[1. CONVENE]
          [00:00:07]
          WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL BOARD. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, WHETHER LIVE OR ONLINE. 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 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. 
          BEFORE WE START, A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS. 
          IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EXIT IS THE SAME DOOR THAT YOU CAME IN. IF ANYONE IS IN NEED OF THE RESTROOMS, THEY'RE OUT THE DOOR AND UP THE RAMP AND TO YOUR LEFT. SO WITH THOSE THINGS OUT OF THE WAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START OUR MEETING. AND IF YOU WOULD ALL, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A SALUTE TO THE FLAG. 
          NEXT, WE'LL HAVE THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. 
          WE, THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACKNOWLEDGE WE ARE RESIDING ON THE TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL, AND UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE LUMMI PEOPLE. THE LUMMI PEOPLE ARE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF WASHINGTON'S NORTHERNMOST COAST AND SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 
          THEY LIVED IN VILLAGES THROUGHOUT THIS TERRITORY AND CONTINUE TO HAVE AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE AREAS. 
          SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THEY HAVE CELEBRATED LIFE ON THEIR WATERWAYS AND ON THE TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL, AND UNCEDED LANDS OF THEIR PEOPLE TO PERPETUATE THEIR WAY OF LIFE. WE HONOR THEIR ANCESTORS AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE LUMMI PEOPLE AS THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND. THANK YOU, HARLEEN. SO, FIRST ITEM 
          [2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
FOR THIS EVENING IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING. SO, IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION AND OR A MOTION. I JUST FOUND ONE ERROR, SO I'D JUST LIKE TO CORRECT THAT. AND IT SAID ON ITEM... 6.03, LEGISLATIVE REPORT. IT SAYS THAT DIRECTOR BUTTON WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE, BUT I HAD AN EXCUSED ABSENCE, SO I THINK IT WAS KEVIN THAT PRESENTED. ACTUALLY, I THINK WE ALL SORT OF CHIMED IN FOR THAT, SO GOOD CATCH. 
          OKAY. ANY OTHER CLARIFICATIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL PUT FORTH THAT WE ADOPT THE MINUTES AS AMENDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN AGENDED. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ADOPTING OUR AGENDA. 
          [3. ADOPTION OF AGENDA [GC-4.7]]
AGAIN, THE CHAIR WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY DISCUSSION OR A MOTION. I SAY, ADOPT THE AGENDA AS IS. 
          OKAY. IT HAS BEEN MOVED THAT WE ADOPT OUR AGENDA AS PRESENTED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO OUR AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED, AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE FULL BREADTH OF OUR MEETING. FIRST ITEM ON OUR MEETING, AND I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU. I KNOW YOU HAVE THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. 
          IN COMPETITION TO US TONIGHT, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THE FIRST 
          [4. PUBLIC COMMENT [GC-3.3]]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT IS PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT IS A TIME WHEN THE BOARD CAN HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY WHAT IS ON THEIR MIND AND IS IMPORTANT TO THEM, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 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 A STATEMENT. BUT AGAIN, IT IS NOT A TIME FOR DISCUSSION. OUR SILENCE IS NOT A SIGNAL OF AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT, BUT IS MEANT TO RESPECTFULLY 
          [00:05:01]
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 THE GROUP ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO CONTACT THE BOARD VIA PHONE OR EMAIL. 
          WE ROUTINELY HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF DISTRICT STAKEHOLDERS EACH MONTH. AND ASSIMILATE A WIDE RANGE OF INPUT ON DISTRICT ISSUES. WE APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND INVITE THEM TO USE WHATEVER MODE OF COMMUNICATION THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE WITH TO DO SO. 
          OUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS READILY AVAILABLE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE. 
          THOSE WISHING TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT ARE ASKED TO SIGN UP ON THE SIGN-UP SHEETS THAT ARE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM. EACH SPEAKER WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, AND THEIR TIME BEGINS WHEN THEY BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. ANY SPEAKER WHOSE COMMENTS EXCEED THREE MINUTES 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 A TOTAL OF 45 MINUTES. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START. 
          AND THE FIRST PERSON ON TONIGHT'S LIST IS EMERSON VARGA. GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS EMERSON VARGA AND I AM THE SOPHOMORE CLASS PRESIDENT, AS WELL AS A STUDENT ATHLETE AT FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL. I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A PORTION OF FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT BODY. MANY OF US HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THE TIME SCHEDULE FOR SCHOOL MAY CHANGE. AND WE JUST WANT TO URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE STUDENTS CONCERNS BEFORE FULLY MAKING THIS DECISION. 
          YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS BASED ON IMPROVING THE ATTENDANCE, WELL-BEING, AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF THE STUDENTS, ALONG WITH MANY TEACHERS AND PARENTS BELIEVING THAT STARTING SCHOOL LATER WILL ALLOW THE STUDENTS TO SLEEP MORE AND PERFORM BETTER IN CLASS. 
          WHILE MORE SLEEP WOULD BE NICE, THE REALITY OF THIS DECISION MAY NOT BE SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS. AS STUDENT-ATHLETES, ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS WITH A LATER START IS HOW LATE PRACTICES, GAMES, AND OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WOULD BE. PRACTICES ALREADY DEMAND... SIGNIFICANT TIME AND ENERGY, SO SCHOOL LATER MEANS PRACTICING LATER. THIS CHANGE WOULD IMPACT STUDENTS' ABILITY TO COMMIT TO A PART-TIME JOB, FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES, HOMEWORK TIME, AND JUST OVERALL LIFE BALANCE. FOR MANY STUDENTS, ATHLETICS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE NOT JUST HOBBIES, BUT FULL-LIFE COMMITMENTS. 
          THESE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT BUILD DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, AND OVERALL HEALTH. THESE ARE EXTENDING SCHOOL LATER INTO THE DAY WOULD MEAN STUDENTS GETTING HOME LATER, COMPLETING HOMEWORK LATER, EATING MEALS LATER, AND OVERALL JUST GOING TO BED LATER. WHICH COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN STRESS. 
          THIS THEN BRINGS US TO THE ASSUMPTION THAT WITH SCHOOL STARTING LATER, IT WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO GET MORE SLEEP. BUT HOW DO WE KNOW THAT WILL HAPPEN? STUDENTS MAY SEE THAT THEY CAN SLEEP IN AND THEN JUST ULTIMATELY STAY UP LATER, ULTIMATELY JUST GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF SLEEP THAT THEY GOT IN THE FIRST PLACE. A LATER START DOES NOT MEAN EARLIER BEDTIMES. 
          FOR MANY STUDENTS, THE TIME THAT THEY GO TO SLEEP IS ROOTED IN ATHLETICS, HOMEWORK, LOAD, JOBS, SOCIAL COMMITMENTS, AND, LET'S JUST BE HONEST, TECHNOLOGY. STARTING SCHOOL LATER WOULD MEAN THAT THEY GET HOME LATER, WHILE STILL LEAVING THE SAME, IF NOT LESS, AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLETE THE SAME WORKLOAD AS BEFORE, RESULTING IN GOING TO SLEEP LATER. 
          ADDITIONALLY, A LATER DISMISSAL NOT ONLY CREATES CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS, BUT FAMILIES AS WELL. 
          YOUNGER SIBLINGS MAY RELY ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR TRANSPORTATION OR SUPERVISION, AND THE PARENT'S WORK SCHEDULE MIGHT NOT ALIGN WITH THE LATER RELEASE TIME. 
          THIS LEADS TO HAVING TO RESORT TO OTHER OPTIONS THAT YOUNGER SIBLINGS MIGHT NOT BE AS COMFORTABLE WITH. 
          WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THE SCHOOL BOARD TO CONSIDER ALL THE IMPACTS OF THIS CHANGE, NOT JUST SHORT-TERM DATA, BUT LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON ATHLETICS, EXTRACURRICULARS, FAMILY TIME, EMPLOYMENT, AND THE STRESS LEVEL OF STUDENTS. OF COURSE, THIS DECISION WILL AFFECT ALL STUDENTS DIFFERENTLY, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT STUDENT VOICES SHOULD PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THIS CONVERSATION. 
          WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER, OR AT LEAST GATHER MORE STUDENT FEEDBACK BEFORE FINALIZING ANY CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, EMERSON. NEXT, WE HAVE ISLA WARNER. HELLO, MY NAME IS ISLA WARNER. I AM THE JUNIOR CLASS PRESIDENT, A STUDENT-ATHLETE, AND I AM ALSO INVOLVED IN MANY OF FERNDALE'S THEATER PRODUCTIONS. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S BELL SCHEDULE. SEEING AS IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND EVERYDAY LIFE, I HAVE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH MY PEERS AND OTHER PEOPLE AT MY SCHOOL, AND I BELIEVE THAT MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT BE BENEFICIAL, SEEING AS IT IS NOT POSITIVELY IMPACT STUDENTS WHO HAVE A JOB OR IN RIGOROUS CLASSES, SEEING AS THEY WILL HAVE TO STAY UP LATER OR WAKE UP EARLIER 
          [00:10:01]
TO GET THAT WORK DONE. IF PRACTICE GOES LATE, OR GAMES OR ANY KIND OF AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY. 
          FOR SCHOOL SPORTS, IT WOULD AFFECT STUDENTS WITH OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL COMMITMENTS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS WHO ARE IN SPORTS AND THAT ARE EMPLOYED. LIKE ME, I AM A DANCER AT DANCING FOR JOY STUDIOS, AND MY REGULAR SCHEDULE IS I START MY CLASSES AT 4 30. AND RIGHT NOW, WITH THE BELL SCHEDULE, I'M ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS THAT I WANT TO. 
          BUT IF THE SCHEDULE WERE TO CHANGE, I WOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MY SCHOOL ACTIVITIES OR DANCING, WHICH I'VE BEEN DOING SINCE I WAS THREE. 
          ON ANOTHER NOTE, DELAYED PRACTICES AND A LATER DISMISSAL WOULD RESULT IN LESS QUALITY TIME WITH FAMILIES, AND I KNOW THAT THAT, FOR ME, IS A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, ISLA. NEXT, WE HAVE MOLLY, IS IT DURFURY? HELLO. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DEFUNDING OF BEACH SCHOOLS. SCHOOL ON LUMMI ISLAND. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S NOT EVEN TWO YEARS OLD YET. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CHILDREN THAT LIVE ON LUMMI ISLAND AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR LIVES, THE LIVES THEY DESERVE TO HAVE ON LUMMI. AT BEACH, WITH MORE THAN ONE TEACHER AND WITH ALL OF THE STUDENTS WHO BELONG TO BE THERE. 
          OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE WITNESSED HOW OUR COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER IN WAYS THAT REFLECT NOT ONLY WHO WE ARE, BUT WHO WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BECOME. FROM OUR TALENT, OUR ISLAND RITZ TALENT SHOW PUT ON BY NICOLE, TO THE SANTA'S SHIP HOLIDAY GATHERING, TO BINGO NIGHTS, TO THE FARMER'S MARKET PTSA BAKE SALES, WE'VE SEEN OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS SHINE, NOT JUST IN PERFORMANCE, BUT IN KINDNESS, TEAMWORK, AND THE JOYS OF BELONGING TO SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES. THESE EVENTS ARE SHARED EXPERIENCE THAT WEAVE THE ISLAND COMMUNITY TOGETHER, FROM PRESCHOOLERS TO THE ELDERLY AND ALL IN BETWEEN. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS I'VE SEEN IS HOW OUR STUDENTS CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. THE OLDER KIDS LOOK AFTER THE YOUNGER ONES. THEY HELP THEM WITH THEIR LUNCH, WALK BESIDE THEM DOWN THE STAIRS. AND SURROUND THEM WITH PATIENCE AND FRIENDSHIP THAT MAKE GROUP SETTINGS FEEL SAFE AND WELCOMING. THESE ARE SMALL MOMENTS, BUT THEY REFLECT BIG LESSONS. 
          EMPATHY, COMPASSION, INCLUSION IN ACTION. THESE ARE THE CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS THAT ENRICH NOT ONLY INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS, BUT THE HEALTH OF OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY. 
          WE'RE ALSO WITNESSING A PROFOUND TRANSFORMATION, DRIVEN BY YOUNGER FAMILIES WHO ARE CHOOSING TO ROOT THEIR LIVES THERE. 
          FAMILIES INVESTING FINANCIALLY, SOCIALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY IN LUMMI ISLAND'S FUTURE. THEIR COMMITMENT SHOWS UP IN THE PRESCHOOL GATHERINGS, THE PRESCHOOL DANCE CLASSES, AND IN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE LUMMI ISLAND MUTUAL AID, WHICH EXEMPLIFIES NEIGHBORS SUPPORTING NEIGHBORS. THESE EFFORTS CREATE A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY FABRIC. ALL OF THESE EXAMPLES MIRROR THE MISSION OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO THRIVE IN AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD THROUGH RIGOROUS EDUCATION, HIGH EXPECTATIONS, AND AN ENVIRONMENT THAT NURTURES CONFIDENCE AND CURIOSITY. 
          THE DISTRICTS PROMISE TO CULTIVATE RESILIENCE, INNOVATION, AND COMPASSION AND BELONGING. 
          WE WANT YOU, THE BOARD, TO VALUE IT FOR THE STUDENTS AT THE BEACH, ALL OF THEM. 
          OUR CHILDREN DESERVE IT. 
          THEY DESERVE TO BE SURROUNDED BY THEIR COMMUNITY THAT BELIEVES IN THEM, INVESTS IN THEM, AND CELEBRATES THEM. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES IT. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MOLLY. NEXT IS NICOLE NIELSEN. HELLO, MY NAME IS NICOLE NIELSEN. I AM A LUMMI ISLAND RESIDENT AND A MOTHER TO TWO AMAZING CHILDREN WHO ARE THE FOURTH GENERATION IN OUR FAMILY TO ATTEND BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I AM INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL AND BEING ON THE PTO AS A CO-CHAIR AND VOLUNTEER ONCE A WEEK IN MISS ARIA'S CLASS. I AM HERE TO ADDRESS CONCERNS REGARDING THE BUDGET IN UPCOMING SCHOOL YEARS. 
          STUDENTS AT BEACH NEED TWO TEACHERS. 
          IT WOULD BE UNJUST TO THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PARAEDUCATORS TO HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. IT IS NOT FEASIBLE TO EXPECT ONE TEACHER TO ADEQUATELY TEACH SIX GRADES. 
          [00:15:03]
AS WE ARE IN THE 21ST CENTURY, CHILDREN NEED ALL OF THE GUIDANCE AND CONTACT TIME THEY CAN HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND CUTTING A TEACHER WOULD DRASTICALLY IMPACT THEIR EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC GROWTH. BEACH SCHOOL HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN, THE FORGOTTEN SCHOOL OF THE DISTRICT. OUR STUDENTS HAVE LESS RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM THAN STUDENTS ATTENDING A SCHOOL IN TOWN. 
          EXPECTING STUDENTS TO LEARN FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS NOT THE ANSWER. 
          STUDENTS NEED A COMPETENT AND KNOWLEDGEABLE TEACHERS FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. OUR TEACHERS INSPIRE OUR STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY, ASK QUESTIONS, AND FIND SOLUTIONS TO SUCCEED. THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH TIME IN A DAY, AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND HOW VALUABLE TIME IS. IT'S ALREADY CHALLENGING TO MEET BLOCK EXPECTATIONS AND STILL HAVE TIME FOR DIRECT INSTRUCTIONS. OUR STUDENTS' ACADEMIC NEEDS SPAN FROM LEARNING LETTERS TO PARTICIPATING IN THE DISTRICT TAG PROGRAM AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. 
          CUTTING A TEACHER WOULD RESULT IN OUR STUDENTS RECEIVING LESS EDUCATION AND RESULT IN LESS ACADEMIC SUCCESS. 
          STUDENTS ACROSS THE NATION STRUGGLE WITH MULTIPLE FACTORS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, AND THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT WHILE THEY ATTEND SCHOOL. AS A COMMUNITY, WE RAISED $125,000 LAST YEAR TO KEEP OUR SECOND TEACHER, WHILE THOSE EFFORTS HAVE NOT GONE UNNOTICED. IT IS NOT FEASIBLE TO EXPECT THAT OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME. WE ARE ONE OF NINE REMOTE AND NECESSARY SCHOOLS IN WASHINGTON, AND WE NEED TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO SUCCEED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR SUCCESS. 
          WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, NICOLE. NEXT IS ASHLEY SWAIN. SURE. YOU'RE TOSH. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TOSH BOLAK. MY FAMILY AND I ARE LONGTIME LUMMI ISLAND RESIDENTS. MY CHILDREN, FIFTH GENERATION BEACH SCHOOL ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. 
          BEACH SCHOOL IS NOT JUST A BUILDING TO US, IT'S WOVEN INTO OUR FAMILY HISTORY, INTO OUR ROOTS, AND INTO OUR IDENTITY. I AM HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE MY 8-YEAR-OLD SON, ROWAN, HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL BY THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT. ROWAN IS NON-SPEAKING AND AUTISTIC. 
          HE COMMUNICATES THROUGH GESTURES, SPELLING, AND HIS AAC DEVICE. HE UNDERSTANDS FAR MORE THAN PEOPLE ASSUME. THERE IS A DANGEROUS MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THE NON-SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS THAT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SPEAK, THEY DO NOT COMPREHEND. THEY DO, ROWAN ABSOLUTELY DOES. 
          HE UNDERSTANDS WHEN HE IS EXCLUDED. HE UNDERSTANDS WHEN HE IS SEPARATED. HE UNDERSTANDS WHEN HE DOES NOT BELONG. HE UNDERSTANDS WHEN HIS ROUTINES ARE DISRUPTED AND EVERYTHING HE'S FAMILIAR WITH IS UPROOTED. HE WATCHES HIS SISTER LEAVE FOR SCHOOL EACH MORNING, KNOWING THAT HE ISN'T ALLOWED TO GO. THE LOOK, THE HURT, THE TEARS, IT'S PAINFUL FOR A PARENT TO WITNESS. 
          SINCE AUGUST, HE HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO ROUTINELY ATTEND BEACH SCHOOL. CURRENTLY, HE CANNOT ATTEND AT ALL. 
          AT FIRST, WE WERE TOLD THIS WAS DUE TO FUNDING. MONTHS LATER, THE EXPLANATION CHANGED. NEW CONCERNS SURFACED, CONCERNS THAT HAD NEVER PREVIOUSLY BEEN RAISED. THAT SHIFT MATTERS. UNDER SECTION 504, OUR SON HAS THE RIGHT TO A FREE, APPROPRIATE... 
          PUBLIC EDUCATION. THAT MEANS HE IS ENTITLED TO AN EDUCATION THAT IS DESIGNED TO MEET HIS INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AS ADEQUATELY AS THE NEEDS OF NON-DISABLED STUDENTS ARE MET. SCHOOLS MUST PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AND RELATED AIDS AND SERVICES TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY. SECTION 504 ALSO REQUIRES THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BE EDUCATED WITH THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT APPROPRIATE. REMOVAL FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL CANNOT OCCUR SIMPLY BECAUSE PROVIDING SUPPORTS IS INCONVENIENT OR REQUIRES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. 
          PLACEMENT DECISIONS MUST BE BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT'S NEED, NOT ON DISTRICT LIMITATIONS. 
          THIS IS NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING. 
          INSTEAD, HE IS BEING DIRECTED TO AN OFF-ISLAND PROGRAM THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY UNSUCCESSFUL FOR HIM, A PROGRAM HE INTENDED FOR OVER A YEAR. THIS PLACEMENT CAN REQUIRE OVER AN HOUR OF COMMUTING EACH WAY, INCLUDING WATER CROSSING, WHICH EQUATES TO NEARLY A THIRD OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR. 
          FOR A NEUROLOGICAL-SENSITIVE CHILD, THIS IS NOT A SMALL INCONVENIENCE. THAT IS DAILY DYSREGULATION BEFORE LEARNING EVEN BEGINS. 
          THAT IS EXHAUSTION BEFORE OPPORTUNITY. BEACH SCHOOL IS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED BY THE OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION AS A REMOTE NECESSARY SCHOOL. UNDER WASHINGTON ADMINISTRATIVE CODE 392-Y50, THAT DESIGNATION EXISTS BECAUSE GEOGRAPHY MAKES DAILY TRANSPORTATION TO ANOTHER SCHOOL IMPRACTICAL OR 
          [00:20:03]
UNRELIABLE. 
          FOR ISLAND FAMILIES, TRANSPORTATION DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON OUR FERRY. IT'S NOTORIOUS FOR MECHANICAL BREAKDOWNS. 
          WEATHER CANCELLATIONS, LONG WAIT TIMES, AND UNPREDICTABLE SERVICE DISRUPTIONS. SCHOOL VEHICLES DO NOT GET PRIORITY BOARDING, ONLY EMERGENCY VEHICLES DO. 
          THANK YOU, TOSH. OKAY, THAT'S IT. OKAY, ASHLEY? I'M ASHLEY SWAIN. I'M ROWAN'S MOM, TOSH'S WIFE. REMOVING A CHILD FROM HIS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL BECAUSE OF HIS DISABILITY AND BECAUSE OF FUNDING IS NOT JUST HARMFUL, IT IS DISCRIMINATORY. IT IS UNLAWFUL. BUT BEYOND THE LEGAL VIOLATIONS, BEYOND THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, THERE IS A CHILD AT THE CENTER OF THIS. IT'S ALREADY HARD LIVING AS AN AUTISTIC PERSON OR ANY PERSON WITH A DISABILITY. 
          DISPLACING A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD AMPLIFIES THAT. IT MAGNIFIES THE FEELINGS OF BEING DIFFERENT, OF BEING A BURDEN, OF NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH. 
          THAT BREAKS MY HEART FOR MY CHILD. IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY CONFUSING TO DO TO A CHILD WHO IS MAKING DOCUMENTED, MEANINGFUL PROGRESS AT HIS LAST PLACEMENT. THE LENGTHS THE DISTRICT HAS GONE IN ORDER TO EXCLUDE MY SON HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF SHOCKING. THE STRATEGIES AND THE PROCEDURAL MANEUVERS AND TECHNICALITIES INVOKED, IT HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED. 
          AS A RESULT, WE HAVE RETAINED LEGAL COUNSEL AND ARE NOW ENGAGED IN ACTIVE LITIGATION. MY SON IS NOT A BUDGET LINE. HE IS NOT A STAFFING PROBLEM. HE IS NOT AN INCONVENIENCE TO BE MANAGED. HE IS A CHILD WHO DESERVES TO LEARN. HE IS SWEET, HE IS CURIOUS, HE IS GOOFY, HE IS LOVING. HE IS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO HIS COMMUNITY, AND HE IS EMBRACED BY HIS PEERS. WHEN I'VE ASKED HIM HOW HE FEELS, HE TELLS ME ON HIS DEVICE. 
          HE TELLS ME HE'S SAD, HE TELLS ME HE'S LONELY, HE TELLS ME HE'S MAD, AND HE TELLS ME HE'S FRUSTRATED. 
          THE HARM IS REAL, AND THE DAMAGE IS PROFOUND. 
          IN A SMALL, TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY LIKE OURS, EXCLUSION IS MAGNIFIED. WHEN A CHILD IS REMOVED, EVERYONE SEES IT. OTHER CHILDREN SEE IT. THEY ARE LEARNING SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS NOT INCLUSION. 
