[27:33] School Board candidate Forum sponsored by Edina Public Schools parent leadership Council the purpose of [27:41] today's form is to hear from our two candidates Christina Jordan and Regina Neville who are running in the special [27:48] election to fulfill the remaining one-year term of the vacant seat on the [27:53] Edina School Board my name is Karen treeweiler and I'm a member of the Edina PLC and moderator for today's forum [27:59] thank you all for attending before we get started I ask that you check your cell phones either turn them off or put [28:06] them on silent thank you [28:12] we are gathered at the Edina Community Center in boardroom 349 this form is [28:18] being live streamed and recorded so please hold your applause until the very end [28:24] a recording of this form will be available for viewing on the district's website later this week [28:30] this forum is an opportunity to get to know the candidates running for Edina [28:35] School Board all candidates who have filed for the office of school board and who will be on the November 8th 2022 [28:42] ballot were invited and both are in attendance today I want to thank our [28:47] candidates Regina Neville and Christina Jordan for participating in today's important [28:52] event here are the rules and format for today's forum speaking order was [28:58] randomly assigned prior to the Forum I will call on candidates to answer general questions by both first and last [29:05] name each candidate will have 60 seconds to make an opening statement each [29:10] candidate will have 90 seconds to make a closing statement all candidates will answer General topic [29:17] questions and will indicate whether that particular question is allotted 60 seconds or 90 seconds [29:24] all candidates will also answer lightning round questions that consist of answering with either a yes or no [29:30] only all candidates will raise their provided paddle at the same time to answer the yes or no [29:37] lightning round questions in addition to your paddle answer you will also give your verbal response in alphabetical [29:44] order I will indicate your turn with a knot of my head [29:49] members of the PLC will be tracking your time and will indicate to candidates whether you have 30 seconds remaining 15 [29:57] seconds remaining and when you must stop the PLC solicited questions from our [30:03] parent leaders and attempts in good faith to cover as many topics submitted as possible within the time constraints [30:09] all questions are the property of parent leadership Council one final note if you [30:15] need a question repeated at any time just let me know let's begin [30:21] we will start with an opening statement from each candidate each of you will be given 60 seconds to respond we will [30:29] begin with Regina Neville thank you hello my name is Regina [30:36] Neville and I'd like to thank the parent leadership Council for hosting this forum I'd also like to thank everyone [30:43] who's participating here and watching the recording to become informed about [30:48] this year's Edina School Board election my husband Tom and I have lived in Edina [30:54] for 22 years and we're the parents of three proud graduates of Edina High [30:59] School I've consistently served Edina Public Schools in multiple leadership [31:04] capacities for over 20 years I'd be honored to serve in this year ahead with [31:10] the depth of experience I've accrued with 12 years of school board experience I've acquired knowledge in school of [31:17] Finance policy development and collaboration I have classroom teaching [31:22] experience and I continue to work with students at Valley View Middle School in the theater program please vote for me [31:28] and learn more at www.regina for neville4edina.com [31:37] Christina Jordan thank you and thank you all for being here this morning and giving us the [31:43] opportunity to speak to you all I am a lifelong resident of Minnesota and a 25-year Edina resident my career [31:51] in education spans over 33 years and 25 of those were spent as a Minnesota public school teacher the last eight [31:58] years I've worked as an independent education consultant partnering with Educators on a national level to help [32:05] develop best practices in education I've experienced education from the [32:10] inside at all levels and I have worked on groups to bring community and schools [32:18] together Edina has traditionally been a leader in Minnesota education preparing [32:23] generations of students for Success I'm running for school board because I see opportunities for growth and I want to [32:29] ensure that future Generations receive the same level of quality education that my three children had [32:35] we owe it all of our stakeholders to get back to our best and honor our commitment to defining excellence [32:43] thank you the following is a general question you [32:48] will each have 60 seconds to respond why are you running in this special [32:54] election what experience and abilities do you bring to the board specifically what [33:02] differentiates you as a candidate we will begin with Christina Jordan [33:09] so I alluded a little to that I think in my opening statement I I've been a lifelong educator and anybody who knows [33:15] me knows that education has been a passion of mine even when I was a young child and I chose Edina as the school [33:23] district to have my kids go to school and they received an amazing education here [33:29] um I'm running because I've had a lot of community members come up to me and say that they feel like their voices aren't [33:35] being heard and I think what differentiates me is that I have seen education inside and out I traveled the [33:43] country I work with school boards I work with them on their strategic plans I work with principals and superintendents [33:49] we do audits on what's working and what's not so I've seen best practice I've seen what is being successful and [33:56] what is not across the country and I can bring that wide perspective to Edina [34:01] Public Schools and I think that's something that we don't have on our board right now and I think we need to [34:07] welcome some diversity of thought and I can bring that to our school board [34:12] Regina Neville I have the necessary experience to serve [34:19] in this one-year term replacing Lenny Wallen Friedman who had 12 years of school board service and I've also had [34:26] that number of years of experience both on the Edina School Board where I served for eight years and on intermediate [34:33] District 287 where I served for nine and a half years they overlapped that's how [34:38] you get to the 12th but I know how School boards work it's at least a year [34:43] to learn how it works so that learning curve wouldn't be necessary within this [34:48] particular one-year term I understand policy I have Financial guidance [34:53] experience I've collaborated with superintendents a lot of my work with intermediate District 287 