[00:00:05]
>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO
[1. CONVENE]
THE SEPTEMBER BUSINESS MEETING OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL BOARD.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, WHETHER LIVE OR ONLINE.
AS A REMINDER, THE PURPOSE OF THIS AND EVERY OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD.
THAT BUSINESS IS TO MAKE DECISIONS AND POLICIES, THAT REFLECT THE WISHES OF THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE EACH CHILD WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND ATTITUDES COMMENSURATE WITH HIS OR HER ABILITY TO BECOME EFFECTIVE CITIZENS.
IN ORDER TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THAT PURPOSE, THE BOARD NEEDS TO HEAR AND DISCUSS VARYING OPINIONS ON EACH ISSUE.
THAT PROCESS IS BEST SERVED WHEN ALL INVOLVED FOCUS ON THE ISSUES RATHER THAN THE PERSONALITIES.
A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS FOR TONIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, PEGGY IS OUT OF TOWN, AND SO SHE'LL BE JOINING US VIA ZOOM.
>> THE OTHER IS THAT FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO THIS FACILITY, IF YOU NEED EXITS ARE TO THE DOOR YOU CAME IN, BATHROOMS ARE OUT THOSE DOORS AND UP THE HALL TO THE RIGHT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH TONIGHT'S MEETING AND WE'LL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
FOLLOW IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME.
>> NEXT ITEM IS THE RECITATION OF THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND FOR THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CLOUDINA.
>> WE, THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACKNOWLEDGE WE ARE RESIDING ONTO TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND UNSEATED TERRITORY OF THE LUMMI PEOPLE.
THE LUMMI PEOPLE ARE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF WASHINGTON'S NORTHERN MOST COAST AND SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA.
THEY LIVED IN VILLAGES THROUGHOUT THIS TERRITORY AND CONTINUE TO HAVE AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE AREAS.
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THEY'VE CELEBRATED LIFE ON THEIR WATERWAYS AND ON THE TRADITIONAL ANCESTRAL AND UNSEATED LANDS OF THEIR PEOPLE TO PERPETUATE THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
WE HONOR THEIR ANCESTORS AS WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE LUMMI PEOPLE AS THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND.
>> THANK YOU. I ALSO FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT GABBY IS NOT WITH US TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE'S AT A VOLLEYBALL MATCH, SO WE WISH HER AND THE TEAM LUCK.
FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT IS TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
[2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA [GC-4.7]]
THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EITHER ADOPT IT OR TO MAKE CHANGES AS NECESSARY.>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
[3. PUBLIC COMMENT [GC-3.3]]
AS WE MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT.PUBLIC COMMENT IS A TIME WHEN THE BOARD IS ABLE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY WHAT IS ON THEIR MIND AND IMPORTANT TO THEM.
IT IS NOT A TIME OF DISCUSSION, IT IS A TIME FOR THE BOARD TO LISTEN.
BOARD MEMBERS MAY ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS AND/OR MAY DIRECT SOMEONE, MOST OFTEN THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION RELATED TO THE STATEMENTS.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS NOT A TIME FOR DISCUSSION.
PLEASE DO NOT INTERPRET THIS AS A LACK OF INTEREST OR CONCERN, NOR IS IT THE SIGNALMENT OF AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE SPEAKER'S REMARKS.
OUR SILENCE IS RELATED TO THE RULES OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETING ACT THAT REQUIRE US TO ANNOUNCE ANY TOPIC ON WHICH THERE IS GOING TO BE DISCUSSION, WHICH THE PUBLIC MAYBE HAVE AN INTEREST IN PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
BY DISCUSSING SOMETHING NOT ON THE AGENDA, WE POTENTIALLY DEPRIVE AN INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBER OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PRESENT FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD.
THOSE THAT ARE NOT COMFORTABLE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A GROUP ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO CONTACT THE BOARD VIA PHONE OR EMAIL.
WE ROUTINELY HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF DISTRICT STAKEHOLDERS EACH MONTH AND ASSIMILATE A WIDE RANGE OF INPUT ON DISTRICT ISSUES.
WE APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND INVITE THEM TO USE WHATEVER MODE OF COMMUNICATION THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE WITH TO DO SO.
OUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS READILY AVAILABLE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.
AS I'VE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO KEEP PUBLIC COMMENT WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF OUR POLICY AND APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION OF THE PUBLIC IN DOING SO.
AS A REMINDER, SPEAKERS WILL BE ASKED TO FIRST STATE THEIR NAME, ADDRESS, AND THE NAME OF ANY GROUP OR ORGANIZATION THAT THEY ARE REPRESENTING PRIOR TO SPEAKING.
THIS DOES NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF SIGNING IN COMPLETELY ON THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SIGN-IN SHEET,
[00:05:02]
THAT IS STILL REQUIRED AS WELL.THE TOTAL TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS 45 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
EACH SPEAKER'S TIME WILL BEGIN WHEN THEY STEP TO THE PODIUM AND BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
ANY SPEAKER WHO'S COMMENTS EXCEED THE THREE-MINUTE LIMIT MAY SUBMIT THEIR ENTIRE OR REMAINING COMMENTS IN WRITING.
SPEAKERS WILL BE EXPECTED TO AVOID DEFAMATORY, ABUSIVE, REPETITIVE, OBSCENE, AND/OR IRRELEVANT REMARKS.
AGAIN, THE BOARD WELCOMES YOUR COMMENTS, BUT AS YOU COMMENT IN A KIND AND RESPECTFUL WAY.
FAILURE TO HEED THIS REQUIREMENT MAY RESULT IN TERMINATION OF YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SPEAKERS WILL ALSO BE DISCOURAGED FROM SPEAKING RELATED TO EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITH EMPLOYEE UNIONS.
SEPARATE CHANNELS EXIST TO ACCOMMODATE THESE CONCERNS PURSUANT TO BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES.
SPEAKERS WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO LEAVE ALL BAGS, BACKPACKS, AND ENCLOSED CONTAINERS AT THEIR SEATS RATHER THAN BRINGING THEM TO THE PODIUM.
IF A SPEAKER HAS ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS FOR THE BOARD, THEY CAN BE PLACED ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM AND WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD AFTER THE MEETING.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT PER RCW 42.17A.555, I CANNOT ALLOW ANYONE TO MAKE COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OF ANY 2023 CANDIDACY FOR PUBLIC OFFICE DURING THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT SECTION OF TONIGHT'S MEETING.
WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
FIRST PERSON I HAVE ON THERE IS LEWANN EGGERT.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LEWANN EGGERT.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION HERE AT FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LEWANN EGGERT.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION HERE AT FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR COUNTLESS VOLUNTEER HOURS.
SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DR. KRISTI DOMINGUEZ, OUR SUPERINTENDENT, FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP.
WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE RIPPLE EFFECTS THAT COMES FROM ALL THE POSITIVE WORK YOU ARE DOING IN AND FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
LAST YEAR, OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WAS A HOT TOPIC.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE AND STILL ARE SPREADING LIES ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT FOR REASONS THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
PERHAPS THEY ARE TRYING TO GAIN SOMETHING OR GET ELECTED TO A POSITION.
HONESTLY, SPREADING LIES IS THE WRONG WAY TO GAIN SUPPORT AND/OR TRUST WHATEVER THE REASON, I AM HERE TONIGHT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
I AM QUOTING ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION.
"I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT THE REMAINING BUS DRIVERS ARE EXHAUSTED AND THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING UP TO 95 HOURS IN ONE MONTH.
THEY ARE SERIOUSLY UNDERSTAFFED.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN." THE SAME INDIVIDUAL SAID, "ANOTHER DRIVER ADMITTED TO BLOWING A STOP SIGN.
OTHER MAILBOXES HAVE BEEN HIT.
I DON'T BLAME THE DRIVERS, THEY ARE OVERWORKED AND EXHAUSTED.
THEY ARE DOING THEIR BEST UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SUBSTITUTE DRIVERS TO COVER FOR THEM WHEN THEY ARE SICK AND THEY ARE FORCED TO DRIVE THE ROUTES EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE THE FLU AND ARE EXTREMELY TIRED." THERE WERE COUNTLESS OTHER THINGS SAID, BUT RATHER THAN ADDRESS EACH OF THEM, I WILL TELL YOU THIS.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD ENOUGH SUBSTITUTE SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS AT ANY ONE TIME.
HOWEVER, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SEVEN IN OUR DRIVER TRAINING CLASS.
LAST YEAR, WE HIRED 14 NEW SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM ARE AMAZING SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, AND WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM ON OUR TEAM AND THEY LOVE THEIR JOB.
DRIVING SCHOOL BUS IS A PART-TIME JOB.
OUR DRIVERS WORK AN AVERAGE OF SIX HOURS A DAY.
SOME OF OUR SENIOR DRIVERS CAN WORK UP TO EIGHT HOURS A DAY IF THEY GET AN ANNUAL PIECE; WHICH IS EITHER A MIDDAY OR AN ACTIVITY RUN.
IF THEY DO, IT IS BECAUSE THEY TAKE A FIELD TRIP, WHICH IS OPTIONAL.
WE HAVE NEVER FORCED ANYONE TO WORK OVERTIME.
SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS ARE PROTECTED BY A UNION.
NO ONE IS EVER FORCED TO WORK WHEN THEY ARE SICK OR HAVE THE FLU.
IF WE SEE THAT A DRIVER IS OVERLY TIRED, THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED BEHIND THE WHEEL.
OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS A FAMILY.
WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER, ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER, AND ARE COMMITTED TO SAFELY TRANSPORT IN OUR COMMUNITIES MOST PRECIOUS CARGO, YOUR CHILDREN.
THE GROUP OF BUS DRIVERS WE HAVE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND EACH AND EVERY DAY NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO, BUT BECAUSE THEY LOVE THEIR JOB.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ANY OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS TO OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, POP IN AND SAY HI. THANK YOU.
[00:10:04]
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DON PHAM, AND I IDENTIFY MYSELF AS A FERNDALE RESIDENT AT 6000 RAINBOW ROAD.
THAT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO SATISFY YOUR RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT.
BECAUSE IF THE GENDER NEUTRAL CROWD CAN MAKE WILD CLAIMS WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE TO BACK THEM UP, SO CAN I.
FURTHERMORE, WHY I HAVE MORE THAN ONE RESIDENCE IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
WHEN I WAS HARASSED ABOUT MY RESIDENCY AT THE BEGINNING OF MY LAST SPEECH, I IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHO THE CULPRIT WAS, BECAUSE SHE'S GOT SEVERAL FAILING GRADES FOR MISCONDUCT AS A BOARD MEMBER.
THE INCIDENT REMINDS ME OF WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY SHORTLY AFTER THE COMMUNISTS OVERRAN SOUTH VIETNAM IN 1975.
WE LIVED NEAR A LOCAL POLICE STATION, AND ONE NIGHT THEY CAME KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
THEY TOLD MY DAD, WHO ANSWERED THE DOOR, THAT THEY WANTED TO CONDUCT A SEARCH TO SEE IF ANY STRANGER WAS STAYING OVERNIGHT WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION BESIDES OUR REGISTERED HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS.
THEN THEY WALKED UPSTAIRS INTO OUR BEDROOMS AND SHINED THE FLASHLIGHT INTO OUR FACES WHILE WE WERE STILL ASLEEP TO CONFIRM THAT EVERYONE OF US WAS ON THEIR LIST.
DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GO THERE? IF YOU DO, I'M READY TO FIGHT YOUR ABUSIVE OVERREACH WITH EVERY CELL IN MY BODY.
A SIMPLE DEFINITION OF INTEGRITY IS DOING WHAT IS RIGHT EVEN IF NO ONE IS LOOKING.
WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING IS JUST THE OPPOSITE, WHICH IS DOING WHAT IS WRONG WHILE HIDING AND HOPING NOT TO GET CAUGHT.
THAT'S ALSO CALLED COWARDICE, AND IT'S UNCOOL AND UNPROFESSIONAL.
YOUR CHARACTER OR LACK THEREOF, IS DEFINED BY YOUR BEHAVIOR, NOT YOUR IDEOLOGY.
AS THE SAYING GOES, IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.
IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE CRITICAL PUBLIC COMMENTS, RESIGN RIGHT NOW AND DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOUR TERM IS UP BECAUSE THERE IS A SAFER SPACE FOR YOU ON FAKE BOOK CALLED PROGRESSIVE FERNDALE FOLK.
THE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO SHUT ME UP HAVE VALIDATED MY LAST DECEMBER STATEMENTS SO WELL, THE LEFT WANTS TO SUPPRESS FREE SPEECH BECAUSE THE TRUTH POSES A THREAT TO THEIR POWER.
WHEN THEY ARE LOSING THE DEBATE, THEY WOULD RESORT TO SILENCING CRITICS USING THE POWER OF THE STATE OR A POLITICAL POSITION.
IN SIGNING OFF, I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT MY PRONOUNS ARE DEFEAT WORKISM. THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE ANDREW GUSTAFSSON.
>> ANDREW GUSTAFSSON 1730 LA BOUNTY.
THERE'S A MODEST HOUSE RIGHT ACROSS THE HIGH-SCHOOL ON VISTA.
IN 2022 THE ASSESSED VALUE WAS $427,000, AND TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES ON THAT HOUSE WERE $3,825.
IN 2023, THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY IS $517,000 AND THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES ARE $4,230.
THAT'S A $400 OVERALL INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES IN ONE YEAR AND $163 OF THAT WAS JUST THE YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE IN THE LOCAL LEVY.
YOU NEED TO BE HONEST WITH THE VOTERS THAT EVEN A LOCAL LEVY THAT DOES NOT EXCEED THE PROMISED $1.50 RATE OR PER STUDENT CAP STILL REPRESENTS A TAX INCREASE TO OWNERS AND RENTERS ALIKE AS THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE HOMES THAT THEY LIVE IN EACH YEAR GOES UP.
TAXES GOING UP, THE DISTRICT'S BUDGET IS GOING UP, BUT STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IS STILL IN THE GUTTER.
TWO MONTHS AGO, THE GRANT WRITER FOR THE DISTRICT GAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT HERE, BLAMING THE POOR TEST SCORES ON THE PANDEMIC.
ALL ONE HAD TO DO WAS PULL THE ARCHIVES FROM OSPI AND YOU'LL FIND COMPARABLE TEST SCORES FROM BEFORE COVID.
FOUNDERS OSPI REPORT CARD SHOWED THAT ACROSS THE CORE SUBJECTS OF ENGLISH, MATH, AND SCIENCE, AN AVERAGE OF 50.1% OF STUDENTS WERE AT GRADE LEVEL IN THE '18, '19 SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH DROPPED TO AN AVERAGE OF 43.7% AT GRADE LEVEL IN 2021, DROPPED FURTHER TO AN AVERAGE OF 41.7 IN '21 AND '22, AND NOW THE LATEST REPORT CARD FROM OSPI, THAT AVERAGE ACROSS THE CORE SUBJECTS OF ENGLISH, MATH, AND SCIENCE SEEMS TO HAVE LOCKED IN AT AN ALL-TIME LOW OF 41.1% COMING OUT OF THE '22, '23 SCHOOL YEAR.
[00:15:04]
TO STATE THE INVERSE, THE YEAR BEFORE COVID, 50% OF FERNDALE STUDENTS WERE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL.NOW FOUR YEARS LATER, THAT'S AN ENTIRE HIGH-SCHOOLS WORTH OF KIDS LATER, 59% OF FERNDALE STUDENTS ARE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL.
NOW, WE'RE SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN EVER BEFORE, 19,500 PER STUDENT FOR WORSE RESULTS.
BEFORE YOU GO TO THE VOTERS AND ASK THEM TO RENEW A LEVY WHICH WILL RAISE THEIR TAXES, YOU NEED TO TELL THEM WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING $91.5 MILLION ON THIS YEAR, AND HOW WILL THAT DIRECTLY RESULT IN THE BENEFIT TO CHILDREN OF THIS HISTORIC IN RECORDING BETTER TEST SCORES IN MATH, ENGLISH, AND SCIENCE.
ON THE TOPIC OF TRANSPARENCY, WHEN WILL YOU BE UPDATING THE VOTERS ON THE STATUS OF THE LAWSUIT PENDING AGAINST THIS BOARD FOR THE OPMA VIOLATIONS IN THE JANUARY 24TH MEETING? ISN'T IT TRUE THAT RULING AGAINST YOU WOULD RESULT IN THE INVALIDATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF TONI JEFFERSON TO THE BOARD AND THROWING THE CHAOS EVERY SINGLE BOARD ACTION THAT SHE HAS VOTED IN SINCE.
YOU SHOULD ALSO EXPLAIN HOW DESPITE YEARS OF DISMAL TEST SCORES, YOU CLAIM TO HAVE AN 88% GRADUATION RATE.
ARE YOU JUST PUSHING THE KIDS OUT THE DOOR WITHOUT EVEN BASIC 10TH OR 12TH GRADE MASTERY IN SCIENCE, ENGLISH, AND MATH? LAST 20 SECONDS, THE FIRST SPEAKER COMING UP HERE, IT WAS 2021, MY MEMORY FAILS ME WHEN A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER FROM THIS DISTRICT GOT UP AND SAID ALL THE THINGS.
NOW THAT PERSON SEEMED EMINENTLY QUALIFIED TO SPEAK TO HIS ROLE AND HIS POSITION AS A BURNOUT BUS DRIVER, WHY DID IT TAKE THE DISTRICT OR REPRESENTATIVE THE BETTER PART OF TWO YEARS TO COME BACK HERE AND ADDRESS THAT?
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW. THAT CONCLUDES THE NAMES THAT I HAVE ON TONIGHT'S LIST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND SO WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS SHARING.
[4. SHARING [GC-7.E.]]
