[0:37] yes that's yours if we're just uh we're live streaming again guys [0:42] we're live streaming again um so i apologize we had to rescut our [0:50] live streaming some sort of technology [0:58] we're going to talk about uh we're back from recess and we're now going to talk about the edina high school [1:03] science review the court course pathway recommendations um and jody if you could introduce the high [1:09] school science teachers that we have that would be great i'm gonna have i'm gonna have mark start because i'm sorry to talk on the next board report as well [1:16] so he's gonna save my voice excellent thank you good evening uh board chair ellenberg superintendent [1:23] stanley and rest of the board thanks for having us here this evening we have with us tonight [1:29] principal beaton mike rottie and julie maggie both mike and julie are science teachers at the [1:36] high school and have been part of this review process and the report that you have before you [1:43] basically we are here today because science standards from minnesota changed [1:49] in the summer of 2019 with uh 2425 being our full [1:55] implementation year we're in that process right now and we are at a point where we need to define kind of the [2:01] pathways that students can take towards meeting those standards as they enter the high school [2:06] so um this board report before you is really to articulate what those would look like [2:13] and uh really here to answer any questions and um and really have some discussion around [2:19] that and we'd like to open it up to questions at this time [2:25] great thank you um i'll turn it back over to board members for their questions or comments [2:35] go ahead julie sure i'll go um i [2:41] first um wanted to just comment on a couple things thank the middle school and the [2:46] high school teachers that have put a ton of work into this whole work because i know it is um has been a ton over the last couple [2:53] years and making it really smart i the my big takeaway from the way that [2:59] this the science pathways are set up is that there i see more [3:04] um rigor more opportunities for all the kids i see that everywhere with enriched with [3:12] honors which i know is part of it and the compact science that we're going to start seeing those kids in the middle [3:17] school now hitting the high school one of mine actually is doing the compact so i was trying to explain to [3:23] her she had no idea what i was talking about but she knows that it means something cool but it really you can really see that so i really appreciate [3:30] all the intentionality in this and how you guys have listened to feedback from not only the board but um [3:36] from one another and students and what you've seen so i wanted to say that um really the only oh the other thing i [3:42] love is that the timeline for this will be ahead of the mca's i think that's really fantastic and a huge achievement [3:49] the only question i really have is do you have enough support to implement it and is there anything else that you [3:54] would need as a district resources anything to help not that i can deliver it on my own but [4:02] i want to ask the question because it's it's um it's [4:07] anyway i thought i would ask the question i'd like the teachers to answer that one [4:12] yeah since you're implementing the newer course the newest course first what's your thinking of that [4:20] well my head spins to think about it you know it's so i i don't know because it's not in front of me just yet and we're [4:26] sort of still building the plane while it's in the air so to speak you know eighth grade [4:32] compacted teachers are teaching the course we're still writing the curriculum for second semester [4:38] um for the physical earth science course uh and so yeah we're still looking at [4:47] quantifying all of the equipment that we're going to need changing you know from [4:52] ninth grade being the course or physics being in the ninth grade course to moving that to being an [4:58] entirely new course completely new course [5:04] that's a it's a lot to quantify in terms of what [5:09] what are the what are the things we're going to need in terms of equipment in terms of pd in [5:15] terms of all of that um i think we're making great progress we have a really really strong team [5:22] um with the 8th grade teachers who are currently teaching the compacted course working [5:30] side by side with us to build it and to our i think our communication is very [5:35] strong um i guess the short answer to your question is i feel like we're on a good [5:43] path i'm confident that [5:49] that'll be a great course i mean i'm really excited about the course i think it's a fantastic course [5:55] um and i think that will be fine [6:00] okay but you know no that's not and that's a very honest answer i i just wanted to pose it because it is [6:06] aggressive i feel like we've been supported so great at this point so i feel like i [6:11] think given the support that we've received so far i'm confident that we'll [6:16] be able to move forward and and be in a good position a year from now two years from now three years from [6:22] now excellent that's great thank you yes that's it great work [6:29] matt i thought you pressed your phone button i apologize janie [6:35] thank you guys for all the work on this um you know i had a chance to have some questions answered in teaching and [6:40] learning so really what i wanted to do was just reiterate [6:45] my thought that we have these these pathways right like we have these [6:52] options i should say for students who have specific interests about how they can [6:58] kind of maneuver through the science courses and i just want to reiterate that i think it would be great to have [7:03] those mapped out for students and even things we could share with our middle school students so that they can [7:09] actually understand the decisions that they make and what that allows them to do in high school so [7:15] we have in our course catalog you know great information but i i feel like when [7:20] we open up possibilities by moving things around like this we do ourselves a disservice by not really [7:26] sharing that with students as much as we possibly can to say hey you know you might have this spark that [7:32] relates to medicine here's what your pathway could look like here's what you the way you [7:37] could look at doing your courses because sometimes kids in eighth grade are really like deers and headlights they don't quite understand but if we can [7:44] show them that we have all this intentionality around especially math and science and different options i feel [7:51] like that would benefit more students so they don't get caught you know going into junior year thinking oh if i would [7:57] have done this or if i would have done this differently or if i would have taken this science before i could have had an [8:03] ap just kind of spelling it out for them giving them some playbooks at an earlier [8:08] age because we really do have like i said options that they that they may not know about so and i [8:15] appreciate all the work in in making that happen so thank you [8:22] lenny or ellen or owen oh ellen sure [8:27] um so thanks for all your work i um i'm excited about [8:32] uh some changes and uh i do have a couple questions though [8:38] uh one you know right now currently all students that are in ninth grade take [8:45] physics and with this new schedule [8:51] i want to ask how will those students bound for ap physics be able to take [8:57] regular physics as a preparation for ap physics will the district guarantee that [9:03] those students who plan to take ap physics be able to schedule into regular physics [9:09] when they request it i i think i understand your question so [9:16] um really as we think about the the way that that course is laid out it's about [9:21] meeting those top demands so if if a student decides that they do not want to follow the teacher recommended pathways [9:28] they can certainly do it in a different order the one thing i would say though about physics i mean that's going to be [9:34] a course all of our ninth graders this year took physics so we wouldn't really have a [9:39] demand for physics next year so that's a course that will be kind of in a renewal as we make it we as we change it [9:46] from a ninth grade course to a senior course so if if a student said hey i [9:51] don't want to take chemistry i want to take physics and ap physics they certainly would be able to do that but [9:57] like next year they would probably get their biology requirement taken care of and then take the physics kind of on the [10:03] back end of their of their high school career to do that but yes a student would definitely be able to get ap [10:09] physics through this process so and and the real question is as it as [10:14] this plays out so maybe this year and next year we're in a transitional period [10:20] but as this plays out for those juniors that are planning on taking [10:26] physics junior year which is out of out of the typical [10:32] sequencer and the pathway too i just am asking whether or not that the [10:38] school is prepared to say yes this is your pathway we [10:44] understand you need to take this class your junior year in order to take ap physics your senior [10:51] year so i'm just wondering about whether the district will guarantee those students [10:57] a place junior year in a physics class i i [11:02] go ahead and talk about prerequisites yeah a little bit i think they're pre-requested i think we can make sure that that's happening but uh it's also going to be [11:09] made physics is a very complicated ap animal there's actually four different ap physics tests um and that's not true [11:15] in biochem or uh or environmental science so um we haven't landed on what we think the [11:21] new first year physics course should look like but personally i'm advocating it be the lowest of the ap options so [11:27] that that actually is an ap course and then there would be a higher ap option later and the course we offer [11:32] right now is sort of in between those two things um and so i think it actually gives us some room to [11:38] expand our ap physics offerings a little bit and ensure that students who maybe only get that first year are still [11:44] getting a pretty rigorous first year because they'll still hopefully be taking an ap physics course as their [11:50] first year course um it's not the same ap physics course that i'm teaching right now it's it's a [11:55] different course but i think that actually has a lot of potential to provide students a couple [12:00] of different tiers depending on if they're going into engineering or they love it after the first year decide you know what i want a second year and that [12:06] does mean students who think they might be interested need to get that first year in by the end of their junior year so we're very aware that that's [12:13] what a student would need if they're ever going to take two years of physics while they're in high school so that's very much on our radar but how that's [12:19] going to unpack and and what course what students course taking choices will look like [12:25] isn't something we can completely predict because we don't we don't know if the population [12:31] to choose two years of physics will actually show up on the scene or not so it's hard to know [12:37] how all this is going to impact some of the choices they make later in high school but we do know