ask. >> Perfect. That's all that was all my question was. Uh, Director Long >> and then >> I was just wondering if we could go and just for consistency sake, um, I had the HR director read through all the other contracts. If we could just do that just to be consistent. >> Excellent question. Let's do that. Thank you. >> Good evening, Chair Evans Becker, board director, Superintendent Stalo. I am happy to go through the contract. Um so the district administration is recommending a two-year um agreement. Salary increase for 2526 school year would be 2%. For 2627 would be a 2% increase. The salary increase would be retroactive back to July 1st of 2025. There would be an insurance increase of $90 a month onto the cafeteria and the welfare um insurance plans starting on July 1st of 2026. Then we have non-economic economic articles. Um we are implement we struck um that teachers would need to in case of school being closed due to extreme cold teachers will report to work because we would be implementing an e-learning day. Um we would if a classroom is split at the elementary level because we are short a sub the classroom would have to be split between a maximum of three classrooms. At the secondary level, um a teacher would be paid proportionately to the time that they are subbing based on that hour of classroom instruction. Um for involuntary transfers at the beginning of the school year, initially they were um set at we could not transfer a teacher after the 10th school day from their classroom. But due to the fact that student drop date is 15 days into the school year, we have changed that to the 16th day of the school year. So we know how many students are in the seats. So we know where the instructors need to be and in which classrooms we are um needing those positions to be filled. Um, starting January 1st of 2025, we uh Minnesota Paid Family Leave Act based on Minnesota State statute has been um instituted under PTO. Um many requests were coming through on PTO requests and we had to clarify that um they would be um approved beyond the 3 days if it was outside of the employees influence or control where it was an event, a one-time life event where they didn't have any control over planning it but that was something that they needed to attend. we needed to have clarifying language around that. Um we have looked at the um attendance incentive that was in the teacher contract and for the 2526 school year we will have a maximum allocation of $20,000 that will be used towards that attendance incentive. There was a budget line item that was um significantly higher than that because we have to look at our um our um exposure. Thank you. Our exposure to that costing analysis. We have found that many teachers don't submit that attendance incentive. So, we have a maximum this year of $20,000 and we have rolled that attendance incentive allocation into the overall costing package moving forward into 2627 to um help support that financial package. So, that intend incentive will be removed from the contract going forward. Um, teachers will be paid twice per month on the 15th and the end of the month. That will be districtwide. Now, starting on July 1st of 2026, we will be changing our pay structure here in Robinsdale. For um 1245 of the contract, we have added occupational therapists and physical therapists to that $500 staff development stipend. And then coming into Robbinsdale, we have there was a max of eight years that we were giving teachers of their experience and that was a negotiated item in the teacher contract. We have taken that out of the contract and we are looking at overall years of experience because what we're finding is if people want to come into Robbinsdale, we need to honor the years that they have coming with them if we want to retain and maintain highquality teachers here in the district. And um the next two are around insurance. If you are not enrolled in a co-play plan, you'll be eligible for B vibba and HSA. And then the last one is around um long-term disability and clarifying language so that we could get a lower rate with our MET life plan. And the bottom are under co-curricular in appendix B. We um did some clarifying language around the team lead and department shared job descriptions. So, we worked with the Robbinsdale Federation teachers and wrote a job description that we'll be placing into appendix E. And then the CHO, the chemical hygiene officer, and we revised theou that was attached to that position. And then we will be drafting collaboratively together anou about reporting injuries at work. Are there any questions? >> Seems very clear. Thank you. No questions. All right. So, now we are ready to vote. This will be a voice a roll call vote also. And just people will understand why our two people on the board are abstaining. Okay. When you're ready, Director Bowman. >> On this particular item, >> this this particular item is the teachers tenative agreement. >> Okay. Yes. >> Ready. Great. Director Basset. Yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Director Brennan. >> I abstain due to conflict that I'm paid under this contract. >> Thank you. Chair Evans Becker. >> Yes. >> Director Hillbrand. >> Yes. >> Director Long. >> Yes. >> Dr. W. >> I abstain. My wife is on this contract as well. >> Thank you. Motion carries. >> Okay. 5 to zero to abstaining. We have a teachers contract. Thank you to everybody who was on the negotiation teams from both sides. I know a lot of time went into it. Hard work and um thank you for doing that. All right. So the next item that we have pulled, give me a second to get back to my agenda, is the building the RSI uh secure entry improvements. Is that correct, Director Venderson? Yep. >> Okay. Uh what would you like Joey? >> Would you like to say something about it or we'll move to >> We can move and then have discussion. >> Let's move and have discussion on it. So >> moved moved to second >> moved and seconded to approve the RSI secure entry improvements contract award recommendation. Now it's discussion time. Director Brenesen. >> Fantastic. Um I'm just curious. So since this building is one of the buildings based on the potential bond, what may or may not happen with the building next year or many years in the future, I was just looking for clarity of what this project specifically is, whether or not it is. I get it's not a huge large amount of money, but if we're looking at facil facilities changes to buildings that may not be in operation in the next year or two, I think it'd be good to just understand fully what the change is. That's all that they ask us. >> CFO Hisel. >> Good evening, Chair Evans Becker, uh board director, Superintendent Stalo. One thing that I would like to point out just um and and I do apologize uh and I will apologize to Molly as well. This was a late addition to the board packet and therefore the title on the agenda but not within um the memo is is misleading in that it says coming from long-term facility maintenance. We cannot add new construction for long-term facility maintenance. We can't do that. Um and so the header is the RSI secure um entry improvements contract award. This would be this funding would follow under our um capital projects levy as far as safety and security. be the secure entrance. Just for clarity, and again my apologies to everyone involved because it was a late addition to the agenda. Um so to answer your question specifically, is this an is this something that needs to be done? It does not. Um this is something that should the school board choose to forego, they would operate under the that building would have the same entrance that they have always had. Mhm. >> Um it truly came down to should we or should we not. I'd say it's it was 50/50 as well as looking at it. Um it just comes down to does a handful of years worth of a a more secured entrance than what they currently have worth the dollars in which you're spending. Again, how we're functioning now has been it's not fantastic, it's sufficient. And I would say most of our buildings are sufficient and not fantastic. So it really really is at the board's pleasure. Um the administration is not moving forward necessarily with a recommendation on this. Should you choose to say yes, let's do this, then of course administration's recommendation is to go with the low bid of $13,000. >> So my follow-up question, is that okay? >> Yes. >> My follow-up question, is there any harm in waiting until November if there was a bond as that would give us more clarity of the future of this building? It would it it's a loaded question. Um so if if you were to look, we would what we would do is we would put this on pause and we would go out to bid again next spring. You can't do a secured entrance when students are in the building. We couldn't possibly do this work over like a break. >> Um so it would wait a year. >> Okay. >> Um back to you know the conversation that happens in this building every day. You know, absolutely there is no harm in waiting and but you we always hope that there isn't an incidence in any building. >> Sure. >> I've got you. All right. Uh Director Hut. >> Yeah. I I think I support some of the uh thinking uh by the uh DJ. But now that we've kind of let it out in the air, I think any day that our buildings are not extremely secure to the level that they should be is a day that should be concerning to the parents in the environment that we live in. Right? So if the cost is not too much for the district to bear, I think I I will be of the view that just because we've let it out in the air, we should secure the building. >> Thank you. I I know that it's been okay for a whole bunch of years the way it is. However, I would prefer to have it more secure. It's $103,000 that even if there's only one incident, it's well spent. And if there's no incident for the peace of mind, I still think it's would be well spent money. The uh we want to educate our kids, but first of all, we want to keep them safe. And so I would support putting a secure entrance there. Director Basset. >> Yeah. And then I see director Brand as well after me. So um I had questions about this one as well and uh and you know I wondered about that and really not so much that uh my mind was on I actually happened to go visit the early childhood learning center and saw that they have a brand new I asked a brand new secure facility. So my questions went to uh were safety and security funds used to do that because we raised money for it. So that's a question I had uh in part or in whole uh how many of these updates because uh I you know I mean now we're here RSI and then we have that one and how many more what's the total cost of all those things just to know. So it's not even a question of of um safety is always uppermost. That's why we passed the safety levy. So that's goes without saying, but how many of those kinds of improvements are we making or have we made is the question. What total cost has there been uh is the question. And I don't look for the answer right here tonight. Um but I think that that is a a question worth asking and answering if we're moving down this road because so many other things we're kind of in a state of suspension on. And if we're in a state of suspension on so many of these things, how many projects do we have in the hopper at and because the one that I uh the $175,000 for the Spanish immersion, but we don't know if that's if that's you know the cost of all of those cumulative is really the question. >> Just for clarification, it's $13,000, not >> mine here says >> that's for bid law. >> Oh well. Okay, good. Thank you. Okay. Well, I'm I'm you know, you you understand where I'm coming from. Okay. And so, uh, so that's my question and I really would like to have that information. How many of those and and what funding source are they coming from? Are how because I asked this question a few little while back. Are we spending our safety and security funds and how are we spending those and how much have we spent? That was a couple of meetings ago that I asked that and I hadn't hadn't heard back. So, this is a a great opportunity to ask that question. So, thank you um for that. Director Hillenbrand and then director Long answer to that question. >> Well, she said because I didn't know if she had it right at her fingertips. I didn't think she [laughter] did. I don't I don't like to put people on the spot. This is not a I'm not a gotcha kind of person. These are normal questions. >> Superintendent, >> the one the one question I did want to answer. I think I heard you ask about what funds this came from and it was the cap it was the capital projects levy. Yeah. >> The one the first for what capital projects >> for technology and safety and security. Yes. Thank you. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um Dr. Hbrand. >> Yeah. I just want to echo what uh Chair Specker said when um my oldest was in first grade at at RSI when Sandy Hook happened. And I just have to say that anything we can do to avoid situations like that and to make our kids safer is a worthwhile investment. And we have to think that these the the changes that we're talking about moving RSI that's four or five years down the road. And so four or five years worth of safety, it's worth it. Um for the 700 750 kids that are in that building. Um there's [clears throat] that price is well worth it in my mind. So thank you >> Dr. Long. >> So I kind of have two questions around this. So, will their front entrance then be bumped out to have the secured entrance or we don't have that mapped out yet? >> It's mapped out. I don't have the drawing in front of me, but I view it more as like a storefront entrance once you get in. We're doing kind of the same um same approach at God, is it Metal Lake or Zachary where it's we're not moving, we're not extending it. It's once you get in, it's there will be like a different barrier once you're inside. I believe is accurate. Yeah. >> Okay. And then I'm wondering about So I've gone in there before and then right across from there is where the students go out for recess and that door seemed to be left open cuz then kids would be coming in to use the restroom while they were out at recess. Will something then be done with that door too? >> No, we shouldn't be leaving a door open so kids can go in and out. that's more of a internal operation than it than it is a um a con construction issue that that there should be a different different procedure or process that's involved around that. >> Could we possibly see the drawing to see what that storefront means? >> Absolutely. You sure can. >> Okay. So, the motion on the floor is to approve the uh bid award for the RSI secure entrance. And seeing no more hands, can we take a roll call vote on that, please? >> Of course. Um, Director Long, >> I am going to abstain. I don't feel like I have enough information to make my decision. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Wuto, oops, wait a minute. Director Wuto, >> yes. >> Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. Director Basset. >> Yes, I vote for it. >> Uh, Director Bowman, I vote I definitely vote yes for this. Director Brennesen, >> yes. >> Okay, so we are >> Motion carries. >> Oh, aren't we 61? >> 61. >> 61. >> Motion carries. All right, that moves us on to um meeting minutes. Do Can we get a motion to approve the meeting minutes and then we'll have some discussion? >> So moved. Moved B by Bowman, seconded by Director Facet. Uh what you want to make a point about it? >> I do. Uh and this will be I've talked about this before. Um I think that it certainly makes sense for us to be as concise as we can be about the minutes. But I also think there should be enough substance in the description so that people understand what was discussed. And in particular, I have spoken on this before uh when we have uh board reports, if if they have no meaning, then um we shouldn't even have it on there. But I know that there were things talked about because there were some kudos given and I think we acknowledge some people who had retired. That information, if board directors are saying it, I think should be captured. I think it's a way to capture it so that it's not, you know, overly verbose. But if directors are here sharing with the public and saying things that should be captured and not only in that section I think throughout if points are made that are emphasized in the meeting without they're not they should not be porative comments but when I go back to think well did you know did I cover this or that and the other this is the public record for the public everyone doesn't have time to go back and look at three hours worth of tape if there's a specific subject. Now, this may seem like a small moot thing, it is not. It is the public record of what directors are discussing. And I've talked about this before and I'm mentioning it again for emphasis that I would like to see us address that in the most appropriate way. This is I'm not asking for anything that's unusual. is just that our board minutes be more descriptive and that they actually identify specific points that are made. It's just as important because when they're dissenting opinions or alternative views, we don't have to go very deep into it, but I think it should be recorded. >> Okay. >> As a director with this, we're all on equal footing sitting up here at this table as directors. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Um, I would do a counterpoint to that to say that the minutes are the official record of the official business, which would be the motions, the sec, and seconds and what the votes were. And I often go through I I watch and when the meetings are posted, if anybody wants more detail, um, you can just click right on that item on the agenda and get right to it. And so the whole videos that are all cataloged for people are another record of absolutely everything that was said in very much detail available to the entire public both on YouTube and on our website. And in my opinion that covers it. And the purpose of the minutes is simply the actual business. It's not anybody's opinion. It's just the the motions, the votes and what happened. And so that's my opinion. That's mine. >> Well, sure. Well, well, I appreciate you you're kind of clarifying your perspective. Uh, Chair Evans Becker, your perspective is valuable as is mine. And so, the only thing that I have asked for is not anything unourred. I have acknowledged that just the actual actions that happen are important and what I said was uh if there are some additional points that have been made to capture those very succinctly is valuable. That is that's not an antithesis of anything you said >> and and I just disagreed. >> Well, I mean well there your interpretation may be different than mine. That's okay. >> And so we have we just disagree. >> Oh, we do. >> Okay. >> But I'm still have made my request and I'm making it to the executive director who I mean the person who supports the board and we can move on for this so we can go on with the business. I see the superintendent has her hand. >> Superintendent Stallow. I believe that um the uh minutes and the training that uh Malia has done is through the Minnesota School Board Association and she's following the rules that uh she has learned in that training. Thank you. Okay. So, we can vote. Um >> I want to say something doesn't need to be a role. >> I don't think it has to be a roll to do with the money. >> There's no money involved. >> Just be a voice vote. >> All righty. All in favor of approving the minutes from um both the both the uh all of those minutes that are in the agenda, consent agenda. >> Part of the consent agenda. >> Okay. It's been a request for a roll call vote because it is part of the consent agenda. We'll go with roll call. >> I'm fine with that. >> Me, too. Director Basset, >> no. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Director Brennesen, >> yes. >> Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. Director Long. >> Yes. >> Uh, Dr. W. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. Um, in relation to the retirements that we approved in when we did the overall consent agenda, I would just like to mention that Arthur O'Brien is retiring after 23 years working in so as a social studies person and um that is our only long-term retirement there. Just quickly check licensed [snorts] and we're good. So, thank you for those 23 [clears throat] years serving our district. All right, moving on to unfinished business. Reimagine Rdale Vision 2030. Superintendent Stalo. >> Excellent. We have a very long and important presentation this evening as we continue to um provide the board with uh information that you've requested at each meeting in order to get deeper and deeper into um the decision that will be before you on June 15th. So with that, I'm going to waste no more time and hand it over to Dr. McDow. >> Thank you, Superintendent Stalo. [snorts] >> The purpose of tonight's uh presentation is to revisit information, data, and options that we've gone over so far, provide reimagine facility plan updates that were promised to the board, and provide answers to specific board questions that we've gotten to this point, as well as whatever might come up tonight. Our outcome is really in cadence with where we've been uh heading to this point is that as a board as a whole, you're prepared for June discussions and decision-m with regard to reimagine next steps. As you can as you can see in the short-term timeline, we are right in the middle of May right now uh where we are gaining public input. uh our survey is out in its second week right now uh in the residential areas of our seven cities and that will be ready for us on June 1st and uh so that's going to set us up for June where we need to get to the approval of scope and the financial plan. You've seen this slide many times. Uh the extended timeline. We are still sitting right at uh tail end of phase one, right in the middle of phase two of this five-phase plan as it sits today. And to date, information and presentations that have been provided to the board. We've had grounding information documents that you've seen before, demographics and enrollment back in February 25, FA facilities condition assessment in June of 25, the recommendations from vision 2030 and um in September of 25, the first residential survey uh that was done in November and the recent SOD approval which happened in January of this year. Since September, we have presented to you 20 times uh 20 different presentations. I'm not going to read all the bullet statements, but these are the general topics that have been covered over the past 20 presentations provided to the board of which for the public, these presentations are all uh archived on the board book. Currently, our community engagement and voice as of April, we had a vision plus meeting. on the 16th, community conversation. On the 27th in May, uh we've done two additional community engagement meetings. Like I said, we've got the residential study out right now. And then as we talked last time we met, uh Superintendent Stallow and myself and other uh members of the team have been going to staff meetings and then Superintendent Stalo has been meeting with various student groups as well. As a reminder, when we started this process of trying to operationalize the vision, what we first worked on was the areas of alignment that the board had as a whole to give us kind of direction. So that's all that this slide is. It's no new information. It just summarizes the general areas of support to provide us as an administrative team direction in order to operationalize the vision, which we've landed on. the vision we've been working towards uh providing you with one high school, two middle schools, six to eight elementary schools, creating a district-wide identity, and providing consistent programming for all. This slide many have seen several times. This is simply a graphic of the operationalization of the vision. So, we create a single high school at this point in time by utilizing the Cooper and New Hope Learning Center site. We then uh once that's complete, Armstrong students would end up in that site along with current Cooper students. So, we'd have a new single high school. Armstrong then gets renovated so that the students from Plymouth Middle School uh would end up going to the Armstrong site. that would uh have us need to renovate the Sandberg building so that the students who attend Sandberg have an equitable experience to those who are now middle school students in the high school of or the high school site that is Armstrong currently. And then finally at the secondary level, the renovation of the Plymouth site, which is where the RSI program would go because that building can house the 700 to 750 students along with other programs. We've talked about the uh establishment of six neighborhood schools eventually and what those look like. Fair Crystal staying in operation, housing programs such as early learning, adult academic programming, the enrollment center, and community education. We've also shared multiple times what a potential phasing of this project would look like. So, we've shared this uh publicly and also with staff. And one thing I would point out with this that we commonly get at each of our presentations is questions around where they see uh schools being closed in a certain year. And I would just remind people that in order for us to provide the details and answers that the board has asked for us to provide, we've had to put a uh a phasing option out there. At its soonest, at its very soonest, the entire project wouldn't be done until 2031 2032. That's with all the student moves. In addition to that, any change to any of this can shift something in any one of these phasing areas. And so this is simply an example based on the previous slide of what phasing would look like to do all of the necessary construction and renovation. We presented to the board what this looks like as a 2030 footprint. All of the different uh sites, what would be as elementary schools, middle schools, a single high school, and then non um educational buildings. A few weeks ago, we started uh to be able to present what our assumptions were and initial uh exterior uh footprint drawings. So, to review, the elementary assumptions that we are working off of right now are the creation of six four sections of each grade schools. So, we clarified that a little bit. We've had some questions about what do you mean by a four section school? simply means that there would be four sections of each grade in that building or the ability to have four sections of each grade in that building. Roughly 550 students. Our elementary school assumption of 29 learning spaces in each one of those six elementary schools. These are the things like general education, what becomes art and innovation, prek, music, and then there's additional spaces uh that we've allotted for in the drawings that you'll see in a few moments. We've also had the assumption of one five section Spanish immersion school. Five sections gets us to the 700 to 750 students keeping that where it's at. And then you'd also need the additional spaces in that building as well. So, as we look at the elementary schools, uh we have some updated drawings and as we move through this and we have questions, we also have Brent Jones from Nexus who can help with detailed questions. Um otherwise I'll flow through the buildings. Um and then um we can chair Evans Becker, however you would like to go through that, we can go through that. This first drawing is the addition again to Forest Elementary School. Uh you'll see that there's one proposed building addition um and then an outdoor classroom. So what we haven't shown yet is what actually happened. And so if we peel the um roof off, you'll see that that section actually that's added is actually five classrooms, a mechanical space, bathrooms, uh specialed resource rooms, and additional space for reading core, and then small group space. You'll also see that there is a red dotted area around this. That is because if we add a certain amount of square footage to a building, we are now required to create a storm shelter in that building. And so any building that you see that has this around it has met that threshold of square