[00:00:02]
I'M SO EXCITED. WE'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.I AM REGINA HARRIS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT TONIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:07 P.M..
DR. HELLER, WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE OUR GUEST TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? YES, I WILL. PRESIDENT HARRIS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM AND OUR GUESTS THIS EVENING FOR OUR MEETING.
I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE AND INVITE THEM TO COME FORWARD.
YES, LET'S PLEASE CELEBRATE THESE STUDENTS SO MUCH.
GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS TIME TO.
GOING TO A MOMENT OF SILENCE OR WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO INTO A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
BUT I KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THE SITUATION THAT'S GOING ON IN ISRAEL.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME BOARD MEMBERS HERE WHO ARE PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
IT IS NOW TIME FOR RECOGNITION.
WE APPRECIATE AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
OUR TRUSTEES ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MAKE TO THE DISTRICT AT EVERY REGULAR BOARD MEETING EACH MONTH. WE TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE THESE ACHIEVEMENTS, AND WE ASK THAT OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS HELP CELEBRATE THESE RECOGNITIONS BY STAYING TO ENJOY THE ENTIRE RECOGNITION PROCESS.
THIS ALLOWS EVERYONE TO SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION TO EACH RECIPIENT.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE OUR FIRST RECOGNITION THIS EVENING, WHICH IS OUR AWESOME PRINCIPALS. YES.
OCTOBER EACH YEAR IN OCTOBER, WE CELEBRATE PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION MONTH, AND THIS IS TO RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THAT PRINCIPALS PLAY IN MAKING OUR SCHOOLS GREAT.
THE COMMITMENT, LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT THAT PRINCIPALS PROVIDE ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS.
SO WE ARE GOING TO TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE AND INTRODUCE THOSE THAT COULD BE WITH US THIS EVENING.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR BERKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY.
IF THOSE PRINCIPLES CAN PLEASE STAND.
AND WE'RE GOING WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE YOU ELEMENTARY FIRST AND THEN SECONDARY.
[00:05:15]
YES. THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING RIGHT.AND AS WE INTRODUCE EACH LEARNING COMMUNITY AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS THAT ARE SERVING OUR CAMPUSES ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE OUR NEWEST PRINCIPALS FIRST AND IN THE BIRKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY.
I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU MISS SARAH DI, WHO IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT ADELIA CREEK ELEMENTARY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK EACH LEARNING COMMUNITY IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAY TOWARDS THE FRONT.
WE WANT TO GET A GROUP PICTURE.
WE HAVE SHARON ERICKSON, WHO SERVES AT MARK TWAIN.
JENNIFER WILLS AT O'HENRY ELEMENTARY.
JAMILA THOMAS AT SPRING RIDGE ELEMENTARY.
WE HAVE MICHELLE GABRIEL FROM FOREST RIDGE.
MISS CAREY GREER, WHO SERVES AT YALE ELEMENTARY.
MISS KRISTIN PERNICE, PRINCIPAL AT DARTMOUTH ELEMENTARY.
DR. SHARON NEWMAN, PRINCIPAL OF JESS HARVIN ELEMENTARY.
MISS IRENE AGUILAR, PRINCIPAL, LIBERTY JUNIOR HIGH.
MISS YOLANDA GAITHER, PRINCIPAL AT APOLLO JUNIOR HIGH.
AND MISS CHRISTY CAGE, PRINCIPAL OF BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL AND STEM ACADEMY.
NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO ORGANIZE.
NO. YOU'RE FINE. IT'S ALL GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME FOR OUR AWESOME LEADERS FROM THE BERKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY.
WE'LL HAVE YOU GO BACK UP THE CENTER AISLE.
AND WITH US THIS EVENING WE HAVE DEMARCUS GOREE FROM FOREST LANE ACADEMY.
MS.. ALLISON CONGDON FROM AIKEN ELEMENTARY.
MR.. RON ANTHONY, PRINCIPAL STOLTZ ROAD.
