Yeah, that's right. I always think about beautiful. Whatever. Okay. Right. Wave. We're ready. >> Good evening everyone. I'd like to call to order the Roseville area school board meeting for Tuesday, October 14th. Clerk will please take the role. >> Thank you, chair. Good evening, everyone. Director Shaw >> here. >> Director Gaggins >> here. >> Chair Anderson >> here. >> Chair Sher Clark >> here. >> Director Bosepski >> here. >> And Cluck Chu is here. >> Thank you. Any agenda adjustments for this evening? >> There are no agenda adjustments. >> Thank you. Uh announcements, comments, recognitions. Our land acknowledgement will be read by director Kitty Gogggins. >> Roseville Area Schools acknowledges that we reside on traditional, ancestral, contemporary, and unseated territory. The Dakota people from Bedote, a confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, a place the Dakota people poetically call claim as the center of earth directly to beneath the center of heaven. to Indian Mounts Park, a sacred place of burial built by ancestors of living people and home to the only known remaining burial mounds within the Minneapolis St. Paul urban Corps. Indigenous people have cared for this land. The welfare, genocide, relocation, and removal perpetrated by colonizers, the state of Minnesota, and the federal government. Injustices that reduced over 150 million indigenous people to around 300,000. Indigenous people have given their blood, tears, heart, resilience, and love to this land. Enduring boarding schools that were in operation from 1879 through the 1930s were assimulation through humiliation was the curriculum and unspeakable atrocities occurred daily to the foster care system where more kids are removed from indigenous homes than any other group in Minnesota. Indigenous people have not lost their culture or identity and still reside on this land. Roseville Air Schools is committed to ensuring the culture of our indigenous relatives, the original and rightful caretakers of this land is studied, preserved, and celebrated. We are committed to understanding and honoring the sovereignty that has been denied to nearly 600 indigenous nations, including 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota through the breaking of over 400 treaties. and we are committed to the truth of the history of our indigenous relatives, the success of our indigenous students, and to the healing we hope to create through this commitment. I I just want to acknowledge that on September 30th, there were a tremendous number of orange shirts worn throughout the district to recognize um the atrocities that occurred in the boarding schools of indigenous people and the support um in our community um for our indigenous relatives. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Director Gogggins. Item number four, summary of community input received for action items. Um, not received anything. Uh, consent agenda. Uh, there are no retirements this evening. Um, I will entertain a motion to approve this evening's consent agenda. >> So moved. >> It's been moved. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All right. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion? Okay. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. Uh gifts this evening will be read by you. >> Thank you. >> As always, it's kind of amazing to me to look at the list and think about all the support that our community provides to our district. So, we have a gift from St. Anthony Park number 2212 order of the Eastern Star. a monetary gift to our early childhood family education. Uh we have uh Anthony Bell who had uh basketballs, jump ropes, and sidewalk chalk for Falcon Heights Elementary School to be used during recess. Uh we have a monetary gift from US Bank Foundation for Ro Area High School and there are I think there's a whole bunch of them that are for high school uh in the following. So we have Minnesota Vikings football uh monetary gift for the football program. We have Falcon Heights Lauderdale Lions Club for the music department a monetary gift. We have Thomas Hill, a monetary gift for the foot shelf and school needs. Roseville Boys Backcourt Club, a monetary gift for streaming services for boys basketball program. We have Roseville Area High School Boys Soccer Booster Club, a monetary gift for streaming services for boys soccer program. We have the RAS girls soccer booster club, a monetary gift for streaming services, transportation and trainers for girls soccer program. We have Susan Cambian Blues, a monetary gift for the girls volleyball program. We have Natalie Price, a monetary gift for the girls volleyball program. and um Michelle Chuk, a monetary gift for family consumer science department. And finally for the high school, Kevin and Sonia Calgrren, a monetary gift for sewing materials. And we have PARs System Group, a monetary gift for the robotics team to Roseville Area Middle School. And finally, a monetary gift from Aaron Menstrren for anything the district needs. So again, we are just so thankful to our community for all their support. >> Thank you. >> All right, moving to reports and non-action items 6A, school board governance policies. Uh the 200 series, they will have their first reading this evening. We have a number of speakers. Fellow board members will be taking these. >> Great. I'm the one who's going to give you an overview and then Manx will take us through most of the policies and Rose will take us through the one policy that was more significantly um impacted by suggestions. Um overall we started with do we have the right policies in place? Are there any that um we don't think are needed any longer? Any missing policies? We have no additions or subtraction suggested. We think they're a good lineup of governance policies in general. Overall, most of the changes we're proposing are very minor. Uh these are very highlevel kinds of policies. So um most it it's more philosophical or how we operate kind of things and that really doesn't require too much um tweaking over time. Um we do have a few kinds of changes. Um one is uh we are for example our word selection uh for example using families and residents instead of citizens or using families instead of parents and caregivers just kind of um getting some more accurate terminology. Uh increasing clarity in terms of some structural uh things that they're easier to read and follow. Um we do have two significant two policies that have some content change. One is uh we are adding a duty to the treasurer. That is something that we have expected of treasures but isn't directly outlined. And then in the uh board operating procedures uh we have some recommended changes to the policy to more accurately reflect what we do. And um we have a uh reflecting the previous conversation the board has had about interactive technology use in meetings. So with that overview, I'm going to turn it over to Manx. >> Sure. Thanks, Kitty. Um, the first one would be policy 200, school board governing commitment. Um, as Kitty indicated, really the most of the changes in this one has to do, um, with terminology. Um, so you have it there in front of you, but if anybody has have questions, >> I do. So, um, totally agree with the change from citizens to families and residents. Does does the use of the word families also then include families whose students are open enrolled in a district because they're not residents of the district, you know, and so we want would we want to add I don't know how to fix that exactly, you know, would it be should we put students families and residents because if the word students were added before families >> then would cover all students even the open enrolled students and then the families and residents who live in the district, >> right? and it would be there and it would also be in policy 210 and there may be others I didn't check but in both of those at least I know you made that good change away from citizens families and residents would just be to add the word students in front of the word families. >> Yeah, I was going to say that I I had thought about the same thing but thought that this finesses it very well because it just says families and families includes the families of of open enrolled >> right because it's there are If I I thought that too. That was why it was a question. >> So either it's fine as it is, but if anyone asks, we'd say, "No, no, they're covered because of families, or we can add the word students." >> A families. >> The second thing that could be clearer if we do add the word students is simply reinforces that we're all about the students. >> Yeah. >> Families should cover everything, but >> yeah, I get what you're saying. Because people think of the district as a geography versus a concept then like like some people might say that family doesn't live the district that family lives in St. Paul that that was why I in the end said I'll bring it up tonight. So that's the that's the question. I like your addition of students not for the reason you said frankly um or the original reason because I think families does include open enrolled families but for your second reason which to me is I like the fact that we highlight that we are accountable to the students too >> because that is very true >> um and I so I like the fact that it's emphasized so I would sec would uh also concur with your suggestion. >> Yeah, I like that too. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So noted this one is also >> this one. Yeah, this is first reading. So yeah, we can Yeah, >> I would say also policy 210. >> We caught that too. >> Yep. >> Okay, >> make that note for our second reading. >> Then our next one is policy 202 school board governing style. Um once again, it's mostly changing some words around. It's mostly worsening. >> Well, it was making bullet points. Yeah. Um, yep. Was Rose's suggestion for a little more clarity because it was just kind of an overwhelming paragraph for >> an easy or the first paragraph. >> Yeah. Is it >> to make it into a statement within bullet points that emphasized >> and making a structure parallel. So, so on this one I saw so outcomes for students uh is fine but on the other hand we have as you know as we in the earlier policy we're expanding it um to be more accurate. Uh in this case the outcomes is not just for students we've got outcomes for for adult um you know and community ed. I mean the these are all outcomes if you think of the outcomes as you know test scores but if you think of the outcomes as you know what they get out of the experience of of being in the district I'm just wondering if if students isn't too narrow. So you're proposing perhaps outcomes for learners, >> stakeholders, >> all learners, all stakeholders. >> I don't know. I just it it just it just struck me that that we were we were sort of expanding to families and so on. And then I thought, well, you think about what goes on in this building and it's not all students. >> Um and but there but there are outcomes. So I I don't know what what I I I wrote down stakeholders here which is something I have never liked that word but uh but um >> we can take that up for consideration and come up some possibilities to bring back at the next meeting. >> Okay. Yeah. Okay. That's good. And then on the on the fourth bullet point it's it should be observing a or the clear distinction. So, there's an article needs to go in there. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. 