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>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO OUR MEETING OF THE RICHARDSON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
I'M REGINA HARRIS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:05 PM.
DR. HELLER, WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS TO LEAD US INTO PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE THIS EVENING?
>> YES. PRESIDENT HARRIS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, MS. BRANUM, THIS EVENING I AM EXCITED TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S STUDENT PLEDGE LEADERS, OUR GIRL SCOUT TROOP NUMBER 7764, FROM RICHARDSON HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY, AND THEIR TROOP LEADER IS MS. LAURA JEWELL.
>> WILL YOU PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT JOB.
PLEASE JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
COLLEAGUES, IT IS NOW TIME FOR OUR RECOGNITION. DR. HELLER.
[B. Announcements / Communications]
>> YES. IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME AND JOIN ME IN FRONT OF THE HORSESHOE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING.
EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CAMPUS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
BUT AS YOU'RE COMING FORWARD, WE ARE EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE THAT APRIL IS NATIONAL BILINGUAL/MULTILINGUAL LEARNER ADVOCACY MONTH.
AS PART OF THIS ADVOCACY MONTH, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW MULTILINGUAL AND BILINGUAL LEARNERS ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING STUDENT POPULATIONS IN US SCHOOLS.
THESE STUDENTS ADD TO THE RICH DIVERSITY OF OUR US STUDENT POPULATION.
DID YOU KNOW THAT RISD IS HOME TO MORE THAN 11,000 EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS WHO SPEAK OVER 50 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS.
TOP LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN RISD INCLUDE SPANISH, ARABIC, AMHARIC, VIETNAMESE, PASHTO, AND URDU.
MORE THAN 6,000 RISD STUDENTS IN GRADE SEVEN THROUGH 12 ARE ENROLLED IN WORLD LANGUAGE COURSES.
RISD CURRENTLY OFFERS COURSES IN FRENCH, JAPANESE, LATIN, AND SPANISH.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE MONTH, INCLUDING AN ART ESSAY AND MEDIA CONTEST, A DISCUSSION PANEL, AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT'S FIRST SPANISH SPELLING BEE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING OUR BILINGUAL AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS THROUGHOUT RICHARDSON ISD FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.
[APPLAUSE] THERE IS ANOTHER GROUP OF STAFF THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, AND THOSE INCLUDE OUR TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION STAFF.
APRIL 18TH THROUGH 22ND IS ALWAYS DESIGNATED NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK.
PART OF OUR DISTRICT RECOGNITIONS NEXT WEEK IS FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS IS ALSO TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO OUR STAFF WHO SUPPORT OUR TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES.
THE RISD TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT OFFERS A RANGE OF DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY OF HIGH-QUALITY TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS EXPANDED ITS TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
IN FACT, THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE-STREAMED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH THIS EVENING.
THE DISTRICT OFFERS FREE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE FOR SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.
THESE EXPANDED SERVICES WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT FROM OUR DEDICATED BILINGUAL STAFF WHO SHARE THEIR LANGUAGE EXPERTISE FOR TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
SO THIS EVENING WE HAVE SEVERAL STAFF THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE.
DESIREE [INAUDIBLE], DINA DAVILA.
[APPLAUSE] I SEE DESIREE COMING AROUND.
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[APPLAUSE] IS DINA HERE THIS EVENING?>> WE'LL LET THEM CATCH UP HERE FOR A MOMENT. THAT'S RIGHT.
AWESOME. WE'LL LET DESIREE, COME FORWARD.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, DESIREE.
[APPLAUSE] JENNIFER GONZALEZ. [APPLAUSE].
[APPLAUSE] ALEJANDRA PHILLIPS.
[APPLAUSE] ADRIANA SANCHEZ WHO'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND OUR DISTRICT SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR.
[APPLAUSE] ALL OF THESE SERVICES AND SUPPORT ARE LED BY MS. TERESA [INAUDIBLE].
[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS IMPORTANT STAFF GROUP.
WE'D NOW LIKE TO TRY AND GET A PICTURE. DR. SAUNDERS.
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER STAFF FOR RECOGNITION THIS EVENING.
I SAW HIM EARLIER, DR. DARWIN SPILLER, WILL YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? DR. SPILLER, YES.
[APPLAUSE] DR. SPILLER IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TITLE 9 FOR COMPLIANCE AND INVESTIGATIONS HERE IN ISD, AND HE WAS RECENTLY RECOGNIZED AS A SCHOOL SAFETY SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM RECIPIENT BY THE TEXAS STATE SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM.
THE TEXAS CENTER SCHOOL SAFETY SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM IS DESIGNATED TO RECOGNIZE AND PROMOTE SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS, JUNIOR COLLEGES, AND INDIVIDUALS THAT FOSTER EDUCATION AND LEARNING THROUGH SAFE AND SECURE CAMPUSES.
DR. SPILLER'S TRAINING WAS RECOGNIZED AS A SAFETY AND SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAM THAT RAISES STAFF AWARENESS AND PROVIDES ADDITIONAL EDUCATION BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING ISD SO WELL.
[APPLAUSE] NOW WE ARE GOING TO DIG INTO THE HEART OF OUR CELEBRATIONS THIS EVENING, WHICH IS TO RECOGNIZE OUR ISD 2021/2022 CAMPUS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
YES. [APPLAUSE] NOW, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS BY LEARNING COMMUNITY.
THE FIRST LEARNING COMMUNITY WE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE AS THE BERKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY.
IF YOU COULD COME AND STAND ON THE SIDE HERE.
AS YOU'RE COMING FORWARD, LISA IS GOING TO HELP GET YOU ORGANIZED HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THEY WERE SELECTED.
THIS YEAR, ISD IS EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE A TEACHER OF THE YEAR FROM EACH OF OUR CAMPUSES.
THIS IS NEW FOR THE '21/'22 SCHOOL YEAR.
THESE TEACHERS WERE SELECTED BY A LOCAL CAMPUS COMMITTEE WHO IDENTIFIED AS SPECIAL TEACHER WHO HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF LEARNERS BY EXEMPLIFYING BEST TEACHING PRACTICES WHILE ALSO SERVING AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THESE TEACHERS WE ARE RECOGNIZING THIS EVENING, UNDERSTAND AND EXEMPLIFY BEST PRACTICES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING.
THESE EDUCATORS FULLY EMBRACE, SUPPORT, AND PROMOTE THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE RICHARDSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED TREMENDOUS CONCERN FOR ALL LEARNERS AND THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE AND INSPIRE THEM,
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EXHIBIT THE CAPACITY AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH COLLEAGUES IN DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY.A DRIVE TO INITIATE ACTIVITIES THAT TRANSFORM INSTRUCTION AND ENGAGE ALL LEARNERS.
THE DESIRE TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT CURRENT EDUCATIONAL TRENDS AND PRACTICES, AND THE APTITUDE TO INCORPORATE WHAT IS LEARNED INTO THE CLASSROOM.
AN ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, NOT ONLY IN ISD, BUT THROUGHOUT THIS REGION AND STATE.
A WILLINGNESS TO INNOVATE, TO HAVE CREATIVE IDEAS AND USE THE MOST CURRENT TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES.
FINALLY, THEY KNOW HOW TO INSPIRE GREAT TEACHING, WHICH IS KEY TO ENSURING ALL LEARNERS CONNECT, LEARN, GROW, AND SUCCEED.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE OUR RICHARDSON ISD 2021/2022 CAMPUS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
NOW EACH OF YOU THIS EVENING ARE GOING TO BE RECEIVING A SPECIAL FRAME CERTIFICATE THAT CAN BE OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR IN YOUR CLASSROOM.
WE ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS IS JUST ONE ACTIVITY AMONG MANY OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE YOU.
BUT ALSO BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS EVENING, WE WANT YOU TO BE SURE THAT YOU PICK UP YOUR OFFICIAL ISD TEACHER OF THE YEAR YARD SIGN BECAUSE EVERYBODY DOESN'T GET ONE OF THOSE.
WITHOUT MUCH FURTHER ADO, LET ME INTRODUCE OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM THE BERKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH MS. TIFFANY BUNCH FROM APOLLO JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
AUTUMN URTON FROM AUDELIA CREEK ELEMENTARY.
PAULA RILLING, BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL.
[APPLAUSE] JENELL ROSOL FROM BIG SPRINGS.
[APPLAUSE] STACIE ROBINSON FROM DARTMOUTH, WHO I DON'T BELIEVE COULD BE HERE THIS EVENING.
MICHELLE ISHIZUKA FROM FORESTRIDGE.
ALEXANDRIA LOWE FROM JESS HARBEN.
[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS ALEXANDRA.
[APPLAUSE] BRENDEN JOHNSON FROM LIBERTY JUNIOR HIGH.
[APPLAUSE] MAYRA VALERIO FROM MARK TWAIN ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] MELISSA BAUTISTA FROM O HENRY.
[APPLAUSE] MEAGAN HAYES FROM RICHLAND ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] STEPHANIE CAMACHO FROM SPRINGRIDGE.
[APPLAUSE] KATHERINE ALFORD FROM RICHARDSON TERRACE ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] SHELLY HOPKINS FROM YALE ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM THE BERKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GRAB A PICTURE.
[APPLAUSE] AS THEY'RE GETTING THEIR PICTURE, I'M GOING TO INVITE THE LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO STAND AND COME AND LINE UP HERE ON THIS SIDE OF THE AUDITORIUM TO MY LEFT.
[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS BERKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY.
[APPLAUSE] NEXT WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM THE LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH MS. KATIE SEARS FROM AIKIN ELEMENTARY.
IS KATIE HERE THIS EVENING? BARBARA DAVIS TRIPLETT FROM FOREST LANE ACADEMY.
PAIGE HOUGHTALING FROM FOREST MEADOW JUNIOR HIGH.
[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS PAIGE.
[APPLAUSE] DAWN BIRD FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] BETHANY HATFIELD FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS JUNIOR HIGH.
[APPLAUSE] EMILY RAMIREZ FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
[APPLAUSE] ASHLEY HILLEBRAND FROM MERRIMAN PARK ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] BETH HEATH FROM MOSS HAVEN.
[APPLAUSE] KAY FORD FROM NORTHLAKE.
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[APPLAUSE] GUSTAVO FLORES-MELO FROM SKYVIEW.[APPLAUSE] SANDRA ALVAREZ FROM STULTS ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
[APPLAUSE] TIFFANY HENDERSON FROM THURGOOD MARSHALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
[APPLAUSE] CORTNEY BONNER FROM WALLACE ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] AMANDA TUCKER FROM WHITE ROCK ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM THE LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET A PICTURE NOW.
[APPLAUSE] AS WE'RE ORGANIZING THEM FOR A PICTURE, I WOULD INVITE THE PEARCE LEARNING COMMUNITY TEACHERS OF THE YEAR, IF YOU COULD PLEASE RISE.
[BACKGROUND] [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS.
[APPLAUSE] NOW WE HAVE OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM THE PEARCE LEARNING COMMUNITY.
ANNA TAYLOR FROM BOWIE ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] ASHLEY PONDROM FROM BRENTFIELD ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] KIMBERLY SANDERS FROM CANYON CREEK ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] IN MEMORY OF EROLETTA PIASCZYK, WHO PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS YEAR, CHRISTA MCAULIFFE LEARNING CENTER IS HONORING HER AS THEIR TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND THIS EVENING, HER SON TODD IS HERE TO ACCEPT HER CERTIFICATE.
JODIE RODDENBERRY FROM GREENWOOD HILLS.
[APPLAUSE] CAROL NELSON FROM MEMORIAL PARK ACADEMY.
IS CAROL HERE THIS EVENING? [APPLAUSE] TOOK MY BREATH AWAY FOR A MOMENT THAT CAROL IS NOT HERE.
DONNA BELCOURT FROM MOHAWK ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] MELODY GREENWOOD FROM NORTHRIDGE.
[APPLAUSE] CHRIS FORONO FROM PARK HILL JUNIOR HIGH.
[APPLAUSE] MR. JOE SOYA FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL.
MARCY DAL FROM PRAIRIE CREEK.[APPLAUSE] CHRIS CAZONES FROM PRESTON WADE.
[APPLAUSE] WE ALSO HAVE TAMMY KANIKA FROM RICHARDSON NORTH JUNIOR HIGH AS YES.
[APPLAUSE] AND VIVIAN R BELLOW FROM ISD ACADEMY WHO COULD NOT BE HERE THIS EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PEERS LEARNING COMMUNITY TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
[BACKGROUND] [APPLAUSE] FINALLY, IF THE RICHARDSON LEARNING COMMUNITY TEACHERS OF THE YEAR, IF YOU COULD PLEASE RISE.
[NOISE] WE'RE EXCITED TO NOW CELEBRATE OUR RICHARDSON LEARNING COMMUNITY TEACHERS.
[NOISE] [LAUGHTER] FROM THE RICHARDSON LEARNING COMMUNITY, WE HAVE ARIANNA COOPER FROM ARAPAHO CLASSICAL MAGNETS.
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[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS.[APPLAUSE] ANALISA RINGO FROM HAMILTON PARK.
[APPLAUSE] ALLEY CODECA FROM MST MAGNET.
[APPLAUSE] MICHELLE BARNS FROM NORTHWOOD HILLS ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] MICHELLE MENGELE FROM RICHARDSON HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY.
CONGRATULATIONS FROM RICHARDSON HEIGHTS.
WE ALSO HAVE NIKKI CLARK FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
[APPLAUSE] CARRY KIRK FROM RICHARDSON WEST JUNIOR HIGH.
ALICIA ASHIDA FROM SPRING CREEK ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] ANA MARTINEZ FROM SPRING VALLEY.
[APPLAUSE] AND MR. JOSH WORTHINGTON FROM WESTWOOD JUNIOR HIGH, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE THIS EVENING.
LET'S GET ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR RICHARDSON LEARNING COMMUNITY TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
[APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] LET'S HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME FOR ALL OF OUR RICHARDSON ISD.
[APPLAUSE] WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE CAMPUS LEADERS, PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND FAMILY OF OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR, RECOGNIZE TEACHERS THIS EVENING.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THESE TEACHERS THIS EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] AS WE MENTIONED, THIS CAN KICKS OFF A SERIES OF DIFFERENT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE ARE GOING TO HOST THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO CELEBRATE OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR BECAUSE ALL TEACHERS NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THIS SPECIAL AWARD.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE INTO SAY SOMETHING AWARDS THAT WE CELEBRATE EACH MONTH.
WE HAVE TWO STAFF THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS EVENING.
I'M GOING TO ASK LAURA BLATZHEIM TO COME FORWARD AND ALICE FRANCE.
[APPLAUSE] I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHY LAURA BLATZHEIM WITH OUR STUDENT'S SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS BEING RECOGNIZED.
AFTER THE TORNADOES IN CENTRAL TEXAS LAST MONTH, A COUNSELOR AT A CAMPUS THAT HAD BEEN IMPACTED AND CLASSIFIED AS DEVASTATED AND NON INHABITABLE, POSTED IN A TEXAS SCHOOL COUNSELOR FACEBOOK GROUP THAT SHE NEEDED HELP.
SHE HAD SCARED STUDENTS MEETING IN ANOTHER BUILDING AND DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HELP THEM DEBRIEF AND PROCESS THE TORNADO.
WHEN WE HAD OUR TORNADO IN 2019, LAURA PUT SOME AMAZING DISASTER KITS TO HELP STUDENTS PROCESS AND DEAL WITH THEIR FEELINGS AFTER A SCARY NATURAL DISASTER.
LAURA REACHED OUT TO THIS COUNSELOR VIA FACEBOOK MESSENGER AND WALKED HER THROUGH WHAT WE DID.
SHE ALSO PURCHASED ALL OF THE NEEDED MATERIALS FOR THE DEBRIEF SESSIONS FROM HER OWN POCKET AND HAVE THEM SHIPPED OVERNIGHT TO HER SO THE COUNSELOR COULD WORK WITH HER STUDENTS QUICKLY.
WE UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONS FROM THIS AS WE IN ISD HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT AND HER SELFLESS ACT OF CARE FOR THE COUNSELOR AND THOSE STUDENTS IS WHY LAURA BLATZHEIM DESERVES A STAFF SAY SOMETHING AWARD THIS MONTH.
[APPLAUSE] OUR SECOND STAFF SAY SOMETHING AWARD RECOGNITION IS FOR MISS ALICE FRANCE FROM FOREST MEADOW JUNIOR HIGH.
[00:25:06]
LET ME READ A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WAS ON THE NOMINATION FORM FOR MS. FRANCE.MS. ALICE IS SUCH A VALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR FOREST MEADOW JUNIOR HIGH CHARGE OR FAMILY.
SHE DECORATES THE CAFETERIA FOR THE STUDENTS AROUND THE HOLIDAYS AND DURING TIMES OF CELEBRATION AS PART OF OUR PBIS.
RECOGNITION, STAFF CAN PURCHASE A TEACHER TROPHY AND PERSONALIZE IT WITH AFFIRMATIONS.
MS. ALICE HAS UTILIZED THIS PLATFORM TO RECOGNIZE SO MANY TEACHERS.
IN ADDITION, SHE HAS PROVIDED LUNCH AND COOKIES FOR THE STAFF.
SHE COMES TO STUDENT ATHLETIC EVENTS AND IS TRULY A PLEASURE TO BE AROUND.
MS. ALICE IS A TRUE EXAMPLE OF RISD GREATNESS AND WHY WE'RE RECOGNIZING HER WITH A STAFF SAY SOMETHING AWARD THIS EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO CAPTURE A PHOTO.
I THINK DR. SAUNDERS IS GOING TO GET YOU ORGANIZED FOR A GROUP PICTURE.
[APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
FINALLY, TO ROUND OUT OUR CELEBRATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING WE HAVE FOUR STUDENTS SAY SOMETHING AWARDEES THAT WE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE.
I'M GOING TO INVITE ABIGAIL ARROYO TO COME FORWARD FROM O.HENRY ELEMENTARY.
IS ABIGAIL HERE THIS EVENING? [NOISE] WE WILL BE SURE SHE'S INVITED BACK NEXT MONTH SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE HER.
HOW ABOUT GREYSON PUTNAM, THIRD GRADE FROM MST.
GREYSON, CAN YOU COME FORWARD, PLEASE? [APPLAUSE] LET ME READ TO YOU WHY WE ARE RECOGNIZING GREYSON THIS EVENING.
THEY HAD JUST RECENTLY WRAPPED UP A SCHOOL FUNDRAISER-RAISE CRAZE WHERE STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED TO COMPLETE ACTS OF KINDNESS AROUND THEIR SCHOOL AND AT HOME.
GREYSON HELPED COLLABORATE TO CREATE 80 PERSONALIZED ACTS OF KINDNESS ON HER CAMPUS AND WITHIN HER COMMUNITY WITH GRACE AND LEADERSHIP AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR HER CLASS, SHE AND HER CLASSMATES COMPLETED OVER 100 ACTS OF KINDNESS IN A ONE-MONTH SPAN.
THESE ACTS INCLUDING WRITING NOTES OF KINDNESS TO STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT TYPICALLY RECOGNIZED.
WRITING NOTES OF KINDNESS TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HELPING OUT AROUND THE HOUSE WITHOUT BEING ASKED.
[LAUGHTER] GREYSON COMPLETED OVER 30 ACTS OF KINDNESS HERSELF THAT SHE HELPED CREATE.
SHE'S BEEN VERY DILIGENT AND REMINDING EVERYONE TO LOG THEIR ACTS OF KINDNESS.
IN TURN, HAS HELPED HER TEACHER OUT IN CLASS QUITE A BIT WITH THIS PROJECT, SHE CONSTANTLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE CLASSROOM WITH HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND DISCIPLINED WORK ETHIC.
WHAT GREAT LIFE TRAITS TO HAVE.
SHE HAS A SERVANT HEART AND CONSTANTLY PREPARES TO LEAD OTHERS BY EXAMPLE, FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS, CONGRATULATIONS GREYSON FOR BEING ONE OF OUR STUDENTS SAY SOMETHING AWARD WINNERS.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT STUDENT RECOGNITION IS FOR EMMA VERA.
EMMA, CAN YOU COME FORWARD? [APPLAUSE] EMMA ALSO ATTENDS MST, I BELIEVE, DON'T YOU EMMA? YES. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU WHY EMMA IS BEING RECOGNIZED.
IN HER GT CLASS, THEY'D BEEN LEARNING ABOUT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AROUND OUR AREA AND HOW THEY CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM THROUGH DIRECT OR INDIRECT SERVICE.
DIRECT SERVICE WILL BE GOING TO THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN VOLUNTEERING AND INDIRECT SERVICE WOULD BE RAISING FUNDS, POSTING INFO FOR AWARENESS, ETC.
EMMA TOOK THIS PROJECT AND RAN WITH IT.
SHE CHOSE THE BIRTHDAY PARTY PROJECT AS HER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND SHE MADE
[00:30:05]
A VIDEO ASKING FOR DONATIONS OF PARTY SUPPLIES SO THAT KIDS WHO DON'T NORMALLY GET TO HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY WOULD BE ABLE TO THIS YEAR.EMMA'S MOM WAS ABLE TO POST THIS VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA ALONG WITH A DONATION LINK AND EMMA RAISED OVER 100 DOLLARS.
SHE ALSO PUT A BOX IN THE CLASSROOM AND STUDENTS AND STAFF DONATED PARTY SUPPLIES.
THEN EMMA RECEIVED GIFT CARDS AND MONEY FOR HER OWN BIRTHDAY, AND SHE CHOSE TO SPEND ALL OF IT ON SUPPLIES TO GIVE TO THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
EMMA AND HER MOTHER WERE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY GO TO THE BIRTHDAY PARTY PROJECT HEADQUARTERS AND DROP OFF THE DONATIONS IN PERSON.
THEY WERE ABLE TO TOUR THE FACILITY AND EMMA WAS ABLE TO SEE HOW ALL OF HER HARD WORK WOULD MAKE SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN MORE THAN ONE CHILD'S LIFE THIS YEAR.
HOW AWESOME IS THAT AND FOR ALL THESE REASONS, [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATION EMMA FOR BEING ONE OF OUR SAY SOMETHING AWARD.
I ACTUALLY SAW THAT ONE POSTED ON FACEBOOK AND DONATED.
I THINK QUITE A FEW OF US DID.
OUR NEXT STUDENT IS ELIZABETH GEERING, SIXTH GRADE AT CANYON CREEK ELEMENTARY.
IS ELIZABETH HERE THIS EVENING? COME FORWARD, ELIZABETH.
[APPLAUSE] I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHY WE'RE RECOGNIZING ELIZABETH THIS EVENING.
SHE HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND DURING HER ADVANCED LEARNING INDEPENDENT STUDY THIS YEAR.
EVERY YEAR, STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED DURING THEIR INDEPENDENT STUDY TO COMPLETE A MULTI-WEEK PROJECT.
THIS YEAR, STUDENTS WERE CHALLENGED WITH THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT QUOTE, DO WHAT YOU CAN AND WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE.
IN ADDITION TO THESE BIG IDEA QUOTES STUDENTS CONSIDERED HOW SMALL ACTS CAN LEAD TO A BIG CHANGE AND HOW IF WE ALL JUST DO A LITTLE, IT WILL BE A LOT.
ELIZABETH ADVOCATED FOR HEROES FOR CHILDREN BY ENCOURAGING HER CLASSMATES TO JOIN HER IN MAKING DECORATIONS THAT ARE USED TO BRIGHTEN UP THE ROOMS OF THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BEING SUPPORTED.
SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE 108 DECORATIONS AND SENT THEM TO HEROES FOR CHILDREN.
THE ORGANIZATION WAS SO THANKFUL THEY INTERVIEWED HER AND SHE WILL BE FEATURED AS ONE OF THEIR CHILD ADVOCATES.
ELIZABETH HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR WORLD BY COMBINING HER PASSION AND INTERESTS TO MAKE THE LIVES OF OTHERS MORE CHEERFUL.
[APPLAUSE] NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO GET A GROUP PICTURE WITH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
SAY SOMETHING, AWARD RECOGNITION STUDENTS FOR THIS EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] FINALLY, OUR LAST RECOGNITION THIS EVENING.
WE BELIEVE WE HAVE A GUEST HERE FROM THE LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON CLASS OF 37, THE BEST CLASS.
DID WE SEE MICHAEL COME IN THIS EVENING? HI MICHAEL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND JOINING US THIS EVENING.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR RECOGNITIONS AND CELEBRATIONS THIS EVENING.
>> [BACKGROUND] GIVE EVERYBODY A MOMENT TO EXIT THE AUDITORIUM AND THEN WE WILL PROCEED.
AS EVERYONE IS EXITING I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY.
STUDENTS AND STAFF WHO WILL RECOGNIZE THIS EVENING, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
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THANK YOU. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GO BACK TO BUSINESS. READY COLLEAGUES?[II. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION, MISS RENTERIA, DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS FOR PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD?>> THANK YOU. MISS HARRIS. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR VISITORS.
SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS OR NON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS AT REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS.
AT WORK SESSIONS OR OTHER CALLED MEETINGS, PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. SPEAKERS HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PRESENT COMMENTS UNLESS THE TIME OF
[00:40:03]
ALL SPEAKERS HAS BEEN REDUCED DUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.WE HAVE A BRIEF VIDEO TO INTRODUCE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION AND TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
IN ADDITION, A DIGITAL TIMER WILL PROJECT ON THE SCREEN AND WE'LL COUNT DOWN A SPEAKER'S TIME FROM THREE MINUTES TO ZERO.
SPEAKERS MAY REFER TO THE SCREEN FOR THEIR REMAINING TIME.
A COPY OF THE BOARDS PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD ALSO IS LOCATED ON THE TABLE IN THE FOYER.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WATCHING THE VIDEO.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO CONVEY INFORMATION TO THE BOARD.
SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS OR NON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS AT REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS.
AT WORK SESSIONS OR OTHER CALLED MEETINGS, PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. A PERSON WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD BEFORE THE MEETING TO INDICATE HE OR SHE WISHES TO SPEAK.
CARDS ARE LOCATED IN THE FOYER OF THE AUDITORIUM AND COMPLETED CARDS MUST BE PLACED IN THE DESIGNATED BOX NO LATER THAN 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN.
SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE WRITTEN MATERIALS TO THE BOARD SHOULD ATTACH THEM TO THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
A STAFF MEMBER WILL PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTS TO THE BOARD.
PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH THE HORSESHOE AREA DURING COMMENTS.
THE BOARD WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE WITH THE SPEAKERS.
THE BOARD CANNOT DELIBERATE OR MAKE A DECISION ON ANY SUBJECT THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
A SPEAKER MAY COMPLETE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD FOR EACH MEETING.
EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES, UNLESS THE TIME OF ALL SPEAKERS HAS BEEN REDUCED DUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.
A SPEAKER MAY NOT TAKE THE TIME OF ANOTHER SPEAKER.
SPEAKERS WHO SPEAK THROUGH A FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER WILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TIME.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO PRESENT FORMAL COMPLAINTS.
THE BOARD WILL ONLY CONSIDER FORMAL COMPLAINTS THAT REMAIN UNRESOLVED AFTER THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGH PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE CHANNELS AND WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
THE BOARD SECRETARY WILL STATE THE SPEAKER'S NAME AND COMMENT TOPIC OR TOPICS AS IDENTIFIED ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
A SPEAKER SHOULD APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN HIS OR HER NAME IS CALLED.
EACH SPEAKER SHOULD CLEARLY STATE HIS OR HER NAME, AND THE RISD SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS THE SPEAKERS CHILDREN ATTEND OR HAVE ATTENDED BEFORE BEGINNING TO COMMENT.
THE BOARD SECRETARY WILL KEEP THE TIME FOR EACH SPEAKER.
A SPEAKER MUST PROMPTLY END HIS OR HER COMMENTS WHEN THE ALLOTTED TIME HAS ELAPSED, NOT YIELDING THE PODIUM AS WELL AS REMARKS OR OTHER CONDUCT THAT DISRUPT THE MEETING ARE CONSIDERED OUT-OF-ORDER AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.
VISITORS AND STAFF MUST LISTEN QUIETLY DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION.
IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR STAFF OR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE TO CLAP, CHEER, BOO, DISPLAY BANNERS, OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT.
PERSONS WHO DISRUPT THE MEETING WILL BE CAUTIONED TO OBSERVE MEETING RULES.
ANY PERSON WHO PERSISTS IN ENGAGING IN DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE MEETING.
A PERSON WHO CHOOSES TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION IS CONSENTING TO THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF HIS OR HER COMMENTS.
A COPY OF THE PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS LOCATED ON THE INFORMATION TABLE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE AUDITORIUM.
>> SPEAKERS, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS MR. EUAN BLACKMAN.
MR. BLACKMAN WILL BE SPEAKING ON BUDGET AND SALARY COMPRESSION.
>> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ESTEEMED EMPLOYEES.
MALCOM X ONCE SAID THAT EDUCATION IS A PASSPORT TO THE FUTURE.
FOR TOMORROW BELONGS TO THOSE WHO PREPARE FOR IT TODAY.
AS WE PREPARE FOR THAT FUTURE THROUGH FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
PERHAPS A CNC MUSIC FACTORY WOULD SAY THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO.
LET'S TAKE AGAIN OR TWO ITEMS UNDER BIDS FOR APPROVAL TODAY.
I KNOW NUMBERS CAN BE BORING AND MOST PEOPLE GIVE IT A PERFUNCTORY GLANCE BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE THINK ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS.
AS A TRUSTEE SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, IT'S THE LITTLE BIG THINGS.
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY FOR $94,525, AND A STAFFING STUDY FOR $40,000. I GET IT.
WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE ARE PAYING OUR STAFF TO COMPARE IT TO OTHER DISTRICTS TO MAINTAIN A FINANCIAL COMPETITIVE EDGE.
I LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE AND SOMEONE HAS ALREADY DONE THE WORK FOR US, THE UNITED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION.
THEY HAD THESE COMPARISONS READILY AVAILABLE ON THEIR WEBSITE,
[00:45:01]
AND I TOOK AGENDA FOR FREE.FOR THE DFW METRO PLEX FOR '21, '22 SCHOOL YEAR, TEACHERS HOLDING A BACHELOR DEGREE CAN MAKE $58,500 BY GOING TO WORK FOR ATB.
AT THE TOP WELL THEY GET A TOTAL OF WHICH THE RURAL DISTRICT NEAR GLEN ROSE AND MAKES 37,000.
ON THAT SCOPE OF 49 DISTRICTS RISD IS 32ND.
BY THE TIME YOU GET TO 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE, WE'VE DROPPED A 43RD OUT OF 49.
BEARING IN MIND THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR DEGREED EMPLOYEE IN DFW IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF WORKING IS AROUND $42,000.
WE HAVE DECENT STARTING SALARIES FOR EDUCATION.
THIS IS NOT WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES.
WHEN YOU'VE BEEN A VETERAN EDUCATOR FOR THREE DECADES AND YOU ONLY MAKES $6,000 MORE IN THE RISD THAN A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER.
THIS IS REFERRED TO AS COMPRESSION, A DIRECT RESULT OF POLICIES APPROVED BY THE BOARD OVER THE PAST DECADE OR MORE? YES. THE SUPERSEDES MOST OF YOU ACCEPT [INAUDIBLE] LYNN HAVING BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS AND AVERTING AFFIRMATIVELY FOR THIS SITUATION.
A QUICK TOUCH POINT FOR YOU ON HISTORICAL LIGHT FROM THE EUI'S WEBSITE.
IN THE '07, '08 SCHOOL YEAR, THE DELTA FOR A NEW TEACHER IN VETERAN WAS ABOUT $6,875 TODAY THAT SAME DELTA IS $6,775.
