Oct 30, 2023 Special Meeting

[00:00:03]

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL BOARD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US WHETHER LIVE OR ONLINE.

JUST TO CLARIFY, ANY MEETING THAT DEVIATES FROM OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE IS CONSIDERED A SPECIAL MEETING SINCE OUR NORMALLY SCHEDULED MEETING OCCURS ON THE LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, MOVING OUR REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING FROM TOMORROW NIGHT TO TONIGHT REQUIRED THAT IT BE CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING RATHER THAN A REGULAR MEETING.

THE SAME BUSINESS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE ACTED UPON TONIGHT.

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 STUDENT 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 MATTERS FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT BE NEW.

AS YOU CAME IN OVER THE DOORS, THAT'S ALSO THE EXIT IF YOU SHOULD NEED TO LEAVE, AND IF YOU SHOULD NEED TO USE THE RESTROOMS DURING THE MEETING, THEY'RE JUST OUT THE HALL AND UP TO YOUR RIGHT.

WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD INTO TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND FIRST ITEM IS THE RECITE OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

SO IF YOU'D ALL PLEASE JOIN ME.

>>

>> NEXT, I'LL ASK GABBY TO PLEASE READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT. [NOISE]

>> WE THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACKNOWLEDGE WE ARE RESIDING ON THE TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL, AND UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE LUMMI PEOPLE.

THE LUMMI PEOPLE ARE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF WASHINGTON'S NORTHERNMOST 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 HAVE CELEBRATED LIFE ON THEIR WATERWAYS AND ON THE TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL, AND UNCEDED LAND OF THEIR PEOPLE TO PERPETUATE THEIR WAY OF LIFE.

WE HONOR THEIR ANCESTORS AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE LUMMI PEOPLE AS THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND.

>> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 2.01,

[2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA [GC-4.7]]

AT THIS TIME, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AND OR TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO IT.

>> CAN I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION?

>> CERTAINLY.

>> WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE LEVY RESOLUTIONS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE DISCUSSION OF AND CHANGING OF THINGS DURING THAT DISCUSSION OR IF YOU MIGHT WANT TO REQUEST CHANGES AHEAD OF TIME? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, THEY BROUGHT THREE SEPARATE RESOLUTIONS THAT HAVE INFORMATION IN THEM.

WILL WE BE DISCUSSING THAT AND CAN THAT STUFF BE AMENDED AS WE'RE DISCUSSING?

>> WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THOSE AND IF ANY AMENDMENTS NEED TO BE MADE, I WOULD HAVE TO CONFIRM WITH MARK IF IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE LAWYERS FOR A RESOLUTION.

[OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU, HE IS NODDING BEHIND ME.

BUT THAT WOULD BE THE TIME WHEN WE'D BE DISCUSSING THAT.

>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. THANKS.

>> SORRY. ADOPTING THE AGENDA AS IT IS, I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD PULL ITEM 8.04 FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLY VOTE.

I'D LIKE TO PULL THAT OUTSIDE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IF WE CAN.

> WE CAN DO THAT. JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ON ITEMS WITHIN THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT PULLING IT OUT ALLOWS FOR A SEPARATE VOTE.

ANY OTHER ADJUSTMENTS? HEARING THEN NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED WITH THE ONE SMALL CHANGE OF PULLING ITEM 8.04

[00:05:04]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> ALL OPPOSED? THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.

THAT MOVES US ON TO ITEM 3.01,

[3. PUBLIC COMMENT [GC-3.3]]

AS WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, 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 FOR DISCUSSION, IT IS 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 A SIGNAL 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 PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO KEEP PUBLIC COMMENT WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF OUR POLICY AND APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION OF THE PUBLIC IN DOING SO.

JUST TO NOTE, REVISIONS TO POLICY 1400 WHICH INCLUDES THE GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, ARE BEING INTRODUCED LATER IN TONIGHT'S MEETING AND WILL BE DISCUSSED AND ACTED UPON AT OUR MEETING IN NOVEMBER.

THE BOARD WOULD WELCOME COMMENTS ON THIS POLICY PRIOR TO THEIR DISCUSSION AND ACTION NEXT MONTH.

IN THE MEANTIME, A FEW REMINDERS ABOUT OUR CURRENT POLICY.

SPEAKERS WILL BE ASKED THIS 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 COMMENT SIGN-IN SHEET.

THIS 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 WHOSE 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 ASKS THAT 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 DOCUMENTS 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.

FINALLY, I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT PER RCW 42.17A.555, I CANNOT ALLOW ANYONE TO MAKE STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OF ANY 2023 CANDIDACY FOR PUBLIC OFFICE DURING THE CITIZEN'S PORTION COMMENT SECTION OF TONIGHT'S MEETING.

WITH ALL THAT SAID, WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

THE FIRST PERSON ON OUR LIST FOR TONIGHT IS SANDY MCMILLAN.

SANDY, IS THE MIC ON?

>> I'VE NEVER DONE THIS. HELLO. I'M SANDY MCMILLAN.

I HAVE LIVED FOR OVER 20 YEARS AT 6142 NORTH STAR ROAD.

WE HAVE RAISED OUR FOUR CHILDREN AND ALL RECEIVED PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONS.

OUR YOUNGEST IS A SOPHOMORE AT FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL, TOMMY, A 16-YEAR-OLD WHO LOVES HIS LIFE SKILLS CLASSROOM ELECTIVES, AND UNIFIED SPORTS.

HE HAPPENS TO HAVE DOWN SYNDROME, DOESN'T SPEAK AND JUST THIS LAST SUMMER WENT ON HIS FIRST REAL FIELD TRIP.

MUCH THANKS TO THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP AND TEACHERS.

[00:10:03]

FIRST, A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THE LEVY FOR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS FAILED, THAT CAUSED A LARGE NUMBER OF STAFF TO BE LAID OFF.

THE NUMBER OF PARAEDUCATORS DWARFED ANY OTHER POSITIONS.

I WANT CITIZENS TO CONSIDER THAT ADEQUATELY FUNDED LEVIES CAN EQUATE TO SMALLER CLASSROOMS, MORE ACCESS TO NURSING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND IT EQUATES TO MORE RESOURCES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

ACCESS TO GENERAL EDUCATION ELECTIVES WITH A PARA IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE IT EXPOSES HIM AND HIS PEERS TO A WORLD CONTEXT OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES, LEARNING, AND WORKING AMONGST US.

OVER 14% OF FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS ARE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION OR ON A HEALTH PLAN.

THIS IS A STATEMENT OF ADVOCACY FOR A SIGNIFICANT STUDENT POPULATION.

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE THE MORE WE SUPPORT OUR ENTIRE POPULATION OF HUMANS, THE MORE LIKELY OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE A WORKFORCE THAT IS INCLUSIVE AND LESS LIKELY TO HAVE UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE DUE TO DISABILITY.

TALK ABOUT A LONG-TERM FINANCIAL INVESTMENT IN YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.

SECOND, A FEW YEARS AGO THERE WAS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT TASK FORCE WHERE US AS CITIZENS SPENT TIME COLLABORATING ON FACILITY ANALYSIS AND EVENTUALLY A BOND PROPOSITION TO REPLACE THE HIGH SCHOOL.

MUCH OF THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL WAS NOT ADA-COMPLIANT, LIMITING GENERAL EDUCATION EXPOSURE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

THAT PROPOSITION EVENTUALLY PASSED AND IT HAS INCLUDED ONE OF THE GREATEST-EVER COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS, A CITIZEN BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

EVERYONE RELIES ON DEMOCRACY AND THE POWER OF VOTING IN ELECTIONS TO REACH THOSE DECISIONS.

RECENTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN STATEMENTS SUCH AS PROMISES MADE WITH THE DISTRICT IN CONNECTION TO THAT PROPOSITION.

IT IS MY BELIEF AS A VOTER THAT THE ONLY PROMISE WE MAKE IN PASSING A PROPOSITION IS TO THE STATEMENT WE READ ON THAT PROPOSITION.

TO SAY OTHERWISE UNDERMINES DEMOCRACY AND DEVALUES US AS A COMMUNITY.

FURTHER, FINANCIALLY, WE COULD HAVE SAVED AT LEAST 10% HAD WE APPROVED AN EARLIER BOND, CONCEPTUALLY $20 MILLION LESS.

TALK ABOUT A WAY TO DECREASE OUR PROPERTY TAXES.

IN CLOSING, I'D INVITE MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE THINKERS IN FERNDALE TO COLLABORATE FOR PRAGMATIC AND LONG-TERM POLICIES ALONGSIDE AND SUPPORTING THIS GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, SANDY. NEXT, WE HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ALISON MORE OR ALISON MOON.

MOORE? MOON? OKAY.

>> ALISON MOON, 135 ALEXA LANE.

UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND LAST MONTH'S BOARD MEETING DUE TO A FAMILY HEALTH MATTER SO MY COMMENTS ARE GOING TO REFERENCE DR. DOMINGUEZ'S PRESENTATION AT THE AUGUST MEETING.

YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT AT THAT MEETING, HER PRESENTATION DISCUSSED THE DISTRICT'S YOU BELONG CAMPAIGN.

I APPLAUD THE SPIRIT OF THIS CAMPAIGN AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL PEOPLE, YOUNG, OLD, STUDENTS, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS, TO FEEL AS IF THEY HAVE A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY ARE VALUED FOR WHO THEY ARE.

A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS IN DR. DOMINGUEZ'S PRESENTATION REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME.

SHE SAID BELONGING IS NOT ABOUT FITTING IN, BUT BELONGING IS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SHOW UP AS YOUR WHOLE SELF AND KNOWING THAT YOU STILL HAVE A PLACE AT THE TABLE.

FITTING IN IS ABOUT SEEKING APPROVAL AND CONFORMING TO THE NORMS SET BY OTHERS.

IT MEANS CHANGING WHO YOU ARE TO BE ACCEPTED.

WHILE I APPLAUD THE DISTRICT'S EFFORTS AND THE SPIRIT OF THE YOU BELONG CAMPAIGN.

I WONDER IF THE IMPLEMENTATION DOESN'T FALL SHORT OF THE IDEAL.

FOR EXAMPLE, DOES THE BUS DRIVER WHO FACES TERMINATION BECAUSE HE REFUSES ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS TO TAKE AN EXPERIMENTAL INJECTION BELONG OR DOES HE NEED TO FIT IN? DOES THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR TRACK STAR WHO HAD WORKED HER ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER TO BECOME THE FASTEST GIRL IN THE COUNTY, FACE DISCIPLINE, WHETHER IT'D BE EXPULSION, SUSPENSION, DETENTION, OR SIMPLY DEROGATORY COMMENTS FROM HER PEERS FOR VOICING HER OBJECTION TO HAVING TO COMPETE WITH A BIOLOGICAL BOY.

IF SO, DOES SHE BELONG OR DOES SHE HAVE TO FIT IN? WHAT ABOUT THE 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO'S BEEN THE VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND WHO HAS FEARS OF SHARING A RESTROOM WITH BIOLOGICAL BOYS, CAN SHE SPEAK OUT AND STILL BELONG OR DOES SHE HAVE TO FIT IN? WHAT ABOUT THE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS RAISED IN A FUNDAMENTALIST FAMILY AND WHO HAS BEEN TAUGHT, THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, MIGHT HE FACE DISCIPLINE FOR VIOLATING ANOTHER STUDENT'S CIVIL RIGHTS WHEN HE REFERS TO BILLY AS HE RATHER THAN SHE? IF SO, DOES HE BELONG OR DOES HE HAVE TO FIT IN? SCIENCE HAS TOLD US SINCE THE LATE 1800S, EARLY 1900S THAT TWO X CHROMOSOMES

[00:15:07]

I FEAR THE IDEAL OF THE YOU BELONG CAMPAIGN IS UNATTAINABLE IN THE CURRENT CULTURAL CLIMATE IN WHICH THE SAME PEOPLE WHO FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, ALMOST FOUR YEARS IN THE MIDST OF THE LARGEST UNCONTROLLED MEDICAL EXPERIMENT IN HISTORY HAVE BEEN ADMONISHING US TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE, ARE NOW TELLING US TO IGNORE THE SCIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO WHO IS A BOY AND WHO IS A GIRL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE ON THIS BOARD.

>> THANK YOU, ALISON. NEXT, WE HAVE DOM FAM.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOM FAM AND I IDENTIFY MYSELF AS A FERNDALE RESIDENT AT 6000 BARR ROAD.

AS THE SCHOOL BOARD RACES HAVE INTENSIFIED TOWARD THE ELECTION DAY I HAVE OBSERVED SOME UNSETTLING DEVELOPMENTS.

FIRST, IF YOU GO TO THE PDC WEBSITE AND SELECT THE CANDIDATES

>> DOM, WE CAN'T BE TALKING ABOUT THE CANDIDACY AND THE ELECTION DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> I'LL LEAVE THAT OUT THEN.

WELL, THAT'S THE FIRST POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE, BUT I MOVE ON TO THE SECOND POINT.

I HAVE DETECTED A STEALTHY CAMPAIGN APPROPRIATELY CALLED, YOU DON'T BELONG TO SHUT OUT THOSE OF US WHO OFFER DISSENTING OPINIONS FROM THIS PUBLIC FORUM SINCE LATE LAST YEAR.

THEN I ALSO NOTICED A SLICK AND SLIMY MOVE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO WAIT UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING TO ANNOUNCE THE CANCELLATION OF THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR ALL PUBLIC COMMENTERS.

THE LAST POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT SOME OF YOU IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND ON THE BOARD CAN FIRE ME AS AN EMPLOYEE.

BUT YOU CAN NEVER FIRE ME AS A FIGHTER FOR FREEDOM, TRUTH, INTEGRITY, AND JUSTICE ON BEHALF OF THIS DISTRICT STUDENTS, THEIR PARENTS, AND THE TAXPAYERS.

THE BAD NEWS IS THAT YOU ARE STUCK WITH ME FOR A VERY LONG TIME AS I DO INTEND TO COME HERE TO SPEAK INDEFINITELY UNTIL I CAN NO LONGER SPEAK.

MY ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE IS TO SEE TO IT THAT JUSTICE PREVAILS AND THAT THOSE WHO COMMIT IT OR ACTED AS ACCOMPLICES TO THE IMMORAL AND ILLEGAL DICTATES AGAINST GOOD-STANDING EMPLOYEES AND WHO SUPPORTED THAT THE HARMFUL POLICIES AGAINST CHILDREN ARE ELIMINATED FROM THIS DISTRICT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY SOONER OR LATER WHEN YOU WILL HEAR THE VOTERS RENDER THEIR VERDICT SAYING YOU'RE FIRED. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, DOM. NEXT, WE HAVE ANDREW GUSTAFSON.

>> ANDREW GUSTAFSON, 1730 LABOUNTY.

I BRING YOU A SOUVENIR.

THIS WOULD BE THE BROCHURE FROM THE 2018 SCHOOL BOND PROPOSAL.

THIS WAS ATTACHMENT IN AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT BY SUPERINTENDENT LINDA QUINN OUT TO ALL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES IN JUNE 18TH OF 2018, RECRUITING THEM, AMONG OTHER THINGS TO GO OUT AND SPREAD INFORMATION ABOUT THE NOVEMBER BOND.

IT'S A TEAM EFFORT TO GET IT PASSED AND IT HAS A HANDY CHART ON THE BACK HERE.

YOU'LL NOTE THIS CHART IS ALSO BLOWN UP.

THIS IS ALSO USED ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE SUPPORT FOR [INAUDIBLE] SUPPORT THE BOND.

THE BOND WAS THE MOST PREVALENT PIECE OF MARKETING CONTENT USED IN THE BONDS IN BOTH THE 2018, 2019 BOND.

I MEAN, THIS WAS THE PIECE THAT GOT SHARED ON ALL THE SOCIALS.

EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT SHOWED SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE PRO-BOND CAMPAIGN.

IT SHOWED THAT THE $1.50, THEIR LOCAL LEVY WAS FROZEN AT $1.50 STARTING IN WHAT THEY SAID WAS 2019.

THEN IT SAID EFFECTIVELY THAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO VOTE FOR THE NEW BOND FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL A $112 MILLION HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THE LOCAL LEVEL IS FROZEN AND IT

[00:20:03]

THIS WAS WIDELY USED.

NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 2018 CAMPAIGN, CITIZENS MYSELF INCLUDED, WENT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, MARK DEEBACH WAS IN THAT MEETING HE REMEMBERS.

AND WE SAID, YOU GUYS, THERE'S A SENATE BILL THAT'S ALREADY FILED.

IT'S GONNA BE PASSED AND IT'S GOING TO LIFT THE LOCAL LEVY LID FROM $1.52 TO $2.50.

IT'S DISINGENUOUS OF YOU TO USE THAT SLOGAN.

WE TOLD YOU NOT TO USE IT.

YOU USED IT IN ANY WAY THE DISTRICT DID THIS COMES FROM THE DISTRICT.

IF ANYBODY IS WONDERING WHERE THE SOURCE OF THIS CHART IS, WHERE THIS PROMISES, IT'S THE DISTRICT ITSELF.

IT HAS MARK DEEBACH'S CONTACT INFORMATION RIGHT ON HERE.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT WHERE THE PROMISE CAME FROM.

EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT PROMISES WERE MADE OF AFFORDABILITY FOR THE BOND.

THAT BRINGS US THROUGH THE WHOLE TIMELINE OF HISTORY OF FAILING THE BOND THEN PASSING THE BOND IN 19 THEN THE RUN-UP TO THE 2020 LEVY [INAUDIBLE] PASS THAT AND THE FAILING OF THE 2020 LEVY AND THEN THEY'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH COVID AND GET THAT FINALLY ON THE BALLOT.

HERE'S THE PROOF POINTS I THINK THAT THIS DISTRICT ALREADY KNOWS THAT $1.50 IS THE RATE, IS THAT TWO OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE, KNOW THAT THEY WERE THERE ON THE BOARD WHEN THE BOARD SAID WE'LL MAKE IT $1.50 AND WE'LL PUT IT ON NOVEMBER 2020 ELECTION AT $1.50.

THEN WHEN THE RENEWAL CAME UP AGAIN IN 2022, YOU GUYS DID IT AGAIN.

YOU GUYS ALL KNOW IT'S $1.50.

ANYTHING ABOVE $1.50 IS A BROKEN PROMISE.

THERE SHOULD BE NO QUESTION IN THE PUBLIC THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER.

COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW HAVE YOUR EMAILS BEEN BLOWING UP? YOU MIGHT NEED TO TAKE A 15-MINUTE RECESS RIGHT NOW AND GO READ ALL YOUR EMAILS AND CATCH UP.

BUT THE THINGS YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT IS THAT ON THE DRAFT RESOLUTIONS YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR MILL RATES DON'T MATCH YOUR AMOUNT COLLECTED AND YOU SHOULD BE ASKING WHERE MARK GOT THE ASSESSED VALUES THAT YOU'RE USING TO FORMULATE THE REST OF THE SPREADSHEET.

I'VE GIVEN YOU THE SPREADSHEET. YOU JUST HAVE TO READ IT.

>> THANK YOU, ANDREW. NEXT, WE HAVE KATHY. IS IT YOUNG?

>> MY NAME IS KATHY YOUNG, 5955 MONUMENT DRIVE HERE IN FERNDALE.

I AM PRESIDENT OF FERNDALE KIWANIS AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF VOLUNTEERS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.

I'VE GOT TWO GROWN AND FLOWN SONS.

I'VE WORKED AS AN AVID TUTOR, A PARAEDUCATOR.

I'VE SUBBED AND WORKED OVER MOST OF THE SCHOOLS HERE BEFORE LANDING AT EAGLERIDGE ELEMENTARY.

I CURRENTLY OWN AND OPERATE MY OWN PRIVATE TUTORING BUSINESS.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SCOUTING FOR DECADES.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH BE THE ONE, WE PACK FOOD BAGS EVERY WEEK FOR KIDS WHO WOULD NORMALLY GO HUNGRY OVER THE WEEKEND.

I'M VERY INVESTED IN OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND EVERY COMMUNITY I'VE LIVED IN.

I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT FERNDALE KIWANIS, PARTNERING WITH SUPPORT FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WILL BE STARTING A PILOT PROGRAM, BUILDERS CLUB, WHICH IS ONE OF THE KIWANIS PROGRAMS. IT'S KICKING OFF IN EARLY 2024.

BUILDERS CLUB WILL PROVIDE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

STUDENT-LED WITH ADULT MENTORS TO GUIDE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL LEARN HOW REWARDING IT IS TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY.

CONFIDENCE GROWS, GRADES GO UP.

THEY RECOGNIZE THEY BELONG, THAT THEY MATTER TO US.

IT'S EMPOWERING TO LEARN THAT DESPITE THEIR YOUNG AGE, THEY CAN INDEED MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE MANY, MANY ADULTS IN FERNDALE WHO CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS.

TO NAME JUST A FEW.

ONE OF MY SHEROES IS TRACEY BAKER AT EAGLERIDGE, WHO PROVIDES AMAZING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS.

MARTY MORAVEC AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, OF COURSE.

MELINDA BLACK COOL FOR ALL SHE'S DONE.

TRACY DIEHL, THE GRANTS THAT SHE'S SECURING FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

JASON DAHLSTROM, OUR LOCAL SCOUT TROOP OUR KIWANIS CLUB HOLDS THEIR CHARTER SO WE GO TO EAGLE CEREMONIES.

WE HELP FIND SERVICE PROJECTS FOR THEM.

THEY'RE HELPING RESTORE THE LUMMI CAMP.

THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO COACHED SOCCER AND FOOTBALL.

WE HAVE SO MANY WHO ARE TRULY INVESTED IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

THE TEACHERS, THE SUPPORT STAFF, OUR OWN SCHOOL BOARD, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT, OUR OWN SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, ALL THE THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE AND IMPLEMENTED IN JUST THE ONE YEAR IT'S AMAZING.

INVESTING OUR TIME AND RESOURCES WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IS ALWAYS WORTH IT.

ALL OF US SHOULD WANT EACH AND EVERY CHILD TO KNOW THEY MATTER TO US.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO BEMOAN KIDS THESE DAYS, I INVITE YOU TO ATTEND ONE OF OUR KIWANIS MEETINGS WHERE WE MEET AND HONOR A STUDENT OF THE MONTH.

[00:25:01]

THESE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING THROUGH OUR HIGH SCHOOL ARE BRIGHT.

THEY'RE CARING, THEY'RE ENGAGED AND THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BUILDERS CLUB AND HOW THEY MIGHT SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW OR WE CAN REACH OUT THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, KATHY. THAT CONCLUDES THE LIST OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT.

JUST AS A REMINDER, OUR EMAIL ADDRESSES OUR PHONE NUMBERS, ALL THAT CONTACT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS.

FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US WHATEVER WAY WORKS BEST FOR YOU.

WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM 4,

[4. SHARING [GC-7.E.]]

I WILL TURN IT OVER TO KRISTI.

>> THANK YOU. I DO LOVE THIS PART OF THE BOARD MEETING BECAUSE IT'S A TIME FOR ME TO GET TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU, ALL THE AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

GIVE YOU UPDATES, AND JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THAT YOU HEARD MENTIONED THIS EVENING.

WE HAVE BEEN WELL, I'LL BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.

I TALKED TO YOU WHEN I WAS FIRST HIRED ABOUT I REMEMBER TRYING TO, ON THE WEBSITE FIND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

WHAT I FOUND WERE OUR COMMITMENTS.

COMMITMENTS ARE GREAT, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY PROVIDE A VISION OR A MISSION ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

IT'S MUCH LIKE WHEN WE PUT INITIATIVES IN PLACE WITHOUT CLEAR DIRECTION.

YOU END UP THROWING THINGS SOMETIMES AT PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF THINKING AHEAD TO SOLUTIONS AHEAD OF TIME.

PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, WE HAD THE FOCUS GROUPS LAST SPRING.

I KNOW PEGGY CAME TO ONE OF THOSE WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH STUDENTS.

WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD, I WANT TO SAY I'M LOOKING AT SELENA.

WE HAD OVER 500 PEOPLE ENGAGE IN THE SPRING AND WE'VE HAD CLOSE TO 200 THIS FALL.

THIS WAS PART OF WHAT HAS COME UP AND WE CONTINUE TO VET THROUGH ARE THE THREE AREAS THAT WE WANT ALL STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SAY, I AM A LEARNER, I AM SEEN AND LOVED, AND I MATTER AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE AND REALLY USING THAT AS OUR GUIDE.

WELL, THERE'S BEEN A GROUP MEETING ON ZOOM, OUR CORE PLANNING TEAM REALLY TRYING TO UNPACK THESE PIECES.

BUT THEN ON NOVEMBER 15TH, WE WILL BE HAVING ABOUT 80 PEOPLE COMING AND LOOKING.

WE HAVE FOUR STRATEGIES AN EARLY LEARNING STRATEGY, A WHOLE CHILD STRATEGY, MASTERY OF STANDARDS, AND THEN FUTURE-READY.

IT'S REALLY NOT JUST ABOUT COLLEGE, BUT IT'S ABOUT WHO WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE, ESPECIALLY AS THEY LEAVE.

LOOKING WHEN THEY TURN 25, WHEN THEY TURN 30 WHAT KIND OF STUDENTS ARE WE PRODUCING? AS I'VE TALKED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THAT WAS A VALUE OF MANY OF THOSE, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE CHAMBER.

ON NOVEMBER 15TH, WE HAVE ABOUT 80 PEOPLE COMING.

WE HAVE STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND STAFF WHO WILL BE COMING TOGETHER IN THE AFTERNOON.

THEY'RE COMING TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THE PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE.

WE'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY WHAT IT IS WE'RE HOPING THAT WE WILL STRIVE FOR FOR EVERY GRADUATE OF FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THEN IN THE EVENING TIME IT'LL BE STAFF TEACHERS WILL BE COMING TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT THOSE FOUR STRATEGIES AND ACTUALLY IDENTIFYING ABOUT NINE WAYS THAT WE PLAN TO GET THERE.

THIS PLAN REALLY SHOULD, WHEN IT'S ALL DONE, SHOULD LAST US ABOUT SIX YEARS.

