[4:30] i just want to make sure i don't think we have ellen yet okay good we do all right okay i think we're ready to go um [4:43] okay welcome community we're on hour three of our meetings so um i know you had to switch over [4:48] links so i appreciate you staying with us um i'm going to turn it over to matt right now we wanted to talk about the [4:54] governance function and then i will be going through the four [5:00] suggestions the governance team had just to make sure that board members um understand them and are [5:07] comfortable with them yeah this is uh matt welcome back for the beginning of [5:12] hour four um just really quickly i think that i wanted to clarify for those that [5:18] are just getting accustomed to the way the board operates we have subcommittees that are standing we have a finance [5:23] committee we have hr we have policy and we have teaching and learning and at times we set up subcommittees when we need to move [5:30] faster or address a certain issue that's of importance for instance we've had a legislative action committee for the past two years that's a [5:36] temporary committee not a standing committee so in the case of this governance committee this has been set up to help [5:42] facilitate consistent conversation rapidly with the administration during a global pandemic [5:48] for that purpose erica janie and lenny have been acting on behalf of the board of liaisons in a committee format [5:55] the way the committee works is they then bring the information back to the seven of us and we digest it and the entire [6:00] board makes decisions just an example there's already misinformation on the internet within five minutes of the conversation [6:07] happening 20 minutes ago that now three people are running the board so i just wanted to say out loud that i [6:12] really think that it's important that people pay attention to what's happening from the school board directly and send [6:17] us questions you have to our email address go ahead erica yeah thank you matt and as i said earlier in the meeting [6:24] no committees have decision making power period um so um that cannot happen [6:31] um but to walk through specifically the four suggestions um the first one was [6:38] um yeah a communication to parents to really explain how the [6:45] hybrid model will work and so that there's an understanding and [6:50] a shared commitment to the safety requirements to be in the school system [6:56] and we want to make sure that parents understand the masking expectations are the [7:03] masking policy social distancing and requirements such as hand washing [7:08] and so parents understand things like it's not going to be like going back to regular school [7:14] there's going to be places the kids can play on the playground and i think it's important that um [7:21] our parents understand the commitment we require from a safety [7:26] perspective to be in the hybrid model to make sure our staff and our other students are [7:31] safe one was a communication that the district sends out to [7:37] both the city of edina and city based sports and activity programs um sorry eric at the end of each one you [7:45] want to stop and see if there are questions so that people can process one at a time [7:51] so i would stop between them and see if their questions [7:58] all right so the first the first one is to send out clear and consistent information about [8:05] how the hybrid model works the community that sounds great correct ellen is that going to focus on [8:14] just the safety precautions are we going to be describing more [8:19] from my perspective it's mostly about safety precautions and um [8:26] ensuring there's a shared commitment for the safety precautions that we have in the school system and so we could [8:34] include a link if you really wanted to the presentation that gives more information [8:39] but the goal really is safety related [8:45] then the second is a communication that goes to the city of edina [8:51] and to city based sports and activity associations explaining that we need a shared [8:57] commitment in our community to follow the recommended cdc safety rules [9:02] and social distancing and the point behind that is that we are asking a lot [9:10] of teachers parents and students from a safety perspective within our [9:18] school when kids go out of the school we have no control over what happens and so if we could have a community [9:24] commitment that we're going to do all we can to stop the spread of covet that's the only [9:30] way we are going to be able to maintain our hybrid model it is the only way [9:35] and so if we're doing all of this work within school and then my kid not that she did but [9:42] maybe she did goes and plays softball and there's no social distancing it really defeats the purpose of what we're [9:48] trying to do within the classroom walls i don't have a question but i have a comment about that i think that's a good [9:54] idea because it exerts leadership on the part of the school board [9:59] toward the district toward the community as a whole that we need to join hands on this and [10:05] it just can't be the district doing this by itself and i i think there's a shared sacrifice [10:12] and i think the community wants to do this and they're looking for that kind of leadership so i think that's a pretty [10:17] good idea so that's the point behind step suggestion two [10:23] yes genie oh no i'm sorry are there any questions about that or [10:28] comments no so then three [Music] [10:34] offering offering the district and administrators teachers a [10:40] measured roll out of the hybrid model and so as opposed to saying um [10:46] week one everyone is we're doing orientation b2 everyone is in hybrid [10:52] do we need to extend that to a three week roll roll up period to make sure [10:59] not only that our teachers are comfortable with how the hybrid model is going to work [11:04] our students are comfortable with with how it's going to work because there are going to be bum bumps in the [11:10] road um so we're not stressing our entire system at [11:16] at one point in time and i could foresee the administration and [11:22] coming back and saying actually we don't need that but i want as a leadership team to put it out there that it's an [11:30] option case we do need it to make sure that this can roll out as effectively and [11:36] efficiency it efficiently as possible because i think the worst thing we can do [11:42] is do it too quickly and have something not work and and have us go back to like a [11:48] distance learning environment so to me it's worth the time to take a measured approach um [11:56] and again not saying that their the district will definitely need it but that it is an option um and [12:03] it wouldn't be three weeks of kids doing nothing with the expectation kids are learning [12:11] it's really the way that we talked about it was it was an opportunity to relieve stress [12:17] on the system at a point when maybe one part of the system could use the [12:25] additional focus and the additional resources to really react to the scenarios that [12:30] we've been planning for so long but when they actually happen in person if there is more support needed that [12:36] that having this happen would set all parties up for success [12:42] if if this is something that they think would work we wanted to offer it as an opportunity to accomplish all of those [12:50] things uh julie i've been watching people come [12:56] up here yeah i just want to make sure that i'm understanding [13:01] what this looks like and i think matt you addressed this also in so the edina virtual academy [13:10] would not be part of this measured rollout that would still launch as is right [13:17] but then this measure roll up for hybrid would be rolled out and it would just be [13:22] rolled out and slowed down for the in-person piece but the learning the [13:28] the everything else would still continue with that same week [13:33] correct i just want to make sure i'm totally crystal clear on that okay i think that's a great thing to to [13:40] consider so thank you that helps [13:48] do you want to go okay so it's in essence the same place julia just to make sure [13:54] we all comments on all four sorry go ahead sorry go ahead yeah so it's an effort to [13:59] avoid a false start and so that the students would [14:06] still be getting their education it'd be virtual this would be what they had in the spring and uh it [14:12] would just extend for three weeks into the fall um [14:17] this and the fourth might have some parents might have some feelings about this whether they [14:24] it might change how they feel about hybrid or virtual and would the parents have an option to [14:30] change their preference i i mean i think we are asking them to make a commitment so it sounds like the parents would be [14:37] locked in can you can you talk about that erica [14:42] um well why would it why would the one week why would a measured rollout [14:49] and number well maybe i'm getting i'm getting ahead of myself now i'm thinking to the this is also in the second one i mean [14:55] the fourth the fourth question so i'll suspend that to till the fourth question fourth [15:01] proposal you withdraw your question yes yes [15:07] sorry go ahead ellen okay so i i have um there's there were two [15:13] things that i was hearing from teachers um about and that i actually [15:19] had my own concerns about um one has to do with their sick their their [15:25] safety and the safety of their their families but the other was quite a few concerns [15:33] about the hybrid model and how they are going to what they are going to [15:39] be expected to do with that hybrid model in their own classrooms and so it was [15:45] um so i'm just uh aware that that there were a number of [15:52] concerns with this a day b day you're moving you're preparing [15:58] for both a virtual classroom and an actual classroom [16:03] and i'm wondering if nicki could let me know if um she's i mean if one of the schools [16:09] that she's talked to has been the high school that's like the um [16:14] the big the big elephant in the room is to have you is one of those schools [16:21] the high school have you talked to those teachers i have started talking to some high school teachers yes [16:29] okay and um and so i'm just wondering uh if they're [16:35] if if we need as a board or not as a board but if the administration [16:40] needs to talk uh more about actually what the hybrid looks like [16:46] um and how it's going to function in the in the secondary so ellen your question [16:53] is about workload example yeah workload and how it's managed by [17:00] the teachers yes but it's also it's also about there um there [17:07] it's a bigger building there's more students um there's uh there so there's more [17:13] of the more exposures so there is a it's so it is safety but it is also [17:19] we've not talked about um right you