[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
THEY TELL ME THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A TECHNICAL ERROR AT THE BEGINNING.
SO JUST TO REITERATE, WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
[4. GENERAL]
OUR PURPOSE TONIGHT IS TO INTERVIEW THE CANDIDATES, MAKE A SELECTION FOR TO APPOINT TO BE AN AREA THREE DIRECTOR.JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WE DO HAVE FLOOR MIC SET UP THAT WE'LL BE PICKING THINGS UP.
THEY WILL PICK UP PEOPLE TALKING IN THE STUDIO AUDIENCE.
SO TO AVOID ANY HOT MIC MOMENTS, THEY DO NOISE CANCEL WHEN SOMEBODY IS ACTUAL TALKING, BUT WHEN THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC VOICE TO PICK UP ON, THEY MAY PICK YOU UP. SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS.
SO WITH THAT, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO.
AND SO THE OTHER THING THAT MELINDA JUST BROUGHT ME IS THERE WAS SOME QUESTION.
ARE 98 THE 90 DAYS WITHIN WHICH THE POLICY AND THAT IS TO REMEMBER ENDED ON THE 18TH.
WE DID CONTACT THE ESB WHO WOULD BE MAKING THE DECISION IF THE BOARD WAS UNABLE TO DO THAT AND WERE GIVEN AN EXTENSION BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE WERE IN PRIVATE, WE'D BE UNABLE TO COME TO A DECISION TONIGHT ON OUR APPOINTMENT, DIRECTOR THREE THEN IT WOULD TURN OVER TO THE ESB.
I THINK WE HAVE HIT EVERYTHING.
SO THERE WAS A QUESTION DURING THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, IF WE HAD WRITTEN EXPRESSION BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE ASD, LARRY FRANZ, THAT WE HAD THIS EXTENSION AND HE HAS PROVIDED A WRITTEN EMAIL THAT WE HAVE THE EXTENSION AND HE HAS THE POWER TO GRANT.
OKAY. SO WITH THAT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO START, CHRIS, FOR A FEW MINUTES EARLY.
SO WE WILL GO ON, AND OUR FIRST CANDIDATE TONIGHT IS KATIE DORE, AND THE BOARD HAS A SERIES OF SEVEN QUESTIONS THAT WILL EACH MEMBER OR EACH APPLICANT WILL ASK THEM TO HAVE A SEAT, WILL ENTER EACH BOARD MEMBER ASKING THE VARIOUS QUESTIONS.
THE LAST MEMBER AS BEING INTERVIEWED, THE SAME QUESTIONS.
AND LET ME GO AHEAD AND WE'LL START THINGS TONIGHT.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR TRAINING, INTEREST AND EXPERIENCE ON POLICY BOARDS, COMMUNITY AND OR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND HOW IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AN EDUCATIONAL FAMILY.
SO I COACHED MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE.
AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT GOT INTO MY STUDENT TEACHING.
THE LAST FEW YEARS I WAS PART TIME AS I WAS ALSO PART TIME TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR FOR THE DISTRICT.
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ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE.AND THE TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATED COMMISSION CAME UP IN MOUNT VERNON.
SO I'M CURRENTLY LIVING IN FERNDALE AND WORKING IN MT.
VERNON AS A TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION SPECIALIST.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE STRENGTHS AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? THE STRENGTHS. I FEEL THE OPEN COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN VERY NICE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
AS I WAS LIVING IN BELLINGHAM WHEN I WAS TEACHING IN FERNDALE.
WITH THAT BEING INCLUDED, MY CHILD IS NOT YOUR TRADITIONAL STUDENT.
WHILE I WAS A VERY TRADITIONAL STUDENT AND LOVED SPORTS AND ATHLETICS AND WAS VERY INVOLVED IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND LOVED FOOTBALL GAMES AND HIGH SCHOOL DANCES AND ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS. HE'S NOT THAT KID.
HE'S NOT THE KID. NOT THE KID WHO WANTS TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO HE FOUND HIS THROUGH WHERE HE FELT HE ATTENDED SCHOOL, HE FELT CONNECTED TO SCHOOL.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF HIS TEACHERS.
I THINK WE HAVE A VERY STRONG STAFF AND WE MADE THEM FEEL LIKE PART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WE'RE ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER AS A STAFF AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT I'M A PART OF THE THE INCLUSION GRANT DOWN IN MT.
VERNON HAS BEEN PART OF THAT DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAM LAST TWO YEARS.
I WANT YOU TO CELEBRATE THE GRADUATION RATE OF 88%, WHICH IS AMAZING AND AWESOME.
AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY BIG STRENGTH.
SOME SHORTCOMINGS OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE SCORES DEFINITELY NEED TO BE INCREASED.
AND I DO BELIEVE WHAT WE LOOKING AT INCLUSIONARY PRACTICES, EMBRACING THE AND ALLOWING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND ALSO ALSO DEMONSTRATE THAT INTERACTING WITH CONTENT IN THE CLASSROOM IS REALLY GOING TO SUPPORT SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO DON'T FIT INTO THE TRADITION.
ANOTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED IN FERNDALE IS OUR ATTENDANCE RATE.
AS WE KNOW, IF STUDENTS DON'T ATTEND SCHOOL, THEY CAN'T WIN.
SO I'D LIKE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK AND IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THOSE BARRIERS FOR STUDENTS COMING BACK INTO SCHOOL AND HOW CAN WE BE SURE THAT WE CAN REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS TO GET OUR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL SO THEY CAN LEARN? I WAS RECENTLY WORKING WITH SOME OF OUR ATTENDANCE LIAISON'S IN OUR DISTRICT AND WE HAVE BROUGHT ON SCHOOL DATA SOLUTIONS TO HELP US THROUGH OUR DATA DASHBOARDS.
AND I FOUND AND ONE OF MY RECENT TRAININGS, ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE FROM FERNDALE FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE WHO WAS STARTING THOSE TRAININGS AS WELL, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING TO ME BECAUSE IT CAN GIVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION [INAUDIBLE] STUDENTS IN THEIR THERE'S AN ATTENDANCE RISK INDEX THAT WE USE THAT CAN IDENTIFY STUDENTS EARLY ON IN THE SCHOOL YEAR WHO MIGHT HAVE AN ATTENDANCE ISSUE.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.
SO NOW WE'RE WORKING ON CHANGING SOME OF OUR POLICIES WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE STUDENTS FEEL SAFE IN GOING TO SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S DARK IN THE WINTER HOURS. THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXPANDED UPON AND I'VE SEEN IT STARTED HERE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT EXPANDED ON IS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM.
AS YOU KNOW, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CAN MAKE A VAST DIFFERENCE FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS.