          WHAT MESSAGE DOES THIS SEND? THAT BELONGING ONLY APPLIES WHEN IT'S EASY? ONLY WHEN IT'S AFFORDABLE? THAT EQUITY IS CONDITIONAL? OUR SON WAS MOVED OUT OF HIS SCHOOL SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR THAT ONE OF OUR TEACHERS WOULD BE CUT. 
          THE TIMING IS NOT LOST ON US. ELIMINATING A TEACHER IN A SMALL SCHOOL LIKE OURS MEANS ASKING A SINGLE EDUCATOR. THANK YOU. 
          TO TEACH FIVE GRADE LEVELS AT ONCE, AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE RESPONSIBILITY THAT STRETCHES ATTENTION, PLANNING, AND INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY BEYOND WHAT IS REASONABLE OR FAIR. IT RESULTS IN LARGER COMBINED CLASSROOMS, LESS INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, AND FEWER SUPPORTS FOR EVERY CHILD. ON AN ISLAND WHERE RESOURCES ARE ALREADY LIMITED AND TRANSPORTATION IS COMPLICATED BY AN UNRELIABLE FERRY SERVICE, CUTTING A RESIDENT TEACHER DOESN'T SIMPLY BALANCE A BUDGET. IT WEAKENS THE VERY FOUNDATION OUR CHILDREN RELY ON. AND WHEN STAFFING IS REDUCED TO THIS DEGREE, STUDENTS WHO NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, LIKE MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER, ARE SEEN AS LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES. RATHER THAN CHILDREN DESERVING OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. 
          PUSHING MY SON OUT AND PUSHING A TEACHER OUT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. 
          IT ONLY SHIFTS THE PROBLEM. 
          BERNDL SCHOOL DISTRICT'S MOTTO, YOU BELONG, RIGHT NOW, MY SON DOES NOT FEEL LIKE HE BELONGS. THIS IS NOT TEACHING BELONGING. IT IS TEACHING SEGREGATION. IT IS TEACHING THAT A DISABILITY MAKES YOU REMOVABLE. WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR ROWAN'S RIGHT TO ATTEND HIS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL SINCE HE STARTED KINDERGARTEN. HE'S IN THIRD GRADE. WE'VE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN LEGAL FEES. I HAVE MISSED MONTHS OF WORK. WE ARE EXHAUSTED. 
          THANK YOU, ASHLEY. NEXT IS GRANT DRIVER. HELLO EVERYBODY. FIRST TIME STANDING IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY HERE. I'VE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT FOR EIGHT YEARS AS A TEACHER. I AM HERE BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT TALKED EARLIER. AS A LEADERSHIP TEACHER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, A CO-TEACHER, JUST FEELING THE PRESENCE OF THE STUDENTS AND THEIR OPINIONS. AND HEARING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE BELL CHAIN SCHEDULE, AND FEELING THAT FEEDBACK FROM THEM. WHO WOULD I BE AS A LEADERSHIP TEACHER IF I DIDN'T STAND UP AND ALSO EXPRESS KIND OF MY THOUGHTS AND THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE. I ADMIT THAT I SHOULD HAVE GONE ON THE BELL TIME COMMITTEE WHEN I HAD THAT CHANCE, BUT I HAVE TWO LITTLES, AND SO I GUESS THIS IS MY MOMENT. 
          I DEFINITELY HAVE A LONG-FORM VERSION OF THIS THAT I'M HAPPY TO SEND TO YOU GUYS WHEN YOU'RE DONE, WHEN I'M DONE WITH THIS. SO I JUST FIRST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY BIAS. I'M A COACH, AND I'M A PARENT, AND I LOVE COACHING. IT'S PROBABLY MY FAVORITE THING TO DO OUTSIDE OF MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS, HANGING OUT WITH THEM AND SPENDING TIME WITH THEM, BUT COACHING IS THAT NEXT BEST THING THAT FILLS ME IN MY LIFE. AND I'M ALMOST GETTING EMOTIONAL BECAUSE IT WOULD REALLY BE A LOT FOR ME TO LOSE THAT, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING 
          [00:25:01]
TO MISS... AND CHOOSE BETWEEN FAMILY TIME FOR DINNERS AND COACHING THE STUDENTS HERE WHO I LOVE. 
          WOW, THIS IS IMPROMPTU. I DIDN'T EVEN THINK I WAS GOING TO COME TONIGHT, BUT I'M KIND OF FEELING EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT. SO I WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF THIS, I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO SAY ANYTHING. I WAS LIKE, I'M JUST, IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT, RIGHT? AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THE STUDENTS IS WHAT'S BEST FOR THE STUDENTS, AND THAT WILL HAPPEN, RIGHT? I CARE ABOUT THIS DISTRICT. I FEEL LIKE IT'S A FAMILY. I FEEL LIKE I'M A PART OF THAT FAMILY AND I WANTED TO TALK TO THE FAMILY TONIGHT. SO, UM, I FEEL LIKE THE WORD FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL IS BEING NOT REPRESENTED WELL. I FEEL LIKE THE CONSENSUS THERE IS THAT IT'S JUST NOT A POPULAR THING THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT. THE STUDENTS, THE STAFF, JUST IT'S OVERWHELMING. I THOUGHT, BASED ON THE STUDY, WHICH WE DID, YOU KNOW, I THINK TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, THE WORDING WAS A LITTLE BIT VAGUE ABOUT. WOULD YOU BE UP FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS HAPPENING? WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THAT, RIGHT? AND AS A SPED TEACHER WITH THE DATA, I THINK THAT DOESN'T SHOW ME A HARD DATA. 
          THAT'S KIND OF A HYPOTHETICAL, RIGHT? AND SO. WHAT I'M HEARING ON THE GROUND IS NOT REPRESENTING THAT. AND SO, AS A SPED TEACHER, AGAIN, SEEING THAT, MARTY TEXTED ME. 
          I WASN'T EVEN GOING TO COME TONIGHT. THIS IS THE LAST MINUTE THING. HE'S LIKE, HEY, STUDENTS ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT. 
          AND I'M LIKE, I SHOULD BE THERE. I SHOULD VOICE MY WORD ALONGSIDE THEIRS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO AS LEADERS IN THIS SCHOOL AND AS STAFF. 
          I THINK WE SHOULD REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TEACHING. SO ALONG THOSE LINES, I LOOKED INTO IT, RIGHT? SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, THERE'S A LOT OF DATA SUPPORTING THAT STUDENTS NEED SLEEP, RIGHT? ADOLESCENTS NEED MORE SLEEP. BUT... WHEN WE FIND MORE DATA, IT SAYS THAT SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS OF STUDIES SHOW THAT THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY THAT MUCH ACADEMIC BENEFIT. THERE'S A STUDY THAT REVIEWED 31 DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAD DONE THIS, AND THE ACADEMIC WAS QUESTIONABLE, ESPECIALLY OF THE LONGITUDINAL DATA, RIGHT? IF WE THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SHORT TERM, IN THE MICRO VERSUS THE MACRO, WE'RE MAKING A TECTONIC KIND OF MACRO SHIFT, A BIG SHIFT FOR DATA THAT I THINK OVER A LONGITUDINAL, AND STUDIES THAT I FOUND DIDN'T REFLECT THAT. ANOTHER STUDY TALKED ABOUT SLEEP HABITS, AND THERE WAS A THREE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP IN CALIFORNIA. 
          SAYING THAT THEY HAD TRACKED BACK TO HAVING SLEEP ISSUES AND NOT GETTING AS MUCH SLEEP OVER THE TIME FRAME OF THAT. SO I HAVE A VERY LONG FORM OF THIS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEND IT TO YOU GUYS, IF YOU GUYS HAVE A FEW HOURS TO READ IT, I GUESS. 
          BUT I JUST DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND I WANTED TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU. AND JUST KIND OF STAND IN SUPPORT OF MY STUDENTS, WHO I THINK ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL IN TAKING TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS. SO THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU, GRANT. 
          AND FEEL FREE, YOU CAN SEND THAT TO OUR E-MAIL ADDRESSES IF YOU'D LIKE. NEXT IS JOHN MUNCHLER. WELL, GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT DOMINGUEZ, SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT STAFF, AND STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS. 
          I'VE BEEN APPOINTED BY THE FERNDALE CITY COUNCIL TO SERVE AS LIAISON TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, REPLACING AARON GUNTER. 
          SIMPLY PUT, MY ROLE IS TO KEEP OUR TWO BODIES CONNECTED, SHARING INFORMATION, AND MAKING SURE SURPRISES ARE KEPT. 
          AT A MINIMUM. THIS ISN'T A NEW RODEO FOR ME. I PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS LIAISON FROM 2016 TO 2019, AND I BELIEVE THAT, DR. ERICKSON WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE THAT REMEMBERS THAT, SO HE CAN STILL KEEP ME HONEST. 
          ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I APPRECIATE THE ERICKSON'S. 
          I SERVED 36 YEARS AS PASTOR OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY THE CONGREGATION STARTED BY KEVIN'S FOREBEARS, THE SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH AT THE CORNER OF CHURCH AND THORNTON ROADS. YEAH. THAT INTERSECTION. FEW POTHOLES HAVE SHOWN LESS MERCY TO SCHOOL BUSES. I GET IT. 
          PUBLIC EDUCATION MATTERS TO MY FAMILY. BOTH MY PARENTS WERE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS. 
          MY WIFE, DIANE, EARNED HER MASTER'S FROM WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AND TAUGHT IN THREE FERNDALE SCHOOLS UNTIL RETIRING. ABOUT THE TIME THAT OUR HOUSEHOLD ENROLLMENT REACHED CLASSROOM SIZE. AND ALTHOUGH WE HOMESCHOOLED OUR SEVEN CHILDREN, EACH PARTICIPATED IN RUNNING, START, AND SPORTS IN THE FERNDALE DISTRICT. 
          TODAY, ALL SEVEN OF OUR CHILDREN AND OUR SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN LIVE WITHIN THIS DISTRICT. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LONG-TERM PLANNING, I'M LOOKING AT IT ACROSS FROM THE DINNER TABLE. NOW, WHILE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES DIFFER, OUR WORK IS CLOSELY CONNECTED. AS YOUR LIAISON, I WANT TO BE ACCESSIBLE. I'LL SHARE UPDATES FROM THE CITY THAT AFFECTS THE DISTRICT AND HOPE YOU'LL REACH OUT TO ME WHEN QUESTIONS ARISE. 
          ONE EXAMPLE, THE CITY IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION. FIRST ADOPTED IN 2018, YOU HAVE HEARD OF IT. DEPENDING ON COUNCIL DIRECTION, IT MAY BE UPDATED, REDUCED, OR EXPANDED. HOUSING DEVELOPMENT DIRECTLY AFFECTS ENROLLMENT AND LONG-TERM DISTRICT PLANNING, SO I WANT TO ENSURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS. 
          LIKE YOU, WE AT CITY HALL ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE FERNDALE'S FUTURE. WHEN I LOOK AT MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WHO CALL THIS COMMUNITY HOME, I HOPE ONE DAY THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, DAD OR PAPA. 
          [00:30:01]
YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS WHEN IT MATTERED. AND IN THE SAME WAY, YOU INVEST DAILY IN THE FUTURE OF FERNDALE, IN EVERY STUDENT STEPPING OFF A YELLOW SCHOOL BUS, OR CHILDREN WALKING UP AND DOWN VISTA DRIVE WITH BACKPACKS NEARLY AS LARGE AS THEY ARE. SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF OUR SHARED COMMUNITY. 
          HOW'D I DO? TEN SECONDS TO SAY, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER. THERE YOU GO. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JOHN. 
          APPRECIATE IT. NEXT, WE HAVE TYLER BOULEVARD. HELLO, SCHOOL BOARD. I WAS INVITED HERE TODAY BY HARLEEN, AND SHE WAS LIKE, YOU CAN LITERALLY TALK ABOUT ANYTHING. AND I'M LIKE, ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN VERY BLESSED BY THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BECAUSE I'VE... FOLLOWED THE ADVANCED CLASSES. THEY'VE GONE UNDER MANY NAMES OVER THE LAST YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THEM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHOW MY APPRECIATION FOR THIS PROGRAM. I SIGNED UP TO BE ON THE BOARD FOR THE MAGNET PROGRAM. I'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY BUSY, AND I'M LIKE, WELL, FRIENDS, WHAT HAVE I MISSED? AND IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT WE HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES, AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS. THAT APPRECIATION BECAUSE I AM A SENIOR, SO I WILL NOT BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE BELL SCHEDULE BECAUSE I CANNOT REASONABLY SPEAK ON IT, AS I WILL BE GONE, HOPEFULLY. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FROM MY TIME IN THE FRESNO SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ESPECIALLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY. BECAUSE... I'VE GOT FRIENDS FROM LINDEN, FROM BLAINE, FROM ALL THESE OTHER AREAS, AND THEY'LL TALK ABOUT HAVING SIX CLASSES OR HOW THEY'VE GOT LITTLE OPTION. AND I'M LIKE, I COULD TAKE WOODWORKING, I CAN DO METALS, I COULD... THE AMOUNT OF THINGS I COULD DO IS BEYOND WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IMAGINE. I'VE DESCRIBED THE CLASSES AND I'M LIKE, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LIKE, YOU CAN TAKE THAT? AND I'M LIKE, I CAN, AND IT'S INCREDIBLE. NOT ONLY FROM THE DIVERSITY OF THE CTE AND ELECTIVE CREDITS, BUT ALSO FOR THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES. I HAVE, I'M GOING TO HAVE COMPLETED NINE AP CLASSES IN MY TIME AT FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL. I COULD HAVE TAKEN MORE IF I WANTED TO SQUISH MANY SCIENCES INTO MY YEARS, BUT I'VE TAKEN AS MANY AS I FELT. I COULD REASONABLY FIT INTO MY SCHEDULE, AND IT'S INSANE THAT WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY HERE. AND I JUST WANTED TO... ADVOCATE FOR JUST THE FUTURE, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE NEVER FORGET THAT WE, OUR POPULATION IS DIVERSE, AND OUR CLASSES ARE TOO. AND IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE IT. AND I JUST WANT TO ADVOCATE THAT FOR THE FUTURE. TO KEEP IT IN MIND THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE THAT I WANT EVERYONE IN THE FUTURE TO BE ABLE TO PARTAKE IN. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TYLER. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE DOM PHAM. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOM PHAM. I IDENTIFY AS A FERNDALE RESIDENT. ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A STATE INCOME TAX. 
          AT THE SAME TIME, THE WASHINGTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION IS ADVOCATING FOR ADDITIONAL EDUCATION FUNDING, CITING WHAT IT DESCRIBES AS A CRISIS. AT A RECENT REGIONAL TOWN HALL, STUDENTS WERE ASKED TO SHARE SOB STORIES ABOUT CLASSROOMS LACKING SUPPLIES LIKE TISSUES AND SCISSORS. 
          IF A DISTRICT TRULY CANNOT AFFORD BASIC SUPPLIES, THAT SIGNALS A BUDGETING AND ALLOCATION ISSUE, NOT NECESSARILY A REVENUE ISSUE. 
          PUBLIC RECORDS SHOW THAT SUPERINTENDENTS IN THOSE DISTRICTS EARN BETWEEN $300,000 AND OVER $400,000 PER YEAR, COMPENSATION LEVELS COMPARABLE TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. SO, BEFORE ASKING TAXPAYERS FOR MORE MONEY, STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD RAISE SEVERAL MEASURABLE QUESTIONS. 
          FIRST, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL DISTRICT EXPENSE? IS DIRECTED TOWARD DIRECT CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS VERSUS ADMINISTRATIVE COMPENSATION AND OVERHEAD? SECOND, HOW HAS ADMINISTRATIVE COMPENSATION GROWN OVER THE PAST FIVE 
          [00:35:01]
YEARS COMPARED TO STUDENT PERFORMANCE TRENDS? AND THIRD, WHAT IS THE PER-STUDENT ALLOCATION FOR CLASSROOM SUPPLIES, AND HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO PER-PUPIL SPENDING? ULTIMATELY, FUNDING MUST BE EVALUATED. ALONGSIDE OUTCOMES. ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT DATA FROM OSPI, STUDENT PROFICIENCY RATES IN CORE SUBJECTS REMAIN WELL BELOW 50%. WHEN PERFORMANCE REMAINS THIS LOW, THE DISCUSSION SHOULD BEGIN WITH HOW EFFECTIVELY ARE CURRENT RESOURCES BEING DEPLOYED, NOT HOW DO WE RAISE MORE REVENUE. TAXPAYERS SHOULD REASONABLY EXPECT THAT EXISTING FUNDS ARE PRIORITIZED TOWARDS STUDENT-FACING NEEDS. BEFORE ADDITIONAL REVENUE IS PURSUED. THIS IS NOT AN ARGUMENT AGAINST TEACHERS OR EDUCATION FUNDING. IT IS AN ARGUMENT FOR FISCAL DISCIPLINE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND CLARITY. IF DISTRICTS CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT EXPENDITURES ARE OPTIMIZED, THAT ADMINISTRATIVE GROWTH IS PROPORTIONATE, AND THAT STUDENT OUTCOMES ARE IMPROVED ACCORDINGLY, THEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOUND REASONABLE. BUT WHEN STUDENT PERFORMANCE... REMAINS WEAK, AND BASIC SUPPLIES ARE CITED AS EVIDENCE OF A CRISIS, THE FIRST STEP SHOULD BE A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF HOW CURRENT FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED. PUBLIC TRUST DEPENDS ON ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY BEGINS WITH NUMBERS, NOT NARRATIVE OR THEATRICS. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOM. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE MARILYN MORSE. THANK YOU. I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF ROWAN, ASHLEY, AND TASHA'S SON. AND I ALSO LIVE ON LUMMI ISLAND AND GREW UP ON LUMMI ISLAND TO BEAT SCHOOL MYSELF. AND I HAPPEN TO HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING ROWAN'S GREAT-GRAND-AUNT. ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN THAT, HOW I CAN REALLY RELATE TO THEM AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IS. WHEN MY SPECIAL NEEDS SON WAS EVEN YOUNGER THAN ROWAN, I HAD TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL WITH FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GET HIM THE PROGRAMS AND WHAT HE NEEDED. 
          AND I FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE MADE IT THROUGH IT AND FELT LIKE I WON. IN A WAY, BUT HE DID. HE ENDED UP GETTING WHAT HE NEEDED, AND IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AND REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIM. YOU KNOW, ROWAN IS AMAZING, AND HE IS LEARNING SO MUCH FROM THE TEACHERS, FROM THE OTHER STUDENTS, FROM OTHER PARENTS, AND FROM THE COMMUNITY OF LUMMI ISLAND. BUT I THINK, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE TEACHERS, THE STUDENTS, THE PARENTS, AND ALL OF US ON LUMMI ISLAND. ARE LEARNING SO MUCH FROM ROWAN. SO I'M JUST ENCOURAGING YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR ROWAN, BECAUSE HE DESERVES IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          AND THAT DOES CONCLUDE THE LIST OF SPEAKERS THAT I HAVE FOR TONIGHT. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. IF THIS HAS SPURRED ANY THOUGHTS OR IDEAS, OR ANY COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE, JUST BECAUSE OF THE MEETING. IS OVER JUST BECAUSE PUBLIC COMMENT TIME IS OVER DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE AREN'T A LISTENING EAR. SO FEEL FREE, AGAIN, AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT TIME, OUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE, AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AT ANY TIME. SO WITH THAT, 
          [5. SHARING [GC-7.E.]]
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE OF OUR AGENDA, THE SHARING TIME. AND FIRST, WE'LL START WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHRISTY. WELL, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND DIRECTOR MACHADO. YOU'LL NOTICE HE'S WEARING AN ARIZONA SHIRT TONIGHT. SO HE AND I MIGHT HAVE HAD A LITTLE BET ON THE BYU-ARIZONA GAME, AND ARIZONA WON TWICE. SO HE'S WEARING THE ARIZONA SHIRT TONIGHT. I CAN'T REALLY SEE IT. OKAY. I'M SURE THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR HIM. 
          IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ME TO DO THIS, TO WEAR THIS. 
          IT'S ITCHY, VERY ITCHY. 
          BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS I HAD TO GO VINTAGE. ARIZONA, YEAH, DOMINATED BY THE WILDCATS. 
          IT WAS A GOOD GAME. I KNOW I TOLD HIM IF THE SECOND GAME HAD A... BEEN IN HIS FAVOR, I WAS GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOOD. WE WON TWICE. 
          ANYWAY, HE GAVE ME PERMISSION 
          [00:40:01]
TO DO THAT TONIGHT. HI, BOARD. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. IT WAS NICE. 
          WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER NOW LAST WEEK WITH THE STUDY SESSION AND NOW THIS, SO I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOTTEN SOME GOOD TIME. I JUST WANTED TO, AND WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT TONIGHT. 
          AROUND THE BELL TIMES, AND I DO WANT TO THANK NANCY AND BRIAN, OUR BOARD REPS ON THAT, SO THEY'RE GETTING TO HEAR EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING, THE DISCUSSION AND ALL OF THOSE PIECES. AND THEN PEGGY IS SITTING AS YOUR REP FOR THE HIGHLY CAPABLE TASK FORCE. AND IF THE COMMUNITY IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THAT, THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE POWERPOINTS, THE MEETING MINUTES. AND WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEARNING. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. AND ONE THING I DO WANT TO SAY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAD SOME STUDENTS HERE TONIGHT, I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THESE ADVISORIES OR TASK FORCE, THE DECISION'S ALREADY MADE, AND IT REALLY IS NOT. I DON'T HAVE A VOTE. THE BOARD DOESN'T HAVE A VOTE. IT REALLY IS THE GROUP WHO IS REPRESENTING THE STAKEHOLDERS. SO I CAN SAY FOR THE BELL TIME ADVISORY, WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 
          WE ACTUALLY HAVE CHILD CARE PROVIDERS REPRESENTED THE LIBRARY SYSTEM. WE HAVE STUDENTS. WE HAVE STAFF. 
          IT'S BEEN GREAT. I'VE LEARNED A TON. I'VE GOTTEN TO HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS. AND SO JUST KNOW TO THE BOARD, BOTH GROUPS KNOW THAT THEY'RE JUST RECOMMENDING BODIES. 
          YOU, THE BOARD, GETS THE FINAL SAY. AND SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHATEVER THEY ARE, TO YOU SO YOU CAN. HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND LEARN AND ASK QUESTIONS. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY YOU'VE GONE ON, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO PEGGY, OR YOU CAN REACH OUT TO NANCY OR BRIAN. YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO MYSELF. SELENA IS ON THIS WITH ME, SO IS KARA FOR THE BELL TIME. AND THEN KELLY AND TRINA ARE REPRESENTING THE EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR HIGHLY CAPABLE. SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE FOLLOWING ALONG, AND I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW. WE HAD THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT. IT WAS GREAT. I ALWAYS LEARN SO MUCH AND I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WHO CAME AND PARTICIPATED. 
          WE HAD STUDENTS FROM EAGLE RIDGE, WE HAD OUR ORCHESTRA, WE HAD OUR THEATER GROUP AND OUR TWO MC'S. DR. ERICKSON, THANK YOU FOR OPENING. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. 