OF COURSE, WE'LL HAVE TO REVISIT IT EVERY YEAR AND ASK, IS IT MEETING THE MARK? ARE WE DOING WHAT WE SAID? BUT IT'S PART OF THAT FOCUS ON INCREASING STUDENT OUTCOMES.

IT'S HARD TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THE DIRECTION YOU'RE HEADED.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WHERE WE'RE AT.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IF ANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANYONE ABOUT IT.

THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.

THERE'LL BE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GO OUT AND GET COMMUNITY INPUT.

REALLY THE ACTUAL FINAL STRATEGIC PLAN WILL NOT KICK OFF UNTIL NEXT FALL.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH IT THIS YEAR AND TRY SOME THINGS OUT IN THE SPRING.

RECENTLY, IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE WAS A NICE HEADLINE FROM KGMI SAYING FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT GOT $500,000.

WELL THAT WAS THE FLOW-THROUGH MONEY.

[00:30:03]

BUT THAT WAS THE FLOW-THROUGH MONEY FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT I SHARED WITH YOU THAT THEY HAD PUT OUT.

I THINK THAT WAS IN THE LAST SPRING, IS THAT RIGHT? DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT?

>> THE WHATCOM COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REACHED OUT TO WHATCOM COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LATE LAST SPRING AND HAD INTERESTS SESSIONS OVER THE SUMMER AND THIS FALL.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, NOW THEY'RE REFERRING TO THEMSELVES AS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND SERVICES.

I'M TRYING TO GET THE NEW NAME.

BUT BASICALLY, THE WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS FUNDS THAT ARE BEING ALLOCATED TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SPECIFICALLY FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS, FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS DIRECT SUPPORTS.

THE MONEY IS EARMARKED SPECIFICALLY TO COME TO US TO GO TOWARDS STAFFING-RELATED.

YOU'LL SEE THE DETAILS IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, I BELIEVE, TONIGHT OF THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

WE ARE EXCITED BECAUSE THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME DECREASE IN RESOURCE FROM SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS NOT BEING ABLE TO HIRE INFILL AND PROVIDE SOME OF THE SUPPORT WE'VE HAD SPECIFICALLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THE PAST YEAR.

THIS WILL COME AT A TIME WHEN WE CAN LOOK TO HIRE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, SCHOOL-BASED SO THAT IT REDUCES THE PROBLEMS OF ACCESS.

BUT STILL IT'S A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAMILY AND THE PROVIDER RATHER THAN THE FAMILY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE ARE $500,000 ACROSS THREE YEARS, SO IT'S $166,000 A YEAR, AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC OF WHAT WE CAN USE IT FOR.

THE TWO PIECES THAT WE PUT IN OUR PROPOSAL WOULD BE FOR MENTAL HEALTH PERSONNEL AND ALSO SOME MONEY TO SUPPORT THE FERNDALE YOUTH COALITION, WHICH IS THE SMALL GRASSROOTS EFFORT THAT BEGAN LAST SPRING.

THANKS TO SOME OF OUR STAFF AND PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

>> THE AGREEMENT THAT TRINA IS REFERENCING IS THE ONE THAT IS OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR YOU TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH.

I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WE WERE ALL A LITTLE SURPRISED BY THAT HEADLINE, AND I BELIEVE, TRINA, YOU SAID THE OTHER ONES.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE WERE CALLED OUT?

>> WE WERE CALLED OUT IN THAT HEADLINE BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THE APPROVALS FOR THE COUNTY MEETINGS.

FOUR OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WERE APPROVED THE FOLLOWING OR THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

WE WERE APPROVED LAST MONTH AND I THINK THERE'S ONE OR TWO DISTRICTS THAT WILL BE APPROVED NEXT MONTH OR AFTER.

IT JUST HAD TO DO WITH WHEN THAT FIRST BATCH WENT TO THE MEETING.

WE HADN'T HAD IT APPROVED BY OUR ATTORNEYS YET, SO WE HELD OFF TO HAVE IT GO THE FOLLOWING MONTH.

THEN WE'RE BRINGING IT TO YOU, GUYS, THIS EVENING.

THE HEADLINE READ THAT IT WAS JUST A FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT INITIATIVE, BUT IT'S REALLY A COUNTYWIDE INITIATIVE.

IT COMES FROM THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SECTION OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE IN RESERVE THAT THEY NEEDED TO SPEND IN A WAY THAT STILL MET THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, AND USING THE SCHOOLS AS A WAY TO HELP THAT CONNECTOR PIECE BETWEEN STUDENTS AND FAMILY NEEDS AND THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DOLLARS.

>> THANK YOU, TRINA.

>> I'M CURIOUS, WAS THERE A HEADLINE WHEN THE OTHER SCHOOLS WERE APPROVED THE MONTH BEFORE? SO MAYBE A JOURNALIST THAT SAW SOMETHING THAT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS JUST FERNDALE BUT DIDN'T KNOW THE WHOLE STORY.

>> WE ALSO ARE NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I'VE HAD LOTS OF PEOPLE ASKED ME.

>> MY CONCERNS ACTUALLY STEM FROM THE PART WHERE IT SAYS AT THE END OF THE FUNDING THAT WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A PLAN THAT SHOWS SUSTAINABILITY GOING FORWARD.

I GUESS MY CONCERN IS DOES THIS OBLIGATE US TO CARRY ON A PROGRAM AFTER THE FUNDING HAS DRIED UP FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE THAT I WAS HOPING TO ASK AT THE LAST MEETING WHEN CHRIS WAS THERE,

[00:35:01]

>> I CAN DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THAT.

YOU'RE CORRECT THAT CHRIS COULD ANSWER THIS IN MUCH MORE DEPTH.

THE SUSTAINABILITY PIECE, THAT IS WRITTEN INTO THE COUNTYWIDE PORTION OF THE GRANT, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS THAT AS A COUNTY-WIDE LED BY THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THERE IS AN INITIATIVE FUNDED THROUGH THE GRANT THAT WILL INVOLVE ALL OF THE DISTRICTS IN WORKING ON HOW WE CAN BUILD THROUGH PRIVATE INSURANCE, PUBLIC INSURANCE, AND HAVE THAT THE COUNTY FIGURES OUT A WAY FOR THIS TO HAVE MONEY COMING BACK IN FOR SOME OF THOSE SERVICES.

IT'S SIMILAR TO THE MODEL THAT SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, LIKE CAMPUS HEALTH HAVE BEEN DOING FOR PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS, BUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITIES THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, PEGGY.

THAT STRUCTURE DOESN'T EXIST YET, BUT IT'S A PART OF THE GRANT TO EXPLORE TOGETHER AS A COUNTY.

THE PERSON THAT WE HIRE, WHICH IS WRITTEN IN THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU'LL SEE AS TWO PART-TIME PEOPLE, IT COULD BE ONE FULL-TIME PERSON.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON LOOKING AT THE DOLLARS AND HOW WE STRUCTURE THAT AND WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE BEST FOR THE NEEDS IN THE DISTRICT WILL NOT BE IN THAT SAME CATEGORY.

THEY ARE LICENSED, THEY'LL BE LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS BUT THEY WON'T FALL INTO THAT SAME CATEGORY AS AN OUTSIDE AGENCY COMING IN AND BILLING PRIVATE INSURANCE WORLD.

CHRIS CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO YOU A LOT BETTER THAN I CAN, THE INTRICACIES OF THAT.

>> BUT WE WOULD MOVE TO A MODEL WHERE EVENTUALLY THE LICENSORS WILL BE ABLE TO BILL FOR PRIVATE.

IT'S MUCH LIKE A NURSE HAS, AND KELLY CAN TELL YOU MORE ABOUT ALL OF THIS, BUT A NURSE HAS SPECIAL LICENSE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MEET, ANYONE WHO IS A LICENSED PRACTITIONER IN THAT WAY COMES WITH THAT.

>> I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION IS, WHY DOESN'T THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS SET THIS UP ON THIS INSTANCE AS ESSENTIALLY A HEALTH RESPONSIBILITY? IT SAYS THERE WE'RE EDUCATION, THEY'RE HEALTH.

WHY COULDN'T THEY JUST SET UP A COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE AS OPPOSED TO PIGGYBACKING OFF OF THE SCHOOL.

I JUST WORRY THAT WE END UP TAKING ON RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BETTER LEFT UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF HEALTH PERIOD.

YOU COULD HAVE SERVICES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND STILL REFER PEOPLE OVER THERE, STILL HAVE THEM LOCATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WOULDN'T BE DIFFICULT TO ACCESS.

I GUESS, IT CONCERNS ME THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS SEEMS TO HAVE KIND OF OFFLOADED THIS ON US.

>> I THINK I WOULD SAY THAT'S A CONCERN I DO THINK WE NEED TO ATTEND TO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LANE AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS ARE PARTNERING IN A WAY THAT WE'RE NOT ASSUMING THOSE ROLES.

I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT, PEGGY.

I ALSO THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING COULD WORK IN BELLINGHAM.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ACCESS TO SERVICES IN THE NORTH AND EAST COUNTY, WE NEED THESE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES SO THAT THEY CAN COME TO WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE.

>> SORRY TO BE [LAUGHTER] ASKING QUESTIONS, BUT THIS JUST OCCURRED TO ME.

HOW DOES IT WORK WITH ADULTS AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO ADULTS IN THESE COMMUNITIES.

THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME ACCESS PROBLEMS I WOULD THINK AS STUDENTS AND YET THE SERVICES WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE PROVIDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

HOW DO THEY ARRANGE IT SO THAT THE ADULTS CAN RECEIVE THESE HEALTH SERVICES?

>> FOR OUR AGREEMENT, THE ONLY PART THAT ADULTS ARE INVOLVED IN IS IN THE INTEREST OF THEIR STUDENTS.

THERE'S FAMILY OUTREACH, FAMILY SUPPORT REALLY ABOUT

[00:40:01]

BUT WE DON'T HAVE AN ASPECT OF THIS THAT IS DIRECT SERVICES TO FAMILY ADULT FOR MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY.

>> I THINK THERE HAS BEEN SOMETHING NOTED THAT ADULTS AREN'T SERVICED WELL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THEY ARE NOT AT ALL.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, IS THAT AN EXCUSE FOR US TO SAY, WELL, THEN WE SHOULDN'T SERVE KIDS EITHER.

I MEAN, IF WE HAVE AN OPTION WHERE WE CAN BRING SERVICES TO KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF OR AS MUCH TIME OUT OF THEIR CLASSES TO GO AND GET THEIR HELP.

>> MAYBE SO. I WAS JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

WOULD YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK IF THEY WERE SERVING EVERYBODY INSTEAD OF JUST A SUBSET OF THE POPULATION?

>> GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT HITS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE GRANT.

I THINK CHRIS DID SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THAT ASPECT WITH THE STUDENTS MOVING STUDENTS FROM FERNDALE TO BELLINGHAM TO RECEIVE SERVICES MEANT MORE TIME OUT OF THEIR EDUCATION DAY THAN IF THOSE SERVICES WERE COORDINATED WITH THE SCHOOLS.

THERE IS A SEPARATION THERE BUT IT DECREASED TRAVEL TIME, INCREASED EDUCATION TIME WAS THE BIGGEST BENEFIT WITH PARTNERING IN OTHER PROGRAMS SIMILAR TO THIS.

>> IT'S ONE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SHARE BACK.

WE'RE GOING TO GET TO LEARN TOGETHER, AND I THINK TOO PEGGY, THE THING THAT HAPPENED THAT LAST STUDY SESSION WAS ALL THE PROACTIVE PIECES THAT WE'RE ENGAGING IN TO MITIGATE SOME OF THESE THINGS.

LIKE YOU HEARD THE EXAMPLE OF THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT STAFF IS GETTING, SO THEY'RE BUILDING UP THEIR TOOLBOX, DIFFERENTIATION AND PROGRAMMING.

WE'RE TRYING ALSO WHAT TRINA HAS SHARED THAT THIS IS ONE SMALL SLICE OF A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE PIECE THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE WITH OUR STAFF IN OUR BUILDINGS.

>> I GUESS MY BIGGEST CONCERN REALLY WAS JUST WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A LONG-TERM OBLIGATION THAT WE HAD TO CARRY ON AFTER THE FUNDING DRIED UP [OVERLAPPING]

>> AFTER CONTINUE WITH THE COST OF THE STAFF WOULD BE ON US. THAT'S NOT PART OF US.

>> WHAT HAPPENS IF IT TURNS OUT THAT WE OUTGROW THE NEED SOMEHOW? SOMEHOW OR OTHER, THIS PROGRAM ISN'T REALLY FITTING OUR NEEDS, THEN WHAT'S THE SOLUTION? I MEAN, AT WHAT POINT DOES THIS AGREEMENT TERMINATE OR DOES IT EVER?

>> WELL IT'S A THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT, THREE-YEAR FUNDING, AND SINCE IT'S WITH THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING OUR GRANTS, FOR THE, WHAT DO WE CALL THEM HERE? STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, OUR DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELORS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE, ONE OF THEM, WHICH IS FUNDED THROUGH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WITH THAT SETUP AND SINCE IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE IN THE SAME ORGANIZATION AND THE MEMORANDUM AGREEMENT AND THE REPORTING ALL LOOK VERY SIMILAR.

WE MEET THREE TIMES A YEAR.

WE ADJUST WHEN NEEDED AND WHEN WE DO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE, IF THEY GO TOO FAR OUTSIDE OF HOW IT'S WRITTEN, THEN WE'D GO BACK TO THE BOARDS, YOURSELF AND THE WHATCOM COUNTY BOARD FOR THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

BUT WORKING WITH JOE FULLER ON THE OTHER GRANT FOR OUR DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELOR, IT'S BEEN A REAL REITERATIVE PROCESS OF CHECKING IN ON PROGRESS, ADJUSTING AS NEEDED AND KNOWING THAT CHANGE IS AVAILABLE OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE YEARS, BUT THERE'S PROCESSES IN PLACE TO MAKE IT.

WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE WITHOUT APPROVAL, BUT IT IS BUILT IN THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT PIECE.

>> SORRY, ONE MORE QUESTION.

[NOISE] WHEN YOU SAY TAKING ON PROGRESS, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DELIVER TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS FUNDING?

>> THE OUTCOMES ARE AROUND TWO SURVEYS.

ONE IS THE HEALTHY YOUTH SURVEY.

I'M WATCHING THOSE RESULTS FOR OUR SIXTH, EIGHTH, AND 10TH GRADERS.

THE OTHER IS AROUND OUR STUDENT FEEDBACK SURVEY THAT WE SHARED A LITTLE BIT IN THE STUDY SESSION.

I'M LOOKING AT THE STUDENT FEEDBACK AROUND THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND A FEW OTHER DATA POINTS WE'VE PULLED FROM THE STUDENT PERCEPTION SURVEYS AROUND CLIMATE AND CULTURE AND SAFETY.

[00:45:04]

HOW THEY'RE USING THEIR TIME.

>> WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU, YOU'LL BE PART OF THAT, YOU'LL GET THAT INFORMATION.

THAT'LL BE STUFF THAT I SHARE.

>> I WAS PICTURING THIS AS MORE OF LIKE HELP FOR INDIVIDUALS AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTHY YOUTH SURVEY WHICH WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD GO TO EVERYBODY.

SO HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE ENTIRE-

>> IT'S NOT A PERFECT MATCH, THE DATA COLLECTION AND THE SCOPE OF THE SERVICES [OVERLAPPING]

>> I THINK TOO I WOULD ADD THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT CONTACT US AND ASK, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE SEEING CHANGES IN OUR STUDENT'S ATTENDANCE, THEIR BEHAVIOR, WE'RE SEEING A CHANGE IN THEIR GRADES.

SO WE START TO ASK WHAT ARE THOSE RESOURCES; TEAMS, MEET? AND THEY SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT THIS CHILD? SOMETIMES STUDENTS WILL ASK, I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY, AND SO THEN WE BRING THE FAMILY IN.

I'M LOOKING AT AARON. AARON IS SOMEBODY WHO HEARS FROM KIDS ALL THE TIME.

I THINK IT'S JUST LIKE WE DO FOR ANY SERVICE.

HOW ARE WE MATCHING THE STUDENT NEED WITH THE RESOURCES? THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RESOURCES.

>> I'LL JUST ADD YOU'LL NOTICE IN THERE IT'S WRITTEN AS TIERED SUPPORTS, SUPPORTS ACROSS TIERS, MEANING THAT THE PURVIEW OF THE SERVICES CAN ALSO BE FOR SMALL GROUPS SUPPORTING SCHOOL-WIDE ACTIVITIES.

LESS OF IT'S AN INVERTED TRIANGLE OF SUPPORTS, WHERE WE USUALLY THINK OF WHAT DOES EVERYONE GET? WHAT DO SOME GET? WHAT DO A FEW? IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.

BUT THERE IS SOME PIECE OF THE WORK OF THE PERSONNEL THAT'S HIRED TO BE A PART OF THE SCHOOL-WIDE EFFORTS, SMALL GROUP EFFORTS, AND THEN THE BULK OF THEIR TIME WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

>> AS YOU'RE HAVING QUESTIONS IT WOULD BE GREAT TO MEET WITH CHRIS.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT.

>> I WANTED TO ASK A BUNCH OF THOSE QUESTIONS AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT IT JUST GOT SO LONG AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT TO THIS MEETING EITHER BECAUSE [OVERLAPPING]

>> WE CAN WORK TO SET THAT UP.

>> I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF I STILL VOTE NO JUST BECAUSE I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

>> I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO POLICY UPDATES.

LAST YEAR WHAT I WAS LEARNING AS I WAS LOOKING AT POLICIES AND POLICIES ARE THE WHAT WE FOCUS ON, AND THEN YOU INSTILL IN ME TO FIGURE OUT THE HOW.

SO THOSE POLICIES MATTER.

WHAT WE QUICKLY REALIZED, WE HAD POLICIES THAT WERE BACK FROM 2010, 2014, AND WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO DO SOME WORK.

I REACHED OUT TO WSSDA BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE WORK WITH TO TELL US WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL POLICIES? WHAT'S THE LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED? THEY MONITOR THE LAWS AS THEY CHANGE AND TELL US THIS POLICY NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED, OR SOME OF THEM YOU WILL SEE TONIGHT SOME THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES.

WHEN I REACHED OUT TO WSSDA BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THE DISTRICT REALLY DID A REVAMP OF POLICIES THAT'S WHO THEY PARTNERED WITH.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE ALONE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE WAIT TO HAVE THEM COME PARTNER WITH US WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS, I THINK.

IS THAT RIGHT, CHRIS? AND WE CAN'T WAIT TWO YEARS.

IF WE'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON, THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTRACT WITH WHO HAS EXPERIENCE AND LOOKING AT THIS, SO WE DECIDED TO DO THIS IN-HOUSE.

EVELYN PADON, WHO IS ALSO OUR PUBLIC RECORDS.

WHAT IS HER ACTUAL TITLE? PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICER, SHE WAS PART-TIME AND SO SHE'S OFFERED TO HELP US A BIT.

THE THING I LIKE ABOUT HAVING THESE REVAMPED IN-HOUSE IS SHE CAN WALK ACROSS THE HALL AND TALK TO ME IF IT'S A POLICY THAT IS DIRECTLY TO DO WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, IF IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION SHE WOULD WORK WITH TRINA.

RIGHT NOW WHAT SHE DID WAS A FULL ANALYSIS OF WHERE OUR POLICIES ALL WERE, SHE HAS A VERY LOVELY SPREADSHEET.

THEN SHE'S FIGURED OUT WHICH POLICIES ARE ESSENTIAL AND SO YOU ARE GOING TO START SEEING POLICIES AT EVERY MEETING.

WHAT WE WILL DO IS THE ONES LIKE KEVIN SAID EARLIER THAT HAVE A LOT TO THEM, THEY ARE GOING TO BE ON THE MEETING, THE FIRST MONTH IS FOR YOU TO REVIEW SO THE PUBLIC CAN LOOK AT THEM.

[00:50:01]

THAT WAS ALL, EVELYN. WE TOLD HER WHAT WE WANTED AND SHE MAGICALLY MADE IT HAPPEN.

THEN IF YOU SEE ONE THAT HAS A LEGAL CHANGE LIKE, I THINK IT WAS TWO MONTHS AGO, WE HAD SOME THAT HAD TO DO WITH MEDICAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS.

IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S JUST ONE TINY LAW CHANGE, THEN IT WILL BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

YOU CAN ASK TO PULL IT OFF, BUT JUST KNOW THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

THE MAJORITY OF THEM WILL BE ON FIRST MONTH TO READ, REVIEW.

I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEM.

THEN THE NEXT MONTH YOU CAN HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND VOTE ON THEM. YES.

>> THE WORDS ESSENTIAL, RECOMMENDED AND DISCRETIONARY.

LOOKING AT WSSDA'S WEBSITE THEY GIVE LIKE A POLICY UPDATE WEEKLY OR MONTHLY OR WHATEVER THING AND THEY'LL SAY, ESSENTIAL CHANGE THIS NOW, THEY'LL SAY DISCRETIONARY WE ADVISE IT IF YOU WANT TO AND WE RECOMMEND DO IT IF YOU WANT TO AND DISCRETIONARY, TOTALLY UP TO YOU.

THAT'S THE SAME DEFINITIONS YOU'RE FOLLOWING THOSE THE SAME WAY.

>> WE'RE ONLY ON ESSENTIAL AND WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW TO GO.

WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE HAVE TO RIGHT NOW.

>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS THE SAME [OVERLAPPING] DEFINITIONS ABOUT THE SAME THINGS.

>> SHE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK, SHE'S WORKED WITH WSSDA, SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS.

>> I'M ACTUALLY SENDING YOU A SCREENSHOT NOW OF WHAT HER SPREADSHEET LOOKS LIKE, IT'S AMAZING.

SHE'S TRACKING WHEN THE LAST REVISIONS WERE, WHEN IT WAS LAST ADOPTED AND THEN THE NECESSARY CHANGES THAT SHE'LL BE WORKING ON.

ALSO ON THERE YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE THE TEXTS ON WEBSITE FOR ACCESSIBILITY.

WHAT WE USED TO SEE WAS AN UPLOADED PDF OF EACH POLICY, WHICH WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING THE TEXT ON OUR WEBSITE TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE PUBLIC.

>> THEN ANOTHER QUESTION AS FAR AS GOING FORWARD BECAUSE WSSDA DOES THESE UPDATES ALL THE TIME.

IS SHE ALSO WATCHING THEM AS THEY COME OUT?

>> YEAH. SHE IS A MEMBER OF WSSDA NOW FOR THAT REASON.

>> THE OTHER PIECE THAT OUR TEAM THEN IS WORKING ON.

FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW THERE'S A POLICY WE'RE WORKING ON HIGH SCHOOL WAIVERS.

THE LAW HAS CHANGED A BIT, BUT WSSDA HAS NOT MET WITH, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW BEHIND THE SCENES WORKS.

BUT WSSDA AND OSPI HAVEN'T GOTTEN ON THE SAME PAGE OF WHAT THE WAIVER IS GOING TO BE.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PREPARATION FOR THAT IS JOHN BECAUSE HE HAS THAT POINT IS HE'S WORKING ON THE PROCEDURE AND THEN HE TAKES THAT TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.

HE'LL WORK WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL STAFF.

THIS IS WHAT WE FOCUS ON AND THEN THE PROCEDURE SHOWS THE HOW, THE PROCEDURES ARE WACKY TOO.

LIKE THE WAIVER PROCEDURE DOESN'T MATCH ACTUALLY OUR HIGH-SCHOOL GRADUATION COURSE REQUIREMENT, WHICH THOSE SHOULD BE ALIGNED.

THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROCEDURE, IT'S STILL TALKS ABOUT WINDWARD HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BEHIND. WE'RE GETTING CAUGHT UP.

I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.

SO I'M GOING TO KICK THIS ONE OFF TO SELENA.

>> THIS SUMMER, MY TEAM SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS TO FILE FOR TRADEMARK OF OUR LOGO AND DR. DEMING'S QUOTE, "WHEN YOU TEACH TO THE HEART, THE MIND WILL FOLLOW." SO THOSE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND WE ARE NOW REGISTERED THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THREE DIFFERENT ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS A BOTTOM LOGO.

YOU'LL SEE THE LOGO AS A WHOLE AND THEN THE QUOTE, AND THEN "YOU BELONG" AS THE TEXT.

REALLY, WE WANT TO DO THAT TO JUST PROTECT THE ARTISTIC INTEGRITY OF THE DESIGNS AND HELP PEOPLE USE IT

>> CAN I ASK HOW MUCH THAT COST?

>> I WANT TO SAY IT WAS $25 PER [BACKGROUND] APPLICATION AND IT'S THROUGH [OVERLAPPING]

>> [INAUDIBLE] ANYTHING LATELY. [LAUGHTER]

>> IT'S THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST 2028.

>> WELL THEN I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS I'M GOING TO GO AND COPYRIGHT NOW.

>> THIS IS SUPER EXCITING.

IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, JASMINE BAUTISTA ACTUALLY WON THE WASA STATE AWARD.

WE RECOGNIZED HER AS A STUDENT.

SHE WAS THE BRAINS BEHIND OUR CULTURAL EVENT AND THIS PAST SATURDAY, SHE WAS HONORED WITH A COMMUNITY PEACE BUILDER AWARD.

SO HERE'S A PICTURE. I KNOW IT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL.

SHE'S A SENIOR THIS YEAR, I KNOW I'M SO PROUD OF HER.

VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE HONORED WITH THIS AWARD EVERY

[00:55:01]

>> I THINK WITH ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS TALKED ABOUT WITH THE BUILDER AWARDS AND STARTING LIKE LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THIS THING AND IT JUST GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE AWESOME.

>> IT IS [OVERLAPPING] REALLY AMAZING THERE.

WE'RE QUITE PROUD OF HER AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT SHE CHOOSES TO DO FOLLOWING GRADUATION.

THE MILK CARTONS SHORTAGE.

THE THINGS THAT SOMETIMES I THINK, THIS IS REALLY PART OF MY JOB.

