[1:51] [Music] [2:03] [Applause] sarah has them are we on all right hello [2:34] everybody there we go good evening [2:45] everybody welcome we do have a quorum tonight called a meeting to order this is the regular school board meeting of [2:51] December 11th 2017 John could you walk us briefly so someone must have leave [3:05] one more light note the other way all [3:15] right that's there we go all right recognize the tennis team and the swim [3:23] and dive team [Applause] [3:32] you could sit there try and then we have a consent agenda with some of the more [3:39] day-to-day decisions that need to be made with the commendations that are all going to be recognized at recognition [3:44] are there also want to note that we're going to commend our board members exiting off the United School Board and [3:51] for discussion night we have course offering changes we will have the final levy certification the truth and [3:57] taxation a final budget presentation and policy review and the actions there [4:03] follow that we have some other actions are related to approving a calendar and other policies so with that that gives [4:10] you a broad brush what's gonna happen later okay thank you very much so the first we have is approval of the minutes [4:16] can I get a motion to approve the November 9th 2017 work session minutes and the November 13th regular session [4:23] regular meeting minutes are there any changes to the minutes hearing none all [4:29] in favor of approving the minutes say aye any opposed motion carried we are on to recognitions and our first [4:38] is going to be the Dyna High School girls tennis team Troy are you gonna take over at this point [4:47] okay I get evening everybody my name is Troy Stein I'm the assistant principal and director of athletics and activities [4:54] to the high school and it's a pleasure to be here tonight to recognize two of our fall sport teams that earn state [5:02] championships this fall we had a great fall we had a lot of successful programs but two of them that went to that elite [5:08] level I'd like to ask the the girls on the swim and dive team to come on up and the coaches as well why don't you come [5:14] on up in front here form a line [5:23] they have their horn up Hornet warm-ups here as well and ladies what I'm going to ask you to do is introduce yourselves [5:32] and tell us what grade you're in and then tell us quickly just a couple words [5:38] about what was the most memorable part of the fall and then just pass this down [5:44] the line hi hi I'm Kelly McCarthy I am a [5:49] senior and member of both parts of the fall was probably when or you know just [5:58] the bus rides back and forth from the meets we bonded a lot hi my name is [6:03] Sophie Carr Kowski and I am also a senior and one of the most memorable parts of the season is when mace jumped [6:10] in the swimming pool with his clothes on hi I'm Amy Jones I'm a senior and my [6:17] most memorable part of the season was when we had our senior relay at the Brecon meet it was really fun hi I'm [6:26] Katie Murphy I'm a sophomore and my favorite part of the season was just all [6:31] the meats hi I'm Megan Phillips I'm a sophomore and the most memorable moment [6:38] was probably winning state for the second time with this amazing team hi [6:43] I'm Brecon merkel i'm a freshman and the most memorable moment was probably our freshman relay hi I'm Carson Swanson I'm [6:52] a sophomore and my most memorable moments were the bus rides as well hi I'm Ashley post I'm a senior and my [7:00] most memorable moments was the bus ride home after the state meet hi I'm addy [7:06] makovski I'm a junior and my favorite part of the season in the fall was being able to hang out with my best friends [7:12] everyday hi I'm Sophie Curran I'm a freshman and my most memorable [7:17] part of the season was also that night that freshman relay hi I'm Katie [7:23] McCarthy I'm in seventh grade and my most memorable part of the season was getting to know more new friends and [7:29] having lots of fun hi I'm Lily girls I'm a freshman and well part of the season was the freshman [7:36] really hi I'm Emma Perlman and my favorite part of the season was the [7:42] Tonka duel me hi I'm Easton Jones I'm an eighth grader [7:47] and my most memorable part of this season was sitting out in front of the you at Mert at the moon and gold meet hi [7:55] I'm Caroline I'm a junior and my most memorable moment was the bus ride home from state hi I'm Claudia Chang I'm a [8:03] freshman and the most memorable moment was our freshman relay hi I'm Natalie [8:10] I'm a junior and my most memorable moment was getting ready for school and [8:15] eating breakfast in the cafeteria after morning dryland hi I'm Nora I'm a [8:21] sophomore and my favorite moments for all the team dinners and parties I break Piekarski this is my fifth year [8:34] with the team and most memorable moment would be watching the girls get ready [8:39] for the state meet knowing that they were gonna swim so well my name is jeff [8:46] mace I don't know if I have a favorite moment I just enjoy going to the pool everyday just to be with the girls [8:52] hi I'm Tracey Burgo and I agree with mace I have a whole season of favorite [8:59] moments but it's mostly just being able to hang out with these great girls how [9:06] about a big round of applause for the girls swimming back here [Applause] [9:11] [Music] coach Coach Mesa well I'll try and keep [9:18] it I'll try and keep it unemotional for you as you can sell coach mesas is very [9:24] very emotional about the program and his involvement and certainly when he speaks [9:29] about these girls and what they mean to him it shows through with with his passion for the program and the thing [9:35] that I love about their responses to what's memorable it wasn't so much about winning the state title is about the the [9:42] time together and we talk about that a lot with our with our coaches and our staff but coach mace if you can just [9:48] touch on you've had a few state titles you've had some really good teams what's something that's special about this [9:53] program that stands out from the pass well I'd have to say from top to bottom [10:00] you know we have 87 girls swimming and diving at the same time at the pool and every practice is a joy because they're [10:07] occurring each other all the time I don't want to give them very difficult things to do during practice extremely [10:14] difficult and our diving coach does the same thing and they're constantly high-fiving encouraging each other and [10:20] it's a real team atmosphere for all for all 87 gals and five coaches thank you [10:28] very much great job it's great to have you great to have you here tonight let's get a team picture here together let's line up and squish in back up a little [10:39] bit here you know present oh here we go I can I got it you got it all right [10:52] so this is a certificate of commendation from the school board to our girls swim and dive program you can hold that [11:02] [Music] [11:24] congratulations [11:29] [Applause] alright next let's let's welcome our [11:37] girls tennis program come on up athletes and coaches give them a round [11:44] of applause [Applause] [11:52] well welcome ladies again why don't you introduce yourselves with your your name your grade and one aspect of the season [11:59] that was very memorable for you okay I'm Samantha vaner I'm a junior and one of the most [12:05] memorable moments of the season was probably all the fund raisers we did I'm [12:11] Anna McDonald I'm a junior and my most memorable part of the season was probably all the energy at all of our [12:18] matches especially like the state and cheering everyone on i'm shaylen Rieger [12:24] and i'm a sophomore and my most memorable moment was probably becoming friends with the newbies and reuniting [12:30] with our past teammate I'm Ingrid I'm in 9th grade and my most [12:36] memorable moment was running on the court after we won state I'm lucky I'm a [12:42] junior and my most memorable part was definitely the pasta dinners and team bonding I'm Jenny and I'm a senior and I [12:49] really like the time that we got together as a team during section since day I'm Andrea and I'm a junior my [12:56] favorite part was getting to know all the girls on the team hi I'm Perri [13:01] Forrester my favorite moment was watching all of the team Andrea who's [13:07] one of our new kids this year is from Sweden she's never participated in high school [13:12] sports before and she was the last match playing and when she finished all of our girls mobbed her court and can see the [13:22] little tear already here again because she it was very emotional and very cool to see that experience for the kids Luke [13:29] Robertson my favorite part of this year was the Rochester tournament and hugging [13:35] Perry and Steve after the state tournament my favorite part is always at [13:41] the state tournament and seeing the kids to come together not just the tennis but it's a great time for the kids and really seeing them play their best best [13:49] tennis as we get to the to the end of the season and this year was no different so it was a great great season [13:58] so the program has a very history they had won 19 straight state [14:05] titles in a row and you couldn't talk about it you know when the streak was was going on and then things didn't go [14:11] our way last year and so the streak was broke so now I think I can ask this question to coach Paulson now that he's [14:19] won one he hasn't started a new streak yet because he's just won one right but tell us a little bit about that that [14:26] experience of 19 state titles in a row and then and then falling and and then [14:32] regrouping this year tell us a little bit about that emotional process for you it was certainly a nerve wracking and [14:39] nervous and the kids certainly felt it and but nonetheless the kids really [14:46] worked hard throughout all those years to make the next year even better we were ever so close the year that we lost [14:52] but the kids work hard during the offseason to to make each year better so [14:58] this year was no different I think they had a little maybe a chip on their shoulder to to try to get it back so [15:05] yeah I'm super happy for the kids and excited that they they took it upon themselves to make that happen so thank [15:13] you very much and you had in that 19 streak you had a special sweater that you were wearing and then you you [15:19] weren't wearing it this year so you've changed the gear up and did you burn that thing or all right all right how [15:27] about a nice round of applause for tennis program all right let's form a [15:36] nice little group picture again here coaches come on in you can hold this in [15:42] the center [15:52] all right congratulations thanks for coming the name [Applause] [17:06] we would like to take a moment to recognize some outgoing board members and first we're gonna recognize David [17:13] Goldstein the board hereby expresses its sincere appreciation and that of the [17:19] staff and residents of the school district for David Goldstein's four years of devoted service to the dinah [17:26] Public Schools and its affairs during the period of 2014 through 2017 [17:31] during his tenure David Goldstein has diligently served the district as both the assistant clerk and then treasurer [17:38] he has also served as a member of the board facilities committee the board Finance Committee as well as a liaison [17:45] to the Minnesota State High School League and at the student activities Advisory Committee David has been the [17:51] board's leis on to Southie of middle school countryside elementary school and the dinah high school the board thanks [17:57] David for his service and we noting especially his efforts on the board facilities and Finance Committee's his [18:04] ongoing leadership efforts with the construction project especially the district's property sale and purchase [18:11] thank you has been critical in the in the project success his counsel in the [18:17] district's annual budget development and has aided in the alignment of available funding to the district's mission david [18:24] has been a thoughtful and dedicated board member he has continually based his decisions on what's best for the [18:30] students and the community the board members congratulate David Goldstein and extend a collective and individual thank [18:37] you for a job well done [Applause] [18:56] Lisa Brian the board hereby expresses its sincere appreciation and that of the [19:02] staff and residents of the school district for Lisa Brian's four years of devoted service to the Dyna Public [19:07] Schools and its affairs during the years of 2014 through the end of 2017 during [19:13] her tenure Lisa O'Brien has diligently served the district as assistant clerk she has served as a member of the board [19:20] policy committee facilities and teaching and learning lisa has been a board [19:25] liaison to the community education services Advisory Council gifted district advisory team mental health and [19:32] wellness advisory team parent Leadership Council student services parent and [19:37] staff Advisory Committee Student Activities Advisory Committee and the world's best work force committee she [19:46] has been the board liaison to Valley View middle school early childhood special education and highlands [19:51] elementary the board thanks Lisa for her years of service noting especially her efforts on the [19:57] board committees her active involvement in several district Advisory committees ensured all district voices were valued [20:04] as recommendations were developed and decisions were made in the district her [20:09] insights and input in the board both on teaching and learning and up and policy committees were instrumental in [20:16] advancing personalized learning through programming and policy lisa has been a [20:22] thoughtful and involved and dedicated board member she has continually based her decisions on what's best for kids [20:28] and this community the board members congratulate Lise O'Brien and extend a [20:33] collective and individual thank you for all that you've done thank you Lisa [Applause] [20:54] Regina you're next the board hereby [21:04] expresses its sincere appreciation and that of the staff and residents of the school district for Regina Neville's [21:09] eight years of devoted service to the Dinah Public Schools and its affairs during the period 2010 through 2017 [21:16] Regina has diligently served the district as the board clerk during her entire tenure she has also served as [21:22] representative on many board committees and as board liaison to many organizations these have included [21:27] membership on the boards human resources policy joint policy teaching learning and facilities committees as well as [21:34] liaison to the Minnesota State High School League Edina Edvin special services parent and staff Advisory [21:39] Committee community education Services Board Edina Chemical Health Partners a MSD parent Leadership Council [21:46] Edina allcomp steering committee salary schedule and compensation committee and ISD 287 yes she has also been the board [21:55] liaison to Creek Valley in normandale elementary schools the board thanks Regina for her years of service noting [22:01] especially her efforts as board clerk and on the board policy committee her time and talents spent on the district's [22:06] policy development and on coordinating board communications with district constituents are among the many lasting [22:12] impacts she has made as an Edina public school school board member Regina has been a very thoughtful involved in [22:18] dedicated board member she has continually based their decisions on what is best for the students in the community the board members congratulate [22:25] Regina nipple and extend a collective and individual thank you for a job well done [22:30] [Applause] [22:39] we're gonna take a half-hour break while we go through Randy 16 years the board [22:51] hereby expresses its sincere appreciation as well as that of the staff and residents of the school district for Randy Myers 16 years of [22:58] devoted service to the Dyna Public Schools and its affairs during the period 2002 through 2017 randy has [23:05] served the board and district as assistant clerk and treasurer and he eight years as board chair he has served [23:11] as a representative on the board to joint policy policy Human Resources finance and Facilities Committee [23:17] in addition Randy has been board liaison to multiple groups and teams including a MSD capital bond Oversight Committee [23:24] City Council educational cooperative service unit Edina fund for school innovation Edina Park Board Insurance [23:31] Committee MSBA salary schedule and compensation committee strategic planning team and [23:36] ties he has served as liaison to Highlands Norman Dale Creek Valley Cornelia and Concord Elementary School's [23:42] Valley View and Southie middle schools and Edina high school he's worked with three Dinah