I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO KRISTI TO START.>> WE'RE GOING TO GET THE POWERPOINT UP AND THEN I'M GOING TO INVITE COUNCIL WOMAN ERIN GUNTER TO JOIN THE SEAT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DIFFERENT GUESTS AT THE SEAT TONIGHT FOR THINGS.
SINCE WE SAW YOU LAST SCHOOL STARTED, LET'S TAKE A LITTLE LOOK INTO THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN WHAT I WOULD SAY IN A LOT OF WAYS, A CALM YEAR, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN WITHOUT SITUATIONS, BUT IT FEELS GOOD TO BE STARTING BACK UP AND READY TO GO, AND WE'RE IN YEAR 2 OF THE ELA CURRICULUM, SECOND YEAR OF MATH ADOPTION.
STUDENT LEADERSHIPS ARE GETTING GOING AND STARTING, AND I'M HOPING KLOPP AND I WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF THAT TONIGHT.
BUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WE BEGAN SEEING ATHLETICS IN OUR STADIUM, AND SOCCER HAS BEEN THERE AND WE HAD A FOOTBALL GAME THERE.
I WOULD SAY THE FOOTBALL GAME WHEN I WAS LEAVING THAT EVENING, IT LOOKED MORE LIKE LEAVING A CONCERT SITUATION.
THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE AND IT WAS GREAT.
YOU HAD GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES THERE, YOUNG CHILDREN THROWING CROCS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE FOOTBALLS OUT, THAT WILL CHANGE FOR THIS NEXT GAME.
OUR SOCCER TEAM WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST GROUP TO BE ON THE HOME OPENER.
I ACTUALLY THINK THE SCOREBOARD, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CEASE FROM SPACE WHEN IT IS IN FULL SWING.
DO YOU AGREE, [INAUDIBLE]? IT WAS IMPRESSIVE.
I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING THE WHOLE NIGHT.
THEN ANOTHER THING THAT WHEN WE ARE BUILDING THE HIGH SCHOOL, I KNOW YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT SCRATCH COOKING, THAT THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL KITCHEN WOULD BE ABLE TO START PROVIDING SOME SCRATCH COOKING.
TONIGHT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A TASTE, AND THERE'S ENOUGH THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO OFFER PEOPLE IN OUR AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE DON, WHO'S ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM IN THE KITCHEN, WHO HAS BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER RECIPES AND TRYING THEM OUT.
I HAVE OFFERED TO DO TASTE TESTING.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE RECIPES SO FAR, THE BLUEBERRY BARS, AND SO THEY MADE A BATCH FOR YOU TONIGHT.
BUT THEY'RE JUST STARTING TO GET SOME RECIPES OUT.
ADULTS AND STUDENTS ARE GETTING TO TRY THINGS, THIS WORKED, THIS DIDN'T WORK.
DON'S DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB, THE WHOLE TEAM THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO START TO SEE MORE OF THAT.
>> CAN I INTERRUPT REALLY QUICK?
>> FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, AS A CONCERNED PARENT, I CAME TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND TALKED ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THE CANS OF NACHO CHEESE.
[LAUGHTER] I WAS VEGGIE LADY FOR A WHILE, AND ONE MONTH IT WAS POTATOES AND THERE WAS NO OLIVE OIL IN THE KITCHEN TO ROAST THE POTATOES IN, SO IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY.
>> BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO TAKE A LOOK, LET ME KNOW.
>> THEY'RE SOURCING THEIR PRODUCTS FROM LOCAL FARMERS,
[00:20:01]
AND SO THAT'S EXCITING AS WELL. YES.>> THESE BLUEBERRY BARS WILL BE SERVED IN OUR SCHOOLS TOMORROW MORNING, AND I'M READING AN EMAIL FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF CHILD NUTRITION, THE BLUEBERRIES WERE DONATED FROM ENFIELD FARM.
THEY GENEROUSLY DONATED 120 POUNDS OF BLUEBERRIES.
>> ANOTHER PIECE TONIGHT, I BELIEVE IN SHARING WHAT WORKS, AND I ALSO BELIEVE IN SHARING WHEN WE MISS THE MARK.
LAST MONTH YOU RECEIVED THE OE TO REPORT, WHICH WAS THE PERSONNEL REPORT.
I'M JUST GOING TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE.
THE REPORT AND THE POLICY DID NOT MATCH.
I AM MAKING A REQUEST TONIGHT THAT YOU VOTE TO NOT ACCEPT THAT REPORT.
I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU ACCEPT THE REPORT THAT HAS BEEN REWRITTEN THAT ACTUALLY MATCHES THE POLICY.
IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR MYSELF AND MY TEAM.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT WHEN THINGS GO WELL, WE'RE GOING TO OWN IT AND WHEN THINGS DON'T GO WELL, I'M GOING TO OWN THAT TOO.
YOU'LL SEE THAT LATER IN THE AGENDA.
BOND UPDATE. I'M GOING TO KICK IT BACK TO MARK.
>> ONE OF THE BIG HIGHLIGHTS, OBVIOUSLY IT WAS THE OPENING OF THE STADIUM FOR STUDENT USE AND COMMUNITY VISITATION, WHICH WAS VERY EXCITING.
TO THE OTHER EXCITING ONE PROBABLY WON'T SOUND AS EXCITING TO YOU.
BUT ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WAS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED VIA THE BOND WORK WAS A LEAK IN THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FROM ON THE WEST WALL.
WE BELIEVE WE HAVE FIGURED OUT THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK AS OF YESTERDAY. VERY GOOD NEWS.
IT WAS A FAILED DRAIN THAT WAS CRUSHED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS.
SINCE THAT'S AN OLDER FACILITY, THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FIXING THAT RIGHT NOW AND HOPEFULLY, IT WILL MEDIATE THE WATER ISSUES IN THE PACK.
>> WAS THAT THE SOURCE OF WHAT CAUSED FLOODING VERY REGULARLY?
>> YEAH. THE OTHER IS A BIT OF NEWS THAT WE SHARED WITH THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THIS WEEK.
WE HAVE IN AN EFFORT TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORT TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE BOND EXPENDITURES, WE HAVE HIRED A THIRD-PARTY AUDIT TO COME IN AND REVIEW THE WORK ON THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS PART OF THE CONTRACT AND PR BEST PRACTICES.
WE WILL UPDATE WHEN WE HAVE THAT FINAL REPORT IN A FEW MONTHS FROM NOW.
>> THANK YOU, MARK. OKAY. IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT, PEGGY CAN'T SEE IT.
WE'RE REDOING THIS SO SHE CAN MAKE SURE SHE CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION.
FEW WEEKS AGO WE HAD A PUBLIC COMMONER WHO CAME AND ASKED ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY.
THEN I ACTUALLY GAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE CHAMBER.
I HAD A COMMUNITY MEMBER ASK ME ABOUT IT.
THE TEAM AND I'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AROUND FINANCIAL LITERACY AND SO I WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WELL ACTUALLY TRAINOR THEM WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE?
>> DO YOU REMEMBER? YOU SENT ME THE EMAIL.
>> OKAY. I'LL DO IT. OKAY. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY.
THE ISSUE IS THEY ARE LEVEL THE MATH CLASSES THAT STUDENTS CAN CHOOSE INTO.
THE CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING AND LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING.
IT'S NOT WHAT WE CONSIDER A TIER ONE, MEANING WHEN YOU GO TO FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL, THIS IS ONE OF THE PIECES THAT EVERYONE GETS.
THERE IS A GRANT WE'RE LOOKING AT BAT AND THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT WOULD BE TO HELP DEVELOP A SYSTEM.
WHAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE HIM WHERE WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS IS THAT WHETHER IT'S A COURSE THAT EVERYONE TAKES OR IT'S PART OF THEIR EAGLE TIME.
EVERYONE. OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE EVERY SINGLE STUDENT WHO IS A MEMBER OF FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE SOME LEVEL OF FINANCIAL LITERACY.
THEN THERE'S A TIERED APPROACH SO THEY CAN TAKE A MORE IN-DEPTH AS THEY GO UP.
I WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT.
OKAY. I'M GOING TO KICK IT TO OUR STUDENTS.
[00:25:01]
>> MARK, YOU HAD SAID THAT THE FIELD WAS OPEN FOR COMMUNITY VISITS AS WELL.
THE OTHER MORNING WE WERE DRIVING BY SHOWING OUR SUN FROM OUT OF TOWN.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS AND ALL THAT? SAW SOMEBODY RUNNING ON THE TRACK, WHICH WAS GREAT TO SEE.
AS FAR AS PUBLIC USE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS, CAN YOU GIVE A LITTLE INFO ON THAT?
>> YEAH. THE INTENT IS TO HAVE THE FACILITY OPEN FOR PUBLIC USE WHEN IT IS NOT BEING USED BY THE SCHOOL.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOME SIGN ON THE FENCE BY THE GATE AREA THAT EXPRESSES THE RULES. BE RESPECTFUL.
DON'T LET YOUR DOGS RUN ON THE TURF, THAT THING.
AS LONG AS EVERYBODY IS COOPERATIVE AND RESPECTFUL, THE FACILITY OR OUR PLAN IS TO LEAVE IT OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO USE AND ENJOY.
WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION OUT TO PUBLIC AND MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE READILY KNOWN.
ONCE WE HAVE THE COMMUNICATIONS AND THE SIGNAGE IN PLACE.
>> AS CLICKING THE WRONG THING, DR. DOMINGUEZ SAID, SCHOOL I JUST RECENTLY STARTED AND I'M STARTING MY SENIOR YEAR.
SEEING ALL THE NEW FACILITIES COMING TOGETHER WAS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING AND I CAN HAPPILY SAY THAT I WAS AMONG THE FIRST PEOPLE TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IN THE NEW STADIUM.
OUR FRIEND GROUP IS GOING AROUND SAYING THAT TO EVERYONE AND NO ONE CARES, BUT THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE WE DO.
THEN ALONG WITH SCHOOL STARTING, WE HAVE THE LEADERSHIP CLASSES HAVE A LOT TO DO BECAUSE HOMECOMING ASSERTING AND OUR THEME FOR THIS HOMECOMING IS ONE FOR THE RECORDS.
IT'S LIKE DIFFERENT MUSIC GENRES.
WE HAVE, LIKE EACH CLASS HAS A DIFFERENT THEME.
I THINK SENIORS THIS COUNTRY, AND THEN THE SOPHOMORES, JUST LIKE THERE'S LIKE HIP HOP AND THEN WRAP AND THEN THERE'S HIP-HOP AND ROCK.
THEN THERE'S ONE OTHER GENRE I'M FORGETTING, BUT IT'S LIKE DIFFERENT MUSIC GENRES.
THEN OUR FLOATS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIKE GENRE THEMED, NOT GENRE THEME.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE DECORATED IN OUR GENRES.
OUR FLOW IS GOING TO BE DECORATED LIKE A SALOON.
THEN OTHER FLOATS ARE GOING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, OF COURSE, RELATED TO THE GENRE.
THEN OUR FLOATS WILL BE, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A PARADE LIKE IT'S GOING TO START WITH A BUS DROP-OFF IS SO AROUND THE SIDE OF THE SCHOOL AND THEN IT'S GOING TO GO AROUND THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE SKULL.
IT'S JUST HARD TO EXPLAIN BECAUSE IT'S SO NEW, BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO CUT THROUGH THE ROADS OF THE SCHOOL THAT ARE INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SO KIDS CAN SEE THEM AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THEN I'M IN CHARGE OF MAKING ALL THE GRAPHICS FOR THE HOMECOMING, LIKE ADVERTISEMENTS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP STUFF.
THEN I GUESS I'LL GIVE THE WEATHER UPDATE AND ONE MORE THING TO SAY.
WE'VE GOT OUR FIRST FALL STORM, WHICH IS FUN.
THEN TOWARDS THE END OF THIS WEEK, IT WILL WARM UP A LITTLE BIT IN THE SKIES ARE CLEAR, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS BACK-AND-FORTH PATTERN WHERE IT'S GOING TO RAIN AND THEN IT'LL BE LESS RAINY AND THEN IT'LL RAIN AGAIN.
I GUESS THAT'S BETTER THAN NO RAIN.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO PULL US OUT OF THE DROUGHT, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY BETTER THAN NO RAIN.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING YOU SAID IN THE SLIDE.
THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE COURSES THAT WE HAVE.
BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF ADMINISTRATORS AND JUST NOT LIKE HERE, BUT A LOT OF ADMINISTRATORS IN PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION OFTEN OVERLOOK FINANCIAL LITERACY.
OR FINANCIAL LITERACY IS ONLY FILLING OUT FASCES AND WATSON'S AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S NOT FINANCIAL LITERACY.
LIKE IF WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO.
THERE'S THIS SKILL SET IN ORDER TO MANAGE MONEY AND I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH OUR STUDENTS.
I'VE SEEN IT AT ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEVELS WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WE NEED TO PUSH FILLING OUT THE FAFSA AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT FORMS LIKE THAT'S NOT FINANCIAL LITERACY, THAT'S JUST FILLING OUT FORMS. THANK YOU FOR ACTUALLY MAKING THAT AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR EDUCATION.
I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC WHO BROUGHT IT FORWARD AND PUSHED US TO THINK ABOUT IT.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE FROM WE'VE BEEN AARON GUNTER REPRESENTS SO SHE'S WEARING A DIFFERENT HAT TONIGHT.
I'LL LET HER TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING THE CITY TO COME FROM TIME TO TIME AND GIVE UPDATES.
THAT WILL WORK INTO PART OF MY SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE SO TO YOU.
[00:30:01]
>> THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAVE A FEW THINGS WELL, MORE THAN A FEW THINGS GOING ON, BUT I JUST BROUGHT A FEW THINGS JUST TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS.
NUMBER 1, THE FERNDALE CIVIC CAMPUS SLASH CITY HALL MUNICIPAL COURT FACILITY.
THERE IS A DESIGN OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH FROM 12:00 TO 07:00 P.M. AT THE PIONEER PAVILION, THAT'S 2007, CHERRY STREET.
SERVICE ARCHITECTS WILL BE THERE TO DISCUSS DESIGN OPTIONS AND COLLECT DESIGN OPINIONS.
THE MAYOR AND CITY STAFF WILL BE THERE AND AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS PROJECT.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY SO SHOW UP IF YOU CAN.
SECOND, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS HOSTING A FERNDALE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ELECTION FORUM ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 AT 06:00 P.M. AT MUNICIPAL COURT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 56 94 SECOND AVENUE.
IF YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES.
IT'S A GREAT OPTION. GO LISTEN.
NUMBER 3, FERNDALE PARKS AND REC ADVISORY BOARD IS HOSTING A FREE ZOMBIE, 5K FUN RUN.
YOU CAN RUN IN THE 5K OR BE A ZOMBIE AND GENTLY CHASE RUNNERS DRESSED UP AS A ZOMBIE.
LOOK UP ON FACEBOOK OR THE CITY WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.
NUMBER 4, THE CITY IS IN THE MIDST OF BUDGET SEASON AND WE'LL BEGIN A BUDGET STUDY SESSION IN OCTOBER.
FIVE, FINALLY THIS NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE OCTOBER 2ND AT 5:00 PM AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 5694 SECOND AVENUE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> YES. I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT BUT DID SEE THAT THORNTON AND VISTA WAS PAVED WITH THIS PAST WEEKEND WHICH WAS GREAT.
WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THE THORNTON OVERPASS AND ALL OF THAT?
>> UNFORTUNATELY IT KEEPS GETTING EXTENDED.
OUR NEWEST GOAL IS END OF DECEMBER, SO IT COULD BE LIKE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT.
>> WELL, WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THEN TONIGHT TO WRAP UP MY UPDATE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, SO THIS MONTH YOU ARE RECEIVING, SO THERE'S NO ACTION FOR YOU, BUT YOU ARE RECEIVING THE BIG ACADEMIC REPORT.
THE TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING, AND I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR DISTRICT ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR AND TEACHING AND LEARNING TO COME JOIN UP THE TABLE.
I THINK HE'S GETTING IT. SOMEBODY WILL COME UP HERE.
THIS IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.
IF YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU HAD ASKED THAT WE PUT BOTH ENGLISH, MATH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES TOGETHER IN ONE REPORT INSTEAD OF HAVING INDIVIDUAL REPORTS AND HEARING ABOUT IT OVER TIME.
ONE, BECAUSE IT'S COMPREHENSIVE, AND TWO, IT TELLS A STORY IN ITS ENTIRETY.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT, BUT IT'S QUITE A LENGTHY PROCESS, IT'S QUITE A LENGTHY REPORT, AND SO IN ORDER FOR YOU TO HAVE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION PRIOR TO READING THE REPORT, I'VE ASKED THAT WE DO WHAT WE DO WHEN WE GET A NEW BOOK WITH STUDENTS.
WE GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO READ, AND SO IT'S MORE YOU CAN MAKE SOME MEANING.
YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, I BELIEVE, THE POWERPOINT THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF JOHN IS JOINING THE TABLE. ARE YOU?
>> OH, OKAY. THAT THEY WILL BE SHARING TONIGHT.
DON'T WORRY, BOBBY, YOU'RE NOT BY YOURSELF.
THERE WILL BE SOME TIME TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS, BUT JUST KNOW OVER THE COURSE BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING, YOU CAN CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING.
THIS IS OUR ATTEMPT TO GIVE A PREVIEW TO WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE SPENDING THE NEXT MONTH READING.
BOBBY, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN BREAK OUT IN SONG IF YOU'D LIKE.
[LAUGHTER] NOW, I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO [OVERLAPPING] BOBBY.
>> HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SET UP THE DASHBOARD.
