I would like to call this meeting of the Robbinsdale Area Schools School Board to order. It is Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025. It is 7:07. We are in the boardroom of the Education Service Center. And before we take the role, I am going to read the land acknowledgement statement. We acknowledge Robindale Area Schools is located on the homelands of the Dakota and Ajiway people. We recognize the painful history of genocide and forced assimilation of the indigenous inhabitants of this land. We honor and respect the many indigenous peoples 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 Ajiway languages, landbased education, and tribal sovereignty. Will the clerk please call the role? >> Thank you. Uh, Director Basset >> here. >> Director Bowman is here. Dire Chair Evans Becker >> here. >> Director Hillbrand >> here. >> Director Holmes >> here. >> Director Long >> here. >> Director Wuto >> here. >> And uh, Dr. Stal >> here. >> All right. We are all here. Uh the first thing up is approval of the agenda. Do I have a move to approve the agenda? So moved. Moved by director Holmes, seconded by Director Bow Bowman. Okay. All in favor of approving the agenda, please say I. >> I. >> Oppos. >> I. >> Thank you. Post say nay. We have an agenda. Moving right along. Ardale proud. Superintendent Stala, take it away. >> Excellent. We uh know that our schools never rest and we have programming 12 months a year at Robbinsdale Area Schools. Tonight we have an opportunity to hear from an amazing team um who has worked throughout the summer actually last fall, winter, and spring to plan for the summer. Um and we're able to host amazing opportunities for our kids. So, at this time, uh, Anthony, I don't know if I'm handing it to you to hand your team or how we're going to work this, but I'll hand it to executive director, uh, of community education, uh, Anthony Williams. >> Thank you, Superintendent Malo, um, Chair Miss Becker, members of the board. I want to call up, uh, our team who will be present presenting our summer programming highlights to you all. Uh, I think there is a presentation coming up. There we go. All right. Um, the mission of Robinson Area Schools is to inspire and educate all learners to develop their unique potential and positively contribute to their community. Um, the purpose of well, everything we've done and uh over the summer with our summer programming um really checks all four buckets on our strategic plan when it comes to academic achievement, student engagement and wellness, community partnerships uh and collaboration as well as staff investment and impact. what what you hear tonight should highlight, you know, various areas of that. Um the purpose of this me of this presentation is to celebrate and highlight the work that we've done um over the summer serving students, families, and community. All right. Uh this is just a list of the programming areas that we offer throughout the summer. And I'm going to get ready to call up uh Brian to talk about ESY. >> Hello everybody. uh extended school year uh ran from July uh through the month of July. We uh worked on our two strategic themes. Theme A student achievement and theme B which was student wellness. Uh and we offered services or services to 175 students uh early childhood through transition age. Uh this is just part of our federal mandate of providing special education services to students who will require that service if they uh meet the need uh through regression in skill self-sufficiency uh functional skills and unique circumstances. So students that maybe have medical needs that need services over the summer. Uh CA teachers case managers collect data over uh before and after breaks to show a need for that those services. uh services. We provide transportation. Uh they get all the services that they would normally get like speech, OT, physical therapy. Uh it's really a fun program. It's fun to work. Uh the highlight for me was we had students at our Cooper uh program do a talent show on the last day of school and they really enjoyed that. Uh so we were at Foresight's New Hope Learning Center, Forest, Cooper, and Robin Sale transition center. Uh again, those are our attendance numbers. We had pretty good attendance. Uh, a lot of times kids will come for a couple days, maybe families go on vacation, so the numbers could always be higher, but uh, we were pretty happy with the number of students that showed up this summer. Right. Targeted services. >> Good evening everyone. I have the good pleasure of talking about targeted services and credit recovery this evening. Uh, targeted services is a state funded program. It is a part of our comprehensive alternative learning center programming and it addresses themes A and B. For elementary target services, we consolidated sites into one at Robbinsdale Middle School. So, we had all of the littles going through a very large building and it went beautifully. Uh there was a little trepidation. It went really well. We had just under 400 students attend. We use the same uh curricular resources that we've used for several years for English language arts. We use lit camp, which is a camp-like program to uh promote literacy. And we also used Math for Love, which is a game-based program for mathematics instruction, which the kids absolutely love. We brought in a science element this summer for both middle school and elementary. And for our elementary students, they explored circuits in circuitry and very hands-on interactive learning. For our middle school students, they were at Cooper High School. We had a almost a 50% bump in enrollment this year. So, we had 130 kids at the middle level. Uh we used the same curricular resources that we do for the elementary level. And we brought in the works for this group as well and they studied electromagnetism. Uh so, the power of magnets. It's very cool. Our credit recovery program was held at Cooper High School. This is an opportunity for students who may not have acquired a credit in their first pass through to achieve that credit over the summer. We had 669 students actually attend and we awarded just over 500 credits. So, tremendous. There's a breakdown of where they fall by grades. I want to note that our ninth grade numbers continue to decline because of the success that they are having due to many in large part due to bar at both Cooper and Armstrong. This does align with theme A academic achievement and we use egenuity as our platform to uh get the results that we wish for and I'll turn it over to Anthony. >> All right. Thank you again. Um just from a community uh lens, we cover you know all four themes from academic achievement, student engagement and well-being, collaboration and partnership as well as um staff development. You'll hear about programming from adults all the way down to our littles. Um with adult academics, we do offer um programming just in the month of June. Uh we served over 311 311 adult learners during that time um specializing in courses that they were interested in taking. So teachers um develop their courses based on that. Uh with our adventure club programming which is our most popular um I always will say that our most popular program in the district. Um you know we uh have a lot of service learning opportunities for for young people. Um Monday through Friday programming where they engage in field trips on-site presentations so on and so forth. We have served over 900 students again this year um uh throughout the course of the summer. and then our uh summer explorers. And this year we also offer super summer explorers programming which is more of a camp-like style program where they're doing um activities such as like robotics, coding, gaming, um water water week, things of that nature. Um we served over 200 students there. Um and then our enrichment are just uh individualized classes. Once again, another 200 plus students that we served in that programming. Um, unfortunately due to uh some construction things happening within our facilities as well as with the road, we did not offer swim programming this summer, but that is uh back up and running now for the fall. Uh some community things we did, we talked about partnerships. We had our Explorer Day, which is a really opportunity for families to engage in some enrichment activities for free. No charge for that. We had 26 uh families attend that event. And then we also do our uh windows of opportunity which is our and and our adult programming which is like trips for our adults in the community and different act uh opportunities for adults with disabilities as well. And then we had 21 volunteers across the summer across our programs this summer. We also talk we also employ 22 youth interns um in partnership with uh stepup and Brooklinks. All right. ANI. >> All right. Welcome. Thank you for having me. Um I'm here to talk about uh Freedom Schools this summer. Um just a little brief history of Freedom School. Um it was uh out of the Mississippi Freedom Project of 1964. Um I just want to really highlight that Freedom Schools, the first Freedom Schools were um in 1995 in uh Bendville, South Carolina and uh Kansas City, Missouri. So, I just want to give a brief history. We talk about freedom schools, but just wanted to give that um overview quick. Um so, Freedom Schools, uh five essential components. Um I really want to talk about the parental and family involvement. This summer uh we were able to host our family uh empowerment nights on Thursdays and it was heavily attended. Um we were able to collaborate with many different outside organizations to bring in uh to come in to share um information with our parents and um also we were able to highlight um our weekly themes um and so the parents to know exactly like what was going on the daily with freedom school and so um I really wanted to um highlight that because our attendance was very high for that. Um the learning model everyone uh when you think of Freedom School you may think of Harambe. Um the components are there. Um the the opening chants are um what really gets the the scholars excited um get them ready to go for the day. U then we move into the readaloud guests. We were able to have um readaloud guests for every day of summer programming. And so that was awesome to have uh programming went this year June uh 17th to July 25th. Yeah. Um and then we were able to have Dr. Stalo come to be a readaloud guest. Um another one we had was uh Lieutenant Governor Petty Peggy Flanigan was able to come as well. Um this year we served 109 scholars. So we actually told CDF we were serving 100, but we actually went over 109. And so um a couple of the activities that we had uh we always have African drumming but um this year we had inner city tennis and so that was a new um afternoon activity that we had and then we also had leadership development. And so what we did is we that was our level two scholars which were grades um 3rd through 5ifth. They were able to participate um in leadership development. They also um I didn't include it in there but there was also a afternoon activi activity really focusing on um social activism and then actually what does that mean at that age um and because um oh that's the next slide but here's a highlight um of snapshot of kind of the scholars that we served um we had or like I said we served 109 scholars this summer um with you can't see that but it was 64 returning scholars and so that's just a testimony of kind the work that we're do as a district here. We have returning families that want to um participate in Freedom Schools. Um every year we have the um it's really the hard job that I have to put families on the waiting list, but soon as our enrollment um soon as our registration goes out, it's full within the day. And so that's the I mean that's great on one end and then we're turning away families which you know don't like doing that but um it's just a snapshot that we have. I would say that we had um the most of our scholars they came from that level two which is um grades third through fifth. So that was a lot of our population. Um just want to highlight a couple things. So field trip Fridays we went to uh field trips every Friday. Our scholars love that. Um this year uh was our national day of social action. The theme was public education is a public good. And so what we did was we collaborated with the many different freedom schools that are in the area and we uh met at St. Paul College. We marched to the capitol and had a rally just to bring awareness to uh public education. And that was um a sight to see. And there's our scholars there on the um on the picture there. We have those teal shirts so we can recognize everyone because there's a lot of students out there. It's, you know, it's hard to keep up with ours. Um, and then we had our finale. At the end, we come together. So each week we're building up to the finale and at the end our scholars come and perform everything that they have worked on for the six weeks um totality of the program. So this year was a little different. So I'm proud to um share that we worked with uh our Robinsville staff here. We worked with the teachers. We worked with um Baiji State, Black Men Teach, Education Minnesota. We were able to provide um our district with elementary apprenticeship program. And we had six um apprentice through from our district go through the groundup um elementary apprenticeship program. And so it's um we we recruited um staff that didn't have their bachelor's degree and they were able to participate um in the groundup program. Um one stipulation was they had to work freedom schools. And so it's a three-year program and they're able when they graduate through Baiji State they they are able to have a uh tier three elementary education license. And so that's kind of the way we're trying to recruit more um teachers of color to um come to Robindale and stay in Robindale. I don't know that was very quick. So the total served this summer uh we served 2,837 students this summer and it's the breakdown of all of the uh the programs that we had and the students that we served as well. So, any questions that we have? >> Just congratulations from me. My goodness, everyone. Great work this summer. Um any uh Director Basset and then Director Hillbr. >> Thank you. Uh so I have a question and maybe that's for um I'll direct it to Director Williams and he can figure out. Um I I I guess I'm I'm thinking about when I think about credit recovery, uh I don't believe that the credit recovery is something that can reach uh we had a recent conversation and received information recently about um the fact that some of our high school students don't have enough hours or credits um to and and so and so that's a kind of a question within that is it which is it and this is not the appropriate most appropriate form that you would try to address that. So I want to make sure of that and then um it's a middle note for myself that this is a conversation we were going to come back to because I don't know the answer to that yet. So if you could just kind of make sure that I'm on track >> and I I misunderstood your question. I'm sorry. Well, the question was we we received some information relatively recently from >> so this um this topic as far as summer credit recovery is a different subject than it comes to the to that number of hours that our high school seniors have. So it doesn't the two don't really correlate >> that's exactly that's exactly what I was thinking. And I wanted to make sure that was the true but at the same time I want to make sure I'm making a mental note that that is something we said we wanted to come back and talk about you know and so it's helping me understand so I have the right language when we come back to the conversation. >> Um Dr. Henbrand >> yeah my question actually has to do with Freedom School because it it's a great program and tremendous and you didn't really talk a lot about the literacy aspect. I mean, they spend the morning and I don't know if you all know this, um, steeped in literacy and each kid gets to bring a book home every week. I mean, it's tremendous, but it's also a very expensive program. Um, I know for the district I work in, we figured it costs about $2,500 per student. Um, and so my question is the long-term viability in terms of funding for the program. just curious um how you see being able to continue to fund the program because it is such a fabulous program. >> Um yes, uh freedom schools can be expensive. Um we do always look for different funding opportunities as far as grants and things of that nature. Um and then leveraging different internal resources. We'll be looking for that for next year as well. You know, we recognize that for the number of students we serve, um it does cost I don't know what our total budget was this year. What >> was 285? >> Yeah, 285 per student, you know. Um but, uh you know, so looking for different grant opportunities, but also leveraging the like he did with the apprentice program, bringing down some of the staffing cost um helps out with that with the with the budget for Freedom Schools. But once again, we will be actively looking for funding for the 26 27 summer or the summer of 20 was it summer of 27? Summer of 26 >> into the future. >> It definitely I mean it's something I mean we we've been fortunate to have grant dollars that help helped us sustain it thus far. Um but once again it's always a competitive market and you know but it's a value to the community. >> Thank you. Uh Director Holmes. Uh yeah. So mine I'll build on that. Is that why you're capped at that 100 number? Is funding issue? >> Yeah, it used to be uh 150 was our cap. Um they made some adjustments for budgetary reasons this year. Um and then capped it at 100 because it does have a significant financial savings there. Um and then you know they were still able to serve the families that they were able to serve, but like you said, there's a waiting list. Um and there's no revenue stream for per student. So yeah, they they modified from 150 to 100 just to make it more affordable for just this year. >> Um, so with that, I'd be interested in how consistent that weight list is because if you guys are doing a great job on I know I came last, not this summer, last summer and helping the students with their individual reading goals. I think that was really impressive and working with them on what makes sense for them to read and their strengths. It has a lot of positive attributes for me. Um, so I would like some more information just to see if it's something the board would take up in future budget conversations if it's really I know there are other aspects but the literacy component is strong like director Helen said. Um, and then just my second question the volunteer program you had 21 adults. Is there a need for more volunteers and how can individuals go about helping if they're interested? >> Uh, I I don't know if there's a need for more volunteers. I know that um we do have a wonderful volunteer program um throughout the school year and typically um for the number of the level of programming that we have uh they it's not the individuals who reach out to volunteer it's the programs who say we need volunteers and they fill out a volunteer request form and then based on that we we staff with the the volunteers um but we always look for more volunteers from a district standpoint. I just know if it's a need for that like for this last summer. Right. >> Fair enough. Yeah. I don't I didn't know you Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anybody else? Superintendent, >> I got one fun fact. >> Uh Peggy Flanigan was a former uh executive director of uh CDF Minnesota, which oversees Freedom Schools. >> It's a fun fact. >> I just want to close out with gratitude as well. Um I know that we have a lot of adults here tonight. Um, but you saw the 2,800 students that they represent. And I know if it wasn't the first week of school, we probably would have had some students here as well. So, uh, in the future, I know that's always a fun thing that the board enjoys. So, I just want to thank you for everything. Um, thank all of the teachers and the staff who also made this possible. Um, and I'd love to give it a quick picture of y'all. Okay. Which is Here you go. >> Do you like graduation? Yeah. You You're going to be all together. Thank you everybody. Hey there. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. Congratulations. >> Good job. Where did Missy come from all of a sudden? >> Where'd you come from all of a sudden? >> She's being supportive. All righty. Item number five is the consent agenda. Consent agend. It's easy for me to say consent agenda items are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a board member uh so requests in which in event the item will be removed as a consent agenda item and addressed. The consent agenda items are as follows. uh the memo about the updated new nutrition services meal price increase that's increasing from $5 to $55 for a second portion. Meals are still free for breakfast and lunch for everybody. uh the business meeting minutes draft the study session minutes draft dispersements licensed staff personnel report and the non-licensed staff personnel report in the as aside in the non-licensed staff administr licensed non-licensed staff report we have two retirees uh Douglas Hayes 27 years as a service employee and Brenda Kudson has 22 years in nutrition services and we just appreciate their service and wish them well in their retirement. Is there a move to accept the consent agenda? >> Some moved. >> Moved by Director Hillbrand, seconded by Director Basset. This is a roll call vote. Please take the role. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Uh, Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Uh, Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillenbrand, >> yes. >> Director Holmes, >> no. Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wu. >> Yes. >> Great. >> So, we have five to two. >> Correct. >> Okay. We have accepted the consent agenda. The next item on our agenda is unfinished business. And this unfinished business is the discussion of schoolboard professional development. when the school board had its professional development in July, uh, five board members were able to attend and all five agreed that we needed to uh work to be a better board and Dr. Betty Webb and N Dr. Nicole Dimitch said that they could help us. And then also uh when we were doing agenda planning several weeks ago uh there were three officers there and we agreed that we wanted to get better and so they the proposal is in your packets. You probably had a chance to look at it and they are here to just briefly talk and then answer any questions you might have and then we can talk amongst ourselves. Okay. So thank you. >> Yes. Thank you. Good evening. um here. Thank you. And the board of directors, we're very thrilled and grateful to be able to be here to share. Um we loved being able to have the conversation with you all in July. And so the proposal that you have in front of you is really based on that conversation and the feedback that we received from those of you who had the chance to be there. And so um we'll just let you take a look at it. And if you have any questions about um the model and the approach that we take in facilitating and supporting board learning um we're happy to address any questions that you have. >> Okay. Anyone have any um questions, comments? >> Oh, Director Holmes, this isn't up for action, correct? Just reviewing the information. Um, it could be up for action. I mean, it's >> not up for action. >> It It's just It's for information and getting a feeling from the board. Um, so I'm Director Holmes. I was unable to attend your session. So, it's nice to meet you. Um, my comments really won't be about questions. It's just kind of about board development in general. And so, I'll be speaking with my colleagues, not you all. So, thank you. Um I guess my concern right now in putting this forward for action is the amount of meetings we have on our plate and um I know from your meeting that you sent or your excuse me your email you sent chair um at the beginning of August I don't know if we've formally scheduled those additional work sessions around the sod plan and the vision team. So those are looking at you know October 13th, November 24th, December 8th. Um for me with the with the information that was given this is quite a bit more substantial of a commitment and then the price tag um considering the topics we'll be facing. I don't think this would be prudent for us to move forward at that time um or at this time. And then there are additional other professional development sessions that could help us um that are free that might be you know web- based we can do on our own valition and then talk about it at a work session. Um, so I did come up with some of those ideas because I've been encouraged if I'm going to push back on something to bring up additional ideas. Um, so even monkey survey has a modern manager summit lead with confidence through burnout, change and AI disruption. Uh, it is September 30th and again it talks about strategies for tackling burnout and making decisions not spinning in circles. Uh, it's led by their CEO and they're giving tools. um MSBA virtual workshop around um negotiations since we're going through that with nine of our bargaining units. That workshop is not going to return until the winter of 2027. So that's something we have access to as well. Um and then for me um personally, I was hoping for more information or a work session on on the SOD just getting familiar with that plan. I mean that's a lengthy document and so yes we could use additional board development. We've also had it we've had consult we have a a track record of being assigned tasks by board development professionals and not completing them not circling them back. So that was another frustration for me um when I went back to consider this and really look at how many hours I've been involved in since I've been on the board and we've had tasks assigned to us by qualified individuals such as yourselves and then we don't do it. So um my focus is really on getting through the what we have to in the decisions we have and could it be beneficial? Yes. But our schedule is also very very heavy right now and I personally can't be committing to additional work sessions and then we have shortened work sessions. So if we re adjusted our schedule that was already in place potentially um but this pres presents a financial concern for me as well as um scheduling. Thank you. >> Thank you. I don't see any other hands and so I would like to say I agree with you director Holmes but I would like to go I would also say I question whether additional professional development and how the board can get along with itself will change without us changing our behavior and so um it it I agree it's a big expense it's a big time commitment And I am not I am not sure that it would make a difference in we've had we had board development last October for the same thing. We had it last summer in the evening and a whole day. We set norms. I I'm I agree. I'm questioning. I don't think that I think the change has to come from inside not from outside with us. Other board members. Oh, Dr. Bessett. Well, uh, let me just thank you for your presentation and thank you for the time that you've already spent with the with us in this district. Um well I do agree that um there are some challenges interpersonal relationship challenges and um and I think that those uh war with the whole question of the role of the board and then there's some um question I think among some about it's not only the role of the board it's understanding the role of the superintendent that's our only one staff person so I could say the administration but we only have one steppers and so that I think there's some uh questions about that uh that I have become aware of. So, uh I think maybe uh I think perhaps yes because uh I've had the pleasure of working with you before uh and I've just met you so I've had the pleasure of working with you with different board members when we had some challenges. So I know that your presentations and your work is is effective Dr. web and and I was impressed by your presentation. What I think is that we need more time. I'm not prepared to say no at this moment, but we're not voting. But I am prepared to say I think that we need to have some other development. Now, one of the things that we have had before that's been successful is working with MSBA. And I think maybe that's been alluded to by some. I'm not totally sure that's what you're referring to, but um the person who does professional development for the board in this arena who is Gail Gilman is one person who was recommended who has not been tapped. And so, uh I think because those services are are incumbent to a great extent, um they're encompassed within our our membership fee. So to the question that some directors are raising about cost. I mean there are some things and there's some things that are offered just you can just go virtually and do. I think the board itself needs to have more more more commitment to come together and not so much the homework. The homework is to come together and really have a conversation and talk about it. I think the board needs to have some frank conversation with some skilled facilitation that is objective and not only objective that is steeped in schoolboard business because I think when you go to have legal counsel provide your your your I've known enough attorneys around my time and this is no disparagement but attorneys are going to come at the questions differently than school board folks will and the school board associ Association is the designated organization to work with school boards. And this board has not really in recent times worked with the designated school board focused professional development from MSBA because uh we've been working with the person who was who came in and helped us do our search. Well, we have a superintendent who was voted in 7 to1. So, we don't need a search person. >> Zero. >> Excuse me. >> 70. that well that's what I meant. Okay. Um so the bottom line is that it was unanimous and so we have a superintendent and so we it's time to you know I mean I think move on to the professionals in that association that focus on the board school board itself and the school board's work and give us good information that they have provided before but not but this board but when they provided it the board listened because that was their role. They're not coming in to to protect or to be on the you know our side versus superintendent. They're talking about what is the role of the board and then in effectively and accurately you know as opposed to people thinking something's not the board's work that falls within their scope. And I think that there you know that's my own personal observation and so don't have to be right but I'm saying I think we have some other things to do. So I say I think pause for now because I don't want to say no. I think that we've gotten some good uh instruction and work with and move forward in the past when we've worked with you uh Dr. Webb and so uh I would I would like to see us have an opportunity to come back to that conversation when we've actually did a little bit of our work because it's been said that people don't do their homework. There's some truth to that and part of it is that we don't have a lot of opportunities to talk about things. Our agenda is packed with things that are not about the school board. they're the business of the organization which is appropriate but we need to find a balance there as well. So that would be my feedback. >> Thank you director Basset. >> Dr. Helen Brand. So, you know, I think that, you know, when you look at the first page of the proposal, you know, it talks here about developing clarity regarding the board's role in supporting