public school [23:48] superintendents having outlasted two of them drag says Dressen and schultz the [23:54] board thanks Randy for as many years of service noting especially his efforts as board chair and his working on the board's [23:59] finance and Facilities Committee his time and talents spent coordinating joint school board trainings with the [24:04] Hopkins School District and the Westside School District in Omaha Nebraska are among the many lasting impacts he has [24:10] made as an aide ina public school school board member randy has met a conscientious diligent and committed [24:16] board member always basing his decisions on what is best for the district student and community the board congratulate [24:22] randy meyer and extends a collective and individual thank you for a job well done [Applause] [24:53] next we have hearings from members of the audience again I would remind people [25:00] to keep their comments to three minutes please do not make comments about individuals individual persons staff [25:07] members board members if you have complaints about particular individuals those should be directed to the [25:13] superintendent outside of this particular meeting if someone has spoken on one of the topics that you're going [25:19] to speak on if you could then keep your comments a little bit briefer and just reference the other one that would be [25:24] great we're going to start with Chelsea in apt welcome first of all thanks to [25:43] all of you for serving on the board my name is Chelsea inet and I have two daughters at Highlands and I have a son [25:49] in pre-k I'm here tonight to discuss class size last year our daughter spent [25:55] her second grade year in a class with 28 students the district recommended instructional class size for second [26:02] grade is 21 to 25 I volunteered for math on a weekly basis and I observed the director service that [26:08] class size played in the classroom five to ten students alone could have [26:14] benefited from one-on-one instruction and the remaining students were rarely given feedback other than to say that [26:19] their work is correct our excellent teachers and paraprofessionals are only capable of so much sheer class size did [26:27] not allow for individualized learning and parents were concerned these children's have now started these [26:33] children have now started third grade the district has a recommended instructional class size of 23 to 26 [26:40] students Highlands has classes of 29 I'm aware that 0.6 FTE is assisting with the [26:47] 58 students and I'm appreciative and hopeful that it's sufficient I'm focusing on this class at Highlands [26:54] because it is a unique class third grade is a crucial year and I've had the most [27:00] direct observation of these students unfortunately every class [27:05] at highlands with the exception of second grade exceeds the recommended numbers construction is underway at [27:12] Highlands and there are no plans for expansion of classrooms Highlands also hosts a very large and popular [27:18] continuous progress program that impacts our space according to the Center for [27:25] public education research shows that when class size reduction programs are well designed and implemented in the [27:31] primary grades student achievement Rises as class size drops in fact most [27:37] research recommends an ideal class size of 15 to 18 class size is something that [27:43] we can control I'm asking that the board discuss how the continued growth in all [27:49] of Edina and specifically the Highlands neighbourhoods will be addressed by the district please consider providing a [27:56] written policy for what will happen with each class as they exceed the district's recommended numbers in fall of 2018 [28:03] thank you for your time thank you [28:10] next we have suva reka thank you welcome [28:19] so I'm actually piggybacking on a lot of what Chelsea said I'm here to address [28:25] the same issue again my name is sue Baraka and I'm coming here wearing a couple of different hats one being a [28:32] parent of twins that are in the third grade Discovery neighborhood program at [28:37] Highlands and another being an educator I taught middle school special ed for 15 years and I currently supervise student [28:44] teachers through Minnesota State University so I have a lot of experience in many different districts in my [28:50] opinion class size is the most controllable factor so I thank you for listening to us on this issue it's [28:56] really important to me as you also know Highlands houses the continuous progress [29:02] choice program and by nature that attracts inner district kids as well as [29:07] open enrollees this leaves 50% of our school for the neighborhood kiddos as you probably also [29:13] know and I hear you're doing a study on the exponential building and grow [29:19] in neighborhoods that surround and feed into Highlands this together with 50% of [29:25] our school have being a choice program and 50% being a neighborhood program really really puts a squeeze on the [29:31] neighborhood program called discovery I just emailed with the principle of Highlands today she notified me that 10 [29:39] out of the 14 classes of discovery in grades 1 through 5 are over district [29:45] guidelines this to me is a problem despite amazingly creative solutions by [29:53] the administration and principal at Highlands and world-class teachers and paraprofessionals that are just [29:59] absolutely amazing this the classes are just absolutely overwhelmed and I know [30:05] this because I volunteer on a very regular basis a couple times a week in their classes what I see as again a [30:13] parent and an educator is that in learning is not individualized and I know we're really focused on that any [30:20] dinah again no human even if their world [30:25] class teacher can meet the needs of 29 students that all of which really are [30:31] needy and as Chelsea said third grade every grade but a lot of the elementary years are really critical for getting [30:37] that individualized attention redirection more instruction and I don't [30:42] just see it academically I see it social-emotional too I also had the [30:48] pleasure of sitting down with staff members early late this summer early in this and fall to address my concerns the [30:57] principal was wonderful and she got really creative which is great but what I'm asking for from you guys is that we [31:05] find a permanent solution rather than putting out fires every year I think this would help administration [31:11] staff and ultimately the students I'm also looking for creative solutions for [31:16] adding physical space at Highlands I know they're just about to start their construction efforts I'm also looking at [31:24] just creative solutions for the choice programs having continuous progress half [31:31] of it half of it at another school again I don't know what the answer is but I [31:38] think that you guys have great heads together and I think that you guys could address that so thank you for your time [31:44] thank you [31:49] next is Heather teeths there you are either [32:00] welcome I happen hi I'm Heather teats [32:06] mother of a valley view and Normandale student I'm here to follow up I had been [32:12] asking questions about some information that enriched courses would not to be [32:19] offered any longer in the middle schools I met with dr. Schultz and doctors Mazal and and got a commitment that at least [32:25] through 1819 there would be enriched courses offered in the middle school and we only have a [32:31] commitment to keep the gifted math and reading classes in the ELL entry through 1819 so I'm here to ask the board for it [32:40] can continued commitment to those gifted programs and those enriched programs and [32:45] I'm also here to say that if you if you [32:51] have younger kids or if you have an interest in this to people out there that you need to educate yourself and [32:57] you need to start advocating for your students I have people stop me in the schools I [33:05] have people stop me in the grocery store I had people stop me at ball games I didn't know you could become a school board meeting YouTube star but but but [33:15] if those people if everyone isn't here advocating and emailing and speaking to your school board members and speaking [33:20] to your administration then it just sounds like it's a small group of us that are a very vocal articulate [33:28] minority but you all need to educate and advocate and get here so that's that and [33:35] then when I was looking at the agenda for tonight I saw course adds and drops and I saw [33:43] the AP seminar ad for English in grade 10 I did not see a drop for pre AP [33:51] English grade 10 and I'm sure we are looking at that entire curriculum and [33:58] that entire schedule of events and I'm sure we are going to have an option that [34:04] is rigorous and classic based for kids who are not choosing to take an AP [34:10] English in 10th grade and want I'm probably have a student that's not [34:15] gonna choose to take English ap three years in a row of various forms we will take one maybe two and so I'm sure [34:23] there's gonna be an option for him in tenth grade that is very rigorous and very appropriate and probably won't be [34:30] seminar and I there's been enough discussion around a p10 that I would expect that we would have a public [34:38] outline of what that changes are gonna be there and that would be coming relatively soon and it won't just be [34:43] dropping an AP seminar so do we have a timeline for that because that's my ask [34:51] when is the timeline for that public disclosure of how all that's going to change so someone will get back to you [34:58] as a you know we don't normally answer question at this thing you could of course come at 6:30 we would answer okay [35:04] but some will get back to you and then we'll also have a disclosure I mean there is no intent to keep the plans for [35:11] the district secret understood thank you [35:16] thank you next is Gabe aderhold [35:30] welcome thank you so I was here just [35:37] today to talk a little bit about some concerns I had with climate in our [35:43] district and in the schools and I just wanted to start with my background and [35:48] my brief story I was born in New Jersey to one of the in one of the worst school [35:55] districts in America my biological mother had me when she was 15 years old I was adopted at Birth by my two white [36:03] parents and we moved here to Edina but when I was in kindergarten my mom opened [36:08] and rolled me out of he died nough into Minneapolis Public Schools for years I didn't understand why I asked her why [36:14] would we go from the worst-performing school district to the best one and you not send me to Concord my neighborhood [36:20] school and she told me it was because she was afraid that because I am a person of color that I would not fit [36:27] into this community when I became a high schooler I made the decision myself to go back to Edina those are where my [36:34] friends were where my neighbors were they had better class sizes better teachers and I loved it it was that [36:41] experience that allowed me to go on to college to run for office at the age of 22 and now over this past year I see a [36:50] community I don't recognize I see and hear stories about segregated lunch rooms about students of color being [36:58] harassed and being bullied and I know a lot of these families that are looking at leaving Edina public schools because [37:04] this isn't a welcoming and inclusive environment and so I asked for the school board and for the administration [37:10] and I do think superintendent Shultz and others that are working on this to go a little bit further to start talking [37:17] about ways that we can include families and people of color at the decision-making table to make sure that [37:23] our voices are heard communities of color in this community are hurting they aren't being listened to and they will [37:30] leave our community and it will hurt our school district if we do not change and so I end with this quote by Martin [37:37] Luther King the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of [37:42] comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy it will be hard to stand up [37:49] and be vocal for these vulnerable communities but I ask you and the incoming Board to stand up for those [37:56] families thank you thank you next is Pam [38:08] Bella booshka ray-ray Pam [38:20] welcome [38:28] hello board thank you to the board members who have served for so long [38:33] appreciate your service and wish you luck as you move into our community and [38:39] continue participating and contributing I'm Pamela Balabushka ray I am the [38:47] mother of two students here any dinah [Music] I'm actually not here on behalf of my [38:54] self my own comments I am here to share the comments of any dinah student so [39:02] I'll read a letter hello everyone my name is Jimmy's Harvey I'm sorry I [39:07] couldn't make it to the meeting this evening unfortunately I have practice I am a student of color at the high school [39:14] and a student leader what I wanted to talk about is the YCC stew suing the [39:21] principal and the district but now they want me to leave it in the school's hands and I will the thing that I want [39:29] to say is that we need to start addressing and acknowledging the racist things that keep happening in Edina high [39:35] school and in the Edina community if we don't do something now [39:40] Edina will be going back to its old ways I have a vision that Edina can be a [39:47] great community we're neighbor will love neighbor and we're people of all [39:53] different races gender sexuality religion and disability can feel like they are loved and that they have a [40:01] shoulder to lean on it isn't a political thing anymore it's about what you stand [40:07] for as an individual and how you treat the next person who is different than you the students of color and I need [40:15] your help help us unite and thrive and let's show what the future of Edina can be we need [40:23] to start having uncomfortable conversations if you can be racist you [40:28] can sit down and have a conversation with the person you're discriminating against we need to get everyone to have [40:35] a conversation so that we can all have an understanding of each other I will do everything that I need to do [40:43] to bring the people in Edina together but I expect you to do your part thank [40:51] you for listening and have a great evening thank you our last speaker is [41:04] Jim Balabushka ray welcome grab a [41:11] microphone hi there thank you very much for your service everybody glad to speak [41:18] to you today so I'm Jim Bell whoosh go ray I have one student at Highlands and one that a Dinah high school um kids [41:25] learn a lot from us and I I don't really think any ever any kid starts out life thinking that they're better than anyone [41:30] else and no child should be born racist or it leads to something that they learn and I think that because it's learning [41:37] you know we have a duty to make sure that our schools level that playing field and teach diversity inclusion and [41:43] fairness and undo some of the learning that some of these these people I get for me this is personal my son Isaac is [41:52] african-american and he's been really well treated at Highlands he's always been made to feel like he belongs and [41:58] that he's loved we're real believers in the Highlands way and I just want to make sure that as he enters Middle [42:03] School in high school that he's entering an environment that protects him and gives him a chance to belong it doesn't [42:09] exclude him based on who he is so I'm asking the administration and the board to make a commitment to addressing [42:16] the intolerance and racism that we're seeing growing and so that we can continue to feel at home here in Edina [42:21] thank you for your time thank you [Applause] [42:40] thank you very much to our speakers we do appreciate the input and I want to [42:46] just go back for a second we have adopted a 6:30 question and answer [42:52] session and as it turned out for today we had people who sent in questions but then weren't a couple couldn't make it [42:58] and then a couple decided I think not to come but I just want to remind people that the format were that we've just [43:04] used is one where you can make comments to the board it's not our practice to respond to those comments but there is [43:10] the 6:30 session where you can make comments ask questions and get responses [43:17] the only requirement is that you submit your question one week in advance so [43:23] that we actually know what the question is in advance and are prepared to respond to it so again I would encourage people to [43:28] both continue to come at 7:00 o'clock and to come at 6:30 with that said we [43:34] will move on to the consent agenda are there any items to remove from the consent agenda [43:40] hearing none can I get a motion to approve the consent agenda all