Jan 27, 2026 School Board Meeting

ARE WE GOOD? GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE JANUARY

[1. CONVENE]

[00:00:10]

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AND EVERY OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD.

THAT BUSINESS IS TO FACILITATE THE MISSION OF OUR DISTRICT, WHICH STATES 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 EXPECTATIONS 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, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE.

TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THAT MISSION, THE BOARD NEEDS TO HEAR AND DISCUSS A WIDE ARRAY OF OPINIONS ON EACH ISSUE.

THAT PROCESS IS BEST SERVED WHEN ALL INDIVIDUALS FOCUS ON THE ISSUE RATHER THAN THE PERSONALITIES.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. A FEW QUICK HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS.

IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, THE EXIT IS THE SAME DOOR THAT YOU DID COME IN.

IF ANYONE IS IN NEED OF THE RESTROOMS, THEY'RE OUT THAT SAME DOOR AND UP THE RAMP AND TO YOUR LEFT.

WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH OUR MEETING.

AND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE JOIN ME AS WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

NEXT WE'LL HAVE THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT. WE, THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACKNOWLEDGE WE ARE RESIDING ON THE TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE LUMMI PEOPLE.

THE LUMMI PEOPLE ARE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF WASHINGTON'S NORTHERNMOST COAST AND SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA. THEY LIVED IN VILLAGES THROUGHOUT THIS TERRITORY AND CONTINUED TO HAVE AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE AREAS. SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THEY HAVE CELEBRATED LIFE ON THEIR WATERWAYS AND ON THE TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND UNCEDED LANDS OF THEIR PEOPLE TO PERPETUATE THEIR WAY OF LIFE.

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

THANK YOU, MARCUS. NEXT WE WILL APPROVE APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FROM OUR DECEMBER MEETINGS AND OUR

[2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SO THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.

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

AND IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE? SEEING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL PUT FORTH THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA WITH THE REMOVAL OF ITEM 12.01.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. THE AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED.

SO THAT MOVES US ON TO ITEM 4.01, WHICH IS ACKNOWLEDGING NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH.

[4. SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION]

AND I WILL SAY WE HAVE THE VERY BEST BOARD. SO IN YOUR PACKETS, OUR STUDENTS GOT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT IN YOUR PACKETS OR THE BLUE BAGS, YOU HAVE A YELLOW CARD THAT I WANT TO READ TO YOU THAT WILL EXPLAIN WHAT IS IN THERE.

BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, CARE AND COMMITMENT YOU GIVE TO OUR DISTRICT.

SERVING ON A SCHOOL BOARD REQUIRES THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP, STEADY JUDGMENT, AND MANY HOURS DEDICATED TO HELPING OUR SYSTEM BE THE VERY BEST IT CAN BE FOR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES. YOUR SERVICE TRULY MATTERS AND IT DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.

YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER. WHEN DECISIONS ARE COMPLEX AND THE WORK FEELS HEAVY, YOUR PERSPECTIVE HELPS KEEP US GROUNDED AND FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS MOST. YOUR LEADERSHIP IS WORTH 100 GRAND, NOT JUST IN DOLLARS, BUT IN LASTING IMPACT IT HAS ON OUR STUDENTS,

[00:05:08]

YOU HELP US NARROW DOWN THE MOUNDS OF WORK IN FRONT OF US, BRINGING CLARITY, FOCUS AND DIRECTION SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH PURPOSE RATHER THAN OVERWHELM. YOU ALIGN OUR BUDGET WITH THE CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY SO WE NEVER MISS A PAYDAY, ENSURING STABILITY FOR OUR DISTRICT AND CONFIDENCE FOR OUR STAFF AND COMMUNITY.

WHEN THE WORK GETS CHALLENGING AND WE FEEL THE CRUNCH, YOU BRING CALM PERSPECTIVE AND STEADY LEADERSHIP, AND IN MOMENTS THAT FEEL HEAVY, YOU BRING A LITTLE STARBURST TO THE WORK, REMINDING US WHY THIS MATTERS AND WHY DOING IT TOGETHER IS SO IMPORTANT.

THIS YEAR OUR THEME IS BE A MARIGOLD, AND IT'S THAT IDEA THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES THAT JUST MAKE US BETTER BY BEING AROUND US. AND YOU, BOARD, ARE MAKING OUR DISTRICT BETTER BY BEING HERE.

AND WE DO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.

AND YOU CAN EAT THE CANDY DURING THE MEETING.

COOL. WELL, THANK YOU. IT DEFINITELY IS A PLEASURE BEING HERE MOST OF THE TIME.

THERE ARE SOME MOMENTS. GOTTA LOVE, I APPRECIATE, THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS WHO PUT THINGS TOGETHER.

I LOVE KNOWING THAT AS THIS SAYS. THANK YOU, MR. ERICKSON FOR HELPING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WITHOUT YOU, WE WOULD HAVE FALLEN APART.

I'M GLAD I COULD KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER. AND FOR THOSE THAT DIDN'T KNOW, MARCUS AND HARLEEN ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR RECESS.

THAT WAS ANOTHER FAVORITE COMMENT. SO IN CASE ANYONE WANTS TO THANK THEM, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

[5. PUBLIC COMMENT [GC-3.3]]

WE APPRECIATE RESPECTFUL, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM AND WELCOME SUGGESTIONS FOR SOLUTIONS.

PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT A TIME FOR DISCUSSION. IT IS 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 STATEMENTS.

BUT AGAIN, IT IS NOT A TIME FOR DISCUSSION. OUR SILENCE IS NOT A SIGNAL OF AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT, BUT IS MEANT TO RESPECTFULLY HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD.

THOSE THAT ARE NOT COMFORTABLE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A GROUP ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO CONTACT THE BOARD VIA PHONE OR EMAIL.

WE ROUTINELY HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF DISTRICT STAKEHOLDERS EACH MONTH AND ASSIMILATE A WIDE RANGE OF INPUT ON DISTRICT ISSUES.

WE APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND INVITE THEM TO USE WHATEVER MODE OF COMMUNICATION THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE 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 SHEET IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, AND 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 COMMENT EXCEEDS THE THREE MINUTE LIMIT MAY SUBMIT 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 45 MINUTES.

SO WITH THAT WE WILL GO AHEAD. AND FIRST IS THE VISTA ASB WITH NOM AND NAVY?

[00:10:03]

OKAY. NEXT IS JOEL FRANCIK.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOEL FRANCIK. I'M THE PRINCIPAL AT CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT DURING SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH.

THANK YOU, JOEL. NEXT WE HAVE DOM PHAM.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOM PHAM AND I IDENTIFY AS A FERNDALE RESIDENT.

WHILE REVIEWING THE 2025 MONITORING REPORT PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER, I NOTICED SEVERAL TROUBLING ISSUES WHICH ARE THE FOCUS OF MY COMMENTS TONIGHT. FIRST, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE TONE OF THE REPORT ITSELF.

[00:15:01]

BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESUMED TO HAVE THE BASIC COMPETENCE REQUIRED TO READ AND UNDERSTAND WRITTEN DATA.

LET ME START OVER AT THE MIDDLE OF THAT PARAGRAPH.

BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESUMED TO HAVE THE BASIC COMPONENTS REQUIRED TO READ AND UNDERSTAND WRITTEN DATA.

YOU SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE TOLD HOW TO INTERPRET INFORMATION IN ORDER TO PERFORM YOUR DUTIES.

THE FOLLOWING PAGE BEGINS WITH THE HEADING KEY FINDINGS AND HOW TO READ THIS REPORT.

PRESUMABLY THIS SECTION IS DIRECTED AT THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS.

THEY ALSO DO NOT NEED TO BE TAUGHT HOW TO READ.

THIS FRAMING REINFORCES THE IMPRESSION THAT THE REPORT IS DESIGNED LESS TO INFORM AND MORE TO GUIDE READERS TOWARD CONCLUSIONS FAVORABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION. THAT IS NOT TRANSPARENCY.