[00:10:04]
WE STARTED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM.WE HAVE SEVEN CLASSROOMS RIGHT NOW IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE'RE TRACKING THOSE COHORTS AND WE'RE TRACKING THEIR SCORES AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND THEIR ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT. AND WE ARE SEEING THAT THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR STUDENTS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO SEE EXPANDED.
OKAY. I GET THE NEXT TWO QUESTIONS.
SO WHAT IF, AS A BOARD MEMBER, A PARENT APPROACHED YOU ABOUT A CONCERN AT SCHOOL, HOW WOULD YOU HELP THE PARENTS? I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE NEED TO DO IS TO LISTEN.
AND SO I THINK LISTENING WITH EMPATHY, RESPONDING WITH KINDNESS IS THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO START WITH ALL OF OUR PARENTS AND I WOULD THEN ENCOURAGE THEM TO HELP COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR SCHOOL LEADERS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION AND A COMPROMISE ON HOW WE COULD RESOLVE THE ISSUES TOGETHER.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A STUDENT TODAY? THE ONE WORD ANSWER I WROTE ON THAT ONE WAS HARD.
STUDENTS HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATES TODAY.
A LOT MORE I KNOW THAN EVEN WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL.
BUT THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND A LOT OF OTHER DISTRACTIONS AND THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE.
AND OUR STUDENTS HAVE A LOT MORE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO NAVIGATE.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT.
ALTHOUGH YOU ARE SELECTED FROM DISTRICT THREE WHERE 46.3% ARE INDIGENOUS.
YOU WORK ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS DIVERSE IN MANY WAYS.
HOW WILL YOU REPRESENT ALL VOICES IN THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] NATION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND AND HOLD MEETINGS IN THAT AREA AND HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO ALSO BE INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE DECISION MAKING.
FERNDALE ALSO HAS 24% HISPANIC AND LATINO STUDENTS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT THEIR FAMILY HISTORIES AND THEIR CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE, AND WE EMBRACE THAT AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BRING THAT INTO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND HEAR STORIES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THEM AND THAT ARE REFLECTIVE OF THEIR CULTURE.
AND WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES OF ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND WE NEED TO HAVE REPRESENTATION WITHIN OUR CURRICULUM TO SHOW THOSE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND TO SHOW OUR KIDS SO THAT THEY SEE THAT THEY HAVE VALUE AND THAT THEY CAN SEE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HONORED AND OPINION AND THEY CAN SEE WHERE THEY FIT INTO THE WORLD.
AND. MY NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU.
DID YOU PLEASE IDENTIFY ANY COMMITMENTS THAT MIGHT PREVENT YOU FROM ATTENDING REGULAR SCHEDULE MEETING, PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS, STUDY SESSIONS, LINKAGES, REVIEW AND STUDY MATERIALS, VISITING SCHOOLS AND PARTICIPATING IN OTHER BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES.
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I AM EMPLOYED FULL TIME AT THE MT.BUT I CAN BE FLEXIBLE WITH THAT TIME AND CHANGE SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS WHEN NECESSARY.
I DO HAVE AH PERSONAL DAYS THAT I HAVE SAVED UP SO I CAN TAKE MY DEEDS OR SCHOOL EVENTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DAY, WORKING [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. SO KATIE, IN THE REMAINING TIME, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE DIDN'T ASK YOU TO THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR ANY QUESTIONS FOR US.
I THINK FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT I'M HONEST.
WE'RE OPEN TO THOSE VOICES AND THEIR OPINIONS.
WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO OURSELVES.
I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M A COLLABORATOR.
I LOVE WORKING WOMEN, AND BEING ABLE TO LISTEN ALSO MEANS BEING ABLE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION AT TIMES.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COLLABORATE WITH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COLLABORATE WITH TEACHERS AND TEACHERS UNIONS.
I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR STUDENTS AND HEAR THEIR VOICES.
WE NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND THEIR VOICES, AND WE NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR VALUES ARE AND, WHAT THEY WANT OUR WORK, OUR WORK TO.
AND THAT HELP SHAPED OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND OUR DISTRICT SCHOOLS BY TAKING IN THAT FEEDBACK.
AND THAT WAS REFLECTIVE OF US AS A DISTRICT AS WE ARE SPENDING TIME.
MOVING INTO A DIFFERENT ROLE FROM FROM BEING A TEACHER.
MOVING INTO A DISTRICT SCHOOL WAS A BIG SHIFT FOR ME.
THAT FIRST YEAR WAS A LOT OF LEARNING AND I HAD TO GET THE KATIE [INAUDIBLE] WE NEED TO THINK AS A SYSTEM AND YOU NEED TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS A LARGER SYSTEM THAN JUST YOUR CLASSROOM OR JUST YOUR SCHOOL.
AND SO FROM THAT, I LEARNED HOW TO BE A SYSTEMATIC THINKER AND PLAN LONG TERM, LONG TERM GOALS, LONG TERM STRATEGIES AND WAYS AND KNOW THAT CHANGE CAN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
BUT IT HAS TO BE INCREMENTAL AND WE HAVE TO TAKE ALL VOICES AND OPINIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO I THINK BEING THAT SYSTEMATIC SYSTEMS THINKER CAN REALLY HELP OUR VISION SUCH AS THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWERS.
AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A MIX UP IN THE ORDER, AND SO WE'RE JUST GIVING CINDY CAULTY, WHO IS OUR NEXT DOOR APPLICANT, A FEW MINUTES WITH THE QUESTIONS BEFORE SHE'S INTERVIEWED.
SO WE'LL BE JUST A FEW MOMENTS.
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WELCOME, CINDY.IT LOOKS LIKE WE [INAUDIBLE] OKAY, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
CINDY CAULTY IS OUR SECOND CANDIDATE TO BE INTERVIEWED THIS AFTERNOON.
AND SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SIMILAR PROCESS TO WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
AND SO FIRST QUESTION FOR US TONIGHT IS PLEASE PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR TRAINING, INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE ON POLICY BOARDS, COMMUNITY AND WORK, SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND HOW IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
I JUST GOT REQUESTS ON A SNAP [INAUDIBLE] SON.[INAUDIBLE] AND I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.
CURRENTLY I HAVE MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT I THINK THAT I BRING WITH ME.
AND MOST CURRENT I SERVE AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE [INAUDIBLE] CFI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, JUST I SOMETIME
[00:25:06]
[INAUDIBLE] AS THEY DEVELOP INITIATIVES FOR EARLY LEARNING, HOMELESSNESS, ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH THAT THEY LAUNCHED JUST A YEAR AGO.IT WAS IT WAS AMAZING WORK WITH AN AMAZING TEAM OF LOCAL LEADERS AND THE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I WOULD STILL BE WORKING WITH THEM IF I WASN'T WORKING FOR THEM.