I GOT AN EMAIL FROM YVONNE, WHO OVERSEES OUR FOOD SERVICE.

WE SHOULD KNOW WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MILK, BUT THE SHORTAGE IS IN THE ACTUAL CARTONS.

THE EAST COAST IS ALREADY EXPERIENCING THIS SHORTAGE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

MARK, WHAT DID YOU YVONNE SAY WE'VE ORDERED FOR? WE'RE GOOD FOR HOW MANY WEEKS?

>> EXTRA 2,000 MILK SO WE'RE GOOD.

>> SHE DID TELL ME THAT WE MIGHT BE ONLY HAVING WHITE MILK, NO CHOCOLATE MILK.

I AS THE SUPERINTENDENT, WASN'T SUPER SAD ABOUT THAT, BEING THAT I HAD ASKED MAYBE TO ELIMINATE CHOCOLATE MILK AT BREAKFAST ALONE THAT.

BUT ANYWAY, JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE PROBLEM-SOLVING.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? DO WE PUT MILK IN CONTAINERS? WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO SOME OF OUR LOCAL FARMERS AND SO WE'RE BRAINSTORMING.

SO WHEN WE HEAR THERE IS NO MORE CARTONS, WHAT'S OUR PLAN B? SO MORE TO COME. I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON, WE'RE LUCKY.

SO MANY EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING WITH OUR ATHLETICS.

POST-SEASON, GABBY, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM.

THEY MIGHT HAVE BEAT SEHOME HIGH SCHOOL LAST WEEK IN A REALLY BIG GAME, AND SO THEY WILL BE PLAYING THIS WEEK.

BUT YOU CAN SEE GIRLS SWIM [INAUDIBLE], SOCCER, CROSS-COUNTRY, THE CROSS-COUNTRY STATE MEET, SATURDAY MORNING, FOOTBALLS HEADED INTO DISTRICTS.

SO LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR ATHLETES.

OUR BAND, MY GOSH, IF YOU GOT OUT TO A FOOTBALL GAME, OUR BAND IS JUST AMAZING.

THEY EARNED GENERAL EFFECT, WHICH IS AN AUDIENCE FAVORITE AT THE PUGET SOUND FESTIVAL OF BANDS AND PLAYS THIRD OUT OF EIGHT BANDS IN THEIR CLASS.

IT'S BEEN FUN TO TALK TO THE DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE BAND, JUST TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.

[INAUDIBLE] IS NOT HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE HE'S ACTUALLY GETTING AN HONOR FOR CHOIR, BUT HE GOT TO GET INVOLVED AT ONE OF THE EVENINGS.

IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN TO JUST WATCH THEM PROGRESS FROM SUMMER TILL NOW.

THE BOND UPDATE, I'M GOING TO KICK IT BACK TO MARK.

>> IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL UPDATES THAT COME OUT WEEKLY, IF YOU'VE DRIVEN BY LATELY, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE LANDSCAPING GOING IN WHICH IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH MORE FINISHED THE CAMPUS LOOKS WITH SOME VEGETATION BEING PLANTED AROUND.

ONE OF THE BIG EXCITING, KIND OF THE TELLTALE SIGNS, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE.

WE'VE BEEN DETAILED PLANNING AROUND THE MOVE INTO THE CTE WING, EFFECTUALLY KNOWN AS SECTOR 4.

STARTING IN DECEMBER, WE'LL START TRANSITIONING THE CTE CLASSES INTO THAT PORTION OF THE BUILDING, WHICH WILL SIGNIFY THE ENTIRE CAMPUS BEING OPEN.

THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME SITE WORK AND DEMO WORK TO FINISH, BUT IT'S GETTING REALLY CLOSE DOWN.

JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, AND ERIC MAY KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT YOU NOTICED ON THE SCREEN THERE THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING A PLAYOFF GAME, WHICH HAS BEEN LONG TIME, I THINK FURTHER BACK THAN MY MEMORY GOES, THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO HOST BECAUSE OF THE TURF IN THE STADIUM.

AGAIN, VERY EXCITING.

>> NOW I'D LIKE TO KICK IT OFF TO OUR VERY OWN COUNCIL.

>> THANKS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT YOU GUYS.

I GOT A FEW THINGS I WANT TO SHARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY.

AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, THE [INAUDIBLE] PROJECT IS NOW COMPLETE AND IT'S NICE ROAD, NICE SIDEWALKS, GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE,

[01:00:02]

LAST TIME I TALKED ABOUT OUR BUDGET PROCESSES HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND I'M SURE I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, BUT JUST IN CASE I DIDN'T, WE DID INCLUDE A DISTRICT RESOURCE OFFICER IN OUR 2024 BUDGET.

WE ARE HOPING TO HIRE AND TRAIN THEM IN EARLY 2024, AND HOPEFULLY THEY BEGIN WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT LATE NEXT YEAR, MAY OR JUNE.

THE CITY HAS A NEW COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNITY AND RELATIONS OFFICER, MEGAN JUNEMAN AND SHE BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.

FERNDALE ARTS COMMISSION WILL BE HOSTING A SWING DANCE AT PIONEER PAVILION ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AARON, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, IS THERE A DATE FOR THE THORNTON OVERPASS? THEN THE QUESTION IS THAT GOING TO CHANGE OUR BUS ROUTES AT ALL? [OVERLAPPING] YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BUS ROUTES, I JUST WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT.

>> I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.

[LAUGHTER]

>> THE DATE IS STILL END OF DECEMBER.

IF IT GETS QUICKER THAN THAT, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR.

>> I HAVE HEARD THAT CARS HAVE ACTUALLY TRAVERSED IT, THOUGH.

[LAUGHTER]

>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS ON HERE THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOUCHED ON, BUT I HAD TO WRITE THEM DOWN TO REMEMBER THE SAVE THEM AND SO I'M GOING TO SAY THEM WHILE I CAN.

VOLLEYBALL DID MAKE DISTRICTS.

WE'RE CURRENTLY RANKED SIXTH TOP FOREGO TO STATE.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST DISTRICT GAME THIS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, 07:00 PM AT HOME WE'RE PLAYING EDMONDS WOODWAY, WHICH IS WE ARE REPLAYING ALL THE SAME TEAMS FOOTBALL BIB.

LIKE WE PLAYED STANWOOD RIGHT AFTER THEY DID AND IT'S NOT A SCHEDULING THING, IT JUST WORKS OUT THAT WAY.

BUT WE'RE PLAYING EDMONDS WOODWAY, THEY'RE SEATED BELOW US.

WE'RE HOSTING AND HOPEFULLY, WE'RE GOING TO WIN BECAUSE WE WANT TO MOVE UP AND MAKE STATE.

GIRLS SOCCER WENT INTO DISTRICT WITH THE LEAGUE'S BEST RECORD.

THEY'RE STILL FIGHTING FOR A SPOT OF STATE.

FOOTBALL PLAYS SATURDAY AT HOME AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME, BUT SATURDAY AT HOME AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GO, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE PAST TWO HOME SPORTS GAMES SO WE'VE HAD THE BIG STADIUM THING, I'VE BEEN UP IN THE BOOTH WITH THE PRODUCTION CREW.

LIKE I GOT TO ANNOUNCE FOR THE GIRLS' SOCCER GAME THIS WEEKEND AND EVERYONE UP THERE, THEY'VE ALL DONE IT BEFORE A COUPLE OF TIMES FOR THE MOST PART.

THEY SAID THAT THE NEW TACH IS REALLY NICE, LIKE THE LIGHTS, THE SOUND SYSTEM, THE NEW BOARD.

IT'S REALLY COOL AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH IT SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO LIKE PUT THAT IN PLACE.

WINTER SPORTS ARE STARTING SOON AND REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MY LITTLE BROTHER'S GOING TO DO WRESTLING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HE WAS REALLY LITTLE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GO WATCH HIS WRESTLING MATCHES.

THEN ACTUALLY THE WINTER SPORTS ARE GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, HAVING INTRODUCTORY MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT THEM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE STUDENT ADVISORY MEETINGS.

MOST RECENTLY, I WANT TO SAY LAST MONTH AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S COME INTO EFFECT, I THINK PRETTY RECENTLY THIS YEAR AND WAS DONE LAST YEAR, BUT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF IT.

WHERE STUDENTS IT WAS OPEN INVITATION.

YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP AS LONG AS YOU LIKE, SIGNED UP FOREHAND AND YOU MEET WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, MS. DYLAN AND THEN DR. DOMINGUEZ AND SELENA RODRIGUEZ WERE THERE.

IT WAS JUST LIKE A COHESIVE EFFORT WITH EVERYONE TO HAVE STUDENTS BRING FORWARD PROBLEMS, CONCERNS, OR SOLUTIONS OR STUFF THEY WANTED TO SEE IN THE FUTURE OR HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT AND THERE COULD BE JUST LIKE OPEN DISCUSSION BETWEEN ALL FOUR GRADES AND ADMINISTRATORS AND THAT WENT REALLY WELL BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LIKE PRE-SPORT MEETINGS IN THE WINTER AND THE SUMMER AND JUST BASICALLY BEFORE EVERY SEASON AND THERE WERE OTHER REALLY PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS AND I'M HONESTLY REALLY EXCITED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF ONES.

>> YES, THAT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT, PRINCIPAL ADVISORY, AND OUR STUDENTS BROUGHT FORWARD THAT IT WASN'T WORKING THE COMMUNICATION FOR ATHLETICS, THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED A PRE-MEETING.

JOHN, ERIC, AND I TALKED WITH MS. DYLAN AND SO NOW MOVING FORWARD, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A PRE-MEETING BASED ON STUDENT INPUT WHERE ALL THE ATHLETES COME TOGETHER, THEY GET AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT AND WHAT WE EXPECT OUT OF OUR ATHLETES AND THEN THEY GO OFF AND HAVE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH THEIR COACHES AND GET TO HEAR MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE SPORT THEY'RE COMING OUT FOR US.

MOVING FORWARD BASED ON STUDENT FEEDBACK THAT IS NOW IN PLACE. THAT'S ALL.

>> THANK YOU. BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ANY QUESTIONS?

[01:05:02]

[5. FOCUS ON DISTRICT OPERATIONS]

THE FIRST ITEM, 5.01, IS AN EMERGENCY REPAIR RESOLUTION. FOR THAT.

>> I'M GOING TO KICK THAT TO MARK.

>> THIS IS BASICALLY THE NORTH BELLINGHAM.

THE GYM ITSELF IS HEATED BY TWO SEPARATE ELECTRIC HEATERS THAT ARE UP ON THE CEILING.

ONE FAILED A WHILE AGO AND THEY'VE BEEN CONTINUING TO KEEPING THE OTHER ONE UP AND RUNNING AND GOING.

THEIR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH THE GYM, WHICH MAKES SOME REALLY OLD AND THE LAST WEEK, THE SECOND UNIT FAILED.

THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT WE CAN FIND.

IN FACT, I WAS TELLING STEVE EARLIER WE WEREN'T EVEN ABLE TO MAKE THEM IN THE 3D PRINTER CATH LAB, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE.

A FEW PARTS THAT WE WERE SHORT ON.

THE OSPI HAS A EMERGENCY REPAIR GRANT FOR JUST THIS EXACT SITUATION AND THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS DICTATE OF DECLARATION FROM THE BOARD OF AN EMERGENCY THAT ALLOWS US TO ACTUALLY APPLY FOR THE FUNDS AND IT'S UP TO $500,000 TO REPAIR THE EQUIPMENT.

WE'RE BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO ASK FOR YOU TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION SO WE CAN ACTUALLY FILL OUT THE GRANT APPLICATION FROM OSPI.

IT'S A NONCOMPETITIVE GRANT THAT THEY WILL REVIEW LATER IN THE WEEK IF WE'RE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND TURN IT.

>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARK REGARDING THE EMERGENCY RESOLUTION?

>> WHAT QUALIFIES US FOR THE GRANT? WHAT WILL IT REQUIRE?

>> IT BASICALLY REQUIRES A COST ESTIMATE, A PLAN THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS.

THE RESOLUTION IS ATTACHED TO IT AND BASICALLY A COMMITMENT THAT WE FOLLOW THE APPLICABLE LAWS IN TERMS OF MAKING THE REPAIR.

>> THE GRANT IS UP TO $500,000.

DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THE ACTUAL REPAIR WILL COST?

>> WE HAVE THE ENGINEERS OUT LAST WEEK ALONG WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO PUT SOME NUMBERS TO IT.

WE WERE HOPING THEY WOULD GET THAT INFORMATION TO US FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE GUESSING IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN 400,000 AND 500,000.

>> IF IT IS OVER $500,000, WHAT PART OF OUR BUDGET WOULD THAT COME FROM AND HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE IN THAT?

>> IT WOULD EITHER COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND EMERGENCY POT, WHICH WE'VE GOT ABOUT $150,000 IN.

OR IF IT'S CONSIDERABLY OVER THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO REVISE THE PLAN TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING WE COULD AFFORD.

>> MARK, THESE FANS, ARE THEY GAS-FIRED OR STEAM-FIRED?

>> THEY'RE ELECTRIC.

>> ELECTRIC.

>> I THINK IN THE ORIGINAL INFORMATION YOU SENT OUT REGARDING THIS OR THAT KRISTI SENT OUT, THE GYM IS CURRENTLY BEING USED BY ONE OF THE PROGRAMS OVER THERE.

WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE INTERIM? IF WE DON'T DECLARE THIS EMERGENCY, IF WE DON'T APPLY FOR THIS GRANT, THEN I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO KEEP THAT BUILDING PARTICULARLY GOING INTO WINTER HEATED AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIND THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF THE FUNDS SOMEWHERE, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>> WHAT ARE WE DOING HEATING-WISE NOW?

>> RIGHT NOW, THE STAGE IS HEATED THROUGH A DIFFERENT SYSTEM,

[01:10:03]

THERE ARE TWO SMALL ELECTRIC WALL UNITS, ONE IN THE KITCHEN AND ONE IN THE HALLWAY INTO THE GYM THAT ARE RUNNING A LITTLE HIGHER THAN NORMAL TO, AGAIN, TRY TO AT LEAST KEEP THE BUILDING FROM FREEZING. IT'S CHILLY.

>> MARK, WE IDENTIFIED WHAT THE FAILURE IS AS FAR AS THE PAN HEATERS.

>> I WOULD HAVE TO GET THE DETAILS OF THAT FROM DARREN.

I KNOW THEY TRIED LIKE CRAZY TO GET IT REPAIRED AND UP AND RUNNING BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN DOING SO.

I DIDN'T GET THE DETAILS OF EXACTLY WHAT FAILED.

>> DO WE HAVE A SCHEDULE FOR OUR FACILITIES AND WAS THIS ON IT? I GUESS WHY DIDN'T REALLY PLAN FOR THIS TO REPLACE IT?

>> WELL, THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY OF SYSTEMS WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT THAT ARE BEYOND WHAT WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS BEYOND USEFUL LIFE.

WE'VE TALKED FOR A WHILE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET A REPLACEMENT CYCLE SCHEDULE BUILT.

IN FACT, WE HAD CONTRACTED WITH THE ESD TO HELP US PUT THAT SCHEDULE TOGETHER.

THEY HAD SOME LEADERSHIP CHANGES AND WE'RE A LITTLE BEHIND ON OUR PROJECT.

>> THE NEXT QUESTION IS, WITH REGARDS TO THIS GRANT, IS IT A ONE-TIME GRANT OR IS IT JUST BASED ON EMERGENCY?

>> IT'S AN EMERGENCY GRANT.

>> IF WE HAVE ANOTHER EMERGENCY THROUGHOUT THE WINTER, WE CAN STILL ACCESS IT.

>> YEAH.

>> OKAY.

>> I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, AS FAR AS EMERGENCY GRANTS, HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU GO TO ASK FOR THAT ASSISTANCE? AS FAR AS THINGS ARISE.

HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU GO BACK AND ASK FOR EMERGENCY GRANTS?

>> YOU CAN ASK A LOT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THEY'LL GRANT.

>> DO THEY BREAK IT DOWN INTO CATEGORIES AS FAR AS HEATING OR DIFFERENT SUBJECT LINES OR IS THIS SPECIFIC TO A HEATING ISSUE?

>> NO. THEY'VE GOT A POOL OF DOLLARS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED EVERY YEAR THAT THEIR BUDGETED THROUGH THE STATE CAPITAL BUDGET, SO THEY SET THESE MONIES ASIDE FOR WHATEVER THE EMERGENCY IS, WHETHER IT'D BE A ROOF OR A MECHANICAL SYSTEM, ONE OF THE LOCAL DISTRICTS IN OUR COUNTY ACTUALLY JUST RECEIVED A GRANT FOR VERY SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE.

IT'S FOR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTFUL EMERGENCY.

IT IS FOR LIFE SAFETY OR PHYSICAL SAFETY OF THE BUILDING TYPE OF GRANT.

IN OUR CASE, IF WE'RE UNABLE TO HEAT THAT BUILDING POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC IMPACTS COULD RESULT IS FROZEN PIPES AND ROOF COLLAPSE.

BASICALLY, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT THEY RESERVE THE FUNDS FOR IT.

BUT IT'S NOT SPECIFIC JUST TO HEATING OR NOT BROKEN DOWN THAT WAY.

THIS DOESN'T PERTAIN TO JUST THE GYMNASIUM.

IT'S ALSO THE OTHER CLASSROOMS AND WE SUPPORT.

THAT ACTUALLY IS ON A SEPARATE SYSTEM.

THERE'S A DIFFERENT GRANT POOL THROUGH OSPI THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON DEVELOPING A GRANT TO RELOCATE THE REST OF THE CAMPUSES HEATING PLANTS.

WE RELOCATE THE BOILER OUT OF THE 1938 BUILDING INTO A DIFFERENT LOCATION, AND THEIR GRANT FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THAT AS WELL.

THAT'S A SEPARATE CATEGORY AND THE TWO ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. THEY DON'T OVERLAP.

[01:15:02]

THE REST OF THE FACILITY IS OPERATED OFF OF THE BOILER, WHEREAS THE GYM IS JUST ISOLATED ON THOSE TWO CATEGORIES.

THANK YOU. THERE'S NO PLAN ON REPLACING THE GYM ANYTIME SOON.

YOU SEE IT BEING AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND GETTING YOUR MONEY'S WORTH OUT OF THE HEATING UPGRADES THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN THERE? I DO.

MY OTHER SUGGESTION WAS, AND I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, FUTURE PLANS FOR NORRIS BELLINGHAM, WE'RE INCORPORATING IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DO THAT WILL COMPLY WITH FUTURE PLANS WITH NORRIS BELLINGHAM.

THE POINT BEING MADE IS YOU'D AID TO DUMP DOLLARS INTO A BUILDING THAT 38 IT'S BEEN CONDEMNED.

WE ALL KNOW THAT. IN THE FUTURE, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO SPEND DOLLARS ON SOMETHING THAT MIGHT GET MOTHBALLED AND THE NEXT.

YOU MEAN LIKE IF THERE WAS A BOND OR SOMETHING AND BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL, YOU'VE GOT $1/2 A MILLION INTO THIS HEATER FIX.

EXACTLY WHERE I'M GOING.

I MEAN, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY REAL DISCUSSION OF A BOND FOR NORRIS BELLINGHAM, THERE HAS BEEN NO TASK FORCES.

TO THINK THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN WITHIN A FEW YEARS TO ME, AND AGAIN, THERE HAVE BEEN NO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT, SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NO WAY THAT THERE WOULD BE A NEW SCHOOL FOR THOSE STUDENTS THERE WITHIN LIKE THREE YEARS.

NO WAY. FIVE YEARS, HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

TEN YEARS, MAYBE. WHO KNOWS? I DON'T KNOW AT THAT POINT, I'M JUST A VOTER.

I THINK THAT'S A LONG TIME TO GO WITH A GYM THAT HAS NO HEATING AND IF THE ROOF COLLAPSES OR WHATEVER, THEN YOU'VE GOT BIGGER PROBLEMS. [INAUDIBLE] YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

I CAN SAY THINGS BECAUSE I WON'T BE HERE IN TWO MONTHS.

BUT THAT'S WHERE I'M HEADED, IS AS LONG AS WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE AND FUTURE PLANS, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH NORRIS BELLINGHAM, LET'S INCORPORATE ANY IMPROVEMENTS WE MAKE TODAY INTO THE FUTURE SO THAT WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THOSE FANS BEFORE THEY KNOCK IT DOWN FOR THE NEXT SCHOOLERS.

EXACTLY. THAT'S NOT MOTHBALLED OF THE SCHOOL BEFORE.

LET'S MAKE SURE WE SPEND OUR DOLLARS WISELY.

EXACTLY.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MARK? IF NOT, THEN THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THIS RESOLUTION.

I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 16-2023, EMERGENCY DECLARATION AS ATTACHED.

IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE EMERGENCY REPAIR RESOLUTIONS.

DECLARATION 16-2023 AS ATTACHED HERE TOO, AND MADE PART OF THE MINUTES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

ALL OPPOSED. RESOLUTION 16-2023 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

THAT TAKES US ON THEN TO ITEM 5.02, WHICH IS THE SHARED INFORMATION ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL OPERATIONS REPLACEMENT LEVY.

TONIGHT WE WILL CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION RELATED TO PLACING THE LEVY ON THE BALLOT IN 2024 FOR THE 2025 SCHOOL YEAR AND BEYOND.

AS I MENTIONED LAST MONTH, TRADITIONALLY WORK IN COUNTY SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS HAVE PUT LEVEES ON THE BALLOT TOGETHER AS A WAY OF REDUCING THE COST TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

LEVEES HAVE ALSO BEEN MOST FREQUENTLY PLACED ON THE FEBRUARY BALLOT TO ALLOW DISTRICTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REASSESS, REGROUP, AND RERUN A LEVEE SHOULD THE LEVEE FAIL.

CONSIDERING THAT THE LEVEE REPRESENTS ABOUT 13.5% OF OUR DISTRICT BUDGET, THE OUTCOME OF THIS DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE, VOTE PLAY A BIG ROLE IN PLANNING FOR THE DISTRICTS FUTURE.

WHILE NO ACTION WAS TAKEN LAST MONTH, THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD DURING OUR DISCUSSION WAS TO MOVE FORWARD PLACING

[01:20:03]

WHILE THE LEVY IS REGULARLY DISCUSSED AS A TAX RATE PER THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE, THE LEVEE RESOLUTION APPROVED BY THE BOARD FOR PRESENTATION TO THE VOTERS SETS FORTH A MAXIMUM DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT CAN BE COLLECTED DURING EACH GIVEN YEAR.

THE TAX RATE IS THEN CALCULATED WHEN THE FINAL ASSESSED VALUE IS DETERMINED.

THE PROCESS IS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY LIMITATIONS PLACED ON THE LEVY RATES THAT ALLOW DISTRICTS TO ONLY COLLECT THE LESSER OF $2.50 PER THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE OR A PRESET AMOUNT PER STUDENTS.

THIS PER STUDENT RATE INCREASES ANNUALLY TO ADJUST FOR INFLATION.

THE DEADLINE FOR PLACING A LEVY PROPOSAL ON 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 DECEMBER 12 MEETING, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THE BUSINESS OFFICE AND LEGAL TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO MEET THAT DEADLINE.

SINCE LAST MONTH'S MEETING, MARK AND HOLLY HAVE BEEN ANSWERING THE BOARD'S LEVY RELATED QUESTIONS AND ARE HERE TONIGHT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED AT OUR LAST MEETING AS WELL AS TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS MAY HAVE AS WE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER FURTHER.

WITH THAT, I'LL ASK MARK AND HOLLY TO JOIN US AND GO FROM THERE.

>> WE DON'T HAVE WHOLE BIG PRESENTATION.

WE'VE GOT SOME INFORMATION THAT WE'VE GOT COMPILED IN ANTICIPATION OF SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS, WHICH MAY BE COMPLETELY WRONG DEPENDING ON WHAT QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE LEVY.

WE MAKE SOME ASSUMPTIONS TO COME UP WITH OUR BEST GUESS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

THEN WE HOPE WE'RE NOT TOO FAR OFF.

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THE VARIANCE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

OPTION A, B, AND C ARE THE THREE RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU'VE GOT ON BOARDDOCS.

A AND B, WHERE B WAS THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PRESENTED LAST MONTH.

A WAS THE SUGGESTION THAT DR. ERICKSON MADE AS FAR AS THE ALTERNATE.

THEN C WAS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN ABOUT WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE STUCK WITH $1.50.

THAT'S THE TOP LINE HERE AND 2024 IS OBVIOUSLY NEXT YEAR.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN PASSED AT 12 MILLION.

THE DADCO IS D.A DAVIDSON COMPANY WHO HELPS US WITH ALL OF OUR BOND ISSUES AND OUR FINANCIAL CALCULATIONS AROUND DEBT SERVICE FUND AND OUR PROJECTIONS.

THEY DO A LOT OF PROJECTIONS FOR DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE IN TERMS OF ASSESSED VALUE GROWTH AND WHAT HAPPENS TO TAX RATES BASED ON DIFFERENT ASSUMPTIONS.

THEN ONE OF OUR LOCAL CITIZENS ACTUALLY SUBMITTED ESTIMATES AS WELL SO WE INCLUDED THAT IN THE COMPARISON.

YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS AND THE DIFFERENT ASSUMPTIONS AND WHAT THEY RESULT IN, IN TERMS OF THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE LEVY COLLECTION.

IF YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WE SAY MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE LEVY COLLECTION, IT'S ACTUALLY THE LESSER OF THE TAX RATE PER THOUSAND OR THE DOLLARS PER PUPIL AND OURS IS THE DOLLAR PER PUPIL ON ALL OF THE ESTIMATES.

IT'S ACTUALLY WHEN WE'RE SAYING MAXIMUM IS ACTUALLY THE LESSER OF, BUT IT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.

YOU CAN SEE THAT BASED ON THREE DIFFERENT SET OF ASSUMPTIONS, THREE DIFFERENT ENROLLMENT FORECASTS, THREE DIFFERENT ASSESSED VALUE FORECASTS THE NUMBERS DON'T REALLY VARY THAT MUCH.