IT IS NARRATIVE MANAGEMENT. WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE DATA ITSELF.

NO MATTER HOW THE RESULTS ARE FRAMED OR SPUN, THE CONCLUSION IS UNAVOIDABLE.

OUR STUDENTS ARE FAILING MISERABLY. NEARLY EVERY EDUCATION SYSTEM, FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO COLLEGE, USES A BASIC GRADING SCALE. ANY SCORE BELOW 60% IS AN F.

ACCORDING TO THE OSB REPORT CARD FOR FERNDALE, STUDENT PROFICIENCY RATES DO NOT EXCEED 44% IN LITERACY, MATH, OR SCIENCE. THAT PLACES PERFORMANCE NOT JUST BELOW PROFICIENCY, BUT FAR BELOW EVEN A D, WHICH BEGINS AT 60% AND IS STILL CONSIDERED UNSATISFACTORY.

PUT PLAINLY, OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT CLOSE TO PASSING BY ANY COMMONLY ACCEPTED ACADEMIC STANDARD.

FOR COMPARISON, ALL THREE SUBJECTS DECLINED FROM THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR BY MARGINS RANGING FROM 0.2 TO 2.2 PERCENTAGE POINTS.

AT THE CURRENT TRAJECTORY, A REASONABLE QUESTION MUST BE ASKED.

HOW MANY MORE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND HOW MANY MORE DECADES WILL IT TAKE FOR STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT TO REACH EVEN A D LEVEL ACROSS ALL THREE SUBJECTS? UNTIL THAT QUESTION IS ANSWERED HONESTLY, CHANGES IN LANGUAGE, FRAMING, AND OR PRESENTATION WILL NOT CHANGE THE REALITY REFLECTED IN THE DATA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOM. NEXT IS AMY O'NEILL. HI, I'M AMY O'NEILL, AND I'M SPEAKING AS THE FERNDALE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT. I'M GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF SWERVE FROM MY PREVIOUS THOUGHTS TO JUST MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE IN PRESENT TONIGHT THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT FAILING IN EVERY MEASURE. THEY MAY NOT BE PERFORMING WHERE WE'D ALL LIKE THEM TO PERFORM ON TESTS, BUT OUR STUDENTS ARE WONDERFUL, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT ALL OF YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE AND THE POWER OF OUR STUDENTS.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. LET ME BRING MY THOUGHTS BACK TO SAYING THANK YOU FOR SERVING AS OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT KRISTI SAID, WHICH IS THAT YOU ARE THE BEST BOARD AROUND.

THIS WAS THE ONLY WHATCOM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD THAT WAS COMPLETELY PRESENT AT THE TOWN HALL TO DISCUSS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND SCHOOL FUNDING.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL SHOWED UP THERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO NOT JUST SERVE HERE IN FERNDALE.

WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND ADVOCATE AT A STATE LEVEL.

YOU KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN JUST SHOWING UP IN THE MEETINGS AS PREPARED AS YOU ARE, AS HARD AS YOU WORK TO BE HERE, YOU KNOW THAT IT'S ABOUT ADVOCACY.

IT'S ABOUT STANDING IN THE GAP FOR US. THE CELL PHONE POLICY, I GOT TO TELL YOU, THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR BOARD LEADS.

YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE UNPOPULAR.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE HARD TO MAKE HAPPEN. BUT YOU LEAD WITH THE STUDENTS.

YOU KNOW THAT WHEN THE STUDENTS LEAD THE INITIATIVES, IT CAN MAKE A HUGE POSITIVE CHANGE.

SO THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR STUDENTS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

[00:20:03]

THAT WAS MORE FOR YOUR BENEFIT. BUT YOU'RE DOING GREAT ON THAT.

BUT JUST KNOW THAT WE DO SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, NOT JUST HERE IN THE MEETINGS, BUT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THIS IS YOUR SIDE GIG FOR ALL OF YOU. BUT YOU PUT YOUR WHOLE HEART INTO IT, AND WE JUST COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AMY, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND ALSO FOR GIVING US THAT 45 MINUTE GOAL.

WE'RE WORKING ON IT. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A TIMER UP THERE THAT HAS 45 MINUTES AND WE'LL BE WATCHING IT GO AROUND AND I'LL BE GOING, OKAY GUYS HURRY UP. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

CERTAINLY, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU HEAR TONIGHT OR YOU HEAR THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US.

WE ENJOY HEARING FROM YOU, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU AS OUR COMMUNITY AND TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN OUR STUDENTS.

SO THANK YOU. OKAY. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 6 OF OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS SHARING.

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

OKAY, I'M GOING TO GET STARTED AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT OFF TO OUR AMAZING STUDENTS.

AGAIN.¿, THANK YOU. WE ARE TOWARDS THE END OF JANUARY.

I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT. AND I WILL SAY AND I WANTED TO WAIT TILL THIS PART.

MARKUS AND HARLEEN, MY INCREDIBLE APPRECIATION FOR YOU AS THE SUPERINTENDENT.

I KNOW I CAN COME TO YOU AT ANY TIME AND YOU'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE THOUGHT PARTNERS.

AND OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMENTER TALKED ABOUT THE POWER OF STUDENT VOICE IN LEADING INITIATIVES.

AND THE BOARD AND I TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.

AND YOU TWO ARE RIGHT THERE MAKING IT HAPPEN.

SO THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH. YOU ARE A MODEL FOR OTHER STUDENT LEADERS ACROSS OUR STATE.

[APPLAUSE]. SO SATURDAY WE, ACTUALLY THE BOARD HAD. I WAS TAKING PICTURES, PEGGY. A BOARD RETREAT.

AND WE STARTED THE DAY TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS TALK ABOUT TODAY IS THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE ACTION.

AND THE BOARD WAS ASKED TO MAKE INDIVIDUAL MARSHMALLOW TOWERS.

YOU KNOW, THE KINDERGARTEN FIRST GRADE TEACHER IN ME, WE HAD TO HAVE HANDS ON PLAY, AND THEIR JOB WAS TO MAKE THE TALLEST TOWER.

AND WHO WON THAT? BRIAN. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

BUT THEN WHEN THEY GOT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MATERIALS AND WERE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, IT WAS JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT THIS BOARD DOES IS THAT THEY STRATEGIZE, THEY USED ONE ANOTHER, THEY BOUNCE IDEAS OFF.

THEY TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR A STRONG FOUNDATION BEFORE THEY COULD BUILD IT HIGH.

AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE OUR BOARD DOING ALL THE TIME.

AND SO THE RETREAT WAS FROM 9 TO 3, AND I THINK WE COULD HAVE MET FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS.

IT WENT SO FAST. I DON'T EVEN THINK WE TOOK AN OFFICIAL LUNCH BREAK.

THEY JUST KEPT GOING AND IT WAS VERY POWERFUL.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT TIME. LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE THROES MONITORING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH BUDGET.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR BEING ENGAGED.

I'M SEEING YOUR NAMES GOING IN EITHER PRO OR CON ON SOME OF THE BILLS.

I WOULD SAY I'M SEEING SOME OF THE EMAILS FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND HOW YOU'RE WORKING ACROSS DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE STAYING INFORMED.

AND IT'S OUR TIME TO SHOW UP FOR KIDS. AND WE HAVE A MESSAGE, AND I HOPE THAT THEY ARE HEARING IT LOUD AND CLEAR IN OLYMPIA.

NEXT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE SECOND STATE OF THE DISTRICT.

IT WILL BE AT THE FERNDALE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS EVENT.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO MCS SITTING HERE WITH US.

THERE'LL BE A LOT OF STUDENT PERFORMANCES AND TAKING THE FEEDBACK OF WHAT PEOPLE WANTED TO HEAR LAST YEAR.