HE'S BEEN TAKING THE DATA AND PUTTING IT INTO A STORY TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
HE HAS BEEN WORKING LONG DAYS INTO THE EVENING TO BE READY FOR THIS REPORT, AND SO I DO WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK HIM FOR ALL HIS EFFORTS. THANKS, JOHN.
[00:35:36]
>> THANK YOU. TONIGHT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN ORIENTATION TO THE ACADEMIC RESULTS REPORT THAT IS PROVIDED IN BOARD DOCS TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS, PRESENT TO YOU SOME OF THE CONTEXT AROUND THAT REPORT, AND THAT'S INTENDED TO HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL REPORT, AND SO YOU CAN TAKE A DEEP DIVE THIS MONTH.
THIS ISN'T THE TIME NECESSARILY TO DISCUSS IT, WE'RE JUST PRESENTING IT TO YOU.
THEN NEXT MONTH AFTER YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO DIG IN AND REALLY REVIEW IT THEN WE'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF THE CONTEXT WHICH THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS IS GOING TO BE, THEN I'LL PAUSE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AND I'LL GET INTO THE ACADEMIC PIECES, I'LL PAUSE AFTER EACH OF THOSE.
BUT THIS IS BY FAR OUR MEATIEST OF OUR RESULTS REPORTS.
IN THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, WE'LL START WITH THE CONTEXT WHERE THIS ALL COMES FROM.
THEN WE'LL GO INTO OUR LANGUAGE ARTS, OUR MATH, SCIENCE, AND THEN WE'LL END WITH SOME SOCIAL STUDIES.
WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THAT THE FIRST THREE SECTIONS THERE ARE ALL BASED ON DATA THAT WE COLLECT ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE, EITHER SUMMATIVE THAT COMES FROM THE STATE TESTS, THE END OF THE YEAR TYPE THINGS, AND THEN THE FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE GIVE ALONG THE WAY.
THE DATA THAT WE HAVE HERE FROM THE REPORT LARGELY COMES FROM OSPI.
THEY COME FROM ALSO AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
THE STATE REPORTS, LIKE I SAID, ARE SUMMATIVE.
THEY COME LARGELY AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THEY ARE WHAT GETS LOOKED AT A LOT.
WHEN PEOPLE REFER TO HOW SCHOOLS DOING THEY REFER TO STATE REPORTS A LOT.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THE DISTRICT FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT WHICH IS DONE ALONG THE WAY DURING THE YEAR, IT'S WHAT'S ACTUALLY USED.
THAT'S WHAT TEACHERS COUNT ON TO HELP INFORM THEIR INSTRUCTION.
BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS THE DATA THAT WE HAVE, BOTH THE STATE DATA AND THE DISTRICT DATA IS IMPACTED BY A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTEXTS, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE DATA, YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO USE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
I TOLD TRINA I'D GO QUICKLY ON THIS SLIDE.
WHAT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT OUR DATA WAS IMPACTED BY THE COVID PANDEMIC, AND WE'RE MISSING DATA SPECIFICALLY FROM SPRING OF 2020.
WE ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED DIFFERENT STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BOTH AS INDIVIDUALS BUT AS GROUPS GO, OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS WERE IMPACTED MUCH MORE THAN OUR OLDER STUDENTS.
KIDS THAT WERE LEARNING TO RE-LEARN, TO WRITE, LEARNING, THE BASICS WERE IMPACTED MORE THAN KIDS THAT HAD MOST OF THOSE THINGS IN PLACE AND COULD LEARN MORE INDEPENDENTLY.
NEXT THING WE WANT YOU TO KNOW IN CONTEXT IS ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION DIP.
WE HAVE NEW CURRICULUM IN MATH, READING, SCIENCE.
EVERY TIME YOU DO SOMETHING NEW, THERE'S ALWAYS A DIP IN YOUR IMPLEMENTATION, THE RESULTS GO DOWN BEFORE THEY CAN'T GO UP.
THE COMPLEXITY, THE SCOPE, THE READINESS OF THE STAFF, THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, ALL IMPACT HOW DEEP THAT DIP GOES AND HOW LONG IT GOES.
IT CAN BE RELATIVELY SMALL, IT CAN BE LARGE, BUT IT'S FAIRLY PREDICTABLE THAT IT'S GOING TO OCCUR WITH ANYTHING NEW, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FULL REPORT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID AS WE TRIED TO MAKE THE DATA MEANINGFUL
[00:40:01]
FOR YOU IS WE IDENTIFIED WHAT WE'RE CALLING COMPARABLE DISTRICTS.COMPARABLE DISTRICTS ARE DISTRICTS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT LIKE US.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THE FIRST THING WE TOOK A LOOK AT IS THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT.
THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT IDENTIFIES THINGS LIKE RESOURCES, HOW BIG THE SCALE IS ON ANY CHANGE.
THE NEXT THING WE DID IS WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND OR MAKEUP OF THE DISTRICT.
HERE, YOU SEE THE BLUE LINES ARE FERNDALE, THE ORANGE ARE THE STATE.
NO TWO DISTRICTS ARE LIKE THIS. THIS IS US.
NEXT THING WE DID IS WE TOOK A LOOK AT POVERTY.
WE LOOKED AT HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE LEARNING MULTIPLE LANGUAGE AND WE LOOKED AT OUR HOMELESS POPULATION IN OUR DISTRICT.
AGAIN, WHERE THE ORANGE LINE THERE IS THE STATE AVERAGE.
WE PUT ALL THOSE FILTERS IN AND FROM THAT ORIGINAL LIST, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE FOUND AS MOST COMPARABLE TO OUR DISTRICT AS FAR AS OUR DISTRICT AND OUR LEARNERS AS A GROUP, NOT AS ANY INDIVIDUALS, BUT AS A LARGER GROUP.
WE'RE GOING TO REFER TO THOSE COMPARABLE DISTRICTS THROUGH TONIGHT AND THEY'RE GOING TO ALSO SEE IT IN THE LARGER REPORT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS A GROUP OF DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAVE CONDITIONS THAT ARE MOST SIMILAR TO US.
ALSO FACTORING INTO THE CONTEXT IS ATTENDANCE.
WE KNOW THAT ATTENDANCE SEVERELY IMPACTS LEARNING FOR THE GOOD OR FOR THE BAD.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT COVID IMPACTED THAT AND THAT WE HAVEN'T RECOVERED FROM THAT.
ATTENDANCE IS WORSE NOW THAN IT WAS BEFORE COVID.
OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THEIR SEATS LESS, THEY'RE GETTING LESS OF WHAT WE PROVIDE SINCE THEN.
WE HAVE PUT SOMEBODY IN A POSITION THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO IMPACT THAT.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S VARIATION IN ATTENDANCE BY RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS.
DURING THIS REPORT, THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE DESEGREGATED DATA AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THE PATTERNS OF THE DATA AS THEY APPEAR THROUGH THE REPORT.
>> JOHN, CAN YOU JUST COMMENT JUST FOR CLARITY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT OTHER PEOPLE THAT'LL BE LOOKING AT THIS REPORT THAT MAY BE NOT BE AWARE, BUT THERE'S ONE PLACE WHERE IT SAYS SUPPRESSED ON THERE.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT SO PEOPLE REALIZE WHAT'S BEING DONE WITH THE DATA THERE.
DATA SUPPRESSED IF AN INDIVIDUAL GROUP ISN'T LARGE ENOUGH TO BE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT OR IT CAN IDENTIFY PEOPLE IN A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE DATASET.
THE NEXT ONE, AS FAR AS THE CONTENTS GOES, IS WE KNOW THAT THE ENTRY-LEVEL OF STUDENTS AT ANY ONE LEVEL IMPACTS HOW THE STUDENTS WILL DO OR LIKELY TO DO AT THE NEXT LEVEL.
WHERE OUR KIDS COME IN IS GOING TO IMPACT HOW THEY PERFORM IN KINDERGARTEN.
IT DOESN'T DECIDE IT BUT IT IMPACTS IT.
KINDERGARTEN PREDICTS THIRD GRADE, THIRD GRADE PREDICTS GRADUATION.
SO YOU CAN, WITH VARYING DEGREES, SAY THAT HOW OUR KIDS COME IN IS GOING TO IMPACT OUR GRADUATION RATES.
A GROUP CAN LEARN MORE, THEY CAN MAKE MORE PROGRESS, THEY CAN SHOW MORE GROWTH, AND STILL IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE POOR RESULTS THAN A GROUP THAT CAME IN HIGHER AND DIDN'T GROW NEARLY AS MUCH.
ESPECIALLY THAT'S TRUE IF YOU'RE ONLY LOOKING AT SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS.
WE'VE PUT SOME MEASURES IN TO HELP TO SHOW THE GROWTH EVEN WHEN THE SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY SHOW THAT.
QUICK LITTLE EXAMPLE THAT CAME FROM ACTUALLY YESTERDAY IS IN SPRING 2023, OUR THIRD GRADE ELAS HAD 38.8% OF OUR STUDENTS MET STANDARD.
NOW, REMEMBER WE SAID THAT HOW THEY COME IN MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
[00:45:04]
OUR ENTRY DATA FOR OUR WAKIDS, WE HAD 39.6% OF OUR KINDERGARTENERS THAT MET THE STANDARD ON READINESS IN ALL SIX OUT OF SIX AREAS.THAT NUMBER REALLY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY CLOSER, AND I KNOW KRISTI CAN'T HELP BUT [OVERLAPPING]
>> I KNOW BECAUSE THIS IS WORK THAT I HAVE SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS WORKING ON AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WHEN WAKIDS WAS FIRST IMPLEMENTED AND KEEP IN MIND ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE, FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN HAS NOT BEEN ACCESSIBLE TO ALL CHILDREN EXCEPT FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS.
FERNDALE HAD IT EARLIER, BUT ACROSS THE STATE, WE'VE ONLY HAD FULL-DAY K THAT'S FREE TO ALL STUDENTS IN THE LAST 12 YEARS.
WAKIDS IS PART OF THE REQUIRED IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN ORDER FOR YOU TO COLLECT FULL FUNDING FOR FULL DAY K. TEACHERS IN THE FIRST NINE WEEKS OF SCHOOL IMPLEMENT WAKIDS, WHICH WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT DATA.
I THINK ONE OF THE VERY FIRST MEETINGS I CAME TO BEFORE I WAS EVEN OFFICIALLY YOUR SUPERINTENDENT, I GOT TO HEAR A REPORT ABOUT THAT, AND THERE ARE SIX DOMAINS AND THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS BASED ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
TEACHERS OBSERVE KIDS AND THEN THEY MARK THEM AND YOU QUANTIFY IT.
I THINK OF WAKIDS AS A CONTAINER WHERE THEY TAKE ALL THEIR OBSERVATIONS AND SAMPLES AND THEY PUT IT INTO A CONTAINER, AND WHEN THEY PULL IT OUT, THEY CAN TELL WHERE A CHILD IS DEVELOPMENTALLY.
SO A CHILD MAY BE SHOWING THAT THEY'RE, AND I DON'T LIKE THIS TERM, BUT K READY AND MATHEMATICS BUT THEY'RE FUNCTIONING AS A TWO-YEAR-OLD IN PHYSICAL.
SO WHAT WE FOUND AT THE STATE LEVEL AND GO BY TEACHING STRATEGIES WAS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS IS THAT THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION IN HOW KIDS ENTER KINDERGARTEN AND HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING AT ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT 60%.
IS THAT WHAT IT IS? SO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS ABOUT 60% OF HOW THE CHILDREN WHO ENTER SIX OUT OF SIX, MEANING THEY'RE SHOWING K READINESS IN ALL SIX DOMAINS WHEN THEY ENTER KINDERGARTEN, THEY HAVE ABOUT A 60% CHANCE OF PASSING ELA AND MATHEMATICS AT THIRD GRADE WITHOUT ANY OTHER INTERVENTIONS.
WHY THIS GROUP OF CHILDREN IS VERY SIGNIFICANT AND WHY WE'RE TRACKING THEM IS BECAUSE THIS GROUP OF KINDERGARTNERS ENDED THEIR KINDERGARTEN YEAR AT HOME, SO THEN THEY WERE AT HOME FOR FIRST GRADE, SECOND GRADE.
SO THAT IDEA IS, THAT IF THAT'S REALLY AN INDICATOR, WE SHOULD SEE ABOUT THE SAME PERCENT GIVEN THEIR THIRD GRADE ASSESSMENT RESULTS.
BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY IMPACTED, THEY MISSED THOSE FOUNDATIONAL TIMES WITH PEERS, THEY MISSED THE FOUNDATIONAL LESSONS AND GROUPS, FOUNDATIONAL LESSONS IN PHONEMIC AWARENESS PHONICS, EARLY MATHEMATICS.
SO WE'RE TRACKING THOSE THINGS, NOT JUST HERE IN FERNDALE, ACROSS THE STATE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT CORRELATION BECAUSE IT USED TO BE, BELIEVE, THAT YOU WOULD WAIT UNTIL A CHILD WAS IN THIRD GRADE TO PREDICT THEIR GRADUATION, AND WHAT WE FOUND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS IS WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT HOW A CHILD ENTERS KINDERGARTEN, HENCE, WHY YOU'RE SEEING ACROSS OUR STATE, WHY SO MANY DISTRICTS ARE FOCUSING ON PARTNERING WITH AGENCIES AND PROVIDERS AND FAMILIES FOR THOSE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF SCHOOL BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.
SO JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THAT.
>> SO THAT IS A PART OF OUR CONTEXT.
IN 2022, SO A YEAR AGO, THE FALL, IF ACCORDING TO OUR WAKIDS GOLD, UPON KINDERGARTEN ENTRY, FOUR OUT OF 10 OF OUR STUDENTS WERE MEETING SIX OUT OF SIX ON THAT ASSESSMENT.
WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT YOU SEE THERE IS THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'M SHARING THOSE COMPARABLE DISTRICTS THAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT.
WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE BOTTOM THIRD AMONG THOSE COMPARABLES, AND NOTICE ON THIS SLIDE THAT WE'RE ABOUT 9% BELOW THE STATE AS FAR AS HOW MANY KIDS YOU WOULD EXPECT IN AN AVERAGE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO BE MEETING THE SIX OUT OF SIX.
>> CAN I JUST GIVE A REMINDER ON THAT? THIS IS DATA THAT SHOWS US HOW THEY'RE ENTERING, SO THIS IS DATA THAT CAPTURES THE FIRST NINE WEEKS OF A CHILD'S KINDERGARTEN YEAR.
SO IT'S REALLY MEANT JUST TO DO A BASELINE OF HOW THEY ENTER SCHOOL.
THIS ISN'T FERNDALE, THIS IS STATEWIDE, AND THE THINGS THAT IT ALSO SHOWS IS IF YOU ENTER WITH SIX OUT OF SIX OF THE INDICATORS, YOU'RE THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO MEET THE THIRD GRADE BENCHMARKS IF YOU'RE SIX OUT OF SIX UPON ENTRY THERE.
[00:50:07]
ALSO IN OUR CONTEXTS, THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT STUDENTS CHOOSING NOT TO TEST.SO WHEN YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS CHART, THOSE BLUE BARS ARE THE FOLKS THAT DID TEST.
SO YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF NUMBERS IN THE MID TO HIGH '90S.
THE GRAY BARS ARE STUDENTS THAT OPTED OUT.
THERE'S BEEN QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MANY OF THOSE KIDS ARE THERE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT DOWN THERE ON SCIENCE, THERE'S CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN YOU HAVE IN THE MATH AND THE READING, AND THEN THOSE ORANGE BARS ARE ALTERNATE ASSESSMENTS WHICH ARE PROVIDED FOR STUDENTS WHEN THE TYPICAL ASSESSMENT ISN'T APPROPRIATE.
SPEAKING OF OPT OUT, IT DOES VARY SOMEWHAT BY SUBJECT.
HERE'S OUR ELA RELATIVE TO OUR COMPARABLES AND WE TEST MORE THAN MOST.
IN SCIENCE WE ACTUALLY TEST MORE THAN ANY OF OUR COMPARABLE DO, WHICH DOES HAVE AN IMPACT, I'LL SHOW THAT TO YOU IN JUST A SECOND HERE.
THIS IS A BIG PICTURE, INCLUDING THE OPT-OUT.
SO YOU SEE THE PERCENTAGE THERE IN THE LARGE DONUTS OF STUDENTS THAT MET THE STANDARD LAST SPRING AND FOR ELA, THAT INCLUDES OUTS 2.4% WHO DIDN'T PARTICIPATE, 2.7 IN MATH, AND THEN 5.4 IN SCIENCE.
IF YOU TAKE OUT THOSE AND DON'T COUNT THOSE AGAINST THE NUMBERS, THEN ALL OF THOSE ARE GOING TO RAISE SLIGHTLY.
THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU'LL SEE THERE, IS SCIENCE WHICH RAISES ABOUT 3%.
SO IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND IT'S NOT A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I FEEL LIKE THE PREACHER THAT JUST TURNED THE PAGE AND SAID, I'M JUST GETTING STARTED HERE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO START OUT WITH ELA IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE SEEN SO FAR.
AS YOU SAW BEFORE 45.6% OF OUR STUDENTS, THIRD THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL MET THE STANDARD ON THE ELA.
WHEN WE TAKE THAT AGAINST OUR COMPARABLE DISTRICTS, WE'RE MIDDLE-ISH, LITTLE HIGH MIDDLE THERE, AND ABOUT 5% BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE.
THAT'S SIGNIFICANT WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT OUR KIDS STARTED OUT ABOUT 9% BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE.
WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE MORE KIDS THAT ARE ACHIEVING, BUT IT'S SHOWING MORE GROWTH.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A FOUR-YEAR TREND IN ELA AND YOU NOTICE THAT THE OVERALL TREND FROM THIRD GRADE THROUGH 10TH GRADE HAS A GENTLE RISE TO IT.