in favor [43:46] of approving the consent agenda say aye all right any opposed motion carried [43:52] we are on to reports and discussion the united high school of course offering [43:58] changes this first brandy are you leading us on that one good evening [44:11] chair Wallen Freedman superintendent Shultz school board members community [44:18] members good evening I want to go through some of our proposals for some [44:25] of our new course offerings for the 2018-19 school year and some of the work our staff has done around proposed [44:33] changes to some of those said courses so I'll start off by saying that the [44:40] purpose of the presentation tonight is really for information and for dialogue and discussion certainly take questions [44:47] that you have about the courses and take those back to staff as as I'm able to answer or not answer questions [44:54] you bring forth no action is required this evening as that will be part of our [44:59] January agendas to take action on these course proposals the timing of this is such that we hope to meet our [45:07] registration needs in February students will be registering for classes so the idea is we bring forward the new course [45:14] proposals in the fall the course changes in the fall going into January finalize those they go into the registration [45:20] guide and then they're available for our students to select from for their course [45:26] sequence and pathways so I just want to take a few minutes to review our current high school graduation requirements talk [45:33] through for a few minutes some of the new course proposals and a few of the course changes and drops that are in [45:38] progress I like this I don't even touch it the most so in English English [45:43] requirements across the state is four credits or four years note that in Edina we have this [45:50] wonderful doubling system so one MDE credit our Minnesota Department of Ed equals two Edina public schools credits [45:58] so there's our formula for conversion and if we look at math we have three credits required that translates to six [46:05] credits required at the high school you can see six for science eight for social [46:11] studies we did chain make that credit change with ninth grade coming to the high school last year art and Fine Arts [46:17] we require we have a local requirement that's a little bit above what the state requires for art and Fine Arts the same [46:25] can be said for physical education we valued physical education in this district and we've said we want a couple [46:30] of experiences there for a local credit the same for health and then last year [46:35] what was approved is a capstone graduation requirement and we came back and or we said that we would come back [46:42] and begin to define that more specifically nine credits of electives and then 43 credits required for [46:49] graduation for students in the schedule that they have at the high school they [46:55] have greater opportunity to take additional classes than they've had in the past with our previous schedules and [47:01] when ninth grade was at the middle school they had an opportunity to take about 52 credits in their course sequence before graduation and now with [47:09] the high school schedule that we went to across four years they have opportunity [47:14] to take about 54 to 56 credits so our students have gained some enhanced opportunities at the high school [47:20] thanks to that schedule so the the first [47:26] course that I would like to start with is called college in the schools education this is a CAS course being [47:32] offered from the facts Department what is unique about this course is that it [47:37] is really it's part of the entry point project at the University of Minnesota the entry point project is something [47:44] that several departments at the University of Minnesota participate in with the goal to broaden the students [47:49] that it serves so part of what they do is they cry they recruit a diverse group [47:54] of students to participate in those courses we do currently have an elementary education second semester [48:02] course that we offer students so it's an opportunity to explore education as a career opportunity and we started [48:09] offering that I think last year was the first time that that ran did we had one section of students so this is similar [48:17] to that course but again it's affiliated with the University of Minnesota through college in the school so what kids could [48:23] do is they can earn college credit as through this opportunity there are two [48:30] actual course offerings so each one would be a semester so potentially could be a year of offering what we would do [48:36] is we would be recruiting a diverse group of students for the course the [48:42] benefits include a partnership with the University of Minnesota University of Minnesota curriculum resources and [48:48] training when we look across our teaching staff we know that increasing [48:53] the diversity of our teaching staff is a goal as a school district we know that our teaching staff doesn't currently [48:59] reflect the diversity of our student population and that's a goal that we have to increase that in our partnership [49:06] in talking with universities we know that the the candidates that are headed [49:13] into teaching and education can be enhanced through a more diverse group [49:18] pursuing education as a career and so we're excited about the potential to partner with the University of [49:24] Minnesota on this unique course offering I don't know maybe I can go through all [49:30] the new courses proposed and then we can stop and do some Q&A before we move on [49:35] Decca 3 we have Decca 1 and Decca 2 distributive education clubs of America [49:42] if you're not familiar with what Decca stands for this course explores international business ties to [49:49] real-world business practices such as accounting it's really a continuation of the Decca course sequence now that [49:55] ninth-grade is at the high school some of the students can participate in Decca at an earlier age so it really can it [50:02] offers an additional opportunity for them to pursue in business the course request has come primarily from students [50:09] saying hey we should have a Decca 3 course so we can continue on our line of study personal wellness is the first PE [50:16] credit that is required at the high school level once students complete personal wellness then they can go on [50:23] and take a variety of physical education electives one of the things that we'd [50:28] like to offer in this even though our pilot around personal wellness has not yet run it's going to be running second [50:34] semester so we don't have the feedback from the pilot yet but as we've assembled that pilot there's been a lot [50:41] of conversation with the physical education teachers and the counselors feeling that this offering could really [50:47] benefit students and so what the physical education department has proposed is a personal wellness hybrid [50:53] or online course it would still count as one of the seven available courses that [50:58] students could take but what it would do is it would give them flexibility in their schedule during the day to free up [51:04] some time to work on other courses or other things and when some of that coursework would occur outside of the [51:10] school power endurance is a group fitness course that would utilize the [51:15] new fitness studio at the high school this would be a PE elective course if you've had the opportunity to get over [51:21] there and see that great new space it's fabulous and it's another great [51:26] opportunity to promote movement and we are very familiar in education about the [51:33] impact that movement has on preparing learners to learn and so a great opportunity from [51:39] our PE Department and then soccer theory really is a parallel course to basketball theory which has been another [51:45] popular movement course at the high school level students would learn about advanced level instruction and skills [51:51] and soccer and also prepare for being able to pass an officiate [51:58] test to be able to officiate soccer games as part of the course geometry [52:04] support and algebra bridge and advanced algebra support in algebra bridge are proposed as intervention courses and [52:10] part of the goal is always to keep learning the constant and make time the [52:16] variable and in many ways in school time is the constant and learning becomes the [52:22] variable and part of the design of these intervention courses is to partner them [52:27] with the core course the first one be in geometry the second one being advanced algebra support so that we can create [52:33] more time in a student's schedule through a block of time and therefore help with that students learning for [52:41] those different content areas Human Geography was proposed last year as part [52:48] of the social studies update and we said that we'd bring the course description for it which you have in your packet and [52:54] human geography is really about how culture shapes characteristics of regions in the world and how human [53:00] activities are modified and shaped by the physical environment contain moose [53:05] choir is an opportunity for students in grades 10 through 12 these students [53:11] would be auditioning for this upper level choir this is this would be for [53:17] tenors bass and baritone singers this is comparable to what the soprano and elders alto singers have available in [53:24] the choir department and then link crew leadership is it would be a semester course elective for students to pursue [53:31] leadership development and leadership opportunities there's a national Link Crew leadership curriculum that would be [53:37] utilized for the course and students who are link crew leaders or want to be [53:42] linked crew leaders would benefit from that opportunity to participate in that course [53:47] philosophy is a new elective being proposed by the social studies Department part of this the study would [53:54] include critical inquiry into the nature of knowledge and ethics and reality it [53:59] would mainly focus on Western philosophies and again there'd be a social studies elective and then AP [54:05] seminar is a new course that we're bringing forward that's part of the AP [54:11] capstone diploma program Edina public schools has a very large number of [54:18] students that participate in AP tests and an AP courses about 2,500 students [54:25] or 2,500 tests are taken every year probably the largest in the state and [54:31] one of the things that we applied for is to be part of the AP capstone diploma program an AP capstone diploma is [54:38] something that students would be awarded when they complete AP seminar for AP [54:44] courses and then a course called AP research the AP seminar course is a [54:50] course that would be in tenth grade this course requires students to practice [54:56] reading and analyzing articles and research studies and foundational texts they would do research-based FA essays [55:04] and presentations and they would analyze and evaluate information to communicate evidence-based arguments the students [55:11] who participate in AP seminar would also meet the 10th grade language arts standards and requirements and with that [55:19] I'm just going to pause before I go on to a couple the other ones and see what questions our board has about proposed [55:26] new courses for this year well we [55:31] discussed this in teaching and learning [55:36] and and so I think the general discussion that we had in teaching and [55:42] learning is that the committee felt that what really needs to happen at a board [55:47] level and then in addition with the community level is really to talk about what are the core things that we feel [55:54] that in a diagram it should have when they leave the district and then kind of review all the things that were other [56:01] quirements we have and then the amount of electives that we give and what those might be after that because we just felt [56:07] that that it was a good time to maybe have a discussion about really what that is because we seem to be adding at least [56:15] some of the discussion maybe not consensus but we're adding more requirements taking away more electives [56:20] and having a discussion about what should those be and who gets to make those decisions so that was the general [56:27] overarching discussion at teaching and learning about these requirements and [56:34] then I had some specifics but I can wait and let someone else talk go ahead I guess overarching that I have if we'll [56:41] just go back to the first one which was the the college and the schools great class my question is to step back [56:48] philosophically we already have AP and we have a strong ap program we've [56:54] decided not OB but now we're bringing in its College in the schools but maybe not [56:59] consistently so I think there needs to be a discussion about what do we believe in terms of College in the schools and [57:05] which College in the school's programs get brought in or not and these College in the schools programs are expensive [57:11] and they have a fee and so I think it needs to have a discussion about what do [57:16] we believe about College and the schools and what does that offer us and and how do we do that you know more of a [57:22] decision tree or a procedural policy about when we do CIS and when we don't [57:31] wait we also talked a little bit about link crew leadership and just because [57:39] that was a new program that just started this year and what that would actually [57:45] look like in practice and is that kids you know will there be enough room to [57:50] offer that class to all the kids who want to be part of link crew and is there any kind of a process becoming [57:57] part of link crew versus taking the link crew leadership course so that was [58:03] something we had kind of discussed and then same with like personal wellness online looking at how that works because [58:09] there was some discussion that possibly if you're that that high high [58:15] overachieving student who looks at and goes excellent and I can take seven classes and personal wellness online but [58:21] it does actually say I think it will say in the course description that you cannot do that so I think we were just [58:26] concerned that it looks as though it's an online offering but it does not alleviate a spot in a student's seven [58:34] period day so they couldn't you know take then eight credits that semester [58:40] and Human Geography being new still looking to just see what that's going to be like what that's actually it'll look [58:46] like but that is state requirement correct brandy great that we are now adding to our list correct and I guess [58:53] my question with a lot of these the personal personal wellness one and an end link crew having those not either [59:02] the personalized personal wellness that we said last time that hasn't happened yet and then with link crew these are [59:08] new programs which we have no data on how they're working so I am hesitant not [59:14] that it'll matter because I'm not here to vote but I will put my two cents in hasn't it to put two new programs [59:19] particularly with the price tag that these have eleven thousand roughly in 7600 not including writing time for the [59:27] teachers the staff those are expensive programs to put forward without having any data on anything that we've done [59:33] last time so not against the class in particular I just think that given our [59:39] financial constraints that maybe those need to wait until we have some data to inform us about whether these are the [59:46] right programs in particularly with Link Crew that's a national model and even when we met with the student council [59:51] their concerns about that program and how that went this year that may be it [59:57] it needs to be looked at whether that's a good fit free dinah that entire model that we're paying for so I have concerns [1:00:04] about those those programs for sure and [1:00:11] Randy when we talked about AP seminar in teaching and learning this is going to [1:00:17] be a 10th grade option is it I guess is [1:00:23] it a full replacement of pre p10 if the student chooses to that for the entire year [1:00:28] yeah that would be correct okay and will it will it still be able to cover since [1:00:34] it since I know some of it is supposed to be working on learning about research and and writing in that regard what [1:00:40] about the other portions of language arts that are you know in terms of reading and analyzing writing how will [1:00:47] kids still get that through this option using it as a replacement for a required [1:00:54] language arts course is not a unique design element to what's being proposed there are other schools that have done a [1:01:01] very similar thing both both inside and outside of the state of Minnesota there are schools in our 21st century [1:01:07] consortium that have done the exact same thing