          THEY SPEND HOURS PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. I THINK I SHARED WITH BRIAN THIS WEEK, I REALLY, AS A SUPERINTENDENT, GET TO SHOW UP AND SAY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, BUT THEY'RE REALLY BEHIND THE SCENES, DOING ALL THE WORK. SO HUGE SHOUT-OUT TO SELENA AND HER TEAM FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO COME TOGETHER, THAT WE HAVE THIS EVENT. THE VIDEOS FROM THE BUDGET THAT WERE SHARED, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE THOSE VISIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SOMEONE CAN QR CODE HERE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THOSE VIDEOS. 
          THEY REALLY DO TALK ABOUT FINANCE AND SCHOOL FINANCE, AND I THINK, AS YOU HAVE LEARNED, IT'S VERY COMPLEX. 
          IT'S NOT AS EASY AS PEOPLE THINK. AND THEN JUST ALSO SOME OF THE RESTRAINTS RIGHT NOW WITH THE FINANCE, AND I KNOW, NANCY, YOU SENT US A LINK TONIGHT ABOUT BILL UPDATES, AND I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM YOU TONIGHT ABOUT SOME OF THE... THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE WATCHING. 
          FIRST OF ALL, IT'S CRAZY THAT NEXT WEEK IS MARCH, BUT KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION AND TK REGISTRATION HAS ALREADY OPENED. SO THIS IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR, WHILE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE KNEE-DEEP. 
          IN FACT, I'M SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS MOMENT. THE REST OF US ARE MANAGING THIS MOMENT, AND WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TO PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR. WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S ENROLLMENTS. 
          AND SO WE ARE REALLY SEEPED INTO THAT, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS. GET YOUR STUDENTS REGISTERED FOR KINDERGARTEN. WE ACTUALLY USE THE SPRING REGISTRATION TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET. WE MAKE OUR BEST GUESSES, BUT THIS IS THE ONE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE SOLID DATA, EXCEPT FOR BIRTH RATES. AND SO THE MORE PEOPLE REGISTER EARLY, THE BETTER IT IS FOR OUR OVERALL STAFFING AND BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. AND IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN, I AM GOING TO RECOMMEND YOU GO SEE TITANIC THE MUSICAL. I WAS BLOWN AWAY. I GOT TO GO ON. 
          YEP, WE HAVE ONE OF THE STARS BACK THERE, AND I WAS GOING TO TELL HIM. 
          I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO SEND HIM A MESSAGE THAT I SAW YOU EVERY TIME YOU HIT THE STAGE, 
          [00:45:02]
TYLER. IT'S LIKE A MUSICAL DOCUMENTARY. I WAS BLOWN AWAY. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT STORYLINES HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. 
          I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S THE MOST UPLIFTING STORY, AS WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, BUT IT... JUST THE AMOUNT OF HISTORY AND THE STUDENTS, THEY DID SO MUCH LEARNING. 
          IT REALLY BECAME A HISTORY LESSON, I THINK, IN A LOT OF WAYS. AND THEY JUST DID A PHENOMENAL STORY OF REPRESENTING THE STUDENT. 
          WE DO HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE STUDENTS ON THE STAGE. IT WAS JUST, I WAS SO PROUD OF ALL THE, JUST ALL OF THEM. THEY JUST DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. AND SHOUT OUT TO CHRISSY AND RACHEL FOR THE WORK THEY DO WITH OUR STUDENTS. IT'S PRETTY PHENOMENAL. I JUST, I'M ALWAYS BLOWN AWAY, AND I'M HOPING TO ATTEND AGAIN SATURDAY NIGHT. SO IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN YOUR TICKETS, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO SO EARLY BECAUSE IT IS PACKED. 
          AND I BELIEVE, NANCY, YOU GOT TO GO. YEAH, YEAH, SO IT WAS SO GOOD. AND I KNOW YOU TWO HAVE BEEN THERE. 
          PEGGY, HAVE YOU GOTTEN TO GO YET? NO. GIVE US A CALL. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR STUDENTS. HEY, YOU GUYS. OKAY, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE SENT OUT A LITTLE BOARD SURVEY OF OUR OWN FOR ONCE ABOUT OUR STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAM. SO IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T RESPONDED ALREADY, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE THREE RESPONSES, JUST GET TO IT WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHANCE. 
          THAT WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS TO VISIT, ACTUALLY, FOR THE REST OF THIS WEEK. 
          WE JUST ALL PACKED THEM INTO ONE WEEK. SO, YEAH, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT IN MARCH. 
          BUT THIS MONTH WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO SKYLINE BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING. SO I OBVIOUSLY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THIS INFORMATION FROM YOU GUYS LIKE BEFORE WE VISITED THEM. SO WE KIND OF HAD TO DO OUR OWN LITTLE THING WITH THEM. BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO LIKE. WE LOOKED OVER THE RESPONSES TODAY DURING MARCUS AND I'S SCHOOL BOARD PERIOD, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY OUR BEST TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU GUYS WROTE, JUST TO START INTEGRATING IT IN. 
          BUT YEAH, WE WENT TO SKYLINE. IT WAS VERY FUN. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. SOMEONE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT MAYBE A BROADER, CROSS-SECTIONAL GROUP OF STUDENTS, AND I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THAT BY SAYING, WE ASKED THE FIFTH GRADERS, BECAUSE WE MET WITH FIFTH GRADERS. AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WERE PICKED RANDOMLY IN THEIR CLASSES WITH LIKE STICKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO IT WAS LIKE FROM ALL THREE, I THINK, THREE CLASSES OF FIFTH GRADERS AT SKYLINE. SO THEY WERE ALL PICKED RANDOMLY. AND KIND OF THE MAIN REASON WHY WE ARE EVEN SENDING OUT THIS SURVEY AND ASKING YOU GUYS LIKE, WHY? OR LIKE, WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW FROM, LIKE, ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IS BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR MARCUS AND I TO LIKE, GO IN WITHOUT REALLY LIKE A STRUCTURED PLAN OF LIKE QUESTIONS AND LIKE AN IDEA. AND WE LIKE TO DO AN ACTIVITY THAT'LL, LIKE, HAVE A LITTLE FLOW TO IT, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY, BUT OVERALL, LIKE, WE DON'T REALLY HOLD, LIKE, I WANT TO SAY, PREJUDICE, I GUESS. BECAUSE WE LIKE TO START OFF WITH LIKE A LITTLE DISCUSSION WITH THEM, A LITTLE ICEBREAKER, JUST SO WE CAN, LIKE, HEAR ANYTHING THEY HAVE TO SAY. EVEN IF IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE TOPIC THAT WE'RE LIKE, TRYING TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT. SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS THAT BACKGROUND. AND THEN, YEAH, WE JUST TALKED TO THEM ABOUT ACADEMIC PREPAREDNESS, ACTUALLY, SO WE ASKED THEM ABOUT THEIR CLASSES AND LIKE, HOW THEY'RE BEING CHALLENGED. 
          IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE AT A LEVEL WHERE THEY CAN, LIKE, ACHIEVE SOMETHING, BUT IT'S NOT, LIKE, TOO FAR AWAY FROM THEM. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND ALL THE FIFTH GRADERS FELT VERY GOOD. 
          THEY SAID THEY WERE TELLING US ABOUT ALL THE FUN THINGS THEY WERE LEARNING, A LOT OF SCIENCE STUFF. I KNOW MARCUS IS GOING TO PROBABLY BRING UP LIKE THE WHOLE COOKING THING THAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THEIR GARDENING, WHICH IS REALLY COOL. I REALLY, I WAS LIKE, BLOWN AWAY THAT THEY EVEN DO THAT. 
          SO THAT WAS SUPER COOL. AND THEY WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES THEM. 
          SO. A REALLY COOL THING THAT SKYLINE DOES THAT. ME AND MARCUS WERE JUST LIKE, WE WERE REALLY GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, IS THEIR BADGE SYSTEM. SO THEY HAVE A BADGE TIER SYSTEM FOR THE FIFTH GRADERS, AND BASICALLY THEIR BADGE COULD EITHER BE GOLD, GREEN, OR PINK, DESCENDING IN THAT ORDER. AND IT IS BASED ON THEIR BEHAVIOR IN THEIR CLASSES AND DURING LUNCHTIME, DURING RECESS, AND ALL THOSE THINGS. AND SO OBVIOUSLY IF THEY'RE GOOD, THEY'RE GOING TO GET LIKE INCREASED. AND IF THEY HAVE THE GOLD BADGE, THEY HAVE MORE PRIVILEGES TO SAY. SO THEY GET POPCORN DURING LUNCH. THEY GET TO PLAY ON THE WII DURING LUNCH. SO LIKE, IT'S ALL THESE FUN LITTLE THINGS. 
          AND THEY WERE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. AND THEY WERE JUST TELLING US THAT, LIKE, YEAH, WE DON'T DO BAD THINGS. 
          BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ANY 
          [00:50:01]
TEACHER COULD TAKE OR, LIKE, MAKE THEM GO DOWN THE ORDER. AND THEN THEY HAVE TO WORK BACK UP TO GETTING A HIGHER LEVEL. 
          SO IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING THAT THEY DID THAT. AND THEY WERE VERY, VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. SO WE WERE, HARLEEN AND I WERE IN THE LIBRARY, AND THEY ALL WALKED IN, AND THEY WERE ALL WALKING IN, THEY HAD THEIR BADGES, AND THEY WERE ALL DECORATED WITH STICKERS. THEY HAD DIFFERENT COLORED LANYARDS, AND THEY GOT THEIR PARENTS TO BUY THEM CHARMS TO PUT ON THERE. SO I WAS LIKE, WHOA. BUT, I MEAN, A LOT OF THE KIDS WHO WERE THERE, THEY HAD GOLD BADGES AND ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS. SO THEY WERE VERY... IT REALLY, LIKE, WAS MOTIVATING THEM TO DO A GOOD JOB AND LIKE, BE ON THEIR BEST BEHAVIOR BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAD FUN THINGS THAT THEY COULD GET FROM THAT. AND IT WAS LIKE, SINCE IT'S ONLY FOR THE FIFTH GRADE CLASS, NOT FOR ALL THE CLASSES. AND THEY WERE TELLING US THAT THEY'RE KIND OF ROLE MODELS FOR THE YOUNGER STUDENTS. 
          IT'S LIKE, YOU'RE LIKE WAITING UNTIL YOU GET TO FIFTH GRADE AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I GET TO DO THE BADGE SYSTEM AND ALL THIS SORT OF STUFF. AND LIKE, I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL AND IT WAS VERY MOTIVATING FOR THEM, SO I THINK THAT'S GOOD. AND THEN ALSO CHANGING THINGS UP. 
          SO WHAT WE SAW FROM THE BOARD SURVEYS, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHY, NOT WHY, OR LIKE, WHAT HELPS STUDENTS LEARN BETTER. AND SOMETHING THAT THEY DO THERE IS THEIR FIFTH GRADE CLASS, THEY HAVE THREE, AT LEAST FOR TWO OF THEIR CLASSES, THE TEACHERS WILL SWITCH. 
          JUST TO, LIKE, TEACH SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT DAY. 
          AND SO THE STUDENTS WERE LIKE, YEAH, OUR TEACHER SWITCHES WITH THE OTHER FIFTH GRADE TEACHER. 
          AND THEY HAD, LIKE, A REALLY INTERESTING, LIKE, THEY LEARNED SOMETHING NEW, AND IT WAS A DIFFERENT TEACHER, AND IT WAS JUST SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR THEM. AND I THINK THE WAY THAT WE UNDERSTOOD IT IS THAT ONE TEACHER WAS IN CHARGE OF, LIKE, TWO SUBJECTS. SO I THINK ONE OF THE TEACHERS IN CHARGE OF MATH AND SCIENCE AND THE OTHER TEACHER WAS IN CHARGE OF TEACHING ENGLISH AND SOCIAL STUDIES. SO THEY WERE STILL GETTING THE SAME INFORMATION BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A DIFFERENT FIFTH GRADE CLASS THAT'S JUST ONE TEACHER. 
          THEY LIKED THE FACT THAT THEY WERE LIKE, OH, IT'S LIKE A DIFFERENT TEACHER. 
          AND IT'S SIMILAR TO LIKE HOW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HOW LIKE HIGHER AND LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL WORKS WITH, LIKE DIFFERENT TEACHERS TEACHING LIKE SPECIFIC SUBJECTS. 
          YEAH, WHICH ALSO RELATES BACK TO THE OTHER THING THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO KNOW, WHICH IS LIKE THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD. 
          SO THE FIFTH GRADERS, THEY WERE TELLING US THAT THEY WERE VERY NERVOUS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND WE WERE JUST TRYING TO, LIKE, ASK THEM HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO LIKE GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT. AND THEY WERE TELLING US THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A TOUR THERE SOON. 
          BUT THEY WERE JUST SAYING THAT THIS WAS LIKE, VERY HELPFUL FOR THEM, THAT THEY HAVE, LIKE THEY'RE STARTING TO GET A LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH, LIKE HAVING SEPARATE TEACHERS FOR STUFF. SO THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL THAT THEY DID THAT. AND YEAH, I KNOW MARCUS HAS A FEW MORE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS. BUT I THOUGHT THAT THE SKYLINE VISIT WAS VERY GOOD AND THEY WERE A VERY FUN GROUP OF KIDS. ME AND MARCUS REALLY HAD A LOT OF FUN THERE. AND THEY TOLD US. LIKE, VERY GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT, JUST LIKE, WHAT HELPS THEM LEARN, AND LIKE, WHY THEY'RE TRYING TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN. 
          AND THEN OTHER THINGS, TITANIC, MAKE SURE YOU GUYS GO WATCH IT. I KNOW THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD HAS PROBABLY WATCHED IT ALREADY, BUT ALSO FOR THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS, BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF PEERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN IT, AND I AM ALSO JUST BLOWN AWAY. LIKE, THE AMOUNT OF PASSION AND HARD WORK AND GRIT THAT IT TAKES TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS JUST INSANE. SO MANY PROPS TO ALL THOSE STUDENTS, BECAUSE... THEY'RE IN ALL THE SAME ADVANCED CLASSES THAT I'M IN, AND I'M JUST LIKE, I CAN BARELY DO MY HOMEWORK NOW, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT YOU'RE STAYING AFTERWARDS UNTIL LIKE, 9, 10 O'CLOCK. TO DO ALL THESE, LIKE, YOU HAVE TO MEMORIZE THIS WHOLE SCRIPT, AND YOU'VE GOT TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK? I CANNOT DO THAT. 
          SO PROPS ON THEM. THEY'RE DOING A VERY, VERY GREAT JOB, AND I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS. STATE OF THE DISTRICT WAS VERY FUN. I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE WHOLE BOARD WAS THERE. THOSE VIDEOS WERE AWESOME. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WATCH IT. EVEN THOUGH I WOULD SAY I'M ON THE BOARD AND I SHOULD BE VERY IN TUNE WITH HOW FINANCES WORK AND HOW THIS WORKS, THOSE VIDEOS WERE VERY EDUCATIONAL AND THEY WERE VERY CLEAR, AND I WAS VERY MOVED BY THEM. I WAS SO LIKE, WOW, THIS WAS SUCH A GREAT QUALITY VIDEO. THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. 
          THAT'S MY TURN. ONE THING ON THE SURVEY WAS... YOU GUYS WERE WONDERING WHAT IS VERY PRECEDENT ABOUT ALL SCHOOLS, SO NOT JUST SPECIFICALLY SKYLINE, CENTRAL, SO ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AND OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST THING IS RECESS. THEY ALL REALLY ENJOY RECESS. THEY ALL LIKE THEIR CLUBS. THEY LIKE PE. ONE THING THAT THEY WANT MORE OF, THOUGH, IS THEY FELT LIKE AT RECESS THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPORTS EQUIPMENT. SO I DON'T KNOW, AND TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE OF THEM. BECAUSE THEY WERE ALSO SAYING THAT THEY WERE LIKE, OH YEAH, LIKE... THIS PERSON KICKS THE BALL ON THE ROOF, AND THEN WE DON'T GET THE BALL. I WAS LIKE, WELL, IF YOU DON'T KICK THE BALL ON THE ROOF, THEN I FEEL LIKE THAT'S FAIR. BUT WITH THE WHOLE THING ABOUT THE TWO TEACHERS TEACHING SEPARATE THINGS, THEY SAID THEY REALLY ENJOYED THAT, LIKE HARLEEN SAID. AND 
          [00:55:02]
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW, LIKE, OH, THAT'S REALLY SIMILAR TO HOW WE DO THINGS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HOW WE DO THINGS IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO I THINK JUST LIKE, I THINK, JUST LIKE. EVEN THE CHANGE OF SCENERY AND EVEN LIKE THE DIFFERENT TEACHING STYLE IS LIKE WHAT THEY LIKE, WHAT THEY'RE DRAWN TO. AND IT'S JUST LIKE IT'S BETTER THAN THEM JUST SITTING IN A CLASSROOM ALL DAY AND LEARNING WITH THE SAME PERSON. AND I FEEL LIKE THEY REALLY ENJOYED THAT ASPECT OF SCHOOLING. 
          THEY ALSO REALLY ENJOY GARDEN CLASS. SO. SKYLINE ELEMENTARY HAS A GARDEN, AND APPARENTLY, I REMEMBER DOING THIS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT THEY DO COOKING CLASSES, SO THEY MAKE FOOD, AND THEY GARDEN. IT'S LIKE THE SAME CLASS, SO ONE PORTION IS GARDENING AND THE OTHER PORTION IS MAKING THE FOOD, AND THEY REALLY ENJOYED THE ACTIVITY. THEY ALSO WANTED MORE AFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY DIG INTO THAT THAT MUCH, BUT FROM WHAT WE HEARD, THERE'S DEFINITELY CLUBS PRESENT, BUT THEY JUST WANT MORE. 
          THEY WANT MORE. 
          OPPORTUNITIES. AND I KNOW AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE, WE HAVE THESE THINGS ON ONCE A MONTH CALLED CLUB DAYS, AND WE HAVE LIKE 30 DIFFERENT CLUBS. SO THEY WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WANT MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE MORE THINGS. 
          AND FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, SCHEDULING STARTED. SO IT STARTED TODAY, ACTUALLY. SO I'M A JUNIOR THIS YEAR. OH, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YEAH. SO THEY WANT THESE THINGS, HAVE THEY TALKED TO THE PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THOSE GUYS ARE THE ONES WHO ORGANIZE ALL OF THAT. AND I MEAN, DO THEY EVER, STUDENTS EVER GO AND JUST TALK TO THE PTO? SO, OKAY, WE BROUGHT THIS SORT OF STUFF UP TO THEM. WE WERE JUST ASKING THEM, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE STUFF, LIKE SPORTS EQUIPMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD REALLY CAN DO TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A REALLY, ANOTHER THING FROM THE THING, THAT'S VERY DAY-TO-DAY. AND LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT. 
          OR JUST KNOW ABOUT. SO WE WERE TRYING TO JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM A LITTLE LESSON ON, LIKE ADVOCACY AND JUST TALKING TO YOUR PRINCIPAL. 
          LIKE, YOU'RE NOT A SNITCH. 
          TRUST ME, IF YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE, GO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING TO YOUR PRINCIPAL OR LIKE YOUR DEAN. AND A LOT OF THEM JUST SAID THAT THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW, LIKE, A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT SORT OF STUFF. WHEN I PERSONALLY WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT THE PTO. I REALLY COULD NOT TELL YOU ONE PERSON WHO WAS ON THE PTO, SO MAYBE THAT'S LIKE... 
          FOR THEM THAT THEY COULD GO INTO THE CLASSES AND LIKE, TALK TO THEM. BUT UM, YEAH, I FEEL LIKE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT SORT OF STUFF, ESPECIALLY AT THAT AGE. 
          YEAH, SO THAT'S A GOOD POINT. 
          THEY THEY SHOULD BRING THAT UP TO THE PTOS. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW AND WHEN THEY COULD DO THAT. YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO MEET WITH THEIR PRINCIPAL, YEAH, AND THEN LET THEIR, UH, BUILDING PRINCIPAL HELP. 
          EITHER REPRESENT THEIR IDEAS, KIND OF LIKE YOU ARE DOING, OR HELP THEM MAKE A CONNECTION. THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO THEM. I THINK WE MENTIONED THAT BRIEFLY, BUT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS, IT'S REALLY HARD TO KEEP THEIR ATTENTION. I THINK WE HAD THEM FOR THE FIRST 15 MINUTES AND THEY WERE SITTING DOWN AND WE BROUGHT UP THE PRINCIPAL AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, NO, WE'RE GETTING IN TROUBLE. WE'RE LIKE, OKAY. THE HIGH SCHOOL, THOUGH, I'M A JUNIOR THIS YEAR AND WE JUST STARTED SCHEDULING CLASSES FOR NEXT YEAR. YEAR, AND I'M KIND OF SCARED, ACTUALLY. 
          BUT LIKE TYLER WAS SAYING, WE HAVE AN AMAZING CURRICULUM AND WE HAVE SO MANY CHOICES. 
          LIKE, I AM LIKE, STRUGGLING TO BE LIKE, OH, DO I TAKE THIS CLASS? OR DO I TAKE THIS CLASS? LIKE, WHICH ONE SHOULD I TAKE AND WHICH ONE WOULD I BENEFIT FROM MORE? BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE. WE ALSO HAVE THIS NEW POLICY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL TO HELP WITH ATTENDANCE, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MAIN FOCUSES RIGHT NOW. AND IT'S THE SKIPPING POLICY. SO BASICALLY, FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, LIKE IF YOU'RE SKIPPING CLASSES, THIS ISN'T MORE TO DO SO WITH. LIKE, I THINK FIRST PERIOD, LIKE THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE DAY, AND THE LAST PERIOD IS FOR WHEN YOU'RE IN SCHOOL ALREADY. AND THE RULE IS, IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE OF YOUR CLASS, CAUGHT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PASS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO WE HAVE PASSES NOW. IT'S LIKE, VERY, IT'S VERY STRICT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PASS WITH A TEACHER SIGNATURE ON IT SAYING WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND WHY YOU'RE THERE, YOU GET A LUNCH REFLECTION. 
          SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST OFFENSE. 
          YOU GET A CALL HOME AND A LUNCH REFLECTION AUTOMATICALLY. AND THEN IF YOU DO IT AGAIN, YOU GET AFTER SCHOOL SUSPENSION. AND THEN I THINK AFTER THAT, IF YOU'RE A REPEAT OFFENDER, I THINK THAT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT EXPULSION. I THINK IT'S IN SCHOOL SUSPENSION AND THEN IN SCHOOL. YEAH. 
          BUT I JUST, OBVIOUSLY WE ALREADY HAVE THIS POLICY IN PLACE. IT'S JUST WE'RE ENFORCING IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. YEAH. 
          AND IT'S STRICTER, AND IT'S MORE CLEAR, AND IT'S MORE OBVIOUS. AND BASICALLY, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT KNOWS 
          [01:00:01]
ABOUT IT. SO THEY'RE CRACKING DOWN. YEAH. ALL I KNOW IS I'M NOT TRYING TO GET THAT LUNCH DETENTION. 