DOWN IN DOLLARS BY A LITTLE BIT, BUT WAY DOWN IN PERCENTAGES FROM A 16 PERCENT DIFFERENCE TO A 12 PERCENT DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S A SHRINKING OF 25 PERCENT FROM A VETERAN TEACHER TO A NEW TEACHER.
BEARING THAT AMOUNT, ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT A PREVIOUS BOARD PRESIDENT JEFFERSON BONO, NOTED IN THE LAST STUFF COMPENSATION STUDY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, THE TEACHERS WEREN'T LEAVING ONLY BECAUSE OF MONEY.
THERE WERE OTHER LARGER FACTORS LIKE WORKLOAD AND CAREER GROWTH.
THOSE SHOULD ALSO BE ADDRESSED.
AS YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET, IT IS 90 PERCENT OF YOUR BUDGET IS GOING TO BE ON TEACHER SALARIES.
AS OUR FAMOUS APART, MAYA ANGELOU ONCE SAID, "DO YOUR BEST UNTIL YOU KNOW BETTER, THEN WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER." SO LET'S DO BETTER, NOW THAT WE KNOW BETTER. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. RANDY BLANKENSHIP, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON LAWSUIT ON THE HORIZON PART 2.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS RANDY BLANKENSHIP AND I WISH TO THANK THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TOPIC LAWSUIT ON THE HORIZON PART 2.
I GAVE IT A LOT OF THIS YEAR ON LAST MONTH, BUT IT IS ON HORIZON AND TODAY I MUST AMEND THAT STATEMENT TO POSSIBLY A SECOND ONE ON HORIZON.
BUT THERE IS A QUESTION COMING UP AND THAT IS HAVE YOU BEEN ADVISED THAT THE RICHARDSON ISD WAS THIRD AND OPEN RECORDS REQUEST FROM MY ATTORNEY ON MARCH THE 18TH? DO YOU KNOW WHAT HIS STATUS IS? IS THIS ADMINISTRATION KEEPING YOU INFORMED? JUST QUESTIONS? THIS MORNING? I SERVED THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT WITH A 26 PAGE FORMAL COMPLAINT, I WAS JUST A FRIEND OF THE COMPLAINT.
ONE MISSTEP AND IT COULD BE A LAWSUIT.
NOW YOU MIGHT BE SAYING THE ADMINISTRATION OR GENERAL COUNSEL WILL HANDLE IT, AND THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE FOR YOU TO BE CONCERNED WITH, WRONG.
THE LEGAL ISSUES THAT FALL ON YOU, THE BOARD, THE LAWSUIT WILL BE YOUR PROBLEM, NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ONLY YOU CAN RESOLVE THE FORTHCOMING LAWSUIT FOR IT IS YOUR DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY.
ADMINISTRATION CANNOT HELP YOU AND A GENERAL COUNSELOR CANNOT PROTECT YOU.
ONLY YOU CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
IF YOU ARE ADVISED TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN STEP UP AND CONDUCT YOUR LAWFUL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, YOU WOULD BE MISLED BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONES THAT THE LAWSUIT IS PERTAINING TO.
PATIENCE IS LIMITED AND THE GLOVES ARE COMING OFF.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. DETERMINED.
>> THANK YOU, MR. BLANKENSHIP.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS MR. KELLY FIPS WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON EDI.
>> MR. PHIPPS. NOT HERE. OKAY, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER THEN IS MS. AMY FIPS, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON BOOKS AND GRADUATION.
I'M GOING TO START WITH THE BOOKS. LET'S SEE.
THIS WEEK, MY 3RD GRADER BROUGHT US HER LIBRARY BOOK FROM SCHOOL.
UNTIL THIS, SHE HAD FOUND A BAD WORD IN IT.
I TOOK THE BOOK FROM HER AND READ ABOUT 50 PAGES OF IT.
[00:50:02]
WE GIVE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN GUIDELINES ABOUT WHAT IS APPROPRIATE AND WHAT IS NOT SO THAT THEY CAN APPLY THOSE THEMSELVES.I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS BOOK WOULD BE IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE BOOK ACTUALLY WAS I WAS TOLD BY THE LIBRARIAN THAT BOOK IS APPROVED FOR AGES 10 AND UP, SHE'S NINE.
I STILL DISAGREE, THAT'S REALLY STILL WAY TOO YOUNG.
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A BOY WHO WAS 12.
IT'S CALLED LOST IN THE SUN, HE'S A 6TH GRADER.
HE ACCIDENTALLY KILLED SOMEONE.
HE'S BASICALLY DEALING WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AS WELL AS SEVERE ANXIETY, PANIC ATTACKS, AND DEPRESSION.
THAT'S WHAT I GOT OUT OF THE FIRST 50 PAGES.
HE KEEPS A JOURNAL ABOUT IT, DRAWS PICTURES.
IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ELEMENTARY AT ALL.
I WOULD POSSIBLY CONSIDER LET MY 8TH GRADER READ THIS BOOK, BUT REALLY THAT'S THE YOUNGEST AGE.
THE YOUNGEST AGE I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR THIS BOOK.
IT'S A VERY HEAVY AND VERY TRAUMATIC STORY.
NOT TO MENTION THE WORD THAT SHE HAD FOUND, THE A WORD, WE'LL SAY FIVE TIMES IN 50 PAGES.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE IN SCHOOL.
I KNOW FOR A FACT A CHILD HAS BEEN SENT TO THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY FOR SAYING IT.
WHY WOULD WE PUT THIS IN MATERIAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO LET CHILDREN READ FOR ASSIGNMENTS OR FOR THEIR SPARE TIME OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE STANDARDS WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THIS, I FEEL LIKE SINCE THE FALL.
THERE'S GOT TO BE GUIDELINES, THERE'S GOT TO BE STANDARDS.
THIS BOOK DOES NOT BELONG ANYWHERE WHERE A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
I HAVE TIME, SO I'M GOING TO READ JUST A LITTLE BIT OF IT. " 'TRENT!' DAD HOLLERED AT ME.
'TRENTON ZIMMERMAN, YOU'LL GET YOUR ASS IN HERE RIGHT THIS MINUTE.' " ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF SOME EXCELLENT PARENTING.
THEN REGARDING HIS DARK THOUGHTS, "FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE DRAWINGS IN MY BOOK OF THOUGHTS FREAKED ME OUT SO BAD I HAD TO HIDE THEM AT THE BACK OF MY CLOSET WHILE I WAS SLEEPING.
THAT'S HOW STUPID I COULD BE BACK THEN.
THE STUFF I DREW FOR A WHILE, IT MADE MY SHARK-EATING DRAWINGS SEEM LIKE HAPPY LITTLE UNICORNS MUNCHING ON CUPCAKES.
WHAT IF'S ABOUT IT NOT BEING JARED THAT DAY ON A LAKE? THAT'S WHAT I DREW FOR A WHILE.
WHAT IF'S ABOUT IT BEING SOMEONE ELSE INSTEAD?" AGAIN, JUST NOT APPROPRIATE.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD BOOK.
PLEASE DON'T HEAR ME SAY I'M BURNING ANYTHING.
IT'D BE REALLY NICE IF WE COULD GET THE COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN FORMED TO GO OVER SOME OF THIS MATERIAL TO ACTUALLY MEET AND TO TRY AND HELP ESTABLISH SOME GOOD GUIDELINES.
>> THANK YOU MISS PHILLIPS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MISS LISA HORD, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON LIBRARY BOOKS.
BEFORE I START, IF YOU CAN HOLD ON FOR A SECOND.
IF THERE ARE ANY CHILDREN LEFT OR ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR SOMETHING VERY GRAPHIC, THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO LEAVE THE ROOM.
LAST WEEK I WAS AT AN EVENT WHERE ONE OF OUR BOARD TRUSTEES SAID, "THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT BANNING BOOKS.
I DON'T KNOW ANY SOCIETY THAT HAS BENEFITED FROM BANNING KNOWLEDGE.
MOST OF THE BOOKS YOU'LL FIND IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES ARE PLACED THERE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
I BELIEVE THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE AS MUCH REFERENCE MATERIAL AS THEY CAN TO BE INFORMED ABOUT A PARTICULAR SUBJECT." THIS BOOK, WHAT GIRLS ARE MADE OF, SAINT BRUCKNER HIGH-SCHOOL, RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AND RICHARDSON WEST JUNIOR HIGH.
HERE WE GO. "I GO DOWN ON MY KNEES LIKE THE GUY ON THE BRIDGE, EXCEPT INSTEAD OF TIGHTENING A HARNESS, I'M UNFASTENING HIS PANTS.
I PULL HIM OUT OF HIS UNDERWEAR AND HE'S SOFT IN MY HAND.
I DON'T LOOK UP AT HIS FACE BEFORE I OPEN MY MOUTH AND PULL HIM INTO IT.
I PULL AND I SUCK UNTIL IT GROWS HARD AND HE MAKES A SOUND, THAT MEANS HE LIKES IT.
I KEEP GOING AND GOING AND WHEN HE SAYS, 'I'M GOING TO CUM', I DON'T PULL AWAY.
THE JET OF HIM IS WARM AND SALTY AND TASTES LIKE THICKENED SWEAT.
HE BREATHES HARD AND HIS HANDS, ARE TIGHT FISTS AT HIS SIDES." ON THE NEXT PAGE, IT GOES ON AND SAYS, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LATER, 'CHEWING THE FLESH AND DRINKING THE BLOOD OF JESUS EVERY SUNDAY IN CHURCH, SWALLOWING SETS CUM ON THE TRAIL.
IS IT DIFFERENT? IS IT?" THAT'S AVAILABLE IN RISD SCHOOLS FOR 12-YEAR-OLDS AND UP?.
I JUST DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN DEFEND THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW SOCIETY COULD BENEFIT FROM SCHOOLS SUPPLYING BOOKS LIKE
[00:55:04]
THIS TO STUDENTS AS YOUNG AS 12 YEARS OLD OR REALLY ANY AGE.I DON'T WANT MY SENIOR READING THAT AS SHE WOULDN'T WANT TO READ IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHOSE JOB IT IS TO REVIEW THESE BOOKS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS PUT IN OUR LIBRARIES INTENTIONALLY.
IF IT'S NOT, THEN SOMEBODY IS REALLY NOT DOING THEIR JOB.
INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS WERE BROUGHT UP LAST FALL TO THE BOARD, GOT A LOT OF PUBLICITY, BUT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.
I FOUND OUT JUST RECENTLY THAT JUST NOW IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, MAYBE A MONTH, THE COMMITTEE'S STARTING TO BE FORMED AND MET FOR MAYBE THE SECOND TIME.
THE PARENTS WHO VOLUNTEER TO BE ON THOSE COMMITTEES, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET.
MY TIME IS UP. I HAVE MORE BUT I'LL JUST SEND THAT TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MS. HORD. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. SAM JARVIS, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON STAFF TRAINING.
>> RECENTLY IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT OUR EDI DEPARTMENT IS PROVIDING TRAINING TO OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN AFFIRMING THE SEXUAL IDENTITIES OF THEIR ELEMENTARY AGE STUDENTS.
TRUSTEES, AND ADMINISTRATION, WERE YOU AWARE THAT THIS WAS GOING ON? TO ENCOURAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN TO SPEAK WITH THEIR TEACHERS ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL IDENTITIES IS A GROOMING BEHAVIOR AND NEEDS TO STOP RIGHT NOW.
TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO USE PUBERTY BLOCKERS AND CASTRATE THEMSELVES IS A GREAT EVIL AND CANNOT CONTINUE.
TRUSTEES AND ADMINISTRATION, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE MORAL COURAGE TO STOP ALL OF THIS INDOCTRINATION IN ITS TRACKS AND NOT ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE TO FESTER IN OUR SCHOOLS.
YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT THIS BRAINWASHING LEADS TO OUR CHILDREN BELIEVING THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE LIFE ALTERING HORMONES AND MUTILATE THEIR GENITALIA IN ORDER TO BE HAPPY, PLEASE TAKE A STAND AGAINST THIS.
IF YOU CAN'T TAKE A STAND AGAINST CHILDREN BEING CHEMICALLY CASTRATED AND STERILIZE FOR LIVE, THEN YOU WON'T EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST ANYTHING.
IF YOU THINK THERE ARE BUDGET PROBLEMS NOW WITH OVER 2,000 FEWER CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT, THEN YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET IF PARENTS FEEL LIKE TEACHERS ARE GROOMING THEIR KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THIS EVIL IDEOLOGY THAT IS BEGINNING TO FESTER AND SPREAD IN THE DISTRICT.
BUT YOU MUST HAVE THE MORAL COURAGE TO IDENTIFY IT AS A CANCER AND CUT IT OUT COMPLETELY FROM OUR SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [NOISE]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. LINETTE [INAUDIBLE], WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM SCHOOLDIGGER.COM [NOISE]
>> GOOD EVENING. IS THAT BETTER? [LAUGHTER] GOOD EVENING.
MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MID 1980S.
SCHOOLDIGGER.COM IS A NATIONAL DATABASE THAT COLLECTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE DATA AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEN RANKS THESE STATES SCHOOLS ACCORDING TO THE DATA.
YOUR HANDOUT INCLUDES THE TEXAS ACADEMIC RANKING CHART FOR PEARCE HIGH SCHOOL FROM 2004 THROUGH 2021.
THE CHART ALSO INCLUDES PEARCE GROWTH IN MINORITY STUDENT POPULATION DURING THE SAME PERIOD.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE CHART REVEALS THREE IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS.
FIRST, DURING THIS SIX-YEAR PERIOD 2004-2009, PEARCE MINORITY POPULATION GREW 23 PERCENT FROM 30-37 PERCENT OF STUDENTS.
YET DURING THOSE YEARS, PEARCE ACADEMIC STATE RANKING IMPROVED FROM NUMBER 65 TO NUMBER 48.
CHALLENGES THE WOKE ACTIVISTS CLAIM THAT RISD STUDENTS ARE OPPRESSED BY DISTRICT FRAUGHT WITH SYSTEMIC RACISM.
RATHER, FOCUS ON ACADEMICS DURING THE PERIOD LIFTED BOTH GROUPS.
[01:00:02]
SECOND, RISD ADOPTED ITS VERSION OF THE 2008 TAXA VISION IN JANUARY 2010.IT WAS CALLED RISD VISION 2020.
BRIEFLY, VISION 2020 REPLACED CORE ACADEMICS WITH SOCIAL ENGINEERING.
A LONG SLIDE APPEARS STATE ACADEMIC RANKING BEGAN FROM NUMBER 48 IN 2009 TO NUMBER 412 IN 2016.
THIRD, AFTER A SHORT RANKING IMPROVEMENT IN 2017, JEANNIE STONE WAS HIRED AS THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
STONE'S NEGLECT OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REFLECTED IN NEW RANKINGS DECLINE FROM NUMBER 390 IN 2018 ALL THE WAY TO A NEW RECORD LOW OF NUMBER 550 IN 2021.
THIS RANKING WAS AGAINST SCHOOLS WITH THE SAME PANDEMIC ISSUES AS PEARCE.
IN SUMMARY, ALL RISDS TRUSTEES HAVE GONE OFF THE ACADEMIC RAILS NOT ONCE BUT TWICE SINCE 2010.
BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL PAST TIME TO STOP THE BLEEDING, YOU MUST LOCATE AND HIRE A SUPERINTENDENT WHO WILL LASER FOCUS ON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND RESTORE RISD TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACES, A TOP DISTRICT IN TEXAS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU MISS AMES. MISS HARRIS THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS FOR THIS EVENING.
WE DO HAVE A HEARTBREAK FOR A BREAK.
DO YOU GUYS WANT TO JUST GO AND PUSH THROUGH? OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM IS CONSENT AGENDA.
[III. CONSENT / CONFIRMATION AGENDA ITEMS]
DOES ANYONE WISH TO PULL IN CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? HEARING NONE. WE DO HAVE ONE THAT CAME FROM THE PUBLIC.I CAN READ IT TO YOU REAL QUICK.
IT'S TITLE, CONSIDER AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE OPTION 3 AND OR OPTION 4 AGREEMENTS FOR WEALTH EQUALIZATION.
WE CAN JUST GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT, PLEASE MISS BRANUM.
DO YOU WANT TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AND THEN MOVE THAT ONE AFTER CONSENT?
>> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA?
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
WE ARE GOING WITH SECTION 3H, CONSIDER AUTHORITY AND EXECUTE.
>> MR. PAYTON, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD RELATED TO OUR OPTION 3 OR OPTION 4 AGREEMENT?
>> YES. I'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE THAT AND I WASN'T SURE WHERE WE WERE IN THE ORDER ON THAT.
THE OPTION 3 OPTION 4 AGREEMENT THAT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1993.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE BILL THAT IMPLEMENTED THAT BUT THAT IS HOW WE EQUALIZE OUR PROPERTY WEALTH.
THE OPTION 3 AGREEMENT IS WHERE WE PURCHASE ATTENDANCE CREDITS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S A RECAPTURE PAYMENT.
THE VOTERS APPROVED THAT OPTION FOR RICHARDSON ISD ON AUGUST 28TH, 1993.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY FIVE WAYS IN WHICH A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN REDUCE THEIR PROPERTY WEALTH.
THEN IN MAY OF 2001, THE VOTERS APPROVED THE DISTRICT TO USE THE OPTION 4, WHICH IS TO PURCHASE ATTENDANCE CREDITS FROM OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
HOUSE BILL 3 AND OTHER RECENT LEGISLATION HAVE ELIMINATED THE ABILITY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO USE OPTION 4.
WE STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO NOTIFY TEA OF OUR CHOICE EACH YEAR PRIOR TO SETTING THE TAX RATE, AND SO THIS IS A ROUTINE ISSUE THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN GOING ON.
I WAS NOT HERE THEN, BUT I WOULD SAY SINCE THE SPRING OF 1994 WE'D BEEN DOING THIS, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
>> SEMESTER PAID ANY DISTRICT THAT IS SUBJECT TO RECAPTURE, THEY HAVE TO DECLARE WHICH OF THOSE FIVE OPTIONS THEY ARE GOING TO USE TO BASICALLY EQUALIZE THE WEALTH, CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT AND SOME OF THE DISTRICTS TO THE NORTH OF US HAVE HAD THESE ELECTIONS IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
FOR US, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND SO THAT'S WHY IT TENDS TO GO OUT OF OUR MEMORY.
>> ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IN REFERENCE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. POTITE.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[01:05:02]
OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM IS TO CONSIDER[IV.A. Consider Instructional Materials Allotment Certification]
THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ALLOTMENT CERTIFICATION, MISS BRANUM.>> THANK YOU, MISS HARRIS. THANK YOU BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO INVITE MISS KELLY SELLERS AND MISS MONICA SIMON'S TO THE FLOOR.
OUR TEAM HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK SINCE THE FALL.
AS YOU KNOW, ALMOST ANNUALLY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE TEA RELEASES A PROCLAMATION WHICH ALLOWS DISTRICTS TO IDENTIFY THE NEXT SET OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT ALIGN TO THE TEXAS CENTRAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT WE ARE ASKED TO TEACH OF OUR STUDENTS.
MISS SIMONS CHAIRS THAT PROCESS, AND SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HER AND MISS SELLERS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY WHAT PRODUCT THEY'RE BRINGING FORWARD FOR RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU, MISS SIMONS.
I AM ALWAYS THRILLED TO COME ALMOST EVERY YEAR AND GET TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S EXCITING, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE GET TO HONOR THE WORK OF A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY WITH YOU.
THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING THE PROCESS AND SELECTION FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO WILL BE TAKING HEALTH AND PE.
I'LL BEGIN BY PROVIDING SOME CONTEXT FOR YOU.
AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION PROVIDES A PROCESS FOR THE SELECTION AND PURCHASE OF NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS PERIODICALLY.
THEY USE THE TERM PROCLAMATION BEFORE THE YEAR THAT THOSE MATERIALS WILL ACTUALLY BEGIN USE.
THIS TIME IT IS HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT 24 YEARS SINCE HEALTH AND PE HAS COME BEFORE THIS PROCESS.
AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO THE CURRICULAR AREA COMMITTEES AND MAKING THEIR SELECTION AND CONVENING A CENTRAL COMMITTEE WHICH BRINGS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FROM YOUR COMMITTEE? I ALWAYS LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM IF THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE IT.
THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTS MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES TO ENSURE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THOUGHTFUL AND APPROPRIATE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
EACH CURRICULUM AREA MUST CONVENE COMMITTEES THAT REPRESENT ALL GRADE LEVELS, CAMPUSES, AND SUPPORT ROLES.
THIS YEAR, A DEDICATED COMMITTEE OF 27 STAFF MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETINGS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD FOUR PARENTS FROM THE SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SUBCOMMITTEES.
AFTER THE SUBCOMMITTEES MET, THEY THEN TOOK THEIR PROCESS AND THEIR SELECTIONS TO THE ENTIRE SHAC FOR THEIR REVIEW AND FOR FEEDBACK.
THE JOURNEY TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS ABOUT SIX MONTHS LONG AND THAT'S A LOT OF DEDICATION FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE A PART OF THAT PROCESS.
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICIPATION WAS MOSTLY ON THEIR OWN TIME.
THEY WERE VERY EXCITED AT THIS OPPORTUNITY AFTER 24 YEARS, I WOULD IMAGINE THEY WOULD BE.
THEY DEMONSTRATED DEDICATION AND INTENTION IN EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID.
WITH THE GUIDANCE OF THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND PE KELLY SELLERS WHO IS WITH ME HERE TONIGHT.
THE IMA SUBCOMMITTEES BEGAN THE JOURNEY WITH A MEETING TO SET THEIR TIMELINE, THEIR EXPECTATIONS, AND THE PURPOSE.
KNOWING IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THE ROLE OF THIS JOB, THE WHY AND THE WHO, HEALTH, AND PE FOR ALL.
THEY QUICKLY FOLLOWED UP WITH A VISIT TO REGION 10 FOR FACE-TO-FACE VIEWINGS OF MATERIALS.
REGION 10 ALSO PROVIDED VIRTUAL PUBLISHER TOURS WITH PUBLISHER PRESENTATIONS REMAINING AVAILABLE TO THE DISTRICT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 30 DAYS THAT GAVE THEM LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MATERIALS IN DEPTH.
DURING THE NEXT MEETING, THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THEIR RUBRIC USED TO EVALUATE THE MATERIALS OPTIONS AND CREATED A LIST OF PROS AND CONS FOR EACH ONE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE IS A PROCESS AT TEA WHERE THEY APPROVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE TO THE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE TO CHOOSE FROM.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO CHOOSE FROM THOSE LISTS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WAIT FOR THAT LIST TO COME OUT, AND SO THERE WAS A SLIGHT DELAY IN WAITING FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE THAT LIST.
BUT THEN ONCE IT WAS THEY CONTINUED WITH THE PROCESS.
EACH YEAR WE ALSO PROVIDE A PUBLIC VIEWING, SO ANYONE FROM THE COMMUNITY CAN COME AND VIEW IT.
THIS YEAR WE PROVIDED A VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITY AND WE HAD FOUR RESPONSES.
IN EARLY FEBRUARY, THE COMMITTEE BEGAN THEIR MEETING BY REVIEWING EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAD BEEN THROUGH BEFORE, THEIR VISION, HEALTH AND PE FOR ALL, AND THE RUBRIC BEFORE MAKING THEIR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
USING BREAKOUT ROOMS, THE MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO DELIBERATE ABOUT THE DESIRED OUTCOMES.
MS. SELLERS THEN EMAILED EVERYTHING TO THE MEMBERS SO THEY
[01:10:02]
COULD REVIEW FOR THEIR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'VE SET ALL THE CONTEXTS.
NOW I WILL PRESENT TO YOU THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE IS BRINGING TO YOU TONIGHT.
FOR ELEMENTARY HEALTH AND PE, IT'S QUAVER HEALTH PE, GROWING STRONGER BODIES AND MINDS.
IT IS 100 PERCENT ALIGNED WITH THE TICKS AND 100 PERCENT SUPPORT WITH HOUSE BILL 1525 AND SENATE BILL 9 REQUIREMENTS.
HERE IS SOMETHING I FOUND VERY INTERESTING.
IN THE PAST, OUR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS HAVE HAD TO TAKE HEALTH AND TAKE PE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO INTEGRATE THE TWO.
THIS RESOURCE COMES WITH ALL OF THAT ALREADY INTEGRATED TOGETHER.
ONE OF OUR CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS WAS VERY EXCITED FOR THE TEACHERS FOR THIS.
IT'S QUITE THE TIME-SAVER AND IT SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATES THOSE TWO SUBJECTS TOGETHER.
THERE ARE TEACHER ACCOUNTS, WE HAVE THE OPTION TO POSSIBLY HAVE STUDENT ACCOUNTS.
IT'S VERY FLEXIBLE IN THE LESSON PLANNING, AND THERE ARE HEALTH ACTIVITIES, GYM ACTIVITIES.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME SCREENSHOTS IN A FEW SLIDES.
THEY HAVE GAMES, AND SONGS, AND SKILL VIDEOS.
THE TEACHER RESOURCES COME WITH ABILITY TO BE DIFFERENTIATED AND HAVE SOME CUSTOMIZATION FOR THEM, AND THEN THERE ARE LINKS TO THINGS THAT THEY CAN USE FOR EXIT TICKETS AND RUBRICS AND ASSESSMENTS.
THERE ARE STUDENT RESOURCES AND PARENT RESOURCES.
YOU CAN SEE THE SCREEN IS QUITE ENGAGING.
IF I'M A PE TEACHER, I'M ABLE TO SHOW THESE SCREENS.
SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE HERE IS THAT THERE IS SOME ANIMATION FOR THE YOUNGER STUDENTS, AND THEN WHEN WE GO TO THE OLDER STUDENTS WE ACTUALLY HAVE HUMAN BEINGS PORTRAYING THOSE PARTS.
HERE YOU CAN SEE SOME MORE SCREENSHOTS OF WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
EVEN WHEN WE ARE LEARNING, IT'S NOT JUST SIT AND GET, WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING UP AND MOVING AS WE LEARN ABOUT, IS THAT FOR THE DOCTOR OR THE DENTIST? [NOISE] HERE YOU CAN SEE IT'S A SKILLS VIDEO AND THEY ARE LEARNING HOW TO VOLLEY WITH A VOLLEYBALL AND THERE'S A VIDEO TO SHOW THEM HOW TO DO IT.
IN THIS CASE, THEY GET TO SEE A STUDENT WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM, WHO'S SIMILAR TO THEIR AGE ACTUALLY DOING IT SO THAT THEY CAN THEN REPLICATE THAT PROCESS.
TO THE RIGHT YOU SEE PART OF THE LESSON PLAN, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS IT IS SCAFFOLDED.
THE OLDER THEY GET, MORE COMPLEX THE SKILL MAY BECOME AND THE VIDEO WOULD CORRESPOND TO THAT.
FOR HEALTH IT'S GOODHEART-WILLCOX.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT'S 100 PERCENT ALIGNED WITH THE TX AND SUPPORTS BOTH HOUSE BILL 1525 AND SENATE BILL 9 REQUIREMENTS.
THEY HAVE ONLINE RESOURCES WITH CONTINUOUS UPDATES AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IF IT'S 24 YEARS AGAIN.
ADJUSTABLE AND FLEXIBLE TEXAS LESSON PLANS.
THERE ARE SKILLS-BASED ACTIVITY, SO IT'S NOT JUST LOOKING THROUGH THE TEXTBOOK AND HAVING WORKSHEETS AND SO FORTH.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND WORKING THROUGH WITH EACH OTHER THE CONTENT THAT THEY ARE DISCOVERING, PARENTS, AND OTHER TRUSTED ADULT ENGAGEMENT ASSIGNMENTS.
THEN THERE ARE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS SO THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED AND THOSE ARE DIFFERENTIATED AND THERE ARE ONLINE SPANISH STUDENT TEXTS.
THE TEACHERS WHO WERE PART OF THE COMMITTEE WERE ACTUALLY REALLY INTRIGUED WITH THIS BECAUSE IT CAME WITH THIS BIG IDEA, SO THE OVERVIEW OF THE UNIT OR THE CHAPTER SO THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS COMING.
THEN THEY HAD LEARNED OR OUTCOMES ALREADY BUILT-IN.
THAT'S A TIME-SAVER FOR THE TEACHERS.
THEY'VE RESEARCHED IN ACTION SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON GLOBALLY, WHAT THE RESEARCH ACTUALLY SAYS ABOUT WHATEVER THE TOPIC IS AND REAL-WORLD HEALTH SKILLS.
CAN YOU IMAGINE CONNECTING WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD AND IN MAYBE THE HEALTH INDUSTRY, IF THAT'S THE TOPIC.
WAYS TO PRACTICE YOUR HEALTH, CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, WE KNOW THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL AS HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES.
TONIGHT, I BRING FORWARD TO YOU THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU CERTIFY THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS, QUAVER AND GOODHEART-WILLCOX FOR THE IMA SELECTION FOR HEALTH AND PE.
YOU CAN SIT THERE BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE QUESTIONS. I'M SURE. [LAUGHTER].
>> I DO RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IMA SELECTION OF THE TWO MATERIALS PRESENTED.
>> COLLEAGUES IS THERE A MOTION?
>> MS. SIMONS, JUST REAL QUICK. I THINK MAYBE THIS MIGHT BE FOR MS. SELLERS. THE BOARD MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TOO.
MS. SELLERS, CAN YOU MAYBE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THESE RESOURCES INTEGRATE WITH A STUDENT'S EXPERIENCE IN PE.
[01:15:02]
FOR PARENTS MAYBE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS AND SEEING THIS RESOURCE.WHAT DOES THIS ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN IMPLEMENTATION?
>> YEAH. PERFECT. I WANT TO SAY THAT IT WORKS VERY SEAMLESS WITH OUR TICKS.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO THROW THAT IN THERE.
IT'S VERY NICE THAT IT'S ALREADY HEALTH AND PE.
ONE OF OUR QUESTION FROM OUR PARENTS, NOT SHACK, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY ONE YET THAT SAID, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE OVER AND THEY WON'T GET ANY PE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT QUESTION.
BUT NO, THIS IS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE INTEGRATED SEAMLESSLY WITH ACTIVITIES.
IF I'M COMING IN MAYBE I HAVE A WARM-UP ACTIVITY AND THAT'S THE WAY IT STARTS.
IF WE GET TO USE MAYBE THE STUDENT RESOURCES OR STUDENT ACCOUNTS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN.
IT WOULD BE A QUICK LITTLE WARM-UP FOR THEM TO DO AND THEN MOVE ON TO THEIR PE ACTIVITIES.
THEN IT COULD ALSO BE USED AS AN EXIT TICKET.
IT COULD BE BOTH OR IT COULD BE ONE OR THE OTHER.
IT'S NOT TO TAKE OVER PE ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE FIRST AND FOREMOST WE WANT THEM WORKING OUT.
[LAUGHTER] WE WANT THEM TO SET THE COMPUTERS DOWN FOR A LITTLE BIT, BUT SEE HOW THAT THEY CAN HELP IN THE HEALTH AND PE WORLD, AND WORK WITH THEM THAT WAY SO THAT IT IS SEAMLESSLY.
IT SHOULD GIVE YOU A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PE ACTIVITY WOULD BE COME IN.
THEY MAY HAVE WHAT WE HAVE LITTLE STATIONS THAT THEY COME IN, THEY DO THEIR WARM-UP TICKET, THEN THEY GO IN AND WE START OUR WARM-UPS.
THEN WE DO OUR WORKOUT THEN WE MAY HAVE A GAME, THEN IT'S TIME TO DO A COOL DOWN, THEN IT'S TIME TO DO THE EXIT TICKET.
THAT'S WHEN THOSE CAN BE INVOLVED AS WELL. I THINK THAT HELP.
>> QUICK QUESTION. [NOISE] MS. BRANUM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE.