203 schoolboard annual work plan. We added the end calendar um because we were trying to figure out how the work plan what would be our work plan is have is a lot is our calendar. But we were trying to make sure that the calendar was reflected there as well. >> Yeah. Good. >> A question and then a suggested change. >> Sure. The question is, do we begin it in January? Is that where it should begin or should it begin at the beginning of the school year? My mind when I read it, I couldn't remember anything. I wonder if it's because that's when our annual when we assign the committees and all since we do that. >> So be concurrent with the the January meeting in which we pick >> all that stuff that's fine. I just couldn't remember legally right >> some of it is and some of it isn't. I mean our certainly our meeting goals are our uh our board goals come out of our our review process which is in the fall. So it's kind of in January we often read those. Um but um our calendar is it's almost like an ongoing >> goals, right? >> Um it's a working calendar so it's updated all the time. So saying it's a specific time or not um is not really meaningful. >> Yeah. So I don't know if >> do we need to say >> we would need the sentence or >> No. Yeah. >> Maybe just remove the sentence. >> Okay. >> And then my other suggestion was it's grammatically not parallel. Uh the way it's written is the board will follow a work plan will include monitoring and review of policies and progress toward district controls comma report to so it should be reporting >> and engaging >> and partaking >> right >> they should be turned to Jiren here I wrote it all out there >> okay >> y Perfect. >> That's all right. >> 204 would be school board job descriptions. You look there. Make sure my The one thing um McKitty alluded to it in the treasurer one of the responsibilities has been review the audit report but we didn't have it there so we just really added that there >> that's policy 206 >> yeah and oh I'm so sorry about that you're right 204 we only had the one >> we only have the >> but we will do the students is that where we want to add No students there >> we want to have students with the families or let's leave the families there >> so 204 was just families right Yeah, >> sorry about that. And then 206 is a school board officer roles and that's where we wanted to add the audit report for the treasurer. And then I'm going to take a break and let u I got 208. Oh no, wait. We aren't doing anything. But in 206 the the the treasurer line I didn't understand what you mean by against the budget. >> It it compares compares compares expenses to the budget or or >> I think that was the original intent of it. Yeah. >> Yeah. To is to line up to to to to see that >> expenses >> to check. I mean, if you were had the word check in there, expenses against the budget, it would make sense, but to examine against a budget is to me is a little weird. Although I can understand what it is and then you just do it. >> So check would work for better for you for a verb. Checks district checks, I guess. >> Checks district expenses against the budget and reviews the audit. >> Anybody have issues with that? I I haven't got issues with it except that I will admit here publicly that when I was treasurer, which was the case for several years, I wasn't doing that. That wasn't it wasn't a so it wasn't a formal exercise. I didn't I didn't um you know have a one sheet of paper here and one sheet of paper here and >> I don't think we do actually. I don't Yeah. So, so I think it's asking a lot is and um but you know perhaps that should be asked. I mean the treasurer is compensated and uh I think there's a little extra compensation for a treasurer. >> No, >> no, no, no. It's just it's just chair. >> Just chair. >> Yeah. >> Maybe we need to say something about usually working with the district. Uh >> is this budget director, right? And you know what I'm saying is that there is some delegation there but you know supposedly we need to be keeping track right that's why we have those finance board meetings to make sure that we understand what is going on so I don't know whether we need to say more now that you bring it up right as it reads that's not how we do it but is that a procedure though right like to to to do this >> there are ways that we do it in our district that that might be different from the >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, right. So, that's a responsibility and then how we actually implement that responsibility. >> I I can have a conversation with Sher and Manx so we could talk about how we review the caffer. Right. And in terms of before we bring it to the board, that could be a piece like the treasurer could make sure that they receive full information prior to that information being taken to the finance board or the school board. >> Right. >> So, I'll take that up to work on that. Perfect. >> One of the things I've often wondered because I thought this >> it's never been formally a role of the treasurer, but um is we get the the um check balance the checks. >> Yeah. >> And somebody needs to be looking at that and I would think at least the treasurer should be looking at that. Um, just I'm sorry for bringing it up now, but I didn't think of it before. It do we because that's almost to me is partially the check versus the as part of the check against the budget, but that's not real clear. >> But somebody should review the check ledger and I I did when I was treasur I look at it every month otherwise. >> I'll add that to my >> Okay. And we are supposedly if you think about board training we are asked to do that, right? like notice anything that >> is unusual right abnormal review review chapters. >> Thank you. >> This is good. I mean bring out some of these. It is >> and and part of part of the way I do think we look at expenses against the budget is we do get that um thing on a monthly basis that says you know what are we to date year to date all the different categories and so if something is really off we can see it there but we're not looking at a detailed level >> but I'm just thinking out loud to what you were you were saying so that is something that I think >> we regularly do but maybe think about back. >> We'll bring it back. >> Yeah. Great. Thank you. >> I'm gonna take a break in the middle and turn it over to you. >> Yes. Uh policy 209 is about board operating procedures and meeting processes. And so if you look at the I got too many pieces of paper. I mean sorry if you look at 3.2 the original talk about Thursday. And we have done these changes several places where you actually say um a a a day of the week, right? Assuming that our board meeting is on Tuesday, but we don't always that's not always the case. So we change it to at least five calendar days or at least how many calendar days. So that's a switch. Um on 4.0 O um we talk about kind of the work the work calendar is shared with board members. Um it is it doesn't necessarily be posted but is definitely shared with the board for discussion right before we do anything. And we talk about 5.2 too, especially given some of the new legislation is that we definitely would normally like to post something on the schoolboard on again at least four calendar days prior to the regular schoolboard meeting and sometime may not happen but we definitely want to do that as often as we can and I think there's legislation that say if it is emergency whether it's weather I am I remember correctly if there was weather or something you you can have those dates for people you know those prior days for people so that's what we added normally 5.3 same thing uh we mentioned a Friday again we say four calendar days prior to and then the the next one is Monday we say at least one day prior and then if you turn to page uh 7.2 Two, uh, we just simplify and just say staff will present the draft as a second reading for discussion. Ashing will be taken as needed. >> Anything you want to say about that, Kitty? I'm trying to remember. >> Um, sure. Um, the way it was originally written and implied there could be a third meeting. We've never held a third meeting. So, we just uh >> felt that it we could clean it up. >> Yeah. reflects how we've operated for since at least 10 years. >> Is it more appropriate to say instead of meeting first first reading second reading? >> Oh, good. >> Maybe actually >> because we're doing on our agendas we say first reading. So take the meeting out and it's the first reading and the second reading. >> Wait, where where are we? >> Did you repeat that chair? Oh. Um, under like 7.1 first meeting 7.2. >> Yeah. >> You know, it's not really the first meeting of the polic. Yeah. >> Yep. You're right. That's actually really >> That's great. Thank you. Uh 9.4.1. We added a line to clarify uh partly because especially now that we are considering um our study sessions before the meeting, we're trying this out that we want to make sure that our community input session is still accessible that we put in there that the the community input session remain right just prior to the board meeting so that we don't have a community input session at 4:00. or 3:00 or something like that. So, it's a way to to make sure that we have the community input session be accessible to the public. Yeah. As closely to the meet to the board meeting as possible. Um in the page 9.4.4 again we just change parent guardian to family member. Um [Music] then number 10.0 Oh, at the bottom we added added a new line that says the meetings by interactive technology and this has to do with the new legislation that kind of say we could conduct meeting by interactive technology in compliance with Minnesota statute section 13D.02 O2 and we added and we've discussed this that we we want to make sure that there is a quorum of board members who are in person right who are in person at the posted meeting location >> and that's not required by statute our board's decision as well as having the acting chair chair acting chair present in the room. >> Yeah. >> You have a question? >> Yeah. things. So, let's go back to 5.2. >> And this may be really picky, but I I hate the word normally. >> Oh, okay. >> Right. Interpretation and right. So, maybe just be specific. Strike normally. >> But then after the end of the sentence, blah blah blah blah part of scored meaning, unless not possible due to the need for an emergency meeting. >> To be more specific. kind of what I >> it's not emergency meeting. There have been instances where the packet just one of the presentations wasn't available on Friday. >> Oh, >> and it comes out on Monday. >> Yeah. >> Um you know that they'll update the packet once the additional presentation is available. >> You could say make every attempt possible. >> Maybe. There you go. I was going to say as much as possible, right? Or make every attempt. >> You mean you wouldn't accept usually? >> No. Usually, normally. >> I I accept. I just don't like words like that in policies. >> It's a good point. It's a good point. Good point. >> Squishy words aren't good. >> Yeah, it's a good point. So the idea of like I think we have other language right even in statute about as close as possible like you know things like so maybe we could do that to be to be true to uh the intent. Right. Okay. >> And then my other one is let's go back to 1.0 order of business. um >> it doesn't match our actual standing agenda. >> So for example, community input should potentially read report on community input received related action item. >> Yeah. And then you know we should have consent agenda but we've this bugs me anyway about our standing meeting even as it is our standing agenda in that we call out gifts >> and retirement >> we don't call out um retirements and we never really approve. So for retirements we we pull that out. So should that be like a new number six in the reports and non- action items drops to seven and action items drops to eight and gifts might be slightly different because the reading of the gifts is simply reading them and acknowledging them whereas the approval to accept the gifts can still be part of the consent agenda. In either case whether understanding agenda we call out retirements as a separate item as we have of gifts I believe the policy on 1.0 I know it should match what we actually do. Whichever one we change, if we change both. >> Good catch though. Yeah, >> see what you mean. >> It's good catch. >> I guess I would be of the opinion, why don't we change it under 1.0? >> Yeah. >> Because keep the numbering system, I guess, here, but we we kind of have this is what a typical agenda, right, >> should look like. Let's add it. >> That's fine. >> 1.0. >> But they they'd be parallel. >> Yeah. Yep. Yeah. Then they match. Yep, >> that's it. >> Cool. >> Thank you. Back to amendments. >> All right. All right. Policy 210, school board code of conduct. Um I think based on what we discussed earlier in number two, we'll add students before families. Um and then most of the other stuff or the suggested things are more grammatical. any feedback on >> and then there were some policies where there was no change. Anybody has changes for those? >> Yeah, [Applause] >> 212 had no change. 214. Um, we just clarify about if or the clerk if the chair is alleged offending member so that we have somebody else um filling in there. Then it's added at the public meeting. All right. And then 216 school board superintendent relationship. Um Morris Grammar again who serves and then functioning just added a pretty basic nothing on 220 222. [Music] Then on 226 out of state travel, um we just didn't say what the travel was. So just open it up to if it's travel somewhere that it's open. So we didn't just mention one association. So now I think we have a couple. We'll make the suggested changes and then a couple of recommendations on the open-ended questions and make sure this is included ahead of the next board meeting before the second reading. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate um my colleagues your work with these uh policies. Thank you. >> All right. Moving on to policy 584, collection, maintenance, use and release of student educational data. First reading from associate superintendent Mar. >> Good evening. Um, policy 584 is the collection, maintenance, use, and release of student educational data and there are no recommended revisions to the policy itself at this time. It was most recently reviewed in February of 2023 and the current policy is in alignment with state statute. At the same time we have been reviewing the schoolboard policy. We also are looking at the regulations along with the model policy from MSBA MASA and we noticed that there is an area of our regulations that needs to be updated a little bit. This is primarily about directory information and release of that data when requested. So currently there is a subcommittee of cabinet members and other Roseville area school staff that is working on that to ensure that our regulations are also as upto-date and best meet our needs. >> Any questions about policy 584's first reading? >> All right. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Moving on in the agenda. Harambe Elementary School calendar transition update. We have some wonderful guests here with us. >> A highlight what we've been waiting for. >> Yes, >> we love hearing from schools. >> We know who you guys are, but let's production. >> Elon, cue the music. You missed your shot. >> I know. I had a chance to >> I'll turn I'll turn my water bottle. >> I know Kitty has one, too. I should have brought some for everybody next time. Next time. >> I found my backpack. >> Okay. Awesome. We have swag and we'll share. Um after we talk >> um good evening. Uh I'm Nathan Meyer, the principal for elementary school. >> And I'm Jenny Ecman, the environmental education coordinator at or I don't know what I don't know what I am. I'm the environmental science teacher. >> She's awesome as well. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> Um so we're here tonight to give you an update on the um new vision of Harambe. Uh as you all know last April um the school board voted to transition Harambe after this school year to a 9-month calendar. And with that process, we started a new vision um process in uh to kind of reinvigorate the school and bring us back to um the the amazing work that has been done there um in the past and to you know pump up the work that is being done there now. >> So um this is what we're going to go through tonight. You can just stop and look at those sweet kindergarteners um outside at nature play. I did try to put a lot of fun pictures in here. So, if my words are boring, you at least will have something good to look at. Um, so the 9-month calendar was approved in April. Um, it happened, uh, it was rolled out to staff. It was voted on. Um, it was presented at a board meeting. It was voted on at a board meeting. Um, and then we had a a lot of family engagement around that, too. Um, there was a family, a very well- attended family meeting, um, that Dr. Lake was at. Um Don was there last year um where we had families online and in person asking a lot of really good questions about what was going to happen and uh the majority or the gist of what we talked about was that you know there was a lot of reasons why we made this decision. Um the one of the number one ones was to like just to provide a better experience for our Harambe students. Um, and that looks like a seamless transition from preK through um, kindergarten and then up through 12th grade in the Roseville area schools. Um, consistency for families who have students in multiple buildings across the district. Um, and to support the declining enrollment at Har Elementary School, >> we don't support it >> to well to support reversing the declining enrollment at Harambe Elementary School. >> Just to make it clear, we're against declining enrollment. Okay. Thank you, Jenny. Yeah. No, that's great. Um uh so, um following the um announcement of the new vision or of the calendar and the new vision process, um we created a couple different committees um that involve staff, families, community, and external partners. Um to ensure that the work we were doing was the right work. The biggest one of those and I would say probably the most important is our steering committee because it is the most all-encompassing. Um there are building and district staff, families and consultants on that committee. Um we were meeting very regularly. Our next meeting is will be coming up soon. As the work has started to actually happen, the shape of the steering committee has shifted. Um on that steering committee are external consultants. So we've been working with partners from Bright Works um as well as Captivate Media uh who have been helping us in this revisioning process. Um, Captivate just spent the entire day at Harambe on Friday. Um, so they we had four hours of photographer and I it was six or eight hours with a videographer there. Um, just getting all sorts of great footage um, for the media campaign that we're going to launch. Um, and then we also as part of this new vision hired Miss Ecman or we recruited her back from Park View. Um, it was a sad loss for Parkview but a huge gain for us. Um, and we're going to get into a little bit of all of the amazing things that she's been doing in a second. Um, as part of this process, we know that it is so important um that we listen to our community, uh, that we engage our families, that we engage potential families, um, that we talk to our students. Um and so through um large group listening sessions and over 25 interviews, so the interviews were either one-on-one or small group um conducted by Brightworks and Captivate, uh we were able to pull out a couple of main ideas um and things that were important to the Harambe community. Um so one of those was um the culture and community at Harambe. Um and that kind of it links into the second one um down there, diversity. Um, but Harambe is known for its warm and welcoming culture, its nurturing environment, its strong sense of community, um, and the genuine relationships that staff and families build together. Uh, and one of the things that I'll say about that, so the picture up there is from our first, um, movie night of the year. And I want to give a shout out to Morgan Hansen, our PTO president, who is here tonight just supporting us. So, I want to thank her. Uh, PTO put that on. And what we've heard from our community is that those events are the events that they love because we're not a neighborhood school. Our community really loves being able to come together and spend time together um as a school. That was the first Friday back to school. We did it as like a kickoff. Um it was super fun. We played K-pop Demon Hunters. Um if you haven't heard of it, you either don't have young children in your life or are living under a rock. So um uh the second thing that our community really uh valued is the diversity of our building. Um so that's the racial diversity of our building, the geographic diversity of our building, the socioeconomic diversity of our building, but that brings a very rich tapestry um to the school and makes it a really special place. Um our unique identity was the fourth thing. Um so there is a really strong desire to preserve Harambee's unique identity um of culturally affirming diverse and community centered school um and especially especially its foundation as an environmental school. Uh so that is something that you will see is playing a large role in our um new visioning process. And then the last thing is the quality instruction, right? We we all we send our students to school for many different reasons and one of the most important, right, is to learn to read and to learn math. So quality instruction and the focus on consistency and rigor and high standards is really important. Um so we have a renewed focus on environmental education. So we're going to dive into that for um a second because that is something that has come loud and clear. There are 28 acres of land. The community, our families want to see that used. Well, here's a couple examples of things that we've done. Um, this last spring, our PTO uh rebuilt some of our raised garden beds. So, that is a very artistic picture with the um onions in the front and the PTO volunteers in the back. We spent a Saturday there um rebuilding uh the garden beds, which was really fun. We had teachers, we had families, we had students helping out. It was a great great morning. >> Um >> what's a pizza garden? I I was >> Yeah. What's a pizza garden? >> And the three sisters, which I know what those are. >> When you plant pizza seeds. Um and then grow. Yeah. >> It's a Tik Tok thing. Um a pizza garden. I I believe so. >> Unfortunately, since you just said that, it might be now, >> right? >> Basil, oregano, it's >> tomatoes, >> tomatoes, all those sort of uh ingredients that make a good >> pizza topping for pizza. And then three sisters garden is actually an indigenous concept where you plant corn uh beans and squash and there's a scientific basis to it because of the nitrogen um one plant is a nitrogen fixer and one plant is a nitrogen remover and also the corn is a structure for the beans to grow. Um so >> um and then uh pollinator gardens too. we planted um which we have a lot of those around our our property. Um the grounds clue did an amazing job uh of cleaning up a bunch uh the trails in our outdoor classroom. Um so here are some of our uh third grade students out there this fall. Um and it is if you've never been on the trails at Harambe I would encourage you to come. It does not feel like you are in the middle of a city. Um you see all sorts of wildlife and evidence of wildlife and it's a great thing. I'll be happy to give you a tour, let me know. Um, and then we have some really exciting things. Jenny has been deep into building relationships and making connections for the school. So, if you actually if you want to go one more, perfect. >> Oh my. >> Well, in addition to seeing Dr. Chu this summer at the water St. Paul water utility tour, um I I was just so excited when the opportunity arose to come back to Harambe. And so even though I I officially didn't start my job until this fall, I really got to start this summer. Um and so I was just, you know, up to fun stuff. So um we also we had a a meeting where Kitty was there with Post-it notes and kind of helping us with um thinking about community partnerships and tapping into a lot of different people's ideas for community partnerships. And then I kind of feel like my job I'm almost like the robot like people tell me the things and then I go beep beep go try to make it happen. But um we have been able to make some really great connections and also sort of um solidify some great connections. So, like Harambe has had a relationship with Osprey Wilds for a while, but now um we're looking at how can we infuse some of the things that Osprey Wilds has into what's happening at school and not just the environmental trip. Um same thing with Monarch Joint Venture. Actually, I got introduced to Monarch Joint Venture from Frank Shaw probably 15 or 16 years ago, and Harambe is now an official Monarch Joint Venture uh partner. >> This came in the mail today. >> So, there we thought we'd bring it. >> Beautiful. So, um I feel like what I've been doing is is more of kind of I mean it really is just this is sign language for communicating like letting talking to people about what's happening at Harambe and then aligning with some common interest. So, um it's just been really really fun. And also, I think because we're not a neighborhood school, we really do need to um have more community, I don't know, investment. Um and just really reaching out to places and people that connect with what we're trying to do and then really strengthening those things. So there there's so you did a lot of logos up there. >> Well, and Jenny's underelling herself. She has every day I see her, she's like, "Hey, I saw I like I talked to this person." Or she was like, "I stopped at this farmers market before I came to school today and I there was this corn seller who I want to and she's building all of these connections and they it is now that they're just kind of snowballing. So, an example of that is we have next Thursday night we have a family night um on and we're going to talk about it in a second, but Jenny was out somewhere and she met the person who the Shanghai uh >> wholesale >> wholesale um yeah Shang with Shanghai Wholesale and she met the guy who owns it and he is donating all of the vegetables for us to make um pico deayo as part of our um Latin Heritage Month celebration and family night that we're having. And then not only >> I'm gonna try to do it from our garden, but our garden had two tomatoes. >> A very small taste of salsa. >> Um and then on top of that then she's like and I'm I connected with the right he connected me with the rice street gardeners and they're part of the mung garden association and the Somali garden association. So it's all she is building all of these connections that are just starting to bloom. um and that you know we're hoping to get these gardeners into our space and get the farmers into our space and working with our students and in our gardens um in ways that are not just environmental but also leaning into the community cultures part of Harambe um and making these cultural connections. So she's >> kind of underelling herself because every every day I feel like she has another connection that she's thinking about um and it's it's just really exciting. So, >> thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Um, okay. So, I I also get to see kids, which is just about as, you know, as equally fun as talking to the corn seller in the farmers market. Um, so in the mornings, kids come to me in the environmental science room. Um, in the afternoons, I'm doing a number of things including the community partnerships. Um and also doing some collaboration with teachers which I think might be the next Yeah. So um the sixth grade teacher and I decided to um sort of capitalize on the state fair craze about crop art. And so we learned about crop art, the history of crop art, and then we we modified what some of the rules are for the state fair. We went out on our grounds. And you can see in number two, kids collected natural objects that con that connected to what they wanted to make for their crop art. And then we made a