It is 700 p.m. on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025, and I call to order this regular meeting of the Richfield School Board. Attending this evening's board meeting live and in the boardroom are board members Paula Cole, Ken Liss, Kirk Spencer, and I'm board chair Eric Carter. We're joined here by student representatives, representative singular Vanessa Rosen Miguel. And at the also at the table, we have superintendent Civoski and assistant to the superintendent Cassandra Guam. Other members, singular of the district's leadership are in attendance and may be participating throughout the meeting as well. Bridgefield Public Schools mission is to inspire and empower each individual to learn, grow, and excel. And we aim to keep that focus at the heart of our discussions this evening. Thanks to all of us joining joining us live here in the boardroom. We did have a big crowd moments ago. It's now just us again. Uh and those who are live streaming either now real time or after the fact. We appreciate when people bear witness to our meetings where we conduct the necessary official business of the district. Our first item of business this evening is to approve the agenda before us. As approval of the agenda is routine business item, I'll briefly pause to see if there are any comments or questions related to the agenda hearing. And seeing none, is anybody prepared to move the agenda as presented? >> Some moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion by director Cole and a second by director Lith. All in favor, please say I. I. I. I. >> All post, please say nay. The chair votes I. And we have an approved agenda. Throttling right along. We are now into information proposals on action item section of the agenda. Before we move into this topics for the evening, just a reminder that the next opportunity for public comment will be at our board meeting on September 15th, 2025. As well, you can find future board meeting dates in the richfieldschools.org website. Our first item of business is our superintendent updates. >> All right, so we have a couple of items on the agenda today. sort of a back to school update and then a first draft of superintendent goals which will also help guide some of our management team goals. So as you know today was our first day for secondary um but actually school started almost three weeks ago. Um so we start in the first week of August with our management team and we did our leadership professional development over the August 5th to 7th um including completing letters training for every single one of our administrators. And so we believe in the read act and and the need to improve our literacy instruction and literacy leadership to the point um that we had every single one of our leaders participate in this particular training. Uh then there's a oneweek break as we let people get their feet underneath themselves, plan and then integrate our overall district work um into what we'll be doing as we move ahead. Um and then our new teachers arrive just a couple of weeks ago uh followed by workshop week and our kickoff with our theme believe in the best. um and really laying out some of the components of what we are trying to accomplish this year. So in our leadership team, we're working on equity in our data work. Um we have our 2526 academic priorities and initiatives. Uh we are finishing up that phase one of letters training. Uh we have mandatory health, safety, and policy trainings including professional boundaries and another wide range of topics for all of our all of our team members um to undergo as we prepared uh for the kickoff that happened today. Uh in those first days uh it actually also started last week as we did connect and assess. Connect and assess is on its third and final day in elementary. Um rather than our traditional open houses, our elementary run onetoone family conferences and also assessing students so we can really hit the ground running um with our instruction as early as possible. Our secondary schools had a very successful launch today. And so middle school, high school, REP, and South Education Center all began today. And we will welcome back our littles, our preK through sixth graders, uh, preK through fifth graders. Um, and we'll welcome them back tomorrow. And so, it's very exciting. Um, it also, this staggered start really helps us get those transportation routes down for our secondary students and then really have them tight and effective when our elementarymentaries um, arrive. some things that we want to talk about that are new this year and make sure we are all on the same page. So we had rolled out at elementary benchmark advance and benchmark adilante. We are now rolling out new English language arts and Spanish language arts curriculum at the secondary level. uh that is called study sync um which is the overall curriculum and then I'd say somewhere in the 30% range are things that we culturally um provide additional materials to make sure that our curriculum is culturally responsive and more um than any product that is based in the science of reading. We're doing the same things at elementary. Uh we are completing read act phase one which is letters training for all of our staff um which is K through five or prek through five educators um ELLL teachers, special ed teachers and then we're going on to phase two which is all the way through our secondaries. We are looking at the next steps of our racial equity training and we are doing that at RHS and RSEM as we worked with Dr. Natalie Rasmmanson, the head of the doctoral program at Minnesota State Mano and one of the leaders in their overall equity work. And then we're continuing the focus on our implementation of fastbridge assessment and how we use that to progress monitor and intervene. Um improving that academic instruction, improving the science of reading. Uh, and then using our data to improve our student outcomes, really pushing bilingualism and student voice as we have voice in our policies, in our policy review, which you'll hear about in our bullying and harassment policies, which come up um for our first read tonight. Um, and then continuing that social emotional support. So, we have made strong strides since coming out of CO. Um but we don't want to lose ground in regard to it's a strong educational community where people are welcome and belong that allows them to be their best um and allows them to achieve to their highest levels. Uh we did have the preliminary release of MCA data um and so we are seeing some of those similar small gains um or flat um with our overall MCA achievement something that we will be able to look at further and more in depth in the future. Uh similar we did gain in reading in regard to how the state um performed and gained our typical one one and a half points on the state. Uh something we still need to figure out how to accelerate and and grab that ground. In math um we didn't make quite the same gains even though we did make small steps forward. Um and just looking at um figuring out how to continue all of that progress overall um enrollment and staffing. And so we are very pleased. As you recall, last year we struggled to find additional teachers once we hit um the summer and into fall. So we added some extra staff. You'll notice that across our elementaryaries, class sizes are all um in a really good spot. The things that we look for, we want to see that centennial um ends up at a number below that of colleagues because the higher free and reduced count. So it brings in additional compensatory education. If you look at that average line in italics, 21.87, 87. That is their current class size. Uh there will be some changes that occur um in the coming days as we add students and students transition out. Um STEM is sort of next at 22, but STEM is the school that adds the most students once school starts. And so we expect those to creep up a little bit. And we're in the 23 and a half range at both Sher and RDLS. And just as a reminder for our board, uh we fund our class sizes at an average of 25 at elementary