there's also a local school we went over and visited Armstrong high [1:01:12] school that had had this kind of a structure to it so looking at the the flexibility and [1:01:18] the nature of the course but also the focus around critical literacy reading [1:01:24] writing communicating presentation oral written etc the the leadership felt that [1:01:33] this was the best place and best opportunity where students would still be I'll meet the language arts standards but it would also then provide another [1:01:40] pathway in that route and then alternatively we talked a little bit about some of the first steps we're [1:01:47] taking for looking at pre AP 10 and the how that may look potentially next year [1:01:54] you there's a committee that's going to be working on that yeah there's there's actually a focus group of parents and [1:02:01] students that are meeting on Thursday evening to have some dialogue with our facilitator that will be doing some work [1:02:07] around that and we're connecting with our language arts staff at the high school this is this is a course that [1:02:15] we've continued to work on and adjust and modify for many years as you know [1:02:20] and we want our courses of course to meet the needs of all of our learners that we have in our school system so [1:02:27] part of the conversation is to really review the goals of the course how well [1:02:32] those goals were achieved or not achieved and what we want that language arts experience to look like moving [1:02:37] forward nope different set of questions but [1:02:46] first thank you to for your work and I know that there are a lot of additional staff members who have worked shared [1:02:53] that workload with you so thanks to all for exploring some additional options just in general what I would find [1:03:01] helpful and I know that this will be reviewed next month I won't be able to review that with you but maybe some [1:03:07] standardization of presentation to answer some key questions some of which have been raised tonight but to give a [1:03:14] sense of placement for where the courses fit are they graded not graded which department do they represent which [1:03:22] standards do they meet which competencies do they meet is there a [1:03:27] rubric is there dual credit up offered is there a cost I mean some of these [1:03:32] we've addressed in summer address in independent classes but not necessarily as a whole I think there's also an [1:03:39] important distinguishment between a replacement and an alternative path so when it comes particularly to language [1:03:45] arts but this is not exclusive to language arts there's more than one way to meet our district requirements so [1:03:52] there's a choice and I think it's important to honor that there is a student choice and instead of looking at [1:03:58] it as a replacement which may have a different connotation and then the only other comment that I'd like to make is [1:04:05] gratitude for the task force that is looking at pre-ap 10 and some of the concepts of that course and just ask [1:04:13] that some of the concepts that the course was has been able to address in terms of voice and everyone being able [1:04:20] to see themselves as part of a Dinah and our community that that expand that we [1:04:25] not lose it I think this is critical it is a key component of that course and we [1:04:31] do have that opportunity to explore how can this be addressed throughout all of [1:04:37] our curriculum and not just through one course so thanks I guess my I've been [1:04:45] you know so the last year so I've sort of been trying to step back and and and [1:04:50] really say I think I'll say it again I think used to have a larger 30,000 feet [1:04:56] discussion about our philosophies about how about choice so we have not had a [1:05:04] choice in language arts for 9th and 10th there has been no choice and so this is one Avenue I'm still not sure if you get [1:05:13] this class or AP and there's nothing in between but I think that's the discussion that needs to happen philosophically what type of pathways [1:05:21] are we offering for all things not just Language Arts and who gets to choose and right now we've had limited choice and [1:05:28] generally speaking sort of the administration chooses and little for [1:05:34] the student or family to choose and in some places no choice so it's more why [1:05:40] do we have choice in science or math but not language arts or socialized and why at some grades and not at others [1:05:47] there's inconsistency across the whole secondary and 6 through 12 we have enriched in social studies in seventh [1:05:54] grade but science in eighth and not first and so I think we really need to have a discussion about what do we [1:06:00] philosophically believe about that what is the data show us that helps people and then how can we do that that's [1:06:06] sustainable financially and staff wise and and then also then what goes off the [1:06:11] plate because we keep adding and not a lot disappears and even when you look at today's three classes are going but ones [1:06:19] really not and we're adding it's just a lot a lot more so I just think you know [1:06:25] when I look at this stuff I think we need to have some really high-level [1:06:30] discussions about philosophically what we believe yes and that includes staff [1:06:36] and parents and kids and administrators and everybody [1:06:44] now when I start with the the idea about how much we're requiring versus selective's [1:06:49] it's a lot on the slide and the slide isn't even the whole story as we've said in previous meetings we said you need [1:06:56] nine nine electives to graduate but we know that you need more than three years [1:07:03] of math you need more than three years of science and you need two years of a language which not every student comes to the high school already having you [1:07:09] need those things for a strong college application which most of our students want and so the state of Minnesota and [1:07:16] the EPS columns are accurate but we're missing the college look column and that [1:07:22] knocks those electives down even further even without the language with that fourth year of math and that fourth year [1:07:28] of science nine credits is down to five two years of a language in case students [1:07:34] haven't come to the high school with it now you down to now granted yeah you do [1:07:42] have more more options for classes in or this year because the forty three credits those are the required but as you mentioned you could take 54 to 56 [1:07:51] possible but if you at all have a specialty that that's annual Vande [1:07:59] another language daca Project Lead the Way suddenly just the opportunities to [1:08:04] explore and find something new aren't there in you either get to to learn more [1:08:09] about your passion or learn about something you don't know if it's your passion and I think it's just it's a [1:08:14] little bit too bad I know we've we've run our hands about this before but one of the things I thought we found for a solution was the [1:08:21] the online hybrid PE class that that was online and I thought it was gonna free [1:08:27] up an elective and it doesn't it lets you be a little more flexible with your [1:08:33] class so if there's a class that only meets a certain hour you don't have to say well I've got to be in my mandatory [1:08:39] be your health class but it doesn't let you sign up for seven classes that are [1:08:45] in your passion and this is your a thing that's online and I don't I don't know that we have to limit ourselves like [1:08:50] that I don't understand and I haven't asked I'm not a teacher but I don't understand why we can't do the online [1:08:56] course in addition to a full schedule and that students find the way around that well [1:09:03] we certainly could but it comes at a cost and so the cost is staffing and so [1:09:10] when we get our funds from the state they work for a seven period day at the [1:09:17] high school level but as soon as a student takes classes beyond that seven period day they take an additional class [1:09:23] that's a cost to the school district so the school district could say the board could say yeah we want them to be able [1:09:30] to take an online PE class and still have seven but there's just a cost associated with doing that and so the [1:09:38] district would have to cover that cost well to the extent that it might not be the best answer to pay that cost then [1:09:45] it's also not the best solution to requiring so much that students don't [1:09:50] have that extra choice which is which goes to the point of us going back to [1:09:56] discussing graduation requirements because yeah we've we've had this [1:10:02] discussion many times if you happen to be a music student and you want world language your six your six hours and you [1:10:08] want your all your other four main things your six hours are full but for four years so that leaves seventh hour [1:10:14] only and we've even talked about trying to encourage kids maybe not to take that seventh hour course so it really leaves [1:10:20] you very little room to no room for electives and since our nine you know the current tenth graders and above had [1:10:28] that ability to actually have eight courses in their ninth grade year but now with the move you know we're a bit [1:10:34] more limited so those kids are even yet limited once again so I think at a Lisa [1:10:39] said a 30,000 foot level we need to talk about graduation requirements and where we as a district want to look at what [1:10:46] does any Dino diploma mean and what do we want it to look like but who's making [1:10:52] those choices and that's the balance that's got to come because you know you want anodyne diploma to mean something [1:10:58] and we want to attach that meaning to it yet we still want kids to have choice and when we take a look at like you said [1:11:05] that that third column that would be you know typical kid wanting to go to a four-year college [1:11:11] it looks different than then you know that's the standards so I think we have [1:11:16] to have that discussion cause I think we've recommended in teaching and [1:11:21] learning to bring back to the board as well as discussing the competencies which really should lead that into the [1:11:28] discussion of graduation credits right it should align mm-hmm I've got a few questions comments first [1:11:37] I do agree with the statements about graduation requirements but that is on the school boards list of objections to [1:11:44] discuss in the next couple months so I'm not going to repeat what everybody else has said I also agree with the comment [1:11:49] about consistency and course offerings again I'm not going to detail everything so my questions are the costs that [1:11:57] you've outlined are those within your budget or are those funds you're seeking in addition to your budget and can I add [1:12:03] one and do those also include the teacher course writing time they know [1:12:08] that the hours that the teachers need I don't know what they call it but because [1:12:16] I I see that's listed on here curriculum planning time ten hours for instructor plane time but I don't know if that's incorporated in this approximate cost so [1:12:23] one of the things that we asked have to submit is estimated costs for new course [1:12:29] design and part of that is curriculum development part of that is materials part of it might be professional [1:12:36] learning so these are estimations given by our staff of what they feel they would need to get these courses up and [1:12:42] running I did have a typo I apologize for in the board packet under the link [1:12:47] crew leadership it was 11,000 not 1,100 all of these costs are within the teaching and learning budget that's [1:12:53] allocated from financial services for us we have a budget that helps support [1:12:59] start up cost for courses but then also help support some maintenance costs that [1:13:05] are associated with our curriculum review cycle so we assemble a budget that that helps support those of course [1:13:12] we can't support an infinite number of courses and there is a point at which we [1:13:18] can no longer add courses because we need to maintain the courses that we [1:13:24] have both from a material standpoint from a curriculum development an update standpoint and from a professional [1:13:30] learning standpoint so that is that is another question and that's probably a higher level question that goes back to [1:13:36] the the core things that any dinah graduate should leave should have before [1:13:41] they leave us and also the degree of choice students that we want students to have as part of the learner experience [1:13:48] across the secondary level so to answer your question mr. chair the these dollar [1:13:53] amounts are factored into our budget we try to accommodate that that's part of what that budget is for and these are [1:13:59] the best estimates given by staff of the costs for those courses and as you look at the budget costs are these a priority [1:14:06] for how you use your dollars we would say that we reserve a dollar amount each [1:14:13] year for new course design or curriculum development costs and so we have dollars [1:14:19] set for that and we have it set in our budget so we have those available for it so it's a priority that we continue to [1:14:26] innovate and try to meet the students needs I do think it's also important that we look hard at courses that maybe [1:14:34] we can discontinue because as some of these new courses come on there are other additional courses I think we'll [1:14:39] be able to remove in future years and the to support courses are they designed to assist students with the class they [1:14:47] have already taken as well as the class they're currently taken taking is that [1:14:52] what they're designed for so for example geometry support in algebra bridge is really designed to support students [1:14:58] taking geometry and so it's to be a support from when they were in algebra [1:15:04] to provide them more time so that they're successful with geometry so really they're taking it concurrently [1:15:11] with their core course and then the [1:15:17] Human Geography course there's a notation that says it will meet some standards from economics governments [1:15:23] world history US history so are we starting to create courses so that you [1:15:28] could take like a few courses and meet multiple requirements no I think what [1:15:34] they did what the socialize team did is they parsed out the standards that could be met in the human geography [1:15:40] course and they're just trying to identify those so it is it's meeting specific social study standards but [1:15:47] those standards have been bundled and then they'll be under this human geography umbrella and I can certainly [1:15:52] I'm I apologize I meant to bring a copy of those standards into the sport packet I can add that for a next round because [1:15:59] I think that's my question with that because that's a high price tag and and so if much of that class is in other [1:16:07] classes that are already required I'm just wondering if this is the best the [1:16:12] best Avenue to get those standards met with that high price tag given that the state is also the one [1:16:19] that's requiring us to have it so I I just I don't know it's just it that's a lot of teaching staff work I mean that's [1:16:25] tons of curriculum writing the the reason that the teachers proposed that [1:16:30] is because they felt that this is an area of the sole state standards that weren't currently being met through our existing courses and they felt it was a [1:16:37] hole or a gap or the responsibility to meet the standards set by the state so [1:16:42] this was the best solution proposed by the department as a way to meet those standards okay that's helpful [1:16:50] all right there any other questions yes I had more question about what ap [1:16:56] seminars about it's a relatively new offering from AP and it seems to me like [1:17:02] it's a little bit of a spread away from their their specialty they'd always say [1:17:08] we can test out of a year of college in physics or in literature and this isn't [1:17:14] quite that this is building towards the AP diploma which is supposed to be a mark of distinction you'd have to do [1:17:20] this course plus AP is research so these [1:17:25] are two courses that the AP company College Board has come out with saying [1:17:31] if you do these two and you knock out a three at least on four or so AP classes [1:17:36] you can get an AP diploma it just seems like we're pursuing that and it just doesn't quite ring to me as a typical AP [1:17:43] class I want to make that clear that it already you know way my red flag went up when I saw that this isn't test out of a [1:17:50] college course ap this is College Board has a pee idea and I'm not quite sure that I [1:17:56] see it as a literature class and yet we're letting it test out of tenth grade [1:18:02] English language arts which language arts was always literature