[01:25:03]

NOTE ON THE BOTTOM, $700,000 IS BASICALLY EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 8 CENTS IN TERMS OF ADJUSTMENT IN TAX RATE.

IF YOU LOOK, YOU CAN SEE THE COMPARISON ON THE HIGHS AND LOWS.

ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST A COMPARISON CHART TO GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED.

FEEL FREE TO ASK WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OR FOR WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU NEED TOO.

>> CAN YOU GO THROUGH THAT LAST NOTE SLOWER FOR ME? IF I HAD A $700,000 HOUSE, WHICH I DON'T, BUT IF I DID, IF WE DID THE HIGHEST RATE ON HERE COMPARED TO THE LOWEST RATE, THE DIFFERENCE IN TAXES FOR ME, FOR THE SCHOOL LEVY PART WOULD BE 8 CENTS?

>> PER THOUSAND OF ASSESSED VALUE.

>> PER THOUSAND. SO 8*700 SO $56.

>> RIGHT.

>> OKAY.

>> THEN THE ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON THE STUDENT COUNT, RIGHT? THAT'S THE STUDENT RATE NOT ON THE ASK DIVIDED BY THE THE VALUATION

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> THEN WHAT SHOWS UP ON THE RESOLUTION? I MEAN, ON THE RESOLUTION PAGE, THEY SHOW A RATE.

>> IT DOES SHOW A RATE.

>> BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT SUBJECT TO VARYING THEN? I MEAN, IS IT THE AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? I'M JUST NOT SURE WHAT GOES IN THE BLANKS AND ON THE RESOLUTION THAT ASSURES THAT IT STAYS AT THE $1.50 RATE.

MAYBE I DIDN'T WORD THAT VERY WELL.

>> WHAT'S ACTUALLY GETTING VOTED ON BY THE VOTERS IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.

IF YOU LOOK AT 2024 IT IS $12 MILLION OUR ACTUAL OS PI CALCULATED.

IF YOU LOOKED AT THE 24, IF WE DID THE SAME METHODOLOGIES IN THE FUTURE YEARS, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE LIKE 13.4 MILLION.

BUT THE VOTERS SAID 12 IS THE TOP.

THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT WAS ON THE RESOLUTION FOR 2024.

THAT'S ALL WE CAN COLLECT.

THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $1.30.

ON OUR RESOLUTION THAT WE PUT TO THE VOTERS THREE YEARS AGO, THAT WAS THE 2024 ESTIMATED RATE OF $1.50 FOR THE 12 MILLION.

THE 12 MILLION NOW IS STILL THE CAP, BUT THE RATE IS $1.30.

>> BECAUSE THE PROPERTY VALUES WENT

>> RIGHT. BOTH THE NUMBERS APPEARED ON THE BALLOT, BUT THE 12 MILLION IS THE ONE THAT MATTERED.

>> THE RATE IS ACTUALLY BACKED INTO.

IT WOULD BE A LOT DIFFERENT IF WE COULD SAY THE RATE IS GOING TO BE $1.50 FOR EACH OF THESE YEARS.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY THE RESOLUTIONS, UNFORTUNATELY, WORK.

RESOLUTIONS ARE SET BY, YOU HAVE TO PREDICT THESE FACTORS.

I SAT DOWN AND PLUGGED IN NUMBERS AND JUST FOR 2025 AND SAID WHAT IF THE PROPERTY VALUES GO UP THIS MUCH OR THE PROPERTY VALUES GO DOWN THIS MUCH, OR THE ENROLLMENT GOES UP OR DOWN.

BASED ON JUST THOSE CHANGES, WHICH I WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL TO PREDICT THAT BECAUSE THEN I COULD PLAN MY RETIREMENT OR SOMETHING BUT THERE WAS ABOUT A 50-CENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RATE JUST BASED ON THINGS THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OF KNOWING.

THAT WAS FOR 2025, WHICH IS ONLY A YEAR-AND-A-HALF OR LESS AWAY VERSUS 2028, WHICH THEN THE VARIABLES GET EVEN THAT MUCH DIFFERENT.

THAT BECOMES PART OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS MULTIPLE TIMES IN MY TIME ON THE BOARD, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT IT BECAUSE IN THE SENSE OF A RATE OF WHAT IS YOUR RATE PER THOUSAND BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOWS UP AND THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY SEES ON THEIR TAXES.

[01:30:02]

THE $1.50, IF WE LOOK AT THE 2023, IT'S SAYING WE'RE ONLY COLLECTING $1.41 ON THE STUFF THAT WE GOT FROM MARK LAST MONTH.

EVEN THOUGH WE PUT IT AT $1.50, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE COLLECTING BECAUSE THAT MAXIMUM COLLECTION AMOUNT WAS SET AT 11 MILLION.

>> I DID A SPREADSHEET AS WELL.

THIS YEAR, THE TAX RATE IS 1.4067 AND THAT'S LESS THAN THE $1.50 BECAUSE OUR PROPERTY VALUES WENT UP SO MUCH.

THEN I LIKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE GOT A ASSESSMENT LETTER AND MY HOUSE VALUE WENT UP BY 26%.

NEXT YEAR, THE RATE WILL BE 1.289 A $1.30, JUST LIKE YOU HAD SAID.

THEN GOING IF WE SAID LET'S DO $1.50 STARTING IN 2025 IF MY HOUSE STAYED THE SAME, NO CHANGE IN IT WHATSOEVER AND WE SAID $1.50, THEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE COLLECTED WOULD BE WAY HIGHER THAN THE STATE WILL ALLOW BECAUSE OF THE DOLLARS PER STUDENT.

THAT'S OUR CAP. SAYING KEEP IT AT $1.50 AND LET'S CALCULATE OUT THOSE NUMBERS OF WHAT $1.50 IS OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE SO HIGH RIGHT NOW THAT THAT IS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.

THAT'S TOO HIGH OF A NUMBER TO PUT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD PASS THAT LEVY AT THAT LEVEL.

I THINK IF WE HAD THE OPTION B, WHICH WAS THE 15 MILLION THEN 15.5, THEN 16, THEN 17 IN THE FIRST YEAR GOING TO 2025.

BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY AT $1.28 WE HAVE LOWBALLED IT FOR A FEW YEARS.

THE TAXES FOR JUST THE PART OF THE LEVY COULD GO UP A LOT, 28%, BUT THAT'S ONLY IF WE COLLECTED THE MAX LEVEL, BUT WE WOULDN'T COLLECT THE MAX LEVEL BECAUSE OF THAT DOLLARS PER STUDENT THING.

IF WE DID INSTEAD DR. ERICKSON'S 14,15,16,17, AND WE COLLECTED THAT MAX OF THE 14 MILLION THE FIRST YEAR, THE TAXES ON JUST THE SCHOOL LEVY PART WOULD GO UP 19%.

I THINK THAT THAT IS A SLOWER ENTRANCE BACK INTO THE POOL TO GET US TO A POINT OF FUNDING OUR SCHOOLS, HOW THEY SHOULD BE FUNDED.

FOURTEEN MILLION IS NOT THE MAXIMUM WELL, AND ALL PROJECTIONS CAN ALWAYS CHANGE.

FOURTEEN MILLION IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT THE STATE MAXIMUM WOULD BE.

THE STATE MAXIMUM AT THEIR PROJECTIONS WOULD BE 14-60, $260,000 OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR ATTRITION, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HURT OUR KIDS.

I LIKE DR. ERICKSON'S 14,15,16,17.

I THINK IT'S A SLOWER ENTRY AND TO GETTING US BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

>> OKAY. SO I WAS LOOKING FOR MY CALCULATOR WHICH IS LIKE MY PHONE ANYWAY.

BUT LOOKING AT WHAT LEVY AMOUNT AT $1.50 FOR 2025 BASED ON THE VALUATION THAT WAS THERE THEY ASKED SHOULD BE 12,950 AND WOULDN'T IT STAY AT THAT IF THAT WAS OUR ASK 12,950.

I MEAN, 12,950,000 WOULDN'T THAT BE WHAT WE WOULD GET IF WE INSISTED ON KEEPING $1.50 RATE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS BASED ON, THE ASK DIVIDED BY THE VALUATION DIVIDED BY 1,000 OR I GET THAT.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT PUTTING THAT NUMBER UP THERE, IF WE CAP THE RATE, IF WE SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, THAT WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM WE CAN ASK MORE.

THAT WOULD ACTUALLY KEEP THE RATE AT $1.50.

I MEAN, IT WOULD BE A HIGHER RATE.

IT WOULD BE A LOWER ASKING AMOUNT, BUT IT WOULD BE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS MY LEVY MOUNTED $1.50.

>> THE VALUATIONS.

>> EXCUSE ME. SORRY. ALT TAB GET BACK TO MY THING.

>> THE VALUATION FOR THE FERN DALE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR NEXT YEAR IS UP BECAUSE OF

[01:35:06]

SORRY. LIKE WAY HIGH THAT WE COULDN'T TOUCH IT BECAUSE OF STATE LAW.

>> YEAH. BECAUSE WE ARE LIMITED IN 2024, TO THE 12 MILLION.

>> YEAH. THE EVALUATION OF THE ENTIRE FERN DALE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS $9,115,231,516.64.

IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY 1.5 FOR A THOUSAND, YOU'RE GOING TO BE AROUND 15 MILLION ISH.

BUT IF WE TAKE OUR PER PUPIL TIMES THE NUMBER OF PUPILS THAT THEY EXTRAPOLATE US TO HAVE IN THAT YEAR.

THAT NUMBER IS 14,260,000.

IT'S OVER $1 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT THE STATE WOULD ALLOW US TO APPROVE SO WHY ASK VOTERS TO APPROVE A NUMBER THAT WE CAN'T COME CLOSE TO?

>> WELL, IN 2024 NEXT YEAR, 12 MILLION IS THE MAX WE CAN GO BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAD ON THE LEVEES.

WE'RE GOING TO BE WELL BELOW.

AGAIN, THE CHALLENGE WITH THIS IS YOU CAN START THROWING OUT NUMBERS AND WHAT IF THE ASSESSED VALUE GOES UP THIS MEASURES ENROLLMENT GOES UP THIS AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS REALLY TRICKY.

AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT THE LIMIT PER PUPIL AS WELL.

THAT PLAYS INTO THAT.

>> I DID THINGS WHERE I ASSUMED THAT PROPERTY VALUES WENT UP 10% EACH YEAR AND THEN ANOTHER ASSUME 7% EACH YEAR, ANOTHER 4.5, ANOTHER 2%, AND ANOTHER 3% DROP EACH YEAR.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT EACH YEAR IS DIFFERENT.

IT CAN BE RUPTURED.

YEAH, IT'S A TOTAL CRABS, SHOULD IT BE 10%, 7% DROPPED, 6%.

I MEAN, IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THAT $1.50 SAYING IT HAS TO BE $1.50 ALWAYS IT HAS TO BE $1.50 GIVES ALL OF THE POWER TO A CRYSTAL BALL AND NONE OF THE POWER TWO PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY BUILD OUR BUDGET AND KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO EDUCATE OUR KIDS.

>> FOR EXAMPLE TO THAT POINT, THE HISTORICAL BACK TO 2010, THE ACTUAL AV GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IN PRIOR TO THIS, WE USED TO USE 1% AS WHEN WE WERE ESTIMATING TAX IMPACTS AND A CONSERVATIVE GROWTH ESTIMATE, IF WE'RE BEING AGGRESSIVE, WE'D USE TO.

YOU CAN SEE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS IT'S BEEN 13% AND THE TENURE IS 8.2.

THE GROWTH RATE IS, IS ASTRONOMICAL COMPARED TO WHAT WE USED TO BELIEVE WAS TRUE.

THAT'S WHERE THE WE HAD $1.50 FOR 12 MILLION.

WE MISSED THAT BY $0.20 BECAUSE WE UNDERESTIMATED THE GROWTH IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> THEN WHY DOES IT GO UP AND UP AND UP AND THEN DROP MAINTAIN? THE LAST ESTIMATE IS 2% GROWTH.

WHY IS THAT?

>> CAN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION A DIFFERENT WAY?

>> OKAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND THE CHART THAT IT HADN'T, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECTED GROWTH AND IT WENT UP LIKE BIG 12% AND 10%, 14%.

THE LAST, THE LAST YEAR IT SHOWED A 2% CHANGE. WHY WAS THAT? I HAVE TO COME BACK AND FIND THE CHART THAT YOU HAD THAT ON BUT [OVERLAPPING].

>> GO AHEAD, KEVIN.

>> WELL, I THINK SHE'S REFERRING THERE WERE TWO IN THE SPREADSHEET THAT YOU SENT US.

THERE WERE TWO TABS ON IT.

ONE WAS LEVY RATES AND ONE WAS LEVY RATE TO ON THE LEVY RATES, THE ASSESSED VALUE WENT UP 2%, AND THEN IT WENT UP 4% IN '20, '26, '27, '28 OR '25, '26, '27, '28 WASN'T INCLUDED.

THERE WAS A SECOND ONE THAT IT SAID OS PI NUMBERS AND WAS THAT OSPF PREDICTIONS OF ASSESSED VALUE OR WHERE WOULD THOSE NUMBERS, BECAUSE IT DID GO UP BY A 12%, 6%, AND THEN BACK DOWN TO 2%.

>> WE ACTUALLY REVISED THE AV NUMBERS BASED ON A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH AND SOME INPUT FROM OTHER FOLKS, DA DAVIDSON, PRIMARILY ON ARE WE HAD UNDERESTIMATED THE INITIAL GROWTH IMPACT, THE AV IMPACT FROM '23-'24.

WE INFLATED THAT TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH THE NUMBERS THAT

[01:40:03]

THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT IN TERMS OF THE OTHER THESE NUMBERS HERE BASED ON A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ACTUALLY, THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON THE STUDENT ENROLLMENT, THAT DOESN'T MATTER.

THE TAX RATE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON A DIFFERENT AV ASSESSMENT ESTIMATE.

THAT'S MORE WE BELIEVE IS MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE HISTORICAL TREND.

>> CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT FIRST CHART THAT YOU SHOWED AGAIN?

>> YEAH. THIS WAS TO YOUR SECOND POINT, MELINDA, WAS THIS ONE WHERE WE ESTIMATED AT $1.50 STRAIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD.

WE'VE BEEN UNDER THAT EVERY YEAR.

WE HAVEN'T HIT THE $1.50 EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO YEAH.

>> ON THAT ONE SO ON THE 2025 COLUMN, THE FIRST-LINE, THE 14,537,000, THEN THE SECOND LINE, THE 14,992,000, AND THEN THE FINAL 14,299,000.

WHERE ARE THOSE THREE NUMBERS COMING FROM?

>> THOSE ARE THE CALCULATION BASED ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT PER PUPIL.

IT'S THE LESSER OF THE RATE PER THOUSAND OR THE DOLLAR PER PUPIL CALCULATION.

THAT'S THE MAXIMUM AT THIS POINT IN TIME BASED ON WHAT WE ALL ARE ASSUMING HERE.

THAT'S THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COLLECT.

>> ARE THOSE NUMBERS DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS?

>> THEY ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON ENROLLMENT, CORRECT. OKAY.

>> OKAY. PARDON ME FOR THIS QUESTION, BUT WHY ARE THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS DIFFERENT FOR EACH OF THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS?

>> BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE MAKING THREE DIFFERENT GUESSES AS TO WHAT THEY THINK THE ENROLLMENTS GOING TO DO.

>> OKAY.

>> THERE'S AN EXCEL FILE FROM OS PI'S WEBSITE THAT IS THE CALCULATOR THAT I THINK YOU GUYS USE.

IT HAS A NUMBER BECAUSE WE HAVE 4,440, AND WE PRETTY MUCH HAD THAT LAST YEAR.

THE NUMBER ON THAT SPREADSHEET, ISN'T IT QUITE A BIT MORE THAN IT?

>> YEAH. WE ACTUALLY, IN OUR PROJECTION, WE LOWERED THE ENROLLMENT FORECAST BECAUSE WE THINK GOES PIS IS A LITTLE TOO AGGRESSIVE.

>> YEAH. OH, SPI SAYS FOR 2025, 4,503 STUDENTS AND WERE DOING 4,440, OR THEREABOUTS.

OSBS, IF THEY ARE RIGHT, IT'S GOING TO BE AN EVEN HIGHER LEVY RATE.

>> CORRECT.

>> BUT IT WON'T TOUCH OUR $1.50 PER RATE THINKING BECAUSE OUR PROPERTY VALUES HAVE GONE BANKERS.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE DADCO IS THAT WHAT THAT SAYS?

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH. DAVIDSON AND COMPANY.

>> THANK YOU. CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM?

>> SURE. THEY ARE BASICALLY A MUNICIPAL FINANCE COMPANY THAT THEY ARE THE DIVISION THAT WE WORKED WITH, MUNICIPAL FINANCE DIVISION.

THEY ARE BASICALLY A GROUP OF FORMER SCHOOL BUSINESSMEN THAT HAVE GONE TO WORK FOR THEM THAT HELPED PEOPLE FORECAST OF BONDS AND LEVIES AND TAX RATES.

WE WORKED WITH THEM. I'M PUTTING TOGETHER THE FINANCING PACKAGE FOR THE BOND. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

I MEAN, THIS IS THEIR EXPERTISE IS FORECASTING PROPERTY VALUES AND GROWTH RATES AND ESTIMATING TAX IMPACTS.

>> THANK YOU.

WHEN WE WRITE UP WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT, WHEN IT'S IN THE VOTERS PAMPHLET ON ABOUT PEOPLE VOTING.

I KNOW WE PUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR EACH YEAR.

DO WE PUT THE RATE IN THERE AS WELL AND APPROXIMATE AND HOW DO WE DECIDE ON WHAT THAT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PROPERTY VALUES WILL DO AND RATES CAN CHANGE?

>> IT'S BASED ON THE ESTIMATES.

THAT IF YOU OPEN UP ONE OF THE RESOLUTIONS,

[01:45:04]

YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE WHAT APPEARS ON THE BALLOT.

YOU SEE THE ESTIMATED TAX RATE AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.

>> IF THAT WERE THE CASE, I GUESS THIS IS WHAT I'M ASKING.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE BASED ON THE VALUATION FOR OR THE ASSUMED VALUATION, THE PROJECTED VALUATION FOR THAT YEAR.

IF WE WERE GOING WITH THE DOLLAR 51 REQUEST, WOULDN'T THE AMOUNTS FOR 2025 BE CLOSER TO 13 MILLION, THE AMOUNT FOR 2026 BE CLOSER TO 14,600,000 AND THE AMOUNT FOR 2027, CLOSER TO 16 MILLION JUST LOOKING AT THE DIVIDING THE AMOUNT WE'RE ASKING FOR BY THE PROPERTY VALUATION AND $1,000 PER ASSESS VALUE? I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WOULDN'T WHAT THE CAP B IF WE FIXED IT THAT WAY BE MUCH LOWER THAN WHAT'S SHOWN UP THERE?

>> NO. IF I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CORRECTLY AND THEN EXPLAIN IT TO ME AGAIN IF I MISSED THIS.

THE ASSESSED VALUE TIMES THE RATE DIVIDED BY 1,000 IS YOUR PER PUPIL CAP.

IN ALL THE SCENARIOS, IT'S CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN THE PER PUPIL CALCULATION.

THE PER PUPIL CALCULATION IS ALWAYS IN ALL OF THESE YEARS CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN WHAT THE RATE PER 1,000 DRIVES IN TERMS OF A MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE COLLECTION.

WE HAVE TO PICK THE LOWER OF THE TWO OF THOSE.

>> IF WE PICKED THE DOLLAR AND 50 AND SAID, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S $1.50.

IT'S GOING TO BE $1.50 ALWAYS, THEN WE WOULD BE ASKING VOTERS TO APPROVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO TOUCH AND STILL BE HELD BY THE STATE TO GET WHAT THE STATE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE IS.

WHY FOCUS ON JUST LIKE ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENTER HAD SAID, THE PROMISE YOU MAKE IS WHAT IS ON THE BALLOT AND TO INFER THAT THOSE PROMISES CAN LAST FOR HOWEVER MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.

IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE WITH OUR CHILDREN'S LEARNING.

IT IS NOT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS.

LET'S LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN.

>> YES. LET'S LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS, HOW MUCH DO WE NEED AND WHAT ARE WE NEEDING IT FOR? THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT THE STATE IS NOT FUNDING SPECIAL EDUCATION.

WE'RE NOT APPARENTLY SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDING THAT OUT OF OUR ENRICHMENT FUNDS AND YET IT MAKES UP 27% OR SOME SUCH OF OUR ENRICHMENT FUNDS.

WHY ARE WE FOCUSING ON HITTING UP OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS WHEN WE SHOULD BE GOING AFTER THE STATE?

>> YOU SHOULD BE GOING AFTER THE STATE.

>> WE DO GO AFTER THE STATE EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO IN YOUR LEGISLATIVE.

WE NEED TO 100%.

PEGGY, THAT IS THE NUMBER 1 ASK OF EVERY GROUP LAST YEAR AT THE LEGISLATIVE TABLE.

>> I KNOW THAT AND I'M ASKING.

I STARTED POKING AROUND AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE DID HOUSE BILL 1436 END UP.

WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF THAT? THEY APPROVED IT IN APRIL OF 2023.

IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE IT SAID, IT WAS LIFTING THE CAP ON SPECIAL EDUCATION FROM 13.5%-15% THIS YEAR AND THEN GOING TOWARD 2027.

IT WAS GOING TO BE FULLY FUNDED.

ALSO THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME FUNDS SET UP AN OSPI FOR DISTRICTS TO APPLY FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED EXTREME SERVICES ABOVE TWICE WHAT THE AVERAGE PUPIL NEEDS.

THAT APPARENTLY THERE IS SOME FUND THAT'S BEING SET UP FOR THAT.

[01:50:03]

>> SAFETY NET HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A LOT OF YEARS, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT ALLOWS US TO RECAPTURE SOME OF THE COSTS FOR HIGH-COST STUDENTS.

THE FOLKS THAT ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON IT.

IS NOT AN ENTITLEMENT.

IT'S A GRANT APPLICATION AND IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

I THINK LAST YEAR WE COLLECTED $600,000 FOR THOSE FUNDS.

WE STILL HAVE THE MONEY GOING OUT OF THE LEVY.

>> THE HOUSE BILL THAT WAS PASSED IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT STILL DOES NOT REACH THE FULL NEED OF WHAT IS NEEDED FOR EDUCATING SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

AS FAR AS WHY DO WE TAKE IT OUT OF OUR LEVY, FEDERAL LAW WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS.

>> BUT THAT'S A CATCH 22.

>> IT TOTALLY IS. ABSOLUTELY.

>> HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THE FUNDING IS GOING TO BE? HAVE WE ALREADY RECEIVED INFORMATION ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING FROM THE STATE FOR THIS YEAR AS FAR AS COVERING SPECIAL EDUCATION?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE IEP THAT'S WRITTEN.

TRINA COULD TALK MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT TEAM THAT INCLUDES THE FAMILY.

YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT FROM ONE OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS, STAFF.

THEY COME TOGETHER AND THEY DETERMINE WHAT THE STUDENT NEEDS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS LEARNING.

THE OTHER PART TOO, IS WE HAVE TO PROVIDE BY LAW STUDENTS WITH ACCESS TO GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS.

YOU HEARD FROM MY MOM TONIGHT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT AN ADULT.

SOMETIMES OUR STUDENTS NEED ADDITIONAL NURSING.

THEY NEED SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION, ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE WRITTEN INTO THE IEP.

THE IEP THEN BECOMES THE LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT TELLS US EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE IN ORDER FOR THAT STUDENT TO BE ABLE TO SHOW GROWTH, THEN THAT GROWTH IS MONITORED.

IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS.

EVERY SINGLE TIME A STUDENT QUALIFIES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAT STARTS AGAIN AND THEN IT'S MONITORED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THE OTHER PIECE WOULD BE 504 PLANS EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BE.

WELL, SOMETIMES IT COULD BE AN ADULT.

NOW WITH TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE SOME ACCESS, BUT A STUDENT GETS TO HAVE A READER FOR EVERY STATE TESTS.

YOU HAVE TO HIRE SOMEONE TO SIT WITH THE STUDENT AND READ EVERY SINGLE PART.

IT'S REALLY INDIVIDUALIZED PER STUDENT.

>> HOW DO YOU GET A HANDLE BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THIS? HOW DO YOU GET A HANDLE ON A ROUGHLY HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO NEED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION WHEN YOU'RE PREPARING THE BUDGET?

>> YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL THE STUDENTS SHOW UP AT YOUR DOOR.

IF A STUDENT MOVES IN OR A STUDENT QUALIFIES AT ANYTIME IT IS THE LEGAL RIGHT OF A FAMILY TO ASK FOR THEIR STUDENT TO BE EVALUATED.

THEN ONCE THEIR STUDENT IS EVALUATED, WE HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO RUN THAT PROCESS.

WE CAN'T SAY I'M SORRY, YOU CAN'T ACCESS THESE FUNDS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR YOU REGARDLESS OF IT'S IN THE BUDGET OR NOT.

WE ARE LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE.

THEN IF A FAMILY COMES FORWARD AND SAID, YOU DO NOT HAVE WHAT MY CHILD NEEDS, THE SCHOOL OF THE DEAF OR MY CHILD NEEDS ACCESS TO A SCHOOL THAT PROVIDES DYSLEXIA INSTRUCTION FOR A, B, AND C. IF THOSE RESOURCES HAPPEN OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT.

IT REALLY IS DEPENDENT ON WHAT IS DETERMINED IN THOSE MEETINGS.

>> CHRIS, COULD YOU CLARIFY 504 IN IEP?

>> A 504 IS ACTUALLY THE ACCOMMODATIONS A STUDENT NEEDS.

A IEP WOULD BE THE SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION.

THE 504 PROVIDES ACCOMMODATIONS.

ACCOMMODATIONS COULD BE EXTRA TIME ON A TEST OR AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OR PERHAPS IT COULD BE HAVING A READER WITH THEM OR TECHNICAL DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THEM.

IT COULD BE A VARIOUS THINGS.

