[1. CONVENE] [00:00:06] GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME. OOPS. EXCUSE ME. GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE APRIL MEETING OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL BOARD. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WHETHER LIVE OR ONLINE. AND AS MANY OF YOU JUST NOTICED, AS DIRECTOR ANTONIO JOINED US, HE GOT CALLED TO WORK IN CALIFORNIA. SO, HE'S JOINING US VIA ZOOM TONIGHT. SO, THE PURPOSE OF THIS AND EVERY OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD. THAT BUSINESS IS TO MAKE DECISIONS AND POLICIES THAT REFLECT THE WISHES OF THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE EACH CHILD WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND ATTITUDES COMMENSURATE WITH HIS OR HER ABILITIES TO BECOME EFFECTIVE CITIZENS IN ORDER TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THAT PURPOSE. THE BOARD NEEDS TO HEAR AND DISCUSS A WIDE ARRAY OF OPINIONS ON EACH ISSUE. THAT PROCESS IS BEST SERVED WHEN ALL INVOLVED FOCUS ON THE ISSUES RATHER THAN THE PERSONALITIES. ONGOING LEARNING IS ENCOURAGED FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND HELPS US TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE OUR PURPOSE AS WELL. ON THE STATE LEVEL. WSSDA. THE WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, AS AN ORGANIZATION, ENCOURAGES NETWORKING, COALITION BUILDING, AND ADVOCATING WITH AND AMONG SCHOOL BOARDS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF PARTICIPATING IN WSSDA'S ANNUAL CYCLE OF PLATFORM REVIEW, REVISION AND IMPLEMENTATION. THE BOARD RECENTLY LEARNED THAT TWO OF OUR MEMBERS ATTENDED A CONFERENCE THAT HAS GAINED SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THIS EVENT WAS HOSTED BY THE WSSDA CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS. DESPITE THE NAME, THIS GROUP IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH OR A PART OF THE WSSDA ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS AND SUPPORTS THE 295 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE. THIS EVENT WAS ATTENDED WITHOUT THE BOARD'S PRIOR KNOWLEDGE. TRAINING AT THIS CONFERENCE WAS PROVIDED BY THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE AND ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE, THEY ARE A NONPARTIZAN EDUCATIONAL ENTITY THAT DOES NOT ENDORSE OR OPPOSE ANY POLITICAL CANDIDATES OR LEGISLATION. THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT NO FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDS WERE USED TO PAY FOR THESE MEMBERS TO ATTEND THIS EVENT. WHILE THE BOARD VALUES DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ENCOURAGES ALL MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES, WE ASK THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS, AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AND ONGOING LEARNING, INFORM THE BOARD OF ANY EVENTS THEY PLAN TO ATTEND AS REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR DISTRICT. THE GOAL OF THIS PRACTICE AND REQUEST IS TO ENHANCE THE SHARING OF NEW KNOWLEDGE AND ULTIMATELY BENEFIT THE ENTIRE BOARD. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT THESE MEMBERS LEARNED AT THIS SUMMIT. BEFORE WE START A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MIGHT BE HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE EXITS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY ARE THE SAME DOORS THAT YOU ENTERED. IF YOU NEED TO USE THE RESTROOMS, THEY'RE OUT THE DOOR AND UP THE HALL AS I DO MY FLIGHT ATTENDANT ROUTINE. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH TONIGHT'S MEETING. AND IF YOU'D PLEASE JOIN ME WITH A SALUTE TO THE FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR. AND NOW WE'LL HAVE THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT. WE, THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACKNOWLEDGED WE ARE RESIDING ON THE 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 THEIR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND UNCEDED LANDS OF THE PEOPLE. TO PERPETUATE THEIR WAY OF LIFE. WE HONOR THEIR ANCESTORS AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE LUMBEE PEOPLE AS THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND. THANK YOU. SO, WE WILL NOW ADOPT THE AGENDA. [2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA [GC-4.7]] SO, IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES OR IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO DO SUCH. KEVIN, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. SURE. SORRY. AND YOU CAN PLEASE CORRECT ME IF THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT SPACE, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WANTING TO ADD TO OUR AGENDA. AND AGAIN, PLEASE TELL ME IF I'M OUT OF LINE, BUT I AM SUGGESTING THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETING, WHENEVER WE DEEM APPROPRIATE, THAT WE DO A REVIEW AND UPDATE OF ACTION ITEMS FROM THE LAST MEETING, AND HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF OUR MEETING THAT WE CAN DO, LIKE A RECAP OF ACTION ITEMS STEMMING FROM OUR MEETING. AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO AND AT THE BEGINNING WE CAN JUST SAY ACTION ITEMS WERE ALL COMPLETED AND THEN WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT THING. [00:05:09] IT DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE MORE TIME. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ONE AGREE AT THE END OF THE MEETING, WHAT WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK ON FOR THAT MONTH, AND THEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT MEETING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY JUST MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMETHING NEEDS FOLLOW UP OR A LITTLE BIT OF WORK, THAT WE CAN STILL WORK ON THAT AND CONTINUE AND JUST GIVE PROPER FOLLOW UP TO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO. SO, KEVIN, I'M SORRY THAT I'M INTERRUPTING, BUT PLEASE TELL ME IF THAT'S OKAY. I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT AND CONSIDER ONCE WE GET THE AGENDA ADOPTED AND ON THE TABLE. MOST OF THE ACTION ITEMS THAT WE HAVE GO TO KRISTI AS SUPERINTENDENT. SO, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'LL HAVE A WHOLE LONG LIST, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN CONSIDER. IT'S JUST AN IDEA, AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT UP. I'M USED TO THAT FORMAT. I KNOW THAT I'M HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHEN. WHEN THERE ARE SOME THINGS THERE LINGERING AND THAT THEY'RE IN FRONT OF ME. AND THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE WITH LITTLE PROGRESS, LITTLE HERE AND THERE. BUT IT WAS JUST AN IDEA. AND IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT LATER, THAT'S GREAT TOO. OKAY. SO, AT THIS POINT, AGAIN, WE WILL. LOOK AT THE AGENDA. IF THERE'S ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE, OR IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE AGENDA OR THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT IT AS PRESENTED. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT IT AS PRESENTED. OKAY, SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO, THE AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED FORTH. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS ITEM 3.01, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING. [3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE MINUTES? OKAY SEEING NONE. THE CHAIR WILL PUT FORTH THAT WE ADOPT THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. OKAY. MINUTES ARE ADOPTED. SO THAT BRINGS US ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. [4. PUBLIC COMMENT [GC-3.3]] 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'S NOT A TIME OF DISCUSSION, IT'S A TIME FOR THE BOARD TO LISTEN. BOARD MEMBERS MAY INTERJECT TO ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS AND OR MAY DIRECT SOMEONE, MOST OFTEN THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION RELATED TO THE STATEMENT. BUT AGAIN, IT IS NOT A TIME FOR DISCUSSION. OUR SILENCE IS NOT A SIGNAL OF AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT BUT IS MEANT TO BE MEANT TO RESPECTFULLY HEAR WHAT IS BEING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. PLEASE NOTE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD. THOSE THAT ARE NOT COMFORTABLE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF THE GROUP ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO CONTACT THE BOARD VIA PHONE OR EMAIL. WE ROUTINELY HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF THE DISTRICT STAKEHOLDERS EACH MONTH AND ASSIMILATE A WIDE RANGE OF ITEMS OR 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. THOSE WISHING TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT ARE ASKED TO SIGN IN ON THE SIGNUP SHEET IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM. EACH MEMBER WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, OR EACH SPEAKER WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, AND THEIR 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 THE ENTIRE, THEIR ENTIRE, OR REMAINING COMMENTS IN WRITING TO ENSURE THAT THE BOARD HAS ADEQUATE TIME TO ADDRESS ALL ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA. PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 45 MINUTES. AND JUST A REMINDER THE MIC, PLEASE HOLD IT CLOSE TO YOU. PARTICULARLY WITH ANTONIO BEING ON ZOOM. HE WON'T HEAR US VERY WELL IF WE AREN'T HOLDING THAT THING LIKE IT'S OUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM CONE. SO, WITH THAT, MY FIRST SPEAKER TONIGHT IS ROGER SEVCIK. IF THAT WORK. YEAH. [00:10:01] OH, AS YOU SAID, MY NAME IS ROGER SEVCIK. I LIVE IN THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON VALLEY VIEW ROAD. I WANTED TO BEGIN BY THANKING YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS FOR SERVING US. I KNOW IT IS A JOB WHERE YOU DON'T HEAR THAT VERY OFTEN, AND SO WE DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS YOU MAKE ON OUR BEHALF. IT'S A HARD JOB. MR. ERICKSON YOUR JOB IS PROBABLY THE HARDEST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MANAGE THIS WHOLE THING, INCLUDING PUBLIC COMMENTS WHEREIN, AS YOU SAID, STARTING OUT IT SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT PERSONALITIES. UNFORTUNATELY, IT SEEMED LIKE LAST MEETING. IT DID END UP BEING ABOUT PERSONALITIES. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT I HEARD, AS I HEARD MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE CALL ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS A BIGOT, A RACIST, AND JUST GENERALLY WERE DISRESPECTFUL AND SOMEWHAT OF A MOB MENTALITY. NANCY BUTTON, YOU DID NOT DESERVE THAT. AND I APOLOGIZE ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC FOR THAT OCCURRING. AND I WOULD HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, THAT IF WE CAN'T BE CIVIL TOWARDS OTHERS, THAT WE JUST NOT SPEAK UP. I WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED BECAUSE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WHO WERE, I GUESS, CHEERING THAT ON WITH LITTLE CARDS ARE SCHOOLTEACHERS , MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHOSE ONE OF THEIR JOBS IS TO MAKE SURE BULLYING DOESN'T OCCUR, TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS OTHER STUDENTS. AND YET, THE EXAMPLE SET WAS HARDLY THAT. WE LEARN BY EXAMPLE MORE THAN WORDS. AND IF WE SET AN EXAMPLE OF BULLYING, THEN WHAT DO WE EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO END UP DOING? I ALSO HEARD THAT MRS. BUTTON DOESN'T REPRESENT OTHER VIEWS. I'LL REMIND YOU; SHE'S NEVER HID HER VIEWS, AND SHE WAS OVERWHELMINGLY ELECTED TO THE POSITION SHE'S IN. SHE'S DOING LIKE A GOOD LEADER AND DOING WHAT SHE SAID SHE WOULD DO TO THE STUDENT ADVISORS. WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY YOU GUYS HAVE. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALL LISTEN MORE THAN YOU SPEAK. AS YOU MAY KNOW, MY YOUNGEST SON, AT AGE 22, BECAME THE YOUNGEST SENATOR IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON AND WAS ALLOWED TO SERVE FOR A YEAR IN THAT CAPACITY. ONE OF THE THINGS HE TOLD ME THAT I THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO YOU, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, DAD, I SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS I CAN WITH THE OPPOSITION PARTY, WITH THE PEOPLE I DON'T AGREE WITH. I KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE LIKE ME THINK. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY THINK, BECAUSE IF I CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, MAYBE WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS. AND THROUGH THAT, HE DEVELOPED FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THEY DON'T AGREE ON HARDLY ANYTHING. ONE OF THE GUYS HE ENJOYED THE MOST IS DECADES. WELL, THEY'RE ALL DECADES OLDER THAN HIM, BUT HE WAS DECADES OLDER THAN HIM OF A DIFFERENT RACE, AND THEY ENJOYED BANTERING WITH EACH OTHER. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM YOU DON'T AGREE AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE THINKING, AND I PROMISE YOU YOU'LL BE BETTER FOR IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ROGER. NEXT, WE HAVE JENNIFER. HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JENNIFER. AS YOU SAID, I ALSO LIVE IN FERNDALE. GREETINGS, BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS. OUR FAMILY HAS A PASSION FOR KEEPING UP WITH LEGISLATION, CURRENT EVENTS AND CULTURAL ISSUES. MY BACKGROUND IS ALSO ONE OF A LONG LINE OF PUBLIC EDUCATORS, TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, SUPERINTENDENT. MY FATHER TAUGHT MATH UNTIL HE WAS 82 YEARS OLD. IN THE COLLEGE SYSTEM, I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC GOOD OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND ITS ROLE IN SOCIETY. I ALSO VALUE THE LOCAL CONTROL OF DISTRICTS AS EXERCISED THROUGH THEIR BOARDS AND GUARANTEED IN OUR CONSTITUTION. HOWEVER, RECENT LEGISLATION HAS PUT ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF LOCAL CONTROL BY LAYERING ANOTHER MANDATE TO TEACH LGBTQ HISTORY AND USE ONLY THE STATE'S CURRICULUM SINCE 2020, EACH YEAR, ANOTHER MANDATE HAS BEEN THE NORM FROM THE, YOU KNOW, PARTY LEGISLATURE, AND EACH YEAR SINCE, SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE BEEN TURNED OVER, ELECTING MEMBERS WITH MORE TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO EDUCATION AND WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. THIS IS BECAUSE MOST PARENTS, AND IN GENERAL AMERICANS, ARE NOT ON BOARD WITH THE TRANSGENDER IDEOLOGY FOR MINORS. RECENT POLLING SHOWS THAT 70% OF AMERICANS REJECT THIS DANGEROUS AND HARMFUL IDEOLOGY. IT IS EVEN REJECTED BY 65% OF DEMOCRATS. THIS IS NOT MAINSTREAM, AND IT IS NOT OKAY WITH MOST PARENTS. [00:15:05] THIS IDEOLOGY IS BEING PRIMARILY PROMOTED BY GOVERNMENTS, FEDERAL AND STATE, ELITIST AND IMPRESSIONABLE YOUNG CONVERTS. IT IS NOT GRASSROOTS COMING FROM PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS. IF YOU DID A POLL OF YOUR PARENTS, YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED WHAT YOU LEARNED. AS YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDALITY ARE AT A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN HIGHS. RESEARCH IS BEARING OUT THAT TAMPERING WITH THE MOST BASIC THING THAT ONE KNOWS ABOUT SELF-BASIC BIOLOGY, MALE AND FEMALE, IS DAMAGING TO ONE'S PSYCHE. OFFERING THE BUFFET OF GENDER OPTIONS IS NOT REALITY. IT IS FALSE. WE KNOW THIS TRUTH IN OURSELVES, AND CONFUSING CHILDREN WHILE PROMOTING THESE IDEAS IS CONTRIBUTING TO THESE MENTAL HEALTH BREAKDOWNS AND DEPRESSION. THERE IS A BOOK OUT WITH THE LATEST RESEARCH BY ABIGAIL SHRIER CALLED BAD THERAPY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DATA. THE UK AND OTHER NORDIC COUNTRIES HAVE COMPLETELY BANNED GENDER SURGERY FOR MINORS, WITH OTHERS CLOSE BEHIND. IN THE UNITED STATES, 38 STATES HAVE PASSED BANS AS WELL. THIS HAS BEEN A TRAGIC EXPERIMENT ON OUR CHILDREN. THE QUESTION BEFORE THE BOARD IS, WILL YOU CONTINUE TO LET THE STATE DANGLE YOU OVER THE BARREL WITH THEIR THREATS OF FUNDING REMOVAL, OR WILL YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO PUSH BACK AND SAY ENOUGH? IF ENOUGH DISTRICTS WOULD DO THIS, WE MIGHT SAVE SOME CHILDREN. THANK YOU. JENNIFER. NEXT, WE HAVE TAMMY. ALEJANDRA. HI, I'M TAMMY ALEJANDRE, TEACHER AT EAGLE RIDGE ELEMENTARY FOR THE PAST 28 YEARS. LOVE MY KIDS AND I LOVE MY COMMUNITY. I ALSO HAVE A SENIOR AT FHS. I WAS HERE LAST MONTH SPEAKING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE. I, ALONG WITH OTHERS, PRESENTED FROM THIS SIDE OF CONCERN THAT THE PERSONAL VIEWPOINTS ON OUR BOARD WILL DEGRADE THE EXPERIENCE OF SEGMENTS OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION. I STILL FEAR THAT. SO, WHAT AM I WORRIED ABOUT? ONE, I'M WORRIED THAT WE IN FERNDALE WILL GET TO THE POINT. THEY ARE IN FLORIDA, WHERE TEACHERS WOULD HAVE TO SEND HOME A PERMISSION SLIP TO INFORM THEIR STUDENTS FAMILIES THAT THEY WILL BE READING A BOOK ON A TOPIC THAT MIGHT BE CONSTRUED AS CONTROVERSIAL, LIKE MAYBE THE TOPIC OF RUBY BRIDGES. TWO I'M WORRIED THAT WE IN FERNDALE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD KIDS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ACTIONS THAT HURT OTHERS, BECAUSE THOSE OTHERS ARE NOT PROTECTED, BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT, AND DIFFERENT IS BAD. THREE. I'M WORRIED THAT WE WON'T PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD THEY'RE LIVING IN, BECAUSE SOME FAMILIES GET TO DECIDE THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND THEREFORE NOT TO BE LEARNED ABOUT, CARED ABOUT, OR TREATED WITH RESPECT. I DO WANT MY STUDENTS' FAMILIES TO BE ENGAGED. OUR STUDENTS WANT THAT TOO, AND THEY AREN'T FEELING IT BASED ON SOME DATA WE RECENTLY SAW AT MY SCHOOL. I WANT THEM TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND IN AND OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS, VALUING THE CONTENT ON THEIR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING AT SCHOOL AND EXTENDING THAT AT HOME WHILE SHARING THEIR FAITH, THEIR INTERESTS, THEIR VALUES AND THEIR VIEWPOINTS. WHEN FAMILIES CONNECT WITH THEIR CHILDREN ON THE TOPICS BEING LEARNED AT SCHOOL, STUDENTS WILL BE MORE DRIVEN TO SUCCEED BECAUSE THEY HEAR IT IS IMPORTANT. WHEN I WANT FAMILY VALUES SHARED, I DO HOPE THAT THE FAMILY VALUES INCLUDE TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT. BECAUSE I WORK WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS, I HOPE THE VALUES BEING TAUGHT AT HOME INCLUDE RESPECT. SO, EVERY OTHER STUDENT IN FERNDALE FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE A PLACE AT THE TABLE, JUST AS THEY DO. I TYPICALLY SWING INTO MUG SHOTS ON MY WAY TO WORK IN THE MORNING. I OFTEN AM BEHIND THIS CAR, AND THE BUMPER STICKER ON IT READS, JUST A REGULAR MOM TRYING NOT TO RAISE LIBERALS. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY. JUST A CONSERVATIVE MOM WHO WANTS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME CONSERVATIVE VALUES. OR ARE THEY TEACHING THEIR KID TO HATE MY KID? IS THAT THEIR KID WHO SHOUTS SLURS AT MY KID WHEN HE'S WALKING DOWN MAIN STREET IN FERNDALE? IS THAT THE COMMUNITY WE WANT TO LIVE IN? WE ARE SO DIVIDED POLITICALLY, ESPECIALLY NOW MORE THAN EVER. CAN WE NOT COME TOGETHER ON THIS ONE TOPIC OF RESPECT? LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE SPACE FOR EVERYONE TO BE WHO THEY ARE AS THEY ARE AND BE RESPECTED. THANKS. THANK YOU, TAMMY. NEXT, WE HAVE HOLLY WIBBONS. HI, MY NAME IS HOLLY WIBBONS. I'M A TEACHER AT HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I'M ALSO A PARENT OF FORMER FERNDALE STUDENTS. SO, YOU WENT TO A CONFERENCE TO IMPROVE YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER? YOU CLAIM THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE IS A NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT, 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION, SO IT IS COMPLETELY REASONABLE TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE LEADERSHIP [00:20:09] INSTITUTE. THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT EVERYONE TO BELIEVE. NO HARM IN GOING TO A CONFERENCE, RIGHT? THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE, EXCEPT YOU WENT TO A CONFERENCE PUT ON BY AN ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE GROUP THAT IS SO CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH MOMS FOR LIBERTY. THE TWO ARE ONE AND THE SAME. THE FOUNDER OF THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, MORTON BLACKWELL, HAS FUNDED AND PROMOTED MOMS FOR LIBERTY BY FUNDING THEIR CONFERENCES AND SUMMITS. AND IN RETURN FOR THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT, MOMS FOR LIBERTY HAVE AWARDED MORTON BLACKWELL THE LIBERTY SWORD FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. MORTON BLACKWELL EVEN HIRED DISGRACED MOMS FOR LIBERTY FOUNDER BRIDGET ZIEGLER TO LEAD LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE SCHOOL BOARD CAMPAIGN TRAININGS. WOW, THAT'S PRETTY TIGHT. MOMS FOR LIBERTY IS CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE LAWS RECENTLY PASSED BY FLORIDA THAT INTRODUCED BOOK BANNING ELIMINATING SUPPORT FOR MINORITIES THROUGH DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS AND ANTI LGBTQ PROGRAMS. ALSO KNOWN AS THE DON'T SAY GAY BILLS. THEY ARE TRYING TO MOVE INTO FERNDALE SCHOOLS THROUGH YOUTUBE. MOMS FOR LIBERTY EVEN QUOTED ADOLF HITLER IN A NEWSLETTER PROUDLY PROCLAIMING HE WHO OWNS THE YOUTH GAINS THE FUTURE. IT WAS REMOVED AFTER AN OUTCRY FROM THE PUBLIC AFTER TRYING TO POSITIVELY QUOTE A MADMAN WHO LED US INTO WORLD WAR II. WHEN YOU ALIGN WITH THE GROUP THAT QUOTES HITLER, MAYBE YOU NEED TO RETHINK YOUR CHOICE OF CONFERENCES. SO, WHAT DID YOU LEARN THAT WAS SO VALUABLE? WAS IT MORE VALUABLE THAN THE TEACHERS YOU TALKED TO HERE IN FERNDALE AND GET IDEAS ABOUT HOW CAN YOU HOW YOU CAN BE A BETTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND HELP IMPROVE FERNDALE SCHOOLS? WAS IT MORE VALUABLE THAN SITTING DOWN WITH OUR LGBTQ STUDENTS AND SEE WHAT IDEAS THEY MAY HAVE TO IMPROVE, HOW THEY ARE TREATED BY THEIR PEERS? AND APPARENTLY SOME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MORE VALUABLE THAN SITTING DOWN WITH PARENTS OF MINORITIES AND GETTING IDEAS ON HOW YOU CAN CHANGE THEIR EXPERIENCES OF RACISM AND EXCLUSIONS. HOW ABOUT YOUR OWN STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THIS VERY OWN SCHOOL BOARD? LAST MONTH, THEY ELOQUENTLY EXPLAINED THEIR EXPERIENCES IN EDUCATION AND WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE FERNDALE SCHOOLS A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE. INSTEAD, YOU DOUBLED DOWN ON YOUR PERSONAL AGENDA AND ATTENDED A CONFERENCE RUN BY A GROUP WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO EXCLUDE ANYONE THEY DON'T ALIGN WITH. WHEN YOU COMMIT TO GOING TO A CONFERENCE ON HOW TO MAKE MINORITIES AND LGBTQ YOUTH FEEL INCLUDED IN SCHOOLS, I'M SURE THERE ARE NONPROFIT 501(C)(3) GROUPS THAT PUT-ON CONFERENCES FOR INCLUSION IN SCHOOLS. YOUR JOB AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS TO HELP THE DISTRICT MAKE ALL STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES FEEL WELCOME AND ACCEPTED IN FERNDALE. INSTEAD, YOU HAVE DOUBLED DOWN ON YOUR VISION. THANK YOU. HOLLY. NEXT, WE HAVE AMY NYLUND. SO, I'M GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF SWERVE FROM WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, TO THANK GABBY AND KWABENA FOR NEVER LETTING AN ADULT TELL YOU NEED TO LISTEN MORE. DON'T EVER LET AN ADULT TELL YOU THAT YOU LISTEN. I'VE WATCHED BOTH OF YOU LISTEN TO MANY PEOPLE. DON'T LET ANYONE QUIET YOUR VOICES. DON'T LET ANYONE DIM YOUR LIGHT. WE KNOW WHO YOU'RE HERE TO REPRESENT. IT'S ALL THE STUDENTS IN THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND, GABBY, I KNOW YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO MY MIDDLE SCHOOL. OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. GABBY IS IN A CAREER AS AN EDUCATION CLASS IN MY CLASSROOM, AND SHE LOOKS FOR WAYS TO HELP MIDDLE SCHOOLERS INCREASE THEIR VOICE BECAUSE SHE KNOWS WHAT THEY'LL BRING TO THE TABLE. SO, THANK YOU FOR NEVER LETTING ADULTS QUIET YOU. WHEW. OKAY, SO WHAT I CAME HERE TO SAY TODAY I'M A UNION LEADER, SO I'M HERE TO JUST MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO LAY OFF MY COLLEAGUES. I'M HERE WITH TWO AMAZING EARLY CAREER EDUCATORS WHO GOT PINK SLIPS ON FRIDAY, AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE EASY FOR A SECOND. I'M HERE NOW AS A PARENT AND A FAMILY MEMBER OF ART EDUCATORS AND ART MAJORS TO ADVOCATE FOR ARTS EDUCATION. OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL ART TEACHER WAS CUT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE CAN TECHNICALLY FILL A ROLE OF ART EDUCATION. I JUST NEED TO SPEAK THE TRUTH THAT ART REQUIRES SPECIALIZED TRAINING. IT'S NOT AN OPTIONAL FEATURE OF BASIC EDUCATION. IT. ACCORDING TO RESEARCH THAT CITED FROM US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT AND DELIVERED BY RICE UNIVERSITY. YOU KNOW, THE HERC, I CAN GIVE MORE DETAILS FOR THAT LATER. BUT ART EDUCATION ENGAGES STUDENTS WITH THEIR SCHOOL. IT HELPS THEM DEVELOP SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING. [00:25:03] IT CAN ENRICH THEIR EXPERIENCES, HELP THEM HANDLE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE NOT TRAINED IN HOW TO DELIVER THAT IN A SUPPORTIVE WAY, THAT'S REALLY HARD. IT HELPS BOLSTER ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. THE STUDY AT RICE SHOWED SIGNIFICANT, STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN LANGUAGE ARTS, MATH AND THE WILLINGNESS FOR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, SO IT ALSO REDUCES THE RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITY IN ACCESS TO ARTS. IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THE EQUITY FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE'S A REASON THAT TABITHA SMITH'S PICTURE IS IN THE LEVY INFORMATION CAMPAIGN AND THAT CHRIS WIGGAM, THE 1994 FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE WHO WORKS AT PIXAR AS A CREATIVE STORYTELLER. THAT'S WHY IT'S FRONT AND CENTER. HE'S OUR WHERE ARE THEY NOW GRADUATE. THERE'S A REASON OUR ARTISTS ARE FRONT AND CENTER. IT'S BECAUSE FERNDALE FAMILIES WANT COMPREHENSIVE, RICH EXPERIENCES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, AS A FAMILY MEMBER, ART SAVES LIVES. SO PLEASE, PLEASE RESTORE OUR TRAINED ARTS EDUCATORS. THANK YOU. AMY. NEXT, I HAVE SLADE BRACKETT. OKAY. HEY, I'M NOT SEEING SLADE. SO, DOM PHAM. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOM PHAM. I IDENTIFY MYSELF AS A FERNDALE RESIDENT ON BAR ROAD. HAVING LISTENED TO THE COMMENTS ABOUT NANCY'S PROPOSED RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO SB 5462 AT THE MARCH BOARD MEETING, I COULDN'T HELP FORMULATING A RESPONSE. FIRST, SEVERAL TEACHERS REGURGITATED THE TALKING POINT OF THE .02 PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO WERE OPTED OUT OF THE CONTROVERSIAL, CONTROVERSIAL CLASSES. MY CONTENTION IS THAT THE STATISTICS WOULD BE MUCH DIFFERENT IF THESE CLASSES HAD BEEN OFFERED AS OPT INS, RATHER THAN OPT OUTS. REMEMBER THAT THE CONTENT OF THESE CLASSES IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW, SO WHY MAKE THE PARENTS DO MORE WORK IF BEFORE THEY CAN DECIDE? SECOND, ONE TEACHER ASSERTED THAT WE MUST NOT LET THE VOICES OF A FEW DROWN OUT THE VOICES OF THE MAJORITY. I TOTALLY AGREE DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. THE THREE BOARD MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED THE RESOLUTION DO REPRESENT THE MAJORITY, BECAUSE WITHOUT RECEIVING THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES IN PAST ELECTIONS, YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I FIND IT VERY OBNOXIOUS AND UNPROFESSIONAL WHEN SOME OF THE TEACHERS CALL NANCY AND PEGGY BIGOTS. IT'S THIS NASTY ATTITUDE, THE KIND OF ROLE MODEL THAT YOU WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO FOLLOW. I AM, I COME FROM A CULTURE THAT USED TO ELEVATE TEACHERS TO A SOCIAL RANKING ONLY BELOW THE KING. HOWEVER, YOU ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY ENTITLED TO THE RESPECT AND TRUST OF THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE TO EARN IT. THE INCIDENT ALSO SHOWS THE BOARD, PRESIDENT'S AND THE ADMINISTRATION'S GLARING DOUBLE STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCING PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY. ONE CAN SEE CLEARLY THAT WHETHER A PUBLIC COMMENT IS SUBJECT TO CENSORSHIP DEPENDS ON WHO IS SPEAKING, NOT WHAT IS BEING SAID. IN THE END, THE DEBATE CENTERS AROUND THE QUESTION OF WHETHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE OR BE TRANSFORMED INTO A LAB FOR ALL KINDS OF SOCIAL EXPERIMENTS. I DIDN'T FIND ANY WORDING IN THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION THAT PROMOTES BIGOTRY, FEAR, HATRED, OR EXCLUSION AS CLAIMED BASED ON THE BRITANNICA DICTIONARY'S DEFINITION OF BIGOTS. A BIGOT AS A PERSON WHO STRONGLY AND UNFAIRLY DISLIKES OTHER PEOPLE, IDEAS, ETC. I THINK THOSE TEACHERS WERE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY ACCUSED NANCY AND PEGGY OF. SO, IF THEY WANT TO KNOW WHO A BIGOT IS TRULY, ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS LOOK IN THE MIRROR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOM. NEXT, WE HAVE ELISA HICKS. [00:30:01] OKAY. I TIMED IT OUT AND I SPRAYED OUT THREE MINUTES. I'M GONNA TRY AND GET THROUGH IT. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS ELISA HICKS AND I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO CHILDREN WHO ARE CURRENTLY ATTENDING FERNDALE SCHOOLS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PROVIDE COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE ARTS IN OUR SCHOOLS. I UNDERSTAND THAT BUDGETS ARE CHALLENGING AND THAT STATEWIDE PRIORITIES HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED AND HARD DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CASE FOR WHY ARTS IN ALL THEIR FORM, SUCH AS CHOIR, BAND, ORCHESTRA AND VISUAL ARTS ARE VITAL TO A K-12 LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. NUMBER ONE ARTS PROVIDE A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T TYPICAL STUDENTS. I'M A PARENT TO TWO NEURODIVERGENT, VERY ACTIVE AND CREATIVE BOYS WHO ARE INCREDIBLY SMART, BUT WHO DON'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY FIT IN A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL CLASSROOM. OFTEN MY BOYS ARE TOLD TO SIT STILL, TO STOP TALKING, TO STOP FIDGETING. BUT YET IN THEIR CHOIR OR ART CLASSES, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO MOVE AND EXPRESS THEIR LEARNING AND INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR OWN WAY. AND FOR JUST THAT CLASS PERIOD. DON'T HAVE A TEACHER WHO'S DISAPPOINTED IN THEM. THEY HAVE BOTH EXPRESSED TO ME THAT THESE CLASSES ARE OFTEN THE BRIGHT SPOT IN THEIR DAY AND MAKE THEM WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL. NUMBER TWO, THE ARTS PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE PATH TO TEAMWORK AND COACHABILITY. I GREW UP DOING EVERY SPORT I COULD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING MY BOYS ARE INTERESTED IN. I BELIEVE LEARNING HOW TO WORK WITH A COACH AND A TEAM ARE A VITAL SKILL THAT EVERY CHILD CAN CARRY WITH THEM INTO ADULTHOOD AND HELPS THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. FOR CHILDREN THAT DON'T PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS, THOUGH, IT IS DIFFICULT TO TEACH THAT IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM. HOWEVER, THE PERFORMING ARTS, LIKE CHOIR, HELP NON-ATHLETIC STUDENTS FEEL THAT SENSE OF TEAMWORK. THEY COME TOGETHER TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC AS A GROUP UNDER THE COACHING OF A GREAT TEACHER. THEY RELY ON EACH OTHER, WORK HARD AND CELEBRATE TOGETHER AND FEEL A DEEP SENSE OF BELONGING. NUMBER THREE ARTS INSPIRE CONFIDENCE AND BRAVERY FOR THOSE KIDS WHO DON'T FIT THE STAR ATHLETE OR THE A+ ACADEMIC STUDENT. SCHOOL DOESN'T OFFER A WHOLE LOT OF CHANCES TO BUILD CONFIDENCE. BUT WHEN KIDS STEP OUT ON THE STAGE TO PERFORM OR TO DISPLAY A PIECE THEY CREATED, THEY HAVE TO BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES LITTLE BY LITTLE. UNFORTUNATELY, BOTH OF MY BOYS HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED AND BULLIED AT SCHOOL THIS YEAR AND IN THE PAST, WHICH THE SCHOOLS HAVE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED. BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE EXPERIENCES, I HAVE SLOWLY WATCHED THEIR YOUNG, CHILDISH ENTHUSIASM BE CHIPPED AWAY, WHICH IS DISHEARTENING AS A PARENT. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY STEP ON THE STAGE AND SING WITH THEIR CHOIRS OR WITH THEIR CLASSMATES, THAT INNER RADIATING SMILE OF CONFIDENCE STILL SHINES THROUGH AND GIVES ME HOPE. AND I CAN SEE THAT SAME CONFIDENCE IN THE OTHER CHILDREN WHO ARE PARTICIPATING. SO, IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO RESTATE THE POINTS THAT ART IN PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT TEACHES BELONGING, TEAMWORK, COACHABILITY, APPRECIATION, DIVERSITY, CURIOSITY, BRAVERY, AND CONFIDENCE, ALL OF WHICH ARE NOT TESTABLE KNOWLEDGE, BUT WHICH ARE IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE. THEY ARE SKILLS THAT PEOPLE USE EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES, WHICH I BELIEVE MAKES THEM NECESSARY OR EVEN ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE. I RESPECTFULLY ASKED EACH BOARD MEMBER TO CONSIDER THESE POINTS. WHEN YOU ARE MAKING DIFFICULT BUDGET DECISIONS IN THE COMING MONTHS, AND REQUEST THAT YOU KEEP ART AND MUSIC PROGRAMS IN SOME FORM, FOR THE GOOD OF ALL THE CHILDREN IN FERNDALE SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. SO NEXT SPEAKER IS BETH PERRY. BETH PERRY, BROWN ROAD. TWO MONTHS AGO, AT THE FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING, IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT TAKING A STANCE TO SHOW OLYMPIA THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT WANT TO KEEP IT, SCHOOL DISTRICT WANTS TO KEEP ITS POWER TO PICK OUT THE CURRICULUM THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY APPROVED BY OSPI, WITHOUT THE THREAT OF FUNDS BEING TAKEN AWAY. LAST MONTH, AN ANGRY MOB WITH VERBAL PITCHFORKS AND TORCHES CAME OUT CALLING NAMES, ALL WORRIED THAT THEIR IMPORTANT CAUSES WERE AT STAKE. AND LITTLE CARDS, TOO. I PERSONALLY HATE THE FACT THAT OLYMPIA, OFTENTIMES, ANY TIME THEY WANT US TO DO SOMETHING, THEY THREATEN TO WITHHOLD FUNDS. IT'S NOT FAIR. IT'S NOT RIGHT. EVERY DOLLAR SHOULD GO TO THOSE KIDS. WE PAY THE MONEY. WE SHOULD SEE THE RESULTS OF IT. I UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE BOARD MEMBER WAS SAYING, THOUGH. SHE WANTED THE BROAD DISCRETIONARY POWER THAT IS LAID OUT IN THE WASHINGTON STATE CONSTITUTION TO STAY WITH YOU. IF THE SHOE WAS ON THE OTHER FOOT AND WE LIVED IN A MORE CONSERVATIVE STATE WITH A CONSERVATIVE GOVERNOR, CONSERVATIVE RUN HOUSE AND SENATE, AND WE HAD A LIBERAL BOARD HERE, I'M GOING TO ASK THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, WOULD YOU BE OFFENDED IF THE LIBERAL BOARD WAS TRYING TO SAY, TAKE AWAY THE POWER? THEY PROBABLY WOULD NOT. THEY'D PROBABLY BE OKAY WITH IT IN THIS 50/50 STATE. BUT THEY'RE ALL WORRIED ABOUT IT NOW. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PRESERVE THE CONCERN, NOT THE CONSTITUTION THAT IS WRITTEN OUT BY WASHINGTON STATE AND YOUR POWERS HERE, THE CONTROL OF THE BOARD ALWAYS AND SHOULD BE LOCAL, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW THE FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY IS PUT IN PLACE HERE IN THIS LOCAL BOARD. [00:35:05] IT'S NOT IN WASHINGTON, DC, AND IT'S NOT IN OLYMPIA. I DOUBT GOVERNOR INSLEE EVEN KNOWS WHERE FERNDALE IS. CONTRARY TO THE ANGRY MOB. IT WASN'T ABOUT DEI STATEMENTS OR LETTING HATE RUN THROUGH OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS THAT. WE ALL BELIEVE IN THE YOU BELONG CAMPAIGN, BUT IT WAS BEING ABLE TO LISTEN TO THE PARENTS AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, FINDING CURRICULUM THAT DOES NOT OFFEND FAMILIES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM. JUST LIKE WE DON'T TEACH ABOUT JESUS IN THE CLASSROOM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TEACH ABOUT WE SHOULDN'T TEACH ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT OFFENDS OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL. IF WE CANNOT FIND CURRICULUM THAT FITS IN THIS PRIORITY, THEN WE SHOULD JUST STICK TO READING AND WRITING AND ARITHMETIC, BECAUSE I THINK THE STUDENTS NEED HELP AND TO ADDRESS THE MOTHER AND THE TEACHER IN THIS BOARD. I AM A VERY REGULAR MOM TEACHING MY KIDS NOT TO BE LIBERALS, AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD SLURS TO PEOPLE WALKING DOWN ON THE STREETS, AND ONE OF MY CHILDREN WOULD PROBABLY BE THE FIRST ONES TO PULL OVER IF THEY SAW YOU ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH A FLAT TIRE TO HELP YOU CHANGE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BETH. NEXT IS KATHERINE AMES. HI THERE! I'M RELATIVELY NEW TO THE AREA, SO I'M GOING TO BE MUCH LESS THAN THREE MINUTES. PEOPLE COME TO SMALL TOWNS FOR A REASON TO GET AWAY FROM BIG CITIES AND THE BIG CITY PROBLEMS. I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION UNDER LOCAL CONTROL, FEDERAL GUIDELINES AND MANDATES THAT INTERFERE WITH THE ABILITY OF PARENTS, TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS TO DELIVER THE EDUCATION OUR CHILDREN DESERVE AT A LOCAL LEVEL. EDUCATION. EDUCATIONAL DECISIONS ARE BEST MADE BY PARENTS AND TEACHERS, NOT BUREAUCRATS IN WASHINGTON. DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT? ABOUT WHAT CONTENTS STUDENTS SHOULD BE TAUGHT HAVE ENORMOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN, AND SHOULD BE MADE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE AFFECTED PARENTS AND STUDENTS. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF INFLUENCE OVER OUR OVER OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. PARENTS MUST HAVE A SAY IN WHAT THEIR AND WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING. IT SHOULD BE DONE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. THIS STATE, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER STATES, HAVE BIG CITY PROBLEMS. DRUGS OFF THE CHART. CRIME. NOT SOMETHING WE WANT HERE AND IT DOES TRICKLE DOWN. LET'S KEEP THE DECISIONS LOCAL. KEEP THE DECISIONS WITH THE PARENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CATHERINE. NEXT IS ALLISON MOON. GOOD EVENING. I WASN'T INTENDING TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT. AND I HAD ACTUALLY PLANNED TO SEND A LETTER TO THE BOARD SOON AFTER LAST MONTH'S MEETING, BUT MY SCHEDULE WOULDN'T ALLOW FOR IT, SO I STILL PLAN TO WRITE THAT LETTER. BUT I JUST WANTED TO MENTION A FEW POINTS TONIGHT, SOME OF WHICH MAY ECHO THINGS THAT MIGHT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID. BUT FIRST, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING WHO PURPORTED TO SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY IN THEIR OPPOSITION TO LOCAL CONTROL WHEN IT COMES TO CURRICULUM. MANY OF THESE FOLKS WERE ACTUALLY THE ONES TEACHING THE CURRICULUM THAT WAS IN QUESTION. TO QUOTE ONE, CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WERE SHOWING DISREGARD FOR VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY. WE MUST NOT LET THE VOICES OF A FEW DROWN OUT THE VOICES OF THE MAJORITY. BUT AS WAS ALREADY POINTED OUT, I'D LIKE TO REMIND THEM THAT REMIND THE BOARD MEMBERS. REMIND THEM THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE THE TARGETS OF THESE COMMENTS WERE ELECTED TO THEIR POSITIONS BY THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS. THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ABILITY TO OPT OUT OF CERTAIN CURRICULUM THAT A PARENT DEEMS TO BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR HIS OR HER CHILD. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TODAY STRIVE TO KEEP PARENTS IN THE DARK ABOUT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES. AND YOU ADD TO THAT THE FACT THAT APPARENTLY AT LEAST SOME TEACHERS, AS WAS STATED LAST MONTH, ARE WILLING TO FORGE PARENTS' SIGNATURES ON PERMISSION SLIPS. SO, YOU HAVE TO ASK, DO WE REALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPT CHILDREN OUT, IF THAT COMES INTO QUESTION UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES? SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO DISAGREE WITH THOSE OF US WHO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THE CURRICULUM BEING TAUGHT. TODAY WOULD PAINT US AS RACISTS. BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT RACISM. THERE WAS ONCE A GREAT AMERICAN. HE WAS ARGUABLY THE GREATEST ADVOCATE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS. HIS NAME WAS THE REVEREND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. EVERYBODY PROBABLY KNOWS ABOUT HIM. HE HAD A DREAM IN WHICH CHILDREN, HIS CHILDREN, WOULD LIVE IN A WORLD THAT WOULD JUDGE THEM NOT BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER. AMAZINGLY, TODAY THAT CONCEPT OF COLOR BLINDNESS IS CONSIDERED TO BE RACIST. [00:40:05] TODAY, STUDENTS ARE CATEGORIZED BY RACE AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE COMPARED ACCORDING TO RACE, AS WAS EVIDENCED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PRESENTATION OF GRADUATION RATES BY RACE AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. DESPITE A BIG BROUHAHA A YEAR AND A HALF AGO ABOUT LANGUAGE AND CONDUCT AT BOARD MEETINGS, ONE OF THE STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS LAST MONTH WAS PERMITTED TO USE RACIST LANGUAGE AT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. AGAIN, I'LL ADDRESS THIS IN GREATER DETAIL IN MY LETTER TO THE BOARD. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT IN THE YEAR 2024, I WOULD WITNESS ANYBODY ESPOUSING THE SUPPOSED BENEFITS OF RACIAL SEGREGATION. BUT THAT HAPPENED AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING. AND IT'S TRUE THAT RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT APPEARS TO BE BAKED INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. HEY, NEXT WE HAVE GREG THAMES. HEY, MY NAME IS GREG THAMES. AS YOU KNOW, I LIVE ON GRANDVIEW ROAD. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AND DISCUSS TWO MAIN TOPICS FIRST. BUT FIRST I WANT TO ACTUALLY SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR RECORDING AND HAVING THESE VIDEOS AND CONTINUING THEM ON, BECAUSE I CAN'T COME TO EVERY MEETING, AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN STAY CONNECTED TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. AND SO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS I SAID THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, BUT LIKE SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED LAST WEEK OR LAST MONTH MEETING WAS A DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS APPROPRIATE. SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THE TONES WERE DISRESPECTFUL, FOR LACK OF A WORD. YOUR STUDENTS. I FEEL THAT THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES HERE ARE TO ACTUALLY BRING THE VIEWS OF OUR STUDENTS TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T SEE THEM EVERY DAY. AND I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THAT LAST MEETING WE WENT, THAT CONVERSATION WENT WAY OFF THE RAILS. SO, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, STAY OUT OF THE STAY OUT OF THE GUTTER ON THOSE THINGS. THEY DON'T HELP. THEY DON'T REPRESENT THE STUDENTS AND IT MAKES IT A HOSTILE PLACE TO BE. THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO KNOW. HOW DID HOW DID YOU GUYS GET ELECTED TO THESE POSITIONS? ARE THEY VOTED ON BY THEIR PEERS OR ARE THEY SELECTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT? DID THE BOARD ACTUALLY DECIDE ON WHO THEY ARE? THAT'S THE ONE QUESTION I'VE WONDERED. AND I'VE ASKED SOME BOARD MEMBERS SEPARATELY, AND NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. SO, THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. I WOULD SUGGEST IT BE A DEMOCRATIC WAY WHERE IT'S ELECTED. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ELECTED BY THEIR PEERS. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. IT'S REALLY COOL THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY CONNECTING, BUT IT LIKE I SAID, I JUST LISTENED TO THESE. I NEVER HEAR ANY OF THOSE THINGS. SO, I LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE YOUNGER KIDS. SECONDLY, I WANT TO COMMEND DIRECTOR BUTTON AND UPPIANO FOR GOING TO THAT CONFERENCE. I'M SURE THEY DON'T AGREE WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE. I'M SURE THEY DON'T. BUT IT'S GOOD TO GET OUT AND HEAR DIFFERENT VOICES, EVEN VOICES THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT LIKE. SO, YOU CAN ACTUALLY BRING NEW THINGS TO THE SCHOOL. GROUPTHINK IS A TERRIBLE EVENT. YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE SAME PEOPLE SAYING THE SAME THINGS ALL THE TIME. IT DOESN'T DO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT OR THE BOARD ANY GOOD. SO HAVING AN OPEN-MINDED APPROACH IS CRUCIAL. SO, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GOING, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YOU LEARNED. AND I WOULD ALSO, THE THING THAT I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY TO YOU, TOO, IS GO LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE, OTHER PERSPECTIVES THAT ARE NOT LIKE THAT CONFERENCE. THEY HAVE. A BROKE CLOCK IS RIGHT TWICE A DAY. SO, YOU CAN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND LEARN SOMETHING GOOD FROM SOMEONE ELSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GREG. SO THAT CONCLUDES EVERYONE THAT I DO HAVE ON MY LIST AS FAR AS PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT. IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO HAS THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO SPEAK, AS I MENTIONED AT THE ONSET OF PUBLIC COMMENT, OUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE, SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US. AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO RESPOND OR HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. SO, THANK YOU. SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT IS THE [5. SHARING [GC-7.E.]] SUPERINTENDENT SHARING. AND SO WITH THAT I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO KRISTI. GOOD EVENING. THIS IS GOING TO BE PRETTY QUICK. I THINK ONE POINT THAT I DO WANT TO BRING UP IN TERMS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS HOW OUR STUDENTS GET VOTED ON HERE IN A [00:45:05] MINUTE. BUT THERE WAS A AND I'VE NOTIFIED THE BOARD. THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR PROGRAM IS NOT BEING ELIMINATED. THERE'S JUST A CHANGE IN STAFF DUE TO DWINDLING NUMBERS. IT DOESN'T CALL FOR A 1.0 FTE, SO WE'RE MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT. SO, IF YOU HAVE HEARD THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR, THAT IS NOT ACCURATE. AND ALL THE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED TODAY. SO JUST YOU CAN EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. SO, THE BOARD LEARNED I LEARNED ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT AND SO I NOTIFIED THE BOARD. SO JUST A REMINDER THAT MAY 16TH WE HAVE A STUDY SESSION WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO GET TO SET YOUR BOARD AGENDA. THAT HAS BEEN AN ASK OF THE BOARD. AND SO, WE WILL HAVE AN HOUR SET ASIDE FOR YOU TO GO OVER YOUR BOARD BUDGET AND DO EXACTLY WHAT EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING AND WRESTLE WITH THAT, WHAT DECISIONS YOU WANT TO MAKE. AND SO BE PREPARED FOR THAT AHEAD OF TIME. WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE AHEAD. AND THEN THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD, WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY AROUND BULLYING. AND SO, CHRIS COCHRANE AND SOME TEAM MEMBERS WILL BE COMING AND TALKING ABOUT BULLYING AND WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT DO YOU DO? WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY MEAN BY THOSE TERMS. AND SO, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. AND HE'S BEEN GETTING SOME GOOD QUESTIONS TO THINK THROUGH THAT FILTER. SO, IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU'VE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT OR YOU'RE HEARING, YOU CAN JUST EMAIL DR. CHRIS COCHRAN AND MYSELF AND WE'LL MAKE SURE TO EMBED THAT IN. AND IT WILL BE AN OPEN CONVERSATION. JUST A REMINDER, AT STUDY SESSIONS, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT ONE FOR FAMILIES. AND WE OFTEN DON'T GET MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE FOR STUDY SESSIONS. BUT IF THIS IS AN AREA OF CONCERN, JUST VIEW IN OR DO COME IN AND WATCH. AND SO THAT'S FROM 5 TO 7. AND MOST LIKELY WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE BULLYING PART FIRST. WE'LL DO THAT AT 5 TO 6. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO BOARD BUDGET AT 6 TO 7. WE JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECENT COMPETITION. AND IF YOU FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THIS AND HEAR A LITTLE BIT. BUT OUR EIGHTH GRADE, WE DID A COMBINED VISTA HORIZON ORCHESTRA AND AGREED ABOUT THE ARTS. IT'S BEEN SUCH A KEY PART OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN FERNDALE. IT'S WHAT WE'RE KNOWN FOR. AND SO, THIS IS ONE WAY THAT IT WAS HIGHLIGHTED. WHAT I DO LOVE ABOUT THIS, AND IT'S BEEN A VALUE OF MANY, IS THAT THOUGH WE HAVE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WE HAVE ONE HIGH SCHOOL. SO, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, ONGOING EFFORT OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFFS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS COME TOGETHER AND BEGIN TO BECOME ONE, GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND CELEBRATE THEIR TALENTS. THIS WAS A GREAT ONE, AND I'M GOING TO PASS THIS ON TO TRINA IN A MINUTE TO EXPAND ON THIS, THIS GRANT THAT WE JUST GOT. I MEET ONE EVERY OTHER MONTH WITH WHAT I CALL THE PAC. IT'S THE PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. SO, IT'S MEMBERS OF EVERY PTO ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND WE COME TOGETHER. AND SINCE BEFORE I ARRIVED, ONE OF THE AREAS OF CONCERN ARE OUR PLAYGROUNDS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS A COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE FUNDS FOR IT. SO HOW ARE WE COLLECTIVELY WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE HIGH QUALITY, INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS? AND SO, I WANT TO KICK THIS BACK TO TRINA TO LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED RECENTLY AND WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE. VERY EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE IS THAT THE WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, HAS AWARDED OUR DISTRICT A $700,000 PRELIMINARY GRANT. AND FOR AN INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND HERE AT MOUNTAIN VIEW. AS YOU'LL NOTICE, WE'VE MOVED OUR PRESCHOOL HERE LAST YEAR, AND WE'VE MADE THE PLAY AREA IN THE COURTYARD DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PLAYGROUND HERE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR ACCESSIBILITY OR FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS. WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF TRACY DIEHL, WHO IS HERE TONIGHT WRITING THIS VERY EXTENSIVE AND INVOLVED GRANT FOR INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND STRUCTURES. JUST IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE WE ADMITTED AND SUBMITTED THE GRANT, AND IT HAS BEEN AWARDED AND WILL COME TO FRUITION HERE. [00:50:01] AT MOUNTAIN VIEW FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS. WE'RE EXCITED BECAUSE IT MATCHES THE EARLY LEARNING TASK FORCE WORK THAT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH ACCESSIBILITY. AND SAFE PLAY AREAS FOR STUDENTS. AND IT ALSO JUST THE SAFETY, THE ABILITY FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS OR HAVE DIFFERENT ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES. THE PLAYGROUND WILL BE BUILT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS FOR THEM TO BE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING WITH THEIR PEERS. SO. THANK YOU. TRINA. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? INTO A DIFFERENT ONE. THERE'S ALWAYS ONE. ALWAYS ONE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I JUST HAD A QUESTION. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE CITY DID STAR PARK, I THINK THAT WAS THE IDEA TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE. HAVE YOU GUYS COMPARED NOTES WITH THE CITY AND OR IS THERE SOME EXCHANGE OF IDEAS GOING ON THERE AS WELL? WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT YET, BUT WE WE WILL BE SURE TO. WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAYGROUND ADVISORY GROUP SPECIFIC FOR THE MOUNTAIN VIEW DESIGN. A LOT OF THE DESIGN WORK HAS BEEN DONE AHEAD OF TIME IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE WORK OF OTHER DISTRICTS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING TO BUILD INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS AND IMPLEMENT THEM AND LEARNING FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK IN SOME OF THOSE INCLUSIVE SETTINGS, THEY'RE ACCESSIBLE FOR WHEELCHAIRS ONCE THE STUDENTS ARE ON THE PLAYGROUNDS. BUT THERE WAS A MISS IN ACTUALLY HAVING ACCESS TO GET TO THE PLAYGROUND. SO WE'RE REALLY THINKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS SO THAT WE MAKE SURE WHAT WE DO WORKS FOR ALL STUDENTS. THAT PLAYGROUND ADVISORY WILL BE LAUNCHED MAYBE EVEN AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH OR IN JUNE. AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF VOICES, AND SOMEONE FROM THE CITY WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT ADD TO THAT. SO ONE OTHER QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKS, BUT LIKE OFF LIKE IN THE SUMMER, YOU KNOW, WHEN KIDS AREN'T IN SCHOOL, IS IT ACCESSIBLE? WOULD IT BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR PEOPLE TO BRING THEIR KIDS TO PLAY AND WHAT NOT? OKAY, COOL. YES, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S A WIN FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S NOT THE FIRST GRANT. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR GRANT WRITER. SHE IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR FUNDS AND SHE IS ALSO A MEMBER. SHE JOINS ME ON THE PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. AND BECAUSE PLAYGROUNDS WERE ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE ASKS, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST GRANT WE'VE GOTTEN TO GO TOWARDS PLAYGROUNDS. EAGLE RIDGE HAS HAD SOME FUNDS. WE RECENTLY GOT AN AWARD FOR CENTRAL, AND SO WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH CENTRAL AND CUSTER. WE HAVEN'T GOT ONE YET, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET ONE EVERY. I THINK EVERY WEEK TRACY'S LIKE, I FOUND ANOTHER ONE THAT MIGHT WORK FOR PLAYGROUNDS. AND WE'VE GOTTEN MORE NO'S THAN WE'VE GOTTEN YESES, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO GET SOME YESES. BEACH IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND SO WHAT I'VE APPRECIATED ABOUT OUR PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, THIS IS ONE THAT HAS A LOT OF FEELINGS. AND I THINK WE FORGET THAT THE PLAYGROUND, IF YOU ASK YOUNG CHILDREN WHAT DID YOU LOVE TODAY? WHAT DO THEY SAY? THEY SAY RECESS BECAUSE RECESS IS ALSO A CLASSROOM. IT'S A SPACE FOR OUR YOUNG CHILDREN AS WE HEARD ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS, IT'S A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET THEIR WIGGLES OUT FREE PLAY. THEY GET TO BE WITH THEIR FRIENDS. AND SO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THE PLAYGROUND IS ALSO A CLASSROOM, AND WE WANT TO ELEVATE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT CHILDREN HAVE THERE. BUT CURRENTLY, AS TRINA SAID, WE HAVE CHILDREN WHO CAN'T ACCESS OUR PLAYGROUNDS. IF YOU'RE IN A IN A WHEELCHAIR, YOU CAN'T GO THROUGH THE WOODCHIPS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE PUSH YOU OR YOU CAN'T CLIMB UP ON THE STAIRS. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO THINK OF WAYS THAT ALL CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY, ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE LEARNING SPACE AND BE IN COMMUNITY. SO MORE TO COME. JUST A REMINDER, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED, OUR FOUNDATION IS GOING TO BE HAVING THE FIRST ANNUAL ROCK THE NEST. AND IT REALLY IS A COMMUNITY EVENT. THERE IS A STREET FESTIVAL FROM 4 TO 7 THAT IS FREE, AND THE CONCERT STARTS AT 7:30. AND SO, YOU KNOW, COME ON OUT. ENJOY SOME TIME AND LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT HEARD THE BAND PETTY OR NOT, BUT I HEAR AMAZING THINGS ABOUT THEM, SO I'M VERY EXCITED. AND THEN THE RIBBON CUTTING. IT IS TIME. THURSDAY, MAY 30TH, AND IT'S OPEN TO ALL. AND IT WILL BE A TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO AND WE'RE GOING TO CUT THE RIBBON AND THEN ENGAGE IN AN OPEN HOUSE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL. AND I'M SO EXCITED. [00:55:02] I CONTINUE TO MEET ALUMNI IN PARTICULAR, WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO I'M THRILLED TO SHOW OFF THIS COMMUNITY SPACE. AND SAVE THE DATE. WE HAVE GRADUATION, WHICH WILL BE HAPPENING AT THE STADIUM. SO WE ARE NOT TRAVELING DOWN TO CIVIC FIELD WE'RE STAYING LOCAL. BUT THAT MORNING WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE A GRAD WALK. AND I ALWAYS GET TEARY AT THE GRAD WALK BECAUSE IT'S A TIME FOR OUR GRADUATES TO GO BACK TO THEIR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND I THINK THE ADULTS MAYBE LOVE IT A LOT, BUT IT'S ALSO SO GOOD FOR OUR YOUNG STUDENTS TO HAVE A VISION OF WHERE THEY'RE HEADED. ONE PERSON TOLD ME ONE TIME WHEN THEY WOULD TELL THEIR PRESCHOOLERS THEY'RE GOING OFF TO KINDERGARTEN. WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS, AND WE ASSUME THAT KIDS UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS. AND THE KIDS ARE LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHAT'S KINDERGARTEN? AND THEN THEY GOT TO KINDERGARTEN AND NONE OF THEIR FRIENDS WERE THERE. SO THEY WERE VERY CONFUSED. AND SO THE MORE WE CAN DO TO SHOW CHILDREN WHERE THEY'RE HEADED AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TOWARDS THAT ACTUALLY IS A STRATEGY TO INCREASING GRADUATION OUTCOMES, IS TO BUILD THE VISION AND THE IDEAS OF WHO THEY CAN BE. AND SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GIVE BACK AND FOR OUR YOUNG STUDENTS TO LOOK FORWARD. AND WE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT HOW DO WE GET OUR STUDENT BOARD REPS. AND I, I JUST WANT TO SAY KWABENA, THIS IS YOUR SECOND TO LAST BOARD MEETING. YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD MY ENTIRE TIME HERE IN FERNDALE. SO I AM SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU. AND I, I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO. AND GABBY, YOU TOO. WE GET YOU FOR ANOTHER YEAR. BUT PEOPLE ASK HOW DO THEY GET ON THE BOARD? AND ACTUALLY THE APPLICATION OPENED AND THE HIGH SCHOOL STAFF HAS BEEN REACHING OUT TO SOPHOMORES, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO BE GOING INTO THEIR JUNIOR YEAR. KWABENA AND GABBY ANSWER QUESTIONS. I'VE OFFERED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS MYSELF AND SO WE ARE CURRENTLY COLLECTING APPLICATIONS. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH WORK YOU DO ON TOP OF GOING TO SCHOOL FULL TIME AND ALL THE EXTRA CURRICULAR THINGS YOU DO, IT'S QUITE A COMMITMENT. SO STARTING NEXT YEAR, SORRY KWABENA, STARTING NEXT YEAR, OUR BOARD MEMBERS, BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK THEY DO, WILL BE GETTING HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT FOR THEIR TIME ON THE BOARD. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT'S GOING TO INCENTIVIZE THIS A BIT, SORRY, KWABENA. AND THEN MAY 24TH WE WILL BE SENDING ALL THE CANDIDATES A NOTIFICATION AND THEY'LL GET THEIR INTERVIEW, WHICH WILL HAPPEN DURING THE MAY 28TH MEETING. AND THE STUDENT REPS ARE VOTED ON AND SELECTED BY THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS, NOT THE STUDENT REPS. IT'S ONLY THE BOARD MEMBERS. I ALSO DO NOT HAVE A VOTE. SO KWABENA AND GABBY ARE BOTH HERE BECAUSE THE BOARD SELECTED THEM AMONGST OTHER APPLICANTS. AND HAVING WATCHED BOTH THEIR INTERVIEWS WE'VE HAD VERY HIGH QUALITY AND I AM VERY HONORED THAT YOU ARE HERE REPRESENTING STUDENTS. AND I DO KNOW THAT YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO HEAR FROM THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE AT THIS TABLE, SO THANK YOU. AND SPEAKING OF STUDENT UPDATES. HI. SO TODAY, KWAB IS LETTING ME GO FIRST, AND I JUST. I THINK IT'S A GREAT SEGUE, BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY GOING TO BEGIN MY STUDENT SHARING WITH AN UPDATE ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH THE STUDENT BOARD REPS. SO FAR, I'VE HEARD THAT FOUR PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN OUT APPLICATIONS, BUT THAT'S ONLY WHAT I'VE DIRECTLY HEARD OF, EITHER FROM THE APPLICANTS OR FROM A FRIEND. I SPOKE WITH MISS DYLAN THE OTHER DAY, AND SHE I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AND SHE IS DOING SO MUCH TO ACTIVELY LIKE, PUT OUT INFORMATION, LIKE THERE'S INFORMATION IN THE NEW SCHOOL. THERE ARE LIKE BIG SCREENS, KIND OF LIKE THAT ONE ON A COUPLE DIFFERENT WALLS. AND SO THERE'S A, A GIANT LIKE ADVERTISEMENT, LIKE ATTENTION SOPHOMORES, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING YOUR VOICE HEARD AND BEING A VOICE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A STUDENT SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE. AND SO THAT'S UP ON THE BIG SCREENS. IT'S BEEN POSTED ABOUT ON THE FERNDALE STUDENTS INSTAGRAM. KWAB AND I HAVE TALKED TO STUDENTS ABOUT IT, AND WE'RE ALSO COLLABORATING WITH ENGLISH TEACHERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL TO NEXT WEEK, GO INTO SOPHOMORE ENGLISH CLASSES AND PRESENT EACH CLASS LIKE REAL QUICK, LIKE FIVE MINUTES. HERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY. HERE'S WHAT IT MIGHT ENTAIL. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? WE'RE VERY OPEN TO HELPING PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE PACKETS. AND I CAN DEFINITELY SAY THAT FOR ME PERSONALLY, THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WAS VERY THOROUGH. AND YOU'RE INTERVIEWED BY BOARD MEMBERS WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES. AND A LOT OF THE TIMES THE PEOPLE THAT CHOOSE TO RUN FOR STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRETTY SIMILAR TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE ELECTED BY THEIR PEERS. [01:00:08] I'M NOT SAYING THIS TO SOUND CONCEITED, AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T COME ACROSS THAT WAY, BUT THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT HOW IF IT WAS DONE DEMOCRATICALLY AND IT IS COMPLETELY YOUR CHOICE IF YOU WANT TO RUN LIKE KRISTI SAID THAT YOU'RE CHOSEN, JUST ANY STUDENT CAN RUN AND BE CHOSEN BY THE BOARD AFTER THEIR TURNING IN THEIR APPLICATION AND THEN THEIR INTERVIEW PROCESS. BUT MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED AS STUDENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY STUDENTS TO REPRESENT THEM IN OTHER CAPACITIES. KWABENA IS OUR CURRENT EXECUTIVE ASB PUBLICITY DIRECTOR, AND HE WAS ELECTED NEAR UNANIMOUSLY FOR THAT THIS PAST YEAR. AND I'M THE CURRENT JUNIOR CLASS PRESIDENT. SO AND I DIDN'T RUN UNOPPOSED. SO OUR STUDENTS, IN A WAY, OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE SHOWN US THAT THEY HAVE FAITH IN US TO REPRESENT THEM AND THEIR VIEWPOINTS. AND I HOPE THAT YOU TRUST US IN THAT WAY AS WELL. NEXT, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I'VE HEARD SPRING SPORTS ARE WINDING TO AN END. TRACK SENIOR NIGHT IS TOMORROW, ISN'T IT? AND SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL SENIOR NIGHTS WERE YESTERDAY. IT'S TESTING SEASON. NOT ONLY ARE APS COMING UP IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, WHICH ARE STRESSFUL, BUT IT'S SBA AND WHAT CASS SEASON. SBAS YOU DO ENGLISH AND MATH, AND THE SOPHOMORES TAKE THAT. IT'S A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. AND JUNIORS, AS I FOUND OUT THIS WEEK AND DID TODAY, TAKE THE SCIENCE [INAUDIBLE] TEST. AND THAT'S ALSO A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. SO IT'S TESTING SEASON. SPRING SPORTS ARE WINDING TO AN END. AND IN ADDITION TO FINISHING UP THIS ROUND OF EXECUTIVE ASB ELECTIONS CLASS ASB ELECTIONS ARE HAPPENING. PACKETS CAME OUT THIS WEEK. SO IT'S AN EXCITING SEASON AND THERE'S A LOT OF BIG STUFF COMING UP, LIKE THE SPRING FLING WEEK AND [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GABBY. SHE BASICALLY GOT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. SO THAT IS A KIND OF PERFECT SEGUE INTO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE JOB THAT GABBY AND I HAVE. SO GABBY AND I WERE SELECTED BY THE BY AS KRISTI SAID BY THE DIFFERENT ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS. AND WE WE LISTEN PRETTY INTENTLY. WE ONLY SPEAK A FEW TIMES PER MEETING AND GABBY, FOR EXAMPLE, OFTEN YOU KNOW, SHE'S PRETTY ELOQUENT. SHE RESTATES HER POINTS OFTEN. SHE RESTATES OTHER PEOPLE'S POINTS WHEN REFUTING THEM TO SHOW THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS THEM. AND SHE DOES THAT VERY WELL, I BELIEVE. AND I'M NOT SAYING EVERYTHING WE SAY IS PERFECT. YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES AND WE'RE GOING TO SAY THINGS THAT WE CAN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS BACK UP. BUT OR WE DON'T WE CAN SAY THINGS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE BEST PERSPECTIVE OF, BUT NOBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM HAS THE PERSPECTIVE OF A STUDENT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. I JUST NEED EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HERE TO LEARN UNDER THEM, BUT THEY ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO US. I NEED THAT TO BE VERY CLEAR. AND IF THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THIS IS THIS IS THIS WAS BEAUTIFULLY PROVEN IN LAST MEETING WHEN GABBY WAS LITERALLY INTERRUPTED BY ANOTHER ELECTED BOARD MEMBER. IF THAT ISN'T EVIDENCE ENOUGH THAT THERE IS A LOPSIDED, THERE IS LOPSIDED LISTENING GOING ON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. SO LET'S, LET'S LET'S BE CLEAR HERE. WE WERE SELECTED SO THAT PEOPLE COULD LISTEN TO US BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO STUDENTS AND F IVE BOARD MEMBERS HERE SITTING BEFORE US. THERE IS A VERY CLEAR POWER IMBALANCE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY LISTEN. SO JUST SO WE'RE ALL AWARE, AND I KNOW I DO RESPECT EVERYONE'S VIEWPOINTS WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THE STUDENTS LISTEN. BECAUSE YOU BECAUSE ADULTS COME FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT STUDENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO LISTEN. BUT CLEARLY, IF WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US IS THAT I NEED TO STAY IN MY LANE, THEN I'M DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. WE ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ONE POINT THAT OUR TWO STUDENT REPS DID NOT BRING UP TONIGHT. AS YOU KNOW, I THINK WAS IT A YEAR AGO THAT WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO EVALUATE THE BOARD MEETINGS. AND IN CAREFUL DISCUSSION STARTING TONIGHT, AND I BELIEVE, KEVIN, YOU'RE ON THAT IS GOING TO BE SHIFTED BACK TO THE [01:05:03] BOARD MEMBERS TO BEGIN EVALUATING ONE ANOTHER. AND, AND THEY ARE PASSING THAT TORCH BACK. AND SO THE BOARD WILL BE DOING THE EVALUATION STARTING TONIGHT. ARE WE ON FOR THAT? YES. YES, YES, YES. SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT DIDN'T GET BROUGHT UP EARLIER. SO THAT'S A SHIFT THIS EVENING. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR KRISTI ON HER REPORT? OKAY. THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM 6.01 OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, WHICH IS THE MISSION STATEMENT. [6. MISSION STATEMENT DEVELOPMENT] SO OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN WORKING, WITH THE HELP OF DR. TAMMY CAMPBELL, TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN AND STRATEGIC GOALS. AS PART OF THAT WORK, THE BOARD MET WITH DR. CAMPBELL ON MARCH 12TH TO START OUR WORK ON IT. EXCUSE ME. DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT. LAST MONTH, WE REVIEWED THREE DRAFT STATEMENTS AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK. TONIGHT, WE'LL HEAR THE CULMINATION OF THAT WORK AND VOTE ON A NEWLY DEVELOPED MISSION STATEMENT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KRISTI. SO THE DOCUMENT THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING AT AND HAS HAD SINCE LAST WEEK IS ALSO IN THE AGENDA. LAST MONTH CELINA AND I TOOK TWO MONTHS, TWO MEETINGS AGO DURING A STUDY SESSION, THE BOARD IDENTIFIED AREAS OR STATEMENTS THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN A MISSION STATEMENT OR THEY EXPECTED TO SEE IN ONE. SO WE SORTED THOSE OUT, IF YOU REMEMBER, AND COLOR CODED THEM. THEN THE BOARD WAS PROVIDED WITH THREE DRAFTS TO THINK THROUGH. AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE DOCUMENT JUST THE SUMMARY OF THE DIFFERENT COMMENTS AND KIND OF THINGS THAT STOOD OUT. AND THEN WE CELINA AND I TOOK ALL OF THAT FEEDBACK AND STATEMENT THREE REALLY WAS ONE THAT OVERALL TENDED TO RESONATE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS HERE ON THE BOARD. BUT THERE WERE KEY POINTS FROM STATEMENT ONE THAT STOOD OUT. SO THIS IS THE RECOMMENDED MISSION STATEMENT BASED ON ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT FORWARD FOR A VOTE TONIGHT. AND IT SAYS WE, THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, PREPARE EACH STUDENT TO THRIVE IN AN EVER CHANGING WORLD BY PROVIDING A RIGOROUS EDUCATION THAT FOSTERS ACADEMIC GROWTH, NURTURES CONFIDENCE, AND ENCOURAGES CRITICAL THINKING. OUR COMMITMENT TO HIGH EXPECTATION ENSURES EVERY LEARNER NOT ONLY ACHIEVES BUT EXCEEDS THEIR POTENTIAL. WE CULTIVATE RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION IN EACH STUDENT AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT, EMPHASIZING CARING AND COMPASSION READY TO FACE FUTURE CHALLENGES. SO THIS IS WHAT CELINA AND I WORKED BASED ON ALL THE FEEDBACK AND THE INPUT TO PUT FORWARD FOR A VOTE THIS EVENING BY THE BOARD. SO CAN THERE BE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TONIGHT? YOU CAN AND IF WE DO ANYTHING AND YOU VOTE ON TO CHANGE IT, I WOULD STILL I'D LOVE TO PUT IT FORWARD. FORWARD FOR A VOTE. IF YOU WANT TO JUST WORDSMITH IT RIGHT HERE. IF THERE'S SOMETHING AND EVERYONE CAN AGREE ON IT. AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE HOPING TO LAUNCH THIS THIS SUMMER, AND IF WE KICK IT OFF ANOTHER MONTH, THEN IT THEN IT KICKED, YOU KNOW SO YEAH. YEAH, IT'S YOUR MISSION STATEMENT. I CAN APPRECIATE THAT. I GUESS I TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF ISSUE WITH THAT BUT EXCEEDS THEIR POTENTIAL BECAUSE TO ME THAT'S ILLOGICAL. SO THAT JUST DIDN'T COME UP IN THE LAST ONE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT NUMBER THREE SO I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT TONIGHT. IT WAS NOT EVER IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE AREAS. SO WE LEFT IT IN NUMBER THREE. BUT IF THE MAJORITY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT OUT. I'M WITH PEGGY YOU CAN'T EXCEED POTENTIAL. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT, BUT I FELT LIKE THERE WERE MORE PRESSING THINGS TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE DRAFTS. SO CAN I ASK THIS WOULD YOU PUT ACHIEVES THEIR POTENTIAL AND JUST TAKES OUT, BUT EXCEEDS? OKAY, ANTONIO. SORRY. I'M TRYING TO UNMUTE. OKAY. I DO AGREE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE AND EXCEED EXPECTATIONS, BUT OUR POTENTIAL. [01:10:02] THAT IS HARD TO DO. OKAY. STEVE, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? TAKE OUT SO IT WOULD READ LEARNER NOT ONLY EVERY LEARNER NOT ONLY ACHIEVES OH EVERY LEARNER ACHIEVES THEIR POTENTIAL. SO YOU'RE TAKING OUT NOT ONLY. I THINK IT COULD SAY SOMETHING THAT OH I'M SORRY AM I INTERRUPTING I'M SORRY. NO, YOU GO FOR IT. I COULD SAY THAT THEY ACHIEVED THEIR FULL POTENTIAL OR SOMETHING TO THAT MANNER THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST THAT EVERYBODY IS AND THEN MY WORDING YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS, RIGHT? SO IT COULD READ OUR COMMITMENT. SO WE ARE IN SENTENCE TWO. OUR COMMITMENT TO HIGH EXPECTATION ENSURES EVERY LEARNER ACHIEVES THEIR WE CAN PUT FULL POTENTIAL, I LIKE THAT TOO. CAN I ADD ANOTHER THING? THE THE LAST LINE WHICH SAYS, WE CULTIVATE RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION IN EACH STUDENT AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT, EMPHASIZING CARING CARING AND COMPASSION, READY TO FACE FUTURE FUTURE CHALLENGES. I WOULD PREFER THAT CHALLENGES FUTURE CHALLENGES IS NOT THE WAY IT'S ENDED, BUT MAYBE READY TO FACE THEIR FUTURE, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IN THEIR FUTURE. AND I HATE TO JUST SAY CHALLENGES. DOES EVERYONE AGREE WITH THAT? SO THE SENTENCE WOULD READ, WE CULTIVATE RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION IN EACH STUDENT AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT, EMPHASIZING CARING AND COMPASSION, READY TO FACE THEIR FUTURE. I WAS ABOUT TO BRING UP THE EXACT SAME SENTENCE AS NANCY FOR A SIMILAR REASON, BUT I ALSO JUST FELT LIKE IT DIDN'T QUITE FLOW. AND FLOW IS I GUESS IT'S A MINOR ISSUE IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, BUT THE IT KIND OF READS LIKE A RUN ON, AND I, I MEAN, NO OFFENSE WHEN I SAY THIS, BUT IF IT SAID SOMETHING LIKE AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPHASIZES CARING AND COMPASSION, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I JUST IT'S LESS COMMA JUMPS. AND I MEAN, THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE. YEAH, I, I WOULD TEND TO AGREE BECAUSE I WAS FEELING LIKE THEY WERE NEEDED TO BE SOMETHING AND I WAS LOOKING AT, OKAY, PUTTING BEING READY TO FACE THEIR FUTURE. SOMETHING COULD BUT IT DOES SOUND LIKE IT RUNS. I WAS GETTING LOST IN IT. GABBY, THAT TIGHTENS IT UP AND IT JUST MAKES IT SOUND BETTER. YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU. OKAY, SO NOW I'M LOST WHICH PART OF MY CHANGING? DOES SOMEONE HAVE A IDEA IN THAT SENTENCE BECAUSE I WAS ABOUT FIVE SENTENCES AGO. I CAN REPHRASE THAT. SO I'LL START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENCE, EVEN THOUGH CHANGES DON'T HAPPEN UNTIL LATER. SO WE CULTIVATE RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION IN EACH STUDENT AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPHASIZES CARING AND COMPASSION. PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE. OR ALLOWING THEM TO FEEL READY FOR THEIR FUTURE OR SOMETHING. PREPARING STUDENTS. CELINA, ARE YOU GETTING ALL THIS? GOOD. OH. OH THERE WE GO. OH MY GOSH. THANK YOU FOR CELINA. OKAY. SO NOW WE HAVE WE, THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, PREPARE EACH STUDENT TO THRIVE IN AN EVER CHANGING WORLD BY PROVIDING A RIGOROUS EDUCATION THAT FOSTERS ACADEMIC GROWTH, NURTURES CONFIDENCE, AND ENCOURAGES CRITICAL THINKING. OUR COMMITMENT TO HIGH EXPECTATION ENSURES EVERY LEARNER ACHIEVES THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. WE CULTIVATE RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION IN EACH STUDENT, AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPHASIZES CARING AND COMPASSION C OMPASSION PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE. AGAIN, VERY TINY THING, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMMENT BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND THAT BECAUSE IT IMPLIES A PAUSE. AND I MEAN, USUALLY IN A SENTENCE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE SUBJECT, WHEN IT DOES SOMETHING, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPHASIZES CARING AND COMPASSION. AND YEAH. ABBY, ARE YOU PLANNING ON BEING AN ENGLISH TEACHER? [01:15:01] I WANT TO MAJOR IN ENGLISH AND PSYCHOLOGY AND TEACH ENGLISH IN MY FUTURE. YEAH, THOSE COMMAS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY DETRIMENT IN ENGLISH. OKAY. ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS? I THINK IT'S A LITTLE LONG, BUT THERE'S NOTHING I WANT TO TAKE OUT. YEAH, AND I KNOW THAT DR. CAMPBELL REALLY ENCOURAGED YOU TO HAVE A SHORTER ONE. AND I AND CELINA AND I'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON THIS WITH THE FOUNDATIONS PIECE. THERE'S A PART IN THE FOUNDATIONS WHERE SHE SAID, WELL, YOU DON'T NEED A SUMMARY SENTENCE. AND WE FELT LIKE WE DID, AND IT'S OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. AND SO IF THIS REPRESENTS WHAT THE BOARD WANTS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MISSION AND THIS WILL BE HANGING EVERYWHERE IT'S YOURS TO CREATE, SO. I HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD. GREAT. SO IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION. I'M TRYING TO SHORTEN IT A LITTLE BIT WITHOUT LOSING ANY OF THE TRUE MEANING. AND WE, IF WE GO FROM, YOU KNOW, A SENSE OF BELONGING AND A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT AND THEN I'M SAYING, INSTEAD OF SAYING EMPHASIZES CARING AND COMPASSION WHAT IF WE WERE TO SAY THAT PRACTICES EMPATHY, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE? FOR ME, EMPATHY IS A VERY DEEP WORD. THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SYMPATHY AND EMPATHY. SYMPATHY YOU JUST GET TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING THROUGH SOMETHING. EMPATHY IS UNDERSTANDING AND ACTING TO DO SOMETHING TO TO HELP. SO IF WE WANTED TO SHORTEN IT A LITTLE BIT, I DO LIKE IF WE WERE TO SAY THAT WE PRACTICE EMPATHY, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE WHILE WE ARE PREPARING OUR KIDS TO YOU KNOW, TO BE SERVANT LEADERS. I THINK THAT IS A GOOD MESSAGE THAT I WOULD, I WOULD BE HAPPY WITH. BUT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE EMPHASIZE CARING AND COMPASSION, I'M TOTALLY OKAY WITH THAT. THANK YOU. REACTIONS. THOUGHTS? I'D LIKE TO ANTONIO, CAN YOU READ THAT LAST SENTENCE THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IT, TAKING OUT THE WORDS AND INSERTING EMPATHY SO WE COULD HEAR WHAT THAT WOULD SOUND LIKE P LEASE? SURE. WE CULTIVATE RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION IN EACH STUDENT AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT PRACTICES EMPATHY, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE. IF IT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT. IF WE WANT TO KEEP EMPHASIZE CARING AND COMPASSION, I'M TOTALLY FINE WITH THAT TOO. I JUST WAS THINKING OF SHORTENING THE MEANING OF CARING AND COMPASSION, THAT'S EMPATHY. I APPRECIATE THE THE BREVITY AND TRYING TO SHORTEN IT, BUT I THINK THAT CARING AND COMPASSION IN MY MIND FLOWS A LITTLE BIT BETTER, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO HIT MORE PEOPLE SOMETIMES. I THINK EMPATHY FOR THOSE THAT UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S A GREAT WORD. BUT FOR THOSE THAT DON'T CARING AND COMPASSION PROBABLY SAYS IT BETTER. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY, EVEN THOUGH CARING AND COMPASSION IS A LITTLE WORD IS A LITTLE MORE WORDY, IT IS A LOT MORE CLEAR. AND SO I THINK ULTIMATELY THAT'S KIND OF THE DIFFICULT THING WITH WORDSMITHING IS SOMETIMES THINGS THAT ARE SHORTER AREN'T ALWAYS BETTER. THAT'S JUST MY FEELING. I THINK THAT CARING AND COMPASSION IS A LOT MORE CLEAR. AND CONSIDERING COMPASSION AND CARING ARE VERY RUDIMENTARY THINGS. WORKING IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE THING WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE. OTHER THOUGHTS. REFLECTIONS? I'M GOOD WITH THIS. I'M GOOD WITH THE OTHER. YOU KNOW, EITHER ONE. I THINK THEY ARE. I THINK THIS WOULD BE FINE. OKAY. STEVE. YEAH, I'M GOOD WITH IT. PEGGY. OKAY. SO. I THINK IT HAS ALL THE WORDS THAT WE WANTED IN IT. YEAH. I THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT PROCESS, AND CELINA AND I APPRECIATED THE TIME TO GO BACK AND TAKE YOUR WORDS AND REFLECT ON THEM AND SORT THEM. AND WE SPENT SOME TIME JUST, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IT AND THEN COMPARING IT ACROSS THE REST OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND WHAT'S BEEN SO POWERFUL IS WE SEE THIS WOVEN IN AND OUT OF THE WORDS OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. SO THAT WAS A NICE TIE IN. SO ARE WE READY TO VOTE? I MOVE THAT WE VOTE ON WHETHER TO ACCEPT THIS AS IT IS AS OUR MISSION STATEMENT. [01:20:04] OKAY, SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO VOTE ON THE MISSION STATEMENT AS CELINA HAS IT PRESENTED THERE ON THE SCREEN. SO WE'LL START OUT WITH A STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE. AND SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MISSION STATEMENT OF ADOPTING THE MISSION STATEMENT AS PRESENTED THERE ON THE SCREEN SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. OKAY. THE MISSION STATEMENT AS PRESENTED HAS BEEN ADOPTED. YES. THANK THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE WORK AND WORKING ON AND WORDSMITHING, REWRITING AND PUTTING ALL THOSE IDEAS TOGETHER. IT'S NOT AN EASY PROJECT. THE NEXT PART OF THE PROCESS IS WE WILL BE BRINGING THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN ITS ENTIRETY TO THE BOARD FOR A VOTE. SO THAT WILL COME THIS SPRING. WELL, I GUESS IT IS SPRING THAT WILL COME LIKE IN A MONTH. OKAY, THEN THAT BRINGS US ON TO ITEMS OR ESSENTIALLY ITEM 7 OF THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE REVIEW OF TWO [7. FOCUS ON DISTRICT OPERATIONS] REPORTS MONITORING REPORTS. THE FIRST 7.01 IS A REVIEW OF THE MONITORING REPORT OF OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS POLICY 11 OE-11 ON FACILITIES. AND SO AT THIS POINT THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO US, THAT REPORT, WE'VE HAD THE GOOGLE FORM SURVEY FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO FILL OUT. SO ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? WELL I WAS REALLY SINCERELY HOPING THAT WE WOULD POSTPONE E-11 FOR ANOTHER MONTH OR, YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE COULD GET THE CSG REPORT. AND DOES IS THERE ANY WHAT IS THE ACTUAL DEADLINE ON THAT? IT'S GOING TO BE A WAYS OUT. IT'S I THINK WE WERE HOPING FOR MAYBE EARLY SUMMER. I'M LOOKING AT JAMIE HE'S NODDING THAT THAT'S OUR TIMELINE. AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY INTERIM, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UPDATES THAT YOU GUYS HAD RECEIVED THAT, YOU KNOW. OKAY, WE REVIEWED THE TEMPLATE, BUT IT HAD IT HAD PARTIALLY COMPLETED INFORMATION, BUT IT WAS NOT IN A USABLE FORMAT AT THIS POINT. I THINK ONE RESPONSE I WOULD HAVE IN, AND I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORTH, PEGGY, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE THAT REPORT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND HIT A LOT OF THESE INDICATORS. THE THE CHALLENGE I SEE FROM A HISTORICAL POINT IS THAT WE HAD A PLAN LIKE THAT BEFORE, AND WE'VE HAD ONE, AND IT'S GOING TO CHANGE. AND IT THIS IS ALL AN ONGOING TYPE THING. AND THE MONITORING REPORT IS JUST THAT. IT'S MONITORING WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PROGRESS OF THE SITUATION. IF WE IF WE STOP AND DELAY IT UNTIL WE GET THE NEXT PART, YOU KNOW, WHICH REPORT ARE WE GOING TO DELAY NEXT TO MOVE ON, YOU KNOW, SO BASICALLY THE MONITORING REPORTS ARE A PROCESS OF ONGOING MONITORING. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS AS A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN MY MIND, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS I LOOKED AT THE THE GOOGLE SURVEYS AND THE THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT CAME UP, AND I THINK WE HAVE THAT AS ONE OF OUR THAT THIS IS MEETING, YOU KNOW, IT'S COMPLIANT WITH THAT EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE EXPECTING THAT REPORT TO BE COMPLETED AND PUT FORTH, AS YOU KNOW, TO THE BOARD AT ONCE IT IS COMPLETED. I JUST FELT LIKE YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CSG REPORT WILL BE A VERY POSITIVE STEP, AND IT WOULD DEMONSTRATE A WHOLE LOT OF WHAT WORK THE DISTRICT HAS DONE TOWARD, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVING A PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE REPORT AND HAVING EVERYTHING INVENTORY. I MEAN, I JUST I WANT IT. I HOPE I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THAT IS THE CASE. I KNOW THAT WHEN WE GOT THE THE LAST ONE, IT WASN'T QUITE THAT WELL RECEIVED. IT WAS MORE LIKE, EGADS, HOW COME THIS ISN'T DONE AND THAT ISN'T DONE? AND, AND AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OVERWHELMING. [01:25:04] SO I'M HOPING THAT WE HAVE A MORE POSITIVE SPIN WITH IT, BUT THAT WAS A CHALLENGE WITH THE LAST ONE BECAUSE AS IT PUT FORTH, EVERYTHING IT WAS A PRETTY OVERWHELMING PIECE OF INFORMATION OR A REPORT OF INFORMATION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT TERM I WANT TO USE FOR IT. YOU KNOW, AND I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S VALUABLE IN THAT SENSE. IT WAS VALUABLE AT THE TIME, BUT IT WAS A BIT OVERWHELMING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. I NOTICED THAT. WERE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? I NOTICED THAT THE PEOPLE'S EACH BOARD MEMBER'S COMMENTS RELATED TO OE-11, ALL OF US WERE THINKING THE SAME THING. WE REALLY NEED THAT REPORT IN ORDER TO MAKE A GOOD JUDGMENT ON THIS. AND THINGS WERE CONTINGENT UPON THAT. SO IT KIND OF MAKES US HESITANT TO, AT LEAST FOR MYSELF, TO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IS MOVING FORWARD IF WE PUT TOGETHER SOME KIND OF ACTION PLANS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP ABREAST OF PROGRESS AS TIME GOES ON, RATHER THAN PUT IT OFF FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN GET, YOU KNOW, INUNDATED WITH A THE PROCESS OR THE REPORT THAT WE GET BACK. THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN THE INTERIM, RIGHT, THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE ON THIS PATH OF GOING TO A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SYSTEM. AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, ACKNOWLEDGE SOME ACTION PLANS OFF OF THE SURVEYS THAT WE TOOK. THERE'S SOME GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THAT. SOME THINGS THAT ARE WORKS IN PROGRESS. AND IN ALL FAIRNESS NO FAULT OF ANYBODY'S. THIS IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING. IT'S A BIG PROCESS. NOT AN EASY THING TO DO. HOWEVER, I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE INTERIM BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT WE DO GET THE CSG REPORT. SO I WOULD ASK THE ADMINISTRATION IF THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENT AND WORK TOWARDS THE COMMENTS PUT FORTH AND BRING BACK TO THE BOARD AND KEEP US INFORMED ON WHERE YOU'RE AT AS FAR AS MOVING FORWARD ON THE PROCESS. I LOVE THAT IDEA, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SHIFT AND WE'RE SHIFTING AWAY FROM THE WORK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. NOT THAT THAT'S DONE, BUT THE COMMITMENT OF THAT ONGOING MEETING, CHECKING IN. I'M WONDERING ABOUT STEVE, ABOUT JUST A QUARTERLY UPDATE. IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE, IT WOULD BE AN UPDATE. SO IT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING FOR THE BOARD TO VOTE ON. THIS IS A MONITORING REPORT THAT YOU VOTE ON. BUT IF YOU HAD THAT QUARTERLY UPDATE, WE COULD DESIGN SOME KIND OF TEMPLATE THAT THEN I WOULD ATTACH EITHER A SEPARATE WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT HERE. I MEAN WE CAN MAKE THAT PUBLIC EASILY, BUT IT'D BE SOME WAY TO KEEP YOU INFORMED. SO IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE MY TEAM AND I ARE HAPPY TO DO THAT, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING MOVING FORWARD AS TO, YOU KNOW. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD. I KNOW I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE DOCUMENTING OUR WORK PROCESSES. I ALSO BELIEVE IN METRICS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO AUDIT THE SYSTEM AND WE CAN START TAKING METRICS ON, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TIME A EMERGENT WORK ORDER IS PUT IN TO THE TIME IT'S COMPLETED, AS WELL AS A PLANNED JOB, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PUT OUT IN THE FUTURE. THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS PRIORITIZING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND SO THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN BE DOING RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE MADE THE COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO UTILIZE THE SOFTWARE SYSTEM WE HAVE IN PLACE AND WE NEED TO BRING, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS CRITICAL EQUIPMENT INTO THAT REALM SO THAT YOU HAVE A REALISTIC LOOK. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFAIR TO ASK ONE PERSON TO BE IN CHARGE OF KNOWING WHERE ALL OF OUR ASSETS ARE, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE SHAPE THEY'RE IN OR WHATNOT. IT TAKES A TEAM. IT TAKES A WHOLE GAMBIT OF THINGS TO UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING FEEDBACK ON THE CONDITION OF ALL YOUR FACILITIES. AND SO THAT MAKES IT REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CAPTURE THAT INFORMATION IN ONE SPACE SO [01:30:06] THAT YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, THE BIG PICTURE AND THE TROUBLED ASSETS, THE ONES THAT MAY BE END OF LIFE, THE ONES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, GIVING YOU ISSUES, COSTING YOU MONEY, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO PROPOSE AS AN ACTION STEP FOR MYSELF AND MY TEAM IS THAT I WILL PULL A TEAM MEETING TOGETHER WITH THE CORRECT WITH, WITH THE GROUP, THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE THERE, INCLUDING CELINA, TO HELP US THINK THROUGH A FORMAT OF A REPORT. I'D LIKE TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AS A TRIAL OR A DRAFT, BRING IT TO YOU, SEE WHAT INFORMATION IS IN THERE THAT IS ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. WHAT INFORMATION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN ADDITION? AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THAT FORMAT A LITTLE BIT. SO I'M NOT MAKING ASSUMPTIONS OR MY TEAM'S NOT MAKING ASSUMPTIONS OF WHAT YOU WANT OR NOT WANT. THINKING THROUGH THE DATA THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE. AND THEN ONCE WE KIND OF HAVE A FINALIZED VERSION OF THAT, THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO PUT THAT TOGETHER IN A QUARTERLY. DOES THAT WORK FOR THE BOARD? YEAH, THAT WORKS FOR ME. YES, PEGGY. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, I MEAN, USUALLY WHEN YOU CONTRACT WITH SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE, DELIVERABLES AND DATES AND THEY GET PAID TO PRODUCE A CERTAIN SOMETHING BY A CERTAIN POINT OF TIME. WHERE CAN WE GO TO FIND, YOU KNOW, THE TIMELINE AND THE EXPECTATIONS? AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE PAID FOR SO FAR WITH THIS, WITH THIS REPORT, WITH THIS, WITH THIS PROCESS. SO I'M GOING TO LET MARK ANSWER THIS BECAUSE IT'S IT WAS DEFINITELY A MESSY. YOU WANT TO ANSWER THIS THE REPORT. YES. AND I TWO THINGS FIRST AND I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE AND JAMIE IS HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE STEVE TO COME DOWN AND AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH JAMIE AS WELL, BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION, WHAT YOU JUST LAID OUT IS BASICALLY EVERYTHING THAT JAMIE IS WORKING ON. AND NOW THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT IS WRAPPING UP, HIS ENERGY IS BEING ABLE TO SHIFT A LOT MORE TOWARDS DOING THAT. SO I THINK HE CAN YOU TWO CAN HAVE A PROBABLY A PRETTY GOOD CONVERSATION THAT YOUR EXPERTISE MAY BENEFIT WHERE WE ARE. AND HE CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW WE'RE STARTING AND WHERE WE ARE IN THAT ON THE JOURNEY TO GET TO NOT ONLY GETTING EVERYTHING INTO THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SYSTEM, BUT THEN ALSO THE CAPITAL RENEWAL PLAN THAT CSG IS WORKING ON. WELL, AND WHAT I DIDN'T SAY IS STEVE'S ON THE COMMITTEE THAT I'M PULLING TOGETHER, SO I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO COMMIT HIM TO THAT. SO GOOD JOB, MARK. AND YOU WERE VOLUNTEERED AND YOU WERE EVEN HERE. SO PEGGY, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LET YOU HAVE A LOOK AT THE AGREEMENT WITH CSG. I WILL TELL YOU, WE'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE DELIVERABLE DATES. AND I THINK WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT IT BEFORE THAT THEY HAD SOME TURNOVER IN LEADERSHIP AT CSG AND THE FORMER DIRECTOR WHO RETIRED, WAS KIND OF THE CHAMPION OF THIS PROGRAM. IT WAS ACTUALLY INTENDING TO USE IT AS THE KIND OF THE BENCHMARK, THE PROTOTYPE FOR TO REPLICATE THIS PROCESS THROUGHOUT OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE STATE. AND IT KIND OF FELL OFF THE RADAR WHEN HE LEFT. SO IT'S BEEN SOME TIME TO GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING AND GET THINGS GOING. SO WE'RE WAY BEHIND IN WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE AT THIS POINT. SO FOR THAT, I APOLOGIZE. BUT IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE LIFE THINGS THAT GOT IN THE WAY. SO WE'RE MAKING SOME PRETTY GOOD PROGRESS. I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO ACTUALLY DELIVER WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME NOW. BUT AGAIN, IT'S IT'S IT'S PROBABLY EARLY SUMMER BEFORE WE ACTUALLY SEE THAT REPORT FROM THEM. AND IT'S NOT. IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT KIND OF BETWEEN. IT'S GOING TO BE A ROADMAP, A PLAN OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO EXPENDITURE WISE EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT 20 OR 30 YEARS. BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE LIKE KEVIN SAID, WHERE YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEHIND ALREADY AND WE KNOW THAT. SO IT'S A MATTER OF THEN HOW DO WE TURN THAT INTO ACTION ITEMS AND START GETTING CAUGHT UP. WITH LIMITED RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. SO SO WHEN WE SIT DOWN AND YOU START PRESENTING THE BUDGET TO US AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I JUST WAS CURIOUS HOW THIS IS GOING TO FACTOR INTO HOW YOU ALLOCATE THINGS IN THE. YOU MEAN THE COST TO PUT THIS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE STILL WORKING ON THAT PART OF THIS BUDGET. YEAH. I WROTE DOWN A QUESTION TO MYSELF WHEN I READ IT THROUGH THE FIRST TIME, AND IT SAID IN 2022. THE PREVIOUS BOARD HAD A LIST OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE OE-11 REPORT THAT THEY PLANNED TO DISCUSS IN A STUDY SESSION THAT NEVER HAPPENED. [01:35:07] SO MY QUESTION IS, DO THE DIRECTORS HEAR FROM 2022 STILL THINK THAT THE CURRENT BOARD SHOULD DO THIS OR NOT? WOULD THAT BE RELEVANT? THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS FAR AS ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE INDICATORS. AND THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN GETTING A STUDY SESSION TOGETHER, JUST FINDING SCHEDULING BECAUSE IT'S KNOWING HOW LONG IT TOOK TO DO THOSE ORIGINAL INDICATORS. IT'S GOING TO BE SOME TIME AND HAMMERING AND GOING BACK AND FORTH. SO THAT'S OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE. BUT THAT IS, AS KRISTI AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AGENDAS AND STUDY SESSIONS THAT'S DEFINITELY A HIGH POINT ON THE BOARD OR ON OUR DOCKET JUST BECAUSE WE NEED TO. THAT'S WHAT THE THE EXEC TEAM IS USING TO REPORT TO US. AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INDICATORS ARE WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO SEE. SO HOW MANY STUDY SESSIONS DO WE HAVE IN THE PIPELINE THAT HAVEN'T HAPPENED YET? SINCE I'VE GOTTEN HERE, WE'VE HIT THE ONES THAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO HIT. I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND EARLY AUGUST, A RETREAT, A STUDY SESSION IS A TWO HOUR BLOCK OF TIME, AND YOU BARELY GET A CONVERSATION GOING, AND THEN IT'S DONE. IT'S REALLY A LEARNING TIME. I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST A RETREAT AND THEN INVITE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO BE THERE. YOU KNOW, FOR THIS PARTICULAR REPORT, FOR EXAMPLE, I RELY ON THE EXPERTISE OF MARK AND JAMIE. I DON'T HAVE THIS DIALED IN. AND SO IF WE'RE TALKING TEACHING AND LEARNING, RELYING ON THE EXPERTISE OF THOSE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN TEACHING AND LEARNING. SO IF WE DO A RETREAT, THERE CAN BE TIMES IN THE DAY WE MAY NOT GET TO ALL OF THEM. WE MAY NEED A COUPLE DIFFERENT RETREATS. BUT IF WE SAY IF WE LOOK AT ALL THE REPORTS FOR NEXT YEAR OR THE ONES THAT WE WENT OVER AND WE WANT TO REWORK THOSE ONES AND THEN NOT TRY TO TACKLE THE WHOLE PART BUT WHAT PART MEANS THE MOST TO US. FOCUS ON THOSE ONES, GET THOSE INDICATORS GOING, AND THEN SET ANOTHER RETREAT. BUT I THINK IT'S A DAY'S WORK, NOT A TWO HOUR TIME. THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. SO FROM THAT, I THINK I JUST LEARNED THAT STUDY SESSIONS HAVE A TWO HOUR TIME LIMIT. THEY'RE ABOUT TWO HOURS. THEY'RE LEARNING TIME. WHEREAS A RETREAT COULD BE A TIME WHERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW GET TOGETHER, ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND DO SOME WORK. AND AND I ASSUME THESE WERE WRITTEN DURING LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. YEAH. MUCH LONGER. SO. AND THEY'RE I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY POLICY STATEMENT THAT SAYS STUDY SESSION IS TWO HOURS. IT'S JUST THAT'S WHAT WE USUALLY TRY TO KEEP THEM TO. SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS. IF NOT, LISTENING TO WHAT WE HAVE SAID AND LOOKING AT THE SURVEY RESULTS, I WOULD PUT FORTH THAT WE THAT WE ADOPT OE, THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE-11 IS COMPLIANT WITH THE FOLLOWING EXPECTATIONS. ONE, A QUARTERLY REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF THE THE COMPLETE CSG REPORT. TWO, INCREASING FULL IMPLEMENTATION INTO HIPPO FOR MONITORING ALL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS, AND THREE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT BRING TOGETHER SUGGESTIONS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE QUARTERLY REPORT UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS TOWARD TOWARD PREVENTATIVE THE TOWARD THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE FOCUS FOR THE BOARD TO PROVIDE INPUT FOR REGULAR REVIEW. I SECOND IT. OKAY, OKAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE FROG IN MY THROAT TONIGHT. SO THEN I WILL MOVE FORWARD TO AN ADVISORY VOTE BY THE STUDENT REPS. ALL IN FAVOR, AND PLEASE DON'T ASK ME TO RESTATE THAT. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. STUDENT VOTES. THE STUDENT VOTE FAVORS THE ADOPTION AS PRESENTED. NOW FOR THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING OE-11 AS COMPLIANT WITH THE EXPECTATIONS THAT I LISTED SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO MONITORING REPORT OE 11 FOR OE 11 HAS BEEN ADOPTED OR HAS BEEN ADOPTED. SO THEN THAT BRINGS US ON TO THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE-12 WHICH IS SAFETY. AND GET MY COMPUTER TO COOPERATE WITH ME. SO AGAIN, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN THE SURVEY. [01:40:02] THIS SURVEY, THE CONSENSUS SEEMED TO BE THAT EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY WELL COMPLIANT. THERE WERE JUST A FEW MINOR SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS. SO ANY DISCUSSION? CAN I JUST ADD THAT IN THE COMMENTS I APPRECIATED THE DETAILS THAT PEOPLE WERE ASKING ABOUT AND IN READING THROUGH THOSE, AND I HAVEN'T TALKED TO JAMIE ABOUT THIS, BUT WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE FORMS. IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE FORM OR SOMETHING, THEN THESE ARE THINGS THAT I CAN BE ADDING INTO UPDATE FOR YOU. AND SO IF I SEE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT I THINK IS EASY TO ANSWER OR I JUST NEED JAMIE TO LOOK IT OVER AND THEN GIVE ME THAT RESPONSE, I CAN GET THOSE TO YOU SPECIFICALLY. I'M LOOKING AT THE, FOR EXAMPLE, CURIOUS ABOUT EARTHQUAKE SEISMIC INSPECTIONS. SO GETTING A LITTLE BLURB ABOUT THAT. SO IT MAY NOT HAVE FIT INTO THIS MONITORING REPORT, BUT IT MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE, AND WE CAN EASILY PROVIDE THAT. AND I THINK THAT IS AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION IN THE SENSE THAT'S PART OF WHAT PROVIDING THAT CLARIFICATION IS, THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THESE OUT AHEAD OF TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT AND PROVIDE THE FEEDBACK. BECAUSE IF ONE OF US IS ASKING THE QUESTION OR THINKING ABOUT IT, THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE THINKING THE SAME THING. SO IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE CIRCLE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MARK FOR MEETING WITH ME TO ANSWER SOME OF MY QUESTIONS. SO THANK YOU. IT WAS HELPFUL. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT AS COMPLIANT ITEM 7.2 ON THE AGENDA F OR OE-12 SAFETY. OKAY. IT HAS BEEN MOVED THAT WE ACCEPT THE OFFER OR THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE-12 SAFETY AS COMPLIANT. SO STUDENTS ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. THEN ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO OE-12 IS ADOPTED AS COMPLIANT. OKAY, THAT BRINGS US ON TO ITEM 8 OF THE AGENDA BUSINESS AND FINANCE. [8. BUSINESS AND FINANCE] AND THE FIRST THING WE HAVE IS ITEM 8.1 WHICH IS A AUDIT UPDATE. AND FOR THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MARK. AND I'M GOING TO STALL JUST VERY BRIEFLY WHILE CELINA GETS BACK IN POSITION TO START THE PRESENTATION AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO HOLLY. OKAY, SO WE HAD OUR ANNUAL AUDIT THIS SPRING. WE GET OBVIOUSLY IT'S CALLED AN ANNUAL AUDIT SO IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. THIS THIS AUDIT CONSISTED OF THREE DIFFERENT AUDITS, A FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, A FEDERAL GRANT AUDIT AND AN ACCOUNTABILITY AUDIT. AND THERE'LL BE A SLIDE UP HERE IN A MOMENT. IT'S PERFORMED BY THE WASHINGTON STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. AND SO FOR ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS, THREE AUDITORS PORED OVER OUR BOOKS AND LOOKED INTO ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS. AND THE AUDIT COST US AROUND $60,000, ACTUALLY OVER $60,000, WHICH IS ALWAYS KIND OF A SHOCK TO PEOPLE. AND WE HAD OUR EXIT CONFERENCE LAST WEEK, AND PEGGY AND NANCY CAME AND MET WITH THE AUDIT TEAM, AS WELL AS MEMBERS FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE. AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO REPORT THAT IT WAS A CLEAN AUDIT. NO AUDIT FINDINGS. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THESE THIS IS A SLIDE FROM THE ACTUAL AUDIT REPORT THAT IS AVAILABLE. I THINK IT'S IT'S IN BOARD DOCS, AND IT'S ALSO POSTED ON THE WASHINGTON STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. IF YOU DO SEARCH REPORTS, YOU CAN FIND THE REPORT. THIS WAS THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT AND THE OPINION THEY THEY ISSUED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION. AND THEY REPORTED NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES IN INTERNAL CONTROLS. [01:45:05] AND THEN REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS. THEY DIDN'T IDENTIFY ANY MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS DURING THE AUDIT, AND NO UNCORRECTED MISSTATEMENTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. THEY LOOKED AT TWO MAJOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS, OUR CHILD NUTRITION CLUSTER AND THE EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND. THAT'S THE ESSER FUNDS THAT WE GOT DURING THE PANDEMIC. OH SKIPPING AHEAD AND AGAIN THE THEY GAVE US AN UNMODIFIED OPINION WHICH IS GOOD. AND WE THEY REPORTED NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES IN OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS. AND THEN THE THIRD AUDIT THEY DID WAS AN ACCOUNTABILITY AUDIT WHERE THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT BROADER SCOPE. THEY CAN LOOK AT ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS DURING AN ACCOUNTABILITY AUDIT. AND THEY SELECTED THESE THINGS. THEY LOOKED AT TRAVEL EXPENDITURES. THEY USED THE USE OF RESTRICTED FUNDS, WHICH INCLUDE OUR STATE FUNDED PD MONEY THAT WE GET. THEY LOOKED AT OUR SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRACTS, THEY LOOKED AT SELF-INSURANCE, OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT AND OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION. AND IN THOSE SELECTED AREAS, THEY FOUND THAT WE COMPLIED WITH ALL LAWS, REGULATIONS AND OUR OWN POLICY. SO NO NO ISSUES, NO FINDINGS IN THOSE. AND ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AUDIT? YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE AUDITORS THAT CAME TO THE MEETING AND SHARED INFORMATION WITH US WERE JUST GIDDY ABOUT WHAT A CLEAN AUDIT AUDIT IT WAS. AND ESPECIALLY NOTED THAT HOLLY, HAVING BEEN AN AUDITOR, KNOWS HER STUFF AND KNOWS HOW TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS CLEAN. SO, KUDOS TO OUR TEAM. AND HOLLY DOES KNOW HER STUFF. AND THE ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WAS MADE DURING THE AUDIT EXIT INTERVIEW, WHICH IS EXTREMELY TRUE. SO, THE AUDITORS COME FOR, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND DIG IN AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE, RIGHT? THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF SEVEN WEEKS. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY THROUGH, YOU KNOW, DOZENS OF TRANSACTIONS AND DOZENS OF INTERACTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE DONE PROPERLY AND WITH PROPER DOCUMENTATION AND GOING THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCESS. SO, IT'S A LOT OF DILIGENCE AND DISCIPLINE TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO, I WOULD, KUDOS TO HOLLY AND HER TEAM FOR MAKING SURE THAT HAPPENS ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALONE. IT'S NOT JUST MY TEAM AND ME. IT'S THE WHOLE DISTRICT. SO, IT'S REALLY A TEAM EFFORT. SO, THANK YOU. AND I THINK JUST THE FACT THAT HOLLY IS VERY EFFICIENT AND KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING PROBABLY MEANS THAT THE AUDIT DOESN'T TAKE AS LONG AND PROBABLY SAVES US MONEY. IS THAT TRUE? BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE. THAT IS TRUE. THEY CHARGE US BY THE HOUR. SO YEAH, WE ALWAYS TRY AND GET THEM INFORMATION AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN SO THEY CAN GET WHAT THEY NEED. AND, YOU KNOW, TRY AND BE VERY ORGANIZED. AND YEAH, I'M VERY AWARE OF THAT. AND I MAKE SURE I TELL EVERYBODY THAT, THAT THEY DEAL WITH, TOO. IT'S LIKE GET THEM RIGHT AWAY WHAT THEY NEED. SO YEAH, THEY DON'T TAKE THEY'RE NOT WAITING. BUT I DO THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. AND WHAT THE TWO OF YOU SAID, WE DO HAVE THE MOST AMAZING TEAM AND I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH. THEY NOT ONLY ARE THEY BUSY DOING THE WORK, THEY'RE TEACHING THE REST OF US HOW TO THINK ABOUT THE WORK AND NEXT YEAR'S AUDIT. THEY'RE ALREADY STARTING WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THEY'RE ALREADY STARTING TO SAY, LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THAT LENS. SO, HOLLY'S BEEN GOING OUT AND WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH EVERY ADMINISTRATOR. AND WE'RE TEACHING AND LEARNING ORGANIZATION, SO WE'RE ALL LEARNERS IN THIS. BUT IT IS REALLY QUITE FASCINATING. AND ANY QUESTION PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN COME ASK. AND JUST A LOT OF GRACE IS GIVEN FOR ALL OF US. SO, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACCOUNTABILITY CHECKS EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO THAT SAVES US MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S AUDIT ALREADY NOW. SO, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING GOOD PRACTICE OVER AND OVER MAKES GOOD SYSTEMS. SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL CERTAINLY ADD MY KUDOS. IT'S BEEN GREAT OVER THE YEARS TO HAVE CLEAN AUDITS OR VERY MINIMAL AUDITS FINDINGS. SO, THANK YOU, HOLLY, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND TO THE WHOLE DISTRICT. [01:50:01] SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS A BUDGET UPDATE. BUDGETING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OVERNIGHT, SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING ON, ON AN ONGOING BASIS. SO, MARK'S GOING TO GIVE US AN UPDATE OR HOLLY, I'M NOT SURE WHICH. I'M GOING TO DO IT AND HE'S GOING TO DO COLOR COMMENTARY. SO, OUR BUDGET PROCESS. SO, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR FUND BALANCE PROJECTION TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. TALK ABOUT REDUCTIONS AND THEN OUR TIMELINE. SO, THIS IS A SLIDE THAT WE PRESENTED BACK IN JANUARY WHEN WE DID OUR FINANCE 101. AND IT KIND OF SHOWS WHERE OUR FUND BALANCE HAS BEEN. THE BOARD HAS A POLICY TO KEEP A 4% OF EXPENDITURES FUND BALANCE ON HAND. AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU'LL SEE IT SPIKED UP TO 24%. AND THEN SINCE THEN, THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE'VE HAD THIS SYSTEMATIC SPEND DOWN BECAUSE THAT'S VERY HIGH. OF ABOUT 6% PER YEAR. SO, WE'RE PROJECTED TO END AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR AT ABOUT 6%. YOU WANT TO ADD? SO, OUR BUDGET PROCESS, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF A STRATEGIC, A STRATEGIC REALIGNMENT BASED ON CHRISTIE'S STRATEGIC PLAN. SO, WE'RE INTENTIONALLY LINKING OUR EXPENDITURES TO OUR RESULTS AND OUR POLICIES AND THE POLICIES. DATA IS DRIVING OUR DECISIONS. WE'VE UPDATED OUR ALLOCATION MODELS FOR CERTIFICATED AND CLASSIFIED STAFF. STAFFING IS BASED ON OUR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS. THE PROCESS HAS BEEN VERY COLLABORATIVE. WE'VE MET WITH LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, PRINCIPALS, DIRECTORS AND OTHER KIND OF STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. WE'RE ON TRACK, AND WE'RE MEETING OUR BENCHMARKS AND DEADLINES AND OUR TIMELINE. AND STAFFING AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BIGGEST COST IS ABOUT 85 TO 87% OF OUR PROJECTED BUDGET. AND OUR LARGEST ITEMS IN THE MSOC BUDGET. THAT'S THE MATERIALS, SUPPLIES AND OPERATING COSTS, OUR UTILITIES AND INSURANCE. AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE UNFORTUNATE AND JUST THE REALITIES OF THE WAY SCHOOLS WORK IS THERE ISN'T A LOT OF NON-PERSONNEL MONEY AVAILABLE FOR REDUCTIONS RIGHT THERE. WE. WE'RE REDUCING SUPPLIES. WE'RE REDUCING YOU KNOW THE NON-STAFF COST THE BEST WE CAN. BUT YOU KNOW FOR INSTANCE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE DISTRICT SPENDS ON TRAVEL IS $30,000. SO, WE CAN ELIMINATE TRAVEL. BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE A MUCH OF A DENT IN YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL BUDGET PICTURE AND MOST OF THAT'S LOCAL REIMBURSEMENT, IT'S LOCAL MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT FOR PEOPLE GOING TO AND FROM DIFFERENT BUILDINGS AND TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. SO. YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT NOTIFICATION, IN FACT EARLIER TODAY THAT OUR INSURANCE BILL, WHICH THOSE OF YOU THAT WENT TO LAST, I THINK HEARD A LOT OR DOWN THE HILL HEARD A LOT OF, OF CONCERN AROUND THE STATE ABOUT THE INCREASES IN INSURANCE COSTS THAT WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW. THIS YEAR WE'RE EXPECTING THAT'S COMING NEXT YEAR, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A 20 AND 35% INCREASE TO INSURANCE. SO. IT'S THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY OF IT. THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT OF WIGGLE IN THE M-6, BUT WE'RE SQUEEZING EVERY BIT THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN OUT OF THOSE. AND WE'RE MAKING REDUCTIONS IN THE CURRENT YEAR TO TRY TO NOT HAVE ANY NON-ESSENTIAL PURCHASES TO CARRY MORE MONEY OVER TO OFFSET REDUCTIONS WE NEED TO MAKE NEXT YEAR. AND WE'LL MAKE SOME REDUCTIONS IN THE SUPPLY BUDGETS NEXT YEAR. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF NOT A LOT OF WIGGLE THERE. OKAY FOR 2425. JUST A SUMMARY OF OUR REDUCTIONS. ATTRITION PLAYS A ROLE. WE HAVE SOME RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS. THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONAL CERTIFICATED STAFF THAT ARE BEING REDUCED. WE'RE UPDATING THE MODELS FOR CLASSIFIED SUPPORT. THAT WOULD BE PARAS AND OTHER STAFF. THERE IS A REDUCTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND DISTRICT WIDE SUPPORT STAFF. WE ARE DOING AN ACROSS-THE-BOARD REDUCTION TO MSOC BUDGETS. [01:55:02] WE'RE MAXIMIZING OUR CATEGORICAL REVENUE. THAT'S OUR GRANTS. AND WE'RE REALIGNING THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY SCHEDULE AND SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRACTS. THE NEXT STEPS ARE CLASS. WE'RE LOOKING HARD AT CLASSIFIED REDUCTIONS. WE NEED TO FINISH OUR GENERAL FUND STAFFING BUDGETS. WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE OUR MSOC BUDGETS. THAT'S AGAIN GOING TO EVERY DEPARTMENT AND EVERY BUILDING TO DISCUSS THOSE WITH THOSE BUILDING LEADERS. WE'RE PREPPING OUR BUDGETS FOR THE OTHER FUNDS, SUCH AS THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, ASB AND TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE FUNDS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BOARD STUDY SESSIONS. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THOSE UPCOMING. THERE'S ONE, I THINK SCHEDULED AND ONE PERHAPS THAT WE CAN DO LATER IF NEEDED. THERE'S A BUDGET HEARING SCHEDULED IN JUNE, AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO ADOPT THE BUDGET IN JUNE. WHAT'S A BUDGET HEARING? SO IT'S LEGALLY REQUIRED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET. SO BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY ADOPT THE AT THE MEETING, THE REGULAR MEETING IN JUNE BEFORE THAT, THERE'LL BE A HEARING THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SPEAK ON ANY PART OF THE BUDGET. SO AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE IN TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE BUDGET IS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE BUDGET HEARING, SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S IN IT, THEY CAN READ IT, THEY CAN THEN COME IN AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO YOU ACTING ON ADOPTING THE BUDGET. I TALKED ABOUT OUR TIMELINE EARLIER, AND THIS IS AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SHOW SOME SLIDES THAT YOU'VE MAYBE SEEN BEFORE, SO IT MIGHT LOOK FAMILIAR. THIS IS, WE HAVE A THERE ARE THREE SLIDES THAT LOOK LIKE THIS. WE HAVE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH DATES AND BENCHMARKS IN OUR TIMELINE. SO, THIS IS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, AND IT'S SORTED BY MONTH. AND WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED OR WE'VE BOLDED THE TIMES WHEN WE'VE COME TO THE BOARD AND SPOKEN ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND THESE SLIDES IN THE GRAY AS THINGS WE'VE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED. SO, THIS IS PRIOR TO JANUARY 1ST, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. THIS IS MARCH AND THEN YOU CAN SEE APRIL. WE'RE ON APRIL 30TH. SO THOSE THINGS THAT AREN'T HIGHLIGHTED YET ARE THINGS THAT ARE GETTING DONE TODAY. AND I THINK EVERYTHING GOT DONE ON THAT LIST. THIS IS WHAT'S COMING UP IN MAY AND JUNE. SO REALLY, MAY IS TIME WE DIG IN AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO HAPPEN KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET THINGS READY. AND SO, DO YOU WANT TO GO BACK? SO AS KRISTI MENTIONED AT THE, I GUESS, THE MAY 16TH STUDY SESSION WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ARE YOU WE TOGETHER ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH A LITTLE EXERCISE TO KIND OF SIMULATE THE WHAT THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THE BUDGET HAS BEEN LIKE OR IS LIKE FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT, EVERY BRC, EVERY BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY CENTER IN THE DISTRICT. SO, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF KIND OF WRESTLING WITH MAKING THE DECISIONS. WHAT DO WE WANT TO ADD? WHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE OUT? WE NEED TO MAKE SOME REDUCTIONS. AND KIND OF WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO, YOU IN A VERY SMALL SCALE, YOU'LL GET A KIND OF AN OVERALL PICTURE OF THE ENTIRE BUDGETING PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH AS A, AS A DISTRICT. AND I THINK WE HAVE A TBD. IN JUNE THERE IF THAT'S A NEEDED OR REQUESTED TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET SHOULD BE PRETTY WELL COMPLETE AT THAT POINT. SO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE A MORE DETAILED WALKTHROUGH, WE ARE OFFERING THAT UP. WE JUST NEED TO GET IT SCHEDULED. THAT WAS ONE OF MY ASKS OF THE BOARD TONIGHT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE THAT? TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND JUST SPEND TWO HOURS ON THE BUDGET GOING OVER IT. LAST YEAR I LEARNED A TON. MARK AND HOLLY DID A SESSION ON THAT, AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. I FIND IT ALSO HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC PRIOR TO THEM COMING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION OR ASKING QUESTIONS. [02:00:05] IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE BEYOND THE BOARD AS WELL, SO I THINK WE WOULD RECOMMEND IT, BUT IT'S UP TO THE BOARD AND WE NEED TO SET THAT DATE. I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR A LOT OF JUNE, THOUGH. OH, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE ASKING PEOPLE IN FAVOR. YEAH, COUNT ME IN. NO, I'M. YES. SO? SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO HAVE. IT'S THE CHALLENGE WILL BE FINDING THE DATE. BECAUSE I KNOW I'LL GIVE YOU MY SCHEDULE BECAUSE JUNE'S NOT GOOD FOR ME EITHER. SO, THIS IS GONNA BE FUN. YEAH. SO. OKAY, SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARK AND HOLLY? SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE DETAILS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US ABOUT THE BUDGET. THAT'S BEEN GREAT. SO THAT BRINGS US ON TO ITEMS NINE AND TEN OF THE AGENDA. [9. SUPERINTENDENT CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]] [10. BOARD CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]] THIS IS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD CONSENT AGENDAS. THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE GROUP OF ROUTINE ITEMS THAT THE BOARD IS ABLE TO VOTE ON IN ONE MOTION, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO INDIVIDUALLY VOTE ON EACH ITEM. THESE. THE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO THE MEETING. SO IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY CAN GET THOSE ANSWERED. ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA DOES NOT PRECLUDE THEM FROM DISCUSSION. SO THAT IS STILL OPEN. THE OTHER THING THAT I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE AT THIS POINT. IT'S MY MONTHLY PLUG FOR BOARD DOCS. ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT IS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THE MEETING TONIGHT IS AVAILABLE ON BOARD DOCS. IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF HOW TO GET THERE, HOW TO LOOK AT HOW TO FIND IT, HOW TO SEE IT THERE DEFINITELY ASK ANY OF US. WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU, BECAUSE THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE THE THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WE'RE SEEING. AND AS WE'RE DISCUSSING IT THE REPORTS AND INFORMATION IS POSTED THERE. SO IT'S A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND ALSO HAS HISTORICAL INFORMATION AS WELL. SO, WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO ANY DISCUSSION AND OR EMOTION REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDAS. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. UNDER THE BOARD CONSENT AGENDA. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ALL, IT'S AN INTERLOCAL WHERE WE SUPPORT PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS. HOW MANY STUDENTS FROM OUR DISTRICT DO WE HAVE IN THAT ARRANGEMENT? AND ARE WE TIED INTO THAT EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY? I MEAN, DO WE HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE EVEN IF NOBODY FROM OUR DISTRICT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THAT, I'M GOING TO KICK THIS BACK TO TRINA. IT'LL I CAN LOOK UP THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS. I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE. WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE ATTENDING THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN BELLINGHAM THAT ARE FERNDALE SCHOOLS, FERNDALE STUDENTS. THEY RESIDE IN OUR DISTRICT. IT'S A COUNTYWIDE CONSORTIUM THAT BELLINGHAM RUNS SO THAT WE, JUST THEY PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR THE STUDENTS IN THOSE SCHOOLS. KIND OF ON OUR BEHALF. AND THEN THERE'S A CALCULATION WITHIN THE TITLE, ONE BUDGET THAT DETERMINES, BASED ON OUR STUDENT NUMBERS AND OUR OCTOBER ENROLLMENT COUNT AND OUR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH COUNT WHAT THOSE EQUITABLE SHARES ARE. AND SO, IT'S A SET AMOUNT BASED ON THOSE. SO NOT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE GOING THERE, BUT BASED ON OUR ENROLLMENT, IT'S BOTH. SO, THE MONETARY AMOUNT IS BASED FOR TITLE ONE. AND WHAT WE HAVE TO PUT TOWARDS EQUAL SHARES IS BASED ON OUR ENROLLMENT AND DEMOGRAPHICS. AND THEN THE AMOUNT THAT GOES TO THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IS BASED ON FERNDALE STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN A TITLE ONE BOUNDARY, IF THEY WERE TO ATTEND HERE AND THEN ARE ATTENDING THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN. NO, THAT THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WOULD IT BE CORRECT TO ASSUME IT'S A MINIMAL AMOUNT AT THIS POINT. IT'S ACCORDING TO MY DATA HERE. IT'S, WHAT, $3,000? A LITTLE OVER. OKAY? YEAH. ONE OTHER [02:05:04] THING I WILL MENTION WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA, JUST TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE WE DO HAVE A MONITORING REPORT FOR RESULTS POLICY FIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD READINESS IS ON THE AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE'RE RECEIVING THAT. SO, WE'LL BE RECEIVING THAT AND THEN GETTING THE SURVEY FOR THAT INFORMATION OR TO RESPOND TO THAT REPORT. SO, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? CAN I ADD IN IN THE FUTURE IS PETTY, BUT GOOD. COULD WE ADD THE MONITORING PORTS TO THE PACKET? PRINTED OUT COPY, COPY IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WE HAVE THAT ON HAND AT? SURE, STEVE. DO YOU MEAN THE ONES THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING TONIGHT ARE THE ONES YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO? THE ONES THAT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO GET TO? OKAY. SO, IF THEY'RE IN THERE SO YOU CAN TAKE IT AND READ IT. OKAY. R-5 OKAY. IT'D JUST BE NICE TO HAVE A PRINTED COPY OF THAT ON HAND. I APPRECIATE THAT AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A LOT OF PRINTED COPIES, I READ BETTER THAT WAY. SO YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, PRINTER INKS GOING UP. YEAH, YEAH, I KNOW IT'S IN OUR MSOCS. STEVE REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING I FORGOT THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK. WHICH IS HOLLY HAS BEEN PROVIDING US BY EMAIL WITH A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE BOARD BUDGET EVERY MONTH, AND WE'VE GOT THE VOUCHERS. SHE PREVIOUSLY HAD LET US HAVE THE DETAILED VERSION ALONGSIDE THE SIMPLE VERSION ON THE AGENDA. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE DETAILED VERSION OF THE BOARD BUDGET GO ALONGSIDE THE SIMPLE VERSION, JUST BECAUSE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT MORE INFORMATION, THEY CAN USE THAT. IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT MUCH, YOU CAN USE THE OTHER ONE. THAT WAY IT JUST IF THAT'S OKAY, WOULD THAT WORK? THAT'S WHAT THEY DID WITH THE VOUCHERS. SO, JUST A REQUEST FOR THE FUTURE. I MEAN, YOU HAD OFFERED TO PUT IT IN THE SWAY, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY MORE CONVENIENT. YEAH, I WAS ACTUALLY ASKING HOLLY HER OPINION ON THAT. AND IT COULD ACTUALLY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO HOLLY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT THE PUBLIC WOULDN'T. SO, IT COULD BE. NOT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT READABILITY FOR OUR AUDIENCE, IT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE. IT'LL MAKE SENSE TO YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN EMAIL HER DIRECTLY, WHEREAS THE PUBLIC ISN'T JUST EMAILING HOLLY DIRECTLY. SO HAPPY TO DO IT. WE'RE JUST THINKING ABOUT WHO IT'S INTENDED FOR, AND IT REALLY IS INTENDED FOR YOU. AND SO BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC, I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT. IT WOULD JUST. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT ACCESS. YOU GET MIC]. YEAH. NO, I JUST FIGURED. OKAY. SO, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY PUT OUT THE CITIZENS BUDGET AND THEY PUT OUT THE FULL BUDGET SIDE BY SIDE WHERE EVERYBODY CAN, YOU KNOW, SEE IT AND THE PUBLIC CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT TO READ. AND SO, I WOULD THINK I WOULD SEE THIS IN A SIMILAR VEIN. I THINK THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT BIG STUDY SESSION SO WE CAN TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO READ IT. AND SO, IF WE'RE GOING TO GET I DON'T I GUESS THERE'S LOTS OF WEEDS WE CAN OFFER UP. AND I USE THAT WORD BECAUSE IT GETS REAL DEEP. AND SO, I JUST WANT TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT AND WHO'S GOING TO DO THE FOLLOW UP IF A COMMUNITY MEMBER HAS A QUESTION. AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE DIGESTIBLE INFORMATION, NOTHING TO HIDE. YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT EVERY WEEK. SO IT REALLY IS UP TO YOU. IT'S JUST A READABILITY PIECE. IS THAT. AND I THINK HAVING GONE THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS AND PART OF THE REASON WE PROVIDE BOTH IS BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE 195 AND SUCH. BUT I HAVE FOUND OVER THE YEARS, AND PARTICULARLY AS ATTESTED TO BY THE, THE AUDIT REPORTS AND BEING CLEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING THERE TO HIDE. IT JUST CREATES SOMETIMES CREATES MORE QUESTIONS. AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO YOU KNOW, HOLLY'S GOT A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE THINGS SHE DOES. AND IF IT GENERATES A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED IN A SIMPLIFIED FORM, I THINK THAT AT LEAST ON THE PUBLIC LEVEL, THAT'S PART OF OUR JOB, IS TO MONITOR THOSE THINGS, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THOSE MORE DETAILED REPORTS. SO, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PUTTING THEM ON THERE. I JUST DON'T WANT TO CREATE MORE WORK FOR THE STAFF THAT'S ALREADY DOING A GOOD JOB. [02:10:02] I DON'T WANT TO CREATE MORE WORK EITHER. I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DID OTHER THINGS THAT WAY THAT THAT WOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT, REALLY. SO. BUT, I MEAN, SHE'S SENDING ME THE STUFF SO I CAN LOOK AT IT. I JUST FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE STEVE WOULD WANT TO SEE IT OR ANTONIO OR WHATEVER. I MEAN, I'LL BE PUTTING IT IN THE STORE EVERY WEEK. SO THAT WAS ONE THING, BECAUSE YOU WERE GETTING IT AND YOU WERE FINDING IT USEFUL. WE'LL MAKE SURE, JUST LIKE THE GRANTS THAT GO TO YOU WILL GET THAT. SO, YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL. AND THEN IF YOU PERSONALLY HAVE QUESTIONS, AS ALWAYS, HOLLY IS HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANY OF YOU. OKAY. OTHER COMMENTS. WELL, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM NINE, SUPERINTENDENT CONSENT AGENDA AS WELL AS ITEM TEN, THE BOARD CONSENT AGENDA. OKAY, SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED HERE AND MADE PART OF THE MINUTES. WE DON'T DO THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO, I'LL MOVE RIGHT TO THE BOARD. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, SO THE CONSENT AGENDAS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, WHICH THEN TAKES US ON TO ITEM 11 WHICH IS LEGISLATIVE UPDATES. [11. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES/ACTION] AND FOR THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO NANCY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LET ME GET THE RIGHT PAGE UP. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT AFFECT EDUCATION. AND THE FIRST TWO THAT I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION HAVE TO DO WITH AMPLE EQUITABLE EDUCATION. AND THESE ARE A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT PASSED HB 2494, A FUNDING INCREASE FOR SCHOOLS, AND THAT'S THAT MSOC MATERIAL, SUPPLIES AND OPERATING COSTS FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THAT. AND ANOTHER ONE SB 5882 IS INCREASING PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL STAFFING TO ASSIST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN HIRING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT STAFF OR BETTER WAGES FOR EXISTING STAFF. SO THOSE TWO PASSED SPECIAL EDUCATION. THERE WERE THREE BILLS ONE INCREASED SPECIAL ED ENROLLMENT, FUNDING CAP, AND ANOTHER SPECIAL ED SAFETY NETS AWARDS THAT REMOVED BARRIERS TO FUND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, LEGITIMATE EXPENDITURES ON SPECIAL ED. AND ANOTHER WAS A PETITION TO THE US CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT BIDEN TO FUND 40% OF IDEA, SO, IT'S A PLEA TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL FOR MORE FUNDING FOR THAT. ONE THAT THAT PASSED, WHICH I THINK IS SAD THAT IT'S NECESSARY WAS THE LUCAS PETTY ACT AND THAT IS GOING TO NOW PUT IN SCHOOLS' SUBSTANCE USE AND PREVENTION EDUCATION FOR FENTANYL AND OPIOIDS. WASHINGTON STATE SAW THE LARGEST INCREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS IN 2223 OF ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THAT'S A SAD FACT. SO, THE SUBSTANCE USE AND PREVENTION EDUCATION IS UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY. ANOTHER ONE IS HB 1368 REQUIRES THAT OLD DIESEL SCHOOL BUSSES BE REPLACED WITH ELECTRIC BUSSES. THERE'S GOING TO BE THE ECOLOGY DEPARTMENT THAT WILL MANAGE GRANTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND THEY HAVE A FORMULA FOR WHO GETS THOSE GRANTS WHEN. AND WASHINGTON HAS 10,460 BUSSES AND 76 OF THEM. OUR ELECTRIC AND A GRADUAL BUT INTENTIONAL TRANSITION WILL START IN 2027. PLANS ARE BEING DRAWN UP IN 2025 TO IMPLEMENT THEIR PLAN. CURRENTLY, DIESEL BUSSES COST AROUND 142,000 AND ELECTRIC BUSSES COST AROUND $413,000, AND THIS BILL PASSED ON STRAIGHT PARTY LINES. THE ELECTRIC BUSSES ARE ABOUT THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS DIESEL BUSSES, SO I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY WHAT MADE SOME PEOPLE SAY NO AND SOME PEOPLE SAY YES. WELL, SO SAY NO, I THINK I THINK THE YES WAS BEING PART OF THE CLIMATE COMMITMENT ACT. [02:15:08] SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR UPDATES FROM THE LEGISLATURE FOR THIS MONTH. ANY QUESTIONS? YES. WAS THERE AN INCREASE TO TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TO MAKE UP FOR THE. FOR THE ELECTRIC BUSSES IS THAT. FOR THE FOR THE INCREASED COST TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO. IT'S GOING TO BE HELPED IN FUNDING THROUGH GRANTS. I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME FUNDING, BUT IT WAS LIKE THIS AMOUNT COMPARED TO WHAT WAS NEEDED TO GET IT. AND I KNOW SOME OF THE EASTERN WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICTS WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED JUST BECAUSE OF RANGE AND THE SIZE OF THEIR DISTRICTS. AND, YOU KNOW, IN WHATCOM COUNTY. YEAH, IN WHATCOM COUNTY. AN INTERESTING LITTLE TIDBIT IS THE RANGE ON THOSE ELECTRIC BUSSES IS APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR BUS ROUTES ARE MUCH LONGER THAN 55 MILES ON A, ON A CHARGE. SO, WE CAN ALWAYS PUT A TRAILER BEHIND THE BUS HAULING A DIESEL GENERATOR TO GENERATE POWER FOR. SORRY, THOUGH IT'S RIDICULOUS TOO, BECAUSE BESIDES ALL THE OBVIOUS COST DISCREPANCIES, THERE HAVE LITERALLY BEEN STUDIES DONE THAT LIKE AMOUNT OF STUFF THAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THE BATTERIES IS WORSE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THAN THE ACTUAL FOSSIL FUELS. RIGHT. THANK YOU, GABBY. AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE, THE, THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF THINGS WOULD BE TO MAYBE SWITCH TO A HYBRID BUS THING, WHICH OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM. THE, THE, THE, THEY'RE JUST LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IT. YEAH. BASICALLY. YEAH. WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT. AND IT'S JUST LIKE I DO THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE LOOKED ON AGAIN, BECAUSE THE I MEAN, A RECENT REPORT CAME OUT THAT ELECTRIC VEHICLE LIKE SALES ARE STALLING BECAUSE ONE THE RANGE IS BAD. AND TWO, THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXCITED ABOUT BUYING ELECTRIC VEHICLES OR HAVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES NOW. SO NOW THE REALITY IS IT'S DIFFICULT TO OWN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET. SO, I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AND YOU GUYS, YOU'RE SPEAKING MUSIC TO MY EARS. I'LL LET YOU TAKE THIS ONE, BOB. AND GABBY. BUT WE'RE NOT EVEN CONSIDERING WEATHER RELATED ISSUES WITH BATTERY, YOU KNOW BUT THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT. I LOVE IT. THERE WAS A LOT OF TESLAS THAT WERE ALONGSIDE THE ROAD BECAUSE OF WINTER CONDITIONS IN THEIR BATTERIES. YEAH. SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE? THANK YOU, NANCY, FOR GIVING US THE UPDATE ON ALL THOSE BILLS BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT. I JUST WANT TO PUT A PLUG IN THAT. WE WILL. THAT WAS, DOES PRODUCE THERE? I JUST HAD IT HERE, AND I JUST LOST IT. THERE. POLICY AND LEGAL NEWS PAMPHLETS FOUR TIMES A YEAR THAT GO THROUGH A LOT OF THAT AND HELP EXPLAIN SOME OF THE POLICIES AND WHAT THOSE ARE MEANING. SO BE LOOKING FOR THAT. AND THAT'LL BE A GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR US TO. OKAY. SO THAT THEN TAKES US ON TO SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRING, AND WE'LL GO [12. SHARING [GC-7.E}] AHEAD AND START. STEVE. I THINK YOU STARTED HERE LAST TIME. I'M SORRY. I'LL HAVE TO REMEMBER AND KEEP A TALLY. YEAH. FOR SURE. I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST. SO, I'M GOING TO TRY AND PUT SOME THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, AND HOPEFULLY THIS COMES OUT OKAY. BUT LISTENING TO PEOPLE'S CONCERNS ABOUT YOU KNOW CUTS AT THE SCHOOL AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEEN ALL LAID TO REST, HOWEVER. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS WE'RE ALL ABOUT STUDENT OUTCOMES. AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL. AND WHEN IT COMES TO CUTS WE ALL KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, YOU KNOW, THAT PAY FOR THEMSELVES. I MEAN, THEY DRAW A LARGE CROWD. THEY PAY FOR THEMSELVES. HOWEVER, THERE IS THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW AREN'T STRONG IN NUMBERS. HOWEVER, THIS MIGHT BE THE REASON WHY THEY COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. [02:20:01] AND SO, I THINK JUST A REMINDER TO EVERYBODY THAT KEEP IN MIND WHEN IT COMES TO CUTS AND SUCH THINGS AS WE BEAR IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE THE REASON WHY A STUDENT ATTENDS SCHOOL. I CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, KIDS. A LOT OF THEM ATTEND FOR ALL DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST FOR AN EDUCATION. IT MAY BE FOR A SPORT, IT MAY BE FOR CHOIR, IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, AMONGST MANY THINGS. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CUTS, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO BE VIGILANT AND. COHESIVE AS FAR AS KEEPING IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WE'RE ABOUT STUDENT OUTCOMES AND ALL STUDENTS. AND LET'S NEVER FORGET THAT THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT BUDGETS. IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY. IT'S ABOUT THE KIDS AND WHY THESE KIDS ATTEND SCHOOL EACH AND EVERY DAY. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. PEGGY. WELL, I WANT TO KIND OF REVISIT THE LAST MEETING AND KIND OF CLEAR THE AIR ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF THE MEETING. IT HAD BEEN A VERY LONG MEETING. IT WAS I THINK WE RAN AROUND FOUR HOURS, OUR LAST MEETING. RIGHT. YEAH. IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY LONG. AND WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE WSSDA POSITIONS, I THINK WHAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED ONE BY ONE AND CONSIDERED INDIVIDUALLY. AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THAT ISN'T WHAT HAPPENED. THEY GOT ALL DISCUSSED. IN IN MASS, WHICH KIND OF THREW THINGS OFF A KILTER. AND SO, AND I THINK IF WE WERE BETTER VERSED IN ROBERT'S RULES AND HOW TO USE THEM TO KEEP THINGS MOVING IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY SPOKE AND YOU KNOW, THAT THINGS WERE ORGANIZED THAT THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED A BIT OF STRIFE THAT RESULTED IN, YOU KNOW, BAD FEELINGS. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU CONSIDERED AN INTERRUPTION PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A POINT OF ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, LIMIT CONVERSATION, MOVE IT ON SO THAT WE COULD THEN ADDRESS THE NEXT ISSUE. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE, WE LOOK AT TRYING TO COORDINATE HOW WE SPEAK. I'M AS GUILTY AS THE NEXT PERSON OF WHEN I GET PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING GOING ON AND INTERRUPTING. YOU KNOW, I KNOW I DO THAT SOMETIMES, AND MY APOLOGIES, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE A PLAN FOR INTRODUCING A LARGE NUMBER OF ITEMS, LIKE WITH THE LIKE WITH THE POSITION STATEMENTS, BECAUSE THAT KIND OF I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT A LARGE NUMBER OF ITEMS LIKE THAT AND STILL STAY TO A REASONABLE TIMELINE. SO MAYBE IT WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR US TO TALK ABOUT LATER ON HOW TO HOW TO HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE AWKWARDNESS THAT WE EXPERIENCED. AND THAT AND MY SON GOT INTO LAW SCHOOL. YAY! ALL RIGHT. THAT'S EXCITING. THAT IS EXCITING. COOL. WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT. AND HOW WE CAN WORK AROUND OR BETTER HANDLE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S A, IT'S ALWAYS OFTEN, I THINK FROM EXPERIENCE WHEN BIG ITEMS LIKE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE THE BOARD, IT'S TRYING TO BITE OFF THOSE PIECES SO THAT IT CAN BE DISCUSSED APPROPRIATELY AND DIGESTED AND GET ITS DUE DILIGENCE. SO, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT. DEFINITELY. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, NANCY. OKAY. I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. I'VE GONE TO TWO DIFFERENT EVENTS. ONE WAS THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, AND THE OTHER WAS THE DISTRICT LEVEL MEETING SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD. AND AT THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, WE TALKED ABOUT EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOARD MEMBERS AND MESSAGING AND COMMUNICATION. IN THE DISTRICT LEVEL MEETING, WHICH I ATTENDED LAST NIGHT IN ISSAQUAH, WE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND THE [02:25:01] SUBJECT I THOUGHT WAS VERY RELEVANT TO OUR BOARD. IT WAS CALLED FROM CONFLICT TO CONVERSATION. AND EARLIER TODAY I SENT TO EACH BOARD MEMBER AND KRISTI THE MATERIALS THAT I RECEIVED AT THE REGIONAL MEETING. AND LET ME JUST READ YOU A PIECE FROM THAT FROM CONFLICT TO CONVERSATION. SCHOOL BOARDS ARE OFTEN THE CENTER OF MANY POLITICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICTS, AND FREQUENTLY THE TARGET OF CONTEMPT AND INCIVILITY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE EXPECTED TO ENGAGE AS EDUCATIONAL LEADERS WITH SKILL, COMPETENCE, AND CIVILITY. AND IT WAS JUST SUCH AN ABSOLUTELY TIMELY MEETING TO HAVE THAT. AND TRICIA LUBBOCK AND MARISSA RATHBONE, WHO YOU PROBABLY KNOW FROM WSSDA THAT. I ALSO GO TO ALL THE ZOOM MEETINGS FOR NEW DIRECTORS AND FOR LEDGE REPS, AND SO I WAS SO GLAD TO SEE THEM LEAD THIS IN PERSON MEETING. AND THEY INTRODUCED US TO MANY DIFFERENT RESOURCES, AND WITH THE TIME THAT WE HAD THE MEETING, WE WERE ABLE TO WATCH SOME VIDEOS, HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR TABLEMATES AND THOSE RESOURCES. NOW EVERYBODY HAS IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEM, KWABENA AND GABBY, I COULD CERTAINLY SEND THEM TO YOU AS WELL. I SENT THEM TO THE BOARD DIRECTORS, BUT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I COULD CERTAINLY SHARE THEM WITH YOU. THAT'S REALLY GOOD STUFF. ONE IS ONE RESOURCE IS CALLED THE BETTER ARGUMENTS PROJECT AND IT'S PROVIDED BY THE ALPINE INSTITUTE. AND IT'S TALKS ABOUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DISAGREE WITH SOMEBODY, THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO. CONSIDER AND CHANGE ABOUT POSSIBLY WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING, AND ONE IS TAKING WINNING OFF OF THE TABLE, BUT LEADING WITH A DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN THAN TO WIN. AND ANYWAY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THESE RESOURCES THAT THAT YOU NOW HAVE ACCESS TO. ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED AS BRAVER ANGELS. AND THIS IS A GROUP THAT CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY NOTICED THE HUGE POLITICAL DIVIDE THAT HAS BEEN CREATING A CANYON IN OUR COUNTRY. AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS HERE TODAY AND LAST MONTH AND THE PREVIOUS MONTH. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE VERY, VERY DEEP AND AND PASSIONATE IDEAS THAT WE PRINCIPLES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT AND TALK ABOUT. AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH EACH OTHER, KNOWING THAT INSTEAD OF IN A NEGATIVE WAY, ATTACKING EACH OTHER FOR THINKING DIFFERENTLY, BUT TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE THINGS THAT WE CAN AGREE ON AND GO FROM THERE AND ALWAYS PRESUME POSITIVE INTENT INSTEAD OF PRESUMING THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DO TERRIBLE THINGS. I BELIEVE EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD WANTS WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS. WE JUST HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS OF WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS. SO BRAVER ANGELS. IT WAS JUST A FABULOUS RESOURCE IN THAT AND THERE'S INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN GET THERE. AND THEN MY FAVORITE ONE WAS THE DIGNITY INDEX AND THE TEN ELEMENTS OF DIGNITY. AND THERE'S A LIST OF THEM. AND THEN THERE'S THIS AMAZING INDEX THAT WAS BUILT WITH A SCORING GUIDE FROM 1 TO 8 AND ONE. WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THE DIGNITY INDEX IS AN EIGHT POINT SCALE THAT MEASURES WHAT WE DO WHEN WE DISAGREE. EACH SCALE POINT REPRESENTS A PARTICULAR MINDSET TOWARDS THE OTHER SIDE, RANGING FROM ONE WHICH SEES NO DIGNITY AT ALL IN THE OTHER SIDE, TO EIGHT WHICH SEES THE DIGNITY IN EVERYONE. THE SCORING GUIDE INCLUDES A SET OF QUOTES AND TRAITS, BLAH BLAH BLAH. SO THE FIRST ONE SOME QUOTES ARE THEY'RE NOT EVEN HUMAN. THEY DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE. THEY'RE RUINING US. WE HAVE THE MORAL DUTY TO DESTROY THEM BEFORE THEY DESTROY US. SO THAT'S LIKE THE WORST OF THE WORST KIND OF WAY TO APPROACH ANY DISAGREEMENT. AND THEN IT GOES THROUGH A STEP BY STEP FROM 1 TO 8, ENDING WITH WHAT I HOPE WE CAN REACH, WHICH IS THE REALIZATION THAT EVERYONE IS BORN WITH INHERENT WORTH. [02:30:01] SO, I TREAT EVERYONE WITH DIGNITY NO MATTER WHAT. I DON'T CONDEMN ANYONE. IF I'D SUFFERED WHAT THEY DID, I MIGHT HAVE DONE WHAT THEY DID. SO, THERE'S JUST SOME WONDERFUL IDEAS AND THINGS TO RECOGNIZE IF YOU CAN RELATE TO DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE SCALE. BECAUSE I WAS READING ALL OF THESE AND THINKING OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I'D HEARD AND, AND WHERE THOSE CAME IN ON THIS DIGNITY INDEX. AND TIM GARKO, THE OUTGOING, WAS THE LEADER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS POSITION IS. IS IT CEO? WHAT DO THEY CALL HIM? DIRECTOR. OKAY. THE DIRECTOR. HE SAID HE GOT UP AND SPOKE AND HE SAID THAT HE IS WORKING WITH CHATGPT 5, WHICH IS A VERSION OF CHATGPT WHERE YOU CAN PROGRAM IT. AND SO, HE LOADED THE ENTIRE DIGNITY INDEX WEBSITE INTO HIS CHATGPT. AND THEN WHEN HE WRITES SOMETHING IN AND IN RESPONSE TO SOMEBODY, HE RUNS IT THROUGH HIS CHAT GPT TO SEE WHAT IT SCORES IT ON THE DIGNITY INDEX. AND IF IT DOESN'T GET A HIGH ENOUGH SCORE, HE GOES BACK AND HE FIXES WHAT IT IS. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY COOL USE OF TECHNOLOGY. AND THEN IT HAS PHRASES TO DEFUSE CONTEMPT WHEN THINGS GET HOT. AND IT WAS JUST A REALLY SUCH A POSITIVE. SET OF IDEALS TO STRIVE FOR, WITH COMMUNICATING. AND IT DOVETAILED QUITE NICELY WITH THE MESSAGING AND COMMUNICATION WHERE YOU'RE TRYING THAT I GOT THROUGH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, WHICH IS ABOUT HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS. AND IT STARTS WITH LISTENING, LISTENING TO THE OTHER PEOPLE AND BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANYBODY BAD OR WRONG, BUT JUST LEARNING HOW TO COMMUNICATE IN A WAY THAT THAT IS INVITING. SO, AND THEN MY LAST THING I WANTED TO DO WAS GIVE A PLUG FOR THAT BOOK. GREAT. ON THEIR BEHALF. WHEN I HANDED THOSE OUT TO THE BOARD, I NEVER WROTE A TENDER INSCRIPTION IN FRONT, AND I THINK MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE SO THAT YOU MIGHT READ IT, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH HAVING READ GREAT ON THEIR BEHALF, BECAUSE IT'S GOT SUCH GREAT IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO CREATE A REALLY GOOD BOARD AND BOARD SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIP. SO, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO READ THAT. SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NANCY. ANTONIO. SURE. I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE IN PERSON. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF STANFORD ENERGY RESEARCH SHOWCASE. SO, FOR KWABENA AND GABBY, WHEN I COME BACK, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FINDING ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR LARGE SCALE IMPACT CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH BY THE UNIVERSITY, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN, AND WE CAN CHAT. BUT I DO FEEL BAD THAT I'M NOT THERE. SO, I APOLOGIZE. I TRY NOT TO MISS OUR MEETINGS. THE ONE MESSAGE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE GROUP, AND IT'S INTENDED FOR OUR TEACHERS, OUR DEAR TEACHERS, IS A REMINDER. HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE ON OUR KIDS' LIVES. AND IF I COULD COMPARE HOW I REMEMBER SEEING MY TEACHERS AND HOW I KNOW THAT OUR KIDS SEE THEIR TEACHERS IS REALLY LIKE A CLOSE TO, LIKE, A ROCK STAR AND HAVE THAT RESPECT AND ADMIRATION. AND JUST A QUICK REMINDER, I WAS REMINDED THIS LAST WEEK, I COACH A GROUP OF GIRLS UNDER AT SOCCER UNDER 12, AND IT'S A GROUP OF GIRLS THAT ATTEND CUSTER AND EAGLE RIDGE. AND THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY GOOD GIRLS. WE HAD A GAME WHERE I HAD TO HAVE A RESETTING SPEECH AT THE VERY END OF THE GAME. IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU WOULD CALL IT, SOFT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT REMINDED ME HOW AS LEADERS WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR VALUE FORMATION AND HOW THROUGH OUR ACTIONS, THROUGH OUR TEACHINGS, OUR LEADERSHIP WE INSTILL VALUES SUCH AS TEAMWORK, PERSEVERANCE AND EMPATHY IN OUR IN OUR YOUTH. AND JUST A QUICK REMINDER HOW NOT ONLY YOU ARE THE FACE, BUT YOU REPRESENT US FAMILIES. [02:35:05] AT HOME WHEN OUR KIDS ARE OUT OUTSIDE OF THE HOME. AND. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND MY SUPPORT AND THAT I IF I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A REMINDER THAT OUR KIDS SEE YOU AS ROCK STARS AND THEY'RE FOLLOWING YOUR EXAMPLE AND AS A BOARD MEMBER, I HAVE AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE SURE. THAT TEACHERS FEEL THE SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD MEMBERSHIP AS A WHOLE. SO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH AS MY CLOSING STATEMENT AND ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAD TO VISIT THE HIGH SCHOOL AT THE PEP RALLY. AND I FORGOT HOW ENERGETIC AND FUN THOSE THINGS ARE. I HAVE NOT FELT THAT THAT ENERGY IN A WHILE. THE ONLY THING COMPARABLE TO THAT IS, IS LIKE A FOOTBALL GAME OR A CONCERT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS REALLY FUN TO ATTEND. THEY WERE SITTING PEOPLE BY THEIR, YOU KNOW, I ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WERE THE SEATING ASSIGNMENTS? AND THEN THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, FRESHMEN ARE HERE, SOPHOMORES ARE ON THIS SIDE, AND THEN JUNIORS HERE AND SENIORS OVER HERE. SO, I DECIDED TO SIT WITH THE SENIORS, ALTHOUGH THE SENIORS WERE LOOKING AT ME MORE LIKE, YOU'RE A SENIOR CITIZEN. BUT WHAT I WAS ABLE TO SEE WAS JUST A LOT OF ENERGY. I SAW A LOT OF PARENTS. WELL, NOT A LOT OF PARENTS, A LOT OF TEACHERS THERE THAT WERE HAPPY TO SEE THEIR STUDENTS. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I CAN PARTICIPATE AND BE ABLE TO HELP. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT PEOPLE THAT SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN AND WE'RE HERE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR YOUTH. THAT INCLUDES HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY AND OUR YOUNGER KIDS. SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. SO, THANK YOU. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE IN PERSON. THANK YOU. ANTONIO. SO, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO SHARE, JUST ON BEHALF OF THE FFA SENT US SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY ASKED ME TO SHARE WITH THE ENTIRE BOARD. ON MAY 4TH, THEY ARE HAVING THEIR SUPPORTER'S BRUNCH. AND SO, THERE FROM 9 TO 11 IN THE AG SCIENCE CENTER, THEY'RE INVITING SUPPORTERS TO JOIN THEM FOR BREAKFAST AND APPRECIATION. AT THIS ON AND THEY ALSO HAVE ON MAY 3RD AND MAY 4TH, THEIR FFA PLANT SALE THAT'S GOING ON AT THE FHS GREENHOUSE. THERE'S MORE INFORMATION IF YOU WANT TO GET THE PARTICULARS. AND THEN FINALLY, THE FFA BANQUET, WHERE THEY RECOGNIZE THEIR MEMBERS AND CELEBRATE THEIR SUCCESSES IS ON THURSDAY, MAY 23RD AT THE FERNDALE EVENT CENTER. AND THE DOORS OPEN AT 530 AND THE CEREMONY STARTS AT SIX. SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT, AGAIN, THEY ASKED ME TO SHARE WITH THE GROUP. I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SHARE. I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF AND QUIET. MY WIFE JUST GOT BACK FROM RELOCATING OUR YOUNGEST TO TEXAS FOR HIS JOB, WHICH STARTS BEGINNING NEXT WEEK. SO HE'S THERE BY HIMSELF TONIGHT. WE'LL SEE HOW LONG IT LASTS. NO. IT WAS EXCITING JUST TO WATCH HIM GROW UP AND GET GOING. SO WITH THAT, THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR SHARING. SO THAT BRINGS US ON TO THE MEETING EVALUATION. [13. MEETING EVALUATION SURVEY] AND I GUESS I'M ON DECK FOR THAT AS WELL. AND I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO THERE'S A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I'D MAKE. ONE IS EXCUSE ME, THANKING THOSE BOARD MEMBERS THAT FILLED OUT THEIR SURVEYS AND GOT THAT INFORMATION TO US. WE'VE CONSISTENTLY BEEN HAVING 3 OR 4 BOARD MEMBERS DO IT, AND IT REALLY, WE WANT TO GET ALL FIVE MEMBERS OPINIONS, SO PLEASE DO THAT ALSO. AND IT'S BEEN KIND OF HIT AND MISS AS FAR AS PUTTING INITIALS ON THERE. IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE THE INITIALS BECAUSE THEN IT KIND OF PUTS IT INTO PERSPECTIVE AND HELPS US WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE COMMENTS TO KIND OF GO, OH, OKAY. I SORT OF UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHERE THAT PERSON IS COMING FROM. SO PLEASE, AS WE GET THE SURVEY FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PREPAREDNESS SURVEY THAT WILL COME OUT THIS NEXT WEEK OR AFTER. PLEASE BE SURE TO RESPOND TO THAT SO THAT CHRIS DOESN'T HAVE TO NAG ON US. WITH THAT LITTLE BIT OF NEGATIVITY, I WANT TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING THAT I THINK WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR FUNCTIONING AS A BOARD TONIGHT. AND THAT WAS LOOKING AT THAT MISSION STATEMENT. [02:40:02] NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION WHERE WE THREW OUT DIFFERENT IDEAS IN THAT, BUT WE WERE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER. WE, YOU KNOW WITHOUT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. NOT THAT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER ARE BAD. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THOSE IN MY FFA PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITION DAYS. BUT THROUGH THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO COME TO A GOOD CONSENSUS. AND ULTIMATELY, IT HIT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE BOARD FOCUS ON STUDENTS, FOCUS ON EDUCATION, AND FOCUS ON STUDENT OUTCOMES. AND RATHER THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE MEETING WHERE THERE WAS A FOCUS ON THIS SIDE OR THAT SIDE, THIS GOT US LOOKING AT THAT MIDDLE GROUND OF WHAT WE ALL AGREE UPON, AND WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO BRING US THE MOST CONSENSUS AND GETTING OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES THE BEST THEY CAN BE. SO, I APPLAUD THE BOARD FOR THE WORK ON THAT. SO, AND DON'T WORRY, YOU'LL ALL GET A CHANCE TO EVALUATE THE BOARD BECAUSE WE'LL BE ROTATING THIS PROCESS THROUGH IN THE COMING MONTHS. SO, OKAY WITH THAT TAKES US ON TO ITEM 14, WHICH IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND. AS WE MOVE INTO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS MATTERS RELATED TO REAL ESTATE UNDER SECTION A OF THE CW, I WOULD LIKE TO [14. EXECUTIVE SESSION] ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING. MY DECISION TO STEP BACK IS BASED ON MY PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE WITH SOME OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION. THIS RECUSAL IS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR DELIBERATIONS AND TO AVOID ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONFERENCE, THIS DISCUSSION, OR ANY DECISION-MAKING PROCESS RELATED TO THIS MATTER. I TRUST THAT THE SESSION WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND OBJECTIVITY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CW 42.30 .110 ARTICLE ONE, SECTION A FROM THE PUBLIC OPEN PUBLIC MEETING ACT. THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR 15 MINUTES. THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION AT. LET'S SEE 857. NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO, THANK YOU, EVERYONE. AND FOR THE THREE. AND ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE ANTONIO VIA COMPUTER? OKAY, SO THE BOARD THEN CAN HEAD TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. PROBABLY IN THERE. YEAH. OKAY SO WE ARE NOW BACK CHRIS. OKAY. SO EXECUTIVE SESSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THERE'S NO ACTION TO TAKE AT THIS POINT THAT I'M AWARE OF. SO, WITH THAT I WILL DECLARE OUR MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.