footage addition and so therefore some things come into play. You'll notice that bathrooms are inside of the dotted area that is a requirement of the storm shelter. It's also extra thick walls and I'm sure there's a couple other things that uh Brent would be able to talk to um if we have questions about that. But just so you know as we move through the pictures that is what you're looking at when you see those. In addition to that, non or spaces that are not new additions but would be renovated or in the center of the building. Uh we're creating spaces. And so as I go through these drawings, what our uh partners at W have said, think of this stage as deciding how much clay do you need for the project. And so these spaces are not defined as the exact space that they would be. We just need to account for the amount of space we need for all the stuff of those assumptions that I went through in the previous slide. So, we know for example in the middle of the building, we're going to need a space for what becomes innovation. We're going to need a space for what is art. We're going to need media center space. We're going to need a DCD suite. They might end up in a different configuration, but right now they're placeholders so that we know we have the spaces we need from the assumptions. As we move on to the next building, Lake View Elementary, bless you. uh you will remember we have two additions in it uh to this building as well as parking lot configurations in order to get what we need uh on this site to meet the assumptions from the elementary assumption slide. So if we if we peel the roof off and we look at the main level on the left hand side, you'll see that the media center uh ends up at the end of the building with special education resource space for reading corpse core the DCD suite and then again uh bathrooms and small breakout sections in the middle of the building. You'll see those gray areas again which are the reconfigured spaces making sure that we have uh things taken care of based on the assumptions. And then if you go to the right hand side you'll see that's where we add gymnasium bathrooms. You'll see that red dotted line again. So we've met the threshold and we'll be adding a storm shelter uh if this plan goes through. You'll also see space allocated for performance and band as well as a conference room and dedicated space for adventure club. On the next drawing in the upper level you will see on the left above the media center and those spaces we have uh four additional classrooms that would be added. We have bathrooms, breakout spaces, another special education, a centerbased room, and an office. Across the center, spaces for breakouts and special education resource. And then you'll notice on the right hand side, it simply shows where that gymnasium is on the first floor. Moving to Meadow Lake, you'll remember Meadow Lake has the smallest addition. It is simply in addition to the uh cafeteria. However, you'll remember we had a conversation about doing some work with the parking lot on the north side there. Um I think everyone board nexus w administration knows that we need to figure out something else to do there. Um and so that's a placeholder for some doing something different with the parking. Um, in addition to that proposed building addition, you can then see in the drawing on the next slide that it is simply uh two spaces. It's an addition to the cafeteria on the left and a dedicated space for adventure club. That said, you will also see that in this drawing, there's a lot of gray space for renovation, uh, special education, centerbased, arts, innovation, uh, breakout spaces, media center refreshing, uh, special ed resource space. Again, all those gray spaces, making sure that we're meeting the assumptions in the elementary set for each one of these buildings. They just need different stuff in order for them all to have similar availability for students. The next slide is Northport. You can see from the uh topographical slide that we have a building a large building addition on the north side um in addition to a playground space as well as a smaller addition on the south side. And as we go in and take the roof off of that building, you'll remember us maybe talking about the left hand side of this drawing being a student services addition uh for all those offices because we're creating more classroom space and special education space. Um and so we need to create an addition there. As you scroll across left to right, you will see like in the other buildings, dedicated spaces set up for special education resource, motor rooms, media center refresh. Um you'll see prek K uh rooms accounted for. Um center-based suites, and then on the far right, you'll see what ends up happening is uh the first grade rooms get reconfigured on the far right in this plan. And then that addition that's on the north side of the building, much like what you saw in a couple other drawings, has a gymnasium with bathrooms. There's your storm shelter. Again, performing arts, innovation, music, art, and uh space for EL in this drawing. So again, while they're configured differently, I'm hoping you're starting to notice a theme based on the the building and how it's currently laid out. How can we most efficiently get the spaces for the assumptions that we've laid out for all of our elementary schools? If we move on to C Olsen, another large addition um to the U right side of this building and then a proposed building addition where the main entrance currently is. And again, I think [clears throat] we talked about this a little bit. This is another building where if this is the direction we're going, we do need to figure out some different things with parking and the flow of the parking lot. Uh, so that's just not noted on here because we're not at that stage. If we take the roof off of this building, you'll notice that what is actually happening on the lower level is the kitchen is going in on the left. An additional space for a kitchen. Uh, right next to a cafeteria on the left hand side that's renovated. As you move across the building on the lower level, we've got the DCD suite, circulation, breakout, all of that that's happening in the middle. And then on the far right, what you see on the lower level is the addition of the gymnasium and bathrooms. Again, there's your red line. Uh so we have storm shelter and then all of the rooms that need to be added in order for us to meet the assumptions. In this case, it's the K rooms, it's uh prek rooms, the nurse's office. Um and you'll notice that in the center of this drawing, right next to the nurse's office is where that parent drop off would be on the lower level. Then moving to the upper level on the left hand side where the main entrance currently is. You'll notice that the addition there is actually what the art space would be for this building. Um and then an innovation space gets reconfigured where that main office currently is uh in this building. As you work your way across left to right, you'll see like you have in the other drawings, uh, reconfiguration and renovations for centerbased rooms, media center, and then as we get to the far right, you'll notice that that addition is where we put student services up on the main or on the main level. And [clears throat] then the resource rooms, grade five, um, and a performing space for arts and band. As we move to Zachary Lane, the topographical map there, you'll see that we have two additions onto this building, as well as uh, playground space and hard surface space. Um, and some different configurations. We talked a little bit last time about additions to that parking lot and this one um it was a little bit easier to put that in what the parking would look like along with the field configuration and how that might work out. Peeling the roof off of Zachary Lane. The two additions are on the bottom and the right. You'll notice like in the other buildings as we work from left to right, you'll see that the refresh or renovation space of the media center, special education, uh changing up two classrooms to uh grade three classrooms, arts, innovation, centerbased rooms. The addition on the bottom is for grade five at this point along with EL and breakout space. And then you'll notice on the far right again you see the addition of a gymnasium, bathrooms, performing arts, more special ed space, motor room space, and the lines signifying there's a storm shelter there as well. Now moving to Plymouth Middle School. So a reminder this is this would be RSI in this site. So this becomes RSI essentially an elementary school of 700 to 700 750 students. You'll remember that this building on the outside the only thing that you'll notice different is in addition to the entrance to the pool. So if you remember about pools the the operationalization of this vision has the Plymouth pool staying as is because it has the upper deck more seating and so we would be adding on uh to that pool entrance. You'd see you see on the uh outside as well additions to hard playground surfaces as well as playground surfaces because now it would be an elementary school. And because this is a little bigger building, it's a little harder to read. However, I'll work left to right as I have before. Um on the top left, remember Plymouth Middle School site would also be housing in this modeling the transitions program. And so the gray space with the lines is the transitions reconfiguration because they have an entrance over there. They have the ability to uh drive up to that space um and and have a space that's also then connected close to the kitchen and the cafeteria. You will see then the gray areas along with the um white areas reconfigured for first, second, third, fourth, fifth grade. Um, and so the spaces that are in gray are the spaces that they exist, but we need to renovate them so they will work as elementary spaces, particularly K rooms, right? They need we now make sure they have more the space they need access um to bathrooms or internal bathrooms. You'll see that in the center of the building, the arts, innovation, and media center refresh. You will also see that in this model there's a breakout space in each one of those bottom squares. Uh so trying to make use of the space as best we can to make it um usable for each one of the grade levels um as they move into that larger space. You will see that the pool will get uh the pool and the surrounding pool area will get renovated in addition to the new area. That's why it's gray on there. Um, so that's Plymouth Middle School as it becomes RSI and then we move on to early learning. So Nexus and W as they did with elementary also met with our early learning um administrative team. And so we have assumptions around what's needed because you'll remember early learning right now is slated to be moved into the Fair Crystal building. So, we know that we need 20 learning spaces, including six for special education. We know we need to renovate the bathrooms. We know we need space for regular staff and itinerate staff. We know we need a fenced playground with rubberized and hard surfaces. We need multiple entrances for drop off and pick off pickup because they um drop off and pickup runs differently than at an elementary school. And we know that we need to have it all on one level. So, our original thought, if you remember way back, was that maybe it should be on the lower level and actually getting feedback and working through it. We're actually um moving that idea to the upper level. And so, the outside drawing um of this, you can see if we work left to right, we've got the field on the left. We are thinking we would need to work to expand the parking lot on the left hand side of the building. We could have outdoor classrooms in the back. What really changes is where you enter for um the main entrance. You'll notice that the what is now the front loop of that building becomes a hard surface playground. The the whole configuration of those spaces for cars changes um and so you drive on the outside and the spaces are on the inside. Remember the playgrounds are fenced in. Um and then the other playground that is the uh soft surface uh rubberized is in front of what is now that giant glass arts uh uh facade that's there. That would mean that the main entrance for early learning would be on the right hand side of the building where the larger parking lot is at. So, if we take the roof off, I'm going to I'm going to go to the lower level first because that houses the other programming that's there. Just so you know that we've accounted for that. So, the lower level would house on the left hand side community education, adult uh education. Uh we would need offices. Uh the cafeteria would still be available. You'll see in the center uh tower which is the B tower. Uh that's where um e uh the uh community had offices would be located at early childhood offices, AB AB offices. We'd make use of that computer lab still and then on the right hand side uh we would have the adult academic programming rooms uh be a part of this building as well. So this is all the lower level um making use of all the spaces that are currently classroom spaces. Then if we jump up to the upper level back to early learning you will working left to right you will see that preschool gets reconfigured to uh be in the uh left tower there along with one centerbased room. The large room between towers also becomes a centerbased room. Then you'll notice as you work towards the bottom, we needed a motor room. We needed a screening room. The welcome center would be there. So, um, we would still have our enrollment and welcome center as part of this building. Then the center tower would be centerbased rooms, space for testing. The stage, uh, the theater black box would still be left as is, uh, for a usable space. And then ECF and early childhood would be in the right tower. And then where choir, orchestra, and band is currently is where those larger rooms would be used for uh VPK programming. So that moves us on to middle school. Same process for middle school. Uh meeting with administrators of a middle school. Uh we talked about this a little bit. We need our middle schools to be able to handle between,00 and,200 students. We make an assumption that we need 51 learning spaces. Uh and then we also need additional spaces, no different than in the other buildings. So special education, performing arts, before and after school care, all that. So in this modeling, the first building you're looking at is the Sandberg building. And so we've talked about this a couple times. The building addition on the left is the change to the main entrance of that building. And then there's a proposed building addition on the right. It makes use of the current space where the pool is, which is why it's not blue, but we do need to add a little bit of space on the front. And I'll show you why um on the next slides. If we take the roof off of this building, you will see that as a middle school. uh on the far left that is currently where High View is. So that becomes the eighth grade area along with special education rooms. The top um rectangle becomes the seventh grade area. You'll notice that all these areas also have breakout spaces and smaller arts and innovation spaces inside of them. That was at the request of the building principles. Um it also spreads out our special education uh rooms throughout each one of these. So then you can see on the right hand side with the sixth grade area that basically mirrors the seventh and eighth grade area and is next to that performing arts space which is currently designed to seat 400 students. Um we would need to add a lobby to that space in order to have a um more usable entrance to get in there. The bottom half of the building here, you'll notice a lot of gray area except for where that new office goes in. That's because this space is where the gyms are. It's where the locker rooms that aren't currently being used are, the cafeteria is, and so all of those spaces are going to be uh renovated into the needs of those assumptions. So, appropriate gym space, arts and innovation spaces, office space on the left hand side, uh work on the cafeteria, again, special education, uh for this building to function as an equitable building. The next slide is the top view just of what that stage would look like. There were some questions uh last time about what would a modified uh adapted auditorium look like and so um this is what it looks like from the top view. Uh so that we have stage we have 400 uh seats in there uh control room, green room, support spaces, bathrooms, lobby vestibule and a space for ticketing. The next slide, which is kind of cool, gives you a rendering of what that space would look like. Again, uh what I want to point out here, our current, if I'm correct, our current seating at Fair Crystal is around 400 students. So, this will be uh this would be a space that would um be about that same size. The first question is why wouldn't we make it bigger? I'm going to go back to our dotted red lines. If we go any bigger, we are going to need to create a storm shelter which is going to add a significant amount of cost to this project. >> But they do have a storm shelter. Yes, currently it's internal but code again back to we have to add the new storm shelter code if we add on certain square footage. So the next drawing is of the Armstrong site. It's labeled as Armstrong Middle School just so that we know kind of what's going on here. Uh we've talked about this moving left to right. The bottom left would be an administrative parking lot. where that proposed building addition is is where ESC would be. And then what we talked about last time, you'll remember that we had the main entrance kind of configured on the right hand side of the building. We've moved that into the middle. We think that we need to have the main entrance and a a drop off area for parents that's attached to the academic wing of that building. So, if we pull the roof off and we start with the lower level, moving left to right, you'll see the additional space is uh just the entrance to ESC, but that bottom area on the left becomes the district office on the lower level. And then there is two there are two spaces on that lower level across from the cafeteria that would become arts and innovation dedicated. If we move to the next slide, the main level of the building. So remember, Armstrong High School is is our building that's got the most complicated levels to it. So here's where it kind of starts to get a little confusing, but if we continue left to right, you'll notice that the district office space sits where where we talked about in the last slide. And then we've got on this level where the current main office is gets reconfigured into special education and student services across from the media center that gets refreshed and the classrooms that are in that first left area that becomes high view or the ALC and the reason for that you can you see that it's pointed out the high view entrance would be right on that upper that first um doorway on that upper side and that allows for the ALC to kind of have its own space uh in this building. However, that said, sixth grade and seventh grade and special education also is housed on this level. Um so so there's some reconfiguration, some breakouts and also the middle school office would be added on the right hand side there. So this is that main level um of Armstrong High School. Then when we go to the upper level, what you will notice is working left to right above where the ALC high view was is the eighth grade area. Arts and innovation breakout spaces like you saw at the Sandberg drawing, special education spaces, additional seventh grade spac spaces, additional sixth grade science spaces. So remember, as we're getting through all these drawings right now, we're deciding how much clay do we need, trying to make sure that it all fits with our assumptions. Things can change as we move through this. Now, we get on to high school planning assumptions. So, we're planning for a building that can can hold 3,000 students, hopefully around an enrollment of 28 to 2900 students. We believe in talking with the high school teams, we need 118 learning spaces, and you can see all the different spaces that make up those spaces. We also uh need outdoor learning and outdoor dining was a request uh for this. And then high school, as we talked last time, we also have additional activities and athletic needs as we move through the high school. This drawing is the same drawing that you saw last time. Uh it's the the footprint, the addition of what would become a single high school. We have uh the fields on the bottom of this slide are where New Hope Learning Center currently is. And then additional parking lots as you as you work your way up. A reminder that the orange on the left hand side of the field is additional seating so that we can uh get somewhere between four and 5,000 people to be able to be in that stadium. And then bus parking would change in this model, taking the bus drop off and pickup off the street and moving it into a parking lot as our other buildings. So, as we move through the floor plans, the lower level of the building, you'll notice that we um and it's hard to read because it's a lot on a slide, but we have additional spaces for gym space. So, we're up to eight gyms. We have um space for locker rooms, cardio, visiting locker rooms, PE locker rooms, and you'll notice that athletic offices on that left hand side and training spaces are uh as part of an event entry on that lower level. So, there's a space on the back side of the building where you come in. There's athletic offices. Um, you'd be able then to have access to the locker rooms going to the right. Straight ahead you've got the main competition courts. To the left you've got auxiliary courts. To the right you've got the weight room and the dance space. At that you move across this drawing. You will see that above the the uppermost gyms there's an addition of wrestling space, an addition of several classrooms, flex spaces, the bus entrance space for arts and innovation, uh metals, auto CTE flex spaces, woods, uh digital studio design, resource spaces, 3D labs, 2D labs, all of that in the upper right. And as we circle back around, coming down, we add additional classrooms before we get to the first circle, which adds a flex space, special education, planning spaces for teachers, and then additional classrooms as we move into that first circle, which would have renovated classrooms. And then you'll see, and you're going to see this later on, the stairwell that connects this level with the next level which connects it to the commons. And you'll see that we have allocated health rooms on this floor as well as tech offices. When we move to the next floor plan, which is the main level, we're going to move left to right. On the left hand side you will see the addition for band choir orchestra in blue. There on the left you will see that um working our way the kitchen gets uh a refresh. There is a black box that gets put in as part of the arts facility. So that is right next right in between the kitchen and where it says open to below which is the gym space. you will see that um we are updating the remaining part of the arts area. However, at this point with the auditorium, unless there's something we can do in the existing space, the auditorium is not slated to become any bigger at this point in time. There are construction constraints. um Brent and the folks from W can talk to specifics about that, but uh right now we're not we don't have a plan to touch the auditorium. If we move back up into the blue area, you will see um left to right a commons. Um we have um a coffee shop in there. We have concession stand, a store, special education spaces. This is because this is all then linked to the floor below and the floor above. And in the in the drawings, you're going to see that there are there are ideas about how to create glass walls so you can actually open up these spaces. Um but essentially this all gets open to below and as you work left to right you will see again that stairway. Um you will see the connecting points to those classrooms coming up to the right hand side corner. art rooms, additional classrooms. Again, at the top, flex rooms, special education rooms. As we work back down to the lower right, you will see this is where we connect the two circles. The media center is in the middle of the two circles as an additional space. you will see that special education offices and paraprofessional offices, EA offices, locker spaces, uh all gets added in there as additional square footage. And then you will see in that low or in that lower circle that right now we have placeholders for food science and um EMT and uh business labs and all the CTE stuff in that additional space. So that whole as you drive up to that corner of that building, that whole space would look new because there would be an addition on to that. And then if we go to the upper floor plan, and this one I'm going to work from top to bottom because of the spaces we have. So you'll see same at the very top, same as the other two uh drawings, we have additional classrooms and spaces added. Um, we have spaces set aside for the science classes as we work our way around to the right. Additional classrooms, additional bathrooms as we feed into that top circle. Um, we don't have uh renovation plans for everything in that top circle at this point, but you will see that additional space is allocated for special education in the middle of that circle. and then a connection again to that commons area and being able to see down into what becomes the lunchroom. Um you will also see um add some additional spaces. A second level of the media center is up there. It covers half of the media center. This could be used as your avid space, breakout space, office space, but just an ability to make use of space since we're adding on there as well. So then if we get into renderings, uh the first rendering is what it looks like in the uh commons area. You'll notice that this is kind of what I've been talking about. You can there's certain parts of the building where you can see three stories. Other parts are two stories. On the right hand side of this first rendering is that learning stairway. The next slide is uh a screen kind of a screenshot from the opposite view of that. So, you're looking at that stairway get you all the way up um into the far end of the building, the main commons. The next rendering is what the space would look like above in the athletics area and the commons area. So, you'll kind of see on the right hand side what I was talking about, they their ability to open up that whole wall. So you can actually see down into the one set of gyms from this space um and really make it a an open and inviting uh very new look. And then the next uh rendering is what the spaces would be used outside of classrooms. So what we're really trying to do is find answers to how do we make use of all the otherwise in in current form not be usable for learning spaces based on what uh we've seen and heard we've so the next slide we've had some questions about what is arts and innovation and so I think there's two parts to this as I was thinking through it the first is remembering that arts and innovation as a recommended concept came out of the 2030 recommendations and it really I think is has there's four bullet points to it. It's part of a rebranding district identity. Um it's something that should happen across all schools including Spanish immersion. It's this idea and our our presenters tonight this idea of intentionally redesigning and renovating so that we [clears throat] have the ability [cough and laughter] for more functional learning spaces into the future. Right? So maker spaces, outdoor labs, performance art spaces and then continuing our ability to build on partnerships as it relates to those spaces. So how do we get further into identifying what is arts and innovation? Really, it's what we've started to do already. I believe engaging staff, incorporating the most effective initiatives from our current schools, a district-wide focus on hands-on learning, critical thinking, problem solving, all of that. And it's really in theory