and 23 at Centennial. So each are one and a half to two numbers uh at the average below. Um we have had similar um similar uh enrollment at our secondaries as what we had expected. Right now we are about 30 students above projection in our secondaries overall. That number does tend to drop as we start the school year. Um you'll remember that last year we closed to open enrollment. We'll be monitoring that data. um if we were to take any form of action in that direction, that certainly wouldn't come till our first meeting in October. We take an official count on the 1st of October, but by next Friday, we're going to have a very very good uh knowledge of who is still planning to attend our schools, who is planning to go elsewhere. Um and these numbers get finalized before um we come up with our official reports later on during the school year. We've got a number of upcoming fun events. Um September is packed. We have homecoming parade and our homecoming um events are the week of September 20th with the September 20th 9:00 a.m. parade um followed by a football game. We have penfest the day after um where we'll have booths and some sharing. Um and then obviously schoolboard election dates, believe it or not. Um that threeperson ballot will be available for early voting as early as September 19th uh with election day on November 4th. And so that will all be wrapped up. uh but starting uh very quickly. One of the things we're doing from a community building perspective is we picked a theme, believe in the best. And we are really wanting to be working with all of our staff, all of our students, and all of our community to really believe that we can all put our best foot forward. We want to have a community that supports everyone, that our students are able to be themselves, their authentic selves, um and that they can be able to be their best in our buildings. Um that our staff are able to put their best foot forward and be their best. um and that we know that our parents and our families and our community are doing their best and we need to give them similarly our best. And so that's something we are working on as one of our focal points um is just trying to make sure that we are bringing all that we can to our roles um and supporting everyone else in being empowered to do the same thing. And then that last big thing that is coming our way um strategic planning and the process timeline. We did set up a study session with the board. Um we'll go a little bit more in detail, but at our study session we'll begin uh reviewing the board members commitment. So as a reminder, you all are the head governing and visioning agents of our district. And so you will need to reflect on our vision, our mission statement for our district and our overall beliefs um and the concept of our strategic plan to make sure that you are remaining in line with that overall vision that would or that you would like that to change. Uh that will then guide sort of the next step. So that'll be the theme of our study session. Uh we'll begin then in December beginning that conversation of uh the five areas of our strategic plan and is that where we want to continue to focus. Uh we'll be reviewing that vision, belief statement and our goals um and sort of determining is this the path um before we then open site level meetings and so across our entire community beginning to gather that voice um and gather the voice of the community. uh we're engaged in figuring out a technology tool to gather that um so that they can all be brought together and combined uh to help us draft a plan in April um with then a draft to share in May with some feedback um and then presenting to the board in June could also push back to July. The ultimate end date is to make sure that we have a functioning strategic plan as we launch uh in the fall of the 2026 2027 school year. all of these things uh begin to take shape once we hit October um and once we hit that study session on October 6th. So with that I will pause and see if there are any questions, comments or feedback. Thank you for the update. >> Questions? >> Yeah, I think I've got an easy one. Um and at Centennial there's two two and a half sections, one for kindergarten and one for third grade. What is it? Two and a half sections for those two grades. >> So what we did at Centennial is there are two numbers uh kindergarten and third that were higher. Um we have one additional full-time teacher who is supporting them instructionally in reading and in math. >> Okay. >> Um and so it becomes for core two and a half. It's a way of reducing without adding that third set. So, it's two physical classrooms, but you've got an extra teacher that goes between those two. >> Correct. So, there is Yes. Mr. Olsen, um, who was a longtime teacher, Chris Olsen, um, very long time, highly valued Richfield educator, wanted to, uh, transition back to his previous school, um, which is where he started his career. So, he is splitting his time between kindergarten and third grade and, uh, going to be teaching the students reading and math alongside the two traditional classroom teachers. >> Cool. Thank you. I mean additional clarity just because I like to hear myself say this because I want everybody to hear it all the streamers. Uh that is not an intervention role that is a classroom reduction a student reduction size teacher. So he is there specifically to reduce the numbers uh being instructed in reading and math by each individual teacher. So 50 kids two teachers 25 to one 50 kids three teachers in reading that is approximately 17 to1. And the way that that works is uh generally a small group instruction just like the classroom teacher will do. It's just another grownup working with kids uh in the tier one instruction. Right. >> That is correct. Yes. Yes. >> Uh since I'm speaking uh two things I want to say that I was very pleased with the um what is it? Connect connect and assess. >> Connect and assess. Yes. >> Uh because there were questions uh a lot of questions I think are very important for parent teacher relationships and also for parent uh for teacher child relationships that I think will be useful to the teachers to know. Uh and so it's always and there was also I saw considerations for uh multiculture from like what do you like to eat you know like and also the assessment of uh you know reading in both English and Spanish so math uh and as an educator I think that that kind of information gives a lot of good data to teachers that and it's great that they have it and so I want to say uh to the team RD I don't know if this is an RDLS thing or if it's just a districtwide but the team putting together that kind of packet for parents and students to take care of uh that was a great job. Um and I also want to say I love the belie in the best is telling me high expectations which is always what we have to have. Uh I'm also very happy to see that it's in cursive. Uh that said I you know like are the kids older like younger? Is this for the grown-ups? Is this for >> So yeah that cute little symbol. So it is cursive. Yes. um that is in that symbol and then each administrator and each team is figuring out ways to communicate that um effectively to their group of students, their group of families, their group of staff. >> So that is just our we'll say our district one sign thing that I appreciate. >> So >> do they are they learning to write in cursive anymore? >> No. >> Uh it is not >> Oh my gosh. >> taught at this point. That is >> that is bananas. So we could literally write in cursive and it would be code. >> They would not understand. doesn't mean they can't read in cursive. Um, >> well, she's old enough, but I think like someone my daughter's age might not know. >> Chat GPT. >> Oh. Oh, Chat GPT can read cursive for them. >> Gosh, do they have to do anything on their own? >> No. So, >> so fun fact, fun story. I think it was funny for me my first year teaching first grade where I grew up, you don't learn to write print ever. You do cursive from the very beginning. So I put their students names in the in the sticker in the locker and then they kept coming to me like where's my locker? I'm like it has your name out there. And then the other teacher say you do know they don't know how to read cursive right. I'm like wait what? And so that's why when I say cursive I'm always like access >> you made them believe in the best. Way to go Paul. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So good job. That was >> that's that's all I have. I feel like we missed out on a Tina Turner like moment though. Simply the best. I'm just saying we had loads of ideas. There was a specific suggestion because we take turns with who is singing. And theoretically it would have been me and Craig. And while some people wanted to hear Craig sing, nobody wanted to hear me sing. And so we kind of had to agree there would be no singing. >> Well, if I had been there, I would have encouraged you to sing. >> I second. I think we opted to not pay for the rights to that song. >> Also true. >> That is true. >> Uh new teacher or a new teacher karaoke. Is that the thing? >> Yeah, I would be there. >> That I can get behind. >> Jennifer Smith, my hysterical director of communications, just wanted a text to say it's actually just um letters that are touching and not actual cursive. So, she wanted to suggest that I see cursive also, but you never know. I guess >> I'm going to guess our student in the audience could tell us that says believe in the best. And I see a head nod and a thumbs up. >> So, I'm guessing that one's readable. >> Oh my gosh. >> The S is not cursive. >> What's that? >> The S is not cursive. >> Yeah. >> The L is not either. >> Oh my god. >> Yeah, they they're not. But Wow. >> Got it. >> What a full education over there. >> Glad you're here, >> right? >> No. >> Oh, you had to trade it for something. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> It used to until very recently. >> Bring it back in. >> Starting in third grade. It's just a niece. >> You know, last time you accused us of not talking and now you're we're talking too much. >> True. >> I just we can't Goldilocks this apparently. So, I don't know. It's uh I think our cursive discussion is it's >> all right. It's important. >> It is buddy. You heard it's uh is it being taught anymore? That's the question at hand. More questions. >> No, >> you're welcome. >> I have nothing to say. >> I was not trying to uh I then'll have a couple comments. Okay. >> Um the first one, and I'm going to go on camera for this because I strongly believe it. Uh 25 is a speed limit. If the city doesn't want to keep to it, we need to when it comes to the homecoming parade. So, I say drive slower in the lead car. >> All right. Homecoming parade 25 in the lead car. I will text the high school principal right now. >> You heard me say it on camera. >> Stacy the lead car. >> Stacy the lead car with I believe Darth Vader sticking out her sunroof. >> Correct. >> Can the marching band keep up with 25? >> I pretty fast. But they >> it was it was very fast last year. >> I would think they would have to go more like 10 like two or three. >> Also, we got scolded. >> Huh. >> We got scolded. >> We got scolded for going too slow. >> I don't believe we went over 25, but who knows? I will make sure that we will stay at 25, 24 or under during the home. >> Did we get scolded for going over 25 or scolded for It was just a fast parade. >> It was a fast parade. >> Really? It's like two and a half to three minutes. The three miles per hour is probably what they want. >> I Eric was speeding to try to get ahead of us and he was disappointed he couldn't get. >> You're trying to like pass people in the parade. >> We can discuss this one offline. This is trade secrets. >> Oh, >> and no, not passing people on the break. >> Okay. >> Um Okay. So, uh Penfest, just for those who are like all 10 of you on the live stream, um we will have board members present at Penfest. We were there last year. I will be in town this year, I think. >> So, we try to staff board members there if people want to pop in and talk to us at the Richville Public Schools booth. Put a plug in for that one. Uh for like I think the the new teacher orientation I thought was fantastic. It was great to be part of it. Um I the the ch we believe we believe in you. I thought that was great. Um and then the timelines are exciting too. Uh, I look at them and I'm like excited to see that we're going to be part of the strategic planning process and it's going to happen and it on one hand it feels like it's going to be super long. Um, on the other hand it feels like it's going to be super fast. Um, and for those people who are interested, right, it's like if people have got opinions, input, now is the time to come either to board members to be involved in committees to make sure that your feedback is given and added to the overall overall guide the goals questions, comments, anything else >> for for those of us that are not going to be on the board next year Is our participation critical? >> Um, so we would love every voice of every community member in the process. So what I would say is you will be as a board member helping to shape do we stay in this same direction with the same belief system. I think that is important and you as a board member ideally are giving your voice to that. >> Okay. >> Um and then I mean you would then decide during January to March we'll probably get somewhere in the thousand plus voice feedback. Um, and so it's important for board members to remember that in that part of the process, you are one of 10,000 in terms of your voice. In the October to December window, you were one of six in that voice. So your your voice in the one of six is extremely important from my perspective. >> Um, and while I would love to have it in the one of a thousand. Um, proportionately, it's not quite as large. >> I mean, it's loud, but it's not necessarily large as you're saying. >> Fair fair point. It is significant. >> Okay. With the question with the parade, are we allowed to like hand out stuff to like the audience? >> Uh, we are no longer based on safety allowed to do that. It is apparently dangerous. >> Um, and so I think if there are things then there would be specific rules about literally running out to them and handing it to them. Um, and so I I don't believe we were throwing things or doing things last time. >> Yeah, that's why I asked. I'm like cuz I feel like they're always like I see kids with like handbags. I'm like, "Oh my gosh." >> Right. So, it used to be candy was thrown in this window and then we received feedback and information that that was dangerous um because kids then run into the street and might end up putting themselves at risk. >> Not if we're going real slow. >> Oh my gosh. Taking all the fun out of that. >> We will check that. >> Okay. >> Um to see what is feasible and I will I will check with the parade organizer people to see what is okay. So no migra style. >> We have not been throwing beads or anything of that nature for a bit. That is correct. I also enjoy >> beads is a family event. >> It's interesting though because at the fourth of July parade people were throwing stuff >> if I remember correctly. >> Well, Steve's got an accident to follow up on the stuff we throw. >> I am believe it or not a rule follower. So when they tell us certain things um I would prefer to not take that added risk. Um but we will check. >> No, we follow the rules. I use. >> Agreed. Agreed. I will check into it before the parade and we'll guide our high school team who leads the homecoming with that information. >> The rebellious board. >> Any more questions before we go on to the next update. >> All right. So then we have uh first draft of goals for board feedback. Um just looking at um overall goals and this will help guide um where we set up goals for our administrative leaders. Uh just as a reminder, this is part of my overall evaluation. Um where it figures in percentages of student achievement um process goals are sort of those strategic plan activities that we do. Um and then uh that overall individual performance or