that that [12:43] that's a kid who wants a lot of physics needs to make sure we get that first year physics in as a sophomore a junior [12:48] right so the new physics class would be like ap physics 1 and is that [12:55] taught with what algebra or is that so not calculus most schools do it as [13:00] the first year business course it's increasingly common to see that as the first year physics course [13:05] so we haven't locked up landed on that fully that and that's part of as we're still in this review process we know [13:12] that physics is a is a course that is one of the courses that we really have to relook at retool [13:18] with the new standards and as and it's even more so because we're moving it from a ninth grade course that was not [13:24] uh mathematics based really to a senior course primarily that would be much more [13:30] mathematically based and then and then the um additional you you were talking about [13:37] the other ap courses that you are considering would that be ap physics [13:43] c or is that physics c mechanics and physics c electricity mechanism so right now our physics course is primarily [13:50] physics c mechanics and only some students choose the electricity magnesium if you really want this two-tiered approach you probably push [13:56] that second level to a faster pace and build in the electricity magazine more fully okay [14:03] thank you i know that there are many people that are listening that are very concerned [14:08] about being able to schedule so i'm just saying i'm glad to hear that you understand that the juniors that are [14:15] want to matric matriculate in physics will have that opportunity and then the [14:20] other the other thing that i i'm just going to state i see that you're saying that all [14:26] minnesota standards bearing courses will have either an enriched or extended [14:31] course or earned honors available are you contemplating [14:37] getting eliminating any of the current enriched core courses that are that are currently [14:43] being offered i i don't see so once again we're kind of still in this review process but i certainly have not seen [14:49] any demand towards any push towards getting rid of enriched courses at at any of the other levels at [14:56] this point okay great thank you um and [15:02] let me see if that's it i think that's it thank you so i hate to interject but we do have a policy that says we can't go past 10 [15:09] o'clock without a motion to extend our meeting um so do i have a motion to extend our [15:15] board meeting until midnight is there a second second um we will now vote to approve the [15:21] motion to extend our board meeting all those in favor say aye aye [15:27] anyone opposed uh motion is approved [15:33] i just try i just try to extend principal beaton's time here as long as possible [15:44] so i apologize for interrupting the questions for this this [15:49] section i just wanted to get that motion before it turned 10. who motioned in second place [15:58] julie second i'm sorry ann i i was sort of here i was halfway here [16:04] um ellen did you have another question or no no other question i just wanted to make a comment that i think that the science department at the high school is [16:11] a super department super strong and i have full confidence that the pathways that they develop [16:19] are going to be what our students need so i want to thank you for your work [16:24] and thank you for your excellent instruction so [16:30] um owen or julie okay i have one question um so the [16:35] standards are going to be coming out not this school year but [16:41] 2022 2023 is that it the standards from mde yes the science [16:47] standards the science from mde came out in summer of 2019. [16:52] okay let me just the the um what i'm reading here is we're currently [16:58] on track to have all standards implemented one year ahead of the full implementation year set forth by [17:04] mde yeah so that's when they need to be implemented by but the standards are out they've they've published them so and [17:12] how soon after they come out do we have to abide by them [17:17] there's a little play 2024 2025 that's the year that we have to be fully implemented okay so we have a little so [17:24] that's that that's the nature of my question so we're getting ahead of when we have to get it done [17:30] uh that sounds really good uh on many levels i'm also wondering if that's going to put us into the guinea pig [17:36] situation where we're going to be making the mistakes that other schools will learn from is there a drawback here did we weigh [17:42] that in the balance are the textbooks um have they been published i mean are [17:48] we are could you address the timing yeah why would i i would say that you know i [17:54] was at a meeting about a week ago uh with other districts and and i would say that most districts [18:00] in our are in a very similar place to where we are um in this whole process looking to get earth science in next [18:07] year is kind of just very similar to what we're doing here um [18:12] i would not say that we're rushing i do think that it's important that we we give ourselves a little bit of a cushion [18:18] because if we need that extra year we've now planned for that being a possibility to push things out especially if it's in [18:25] a particular course or maybe multiple courses but i i think if we if we plan [18:32] for one year ahead i feel like we have a pretty good opportunity to make sure that we can do that and if not we can we [18:39] can make that next year work okay thank you buddy [18:44] so i just want to follow up on ellen's question so for next year we anticipate [18:50] or where our plan is to offer the same enriched science classes that we offer this year [18:55] that is correct okay and then ap physics obviously is not the only ap [19:00] course we offer so i would just request that we be clear with students who are [19:06] interested that there are multiple pathways that they can follow outside of this particular pathway so for example [19:13] if you wanted to take ap chem you could as a student kind of read some chem over the summer [19:18] and just simply take ap chem and not take basic chem first so these are kind of things that [19:24] students have i know we have students that should jump right into ap cam and don't take the underlying [19:29] i just want us to have a mechanism to make students aware that there are [19:36] options that if they want to self-accelerate that they can and having said that i also want to i [19:43] don't want it like published as a map because i don't want to put pressure on kids to think that that's what they need [19:48] to do so you have to draw that balance between making sure that people understand what [19:54] the opportunities are without imposing it as some sort of like this the dyna pressure that's all [20:01] well actually making it even harder does exist in all three of our four ap [20:08] areas right it's different in each of the three because they're not equally easy to do [20:13] and so that makes it even more complex like it's a little bit easier to go into ap biology as a first year course than it is to go to ap chemistry as a [20:19] first-year course and then how ap physics shapes out also will be interesting to see but that [20:25] makes it even more difficult to find that balance of how do you articulate this and also communicate [20:30] what are you what are you signing up for when you try to make those countries which kind of goes to my point of sometimes there's this feeling that [20:37] there's like a secret way to get it right so some people in edina know you can take a course through northern star [20:42] you can do something like that and the more we spell that out for students the clearer we make it the more options [20:50] right right not a map right well but [20:56] i think that's a tall order and i think that we need to articulate what is recommended by the teachers for a [21:03] pathway and then if there is like a secret pathway [21:09] caveat i think it needs to be clearly spelled that this is not necessarily recommended but [21:16] sort of the pros and cons well they all have to be advisor approved anyway i think we're asking we're putting them in [21:22] a difficult spot to put all these caveats but we don't really want them to but [21:27] so i think it is important to remember that most of our students at edina high [21:33] school take four years of science which is a year above what the state requirement is so [21:38] this pathway whatever that is whatever sequence and whether they're accelerated another a year um so we have [21:45] many of our students that are taking whether that's the ap level or taking elective science in their senior year and that's ultimately what [21:51] we'd like to have happen is we have students that take four years of math we have students that take four years of science which we think is good for them [21:58] and post-secondary [22:03] um so i had a one question or comment i mean first of all i appreciate you guys doing this [22:09] especially through covet and all the challenges that we've had as a [22:14] district but um i guess mike one concern slash question [22:19] that i have involves the definition of of the two different pathways and we talk a lot as a district about on-ramps [22:25] and off-ramps and pathway two which is the accelerated [22:32] pathway really essentially starts in seventh grade and the decision of family makes in [22:38] seventh grade to compact seventh and eighth grade science so then in eighth grade you take [22:45] ninth grade science so then in ninth grade you're freed up to take chemistry [22:52] and so on and so forth and my concern lies in the fact that [22:58] um i would like to see and i don't even know if this is [23:04] possible or not but for the vast majority of students they don't take that accelerated path in [23:10] middle school so if i'm a student and i've entered the high school [23:16] in ninth grade and i realized my passion is science and i really want to take [23:23] advanced sciences is there any way to create an accelerated on-ramp for [23:30] high school students that didn't accelerate themselves through the middle school process [23:37] and that's my main question because there could be students that [23:43] pre want to accelerate and didn't realize they missed out on their option back in [23:48] seventh grade and so that's that's my basic question for you [23:54] guys and i don't know if that's something to well that's basically what i was you [23:59] just said it in a more eloquent way but that was basically what i was getting at is what are the options for kids [24:04] once they get there yeah so yeah so i don't know if there's like and and i'm not even necessarily [24:11] suggesting for this rollout but if they're interdisciplinary classes students could take or [24:17] i mean i don't i know that the requirements from the state are pretty heavy for each of these classes so [24:24] is there a way to do like a class and a half that you do have over summer i and these are just things i'm throwing out [24:30] there and obviously i'm not you guys are like that's a horrible idea but i would say i think that there are there are a [24:36] couple of options still from from a uh an acceleration standpoint beyond just [24:41] really they enter that compacted pathway even in sixth grade but um there are a [24:46] couple different ways one is we will be working with middle schools this spring here to to create an on pathway that [24:53] could be taken so if a student in middle school makes a decision in middle school that they want to [24:58] switch pathways that we want to try and create kind of a way for them to to make [25:03] that change so that would be from a middle school standpoint but from a high school standpoint you know we've tried to [25:10] articulate that there are different ways that a student can can go right from instead of taking a biology do some [25:17] summer work and go into an ap biology which would really be an acceleration along the way [25:23] and then we also have that seventh period where a student could double up on sciences in a year to accelerate in [25:29] that way as well so there are some other pathways for acceleration along the way and [25:35] i don't know if you know i don't we haven't really explored the idea of a year and a half course or had those [25:40] discussions i think that would be just on the surface seems like it would be a fairly difficult proposition but those [25:46] are some things that that i was thinking of in terms of acceleration uh that that they could do from along the way both in [25:53] middle and in high school so it might be it might be nice to um [25:59] well now i'm going to renege on what i said earlier to more clearly define acceleration through the high school [26:06] specifically um because it doesn't look like there's many options other than taking the [26:12] traditional route and i think you've described some great options i just wouldn't necessarily know that as [26:18] a as a student unless i have older siblings or things like that so i think [26:24] i just think we also have to use caution about sort of the fomo piece that can happen to if a [26:29] student takes four years of science and they come in in physical earth in ninth grade they are taking [26:34] advanced level science in their senior year and if they take elective science on top of that when they have room in [26:40] their schedule they're taking additional so you're talking about students that are in that are going through that pathway [26:46] to come to the high school year ahead that are highly accelerated science students so i think i mean [26:52] beyond things that you could say if a student came to our school and transferred to our school and wasn't in the middle school and came in ninth [26:58] grade and was highly motivated i mean there are credit by assessment opportunities there's certainly summer opportunities they could do that if they [27:04] wanted to accelerate and certainly i think teachers are always talking to kids about opportunities when they're highly [27:10] motivated students and we say hey we're gonna i think you should maybe make the jump to maybe take ap biology when [27:16] you're a junior instead of taking the standard course because you're a very strong science student so those conversations happen i just worry about [27:23] this map that says that somehow if you're not on this track in in middle school you somehow are not going to go [27:28] to medical school which is just not the case you know um so i think that's just i want to use caution about [27:34] what we recommend for that and and saying you're not a college-bound strong scientist if you are coming into ninth [27:40] grade in without the accelerated path and i'm not saying that by by any just saying that's [27:45] my concern that sometimes can happen around around students and families and so on around that yeah all i'm saying is [27:52] how can we illustrate the maximum flexibility for students and even have off-ramps for so [27:58] that's all anything else from [28:04] no thank you i think jody you're still thank you [28:10] still up here i am but we're getting close to the end everyone thank you very much you might hit every [28:16] single one thank you julie um 2021 2022 secondary new course [28:24] and course change proposals just document and description [28:29] yes so can we can we just see if people have please can we just see if people have questions about these [28:36] they are somewhat self-explanatory yes i yep um we don't have any [28:44] information to add to the report deb is here because deb has been leading the arts review and so i do want to welcome [28:50] her and thank her for being here at this late hour thank you thank you richards um if there are questions she's here to [28:57] help with those specific to the arts review um we can answer any questions well we can try to answer any questions [29:04] you have do board members have questions or comments yeah i just have one comment [29:10] and we talked a little bit about this at teaching and learning so this isn't a surprise but [29:15] um the concern that i have with respect to the coding course [29:20] is that students who are involved in orchestra or band [29:27] i want to make sure and and this would be the only way that i would approve this course [29:33] would be that they are able to take that course [29:39] as well as orchestra or band yes so ellen i have worked with tammy jo and [29:45] eric lowe to dig into that a little bit so i had a deeper understanding of the middle school schedule in order to [29:52] address that concern so seeing the coding in what ellen's referring to is the [29:57] coding in the sixth grade class and that if that coding is in there as one of our art standards then our students who [30:04] choose music going to miss out on that quoting opportunity they actually music happens at a different block [30:11] in the day than that choice of the coding or arts so there's absolutely every opportunity to be able to do both [30:18] and the other thing that was really important to tammy jo and eric that i mentioned is that there are other [30:25] engineering coding classes that are offered besides that [30:30] arts coding class so there for example i think that sixth grade has a robotics [30:36] offering that all students take and we're excited to dig into the depth of all of the offerings with with coding um [30:44] and steam when we go into our steam review but i did i did affirm with tammy [30:49] joe and eric that that is their opposite so a music person can take that arts class and there are additional [30:56] opportunities as a as well okay and you said sixth grade but there's the code i was going to say [31:02] alex seventh yeah the seventh grade is the one that they can't do both yeah so maybe i maybe [31:09] just for clarification so really all we're doing right now is we're changing the title of the courses [31:16] and the reason we're changing the title of the courses is to embed the new media art standards but nothing is changing [31:23] there isn't any opportunity that's being taken away so in sixth grade we have [31:29] kids can choose to take art in words that's just being replaced with media [31:34] art six so it's just a name change and they're going to change the course but i don't think you can take art in words [31:42] and band or orchestra i am i i'm going to pull up the schedule okay um just to clarify yeah i think [31:50] i've got everybody but if that's true that it's [31:55] that same thing exists today that will next year but [32:01] um and i don't think coding is involved in art and words [32:06] we're talking about seventh seventh grade seventh grade there is um south view [32:12] had coding attached to their um they call it art in the digital age [32:19] and then they included cody which is an elective right so now that it's just going to change [32:25] its name and they're going to continue offering the coding valley view didn't offer coding so they [32:32] are now going to be in alignment with selfie to offer the coding in their graphic design course but it's [32:39] not going to it's not going to force students into if [32:45] you're taking a music that you're not you're going to be forced into not being able to take this [32:51] class so currently at south view as a 7th grader when you choose an elective it is a [32:58] skinny and it happens both a days and b days if you're in band and orchestra [33:04] it is band or orchestra a days and b days you do not have an opportunity to add coding [33:11] so it's you have a few they don't have the opportunity to take digital [33:17] art in the digital age is that what you're saying correct now correct so then that would remain the same [33:22] so they cannot do coding and music but there are other opportunities [33:27] for coding that is not the only place where the coding is offered so seventh grade at south view right now there is a [33:34] design robotics class yes one semester one day a week [33:40] that you're saying is that's where they are going to do but they aren't going to do additional and all kids take that yes and all kids take [33:47] that yes so um she assured me and again i'll pull up [33:53] the sixth seventh eighth grade schedules just to double check i don't want to misspeak at all um but that students [33:59] absolutely have the opportunity to do both and that there's additional coding opportunities so in eighth grade [34:06] they have one semester of flight space well and i'll have to be honest we [34:13] didn't go into eighth grade because we're not there yet but yeah yeah so [34:19] so i'm just going to give you my last two cents on this that [34:25] i've been talking about this now for the last four years that i feel very strongly our district [34:32] should have a k-12 coherent technology plan and it not be [34:39] elective courses that all students have [34:45] that graduate with a certain understanding of technology and media [34:50] literacy and i am reluctant [34:56] to even like even the discussion right here about whether or not the students can [35:03] get a little bit of coding in sixth grade and maybe a little bit more in [35:08] seventh grade that discussion doesn't make me feel comfortable [35:15] as a board member because i feel that we should do better that that unfortunately [35:22] there are a number of students who don't look at that elective and say [35:27] oh i should take that and they don't realize that that is the future world [35:33] for them so i i i mean and we can talk about diversity and equity [35:40] and inclusion and gender issues with respect to this [35:46] they all apply so i'm actually i am [35:52] i know you're just changing the name i know from what you're telling me it's no different than before but when [35:59] you change the name and the name has coding in it and students who know they want to get [36:06] coding they're going to want to sign up for that and there is a huge [36:13] number of musicians i don't feel that you should have to give up your passion [36:19] in order to take a coding course so so ellen i really appreciate what you're saying um thank you um i i feel like [36:28] that is critical and it's the work that we have ahead of us with our steam work [36:34] and right now not that we we can't ignore what you're sharing as we put we [36:39] have our arts requirements that are the standards from the state that where that's what's part of this proposal [36:46] um so as we look at the schedules it's important that we keep our options open for kids and the [36:53] cohesive plan that you're describing is absolutely a component of what we're [36:58] moving forward with with our steam work and we'll take us take us time to do the audit it'll take [37:05] us time to get that in place right i am a little concerned when i look at the amount of [37:11] time given to the new art standards [37:17] for students who are more academically [37:22] inclined i i think i would