the school district's core business. Learn and co-create discipline communicate discipline communication processes to support the school district's core business. Apply communication and decision-making protocols to the board's role in school district's core business. co-create a way to reflect on the impact and accountability to the agreed upon communication and decision-making processes. Those are all things that I think that this board is clearly in need of. Now, we want to talk about are these the right people to do it? Is this the right proposal? I, you know, I'm I don't know and I'm not this is a group decision, but I think these are clearly things that as a board we're missing. you know, do we want to take professional development on negotiation strategies? Maybe. But that's this is the core of what we're missing as a board. And I think we really need to be reflective and think about that. This is why we're not functioning at a high level. We're not getting work done because we're not hitting these bullet points as a team. Okay? I'm not This is not pointing fingers at any person. As a team, we're not hitting these bullet points. So we're not getting work done that we need to get done in the in the timeline that we need to get it done. We're just not able to as a group. And so whether this is the right proposal, whether these are the right people, I'm happy to have that conversation. I don't know the answer. I don't have a strong opinion. But we all and the other thing is that and I understand we all have lives and their reasons, but we weren't all there for the professional development um that we had. And so it's really hard when we're not all there to to build as a team. And so I guess I'm just going to um lobby for that. We whatever the way we do it, these are the things that we need to get to before we can really work on an SOD plan before we can do any of these other things. Um because we can't the reason our parking lot is so big, the reason why we keep coming back to things, the reason we're spinning our wheels is because we're not achieving the things on the on this list. At least that is my opinion. Okay? And like I said, I'm not pointing fingers saying it's any particular person's fault. I think it's as a team, we're not accomplishing it. And so I think we really need to to look at that and think be really thoughtful about that before we completely say this is the wrong direction. Um >> yeah, >> Director Long. >> Um so I wanted to say uh Dr. web the times when we've talked I've really appreciated how every time you've brought it back to but this needs to be a decision for the board to make whenever any topic came up whenever I was in a conversation with you you always brought up this needs to be a decision for the board to make I need to hear from the board now we don't really get that from a lot of you know other people who come in here and want to you know say things to us but that's really what it is it's it's us sitting here as a board trying to make these decisions isions and I feel like often times other things are thrown in there that don't allow us to be aboard so and have those discussions you know like you were pointing out. So although I would like this opportunity to work with you and learn more of that about how it is that we should be as a board and not listen to all this outside stuff that keeps trying to come in and influence us and does come in and influence us. Um, I just right now with what we have on our plate with already adding extra meetings for other things, I just worry about the capacity of it and being able to do it with integrity is what I'm concerned about. Um, but yeah, I mean I I would like us to figure out how it is that we can do things as a board and not have to continue to bring outside influences into that discussion of us as a board. >> Um, is there anybody who hasn't spoken who would like a chance to speak before I call people for a second time? Okay. In that case, oh, director Bman Uh in my years of being an elected official, I have always as many times as possible engaged in professional development of the role that I'm in. Uh it's a very important part of growth and um doing your best in that role. So um I've always supported professional development. I'm not real clear as to what to do in this case. Um my experience with this board is that most of our professional development has caused harm and a great deal of harm. And um to talk about uh moving forward without having spoken of the harm that's been done and the trauma that's been placed upon board members is a really hard thing for me to support. Um my role as an elected official is to come here, be one vote, listen and learn and vote to the best of my ability for what will serve the organization. Uh I am not here to worry about um personalities. I am not this has never been a beauty contest for me. Uh this has not been um anything but the business at hand for the institution regardless of the institution I've been there to serve. And um I don't know that there's a way to bring us to a common ground of just understanding that we're seven people all with differing opinions uh that um um need to stop abusing one another. And um we have had a um track record of false starts in all of this. Nothing's ever right. Nothing's ever this. We don't want this. We've had the opportunity to have mediation. We've had the opportunity to look at and access and assess behaviors through uh complaints and investigations that have been done and um I'm weary. I am just I am shell shocked from the past two and a half years of being on this board. And nothing would give me greater satisfaction than to have somebody come in and wave that magic wand uh and fix what causes harm and what causes hurt. But I just don't have any level I come from a complete level of nonrust at this point for that happening with this group. Um, this is also I I think the thing that causes me concern is that what and to director Helenbrand's uh point I agree completely the bullet points in this are exactly those things that we should be working on to have forward movement. We have not been new. I mean, we are not new at being told by experts by experts. And I does, it doesn't matter if it we listen to MSBA or if we listen to our previous professional development person or whatever we do until I as a person decide that I'm going to do the business with a good heart and without uh the harm I don't know what we can do. So, because intention, I think, uh, plays a big role here. So, I, you know, I'm open to whatever we can do to make things better for these kids because we're here to serve these kids. And this is a board that never even brings up we're here to serve these kids. So, I am open. I am open. I have the floor. I have the floor. I am open. And this is part of it. I don't need to have somebody talk over me when I'm at the table and I'm providing my opinion. So, I am open. Um, I love what you had to say in this report. Uh, and whatever the will of the board is, I will go along with it. Thank you. >> Before we Yeah, I wanted to ask how do we know? >> Director Wuto, did you have anything you wanted to say on this topic? Yeah, I think a lot have been said and the the fact is that we as a group need to take that ownership and also as individuals need to take the ownership. So yes, do we need the training? Possibly. Is this the right time or is this the right group? Uh that's debatable. Um I I will agree that if we can personally take that ownership that everybody has spoken about there is a good way forward. >> Thank you. Um next I have Director Holmes and Director Basset. If you have something different to say. >> I do. I just want to clarify. I I agree with what you were saying Director Hillen Brand as far as work to be done. And again it's I I appreciate that you weren't here. It's just speaking to what I've experienced and the fact of the matter is SOD we have to complete the plan by January 31st. So that's why I brought that up. So my focus is going to be on getting data um processing data seeing what those suggestions are and every action that I have from here forward and since I've been on here has been about the students in this district. The the notion that we're dysfunctional is old. We don't have time for that anymore. We have major major decisions in front of us. So I think we're committing to doing that work and we have no way around it and we're scheduling additional work sessions to get through the information. Our next big one is going to be September 23rd. So my point wasn't to discredit this group by any means or say we didn't have work to do. I'm saying everything I'm doing is about these students and we've got major decisions in front of us. So, I would just ask that we keep those questions or those comments at a minimum. >> Director Basset. >> Um, I kind of agree with a lot of what everybody has said quite frankly. And, um, for me, um, I I think the only I agree that I like these topics out here, which is why I said I'd like to maybe we just not we're not acting tonight, so to have more time for us to kind of figure out where we are. It was really was my basic comment. And uh and in that I think these are exactly the right topics but I think we you know a little bit of information about consensus building every I mean I've never sat with all seven of us who agreed on everything all the time but sometimes it's not the decision it's how do you build consensus and you know some skills around that because there's no way in the world I would have come back with some of the stuff talking about harm that uh so I I mean, uh, feel like I'm been going to be a poster child for that, quite frankly, you know, but that's not where it's at. So, I have consciously and I think others have consciously tried to overcome some things to work together. But if we're not looking for a consensus, building consensus around each topic that comes to us instead of, well, I got four, I got these many votes. I don't I don't operated like that. I've never operated from a vote perspective. It's where can we what are you saying that I can relate to that resonates that's going to get us closer to where we need to be? And I I think that that's the only thing I would add and I wouldn't add anything but I just say when we talk about decision- making I I have seen that as a a major stumbling block because um you know the goal is for us to work together so when we come to decisions we can make those decisions that are going to be in the best interest of the district. That's it. And if we can't, if that is not the goal, the goal is winning. And then we don't then who who winning for who? Winning for the students. And then that's worthy of trying to build consensus in my book. It's worthy of me to take a few hits and move on. >> Okay. everyone who was wanting to talk got a chance. What I'm hearing is that we're all agreeing that it the goals are something we need to work toward, but I I'm not getting a yes go-ahhead feeling with it right now. I think I'm hearing the timing may not be good and um I'm hearing a willingness to work together, but >> we're not ready for a decision tonight. And so, uh Dr. Say something, please. >> Pardon me. >> May I say something, please? >> Yes, Dr. Web. >> Is that appropriate? I don't I don't want to misstep myself, but >> I called on you. It's okay. >> It's okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. I don't want you to throw me out of here. Um, some professional development is sit and get and you get a task that you go away with. you have enough tasks on your plates. Professional development that's steeped in your work and while you do your work is not extra. It's while you do the important work of this system that we embed the professional development and we talk about the communication protocols that might be possible. This is not about come and sit and get something and you get a task that you're supposed to come back. That's not what this is about at all. I just want to be clear about that. You have work to do. That's important work to do. >> But there can be some improvement in protocols on how that work gets done. That's what this is about. And it's as a board. So as you do your work, those are concrete examples to talk about how did the communication happen and how can we improve that communications in three different ways. One between and among ourselves, two between ourselves and the administration and three between ourselves and our constituencies. three levels of communication but it's based on concrete work that you are have to do you got to do that work anyways so if in doing that work you feel that you can get better we embed the professional development in your doing your work I just want to make that clarification because what I think I'm hearing is we're talking about something separate that adds time to your calendar that's not what we're talking about I'm not interested in coming in here and talking around the table around stuff that's in isolation of your work that you need to get done. You have busy people and you're I think when I met with the board members before I said you get three sermons you're only going to get one tonight and this is that this is that sermon y'all right you embed the learnings in doing your work and getting your work done. Now, if that's what you want to do, then we're we're your people. If that's not what you want to do, then go get somebody else to do that. We are not begging. I think I said to the board, I'm going to make you an offer that you can refuse. You can refuse this offer, but if you are in fact interested in getting better while you do your work, then I'm your person. We're your We're your people. If you're not and you want to go sit and get for somebody to talk at you and give you a task to go away with that you don't have time to do anyways because you already got enough tasks before you. So while you do your work, let's talk about on this. Name something. You got to get the work done anyways, but name something that we can get better at the communications around >> between and among ourselves, between the board and the administration, and between the board and your constituencies. That's the way we do profession professional development, right? So if you're talking about adding stuff to your calendar, I would rethink that if I were you. You don't have time for that, but you have stuff already on your calendar that you can get better at doing your work. I simply just wanted to insert that that we're not asking you to put I I don't think we're asking you. Am I Am I talking to you too? Yeah. Right. We're asking you to put additional time. We want to help get better at doing the work that's before you already. And if that's what you want to do, fine. If not, then refuse this offer. And if you think there's somebody better to do that, y'all had some I've had experience with director Basset, right, with uh the board before, but I don't think I've had experiences with the rest of the rest of you. But that's the way I work. >> I don't have the time to waste to I shouldn't use the word waste, but to come and sit and get. >> You don't have that time. The work is too important. You got people waiting on We have people waiting on us to get better at doing the work. >> For those of you who are talking about the students, everything is about the students. >> The question is who do you serve? Who is your proximate customer? >> The ultimate customer for all of us are our kids. So we don't even need to say that. >> What we need to say is who's our proximate customer and how do we get better at serving our pro approximate customers? So, I I I I simply wanted to insert Chair Evans Becker, Director Evans Becker, I simply wanted to insert um what we're about and why this offer is being made to you and why we are serious about saying if somebody else is better at doing it, go get them. If not, we're here to serve you. And in serving you, you become our customer. And if you want to get better at doing your work, we got to do it around doing your work. >> I agree. >> Not just sit and get. I'm sorry, Nicole, but >> Thank you. And this offer does not expire tonight. Right. >> Pardon? >> This offer does not expire tonight. I understand from the board that they're not ready. came here to let you voice your concerns, your thoughts, give us your feedback, and your direction. Whenever you make the decision, the offer is on the table. And this is an offer again that you can refuse. And I I simply thank you for allowing us the time to just even interact with you because this work, my friends, this work, I'm p I'm 80 years old. Hello. >> No way. >> And I'm passionate about the work that we have to do on behalf of the children we serve. That's right. >> And we don't have time to waste >> to do that work. I'm done with this sermon now. >> Thank you so much. We have one more person who wants to speak and we just appreciate so much you being here and we also appreciated our professional development in July very much. Yeah, I'm super inspired every time I hear you and I feel like if I call now, I'm going to get a an extra set of Ginsu knives or something. So, thank you. Um, but really my question was is that what is what's the next step in this process? I just don't want us to lose the thread of this. So, >> okay, the board would need the board would need a motion, but I'm going to consider this unfinished business and make it at our another meeting. Okay, I think people need time to think >> uh and figure out because uh $25,000 is a lot. >> And so let's let's push this out. We can put it on the agenda setting for our next meeting or a future meeting. Director Pass, I see your name down here. Did you want to talk? >> I was going to I am good because I think but I think I heard that people are okay with this content. I think I I heard um I think I heard a consensus that these are the right topics. I don't know if I heard it or not. I I feel listening to people that these are definitely things that the board needs to work on. I think I think that consensus on that. So, we'll bring it back. It'll be unfinished business again. But I think it's time for us if everybody everybody Nobody's got a hand up. We're going to move on. >> Okay. New business. >> Hi. >> Um the next item on our agenda is a statement regarding the violence at Enunciation Church. Um, I would like to read a statement and um, if the board is supportive of the statement, we'll get a motion to um, support the statement. >> I move it. >> I I think that it would be important to read the statement and then I will certainly take your move. Okay. The Robbinsdale Area Schools Board of Education expresses deep sorrow and concern following their recent act of violence at Enunciation Church. This tragedy has brought immense pain and trauma to families, students, educators, and the broader community. Our district is grounded in the values of safety, respect, compassion, and the inherent dignity of every individual. Acts of violence have no place in our schools, places of worship, or any community space. We recognize the profound impact such events have on the well-being of our children, families, and staff. We stand in solidarity with all those affected and extend our heartfelt support to the victims, their families, and the Annunciation Church community. We are committed to ensuring that our students and staff feel safe, supported, and valued in every school environment. As we collectively grieve and process this tragedy, we remain dedicated to fostering peace, safety, and compassion throughout our community. And director Basset, you move to approve this statement from the board. >> I'll second. >> And Director Bowman moves a second. Director Long. >> Yeah. I just um want to make a quick statement kind of about how some of this came about. Um after the incident happened, I was approached by um a school board member from another district who wanted to make a joint statement but wanted all of us schoolboard members to come together to make that statement because that's something that we as schoolboard members, you know, being entrusted with everybody's babies, we don't want things like that to happen in our schools. Um so I had reached out to the chair about it. Um, I had hoped that our board could have figured out a way to discuss that joint statement that was going out from other school boards. Um, the response I got was you needed to talk to the superintendent. Um, so I, you know, just like before, I hope that there is an opportunity for us to come to some way that we can talk about things as a school board. Um, and I have mixed feelings about us doing the statement now because I don't want to feel like I'm taking somebody else's idea from them when it wasn't initiated from me. So, I just wanted to say that and if if the person who originated this idea feels offended, I apologize. >> These are these are the words that I that were written for us. This is not a statement written by other I did this. >> Dr. Holmes. Yeah. Um, it's another another incident and I think we all feel this as community members and parents and educators and it's paralyzing to be honest at some point and uh I guess I want to empower the chair and vice chair to act in a more timely manner next time. um just to show the community that we are with them in that moment. And I don't want to political politicize this because my heart just aches day in and day out. And I also want to recognize our stakeholders and the fear and the pain you all feel over and over again as we're entering the school year. So for me, I um the statement is here and I hope in the future that you both feel empowered. If it's something you can come together on um to get out quicker, I would I would back that. And then going beyond this, I think what are our actions as a board going to be to support this statement so we can honor the words we're telling our com community and our our stakeholders that we are committed to this. So that's going to be very important for me. What are our next steps? Thank you. Okay. Um, the reason I didn't support the statement from the other I couldn't support the statement from the other school boards was it said that we were going to we were willing to send counselors from our district to help out. And that is not as that is not something that's in my responsibility. That is an administrative thing. And so that's why I held off on that just to be clear because the original statement by the school boards that director Long was talking about offered support of our counselors and that is not what the school board can do. I couldn't do that. Okay. Uh another thing you wanted to say something else? >> Yeah. I mean just to that point just because this is the only time we do get to talk about it again. um if it's a money thing it would have to come to a vote but I think no in terms of if we were sending counselors for me there's other there's other ways around that um in terms of we could ask people to volunteer if you are trained in counseling can you go over I just don't want you to get hung up on red tape when there's something this important because it does that statement what was important to me is that how the district lines are gone we are all unified by this and so I just I want you to feel empowered and not be hung up on on on one word. Um, and I think that's a bridge we could have crossed because just to show immediate reaction and um, you know, resources are something that I understand what you're saying. Um, I just think there's ways around it and to show that show that timely response I think is really critical for me. And you know what? As a district, if we have therapists that are willing to go over there and time card, maybe that wasn't an option, but if they're trained and therapists are hard to come by and they want to go, we could have at least offered it up. What a what an awful thing to go through. And I just appreciated the unity of of the districts coming together. Director Basset, >> you know, I was surprised when I saw the joint statement come out from the not surprised, but I noticed when the joint statement came out from the other districts and I did wonder uh about um us. I will say this that I think that judgment matters and judgment is something that happens on the spot and uh if there aren't deliberate um um efforts to circumvent protocols, there's no point in having people who have who have the level of responsibility if judgment calls can't be made that rise to the level of an emergency. When district 287 suffered the loss of a student in a student day a couple of years ago on their campus to a person to a district people responded immediately. All districts came together and focused on being there for that district. This board should have known that there was some contemplation of a request letting just letting us know that something's been requested and you're going to deal with it. That that would be good enough for me. I know something's happening. I just left it. I just I I just made my own statement because I've been involved in violence prevention work and I just couldn't not say anything and I just had to trust that there's somewhere we're talking about this. I would just like for us to consider when there are some proto there are some incidents and things that happen that your board should know that when you know we know now you may not act. I'm not asking you to break any protocols, but we're just as important as the we we're very important. It's equal because then we talk about the implementation. We give it to the superintendent to implement, but we are the body that needs to understand what's what's on the line. Your board needs to know because we care just like you do. So, thank you uh for putting the effort into this. I appreciate it. I think it's a good statement. Uh but I think timeliness does matter and being in the dark. But I just had to trust we're going to do something. We're going to say something. But I shouldn't have to wonder for a week and a half, you know, well, however long. Do you know what I mean? >> Thank you, Director Henbrand. I I'm going to stumble on how to say this, but I just want to caution that belaboring this discussion is turning this tragedy into some about us instead of about the people who actually suffered the tragedy. And I think we this should be a discussion for another time. >> Okay? I I and I'm not I'm not saying that I I I don't want this to come out the wrong way, but this should be about the 21 people who were harmed >> and their families and the people around them who are affected and not about us. So, if we could get back to the statement, I would really appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I I would like I don't see any hands up at this time. I don't see Director WTO's hand up. I would like us to vote on the motion of support and this is a roll call vote. I would like to hear the voices of the board. >> So, approving a statement regarding the violence at Annunciation Church. >> Thank you. Uh, Director Bassid, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Uh, uh, Chair Evans Becker, >> I vote yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Holmes, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> yes. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. >> Thank you. it. >> We are unanimous. >> Thank you. >> We will make sure that this is sent to them also. >> All right. More new business. Ah, this is a fun one. Uh, action is res the resolution accepting donations. We had over 5,000 don No, we had over $10,000 in donations this month. Is there a move to accept these donations? So moved. >> Moved by Director Bowman, seconded by Director Basset. This is a roll call vote. Please take the role on this vote. >> Thank you. Uh, Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker, >> I vote yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Holmes, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> yes. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. >> Thank you. 70 passes. >> Okay. Thank you for the donations. Accepted unanimously. Next item up is action uh C, the e-learning blended learning plan. It will be a roll call vote. We talked about this at our last study session. Does anyone have any questions for Dr. McDall? >> I don't see any questions. Is there a is there a move to approve it? >> I'll move and then I have a comment. >> Okay, it's moved. We can't comment till we have a second. >> Do I have a second? It's seconded by director Hillenbrand, moved by director uh Bowman. >> Yes. >> A comment. >> Yes, please. Um I really wanted to uh make the statement that I really thought that this was an excellent piece. Uh the document that you put before us um was really uh textbook per perfect and for me that was really a great uh starting point. I really felt like this document uh put together a great framework. These are the reasons why I'm supporting it. It's a great framework um from a plan perspective and it also looked like it was very doable. I think one of the thing couple of the things that I was really pleased with that allows me to support this is that it it looks clear and concise. It was thoughtful. It was easy to use. It seemed all-incclusive. And for me the thing that was really important as a board member is it really helped me it really gave me a clearer understanding across our learning models as to um how this was going to be implemented and communicated to the people. Uh I also thought it was really thoughtful especially on page four when uh included in this is a statement that says to assist families with multiple children. All emails will contain the teachers names, grade levels, and school names. And I thought that was an incredible detail to include in this for anyone who has multiple children's in schools. So, I was really impressed with the whole thing and and I plan to support it. >> I'm supporting it. Also, um I appreciated the differentiation or the extra uh definitions about the blended part of it because the the inperson questions that were answered and it was very clear. Thank you for that. All right, we have a move and a second to approve the blended uh learning plan. Is this a roll? This is a roll call vote. I don't see any more hands up, so let's take that roll call vote. >> And I am ready for that. >> This is to approve the blended learning act, the e-learning blended learning plan. >> Thank you. Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Uh Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Holmes, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> yes. Director Wut. >> Yes. >> Great. 