ITS OPPOSITE MATH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE TREND IS GOING TO START HIGHER AND LOWER WHEN WE GET TO THAT ONE.
BUT IN GENERAL, HERE OUR OLDER STUDENTS ARE SCORING BETTER THAN OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS.
WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT JUST OUR 10TH GRADE STUDENTS AND THIS IS WITH OUR COMPARABLES, YOU TAKE THAT 61% FROM OUR LAST CHART AND YOU PUT IT IN HERE, AND YOU SEE THAT WE'RE ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE IN THE 10TH GRADE, AND ONE OF THE HIGHER AMONG THE COMPARABLE DISTRICTS.
THROUGH THE REPORT THAT WE'VE PROVIDED YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THINGS BROKEN DOWN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.
THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT, WHERE THE BLUE BARS ARE, THE STUDENTS THAT ARE MEETING PROFICIENCY STANDARDS AND THE ORANGE BARS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE NOT YET MEETING THAT.
WHAT YOU SEE IS THERE'S A LOT OF VARIATION.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THROUGH ALL OF THE REPORTS, THERE'S GOING TO BE VARIATION THERE.
ANOTHER WAY WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE DATA IN THAT REPORT IS BY SHOWING YOU WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE YEAR.
SO IN THIS CHART ON THAT TOP BAR, WHAT YOU SEE IS HOW MANY KIDS ARE AT
[00:55:03]
STANDARD IN THE FALL AND THEN IN THE WINTER, HOW THERE'S MORE.IN THE SPRING, THERE'S EVEN MORE.
THIS IS A FIRST BIT OF DISTRICT DATA THAT WE'RE PROVIDING YOU IN THIS OVERVIEW.
THE GROWTH THROUGH THE YEAR IS ENCOURAGING.
THIS COMES FROM OUR I-READY DATA AND THE STANDARD RISES ALONG WITH PERFORMANCE AND SO THAT'S ENCOURAGING HERE.
THIS IS ANOTHER SET THAT SHOWS THE FORMATIVE DATA.
WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS THAT THAT THE TOP BLUE IS MAY, THE BOTTOM IS IN OCTOBER AND THE GREATER THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO MARKS, THE MORE GROWTH THAT THEY MADE IN THAT YEAR AND THIS ONE COMES FROM ARC OR AMERICAN READING COMPANY.
SO IT'S ONLY GOING K5 BECAUSE WE DON'T USE THIS PARTICULAR CURRICULUM OR THIS PARTICULAR ASSESSMENT BEYOND FIFTH GRADE.
BUT YOU SEE SOME REALLY ENCOURAGING GROWTH WHEN YOU SEE A BIG JUMP LIKE THAT IN THE FIRST GRADE, THAT'S HUGE, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST OUTCOMES THAT WE COULD HOPE FOR IN FIRST GRADE IS THAT KIDS BEGIN TO BECOME ABLE TO READ.
I'M GOING TO PAUSE THERE AFTER READING AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO MATH.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE A SET THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE WHAT WE JUST SAW FOR MATH, WHICH THERE'LL BE TRUE IN YOUR REPORT.
THERE'S A LOT MORE CHARTS IN THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE, BUT IT'LL BE A SIMILAR SET IN EACH OF THE SUBJECT AREAS TO HELP YOU TO GET A GREAT PICTURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS PARTICULAR PART.
>> CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS THIS MONTH?
>> YOU CAN, ALTHOUGH WE WILL BE MORE EXPECTING THEM AT THE NEXT MEETING AFTER YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO DIG IN.
BUT WE WANT TO MOSTLY MAKE SURE TONIGHT THAT EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO DIGEST IT, AND SO YOU CAN MAKE GOOD USE OF THE TIME YOU SPEND ON IT.
>> BUT WE DON'T TELL YOU NO. [LAUGHTER] HAVE WE EVER TOLD YOU NO? [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU SAID THAT FOR I-READY THE BENCHMARK OF WHAT STANDARD IS GOES UP OVER THE YEAR, SO CAN WE ASSUME THAT THE BENCHMARK AT THE END OF GRADE 1 IS EQUAL TO THE BENCHMARK AT THE BEGINNING OF GRADE 2?
>> I'M GOING TO LET KELLY ANSWER THAT ONE BACK THERE.
>> I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BOUNCE BACK TO BOBBY.
HE WOULD BE THE BEST IN TERMS OF OUR ASSESSMENT SCORES ON THIS.
>> THEN BOBBY WILL GIVE IT TO [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER]
>> NO, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENTIATION HERE.
>> I THINK THEY'RE GENERALLY VERY CLOSE.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT IN I-READY THEY DROP A LITTLE BIT DUE TO SUMMER LEG, BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
>> THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE NODDING.
>> THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE AT STANDARD OR ABOVE, DOES THE BENCHMARK CHANGE FROM FALL TO SPRING?
>> I GUESS I HAD ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN THIS REPORT.
IS OUR SUMMER DROP BIGGER THAN THE DROP THAT IS BUILT INTO I-READY STANDARDS? IF SO, IS THERE SOMETHING WE COULD THINK ABOUT FOR SUMMER SCHOOLS, KEEPING THAT DROP OR CHANGING AROUND OUR CALENDAR, NOT ANYTIME SOON?
>> YEAH, THAT'S INTERESTING. YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY JUST HAD A MEETING TODAY WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE USE THE SUMMERTIME TO BE ABLE TO THINK THROUGH THAT AND SO WE HAVE A MEETING THAT WE'RE SETTING UP TO START PLANNING FOR NEXT SUMMER ALREADY.
>> MELINDA, I WOULD ALSO MENTION THAT WE'RE JUST STARTING OUR THIRD YEAR AS A DISTRICT OF USING I-READY AND THAT FIRST YEAR THAT WE WERE USING IT, IT HAD SOMEWHAT OF INCONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION ONLY BECAUSE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS STARTED OUT TAKING THE ASSESSMENT AT HOME.
SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THE DATA THAT WE HAD WAS VARIED.
FOR INSTANCE, WE EXCEEDED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AT THAT TIME AND WE GOT SOME FLAGS ON IT THAT MAYBE THERE WAS SOME SUPPORT.
SO WE'RE JUST STARTING TO SEE OUR DATA STABILIZE A LITTLE BIT SO WE'RE ABLE TO START DETECTING PATTERNS.
AFTER THAT FIRST YEAR, IT HAD TO ADJUST THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OUR STUDENTS TOOK THAT DIAGNOSTIC A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO COMPARE THAT TOWARDS THE END OF FALLS LAST YEAR AT THE BEGINNING.
SO WE'RE JUST STARTING TO LEARN MORE AND MORE BUT WHAT WE DID DO THIS LAST SUMMER WAS WE ENSURED THAT IT STAYED ACTIVE ALL SUMMER AS WELL SO OUR FAMILIES COULD CONTINUE TO ACCESS IT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER WHERE THAT HADN'T BEEN THE CASE PREVIOUSLY.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE FOR
[01:00:01]
ALL FAMILIES AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRY TO FIND WAYS THAT PEOPLE COULD COME IN AND USE OUR RESOURCES AND OTHER ACCESS POINTS.>> WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO MATH, WHICH IS ALSO GOING TO TAKE US BACK TO THE STATE ASSESSMENT.
IN MATH, I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT 33.9% OF OUR STUDENTS MET THE PROFICIENCY STANDARD.
IN RELATION TO OUR COMPARABLE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, WE'RE SOMEWHAT NEAR THE MIDDLE, A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THE MIDDLE THERE.
IT'S A COMMON STRUGGLE WITH THIS ASSESSMENT ACROSS OUR STATE.
LIKE I TOLD YOU, THIS IS THE INVERSE OF THAT READING OR ELA.
THE TREND LINE IN ELA WENT UP, THE TREND LINE IN MATH GOES DOWN AND ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS IS THAT WAS TRUE BEFORE COVID, THAT WAS TRUE AFTER COVID.
THAT TREND REALLY HASN'T CHANGED.
ALSO, LIKE ON THE ELA, WE SEE QUITE A BIT OF VARIATION BY RACE AND ETHNICITY WHEN DESEGREGATED.
NOW WE'RE BACK TO SOME DISTRICT DATA.
THIS IS FROM I-READY MATH AND LIKE IN THE ELA, WE SEE STRONG GROWTH WITHIN THE YEAR, FROM FALL TO SPRING.
SO WE'VE GOT FALL ON THE TOP, WINTER IN THE MIDDLE OF SPRING, ON THE BOTTOM THERE AND YOU SEE JUST FAR MORE STUDENTS THAT ARE AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL IN THE SPRING THAN YOU DID IN THE FALL, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS AND IT'D BE REALLY SCARY IF IT WAS OTHERWISE.
SO I'M PAUSING HERE AND I'M MOVING ON TO SCIENCE.
THIS IS BACK TO THE SMARTER BALANCE.
THAT'S 43.9% OF OUR STUDENTS WHO MET THE PROFICIENCY STANDARD.
THAT PUTS US A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THE STATE THAT STANDS OUT FOR SCIENCE THAT'S UNIQUE AND WE ARE IN THE TOP ONE-THIRD OF OUR COMPARABLE DISTRICTS THERE.
I GUESS IF ELA GOES UP AND MATH GOES DOWN, SCIENCE STAYS STABLE FOR OVER THE YEARS.
IF YOU DID A TREND LINE THERE, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING.
BUT SOMETHING THAT IS THE SAME HERE IS THAT IT VARIES AGAIN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.
GOING BACK TO THE BIG PICTURE, THE BLUE LINE IS US, THE ORANGE LINE IS THE STATE AVERAGE.
SOMETHING TO NOTE HERE IS OUR STUDENTS BEGAN ABOUT 9% BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE.
WE'VE CLOSED SOME OF THE GAP, WE HAVEN'T CLOSED AT ALL.
WHETHER IT REALLY DOES, IS LAST SPRING YOU SAW A REPORT ON EARLY LEARNING.
IT SAYS, "THIS SAYS TO ME THAT IF WE PUT OUR INVESTMENT IN OUR KIDS WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE, THEN WE SHOULD BE GETTING AN IMPACT THROUGH EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE SHOWED THERE.
EVERY ACADEMIC AREA WILL BENEFIT IF WE INVEST IN OUR KIDS WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE." WE TOLD YOU WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE SOCIAL STUDIES.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SOCIAL STUDIES IS BASED ONLY ON PARTICIPATION.
IT'S A CBA, CLASSROOM-BASED ASSESSMENT, MUCH LIKE THE ARTS, JUST LIKE PE.
THE STATE ASSESSMENT IS, DID YOU DO IT OR DID YOU NOT DO IT.
I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON THE 11TH AND 12TH GRADES.
BECAUSE IT'S HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU TAKE A VARIED SCHEDULE, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE TAKING A SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS WHEN THAT ASSESSMENT IS GIVEN.
IT ISN'T THAT OUR TEACHERS AREN'T SUPPORTED OR NOT PARTICIPATING, IT'S THAT YOU DO THE ASSESSMENT WITH THE KIDS THAT ARE IN THAT CLASS.
I'D LIKE TO END WITH THE END, WHICH IS OUR GRADUATION RATE WITH A TREND LINE THERE.
IT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OUTCOME OF ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT HERE IS OUR FIVE-YEAR GRAD RATE,
[01:05:02]
THERE'S A FOUR-YEAR AND A FIVE-YEAR, AND SOME OF OUR STUDENTS TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.REALLY, IT'S A BADGE IF YOUR FIVE-YEAR RATE GOES UP BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU'VE CONNECTED WITH YOUR KIDS, YOU'VE STAYED CONNECTED WITH THEM.
THEY ARE STILL COMMITTED TO THE GOAL OF FINISHING THEM AND OUR STAFF IS STILL COMMITTED TO HELPING THEM TO GET THERE.
SO IN A LOT OF WAYS, OUR FIVE-YEAR RATE IS MORE SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S OKAY TO STUMBLE AND FALL, BUT THEY SAYS THAT SOMEBODY STUMBLED AND FELL AND THEN THEY GOT BACK UP AND THEY STILL FINISHED.
>> BOBBY, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ON THAT ONE, THE GRADUATION RATES? THE DOTTED LINE, THE TREND, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE STATISTICS.
IS THAT THE CALCULATED LINE WITH OUR VALUE SO WE CAN SEE IS THAT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, CAN WE HAVE THAT AS A LITTLE FINE PRINT ON THESE REPORTS? OR JUST LIKE GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF WE HAVE LIKE, THIS IS OUR TREND LINE, I WANT TO KNOW, IS THIS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT? IS THIS REAL OR IS THIS JUST, THE LINE LOOKED PRETTY SO I PUT IT THERE?
>> [LAUGHTER] NO, IT WASN'T THAT.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I CAN ADD THAT TO BOTH THIS ONE AND THE FUTURE'S.
>> I'D LIKE TO THANK BOBBY AND THE TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM.
JACKSON IS NOT HERE, HE'S BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE UPLOADED IS TWO-FOLD.
YOU'LL SEE THE REPORT, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE NOTED ALL THE DIFFERENT GRAPHS.
I THINK IT'S 56 PAGES. IS THAT RIGHT? AS YOU'RE READING THE REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'LL SAY LOOK AT PAGE WHATEVER TO FIND THE OTHER GRAPH.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND I ARE TALKING ABOUT, AND I'M GOING TO BE ASKING YOU FOR SOME FEEDBACK, I'LL BE SHARING SOME WORK WITH YOU, IS HOW DO WE TAKE ALL THIS INFORMATION? BECAUSE IF YOU LOOKED AT ONE OF THE VERY FIRST SLIDES, WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS THE NEWEST ATTENDANCE DATA FROM LAST YEAR AND WE DON'T HAVE THE NEWEST GRADUATION DATA FROM IT.
SO WHEN THIS REPORT COMES, YOU'RE GETTING THE ASSESSMENTS, BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER INDICATING FACTORS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU AS THOSE COME OUT.
YEAH, SO GRADUATION, WE WILL GET THE LATEST DATA FROM GRADUATION AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, ATTENDANCE WEEK IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY.
WHAT THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND I ARE WORKING ON IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEACHING AND LEARNING IS HOW DO WE CREATE A STATE OF THE DISTRICT DOCUMENT, BASICALLY A MAGAZINE THAT SAYS THIS IS HOW WE'RE DOING, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THAT NEEDS TO COME OUT AFTER THESE OTHER PIECES ARE THERE AND ALSO TALK ABOUT OTHER INITIATIVES SUCH AS SAFETY, FACILITIES, AND THOSE OTHER PIECES.
THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO GET FEEDBACK OVER TIME, THINGS THAT YOU THINK PEOPLE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN READING.
IT'LL PROBABLY BE A ROUGH DRAFT DOCUMENT THIS YEAR AND WE'LL GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE READABILITY, HOW DID IT WORK.
SO THIS REPORT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU SPEND DAYS DOING, THAT SOMEBODY CAN PICK IT UP IN OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING AND THEN BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT ON THE WEBPAGE, SO JUST MORE TO COME.
THANK YOU, TEAM. AND I'LL BE BACK NEXT MONTH TO HELP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I WAS ABLE TO SEE A PRELIMINARY OF THE 56-PAGE DOCUMENT.
AND AT FIRST, I PULLED IT UP AND WENT 56 PAGES IT GIRDS.
BUT THE MORE I LOOKED AT IT, THE MORE USER-FRIENDLY AND EXCITING THE DATA WAS TO LOOK AT AND JUST HAVING IT THAT READILY AVAILABLE.
SO I ECHO KRISTI'S, KUDOS TO BOBBY AND THE TEAM, SO THANK YOU.
THAT TAKES US THEN ON TO ITEM 5 OF THE AGENDA,
[5. MATTERS RESERVED FOR BOARD ACTION]
AND THE FIRST ITEM 5.01 IS THE ADOPTION OF MODERN MARINE REPORT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS POLICY FOR OE FOR THE PERSONAL ADMINISTRATION.KRISTI'S ALREADY ALLUDED TO THIS ONE, AND SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HER TO MAKE HER RECOMMENDATION.
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU REJECT THIS REPORT THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THERE.
LIKE I SAID, WE CAN DO BETTER.
WE DIDN'T FULLY FOLLOW THE POLICY WHEN WE WROTE IT, AND SO APOLOGIES.
I AM THE DISTRICT'S LEAD LEARNER, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO MODEL WHEN WE DO THINGS WELL AND WE'RE GOING TO MODEL WHEN WE DON'T DO THINGS WELL.
AND SO THIS WAS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR MYSELF AND MY TEAM.
[01:10:03]
ACTUALLY, IT MADE US BETTER, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO VOTE TO REJECT THIS REPORT AS IT WAS WRITTEN, AND THEN IF YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL SEE DOWN BELOW THAT YOU CAN ADOPT TO ACCEPT THE REVISION OF THAT POLICY.>> WITH THAT, THE CHAIR WILL PUT FORTH THAT WE VOTE TO REJECT THIS REPORT AND ACCEPT THE NEW ONE THAT'S BEEN PUT FORTH IN THE CONSENT AGENDA IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
ALSO, I THINK THAT TONY IS HELPING ME TO REMEMBER.
AS WITH ALL THESE THINGS, WE VOTED THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE, AND SO PROBABLY NOT THE MOTION BEING SET FORTH IS TO REJECT THIS.
WOULD YOUR ADVISORY BE TO YAY OR NAY?
>> THANK YOU. THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE IS THAT WE DO REJECT THIS REPORT.
THEN I WILL MOVE ON TO THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT? THEN SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF REJECTING THE PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED OEVE4 REPORT SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL OPPOSED. THE REPORT IS REJECTED AND WE WILL LOOK AT THE REVISED ONE THAT IS PRESENTED IN TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT TAKES US ON TO ITEM 5.02, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT.
THE CONTRACT IS ATTACHED TO BOARD DOCS.