          YEAH, BUT THAT POLICY WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION DURING, I THINK, OUR HOMEROOM PERIOD LAST WEEK, AND IT CAME INTO EFFECT STARTING THIS WEEK. 
          FOR THE MOST PART. AND, YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE. I'M SORRY, I MISSED THAT. I DIDN'T. I GOT THE EMAIL, BUT IT GOT BURIED. 
          BUT I JUST GOT IT FILLED OUT. 
          IS THIS JUST THE BEGINNING? DID YOU START AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND YOU'RE GOING MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL? WHAT'S HAPPENING? SO, THE REASON WHY WE GOT THIS WHOLE SURVEY OUT TO YOU NOW, LIKE IN FEBRUARY, IS BECAUSE ONLY NOW HAVE MARCUS AND I GOTTEN OUR SCHOOL BOARD, PERIOD. 
          BECAUSE LAST SEMESTER WE WERE BUSY AND STUFF. SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS, ME AND MARCUS ARE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH AT THIS SORT OF STUFF. AND WE THOUGHT, LIKE, WE KIND OF WANT MORE STRUCTURE FOR OURSELVES FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS OF WHAT EXACTLY THEY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT AND HOW THEY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE SENT YOU GUYS THE SURVEY. 
          BUT WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH SCHOOLS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, YEAH, SINCE SEPTEMBER. SO WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH, LIKE, A LOT OF SCHOOLS. AND, LIKE, IT JUST DEPENDS. LIKE, WE JUST GO BASED OFF OF WHAT WORKS REALLY WITH THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WE'RE MEETING WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL, TOO, NEXT MONTH. SO IT JUST REALLY DEPENDS ON THEIR SCHEDULE AND WHEN IT WORKS BEST WITH OURS. SO, YEAH, IT'S NOT REALLY LIKE WE'RE GOING FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, TO HIGH SCHOOL. ARE YOU GOING TO SEND OUT ANOTHER, ARE YOU DOING ANOTHER GOOGLE SURVEY ABOUT THE OTHER SCHOOLS TOO, LIKE SPECIFICALLY THE HIGH SCHOOL? FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, YEAH. 
          WE INTEND ON SENDING OUT A DIFFERENT ONE BEFORE WE MEET WITH THEM. 
          BUT JUST LIKE FOR THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WE JUST FELT LIKE WE COULD COMBINE THAT INTO ONE. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY, I'LL BE ON IT. THEY'RE THE ONES WE MEET WITH MOST OFTEN. THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE STUDENTS OR FOR CHRISTY? OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THOSE UPDATES AND ALL THE INFORMATION PROVIDED. SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, ITEM 6.0, IS 
          [6. UPDATES]
OUR REGULAR UPDATES. AND FOR OUR FIRST COMING TO US LIVE FROM HER RECENT VIDEO DEBUT AT THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT, AND IF THOSE WANT TO SEE HOLLY'S VIDEOS, THEY CAN WATCH THOSE ONLINE WITH THE LINK THAT WE PROVIDED. BUT HOLLY, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THE BUDGET UPDATE. THANK YOU. SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUDGET. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR FUND BALANCE AND WHERE WE'RE AT, AND THEN KIND OF GO THROUGH JUST WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE ANNUAL AUDIT THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. SO FIRST OFF, WE'RE KIND OF IN THIS PERIOD RIGHT NOW, WAITING FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO END. SO IT'S JUST KIND OF THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM, WHEN ALL THE BUDGET WORK REALLY KICKS IN TO START HAPPENING. SO LAST WEEK WE HAD OUR SECOND OF THREE MEETINGS WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, JUST TO KIND OF DEBRIEF AND TALK ABOUT, JUST KICK AROUND SOME IDEAS FOR THE COMING YEAR FOR BUDGET. WE ARE ALMOST COMPLETE WITH OUR POSITIONAL BUDGETING. THAT'S A NEW SYSTEM THAT WE'RE USING IN OUR NEW CUMULATIVE SOFTWARE. 
          WE'RE REALLY CONTINUING TO MONITOR CLOSELY WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN IN OLYMPIA AND JUST WAITING FOR THE FINAL BUDGET TO COME OUT OF OLYMPIA. SO WE KIND OF KNOW SOME SOLID NUMBERS. 
          SO RIGHT NOW, IT'S A LOT OF HURRY UP AND WAIT. THE VARIABLES THAT WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON OUR BUDGET DECISION MAKING, OF COURSE, ARE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING, OUR ENROLLMENT ESTIMATES, SPECIAL EDUCATION SAFETY NET. 
          WE HAVE BARGAINING HAPPENING THIS YEAR WITH THE TEACHERS UNION, INFLATION, OF COURSE, AND OUR FUND BALANCE. OUR CURRENT FUND BALANCE AS OF JANUARY 31ST WAS $4.1 MILLION, AND THAT'S ABOVE OUR MINIMUM FUND BALANCE POLICY, WHICH IS GREAT. AND WE'RE REALLY CONTINUING TO BE REALLY FRUGAL ON OUR SPENDING, WHICH YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE RIGHT HERE. 
          SO NORMALLY WE SEE KIND OF A BIG DECLINE BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND FEBRUARY, BUT WE'VE KIND OF WENT UP A LITTLE BIT IN DECEMBER, AND THEN WE... DID DECLINE IN JANUARY, BUT WE'RE MANAGING TO STAY ABOVE THAT RED LINE, WHICH IS OUR MINIMUM FUND BALANCE. I HAVE A FUND BALANCE PROJECTION. THIS IS OUR BEST GUESS ESTIMATE FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. IT'S REALLY HARD TO PREDICT, BUT WE DO OUR BEST. AND JUST DUE TO TIMING OF, SAY, WHEN INVOICES COME IN AND JUST UNEXPECTED EVENTS, JUST CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. SO OUR ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE US DIPPING DOWN BELOW FUND BALANCE, OUR FUND BALANCE MINIMUM AT ALL THIS YEAR, 
          [01:05:01]
WHICH IS GREAT. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING TO DO. FINGERS CROSSED, THAT HOLDS. WE DO, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE TAKE A DRAMATIC UPSWING IN APRIL WHEN PROPERTY TAX COMES IN, AND THEN IT DOES. 
          KIND OF THE DECLINE THAT WE EXPECT BETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE, AND THEN IT WILL KIND OF CLIMB BACK UP. WHERE IT SPLITS AT THE END, THE LOWER ONE IS IF WE DON'T RECEIVE ANY SPECIAL EDUCATION SAFETY NET, AND THE UPPER ONE IS IF WE RECEIVE ABOUT $600,000 IN SPECIAL ED SAFETY NET. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE PREDICTING FOR THE YEAR END AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR. 
          HOLLY, COULD YOU, FOR THE NEXT MEETING, LEAVE THE DASHED LINE EVEN FOR JANUARY, SO WE CAN SEE HOW IT ACTUALLY WENT? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YEAH. SO DO YOU WANT TO SEE HOW CLOSE I AM PREDICTING? YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A FUN GAME. YEAH, IT IS. 
          OH, YEAH. YOU'RE DOING FANTASTIC. I TRY MY BEST. 
          YES, I CAN DO THAT. OKAY, THANKS. THIS IS A GRAPHIC THAT WE CREATED TO TALK ABOUT WHY FUND BALANCE MATTERS, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW IT RELATES. 
          REALLY, IT'S THE FINANCIAL BACKBONE OF THE DISTRICT, AND RELIABLE CASH FLOW MANAGEMENT, KIND OF ON THAT FIRST LEVEL, THE STAGE ONE, RELIABLE CASH FLOW MANAGEMENT. AND JUST A BUFFER FOR THE UNEXPECTED IS REALLY JUST THE BASIS TO OPERATE. THE MIDDLE SECTION IS THE WORK FIRST ABILITY. SO WE HAVE ENHANCED JOB SECURITY. AND IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY HARD TO FEEL SECURE ABOUT COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY IF THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A JOB OR NOT. SO A FUND BALANCE REALLY HELPS SUPPORT THAT JOB SECURITY. 
          AND THE STAGE THREE IS REALLY THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. 
          SO, HAPPIER EMPLOYEES ARE ABLE TO FEEL MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT THEIR WORK. AND IT LEADS TO A BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS. 
          AND, OF COURSE, IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES IS WHY WE'RE ALL HERE AND WHAT WE ALL STRIVE FOR. SO THAT'S REALLY THE ULTIMATE GOAL. AND YOU'LL SEE THIS. WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THIS AGAIN. THIS IS ABOUT THE FOURTH ITERATION OF IT, BUT I THOUGHT THIS REALLY KIND OF EXPRESSES WHY FUND BALANCE MATTERS. LAST THING I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS THE AUDIT. SO WE HAVE OUR AUDIT STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO. THIS IS OUR ANNUAL AUDIT BY THE WASHINGTON STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. 
          THEY'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING PHASE, SO I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT FROM THEM YET. BUT THEY WILL BE DOING A FINANCIAL AUDIT, A FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT OF OUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS, EITHER SPECIAL EDUCATION, FOOD SERVICE, OR TITLE I. 
          WE'RE THINKING THEY'RE LEANING MORE TOWARDS SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND THEN THEY WILL BE DOING ACCOUNTING. 
          ACCOUNTABILITY AUDIT, WHICH KIND OF INCLUDES DIFFERENT AREAS THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE FROM. AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU'LL BE INVITED TO THE EXIT CONFERENCE ONCE THAT WORK HAS ALL CONCLUDED, PROBABLY IN LATE LATER IN THE SPRING, APRIL OR MAY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? CAN I ADD ONE PIECE? SO WE'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS NOW WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND WE WENT OVER YOUR RESULTS, WHAT YOU HAD SAID, YOU PRIORITIZED. AND SO WHY WE'VE BEEN DOING SO MUCH EDUCATION AROUND FUND BALANCE IS BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE BOARD'S PRIORITIES AND HOW THAT AFFECTS. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT, US HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. 
          AND, NANCY, YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE. WE'RE TRACKING THE BILL THAT, REMEMBER, SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENT OF FUND BALANCE. AND IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WE ACTUALLY WOULD MEET. HOW THE BILL'S WRITTEN, IT REALLY IS A HIT ON VERY SMALL DISTRICTS. 
          STILL CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT, SO I'M SURE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT. 
          BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW. THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING SOME EDUCATION AROUND FUND BALANCE, BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY ALIGNS TO THE BOARD'S PRIORITY FOR BUDGET. AND SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE SET, HOW DO WE MAKE DECISIONS, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW. WHAT YOU HAVE PRIORITIZED IN YOUR WORK. SO, ANY QUESTIONS FOR HOLLY? YES, AS ALWAYS, HOLLY, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO WITH THE BUDGET AND FOR HELPING MAKE IT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE, NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. NOT MUCH TO SAY. I DIDN'T HEAR NANCY SQUAWK ABOUT ANYTHING. WE KIND OF SPLIT IT INTO TWO. WELL, SHE WENT TO THE SHE COVERED FOR ME ON THE FIRST ONE. I WAS THERE TODAY, AND SHE WAS, BECAUSE SHE HAD THINGS SHE NEEDED TO GET DONE, TOO, OTHER THINGS. AND SO I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. AND HOLLY ALWAYS ANSWERS ALL MY QUESTIONS, SO, YOU KNOW, 
          [01:10:01]
THAT WENT FINE. AND AS I SAID, THAT ONE WAS QUIET, SO I'M GUESSING THAT MEANT GOOD THINGS. YOU KNOW, PEGGY, I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL QUITE PLEASED AND HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT. 
          WELL, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF I STUMBLED ACROSS SOMETHING THAT MADE MY EYEBROWS GO UP, I WOULD BE SURPRISED. 
          BUT THE MAIN REASON THAT... 
          WE WANTED TO DO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE THING, AND MAYBE IT WILL EXPAND TO OTHER THINGS LATER, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE PRESENTED WITH THIS LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT, AND I FELT LIKE THE WAY IT WAS STRUCTURED BEFORE WAS NOT LEADING. IT WAS LIKE TOO MANY COOKS SPOILED IT. IT'S LIKE EVERYBODY THINKS SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT, AND IT'S A REQUIREMENT. SO JUST TO GO IN AND SAY, YES, I LOOKED. I KIND OF HAD A LOOK THROUGH. WE DID GO AND CHECK SO YOU CAN WHEN YOU SIGN THE AFFIDAVIT, YOU CAN SAY, YES, ACTUALLY DID GO AND LOOK SO AND AND. 
          AND I HAVE TO SAY IT'S, I THINK, TIME WELL SPENT. JUST BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPERATION OF THE DISTRICT. AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO PAY FOR AND ALL THE BILLS, I MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO JUGGLE AND AND IT'S SURPRISING, IT'S VERY EYE-OPENING FOR US, TOO. SO I GUESS THAT WAS JUST TO SAY. YEAH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR SIGNATURE ON THE THING. 
          WELL, THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO NANCY FOR WHAT I'M SURE WILL BE JUST A BRIEF LEGISLATIVE REPORT. 
          ACTUALLY, I AM GOING TO KEEP IT PRETTY BRIEF. YOU MENTIONED THAT MANDATING A MINIMUM FUND BALANCE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT DIED. THAT IS THE LATEST THAT I HAVE HEARD ON THAT. AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, HOUSE BILL 2953, WHICH WAS PUT FORTH BY SUPERINTENDENT REICHDAHL, THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA, OF MAKING EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE A MINIMUM FUND BALANCE. IT STARTED OUT AT 8.5%, AND THEN IT ADJUSTED AS IT WENT THROUGH COMMITTEES, AND FORCING A MINIMUM FUND BALANCE. OUR MINIMUM FUND BALANCE IS $4. 4% THAT OUR BOARD HAS SET. AND WE WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE 8%, BUT IN ORDER TO GET FROM A 4% TO AN 8% FUND BALANCE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE MONEY FOR EVERYTHING THAT IT TAKES TO RUN THE DISTRICT. AND IF WE WERE TO BE FORCED TO CHANGE FROM OUR 4% FUND BALANCE TO 8%, THAT WOULD MEAN CUTTING PROGRAMS. BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE ALREADY CUT. A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE FURTHER AWAY FROM STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT'S THE BOARD PRIORITY, TO CUT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE. AND THAT WOULD HAVE BROUGHT IT RIGHT TO THE CLASSROOMS. SO IT IS REALLY GOOD THAT 2953 IS DEAD THIS YEAR. BUT THE THING ABOUT BILLS IS THEY DON'T DIE. THEY'RE MORE LIKE ZOMBIES. IT'LL COME BACK NEXT YEAR. YEAH, RIGHT. 
          WEEDS, RIGHT. YES. OKAY, SO WE ARE ACTUALLY NOW IN WEEK SEVEN OF OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION. 
          IT ENDS MARCH 12TH, SO WE HAVE JUST OVER TWO WEEKS LEFT. AND MY NEVER-TO-BE-HUMBLE OPINION, ANY TIME THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION, IT'S EXPENSIVE. I MEAN, THEY JUST KEEP MORE TAXES AND MORE THINGS TO PART US WITH OUR MONEY ABOUT, BUT THAT'S MY OWN OPINION. 
          LET'S SEE, A COUPLE OF THINGS. THERE'S A FEW BILLS THAT ARE MOVING RIGHT ALONG. ONE IS HOUSE BILL 1295, AND THAT'S STRUCTURED LITERACY, THE SCIENCE OF LITERACY. AND THAT IS WHERE THEY'RE THINKING OF MANDATING A CERTAIN KIND OF LITERACY. AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND I COULD BE WRONG, IT IS BASED IN... THE SCIENCE OF LITERACY, WHICH CAME ABOUT, CONNECTED TO THAT PODCAST, SOLD A STORY, IS ALL INTERTWINED WITH THAT. AND IF YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF OR WATCHED OR LISTENED TO SOLD A STORY, AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN READING, LEARNING HOW KIDS LEARN TO READ, SOLD A STORY WILL OPEN YOUR EYES. AND SO I THINK THAT THE IMPETUS BEHIND THAT IS GOOD, BUT MANDATING THAT WE HAVE TO DO ANYTHING VERSUS... 
          FROM THE STATE LEVEL, 
          [01:15:01]
IT GOES AGAINST MY GRAIN. I'M A LOCAL CONTROL KIND OF PERSON, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THAT BECAUSE THE STAGE IS VERY STRONG HERE. SENATE BILL 5918, MSOC FUNDING, IT IS MOVING ALONG. 
          BUT IN LOOKING AT THE SENATE BUDGET, EVEN IF THAT IS MOVING ALONG, WHICH WE CERTAINLY HOPE IT DOES, MSOC IS MATERIAL SUPPLIES AND OPERATING COSTS. 
          THE SENATE BUDGET SHOWS SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO EDUCATION. SO I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY LEAN YEAR AGAIN, AFTER FOLLOWING LAST YEAR'S LEAN YEAR AS WELL. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT DIED THAT I'M DELIGHTED FOR IS HOUSE BILL 1683, AND THAT WAS ADJUSTING SCHOOL DIRECTOR DISTRICTS. I WAS TALKING WITH PEGGY ABOUT THAT QUITE SOME TIME AGO, SO YOU'LL BE GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT'S DEAD FOR NOW. AND THAT WAS SOMETHING WHICH WOULD HAVE HAD THE STATE DECIDE WHO GETS TO VOTE FOR WHO IN LOCAL DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS. 
          INSTEAD OF HAVING FIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE REPRESENTING THEIR OWN SECTION AND THEN BEING VOTED UPON BY ALL. 
          IN THAT DISTRICT, IT WOULD HAVE SHIFTED THAT, AND IT GOT VERY COMPLICATED, TOO, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR DISTRICT. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT THIS YEAR. I THOUGHT ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, HOUSE BILL 2262, TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO WRITE THEIR OWN SIGNATURES, BEING MANDATED. BEING A FORMER FOURTH-GRADE TEACHER AND LITERACY INSTRUCTOR, I NEVER DID LIKE IT WHEN THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW ME AS A TEACHER. TO TEACH CURSIVE ANYMORE BECAUSE IT TOOK TOO MUCH FROM THE TIME. AND NOW, AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEY'RE GOING, OH MY GOSH, THESE KIDS CAN'T WRITE THEIR OWN NAME. 
          SO, ANYWAY, THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH. 
          BUT IT CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO BE A CLUB AFTER SCHOOL IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. I DID A CLUB LIKE THAT AT CENTRAL, ACTUALLY. YEAH, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA. BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE, LIKE, I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO... WRITE IN CURSIVE AGAIN. LIKE, I ONLY KNOW HOW TO WRITE MY FIRST NAME AND MY LAST NAME, AND I DON'T EVEN THINK IT'S CORRECT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THAT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, TOO. 
          YEAH, I'LL BET THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT AGREE, YEAH. I THINK THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY FOR THAT. IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING, IT IS SO EASY TO FIND INFORMATION. IF YOU JUST GO TO LEDGE.WA.GOV AND THEN START EXPLORING. 
          ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, IT SAYS BILLS. IT'LL POP RIGHT UP. YOU JUST TYPE FOUR DIGITS INTO THERE. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE BILL NUMBER, YOU JUST GO TO YOUR GOOGLE AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S THE BILL THAT HAD TO DO WITH, AND THEN SAY WHAT THAT IS, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? I'M JUST GOING TO ADD THAT THE LOOKING IN MY, AND CHRIS IS GOING TO HELP ME REMEMBER TOMORROW, BUT I HAVE A GRAPHIC FOR YOU THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, THE SENATE. PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE HOUSE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND IT COMPARES THE THREE. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE SOME MAJOR HITS TO EDUCATION, WITH THE SENATE BEING THE MOST SEVERE. 
          THANK YOU, NANCY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR NANCY? I JUST ONCE AGAIN WANT TO JUST EXPRESS MY THANKS FOR THE JOB THAT SHE DOES WITH THAT. SHE KEEPS UP ON THOSE THINGS. AND WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME GREAT EMAILS FROM PEOPLE WITHIN THE DISTRICT, OTHER SCHOOL BOARD REPS THAT HAVE BEEN PUTTING FORTH THINGS. 
          KUSH HAS PUT TOGETHER A REALLY NICE ONE THAT HAS BEEN GREAT. AND THOSE ARE ALWAYS HELPFUL BECAUSE THINGS MOVE FAST AND FURIOUS DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND TO TRY TO HAVE YOUR OPINION BE HEARD, YOU HAVE TO BE RIGHT ON THE BALL WITH IT. HOW DID YOU GUYS SEE THOSE? HOW DID YOU SEE THAT SPECIFIC, HER REPORT? IT CAME IN EMAIL. OH, YEAH, USE YOUR MIC. SORRY. I AM. 
          OH, IS IT? OKAY. THEY CAME IN THE EMAIL. SO I DON'T KNOW IF SHE IS JUST DOING THAT TO BOARD PRESIDENT AND LEDGE REP, OR IS SHE DOING IT TO? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. 
          PEGGY AND BRIAN AND ANTONIO, ARE YOU GETTING CUSH BRAR'S UPDATE? YOU ARE? HMM. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH, BECAUSE SHE JUST SAID, IT'S, IT'S RICH. IN FACT, I'M NOT GETTING IT. YOU'RE 
          [01:20:01]
NOT GETTING IT? NO. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ON THAT LIST? OKAY. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD RIGHT NOW. 
          YOU'LL BE I'M SENDING YOU THE LAST ONE. 
          BUT IF YOU JUST RESPOND BACK TO HER, I'M SURE SHE'LL ADD YOU TO HER LIST. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          AND IT MAY BE THAT SHE'S JUST GOT IT, DOESN'T HAVE YOUR CURRENT. 
          BUT IF YOU LET HER KNOW, I'M SURE SHE WILL ADD YOU BECAUSE SHE'S QUITE HAPPY 
          [7. MATTER RESERVED FOR BOARD DISCUSSION]
TO DO THAT. OKAY. SO THAT THEN BRINGS US ON TO ITEM 7.0, MATTERS RESERVED FOR BOARD DISCUSSION. AND THE FIRST ITEM, 7.01, IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PRESENTATION BY THE CITY OF FERNDALE THAT WAS DONE AT OUR STUDY SESSION LAST WEEK. AND WITH THAT, WE WERE HOPING TO, CHRISTY WAS HOPING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD. AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PLANS WITH THE MULTIFAMILY TAX EXEMPTION, HOW WE WOULD LIKE HER TO RESPOND, OR HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT AS IMPACTS THE DISTRICT AND OUR PLANNING. SO I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT HAS QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR STUDY SESSION LAST WEEK. I THINK IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO BE REACHING OUT TO THE COUNCIL. 
          ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THIS POLICY. THAT'S, I MEAN, I THINK MIKE MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR THAT THAT'S WHERE THE POLICY IS COMING FROM. AND THAT'S WHO WE NEED TO BE TALKING TO ABOUT THIS. 
          I DID HAVE A QUESTION, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE JOHN COULD ANSWER IT BECAUSE HE'S SITTING RIGHT THERE, BUT WOULD WE LIKE TO INVITE JOHN TO COME TO THE TABLE? IF THAT'S OKAY. YEAH, IF JOHN DOESN'T MIND BEING PUT ON THE SPOT. IF YOU WANT TO PULL UP A CHAIR, YOU CAN SIT RIGHT THERE. 