BUDGET IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE PRIMARY FOCUSES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT, AMONGST OTHER THINGS. AND SO I HOPE THE PUBLIC WILL COME OUT, PEOPLE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS OR WONDERING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THIS IS A TIME TO HEAR ABOUT THAT. AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT OFF TO OUR AMAZING STUDENTS.

HEY, YOU GUYS. SO I KNOW MARCUS IS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE NEW SEMESTER HAS STARTED, I THINK, IN ALL THE SCHOOLS.

SO YEAH, MARCUS AND I, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH IT. WE HAD TO DO FINALS AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF, BUT WE HAVE BEEN STAYING ON TOP OF BUSINESS BECAUSE FOR THE NEW SEMESTER, MARCUS AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A SPECIAL PROJECTS SCHOOL BOARD PERIOD.

SO WE HAVE A CLASS PERIOD DESIGNATED TO SPECIAL PROJECTS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY REGARDING THE SCHOOL BOARD.

[00:25:04]

AND WE SET UP SHOP AND WE WERE EMAILING ALL THESE PEOPLE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT OUR NEXT MOVES.

ONE OF THE EMAILS THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT WAS FROM THIS KID NAMED SEBASTIAN.

HE'S THE LINDEN SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT REP, AND HE ACTUALLY EMAILED MARCUS AND I ASKING FOR OUR THOUGHTS ON THE CELL PHONE POLICY BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO ADOPT A VERY SIMILAR MODEL TO OURS.

SO HE WANTED TO HEAR OUR THOUGHTS AND LIKE HOW WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPACTING OUR SCHOOLS.

AND IF LIKE THE EFFECTS WERE LIKE KIND OF WANING OVER TIME OR IF IT'S BEEN STAYING STRONG AND THINGS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CHANGE.

AND SO WE SENT HIM A VERY NICE EMAIL BACK, AND IT WAS JUST REALLY AWESOME TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER STUDENTS THAT ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER DISTRICTS WHO ARE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S A GREAT POLICY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH WE'RE CLOCKING IT HERE.

BUT ALSO TO THINK THAT LIKE THERE'S OTHER STUDENT REPS WHO WERE WILLING TO REACH OUT AND HEAR OUR PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS.

SO THAT WAS REALLY AWESOME. AND THEN ALSO WE ARE BEGINNING THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR ANOTHER STUDENT REP RETREAT.

AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE DID THAT LAST YEAR WITH THE OAK HARBOR STUDENTS, AND THEN WE DID THAT WHOLE PRESENTATION ABOUT IT.

SO WE'RE PLANNING ON HOSTING ANOTHER ONE, MARCH SIXTH, I THINK, IS THE PROPOSED DATE.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SUPER EXCITING. SO YEAH, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON DURING OUR SPECIAL PROJECTS PERIOD.

AND THEN THAT'S KIND OF ALL THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSING ON.

WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH MORE SCHOOLS. I THINK WE'RE MEETING WITH FOUR SCHOOLS NEXT MONTH, WHICH YOU GUYS WILL GET AN EMAIL ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO YOU'LL GET MORE INFORMATION. THAT'S REALLY ALL WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

AND I HAVE TO JUST SAY THANK YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS ARE VERY AWESOME BOARD.

I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU GUYS. BEFORE I JOINED THE SCHOOL BOARD, I DID NOT KNOW MUCH OF WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS.

I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T EVEN THINK I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A SCHOOL BOARD. BUT I'M JUST LIKE, WOW. MAYBE YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GONNA SAVE IT FOR MY LAST MEETING, BUT THIS HAS JUST BEEN SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, AND I HAVE TO DEFINITELY THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS LITTLE CIRCLE HERE AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE OVER THERE.

SO I'M JUST, WOW, YOU GUYS DO SUCH AMAZING WORK.

AND MARCUS AND I, WE HEAR HORROR STORIES ABOUT OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS, AND I'M JUST THINKING, WOW, LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS LIKE? AND WE'RE LIKE, WOW.

ACTUALLY, OUR SCHOOL BOARD IS GREAT. LIKE, WE WERE GLAZING YOU GUYS. SO YOU GUYS ARE JUST ON TOP OF BUSINESS.

YOU GUYS ARE CLOCKING IT ALWAYS. AND I'M JUST WOW, I'M SO PROUD TO BE LIKE, YEAH, I'M A FERNDALE SCHOOL REP.

LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? BECAUSE OUR BOARD IS JUST SO AMAZING AND SO MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT US BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE JUST DOING SUCH GREAT WORK, AND I CAN JUST SEE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO THIS STUFF. YEAH, IT'S JUST MAKING MARCUS AND I FEEL LIKE, WOW, WE NEED TO START GETTING ON TOP OF IT, TOO, BECAUSE OUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE JUST.

THEY'RE JUST ALWAYS DOING IT. SO GOOD JOB, YOU GUYS.

I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU ALL. WHAT CAN I ADD? ACTUALLY, THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. WELL, FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT WE DID HAVE FINALS WEEK, SO THIS PAST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN FINALS.

SO FOR FINALS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AT LEAST WE HAVE IT.

SO WE HAVE TWO DAYS IN A ROW, SO WE'RE ON A BLOCK SCHEDULE.

AND SO WE HAVE TWO DAYS IN A ROW AND THEN TWO DAYS IN A ROW.

SO LAST WEEK WE ONLY HAD TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS.

AND IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY GREAT. AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ASSEMBLIES.

SO WE RECENTLY HAD THE TREATY DAY ASSEMBLY, WHICH I HAVE THE HONOR OF SPEAKING AT.

I DID THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT ACTUALLY, AT THAT.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD THE MLK ASSEMBLY THAT WENT REALLY WELL, THAT WAS HOSTED BY OUR MULTICULTURAL CLUB, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY HOSTING MULTICULTURAL NIGHT SOON, TOO.

SO I INVITE EVERYBODY TO GO. I THINK LAST YEAR, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE HAD LIKE 21 BOOTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OF DIFFERENT CULTURES FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD, AND IT'S SUPER FUN.

IT'S FREE AND WHEN YOU'RE THERE, YOU JUST FEEL LIKE A SENSE OF LIKE COMMUNITY AND IT'S JUST A REALLY AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

AND YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BOARD.

LIKE HARLEEN SAID, THE AMOUNT OF STORIES THAT WE HEARD AT THE CONFERENCE ABOUT THE CRAZY BOARDS, ESPECIALLY DOWN SOUTH, WAS LIKE, INSANE. WE WERE LIKE, OH, WOW.

LIKE, I COULD NEVER THINK OF THOSE THINGS. LIKE IN JUST IN GENERAL.

IT WAS CRAZY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A VERY TAME BOARD.

[00:30:04]

WITH THAT, WE WILL TURN TO OUR FAVORITE MOMENTS OF BUDGETING WITH HOLLY.

[7. UPDATES]

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT CURRENT FUND BALANCE. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE FUND BALANCE PROJECTION AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING AUDIT.

THIS WILL BE KIND OF QUICK BECAUSE WE JUST HAD TWO HOURS JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

SO IT'S KIND OF A REVIEW OF SOME OF THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE ALL OF THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION, IT'S ON BOARD DOCS RIGHT NOW IS FROM THE DECEMBER 2026 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

SO THE FIRST THING IS A BUDGET UPDATE. SO WE HAD THAT STUDY SESSION.

WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON CONFIGURING POSITIONAL BUDGETING AND CUMULATIVE.

THAT'S JUST KIND OF A CHANGE OF PROCESS THAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE MONITORING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OLYMPIA.

AND THEN WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING OF THREE WITH DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS TO DISCUSS 26-27 BUDGET.

THE THINGS WE'RE WATCHING, THE UNCERTAINTY OF FEDERAL FUNDING.

WE GOT SOME GOOD NEWS LAST WEEK, BUT NOW THERE'S MAYBE SOME UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE HOUSE AND SENATE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WITH OUR PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE WATCHING THAT VERY CLOSELY.