MISS KATRINA COLLINS, PRINCIPAL AT SKYVIEW.
MARY KELLIHER, PRINCIPAL AT NORTHLAKE ELEMENTARY.
JOSE VEGA, PRINCIPAL AT MOSS HAVEN ELEMENTARY.
FROM FOREST MEADOW JUNIOR HIGH, WE HAVE MISS SUSAN BURT.
AND FOR LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL CARRIE JONES.
AND AS WE ARE GETTING THEM ORGANIZED FOR A QUICK PICTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE PIERCE LEARNING COMMUNITY PRINCIPALS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND AND LINE UP TO MY LEFT. OKAY, LISA, LET'S GET A PICTURE.
[00:10:03]
YEAH. YEAH.YEAH. ALL RIGHT, LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY.
OKAY. AND NEXT WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE OUR LEADERS FROM THE PIERCE LEARNING COMMUNITY.
NEXT WE HAVE DENISE NEWMAN FROM MOHAWK.
MISS PAM AIKEN FROM PRESTONWOOD.
CELEBRATING MISS MISTY LEHMAN, PRINCIPAL AT GREENWOOD HILLS.
AND SERVING AND LEADING AT CANYON CREEK ELEMENTARY.
SERVING THE BRENTFIELD COMMUNITY, WE HAVE MR. JASON MYATT.
SUPPORTING THE BUIE ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY.
FROM OUR JUNIOR HIGH PARK HILL, WE HAVE MISS FARRAH SMOKE.
AND WE ALSO CELEBRATE CARMEN STEWART, WHO LEADS OUR STUDENTS AT CHRISTA MCAULIFFE LEARNING CENTER.
AND AS WE'RE GETTING OUR PICTURE OF OUR PIERCE LEARNING COMMUNITY LEADERS.
ALL RIGHT. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO OUR PIERCE LEARNING COMMUNITY CAMPUS LEADERS.
WE'RE GOING TO START BY INTRODUCING THE LEAD LEARNER AT DOBIE PRIMARY, MISS KIRSTEN HART.
SERVING AT RICHARDSON HEIGHTS, MISS JENNY LANIER.
SUPPORTING THE DOVER COMMUNITY.
MISS BRIANNA HUDSON, SERVING SPRING VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE ALSO CELEBRATE MISS KAREN FIELDS, WHO LEADS SPRING CREEK ELEMENTARY.
ALSO CELEBRATING KRISTEN STRICKLAND, WHO LEADS AT ARAPAHO CLASSICAL MAGNET.
LAUREN BULLOCK FROM MS T THE MATH SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY MAGNET.
AND REPRESENTING FOR HER SECONDARY PEERS.
THIS EVENING WE HAVE MISS KATIE MOTTRAM, THE PRINCIPAL AT WESTWOOD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
WE WILL ORGANIZE FOR ONE MORE PICTURE FOR OUR RICHARDSON LEARNING COMMUNITY.
AWESOME. I'LL DO THIS REAL QUICKLY AND I'LL INTRODUCE THEM.
ALTHOUGH I DON'T SEE WANTS TO GO HOME FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.
BROOKS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, SO I DIDN'T.
[00:15:01]
I DO SEE HIM HERE. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR RICHARDSON LEARNING COMMUNITY AND ALL OF OUR FEARLESS CAMPUS LEADERS.THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND STAFF HERE IN RICHARDSON ISD.
OKAY, OUR NEXT SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION IS FOR OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
CAN I ASK MEMBERS OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO PLEASE COME FORWARD? IF YOU ARE HERE THIS EVENING AND AS THEY'RE COMING FORWARD, I AM GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU WHY WE ARE CELEBRATING THEM THIS EVENING.
HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF WORK HARD EACH DAY TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE STAFFED WITH HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYEES, AND THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES HAVE A GREAT AND SUPERIOR WORK ENVIRONMENT AT THIS TIME.