and with the [35:01] Dyna education fund has been in mental health and wellness which is a [35:06] significant need of our district and in literacy and literacy support so I [35:12] believe that I have the necessary background and collaboration relationships put together to serve in [35:19] this year thank you the following question is a general [35:25] question with 60 seconds for response time [35:30] what would be your approach with the current board to collaborate and Lead [35:37] we will begin with Christina Jordan so I think that's a pretty broad [35:44] question because at its core our job as a school board is to collaborate and Lead so first of all as somebody who is [35:53] new to the school board but certainly not new to the process or new to education as a whole I would I would [35:58] listen not only to my fellow school board members but to our community [36:03] members as well I've spoken to many groups across our community from [36:10] students to our Somali groups our Asian groups I've spoken to conservative [36:16] groups and liberal groups and neighborhood groups and in every single one of those Arenas people have said to [36:23] me please please please if you're on the school board listen give us a place to voice our opinion make sure that [36:29] everybody's voice is heard so I think that would be my number one goal is to make sure that we listen and not only [36:35] that we listen that we do something with that information Regina Neville [36:42] building relationships is key to the collaboration with everyone in the [36:47] district and specifically with my colleagues who would be on the school board and the superintendent so building [36:54] on relationships that I've established and working with them in the past but also listening to the ideas that they [37:01] bring to the table the advantage of a school board is that there are different points of view and that all informs the [37:08] decision-making process so I hope to continue to learn from what they offer and listen so that I can make informed [37:16] decisions I also appreciate and welcome the opportunity to support this group [37:21] because we're all working in the same direction with an excellent school district and looking for opportunities [37:27] to improve thank you candidates there will be 90 seconds for the [37:34] following question the first sentence of the Edina Public [37:40] School Mission States EPS is a dynamic Learning Community [37:45] delivering educational excellence and preparing all students to realize their [37:52] full potential what does this mean to you and how would [37:57] you measure if this is being delivered we will begin with Regina Neville [38:05] Dynamic Learning Community is a fantastic phrase and I appreciate it [38:12] being in the mission it applies to each of us individually as well as to our district as a whole so it speaks to the [38:20] potential of each of us as both students and Educators and we're all Educators in [38:25] different capacities whether we are parents working with our students Educators in the classroom and community [38:32] members supporting our students so dynamic means a willingness to change and grow [38:38] our opportunity as a school district is to look at where the gaps may be if they [38:44] are opportunity gaps learning gaps and find ways to support so that phrase and [38:50] the mission indicates a district that is willing to grow willing to listen to [38:56] best practice that may be from other communities listen to the voices in our community and address how can we make [39:04] the adjustments that are necessary to provide the resources and also the [39:10] learning environment that is welcoming and supportive for all of our Learners regardless of what they bring to the [39:17] school we want to celebrate what they bring and then give them what they need to move forward [39:25] Christina Jordan so I think that we have a wonderful [39:31] Vision here in Edina and I think that um we need to look at that and truly follow [39:38] that but in that dynamic means that sometimes we need to be willing to take [39:44] a chance in education I feel like a lot of times and this is not just any dyna [39:49] thing this is across the board no matter what state I'm in we look at the new shiny and we sort of implement it [39:56] because it's the fun thing to do or the cool thing to do and then we get rid of [40:01] it because it just wasn't serving us right so in truly being Dynamic we need to be willing to take a chance but not [40:07] only to do that but actually Implement things with Fidelity I think we need to [40:13] offer diverse programming for our students we're doing some really cool things I met with Dr Stanley the other [40:19] day she told me about the science Space Program oh my gosh that's the best thing out there we should do more of that we [40:26] also should listen to our student voice because we are shaping what they are [40:32] living every single day and when I met with the Student Center that the other day they said they want more choices [40:37] they want more creative Outlets they want to explore more vocational opportunities and I think being Dynamic [40:45] is also reaching outside of our community partnering with our what our students truly need and want and making [40:52] that happen for them thank you the next general question is a 60-second [41:01] response time how can the district ensure that its [41:06] mission and vision are applied consistently across all schools and [41:12] programs yet still allow for individual school and program identities and cultures [41:23] we will begin with Christina Jordan so as I just stated I think that every [41:30] thing that we do in our district should be funneled through the lens of our [41:36] vision and our strategic plan that's why we have it there right so that should be our overarching lens for everything we [41:43] do but that being said every school has its own culture every school has its own [41:49] makeup of students that make it unique and certainly where I taught I taught at a school that was radically different in [41:58] financial cultural diverse makeup I didn't we didn't fit [42:03] with the rest of the district so allowing every school to still hold true to that mission to look at [42:11] unifying our tests and applying that across the board but allowing for individuality in the programs that some [42:18] schools may need versus others is something that's really important because if we're really individualizing instruction for our students we need to [42:25] make sure that we have the flexibility to give each site what they need [42:30] Regina Neville implementing the mission and the Strategic plan begin with policy and [42:37] part of the role of school board is to take a look at policy and make sure that it is Equitable in what we say and in [42:45] how we want to bring things forward so part of our policies in place already addressed the fact that one funding [42:52] needs