like it if the district had some ways of accelerating [37:31] art so that you do not have to take a full block plus a skinny [37:38] in seventh grade in order to meet your art standards and i i'm looking at that thinking [37:44] you know we're not even giving kids that much math in seventh grade so i mean i i'm just [37:51] saying i i think that and and for the students that are taking music [37:57] or instrumental music that's even on top of that it it doesn't make sense to me so i'm [38:05] going to just suggest i know you're working around art standards but i think [38:10] that at state standards so i know you've got it on your plate to try to figure this [38:15] out but um as i look at the balance of [38:21] instructional time i'm concerned about how much time is being taken away from those other [38:28] core subjects that the kids are really going to need i do know that that last year when we [38:34] told you we you know these were to be implemented last year and deb did an excellent job of reaching out to the [38:40] state and explaining that we have a really rich music program we have high rigor of classes and options and so we [38:47] want to be very intentional and not limiting those options and and the work that we already have in front of us for [38:54] students and so and talking to the state that they gave us this more time and that's why we [39:00] really looked at the minimal amount of change that can occur with these proposals for sixth and seventh grade [39:08] so so that we are being cognizant of that ellen and so the requirement being that we [39:14] have to offer three and students have to choose two [39:20] that um that's that's the requirement that we're working with and trying to [39:26] do that in a way that doesn't disrupt the schedule and disrupt the options that we have currently for kids so just [39:33] for clarification the median arts coding 7 course [39:38] is that the quote unquote art class for seventh grade with a name change or is that an [39:44] elective it would replace digital age art in the digital age which is an [39:50] elective so could a seventh grader [39:56] in my mind i'm thinking we have options right could a seventh grader take this instead of quote-unquote art [40:04] visual art right the the the seventh grade art they have they choose between [40:10] they choose two of the three offerings that we provide actually right now right now it's you have to take the visual art [40:17] it's a requirement and then you choose between these two and the other two options and this [40:23] really was thank you this work was really done by the principals and the assistant principals and all of the arts [40:30] teachers that includes our music teachers and they really um we spent a lot of [40:36] time just trying to figure out a way that we could try to [40:41] offer as many arts programs and sometimes [40:47] it's easy for departments to want to compete against each other and i just have to say they really all came [40:52] together and agreed that given the requirements from mde that this was the [40:59] option that was the least disrupt disruptive and [41:04] that this would be something that we should should suggest to the board [41:09] um i think edina requires um more [41:15] than the state does so i mean at some point in time we might want to re-look at the what we're uh the middle school [41:22] experience and what we're offering for example world language is not an mde [41:28] requirement it's something that we feel is important so like there's [41:33] there's so many different and i would say i was actually going to say and i [41:39] you i know randy's heard me say this a million times coding is a language [41:45] and it may be a mindset as we work through steam to look at it that way to [41:51] offer opportunities that way because coding is a language i'm just going to echo what ellen said [41:56] it is it is concerning that we are asking students in the middle school to [42:02] either dedicate to our music program or to kind of go with this forward thinking [42:08] coding which if we're going to be a steam school is is something that's very important so that is of concern to me [42:14] and i will just echo what ellen said i know it doesn't change tonight's recommendations but it is [42:20] it's a tough thing for our kids to have to decide at such a young age i think the win is that they will be [42:26] offering coding now at valley view and they haven't in the past so that's a real nice win and the additional eighth [42:33] grade class is a is a different class now so currently the seventh and eighth offer the same thing and so his students [42:39] took it in seventh grade and then wanted to take it in eighth they it was the same class so we have added [42:46] pieces of coding while at the same time bringing these pieces of the art standards forward and hearing and [42:53] honoring what you're saying as we continue to evolve right our work um absolutely how do we include that as [42:59] that universal language is the eighth grade class a continuation of the [43:04] seventh grade class or could an eighth grade student an eighth grade student could take it separate of the seventh [43:09] grade class or they could take it there isn't a period taking both because they're different so they're not going [43:15] to be having yeah so that's right so that's a ad that is adding the you know the [43:20] recognition of the importance of coding and trying to keep that on the forefront as we move forward [43:26] and know that we're going to expand on that into the future thank you so when you say you're going [43:32] to expand on that in the future i'm just wondering are you thinking of i and i'm [43:37] i'm looking even as we move from middle you know it's a k-12 type plan that [43:43] you'll be developing are you thinking about embedding that in embedding technology embedding coding [43:50] into other other core courses it's definitely a [43:56] possibility elena you know we really haven't engaged in those conversations with with teachers yet or other staff we [44:03] haven't expanded that conversation as we're um i know i think randy and i have a meeting coming up really soon with [44:09] that first 14 meeting of steam and our expanding bringing teachers into that in january so [44:15] um we absolutely should consider that and have those discussions so that would be my recommendation that [44:22] especially you can you can put it into many different areas but especially in [44:28] science it makes it makes sense absolutely we're developing we're developing our [44:35] we're in the midst of i just heard our teachers saying they're developing these new classes yes and especially the earth [44:44] science class for you to develop a technology element [44:49] to that class so that all ninth graders when they come into our high school will also have that along with earth science [44:56] absolutely absolutely that's a great recommendation in fact mark and i talked about that how within the science [45:01] standards they're starred when they're the computer engineering and um computer science components of the [45:08] standards and so we will be supporting that science team of making sure we're really intentional and where those [45:13] science standards are starred and does sorry does anyone have any specific [45:18] feedback about these recommendations no okay i think we need to move on to our next discussion my only [45:25] feedback you alluded to that deb is i really think we need to look at the entire middle school experience because [45:31] i think we've added stuff over time yeah but i think we need to look holistically [45:36] and i would love to see more consistency between the two schools so thank you agreed yeah thank you thank [45:43] you thank you [45:49] did you get to leave the table i do but i just think i've stuff everywhere [45:56] uh do i have a motion to approve the health and safety resolution [46:01] so moved is there a second second [46:07] dr stanley [46:13] i'm going to invite dr smile to come up to the table as well he can stretch his legs a little bit [46:19] he's been sitting there for a while um to come up and talk about to come up [46:24] and talk about um the reason why we the recommendation is there for [46:31] moving to strongly recommended masking in non-eps [46:37] facilities thank you good evening superintendent stanley chair ellenberg squared [46:42] community members um so the recommendation is to [46:48] make the masking requirement from universal strongly recommended for an off-site facility like braemar [46:55] uh the reason is that it's currently just simply confusing to players and to [47:01] families and to guests because braymar does not have a masking policy so [47:07] before we play people are not necessarily masked after we play they're not necessarily [47:12] masked and it's really impossible to enforce at that facility being that this is an off-site venue so [47:19] we hand out many many masks people take them toss them in the garbage can and go sit in the stands [47:25] so we're recommending that this um this particular facility be masking [47:31] strongly recommended is it just for this particular facility [47:37] or all non-eps facilities any any non-eps facility [47:46] oh i'm sorry go ahead no i was just going to say can you when you say non-eps facilities [47:53] that eps students are participating in an [47:59] event [48:12] my question i asked that question because so for example um [48:17] uh the chair team edina cheer is going to go to egan high school and eagan high school [48:24] let's say does not have says strongly recommended for masks so then that would not be an eps [48:31] facility so our students would not be expected then to mask in that facility [48:36] is that yeah i think which is the case currently correct because yeah because if there's [48:42] a in fact they don't recommend that i thought currently if you're you dying a [48:48] student doing an edina sport our expectation was that you would be masked no we just recently oh that's [48:54] right we just recently changed it to to honor whatever the facility is that we're at right but it's if it's an edina [49:02] sponsored activity edina i'm thinking hockey right it's a new i'm trying to think of what our [49:08] other facilities might be could it be bremer golf dome could it be [49:13] where else are students going to participate if the debate team goes to city hall or i don't know [49:19] i mean it could be the excel center anything yeah you know um it could be anywhere [49:26] yeah anywhere that we don't control the masking practices basically [49:32] before after our event it's very very hard to enforce it when we don't have control over that [49:39] like u.s bank stadium had a optional right mask for the soccer tournament [49:45] and we would we will still strongly encourage uh that masking to occur but it's it's [49:51] really not enforceable well it's our challenge and then it becomes confusing to players [49:58] and to families and to guests and yeah i just the only comment i want to [50:03] make is that i think that we have talked about this before is is making sure that we have the guard rails up where we need [50:10] the guard rails and i i worry that if we have a policy that is impossible to [50:16] enforce in a facility like that where there's conflicting information and there's conflicting policies really [50:23] that then that makes it harder for us to enforce what we need to do in our in our buildings here right so it actually gets [50:30] more clear for us as a system i agree i agree with that okay [50:38] have we talked to bremar about changing their policy i mean there's no different data that [50:44] we're seeing in terms of there's no cdc recommendation or mdh guideline that [50:50] says that we should make this change the [50:55] the data says that we're having a higher rate higher positivity rate than we've had in quite a while [51:02] so i understand that braemar creates problems and so why aren't we instead pushing [51:08] braemar to have a more rational policy i mean at this point [51:15] i've asked dr schmazel to focus on what we have control over and and bremer [51:22] i mean the city you know this you go to the city hall right now it's [51:27] not mandated right it's strongly recommended it's it's just aligning it the city is [51:33] aligning itself with cdc recommendations [51:38] really truly the cdc recommendations are not universal masking they are strongly recommended for [51:45] masking and we are in we are in the hockey season [51:52] already we've had a few games [51:57] we understand the conflict that this creates with our staff who are there who are supervising [52:03] again they're handing out 200 masks and evening the kids are not putting them on [52:10] to go to students and try to reinforce that it [52:17] creates a lot of conflict with relationships and it's just not effective [52:28] do other board members have comments or questions [52:33] alan i totally agree with lenny's perspective [52:38] that i think that if the if the district [52:44] we we do have a liaison between the city hall i i think that perhaps it would be [52:49] good if uh we pursued that um [52:56] as a way what we're trying to do is stop community spread [53:02] so i don't see why we wouldn't really pursue another angle and see if they [53:07] wouldn't mind changing their policy [53:14] i just wanted to make a i hear what both um [53:20] lenny and you ellen are saying but i i think that we have to control what we [53:26] can control and our job as our board is to is to [53:31] make sure our facilities that we have control over and we don't have any conflicting policy [53:38] is we're not spreading covets we're keeping our students in school in person [53:43] and i mean this would mean that if if a student contracts covid at a don eps facility that's an [53:49] out of school transmission and i think that [53:55] it's important that we i would love to see this city have had a mandated [54:00] mask in our in edina but that hasn't happened we have i mean i've asked it many times [54:06] not as a community member are what are we gonna are you guys gonna do this is this going to happen and i [54:13] and that's not been the case it's not been the case in the state of minnesota either and we've been at the highest of covid [54:19] transmission in the country and that didn't happen so for our eps facilities i think that we have to make sure that [54:26] we are able to enforce when our students are in our facilities and and i think it does i do think it [54:32] makes it more clear i think it sends if a kid goes into anywhere right now that's not ours they have a choice if [54:39] they want to wear a mask or not it's true for a lifetime it's true for anything so they have to make that decision but [54:44] in our facilities that's the piece that we can control and i i unfortunately it is the only thing that we are able to [54:50] control so i just wanted to give that perspective because [54:55] it is frustrating that we just don't have a mass mandate across our whole state right now to stop spread so that we can then [55:02] get the masks off because we're controlling the sprint so [55:11] well it's late and i won't talk too long but i'm probably the only i am the only person on the board who has a little bit [55:17] of a different take on this that i would rather we just loosen up the masks entirely we have a high vase rate [55:24] our kids are not profoundly vulnerable it's not been terribly severe with them [55:30] and masks have questionable effectiveness so um i think this counsels for mutual [55:36] forbearance with all of us uh and to put this all in perspective i am much this is i'm ten times more [55:43] um concerned with face-to-face learning and we've got that going so i'm just [55:49] very happy that that's what our reality is so that's it [55:54] okay we will now vote to approve the health and safety resolution [55:59] update all those in favor say aye aye anyone opposed name hey [56:05] um so both uh wallen friedman and michaelson were naysayers [56:12] you voted wrong you want masks no no i don't did you want to change [56:19] your vote sorry sorry thank you i'm sorry so um ann everyone voted [56:26] i except for wallin friedman that was a nay [56:31] thank you i was a little surprised by that but thank you thank you randy [56:36] do i have a motion to approve the tax levy certification second [56:43] so matt was first and lenny was second [56:48] director tope [56:53] are you awake back there [56:59] yep welcome thank you uh chair ellenberg and superintendent stanley members of the [57:06] board tonight we had our public hearing for our truth and taxation [57:11] for our pay 22 levy we have a 2.96 percent increase we are under levying in our [57:17] re-employment levy and i would ask that uh the board certified the levy at 62 [57:25] ninety 729 dollars and sixteen cents [57:30] um are there comments about the tax levy uh this is matt real quick in my last [57:36] meeting i just wanna say that again i think that the finance department's done a great job we are not levying the max [57:42] amount as described earlier it is coming in under three percent that's always a good barometer for where we can be [57:49] as mentioned earlier the overall taxes that homeowners in a diner are seeing are flat down in many cases across [57:56] different demographics i have been one occasionally if not often pushed for taxing at the max level [58:03] because these taxes that we're able to control the district level that don't need to go to any kind of referendum [58:08] to hit individual households on a very minimum basis but make an aggregate positive impact for our [58:14] offerings i agree here with not going above three percent and not taxing at the maximum [58:20] level as recommended by director to open the finance department so i think this is great for everybody [58:25] and i would support us moving quickly to approve this less there are questions [58:32] any questions or comments uh we will now vote to approve the tax levy certification all those in favor [58:39] say aye aye anyone opposed say nay the tax levy certification is approved [58:46] thank you chair thank you thank you director tope um do i have a motion to approve the early learning center curriculum [58:52] recommendation second lenny moved did the first and janie did the second [59:02] who who is here oh is that you again [59:08] we have director d st hubert here again okay we've talked about this [59:19] so as we uh shared at a past board meeting we are recommending curriculum for our [59:25] early learning center um to focus on some literacy um work the team is [59:32] excited to move forward and and that's where we're at today so the recommendation in front of you is for [59:38] action and approval of the curriculum materials i move approval [59:44] it's already been moved all those in favor just just real quick [59:50] again it's let me show it that was quick that she mentioned that we discussed this thoroughly at a previous meeting so actually twice [59:56] okay thank you for everyone talking about how much we've talked about it all those in favor say aye aye anyone [1:00:03] opposed um the curriculum is approved thank you thank you [Music] [1:00:09] do i have a motion to approve the magnet programming so is that good it was moved by ellen [1:00:16] and seconded by lenny um we have assistant superintendent smiles [1:00:23] back again [1:00:28] good evening again and i will be sorry principal bergman by principal bergman [1:00:35] and anybody else who wants to jump uh i have just a brief narrative that [1:00:42] i'd like to share that i think addresses some of the questions that have popped from staff and from community members so [1:00:49] i'm going to just go through this for about two minutes and then we'll turn it back over the board for questions so [1:00:54] in the past few weeks we met with the countryside staff a second time and held an online meeting with countryside [1:01:01] families there were numerous questions that came up so i'm going to try and summarize some things about that so the [1:01:07] administration recommendation recommendations to bring spanish merch in the countryside that one is based primarily on available [1:01:14] space so the open enrollment at countryside is 30 percent [1:01:20] when we look and that's predicted to remain consistent for future years when we looked at the other two schools creek [1:01:26] valley 23 percent cornelius 17 but both are predicted to have increases [1:01:32] in resident and populations especially some of the new construction moving into those neighborhoods [1:01:40] starting the program next year as opposed to waiting provides many families with this new [1:01:47] opportunity which is important considering the high demand for language programming in our district [1:01:53] also this provides stability in our enrollment and stability in our budget [1:01:58] last year we lost some families to some language programming outside of edina this year we lost more [1:02:06] if we wait we will most likely lose even more we have the capacity to launch this and [1:02:13] to do it well with the scale that we have proposed to the board [1:02:18] the construction proposal allows uh edina to offer an additional section at [1:02:23] countryside at each of the grade levels we've identified six additional regular classroom spaces our special education [1:02:30] spaces with the help of jeff jorgensen and then more recently looking at kind [1:02:35] of our bathroom configuration there and potentially a multi-use space in the in terms of needs [1:02:42] art and music have plenty of space to accommodate the additional sections the media area is sufficient but might [1:02:49] require some conf reconfiguration the parking lot is due for a remodel and [1:02:56] so that would be something that would be incorporated into this construction plan the playground the playground [1:03:01] implementation at countryside would continue but um we might need to revisit that in terms [1:03:07] of some exact layout the staff also spoke about how small the staff lounge is and uh whether they're [1:03:15] well it's a closet and whether there was something that could be done about that so our point is that [1:03:21] these are all questions that we'll process with the architect and then bring back the construction proposal to [1:03:26] the board uh is john still he said that okay uh i i believe that will be in [1:03:33] january but i need to pry double check that with john tope the additional staff and materials [1:03:39] needed to support the program would be funded from the additional student enrollment we typically get about 9 400 [1:03:45] per student for student enrollment initial startup cost of about 50 000 would be necessary that was proposed in [1:03:53] a previous budget that we had presented to the board the hiring of two kindergarten teachers [1:03:59] additional specialist time curriculum uh selection and teacher training would [1:04:04] begin