WAS THERE SOMETHING AT THE STATE LEVEL ON FUNDING OR LACK OF FUNDING?
>> WE RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ALLOTMENT FUND AND THAT IS APPROPRIATED TO DISTRICTS EVERY BIENNIUM.
AS I MENTIONED, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST MEETING WHEN WE WALKED INTO THIS BIENNIUM AT THE LAST MINUTE, IT WAS A WRITER THAT WAS ADDED ONTO A DIFFERENT BILL IN WHICH THEY CUT ALL IMA BUDGET SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND 50 PERCENT OF WHAT IT HAS BEEN IN PREVIOUS BUDGET CYCLES AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY TEA THAT WE WERE TO USE SO FUNDS TO SUPPLANT WHAT HAD BEEN CUT FROM THE IMA.
>> THE IMPACT TO THE DISTRICT IS JUST THE IMPACT TO OUR SO FUNDS, BECAUSE IS THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE TO SUPPORT THAT?
>> WE CURRENTLY. ACTUALLY THESE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WILL BE USED OUT OF OUR ALLOTTED IMA FUNDS SINCE WE'RE IN YEAR 1 OF THE BIENNIUM AND SO WE DO HAVE THE APPROPRIATED FUNDS EARMARKED DIRECTLY FROM IMA AND NOT FROM SO.
>> GOT YOU. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
>> JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I THINK THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT ADVOCATING FOR VIDEOS TO TAKE THE PLACE OF ACTIVITY.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY, THEY CAN USE THIS FOR A RESOURCE AND SEE DEMONSTRATION SO THEY'RE ABLE TO THEN BETTER TEACH THE STUDENTS HOW TO DO THAT.
MAYBE HAVE NEW ACTIVITIES THEY HAVEN'T HAD IN WHAT? MAYBE 3-4 YEARS UNLESS THEY'RE FINDING THEM ON THEIR OWN AND RESOURCES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS IS NOT A DESIGNED WATCH A VIDEO AND DO YOUR PE.
>> THAT'S WHAT IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING?
>> THE SHACK COMMITTEE AND AS WELL AS A REVIEW COMMITTEE BECAUSE I THINK MS. TIMMY, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND WHY I LED OFF WITH THAT QUESTION.
IS IT LIKE THEY HAD THAT CONVERSATION, REVIEWED THE MATERIALS WITH THAT LENS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS BEFORE THEY RECOMMENDED THE RESOURCE.
>> THAT WAS THE MAIN THING WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS THAT WE LOOK AT THE LENS OF KEEPING THE EYES ON THE STUDENT.
WHAT WOULD THEY ENJOY? OF COURSE SAID, YES, TECHNOLOGY.
LET'S NOT LOSE THAT PART, BUT LET'S SHOW THEM HOW IT CAN ENHANCE AND HELP.
BUT THEN STILL KEEP IN EXACTLY, ITS NOT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? MS. HARRIS, IF I CAN JUST REMARK THAT, I WANT TO THANK MS. SIMONS AND MS. SELLERS AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE.
IT IS HOURS AND HOURS OF WORK, DELIBERATION, CONVERSATION TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING GREAT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR OUR TEACHERS TO USE TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING.
I JUST THANK ALL OF THE TEAM MEMBERS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
WE DO HAVE A MOTION BY MR. LYNN AND A SECOND BY MS. RENTERIA.
[01:20:05]
HEARING NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM IS TO CONSIDER
[IV.B. Consider Lake Highlands Middle School Project - Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Amendment No.1]
THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE FOR THE LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT, MS. BRANUM.>> THANK YOU, MS. HARRIS. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ON A COUPLE YEAR JOURNEY NOW SINCE THE DEVELOPMENT, THE DESIGN, AND THEN THE APPROVAL OF OUR BOND 2021, AND WE ARE SWIFTLY MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE LAKE HIGHLANDS AND LAKE HIGHLANDS WILL BECOME OUR FIRST LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL.
TONIGHT MS. HAYES HAS BROUGHT FORWARD A PRESENTATION TO SHARE WITH YOU REGARDING OUR NEXT STEP IN THAT PROCESS, SO MS. HAYES.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BRANUM. GOOD EVENING, BOARD.
WE ARE EXCITED TONIGHT TO BRING OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM WITH THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE FOR THE FUTURE LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE OF WHAT THIS DECISION WILL GET YOU IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
ONCE THE GMP IS APPROVED TONIGHT, SHOULD YOU DO THAT, WE WILL START BREAKING GROUND AS SOON AS SCHOOL IS OUT THIS SUMMER WITH SOME UTILITIES AND DIRT MOVEMENT AS WE GET STARTED.
THIS IS WHAT THE NEW LAKE COLLINS MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL LOOK LIKE FROM THE FRONT.
LOOKING AT THE FRONT OF THE CAMPUS, IT IS A THREE STORY BUILDING, BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE AND INSIDE.
THIS IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE CENTER, WITH THE CAFETERIA, PERFORMING AREA, AND THEN THE HALLWAY IS ADJACENT TO THIS.
THIS IS LOOKING FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH WHERE THE ENTRANCE IS, PASSWORD SAYS STEM, THAT'S THE ENTRANCE TOO FROM WALNUT HILL THERE.
THIS IS OUR MILESTONES THAT WE HAVE SET UP TONIGHT, THE GMP, WE'RE DOING SITE MOBILIZATION, GETTING THE FENCING UP.
WE HAVE A BIG UTILITY MOVE THIS SUMMER THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WILL START IN THE SUMMER.
WE WILL OCCUPY THIS PENDING ANY UNFORESEEN WEATHER, SUPPLY, PANDEMIC, ETC.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO OCCUPY THIS FOR AUGUST OF 2024, SO THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
HOPEFULLY, IT'LL BE TURNED OVER IN THE SUMMER, SO WE CAN GET EVERYTHING IN AND READY TO GO.
THEN ONCE A NEW BUILDING IS OPEN, REMEMBER WE STILL HAVE TO DEMOLISH OUR EXISTING BUILDING AND FINISH ALL THE SITE WORK, PARKING, PAVING, TENNIS COURTS, AND ALL LANDSCAPING THAT GOES WITH THAT.
THE FINAL COMPLETION FOR THIS PROJECT IS DECEMBER OF 2024 WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLETE AND EVERYTHING WILL BE NEW AND READY TO GO.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL CONTINGENT UPON ANY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL, CLONING PERMANENT BY THE CITY AND ALL THE OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS THAT MIGHT COME UP.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR THIS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE DISTRICT HAS TO TAKE AN ON CREATING A NEW SCHOOLS SINCE THE EARLY 2000S, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MEMORIAL PARK ACADEMY.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO GET THIS OFF AND RUNNING AND SO IS THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS THE SITE THAT THIS BUILDING IS GOING TO BE BUILT ON.
AS YOU CAN SEE, REMEMBER IT'S A FIVE ACRES IN THE MIDDLE THERE THAT ARE UNOCCUPIED, JUST NORTH OF THE TENNIS COURTS, AND SO THEY'LL BE SETTING THAT UP AND GETTING IT STARTED.
THIS IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THEY WILL LOSE THEIR GREEN SPACE TO THE EAST.
ATHLETICS HAS ALREADY MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR OTHER LOCATIONS FOR ATHLETICS TO HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THE NEW BUILDING IN THE CENTER, WHILE THE EXISTING BUILDING IS STILL OPERABLE, TRAFFIC PATTERNS WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT AND THE COMMUNITY WILL BE NOTIFIED AT THAT FROM THE PRINCIPAL AND THE STAFF AT LAKE HIGHLANDS JUNIOR HIGH, AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH.
THIS IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S DONE IN PHASE 2B WITH THE SITE WORK AND THE AERIAL VIEW WHEN IT'S COMPLETE.
A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS FIT IN RIGHT INTO OUR LAKE HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY.
TONIGHT, WE ARE BRINGING THE ACTION ITEM FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
OUR CURRENT TOTAL BUDGET ALL IN NUMBER IS NOW $94 MILLION.
TONIGHT, WE'RE BRINGING THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AT 81,167,525.
JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT OF COMPARISON AND I WILL ASK MR. WATSON TO COME FORWARD TO HELP WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
WHEN WE WERE PLANNING FOR A NEW SCHOOL PRIOR TO BOND 2021,
[01:25:05]
THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY THE 1920 TIME FRAME.NEW CONSTRUCTION AND THE METRO PLEX WAS RUNNING AROUND $300 A SQUARE FOOT.
CURRENTLY AT THIS PRICE THAT WE'RE SEEING INDUSTRY WIDE AND TALKING TO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS AROUND THAT ARE ALSO BUILDING SCHOOLS, THE COST PER SQUARE FOOT IS ABOUT $350 NOW.
WITH ESCALATION, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION.
WITH THAT, I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ISD APPROVE THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE IN THE AMOUNT OF STATED BY MS. HAYES FOR THE LAKE HIGHLANDS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY MS. TIMMY. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MR. LYNN.
>> THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION, SANDRA IS ALWAYS REAL QUICK.
YOU JUST MENTIONED THE PRICE ESCALATION.
WHAT WAS OUR ORIGINAL COST ESTIMATE BESIDES AN ALL-IN PRICE?
>> WELL, WE DON'T USUALLY SET ALL ENDS UNTIL WE GET THE PROGRAMMING DONE BECAUSE THE PROGRAMMING DRAWS WHAT THE THE ALL-IN WOULD BE BECAUSE THAT TELLS US WHAT FURNITURE WE'RE GOING TO PACKAGE.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED THE LANDSCAPING, THE DEMOLITION, THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST READILY PREDICT WITHOUT BRINGING IN THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TO HELP US WITH CONSULTATION.
FOR BOND FUNDS FOR BOND 2021, THE ORIGINAL NUMBER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WAS $80 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION.
THEN AS THE BOND COMMITTEE, IF YOU RECALL, ASKED US TO DROP THE COST OF SOME OF THOSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO ALLOW SOME MONIES FOR SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WORK AS WELL.
WE HAD $70 MILLION LINE ITEM IN BOND 2021 FOR CONSTRUCTION ONLY.
FOR THIS PRICE, WE'RE BRINGING IN AT 81 MILLION.
>> YEAH, IN MY MIND I REMEMBER 70.
>> BUT THAT WAS NOT AN ALL IN, AND THAT WAS STRICTLY CONSTRUCTION.
BUT THE NUMBER WE ASSIGNED TO WAS 70 AND NOW IT'S 81.
>> REAL QUICK ABOUT, YOU SAID, THE PHASING PLAN IS CONTINGENT UPON A RELEASE OF PERMANENT BY THE CITY OF DALLAS.
ARE WE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR THIS?
>> WE'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THEIR PERMANENT PROCESS.
>> BUT NOT THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS LIKE THE SITES ARE ALREADY ZONED.
>> WE HAD TO DO ALL OF THAT IN OUR PRE-PLANNING.
[OVERLAPPING] WE'VE ALL DONE THAT.
>> BESIDES APPROVED, WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR PERMANENT PROCESS NOW.
>> WE'RE SCHEDULED IN ABOUT SEVEN DAY TO DO Q TEAM.
>> QUICK QUESTION AND THIS MAY BE AS MR. PATE ALSO BEEN ON THE FINANCE SIDE WITH THE BOND FUNDS.
WHAT KIND OF, AND I DON'T TRACK THIS, SO JUST FOR SOME CLARIFICATION, WHAT'S THE ENVIRONMENT LIKE FOR US TO ACCESS THOSE BOND FUNDS WITH INFLATION AND EVERYTHING A MOVING TARGET.
WHAT ARE WE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW OUT IN THE MARKET?
WE'VE WENT TO THE MARKET LAST SUMMER AND WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING EXACTLY WHEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE MARKET.
I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH JEFF ROBERT, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR WITH HILLTOP SECURITIES AND AT THE MAY BOARD MEETING WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU THE PARAMETER AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF ADDITIONAL BONDS, OF THE CALLING OF BONDS, BASICALLY REFRESHING ALL OF THE PARAMETER AUTHORIZATIONS YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR.
JEFF WILL BE HERE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD AT THAT TIME.
WHILE THE MARKET IS CERTAINLY INTERESTING RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STILL VERY CLOSE TO THE HISTORIC LOWS AND SO ISSUING BONDS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ESPECIALLY AT SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE RICHARDSON ISD, THAT IS CONSISTENTLY IN THE MARKET, IT'S LIKE INVESTING IN YOUR 401 K. YOU CONTINUE TO INVEST, WE SELL BONDS WHEN WE NEED THE FUNDING AND IT ALL AVERAGES OUT OVER TIME WITH THE DISTRICT'S AAA AND AA+ BOND RATINGS, WELL, RATES ARE LIKELY HIGHER THAN THEY WERE LAST SUMMER WHEN WE WENT TO THE MARKET, IT'S STILL A GOOD TIME FOR US TO GO TO THE MARKET IN OUR BONDS.
CERTAINLY, WE'RE STILL AN ATTRACTIVE SELLER TO THE MARKET, SO I DON'T FORESEE ANY DIFFICULTY IN ACCESSING ADDITIONAL BOND FUNDS.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.
[01:30:01]
>> MS. HAYES, I CAN APPRECIATE THE MARKET PRESSURES.
THANK YOU FOR THE TEAM TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO KEEP THE COST AND BUDGETS IN LINE.
BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THAT WE INITIALLY PROJECTED 70, IT'S COMING IN AT 81 MILLION.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE AN $11 MILLION DELTA AND THAT'S THE MARKET CONDITIONS.
IT'S ABOUT 15, 16 PERCENT DELTA IN CONSTRUCTION COST.
MY QUESTION IS REALLY JUST, WHERE IS 11 MILLION COMING IF WE WENT OUT AND GOT A BOND AND WE ALLOCATED CERTAIN AMOUNTS, I GUESS WHERE ARE WE SQUEEZING OTHER DOLLARS TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS AND OTHER PROJECTS?
>> AS I SHARED WITH THE BOARD IN THE BOARD UPDATE, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING AN ANALYSIS INTERNALLY OF ALL OF THE FACILITIES' BOND FUNDS, AND PROJECTS THAT WERE SCHEDULED, HVAC, PLUMBING, AND ROOFING TO DETERMINE CERTAINLY, IF WE GET ANY SAVINGS FROM SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS.
WE HAVE HAD SOME PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME IN AT A LITTLE BIT BELOW BUDGET, SO THEN WE WILL BRING TO THE BOARD OPTIONS FOR PUSHING OUT PROJECTS THAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE DONE IN BOND 2021, BUT MAY HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER BOND REFERENDUM OR USE OTHER FUNDS FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
ONCE WE GET THAT ANALYSIS DONE, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING AN INTERNAL RETREAT WITH OUR FACILITY STAFF JUST TO REALLY DIG DEEP AND SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT FUNDING SET UP FOR AND WHAT WE CAN DO, KNOWING THAT WE PROMISED OUR COMMUNITIES SOME THINGS AND SOME SCHOOL THINGS AT THE SCHOOLS LIKE FLUORINE, WE DON'T WANT TO CUT THAT.
THE SCHOOLS HAVE REALLY LOOKED FORWARD AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU TOUCH THOSE HALLWAYS AND CLASSROOMS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE THEY WERE BUILT IN THE '50S OR '60S.
THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE CERTAINLY WOULD WANT TO PUT AT THE BOTTOM OF IF YOU HAVE TO CUT LIST, THOSE WOULD BE THE THINGS.
BUT THEN ALSO THERE WERE SOME MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE TO REPAIR AND OR REPLACE IN ORDER FOR THE SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION; SEWER, SANITATION LINES, THERE ARE SOME HVAC THAT ARE PAST THEIR WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE AND WE'VE PUT IT SOMEBODY BAND-AIDS ON.
SO THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO GET DONE.
THOSE ARE ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO, THAT'S WHAT ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS ARE ALSO HAVING TO DO.
ANYONE THAT'S CURRENTLY WORKING ON ANY PLAN THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC IS LOOKING AT THE SAME SCENARIOS THAT WE ARE IN,.
>> MR. PATE, WE DID HAVE SOME BOND FUNDS REMAINING IN BOND 2016 AS WELL FROM COST-SAVINGS THAT WE HAD IN PROJECTS THAT OUR EFFICIENCIES AND OTHER THINGS CAME IN, SO THERE ARE SOME AVAILABLE FUNDS THERE AS WELL, CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT AND THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF INTEREST EARNINGS THAT WE CAN ALSO LOOK TO.
>> GIVEN THE ESCALATION AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THOSE OUT IN THE MARKET THAT THE ESCALATION IS NOT GOING TO GO DOWN ANYTIME SOON.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING ALL OF OUR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU REMEMBER IT IT WAS ALL FRONT-LOADED FOR THIS BOND.
BOTH BRIGHTFIELD AND MOHAWK AND PIERCE ARE ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO MOVE DARK FOR LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE-SCHOOL, FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE-SCHOOL.
THE LAST REMAINING CONSTRUCTION TYPE PROJECTS ARE REALLY NOT CONSTRUCTION, MORE JUST AESTHETICS WOULD BE THOSE THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
HAMILTON PARK IS A CONNECTOR THERE THAT WE NEED TO DO AND THEN JUST SOME AESTHETICS FOR NORTHRIDGE AND STULTS.
THE REST OF THEM ARE ALL PROJECTS THAT ARE CHANGING FINISHES AND OR SYSTEMS FOR FACILITIES.
NOW, MR. WATSON, YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT?
THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE TOUGHER AND TOUGHER DECISIONS REALLY IS WHAT GOING WOULDN'T BE FACED WITH.
I THINK WE'RE HERE TO BRING NEW OPTIONS AND LET YOU DECIDE OR WE KNOW WHAT'S THE BEST ROUTE TO TAKE AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON AFTER THE GNP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PIERCE AND THEN FOREST MEADOW, WHICH ARE COMING IN MAY.
I THINK WE'LL BE PREPARED TO GO TO THAT RETREAT, BRING BACK OPTIONS, AND SEE WHAT THE BOARD WANTS TO DO.
>> WELL, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE.
THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES AND YOU MAKE ESTIMATES THE BEST YOU CAN.
THANK YOU, YOU AND THE TEAM FOR DOING WHAT YOU CAN AND AGAIN, APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK.
>> I JUST APPRECIATE THE STAFF.
I'M HOPING THAT I CAN KEEP MY HAIR UNLIKE MR. WATSON AND SOME OF THE OTHER GUYS THERE.
[LAUGHTER] THESE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE DOING ARE GETTING TOUGHER AND TOUGHER AND IT'S A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW FOR A DISTRICT LIKE OURS WHERE WE REALLY WANT TO DO THE BEST FOR OUR FACILITIES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS UP AND RUNNING AND THAT WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
IT DOES CAMPUSES AND THE ESCALATION IS JUST SOMETHING THAT NO ONE WAS PREPARED TO LOOK AT AT THIS LEVEL.
YOU CERTAINLY WE PUT IN INFLATION AND A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF ESCALATION ON ALL PROJECTS, BUT NOT LIKE WHAT THE INDUSTRY IS SEEING NOW.
[01:35:01]
>> I HAD A FULL HEAD OF HAIR WHEN I STARTED THIS DISTRICT.
[LAUGHTER] ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
>> JUST HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT.
>> FROM THIS STANDPOINT, IT'S BUILDING OFF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SANDRA, AND THAT'S THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT ROUND AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REPLACE LIBERTY PARK HILL, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
>> WE HAVE THREE REPLACEMENTS AND THREE ADDITIONAL RENOVATIONS TO COMPLETE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION PROCESS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
CERTAINLY, DECISIONS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT IN DISCUSSED WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THESE FIRST TWO.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YOU ARE GOOD? WE HAVE A MOTION BY MS. TIMMY AND A SECOND BY MR. POTEET.
NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON SCIENCE FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. MS. BRANUM.
[BACKGROUND] WE WILL TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
[LAUGHTER] LET'S MAKE IT 10 MINUTES.
YOU GOOD WITH THAT? WE'LL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
I THINK WE ARE READY TO PROCEED WITH OUR MEETING.
ARE WE READY, COLLEAGUES? NOT READY? ALREADY. OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON
[IV.C. K-12 Science Update]
SCIENCE FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. MS. BRANUM?>> THANK YOU. THIS IS OUTSIDE OF OUR RECOGNITION AND I'LL SAY SOMETHING THESE PRESENTATIONS RIGHT HERE, NO OFFENSE, MR. PEI, BUT THESE ARE MY FAVORITE PRESENTATIONS BECAUSE WE GET TO HIGHLIGHT REALLY WHAT IS AT THE CORE OF THE WORK THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THAT IS TEACHING AND LEARNING AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT THE ACADEMIC GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF EACH AND EVERY STUDENT.
TONIGHT WE GET TO TALK ABOUT SCIENCE.
THIS IS OUR THIRD IN OUR FOUR-PART SERIES.
I THINK TONIGHT, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FRAMING THAT I WANT TO DO FOR YOU.
ONE IS THAT SCIENCE, ESPECIALLY SCIENCE, IS THAT UNIQUE COURSE WHERE READING AND MATH ARE TRULY INTEGRATED IN A VERY REAL-WORLD WAY.
YOU CAN'T THINK LIKE A SCIENTIST WITHOUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE DEEP READING AND COMPREHENSION SKILLS AS WELL AS HAVING FLUENCY IN MATHEMATICS.
IT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO SEE HOW SOMETIMES WHEN THEY SAY, "WHEN AM I GOING TO EVER USE THIS?" SCIENCE IS OFTEN THAT PLACE WHERE THAT REAL-LIFE APPLICATION IS REALLY CONFIRMED FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THE SECOND THING IS I THINK THIS COURSE REALLY ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO CULTIVATE THEIR CURIOSITY.
I MET WITH THE MOST AMAZING PRE-K TEACHER AT SPRING CREEK A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
SHE WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT HER STUDENTS, IT WAS WHEN WE HAD THE SNOW DAY AND WHEN THE STUDENTS WENT OUT AND THEY WERE FASCINATED WITH SNOW AND THEY WERE FASCINATED WITH WATCHING IT MELT.
THEN WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO DO TO GET IT TO BECOME SNOW AGAIN? REMEMBER, THESE ARE FOUR-YEAR-OLDS, THEY BEGAN TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WATER CYCLE.
IT WAS JUST THIS PURE MOMENT OF WONDER AND CURIOSITY, AND I BELIEVE SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, BEGINNING WITH OUR LITTLES ALL THE WAY TO WHEN OUR SENIORS ARE TAKING AP PHYSICS B, IT REALLY ALLOWS THAT CULTIVATION OF WONDER AND CURIOSITY.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR FABULOUS DIRECTOR FOR SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, LAKESHA MITCHELL, WHO'S GOING TO LEAD US IN HOW DO WE APPROACH THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN RICHARDSON ISD.
>> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING US TO COME TONIGHT.
SHE JUST WENT OVER THE WHOLE PRESENTATION, [LAUGHTER] SO I'M DONE.
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR TEAM, OF COURSE, WE HAVE DR. BYNO AS OUR LEADER AND DR. BEUTEL HERE SUPPORTING.
I AM LAKESHA MITCHELL, DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE FOR THE DISTRICT.
SUPPORTING ELEMENTARY AS OUR SPECIALIST IS MS. ALISHA.
THIS IS HER FIRST YEAR AWAY FROM THE CAMPUS, SO WE LOVE TO HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE GET TO HEAR
[01:40:02]
THE TEACHER LENS IN HER INSTRUCTIONAL COACH BACKGROUND AS A PART OF OUR TEAM.THEN FOR SECONDARY, WE HAVE MS. ELSA BARRIENTOS.
ELSA COMES WITH OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
WE HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS.
GOT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE TEACHERS BECAUSE WE REALLY DO HAVE SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING SCIENCE TEACHERS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE WORKING REALLY HARD EVERY DAY.
WE KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN THIS GRAPHIC BEFORE, BUT WE HAVE TO SHOW IT AGAIN BECAUSE THESE FIVE PILLARS ARE AT THE CORE OF INSTRUCTION FOR ALL CONTENT AREAS IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE'RE GOING TO HIT ON A LITTLE BIT OF THE NUANCES THAT ARE DIFFERENT BETWEEN SCIENCE AND WHAT SHE HEARD OF IN OUR ELA AND MATH.
OUR OBJECTIVES FOR TODAY ARE TO INFORM HOW SCIENCE TEKS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION SUPPORT, TO EXPLAIN HOW THE CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION LEADS TO STUDENT MASTERY.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND CAMPUS LEADERS, AND OF COURSE, TO CELEBRATE OUR GROWTH AND SHOWCASE OUR NEXT STEPS.
THE WHY IS WHAT BRINGS US TO WORK EVERY DAY.
IT'S WHAT'S BRINGING OUR TEACHERS TO WORK EVERY DAY.
JUST LIKE MS. BRANUM SAID, BABIES ARE BORN WITH A NATURAL ABILITY TO BE CURIOUS.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN SCIENCE IS TO NOT PUT THEIR CURIOSITY IN A BOX.
WE WANT STUDENTS TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SO IN A WAY THAT'S ALIGNED TO THE TEKS AND TO NURTURE AND FOSTER THEIR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS SO THAT THEY CAN BE WHATEVER THEY WANT TO BE IN THE WORLD.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BACK TO YOUR SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, WHETHER YOU LOVE SCIENCE, IF YOU ARE GREAT AT SCIENCE OR EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE SCIENCE, YOU CAN PROBABLY REMEMBER AN EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GOT ELSEWHERE.
PERSONALLY, HISTORY WAS MY LEAST FAVORITE SUBJECT.
THE TEACHER STOOD THERE, THEY LECTURE, THEY TALKED.
I DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING, BUT I REMEMBER MY SCIENCE INSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE DID STUFF.
THAT'S WHAT CREATED ME, CREATED WHO I AM AND MY PASSION FOR LEARNING.
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 8TH GRADE SCIENCE HAS A SPIRALING CURRICULUM THAT'S IN THREE BIG BUCKETS.
LIFE SCIENCE, THINK ABOUT LIVING THINGS AND HOW THE WORLD INTERACTS WITH LIVING AND NONLIVING INTERACT IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
THEN OUR NEXT BIG BUCKET IS PHYSICAL SCIENCE.
THAT'S WHERE YOU START TALKING ABOUT PHYSICAL CHANGES, ATOMS, AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
THEN WE GO INTO EARTH SCIENCE.
THE MOON AND HOW THE RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES SUPPORT OUR LIVING.
WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THAT IS IT SPIRALS FROM PRE-K TO KINDER ALL THE WAY THROUGH 8TH GRADE.
THEN BY THE TIME KIDS GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, WE TAKE LIFE SCIENCE AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HONE IN ON FOR BIOLOGY.
YOU TAKE YOUR BUCKET OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE AND THAT'S WHAT YOU EXTEND UPON IN CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, IPC, SOME OF YOUR ADVANCED COURSES, AP PHYSICS AND AP CHEMISTRY.
THEN OUR EARTH SCIENCE BUCKET, WE COVER MORE OF THAT IN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS IN EARTH AND SPACE.
WHILE YOU DON'T SEE THE SAME TEKS LIKE YOU DO IN EARLY MATH EVERY DAY, YOU SEE THEM FROM ONE GRADE LEVEL TO THE NEXT AND WE BUILD UPON THAT BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE CONTINUOUSLY.
HOW DO WE DO IT? HERE IS WHAT WE CALL THE 5E MODEL, FIVE E'S.
I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF SUMMARY AND THEN WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM.
YOU CAN'T TEACH KIDS UNLESS YOU CAN CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION, SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO RIGHT HERE.
WE CREATE SOME TYPE OF HOOK, SOME TYPE OF COMIC, A VIDEO, A WRAP, A QUESTION, SOMETHING TO GET THEM INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC.
THEN WE GO TO THE EXPLORE PHASE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS KNOW OF AS YOUR TRADITIONAL LABS, WHERE YOU GET IN THEIR HANDS-ON AND YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THERE.
THEN WE MOVE TO THE EXPLAIN STAGE.
THAT'S WHERE KIDS ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE TALKING TO THE TEACHER AND YOU HAVE THE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION GOING ON SO KIDS CAN TELL YOU WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND FROM THE LESSONS.
THEN WE MOVE INTO THE ELABORATE STAGE.
HOW DO WE KNOW IF STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING? WE TAKE IT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL CONTEXT AND APPLY IT TO NEW LEARNING TO SEE IF THEY REALLY HAVE GOT IT.
IN THE LAST STAGE, EVALUATE, IT'S NOT FOR THE TEACHERS, THAT'S FOR THE KIDS SO THEY CAN FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH THEY KNOW AND HOW MUCH THEY DON'T KNOW.
Y'ALL GET TO BE MY CLASS TODAY AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF BLUE TRAYS SPREAD OUT AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU GUYS TO SHARE FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE CLOSE TO IT.
WE WANT YOU TO GO THROUGH AND WE'RE GOING TO PRETEND LIKE YOU'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH YOUR UPDATED SAFETY TRAINING, PLEASE BE SAFE.
THIS IS GLASSWARE AND WE DID NOT BRING OUR DISPOSABLE VERSIONS OF IT.
BUT IF YOU COULD BRING THE TRAYS CLOSE TO YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM.
[01:45:03]
ARE WE COVERING THE EVALUATE PORTION AS WELL? WE'RE GOING TO GET TO EVALUATE.WE DON'T HAVE SAFETY GOGGLES [LAUGHTER].
BAD TEACHER FORGOT THE SAFETY GOGGLES. PLEASE BE CAREFUL.
NOTHING THAT YOU HEARD TODAY IS GOING TO CREATE, IT'S ALL SAFE FOR YOU, IT'S ALL HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS.
WE DO WANT TO REMIND YOU OUR ELA IN MATH MENTIONED THE GRADUAL RELEASE MODEL.
WE HAVE THE GRADUAL RELEASE MODEL IN SCIENCE ALSO.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE SCREEN IS EACH OF THE FIVE E'S ALSO FITS INTO THE GRADUAL RELEASE MODEL.
JUST LIKE MATH, IT'S NOT DONE IN A LINEAR FASHION BUT THE IDEA IS THE TEACHER ACTS AS A FACILITATOR AT THE TOP, AND GRADUALLY RELEASES ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE STUDENTS.
HERE WE GO, TICKS 5A, 5TH GRADE, TWO TICKS ARE COVERED WITH THIS ACTIVITY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH.
LOOKING AT THE LAB MATERIALS, WHAT MIGHT WE BE DOING IN CLASS TODAY? WE WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE QUESTION ON THE SCREEN.
WHY DO SOME SUBSTANCES DISSOLVE IN WATER AND OTHERS DO NOT? THINK ABOUT IF YOU'VE MADE HOT TEA AND YOU TRIED TO SWEETEN IT WITH SUGAR, OR IF YOU MADE KOOL-AID BEFORE, OR WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ASK YOUR SERVER FOR COLD TEA AND YOU HAVE TO SWEETEN IT WITH SUGAR.
TALK TO YOUR TEAMMATES ABOUT THAT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TODAY AND WHY IS IT THAT SOME SUBSTANCES DISSOLVE AND OTHERS DO NOT.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS TO DO THAT.
[BACKGROUND] CAN WE GET A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO SHARE OUT? SOMEBODY DIDN'T FOLLOW DIRECTIONS [LAUGHTER].
WITH THE ENGAGED SECTION, YOUR TEACHERS ARE ASKING QUESTIONS OF STUDENTS THEY'RE TRYING TO RELATE TO THEIR BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE, SOMETHING THEY'VE LEARNED BEFORE, SOMETHING THAT THEY SEE IN THE EVERYDAY WORLD.
WE JUST WANT THEM INTERESTED IN WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY.
THEN THE NEXT PART IS EXPLORE.
FOR A PERSON WHO ALREADY WENT AHEAD RIGHT HERE.