to be Equitable across all Sites so it's taking a look at the support that different sites receive and how we [43:00] as a district support them but that said there's always the opportunity for personal choice and voice and that's [43:08] what builds the unique identity of each of our schools and each of our programs so each of them might have a different [43:15] opportunity for focus with either a language or esteem Focus that is a great [43:21] fit for each individual student we celebrate that and then at the meantime make sure that no one is identifiable by [43:30] their site or learning program in their ability to to achieve success K-12 [43:36] thank you we now move to our first lightning round the answer is either a [43:41] yes or a no by raising your paddle and then your verbal response each time in [43:47] alphabetical order school boards are a non-partisan [43:53] position have you or your campaign accepted financial support or endorsement from a pack a political [44:00] party or a political campaign [44:06] it's not a yes or no answer for me sorry no [44:11] do you think politics should influence teaching and instruction in the classroom no [44:18] no do you think politics should influence board members and School Board policy [44:27] no have you or will you participate in any [44:32] partisan-based forums no no have you received support or endorsement [44:40] from Education Minnesota the teachers union it not yet that will come out on October [44:47] 13th do you support federal school vouchers [44:53] for private education [44:58] no thank you we now move back to the general [45:05] questions the following is a 60-second answer [45:11] what is your view of equity in education [45:17] do you agree with how Equity is addressed in the Strategic plan [45:23] we will begin with Regina Neville [45:28] Equity is foundational in our school Community for all of our students and [45:34] for everyone who is a part of Edina Public Schools and this is embedded in our strategic plan it also needs to be [45:41] embedded in how we welcome people to our community how we create a safe learning [45:47] environment and a supportive learning environment so some of the issues that have been [45:53] identified with our one town one family conversations that we're a community [45:58] that steeped in Rich tradition sometimes those Traditions are not welcoming [46:04] sometimes there's a feeling of a lack of belonging sometimes we normalize bad behavior we [46:11] have the opportunity as a district to be introspective to learn what we don't know to unlearn [46:18] what might not apply any longer and to listen to each other so that we can grow [46:24] together it starts with individual growth I'm committed to my individual growth so that we can serve each other [46:30] collaboratively Christina Jordan [46:35] so Equity means removing barriers for our students and our Educators in their [46:41] environment and I agree with Regina when she says we need to be open to conversations we need to learn about [46:49] each other and understand each other so that we can provide an environment where everybody feels like they belong that [46:56] should be core at every building across our district but Equity doesn't only [47:01] mean racial Equity that's a part of it and it's a it's an important part of it but it also means financial and [47:09] educational Equity as well we need to make sure that our students with IEPs are students that are dyslexic [47:16] and are parents that maybe are struggling right now to make ends meet have the barriers removed so that they [47:22] can be successful in our school district as well and so when we talk about Equity we need to look at all of those things [47:28] and make sure that the barriers are removed for all of our students that are struggling with something so that they [47:35] can learn in the environment that best suits them thank you candidates [47:41] there will be a 90 there will be 90 seconds to respond to this question [47:47] what specific ideas do you have to improve culture and climate in our [47:53] schools to ensure all students feel welcome respected for differences [48:00] and enjoy an overall sense of well-being and belonging [48:06] we will begin with Regina Neville climate does make a difference we all [48:12] know when we feel welcome when we feel a sense of belonging and when we don't so [48:18] creating climate starts with one that invitation to join to belong to be part [48:24] of that invitation will look different depending on who's receiving the invitation so it might be something [48:31] posted on a website or in a newsletter but I think it's important to ask is the [48:36] welcome mat out can everybody read it and what do we [48:41] feel when we get inside the door so what we can do is continue to listen with the [48:47] one town one family discussions partner with the city and the community partner with parents and community members [48:54] student voice is key our student Senate speaks beautifully to this when they [49:00] shared with me their opportunities for growth which is just communication making sure that their voices are [49:06] celebrated making sure that we celebrate a range of things that are important so [49:13] Athletics academics achievement and individual activities are important reviewing that list is it a com is it a [49:20] comprehensive list so it's listening to voices it's adding Partners to the table [49:26] and I think with that intense listening and continuing what we have in place we'll continue to build a better culture [49:34] Christina Jordan could you repeat the question please what specific ideas do you have to [49:40] improve culture and climate in our schools to ensure all students feel welcome respected for differences and [49:48] enjoy an overall sense of well-being and belonging [49:54] I think that one of the things that is truly a gift here in Edina is that we have such a big school there there [50:01] really is a lot of opportunity for people to belong and I remember when my kids were in school like I was amazed [50:07] there was a fishing club and there were an archery club and all these things that my friends didn't have as part of [50:15] their kids schools because they weren't in such a large environment that being said because we are such a large [50:21] District we do need to make sure that we are hearing those voices of our students and our families when I met with the [50:28] student Senate the other day I sort of just let them talk and they had a lot to say and one of the things that they [50:35] wanted to make sure that people knew so that they felt welcome and understood was that there they're more than a [50:41] number and a test score they wanted to no I wanted the leaders to know that [50:47] Excellence means more than just academics so I think providing avenues for them where they can engage in things [50:53] be Beyond just academics I also think culture in the schools expands to our [50:59] families