          YEAH, JUST BRING A CHAIR WITH YOU AND YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH US, JOHN. 
          WELCOME TO BEING THE BOARD'S LIAISON. I MIGHT BE REPRESENTING JOHN AND NOT NECESSARILY A BOARD. OUR BOARD HAS NOT REALLY DISCUSSED THIS SINCE 2018, SO IT'S ON OUR UPCOMING AGENDA. 
          OKAY. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, OKAY, SO THE STATE ALSO GIVES UP ITS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAXES WHEN? THEY, OKAY. THE CITY, THE SCHOOLS, THE STATE, THE COUNTY, THE CEMETERY DISTRICT. SO THEN WHO ENDS UP ESSENTIALLY SUBSIDIZING US? BECAUSE IF THE STATE'S GIVING UP THEIR PORTION AND THEY TAKE THAT AND TURN AROUND AND SEND IT BACK TO US IN THE FORM OF THAT'S HOW THEY FUND SCHOOLS. IS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THEN. ARE WE, I'M JUST LIKE, I GUESS THAT, I FIND THAT A LITTLE BOTHERSOME BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, SO SOMEBODY ELSE, SOMEWHERE ELSE, IS HAVING TO DO THE LIFTING ON THAT. 
          WELL, AND THE OTHER QUESTION, OR MY QUESTION, IS, IS IT REALLY, IS IT JUST CHANGING THE DISTRIBUTION OF THAT? BECAUSE, LIKE WITH OUR LEVEES, WHICH IS WHERE A LOT OF OUR STUFF COMES FROM, THOSE ARE BASED ON A. FINAL DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT IS DIVIDED AMONGST THE TAX ROLLS. SO IF WE PULL THAT SECTION OUT OF THERE, DOES THAT JUST MEAN THAT THE REST OF US PAY FOR IT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, IT DOES. ALTHOUGH, I MEAN, AS JOHN HAS POINTED OUT BEFORE, TOO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT COLLECTING ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE LAND VALUE ON IT RIGHT NOW. WE WOULD CONTINUE TO COLLECT THAT. 
          IT'S JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY THERE. AND THEN THERE'S A DELAY OF LIKE EIGHT YEARS BEFORE ANY TAXES CAN BE COLLECTED. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE PROJECTED IMPACT? WHERE DO WE HAVE THAT WRITTEN DOWN? I MEAN, IS IT IN OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS PLAN? WHERE IS IT? I CAN'T FIND IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ANY PROJECTION MADE OF EXACTLY WHAT THAT IMPACT IS IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOLS. 
          IT WOULD BE MY UNDERSTANDING WE WOULDN'T KNOW THAT IMPACT UNTIL WE SEE WHO, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO APPLY AND GET APPROVED FOR THIS. THIS PROGRAM, AND IF THEY DON'T APPLY, THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY AREN'T APPROVED, AND IF THEY DON'T MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS, THEY'RE NOT APPROVED. SO IT'S REALLY THERE'S NO WAY OF KNOWING UNTIL YOU KNOW WHO HAS APPLIED AND HAS GOTTEN APPROVAL FROM, I'M ASSUMING, THE CITY. WELL, AND THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT. AND THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT. 
          IF IT'S A BUNCH OF STUDIO APARTMENTS, IT'S UNLIKELY TO AFFECT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. BUT IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE- AND TWO-BEDROOM LIVING UNITS, THEN IT'S UNLIKELY. 
          VERY WELL, COULD HAVE A LOT 
          [01:25:02]
OF STUDENTS LIVING IN THESE. WHERE'S THE BENEFIT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WANTING THIS? I DON'T SEE ANY GAIN. WELL, I THINK THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION. BUT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE ONE THAT MAKES THE DECISION BASED ON IT. BUT THEY'RE MAKING A DECISION BASED ON THE TAXES THAT WE COLLECT. 
          AND SO THEREIN LIES THE QUESTION OF IT, OF THEY APPARENTLY, OR THAT HAS BEEN. CALLED INTO QUESTION OF DO THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO NEGATE THE TAXES THAT ARE BEING COLLECTED ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL. AND THEY'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE INFILL. 
          YEAH, THEY'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE INFILL INTO A SPECIFIC REGION. SO WHEN I WAS FIRST APPROACHED ABOUT THIS, I WENT TO MARK AND ASKED JUST FOR THE HISTORY OF IT, AND HE HAS SHARED WITH ME THAT HE HAD ALREADY SAID THAT WE DO NOT GET A BENEFIT. AND THAT HE HAD ALREADY SHARED THREE TIMES THAT, NO, WE WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS. PART OF IT IS, ONE, WE DO LOSE THE REVENUE, AND IT'S HARD TO PREDICT THAT. BUT PART OF IT IS WHEN WE HAVE TO PASS A LEVY, EVERY FOUR YEARS, OUR EP&O LEVY, AND PART OF OUR NARRATIVE HAS BEEN. 
          WE'RE GOING OUT AND SAYING, BECAUSE OF THE CITY'S GROWTH PLAN, THAT OVER TIME, THE MORE PEOPLE PAYING IN, IT LOWERS. EVERYBODY'S PART OF IT. AND THAT'S BEEN OUR COMMUNICATION AND OUR PROMISE, BASED ON WHAT WE KNEW, AND THIS WOULD MAKE THAT NOT TRUE BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE SECTIONS WHO ARE NOT FEEDING INTO IT. AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR YOU, AND MARK'S REALLY, HE'S UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE'S REALLY THE ONE WHO HAS SPENT MORE TIME LEARNING ABOUT THIS AND UNDERSTANDING IT. 
          BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE CAN GO AND GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE COUNCIL. I DID ASK. 
          THE CITY ADMINISTRATORS TO HAVE TIME WITH COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR VIEWPOINT, ULTIMATELY KNOWING IT'S THE CITY COUNCIL'S VOTE. 
          BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL, UM, PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD MAKE A VOTE, HAVING HEARD FROM US AND THE IMPACT. AND THEN TO, UM, I. WE COULD ALSO CRAFT A LETTER ON BEHALF OF YOU THAT WE PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL, SO IT REPRESENTS THE VIEW OF THE BOARD. SO, UM, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, IT COULD BE MYSELF, IT COULD BE MARK, IT COULD BE ONE OF YOU. YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE AVENUES REALLY TO GO AND MEET. I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU'VE STEPPED UP AS THE LIAISON. I KEPT ASKING, WHO'S GOING TO BE THE LIAISON? BECAUSE I THINK ALSO COUNCILMAN MUNCHLER CAN ALSO REPRESENT THAT HE HAS HEARD FROM YOU. 
          BUT THOSE WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU IN TERMS OF GETTING YOUR... 
          VOICE ACROSS, I THINK, TOO. 
          IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN EMAIL THE COUNCIL, YOU CAN LET ME KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, WE CAN EMAIL THE COUNCIL AND GET THOSE ANSWERS FOR YOU AS WELL. BUT I WAS VERY CLEAR THAT WE WERE NOT IN SUPPORT OF IT BASED ON WHAT I ALREADY KNEW. AND THAT, TO MY CONCERN, WITH US NOT HAVING TIME WITH COUNSEL UNTIL THE HEARING. A LOT OF WORK GOES ON PRIOR TO, AS YOU KNOW AS A BOARD, A LOT YOU'RE DOING, A LOT OF LEARNING ALONG THE WAY. 
          AND SO BY THE TIME THE HEARING COMES, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS AN UNDECIDED TIME. 
          THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT'S GONE INTO IT, SO GETTING IN FRONT OF IT EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER WOULD BE HELPFUL. THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU, BUT I'M WAITING FOR DIRECTION, HOW YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND. 
          SO THE CITY CAME TO US JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT US TO KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING AND THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT. BUT ULTIMATELY, IT'S THEIR DECISION, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. 
          AM I CORRECT ON THAT? THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD. I WAS ASKED IF I COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE ABOUT IT. I SAID, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE OUR STANCE ON IT, AND WE'VE ALREADY SAID NO THREE TIMES THAT WE DON'T APPROVE OF IT. I'M PRETTY NEW TO THE LEARNING. MARK HAS SPENT MORE TIME WITH IT. AND THEN IT WAS, WELL, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING FORWARD. 
          RESEARCHING THIS AND PUTTING IT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL ANYWAY. AND SO THAT'S WHEN I MADE YOU AWARE THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING. I WISH IT WOULD HAVE COME UP WHEN YOU INVITED THE CITY TO THE MEETING EARLIER THIS YEAR. IN TERMS OF, I WAS SURPRISED BY THE GROWTH, THE PROJECTIONS. I THINK THE PART IS, IF I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE OTHER NIGHT, THERE ARE EITHER, COUNCILMAN MUNCHLER MAY BE KNOW THERE IS SOMEONE WHO'S ACTUALLY USING IT IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. 
          BUT THE VOTE BEFORE THE COUNCIL WILL BE DO THEY WANT TO EXPAND THE AREA? AND THAT 
          [01:30:02]
WAS THE PART THAT I WAS SAYING NO TO, YEAH, THAT WAS THE PART THAT MIKE WAS SHARING WITH US. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ONLY, I THINK, ONE PROJECT THAT IS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN IT, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER DEVELOPER THAT HAS COME AND ASKED THEM TO EXPAND THAT AREA TO ENCOMPASS AN AREA HE WANTS TO DEVELOP. AND APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO MIKE, HE'S ENCOURAGED THAT DEVELOPER TO COME AND TALK TO THE DISTRICT. 
          BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM. I HAVE NOT TALKED TO THE DEVELOPER. I TALKED TO THE CITY. NO, I THINK WE INVITE YOU HERE SO YOU COULD HEAR WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. 
          LUCKY YOU. DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. I WOULD WANT TO ASSURE THE LISTENERS. 
          COULD YOU TURN ON YOUR MIC? BE CLOSER TO IT. BE CLOSER TO IT. WAS THAT ON? IF IT'S GREEN, IS THAT ON? YEAH, JUST GET, YOUR MOUTH ALMOST HAS TO BE CLOSE TO IT. I'M NOT AWARE OF THREE REQUESTS BY MR. DEBACH. THERE WAS A WINDOW WHEN I WAS NOT ON THE COUNCIL, SO IT MAY HAVE COME DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE, IF THEY COULD BE SENT. I ALSO WOULD WANT TO ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD... CLEARLY WANT TO HEAR. AND THIS IS A NEW ITEM FOR THEM. THIS WAS ADOPTED IN 2018. THAT WAS A WHILE AGO. AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOBODY HAS USED IT. I THINK THERE'S ONE PROPOSAL TO USE IT, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY DOLLARS AT THE CURRENT TIME BEING LOST. I THINK YOU KNOW THIS ALREADY, BUT MAYBE THE FOLKS HERE MIGHT NOT KNOW. THIS IS A VERY NARROW PART OF FERNDALE THAT DOES NOT HAVE ANY DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE. YOU'RE CURRENTLY NOT BENEFITING FROM NON-DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT HAPPENING. BECAUSE THERE'S SOME INHERENT DIFFICULTIES IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE, WHICH INCLUDE BEING IN THE FLOODPLAIN. IT'S ALSO RELATED TO THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOT TO TEAR DOWN A BUILDING TO BUILD A BUILDING, AND THAT ADDS A TREMENDOUS COST TO SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO PUT SOME MULTIFAMILY IN. 
          YOU ALSO PROBABLY HAVE TO BUY TWO OR THREE OR FOUR LOTS IN ORDER TO PUT AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN. WHEN YOU START KNOCKING DOWN SOME OF THE OLD HOUSES. SO IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY TO USE THE WORD INFILL. WE LIKE INFILL BECAUSE IT HELPS US TO KEEP THE CITY CLOSER TO THE CITY, SO WE'RE NOT EXTENDING OUT INTO THE COUNTY. I KNOW YOU'LL GET A GOOD HEARING. I SUGGEST THE SUPERINTENDENT, MAYBE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, COME INTO THAT MEETING WHEN IT COMES UP. AND YOU ARE RECEIVING, I'M SURE, THE NOTICES FROM MICHAEL WHEN THESE THINGS ARE TAKING PLACE. WHAT I KNOW, MARK MESSAGED ME. THE DEVELOPER DID COME AND ASK US, SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ALONG, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T NECESSARILY HAD THAT CONVERSATION. AND WE TOLD THEM, NO, WE WERE NOT INTERESTED. AND THERE IS ANOTHER MEETING SCHEDULED IN A WEEK OR SO. I THINK, DID YOU SEE THE STUDY SESSION THE OTHER NIGHT? NO. OKAY, WE'LL EMAIL THAT TO YOU. IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE, I THOUGHT. AND I THINK THE QUESTION BEFORE US, WHICH ANY OF YOU CORRECT ME, WAS THAT THEY'RE ASKING TO EXTEND THE AREA. SO THE AREA THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED BACK IN 2018-19 IS THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, BUT THERE'S A DEVELOPER ASKING TO START PUSHING IT OUT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING NO TO. AND, AGAIN, THE CITY WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL WHEN IT HAD ITS DEFINED LIMITS. IT HAD A CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC AREA. I GUESS CONCEIVABLY, WE COULD DO THE WHOLE CITY, BUT THAT WOULD BE NUTS FOR ALL OF US. IT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. IT'S VERY NARROWLY FOCUSED. THE STUDY SECTION, WAS THERE A CITY STAFF MEMBER THERE? WAS THAT, MR. CHABOT? YES, HE CAME AND HE PRESENTED IT, AND HE HAD GREAT GRAPHICS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AT HELPING US UNDERSTAND, AND HE HAD GREAT MAPS. 
          FOR ME, IT WAS VERY INFORMATIONAL, I THINK, FOR THE BOARD. WE LEARNED A LOT. PEGGY HAD SOME GREAT QUESTIONS. SO ANYWAY, WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND IT. SEE IT. YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT. YEAH, I THINK THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE EXPANDED, AND THEY SHOULD SUNSET THE POLICY. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT MIKE WAS REITERATING, THAT THE COUNCIL COULD DO. 
          SO I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S BENEFITING ANYONE. WELL, I MEAN, IT MAY BENEFIT THE CITY IN TERMS OF THEIR PLANNING. 
          SO, I MEAN, THAT'S IF YOU HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT, AND CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, SO. AND THAT IS A GOOD POINT. WE'RE EXPECTED TO ENCOURAGE INFILL, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE NOW ALLOWING TWO 
          [01:35:03]
ADUS ON A LOT. WE HAVE TO. 
          WE HAVE TO ALLOW. DUPLEXES AND FOURPLEXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FOR FERNDALE. SO, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT? WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES FOR THAT? WELL, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GET GRANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOR THINGS LIKE ROADS. 
          LIKE, WE GOT $20 MILLION TO PUT THE BRIDGE OVER, THORNTON, THE THORNTON BRIDGE IN, AND THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS ARE BEYOND THE CITY'S MONEY, AS I'M SURE YOU HAVE PROJECTS HERE THAT ARE... PERHAPS IF YOU'RE ON AND YOU'RE DEPENDENT UPON GRANTS. SO IT DOESN'T PROFIT US TO BE AT ODDS WITH THE STATE IN TERMS OF GETTING FUNDS. 
          YEAH, I BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF THE CITY PURSUING OPTIONS THAT COULD HAVE LESS OR HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE FIRE DISTRICT OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND HE SAID, THERE IS A POLICY RIGHT NOW. I'M BLANKING ON WHAT IT'S CALLED. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY SHOULD. 
          POTENTIALLY GO DOWN THAT ROAD. I BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF EXEMPTING WATER CONNECTION FEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT INSTEAD OF EXEMPTING PROPERTY TAXES. 
          AND HE SAID, THERE IS A PLAN. 
          I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT'S CALLED. BUT THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE THAT THE CITY CAN PURSUE THAT MAYBE THEY CAN ABSORB THE COST OF PURSUING INFILL INSTEAD OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR THE FIRE DISTRICT. WE HAVE LIMITED LEVERS THAT WE CAN PULL. WE REDUCE WATER FEES FOR A CERTAIN GROUP. WE HAVE TO DO CITYWIDE. BLAINE TRIED THAT IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH IN BLAINE. THEY WAIVED ALL THEIR WATER CONNECTION FEES BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO INCENTIVIZE THE DOWNTOWN. 
          WELL, ALL THEY DID WAS THEY SUDDENLY GOT THIS BIG RUSH OF HOUSING UP IN BLAINE BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT CHEAPER TO BUILD IN BLAINE THAN FERNDALE OR ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          SO IT IS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MANY LEVERS WE CAN PULL. SO ANYWAY, YEAH, PLEASE COME. WELL, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE STUDY SESSION WITH MIKE, AND I THINK EVERY TIME WE MEET TOGETHER COMES OUT, IS WE DON'T ACT IN A VACUUM. WHAT WE DO AFFECTS EACH OTHER, AND SO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE GROUP, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO PUT TOGETHER A LETTER TO THE CITY COUNCIL JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS. FOR X, Y, Z. 
          POTENTIALLY, MARK, I THINK. 
          I'M NOT WANTING TO VOLUNTEER HIM, BUT I THINK HE'S ONLINE. 
          HE'LL SEND CHRISTY A NOTE. 
          CHRISTY'S VOLUNTEERING HIM NOW. SINCE HE'S GOT THE MOST HISTORY WITH THIS, MAYBE HE COULD DRAFT A LETTER FOR US THAT WE COULD REVIEW AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND THEN SEND TO THE CITY. LETTING THEM. SO WE STATE CLEARLY WHAT OUR POINT OF VIEW IS. 
          THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. WHEN'S THIS MEETING GOING TO HAPPEN? WE COULD, EITHER. WELL, PROBABLY OUR NEXT MEETING WOULD BE OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING AT THE END OF MARCH, UNLESS WE DID IT AT THE STUDY SESSION, WHICH THEN WE'D HAVE TO MAKE THAT A SPECIAL MEETING IN ORDER TO TAKE ANY ACTION. I'M SORRY, IT WASN'T CLEAR. WHEN IS IT THERE? OH, THEIR MEETING. 
          SORRY. CAN I RAISE MY HAND? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROTOCOL IS. I JUST INTERRUPTED AT CITY HALL. I THINK, YOU KNOW THIS, BUT IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING THAT THESE ARE MONIES THAT WE'RE NOT COLLECTING RIGHT NOW. 
          BECAUSE THERE IS NO DEVELOPMENT, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO DEVELOPMENT 50, 60, 70 YEARS IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE. IT'S BEEN, AND WE'VE TRIED DIFFERENT INCENTIVES TO DO THAT. SO THIS IS MONEY, THESE ARE MONIES WE'RE CURRENTLY NOT COLLECTING. SO WE'RE NOT TAKING SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE ALREADY GETTING. 
          I ALSO THINK IT'S A SMALL GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND FOR SOME REASON, SHOULD IT WORK, YES, THERE WOULD BE TAXES THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE RECEIVING IN THE CITY OR THE FIRE DISTRICT, BUT EVENTUALLY WE WILL BE. 
          AND THAT'S A BENEFIT AS WELL. 
          AND FURTHER, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THAT MANY UNITS WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE. IT HASN'T BEEN THAT MANY SO FAR. WHAT WAS THE NUMBER WE GOT THE OTHER NIGHT? THERE WAS ONE, I CAN'T REMEMBER, THERE WAS ONE PROJECT THAT IS POTENTIALLY QUALIFYING, AND THEN THE ONE THAT WAS BEING PROPOSED, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER WAS. I THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT 100 UNITS, THE ONE THAT WAS BEING PROPOSED. THERE WAS THREE PROJECTS. TWO OF THEM DIDN'T MAKE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AS FAR AS QUALIFYING, AND THEN THE THIRD ONE DID, WHICH WAS LIKE 17 UNITS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 132, CHRIS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE CURRENT PROJECT THAT IS MAKING THE REQUEST OF THE EXPANSION IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT, AND IT'S $1.6 MILLION. THE COST OF THE PROJECT OR THE TAXES? I THINK, LET ME FIND OUT. I'M GOING WITH MY PERSON ONLINE. THE 
          [01:40:06]
TAXES. THAT WOULD BE TOTAL TAXES. YEAH. IT SEEMS KIND OF HIGH, BUT THAT COULD BE THE FULL EIGHT YEARS, TOO. 
          THAT'S THE ASSESSED VALUE. 
          YEAH, SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT THE TAXES ARE ON. IS THAT TAXES OVER THE EIGHT YEARS, OR FOR ONE YEAR, OR, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS KIND OF HIGH. OKAY, SO THE TAXES WOULD BE ABOUT 10% OF THAT. 
          TYPICALLY ABRUPTLY. SO THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT $180,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHATEVER IT WAS. AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW EXACTLY. AND THAT MIGHT BE WHERE WE CAN GET THE COUNTY AUDITOR TO HELP US OUT. OH, GO AHEAD. 
          I THINK THE TRICKY THING FOR US, FOR ME, IS THAT WE WENT OUT AND WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS AN AGGRESSIVE GROWTH PLAN IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND SO. 
          UNLIKE THE FIRE DISTRICT OR ANYONE ELSE, WE HAVE TO RUN OUR EP&O LEVY EVERY FOUR YEARS, AND WE COUNT ON THAT. AND SO WE PUT OUT THAT AS THE CITY EXPANDS AND DOES THIS GROWTH, IT'S GOOD FOR SCHOOLS BECAUSE IT LOWERS EVERYBODY'S TAX RATE. AND EIGHT YEARS MIGHT NOT SEEM A LOT, BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING TO CUT $6 MILLION, $4 MILLION EVERY SINGLE YEAR. 
          BECAUSE THE STATE IS NOT MEETING THEIR PARAMOUNT DUTY, EVEN $1,000 OR $4,000, IS A HUGE LOSS FOR KIDS. AND SO THAT'S THE DISTRICT STANCE IS WHY IT MAY SEEM SMALL TO SOME. IT ADDS UP TO BE A LOT FOR US WHEN WE'RE ALREADY GIVING UP MILLIONS AND MILLIONS BECAUSE THE STATE IS SO UNDERFUNDED. 
          IN THE LAST, SINCE 2012, THE STATE HAS SHORTED U.S. 
          IN SPECIAL EDUCATION $12 MILLION, OR 2021, $12 MILLION. MSOX. IT'S JUST GOING UP AND UP. AND NEXT YEAR, EVEN IF THE STATE WERE TO GIVE US EVERYTHING THAT WE GOT THIS YEAR, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE US EVERYTHING. JUST WITH INFLATION, WE ARE PREDICTING THAT WE COULD BE SHORT $3 MILLION. SO WHAT SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE BIT TO EVERYBODY ELSE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAPER AND SCISSORS, AND LIGHTS. AND INSURANCE AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION. SO WE... 
          SO THAT IS WHY IS THAT WE WANT OUR WORD TO BE. AND SO IF THE WE JUST FEEL, I FEEL THE NEED AS A SUPERINTENDENT THAT I WENT OUT AND I SAID, THIS IS. THE PROMISE WE'RE MAKING IS THAT AS THERE IS THIS GROWTH IN THE CITY, IT'LL LOWER EVERYBODY'S TAXES AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR YOU TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS. 