crop art or nature art display for our um conference to have out for conferences for families. And they all decided that when you see it, it looks so cool. And it feels like it wouldn't be that hard. like you're just you just stick some corn on a >> on a canvas. But it actually we all decided it was much harder than we thought and we're going to go to the state fair next year with a very renewed >> appreciation for those crop artists. Um, another cool thing that's happening is, um, you know, in the in the olden days, back when I used to be in the environmental science, uh, job at Harambe, I had a corn snake, and my corn snake lived to be 22 and died. And so now we have a new corn snake, a new baby corn snake. And, um, that's just been super fun to introduce this kind of new Harambe. It's not a butterfly mascot, but it's, you know, it's it's a pretty popular um creature. And um I also got to work with Dr. Yang Chang and do some stop motion um animation, which actually the sixth grade stopotion animation team made videos to introduce the corn snake to the kindergarten, first and second graders because I don't see kindergarten, first, second grade right now. So, we have these awesome videos of sort of getting to know the corn snake through this stop motion um before I see the K1 and two kids then on second quarter. Um and then the other thing is um again like talking about the quality instruction and meshing academics with environmental. So every student now in grades 3 through sixth grade is using a science notebook and we use the science notebooks in class with me but then I'm also working together with their teachers so that we have sort of routines and procedures around the science notebooks and how um you know how scientists and engineers use those notebooks. So, um I actually can't believe that the first quarter is like it's gone so fast. And I just I was telling Nathan, this kid was like, "Well, wait a minute, a sixth grader." Like, "We don't get to see you second quarter." So, well, you do. I'll I'll still be coming to your room and I'll still see you sometimes, but you won't be coming >> into class. It's like, "What? I know." But it's I mean that feels good that actually especially after being in first grade for almost 10 years and going back to K6, you know, sixth graders and first graders have a lot in common, but they also have some some big differences. So it's it's nice to have a sixth grader expressing that they did want to want to be there. Um and then I think the next slide is just Yes. So October 23rd um is our family night and we're we're meshing the Latina Heritage Month with the Monarch Migration sort of the culmination of the monarch migration in the sanctuaries in Mexico and um we got a Roseville Area Community Foundation grant, a really lovely generous grant to help support some of that. So, um that is even though I got I was able to get the salsa ingredients donated, um the foundation grant is paying for La Tapatia uh food truck and then also our own Roseville Nutrition Services. Um I was talking to a student who said, you know, why does everybody think it's only Mexican food? Like I'm from El Salvador and I said, oh, do you like papoosea? So, we're going to have the nutrition services papoosea as one of our um options for food that night. So, connecting to the amazing stuff that Roseville Nutrition Services does with really food traditions and inclusive food traditions. And so, I'm kind of excited that we get to highlight that at a family event in addition to food from uh La Tapatia. And then our everybody in grades three, four, five, and six is going to have a part of making the salsa. Um, so we'll also have homemade or schoolmade homeschool made uh salsa for people to try. And then also November 6th, um that's part of the community foundation grant is um allowing us to bring Nashki games to Harambe. and that I got connected through through our amazing Native uh American liaison. So just lots and lots of great connections happening. Um and then I think you're going to talk about >> Yeah. So then November 6 is also kindergarten information night. So part of our work in the new vision is working to increase our enrollment. So we will definitely have a presence there. I know um associate superintendent Wyatt has been busy planning that. Um and then um to kind of launch into our kindergarten um drive on November 20th um which is over our inter session we're hosting an environmental education night. We are working on getting um potentially the Bell Museum to come out and be there for part of it. Um and if not the Bell Museum just showcasing all of the really fun things that we're doing and inviting all of those kindergarten families to come. And then we're continuing our work with Captivate and Bright Works um in the steering committee and then our continued and consistent communication with staff, families in the community. Um and part of that is um we have a new tab on the Harambe website. Um so you can keep going back there for updated information and it's just one way that we're communicating with families. >> That's good. Principal Nathan, if the board and and cabinet leaders and others are invited, could we receive invitations of the times of those events? Absolutely. I'm sure many of us would like to be present. >> Abs. I will get those to if I send them to Michelle. Yes. Perfect. I will get them to her tonight and we will get that shared up. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Please come. >> Thank you. >> And maybe before I'm sure there's questions and comments from the board too because we focused on the last slide was next steps. I just want to pause and again you noted the board voted on a calendar change April of 2025. So, think about how much work has been done and three months of summer, both session and inter session and full-time coming on board after Labor Day. We're not six weeks into this next school year and such progress. So, I just want to compliment you both. Family leadership, the whole community really coming together and driving this change. So, thank you >> so much. Well, our so I just want to say our theme this year at Harambe is same team and it would not have happened without the support of the sport either. So same team is what we've been saying around the building. So thank you. >> Well done. >> So before I lose my thought um amazing thank you for your work. I was thinking about connection to Little Canada. So we could maybe I could like talk because I think Little Canada uh because you are so close to Little Canada that there might be some resources there or connection there just because it's right there. >> Yeah. >> Uh whether they have they have a farmers market, right? We have uh some trails over there. Um at one point one of the parks, see I was on the park and rack commission. So I didn't talk about that that we had like a goat that we hired to eat up >> the buckthorn. >> Yes. >> So there are things like pollination was part of. So I just think there might be some connection. Only little candidate is part of rosewood. >> Yeah. Yeah. That I so the I just met with one of the board members on Osprey Wilds and um they were talking about I was talking about our school forest which we're talking about next and Buckthornne and he said well have you thought about goats? And I like whipped out my goat notebook like yes I have thought about goats but then he said you should talk to Little Canada Park and Rex. So >> yeah. Yeah. So um we can connect. >> Okay. >> I've been wanting to connect with you. I wanted >> partners at the water facility. >> So we were the same tour and I remember coming out wanting to find where you are and then we just got kind of like split. Oh good. >> And I think you had a photo that say I want that photo. So we'll put it I was going to put it in the board. as a surprise but then >> we'll connect a lot going on >> because I know the city of Little Canada very well and make sure that I think it's just a great way for them to also learn about what is happening >> for a school that is so close by and >> lots of resources there too thank you so much >> yeah thank you >> lovely >> good night just I'm just happy >> from a haram boy >> yeah because you know so much change and yet so much >> continuity >> in terms of the mission and the vision, the environmental focus and all that. So, uh was really proud of you guys and what you've done and Nathan what you've done and your team has done. It's just amazing. As Jenny said, not just in terms of timeline, but the the depth of thought that went into this and all the details that we'll spin out and and I'm going to give a shout out to the PTO, too. She >> still here. I you know I've been able to attend fewer than I hope of the of the PTO meetings at Lucas Harb's one of my school rep things but um again I know there's such a strong commitment there and u it is tough it's tough because you're dealing with a school that is not a neighborhood school by by definition and so it's an extra set of hurdles you have to leap over to get to the end so just applaud to all of you and what you're doing I'm excited about the next thing too the school forest which seemed like we were talking about what a long time ago and then finally it's coming to fruition with getting the board resolution so you can move forward with that. So >> just kudos to you and everyone and uh you know just glad it seems to be going and now we can all work together to get that enrollment lower or higher or whatever it was. >> We support increasing support. >> Well, and it comes down to marketing and we talked about that too. How do you get how do you get this information out >> beyond the 623 community? Because that's what it comes down to. It's how do you get it to the other schools, the other districts that you know that this is a a a geograph it's a regional resource. >> You know, it's not just a district research. It's a regional resource. East Metro, it's a whole thing. >> And I think one of the things that Jenny has done so well a week ago, she was like, "Hey, the new American Indian Family Center is opening in Roseville. Do you want to go with me?" And I was like, "Okay." And because there's a there's a preschool, there's a monastery American Indian community center there or a childcare center there and we connected with their communications person and then it just turns out that Harambe parent is a teacher there. Right? So it's just these connections are starting to really come and I think we're going to start to see the fruit of that labor. Uh which is really exciting >> which it is though after you know almost 30 years you feel like how how do people not know about this? But, you know, that's it's a it's a frustration, but that just means a challenge like, okay, how how do we get um there was a a group of us that went to this women's environmental uh institute farm weekend and there was four of us and we'd kind of go off and talk to people and then come back and one of the when I was reaching out to one of the organizers, she said, "Boy, you Harambe people, everybody was talking about Harambe." Yes, that's what we want. our evil plan is working. Um, >> but yeah, so I have a backpack full of stickers which I will hand out. Nathan and I were walking around the um American Indian Family Center handing out stickers and uh we our student the Harambe student was handing out stickers but not you know not telling people what they were. So, I don't know if that's a good marketing strategy or not, but it was I feel like there we just keep finding more places to get kind of to get the word out. And >> and then maybe last thing, I know Katie has her hand up and it's actually about I want to thank Kitty too because I know in this whole planning process you lent your considerable strategic planning facilitation skills to some of this, right? And so appreciate you two and your involvement for helping the group coalesce and be able to articulate what it was. So kudos to my fellow board member two for helping with this. Thank you. >> Whatever small role I played then >> it's been a pleasure. Um I want to compliment the work you guys have done. It's just really moved forward and is so exciting to see. Um all and and just the energy and the it just you know can't you just feel it vibrates when you you present. Um how are families doing? How are the current families dealing with the transition? What's your perspective? >> Um, I had a lot of really good conversations with families at conferences. Um, we I kind of one of my favorite things to do conferences is just plant myself at the entrance because you get to see and talk to everybody that's coming in and out. Um, we had a letter and an FAQ that went out to families. Um, so another marketing thing, we also had some of our cultural liaison there to engage with families. One of the things that we've heard back is that um the message is being lost in translation in some regards. And so we've been really trying to focus on making sure that our families whose home language is that other than English um that we're communicating with them >> uh in a way that works for that family. >> And so a lot of families were like, "Yep, there I think there was still some sadness. Um I'm already starting to hear some things about like what am I going to do next?" you