and I think that we need to make it easier for our families to [51:04] attend we have a lot of working parents in our district let's have meetings at time that work for them we have a lot of [51:11] families that don't speak English as their first language do we have translators for those people at our [51:17] meetings I've never seen it also let's provide child care at our meetings for our families so that if they are at home [51:23] with small children they can still come be a part of the process and make sure that their voice is heard [51:30] thank you you will have 60 seconds to respond to [51:36] this next question what if any experience do you have with [51:42] our multilingual community and families of color [51:47] how do you plan to engage these communities in your work as a board [51:53] member Christina Jordan [51:58] so the 25 years that I spent working in the Robinsdale School District I taught at a school that was directly across the [52:04] street from Brookdale my student population was 95 percent free and reduced lunch 75 percent of my student [52:11] population were students of color and of that 75 percent of 40 percent did not [52:17] speak English as their first language so I lived that every day for 25 years I [52:22] also was in charge of school Community liaison at our school so I was the [52:27] person who helped implement the programs that welcomed our families into our school made sure that they understood [52:34] our processes made sure that there were interpreters there made sure they had transportation to our schools like I [52:41] said just a minute ago I think we need to look stop thinking that we are a [52:46] two-parent one income household we're not anymore we're a very diverse community and we need to reach out to [52:53] those members of our community that don't feel that they fit into that mold and I have 25 years experience variance [52:59] doing that because I lived it in my classroom every day Regina Neville [53:05] well my first experience is with my students at Valley View Middle School and I'm grateful to have a diverse group [53:11] who are interested in theater and I'm interested in theater so I learn a lot by working with them every day but on a [53:18] larger scale I've had the opportunity to be a part of intermediate District 287 serving our Edina students and other [53:25] students from our total of 11 collaborative districts where the majority of our students are students of [53:32] color I learned a lot as a board member with professional development and working with our Educators and students [53:39] to hear their voices within Edina I'm active with the anti-racism collective [53:44] to actively promote racial equity and healing with our community I've had the [53:51] opportunity to meet with a representative of the Edina Asian American Alliance I've also participated [53:57] with our students when they had a walk out last spring in response to some hate incidents in the school and to just [54:05] listen and share that hurt that happened during that opportunity thank you now [54:11] for another lightning round candidates please grab your paddles remember again if these are yes or no answers only and [54:18] then your verbal response in alphabetical order these following questions are aimed at understanding what you have done to prepare for [54:24] potentially being a member on the school board have you visited at least one elementary [54:31] middle and high school this past year yes yes [54:38] have you volunteered in or for any of our schools since the start of this [54:44] school year no no this is a three-part question [54:50] have you connected with any teachers at the elementary level to understand their [54:55] goals and challenges for the 2022-2023 school year yes no [55:01] at the middle school level yes yes at the high school level yes yes [55:10] have you spoken with at least one principle in elementary middle and high [55:15] school in preparation for running for school board yes yes [55:21] have you attended at least one regular board meeting in its entirety in the [55:27] last year yes yes have you attended at least one board [55:33] work session in its entirety in the last year no yes [55:40] have you taken the time to speak with the superintendent in preparation for this role on the school board yes yes [55:48] have you taken the time to speak with our assistant superintendent or any members of the district leadership team [55:55] in preparation for this role no yes thank you [56:04] we now move back to the general questions you will each have 90 seconds to respond [56:10] to this next question what do you consider to be the two [56:16] biggest successes for Edina Public Schools in the last year [56:22] on the flip side what is one area of opportunity we need to improve upon [56:28] please be specific Christina Jordan [56:36] well I think that we always seem to receive National and Statewide [56:43] recognition and that's something that we have achieved again this year we were just voted the number one college prep [56:49] school in the nation and that is no small task our teachers work very hard [56:55] with our students our curriculum is rigorous to help allow us to prepare our [57:01] students for college I have three recent graduates myself they were very well prepared for college by the Edina Public [57:09] Schools so I think that that's not just a success this year but also a success [57:14] that we have had in the past and hope to continue to have in the future I think [57:20] that looking at our literacy program is another success that has happened in the [57:26] past year looking at how students develop language how language is [57:31] acquired as students learn how to read is something that is a really big accomplishment event that has been [57:38] achieved by our school board our teachers are going to be receiving the right professional development so that [57:43] they can Implement those reading practices and so I think that that is a huge win for our school district and our [57:49] school board as well one thing that I think that we can could improve on is our community [57:56] communication I think we have a lot of people who feel like they aren't part of the process and we need to do a better [58:03] job with that Regina Neville [58:10] our Niche recognition from from the organization niche as the number one school for best college prep is [58:18] impressive and it's something we've had repeatedly and it's worth being proud of uh it's also impressive that we've [58:25] launched the Dual language immersion program and expanded our steam opportunities uh fast bridge is another [58:32] specific implementation that's making a significant difference in early Universal assessment for both math and [58:40] reading literacy moving forward what I know we're already doing but is it this [58:45] opportunity for improvement is expanding our math opportunities and our math assessment and support again it's [58:52] something