SOMETIMES FAMILY WILL CHOOSE TO HAVE THE 504, ESPECIALLY A 504 WILL GO WITH THEM TO COLLEGE.

YOU START TO SEE STUDENTS MAKE THAT TRANSITION SOMETIMES LATER ON.

THE OTHER PIECE TOO, IS BY LAW, A STUDENT WHO QUALIFIES CAN ACCESS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES UNTIL THE END OF THEIR 21ST YEAR.

SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, YOU HEARD FROM MY MOM TONIGHT THAT ONCE THEIR STUDENT HITS 18, THEN THERE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS INTO FURTHER.

WE HAVE PROGRAMS AND THAT'S THE CT PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT AMERICAN LEGION.

THERE'S VARIANCE ON THAT.

TRINA, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD ADD THAT I HAVEN'T SAID?

[01:55:02]

>> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THERE'S NO STATE FUNDING FOR 504S.

THAT'S ONE OF THE PIECES AS WELL.

>> I'M SORRY.

>> THAT'S OKAY. SPEAKING, THERE WAS A FEW YEARS BACK WHEN WE HAD A STUDENT MOVE INTO THE DISTRICT WHO HAD SOME INCREDIBLY HIGH NEEDS AND SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND WE BASICALLY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, AND IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS, SO I'D HAVE TO GET DETAILS IF WE WERE LOOKING AT DETAILS.

BUT THE BASIC SCENARIO WAS THEY WERE GOING TO BE IN THE DISTRICT IN A WEEK AND WE HAD A WEEK TO BASICALLY REDESIGN A CLASSROOM BY STATE LAW TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

THE FUNDING IS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT, AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.

BUDGETING IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS AND THAT'S BY-LAW.

>> IS THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR 504? IS IT CONSIDERED BASIC EDUCATION? BUT THEN THERE SHOULD BE STATE FUNDING IF IT'S CONSIDERED BASIC EDUCATION.

>> IF I COULD MAKE A LIST OF THE UNFUNDED THINGS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR PLATE THAT THE STATE DOES NOT PROVIDE, IT IS A LIST.

YOU AND I WILL HOPEFULLY GET TO GO TO OLYMPIA AND ADVOCATE HARD FOR THAT LAST YEAR.

[INAUDIBLE], THAT WAS SOMETHING, IF YOU REMEMBER HERE, SHARE OUT HE HIT THAT SO HARD AT JUST THE STUDENTS REALLY CAPTURED IT.

THEY HAD A GREAT UNDERSTANDING.

BUT THAT'S WHY THAT WAS THE NUMBER 1, NOT JUST LASSA HAVE THAT AS ONE OF THEIR NUMBER 1 PRIORITIES BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT COME DOWN THAT ARE NOT FUNDED.

WHEN THEY SAY NO BASIC EDUCATION, SCHOOLS ARE FULLY FUNDED, THEY ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED.

>> HOW DO WE KNOW GOING FORWARD THAT THEY ARE NOT WORKING HARD TO FULLY FUND AT THE CHARMAINE? WHAT INDICATIONS YOU HAVE THIS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FULLY FUND IT?

>> THAT'S PART OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TALKING TO THE LEGISLATORS.

SCHOOL BOARD NOT ONLY REPRESENTS THE PUBLIC HERE IN FERNDALE, BUT WE ARE THEIR VOICE TO TALK TO THE LEGISLATORS.

IF WE WANT TO KNOW HOW HARD THE LEGISLATORS ARE WORKING TOWARD IT OR ARE NOT WORKING TOWARD IT, WE AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NEED TO TALK TO THE LEGISLATORS.

THAT'S NOT CHRISTIE'S JOB. THAT'S OUR JOB.

>> NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS AT WHAT POINT DURING THE YEAR DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU ARE GOING TO BE GETTING FROM THE STATE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION? WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR DO YOU FIND OUT WHAT YOUR ALLOTMENT IS GOING TO BE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR THE COMING YEAR?

>> IT'S BUILT INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.

WE KNOW WHAT THE FACTORS AREN'T GOING INTO IT.

WE KNOW THE PER PUPIL FUNDING THEM OUT FOR BASIC ED STUDENTS.

ALL OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE STUDENTS THAT ARE RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES RECEIVE THE BASIC ED FUNDING AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT ON TOP OF THAT.

BASED ON THE ENROLLMENT THAT WE'RE FORECASTING, WE KNOW WHAT REVENUE IS COMING IN, WE KNOW WHAT STAFFING IS EMPLOYED, WHAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF STAFFING, SO WE KNOW WHAT THE COST IS.

JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET, WE BUDGET REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.

IT'S IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, IT IS ALWAYS CONSIDERABLY THE EXPENDITURES FAR OUT C OUT, PASTE TO THE REVENUE.

IN TERMS OF MAKING THAT WORK, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T, THOUGH THEY GET PRIORITY.

SPECIAL EDUCATION GETS PRIORITY.

WHAT THEY NEED, THEY GET.

WHATEVER IS LEFT OVER IS DIVVIED UP AMONGST THE BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

>> THE OTHER ASPECT OF THAT THAT COMES AND HITS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LEVY IS, YES, WE ARE FUNDING SPECIAL EDUCATION OUT OF THE LEVEE BECAUSE WE BY LAW HAVE TO FUND SPECIAL EDUCATION.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THOSE LEVY DOLLARS, THEN WE HAVE TO FUND IT OUT OF THE OTHER DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE.

THAT'S WHY THE CUTS BECOME SO DRAMATIC AND WHY THE LEVY DOLLARS BECOME SUCH A BIG THING.

YOU ASKED, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT OLYMPIA ISN'T WORKING ON A BETTER SOLUTION IN A BETTER PLAN? I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS HISTORY BECAUSE UNFUNDED MANDATES HAVE BEEN AN ONGOING CHALLENGE.

THEY FREQUENTLY ARE GIVING US HERE YOU NEED TO DO X, Y, Z.

BY THE WAY, WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU ANY MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.

IT'S JUST BEEN AN ONGOING THING, AND RECOGNIZING THERE'S GOT TO BE A BALANCE OF SOMEWHERE,

[02:00:02]

PART OF IT IS IN FERNDALE AND IT'S TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE.

WE HAVE CREATED A VERY ROBUST CTE PROGRAM, MUSIC PROGRAMS, ART PROGRAMS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE THOSE ADDED THINGS THAT ARE THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT TO CUT COSTS.

BUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH MENTAL HEALTH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT STUDENT INVOLVEMENT.

THOSE THINGS ARE WHAT DRIVE STUDENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT? AS WE LOOK AT THIS, THE LEVY DOLLARS, AS WE CUT IT DOWN, THAT MEANS WE CUT PROGRAMS. IF THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, I'M ALL FOR THAT.

BUT I GUESS I LOOK AT MY JOB IS NOT MAKING THAT DECISION FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SAYING, IF WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE, HERE'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE, AND THEN LETTING THEM DECIDE, AND IF THEY DECIDE WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND THAT MUCH, SO BE IT.

THEN WE'LL MAKE CUTS AND WE'LL CUT BACK.

BUT IT'S A PAINFUL PROCESS.

I WISH THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO OUT AND SAY, WELL, IF WE WANT TO CUT THIS MUCH, IT'S HERE WE PUT THIS OUT, YOU VOTE ON IT.

IF YOU SAY YES, GREAT.

IF YOU SAY NO, THEN WE GOT TO, BY GUESSING, BY GOLLY, COME BACK WITH ANOTHER PREDICTION.

AGAIN, THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES IN THIS PREDICTION.

IF THE ENROLLMENT GOES UP, THAT LIMIT GOES UP SIGNIFICANTLY.

BUT IF WE SET THE BAR LOW, THAT'S ALL WE CAN COLLECT.

IF OUR ENROLLMENT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, SKYROCKETS, WE ARE SET.

NOW, THE ONE THING THAT COULD BE THROWN OUT ON THE TABLE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT OPENS AGAIN AND WORMS OR NOT, BUT SO BE IT, IS WE CAN SET THAT LIMIT AT WHEREVER WE WANT.

WE CAN SET IT AT 20 MILLION JUST FOR A NUMBER THAT'S EASY AND ROUND AND THEN WHEN WE GET TO IT GO, OKAY ASSESSOR, WE SET THIS JUST SO WE HAD SOME WIGGLE ROOM, BUT WE DON'T WANT THE TAX RATE TO GO OVER X.

JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO COLLECT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO.

THE CHALLENGE BEING IS ONCE WE SET IT, IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN WE SET THE BUDGET, ONCE THE BUDGET NUMBER IS SET, WE CAN'T GO OVER IT, WE'RE STUCK THERE.

THAT'S THE OTHER PLACE THAT GOES INTO.

>> THAT'S WHY I WAS LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS GOING HOW DO YOU GET FROM HERE TO HERE? YOU CAN'T EVEN GET CLOSE.

SOMEBODY'S TELLING ME THAT I WAS JUST SITTING HERE DIVIDING THE NUMBERS AND I TOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR 2025, DIVIDED THAT 8,633,807,434 DIVIDED IT BY 1,000, AND DIVIDED IT BY THE AMOUNT THAT YOU'VE GOT HERE, THE 7,392,421 AND GOT 12 MILLION.

I'M SORRY, MY BRAIN JUST DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO BIG NUMBERS, 12,950,711.

THAT SAYS TO ME THAT THAT WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM THAT YOU WOULD ASK FOR IF YOU WANTED TO KEEP THE RATE AT OR BELOW $1.51, UNLESS OF COURSE THE PROPERTY VALUES GO UP.

>> WHERE DID YOU GET THE EIGHT BILLION? BECAUSE THE 2024 TAXABLE AMOUNT HAS BEEN SET AT 9.1 BILLION?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE I GOT THIS SHEET, BUT IT HAD A BREAKDOWN.

I CAN SHARE IT WITH YOU. I DON'T KNOW.

>> I TALKED WITH THE WHATCOM COUNTY ASSESSOR THIS WEEKEND AND ASKING FOR ASSESSED VALUES AND THE 2024 AMOUNT HAS BEEN SET AT 9,115 MILLION YADA, YADA, YADA.

>> REALLY, BECAUSE THIS ONE SAYS 7,945 MILLION WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY LOWER.

>> BUT THE 2023'S VALUATION WAS 7,000,857,000?

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S LOOKING AT THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY.

MAYBE YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT. MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW.

SHE SAID THAT THE AREA THAT WAS ASSESSED THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS ALL OF FERNDALE CITY PLUS A LITTLE BIT AT THE OUTSIDE, BUT NOT ALL OF FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT WENT UP BY 17%.

>> BELIEVE THAT?

>> YEAH. MINE WENT UP BY LIKE 20 WHATEVER BECAUSE I'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE. ANY WHO.

[02:05:05]

>> I DON'T. SOMEBODY ELSE TOLD ME.

>> WELL, YOU GOT A BEAUTIFUL YARD.

>> NO.

>> JUST THAT INCREASE BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS ASSESSED AND WE GOT THE ACTUAL LUMP HOLY CAN ONLY IT WENT UP SO MUCH.

MOST OF OUR VOTERS PROBABLY GOT THAT.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DISCREPANCY IS, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING WHY.

>> THE CHALLENGE IS THE NUMBER FOR 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028.

THEY'RE ALL ROLL THE DICE AND PICK YOUR NUMBER.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

[LAUGHTER] ENROLLMENT IS A ROLL THE DICE NUMBER 2, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES SCHOOL FINANCE SO FUN.

>> WE CAN CREATE A BOARD GAME OUT OF THIS UGLY THING.

>> YOU COULD.

>> YOU DON'T THINK IT'LL SELL? FINE, NEVER MIND.

>> THAT'S THE BIG CHALLENGE WITH IT IS THERE ISN'T A RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER.

EVEN I LOOKED BACK AND THERE IS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THIS $1.50 RATE.

IF WE COULD SET THE RATE, THAT'D BE AWESOME BECAUSE THAT WOULD MAKE IT REAL SIMPLE, BUT WE CAN'T SET THE RATE.

>> IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE THAT YOU CAN'T SET THE RATE, BUT YOU CAN REVERSE ENGINEER IT SO THAT YOU SET THE AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR SO THAT IT BACKS OUT TO $1.50.

>> IF WE DID 14, 15, 16, 17, THOUGH, IT BACKS OUT TO LESS THAN $1.50.

THAT'S FANTASTIC.

I THINK MAYBE PEOPLE WON'T GET THE SHINY $1.50 ON THE VOTER BALLOT, BUT SORRY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET $1.42 INSTEAD.

GOSH, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WILL ARGUE WITH IT.

BRILLIANT.

>> I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS ON THE RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE PUT FORTH THERE, THE ONE THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL VALUE OR THE ONE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY THE 15,16 AND 17 VERSUS THE THE 14, 15, 16, 17 THAT I PROPOSED.

THEN THE ONE THAT'S GOT VARIABLE NUMBERS THAT REVERSE ENGINEERED TO THE DOLLAR 50.

MY PROPOSAL, ACTUALLY SAVES THE VOTERS MONEY.

I DIDN'T ACTUALLY COMING IN LESS THAN A DOLLAR 50 WHEN YOU AVERAGE IT OUT.

>> THE DOLLAR 51 IS 10% MORE.

>> BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SAVE THE VOTERS MONEY.

I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY PAYING THE SAME AMOUNT NO MATTER WHAT RATES GO DOWN AND VALUES GO UP.

>> NO, IF WE SET A DOLLAR 50, THEN WE'VE GOT A HIGHER LIMIT.

>> THERE'S A HIGHER LIMITED A DOLLAR 50.

THEN THERE IS THE AMOUNT THAT THE 14, 15, 16, 17, BECAUSE 14, 15, 16, 17 MILLION IS THE MAX WE CAN COLLECT, WHEREAS WITH THE OTHER ONE.

>> IT WOULD BE 15, 16, 5, 18, 2 AND 20 IF WE HAD 10% EACH YEAR.

>> WELL, THE RESOLUTION THAT'S IN THERE THAT CALCULATES OUT TO DOLLAR 50 IS 14.5,15.25, 16 AND 16.75.

>> I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW IF I'M WORKING WITH THE SAME VALUATION NUMBERS SO THAT RIGHT THERE, I DON'T.

>> WELL, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS OF ALL THREE OF THOSE RESOLUTIONS AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE ONES I BACK CALCULATED, THEY'RE ALL USING THE SAME ASSESSED VALUE PREDICTION FOR THOSE FOUR YEARS.

>> CORRECT AND SAME ENROLLMENT FORECAST.

>> BUT AGAIN, THAT NUMBER IN THE RESOLUTION IS JUST A ESTIMATED TAX RATE.

THE ONLY NUMBER THAT IS SOLID IN THAT IS THE MAXIMUM DOLLAR VALUE THAT WE CAN COLLECT.

>> I GUESS WHAT I WAS SAYING IS GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION THAT MAXIMUM DOLLAR VALUE WAS LOWER AND THAT'S THE NUMBERS THAT I'M LOOKING AT.

THE MAXIMUM DOLLAR VALUE IS LOWER.

>> NOT IN THE DOLLAR 50 RESOLUTION.

>> NOT IN THE ONE YOU CREATED.

I MEAN, NOT IN THE ONE THAT WAS CREATED THERE, BUT IF YOU TAKE THE NUMBERS AND REVERSE ENGINEER AT THE NUMBERS YOU COME OUT WITH FOR THE MAXIMUM YOU CAN ASK COME OUT LOW.

[02:10:05]

>> BUT YOU HAVE A VALUATION OF 8 BILLION AND IN 2024, THE WORKING COUNTY ASSESSOR HAS ALREADY SET IT AT 9.1 BILLION.

HOW DO WE CHOP UP A BILLION?

>> FOR 2024, THEY'VE ALREADY SET IT AT 9 BILLION, YOU SAY?

>> 9,150,000 [OVERLAPPING].

>> I HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBERS FOR THAT.

SORRY. THAT'S WHAT I WAS BASING IT ON WAS AROUND 7.9 BILLION AS OPPOSED TO [OVERLAPPING].

>> WHICH WAS WHAT IT IS FOR 2023, BUT 2024 HAS ALREADY BEEN SET AND THE 2024 HAS THAT INCREASE THAT FERNDALE WENT UP 16 OR 17% OF WHAT THEY WANTS.

IT'S BECAUSE THE NUMBERS THAT WERE SENT TO YOU WHERE THE WRONG NUMBERS.

>> WELL, AND IF YOU LOOK THE PLACE WHERE I'M GETTING IT AS IF YOU TAKE THE THREE RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE ONBOARD DOGS.

ALL THREE OF THOSE USE THE SAME VALUATION ESTIMATIONS FOR 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028.

THEY PUT FORTH THE ONE THAT USES THE NUMBERS THAT I PROPOSED LAST MONTH, NOT TAKING ANY CREDIT FOR THEM.

THEY ARE JUST THE NUMBERS I THREW OUT.

THERE, YOU'RE COLLECTING A MAXIMUM OF 14 MILLION THE FIRST YEAR, 15 MILLION THE SECOND,16, AND THEN 17 FOR A TOTAL OF 62 MILLION.

THE MOST THAT THE DISTRICT CAN COLLECT OVER THOSE FOUR YEARS IS $62 MILLION. THAT'S A BIG NUMBER.

IF YOU TAKE THE DOLLAR 50 RATE AND THE MAXIMUMS WHICH ARE 14.5, 15.25, 16, 16.75, IT COMES UP TO 62,000,500.

ACTUALLY AT A DOLLAR 50, IT'S A HIGHER OVERALL POTENTIAL ASK OR COLLECTION THAN WHAT WAS PROPOSED IN NUMBERS.

>> I THINK THAT WE'RE USING DIFFERENT VALUATION NUMBERS AND AS A RESULT, I ENDED UP WITH 51.6 MILLION LESS USING THE DOLLAR 50.

>> THAT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, WITH THE NUMBER YOU USE FOR THAT VALUATION AND THE NUMBER USED FOR ENROLLMENT BECOMES CRITICAL.

TWO, BECAUSE WE MAY VERY WELL NOT BE ABLE TO COLLECT THIS AMOUNT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ENROLLMENT PREDICTIONS AT THE MAXIMUM.

IF THE MAXIMUM COLLECTION TAKE IT ALL THE WAY OUT TO 2028 FOR US IS 17 MILLION.

I USE THAT BECAUSE IT'S A ROUND NUMBER, WE CAN'T COLLECT THAT AMOUNT.

THE MOST WE CAN COLLECT BASED ON THE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, THERE WOULD BE $16,730,000.

>> WELL, I DIDN'T STOP TO TRY AND CALCULATE, HOW MUCH WOULD ENROLLMENT HAVE TO GO UP AND HOW MUCH WOULD THE INFLATION HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED IN ORDER FOR THE MILL RATE TO BE THE DECIDING FACTOR AS OPPOSED TO ENROLLMENT.

HOW MUCH WOULD THE ENROLLMENT HAVE TO GO UP IN ORDER FOR IT TO OVERCHARGE AND TRY AND MAP THAT OUT TO SEE, WHERE THOSE TWO WOULD CROSS?

>> I HAVEN'T DONE THAT EITHER, BUT IT WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN, EVEN THOUGH SPI IS [OVERLAPPING], THAT WAS A LOT HIGHER THAN, OURS WAS NOT EVEN CLOSE.

>> [OVERLAPPING]. IF YOU TAKE THE OLD NUMBERS, DOLLAR 50, 250 AND WE'RE RIGHT AROUND A DOLLAR 50 AND 250 IS THE LEAD, I MEAN, THAT'S 40%.

>> 250 JUST LEAD BUT IT'S INFLATION ADJUSTED, IS IT? [OVERLAPPING] WE CAN GO UP THERE LIKE THREE.

I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UP.

THEY TOOK THAT RESTRICTION OFF.

>> THE 250 IS NOT THE DOLLAR PER PEOPLE IS.

>> YES.

>> THE ASSESSED VALUE ADJUSTED FOR THE INFLATION ON THE 250 ON THE TAX RATE AND THE PER PUPIL INFLATES.

>> THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

>> BUT THE DOLLAR 50 AND 250, THE MILL RATE, THE DOLLAR 50 IS 40% LOWER THAN 250.

TO GET ALL THE WAY UP THERE.

I HAVEN'T DONE THE NUMBERS, BUT IT'S HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS.

IT'S NOT JUST 10 STUDENTS.

>> WELL.

>> YOU DON'T THINK OUR WONDERFUL PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO ATTRACT STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY TO WANT TO SET UP SHOPPING FRONT DOWN.

>> IT WOULD BE A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE, ISN'T IT?

>> IT WOULD BE A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE NAMED FOR THAT. [LAUGHTER].

>> WELL AND NOT TO THROW ANOTHER MONKEY ONTO THE TREE.

BUT OLYMPIA COULD CHANGE ANY OF THESE NUMBERS AT ANY POINT TOO,

[02:15:04]

>> WHICH BRINGS ME BACK TO FUNDING ON WHAT IF BY SOME MIRACLE, EVERYBODY COMES TOGETHER.

THEY ALL AGREE THAT WE NEED TO FULLY FUND SPECIAL EDUCATION, THEN DOES IT COME OFF OF THERE? I DON'T THINK IT DOES. I THINK THAT JUST GIVES US EXTRA MONEY TO PLAY WITH AND I KNOW THAT'S-.

>> WHAT THE BOARD WOULD THEN DO, IS LIKE A MIRACLE FROM ABOVE COMES AND FULLY FUNDED.

IT'S UP TO THE BOARD MEMBERS TO SAY LIKE, WE'RE FULLY FUNDED NOW.

WE'RE NOT COLLECTING ANY LEVY MONEY.

>> WE CAN TELL THE ASSESSOR.

THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA, BUT LET'S NOT DO IT.

>> CAN WE GET THAT WRITTEN INTO THE THING SAYING, WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS? THIS WASN'T.

>> THAT ACTUALLY IS WRITTEN INTO IT BECAUSE IT SAYS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE IN THERE.

>> BUT I MEAN, I JUST WANT THAT BECAUSE THE WAY I SEE IT IS IF THE SPACE IS SUPPOSED TO FUND IT, WE'RE PAYING STATE TAXES, WERE PAYING LOCAL TAXES, WERE GETTING HIT TWICE.

IF THEY'RE NOT PAYING FOR WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING FOR, WE'RE NOT GETTING WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.

>> YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR.

>> I KNOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOME MIRACLE HAPPENS AND THEY SUDDENLY DECIDE THEY'D BEEN DOING THE RIGHT.

THE REASON I THINK THAT IT MIGHT, IS JUST BECAUSE I THINK THIS HAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

I'VE BEEN SEEING WHO'S SUPPORTING IT, AND I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF STEAM.

YOU YOURSELF NOTED THAT MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

>> BUT THE THING IS THOUGH, IS EVEN IF WE DID HAVE THAT MIRACLE HAPPENED, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE GREAT.

IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS OF WASHINGTON FERNDALE, AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS LOOKING MORE INTO IT, FERNDALE IS VERY MUCH THE MIDDLE, VERY CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE STATES.

AM I RIGHT ON THAT? EVEN IF THE STATE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT 100%.

WE PAY TAXES, WHETHER WE PAY STATE TAXES OR WE PAY LOCAL.

THEN WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO PAY MORE IN OUR STATE TAXES.

>> WELL, I GET THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING BUT IF WE ARE PAYING AT BOTH ENDS, IT JUST SEEMS-.

>> BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD HOPEFULLY WOULD THEN SAY, WE'RE FULLY FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE, SO WE'RE NOT COLLECTING ANY LEVY.

THE PEOPLE OF FERNDALE WOULD END UP PAYING THE SAME AMOUNT IN TAXES BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAYING MORE TO THE STATE.

BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS FOR VERY POOR DISTRICTS IS NOW THEY GET THE SAME EDUCATION FUNDING SUPPORT AS FERNDALE STUDENTS TO DO.

[OVERLAPPING].

THE SAME AMOUNT THAT FOR FERNDALE DOES.

EVERYBODY IS AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

IT WOULDN'T CHANGE OUR SITUATION TOO.

>> AGAIN, GOING BACK HISTORICALLY, THE STATE DID DECIDE, WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR MORE BASIC EDUCATION. WE'RE GOING TO FUND MORE.

THE WAY THEY DID IT WAS THEY SAID, WE'RE DROPPING HOW MUCH YOU GUYS CAN HAVE IN LEVIES AND WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT IT IN PROPERTY TAX.

IT WENT TO THE STATE AND CAME BACK.

THE CHALLENGE IS WE REPRESENT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS, NOT ONLY OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THAT'S WHERE IT BECOMES IF THE STATE SAID IF THEY MIRACULOUSLY DECIDE TO FUND EVERYTHING THAT THEY CLAIM THAT THEY ARE GOING TO AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE.

I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF ROLLING BACK THE LEVY, WE'VE DONE, WE'VE ROLLED BACK ON LEVIES AND BONDS IN THE PAST.

I MEAN, WE'VE HAD THOSE VOTES.

THOSE ARE FUN ONES. THERE ARE A LOT NICER.

FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARK.

WE'VE PROVEN THAT THIS IS A COMPLICATED TOPIC.

I WISH IT WAS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, I WISH WAS EASIER FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WISH IT WAS EASIER FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT IT.

THERE'S TOO MUCH THAT'S BASED ON PREDICTIONS OF NUMBERS THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE.

WHO WOULD HAVE PREDICTED THAT THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT VALUES WOULD HAVE WENT UP BY 20% IN FERNDALE THIS YEAR.

AS MARK SAID, WHEN YOU WERE BEING REALLY WILD AND CRAZY WE PREDICTED 2% PER YEAR.

THAT'S ONLY 10% OF WHAT IT WENT UP.

IT MAKES IT REALLY HARD BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT IT'LL DO NEXT YEAR.

I CERTAINLY HOPE IT'S NOT GOING TO GO.

>> IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TOO.

>> ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

>> I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

>> BUT IF IT TURNS AROUND AND TANKS WOULDN'T A LOWER REQUEST TO BE BETTER FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED?

>> AGAIN, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION TO DROP THINGS.

WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO CHANGE IT THE OTHER DIRECTION IF THINGS CONTINUE TO GO THE WAY THEY ARE.