the board evaluation of me. um looking at um student achievement, really looking at um common assessments, um really looking at fifth grade and eighth grade, some of those high profile areas in reading, um looking at the reading assessment and really seeing growth of 5%. Um we should be at a position where we accelerate that. Um and reducing the gap between white students and students of color. We came close to that in fifth grade last year, closing both the gap and making four-point gains. We did not. uh we were more flat um and actually the gap um increased in our fast bridge assessment in eighth grade. So that is something we're very much focused on in our new implementation of the read act. Uh similarly looking at third grade and eighth grade and those are areas uh CBM reading third grade but then also uh fastbridge a math um and so we did have reasonable growth in both those areas but we're looking to see a large jump. Um we do acknowledge the need to accelerate and accelerate student achievement if we're going to get to where we need to go. Um similarly our other measure as we look at multiple measures and don't want to just rely on one assessment looking at the math and reading standardized tests um and gap closure. Um and so comparing to our baselines of the just recently released and so looking at three-point gains on the MCAs um in third and eighth grade and three through five and six through eight those bands where we had small gains uh looking to gain by three and also uh decrease that um gap for bipox students and then looking to regain some of that ground that the co um as we talked about sort of the co students who left school that ended up um significantly ly decreasing our graduation rate still well above the state looking to regain that ground and get ourselves back up over 90% and in also within each of our demographic groups. So each of those data points uh the main data points of our district but then also looking at from a racial equity perspective uh closing gaps between our white students and our students of color. And so that's the summary of draft goals. Those are not hugely different than the past uh similar focal points to what we had looked at in the past. um and continuing those focal points because while we do continue to gain ground on the state in most of those areas um we aren't getting there fast enough and really need to continue to push uh looking at the process goals or the things that we believe are going to get us there. Um continuing to work with our administrators in data in their decision-making sure that we are progress monitoring and knowing what does our data say um and how is that translating to our students. Can sorry can we go back one? >> Yes. >> Because I had a question um about the qualification of the percentage of indigenous students. >> Yes. >> And why we wouldn't count them even if there were as few as three. >> So the percent >> because >> Got it. So the states >> just want to hear the rational >> the state categories pull kids out when they are under 20. We historically have tried to do it when there is a larger group. Um but the when the states the danger when we are including really small groups um in the overall is it becomes personally identifiable and so the state pulls it out. So I think what I'd say is I think it's very important to look at all of our groups. I think it's very important to look at indigenous um and how our students are doing um and trying to figure out how to do that in a way that still preserves um that individual privacy data um if we have a really really small demographic group which sometimes can happen with our indigenous students uh depending on the number in each grade level. >> But I mean but that data is still important. I mean, are you saying that you don't collect it at all or you just don't put it out for public consumption? >> I mean, we're still putting it out for public consumption here. >> You is. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, we are still sharing it and we are still doing that. Um the when one or two um let me think about how to respond to that. >> Um and and think about how we're using it. I mean what I feel like and what I feel like is our intention is to make sure it's there, it's acknowledged and it's something that matters and is focused on. >> I hear you saying the same thing, >> but just because data when it comes to native students has never been consistent or thorough. >> Yeah. >> Um and so >> the way that I see this is that >> you know, however many students it is, Yes. it still needs to be collected and reported. >> Yes. >> And I get what you're saying as far as um the identifiable um markers that could, you know, >> and so I guess ultimately I want to still make sure that we are still collecting that even if we don't put it out for public consumption. So that if we don't necessarily put it in this graph that we still have that >> because that that those numbers are still critical >> and important. Agreed. Okay. >> Yes, >> I understand. >> I mean every student is tracked. >> Every student is monitored. Yes, every student is is used for accountability. >> The comment at the bottom almost doesn't belong because we do in fact report it in this graph. Are there other places? >> I think it's a way of acknowledging. So the state doesn't utilize that. It's kind of in between. The state then doesn't use that for accountability. >> So I think what you're saying is that if somebody were to put this graph with the report card from the state, there might be a discrepancy because you are showing all of the data while the state is probably only showing what they can show based on their >> they will have some stars in theirs. So if you're to look at the indigenous they will have some stars on it rather than reporting. We are not suggesting to go to stars. >> Sure. And then that would make sense because then they would probably have some qualification that relates to how they are >> doing that which is why I I was I was really kind of was like >> why are we why are we even saying this? >> It's a great point. So, we'll yeah, we'll figure that out and we'll make sure that we >> if we don't say it, somebody's going to do a screenshot and put the thing and then say that we were lying. >> So, we will >> but if that wasn't there, there wouldn't be any reason to even be questioning. >> Oh, you don't know >> people? >> No, there's an inongruency on here because we do report it, but at the bottom we say we don't report it. So, it's >> Well, maybe it's a way that is phrased. If there wasn't any data there, if I didn't see any American Indian students, then I would be like, whoa, wait a second, >> yes, I would have questions. >> But if that little paragraph wasn't there, I wouldn't be questioning. >> Well, not here. But if you are someone who wants to know about that and you go check on the website from the state and then you will come to Richfield, Richfield is going to have something different and it's important to put a footnote as to why. Now what I hear you saying is that maybe maybe the the phrase can be written in a in a more clear way. what I think we'll do. So I I hear definitely include it. Make sure to clarify uh there is some confusion and so when we come back with the second draft um I'll make sure that we are both ensuring that the indigenous data is in um and then also ensuring that we are communicating it in the most effective way um that works to support um while supporting making sure we're monitoring all of our students in every possible way. So that's helpful >> because the difference between what the district has versus what the state has, I would not expect those to match up at all. >> Yeah. >> No. >> No. Hell no. >> Because even like how a student identifies in one place, they might put something down like somewhere else like as far as like you know two or more races, >> but the but the school is reporting what the kids are saying. >> Yeah. So So it's not two different groups of data is that you hand the data and then they're going to publish what they're