and [1:18:08] linguistics so for a long time that was looked at very traditionally a list of [1:18:15] classic works your arena discussing them interpreting your writing about them you're getting feedback on that writing [1:18:21] and your your focus on your grammar as well and this seems like we've gone to [1:18:26] something else it's more of kind of a even a prep for that research portion because it's not ap research at seminar [1:18:32] which is a college maybe for grad school format which isn't the same as college or grad school curriculum and education [1:18:39] and so I'm very wary of what a piece M&R is going to do when we plug it in to our [1:18:45] expectations for tenth grade English I don't know that that's a great fit and you're right it's not unprecedented [1:18:51] there are other schools that have done that there are also schools that have said tell you what it counts first [1:18:57] semester as an elective and then second semester you can get an English credit and then there are some schools that say [1:19:03] it's an elective it's it's a piece M&R you do some research you you present [1:19:08] some things it's kind of a communications type elective and they're not at all gonna give you English credit and so for read I know to come along and [1:19:13] say you can have a full year's worth of English credit raised this question to me where is the role for literature and [1:19:20] our English classes it I understand that we're not the first department to move [1:19:25] away from a literature based curriculum but it concerns me that we're doing so I [1:19:31] think there's a role for tax and literature still in this course this [1:19:37] course is more of a framework than it is a specific course this the design of [1:19:42] this course is really about creating critical thinkers it's about creating [1:19:49] enhancing a student's ability to create evidence based arguments so there's [1:19:55] there's lots of ways to apply this particular framework that ap has proposed and we believe that language [1:20:03] arts is a is a good fit for the way that the framework can be applied and at the same time students [1:20:10] have the opportunity to meet those language arts standards of course that curriculum work and that development has [1:20:16] to occur but we can certainly take the the questions that the board has back to [1:20:21] the group back to our curriculum department and try to answer those [1:20:26] specific questions in a more thorough way that the board would feel comfortable either in making a decision [1:20:32] one way or the other about how this would either move or not well I get some of what you're saying [1:20:39] evidence-based arguments but we do that in physics and they do that in social studies me that's such a broad goal it [1:20:44] doesn't hit the literature in my mind and same thing with some research and the presentation we're on communications [1:20:50] electives but but what about the role of having to read fiction or drama or [1:20:56] poetry what about the role of trying to read sometime in your six through 12 [1:21:02] experience and tenth grades a great time to do it along those books that are most likely cited by the AP literature exam [1:21:09] most likely that when you get to college people are gonna have read them instead of saying I researched the role of of [1:21:15] Technology in our society or the role of the future job force which is interesting but reading a Forbes article [1:21:23] doesn't it all compare to my idea of literature even if you can cite it and reference it and so that's why the broad [1:21:29] ideas of evidence-based arguments don't cut it for me you know and I think it [1:21:36] might be that this idea is trying to be responsive to board concerns about the 10th grade English class but I don't [1:21:43] think it is responsive because to me those concerns came from a question of [1:21:49] where's the literature where's the rigor where's the list of books that are cited by AP what's going on with this low [1:21:56] Lexile level there was an idea that that if you were to come up with a curriculum [1:22:02] for an elective in English of social justice elective and you would look for [1:22:07] books that spoke to the experience of people who were who were persecuted or [1:22:12] or had injustice done to them for protected category reasons whether it be [1:22:18] race or gender or LGBTQ identity or immigrant [1:22:25] status or the experience of people from countries that were once colonized if [1:22:30] you came up with that list you can put that curriculum for social justice it would actually look like what we decided [1:22:36] every tenth grader has to take any diner right now and one of the concerns I heard is that sounds like a good [1:22:42] elective but where is our mandatory literature class and so to the extent [1:22:48] that this is an off-ramp from the mandatory 10th grade experience we currently have I don't think it meets [1:22:54] the concerns of where's that intense rigorous literature class we have people saying I'm looking for one online and I [1:23:00] found some good ones or PSEO or pulling out of the schools but to the extent [1:23:06] that that concern exists this isn't responsive to it and I think it goes [1:23:12] back to your what you said Randy which was going back to what our expectations of what a language arts class should be [1:23:19] what do we believe that it needs to entail or to encompass and whether we have that and what parts of it do we [1:23:24] have that we want to retain and what parts for whatever reason even if it's just inconsistency across [1:23:31] teachers haven't haven't gotten addressed and and so I think I'm excited [1:23:37] for the the task force but mr. chair what I'd like to offer just a counter [1:23:43] opinion or perhaps a rephrasing of the question I appreciate the questions and [1:23:49] the detailed review of what the courses offer what I am the most interested in [1:23:57] and where I believe our governance role lies is in asking our teaching and [1:24:03] learning Department with the team working together to address the [1:24:09] standards which are not set by the board these are set by the state to address [1:24:14] the competencies which we've determined as a community again not just as an [1:24:19] individual board review those or by an individual site but our community has [1:24:25] spent a great deal of time and investment in identifying these competencies [1:24:31] how these standards and competencies are met is very clearly the role of our [1:24:39] teaching and learning Department and yes I agree that it should be clearly [1:24:44] demonstrated that the courses proposed meet these standards and these competencies and I believe that they are [1:24:50] able to show that so I think clarification is definitely a legitimate question but more of the detail is [1:24:57] relevant only in the context of the whole and not asking an individual course to bear that burden of all rigor [1:25:07] all literature all types but looking at it with the students pre-k through 12 [1:25:13] experience so I'd just like to offer that and again I appreciate the details in the background but I do believe that [1:25:20] perhaps the question that as a board can be clarified is just alignment to the [1:25:27] standards and competencies Thanks I just want to follow up because I think we're onto something that that gets to the [1:25:33] core difference about how we're looking at this course and that is is our role [1:25:38] to merely preside over the diligent and ethical work of those working in the [1:25:44] district office and in the schools which I think happens every day without exception or is it perhaps more and I [1:25:52] think that's an individual question among among the people on this board and I think there have been differences that [1:25:58] will continue but that's that's a difficult question to resolve but to the [1:26:03] extent that that I have concerns about say for example this idea of inconsistently offered in rich classes [1:26:10] this year in middle school but not that for a certain subject and then switch not 9th or 10th first of all that [1:26:18] concern doesn't mean that I think the inconsistency is the problem and doing away with the ones we have is a solution [1:26:23] I think that's the opposite of ok I think enriched is part of our philosophy [1:26:29] and to me it's part of the governance role is that we offer ways to differentiate your registration not just [1:26:36] putting it on teachers here's a group of people you wouldn't believe the range of interest and background experiences [1:26:44] and readiness but I'm sure you can handle it I think we need to differentiate not just in the classrooms [1:26:49] but at registration process and that means in rich classes and to me that is a governance role and I'm not [1:26:56] comfortable voting I merely because I see ethical behavior and hard working [1:27:02] behavior and we have talked to have the [1:27:12] language arts program for for secondary is on the docket for review and I believe 19 20 is that correct Brandi [1:27:18] okay I would have to double-check but I it's close to that yeah two years away [1:27:25] or something but I think we because we've just some of what you're saying a mere you know we've talked just about [1:27:31] what is the full arc of six twelve and making sure that you know it's literacy [1:27:37] its grammar it's writing and making sure that our kids are prepared to go off to [1:27:43] whatever they do after high school and be good communicators that is one of our principles and I think that we've heard [1:27:51] some some you know just feedback that we need to work on some of those areas like [1:27:56] whether it's grammar or punctuation or whatever so I think that's why back at [1:28:01] that larger picture six twelve I agree we need to be looking at you know the [1:28:06] full arc and what what is language arts and are we addressing it and are we covering it as they go through the full [1:28:12] arc because yes you probably can't in one class hit every piece of literature necessarily in one year but to your [1:28:20] point are we covering it though during the time that we have these kids and are they then going out with the skills that [1:28:26] they're going to need whether it be college or or whatever they choose because I think communication is [1:28:33] absolutely critical and it isn't just speaking or just interpreting what you're reading but it is being able to [1:28:39] write and do it in a coherent way so and that includes rules so I think it's [1:28:46] something we need to address across the board I do think that this is something that's scheduled for a work session [1:28:52] later in well early next year so I think we could move on at this point [1:28:58] okay just a couple of course drops college accounting is now going to be embedded into deca three and so we would [1:29:05] be dropping that as a course per the business departments recommendation advanced algebra prep would be embedded [1:29:12] in the algebra bridge course and so we would drop that and standard stats now embedded in function statistics and [1:29:18] trigonometry affectionately known as FST a few other types of course changes or [1:29:26] coursework that is occurring we are developing course flow charts to put in [1:29:32] the registration guide and what of course flow chart will allow families to do is kind of take all the text that's [1:29:38] in that registration guide and turn it into a visual model or a visual picture and see how the course is flow visually [1:29:45] and so it's it's to create a graphic basically for each of the departments so we're working on some of that we're also [1:29:51] our counseling department at the high school is working on a program called my app that we would like to demonstrate to [1:29:59] our teaching learning board committee and bring back to the full board in February what my app allows students to [1:30:05] do is to create a digital personalized plan via the course catalog and create [1:30:13] different different types of course schedules based on requirements that [1:30:19] they need to meet for graduation or based on different kinds of classes that students might take to prepare for a [1:30:24] college or university so they can kind of build a picture of what their schedule can look like online and it is [1:30:30] a it'll be a very powerful tool for families in planning course pathways for [1:30:36] the four years the students progress through high school so we hope to bring a demo of that back to the full board in [1:30:41] February during the time at which families would be using and participating in that tool our counselor [1:30:47] department has worked very hard to be able to develop that tool and bring it forward to family so we're excited to be [1:30:55] able make that available soon in terms of the there are a few other prerequisites and course description [1:31:01] adjustments that are still being worked on we'll continue to get that to the board as those get finalized some are [1:31:07] still in discussion and in terms of capstone just a little bit more clarity around the [1:31:12] stone pathway the the intent would be that ap Seminar would be that first [1:31:17] course in the pathway AP research would be the final course in the pathway the [1:31:22] idea the concept behind the capstone requirement is students completing a a [1:31:28] capstone requirement for graduation would be an application of their learning and knowledge and some new or [1:31:33] novel innovative ways and the capstone diploma program would be one pathway [1:31:39] that students could go through be our most rigorous pathway that students [1:31:44] would go through to meet that capstone requirement and they would meet that through the AP capstone research course [1:31:51] their senior year the capstone requirement would be met as a senior in [1:31:57] the ina public schools so in summary a great deal of information was provided [1:32:03] tonight you've provided some other additional questions for us to take back and dialogue about and bring back a few [1:32:10] additional follow-up pieces our goal is to have our proposals cleaned up and [1:32:16] ready for the board to make some decision on our January 22nd meeting [1:32:22] with that is there are there any final questions that the board has thank you [1:32:30] very much thank you thanks next we have [1:32:35] the tax levy certification Margo [1:32:52] and Margo this is a presentation where afterwards members of the public can ask [1:32:57] questions yes we're required to have a what's called a truth in taxation hearing so if [1:33:04] there's any members of the audience that have questions we have to have that public hearing component so I just want [1:33:10] to let people know in advance that there will be there actually will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of Margo's presentation sometimes [1:33:17] there's actually ninth graders in the civics class asking questions tonight so [1:33:24] good evening chair while in Friedman superintendent Shultz and School Board [1:33:30] [Music] [1:33:36] this is the final levy certification you approve the preliminary levy in [1:33:41] September I'm happy to report that we had a successful vote on November 7th [1:33:47] and so those numbers are reflected in here MDE Minnesota Department of Ed has been [1:33:54] updated and so we have the final levy certification to include some [1:34:02] adjustments that we discussed at Finance Committee which I'll go through those some of this because that we are [1:34:08] required to have this truth in taxation hearing I will go through just some of [1:34:14] the basics of the levy certification in the school district levy I know you're [1:34:19] familiar with it and and maybe the public is more familiar with it because we have been out and about with our [1:34:25] presentations for our operating referendum as well so some of it may be review but we are required to go through [1:34:31] it so be as quick as I can we do have several types of levies ones for voter [1:34:37] approved and then some that are set by state formula and others that are set by [1:34:42] the state but authorized based on local need and/or and require state approval they don't require voter approval but [1:34:50] they require state and local school board approval so we do have a variety of levies here you can see down the [1:34:57] left-hand side the variety of those other types of levees and across the top you see our [1:35:03] levy certification history major changes [1:35:08] the recommendation here that included just is included on the worksheet [1:35:15] includes some recommended reductions and don't quite have that here okay I'll [1:35:22] just go through it so the levy certification that came from MDE based [1:35:28] that included the passage of the operating referendum was we have the [1:35:33] authority to levy a hundred percent in an effort to minimize taxpayer impact [1:35:40] with an administration and Finance Committee we looked at a few areas that could