this ability to blur lines between traditional discipline through arts integration. We've heard that from our magnet schools. What's different? It's it's integrating the arts into cross-disciplinary work. How do we embed that? And so what we heard back to the reimagine 2030 is how do you do that for all students, not just some students? And then again, the int intentional designing of the spaces and the experiences uh for students in our system. I think it matches really well with the uh portrait of a learner um that the board has approved as a way to kind of continually come back to what it is as we look at it. What's it look like? We've shared some of these pictures before. It really is about designing intentional spaces. That's everything from flexible learning spaces on the on the upper left to what we do for our special education students and apartments to the right hand upper right hand side. the ability for small breakout sessions for AVID or for whatever smaller groups need to have our art spaces, our intentional and inclusive learning design spaces and then things [clears throat] like that learning stairwell. You heard you you heard from our principles the ability to bring a music group out into the commons. Uh things like that. So we can divine it define it in different ways. Arts and innovation is also things like how do we do career in tech? How do we do work experience? How do we provide certifications? How do we create what are Robbinsdale pathways in the future? How do we make sure we support our performance spaces? It's also outdoor learning space. Several examples. We have schools now that have outdoor learning spaces that they've made their own. These pictures just help demonstrate what might an outdoor learning space look like. The other question we have gotten um is can we provide a breakdown of the estimated cost by building in this vision? And so this next slide is what our best estimate in our work with Nexus and W of what it will take to do the renovations and additions that I've talked through at this point in time. And so you can see the high school is sitting just above 237 million. Middle school that would be at the Armstrong site a little over 37 million. The middle school at Sandberg site a little over 24. Having RSI and RTC on the PMS site would be about 25 million. And then we get into the elementarymentaries. The elementarymentaries range from 8.6 at Metal Lake up to 30 million, a little over 30 million at Olsen. So, as you think through those pictures that I showed you, when you think about Metal Lake and the minimal amount that has to be done there versus the amount that has to be done at C Olsen in order to get those equitable assumptions across all buildings, that's why you have such a range. early learning that would be at the Fair Crystal site. That's uh just over 9 million. And then uh we don't have the drawings for it, but we also know that we need a vehicle storage garage and that's been in the plan. uh we just don't talk about it much because it's not part of the learning side of the house, but a little over nine or a little closer to 10 million uh to get that for our uh the vehicle storage which would be slated if we can do it uh the way that it's designed on the bus garage site. In addition to all these costs, there's a 4-year inflationary allowance built in to the numbers you've been seeing, which gets you to the total at the bottom. We've been talking about this $515 million between long-term facility maintenance and between a voter approved bonding that those two together get you to the 515. These are the numbers that match that for each building in the current state of what we've been working through based on the direction that we've been given by the board. With that, I'm going to stop talking for a moment and turn it over to CHISel. Thank you, Dr. McDow. Um, the slide that is in front of you now is comparing comparing our paths. We had had a conversation [clears throat] two weeks ago now um with our financial adviser about what is the tax impact depending on the route that we go. And when looking at identified as the blue side or the screen, it would be your left hand side, you can see the the entire comprehensive option that Dr. McDow has presented to you tonight, which is the voter approved bond and long-term facility maintenance. You can see the impact as it's designed based on what Michael Hart presented that we would be looking at approximately a $30 monthly impact for a median home which uh I believe well it was $340,200 is the medium home today and you can see the annual impact and the monthly impact of $366 annually $30 a month and the impact is higher for commercial properties. Also at that meeting the board had discussed and which we will continue to work through uh with our long-term facility maintenance pro levy process this summer is [snorts] an absence of a bond. we still need to move forward um with the maintaining of our buildings and that was $140 million independent of a referendum if we just did LTFM of which for a $340,000 $340,200 house um it would be [clears throat] $16 a month for a medium home median home which would be $187 annually and you can see the commercial, industrial and apartment impact. Um, I think a thing to an an item to point out is just to maintain or to try to catch up maintenance on what the properties that we currently have is $16 a month and to do all of the slides that were presented to my tonight is 30. which means your difference between the two options is $14 a month or less than $200 annually one option versus the next. So this slide just encompasses everything that the board was presented um I believe it was two meetings ago now I'm losing track. So as far as future reductions go and how we have tried to plan out no different than the slide that uh that was presented earlier this evening of of what is the plan for the next what is the how do we cascade decisions in the next five to six years. This is going back to the SOD planning process. And what that does is says regardless regardless of what happens with a building bond, um we still presume we're going to need to make um reductions in future years for 2728 and for [clears throat] 2829. Now, these numbers have not been up updated since we've been presenting. um they won't get updated honestly until next October's uh fall enrollment comes in. But at that time when we were working on this through the winter, we knew that that that on the table for planned reductions would be magnet transportation um and IB programming at Cooper for $600,000. We also knew that we would be looking at additional closures. Again, I would like to emphasize that these were point in time numbers. Um, and they can and are likely to change to some degree. I'll even go back. There was a graph that was presented probably 6 to 8 months ago now where we said if we didn't make reductions, we could be looking at 4 to 8 million annually and if we did, we'd be looking at two to four. No, we're kind we're in that. Okay, we're in we've made the heavy lift of reductions and now we have but we still there's inflationary expenses that exist and we're going to need to continue to stay um in compliance with the department of education and an SOD plan by by being balanced. So as we move into next year we have uh we've shared this slide a couple times. We have a reduction in the buildings on the left hand side, but for next year, we're still operating two comprehensive high schools, two comprehensive middle schools with immersion, six neighborhood elementary schools, three magnet schools with transportation, an early learning center, high view virtual academy, adult academic program, and Robindale transition center. So, while we're reducing buildings, we're still working to maintain our core programming. A couple of additional items with regard to how we sequence future reductions. Some assumptions with our operational costs for us to roll up from year to year if we do nothing different is $2 to $3 million. So our rollup costs on an annual basis live between two and $3 million just for that's the cost of doing distance >> after >> each elementary school that we operate. If you remember back to our operational assumptions, each elementary building that we operate on an annual basis is around a million dollars to operate. Each middle school is around two million to operate and each high school is around three million to operate. So, one of the questions that continues to come up is if no building bond, what then? And so, that's the bottom half of this slide. Again, I've shared this once. We would be re we would be looking at things like how do we reboundry or reconfigure the high schools to create more space and opportunity to move programs into there? How will we reduce elementary buildings? How do we reduce enrollment of RSI? How do we move that to a different building? Can we reconfigure any space at New Hope Learning Center? What program reductions do we want to start making? And what additional transportation reductions do we want to start making? So, when the question comes, what will it look like if we don't? This is really the base road map of what recommendations are going to start coming um in some way, shape, or form as we move through time. Last slide. All of this slide is all of this uh presentation is really to help you as a board as we've said all along to get you set up for June 1st, June 8th and June 15th. June 1st we will have Peter Leatherman here to talk through the results of the residential survey. As a reminder, that survey most importantly will give you feedback on what is the community's tax tolerance and it is specific to asking the question based on the plan we just presented. So a tax tolerance last time was just in general, what would you be willing uh to to give uh to increase to maintain? This time it's around asking questions. What if we did this with middle schools? What if we did this with high schools? What if we did this with elementaryaries? Um June 8th is set for board discussion. June 15th is set for board discussion so that we can have a review and comment if needed by the 6th of July. With that, myself, Brent Joan, Kristen, anyone else will stand for questions. Okay, [clears throat] questions. >> Dr. Bowman, >> I just want to make a comment. Uh, it's um incredible to see the assumptions come together and be laid out in the building plans that you guys presented tonight. So, I really appreciate that piece of it. It really helps to show the intention of the uh of moving all great things into all of these buildings. So, it's really helped me visualize the plan much better to see it in each one of the buildings. So, thank you. >> I'll second that. That was great to see the outside and the inside and really be able to get a feel for it. I have a a wondering the slide that shows the monthly impact for the median homes. Um, Director Wuto brought up a question that several of us were kind of wondering about at LA I think it was the last meeting about um what was it 23 million for Lake View to renovate. I think it was about, but what if we didn't renovate Lake View and went with the project on the uh Robinsdale Middle School site? And so, could there possibly be a slide that shows us the monthly impact for that and how that would be? Because then we wouldn't have the 23 million for Lake View. we would have >> like 45 million for uh a new Robinsdale school. >> So presumably the difference between a 40 to 45 million and a 23.6 million you would be looking to say what is the slide for an impact >> right? What would be the impact on on that? I mean because it was there was some interest on that and I think there was enough interest from enough board members just to be able to see it so we could get a real feel for it. Okay, thank you. >> Um yeah, so I think Mai is just adding to the wish list, right? Um, I was in two buildings this past week, um, just to show appreciation to our teachers. And looking at the teachers lounges where they sit in our current buildings, it's disgraceful to say the least. Um I I've been in various environments as a professional and to say that that is where our teachers eat lunch or that is a place where they can gather and have personal conversations I I think we need to do something about that and I'm hoping that we are on the right path today to start showing that appreciation to them. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Have a question. um director Basset and then director Helenbrand. So, um the question I have um has to do with um right now our uh debt for previous debt for long-term facilities maintenance and all the like the lifetime of those bonds now when factored in with what we're proposing and I see that on the slide that was shown there was one that's up right now actually the 20-year bond for this as opposed to 10 years. So, um I guess I'm wondering uh about when some of our debt falls off that we currently have how that relates to this and uh so I'll pause there to see if you're following what I'm asking you. >> I'm not sure I am. Um if you are going back to the presentation that Michael >> I'm asking just a simple straightforward question. with the district currently has LTFM debt bonds we've already let overtime. >> You do? Yes, we do. Yes. >> Okay. We already have that. >> Yes. >> So, that debt that we have, I'm talking about debt. >> So, the [clears throat] debt we have right now and the lifetime of those bonds, um I don't really I don't really have a clear picture in my mind about length of time of those bonds and how it relates to what we're talking about here. uh because the long-term implications for the payoff of all those bonds is really what the community will end up dealing with over time. So, I don't really see how that's expressed anywhere and I'm wondering about that to help me kind of visualize into the future. Um, and before I go further, let me just say I really appreciated your presentation. I did the patience you took in going through each one of those um layouts and what it might look like and what it could be and I further appreciate you really talking about what it takes to get each one of those elementaryaries in particular to a place that we would feel good about you know uh and so that's important. Um, so, uh, that's on my mind. As well as we are going to live with for a period of time, and I think I heard the superintendent say till 2031 before it's all said and done, which would mean that there'd be a building. So, we will be living with two high schools. I'm not sure about how long. I I I'm not sure what that means. And so, if there can be some kind of unless you can speak to it right now, >> five years. >> Okay. Pardon me. >> Oops. I hit the wrong button. >> Okay. Well, that's what I did that. [clears throat and laughter] So, the easiest way to explain it is >> getting there all these slides. >> I don't know. [laughter] >> They're back there. >> That's that. So, >> you're you're really looking out to that 2031 32 year. Mhm. >> is the soonest you would have everything moved. So in a perfect world, you might So in this scenario, 2030, the fall of 2030 is where the new high school would open. So to your question, you would theoretically have in this model two high schools through the 2930 school year. >> Okay. So I I do think that some kind of a way for us to understand the the fiscal respons you know debt I mean what we're what that means for us in terms of real time and cost uh is important to know and so [clears throat] if that can be fleshed out into some way for us to understand it better that would be helpful um and cost it out specifically because we certainly have there's been some concern about oh because we have these two high schools is going to cost us more. Well, it's going to cost us something as long as we have them. So, what you know what that is um is important to know along with those that phasing that you just did. So, the debt will carry over related to just what we're talking about tonight over that period of time is important to understand in terms of the length of it and how much it is. Um so, that's kind of a question all by itself. And then the other one I think you you kind of understood uh Chris Director Hohiso did uh and that has to do with the current debt we've got already and the current debt we've got uh for the bonds we've let and the lifetime of those bonds in terms of maturity and then uh what this does to that what is the impact of this to that does uh you know and so that may not be that may be moot you know but I'm not a finance person just a parent okay so that's why I'm asking So, uh, you know, so that's that would be important for me to understand and know and I don't feel like I have a clear understanding of it right now. >> Uh, thank you. I can appreciate that. And if I don't [clears throat] address your point, please let me know. At the May 4th uh schoolboard meeting, uh Michael Hart from PTMA was here to give a presentation and embedded within that presentation is um all of the all the items that we have, what we currently have for school bonds, LTFM bonds, um lease levy, and you can see the staggering of our debts and how that drops off. We have a drop off in 2028. we have another drop off in 2032. Uh there is our current debt. There's also then what if we take the 515 million and the different ways to structure it. Quite honestly, it was having a conversation with the board about, you know, as is if we're looking at an impact over 20 years with both the bond referendum and the LTFM site, it also had the Robbinsdale middle site on it um to say what the tax impact was to that. with those assumptions. Um, and then independent of that, if it was just to be an LTFM bond, are we looking at a five-year bond? Are we looking at a seven-year bond? And it was the staggering. He specifically talked about >> Sure. >> He specifically talked about an opportunity for the board to have multiple phases. He talked about the opportunity for the board um uh if they were to do LTFM or or do a PGO versus uh bonding all of LTFM. The flexibility that provides like all of that was in that presentation. So Helen, I'm missing what you need. >> But here here's here's what exactly what I need. The fact of the matter is is that I would have preferred and I don't know if I said it then or since then, but I I know I've said it. A presentation like that from the board table from a person with that much information is better served for some people and I will say for me uh in a work session setting where we can actually kind of ask the kinds of questions and I'll further say pull having that same kind of data pulled into a separate document that specifically asks my questions about what we're proposing right now based on what we can do. So, if we've already got the data, then pulling that together should be no no tall order. That's what I'm asking for. All the bells and whistles and and so uh and and if it's not clear, I'm happy to come in and talk with you about what I'm talking about, but we're talking about long-term debt over time. And so, and I don't have that in front of me. You do. So looking at what he presented to us and kind of looking at what that looks like and what that means uh and then how these new numbers relate is my question. So So if we can I don't need the answer right now unless you have it. I mean >> I have the answers. >> I know but I'd like to have I'd like to have it presented to me so I can take it and I can dig through it. And I think this then it would serve us well for you and I to meet off offline because I'm not understanding what additional information. >> I mean I think it's just the formatting. It's the formatting and the specific data put together. >> Okay. >> And so I mean it's it's not magical. It's not complicated. It's fairly straightforward. I'm saying to you if we already have that information from PM you know what that group >> you know if we have that information and then we understand that if we're adding this debt because you said it what are the various options of how we might structure it >> in order to op to structure it in the way that is most optimal for the community we should have a clear understanding agree and I'm just saying I I'm just here saying I don't have it and and I want it fair so because of that. >> Hey, Director Hillbrand, I think you're next and then Director Bridgetesen. Yeah, I just had a quick question and I apologize because I don't have the um numbers in front of me and I couldn't find them quickly, but as I was looking at the costs for renovating Olsen or C um I was just curious, and I'm sure you guys have already thought about this, so just tell me you have and that's fine, but um would it be more cost effective to look back at Noble or Neil? um looking at the that that's such an expensive school to it needs such extensive renovation. >> Um not I don't want anybody to go back and restart over. So I assume there's a good reason that we're we're focused on Olsen as opposed to Noble or Neil. [snorts] >> Just a reminder from Nexus. >> Yes, great question. Sorry if this isn't a good question. or I know how to turn on. Um, great question. The the the reason um we >> No, you know, >> want to wait for the mic. >> Yeah, >> just wait for the >> mic. I was asking because Olsson is in close proximity to No, >> such extensive. It was the most expensive of the elementaryaries >> aside from our side going into what a building that is needed for a different age group. very reasonable question. Um when you look at um Olsen and Noble right now, their existing square footage, they're very equivalent. Actually, Noble's a little bit smaller. Um so so nor would need just as extensive of addition or as expensive of addition. And the reason Olsen was picked is that you you've made an existing square footage has been recently renovated. [snorts] >> Sure. So noble would need the the new part would be just as expensive as Osen and the renovation would be actually more at Noble. >> That makes sense. >> Yep. Nope. That's really helpful. And that if anybody else was curious about that too, that helps really. >> And I did also ask about Neil, didn't you? >> Or or Neil, but Neil we were already I mean Neil's >> but it it's very it's it's very similar. We look at the sizes. They're all very equivalent. >> And also you've made recent [clears throat] investments in. We want to make you got the great outdoor learning area there, right? You made all the uh infrastructure upgrades as far as HVAC and boiler plant and chiller plant, all that stuff, all the finishes, a private restrooms are already in there. We just want to make use of that. >> No, that makes perfect sense. So, thank you. And that helps also in case people in the community were wondering [snorts] that as well. So, thank you. >> You might as well stay there till we finish this whole section. >> Director Brenten, >> I have seven questions, but they'll go quick. >> So, um I just want to clarify something. Uh Dr. McDall, you mentioned in the potential phasing, you said that this is the fastest it could happen to whatever that 2031 to 32 time frame. I just want to clarify, you're saying if the board were to say, "Hey, let's have the new high school open in pick a year 2035 or something." Like at the end of the day, that's fine, right? Like we wouldn't have an issue with like if we did the bond now, we don't have to spend the money by a certain time or anything like that. Does that make sense? >> Good question. >> Go ahead. >> No, [laughter] >> I'm looking for the financial answer. >> Yeah. So, multiple parts to that, but I think we [clears throat] take it on two. The >> the reason for the slide, just to make sure I'm just thinking of people that are watching. >> So, the reason for the slide is to help people understand that a it doesn't all get done in a year. >> Correct. >> Y. So then we fast forward to the end of that which in that current slide is 20 3132 that part two of the answer. I'll turn it over to Brent because he can talk through >> okay but the reason I was going to turn it over to Brent was simply from the construction phasing side of it >> and that's why I'd like to hit the numbers first. So you you have two indicators of the challenge with delaying even further past when you actually uh ask and get an answer to the question. >> Okay. >> Number one is you saw that fouryear inflation number at $55 million getting bigger >> that gets bigger. So our ask of what we would do today changes greatly >> if we wait an additional 3, four or five years whatever it is. also run into and we talked about issuing in in like staggered debt. Yep. You know, you issue debt and then you issue debt in another two years. So we have have to be very careful of um negative arbitrage which means that if dollars aren't spent down within three years the the governing the finance governing body of the world whoever that is says we can't use like our in our issuing bond as an intentional revenue generator. So they're going to look and say, "You're not spending down your proceeds now. You're just reinvesting that money and getting interest." >> And so there has to be certain marks of spendown to prove that you're not just using it as an investment tool to gain interest. >> Beautiful. >> So those are kind of the two financial components that come to mind right away. Now Brent, if you have more, please feel free. >> No, director Director Hosile is 100% correct. Could you elongate it? Could Could you issue debt >> in staggered and and and wait to issue some of that debt so you don't run into arbitrage? 