allowed to. >> I think what I wasn't thinking about it like that. >> So I I guess um >> what I think though is that it is important to know what are they doing with the data because they do have it. >> So >> are they you know like how are they using that data to improve >> but the state's not reporting it out by district are they? You're they're reporting out report card. They have state, they have district, they have school, they have but when they go under a certain number, they will just push stars. >> Here's what I'll say and I'll I'll try to bring this to a close and then take the next step is I hear multiple feedback. Um we will review this, make sure to clarify um and make sure that we are reporting all of our data and doing it in a way um that I think will reflect what the intentions I'm hearing from our board members are. And I I brought this up because like when I worked for Maxban Family Services that particular year, we almost did not have a graduating class >> due to drug overdoses. >> Because we almost lost >> sure >> so many of our students. And so in that circumstance, a qualifier would have made sense. >> Sure. >> But this did not make sense to you. >> Makes sense. >> But again, what we're looking at here is not what we're reporting. And this is Steve's goals for the year, right? So this data, this what's the graph is is what Steve is like the the goal there is attain a graduation rate of 90%. It's not about what we report. It's not about what we're sharing with the state. >> But this is from >> this is from before 25. So >> these are graduation rates in years past. This is actual data. >> So that's that one changed. >> Again, the report that we're giving is Steve's goals for the upcoming year, >> right? And yes, so we want to hit 90 and we want to hit 90 in each of our categories. >> Right. Period. >> Yeah. >> I think what you're saying is this data is an appendix to the goal. This >> is more of an >> FYI. That's a valid question though because the data has to be clear. >> Yeah. So >> for us as a group, we expect that Steve is going to like the 2024 number. We expect that number there, right? That if the goal is attain 90%. 2024 >> and that's okay. Hey, we're not saying that this is we're not that's not what we're saying. What we're saying is we're talking about a discrep you know making sure that there's not a discrepancy that something's not missing where where it should be and and it and you know and maybe is out of like we can make a decision to bring this agenda item separate if we wanted to, right? But like it's still important. I'm pretty So I'm I'll say again. I'm pretty sure I can come back with a draft that meets what the hopes of the board members are. I'm pretty sure I understand. So I will come back um in draft two of my goals um prior to finalizing and this is this is why we do draft one is to hear that feedback um and so we'll make sure to be clear um including all of our groups um and then clarifying to make sure that it also includes our indigenous students um and to do that in a clear and transparent way. Um, just want to Minnesota does report statewide. They do aggregate that. They just don't report it on individual districts unless the district is large enough of a population. >> They can do that. So Minneapolis, as an example, as a district might be enough for them to >> to get more than Yeah. >> Cool. Thank you for that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, that's super helpful. >> Um, okay. So, we talked about administrative usage of data in guiding decision-making and then actually had a real world example. um expanding utilization of our fastbridge assessment and progress monitoring tools because as we know our progress monitoring was one of those things um that needed attention as we went through the course of the year last year. Uh one of the things we heard in our surveys improving our communication to families about activity fees and scholarships to try to continue to engage people and then maintaining representation. We had a great survey response um and yet at the same time our committees might not be as demographically representative. So maintaining that representation in our participation and feedback uh for me and my leadership really leading us through those phases one and the phase one completion and phase two of the readact training requirements and then for me also leading the district strategic planning process. So again these are uh main district level goals for me to lead. Um couple things just to give you a progress of where we are in these draft goals. Uh we already worked um with our team members, our management team members and teacher leaders in regard to Prepfest, really looking at our data, creating school improvement plans and seeing what we needed to do. Um and then at sites, um our building leaders are working on those same plans with all of their staff and their their teacher leadership teams are helping to lead some of that work with all of their staff to really look at initial student data to see what our students need uh to help them be their best and to help them succeed. Um, in regard to our fast bridge assessment, we're really looking to increase the percent to 95% of those who are being progress monitored, the ones who are most behind, needing the most attention, getting that um, twice per month. Um, and so we began at connect and assess to really know where our students are. And so then we are able to monitor and examine and support those who are most in need of those progress monitoring assessments and those progress monitoring uh determinations of what they most need. Uh looking at our annual survey, 62% of our parents responded that they were aware of opportunities in fees or scholarships. It was actually the lowest area in our survey and 68% of our parents responded that activity fees were not a barrier to participation. At the same time, that means that 32 um and 38% are not necessarily aware and or 38% are not aware of fees or of scholarships. Um and 32% are saying that fees are a barrier to to participate. And so that was something um if we really want to engage all of our families and all of our opportunities, that's something we have to figure out. more effective communication, more effective transparency, um, and engaging those, um, in a different way than we have with our activities communication. Um, then our survey overall, we had 1,335 parents participate um, which was extremely representative and trying to keep up um, a large percent and large number of families and also that demographic survey representation to make sure that we're getting voice of all of our students and all of our families in our survey and in our strategic plan. uh readact um we have continued and here is the update. We have uh completed staff for all of those required by MDE including fourth and fifth grade because K5 school student uh staff can go between um different grades. We also have multiple staff members trained to train future folks in letters. Um, as of the start of workshop week, 56% of our of our staff have completed the asynchronous, the online component and another 33 are in progress or 33%. 