70. >> 70. We are unanimous. We have an e-learning blended learning plan. The next item up is the Nexus contract. Uh we were presented the information about the Nexus contract at our last study session and um questions were submitted and answers were given. Does anyone have any more questions about the uh Nexus contract? Director Holmes. and then second before we discuss. >> Okay. Do we have a move to approve the tunnel of approval? >> Second and seconded. Thank you. >> Um so one of the questions I had I spent time I went back and watched it because we had some questions that came up and one of mine was how this came about. um when we're dealing with contracts that are large and focusing on that professional service provider that you don't have to go out for bids. Um and I started backing into timing based on what was said uh and trying to separate between LTFM and the vision. And so I just wanted to focus in a little bit more on that part of it for the public because these are big dollars. And then um I do I'm I'm struggling with being a public entity and wanting to be transparent in decision-m and that's why some of the questions I asked um and I know so first I guess is there is there something you can say about the LTFM and the vision piece and how we're trying to separate those because that's what I was going around on and we talked about bringing this back for action at a future date. I did not recognize it was going to be this date. When you back into the timing and you talked about spring plans and then going out for bid in January and February and then designing six months prior to that is what the the vendor said. So that's putting us right now for design. So I want to ask can you please provide some more clarification around the vision teamwork that is coming forward from the team and the LTFM and how it correlates with this vendor. Good evening. Uh, Chair Evans, Superintendent Salo, hello. Um, I will certainly try. So, the motion that is before you is strictly or solely to our LTFM projects. They are not intended for anything that the vision um recommendation and movement forward would be unless somehow LTFM coincides with we're working on a building that becomes a building of focus. It's already part of the school board approved LTFM plan. So it wouldn't be anything that you haven't seen before um coming out of that meeting. and and uh I believe this this was one of your questions uh director Holmes was and I said I would provide further clarification at the meeting um was can you give comparisons to pricing >> and because we didn't go out for a formal RF a request for quotes or a request for proposals I wanted to be um respectful of other companies that do the same work because they weren't quoting us and it's like what have they charged in the market to other districts. So when you see district 1 2 3 listed whether it's CM fee which is construction management that's the first slide. When you see CXV fee that's commissioning and then the design fee and you and there's a there's a slide on there that's an overarching umbrella that says Nexus does all of this. The reason why it's not super clear is because being respectful that we didn't do a formal process. And so these are what other districts um our size in the area maybe not always um have experienced with other vendors and what is Nexus's fee in comparison or percentage of fee. Now, I had tried to go back to what have we paid our vendors that have been in place. I did try because that was really like where are we at with with vendors that have done the work in the past for us. In in all honesty, I really struggled um to find the original contracts. We have had um a couple of vendors that have been in place for a very very long time and with the multiple transitions for employees I I couldn't find it. My former assistant couldn't find it and so I I struggled to find pricing. So this is the best I could get um in the time frame that we were looking for. So hopefully that provides you at least kind of the umbrella of this might not be the lowest uh service provider for this particular area. It's definitely not the highest. They're pro probably mid-range um as far as pricing goes. Uh the reason why service providers don't have to go out for the lowest bid is because it is based on a service and it it is what you get. um you trust, you know, expertise, you trust that you're that there aren't uh hidden or embedded costs that you don't see, uh you trust that you're on time, under on or under budget, those sorts of things. Um so that's kind of all how this came forward. I just wanted to address the one question that you had asked um uh Superintendent Stalo in your email. Now, what we're looking at and what is before you is the 20 uh fiscal year 26, which we're already almost 3 months into or almost a quarter into, and fiscal year 27 LTFM. The reason why it's two years is because we naturally have a crossover. We start long-term facility maintenance projects and they don't end June 30th. They roll into the next fiscal year. That's why it ends December of 27 because it's like trying to wrap up. We start work now for projects that will run through the summer, spring, summer into fall and it naturally curtails off LTFM of which you've approved already and possibly situations that could come up where we have an emergency. We've had flooding um in a couple of our buildings this summer where nobody plans for that and we need help addressing those situations immediately. So it's the unplanned um immediacy or emergency situations and it's the LTFM that you have already approved. That is what I am looking that is the contract that is before you tonight. The vision work the long range planning that is not what is what we're talking about tonight. that is not what is on the table. Does that help address your question? >> It does. It's still just not getting to the crux of it because it also butts up against when we're starting to address safety and security and as the vision decisions are are made or presented and the board makes the decisions based on a bunch of feedback. How does that not carry over though? because decisions will be made on consolidation, mothballing, whatever. >> So that's that's two years that we're going to be under contract. So some of it will butt up against and I don't think I'm going to be able to get into the complete answer at a business meeting. That's why I thought we were going to have another work session. why I backed into the timing because we're going to be the the the word that kept coming up was designing in that meeting >> and that's going to be moving forward designs because it was my understanding from that meeting the general things the roofing projects the LTFM just those natures were not going to utilize this vendor because it's an added expense and we have the capabilities to manage those we have the capabilities to manage some of those like the roofs this summer we were able to manage those sorts of things internally. Some concrete work we were able to manage internally. There's things on that list that we're not able to manage. Um I will say the and I know we have um nexus in house but so they can clarify if I am reading this incorrectly. Um it says board approved capital and LTFM projects. That's where we are today. Like that is literally where we are today. So back to the scope of you know are we looking at vestibule and changing and you know those sorts of things I would say you know are we back in front of you when we're looking at the mothballing how to move forward right now that's not board approved and we're I understand all that but we were having some very loose conversation at the work session in terms of how it's going to move how it could shift because it even came up Well, you might be considering painting Sonos, but then something happens and now you're painting another one. So, it was very loose in how we were talking about this. And when you're looking at 2% of a project fee on a $10 million, that's $200,000 fee to somebody. >> Nope. That's fair. >> So, I'm doing the math and watching how many projects come up and still trying to balance being a public entity and being transparent with how we're choosing vendors and what we have internally. and I still can't get my feet comfortable with where we're how this came about and the facility fee that was already paid for the assessment. So, we're racking up dollars per I think that was 300 around $300,000 for this the work they did in three months, the assessment. >> We haven't paid that. That is >> right. But if we move forward with LTFM then it waves it. If we don't, >> no, that's not that this the LTFM is a separate component than moving forward with the assessment and everything that's happened with the vision. That's a separate contract >> and I guess that'll just be a communicate that's this is coming before us as a vote and I am not clear on all of that yet. >> That is a separate contract. So, and then the question that I posed was how this one came about and that's as a public entity and I wanted to give you the opportunity because I want to be people start talking and it's it's about how they come about and you want to have referrals, right? We all do that when we're looking for somebody to do our own house projects. And you need to balance that when you're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars and I can look on their website and see a client testimonial from from somebody that's working here now. So I don't I just want to be really transparent and this for me it's just not feeling comfortable yet. >> Thank you. Thank you, Director Basset. Well, at the work session, um, as you all know that we received this, uh, 168 page perspectus from them. You know, perspective is not the exact word because it's actually a contract, but it includes all those specifications. And we received it that just like we do the rest of the packet just before the the actual meeting. And then they were at the meeting. And so um I talked about it in that time in that that's an inadequate amount of time 168 page document for the board to look at and to be ready to pass when we some of the terminology and just even um just even the questions that were just just came forward and this wholeity about the $360,000 contract that we came to understand or know about maybe like a month or two ago. that's relatively recent and how all that fits together. And of course, as you may recall, I advocated for the continuation of the ad hoc committee because I really feel like having a several directors understand and be able to say to our co to our our colleagues, you know, well, we feel good about this. We understand it and to be able to not only that, talk about it publicly and and own it for for the community. So, um I too thought there would be more time, you know, and um we didn't say how long before it would come back, but it's back again. And actually, it's 168 pages. And uh and so just the page number alone may or may not, you know, land with people. But the fact is there's a lot of detailed information in this document. And if it's something we're going to live with for a couple of years, the board should not I I don't feel comfortable voting on something that I don't feel like I have a handle on. And I do think there's a need for our ad hoc and facilities committee and whether we'd still need transportation is an open question, but it was the ad hoc transportation and transportation uh and facility infrastructure committee and the committee has not met for months and it's not because I didn't advocate for it. Uh but the fact is is that it's that level of detail a committee can do and a committee can understand. Uh, and of course, if we're going to overlay that with recommendations that are going to come forward from our re-imagine, reinvision committee, that needs to be a thoughtful process. So, it's it's no more mysterious than that. Is this a lot of information to take in? It's a significant amount of money for the contract for design. And what does that even mean? Which is really kind of embedded in the question that you're being asked of you right now. You know, what does that mean in real time? in plain language for the community. Uh, you know, I think that those are important questions. And so, um, I'm just voicing my concern as well, you know, and it's the same thing I said in the work session. It's not new. I said the same some of the same things there. >> Director Long, did I see your name? >> Yes. Um yeah, I too have a lot of confusion um about exactly what it is we're doing and why some staff were diverted from doing LTFM things to do other things. I'm also want to express that I'm concerned that I feel like there might be some um a breach of something that happened. I don't know, nepotism um hiring a friend or whatever. I just, you know, I wish there was just kind of more transparency in the beginning about some of that um instead of having to find out some other way about it. >> Dr. Uh, Hillenbrand, >> I I just want to caution that we shouldn't be make I appreciate that you have concerns, but I feel like unless we shouldn't be making unfound vague accusations at the board table. Um, that's just not good professional practice. Um, that made me very uncomfortable. Um and in fact I believe that um there there were a couple of companies considered and one was not chosen because of a prior relationship. In fact, this one was chosen because there wasn't that prior relationship. From the answers we received to our board questions. >> So um I think it's the exact opposite. So I just want to be clear. >> Superintendent Stella. >> Yeah. I believe uh there there have been multiple times at this board table that I believe my integrity has been questioned. And so tonight I there are no secrets here. The question was asked how did this vendor come apart? And this fall we needed a very quickly we need to have a comprehensive facility assessment. There had been parts and some different assessments but there was no data to show that that comprehensive facility assessment had been done. We did not have a prioritized list of projects that we trusted um and we needed some services. We also did use some expertise within our district to support work toward long range planning and because of that we also needed to support to backfill some of that. So we looked at companies that could do the work. Uh one of the companies I worked with so there was no way we were going to bring those forward. The second company, and the company with the contract, the one-year contract before you tonight is a company that was partnering with my previous district when I was hired as the superintendent. I would hope that any community and any board would expect that their superintendent have expertise networking uh working professional relationships where they have examples of what when companies did really well and when companies didn't. This is a company that again was established before I was hired. So I didn't do the initial hire of this company. However, I worked with them for a lot of years through a lot of construction projects. We always based success on on time, on budget, excellent partners who worked and reworked and reworked for years with us. So, I don't want this to feel like I've done something wrong and brought something before the board and before this community that somehow isn't transparent. That's the contract that you have in front of you. If you have questions about the contract, please ask. I will be supporting the contract. >> Um, let's see. Director Holmes, did you have your hand up? >> I did. >> Before I did, >> and then director pass it. >> Yeah. And I think now is a great time to take a breath because it wasn't about integrity. It was about transparency. And I asked that question at the work session. And I guess what is important to me is that information be expressed then asked again in an email and it didn't come until one today. For me, it's rebuilding trust in this district because we've had incidents that have come up. You're not I I don't know if we're forgetting that. So, if we're starting new and putting faith in leadership, that leadership includes this board, whether people agree or not, we can help carry that message along and talk down rumors. It's about working together. and one company was ruled out. One company, you do have a client testimonial on their web page. I did not want to bring this up at the table. That's why I asked at the work session and I asked an email. It's important when you're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars and who we're choosing. It matters. That's why it came up. It could have been addressed easily at the work session. I'm not the one making this an issue. >> Basset. >> Well, I I just want to say that um I think often the public reports of actions of this board may take different turns. I just want to say that uh Superintendent Stalo, my questions are not about your integrity at all. My questions were about this 168 page document that I think you know we could use some further and you know looking into so that there's better understanding of it and I heard a questions come from my colleagues that kind of went to that. I think it's important for us to actually articulate what we're talking about. It's not personal. It's business. And the business of this district is our business. And so I just want to assure you that and I I you and I have talked and I I'm I'm not one who's into character assassination or uh you know I I'm not saying you're doing something unethical. I'm asking questions that I feel like I have a right to ask. And so for the public is this. Don't run away with that phrase that we're saying about your integrity. You know, I'm I'm just saying for you. I want to just tell you directly that I'm not questioning your integrity. You know, I'm when I ask questions, my question is about the business of this district and that is my part of my job and I'm and and of course I was on the transportation and infrastructure committee and so it's not not a secret that I continue to care about that and wanted to continue. I mean, so it's not a mystery for me, you know, and so, um, I think it's important that when we do have that kind of confidence in in our administration that we say so, but I think it's also just as important because we h have there have been some things that have happened that do shake public trust. Maybe you did maybe you didn't have anything to do with it, but there have been some things that have happened. So if we're trying to be transparent and and and manage our role within the public trust, that's very appropriate and it's our job. >> Dr. Bowman, do you have something? >> Yeah. Um Oops. For me, one of the most important parts of this was the uh the assessment piece of it. Um, one of the things that have been talked about when the board originally put together ad hoc committees on on buildings and transportation and those sort of things, uh, the the question of h how do we even know where we're at? How will we get this information? How will we uh uh we didn't have the expertise to do any sort of assessments in this district that were as farreaching as the information that we received uh in this report. Um, and what I'm supporting this because um, uh, we got the assess I mean the assessment information is out there. We don't have to guess anymore or speculate about where we are with 2.4 million square feet of school district property and buildings. Um, it is all laid out. it um it uh I trust our CFO to bring forth those contracts and and those working partners that are going to be able to work with what our CFO is working on in budgetary terms. Um I understand that uh next this whole contract thing what it really does is it provides us with expertise that we just don't have nor should any school district really have that kind of expertise on board 24/7. Uh it is far better to be able to utilize engineers in a way uh like this that makes me know that they're not going to be inva engaged in some sort of crony aspect of well we're not going to fix this now because you know I can trust the information from this report because it came from people that are here to talk about buildings and their structures and no other type of assessment to those properties which is exactly what we needed. Um I really think it was a great way to bring us top level expertise. Um, I really felt that it provided the board with very accurate and trustworthy information about our infrastructure. And I did not find the length of the report difficult in that we received it on actually Wednesday and then our board meeting was on Monday. And um uh it was you know sort of repetitious kind of information to get through but but um I felt that the report made a great deal of sense and I felt that the report laid out an incredible foundation for us to at least stand on. We don't have to do everything that's in it. You know it's all the this and that of it. But the point of it is is right now we have something that this school district has not had in can I say it 30 years. when I was here the first time that we had to be fixing buildings and doing things. We've to have a comprehensive assessment is far different than having just a comprehensive plan. So a comprehensive assessment coupled with a comprehensive plan is in my mind going to allow us to uh do what we need to do as as it relates to buildings in this district. Uh board members don't have this kind of expertise. I'm here to listen and learn about what needs to be done and I really appreciate the report that was given to us and so I plan to support it. Um, director I mean director WHO will be next and then Oh, hi. >> So, director >> Yeah, I my my question is for CFO Christristen. If for some reason we defer making a decision on this uh today, what are the implications for the board if any? the the difference today. Um it it's not absolutely mission critical that this gets uh voted in tonight. The longer you go, the harder it is. Um in in that it just pushes bidding season out. It gets us later. You know, January is a great time. Um vendors that might be bidding on projects don't have projects lined up at that time. you typically get better pricing if you're out in the market earlier than later in the spring. Um, you get priority as far as calendar go. So, the earlier in the process that we can start it, the better off we are. Am I saying it absolutely has to be approved tonight? I am not saying that. Um the one thing though uh uh director Wu and I'll let you finish your thought that I was going to bring up is we do have and and actually I would feel more comfortable um with maybe some of the questions whether this is the time and space but to the public component of it maybe not addressing um other questions that have come up but to the contract the um 80 some odd pages we do have an expert in the room that can certainly speak to either say I'm full of bunk and what I said isn't entirely accurate or what what's within the documents. So, if the board wants to entertain that, we do have people in the audience that can address that. Um, but please, Dr. WHO, if you have further questions of me, I'd be happy to answer. >> Yeah, thank you. I personally I I have enough information to make a decision one way or the other. uh just listening to other members of the board, it sounds like people may still have questions or concerns and I I don't know how much time or how much information may guide their decision, but I was hoping that in the effort of consensus building like we've already been talking about if we can push this action to maybe the next board meeting so other board members have the opportunity to get clarifications if it can be possible so that we can take an action on the next board meeting so that we can move forward with the items. >> We have a motion on the floor. I'll second and it was seconded actually. >> Are you talking about his? >> No. No, this >> there was one already on the floor. >> We have a motion on the board to approve this. Um, and it was maybe suggested not to vote on it, but >> point of order. >> Well, can we call the vote? >> Yes. Calling That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to I'm going to call for the vote. I think it Before I do that, I think it's a plus that our superintendent has worked with these people before and has has had wonderful experiences with it and thinks it's a positive thing for our district. I mean, I think that is not something that we should think of as a negative. Uh I think that is a a great positive on this. So, um we have a motion on the floor to approve this and go ahead and take the role. >> With pleasure, Director Basset. >> Oh, we pretty much called a question, but I did have a comment. Director Basset. Yay or nay? We're doing a vote. We can move on. >> Okay. So, you're passing for no. >> I'm passing for now. >> Okay. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker. >> Yes. >> Director Hillbrand. >> Yes. >> Director Holmes, >> no. >> Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wuto, >> going to abstain. >> Director Basset. >> I will abstain as well. Okay, >> motion passes. >> So, what we have is three yes, two no, and two abstains. Uh, the motion carries. >> Point of clarification. What do we do with the motion that Director W >> He didn't make a motion. He was just a motion. Yeah, >> there wasn't a motion. >> You didn't make a motion there. >> Director Wu was making a suggestion. He was not It was not a motion. >> All right. Policy Committee is next. One more action item. >> Oh, sorry. Crystal, the uh the city of Crystal for Forest Play Area um agreement. There a move to >> approve. >> I have a question. >> Yes. >> I was a little bit confused uh with the paperwork we got on this. I think that it's two different agreements. Is that correct? And is it a land use agreement and then the project agreement? I >> need the motion. >> I'm being led to believe we have a we have a 7D and we have a 7E in the agenda pieces. >> 7D is nexus. 7E is the agreement for the city of Crystal Forest play area. >> Okay. So it is one because my 7D in here says agreement city of Crystal and my 7E says agreement city of Crystal. on the website it is D was nexus E is >> all right >> the action >> great it clarifies it thank you >> there's a resolution uh for the land use agreement for the play area and picnic shelter replacement at forest school is there someone is moving approval of the resolution and waving the reading of the resolution >> and I'll wave the reading reading I'll second that >> okay moved by director Bowman seconded by director Basset I don't see any hands up so Let's do a roll call vote on this. >> Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Uh, Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Holmes, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> yes. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. Thank you. 70. >> Unanimous. We have an agreement. It passes. Number eight, policy uh policy committee report. Dr. W Director W uh committee spokesperson can you tell us? >> Yeah, based on uh my distance uh director Bowman has willingly agreed to give the reports on my behalf. >> Thank you. >> Great. >> Okay, Director Bowman. >> Thank you. Um we did have our meeting on the 27th and we brought forth you have the documentation in your uh packet. So tonight we have for second read 5 533 the wellness policy will be uh this the updates were we made updates consistent with the language around parent guardian and caregivers and we also fixed a sentence or two that was sort of a word salad. The uh number of policies that we're bringing forth as a first read include 410 policy family and medical leave. What was added was uh section two general statement of policy and added and then added to the end of it the uh equity policy as a reference piece. Uh 413 the policy on harassment and violence. Uh the policy change was we combined the AP and the policy and we added references and the description of the changes is that section D we uh protected classification and definitions were added and we added a letter D and we added as a reference the equity policy to it. Uh policy number 415 mandated reporting of maltreatment of vulnerable adults. In this one, we combined the AP and the policy and the description of the changes that we added a general statement of policy. Uh, and I will add along with this, it's all the other uh compliance sort of updates that we got from MSBA. So, the statutory updates from the legislature, those sort of things. 506 is a policy on students. Uh, let's see, student discipline. Uh, we added some references. So we added policy 102 the equity policy and added the AP506.1. So policy 514 on bully uh bullying proh prohibition uh we added language and added references and that was in section V school district action letter D and E we added language section 8 notice added letter H added policy 102.1 the equity policy as part of our reference and added policy 403AP discipline suspension and dismissal of school district employees Uh item number 524 policy internet acceptable use and safety. We added references and we added the policy 102 equity policy uh as a reference. Item number 722 policy data practices and data subject requests. We combined the AP and policy added and policy and added references. Uh we added three uh item uh three definitions A through zero or A through O. We added in section six date by an individual request A through J. Added in section seven request by an individual subject of the data. Under uh sections 8, we added costs added uh and C data belonging to an individual subject and then added legal references. Uh what we have in progress is 501 um policy school weapons and um I don't think this one is in our packet though, is it? No, that's just an ongoing uh that was one that the committee uh I think there's a committee of people that are working for us. And I see you shaking your head. Yes. Uh 501 will be coming up, but there's a full group of people within the district that are already working on that policy that will bring their work to the policy committee and then the policy committee will work with them and when we're done working with them, we'll be able to uh move it forward. So that's really concludes. you will see the number of uh you saw it in your packets and that's our report for this evening. Other than to let me add I really want to thank uh Amy and Joanne uh they have created a dashboard for the policy committee to work with which uh the exciting part about that is uh say that Aviva myself and doc and Dr. WO win the lottery one day and we decide we're just fed up with community service, someone else could come in, step into the role on the policy committee, be able to pick up the ball at that point and carry on with the work. And that was really uh a focus for this committee to give us uh those sort of things. So I I I we will also be in that whole thing tracking uh we will be retaining copies of the revisions that we've made so that there'll be a historical perspective of the things that were talked about and the things that were changed in any said policy as we move forward. So we finally have an incredible working document uh to work with and I think that it really shows in the work that we're presenting here tonight that we're actually starting to get through all of this. So, >> thank you policy committee. That was a lot. What we need is a resol. What we need is a motion to approve um the the only policy that it was on the second read. That's policy 533, the wellness policy. So, is there a move to >> So, moved. >> Moved by Director Helenbrand, seconded by Director Bowman to approve policy 533. This is a voice vote, not a roll call vote. Uh Director uh Holmes. >> Thank you. So policy 533 the wellness I just had a question about um it's I believe it's section 4E and it's 1 A and B just clarifying because we've had this come to our attention before um with celebrations and parties. So are we moving more towards a it says we'll provide a healthy list of ideas and then suggested foods. So that is is that leaving it open to independent schools or >> I'm sorry. Can you say what page it's on because I'm >> um It is. Do you have page numbers like I do in board books? It's 189. It's section 4E [Music] and that's other foods and beverages made available to students. And then A and B, so celebrations and parties and then classroom snacks brought by parents. Um, so we've got language in there that says there suggested ideas um and suggested food lists. So, are we allowing independent yay or nays by principles at schools for elementary, I guess, is where I'm really focused in on is where those parties happen and celebrations, or are we just urging urging these things and if parents bring them in, it's allowable? >> I would say this is policy, a practice or or procedure is up to administration. So, I'm going to >> Thank you. I was going to say the same thing. >> Yep. >> Correct. This is the policy. It will be implemented with the procedures by the administration. >> Yes. But I guess I mean procedures are different because we're outlining that we would provide suggestions or ideas. So to me that's not giving authority to say no you can't because this is the policy. >> So the suggestions and ideas will come from the USDA food source. So those suggestions will come through that channel. So yes and so they can offer ideas. We promote healthy snacks and we promote um having parties and activities that aren't food related. So we aren't going to give rewards for food. We aren't going to be handing out things like that. But if there is a parent or guardian that wants to bring something in, we would have a list of healthy snacks through USDA that we can offer them to use as a guide. >> I understand all that cuz that's clear in here. >> So for the parent that doesn't want to follow the idea or the suggestion, are they going to still be allowed >> to bring it in? >> Yes. I am I am going to say that we as a administrative team would have that discussion. I will tell you that in the past we've had the discussion at principal meetings and have come up with a common answer as a whole as a collective >> and with that I just with fall parties on the radar if that could happen sooner rather than later so we can have >> Yep. Understood. >> Just consistency is going to be the best. That's where we've gotten in trouble before where procedures are being implemented differently. So if the idea behind the policy is to provide guidance, I just don't want that to be an ongoing issue because it has been one. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Seeing no other hands, let's take a um just remind me was moved, right? >> Yes. And seconded >> and a waving of the reading. >> Thank you. 533. Okay. Let's take a vote on 533. All in favor of policy 533, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. We have policy 533. >> Okay. Now, we are moving on to section nine, administrative reports. >> I'm sorry. >> Yes. >> Can we not have discussion on the other policies? >> Oh, you're right. Yes. We better talk about the first reads. Does anybody have any um questions about any of the first reads or comments? >> Thank you. >> Yes. Are you calling on me? >> Yes. >> So, I'm going to have questions on quite a few. Are we just going to go one at a time? >> I think probably we should do Let's take 410. Anything on 410? Hold on. I just want to make sure I'm in the same order you are. >> I'm going to order on the agenda. >> No. Move on. Uh 413, discrimination, harassment, and violence. Director Hose. Um let me get 413. I put mine in a different order going. So this is first read so that's why I'm bringing up questions here people. Um, so this is going to tie to the AP of 403. And I recognize we're moving APS into policies. And the reason I'm talking about that because discrimination, harassment, and violence also comes with um discipline, suspension, and dismissal of school district students and employees. So they've got multiple components on here. So these are all interlacing. If you look at >> I just you're going to have to bear with me because once we do this, they're going to go back into the cycle. So, this is a huge volume and I I'm glad that we're up to date and speed on the languages that need to go in here. But discrimination, harassment, and violence is going to tie to other policies as well. So having those in conjunction with one another, don't know how we're going to have that conversation because this is a business meeting, not a work session and I know questions aren't really I can I mean I can go through it and but >> or I was just going to say I wonder if it'd be more efficient or effective if you sent an email to Director Wuto with your thoughts and then he could bring that to our next meeting. >> Sure. I mean in theory, right? But this is first first read and we keep doing this and then if I send it there because we're supposed to have discussion here. So mine's around conducting an investigation. Um the termination it ties to contract language, definitions of assault, intent, all of this I mean I guess comes into play with >> ask for clarity on that. What I Hold on just one minute, please. Um, it's just difficult to get into this level of detail. I don't know what your your pallet is right now for conversation, but we're supposed to be having conversations in the open and I guess I see them all interlacing and we also have this was work we were doing on the safety and security ad hoc committee and now that's that's going to be proposed to dissolve. So these are these are and it ties to contract language discipline. um all of this investigations. It ties to when the school board is getting information. I'm kind of going into all of them at one time because I have the sense that I'm not going to be able to go through all of them. Um while I can put them in an email, it's still going to come back for a second read and then we won't be able to have dialogue. So, I don't feel like it's a very productive thing for me to throw it in email. But I'm also recognizing that we're at a business meeting and there's a a focus a hyperfocus on time. So, so is your point that you don't think that we can pass policy 413 when it comes to second read because of a different policy? No, >> because of policy 403. it it ties to it that the the wording in these policies tie to each other and there's a push right now to move all of the APS into policy and then we're saying oh that the the policy and pro or the procedure is up to an administration the way it sits right now that's not how it's set up so I have multiple questions because 403AP is live right now and there are sections when we're talking about violation of school laws and rules they come into here um when it comes to um school district personnel that ties to contract language and investigations. They all overlap and it's a conversation that we've been push or the ad hoc committee has been pushing to have. I don't know how we're going to do this effectively because coming forward and pushing these all through. They're all very important student discipline right now. It says it was revised um what do we have last was that almost a year ago now, but we haven't really talked about it. So it all intertwines with it. >> Great. Director Bowman. >> Um yes, all policies all intertwine. So that's not surprising. And uh I think one of the things that I would really like to recommend because one of the things that's not been helpful on the policy committee is again the the the lack of clarity or the lack of I have problem you know. Uh, one of the things as policy committee that's really helpful is when someone can say section three item a number one I don't this wording this concerns me um and and I find great frustration when we sort of talk in the vague general generalities. So, uh I think what would be really really helpful is uh if you would like um it would be great to either get a hold of your marked up copies that could come in to the policy committee and we could bring them forth, look at them, work on them, discuss them that way or uh find a way to have you yourself come to the policy committee and work with the policy committee on your concerns uh on these particular items. Those would be two ways in which um we could um get through the detail of of what you're asking to get through at this point. So >> can I talk? >> Well, right, >> Director O'Harn. >> Yeah, I just want to um just remind everyone that the policies that are in front of you tonight are legislative updates. So these are not policies that we have gone through administration and revised on our annual basis. So these policies are just the legislative updates that have come through that need to be brought forward the board by September. So that's what you have in front of you tonight. These policies then will come through again on our cycle as we continue to work through the policies. So as as uh director Bowman talked about, we started with policy in the 100s. We have worked through 200s and 300s. We will now be going into the 400s and looking at that three-year cycle. >> So these tonight are just the legislative updates. So when 413 comes back on the three-year cycle, we will have brought it through administration. You will be able to give feedback, update the policy as you see fit. But tonight it is just the legislative updates that we are discussing. >> Thank you. Thanks for that clarification. Okay. Uh Director Basset, your hand. >> Um well, thank you for reminding us about the you know it's kind of like I won't say it's they're routine because going through these and doing the updates is important. So we appreciate that and quite frankly I appreciate all the work the ball seek committee has done. Um, having said that, uh, what we've always believed and not not just Robbinsdale, all school districts, when policies come to you, you you adhere to or you adopt those changes that through law have been advised, we've been advised to by MSBA and then local boards then um, massage them, may make some modifications. They make them their own and and they tell you to do that because that's appropriate. Every district is different. So, I think that uh but that's a good reminder that hey, these are the ones that just came through. But I think that one of the things that we've talked about in the past for this board, and I'll just mention it again, is if things come forward that seem to be a little complicated, maybe they need to go to a work session. Now um uh and and because I and in this instance I happen to agree that many of these in the particularly in the face of some of the things that are going on in our society right now policy 413 for example discrimination harassment and violence and then the bullying discipline some of these things that they're already we've addressed some things that may have to do with them. It it hurts nothing to look at those to lay them aside some of the other policies that may have impact or over relate as well and then to to talk about those things so that we can have um consistency. So is that something that would delay this necessarily? No. This is the first read. So to have them come to a work session before they come back for the second read I don't think is is unreasonable quite frankly you know. Uh so and and it's in the spirit of looking for those changes that this board may want to make or those additions that this changes may that the board may want to make in addition to whatever MSBA is recommending. And I think not just for these policies as a matter of practice, if there are some things that there may be differing opinions on to have them go to a work session and not just come for the first read, come for the second read and then just go back because historically we would just see feedback into the into the administration or committee and they would either adopt them, they'd come back and say based on the feedback we heard at the last board meeting, here's the changes that we're going to recommend. I thought we would we were going to do that on the equity policy because we said we were. Um and just as an example, but it didn't happen, you know. And so in the spirit of building trust and going forward and looking for consensus, it's important to listen to each other. And if a director is saying, and I happen to agree, there's no point for as far as I'm concerned and just coming up with a new statement that talk that, you know, we caring about the things that happen in our community when important issues that relate to that that might deserve more attention don't get it. I, you know, I'm just going to be consistent all the way around. And I think that there there are enough issues embedded in this that they might it might warrant some conversation at a work session. And I you know and then that's the only place we do have to talk about them. It be it would be inappropriate in a committee of three to invite one director to come in to make it four. That's a quorum. So a work session is the only other place where we can have those conversations. So I just uh think that um that's important because it also goes to the way we're moving through these policies. Our policy committee, in my opinion, has done great work. They've done a lot of work and they've done a great work and I love this new grid. I think it's great. But I think these issues that we're talking about tonight warrant some more discussion. It's not the end of the world. >> Dr. Hillenbrand then director Holmes and then Bowman. >> Um I was just going to say a couple things. One is that act in actual fact um we will be out of compliance if we don't get the legislative changes approved by the end of the month. That's the first thing. That doesn't preclude us from looking at them further and making changes in October or November whenever we want. But we will be out of compliance if we don't get the legislative changes updated. That's a fact. Second, most of these are very heavily legally prescribed. There's there's not a lot of um fluffiness to these. These these are legal. It's sort of like with Title N, too. There's not a lot of optional input in here. Um it defines the terms. It tells you what you have to do. There's there there's not a lot of leeway in these. And not to say that we can't have discussion, but I'm just saying that they're not um there's >> they're not debatable. >> Yeah, there's not a lot of debate in them. They're very, if you look at them, they have a whole lot of legal um references to them. There's not a lot of room. Where the room is is in the AP part, but that's not our part. Our part is the policy. So, I just want to I just want to say that we really do need to pass these at the next meeting in terms of the legislative updates. And again, that doesn't mean they can't come back to be reviewed again for the other pieces that we all want to discuss. But in terms of being in compliance for the legal piece, we do need to pass um if we want to be in compliance. Now, that's a choice we can make as a board, but just wanted to put that out there. >> Thank you, Director Holmes. >> Yeah, and I I understand the compliance component. I'm just speaking to how we move through that and then it goes back on the cycle and Executive Director O'Harn just alluded to that. You know, we go back on a three-year cycle. Some of these we've been trying to talk about in depth for quite some time. So, I don't think it's valid to say, oh, we're going to put it back on the three-year cycle. And the 300 series that you just mentioned is completely new. We have no series. And so that's I was actually going to ask that of the policy committee because that's come up new and I've been asking about that since April to the chair because that should have been a work session item if we're going to introduce a whole new series of policies. Um but there are things that are legal in here because the cell phone policy has it in here. Under new legislation, the superintendent and school district administration will establish rules. It says a school district must adopt a policy on students possession. So right here, we're already stretching it to administration and superintendent. So that's a collaborative conversation and that's my point here. We need to start having these conversations because one of our high schools just implemented pouches. And while that may be the decision we're going for procedures, communication is going to be key to get everybody on board and moving along. And the other thing I have is, is that an equity thing? Did our other high school get it? So, there are a lot of things that I think are board related and are very timely and it will help bring the community along. So, I have a lot of questions about these. They were put in my packet. I took the time. I went through it at no point did it say we're just looking at legislative changes. So it was on here and I've been told before first read you can come in and ask questions and now I'm being told that I shouldn't be doing that. So we're moving the goalposts I feel like a little bit for me because they all do tie together and again when we're talking about and getting issues throughout the school year on investigation this or investigation that and then data privacy is in here. How does that relate to the school board? All of these things are tied and completely capable of articulating this in a work session. So, if it's going to come back, it's going to come back. I just don't have a lot of faith in that right now. Um because there are a lot of words that I would like clarification on or what legal said to bounce off of committee and how they talked about it. >> So, I apologize. I thought you guys had the grid that laid out. Um, >> yeah, we have the chart. It talks about the legislation. >> Clarify. Okay. Oh, thought it did. I apologize. >> Is that all you had? Cuz I put you on the list to talk. >> Yeah, that was it. I just I thought we were working from the same information. >> Okay. Uh, Director Bowman, >> can we get up? Every time we bring policies in, we have the same discussion that there's always a misunderstanding between legislative updates that we're doing and more substantive substantive work that perhaps needs to be done in the policies. Um I I understand that people have questions, but again, we need to be in compliance with the legislative piece of it. Right now, what this policies committee is working on is keeping us in compliance. the discussions that you're talking about are really kind of out of our hands at this point as a policy committee, if you will, because it's work that the administration really needs to do. The administration is on, I believe, a schedule of of review for things like discipline issues or discipline policies, those kind of things. Those are regularly scheduled events among administration within the district. So, that's on that side of it. Um you know we just for clarity we're not taking like we don't have anybody we don't have our lawyers sitting in these policy committees uh doing any of the work uh in this what the work that we have done in these particular policies right now has been the administration has gone through they've attached to it the uh legislative updates to bring us into compliance and the and to and I haven't seen a work schedule, if you will. I mean, we have our our work schedule of how we're going to be looking at policies. And if we do anything, we may want to be attaching uh the schedule from the administrative side of it that shows, well, every three years we get together a group of people that to discuss policy uh for dis disciplinary policy or the student handbook. Those have been scheduled things that have been happen regularly over all these years in the district. So, we should really probably combine that kind of a calendar. Uh, that would be a good piece to know because I'm also unclear about that at this point. But what we've known is that that is coming up and it's this next round of review is to actually review the actual policies and and we kind of been explaining this throughout. Right now, what we're trying to just do is be in compliance. We know that there's other work that needs to be done in these things. Um, and I think that what we need to do is have discussions on how best to do that work before we spend hours at a meeting sort of in vague conversation about it. So I think that if we can pull together how administration should be working with the policy committee and with the board on the more substantive issues, that might be also a good thing that we need to be doing. But, um, you know, trying to trying to nail down the way we work, uh, has been in and of itself a two-year adventure and in just whatever. So, um, we're still nailing those processes down. But again, for tonight, we just need the legisl we just need the legislative updates approved and then we, you know, that's what we need. We're not saying nobody's going to talk about anything. we're not saying this and that, but again, I'm not I can't talk about this stuff until I have the discussion with the administration piece pulled into it. And I don't know if the administration piece at this point, a year and a half into Dr. Stallow's uh service to the district or less than a year and a half, a year and a couple of months, if those administration pieces even exist at this point. I I I'm not sure um because everything is being rebuilt from the ground up. So, um, that's where I stand in that. >> Thank you, Director Long. >> Yeah. So, for me, it it kind of feels like listening to this conversation very like power hoarding, like one side is right and like a goalpost keeps being moved because we say in one instance, we're supposed to talk about it at this time and then when that time comes up, we don't talk about it. Um, I know we've had several conversations wanting to talk about this cell phone policy and wanting to have a discussion as the board about it. I even have notes that I typed up from when we went to our uh training from MSBA in January. Um, and my notes say here that the cell phone policy doesn't the district doesn't need to have that in place until March 15th of 2025. And that came from a lawyer who I attended a cell phone or I attended a session on cell phone use in school and he also gave some recommendations. So in past conversations when we've had these conversations about some of these things where where have the notes or the ideas or parts of our discussion gone. It's like they just disappeared. We didn't have them and then things keep getting changed. I I just really feel like it just goes back to me again about who on the board is their viewpoints are valued. Why can't we have discussion about these things when certain board members choose to bring them up? And then why do things and rules keep changing for some of us but not for others of us? So that just gets really confusing here. I don't know. then where where where am I supposed to go and what am I supposed to do and why why can't we continue to have conversations about some of these things these things need to be changed now you know I sit on another board and I also talked to several school board members within our area uh the other board that I sit on they have no problem having discussions like this making modifications to the policies as they come up even if it is just a legislative thing they figure since we're looking at it now why don't we make the changes that we need to make. And as far as also including community too in it. So then I get here and I hear a constant you can't do this, you can't do that. Oh well, but these people can do this, these board members can do this, these board members can do that. But you no, these are your rules. Now this has changed. Now we got to do something different. So then that leaves me to believe why does the goalpost keep moving and what's going on with the power hoarding? Okay. What I'm hearing is in order to begin compliance with the state the changes in state law, we need to change these policies that we have up for the first read. Changing them and approving the making those changes and approving those changes does not preclude talking about them at another time or in a work session or further. But what I'm understanding is it will be important for us to vote to approve these by our next meeting. Yes. >> So I just I want to say a few things. One is at the last meeting I and someone can go back and listen to it if they want, but I'm pretty sure what I said is it'd be really helpful if people sent in redlinined um you know if you redlined it so we could do it so that we had that written down because that it's true when when I hear things it's much harder for me to retain it for our next meeting. So, I did think I pretty sure I said specifically if you could redline and send in written what you need and I believe that we were clear that Ken Kenneth W is our person to send it to. So, I'm pretty sure we said that as well, but I'll just reiterate it. So, nobody's hoarding anything. Nobody's asking. And if if you'd prefer if to come to a meeting, I'm happy to step out of a meeting so someone else can be there if if it's better to to have the verbal conversation. I'm happy to do that. So there's no hoarding. There's no I don't need any power. I'm not interested in it. Anybody else can take my place for a meeting or or on the committee if they prefer. However, it is much easier if things are in written format. So that is one thing that's helpful um especially when it comes to just verbiage or or um adding or taking away something, those kinds of simple things. I know you're talking about something much more complex when you're talking about um things that interweave and when we don't have them all in front of each us that's also really hard for me to track. I'm just going to say that for myself. So I think that is also a bigger process that we need to figure out. But I think this also comes back to again I think the bigger conversation is we don't agree on our role and so that's what this bigger conversation is because I see policy differently than you see policy or you or you or you right and that's I think the bigger problem that we're having right now and so back to the professional development piece I think we really need to think about how are we going to resolve this because that's why we're having problems homes right now in my opinion. So that out there in the space. >> Director Long, did you want to >> Yeah. So yeah, my follow-up question to that was so then when will these come back? And some of them need to be sooner than later. Like the school year has started. We've been trying to some of us have been trying to for over a year talk about this cell phone policy. So when when is that going to happen? In a work session. in. Did I put it on our to-do list for agenda setting? >> Is it the will of the board to discuss the cell phone policy at a work session? >> And there we go. >> No. >> Yep. There we go. That proves my point. >> Well, I if if the if the majority of the board does not want to discuss it at a work session, >> that proves my point. >> I'm asking. >> Nothing. >> Is that what people want? >> Mills. I'm not seeing that from four people. Okay. I'm just asking. >> I know, but I I didn't want to get I didn't totally understand that exchange, but I'm going to I don't want to get into it. Okay. >> I have something before you. I don't >> I was director, you haven't spoken for a while. Did you want to say anything? >> Yeah. I I think a lot have been said. the the processes that we've put in place at the policy meeting that we've discussed at the board meeting I think are pretty straightforward and so I'm not sure why we are still um h having a lengthy discussion on how to make corrections or changes that board members or the board wants to propose. If you forward it to us in a writing format and we don't make those changes, then that warrants further discussion as a board. If we don't see anything that is concrete, just because you've been talking about it for so long and nothing has happened does not change it unless you make it concrete. So please forward those informations to the right people. Let's review it as a committee. And if we came back to you and said based on what we have looked at this information will not make it into the policy and the board decides that we should discuss it at the work session then we will make that decision. But just saying you've been talking about it without giving us anything concrete to work on is really really difficult to move us forward. >> Thank you. Um Director Basset then director Holmes. >> Well I think we all agreed on that last time. I mean that's common sense. I mean that makes perfect sense. Um however I mean I think the questions that they came forward initially was we are in the first read historically and during the first read directors can ask questions. That's what it's for. And so um so this a director here was going to had some questions. She had seemed like to me it was kind of a lengthy list of them but you know that's okay. And but I think the reminder to send things in in writing is a helpful reminder. Uh and so I think we should try to move toward that. But I don't think we should confuse the fact that a first read which is the questions that a person wanted to ask were there. Now, the fact that we are getting a little long and we have some other important business to take care of leads me to want to say I think that um in deference to the fact that we do need to uh pass these within September, I think to to you know make a decision that we want to have if not im if not during September and October to come back and talk about some of these policies that go to um that are interconnected in a way that affects um the bully some of these policies that are on the table to talk about because violence bullying all those things there's a continuum I think they're important you know so I think that that's important enough for the board can just to say let's talk about this in October because you could always come back and revise a policy there's no rule that says you can't but in the interest of meeting our deadline minds. We can do that. But in the interest of building consensus and caring about what the other what my fellow directors think and hearing some of their concerns, there's nothing stopping us from deciding that we want to talk about a set of policies in October uh and go deeper. And then any of us who have questions about some of those policies, we can put them together in a grid and we can sit it out and we can know what we're going to talk about because it gives us adequate time. So, I mean, I I think that we can have a win-win. Quite frankly, I don't think everything has to be I mean, that's what I'm striving for. We need to be work trying to work toward win-wins. And there's no reason why if a director has done their homework and they have legitimate questions that those questions can't be posed, particularly if we have a protocol that says during first read, you can do it. >> Mr. Holmes, >> um, so again, mine is we're not supposed to be doing policy work in email. like if I had a question minor here or there, I understand that and there are some of those I have a mix of both tonight with me. So the ones that I see that are word questions um I can submit that like 413 it says discrimination, harassment, and violence, but then down here we're talking about assault. So yes, I can bring those in and I will put those in email. But the broader discussion stands because the the phone policy, it's not just me talking about it over and over again. It's when I have brought it up, it says, "Oh, we will have a work session on it, so you can't talk about it now, but we will get to it and then it doesn't come up again." So, it's not repetition because I like hearing myself talk. It's because the process hasn't been lined out and there's still we just came to terms with that and said, "Oh, yeah, it's still a conversation." So, I would hope that those of you who have come on newer, not that you're new and it's a bad thing, but that these are conversations that were going on that predated you and there was no resolution to it. So, that for me is accountability. And beyond that, a lot of these reference the student handbook and the the ad hoc committee, the safety and security ad hoc committee. We did flush that out. There are not viable procedures there. There wasn't a schedule of events there. That was a conversation that I don't want to be having at this table. Wanted to work and then bring the work forward, but that has not been allowed. So, we haven't finished our work. We identified a lot of gaps and now it's been halted. And so, I'm not okay with it. And I will use my voice to stand up when we're talking about student discipline and discrimination, harassment, and violence. And these issues have been talked about at length. And we identified gaps before So, it's maddening to be here in in almost three years and not have a legitimate conversation about one policy. It's really really frustrating. So, it's honoring the work that was being done in an ad hoc committee where we did try to identify gaps and working with new leadership to make it the best process. And I identified that in the