we reduce overall the levy and so [1:35:49] we've looked at three different areas to reduce one would be the capital technology levy that would be the second [1:35:57] line from the top keeping that basically flat with the prior year levy that is [1:36:04] the one levy that goes up based on market value every year and so rather [1:36:10] than in take that inflationary increase the capital technology levy we would [1:36:15] recommend at keeping at 5.3 million the other two levies which were smaller is a [1:36:20] small adjustment in career-technical lowering that just under $10,000 and [1:36:26] then in community service we a School District in between the ten-year census [1:36:33] period can provide demographic information send that on to the state [1:36:39] you as a board approve that updated population estimates in June our levy [1:36:45] certification reflects that it has a net increase of about 24 or $25,000 rather [1:36:51] than take that increase all in one year we're going to take it over two years so though this would be the three areas [1:36:57] that we're recommending levying less than what we have the authority to do [1:37:03] and be responsive and try to be sensitive to tax impact we did look at [1:37:09] one other area under debt service but after because with the district financial consultants [1:37:14] they felt it would not be a prudent and I would they didn't advise us to take a [1:37:20] excess reduction early that we wait to take that at a later time so we did [1:37:27] research for options in our bringing forward three so what's the ultimate ly [1:37:32] what's the the tax impact for the full certification without any sort of [1:37:38] reduction with the market values listed on the left-hand side and in the middle [1:37:44] you can see a tax impact with no market value change at all so various [1:37:50] properties actually go down with the full certification now within the community we had an average of about 8.2 [1:37:57] percent increase in market value so even with the full certification then you can see the annual tax impact over to the [1:38:07] right and when we were marketing the operating referendum or whenever we talk [1:38:13] about levy certification we talked about tax impact without market value increased because the market value [1:38:19] increase while we do look at it because it is important my home may be different [1:38:25] than your home than our neighbor's home in terms of my my home might have gone [1:38:30] up two percent and somebody else's might have gone up 20 percent depending on what kind of improvements they had so we [1:38:36] really do focus on the other piece and we did with the operating referendum the median median but market value home was [1:38:44] a hundred and eighty two dollars a year impact with the operating referendum [1:38:50] with no change in market value so happy to report that this is certainly better [1:38:57] than that if we put make the three reductions that are recommended through [1:39:02] administration and Finance Committee it just revises it a little bit so you can see those same dollar value values a [1:39:09] little more reduction with no market value increase and and then obviously with an average market value increase [1:39:17] reducing that overall impact on the taxpayer we also provide some [1:39:24] comparisons of the medium value home with other school districts and were in the ballpark there [1:39:31] and then I updated the chart to reflect the 2017 November 7th a referendum [1:39:42] passage for the lake conference districts and so you've seen this chart [1:39:47] before and now with the successful referendum you can see where we compare with other districts we are also for [1:39:55] truth in taxation are required to discuss the current year budget it's a little different for schools and cities [1:40:02] and counties cities and counties are based on calendar year so the tax year in calendar year align were in fiscal [1:40:08] year so the excuse me levy certification we're talking about actually funds the [1:40:15] 1819 school year but we're still in the process at the 1718 school year so I [1:40:20] have a couple charts here to just share with you in summary but being the 1718 [1:40:27] final budget is next on the agenda I won't go through these and I wouldn't [1:40:32] ant we won't go right to budget yet and we'll answer any questions you can go [1:40:37] back to tax impact that you as a board may have on the levy certification again [1:40:43] it did go through Finance Committee we didn't visit about it and our recommendation would be the levy [1:40:49] certification with those three reductions as presented and then when [1:40:55] you're ready to open it up for public hearing so we start with questions from the board are there any questions from [1:41:02] the board so my question would be there were three reductions you recommend how [1:41:08] much does that reduce the dollars that come into the district it reduces the [1:41:15] levy certification by about 300,000 [1:41:34] 250 of those mostly directed funds like yes so it doesn't have an impact on the [1:41:42] general fund I'm we're not recommending any levies that would impact event ly [1:41:47] impact the general fund it's the capital technology levy would I take that back [1:41:53] the one the career-technical the $10,000 one does impact the general slightly [1:41:59] impact the general fund and then community service up obviously as under fund four and they'll still get slightly [1:42:06] it's not reducing them it's just taking that increase over a two year period does that answer your question yes are [1:42:12] there any other questions at the board by the board are there any questions from the public [1:42:20] all right so I think that's it then right yes thank you thank you and now we [1:42:27] can segue over to the final budget for 2017-18 [1:42:41] so the here we are in December at the final budget we started a year ago with [1:42:48] this same levy certification which is really the kickoff for the upcoming budget but for this particular year we [1:42:56] actually started two and three years ago as we perform better in the audit we set aside funds preparing for sent 1718 a [1:43:04] couple years in a role to help with the increase operational cost of the bond [1:43:09] ninth-grade moved to the high school the high school schedule change in just a variety of next generation programing [1:43:15] things to get us this to this point for 1718 with before I get to some details I [1:43:23] do want to explain that there's also a lot happening in the financial statements and going on within these [1:43:29] documents a lot of exciting changes we had a new finance system as of July 1 [1:43:35] we've also taken the opportunity at that with the new finance system to really [1:43:40] review our coding and the alignment to the Department of Ed coding periodically [1:43:47] the Department of Ed will make updates and changes and over the decades if you if you don't you just want to be [1:43:54] consistent with how you're doing that so when you're looking at history it tells it it tells a good story or it tells a [1:44:00] story and you're not moving things around one year from the other so we just took the opportunity with the new [1:44:07] system and within our own internal processes to really review everything [1:44:13] which which is really good and it's exciting to have our finances on the new [1:44:18] system but because of that along with we learned in the audit some new accounting [1:44:25] changes in terms of pensions you heard about that we also had an accounting [1:44:30] change with the long term facility maintenance all of these things combined [1:44:36] into depending which statement you might be looking at and also carry overs from [1:44:43] the previous years there may be something that doesn't look quite right or it's like why does it look that way [1:44:48] so please the first thing I want to say is please email or call me or one of the business office staff [1:44:54] and get your questions answered because we've as a team even look and say okay what's behind this is it doesn't have to [1:45:01] do with that pension change is it because the site's saved money and capital and their supplies and are [1:45:07] allowed to carry it forward and now we're planning for that in the upcoming budget year is it something new and or [1:45:15] is it a coding adjustment so there's there's a variety of things happening in here and I just want to let you know [1:45:21] that please don't be afraid to email me and ask a question let's see so the [1:45:29] changes from the spring which is really what we focus on it one it would be enrollment we did have we did make an [1:45:39] enrollment adjustment for our average daily membership projection adjustment for 1617 last June and and as well 17 18 [1:45:49] as well and as we've started the year enrollment has not come in as projected [1:45:54] overall in terms of ADM and so that has [1:46:00] a compounding financial impact and something we need to pay attention to from the 16 17 17 18 and then as we look [1:46:06] at the long-range plan we've incorporated the 1617 audit results and [1:46:12] the site carry overs as I talked about and we continue to monitor enrollment in [1:46:19] spending we also know you know in the spring we estimate staff that are [1:46:25] retiring and leaving and the new hires and now we know who those people are so just a combination it changes for the [1:46:31] Fall the results in summary in very brief summaries were a little lower in [1:46:37] financial position than we planned in June about a half a percent lower about [1:46:42] $600,000 we were planning as part of this overall plan for 1718 to use a [1:46:48] little bit of our fund balance and again it's just a little bit more and what will need to be do is we need to have a [1:46:55] plan to move the district back to that 6% fund balance level and we will do [1:47:01] that I won't go in details about that tonight other than to present this document but we will and we've discussed [1:47:09] it at finance committee and we'll be discussing it as an administrative team or have been already that we will have a [1:47:14] plan to move that forward there was part of our plan on if we were to dip down that we would restore that fund balance [1:47:20] and so that plan will be coming forward again I won't go into further detail on [1:47:25] that tonight the detailed budget document that's out on the website that [1:47:31] you have is in has several sections the introductory section is a narrative and [1:47:36] a graphic format if you just want an executive summary on the budget that is your place to go then there's some organizational [1:47:43] processes type information and then a summary financial section which provides [1:47:49] about five years four years of history and then this budget year really nice [1:47:54] summaries to be able to tell you again not too detailed but a little more [1:48:00] detail than the introductory section to tell you where we're going up and down [1:48:05] in a variety of things that is the area though that if you see something please call and ask what's included in there [1:48:11] because we've got a lot going on a lot of changes in just in particular the last two or three years and some coding [1:48:18] requirements so and then the informational section provides our [1:48:23] revenues and expenditures in a much more detailed format and I do need to thank the business office staff overall for [1:48:30] their assistance with the new finance system and the programming in all the [1:48:35] information that's presented tonight but specifically this informational section some really unique programming to get [1:48:44] the history from the old system blended with one year or not even one year five [1:48:50] months of data on the new system so very helpful before I go through the charts I [1:48:58] will explain that in the financial section and I believe it's page 14 and 15 and 16 are really the two summary [1:49:06] documents that look at all the funds and have the same information sorted in a [1:49:13] different way but basically takes your beginning fund balances your revenues your expenditures and your ending [1:49:19] balances for for all the funds that we have page 15 provides much more detail [1:49:28] on what types of fund balances and what is important to know when we're looking [1:49:34] at revenues minus expenses is where's the money coming from in terms of is it [1:49:41] a committed or assigned fund balance is it the unassigned fund balance or the unassigned fund balances is the the [1:49:50] funds that you as a board have the most control over and that's the one we tend to watch the most not that we don't [1:49:56] watch all of them because we we want them all to be in a positive light but [1:50:02] that the page 15 provides the most detail on that if you look at page 16 it [1:50:08] highlights revenues and expenditures and summarizes those fund balances so you kind of have to look at the two together [1:50:14] what I'd like to point out on page 16 and I know I don't have it on this screen but I know you you have it in [1:50:20] your reports is the general fund revenues and expenditures and the difference says six point six million [1:50:27] dollars expenditures over revenues and this is an example of let's look at this [1:50:33] and find out what's behind this because there's more going on here than just if you purely looked at this and said Oh [1:50:40] expenditures are over revenue so 3.2 million dollars of that is our [1:50:45] expenditure carryover where capital and supplies we allow the the sites save [1:50:55] dollars from the previous year and we add those dollars in for them to spend this upcoming year so they are spending [1:51:01] what we call an assigned fund balance they're not spending the unassigned fund balance and the other piece of the other [1:51:07] roughly three million dollars we set aside one-time dollars to help us and we [1:51:13] plan for that in the last two to three years intentionally prudently planned for that to spend those dollars in 1718 [1:51:21] under committed and assigned fund balances so that's why we have to look [1:51:27] at all our fund balances together what areas are going up and down and then ultimately what is [1:51:32] the impact on the unassigned fund balance that the board is managing and [1:51:38] so I just offer that as kind of some explanation in terms of where we're at [1:51:44] and again about about half a percent lower than we projected in in June with [1:51:53] the remaining budget information we have some charts that show where we we we [1:51:58] receive our money where we spend our money with a revenue history and our expenditure history we do have the [1:52:06] updated chart on the the state formula [1:52:12] allowance compared to CPI you're very familiar with this because we talked about it all fall along but I think [1:52:18] they're part the reason I still included it is because it it is important to remember that we do have the annual [1:52:25] challenge of my portion of our revenue goes up with state funding and expect [1:52:30] all of our expenditures have even when we control them inflationary increase [1:52:36] goes up at a greater rate because the funding formula is a not keeping pace with inflation there's a cross [1:52:44] comparison with our expenditures with the lake conference and the state [1:52:50] averages the reason it's 1516 is the state still processing the audit to data [1:52:55] for districts for 1617 that won't come out till this winter sometime and so [1:53:01] with that again what I'd like to statement is this budget is a [1:53:06] culmination of multiple years of planning and programming for for the [1:53:12] 1718 year and we will have a plan to restore a fund balance to 6% and and [1:53:18] that process will be coming forward to you in right away in January any [1:53:27] questions I don't have a question just thinks it's always a lot of work to get [1:53:32] this up to speed my only caution as I read this is just that gap and even here [1:53:39] our estimated revenues it's a 1.1 increase in estimated revenues but we have a 10 point 7 [1:53:45] to mate and increase in expenditures and that gap I just it's just not sustainable and so that's not just us I [1:53:51] don't know how to fix that if I did be wearing a crown or something but that I [1:53:57] just look at that and it concerns me so I don't know and I think the sort of have had been talked about is maybe we [1:54:03] need to start looking at a ground instead of taking our budget going down maybe a bottom-up approach and I would [1:54:09] encourage that I would encourage you and [1:54:20] I'm sure you will but to take a look at this January to June time period whether [1:54:26] there are any of the discretionary expenses that we might be able to reduce and thereby end up with a better fund [1:54:34] balance come June 30th we will be looking at expenditures within the year [1:54:41] what we can control certainly will be doing that I'm also hoping for a really mild winter