[02:20:01]

THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM WE'RE PUTTING INTO THAT.

>> I DO THINK THOUGH YOUR SUGGESTION OF STARTING AT 14 INSTEAD OF STARTING AT THE 14-50 BECAUSE SINCE WE HAVE HAD A LOW RATE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT IS GOING TO GO UP AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THAT INCREASE, THAT SHOCK, THAT WHATEVER OF THE THREE OPTIONS, THAT ONE IS THE BEST ONE AND KEEPS IT THE LOWEST.

IT'S MORE MANAGEABLE YES.

>> WELL, IT'S A GRADUATE GRADUAL INCREASE.

>> I THINK HAVING ON A BALLOT 14,15,16,17 OR EASY NUMBERS.

>> THIRTEEN,14,15,16 OR EVEN EASIER.

>> THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEST FOR CHILDREN. I DON'T BELIEVE.

I THINK THE 14 IS SOMETHING THAT THE BUDGET CAN ABSORB.

I THINK IF WE'RE GOING 13 THEN YOU'RE GOING FROM A FEW PEOPLE ATTRITION AND CAN COVER THAT TO NOW IT'S ONE MILLION TO 50.

THAT'S MORE THAN A FEW PEOPLE THAT'S GETTING INTO CUTS RATHER THAN ATTRITION OF STUFF. I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T PLAN THE BUDGET MYSELF, SO I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.

>> MOVING FORWARD.

>> I HEAR YOU. AT THIS POINT THEN THE QUESTION OR WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARK AND FOR HOLLY, THEN IT'S A MATTER OF HOW DO WE WANT TO PROCEED ON THIS? AGAIN, WE DIDN'T VOTE ON IT, BUT BASICALLY CONSENSUS FROM THE LAST MEETING WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO PUT A FOUR-YEAR LEVY ONTO THE 2024 FEBRUARY BALLOT AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS AND CORRECT ME MARK IF I'M WRONG, BUT I'M SEEING IT AS WE EITHER MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT OR WE GIVE MARK AND HOLLY SOME GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT WE NEED.

WHAT DIFFERENT RESOLUTION WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE THE DROP DEAD DATE, SO TO SPEAK, IS OUR NEXT MEETING.

BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET IT BY THEN, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE HARD PRESSED TO GET THE PAPERWORK TOGETHER IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEADLINES FOR THAT FEBRUARY BALLOT.

WE [OVERLAPPING] HAVE THREE OPTIONS? NOT JUST TWO.

>> THREE RESOLUTIONS PICK FROM TONIGHT, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

>> YES.

>> THEN YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE ACTION AT LEAST BY THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

>> SO MAYBE BEFORE WE START THINKING ABOUT IF WE NEED TO HAVE A NEXT MEETING, CAN WE ASK ARE WE READY TO VOTE TONIGHT ON THIS?

>> WE CAN ASK I MEAN, ANY MEMBER CAN PUT FORTH A MOTION TO SAY I WANT TO PUT FORTH THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH RESOLUTION A, B OR C, OR OPTION A, B OR C, AND THEN WE CAN VOTE ON IT TOO.

>> IF WE PUT FORWARD A MOTION AND SAY IT FAILS, AND WE HAVE MORE DISCUSSION, WE CAN RAISE THAT SAME MOTION LATER AFTER DISCUSSION? ACTUALLY, ARE THERE ANYMORE QUESTIONS BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION?

>> OKAY.

>> I SHOULDN'T ASK THAT PRESIDENT, CAN YOU ASK THAT?

>> CAN I ASK WHAT?

>> IF THERE ARE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I CAN ASK THAT. ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARK OR HOLLY AT THIS POINT OR FOR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS?

>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THE OTHER VALUATION NUMBERS BECAUSE THESE WERE THE ONES THAT I SAW SOMETHING LIKE WHERE DO I FIND THESE, MELINDA? YOU FOUND THEM?

>> WHATCOM COUNTY ASSESSOR WEBSITE.

[OVERLAPPING] THERE IS THE TAX BOOK AND I ACTUALLY WHEN WE WERE TALKING HERE, I LOOKED AT THE TAX BOOK.

THE ONE THAT'S ON THERE RIGHT NOW HAS THE 2023.

IT DOES NOT HAVE THE 2024 BECAUSE THAT JUST CAME OUT IN SEPTEMBER.

[02:25:04]

>> BUT THE PROJECTIONS FOR 2025, 2026, 2027.

>> YOU CAN'T PROJECT THE 2025,6,7 AND 8 BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT 2024, THE TAXES THAT ARE GOING TO BE USED FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT WAS THE NINE BILLION 115, YADA.

>> PROBABLY THE OTHER THING TO INCLUDE IS MARK, WHERE DID THE PROJECTIONS FOR THE RESOLUTIONS COME FROM FOR THE VALUATIONS?

>> THE FIRST-YEAR CAME FROM THE 2024, CAME FROM THE ASSESSORS OFFICE, AND THEN THE REST OF THEM WERE INFLATED BY 5%.

>> OKAY.

>> THEN THIS NINE BILLION NUMBER AS OPPOSED TO 7.9 BILLION, YOU WHEN AN INFLATED THE OTHER NUMBERS BY 5% FROM THAT, OKAY.

>> CORRECT.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE OPTION A, WHICH IS THE LEVY FOR $14 MILLION IN 2025, 15 MILLION IN 2026, 16 MILLION IN 2027 AND 17 MILLION IN 2028.

AS WHAT WE PUT ON THE FERNDALE BALLOT.

>> FOR CLARIFICATION [OVERLAPPING] THAT WAS THE PROPOSAL THAT KEVIN HAD.

>> YES.

>> MOTION HAS BEEN PUT FORTH TO ADOPT RESOLUTION A, OR RESOLUTION NUMBER 15-23, OPTION A, WHICH HAS THE VALUES OF 14 MILLION FOR 2025, POINT THAT'LL MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY, 15 MILLION FOR 2026, 16 MILLION FOR 2027 AND 17 MILLION FOR 2028.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, THEN I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> NO.

>> ALL OPPOSED? THE MOTION THEN PASSES TO ADOPT RESOLUTION, LET ME GET BACK TO MY PAGE SO I DO THIS RIGHT.

TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THAT PAGE, 15-23, OPTION A AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT ON THE FEBRUARY 2024 BALLOT.

DOES THAT GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED, MARK?

>> OKAY.

>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ADVOCATE FOR MAKING SCHOOL FINANCE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AND TO EXPLAIN.

MOVING ON. THAT TAKES US ON TO ITEM 5.03, WHICH IS TO ADOPT THE UPDATED MONITORING REPORT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS POLICY FOR 4(OE-4) THE PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION.

THIS IS THE REPORT THAT YOU WILL RECALL WE HAD THAT WE WERE GOING TO EVALUATE LAST MONTH, BUT WE WERE GIVEN A REVISED REPORT.

AFTER SOME DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE REPORT AND THE INDICATORS AND SO A NEW REPORT WAS PRESENTED.

WE HAVE THE SURVEY TO RESPOND TO, AND NOW IT IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.

AT THIS POINT, THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.

ONE QUESTION I HAD ON THERE WITHIN INDICATOR NUMBER 7,

[02:30:02]

STEPS WILL BE TAKEN TO CORRECT THOSE THINGS.

IS THERE A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOR ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE PERSON WHOSE INFORMATION HAS BEEN BREACHED?

>> I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY TURN THAT OVER TO JOHN AT THIS POINT REPRESENTING KERAS, UNABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING, SO JOHN OR MARK WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.

>> YOUR QUESTION IS, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PERSON WHOSE INFORMATION WAS SHARED?

>> BREACHED.

>> I GUESS THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO KNOW NOT KNOWING WHAT THE SITUATION WAS AND WHAT THE INFORMATION WAS.

WE HAVE FAIRLY STRICT GUIDELINES ON WHAT CAN BE SHARED WITH WHOM IN WHAT CONTEXT.

WITHOUT KNOWING ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS, I GUESS I'M STRUGGLING WITH WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH A SCENARIO THAT WE DON'T KNOW.

>> DO WE HAVE ANYTHING LIKE INSURANCE? I'M LIKE IF THERE WAS A HACK OF THE DATA OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND ALL OF THEIR BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATION WAS TAKEN, DO WE HAVE INSURANCE THAT WOULD COVER LIKE IDENTITY THEFT MONITORING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> YES, WE DO.

>> I MEAN AS YOU MENTIONED THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, BUT THERE ARE PROCESSES OR PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR DEALING WITH THAT.

I MEAN, PROBABLY NONE OF US IN THE ROOM HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE OF THOSE LETTERS FROM YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN BREACHED OR SOMETHING AND THEY HAVE STEPS IN PLACE.

IT JUST SEEMED LIKE ALL WITHIN THE POLICY AND WITHIN THE INDICATORS THAT WAS ALL RELATED TO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE PERSON WHO DID THE BREACHING FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, BUT WE DO HAVE THINGS IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH THE STUDENT OR THE PERSON WHOSE INFORMATION HAS BEEN BREACHED AS WELL DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT SITUATION IS.

>> DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT SITUATION IS.

>> I HAD A QUESTION ON 0.3, 0.4 AND I REMEMBER BRINGING THIS UP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THIS REPORT AND IT IS WE TRACK THE DIVERSITY OF EMPLOYEES AND AIMED TO RECRUIT A WORKFORCE THAT REFLECTS OUR STUDENT BODY AND COMMUNITY.

WITHIN THE REPORT THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO TO RETAIN A DIVERSE WORKFORCE.

YOU CAN RECRUIT AND GET PEOPLE TO HIRE BUT IF THEY COME HERE AND THEY DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S A WELCOMING COMMUNITY THEY'LL LEAVE.

I'VE TALKED WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW PEOPLE WHO'VE WORKED FOR FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER THE YEARS OR WHO HAVE LOOKED AT JOBS AND HAVE DECIDED NOT TO COME HERE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL THAT THERE WAS SUPPORT ONCE THEY WERE HERE.

>> THAT IS ACTUALLY WORK WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING.

WE'RE HAVING IT BOTH AT THE BUILDING LEVEL, DEPARTMENT LEVEL, AND THEN THE EXECUTIVE TEAM WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

SO ONE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING, AND IT'S ALL EMPLOYEES HOW DO WE RETAIN, BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT SYSTEMS ARE WE PUTTING IN PLACE TO SUPPORT.

>> YEAH, IF I WERE ON THE BOARD TWO YEARS FROM NOW WHEN YOU SEE THIS AGAIN SMALL PARAGRAPH, A COUPLE OF SENTENCES, WHAT DO WE DO FOR RETENTION?

>> MELINDA, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING HAVE BEEN DOING IS WE'RE INCREASING OUR EFFORTS TO RECRUIT LOCALLY.

IF SOMEBODY IS ALREADY A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE ALL THOSE CONNECTIONS AND SUPPORTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE LIKE THAT GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM.

THAT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR RETENTION, SO IF WE CAN GET FOLKS THAT HAVE GROWN UP HERE WE CAN GET THEM THE SUPPORT AND THE TRAINING THAT THEY NEED.

IF WE THEN HIRE THEM THERE'S A REALLY GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION.

>> I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT.

I LIKE THE GROW YOUR OWN INITIATIVE, I THINK IT'S AWESOME.

THINKING LIKE MENTORING SUPPORT GROUPS IS A I DON'T KNOW.

>> A FERNDALE GROUPS.

>> A FERNDALE GROUPS, THAT'S A BETTER WAY, YEAH.

JUST AND IT CAN BE FOR ALL DIFFERENT GROUPS BUT I JUST THINK

[02:35:02]

>> CAN I MAKE A COMMENT? I WAS A LITTLE PUZZLED BY THE ASSERTION THAT MAYBE WE WEREN'T ATTRACTING ENOUGH PEOPLE TO THE GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BREAKDOWN IT SEEMED TO BE REALLY REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS WERE.

I MEAN, YOU'RE SAYING THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH LIKE SAY HISPANIC STUDENTS IN THE GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM.

I'M THINKING YEAH, BUT I MEAN PROPORTIONALLY AS FAR AS HOW MUCH MAKEUP OF THE COMMUNITY IT LOOKED OKAY, SO WHAT'S THE GOAL, IS IT TO HAVE ALL? I MEAN I GUESS I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THAT.

IT'S LIKE WHAT IS THE ACTUAL GOAL WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE AIMING TO HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS AND SO I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS A NOTE THERE TO THE EFFECT THAT IT WASN'T.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS, SO IF YOU SAID 38% OF OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC OR LATINX, THEN 38% OF THAT PARTICULAR CLASSROOM SHOULD ALSO.

SO IT'S NOT 38% IN THOSE SCHOOL YOU LOOK AT IN A CLASSROOM.

THE SAME COULD BE SAID FOR WHATEVER THE GROUP IS AND AS I LISTENED TO STUDENTS WHEN SELENA AND I GO AROUND AND TALK TO STUDENTS, THAT IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THINGS THAT COMES FROM ALL STUDENTS THAT OUR STAFF SHOULD REPRESENT THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL.

SO IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE STUDENT IN A CLASS OF 30 WHO IS HISPANIC, THAT'S NOT THE SAME PERCENTAGE.

IT'S NOT REPRESENTING THE STUDENT POPULATION, SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A PERCENT MATCH OR CLOSE TO.

>> WHEN YOU SAY WHAT I'M SAYING I THOUGHT IT SEEMED LIKE THE PERCENT MATCH LOOKED PRETTY GOOD BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE, HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE LIKE IF YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY-

>> THIRTY-EIGHT PERCENT, SO THERE'S 24 IN THE CLASS, 38% WOULD BE NINE HISPANIC STUDENTS AND THERE WAS FIVE.

>> WHICH WAS A GROWTH FROM LAST YEAR.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, I MEAN [OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE]

>> THAT WAS A FOCUS THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S MORE JUST HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS KNOW WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY YOU HAVE TO TAKE THIS, BUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS KNOW WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE AND THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED ARE HAVING ACCESS.

>> IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE IN A SMALL CLASS SIZE LIKE THAT YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET IT NOW.

>> WE'RE NOT, BUT IT CONTINUES TO BE.

>> YEAH, THAT'S WHY I WAS THINKING TO MELINDA.

IT JUST LIKE IF MAYBE THAT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE GOAL BECAUSE THAT SEEMED PRETTY GOOD TO ME.

I WAS THINKING WELL, EVEN IF YOU MANAGE TO REDIRECT.

>> THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PARAGRAPH FOR A P-VALUE.

>> YES, IT WOULD BE.

>> IT WAS TO GROW SINCE LAST YEAR BECAUSE LAST YEAR WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE CLASS LITERALLY IT WAS NOT THAT WAY, SO WE MADE IN AN TENSE EFFORT.

>> CAN I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION, IS THAT AN ARTIFICIALLY IMPOSED STANDARD? I MEAN I KNOW THAT SOUNDS REALLY WEIRD BUT I THINK ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS THAT MY SON HAD, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN HE WAS IN COLLEGE AND THEY WERE MOSTLY MIDDLE EASTERN OR ASIAN OR WHATEVER BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING INTO ENGINEERING.

THAT TENDS TO BE THE TRUTH AND HE LEARNED JUST FINE FROM THOSE PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T.

THEY WEREN'T LIKE HIM IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY OR WHATEVER.

THEY HAVE THE CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, THEY WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND I DIDN'T SEE THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES REALLY ENTERING INTO IT BECAUSE THE SUBJECT MATTER WAS SUCH THAT I DON'T THINK THAT IT REALLY PLAYED A HUGE ROLE.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF EVIDENCE THOUGH THAT WHEN A YOUNG PERSON SEES SOMEBODY LIKE THEM THEY DO BETTER.

YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES HAVING AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE TEACHER IS A HUGE INFLUENCE ON THEM, AND IF WE LOOK AT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR TEACHERS AND I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE HAVE LIKE 90% WHITE.

DON'T WE, ISN'T IT 90%?

>> I BELIEVE THAT, I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WELL, MY SONS, MY BROTHER, ANYBODY WHO WENT THROUGH AN ENGINEERING PROGRAM IS A FACT THAT MOST OF THE INSTRUCTORS ARE GOING TO BE FROM OTHER BACKGROUNDS.

IN FACT, EVEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD SOMETIMES, JUST HAVING AN ACCENT OR [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING].

>> ISN'T THAT A COLLEGE LEVEL? THEY ARE VERY DIVERSE AT COLLEGE LEVELS.

BUT DOES THE RESTAURANT AS WELL? I THINK GABBY WAS.

>> I'M SORRY. BUT DOES THAT REALLY CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFETIME,

[02:40:02]

I'M WONDERING, IS THERE THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING THE EMPHASIS IN THE WRONG PLACE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

BUT, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION COMPARING, WHICH DO YOU VALUE MORE?

>> THAT RESEARCH IS BASED ON THE STUDENT'S CAREER, NOT EVERY YEAR, FOR MOST OF OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR, THEY NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT DURING THEIR ACADEMIC CAREER.

WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WAS LIKE YOUR SON, HE PROBABLY HAD MOSTLY PEOPLE WHO LOOKED LIKE HIM MOST OF THE TIME THROUGH HIS ACADEMIC CAREER.

THEN HE GOT TO A PARTICULAR POINT WHERE HE HAD A DIVERSE TEACHER.

>> YEAH. MIGHT I SAY, MY OLDEST SON REALLY DID NOT FUNCTION WELL IN SCHOOL WHERE MOST OF THE INSTRUCTORS LOOKED LIKE HIM.

[APPLAUSE] IN FACT, HE BLOSSOMED ONCE HE GOT TO COLLEGE AND WAS WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T LOOK LIKE HIM.

I THINK THIS IS WHERE I'M COMING FROM.

WELL, THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE I DO WONDER ABOUT THAT.

IF YOU'VE GOT SOME READING MATERIAL THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH ME THAT PROVES OTHERWISE, BUT BUT MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER.

IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS AS AN INDIVIDUAL, HOW WELL THEY RELATED.

SAME THING, WITH TEACHERS THAT WERE LABELED BAD TEACHERS.

HE HAD A COUPLE OF TEACHERS THAT NOBODY WANTED THAT THEY WERE TOLD TO AVOID.

HE GOT PUT IN THEIR CLASSROOM ANYWAY AGAINST MY DESIRE AND IT TURNED OUT THAT HE CLICKED WITH THAT TEACHER AND EVERYTHING WENT REALLY WELL.

IN THE END, IT WAS A FORTUNATE MISTAKE THAT HE GOT MATCHED UP WITH SOMEBODY THAT NOBODY THOUGHT WOULD BE A GOOD MATCH.

>> I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT GABBY HAS TO SAY ON THIS BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN IN ROOMS WITH ME WHERE WE'VE TALKED TO STUDENTS.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT PART OF THE HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS COLLEGE THING WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A COLLEGE LEVEL.

THERE ARE A LOT OF MORE DIVERSE INSTRUCTORS, ESPECIALLY DEPENDING ON WHAT FIELD YOU GO INTO AND HOW DOES IT REALLY MATTER IF SOMEBODY KNOWS THE CONTENT BETTER, VERSUS WHETHER DIVERSITY IS MORE IMPORTANT? IT'S LESS OF A MATTER OF WEIGHING DIVERSITY OVER THE CONTENT.

BUT WHEN POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL, IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE PRETTY EQUALLY QUALIFIED OR YOU'RE LOOKING AT THEM FOR CERTAIN JOB POSITIONS, IS THE THING WHERE THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AT THESE DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS OR DIFFERENT TO SOMEBODY WHO'S STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL IS STILL, HOW'S DEVELOPING BRAIN IS STILL LEARNING THESE SOCIAL SYSTEMS IS STILL GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEIR LATER LIFE.

NO, I'M NOT SAYING COLLEGE DOESN'T BUT A LOT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE A FULLY DEVELOPED PREFRONTAL CORTEX AND SOCIAL SKILLS AND A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES.

IT'S BEEN RESEARCHED THAT, LIKE MELINDA SAID, HAVING SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU OR HAS A SIMILAR BACKGROUND CULTURALLY OR SOCIALLY TO YOU CAN HAVE IMMENSE POSITIVE IMPACTS ON YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND ON YOUR FUTURE CAREER PROSPECTS.

I HAVE EVIDENCE TO BACK THIS UP LIKE AN ANECDOTE BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE IN THE STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, THERE WAS A SOPHOMORE GIRL WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW SHE REALLY MISSED THE DEDICATED LEMMY EAGLE TIME BECAUSE THEY HAD THAT CONNECTION, AND I KNOW MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO DID BETTER IN CLASSES BECAUSE THEY HAD THAT CONNECTION AND THEY HAD THAT WORKSPACE OF SUPPORT.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, WE VALUE DIVERSITY OVER CONTINENTS IF WE HAVE TEACHERS WHO KNOW THIS CONTENT AND JUST SO HAPPEN TO REPRESENT UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS THAT ARE IN SCHOOL.

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE LEMMY EAGLE TIME HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR CERTAIN GRADES BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO SUPPORT THAT, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF LEMMY KIDS IN OUR DISTRICT WHO DESERVE AND NEED THAT SUPPORT.

ALSO, WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT HOW HE WAS PUT IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SUDDENLY HE WASN'T WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE LIKE HIM AND HE THRIVED.

I'M WHITE. THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS IN OUR DISTRICT WHO ARE WHITE, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS NOW ARE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS WHO DON'T BELONG TO DIFFERENT MARGINALIZED GROUPS.

I THINK THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING SOMEONE WITH A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND THAN YOU DO BEING YOUR EDUCATOR, BEING IN A POSITION OF POWER SHOWCASING THEIR DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT IN THE WAY THAT THEY TEACH OR THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES IS EXPOSING YOU TO DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS AND EXPERIENCES, WHICH CAN IN TURN TEACH YOU HOW TO SORT OUT LIKE WHAT FACTS FIND YOUR OWN SOURCES.

IT CAN OPEN YOUR MIND TO DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS AND MAKE YOU MORE ACCEPTING OF

[02:45:02]

THEN, LIKE YOU SAID, CERTAIN TEACHER'S GOING TO CLICK WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE.

IF YOUR TEACHERS ARE ALL THE SAME, THERE'S LESS OF A CHANCE THAT YOUR STUDENTS WILL HAVE A CONNECTION WITH SOMEONE.

IF THAT STUDENT DOESN'T CONNECT WITH A CERTAIN TEACHER, THEN YOU'D THINK YOU WANT MORE TEACHERS. ANYWAY.

>> YEAH. I'M JUST TRYING TO DECIDE HOW MUCH OF A HUMAN BEING, CULTURE, AND BACKGROUND MAKEUP VERSUS THAT INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONNEL.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. THAT INNATE PERSON BECAUSE WITH.

>> IT'S LIKE IT'S THE GOAL IN THE LONG TERM.

BUT I KNOW THERE WAS SOMETHING MY FIRST YEAR ON THE BOARD, I WAS TALKING WITH A FORMER SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT THE STUDENT TEACHERS THAT WERE COMING FROM WESTERN TO COME AND TEACH WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NUMBERS SPECIFICALLY OFF THAT.

ALL OF THEM WERE WHITE WOMEN.

WHAT'S COMING OUT OF EDUCATION COLLEGES OF THE TEACHERS, YOU CAN'T SAY TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FULLY DIVERSE MATCH EXACTLY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE GOING THROUGH COLLEGE, IT'S NOT THERE AND EVERYBODY, WELL, NOT EVERYBODY, BUT MANY DISTRICTS WANT TO HAVE THAT DIVERSE SO THEY ARE IN DEMAND.

IT'S SOMETHING TO WORK TOWARD BUT NOT LIKE DICTATING HAS TO HAPPEN TOMORROW.

BUT JUST THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS FOR WHETHER A TEACHER OR A KID HAS A TEACHER THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM OR IT LOOKS DIFFERENT.

THERE ARE BENEFITS BOTH WAYS, LIKE GABBY SAID.

>> SELINA HAS SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT.

>> PEGGY, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SUCCESS OF YOUR CHILD WITH SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEM DOESN'T MAKE THE ASK OF OUR STUDENTS UNTRUE JUST AS MUCH AS THEIR NEEDS DO NOT MAKE THE SUCCESS OF YOURS ISN'T TRUE.

I DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU AND I WOULD INVITE YOU TO COFFEE ANYTIME TO TALK ABOUT OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND DIFFERENCES.

>> YOU ARE FORTUNATE YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE ME

>> I GUESS I JUST SEE IT AS I JUST WONDER HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS IN THE OVERALL SCHEME OF THINGS.

I GUESS THAT IS MY THING. IT'S JUST HOW IMPORTANT [OVERLAPPING].

>> I SAID I WOULD INVITE YOU TO FOR CONVERSATION, BUT I HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT LIVED EXPERIENCE THAN WHAT OUR STUDENTS DID.

I COME FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH A 98% LATINO POPULATION AND SO IS EXTREMELY DIFFERENT.

I DID HAVE A DIFFERENT AND I SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GROWING UP WITH TODAY AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTED.

>> MY QUESTION IS HOW MUCH OF AN EMPHASIS DO YOU PLACE ON THAT OVER OTHER THINGS? THAT'S ALL. WHERE DOES IT FALL IN THE HIERARCHY?

>> IT ALSO DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EITHER OR.

SOMEONE OF COLOR DOES NOT MEAN THEY'RE UNQUALIFIED OR [OVERLAPPING] DISLIKE IT.

>> BUT I'M JUST SAYING IF IT'S ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, DOES THAT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THAT YOU GO WITH A PERSON OF COLOR? IF IT DOES, DOES THAT IN SOME WAYS DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM APPLYING IF THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE NOT? THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION [OVERLAPPING].

>> I CAN SAY SHARE WE HAD MORE APPLICATIONS.

JOHN, YOU SAID IT WAS TREMENDOUSLY HIGHER FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TRYING TO COME WORK IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THEN THE FACT THAT WE ARE APPROACHING THE JOBS DIFFERENTLY, INSTEAD OF ASKING PEOPLE TO COME TO US, WE'RE GOING TO THE PEOPLE.