          AND WHEN? AND I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THIS, AND IT HADN'T BEEN ENACTED, SO WE HADN'T BEEN LEANING ON IT. I JUST WANT OUR WORD TO MEAN SOMETHING, AND SO I FEEL THAT WE HAVE TO BE VOCAL IN WHY. IT ISN'T HAPPENING THE WAY WE SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE. SO THAT'S MY TAKE. THE BOARD MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT TAKE, BUT THAT'S WHERE I'M SITTING AS THE SUPERINTENDENT. MAY I ASK, YOU SAID SOMETHING I THOUGHT I HEARD TWICE, AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. 
          SOMEBODY TOLD YOU THAT WHEN WE GROW, THAT TAXES WILL GO DOWN ON EVERYBODY ELSE? WE SPREAD OUT THE AMOUNT, SO WE SET OUR AMOUNT. AND AS MORE PEOPLE ARE BUYING PROPERTY OR HOMES, THEN IT REDUCES, IT LOWERS EVERYBODY'S TAX. 
          IT SPREADS OUT FOR MORE PEOPLE. SO IF BRIAN AND ANTONIO ARE PAYING, YOU KNOW, $50 FOR SOMETHING, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, AND THAT'S ALL THEY OWE, AND THEN I SAY, HEY, I'LL COME IN AND I'LL SPLIT THAT WITH YOU. NOW THEY'RE NOT PAYING $50 BECAUSE WE'RE SPLITTING THAT AMONGST US. 
          AND THEN KEVIN COMES IN AND NOW HE'S SPLITTING IT. 
          AND SO WE'RE ALL, WHAT WAS A BURDEN TO THEM IS NOW SHARED AMONGST THE FAMILY. FOUR OF US. SO THAT'S HOW OUR LEVY WORKS. AND SO WE MADE THAT COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY BASED ON WHAT THE CITY'S GROWTH PLAN WAS. AND SO THIS IS NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE PROMISED. AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORD IS UPHELD. AND IF IT'S NOT, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY. THE CITY'S ALLOCATION OF TAX REVENUES FROM THE COUNTY IS DONE DIFFERENTLY. 
          WE ASKED FOR A FIXED THEM OUT. 
          TYPICALLY LIKE $2 MILLION, AND IT STAYS THAT AMOUNT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOUR HOME IS MORE OR LESS LIKE A WATERBED. IT'S THE SAME SIZE, BUT IT MIGHT GET SHIFTED AROUND A LITTLE BIT. BUT IF THERE'S ANNEXATION OR NEW CONSTRUCTION, WE'RE ALLOWED TO INCREASE THE PIE. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT. NO, AND I ASKED TODAY, MARK, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, AND I MIGHT MESS THIS UP. SO IF ANYONE'S WATCHING AND THEY SAY, OH, CHRISTY REALLY MESSED THIS UP, JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I'LL FIX IT. I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I CAME TO YOUR COUNCIL MEETING AND I LISTENED TO CHIEF BOYKO EXPLAIN ABOUT THE LEVY FOR THE FIRE DISTRICT. AND 
          [01:45:01]
THEN IT WAS LIKE, ONCE THEY PASS IT, THEY'VE PASSED IT. BECAUSE THEY ARE USING THEIR FUNDS FOR, YOU KNOW, BASIC. 
          PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING. AND THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE. IT'S LIKE THEIR OPERATING COSTS. 
          SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVIES, THEY'RE CALLED ENRICHMENT LEVIES. WELL, HOW THE STATE DEFINES ENRICHMENT IS ANYTHING THEY DON'T PAY FOR. 
          WELL, THEY'RE NOT PAYING TO COVER ALL OUR BASIC COSTS. 
          THEY ARE NOT PAYING TO HELP US COVER ALL THE COSTS OF INSURANCE, THE LIGHTS, THE CURRICULUM. 
          THEY'RE NOT PAYING FOR ALL THE COSTS THAT ARE GOING INTO... SPECIAL EDUCATION. 
          SO THEY'RE DEFINING ANYTHING THEY DON'T PAY FOR IS OUR ENRICHMENT. SO WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THE WORD ENRICHMENT, I BECAME A SUPERINTENDENT, I THOUGHT, OH, ENRICHMENT IS THE SPORTS, IT'S THE THEATER, IT'S THE MUSIC, ALL THE THINGS WE LOVE. IT'S THE AFTER SCHOOL CLUB, IT'S THE ACTIVITY BUS, IT'S ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SPEND OUR LEVY DOLLARS ON. 
          BUT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY SPENDING OUR LEVY DOLLARS ON THE SAME TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE FIRE DISTRICT IS DOING. WE JUST HAVE TO RUN OUR LEVY EVERY FOUR YEARS. I'LL TELL YOU THIS ONE LITTLE STORY. I WENT TO A SEMINAR ON PROPERTY TAXES AT AWC A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND THE OPENING SENTENCE WAS, WE ASSURE YOU THAT PROPERTY TAXES IN WASHINGTON STATE ARE THE MOST I STILL DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND IT. I'VE TRIED REALLY HARD. AND I DON'T HAVE A VERY STRONG, SCHOOL-CENTERED UNDERSTANDING. IT'S JUST ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE CITY. I'M GOING TO SEND YOU A TON OF INFORMATION. YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN SO MUCH. I CAN'T WAIT. ANYWAY, PLEASE COME. 
          WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE A TEAM, AND ALL THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL OR WENT TO FERNDALE SCHOOLS, AND THE MAYOR WENT TO FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL, SO YOU'VE GOT SOME GOOD ADVOCATES DOWN THERE. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BALANCE VARIOUS NEEDS AT THE END OF THE DAY. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME HARD NUMBERS, TOO. MAYBE WE CAN GET THOSE AS TO THE EXACT FINANCIAL IMPACTS. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO LISTEN. I WAS GOING TO SAY, YOU COULD AT LEAST GET A RANGE, RIGHT? YOU COULD JUST, LIKE, SAY, OKAY, NO CHILDREN AT ALL. VERSUS, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE UNIT IS FILLED TO THE MAX WITH KIDS. YOU KNOW, YOU COULD GET A RANGE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T GET AN EXACT NUMBER, OR AT LEAST IT WOULD GIVE YOU SOME IDEA. 
          YEAH, AND THAT'S AN INTERESTING HYPOTHETICAL. 
          THERE COULD BE JUST A HANDFUL OF KIDS, AND THERE COULD BE SENIOR CITIZENS. WE DON'T KNOW. YOU'RE IMPACTED BY THE STUDENTS, NOT NECESSARILY BY THE BUILDING. THE MIC. 
          SORRY. SORRY. I MEAN, HOW DOES THE CITY, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT THE ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION LOAD? I MEAN, THEY MUST HAVE SOME FORMULA THEY FOLLOW. MAYBE THERE'S JUST SOME ESTIMATE OUT THERE FOR KIDS. WE TRY TO MANAGE IT. WE DO. WE BUILD ROUNDABOUTS AND BRIDGES AND STOP SIGNS, BUT WE DO. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU, JOHN. 
          APPRECIATE YOU BEING WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE. WHY NOT? YOU KNOW. NOTHING LIKE PLAYING HOT POTATO. 
          THERE WAS SUCH A QUIET EVENING BEFORE. SO, THANK YOU. SO ARE WE, YOU KNOW, I GUESS. WE DO NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE CITY'S TIMETABLE IS AS FAR AS BRINGING FORTH THIS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TIMELY WITH OUR INPUT. IS THAT, CAN YOU? YEP, I'LL DO THAT RESEARCH. I'LL FIND OUT. 
          IT SOUNDED LIKE THE HEARING WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY. 
          BUT I'LL DOUBLE CHECK. AND MARK HAS AGREED TO WRITE UP A DRAFT FOR YOU. 
          I WILL HAVE THAT ORIGINAL DRAFT FOR YOU BY THE STUDY SESSION, SO YOU CAN LOOK THAT OVER. 
          AND THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE. 
          AND THEN IF YOU ALSO, AFTER THAT, IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO GO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          OR IF ONE OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, I THINK YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THAT FURTHER. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? I THINK THAT SOUNDS GOOD. ALL IN AGREEMENT? OKAY. OKAY. 
          OH, WAIT. I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. MARCUS AND I, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO REALLY TAKE THIS ALL IN BECAUSE GUYS, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT TAXES. I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I KNOW I HAVE TO FILE THEM. I KNOW I HAVE A JOB, BUT THAT'S REALLY AS FAR AS THAT GOES. AND WE WATCHED THE STUDY SESSION. WE WATCHED THE FIRST PART OF IT WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MFTE. AND WE DID OUR OWN RESEARCH BECAUSE WE WERE LIKE, WHAT? EVEN OUR PROPERTY TAXES, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? AND SO THROUGHOUT THE LITTLE RESEARCH THAT WE WERE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GAIN, AND I KNOW THERE'S... 
          LIKE A STUDENT IN THE AUDIENCE. SO LIKE, I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY THIS FOR ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T REALLY KNOW OR LIKE, I MEAN, WE NEED CLARIFICATION OURSELVES. 
          BUT BASICALLY, WHAT I'M HEARING AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM THIS CONVERSATION IS THAT THE CITY ALREADY PASSED THIS WHOLE MFTE THING IN 2018. 
          BUT NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO, LIKE, INCREASE THE THE LAND SIZE TO WHICH THEY'RE ADDING. 
          THESE MULTI-FAMILY UNITS, AND THESE MULTI-FAMILY UNITS HAVE AN EIGHT-YEAR TAX EXEMPTION FOR, LIKE, 
          [01:50:02]
ANY IMPROVEMENTS. SO ARE THEY PAYING THEIR NORMAL, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS, BUT LIKE NORMAL PROPERTY TAX, BUT THEN FOR ANY IMPROVEMENTS. SO THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANY PROPERTY TAX AT ALL. AND PROPERTY TAX OBVIOUSLY GOES TO THE SCHOOLS. THEY'RE PAYING THE LAND, PROPERTY VALUE, BUT NOT THE BUILDING. NOT THE WHOLE VALUE. OKAY. AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT WE, OKAY, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THAT MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE SCHOOLS, BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT MONEY ANYMORE. 
          AND OBVIOUSLY MULTIFAMILY UNITS, THAT MEANS LIKE A LOT OF KIDS ARE GOING TO BE LIVING, LIKE. WHAT WE THINK A LOT OF KIDS ARE GOING TO BE LIVING IN THOSE UNITS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE JOINING OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE GETTING MONEY FOR THEM. SO LIKE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT THEM? OKAY. THE OTHER THING WE SAW IS LIKE IMPACT FEES. SO THE CITY IS LIKE, SUPPOSED TO, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, OR THEY CAN, HOW THAT WORKS, IMPACT FEES, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS WILL IMPACT THE SCHOOLS. SO THEY'RE NOT PAYING IMPACT FEES FOR HAVING THESE EXEMPTIONS. I DON'T THINK THAT, I DON'T THINK THIS IMPACTS... 
          THE IMPACT FEES. THAT'S A COMPLICATED SENTENCE. AND THE IMPACT FEES ARE ONLY ON CERTAIN TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS. BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE PASSED AT THE LAST MEETING, WHICH HAD A PRETTY GOOD EXPLANATION WITHIN IT. AND AGAIN, I WILL NOT CLAIM TO BE THE EXPERT, BUT GOING THROUGH IT. DEFINITELY, AND I'M GOING TO PUT IN A PLUG AT THIS POINT. I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT LATER. BUT FOR ANYBODY THAT, THANK YOU. IS LISTENING THAT DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE OUR STUDY SESSION. IT IS ONLINE. YOU CAN WATCH THE RECORDING. IT DID HAVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION, AND MIKE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB AS FAR AS EXPLAINING THE WHOLE MFT PROCESS AND WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY SOME STUFF, JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY. THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO CALL ADULT ISSUES, AND JUST LIKE ADULT PROBLEMS, THAT THEY'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT. 
          BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GOING TO BE AN ADULT NEXT MONTH. 
          SO DON'T PLAY WITH ME, GUYS. I'M TRYING TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SENIOR OVER THERE WHO'S GOING TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF SENIORS AND JUST STUDENTS IN GENERAL WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS. THEY JUST LIKE, THEY'RE NOT THE TYPE TO COME UP AND ASK, REALLY. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, AS OUR JOB, IT'S TO GO AROUND AND LIKE, START TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. SO WE JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ADULTS WHO ARE ALWAYS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID, I REALLY WANTED TO GROW UP, AND NOW THAT I'M AN ADULT, IT REALLY WASN'T SO BAD BACK THEN? OH, YEAH. I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME. KUDOS TO YOU GUYS FOR DIGGING INTO IT. THAT IS IMPRESSIVE. SO I LIKE HEARING IT. OKAY. 
          WELL, WE WILL CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION. I THINK THE OTHER ROOT OF THAT, LIKE I MENTIONED TO JOHN AND THOSE LISTENING, IS... WE DON'T WORK IN A VACUUM. WHAT WE DO AFFECTS THE CITY. WHAT THE CITY DOES AFFECTS US. SO WE ALL NEED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER AND KEEPING EACH OTHER INFORMED OF HOW WE CAN SCRATCH EACH OTHER'S BACKS AND WORK TOGETHER FOR A WIN-WIN. THE OTHER ITEM FOR DISCUSSION FOR US, ITEM 7.0, WAS A CONTINUATION OF THE CONVERSATION I SUGGESTED AT OUR STUDY SESSION, WHICH IS THE FOCUS ON IMPROVING ATTENDANCE. IF WE RECALL, AND JUST TO KIND OF RECAP THAT, BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE BOARD OPTED TO PUT A FOCUS ON CELL PHONE USE, AND I THINK WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH OUR FOCUS ON THAT, THE BENEFITS THAT. BRINGING A POLICY THAT WAS REALLY THERE TO THE FOREFRONT AND MAKING SOME MODIFICATIONS AND SUCH HAS HELPED AND IS MAKING SOME STRIDES IN IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALSO HEARD OVER THE YEARS AS AN ASPECT HAS BEEN ATTENDANCE. AND IT KIND OF FITS IN AS WE'RE HEARING THE BELL TIME TASK FORCE IS KIND OF COMING TO THEIR POINT OF BEING READY TO PRODUCE A REPORT. THAT'S GOING TO PART OF THE REASON WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT IS AFFECTING ATTENDANCE. SO I WANTED TO HAVE MORE OF A DISCUSSION. IN REGARDS TO ATTENDANCE AND HOW WE MIGHT MAKE THAT A FOCUS IF WE CHOOSE TO DO SO, OF THE BOARD. ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT CHRISTY AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT AND HAD WITH IT WAS POTENTIALLY AT OUR STUDY SESSION ON THE 18TH OF NEXT MONTH. TO HAVE... I THINK IT'S THE ACTUAL 11TH, CHRIS SAID. IS IT? YEP, YOU'RE RIGHT. I'M SORRY. I'M GETTING THE... 
          FEBRUARY AND MARCH HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS FOR ME. SAME DAYS, SAME DAYS OF THE WEEK. SO, YEAH. IT IS THE 11TH, AND HAVING THAT STUDY SESSION BEING AT LEAST PARTIALLY RELATED TO OR DEDICATED TO ATTENDANCE AND HEARING MORE ABOUT THE IMPACTS. IF 
          [01:55:02]
YOU DIDN'T HEAR, THE ALLUDING TO. THE BOARD IS AT SOME POINT GOING TO GET THAT BELL TIME STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT COMMITTEE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT GET TO ACT ON IT. AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE NECESSARILY AN EASY DECISION BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF IT. IT SOUNDS REMINISCENT TO ME OF THE DAYS WHEN WE HAD TO DECIDE WHICH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO CLOSE, AND THAT'S NOT A... 
          NECESSARILY A FUN DECISION, BUT SOMETHING THAT CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE DISTRICT. SO I WANTED TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT AS FAR AS, AND DID YOU FIND OUT IF THE PERSON IS AVAILABLE? HE HAS NOT EMAILED BACK YET, BUT I WILL CONTINUE. AND IF HE CAN'T, I CAN SEE ABOUT RECORDING SOMETHING THAT I COULD PLAY. OKAY. SO, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS AS FAR AS DIGGING DEEP OR DIVING DEEP INTO ATTENDANCE A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE STUDENTS. AND AND HOW WE CAN MAKE A STATEMENT EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH. OKAY. WELL, HOW IT IMPACTS STUDENTS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF YOU DON'T GO TO SCHOOL, YOU CAN'T LEARN. 
          OKAY, OBVIOUSLY WE ALREADY KNOW THAT. I THINK SOMETHING THAT MARCUS OBVIOUSLY BROUGHT UP DURING OUR WHOLE SHARING SITUATION WAS THE WHOLE SKIPPING POLICY THAT IS RUNNING THROUGH OUR HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S REMINDING ME VERY MUCH SO OF THE WHOLE CELL PHONE POLICY SITUATION, JUST WITH THE WAY THAT THEY FORMATTED IT AND HAVE THIS TIERED SYSTEM AND THE WAY THAT THEY'RE ENFORCING IT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING. I REALLY DO. I'M JUST LIKE, I REALLY, REALLY LOVE WHEN THE BOARD, THE STAFF MEMBERS, THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THE PARENTS ARE ALL ALIGNED. 
          IN SOMETHING. LIKE, I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT IS WHERE YOU GET THE MOST STRUCTURE FROM. 
          THAT'S WHEN IT'S, LIKE, MOST EFFECTIVE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE SEE IMPROVEMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE SAW WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY, GUYS. SO, I THINK THIS WHOLE SKIPPING POLICY, IT'S REALLY GOOD FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL SIDE. I MEAN, IT'S ONLY, IT'S ONLY BEEN, LIKE, A FEW DAYS, SO YOU GUYS, I CAN'T REALLY SAY TOO MUCH ABOUT HOW MUCH THAT IMPACTED IT, BUT SO FAR, I JUST FEEL LIKE EVERYONE'S, LIKE, REALLY AWARE OF, LIKE, OKAY, YEAH, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND THERE'S REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR IT. SO I JUST THINK THAT IF THE BOARD WANTS TO TAKE THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF SKIPPING IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE CARS AND STUFF. BUT AT LEAST FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL SIDE, I REALLY DO LIKE THE STANCE AND THIS ALIGNMENT. AND I THINK SEEING THAT FROM THE BOARD, TOO. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW THAT WE ALL AGREE WITH IT. SO JUST HAVING THAT ALIGNMENT, I GUESS, WOULD BE REALLY GOOD, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE. 
          WITH THE SKIPPING, WAS THERE ANY KIND OF BUY-IN, ANY EFFORTS FOR BUY-IN BEFORE IT JUST HAPPENED? BECAUSE I REMEMBER WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY, YOU MADE A VIDEO AND ALL THAT. THIS IS KIND OF A SURPRISE, RIGHT? YEAH, THIS ACTUALLY WAS. 
          FOR THE MOST PART, YEAH. I THINK I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT IT FIRST IN EQUAL TIME LAST WEEK, AND THEN IT CAME, AND THEN WE WERE TOLD ABOUT IT, AND WE WERE LIKE, THEY WERE LIKE, THIS IS HAPPENING SOON, AS IN THE NEXT WEEK AFTER THAT, WHICH IS THIS WEEK. AND I JUST FELT LIKE, BY THE WAY, THAT THEY DID IT, I FELT VERY INFORMED. AND IT WAS VERY BLATANTLY LIKE, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF YOU SKIP CLASS. 
          SO I FEEL LIKE IT WAS VERY INFORMATIONAL. AND IF YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, OR IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T IN CLASS. YEAH. SO, YEAH, THIS WAS LIKE, IT WAS A SURPRISE. I MEAN, I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF AN INSIDE SCOOP A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT THIS WAS LIKE, IN THE WORKS, BUT I WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS A NEXT YEAR PROBLEM. 
          LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE TIME. 
          THEY REALLY WHIPPED ONE OUT. 
          SO I WAS JUST LIKE, WHOA. I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, THERE'S NO, THERE WEREN'T NO LIKE VIDEOS MADE BY ASB AND LEADERSHIP, AS FAR AS I KNOW. 
          BUT IT WAS VERY CLEAR IN OUR HOMEROOM CLASS THAT YOU GOT TO FILL OUT THIS ASSIGNMENT AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. 
          SO ATTENDANCE WISE, I FEEL LIKE IT'S GONNA WORK. WE'RE WAITING. WE'RE WAITING TO SEE THE RESULTS OF IT IN YOUR GUYS'S CLASSES THAT YOU TAKE. ARE YOU SEEING SKIPPING? NO, OKAY, I DON'T SEE SKIPPING. I WOULD SAY THAT I'M PROBABLY AROUND. 
          THAT'S HARD, BECAUSE I WOULD SAY THAT FOR THE MOST PART. SO I TAKE A LOT OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES, TOO. I THINK THAT A LOT OF OUR, JUST BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THE KIDS TAKE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE ALL MY CLASSES WITH PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PEOPLE. SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY, LIKE, REPRESENT PEOPLE THAT I DON'T HAVE CLASS WITH. THERE IS SKIPPING OR NOT, BUT I KNOW THAT IT'S A PROBLEM, NOT NECESSARILY, NOT NECESSARILY SKIPPING. 
          BUT PEOPLE 
          [02:00:01]
LIKE JUST SOMETIMES IN THE HALLS FOR NO REASON, LIKE TRYING TO GET A CLASS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THE SAME THING THAT MARKS IS SAYING, LIKE IN MY ADVANCED CLASSES, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT SKIPPING BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO MISS SO MUCH. SO LIKE, AND OBVIOUSLY, YEAH, THOSE STUDENTS, THEY'RE NOT REALLY THE TYPE TO SKIP. BUT TRUST ME, I SEE KIDS IN THE HALLWAYS, JUST WALKING AROUND, WANDERING. AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HAVE ADMIN MEMBERS WHO ARE ALWAYS WANDERING THE HALLS, LIKE THEY ARE LIKE TRYING TO FIND THESE KIDS. 
          BUT THEY ARE JUST SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND LIKE ALL THIS SORT OF STUFF. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD TELL THEM TO GO BACK TO CLASS. THEY'LL WALK THEM TO CLASS, BUT THEN NEXT THING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WANDERING BACK. 
          THEY'RE OUT IN THE HALLWAY. 
          YEAH, LIKE, THEY'LL JUST FIND A WAY TO ESCAPE. SO IT IS A PROMINENT ISSUE. AND SKIPPING, JUST LIKE, OH, YEAH, WE HAVE A TEST NEXT PERIOD, I'M OUT OF HERE. 
          LUNCH IS STARTING, I'M NOT COMING BACK. SO IT'S A PROMINENT ISSUE. WHAT KIND OF? I'M SORRY, ANTONIO, WERE YOU OKAY. WHAT KIND OF DATA DO WE HAVE AROUND THIS? AS FAR AS WHAT? WHAT CLASS PERIODS ARE BEING SKIPPED? WHAT TYPES OF CLASSES ARE KIDS MISSING CLASS IN? THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO DRILL DOWN. SO I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT. I'D HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT. 
          TO BE HONEST, THIS IS NEW TO ME, SO I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS. AND SO I JUST HAVE TO GO LEARN MORE. MAYBE I COULD. EMAIL YOU SOME IDEAS AS FAR AS... AND AGAIN, PART OF THIS, AS FAR AS DISCUSSION, IS LOOKING TO HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          CERTAINLY, IF ANY OF US WERE ASKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS, AND I APPRECIATE HARLEEN AND MARCUS THROWING IN THEIR INPUT, BUT ATTENDANCE IS A BIG TOPIC, FROM SKIPPING TO KIDS NOT SHOWING UP FOR SCHOOL, WHETHER IT BE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE ELEMENTARY, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. 