policy. Anyway, I I I just again for me it's clarity and making sure and we should be further along in this. So, it's frustration and then we we I know how it goes with the phone policy because yeah, we did pass it January and then everybody goes, well, we just passed it in January. Sure, maybe that was an update with the legislative language that was re referenced by Director Long, but we didn't talk about it again. And now here it is again with another tweak and we're still not talking about it. That's I'm not doing my job. I I don't have time to wait on these for three years. Board terms are four. And to say that I haven't talked about any of these is pretty upsetting for me. >> Director W, did your did you have your hand up again? Uh, I'll pass. Thank you. >> Thank you, uh, Director Bowman, and then maybe we can. >> Thank you. I'll be quick. Um, I just want to point out that our ask tonight from the policy committee, and I will make sure that we are very clear the next time that we bring something that we should be stating in the first read that this is for legislative updates only. And and that clarity needs to be added to uh our agenda because that's what the ask was from the committee tonight. These are the legislative changes that we need to make. Now, regarding the other issues that are being discussed about policies, I would recommend that we pull together a professional development uh work session around policy discussion. And that would be my recommendation that if we really want to get better at collaborative work and all the other things that we've set up here, then why don't we take and and couple professional development with a day or two, day and a half of policy discussion. And that might be a really good use of our time because uh we're peacemealing it up at the table. People have hurt feelings. We're we're throwing allegations around at each other which is not helping the situation. We're talking negatively about one another. For me as a policy committee member, I'm here to get a legisl approval on policies that need a legislative update. If we need to carve time, which we do need to carve time, but the administration needs to have the time to prepare for those discussions. Uh I think we just do it in a day and a half work session and get it all done at once. >> Thank you. Okay. So, we're going to move on and I want to make it clear these policies will come forward at our next meeting for approval because we need to get the legislative updates in them. Uh it does not preclude discussing them at a work session. uh get your questions or your suggestions to the policy committee, work on them. All right, administrative report. Superintendent Dr. Stala. >> Thank you very much. Good evening, Chair Evans Becker and school board members at Robbinsdale Area Schools. Our mission is to inspire and educate all learners to develop their unique potential and to positively contribute to their community. Our collective work is focused on this mission. And tonight I'd like to share some of the work in which we have been engaged. Um I also want to acknowled begin by acknowledging the tragedy that impacted our neighbors at Annunciation Catholic School and Church last week. Our hearts are with their community. On the day of that tragedy, I was in schools and I immediately went to the two sites that our middle school staff were at as well as the site that our entire high school staff was gathered during professional development on catalyst strategies. Being in that space where our staff were focused on connections and support was grounding in a very difficult moment. It reminded me how important it is to intentionally deepen ways to build relationships and support not only for our students but for us as a community. The catalyst training provided to both middle and high school staff equips educators with practical evidence-based strategies to respond to students needs, manage conflict conflict, and create calm, supportive learning environments. Teaching these skills directly contributes to safer schools where students feel seen, heard, and supported. I also want to acknowledge the outreach we have received from our local police departments following the tragedy. Their check-ins at our schools reflect the value of strong partnerships we maintain with our lo local law enforcement and our common commitment to student and staff safety. taken together the commitment of our staff, our professional development and social emotional and safety practices, our the work of our safety and security team, our district crisis response team, our use of the standard response protocol, and our community partnerships all reinforce that safety is for a foremost responsibility. As a matter of fact, yesterday I received a text from a superintendent at another large high school that said, "Happy start of the year. I just wanted to say that you have a great safety website and we are going to copy it to the best of our ability. Way to go. This is the foundation that allows us to celebrate our students and to start the new school year. As we turn the calendar to September, it's important to highlight that September is school board recognition month. I want to pause to acknowledge the dedicated leaders who serve our Rob Robbinsdale area schools. Our board members give countless hours of their time and energy to guide our district forward. Your commitment to our students and families is The work you do is not easy. It requires vision, courage, and a constant focus on what's best for our young people. On behalf of our students, staff, and families, I want to thank you for your leadership, your partnership, and your dedication to student success. in the district priority of staff investment and impact. One of the most exciting moments at the start of the year is welcoming new teachers and we were able to do that two weeks ago. Uh they had professional development at their sites as well as district uhwide orientation um learning about who we are uh and how we do things. We're thrilled that they said yes to Ardale and we're excited for their impact into the future. In the district priority of staff investment and impact, on August 25th, we officially launched the 202526 school year with an incredible kickoff celebration at Cooper High School. Our theme for the year, take yourself on, believe, belong, become, set the tone for an event that was filled with energy, purpose. One of the best parts of the celebration, go ahead and forward it, Molly. Thanks. Um, was how much our students and staff were at the center of it. Cooper senior Chad Hill did a wonderful job cocing with me. We were honored by the presence of our American Indian royalty students. We celebrated our teacher of the year Marcus Han. And we were inspired by the performances of the Cooper marching band and Vela Voce. It was powerful way to start the year as a district family back one sorry to lift up the voices of our students and staff and to carry forward the message that each of us has a role to play in believing belonging and becoming in the priority theme of collaboration and partnerships. Uh I want to highlight the tremendous success of our recent vaccine clinics at Meadow Lake Elementary and Armstrong High School. The August 26th clinic at Meadow Lake served 121 students, breaking the Minnesota Department of Health record for the largest community clinic ever held. To put that in perspective, the previous record was set just last year at Armstrong where 95 students were served. Over the last two years, we've partnered with MDH to host five of these. This work ensures that our students have free and equitable access to vaccine, which is essential for both their health and their readiness to learn. Again, this is a great example of strong partnerships with state and community organizations. In the priority theme of staff investment and impact, uh last week our district prepared for the year ahead with a series of professional development sessions. These sessions were designed to equip teachers and staff with effective, usable strategies that could be applied on the very first day of school. Highlights include training on the newly adopted Witton Wisdom elementary ELA curriculum to strengthen literacy instruction, a session focused on culturally and linguistically responsive teaching strategies to better support our diverse student population and the catalyst training that I spoke about. The investment in our educators is an investment in our students. It reflects our ongoing commitment to providing highquality instruction and creating learning environments where every student can thrive. The start of the year is always an amazing time. We often talk about how excited it is for our students return to return, but it's also really excited um and lots of joy as our staff return. Uh I was able in the first week of last week to spend time with district staff um at their all staff meetings um where we could listen to the joy of their laughter and observe teams diving into school improvement plans and instructional strategies. I was impressed by the intentional planning of our leaders and the full engagement and commitment of our staff. There was a clear sense of purpose both in community building and a strong focus on academics and outcomes for students. Uh throughout the summer, our custodians and facility staff have been working tirelessly to prepare our schools for the year ahead. Look at the floors in this picture. Their work includes essential repairs, a thorough deep cleaning of classrooms and common areas, and countless behindthe-scenes tasks that ensure our buildings are safe, functional, and welcoming for spaces for our students. Um when our students walk into clean spaces, uh it sets the tone for learning and belonging. And so I just want to thank take a moment to express my gratitude to our facilities and custodial teams for their hard work and dedication. I walked into a staff meeting last week and the principal was sharing kudos of how great the building looked and he and several other staff that I talked to that day said in all their years in Robbinsdale area schools their buildings have never been cleaner. Our custodial and facility staff truly make a difference in creating the learning environments our students deserve. Last week, every one of our schools opened their doors to welcome students and families for the 2025-26 school year. Uh the open houses are a great tradition and a chance to bring people together. Just as importantly, they're about connections. They allow students, families, and staff to begin building relationships that form the foundation of a strong school community. Uh it was really fun to see the energy and joy um especially in the places that the students were doing some of the leadership at the open house and in the priority of academic achievement all the work the open houses the professional development the preparations for our buildings it leads to one thing and that was what happened yesterday the first day of school and new learning for our students yesterday we welcome back grades 1 through 5 as well as grades 6 through nine today our seventh and eighth graders along with 11th and 12th graders returned and tomorrow Our kindergarteners will begin their journey with us. Walking through our schools, the feeling was unmistakable joy, excitement, and possibility. I saw students and staff taking themselves on and creating the conditions for believing, belonging, and becoming. There's nothing quite like the first day of school. There was laughter and there were tears. There were smiles and students and some parents who needed some comforting. And as a district, I'm so proud of the work of our staff and the way they have started the year by creating the culture for everything we'll accomplish together this year. So, I want to thank the entire staff and families and and our kids for their hard work. The first weeks of school always bring some challenges as we're monitoring enrollment, as we're dealing with transportation, as we heard a little earlier, and with scheduling. Um, we're continuing to watch numbers daily. uh and we'll engage with our principles to take a look at section sizes for both general and special education. Special attention right now is being paid to uh Plymouth Middle School and Robbinsdale Middle School because of some high section sizes. Um however, we also know that last year between August and November, we lost several students at those two sites. Um but and we've already added some additional uh FTE at PMS, but we plan on making additional decisions after seeing where attendance is as of Friday, September 12th. So what I've witnessed this week is an entire school community stepping up, taking themselves on, helping everyone feel a sense of belonging, and setting the stage for each person to learn, grow, and become the very best version of themselves. Thank you. >> Thank you. I have a question. >> Yes. >> When I walked in tonight, I saw there were special parking places for people who needed to register. Yeah. >> And then I saw like lines of folding chairs outside and inside for people who needed to register. Are we like getting a whole bunch of registrations now? >> Well, it looks like uh CFO Hoheisel would like to speak to that. >> We Yes, we are. Um, typically this is a pretty busy time of year. I would say uh kudos to the enrollment staff and everybody else who has stepped up to help the enrollment staff. We have headlines. Um I want to say as of today and we've been pushing through a lot uh our enrollment right now is like 10,273 five >> 2000 >> 85. Okay. and that we had budgeted 10,000 now. So, which is great, right? We're a couple hundred above. We anticipate losing, we do lose kids um throughout the year, but we are off to a fantastic start. And yes, we have new people coming to enroll with us, so that's great. >> Thank you. It looked like it was positive out there. >> It is. >> Thank you. >> I don't know that they feel so positive with some of the lines that they have to wait in, but they've had delightful weather. >> Thank you. Okay. Um, next up are the board committee reports. Um, >> we do have a couple other administrative reports. >> Oh, excellent. >> Yeah, no worries. Thank you. Um, I know that executive director O'Harn is going to give a uh brief staffing report and executive executive director Williams has also got a report. >> So point just a point of clarification because I started the timer for that second part was >> the discussion we just had. Okay. So that was so okay. Thank you. I go over director long. >> Yeah, I just got confused by who timing. >> That was me. I just >> I knew this one was going to be a little longer, but there was a whole lot going on since our last meeting. >> I want to make sure people have their time, you know. >> Yeah. Start them fresh. Go. >> All right. Good evening, Chair Evans Becker. Becker, board directors, Dr. Stallow. Um, I am happy to share an update on staffing for the 2526 school year. based on enrollment needs. Um the district is increasing FTE allocations at Zachary Lane in kindergarten and in first grade, at Forest Elementary and third grade, and at Nobel Elementary in kindergarten and fifth grade. At Plymouth Middle School, staffing has also been adjusted to further support instruction. We've had an add we've added an 0.2 FTE in sixth grade science and another.2 to FTE in social studies, ensuring Plymouth stays within the board approved class size ratio. In order to align staffing with enrollment shifts, two teaching positions were reduced at Sonos in first and third grade. While the adjustment is necessary, the school will continue to maintain strong instructional support to meet the needs of all students. In addition to classroom staffing, we continue to prioritize recruitment for nutrition services, custodial operations, and student services. These roles are essential to maintaining a healthy, safe, and supportive learning environment for students and staff. Our current open positions as of today, we have nine special ed educational assistant openings, eight nutrition service openings, nine custodial openings, 1.5 sped resource teachers, one RISE teacher, 5.1 speech teachers, one nurse, a 02 sixth grade social studies, and a 26th grade science. ience. Overall, these staffing changes and recruitment efforts reflect the district's ongoing commitment to aligning resources with student needs while maintaining highquality services across all schools. While we still have openings, we are in better spot than last year when we had twice the number of openings at the beginning of the year. Thank you to our leaders who have worked tirelessly interviewing and filling positions. We appreciate your hard work. >> Thank you. Not jumping ahead. What's Who's up next? >> I have a question. >> Oh, you have a question. >> Yeah. Um, so I'm just wondering about like some of the job postings. I've get gotten this question for a couple people. They said that they've looked at them, but it doesn't describe what the position is or what it would entail. Um, and so I wasn't really sure how to direct them or what to tell them when a position says it's posted and it's centerbased for special ed. So, a center-based classroom or a teaching position to a what what is the question? >> All the posting said was special ed centerbased. So, they said, "What does that mean to me?" I said, "I don't know. I know we have center-based programs, but they there was no description about what the job >> which center-based classroom it was >> or Yeah. or what the job entailed, you know." >> Okay, let me look into that. You didn't say what? Okay, let me look into that. Thank you. >> Yeah. And then if you could let me know so I can follow back up with those people >> if they're interested in applying. Could you have them email me? >> Sure. >> Dr. Holmes, uh, how difficult is it to fill those 2s? >> Um, it depends. I just filled a point 2 music position and someone actually reached out to us that was interested in it. Um we are have been doing some recruiting with other districts um to see if they have a point 2 social studies or a 6 social studies. So I'm talking to surrounding districts to see if they would be interested in a job combo. So it isn't easy. I'm not going to say it is, but there's some alternative methods that I'm trying to use to see if we can fill it. >> Okay. And then one nurse out of how many are we staffing this year? Three. >> This is out of the four licensed um school nurses. >> Executive Director Williams, please. >> All right. Thank you. Good evening again, Chair Evans Becker, members of the board, Dr. Stalo. Um just want to give a brief update. I know you heard um during listening time about the uh family literacy literacy program. Uh while we were not able to bring it back to um its original, you know, uh sort of standing, I am excited to announce that we were able to colllocate one of our adult academic classes at the New Hope Learning Center. So we will have um colllocated instruction for for child and for adult um as well as a parent uh education component to that class. Um this uh resolution came out of the collaboration between myself obviously Dr. Stalo uh the leadership over early learning as well as the teachers of family literacy um identifying what the key needs were for the uh for the parents and one of the key identifying needs was that they wanted to be able to and needed to be able to go to school with their children for various reasons especially in today's climate. So u we were able to to solve for that. Now that class will u begin on September 15th is the target date. We are I'm in the process of identifying who their instructor will be, but we have some some good leads on that. Um so, uh yeah, I'm excited about about next steps with that and we've been communicating with the families of family literacy, the alum um and we've gotten some families who have already registered, but with the class being colllocated at New Hope Learning Center, we're also able to open it up to other families at New Hope Learning Center who are also multilingual. So, um there's other opportunities there as well um for different students to enroll in that class. So, that's uh that's my update. >> Dr. Holmes, >> um I just want to I I am appreciative that something was resolved and that they came and spoke this evening in support of that and the efforts and the collaboration and how it came about. And I think that is the power of talking to each other because enough of us have been asking questions about it and they came and spoke endlessly about it and that's listening to one another and that's finding solutions in a community that means a lot to one another. So thank you. Seeing no more hands. >> Director Long, >> um I was wondering in one of their proposals, they had suggested some other funding sources that they could look into, wondering if we are willing to partner with them to look at those other funding sources to see if this is something that we could expand. So, in our um conversations with with that group um and their proposal, we were able to actually go through each one of those uh items that they identified um as potential funding sources and talk about, you know, the viability of, you know, a applying for those opportunities and then sort of what the funding caps were for those opportunities. Um what many of you don't know, uh my previous background is in adult education. I've worked in that that area for 15 or so years. Um, so I was familiar with some of those uh streams of income that they that they referenced. I'm not saying that. Um, so a yes, we can look into those opportunities if they present themselves. Um, b, but we are also cognizant of um, things that are happening at the federal level with some of those funding streams as well as at the local level. Um so I think we have a good resolution going forward now which is more sustainable but we will always I always look at different funding opportunities um for for that and for other initiatives as well. >> Thank you there any other hands? Thank you for that more move on. Okay board committee reports and board reports. We had listening time tonight so I'm going to start with Director Bowman. you as the facilitator for listening time. >> Thank you. Um, tonight we had 10 speakers. They spoke on uh tra about transportation. Uh, there were two speakers on safety. There was one person for the Cooper Alumni Association. Uh, there was one person that spoke about gratitude, equity, and collaborate collaboration around the family literacy program. another speaker that uh spoke on the positive forward movement for the family literacy program. Uh two speakers that spoke on superintendent support and board interactions. And uh one speaker and I'm pulling these titles off their pages of what the subject was was encouragement for upcoming decisions and accepting one another. Uh no yeah encouragement for upcoming decisions. So, those were the 10 speakers that we had regarding my report. I had um policy committee and then I just wanted to uh thank the superintendent and thank the uh staff that worked on the welcoming event at Cooper. I get to tell a funny story about myself. Most people think I have absolutely zero feelings, which may be true in many cases, but at the end of the uh event, uh I went up to congratulate Dr. Stalo and I was so overcome uh that I actually burst into tears because um I was so completely touched by the student voice that was there. I was touched from the very beginning of coming into a building where even the windows were sparkly. Uh I watched people's reactions as they walked into the gymnasium and almost everyone that walked in there went, "Oh, it looks so nice." So um uh it was impressive to see Dr. Stalo share the stage with a student for the entire presentation. Uh it was wonderful to have our Native American students that came, the cheerleaders. It was it was everything I've ever wanted to see uh at an welcoming of new students and even more. And and I'm not even ashamed at this point that I showed my feelings and burst into tears, but I thought I'd tell it at the table so that no one could talk behind my back about that. So, uh, thank you very much. It was, uh, uh, enjoyable and it was, um, emotional for some of us. So, thank you for the work that went into it. It showed me that there was a boatload of work that went into it because there was never a lag, never a lag in that whole hour and a half. So, thank you very much, >> Dr. Hillen Brand. >> Um, yes. So, um, obviously there was the, uh, policy committee. I was also went to the Brooklyn Bridge Lines for Youth meeting um where they had their um review of the executive director and then updated us on the um progress of um some of their priorities including the reimagine black youth mental health, their elevate youth and um just the overall communications and then went through their budget. Um, and then, um, also the welcome, you know, it's not every welcome that has Stephen Cob Bear or at least, you know, a YouTube video of Stephen Coar. Uh, but it was it was wonderful and uh, thank you so much for inviting us. >> Dr. Long, >> yes, I had a district 287 um, board meeting. Uh it started out with uh board PD where I got to learn about special education finances um third-party billing and things like that. It was interesting to find out that uh approximately the last couple years each year we've approximately lost about $7 million in uh tuition billing for our uh special education um budget. So, um hopefully we can uh fix that by recruiting more of our special education students to stay within our district to get those services from us. Um then it also we had the board meeting after that. Um and one thing that we did talk about at the board meeting was the superintendent's goals. So, we were able to give the superintendent feedback on what we thought about the goals and what um we wanted her goals to be. then. Yep. Thank you. Okay. I was at the district opener and I totally agree with what all what was said. It was powerful, energizing, fun, wonderfully organized. I mean, it was super duper directors. Um, I did not make it to the district opener. I had work, so I was unable to attend. And I want to say welcome back to everybody. For those of you who are back in schools packed with students, um remember to get your rest. I remember how tiring. So, thank you all for showing up for our students and students, thank you. Um and not everything may go smoothly the first couple of weeks, but hang in there and talk to the adults you trust and work through um any issues that you have at home. So, thank you all for being part of 281. >> Basset. I want to thank um Miss Meyers for coming to the schoolboard meeting tonight and do listening sessions alumni for Cooper the old Robbinsdale uh high school and um she that lady packed a lot into a couple of minutes. She t she said a lot of things, but she talked about the history of and I guess as I listen to uh directors who actually are at the opening, the energy and and if the energy this year was anything like the energy last year, it probably was. It was phenomenal. I mean, it was last year, too. And I think I told you that when I saw you gliding around, remember I said, you know, I mean, superintendent, you know, it was uh, you know, so in any case, um, you know, and I I can't help but think about the words that we just heard from uh, Miss Web a few minutes ago about how uh, important it is and the passion that people have that I hear talked about from this table a lot. And um it's a good thing. And it it doesn't just start and stop here. It's all throughout this community. All you have to do is go out to a community event and people will if they know who you are, if they see your information, they'll accost you and talk about the district. And uh and for the most part, it's always positively is. And people who've been here, their kids went here, their grandchildren, all of that. So um it's worth it. always has been, it always will be, you know. Um, and so I'm encouraged that we got through a meeting tonight. We had discussion and I think I I also appreciate that we had uh comments from a couple of the other leaders in the district who came and talked to us tonight. Um, I think the fact that our enrollment and I've been up to this building a couple of different times and every time I come there are people sitting out in the hallway and sitting outside to enroll their children. I just want to say thank you community for your continued trust. It's not perfect, but I think I see people trying to work on it. And uh, as long as people are trying to work on it in good faith, I think we can get there. And so, um, I'm hoping everybody will have a wonderful year as well. And I'm looking forward to maybe doing some classroom visits that I've never been able to do in my 23 years of serving because I've always been working, but I'm retired. So, I will make sure I check in with the superintendent and check in with the principles, but I'm looking forward to being able to visit some of the classrooms. You know, it's a long time and uh, I'm looking forward to that. >> Thank you. Well done. Thank you Georgia. >> Yeah, I I have started series of uh MSBA trainings in the last few weeks which are very enlightening about the roles of the board and how to differentiate that from the role of the administration and the superintendent. Um I also do want to use the opportunity to thank the leadership in administration for all the work they've done in the last few months. I will say that few months ago, most parents including myself probably would have said Robinsdale School District won't be the employer of choice. But based on the leadership we currently have, it is very clear that people are watching and they are trusting what we are doing. So thank you Dr. Stallow and your team for what you've done. You are already breaking records, enrollment records, vaccination records. Please keep the energy up. staff. Thank you for believing in our students. >> Thank you, Director Wuto. >> Also at listening session today, the head of the teachers union and the head of the principles association read a statement of support for our superintendent and for her administrators. And it was just very powerful that that they're circling around you and holding you up. Okay, this brings us to a close session to receive confidential legal advice pursuant to the attorney client privilege and Minnesota statutes 13D.05 subdivision 3B in regard to uh school district 281 versus the city of New Hope. So, do we have to have a move to go into close session? >> Okay. Are you moving it? >> I move it. >> Okay. Moved by Director Basset, seconded by Director Bowman. All in favor of moving to close session say I. >> I. Oppose say nay. We are moved to close session. And here's the big news. The close session is in here. So if you are not on the board or our attorney that's going to be speaking to us, you are going to have to wait outside. We'll let you know as soon as it's over and then you can come back. to take part in the adjournment. I'm kidding. We back. I have nothing to do there. >> Okay, we are back. Our close session is over. I would entertain a move to adjourn the meeting. So moved. It's been moved. Is it? And seconded. All in favor of adjourning the meeting, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> And opposed? None opposed. Uh we are adjourned. >> Now we get five minute break. >> Now we get the fiveminut break. Oh, here we are. We're back. It is time for our work our work study session to begin. It is 10:47 still on uh Wednesday night and um people in the room are me Gita Evans Becker and we'll go this way. Kim Holmes school board. >> Ellen Basses school board. >> Renee Bowman School Board. >> Aviva Hillen Brandon School Board. >> Caroline Long School Board. >> Would Kenneth >> Kenneet WTO school board >> Thank you. >> Okay. Okay. The purpose of this meeting uh this special session, this is not a special session, it's a study session. We just have one agenda item and that agenda item is our superintendence uh evaluation, but opening is the Should we just start we just go to that part? Okay, take it away. Barb Dorne is going to be facilitating this this session, right? >> Okay. We can have the doors open. We can >> Okay. Should I just dive right already? >> I think we are ready to dive. >> Is the mic closer or am I okay? >> Kenneth, can you hear Barb? >> Not right now. >> Okay. >> Closer. >> Feel like talk, right? Maybe tip it up a little bit. Also, I thought >> if I speak here, is that okay? Is that better? Director. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Great. Thank you. Uh first and foremost, I really appreciate the opportunity to come back and meet with the board in Robbinsdale Area Schools. I have a vested interest in the success of this board team. You have a passion and a cander that we do not always see with all of the members, particularly with the new superintendent. So, I've always appreciated that um about this board. I see my role tonight to facilitate a conversation. Uh this is a work session, so it can be relatively informal. I know you have already visited about this. I believe Dr. Stalo has already sent out a revised set of goals based upon some conversation you had at your last meeting around uh the goals for this coming year. So I'd like to cover first and foremost just the format of what I see this work session being tonight. Um the first thing I'd like to do is have just a a brief discussion about goals being used in evaluation because they can be open to interpretation. Goals can be subjective. They can be objective. they can be measurable or not. And the larger and the more complex the system, the more difficult it is to find goals that everyone is in agreement upon. So, I want to have a little conversation about that and some of the trends that we've seen with other districts in terms of the measurements that they're using for superintendent evaluation purposes. Um, I also am a big fan of simplicity and keeping it simple if possible. So I think what I'll do after we have a a brief review of sort of goals and standards and elements is I' I'd like to ask all of you to think very high level and I'm going to give each of uh the board team members. So all seven elected board members and director the opportunity to just tell me your sort of goal areas and I know you were going to be coming back with some key points and things like that. So maybe you've already done that. But I'm going to take some quick notes and if each of you could just share with me your top three goal areas that you would like to see Dr. Salow address in the next year, not two years or in five years, but in the next well actually in the next 10 months. So these are one year at a time performance goals. So we're going to come back and ask each of you just for your top three. And then I think my job is just to facilitate and ensure that people uh feel heard hopefully come to a consensus. It's a work session, so you won't be voting, but reach some agreement on what we need to do moving forward because it is already two months into the fiscal year. And so you have 10 months left in order to direct the superintendent where you would like her to focus her performance expectations on this coming year. I have one question before I start. I can simply facilitate and see who wants to speak and when or I could do that and I could consider this some professional development if you have questions on best practices about evaluations or if there are anything um that you're talking about that I might have a thought on relative to some of the other districts I'm working with or I can keep all of those things to myself. So I don't want to insert myself into your conversations with suggestions or ideas or feedback unless you would want it. So where does the board feel about that? Should I simply facilitate or do you want me to bring in some best practices if it happens to feel appropriate? I feel like if we ask for it because I mean that's what >> sessions. Okay. >> Is everybody okay with that? >> I'm sorry I couldn't hear quite hear you Caroline. I said if we ask for clarification or examples or best practice that then to bring it up um because people have done that in other sessions where they've asked you know I mean we weren't we weren't given the option but people have spoken up for what they needed in other sessions. >> Let's do that then. Okay. So feel free to ask me at any point during the conversation today what I've seen elsewhere or what districts are doing in similar circumstances or don't ask. I'm not going to insert myself into your discussion unless you invite me into that. Okay. All right. So, as far as a big overview, um, one of the trends that we've seen the last few years is goals becoming trickier and trickier to reach agreement upon. And again, the larger and more complex the system, the more difficult that is to reach agreement because words are they're squishy. I use that word a lot. And everyone has a different idea of what those words might mean. Um, also the more complex your system, the more difficult it is to come up with measurable goals, um, depending upon where you're at with the systemic issues. And so that's something that also is to be considered. We have seen more districts using the standards, which is one of the things you did last year and you're doing it again this year because for some districts, the standards in lie of goals is a more clear-cut path for them. Now, Dr. Alo has prepared goals and then evidence and the supporting standards. So it's multi-layered which is unusual. A lot of districts choose only just the standards but this is fleshed out a lot more with her offering the goals and the evidence to that as well. Um I think this is ambitious. It's a lot and I said that the last time we met with last year's goals as well particularly in year two. And yet you have a lot of things facing your district. So I think the combination of the goals and the standards and elements do make sense. The challenge is going to be what does that mean and how are we going to measure it and that is not um a new challenge. A lot of districts do face that. But again local control matters a lot to MSBA. So we won't ever tell you what you have to do. We'll simply make our recommendations in uh larger districts. And I tend to think large districts tend to be 10,000 and more. Um typically what happens with the evaluation process is a superintendent will develop something like this um perhaps not this robust and bring that to the board for feedback and then the board asks questions, discusses, asks for modifications and then they come to agreement. It is highly unusual for a school board to initiate the conversation around goals because schoolboard members have not been in the superintendent's chair other than two. I know of two schoolboard members in the state who were superintendent. Otherwise, in your position as an elected official, you do not know what the day-to-day work is of a superintendent. So, coming up with those goals to begin with is challenging. Um, it's usually the superintendent bringing them forth and then having the discussion on it from that point. >> So, if I Okay. I'm sorry. Yes, director. So I think um well I'm glad you started talking about goals but I think that um what is helpful for me is that um because one of the things that's been part of the culture is for there to be a collaborative discussion about um the standards and um because we've kind of gone down that path the standards and then um what are the artifacts of it or um you know um the standards and then the features in that you know you know that docu document is actually your document MSBA. So we've used that document for about four or five years predating director Stal I mean superintendent Stalo that discussion was a collaborative discussion between the board and the superintendent superintendent would come in and talk about and so I think process also is a challenge has been a bit of a challenge because some people I I don't know but it seems to me that some folks see it a different way and when you bring in some of the feedback that I might have as a director people feel like it's being um antagonistic or adversarial and it's not I mean it's just the collaboration is all is is has been something that I have valued highly and has been successful because it it depends on both the board and the superintendent having a coming together and having agreement. Um there was an occasion when the superintendent came in and no goals were set but we all decided to you know do something else and I won't go into that that's passed. Uh but the collaboration piece is really kind of so in somewhere in your presentation that we talk about that because it's and and I'm not necessarily talking about you know I mean this this whole question about goals as opposed to what are the standards what's the mark we're trying to hit. That's really kind of where I'm at. What are the goals and what are the features within those go within those standards that we're trying to achieve and then if there are some additional goals what might they be and that's a collaborative conversation. So that's not trying to and Well, I'll stop there because I don't want to get into a lot of editorializing or anything else and just speaking about what I would like for us to talk about in this meeting because I think that that also could be a place where directors may be missing each other in addition to even the superintendent. So having an early conversation about what that process looks like is helpful so everybody's on the same page. It's not necessarily what's happened. So that's that's unknown and then we have you know a couple of new directors. So that don't think that's helped. The only reason I say new is because we haven't all worked together. So it's hard to gel if you don't have the the ground you know the lay the foundation and then you try to move around it's going to be no I appreciate that. Thank you. Um and collaboration is one of those words that is also difficult to define because that is different to everybody. So what does collaboration mean? Right. the definition of that is is always open to interpretation. I think what might help not only to build a collaborative environment but also to find out where people are at is to just start with areas. If if you look over the next 10 months for Robbinsdale area schools >> and I know we've talked about priorities in terms of what's a high priority, what's a higher priority, and what are the highest priorities for this district over the next 10 months. That's what you want to form your superintendent goals around for performance evaluation. They are still responsible for an immense amount of work outside of what you are prioritizing for evaluation, but we want to simplify it and we want to prioritize it. So, if each of you and I doesn't matter what order we go in, but if you have given some thought to what areas you would like the goals to focus on, and you can use whatever language you want to use for whatever those areas are. I'm just going to take notes because I have a feeling there's a lot of agreement amongst this board team about what needs to happen in the next 10 months. I think you have some clarity of vision and I don't want to get caught up in the the specificity sometimes takes away from the recognition of the commonalities and I do think you have commonalities. I think you you know what you really need focus on for the next 10 months. That's my perception anyway from watching your meetings and and knowing this districts a little bit. So, is there anyone who'd like to start and tell me what maybe your top two or three focus areas would be for goals? And I don't want details. I just want the area. Who might like to go first? Director Holmes. Um, broad terms. Tell me if it's not clear. academic or student learning, financial operations, and then I don't know what the word is that's all-encompassing. It's engagement, it's culture, it's community. Okay. Academics or student learning, financial operations and engagement, culture, community, >> culture, community. It's hard to Yeah. >> All right. Thank you very much. Who's next? >> Director Bowman. I um maybe it's the lateness of the hour but I don't have any problem with the uh document as it stands and as it's created by Dr. Stalo. So, um I am of the sorry so Kenneth can hear me. Let me start off. I don't have any problem with where the docu uh with the document as it stands right now as it's written. Um um I uh similar to the goal she did a year ago. Um part of goal setting is a wait and see. And uh I feel that uh um director Stalo did a really good job last year with creating her goals and um being able to document her um meeting those goals. So maybe I'm unclear about the assignment at this point, but I I don't have I I think what this uh form what her goal sheet does is at this point is to me it really explains that there's uh groundwork to be built and there's many different components that are kind of in the air. I see it. It seems to be well communicated in this. So I I'm willing to have it. I I think it's perfect as it is. So that's just my, you know, where I'm at with this. I don't have a problem with it. I don't have anything to add. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Director Hill. >> So, is it cheating if I have four? >> No. >> Oh, I didn't know we could have four. You can have a fourth if you'd like. >> Well, I asked. >> Sure. I mean I think one is because obviously statutory operating debt dealing with that. Another is the reimagine you know the process of right sizing the district. Um and then um the climate and culture piece um and then I would just add um literacy science of reading piece. >> Okay. Thank you. I didn't know we could do four, so I did three. >> Sorry. >> All right. I'm a rule follower. Okay. Um I I also agree with Director Bowman. I'm fine with the goals that our superintendent did, but if I only had to do three, I would do implement the vision goals, develop the SOD plan, and implement that and build the culture, climate, and trust in the schools and community. I would just take three of hers. >> Okay. >> If I had to do three, >> what was the very first one again? Implement goals. >> Visioning goals for implement visioning goals >> for right sizing our district and making it. >> Okay. Director, do you want to have a fourth >> work? I'm Holmes. >> Dr. Holmes, I'm sorry. I thought that's why I said >> she's asking you if you want a fourth because you >> you want a fourth goal. >> Oh, you can think about it. >> Yeah, because Yeah. I mean, we're going to talk back and forth through this, right? Because Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. Great. >> So, we have Director Wuto and Director Basset. >> Yeah. I I would say the vision goals will be my top priority as well. and then fin the finances of the district and then community engagement because ultimately I believe that is going to bring out student outcomes as well. >> Okay. So the visioning work the finances and the community engagement. >> Community engagement. Yeah. >> Correct. Okay. Thank you Director W. >> So SOD and finances probably equipped for the same goal. Director Basset, you want to go next? >> I can. Um, you know, I didn't say I had any problems with the goals in the first place. I just have an additional thing that I'd like to see us put give some attention to and that has to do with academics and actually even the measurement of progress uh systems. I think I I'd like to see improvement in our systems that really kind of give us indicators of how our students are doing, however we put that, however we frame it. and uh because I think and then have and then work with the board to help marry that to because how can the board can't do its monitoring role if the board doesn't know we're monitoring. So, and I think that's a joint kind of thing. We don't want to just be monitoring things up in the sky. I think we moni and monitor is not a bad thing. It's that's how we're going to have indicators about how we're doing, you know, and we don't have any, you know, as far as that's concerned. And so a a joint conversation about what are those indicators, what are those metrics, what what is the monitoring process we will go through that as far as I know from everybody I've talked to over the years that's a standard part of what the board does is monitoring. So I mean I but for me having the academics rise up to to help the administr that's where the expertise is. If this, you know, the superintendent and all the administration have ideas about actually what systems we even have in place, they change from year to year. If we're not getting updates and information about that and if we're not understanding what are what are the what are the things that are helping us know we're moving forward in terms of the academics for these students. Now, however we can fit that into a goal, and I think in the last meeting we had uh superintendent, that's actually the way I framed my comment. you know, I mean, you know, I'd like to invite you to take a look at it and see where do you think this fits in terms of the academics because that is important to me and I I don't I'm not saying that to me exclusively. I think it's maybe important I think well I believe it's important to everybody, you know, but I'm just speaking for me. It's important for me and to have goals in here so I can understand where are we doing this monitoring to see how our students are doing. That's important to me given where I see I across our district. I don't care about the whole nation and the whole state. I don't care about, you know, I do care, but you know, my focus is what do we where are we now in Robindale and how will we know we're making progress that academically? That's it. And and actually leaning into her expertise and her cabinets or whoever she assigns, you know, to help us craft that together so we understand it and we're unified in how that works, you know. Thank you. >> Well, I didn't go yet, I guess. Uh, for me, academics definitely. I feel like that's why we're here. I remember my first couple years here getting criticized about why isn't the board speaking about academics. um you know that's important especially when we have legislation around academic skills um that we have to have met um training for our teachers. So definitely that to make sure that's working um put that in the same goal area training for teachers etc with academics. >> Yeah it just I'm just using that to justify why I'm saying academics. Okay. Um and then community. I think you know over the years there hasn't been a lot of um openness with community. You know they feel kind of shut out especially um when incidents happen. like how do we change that and you know become more transparent and more willing to figure out how to have those tough conversations publicly. Um and then yeah definitely finances since we have that issue and the values that we place on money you know I would definitely like I said before like to get out of our rental properties so >> that's a huge financial thing. Okay, thank you. So, thank you for indulging me in the simplicity of this and the reason I asked that is I am seeing the same thing here for the seven of you and I've read through the revised goals and I I think these are in there. It's just not worded exactly the same. So, maybe we can take a look at where these tie to the second version of goals, the ones that you have in front of you now. and they were shared with you via email as well as >> are they in their board packet or somewhere tonight? >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay. >> So, for example, I'm hearing lots about finance. >> That one I think just about everybody a lot about community engagement, relationships, trust building, all of that. That's a second goal area that is different from the other. >> Um academics is coming through loud and clear. I think one of the challenges for you and this is one of the things that districts in your position often face is you are you are almost literally building the plane while you fly it as a system and you have a big and a very complicated system. So systemic issues do take much longer to change than the ones that you might do one year at a time. So I want to be sure that what whatever the board is going to discuss and potentially reach consensus on is again 10 months worth of goals, not two or three years because strategic plans of course are your two, three, four, five years out and the superintendent is building this one year at a time with the board. So some of the um the larger things might take more than a year. you can make progress toward and I think the first year there was a lot of foundation that needed to be laid and um you've had what six superintendents in 10 years that causes disarray >> without question the lack of continuity in the CEO position of your district has challenged this district and I think you're dealing with some of the fallout from the changes in leadership. Everyone's done absolutely the best they possibly can. It's simply a matter of six and ten years is highly unusual. So that first year there was a lot of work to do. The second year there is still a lot of work to do and yet you are definitely making some progress. So is it okay with everyone if we take a good hard look at the actual goals that Dr. Stallow proposed and see where we can tie things back in here. Okay. So and Dr. Stallow, please feel free to speak if you'd like to. I don't want to speak for you. >> I just there are just a couple of things. I think that first of all it's nine months because will come to the board on June. >> That's June 2nd. So, it's nine months. Um, I think the complexity is I would I would argue as difficult as year one was with determining and identifying systems and a lack of foundation. I think bringing in some amazing leaders to ask a second and third question in areas that I simply didn't have the capacity to to do last year has undercovered um greater work in some regards. So I would say the complexities of of this district with a lack of systems with statutory operating debt with trying to build that foundation um I can't imagine a district with this this much work and this much comp. So I want to state that. I think the other thing that I just want to acknowledge is the monitoring piece. There were and and part of this is again building that district of continuous improvement. Um the place we didn't finalize and hope to by the time the keker the world's best workforce comes to you is is the scorecard. I think that'll make a difference and thousands of reasons including lots of reductions. Um but that's not yet where we want it to be. Uh but I would say in the academic piece there's two primary areas that are called out in the current goals and I know we're going to talk through them but I just want to um in goal one that entire first evidence piece is all around. around gathering 17,000 people's different ideas of what is the vision of academics and learning and the student experience here. So, some of that is a program system work um that won't be measured by a a particular metric of um MCA test or whatever, but but it's a different kind of goal. And then I think in that in the goal around the district system of continuous improvement, that's where in each of those priority areas and again the board monitored nine different teams that were doing that work last year. Um and a lot of that was building where we'll start implementing some of it now. Still building though quite frankly. So I think you know the first one is in the academics it talks about implementing the new ELA literacy curriculum right part of that's tied to the science of reading as as Aviva was talking about certainly around literacy um scores which is part of the the world's best workforce districtwide goal. So, I just wanted to make some of those connections um as you talk about it. Okay. Did you want to you want to say something? Okay. Let me know if you do want to speak. I certainly don't want to just keep rolling ahead here. So, I think when you look at these goals, if I'm going if I start at the back, there's four goals now instead of three. Weren't there three when you first took a look at this? >> Okay. So the fourth goal is around the culture, climate and trust which pretty much all of you did say was a priority area. Uh goal three is the new one and that is more touching on academics I believe tying into the district system of continuous improvement. So that is the new one. Goal two is the finance and the SOD goal. So I think that goal area is in here. And then the first goal is all of the above. I think this is an from what I see anyway, it's an engagement piece and it's an operational piece because I believe that the board's going to be making some decisions based upon input from this group and it's a cross community group. Correct. Um so it's not only engagement but there's some operational discussions that going to be pretty tricky I think coming out of that group that you're going to have to maneuver in the next nine months. So those four areas, does anyone feel like when you did mention your top three or top four that it's not in those four goals, you know, specifically you mentioned literacy, but >> No, I I think my concern initially with or cons I I actually think I don't really have a problem with any of this, but the the thing I was struggling with a little bit was actually just the measurement side of it. But then as I look a little bit more at the rubric, I see that it's actually got really clear. I mean, I just I don't like things that are too um objective, but as I really look at it, it's it's not as objective as I thought it was at first. It feels like it actually has a lot of um clear it's it's clear. the rubric is clear about what it means that you've met the go the at least the standard right so the I think it was just confusing for me with the goal and the evidence and the standard and then the so now that I'm looking at it again I'm seeing the the definitions of the standard and how the standard is met actually are pretty pretty clearcut so I'm feeling a little bit better about understanding how it is really measurable. So, >> and I think the the standards we call that the road map. >> Yeah, >> we try to make that as clear as possible and that's based on the competencies for superintendent lensure. It's different than smart goals though and I know a lot of people come into this planning wanting smart goals and measurable is the key word for everyone in there. The challenge with your district, with where you're at right now in year two of a new superintendent is um some of the things that you you want and you obviously need. I always think of it as like putting a roof on a house and it has to be solid and high quality and yet you can't put the roof on the house until you got walls. Well, I don't even know if you have walls yet that you need because you're just the foundation is there and it's getting stronger. I don't even know if your foundation is quite done yet with all of the new positions and new administration that's come on board. So, you are going to have the whole thing. I don't know if logically some of that can be done in nine months. And so, I want to keep it realistic also. Um, and yet stretch goals. You always want to stretch your leader to ensure that they are doing the most they can. Um, I appreciate that because I believe you were interested in smart goals, director Hillbrand, correct? >> Or something like that. More numbers maybe in here. >> Well, just more measurable because I Yeah, it's it's more that if you just look at the goals and the evidence of performance, right? So, the goals successfully implement the first one. Um, well, that one's actually a little easier because it's measurable and so is the SOD one. But when you get to say, let's look at goal four, invest in improving culture, climate, and trust with like how do you really know like how do you measure that goal by itself, right? Then when you go below to the standards, seeks and provides opportunities for input. Okay, well that's nice that you but then it says uses input in decision-m processes. Well, that we can see, right? that's measurable not only okay you saw it that's nice but did you do anything with it okay that is actually something we can really see and measure and give us the evidence of that >> okay >> that's where I feel more comfortable I can me I can say yes I see that or no I don't right that's where I can feel comfortable making an evaluation >> and see for me I that's not clear to me at all number one is not clear to me at all it's very ambiguous to me. All the other ones are too. I mean, I would like to see something more cuz then I'm going to sit there and feel like, no, this wasn't meant cuz it's too, you know, too open-ended for me. Yeah, I don't see it that way. And that that's okay. Again, the strength of a board is in the seven different perspectives from the elected members. So >> So that's okay. >> Yeah. So, I would like to get it more concrete because I don't want to sit there and be like, "No, I don't see it that way." And then she's like, "Oh, yeah, it's like 100% that way." Well, then of course, we're not going to match on what we're going to say. So, how can we figure out how to come to some place where it's stated more in a way where our our responses to it are going to be pretty similar? And that's >> that might make it more concrete for you. >> That's what I want. Do you know? >> So, what would help, for example, if you could rewrite something, what would you need to see in here with goal one? Because that's a very foundational goal and it's also very ambitious. What would help you, Director Long, feel like it's measurable? Well, first of all, I don't even know what this implementation plan is, you know? So, I mean, to have something in there that is so like what is it? What does it all entail? What are the details to it? How much of it am I going to have input into this thing that is is stated in this goal? How much input am I not going to have into it? How much has already been mapped out? How much is not already mapped out? What are the different I mean, I could go on and on and on about the questions just about this one little thing because I don't know what that is yet, >> right? >> That that's the building the plane while you fly it. And it is frustrating when you don't know all of those answers. So for me, I couldn't I I would need a whole new goal because I can't measure that. I don't know what all the things are that are going to play into that. Maybe if I had a document that said, okay, these are all the things that play into this, then I could be able to tell you, okay, maybe word it this way or move this word here or that. But I I don't because I don't have whatever this recommendation is that we're supposed to be giving. I don't have that. Could we work it backwards to make it more sense? So the goal is the goal is to successfully implement the whatever the school board decides on from the visioning, but in putting that aside to look at the evidence of the performances, they're much more clear. And so knowing that those are what we're expecting, that makes the goal more understandable. For example, the superintendent will provide a plan of action outlining the development and improvement of the systems. Uh the at the beginning stages the visioning of acade academics, teaching and learning. Uh superintendent will lead the process design and implementation of school closures. When you look at the evidences of performances one, two, and three that no matter what is decided by the board for the things that need to be implemented, that's the evidence of the performances that makes the goal seem more clear, doesn't it? >> No. >> Oh, works for