I'LL READ THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK. HE WAS HELPING ORGANIZE FOR A WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS FIRST AND THEN COME IN IN.
AND WE ARE GOING TO WANT TO GET A GROUP PICTURE.
AND IF YOU ALL CAN COME BACK THIS WAY SO WE CAN GET YOU ORGANIZED FOR A PICTURE.
AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE DR.
CHRIS GOODSON, WHO IS OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HR.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
AND NOW WE GET TO CELEBRATE SOME INCREDIBLE STUDENTS THIS EVENING.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M MEGAN.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE LONG NIGHTS THAT YOU PUT IN, FOR THE TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE TO BE THE ANSWER TO EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS, THE TIMES WHEN YOU ARE THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERS, THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS, THE COUNSELORS YOU ARE ALL THE THINGS TO ALL THE PEOPLE.
AND THE BUCK ALWAYS RESTS ON YOU AT THE END OF THE DAY.
OUR BUILDINGS WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU.
WE CANNOT THANK YOU GUYS ENOUGH FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO BE SURE YOU GUYS KNEW THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE SOME INCREDIBLE STUDENTS.
AND SO FOR OUR STUDENT RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING, WE DO HAVE OUR 2023 NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THEM TO COME FORWARD.
AND WE WILL GET YOU ORGANIZED TO BE TO BE INTRODUCED.
AND AS YOU ARE COMING FORWARD, I WILL READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS RECOGNITION.
WE HAVE TEN RICHARDSON ISD SENIORS THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS.
THEY ARE AMONG 16,000 NATIONAL SEMIFINALISTS, REPRESENTING FEWER THAN 1% OF ALL SENIORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO ARE COMPETING FOR OVER 7100 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS WORTH NEARLY $28 MILLION, AND
[00:20:05]
THOSE WILL BE AWARDED LATER THIS SPRING.HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENTER THE PROGRAM BY TAKING THE PSAT NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP QUALIFYING TEST THAT SERVES AS AN INITIAL SCREEN OF ABOUT 1.5 ENTRANTS, EACH YEAR. THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE ON THE PSAT IS 228, AND IN TEXAS, A SEMIFINALIST MUST HAVE A MINIMUM SCORE OF 219 TO REACH THE LEVEL OF NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS.
THESE FINALISTS EXHIBIT EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC ABILITY, SKILLS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND ARE HIGHLY RECRUITED BY SELECTIVE COLLEGES ACROSS THE NATION, WITH SOME COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES OFFERING SIGNIFICANT SCHOLARSHIPS AND EVEN FULL RIDES BASED ON NATIONAL MERIT STATUS.
SO WE ARE SO EXCITED AND PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2024.
ALL RIGHT. FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL, COOPER FOREST.
WE HAVE WESLEY PHILLIPS FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE ISABEL AGARWAL FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
CELIA SCHAEFERS FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
JULIAN VILLAMAR ROBBINS FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
AND FINALLY, NICHOLAS WEBB FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS.
AND YES, WE WANT TO GET YOU ORGANIZED FOR A QUICK PICTURE.
AND AS THEY ARE, I WILL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
SO THE NATIONAL MERIT QUALIFYING PROGRAM RECENTLY RECOGNIZED 34,000 COMMENDED STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE NATION FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC PROMISE.
THEY HAVE PLACED AMONG THE TOP 50,000 STUDENTS WHO ENTERED THE 2024 COMPETITION BY TAKING THE 2022 PRELIMINARY SAT NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP QUALIFYING TEST.
THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE IS A 228.
AND I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU, BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT BRENNAN.
WE HAVE 26 COMMENDED STUDENTS FROM THE RICHARDSON ISD CLASS OF 2024.
AND WE ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE THEM NOW.
WE HAVE MISS KATE SMITH FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
NOAH ROSENFELD FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL.
TAYLOR PERRY PEARCE HIGH SCHOOL.
BRIAN WILLIAMS, PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL.