mentioned you mentioned [17:24] safety and hybrid model and we we've talked about safety a little bit i just wanted to [17:30] make sure i understood that the question about the hybrid model pertains to the workload questions that were raised yes [17:36] i'm not minimizing the safety question in asking them and i think that's probably a randy and [17:42] jody question jody [17:47] andy could you answer that could you just uh talk about um workload at the high school and how [17:53] that's being managed and then the last sean and tim are the same sorry we caught you eating are you [18:01] having pizza rolls andy or no it's actually much better there was some scrambled eggs [18:07] just trying to run between things it was handed to me sorry about that i've been listening intently the whole [18:13] way all right so um clearly when you're in all one thing or another it's simpler [18:19] if you're in all distance learning it's simple if you're all face to face it's [18:25] simple as relative in teaching high school kids but when you're in the hybrid [18:30] the combination of both online learning and face-to-face learning is complex and [18:35] especially when you're breaking down your school into a 50 model because you'll have kids [18:41] that are in your cohorts that are at home and kids that are in school [18:47] and we looked at from the standpoint of how do you take the online request the [18:54] eva requests and turn those into sections that can happen in some ways but there's [18:59] a huge trade-off that could have really negative implications for students [19:05] getting dropped from courses that they wanted and also for teachers who may be forced [19:13] to teach a section or a class that they've never taught before either online or in person i had an [19:20] extended meeting with teacher leaders at the high school about this tom connell was there from eme to have [19:28] this conversation about workload and actually when we made a decision to just combine the eva [19:34] and and our face-to-face hybrid kids together and just keep those cohorts together [19:40] i think that there was a sense of relief for our teachers at least with the that workload piece it doesn't mean it'll be easy and they have to be [19:46] creative and they're going to be creative about different ways to provide synchronous opportunities for [19:51] those kids that are at home full-time but i think they are starting to wrap their heads around that [19:57] that doesn't relieve the anxiety that people have around safety or their family that's that's [20:04] still an issue in terms of face to face but in terms of the the instructional model i think that our [20:09] teachers are starting to wrap their heads around and feel a little bit better about that at least that was my perspective for meeting with [20:15] those teacher leaders could you could you just describe what that looks like when you said that [20:21] they're um they're combining sure so so let's look at a particular class [20:30] um let's say human anatomy and i have 12 kids that chose that are [20:37] eva kids that want human anatomy that's not enough kids for a typical section when we staff [20:44] our buildings and use our budget wisely when we're a thirty to one so my choices are tell those twelve kids you can't [20:50] have human anatomy but remember they have to go somewhere so they have to take you can't take human anatomy but you have to take [20:56] something else within your course schedule which could raise class sizes somewhere else i could um you know make the decision [21:04] that i'm going to run that section as a full online section which raises the class sizes of all the [21:10] other uh human anatomy sections and again we're trying to keep those small for both face to face and just [21:15] teacher load so that's why we combine them together so if i'm a teacher teaching human anatomy [21:21] my first hour section could have uh 12 kids that are coming to my [21:28] classroom face to face i could have then i have the kids that are opposite [21:34] alpha that are home and then we have some kids that maybe are doing full-time [21:40] online in that class so this is why we told our teachers the starting point for your class really [21:46] is an online course at the high school it's an online course that could be [21:51] taken in school with support and different additional activities it can be taken if you're a full-time [21:58] student it could be worked on when you are home for the second half or the lower half of your alphabet [22:04] and the reason we're doing that flexibility as well because we haven't even gotten into the equation of what happens when a student has to [22:10] quarantine for 14 days and how do they stay connected with [22:15] their class what happens when a teacher has to quarantine for 14 days how do they continue with instruction [22:21] so these are the complexities that we're thinking about and trying to have a maximum uh flexibility to be able to teach our [22:29] classes and still run ap gov and still run human anatomy and all these classes that kids want and [22:35] need on their transcripts so that was the decision that we made and why we combined those courses so [22:40] now our teachers and their creativity are going to have to say how do i the only thing that we have to solve and [22:45] they're still working on is how do i provide those synchronous opportunities for kids who are full-time online [22:52] students and there's already been some suggestions some teachers have talked about maybe i'll do a morning meeting [22:58] live with everybody who's at home and face to face maybe i'll have permanent partners [23:04] between the kids that are in school and the kids are at home maybe the kids at home will write discussion questions for the kids in [23:10] person to have a discussion out loud that they'll listen into so there's all different kind of creative ideas that [23:15] are coming in about trying to keep the class connected maybe they'll take part of the class to have a meet with their online kids and [23:21] the while the face-to-face kids work and then switch roles halfway through the class so our teachers are brilliant and [23:28] they're already thinking about some of these ideas um but that's the piece that is the the [23:33] challenge in this but we do feel good i i would say making the best [23:38] of what we have in the hybrid is to keep those sections together does that make sense ellen yeah thank [23:45] you okay yeah it's kind of a long answer sorry about that but it it you know i i was trying to figure out [23:51] you're not saying it's streamed but it it it so that's not exactly [23:57] what you're doing it could be streamed that could be something like orchestra [24:02] for example is talking about doing some streaming potentially when they're having [24:07] performance so let's say the ensemble is playing the student is streaming at home and they're playing along with [24:14] the ensemble while they're at home at the same time they have the music they have their instrument obviously they don't have the they're [24:20] not with the entire ensemble but that that would be a possibility for streaming but you can do [24:25] um synchronous work with your kids um and even a a student student to [24:32] student peer-to-peer interaction while in the classroom one at home and one at school so [24:37] anyway different different things those are just examples and teachers will come up with even more i know they will [24:44] right okay thank you so andy for clarification would we ever [24:49] have classes that would be um both virtual and [24:55] hybrid uh in ap gov class say having one third of its students virtual [25:00] and two-thirds in class and the teacher would be lecturing and um the camera would be facing the [25:09] teacher and that would then go out to the virtual students would we have a context [25:15] like that i think that's possible but the other piece too we're trying to use [25:22] the time we have for kids we're making such a huge effort to get those kids into the building that we want to [25:28] utilize that time for building relationships doing things that you can't do online [25:34] so i would say like some things that are more direct instruction a lot of that will be done sometimes through screencasts and things like that [25:41] more flipped uh opportunities it doesn't mean it it won't happen but i could see uh kids coming in to be part of a [25:47] discussion group um you know you have three kids that are uh sitting in a [25:53] socially distant circle and one that's on a computer or you have the kids live and teachers [25:58] are talking about having an extra chromebook in their in their classroom so they can kind of be there and participate in some ways [26:04] but again um some of this will have to be tried and tested to be able to keep [26:11] those kids engaged and that's ultimately what we want to be able to do but absolutely a hybrid is the most [26:17] complicated um thing taking on instead of one thing or another face to face or full [26:23] distance learning [26:29] yeah well thank you thank you andy so are there more questions about um [26:39] the i forgot where we were on the issues that we were going through i number four i'm on three yeah that was [26:46] three nine or four no no i'm not four okay sorry um so then um the [26:52] fourth thing that we are suggesting is broadening the definition of what [26:58] situation qualifies for an accommodation and the reason that we're suggesting this is [27:05] not to usurp the iteration that hr is going through right now but [27:11] our concern is we're going to get to a point with certain teachers where their option is either to come [27:18] into the classroom where they're not comfortable or not teach and go on leave and we have [27:23] so many quality teachers that um we are hoping that we could be a little [27:30] more flexible with the accommodation process and say we understand no matter what [27:37] we have provided you from an accommodation perspective you're still not comfortable coming in the classroom [27:42] whether it's you have an underlying health condition you have a spouse that does [27:48] how can we work with you to still keep you educating our students and so the [27:55] suggestions that we had come up with is for and it sounds like andy is already doing a lot of [28:00] these things with the high school teachers is letting teachers have the flexibility of working [28:05] at home and then having um the basically their [28:13] work broadcast into the classroom and then there's a paraprofessional there [28:20] or there could be instances where it's a distance learning class within [28:26] the hybrid model but your kids are still at school um that works at the secondary [28:32] level at the level um i feel there's a lot less [28:37] flexibility with having teachers out of the classroom due to the nature of the age of the students [28:42] and so the suggestion