THERE'S STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ABOUT CERTAIN STATE FUNDED GRANTS.

OUR EXPENDITURE INCREASES ARE OUTPACING THE ESTIMATED REVENUE INCREASES.

ENROLLMENT FOR THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR IS OVER BUDGET, BUT IT'S UNDER LAST YEAR'S ENROLLMENT, SO IT IS DECLINING JUST KIND OF BASED ON ACTUAL STUDENTS.

AND THEN JUST WE'RE WATCHING ANY IMPACTS OF STATE LEVEL BUDGET DECISIONS.

CURRENT FUND BALANCE AS OF DECEMBER 2025 IS $5.2 MILLION.

WE HAVE THE 4% MINIMUM FUND BALANCE POLICY, SO WE'RE ABOVE THAT.

IT'LL CONTINUE TO DECLINE. WE'RE KIND OF IN THE TROUGH BETWEEN THE TWO BIG TAX COLLECTIONS, ONE IN OCTOBER AND ONE IN APRIL. SO WE'RE KIND OF IN THE TROUGH RIGHT NOW.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE. AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE VERY FRUGAL ON SPENDING AND REALLY CLOSELY MONITORING OUR FUND BALANCE.

SO THIS IS OUR CURRENT FUND BALANCE. THE CURRENT YEAR IS IN GREEN.

AND IT DID GO UP SLIGHTLY IN DECEMBER WHICH WAS POSITIVE.

USUALLY IT DOESN'T DO THAT. THAT'S PROBABLY BASED ON TIMING.

WE ONLY HAVE ONE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CHECK RUN IN DECEMBER.

SO IT'S ALWAYS JUST A TIMING OF WHEN INVOICES GET ENTERED AND PAID.

AND THE RED LINE IS THE MINIMUM FUND BALANCE POLICY, SO WE'RE WELL ABOVE THAT.

WE STARTED DOING A FUND BALANCE PROJECTION TO PROJECT OUT TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THIS IS A BEST GUESS ESTIMATE, KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY HARD TO PREDICT BECAUSE THERE'S UNEXPECTED EVENTS. BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THIS EVERY MONTH AND GIVE YOU A PROJECTION.

SO AGAIN, THE RED LINE IS THE MINIMUM FUND BALANCE POLICY.

THE BLUE LINE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS LAST YEAR. THE GREEN UP TO THE POINT OF DECEMBER WHEN WE HAVE THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS THERE.

THAT'S JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS FUND BALANCE SLIDE.

AND THEN THE DOTTED LINE IS WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING IT TO BE.

AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR IT SPLITS BECAUSE IT'S BETWEEN $4.5 MILLION AND $5 MILLION DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT WE GET THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SAFETY NET.

SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THERE. SO IF WE GET IT, IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.

IF WE DON'T GET IT IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER.

STILL A LOT OF UNKNOWNS AT THIS POINT. SO THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, AN ESTIMATE.

AND HOLLY, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE FOR JUST.

AM I CORRECT THAT IF THE FUND BALANCE BILL THAT'S BEING PROPOSED GOES THROUGH, THAT RED LINE IS GOING TO MOVE UP TO ABOUT $8 MILLION? SO WE WOULD BE PRETTY WELL BELOW IT THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH? ACTUALLY THE LANGUAGE IN THE BILL, IT'S FOR DISTRICTS THAT ARE OVER 2000 FTE STUDENTS IT WOULD BE 6%.

OKAY. AND THE LANGUAGE IN THE BILL, IT'S BASED ON THE STATE APPORTIONMENT REVENUES.

SO IT'S NOT QUITE AS DIRE AS ALL REVENUES. SO OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY IS ALL REVENUES.

SO BASED ON WHAT'S IN THE BILL RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD HAVE MET IT LAST YEAR.

AND BASED ON THIS PROJECTION, WE WOULD POSSIBLY MEET IT THIS YEAR, JUST DEPENDING.

WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF CALCULATIONS TO DO TO, YOU KNOW, AND KIND OF WHERE THAT'S GOING.

I'M SORRY. DO YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? OH, AND IT DOESN'T KICK IN FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

YEAH. THANK YOU. S, YEAH A LOT OF UNKNOWNS ON THAT.

[00:35:07]

OUR REVENUES ARE INCONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WE GET TWO BIG TAX COLLECTIONS, AND THEN THE APPORTIONMENT REVENUES DON'T COME IN SMOOTHLY ACROSS THE YEAR.

AND WHILE THAT'S HAPPENING, OUR EXPENDITURES ARE FAIRLY CONSISTENT. WE HAVE ABOUT THE SAME PAYROLL NUMBER EVERY YEAR.

SO A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE HELPS US REALLY SMOOTH THOSE CURVES OUT AND BE ABLE TO WEATHER THE DIPS AND THE LOW POINTS.

IT ALSO PROVIDES A BUFFER FOR UNEXPECTED EXPENSES AND THE ABILITY TO BE NIMBLE IF WE, YOU KNOW, NEED TO ADD SOMETHING, WE CAN DO THAT IF WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE.

IT ENHANCES JOB SECURITY AND IT ELIMINATES THE NEED TO REDUCE STAFFING EVERY SPRING.

SO IT HELPS, YOU KNOW, GUARD AGAINST THAT. AND A MORE STABLE AND SATISFIED WORKFORCE LEADS TO A BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, WHICH REALLY IMPACTS OUR STUDENTS AND IMPROVES OUTCOMES.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR AUDIT THAT'S SCHEDULED TO BEGIN A WEEK FROM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH.

AND IT USUALLY LASTS ANYWHERE BETWEEN FOUR WEEKS TO SIX WEEKS TO MAYBE TWO MONTHS.

IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH THEY DECIDE TO DIG IN.

AND THIS TIME WILL INCLUDE THE FINANCIAL AUDIT, A FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY AUDIT.

AND THEN THE BOARD WILL BE INVITED TO AN EXIT CONFERENCE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE AUDIT.

SO PROBABLY APRIL OR MAY WE'LL HAVE THE EXIT CONFERENCE.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HOLLY, DO WE GET ANY KIND OF RETURN ON THE FUND BALANCE? LIKE IS IT INVESTED OR IS THERE ANY KIND OF. WE GET INTEREST.

YEAH. IT'S INVESTED IN THE WHATCOM COUNTY INVESTMENT POOL THROUGH THE COUNTY TREASURER.

SO ALL OF OUR FUNDS, WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT FUNDS AND THEY ALL EARN INTEREST.

OKAY. AND I HAD A QUESTION AS FAR AS THE ENROLLMENT GOES.

SO WE UNDERESTIMATED LAST TIME AROUND, RIGHT? AND I MEAN, WE UNDERESTIMATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR YOU SAID WE'RE.

WE BUDGET CONSERVATIVELY WITH ENROLLMENT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO OVERESTIMATE BECAUSE THEN THEY BASE OUR SEPTEMBER THROUGH JANUARY APPORTIONMENT ON OUR ESTIMATE. AND THEN IF WE'RE WAY OFF AND WE'VE REALLY SHOT TOO HIGH, THEN THEY'LL TAKE IT ALL BACK IN JANUARY ALL THE EXCESS REVENUE THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US OVER THAT FIRST FEW MONTHS. SO WE BUDGETED VERY CONSERVATIVELY.

AND SO IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I WAS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS ON THE DECEMBER THING AND IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE 85 STUDENTS BELOW.

I BELIEVE LAST. I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME.

I BELIEVE IT'S 85 BELOW. WHAT WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.

BUT WE ARE ABOVE WHAT WE PROJECTED. OH, OKAY.

I WAS HOPING THAT. AND CAN I ADD IN THERE? IS THAT OKAY? AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE STUDY SESSION, THAT THERE'S THIS NARRATIVE OUT THERE THAT KIDS ARE FLEEING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND IMPLYING THAT IT'S BECAUSE FAMILIES ARE MAKING DIFFERENT CHOICES AND FAMILIES ALWAYS CAN MAKE DIFFERENT CHOICES.