NATHAN PERRY, PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL.
KADEN. FISHER, RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
JOSHUA HAMILTON RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
JADEN PARK, RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
LUKE MONTGOMERY RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
NO NORMS. OH, RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
HAYDEN. CASTLES FROM PEARCE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND MR. SPADE NICOLE FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
[00:25:02]
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED STUDENTS.WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU. AND WE WANT TO GRAB A PICTURE.
SO MANY INCREDIBLE THINGS HAPPENING IN RICHARDSON ISD.
AND FINALLY THIS EVENING, AND AS WE DO EVERY MONTH, WE HAVE A FEW RISD BELIEVES AWARDS TO CELEBRATE STUDENTS AND STAFF WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND ARE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR DOING THAT, THAT SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL IN THEIR CLASSROOM OR ON THEIR CAMPUS OR IN THEIR JOB HERE IN RICHARDSON ISD. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME FIRST OUR BELIEVES AWARD FOR MR. ROHAN BONANNO FROM PRESTONWOOD ELEMENTARY, SIXTH GRADE.
AND I WOULD AS AS WE BEGIN OUR STAFF OR EXCUSE ME OUR STUDENT AWARDS.
SO ROHAN HAS STARTED THE SIXTH GRADE OFF WITH AN INCREDIBLE, POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
HE HAS ALREADY PROVEN TO BE A LEADER BY EXAMPLE IN HIS CLASSROOM IN THE SCHOOL.
NO MATTER WHAT THE TASK, ROHAN APPROACHES IT WITH HIS BEST EFFORT AND BEST ATTITUDE.
WE RECENTLY HAD A NEW STUDENT JOIN OUR CAMPUS.
ROHAN WAS SO KIND IN HELPING THE STUDENT FIND HER WAY AND KNOW WHAT TO DO.
HE IS ALSO PART OF THE CAPA VIDEO MORNING BROADCAST TEAM.
HE IS A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR ALL STUDENTS AT PRESTONWOOD.
WE ARE SO THRILLED TO HAVE ROHAN AS A LEADER ON OUR CAMPUS.
WE'RE NOT SURE IF THEY MAYBE SNUCK IN AFTER WE GOT STARTED.
MISS ELAINA TRAN FROM LIBERTY JUNIOR HIGH.
ARE YOU HERE THIS EVENING? IF NOT, WE WILL BE SURE TO INVITE HER BACK NEXT MONTH.
AND JESSICA NWOSU FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
WERE YOU ABLE TO MAKE IT? OKAY, WELL, WE WILL BE SURE TO INVITE THESE STUDENTS BACK NEXT MONTH.
WE DO HAVE THREE STAFF RECOGNITIONS FOR THE BELIEF AWARD.
THE FIRST ONE IS MISS AMY DALY, WHO IS.
A TEACHER AT CAROLYN BOOKER ELEMENTARY.
AND AS SHE COMES FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WAS SHARED IN THE SUBMISSION.
I AM A FIRST YEAR SIXTH GRADE MATH TEACHER AND MISS DALY HAS TAKEN ME UNDER HER WING.
SHE IS CONSISTENTLY THERE FOR ME.
WHENEVER I HAVE A QUESTION OR NEED HELP.
SHE IS A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON AND REALLY MAKES TEACHING AS A TEAM FUN.
SHE NEVER GETS TIRED OF ME ASKING THE QUESTIONS AND NEVER GETS FRUSTRATED WITH ME.
AND MISS DALY EXEMPLIFIES THIS EVERY DAY.
RISD IS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE HER.
CONGRATULATIONS TO MISS AMY DALY.
AND WE WANT TO BE SURE AND GRAB A PHOTO.
MISS DALY. SO I THOUGHT I SAW HIM.
WE HAVE ANOTHER STAFF BELIEVES AWARD FOR COACH ANTHONY HARDEN.
CAN COACH HARDEN COME FORWARD PLEASE.