that [1:54:48] helps too any other questions all right [1:54:53] Thank You Margot I just you know having worked with you for four years I just want to say thank you and just publicly [1:55:00] testify to your competence your hard work you are an incredible asset to the [1:55:05] school district and thank you very much thank you thank you Margot next we have [1:55:16] policy review Regina yes thank you we [1:55:23] have three policies that we'll be reviewing for discussion this evening I do want to just begin with a brief [1:55:29] update on some of the policy work that is happening outside of what's moving able to move forward immediately for [1:55:36] discussion and action in each individual regular board meeting we do have a task force who has been working with policy [1:55:43] fifo for dress code and appearance I do want to thank the members of the community and the students who've [1:55:49] assisted our board members and administrative team on reviewing this policy so this one should be coming [1:55:56] forward to the board in the spring the policy committee has also asked administration to take a closer look at [1:56:03] policy 506 student discipline which is in need of some task force review beyond [1:56:10] what our individual policy committee can can take on because of the depth of [1:56:17] research needed so again thank you to everyone involved with that review and just in terms of policy reminder at [1:56:25] year-end that every policy is reviewed by this board on a regular cycle so every three to four years every policy [1:56:32] is looked at some policies are reviewed annually either by statute or because of [1:56:38] the need for constant review and I do want to thank the team that's been involved with first of all just setting [1:56:45] the tone for this Bert letter many years ago took on what no other district in [1:56:50] the state had taken on to agree that we needed a policy committee to do this level of work appreciate the wisdom of [1:56:57] Cathy Sela for many years of policy guidance and the organization that was [1:57:03] guided by an occult issue on our staff and the current efforts of Stacy Geyer and Sarah schandle to keep this complex [1:57:11] process organized and moving forward this is indeed a lot of work and it [1:57:16] takes a large number of people to make it happen so with that what we're reviewing this evening is beginning with [1:57:23] policy 113 data request this is a proposed new policy the Minnesota School [1:57:29] Board Association does not include a data request policy with their model policy handbook although our reason for [1:57:36] taking a look at this edition is because there are guidelines in the state statute and it was felt that it would be [1:57:43] helpful to have some of that language in our policy to guide the community for making data requests so the language [1:57:50] that's in this policy follow state language very closely with that I'll just pause to see if there are any [1:57:56] questions on this particular policy that we can take back to the committee I was [1:58:01] just wondering because I was aware that a five state statute closely is that [1:58:08] where where would we have deviated from the state statute is it in our choice of what to charge or if you could [1:58:15] just give me those there I do not have an example of anything that really deviates other than our particular style [1:58:23] book of language how we state things but this is it's a good question and no [1:58:29] there is nothing substantial that we can point to that deviates this is just here [1:58:34] so that parents can find it more easily correct yes correct but as with most of [1:58:40] our policy where there is state statute our job is to align with state statute so this is intended as a courtesy to [1:58:47] help clarify and guide yes [1:58:59] class size and staffing 6:17 this policy does have the language with a discussion [1:59:06] to rescind we took a look at this policy at the November 13th meeting and some of [1:59:11] that discussion suggested that we have some where review between 6:17 and policy 604 on class size on class [1:59:20] guidelines so at this point what we're asking the board to review this evening is keeping 617 but with the proposed [1:59:28] amended language and the primary amendment is in section 4c this is [1:59:33] deleted again because of a state statute update the original language in the [1:59:39] policy which formerly was state statute language did identify special education [1:59:45] as a program it is not a program and it may not be a component by which we determine class size or whether or not [1:59:52] we are closed for open enrollment and I'll pause again to see if there are any other questions on 617 [2:00:03] correct and there was not a proposal for anything on 604 617 however did need to [2:00:10] be amended in order to comply with state statute adjustments 903 visitors to the [2:00:16] school district buildings and property here the revisions that were reviewing [2:00:22] tonight have additional procedures to ensure safety and security of all students dr. Schultz has had the [2:00:28] opportunity to attend a seminar with some recent updates and as has been discussed at board level and community [2:00:34] level before it's our procedures that are often a guarantee of security in our sites were fortunate that a lot of our [2:00:41] renovation has allowed us to update how visitors enter our buildings so that's [2:00:47] important we're grateful that we have that opportunity to come forward but it does not change the need for a [2:00:53] consistent secure practice with our procedure so the language that's here [2:00:58] addresses some of those changes and also part of that discussion at policy [2:01:04] committee regarding the question that came before the board in November about [2:01:09] polling sites dr. Schultz has communicated with the city and so this discussion will be ongoing as we're [2:01:17] aware state statute currently does list school sites as locations that need to be made available so we'll find out what [2:01:24] else can happen in that regard to see if we do indeed have any other choices but [2:01:30] I'll just pause there again to see if there are any questions on 903 [2:01:49] my only question there just because it's spelled out is you do take pictures so [2:02:01] I'm assuming there's some we can take a [2:02:11] look at that further just to see how what is the intention there we do what [2:02:17] has not been a change is that we all need to exercise caution with the photographs in terms of what happens [2:02:22] with them afterwards because of data privacy there are families who may opt [2:02:27] out of having their student photographed and I've this language in here does help support that because if a parent chooses [2:02:34] to post photos it may in fact violate a family's request so but I can see what [2:02:41] else we can find out again they can help [2:02:59] with them but it's also it's just the everyone does have the obligation to be [2:03:04] mindful of individual wishes yep and [2:03:09] maybe take a look at yeah well maybe it's the it's it's adding the point [2:03:16] where you can't focus on post something you've taken at a school on a personal site I mean I don't know where own [2:03:22] photos have to go through the district I don't know what I don't know how to do that but I don't know that's a tough one [2:03:29] I don't know yeah it's interesting okay [2:03:48] so this this might have to go back to comport with our use of internet all [2:03:55] that stuff as well we can take a look at how the combination of those two which hadn't thought of thanks for bringing [2:04:00] that up so quick comment on communication protocol it says that a parents want to contact their student [2:04:07] they can only call the office or stop at the office is it realistic to have a [2:04:12] policy where we know the parents are gonna text and email their kids I mean no one's gonna comply with this policy [2:04:19] it would seem to me and so do we want to have a policy that doesn't appear to [2:04:25] make sense so we might want to look at communication we can take a look at communications I mean I'm guessing the [2:04:32] parents have once in a while texts that their children during the school day and [2:04:39] I think it might be Lenny maybe that language is more for keeping elementary in mind as opposed to but I see your [2:04:44] point yeah I always need to have a policy that it looks like we're not gonna follow it [2:04:49] true I think that what we also have in some of our other policy regarding [2:04:54] devices is that it is intended to support learning so we do any policy [2:05:00] that supports the possibility that texting even though it may be from family could interfere with that [2:05:07] I think it's good language to take a look at in terms of balance maybe it's [2:05:13] limited to high school or yeah yeah somewhere okay any other questions all [2:05:19] right we are on two action items can I get a motion to approve the proposed tax levy [2:05:24] for 2017 payable in 2018 second and [2:05:30] Margo you have already given us the background on this does anybody have any additional questions or Margo anything [2:05:37] else you want to say that you haven't covered already nothing nothing else to add just ask for [2:05:42] your approval thank you all in favor of approving the motion to approve the proposed tax levy for 2017 [2:05:49] payable 2018 say hi any opposed motion carried I get a motion to approve the 2017-18 [2:05:57] final budget and Margo any additions no [2:06:06] just no additions well just keep working at it and stay tuned for 1819 any [2:06:12] questions anybody all those in favor of approving the 2017 18 final budget say [2:06:18] aye aye opposed motion carried and can I get a motion to approve the [2:06:24] South View middle school asbestos removal second Margo give a little [2:06:32] background on this this is a part of the this coming summer's construction a year [2:06:40] ago we did asbestos removal quote for Southview for last summer's and so we [2:06:47] just need to get in there and this is part of getting in there first so that we can do the other parts of the construction and actually the bids came [2:06:54] in good so I would recommend approval yes they were the ones from a year ago [2:07:03] any other questions all those in favor of approving the South View middle school is bestest removal say aye aye [2:07:10] opposed motion carried and I get a motion to approve the 2018-19 and 2019-20 early early [2:07:18] childhood through grade 12 school calendars second Gwen yes we had a great [2:07:28] committee that included parents teachers and administrators from around the [2:07:34] district that represented all of the schools early childhood through high school and we came the process that we [2:07:41] were charged to do was to come up with some options for the for you the board [2:07:47] to consider we came up with two options for each of the years 2018 19 and 2019 [2:07:54] 20 we then took the options to the we had a discussion at the board meeting last [2:08:00] month answered lots of questions and then the board HR committee then looked reviewed [2:08:07] the options and determined the two calendars that are attached for tonight so I welcome any questions any questions [2:08:17] on the calendars yeah I have a question so on the 20/20 we don't have a 22 [2:08:25] January 2020 we don't have a spot or am i assuming that school resumes on the [2:08:30] 6th because it's there's no statement what what day does school resume yes it [2:08:38] resumes on the 6th okay yes it's a full two weeks Spanier and then and then maybe you don't have this yet but [2:08:45] commencement for that year yes there I talked with Mike Petoskey and we he's [2:08:51] working with with the university but they're not able to make arrangements [2:08:57] for 2020 okay so I think my only this is [2:09:08] always a crazy hard thing to do with this calendar thing my only question on [2:09:14] that one is is I know historically that the the community would like spring [2:09:23] break earlier rather than later and then that 2020 year I think it is it's it moves into April we're in the first [2:09:29] calendar the whatever the night thank you it's it is that third week of March so [2:09:36] so I guess my question is is is there what was the thinking or is there a [2:09:42] reason with testing or anything that moves that Spring Break so late and it [2:09:48] or is there a reason we couldn't move it earlier in March and I guess that just because I know that that's a hot spot [2:09:53] for the community and and when we did all those surveys that's what they asked for well we gave several options we gave or [2:10:00] not several but we did share options where there were spring breaks at different times winter break [2:10:07] two-week winter break versus a week and a half when to break and so as it was determined in the parameters it was [2:10:14] going to go back to the school board make a final decision which as in the past it's the board HR committee that [2:10:20] reviews all the specific details and and came up with the row with the recommendation so that's where it lies [2:10:26] so did the HR was there consensus on the HR committee about these we didn't talk [2:10:32] about the spring break timing in that second year but there was consensus on [2:10:40] which calendar what's the what's the [2:11:04] what's the merit of having it be the week that goes into April I just don't know that's what I was asking you know [2:11:10] we don't want to come up with their own optioning it I'm just I don't know I understand the process and I support the [2:11:16] process and I think that that makes a lot of sense but how did the how did the [2:11:22] process pick which week Spring Break would be again there are we put Spring [2:11:31] Break and in years past Spring Break would be like the 30th and 31st through [2:11:36] the 1st through April 3rd or 4th in fact I think that was the case last year if [2:11:42] not the year before and so we we are we were charged to come up with different [2:11:48] options as I have shared and then the board could ask answer ask questions [2:11:53] have us take a look at things and so that's where we are and the board HR [2:11:59] committee as all three members have said did discuss those items did discuss the [2:12:05] calendars it's just why these three which is why these two calendars are moving forward is it about in the middle [2:12:12] of that spring term is that I can used to count the weeks but is that [2:12:18] counters and be the original ones that we were given last month the core difference between the two [2:12:24] calendars really is spring break because the semester ends and the winter breaks [2:12:29] are the same between the two calendars [2:12:44] so it seems to me going to questions that are rising around the 2019-20 calendar if we approve these calendars [2:12:50] today but the 2019-20 is still you know a bit out I mean if there are additional [2:12:57] questions that people have we presumably could follow up on those questions and if we wanted to change Spring Break in [2:13:03] that second year it wouldn't be too late to do so next month or the month after [2:13:09] I'm not I'm not sure what you're asking Lenny but I do know that we do post the [2:13:16] information on the on our website as quickly as possible so that people can [2:13:21] make plans for vacations and I know I certainly do get calls and asking when [2:13:27] is spring break when to school in when to school begin and when is when to break those are the primary questions [2:13:32] that I have received and so that's why it is important for us to get the information out to the public as quickly [2:13:39] as possible for people to make any necessary decisions [2:13:51] I just I understand there was a process [2:13:57] there was a committee I'm just trying to hear a reason why one thing was picked [2:14:04] and not the other and not even not even that I mind it being the last two days [2:14:11] of March in the first three days of April but I'm a little confused as to why we can't articulate how we got there [2:14:17] I just want to hear their I mean there's ten I just did the count on the week so 10 weeks then spring break then eight [2:14:23] weeks so maybe that makes maybe people prefer that it could be [2:14:30] all in March and then it's nine weeks and nine weeks name for that I just [2:14:36] understand so you're asking why the [2:14:45] these calendars team tests we can't answer why these calendars came this but Spring Break goes into April if the only [2:14:52] if the only data point we have is the survey say that's not preferred and not [2:14:58] to take away from anything else in there I mean this is this is a complex task I think it requires in a time and an IQ [2:15:05] that people don't don't appreciate the work that goes into this the only reason I'm stuck in this is just you know I [2:15:12] hear the concern but I haven't heard I haven't heard anything to explain how [2:15:18] the process