WE DO WANT YOU TO GO AHEAD INTO EXPLORE.
YOU HAVE A MYSTERY SUBSTANCE IN THE REALLY SMALL BEAKER.
WE WANT YOU TO POUR THAT INTO YOUR FLASK OF WATER AND YOU'RE GOING TO SWIRL IT AROUND OR USE YOUR STIRRING ROD TO STIR IT.
YOU WANT TO SEE IF YOUR MIXTURE IS GOING TO DISSOLVE [LAUGHTER].
ALL RIGHT, WE HEAR THE STIRRERS GOING IN THERE [LAUGHTER].
YOU'RE GOING TO SWIRL, YOU'RE GOING STIR AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE, YOU CAN PLACE YOUR FLASK ON THE TOP OF YOUR COUNTERTOPS AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE OTHER TEAMS AND SEE IF THEIRS LOOKS SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT THAN YOURS.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOURS OVER HERE.
USER ERROR. WHAT ABOUT YOU TOO IN THE MIDDLE? MINE DIDN'T DISSOLVE, IT SETTLED.
CLOUDY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SETTLING.
THE NEXT PART, AFTER THE STUDENTS GET A CHANCE TO EXPLORE, THE STUDENTS WILL EXPLAIN TO EACH OTHER JUST AS WE DID.
THIS IS WHERE THE TEACHER GETS TO CLARIFY SOME OF THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE MISTAKES.
WHAT WE HAVE ON THE SCREEN, THIS IS WHERE OUR MATH COMES INTO PLACE.
THIS IS WHERE STUDENTS ARE RECORDING THEIR DATA.
THEY'RE ANALYZING THE TRENDS, THEY'RE COLLABORATING TOGETHER, THEY'RE LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER.
THE NEXT PART, I'M SORRY, LET ME GO BACK AND JUST TALK ABOUT THIS.
IF YOU GUYS, HE SAID NOTHING HAPPENED, WE PUT IT IN THERE AND NOTHING HAPPENED.
WHAT'S THE COLOR OF YOUR PARTICLES? BROWN, SO THEY HAVE SAND.
DOES SAND DISSOLVE IN WATER? THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE BEACH AND WHAT HAPPENS.
WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT ARE CLOUDY? OUR CHOICES WERE SUGAR, SALT, AND SAND.
WE SEE THAT SAND DID NOT DISSOLVE, SO BETWEEN THESE GROUPS, ONE IS CLOUDY AND ONE IS CLEAR, DID YOU ALL PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR FLASK.
ARE YOU SURE YOU PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR FLASK?
[01:50:01]
THEY DID AND IT DISSOLVED.TYPICALLY ON THE SCREEN, WE WANT STUDENTS TO RECORD THEIR DATA AND THEY GET TO TALK ABOUT THOSE SUBSTANCES.
WE'RE MOVING TO THE 4TH STAGE OF THE E'S, WHERE WE ARE GOING TO CONFIRM THEIR FINDINGS WE'RE GOING TO CLARIFY THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO USE A NEW EXPERIMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN THE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY.
WE ARE GOING TO SOLIDIFY THEIR LEARNING AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO THEIR SCIENCE NOTEBOOKS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S WALKING AWAY WITH THE CONTENT THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW.
HERE'S YOUR TEST-TIME. HERE'S OUR QUESTION.
THIS IS FROM THE 2021 5TH GRADE RELEASE 3RD QUESTION.
ONLY 54 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS IN THE STATE GOT THIS QUESTION RIGHT.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW STUDENTS WOULD HAVE PERFORMED ON THIS QUESTION WHEN THEY HAD THE EXPERIENCE VERSUS WHEN THEY DID NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE? THINK ABOUT THAT. IF I WOULD'VE GIVEN THIS QUESTION TO YOU BEFORE WE STARTED ANYTHING AND TALKED ABOUT IT.
IT'S THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO TRANSFER YOUR 3D EXPERIENCES INTO THE 2D IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE 3D EXPERIENCES.
WE LEARN SCIENCE BY DOING SCIENCE.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR NEXT FROM ONE OF OUR AMAZING STUDENTS AT BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL TALK ABOUT WHY INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE HANDS-ON, DOING IT, HOW THAT HELPS HIM TO UNDERSTAND SCIENCE.
>> IT'S AN EASY SUBJECT TO GET INTO WHAT TO KEEP AND KEEP YOUR INTEREST IN IT.
YOU HAVE TO LEARN THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING ACTUALLY MATTERS AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS IN THE REAL WORLD.
IT'S AN EASY SUBJECT TO GET INTO, BUT TO KEEP YOUR INTERESTS IN IT YOU HAVE TO LEARN THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING ACTUALLY MATTERS AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS IN THE REAL-WORLD.
NOTE-TAKING THAT CAN GET PRETTY QUICK, BUT WHILE DOING LABS SIDE-BY-SIDE, IT HELPS TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING WORKS.
ESPECIALLY INSTEAD OF CORNERS, WHO LEARN BY DOING INSTEAD OF LISTENING OR READING, THAT'S ESPECIALLY IN REALLY GOOD FOR THEM.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE LAB WORK YOU CAN COMPARE YOUR ANSWERS WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND MAKE MISTAKES THAT'S A BASIC THING.
YOU CAN MAKE SOME MISTAKES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOURS OR STORE REALLY MATTER AS MUCH AND WE LEARN FROM THIS MISTAKES.
>> THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF SCIENCE.
HOW OFTEN DO WE WATCH THE NEWS AND YOU HEAR ABOUT SCIENCE IS CHANGING.
IT'S ALL ABOUT FINDING, TAKING YOUR FINDINGS, AND JUSTIFYING IT WITH THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE.
WHEN THE STUDENT TALKS ABOUT CREATING THOSE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT'S WHAT WE PROVIDE IN OUR PACING TOOLS FOR OUR TEACHERS.
JUST LIKE ARLENE MENTIONED, ALL OF OUR PACING TOOLS HAVE THE ADJUSTED PACING TO THE BLOCK SCHEDULE.
WE WANT TEACHERS TO SEE HOW IN A 90-MINUTE BLOCK, YOUR LESSON OBJECTIVE IS ALIGNED TO THE ACTIVITIES YOU'RE DOING THAT DAY.
WE BACKWARDS PLAN THAT USING THE YAG FROM THE TAKES RESOURCES THEM TO MAKE SURE ALL THE TICKS WERE TAUGHT WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
THE OTHER THING WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE PACING TOOL IS THE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY.
ALL OF OUR PACING TOOLS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY.
BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS SCIENCE VOCABULARY IS A WHOLE ANOTHER LANGUAGE SOMETIMES.
WE THINK ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE COMING TO US BELOW GRADE LEVEL AND SOME OF THEIR READING ABILITIES WE'D BE REMISS AS SCIENCE TEACHERS IF WE DON'T WORK ON STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WITH UNDERSTANDING THESE VOCAB TERMS. WE PARTNER WITH OUR ELEMENTARY PARTNERS WITH OUR BILINGUAL TEAM TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE COGNATES SO THAT STUDENTS FIRST CAN PROCESS IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGES.
THAT HELPS. THERE'S SO MANY PAIRS THAT HELPS WITH PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES, ALL OF THESE WORDS TO MAKE MEANING OF IT.
IN OUR SECONDARY, WE WORK RIGHT ALONGSIDE OUR EFL TEAM TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE SEVEN-STEP STRATEGIES.
WITH OUR TEACHERS HOW DO WE TAKE THESE WORDS AND MAKE THEM COME ALIVE? THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WITH OUR SCIENCE NOTEBOOKING, WE'RE LOOKING AT PICTURES, WERE DRAWING IMAGES, WHATEVER IT TAKES IN ORDER FOR STUDENTS TO SEE THESE WORDS, ARE JUST WORDS.
BUT IT'S THE HANDS-ON LEARNING THAT HELPS TO MAKE THESE WORDS MEAN SOMETHING.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR ONE OF OUR AMAZING FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHERS TALK ABOUT ACADEMIC VOCABULARY USING WORD WALLS.
>> I'M HAYLEY HARRIS AND I TEACH FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES AT ARAPAHO CLASSICAL MAGIC.
[01:55:01]
VOCABULARY IS A KEY PART OF SCIENCE.MUCH OF THE CONCEPTS IS BASED ON UNDERSTANDING VOCABULARY AND KEEPING IT CLEAR.
DAILY WE HAVE A VOCABULARY WORD THAT IS BASED OFF OF WHATEVER OUR CONCEPT WILL BE FOR THE DAY THE STUDENTS LOVED TO TRY TO GUESS WHAT IT IS BASED ON OUR OBJECTIVE AND THIS A FUN ACTIVITY FOR THEM.
WE HAVE THE WORD, WE HAVE A DEFINITION, WE HAVE VISUAL THAT HELPS EXPLAIN WHAT THE DEFINITION IS.
WHEN THEY WRITE ON THEIR VOCABULARY SHEET, THEY WRITE THE WORD AND THE SHORT DEFINITION TO COME AND HELP TO TRY TO REMEMBER IT.
WE ALSO USE WORD WALLS, WHICH ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN PUT VISUALS AND DEFINITIONS TOGETHER.
WORD WALLS CAN BE CREATED THROUGHOUT THE UNIT AS A WAY TO BUILD UPON THE KNOWLEDGE.
WE SUCCUMB TO USE THEM AT THE END OF A UNIT WHERE WE'RE REVIEWING OF CONCEPTS AND PUT THEM TOGETHER.
THEN I'LL USUALLY MAKE IT IN TWO AN IF WE CAN KEEP UP IN THE CLASSROOM FOR REFERENCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
>> THINK ABOUT THAT. YOU HAVE YOUR PERSONAL LIVES FOLDABLES.
YOU HAVE YOUR ANCHOR CHARTS THAT ARE THERE THAT YOU CAN REFERENCE ALL YEAR LONG.
GONE ARE THE DAYS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO COPY WORDS FROM THE DICTIONARY. THAT DOESN'T HELP.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IN OUR PACING TOOLS, TRAININGS FOR THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ON HOW DO YOU BRING THESE WORDS ALIVE? HOW DO YOU TAKE THE WORDS YOU'RE LEARNING IN OCTOBER AND SPIRAL THEM BACK IN, IN JANUARY AND SPIRALING BACK IN, IN FEBRUARY AND CONTINUE SO THAT IT ALL MAKES SENSE.
WE NEED STUDENTS TO SEE THAT WE SUPPORT THEIR LEARNING CROSS-CURRICULAR.
OUR PACING TOOL RESOURCES ARE JUST LIKE OUR ELA AND MATH, WHERE WE HAVE ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS, THAT'S WE'RE SLOWLY AND THANKFULLY, MOVING BACK TO OUR FACE-TO-FACE IN-PERSON TRAININGS, WE ALSO HAVE OUR DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL TEXTBOOKS AND SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES.
NOTHING BEATS A GOOD OLD HARD COPY OF A BOOK.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN THE WORLD OF TODAY OUR DIGITAL LEARNING ALSO HAS A PLATFORM.
WE PROVIDE LAB EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO OUR SCIENCE TEACHERS FROM PRE-K ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
WE MAKE SURE WE DO YEARLY UPDATED SAFETY TRAINING.
I PROMISE YOU WE PROVIDE GOGGLES TO ALL THE STUDENTS AND WE KEEP THOSE GOING.
EVERYONE KNOWS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE PANDEMIC, WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DO HANDS-ON SCIENCE.
THERE WAS A DISRUPTION TO SCIENCE LEARNING AND WHAT WE KNEW OF TO BE WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS.
TO ANSWER THAT WE WENT TO ALL THE VIRTUAL SIMULATIONS WE COULD COME UP WITH GIZMOS AND EDGES SMARTS ARE THE MAIN ONES.
NOW WE'RE USING THEM AS WE'RE MOVING BACK TO THE HANDS-ON SCIENCE, WE'RE ALSO SUPPLEMENTING STILL WITH SOME OF THOSE STIMULATIONS.
WHEN STUDENTS GO HOME, THEY STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE SIMULATIONS AND THEY CAN PLAY THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THEY CAN MANIPULATE THOSE VARIABLES.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HELP STUDENTS TO MAKE SENSE OF THE LEARNING.
WE SAW A DECREASE IN OUR SCIENCE SCORES DUE TO COVID.
WE KNEW WE HAD TO HAVE AN ANSWER.
THANKS TO KENDRA AND THE STEM AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT THEY TOOK THE STEM FRAMEWORK AND NOW WE'RE USING SOME OF THOSE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN A LOT OF THEIR RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY, PARTNERSHIPS IN THE INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS TO HELP STUDENTS MAKE SENSE OF SCIENCE.
SCIENCE IS NOT A STANDALONE TOPIC, SO WE'RE FOCUSING ON SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS TO HELP STUDENTS THINK CRITICALLY SO THEY ARE FUTURE-READY.
DURING THE ADVISORY PERIODS, OUR HIGH SCHOOLS DEVELOPED BOOT CAMPS FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT WERE READ TESTERS THAT'S MORE INDIVIDUALIZED.
BECAUSE IF YOU ARE REALLY GREAT AT LIFE SCIENCE AND YOU'RE REALLY GREAT AT THE PHYSICAL SCIENCE THE DIFFERENTIATION YOU NEED IS DIFFERENT.
WE'RE INDIVIDUALIZING THOSE BOOT CAMPS AND ADVISORY PERIODS AND ALL OF THAT SO STUDENTS ARE GETTING EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE EXAMS.
>> LET'S JUST PAUSE THERE FOR A SECOND BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT SLIDE FOR US JUST TO I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS THAT YOU POINTED OUT THAT JUST TO PUT IN CONTEXT.
ONE IS AGAIN THAT DIFFERENCE IT WASN'T JUST THE YEAR THAT WE HAD THE SHUTDOWN, BUT IT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN 50 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS WERE AT HOME ALMOST THE ENTIRE YEAR.
>> EVEN OUR STUDENTS THAT WERE IN PERSON, OUR ABILITY TO HAVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES WAS DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED BY COVID.
THEN YOU COUPLE THAT WITH, WHEN I OPEN THE PRESENTATION, I TALKED ABOUT THE DEEP INTEGRATION WHERE SCIENCE BRINGS READING AND MATH TOGETHER.
THEN WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS WHO AS A RESULT OF THE PAST TWO YEARS, HAVE SUFFERED LEARNING LOSS IN READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS AND IN MATH.
WE KNOW WE HAVE THAT ACCELERATION TO DO.
THEN YOU HAVE SCIENCE WHERE IT BRINGS IT ALL TOGETHER.
NOT ONLY DO WE NOT HAVE A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT WE ALSO SAW REGRESSION IN READING IN MATH.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ELEMENTARY?
[02:00:01]
IF I AM A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AND MAYBE I HAVEN'T HAD A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES SINCE THIRD GRADE WHAT ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU FOUND TEACHERS DOING TO HELP SCAFFOLD THOSE EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS?>> YES, THANK YOU. GREAT QUESTION.
WE ADDED OUR PRE-LAUNCH ACTIVITIES TO OUR PACING TOOLS, WHICH ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS TEACHERS WITH, IF I'M A FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER, I MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE TIME TO GO BACK TO ALL OF THE THIRD-GRADE MATERIAL OR THE FOURTH-GRADE MATERIAL TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT STUDENTS MISSED OR WHAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW.
WE MADE THOSE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
WE PUT THE VERTICAL ALIGNMENT OF THE TICKS THERE SO THAT GRADE-LEVEL TEACHERS COULD SEE WHAT CAME BEFORE THEM.
WE DID THE SAME FOR THE GRADE LEVEL AFTER THEM BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE READY FOR THAT ACCELERATION.
WE ALSO INCLUDED RESOURCES THAT ARE TANGIBLE RIGHT THERE, THAT'S DIFFERENTIATED FOR VARIOUS LEVELS FOR THE STUDENTS.
WE SUPPORT THROUGH OUR PLCS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS OF THOSE GRADE LEVELS TO COME JOIN SO THEY'RE PART OF THE PLANNING.
WE GET TO CELEBRATE SOME OF THE AMAZING STUFF.
WE INHABITED OVER 2000 LADY BUGS AND CATERPILLARS, AND I CAN TELL YOU ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS WITH SHIPMENT, AND SOMETIMES WHEN OUR VENDORS COME DELIVER THE STUFF, WE CAN'T GET TO IT IN TIME AND ESPECIALLY IF IT'S OVER A WEEKEND.
OUR PRE-K BABIES HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A HICCUP WITH THEIR CATERPILLARS, BUT WHEN I TELL YOU THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AND THEY SENT PICTURES AND SAID, WE RESCUED THEM, THEY'RE NOT DEAD.
IS BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE LITTLE VIALS OF THESE CATERPILLARS AND YOU'RE LIKE, I CAN'T TELL IF IT'S ALIVE OR NOT, AND THEY STAYED FAST WITH IT AND THEY WERE THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OUR THREE AND FOUR-YEAR-OLDS WATCHING TO SEE THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE CATERPILLARS TURN INTO A BUTTERFLY, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE PRETTIEST THINGS EVER, THAT WAS AMAZING.
WE DELIVERED OVER 2500 SCIENCE KIDS THIS YEAR, AND YOU HAVE TO SEE THE PRODUCTION TAKES PLACE, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK, BUT WE DO IT AND WE MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR THE TEACHERS AND FROM LIFE SCIENCE TO PHYSICAL SCIENCE TO EARTH SCIENCE, FROM THE SOIL TO THE ROCKS, FROM THE STREAM TABLES, ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF THAT THEY NEED, WE PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CENTER.
WE KNOW WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THE IN-PERSON TRIPS AGAIN, THAT TEAMS QUICKLY SHIFTED TO VIRTUAL LEARNING, AND WE'VE GOTTEN AMAZING FEEDBACK FROM THE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS THIS YEAR WITH THE ESC.
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SUPPORTING 18 TITLE ONE SCHOOL GARDENS RIGHT NOW, AND WE ARE MAKING PLANS TO EXPAND THAT, AND JUST FOR STUDENTS TO PLANT A SEED TO HARVEST, AND TO EAT THE VEGETABLES FROM THE GARDEN THEY PLANTED IS JUST MIND-BLOWING FOR SOME OF THEM THAT HAVE NEVER SEEN A GARDEN AND DIDN'T REALIZE WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, THAT'S AMAZING.
WE SUPPORT OUR SCIENCE TEACHERS AGAIN WITH ONGOING PD, AND WE JUST LOVE SCIENCE BECAUSE SCIENCE IS FUN.
IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH MS. BRANUM'S RELEASE THE SCIENCE VIDEO, IT'S GOING TO BLOW YOUR MIND AWAY.
THE TEAM DID AN AMAZING JOB OF HIGHLIGHTING A LOT OF THE EXCELLENCE WE HAVE GOING ON THERE.
YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY SEEN SOME OF THE TWEETS GOING OUT FOR EARTH DAY.
EARTH DAY IS COMING UP ON APRIL THE 22ND, AND BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE TOOK OVER 650 STUDENTS TO THE LARGEST EARTH EXPO IN THE WORLD AT THE FAIR PARK.
FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL, OUR STUDENTS HAD A CHANCE TO PRESENT AND TO ENGAGE IN A DAY OF LEARNING.
WE'RE EXCITED, WE'RE READY FOR NEXT YEAR SO WE CAN GO BACK IN PERSON AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT LEARNING AGAIN.
SEVERAL OF OUR CAMPUSES HAVE HOSTED STEM NIGHT SCIENCE NIGHTS, ALL OF THAT, AND WE KNOW FOR SAFETY REASONS, WE HAVE NOT HAD THEM, BUT COMING UP IS, LET ME GET THE DATE RIGHT, MAYBE 18TH, MAY 16TH, YALE ELEMENTARY WILL BE BACK VISITING OUR VERY OWN STEM CENTER AT BERKNER.
WE CAN'T WAIT TO HOST YALE ELEMENTARY AND WE HAVE A HOST OF INDUSTRY PARTNERS THAT OUR STEM TEAM WORKED WITH THAT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT.
THIS SUMMER SCHOOL, OUR STUDENTS WILL GET A CHANCE TO TAKE A FIELD TRIP TO THE PEROT MUSEUM, TO DALLAS ARBORETUM, AND WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER CORPORATIONS LIKE THE FUJITSU AND SMU, TECH TITANS, IT'S A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THEY'RE READY TO BE A PART OF OUR LEARNING, WE'RE READY TO EXPOSE OUR KIDS TO ALL THIS LEARNING BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO WALK AWAY AS LIFELONG LEARNERS.
>> IF I CAN JUST ADD THERE BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY IS IT ABOUT ENGAGING OUR STUDENTS, BUT IT'S ALSO ENGAGING OUR PARENTS, AND HOW DO WE FOSTER AND WHAT DO OUR PARENTS, HOW CAN THEY SUPPORT THIS LOVE OF SCIENCE? HOW CAN THEY BE INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING THEIR STUDENTS AT HOME ON THE WEEKENDS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AS WELL?
>> YES, AND I LOVE THAT YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T EXPECT FOR PARENTS TO KNOW THE PHYSICS TICKS OR TO THE CHEMISTRY TICKS.
IF MY HUSBAND HAD TO HELP MY THIRD GRADE WITH HIS SCIENCE HOMEWORK, HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT, HE'S A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AND COACH.
NO OFFENSE TO THE SOCIAL STUDIES PEOPLE, BUT HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT.
[02:05:02]
YOU DON'T NEED A BACKGROUND IN SCIENCE TO HELP YOUR KIDS, YOU JUST NEED TO HELP THEM BE EXCITED, TO BE CURIOUS, AND TO HELP THEM DISCOVER ANSWERS TO ANY PROBLEMS THAT'S IN THE WORLD TODAY.LASTLY, WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT SCIENCE AND LITERACY.
WE HAVE QUAVER, WHO HAS PROVIDED READERS FOR PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE.
THAT TAKES ME TO THE NEXT POINT FOR OUR NEXT STEPS.
BECAUSE SCIENCE 2.0, I KNOW YOU HEARD FROM OUR RLA AND MATH IS THE READING PASSAGES WILL BE OVER SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT.
OUR CURRICULUM WRITERS THIS SUMMER WILL ENGAGE IN THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, WILL JOIN WITH THE RLA DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROVIDE TEACHERS THOSE RESOURCES FOR SCIENCE PASSAGES.
WE DON'T WANT TO JUST TEACH SCIENCE.
WE WANT TO TEACH CRITICAL THINKING, COLLABORATION, CURIOSITY, ALL OF THAT THROUGH THE LENS OF SCIENCE.
WE ALSO ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT TRAINING WITH TEACHERS FOR HANDS-ON SCIENCE.
WE KNOW THAT WE FEEL IN A VERY BLESSED PLACE TODAY OF BEING ABLE TO GO BACK TO HANDS-ONE, WE WANT TO SUPPORT TEACHER WOULD GRADUALLY TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO DO SCIENCE, AND WE WERE AT A SEVENTH GRADE CLASSROOM WATCHING THE KIDS DO A LAB, AND IT DIDN'T DAWN ON ME UNTIL WE WERE HALFWAY THROUGH WATCHING THE STUDENTS.
THESE ARE THE KIDS WHO ARE IN FIFTH GRADE, WHICH IS THEIR FIRST STAAR TEST IN SCIENCE.
IT WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEIR FIFTH GRADE YEAR OF SCIENCE WAS INTERRUPTED, THEY NEVER TOOK A FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE STAAR TEST.
THOSE STUDENTS WERE SIXTH GRADE, COULD'VE BEEN VIRTUAL LAST YEAR.
THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO HANDS-ON SCIENCE.
WE CAN'T JUST THROW THEM IN THERE, SORRY, LIKE I DID YOU GUYS WITH THE GLASSWARE THAT WE WERE [NOISE] WE CAN'T DO THAT WITH OUR STUDENTS, SAFETY FIRST, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
HOW DO WE GET TEACHERS AND STUDENTS BACK TO LEARNING SCIENCE BY DOING SCIENCE? WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS.
WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE AN ACCELERATED INSTRUCTION PATHWAY FOR SCIENCE.
WE KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR JUNIOR HIGHS HAVE SHIFTED TO ALGEBRA ONE FOR EIGHTH GRADE, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, WELL, WHAT IS THE POSSIBILITY FOR SCIENCE, FOR STUDENTS TO ACCELERATE IN SCIENCE? WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME PLANS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO COMPOSE A COMMITTEE TO REVAMP THE SCIENCE FAIR.
INSTEAD OF IT BEING AN INDIVIDUAL CAMPUS EFFORT, WHERE KIDS GET TO OPT IN OR YOU'RE FORCED TO DO IT AND YOU DON'T WANT TO, AND ONLY YOUR CAMPUS JUDGES AND ONLY A FEW KIDS GO FORWARD WITH THE DISTRICT, HOW CAN WE CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY SO ALL KIDS CAN EXPERIENCE THE SCIENCE FAIR IN SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS? WE'RE WORKING ON THAT COMMITTEE.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU POUR INTO THE STUDENT, BUT WHAT'S PLANTED THAT COUNTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU LAKEISHA FOR A PHENOMENAL PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AGAIN, I THINK WHAT CONTINUES TO JUST BE IMPACTFUL IS LISTENING TO EACH OF OUR DIRECTORS AND UNDERSTANDING THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEIR EXPERTISE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PASSION THAT THEY HAVE FOR LEARNING AND THE PASSION THAT THEY HAVE FOR KIDS, AND HOW IT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN OUR CURRICULUM, IN OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
I THINK THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHERE SOME OF THE STRUGGLES HAPPENED FROM COVID, I MEAN, THEY JUST STARTED WHAT THEY ARE, THE SCORES ARE WHAT THEY ARE AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW YOU ADJUST AND THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE PLANNING THAT ADJUSTMENT REALLY WELL AND ADDRESSING THAT FROM NOT ONLY A SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT HANDS-ON, I THINK THAT I WAS DOING HANDS-ON SCIENCE IN MY HOUSE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER, LET ME JUST SAY, EVEN THOUGH I DO KNOW SOME OF THOSE TICKS BUT IT'S STILL WOULD'VE BEEN DISASTROUS.
KNOWING THAT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND BEING ABLE TO ADJUST SUPPORT AND REALLY GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT TO MOVE THEM FORWARD, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT PART OF AN EDUCATOR'S JOB.
YOU PRESENT INFORMATION AND THEN WHEN IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, IT'S HOW DO YOU ADJUST.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HIGHLIGHTING THAT AND ALSO WHERE SOME OF THOSE SUCCESSES WERE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MATH AND THAT SCIENCE CONNECTION.
CERTAINLY IN CHEMISTRY AND SOME OF THE HIGHER LEVEL PIECES, IF YOU ARE NOT STRONG IN MATH, YOU WERE JUST NOT GOING TO DO WELL THERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS REALLY LIFTING THAT UP.
AS WELL AS I KNOW THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED IT ON THERE, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST ALSO POINT OUT, I KNOW THAT WHEN STAAR 2.
0 COMES OUT, THAT, THAT VOCABULARY IS GONNA BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A GAP IN THAT VOCABULARY, BUT THAT IS ALSO WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO USE TO TEST THOSE STUDENTS ON AT THOSE GRADE LEVELS,
[02:10:02]
AND I LOVED THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING TO PAIR THAT AS WELL.I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF SEEING WHERE THE GAPS ARE, CALLING IT OUT, ADJUSTING AND FINDING WAYS TO SET OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS UP FOR SUCCESS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR THAT.
I'D LOVE TO ALSO JUST DITTO WITH MY COLLEAGUE, MS. TIMMY, AT IT.
I WISH I HAD YOU AS A SCIENCE TEACHER WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY BELIEVED THAT WONDER AND CURIOSITY HAS TO START AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
BUT TO MAINTAIN THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, SO IMPORTANT.
I WILL SPEAK FROM A PARENT WHO, WHEN MY KIDS WERE IN SCHOOL AND THE SCIENCE AT THE TIME WAS ALWAYS ON THE SIDE.
EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT STAR AND READING AND MATH.
FOR ME, I THINK THAT MY EXPERIENCE WAS AT MY CHILDREN DID NOT GET THAT SCIENCE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE WANTING IT.
I WONDERED, LET'S SAY ELEMENTARY, IN A DAY OF TEACHING THAT; ONE, HOW MUCH TIME DOES A TEACHER HAVE WITH TEACHING A LESSON? ALSO, WHAT IS THE RATIO OF HER CLASSROOM TYPICALLY IN AN ELEMENTARY.
IF IT'S ONE TEACHER, HOW MANY STUDENTS AND HOW MUCH TIME DOES SHE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THIS WITH THE EXCITEMENT AND THE CURIOSITY THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
>> I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT IN ELEMENTARY, OF COURSE WE HAVE A ONE TO 22.
THEN WHEN IT MOVES PAST THE REQUIRED ONE TO 22 RATIO, IT DEPENDS UPON THE CAMPUS.
IT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 25 TO OUR SIXTH GRADE.
OFTEN HAVE 26, 27, OR 28 STUDENTS BASED UPON THAT CLASS SIZE.
THE MINUTES GRADUATE, SO IN OUR YOUNGEST OF GRADES THEY HAVE, I BELIEVE IT IS.
DR. BEETLE ARE YOU PULLING UP THE TIME STANDARDS? THANK YOU. YES. BUT IT GRADUATES OVER TIME.
NOW, I THINK WHAT MISS TIMMY BROUGHT UP AND WHAT LOCATIONIA WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, NEXT YEAR, OUR PRINCIPALS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT SCIENCE TIME VERY DIFFERENTLY.
BECAUSE AGAIN, AS WE MENTIONED IN ELA, THE PASSAGES THAT STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TO READ AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT ARE GOING TO BE NON-FICTION.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT.
THAT INTEGRATION AND OUR PRINCIPLES, UNDERSTANDING.
I'M GOING TO TOTALLY HONOR WHAT YOU SAID.
I THINK IF YOU ASKED A LOT OF OUR PRINCIPALS, IF IN THE END I AM PREPARING MY STUDENTS FOR SCIENCE DOESN'T BECOME REAL UNTIL FIFTH GRADE WHEN I HAVE TO TAKE THE TEST.
I THINK AS MUCH AS WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR PRINCIPALS TO SHIFT THAT OVER TIME, WE'RE NOW IN A PLACE WHERE I THINK THE ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO MATCH OUR PRIORITIES AND IT'S GOING TO CAUSE US TO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE TO START EVEN IN KINDERGARTEN WITH MAKING SCIENCE A PRIORITY.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH.
I ALSO THINK OUR STEM GRANT, IN THE BERTNA LEARNING COMMUNITY REALLY REINVIGORATED OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE DIFFERENTLY.
THEM SEEING HOW IF WE CREATED THAT SPACE AND THE SCHEDULE FOR SCIENCE, THAT IT WAS ALSO SUPPORTING READING AND MATH, AND THEY SAW THAT IN ACTION AND IT AFFIRMED THAT WE'RE NOT.
WE THINK SOMETIMES IF WE DON'T TEACH SCIENCE WHILE I'M GIVING MORE TIME TO READING AND MATH AND THAT'S GOING TO SERVE US WELL.
BUT THEY ACTUALLY SAW WHEN I TEACH SCIENCE WELL, IT ACTUALLY FURTHER ACCELERATES MY STUDENTS LEARNING THE READING AND THE MATH BECAUSE THEY SEE THE APPLICATION FOR IT.
WERE WE ABLE TO PUT THE TIME STANDARDS? DR. BTL COME UP AND SHARE THOSE.
>> THERE'S A LITTLE BIT BY GRADE LEVEL, BUT IT GETS FROM ROUGHLY 25 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES DAILY.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT SOMETIMES OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS WILL SPEND ONE WEEK SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME OR A COUPLE OF DAYS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE HAVING A LAB EXPERIENCE, SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND THEN SUBSTITUTE SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THAN NEXT DAY OR THE NEXT WEEK ON SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS.