know, oh, I'm worried about summer. And what feels really good to me is that I can say we've thought about that, right? Like we've already I've been in I've had comm conversations with community ed. Um Cindy Arnerson and I have sat down and met and talked about how we're going to support Haram families that first summer when they're not prepared to register for camp in February. Um but that's when you got to register for summer camps. Um and how are we going to help them with that? And so, um, it felt good to be able to answer some of those questions and to have those conversations. I still think there's sadness there and there continue to be. And what I heard more than sadness though was excitement from especially our third through sixth graders who are in science right now. All I have to see the science room. I keep hearing about science. Why? Like my kid keeps talking about science. And so there's a lot of excitement and I think the excitement is overpowering the sense of loss that we felt last spring. So that's a really powerful thing. >> Wonderful. Thank you. [Music] >> To the forest. >> It's within the same presentation. if you'd like to finish and then we can >> So, one one of the uh one of the things that came out of this this Kitty's um we're calling it Kitty's post-it note meeting. Um there's a lot of Post-it notes. So, 3M, if anybody is from 3M, we're we're we need we need to connect with them, too, because we're we're using their stuff. Um, but we was kind of the and also Morgan, our PTA PTO president, when when I just barely had started the job, she was like, "Do you know anything about the becoming a DNR school for us?" I'm like, "Got it on my list." So, um, we we are here tonight to to ask the board to resolve to make our our Harambe School Forest an official Minnesota DNR school forest. Um, which in a way it's a little bit funny to me because we've had a school forest for 30 years, but by becoming a DNR school forest program, we have access to some more resources. Um, so it's really a winwinwin situation because we we get to advertise more in more places about our setting. Um, and but then we also have access to like a DNR forester who come and and tell me that we have too much buckthornne and that I need to get some goats. Um, but also, you know, there's resources that being connected to the DNR offers us that are really beneficial. Um, plus in in our efforts to increase enrollment, we we want our name out there every possible place. So if somebody is looking for what what schools in the metro have a school forest, we want to, you know, we want them to see, oh, they're a Monarch Joint Venture Partner. They're a Minnesota DNR school for us. Like we we really want to reflect the quality of what we're doing. Um, so that's why we're looking at enrolling now, even though we've already, you know, we some some schools go through this process and they're trying to figure out what are we going to turn into our forest. We have we have it. We have the trails. We have an outdoor classroom, but we'd love to have a second outdoor classroom. Um I have a grant pending right now to get us kind of a weather station area, but having the DNR connection is going to just really strengthen what we can offer in our school forest. >> I'm wonder I'm reflecting right now on this presentation. I'm wondering if the chair should transition us into action items as you introduce the resolution. might is if everyone welcomes that. >> Yeah, we just move into >> Okay, now action items. >> Action items. >> Okay. Well, I just because otherwise we're going to get right up to the reading and then Oh, sure. >> Makes sense. A good transition. >> Hey, action item 7A, Harambe, elementary school forest resolution. >> Thank you. Thank you. Um, so part really the process is um a a DNR school forest staff member came out and we we toured took her on a tour of the trails and the gardens and um the nature play area and she was very impressed with the nature play area um and not so impressed with the buckthorn. But we also talked about how we kind of have put the buckthorn to use in in the nature play area. it, you know, from a biological standpoint, it's maybe not so great, but when you're five, it's it makes great structures and it's kind of fun to play in. Um, so after the the school forest person comes out, met with her, talked to her about what we're already doing in the in in our nature area and what we'd like to do going forward, um, then you need to make sure you have a committee of people that um will be your school forest committee and will also kind of support the the things that we're trying to do. Um that that was another thing that was kind of fun for me is she said, you know, if you can't get five people, it doesn't have to be it could be less than five people. Well, we have more than five people. Um and and even more people saying like, do you need more more staff saying to me, do you need more people on the school forest? Um Mike Bazeski said he'd be on the school forest committee. So we we have a lot of staff willing and interested and I feel like that's such says so much about our staff because these are people who've already been teaching in this forest who already have been and they're not saying oh this just feels like another meeting. They're saying great I want to come I want to see what we can do what else what can we offer what more can we offer our kids which that just makes me happy. Um so this is our school forest committee and then this is the part that um when we were making the slides I was like do you think we have to say this ex all this exact stuff but then after hearing your um your work before we got up here it's like yeah you really you got to be careful about those words. >> So um >> this matter >> this is the very legal description of the parts of the property that we are trying to make into the school forest. So, I kind of want us all to go out there and like walk 1,800, >> you know, 1,087 feet from the northwest corner of the Northeast by Northwest section 18. Like, I think it'd be kind of fun to be out there walking it with you guys, but >> I'll let you go first. >> Take it goes through the light. >> Take our word for it. Yes. So, um Well, then we're going to get a canoe for them. Um, but this so this is the the official what will be the official boundaries of the forest. And we did decide to do the section that goes all the way up to County Road B because we do take kids, you know, we we take kids along all of it and um we pick up trash between our fence and cub. And so this is the the parcel that we are proposing would become an official um DNR school forest if the board is so resolved. >> I think it's actually the next one. >> Okay. >> So we were there was some draft language and then that's when we decided we needed >> the full >> all of the full official piece in there. >> Some general questions before we have clerk to read resolution. I was wondering is there any downsize and once something is land is declared as a school forest is there any limitation that that puts on you? >> Um I wouldn't see it's not a limitation but it is I mean there are sort of parameters like we need to have certain number of school forest committee meetings. Um I I I'll need to keep track of things that we're doing in the forest and report those. So you know there's some time pieces. Um, and I guess like if the district said, "Okay, now Harambe isn't going to have a school forest. You know, we're going to chop down all your trees and sell them for firewood or something." We would be violating our resolution. So, I guess that's a positive because it protects our our >> Well, the main thing is that they're restricted for educational use. >> Yeah. So you couldn't then like do something else with it, you know, like build a stack bar or something education. >> Although um some school forests do like tap their maple trees and sell the maple syrup or >> but but if it's done in a way that you're teaching the kids how to do that and about nature and about >> the maple production, all that kind of stuff, it's restricted for that use. And then um as a school board we could we could do additional restrictions if we wanted to within that protected area in terms of like limiting access or stuff like that. It's very rare that a board does that. So there's a whole section of the DNR code or whatever you call it about the school forest. But and I do I mean way back when that we had talked about should we try to become a school forest and at that time we were working with um now sunseted program called school nature project and was like we already are part of SNAP which was a school nature project so do we really also need to be part of the DNR school forest this this is like 25 years ago and we decided no we didn't we didn't need to also be part of the DNR school forest program but I feel like it's that's what's kind of cool about this whole new vision thing is it's it's old and new. It's it's you know we we've always been a school forest and we had made the decision previously that maybe this wasn't needed and now it feels like the time it's a really good time to do that and like I said for yes for marketing reasons but also because we h we are using that land like a DNR school forest so we might as well have that stamp saying this is what >> we have. So, as far as that marketing, you know, one of the benefits being DNR designated, >> you know, it's like Harambe will be on the state's DNR website or you'll get access, >> you know, have have you a little bit of a deeper dive into maybe those resources then? >> I mean, someone so like the state helping with upkeep and all that kind of stuff or just what's >> um it's things like a forester like a forester will come out and and walk the property and give you recommendations. we're eligible for some grants that we wouldn't be eligible for if we weren't a school forest. It's not, unfortunately, it's not, you know, now we have resources that we didn't have before, but we have access to some resources we didn't have before. There there's, you know, grants still need to be written, but um >> we we are in the pool for some things that we weren't before. Um, and then then you also have this DNR person who, you know, you have more access to their expertise as well for some kind of management things, but it it's not like the DNR takes over the >> um the upkeep, >> but it does it does allow us some access to things that we we wouldn't have otherwise. >> And Jenny, I I was I was going to look and then I forgot. Do you know if other districts have >> school forest like in the area like 62? >> Parkview technically has one as well. Um >> um Mameidi >> uh Whitebear has one school that has a school forest. Um so there there are other ones. Um, but again, like my hope is you're a family that's interested in, >> right? You're going to look it up >> like, "Okay, well, let's see what's what's what schools have this." And then, >> oh, look, 28 acres. >> Yeah. I'd be willing to venture that most schools that have them. I know Park View has a small forested area that's designated a school forest. Um I I'd be willing to venture most of them don't look like >> Harambees >> with the trail and the giant outdoor classroom that we have and the bordering the Ramsy Cuddy wershed and the wetland area and >> um just the access to that those resources. So it is I I just feel like it's kind of again almost like a full circle thing. Like when we started we we didn't know if we needed to do this and now it feels like okay we've been doing DNR school forest stuff for a long time and now we can do it with that stamp sort of stamp of approval and we can see what what are some of the things that would be available to us that at this point we we maybe do want to reach out for where we we didn't necessarily feel like we needed to 20 years ago. >> Wonderful. Should we um well let's start the official process. Um clerk Chu um make the initial motion and why don't we have you read >> read the resolution. I know it's a lot of directions but let's >> I'm so sorry. >> You'll get through it. >> We couldn't just have like one direction. >> Yeah, there's a lot of numbers here. >> This is not the shortest one that we had to >> No, this is your fine. Yeah. >> I mean I mean longest. It's not the longest one. >> There been long many longer ones. Yeah. >> This is very short in comparison. Okay. So resolution supporting the Harambe Elementary School forest destination resolve. The board of education of Roser School District independent school district number 623 approves the establishment and maintenance of the Harambe school forest and outdoor classroom comprising the area. Starting from a point, 187 ft from the northwest corner of the northeast northwest of section 18, township 82, range 22, then south 500 ft, then southeast 610 ft, then northeast 350 ft. outlining perimeter of the mold yard. Then northwest 138t, then north 200 ft. Then east 50 feet, then south 190 ft. Then east 400 ft, then southwest 1,000 ft. Then west 249 ft. Then northwest 270 ft. Then north 692 feet. then west 175 ft then northeast 564 feet to the point of beginning. all of Ramsey County tax puzzle number 1829 222200013 and finally approximately 14 acres in Ramsey County text puzzle number 1829 2222006 resolve the board of education of Roseville school district supports enrollment of set forest in the Minnesota DNR school forest program for educational purposes. >> Wonderful. >> And I would like to second that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I moved and seconded. I'll just say that one of the first things you should do is have a compass class. >> Yeah. >> Gio. >> Yeah. This is actually very interesting. >> Wonderful. >> Moving in second and resolution. We we'll have a roll call vote. But >> just one more clarifying question. It doesn't put any limits on what you have in the playground or anything like that, right? >> No, that's why they we did kind of the outline of the perimeter. So the playground is not >> okay. >> Part of the school forest, but sort of the edge of the woods going around is >> okay. >> Um so yeah, >> great. Thank you. which is why it partly why it's so awkward to read because we're kind of jogging along the outside rather than just naming the whole >> kitten kamoodle. >> This could be a math lesson in itself. Yep. Right there. >> All right. It's been moved and seconded. Clerk will take the official role. >> Okay. Um if you approve of this resolution, please say I. >> Director Shaw >> I. >> Director Gaggins. >> I. Chair Anderson >> I. >> Treasurer Clark >> I. >> Director Bogachvsky >> I. >> And Clark Chu says I. >> Wonderful. This resolution has passed and adopted. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Morgan as well. Thank you for being here. >> Um now should I put just the stickers right here and people can have a sticker? >> You can set them right by Don and he will help with that. I think you're going to see some board members family night. Thank you guys so much. >> All right. >> Well done. Enjoy your >> Okay, moving on to >> welcome >> Roseville Area Schools language access plan. We welcome Carrie Ardito and Luly Loris Hansen. Good evening, guys. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Hello. >> Buenos Arido and I along with language access planning committee. We have been meeting for the last year, year and a half to design what is called a language access plan to provide opportunities for linguistically diverse families and the community to have equitable access to the information and the resources that we have. >> Yeah. What about it? Oh, >> yeah. I don't have to drive it. Oh, you're driving. >> It should be. Yeah. That's my first slide. >> Is that right? Oh, we already followed that, right? Okay. Um, so defining language access, uh, language access means ensuring that students and families who speak languages other than English in Roseville area schools can fully understand and participate in school programs, services, and communication. And this includes providing translation of written materials and interpretation for spoken communication so families have equal access to information and opportunities. [Music] So we're going to watch a little short video. Um I'd like you to pay attention on the language needs of the players in this situation. Excuse [Music] [Music] me, sir. I'm so sorry. >> She's been crying nonstop. [Music] [Music] Can you just look at her? >> She's burning up. What? >> She's burning up. Feel her hand. [Music] >> What is he doing? Do you have >> my my baby? She's got a temperature of 105. She every time I feed her, she throws up. Please, can you >> She's burning up. Feel her head. >> Please, just just please >> feel her head. Just let me see. Anyone understand what I'm saying? Please, someone help me. >> 8% of US citizens speak limited English. For these 25 million Americans, professional interpreters can mean the difference between life and death. >> This is kind of a little ad for a company, but also um helping us go to a place where what would we do? What will you do if you're an English speaker and do not have access to other languages in a situation of life and death? And I believe education as a as a equal right in a social justice issue should be also equitably accessed by our families and our students. And without that language access the opportunities are reduced and sometimes not there. And so when we talk about language access within Roseville area schools, we're talking about a number of opportunities. And this is just a very just the start of a long list of all of the ways that we can ensure that families have access to um all of the ways that their students are experiencing their education. And um so I just made this list and it's it could go on and on but it's just sort of to show you just it's it's endless. So there is a law Minnesota specifically section 123.32 of the state's education code which requires each school district to develop and implement a language access plan. And the plans must outline how a district will provide language assistance to students and adults who speak a language other than English or linguistically diverse or linguistically gifted. Use train interpreters for important matters like academic progress, placement, and other outcomes and notify families and communities of their rights regarding language assistance. So the language access plan document that you received uh has several components to it. Um it was part of your their materials but we have copies if you would like. Does everybody have access to my document? >> It follows the presentation in the board packet is the actual language access plan. Do you want me to grab it or the background? So, the our Roseville area schools language access plan and we're going to be providing with anybody who needs outlines the language access rights that families have. And this is a communication we'll be giving. As a family member or guardian of a student in public schools, if your preferred language is other than English, federal law ensures that you have the following rights. School districts must have a process for identifying your language needs. Schools must provide information in a language that you understand. School districts must provide effective language assistance to you, such as by offering translated materials or a language interpreter. Schools must provide you with language assistance even if your child is proficient in English or you have some English proficiency. And schools must provide translation or interpretation from appropriate and competent individuals and may not rely on or ask qu or ask students, siblings, friends or untrained school staff to translate or interpret for you and language assistant must be free to you. We have in place language identification procedures which are the home language survey that all families complete at the time of enrollment, the student information system in our case synergy where it outlines the preferred home languages or language and teacher communication and teachers are required to find out what language uh families prefer. Then regarding tools and resources that start on page two, pages two through six of the language access plan. You can see some of the things that we have in place starting with a trans act parent notices uh which is a a set of documents that we can use to translate I believe it's up to 10 languages to inform families notify families of different kinds of procedures in including special education and services in our district use elevation which provides access to many more languages and 10 and this is a platform that we use to communicate where our students are in their journeys uh in language development and also the services that we provide to them. Professional document translation which in our district we use dialogue one as the uh contractor to provide those services with written and also with interpretation services which that will be on page three. Um, every staff member who interacts with families for student educational purposes is expected to create and use a dialog one account in order to communicate with families. The interpreters are also at times um presented in person but we also have what is called um on demand direct connect which is via video or phone call. And uh if they need interpretation services, there is a form or interpretation request form that they can fill at least two weeks in advance, especially for uh difficult to find interpreters. There are some languages that we have a reduced number of interpreters. And so we always send out the message, make sure you've complete your requests at least two weeks in advance or as soon as you know when the meeting or the need will arise. And the fees for these services are paid by for by the district. We also have uh we're fortunate to have multilingual staff in our midst and um they may be asked to provide language assistance if they are proficient in the target language have knowledge of specialized terms or concepts needed for the task in both languages and are trained in the role of an interpreter or translator. We also have um this year we have two uh positions with multilingual student success staff uh who provide language support while assisting students, families and staff in navigating school related situations. We also have our team of cultural leaons that you know well and they are the ones who amongst others but they engage with families and students to promote and support student achievement in many many different levels. They are not to be used by staff members as translators or interpreters unless it is an emergency. Then we have the telephone interpretation service that we spoke about before which is provided by dialogue one and school to home communication. Oh, so I can talk briefly about the schooltoome communication. Some of you have been a part of um watching the evolution of our communication. We have um updated our mass comm our mass notification system this year. We now use parent square which um enables our staff members to communicate out in English and then the families receive it in the language that they have identified as their pro um their preferred language in the student information system and there's dozens and dozens of languages available. Um, in the spring, we will then train all of our staff, our teaching staff on how to do two-way communication, which what's going to happen with this communication method is we're going to be replacing uh Blackboard, our S'more newsletter, uh, talking points, which is right now our our texting um, tool that we use, which allows staff to text out in their in English. Um, families receive it in their home language. They can text back to the teacher in their home language. The staff member receives it in English. mean that that's whatever the language would be. Um and so it just facilitates more of the engagement and families being able to engage in their um students education. Um we previously transitioned to final site as our website which also has a translation button on it. So what we're really trying to do is facilitate ways that families can receive all information not just highlights which is where we were you know 5 10 uh years ago. And so you know we can move on to the next. So dissemination of the plan. Um what we are going to do is we're going to publish um once the plan is approved we'll publish it on the district's website so everybody can access it there. Um we will also um publish on each school's website so it's accessible there. Um staff will receive it via the staff weekly. Um families will receive it via the raider reader. Um and then new families will receive it upon um enrollment into the school district and then we'll provide training. Um new staff will receive it at new staff orientation and then each August we will review the language access plan with staff as part of back to school professional development as well as we can also provide training as needed so people are all aware of what our language access plan is all about. Um and then continuous improvement. Um this is a sort of a living document. I would say a lot of school district documents are. But this is a living document. As just in the last three years, our efforts have improved so rapidly that I expect that we will continue to improve as we go along. And so we'll um evolve the plan as we go. And so what we will do as a district is we will review it at least annually. We also have our language access committee that can improve and update it, but we will also as a school board present it to the school board every two years for review. And there I am. >> So there is the language access plan and so what we would be doing is um seeking approval of the plan so that then we can submit it to the state. >> Thank you for your question. Well, thanks thanks for the presentation. I was just let's see what page is this page five um under school to home communication. So in the very that very last paragraph in fall 2025 we will train staff on mass notifications. You do mean in you do mean in spring then that following in spring 2025 spring 2026. I just >> that's what I assumed you did. I just wanted >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Thank you. So I have uh three questions. How many languages now have we identified because it used to go up year by year by year. >> My understanding is 92. >> 92. 