I HAVE A DEEP COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY, AND A LOVE FOR EDUCATION. I'M A GRADUATE FROM [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOL, THE NORTHWEST INDIAN COLLEGE WESTERN TWICE.
WHEN I GOT TO [INAUDIBLE] WITH MY PHD AND WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL JUST LAST SEPTEMBER FOR GRADUATION AFTER COVID, THEIR FIRST GRADUATION.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT AND MOST PROUD OF MYSELF FOR LEARNING BECAUSE I WHEN I WAS IN FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL, I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE MY WHERE I WOULD SIT TODAY AND WHERE I WOULD BE COMMITTED TO THAT EVERYDAY LIFE. WOW.
FERNDALE HAS COME A LONG WAY IN SERVING THEIR DIVERSE POPULATION.
BECAUSE IN THOSE DAYS, IT WASN'T DIVERSE.
IT WAS NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE, AND SOME HISPANIC.
THAT AND SO WHEN I WHEN I WITNESSED WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS OVER THE LAST DECADE, I'M PROUD OF FERNDALE, AND APPLIED JUST BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT WORKED FOR THE NORTHWEST INDIAN COLLEGE FOR 17 YEARS, BUT ATTENDED THERE, I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL IN 1990 FOR MY ASSOCIATE DEGREE AND REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME GOT TO EXPERIENCE A REAL NURTURING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AND IT JUST IT'S SPARKED MY INTEREST IN LEARNING, AND I DIDN'T LEAVE THERE UNTIL 2014. SO I WORKED IN A BOOK REHAB.
PEOPLE IDENTIFY THEIR STRENGTHS AND CAREER INTERESTS, AND MANY OF THEM ALSO GO TO SCHOOL.
AND SO I FOUND MYSELF HELPING MOST OF MY CLIENTS GO TO SCHOOL.
ADVISING STUDENTS AND HELPING THEM FIND THEIR STRENGTHS AND THEIR LOVE FOR LEARNING.
FEED THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT REASON IT REESTABLISHED.
I FIND STUDENTS AT FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE.
AND SO I BRING ALL OF THAT EXPERIENCE WITH TO HELP FERNDALE HOPEFULLY, CRITICALLY ABOUT THEIR ORGANIZATION.
[00:30:05]
AFTER I LEFT TO WORK AT THE NORTHWEST [INAUDIBLE] FOR LIBC FOR A FEW YEARS, HELPING THEM WITH ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS. SO I CONTINUE TO HAVE A REAL INTEREST IN EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT AND CURRENTLY WORK UNDER THE CHAIRMAN INTRIGUING PROTECTION AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT.WHAT'S NOT WHAT I DIDN'T INCLUDE IS THAT IN BETWEEN I WAS FINISHING UP MY DOCTORATE.
I WAS SELF-EMPLOYED AND HELPED MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOP POLICY.
SO I HELP WRITE POLICY AND HEALTH BOARD POLICY FOR 501C3.
ICW POLICY AND LICENSING POLICY.
SO WHAT WAS UNIQUE IN FOR US WITH THE RIGHT POLICY OR TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS IS A LOT OF THE TIMES WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR THAT FEDERAL AND STATE COMMITMENT.
WHILE WE'RE MAKING SURE OUR POLICIES SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY OR THE GOALS I'M ABLE TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES ABOUT POLICY.
NEXT QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE STRENGTHS AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I REALLY I DO THINK YOUR ABILITY TO GET IT WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH AS A STRENGTH.
I THINK THAT THE GREAT STRIDES THAT YOU'VE MADE IN SERVING A DIVERSE POPULATION IS A STRENGTH.
AND AND I THINK A BRAND NEW HIGH SCHOOL IS DEFINITELY [INAUDIBLE] YOU KNOW.
TRUTHFULLY, A COUPLE OF THINGS COME TO MIND.
BUT REALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON IS POSITIVE.
THIS IS A SHORT TERM AND REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MY FEET WET AND HELP OUT WHERE I CAN WITH AND SUPPORT. I THINK THAT THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
YES. AS A BOARD MEMBER OF PARENT APPROACH TO YOU ABOUT A CONCERN AT SCHOOL, HOW WOULD YOU HELP? WELL, OF COURSE I WOULD LISTEN.
I WOULD ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS IF NEEDED.
YEAH, DEFINITELY BE AS EMPATHETIC AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN ASK IF THEY NEEDED HELP.
NOW, MAYBE THEY'RE JUST TELLING THEIR STORY.
IF THEY NEEDED HELP, I DO MY BEST TO CONNECT THEM WITH THE APPROPRIATE PERSON STEPS.
NOT WHAT. WHAT THEY WERE CONCERNED.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A STUDENT TODAY? YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT.
I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT AT ALL LEVELS.
THOSE THAT ARE CONNECTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA ALL THE TIME.
AND DON'T EVER GET DISCONNECTED.
YOU DON'T HAVE AWAY FROM BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING.
BUT IT'S ALSO OUR STUDENTS TODAY BRAND OR CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF COVID AND THE
[00:35:10]
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT FOLLOW FROM BEING ISOLATED FOR ALL THAT TIME.AND BESIDES THE LEARNING DELAYS.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING IN THE CLASSROOM.
NO. OUR KIDS DON'T EARN ON COMPUTERS AND WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TALK WITH SOMEBODY ABOUT WHAT WANT HAVE TO LIVE A HANDS ON EXPERIENCE.
WELL, I JUST, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THAT FOR SOME TIME.
NEXT QUESTION. ALTHOUGH YOU ARE SELECTED FROM DISTRICT THREE, WHERE 46.3% ARE INDIGENOUS, YOU WORK ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS DIVERSE IN MANY WAYS.
HOW WILL YOU REPRESENT ALL THE VOICES IN THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I THINK THE STUDENTS WELL, I THINK WE SERVE STUDENTS FIRST.
AND THAT'S HOW WE LOOK AT OUR POPULATION, IS THAT THEY'RE STUDENTS AND THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT SHOULD BE [INAUDIBLE] IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT PROUD.
AND TO SERVE, TO REPRESENT THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION THAT GO TO FERNDALE.
I THINK ALL OF MY [INAUDIBLE] STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION AND VOICE.
I THINK I HAVE THE NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU.
DID YOU IDENTIFY ANY COMMITMENTS THAT MIGHT PREVENT YOU FROM ATTENDING REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS, PARTICIPATING IN WORKSHOPS, STUDY SESSIONS, LINKAGES, REVIEWING STUDY MATERIALS, VISITING SCHOOLS, AND PARTICIPATING IN OTHER BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, I HAVE LOTS OF TIME COMMITMENTS.
MY HUSBAND HAS LOTS THE TIME COMMITMENTS, BUT.