me. >> No. >> Dr. Bass. Well, um I was thinking of two different things, but the one goal, goal number three, and I was really I was looking at that. Uh the superintendent will lead and collaborate with her team to provide progress and monitoring reports to the board. um inclusive of the priority work and and so inclusive I think this inclusive of uh is is a place that could be because and and that same idea and I'm going to come back to that but I'm going to say that same idea in goal one evidence perform performance too the superintendent superintendent leading the process design and implementation of the school of you know the school closures and and all of that to include the boundaries and all of those things. I believe that those are things that are in consultation with the board because when it comes time to implement, she's going to implement it. But to land in what the design is and the closures and the boundaries and all those things, I've always known that to be a collaborative process with the superintendent. All the data we ever get that I've ever gotten has come from the administration and the superintendent about those things and then there's a discussion you we no one has ever said go off superintendent just do that and so if we say that it's the implementation the way this is written here the you know I mean the superintendent is doing all of that and the board has no has no no say so back up to the goal you I >> I saw that but I think that some there's room for ambiguity and differences in interpretation and I think that's sometimes where the board gets we have different ideas about what that means and I'm saying and and so I think that kind of place to act something specifically about the places where collaboration with your school board is vital on some of those things you know I mean am I going to go and get all the data and I'm going to say we should go this and that and the other no I'm going to listen to everything that comes back to us you know and including all inclusive of all the community's feedback and all of those things. But to ignore the political element of it is folly because that's why we're here is because the public expects that we're going to be listening and working with them and sharing our viewpoints with our superintendent. And so that's not to be taken lightly. And that that just says nothing about questioning the superintendent's uh leadership's abilities, skills and all that has nothing to do with that. For for me it doesn't you know it has to do with uh that's a collaborative process the implementation then once we agree you get any argument out of me once we kind of come to a place where we all kind of understand what's going on and we all agree I'm on the team. And I'll give you another example because in this one here that talks about um I was looking at this one standard three and um was that the one goal three no it's on this performance imitate in goal three on this indicators by the team progress monitoring and so on and so forth for example if the superintendent might come and say I think one of the best indicators is that uh a midyear check on you know uh the um I heard world's best workforce and that can be a good indicator but that's totally outside of the control of the board and our world's best workforce hasn't been on a win and included in the world's best workforce is the systems accountability has been folded into that and achievement and integration and it used to have a significant community component that's all changed so the world's best workforce and the frequency of its meeting and all of those things which are places where that collaboration around what do we want to do about achieving achievement and where are we with our achievement that's lost you know I mean and so because it is what are some reasonable places that we can say these are places that might be good indicators for us to kind of test see where we are just I mean that's all we're that's all I'm saying is that we where are some indicators we can get some you know attention on where we are and that's we're going to go to we're going to need our our administration to tell us that we're not doing the work every day, you know. So, I think I my my view is that I'd rather leave to the superintendent quite frankly to go I mean live to the listen to the feedback that she's gotten if there's anything that you she think you think um Terry that you would change or not. I'm interested in hearing what you think about it, you know, because that's what you're getting feedback from all of us for, you know, because uh for I think the majority said they didn't really have any problems necessarily with the goals, you know, but where people have said I need more specificity. See what see where where you where that can happen. I mean, I don't I mean, I don't if we didn't have anything, we're not starting from scratch. We've got some pretty good language. Director Wuto is his hand up. >> Yes, please. Director W. >> Yeah. Um I I think I don't want to necessarily change the process of our lead here. Um but I'm I'm beginning to have the same understanding of where we were during our last meeting before we left. That specificity really matters and I'm not hearing that. I think when we left our last meeting, we all agreed that we will come back to today's meeting with concrete goals and examples that we may have or we want to see on this bill. Now, if there are things here that we disagree with, please give us your specific goals that you want us to replace them with. If not, I think it will be useful to just go go by goal. Let the board decide yes, keep it, no, take it out so that we can be a little more efficient in doing our work today. Because I have I have not had any specific goals. I have heard the same talking points of suggestions and things that we want to see, but nothing that is concrete. Please tell us what you want on this data. if the goals here don't match what you have on paper. I believe that was the agreement we had and we all expected to be at this meeting with those examples. So I suggest that we go go by goal and if we decide that that goal doesn't work and somebody has an alternative goal suggestion, let's discuss it as a board and if the board decides that replaces what Dr. asalo has already written down then we replace it and if it doesn't we get to the last goal and then we can move on if not I believe we are going to be doing the same thing we did the last meeting because I have not had any concrete quite yet measurable or not I haven't had any that's just my pers perspective anyway thank you and going goal by goal is a great idea but first director Holmes I'm just following your lead I have specifics with me I'm you are telling us where we're starting So, um, that's what I'm going on. And then the last one, I I think you have us on goal one right now, the broad one, if I remember right, because you came you went backwards. >> Yes. >> And then we're focusing kind of there. And what would make it I am hung up on the re-imagine Ardale vision 2030 team because that is one component of the information we've been provided and actually we haven't been provided it yet. So, we're setting goals for something that's still three weeks away. I think that's irresponsible. So, it's really about all of the information we have. It came from a 24 25 survey. It came back um from stakeholder surveys. We have a wealth of information. This is one component. And yes, the time has been spent on it. It doesn't mean my decision or my vote will be cast just on that team's vote. That's why I can't get comfortable with this. We are still talking about something that we haven't even seen. And again, that's a it's it's it's one component of what's going to go into this because we started budget recommendations or cuts 2425. So that's where I am there. And I am the monitoring role really speaks to me what director Basset was saying because talk about going around circles we're going to end up in the same place again and I think that's what um director long and director Hillenbrand were getting into. One person understands it. So that's why we've got to put the focus in in my opinion to smart smart goals because that's going to give us the breakthrough. >> Would you anything to go one then? Yeah, I would find some numbers there. You know, I mean, when you're talking about this this So, can we tie it to um you know, retaining um staff, effective teachers, that's that's kind of a continuous improvement for me. Um or can we tie it? I I So, I I'm walking this line very carefully because I've been told that that's management and I shouldn't be doing that. But I like specific things or do we have surveys that we want to increase our response rate on whether it's students or staff or community? Um something like that, something that is measurable for this area. That's where I'm going. Thank you for that. So one thing that might help because I think there are different interpretations of a goal, evidence, and standards. So I'd like to think about it as a reverse funnel. So for example, the goal is if the funnel is going upside down this way. So it'll look like a pyramid. Actually, I think the goal is the biggest, largest, broadest piece. And that is where the board is most involved in laying that foundation of what is needed, what is happening. And then it begins to narrow down with the evidence led by the superintendent and the administrative team. And then the standards are sort of the tip where when the evaluation time comes up next June, you'll do the one, two, three or four based on that. So if you can think about your role as being down here and the goal is the big picture. So board direction is very important there. And then it starts to segue more toward the superintendent and the leadership team working on performance and then the standards. Yes. >> But just to that point, that's where my hang-up is because I understand the funnel and the goal is the broad piece, but if you're disagreeing on the evidence, it doesn't allow you to get to the top >> evidence. So because as the governing body it it we do have to say because she can say yes I did do that and we can say well that's not the evidence piece that we were looking for that doesn't align and so what this does is really limits us because when we get into the evaluation discussion you can talk about other components but then real quick you're told nope it's not in one of these boxes so you can't talk about it. So you can say all day long, yes, there's other components than go into the job, but we don't get to talk about that if it's not on this paper and I'm not okay with that. >> Would you like to further define Thank you for that. For instance, a plan of action because the plan of action would be the evidence and right now it is. So the evidence performance one provide a plan of action. We don't even know what that might look like yet because we don't quite know what >> the school board direction is going to be based upon the reimagine. um board study stakeholder feedback is a plan of action specific enough or do you want to define what that plan of action is going to need to look like? >> We're almost trying to forecast into something that we don't have enough footing for yet. >> Does that make sense, Director Bass? I think just as um you correctly pointed out the uh turnover in top leadership over the last however many years uh and I'm talking about superintendency u but it also encompasses whoever our chair is the chair as well. So I mean that's part of the lead the lead the duel that is rec recognized as neither here nor there good or bad it's just so the leadership is not unique to just the superintendent. So there's been change in turnover there as well. So putting that aside, I think that to expect that this board given some of the challenges that we have had are going to be able to get to a perfect model is is um is to where we would want to be in three years is un just as unrealistic to expect those things from our superintendent as it is from this board, especially since there's seven board members. So I do think some latitude and some uh maybe it's a a marriage of what uh we have before us the superintendent has provided and that's kind of the direction I try to go in you know and what can we do in this area and can what can you help us how can you help us get there I I really like that approach better uh instead of this it's got to be pure it's got to be this it's got to be that because it's not going to be because we're still trying we still have trying to figure out when we can have some professional development velment so we can get better, you know, and so I don't want to have our superintendent hamstrung because we're in this situation, but I'm also realistic enough to know that there are some indicators that we can know and and so having the superintendent identify some indicators would be helpful because it's then leaning into her role in implementation, her knowledge as an experienced seven-year superintendent prior and given the framework we have to figure it out. I mean, I'm saying as a framework. Now, that doesn't preclude what anybody else is saying that they want or need. I I I'm not into that. I'm just talking about for from how I see it. If we're going to give that same grace and understanding to our superintendent, I feel like that same grace needs to be extended to this board as we try to figure out what's the best model and and all in the service of cons, you know, trying to have some kind of consensus and trying to move forward and fairness to be fair to our superintendent but fair to every to to to the different director's concerns. you know, that's that's how you go forward, you know, and so I think that we may it may not be it's not going to be pure this time because already isn't. We're already not on the timeline we want it to be, you know, but the good news is we're talking to each other and I don't hear a bunch of yelling and screaming and fingerpointing. That's not productive, you know, but but you know, so that's all I'm saying about that. I think it's not going to be pure. So, uh, and since it's not going to be pure, I don't think that we have to try to make sure we pigeon hole everybody. I don't I don't have to pigeon hole, uh, Director Long into what I think. If it's reasonable and if it works for the superintendent and if it works for us moving forward, I'm cool, you know, and because I did have one example, for example, what would be what I would like to see, and I'm not really wedded to this, but it was an example I thought about what percentage of our teachers have been trained if we we ascribe to a certain uh pedigogy or curriculum. What percentage of our staff are trained in it? I can't tell you how many times I've been excited about some initiative we're doing only to find out that 10% of the staff have learned it. You know what I mean? >> Director. >> So, so I just as as you're all talking, I just I have the um where the scorecard draft is today, the second. And so right the percent of licensed staff who are implementing culturally and linguistically respon responsive strategies will be at 90% increase the percentage of licensed staff implementing the foundational literacy resource aligned to the science of reading with high fidelity by 10 percentage points. So it's again there was zero of this. So part of what we worked in a very collaborative way with leaders was creating this, right? Haven't landed on it yet. Part of the work now that I've got a much stronger assistant superintendent, a much stronger leader in teaching and learning, a much stronger assessment person taking this with those three key people. So, we've been meeting the last month and saying, "Okay, there are I think 104 indicators on this. >> There can't be 104 indicators that we measure." So, so it's it's it didn't get done. Like, it's it's a it's a great draft and there was great work. So, I think some of the metric talk I guess what I want to say is like this isn't a foreign concept to me. I've I've been around the block a few times. We have those indicators in school improvement plans in the world's best workforce and all of that. This piece is going to help us as a district and we're not there yet. I'm hoping in the next month we can get there. Um so I don't know. I don't know how that helps the conversation. I just don't want y'all or the public to think >> that I don't understand measurable outcomes that we want to track in all of our um strategic priorities, some of its engagement data, some of its retention data, all of it. >> So to that point though, thank you for sharing that Jerry. I really appreciate that because what what that says to me when I think about the level setting we just did about all the turnover we've had at the top and the fact that we still are relatively new ourselves then it makes sense to say I've got this framework that started I don't think we'll be done till x whatever and then I'll come back and update you. I mean, you know, that's not >> And that's why I added that that last >> Well, that helps me. I mean, I'm just saying that's the kind of stuff I need. I I need to know where we're going. >> And that's why I added that last goal because the goal for this for last year was to create the entire system. We've created 93% of it. The scorecard's the piece that didn't totally get done. So, now this year, it's implementing the system. So, we've got to land on some of these goals with the new assessment person leading uh to get us there. >> So, Director Holmes, and then why don't we go goal by goal and we'll get through this. And if the majority of the board is okay because nothing's going to be perfect. I know that for sure. It never is. And this is a fluid document. Obviously, you'll check in. Is your check-in in December or January or mid year? >> January. >> January. You'll check in at that point. >> This a fluid document. because everything is changing day by day within a school system this big. And it will never be perfect. And if you try to perfect it on this early end of it, come January, you're going to realize it's not perfect. You're going to want to make modifications to it anyway. As reality kind of unfolds day by day in a school district, things are going to change. And some of these will be much easier to meet than others. and how you define a plan of action, how you define um process to establish a bond referendum, that'll be different for all eight of you. And yet, when you talk about it along the way, not just in January, but perhaps at other meetings, because I think some of these were getting regular reports from the superintendent, that was one of the performance evidences. You will continue to learn and adapt and understand this document better. Okay. So as we go along and you're saying this is a fluid document and we can make changes to this fluid document who initiates that change and then is it just by one person and then we're all like oh okay or is it like a consensus thing that happens or can anybody I mean what what do you mean by who's going to be >> thanks for asking that. So some districts at the midyear they realize that they're off track that they are not the right priority goals. So by a majority vote of the board is how that occurs. It is not just one person. It is not the superintendent by any means. It's not the board chair, not the executive. >> Majority vote >> majority of the board. Correct. It would be something because you're going to vote eventually on this as a board to adopt it. Correct. At your next business meeting perhaps. And then it's then it is what you have. And if you need to make changes, you'll have a better sense of what might need to be changed by the mid year. And if you need to change it, depends how much time you want to spend changing it versus doing it. Some districts spend way too long planning and planning and replanning and revising and they're not doing and doing and doing. So sometimes something is good enough because you're headed in the right direction and you know where you're going and you have your vision and you have some really great themes. Um you're you're heading that way. So it does take a level of trust that we're moving in that direction together. But it is not one person that would change this by any means. It would be a majority of the board. Director Holmes, >> the scorecard draft is what I'm talking about. Hearing you talk about that, that's language that resonates with me right now. In no means did I expect that to be perfection. >> I if that was communicated in some way, that's an error on my part. I knew it didn't exist because I hadn't seen it. So, this is telling me that's translating some of that into here. That gives it tangible something to hold on to. Nobody's asking you to knock it 100% out of the park like off of student retention or teacher retention. I'm not asking 100%. I want to know that the decisions we're doing as collective leaders is moving the needle in these areas that we just identified. I think that's what people are looking for. That makes sense. It doesn't need to be done. We can say this is where we are and that was my expectation with a new leader coming on board. Baseline it. Look, we didn't have a scorecard, but now you know what? This year we're starting it's I don't know 80% 70% whatever you think it is is built and these are the things we have our arms around that fall into these buckets that allows us to communicate to people and say this is why we're doing this. And then if we have to pivot mid year, we can say, okay, we were putting money here for this literacy. I mean, it even ties to the FTEES tonight that we discussed at our board meeting. Those are real numbers that translates to people. So that's what I want to implement into here >> somehow some way. >> Okay. I I love the score. I love the what's it called? Dashboard. Scoreboard. >> Score. >> Okay. I love the scorecard, but isn't the scorecard more evidence >> rather than a goal or a measure? I mean, that's just like when she gets >> a disconnect we're having though, right? >> But you don't. So, I am thinking that that's just that's part of the evidence that she's achieving these goals, but it's not gonna I'm not going to say percentage numbers or anything like that in a goal. That's just evidence that it's being worked on and these are the scores that is coming and then we get to decide what we want. >> Well, it's evidence. >> This is evident. I mean that's one piece of evidence or one >> did you want were you gonna say something? No. Am I off track on that? >> No, it's so so again I I I haven't been a very good teacher apparently. Um because the system that I've shown you multiple times with the district cycle of continuous improvement starts with right the very top of that uh is the strategic plan the board working document the scorecard which then aligns to everything that we're doing. Um, so I think that I think that's I mean that's the magic of it, right? That's the magic is that eventually it all you can see in the school improvement plans there's going to be scores around the literacy things that you know that Aviva was talking about. So I I think what's just really hard right now is to say so then the the the the all of the work like I said there's 120 indicators right now which there which is ridiculous and there can't be but if the board were to say okay one of your goals is to increase the percent or let me get a student one I don't know um increase the percent of students in grades six through eight making aggressive growth on brass bridge reading assessments from 11% to 15%. I think I think that would be unfair to me at this point. Um to take the the whole of what I move and have to set the conditions for as a superintendent and then say my success or not success is based on this piece. So I I think that's part of my struggle right now. Um, and and maybe that's not what you're saying. Maybe that's just what I'm >> to your to your point, Terry, because you you brought up that rubric or whatever it is you were talking about, uh, the scoreard. >> Um, I think that's why I like to and I really believe, leaving it to you to you understanding what what I'm saying about that helps me to know you're working on a framework where 20% I mean, I'm I'm up here. If you're doing the framework and you think you're going to be done by a certain time, that gives me some indicator that we're doing it. And then I need to know what's in it. What are we looking at? >> Trying to pull aidence. >> I don't want I'm not don't want to get I'm not trying to get into details here tonight, but I'm just saying and because that even that data will be calculated with the totality of whatever else we're looking at. >> It's not going to stand alone. It'll just be one of those things we just talked about regarding academics. So we kind of know we're moving. >> Agreed, Director Holmes. >> Yeah. And so I I think not tying your success based on one, right? Because that's what we talk about here that there's important, more important, whatever you said at the beginning. We all understand the complexities seriousness of the superintendent especially coming into a district where he did like I think that's what we recognized as a board that that what we were starting with needed major demolition and you know building it from we keep talking these analogies the plane from scratch whatever >> so I think that's there and we always talk about well yeah of course that's part of the job part of the job but it's at least giving me something that prevents us from going back and forth >> at the table to you saying, "Here's my evidence and me saying that's not what I was looking for." Like that's that's not valuable to me. Like because then we could do that all day long. So of course I'm cognizant and aware of all of the other things you're doing because you would still I would think knowing how you presented and what you bring for detail, you would still do that. It's just a it's a it's a measurement tool. I mean, if we if we don't go from I don't whatever we're measuring from 61% to 73% in one year, I'm not going to say, oh, you failed. But it'll say, okay, how else are we going to focus? If that was the goal we set, where do you think you weren't getting the support you needed? Or what didn't we do? Or what's your suggestion? Do we need to pivot resource financial resources to hiring more ELLL teachers or whatever it is? It just it it's a roadmap to a conversation about a board that's serious about changing where we are academically, financially, and culturally. So, that's what I'm utilizing it for. Not a gotcha, you screwed all of this up by yourself because Lord knows that's not it. We've got everybody that's supporting it. But at least it tells us when we're making these decisions because we're making substantial decisions when we invest, you know, whatever money in educate it. And I really need those numbers because then it'll tell us, nope, we shouldn't have allocated it that way. That's what I'm looking for. I don't know how to say that any other way. I hope that makes sense. So it's part of So again if if you go back and I can resend the district system of continuous remember it. >> Yeah. So that's so so the scorecard which which will be we we'll kick something off with it this fall as we do the the um ker the world's best workforce report. There'll be the indicators. There'll be some indicators right a starting point indicator for this. So that's in goal number four. It's part of that system. >> So, can we do that? That is a hard date for me. We'll kick it off by November 30th. I mean, that's kind of where I'm going. Like, I want some dates or some measurements of some sort. And that is like, okay, boom. Yeah, we didn't have it. We're working on it and now we're kicking it off and it's a starting point for me. So, that's >> Aiva is next. Aviva has been waiting patiently. She >> had me put her on the list. You're after her. Nice sweet to say I've been patient. Um I just wanted to say that it's 5 to midnight. We had committed to any meetings at 10. It's it's very late and I know that we're probably all getting tired. So I just wanted to get us refocused back onto like I No, no, no. But like to getting us moved towards getting >> decisions >> decisions. Yeah. No, I thought it was great discussion. I'm not but I'm just saying that it is getting very late and I agree on that. >> So, if we could just I don't know what the next step is, but >> Helen, did you have something to say in the movie? >> Well, well, yeah. I mean, that exchange was great because I think you know the part the part that really kind of struck out for me is then it tells us if you come back and say you need then we can say where can we help? I mean, you know, when we're making budget decisions, I mean, we're, you know, that's the purpose, you know, is to when we when we're talking about cutting staff and you're saying, "This is my recommendation and all the recommendations you're making." We understand the we understand the vision, you know, but so I I I too, you know, that's when I talk about monitoring metrics is it's like what are you giving us so we can kind of know where we're going. That's bottom line for me. I don't need to be any more specific than that. I mean I you know we're always talking about we have a a a smart or we I don't know if we say smart but we have a good great superintendent. I think you know she's smart so I don't have to go you know leave it to you know kind of sort through it and figure it out and I'm I'm agree with Aviva it's getting late. >> It is getting late. I mean the goals are still what we want we said all of us want to focus on. I mean we named those things. This scorecard is just some evidence that we'll be getting >> okay >> when we're doing the evaluation of things that you worked on and the achievements that are happening. But what we wanted were these particular I mean we want work on what's happening with a vision for our district whether and we want to have our sod finances taken care of. We want the community engagement and we want >> well those are already goals. >> Your priorities are very similar as individuals. You did talk about finances, you talked about community engagement and you talked about academics in these four goals. I think those are in here. >> No. >> So, Director Long, what do you think we're missing? >> No. >> You don't see academics or community or finance in here? No. >> What would you like to see instead? >> Well, I'm back at like you know because you said what is an action plan and then we went off on another problem. I would like to see an action plan where we're listing where we get to know what what's the problem and then what are the possible solutions and what are the possible steps to those solutions and then targeted points when the check-in on that progress will be given to the board. So I wrote this down when you had asked that question and then waited for the roundabout to for my turn. But like I said, I need more measurable stuff. Otherwise, I'm going to be like, "No, no, this isn't, you know, and I don't want a goal about something that I have no knowledge of." If I could speak, that is the tricky spot that you're in because of how much work is needed in this district and how heavy a lift it is. And in the second year, it's a tremendously heavy lift. I said this is ambitious. I would never say overly ambitious because Dr. Stalo is a high achiever. I work with an awful lot of boards on these and an awful lot of superintendent. And this is actually quite specific from a performance evaluation perspective. The foundation of the goal being or a goal area driven by the board because each of these does talk about the board when it comes to the goal and then the evidence. The problem I think in the dichconomy we have is that the plan of action isn't defined yet because she's creating the plan of action as she's building this and as she's developing the