BUT ACTUALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THE BIRTH RATES ACROSS THE NATION ARE AT A MUCH LOWER RATE THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.

SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS DIRECTLY A RESULT OF WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE BASED ON, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO OUR KINDERGARTNERS ARE TODAY, MARK AND HIS TEAM LOOK AT THE BIRTH RATES FROM THAT YEAR AND THEY START TO MAKE THESE PROJECTIONS.

SO, IT'S HAPPENING AS IT SHOULD BASED ON JUST WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH BIRTH.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OH. WONDERING WHETHER WE ACTUALLY HAD, YOU KNOW, UNDERESTIMATED AND THEREFORE WOULD BE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I WOULD SAY THIS TEAM DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB. IN FACT, I WANT TO SAY THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, YOU WERE WITHIN FIVE STUDENTS, LIKE FIVE STUDENTS ABOVE THE PROJECTIONS.

AND THEN AS NEW STUDENTS MOVE IN, WE'VE HAD NEW STUDENTS COME IN.

SO THEY TRACK THAT EVERY SINGLE MONTH THOSE ENROLLMENT RATES COME IN AND THEY LOOK AT THEM AND WE LOOK AT THEM AS A TEAM.

SO THEY'RE PRETTY SPOT ON. BUT WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR KIDDOS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR HOLLY? OKAY. THANK YOU AS ALWAYS, HOLLY, APPRECIATE THE EXPERTISE THAT YOU BRING AND THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE.

[00:40:03]

WELL, NANCY AND I HAD TO SPLIT THINGS UP. SHE WENT IN AND DID THE FIRST ONE.

I WENT IN AND DID THE SECOND ONE, AND THERE WAS EXTRA IN THERE.

AND SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERESTING. NOTHING INTERESTING, BUT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING TO REPORT, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. SO, YEAH.

SO RECOMMEND APPROVAL ON THAT. ALSO IS NANCY GOING TO WEIGH IN AT ALL VIA ZOOM TONIGHT? OKAY. DIDN'T KNOW AS FAR AS THE LEDGE REP. YEAH, SHE DIDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING LEDGE REP WISE, AS FAR AS REPORT. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE SAID ANYTHING TO YOU, BUT CERTAINLY CRITICAL.

HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY IS GETTING THE UPDATES AS FAR AS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT.

I KNOW THAT KUSH FROM UP IN LINDON HAS BEEN SENDING OUT A NICE UPDATE EACH WEEK THAT HAS THE BILLS HIGHLIGHTED AND ACTIVE LINKS TO ALL OF THEM SO YOU CAN WEIGH IN. DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, PLEASE KEEP ABREAST OF THAT AND WEIGH IN ON THOSE BILLS THAT WERE ASKED TO AND IF YOU HEAR OF ANYTHING, FEEL FREE TO PASS THAT AS INFORMATION TO THE REST OF THE BOARD.

BECAUSE DEFINITELY OUR VOICE MATTERS. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION OUT THERE FOR THE DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

AND CERTAINLY THE SCHOOLS ARE NEEDING THEIR SHARE OF IT.

SO ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO

[8. MATTERS RESERVED FOR BOARD ACTION]

WITHIN THIS MONITORING REPORT THAT WE HAD PRESENTED TO US, OR THAT WE RECEIVED LAST MONTH AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH REVIEW AND THEN FILL OUT THE GOOGLE SURVEY AND PRESENT COMMENTS. THERE WERE 27 INDICATORS.

OF THOSE 27 ON 12 OF THEM, WE WERE UNANIMOUS SAYING THAT THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE.

ON ANOTHER 12, FOUR OF US. IT WAS A 4 TO 1 SPLIT AS FAR AS COMPLIANT OR COMPLIANT WITH EXCEPTIONS.

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO WHERE WE HAD A 3 2 SPLIT, AND THERE WAS ONE WHERE TWO OF US SAID WAS COMPLIANT, ONE SAID COMPLIANT WITH EXCEPTIONS AND 2 SAID NONCOMPLIANT.

JUST AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD WHEN WE ARE FILLING OUT THOSE SURVEYS AND MAKING COMMENTS, IF YOU ARE MARKING IT AS NONCOMPLIANT, PLEASE INDICATE WHY IN THE COMMENT SECTION SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW THAT THINKING.

DEFINITELY THERE WERE LOTS OF COMMENTS THAT WERE PUT FORTH THROUGH THESE.

AND SO AT THIS POINT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION ON ANY OF THOSE COMMENTS OR FOR DISCUSSION ABOUT SUCH.

I THINK THIS REPORT HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THE SUPER LONG ONE.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT INDICATORS. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE AT THE BOARD RETREAT, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBILITY OF A DASHBOARD. AND I'M WONDERING IF A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION COULD BE BROUGHT AND, YOU KNOW, PUT IN FRONT OF US IN A MORE CONDENSED FORM.

WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. I THINK THE DATA, IT HITS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.

SO IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN QUICKLY IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN.

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN WORK TOWARDS.

I HAD A MEETING WITH JAMIE, I DON'T KNOW, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND I FOUND THAT MEETING TO BE VERY HELPFUL IN ANSWERING A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS AROUND HERE. SO THAT WAS GREAT TIMING. I THINK THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT TONIGHT WAS THE COMMENT ON THE LAST ONE ABOUT FINES AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE BEING COLLECTED.

[00:45:01]

AND I WOULD SAY SPECIFICALLY, IF YOU RECALL. AND BRIAN, THIS WOULD BE NEW INFORMATION TO YOU.

LAST YEAR I REPORTED TO THE BOARD THAT THE AMOUNT OF VANDALISM HAPPENING WITH DEVICES PER SE WAS EXTREME, TO THE POINT WHERE WE ACTUALLY PUT IN A MORE STRINGENT POLICY IN PLACE, HOLDING STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE.

AT ONE POINT IT WAS IF YOU DAMAGED A COMPUTER, YOU GOT A NEW ONE.

BUT THERE WASN'T A LOT OF LEARNING TO BE HAD IN THAT CHOICE.

AND SO NOW THERE IS. AND SO THOSE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF FINES WE ARE NOW COLLECTING ALL THE WAY KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY UP.

SO ALONG THE LINES OF DAMAGE, I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, JUST IN SOCIAL MEDIA, SEEING PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT PEOPLE LETTING THEIR DOGS RUN LOOSE ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD, RUNNING LOOSE AROUND THE TRACK AND STUFF.

AND SO WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO CURB THAT OR HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO.

I REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND ASKED FOR THEIR HELP ON THAT.

STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT OUR BUILDINGS ARE COMMUNITY SPACES, THEY'RE PAID FOR BY THE COMMUNITY.

AND MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE CAN BE COLLECTIVELY RESPONSIBLE.

IT WAS INTERESTING. I WAS ASKED TO GET MORE SECURITY CAMERAS, MAYBE HIRE STAFF TO MONITOR THE FIELDS ON THE WEEKENDS.

AND I THOUGHT, NO, WE'RE ALL GROWN UPS. WE CAN HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT.

AND SO IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING BETTER, BUT WE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PEAKS.

AND THEN WE SEND SOME MESSAGING OUT THAT JUST SAYS HELP US.

BUT IT WAS NICE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY SAY, HEY, THIS BELONGS TO ALL OF US.

LET'S TAKE CARE OF IT. YEAH. WHEN I'M ON SITE AT THE GAMES, I DO SEE THE STAFF WORKING HARD TO, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE IN LINE WITH THE RULES.