100%. It's the inflation, >> right? >> What what we showed you was the quickest we can do it to minimize expenses to the taxpayers. >> That's perfect. Makes sense. All right. Number two, uh, does every building end with single stall bathrooms? It wasn't really clear on the drawings. Yes. Okay, perfect. >> Keep just moving along. Um, we talked before about having a stage or some sort of performance area in each elementary. Does this count for that? >> Yes. So, we we had many discussions with your uh building leadership at the elementary level there. And what was asked was um along in addition to your traditional 2D and 3D art, we want to have a performing arts area. And then we talked also about orchestra band for fifth grade. So, it's been decided to give each elementary school a performing arts classroom that could which one day a week can also double as a band room and then give you a performing space would either be a stage. If it's if it's a building with an existing stage, we're going to leave it. If it's a building that doesn't have a stage, we're going to provide uh portable stages that can be set up in new in the new gymnasiums. >> Got it. Okay. Sweet. Um number four. Um, so to what level has like feasibility been done for each of these buildings? So one of the things that a bunch of parents emailed me and said you can't do that at C. Some other construction company said it's not possible because of XY. I don't know like I wasn't there so I don't know the history. Like I'm just curious like how far along in the like planning feasibility? I would say um honestly further along than we typically are pre-referendum. We're probably 20% through the design phase right now which is which doesn't sound like much but it is more than and um we've had a lot of professionals involved looking at each site and the feasibility of it and we're comfortable where we're at. >> Okay. I just want to make sure we're not going to come back four months be like actually we can't put that wing there. We were completely wrong. That kind of thing. >> Uh number five. this was brought up before and someone was going to talk about like where each city is in this planning like have we talked to New Hope like what's the timeline I guess is the better question. >> Yep. So our our uh biggest uh conversation next is the New Hope conversation with regard to the Cooper site and the high school um and the New Hope Learning Center site. So we need to go through the appropriate steps to make sure that um everything's in order with what we've got for schematics and drawings and so Nexus Wald myself uh Dr. Stalo CFO wholeheiser will be meeting uh with the city of New Hope to get through that next phase. Uh the reason we're starting there is as you know we this whole thing starts with the single high school. Um, and so we just need to make sure we're kind of in that chicken or the egg thing where we needed to have enough of a drawing schematic so that we can actually have a realistic conversation. >> Yep. Makes sense. All right. >> The other thing um just uh Wednesday morning we do meet with our 281 uh partnership. Um, so we will show them not the 63 slides, but we will show them the overview. Um, and again, then take a look and just say we will be prepared um, should the board choose to put this language on the ballot, be prepared to meet with them and make those offers um, as they see as most helpful. >> All right. And just so as we move so much of that type of work gets done typically after a referendum is passed and that's what Brent his team at Nexus uh some of the folks at W that that's what their role is in this is to work out all the details because no different than building a new home. You're going to run into something. It just depends upon what it is and and so um we are we're in a spot where because we've tried to be as responsive to what we've been given as direction from the board. You are in a much more detailed place right now than referendum work typically is before a referendum is put to a vote. >> Beautiful. Love it. All right. Last question. Um and then a comment afterwards. So at the last meeting I I asked the question about CTE and you know how do we how do we pay for this right and the comment was about that but the one said the one line you said and I wrote it down word for word if the board says that that is our priority then it is our job as the administration to make it our priority within Robbinsdale to focus on CTE and those kind of things. So I mean this is just my comment and I'm assuming I I won't assume for the board. I guess I would say referendum pass or fail. Our priority should be that I don't know how we do it. what is >> that that that we focus on career and technical education all those things and the line was if the board says that's should be our priority then that will be our priority and I'm just saying that's me raising my hand saying after your comment I am 100 that's where we should be regardless if it passes or fails I don't know how that actually works in the grand scheme of things last thing I would just say is I am not interested in hearing anything else about RMS or the RMS site We are asking for enough. Let's just It's done. That's all. >> Okay. Um Director Long, >> so when you started out uh the PowerPoint, you had said on the timeline um slide that there would be a survey. So I'm assuming cuz that then at the end you said Morris Letterman. Is that the survey that you were talking about in the beginning or is there a different one? >> Uh nope. That's one that's out. So there were so we if you remember we did a survey last year with Morris Leatherman. So this survey is a typical follow-up survey when you have answers in your lead that to ask further and deeper questions. So there's a second survey that's going out uh when started last week and is completing this week. So yes to both I think questions that you asked. >> They're both Morris Leman. >> They're both Morris Sman. Yep. And then um is there an additional cost when you add a storm shelter to a building versus if you scaled it down more? >> Uh yes. And unfortunately the way the current state statutes are, if you're adding addition that could house 50 people or more, you have to make it a tornado shelter for a F7 tornado. So um is there additional costs in that? Yes. The walls have to be thicker. You have to have backup power. You have to have restrooms within that structure. You have to have a natural ventilation source. So, yes, there is a there is a cost. But, um the good news is the legislature right now is currently contemplating modifying that statute and we all hope it gets modified to save us save taxpayers money and reduce that requirement. So, right now there there's been talk about if it's the addition is 10,000 foot or less and it's then it's then it's exempt. And there's also been talk about just um getting rid of the requirement of the tornado shelter. So, who knows what the legislaturator is going to do. [laughter] >> Okay. So, my next question is um what is the cost for the mockup plans that uh were presented to us today? the cost of all the pre-planning and everything Nexus has done and um and any individuals uh estimators, architects, rendering artists, people have been involved, Nexus has paid that expense to date. >> Okay. >> And it won't come back later to haunt us. It's already in >> No, we don't win until you win. I mean, we if the the referendum is successful, we have to get paid for our time, but um at market rates, but um normal rates, but uh right now, we're taking it at risk. >> Okay. Um my next one was the mockup about Zachary Lane. I am just wondering about why is it that we have uh special ed resource classes in EBD uh classrooms so far away from where the other instruction is happening within the building. >> Oh, and that new wing there to the north or to the Yeah, north, excuse me. >> Are those like self-contained classrooms? Like what are you guys thinking way over there? But the resource rooms are breakout space. EBD can be they they wanted to be next to each other to support support each other. They can in in the in the postreerendum design phase. You heard um director talk about make sure we have enough clay to create the sculpture that we want. If the design committee for that building and there will be design committee of staff members for the from the community or from the uh from the district. If, for example, those two EBD rooms want to be two fourth grade rooms and you want to put ED where fourth grade is, you can do that. We're we're we're we just kind of label that by way to make sure that we had two EBDs, two DCDs, two ASD rooms in every building where they're actually at in the building can change in the design phase. >> Yeah, cuz they seem to be kind of far from the rest of the instruction. And I just worry about stigmatizing, you know, our students who are receiving extra support and having them pushed away from, you know, cuz they're over there by the gym and mechanics and storage and, you know, performing arts and the classrooms are, you know, not by them. I do see that there are other resource and special ed rooms mixed within where the classroom spaces is, but that just for that one that just really stood out to worrying about stigmatizing some of our students when they're away from the central instruction from their grade level. >> Okay. >> I'll go on to my next one then. I guess I'll just put that out there. Um uh next the PMS the pool looking for some direction on how that pool is going to work because that building will eventually be RSI right and so then how will that be how will other people have gain access to it? How will it used? How um will it work? >> So I put the drawing back up there. Um, so the pool in this drawing is in the upper right. Uh, you'll see the addition uh to the main entrance. Also, you'll see that that area that, like I I kind of shared before is grayed out. So, that's going to be sectioned off from the rest of the building. Um, so people will gain access to the pool from the newly renovated entrance to the pool, uh, which is right off of the, uh, parking lot. I don't know, Brent, if you have anything to add. If I and board members, if you can see on your monitor that you can you see that says pool separation line. >> You see that note in the kind of the middle of the page top >> pointing to a red line that kind of >> bisects the building there. What we're trying to show there is we're trying to have a building within a building that >> most of your pool functions are after school when after the middle school or the elementary school be gone. But if there for some reason there was a pool event going on during the school day that the public would come through that new entrance where it says addition 3215 there and there would be a hard security line that red line between that building and the rest of the building. You can't you can't cross. And that's why you see the note add new fire exit and add new fire exit. Since we since we're locking those doors and say you're in the locker room and there's a fire in the pool lock room, you have to be able to get out and you no longer can cross that security line. We have to cut new exits in the exterior of the building to have that happen. So we we are we are completely sectioning off the pool from the rest of the building. >> And then those will be used for what? Swim team practices, swimming classes. What exactly? What's the envisioning there? >> All of the above. Okay. Um, oh, another thing too I was wondering about, um, so the updates that happened to C previously, what was the cost involved in that and where did that money exactly come from from those updates? >> I would have to take time to research. Unfortunately, all of us around the table or the majority of us around the table weren't here when those were happening. So I Caroline will have to take >> the dollar amount predated us but yeah the vast majority correct me if I'm wrong Dr. or director Jose has it would have been LTFM >> to be >> yeah again I'm I am not interested in answering that question until I have a chance to re take a look at it and see what what was actually spent on it or and how it was spent. >> Okay. So that's an answer we can get in the the >> Yes, I will provide you an answer. I just do not have it tonight. >> Okay. I also am interested in the question that director Basset was asking earlier too about like when our LTFM stuff drops off and just kind of getting more information about that too. One thing I will as I continue to look um at materials during this this conversation is right now and if you we the district um seem to be in a cadence of issuing LTFM debt every year. What I can see going back is we have 2015 debt um that is scheduled to drop off in now coming up into 2028. Um and we other than last year we issued uh various forms or various dollar amounts of debt literally every year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. Uh the last debt that was issued was November of 24. That is scheduled to uh be completed in I believe it's 4040 the 4040s. It was like a 20-year debt issue. >> So, and they phase out. So, every [clears throat] year another year drops off. >> Okay. So my next question I was wondering too if we could bring back I know we probably talked about this more at the beginning of the school year but exactly like you know so if this doesn't pass exactly what are those LTFM projects sorry my acronym head is going crazy right now that we would have to do at each of the buildings like what buildings would need a new roof what you know cuz I can't really remember all of those things that need to be replacing could you somehow uh give those documents to us again cuz I know we had talked about them like way back in the beginning of the year. >> Yes, we there was actually ironically a data request that had come through specific to what does that entail. Um I'm happy to forward on what was provided for the data request. It might not be exact um compared to you know we live in lifetime and some of that information is a little old but it's certainly going to give you a concept of what that what that means at each building. Would there be changes to that because were we continuing to work on fixing things or did we put because I know we put a pause to some of the LTFM stuff? >> Yes, there is potential for some changes. But again, I that documents at the ready. I can email that to you tonight. Um Okay. And then we can go from there if there's further >> and talk about what what has been maybe completed on that or is are all the things on there not completed yet? >> Oh, most of the things on there aren't completed yet. Okay. Again, that's that's the amount of LTFM we have out there. And it's and and ironically, it's a good segue because as we um what will be coming to you at our June is it the 18th? What's our June meeting? 13th. What is it? >> 15th. Um we will be looking at the 10-year LTFM plan. So, it's a fantastic segue into that, but I'll provide you at least um maybe slightly dated material and then we can kind of get into the nuts and bolts of it as we hit the 15th. >> Okay. Yeah, I would appreciate that because yeah, I do appreciate the one slide in here, but I just don't feel like we're still giving equal time to what it would look like if this doesn't pass from this this bond doesn't pass. And more as I am out in the community, I'm hearing people just really not in favor of this. Um, and like even at the community events, you know, I asked some people who were there. I was like, well, why aren't like more people here? Um because there was like what like 10 15 people maybe at the different community events. I know I attended all of them. Um but you know people said they were booked during times when their kids had things going on or you know um they have v busy families but still too they are more interested in knowing um how do we improve outcomes for students versus a building for students is kind of what I'm getting from people. I sure wish they'd be at those presentations then because I do think at least an element of moving funding over to help support our academic side would be helpful. But again, that's that continues to be. >> And then maybe you could explain more about why how is it then if we make these improvements, how is how will that help the outcomes for students academic wise with our test scores and social emotional needs and other things like that? I'll just speak to that really briefly. I think I answered that question at one of the the community meetings. Um, you know, we're talking right now about a a facility, a a building bond. The other pieces that we've talked about, I think in at least all of the staff meetings that we've had is the incredible work that's being done in the area of teaching and learning um to ensure that we have a guaranteed curriculum um to make sure that all of our grade level standards, our students have access to all of our grade level standards, to make sure that second grade uh instruction and expectations across the district are consistent. So, it's those systems um that are also going to make a huge impact in terms of of increasing student outcomes. We have a pilot of math curriculum that's going to be coming where we've got a lot of excitement around that right now. I think implementing what we've seen with the elementary witten wisdom um and the intensity of both what our teachers are doing and the support that we're receiving, all of those things will matter. making sure our high schools have and middle schools have consistent courses, making sure we're looking at instructional minutes. There's a whole lot of work um that needs to be done and systems that need to be created around teaching and learning and supporting our kids and staff. Um so I I not going to stand here and say that facilities will make that better. It's a huge picture of to [snorts] Kristen's point if we're able to be more efficient with our our facilities and we're spending less money on facilities and more money supporting students and supporting program and supporting staff. We assume that outcomes will be uh be improved. It's also the piece of the intangibles that some of our students have talked about and some of our adults have talked about in terms of school district pride in in terms of kids going to a school that um that is nice and has breakout spaces and has uh opportunities for them to take courses um as DJ was just talking about that we we currently don't have. So, it's a complicated question. Um, and I think the way I answered it at the community meeting was I'm not going to say there's a direct correlation with improved student outcomes because of new facilities, but the work that we're doing in all areas to improve this district um is going to put us on a far better tra trajectory than where we are right now. >> Okay. And then, sorry, off topic, but usually I am like freezing at these meetings and today I feel like I'm having hot flashes. Well, that could be a little off topic. >> Could be less topic. >> Are you finished with questions? Yes, I am. >> All right. Then we go to director Basset. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh so, um I just I have kind of four quick ones. >> And so, one is uh was news to me. Well, not maybe not so much news, but kind of news about this bus garage. You know, that's been a topic for many, many, many, many years. I'm not sure I know what we mean about what we're going to do with the bus garage. Um, are we going to tear it down and come up with a new one? >> So, that would be with the presumption be because we've had conversation about the warehouse and the warehouse space. It would be getting out of the warehouse lease, but we still need a place to store some of our equipment. >> Well, don't >> can't have lawn tractors out in the middle of the yard. Well, I just asked that question because you know >> maybe >> a prevailing thought is that one of you may or may not know one of the prevailing thoughts is that keeping our bus location where it is now, the bus facility where it is now isn't vital to it being evenly distributed across the district. And in addition to that though, because we can't really house some of the buses in it because the the buses don't fit in our garage. So I thought, you know, so that's still going to be unresolved >> 100%. It's still a a piece of the board conversation that of what happens with the, you know, like all of that like that's still a component of what it's no [clears throat] different than uh Helen, what happens to our properties that like do we offload properties? There's many conversations still coming. We just know in at some point getting out of the lease business and getting into having our property, we're going to need a structure that supports housing our some of our equipment. >> I don't disagree. I guess I'm just making the point when I see t the bus garage on here and we've not had a conversation about it that I've been in it was new. >> So I wanted to understand what are we talking about? We're talking about this bus garage. So, if we're just talking about having additional warehouse storage there somewhere is what I hear you saying, maybe. Okay. All right. Well, that was a question about that. So, we're not tearing down the B. We're not going to get new bus garage. Okay. All right. So, and I'm not advocating for it either. I'm just recognizing their problems. Uh, so the other thing I wonder about is this. Um, and I think it's something perhaps that uh uh director Brendan said this uh so the interest rate the the longer we wait are the pauses that occur just because of timing the longer we hold this the longer we're doing whatever we're doing the interest rate potentially and probably will be inching up for whatever we do. So there's >> inflation not interest >> inflation. Okay. So the inflation is going up. So, but the our bonding our credit rating so you know I don't know that there's enough time that's going to you know evolve where that we're going to be in a better position. However, if we're per perhaps not going to do this until 2030 31 to be where we want where we're trying to go, phased letting of bonds may have some val will have some potentially can have some value. I I guess I'm interested in a more robust conversation about that because the timing of letting the bonds it's not we're not saying yes or no about the question until we see what the public says. In the meantime, no matter what the public says, we've got to figure out when we're going to let when we're going to do it so that we get the best rates. And you know, something that's still nebulous and perhaps will be is what is it going to take for getting our bond rating back to what we where we want it to be? That's a real question. And what are the and so that's for the board to kind of figure out what do we got to do to make that happen. So, and then the other thing is that um I think something else that director Brendenson said which was about visioning because what you said really resonated with me director Brendan said there are things that we have seen on this list that we want we want whatever we need to do to improve our well I'm maybe speaking more than what you said but you know but the things that we see for our elementary buildings that can be possible that you have envisioned and given us some price tags for those are things and the and the programming that we're talking about to surround them or be within them are things that perhaps some board directors would want. So I think that's a visioning conversation that I don't think we've I I don't I haven't been in one where we've talked as a board about what those things are. So and I think we may have some opportunity for that coming up here soon since we're going to do our self-evaluation. I don't know. But anyway, so the but the major point I'm making here, uh, Jer, the question I'm raising is phasing, letting of the bonds because we can't get there right away anyway. So, and that's a conversation with director, executive director Hohheisle to really kind of map that out. But I think that that's something I think the board should be involved in hearing more about than less about. I guess is the only thing I'll say about that. So, [snorts] I think that covers all of my Oh, and the one last thing is about this this apartment we're going to have for for our students. That's in the new building, right? Okay. So, we don't we were not going to have one until 2031. You know, >> they're they have um RTC has, I believe, an apartment right now. Um but the design here, the request that we had for the new builds was to make space for um an apartment. uh at uh Cooper High School site, uh potentially at um the Armstrong site as well and potentially at the Plymouth site. So, >> I can't hear you. >> Sanber site >> or the Sanberg site? >> I'm sorry. Can you say that again? I couldn't really hear you. >> Yeah. The design right now, the request from the uh secondary principles, I guess maybe is an easier way to say it, is to have the apartments as part of the plan for those secondary buildings. Maybe [clears throat] I'm I don't want to assume. And the purpose of having the departments is what? >> Life skills. >> Teaching life skills. I mean, >> life skills for our for our special education students. >> Well, thank you. Thank you for that. Appreciate it. >> Okay. Um, Director Hillenbrand. >> Yeah. I just wanted to add to I think that um for me anyway in terms of the new buildings, the other thing in terms of how that impacts our students and their learning is it gives them more opportunities because by having full buildings, it allows us to have fully resourced buildings. And that's at least for me what I see, you know, where you might only be able to have a partial media specialist or a partial uh nurse or you know, whatever you might have. This way you can have have full fully resourced buildings, right? So you can have that band teacher and that orchestra teacher and that right and also then you get full AP classes, you get full offerings of CTE, you get full, right? You get the full range of class offerings because you have the full building and so you can have fully resourced buildings, full class offerings for students and to me that is a huge benefit of having these buildings. um be robustly um staffed and being robustly full um buildings. So, I think that's just another piece that I think of a lot when as we're talking about buildings. By having these buildings and having these size um schools that we have, kids will have a lot more opportunity to learn the things that they want to learn to study the things they want to study. And that to me is one of the great things that once this is done will be there for our students. So I just wanted to add that to the conversation. >> I do not see any more hands with questions about the vision 2030 that we presentation we had tonight. Right. >> One last comment. >> One last comment. >> One last comment. Um because I I I would be remiss not to say it is very exciting to see what could be possible for our students. There is no question. It's easy to get excited about those things really. It's easy to feel good about them because they they seem like good things. So, uh I I think uh it's important to say that um because people may not always understand, at least for me, where I'm coming from. I I I I'm excited to see it. What is equally as important is how we pay and the public that we serve. I mean, so and and those questions are the hard questions that that go to how long debt, what is the debt, what's what are we doing? So, uh they're just both equally as important and frame my from my perspective. >> Um Dr. Bowen, >> great. And to build on that, the one thing that I know is that in large- term community investments, um, always at the center of it, which is what I learned when I was mayor of the city of Crystal, is how to be able to paid for a very large investment that doesn't bankrupt people on a day-to-day basis over time. So the equation always does include paying it off in in in a way that's affordable to everybody over time instead of one group of people pays it all up front or one group of people pays it at the back end. When we talk about a $500 million investment into the community, uh how it's paid off is part of the equation that's used in making those kind of investments. And I think it's it's an appropriate thing for the community to understand and know that it's not uh it's not guesswork. Uh it actually is is a real equation by which you can make it affordable over time which is the important part of it is making it affordable over time. And I and I believe that we are on the road of having these wonderful dreams and aspirations for our students. And from what I'm seeing it is affordable over time. And uh that's just my comment on it. >> Thank you. Seeing no more comments, did you have something you wanted to say? >> I want to All I want to do is thank uh Nexus and Wald um because we did not do the drawings and the schematics for today. Uh they've been very responsive to uh the speed at which we've been asking for details and changing with details and so to get this they've understood the urgency for us to get this for you. So you have plenty of time in the month of June to discuss. So just gratitude to them for being responsive. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. We have been here for almost 3 hours. We need to take a quick little break before we finish up this agenda. I know we still have a full night. We have the board evaluation, but we're going to take a little break. Um >> 52 8 minutes. That work? Thank you. And you know, included in this year's legislation, the um property tax refund adjustments >> for six for Okay, we're back. >> It must be >> We are back and the next thing up on our agenda is the fiscal year 27 preliminary budget and resolution. Um, it says resolution, but we don't need the resolution tonight. That is not until next month. So, we're just going to have the budget presentation by executive by uh CFO Hisel. Take it away. Thank you. Um just for points of clarification, tonight is the presentation on the preliminary budget. Uh you will it will be looking for adoption June 1st. June 1st I will be remote. So, I would strongly encourage you if you have questions based on tonight's presentation or the book that you have had in advance, you get those questions to me. uh because if there are a substantial amount that I can't answer in advance or need to be answered publicly, I will have uh Jenny Verugie at the meeting if necessary on June 1st. Otherwise, in absence of that, I will assume support personnel does not need to be here and you can carry on with the adoption of a preliminary budget. the mission, which has not actually been read tonight, which is a little bit surprising seeing it's 9:00 p.m. [clears throat and laughter] Um, we know it just intuitively. The mission of the Robbinsdale Area Schools is to inspire and educate all learners to develop their unique potential and positively contribute to their community. And tonight, we're going to go over the budget timeline, processes, key assumptions, and the overview of the budget. Now, this seems a little bit um as we get into the presentation, it feels like we've been working on the budget for a very long time, and we have. There is not necessarily new information that is embedded within this budget. Unfortunately, based on today's events, legislatively, there's new information all over the place. It's just not in your budget. Um as far as the annual budget timeline goes, you can see it as a circular function. uh because we are always in some capacity working through the budget. Right now we happen to be in the yellow which is uh board which is May June and then June and July as we work through the preliminary budget and start to work on levy information for future budgets. Um, August is a call to election if applicable and then the board certifies the proposed levy and we just continue to work round and round and round depending on what fiscal year that we are looking at. So with the general fund budget and the focus is the general fund budget tonight is there is an assumption that the in there is an inflationary adjustment only on the general education funding formula and again I'd like to continue to say the preliminary budget and the information that is in front of you is before legislative action. Yes, it happened today. This budget has been in the works as you guys know since November. So we had you have to draw a line in the sand and make assumptions at this at that point. Again, a budget is a point in time and will be revised. We now know that there is no additional money uh on the general education formula beyond the inflationary factor which I believe this year was $22 per student. Uh that is built into your budget. unreserved or unrestricted revenues and expenditures are balanced. As we work our way through uh whether it be the the board the preliminary budget book or the packets in your materials, it looks as though we are not balanced in the general fund. It says our re our expenditures exceed our revenue. Reason being is because it is not in the unrestricted unreserved. We have reserve categories that had fund balance within them or they had existing money there that we are spending down for example like a like capital we're we're working our way down. So yes, in totality we are not balanced as far as what we said with our SOD plan and what we would do with revenues expenditures. We are nothing. We have not deviated from that. Contract parameters for expiring contracts are not included. Clarity to this and this will be how it's done unless the board ever tells me to do it differently. We have contracts that are expiring for the 2627 school year contract. the custodians. There is no parameters at least defined or built into that budget for that contract. There is however parameters now because you don't want to skew your numbers so bad that the board established parameters are now built in for contracts that expired prior to July 1 of 26. And then again, legislative changes aren't reflected. And you can see the assumptions that were made. Increased in special education aid, uh decrease in our federal grants, decrease in compensatory aid. We both know, we all know that, well, I shouldn't say we all know, I shouldn't make that assumption, compensatory money was on the table for legislative action. There was action on it. Um, and based on what I can see, again, not reflected in our budget, that we weren't huge winners. um as far as the compensatory revenue goes and then gifts in local grants are also not a component of this. Again, increase for expenditures, increase in employee contracts um and steps. Uh we have the decrease of budget adjustments that were made in December and January and a decrease in the overall transportation cost. So the graph that is before you or the slide that's uh in front of you is the budget adjustments or the hard choices that were made this winter and you can see uh the different coloring schemes what had happened within there with the school closings at the secondary being the largest and then the program uh sunset of IBK11 at $300,000 is the smallest. In totality our adjustments were approximately $7.7 million. The general fund. Again, this is all elements of the general fund. You can see how we finished with 2024, our audited numbers, beginning balance, ending balance, a revised budget for 2526, and then the preliminary budget for 2627. and how that positions us um as we move forward. The percentage change you can see as far as um the changes. Yes, we are losing in revenues um but we are also losing more in expenditures. So you can all of the hard work that was done. It's always interesting to me to to see in just putting things um in a scale that people can understand. If you have a dollar, how does that how does that break out and and what does that mean? Where our money is coming from, where the revenue is coming from, we get 71 if it if we had $1 bill, uh 71 cents of that would come from state aids and credits, and 25 cents would come from our property taxes. One cent is other local revenue. So things like participation fees, gates, different items like that. And then three cents from the feds, which is always a little bit disappointing. Every time I see that number, I you wish that one was a little bit better, but that's the state of the state right now. And then where does the money go based on program codes? So if you talk what does regular and vocational education on a dollar scheme cost us it's4 special education it's 22 cents 14 cents for people support services um that is to support the the student directly that would include transportation um 11 cents to run our sites and buildings. So again, back to the conversation as we're looking at uh future decisions for sites and buildings. There is money in indirect costs for sites and buildings that are tied up with that six cents for instructional support. This is to in support our instructors. So it's professional development and curriculum and and essentially supporting your teaching and learning. Four cents for district support and three cents for district and school administration. and then less than a cent for fiscal or other fixed costs which is like your uh property liability insurance. And then if you b break it down on object codes of a dollar, you can see that 76 cents of that dollar is spent on staff. That's our salary and benefits. So 76 cents goes there. Purchase services. Again, you're looking at um transportation. Uh areas where we can't fill staffing. Um I instantly go to like special education for contract services if we can't get enough staff. Um supplies and materials are 2 cents and then 3 cents for capital expenditures, 1 cent for other expenditures. So far and away uh our money we are we are a public um we are a people industry. We serve people and we pay people to serve people. Again this is just an overall synopsis of a visual graphic to say where are we with our projected revenues and expenditures in totality. I just want to keep saying that we are balanced as far as the the state is concerned with our unreserved unrestricted and the graphic to just to show you the progress that has been made. Um if the board's goal uh remains in policy at 6 12% of our unassigned fund balance where we were and where we are projected to be our current trajectory, we're going we're going in the right direction which is which is a u a very good thing. So unfortunately or fortunately we uh we have other funds that come into play when that needs that require schoolboard adoption before July 1st otherwise we cannot legally expend money and those other funds include food service, community education, building construction debt service, OPE which is other postemployment benefit trust and our internal service which is our uh self-insured um health and dental programs. And so in totality, it was funny. I had remembered Director Bowman when I presented last, we were close to 300 million. And as as we continue to decline, so does the the dollar amounts that we um are responsible [clears throat] for. And now we're down to $276,944,588 of expenditures. That is what is in front of the board. Again, there is uh far more robust detail within the budget book. We will be looking at the budget again um come October, start working on in October once we have finalized uh seat counts and it will be in front of you co uh after the audit because we want to have good numbers with the audit. Uh I would go probably December sometime we would be looking at a revised budget. Uh we will have in some capacity a review of legislative action and then um once the the budget is approved it will become available on the website. So, at this time, that was fast and I know it was. Um, this time I'd like to open it up for questions because again, we've we've talked about the budget an awful lot and I just want to make sure that that I have I'm able to answer the questions that you have >> hands. Dr. Brenten, >> uh, one quick question. Well, we'll see this quick. Who knows? Um, I shouldn't pigeon hole myself. So uh one of the questions we get asked all the time so bal budget is balanced this year right why do we need to keep making additional changes blah blah blah so I just want to be really clear so I understand so in the previous slides for about redesign we talked about a allup rollup cost of approximately $2 to3 million per year that's how much additional money we need to spend each year >> statement just to clarify >> not spend reduce >> sorry reduce sorry But [snorts] based on salary increases and stuff like that, our expenditures on an annual basis go up about 2 and a half to $3 million. Is that >> That is correct. So if you if you were to break it down, um the estimate of rollup costs of just employment contracts is approximately $1.3 million. That's just in employee costs as people work their way through uh their contracts. So every year it's step and lane increases automatic $1.3 million. Then you have to assume there's additional costs uh with other things as well, right? Utilities can go up 3 to 5%. I mean we all are witnessing what's happening with gas prices, >> um insurance costs. So yes, there is an automatic, no different than what we talked about uh with the presentation earlier. Yes, that is true. you're looking at a2 to3 million increase likely closer to three for those reasons. There's inflationary factors to everything that we do. >> Okay. And then you mentioned $22 was this year's inflationary number. So if I do the math, that's 1.9 million >> in revenue. So we're upside down one and a half millionish. >> So that's the driver to Okay. Thanks. >> Driver. >> Thank you. And then and then that is along with the assumption that excuse me all other revenues hold >> hold right. Yeah. Yeah. I get that. >> And you know with um with change in student count with change in even though the federal government government provides 4 cents on the dollar there's still money there. And if there's staff uh attached to that then there's red I mean right that's how it works. >> Yeah I get it. Still ahead. Thank you. >> Thank you. Other questions? No. No. No. If you think of something as you're pondering this in the wee hours of the morning or next few days, um just send can she they send them directly to her or do you enter? >> Yeah, just include me on it. That >> include the superintendent but send them right to CFO Hisel also. All right. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Next thing on the agenda is an action item. A we need the resolution to accept donations. Uh, donations this time are $23,998.15. Do I have a move to accept these donations? Director Basset moves it. >> Seconded. >> Seconded by Director Bridgetesen. This money. So, is it roll call? >> Of course. >> Let's do that. >> Of course. >> I had to f [clears throat] find the right form. >> Okay. Voting on accepting donations. >> Great. Thank you. Uh, Director Long. >> Yes. Chair Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Renee Bowman votes yes. Uh, Dr. Wuto, >> yes. >> Uh, Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Bernes, >> yes. >> Director Basset, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Super. Thank you, everyone. That's a lot of money. Uh, administrative reports. Superintendent Salo. >> I actually do not have a report tonight. I knew it would be a robust uh meeting, so I do not have a report this evening. >> Oops. And I skipped policy committee. Sorry about that. Policy committee. >> Uh nothing new. Our next meeting is May 20th and all I invited. >> Oo. Okay. All right. That brings us to future events. It is time for us to adjourn this meeting. Is there a move to adjurnn? Some move. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh let's see. Moved by Director Wuto, seconded by >> either >> Director Basset. All in favor please say I. >> I. >> Oppos say no. We are adjourned. It is 10 9:16 and we'll be back in like 6 minutes. Okay, >> for the study session. Thank you everybody. [snorts] >> We're going to be >> [music] >> That was yours. I Okay, we're back. All right, this is our schoolboard study session. I am Gita Evans Becker. Welcome everybody. And in the study session, the first thing we do is we introduce ourselves. So, I'm Gita Evans Becker, board chair. We'll go that way. Terry Stall, superintendent. >> Helen Bassid, school board director. >> Caroline Long, school board. >> DJ Brennan, school board. >> Assistant super. >> Go ahead. >> Gail Gilman with MSBA. >> Renee Bowman, school board clerk. >> Aviva Hillenbrand, school board. >> Uh, connectuto, vice chair. >> Thank you, everybody. All righty. Item three is purpose and agenda. Superintendent Stalo. Um, well, usually the purpose for our study sessions is so we can share information and have discussion in order for board members to make sure that they have everything that they need as they meet board decisions. Tonight's a little different because it's an opportunity um for the board uh to do one of their primary functions under board governance um and that is administer the school board self- evaluation. Uh the second thing under superintendent re relations um just I have in front of you the uh timeline to just uh review the the timeline around the superintendent evaluation. Okay. Thank you. All right. So this is moving us right along. Uh we're going to hit number six board governance. And back in February all of the board members took the and the superintendent took the board self- evaluation. and we have Gail Gilman here from MSBA to walk us through the results and have a discussion. So, Gail, do you want to get us started? >> Yes, absolutely. It's so good to be here this evening. You've had a full day obviously and um a pleasure to walk you through your board self- evaluation. I'm so glad that you took the opportunity to actually do an assessment. It's something that at MSBA we recommend you do on an annual basis whether it's formal like this is this evening or just very informal as well just at some point talk about how we're working together and that's really what the the self-evaluation is all about. Um a few things that I'm going to share with you just to set the stage and usually this is a discussion that's like a two and a two and a half hour discussion. I'm just going to put that out there. I'm not sure that that's what we're going to do this evening. There's always opportunities to come back and discuss another time, but I think because you're a newly formed board, you've had a lot of transition over the last year or so. I think maybe just taking a look at how you interact as a board team. Does that seem to make sense? And then some of the other things I can highlight for you and like I said, you can have a discussion on your own at a future work session, study session, or I'm happy to come back and visit with you, too. Um, so if we're okay with that, that's I think where we'll head. I also like these to be really informal. This is about you learning about yourselves and interacting. So don't be shy to just say, Gail, I want to ask this or tell me more about that. But I might do the same to you as well. Um, so with that, one of the things that I like to talk about is the stages of board development. And that's what you see on the screen right now. I'll just go through this really quickly. So forming, storming, norming, performing, and deforming or you could call it transforming or reforming as well. Forming. forming is when you're a newly formed team, whether it's a new superintendent who joins the team or whether it's new board members. So, there's that time of getting together, learning about who we are. Um, I should mention that I'm a former school board member. I served on the new board of education for two terms over the years. And during those years, I was the um vice chair and the clerk. And I think back I hearken back to when I was new. And it's like I thought I knew what I knew until I got to the chairs that you're sitting in this evening. And all of a sudden it's like I have a lot to learn. There's a lot of questions that I have. I had a lot of anxiety. Um it was that sorting through where do I fit in? You know, where do I fit in with my fellow board members? How do we interact with one another? So that's really that that forming stage. And then sometimes boards start to roll into what we call the storming stage. It's not a bad thing. Stormings is just kind of like feeling your way into the position. You're starting to get more comfortable at board meetings. Your questions are answered, but not all of them are answered. So, you're continuing to ask a lot of questions. For a superintendent, that's a huge challenge. Um, it's not a bad challenge. It's a huge challenge because there's just a lot of questions and that's part of that that onboarding stage. So, you start um you start really saying I think I can make this work but then there's that trust that you need to build too and that's a real hard thing. You're a group of individuals coming here working as one, making decisions as one. And at the same time, you've got to figure out how we're going to work together, how we're going to communicate together, how we're gonna respect one another, trust one another, make decisions together. And again, it's all about that mission that director Holheisle had up before um your mission that is so familiar to you in what you are doing for the students in this school district and that's what it's all about. Then boards start to roll into the norming stage and that's when things kind of start to feel even more comfortable instead of me because when I first started as a board member it was about me. I needed to figure things out and work things through. So it moves from me to we. We are a team. We can make this work. We can listen to presentations. We can talk about facilities. We can review budgets. We can ask questions. Sometimes we um have a learning curve yet, things that we need to learn a little bit more about, but that's really where that norming stage is. Performing is where you want to be. Um that's when things are really clicking. And now board meetings will sometimes go even more quickly, maybe less questions because now your learning curve is a little bit different as well. Um doesn't need to be as deep a dive in discussions about budgets or um uh acronyms and things like that. you know, you've got those things at the the tip of your tongue. And then the deforming, reforming, transforming, that's when you're you're transitioning, when you say goodbye and when you say hello as well to uh new members of your board superintendent team. So, thinking [clears throat and snorts] about those stages of board development and knowing that you are all in kind of a different stage, you have some board members right now who are very seasoned. You have some board members who are brand new and others who have been around for a few years. And all of you bring your life skills, your background, and your experiences to the board as well. But as you think about that, where do you see yourself on that circle? And there's no right or wrong answer, but where do you see yourself? >> Are you asking is that rhetorical or do you want an answer? I >> I'm gonna Yeah, I I would like an answer. So, >> I'll turn that back over to you as chair if you want to facilitate that with >> Okay. Um, I think we can probably all agree that we're move we've moved past forming. I would say we're at storming. >> Think you're in the storming fa stage. Okay. I'm going to ask if anybody sees it any differently. >> Anyone? >> Yes. >> I think depending on the topic, uh, we are right between norming and storming. >> Very good. >> I would agree. >> Anybody else perspectives? Mhm. >> I would say we're at forming. I think you know there are often times when we're having discussions and people interject on other people's perspectives >> and so we're just not at a place where we can not interject on each other. >> Okay. Okay. Good observation. Anybody else? >> I I it seems to I would say it kind of moves on the day almost, right? Some meetings it feels like we're more here and then we slide back, right? Like it's >> right. So two steps forward, one step back kind of scenario. >> Okay. Anybody else? >> Well, I was just going to say hard to know. I guess I agree with DJ because I think it just it just >> I I won't say um chaotic. >> Mhm. >> But uh I have to look at you know the board that we are right now and who we have been for the last I would just say two to three years. >> Mhm. >> Uh and that's the measure. We haven't done an assessment. So and we have new people. So, I think it'd be kind of unrealistic for me to think we're way around this because we've been constantly in a state of transition. >> Okay. >> Anyone else? >> Anybody else? Chuck. >> No. >> So, let me just say that you're very normal. Okay. You are very normal. That's where all of us I think I've done this so many times, met with so many boards from around the state. Um I hear the similar comments and one of the things um that I appreciate is you can be in multiple stages. You definitely can. There's some things that are going to just click right away and everything's fine and you move ahead and then suddenly there's a new topic that comes up, something that you've never addressed before, something that could be um super exciting or something that could be super contentious within your school community. and now you're at that awkward now we're storming again. Um, so just keep that in the back of your mind as a team when you're working together. Again, the goal is to be performing. You're not offkilter if you go a little bit backwards or if you're moving forward. But sometimes just knowing that and thinking about it doesn't um I think it helps you and us as board members put things into perspective. like it doesn't make the meeting or the discussion terribly great or terribly awful just because of one thing that has come up. Does that make sense any Okay. So hopefully that's helpful and something that has been helpful for me is I think even not just in my work life but in um personal other activities that I'm involved in as well. The next diagram that I'm going to share is something that you have all seen before and that's the board governance model. But at MSBA, I would be remiss if I did not share this with you because this is how you operate. So with the board governance model, as board members, your role is to govern. And for new board members, that sometimes is a surprise. I had no clue [laughter] what I was doing when I was a new board member. I thought we just came together and we made decisions. I didn't realize that there were policies. I didn't realize that there were handbooks or anything like that. Um, and what I learned is that our role is the group that thinks at a really high level. You've got your mission in front of you. It's about the students, but you're thinking at that really high level of what could be, what should be. Heard a lot of that this evening, and it it was delightful as a board member to come back and sit in on somebody else's board meeting, but I heard a lot of that this evening. What could be with your facilities? What could be with your budget? And then you're balancing that out with what is available as far as resources and what the needs of your students are. So, as board members, your work is reflected on the top half of that circle. The um first word under the 12:00 circle, part of the circle, establish. As board members, you estab you establish expectations, you put the parameters on things, and you have a strategic plan in place. And I've got a copy of your strategic plan. So, you're really good to go in all of those categories. Once those are in place, then we move into adopt. So as board members, your work becomes adopting the policies that tie to what you have in your strategic plan. This should always be your guide in the work that you do. This should really lead you in the decisions in the discussions that you have. So then you start adopting policies that tie to the work of your strategic plan. You set a budget that is surrounded by those um parameters that you've set. Um and also you approve contracts, contracts for services, whether it's human services, capital um or other types of services and resources that you need. So that becomes your work as board members. And then I'm just going to roll around to the lower half of the circle. And the superintendent's role is to manage and to provide that leadership and the supervision. And that's the thing that I think is unique. I was not a superintendent ever, nor will I ever be. Um I'm do we have anybody here other than Dr. Stallow who is a superintendent, has a license. Once in a while >> had a license. Okay. And and that's what I was going to say. Once in a while I'm I meet with boards. I can think of others around and some of you can too where um there are uh licensed superintendents who are now board members as well. But that's the unique thing. You're the think tank and then you've got this amazing individual with all the skills to lead and manage. And so that's how you become that board superintendent team. So once you've got those parameters and expectations in place and your strategic plan, you turn it over to your leader. And in your case, she is then taken it from there and working with the fantastic team of administrators that she has in doing all the dayto-day, the behind the scenes. And that's part of that trust because you've set those expectations, parameters, and now you trust that your administration um working with your superintendent is going to develop the plans, put the procedures in place, and put the staff, the right people in the right places to get the job done. um your superintendent will oversee the implementation of everything and will also monitor the work from your strategic plan based on those expectations and and parameters. The nice thing about this is you don't none of you work in a vacuum. You're not in a silo. You're here at board meetings. You're communicating. So your discussions are about the work that's happening. So you get to reflect and provide feedback and then administration takes it from there and um uh continues with their work. And then I'm going to go back to board's responsibility. You also have the responsibility to evaluate. You evaluate yourselves. And um MSP again, we suggest you do something at least once a year. Like I said before, it doesn't have to be formal. It can be very informal. just and we've got some other tools that you can use for that as well. But to evaluate yourself to make sure that you are staying on track and on top of how you operate as a team, you evaluate your superintendent and then your superintendent is responsible for ensuring that all other staff and other services are evaluated and you evaluate the outcomes. You evaluate the outcomes that you've outlined in the big picture with your strategic plan. The dotted line, the friendly fence we call it, is indicating that there's always this communication and this flow of information and then student success for all is what's at the center. And I just remember when I was on the board, uh, one of my board members always, fellow board members, a seasoned mentor to me, um, always said, you