the district has addressed it is moving forward and I know that that will be successful another opportunity [59:00] for improvement is just continuing to develop our culture and our listening as [59:06] a district to students Educators parents and community Unity [59:12] thank you you will each have 60 seconds to respond [59:18] to the next question if tasked with budget cuts [59:24] what one thing would you focus on cutting first and if you could add something what [59:31] would it be we will begin with Regina Neville [59:38] budget cuts budget adjustments as we often refer to them are the most challenging aspect [59:44] well there there's a lot of challenging aspects it's challenging um because with budget cuts we want to [59:49] protect the classroom and that's always the leading question so in terms of [59:54] making a budget cut it would be something that takes it uh that protects [1:00:00] the core classroom instruction and rather than a specific cut it often the [1:00:05] opportunity is for a generation of Revenue so I would look at opportunities for generation of Revenue but if we need [1:00:13] to lose something it's just taking a look at [1:00:18] um any of the any of the needs that are it's people it's really hard to take a look at [1:00:25] people and say who can we you know possibly cut back on and then we need to develop Partnerships what I would put [1:00:32] back in first is people people in the classroom para support Educators any [1:00:38] opportunity to support educators no Jordan [1:00:44] so this is a tough one and I don't think we can just say I would cut from here [1:00:49] first I've lived through budget cuts as an educator in a district and the reason that we have programs and resources in [1:00:56] places because we feel they're valuable for our students so to just blankets say I would cut this I don't I [1:01:03] don't think I could do that without analyzing and looking at actually where we're spending our money [1:01:08] that being said I would agree with Regina when she says we need to keep our [1:01:13] Educators our Focus first and not cut from there [1:01:19] because they are the people who are with our students every single day and they are essential in delivering our [1:01:26] strategic plan so if I had to add something back in assuming that we [1:01:32] already had money to do it I think I would add more diverse opportunities for [1:01:37] our students like in the Arts and to explore other avenues because that's what the students told me last week that [1:01:44] they wanted thank you you will each have 90 seconds to respond [1:01:50] to the next question in education the Learners support needs of students [1:01:57] are diverse whether it's intervention for special education [1:02:03] meeting the needs of high achieving Learners or any touch point in between [1:02:10] specifically if there were a limited and declining budget how would you go about [1:02:15] prioritizing the needs of various groups of students [1:02:21] we will begin with Regina Neville the core of meeting students needs is [1:02:28] finding finding out where they are so as opposed to intervention I think [1:02:35] that a better match for Edina and for our students is meeting students where [1:02:40] they are identifying those needs sometimes it's for acceleration sometimes it's for building foundational [1:02:46] support and often for our students they're making 12 18 to 24 months of progress within [1:02:54] one year that's extraordinary and something to be celebrated I don't know that one need can be prioritized over [1:03:00] another that's not how our district works I know that we take a look at the [1:03:06] needs across the board and we figure out how to get there together so that's a [1:03:11] partnership answer it's Gathering the data that's necessary to make the decisions analyzing that data and then [1:03:19] working in partnership with our organizations such as the Edina education fund Edina giving go filling [1:03:27] opportunity gaps and working with our Educators who know our students who have [1:03:32] those relationships and building that instructional size into that one-on-one [1:03:38] opportunity to make sure that students are met where they are [1:03:44] Christina Jordan so this is what I do in my job every day when I meet with school [1:03:49] districts Across the Nation I go in and I help them do an audit of what they are using in their school so when we look at [1:03:56] Edina we would want to take a look at the map tests that we're giving all of our students there's a wealth of [1:04:01] information that we get from that test are we utilizing all that information we can get summative informative data on [1:04:08] achievement from that test from there are we allowing our Educators time to meet and analyze that data to use that [1:04:16] data to differentiate instruction within their classroom if we're not we need to make sure we're giving Educators that [1:04:22] time because only then can we assess where our students are and looking at [1:04:27] that data frequently is really important and not just the map but the formative assessments that our educators are doing [1:04:34] as part of their regular classroom instruction is important to look at too because when we differentiate [1:04:39] instruction those groups need to be fluid I could be in one group this week because I completely missed a concept [1:04:46] and then be moved up to another group in another month and so digging into that data making sure we're looking at [1:04:52] multiple data points that are both summative and formative and not only looking at achievement but ability too [1:04:58] and I know we've moved away from looking at ability in Edina and I think that if you really want to focus on where those [1:05:05] children are at and we're truly taking a whole child view of our students we need [1:05:11] to look at both ability and achievement and we need to look at what we're already utilizing and make sure that we [1:05:17] are deriving all the data from that that we already have thank you we're now going to move back [1:05:23] to a lightning round this one is short remember yes or no answers only [1:05:29] do you know the excuse me do you know how the state funding formula works for [1:05:35] public education yes but I'm not an expert on it [1:05:41] yes not an expert do you know the per pupil amount the [1:05:47] state provides to our district yes yes [1:05:52] do you know the total annual operating budget for Edina Public Schools I do not [1:05:59] yes thank you [1:06:04] we're going to move back to the general questions the following is a 60-second response time [1:06:11] per the Strategic plan literacy is identified as a priority for the [1:06:18] district do you think any progress has been made in the comprehensive literacy plan [1:06:26] we will begin with Christina Jordan I touched on this a little bit earlier [1:06:31] as this was one of the wins for our district um again I work with