YOU KNOW. ONE, I WAS RAISED BY A VERY STRONG MAN THAT TAUGHT ALL OF HIS TEN CHILDREN THAT WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR WORD THAT'S EVERYTHING.
IF I SAY I ACCEPT THIS POSITION, THEN I'VE GIVEN MY COMMITMENT TO IT AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING TO BE HERE. TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO DO A GOOD JOB.
IN THE REMAINING TIME, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE DIDN'T ASK YOU THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THIS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD OR DISCUSS? UM. I GUESS THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY I DIDN'T TOUCH ON WAS PART OF THE WORK THAT I DO FOR LIVC IS THE SERVICE TO THE COUNCIL AND ANYTHING THAT THEY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM, I HELP THEM LEARN ABOUT AND ADDRESS.
SO, RIGHT NOW I'M READING LOTS OF LEGISLATION, BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] IS IN SESSION, I'M TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THAT.
AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN THEY STARTED, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDED OR.
ERECTED OVER DEPARTMENTS, DEALT WITH TRIBES, INUNDATED WITH GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION.
MAKE SURE TO COUNT. HAPPENING AND DEVELOPING.
SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT WHEN NOBODY ELSE IS THERE TO DO THAT.
[00:40:01]
SO I HAVE A LOT OF THAT EXPERIENCE KNOWLEDGE [INAUDIBLE] I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.IF I GIVE THE TIME, WOULD YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF HOW MUCH TIME THAT IT TAKES DEDICATE TO YOU.
SHE'S ALSO SERVES AS OUR LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE ON KEEPING UP ON THE BILLS.
AND AGAIN, LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION.
THAT'S A BIGGER JOB THAN OTHER TIMES.
PART OF IT DEPENDS ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TIME OF YEAR, THERE'S CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR THERE'S MORE GOING ON FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH BUDGETS AND READING THOSE THINGS AHEAD OF TIME. IF WE OPT TO DO A FULL OUT POLICY REVIEW, THERE COULD BE MORE TIME, CERTAINLY AS WE HAVE STUDY SESSIONS AND SCHOOL VISITS.
A LOT OF IT REALLY DEPENDS KIND OF ON THE SCHEDULE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.
WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO ORGANIZE A RETREAT A MONTH, A COURSE, A FEW HOURS ON THE WEEKEND, JUST TRYING TO DO SOME BOARD DEVELOPMENT, AND PARTICULARLY AS NEW MEMBER COMING ON BOARD, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY MORE TIME SPENT JUST GETTING CAUGHT UP WITH EVERYTHING BECAUSE IT SORT OF, AS THEY SAY, DRINKING FROM A FIREHOSE INITIALLY AND THAT THERE'S ALSO SOME REQUIRED TRAINING.
I'M KIND OF A MONTH TO MONTH TYPE OF THING.
SO THE BUSINESS MEETING THE LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, THAT'S LIKE TOP OF THE LIST.
SO FOR THAT ONE, WE ALSO STUDY SESSIONS.
MOST MONTHS WE HAVE ONE STUDY SESSION YOU'VE THOSE TWO EVENINGS.
OUR RESPONSE TO IT IS DUE VIA A SURVEY AND THE SURVEY'S COLLATED COMES BACK TO US.
THEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, SO YOU'RE READY FOR THE BOARD MEETING.
SO THERE'S KIND OF A CADENCE WITH THAT SORT OF THING.
IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF ISSUE GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT, YOU MIGHT HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE CONTACTING YOU.
SO THERE'S OBVIOUSLY TALKING WITH OR RESPONDING EMAIL TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
OH, YEAH. SO [INAUDIBLE] CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER, THERE'S REGIONAL THINGS.
ALL OF THOSE ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS FAR AS GIVING YOU THE TOOLS TO BE AN EFFECTIVE BOARD MEMBER.
BUT AS FAR AS REQUIRED, THOSE TUESDAY AT THE END OF THE MONTH STUDY SESSIONS AND LAW THE YOUR OPEN PUBLIC MEETING TRAINING, THAT SORT OF THING. AND I THINK MOST OF THAT PART OF THOSE MEETINGS HAPPENS THAT WHAT YOU SEE IS PART OF IT'S BEING AHEAD OF TIME, READING THROUGH VARIOUS POLICIES, THE RESOLUTIONS, DIFFERENT THINGS OF YOUR VOTING.
SO I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ON AVERAGE.
AN HOUR OR TWO A WEEK ON OFF WEEKS.
AND THEN THOSE WEEKS THERE'S THE MEETINGS THAT NONE OF US CAN ASSIGN TO A COMMITTEE OR ANOTHER OR PART OF AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
SO I ATTEND THAT, AT LEAST THAT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.
JUST I MEAN, WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE A STUDENT? WE CAN ANSWER WHAT WE THINK IT'S LIKE TO BE A STUDENT, AND WE MAYBE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A STUDENT FOR THE STUDENTS.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S FUN AND OTHER TIMES IT'S HOSTING OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
[00:45:06]
BUT SCHOOL VISITS IS CHRISTIE DOES A GREAT JOB OF LETTING US KNOW WHAT IS AVAILABLE.AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT ISN'T ON THAT LIST, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS JUST SAYING, HEY, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS AND IT HELPS YOU FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, ARE THERE CURRENT CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW THAT YOU'RE FACING? I THINK THERE'S THE CONSTANT ONGOING CHALLENGE.
ONE OF THOSE IS PROBABLY ACADEMICS.
AND I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.
AND TRYING TO MOVE PAST THAT, TO MOVE ON TO DEALING WITH THE ACADEMIC END OF THINGS, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, STUDENTS DON'T LEARN WELL FROM THE COMPUTER.
AND I THINK THAT. SO AS WE'VE MOVED FORWARD, YOU SEE [INAUDIBLE] NOT WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE.
THERE'S MORE TO LEARNING TEST SCORES.
THAT'S ONE OF THE TOOLS WE USE TO.
IF YOU SAY YOU HAVE WORKED IN RETENTION, KEEPING PEOPLE IN SCHOOL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, AS I MENTIONED, THAT ATTENDANCE IS A BIG PROBLEM. SO I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT MUCH.
YEAH. I USED. TRACK PEOPLE DOWN ALL THE TIME.
WELL, THANK YOU, CINDY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THE ANSWERS.
SO LOOKS LIKE WE'LL BE ABLE TO CATCH UP.
IS OUR NEXT INTERVIEW SCHEDULED TO START AT 6:25, WHICH GIVES US ABOUT 3 MINUTES TO ASSEMBLE.
AND THEN WE WILL START OUR NEXT INTERVIEW.
THAT YOU'RE UNDERNEATH THE NONFICTION.
BUT READS LIKE A NOVEL SOMETIMES.