THEY FLIP-FLOP THAT ESPECIALLY AT THE YOUNGER GRADES AND THAT GROWS ACTIVE LIKE 45 MINUTES.
IT'S SCIENCE INSTRUCTION BY FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT DOES THAT ELEMENTARY SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR AND HOW DO WE MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS?
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S CRUCIAL IN BEING ABLE TO REALLY PUT IN THEIR TIME AND FOR A TEACHER TO BE ABLE TO REALLY
[02:15:01]
ENGAGE THE STUDENTS AND ALL THE STUDENTS.BECAUSE I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS TO BE A 25 TO ONE, BY THE TIME YOU PASS OUT ALL OF THOSE, THE FIRST ROUND OF KIDS ALREADY DID WHAT MS. BRANUM DID [LAUGHTER], OR TO CONTROL THAT IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT REALLY ENGAGING.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT AND FOR WORKING ON THAT, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
>> YOU'LL ALSO SEE A LOT OF SMALL GROUPS.
THIS IS WHERE THE TEACHERS ARE PUTTING STUDENTS IN STATIONS AND ROTATION SO THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTROL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE SAFETY ASPECT OF IT.
>> GREAT. THE OTHER THING AGAIN, MY KIDS ATTENDED A RAPPER CLASSICAL MAGNET.
I KNOW THAT IN THAT PARTICULAR CAMPUS THEY HAD A SCIENCE LAB.
DO ALL CAMPUSES HAVE A SCIENCE LAB? HOW DOES THAT WORK IF THEY DON'T?
>> THEY DO NOT HAVE A SCIENCE LAB.
ON THE ELEMENTARY, IS IT JUST A COUPLE OR IS IT A HALF?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY IT'S VERY FEW. IT'S VERY FEW.
>> THEY WOULD DO ALL OF THESE LESSONS OR EXPERIMENTS JUST LIKE YOU SAID IN SMALL GROUP.
>> YEAH, BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO BE EMBEDDED WITHIN THE SCIENCE CONTEXT AND CURRICULUM.
EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE A SCIENCE LAB DURING THEIR SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, THE TEACHERS BUILD THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE.
IF YOU ONLY HAVE 30 MINUTES TO TEACH, THEN MAYBE THE FIRST DAY WE ONLY DO THE ENGAGE.
WE JUST GIVE YOU THE PROMPT AND THEN IT MAY EVEN HAVE A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT, GO HOME AND ASK QUESTIONS AND EXPLORE, THEN YOU COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.
TEACHERS, WE BACKWARDS PLAN SO THEY'RE ABLE TO, WITHIN THE MINUTES THEY DO HAVE THE FULL CYCLE ISN'T DONE IN ONE SITTING.
>> I WANT I WANT TO CONNECT SOMETHING THAT YOU SHARED IN YOUR PRESENTATION TO YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE, AGAIN TO TRY TO HONOR TEACHERS AND THE FACT THAT THERE ISN'T A SCIENCE LAB WHERE ALL THE EQUIPMENT IS AND THAT'S WHY OUR SCIENCE KITS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
AS A TEACHER, IF I'M ENTERING A UNIT IN WHICH WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS, ALL OF THESE MATERIALS WILL BE IN MY SCIENCE KIT THAT IS DELIVERED TO MY CAMPUS.
I TAKE IT, IT HAS ALL THE MATERIALS, ALL THE CONSUMABLES THAT I COULD POSSIBLY WANT IN MY CLASSROOM.
I JUST OPEN THE LID AND EVERYTHING I NEED IS RIGHT THERE.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO LOOKING FOR ANYTHING, I DON'T HAVE TO GO SEARCHING FOR ANYTHING.
WE BRING THE SCIENCE LAB TO THE CLASSROOM.
THAT'S WHY THOSE SCIENCE KITS, WHEN THE TEACHER PUTS THEM ALL BACK AND THEY GET SENT TO THE WAREHOUSE AND THEY GET REFILLED FOR THE NEXT CAMPUS ROTATION.
THAT'S WHY WHEN SHE SAID IT'S LIKE WATCHING AN INCREDIBLE CHOREOGRAPHED.
THAT'S WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE KNOW NOT EVERY CAMPUS HAS THAT LAB.
>> THAT'S GREAT. THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, ON THE SCIENCE KITS, THEY SOUND AMAZING, ENGLISH AND SPANISH, ARE THEY ON A BILINGUAL?
>> ALL OF THE LESSONS AND RESOURCES ARE ON THE PACING TOOLS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND THEN THE TOOLS THEMSELVES, THE KITS ARE UNIVERSAL BECAUSE ALL KITS ARE GETTING THE SAME INSTRUCTION.
>> OKAY. PERFECT. MY OTHER QUESTION, IF WE CAN GO TO WHERE THE DATA WAS, IF I KNOW I SAW IT BUT IT WENT BY TOO FAST.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT NOW I UNDERSTAND AFTER THE PANDEMIC FROM 20 AND TO THE MOST CURRENT.
BUT IN THE ENGLISH AND THE SPANISH IN FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO THE NUMBER OF TESTED.
WHY IN THE SPANISH, THE NUMBERS ARE SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE ENGLISH?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR TEACHERS ON THAT.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION SHOULD MATCH THE LANGUAGE OF ASSESSMENT.
SOMETIMES WITH OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE COMING IN LATER, THE TEACHERS MAY NOT HAVE ADEQUATELY MATCHED UP WHICH VERSION OF THE TEST, SO YOU'LL SEE THE FLUCTUATION.
IN 2017, THERE WERE ONLY 39 STUDENTS VERSUS THE NEXT YEAR 69.
WE'RE STARTING TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WE FEEL LIKE THESE FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS SHOULD BE TESTING.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MODEL IN BILINGUAL, OR SPANISH INSTRUCTION VERSUS OUR SPANISH ASSESSMENTS, WE'RE PUTTING A LENS ON IT.
WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW WITH OUR BILINGUAL DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY'RE SHIFTING THEIR MODEL TO MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION IS MATCHING THE LANGUAGE OF ASSESSMENTS.
IT'S REALLY WHAT'S BEST FOR THE INDIVIDUAL KID.
>> JUST TO ECHO THAT AND ADD THAT.
SO MANY OF OUR BILINGUAL STUDENTS, THE MAJORITY OF STARTING WITH THIS AT THEIR EARLY AGES.
BY THE TIME THEY'RE IN FIFTH GRADE, WE'VE REALLY DEVELOPED THEIR ENGLISH SKILLS THAT REALLY SUPPORT THEM TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TEST IN ENGLISH.
OUR NUMBERS OF SPANISH TESTERS ARE ACTUALLY MUCH SMALLER BECAUSE THAT'S OUR KINETICS BE STUDENTS THAT HAVE RECENTLY JOINED US AND OUR NEW TO OUR BILINGUAL PROGRAM.
>> SAY IF SOMEBODY IS FLUENTLY BILINGUAL, THEY MAY BE IN THE ENGLISH CATEGORY BECAUSE THEY'RE FLUENT.
[02:20:02]
>> EXACTLY. BUT IN THE SPANISH ACROSS THE WAY, IT'S BEEN, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ZERO PERCENT, ONE PERCENT, ZERO PERCENT, ZERO PERCENT OF MASTERY.
THEY'RE JUST NOT MASTERING ANY OF THE CONTENT.
>> OFTEN THEY'RE NEW, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IN RISD SYSTEM BECAUSE THEN THEY WOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSITIONED.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE IT'S 2016 STUDENTS.
>> I SAW THAT TO YOU YET. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST, LET'S SAY, A BILINGUAL STUDENT WHO IS BEEN PRE-K [OVERLAPPING] THEY'VE MASTERED THE ENGLISH LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CLARIFY ON THE NUMBERS THERE TOO.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT. YOU TOUCHED ON THE SCIENCE FAIR.
I LIKED WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW THAT AS A PARENT AND I THINK A LOT OF US CAN TALK ABOUT THAT WHOLE SCIENCE FAIR THING.
IT USED TO BE A CHORE FOR MANY PARENTS AND I KNEW MANY PARENTS, I WON'T CALL ANYBODY OUT, WHO DID THEIR KIDS SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT.
MY HUSBAND AND I TRIED TO ENGAGE OUR KIDS IN DOING THAT BUT AS THEY PROGRESS, THEY'RE VERY EXCITED IN THE FIRST EARLY YEARS OF ELEMENTARY, KINDER FOR A SECOND MAYBE, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH UP THERE, IT GOT TO BE A CHORE.
IF YOU CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE, I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON IT, ON WHAT YOU'RE EXACTLY DOING TO CHANGE THAT FORMAT ABOUT WHAT SCIENCE FAIRS WILL LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
>> WE'RE WORKING WITH ADVANCED LEARNING AND MONICA'S ASSIGNMENTS IS HERE.
SHE IS SPEARHEADING AND LEADING IT WITH ALL OF HER AWESOME IN THE SAME BRILLIANCE BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CTE DEPARTMENTS WITH ADVANCED LEARNING, TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN MORE SO BUCKETS VERSUS A SCIENCE FAIR.
IT MAY BE THAT YOU WANT TO DO A PROJECT-BASED LEARNING THAT SPANS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND YOU'RE WORKING WITH YOUR TEAMMATES ON THAT.
IT MIGHT BE THAT YOUR EFFORTS ARE GOING TO BE A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE ARTS AND SCIENCE.
YOU HAVE A CERTAIN CATEGORY AND PROJECT FOR THAT AND MAYBE IF I HAD TWO MEETINGS IN A VERY INFANTILE STAGES OF IT, BUT WE WANT TO COMBINE WITH CTE IN ADVANCED LEARNING SO THAT IT'S A SCHOOL-WIDE COMPETITION AND THERE'S ENTRY POINTS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR DIFFERENT STUDENTS DEPENDING ON THEIR LIKES.
I'M SORRY, I HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MY COLLEAGUES, I JUST WROTE ALL THIS DOWN.
I LOVE THE WHOLE PART WHERE YOU SAID CONTINUING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
DOES ALL OF THIS ALSO IF YOU ARE IN OR ON A CAMPUS WHERE THE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE MOSTLY LET'S SAY, A LOT OF SPANISH-SPEAKING STUDENTS, WHAT EFFORTS ARE BEING DONE TO REALLY ENGAGE THE PARENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE AND HOW IT COMBINES WITH STRONG MATH, SKILLS AS WELL TOO? I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT CAMPUSES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES BUT IS THERE ANYTHING DIRECTLY THAT IS GOING SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE SPANISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITIES?
>> IN ANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT HOST THEIR SCIENCE AND AUDITORS THEME NIGHTS, THEY SEND COMMUNICATION IN ALL OF THEIR PREDOMINANT HOME LANGUAGES AND OFTENTIMES, EVERY SCHOOL DOES SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
FROM THE CENTRAL LEVEL WE DON'T CONTROL BECAUSE WE GIVE CAMPUSES FREE REIGN AND OPPORTUNITIES WIDTH.
IF YOU SEE WE HAVE SEVERAL CAMPUSES THAT HAVE THESE GARDEN GRANTS THEY GO OUT AND THEY BRING US INTO THE LOOP AND SAY, "HEY, COME BE PARTNERS WITH US." WHATEVER IS HAPPENING ON THAT CAMPUS, THEY KNOW THEIR BABIES, THEY KNOW THEIR FAMILIES, THEY KNOW THOSE LANGUAGES AND THEY'RE SENDING OUT THE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS INVOLVED.
>> I THINK THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU.
I KNOW FOR ME BEING IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT THE PRIORITY TENDS TO BE LEARN THE ENGLISH, LEARN THEN MASTER THE ENGLISH.
IT'S ABOUT LITERACY AND OF COURSE, THE MATH OR THE MATHEMATICS AND SO SCIENCE TENDS TO BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING TO COMMUNICATE TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW, I THINK LIKE YOU MENTIONED, IT'S ANOTHER LANGUAGE.
IT'S DEFINITELY AND I THINK THAT KNOWING THAT IF MY CHILD IS STRUGGLING IN MATH, HOW AM I GOING TO BRING HIM TO LIKE AND ENJOY AND CONTINUE THAT CURIOSITY OF SCIENCE.
I THINK HIS PARENTS AND I DON'T KNOW, THIS MAY BE JUST MYSELF, THAT YOU TEND TO FOCUS ON WHAT YOU NEED.
IF MY SON'S ENGLISH TEACHER SAY HIS SPELLING IS LACKING OR HE'S NOT UNDERSTANDING COMPREHENSION, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO SEE BECAUSE I ADMIRE SCIENTISTS.
AGAIN, I WISH I HAD SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
[02:25:01]
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY FIRED UP THAT CURIOSITY THAT I HAD.I HAD IT AND I THINK MY KIDS HAD IT BUT IT GOT EXTINGUISHED WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, AND THEN MY KIDS GET TO HIGH SCHOOL AND I THINK MISS TAMMY SAID, I COULD NOT HELP MY KIDS WITH CHEMISTRY AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF.
THEY'RE WEIGHING WAY OVER MY HEAD.
BUT I DID SEE THAT THAT DOES HURT BY THE TIME YOU GET TO HIGH SCHOOL.
MY KIDS DIDN'T HAVE THE FOUNDATION FOR SCIENCE WHEN THEY HAD THE LOVE FOR IT BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY BUT AGAIN, IT WAS LIKE ONE OR THE OTHER AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT SCIENCE IS NOT LIKE A SPECIAL OR SOMETHING.
>> I THINK WE REALLY SAW THAT COME TO LIFE ESPECIALLY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WITH OUR STEM GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM TEXAS INSTRUMENTS BECAUSE I REMEMBER BEING EDITED THERE WITH MARK TWAIN, IN WHICH OUR STUDENTS USED RECYCLED MATERIALS FROM ACROSS THE CAMPUS AND IT WAS A PROJECT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES WHERE THEY HAD TO TAKE THESE RECYCLED MATERIALS AND THERE WERE DIFFERENT BUCKETS BASED UPON STUDENT INTERESTS AND THEY COMPETED IN TEAMS AND THERE WERE AWARDS GIVEN.
IT WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL INTEGRATION KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE AND MATH.
PARENTS WERE BROUGHT IN AND PARENTS WERE TAUGHT ABOUT HOW THAT PROJECT WAS DESIGNED.
WHEN YOU'RE ON A WALK AND STUDENTS ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS AROUND THEM, HOW DO YOU AS A PARENT SUPPORT THAT CONVERSATION AND ALLOW STUDENTS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, HOW DO YOU STILL FOSTER THAT? THEY ACTUALLY DID TEACH PIECES WITH THE PARENTS AS THEY WERE WALKING AROUND LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THAT LEARNING AND UNDERSTAND THAT LEARNING AND THAT IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN THAT, AND THAT IS THEIR PASSION, HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THAT AND NOT SCRATCH THAT BECAUSE YES, WE NEED TO WORK ON AND WORRY ABOUT READING AND MATH.
I DON'T WANT TO INSINUATE THAT BUT HOW DO YOU NOT PUSH SCIENCE ASIDE OR PUSH A PASSION ASIDE BECAUSE OF THAT? I THINK WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THAT FROM OUR STEM GRANT AND OUR BILINGUAL CAMPUSES IN THE PART OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY REALLY WERE EXEMPLARS FOR THAT.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN TAKE AND APPLY.
I KNOW MS. ARMSTRONG IS HERE AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING ABOUT HOW DO WE REALLY FOSTER THAT IN OUR BILINGUAL CAMPUSES AND REPLICATE THAT, WHAT WE KNOW WORKS.
THEN FINALLY, SO I CAN START TALKING AND MY COLLEAGUES CAN CONTINUE.
THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON IS THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HOW DIVERSE YOUR TEAM IS.
I THINK THAT THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT THAT BRINGS A LOT TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON HAVING SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND DIVERSE TEAM AND YOU DID A GREAT PRESENTATION AND I'M SO THANKFUL TO ALL OF YOU. THANKS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ALONG WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT MS. [INAUDIBLE] SAID.
AM I CORRECT? IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THE DATE OF THIS THEME BUT WHEN THEY'RE TAKING A SPANISH TESTING THEN ONLY HAVE SO MANY YEARS, MS. BRANUM, TO TAKE THAT TEST DEPENDING ON HOW MANY YEARS THEY'VE BEEN HERE OR CAN THEY JUST TAKE IT AT ANYTIME IF IT MATCHES THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE? I AM SO SORRY IF I ASKED THAT OUT OF [INAUDIBLE].
>> NO. THERE'S LOTS OF NUANCES THERE.
>> I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THAT'S PART OF WHY SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS POTENTIALLY WOULD BE LOW IN TESTING.
>> WELL, TEA RECOMMENDS TO TEST STUDENTS IN THE LANGUAGE WHERE THEY FEEL THE MOST COMFORTABLE AND THOSE DECISIONS WE AIM TO MATCH THEM TO THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION.
ONE CAVEAT HERE THOUGH IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE RECENT ARRIVALS AND WE KNOW THAT LANGUAGE ACQUISITION TAKES TIME, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OVERNIGHT.
THOSE STUDENTS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ENGLISH BUT ONE THING THAT WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR BILINGUAL TEACHERS IS THAT THE STUDENTS ALSO DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPANISH.
>> WE CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE AND THE COMPLEXITY OF SPANISH AS AN ACADEMIC LANGUAGE AND SCIENCE IS A PROOF OF THAT.
SOME OF THOSE LOW SCORES TRULY REFLECT THE NEED TO WORK ON THE LANGUAGE PART BUT ALSO IN THE CONTENT.
>> THE ACADEMIC LANGUAGE IS COMPLEX AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE FRAMING OUR DUAL LANGUAGE MODEL, BUILDING LANGUAGE AND ACADEMIC LANGUAGE AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, A HUGE CONVERSATION WITH OUR FAMILIES THAT SAY, I SPEAK SPANISH AT HOME BUT THEIR EVERYDAY SPANISH DOES NOT EQUAL ACADEMIC SPANISH.
WHEN WE'RE BUILDING FOR BILINGUALISM AND BILITERACY, WE ARE TRULY AIMING TO DEVELOP THAT ACADEMIC LANGUAGE THAT IS GOING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A STANDARDIZED TEST.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT WAS THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IN RISD,
[02:30:02]
THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN OUR COUNTRY AND THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD ANY SCIENCE BACKGROUND.AND NOW WE'RE NOT ONLY ASKING THEM TO LEARN THE SCIENCE CONCEPTS AT THIS GRADE LEVEL, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ACADEMIC LANGUAGE TO BRING FORWARD WHERE OTHER STUDENTS WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME HAVE SPIRALED THAT LANGUAGE AS YOU TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, THAT MANY OF OUR SPANISH STUDENTS MAY BE TRYING TO CATCH UP ON SEVERAL YEARS OF THAT SPIRALING AND SO THAT MAY POSSIBLY BE AN IMPACT FOR THEM.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A POINT WORTH MAKING.
>> I'LL SAY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SPANISH ASSESSMENTS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR OUR SUBJECTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE SO THAT IS ALL PART OF THAT DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
>> IT'S ONLY THEY ARE ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
THAT'S TRUE. GREAT POINT. THANK YOU.
>>I ALSO WANTED US TO FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU MS. TAMMY FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
I'M WONDERING EVEN IN THE ENGLISH CATEGORIES TOO, IS THERE A WAY TO GET THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE STUDENTS TO SEE, I'M JUST CURIOUS TO SEE HOW MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE LATINO OR AFRICAN, JUST TO SEE THAT AND THEN IN THOSE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF JUST PASSING MYTHS AND MASTERY.
>> OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU, MS. ARMSTRONG.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, LADIES.
>> FIRST OF ALL, GREAT PRESENTATION.
>> I LOVE YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR PASSION FOR SCIENCE IS EVIDENT.
I AM A SELF-PROCLAIMED SCIENCE NERD.
I WAS IMPRESSING MY COLLEAGUE OVER HERE WITH MY BIG WORDS AS WE WERE DOING OUR EXPERIMENTS.
SHE LOOKED IMPRESSED, I'LL JUST SAY THAT.
WOMEN DON'T PRETEND. BUT JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, I LOVE YOU MENTIONED GAIL GOING TO BERTNER TO VISIT THE STEM CENTER OVER THERE.
MY KIDS GO TO YALE, SO I LOVE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT.
I THINK THAT STEM CENTER IS A FANTASTIC RESOURCE, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD IN THE PLANETARIUM A LONG TIME AGO.
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SEND OUR KIDS TO AND THEY CAN USE THEIR IMAGINATION AND GET EXCITED ABOUT SCIENCE, AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY COOL.
I'M ON YOUR CELEBRATIONS PAGE, SO I JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON THAT REAL QUICK.
WE SUPPORT 18 SCHOOL GARDENS, MY QUESTION IS WHY SO FEW? I KNOW THAT DARTMOUTH HAS A SCHOOL GARDEN AND IT IS THE ENVY OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT LEAST AND I WOULD LOVE, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, REALLY HAVE A MORE DEEP DIVE INTO BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AT EVERY SCHOOL THAT WE CAN TO PUT IN THESE SCHOOL GARDENS BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE AN ASSET FOR EVERY SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LOVE FOR MORE SCHOOLS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SCHOOL GARDEN.
IT GOES BACK TO LEARNING ABOUT THE SOIL, LEARNING ABOUT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND HOW WE CAN ALL GROW VEGETABLES IN OUR BACKYARD IF YOU WANTED TO.
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC IF WE COULD HAVE, LIKE I SAID, ANOTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN ON A WIDER SCALE.
NEXT WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
I SAW THAT WE DID 150 VIRTUAL TRIPS?
>> LOVE THAT STUDENTS ARE CONTINUING TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST USE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER EVEN THOUGH IT'S VIRTUAL.
MY OLDEST SON AND MY DAUGHTER BOTH HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
MY YOUNGEST HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO YET.
I'M WONDERING WHEN WE'RE GOING TO START THAT BACK UP WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GO HAVE SOME PERSONAL VISITS.
>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SURVEY OUT.
TWO TEACHERS RIGHT NOW TO GATHER THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR PREFERENCES AND WE ARE WORKING ON A TRANSITION PLAN TO OFFER BOTH OPTIONS, IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL, FOR TEACHERS THAT CHOOSE TO DO SO.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME ELBOW GREASE AND MANPOWER AS WE'RE GOING OUT BECAUSE OUR MAIN CONCERN IS SAFETY.
THE TRAILS HAVE NOT BEEN VISITED SINCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND WITH THE FLOODS COMING IN AND WE WENT OUT, WE TRIED, AND WE COULDN'T GO THROUGH AND THERE WAS SO MANY THINGS THERE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH MAINTENANCE AND GROUNDS AND ALL OF THE PLAYERS THAT NEED TO COME TO THE TABLE TO GET IT SAFE BEFORE WE SEND STUDENTS OUT THERE.
BUT THAT WAS THE FEEDBACK WE GOT AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF DRAFTING THOSE PLANS SO TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO SELECT THE TIMES AND THE METHOD THAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM.
>> OKAY. SO AS EARLY AS POSSIBLY NEXT SCHOOL YEAR?
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC. LOVE TO HEAR THAT.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG,
[02:35:05]
I HAD FAMILY UP IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA AND THEY HAVE A CHILDREN'S SCIENCE MUSEUM THERE.AT THE TIME IN DALLAS, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOW WE HAVE THE PEROT MUSEUM.
THE PEROT IS FANTASTIC, I'VE TAKEN MY KIDS THERE SEVERAL TIMES.
BUT I'M CURIOUS IS HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? ARE WE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR OUR KIDS, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THEM TO THE PEROT TO LOOK AT THE SCIENCE EXHIBITS THEY HAVE THERE?
>> YES, SEVERAL CAMPUSES HAVE GONE.
I JOINED WESTWARD WHEN WE WENT AGAIN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND WE'VE ALSO RESEARCHED OTHER PARTNERS, THE JOHN BUNKER WETLAND CENTER, THE ARBORETUM NOW.
SEVERAL OF OUR STUDENTS GO TO THE DIFFERENT CAMPS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE ALIGN THE TICKS WITH THE LESSONS THAT ARE TAUGHT THERE SO THAT IF YOU GO TO ONE PLACE IN FIRST GRADE, YOU GET A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE IN SECOND GRADE AND A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WITH FOURTH GRADE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE DO THE BEST ALIGNMENT OF THESE STANDARDS ARE.
I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT UP THE ARBORETUM.
>> MY DAUGHTER JUST WENT TO THE ARBORETUM [OVERLAPPING] WE REALLY ENJOYED IT BUT I'D LOVE IT IF WE COULD USE THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN DALLAS, THIS EXCEPTIONAL MUSEUM, A SPECIFICALLY-DESIGNED-FOR-KIDS.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP GET THE KIDS THERE, I THINK WOULD BE A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY.
>> BUT AGAIN, JUST A COMMENT, LOVE THE PRESENTATION.
YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM FOR BEING HERE.
>> I'M SORRY. I JUST LOVE THIS SUBJECT, SO I APOLOGIZE TO MY COLLEAGUES AGAIN, BUT MR. LYNN BROUGHT IN SOMETHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH.
DO ALL CAMPUSES AND THE ELEMENTARY, DO THEY STILL GO TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER OR VISIT? I KNOW BACK IN THE DAY THAT'S WHEN MY KIDS DID.
>> WE'VE, RECENTLY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, HAVE HAD IT VIRTUALLY BUT YES, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH THE ENTERPRISE CITY, EVERY STUDENT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT.
>. I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT CHANGING IT THROUGHOUT THE GRADES BECAUSE I KNOW, AGAIN, MY KIDS LOVED IT THE FIRST TIME BUT THEN BY FIFTH GRADE, THEY WOULD DREAD IT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE'RE GOING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, THEY ALREADY KNEW IT AND IT WAS JUST A THING TO DO.
BUT I LOVE WHAT MR. LYNN SAID THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH HERE IN OUR DALLAS AREA.
I KNOW AGAIN, IT'S A PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAD AS A FAMILY THAT THAT WAS A PRIORITY FOR US.
WE WOULD INVEST IN BECOMING MEMBERS OF CERTAIN MUSEUMS AND THE ARBORETUM, BUT NOT ALL OUR KIDS HAVE THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OUR DISTRICT BE ABLE TO UTILIZE ALL OF THIS THAT WE HAVE TO HOW OUR KIDS ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR KIDS KNOWS WHAT THE DALLAS ARBORETUM IS, KNOWS WHAT THE PEROT MUSEUM IS BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF OUR KIDS DON'T KNOW.
THEY'VE NEVER BEEN THERE AND EVEN FOR PARENTS WHO'VE NEVER BEEN THERE SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID AND SO I HOPE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? QUESTIONS?
>> IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
>> CAN YOU COME BACK NEXT MEETING AND BRING ANOTHER EXPERIMENT FOR US? [LAUGHTER].
>> I WILL HAVE GOGGLES, I'LL HAVE LAB COATS, APRONS, WHATEVER YOU NEED.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE'LL COUNT ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
>> DID YOU TASTE IT? OH, THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER]
>> ARE YOU THAT STUDENT, MR. LYNN? YOU ARE THAT STUDENT THAT HAD TO TASTE IT?
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO CONTINUE OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION FOR
[IV.D. 2022 - 2023 Budget Discussion]
2022/2023 SCHOOL YEAR. MRS. BRANUM?AS PROMISED, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN OUR BUDGET CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU, BRIAN. WE ARE CONTINUING TO BRING FORWARD INFORMATION THAT IS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD TO ALLOW YOU TIME TO PROCESS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, OUR ONLY PRIORITY FOR THIS BUDGET SEASON IS TO ADDRESS COMPENSATION OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THAT REALLY COMES IN THREE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE.
BUT TONIGHT, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD REQUESTED WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT OUR WHO,
[02:40:02]
BUT NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE NUMBERS THAT COMPOSE THAT WHO, AND AS WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS AROUND POTENTIAL DAYCARES OR HEALTHCARE CLINICS, HOW MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY BE IMPACTED BY THOSE TYPES OF ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.SO DR. GOODSON IS GOING TO LEAD US IN A LITTLE CONVERSATION ABOUT UNDERSTANDING OUR WHO.
WE'RE GOING TO ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE STAFF DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN CAMPUS AND CENTRAL STAFF.
THEN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ALSO ASKED BY THE BOARD, AS YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT HAVE CONTINUED TO MAKE A COMMITMENT.
PRIOR BOARDS HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT THAT, WE DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS WANT TO BE THE DISTRICT THAT IS ON THE BLEEDING EDGE OR IN THE HEAD OF THE PARK AND THIS COMPENSATION JOURNEY.
BUT WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE AND SO WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO TONIGHT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
WE KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE STARTING TEACHER SALARY COMPARED TO OUR BENCHMARK DISTRICTS.
WE ARE BRINGING UP TOWARDS THE END OF THAT BENCHMARK TABLE IN WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO MOVE US TO BE MORE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR BENCHMARK DISTRICTS, SO WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD A THREE-YEAR AND A FIVE-YEAR PLAN OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, SUSTAINABILITY.
HOW DO WE SUSTAIN THAT MOVING FORWARD? THEN REALLY, I WANT BASED UPON THAT INFORMATION TO PROVIDE JUST OFF THE PRESS WE HAD TWO LOCAL DISTRICTS WHO JUST RELEASED THEIR COMPENSATION.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS IS A LOT EARLIER THAN IT NORMALLY IS.
WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A RECRUITMENT WAR WITH ONE ANOTHER ABOUT FINDING TALENTED HIGH-PERFORMING STAFF AND THEN SO I THINK THERE WERE SOME DISTRICTS WHO WERE OUT THERE EARLY.
BOTH MESQUITE AND LOUISVILLE HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, SO WE'RE GOING TO SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION AND GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU.
OUR TEAM KNOWS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO BRING BACK TO YOU A FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONE MORE SLIDE.
I THINK THIS IS SO IMPORTANT RIGHT HERE THAT, COMPENSATION IS JUST ONE PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE RECRUITMENT RETAINMENT AND REWARD FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE INNOVATIVE BENEFITS BECAUSE OFTEN, WHILE THE COMPENSATION MAY BE WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE, THE BENEFITS ALSO HELPS BE AN INCENTIVE FOR WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO STAY.
PART OF THAT AS WELL IS, OUR EMPLOYEES FEELING LIKE WE'RE INVESTING IN THEM AND THAT THEY SEE THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW, WHETHER THEY ARE STARTING WITH US AS A PAIR OF PROFESSIONAL AND AUXILIARY STAFF MEMBER AND THEY CAN SEE A PATHWAY.
OR MAYBE I'M A TEACHER AND I'M BEING INVESTED AND GROWTH TO BE THE BEST POSSIBLE TEACHER I CAN BE OR SOMEDAY TO BECOME AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH OR AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND MOVE INTO THOSE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT I THINK A SPEAKER EARLY THIS EVENING SPOKE TO THIS BOTTOM PIECE, WHICH IS THE CULTURE.
THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OUR COMPENSATION PACKAGE IS, WHAT OUR BENEFITS ARE, IF THE CULTURE IS NOT A PLACE WHERE A TEACHER OR A STAFF MEMBER FEELS LIKE THEY CAN THRIVE, THEN NONE OF THOSE OTHER FACTORS MATTER, AND SO WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING WHAT WE LEARN IN THE CLIMATE SURVEY, WHAT WE LEARN IN THE FOCUS GROUPS.
TODAY, DR. GIBBINS, WE LEAD A VERY DEEP CONVERSATION OF OUR INTERNAL STAFF OF DISSECTING SOME OF THE TRENDS AND THE PATTERNS THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH OUR DISCIPLINE AND HOW DO WE BRING TOGETHER A MULTI-FUNCTIONAL TEAM THAT'S GOING TO HELP US BEGIN TO BRAINSTORM THOSE NEXT STEPS? SO WE ARE COMMITTED IN, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE CULTURE? TIME, HOW DO WE PROVIDE MORE TIME FOR OUR STAFF? BECAUSE THOSE WILL ULTIMATELY BE THE DIFFERENTIALS THAT HELPS A TEACHER MAKE A DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO STAY IN OUR GREAT DISTRICT.
SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO DR.
GOODSON WHO'S GOING TO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UNDERSTANDING OUR WHO.
>> THANK YOU, MRS. BRANUM. GOOD EVENING, BOARD.
I HOPE I HAVE THE SAME ENERGY THAT MS. MICHAL HAD.
>> NO, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE, I'M ALREADY FEELING IT, SORRY.
BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR, WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION WITH YOU REGARDING WHO WE ARE AS A DISTRICT IN TERMS OF HOW OUR STAFF ARE DISPERSED ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE ON THIS SLIDE, THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT IN TIME FROM EARLY APRIL JUST TO SHOW YOU SOME WRONG NUMBERS AND SO THIS IS BASICALLY THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO WE HAVE CATEGORIZED IN THESE PARTICULAR CATEGORIES.
FOR CAMPUS STAFF, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 1,424.
[02:45:01]
THAT INCLUDES CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION, TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, ANYONE WHO IS ASSIGNED TO A CAMPUS.SO THAT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT OF HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH, HIGH SCHOOL, MEMORIAL PARK ACADEMY, AND CHRISTA MCAULIFFE LEARNING CENTER.
AUXILIARY STAFF IS A DIFFERENT GROUP THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER CHILD NUTRITION, CUSTODIAL MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
AGAIN, A LARGE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY ASSIGNED TO A CAMPUS.
SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO MANY OF THOSE WHO ARE ASSIGNED JUST CENTRALLY IN TERMS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
CENTRAL STAFF IS ANOTHER CATEGORY AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE ANYONE WHO IS BASICALLY ASSIGNED TO A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
THEY MAY SUPPORT CAMPUSES, THEY MAY SUPPORT OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT IN TERMS OF HOW THEY ARE CATEGORIZED, THEY ARE CENTRAL EMPLOYEES.
THAT INCLUDES DIRECTORS, COORDINATORS, SPECIALISTS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO CENTRAL DEPARTMENTS, OTHER ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL.
WE WENT AHEAD AND SEPARATED AS ANOTHER GROUPING SUBGROUP, IF YOU WILL, FOR ALL CENTRAL AND CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS.
SO PRINCIPALS, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND ABOVE, THOSE WHO LEAD DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR CAMPUSES, SO A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT THERE ARE 246 AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE OUR TEACHING STAFF 2,848.
AGAIN, IF WE WERE TO TAKE ANOTHER SNAPSHOT OF THAT TODAY, SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE DIFFERENT.
IT'S THE HR SIDE OF ME JUST ALWAYS WANTS TO REMIND YOU, IT IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THAT PARTICULAR DAY THAT WE PULL THE REPORT.
SO IT WILL BE DIFFERENT A MONTH AGO AND IT'LL BE DIFFERENT A MONTH FROM NOW BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PEOPLE MOVING IN AND OUT.
>> DR. GOODSON JUST REAL QUICK ON THAT CENTRAL STAFF, SO EXAMPLES OF CENTRAL STAFF LIKE I'M THINKING ABOUT OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT, IT MIGHT BE AN ELECTRICIAN.
THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY COUNTED IN THE AUXILIARY STAFF THAT THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBER THAT MIGHT BE IN CENTRAL.
>> DEPENDING ON THEIR ROLE, IF THEY ARE AN ADMINISTRATOR OR DIRECTOR IN THAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT, THEY WOULD BE CODED AS A CENTRAL ADMINISTRATOR.
BUT ALTHOUGH FOR MANY ELECTRICIANS, PLUMBERS, THEY ARE CONSIDERED IN THE AUXILIARY STAFF JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THEIR JOB.
TO DIG A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPLY IN TERMS OF WHO THE AUDIENCE IS, THAT COULD BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF SOME OF THE DECISIONS, WHETHER IT IS BENEFITS OR COMPENSATION, WE WANTED TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT OUR TEACHING STAFF, AND SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS JUST A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF INFORMATION AND I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU TO MICHAEL FREEMAN AND HIS OFFICE FOR BEING ABLE TO DO SOME GEOCODING MAGIC, WHICH IS TRULY LIKE MAGIC TO ME.
I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DOES IT, BUT WHAT HE DID IS, HE TOOK THE INFORMATION REGARDING OUR EMPLOYEES ADDRESSES AND THEN DID SOME CROSS-REFERENCING WITH INFORMATION AND FOCUS TO SHOW WHO HAD STUDENTS AND WHERE THEY LIVE, SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS THE TOP NUMBER IS THE PERCENT OF TEACHING STAFF THAT LIVE WITHIN RISD BOUNDARIES.
THAT'S JUST AN OVERALL NUMBER.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE STUDENTS, BUT THOSE ARE JUST EMPLOYEES WHO LIVE WITHIN RISD BOUNDARIES.
KEEP IN MIND, RISD BOUNDARIES INCLUDE RICHARDSON, DALLAS, AND GARLIN, AND SO THOSE WOULD BE THE EMPLOYEES WHO LIVE WITHIN DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
NOW OF THAT GROUP, 44 PERCENT OF THOSE TEACHERS ALSO HAVE STUDENTS WITHIN RISD.
SO THEY LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, AND THEY HAVE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
THE NEXT ONE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE THIS IS A FIGURE FOR THE PERCENT OF TEACHING STAFF WHO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE, WE DO HAVE A TRANSFER OPTION FOR EMPLOYEES AS A BENEFIT THAT ALLOWS THEM EVEN IF THEY LIVE IN FRISCO OR PLANO OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, WE ALLOW THEM TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH THE TRANSFER PROCESS, AND SO THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT NUMBER, SO THE PERCENTAGES ARE NOT REALLY MEANT TO ADD UP TO ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, IT'S JUST AGAIN THE SNAPSHOT OF THAT GROUPING OF INDIVIDUALS.
SO WE HAVE 24 PERCENT OF OUR TEACHING STAFF WHO HAVE CHILDREN IN RISD.
THEN ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE OF INFORMATION, ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF OUR TEACHERS HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE AND THEN 0.5 PERCENT HAVE A DOCTORATE.
THEN SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE BRIEFLY MENTIONED IN ONE OF OUR LAST MEETINGS AND I'M SORRY I DIDN'T ADD IT TO THIS SLIDE, BUT WE HAVE ABOUT 52 PERCENT OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ON DISTRICT INSURANCE.
WE MENTIONED THAT BRIEFLY IN OUR LAST MEETING, BUT I DO WANT TO ADD THAT IN THERE BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S A POPULATION THAT COULD BE AFFECTED BY CHANGING RATES AND OTHER DECISIONS.
THIS IS AS OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR IN TERMS OF THE TEACHING POPULATION AND THEIR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE,
[02:50:02]
AND SO YOU'LL SEE PRETTY DIFFERENT DISTRIBUTION DEPENDING ON THE YEARS OF SERVICE.WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 10 PERCENT OF OUR TEACHERS ARE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING, 28 PERCENT BETWEEN 1-4 YEARS, 26 PERCENT BETWEEN 5-10, 13 PERCENT BETWEEN 11-15, 10 PERCENT BETWEEN 16-20, SEVEN-AND-HALF PERCENT JUST ABOUT FOR 21-25, ALMOST THREE PERCENT FOR 26-30 YEARS AND THEN 1.68 PERCENT OF OUR TEACHERS HAVE MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
>> I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS ARE GOING TO ASK, WELL, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO OTHER DISTRICTS? DO WE HAVE A YOUNGER STAFF? DO WE HAVE A MORE MATURE STAFF? WHERE DOES THAT COMPARE?
>> AS WE LOOK AT THE INFORMATION, THIS IS ACTUAL INFORMATION THAT IS IN THE TAPER REPORT THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS GET EVERY YEAR AND SO ACTUALLY MR. PATE PULL THE DATA TOGETHER, I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR IT.
BUT WE LOOKED AT THE MOST RECENT TAPER REPORT FOR A LOT OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS.
THIS IS REFERENCING THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN INTERNAL SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT TAPER REPORTS AND SO WE CAN JUST GO BACK TO 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, LET'S SEE, WE ARE A LITTLE BIT IN THE MIDDLE IN TERMS OF OUR PERCENTAGE.
BACK THEN WE HAD 16.8 PERCENT WHO HAD ZERO YEARS EXPERIENCE AND THAT COMPARED TO ALLEN WITH 7.8, CARROLTON-FARMERS BRANCH WITH 16, DIST WITH 15, FRISCO WITH 12.4, GARLAND 10, MCKINNEY SIX, MESQUITE 15, PLANO EIGHT.
A WIDE RANGE JUST IN THE ZERO YEARS AND WE WERE BASICALLY A LITTLE BIT ON THE HIGH END.
WE WERE THE HIGHEST I THINK IN THAT GROUP WITH THE NEXT ONE DOWN BEING CARROLTON-FARMERS BRANCH AT 16.
I'LL SKIP TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT GROUPINGS, LET'S SAY 5-10 YEARS.
LAST YEAR WE WERE AT 21.2 PERCENT, ALLEN WAS AT 21.7, CFB WAS 20.8, DIST 21.1, FRISCO 22.6, GISD 22.3, MCKINNEY 22.1, MESQUITE 20.4, PLANO 21.7.
WE WERE VERY MUCH RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT ENTIRE GROUPING.
THEN I'LL JUMP TO THE 30 OR ABOVE.
WE WERE AT 1.9 PERCENT LAST YEAR, ALLEN WAS AT 1.7, CFB WAS AT 2.5, DISD 3.7, FRISCO 1.1, GISD 2.5, MCKINNEY 1.6, MESQUITE 1.7 AND PLANO 2.9.
AGAIN, NOT QUITE ON THE LOW END, NOT QUITE ON THE HIGH END.
IT REALLY RANGES DEPENDING ON THE DISTRICT YOU LOOK AT FROM YEAR-TO-YEAR BECAUSE TURNOVER IMPACTS ALL OF US AND ONE THING THAT WE DO LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPLY INTO AS WE END THE YEAR IS, IF WE DID HAVE ONE SEPARATE FROM THE DISTRICT, WHAT WAS THEIR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE? DID WE HAVE A PATTERN OF MORE TEACHERS WHO LEFT FOR ONE PARTICULAR YEAR WERE IN THEIR FIRST FIVE YEARS OR IN THEIR SECOND FIVE AND SO ON? WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL AS WE START TO SEE MORE OF THOSE COME IN. YES, SIR.
>> QUICK QUESTION ON THE SLIDE PREVIOUS AND THIS ONE, THIS IS GOOD DATA, BUT CAN WE FORMAT INTO THE HOW THIS APPLY TO THE BUDGET? BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU, THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT IS THIS TALKING ABOUT? THIS IS TALKING ABOUT, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF TEACHERS AND MAJORITY OF THEM LIVE OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT.
THEY PROBABLY TRAVEL FROM ANOTHER DISTRICT OR THROUGH ANOTHER DISTRICT TO GET TO WORK HERE.
PROBABLY THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE WAY FOR JOBS THAT WERE COMPETING FOR, SO THAT IMPACTS THE BUDGET AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR STARTING SALARY IS COMPRESSION AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, THE SAME THING.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE A BREAKDOWN ON THE YEARS OF SERVICE, BUT WHAT IS THAT? HOW DOES THAT IMPACT OUR BUDGET? CULTURALLY, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
TURNOVER IS A BIG PIECE OF THAT AND SO TRACKING THAT IS GOOD.
BUT FOR A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS LOOKING AT THAT COMPRESSION, I THINK IN THE SENIORITY OF WHAT WE GOT AND SO FROM A BUDGET WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
JUST AS WE SEE THE NUMBERS IF YOU CAN TAKE THEM BACK TO THE BUDGET AND SOME OF THE DECISIONS WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE AND HOW THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO THAT, IF YOU WOULD? I APPRECIATE.
>> WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK ON IT FOR SURE.
>> I THINK THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO ANCHOR THIS START WITH, BECAUSE WHEN WE BRING BACK TO YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE NEXT PRESENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING TO YOU WHAT IS THE COST OF THE COMPENSATION, THE BENEFITS PIECES LIKE THE DAYCARE, THE CLINIC? IN THE END, I KNOW WHY WE CAN'T ALWAYS QUANTIFY THE ROI THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
WE DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND IF WE IMPLEMENT THAT BENEFIT, HOW MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY IMPACT?
[02:55:02]
ARE WE HITTING THAT TARGET WITH A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE? ABSOLUTELY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THAT CONNECTION AND THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO BRING THIS FORWARD. I'M WITH YOU.>> WHAT I'LL DO NOW IS TURN IT OVER TO MR. PATE AND HE WILL GO INTO SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND THAT GOES A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO NOT JUST THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR CATEGORY, BUT HOW THAT WILL IMPACT THE BUDGET AS YOU CONSIDER PAY INCREASES IN OTHER STIPENDS.
>> THANK YOU, DR. GOODSON. THIS SLIDE IS A FOLLOW-UP TO SOME QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED IN OUR LAST MEETING.
JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, SO THIS BREAKDOWN BETWEEN CAMPUS AND CENTRAL TIES BACK TO THE CALCULATIONS THAT I GAVE YOU ABOUT DIFFERENTIATED RAISE BETWEEN CAMPUS AND CENTRAL STAFF.
THERE IS AN APPENDIX TO THIS PRESENTATION THAT I WILL LET YOU REVIEW AT YOUR LEISURE.
YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT ME TO READ ALL OF THAT TO YOU, BUT I'VE LISTED ALL THE POSITIONS IN THE NUMBER OF FTES THAT MAKE UP EACH OF THOSE TWO CATEGORIES.
THESE ALSO REMINDER HERE, THIS DATA INCLUDES VACANT POSITIONS CURRENTLY THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH ON WHICH OF THOSE VACANCIES THAT WE WANT TO ELIMINATE.
THEN THIS SALARY DATA ON THIS SLIDE DOES NOT INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY $31 MILLION IN BENEFITS.
THIS IS JUST THE SALARIES THEMSELVES AND NOT THE BENEFITS ON THOSE UNLIKE THE RAYS INFORMATION THAT I'VE BEEN PRESENTING TO YOU, WHICH DOES INCLUDE THE BENEFITS ON IT.
>> MR. PATE, I THINK YOUR POINT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THAT CENTRAL COMPOSITION.
JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS, IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHO MAKES UP OUR CENTRAL OFFICE, AGAIN, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE DO EVERYTHING FROM PICKUP OUR STUDENTS IN THE MORNING, TRANSPORT THEM, FEED THEM, EDUCATE THEM, PROVIDE EXTENDED LEARNING SERVICES AT THE END OF THE DAY.
WHEN THEY'RE SICK, THEY COME TO A NURSE.
THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THEM.
JUST A COUPLE OF THOSE EXAMPLES OF CENTRAL STAFF INCLUDE THINGS LIKE PLUMBERS, LOCK SMITH, OUR VEHICLE MECHANIC, OUR VIDEOGRAPHER, WE HAVE TO HAVE A DISTRICT WEBMASTER.
WE HAVE ONE WEBMASTER THAT SUPPORTS OUR ENTIRE WEBSITE AS WELL AS 54 CAMPUSES AND THAT IMPLEMENTATION.
WE HAVE AN IRRIGATION SPECIALISTS, WE HAVE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF ACRES THAT ARE GROUNDS CREW TAKES CARE OF AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO IRRIGATE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A WELCOMING IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.
AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S SOMETIMES EASY TO LOOK AT AND SAY, "OH, WE ARE CENTRAL HEAVY OR THERE'S TOO MANY POSITIONS IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE." BUT I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT EACH ROLE IS INTO ENSURING WE SAFELY GET OUR KIDS HERE AND CARRY THEM THROUGH THE ENTIRE DAY AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BRANUM. I WOULD JUST ALSO ADD A REMINDER FROM OUR LAST PRESENTATION, THIS CLASSIFICATION BETWEEN CAMPUS AND CENTRAL CAMPUS PERSONNEL FOR THIS DEFINITION WAS THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT INTERACT WITH OUR STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS, BE IT BUS DRIVERS, TEACHERS, DIAGNOSTICIANS, COUNSELORS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE FOCUSING ON OUR STAFF THAT DIRECTLY TAKE CARE OF OUR STUDENTS.
WELL I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER OF ACRES THAT WE HAVE, MS. BRANUM.
I DO KNOW THAT WE ARE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT MAINTAINS SIX MILLION SQUARE FEET OF INDOOR SPACE AND THAT EQUALS THREE OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS STADIUMS OVER THERE IN ARLINGTON, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MAINTAINING ON A DAILY BASIS.
JUST AS MS. BRANUM MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE COMMITTED TO COMPETITIVELY COMPENSATING OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS CONNECT, LEARN, GROW AND SUCCEED.
TO START OUR DISCUSSION ON OUR COMPENSATIONS OPTIONS, I REALLY WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE THAT BASE VARIABLE ON DEALING WITH INCREASING OUR STARTING SALARY.
BECAUSE AS WE MENTIONED LAST TIME, ONCE WE DECIDE ON TEACHER STARTING SALARY, IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE RAISE FOR THE REST OF STAFF.
I STARTED WITH A TWO PERCENT SALARY GROWTH.
THESE ARE THE DISTRICTS THAT WE PRESENTED THE LAST MEETING.
TWO PERCENT IN THIS CASE RANGES FROM
[03:00:03]
$1,120 FOR ALLEN OR PLANO IN '21-'22, ALL THE WAY UP TO GROWTH.THE LARGEST THERE, ARLINGTON GOING FROM '25-'26 TO '26-'27, $1,264.
IT'S BASICALLY 1,120-1,264 IS THE RANGE IN ALL OF THIS.
THAT'S WHAT THE TWO PERCENT EQUATES TO.
YOU'LL SEE THE AVERAGE THERE AT THE BOTTOM FOR THIS GROUP AND I'VE LEFT RICHARDSON ISD OFF OF THIS LIST.
SO THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT US, WE'RE NOT SKEWING THIS AVERAGE.
YOU'LL SEE THE AVERAGE ON SEVERAL OF THE SLIDES.
LET ME START WALKING YOU THROUGH THAT.
ONE MORE REMINDER FROM OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION AND THIS, AGAIN IS JUST A REPEAT TO REMIND US OF HOW THE COMPRESSION ISSUE WORKS IN MAINTAINING THAT GAP BETWEEN A ZERO YEAR TEACHER AND SECOND YEAR TEACHER OR ONE YEAR OF EXPERIENCE TEACHERS.
IN 2021 OUR NEW TEACHER SALARY WAS 54,250.
WE RAISED THAT IN '21-'22 TO 55,000 A $750 INCREASE IN THE NEW TEACHER STARTING SALARY.
BUT THAT ZERO YEAR TEACHER IN 2020-2021 RECEIVED A TWO PERCENT RAISE, TAKING THEM TO 55,335.
SO THAT ONE YEAR OF EXPERIENCED TEACHER WAS MAKING $335 MORE THAN A ZERO YEAR TEACHER.
ALL OF THE UPCOMING SLIDES, THE DATA I'M PRESENTING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT INTRODUCE NEW COMPRESSION.
THERE'S A MINIMUM OF AT LEAST $335 IN THERE.
NOT THAT I AM RECOMMENDING 335, BUT WE HAVE TO START THE CONVERSATION SOMEWHERE.
I MADE SURE THAT THESE SLIDES DO NOT INTRODUCE ADDITIONAL OR NEW COMPRESSION INTO THE PROCESS.
>> CAN I INTERRUPT JUST REAL QUICK WHILE ON THE SUBJECT?
>> I JUST HAD REAL QUICK QUESTION FOR DR. GOODSON BECAUSE I KNOW DR. GOODSON, THERE WAS A SALARY STUDY THAT WE DID AND IT'S BEEN AWHILE AND I THINK IT WAS 2017.
>> I BELIEVE SO, ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
>> IT WAS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO WHERE WE LOOKED AT ALL AND I REMEMBER QUITE VIVIDLY BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DESCRIBE WHAT SALARY COMPRESSION WAS AND YOU CAME BACK WITH THE DEFINITION AND FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, WE HAVE BEEN VERY, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, VERY COGNIZANT AND VERY CAREFUL ABOUT SALARY COMPRESSION AND HOW WE'VE GONE THROUGH STRATIFIED PAY INCREASES.
WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO HELP WITH THAT.
FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT THOUGH WE HAVEN'T, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE GONE ANY HIGHER ON THAT FIRST YEAR TEACHER SALARY THAN THE MINIMUM PAY INCREASE FOR TEACHERS IN THAT STRATIFIED CRITERIA. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> AS OUR NEW TEACHER PART, AS WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, PART OF WHY WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION, NOW WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO LOOK REALLY HARD TO THAT NEW TEACHER IS, PRIOR BOARDS HAVE BEEN VERY COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THAT.
WE'VE KEPT THE NEW TEACHER SALARY LOW TO ALLOW FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT STRATIFIED RAISE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN A PREVIOUS RAISE SCENARIO, WE GAVE THREE PERCENT TO EMPLOYEES THAT WERE IN THAT 0-5 YEAR AND THEN IT WAS LIKE 3.5 PERCENT FOR 6-10.
THEN IT WAS FOUR PERCENT FOR 11 THROUGH 15, ALL THE WAY UP TO FIVE PERCENT FOR TEACHERS THAT WERE 20 YEARS AND ABOVE.
AGAIN, TRYING TO NOT SAYING THAT WE FIX COMPRESSION BUT AS MR. PATE SAID, WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THOSE PAY GRADES.
NOW AGAIN, THAT DOES COME AT A COST THAT RIGHT NOW WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW FOR NEW TEACHER.
THAT'S PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE NEED FROM YOU ALL, PLEASE HEAR ME.
I WANT OUR VETERAN TEACHERS TO KNOW WE VALUE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND HAVE THEM RECEIVE THE NECESSARY COMPENSATION TO VALUE THAT.
BUT THEN HOW DO WE ALSO STAY COMPETITIVE WHEN WE'RE RECRUITING?
>> NOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FROM A CONTEXT RESPECTIVE [OVERLAPPING] WE HAD THAT HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF WHEN THIS WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEEN AN ISSUE.
>> IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE TWO STRATIFIED, IS IT TWO?
>> TWO STRATIFIED RAISE APPROACHES TO THE COMPENSATION.
[03:05:04]
SO YES, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE DONE IT TWICE.>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION, I'M SORRY.
BUT IN DOING THAT, YOU GAVE STIPENDS TO INCREASE THAT FIRST YEAR TEACHER SALARY, WHICH SOMEONE MAY ASK THE FACT THAT WE WERE STAYING COMPETITIVE WITH OUR DISTRICTS AROUND US FOR THAT, BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS THAT STIPEND GOES AWAY AND OUR FIRST YEAR TEACHER SALARY IS JUST WHERE IT WAS PREVIOUSLY, EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKED DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THE STIPENDS, CORRECT?
>> THAT'S PART OF WHAT HAS LANDED US IN THIS SCENARIO AT THIS POINT. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THANK YOU.
>> MS. TIMMY, JUST ONE MORE POINT ON THIS.
THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT, THERE'S NO DISCUSSION OF STIPENDS IN THIS.
THIS IS ALL PURELY REGULAR RECURRING COMPENSATION DISCUSSION.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE JUST VERY COGNIZANT.
I WAS VERY COGNIZANT PUTTING THIS TOGETHER WITH MS. BRANUM AND DR. GOODSON, THAT WE DID NOT INTRODUCE ANY NEW COMPRESSION INTO THE SYSTEM.
OUR FIRST SCENARIO THAT WAS CREATED WAS TO TRY TO MOVE US TO THE AVERAGE IN THREE YEARS.
NOT KNOWING WHERE ANYBODY ELSE WAS HEADED AT THE POINT AND STARTING WITH THAT TWO PERCENT BASE ASSUMPTION.
MY FIRST ATTEMPT HERE, YOU SEE THE AVERAGE AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN, OUR NEW TEACHER SALARY THERE AT 55,000 IN THE '21-'22 SCHOOL YEAR.
WHAT I DID WAS WHAT RAISE WOULD IT TAKE IN THE NEW TEACHER STARTING SALARY TO GET US CLOSE TO THE AVERAGE IN THREE YEARS? MATHEMATICALLY THAT WILL END UP BEING 3.1 PERCENT.
I'M NOT RECOMMENDING ADDING ROUNDED RAISES LIKE A 3.1 PERCENT, BUT IT WOULD TAKE 3.1 PERCENT EACH YEAR TO DO IT EVENLY TO MOVE US TO THAT CALCULATED AVERAGE.
FOR THE NEW TEACHER, ONE YEAR OF EXPERIENCE, WE WOULD NEED TO GIVE THEM A 3.7 PERCENT RAISE EACH YEAR, IF WE AGAIN MAINTAIN THAT EVENLY TO KEEP A GAP OF AT LEAST THE $335 SO THAT WE WE'RE NOT INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL COMPRESSION.
THAT 3.7 PERCENT RAISE FOR ALL STAFF IS THERE AT THE BOTTOM, 11 MILLION, 449, 11.8 MILLION,12.3 MILLION.
THAT WAS THE LOGIC IN CREATING THIS, IT IS A FLAW IN EVALUATING WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE MOVING TO THAT AVERAGE IN A THREE-YEAR BASIS.
THE NEXT SLIDE, I HAVE MODELED THE 3.7 PERCENT RAISE AND I JUST CARRIED IT ALL THE WAY OUT THROUGH '25-'26.
THE NET REVENUE, THIS WAS PRESENTED PREVIOUSLY AT THE SEVEN PERCENT PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH AND THEN SOME DECLINING IN FUTURE YEARS.
I WILL POINT OUT TO YOU. IN FISCAL YEAR '23-'24, THAT'S WHEN THERE'S NO SR. SR HAS GONE AT THAT POINT AND THERE'S NO SR AFTER THAT.
WALK THROUGH THIS, YOU'VE GOT THE RAISE AMOUNT THERE, 3.7 PERCENT, THE EXPENDITURES.
I'VE HELD THE EXPENDITURES FLAT EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SR SUPPLANTING IN THE EXPENDITURE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE EXPENDITURES BETWEEN '22-'23 AND '23-'24 INCREASE.
THAT IS THE ABSENCE OF THE SUPPLANTING WITH SR DOLLARS AND THOSE EXPENDITURES, NO OTHER INCREASE EXCEPT FOR THAT AND THE RAISE.
THEN YOU SEE THE CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE EACH YEAR GOING FORWARD AND THEN OUR ENDING TOTAL FUND BALANCE.
THIS INCLUDES ALL OF THE ASSIGNMENTS OF FUND BALANCE.
IT'S ALL CATEGORIES OF FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
BELOW THAT, I'VE CALCULATED THE MINIMUM REQUIRED FUND BALANCE TO THE TEA RECOMMENDATION OF THREE MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
YOU CAN SEE IN '21-'22, OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE, WILL END WITH 93 MILLION OF UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
YOU CAN SEE, WE STILL MAINTAIN THAT MINIMUM IF YOU COMPARE THE ENDING TOTAL TO THAT REQUIRED MINIMUM.
IN '22-'23 WE'LL END WITH 145, COMPARED TO THE 96, '23-'24, 120 MILLION COMPARED TO THE 98.
[03:10:01]
BUT IN '24-'25, WE'VE USED UP ENOUGH OF OUR FUND BALANCE PROVIDING THIS RAISE THAT WE'RE NOW BELOW THE REQUIRED THREE MONTHS.AGAIN, WE'RE EVEN LOWER WHEN YOU COMPARE THE 44 MILLION TO THE 99 MILLION IN '25-'26.
I'LL STOP HERE JUST FOR A SECOND BECAUSE I USED THE SAME MODEL TWO MORE TIMES AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH HOW THIS WORKS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER ABOUT THIS SLIDE?
>> LOOKING AT NET REVENUE, I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS ASSUMES STATE FUNDING BEING EQUAL?
>> IT WILL, STATE FUNDING BASED ON [BACKGROUND] CURRENT LAW.
>> THE CURRENT LAW. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S ALL CURRENT LAW PRESENTED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING.
IT DOES FLUCTUATE SOME, BUT IT'S ALL SPECIFICALLY TIED TO STATE LAW.
THE ENROLLMENT, THE ADA, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND ALL THE SPECIAL POPULATIONS WAS ALL HELD CONSTANT ACROSS THERE.
>> MY POINT IS THAT THIS ASSUMES THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING NEXT YEAR?
>> CORRECT, YES. IN THIS SCENARIO, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TWO LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
ONE IN AT THE END OF THE TWENTY '22/'23 SCHOOL YEAR AND ONE AT THE END OF THE '24/'25 SCHOOL YEAR.
BUT YOU ARE CORRECT, THERE IS NO LEGISLATIVE ACTION ANTICIPATED IN ANY OF THESE SLIDES.
>> WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH FINANCIAL DECISIONS NOW, BUT THEY HAVE LONG-TERM RAMIFICATIONS.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
WE BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE BOLD AND AGGRESSIVE IN OUR COMPENSATION MODEL, BUT ALSO WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR A MULTI-YEAR LOOK? NOW, I BELIEVE AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES AS WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, THERE'S TWO LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
THERE'S NOT A DISTRICT THAT I DON'T TALK TO THAT THEIR MULTI-YEAR FORECAST DOES NOT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME.
THE YEAR IN WHICH THEY'VE DIP INTO THEIR FUND BALANCE TO A PLACE THAT IT'S BELOW THAT THREE-MONTH RESERVE, MAYBE A YEAR EARLIER, MAYBE A YEAR LATER BUT WE'RE ALL WITHIN THAT SAME TIME FRAME BASED UPON THE CURRENT FUNDING FORMULA.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT AT SOME POINT THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE AN ADJUSTMENT DUE TO INFLATION AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS.
BUT AGAIN, FOR THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT, WE JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MEET THAT GOAL OF TRYING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK, WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET PLANNING.
>> MR. PATE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT AS YOU GET INTO 90 DAYS? BECAUSE ON THE SURFACE, SOMEBODY IS LOOKING AT THIS GOING, "HEY, YEAR 1, RISD IS FINANCIALLY STRONG.
WE'VE GOT EXCESS FUND BALANCE. " I'M SURE WE CAN CUT IN MY BELT TO ADD EVEN MORE TO THAT FUND BALANCE.
BUT CAN YOU DISCUSS TO ME THE FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE START GETTING BELOW THAT 90 DAY RESERVE? WHAT WE'LL DO TO AFFECT POTENTIALLY ON FINANCIAL RATINGS, ON BOND INTERESTS, WHAT WE CAN BORROW, ETC.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THOSE BECAUSE WE GET DANGEROUSLY CLOSE.
I UNDERSTAND THESE ARE FIVE-YEAR PROJECTIONS IN THE WORLD, AS WE KNOW CAN CHANGE IN A YEAR.
BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF HAVING SUCH A LOW BALANCE GOING FROM A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE TO AN UNHEALTHY BALANCE.
WHAT RISK DO WE PUT THE DISTRICT AT BY SIMPLY DOING THIS POLICY?
>> ON THE BOND SIDE, GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ARE NOT USED TO REPAY THE OUTSTANDING BONDS.
OUR GENERAL FUND PERFORMANCE DOES IMPACT THE BOND RATINGS THAT ARE ASSIGNED BY MOODY'S AND S&P.
AS WE HAVE LESS FLEXIBILITY DUE TO DECLINING FUND BALANCE, WE GET CLOSE TO THE 90 DAYS AND BELOW, THEN OUR BOND RATING WOULD LIKELY DROP.
WHEN WE GO TO THE MARKET, IT MAKES US LESS ATTRACTIVE TO THE BUYERS OF BONDS OR MUNICIPAL BONDS, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE US TO PAY HIGHER INTEREST RATES.