          ANYWHERE, YOU KNOW, ATTENDANCE IS KIND OF THIS BIG GLOBAL UMBRELLA, AND I THINK MY HOPE FOR TONIGHT WAS KIND OF GETTING A FRAMEWORK PUT TOGETHER TO WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION. IS THAT A STANCE THE BOARD WANTS TO TAKE? I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY, IT WASN'T JUST, WE WEREN'T JUST LOOKING AT THE SCHOOLS PER SE, BUT WE WERE LOOKING AT EDUCATING COMMUNITY. THE WHOLE REALM TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE WITH IT AS FAR AS THE IMPORTANCE. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HARLEEN, I'M NOT SURE I'M GOING TO LET HER GRADUATE BECAUSE SHE SAYS SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS HERE. 
          WE MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE, LIKE A FIFTH-YEAR SENIOR AND STAY ON THE BOARD. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT IN CLASS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEARN. 
          IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL OR IF YOU'RE A KINDERGARTNER. EVEN WITH TALKING ABOUT THE TK PROGRAM, THOSE KIDS THAT ARE IN IT, THAT'S WHERE THEY LEARN. AND THAT'S WHERE THE PROCESS COMES. SO I THINK PART OF WHAT WE DID WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY IS WE HAD STUDY SESSION. WE HAD THOSE TIMES WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER. WE GAVE CHRISTY AND HER TEAM THE HEADS UP TO PUT INFORMATION TOGETHER FOR US TO HELP US TO UNDERSTAND. SO WE WERE GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO SAY, YEAH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STANCE THAT THE BOARD MAKES. AND THEN WE HAVE THE DATA TO BACK US UP WITH DOING THAT. AND SO MY HOPE WAS KIND OF MORE ON TONIGHT. NOT TO BE ASKING THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT TO PUT TOGETHER THE QUESTIONS, OR PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE WANT. 
          SO THAT WE AREN'T PUTTING THEM ON THE SPOT, TRYING TO ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT TELLING THEM, THIS IS KIND OF INFORMATION THAT WE'D LIKE TO DIG INTO DEEPER AS PART OF OUR EMPHASIS. ANTONIO? I'LL BE QUICK. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION REAL QUICK, IT'S NORMALLY I FEEL LIKE FIRST PERIOD. WHATEVER THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE DAY IS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE THING. 
          YOU DON'T NEED, LIKE, BEING LATE TO SCHOOL. THAT'S A LOT OF TIME WASTED, EVEN IF, LIKE, 10 MINUTES. SO, AND I'M NOT JUST TRYING TO TALK ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL. I KNOW FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE CAN ADD IN SKIPPING AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF. 
          BUT JUST IN GENERAL, LIKE I WAS SAYING WITH THE ALIGNMENT, I REALLY THINK THAT WHEN THE BOARD TAKES A STRONG STANCE ON SOMETHING, IT RICOCHETS, IT RIPPLES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. AND I THINK THE WHOLE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY PART IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. 
          BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE LIKE THE FRONT PAGE OF IT ALL. SO I THINK BY US TAKING A STANCE AND LIKE HAVING THAT AND LIKE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARENTS AND STUFF, THAT'S WHERE IT ALL BEGINS. 
          YOU KNOW, 10 MINUTES LATE, THEY MIGHT THINK, OK, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO DROP OFF MY KID, THIS AND THAT. 
          BUT EVEN BEING 10 MINUTES LATE, THAT CAN SET THEM BACK A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE. 
          MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU JUST TOUCHED UPON, WHAT YOU ASKED ABOUT, REALLY. WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT IN THE BELL TIME ADVISORY. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, YOU BROUGHT UP TARDIES. SO I 
          [02:05:03]
DID DO AN ANALYSIS OF THE PERCENT OF TARDIES. 
          FIRST PERIOD AND FIFTH PERIOD ARE THE FIRST PERIODS OF THE DAY, SO BLUE GOLD DAYS. THE TARDY RATE, AND I CAN SHARE THIS AT THE STUDY SESSION IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO THIS DIRECTION. THE PERCENT OF TARDIES IN FIRST PERIOD IS 11.65 PERCENT. SECOND PERIOD, 2.86 PERCENT. SO THAT FIRST PERIOD OF THE DAY, IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH. 
          FIFTH PERIOD, WHICH IS THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE SECOND DAY, IS 9.66%. SIXTH PERIOD, THE NEXT PERIOD, IS 2.1%. 
          AND IT'S ALWAYS BETWEEN LIKE 2% TO 4% ON THE OTHER. 
          AND THEN WE DID SOME RESEARCH AROUND, BECAUSE THIS QUESTION CAME UP. AS PART OF THE BELL TIME ADVISORY, PEOPLE WERE ASKING THAT EXACT QUESTION, SO WE PULLED THAT DATA. THE STUDENT ABSENCES, BUT THE INTERESTING THING WAS THE GRADES, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE GETTING DS AND FS IS MUCH HIGHER IN THOSE PERIODS AS WELL, WHICH THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL OR THEY'RE LATE. 
          SO ANYWAY, IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THE STUDY SESSION FOR THIS, WE COULD BEGIN. 
          LIKE YOU DID WITH THE CELL, DO SOME LEARNING TOGETHER, MAKE A PLAN, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? PERHAPS IT'S HEARING FROM SOME STUDENTS, WHY ARE THEY GONE? BUT I THINK, HARLEEN, YOU SAID SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. ATTENDANCE STARTS IN THE HOME. AND WHAT I THINK WAS SO POWERFUL WITH THE CELL PHONE WAS IT WASN'T JUST A STUDENT SCHOOL THING, IT WAS A COMMUNITY THING. 
          PARENTS WERE INVOLVED. THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNICATION. 
          AND THIS IS NOT JUST A HIGH SCHOOL ISSUE. ATTENDANCE, GOOD ATTENDANCE HABITS START VERY EARLY, WE KNOW. AND BECAUSE WHAT? WE CAN ONLY DEAL WITH UNEXCUSED ABSENCES. IF A FAMILY EXCUSES A STUDENT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEN THEY DO NOT START. I SENT YOU A FACT SHEET YESTERDAY SO YOU COULD KIND OF SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW BY LAW. IT'S THE BECCA LAW. SO ANYWAY, WE COULD DO THAT, THE STUDY SESSION. WE WOULD HAVE TWO HOURS WHERE WE COULD GO VERY DEEP, AND YOU COULD BEGIN TO ASK THOSE HARD QUESTIONS. 
          SO THAT'S ONE OFFER MY TEAM AND I COULD DO. I THINK THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CELL PHONE EFFORT VERSUS ATTENDANCE EFFORT, AS I SEE THEM GET STARTED, IS THAT WITH THE CELL PHONE EFFORT, WE STARTED WITH THE WHY, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK, YOU KNOW, HOW IT DOES AFFECT. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE AS WE WORK THE ATTENDANCE EFFORT. BECAUSE WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT IN CLASS, WE'RE NOT LEARNING. AND IN MEXICO, HIGH SCHOOL IS CALLED PREPARATORIA, WHICH THE WORD IN ENGLISH WOULD BE PREPARATORY. IT PREPARES YOU, RIGHT. TRY TO GO TO COLLEGE AND SKIP A CLASS, YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO MAKE IT RIGHT. 
          FOR EVERY HOUR THAT YOU GO IN COLLEGE, IN CLASS, YOU HAVE TO SPEND FOUR HOURS OUTSIDE FOR EVERY HOUR. NOW JUST IMAGINE NOT GOING TO THE CLASS. YOU JUST FALL BEHIND, SO IN THIS CASE, I DO AGREE. THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT BECAUSE IT SETS HABITS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT. 
          FROM THE FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, WE EDUCATE THE KIDS IN SCIENCE, MATH, AND THINGS, BUT THE VALUES, DISCIPLINE, WE NEED THE HELP FROM THE PARENTS AT HOME. 
          AND THIS IS HOW WE COLLABORATE TOGETHER, WE WORK TOGETHER, AND WHEN THEY ARE IN SCHOOL, WHEN THEY ARE IN CLASS, WE'RE LEARNING, BUT WE CANNOT LEARN IF WE'RE NOT IN THE CLASSROOM. WELL, AND I THINK THE OTHER PART THAT WE SOMETIMES FORGET WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE TARDIES IS THOSE KIDS COMING INTO CLASS LATE. DISRUPT THE CLASS AND THE LEARNING OF THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, TOO. SO IT'S A SNOWBALLING EFFECT. SO OTHER COMMENTS? GO AHEAD, PEGGY. I MEAN, IN GENERAL, THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE. 
          HOWEVER, THERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. VERY INDIVIDUALISTIC INDIVIDUALS WHO SOMETIMES WILL SUCCEED OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE FOCUSED ON THEIR LEARNING, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO LEARN, 
          [02:10:01]
AND RATHER THAN SHOW UP FOR SCHOOL, THEY'LL GO DO SOMETHING ELSE. I KNOW A FRIEND WHO DIDN'T COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT KIND OF GOT IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR AT MICROSOFT AND WAS A PROGRAMMER AND DID VERY WELL. 
          SO THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE THAT, AND HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE RECOGNIZED AND... 
          HELPED? I DON'T. I'M NOT EXPLAINING MYSELF VERY WELL, I THINK. OUR GOAL, THOUGH, AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND A BOARD, IS TO PROMOTE ATTENDANCE, PROMOTE GOING TO SCHOOL, GETTING YOUR DIPLOMA, LIKE, THAT'S OUR CHARGE. YEAH, UM, AND SO I THINK WE COULD FOCUS ON LOTS OF THINGS AND THERE'S PROBABLY LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE. BUT THAT GOES BACK TO WELL. DO THE S-BACK SCORES MATTER OR DO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THIS KID TAKES A TEST? LIKE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY FINITE ON WHAT WE CAN CONTROL AND WHAT OUR GOAL IS. AND YES, THERE ARE... 
          STUDENTS WHO LEARN DIFFERENTLY AND EVERYTHING, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE OPEN DOORS AND WE HAVE FEA, AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S PRIVATE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE FAMILIES GET TO MAKE CHOICES, AND I'M ALL ABOUT CHOICE, BUT I THINK FOR THIS, WHAT WE KNOW IS ATTENDANCE IS DIRECTLY TIED TO STUDENT OUTCOMES. WE SEE IT IN OUR DATA. I'VE SHOWED IT TO YOU IN THE LAST REPORT THAT STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED REGULARLY WERE NOT JUST A LITTLE BIT OUTPERFORMING, QUITE A BIT OUTPERFORMING. 
          THEIR PEERS WHO ARE NOT ON STATE ASSESSMENT. SO I THINK IF THE BOARD'S GOAL IS TO RAISE STUDENT SCORES, THEN TACKLING ATTENDANCE, BECAUSE I WANT TO SAY, I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT THE HIGH SCHOOL'S REGULAR ATTENDANCE RATE, AND I CAN GET YOU THE OTHER LEVELS TOO, I KNOW I HAVE IT, I JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN MY BRAIN RIGHT NOW, IS ONLY IN THE 60S. SO WE HAVE A PROBLEM. AND SO WE HAVE TO, AND I THINK YOUR POINT IS TAKEN, IF THE BOARD TAKES A STANCE, IT ELEVATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT FOR NOT JUST OUR STUDENTS, BUT FAMILIES AS WELL. IF I CAN RESPOND TO PEGGY, I THINK ATTENDANCE IS A LOW-HANGING FRUIT, AND YOU CANNOT IMPROVE OUTCOMES IF YOU'RE NOT IN SCHOOL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES THAT YOU CAN GIVE ME. 
          THERE'S OUTLIERS EVERYWHERE. 
          TWENTY PERCENT WILL BE OUTSIDE OF THE BELL CURVE, RIGHT? BUT IF WE WANT TO MOVE THE NEEDLE, WE NEED TO MAKE CONCERTED EFFORTS, LIKE THE CELL PHONE POLICY, LIKE ATTENDANCE, LOW-HANGING FRUIT, THAT IF WE WORK AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FOCUS OUR EFFORT INTO SOMETHING TO IMPROVE IT. SO IF WE ALIGN AS A BOARD AND WE FOCUS ON BEING THERE, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT LEARN WHEN YOU'RE NOT BEING THERE, AS A WHOLE, I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE BETTER OUTCOMES AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE IMPROVEMENT. AS A WHOLE. I AGREE WITH YOU. I'M JUST SAYING, THERE ARE GOING TO BE THESE WEIRD ONES, AND IS THERE JUST A SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET CHANNELED INTO THE RIGHT EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT SO THAT THEY... 
          YEAH, OUR TEAM WORKS WITH FAMILIES ALL THE TIME, AND IF YOU READ THAT DOCUMENT, I SENT YOU, AND I'LL HAVE CHRIS UPLOAD IT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE IT AS WELL, IT TALKED IN THERE. IF A STUDENT HAS SO MANY UNEXCUSED ABSENCES, IT STARTS TO TRIGGER DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS. ONE OF BEING SITTING DOWN WITH THE STUDENT AND THE FAMILY AND SAYING, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO YOU COMING? WE START TO ASK, IS THIS THE BEST PLAN? OUR COUNSELORS, THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB. OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE MTSS PROCESS, SO WE ARE TRACKING THAT ALL THE TIME. AND SO, YEAH, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU TO LEARN ABOUT THAT PROCESS. SO YOU IF SOMEONE SAYS, HEY, THIS HAPPENED, THEN, YOU KNOW? SO I JUST TRIED TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL OVERVIEW FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, BUT DEFINITELY, THIS IS A STUDY SESSION THAT WE COULD HAVE. YEAH, AND JUST TO ADD ON TO THAT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WHICH IS LIKE WHERE A LOT OF THESE OUTLIERS START TO POP UP, THERE ARE JUST SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES. LIKE DR. MINGUS SAID LIKE, YOUR COUNSELORS ARE THERE FOR YOU. RUNNING START IS AN OPTION. I MEAN, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO DO FULL-TIME RUNNING START. THEY'RE GETTING AHEAD IN THEIR CAREERS AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO, BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. 
          AND THEY HAVE ALL ONLINE RUNNING START CLASSES. 
          THEY'RE JUST LIKE GETTING ALL THEIR WORK DONE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WORKS FOR THEM. 
          BUT THOSE ARE OUTLIERS, AND WE HAVE OUTLIERS EVERYWHERE. 
          AND THERE'S JUST SO MANY OPTIONS, LIKE VIRTUAL ACADEMY. SO THOSE OUTLIERS, THEY GET THEIR CHANCE, TOO. 
          SO YEAH. I THINK THAT THIS IS YET ANOTHER LEVER THAT DOESN'T COST US. MONEY THAT WILL HELP MOVE THE NEEDLE. 
          AND WE NEED TO FIND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN THE BUDGETARY ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE ARE IN. AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE NEED HELP WITH ATTENDANCE. SO I REMEMBER, AS A TEACHER, ALWAYS THINKING, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR CLASSROOM, AND YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL ONCE THE CHILD LEAVES YOUR CLASSROOM. 
          BUT IF THERE'S EDUCATION FOR THE PARENTS AND THE... 
          AND THE WHY BEHIND IT? AND A REALLY GOOD CAMPAIGN 
          [02:15:02]
BY THE DISTRICT TO MAKE THIS AN EMPHASIS, I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH THE EFFORT. SO DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS THEN, AS FAR AS OUR STUDY SESSION ON THE 11TH, FOCUSING ON ATTENDANCE AND ASKING CHRISTY AND HER TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION TO EDUCATE US AND HELP US TO SEE THINGS? AYE. OKAY. 
          THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD IN THAT DIRECTION. I WILL HAVE THAT READY. IF YOU DO HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR WONDERS YOU HAVE, LIKE YOU HAD SOME, WILL YOU JUST EMAIL ME INDIVIDUALLY? SO I CAN MAKE SURE THAT I'M WORKING TO CAPTURE THOSE THAT 
          [8. MATTERS RESERVED FOR BOARD ACTION]
EVENING? OKAY. SO THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM 8.0, WHICH IS MATTERS RESERVED FOR THE BOARD. 
          FIRST ITEM 8.01 IS ACTION ON MONITORING REPORT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR OE4 FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION. WE HAD THIS REPORT PRESENTED TO US LAST MONTH, AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE MONTH, WE HAD TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPORT AND TO GO THROUGH THE GOOGLE SURVEY. 
          THAT SURVEY AND THE REPORT HAD 18 INDICATORS. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE WERE UNANIMOUSLY ON LABELING THEM ALL AS COMPLIANT. THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, THE CONSENSUS, AND CERTAINLY A CONSENSUS OF A... APPRECIATION FOR THE STAFF FOR THE INCREASED TRANSPARENCY AND HELPFULNESS THAT THE STAFF HAS PROVIDED INTO AND SURROUNDING THE BUDGETARY PROCESS. ALSO FOR INCREASED COMMUNICATION TO THE BOARD REGARDING THAT BUDGETING PROCESS, WHICH HAS INCREASED THE BOARD'S ROLE IN THE PROCESS. SO THE FLOOR, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO THE MONITORING REPORT AND ITS DISPOSITION, AND THEN THE FLOOR WILL BE OPEN FOR A MOTION AS WELL. I THINK WITH THE RESULTS SO UNANIMOUS AND IN AN AGREEMENT, I MOTION THAT WE JUST ACCEPT IT AND MOVE IT FORWARD. SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT. THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR OE4, THE FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION, AS BEING COMPLIANT. I'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH AN ADVISORY VOTE OF THIS. PEGGY, I SEE THERE'S A QUESTION. WELL, I HAD PUT ONE COMMENT IN THERE ABOUT I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I SAID. 
          AS FOR THE REPORT, THIS IS ON ITEM 4.1. LONG-TERM FISCAL STABILITY THROUGH PROACTIVE PLANNING, SUSTAINABLE BUDGETING, BLAH, OKAY, IT SAYS, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IS MEANT BY REGULAR STRATEGIC PLANNING REPORTS. WHICH KINDS OF REPORTS, I MEAN, WOULD BE CONSIDERED STRATEGIC PLANNING REPORTS? THE BUDGET STUFF THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD, BRINGING THE BUDGET TOGETHER, OR WHAT IS CONSIDERED A STRATEGIC PLANNING REPORT IN THIS CONTEXT? WELL, WE TALK ABOUT OUR PLANNING WITH YOU. I DON'T KNOW THAT, I THINK THAT MAYBE IS SOME OLD LANGUAGE THAT MAYBE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. OKAY. BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT REALLY CORRESPONDS TO THOSE WORDS, NECESSARILY, BUT WE DO TALK ABOUT OUR PLANS AND WE DO, SO, YEAH, SO IT'S MAYBE JUST AN UPDATED VERBIAGE OF THAT PARAGRAPH. OKAY, THANKS. I MEAN, BECAUSE I WAS JUST THINKING, IS THERE SOME SPECIFIC THING I'M SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING FOR? FOR HERE. AND I MEAN, YEAH, YOU COME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, RIGHT? AND WE GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE PRESENTATION AND WE JUST SHOW YOU ALL OUR, YOU KNOW, THE PLANS, THE ENROLLMENT FORECAST AND ALL THE FORECASTS. WE DO SO, BUT THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFIC THAT IS HOLD OUT OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING DOCUMENT. OKAY, THANK YOU, YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          AND DO KNOW. EVERY TIME YOU PUT THE COMMENTS, EVEN IF YOU APPROVE, WHICH I ASSUME IS GOING TO GET APPROVED TONIGHT, THESE YOUR COMMENTS ARE SHARED WITH THE TEAM. SO THEN IT JUST HELPS US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC. 
          ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS MAY TALK TO YOU SPECIFICALLY, BUT THEY SEE THESE COMMENTS. 
          SO YOUR COMMENTS, EVEN ON A 
          [02:20:01]
REPORT THAT IS BEING APPROVED, DO NOT GO WITHOUT GIVING US FEEDBACK. 
          IT'S GOOD FEEDBACK FOR US. I JUST HAVE ONE LAST LITTLE QUESTION. SURE. HOW HARD IS IT TO DO LINKS TO MAKE? THEM SEARCHABLE. IN THE DOCUMENTS. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO LINKS, BUT I KNOW SOME PEOPLE DO. 
          SO IF IT'S DIFFICULT, I MEAN, WHATEVER. BUT IF IT'S EASY IN THE SPECIFIC REPORTS, IT'S NOT DIFFICULT. OKAY. SO WE CAN PUT THE LINKS IN THERE. WE HAVE PUT THE LINKS IN THERE BEFORE. SO, YEAH, I'VE SEEN THEM IN SOME REPORTS. YEAH. 
          BUT WHEN I WAS SEARCHING, I HAD TO DIG, DIG, DIG. SO WHAT I'LL DO IS I WILL JUST GIVE THAT FEEDBACK TO BOBBY AS HE'S PUTTING THEM TOGETHER TO LINK IN. WHATEVER DOCUMENT. SHE KNOWS HOW TO DO IT. YEAH. THANK YOU. 
          ACTUALLY, I DID HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. IS IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE, LIKE, THE BUDGET SUMMARY, THOSE THINGS, SEARCHABLE PDFS, SO THAT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING IN THERE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WADE THROUGH ALL 200? OH, OKAY, I THOUGHT YOU MEANT LINKS IN THE REPORT. LIKE, OKAY, SORRY, I THOUGHT THAT WAS, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ASKING SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I JUST MEANT... I THINK NANCY WAS TALKING ABOUT SEARCHABLE HYPERLINKS, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SEARCHABLE PDF DOCUMENTS. 
          THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT HE'S SAYING, SEARCHABLE PDF DOCUMENTS. 
          SO, LIKE, IF YOU'VE GOT LIKE THE F-196 OR SOMETHING SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC, YOU CAN CONTROL F IT AND FIND. YEAH, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRINT IT AS A PDF AND DO. 
          IN THE OE, THE FINANCIAL PLANNING DOCUMENT, THERE ARE LINKS THERE. 
          BUT THEN THERE AREN'T LINKS IN THE SURVEY, SO YOU WANT LINKS IN THE SURVEY, SO THE LINKS ARE IN THE REPORT, THEY'RE IN THE REPORT. OKAY, YEAH, SO YOU WANT THE LINKS IN THE REPORT, IN THE REPORT, YEAH, AND THEY WERE THERE, BUT NOT THE SURVEY. YEAH, LIKE, THERE'S LINKS TO THE REGULAR MEETINGS, THERE'S LINKS. I DID HAVE ONE SPECIFIC, LET'S NOT SPEND ALL THE TIME ON THAT. I, I HAD ONE. 
          COMMENT THAT IF YOU WANT TO SEE, THAT'S ALL I WAS TALKING ABOUT. OKAY, I WILL HAVE BOBBY AND I'LL GO OVER IT. OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          SORRY, I WASN'T TRYING TO CONFUSE THAT, I WAS JUST THINKING. 
          IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET FINANCIAL REPORTS, IF THEY'RE SEARCHABLE, YOU KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE REALLY NICE. 