I'LL MAKE MY SPIEL A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT BOARD DOCS, NORMALLY I DO IT WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BOARD DOCS DOES HAVE THE DOCUMENTS THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING AT.
ON THERE, IT HAS THE REPORTS AND VARIOUS THINGS.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED OR DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO GET ON OR FIND BOARD DOCS, PLEASE SEE ONE OF US OR ANYBODY UP HERE AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU.
THAT WAY YOU CAN ACCESS THOSE DOCUMENTS AND SEE THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING.
THE CONTRACT THAT IS PUT FORTH THERE IS BASICALLY JUST AN EXTENSION OF THE CONTRACT THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR.
THE ESSENTIALLY SUPERINTENDENTS CONTRACTS, THE TYPICAL TREND IS THAT THEY'RE A THREE-YEAR REVOLVING CONTRACT.
NOTHING NEW IN THIS ONE OTHER THAN CHANGING THE DATES TO REFLECT WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION OR THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> I THINK SOMETHING TO CONSIDER WITH THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DOCUMENT, ANYBODY CAN LOOK AT IT.
IT'S SOME MIGHT CONSIDER IT TO BE VERY GENEROUS OR BIGGER THAN SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING IN THEIR OWN HOME, TRUE, 100% TRUE.
HOWEVER, I ALSO THINK THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO BE A LEADER IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SET THE TONE FOR YOUR CITY, TO SET THE TONE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY IS HUGE.
WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS WHAT A SUPERINTENDENT CAN DO AS FAR AS SETTING THAT TONE.
MY OPINION IS THAT DR. DOMINGUEZ HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN SETTING THE TONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND I FULLY SUPPORT THIS CONTRACT.
>> I WOULD ECHO THAT IN THE SENSE OF WHEN WE ORIGINALLY SET UP THIS CONTRACT, WE WORKED WITH THE SEARCH COMMITTEE THAT HELPED US AND THEY LOOKED AT COMPARABLE CONTRACTS FOR DISTRICTS OF COMPARABLE SIZES AND HELPED US TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING THAT WAS APPROPRIATE AND FAIR.
I THINK WE GOT A SCREAMING DEAL GIVEN THE WAY THAT KRISTI HAS LED THE DISTRICT AND THE CHANGES THAT SHE'S MADE IN THE SHORT TIME SHE'S BEEN HERE, SO I'M HAPPY TO VOTE FOR IT.
>> A MOVE TO APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT AS ATTACHED.
CUABINO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO [LAUGHTER] VOTE IN FAVOR OR AGAINST?
[01:15:02]
FEEL LIKE PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT WITH GABBY NOT HERE, BUT YOU'RE DOING WELL.THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE IS IN FAVOR OF THE CONTRACT.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT AS ATTACHED HERE AND BE MADE PART OF THE MINUTES SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL OPPOSED. CONTRACT PASSES. THANK YOU.
THAT THEN TAKES US ON TO THE ITEM 5.03, WHICH IS THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY SKILLS CENTER OF FEASIBILITY STUDY.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE SKILL CENTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK.
THE PART OF THAT IS THEY HAVE TO ENGAGE IN A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY IS HERE TONIGHT, REALLY, IT'S JUST VOTING ON AN ENDORSEMENT, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT TOOK PLACE, THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF IT, MORE INFORMATION TO COME, DR. LYNETTE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN HER LAST NAME IS?
>> THANK YOU. HAS OFFERED AGAIN, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO GO SEE A SKILL CENTER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH HER, SHE'D BE HAPPY TO COME TO OUR BOARD MEETING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS IS REALLY JUST THE STUDY THEY DID, SO THEY WANT YOU TO BE PART OF IT.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SET UP THAT TIME FOR YOU TO VISIT OR INVITE HER HERE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT THIS WILL BE TARGETED TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS ACROSS WHATCOM COUNTY.
CURRENTLY, STUDENTS WHO WANT TO ENGAGE IN A SKILL CENTER DO HAVE TO GET ON A CITY BUS OR DRIVE DOWN TO THIS GADGET VALLEY, WHICH ELIMINATES A GOOD PORTION OF THEIR DAY.
THEY BECOME DISENGAGED SOMETIMES FROM THEIR HIGH SCHOOL PEERS.
HAVING IT ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE CURRENT MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON THE MERIDIAN CAMPUS, IT BELONGS TO ALL OF WHATCOM COUNTY, SO WE CAN GO LOOK AT WHERE THAT'S AT.
BUT A STUDENT COULD GO OVER THERE, ENGAGE IN SKILL CENTER, AND STILL BE BACK TO ENGAGE IN THE PORTION OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER HERE, SO IT'S A WIN FOR OUR KIDS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE FEASIBILITY STUDY? THEN THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> MOTION WOULD BE TO ACCEPT THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY, CORRECT?
>> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE OUTCOME COUNTIES SKILL CENTER FEASIBILITY STUDY AS ATTACHED AND MADE IT PART OF THE MINUTES.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ACCEPT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SKILL CENTER AS ATTACHED HERE TO BE PART OF THE MINUTES. QUABINA.
>> THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE IS IN FAVOR ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SKILL CENTER FEASIBILITY STUDY AND MAKING IT PART OF THE MINUTES SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES.
[6. FOCUS ON DISTRICT OPERATIONS]
THAT TAKES US THEN ON TO ITEM 6.01, WHICH IS REVISION OF THE OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS POLICY 2 (0E-2), WHICH WAS SUCCESSION PLANNING.AGAIN, THIS WAS THE REPORT THAT THE BOARD HAD PRESENTED TO US TWO MEETINGS AGO AND WE DISCUSSED AT OUR LAST MEETING AND APPROVED AND ADOPTED IT.
THIS IS JUST OUR CLOSING THE CIRCLE COMING BACK AROUND IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE IN IT.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING IN MY NOTES.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAD ANYTHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT NEEDED TO BE REVISED OR CHANGED.
I KNOW SOME OF THE MONITORING REPORTS AND INDICATORS WE HAVE PUT FORTH TO A STUDY SESSION BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR TO DISCUSS IN DEPTH AND MORE FULLY.
BUT I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING WITHIN THIS ONE.
IF SEEN NO REVISIONS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, WE WILL LEAVE IT TO STAND AS IS.
[01:20:02]
ITEM 6.2 IS DISCUSSION OF THE LEVY.TONIGHT WE WILL CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION RELATED TO PUTTING A LEVY ON THE BALLOT IN 2004 FOR THE 2025 SCHOOL YEAR AND BEYOND.
AS I MENTIONED LAST MONTH, TRADITIONALLY WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE PUT LEVEES ON THE BALLOT TOGETHER AS A WAY OF REDUCING THE COST TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
LEVEES HAVE BEEN MOST FREQUENTLY PLACED ON THE FEBRUARY BALLOT TO ALLOW DISTRICTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REASSESS, REGROUP AND RERUN A LEVEE SHOULD A LEVEE FAIL.
CONSIDERING THAT THE LEVEE REPRESENTS ABOUT 13.5% OF OUR DISTRICT BUDGET, THE OUTCOME OF THIS DISCUSSION IN FUTURE VOTE PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN THE PLANNING OF THE DISTRICT'S FUTURE.
THE DEADLINE FOR PLACING A LEVY PROPOSAL ON THE FEBRUARY BALLOT IS IN MID-DECEMBER, VERY SHORTLY AFTER OUR SCHEDULED DECEMBER 12TH MEETING.
IF THE VOTE TO PUT THE LEVY ON THE BALLOT IS DELAYED UNTIL OUR DECEMBER 12TH MEETING, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, FOR THE BUSINESS OFFICE AND LEGAL TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO MEET THAT DEADLINE.
FURTHER COMPLICATING THIS TIMELINE THIS YEAR IS THAT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION RESULTS ARE SET TO BE CERTIFIED ON NOVEMBER 28TH, THE DATE OF OUR NOVEMBER BUSINESS MEETING.
I MENTIONED LAST MONTH THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION AS TO WHEN NEW BOARD MEMBERS WOULD BE SEATED.
WE TALKED WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IT BE DONE IN DECEMBER.
AT THIS POINT, TONIGHT, WE WILL BE HAVING HOLLY AND MARK PROVIDE US WITH MORE INFORMATION BASED ON OUR REQUESTS FROM LAST MONTH TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION OF THE LEVY.
I'LL ASK THEM TO JOIN US AT THE TABLE.
>> THANK YOU. WE WERE JUST GOING THROUGH A COUPLE OF TECHNOLOGY WORK OUT THERE.
LAST MONTH WE STARTED THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE UPCOMING LEVY AND THE PROCESS AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS BASICALLY A THREE-MONTH PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE IN LAST MONTH, WE MET, WE TALKED AND IDENTIFIED THE QUESTIONS, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL NEEDED IN ORDER TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH TONIGHT TO ALLOW US TO PREPARE THE RESOLUTION AND BRING IT BACK NEXT MONTH.
THIS IS THE PHASE 2 OF OUR THREE-MONTH PROCESS HERE.
IF YOU WANT TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST A LITTLE, WE'VE GOT JUST A BIT OF POWERPOINT.
IT'S NOT NEARLY AS LONG AS THE TEACHING-LEARNING VERSION.
[LAUGHTER] LAST MONTH YOU ASKED US FOR SOME INFORMATION.
AT THE MEETING, YOU ASKED US SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT FUND BALANCE, WHAT IT'S MADE UP OF, HOW SMALL IT CAN GET.
WE'VE GOT SOME INFORMATION TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE CURRENT SITUATION WITH THE FUND BALANCE.
YOU ASKED US WHAT IS THE LEVY PAY FOR? WE'VE GOT SOME INFORMATION THAT WILL WALK US THROUGH AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE USING THOSE MONIES FOR.
WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON COLLECTION RULES BECAUSE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT INTERESTING INFORMATION.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT IS PUT ON THE RESOLUTION, WHICH IS THE FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT, AND THAT IS THE MAXIMUM THAT IT CAN BE COLLECTED NO MATTER WHAT.
THAT'S THE RESOLUTION DOLLAR AMOUNT, THEN THE ACTUAL COLLECTION RULES.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT VARIATIONS THAT WE'LL GET INTO.
THAT'S THE TAX RATE PER $1,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE OR THE DOLLAR AMOUNT PER PUPIL.
BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS.
COLLECTION VERSUS WHAT THE VOTERS AUTHORIZER ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT ARE PROJECTIONS YOU ASKED FOR A CHART THAT OUTLINED WHAT DOES THE NEXT FOUR YEARS LOOK LIKE? WE ACTUALLY WENT BACK YEARS TO GIVE YOU SOME COMPARISON TO THAT AS WELL.
THEN THAT'LL GET US HOPEFULLY TO THE POINT WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS AS TO WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT FOR THE LEVY, HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO BE AND HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR PER THE RESOLUTION.
AGAIN, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHEN WE GET DOWN TO COLLECTING.
>> I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FUND BALANCE.
THIS IS A SUMMARY AND IT'S TAKEN STRAIGHT FROM OUR CITIZENS BUDGET THAT WE PRESENTED BACK IN JULY.
THIS SHOWS THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF FUND BALANCE.
[01:25:04]
THE THINGS THAT SAY RESTRICTED THAT THERE'S AN EXTERNAL, SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT'S RESTRICTING THAT BALANCE, THE THINGS THAT ARE ASSIGNED OR THINGS THAT INTERNALLY WE HAVE SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN THINGS AND PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING TO LOOK AT WOULD BE THE UNASSIGNED THAT'S IN BLUE, WHICH IS SET BY BOARD POLICY.THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO 4% OF OUR BUDGETED EXPENDITURES.
ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, WE BUDGETED THAT OUR FUND BALANCE WOULD BE 10.1 MILLION.
WE HAVE BUDGETED TO SPEND 5.6 MILLION OF OUR FUND BALANCE THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AND THAT'LL END US IN AUGUST WITH A $4.4 MILLION FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
CAN WE BACK UP? I FORGOT SOMETHING. YOU ARE ASKING.
THE WORD WANTED TO KNOW HOW LOW WE COULD GO AND THE LOWEST WE COULD GO IS THE MINIMUM FUND BALANCE WITH THE BOARD SETS PLUS THIS RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE AREAS.
NEXT. THEN YOU ASK WHAT THE LEVY FUNDS? EVERY LABOR GROUP IN OUR DISTRICT IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY LEVY.
THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
EVERY COMPONENT ON HERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S A BASIC SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE FUNDED WITH LEVY FUNDS.
ONE EXAMPLE IS PARA EDUCATORS.
EVERYTHING ON HERE IS THAT IT'S A SHORTFALL OF WHAT THE STATE FUNDS LEVY PICKS UP THE DIFFERENCE.
A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS OUR STATE APPORTIONMENT.
WE'RE FUNDED FOR ABOUT EIGHT PARAEDUCATORS AND WE CURRENTLY EMPLOY 28 BASIC AND FUNDED PARAEDUCATORS.
>> A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS ON HERE THAT WE'LL CALL ATTENTION TO THAT HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION LATELY.
THE NURSES, FOR INSTANCE, THE STATE FUNDS ARE ALARMINGLY SMALL NUMBER OF NURSES THAT HAVE, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE COVID, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN MEDICAL NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING.
WE NEED NURSES, PEOPLE WHO COME IN WITH LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES AND SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL NEEDS, THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE ON STAFF TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER, SO NURSES IS A BIG ONE.
THE OTHER ONE, TECHNOLOGY, OBVIOUSLY IS SOMETHING THAT IS DRAMATICALLY UNDERFUNDED BY THE STATE.
UP UNTIL RECENTLY, THERE WERE NO FUNDS FOR IT.
NOW IT'S INCLUDED IN THE MSOCS AT A SMALL PERCENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN IMAGINE DOING YOUR JOB WITHOUT A COMPUTER, ASKING STUDENTS TO LEARN AND TEACHERS TO TEACH WITHOUT HAVING ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AT THE LEVEL WE DO, WOULD MAKE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER, AS WELL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION.
IT'S ACTUALLY A VIOLATION FOR US TO SPEND LOCAL DOLLARS ON SPECIAL EDUCATION, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
THE IEPS, THE LAWS, IT'S ACTUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR, STUDENT EDUCATION REQUIRES US TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS.
THIS IS THE ENRICHMENT LEVY, REMEMBER.
THIS IS THE ARTS, AND ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES THAT YOU SEE UP THERE, IS WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDING, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A FAIRLY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY USING THE MONEY FOR.
PEOPLE EQUAL PROGRAMS. THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE, INTENSE BUSINESS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE SPEND THE BULK OF THE FUNDS ON.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO COLLECT.
IN THE OPENING WE MENTIONED THAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, SO THE CURRENT YEAR, THE 11 MILLION DOLLARS WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, AS THE ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM WE COLLECT.
[01:30:03]
THE STATE ACTUALLY, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO ACTUALLY COLLECTING THE TWO RULES, ARE EITHER THE 2.50 DOLLARS PER ASSESSED VALUE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR THE LESSER OF THAT NUMBER, OR THE DOLLAR AMOUNT PER PUPIL, WHICH WE'LL SHOW IN A MINUTE THAT IS ADJUSTED BY INFLATION.THE 2.50 STAYS FIXED BECAUSE THE ASSESSED VALUE GOES UP BASED ON INFLATION.
THAT PROVIDES THE INCREASE AT THE 250.
THE PER PUPIL BECAUSE IT'S A PER PUPIL, HAS TO ACTUALLY INCREASE PER INFLATION.
THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER ADJUSTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS.
BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO RULES AND IT'S THE LESSER OF THE TWO THAT DRIVES HOW MUCH YOU CAN ACTUALLY COLLECT.
THIS CHART, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AND I DON'T KNOW, IS IT POSSIBLE TO MOVE THAT LITTLE BOX OUT OF THE CORNER UP THERE? IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATTER.
IF IT SAYS 2028 AND HAS OUR ENROLLMENT PROTECTION. PERFECT, THANK YOU.
THIS IS A MUCH SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF A SPREADSHEET.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH LATER IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT IT LEVEES A LITTLE BIT LIKE ANY SCHOOL FINANCE, IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
WE'VE TRIED TO SIMPLIFY IT HERE.
THE ENROLLMENT NUMBER AT THE TOP IS OTHER THAN 23 AND 24 ARE ACTUALLY 23 IS ESTIMATED, AND IT'S INCREASED BY TWO PERCENT PER YEAR IS OUR GROWTH ASSUMPTION AT THIS POINT.
THIS IS ALL BASED ON A FEW ASSUMPTIONS.
WE'RE ASSUMING PROPERTY VALUE INCREASE OF TWO PERCENT, STUDENT ENROLLMENT OF TWO PERCENT AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD.
AS WE KNOW, THOSE NUMBERS CHANGE.
SOME YEARS THEY ARE HIGHER, SOME YEARS ARE LOWER.
BUT AS A PLANNING ASSUMPTION, THAT'S WE USED TWO PERCENT OF BOTH OF THOSE.
>> FROM 2023-2024, OUR ENROLLMENT GOES DOWN FROM [OVERLAPPING]?
UP UNTIL 2023, THEY WERE ALLOWING A PREVIOUS YEARS PRE-COVID ENROLLMENT.
>> OH, OKAY. YEAH. YOU'RE GOING [OVERLAPPING]
>> TO MODERATE, BUT AFTER STARTING WITH 2024, YOU'RE SWITCHING BACK TO ACTUAL.
>> GREAT QUESTION. THE MAX LEVY RATE PER TAX RATE, IS THAT NEXT LINE, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT NUMBER GOING ACROSS AS THE ASSESSED VALUE INCREASES AND IF YOU GO DOWN TO THIRD LINE FROM THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE ASSESSED VALUE IS FOR 2023 AND THEN PROJECTED MOVING FORWARD.