this spring and expand by two sections each year so many people had questions about well [1:04:10] how do we fund this and we fund it through the additional enrollment that we are we would pick up so this offers a [1:04:15] way to scale into this as a district over time and [1:04:20] you heard a great presentation about our comprehensive literacy plan and obviously that is priority number one [1:04:26] across the district but closing the achievement gaps and growth and literacy skills is critical [1:04:33] to making sure our kids are prepared for the future and those things will be enhanced by a [1:04:39] two-way language immersion program in addition to taking advantage of growing brains when they're young in [1:04:46] terms of learning the language this program offers the district a research-based gap closing strategy [1:04:53] if approved we will launch a cp study to understand the choices that families are [1:04:59] making and the potential impacts of those choices we've seen waiting lists for cp decline [1:05:05] for the last five to ten years so that we would say well there's less demand [1:05:11] there's less demand today than there was five or even 10 years ago however that doesn't take away [1:05:18] any of the important meaning and impact that cp has had on families and students [1:05:24] over the years it certainly has had a great impact we've heard a lot of that from our families [1:05:29] we will not understand the impact though of an additional choice until that additional choice is in the mix and then [1:05:35] registration is complete family choice then becomes the driver [1:05:41] and we would be launching a study in january of the impact of this additional choice in there [1:05:47] current open enrolled families at countryside would not be impacted by the decision though future open enrollment at [1:05:53] countryside would be decreased there'll still be some room for younger siblings of current open enrolled families to be [1:05:59] able to follow suit at countryside in terms of teacher staffing there were [1:06:05] some questions from the teachers about the staffing process pending a board decision we have a [1:06:11] meeting set up with karen and myself and hr and jason to [1:06:18] start talking about what that process would look like and how we'd navigate that in a way that is [1:06:23] fair and reasonable to our teachers every year we have about 10 to 15 elementary teachers that leave the [1:06:28] district retar retiring or simply moving out of state probably somewhere a little warmer [1:06:35] and that more than gives us plenty of opportunity for those teachers that [1:06:40] might be impacted by this program coming in to have a job here still any dyna for us to be able to retain them [1:06:47] in addition we will be identifying some spanish-speaking staff including heritage speakers to join the spanish [1:06:54] immersion program stacey and i have discussed a couple of different administrative support models and [1:07:00] although we will have to continue to do some work on what a long-term support model would look like [1:07:06] while at the ecc students would be under the karen bergman principal umbrella but [1:07:12] additional administrative support would be provided by the administrator from the elc [1:07:18] in terms of after school school care about 37 percent of our students participate in kids club that does leave [1:07:25] great capacity at countryside so we don't see an issue with our capacity around kids club we would just have to [1:07:31] do some additional hiring we've received numerous calls in the enrollment center about the spanish [1:07:37] program and i asked our staff what are they calling about and their response was they want to know when they could [1:07:42] sign up so there is a great uh interest that is growing in this opportunity [1:07:49] a board approval would launch a district email a postcard and a website update tomorrow [1:07:56] families could immediately enter into the lottery or wait until after a spanish information night next monday [1:08:02] night at countryside elementary at 5 30 also offered with an online link [1:08:07] and lastly there are always contingencies for things and and we've thought about a contingency if the [1:08:14] construction timeline is not what we hope and something happens or something gets delayed and we go further into the [1:08:21] fall and some things aren't ready then if that would happen we would ask that we just continue to use the two [1:08:27] classrooms here at the ecc with the spanish immersion first graders then starting over at countryside in [1:08:33] year two and then once that construction is complete we would use a natural break to move the kindergarten students [1:08:40] over to the school and again that that contingency would work within our existing spaces and within this existing [1:08:46] budget and proposal but we want to make sure that we have thought through as many of those [1:08:52] different things that can happen in this process as possible and until we have the exact construction plans and the [1:08:58] timeline and then that work is underway with the weather and everything else we just want [1:09:04] to make sure that we've thought about some certain contingencies so with that we'll [1:09:09] turn it back to the board for any final questions that you have stacy did you have any comments before [1:09:15] yeah great first i just wanted to thank both you uh [1:09:22] director uh sorry assistant story daniel schmatzel and principal bergman um especially the work you've done in [1:09:27] the recent weeks reaching out to community members and teachers i know it's been a lot of work but also the [1:09:33] whole team that's worked on developing this program they've done a great job and i really appreciate it [1:09:39] i personally am very excited for this program i think i articulated in the last work session it does to me it [1:09:46] delivers on multiple strategies within our strategic plan not only [1:09:51] our quest for educational excellence rigor critical thinking and student engagement but our goals around equity [1:09:58] and trying to eliminate barriers to success for students and also the long-term health of our [1:10:03] district from an enrollment perspective and i think anytime you can find a program that can deliver on academic success and [1:10:11] academic excellence and also equity i think it's a win-win and i'm super excited about that [1:10:18] um i want to take a moment to acknowledge the parents teachers and families of the [1:10:24] countryside community that are feeling this decision was made too quickly or is being made too quickly and they didn't [1:10:29] get enough warning um i know change can be hard i know changes in the school district amongst [1:10:36] covet and everything that we're going that is going on now can be even harder [1:10:41] i want to acknowledge that we probably could have done a better job deciding on a location earlier and giving parents [1:10:46] and teachers time to process this that being said i still think this is the best decision for both our students [1:10:52] and the district and do not think waiting a year would change our recommendation for the location [1:10:58] nor how the board votes so i am in favor of moving forward with this recommendation and [1:11:04] approving the dual immersion program at countryside this is different but reminds me of when we changed start times and there were [1:11:10] many many parents and people super apprehensive and they were saying just wait a year give us a year give us more [1:11:17] information but that wouldn't have changed anything and the reality is like randy's talking [1:11:24] about the building and talking about busing until we have tangible numbers [1:11:29] school systems are hard that way because until we have tangible numbers the number of students that are enrolling what streets they're [1:11:36] coming from some of it's hard to plan and so there's it's tough to have change tied with [1:11:44] risk tied with an element of not knowing and i just want to acknowledge that for our parents [1:11:50] um but also um say that i have full confidence in this [1:11:56] and the team working on this and i really am excited about this um that being said [1:12:03] i know i have six other board members that have opinions and comments on this so i will turn it over to [1:12:09] other board members yeah go ahead janie i just i i have had all my questions answered i have been spending quite a [1:12:16] bit of time with um karen and randy as the countryside rep i i got to witness [1:12:21] them in action and i just wanted to take a moment to recognize karen [1:12:27] i have been pretty amazed by the honest thoughtful and as thorough as possible [1:12:34] answers that you have given to your staff who have had questions and family members [1:12:40] and i think we all recognize that change can be scary and sometimes it can bring on a need for increased communication [1:12:47] and you have stepped up in ways that um have just amazed me you are a true [1:12:53] leader in our district and you have taken this on with grace and honesty with your staff and i just wanted to [1:13:00] take a moment to say that i see it and i appreciate it and i think our whole board does too thank you very much i have tons of confidence [1:13:07] after spending all this time with you that that you got this i can go that way sure go ahead matt yep [1:13:13] i'll be quick too uh yeah everything jenny just said so and i know her changes like she said and and [1:13:20] we haven't made a big comprehensive change in a while and there's clear demand for a second language and it [1:13:25] makes the most sense to start in your ecosystem and i'm really appreciative for the work you're taking to steward that [1:13:30] it's hard to hard to try something new and it's hard to try something new everyone's really tired so thank you guys take care [1:13:38] go ahead honey i'm going to be really brief i do support this i think it's a great idea [1:13:43] i'm a huge proponent of language in elementary schools and this is a great [1:13:49] way to expand what we offer owen or alan go ahead [1:13:56] first i want to thank you i'm really excited about a dual language program i [1:14:01] think that the district has landed on a great idea i think that people are going to be wild [1:14:07] about it i mean honestly i think that that's not going to be our issue and um so i'm i'm excited that we are [1:14:16] being willing to look into this and do it so i am very excited about that i'm also [1:14:23] excited to hear the lady it wasn't in our packet but you just told me another thing that i [1:14:29] wanted to make sure the district was going to do which was the periodic updating of programming is [1:14:36] necessary in order to meet the needs of learners in the edina community is what is on our board packet for magnet [1:14:43] programming and you're saying that you're going to be looking into the ctcp program [1:14:50] at countryside and i assume at highlands as well i want to just uh mention how um [1:14:58] how strong that program is and how many loyal followers there are i mean [1:15:06] my one of my kids went through highlands i know we've gotten letters [1:15:12] from people i am very concerned about [1:15:17] the board or the district putting too much into [1:15:23] enrollment at the highlands program over the last couple years [1:15:28] we um we no longer offer the program that we [1:15:33] originally offered we've we've eliminated some classes [1:15:39] which and and the program never started in kindergarten so it's really a hard [1:15:44] decision it's a hard program to look at when it's it's not run like other [1:15:51] magnet programs starting in kindergarten and going through and now that we've kind of cut [1:15:56] the legs off of it to make it look different than what [1:16:01] other is offered throughout the district i'm concerned that we're going to lose a really vital [1:16:10] program that we offer unlike any other other community and the reason that i [1:16:16] say that is because one of the things that we keep reading in our research on education is that [1:16:23] relationships are so important and it is in the cp program where many [1:16:30] just so strong relationships are developed between teachers and the students [1:16:36] the other thing that we're saying as a district is we want to pursue thematic teaching that's what they have been [1:16:43] doing for years and they do it really well so i am [1:16:48] i'm a little concerned by um not [1:16:53] reviewing the benefits and where how this might all play because people are getting [1:16:59] nervous about how the district is handling cp and i'm just going to say that [1:17:07] it's a it's a real treasure and i'd like it not to get lost in the shuffle [1:17:15] and and and i know that if i sent out an email now you would get a boatload of letters from [1:17:23] hyland's cp community as well as the countryside as i you know [1:17:28] you're shaking your head i'm i know that that's because they have these relationships which is [1:17:34] what we say we want so um i don't want to lose track so i have i've written something else though so [1:17:41] yes yes for the dual language immersion but i want to say i do have some concerns [1:17:48] about the way in which the program is structured and i want to share those concerns and [1:17:54] see if there's a way to move forward that adequately addresses these concerns [1:18:00] first i'm concerned that our staff both teaching and administrative [1:18:06] may be overburdened with all the stresses of teaching through the pandemic and we are we may be asking [1:18:13] them to stretch too far as we embark on such an ambitious [1:18:19] program but my greatest concern is that the program structured is [1:18:25] structured in a way that would require an addition to countryside school [1:18:32] i'm opposed to committing to a program that requires new construction for many reasons [1:18:39] i'm going to list them with the current trend in resident enrollment and the projection for countryside [1:18:45] neighborhood enrollment to be flat and with only 70 of this school [1:18:52] within resident enrollment i can't i can't understand [1:18:58] this recommendation that adds more classrooms the district has overall classroom [1:19:04] capacity and its existing facilities to serve the resident population [1:19:10] if the program is structured to utilize that capacity we just went to voters for an approval [1:19:16] of a levy and to ask for another levy for construction at this time seems inappropriate [1:19:23] if the proposed addition to countryside is built the school would have a capacity for about 800 students [1:19:31] twice the size of the average elementary school in minnesota the countryside families community staff and neighbors [1:19:38] should have direct input into such an expansion [1:19:43] especially considering the impacts on facilities and traffic not to mention the feel of a bigger school [1:19:50] before the board moves to approve this [1:19:57] i believe the plan with the inclusion of the construction at countryside [1:20:02] is not in alignment of the board approved guiding change document the not how [1:20:08] and this was my concern as i was surprised to see the recommendation for construction [1:20:15] i did not expect to see a recommendation for construction because in the guiding [1:20:21] change document it said the district will not exceed facility or grade level capacities [1:20:27] the program as described exceeds the capacity of countryside thus requiring construction of an [1:20:34] expansion to countryside it also in our guiding change it states to [1:20:41] create additional inequities and services among it will not our plan should not create additional [1:20:47] inequities and services among schools and programs this program cited at only one school [1:20:53] with no stated plans to start at other schools creates inequities across buildings [1:21:02] i believe the plan with construction at countryside is also not in alignment with what the board has approved [1:21:10] in its budget parameters namely no new programs unless those programs [1:21:15] are cost neutral and no new staff and less cost neutral while it may be possible that the [1:21:21] operating expenses of the program could be cost neutral the program is [1:21:27] structured in a way that requires expansion of countryside school with major construction costs [1:21:34] and levees such as a a construction project must be included [1:21:40] in any cost analysis of this plan because the construction would not be [1:21:45] required but for the magnet program plan finally i do not believe the board should approve a plan [1:21:52] whose implementation is dependent on construction an addition to a school building [1:21:58] at least until that construction has been presented to the public and approve before that funding [1:22:05] and construction has been sought and received as i said at the outset i am [1:22:11] really excited and in favor of a dual language spanish immersion program [1:22:17] and i also think that countryside is an excellent choice for that program i'm [1:22:23] just not in favor of one that requires new construction and therefore i wish to offer an [1:22:28] amendment to the motion before the board that amendment would be to approve the program structured in a way that does [1:22:35] not require new classroom construction [1:22:40] and and that's what i have to say [1:23:02] i've just made a motion to amend the original right but we need to wait till [1:23:07] we everybody talks before we vote on it okay um so here are my comments i am very excited about the [1:23:14] proposal and concept and i think it offers a lot to the [1:23:19] families to our district are you talking about the motion or the oh the general concept are we talking about [1:23:25] the motion right now well we have a motion on the table to amend so we need to vote on the motion on the table okay [1:23:32] we could do it yeah if we're willing to entertain the motion [1:23:37] yeah so are people do people approve of the motion on the table to amend [1:23:45] this so it doesn't include construction i'd be a firm no on that if you're asking for a vote but we have to vote on [1:23:51] it we have a motion on the table but does anyone want to comment before we vote [1:23:58] i have no comment so i don't i don't agree with the financial characterizations the work characterization the time [1:24:03] characterization so i'm voting no to the friendly amendment it's not a friendly amendment it's a real did you get that ellen made an [1:24:09] amendment and then owen seconded it does anyone else have any comments [1:24:15] i'm supportive of it because it this i'm not excited about additional [1:24:20] construction we just put out the hat for the community on a levee recently and i'd like to stay [1:24:27] within the physical balance but we already have we've got a guiding change document that says that we will not [1:24:34] um ask for additional construction so that's why i'm supportive of it [1:24:40] any other comments about the motion on the table the only comment i would like to make is the levy that he's referring [1:24:45] to as the technology levy it wasn't a construction levy all those in favor of the motion to [1:24:52] remove construction from the proposal say i [1:24:59] um all those opposed say nay nay the motion does not pass [1:25:05] and did you get the account of who voted okay thank you now we can move on to general comments before we vote okay [1:25:13] so i think i was in the middle of mine really quick um i'd like to wait a year or two [1:25:18] uh i'd like to focus on some kobe ketchup our kids have not done as well as they [1:25:24] could have last year because of distance learning and it's across the state but i'd like to focus on [1:25:31] on that we've got teachers who are pretty stressed i'd like to focus on that and i'd like to give the community [1:25:37] a little more time to process this change [1:25:42] the cp families i think were caught off guard by this so those are my thoughts [1:25:50] julie sure thank you um first of all thank you guys so much for being here so late um [1:25:57] in presenting this um but it is not a reflection of all the work that's gone on that we're having this conversation [1:26:02] at 11 o'clock at night i think it's 11. um anyway i just wanted to say i have a i [1:26:07] have a couple notes and then i i have two thoughts that i want to make sure is front of mine um i'm very much in [1:26:13] support of this program i think that um our board gave direction in a guiding [1:26:19] document and this plan that you've brought forth fulfills that guiding document it's fiscally [1:26:26] responsible it aligns with our strategic plan it's visionary [1:26:31] for our district and looking ahead at what we need to do to keep growing as a [1:26:36] district and so um i'm really appreciative of all the multiple perspectives that you have [1:26:42] especially over the last couple weeks but even before that the past four to five years that we've been talking about [1:26:48] this um from a district-wide basis from your site base right everything that [1:26:54] you've done at countryside our students and the student needs and where we're trying to take our students [1:27:00] in our district staff and the community the community has said that they want this [1:27:06] and our student we know that our students need something like this so i um [1:27:11] and we've also demonstrated that we have a waitlist at normdale all the reasons that all of us have said so [1:27:17] the other thing i wanted to address is that changing document talks about [1:27:22] growth and nowhere in that document did we say that no construction would take place [1:27:28] i just wanted to say that for anyone listening from at home that was not you didn't go around what [1:27:33] the board had given in terms of a guiding document plan [1:27:40] in my opinion there is no new levy it's very fiscally responsible and the funding is is [1:27:48] there a point it is it's a lease it's a lease limit [1:27:56] so all that said um so there's two things that i want to make sure the feedback that we've gotten from the [1:28:02] countryside community um is making sure that as we're bringing in [1:28:07] a third now type of program into the school make to make sure that we're doing [1:28:13] everything we can intentionally to create one countryside i think the countryside community is an amazing [1:28:19] group of families students staff and i know under your leadership principal bergman that [1:28:25] has been you've guided that so i would challenge you and to see what can we do to make sure [1:28:31] that we are creating the most inclusive environment so that it does feel like [1:28:37] one and we're learning from each other about the different pathways that different students are choosing i know this has been an issue at other schools [1:28:43] that where we've had programming where it's