WE DON'T WANT TO PAY HIGHER INTEREST RATES, NOBODY WANTS TO PAY HIGHER INTEREST RATES.
OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND TAX DOLLARS.
THE I&S TAX RATE IS NOT WORKING FOR US LIKE WE WANT IT TO BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING MORE IN INTEREST INSTEAD OF RETIRING THAT PRINCIPLE AS FAST AS WE WOULD LIKE.
[03:15:05]
THAT'S ON THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE.THEN ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE, OUR TAX DOLLARS COME IN PRIMARILY, TAX BILLS GO OUT IN OCTOBER, PEOPLE START PAYING THEIR BILLS IN MIDDLE OCTOBER THROUGH JANUARY 31ST.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR TAX MONEY COMES IN, REALLY NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FUND BALANCE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE PAYROLL, SO THAT WE CAN PAY OUR OTHER REGULAR RECURRING DEBTS, THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE SO WE CAN PAY FOR THE FUEL FOR THE BUSES.
WE DO STILL GET SOME PAYMENTS FROM TEA.
THOSE ARE STRUCTURED DURING THE YEAR TO TRY TO FILL IN THOSE HOLES IN THE CASH FLOW BUT THAT IS NOT PERFECT.
OUR FISCAL YEAR ENDS JUNE 30TH.
OUR NEXT TEA PAYMENT IS AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE IT FROM JUNE 30TH TO AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, AND THEN ON INTO DECEMBER OR ON INTO NOVEMBER REALLY WHEN THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF CASH START POURING IN.
I DON'T UNFORTUNATELY HAVE THE AMOUNT OF EXPENDITURES ON A MONTHLY BASIS BUT THE $270 WHATEVER MILLION WE HAD WHILE AGO DIVIDED BY 12, IS ROUGHLY OUR MONTHLY PAYROLL COSTS.
WE MAY HAVE CASH FLOW, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BORROW.
AT ONE POINT, THIS DISTRICT I KNOW ISSUED TAX ANTICIPATION NOTES SO THAT WE COULD MAKE PAYROLLS SO THAT WE COULD PAY OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE.
BASICALLY WE WERE GETTING A LOAN AGAINST OUR UPCOMING TAX RECEIPTS.
THEY WERE SHORT-TERM, SIX MONTHS LOANS OR SO, SO THAT WE COULD DO THAT.
>> MR. PATE, I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE, DO THESE CALCULATIONS INCLUDE OUR PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND?
>> THESE CALCULATIONS DO NOT INCLUDE THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND BECAUSE THAT IS NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THOSE FUNDS IN THERE ARE, AND THE TERM ESCAPES ME, BUT THEY'RE COMMITTED BY THE BOARD.
THAT'S THE TERM I WAS LOOKING FOR. IT WOULD TAKE BOARD ACTION TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS.
I HAVE NOT ASSUMED ANY USE OF THOSE IN THIS EXAMPLE.
THIS IS PURELY JUST LIVING OFF WHAT IS IN THE GENERAL FUND AT THIS TIME.
>> TO FOLLOW UP JUST FOR THOSE AGAIN, ON THE TOP LINE WHERE WE HAVE TAX RATE AND NET REVENUE.
AGAIN, FOR THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS, EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BECAUSE WE'RE PROJECTING A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AND PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP.
BUT THEN WHEN I LOOK ACROSS THIS, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR NET REVENUE IS FLAT AND OR DECLINING DUE TO REDUCTION IN SOME OTHER THINGS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN FOR PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY, HOW'S THAT TAX RATE LOOK LIKE? IT LOOKS LIKE THE RATE IS GOING DOWN AND THE PROPERTY VALUES IS GOING UP BUT YET OUR REVENUE IS FLAT OR DECLINING?
>> THAT'S ALL A FUNCTION OF HOUSE BILL 3.
AS PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE FOR THE SAME NUMBER OF KIDS, THE STATE REVENUE GOES UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
WELL, WITHIN THE SAME YEAR CHANGES IN PROPERTY VALUE HAVE NO IMPACT.
YEAR TO YEAR, THERE'S SOME OTHER FACTORS THAT COME INTO PLAY IN THE WAY THE CALCULATIONS ARE DONE.
IN OUR CASE, OUR TOTAL REVENUE IS GOING DOWN AND RECAPTURES IN THAT.
RECAPTURE IS GOING UP, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS FLAT TO GOING DOWN A LITTLE BIT, STATE REVENUE IS CHANGING WITHIN THAT.
OVERALL, WHAT HAPPENS IS FUNDING IS GOING DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT INCREASING KIDS.
HOUSE BILL 3 IS TIED SPECIFICALLY TO INCREASING.
THE ONLY WAY TO GET MORE MONEY IS TO GET MORE KIDS.
ALL THAT INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES DO IS DECREASE THE TAX RATE, NOT NECESSARILY THE BILL BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO A FUNCTION OF PROPERTY VALUES, BUT IT DECREASES THE TAX RATE,
[03:20:01]
CHANGES WHAT THE STATE SENDS US, CHANGES WHAT WE SEND THE STATE THROUGH RECAPTURE AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE BASED ON CURRENT LAW.THERE'S SOME ASSUMPTIONS OUT THERE IN FUTURE YEARS.
THESE CALCULATIONS WERE ALL DONE USING [INAUDIBLE] TEMPLATE.
THERE'S A FLOOR AND A CEILING ON THE TAX RATES.
THERE'S SOME ESTIMATES IN HERE.
THE ACTUAL TAX RATES WILL NOT BE WHAT'S HERE, BUT THE TREND IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN THE TAX RATES SHOWN IN THIS CASE.
>> THE NET IS IN ORDER FOR US TO STAY COMPETITIVE BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE TEACHERS, WE HAVE TO STAY COMPETITIVE IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, LET'S JUST SAY SOME CHALLENGES AS IN EVERY DISTRICT THAT I KNOW AND TALK TO.
THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD, EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS GOING TO RUN INTO THIS.
>> NOW, I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE [OVERLAPPING] DISTRICTS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE METROPLEX THAT STILL HAVE RAW LANDS, STILL BUILDING NEW HOUSES, STILL GROWING IN STUDENTS.
THEY ARE REWARDED FOR THE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE GETTING.
IT'S NOT THE PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH IN THE NEW HOMES, BUT IT'S THE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS.
IT'S WHAT'S INCREASING THEIR REVENUE.
>> BUT THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR STUDENTS.
BUT EVEN IF WE CONTINUE TO OFFER AN EXCELLENT QUALITY EDUCATION HERE, IN RICHARDSON, INFLATION, ETC, THEY JUST GO GRAVE.
IF YOU WANT TO GIVE TEACHERS ARREARS, YOU HAVE ESCALATING COST TO SERVICE AND PROVIDE THE SAME QUALITY LEVEL FOR THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
THOSE ARE JUST THE CARDS THAT ARE BEING DEALT RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT?
I APPRECIATE ALL THE CHALLENGES AND ALL THE FORECASTING IN TWEAKING NUMBERS, ETC.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, BUT IT'S THE REALITY OF OUR EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
>> JUST A QUICK QUESTION, IN OUR EXPENDITURES ARE STAYING FLAT OUTSIDE OF THE EXTRA FUNDS COMING OUT.
WHY? I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID.
>> WELL, AS I STARTED TO LOOK THROUGH THIS AND LOOKING AT THE PICTURE THAT WAS BEING PAINTED WITH THIS I DECIDED TO HOLD THOSE NUMBERS FLAT.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INFLATION CURRENTLY, INCREASING FUEL COST, INCREASING COST OF PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THE BASE ASSUMPTION AT THIS POINT WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND CUTS IN OTHER AREAS AND MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF EXPENDITURES KNOWING THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THIS.
I MEAN, I CAN CERTAINLY PUT IN [OVERLAPPING].
>> IN ORDER TO GET THAT 3.7 WE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP OUR EXPENDITURES FLAT.
>> IS THAT WHAT IT IS BECAUSE IN ORDER TO NOT HIT THAT CLIFF.
>> IF WE WANT TO PUSH THAT CLIFF OUT FARTHER THEN WE CERTAINLY NEED TO REDUCE OUR OPERATING COSTS OR FIND WAYS TO GET MORE STUDENTS AND THE SEATS, AS WE GO THROUGH THE ENROLLMENT SEASON AND START THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
HOPEFULLY, WE WILL HAVE MORE STUDENTS, BUT I'M GOING WITH THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE TODAY TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU.
THE NEXT SLIDE HERE IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT THAT WE LOOKED AT IT, THE THREE YEARS, BUT I JUST EXTENDED IT OUT TO FIVE YEARS, SO TAKING THAT NEW TEACHER FROM 55,000 GETTING TO THE AVERAGE BY '26/'27.
IF WE DID AN EVEN ANNUAL INCREASE EVERY YEAR TO GET THERE IT WOULD REPRESENT A 2.7 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NEW TEACHER SALARY, THE SECOND YEAR TEACHER WE WOULD NEED TO MAINTAIN A 3.3 PERCENT RAISE TO KEEP THAT MINIMUM GAP OF 335.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A RECOMMENDATION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE EXAMPLES DID NOT INTRODUCE NEW COMPRESSION OF ANY KIND INTO OUR SYSTEM AND THOSE RAISES RANGE START AT 10.2 MILLION GOING UP TO 11.6 MILLION THERE IN '26/'27 FOR THE TOTAL COST, AND AGAIN, I BASE THIS JUST ON ALL STAFF.
IF YOU-ALL WANT OTHER MODELS FOR
[03:25:04]
NEXT WEEK'S MEETING I CAN CERTAINLY PUT DIFFERENT MODELS IN PLACE.WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, EVERYTHING ON THIS IS THE SAME.
THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGES IS THAT RAISE, IN THIS CASE, IT'S 3.3 PERCENT FOR ALL STAFF THAT THEN DOES TRICKLE DOWN AND CHANGE THE ENDING TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF CHANGES THE THREE MONTHS OF OPERATIONS.
YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, WE MAKE IT TO '24/'25 BEFORE WE DROP BELOW THE THREE MONTHS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE MINIMUM FUND BALANCE AND THEN IT GETS NOT QUITE AS BAD AS THE PREVIOUS VERSION GETTING THERE IN THREE YEARS, BUT WE STILL AT 50 MILLION COMPARED TO 98 MILLION AS A REQUIRED FUND BALANCE.
THEN THE LAST MODEL THAT I CREATED FOR YOU I WENT IN AND JUST SAID, OKAY, WHAT IF WE JUST GIVE RAISES AND EVEN-
>> GIVE ME JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS.
WE'RE GOING TO LET HIM FINISH WITH HIS PRESENTATION.
NO, THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU, GUYS.
>> I'LL BE GLAD TO STOP HERE ON THE THREE-POINT ON THIS SLIDE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS ONE.
>> MY TAKEAWAY IS THAT REGARDLESS OF, IF WE WANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE AND APPROACH A THREE-YEAR VERSUS A FIVE-YEAR KIND OF OUR TARGET YEAR WHERE WE'RE GOING TO REALLY BE AT IN A CRISIS NOT IN TERMS OF BUDGET, IT HITS US AT THE SAME TIME.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT MODEL OF, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
WE HAVE TWO LEGISLATIVE CYCLES THAT WE HAVE TO BE STRONG ADVOCATES.
MS. MORRIS IS IN THE AUDIENCE AND SHE'S HEARING AND I KNOW ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS [LAUGHTER] ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A STRONG ADVOCACY AROUND WHAT DOES THE BUDGET NEED TO LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT THOSE EXTRA DOLLARS ARE GOING AWAY.
BUT THEN AGAIN, AND I'LL KEEP SAYING IT THEN THERE ARE TWO OTHER WAYS WE APPROACH THIS.
WE CONTINUE TO GET MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE BUDGET AND WE COUPLE THAT WITH HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT INNOVATIVE WAYS TO GET MORE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE DISTRICT THROUGH MORE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING.
THOSE ARE REALLY, AS A TEAM, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE CONSIDERING IF WE WANT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF TO HAVE THE COMPENSATION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO STAY.
>> THIS LAST MODEL THAT I PRODUCED FOR YOU [NOISE] AGAIN, TOOK THE NEW TEACHER SALARY HERE IN '21/'22 55,000 BUMPED IT UP BY $2,000 TO 57,000 BUMPED IT UP ANOTHER $2000 IN '23/'24 TO 59,000, THEN DID A $1,500 INCREASE THAT BASICALLY GOT US TO THAT AVERAGE IN THREE YEARS.
YOU CAN SEE THE NEW TEACHER IS 60,500 COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE FOR THE GROUP OF 60,262, THEN JUST TRIED TO HOLD CLOSE TO THAT AVERAGE GOING FORWARD DID ANOTHER $1,500 INCREASE IN '25/'26 AND THEN A 1000 IN '26/'27.
THERE'S THE PERCENTAGE RAISES THAT WERE NECESSARY TO JUST WHAT THE MATH WORKED OUT TO BE, THE GAP OF 335 MAINTAINING THAT, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE FOR THE SECOND YEAR TEACHER WE'D NEED TO DO A FOUR-AND-A-QUARTER PERCENT RAISE AND A 4.1 PERCENT RAISE, 3113, 2116, AND THE COST OF A FOUR-AND-A-QUARTER PERCENT RAISE FOR ALL STAFF WOULD BE $13,149,360, THEN DECLINING FROM THERE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT AS AGGRESSIVELY ATTACKING THE NEW TEACHER SALARIES STARTING IN '24/'25, AND THEN MOVING HERE TO HOW DOES THAT MODEL OUT WITH THIS.
YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, I CHANGED THE RAISE, IT CHANGES THE CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE, IT CHANGES THE ENDING TOTAL FUND BALANCE, SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE REQUIRED MINIMUM, AND WE GET TO THE SAME PLACE.
'24-'25 IS THE YEAR THAT WE DROPPED BELOW THE THREE MONTHS.
AGAIN, I'LL BE GLAD TO RUN ADDITIONAL MODELS, BUT WE SEEM '24/'25 IS THE EMERGENCY YEAR.
WE WILL NEED TO HAVE OUR PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THIS FOR THE '24/'25 BUDGET YEAR, IF NOT SOONER, SO THAT WE CAN START ATTACKING THAT.
[03:30:06]
I GUESS IF YOU-ALL WOULD LIKE I CAN STOP HERE.WE CAN DISCUSS THIS OR WE CAN FINISH UP.
THERE'S BASICALLY THREE SLIDES LEFT IF YOU WANT US TO GO THROUGH THOSE.
AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WE NEED FEEDBACK ON SHORT AND LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR COMPENSATION.
WE'VE GOT SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES, WE'RE GOING TO NEED AS MS. BRANUM SAID, CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES IN OUR BUDGET, WORK ON INCREASING ENROLLMENT, AND THEN AGAIN, COMMUNICATING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE NEED FOR STATE FUNDING ADJUSTMENTS.
FOR OUR APRIL 19TH BUDGET PRESENTATION, I WANT TO INCORPORATE YOUR FEEDBACK REGARDING COMPENSATION.
WE CAN GIVE YOU A FIRST LOOK AT SOME OF THE BUDGET REQUESTS THAT WE BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GO AHEAD AND FUND.
THEN WE'LL PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ON THE COST OF THE BENEFITS LIKE DAYCARE AND SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
THEN THE REMAINDER OF THIS PRESENTATION IS JUST WHERE WE ARE IN THE BUDGET CALENDAR.
I WILL SAY THE ONE THING COMING UP IS WE SHOULD SHORTLY ON OR ABOUT APRIL 30TH, WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION FROM DALLAS COUNTY, OUR DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT ON OUR PROPERTY VALUES, BUT THAT REALLY DOES NOT AFFECT THE REVENUE PICTURE.
THEN AFTER THIS IS JUST THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FTES AND THE POSITIONS INCLUDED IN CAMPUS AND CENTRAL.
I'M SURE YOU DON'T WANT ME TO READ THAT TO YOU TONIGHT, BUT YOU HAVE IT FOR YOUR READING LATER ON IF YOU CAN'T SLEEP.
WITH THAT, I'LL BE GLAD TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS.
>> JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IS PART OF WHAT WE'VE ALL BEEN DOING AS WELL AS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE AND WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO DO.
AS WE KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL FIERCELY TRYING TO ATTRACT A PIPELINE THAT WE KNOW IS SHRINKING.
LOUISVILLE JUST VOTED TONIGHT ON THEIR COMPENSATION PACKAGE IN JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS, THEY ARE GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH A STARTING SALARY OF 59,175.
THEY WERE AT A STARTING SALARY LAST YEAR OF 57,000.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING A $500 RETENTION STIPEND, A FOUR PERCENT RAISE FOR ALL CAMPUS STAFF FROM THE MIDPOINT AND A THREE PERCENT RAISE FOR ALL CENTRAL STAFF FROM THE MIDPOINT.
MESQUITE ISD, THEY ALSO JUST TWEETED, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.
THEY TWEETED THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING A THREE PERCENT RAISE TO ALL EMPLOYEES.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOING A ONETIME LUMP SUM PAYMENT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES IN NOVEMBER 2022.
THEN THEY ARE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING A LONGEVITY PAY THAT STARTING THIS FALL FOR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE TWO LUMP SUM AMOUNTS; $5,000 FOR A PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES AND $2500 FOR AUXILIARY STAFF AND PARAPROFESSIONAL STAFF IF THEY'VE MET AT LEAST FIVE YEARS WORTH OF SERVICE IN MESQUITE ISD.
AGAIN, I JUST THINK CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT AROUND WHAT WE'RE COMPETING WITH AND HOW WE NEED TO POSITION OURSELVES.
AGAIN, I KNOW COMPENSATION IS NOT THE SOLE THING THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO STAY, BUT IT DOES MATTER.
I THINK I FORWARDED THE BOARD EARLIER THIS WEEK A LET'S TALK FROM A STAFF MEMBER WHO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FACTORS THAT PLAYED INTO IT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE DID SAY WAS, "WHAT WE GET PAID WITH INFLATION, WITH A COST OF LIVING, IT DOES MATTER AND IT DOES NEED TO BE A CONSIDERATION." WITH THAT, AGAIN, WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO, WE DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TONIGHT.
THIS IS PROVIDING YOU WITH LOTS OF SCENARIOS BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF BASED UPON THESE INPUTS, BASED UPON SEEING WHAT THAT 24, 25 NUMBER POTENTIALLY COULD LOOK LIKE IF NO OTHER FACTORS CHANGE, WHICH THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A VERY LIKELY SCENARIO, BUT WE WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
THAT THOSE SCENARIOS ARE ALSO BASED ON A ASSUMPTION THAT DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO ONLY BE INCREASING BY TWO PERCENT, WHICH I JUST SHARED WITH YOU.
WE HAVE ONE DISTRICT THAT'S DOING FOUR PERCENT AND WHEN THAT'S DOING THREE PERCENT ALREADY.
THAT ALREADY BLOWS THAT ASSUMPTION A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE WATER.
BUT WE WOULD JUST LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE AROUND
[03:35:02]
NEXT STEPS TO HELP OUR TEAM FORMULATE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WANT TO BRING BACK TO YOU BASED UPON YOUR INPUT AT THIS TIME.>> I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. BUT AT YOUR PLACE, I DO HAVE THREE SLIDES FROM LAST MEETINGS PRESENTATION, THE NEW TEACHER SALARY ANALYSIS, THE RAISED COST, AND THEN STIPEND COST INFORMATION THAT I JUST LEFT THERE AT YOUR PLACES FOR REFERENCE THIS EVENING.
>> OKAY. WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS.
WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS OVER THIS TOPIC OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS AT THIS POINT.
I'LL START OUT WITH MS. TIMMY, WHO WAS THE FIRSTHAND THAT I SAW. LET'S GO.
>> YEAH. I DO THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT, WHAT DID YOU SAY? 69 PERCENT OF OUR TEACHERS ARE COMING THROUGH SOME OTHER DISTRICT TO GET HERE.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT WITH THE HOME PRICES AND RENT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.
THAT IS PROBABLY PARTIAL PART OF THAT.
THAT AS OTHER DISTRICTS ARE INCREASING BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, ASSUMING THAT TWO PERCENT OR THREE PERCENT OR WHATEVER IF WE GO WITHOUT, THEN WE'RE RECONCILING OURSELVES TO STAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PACK IN THAT SCENARIO.
THAT'S ASSUMING THAT WE'RE KEEPING EXPENSES FLAT.
I DO KNOW THAT WE DO REALLY NEED TO SEE SCENARIOS AND HARD DECISIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT.
IN ADDITION TOO, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I THINK JUST FROM EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY CONSCIOUS THAT WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS WHO WERE RETURNING AND STAYING AND DOING THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
UNDERSTANDING THAT COMPRESSION WILL PLAY A PART IN THAT AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
I THINK WE'D BE VERY CAREFUL WITH STAYING AT THE BACK OF THE PACK.
I THINK WE'RE IN A TOUGH POSITION AND I THINK WE FURTHER PUT OURSELVES IN A TOUGH POSITION IF WE DON'T REALLY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION OVER TIME OF HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT, WHICH I THINK IS WHY YOU GAVE US A COUPLE OF SCENARIOS, BUT WE CAN'T JUST STAY WHERE WE'RE AT THE BACK OF THAT PACK.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR TEACHERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT TEACHERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS, BUT WE ALSO, YOU EITHER HAVE TO GET EFFICIENT OR WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE STUDENTS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID MS. BRANUM AND I CAN SEE THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
I THINK WE ARE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.
>> I THINK JUST AS I TRY TO GET MY HEAD AROUND THIS TOO, WHAT KEPT CREEPING UP WAS THAT WE'VE ALL THESE OPTIONS AND I APPRECIATE YOUR MODEL IN THIS OUT BECAUSE THAT GIVES ME THE CONTEXT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE A TOUGH DECISION BASED ON WHERE WE WANT TO GET TO THE DESTINATION ON THIS COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
BUT WHAT KEEPS ROLLING AROUND MY HEAD IS ALL THE OPTIONS WE LAY OUT HAVE A KNOWN COST, BUT NONE OF THEM HAVE A KNOWN BENEFIT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THAT BENEFIT'S GOING TO BE AND HOW MUCH WHEN WE PUT THAT COST TO IT.
THAT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT.
TO MS. BRANUM'S POINT, THE CULTURE THAT THERE'S OTHER PIECES OF THIS THAT WE'VE GOT A WEIGHT AGAINST COMPENSATION AS WELL.
IT'S A PACKAGE. OBVIOUSLY COMPENSATION IS A CRITICAL PIECE OF THAT.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO, INSTEAD THE SCIENCE WE'VE GOT TO PLAY THE ART ON REALLY WHAT DOES THAT, HOW DO WE DEVELOP THAT OVERALL PACKAGE? HOW MUCH WEIGHT DO WE PUT ON THE COMPENSATION VERSUS SOME OF THE CULTURAL BENEFITS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.
BECAUSE I GO BACK TO MY LIFE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL BOARD.
I KNOW WE, IN THE ENGINEERING BUSINESS, WE ALWAYS ADVERTISE THAT WE DON'T PAY THE HIGHEST, WE DON'T.
BUT PEOPLE WANT TO COME FOR THE CULTURE, THEY WANT TO COME FOR THE BENEFITS, THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE PAY FOR.
THEY WANT TO COME TO THAT AND THEY END UP STAYING FOR THAT.
WE'VE HAD SOME OF THEM LEAVE AND WE GET THEM COMING BACK AFTER THEY'VE LEFT, WHICH IS A GOOD SIGN.
I THINK HAVING SOME OF THAT RELATIVE EXPERIENCE MAKES ME THINK ABOUT THAT WHOLE PACKAGE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO WEIGH IT.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT A SCIENCE, IT'S VERY MUCH AN ART AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BENEFIT IS GOING TO BE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT WILL EXACTLY BE.
>> MR. PAINE, WE GO BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING WHERE IT HAS THE CULTURE AT THE BOTTOM.
[03:40:01]
THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT WHEN WE BRING BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING THE COST OF THE BENEFITS IN THE PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT, THOSE RELATIVE ARE NOT HEAVY HITTERS ON THE BUDGET.YES. DO THEY HAVE AN IMPACT? YES. BUT IN TERMS OF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $10 TO $12 MILLION IMPACT ON THE BUDGET AS A RESULT OF COMPENSATION, WHEREAS BENEFITS IN PIPELINE, THAT'S GOING TO BE MUCH LESS.
BUT I DO THINK TO YOUR POINT THAT THEY HAVE, IF NOT AN EQUAL, PRETTY CLOSE TO AN EQUAL IMPACT WITH OF COURSE, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND CULTURE AS WELL.
BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY THE THING THAT I KEEP PROCESSING, ESPECIALLY WHEN I SEE LOUISVILLE COMING OUT WITH A $59,175 STARTING SALARY.
IF LET'S SAY OUR PREVIOUS YEARS WE HAVE UPDATE BY, I THINK $750, THAT'S BEEN OUR AVERAGE.
IF WE WERE TO TAKE THAT APPROACH WITH OUR STARTING SALARY AND WE KEPT IT AT 55500, 55750, IT'S A 35, $3700 DIFFERENCE FROM A NEARBY COMPETITOR THAT THEY HAVE SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT I CAN LIVE IN AND HAVE MY FAMILY AND NOT HAVE TO DRIVE AS FAR AS MAYBE WHAT I'M DRIVING RIGHT NOW.
HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT TO YOUR POINT? I CAN'T GIVE YOU A MATERIAL.
IF WE DO THAT, IT'S GOING TO DECREASE OUR TURNOVER BY X PERCENT AND IT'S GOING TO INCREASE OUR RETENTION.
YOU'RE RIGHT. I CAN'T QUANTIFY THAT.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THE RISK IF WE DON'T PUT OURSELVES IN A PLACE AND ALLOW OURSELVES TO AT LEAST BE COMPETITIVE.
AGAIN, I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO BEAT THEM IN THAT.
BUT ALSO A $3500 TO $4,000 DIFFERENTIAL IS HARD TO EXPLAIN TO A YOUNG TEACHER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COST OF EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.
>> THE FACTS OF THE SITUATION IS THAT, AND AGAIN, TO MR. POTEET, THE BUSINESSES THAT I'VE HAD TO BUILD IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN HIGHLY COMPETITIVE SITUATIONS WHERE WE COULD NOT, IT DID COME DOWN TO CULTURE TRUMPS STRATEGY EVERY SINGLE TIME.
BUT THE END OF THE DAY THOUGH, YOU STILL GOT TO BE IN THE BALLPARK.
YOU GET A MAN BECAUSE YOU'RE CLOSE AND YOU KEEP THEM BECAUSE YOU LOVE ON THEM.
[BACKGROUND] IT'S ALL THE CULTURAL THINGS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FREEING UP TIME AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO LESS TESTING AND HELPING WITH THE DISCIPLINE ISSUES AND EVEN MAYBE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I WAS IN AUSTIN THIS WEEKEND, AND I HEARD THAT THERE IS CREDITS FOR MUSICIANS.
THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO IN THAT ASPECT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NET OF ALL THIS IS THAT IF THERE IS A DELTA, WE CAN'T MAKE IT SO MUCH OF A DELTA THAT WE JUST TO GET AT LEAST BE STAYING INTO THE CONVERSATION OF COME TO RISD WE'RE CLOSE.
BUT EVENTUALLY BUT WE GOT TO BE RESPONSIBLE ABOUT IT TOO.
TO MISS TAMMY'S POINT, WE'VE GOT TO GET MORE STUDENTS, MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE FOR MORE AND MORE FAMILIES TO MOVE IN.
SECOND THING, WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET EFFICIENT WITH OUR EXPENSES AND DO WHAT WE CAN, BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE ROCKET SCIENCE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK THAT EFFICIENCY ALREADY, AS I MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING, WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN CENTRAL CUTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED FOR THE BUDGET.
WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A SMALL NUMBER COMPARED TO WHAT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT, BUT THAT IS OUR FIRST EASY WITHOUT HAVING TO NECESSARILY REASSIGN.
THAT THIS IS A BASED ON ATTRITION, EASY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE EFFICIENCIES WITHOUT DOING MORE DRASTIC THINGS.
>> THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE OF REFLECTIONS HERE.
YOU TALK ABOUT GROWING STUDENT POPULATION.
OUR DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT THAT WE GOT BACK IN JANUARY ILLUSTRATES THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING THAT ANYTIME SOON.
THESE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING AND COUPLED WITH STATE FUNDING, IF NOTHING IS TWEAKED IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH I'M NOT ENTIRELY CONVINCED THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
IF WE'RE NOT GROWING AS A STUDENT POPULATION AND THE FUNDING IS THE SAME,
[03:45:02]
THEN WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR DECK.NOW, THE PROBLEM THAT I SEE IS WE DON'T LIVE IN A VACUUM.
THOSE DECISIONS THAT YOU SAID PROVIDE LOUISVILLE AND MESQUITE, WHAT I DON'T HAVE IS I DON'T HAVE THE SAME DATA THAT I'M LOOKING AT FOR RISD.
THOSE ARE GREAT DATA POINTS, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW THOSE DECISIONS WILL IMPACT THEIR BUDGETS.
BASED ON THE INFORMATION I SEE HERE AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A STABLE POPULATION THAT'S NOT GROWING.
WHEN YOU ALSO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE SLIDES ABOUT TEACHER POPULATIONS, I'M USING MY OWN EXPERIENCE AS A GUIDE HERE.
AN EDUCATED GUESS, I WOULD SAY THAT MOST TEACHERS BETWEEN YEARS 1-10 BEGIN TO HAVE CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN.
THAT'S 54 PERCENT OF THE TEACHER POPULATION IS BETWEEN 1-10 YEARS.
THAT'S OVER HALF OF OUR TEACHERS ARE HAVING SMALL CHILDREN AND CREATING FAMILIES.
MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT I THINK OF BENEFIT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR YEARS AND THAT'S INTRODUCING THE DAYCARE FOR EMPLOYEES.
IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT COST IS, I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT FORWARD AS A BENEFIT.
BUT THEN WE GO LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS, PERCENT OF TEACHING STAFF LIVING WITHIN RISD BOUNDARIES WITH RISD STUDENTS.
WE HAVE A THIRD OF OUR TEACHERS LIVE WITHIN RISD.
THEN IF I'M READING THIS RIGHT AND YOU CAN TELL ME IF I'M NOT, 44 PERCENT OF THOSE, SO ALMOST HALF HAVE CHILDREN WITHIN RISD BOUNDARIES.
TO ME, I THINK THAT IS A HUGE ATTRACTIVE PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REFLECT A COMPENSATION PIECE.
IT'S MORE LIKE WHAT MR. POTEET WAS CALLING A BENEFITS PACKAGE.
>> THAT WE CAN OFFER OUR TEACHERS BECAUSE [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE ESTIMATE THAT SAVINGS FOR AN EMPLOYEE THAT WOULD LEVERAGE THE DAY-CARE.
NOW ALSO KEEP IN MIND, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS OF THAT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN RISD.
HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY 0-4 YEARS? BUT FOR THOSE THAT DO HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE 0-4, FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
I HAVE TWO KIDS, BUT MINE ARE IN FIRST GRADE AND A SOPHOMORE.
FOR ME, THAT BENEFIT DOESN'T NECESSARILY APPLY TO ME, BUT IF I DID HAVE, IT'S ABOUT A $7,500 SAVINGS WE'RE ESTIMATING ON THE AVERAGE COST OF DAYCARE TODAY VERSUS WHAT WE WOULD BE CHARGING IN RISD, THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT FOR TEACHERS WHO COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADD IN TERMS OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GIVING OUR TEACHERS.
I'M SORRY, I WAS JUST THINKING OF ANOTHER ITEM HERE THAT [OVERLAPPING].