THAT GENERATES THE MAX LEVY PER TAX RATE ON THE SECOND LINE THERE, THE MAX LEVY PER PUPIL IS THE NEXT LINE DOWN BELOW.
YOU CAN SEE THAT NUMBER IS CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THE TAX RATE PER THOUSAND LINE, WHICH MEANS THAT DRIVES OUR LEVEE LID.
THAT'S OUR THE AMOUNT THEY'RE CAPPED AT IN TERMS OF COLLECTION.
EVERYBODY FOLLOWING ME ON THAT ONE? THAT'S KEY CONCEPT THERE.
>> THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT WAS IN YEARS PAST.
WE USED TO BE DRIVEN BY THE DOLLAR RATE PER THOUSAND.
>> YEAH, AND IT'S SHIFTED OVER.
YOU CAN SEE THEN IF WE GO DOWN BELOW THAT, IN 2023, THE BALLOT RESOLUTION, THE VOTERS APPROVED A MAXIMUM COLLECTION OF 11 MILLION DOLLARS.
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALLOWED PER THE RULES, AS FOR COLLECTION, WE COULD COLLECT 14, WERE CAPPED AT 11 BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS APPROVED.
THAT ACTUALLY IS WHY YOUR TAX RATE, WHICH WE INTENDED TO BE A 1.50 DOLLAR, IS LOWER BECAUSE THE ASSESSED VALUE WENT UP.
THAT RATE HAS DROPPED BECAUSE OF THAT.
IF YOU FOLLOW DOWN TO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED US, I'LL SKIP TO THE BOTTOM FIRST.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT,
[01:35:01]
THE LESSER OF THE TWO, AND WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO COLLECT.YOU CAN SEE THREE MILLION DOLLARS IS UNCOLLECTED BASED ON VOTER APPROVAL THERE.
ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE RECEIVED WAS, WHAT WOULD THE COLLECTION BE AT A 1.50 DOLLAR? IF WE KEPT WITH THE 1.50 DOLLAR RATE, WHAT WOULD YOU COLLECT? YOU CAN COMPARE AS YOU GO ACROSS 2024, MAXIMUM COLLECTION WOULD BE 13.7, ALTHOUGH THE VOTERS APPROVED 12, SO WE'RE CAPPED AT 12.
BUT WHAT THAT DIFFERENCE WOULD BE IN TERMS OF MAXIMUM COLLECTION VERSUS THE 1.50 DOLLAR? THE TAX RATE UNDERNEATH, 2023, 24 ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY APPROVED BY VOTERS.
THE 25 THROUGH 28 IS THAT'S WHY IT'S IN BOLD AND LOWER IS THE ADJUSTED AMOUNT THAT WOULD GO ON THE RESOLUTION, THAT WOULD BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS WOULD APPROVE.
THE IDEA THERE IS THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOVE WHAT THE MAXIMUM COLLECTION IS, TO ALLOW FOR GROWTH OR CHANGES IN ENROLLMENT OR ASSESSED VALUE, BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING PROJECTIONS AT THIS POINT.
BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW NOW, WE'RE MAKING SOME ASSUMPTIONS INTO THE FUTURE, SO WE'RE HEDGING IT A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO BUILD IT A LITTLE WIGGLE BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU END UP WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHERE YOU'RE UNDER-COLLECTING.
NO MATTER HOW YOU'RE MEASURING IT, WHETHER IT'D BE THE 1.50 DOLLAR OR THE MAXIMUM, WOULD BE AT OUR LEVY LEAD.
THAT WAS A LOT TO TAKE IN AND IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN.
>> THE MAXIMUM LEVY LESSER OF PEOPLE ARE TAX RATE LINE.
I'M LOOKING AT 2025, I'VE GOT 14,260,000 YADA, YADA.
BUT THEN ON THE ESTIMATED VOTER-APPROVED LEVY DOWN BELOW IT SAYS 15 MILLION.
I THOUGHT THAT THE MAXIMUM WE COULD ASK FOR WOULD BE THE 14,260.
YOU WERE JUST ANSWERING THIS BUT I'M TRYING TO SAY [OVERLAPPING] IT SLOWLY SO IT PERCOLATES.
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THIS IS THE KEY POINT WE WANT OUT.
THE MAXIMUM WE CAN COLLECT BASED ON TODAY'S INFORMATION IS 14,260.
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THAT LEVEL, WE HAVE TO-
>> HAVE A NUMBER HIGHER THAN IT.
NOT TO SCARE ANYBODY [OVERLAPPING] IN THE ROOM BECAUSE THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
BUT IF WE SAID 30 MILLION, YOU COULD SAY THAT, BUT THE LAW IS GOING TO STOP YOU AT 14,260 NO MATTER WHAT.
>> CORRECT. THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT.
THAT'S THE TRICK, IS FINDING A NUMBER THAT IS BIG ENOUGH THAT IT GIVES YOU SOME WIGGLE FOR INCREASES OR PROJECTIONS THAT YOU UNDERESTIMATED.
BUT THAT DOESN'T SCARE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE WILL NOT COLLECT THAT MUCH MONEY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM LINE WHERE IT HAS THE -$739,000 IF WE ADD 15 MILLION ON THE RESOLUTION, WE CAN ONLY COLLECT 14,260.
WE WOULD ROLL BACK 739, WHICH IS THE TERM THAT THEY USE FOR THE VOTED-FOR BUT UNALLOWABLE-TO-COLLECT AMOUNT.
>> WHEN YOU SAY ROLL BACK, THAT'S NOT LIKE SOMEBODY SENDS YOU BACK A CHECK OF YOU OVERPAID YOUR TAXES.
THEY DON'T COLLECT IT FROM YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.
>> WE JUST DON'T COLLECT IT. CORRECT. WE ACTUALLY FILL OUT A FORM WITH AN ASSESSOR THAT SAYS THIS IS HOW MUCH WE'RE COLLECTING.
YOU IN THEORY COULD COLLECT LESS THAN WHAT WE CAN SAY WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT LESS MONEY THIS YEAR AND ROLL BACK EVEN FURTHER THAN WHAT THE VOTERS AUTHORIZED.
>> WE'RE ALREADY IN A LIVELY DISCUSSION.
>> THIS IS YOUR SECTION RIGHT HERE TO DO YOUR THING, ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, DEBATE YOUR DEBATES.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE IN A MINUTE.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT FOLKS ASK ALL THE TIME,
[01:40:04]
IS THIS A NEW TAX? WHY A NEW TAX? THIS IS NOT A NEW TAX.IF WE DON'T RENEW IT, IT GOES AWAY.
THIS IS NOT A NEW ON TOP OF, THIS AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE EXPIRING LEVY.
THAT'S A CRITICAL PIECE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.
I BELIEVE ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP LAST TIME WAS, WHAT ARE THE OTHER DISTRICTS DOING? ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY ARE GOING OUT IN FEBRUARY FOR A FOUR YEAR LEVY, WHICH HAS BEEN UP UNTIL THE LAST FEW YEARS.
OUR NORM WAS A FOUR YEAR ON THE SAME CYCLE WITH THE OTHER COUNTY DISTRICTS BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER AND THERE'S A SYNERGY, AND THE EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER IF EVERYBODY'S EDUCATING ON THE SAME CYCLE.
>> THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO BECAUSE NOBODY IS VOTED ON THEM YET, HAVE THEY?
>> THEY HAVE NOT VOTED, BUT THEY HAVE TOLD US THAT THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THE FOUR QUESTIONS AND THE BOTTOM ONE IS NOT REALLY, IT'S JUST A CONFIRMATION THAT THE PLAN IS STILL TO COME BACK IN OCTOBER WITH THE PREPARED RESOLUTION.
IS FEBRUARY THE RIGHT MONTH? THE MONTH WE'RE GOING TO GO.
THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT IS DONE.
THAT'S WHAT THE OTHER DISTRICTS DO.
HISTORICALLY, THAT'S BEEN THE MONTH THAT WE HAVE GONE OUT IN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DEBATE THESE INDIVIDUALLY OR ALL TOGETHER.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM THAT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR GETTING THE WORD OUT, BECAUSE PART OF OUR REQUIREMENT IS TO SHARE INFORMATION AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEVY WITH STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S A PRETTY BIG COMMITMENT IN TERMS OF STAFF, RESOURCE, AND TIME.
WE WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE A FOUR-YEAR.
THE AMOUNT TO INCLUDE ON THE RESOLUTION, SO WE GAVE SOME SAMPLES THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO ON THAT CHART THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF CUSHION, BUT FINDING THAT NUMBER TO PUT ON THE RESOLUTION, THAT GIVES US SOME CUSHION, BUT DOESN'T SCARE PEOPLE BY MAKING IT TOO HIGH WOULD BE THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
>> DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FROM MARK AND HOLLY RELATED TO MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
LET ME CLARIFY, MARK BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY NOVEMBER.
WHAT I'M HEARING AND WHAT I'VE HEARD GOING AROUND IS THAT THE BUSINESS OFFICE WOULD RECOMMEND US MAKE THE DECISION IN OCTOBER BECAUSE OF THE FACT IT'S GOING TO BE THE AMOUNT OF PAPERWORK AND TIME THAT IT TAKES TO GET THOSE FIGURES TOGETHER AND DOING IT.
EVEN THE NOVEMBER MEETING MAKES IT TIGHT FOR MAKING THAT THE DEADLINE FOR GETTING IT ON THE BALLOT.
>> YES. WE'VE GOT A FEW BENCHMARKS TO HIT.
ONE IS WE HAVE TO HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL ACTUALLY REPAIR THE RESOLUTION SO THEY NEED TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THE FILING DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF DECEMBER.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE IT PREPARED AND APPROVED, AND IN PLACE WITH THE ASSESSOR ON DECEMBER 15TH.
WE'VE GOT TO SOLICIT FOR FOREIGN AGAINST STATEMENT WRITERS.
WE'VE GOT TO FILE SOME PAPERWORK WITH OSPI THAT OUTLINES OUR LEVY PLAN.
PART OF THE RECENT, I GUESS IT'S NOT THAT RECENT, BUT THE LAST LEVY LANGUAGE REVISION OF THE STATE REQUIRES OSPI APPROVAL PRIOR TO PUTTING THE LEVY ON THE BALLOT.
WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT BACK AND APPROVED.
IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES OR REQUIREMENTS, WE HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, AS WELL AS TIME TO PUT TOGETHER THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE STAFF AND COMMUNITY ABOUT THE LEVY PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS BREAK.
YES. WE WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE OCTOBER APPROVAL AS OPPOSED TO NOVEMBER.
[01:45:01]
>> SINCE I'M NOT SEEING ANY OF THE LIVELY DISCUSSION, LET'S START AND GO THROUGH THE QUESTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, I GUESS THE ULTIMATE QUESTION IS, DO WE WANT TO OR DO WE SEE THE NEED TO RUN A LEVY?
>> DO I HAVE CONCURRENCE OF THE BOARD OF THAT? BECAUSE IF THERE'S NO CONCURRENCE ON THAT MATTER, THEN THE DISCUSSION IS MUTE. TONY?
>> I THINK IT'S GOOD TO GO BACK TO FOUR YEARS.
WERE COMING OUT OF COVID, PEOPLE ARE STABILIZING, BUSINESSES ARE STABILIZING.
BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT PLAN IN PLACE WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO KNOW AND TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.
>> I'M TAKING THAT AS A YES FOR A LEVY. STEVE?
>> I THINK THERE'S A NEED TO EXTEND IT.
CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO DO EXPIRE.
>> THEN PEGGY, ARE YOU STILL WITH US?
>> PEGGY'S HAD SOME QUESTION ABILITY AS FAR AS INTERNET ACCESS.
WITH THE CONSENSUS BEING THAT WE FEEL LIKE RENEWING THE LEVY AS IT EXPIRES, AS THE CURRENT ONE EXPIRES BEING DONE.
THEN THE NEXT IS, IS EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THE FEBRUARY ELECTION? MARK HELPED ME OUT, IF YOU WOULD IF YOU CAN REMEMBER, THERE'S ONLY LIKE SIX DATES THAT WITHIN THE YEAR, IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE OF DEADLINES AND SO I APOLOGIZE FOR PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER MYSELF AND I KNOW THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN DATES YOU CAN DO IT IN A FEW.
>> FEBRUARY, APRIL, AUGUST, NOVEMBER.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY FOUR ELECTION DAYS.
>> THERE'S ONLY FOUR. IF WE DON'T PUT IT ON FEBRUARY'S IF WE WAIT UNTIL APRIL OR WE WAIT WORSE YET UNTIL AUGUST, AND IT DOESN'T PASS, THEN THERE ISN'T NECESSARILY ENOUGH TIME TO REGROUP AND REASSESS AND COME UP WITH.
PART OF THE REASON WHY FEBRUARY HAS BEEN THE PLACE TO GO.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE IS A COST TO RUNNING THE ELECTION.
THE COUNTY DOESN'T DO THAT FOR US FOR FREE.
WE HAVE TO PAY SEVERAL TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
I WANT TO SAY IT WAS LIKE 60 OR SOMETHING AND THE COST IS LESS.
IF WE DO IT WITH THE OTHER DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEY DIVIDE OUT SOME OF THE FIXED COSTS.
WITH THE OTHER DISTRICTS DOING IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO DO THAT AT LEAST IN MY MIND.
DO I HAVE ANYBODY THAT OBJECTS TO A FEBRUARY?
>> THE OTHER POSITIVE FOR DOING IT IN FEBRUARY IS THEN WE HAVE THE RESULT IN FEBRUARY.
IF THAT RESULT IS POSITIVE, BEING OPTIMISTIC THEN THE BUSINESS OFFICE HAS THEIR NUMBERS SO THAT THEN THEY CAN DO THE BUDGET FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS AND THE AMOUNT OF HAVING TO RIFF WHATEVER THE BUDGET IS PAYING FOR, AND THEN ASK THEM TO COME BACK AFTER IT PASSES, HOPEFULLY IN A LATER LEVY IN THE YEAR.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE DEALT WITH IN 2020, DOING THE RIFTS AND THEN HAVING TO CALL PEOPLE BACK.
AS FAR AS COMMUNITY UPHEAVAL AND AVOIDING THAT BY DOING A FEBRUARY ELECTION.
>> YEAH, IT DEFINITELY PROVIDES MORE STABILITY TO THE DISTRICT.
PLUS THOSE PEOPLE THAT DO GET RIFT DON'T JUST SIT AROUND TYPICALLY WAITING FOR YOU TO POSSIBLY CALL THEM BACK AND SO YOU LOSE SOME OF YOUR KEY PEOPLE.
ANY OBJECTION TO FEBRUARY? NOT HEARING ANYTHING THAT.
THEN IT BECOMES, THE NEXT QUESTION IS BACK TO THAT MAXIMUM AMOUNT AND MAYBE FOR THAT MARK, IF WE CAN MOVE BACK TO, THERE WE GO.
IF I'M UNDERSTANDING AND READING THIS CORRECTLY, THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED BY THE BUSINESS OFFICE BASED ON CALCULATIONS ARE TO SET LIMITS OF 15 MILLION 15 AND 1/2, 16 AND 17 FOR 2025 THROUGH 2028.
AGAIN, THOSE AMOUNTS ARE SOMEWHAT HIGHER THAN WHAT THE MAXIMUM WE'D BE ABLE TO COLLECT BASED ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS.
[01:50:06]
BUT IT GIVES US SOME ROOM FOR POTENTIAL GROWTH, INCREASED STUDENT ENROLLMENT, VARIOUS OTHER ITEMS THAT WE CAN'T TOTALLY PREDICT.QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS OR ARE THERE SUGGESTIONS FOR OTHER NUMBERS? AGAIN, HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS SEVERAL TIMES AND MANY LEVIES, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE BUSINESS OFFICE DOES IN PROVIDING US WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR THOSE NUMBERS.
>> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION AGAIN ABOUT THE CHART.
I'M SORRY. CAN I STAND UP AND POINT?
>> WE ARE WELCOMING QUESTIONS.
>> THIS IS JUST PUT ON THERE JUST IN CASE IT GETS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE 15.
>> YES. THIS YEAR, THE LEVY AMOUNT WE DIDN'T DIVE IF D IS 12950.
DON'T I TAKE 14 TO 16 -12 915.
SURE. THAT EQUAL THAT NUMBER THERE?
>> THAT NUMBER IS [OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE]
>> THIS IS BY LAW THE MAXIMUM WE COULD DO.
THAT'S LIKE ONE-AND-A-HALF MILLION DIFFERENT.
>> THE NEGATIVE [INAUDIBLE]? YES.
>> THAT'S THE MAXIMUM I WAS THINKING AS FAR AS WE DIDN'T GO FOR A MAXIMUM.
WE WENT FOR SOMETHING THAT'S LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM, THEN WE'RE LEAVING ON THE TABLE TYPE OF THING.
>> YES. [INAUDIBLE] AMOUNT OF CAPACITY BETWEEN THE BALLOT RESOLUTION AMOUNT AND THE PROJECTED.
>> THAT'S THE ROLLBACK IF WE WERE ASKING FOR THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE BY LAW.
>> I'M THINKING IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT 15 MILLION IS WHAT WE'D BE ASKING FOR, BUT BASED ON THE RESOLUTION, BUT ON THE MAXIMUM THAT WE CAN COLLECT IS ONLY THE 14.2.
>> IT'S NOT LEGALLY ALLOWABLE TO US.
>> IT'S AN AMOUNT THAT AGAIN, THAT THE ONLY WAY WE GET UP TO THE 15 MILLION IS IF WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT OR SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUE.
>> ACTUALLY BASED ON THE WAY OUR MATH IS CALCULATING BECAUSE WE'RE COLLECTING ON THE DOLLAR PER PUPIL, IT WOULDN'T BE A BIG INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT.