[00:50:23]
OKAY. WELL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH OUR THIRD INTERVIEW.HAPPY TO WELCOME PATRICIA DUNN TO OUR MEETING TONIGHT.
THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE ASKING, HAVE YOU GIVE YOUR RESPONSES? AND SO THE FIRST QUESTION TONIGHT IS PLEASE PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR TRAINING, INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE ON POLICY BOARDS, COMMUNITY AND OR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND HOW IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
I'VE ALSO TAUGHT FINANCIAL LITERACY TO THIRD GRADERS IN THE DISTRICT, AND I LOVE WALKING INTO THE SCHOOLS AND JUST SEEING THE THE ENERGY THAT YOU FIND THERE.
I'M A CPA, CTMA, SO I HAVE EXTENSIVE FINANCIAL BACKGROUND AND ABOUT 20 YEARS OF THAT IS IN GOVERNMENT IN ALASKA WITH ALASKA RAILROAD AS VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE THERE AND LOCALLY WITH WTA, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AT WTA FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS AND ESPECIALLY AT WTA, I GOT A REAL SENSE OF THE COMMUNITY, A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WHATCOM COUNTY FACES AND PARTICIPATED IN QUITE A FEW PUBLIC HEARINGS WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, THOSE KIND OF ISSUES. SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT, FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF THE GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE ISSUES THAT EVERY AGENCY HAS TO DEAL WITH. THE THING THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED VERY RELEVANT UNTIL IT IS A BAD AUDIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I HAVE SERVED ON THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SYSTEM COMMITTEES AS A CITIZEN FINANCE REP AND VERY, VERY INVOLVED WITH THAT.
SO I WAS APPOINTED TO THE OVERVIEW BOARD IN 2013 BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN THE [INAUDIBLE] AND WORKED ON THAT INTO A YEAR AND A HALF TWO YEARS AGO.
AND ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, I'VE ALSO BEEN ON THE LUMMI ISLAND FERRY TASK FORCE AS WELL AS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO QUITE A BIT OF TECHNICAL WORK THERE.
I HAVE A VERY STRONG FINANCIAL BACKGROUND AND I'M VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN EDUCATION.
I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN BEING THE CHAMPION FOR THE UNDERDOG.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I DO IS I EVALUATE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE WASHINGTON SOCIETY OF CPAS, TWO ROUNDS OF SCHOLARSHIPS THEY HAVE, AS WELL AS THE WHATCOM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
AND DOING THAT IS IT'S UPLIFTING, IT'S HEARTBREAKING, AND IT GIVES YOU SO MUCH HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS MOTIVATE HAVE MOTIVATED ME TO WANT TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.
OH, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, FULL DISCLOSURE, I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT, BY THE WAY.
FOUND MY WAY TO COLLEGE FOUR YEARS LATER.
WELL, THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE STRENGTHS AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I WOULD SAY THE STRENGTHS ARE WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE CARING THAT THE STAFF AND FACULTY HAVE FOR THE STUDENTS. THEY REALLY WHAT I'VE SEEN IN WHAT I'VE BEEN IN THE CLASSROOMS JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY GO ALL OUT, I THINK, TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS. I ALSO GET THE WEEKLY BOND COMMITTEE UPDATES.
I MEAN, IT'S IT'S LIKE THEY'RE TRANSPARENT.
THEIR PICTURES, THEIR COLORS ARE GREAT.
ANY SHORTCOMINGS. THE WEBSITE COULD USE AN UPDATE.
[00:55:03]
AND IF YOU NOTICE IN MY PACKET, I AM ALSO A CHAMPION OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE EMPHASIS ON THAT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.YOU KNOW, REALLY EQUIP STUDENTS TO GET OUT AND BE ABLE TO DO A BUDGET, UNDERSTAND HOW CREDIT CARD COMPANIES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH ARE TRYING TO SCAM THEM AND SO THEY CAN MAKE WISE DECISIONS GOING DOWN THE ROAD.
AS A BOARD MEMBER, A PARENT APPROACHED YOU ABOUT A CONCERN AT SCHOOL.
HOW WOULD YOU HELP THE PARENT? LISTEN AND GET INFORMATION.
AND IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE ISSUE IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, LIKE, IF IT IF IT WAS ABUSE OR SEVERE BULLYING, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I WOULD CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT MEMBER.
IF IT WAS YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT DIDN'T RISE TO THAT LEVEL, I WOULD ASK THE PARENT TO PROBABLY CONTACT THE SCHOOL FIRST IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY AND TRY AND GET THAT.
PARENTS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR KIDS THAT THERE ALSO ARE ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY.
I THINK IT'S WISE TO NOT JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A STUDENT TODAY? THE STUDENTS I HAVE WORKED WITH ARE STRUGGLING.
THEY WERE AWAY FROM THEIR FRIENDS FOR TWO YEARS.
THEY HAD PROBLEMS DOING SCHOOL OVER ZOOM AND IT DIDN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF THEY WERE GOOD STUDENTS BEFORE OR POOR STUDENTS BEFORE. THEY ALL HAD ISSUES AND THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING WITH ALL THIS, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE KIND OF HAD A YEAR OF MORE OR LESS NORMAL AND I ALSO SEE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ISOLATED.
THEY JUST THEY JUST WANT A FRIEND.
AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE ANSWER IS TO THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF ADMINISTRATORS AND THE BOARD CAN LOOK AT THAT AS AN ISSUE AND ATTEMPT TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO POLICY MAKING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
HOW WILL YOU REPRESENT ALL THE VOICES IN FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I WOULD, I HEARD THE EARLIER INTERVIEW WHERE YOU ENCOURAGED SCHOOL VISITS, AND I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
AND I WOULD REACH OUT TO UM, THE CONTACTS FOR LUMMI NATION AND LOOK AT WAYS THAT I COULD SUPPORT THEM.
OK PATRICIA, I HAVE YOUR NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU.
CAN YOU IDENTIFY ANY COMMITMENTS THAT MIGHT PREVENT YOU FROM ATTENDING REGULAR SCHEDULE MEETINGS? THIS MEETING AND WORKSHOPS, STUDY SESSIONS, LINKAGES, REVIEW AND STUDY MATERIALS, VISITING SCHOOLS AND PARTICIPATING IN OTHER BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES.
IT WOULD BE THE MAIN MEETING, BUT I HAVE IN THE PAST ALWAYS CONSIDERABLE TIME TO MY VOLUNTEER WORK.
FOR EXAMPLE EMS, I'VE HAD WEEKS WHERE I PUT 40 TO 60 HOURS IN WORKING ON ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT.
AND I HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION SITE, AND I NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE A VIRTUAL JUMPSTART THAT YOU CAN DO ONLINE.