85% of them have completed units one to four and so the goal is to have all of them um up to speed on one through four um to be where we're at. We are doing extremely well. Uh we did hire 12 new teachers who have not completed the readact training. And so one of the things we have to remember is that every district isn't doing the same level of training that we are. So that train the trainer model or having our own trainers is allowing us to catch up. And we have 34 shining stars who sprinted ahead and are complete with the entire units one through eight. Uh all of our instructional management team members have done that. Um and then uh kicking off workshop week, 54 of our staff members uh completed unit five um as we began that training this year. And so continuing to push us through and keep us on pace and on track with the things that we're trying to accomplish, which is really improving our literacy outcomes for our students and improving our staff's ability to teach in those areas. Strategic plan, you as you see saw in my first presentation, that is the draft timeline, draft process. Uh the next steps are at our October study session with the board. um and making sure that that is published by the end of 2026 to guide us for those next five years um or maybe even seven depending on what we look at in terms of that overall process. Uh then bringing my evaluation to culmination um just as a reminder in the spring summer uh we utilize that data from our parent and staff surveys, the feedback from direct reports and board members um and then we hold a close session and evaluative process where I meet with the chair and vice chair um and engage in that dialogue um and then also have a conversation to bring things to a close in our close session and come back um with things to work on and goals for the future. So with that, that is draft one of goals. Um I can certainly take feedback on we talked about data. I can certainly take other feedback on that or the process goals um that we'll be working on as some of those highest components that we are having me lead and try to accomplish. Certainly not everything the district is doing. Um but those are the things that I am overseeing as some of the higher leverage work of the superintendent. questions. >> I have one thing. You know, you when you were talking about the equity on on the goal of equity on um slide number 26, you were talking about maintaining representative of the parent and guardian participation. We talked about this earlier, but I wanted to bring it out. Everybody I've talked to outside the district who when I tell them about how we involve the players as in the high schools and the parents when we are working on uh specific policies that directly affect them. >> They they were very impressed and I think you were telling me that we are one of few districts to do this. It's I mean if that's not equity >> right that is something to be proud of that's also something for us to focus on. It's um so when you think about the symbiotic relationship of the board and me as the superintendent you all provide a vision that says the voice of everyone um matters and my job is to get it. Um a year ago at this time when we were talking about that you had talked about our survey and wanting more and wanting more representative voice. So that became a goal and we aggressively strove for it. we think about voice in policies that is our safe and supportive schools that is our high school and middle school policy groups um and making sure that we do that. So as you think about October and our strategic plan is and as you think about how you guide the action of our district leadership you all provide that vision and then it is our responsibility to put action to it and report it back to you and so yeah that is something we're absolutely proud of and I'm throwing it back to you to say you all said that's what was important so we made sure to deliver that. So, yeah, it's very cool. >> Thank you. I got another question about standardized tests. Um, we use the MCAT or the MCAs and all the other um hopefully we're not using MCAT. >> Um, all the other all the other tests. Have we ever thought about now every kid I think every 11th grader takes the PSAT. Have we ever used that? Can we use that as a guiding >> as as so we had looked at one point so we had looked at one point of doing the ACT we do offer it to all of our students um and the problem with it at this point is it's become optional for our college admissions at this point and so 11th graders don't have to take it >> but what about the PSAT >> the PSAT is in 10th grade and I'd say there's a much lower percentage of our students that take that Oh, really? >> Again, they're both voluntary assessments. Um, PSAT qualifies you for merit scholarship and other scholarship opportunities. Um, and so we have a lower percent that end up doing that. Um, but we were looking at on our legislative platform, changing the 11th grade MCA and the 10th grade MCA to the ACT is something we had talked about except that colleges stopped requiring them. And so now we just want to make sure that we're conscious of trying not to have students have to take assessments that they don't necessarily care about, that don't impact them. >> When you look at our overall math scores, if you pull out the 11th grade or the 10th grade, the high schoolers from the math assessment, um our results are very different. >> Um because the third through eighth graders taking the assessment will say cared more um and our high schoolers did not necessarily. And so the high school scores in the math and reading are very volatile. Um whereas the others are not um because you usually have third through eighth graders all of whom who try and then in high school there's a number of students who opt out which goes from 10% to 40% at different times which were penalized for um and then I would say there is a small set who try and there is a set who don't try and so we try to set up systems where they try but at high school it can be challenging. There's courses, there's grades, there's assessments within courses. Um, and then there are possibly ACT or SAT tests. So then you throw in an MCA that has no impact and it's really hard to get kids to do their best on that given day. So it can be frustrating. >> That's it. Thank you. Um, I have a couple questions and comments. Um so very much appreciate the focus on fast bridge and the fact that just by um setting a goal that is more aggressive on that as compared to MCA's I think is a good reflection of the fact that we believe that that is a better assessment for our kids and better assessment for making sure that >> um our kids are um on the right path. So I appreciate that. Um, I had a question about the equity goal and then we got to the um annual I'm sorry, the um strategic um plan and I'm wondering or I guess I'd recommend that we tie those two together that specifically for as we're seeking public um comment around the strategic plan and engagement that we're intentional about encouraging um minorities to be a part of that process as well. >> Got it. We will make sure to to do those alterations. >> Um, and then I had one other question around the activities. The the question that we had, and I know that we covered this last year, um, but the survey data, does that survey data about the awareness of opportunities for reduced fees and scholarships, does that only go to secondary parents or does that go to primary or elementary parents as well? >> Uh, great question. >> Because I I mean, I >> not 100% sure at this time. If it's everybody, I could see 62. Like, elementary doesn't have very many activities. And so, I wouldn't expect elementary parents to be concerned about after school paying for activities. And so, that could drop our percentage by half of our parents. >> Right. >> Sure. >> So, we have consistently heard that we need to be more proactive in our communication. Um, I'd say we added the question and really put it out there because we wanted to gather some of that data. Uh we do know regardless of what the baseline number is, if we assume in 2425 that's our baseline that there are a set of families who are reporting they don't know. >> Um and we have not done as well as we probably need to do um in terms of communicating that out. So, um, >> it to me it just it feels like a very specific goal about a very specific >> thing that doesn't have much to do with graduation requirements. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It has to um This is something that started Thank you. This is something that started when I think in the early days that when I was elected where it was a an issue of equity like if we were having so many sports like why was participation of bipok so low so I remember team and I will go to meetings where the parents were and then they would say I had no idea that this was available because they didn't know that like they had to go to the website. And so there was something about the culture cultural relevance of how those things are. And then sometimes it says just like don't let fee be a the fee be a barrier but maybe saying like you know but then like call this number if you want to know right so like um so I I see it as a as a as an equity uh thing. Mhm. >> I also can see how, you know, maybe maybe we don't think that this got to be Steve's focus, right? Because he has a lot to focus on. So, it's a it's a good it's it's a valid question. I just wanted to add some context to how that happened. >> Yes. So, I'll talk to you about the thinking. Um so process goals are theoretically the either the large leadership task but they're also the higher leverage activities that should lead to better outcomes. So the theory on this being included is that if there is a set of students we are missing and we've heard from different board members at different times that there are students that we're just and families we're just not connecting to um that despite our efforts we need to do better with. This is theoretically that if there is a set of students and families that we aren't engaging and we actually engage them, it's probably not the athletics themselves. Um, but this is a way to specifically target and reach some of those that were missing. Um, I'm going to guess um based on typical data that those are the students who might not be passing classes in the same way. Um, those are the students that might not be connected to school in the same way. And so this may or may not be a correct strategy. But the theory of this strategy is if we are finding the students and families who don't know about scholarships, who don't know about fees, and who aren't participating because of it, they might be disengaged and marginalized in other areas, we might click into them and be able to then connect them to school in a different way that we have. That's the working theory. Could be wrong. >> No, but that's the theory of why it's there. Y >> um it's one of the very few tangible ways we could figure it out. um was with that data. >> Yeah. >> I mean I would jump in and say just participation activities in general. Um you know I think I think you made the comment or kind of questioning activities and how it relates to graduation rates. I can speak from personal experiences. I look and it's like and I watch my kids and their interactions with the athletics programs. I I'll say specifically athletics programs in this case, but like the the um the coaches following up with the students about being on time to class, being in class, getting their homework done, grades, right? I like as a parent and I go I appreciate every day the school, the activities that help with the discipline from that perspective so that I can work on different things as a parent at home, right? And so I will go on record on camera, right, to say how much I appreciate the coaches for that. And so when I look at this too and I think of if our family is like this, how many other families are in the same boat? Um and then I also hear things like um and principal Collins and I were talking about it like the huge decline in football participation this year, which is a little bit alarming, but like as we look at this, we think is is it because of money? Is it because of concussions or whatever things, right? Like why aren't our students participating in more programs? And then does that get bigger tie to the community, bigger tie to the school, and then just more engagement and involvement ultimately to get to where we want to be, graduation. >> I I wasn't making a comparison of sports to graduation. I was wondering if having this particular goal about one specific line of communication being on his on his goals as compared to graduate like it seems very specific and I I understand what you're saying. There's >> both both of what you said that >> yeah I think one of >> well what and one of the things too and maybe we need let's >> maybe need to refine it is that um I had made some comments early in the year about just um activities in general and like you know Steve's comment kind of clicked in my mind too of like when Steve gets involved and Steve makes it or it lands on Steve's goals it gets more attention and I say that when we talked about the middle school right I know this middle school didn't appreciate the spotlight and yet I look and I go from when we were talking about it several years ago to where we're at today the middle school's come a long way again kudos to them so then I think when we were talking about this and this may have been where this goal came from and maybe as we come for the first draft and look at refinements is as we talk about activities what other focus can we put to activities >> to get it to a better spot as well and is this specific line item enough or does it need to be more broad or more specific in another area. Um I know that things are being worked on and do they you know gardener sees the potential >> also then goes back to my original question of who's being surveyed right if everyone in the district is being surveyed then we then we're looking at the wrong number >> and it does look like I mean the the comment above says annual survey versus activity survey >> right I'm not 100% sure so I I will be able to respond in draft two what that survey question is if it's targeted to everybody or if it just goes to some. Um, but I'd like to double check before I respond. I don't like answering when I'm not 100% sure the answer. So, >> and we can also look to see if this is a broad enough thing. Um, I do either way want specifically to look at those students and families that we aren't connecting with. So, that was the deliberate piece of this particular data point. >> So, >> it has me wondering based on how much improvement we saw at the middle school over the last three years with that as a goal and this as a goal. Is there another marker kind of goal or metric? It just it's making me wonder and think about um finding another issue that we're seeing within the school community and maybe one way to measure that. So, more questions, comments. Sounds like you got something else to follow up on here. At least >> some things to reflect on and take a look at. Yeah. Yeah, I will take a look at those things and respond in draft two. I appreciate all the input. >> Anything else or we double questions? Looks silence is golden. Bring us commendations. >> I mean, and the input from you because you all are wonderful and you are being commended tonight. So RPS would like to commend the school board. So September is Minnesota schoolboard recognition month, a time to honor the dedicated leaders who serve as the guiding light for student success in public schools across the state. Uh we appreciate you serving as a voice for the community. Um giving your time commitment, your talents, and all the things that you do to help us ensure a high quality education for our community. So, thanks to all six of our board members for their dedication to the RPS students, families, and community and your commitment to public education in Minnesota. So, we thank you for your service and we recognize that. Um, and we also recognize our student board rep. Um, so all of our board reps, we appreciate you. Thank you and well done. >> Thank you. >> Thank all of you. Thank all of us. >> We believe we believe in >> whole months. >> Wow. Woohoo. >> Right. long time. A lot of days, >> right? Especially at the beginning of the month. All right. The next item on the agenda is approval of the consent agenda, which contains a collection of routine or fairly routine business items that we consent to pass in bulk without individual discussion. I'll pause for a moment to just see if there are any questions or requests before we proceed. Hearing and seeing none, is there a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion by Director Spencer and a second by Director Cole. Any further discussion or comments? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> All post, please say nay. Chair votes I. And we have an approved consent agenda. Old business. There are policies before us this evening for policy for continued review and possible action. Policy 403, disability non-discrimination. It's our third read. >> Yes. So third and final read. Uh mostly legalistic terms and required. Um so you just see branding and changes as um the the updates have occurred um in regard to our branding. So you have those here and then this is again that required statutory language because there's not a lot of talk which would mean we're ready for a >> I move to approve. I move to approve policy 403 disability non-discrimination. >> I will second. >> We have a motion by Director Cole and a second by Director Banks Cup. Any discussion? Everybody looking down and away tells me we should bring it to a vote. All in favor, please say I. I. >> All post say nay. >> The chair votes I. And policy 43 is approved. Moving right along on to new business. We have several items for new business tonight. First is policy 103, harassment prohibition, administrative guidelines 103.2. >> All right. And so uh this is typically in that um quick read review at the start of the year. We did pull this and another one out um because these need um some more reading, review and overhaul. I want to acknowledge board member banks Cupchu has already given some voice to the process and has already given some pretty significant input into some transition of the forms and processes to make sure that they align both in language guideline and policy to our actual practices and that we make sure that those are in clear alignment. Uh this rolls out um harassment prohibition um and then also the process by which one responds and so you should expect some changes um with the updates. You also see title nine in here and that also had some changes that will be coming. And so this is for that first read um to make sure that board members have time. Uh this will also then be going to safe and supportive schools and gathering some additional input along with the policy that is coming next. And so these are here for that re-review. We already do have some board member voice. We encourage even more board member voice um because we want to make sure um that these are then updated um in both policies and practice. do. So, will it go to safe and supportive schools before it comes back the second time? >> Um, I'm gonna look at MissWam to see if we have the scheduling of safe and supportive. What's it? >> Don't think the timing is quite right. >> Yeah, I think Safe and Supportive Schools is in October. >> It will certainly be here before we bring it back for passage. So, I don't know if it'll be here for second read. Um, if need be, we might take a break between meetings at some point in the process. We'll probably bring a second read. um and then gather that additional input and bring it for a final read or it could be one of those four read policies along with the next one too. We'll have to wait and see. >> And then is there it didn't look like there's any red lines. So is there already feedback in it? >> Uh no, we did not do significant transitions at the moment. >> Okay. >> Um and so but we do have them planned and begun in terms of drafting. >> Perfect. >> Any more questions or comments about the harassment prohibition policy? Is this one done annually? I missed that. >> Uh, this is done annually. We pulled harassment and bullying from the annual uh because they are getting the overhaul treatment this year and so we didn't have it through at that review policy of what we did. >> Okay. We did it last year. >> Yeah. Once done it would be the quickie review um at the start of the year or the one read of the whole list of yearly policies. Uh these are getting the overhauls. >> Got it. Okay. >> Okay. Then we can move to policy 113, bullying prohibition, administrative guidelines 113.1 and 113.2. >> All right? And I won't repeat the same things that I said for harassment, but they all basically apply in the same way. And so this is bullying uh prohibition and then the guidelines, policies, and practices that go along with it. Uh they will be receiving the same exact treatment as harassment policy. Um and so they'll get the extra looks and all of those other components. Um so again uh this is the refamiliarization uh safe and supportive and all those other components board member voice and such questions, comments or hearing none. We're going to move to donations. All right, a lot of scrolling. Hang on. Okay, so it is recommended the board accept the following donations with gratitude. The Richfield boys high school tennis team received a donation of my screen. Thank you. $216.97 from the Richfield Spartan Foundation. So, thank you to the Spartan Foundation. The RHS scholarship fund received a donation of $23,000 from Uplift North, formerly known as the Assistance League of Minneapolis St. Paul, who've had a longtime partnership. So, thank you to Uplift North. And then Richfield Public Schools received a donation of $45,000 from the Best Buy Foundation for early learning to college and career readiness to spread across our youngest to our oldest. And so we are thankful to the Best Buy Foundation. So we appreciate our generous partners. >> Wonderful. I move to approve these donations with our gratitude. >> I'll second it. We have a motion to uh accept the donations with gratitude by Director Cole and a second by Director Liss. I'm assuming there's no discussion. We'll bring it to a vote. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> All post, please say nay. The chair votes I. And we accept these donations with gratitude. Next, we move into the advanced planning section of our agenda, which always begins with a legislative update. >> There is nothing significant at this time. We've been on a legislative break. We do know that there may be a special session. Um >> that's significant >> that could be called in regard to assault weapons. We don't have confirmation of that, but that is in the public rhetoric at this time. And so we'll wait and see uh if they do have a special session um which would um be aimed at that direction. Um so we'll have to wait and see. Okay. Questions? Hearing none information or questions from the board? suggested future agenda items. >> Karaoke >> bigger study session. >> We could have a board retreat and provide a karaoke machine as one of those options. >> I have one. >> Two mics. >> Do a turntable. Sorry. >> I'm just a party to go. What can I say? I've got you banks. >> Oh my gosh. See, this is why you didn't want me doing that. >> Any more suggested future agenda items? See, I cut him off, too. It's >> okay. Future meetings, >> just getting started. Uh the next two board meetings are September 15th like I said which will be public comment and the fun October 6 meeting which is a study session before so that we can talk our first discussions on the strategic planning process and then a board meeting to follow. It'll be a fun night. >> Correct. In addition to strategic planning, we'll also be talking about board goals and planning just as a reminder. >> Also board goals. It's going to be a full >> fun fun and more fun. Mr. Right. >> All the fun brings us to the final of business uh on the agenda is to adjourn normally, but tonight we have a close session to discuss labor negotiations. As such, I will now consider a motion to move into close session by as allowed by Minnesota State Statute 13D3 for labor negotiation strategy. >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion by Director Cole and a second by Dr. Director Spencer. All in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> All oppose, please say nay. The chair votes I. And we are going to be moving to close session. After a brief recess, the board will begin a close session in a private room. We'll return to the meeting to officially adjourn uh our meeting upon completion of the close session, but there will be no further business other than to adjourn the meeting. For those following the live stream, we will end the session. Thank you for attending.