92 >> in our district. >> That was question 1 A 1B. >> Are we there or is there sense that we're continuing to get new families coming in the district that have even additional languages? >> I would say it's about stable. >> Yeah. >> Um then the need for um uncommon languages for a lack of a better word. >> Yeah. >> Uh is rising. And so that's the opportunity and the challenge at times because we don't always have the interpreter for a language like Twe for example. >> Yeah. >> Which is a very uncommon language. But the drive to continue to work alongside our partners and also the technology that continues to evolve more and more opportunities are there for that um at time simultaneous interpreting is there. >> Yeah. And then my last question, is it your sense that we are identifying and reaching all the families or do you think there's still some that we don't know that they don't speak English at home and we haven't been able to connect with them on this? >> That's a great question. I think uh we're a work in progress. I think we still are working on developing the systems that will ensure that every communication that goes out to monilingual or English speaking families goes out to linguistically diverse families. I don't think that's the case yet, but we're working towards that improvement in order to provide um our district leaders, principles, and other leaders the opportunity to get those documentations in a very fast time according to what all the other things that they're dealing with at the at the building level. >> Um I think we have come a long ways along with the language access committee that provides us with feedback on what we can do better and um we also are asking staff and students for feedback. Mhm. >> Well, and then I guess >> the street data >> another question about the mind. Are are you getting feedback? Are the families >> that are receiving communications in their home language >> are they are they surprised? Are they, you know, I know they're going to say give feedback and say, "Oh, thank you so much for this." But I'm just curious as >> the street data from teachers is families are very appreciative and they respond in kind when we use the mode of communication that works for them >> including I've always talked about the WhatsApp which is a global way of communicating wherever you go in the world. Um that's one way of which our culturally advanced communicate and even some of our teachers and so I think it's greatly appreciated and we can see a smile when a family see somebody that is communicating their language especially when it's oral even like I say one word that you can say in that language means the world. It means you want to connect with me. >> I think that's important. One of the things we're also finding is needing to kind of go back to families because we're seeing that some families have their preferred language set as English >> and not knowing that they can actually set their preferred language as their preferred language and it might be for whatever the miscommunication was or during the the um enrollment process. And so I think that's kind of exciting the opportunity of showing them what's possible with our communication process. So >> exciting. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Wonderful. Kitty, >> um, you were talking about how culturally WhatsApp is really popular is we're going to this parent square which is sort of replacing WhatsApp. Is that culturally going to fit for their needs? >> Um, I don't know if parent square will replace WhatsApp. I think it's going to be a supplemental piece like the parents square will be the the mass communication official communication but we will still look for ways in which families feel um most comfortable with and the communication like I expressed before so culturally do WhatsApp groups we would not expect them to change the way they in which they communicate. >> Okay. And my second question was as we um remove some of the language pieces of communication, do we feel that the cultural elements of communication are still barriers or is the is the language the key part of of of that culture of that communication that's needed with the families? >> Well, I think I think it's a work in progress. Cultural competence is a journey in which we should all embark and I think with the adoption of the new TDN rubric along with the language access and different ways of communication but also engaging in critical self reflection and how we best communicate and engage families will continue the journey. I think what a couple of things is that um I do think that the having the voice piece much more um easy to access for school staff to use quickly in terms of sending out a message that will help families um some of our families who would receive messages better via voice versus reading and text. Um, and one of the other things was just being able to leverage, you know, a variety of tools, but also knowing, and it's like, to me, it's a mindset change, too. And it's a big mindset change for me. It's my we can't just put PDFs in our newsletters. PDFs are locked in in in whatever language they're in. Um, getting our all of us as staff members knowing that it's better if we put language directly in the body of newsletters, in the body of our website, so that it's accessible to the translation tools. And so the more that we do that and the more that we start thinking outside of our own experience and and what would be best for our families, I think we'll be better as a school district at it. >> So is this parent square verbal? >> It's a it's so right now the mass communication piece is just like Blackboard where a a school can send out a text, an email, and a voice call. And it is a um speech, it's a texttospech piece >> and so it will translate a message. Um the text is often the one that we use and we cut and paste that into the speech piece and then it will translate it. It'll use it text to speech. Um what's interesting about it is you can click the button, you do text to speech and then the next page you get to see how many languages it's going to be going out in and it takes its time to word and then it's going out in you know 8 10 15 languages when for one message. So it is verbal. So if we're going out in 10 15 does that mean that there's all the other ones that we're not able to support >> just to whatever that is for that particular group whatever language is the preferred language that it's identified and the system can translate. Y it's kind of interesting I can backwards map when I was working on something for Harambe I was able to look at I needed some information on what languages I was able to plug in a message and just look at how many me how many languages in a particular grade level at Harambe had and it's just a way to sort of see what our preferred languages are for our particular group. >> Thank you. >> Pretty exciting. >> Yeah, it is. So on that note, thank you for this. Um I was just thinking about just to clarify. So this plan for sure our staff will have access, >> right? Teachers will have access. Did you say that families will have access to this too? >> Yes, we're required to. >> So it will be translated for however >> Yes. >> that they want. So, I've been just thinking about is there a way to make the information visual, like organize it in a way that >> Well, I think first of all, what we probably would do is plug this into our website as text. So, it's not in a PDF like you're seeing it as, but we'd plug it in as language. I mean, I'm from and Ly might have different ideas. I mean some of this one of the things that we do have access to is our um video company is does a lot of animation >> and I'm finding that animation is a great way to get messages across that are much more difficult when we have a lot of talking >> um and it might be a good way to sort of once we've got this and I feel like we're kind of like okay let's get this done >> then let's move on to the next you know but >> because you know it kind of increase access right kind of people understanding because these are kind of very like dense >> academic kind of categories of things and yet it's so great for our families to understand right that they have rights and they have access to all this. So thank you for publish it in a way that they can understand and be engaged, right? And not just >> make meaning of it, right? >> Absolutely. That's great. >> Really appreciate this work, especially from an English learner myself. So >> well, we had a very passionate group of representation across the district. >> Um and so it was a and really sort of pushed the work which is you know pushed us to sort of move outside of some of the things that we were talking about. So it was great. >> And and I know you're already doing that. is that I this technology is going to keep advancing >> you know it's going to keep advancing to make this even better >> and how we can leverage that in ways that will be serving our families perhaps as always >> yes >> it's amazing thank you >> and certainly connected to this fall's security safety and technology levy the way we communicate >> yeah I was I was just that was going to be my my point of the hopeful passage >> um there'll be a dedicated funding communication. >> We talk about the connection, the communication piece >> is a big part of that. >> Parent Square and the translation tools and just the communication in general, whatever language a family is receiving their communication and um as >> as Dr. Chu said, it is moving so quickly and we need to make sure that we are um continuing to meet our family's needs in communication. >> Thank you for this action. >> All right. >> Okay. Um this is an action item for the evening. Um I will entertain a motion to adopt the language access plan has been presented. So move >> adoption. Oh second. >> Right. Moved and second. Any further discussion? >> All right. Uh all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> All those opposed. >> Thank you both. >> Thank you very much. >> Great presentation. >> All right. That moves us to uh this evening's I assume will be a brief study session report. >> It is a brief study. >> Treasurer Manx Clark. >> Um well, we had two topics for our um study session that we had pre um our board meeting tonight. Um, one we were discussing our self-evaluation process and we use the Minnesota um the MSBA standard process which is the Minnesota schoolboard association process and we are going to use the same process we've used in the past. We will have discussions at our next um study session um to bring that. So um we also asked Dr. lake to provide us some feedback as well. Um, and we will review the performance that we set for ourselves last year. And the second topic that we discussed was the draft of our schoolboard manual. We had talked about that previously um and um the set that manual and we know this coming year we will have at least two new board members and maybe three new board members. We wanted to make sure that we have a manual in place um so when those board members join us um or join the board that they're able um to get up and running, at least have some background. Um so we went through that before. Um Clerk Chu, Dr. Chu was nice enough to go through and reorganize the front part of that um board manual to make it more readable through there. So um and it was based on originally when we did it was based on the MSBA handbook. Um, so that worked out well and that's really the only two things we have. >> Wonderful. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right, that moves us to uh this evening's board reports. Let me start with clerk chew, please. >> Okay, I was I always look at my calendar and say what did I do quite a bit. So I uh have the honor to attend the prek and early childhood family education advisory council. very well attended both on Zoom and in person and um interestingly the security and safety levy was on the agenda >> and so somebody described it. It was great and I was able to offer kind of my perspective and and I I I think you know members really appreciated that right the the kind of the perspective of why we have it like deliberation we went through to get to this point. So, I was very glad to do that. And um I want to make sure that I I promised them I would do this. Uh there are 11 classrooms in early childhood and they are in need of play-doh and you can have recipe to make your own. So, I'm going to pass this on. I already took a picture of it and so it's a great little activity and I'm going, "Oh, even I can do that." So to make play-doh and they would they say any color plain um all 11 classroom need them. Um so uh I just I told them that I promised them and I will pass it on to the board. Yeah. So that's that. And then I had a chance to attend the Little Canada Elementary School PTA. anytime I kind of am in the PTA, I'm just so grateful for our families and our parents who kind of step up and lead and really support the school. And one of the thing that um that they also had uh someone who came in to talk about the levy and again I was asked to offer my perspective. So it was perfect timing to do that. I'm very honored to have done that. And um so the the thing that I told them that I would also mention they have a pumpkin carnival that they are planning on September 25th. It's a Saturday. >> October. October. >> Oh, sorry. Thank you. October 25th. Um um and on Saturday, the food truck will start at noon. The festival itself is from 1 to 4, I think, and the food