was for elementary that if we get to that point at the end [28:50] of the iterative process that teachers are like i just cannot come back to the classroom are there opportunities to deploy those [28:57] teachers in a virtual way to work on things such as interventions to be tosas [29:02] to come up and help with our new literacy plan that we're working on there's never a shortage of things to do in the district [29:09] and then use some of either federal funds what other dollars we have to hire a [29:16] classroom teacher in those instances i don't imagine that it's going to be [29:22] many but i do think that it's i have a tough time sending the [29:30] message to our teachers that if you have a concern if you have a [29:35] spouse that has a concern you we don't want you to teach [29:40] or we're going to force you into the classroom so to me this gives um greater flexibility to actually staff [29:48] our hybrid program and i think a greater chance that we will succeed in the [29:54] um and so those are the that's the suggestion that we have um with [30:01] with that number four [Music] [30:06] thoughts i have is it uh it seems creative and a uh a creative solution to [30:14] that problem of the uh roughly 30 percent 30 50 of our teachers [30:22] uh want eva and um only what twenty twenty five percent [30:28] of our parents kids want eva and so we've roughly got this thirty percent of our delivery [30:34] capacity that is mismatched and so we've got nikki working on [30:40] accommodations and this is another step in that direction my concerns are twofold one of which is [30:47] there are financial implications to it largely based off of the scale which we simply don't have some answers on [30:54] and the second is that it could potentially again depending on the scale of it change the educational delivery [31:01] significantly and um and then you know so the parents who in this is getting to [31:08] my question earlier it may create a different kind of sales proposition to the parents to the [31:16] families in terms of what they're getting into given the magnitude of this [31:21] and i don't think we have answers to this i think uh i've been given the you know the best answers that we have [31:28] to to to the moment but uh just to kind of i i [31:34] that's where i see the challenges with this proposal [31:42] and you know i think that um i i think that there's a desire to get [31:47] an up or down vote on this today that's sort of the feeling i'm getting i'm a little bit uncomfortable with that [31:53] because i'd like to have a little more water under the bridge to let this shake out a little bit more [32:01] and get some community impact uh community feedback i'm all about being [32:07] expedient and getting getting things moving right along but this is where i weigh in on the [32:12] trade-off that i think maybe waiting till wednesday to up or down on that proposal [32:18] would be prudent but i'm prepared to go up on the hybrid model right now if we're going to vote on that [32:26] yeah yeah um i think it's very helpful uh i i understand everything you just [32:33] said too i agree with all this except the last part uh just together we always talk about stuff [32:38] openly um i could vote on that tonight because i i you know school start times [32:44] things that affect lots of families getting community input super important understanding hybrid [32:49] versus eva getting surveys out getting feedback having sessions super important making an administrative [32:56] decision on the board perspective from an hr angle to make sure that we don't have teachers with compromised [33:02] immunodeficient spouses they can not put in jeopardy with a little bit of a clause and a voting [33:08] i don't really need to postpone that from my position um but i understand that the general [33:14] desire to make sure we have enough uh feedback on for sure so just from my position i'd be comfortable [33:20] supporting all four of these clauses because they're all just giving a little bit of attitude mechanically to get what [33:25] we all want to get done because the last thing i want is to not have all these offerings because [33:31] nikki's been too handcuffed and finding solutions when people have health care issues at home [33:38] and so i i don't do these as like separate we would vote separately on each of these proposals [33:43] i view it as i would suggest that we vote on the hybrid program [33:48] with the caveat that these proposals are included in it [33:54] yeah that's why i said but i said i'm good with all four that was my memory statement so that's that's that's my suggestion [34:02] it looks like okay i i can always tell when you're about to come off yeah yeah i am um my [34:10] um this is a kind of the same question julie had um and it has to do with we're saying [34:17] broaden and that's not sure what that means um in this [34:22] uh so when we're talking about broadening the definition of what situation qualifies for an [34:29] accommodation is that is that going to mirror what [34:36] um is written in the governor's statement i'm trying to [34:41] remember what he said he said something like um [34:49] um schools must allow must allow school staff whose health is at risk or who have members of their [34:56] household whose health is at risk to work from home to the extent possible is that what [35:01] we're talking about i think it's a very hard thing to define [35:09] because the um different accommodations and the asks [35:15] are so singular and varied um i think that moving in that direction [35:23] is yes what we're interested in but to come up it's hard to come up with [35:29] a definition um and this week's all week as well [35:35] um so these things are cut and dry so um that's why we actually use [35:43] the the language brought in um as opposed to having a definition for [35:48] this is who we think should qualify and should not qualify and some different um some different things that [35:56] were brought to us and questions where what if we have a teacher that has very severe anxiety and [36:05] does not feel like they can go to the classroom or they will have panic attacks and they cannot function as a [36:10] classroom teacher that doesn't fall necessarily in any of those [36:16] categories but to me that would be something that we should take seriously into consideration [36:22] as to if that teacher can function in a hybrid model and do we need to offer them something different and so i'm not trying to avoid [36:31] the the answer i just i can't necessarily pinpoint a definition even though i know [36:38] that would be so much more helpful in the decision-making process [36:44] i agree with what erica just said i'll note that at two or three meetings with us in administration this [36:52] question came up and we were not able to come with a specific definition [36:58] due to the fact that uh so many things end up being fact specific um [37:05] if there are p if any board member has a basic definition that becomes sort of [37:10] a minimum template i'm certainly open for it [37:16] but otherwise you know again erica's example i would agree with the references you made to what the [37:22] governor said clearly are within our parameters i don't know where we would go from [37:28] there nikki i saw you pop up on screen it suddenly got dark outside it did [37:35] it it is dark out sorry i haven't moved inside yet um so um you know the interactive process [37:41] by its very nature is both position dependent and placement dependent so you have to take [37:48] a bunch of different things into consideration and conversations and that's why it isn't uh there you there it isn't a [37:55] bright line and so that's all i wanted to come in and just say is that the interactive process is [38:01] very independent and singular in nature and this that's why the discussions are so fact specific and they have to be so [38:09] so nikki maybe maybe the question that i have now is simply um [38:14] [Music] with these four proposals um in addition [38:20] to what we were talking about earlier would it be more likely that you can work through [38:26] uh the staffing concerns [38:32] i'd want to confer with my principles first um to answer that question just because [38:38] they are they are closest to the conversations i'm the one leading them but i actually [38:43] go back to them for advice on things that we can accommodate and things that we can accommodate and so that's why broadening you know we [38:51] we just as john mentioned we just received this suggestion we're broadening the accommodation process so i'd want to go [38:56] back and confirm and see what would that mean to them okay [39:02] thank you [39:07] exciting ellen you get the same emails the rest of us get and you see what teachers have written [39:12] and said here's my circumstance obviously i'm not going to get into any of them and [39:18] those are people who receive placements contrary to their preference and [39:24] accommodation so the question then becomes in a broader context if we had a broader [39:30] accommodation are those all individuals that we could accommodate now [39:35] let me shift over briefly oh and you're correct that the financial implication is something but [39:41] if it's not financially feasible then i still think we have to take a look at [39:47] accommodations it may require a slightly different hybrid model again i want to keep repeating i want to stay [39:55] with a hybrid offering but if we can't if we can only staff 70 instead of 77 that's what we should [40:03] be trying to do other districts have thrown in the towel i don't want to do that [40:11] i'm also not going to you know we also don't want to have a system where you know we spend more money than we [40:16] could possibly ever have julie did you have a question um no i [40:23] just had a i just i had a comment i think that this conversation um for number four about brought in [40:29] accommodation um makes sense i think that part of this is what i'm hearing from [40:35] um nikki is is is it will help with the flexibility [40:42] um the flexibility to make sure that our teachers are in a good spot which is the key right that's why we're [40:48] doing this and so i'm in support of it i mean i think that it's [40:54] as long as we are our administration our principals and [40:59] our teachers and and dr schultz are in a good spot in delivering this [41:05] with these then i feel i feel good about it it sounds like that is a possibility so i appreciate the [41:12] creative thinking around it because um i think that accommodation piece is [41:18] is a cornerstone to this whole program so i'm in support and i could vote on [41:25] that in addition to the hybrid model tonight so just want to make that comment thank you [41:34] so are there more questions um discussions that we need to go through [41:40] before we actually move to um voting on on this issue [41:48] hello uh yeah