>> I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THAT MIDDLE LINE OF THE 15, 15.5, 16 AND 17 BECAUSE WE'LL PUT A NUMBER ON THERE THAT IS GOING TO BE ABOVE WHATEVER WE ASKED FOR SO THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE.
I'M CONFUSING MYSELF. NEVER MIND.
WHAT I SAID LAST 20 SECONDS DIDN'T HAPPEN.
I GUESS I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ASK FOR THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE BY LAW JUST BECAUSE THE LAW ALLOWS US TO.
HOWEVER I REALLY WANT US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE BY LAW AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY ASKED FOR AN COLLECT AND TRANSLATE THAT INTO, WHAT IS THAT FOR PEOPLE? WHAT IS THAT FOR OUR PROGRAMS? WHAT IS THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS? BECAUSE IF WE DO WANT TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THINGS, WE CAN'T JUST SAY, I WANT TO RAISE TAXES TO BE CHEAPER WITHOUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING, A MILLION DOLLAR MEANS EIGHT EMPLOYEES, A MILLION DOLLAR MEANS WHATEVER.
[01:55:08]
>> THAT'S GOING TO VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT EMPLOYEES YOU'RE TALKING OR WHAT PROGRAMS YOU'RE TALKING.
THAT WAS THE CHALLENGE WHEN WE HAD THE DISCUSSION WHEN THE LEVY FAILED BEFORE, IS BECAUSE PEOPLE WANTED FINITE NUMBERS WELL, OR FINITE POSITIONS OR DOES IT MEAN THIS PERSON OR THAT PERSON.
UNFORTUNATELY, UNTIL YOU SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH ALL THE CONTRACTS AND SENIORITY AND THIS PROGRAM VERSUS THAT PROGRAM, YOU'RE MAKING CUTS THAT ARE HARD.
>> THAT YOUR BENEFITS ARE GOING BE RELATIVELY FIXED COST PER PERSON.
AS FAR AS THOSE THAT IF YOU DID HAVE TO RIF, IT WOULD BE LOWER SENIORITY, SO SALARY WOULD BE LOWER.
THAT MEANS MORE PEOPLE PROBABLY MEANS MORE PROGRAMS MEANS A BIGGER EFFECT ON STUDENTS.
IT'S LIKE WHERE IS THAT FINE LINE THAT WE ARE NOT ASKING TOO MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT HURTING OUR KIDS.
>> MARK, HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU IN THE HYPOTHETICAL NUMBERS UP THERE?
>> TOUGH QUESTION TO ANSWER WITHOUT CONTEXT.
I KNOW THEY'RE IN THE BALLPARK.
THEY'RE NOT PROBABLY WILDLY OFF.
IT MAKES IT A LITTLE EASIER BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING IT BASED ON THE ENROLLMENT.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN THAT VOLATILE UNLESS WE END UP WITH ANOTHER SOME KIND OF WEIRD ANOMALY AND THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE WILDLY OFF ON THOSE BUT THEY'RE NOT DEAD ON.
>> IT'S A STRUGGLE TO MAKE BASE DECISIONS ON HYPOTHETICAL NUMBERS AND I REALIZED SHE CAN'T NAIL IT DOWN TO A SPECIFIC AMOUNT.
A LOT OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT UP THERE.
>> THE NEXT THING. THE WAY THE SYSTEM SET UP, THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS YOU JUST COLLECT LESS.
IT'S THE VOTERS ARE PROTECTED NO MATTER WHAT, LIKE MELINDA IS AN EXAMPLE OF IF YOU PUT $30 MILLION ON THE BALLOT, THAT YOU'RE NEVER GOING GET ANYWHERE NEAR THAT.
THE VOTERS ARE PROTECTED IN TERMS OF THEIR HARD LID.
IDEALLY, IT'D BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO PROJECT IT RIGHT ON, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT THE WAY IT WORKS.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE ASSESSED VALUES ARE GOING TO SLOW A LITTLE BIT AND MOST OF THE GROWTH IS GOING BE BECAUSE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE COMMUNITY BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT WITH 100% CERTAINTY.
>> WELL, THAT'S A HARD PART BECAUSE IF ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S A BIG JUMP IN ENROLLMENT, AND THEN SETTING THAT NUMBER LOW, LEAVES MONEY ON THE TABLE, OR NOT SO MUCH LEAVING IT ON THE TABLE, BUT IT'S LESS MONEY AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS AND THE STAFF THAT'S NEEDED TO PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS WANTED.
>> YOU NOW HAVE MORE KIDS YOU'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT, SO IT'S A DOUBLE.
>> A LOT OF THE GROWTH OF PROJECTED DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS APARTMENTS, WHICH TEND TO GENERATE MORE STUDENTS THAN SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AT THIS POINT IN OUR DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING TO HEDGE A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF ENROLLMENT GROWTH.
>> SORRY, NOT A DISCUSSION TIME FOR THE PUBLIC. IT'S THE PARTS.
WELL, THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE IS GOING TO, THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES THAT PLAY INTO THAT IT'S A HARD ONE TO PREDICT.
[02:00:02]
CLOUDINA, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE?>> NOT MUCH, JUST THAT MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE THIS ON THE BALLOT? MY SECOND THOUGHT WAS, I THINK IF WE'RE STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND IT PERFECTLY THEN THE BIGGEST BARRIER TO GO IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANT IS PROBABLY JUST EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHATEVER ALL THESE FIGURES MEAN IN A WAY THAT'S DIGESTIBLE.
I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS JUST WHAT DO WE COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC AND WHAT DO WE SIMPLIFY SO IT'S EASIER TO UNDERSTAND? BECAUSE LIKE LAST YEAR WHEN THERE WERE DIFFERENT FIGURES ABOUT WHAT THE STATE, IT DOES REALLY FUND AND WHAT PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE LEVY.
I THINK THAT'S GOING BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
THAT'S ALL I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THIS EFFECTIVELY TO THE VOTERS? BECAUSE MELINDA POINTED OUT, THERE ARE A LOT OF NUMBERS THAT DON'T HAVE THE SAME VALUE AS OTHER NUMBERS AND SO HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE PUBLIC? THAT'S JUST THE QUESTION I HAVE.
>> WELL, AND THAT WHOEVER SET UP THE SCHOOL FINANCE AND THE BUDGETING PROCESS DID NOT LOOK FOR SIMPLICITY OR MAKING IT EASY TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PASS AND WHAT GOES ON THE BALLOT IS A LUMP SUM NUMBER THAT THEN TRANSLATES INTO A HOW MUCH YOU PAY PER THOUSAND DOLLAR VALUE, WHICH IS GOING TO VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE COMMUNITY IS, HOW THAT ALL PLAYS OUT [OVERLAPPING] A NUMBER IT'S AN ACCOUNTANT'S JOY OR NIGHTMARE, DEPENDING ON THEIR PERSPECTION.
IT DOES MAKE IT HARD BECAUSE THE VARIABLES OF WHAT THE ASSESSED VALUE DOES AND THE AMOUNT OF ASSESSED VALUE, GROWTH IN THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS PROPERTY, IT CAN CHANGE THOSE NUMBERS SIGNIFICANTLY.
THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES WHY FOCUSING ON THAT TAX RATE NUMBER, I THINK IS BECOMES PROBLEMATIC, PARTICULARLY IN OUR SITUATION WHERE IT'S WORD MAX OUT AT PER PUPIL GRANTED, I RECOGNIZE IT COMES TO PEOPLE'S TAX ON THEIR TAX STATEMENT AS PER AMOUNT.
BUT THAT PER AMOUNT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SAID.
IT'S CALCULATED INTO BACKWARDS FROM THE TOTAL VALUE AND THE COMMUNITY.
>> I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW HAS OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY PAID IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WITH OUR REQUEST BEING CONSERVATIVE.
I THINK ASKING FOR WHAT WE NEED IS IMPORTANT AT THIS POINT SINCE WE JUST GOT DONE BUILDING A NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THAT.
I THINK BEING ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS OUR NEED VERSUS WHAT IS OUR ASKED.
IF WE'RE ABLE TO TURN THAT, SINCE I KNOW WE'RE COMING OUT OF COVID, IT'S A LITTLE CHALLENGING, BUT WE ARE REACHING THAT STABILIZATION POINTS.
I THINK THOSE ARE PROBABLY WAYS TO COMMUNICATE LIKE WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON IT.
>> IF WE PUT IN, AND JUST LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS, WE STARTED WITH THE 15 MILLION, WE GO TO 15 5, THEN WE GO TO 16.
BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE ESTIMATIONS AT CURRENT ARE HITTING IN THAT 15.
IF WE MOVE THOSE NUMBERS TO 14 MILLION, 15 MILLION,16 AND 17, GIVING MORE CUSHION, I GUESS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, AS WE MOVE FARTHER AWAY, THE PARTS THAT ARE HARDER TO PREDICT.
IF THOSE PREDICTIONS ARE REASONABLY ACCURATE, IN MY MIND, THAT'S NOT LEAVING MUCH ON THE TABLE.
IT'S STAINED WITH STATUS QUO, KEEPING THOSE RATES REASONABLY THE SAME, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S A REASONABLE NUMBER OR
[02:05:02]
WHAT IS YOUR INPUT FROM THE PLANNING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE?>> I THINK THAT'S VERY REASONABLE.
>> YOU SUGGESTED 14 IN 2025,15 IN 2026, 16, 17.
>> YEAH. JUST THROWING OUT A NUMBER TO A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WHAT'S ON THERE, LITTLE BIT LESS OF A CUSHION PERSE OF ENROLLMENT GOES UP.
>> THAT'S THE SHOCK [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT A LITTLE BIT LESS OF A SHOCK.
>> I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE BASED ON WHAT OUR PROJECTIONS ARE AND WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE BECAUSE IF WE'RE BASING IT ON ESTIMATED ENROLLMENT, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT OUR NEED IS GOING TO BE.
>> MAYBE A CONVERSATION FOR THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A DEADLINE AND STUFF WOULD BE WHAT IS THE ACTUAL PROJECTION FOR STUDENTS GROWTH BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SWITCHED OR SOMETHING, BUT WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT IT WAS MAX PER PUPIL, I WAS LIKE, WELL THEN WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED GROWTH? MAYBE THAT'S A-
>> ON THE TOP LINE [OVERLAPPING] THERE THE 4503.
IF WE DID DO 14 IN 2025, THAT'D BE 260,000 LESS.
IF THE MARKS PER STUDENT IS 2,500, SO THAT'S ROUGHLY 100 STUDENTS THAT WE WOULD BE UNDER-FUNDING.
>> IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT NOW.
>> WHAT IF THAT NUMBER 15 MILLION WAS INSTEAD 14 MILLION, WHAT WOULD THE TAX RATE UNDERNEATH BE? SOMEBODY WITH A BETTER CALCULATOR AND BRAIN.
>> THE TAX UNDERNEATH IT IS BASED ON THE MAXIMUM LEVY PER PUPIL, NOT ON THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, SO IT DOESN'T CHANGE IT. [LAUGHTER]
>> BUT IF WE HAVE A $14 MILLION LIMIT, THEN THAT WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM WE COULD COLLECT.
>> 1,426,976 DIVIDED BY 8,633,807 OR 14.
>> THAT'S ASSUMING BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE CORRECT.
IT'S $1.62. IT TAKES IT DOWN THREE CENTS.
>> SEE YOUR MATH IS BETTER THAN YOU THOUGHT?
>> GUESS SO. MENTAL MATH, I SHOULD BE IN THE OLYMPIAD.
AGAIN, AT THAT LEVEL, IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF CUSHION.
IF ENROLLMENT GOES UP, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE COLLECTING THE MAX OBVIOUSLY IN THE FIRST YEAR BASED ON THE PROJECTION.
WITH [INAUDIBLE] ENROLLMENT IS THE 2023 AND THE 2024 THAT DROP IS THAT I KNOW THAT PART OF THAT IS THE WAY THAT NUMBER IS CALCULATED.
DO YOU FORESEE THAT BEING AN ACCURATE DROP BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SEEING OUR ENROLLMENT, MAYBE INCHING UP A LITTLE BIT? THE 2024 IS A LITTLE LOW.
>> IF IT IS LOW, OUR STATE APPORTIONMENT WOULD BE HIGHER AND THE STATE APPORTIONMENT IS 85ISH PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET.
ON THE ONE HAND, IF OUR POPULATION OF STUDENTS GOES UP, THEN THE STATE GIVES MORE.
OUR LEVY WILL BE SQUEAKING EVEN TIGHTER BUT IT'S 15% OF OUR BUDGET, WHEREAS THE STATE APPORTIONMENT IS 85ISH.
>> ACTUALLY STILL YOU'RE LOOKING AT
[02:10:03]
A TWO MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. IT'S STILL A->> A JUMP. IT'S STILL AN INCREASE.
>> YEAH. OTHER THOUGHTS OR SUGGESTIONS OR QUESTIONS? THIS IS ALWAYS THE FUNNEST PART OF BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD IS TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF THESE NUMBERS AND TRYING TO PUT FORWARD SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE THAT ONE CAN SUPPORT AND GET BEHIND BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S BASED ON PREDICTIONS THAT THE MORE PREDICTIONS YOU MAKE, THE MORE CHANCES THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING NOT QUITE RIGHT WITH THEM.
>> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION WHICH HOPEFULLY IT DOES NOT COME TRUE AT ALL BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE WOULD WANT THIS.
BUT IF HOUSING PRICES WERE TO JUST PLUMMET, SO WE FLIPPED BACK TO, WELL, NOW IT'S THE RATE PER THOUSAND, WOULD OUR LIMIT POTENTIALLY GO DOWN IN THAT SITUATION TO WHAT THAT WAS? EVEN THOUGH THE VOTERS HAD APPROVED WHATEVER THEY'LL TAKE IT DOWN TO, OKAY.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOCKED IN TO COLLECT THE LOWEST AMOUNT.
>> BEFORE THE LEVEE FAILURE IN 2020, THE LEVEE WAS ABOUT 18% OF OUR BUDGET, RIGHT?
>> THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT, YEAH.
>> YOU SAID TONIGHT THAT IS 13.5% OF OUR BUDGET.
>> DO WE KNOW WHAT THESE NUMBERS PUT IT AT? IS THAT STILL A 13.5% OR WOULD THAT BE MORE?
>> IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON STATE REVENUE AND FEDERAL REVENUE AND WHAT GRANTS WE'RE ABLE TO BRING IN.
IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> WE HAVE A GRANT WRITER, SO THAT HELPS.
>> IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A HUGE FLUCTUATION, BUT IT'LL BE.
>> THIS IS LIKE PLANNING A VACATION WITH FAMILY FINANCES, BUT NOT NEAR AS MUCH FUN.
I TAKE FROM THIS AND WE CAN PUT IN THEM.
>> I'VE THREW OUT NOT THAT IT'S THE RIGHT NUMBER OR THE WRONG NUMBER, BUT THE 14, 15, 16 AND 17 TO AGAIN, TAKE THINGS UP A LITTLE MORE GRADUALLY INITIALLY, BUT STILL LEAVING THIS ROOM.
BECAUSE THE FARTHER WE GET OUT FROM TODAY, THE LESS ACCURATE THOSE PREDICTIONS POTENTIALLY BECOME.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A DIFFERENT SUGGESTION? DOES SOMEBODY HAVE A REASON THEY LIKE THESE NUMBERS BETTER? AGAIN, BECAUSE WE CAN STARE AT THOSE NUMBERS FOREVER.
BUT IN ORDER TO GET A RESOLUTION AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN VOTE ON, WE HAVE TO GIVE MARK SOME NUMBERS TO WORK WITH.
>> I DO LIKE THE SOUND OF YOUR 14, 15, 16, 17, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT NO DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE TONIGHT.
I THINK THAT PUBLIC INPUT WOULD BE HELPFUL WHETHER YOU THINK THAT THAT'S TOO LOW OR THAT'S TOO HIGH OR WHATEVER, JUST PUBLIC INPUT AND WHY IS HELPFUL.
>> LET ME STEP BACK FROM THOSE NUMBERS THEN FOR JUST A SECOND.
BECAUSE THE ONE THING WE DO HAVE TO DO IS WE NEED TO MAKE, IF WE'RE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE BUSINESS OFFICE, IS THAT WE MAKE THE DECISION AT OUR NEXT MEETING WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM NUMBERS SO THEY CAN HAVE RESOLUTIONS WRITTEN IN CORRECT.
THAT WE CAN VOTE ON BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE IT, WE CAN'T VOTE ON A NEBULOUS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A NUMBER SO THEY CAN PUT TOGETHER THINGS.
I TOTALLY AGREE AS FAR AS INPUT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE TIMELINE.
THE OTHER OPTION WE'VE GOT IS WE PUT FORTH, WE'RE THINKING THESE NUMBERS AND THEN WE MAKE THAT CALL NEXT MONTH.
[02:15:02]
WE GIVE THE BUSINESS OFFICE THOSE NUMBERS NEXT MONTH TO GET THE RESOLUTIONS WRITTEN SO THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THEM IN NOVEMBER.AGAIN, THAT PUTS THEM ON A TIGHTER TIMELINE BUT IF THEY.
IF WE CAME TO IT WITH A RESOLUTION WITH NUMBERS NEXT MONTH AND WE HAD A DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH AND CHANGED OUR MIND, ARE YOU SAYING WE COULDN'T APPROVE THAT THAT NEW NUMBER NEXT MONTH UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONTH?
>> WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION WRITTEN, SO I THINK, YES.
>> WHAT WE COULD DO IF THERE'S AN EITHER-OR, WE CAN PREPARE TWO RESOLUTIONS.
OR IF YOU DO END UP IN A SITUATION NEXT MONTH WHERE YOU REALLY JUST NEED TO CHANGE YOUR MIND, WE PUSH IT BACK A MONTH, WOULD BE LESS THAN IDEAL FOR US, BUT IT'S A BIG DECISION AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED, THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED.
>> WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MODIFY THE RESOLUTIONS WHILE WE'RE DISCUSSING IT, APPROVE IT WITH MODIFICATIONS.
>> MARK, HELP ME OUT THERE BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE HOW, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE STEPS.
>> WITHOUT CHECKING WITH COUNCIL ON THAT, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE, IN THIS CASE, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING AND I'M NOT LEGAL COUNSEL THAT WAY, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE EXPERIENCE FROM PREVIOUS IS, IN SOME REGARDS, IT SEEMS LIKE OKAY, PULL OUT ONE NUMBER, PUT ANOTHER NUMBER IN, BUT I THINK THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
AGAIN, SCHOOL FINANCE WAS MADE TO BE COMPLICATED.
>> HOW FEASIBLE DO YOU SEE OFFERING UP TO RESOLUTIONS? HOW MUCH WORK IS THAT?
>> THAT IS DOABLE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE FAIRLY REGULARLY OVER THE YEARS.
>> WE HAVE VERY FEW OPTIONS AT THIS POINT.
TO KEVIN'S POINT, THE 14, 15, 16, 17.
IF WE COULD GET OUR PROVISION WITH THAT INCLUDED PLUS THIS, WOULD THAT BE REASONABLE?
>> YOU'RE THINKING IF WE HAVE THE TWO OPTIONS, THIS ONE AND THE OTHER PROPOSAL, THAT GIVES US SOME TIME TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE THINKING AND GET SOME PUBLIC COMMENT.
WORSE COMES TO WORSE, IF WE HAVE OPTION A AND OPTION B AT NEXT MONTH'S MEETING AND WE GO, THROW THOSE OUT, WE NEED OPTION C. IT'S STILL DOABLE.
BUT AT LEAST THAT GIVES US A PLACE AND A STARTING POINT.
THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
>> IF YOU DID THE 14TH FOR 2025, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE RATE IS HIGHER THAN THE 14?
>> THE 14 MILLION WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM WE COULD COLLECT.
>> FOR CLARITY, THE TWO OPTIONS ARE WHAT'S HERE OR THE 14TH, 15TH, 16TH, 17TH?
>> ANY LAST OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARK OR HOLLY?
>> YOU STILL HAVE ONE FOR YOU, TWO OR FOUR?
>> NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.
>> TWO OR FOUR. SORRY. I WAS THINKING ABOUT.
>> THAT'S A BIG ONE FROM RESOLUTION WORLD.
>> MY GIVEN HAVING BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS AS MANY TIMES I AM IN CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF FOUR, PARTICULARLY IF THAT'S WHAT THE OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING.
IT'S A LOT LESS ENERGY BEING PUT FORTH ON SOMETHING THAT TAKES MORE ENERGY THAN WHAT ONE REALLY THINKS.
I WOULD ARGUE IN FAVOR OF A FOUR YEAR.
>> I THINK COST-EFFECTIVELY, FOUR YEARS IS PROBABLY THE WAY TO GO.
>> I THINK WITH VOTERS BEING TIRED OF VOTING ON THINGS, FOUR IS THE WAY TO GO.
>> THAT HELPS WITH PLANNING PURPOSES TOO.
[02:20:01]
THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASE MAYBE THEY CAN MAYBE SET ASIDE SOME MONEY FOR THEIR INCREASES IN TAXES.>> YEAH, IT DOES HELP FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AND SOMETIMES WITH THE TWO YEAR, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU JUST GET ONE THROUGH AND THE PEOPLE EDUCATED AND BOOM, YOU'RE BACK TO MAKING THAT DECISION AGAIN.
[7. POLICY UPDATES]
NEXT, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 7.0 OR ITEM 7 ON THE AGENDA.TONIGHT, THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL OF ADOPTING THREE NEW POLICIES, ITEMS, 7.01, 7.02, AND 7.03.
THESE ARE RELATED TO GLOBAL THREAT ASSESSMENT, PROTECTION OF STUDENTS PERSONAL INFORMATION AND DATA-SHARING WITH DELAMINATION.
THE DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE SPECIFIC POLICIES RELATED TO THESE AREAS AND IS USING MODEL POLICIES FROM MOSCOW TO FILL THESE GAPS.
THESE WILL BE CONSIDERED AS FAR AS BRINGING THEM UP FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS, THEN THIS WILL ESSENTIALLY BE THE FIRST READING OF THEM, AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE THEM NEXT MONTH AFTER WE'VE HAD TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND FOR ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED.
AT THIS POINT, THE CHAIR IS OPEN TO DISCUSSING THEM AS A GROUP OR IF THERE'S SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WE CAN START OUT ONE AT A TIME TO GO WITH, BUT THEY ARE THERE IN A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THEM SOMEWHAT IN THE PAST AS FAR AS THESE THINGS BE NEEDING TO BE THERE, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE A POLICY FOR IT, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE WASP AS POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VERBAGE.
THERE'S REALLY NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN AT THIS POINT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR KRISTI DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> I WOULD JUST SAY THAT YOU'RE FINDING POLICIES IN TWO DIFFERENT SECTIONS WITHIN THE AGENDA UNDER POLICY UPDATES.
THESE ARE ONES THAT ARE NEW TO US.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ON OR DOES MODEL POLICY LIBRARY, BUT WE JUST DID NOT HAVE THEM IN PLACE.
AS I HAVE BEEN SHARING, WE NEED TO DO A REVAMP OF OUR POLICIES.
MANY OF THEM ARE OUT-OF-DATE OR DID NOT EXIST, AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THEM ON THE AGENDA.
BRAND NEW TO US YOU'LL SEE HERE AND THEN ONES THAT ARE BEING REVISED JUST TO BE UPDATED, RECHECKED, YOU'LL FIND THOSE IN THAT BOARD CONSENT AGENDA.
MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT YOU TAKE THEM, READ THEM, LOOK THEM OVER IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN GIVE ME A CALL.
I CAN ANSWER THOSE AND THEN YOU CAN ADOPT THEM AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE COULD THEN MOVE THEM INTO BOARD CONSENT AGENDA.
BUT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S NEW AND WHAT'S BEING REVISED.
>> ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT ON ANY OF THOSE THREE POLICIES? SEEING NO QUESTIONS, THEN THAT WILL TAKE US TO CONSENT AGENDAS,
[8. SUPERINTENDENT CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]
[9. BOARD CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]
BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD CONSENT AGENDAS.THE CONSENT AGENDAS ARE A COLLECTION OF ITEMS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PASS WITH ONE VOTE AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUALLY DEALING WITH EACH ITEM.
AGAIN, FOR THOSE THAT MISSED IT THE FIRST TIME, THOSE THINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON BOARD DOCS WHERE YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM AND SEE THE PARTICULARS.
ALL OF OUR MEETING INFORMATION IS THERE ON BOARD DOCS AND IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEM TO VIEW AS WELL.
AGAIN, THESE ARE ROUTINE ITEMS THAT THE BOARD HAS HAD NOTICE OF PRIOR TO THE MEETING IN ORDER TO CLARIFY ANY QUESTIONS, AND SO NOW THERE BEFORE US FOR APPROVAL AND OR DISCUSSION.
THE CHAIR IS OPEN, WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR CONSENT AGENDA QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR EMOTION TO ADDRESS THOSE CONSENT AGENDAS.
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING 8.07 SOMEWHAT WITH RESIGNATIONS,
[02:25:01]
RETIREMENTS, COMMENDATIONS, AND KUDOS FOR NOW DOING EXIT INTERVIEWS WITH EMPLOYEES.I TALKED WITH KARA, OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF HR EARLIER TODAY AND I'M KEEPING THE BOARD IF SOMETHING'S BREWING SO THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT, APPRECIATE IT.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A PROCEDURE RIGHT NOW FOR IT, BUT THINKING ABOUT THAT TO KEEP THE BOARD AWARE.
>> THE BOARD KNOWS HOW THAT WORKS.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO NOTIFY YOU IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT MAY BE COMING UP OR OR CONFUSION OR QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING ASKED.
KARA HAS IMPLEMENTED EXIT INTERVIEWS WHEN NEEDED.
I'VE SET UP SOME EXIT INTERVIEWS TO EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO THAT, SO I'VE MET WITH STAFF WHO HAVE RETIRED OR RESIGNED JUST TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND THEN IF KARA HAS ANY CONCERNS, SHE NOTIFIES ME RIGHT AWAY AND THEN IT WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR A MOTION?
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED, AND MADE PART OF THE MINUTES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL OPPOSED. THE CONSENT AGENDAS THEN PASS.
THAT TAKES US ONTO THE SHARING PORTION OF
[10. SHARING [GC-7.E}]
OUR MEETING THIS EVENING AND FOR THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND START OVER WITH TONY. ANYTHING TO SHARE?>> WE'RE DOING THE BOARD CONSENT?
>> WE DID BOTH THE BOTH CONSENTS.
>> NO I DON'T. I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SHARE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. SPEAK INTO THE MIC.
NO. IT'S BEEN A ROUGH COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, SO WE'VE BEEN BUSY WITH THAT.
BUT I DID ATTEND PACK MEETING.
WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT. STAFF WAS THERE.
THE PARENTS LOOKED REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE SUPPORT, SO I'M EXCITED TO KEEP WORKING WITH THOSE FOLKS, SO THANK YOU.
>> I'M GOING TO STEP IN FOR PEGGY TONIGHT AND TALK ABOUT SOME LEGISLATIVE THINGS, SO LAZDA HAD THEIR GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS PAST WEEKEND, WHICH REPRESENTATIVES OF SOME SCHOOL BOARDS, WE'LL GO AND WE'LL VOTE ON THE POLICIES AND THE POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BY A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SCHOOL BOARDS ACROSS THE STATE.
THEY DECIDE WHICH OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE ON THE LIST OF THE WHOLE BUFFET FOR WAS TO CHOOSE FROM.
THAT WHOLE BUFFET, CAME OUT TO 123 DIFFERENT POSITIONS, SO THE NEXT STEP FOR THE FERNDALE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD BE TO EACH OF US, LOOK AT THOSE POSITIONS AND DECIDE WHICH OF THOSE ARE OF MOST IMPORTANCE TO OURSELVES, AND THEN AS A BOARD, WHAT ARE OF MOST IMPORTANCE TO US AS A BOARD? OCTOBER 19TH IS THE DAY THAT WE NEED TO FILL OUT THE FORM ON WHAT THE 10 POSITIONS ARE FOR THE FERNDALE SCHOOL BOARD, AND THEN LAZDA WILL TAKE THOSE 10 POSITIONS FROM ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE THAT FILL THAT OUT AND THEY'LL DECIDE FROM THOSE WHAT ARE GOING TO BE THE THREE HOT TOPICS FOR NEXT YEAR THAT WAS TO LOBBIES ARE REPRESENTATIVES ON TO MAKE CHANGE.
LAST YEAR WE HAD DECIDED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITIONS THAT WE ALL AGREED ON OR HAD A QUORUM THAT WE AGREED ON WOULD BE ONES THAT THE LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE COULD FILE A PRO OR CON COMMENT ON DURING SESSION NEXT NEXT YEAR, SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE, I ASSUME ANOTHER THING FOR NEXT YEAR.
EARLIER, JUST BEFORE THIS MEETING, I SENT THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH KRISTI COPIED A LINK TO THOSE 123, AND SO LITTLE LIGHT READING FOR YOU ALL.
I ALSO WAS THINKING AFTER I SENT THE EMAIL, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN SMART OF ME TO ASK KRISTI TO ASK EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS IF THEY HAD INPUT ON WHICH OF THESE POSITIONS SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO,
[02:30:03]
SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT AS WELL.FINAL THING, OUR STUDY SESSION IS OCTOBER 17TH.
MAYBE IN THAT STUDY SESSION THAT'S GOING TO BE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SUPPORTS.
WE CAN HAVE SOME TIME TO TALK ABOUT THESE POSITIONS AS WELL, SO WE CAN DO IT IN PUBLIC FORUM.
>> YEAH. DEFINITELY WOULD BE, COME PREPARED, IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO READ THOSE 123 POSITIONS.
THERE WILL BE SOME OVERLAP IN THERE.
ANOTHER INTERESTING THING THAT HAPPENED.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEGGY SHARED THIS WITH YOU, BUT ONE OF THE FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, CONTENTIOUS THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE LEDGE SESSION WAS WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTINUE WITH WEIGHTED VOTING, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR.
ESSENTIALLY LOST OF SINCE, IF MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT ABOUT 1986 HAS DONE WEIGHTED VOTING.
WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARDS GET TOGETHER TO DETERMINE THE STATEWIDE INITIATIVES AND SUCH, SEATTLE HAS MORE STUDENTS, SO THEY GET MORE VOTES THAN FERNDALE, AND FERNDALE GETS MORE VOTES THAN [INAUDIBLE] OR ONE OF THOSE SMALL COMMUNITIES.
THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE THOUGHT THE FACT THAT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AS, IS IT ONE VOTE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT OR IS IT MORE WEIGHTED BASED ON STUDENTS? APPARENTLY WE ARE NOW ONE VOTE PER DISTRICT.
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING, I THINK.
>> YEAH, THAT'S GOING TO KEEP SEATTLE AND BELLEVUE.
APPARENTLY THEY WERE NOT PLEASED WITH THAT OUTCOME AND THERE WAS A LOT OF POLITICAL SHENANIGANS GOING ON FROM WHAT PEGGY HAD TO SAY, BUT I THINK.
>> SHE WAS ON VIRTUALLY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> OR WAS SHE HAD TO SAY TO REPORT OR WAS SHE PART OF THAT SHENANIGANS?
>> I KNOW. SHE WAS JUST MORE IN WATCHING AND ALL THE LITTLE MOVES THAT WERE BEING PLAYED TO TRY AND MAINTAIN THE WEIGHTED VOTING.
BUT I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD BECAUSE FOR A LONG TIME, SEATTLE AND THE BIGGER DISTRICTS HAVE PRETTY WELL SET THE TONE FOR THE WHOLE STATE AND THAT.
>> THERE ARE A LOT MORE STUDENTS IN SEATTLE THAN IN BELLEVUE, SO I CAN SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF IT WHY MAYBE IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING.
BUT ALL THINGS PENDULUM GOES BACK AND FORTH AND IT'S TIME FOR SMALLER DISTRICTS, I THINK TO GET MORE OF A SAY IN WHAT GOES ON.
YOU GOT AN OPINION KRISTI, NO. [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU GRABBED YOUR MIC. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE A INPUT.
[BACKGROUND] I THINK OVERALL IT WILL BE A GOOD THING AND THEY'LL BALANCE OUT AND MAYBE WE'LL COME TO SOME MORE CENTRAL, BUT FOR TOO LONG THOSE DISTRICTS HAVE PUSHED THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS THAT MAYBE WEREN'T AS GOOD FOR THE MORE RURAL DISTRICTS.
I THINK KRISTI IF WE CAN MAKE PART OF OUR TIME OR PUT A NOTE FOR THE AGENDA MAKING SO WE HAVE THAT ON THAT AGENDA.
JUST A REMINDER THAT STUDY SESSION IS ON OCTOBER 17TH STARTING AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
THE OTHER THING THAT I CAME UP TONIGHT IN PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE NOTE OF BECAUSE I WAS INFORMING A COUPLE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT IT BEFORE, WE DO NEED TO ADJUST OUT ONE OF OUR POLICIES.
OUR PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY HAS LONG HAD A STANDING OF LIMITING THINGS TO PEOPLE THAT LIVED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE GOAL BEING THOSE PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITHIN THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OR HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT, LANDOWNERS WITHIN THE DISTRICT AS WE EXPANDED IT OUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT BEFORE.
OUR GOAL HAD ALWAYS BEEN AND THE INTENT OF THOSE BEFORE US HAD BEEN TO KEEP IT TO THOSE THAT HAD A STAKE IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE DISTRICT MORE, BEING THE MAIN PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
BUT RECENT INFORMATION COMING FROM LAZDA AND FROM THE STATE, THEY HAVE DECIDED THAT PUBLIC COMMENT AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS IS OPEN TO ANYBODY.
IF ANYBODY OUT THERE WANTS TO GO TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU HAVE THE STATE'S BLESSING, SO WE WILL BE ADJUSTING OUR PUBLIC COMMENT TO REFLECT THAT, BUT THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE RULINGS THAT THE STATE HAS COME DOWN WITH.
I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHY THAT IS AND WHY THINGS HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED AND WHY THAT PART OF THE POLICY WE'VE WENT AWAY FROM AND WE WILL BE GETTING THAT REVISED NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT FINAL SAY.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE, SO WITH THAT.
[02:35:03]
>> CAN I JUST ADD IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO TRY A BLUEBERRY BAR THERE OVER THERE.
BYE HEATHER. ON YOUR WAY OUT, PLEASE HELP YOURSELF.
>> PLEASE DO. IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT BEING DONE FROM SCRATCH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T JOIN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT AS EARLY AS MELINDA DID, BUT IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING GOAL AND THINGS, SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE IT COME INTO FRUITION.
[11. MEETING EVALUATION SURVEY]
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO ITEM 11, WHICH IS THE SCHOOL BOARD EVALUATION.I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT AGAIN, CALVIN, YOU DO IT SO WELL.
>> I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD MEETING.
OH, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO ADJUST THAT MUCH OTHER THAN THE THING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY PRE ADJUSTED, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.
OUR CONDUCT WAS GREAT AND EVERYTHING WAS GREAT, AND I ACTUALLY THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BEST MEETINGS I'VE BEEN TO, SO KUDOS.
>> THANK YOU. WELL, WITH THAT, WE HAVE REACHED TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA, AND SO I WILL DECLARE OUR MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.