Recognition of Allison Frasier, Employee of the Month
No formal vote. This was a recognition item.
Dr. Virgin introduced the recognition, sharing remarks from Meadow Ridge Elementary. Allison Frasier, a school counselor, was lauded for her empathy, support for students/families, and proactive communication. Frasier herself spoke, crediting her mother (a lifelong educator) and sharing her motivation to prioritize children's mental health, inspired by the loss of her cousin to depression. She highlighted the district's elementary school counseling program, now in its fifth year with counselors in all nine elementary schools. She thanked staff, administrators, and the Meadow Ridge social worker.
School Spotlight Presentation: Merryold Buddy Program at Meadow Ridge Elementary
No formal vote. This was a presentation and discussion.
Principal Sarah Beth Denui, Associate Principal Brianna Blood, and teachers Lucky Omar and Sarah Gamik presented the Merryold Buddy program. The program, inspired by the 'Marigold effect' metaphor, aims to address a lack of leadership, responsibility, and community among students (especially older ones) by intentionally pairing older students with younger ones. The goal is to build relationships, friendships, and safe spaces that might not happen organically in a school of over 800 students. Data from a survey showed high rates of students reporting friends in class (98%), at Meadow Ridge (99%), and a trusted adult (96%), but also identified areas for improvement, particularly concerning trusted adults. The program involves intentional pairing, accessibility for special education students, and inclusion of all adults in the building. Feedback from students and staff was overwhelmingly positive, emphasizing the value of connections over activities. Board members praised the program for instilling a 'value of belonging' and fostering mentorship.
Administrative Reports: 2025-27 State Annual Report Student Achievement
No formal vote. This was an informational report and discussion.
Dana Miller and her team (Dr. Lackner, Austin Terson, Abby Bra, Julie Schneider) presented student achievement data for the 2025-26 school year. They covered KCER goals, local literacy plan objectives, and ANI goals, using FastBridge (screening/progress monitoring) and MCA (state accountability) assessments. Key findings included slight increases in K-1 literacy, but mixed results in grades 2-8, with a 2% decrease in overall proficiency for grades 6-8 aReading. Significant and persistent achievement gaps were noted across racial, economic, and special education groups in both reading and math MCAs, with Black African-American students showing the largest gaps. Math proficiency (72.14%) was higher than the state average but missed the district's goal. High school graduation rates showed students catching up by 12th grade, but gaps persisted in earlier years. The team emphasized continuous improvement through CEL, PLCs, and MTSS, acknowledging the difficulty and time required to close gaps. Board members expressed concerns about the slow pace of gap reduction and questioned the ambition of district-set goals and the definition of 'graduation readiness,' suggesting a need for deeper analysis of post-high school outcomes.
Responsible Use of AI Policy (Background Presentation)
No formal vote. This was a background presentation for a future policy reading.
Austin Terson and B. Phillips presented the background for a proposed AI policy. They explained the 'why now' by highlighting the exponential growth of generative and agentic AI since 2022, which goes beyond previous 'task-specific predictive AI.' The policy aims to provide clear guidance and protection, defining responsible use, building AI literacy, ensuring human accountability, and safeguarding data privacy/security. They outlined a 'human AI human' framework, emphasizing human inception and accountability in any AI-supported work. Expected outcomes include clarity, approved tools, teacher-directed student use with a developmental access approach (restricted in K-5, introduced in middle school, greater access in high school), and explicit limits on data entry. The policy and regulation have been developed over 5-6 months, incorporating feedback from MSBA, MDE, and district committees. The first reading is planned for the next board meeting.