i'm i want to make sure that we don't give um [41:54] our virtual academy short shift in this whole discussion yeah and [42:01] so uh it is uh um something that i do have a few [42:07] questions we've learned a lot um over the years so i'm going to really shift so i'm sorry [42:12] i'm going to go oh that's no it's great yeah this but moved to a more more full-bodied [42:19] discussion on um what we are offering our students who have [42:25] who have chosen the virtual academy and um and that was in the surveys that [42:32] were first sent out um it was on how [42:37] our parents were very concerned that we were going to improve upon our virtual delivery [42:45] and since it's half of the hybrid model i want to hear from our instructors [42:52] about what it is that we've changed and particularly now that i'm [42:57] hearing secondary is [43:04] that the way that that's going to be delivered in certain classes i want to make sure that our virtual students [43:11] are not overlooked so if you can respond to that that um some andy or um [43:19] somebody from randy randy or jody i know both of you are working on joey i know [43:24] you've been working on it to wonder if you want to step into that [43:34] randy and jody have left nope i'm here i knew you're still there i'm here [43:42] um what we learned from last spring [43:50] is that the primary concern that our families had was that there wasn't enough of the [43:57] interactive face-to-face live time with our teachers and so part of what we are laying out in our [44:04] design is a minimum expectation for how that happens or not not exactly [44:09] how it happens but how much it happens each week so when kids are in a hybrid model as we [44:16] have designed it and we could there are different designs to the hybrid model but as we've designed [44:22] it kids are getting face to face time with their teacher twice a week and then they are doing some flipped [44:27] lessons and activities during other parts of the week but the challenge of that is how do you keep [44:33] continuity through the class from monday through friday so that that's what we're working [44:39] on so part of the expectation is that there is more face-to-face time more [44:46] connection time with the students students also reported that as being significant [44:51] and being engaging we know that kids are more successful when they have [44:59] some flexibility around exactly when assignments are due or how they do their work and that was one of the [45:06] things that kids really reported that they really liked the flexibility of an online learning environment where they could [45:13] manage their time and their workflow differently so one again one of the major things [45:18] that we're looking at is how do we increase the teacher live interaction with the kids and have an expectation [45:25] of standardizing that across the system jody or andy tim shawn i don't know if [45:32] anybody else wants to add into that well i i think andy did an excellent job [45:37] of describing it earlier and describing how that connection with the classroom doesn't always have to be [45:43] the face-to-face interaction with the teacher um we we strive for that and we'll find [45:49] opportunities for that um but as he described even it can be students connecting with students right [45:55] in both settings and so we're trying to be creative and just as he described his high school teachers [46:01] the real practitioners and practitioners engaging in the work we see that same thing happening across [46:07] the middle and elementary as the teachers start to engage in the conversations with it they're coming up [46:12] with more and more creative ways to engage in that face-to-face time in [46:17] the classroom um that that's that really looks different um and and we'll learn more as [46:25] we go and we're ready to learn more and see what works best for kids [46:33] i think at the end of the day the the business that we are in is changing [46:39] brains and growing brains to their maximum capacity and the way you do that is by creating highly engaging learning [46:46] environments so it really is about what are the things that are engaging kids [46:51] and motivating them and getting them interested and curious and wanting to learn about the content [46:57] and so those that is the ongoing continuous improvement of schools [47:03] is to find ways and figure out ways and multiply ways of things that really [47:08] engage kids and then when you find those you you increase them and some things that [47:14] work for some teachers don't work as well for other teachers but that is our commitment [47:20] is that we're going to continue to get feedback from teachers and families and we're going to look at how we [47:28] continue to engage kids in the learning process through virtual learning opportunities [47:35] and through that pathway because as randy speaks about engaging the kids ultimately [47:42] lifelong learning is empowering and driving that learning yourself so i've seen opportunities and examples [47:47] of kindergartners even driving that learning in distance learning and we have to continue to [47:52] believe in the in the power of our students to engage in our teachers to teach them to do that [47:58] great so well thank you i what i'm actually i was trying to i was looking for some kind of [48:04] a distance learning framework even even a few um guiding [48:13] points that the district is going to be maintaining um and with that i would [48:20] i would suggest um things like um a standard start of the school day [48:28] meeting or advisory for secondary um things like um [48:34] checking in for a synchronous uh start of a class in secondary [48:42] um but these are these are things that i have or or that if you're doing total virtual [48:48] there's a lot of universities that require every eight to ten minutes some touch point [48:55] so that even they know that uh that college students [49:02] need that type of engagement and that a lecture on a screen that lasts more than 10 minutes can lose attention [49:09] but i i'm i'm looking for the district to come up with some of these [49:17] this these this framework whether it's that they can post a week work of work of of online learning [49:25] at the beginning of a week so a family can plan out what's going on and what the expectations are [49:31] and what the learning expectations are but i'm looking i i know that there's a lot of [49:37] great ideas out there and that we're doing some really great stuff but [49:42] um what i'm what i'm not hearing is that framework and i'm hoping that maybe you [49:47] could um uh pull that together for us and for the community yeah we do [49:54] actually we plan to add some sample schedules that represent those [50:00] parameters and add those to the academic tab on the family dashboard we have not added those yet we do want [50:07] to meet with all of our eva teachers at the elementary and talk through that to finalize it we [50:12] definitely have some ideas of parameters and some guideposts and some expectations that we have across the [50:19] district but we need to have that discussion when our teachers get back so we can finalize that and then [50:24] communicate it out to the community but we do we do plan to do that [50:30] thanks a lot are there any more questions about the [50:38] ebay or anything else i want to make sure that we have a robust conversation and [50:45] everything that we need before we actually vote on this [50:51] just a couple of other comments that i have um one of which is for the public we have [50:57] received as has been alluded to a number of times here tonight a whole series of agonizing emails [51:04] describing teachers who are facing going into the classroom but they requested even they've got home [51:10] situations we can't name names and but uh [51:16] we want to accommodate that and to the best that we can [51:22] so the um i think it's a reasonable [51:28] proposal and i think it expedite the [51:33] process of getting hybrid off the ground and i think it's a flexible idea probably the biggest issue i have is i [51:40] wish it weren't walked in and that we had had more time to talk about it and [51:45] for the community to give us some feedback and to gauge some community sentiment on it [51:50] and we walked in the letter that we sent out to the district that's had mixed responses [51:58] i think as a procedural issue i would try to encourage us to [52:03] have things walked in not too often yes i realize we've got to be flexible given the uh the nature of [52:11] our covet response but that's just my request so i am enthusiastically in favor of hybrid [52:17] um and just like another day or two or three or four about especially the fourth proposal [52:27] julie yeah i just wanted to offer a little bit of a different perspective on the community feedback it seems like this um these elements are [52:34] actually in response to a lot of community feedback that we have already received and not just community feedback from but [52:40] staff feedback so i think it's it's a problem-solving approach [52:45] that um works towards keeping our learning model moving in the [52:51] in the direction of the with in line with the start of the school year that it seems like we are in a pretty [52:59] good consensus here that that can happen as long as we make sure that we can staff it and that our staff is in [53:05] a good spot so i actually think we have listened to community feedback already and that's what's been included and what [53:11] we're all reading and and i mean we've gotten a lot of feedback across the board from staff and [53:17] community with varying views um and i you know i know no matter what we're not gonna we're not [53:24] gonna get 100 support on no matter what decision that we make so i just wanted to acknowledge that [53:29] because i i don't want to hold us back to go out and ask the community when our experts are here [53:36] and we need to rely on them right now to say [53:41] this is how we can um work within the these demands that we're making with the hybrid model um so that's just [53:49] wanted to look at give a little different perspective on because i do think that we actually are responding to community feedback so and [53:56] from a procedural perspective i completely agree with you it's not ideal to walk things in [54:03] um we're just the time frame that we're working under is beyond compressed and so like we [54:11] didn't we didn't finish discussing this until about four o'clock today um so that's [54:19] it but i i completely agree with you um that it's not ideal to to [54:25] bring these things to the board meeting um and then we also obviously have the complication with open meeting law um so [54:33] sort of trying to manage all of those different pieces make sure that we're doing what we have [54:38] to do from a legality perspective um i think has [54:43] is why you're