SO I MEAN, DURING THE SUMMERTIME IS THAT EASY WITH PEOPLE JUST, YOU KNOW, GOING DOWN AND USING THE TRACK AND STUFF OR THEY DO HAVE ACCESS TO IT, SO. IT'S OPEN AND IT'S BEEN NICE. I MEAN, WE HAVE HAD SOME SITUATIONS WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD SOME STUDENTS RIDING THEIR BIKES ON THE TRACK, AND SO WE HAD TO PUT OUT MESSAGING THAT THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF THE TRACK.

AND SO WE MONITOR, WE LISTEN, WE MONITOR, AND THEN WE COMMUNICATE.

AND YOU KNOW, IF IT GOT TO BE THE POINT WHERE WE WERE NOT GETTING THE RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY, I WOULD COME TO THE BOARD AND ASK ABOUT LOCKING DIFFERENT AREAS UP, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT THERE YET.

AND I HOPE WE DON'T GET THERE. I HOPE IT YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT OUR CITY DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH OF ARE PUBLIC PARKS AND A LOT OF FAMILIES LIKE TO GO TO THE SCHOOLS WHERE THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND AND PLAY IN THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

AND OUR SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS OFTEN SERVE AS A PARK TYPE LOCATION FOR FAMILIES.

AND I THINK THAT MATTERS. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER ON THAT.

YEAH. I MEAN. I'M SORRY, I WOULD SAY THAT ALMOST EVERY NIGHT I SEE KIDS PLAYING SOCCER ON THAT HIGH SCHOOL FIELD.

SO IT'S BEEN IT'S SERVING THE COMMUNITY WELL, I THINK.

I WAS CURIOUS IN ON THE REPORT, THE ONE INDICATOR THAT RECEIVED THE NON COMPLIANT INDICATION WAS HAD TO DO WITH DISTRICT CONDUCTS, ROUTINE SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS OF FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT, AND THIS IS DEMONSTRATED BY 5% OR LESS VEHICLES OUT OF SERVICE, PER THE ANNUAL WASHINGTON STATE PATROL INSPECTION.

AND WAS KIND OF IN MY MIND LOOKING AT THAT AND WAS HOPING TO GET SOME INPUT FROM THE TEAM AS TO IS THAT A, DOES THE SCHOOL BUS INSPECTION NUMBERS AND THOSE THAT ARE IN SERVICE REALLY CONSTITUTE THE BEST ASSESSMENT OF THAT FACTOR, OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE THINKING OF CHANGING WHEN WE COME TO REVIEW THESE INDICATORS? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE 3% ONE DAY AND 8% THE NEXT DAY, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN LOOKED AT? I GUESS I WOULD DEFER THAT BACK TO THE BOARD IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING, WHAT INFORMATION ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF THIS INDICATOR? SO I THINK READING THROUGH THE COMMENTS, THERE WAS SOME MISINTERPRETATION OF THE DATA PRESENTED IN THE REPORT.

AND GRANTED, IT'S NOT A PARTICULARLY USER FRIENDLY REPORT.

[00:50:07]

IN ALL FOUR CASES, THOSE WERE. BEFORE THE STATE PATROL ACTUALLY LEFT FOR THE DAY, THOSE BUSSES, THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND THEY WERE REINSPECTED AND PUT BACK INTO SERVICE.

SO WHILE THE INITIAL FOUR BUSSES PUT IT AT 8%, OR JUST UNDER 8% OF THE FLEET OUT OF SERVICE, BY THE TIME THE INSPECTION WAS OVER, WE WERE 100%.

SO IT'S MAYBE GOOD DATA, MAYBE NOT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE IDEA OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING A SAFE FLEET AND WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE BUSSES THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF, IT'S KIND OF THE METRIC.

IT'S THE DATA POINT. A LOT OF THE WORK THAT GETS DONE IS HARD TO DEMONSTRATE IN TERMS OF PROVIDING ACTUAL HARD DATA VERSUS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO MECHANICS THAT WORK EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSSES ARE OPERABLE AND IN GOOD REPAIR.

SO IT'S KIND OF THE ONE OTHER THAN GOING DOWN AND LOOKING AT A BUNCH OF WORK ORDERS.

IT'S KIND OF THE ONE DATA POINT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THE ROADWORTHINESS OF THE FLEET.

SO DO THEY DO FOLLOW UP INSPECTIONS THEN? YES, THEY DID IT ON THE.

SO WHY WAS THAT NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPORT THEN? IT ACTUALLY IS IN THE REPORT. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE.

YOU'LL SEE THE OUT OF SERVICE. AND THEN RIGHT BELOW IT THERE'S THE SAME BUS NUMBER THAT BASICALLY SAYS REINSPECTED WITHOUT AN OUT OF SERVICE. OKAY. I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AGAIN BECAUSE I MISSED THAT IN LOOKING AT THE REPORT.

AND I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY HOW YOU WOULD BECAUSE IT'S NOT SUPER OBVIOUS AND THEY DON'T CHANGE THE SUMMARY AT THE TOP.

YOU HAVE TO READ DOWN BELOW THAT. AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU THAT AFTER THE MEETING AS WELL. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IF NOT, THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR A MOTION ON AN ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON THIS MONITORING REPORT.

I MOTION WE ACCEPT THE MONITORING REPORT AS PRESENTED.

AND ACTION AS FAR AS COMPLIANCE.

AND TO HELP YOU OUT BRIAN, SINCE YOU'RE BEGINNING WITH IT, BASED ON THOSE NUMBERS AND THE REASON I THREW THOSE OUT AND TALLIED THEM UP.

IT'S LOOKING LIKE UNDER MY CALL, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S STRONGLY LEANING ENOUGH THAT I WOULD CONSIDER AS IN COMPLIANCE.

SO A GROUP MOTION PUT FORTH BY BRIAN AND I, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU, THAT WE ADOPT THIS MONITORING REPORT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS 5 (OE-5) FACILITIES AND ASSET PROTECTIONS AS COMPLIANT AT THIS TIME.

OKAY. WE'LL START WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? SO, WITH AN ADVISORY VOTE OF IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE REPORT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE BOARD. AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO THE REPORT HAS BEEN ADOPTED AS COMPLIANT.

WE DID NOT OFFICIALLY GET ON THERE AS FAR AS REVIEWING ABOUT INDICATORS FOR THIS REPORT, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND WE'LL HAVE THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

AND SO THAT THEN TAKES US ON TO ITEM 8.02, WHICH IS RESOLUTION 3-2026, URGING THE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS K-12 FUNDING. AND THAT RESOLUTION IS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA AND KRISTI, ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU HAD IN REGARDS TO THAT? I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD.

I THINK IT SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE WHEN SCHOOL BOARDS SEND THESE RESOLUTIONS FORWARD, SAYING THAT THIS IS AN EXPECTATION.

[00:55:06]

ANY COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS IN REGARDS TO THE RESOLUTION? OKAY, IF NOT, WE WILL GO AHEAD TO PROCEED TO VOTE ON RESOLUTION 3-2026, URGING THE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS K-12 FUNDING. WE'LL START WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. WE HAVE AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE FROM THE STUDENTS, AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE BOARD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, SO WE HAVE APPROVED RESOLUTION 3-2026.

OKAY. SO THAT BRINGS US TO TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA.

AS PART OF TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL BE RECEIVING THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR OE FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION.

THE BOARD WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS REPORT AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING.

WE WILL ALSO BE RECEIVING THREE REVISED POLICIES FOR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

6570, PROPERTY AND DATA MANAGEMENT. 6955, MAINTENANCE AND FACILITY RECORDS.

AND 6910. CONSTRUCTION AND FINANCING. AS ALWAYS, WE ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THESE POLICIES AND SHARE ANY THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ABOUT THEM WITH THE BOARD PRIOR TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING OR DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT TIME AT THAT MEETING, SO WE CAN TAKE YOUR THOUGHTS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN ACTING ON THESE POLICIES.

AS MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, AND I WILL STATE IT AGAIN FOR COMPLETENESS.