WE DID RECRUITMENT DIFFERENTLY.

WE CHANGED HOW WE PROCESSED AND RECRUITED AND NOT ASKING PEOPLE TO CHANGE FOR US.

I EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET REALLY HIGH-QUALITY PEOPLE APPLYING FOR ALL OUR JOBS.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, NOT TO BE DIVISIVE OR ANYTHING, BUT WITH A COUPLE OF THOSE COMMENTS, IT DID SOUND A LITTLE BIT LIKE YOU ARE IMPLYING PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE LESS LIKELY TO FULLY COMPREHEND THE CONTENT.

I CAN'T SAY THAT I AGREE WITH THAT.

BUT, ALSO A MATTER OF IT IS IT'S NOT JUST THEIR APPEARANCE.

I KNOW WE'VE BEEN PLACING A LAW ON SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU, BUT A BIG PART OF IT IS ALSO SIMILAR LIVED EXPERIENCE.

I'VE HAD A TEACHER WHO DID NOT LOOK LIKE ME, WHO HAS HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCE THAN I HAD.

YET, THE WAY OUR BRAINS WORK WAS THE SAME AND I IMMEDIATELY FELT THAT SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT HE SHARED ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE ACADEMICALLY WITH WHAT WORKS LIKE STUDYING WISE AND CERTAIN CONTENT AND WHERE HE FOUND THE AREAS OF FAILURE THAT HE WANTS PEOPLE TO BE PREPARED FOR, AND HIS TEACHING STYLE AUTOMATICALLY WORKED.

THE PART OF THE THING WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS HOW DO WE WEIGH IT? IT'S YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WHO AT THAT TIME IS THE BEST MATCH FOR YOUR STUDENTS WHO NEED THE MOST HELP.

IT'S THE THING WHERE RIGHT NOW.

[02:50:02]

BUT LATER ON, THERE MIGHT BE LESS FOCUS ON TAKING SOMEBODY FROM A CERTAIN GROUP AND IT WOULD BE DOWN TO SOME OTHER FACTOR.

IT'S A NEED BY NEW BASIS, WHICH IS WHAT A LOT OF COLLEGES DO WITH APPLICATIONS WHERE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN YOU'RE AN UNDERQUALIFIED CANDIDATE; IT JUST MEANS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE FOR THAT SPECIFIC GROUP AT THAT TIME.

>> WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO JUST FOR TIME.

I'M GETTING US BACK TO THE REPORT, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE THE TEAM WITH SOME READING TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION AND LOOK AT IT.

IT'S A GOOD ONE TO HAVE AND CALIBRATE SO EVERYONE HAS THE SAME INFORMATION.

>> SOUNDS GOOD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY TO THE REPORT AND, OR IS THERE A MOTION ON HOW TO HANDLE THE REPORT?

>> YOU NEED TO, ARE YOU ASKING FOR A MOTION?

>> I AM ASKING FOR A MOTION.

>> BEFORE I DO THAT, I DID WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CONSULTANT THAT WAS HIRED FOR THE HR ASSESSMENT.

I SEE THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH ALL THE TECHNICAL REVIEWS OF THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND I JUST WANTED TO SEE HOW THAT'S GOING [OVERLAPPING].

>> THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. LAST SPRING.

MARK WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THAT CONSULTANT.

WE DID A FULL REVIEW.

MARK WAS THE POINT PERSON AND THEN SHE WENT THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PIECES AND THEN WE MADE A CHANGE.

WE HAVE KARA SILSBEE ON BOARD.

SHE'S NOW GOING THROUGH WITH A SIMILAR LENS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR POLICIES, WE'RE LOOKING AT SALARY SCHEDULES, ALL THIS STUFF.

>> DOES SHE HAVE LIKE A SCHEDULE LAID OUT LIKE WE DO WITH OUR POLICIES?

>> KARA? MARK, DOES SHE HAVE A SCHEDULE?

>> I'D SAY IT'S MORE OF A PLAN THAN A SCHEDULE.

SHE'S WORKING THROUGH THE PLAN.

SHE'S WORKING ON REORGANIZING THE WORKLOAD AND BUILDING A LOT OF GROUNDWORK RIGHT NOW.

PLANNING ON AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR MAKING SOME CHANGES.

>>NO, IF JOB DESCRIPTIONS AREN'T UPDATED, ROUTINELY THEY CAN GET SEVERELY OUT.

>> THAT IS ONE CASE.

THEN JUST ALSO THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS.

WE'RE RE-EVALUATING THAT SO IT'S ACCESSIBLE AND IT COMES WITH ACCOMMODATIONS.

MIGHT BE A REAL MINOR THING BUT WHEN A CANDIDATE NOW COMES TO APPLY FOR A JOB AND HAVE AN INTERVIEW.

THEY CAN SHOW UP 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE JOB AND THEY GET A COPY OF THE APPLICATION TO BE ABLE TO READ THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME.

IT'S NOT A MATTER OF WHO CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN THE MOMENT THE FASTEST BUT GIVING OUR CANDIDATES TIME TO THINK ABOUT THEIR ANSWERS WRITE DOWN ON NOTES AND TAKE THOSE NOTES IN WITH THEM.

IT'S THOSE TYPES OF PIECES TOO AS ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS.

>> SO MOVED, TO APPROVE THE REPORT.

>> SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS POLICY FOR OE-4 PERSONAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT AS PRESENTED, MADE PART OF THE MINUTES.

ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO STATE WITH THAT THOUGH, IS WHETHER WE'RE ACCEPTING IT AS COMPLIANT OR COMPLIANT WITH, AND JUDGING BY THE NUMBERS ON THE SURVEY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE COMPLIANT BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH MOST OF THEM WERE 100% IN THE COMPLIANT.

IF THAT'S ALRIGHT WITH YOU I'LL JUST MODIFY IT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED THAT WE GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS POLICY FOR OE-4 PERSONAL ADMINISTRATION AS COMPLIANT AND MAKE IT PART OF THE MINUTES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> ALL OPPOSED? THANK YOU.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM 6.01,

[6. FOCUS ON STUDENTS]

>> I'M GOING TO ASK BOBBY AND JOHN TO COME TO THE TABLE JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT THEY CAN BE HERE TO ANSWER.

[02:55:38]

>> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP?

>> I HAD A QUESTION AND I THINK PEGGY HAD BROUGHT IT UP IN ONE OF HER COMMENTS WHEN SHE FILLED OUT THE GOOGLE FORM, IF SOME OF THE POPULATIONS ARE SMALL ENOUGH THAT IT'S LIKE IS THIS A REAL DIFFERENCE? IS THIS A REAL RESULT? DO YOU KNOW IN THE DASHBOARD, CAN WE HAVE P-VALUES SO WE KNOW HOW RELIABLE THE DATA IS?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN ADD THAT INTO THE DASHBOARD OR NOT, BUT I CAN MEET WITH THEM AND SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN ADD.

>> USUALLY IF IT CAN GIVE YOU A REGRESSION LINE OR IF IT GIVES YOU AN AVERAGE AND STUFF, USUALLY A P-VALUE IS JUST TO CHECK A BOX AND IT'LL DO IT FOR YOU.

I'M NOT ASKING ANYBODY TO CALCULATE THEM BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

I COULDN'T CALCULATE ONE MYSELF, BUT I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.

>> A GENERALIZED COMMENT.

I WISH I COULD SAY THAT I WAS AS IMPRESSED WITH THE DATA AS I WAS THE, THE PRESENTATION OF THE DATA.

THE PRESENTATION OF THE DATA WAS EXCELLENT AND I THINK IT GIVES US A GOOD BASELINE FOR HOPEFULLY SEEING SOME SIGNIFICANT UPWARD TRENDS.

>> THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS THROUGHOUT AS FAR AS NATIVE AMERICAN AND HOW RESULTS HAVE FALLEN.

BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT WITH HISPANIC AND LATINX, THEIR RESULTS HAVE ALSO FALLEN.

>> IT WILL BE INTERESTING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GOT THE DATA YET, THE GRADUATION RATES FROM LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY, WE WILL SEE SOME INCREASES.

WHILE SOME DATA RESULTS WENT DOWN, GRADUATION RATES FOR SOME SUB-POPULATIONS WENT UP. MORE TO COME ON THAT.

>> WHEN I BROUGHT UP FOR NATIVE AMERICAN HAD FALLEN AND HISPANIC HAD FALLEN.

EVERYBODY HAD FALLEN.

IT WAS AN EVERYBODY TYPE OF THING AS FAR AS LOOKING AT THAT GAP AND THE AMOUNT THE GROUPS HAD FALLEN.

>> BUT MELINDA, LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, IF YOU HAVE A MUCH SMALLER GROUP THAN ONE INDIVIDUAL WILL HAVE AN ALLEGED LARGER IMPACT IF YOU CAN PULL THAT INFORMATION APART AND LOOK AT IT, THEN, YOU KNOW.

>> WHEREAS IF WE'RE LOOKING AT BLACK STUDENTS, THAT WAS WHERE YOU HAD ASKED THE QUESTION.

IT WAS LIKE, WE HAVE A VERY SMALL BLACK STUDENT POPULATION.

>> ONE EXTRAORDINARY ACADEMIC LIKE KWABENA PROBABLY REALLY LIFTS THE AVERAGES AND VICE VERSA.

IF YOU GET SOMEBODY WHO NEVER SHOWS UP TO SCHOOL, WITH SMALL POPULATIONS, IT HAS AN OUTSIZED IMPACT.

>> THERE WERE SOME THINGS WHERE WITH BLACK STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR, THAT IT WAS SUPPRESSED BECAUSE IT WAS PROBABLY A P-VALUE THAT WAS MADE IT, IT'S NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.

BUT YOUR OTHER POPULATIONS ARE BIG ENOUGH WHERE YOU CAN SHOW ALL OF THEM.

>> THIS MIGHT BE A WEIRD QUESTION, BUT IF YOU ONLY HAVE LIKE 50% OF STUDENTS MEETING STANDARD, HOW CAN 80 SOME PERCENT GRADUATE?

>> BECAUSE THE GRADUATION ISN'T BASED ON THEIR STATE TEST RESULTS AND I THINK THAT'S ONE PIECE THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT

[03:00:02]

I SPEAK OF THAT FROM A VERY PERSONAL STANDPOINT.

MY OWN STATE TEST RESULTS WERE SO LOW, I GOT DENIED TO EVERY COLLEGE I APPLIED TO.

WESTERN FINALLY LET ME IN AND THEN WOULDN'T LET ME IN THERE ED PROGRAM UNTIL I TURNED 21.

I THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THESE ARE A MOMENT OF TIME FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WHEREAS THEIR GRADES AND THEIR FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS AND THE ONGOING GRADES THAT THEY GET IN CLASSES TELL MORE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE STORY OF WHO OUR STUDENTS TRULY ARE.

>> I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TO SOMEHOW GET OUT BECAUSE PEOPLE GO TO THE STATE WEBSITE AND OSPI WEBSITE AND LOOK AND GO, THESE NUMBERS ARE HORRIBLE AND THEY ARE HORRIBLE IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THEM BUT HOW DO WE GET THAT MESSAGE OUT THAT THERE'S MORE TO IT? OR HOW DO WE CORRELATE THAT TOGETHER? BECAUSE IT DOES CREATE THE QUESTION I THINK THAT COMES UP OF, WELL, IF ONLY 50% ARE MEETING STANDARD, HOW CAN WE KEEP GRADUATING THEM?

>> YEAH, THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS I GET ASKED.

>> WE WANT OUR RESULTS TO GO UP.

WE ALSO WANT ATTENDANCE TO GO UP.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO SEE ACCESS TO MORE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ENROLLMENT TO GO UP.

I WANT TO SEE HOW ARE STUDENTS DOING WHEN THEY'RE 25.

I'VE TOLD THAT STORY TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

I GREW UP IN A COMMUNITY WHERE BY DEFINITION, POROUS COMMUNITY IN WASHINGTON STATE STILL TO THIS DAY STATE TEST RESULTS ARE SOME OF THE LOWEST IN THE STATE AND THERE ARE 10 SITTING SUPERINTENDENTS FROM THAT HIGH SCHOOL.

I JUST THINK THAT HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS IS BIGGER THAN THIS ONE SNAPSHOT OF A STUDENT.

I LISTENED TO GABBY ANSWER A QUESTION A MOMENT AGO.

I HAVE NO DOUBT SHE IS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND NOTHING SHE SCORES ON A STATE TEST RESULT, EVEN THOUGH I'M SURE YOU'LL DO FINE, IS GOING TO TELL ME OTHERWISE.

I THINK OF A STUDENT I MET LAST YEAR, INCREDIBLY GIFTED WELDER, INCREDIBLY.

I KNOW WHERE HE'S AT ON HIS STATE TEST.

IT WAS VERY LOW.

I THINK ALSO THESE RESULTS DON'T ALWAYS MEASURE EVERY PART OF WHERE STUDENTS CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND SO WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, DO WE ONLY WANT READERS, WRITERS AND MATHEMATICIANS, OR DO WE WANT THE COMPREHENSIVE PIECE? I OWN THIS DATA.

I THINK THIS IS GOOD. I THINK IT'S GOOD BASELINE DATA.

I WANT TO SEE OUR STUDENTS DOING BETTER, SO DON'T HEAR ME ON THAT BUT I ALSO THINK THERE'S JUST SO MUCH MORE TO OUR KIDS THAN THESE NUMBERS.

>> I AGREE WITH KEVIN. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO WORDS AND PUT SOMEWHERE WHEN IT COMES TO THE GRADUATION STATISTICS BECAUSE IT'S LIKE ARE THEY JUST SHOVING KIDS THROUGH AND THAT IS THE COMMON PERCEPTION AND THAT IS A COMMON PERCEPTION.

>> I WOULD INVITE ANYBODY TO COME SPEND ANY AMOUNT OF TIME IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND VISIT OUR CLASSROOMS AND THEY WILL SEE EVERY SINGLE DAY IT'S AMAZING WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ACCOMPLISHING.

PERSONALLY DID NOT READ UNTIL MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I STILL STRUGGLE WITH READING.

THAT IS JUST NOT MY THING, BUT NOW I HAVE ACCESS TO ACCOMMODATIONS, MY OWN THREE CHILDREN, SAME THING, BUT THAT DOESN'T DEFINE ME AS A HUMAN.

I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER EVERY STUDENT IS MORE THAN A NUMBER.

>> YEAH. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY IN AGREEMENT WITH WHAT KRISTI WAS SAYING.

THERE'S A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO IN ADDITION TO HAVING A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER TALENTS THAT COULD BE APPLICABLE IN A REAL-WORLD AND AREN'T NECESSARILY APPLICABLE TO STATE TESTS.

THERE ARE ALSO STUDENTS WHO DON'T TEST WELL, ESPECIALLY ON LIKE COMPUTERS, SITTING THERE STARING FOR HOURS.

I REMEMBER IN KINDERGARTEN, I WAS THE LAST ONE TO FINISH MY MAPS TEST.

THE DEAD LAST KID IN THAT LIBRARY AND IT WENT DARK ALMOST, THE LIGHTS WERE GOING DOWN.

>> I'M SORRY THAT WE GAVE YOU THE MAPS TEST AS A KINDERGARTENER.

>> I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I'M A HORRIBLE USE OF YOUR TIME.

>> IT'S ALSO LIKE THERE'S SO MANY KIDS I KNOW WHO WILL TALK ABOUT GETTING REALLY HORRIBLE TEST ANXIETY AND THEN THEY PERFORM SO WELL IN CLASS.

I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE CAPABLE OF THINKING AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL.

THEN WHEN IT COMES TO STARING AT A SCREEN WITH A CERTAIN NUMBER OF OPTIONS, THAT KIND OF THING WHERE YOU DON'T GET PARTIAL CREDIT POINTS.

THAT'S PART OF THE THING THAT ORIGINALLY SCARED ME ABOUT TAKING AP CLASSES, AP TESTS WAS WHEN YOU'RE IN CLASS, ESPECIALLY FOR MATH CLASSES.

THERE ARE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO WILL GIVE YOU PARTIAL POINTS IF YOU LIKE, HAD THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE BEHIND KNOWING HOW TO SET UP THE EQUATION CORRECTLY BUT IF YOU FORGOT TO ADD A NEGATIVE SOMEWHERE AND CAME OUT WITH THE WRONG ANSWER, YOU'D STILL GET MOST OF YOUR POINTS BECAUSE THEY COULD TELL YOU UNDERSTOOD THE CONCEPT AND IT WAS AN ARITHMETIC ERROR.

THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ON STATE TESTING.

THERE'S NO ACCOUNTING FOR A CIRCUMSTANCE.

[03:05:02]

WHAT IF SOMEBODY'S FAMILY MEMBER WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND THEY GOT LIKE 3 HOURS OF SLEEP THAT NIGHT.

IT'S THE KIND OF THING WHERE IT'S JUST A LITTLE SAMPLING AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE SO GIFTED IN SO MANY OTHER WAYS THAT AREN'T ACCESSED BY STATE TESTING.

I KNOW A SIXTH GRADER AND SHE IS ONE OF THE KINDEST, MOST INTELLIGENT, MOST OF A VICIOUS PEOPLE I KNOW.

SHE'S A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE AND I'M SO PROUD OF HER AND SHE'S DOING SO WELL BUT SHE STRUGGLED TO READ SO HARD WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG.

IT'S NEVER BEEN SOMETHING SHE LOVED AND WE RECENTLY FOUND OUT OR AT LEAST I RECENTLY HEARD THAT SHE HAS DYSLEXIA.

THERE'S REASONS FOR WHY PEOPLE CAN'T GET OVER SOME OF THESE BARRIERS AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY'RE NOT SMART OR THAT THEY'RE NOT APPLYING THEMSELVES.

THIS IS USEFUL KNOWLEDGE, BUT IT'S ALSO LIKE KRISTI SAID, NOT ALL OF THE KNOWLEDGE.

>> WE WANT TO SEE THOSE RESULTS GO UP AND PEGGY, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT IT'S GOOD BASELINE BECAUSE WE'VE IMPLEMENTED AND IT TALKS ABOUT THIS IN THE REPORT.

WE'VE IMPLEMENTED NEW CURRICULUM.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON TIER ONE INSTRUCTION.

WE'RE PROVIDING THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS AND LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS SO I EXPECT ATTENDANCE.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON GETTING ATTENDANCE UP BECAUSE CHILDREN CAN'T LEARN IF THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT, WE WANT THIS TO RISE AND GRADUATION RATES.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT THEN BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED SCORING STATE TESTS, NOT WASHINGTON STATE BECAUSE THEY PUT YOU BUT I'VE SEEN OTHER TESTS.

WHERE THEY ACTUALLY DO HAVE AN EXTENDED RESPONSE COMPONENT TO THE MATH ITEMS AND YOU DO SCORE BASED ON A RUBRIC THAT SOMEBODY DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT SMARTER BALANCED WASN'T A SIMILAR TEST, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THAT ELEMENT TO IT, BUT IT DOESN'T.

IT'S ALL MULTIPLE CHOICE AND THERE'S NO [OVERLAPPING].

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SMARTER BALANCED TEST THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S SO MUCH OF THE TEST THAT'S MULTIPLE CHOICE.

OUT OF THE TESTS THAT I REMEMBER TAKING WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, LIKE THE MAPS TESTS, STATE TESTS WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO ONTO THE STAPLER BROWSER THING.

I DON'T REMEMBER ALMOST ANY OF THE NAMES.

ALMOST ALL OF THEM IF NOT ALL OF THEM ARE MULTIPLE CHOICE UNLESS YOU'RE ACTIVELY TAKING AN ENGLISH TEST AND IT'S THE KIND OF THING WHERE A LOT OF THE TIMES, THE LONGEST ONES ARE A LOT MORE COMPLEX, OR THIS IS WHAT I'VE COME ACROSS MOST OFTEN THE LIKE PERSONAL RESPONSE ONES WHERE YOU GOT TO PUT YOUR ANSWER IN TEXT BOX.

IT'S THE SAME THING AS MULTIPLE CHOICE, BUT YOU DON'T GET THE OPTION OF KNOWING IF YOUR ANSWER IS ONE OF THE ANSWERS.

IT'S NOT LIKE, HERE ARE MY STEPS.

IT'S PUT IN YOUR ANSWER AS A VALUE AND THEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE.

>> THE SMARTER BALANCED, SO THAT'S HOW A VARIETY OF RESPONSE TYPES IN IT.

>> BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT HOW THE GRADUATION RATES TAKEN A LOT OF FACTORS.

IT'S MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT A STUDENT.

PART OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THEY HAVE TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND PLAN AND THAT'S BY STATE LAW SO EVERY STUDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL IS CREATING THAT PLAN.

STARTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IT CAN BE ADJUSTED OVER TIME, BUT THEY REALLY GET TO TARGET IN ON A CAREER PATH.

THERE'S JUST A LOT MORE TO IT.

>> IF A PARENT FEELS THAT THEIR KID SHOULDN'T BE MOVED FORWARD TO THE NEXT GRADE, SHOULD BE HELD BACK OR WHATEVER, HOW DO YOU?

>> YOU BEGIN WORKING.

THAT'S CASE-BY-CASE.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT'S BETWEEN THE FAMILY AND THE SCHOOL.

>> OTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THEN THANK YOU, JOHN.

THANK YOU JOHN, THANK YOU BOBBY. THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IN REGARDS TO HANDLING THIS REPORT.

>> I THINK ONE POINT AND I AGREED WITH THE EVALUATION OF THE REPORT.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO DO WELL AND I FEEL LIKE WE ARE DOING BETTER.

ONE PIECE THAT KELLY OR TRINA OR JOHN MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD.

ONE PIECE AND I'M GOING TO SEND THIS TO ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE OR THE OSPI WEBSITE IS GO IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE GROWTH DATA.

BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES WE MISS THAT.

A STUDENT MAY NOT BE PASSING OR HITTING THE MARK WE WANT

[03:10:04]

IF A STUDENT STARTS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER, BUT THEY'RE MAKING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF GROWTH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY ARE HITTING THE RIGHT MARK, THE PROFICIENT MARK, BUT IT'S SHOWING THAT THEY CAN AND THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

I ACTUALLY WORRY LESS ABOUT A STUDENT WHO'S MAKING A LOT OF GROWTH IN A YEAR THAN A STUDENT WHO MAY BE PASSING, BUT IT'S MAKING VERY LIMITED GROWTH.

I THINK WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL, SO THAT WE'RE PUSHING AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE MAKING THE GAINS THAT WE WOULD HOPE.

ALL STUDENTS SHOULD BE GROWING AND I THINK SOMETIMES AS ORGANIZATIONS, WE GET STUCK WITH ALL THESE STUDENTS ARE PASSING.

WE CAN SLIDE ON THAT. WE DON'T WANT TO SLIDE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL STUDENTS ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD AND EXCEED.

>> A QUICK SEARCH FOR GROWTH IN THAT REPORT DOESN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING.

SHOULD WE HAVE TABLES? CAN WE HAVE TABLES SHOWING GROWTH OF STUDENTS?

>> YEAH, I'M GOING TO SEND YOU SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION JUST SO AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OSPI WEBSITE, YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK AT THOSE METRICS.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, DON'T THEY HAVE THAT ALREADY ON THE OSPI [OVERLAPPING].

>> I WAS JUST SAYING FOR FUTURE REPORTS, IS THAT AN INDICATOR THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE IN THIS REPORT THAT NOT ONLY DO WE SHOW WHAT THE STATE TESTS ARE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SMALL PORTION ON WHAT THE GROWTH HAS BEEN.

IT'S ALREADY 40 PAGES. WHY NOT GO FOR 50?

>> THE CHAIR IS BACK TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT WITH THE CLICKABLE MEASURING POINTS.

>> IN THIS CASE, AGAIN, MY RECOMMENDATION BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE PARAMETERS IN THE GOOGLE SEARCH WOULD BE THAT IT DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE REASONABLE PROGRESS.

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT AND WITH THE GOOGLE FORM, ALSO LOOKED LIKE PEOPLE WERE SAYING NOT MEETING REASONABLE PROGRESS.

>> WHAT YOU SAID.

>> IT'S BEEN MOVED THAT WE ADOPT THE MONITORING REPORT FOR RESULTS POLICY TO 2.1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, 2.2 MATHEMATICS, 2.3, SCIENCE, AND 2.5, SOCIAL STUDIES, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AS NOT MAKING REASONABLE PROGRESS AND MAKE IT PART OF THE MINUTES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE.

>> ALL OPPOSED? SORRY, I CUT YOU OFF.

I WAS JUST TOO QUICK. MY APOLOGIES

>> THERE IS ALSO THE PART IN THAT REPORT OF TAKING SOCIAL STUDIES OUT AND PUTTING IT WITH ELECTIVES SINCE IT'S NOT TESTED IN THE SAME WAY AS, ALL THAT SHOULD GIVE A THUMBS UP OR CONSENSUS OR THUMBS DOWN OR WHATEVER.

>> THAT WILL ACTUALLY COME WHEN WE COME BACK TO IT LAST TIME.

MY APOLOGY, GABBY, I HAVE FORGOTTEN STUDENT VOTES.

I WILL GET MYSELF BETTER.

>> IT'S OKAY. I ALMOST ASKED FOR ONE ON THE LAST ONE.

>> YOU SHOULD HAVE.

>> BUT THEN I JUST WAS LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING IN MY FAVORITE ANYWAY.

>> [BACKGROUND]

>> I NEED YOU CLOSER TO ME SO YOU CAN KICK ME UNDER THE TABLE AND MAYBE WE'LL HAVE TO PLACE [OVERLAPPING]

>> I'LL REMEMBER NEXT TIME.

I WAS JUST LIKE, DO I ASK, DO I NOT?

>> NO YOU SHOULD ASK.

IT'S JUST OLD HABITS AND GETTING USED TO THE NEW ONES.

I DID GOOD LAST MONTH, THIS MONTH, I'M NOT DOING SO WELL.

>> I GET IT.

>> MY APOLOGIES. THAT BRINGS US ON TO ITEM 7.0,

[7. POLICY UPDATES]

I WROTE THIS BEFORE KRISTI DID HER SHARING AND SO MY APOLOGIES IF I REITERATE SOME OF THE STUFF THAT SHE SAYS.