know, we should just have that kind of planted on our forehead. So, it's a reminder to us, but it's a reminder to everybody that we interact with. So that's the board governance model. Give me some feedback, thoughts where you know reflections, anything from board members comments. >> Well, I can go. >> Yeah, I think just based on personal observation in the current environment of social media and public comments, it's very easy to withdraw ourselves from that governance role. Yes. >> And also start weaving into some of the role of the superintendent. Um the temptation is always there, but I think for me at least I always have to take the step back and say, "Okay, I'm not going to step into that, right? It's easy to reply or respond." But that's my observation. >> And thank you. Stepping from that, I think even if the board members understand this, >> I'm not sure the people out in the community really understand that and have different expectations for us as board members, >> they I think they often expect things that are not >> what board members do. other >> well I guess just to add another perspective I feel like as board members we don't really do the oversight part very well >> I feel like um often times there's other people who are supplanting themselves up into the governance thing and then everybody just blindly goes along with that >> um and I think that that's where some of the rub comes in too from community is you know like that strategic strategic plan. That's not our strategic plan. It's an old strategic plan. There was a vote some years ago to redo it and then somebody else came in and now it was like, "Nope, we're just keeping this." And it wasn't something that the board voted on. >> So things like that happen all the time, >> whereas then it's, you know, it's like we're not doing our part, somebody else is doing our part for us. And then there aren't any clear roles here or us doing our oversight part. >> Okay. >> Technically, we voted in June of 2022. >> And then that happens, too. I mean, that was my perspective on what I saw. You asked >> for feedback. I did. I gave that. >> I I'm going to comment in just a second. So, that's fine. Thank you for that. >> Um, Director Bazit, then Director Brenda. So, you know, um I think that just as we said a few minutes ago going around this circle because because you're we're constantly renewing ourselves through elections, you know, and so um and that's just the process of governance. So, I think the time it takes or the opportunity for people to kind of figure out how that all works is is time consuming. I think unfortunately for our board there was a time when uh you know we had because this is for us to reflect and you know you can't do that without thinking about your own experiences for me right >> you know and so um you know there was a time actually when there was some angst on by some board members some of who are not here who um really were p getting push back about they were in they were too far down into the superintendent's role super too far down, too far down because his for many years the Robbinsdale board has been policy governance has been kind of our stock and trade. So um so but you know people have to get acclimated to that. I think unfortunately our board didn't really have the space to really uh give people time to really practice and learn their craft because it's a craft and I think that there were pressures against board directors to really all of a sudden have the craft down. That's just kind of an observation. I would say too that over the years, one of the things that I that I find uh interesting and and helpful is that policy governance is one framework. It's the one that's most adopted in Minnesota >> and many of my colleagues including me have adhered to it and find it to be very helpful, comforting, effective. there are other models and at the same time when you're serving on a board this line is not it's not stagnant >> even here at Robbinsdale over the years we have sometimes the board has dipped down a little bit sometimes they're doing that but they did it deliberately there are times when maybe you need to do that and a board needs to understand times like that can come about >> I think it's very important and I don't think that that's talked about enough because the way you do it matters do you don't want to destroy your organization but at the same time the elected officials hold the public trust that's job >> y I appreciate that other comments >> I um I think this is meeting number 10 for me so um I think you know bouncing off what director long Caroline was talking about I think oversight >> I think what do you define oversight as I think is kind of this squishy term at times right So I think that that makes it difficult at times to say you know are we am I unintentionally dipping below the line or is that just normal procedure process right so I I think you know oversight is is somewhat of a loaded term at times >> absolutely >> and yeah on the subject of oversight um the other interesting phenomenon know that we've gone through in this district was the total lack of information for years and years and it's something that we don't talk about publicly because we're trying to actually fix things. [laughter] >> And so to me, one of the reasons why the law line is blurred is because in the past it was permissible to blur those lines. And um we're trying to rebuild a board that lives by norms, that lives by policies, that does because it has been something that was really really fluid. And my case in point is the reports that we've received in the past 6 months are built on stuff that um are built on real information and not just stuff that is wishful thinking or someday you know uh there's a huge difference in the way the information has been provided to us than has ever been in the past. And I've been looking at uh uh board reports and information for over 25 years, >> you know. So, um uh oversight of nonsense information is not oversight. It it was just chaos and kicking cans and stuff like that. So once and and there sort of seems to be this um pick and choose kind of what oversight means, but the reports are finally starting to come in and I think that those are the reports that we need to start really focusing on and looking at. We have a ba a baseline here, we can move from there, that kind of thing. So, I'm seeing consistency um and and that makes it easier to uh [clears throat] conduct the monitoring that we need to do. >> Appreciate that. Any other >> Anybody else have a thought? >> Yeah. Well, first of all, I like the the term friendly fence. >> Um it's not a wall. It's it's a fence we can >> pass things across and things like that. I I will say and I I don't know if this is the you know one thing that is difficult and I I don't know if it really goes with here and I don't know when we'll talk about it so you can tell me to we'll put a pin in it. >> Um but um one of the things that's difficult is because you can't have conversations except at the table and in public. Sometimes it's very hard to have a frank conversation and then sometimes people seem to and I'm not saying it's to pick on anybody. I people put things out in social media and then things get talked about um in social media as well and and and I don't think that's the intent. I think the intent is to just help the public understand. So I'm not saying people have ill intent, but what happens is then um it sort of is a continuation of board conversation, but it's in social media and that makes me really uncomfortable. But maybe it's okay. And I I just don't know some of those pieces as well and how that all fits into the picture. Um but that is all very um confusing to me. >> You good? So Oh, go ahead. So lots of comments. I appreciate those. I'm just going to take a few of them and make comments and maybe get some discussion going. they would have come up down the road here. Anyway, um first of all, board members and expectation from community. So, for all of us, we've had that experience. You probably How many of you had somebody or some groups that helped you get elected as a board member? Pretty much everybody for the most part. No. Okay. Um in my small community, you know, yes and no. There's groups out there. In my small community in Newm, it was my kids played hockey, so it was the hockey association. I'm a farm girl. We had two rural communities with school buildings and so the farm community that, you know, farmers and so it was a real struggle at first because if hockey association wanted something, the egg communities wanted something, um, it doesn't work that way. And so if you're finding that tugofwar, again, that's normal. what I had to learn is to explain my role and a lot of that goes back to the board governance model and and it was hard and because you probably how many of you you know you're um confronted at sporting events or uh and I don't mean confronted in a negative way but folks will stop and talk to you or they're people that you've worked with before or at your place of employment or Thanksgiving dinner or you know that it goes on and on. Um and so helping everybody understand that and sometimes I just had to say you know being a schoolboard member is so exciting at the same time it isn't what I thought it was and here's what it's all about and we've got this process in place for how things happen and how things get done and then I would take words out of the board governance model. So, if that's helpful for you and maybe having that elevator speech, um, and also helping folks understand that I had no power. I might have thought I had power, but I had no power. And, you know, my power was right where you're sitting at the board table when you come together and have conversations. Um, then that kind of that blurring of the lines. I And I I want to talk about your strategic plan, too. So when you have a newly formed board or you have new team members whether it's one or two or three getting some common agreements and maybe you've done that I don't know um when you create a strategic plan that's the biggest the best team building activity ever. Unfortunately you're not creating a strategic plan every single year. Most strategic plans are built out for I would you consider this a fiveyear or what would you Okay. So at any rate there needs to be some kind of protocol for onboarding that this is the work that was done and this is the strategic plan for now. There's nothing wrong with going back and revisiting at minimum maybe the short-term goals or maybe the long-term goals. I don't know if that's something that you think would be helpful. I think that could be a takeaway from this discussion. Um, at the same time, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of time and a lot of energy, especially if you're doing the strategic planning process over again. If you're revisiting and just making sure everybody's on the same page, then that might not take as long. Does Does that help a little bit, Director Long, or >> No. No. cuz we had a full discussion on it and even voted on that we were going to change it and then [clears throat] it all went >> someplace else. >> Okay. Okay. So, that I'm not sure I can speak to other than, you know, raising the question of why not if that was a decision of the board and I wasn't there so I don't know. Um, but if that is a a hot topic, maybe that's something that needs to be revisited again. Just putting that out there and maybe not. And then if there's just a few people that are feeling one way and you know we have to go with the consensus of the group and moving forward, you know, that's maybe the direction that you head in for the time being. Um that's maybe not the answer or the comments that you wanted, but I do hear what you're saying. And so one suggestion is what I talked about and um and maybe coming back another time for an annual review. I'm not sure if other board members want to make comments or >> and as I recall it uh in the discussions uh and I don't recall a vote uh it with this administration on the strategic plan so excuse me um but in other discussions that we had about it also was the fact that the strategic plan is pretty generic. We want to deal with achievement. We want to build deal with the community building we want to deal with. So the fundamental strategic plan that we had paid I think $25,000 for uh probably a year or two maybe it was $40,000 I don't know how much it was but we've recently under five years paid for a strategic plan. So there was also why throw it out when the reality is the uh it can be refined to meet today's needs because again a strategic plan is going to be pretty basic where we're going to look at achievement and the elements of achievement that we want to uh you know professional development stuff for our staff stuff for our community our community engagement and I do believe that every single one of those attributes are on our current um strategic plan. So I I don't know what the problem is about the elements that make up a strategic plan. Ours has those elements there. >> And uh I would not vote for spending more money on on redesigning or redeveloping. I I like the notion of uh maybe at our annual retreat in July to revisit the strategic plan for realignment and getting on the same page. I think that sounds like a good idea. but do we really want do we have the money to invest in something that we already know where our gaps and our holes are and what we need to do to improve the district. So I think that's also a part of that conversation that went down and which is what brought us to today. >> Okay. What I know is um when I came in, so I came in July 1st of 2024 and the records that I saw indicated that the strategic plan was um community created board approved in June of 2022. I knew coming in as a firstear superintendent. That's not the wisest choice is to make a change in strategic plan even though I knew there um were con some concerns voiced about it. Um, but what there wasn't when I came in is um clear metrics or action plans. What does what does each of those themes really mean? So, that's some of the work over the last year [clears throat] that um my team and I developed is to have a system of continuous improvement where we bring um we started last year creating um a district scorecard. didn't get completed last year, but it'll it's at a place of I don't know that it's ever completed. It's at a place of of we'll have end of the year data. The board has seen um I think almost quarterly some updates of part of that. We have uh 12 [snorts] current um charter teams which is too many. We'll we'll reduce that that are leading portions of the strategic plan. they all come before the board um sharing updates and aligning it to scorecard um as part of the board's monitoring um and oversight practices. Um so, you know, I I think that the the sharing data this summer at the end of the year as we close out this year, it'll be really important and that would be the first time that we'd have all of the the measures of the scorecard. um some of the things that we had in the scorecard, we had staff surveys and caregivers surveys as indicators, but we didn't have the surveys. So, it's the first time we've implemented some of those things. So, I think that could that could help with some of this conversation as well. >> I think that's that's fair. Yes. Well, you know, I I do think that it's important uh when we talk about the strategic plan, um history does matter. And the fact is is that back in 2022 when the strategic plan got adopted, there was quite a bit of [snorts] push back in the community about it because and and some board directors quite frankly who were saying, well, it's not capturing this, it's not capturing that. And we had an offsite firm who I think showed up one dime. I mean, so there was not unanimous agreement with Duke. I mean, and I think I don't bring these up to make it controversial. I bring them up because that's part of the history of it. So when new directors came on and said, "We didn't sign on for that." >> Really, there was an effort and interest in saying, "Well, why don't we come back and visit it?" >> Those words got said a number of different times, but didn't get carried out. So, so I think when people talk about the strategic plan, it's going to bring up certain feelings about it because there are certain realities about it, you know, that exist. And I and for me, I think that uh for a superintendent who comes in and here's the plan that we have already, if your board is not at a place where they can really help you or guide you as you're working on it, >> a competent superintendent is going to pick it up and say, "Well, this is what I'm going to do." you know, and so um in my opinion and so you living with that is something that you do if you're not taking if if the board as a whole is not doing its job and some of these folks weren't even here so I'm just saying so I'm not blaming anybody I'm just saying I just think that was part of it you know and um as we go forward I like the suggestion that director Bowman said which is maybe in our uh when we were doing our eval you know whatever we she called it you know we sit down and do some more talking about it I think coming back to the strategic plan is important And the strategic plan is the strategic direction the board sees itself going in as you know and I think some of the comments that director Brennan made earlier really were on point because what you talked about was I'm not sure what we think are the things and I can't remember how you said it but you talked about here are the things we really care about. It would be nice to for us to hear from you. I I'm interested to hear what other people think about and still we're not arguing, you know, about what do people really want to see, you know, of all these things we've heard, what really makes you excited. I mean, I think that's just we need we get to dream, too. So, I think that that would be a very useful thing for the board to do. And it's kind of separate but connected to the superintendent. It's board driven because we need to be able to work together and then the superintendent works with us. But that's our work. >> Absolutely. And Oh, go ahead. >> Well, I was just going to say though, if it doesn't matter if I was on the board or not in 2022, which I wasn't, but if it's the board adopted strategic plan, that's our strategic plan BL plan as a board until we pass a different one. So, I guess my point is that it's the board's plan. Whether or not I was on the board at the time or if any of us were on the board at the time, it's still the board's strategic plan and that's the strategic plan we're working with. And I guess that's another piece is that if I I know we're getting to it in a couple of things. Um, but that not um saying I wasn't here or I didn't vote on it or something is is not like we still have to own it and we still have to work with it and we still have to use it because the board is an entity in and of itself regardless of who's rotating on and off at any given time. Um, and I think to abdicate any sort of responsibility to working towards it just because we weren't there or we didn't vote on it is is not okay. I guess that's my two cents. >> I appreciate all the perspectives. There's no right or wrong here. When boards are changing, it is so difficult to redo a strategic plan. It does take a lot of time and a lot of energy. So sometimes there does just need to be the buy in until you can get to that point. I part of the take or part of the the discussion is some of the takeaways. I'm writing notes too. Um taking notes and so maybe one of the the compromises is at your retreat to have a discussion where there is agreement amongst all of you. It might end up being very close to what you already have at the same time. Maybe not, but at the same time there will be your mark on it and the work that you're doing and your consensus, your joint perspectives. I don't know that might not make you feel any better, but I think it it is what it is because of the time commitment. Um I don't make sense. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Um the whole uh comment before about kind of getting below the line. That's a real tough one. I would I think especially with newer board members because of learning your roles and responsibilities and then all of a sudden there's that trust that's there and that understanding and then pretty soon it's like I can govern and then I've got staff people that are going to that we're working with under the direction of our superintendent where the work gets done. Um so I think you just kind of deal with that and have conversations. I think as board members because of the open meeting law and the fact that you can't have you cannot have secret meetings, I think you have opportunities to in a very positive way to call out those things at meetings. I think a session like this where it's safe and it's open and it's a caring environment. It might be facilitated, it might not be facilitated, but just doing a check-in on how we're doing, just as you've shared this evening, the things that maybe are some concerns, and then have a have a conversation about that. And if it's a a situation where you've got one um board member where things seem to be rogue, maybe, maybe not, I don't know, a lot of times the board chair will have a one-on-one discussion. Um, usually the last person to have the discussion is the superintendent because the superintendent has very specific roles and responsibilities and it's not to govern, manage, um, reprimand uh, board members. So that is you are peers. So the seven of you are responsible for taking care of each other. And when I was on the board, did we all get along? No, we did not. Um, did we have times that we got along? Yes, we did. Um, were we happy with each other all the time? No, we weren't. But did we find times where we were all on the same ground? Yes, we did. And I think those are the takeaways. As board members, you are really the um setting the stage and setting the tone for your school district. And you've got people who are watching your meetings. They're commenting on social media. you've got staff who are maybe having conversations when the tone that you set is positive, even if you're not in agreement and even if you know I feel kind of prickly about the person who's sitting next to me tonight or at the next meeting, um if you set that positive tone, that professional tone, remembering student success, student achievement, that's going to just trickle right on down because you don't want to be the topic of conversation unless it's like wow look at all those great things that the board has done. So I would really set that as a stage to check one another, keep each other in check on those kinds of things as well. Um because it does trickle and we all know it, you know, um you don't have to go very far from with media, social media that those kinds of things happen and you're not serving the students real well. You're not meeting your mission of student success. Does that make sense with folks? I I think well of course it does you know it makes perfect sense you know I think part of the challenge is that when you don't when there aren't um when there are tensions within the body >> of the board and I think that there are uneven ideas uh about um this platform itself this is the place for us to discuss and we should be discussing with each Right? >> That really that's the way it's supposed to go. But it's not censoring >> each other. It's a discussion. And so when tension arises because a majority who have voted on various things over time believe that they don't I don't know what they believe but that if there's when there's no room for other alternatives that aren't [clears throat] um demonized >> when that's not the intent you know the intent is just information uh and questions so I think clarity about the purpose is discussion among the board members not on into the future. But if you don't have those opportunities to talk about those things and your questions are not answered, then what are you left with? Because people like to talk about social media. The newspaper likes to talk about social media and the newspaper reports certain things. Mhm. >> So if people are behaving in certain ways and getting in the paper and dragging you in, >> what is that? What is that left, you know, and so if you're depending on the media to take care of you, >> I can just tell you from my experience, they have not, you know, and so people are going to stand up for themselves and and I'm always going to do that. uh you know, as far as that goes. And I, you know, and I I've not don't have a history of having to even do it, you know, I mean, for 20some years, you know, and then all of a sudden you're the bad guy. So, uh, you know, and you're not even the bad guy, you know. So, and I only say that to to help fill the room up a little bit more about this whole social media like it's a bad thing stuff. Then we have to as a body make sure that we're making space and room in our body to communicate with each other. So we don't have to go and talk to other people outside of it. We can talk to one another. That is important. The job is not censoring or telling somebody you're talking too much. >> I love it when I hear questions from some of my colleagues because they have great questions. I heard some really good ones tonight. You know, I said, "Oh yeah, that's a great question." You know, that's the environment I'm used to for years, hearing great questions and having being able to think about it and say, "Oh, well, you know, I thought about that to myself." And that needs to that's one thing and maybe we'll talk about that in the context of this score sheet or not. But, um, it's something that's important to me. It's not the And I think we need to talk about the chair's role too at some point during this. >> Yeah. So, I mean, I I get that viewpoint. I mean, I've been told by several people that the school board is a self-governing body. And it's interesting then who we choose to self-govern because we do have board members who go out and attack community members through email, social media, whatever it might be. Um, you know, step into the role of the chair and speak on television um as if they're speaking for the chair. And that's okay for them. But then some of us if we ask the wrong question here at the board meeting or make somebody feel like we might be attacking them then that's the problem. I mean even tonight I'm sitting here and I'm looking out at staff members making faces when certain board members are talking and that is you know then how how do we build trust with that? How do we build a board on that when some can and others cannot? And that's why I put us still in the forming because there are those who operate in privilege and get to do all these things and then some of us other board members even like squeak or utter something and now we're how dare you do that blah blah blah blah blah we're going to tell the lawyers about you or lawyers stop them from talking you know so that's I mean how can we form when some of us can't even breathe >> I'm not ignoring you I'm Just looking if there's other comments. >> Sure. Go ahead. >> I don't feel safe at the board table. >> All we ever do is make allegations. >> Just we have board members that talk smack about us in social media even though the rest of us are silent. I don't even know what I'm doing here at this point tonight because, you know, I don't ever feel safe about talking ever. >> Ever. >> It causes a great deal of anxiety because of false allegations because of being because if you move funny, you're you're doing that. So, I mean, there's sort of like maybe if we all put blinders on and not look at each other, maybe some of that stuff will go away. Maybe that's the resolve to it. But I don't feel safe sitting up here. Um, I don't feel safe when I read social media and see uh board members that want to make a big deal out of inaccurately talk about the time any of us served on the board. Just for the record, for anyone of you who saw it, I've been on the board a total at this point of 101 months. So, not 54 months. So, um having having our backgrounds and our pasts disparaged