[01:00:01]
SO I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR THAT.I'VE ALSO LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF POLICIES ON THE WEBSITE.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE DIDN'T ASK YOU THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR QUESTIONS YOU HAVE? WELL, I ALREADY CONFESS TO BEING A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I'M A CHAMPION OF THE UNDERDOG.
THE STUDENTS ARE INVISIBLE, THAT ARE UNSEEN, AND GETTING THEM ATTENTION OR HELP THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S A LOT OF SOCIAL ANXIETY AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT FOR THEM AND YOU KNOW, JUST JUST TRYING TO GET THEM THE HELP BECAUSE SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE SMART.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT THAT THEY YOU KNOW, THEY AREN'T.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY TALENTED IN A LOT OF WAYS.
THEY DON'T HAVE SUPPORT AT HOME.
MAYBE THE FAMILIES DON'T VALUE EDUCATION.
AND IT'S JUST IT'S TRYING TO GIVE THEM THE EXTRA BOOST THEY NEED.
SO WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THEY CAN HAVE SKILLS TO GO INTO THE WORLD AND BE SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. AND EVERYBODY'S DEFINITION OF SUCCESS IS DIFFERENT, BUT BE ABLE TO HAVE A JOB, MANAGE THEIR MONEY AND HAVE A GREAT INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL.
MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A GOOD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER? IT'S BEEN I THINK AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, WE'RE LOOKING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT DIVERSITY THEME, TRYING TO REPRESENT OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT, LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO VALUES ACADEMICS AND VALUES SOME PROCESSES, BUT LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WILL BRING SOMETHING TO THE BOARD THAT WE POTENTIALLY DON'T HAVE.
ONE OF SOMETHING I WAS TOLD ONCE BY SOMEBODY THAT I THOUGHT WAS IF YOU HAVE A BOARD OR A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE AND TWO PEOPLE, ONE OF THEM IS NOT REALLY NECESSARY.
AND WHILE I'M HEARING THAT THERE'S THAT PERSON AND SO WE'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, AGREEMENT IS GREAT, BUT DISAGREEMENT AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION HELPS US TO DIG DEEPER AND FIND THINGS.
SO I GUESS THAT WOULD BE MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON IT.
ANYONE ELSE CAN CHIME IN? I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SOME FINANCIAL BACKGROUND BECAUSE I FEEL REALLY THAT'S A VERY USEFUL SKILL.
I GUESS I HAVE TO CONFESS, I MISSED THE BOARD MEMBER THAT WE LOST.
SO I'M KIND OF LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY THAT BECAUSE THIS IS ME PERSONALLY, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE SHE REALLY DID ROUND OUT OUR BOARD PRETTY WELL, BUT SOMETHING OF A SIMILAR FIT.
OKAY. I THINK SOMEBODY THAT JUST FITS INTO A TEAM ENVIRONMENT THAT KNOWS HOW TO REACH GOALS, CONSENSUS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SOMEBODY THAT ALWAYS, ALWAYS SPEAK UP AND SPEAK THEIR PIECE MAKE A BUSINESS CASE.
AND LIKE I SAY, WORK WITHIN A GROUP.
REACH CONSENSUS DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE AGREEABLE TO EVERYBODY, BUT BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY WELL.
SO LIKE KEVIN WAS SAYING, I THINK DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS ARE ARE GOOD TO HAVE AND ALSO WORKING ON A TEAM THAT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE.
[01:05:03]
ONE THING I COULD ADD IS I GREW UP I WAS ACTUALLY BORN IN BELLINGHAM, LIVED HERE TILL I WAS SIX, WENT TO MOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL.MY PARENTS MOVED TO ALASKA, WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO MEET SANTA CLAUS.
I WAS SIX AND BUT IT IS A VERY DIVERSE POPULATION UP THERE.
A LOT OF ALASKAN NATIVES, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THERE AND GREW UP IN SITKA, WHICH HAS A VERY LARGE [INAUDIBLE] POPULATION.
AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL, WARM COMMUNITY THAT I ALWAYS FELT PART OF.
AND LATER ON I LIVED IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA.
AND AGAIN, IT WAS IT WAS VERY DIVERSE.
I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK WITH ALASKAN NATIVE CORPORATIONS, WHICH ARE KIND OF A BEAST UNTO THEMSELVES AS FAR AS THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS AND CONTRACTING RAMIFICATIONS.
SO I'VE WORKED WITH THOSE ENVIRONMENTS.
I MEAN, DOES THAT EVER HAPPEN HERE? I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER.
WELL, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR ANSWERS IN REGARDS TO THE POSITION.
OUR NEXT INTERVIEW IS SCHEDULED TO START IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES AT SEVEN, 6:50, NO 7:00 SORRY.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH A FEW MINUTES EARLY.
OUR FOURTH CANDIDATE TONIGHT IS TONI JEFFERSON.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND START THIS EVENING WITH PLEASE PROVIDE US A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR TRAINING, INTEREST AND EXPERIENCE ON POLICY BOARDS, COMMUNITY AND OTHER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, HOW IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING ON THE BOARD.
I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN SOME CASES.
AND THAT IS, THAT'S A GREAT COMMITMENT.
I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AS STATED EARLIER, MY NAME IS TONI JEFFERSON.
AND WE WE INTRODUCE OURSELVES IN THAT WAY TO REMIND OURSELVES AND WHO WE REPRESENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
APPRECIATE IT. WITH REGARDS TO MY EXPERIENCE AND WANTING TO BE HERE.
I'VE SAT ON THE [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL BOARD MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST GOT MY BA DEGREE.
SINCE THEN, I HAVE GAINED EXPERIENCE IN A LOT OF AREAS IN THE GOVERNMENT.
I THINK HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
WHEN IT COMES TO ADMINISTRATION.
I'VE ALSO SEEN THAT SIDE WHERE WHAT WE NEED AS ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE BOARD WITH REGARDS TO STRATEGIC PLANNING, CREATING THAT VISION, DOING THAT WORK OF OUTREACH COMMUNITY, TO CREATE THAT VISION THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS FOR THE SCHOOL AND THEIR STUDENTS.
SO I THINK THAT I BRING THAT EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE.
[01:10:03]
MY SON IS ENROLLED AT HORIZON.HE IS A HE WAS ACTUALLY PLACED WITH US.
HE'S BEEN WITH US SINCE HE'S BEEN TEN MONTHS OLD.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE FACED WITH PLACEMENTS AND GUARDIANSHIPS.
THERE IS AN INTEREST IN HIS SUCCESS AND HIM BEING RAISED TO BE A HEALTHY, HAPPY, CONTRIBUTING COMMUNITY MEMBER TO THE ROCKLAND COUNTY COMMUNITY AND OUR COMMUNITY.