BUT TONIGHT THE BOARD WILL BE RECEIVING REVISIONS TO FOUR NEW POLICIES.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT WE ALSO HAVE A POLICY REVISION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR APPROVAL.

POLICIES 1400, 3207, 4060, AND 5009 CONTAIN SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THEIR LANGUAGE THAT POTENTIALLY IMPACT THEIR EFFECT ON THE DISTRICT.

BECAUSE OF THIS, THEY ARE BEING RECEIVED TONIGHT FOR THE BOARD AND PUBLIC TO REVIEW PRIOR TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.

BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE WOULD INVITE THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THESE POLICY CHANGES AND LET US KNOW HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

THE PUBLIC IS ALSO WELCOME TO COMMENT ON

[03:15:02]

DURING NEXT MONTH'S MEETING, THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS AND ACT UPON THESE POLICIES.

POLICY 1,000 IS ALSO BEING REVISED, BUT THE ONLY REVISIONS BEING MADE TO THIS POLICY ARE UPDATING LEGAL REFERENCES WITHIN THE DOCUMENT.

BECAUSE THESE CHANGES DO NOT INFECT THE INTENT OR IMPACT OF THE POLICY THESE CHANGES ARE BEING ADDRESSED AND ADOPTED VIA THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AT THIS TIME, I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE EVELYN WHO HAS BEEN WORKING TO REVIEW OUR POLICIES AND UPDATE THOSE NEEDING UPDATING.

SHE IS DOING A GREAT JOB AND HAS PUT TOGETHER A VERY THOROUGH AND CONCISE REPORT ON THE CHANGES BEING MADE TO EACH POLICY.

THESE ARE REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE BOTH TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC VIA BOARDDOCS, SO THANK YOU, EVELYN FOR THE GREAT JOB YOU'RE DOING IN THIS REGARD AND MAKING THINGS EASIER FOR US AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THE OLD AND THE NEW AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE, EACH ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU OUT THERE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE POLICIES TO TAKE A LOOK ON BOARD DOCS AT THE REPORT THAT SHE'S PUT TOGETHER BECAUSE IT IS VERY THOROUGH AND AT THE SAME TIME VERY CONCISE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD.

>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STRIKE THROUGHS AND THE HIGHLIGHTS IN TERMS OF DRAWING YOUR ATTENTION TO RIGHT WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WADE THROUGH EVERYTHING AND WONDER WHAT CHANGED GOES, THAT'S A HUGE HELP.

>> YES. AT THIS POINT, THOSE POLICIES ARE THERE, UNLESS THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THEM.

I KNOW THAT A REQUEST WAS MADE IN REGARDS TO IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE SPECIFIC POLICIES, WHO DO WE CONTACT? I THINK CHRIS WAS GETTING TOGETHER THE RIGHT PERSON AND WE'LL GET THAT OUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.

>> MAY I ASK A QUESTION?

>> YEAH.

>> I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT I DIDN'T WADE THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND TRY AND SEE IF I THOUGHT THE WORDING WAS.

WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO HOME, READ THIS, THEN COME BACK AND HAVE A DISCUSSION NEXT TIME.

THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT.

BUT WHAT IF WHEN WE COME BACK, WE MAKE PROPOSED CHANGES, THEN THAT WOULD BUMP IT FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING, YOU'D HAVE TO ALSO HAVE PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF ANY CHANGES THAT WE MADE BEFORE WE TOOK A FINAL VOTE ON IT.

>> IF WE MAKE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES, SOME OF THEM ARE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, SO THE REQUIRED CHANGE OTHERS ARE MORE OPINION-BASED.

BUT IF WE'RE MAKING ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TILL THEN, THEN WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, MAKE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND SUBMIT FOR THE AMENDED POLICY AT THE SO NOVEMBER, SO DECEMBER'S MEETING TO REVIEW AT THAT TIME AND THEN VOTE ON, BECAUSE THAT WOULD GIVE NOT ONLY THE BOARD MEMBERS TIME TO ASSESS IT, BUT ALSO GIVE TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN AND PROVIDE COMMENTS.

IF IT'S JUST THERE'S A TYPO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THOSE CHANGES WE CAN MAKE AT THE MEETING.

>> THERE'S PROBABLY A SILLY QUESTION BECAUSE I'M GUESSING THIS PERSON IS VERY THOROUGH.

ANY PROCEDURES THAT GO ALONG WITH THESE POLICIES ARE ALL ALREADY PULLED IN AT THE SAME TIME AND EVALUATED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICY.

>> WE'RE DOING THAT AT THE SAME TIME.

WE HAVE TO GET THESE APPROVED BEFORE WE CAN GO DO THAT.

THIS IS THE WHAT, AND THEN THE WHAT WILL DIRECT THE HOW.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO THE CONSENT AGENDAS,

[8. SUPERINTENDENT CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]

AT THIS TIME, THAT ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION AND ANY QUESTIONS AND I KNOW WE DISCUSSED SOME OF IT BEFORE, SO IT MAY BE SUCH THAT THE DISCUSSION IS MORE LIMITED AT THIS POINT THAN WHAT INITIALLY HAD BEEN THOUGHT. THE FLOOR IS OPEN.

>> I JUST WANT TO ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION.

WHAT'S THE FERNDALE YOUTH COALITION?

>> FERNDALE YOUTH COALITION AS AN INFORMAL GROUP THAT STARTED MEETING LAST YEAR AFTER WE HAD SOME DRUG-RELATED DEATHS IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT INCLUDES MEMBERSHIP FROM STAFF MEMBERS,

[03:20:04]

WE STARTED MEETING LAST MARCH, I BELIEVE IT WAS.

LOOKING AT HOW DO WE PROVIDE POSITIVE, SAFE, GATHERING CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, PART OF THE MAIN PIECE.

>> THAT'S PERFECT. THANK YOU.

>> TRINA, I HAVE A QUESTION.

THERE'S THERE'S YMCA PRESENCE AND FERNDALE STILL? BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY CLOSED DOWN AND MOVED AWAY AND I THOUGHT THEY SHUT DOWN THE CENTER OVER THERE.

>> CURRENTLY, THEY'RE OFFERING AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND OUR ELEMENTARIES AS WELL.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY AT LEAST AS OF END OF LAST YEAR, THEY WERE STILL ACTIVE WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL TOO.

THEY COME IN, GIVE FLYERS AND GIVE YOU AN OPTION TO BE IN THERE FOR AFTER-SCHOOL, THEY GIVE YOU SNACKS.

THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, THESE ARE EVENTS WE HAVE COMING UP, HERE IS TIME TO STUDY OR CONNECTION IF YOU WANT IT.

I THINK THEY'RE STILL DOING A LOT OF STUFF.

>> I DON'T RECALL BEING A PRESENCE IN THE SCHOOL SO MUCH IS HAVING THE YMCA OVER THERE BEHIND [INAUDIBLE] AND THEN THEY CLOSED THAT DOWN QUITE AWHILE AGO, SO [OVERLAPPING].

>> THEY HAVE A LOT OF YOUTH PROGRAMS. I CAN SAY THAT WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE AND CALLED ON FORMER COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT I WAS USED TO WORKING WITH, THEY WERE ONE THAT SAID WE WOULD LIKE TO COME BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND SO THEY COME AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN OFFER TO PROVIDE.

YOU HEARD TONIGHT FROM MY PUBLIC COMMENTER, THE BUILDERS CLUB WAS ONE OF THE IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO PROVIDE AFTER-SCHOOL OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS.

SO HOW ARE WE PARTNERING WITH THOSE AGENCIES? THIS SUMMER I SENT YOU INFORMATION ABOUT BARBECUES THAT WERE HAPPENING DOWN AT CITY HALL.

THAT WAS PART OF AN EFFORT BY THIS COALITION.

>> I'D LIKE TO SEE THE FACT THAT THE SILOS ARE BEING BROKEN DOWN AND WE'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR OUR KIDS AS A COMMUNITY.

I APPRECIATE THIS DOCUMENT.

>>. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS? OTHERWISE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE WHATCOM COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH EXPANSION GRANT AS ATTACHED AND MADE A PART OF MINUTES.

>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE WHATCOM COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH EXPANSION GRANT. HOLD ON.

THANK YOU, THOUGH, I DID SAY TO REMIND ME.

[LAUGHTER] IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE WHATCOM COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH EXPANSION GRANT AS ATTACHED HERE TOO AND MADE PART OF THE MINUTES.

GABBY, WOULD YOU VOTE TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THIS ONE?

>> APPROVE 100%.

>> THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS GRANT SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> ALL OPPOSED.

>> NAY.

>> THE GRANT PASSES.

THAT TAKES US ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD CONSENT AGENDAS, THE CONSENT AGENDAS AS MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY IN THE PAST ARE A GROUP OF ITEMS THAT THE BOARD HAS HAD ACCESS TO PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND BEEN ABLE TO EVALUATE AND REVIEW AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY'VE HAD.

WE ARE ALSO ALLOWED TO VOTE ON THESE MATTERS AS ONE UNIT AS OPPOSED TO EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM.

THESE ARE AVAILABLE AND THE INFORMATION THAT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS AVAILABLE ON BOARD DOCS.

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH BOARD DOCS AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS INFORMATION, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ANY OF US BOARD MEMBERS OR SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU HOW TO GET THERE AND TO PERUSE THAT INFORMATION.

AT THIS TIME, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN ANY CONVERSATION OR A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THE CONSENT AGENDAS.

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BOARD CONSENT AGENDA HAS WRITTEN.

[9. BOARD CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]

>> AND THE SUPERINTENDENT ONE, OR DO YOU WANT TO DO THEM SEPARATELY?

>> NO I'LL DO THEM BOTH TOGETHER.

>> OKAY. IT HAS BEEN MOVED THAT WE APPROVE BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD CONSENT AGENDAS

[03:25:02]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

>>AYE.

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> OPPOSED.

>> OKAY. BOTH CONSENT AGENDA IS OUR PASSED.

>> APPROVED POLICY REVISIONS, SORRY, I'M LOOKING AT IS THAT THE SAME AS? SORRY.

>> WAS THERE SOMETHING OR AM I OKAY TO GO ON? NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A NEW ITEM THAT WE'VE ADDED AS

[10. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES]

I WAS GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO OUR LEGISLATIVE REP, PEGGY, JUST TO GIVE A REPORT FOR THIS EVENING.

>> I HAVEN'T GOT MUCH TO REPORT ON OTHER THAN WE MET ONLINE, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY, VIA A FORWARD FACING EDITABLE DOCUMENT, SO WE WERE EDITING IT IN REAL-TIME, AND AGREED ON A LIST OF, I BELIEVE IT WAS SEVEN, ALTHOUGH WE WERE ALLOWED [LAUGHTER] 10, AND FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE THAT WE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEAR IF WE ALL AGREED ON IT, THEN IT WENT ON THE LIST OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

JUST A SECOND, I CAN REMEMBER SOME OF THEM, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE MY LIST PULLED UP BECAUSE MY COMPUTER DIED. THANK YOU.

OBVIOUSLY THE ONE THAT WAS A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION EARLIER ON WAS THE FULLY FUNDING BASIC EDUCATION, THAT ONE, I SHOULD PUT IT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST THESE AREN'T MY PRIORITY.

SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. MOST OF THESE REFERRED TO UNFUNDED MANDATES, THE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WELL, FISCAL NOTES AND UNFUNDED MANDATES, THEY ALL PRETTY MUCH FALL ALONG THE SAME LINES AND I IMAGINE THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER BOARDS THAT PROBABLY MARKED THE SAME ONES THAT WE DID.

IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO GO TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND FIND OUT WHAT WAS THE AGREES ON AS TOP PRIORITIES FOR THIS COMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO THAT'S THE NEXT STEP AND THEN THEY WILL IDENTIFY.

THESE ARE THE TOP THREE, MELINDA?

>> I THINK USUALLY THE TOP THREE.

IT MIGHT NOT BE THE TOP TOP THREE BECAUSE IF IT'S ONE UNLIKE SAY THE UNFUNDED MANDATES, THAT'S A NO BRAINER.

THEY MIGHT NOT DO THAT ONE AS MUCH.

>> MORE FOCUSED APPROACH LIKE IF THEY THINK THE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH I SUSPECT WILL BE ONE OF THEM.

>> I THINK YOU'LL PROBABLY. ANOTHER QUESTION ON THOSE, SINCE THOSE SEVEN WERE AGREED UPON BY EVERYBODY WHO'D DONE THE FORM, I THINK WE ALL DID THE FORM.

>> STEVE MISSED OUT BECAUSE OF THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION OF GETTING IT, YOU HAD TROUBLE GETTING ACCESS TO THE FORUM TO BE ABLE TO GET IN, AND YOU HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING TO THE SURVEY ON THAT THAT WE WERE FILLING OUT ON THE LEGISLATIVE.

>> YES.

>> NO, I DON T THINK STEVE GOT TO WEIGH IN BEFORE.

>> HOPEFULLY, STEVE AGREES WITH US ON NOTHING JUMPS OUT ON HIM BUT HE'S LIKE, NO, I WANT ALL THE UNFUNDED MANDATES.

>> [LAUGHTER] I GOT TO CHECK UP ON THE REST OF THE YEAR.

>> [LAUGHTER] BUT WITH THOSE, WHILST I WILL PICK THE TOP THREE, BUT THERE MAY VERY WELL BE BUILT IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE OTHER ONES THAT MIGHT NOT BE OF THEIR TOP THREE, SO AS LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE, I WOULD ASSUME YOU COULD WEIGH IN ON THEM PRO OR CON ON BEHALF OF THIS FERNDALE SCHOOL.

>> BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD WANT AS A GROUP, WHAT YOUR CHOICE WOULD BE AND WHETHER I AGREE WITH THAT OR NOT, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS OBLIGATED TO GO. YOU MAY PASS.

>> WHAT I HAD DONE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS NOT THE WAY YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

BUT I TOOK THAT LIST, THIS LIST HERE, AND THEN WATCHED FOR BILLS THAT HAD TO DO WITH THAT, AND THEN WE'D LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT ONE'S ON IT, I'M GOING TO BE GOING PRO OR CON.

>> YOU WANT TO COME AND INVITE PEOPLE TO GO DOWN TO OLYMPIA OR TO WEIGH IN, I THINK WE DID IT VIA ZOOM, ACTUALLY DIDN'T WEIGH AS I RECALL.

>> THERE ARE TWO YEARS THAT WERE ZOOM.

>> YEAH, LAST YEAR.

>> [OVERLAPPING] 2020 WAS IN-PERSON RIGHT BEFORE COVID.

>> YEAH. BUT YOU WENT DOWN LAST YEAR,

[03:30:04]

BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP ANYBODY FROM WRITING A LETTER TO A LEGISLATOR ABOUT ANYTHING AS A PERSON, CERTAINLY JUST JUST AS AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT.

>> [OVERLAPPING] ANY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CAN ALSO VOTE PRO OR CON ON ANY BILLS, BUT YOU CANNOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD UNLESS YOU HAVE THE WHOLE BOARD VOTE ON IT AND SUCH, AND YOU'RE THE LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES.

>> THAT'S WHY I SAID I'LL ONLY TAKE THE ONES THAT YOU GUYS AGREE ON.

>> BUT IF THERE WAS ONE THAT THE REST OF THE BOARD DIDN'T AGREE ON BUT YOU DID, YOU COULD SAY [OVERLAPPING] INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER BUT YOU DIDN'T DO THIS THE BOARD.

>> THAT PART IS ACTUALLY FUN STRANGELY ENOUGH, I MEAN.

>> THAT'S WEIRD, I KNOW.

>> IT'S A LOT OF FUN. I THINK THERE WERE SOME THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER ON THE LEGISLATORS AND WHEN THEY VOTE, THEY DON'T VOTE IN A VACUUM.

VERY FEW OF THEM ARE EXPERTS ON EDUCATION, AND SO THEY LOOK FOR THE EXPERTS ON EDUCATION WHO THEY OFTEN, IF YOU HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP OR TALK WITH THEM, MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN TO THEM, WHATEVER, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE EXPERTISE.

IF WE'RE GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THESE THINGS, WE SHOULD ALSO DO IT THROUGH TALKING WITH THEM AS WELL.

>> THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST IS, GIVEN THE WAY THIS PLAYED OUT LAST TIME, WAS IT DOWN TO THE WIRE BECAUSE OF THE TIMING, UNFORTUNATELY, WE COULDN'T JUST GET TOGETHER IN A MEETING AND VOTE ON IT BECAUSE OUR BOARD MEETING LANDED THE DAY IT WAS DUE SO THAT MADE IT REALLY AWKWARD.

WE DID WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR WITH JUST TAKING THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY AGREED ON, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO JUST HAVE A STANDARD POLICY FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE IT GOING FORWARD IF WE JUST HAD A PROCEDURE IN PLACE FOR ALL, THIS IS IN CASE WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SIMILAR SITUATION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY COMMUNICATE VERY WELL VIA A SPREADSHEET.

>> CHRIS AND I ALREADY HAVE IT WRITTEN ON THE JULY CALENDAR WHEN WE SET THIS COMING YEARS, THE NEXT YEAR'S STEADY SESSIONS AND EVERYTHING, IT'S ALREADY CALLED OUT THAT WE WOULD ADD IT TO.

WE'VE ALREADY FIGURED THAT OUT ON OUR TECHNICAL END.

>> THANK YOU.

>> PREFER TO DO IT AT A BOARD MEETING.

BUT IF WE'RE STUCK THAT WAY AGAIN, YEAH.

>> IF WE WANT MORE TIME, A STUDY SESSION HELPS US BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO INVITE PEOPLE WHO MAY KNOW DIFFERENT THINGS TO THOSE STATE.

>> [OVERLAPPING] INVITE YOUR LEGISLATURES, THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING IN THE SUMMER.

>> WE CAN DECIDE THAT WHOEVER SITS DOWN AND PLANS THE AGENDA NEXT YEAR.

>> COOL. ANY QUESTIONS FOR PEGGY REGARDING THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES?

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO BOARD SHARING.

[11. SHARING [GC-7.E}]

TONY?

>> SO WE HAD OUR TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT.

WE HAD ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, 1,000 KILOS COME THROUGH, THAT'S A LOT.

WE DID IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE NORMALLY DO.

WE DID 5 HOURS.

IT GOT COLD AFTER THE SUN WENT DOWN.

[INAUDIBLE] DID DO A DECLARATION AGAINST THE FENTANYL.

THEY'VE BEEN TAKING SOME PRETTY QUICK ACTION.

THEY BROUGHT IN CANINE UNITS TO SWEEP THE RESERVATION.

THEY'VE BEEN DOING JUST SURPRISE VISITS.

THEY'VE BEEN WALKING THROUGH OUR CASINO WITH THE CANINE UNITS.

THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME HAS BEEN KNOWN A DRUG DROP WHERE THEY WOULD DROP THE DRUGS AND PEOPLE WILL COME IN AND DISTRIBUTE THEM.

THEY WENT OUT AND JUST FLAT OUT BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY AND THEY'VE EVICTED ALL THE TRANSIENTS.

THEY'RE TAKING IT PRETTY SERIOUSLY.

I'M PRETTY PLEASED.

BUT IF YOU DO COME OUT, YOU MIGHT COME RIGHT ALONG SOME OF OUR LITTLE DRUG DOGS, THEY'RE HARMLESS.

I'M ACTUALLY PRETTY HAPPY THEY'RE DOING ALL THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN [INAUDIBLE] LAND.

>> THANK YOU. STEVE?

>> SPEECHLESS. [LAUGHTER] NO, I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT HANDS OUT TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC.

WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF INPUT ON SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'VE BEEN FACED

[03:35:05]

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK WE'RE ACTING IN SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT AS FAR AS HELPING US WITH TRYING TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.

ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY AND THE SUPPORT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

>> THANK YOU. PEGGY?

>> WELL, STEVE WAS VERY ELOQUENT, SO I THINK I'LL DEFAULT TO WHAT STEVE HAD TO SAY.

DO YOU HAVE A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT?

>> I ACTUALLY HAD IT LAST TUESDAY [OVERLAPPING] AND PART OF ONE OF MY PERKS IS I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO MY FELLOW BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

FANTASTIC JOB THEY'RE DOING AND WE'RE COMING INTO THE FINISH LINE.

I CAN'T OVERSTATE ENOUGH ABOUT HOW IT'S BEEN SUCH A SUCCESSFUL COMMITTEE AND HOW DILIGENT THEY HAVE BEEN, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY PRODUCE A PRODUCT THAT SHOULD BE ADMIRED AND PROUD OF ALL THE COMMUNITY.

GO TO A FOOTBALL GAME ON A FRIDAY NIGHT OR JUST GO DOWN AND WITNESS THE STUDENTS THAT ARE SO PROUD OF THEIR NEW SCHOOL.

IT JUST SPEAKS VOLUMES.

ANYWAY, THANKS TO THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR THE WORK THEY'VE DONE.

>> MELINDA?

>> [BACKGROUND] I'D LIKE TO SHARE.

I WAS FEVERISHLY LOOKING FOR WHEN WAS THE FERNDALE OPEN HOUSE, BECAUSE WAS IT IN SEPTEMBER, WAS IT WHATEVER.

IT WAS OCTOBER 3RD AND PEGGY, KEVIN AND I HAD A VERY POORLY DECORATED TABLE.

IT HAD A [NOISE] TABLECLOTH.

WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE STOLEN SOME STICKERS FROM THE FERNDALE FOUNDATION TABLE NEXT TO US SO THAT WE AT LEAST HAD SOMETHING ON IT.

>> [OVERLAPPING] THEY'LL NEVER ADMIT TO IT.

>> THEY'LL NEVER ADMIT. BUT WE'RE STANDING OUT IN FRONT OF IT AND WE'RE JUST DRESSED REGULAR OLD PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ARE GOING BY AND WE'RE THINKING LIKE, I WANT TO TALK TO SOME PEOPLE.

WHO ARE WE GOING TO TALK TO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO TALK TO THESE PEOPLE? SOMEBODY WALK A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO US AND WE'D BE LIKE, EXCUSE ME, CAN WE ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS? THEY'RE, SURE, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHO WE ARE, BECAUSE AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO THINK WE'RE FAMOUS, WE'RE NOT.

IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO SAY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? JUST THE FIRST PERSON SAID THAT THEY HAD A STUDENT WHO HAD SOME SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEY WERE HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME GETTING THE NEEDS MET FOR THAT STUDENT.

THEY WERE HOPEFUL. THEY KNEW THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAD IN THE SCHOOL AND WHO TO TALK TO TO TRY AND WORK THIS OUT FOR THEIR KIDDO BUT THEY WERE HAVING A HECK OF A TIME.

THE NEXT PERSON WE TALKED TO HAD A DAUGHTER, SAME HERE, SPECIAL NEEDS, FANTASTIC THINGS TO SAY ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE GETTING.

EVERY NEED OF HERS WAS BEING MET.

SHE WAS LOVING HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS PERFECT.

IT WAS WONDERFUL. WE DID THE SAME THING WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE OF JUST LIKE, EXCUSE ME, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? I THINK THERE WAS MAYBE ONE PERSON THAT RECOGNIZED WE WERE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

IT WAS VERY MUCH A BLIND SAMPLING, WHICH WAS FUN AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS OUT THERE, BUT IT WAS NICE TO HEAR THAT THE OVERALL OPINION, AND IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ME, LET ME KNOW, WAS THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.

THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING A GOOD JOB.

THAT, OF COURSE, THERE'S THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED, BUT EVERYBODY LOVES THE SCHOOL.

THEY LOVE THE STAFF. SO IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

JUST GOING TO TRIP IN PEOPLE AS THEY WALKED BY AND SAYING, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL US? WAS NICE.

>> HARD TO COMPETE WITH A CULINARY TABLE.

>> IT WAS.

>> NEXT YEAR WE EITHER NEED TO BAKE SOMETHING OR.

WELL, I HAVE NOTHING AT THIS POINT.

I'VE TALKED ENOUGH TONIGHT.

[12. MEETING EVALUATION SURVEY]

[03:40:03]

>> OVERALL PERFORMANCE, YOU GUYS ARE MARKED WITH THREE, MEETS STANDARD, GREAT JOB.

I THOUGHT THE AGENDA WAS WELL-PLANNED, BUT YOU WERE RANKED TO TWO IN THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE HALF OF THAT CATEGORY IS THE BOARD WAS WELL-PREPARED.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF INSTANCES WERE I FELT LIKE THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN MATERIALS POSSESSED BY BOARD MEMBERS WHICH LEAD TO COMMUNICATION ISSUES AND HALTED PROGRESS IN CONVERSATION.

FOR THE MOST PART, NO INTERRUPTIONS.

EVERYONE CONTRIBUTED TO THE MEETING.

THIS WAS PRETTY EVEN DISCUSSION FOR A LOT OF SO FAR, WHICH WAS GREAT.

YOU GUYS DID GET A TWO FOR, DID NOT REPEAT WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE WAS A LOT OF WHAT I FELT CIRCULAR CONVERSATION THAT DIDN'T PROVIDE NECESSARILY NEW INFO PERSPECTIVE OR LEAD TO A CONSENSUS.

THAT WAS JUST ONE STRETCH OF TIME.

OTHER THAN THAT, I FELT IT WAS PRETTY GETTING IT DONE.

THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF MONOPOLIZING THE DISCUSSION.

BUT LIKE I SAID, EVERYBODY SPOKE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN USUAL, SO THAT WAS GREAT AND NOBODY PLAYED TO THE AUDIENCE.

THEN THE REST OF THE CATEGORIES, ALL FOURS; EVERYONE CONTRIBUTED TO THE MEETING, PRACTICED RESPECTFUL BODY LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATE OPENLY AND ACTIVELY IN DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE, AND SUPPORTED THE PRESENT EFFORTS TO FACILITATE AN ORDERLY MEETING. GOOD JOB.

>> THANK YOU. WITH THAT, IT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR MEETING AND EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE ITEM 13, THIS IS JUST THE ADJOURNMENT.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.