THE CONSENT AGENDAS ARE A GROUP OF ROUTINE ITEMS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON IN ONE MOTION, AS OPPOSED TO ACTING ON EACH INDIVIDUALLY. THESE ARE ITEMS THAT THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC HAS HAD ACCESS TO REVIEW.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NOT AWARE, IF YOU DO GO ON TO BOARD DOCS EITHER DIRECTLY THROUGH THEIR WEBLOG ON OR THROUGH THE DISTRICT WEBSITE, YOU CAN SEE THE INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD HAS AVAILABLE TO US IN PREPARATION FOR THESE MEETINGS AND FOLLOW ALONG THERE AS WELL.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY ISSUES OR TROUBLE DOING THAT, PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OR ANY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU HOW TO GET THERE AND FIND THAT INFORMATION.

SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE FLOOR IN REGARDS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA,

[9. SUPERINTENDENT CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]

[10. BOARD CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]

WE SPLIT THEM UP BECAUSE SOME ARE SET AS SUPERINTENDENT DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITIES, OTHERS ARE THE BOARD´S.

BUT THEY ALL REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL. SO ANY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT FEES? WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT THINGS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OKAY. BECAUSE I WAS JUST CURIOUS. IN LOOKING THROUGH THE PACKET SEE ATTACHED THERE, AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WAVING IMPACT FEES FOR A PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, CORRECT? THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD EARLIER ABOUT. WHO STATED THAT? THE CITY WAS TALKING ABOUT WAIVING. KRISTI HAD MENTIONED A DISCUSSION WITH YURI ABOUT.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WAIVING PROPERTY TAXES. PROPERTY TAXES? CREATING A PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION. THEY'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY CREATED IT.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING IT. AND YEAH, THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, ACTUALLY, THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY PASSED THAT IN JANUARY OR IN DECEMBER, SO HAS THERE BEEN ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION WITH THEM ABOUT THAT? AND DOES THIS HAVE ANY BEARING ON THAT AT ALL? THE IMPACT FEE CONVERSATION.

AND WE'LL BE BRINGING IT UP IN ONE MOMENT ONCE WE GET PAST THE CONSENT AGENDAS.

PART OF MY SHARING IS GOING TO BE A SUGGESTION TO THE BOARD RELATED TO THAT.

OH, OKAY. SO DID I UNDERSTAND IN READING THROUGH THOSE THINGS, THAT CERTAIN LOW INCOME HOUSING IS FUNDED BY MECHANISMS THAT WILL REPLACE THE IMPACT FEES WITH ADDITIONAL MONEY TO SCHOOLS.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES TO THAT. THE LOW INCOME EXEMPTION AND FOR SENIOR HOUSING HAS BEEN IN THE ORDINANCE FOR A

[01:00:07]

THE NEW CHANGE WAS A STATE LAW THAT WAS REVISED THAT REQUIRES US TO BASE THE FEE BASED ON THE OCCUPANCY OF THE HOUSE THAT'S BEING BUILT. AND THE ONLY WAY REALLY THAT'S PRACTICAL TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IS BY THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS. SO THAT'S WHERE THIS FEE NOW IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED AS PART OF THE NEW UNIT. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE WELL INTENTIONED LAWS THAT MADE IT REALLY, REALLY HARD TO IMPLEMENT. AND THE WAY THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THIS IS BASICALLY DOING IT BY THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED.

WELL, YOU BETTER HOPE THAT THEY AREN'T FAMILIES LIKE OURS, WHERE I HAD FIVE BROTHERS AND THREE OF THEM BUNKED IN ONE ROOM.

SO, YOU KNOW. I THINK THAT'S A LOT MORE COMMON THAN WHAT THE CURRENT LAW ALLOWS FOR.

YEAH. WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT FEES, MARK, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE LOOKED AT THESE AND WE RECALCULATED. IS THAT SET SO THAT WE SHOULD BE RECALCULATING THESE ON AN ANNUAL OR EVERY COUPLE YEARS BASIS? OR IS THERE A LEGAL REQUIREMENT OF WHEN OR DIRECTION AS TO WHEN WE DO IT? SIX YEARS. SO THESE WILL STAND FOR SIX YEARS THEN? UNLESS SOMETHING DRAMATIC HAPPENS THAT WOULD SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO MAKE A MODIFICATION SOMETIME BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

OKAY. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. BUT IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT WE MAKE THE CHANGES WHEN WE DO THE UPDATE TO THE CAPITAL FACILITIES PLAN.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. SEEING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL PUT FORTH THAT WE ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDAS, BOTH SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD, AS PRESENTED HERE, AND MAKE THEM PART OF THE MINUTES. WE DON'T DO AN ADVISORY VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE IT OFTEN INCLUDES THINGS WITH EMPLOYEES AND WAGES AND SUCH. SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT TO THE BOARD VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, SO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS PASSED.

WHICH THAT BRINGS US ON TO ITEM 11.01. AND AS I PROMISED, PEGGY, BASED ON THE EMAIL THAT KRISTI

[11. SHARING [GC-7.E}]

SO IT'D BE INTERESTING TO HEAR HOW THEY FEEL THAT NOT GIVING US SOME INPUT OR NOTICE THAT THAT CONVERSATION WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME INPUT. BE NICE TO HEAR THEIR SIDE OF THAT.

SO IF THE BOARD IS IN AGREEMENT THEN KRISTI, COULD YOU PLEASE.

YES. PUT FORTH AN INVITATION? YES, WE WILL DO THAT.

THANK YOU. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START. BRIAN, ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? YEAH. I FIRST WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE ALL THE CANDY.

I LOVE CANDY AND ALL THE CARDS AND ALL THE CREATIVITY AND THE POSTER, AND THAT'S JUST FANTASTIC.

I LOVE THE HOW THE KIDS SPENT TIME TO MAKE THAT AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF RECOGNITION SOMETIMES.

IT'S KIND OF NICE TO HEAR A THANK YOU. SO LET'S SEE, I WROTE DOWN A COUPLE THINGS.

I'VE BEEN PRETTY BUSY WITH SCOREBOARD STUFF FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF GAMES. WE HAD A FEW RESCHEDULED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR BECAUSE OF WEATHER AND OTHER KIND OF WEIRD STUFF.

SO IT'S BEEN VERY BUSY THERE. I ENJOYED THE BOARD RETREAT.

I ALWAYS LOVE TO HAVE GREAT CONVERSATION AND TRY TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK MORE AS A TEAM.

[01:05:05]

SO I'M HOPING WE CAN START THOSE STUDY SESSIONS AT 6 P.M.

RATHER THAN 5 P.M. ANY ISSUE WITH ANYBODY WITH STARTING IN THAT LATER POINT? OKAY. I THINK WE SHOULD BE FINE WITH DOING THAT.

OKAY. WE'LL GET THAT CHANGED ON THE CALENDAR.

THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, BRIAN.

PEGGY. WELL, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT IN ON TWO MEETINGS OF THE HIGHLY CAPABLE TASK FORCE, AND THAT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING THING. IT'S IN THE SECOND PHASE OF ITS DEVELOPMENT.

FIRST PHASE WAS. THE TASK FORCE THERE WORKED ON HOW TO IDENTIFY HIGHLY CAPABLE STUDENTS, WHAT THE PROCESS WAS FOR SCREENING STUDENTS AND POINTING THEM IN THE DIRECTION OF ACCELERATED PROGRAMS. IT'S FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH. NOT HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY FIGURE ONCE YOU GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS, YOU KNOW, FROM COLLEGE IN THE CLASSROOM TO AP CLASSES TO, YOU KNOW CTE PROGRAM.

LOTS AND LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLLOWING YOUR INTERESTS.

NOT SO MUCH SO AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL OR THE GRADE SCHOOL LEVEL.

SO IN THE PHASE THAT THEY'RE IN RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE LOOKING AT IDENTIFYING WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE CURRENTLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF A MENU WE CAN PUT TOGETHER FOR AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE.