been split so what can we do and what can what [1:28:49] learnings can we take from highlands and wherever else to create that so that's one thing the second thing is [1:28:55] [Music] when in this incubator period i'm a little concerned it sounds like we're [1:29:02] pulling staff from the early learning center to manage administratively here [1:29:07] those two classrooms i'm concerned about what we would then lose at the early learning center because that's pulling [1:29:13] from there so i don't know if you can address that but yeah val and i have had some dialogue [1:29:20] about how we could leverage some administrative support and then backfill some of that [1:29:27] some of those roles from that administrative support in the elc so we won't lose any service on it but it [1:29:35] would be part of the cost of providing oversight here at the elc so we need an [1:29:40] administrator that's nearby right and so that is it's very convenient for a year [1:29:47] the administrator that we'd be looking at would be leah bird leah has been a kindergarten teacher for [1:29:55] 17 years she has her principal license she speaks spanish so it's a great fit in terms of that [1:30:01] opportunity and then we would backfill some of those roles that she wouldn't be able to do with some other staff in the elc [1:30:12] per week can you talk about the number of hours yeah 10 hours per week is what we're [1:30:19] assuming we'll need for administrative oversight from leah okay i'm just [1:30:25] did you consider hiring um bringing i'm just concerned about [1:30:31] the early learning center we have things that we're working on there so i'm really i'm really concerned about that [1:30:36] piece because and and i know this i mean it wouldn't preclude my vote to support [1:30:42] this but i i i just wonder if we have built in if we need to hire somebody so [1:30:48] that we're not losing and pulling from somewhere else because even if we have other staff she leads the early learning [1:30:53] center and that expertise is needed so i want to make sure we're not pulling from services for [1:31:01] so so can i make a comment related to that which is [1:31:06] my understanding is that there is a risk if we do not have this program that we're going to see some [1:31:13] decrease in enrollment and so that and that if we do have this program and it's successful we would see [1:31:19] an increase in enrollment at least as to that extra class so what i would suggest is that if we [1:31:26] find that there is a significant enrollment so we get to 48 students that you reassess where we're at and if [1:31:33] you need to hire a 0.5 fte to overs to provide oversight [1:31:39] it is within the fiscal boundaries of what this program would accomplish in the first year [1:31:44] so rather than sit here and worry about and and i'm not suggesting that you know we shouldn't take 10 hours from leah [1:31:51] but i think you need to look at what oversight is needed what we need to [1:31:57] put in place and if we're seeing the 48 students take a look at at hiring someone to help [1:32:04] bring this program up to speed it addresses a number of the questions people have said about well we're overbooked we're [1:32:10] stretched too far we need to catch up on other things because the reality is this is not going [1:32:16] to take away money from other things that we could catch up with in fact it's going to increase money [1:32:21] into the district so if we don't do this we we end up with a tighter fiscal situation [1:32:29] so i'm not really concerned with a number of these things but i do want you to keep in mind if there's additional revenue maybe we put it towards [1:32:37] additional resources at the district yeah we can certainly revisit that [1:32:43] yeah and i think i think it actually especially if you're we get ourselves in a situation where we have the crossover [1:32:50] right so if we are in that spot where we have to we're going to just move the first graders and keep the [1:32:55] kindergartners here for that extra year then it would be vital for us to have somebody who is [1:33:01] who can dedicate that and it's not it this is nothing against leah byrd it'd be for anybody that would come in [1:33:08] that already has a role and responsibilities in our district so um that's it other than that um thank [1:33:14] you for listening and the questions and um thank you again for all your work this is great [1:33:23] ready to vote um we will now vote to approve magnet programming all those in favor say aye [1:33:29] aye anyone opposed say nay nay did you get that ann ellen and um owen [1:33:36] renee um the motion is approved uh great job team [1:33:41] thank you congratulations thank you uh do i have a motion to approve policies 6 27 and 9 12. so moved [1:33:50] is there a second second julie and lenny um [1:33:56] open sorry i draw a blank when i was staring at you it's late we talked about both these [1:34:03] policies at the september board meeting the educational program 627 deals with [1:34:09] some language cleanup and some concerns around discipline issues with credit bearing activities or not credit bearing [1:34:15] activities and 9 12 partnerships with community [1:34:21] organizations we are looking to rescind that we've got some redundant language in that and [1:34:27] so that's the high level sum are there any questions or comments from [1:34:35] board members about these two policies um we will now vote to approve policies [1:34:40] 6 27 and 9 12. all those in favor say aye anyone oppose nay [1:34:47] um the policy 627 and 912 are approved [1:34:52] um we're now going moving on to board leadership and committee updates um [1:34:58] and the first thing is i have a report on the midterm informal midterm review mid-year review [1:35:05] of dr stanley um so i have something to read here um the school board completed an informal [1:35:11] mid-year review of dr stanley on november 30th 2021 the purpose of this was to provide [1:35:18] mid-year feedback and was not a formal review of dr stanley's performance overall the board stated that dr [1:35:24] stanley's performance was excellent the board emphasized the work that she did in putting together a cohesive return to [1:35:30] school plan her work on recommendations to the board on magnet school options her work in moving forward with the [1:35:36] comprehensive literacy plan leadership development and her own onboarding particular positive mention was also [1:35:43] made of her work in providing proactive communication to both the public and the board setting and communicating clear terms [1:35:50] regarding the return to school plan and being a positive force on behalf of the district in terms of areas of improvement the [1:35:56] board would like dr stanley to consider being more flexible in relation to deadlines there may be times where plans [1:36:02] need to be adjusted and deadlines extended in those circumstances the board is open to discussions regarding [1:36:08] adjustments the board thanks her for her work and looks forward to continuing to work with her [1:36:14] so thank you it's been a a whirlwind six months and we really appreciate what you've brought to our [1:36:20] district so thank you i believe that uh julie had a committee update [1:36:25] i'm gonna make it super fast but um this is from i'm on the as a board i go [1:36:31] to the community ed advisory um council i'm looking at val with val over there um [1:36:37] yes but i just wanted to highlight a couple quick things that i thought would be important for the public if anyone's still watching from home and for board [1:36:43] members um i wanted to one of the things that came up [1:36:48] our communications department as you know launched a new website and there has been a huge increase at the edina [1:36:54] resource center because of that website launch and a lot more connections to families finding the information faster [1:37:00] so thank you mary and i know that that came up and that's but they saw a 40 increase in online activity which i [1:37:05] think is a huge accomplishment um tedx edina is planned for next october 29th it's a saturday there's [1:37:13] also going to be a tedx edina youth night the night before on friday october 28th application process opens in [1:37:20] january for anybody so keep an eye out for that i'm sure that will come out through community ed [1:37:26] the other quick thing is that community ed is also they reported out [1:37:32] that they are starting a new community tutor center with high school high schools to start [1:37:38] and that's launching in now or through january and they'll be offering morning after [1:37:43] school and some evening hours in different locations throughout edina it is a huge partnership and i credit the [1:37:49] community ed staff for really taking the charge on that working with the tutoring center at the high school and then next [1:37:56] friday at there is a wood shop in this building that was remodeled and redone [1:38:01] it is awesome but there's an open house next friday during the day between 11 11 30 and 1 30 and you can see what people [1:38:07] are doing and i would just like to shout out there are more women sign up for wood shop classes than ever before [1:38:15] the end that's it outstanding uh last but not least i would like to extend a [1:38:21] huge thank you to all the individuals that have helped us successfully run our vaccine clinics we've had over the last [1:38:28] many months we truly would not have been able to do this without tons of volunteers from our [1:38:33] community our own district health services staff our custodial staff and our own administration i'd also like [1:38:40] to thank community care clinics who run these vaccine clinics dr sarah preble [1:38:46] and dr ann griffiths and all the health care volunteers who not only are over [1:38:52] over at their limits in their own jobs but then take the time to come and help [1:38:57] vaccinate our own students and staff and community [1:39:02] at our vaccine clinics our last clinic we vaccinated almost 1500 students elementary school students [1:39:09] and and have an extraordinarily high first vaccination rate for elementary [1:39:15] school students and i just couldn't be prouder of the teamwork between the community and the schools [1:39:21] um and thank you so much to everyone involved in that i do have one leadership update from the [1:39:29] clerk i just wanted to say as the clerk [1:39:34] it's truly been an honor to serve the edina public school community i want to thank all the many community [1:39:41] members students and staff so many whom i'd never met before who reached out to me [1:39:48] throughout my term with words of encouragement gratitude and sometimes with shared dismay [1:39:54] you all made my job fulfilling provided me with perspective and have kept the wind in my sails to keep me [1:40:01] inspired to try to make positive changes i want to say thank you especially to [1:40:07] the staff members that i have known over 31 years that i have that [1:40:13] the 31 years that i've been a part of this district you're the ones that created the [1:40:18] educational space where my children thrived and i can never [1:40:23] adequately express my gratitude for your service and your care [1:40:30] i truly will miss all of your our our interactions and um [1:40:35] i just want to say again i was it was it's been an honor to serve thank you [1:40:43] thank you ellen um with that i appreciate that um with that we are jordan [1:41:08] uh