schools all over the [1:06:38] country and more and more schools are moving away from that whole language approach I think this is the exact [1:06:45] direction that we need to be going we need to be looking on how language is acquired and that's not only going to [1:06:50] benefit our students who are going to be good readers anyway but that will help our students that are dyslexic and that [1:06:57] will help our students that are El and so I think that we are going exactly the [1:07:02] right direction by doing that I know that our teachers are receiving professional development on how to deliver this instruction in their [1:07:08] classroom I'm familiar with the professional development that they're receiving and it's spot on so I think [1:07:14] that this is a really great thing for us it will serve more students across the board equally and it will benefit our [1:07:22] Educators as well Regina Neville the district is making great progress in [1:07:29] literacy and when the district is addressing literacy it's both reading [1:07:34] literacy and math literacy and there's a specific plan in place that is being [1:07:39] implemented to support both fast Bridge assessment has been extraordinary it [1:07:45] provides a comprehensive assessment earlier in the school year for students it is a more efficient test to deliver [1:07:53] and it's data that can be implemented right away the letters training for [1:07:59] instructors expands their professional development to recognize specific reading issues and dyslexic being one of [1:08:06] them but any kind of reading issue that a student needs how can we get the tools that we need within our educator staff [1:08:13] to address those needs math I've addressed earlier I know that the district is also working with math in [1:08:20] its literacy plan to roll that out and make sure that students have support but part of that support that was [1:08:26] implemented was with Community Ed earlier this year with Support classes to get students ready for math courses [1:08:33] thank you you will each have 60 seconds to respond to this next question [1:08:40] how should EPS support the social and emotional health of all its students and [1:08:49] staff we will start with Regina Neville [1:08:54] supporting the mental health and well-being of our students and staff is foundational [1:09:00] students can't learn unless they are feeling safe and feeling [1:09:06] that they're in a welcoming environment the same is true for our Educators this [1:09:11] is a stressful position teaching is hard and there's often what I've heard called [1:09:17] a wind chill factor from Jeff Jorgensen this is true I think for all of our [1:09:23] Educators being in the classroom is one thing and then there are other things that come at you so this is foundational [1:09:29] the partnership with the Edina education fund has been extraordinary I was fortunate to chair the Ed fund board [1:09:36] when we work together to expand our Mental Health Access in the buildings [1:09:42] with Frasier and I know that we can do more to expand Mental Health Services and support for our Educators this will [1:09:50] this will provide a better foundation for all of our students and our staff Christina Jordan [1:09:58] it's my my graduate work is in Psychology and so this is something that I feel very passionate about is the the [1:10:05] mental well-being of not only our students but of our teachers you know and I I think we can all agree that [1:10:11] we've come on the other side of a very trying couple of years for everybody involved and um some of our kids are [1:10:18] doing great and some of them aren't so we need to make sure that we are checking in with those kids we need to [1:10:24] make sure that in our SEL curriculum that is part of our everyday teaching anyway right we that's always been part [1:10:31] of teaching that we're giving students the opportunity to voice any concerns [1:10:37] they have and we need to check in on our staff because the relationship between staff and students is very intense and [1:10:44] we spend a lot of time with those students and so if the teacher is not okay sometimes that transfers to the [1:10:49] student and when the student isn't okay it transfers to the teacher and it's sort of cyclical that way so we need to [1:10:57] make sure that we have of programs in place for support and that we are checking in with everybody in our school [1:11:03] Community to make sure that they're doing all right thank you you will each have 60 seconds for this [1:11:10] next question collaboration with and getting input and [1:11:15] feedback from teachers is important with limited teacher contract hours how [1:11:22] do you plan to get teacher voice and input into board decision making [1:11:30] Christina Jordan this is an area where I think the partnership that we have with the Union [1:11:36] is going to be very key we have the Union as the voice of our teachers and [1:11:41] they speak with our teachers all of the time and it's and it's their job to make sure that their teachers feel supported [1:11:47] and have the proper contract in place to do the job that they need to do so [1:11:53] partnering with our Union I think is a really big piece of that there are surveys we can do but we really actually [1:11:59] need to look at the data that comes out of those surveys from our teachers and we need to sit down with representatives [1:12:07] from our educating Force to make sure that we are implementing [1:12:12] um things that are supporting them and I don't know if that looks like a town hall for teachers or if we do that just [1:12:19] through surveys or through the union but giving them a voice where they feel comfortable to share what they need and [1:12:24] then responding to that I think is one of the most important jobs as a school board we can do [1:12:30] Regina Neville this is about Partnerships and with Partnerships comes the need to find time [1:12:37] so time is a commodity that if we can find any ways to flex it it can be [1:12:42] helpful to Bringing people to the table teachers have the the knowledge and the [1:12:48] educational expertise to inform our decisions to inform our curriculum these are the people we need at the table so [1:12:55] asking questions when we come to a decision who is at the table [1:13:00] is there any impact from that decision that will be a negative impact and if [1:13:07] there is how can we mitigate that impact so finding ways to flex the time that we [1:13:12] have to gather that voice to partner together uh and then to develop the [1:13:18] decisions whether it's policy or curriculum is going to make a difference the union is certainly a key partnership [1:13:24] but also intentionally reaching out to teachers by grade level by sight and by [1:13:31] specialty expertise thank you now for our last lightning [1:13:37] round candidates grab your paddles and again yes or no answers [1:13:43] should teachers and principals have