          SOMETIMES THEY ARE AND SOMETIMES THEY AREN'T. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN JUST CHANGE THE SETTING ON THAT OR HOW DOES THAT WORK. YEAH, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WILL CHECK INTO THAT, TOO. AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SEARCHABLE. 
          BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU CAN'T SEARCH SOMETHING. I USE THE CONTROL F ALL THE TIME. THIS IS WHAT I CAN OFFER. WE WILL TRY, BUT WE'LL NOT PROMISE. 
          WE'LL TALK TO THE HEAD OF THE IT DEPARTMENT. SO CERTAINLY, I WILL WORK MY ROLE WELL AS THE HISTORIAN HERE. THESE REPORTS HAVE COME SUCH A LONG WAYS FROM WHAT WE HAD WHEN I FIRST STARTED. 
          APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AS WE CAN ALWAYS MAKE THEM BETTER, BUT I'M ALWAYS APPRECIATIVE OF WHERE WE'VE COME FROM AND WHERE WE'RE AT, TOO. SO BACK TO. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR OE4, THE FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION AS IN COMPLIANCE, STARTING WITH THE ADVISORY VOTE OF THE STUDENTS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SO THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE IS IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. NOW MOVING ON TO THE BOARD MEMBERS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. OKAY, SO THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE4 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. 
          THANK YOU. SO NEXT WE HAVE ITEMS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR OF SECTION 8 ARE THREE POLICIES TO LOOK AT. THE FIRST TWO POLICIES WE'RE ACTING ON TONIGHT HAD MINOR CHANGES. 
          IT ALMOST QUALIFIED THEM TO SIMPLY BE UP FOR APPROVAL ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE THIRD POLICY HAD MORE SIGNIFICANT UPDATES AS IT RELATES TO NON-VOTER APPROVED DEBT. 
          SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THESE ONE AT A TIME, STARTING WITH... 8.02, WHICH IS ACTION ON REVISED POLICY 6570, PROPERTY AND DATA MANAGEMENT. SO CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YOU CERTAINLY CAN. 
          DID THESE WASDA CHANGES COME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF CHANGES IN LEGISLATION? IS THAT THEIR UPDATES BECAUSE OF THAT? I'M ASSUMING, BUT MAYBE I SHOULDN'T. THAT 
          [02:25:01]
WOULD BE MY ASSUMPTION, BUT I DO NOT KNOW THAT FOR A FACT THAT THERE WERE. I KNOW WHEN I WAS REVIEWING THROUGH THEM, THERE WAS WOSDA REVISED POLICIES THERE. 
          AND MOST OF THE TIME, THOSE ARE BASED ON CHANGES TO LEGISLATION. SO IF YOU REMEMBER, WE TALKED ABOUT ONCE. WHEN THE LAW CHANGES OR SOMETHING CHANGES AT THE STATE, THEY HAVE TO QUICKLY CHANGE THE NUANCE OF THE POLICY. SO THE ONES THAT YOU'RE GETTING THAT ARE JUST SIMPLE, IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CHANGES IN STATE LAW OR POLICY. SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT ONE, TWO, AND THREE RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, BECAUSE FOUR HAD SOME RATHER EXTENSIVE CHANGES ON IT. WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST THE POLICY 6570, SO JUST ONE AT A TIME RIGHT NOW. AND ESSENTIALLY, AS IT SAID, THE CHANGES, IT INSERTED THE ACRONYM, REMOVED THE BUSINESS OFFICE AUDIT OF CLASSROOM INVENTORY. 
          MAINTENANCE OF RECORD LANGUAGE MOVED IN SECTION AND ADDITION OF THE RETENTION SCHEDULE REFERENCE. SO AGAIN, MINOR CHANGES. IT LOOKED GOOD TO ME. IS THAT A MOTION? I MOVE, THAT WE PASS THIS ONE? OKAY, SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED THAT WE APPROVE THE REVISIONS TO POLICY 6570 PROPERTY AND DATA MANAGEMENT. STARTING WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO, WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, I'LL MOVE ON TO THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING REVISED POLICY 6570 SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? NO. 
          OKAY. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT HAVING... 
          THINKING BACK ON READING THROUGH THIS ONE AND WASN'T SURE ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH THE CLASSROOM INVENTORY PART OF IT, IF THAT WOULD CAUSE, SO SINCE I'M NOT SURE, I'M JUST VOTING NO. OKAY, THAT'S TOTALLY FAIR. WELL, WITH THE VOTE, THE REVISED POLICY IS ADOPTED. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO TAKING ACTION ON THE REVISION TO POLICY 6555. OR 6955, EXCUSE ME, THE MAINTENANCE OF FACILITY RECORDS AND AGAIN, THIS POLICY HAD SOME MINOR CHANGES. UM, AND ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? AND, OR, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PASS, UM, REVISED POLICY 6955 MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES RECORDS. OKAY, SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE REVISIONS TO POLICY 6955 MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES RECORDS. 
          STARTING WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE, ALL OPPOSED, WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. 
          MOVING ON TO THE ELECTED BOARD, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE, ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, SO WE HAVE ADOPTED THE REVISIONS TO POLICY 6955, THE MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES RECORDS. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ACTION ON REVISED POLICY 6910, CONSTRUCTION FINANCING. THIS ONE HAD A FEW MORE CHANGES, SO WE'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO ANY DISCUSSION. I'M NOT SURE IF I UNDERSTOOD THIS ONE CORRECTLY, BUT IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE IT WAS PUTTING IN PLACE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND A HEARING, WHICH WOULD INCREASE TRANSPARENCY. 
          IN MY OPINION, SO I WOULD THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING. I WAS WONDERING. BEFORE, THE THRESHOLD WAS SOMETHING LIKE THREE-EIGHTHS OF A PERCENT OF THE VALUE. 
          WHAT THE HECK? WHAT WOULD THAT BE, DO YOU THINK? ANY IDEA? WHAT THE EXISTING? I'M JUST LOOKING AT YOU BECAUSE, NO, I DO NOT KNOW. I MEAN, JUST CURIOUS. YEAH, SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY COME UP WITH THEIR, BUT SOMEWHERE WITHIN THEIR LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS IS WHAT I'M ASSUMING. BUT IT DID, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, IT GAVE MORE PUBLIC NOTICE AND MORE OPENING FOR PUBLIC HEARING, SO I FELT IT INCREASED TRANSPARENCY AS 
          [02:30:02]
WELL. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I GUESS I'M JUST NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT... NON-VOTER APPROVED DEBT WAS, I HADN'T HEARD OF THAT BEFORE. SO THIS IS JUST NOTHING NEW. OR IT HAS A CAP OF $250,000. SO IF IT'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OR LOWER, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO VOTER APPROVAL? CORRECT. 
          IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, IF THERE IS A, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY OR SOME NEED THAT'S BELOW THAT THRESHOLD, THEN IT DOESN'T NEED TO, THE BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT. 
          BUT THIS IS PUTTING STEPS INTO PLACE TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE THAT THEY'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. 
          THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NONE, THEN THE CHAIR WILL GO AHEAD AND PUT FORTH THAT WE APPROVE. 
          THE REVISIONS TO POLICY 6910, CONSTRUCTION FINANCING. 
          AND WE'LL START WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO, WITH THE STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO. THE REVISIONS TO POLICY 6910, 
          [9. SUPERINTENDENT CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]
          [10. BOARD CONSENT AGENDA [GC-2.4]]
CONSTRUCTION FINANCING, HAVE ALSO BEEN ADOPTED. SO THAT THEN TAKES US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. AS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY MANY A TIMES, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS A GROUP OF ROUTINE ITEMS THAT ARE PUT TOGETHER UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD'S CONSENT AGENDAS, AND WE ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON THOSE ITEMS ALL IN ONE MOTION, AS OPPOSED TO, UM... INDIVIDUALLY. AS PART OF TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA, WE WILL BE RECEIVING THE MONITORING REPORT FOR RESULTS POLICY R2 EARLY LEARNING. THIS IS GREAT TIMING IN MY MIND, AS IT COMES ON THE HEELS OF CHRISTY'S REPORT ON TK EARLY LEARNING AT LAST WEEK'S STUDY SESSION, AND THE BOARD WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS REPORT AT OUR MARCH MEETING. AS ALWAYS, I ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THE REPORT AND SHARE ANY THOUGHTS THAT YOU HAVE, THAT THEY HAVE. 
          ABOUT THESE ITEMS WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS PRIOR TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING OR DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT TIME AT THE MEETING. SO WE CAN TAKE YOUR THOUGHTS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN ACTING ON THE REPORT. ALSO, FOR THOSE THAT DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO ATTEND OUR STUDY SESSION LAST WEEK, I'LL AGAIN ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THAT. THERE WAS SOME GREAT INFORMATION, NOT ONLY ON THE CITY'S PLAN, BUT I'LL TAKE AND INPUT MY OPINION. I THINK CHRISTY DID A MUCH BETTER JOB WITH THE TK AND EARLY LEARNING STUFF AND PROVIDED SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION, NOT ONLY FOR THE BOARD, BUT I THINK FOR THE COMMUNITY, ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT PROGRAM. MAYBE WE COULD SEND A COPY TO OUR LEGISLATORS. OH, SORRY, THAT SLIPPED OUT. 
          ANYWAY, JUST WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THAT WAS AVAILABLE. SO, AT THIS POINT, I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO ANY COMMENTS AND OR EMOTION IN REGARDS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A QUESTION JUST ON ONE ITEM THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, AND THAT WAS IN TEN POINT. 
          BEFORE THE BOARD BUDGET. WE LOOK AT THAT EVERY YEAR OR EVERY MONTH, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN CERTIFICATED STAFF EXTRA TIME AND CERTIFICATED STAFF MANDATORY BENEFITS BEFORE PUT ONTO OUR BUDGET. 
          SO I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THAT I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I ASKED CHRIS, AND SHE SENT ME AN ANSWER. IF I HIT THE RIGHT EMAIL. I WILL DO THIS FROM MEMORY, AND CHRIS, YOU CAN CORRECT ME, PLEASE, IF I'M WRONG. BUT THAT WAS TO COVER SOME TIME THAT BOBBY SPENT GETTING SOME INFORMATION TOGETHER FOR US DURING THE SUMMER. THAT DIDN'T FALL UNDER HIS REGULAR CATEGORY, AND SO IT GOT ATTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD BUDGET. SO BOBBY IS NOT A YEAR-ROUND EMPLOYEE? SO WHEN WE PULL HIM IN TO DO THE MONITORING REPORTS AND THE DATA AND EVERYTHING FOR THE BOARD, THAT IS EXTRA TIME. OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS ON 9.04. PERSONNEL RECOMMENDATIONS A NEW WAY OF WORDING SOMETHING? I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN THAT TERM BEFORE. I THINK IT IS BECAUSE IT WAS THE 
          [02:35:02]
RESIGNATIONS HIRES. CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON THAT, TOO? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, OKAY, THEY SMOOSHED THAT ALL TOGETHER. IT USED TO BE THOSE WERE SEPARATE. 
          BUT I THINK... LIKE, ON SOME OF THE ONES, I WAS WONDERING IF, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY CHANGE OF ASSIGNMENT, LIKE WHEN THEY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FROM OR TO. I'M GOING TO ASK KARA TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS REPORT. H.R. PUTS IT TOGETHER. AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN CALLED PERSONNEL RECOMMENDATIONS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CHANGED. CHANGE IN ASSIGNMENT COULD BE THEY SWITCHED FROM A GENERALIZED PARAEDUCATOR TO A SPECIALIZED PARAEDUCATOR, OR. THEY ADJUSTED THEIR HOURS. SOMETIMES, PEOPLE APPLY TO A LESSER HOUR POSITION. 
          SO IT WOULD BE, AND OR A TEACHER ACCEPTING ADDITIONAL FTE AT SEMESTER. SO IT COULD KIND OF BE JUST BASICALLY ALERTING YOU THAT THEIR ASSIGNMENT HAS CHANGED. 
          BRIAN, IT'S... NO, IT SAYS... 
          I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO... I'M SORRY, KARA. IT'S ON, I'M LOOKING AT THE JANUARY MEETING, IT SAYS. 
          9.07, APPROVE THE HIRING PERSONNEL LEAVES, RESIGNATIONS, AND RETIREMENTS. OH, I SEE. 
          WHAT'S THAT? THE TITLE GOT ABBREVIATED. OH. SAME THING, SHORTER. I WOULD PREFER THE PREVIOUS VERSION. I DID, TOO. OKAY, THAT'S NOTED. 
          OKAY, WE CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE. CHRIS CAN CUT AND PASTE. SHE DOES IT REALLY WELL. I'VE WATCHED HER. 
          OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. SO WITH THE EASEMENT THING, I MEAN, THAT'S FOR THE STORMWATER TREATMENT. 
          SO. I GUESS IT SOUNDS REALLY HARSH. I DON'T KNOW. I'VE BEEN READING THROUGH THAT, GOING, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN YOUR THING. WE CAN COME STOMPING IN HERE AND CHECK ON IT ANY TIME WE WANT. I THINK THAT'S FAIRLY STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS SOUNDS MUCH HARSHER IN WORD THAN, THANKFULLY, WHAT IT IS IN ACTION. AS LONG AS YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF THOSE THINGS. IF YOU DON'T, THEN IT HAS THE TEETH THAT ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO. 
          YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH A COUPLE OF MY PARTNERS OF OLD, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR CONTRACTS WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING 30-SOME YEARS AGO VERSUS MY CONTRACT NOW. AND I LIKED MY CONTRACT BACK 30 YEARS AGO BECAUSE I COULD ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND IT. 
          NOW I NEED A LAWYER AND, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE TEAMS TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND IT. SO I HEAR YOU, BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S STANDARD. I HAVE CONFIRMATION ON THAT. YOU ARE CORRECT, AND IT'S ACTUALLY IMPROVED LANGUAGE. OKAY. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? YOU WANT TO MAKE IT? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDAS. 
          OKAY, IT HAS BEEN MOVED THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDAS AS PRESENTED. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE A STUDENT ADVISORY VOTE ON, SO I'LL MOVE STRAIGHT TO THE BOARD. ALL THOSE 
          [11. SHARING [GC-7.E}]
IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, CONSENT AGENDAS HAVE BEEN PASSED. WE ARE IN THE HOMESTRETCH, FOLKS. SO NEXT WE MOVE ON TO BOARD SHARING, AND I'LL START OVER ON BRIAN'S SIDE TONIGHT. OH. I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO KARA. 
          THAT DID NOT COME OUT RIGHT, SO I'M SORRY. I JUST GOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD, I GUESS, BY THE REWORDING, AND SO I'M SORRY. THE MUSICAL. CHRISTY JUST SENT OUT THE LINK EARLIER, AND IT IS DEFINITELY NOT SOLD OUT. 
          AND I WILL SAY THAT WHAT WE HAVE AT FERNDALE IS NOT NORMAL. THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE, AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. OH, YEAH. 
          IN A GOOD WAY. IT'S AMAZING. 
          I MEAN, AND NANCY WAS JUST ON BROADWAY. I MEAN, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING, WHAT, WHEN YOU PUSH A KID TO GO BEYOND WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN DO, IT'S AMAZING. WHAT CAN HAPPEN. SO I THINK IT'S PRETTY AWESOME. SPRING SPORTS START ON MONDAY. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I'M COACHING THE TENNIS TEAM, SO I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE HAVE RECORD TURNOUTS. FOR ALL SPRING SPORTS, NOT JUST MY TEAM. MATH 
          [02:40:03]
OLYMPIAD IS COMING UP. MY SON'S INVOLVED IN THAT. 
          THAT'S THURSDAY, MARCH 12TH, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FROM 4 TO 8 P.M. AND I THINK THAT PEGGY HAS ACTUALLY... SHE'S EMCEED THAT IN THE PAST OR HELPED OUT WITH THAT. AND KEVIN? YEAH, WHICH IS SO COOL. AND THEN I'M ALMOST POSITIVE. ON MARCH 18TH IS THE ALL-DISTRICT BAND CONCERT. 
          AND I'M IN A LOT OF EVENTS IN THE GYM DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND THAT ONE IS ONE WHERE IT'S HARD TO FIND A PLACE TO SIT. THE FLOOR IS PACKED WITH MUSICIANS, AND THERE'S PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS JUST EVERYWHERE. SUPPORTING THE AMAZING WORK THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BAND PROGRAM AT THE SCHOOL. SO, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S AT 6 P.M. ON MARCH 18TH. BUT, YEAH, ANYWAY, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT IF WE CAN MAKE IT, THAT'S A GREAT THING TO SUPPORT. THAT'S WHAT I GOT. ANTONIO? VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. BRIAN, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID. 
          WITH RECENT EVENTS, AND I WANT TO SPEAK TODAY MORE AS A PARENT WITH TWO CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT, AND I HAVE TO SHARE HOW I FEEL, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I FEEL A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED. I DO RESPECT THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE VOICES AND RIGHTS. I UNDERSTAND THAT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT MATTERS, BUT SKIPPING SCHOOL? THROWING EGGS AND IMPEDING TRAFFIC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. IT DISRUPTS LEARNING, IT IMPACTS OUR COMMUNITY, AND IN SOME CASES, IT BREAKS THE LAW. WHEN BEHAVIOR CROSSES THAT LINE, IT UNDERMINES THE VERY MESSAGE STUDENTS MAY BE TRYING TO SEND. SO FROM MY MEXICAN ROOTS, I AM REMINDED OF THE WORDS OF BENITO JUAREZ. HE WAS A PRESIDENT OF MEXICO. HE SAID, RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS IS PEACE. RESPECT MEANS SHOWING UP TO CLASS. 
          RESPECT MEANS EXPRESSING DISAGREEMENT WITHOUT HARMING OTHERS OR DISRUPTING OUR COMMUNITY. RESPECT MEANS UNDERSTANDING THAT RIGHTS COME WITH RESPONSIBILITIES. I AM ALSO DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING STRONGER SUPPORT FROM OUR PARENTS, OUR FAMILIES. PARENTS ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF VALUES AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN A CHILD'S LIFE. WE NEED YOUR PARTNERSHIP. WE NEED YOUR GUIDANCE AT HOME, REINFORCING THAT EDUCATION MATTERS AND THAT ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. SCHOOLS CANNOT CARRY THIS RESPONSIBILITY ALONE. IF WE TRULY WANT TO RAISE ENGAGED, THOUGHTFUL YOUNG PEOPLE, THEN WE MUST MODEL RESPONSIBILITY, RESPECT, AND LAWFUL CONDUCT TOGETHER. 
          SO I CARRY THIS RESPONSIBILITY. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE... HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS WITHOUT TAKING AWAY THE RIGHTS OF EVERYONE TO ENGAGE IN THE MATTER THAT THEY WANT TO ENGAGE. 
          BUT WHEN WE CROSS A LINE, THAT'S WHEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE QUESTION AND THAT WE UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU, PEGGY. WELL, I, I JUST WANT TO SAY I SUPPORT ANTONIO AND WHAT HE SAID, AND I DO FEEL LIKE THAT. I HOPE THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ALONG WITH THE OTHER ATTENDANCE ISSUES WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT WORK SESSION. ALSO, I WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING I'M REALLY KIND OF SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ABOUT, AND MAYBE YOU CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS. WITH THE HIGHLY CAPABLE LEARNERS TASK FORCE, I FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE EITHER APPLYING FOR OR RECEIVING A GRANT FROM THE GATES FOUNDATION FOR AI, WHICH IT WOULD SOUND LIKE IT WOULD BE USED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, YOU KNOW, TO IMPROVE, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE TERMS OF THE GRANT ARE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO I SENT ALL THAT TO YOU IN AN EMAIL A WHILE AGO, AND SO I WILL RESEND YOU THE WHOLE THING. WELL, I MUST HAVE MISSED IT. MY APOLOGIES, BUT, YOU KNOW, I AM. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. YEAH, I THINK YOU AND I ARE MEETING THIS WEEK, AND SO I CAN HAVE MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU AT THAT TIME. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. 
          BUT I WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET THE EMAIL AGAIN WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT IT. WELL, I HAVE TO SAY MY FEELING, AND PERHAPS MY PERCEPTION WAS WRONG, BUT WHEN THIS TOPIC WAS BROUGHT UP, I FELT LIKE THERE WAS KIND OF LIKE A PULLBACK WHERE EVERYBODY'S LIKE, WELL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE FOCUSED 
          [02:45:01]
ON THE FUNDAMENTALS OF READING AND WRITING. 
          YEAH, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE STUDENTS. IT'S ABOUT SYSTEMS, SO LIKE THE DASHBOARD. SO IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU ARE IMAGINING IT TO BE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY, NANCY? I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADVERTISE THAT. I'M GOING TO HAVE A LISTENING SESSION THIS SATURDAY MORNING AT THE FERNDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY FROM 10 A.M. TO 11, AND I HOPE I GET MORE THAN ONE PERSON AT THE SECOND LISTENING SESSION, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I GOT LAST MONTH, BUT MAYBE WE CAN BUILD THIS THING. SO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE, SHOW UP. THANK YOU. THANKS, NANCY. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING MAJOR TO SHARE. JUST A REMINDER THAT WE'VE GOT OUR STUDY SESSION. AND, CHRIS, I WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH YOU. IS IT 5 TO 7, OR DID WE CHANGE THAT TIME? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, TOO. THE CALENDAR STILL SAYS 5 TO 7. 
          SO ON THE STUDY SESSION ON WEDNESDAY, THE 11TH. THAT'S MARCH 11TH FOR THOSE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THESE TWO MONTHS THAT HAVE THE DATES ALL THE SAME. 
          IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE THAT GET ME. 
          BUT THE STUDY SESSION, WE CHANGED IT BECAUSE OF BRIAN'S SCHEDULE, OR HE ASKED US IF WE COULD CHANGE IT TO 6 TO 8. YEAH. AND HARLEEN. 
          WHAT'S THAT? AND HARLEEN. 
          AND HARLEEN. OH, YEAH. 
          MARCUS AND I ARE GOING TO TRY TO ATTEND THE STUDY SESSIONS AS WELL. COOL. 
          GIVEN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ATTENDANCE AND YOU HAD JUST A LITTLE BIT TO SAY, THAT WILL BE APPRECIATED. 
          ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHT AND ADDITIONS, SO THANK YOU. OH, ONE MORE THING, ON A MORE POSITIVE NOTE. 
          BRIAN BUILT A LOVELY SHED DOWN BY THE TENNIS COURT FOR HOUSING STUFF, SO I'M JUST KIND OF, YEAH, HE'S OUT THERE, WORKING HARD. 
          THANK YOU. IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS. IT'S HOUSING EQUIPMENT. I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR CHICKENS. HE SAID FOR HOUSING, AND I SAID HOUSING EQUIPMENT. I JUST WANTED TO FINISH THAT SENTENCE. I AM SURE THAT IF YOU WANT TO PUT SOME CHICKEN IN MY WIFE COULD HELP YOU. 
          OH BOY, WE ARE QUICKLY DETERIORATING. 
          SO, AT THE RATE THIS IS GOING, I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND QUICKLY ADJOURN US BEFORE WE GET OURSELVES INTO TROUBLE. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US. AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS, OR SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS FOR US, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US. OUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          HAVE A GOOD EVENING. MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.