at all times, we never can stay in the present. We never if we want to stay on agenda topics, that's not allowed. We have to run through the weeds and over the hills and under the this and under the that. We just want to stay on agenda topic. I'm tired of being told I'm tired of the four years of having people go, "Oh, what's your personality when I'm not here for my personality? I am here to govern and I don't judge other people's personalities." But the judgments sure come around fast and furious all the time and and end up in social media and then we get told not to say anything and we're not writing anything. So, I see a lot of fourth grade girl behavior up here and I I don't know that we can uh fix it. We've been in storming since I got on this board. And I do not see um I don't see a two-way street here. I don't see a two-way street. I'm tired of the name calling. I'm tired of the innuendos that people are being mean and cruel. I I just I don't know where to take this or where to go with it. You know, short of I'm seriously I've told my husband I just want to come in here with a and like sit behind a panel or something. because I am not free to even scratch my nose at this table without it being some sort of hidden message. So I'm and now I'm done actually for the whole rest of the evening. So >> I'm sorry to hear that. I hope I hope that doesn't stay. >> No, I'm no. >> So when we talk about setting the tone, how can you do that? Or maybe let me ask it this way. If this was happening in the classroom, >> yeah, we would have looked at something like restorative justice or something to have people learn to work with one another instead of having them call out differences constantly or make it seem like your personality is something wrong with you. we would have looked to restorative justice, restorative practices, but no, we just like to fling it up here at this table and we like to fling it communitywide. So, we tried mediation failure. We've had uh consultants quit on us. I mean, this is a track record, a long track record, longer than just three years. Longer than just three years. So, >> so do you all believe in your mission? Do you >> I do I do >> well believe in the mission >> you're and educate all learners. Yes. >> Yeah. And if you believe in your mission >> and you know that this is not acceptable in the classroom. Is there a place where you can get together in common agreement? >> Do what? >> Get to a place where you're in agreement. You don't have to agree as in >> the votes are all unanimous. >> I don't think so because now we're going to be in personalities. >> And I'm just tired of personality remediation as an adult game. >> I'm accustomed to working in the corporate world where you figure out how to work with that personality because you're being driven by a goal. >> So this personality remediation crap that goes on up here is exhausting. You know, if we really believe in our mission, let's get to the mission and stop picking on people. Stop picking on each other. >> How do you get to that point, >> Norms? >> I can tell you, you know, >> go ahead. >> Oh, oh, oh, sorry. Are we doing I mean, I thought we were addressing you and grazing for that, but if you want to, you know, make >> Well, she said, "How?" And I said, "Well, I think >> if we agreed again on norms and then enforced the norms on each other or expectations for behavior, I think that would probably go a long way in uh supporting our mission and are in able to be move on. Yeah, we already have norms. We already agreed to it. But then there are still those who get to walk in their privilege and others that don't. So, how do we get around that? And that's all, you know, human, you know, decisions right there. Right? And they're not subjective. I mean, sorry, they're subjective. They're not objective. So, I don't know how we get to where we are being objective about what the rest of us are choosing to do. The questions that I'm asking here at the board table, I'm not asking them to harm people, but that's how I get treated. And so, I'm going to speak for myself in that. And a lot of the questions that I ask here is because yeah, people talk to me when I go to HY or wherever it might be that I run into people or maybe I'm out at, you know, teaching in a classroom and somebody's like, oh yeah, you you are on that schoolboard. I mean, you know, >> and then they start saying stuff to me. So then I'm like, I don't really know, but yeah, that would probably be a good question to ask and find out. So then I bring it here, right? >> Cuz the public wants to know. They're my constituents. they're the ones who voted for me. But then when I get treated that way and then other people can do things that are out of our norms that that's really, you know, so I don't know if norms is the answer when we can't be objective with other people and there are certain people who can just continue to do whatever they want and but others of us can't. How do you get around that? You know what is that? I you know and I keep asking can we have equity training as a board? I think I've been asking that since I've been on this board. Can we go through equity training so that we can see what we're doing to each other and the decisions that we're making that are not objective with each other and how subjective we're being with each other. It's I appreciate your comments. It's interesting to hear this discussion. When I was sitting in the back of the room this evening, I saw a group that was engaged in the presentations. You were asking meaningful questions. You were respectful of one another. I didn't see any name calling. I didn't see any eye rolling or I can't um speak for the people in the audience. I know that before I came in there were obviously you had more people here um earlier during the meeting because I saw them coming and going. So I can't speak for the people that were in the room. What's important is right here and you really modeled that this evening when I was on the board and I don't know if this will make any sense or not. We had some things that we were in disagreement on and one of my fellow board members made a comment. I'm going to kind of paraphrase now. Um he said, you know, we've got to make decisions in the best interest of the kids, even if we don't agree, even if we don't get along, even if we don't like each other. And then he winked at me and he said, "You know what? But if we do like each other, it's even easier." That doesn't mean we all have to like each other. And that's why I said that before. We didn't always all like each other. Um, sometimes we weren't respectful. Um, sometimes we had to take the high road. And again, I'm just tossing out thoughts for you to consider because I haven't followed your board enough to say anything more than that, quite frankly. So maybe there's some takeaways there. I just know that when you're setting the stage, what you set tonight, what I saw was what I would hope all boards would do. And so if there's a way that you can agree to disagree, if there's a way that you can agree to set aside your differences, if there's a way that you can all agree to be respectful of varying perspectives and personalities, that's what it's going to take. And that really goes back to the seven of you. And I I don't know what that would take. Maybe you do need, you know, down the road another retreat setting where you have that discussion, but that's not something that I can fix for you or MSBA can fix or your community can fix. It's you. And I'm sorry for the feelings, the hard feelings that have happened. That's not a fun place to be in. If you're feeling not heard, if you're feeling ostracized, if you're, you know, feeling that, you know, there's the eye rolls or or whatever, that's not a good place to be. And we probably in our lives have all been there. I mean, I've been there. We've all been there. And that's not fun. So, how do you take that and how do you rise above it? Is you got a big job to do? You got a huge district with huge decisions and wonderful students and great staff and that's what's important. So, it's like, ah, I can look I can look aside maybe. I I don't know. Food for thought. Let's let's just kind of keep moving on a little bit. We um next couple of things I think I'm going to skip over your your board self-evaluation. Um actually, so let me just set the stage with this. And again, we won't get through all of this and um certainly not today and maybe sometime we can have another discussion. But I just want to reme remind you of the standards of board leadership. There are five of them. The first one is conduct and ethics. Second is vision. Third is structure. Fourth is accountability. Fifth is advocacy and communication. And as I think about each standard, and I've shared this with many, many schools over the years, conduct and ethics is how you as individuals and as a board team, board superintendent team get along, make decisions, work together, communicate, trust, respect. That takes a lot of hard work. It doesn't happen overnight. vision is that big picture that you have for your school district and that's the vision that you have in your strategic plan. And again, if if it's not possible, if you're not feeling comfortable getting behind that strategic plan, at some point I would suggest you take some time out at a retreat setting where at least it might not be going through the whole strategic plan, but getting behind a goal or two or pieces of this plan that you know you need to work on. That [clears throat] might be the starting point as a suggestion until you get to that time and place where you do you're ready to do an entire strategic planning process again. But that's what vision is. That's um you as board members governing that big picture. Structure is about the physical and organizational structures or pieces of your school district. So the physical structures are pretty easy. It's all the buildings that you have and the grounds, you know, um the anything that goes in the buildings and then the organizational structure are the staff, the people that are in it that are doing the work, which you know, just like every other school district. And you learned again tonight in reviewing your budget that that's the bulk of what you are about. Accountability is um being accountable in multiple ways, but it is making sure that you've got a superintendent in place who's skillful, who can manage, take that um board governance model and lead and do the action plans that you can trust that she and the team are doing the best they possibly can. It's monitoring student achievement data. You know, when you're at that high performing level, you should be obsessing on results. That really should be the bulk of your discussion. Like what is happening? What are we providing for our students? Whether it's the test scores, which aren't always, they're the measure. They're a measure, but they're not always the best measure. But there's a lot of other things that you can look at to find out if if students are learning and um succeeding. And it can be presentations, it can be, you know, I um heard one of your directors say you were in you were in a building recently just, you know, did one of those. I'm sure it was probably a scheduled visit where you could stop by. Um, so those kinds of things. So, a high performing board is going to spend the majority of their time looking at what's best for students. And if you're I I use this example a lot, but if your um conversation is about the color of the carpets or um one of my best examples is still a board that I met with and they were worried about the wheels that were on the buses and I'm like, "Oh my um because we don't care. We just want transportation that works. So, and the wheels need to go round and round as we know. And so, that's kind of a takeaway, but that's really where you should be um putting your energy. And then the um fifth standard is uh adv um advocacy and communication. And that's how you tell your story. Uh how you tell your story, how you tell about the successes, the great things that are happening in all of your buildings with all of your students and with your staff. the um standards have varying numbers of benchmarks A through F and A through E and A through D. And the reason I share that is because those benchmarks were the questions on that board self-evaluation that you took. And so when you're following those standards and governing based on those standards and then you're evaluating yourself, you can see how this is kind of that full circle moment with that. Um any comments or questions about the standards? Sense the connection there. The board self-evaluation is not even though we call it an evaluation, it's not pass or fail. There's no letter grade that you're getting from this. >> There was no right or wrong. It was your perception of where you believe your board is at, your team is at at the time you took it. We include the superintendent because the superintendent is part of the team and the superintendent kind of sets a tone too. Sometimes the superintendent will hopefully have the best understanding of everything that's in there especially um when it comes to vision and the accountability pieces and so we get the cumulative responses. The self-evaluation is longitudinal as you have um soon found out in the report. You've your board has taken this four times. I believe that the um you had this is the third facilitated discussion. 2017 was the first year that we offered the board self- evaluation and a lot of schools took it just to take it and have that experience um just to see the results and then after that a lot of schools started engaging in the process and so I and actually I know that the three times that it was facilitated the three times were with me so I have watched your board [laughter] superintendent team transition in um very interesting ways and you know very healthy ways. So, um, you can see that comparison and you can look back and say, "Oh, that's when so and so was here or some of us were there at that time." And actually, it just gives you a gauge. It doesn't say that things are much better now, or it doesn't say that things are worse now. It's just where you're at. Each of the um on the page that I have up right now, which is technically page four, this is the aggregate data. I call it the overview report. And the responses here are reported in percentages. When you start looking at the individual questions, you'll see the number of people who selected always, most of the time, some of the time, never, or don't know. The reason we use percentages for the overview report is because remember when I we just talked about the stages um the standards of um board leadership, there were varying number of benchmarks. So in order to compare apples to apples, we convert this into percentage. So that's just a little bit of background on that. Um your your um feedback we look for hopefully always most of the time. If your cumulative responses are some of the time, conversation would be how do we move that up to always or most of the time? If the responses are very heavy in the never, the red responses, those are good discussion topics and that's what we would take time to talk about. Never might mean that you truly never do it. Never might mean that you didn't understand the question because the questions are worded a little wonky um in some cases. And so it might just be that it it isn't a true reflection, but that's just how it is. Um, never is also an opportunity to in um form. And likewise with don't know. If there's a lot of responses of don't know, it could be an indication that again you didn't understand the question. It could be an indication that you really don't know. It could be an indication that you're a newer board member. And as board members, it seems to take a three or four year cycle before you've seen everything happen. And so it just means that there's some informing, some learning, some discussion opportunities. So if we, you know, had all the time in the world, we'd take a look at each question and we'd say, you know, where are you at? What what needs to happen? Um, a lot of times with the nevers or the don't knows, um, you're I see a lot of superintendents who take a lot of notes because they're making these mental notes of down the road I want to emphasize more about this to make sure that board members understand XYZ topic. And so that sometimes tends to happen as well. Um your thoughts on the overview report as you look at it with that bit of explanation, observations, comments that you'd like to make. >> Yes. Well, you know, the I looked at I was looking at this sheet as you were talking about it and the thing that I wondered about and came to my mind is is under standard one E item E. I think that um opportunities to talk about benchmarking and maybe to going back to some of these big buckets that are on the standards >> and and spending some quality time as a board talking about those rather than just arbitrarily saying let's have some norms and and I don't mean that in a bad way. I'm just saying but actually going through this because if we spend time on governance work I mean a perfect example is the board meeting we just had. We had a presentation from our staff that was talking about achievement and integration and you probably know Gail that that has been about the students of color across the state and that's the purpose of it. So if you're asking questions about that particular population at a meeting where that is the presentation, then it's confusing to have people feel like you're off topic when you're talking about what the subject is. So and so your comments about different culture people having differences, you know, there's seven different people up here, you know, include in the superintendent there's eight. >> Mhm. you know there's eight so some relaxing to understand and trying to understand because I spend time trying to understand what other people are talking so I think that that's an example the only reason I raise it is because it just happened you know and so those are the kinds of things that we should be talking about you know how our students are doing all across the board you know and I don't think that we make enough time for that. And and for me, that's not just always having a presentation from staff who are coming in with a canned presentation. The opport and I don't mean that in a bad way either because we need the information, but having opportunities for us to talk about concepts and ideas or where we are, what what what worry areas we have or what new things we we think we want to do or in the whole the topic of innovation and arts, you know, just talk about it. Um I think having space on our agenda where the board is having conversation with the board about ideas. We have experts all around us who can help us but the conversation and the subject is driven by the board's need to you know to understand so we can govern better. If all of our conversations are about logistical things related to the operations, >> we're going to talk about logistical things related to the operations. And so that is a a that is a management issue um um that are falls to the chair vice chair. That's how we do it. We we allow the and the superintendent joining in to talk about those things. But I think the purpose here tonight is for us to talk about as a board how can we get better and what do we need? Right. >> So I'm talking I'm just speaking for myself >> and and your comment about time for ideas. So, I'm going to just toss that out. Anybody comment on that? Is that something that would be helpful? I I have some thoughts that I'll I'll make too for you, but go ahead. >> Well, and I think a lot of times when the administration does their job, which is to bring up new things to us, that should be the opportunity where then we get to talk concepts and ideas future. Many times what we dissolve into is this is how we used to do it. This is what we used to [clears throat] be. this is what we would, you know, I welcome the whole idea of talking ideas except for I'm not into uh being lectured. I don't want we never have those opportunities because we don't seem to sort of respect the rules of discussion. You know, when we say we don't have any discussion with this group, I don't know that that's actually an accurate statement. I think we have incredible robust discussions about the information that the that the administration brings to us and and I think that for myself that's where I would like to stick. I I mean no none of us up at this table except for maybe Dr. Evans Becker has the expertise to speak as a leader of a school system. I get paid $700 a month to sit up here. Do you really want me to be giving expertise on things? >> You know, my role is to uh read the reports, look at what they're reporting on, look at the measurements, look at the ideas, does it work, does it meet with the strategic plan, all of that kind of stuff. Um is is the role that I play. So discussion discussion about what uh we dis we discuss and and but we keep coming back to these kind of things where we never get a chance to discuss and I I I'm at odds with that just like I'm sort of at odds of having [snorts] people say that others of us bring privilege to the tables that someone else doesn't have and and all we do is sort of throw these innuendos of things we don't do or we don't hear or that we do do and we don't hear anything concrete. One of the things I've asked for for many years, my whole life is if I'm doing something specifically awaken me to that, but the innuendo and the implication and the allegation is that we don't discuss or that we don't discuss property or whatever is exhausting to me because I absolutely don't believe that we're not discussing new and relevant things to the kids of this district. We are. Anybody else comments? >> Yeah. Thank you. Do you have something you wanted to say? >> I I mean the the only I mean I'm new, right? I can only use this. I'm >> They're going to take brownie points off for you on that one tonight. >> Well, at some point in time, I'm going to not be able to use it, but >> it'll come back. I I think I think the the thing that probably struck me the most around the whole communicating and talking to one another um >> and I don't know what's normal or not normal for a board, right? Like >> we never talk to each other outside the table ever, right? And I I have friends who are on other school boards and >> I talk to them. They're like, "Oh, no. I I talk to so and so all the time." like it's very common for me to reach out and talk. We have these conversations on the side constantly, right? Um whereas we never do. And I don't know if that's normal or wrong or good or whatever the case is, but I think >> from my side, I think that was probably the biggest thing that I found interesting because I think it's like I come from, you know, I coach speech and debate. I come from a corporate world like collaboration and talking with people how you solve everything. Mhm. [clears throat] >> And sometimes it doesn't feel like this is the best forum to have some of those conversations. Um cuz [snorts] it's 10:36 at night and we've all been here for 5 and a half hours or whatever it is. You know what I mean? [laughter] Or 4 and a half. But I >> that was my only like So I think sometimes it's hard to communicate. >> So have you had opportunities to just do one- on-one with fellow board members? I mean, there's nothing wrong with >> a oneon-one with most everyone at the board, but I have definitely not done it with everyone. >> Okay. Anybody? What? So, what what are have you been your experiences, director Long? Have you had one-on- ones with everybody where you just get to know get to >> Well, yeah. When I was first on the board, there would be lots of conversations that would happen between me and certain board members. And then I would even hear from certain board members what other board members who I hadn't talked to had said to them via them. >> Mhm. >> So yeah, but recently, yeah, that's that doesn't happen anymore. It Yeah, that has been a new thing in our board. I think it used to be a thing in this board where board members would talk to, you know, certain groups. we were kind of grouped off so that not to have a quorum >> and would have discussion about things but maybe because there's a new quorum or whatever that's happening >> that I'm not a part of. >> Okay. And and maybe I should um be very careful in how I ask that question too. It's not one-on- ones to necessarily even talk board business. I mean who's talking board business? So, you know, that and and making decisions like, hey, are you going to vote this way or what do you think about that? Are you going to make a motion? Those things are inappropriate. But I'm thinking just to the human nature of just, hey, I'd like to know what you do for a living and you know, what was my experience when I was on the school board and what are your kids interested in? And though that's what I just that human connection >> when when I first started on the board, there was somebody who was constantly um is no longer on the board, but who was implying that there were lots of secret meetings and things happening, which by the way, I had no idea of and I was not part of. And so I don't know if there were secret meetings happening, but that made me very much want to not meet with anybody at any time because of these kinds of accusations happening. And so um very much at least as far as I know not I am not meeting individually with any having phone calls with anybody. >> Um so uh in part because of [clears throat] that and I also want to say too there are people who tend to speak a lot and that really dissuades other people from having a voice at the table a lot of times. Um, at least at least for me, um, it makes me just not want to say much of anything at all. >> That that's helpful to know that, too. I think as a board chair, I think that's important to know. If you you may already be aware of that. I'm not exactly sure. Giving time limits for conversation might be a way of handling that. And that could just be an agreement that you know everyone's going to get a chance to speak and we're going to limit it to whatever that magic number might be. If it's a one minute or a twominut, I wouldn't do five minutes quite frankly. [laughter] ser I mean I'm facitious but seriously I you know usually it's a one minute you know give me your perspective on this item and then um and we used to do that and we had it was um the Molly person for me it was Marilyn somebody who I love dearly no longer with us but um it was in our case it was Marilyn and she would be a timekeeper in a very kind way and and that took it out of the hands of this group she was just right there and she would hold up a sign. You'd get like the 30 seconds and then it was done and I would quit talking mid-sentence and we just learn to work that way too for a while. Sometimes we'll go a little bit longer. Yeah, that might be a tool that you could use and be comfortable with it. And that's not an unfair thing and it doesn't mean that every board member needs to speak. sometimes I just didn't have anything I wanted to say about it, you know, so I'd pass that didn't mean then the next board member got the extra minutes or anything either, but so that may be something you'd like to try and just come to an agreement as a a group, but Stella, >> I think that I think Rene was ahead. Oh, okay. >> Director Bowman and then Superintendent. >> I was, but she go >> Okay, there we go. >> That was my bad. Sorry. >> Oh, that's okay. Um and and the whole thing about talking with one another, there was a really bad number of years where uh as a person from the public, the board was doing, you know, a lot of like social together or they would go to someone house after >> and >> you know whether anything occurred or not, it left such a lousy taste in the mouths of >> of this community that I know when I came back on this board in 2023 just sort of vowed I you know I [laughter] just did what I did in corporate which is I love all you people great let's have a great professional relationship or after hours belong to me and I really don't care to socialize with people that I have a professional relationship with and I would would hope that that could also be respected but the the point was is that this community has already dealt with we don't want board members sitting off together and that was the look that it always gave whether that was happening or not. >> Okay. So that's been part of the Uber sort of other side of it is let's not you know let's not do anything that isn't right here at the table. So >> that's really helpful feedback. >> Good. Thank you >> superintendent and then director >> um I just after what Aviva said it's it's interesting because in my previous role as a superintendent it was just um common practice that I would either have a one-on-one with each board member a month. Um, sometimes it was two or one, sometimes it was was with my CFO or teaching and learning person and um, and that I got the same feeling that Aviva shared that that then seemed to be something bad and wrong. >> Um, which I I think is unfortunate because I think that's also an opportunity to build trust and to share common information with board members. um board members do um I try to you know not monthly but uh several times a year as I'm going into schools invite them and they always do that. It's different than a regular cadence of one-on-one. And I know one of my former board members, I, you know, it was really hard for him to ever meet face to face, but we always at least did a monthly phone call just checking in. What do you, what are your questions? What can I help with? So that's something different for me in this superintendency than my former one. >> So So you did not really do one-on ones. Is that what you're saying? >> Say that again. >> So you really haven't done one-on- ones? >> Not consistently. I I certainly have met with folks and and some more than others, but it doesn't I didn't get the feel with this board that that was >> um okay >> based on the past experience. Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. So, it's not a bad thing or a wrong thing to do obviously. Um so, looking for another solution. I mean, even just the getting to know one another on a human, you know, maybe maybe not. I'm just tossing out ideas where you can do something together and get to know one another a little bit more and it's and you can be public about it like we're going to have a a retreat. I mean, you can just say it and so the um in the community if the community wants to listen in, they can sure listen in. You know, it can be some kind of activity, interaction, whatever. Just another thought for you. Maybe, maybe not. Well, actually, I I think that building trust means getting to know people. And so, over the years, um, we've always had some level of I've always served with directors where some level of that happen. >> And so, uh, it's been a little changed and a little new and different that there is not that same thing >> uh, on this board. And so, and I actually make it a real habit of I I really think it's important for people to form their own opinions. I'm not one who tries to talk this one against that one or that one against this one. I'm not that's just not my life in real life, you know, and so I don't do that. But I think um establishing uh cordiality and being civility >> so that you can get along with people and get to know them is important. And we've had a lot of change on our board, but also in senior leadership who you might see because the only the people you see the most are the cabinet members. >> So, and we've had almost a wholesale change of cabinet members. >> The way for me that I develop trust in a person's is what they tell me, their demeanor, my interactions, all the things. And I think it's important for board directors to have a certain sense of that. that never takes the place of the relationship with the superintendent, but it's important. You know, if you see people, you can be cordial with them and you have some kind of understanding of them. Um, that matters in a in an organization that is peopleheavy. >> So, >> I I think this would be another topic. I'm I don't >> Can you reach the plug down there? >> Was she Brandon out of power? >> Right behind you. here. Okay. >> Um, so >> Oh, we got an extension card coming. G >> omnipotent dude around here. Thank you, >> Ray. I'm not used to being weighted on like [laughter] that. So, thank you. Thank you. That's very nice. You've been so helpful this evening all in all. So, I think finding what that common ground is that's going to work for you. I totally understand if that was a hot button because of whatever happened that probably none of you were responsible for. Um but it it is what it is. So then looking for other opportunities. I can just say that when I was on the board um thank you. We um had two informal gatherings a year. Um spouses, significant others were invited if you know if you had them, if you wanted to bring them. And the two times, one was usually like a summer cookout and then the other was something around the holiday season. And um that was just a time to get to know one another. We did not talk board business. We just got to know a little bit more about one another. If that's something that you think would work, there's nothing wrong with doing that. If you don't think it would work, don't do it. But I'm just I'm tossing it out. Or if there's some other suggestions, you know, there might be something. I totally get um Director Bowman, I totally get the professional piece. I have to say that when I was on the board, I don't there wasn't anybody on the board. I liked everybody. There wasn't anybody on the board that I was good friends with. I mean, we interacted. We had commonalities. If that and that wasn't that wasn't a negative. I can also say that there were some board members who were good friends that and and that was probably in play before they got elected to the board. So finding whatever that is that you can get to know one another I think would be really helpful. Okay. So I'm watching the time knowing that you've had a long day. You've covered a lot of ground. How I don't even know how long we've been talking here. Um, you've covered a lot of ground. Is this helpful? I mean, we can again, I'm always happy to come back and continue the discussion, finish the discussion, review the self- evaluation a little bit more. Um, you tell me what you need. I know you're all going to need sleep. What What makes sense? Um, we have two faces here. We have the face that we're presenting outwards to count >> to the community this evening. >> It's one thing to ask uh for cordialness and friendliness and all those other things and declare that those are really important. It's a whole another thing to experience what goes on when this camera isn't on and how uh people treat other people. 45 minute ranting and ravings at them uh cornering them to scream and rant and ra rain rave at them. >> So almost four three and a half years into this I'm not buying it. I'm I I'm just not buying that there really is a will at this board to create the things that we say we want to create when the background behavior is so awful. From nasty uh social media posts made by board members belittling other board members pretty public to what can go on behind closed doors. I I I'm not buying it. There is no will of this board to create cordiality. >> Otherwise, we would just be doing it. >> And no amount of getting me getting to know me any better is going to change or shift that paradigm because we should already have been functioning from that level. So, um that's just my two cents on it. >> Okay. >> Doesn't count if you're going to slap me when we get behind closed doors. So, >> okay. Any other comments, thoughts? Hi. Oh, please. >> Yeah. So, >> I can't use the word I'm a new board member anymore. I've been here for a while. So, um >> use it as long as you can. Trust me. Yeah. Trust me. >> [laughter] >> However, I think there there's one perspective that I I come to the table with. >> Mhm. >> And that is I don't have to like anybody at this table. >> That's right. >> I'm here for one purpose. What works for our district >> what advances our kids to the next level. Okay. When I run, I I think I one of the the slogan I used was taking personal feelings out of decision making. It is not about me. >> If it is, then I should be in my house talking to my family. >> Once I am at this table, >> I may disagree with you. >> It is not personal. Mhm. >> It is what I see as my role to make sure that whatever decision the board makes eventually leads to the success of our kids. >> Mhm. And if we can't do that as board members with basic norms, respecting each other's time, not taking anything personal, then this conversation, we can have people here 15 million times over the next month. >> It's not going to change. >> Not going to change. And you've done that in the past, too, from what I've heard you talk about. Yes. >> Yeah. It's not going to change anything. So, I think if we are sitting here tonight saying we have norms I think that is the first starting point just respecting the norms >> and making sure decisions that we are making here whether it is four people that voted for it whether you're on [clears throat] the no side or the yes side when you leave the table >> guess what is the voice of the board >> if it fails it fails and if it's a positive it is the voice of the board and we walk out thinking that way until that time I I don't see where we need to be as a board >> making decisions on building closures, budget cuts, programming for our kids, going to the community request for funding. >> It it is sad. We We need to change our behavior. >> Well said. >> Anytime we are arguing among ourselves, we're doing a disservice to our students and they deserve better than that. I'm wondering if maybe we can pick up on the suggestion from Gail and go back to uh limiting the time the talk time on uh topics and making sure >> that everybody has the opportunity and so that uh some board members are not talking way more >> than others. Can we maybe leave here tonight with that as an agreement that we go back to? I mean, we used to have a >> you were you were our timer. Where is it? 2 minutes. What was our limit? You were the timer. >> Yeah, it was 2 minutes. But still, if people went over, I didn't stop then. >> So, >> then you can start doing it differently. >> So, maybe we can respect the twominut time and just stop. So we would have to be more concise in our comments, >> but there are some of us who need more others or some of us who don't choose to talk. So if I have extra questions that I need to ask and nobody else wants to talk, then I feel like that I should have that right to to talk about those things. >> And let me clarify that I we did I didn't quite get to that point. So the time and you go around each board member. Um and I just have to say to hear that a board member is not speaking because you feel bad about it. That is a very sad thing too because every one of you has a voice. So the idea is set your one minute, two minute, whatever. Everybody has an opportunity to speak and then once you've gone around you can determine how many rounds you want to go. So in it a a time where cuz I always asked a lot of questions. Just saying. And so I totally get that. Then you've got a round two that you can go around and you've got another couple of minutes and just exhaust that. You probably aren't going to go 10 rounds. I don't know. But that's a decision that you could make. Try it. And then as far as the timekeeping, I'd be really um you know, just okay, that's it. You're you're done. Um, I'm not trying to get Molly another job or maybe she wants another job. I don't know. But I think it would be easier if you had someone who was not a board member, too, because you want to be an active participant. You want to be able to listen, too. Yes. I just to clarify I mean we so if I'm asking questions >> and the cabinet takes four and a half minutes to answer that question are you saying we move on to the next person or are we talking more less about questions and more about I'd like to share my general thoughts about proposal A and C >> the latter so right yeah so it wouldn't be like for this evening no you wouldn't be losing all of your time just because of the presentations that were happening or the answers to your questions it' the more you sharing your ideas and thoughts. >> Well, and I think too there's some topics that allow for more discussion and more conversation to happen, especially like, you know, we've had the whole closing of schools and stuff like that. Those are topics and the community wants to know that we are discussing them thoroughly and not just making a decision that we're told to make, you know. >> Absolutely. I think that's a good point. You don't want to ever look like a rubber stamp board either on decisions. So on those big topics and it's exactly what you said, if it's on facilities, if it's budget, when you're hiring a superintendent, if you've got a major change in curriculum, if it's working on your strategic plan, those are the times where you want to put a lot more energy into the conversation. I mean, I think that's [clears throat] only fair. And your community is watching for that, too. And if you're not having those discussions, community is going to think that you are a rubber stamp and start raising questions, which then when you get to that high performing stage, sometimes you don't have all the discussions. And that's when the chair's going to need to be really intentional about making sure every voice is that you talk about it like and say we've had work um work sessions, study sessions, and just kind of give that background so that board members have had a chance to speak and then ask board members one more comment. And >> I think maybe we would have less um time on questions if board me well. What? Start over. Director Brenesen, you always ask the questions within the time frame. We're supposed to ask questions ahead of time and you always include me on the emails to the superintendent. And I think if everyone did that, ask their questions ahead of time so the answers come ahead of time and then you can do a follow-up question or do a clarifying thing. But you always do that, which is a board expectation, but I would say not everyone does it. And I think that would be a very helpful thing to get the questions into the superintendent within the time frame so that uh they have time to answer the questions, find the find the answers. I think that would be just really helpful. >> Yes. You >> and I I don't think being that I've been on the other side during agenda setting and all of that, I sometimes I feel like I may have more information than other board members, right? So at the table I may not have as much to ask. >> I don't think what is saying is that people cannot form questions as presentations are going on. >> Right. >> Right. Sometimes things trigger as you hear people say different things. So that is allowed at any table or any board table. M >> it is when you are now going to give us maybe your two 3 minutes of background history >> and then how it used to be and then now your question is still not coming and we are 5 minutes into it th those are the concerns >> right >> so as much as possible having those questions ahead of time but you're absolutely right >> I I know that director Basset and director long and superintendent have something >> well I I I guess for me I I think that some of the suggestions that you have come up that have come up at this table are good suggestions. I think that um trying a few things is a good idea. I think rushing to say this is the way it should be or that's the way it should be. I think trying to trying to m you know trying to figure it out and work it out is the attitude because I think it's culture as much as it is anything else. It's about culture because we've had cultures. We have had and I and I I don't um I think any everyone should bring their their experience to the table and context matters more for some than others. Some people don't need any context. They just have their question. They're ready to go, you know. But I don't think it's a it's a the worst thing in the world to have a little context. And I don't think that that should people should be penalized penalized for it. I I do like the idea of us, but but we we have the challenge where sometimes people have four questions and some people get to ask all their four questions and somebody else can only ask one and then stop. Uniformity and consistency matters. If you're not going to have consistency and uniformity, it's going to fall down. And that's been a challenge uh because it just has been. And so I think that trying new things and I think proposing some new ideas about some new ways of being would be something to write up, send out to everybody. We can all get our stamp of approval and get ready for it. I I mean I think it's say we're going to do this or that tonight is I think a little premature quite frankly. >> I think sitting with it for a minute, >> right? And I I would hope that the spirit of this was ideas, takeaways that you can can talk about. And I would agree that you would want to try it out and see if it's working and not every discussion item needs lots of discussion at the Yeah. >> Did you have something to add? >> Yeah. So the email thing, how does the community know then what questions were asked and what was the answer that was given? Are those then going to be published as part of our board books every every time we have a meeting? because you know that stuff needs to be on record too. Otherwise, I feel like we're having a private meeting outside of the community and we know information about things that they don't get to hear about how we made that decision. So, that's super problematic for me. I, you know, I feel like that those emails then they need to be a part of board books and be published then with our answers and our questions. you're talking. So if if if you have individual questions and you're wondering about individual questions from other board members, >> I always make sure so uh Gita had said, "Well, we should all be emailing our questions so that then we're not asking so many questions here." Well, then that's a problem because then, you know, there are times where I people are like, "Well, what about blah blah blah blah blah?" And I was like, "Well, that was in an email." >> And then they're like, "Well, why didn't you share that with us? the community wanted to know that answer. So then how are we going to get around that? Because then that's going to be another area where our community is going to feel like we're hiding stuff from them. So is there a way that we can then put our questions and the answers to those questions and they be published as part of the board book so it doesn't look like we're having these secret emails with information that just us board members know that we're not willing to share with the larger public cuz these are people's babies that we're talking about. You know, they want to know that we're putting all this effort into their babies. They are entrusting us with their babies during the day and that we're making these decisions that are going to benefit their babies. And I don't care if that baby is 22, 56, it's still their baby. >> Good point. I think you have >> Yeah. So the the protocol again, right, I've worked with a lot of different boards, but I always want to be sure that board members have the information that they need as they come into the board table. So, our protocol currently is the board gets um board packet by Thursday night and by Sunday night if they've got questions really about decisions that they're going to make at the board table. Um you know, they send those to me and then our team works on those Monday morning and we get them back out to board members. I know in my previous district um there were would be times where a board director would say um you know, I have gotten this question. I know that I got a response from Dr. style about it, but I'm going to ask it. And there's also times where board members said to me, um, and it's happened here as well. I've got this question. I'm going to ask it at the table. Just want you and your team to be aware. >> And to me, it's a very respectful way of just making sure we have the information. You know, I know surprises. >> Yeah. Yeah. And and to to Dr. Wu's uh comment, right, board members aren't always going to always going to know what questions that's going to come up during conversation. Um the in intent is not a public conversation. The intent is I want to be sure board members have the information that they need. Um so >> right I send in questions sometimes and sometimes I ask them because I think it's important for everybody to hear. But if you've taken the time to write the question on by Sunday night, it's a very concise question and I don't have any trouble with a very concise question. Director Bowman, did you >> wish to speak? >> Yeah. And I don't know actually my initial comment is so why can't the question list be published? >> I was going to ask that. >> They sure could. You know, I I guess the other thing that I just I also want to say is again, right, my goal is to make sure you have the information you need. There are times we spent hours on Monday mornings. We've gotten to the point where we don't have meetings scheduled because we're working on questions for the board. And again, if they're important questions that board members want and need to know at the board table, we're happy to do that. I I also then don't want it to be maybe I'm not writing it in the most the best way for the public eye. It's not that I'm trying to hide anything, but I know it would take even more time if that was the expectation. And again, right, our emails are public. Any I just it's a different purpose. And if if that's the direction we're going, my team and I would just need to know that and um prepare to have more time so that we write it with even more clarity, right? That wasn't my question. >> Okay. You have do you have a different question? >> Yeah. I just a couple of different comments which is to say that it would also be really helpful at the table if when if when we when each of us speak what we're saying. I mean if you have clarifying questions of another board member that's a whole another thing. But to comment on what some other board member has said to either highlight it or disparage it or do whatever is I don't even understand that whole way we do that that happens like you know tired of having my um comments abridged or or somehow altered by someone else. Let what I say stand for me is all I want. And the other thing that's important to us, we've gotten better at it, uh, but sticking to an agenda. We have a real big problem with being able to stick to the agenda. Um, and it it's improved, but again, the ricocheting around at the at the table with things that aren't gerine to the actual agenda is confusing to the audience and and to the people at large. And and the other thing I know for sure as a fact in my 17th year of being an elected official is that nobody outside of the people sitting at this table have the information that we have. >> Nobody does because it's and and it's evident to me when I when I'm out and about in public because right now so many of the people out in public aren't even talking about the documents that have been produced by the administration and discussed by the board. It's the innuendos, it's the rumors, it's the this, it's the that. So, um, you know, that's where we as board members can help to educate the public and be in touch with them. And that's something that is part of our job that I do a lot of explaining to people out there saying there's a volume of information that unless you're there every single minute and I encourage you to run then uh you're you're probably not going to have that volume of information that we have. So and and it's not wrong. It's just that if you want to shadow any one of us for the hours that we put in and our reading and our emails and doing board work and all of that kind of stuff, uh you would be probably really bored at the number of hours a day you spend. So, >> um yeah, having the public stay in touch with their with board members is a great thing, but they're not going to see absolutely everything that we see. It's not their dedication. >> Good point, >> Director Long. Then director Bessa. >> Yeah, I I don't know. I kind of feel like maybe we should table some of this for a work session or something with duplicitous comments that are being made because I I just really don't kind of want to get into some of that right now. Um I think maybe it should go to maybe a I don't know a work a workshop or a work a study session or whatever you >> retreat. A board retreat. Yes. I think it really should go to a board retreat. I think there's a lot of conversation that we need to have as a board, but maybe right now we should just move on because there are a lot of things that have been said that I could bring up counterpoints about the duplicity. So, so are you done or just taking a break? >> I'm asking that we bring this up to a retreat. >> Right. And I think that's appropriate. Uh, Director Basset. >> Well, you know what? She I think that's a great idea because I think making decisions right now tonight, I think there's much more conversation to have before we say let's do this or let's do that. Um, so I I like that idea. I second the idea of us either doing a retreat. And the the one thing that I will say is that having served for four years with some of the colleagues I have now, you know, um I was here, I experienced some things when I decided to run again. It was in spite of those things, in spite of that stuff, because of what you said. What's the mission? That's why it's not I I I really I just, you know, I don't have anything against anybody. I I really don't dislike anybody who's on this board. I'm just not going to put up with nonsense >> or me. >> Um, >> okay. I think we've done as much on board self-evaluation as we can tonight. I think we'll continue probably uh we do have a retreat set up in July. We can probably get in contact with you and see if the dates work if that's okay. >> That would be just fine. And I just want to thank you for your candid conversation this evening. It was obviously not comfortable, not easy. Maybe it's the beginning of something. I don't know. Maybe it's the end of something. Maybe you agree to just say this is how we act. this is how we govern and be that board that I saw when I was sitting in the back of the room this evening because that was a board that was exemplar with the whole staging of it and sometimes that's just the way it is and maybe down the road things will change and maybe they won't. So that's kind of a takeaway thought. So I I hope that you found some value in the conversation this evening. it maybe didn't solve a lot of things. Um, but at least you were willing to talk about it. And I think that's also good modeling for anybody who is watching or who chooses to tune in down the road and watch as well. But yes, let me know how I can help you. If I can't, then that's okay. You've got other avenues, but if I can, I'm certainly glad to to help you as well. So, >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Excellent. >> We have one other thing on our study session. >> Never ending agenda. our agenda and I think it's pretty brief. It says five minutes. >> Yeah, I don't even think we need five minutes. I just wanted to be sure that um when when we talked about board planning, just wanted to remind you of the timeline that uh you've seen since August 14th of 2025 regarding um the superintendent evaluation. Uh June 1st is when um documents and uh materials will I'll get to you uh regarding my goals and evidence of on those and then you can see um the timeline of everything else through close session on June 19th. Um >> so I just want to draw that to your attention. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Everybody good on that? Anybody have a question on that? I do not see a question. >> Thank you everybody. Thanks. Thank you, >> Jim. >> Study session doesn't have to be I just said we're done and we're done. >> Right. Just like that.