seeing things like this um so yeah and just just to correct that [54:49] the letter was not walked in last week it was posted to board book before we met [54:54] so just a clarification jd yeah i just i [55:02] just have one more comment that i want to put out there um when i take a step back this is all [55:09] really complicated right and and we recognize that it is very complicated [55:15] and the administration is the first to tell us that a hybrid model is the most complicated [55:22] but it's where we're at and i'm so impressed with the commitment and [55:28] dedication that the district is putting forward to um to have this hybrid model for our [55:36] students right like there is a sentiment that we know kids learn better [55:41] in person and i am really pleased that we can have a commitment to offer this [55:46] so i just want to make sure that our parents and our community members understand that we recognize that it's [55:54] complicated and sometimes a bit frustrating for families and [55:59] the work that we are doing here tonight is in order to make sure that we can deliver it [56:04] and deliver it in the best possible way so i think people who maybe are tuned in [56:10] tonight are maybe some heads are spinning which i get because i think all of ours have [56:15] been but i also want people to rest assured that there are people [56:21] doing the work to make sure that we can deliver the best possible education [56:26] for our students in our schools and deliver it in a way that we support and respect all members of our [56:33] udine public schools community which includes our teachers and staff [56:38] because that's what we're here to do and none of us want to be in a pandemic none of us want [56:44] to be doing this i think many of us would rather talk about buses and start time right now [56:49] if we had the choice but these are these are the cards were dealt and i [56:55] have to say that while it's complicated and frustrating i want people to remember that there are [57:01] so many people doing this for our students and um that we recognize that it's [57:06] complicated and frustrating for parents right now so i just felt like we needed to [57:12] i needed to say that because it's something that i've been feeling as a parent and wanted other people to know [57:19] we we hear that and recognize it thank you janie ellen [57:26] right um so i'd like to um move on i i believe we [57:33] we you're going to be requesting that we vote on the resolution that's um that was put into board book and i [57:39] had a couple comments about the resolution and um so i'd like to shift to a discussion of number [57:47] uh section two and section three of the resolution i think i've talked [57:53] enough you guys all have heard my concerns and so i'm gonna stop talking about the [57:58] those concerns i'm gonna move on to something else so ellen are you okay from a procedural perspective if we go [58:04] through um sorry we lost oh you're still there i'm still okay [58:11] sorry i lost the screen not there anymore um from a procedural perspective if we [58:16] move to the action items and then in the action item of the actual um documents [58:24] that then we go back to your questions about the document itself [58:30] i'm sorry what so we're still in discussion so this is our [58:40] right erica just says we'll get is it okay with you if we get to your questions okay sure got it [58:47] i'm sorry that's okay so um so let's wrap up i think we're done with [58:53] the discussion and so my suggestion is let's move to the action um items and we have two action items [58:59] one for early release days and one for the school year planning and i just suggesting ellen bobber in that action [59:05] item to bring up the questions that you had about the specific action item um so why don't we move on to our two [59:12] action items the first one is early release days for um [59:18] 2021 and so do i have a motion to approve the early release days for 2020 2020 [59:24] 2021 motion two proof seconds okay [59:30] um is there discussion um randy did you want to describe briefly [59:35] what this is so we originally put in early release [59:40] days in the calendar to build out collaboration time for teacher teams [59:45] because there really wasn't a lot of collaboration time in the calendar so they were put at strategic spots during [59:50] the year with the hybrid schedule that we put out there where teachers would have [59:58] wednesdays to collaborate to train to prepare [1:00:04] and we would clean the buildings on those days as we discussed it with the principals [1:00:09] we really felt that that was very redundant to have additional early release times and felt that that's [1:00:15] something that we could pull out of the calendar at this time it's essentially built into every week [1:00:21] so there's significant collaboration time for our staff already so then those days would just be regular [1:00:26] days and we would remove them from the calendar thank you randy are there questions about this [1:00:32] proposal okay we will now vote by roll call on [1:00:41] the um early release days for 2021. [1:00:46] ellen i fox hi dr green aye [1:00:53] turdy jones hi director michaelson hi [1:01:02] director hi okay the change to the calendar for the early release days are approved [1:01:09] um do i have a motion to approve the 2020-2021 school year plan [1:01:15] [Music] well do you want a motion to approve the plan subject to the four additional [1:01:21] sorry subject to the four additional items we talked about so we'll move back okay [1:01:28] so now ellen if you want to bring up the questions that you had about the document itself [1:01:38] yeah thanks um i uh would like the board to look at section [1:01:44] two of the be it resolved on page 11. [1:01:51] and um what i'd like to do is just my concern about [1:01:57] this section is that um because of the way that we operate we [1:02:02] can never discuss whether or not we deem it appropriate for the superintendent to [1:02:10] have made a change to the learning model [1:02:15] unless we discuss it at a meeting and so what i would like to do is to change the wording of the last [1:02:22] sentence to state that within four days of [1:02:27] learning of a model change the board will be presented by [1:02:36] this the superintendent will um present the board with his change [1:02:45] in order for us to confirm or change the decision but it would have [1:02:50] to be an action item so i i don't have the exact words but my concern in reading this [1:02:56] is there's no mechanism for us to just even give it a thumbs up [1:03:03] or a thumbs down there's so i would i would put that into my resolution so the only challenge with [1:03:10] that is i've been told by the department of health that it may be that the department of [1:03:15] health would instruct me to go to another model in overnight so i don't know that the [1:03:22] four days would work i would i would do all they can right no i understand that there will be times [1:03:29] when you will need to act with great haste and that's fine but it [1:03:34] but after that happens i believe it would be appropriate to bring it to the board [1:03:41] um so that you can both explain to us in the community why that happened and we would be [1:03:49] have a chance to to weigh in as it's written here [1:03:55] [Music] in consultation with a superintendent and appropriate school district [1:04:00] employees if we feel that deems that it is in best interest of the school district and its [1:04:06] students to implement this different learning model so i'm not saying that it's anything different than what's already [1:04:12] written but it it um it requires [1:04:18] uh it to be brought to the board uh for us to decide whether we redeem it if we [1:04:25] don't have an opportunity to talk about it then we would never there there just would be no opportunity [1:04:31] so ellen are you trying to to build in a required school board meeting within x number of days [1:04:37] subsequent to a change to the model yes because we have the right [1:04:45] maybe of course could call a meeting you just want to make it mandatory right it would just be an automatic i [1:04:52] mean a change in a model is huge so this is not over uh [1:04:57] you know we're gonna change the the face mask policy which is an appendix to a policy this is [1:05:04] a change to a model we're gonna either go from all hybrid to all distance learning i [1:05:10] think the community would like to have a uh to be able to hear what the [1:05:16] the reasoning is for that change and um i think as a board member i would [1:05:21] like the ability to ask questions about it at a meeting [1:05:27] go ahead oh i was going to say i don't disagree with you if the if what we're talking about is a change [1:05:34] to the district for the for a model i um my only concern [1:05:39] about writing something like that in is if let's say there's a section of a school [1:05:45] that for two weeks has to switch out of models i don't think we need we [1:05:50] can have the expectation that we're going to have a board meeting about that [1:05:56] so that brings us yeah i i agree i think that what this conversation is [1:06:02] bringing up is something else that i'm concerned about is that we don't have a [1:06:08] clear protocol for when that would happen [1:06:13] and that's also part of the language here that makes me a little bit uncomfortable is [1:06:19] that i i would prefer to have more of a a protocol so that we can follow it and [1:06:27] that parents will know why and we can fall back on that protocol but um but it if [1:06:36] so i yes i think that we do want to have if the district is changing [1:06:43] its model then we would like to talk about it as a board [1:06:52] um just briefly i like the idea because i think it strikes a balance between [1:06:58] giving the administration flexibility and the ability to act expediently which i think we really need right now [1:07:05] with the need for the board to be informed and that we make it a mandatory issue with something as significant as a [1:07:12] [Music] educational model change that the board then becomes informed the community can [1:07:18] watch it watch and listen get some feedback so i think it's a i think it's a good idea [1:07:25] so what if there's added verbiage that says if as opposed to just saying the [1:07:31] district will meet four days if we if we specify very clearly that [1:07:37] in the in the instance that the entire district has to shift models that it requires [1:07:45] a meeting within that certain time frame so it's very clear we're not just talking about if it's [1:07:51] a section of one school does that make sense i think that that would make sense i [1:07:56] would be fine with that thank you i would like that too are others okay with that well can i [1:08:03] just ask a clarifying question to john [1:08:09] wouldn't a move from