truck will stay another hour. >> It's a major undertaking and yet it's majorly fun. students, families all just loved it. >> I have to say the thing that was brought up was safety. >> Um, so they keep talking about making sure right that family still feels safe >> to be engaged in activities like that where we are connecting with the community. So that was heartfelt uh in terms of what is on their mind. Um, another thing I went to and when the when the followup come through, I want to share that with the board um, and maybe cabinet too. I was on the RCLG, okay, Ramsey County League of Local Government >> and the webinar was on cyber security. >> I have to say I listened to that there's going to be a slight deck that we will share. I'm like, "Oh my goodness, I am so glad we make a decision to uh go for the levy." >> Uh, one of the phrase that came up from the experts who talk about it and looking at um uh cases of data breach of um ransomware is that either you pay now or you pay later. >> There's no getting around it and the cost of it has gone up. And so um it's just something that is so real right now. Um so I would love that uh we we all kind of take a look at that that slight there were data on there that that was very very sobering. um is uh the idea of social engineering. The fact that you have groups who are sitting around engineering something based on what they can do with our minds, >> persuading you to be something or you know like like like really like look making something look so real that you're going to listen or you're going to answer the call. So it's something that we have to pay attention to. So I really I really was very very informative um uh as somebody uh as a and and the and the person who gave the presentation work with lo local government work with local government. So and finally I was at the dog good roseville 10year anniversary um the volunteer fair. I talked to quite a few of the organization just to say hi um really thank them for their work in the community. I have to say it was a very hopeful thing that I did. I I I felt like I needed that to know that so many people in our community are doing some great work for our families, for our students, for the communities at large. So that's my report. >> Thank you. >> So kind of segueing on the uh the levy, I was able to attend one of the community sessions that we had in the last few weeks where Dr. Lake and um Sherry Thompson, our business director, gave an excellent uh presentation to community members about the levy and its purpose and intent and all of that. Um I share Dr. choose fear I would guess of cyber security attacks and all of that because and as I think I even mentioned at the uh at the presentation that night to the community being in health care in my day job healthc care institutions and schools whether it's public schools K to2 or universities and colleges are prevalent in in in the targets of uh of the cyber hackers because uh we are not forprofits and they don't we don't have a lot ability to replicate data etc. So if they sh take the system down and they demand the ransom it's really hard to just not pay it. So part as as Sher pointed I think at the meeting to the community members part of the lovey will go to even support insurance premiums for cyber attack. I there were a lot of great questions from the audience um primarily around what what is it going to pay for? >> Yeah. >> And I think it was uh clarifying to the people in the room when uh Dr. Lake you and Sherry presented the actual ballot language and it spells out very specifically what kinds of things the funds can be used for. um you know things like paying for the subscriptions for uh the e textbooks because we don't use paper anymore and and the increasing costs of of those that kind of thing as an example. Um, I think there was some concern in the room from folks where the average monthly increase in their tax rates per month, you know, is an additional expense burden to them and, you know, they expressed those concerns and I think um, you know, you did a good job, Sher did a good job of trying to say that we we know that, but unfortunately this is not something we can't do. Uh and so if we unfort if if for whatever reason the lovey is not approved by our voters then that money will have to come out of the general fund because of the seriousness of the need for this money and what it would support. So uh just you know again congratulations >> will lead to potential cuts programs. >> Exactly. Exactly. So but it was very well attended. I think there were probably 15 20 people there. I think all four of the current schoolboard candidates were there that night when I was there and themselves had some questions or comments. So yeah, I was very pleased at the turnout and just the whole overall presentation and how it was done. So thank you. >> I should say I think >> Director G was there. Uh Director Clark was there. >> I wasn't there. I could >> Dr. Shaw was there >> and Dr. Shaw was there. Right. >> Thank you, Treasurer Clark. >> I will tell a couple of things that I was at that other people was not were not at um the 916 school board meeting. They had a two-part language access plan. So, I heard their language access plan. One of the things that's different, they have over 40 languages spoken and we have >> double that. So, look at that. So, just the difference as you can see there, but also based on um the law that they're prep prepping theirs as well. And then attended the community education advisory council. Um got to hear about the things from the summer, how things went. Um Cindy gave a um director executive director Arnerson gave a great job on um presenting about the levy to that group. Um and also I will make a play for the we need more mills on wheels volunteers. So if you or your company or somebody's available um to drive that would be great and I would highlight that we're one of the few um places that do hot meals. Um, so it's really great if we can got if people could volunteer some of their time and um, as Cindy said, it could be once a month um, that people can volunteer as little, but it really will help some of the folks in our community. >> Thank you. >> Great. Thank you, Director Gens. >> Um, there was a number of community events uh, which I know um, Mike and Manx and others attended. Um but I'll try to talk a little bit about what hasn't come up yet. The local elected officials meeting where also the presentation was made uh by Dr. Lake and uh business director uh Sherry Thompson. Um lots of good discussion in all of the different sessions, sometimes different elements brought forward. There were some good connections made as as always with the local elected officials. um also had an opportunity um to um have a table at the Falcon Heights Fall Festival to represent the Levy and there were several hundred people there. I think at least 50 people stopped by my table or stopped by. Hey, would you like to learn more about the Levy? Uh kind of got tackled, I guess, maybe is more accurate. Um but um it just been lots of different opportunities over the last um number of weeks to um hear people's perspective and I think Mike you captured some of the of what's there certainly hearing a lot of understanding of the need um but is a tough economic situation right now. Um then um got to go to the robotics tournament. Uh I don't know if you've ever been to one, but they're they're a lot of fun. But it was really cool because this tournament is for people who are new students who are new to it. Um because they don't have their new robots out until February, but this was they could get to be new drivers or serve in new roles on Saturday. And then Sunday specifically was dedicated to what they call a rise, which was um uh females and other underrepresented groups in robotics um got to be in all the roles >> um and really get some experience um in a tournament in doing that. And that was really cool to see how they're working to outreach to attract even more students into it. But there were a lot of students there. The entire parking lot was full, including the district center parking lot um had was just lot of activity going on. >> Wonderful. >> Couple of things here. I wrote it down. First of all, um Oh, the DCAC. So, >> because people had scheduling problems, I got to go to two things that I would not normally go to. One of them is the DCAC and that was the first meeting of the year. Um what was really impressive to me was the students the students who had turned out to be part of that committee. I hope they keep coming. They had a lot to say and uh I think they they will be very much appreciated. Um but the rest of the meeting was was really on orientation and sort of bringing people up to speed on how the whole uh curriculum review process and new new course process works. So uh it was a pretty pretty much um what do you call it boilerplate meeting in that way. Uh I also got to go to the uh Brim Hall PTA meeting. This is something I haven't been to since, you know, 19 96 or something. >> Your food. >> It was an event. >> It was just amazing. They had it in the gym. They had pizza and um and cookies >> and the result was you had families there. So, it was very different from a from what I think of as a normal PTA meeting. uh you had a lot of dads and uh and the kids running around and uh then uh we had sort of activities uh I was asked to to talk about what was going on in the school board which which I did although I wasn't particularly well prepared but then uh Carmen Sienna I think >> Seleni Seleni >> what how do you pronounce it >> yeah okay she She then gave a school board update which was way more detailed than mine. I was a little embarrassed about because she did she did such such a precise job and and it was interesting. It was even more interesting than I realized it was um to be on the school board. It was it was a great presentation and she also talked about the levy. So so that was good. And they we we saw the u the video that was good. But then afterwards uh we had oh I wanted to say that they announced that PTA last year had funded a group that calls themselves um playworks and it is a sort of a playground playground behavior people who who work with the kids to reduce bullying and things like that that can happen. I know this was a problem that was attacked in a different way back 20 years ago when I was I had children at PTA at Brimol. Um so it's it's good to see that uh I mean it's it's too bad that that they feel this is necessary but it looks like it's a really strong program and it's making things better. And we s we saw a lot of um videos of people having a lot of fun at uh on the Brim Hall playground. And then um uh Principal Verach took questions and um he addressed the issue of so one of the questions that came up was um the test scores and how the test scores were going. I thought he addressed that with real nuance >> and emphasized not so much where the average is sort of that one number but the the the different gaps that we're having and how we can be working on those. He also had a question which I found very interesting about homework >> and I haven't really thought about homework at elementary school for a long time. And his take on homework was that it really was not um so necessary. What was necessary he said was that you go home and read and stay away from a screen. and uh I I thought his message was very powerful and I think that that it resonated with the parents. So it was it was good to see that communication going on and that's about it. >> Awesome. >> Thanks Frank. Um my uh little report is uh yesterday Rosalia schools honored Indigenous People's Day. uh we celebrate the wonderful cultures and the traditions of indigenous peoples and it was a time to reaffirm our commitment to building understanding and partnership with the native communities every single day. So I wanted to make sure that that was recognized yesterday. That's all I had and superintendent report. >> Great. Well, good evening. I'll start with it's October is National Principles Month and we have an incredibly dynamic, dedicated, hardworking, exceptional leaders, right? both demonstrating the art and science of leadership. And I think on the 28th, I'll ask associate superintendents Smith and Wyatt to even uh expound more on how fortunate we are in Roseville area schools for the great humans we have leading our schools. And then also, we appreciate the thoughtful questions and feedback about this fall safety and technology levy shared through our website, community meetings, and staff information sessions. A great deal of time and care went into determining this request, both by district staff and by members of our district finance advisory committee. We believe what we're asking for reflects a thoughtful decision of our district's financial sustainability while also recognizing that it requires our community's investment. People choose Roseville because of our outstanding schools, and we will continue working to share clear information and facts about this fall's levy. Thank you for being such strong supporters of our district and of our students and for our community every single day. Thank you. >> All right. Right. There's no further business before the Roseberry School Board. Stand adjourned.