>> I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO A SECOND THOUGH BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHER SAID ABOUT OUR ENROLLMENT AND THAT BEING FLAT.
BUT I THINK ALSO WE HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES AS A TEAM TO BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING OPTIONS THAT POTENTIALLY WE COULD IMPLEMENT IN THE DISTRICT THAT MAKES IT ENTICING TO EITHER HOW DO WE PULL BACK FROM OUR CHARTERS AND SAY THE REASONS WHY MS. MORRIS IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON SOME PROJECTS FOR ME TO REALLY IDENTIFY WHY ARE STUDENTS CHOOSING THAT CHARTER? WHAT WERE THINGS THAT THEY FELT LIKE WERE MISSING FROM RICHARDSON ISD IN TERMS OF OUR PROGRAM, HOW DO WE MATCH THAT AND HOW DO WE RECRUIT THOSE STUDENTS BACK? AS WELL AS AT SOME POINT, DO WE HAVE A CONVERSATION EITHER AT THOSE INNOVATIVE CHOICE OPTIONS OR WHERE THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES, SEATS AVAILABLE, DO WE LOOK AT OPEN ENROLLMENT? THOSE IDENTIFIED AND WE'RE NOT MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
THAT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE PLANNING PROCESS.
BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE SOME STRATEGIC OPTIONS TO LOOK AT.
ARE THERE OPTIONS TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT.
>> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, AND I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS FALL, WE GO THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, IS REALLY THROWN THOSE IDEAS AGAINST THE COMMUNITY-LED GROUP TO REALLY GET WHAT THEIR FEEDBACK IS.
I THOUGHT THAT BACK IN WHEN WE DID THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2017,
[03:50:02]
A LOT OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING GROUPS WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS THOSE OPTIONS WITH A LOT OF DATA AND A LOT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD.THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A LOT OF DATA BEHIND THAT DECISION.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT SAME THOUGHTFUL AND INTENTIONAL EFFORT PUT IN THIS FALL WHEN IT COMES TO THESE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CHOICE PROGRAMMING AND WHAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY TO OFFER OUR STUDENTS.
BUT WE NEED TO PUT ALL THAT CONVERSATION TO THEIR SIDE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE DATA INDICATES THAT, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE NOT GROWING IN TERMS OF STUDENTS.
THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S THE ONLY POINT I'M MAKING.
>> YES. ALL I CAN DO IS I START WRITING MY OWN NOTES AND COMMENTS AS TO DIDO EVERYTHING THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.
I THINK THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ALL AGREEING THAT THEY'RE JUST SOME HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE ME.
THEY ARE DIFFICULT AND I THINK WITH EVERY DIFFICULT DECISION IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S LOVING THOUGHT, I THINK BEHIND IT.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WILL EVER ARGUE HOW MUCH WE VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES AND HOW MUCH THEY'RE NEEDED.
I WOULD HATE THAT ANYONE WOULD EVER THINK THAT ANY DECISION WE MAKE IS THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH VALUE PUT INTO THAT.
DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE PACKAGE DEAL IS JUST SO IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT RICHARDSON HAS DONE THAT ALREADY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
I THINK THEY'VE ALWAYS STRIVE TO BRING THAT CULTURE, TO HAVE PEOPLE AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD, WHO LOVED TO WORK HERE WANT TO COME WORK HERE.
ALL THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK THAT'S JUST SUPER IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
BOTTOM LINE, I THINK FOR ANY OF US HERE IN ANY JOB THAT WE WOULD EVER TAKE, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO SAY, HOW IS THAT COMPARING TO OTHER PLACES.
I THINK I'M JUST DIDOING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE ALREADY SAID.
DEFINITELY. MR. LINN MENTIONED OR 10 PERCENT, I THINK MS. BRANUM, OPEN ENROLLMENT, THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.
I AGREE WITH MR. LINN THAT WE HAVE TO BE PRESENT WITH THE HERE AND NOW AND NOT BE SO MUCH ABOUT THE WISHFUL THINKING.
WE COULD DO THIS, WE COULD DO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY, WE WILL ALWAYS KEEP TRYING.
BUT I THINK THOUGH RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US.
THAT'S WHERE THAT DIFFICULT CHOICE COMES IN.
BUT DEFINITELY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND WHATEVER IS GOING TO BENEFIT AND STAY COMPETITIVE BECAUSE THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.
I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING THAT MY COLLEAGUES DIDN'T ALREADY SAY, BUT I JUST DEFINITELY SUPPORT AND THAT'S WHERE I STAND. YEAH. THANK YOU.
>> WE'VE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSION ON BUDGET ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC AND WE'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY HAVE MORE.
I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT EVERYBODY TAKE ALL THIS DATA, ALL THE INFORMATION, EVERYTHING.
AGAIN, I AGREE WITH EVERYONE HERE, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ALL ALIGNED, WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME POSITION.
THERE ARE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE REALLY SOON, SO I DON'T KNOW, JUST PUT YOUR THINKING CAPS ON AND WE'LL GET TO IT.
>> AT OUR NEXT MEETING, JUST SO I'M CLEAR ON THE DELIVERABLES, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU ARE ANY EXPENDITURE INCREASES THAT WILL COME AS A RESULT OF THE BENEFITS PIECE AS WELL AS THE PATHWAY.
WE ALSO HAVE A FEW SMALL ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED INCREASES BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU WHAT ARE THOSE CUTS AND DEFINING THAT NUMBER THAT WE MADE TO THAT BUDGET SO YOU ALSO KNOW HOW POTENTIALLY THOSE ARE GOING TO OFFSET ANY OF THE INCREASES FROM THE OTHER PIECES.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO YOU OUR FIRST PROPOSAL OF A RECOMMENDATION FOR COMPENSATION FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND CONSIDERATION BASED UPON EVERYTHING WE HEARD TONIGHT.
WE'LL BRING FORWARD THAT FIRST DRAFTED FOR RECOMMENDATION.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHOWING THE DATA BEHIND THESE DECISIONS
[03:55:01]
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT DRIVES THAT AND IT HELPS US KNOW THAT THE BENEFITS THAT WE'RE PICKING OR THE COMPENSATION THAT WE'RE PICKING IS NOT JUST RANDOM.I THINK IT TELLS THE STORY OF WHY DECISIONS LIKE THAT ARE MADE AND SO I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND I HOPE THAT GOES FORWARD AS WELL IN THE FUTURE PRESENTATIONS.
>> LET'S GO. OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO ANNOUNCE THE BOARD TRAINING HOURS.
[IV.E. Board of Trustees Training Hours]
[LAUGHTER] THIS IS A GOOD ONE.[BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] IT'S A GOOD ONE.
EVERYBODY IS [OVERLAPPING] A LITTLE NERVOUS.
[LAUGHTER] THAT'S GOOD. WE'RE OKAY.
COMPLETING REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION EACH YEAR OF SERVICE IS A BASIC OBLIGATION AND EXPECTATION OF ANY SITTING BOARD MEMBER.
ISD BOARD MEMBERS TAKE THEIR TRAINING REQUIREMENTS VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY AND BOARD MEMBERS REGULARLY EXCEED TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.
AS BOARD PRESIDENT, I AM REQUIRED TO ANNOUNCE THE NAME OF EACH MEMBER WHO AS OF THAT MEMBER'S ANNIVERSARY OF ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD HAS COMPLETED THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION, HAS EXCEEDED THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION, AND IS DEFICIENT IN MEETING THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION.
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAINING ARE MEASURED AS OF THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE DATE OF THE TRUSTEE'S ELECTION, OR APPOINTMENT, OR TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HIS OR HER PREVIOUS TRAINING AS APPLICABLE.
THERE ARE NINE TRAINING AREAS FOR BOARD MEMBER CONTINUING EDUCATION.
ONE IS LOCAL DISTRICT ORIENTATION.
TWO, ORIENTATION TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.
FIVE, POST LEGISLATIVE UPDATE TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.
SEVEN, EVALUATING STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND GOAL-SETTING.
THE LAST ONE, NINE, ADDITIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION.
I WILL ANNOUNCE EACH BOARD MEMBER'S COMPLETION OR DEFICIENCY FOR EACH AREA OF THE REQUIRED TRAINING AS APPLICABLE FOR THE PARTICULAR BOARD MEMBER.
FOR MEMBERS WHO STILL HAVE TIME REMAINING TO COMPLETE REQUIRED TRAINING I WILL ANNOUNCE THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE SCHEDULED TIMELY TRAINING AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET SCHEDULED THE TRAINING.
I WILL ALSO ANNOUNCE ANY BOARD MEMBER'S TRAINING IN EXCESS OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.
BOARD MEMBER COMPLETION OF REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION.
ONE, LOCAL DISTRICT ORIENTATION TRAINING FOR NEW MEMBERS.
WE HAD TWO NEW MEMBERS JOIN THE BOARD THIS YEAR.
BOTH FIRST-YEAR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED THE LOCAL DISTRICT ORIENTATION TRAINING.
CONGRATULATIONS CHRIS POTEET AND MEGAN TIMME.
[LAUGHTER] TWO, ORIENTATION TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE FOR NEW MEMBERS.
THE FOLLOWING FIRST-YEAR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED THE ORIENTATION TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE TRAINING.
CONGRATULATIONS CHRIS POTEET AND MEGAN TIMME.
THREE, OPEN GOVERNMENT TRAINING.
OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT TRAININGS ARE REQUIRED OF ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN 90 DAYS OF ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT.
THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT TRAININGS.
CONGRATULATIONS CHRIS POTEET AND MEGAN TIMME.
THIS TRAINING MUST BE COMPLETED EVERY YEAR.
THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED CYBERSECURITY TRAINING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIC EAGER, REGINA HARRIS, ERON LINN, CHRIS POTEET, DEBBIE RENTERIA, MEGAN TIMME.
FIVE, POST-LEGISLATIVE UPDATE TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.
THIS TRAINING IS REQUIRED OF EXPERIENCED BOARD MEMBERS AFTER EACH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
[04:00:01]
THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED THE POST-LEGISLATIVE UPDATE TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION TRAINING.CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIC EAGER, REGINA HARRIS, ERON LINN, AND DEBBIE RENTERIA.
SIX, EVALUATING STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND SETTING GOALS.
THIS TRAINING MUST BE COMPLETED EVERY TWO YEARS.
THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED THE BIENNIAL TRAINING ON EVALUATING STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND SETTING GOALS.
CONGRATULATIONS ERON LINN, CHRIS POTEET, AND MEGAN TIMME.
SEVEN, CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION.
THIS TRAINING MUST BE COMPLETED AGAIN EVERY TWO YEARS.
THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED THE BIENNIAL TRAINING ON IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING ABUSE AND TRAFFICKING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ERON LINN, CHRIS POTEET, AND MEGAN TIMME.
THE ENTIRE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT MUST PARTICIPATE IN AN ANNUAL TEAM-BUILDING SESSION.
THE ENTIRE BOARD ALONG WITH THE SUPERINTENDED, COMPLETED THE REQUIRED TEAM-BUILDING TRAINING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIC EAGER, REGINA HARRIS, ERON LINN, CHRIS POTEET, DEBBIE RENTERIA, AND MEGAN TIMME.
ADDITIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION.
FIRST YEAR MEMBERS MUST COMPLETE 10 HOURS OF ADDITIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION.
AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, EACH MEMBER MUST COMPLETE FIVE HOURS OF ADDITIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION EACH YEAR.
I THINK I MAY HAVE SAID YEARS, DOES 18 HOURS. TEN HOURS.
EACH BOARD MEMBER HAS COMPLETED THE ADDITIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE BOARD: ERIC EAGER, REGINA HARRIS, ERON LINN, CHRIS POTEET, DEBBIE RENTERIA, AND MEGAN TIMME.
BOARD MEMBERS EXCEEDING REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION.
EACH BOARD MEMBER EXCEEDED THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING FOR THE PERIOD FROM APRIL 6TH, 2021 THROUGH APRIL 11TH, 2022.
ERIC EAGER, YOUR TOTAL HOURS COMPLETED WERE 25, YOUR EXCESS HOURS WERE 13.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR OVER EXCEEDING YOUR TRAINING HOURS.
REGINA HARRIS, HER TOTAL HOURS ARE 32.5.
[LAUGHTER] ERON LINN, YOUR TOTAL HOURS WERE 34, YOUR EXCESS HOURS WERE 22.
CHRIS POTEET, YOUR TOTAL HOURS COMPLETED WERE 31.25, YOUR EXCESS HOURS WERE 6.25.
DEBBIE RENTERIA, YOUR TOTAL HOURS COMPLETED WERE 45.5, YOUR EXCESS HOURS WERE 33.5.
MEGAN TIMME, YOUR TOTAL HOURS COMPLETED WERE 33.25, YOUR EXCESS HOURS WERE 8.25.
THE TOTAL COMPLETED HOURS FOR THIS ENTIRE BOARD WERE 201.5 HOURS, EXCESS HOURS WERE 85.25.
YOU ALL OWE YOURSELVES A HUGE HAND CLAP.
[APPLAUSE] THAT IS A HUGE FEAT CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT OUTSIDE OF THESE TRAINING HOURS THAT HAD TO BE COMPLETED, YOUR EXCESS HOURS, YOUR DAY JOB, YOUR FAMILY LIFE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR COMPLETING YOUR TRAINING HOURS.
>> JUST WANT TO THANK LIBBY OLIVER FOR HELPING US OUT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF EVERYTHING.
WE COULDN'T DO WITHOUT HER. [LAUGHTER]
>> YES. THANK YOU LIBBY SO MUCH.
>> EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF A NUDGE, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER]
[04:05:02]
MAYBE HE'S GOING TO SAY, [LAUGHTER] CAN'T DO WITHOUT LIBBY.>> I THINK PART 2 IT'S HURTING CATS AND SOME CATEGORIES, THANK YOU, MR. LIBBY.
>> EVERY NOW AND AGAIN. I THINK WE ALL ENJOY DOING THIS.
[Items IV.G & IV.H]
OUR NEXT INFORMATION ITEM IS A REPORT ON DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AND UPCOMING EVENTS.WE'VE ALL BEEN VERY BUSY SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.
WE JUST WANT TO OPEN IT UP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE DISTRICT, ALL THE GREAT THINGS.
MR. ANDREA, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I'VE GOT A LIST OF THINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LET YOU START OUT.
>> SURE. I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER.
SOMETIMES I FORGET AND WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT IF IT GETS OVERLAPPED. I CAN NAME A FEW.
>> I HAVE SOME SO IF I FORGET SOME YOU CAN HELP ME.
>> DEFINITELY THE RASPY MEETING THAT WE HAD WAS AWESOME.
MY COLLEAGUES, REGINA HARRIS AND MR. ERIC EAGER, WERE ABLE TO ATTEND ALONG WITH OUR INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, TABITHA BRANHAM.
GREAT MEETING, WONDERFUL STAFF.
DR. SPELLER WAS AWESOME AS ALWAYS, SO WELCOMING AND IT WAS GREAT TO BE, I THINK IT WAS THEIR FIRST MEETING.
I THINK IT WAS OUR FIRST ONE BACK SINCE THE PANDEMIC SO IT WAS, IT WAS WONDERFUL.
WE ALL GOT GREAT T-SHIRTS AND WE GOT SOME GREAT FLIERS WITH OUR ONE AND ONLY MS. TABITHA BRANHAM ON IT, [LAUGHTER] AND IT WAS GREAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE GOT TO ATTEND OR THAT I GOT TO ATTEND WAS THE BURGLAR PTA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUM.
IT WAS GREAT THAT AS WE ARE IN AN ELECTION YEAR, AGAIN THIS YEAR, IT WAS GREAT.
I JUST THINK I ENJOYED GOING TO THESE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND TO SEE JUST PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE WILLING TO SERVE.
I JUST COMMEND EVERYBODY WHO'S DOING THAT AND SUPPORTING THAT IN ATTENDING THIS AND GOING OUT THERE JUST TO JUST TO HEAR OUR CANDIDATES.
I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE RISD JOB FAIR AT RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL THIS WEEKEND.
HE AND HIS TEAM WHO PUT THAT OUT THERE. IT WAS GREAT.
I GOT THERE PROBABLY MIDWAY AND I HAD TO PARK ALL THE WAY TOWARDS THE RHS, THE SOFTBALL DIAMOND AREA, WHICH TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOWHERE TO PARK.
IT WAS REALLY PACKED, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
MS. BRANHAM WAS THERE AS WELL TOO ALWAYS JUST SUPPORTIVE AND GIVING OUT HER AWESOME ENERGY.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH THERE AND JUST SEEN ALL THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
FOR ME, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE POP IN ON DIFFERENT CAMPUSES, BUT TO SEE THEM ALTOGETHER AND GIVING OUT INFORMATION.
THEY'RE ALSO WELCOMING, VERY APPROACHABLE ALL OF THEM THERE, AND REALLY JUST INFORMING ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED ON WHY YOU'D WANT TO COME WORK HERE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF JUST AGAIN, TYING IT WITH WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT CULTURE.
GIVING EVERYBODY JUST GREAT INFORMATION RIGHT INTO A LOT OF FAMILIAR FACES AND THAT WAS AWESOME.
OF COURSE, ON SATURDAY NIGHT IT WAS GREAT TO HANG OUT WITH SO MANY OF THE RISD STAFF, ALL THE COOL KIDS [LAUGHTER] GOT TO HANG OUT WITH THEM.
AGAIN, MY COLLEAGUE, MR. EAGER WAS THERE AND HE WENT TO SUPPORT OUR MADAM PRESIDENT FOR THE INTERESTING ADULT LITERACY CENTER MYSTERY FUNDRAISER THAT THEY HAVE YEARLY.
SHE DID A FABULOUS JOB. YOU WERE AWESOME.
AS WE KNEW YOU WOULD DO, BUT IT WAS ALSO GREAT TO JUST HANG OUT AND AGAIN, BE AMONGST SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE.
AGAIN, THAT SENSE OF BEING TOGETHER AND SUPPORTING WHOEVER IS OUT THERE, DOING SOMETHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I LOVE THAT WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT AGAIN WHOEVER THAT IS.
IN THE MORNING, I GOT TO SEE DR. GOODSON AND HIS BEAUTIFUL SMILE AND DO WHATEVER HE DOES ALL THE TIME, MS. HARRIS, BEAUTIFUL ALWAYS AND JUST DID A FABULOUS JOB AND JUST HANG OUT AGAIN WITH THE COOL KIDS, I FELT REALLY COOL.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY THINGS I CAN THINK OF.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, YES. I WAS ABLE TO GO TO FORTE.
NOW THAT I REMEMBER TOO, THE NETWORK EVENT THAT WE HAD, IT WAS AWESOME TO BE THERE AS THEY WERE WELCOMING REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN.
TO SEE THE FAMILIES GATHERED THERE, NETWORK, ALWAYS DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB, AND IT WAS GREAT TO BE THERE WITH MS. BRANHAM AND AGAIN, MS. HARRIS AND MYSELF WERE THERE AND MR. LINN.
I'M SORRY, MR. LINN. MR. LINN WAS THERE AND SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE FAMILY'S BE THERE.
[04:10:02]
AGAIN, AN AWESOME TURNOUT WITH RISD BEING VERY APPROACHABLE, BEING THERE TO HELP THE FAMILIES FROM HEALTH SERVICES TO ALL OF OUR LUNCH THE OTHER LUNCH.>> CHILD NUTRITION [OVERLAPPING] EVERY DEPARTMENT WAS THERE TO JUST YOU CAN TALK ABOUT PARENT ENGAGEMENT.
>> IT WAS GREAT TO BE WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND ENJOY THAT.
THEN IN THAT EVENING, I COULD NOT MAKE ONE EVENT RIGHT AFTER THAT, BUT I DID MAKE FORTE.
THEIR JJ PEARCE FORTE SHOW THAT THEY HAD.
AGAIN, JJ PEARCE KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK, THEY DID A FABULOUS JOB.
I KNOW THAT I'M NOT AS BIG OF A SPORT FAN EVEN THOUGH I SUPPORT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
BUT I AM THE ART GEEK, SO I AM DEFINITELY INTO THE ARTS AND SO I LOVE TO JUST GO SEE THESE KIDS AND THE PARENTS.
THE PARENTS YOU JUST SEE THEM BEING THERE SO PROUD.
AGAIN, I LOVED JUST WATCHING THAT NONE OF THIS COMES TOGETHER.
THE KIDS ARE TALENTED OBVIOUSLY, AND THEY PULLED ALL THESE SHOWS OFF, BUT YOU CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT WITHOUT THE PARENTAL SUPPORT, AND OF COURSE, THE AMAZING TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE AND CHOIR DIRECTORS OR DANCE INSTRUCTORS.
THEY DID GREAT. I HAD A GOOD TIME.
I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE AND DO THESE THINGS, IT WAS GREAT. THANK YOU.
>> MR. EAGER, LOOKS LIKE YOU WENT TO THE COTTONWOOD FESTIVAL?
>> I DID. I'M GOING TO BORROW FROM MS. RANCHERIA BUT I'M A FAN OF THE ARTS AS WELL AND I DO LOVE MY SPORTS.
I GOT A CHANCE TO GO TO THE WEIZMANN CENTER AND SEE THESE KIDS WHO GET TO SHOWCASE THEIR ART AND WERE CELEBRATED, BUT NOT ONLY ON TOP OF THAT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COTTONWOOD ART FESTIVAL, THEY GET TO DISPLAY THEIR PIECES OF ART AND GET TO BRING HOME CASH MONEY.
THEY GET TO SELL THIS ART, AND WHEN THE EXCITING THING WAS THAT THEY HAD ALSO WORKING ARTIST IN THAT WERE GRADUATE TO THE RISD IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ALSO, EDUCATE THEM ON ALL THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT BEING AN ARTIST, THERE'S SO MANY CONNECTION POINTS IN SO MANY INDUSTRIES THAT YOU WOULDN'T THINK TRADITIONAL ARTIST WOULD BE EXPOSED TO AND SO JUST SEEING THESE KIDS EYES LIGHT UP, SEEING THE AMAZING ART THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER, AND THEN BEING SHOWCASED.
THEY TOLD ME THAT LITERALLY THE COMMUNITY WILL WAIT IN LINE FOR THEM TO OPEN UP THAT SECTION OF COTTONWOOD ART SO THAT THEY CAN GET TO SEE WHAT ART WAS CREATED AND INTO SELL IT, AND SO THAT'S A GREAT THING.
THAT'S SOME OTHER THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO. I JUST MENTIONED THAT WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE THERE, SO I DO ENJOY WHEN I'M AMONG YOU GUYS OUTSIDE OF THE HORSESHOE SO MY APOLOGIES IF I STOLE YOUR THUNDERS.
>> NO. IT'S OKAY. AS LONG AS WE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART.
I WAS ONE OF 10 PEOPLE ELECTED TO REPRESENT REGION 10 DOWN IN AUSTIN AT THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS, AND I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING AN ELECTED MEMBER OF WHAT THEY CALL THEIR LEGISLATIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL OR LAC.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ACRONYMS IN EDUCATION, SO THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
BUT MYSELF AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM 20 OTHER REGIONS WERE THERE BASICALLY HELPING TO FORM AND PRIORITIZE THE OBJECTIVES FOR OUR NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING UP AND SO THEY STARTED A LIST OF ABOUT 20 ITEMS AND WE HAD IT WHITTLED DOWN TO FIVE, AND WE WILL BE MEETING AGAIN IN JUNE TO HELP PRIORITIZE AND THERE'S A LOT OF VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, SO STAY TUNED ON THAT.
BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT COLLECTIVELY AS A VOICE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, AGAIN, I WAS VERY HONORED TO BE REPRESENTING BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME VERY SENIOR BOARD MEMBERS FROM OTHER DISTRICTS THAT I GOT A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE AND LEARN FROM.
[04:15:04]
>> THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME VERY SENIOR MEMBERS THAT ARE PART OF THAT GROUP.
[INAUDIBLE] DO YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT NETWORK?
>> SURE. FIRST OF ALL, DR. HELLER, YOUR TEAM DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
I MEAN IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT AND OBVIOUSLY, NETWORK WAS HOSTING IT, BUT THEY GAVE OUR TEAM A LOT OF CREDIT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT ON.
PLEASE EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO YOUR TEAM.
I ONLY WAS THERE FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES BECAUSE I HAD TO GO TO MY SON'S SOCCER GAME.
BUT FROM WHAT I SAW, PEOPLE WERE EXCITED TO BE THERE.
THERE WERE TONS OF ACTIVITIES.
WE HAD YOLANDA GAITHER WAS THERE WITH HER APOLLO CREW.
I GOT TO VISIT WITH THEM FOR A LITTLE BIT AND THEN A LOT OF THE FOLKS FROM THE NEWCOMER CENTER WERE THERE PROCESSING NEW STUDENTS.
OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT WAS THE WHOLE INTENTION BEHIND THE EVENT BUT ALSO HAD DIFFERENT SERVICES AROUND.
WE HAD MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL THERE ALONG WITH SENIOR STAFF FROM CITY OF RICHARDSON, AND THEY WERE WONDERFUL TO BE THERE AND SUPPORT THAT EVENT, BUT IT WAS JUST FANTASTIC.
I REALLY FILLED MY BUCKET FOR THAT DAY, ESPECIALLY, SO THANK YOU.
>> MEGAN AND CHRIS BOTH ATTENDED THE GRADUATE POOF PROFILE SUMMIT.
IF BOTH OF YOU OR ONE OF YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE?
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT IT IT'S THE FIRST OF MANY OPPORTUNITIES OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO ENGAGE IN OUR GRADUATE PROFILE PROCESS.
KRISTEN AND MR. EAGER WERE ALSO AT THE EVENING SESSION.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE STUDENTS WHO WERE SPEAKING THERE, WHICH WAS REALLY GREAT.
WE HAD SOME HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC IN THE EVENING SESSION.
I DON'T KNOW, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE THINGS FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW UNTIL YOU HEAR THEM AND THEN YOU REALIZE YOU DIDN'T.
THEY KNEW IT A WHOLE LOT BETTER, SO THAT WAS GREAT.
IT WAS PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF COMMUNITY THAT WERE THERE.
I KNOW THE AFTERNOON SESSION IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY.
WE ALSO HAD A GOOD NIGHTTIME SESSION AS WELL.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEM ENGAGING IN WAYS TO MOVE OUR DISTRICT FORWARD AND TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER POSITIVELY FOR GOOD OUTCOME.
>> I DIDN'T DO AS MUCH BECAUSE I WAS BUSY DOING MY REQUIRED TRAINING DURING ALL OF THESE EVENTS.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I DID WANT TO ECHO THE CANDIDATE FORUMS. I'VE BEEN TO TWO OF THOSE AND I JUST WANTED, I KNOW SOME CANDIDATES WERE HERE TONIGHT, BUT WANTED TO THANK THE WHOLE POOL OF CANDIDATES FOR BOTH DISTRICT 205 FOR PUTTING IN THE LEGWORK AND IT'S NOT OVER, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT AND IT WAS GOOD TO GO AND BE A PART OF THOSE IN THE BACKGROUND.
THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO KEY IN ON, AND THIS IS KIND OF AN UPCOMING.
BUT AS A MEMBER OF THE STARS TEACHER OF THE YEAR COMMITTEE, WE HAVE AT AN UNDETERMINED DATE, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS OF PERHAPS SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE RECOGNIZE TONIGHT HERE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BREAK OUT AND GO DO THE ROUNDABOUT, THE DISTRICT AND VISIT THESE CLASSROOMS. WE'VE SEEN WE TALKED ABOUT PASSION EARLIER THROUGH THE PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF.
I MEAN, BEING A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE AND SEEING THE INTERVIEWS AND NOW BEING ABLE TO GO WATCH THEM IN ACTION.
I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT PASSION AND IT REALLY INVIGORATES YOU ON WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE CLASSROOM AND INSIDE THE BUILDING WHICH WE SOMETIMES LOSE FOCUS ON.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO DO THAT REAL SOON.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. I'LL JUST ADD MINE JUST REALLY QUICKLY.
FIRST, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE ACTUALLY SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED DAN JOHNSON'S CITY OF RICHARDSON, CITY MANAGER RETIREMENT CELEBRATION.
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE.
I THINK MYSELF, MS. BRANUM, MR. GOODSON, DEBBIE, QUITE A FEW OF US WERE THERE, SO THANK FOR ATTENDING THAT, THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF RICHARDSON.
THE ONLY ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT I DID, I ATTENDED RASPBERRY, THERE WAS GREAT.
[04:20:03]
I LOVED TO BE AMONGST ALL THE FOLKS WHO WERE THERE.DEBBIE AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A TEXAS CAUCUS OF BLACK SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS CONVENTION IN ROUND ROCK.
YES. ALSO ONE REALLY COOL THING THAT WE DID TOO WE ATTENDED THE DANCE-OFF AT PIERCE.
IT WAS AWESOME TO SEE THOSE KIDS OUT THERE DANCING, AND LIFTING THOSE GIRLS UP AND TWISTING THE COUNTRY WEST AND I WAS SO EXCITED.
I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, IT WAS PRETTY COOL.
THAT WAS VERY EXCITING, REALLY LOVED THAT.
I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM FIELD TRIP WITH OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS OVERHEAD LAKE HIGHLANDS.
THAT WAS PHENOMENAL, WE SPOKE TO THEM FOR A MOMENT.
I HAD LUNCH WITH THOSE GUYS, I REALLY ENJOYED THAT AS WELL.
THEN ONE OTHER THING THAT I DID TOO IS FOR LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON.
SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS HERE, RICHARDSON SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT ON SOCIAL SERVICES DAY.
DR. GIBBONS AND DR. HELLER WERE BOTH THERE IN ATTENDANCE.
IN ADDITION TO SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE NEW COMMERCE CENTER OVER AT NETWORK AND I SAT IN THE HUSH ROOM.
[LAUGHTER] I LOVED THAT LITTLE HUSH ROOM.
IT'S PRETTY COOL. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE CALLED HIS BIG BOX CONTAINER.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WHAT REQUIRED TIME NEEDED PROCESSING OR HAVING A MEETING WITH A PARENT.
>> YEAH. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
GREAT THINGS ALWAYS HAPPENING IN RISD.
THERE'S ALWAYS PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GO OUT AND GET INTO THE SCHOOLS, INTO THE COMMUNITIES MR. EAGER IS VERY EAGER TO TELL US SOMETHING ELSE.
>> I CAN'T BELIEVE I ALMOST FORGOT THIS, BUT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE REGIONAL PIERCE AND RICHARDSON ROBOTICS TEAM REGIONAL EVENT TO SEE THESE KIDS.
IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO SEE THE KIDS FROM TWO RIVAL SCHOOLS THAT GOT TOGETHER IN ONE SCHOOL, THE PIERCE TEAM WAS HELPING OUT THE RICHARDSON TEAM AND TO SEE THESE KIDS IN ACTION AND TO SEE ALL KIDS FROM ALL DIFFERENT PHASES, FROM PROGRAMMING TO PRESENTATION, TO SEE THESE KIDS COMPETE.
STAY TUNED FOR SOME VERY EXCITING NEWS COMING FROM OUR ROBOTICS TEAM.
I'LL LET THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS GO LATER, BUT STAY TUNED BECAUSE THERE'S SOME REALLY EXCITING NEWS FOR THESE KIDS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. WELL, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR STAFF, OUR VISITORS AND ABSOLUTELY MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE TO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH
[V. ENTER CLOSED MEETING in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, including but not limited to Section 551.071 - Consultation with Attorney.]
THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH AN ATTORNEY, AND WE WILL GO UPSTAIRS WITH IT PART OF OUR MEETING.THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR STAYING SO LATE WITH US TONIGHT.
[BACKGROUND]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.