learning model be already in a the protocol would [1:08:16] already be set up through the department of health [1:08:21] so yeah follow with the department of health with their numbers that would be um so we were told two [1:08:29] things one is to watch the hennepin county numbers which would which may force us into one of the [1:08:35] models the other we the other um scenario we need to be prepared for is that if the [1:08:41] department of health sees a localized outbreak within the community then um they they may ask us to shift [1:08:48] quickly into a into it and you know in case of an outbreak would probably be into distance learning [1:08:57] julie yeah that's what i'm asking i just wanted to make sure i mean there is [1:09:02] i just want to make sure that if we put are you suggesting we put four days to do the meeting the suggestion is if [1:09:10] the entire district has to shift if we in two weeks we're told by we can no [1:09:17] longer do hybrid right everyone it's in that circumstance [1:09:22] that there would be basically a required board meeting within four days to inform [1:09:27] the board why and inform the public why okay i i understand that i'm a little concerned [1:09:33] about the four day window though because we have to post things to to for a public meeting [1:09:39] 48 hours ahead of time correct so then you're back in two hours so then we have to [1:09:46] have everything posted for the meeting immediately when the decision when when the decision would be made [1:09:53] that we're moving models i'm just not sure there's enough not enough time but i'm not john is that enough time [1:09:59] four days well yeah i mean obviously i'm i'm [1:10:05] telling you the reasons and justifying the reasons why obviously we would be telling the public [1:10:10] and the parents why we're shifting right right so um so if the board wants to have a meeting [1:10:17] to talk that over um and discuss the rationale [1:10:23] you know that four days is plenty of time to get it okay i just wanted to make sure it seemed and [1:10:28] i don't i have to ask trevor what constituted an emergency meeting i don't know if uh to see if that would be an [1:10:34] emergency meeting we could call that immediately um it might be because it's based on [1:10:39] safety so i think that four days makes sense okay i think there is actually msba [1:10:47] language that specifically calls out health pandemics with emergency meaning so [1:10:54] money so is that four calendar days or four work days [1:11:00] well just because you know if it happens on a wednesday then are we having a sunday meeting [1:11:06] i think it would have to be four calendar days [1:11:13] the number four because i was trying to remember what open meeting law was so i i honestly will be meeting is great [1:11:21] i'm a little flexible on that i just i'm and i'm saying it to not um have it wait too long [1:11:29] the parent you know it this is just the opportunity for us all to meet as a group to discuss [1:11:36] what is happening to our a major event in our district and and so i would say suggest [1:11:43] if you wanted to put um calendar days or i don't care [1:11:49] whatever makes most sense to john actually um and as far as [1:11:55] organizing it i i i think um if it's an emergency meeting would be [1:12:01] if it's paul's under emergency we could have the meeting the day after or even you know the night before [1:12:08] it all depends on the situation within four calendar different [1:12:16] parameters okay this is kind of a procedural but [1:12:21] when i think that through ellen and correct me if i'm wrong i think the information about why [1:12:29] something happened is important but what i would guess would be more on parents mind is [1:12:36] next steps right and so in understanding are we giving the district [1:12:42] enough time to have that information right so john you're gonna know why the [1:12:48] school closed but i think that i think what people are gonna want to hear is what's next [1:12:54] right so i don't know i'm just saying when i think that through right that's why i want us to be [1:13:02] really careful when we talk about when we would come together so and it doesn't mean we couldn't have two emergency meetings i'm [1:13:08] just yeah i um i actually think [1:13:15] the why having it happen relatively soon so we get the why out um the district will be [1:13:23] you know school is something is going to happen i you know i i did ask john what he [1:13:31] how he felt he could handle this so um i just think that having a meeting would be good [1:13:38] is there a consensus that we're okay adding to the end of section two a sentence [1:13:43] along the lines and i've i can't come up with a great sentence right now but that says if the district [1:13:50] shifts if the entire district shifts models we will have a board meeting within four [1:13:56] calendar days does anyone have an issue with adding that [1:14:02] no i probably would just say in the event but i i said i wasn't worse than they had yet no [1:14:08] i'm carrying out a different word okay okay so i think we're okay with [1:14:14] that and you said you had something else ellen i think that's my big one um i had a different one with respect to [1:14:23] um section three which we have resolved after our um [1:14:28] last discussion okay great um are there other comments about the um [1:14:35] proposal itself or any other comments people want to make about [1:14:40] this so i have a question about our motion included other [1:14:48] um parameters correct within this section but our resolution does not [1:14:55] so are we in fact adding a section 6 to the resolution that includes those [1:15:02] parameters and if not where do the parameters fit in [1:15:09] i would probably as um i would probably add a section for [1:15:17] uh communications for the first two measure rollout of another section [1:15:22] and then um another section for broadening the um accommodations around the teacher [1:15:30] preferences so i would add three sections okay i'm good with that [1:15:40] matt no i don't know what to say oh sorry you're off mute so [1:15:46] owen did you have something to say or you just got from you um could somebody summarize section five [1:15:53] for me thanks for asking erica [1:15:59] the superintendent is directed to use the lead team and the health coordinator to review instruction um [1:16:10] isn't that already implicit in our in current actions i mean what's it saying that's not already what's it a corrective to [1:16:18] it's probably more just communicating what the department of health expects [1:16:24] for school districts that i'm to have a a pandemic response advisory team [1:16:34] and that's all that is saying and that the that team would use the hennepin county [1:16:40] case data and the parameters put out by the department of health so it's just so this this uh this was [1:16:48] developed from an msba suggested um uh resolution that they um [1:16:57] uh made of applicable edina okay yeah i think um with respect to section [1:17:04] five um that speaks to something you know the the community really just can't wait to [1:17:12] get back into school and um it would be really in a way [1:17:18] i don't know is it possible to develop a plan that we can [1:17:24] point to that we could move to opening up elementary school you know [1:17:30] i'm just i'm looking at this and it it there's a lot of words here [1:17:36] and there it's all pointing toward input and feedback that um [1:17:41] that we're we're looking at but i what i'd like to do is um to make sure we do have a plan so [1:17:48] that we can shift and start you know when we need to um or when we can [1:17:54] to getting our kids back at school [Music] [1:18:02] are you is that a suggestion to actually change this or just the thought that we're all because everybody on the board wants [1:18:08] that so is it a change or [1:18:13] it's a request from the administration to come up with a protocol on what uh what is what is the decision tree for [1:18:22] changing um changing the models and [1:18:29] i know that the the the govern the governor has created some guidelines which are [1:18:37] starting points and i know that we can also [1:18:43] push those guidelines when we have the appropriate staffing and facilities so i'm just saying [1:18:51] i'd like to see a pro my my my request is um we we could be directing the [1:18:57] superintendent to create a protocol for um when we change [1:19:03] models i think that's you're already working out yeah we're [1:19:08] working on that um as we are i think we're right now focusing on the models that we need to launch [1:19:14] in weeks so but uh those are the next steps and [1:19:19] um the governor um i'm not much of as executive order to [1:19:25] the mde is that if the the department of health or the those county numbers reach [1:19:33] or trigger a change in the model then we're given i believe two to three [1:19:40] weeks to make that change so we do have some space [1:19:45] the only time it wouldn't be is if the department of health directed a community to lock down and then go to distance [1:19:52] learning and that would be would not be two weeks it'd be an immediate thing [1:20:00] that makes me very happy just john clarity the guidelines provided by the [1:20:06] state in other words the number of cases per 10 000 are merely starting points [1:20:11] they're not dictates to what the district is supposed to do and we know that because many districts [1:20:17] are using a more conservative model than what the data would suggest they are a starting point [1:20:30] anything else so i have a motion to approve the learning model [1:20:38] um with the um [Music] yeah money so i kind of hate to ask this [1:20:45] question but i always i feel obliged having gone through this process once before john um obviously you were present for [1:20:53] the discussion at the governance committee with the recommended change do you have any objection to the change [1:21:00] that we have that's included in our emotion i don't have any objection at this point [1:21:08] until we get into it and i um i mean the first two make sense and just understanding [1:21:15] three and four to see if they're practical but um we'll work on that and bring that [1:21:20] back to the board on wednesday that's they're not um they don't make sense of [1:21:26] course they don't have to come back and talk to the board about that okay [1:21:34] anything else nope okay um so we have a motion to approve [1:21:41] the 20-20-21 school year plan with the um four additional suggestions from the [1:21:48] governor's committee and a change to section two and add a sentence that [1:21:56] mentions that we will have a meeting um if there's a change to the district [1:22:01] model within four calendar days um [1:22:08] so we [1:22:14] correct correct so we will vote by roll call to approve this motion [1:22:20] ellenberg hi fox