NOT NECESSARILY LABELING THEM HIGHLY CAPABLE, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT ANY STUDENT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE PROFICIENT IN ONE AREA OUGHT TO BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, FOR ENRICHMENT.

AND SO IT'S BEEN FUN HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND APPRECIATING THE FACT THAT BASICALLY, THEY'RE EXPANDING IT. YOU KNOW, WHILE THERE ARE THERE STUDENTS THAT ARE VERY ACCELERATED ACROSS THE BOARD AND THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CONSIDERATION TOO. THEY'RE RECOGNIZING THAT ESSENTIALLY WE KIND OF ALL HAVE SOME TALENTS WHERE WE CAN EXPAND ON IT. SO I'M REALLY ENJOYING LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSIONS.

AND, PEGGY, THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON THAT. I KNOW THE TEAM REALLY APPRECIATES HAVING YOU AT THE TABLE, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE THAT EAR THERE.

AND THEN FOR THE BILL TIME ADVISORY, BRIAN AND NANCY ARE SITTING IN ON THAT ONE, SO I KNOW YOU'LL BE HEARING UPDATES FOR THAT, BUT IT MEANS A LOT TO ME AS A SUPERINTENDENT TO HAVE YOU IN THE ROOM IN THOSE SPACES, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY ALL OF THOSE FINAL DECISIONS COME TO YOU.

SO HAVING YOU ENGAGED IN THE WORK MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A SKYLINE PTO MEETING.

AND THAT WAS FUN WATCHING THE VERY ENGAGED PARENTS BRAINSTORM ON HOW TO MAKE MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR KIDS GET THE AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT THAT THEY WANT, AND BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO.

AND NICE BUNCH OF PEOPLE. AND IT WAS KIND OF FUN TO GO BACK TO THE LIBRARY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.

COOL. THANK YOU. ANTONIO. YES. WHEN IT COMES TO SHARING, I AM THE BEST.

SO I LIKE TO TALK. SORRY. I'LL KEEP IT SHORT.

AND SO HUMBLE. WELL SAID. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, BUT THERE WAS A PERSON THAT WOULD TELL ME IF I WERE HUMBLE, I'D BE PERFECT. BUT NO. THIS IS A TERRIBLE JOKE.

BUT I WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING WITH EVERYBODY HERE.

AND IT IS I TEACH MY KIDS, ACTUALLY, THAT WHEN SOMEBODY RECOGNIZES THEM THAT THEY JUST SAY THANK YOU AND LET THE PERSON GIVE THEM THE GIFT.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE, IT'S A GIFT THAT YOU'RE GIVING.

AND SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE NOT AS GREAT WHEN YOU TELL SOMEONE SOMETHING AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, YOU ARE GREAT. AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH, YOU JUST TOOK AWAY MY GIFT, RIGHT? I'M GIVING YOU THIS GIFT. WELL, I'M DOING THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I TEACH MY KIDS.

AND THE REALITY IS THAT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A WHOLE AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE GREAT

[01:10:08]

AND ONE THING, IT'S KIND OF SURPRISING, AND I WAS WRITING MY NOTES AS I WAS REMEMBERING MY HISTORY CLASSES IN MEXICO BECAUSE IT'S CALLED THE MARIGOLD. RIGHT? THE MARIGOLD FLOWER IN MEXICO.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY MEXICAN FLOWER. IT'S CALLED FLOR DE CEMPASUCHIL.

AND IN MEXICO EVERY YEAR, WE WOULD DECORATE LAS OFRENDAS OR THE OFFERINGS THAT WE WOULD DO WHEN IT WAS DAY OF THE DEAD.

AND BECAUSE THIS FLOWER IS KNOWN TO BE A BRIDGE BETWEEN THOSE THAT ARE HERE ON EARTH AND THOSE THAT HAVE PASSED ON.

AND ALSO, IT WAS A GIFT FROM THE GOD OF THE SUN TO US THAT REMIND US THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SUN CAN BE AROUND US. SO IT'S A VERY SPECIAL FLOWER. AND WHEN I SEE ALL THESE THINGS HERE THAT ARE FLOR DE CEMPASUCHIL, I REMEMBER AND I SEE THE FACES OF ALL THESE KIDS THAT ARE LITTLE RAYS OF SUN THAT REMIND US OF WHAT IS IMPORTANT.

AND IT MAKES ME FEEL GRATEFUL THAT I CAN SERVE IN THIS MANNER AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT BACK TO THE KIDS.

AND WE ARE HERE FOR THE STUDENTS. WE'RE HERE FOR ALL THE KIDS, THE LITTLE ONES, TO THE OLDER ONES, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HELP THEM PREPARE FOR LIFE AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THIS BOARD THAT IS JUMPING WITH THIS VISION TO TRY TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE KIDS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE, AND THAT WE CAN HELP THEM AS BEST AS WE CAN.

AND TO THE STAFF, I CANNOT BE MORE GRATEFUL FOR THE AWESOME PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE.

YOU'RE GOOD PEOPLE AND YOU'RE TRYING YOUR BEST.

AND OF COURSE, OUR SUPERINTENDENT, SHE'S AN AMAZING SOUL.

AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO KNOW HER, YOU KNOW THAT SHE IS A MARIGOLD OR A FLOR DE CEMPASUCHIL.

AND THE REALLY COOL THING ABOUT THIS FLOWER IS THAT IN NAHUATL, WHICH IS THE AZTEC´S LANGUAGE, IT HAS TWO WORDS THAT MAKE IT TOGETHER, CEMPUAL IS 20 AND XOCHIL IS FLOWER.

SO IT'S THE FLOWER OF 20 FLOWERS. SO IF YOU HAVE A LATINA FRIEND THAT HER NAME IS XOCHIL, NOW YOU KNOW THAT HER NAME MEANS FLOWER.

BUT ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT IT'S A GREAT CHOICE OF FLOWER AND PURPOSE FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE JUST GIVE LIGHT. WE JUST TRY OUR BEST. AND EVERY DAY IS THE GOOD OLD DAY HERE IN THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE AWAY THAT GIFT AND TAKE IT BACK AND SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT IS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU, ANTONIO. SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND SHARON, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR THE RETREAT WE HAD SATURDAY.

IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THE DEDICATION OF ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS TO THE STUDENTS OF THIS DISTRICT, TO THE STAFF. THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED, THE LEARNING, THE SHARING, THE BUILDING TOGETHER.

NOTE TO SELF, NOTE TO EVERYONE ELSE, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD A TOWER, MARSHMALLOWS ARE NOT A VERY STRUCTURALLY SOUND MEDIUM.

YEAH. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AND I DO CHALLENGE BRIAN TO A REMATCH BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY CLOSE.

NOT THAT I'M COMPETITIVE AT ALL, BUT. ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR SETTING ASIDE THAT TIME AND LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING IT AGAIN SOON, BECAUSE, AS KRISTI SAID, OUR CONVERSATION COULD HAVE GONE ON, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH LONGER, BUT QUITE A BIT BECAUSE AS I WAS LAUGHING WITH HER AS WE WERE DOING A LITTLE BIT OF DEBRIEF, WE WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE BOARD HANDBOOK.

THERE'S ABOUT 34 PAGES. WE MADE IT TO PAGE 6.

AND THE FIRST FEW PAGES WERE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. SO THOSE REALLY DON'T COUNT.

BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMITMENT TO THAT AND FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE DISTRICT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WITH THAT SAID, AND SINCE WE ELIMINATED ITEM 12.01 WHICH IS THE SCHOOL BOARD EVALUATION, THAT BRINGS US TO THE ADJOURNMENT.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE A NOTE. DECEMBER'S MEETING WAS 110 MINUTES.

AND IF I HIT THIS GAVEL FAST ENOUGH, WE'RE AT 75, SO WE'RE ALMOST THERE, AMY.

ADJOURNED. THANK YOU MUCH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.