input into deciding what courses are [1:13:48] offered in their buildings yes yes should it be required that the district [1:13:55] teaching and learning Department be involved when the board is crafting or [1:14:00] modifying policy regarding new course offerings yes yes [1:14:06] is it appropriate for the school board to be involved in selecting specific [1:14:12] literature and textbooks for EPS classes [1:14:17] yes no do you think our current course offerings provide enough rigor for our [1:14:26] students yes yes do you think our current course [1:14:33] offerings provide enough intervention or learner support for our students no no [1:14:43] thank you we're going to move on to our final general questions and then hear closing [1:14:49] statements from each candidate the next question is allotted 90 seconds [1:14:58] what is the biggest area of challenge in elementary at the middle level and at the high [1:15:06] school how would you approach addressing these issues [1:15:13] we will start with Christina Jordan [1:15:19] I was an elementary school teacher for 25 years so I'm pretty certain that some [1:15:24] of the things that I had as a challenge are Universal across the board as an elementary school teacher you have [1:15:31] a whole class in front of you that you are charged with teaching every subject all day long [1:15:36] and in that classroom you have diverse Learners so I think at the elementary [1:15:42] level time is something that we need to make sure our teachers are getting it was certainly something that I needed [1:15:48] time to make sure that I could look at my students data review my curriculum [1:15:53] make sure that my students were grasping the con Concepts that I was teaching in [1:15:58] my classroom and making sure that I had time to adjust my curriculum and [1:16:05] diversify in my classroom to meet the needs of my students and when you have 28 32 a large group of students in front [1:16:13] of you that's a really really big task I think at the middle and high school level Middle School is you know those [1:16:20] are special teachers who teach Middle School they that's a challenging time of life for kids and parents alike but I [1:16:28] think making sure that we have the emotional support resources at the middle school is something that I heard from the students they feel like the [1:16:34] counselors have to deal with academic things they would like to make sure they have a place to go when they are [1:16:40] struggling with just being a teenager and at the high school I think making [1:16:45] sure that we offer a wide range of classes and that we have the teachers to deliver those classes to meet the needs [1:16:51] of all of our graduating students Regina Neville [1:16:56] well there are certainly lots of opportunities that are a through line throughout Early Childhood to grade 12. [1:17:02] but to be specific at each level for elementary assessment identification of [1:17:08] potential need the earlier the better so it happens pre-kindergarten when [1:17:13] possible but when students enter Elementary School it's identifying what those needs are and a strategy to [1:17:19] address them with that is developing a love of learning to develop that love of learning in [1:17:26] elementary school is a gift that we can give an individual that can last through their lifetime [1:17:32] Middle School it's about development and belonging so honoring choice and voice [1:17:38] and also providing that support that each students need in Middle School to [1:17:43] navigate academic choices but also personal choices for high school involvement is key [1:17:49] students who have an extracurricular activity of some kind do better and that [1:17:55] involvement needs to be coupled with a trusted adult so developing adult relationships needs to continue through [1:18:02] high school so students have someone in addition to a family member who can listen to them and then guiding [1:18:09] post-secondary choices and opportunities making sure they know what's available [1:18:14] and that they know what that path is to access what's available so though that's [1:18:20] a key for for high school but love the kids that's key at all levels they need [1:18:26] to know that they are loved and the community cares thank you [1:18:32] this general question is 60 Seconds how would you sell or Market Edina [1:18:39] Public Schools to a family moving into our community we will start with [1:18:46] Regina Neville it's probably some of the same things [1:18:51] that invited me to move here 22 years ago this is an excellent district and an [1:18:57] excellent community and it's fantastic because of the [1:19:03] opportunities in school but with the dis with a community that has a minority of [1:19:09] families who live here who have students in school it's important to recognize [1:19:14] that this community supports education they've supported it by approving levies [1:19:20] and bonds to support our schools and you feel that when you come here I would encourage families to come and then to [1:19:27] ask questions and get involved and find ways there are so many ways that they can get wrapped around to be [1:19:34] supported and by joining here and finding the opportunities we have [1:19:39] Liaisons we have cultural Liaisons we have building Liaisons we have parent councils we have amazing neighborhoods [1:19:46] so it's reaching out and saying nope you're not alone someone else has had that question we're going to figure it [1:19:53] out together Christina Jordan so we certainly have a reputation for [1:19:59] being excellent in education and that has preceded us for decades I I grew up [1:20:05] in Bloomington I knew um that Edina Public Schools were great schools to go to even when I was in high [1:20:12] school and I chose to move here as an educator I chose to move here and have my children educated in these public [1:20:17] schools because of the reputation I would share with people that um because [1:20:23] we are such a large community there's a place for everybody to believe to belong like I stated earlier there are areas [1:20:30] for kids to get involved no matter what their interest and I would Echo what Regina said that we really do value [1:20:37] education here it's very rare that you are in a community that passes referendum after referendum after [1:20:43] referendum and we do that here in Edina and so our support from our community whether they have kids in our schools or [1:20:50] are not is very strong and I think that is felt collaboratively within the [1:20:55] schools as well thank you this following will be our [1:21:00] last general question and then we'll hear closing statements this question will be allotted 90 [1:21:07] seconds what educational Innovations outside our [1:21:14] district would you like to bring to Edina [1:21:19] we will begin with Regina Neville the district is incredible and that it's [1:21:26] always looking for Innovations outside of the