academic and as she's working with her new leadership team. It's all happening. So it's almost as if it's going to make sense in hindsight. You can't forecast what it is because we don't know yet. And the dashboard will be a part of it of course but it's so much bigger than that. That's where I'm struggling too. But the plan that I have to implement as that first goal is based on the direction that the board's going to give me in the next three months. Right. >> So, so it's the board direction that I have to implement. >> Are we okay with goal one? And I know I know you're not going to have 100%. I know this. >> Majority of us okay with >> No, I'm not okay with goal one. >> Director Holmes, >> can we take out the vision team? I mean, so you just want to say successfully implement the schoolboard direction recommendations uh or redoing the district. I mean, what >> school board recommendations for reimagine 281 because it's going to come in a different way. I'm not putting all I I can't I'm not putting all my weight on one. >> It's not It's not saying that it does, Kim. It's saying I rewrote this specifically. It says, "My goal is to successfully implement the board direction per recommendations of the vision team and additional board study and stakeholder input." So all or feedback. So all of those things are a part of it. >> Yeah. And a little patience, please. I'm I I didn't have another printed out copy, so I have this one. And I've been working on my phone. So if I misread something, >> I changed it based on I just had it up. I had it up and I read it. I'm I was just >> I don't know what to do cuz everybody's getting punchy. There's eye rolling director. >> I know. But we've put it off for so long. So at some point we need to launch on it. >> Go one looks great to me. >> Looks great to me. Looks great. This one, >> not to you. Renee already said it looked good to her, but she's not here right now. She went home sick. >> I'm okay with go one. I I really do believe that uh I think the I really think that the feedback that the superintendent's gotten already now from the feedback that you've gotten from the board tonight uh superintendent do you feel like that might if if you sit with that document that might influence you to maybe manipulate it a bit more or what what do you >> not unless I have full direction to do so because I I feel like I took I took into account I reworked that first goal based on the feedback from last time. I added a number around the student engagement to help with the OB objectivity and I added back the piece around implementing the district system of continuous improvement which will include a scorecard to help us monitor moving forward >> a whole range academics a whole range of data. I I'm I'm I'm not necessarily fixed on the goals as they sit. >> I'm more thinking about the evidence. >> And so, uh I really do believe that some of the conversation that's happening around this table with regard to what kind of evidence people want to see, uh or what might be more helpful would be a a helpful thing to do. I mean, and and and and I and I say that with good reason because if we are indeed a team and and I I'm getting feedback that people are saying that there's different kind of evidence that might be that I might want to have because last couple times around our superintendent just went off and created, you know, came up with evidence that they thought we wanted to see and just gave us a bunch of paper. Now, I'm I'm being a little bit trit, but not much. >> How about we move on to goal two about finance? Did you have something? Director Wuto, did you have something? I don't think >> yeah I was just going to echo what Dr. Basset was saying. She said she's agreeing with the goals but the evidence is the issue and I think we all agree that at midterms we will have the opportunity to look at what is presented and adjust these documents as needed. So if the goal is not the issue let's just go through it approve it as is and we all said it's flexible. So at midterms we will look at it again please. >> Okay. So, no, I do cuz when we talked about this last time, I said I didn't want any re-imagined stuff in there at all. So, and it's still there. So, and >> I think no, like stop because I stopped because I'm in mid-sentence and then somebody's trying to rebut what I'm trying to say. I I feel like I should have a chance to say what I want to say. >> Go ahead. So, I had said that last time when we met and talked about this that that re that I didn't agree with having reimagine in there. We don't really have enough information or detail about that reimagine what's going on there. There there's no there was no resolution written around what it was that we wanted as a board for this reimagine thing to take place or shape into or morph into or whatever it was supposed to be. I mean, that wasn't board directed at all. I I don't I don't get that at all. And then, you know, now we're hearing about this scorecard, which we have been hearing about a scorecard, a scorecard, a scorecard. Well, why not let us see into what this scorecard is? So, now we're saying possibly in the fall we're going to see it sometime. I don't know, but I I have been hearing that that was something we were going to see all along, and now maybe it's going to be the fall. I mean, I hope it is. I also have reservations about, you know, you want to say this is a fluid document and we can make adjustments and director UTO is bringing up well when we get to midterm then we'll make it. No, because then you guys are going to change the rules on us again and not allow any kind of adjustment to be happen. I'm I'm just like it just seems like a reoccurring theme here and so I don't want that reoccurring theme. I want to be able to be on the same page, but it's hard to be on the same page when people keep putting barriers and blockers in my way and then wanting to dispute what I have to say as a board member. That's not right. It's not fair. Stop coming up with arguments to argue against me. Please listen to kind of what I'm trying to say. There is value in it. >> Thank you. >> I wasn't trying to dispute you. I just >> Director Hill. I was I was like wait I was on um all I was going to say is that similarly to number one goal two says to implement an SOD plan that we don't have and yet nobody seems to have an issue with that. So I'm just saying that we have to like you were saying build the plane as as we're going and um we're talking about plans that will be created and then board approved and then implemented. So, I think that they're analogous for for whatever reason. Some board members have an issue with the re-imagine committee that um is going has been looking through this information, will be making some recommendations, but they're just a committee that's making recommendations. Fact that they exist, the fact that they're mentioned doesn't preclude the fact that the board will be the one approving whatever plan. And so, um, I'm not I I I don't I I know you guys have your feelings about it. I'm not saying they're wrong. I'm just saying that that doesn't preclude any decisions that we make. So, I don't I think that that we should take that piece out of it and just know that similar to goal two with the SOD plan, it's the same as the reimagine plan. They're plans that we're going to have to that will be made that we'll have to approve and then they'll be implemented. That's all. And you are moving very very quickly. This district is moving at warp speed with the changes you're making which is also part of the problem. I think Director Holmes, >> I it's not in my feelings about the the vision team at all. I appreciate the work they've done. It is just one committee and so that's why I don't want it in the goal because there are a zillion other components that we already have information on that go into it. And so how this board tends to operate is if there's a recommendation put forward by administration, that's what we use as the guidepost. So that's why I'm trying to remove that. Not because I have an issue specifically with anybody on that team, but it speaks to we didn't do a resolution. We didn't know what the outcomes of were going to be. Things have changed as we went along because of all of the things that have been uncovered financially with this. As a school board, we are required by statute. So, putting that in under a superintendent goal gives that group more power than they have. You advised us when we were searching for a superintendent not to get too much community input because ultimately it is the board who's making the decision. So, we didn't do more community engagement. So, now I'm being told, well, use this community engagement in a goal. That's mixed messages for me. So, I understand we're going to reimagine and we've got to move forward, but that's why I'm having problems with the school. Leave it in if you want. SOD, yes, that's going to go in by January 31st. But what I would like is a work session to sit down and talk about. Have you all looked at that document? We've got some there are major things in there that we're going to have to get through. When are we going to try to get out of SOD by year to dates versus um budget? All of these things. So to me, those are specific components in here that moves it forward because we have no no option. We just have to approve O SOD. But when we ask the CFO what that actually means, it's like, well, you give them your plan and it always it's another fluid document because sometimes we're not going the way we want to or we thought it would go with the plan. So there's got to be some set things here because we didn't get to this place out of nowhere. Their declining enrollment happened a long time ago. You know, the writing's been on the wall. So that these measurements are part of it. So SOD, can we tie capture rate increase or enrollment increase to that? Those are evidence-based things. And again, it's not on just one person. It's the person who's leading the district. and it allows us to measure if we're going in the right direction. I just feel like it doesn't matter what I say right now. So, we're just going to if we're going to majority the board, I would just rather know. >> Some of the things I think you're looking for will be outcomes from the way this is written. It's just that we can't know it yet. >> Well, it's and I sorry >> it's not out that's not what I meant though. That's not >> But in 9 months to measure in 9 months at a year that we're closing schools and consolidating schools, I don't believe there's one ounce of fairness to having me improving capture rates in that year. >> I No, I understand. >> I'm sorry. That's just the example you gave. So that's why I wanted to speak to >> I'll clarify then because when we had had Hazel Reinhardt come, you were excited. You said, "Oh, if it's at 62%." Then that's growth. that's area and I thought we were on the same page. That's right because we can get some number there. And so now it's just like well now that we're going to close schools that's not a target anymore. I'm trying to figure out we went in SOD because we stopped capturing students. That's a primary reason of why we're here. So I don't think it's unreasonable to say what are we doing to get that the enrollment back because students are funding like I it's not an all or nothing and I do you feel that would tie director Holmes into the goal around improving culture climate and trust with staff and families enrollment should go up if that is improved correct and if academics are improved with the continuous improvement enrollment should go up >> and I think part of the scoreard I think that measure on a scorecard I agree 100% on >> this. >> Oh, I don't >> I'm sorry. I don't know enough to look at you, director Long. I'm sorry. >> I was Yeah, I was on the list then Helen then Aviva. So yeah, I mean I feel like sorry to go back to goal number one, but stakeholder feedback parentheses reimagine the vision team in there if that needs to be included in there because that's a part of stakeholder feedback. That's how I feel that that would be in parentheses to that, not a standalone by itself like that. and the sod we didn't get to it but I don't necessarily agree with that and cuz I feel like that's going to be done what in a couple months that has to it has to be >> but then it has to be implemented >> I don't want to word Smith to two in the morning if it would help could we say something around goal one successfully implement school board direction per recommendations of board study and stakeholder feedback including the re-imagine committee or something like that. Is it because it's first that we're caught up on it versus the board study and stakeholder feedback to your point director long including >> reimagine Ardale vision 2030 team. I mean if you move it to the bottom of that sentence does that help and it puts board study and stakeholder feedback first? >> I mean is the order of it one of the things you're tripping on? Well, no. It's not the order of it, and I'm not in my feelings about it. It's just one piece of the stakeholder feedback, and there's lots of pieces to the stakeholder feedback. Are we going to list them all? No, we're not. That would be a really lengthy goal. Then, if we listed all the stakeholder feedback that we have, we're not. So, I just feel like that's not that shouldn't be there. And I've said that before. It shouldn't be there. And I don't appreciate people saying I'm in my feelings about that, but it's just a portion of and that portion isn't no more important than any of the other stakeholder feedback that we might be getting that might be presented to us. >> So, who would like to remove the reimagine our deal vision 2030 team verbiage? Director Long, Director Holmes, >> I like what you said, the more inclusive. Well, I tell you what, this is four pages and from my experience, it's too long for a superintendent evaluation document because you do need to stay out of the weeds. I think progress is more important than perfection. Are you making progress? Are you headed in the right direction? It is not perfect. It's never going to be perfect with this board. You're never going to come to agreement this year on it. It's frustrating for you. It's frustrating for Dr. Stallow. >> I think people are energized with some of the things that are occurring here per board direction, per Dr. Alo and her team's work. It's exciting and it's too bad that we are getting bogged down on something that is a guiding document for her performance evaluation and yet there's so much more to it and you all know it and we can't fit it in here. >> We don't need that either. Like >> kind of hitting it making judgments versus us just working through this. >> I apologize if that's what you're sensing. I don't know if you can work through it. I really don't. >> Well, I I think we can because I I think that uh I think we can work through it because I think that there's been enough said here and enough feedback. Quite frankly, I think that what I'm hearing, what's coming through for me and what I believe and what's coming through for me. I understand that there's this concern about the standalone um quality of what it looks like or what you what it says on that paper about the vision. I think it's more inclusive than that quite frankly. So, I don't see it that way anyway, you know, and I think sometimes for some people having it worded in in an inclusive way helps because there's some people the letter of the law if it if it doesn't say it, we don't, you know, then we don't have to factor it. I'm not in that camp. I believe it is more inclusive. So, I really like that phrase that Barb said and if that's something she and Terry can talk about, fine. I'm more interested in the evidence. I'm more interested in seeing evidence. I'm more interested in giving in and understanding what the indicators are even a separate sheet that talks about here are the indicators that of whatever because it's the indicators that are going to tell us we're going in a particular direction and that's not what I see in that document. I don't see really I mean the indicators are vague. I need metrics with the indicators is what I'm saying and I think you're you're already working on it. You're working on score sheet you know and then how do we how do we factor that? How do we use it? what it you know then what evidence in that and how how often will we talk about it? I mean I think those are concrete things. We spend all together too much time on this board as far as I'm concerned. Talked about things that don't really go with there. There's a business of it. But when we get ready to talk about some of the things that are more um the fun stuff because it's the fun stuff for me, the academic achievement, we're making progress. What are we going to do? We're going to have a scorecard, you know, what's the profile? You know, all those things is the excitement of being a schoolboard member because all we do is talk about policy, you know, but uh but I need indicators. I need to know we're going in a particular direction and I don't like surprises. >> Where would you like to go from here? Thank you, Dr. B or Director Basset. >> We accept goal one with how Barb rewrote it. I can do it with you rewriting it. I can live with the with the reimagine there. Whether people like Reimagine or they don't like it, it's a fact that it's been working in our people have been working on it in our district. So, it's part of what's happening in our district. >> I can respect what the two directors are saying about re-imagine, but I also believe just like they do that it's more inclusive than just that. >> Totally. >> I believe that and I think that should be in that document because I think it helps people who get lost and they're the letter of the law people. it helps them, you know, and um and I think it helps us too. And I'm I'm you know, I mean, I think we all want to be successful, you know, we want the superintendent to be successful. And so, why have ambiguous language if we can figure out some things that help us get us there? Let's do it. I mean, I'm ready to go. I'm getting a little cranky. >> So, goal two, people can accept Barb's wording. Can you accept it? 01. >> I think at the end of the day, y'all do what you want. I don't have a ton of confidence that >> I I will I know what my work is this year. I clearly know my work and >> I have no idea how anyone would measure up to the expectations of this current board. So, I'm going to do work. You wordsmith it. you do what you need to do, but I'm going to do the work. >> I'm fine with goal one, the way it's stated. >> I like the way I liked your edit and if she's okay with it, then I'd like your the edit that you put on it because I think it is more comprehensive and and she said I mean she said she's okay with it. >> We have three more goals to >> I didn't write it. So, I mean, we'll wordmith it tomorrow just a sentence or two. >> Yeah. Otherwise, we're not we we have to be goal number two. >> We also I just want to say one thing. We we can word smith these until 3 in the morning. I think we came in tonight with a board majority being okay with the way they were. I agree. >> Well, could we could stop right now and just take the temperature? >> Let's see. >> Well, goal number, >> but that wasn't why we scheduled this time right now to do that. If that was the case, then why didn't we do that the other time? And then, you know, then to speak of professionalism, then for somebody to sit there and spew something out into the room and now everybody's like, "Oh, no, no, now we got to do it this way. We got to do it this way." I don't really like that. That seems to be like, you know, we just keep following along and not working together as a board. We were starting to have a conversation as a board and then that stops. >> Then that stops because something is interjected. So, we can't continue on to have this dialogue. And then the things that are interjected aren't professional statements. >> So that was a call on me because I said that at the beginning of this meeting PE four board members said they were okay with these goals. >> True. >> I adjusted that you said before that >> no I want to clarify. I I don't believe that I don't believe I could have provided >> I know what my last evaluation looked like and I don't believe that there is anything that I could provide here that will meet the standards of all seven individuals. I I don't believe that and that's just based on the experience that I had in the last year. >> I hope I'm wrong. >> Okay. These are all things that I want you to be working on this year and this is the work of the district that is encapsulated in this. So I support this as I said in the beginning of the meeting. I already said what I had to say about goal one and the rest of the goals I don't have an issue with and but what my issue is because I don't think we should just is the evidence and I think that's what I've been talking about from whether it's edrics monitoring however way you want to slice it but when I understood that we have this this scorecard coming along then having some sense that we're going to be seeing it all those kinds of things I can that resonates with me you know uh because that's my that's what I care I don't care about a lot of narratives. I want data. >> Thank you, Director Holmes. >> I don't feel I have unreasonable expectations. I'm looking for measurements. >> And the frustration for me is I've asked a bunch of different times to give a standalone meeting for this or to talk about it. I understand it's late. I understand we all lose our functionality, but the reality is this is huge and this is a document that we use to evaluate the leader of the district, including an incentive pay to the tune of 10% up to 10%. So, it matters. >> It does matter. >> And to pretend like it doesn't isn't okay with me. And so I don't know where it fell through on on agenda planning on if we needed to do it earlier or maybe that's you know something that we need to learn from or a standalone night. But I I it is because I don't think it's a fair assessment to look at me and say I can't meet expectations when I was quite clear before and now on what I'm looking to do. So if we're going to sit here and talk about that and then the last meeting we had ended with I don't have time for this. So that is very jarring as a schoolboard member. It does shut down conversation. The ones asking the questions aren't the one we didn't we didn't schedule this late at the the meeting and and decide to be here this late but we are trying to have our voices heard. And that's the expectation. And we have a district where yeah, you've got 62% of the people. And so if you want to keep rolling with that, have at it. But I thought the goal was to get better and improve how who we're servicing and how because you can look at it all day long. Enrollment's been declining for a long time. So that has to be a factor here because we're not measuring anything effectively. And I have a right to have my voice heard on this and how I'm going to do evaluations because we all know how it went before. And the promise was we would come together and try to listen to each other. It's not happening. So let's pack up then if that's what we're all doing. >> But the answer is there that's the document they're going to move forward. So, um I you know I I see Kenn's hand, but I'm but my hand was up first before Kenneth and I see his hand, too. And I guess my feeling is this. Um the process this year did not include an opportunity to meet earlier for the board to talk about its own goals and to have some collaboration. That did not happen. And that's the board's responsibility. It's not the superintendent's responsibility. So would you suggest a meeting next July in early July to talk about that third year? >> I'm talking about what I'm talking about right now and so next year fine. But I'm saying that was a missed opportunity and it was concerning based on how things went with the previous evaluation with the previous superintendent. But this board proved that it took us a while to get there. we were able to go through the evaluation with our previous superintendent and get it done. This board didn't have that opportunity and that's been a part of the process as long as I've been serving, you know, but we missed that and so I didn't make it an issue. But turns out I wasn't the only one who expected to have it. The collaborative process is one that we have had before that didn't necessarily happen. So, but I'm not looking for a place not to agree. If I do disagree, I'm going to say it, you know. But, you know, I saw something I thought was missing and I talked about it. I think that every director has the absolute right to talk about the things that that are concerning to them. I think we all need to take a look at where where we need to improve things and maybe meeting earlier next year might maybe that some good can come out of this is that we realize that the board needs to meet not then we meet with the superintendent but the board needs to have time to in space to meet on its own to talk about what's important to us and what do we see that's historically only thing I've ever known and when that doesn't happen people have to figure out a way to fit it in you know uh and it's not a a conversation that's necessarily led alone by the superintendent. The collaborations that the superintendent comes in or what the superintendent thinks is important and because you respect the superintendent, you listen. >> Thank you, director. >> Yeah. Um I want to move the motion that we've had a lot of deliberation on these goals here. uh that we go through each goal by goal. If it is not the will of the board to have a goal in there, we strike it out. If it is the will of the board, we keep it in so we can move on. >> Okay, I'll second it. Well, you've already stated you have the will as as is. So, let's not go through the motions. >> So, you'd rather just do it as documented as of a whole? We can do >> we can adjourn >> all four goals at once. >> I didn't understand. >> Okay. They want to go through goal of a motion and a second to go go by goal. >> All right. All in favor of going goal by goal, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Okay. Goal one. Thumb thumb thumbs up or thumbs down? >> The way it's written right now. up up down the way it's written right now. >> I thought you were gonna >> Yeah, we're taking it the way it is right now. >> Well, you said you were >> saying, "Yeah, we are going." I know. >> We're just like This is just taking >> We got a text from Director Bowman, but that can't count because she's not here, right? >> No, I cannot count. One, one, two, three. One, two. Are you abstaining? I want to I like the what Barb said >> putting the reimagine vision 2030 at the end of that sentence instead of the beginning >> including the you know I mean I like that it's it's more inclusive as the reimagine group >> I can live with that you said stakeholder and board study those were >> additional board study and stakeholder feedback including the reimagine vision 2030 committee >> yeah and and boards whatever >> so I re >> rewarded goal one everything else stays the same use your thumb up now. Her words. >> Well, yeah. I think I mean because I believe it's inclusive like it's been said. I believe that. That's why it was saying what you're saying. >> I see the thumb. One, two, three, four. Okay. Go two. >> Sodal two. Sod. >> Oh, we got to do that. >> Okay. One, two, three, four. >> Go three. >> That's the new one from the last time. >> Provide leadership to implement the dis the district system of continuous improvement. I have one more thing. >> You're improving You're approving the evidence the way it is, though, too. >> Well, that's what I was just going to say. >> So, >> this is where your evidence comes in. >> Well, is that but but but that's not in there now. But is that what are you is that in the evidence? >> I just I just wrote the scorecard in it in the evidence. >> Yep. >> Scorecard will be in there. The word scorecard will be in the evidence. >> The scorecard for some evidence. >> Okay. >> Dr. W. Can I see a thumb? Oh, thank you. Good. Go for it. >> Lay it down. >> Go for it. >> He has to go to breakfast soon. >> Yes. Um, invest in improving improving culture, climate, and trust with staff, families, and community members. I can't argue with that. One, two, three, four. All right. We have a set of goals. With the evidence, I had a board member last year say something that might make sense to you, and I don't know. He said, "I don't know what I'm looking for, but I'll know it when I see it." I think this >> and that's that kind of points to the unfolding of the document and the action plan. You don't know what the action plan is because you haven't seen it yet and you are new to working together. It's only been a year and two months. So you are in that was it early evol early performing storming norming. You're in that early stage of learning to work together and it's going to start to make a lot more sense I think the more you work together and the more trust might be built amongst board members and superintendent. But I think that action plan, the evidence, it's it's going to at some point click and you'll be out. That's what I was looking for. Like some of you tonight with the scorecard, >> I think if you have faith in the direction you're going, >> I'm just telling you if it's not in the document explicitly, it doesn't matter. >> That's because that's how we've operated. >> That's because we haven't gelled together. >> So it'll be >> as a board, which is even less time than super spent with us. >> It's not how this has happened. >> I mean I mean that's a challenge. just, you know, >> I'd like to say thank you, Barb, for >> being here for >> Sorry, I couldn't be more effective. Build consensus that everyone felt good about. >> One, two, three, four. We still have enough. Okay. Anybody else have anything else? >> No, but I do have a question. So, in terms of >> Well, she has a question, then we're adjourning. >> I do have a a question. So, at the midterm, back to this comment about fluid. What's I um I don't know about fluid, but I think the culture has been at the midterm. We're not trying to do anything dramatic and it's not um you know, but I do think that maybe that's a time when we can um you know, check in and see where we are. Um and and the reason I think that becomes important is because we still have a new board. We've got two new directors who came on in January and then we you know I mean it it just is what it is and it it just like we have the superintendency that's turned over turned over so has the board and then we've had a difficult last couple of years. So I think if this is a place that can help this board and this organization, this district move forward, pausing then to have a deeper conversation I think would be helpful. I'm not suggesting what happens during that time. Maybe we can talk about that and get your input uh superintendent as we move toward that and have the chair and vice chair talk about it. Maybe have a work session in the future where we talk about it. I think more time to talk about things that are important before we get to them matters. Having important conversations where we have data for just a couple of days and a couple people still have jobs, they work, you know. So if you get something on Thursday or Friday and you got to talk about it on Monday, I don't think that's a formula for success. >> Do you ever go off site for your retreats or your work sessions? Yeah, like the Bahamas. >> We're pretty much off topic right now. Let's uh adjourn. Thank everybody. >> Thank you. Thank you, Kenneth. >> Thank you. You all have a good morning. >> Stay stay safe. Stay safe. >> Thank you. >> Ever interested in some PD with Gail Gilman?