all right green hi jones [1:22:27] hi michaelson nay procedurally sean [1:22:35] hi walter [1:22:40] so the motion is approved on the learning model and the um [1:22:48] the resolution are approved okay [1:22:57] we are done with those two action items um so now we have two more discussion [1:23:03] items [1:23:09] steph this is a board the last two are board items so if you want to um [1:23:15] exit you're welcome you're going to stay too if you want so just wanted to give you that opportunity [1:23:26] thank you so much yeah everyone thank you yeah thank you um [1:23:33] so our two discussion are the um legislative action committee [1:23:40] and uh board calendar um so we're bringing the legislative [1:23:46] action committee back because we want to use this opportunity to review the functionality of the committee and [1:23:53] see if there are any things we need to change [Music] so john and i appended both the bylaws [1:23:59] and our district policy regarding legislation um so [1:24:06] i just wanted to open it up to discussion of some key questions that i've come up with is [1:24:12] should the lac be a border district committee are there changes we want to make to llc functions and are there any changes that [1:24:18] need to be made to the by-laws those are some questions that i had um [1:24:24] and so i will just open it up to people if um [1:24:30] what they would like to communicate regarding lac [Music] [1:24:38] so i do think that we're going to need to get into the organizing documents [1:24:45] to make sure that they're consistent with the direction we want to go given you know we had an opportunity to [1:24:52] roll it out and take a look at it i mean as an example i do think that we [1:24:57] need to have an administrator who is assigned to lac to make sure that um the lac [1:25:05] is creating or proposing platforms that are consistent with the direction [1:25:11] that our leadership is looking at or at least they can have that discussion so i don't know that they're [1:25:16] necessarily required at this stage within the current documents but i do think that they [1:25:22] should be so there's just some initial thoughts [1:25:33] so um just i just wanted to let you know the board know that on all platform [1:25:40] issues um there john has uh the superintendent has been [1:25:45] involved quite a bit in both the formulation of the platform [1:25:52] um bringing in the administrative members and um in actually even [1:26:00] even in the midst of covid um we we requested john at the first three [1:26:07] meetings and he agreed you know we asked him what his suggested platform item would be so [1:26:15] um that isn't it isn't a change in the way that we're functioning [1:26:21] have we started have we started recruiting for it yet i put in um i i asked the former members [1:26:29] and i also put in one um all district blurb in the midst of our [1:26:36] you know shutting down the district for summer and i did not hear anything back from [1:26:41] the um from that uh the one all-district blast but i [1:26:48] would not have expected much because we were all distracted sure of course if we haven't started the [1:26:55] ball rolling um i'm not i wouldn't block people that want to put activity into it [1:27:01] but i think that the people ellen julius from others that worked on it owen i think you guys put a tremendous amount [1:27:08] of effort and i think that it's one of those efforts i think to reboot at this moment in time [1:27:14] during it you know a national and heavily state-driven political year anne covid [1:27:21] is just a huge effort i mean to be honest nobody put their name on that on the sheet [1:27:27] and i i know it was because wanted to allow others if they wanted to step up but it just feels like [1:27:33] right now heading into the next four months and everything's gonna be going on i would suggest we revisit this in [1:27:39] january and there aren't unless i'm unaware of major initiatives that the group has been spending time on [1:27:46] and that that's just waiting to close out or finish up or there's something that's been left hanging i think it was [1:27:51] a good start but i just feel like we have to prioritize a bit and um i i don't feel it's fair to [1:27:57] overload some board members with that much work you know those have been putting so much time unless they're really excited about it then i'd help [1:28:04] support it but i think just given everything else this is one that i would kind of pause on until [1:28:10] january but uh again i'm not blocking i'm just saying just out of respect for all of your time [1:28:16] where we have three to four meetings a week on average at least right now not counting subking all subcommittee [1:28:22] meetings everyone's involved in it's august so wouldn't want to have everybody [1:28:27] load up 15 community members have a ton of initiatives during a politically charged year and then have a bunch of [1:28:32] distractions that are negative when when everyone's trying to do the right thing i just i just [1:28:38] you know it's up to you guys buddy so um i agree with the general concept [1:28:45] of what matt said and ellen i'll just note that while you may have a practice that the bylaws actually don't include [1:28:52] administrators as being on the committee and so that's just kind of some of the stuff that i think that we would need to [1:28:58] clean up and i am inclined to agree with matt that with everything else happening [1:29:05] since i want administration involved i'm not going to ask them to dedicate time to it at this point [1:29:15] yeah no i just um i think matt you made a really good point about um the current climate of [1:29:22] our state right now i think when the platform was approved and we were [1:29:28] moving before this is pre-covered um and then when covet hit it was very um challenging [1:29:34] to be able to pivot with at the warp speed of the way the legislation [1:29:40] was working and so logistically and for effectiveness it um i think we had a lot of challenges [1:29:48] in that and that's just the nature of that we're in a global pandemic right now [1:29:53] right and so i think there were at least i would agree that we revisit this in [1:29:58] january for the following year because i would hate for us to [1:30:04] go through platform issues and do work but yet we still have to pivot because [1:30:10] what's in front of us looks very different than what would be in a typical um it would be would be more typical [1:30:17] so i would agree with that i think the other point is you know looking at the bylaws [1:30:23] you know it's pretty clear that the steering committee's responsibilities um are kind of laid out and um when i [1:30:30] know when i came out in january i don't know if the roles were as defined [1:30:36] with um within the whole committee and um there was a lot of work and a lot [1:30:41] of great energy and a lot of perspective that was shared i just want to make sure if we're using community members that were being really [1:30:47] effective with their time um that were so that's another piece that i think we have to revisit with the [1:30:53] bylaws like what does the steering committee do what is their functionality um [1:31:00] in terms of because there is a lot of legwork that goes with the lac a lot of legwork i think than compared [1:31:05] to other advisory committees it's really it's a workhorse and or it should be i [1:31:10] think to be effective it has to be so um those are my two thoughts but i would i think matt's idea is good to [1:31:17] revisit this in january and look at um you know how do we [1:31:22] um make this an effective committee for 2021-22 so jd or owen do you guys have [1:31:31] feedback or thoughts [Music] [1:31:36] no my thoughts have all kind of aligned with what has already been said i'm not going to add anything additional [1:31:46] so it seems like the uh the thought process is to revisit this in [1:31:51] january now sorry oh i'm sorry [1:31:58] yeah i'm gonna ditto off of matt and i think that a january revisit is a good [1:32:03] idea and uh having been on the lac for two years it's been an essential it's it's been a very effective um voice [1:32:12] for edina at the legislature um i'd a i'd add on to it a [1:32:19] not a um not strongly held sentiment but i think that it'd be distracting to do [1:32:25] too much with it right now because we do have so much on our plate with cobid so [1:32:30] um i think the january pause would be a real good idea [1:32:37] yeah i'm fine with that anything else [1:32:42] um what i i want to make sure that i um honor the work of the committee that [1:32:50] has been meeting for the last two years and i feel as if i don't speak up now [1:32:58] on their behalf it would be a great disservice for the amount of [1:33:04] time that they put in so i don't i i actually don't even have a clear [1:33:11] understanding of what i will tell them [1:33:18] because i'm not really sure when i'm hearing we need to include [1:33:26] an administrator they would say well why [1:33:34] and i am you know because we were quite proud of not taking administrative time at all [1:33:43] and so to say you know and john came at his [1:33:50] we didn't force him to come he came and i think he came because he truly [1:33:57] um cared about the fact that we can create systemic [1:34:04] improvement to public education through advocacy and hopefully i'm i'm getting that right [1:34:11] john but i always felt that about you that you came it was truly with that [1:34:17] spirit and we were not um acting in any way that you [1:34:22] felt that we were going off on tangents or being controversial in front of the [1:34:29] community i felt that you had you understood that the [1:34:34] group of people there were truly public servants and i want to [1:34:40] thank them for their service if this is the way that the board wants to go [1:34:46] i'm i know that you guys all look too tired for me to try to force you to say um [1:34:53] to say we should continue and that we don't need any changes in the violence i'm not going to do that because [1:34:59] be quite honest you guys are too tired and i'm not but i but i am going to say [1:35:07] um that when you start something and then put a stop to it the people that have [1:35:13] agreed to continue the ones that have been working on it it'll be hard to get going again [1:35:20] in a in a similar way and um you know as we were talking we we [1:35:26] normally do questionnaires for the for the candidates for the coming fall this is a [1:35:32] big election year election years tend to be uh years where people get energized by public service [1:35:40] um so i don't think that there would be a problem recruiting um uh [1:35:48] and i don't know why i'm i'm saying all these things because it looks like i'm trying to talk myself [1:35:53] into a ton more meetings in a very busy fall and i actually um i'm going to listen to [1:36:00] all