I WORK AT THE SILVER LAKE CASINO IN THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT.
SO I HAVE THAT. I HAVE THAT GOAL AS WELL FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND. SO GOING BACK TO MY GM EXPERIENCE, I KNOW REALLY ABOUT LEGISLATION, LEGISLATION REPRESENTATIVES, THE BUDGETS, FINANCES, UNDERSTANDING LEGISLATION, HOW THAT WORKS AND HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF OUR SCHOOLS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YOUR PROCESS.
AND YOU NEED TO BE TWO YEARS AHEAD TO BE ABLE TO SEEK OUT FUNDING.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN JUST GO AND ASK.
THAT IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT I BRING TO THE TABLE.
IT CAN BE VERY CHALLENGING AND BEING OBJECTIVE AND FAIR.
HOPEFULLY NOT. MY SO MY EDUCATION.
I DID NOT GRADUATE FROM FERNDALE, BUT I DID GO TO FERNDALE FOR A QUARTER OR TWO.
LIKE THE PREVIOUS CANDIDATE, I GREW UP IN ALASKA, SO ABOUT 17 YEARS.
CAME HERE FOR A QUARTER AND THEN WENT TO COLLEGE, WENT TO WESTERN FOR A BA DEGREE IN BUSINESS, MINORED IN MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AND THEN I TRANSFERRED TO SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, WHERE I ACQUIRED A LEADERSHIP EXECUTIVE MBA.
SO THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS FOCUSES ON LEADERSHIP, COACHING, CHANGE MANAGEMENT, ALL OF THOSE SOFT SKILLS, AND THEN THE LAST THREE COURSE FOCUSED ON BUSINESS. SO THE PROGRAM ACTUALLY TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND GOING OUT AND RESEARCHING WITH BIG CORPORATIONS LIKE BOEING, MICROSOFT, STARBUCKS, AND THEY ASKED THEM, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MBAS COMING OUT OF THESE SCHOOLS? AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GREAT WITH THE BOTTOM LINE, RIGHT? THE NUMBERS CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING AND SUPERVISING, LEADING PEOPLE IN CHANGE, THAT'S THE STRUGGLE.
SO SEATTLE U WENT BACK, REVISED THEIR PROGRAM AND CAME UP WITH THIS.
PEOPLE SAY THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND WHEN YOU'RE AT A BOARD LEVEL.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED IS THAT MY SON IS IN SIXTH GRADE.
WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING HIM ALL THE WAY THROUGH SCHOOL.
WE'VE ATTENDED HIS GRADUATION.
WE'VE ATTENDED PARENT ORIENTATION, THE TYPICAL PARENT STUFF.
I ALSO ATTENDED A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF COVID, HE HASN'T REALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
[01:15:01]
BUT I DID PARTICIPATE WITH MY SISTER'S CHILDREN.THEY GREW UP ALL THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A COUPLE OF ACTIVITIES, SO I'M AWARE THAT THERE ARE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES COMING OUT OF COVID. I'M NOT AS VERSED, BUT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT KIND OF SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY AT THE BOARD LEVEL.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE STAFF TO SEE THE BOARD AND FOR US AS BOARD MEMBERS WE SEE THAT FIRSTHAND, THE WORKING ALL THE.
I DO HAVE SOME REGULATORY BACKGROUND AS A TRIBAL GAMING DIRECTOR, SO I'M ALSO VERY FAMILIAR ABOUT RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THEM.
I THINK IN THAT FORMER LIFE, I UNDERSTOOD MORE IMPORTANTLY THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING PEOPLE ON WHY THOSE RULES ARE THERE AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.
THANKS. I HAVE YOUR NEXT QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE STRENGTHS AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? SO I THINK WITH THE STRENGTHS, I MEAN, THE COMMUNICATION IS I CAN'T SPEAK MORE TO THAT BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE WAS A WAS IT THE POWER OUTAGE JUST LAST WEEK? I HAVE A LOT OF SINGLE PARENTS IN MY OFFICE AND THEY WERE LIKE, DID YOU SEE THE MESSAGE? WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEN BEING ABLE TO GET THE TEXT BLAST THAT CHILDREN OKAY, DON'T COME.
JUST THAT INFORMATION TO THEM HELPS REASSURE THEM.
I DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, THE COMMUNICATION WITH MY SON'S GRADES.
LIKE, RIGHT THEN I CAN CORRECT IT.
THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, WHY DON'T YOU TURN THAT ASSIGNMENT? UM. AND THE MESSAGES, I THINK.
THE TEXTS, THE E MAIL ARE ALL VERY RESPECTFUL AND MEANINGFUL.
AND IF THERE IS AN ERROR, IT'S CORRECTED RIGHT AWAY.
INCLUSION. MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.
MAYBE THAT'S ALLOWED, BUT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
BUT I HAVE A LOT OF MY SON HAS A LOT OF COUSINS AT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND SO MAYBE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT NETWORK FOR THEM TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. ATTENDANCE.
YOU HAVE TO GET THEM HERE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE SERVICE.
SOCIAL MEDIA, THE INTERNET, THIS GENERATION IS BRINGING IT WITH THEM.
SO. COMING FROM THE GAMING WORLD.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THAT TO THE ONLINE GAMING AND ALL THAT ASPECT.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADOPT AND CHANGE TO THAT? OR ARE YOU.
IT'S JUST A STRUGGLE. I THINK EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING HERE, IT'S NO DIFFERENT.
MY SON STILLS WEARS HIS MASK TO SCHOOL.
I KNOW HE DOESN'T HAVE TO, BUT YOU JUST YOU WANT HE WANTS TO WEAR HIS MASK.
HE'S STILL SCARED OF GETTING COVID.
I THINK MAYBE TALKING ABOUT THAT OR PROVIDING THEM OPPORTUNITIES.
[01:20:02]
YES. AS A BOARD MEMBER, A PARENT APPROACHED YOU ABOUT A CONCERN AT SCHOOL.HOW WOULD YOU HELP THE PARENT? YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE HELPFUL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR ROLE IS AS OPPOSED.
SO ONE, I WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CONCERN IS.
AND THEN I'VE SEEN ALL OF YOUR POLICIES OR I KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT.
AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE POLICY GUY CAN DO THAT.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I THINK THE MATTER OF ABUSE MANDATORY.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A STUDENT? MY SON. HE'S DOING IT.
AND HE HAS THIS ANXIETY ABOUT CATCHING COVID.
YOU KNOW, I SEE HIM STRUGGLING IN SOCIAL, SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS BECAUSE HE'S IN SIXTH GRADE.
SO HE KIND OF MISSED OUT ON SOME OF THE IMPORTANT STAGES, DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF SOCIALIZING.