got here just that there was a process and it included getting here [2:15:25] so as I said the HR committee did not discuss Spring Break the only question [2:15:32] that arose was one particular day and I think Gwen might know what day it was switching an October and April tober [2:15:38] 20,000 a lot of the other contentious points I understand the background and I don't want to push into them you know do [2:15:45] we start after Labor Day before I understand all of the years of work that has gone into that discussion it's [2:15:51] Christmas two solid weeks or not quite sorry winter break I understand the [2:15:57] background in that and so I don't push back at all and where the committee and the task force landed so I want to [2:16:05] acknowledge that I'm I am ready to defer to the work that went into the calendar I just want to hear on that one if [2:16:11] there's a reason and if not then I want to just be open to moving Spring Break one week earlier because I don't see any [2:16:18] reason not to so we did have this discussion about flipping days and we [2:16:24] assign the committee a task they perform their task we pick a calendar we move on [2:16:30] they don't know this works yes they do their task but should know why but Amir here's the issue here's the issue Amir [2:16:37] the issue is that there's 20 things in the background that we don't understand [2:16:42] that are going on that we don't have the information for somebody needs that [2:16:47] information though Randy that's what we're trying to say now that's what we assign the committee to do they've done [2:16:52] their task we move on and we approve the calendar it's very straightforward it's not because I didn't assign them to to [2:16:58] pick for me I assign them to work through the complex issues and I'm just trying to hear but uh reason that it [2:17:06] should not go into April I'm sorry that it should go into April versus it should not because I've heard reasons why it [2:17:12] should not and then they include a scientifically valid survey that say [2:17:17] right okay maybe that's too far I maybe I'm thinking of the other survey right but a survey of parents a survey [2:17:25] and so what's what weighed against that and to the extent that this is down to [2:17:31] the philosophy of do we defer or not I'm just looking for an articulable reason to defer to rather than that I I already [2:17:39] deferred away my my vote they didn't do that yeah so let me frame it a different [2:17:45] way we didn't ask them to come back to us with the reasons for everything we did that they did or the reasons why [2:17:52] that scheduling occurs we don't have the information we could probably gather it but it would be a cumbersome task we ask [2:17:59] them to create two calendars HR pick one and we move on and if and if we're gonna [2:18:05] juggle this there's going to be other ramifications that we don't know about right now like other times when we've [2:18:10] juggled the calendars so I don't think I think we're it's not our role if I want [2:18:15] to wait that's my concern that's one so we've just been told that [2:18:22] HR committee actually didn't discuss this issue and so no wonder you didn't [2:18:30] discuss the calendar we did discuss the calendar our role is not to figure out every day what's our role as a board its [2:18:37] governance we gave the committee a pass they gave us a calendar we approve the calendar next time you can make [2:18:44] different guidelines on what you'd like in a calendar one of them might be Spring Break can't be in April we didn't [2:18:50] do that so we can't come back now and say we wanted that even though it wasn't a part of [2:18:56] we've talked about the guiding change documents many times and everyone on this board has had a frustration with [2:19:01] the guiding changed document we bring these these get brought forward to us it says here they are we ask are these in [2:19:07] stone or not no no they're fluid when things come up we can change them and so then when we do that and we act change [2:19:13] them we're told no you're not allowed to do that it has been a complete frustration so I would suggest for the [2:19:20] new board to figure out a different way to do this and maybe the going back to [2:19:26] what is the what do we need in a calendar what's the best thing to do and have that committee come all those [2:19:32] things I don't know but I I mean just because a process was done this is like [2:19:37] a process was done when I'm not going to vote for something that's a that's not the right the best choice okay or even [2:19:52] put all of their choices into one calendar so as an HR committee all we [2:19:58] did was say a B we pick a but we have no rational reason why we picked it over B [2:20:15] so let me make a suggestion which is why don't we approve the 2018-19 calendar [2:20:22] everybody appears as three members appear to have the question about the placement of Spring Break in the second [2:20:27] year and we will approve the second year at the next meeting it would have been handy to have this question arise at the neck last meeting [2:20:33] but just to move forward we could split it approve I I just want to clarify [2:20:40] something that Sarah so we were not charged to come with options Sarah in [2:20:45] the in the parameters we were told not to come with a recommendation we were [2:20:51] told to come with options and the board would make the decisions I just wanted to clarify that so that is what happened [2:20:57] which is a little different than what I maybe understood you to say so questions [2:21:03] have been raised about the timing of Spring Break during the second year it seems to me that we can approve the [2:21:08] first year tonight we can follow up on the questions as to the timing of spring break in the second [2:21:14] year and bring back the second year for determination in the next month that [2:21:20] we'll still get the most recent calendar out to people now so for people who are planning next year it'll be out there [2:21:26] and then the following year we would finally month we would have it and people could plan ahead so that would [2:21:34] require presumably either of probably loading down the current motion and then a new motion to approve the first year [2:21:42] and table the second till next month could it be an amended motion rather [2:21:47] than to do that process just simply amend the action so so let me ask you [2:21:55] this logistically is Gwen supposed to get the calendar committee together to understand the ramifications of moving [2:22:02] Spring Break I think the question if I may I think you just want to answer you [2:22:08] just want an answer to why was it chosen that week what is the rationale for that [2:22:13] week versus the week before right and it would be okay to ask the calendar committee I mean I just as I understand [2:22:26] Jackson's last comment that you handed that you understood the decision so from [2:22:32] the kind of change that the board's gonna make the decision it's you're trying to say we didn't pick the options we didn't put it in so much and which I [2:22:38] think supports the idea of taking another moment to take a look at Spring [2:22:44] Break for the second year I don't think that's that's anything to be worried about for this meeting so does someone [2:22:52] want to make up to amend the motion to approve the first year only and table the second year I'd like to know if if [2:22:58] Gwen has anything else you'd like to add I guess a mere two to try to answer your [2:23:07] question we came up with Spring Break maybe in the third week we came up with [2:23:14] Spring Break at the last week we came up with different calendars that is that is [2:23:22] it there was nothing sign typical specific week the end of the [2:23:29] very end of March and the beginning of April which if you look back in previous [2:23:36] years it is quite often takes place then at that time spring break takes place at [2:23:43] that time and I would appreciate clarification on what we are to do at [2:23:50] this point because the committee you know I have to say the board HR [2:23:56] committee looked at you look at spring break you look at when school begins you look at when school is ending you look [2:24:03] at when the various breaks are taking place there are lots of components to take to consider [2:24:09] besides the spring break so I don't know if that really answers your question but [2:24:15] um and that's the process I answer so thank you having the floor I call the question [2:24:25] takes a two-thirds majority to pass if it passes we vote no voting on it as [2:24:35] move right so calling the question means you want to vote on whether we vote vote to vote right okay and you said that [2:24:45] requires a two-thirds that's my understanding [Music] [2:25:04] Ahmir where you have to call okay fine [2:25:12] exactly sure what I'm voting on right now we're voting whether we're just gonna vote on the current motion okay [2:25:18] the only thing we're doing voting to vote on the motion as opposed to continuing to be as opposed to [2:25:25] continuing debate oh okay [2:25:30] calendars as they stand in the packet no no no no it's simply voting to determine [2:25:37] whether we're going to vote on that or continue to be okay [2:25:47] correct all right correct [2:25:53] okay yes vote so if we stop debate then [2:25:59] the next thing is to vote on the motion if we if it's approved if we approve the [2:26:04] current motion then the next thing you do is to vote on the motion that's pending if we don't approve it then the debate continues that's all it is okay [2:26:12] and we're probably gonna have to have a raise of hands all those in favor of did [2:26:20] you say all those in favor of stopping debate on the motion and addressing the [2:26:27] pending motion would say aye aye and all [2:26:35] opposed say nay nay cuz I had a question for the mayor so Amir are you satisfied [2:26:43] with Quinn's response and ready to vote well sure but I think I'm satisfied with [2:26:49] that response I'm ready to clarify what a good idea would be to move forward that was rather abrupt so I don't [2:26:56] consider a debate I consider trying to discuss what's what's being presented to us here I think we have an excellent [2:27:03] calendar for both years there's one question which doesn't seem to have very [2:27:10] many things tied to it and that suit Spring Break in the second year be where it is or a week earlier as I understand [2:27:16] it now that's a standalone question without the the ramifications that we [2:27:21] haven't yet considered moving it up like we would have if we said we're starting [2:27:27] after Labor Day or all we get two weeks break for it I just wanna clarify so because it seems like an independent thing I'm more comfortable saying I'd [2:27:33] like some time to hear a reason why it should go where it is versus not earlier [2:27:40] and I don't mean that critically as in there wasn't enough thought put into it but now that it's a point that's raised [2:27:46] and now that we understand there's a downside to where it is with regard to input we've got from people I see value [2:27:52] in considering moving in a week earlier I'd like this extra time to consider [2:27:58] that and to hear maybe a reason that we're not aware of whether that means the task first meets or not I have no [2:28:03] idea but just to hear a missing reason and to come back to this particular calendar at our next meeting to resolve [2:28:11] the question I don't see why that so long you want to bring a motion to amend the current motion to approve the 1819 [2:28:18] Calendar and table the 1920 until next month that's it is that your motion my motion [2:28:23] okay any discussion on that particular motion I would just two points the first [2:28:31] is I don't know how this board expects people to continue to volunteer to serve on committees when we scrutinize and [2:28:38] second-guess what they bring to us all the time and second I don't know how this board expects to get through its [2:28:44] workload when it struggles to make a decision this simple and has to boot it [2:28:51] forward to another meeting those are my concerns can I respond to your concerns I think that what we're missing here is [2:28:59] that this literally on these two calendars they're the differences Spring Break and a day after mea so on B which [2:29:08] we did to prove which had spring break a week earlier that had the MEA Monday off post mea we as an HR committee didn't [2:29:18] necessarily believe that we had a rationale for why we picked a over B we [2:29:23] did for 1819 because it had to do with winter break and making sure our educational days were up front in the [2:29:30] calendar there was a clear reason for why we picked that this one doesn't have [2:29:35] a distinct reason so all we're saying is looking at the data that's been [2:29:41] presented in the past more people said based on that survey that they prefer an [2:29:47] earlier spring break the committee did all this wonderful work we're not changing anything on the calendar it's [2:29:52] picking between a and B and that was our job so because three people on the HR committee said we pick a and now I'll [2:30:01] take the blame are saying maybe we should rethink it we can't rethink it [2:30:06] we've suddenly are gonna not have people want to volunteer for a committee they gave us two choices we're the ones [2:30:13] making the choice the only difference is between the HR committee and now we're [2:30:19] not we are not denigrating their work all right any other discussion all in [2:30:25] favor of passing the motion to approve the 1819 calendar and tabling the 1920 [2:30:30] calendar say aye aye all opposed [2:30:40] so that passed it 4-3 next policy review [2:30:48] can I get I think we had a walk-in of the motion to a for approving policy 510 [2:30:55] yes so all can I get a motion to approve [2:31:00] policy 510 has walked in Regina anything [2:31:12] on 510 and I don't think it's changed since the last time no any questions on [2:31:18] 510 all right all those in favor of approving policy [2:31:24] 510 say aye all right any opposed motion carried all [2:31:30] right we are on two announcements any [2:31:36] announcements committee reports leadership update anything we do have a recognition of staff commendation of dr. [2:31:43] Tim Anderson first work at South View in relation to a safety drill so thank you [2:31:49] dr. Anderson any other comments from [2:31:54] people so I do have a few notes so I [2:32:01] know we did recognitions earlier for the school board members but a couple of notes for members here that I wanted to [2:32:08] read through so I'm gonna start with Lisa I know I thank her for her service [2:32:14] so Lisa's been with us for four years during that time she's been a solid advocate for making sure that we as a [2:32:20] district do all we can for our students she's pushed the district through the teaching and learning committee to use [2:32:26] data-driven decision-making we knew we could always count on Lisa at work session to assist to insist on data to [2:32:32] support recommendations she was also a strong advocate for change on the board she helped us move to a model that's [2:32:38] more interactive and more demanding of the district we will miss her questions and her enthusiasm David David has also [2:32:48] been with us for the past four years he's been a solid force in support of the district its teachers and its [2:32:53] students we knew over the past four years that David was not one who was shy about giving his opinion as the board [2:33:00] struggled at times with governance versus policy we knew we could look to David to help guide us well mrs. input [2:33:05] as we worked together moving forward Regina she's been with us for eight [2:33:11] years more of a tradition sit with us for eight years because I've only been here six years I will say this that if [2:33:17] we measure time and emails then Regina has served closer to 80 years the board [2:33:24] owes her a deep gratitude for handling communications for the past few years it's a task that only she could handle [2:33:30] and she handled well we also appreciate Regina's level-headed approach to issues [2:33:35] that come before the board I always felt comfortable getting her opinion on key issues she has been steady and will be [2:33:42] missed Randy URI got a long thing but Randy's [2:33:48] been with us for 16 years his guidance has been amazing he served eight years [2:33:54] as board chair and over the last two years he's maybe tonight he's tried to [2:34:01] help us stay focused but he has helped us stay focused on what our roles are [2:34:06] and what our tasks are if anybody can go to 30,000 feet and point to the board in [2:34:12] the right direction it's Randy Meyer we will admit his ability to see the big picture I just [2:34:18] wanted to take that few minutes to give my special thanks unless there's an [2:34:26] objection to a journey we are adjourned thank you everybody