of you and if if you don't want this service that is being offered by volunteers [1:36:08] that's fine and i i really i could go either way as i said i didn't [1:36:14] sign up for it because i thought maybe somebody else wanted to do the job of being chair i don't need to do this but i do [1:36:22] think it's important work and it's really important work especially um [1:36:29] especially now because to be quite honest the school is going to need money [1:36:34] and support um for many major issues um that we care about um [1:36:42] at the legislature but like i said i i just want to say that i will be honoring um the people that offered [1:36:50] to continue and and that's all i mean that's what i'll say is i'll tell them the board has decided [1:36:56] to not continue um if that's what you all design well i just real quick i could run 10 [1:37:03] miles right now i'm not too tired to try to do the right thing i just don't like that characterization just to be candid [1:37:08] i think that we're thinking about what is the best thing as a team and as a district i just asked if there are initiatives [1:37:15] that are ongoing and you have a team and you guys are meeting throughout the summer and you want to drive this thing [1:37:21] then say it you know how much work this is but this is not killing something it is august i'm suggesting four months [1:37:28] from now we pick this up with vigor and focus after political season that's going to be nasty [1:37:34] during a pandemic when we're already going to have three to five meetings a week so i'm in support of whatever you want [1:37:40] to do this is not a tired group of six people killing something for people that are putting in volunteer [1:37:45] time that's not a fair characterization so if you want to drive this and run this and come back with the whole plan [1:37:52] let me know how i can help support you [1:37:57] oh i was just going to say owen this has been your creation you've shouldered 90 of the work of it [1:38:05] and um you know from matt's earlier comment if you want to carry it uh then i'd be supportive of [1:38:13] you um and you do make a good case that and i saw many a very dedicated group of citizens [1:38:21] community members who had their hearts and souls in it and um so if [1:38:29] yes if you want to pick it up again i'd be supportive of it um but [1:38:36] you know i guess i'm projecting myself onto you a little bit that i i feel a little bit uh [1:38:43] uh my schedule is tight with all the things i'm doing the school board and let alone what you're doing um so i [1:38:50] think it's it's a just a concern of prioritization but i think it's if you really want to run with it yeah [1:38:57] you've got my my blessing so my concern is not um [1:39:03] i would never want any volunteers to feel that this is uh an indictment of the work that [1:39:09] they've done or a lack of appreciation of the work that they've done because it's it's not at all um and i [1:39:16] also the work that you've done ellen because i know that you've put a ton of work into this i think um i [1:39:22] share the sentiment be concerned about um the bandwidth of not just as us as a [1:39:28] board but our administrators um and that to move forward there are some things we [1:39:33] have to work through um that's my only that is my only concern it's not [1:39:39] anything about the value of what the work that the lac does at all because i think it is very valuable [1:39:46] i think that um i think we there's [1:39:51] just so much going on in our our district um that to me this [1:39:58] is um i have a hard time prioritizing administrators time to put forth the effort they would need [1:40:05] to to move this along um and so that's why i'm in favor of um taking up again in january [1:40:13] so [Music] [1:40:19] hope you're on you [1:40:25] so it sounds i i just i i am very curious at [1:40:32] what you would be changing if you're going to be changing anything [1:40:37] i don't know if i had an answer for that i think though that for example right now the lac doesn't [1:40:43] exist as a permanent committee it doesn't exist as a district committee it's sort of in this [1:40:49] no man's land and so like that is a discussion that i think that we need to have is if it's a board committee we need to [1:40:55] have two other board members on it if it's a district committee then the district should own it um [1:41:00] so there's some i think some procedural things that we need to work through [1:41:06] um i don't and i just don't think that from a prioritization perspective [1:41:12] that that can be our priority right now okay well um i understand all that and i [1:41:18] i really do understand how busy we are um i i will be happy to [1:41:25] revisit this in january all right thank you um [1:41:34] next our discussion really was just um john and i going over the plan for the board meetings for the next [1:41:41] um six months so what john and i did is we took the um [1:41:46] goals um for john and the goals that get set as a board and i know that we haven't don't have [1:41:53] that finalized that we'll talk at the next meeting but we did want to just give this out to [1:42:00] um you guys to get an idea of sort of some of our planning um and so [1:42:07] um i think you can see i just wanted to point out a couple of things to you guys but [1:42:13] um that in september that a a big chunk of what we talked about [1:42:18] from a goal perspective were how are we actually going to govern the strategic plan how are we going to [1:42:24] govern the pandemic what are we going to do from a literacy perspective so you can see in september [1:42:29] um that is the first thing for us to talk about um is how do we move forward with [1:42:37] all of these different things so we have that scheduled for september [1:42:43] and then in october we are going to be bringing in um an [1:42:50] enrollment on presentation talk about the tech levy we're going to [1:42:55] talk about interventions in december and then on top of that when we talk about um [1:43:02] in september we're going to talk through some recommendations from an equity leadership perspective so you'll see [1:43:08] there's a student voice summit also listed in september um but i just wanted to get this out [1:43:16] to you guys so you could have a better visual of some of the meetings that we have [1:43:21] coming up anything that's perfect [1:43:28] then i'll align the work of district leadership around this also yeah and so in our next board [1:43:36] meeting which i was actually going to have us added to the work session we'll be looking at the [1:43:41] final well hopefully final version of superintendent goals and board goals and then you'll see that all [1:43:48] of this will align together that's great this is very helpful erica [1:43:55] so is it possible to do this as a shared google doc so that we can you know you're going to [1:44:00] be updating this and sometimes i always wonder well what what's coming up on the on [1:44:06] you know what's on the docket for the school board so is it possible to keep this as an uh [1:44:13] a live document that you would be updating and that we could be uh [1:44:19] checking in on i think so i just want to make sure we [1:44:25] can do that and also meet open meeting law requirements [1:44:31] so but we'll for sure get back to you on that okay thank you yeah [1:44:38] i think you can post it on on as a google doc without editing uh ability then [1:44:46] if you make changes then you might just have to um i think the way i would do it is just [1:44:51] add it as an information item at the back of each board book agenda that way [1:44:57] in case there's a question about are we discussing something that is coming to a meeting it can just [1:45:05] open the information kind of like enrollment does i think i don't think we can give just [1:45:10] full access as a google doc to the board and give it access to the public so i think you're right the way you're [1:45:15] describing it you would do it in a pdf to an informational item each month but we'll figure out a way that you can [1:45:21] yeah yeah yeah and i don't need to edit it i'm not saying it no i don't i don't want to i just want to take a look at it [1:45:27] i would like to edit it personally [1:45:33] i think this is a great document moving us in the right direction creating a sense of stability and uh [1:45:40] predictability so thanks erica no problem sarah put it together not me [1:45:46] so i don't want to get credit for it oh kudos to sarah yeah [1:45:52] uh is there anything else any other questions [1:45:57] um we'll move on to leadership updates then and the only thing i wanted to mention is since we did change um the different [1:46:04] committees that were part of um if you've already done it great if not if you just let like the ptos and you're now the rep [1:46:12] on that um what you're representing so that's my only leadership update and [1:46:17] we will not have a meeting tomorrow night even though there's one scheduled i'll make sure the public knows we're not going to have that [1:46:34] zach and i will be here from five to nine if anybody wants to join them erica can i i don't even know if this is [1:46:41] the right time but i had a comment on the masking policy i know we have it as information [1:46:47] can i do that or no procedurally what's the um is it just a language thing or [1:46:55] don't ask a different question what is it um i in thinking it through [1:47:02] think that it's important for us to not only talk about people wearing masks but i believe that [1:47:08] there should be verbage about not disturbing other people's masks oh i'll have that that's that's a good one [1:47:15] we're going to add that to the appendix and actually it follows i think nikki put in that follows the [1:47:21] dress code policy too exactly [Music] [1:47:27] actually and i have a couple of things on the dress code the masking policy there are two things [1:47:34] one is that it um it talks about taking off your masks during the time [1:47:42] that that you should be keeping your masks on um and i don't have the policy in front [1:47:47] of me i'm really sorry i didn't i didn't print it out and i can't find it but it has to do with putting taking your [1:47:54] masks off while you're singing which um [1:48:00] that's the time that is one of the the times where you are bringing out [1:48:06] virus into the room so it doesn't make sense not to wear not to require masks while you're [1:48:12] singing um unless you're outside so there's there's that problem and then [1:48:18] the other problem is also um has to do with when you're exerting yourself [1:48:24] and those are to say that you don't need a mask when you're exerting yourself because you're going to be breathing [1:48:29] heavy indoors um i so i if it was outdoors yes for both of those but [1:48:36] indoors that is exactly the opposite of of um the way that um i would be protecting