district having the Consortium of like districts that was here in our [1:21:34] community just a couple of weeks ago is evidence of the fact that we're always looking for that opportunity to improve [1:21:40] what I would like to add that we're already moving toward but it's [1:21:46] Partnerships to build community within our schools this will help everyone feel [1:21:52] that there is a place where they belong that their voices matter that all of our [1:21:57] differences are important and valued and I don't know what that program is other [1:22:03] than what we're creating ourselves I mean I don't think there's a lot out there but the fact that we have one town [1:22:10] one family as initiated by Dr Stanley that we have Partnerships with groups [1:22:15] when are within our community who say yes we want to come together talk about this learn and partner because our [1:22:24] relationships are going to impact our students in a positive way so the Innovation is what we are actually [1:22:30] creating to have the conversations to do some of that personal introspection to [1:22:37] examine my own self how can I do better and now how do I find the people who I [1:22:43] can talk with with whom I want to move forward together Christina Jordan [1:22:51] so traveling around the country like I do I see so many cool things I mean I can't even think of one thing that I [1:22:57] would say oh we need to have that here in Edina because there's so many but um I know that when I spoke to the students [1:23:04] the other day one thing that they were very adamant about is that they want opportunities to explore careers earlier [1:23:11] and I know this is something that a lot of states require of their high school students they are required to take [1:23:19] plumbing and becoming an electrician and nursing and teaching and ROTC and [1:23:24] computer programming their Junior and Senior year so that they know if those [1:23:30] are things that are interesting to them so I would suggest partnering with our I [1:23:36] know we have Partnerships with Normandale Community College and votech schools around the area I would strengthen those Partnerships and [1:23:44] because our numbers too when we look at our pseo we see that students are going to those programs outside of their their [1:23:51] high school days so I would strengthen those Partnerships that's one way I think we could be really Innovative with [1:23:56] our students I also think that again this goes back to what I keep saying listening what does our community want [1:24:03] what Innovations are they seeing out there that they would like to see in our community we heard that they wanted a [1:24:08] steam option we listened to that they wanted a dual immersion program we listened to that so like I said there [1:24:15] are a lot of really great things going on right here in our own District but also out there across the country and [1:24:21] listening to our community to decide what they want and what works best for [1:24:26] us is what we should do thank you now we will begin closing statements [1:24:33] each candidate will have 90 seconds we're going to start with Christina Jordan [1:24:40] so first of all thank you again for allowing us to have this platform to come and share our ideas with you we [1:24:47] appreciate you being here and listening to our thoughts anybody who truly knows me knows that my [1:24:54] belief in helping every child reach their full potential is fundamentally who I am so strongly that I've dedicated [1:25:03] my entire career to education for me being an educator was really a calling [1:25:10] my three children have graduated and I'm really thankful for the high quality education that prepared them for their [1:25:16] future ensuring this Excellence for future Generations in Edina will take intentional work that involves digging [1:25:23] deep asking the tough questions using data to drive our instruction [1:25:29] and partnering with Administration to ensure that implementation of our strategic plan is happening and [1:25:37] welcoming diversity of thought from our community and from within our own School Board [1:25:43] taking a one-year position on the school board will be challenging but I am ready I see what's working and what is not [1:25:49] Nationwide through my work with Educators at state and local levels and I collaborate with them on curriculum [1:25:57] assessment data and understanding the complexity of what happens in the public school system [1:26:04] that is a perspective that no other board member can bring to the board that global perspective of Education [1:26:11] on the school board I will work tirelessly to achieve that we reach our motto of defining excellence [1:26:18] and I think that my broad Vision will only serve to enhance the current vision [1:26:24] of our leadership ensuring to our community that Edina Public Schools continues to be on the path to [1:26:30] Excellence that has always defined us thank you for your time today and I hope I earn your vote in November [1:26:38] Regina Neville well thank you to the parent leadership Council for hosting this forum and for [1:26:44] everyone who's attending and listening to the recording as I hope I've shared throughout the Forum I have the [1:26:50] necessary experience to fulfill the demands of this one-year term I've been [1:26:55] an effective leader of multiple education and Community organizations both while my children were in school [1:27:02] and since their graduations I will work hard as an advocate for all of our kids [1:27:09] in my core values I believe that every child matters every child can learn [1:27:17] and every child deserves a welcoming and safe learning environment education has [1:27:23] the power to touch every child so they recognize that they matter and they have the potential for excellence and they [1:27:30] are supported on that journey by a community who believes in them we're fortunate to have an outstanding [1:27:36] school district and a supportive community that is open to Improvement I'm committed to Edina Public Schools [1:27:43] and I look forward to serving as I listen to students families and Educators communicate what's important [1:27:50] to them please visit my website at neville4edina.com and please vote for me [1:27:57] on November 8th thank you we have come to the end of our candidate [1:28:03] Forum the PLC wants to thank each of the candidates for taking the time to join us this morning we greatly appreciated [1:28:10] the opportunity to learn more about both of you and we thank you for your willingness to serve the students [1:28:15] families staff and community of Edina Public Schools I also want to thank our [1:28:20] audience for attending and the Edina parent leadership Council for hosting today's event as a reminder a recording [1:28:26] of today's form will be available online soon at [1:28:31] www.edinaschools.org and finally please remember to vote on November 8th thank [1:28:38] you [Applause]