SO I THINK CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
TO SUPPORT THEM IN DEVELOPING THOSE SKILLS OR CATCHING UP.
AND AGAIN, THE OTHER OPTION IS TO GO WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE.
THERE A LOT OF THEIR ACTIVITY IS SOCIALIZING THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THROUGH GAMING.
HE LOVES HIS TECHNOLOGY, ONE OF HIS FAVORITE CLASSES? AND THE OTHER CLASSES. HAVE YOUR NEXT QUESTIONS.
OF. ALTHOUGH YOU WERE SELECTED FROM DISTRICT THREE, WHERE 46.3% ARE INDIGENOUS, YOU WORK ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS DIVERSE IN MANY WAYS. HOW WILL YOU REPRESENT ALL THE VOICES IN FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT? YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE ALL ONE COMMUNITY, SO I THINK ALL OF OUR VOICES SHOULD BE HEARD EQUALLY.
SHARED AND HEARD AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE STARTING TO LIVE RESPECTFULLY WITH EACH OTHER, SO.
I THINK EVERY STUDENT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
EVERY STUDENT DESERVES A SAFE PLACE TO COME TO FEEL LIKE THEY.
REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND.
NEXT QUESTION. IDENTIFY ANY COMMITMENTS THAT MIGHT PREVENT YOU FROM ATTENDING REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS OR PARTICIPATING IN WORKSHOPS, STUDY SESSIONS, LINKAGES, REVIEW AND STUDY MATERIALS, VISITING SCHOOLS, AND PARTICIPATING IN THE OTHER BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES.
I KNOW I HAVE ANYTHING REALLY THAT WOULD PREVENT ME WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF.
. I KNOW I HAVE SOME PREPLANNED VACATION TIME.
WORKED AROUND, PROVIDED ENOUGH NOTICE.
I THINK I INQUIRED ABOUT IT EARLIER.
AND THIS IS THIS IS A LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'M FULLY AWARE OF THE COMMITMENT IN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE STUDY SESSIONS.
OFFERS A CERTIFICATION FOR SCHOOL.
BUT I ALSO DIDN'T SEE THAT THERE WAS A RESOURCES ONLINE.
[01:25:05]
SO IN THE REMAINING TIME THAT WE HAVE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE DIDN'T ASK YOU THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD OR ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NO, I LISTENED TO THE LAST SESSION.I WAS I ZOOMED IN TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU GUYS WERE INTERESTED IN, BUT I FELT IT AS A.
THAT WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION TO HAVE.
AND YOU WANT TO YOU'RE THERE TO PROVIDE DIRECTION, GUIDANCE AND INPUT TO ADMINISTRATION.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S THE PROPER VOICES AT THE TABLE TO HELP ENSURE THAT THERE'S INCLUSION AND EQUALITY THAT THIS BOARD IS STRIVING FOR. SO, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
JUST I FEEL LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND, MY EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF THE SYSTEM. AND I AM A TEAM PLAYER, LIKE I SAID, THE MBA PROGRAM THAT I WENT TO TALKED ABOUT COACHING.
A LOT OF OUR WORK WAS IN PERSON.
THAT WAS THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY PROVIDED.
WAS THAT MBAS WERE VERY SILOED AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO WORK WITH ANYBODY.
SO THIS PROGRAM REALLY FOCUSED ON CREATING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEAM BUILDING.
BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S VOICE.
WE'RE HERE FOR AND IT'S FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING TO BE HARD.
WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN ORDER TO BE.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR ANSWERS AND YOUR INTEREST.
OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME, THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEWS FOR THIS EVENING.
[5. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD IS GOING TO CONVENE INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES TO DISCUSS THE.WE WANT TO DISCUSS QUALIFICATIONS IN SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR APPLICANTS.
NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN DURING THIS SESSION, BUT FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE BOARD WILL COME OUT AND DELIBERATE AND APPOINT THE DIRECTOR FOR AREA THREE.
SO. BUT THAT WE WILL MOVE INTO.
[6. APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR DISTRICT #3]
WELL, WE ARE BACK FROM OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT OF APPOINTING A DIRECTOR AND HAVING SOME DISCUSSION.I JUST WANT TO START THAT DECISION BY THANKING ALL OF OUR CANDIDATES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IF YOU ARE A BOARD MEMBER AND YOU EVER WANT TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO BE A BOARD MEMBER, GO THROUGH A APPLICANTS TO BE ON BOARD BECAUSE WE GOT SOME GREAT APPLICANTS.
IT'S. INCREDIBLY WELL QUALIFIED.
SO YEAH. I THANK THEM, EACH ONE.
IT WAS INTERESTING. I WROTE DOWN AS I WAS INTERVIEWING NOT ONLY SOME OF THE STRENGTHS THAT WERE EXHIBITED IS THROUGH THE DIFFERENT, BUT JUST SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT WERE COMING ACROSS. BECAUSE I THINK EACH OF YOU SHARED SOME IDEAS AND IT'S LIKE, IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL, GREAT JOB BY EVERYONE.
[01:30:01]
I GUESS YOU'RE IN THE WRONG DISTRICT.SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, WHEN I WENT TO RUN, THERE WAS LIKE NOBODY INTERESTED IN IT AT ALL.
AND THAT'S USUALLY WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE.
THEY GO BEGGING. IN FACT, WHEN BLAINE HAD TO REPLACE DIRECTOR.
THE REASON THEY HAD TO EXTEND THEIR DEADLINE WAS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY APPLICANTS.
THEY HAD A HARD TIME FINDING APPLICANTS.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU PEOPLE HAVE THE ZEAL TO SERVE AND AND THE FORTITUDE TO STEP UP AND REALLY DO.
SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS.
I AM OPEN TO THE CHAIRS, OPEN TO A MOTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT TONI JEFFERSON TO DISTRICT THREE DIRECTOR OF FERNDALE.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO APPOINT TONI JEFFERSON TO FILL THE ROLE OF DISTRICT THREE DIRECTOR.
SO ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING SORRY.
SO. HEY, YOU WANT TO REMIND? SO I CERTAINLY CAN.
SO IF WE DO GET INTO A 2-2, THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND SEE IF WE CAN COME TO A CONSENSUS.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PEGGY HOW DO YOU VOTE? WELL, AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, ASSUMING THE PROCESS IS ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN, I VOTE YES.
AND KEVIN, I WILL ALSO VOTE YES.
SO WITH THAT, THE MOTION CARRIES AND TONI JEFFERSON WILL BE OUR NEW DISTRICT THREE AREA DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE WILL THE SWEARING IN WILL OCCUR AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR NEXT MEETING.
WE'LL SEE YOU AT THAT TIME, THAT WAY YOU HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO ATTEND.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF THE MEETING.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL CALL US ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.