HE WORKS EVERY DAY TEACHING STUDENTS IN FIRST THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
HE IS HE IS AN AMAZING TEACHER AND AN EVEN BETTER PERSON.
[00:30:06]
EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY UNTIL 6 P.M., COACH HARDIN FACILITATES AN EXERCISE CLASS FOR STAFF MEMBERS.HE CREATES VARIOUS EXERCISES AND CARDIO ROUTINES USING WEIGHTS AND BARS AND BANDS.
LIKE HIS STUDENT CLASSES, HE MODIFIES THE EXERCISES FOR ALL AGES.
YEAH, I THINK I NEED TO GET OVER THERE AND TAKE SOME OF THESE CLASSES.
IN ADDITION TO SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM, HE WILL EVEN CREATE A PERSONALIZED MEAL PLAN FOR YOU.
COACH. COACH MAINTAINS THIS EXERCISE CLASS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR FREE.
HIS GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY MEMBER ON OUR TEAM MAINTAINS A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
HE TRULY IS A SERVANT LEADER WHO BELIEVES IN GIVING BACK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COACH HARDIN.
AND FINALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MISS TABITHA SOUTH FROM DOVER ELEMENTARY.
SHE'S A SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY TEACHER.
AND AS SHE'S COMING UP, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT THAT WAS SUBMITTED ON HER BEHALF.
TABITHA SOUTH IS AN AMAZING AND ALWAYS HAS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND A SMILE TO SHARE.
SHE JUMPED RIGHT INTO A NEW DISTRICT.
SHE HAS TAKEN THE EXTRA TIME TO CONNECT WITH HER STUDENTS.
SHE KNOWS THEIR MUSIC INTERESTS AND WHAT THEY LIKE TO DO AT HOME.
WHENEVER HER STUDENTS COME BACK FROM SPEECH, THEY ARE READY TO LEARN AND BE ENGAGED.
SHE IS ALWAYS WILLING TO BE FLEXIBLE AND GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP OUT.
THANK YOU. AND FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE NEW LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON CLASS HERE THIS EVENING TO LEARN AT A BOARD MEETING.
I UNDERSTAND THERE MIGHT BE A FEW.
IF YOU CAN WAIT, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
OKAY, WELL, CLASS OF 37, BEST CLASS ANYWAY.
SO THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR RECOGNITIONS AND APPRECIATIONS FOR THIS MONTH.
THANK YOU EVERYONE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO WAS RECOGNIZED.
WE WILL GIVE EVERYONE A MOMENT TO EXIT THE AUDITORIUM.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXIT THE AUDITORIUM BEFORE WE PROCEED.
SEE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[II. Public Hearing: Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Rating for RISD]
[00:35:01]
COMMENT ON THE FIRST RATING REPORT.MR. POTEET, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES. THANK YOU, MISS HARRIS.
WE DO. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR VISITORS FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
DURING TODAY'S MEETING, SPEAKERS WILL MAY ONLY COMMENT ON THE HEARING TOPIC.
AS A REMINDER, WE ASK SPEAKERS TO FOLLOW THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PROTOCOL.
WHY IS THIS? Q SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES.
A FOOL AND HIS MONEY ARE SOON DEPARTED.
THAT'S A QUOTE FROM DR. JOHN BRIDGES BACK EIGHT 1587.
IT CAME FROM A FOOL AND HIS MONEY BE SOON AT DEBATE, WHICH AFTER WITH SORROW REPENTS HIM TOO LATE.
SCHOOL FIRST, AS IN THE PRESENTATION OF DISCUSSES UPFRONT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, AND THAT IS TO MANAGE FINANCIAL RESOURCES BETTER IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM ALLOCATION POSSIBLE FOR DISTRICT INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES.
THERE'S A BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM IN THAT WORD, FOR SURE, BUT THAT'S WHAT OUR ENTIRE FOCUS SHOULD BE WITH OUR FINANCES IS HOW DO WE MAKE INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES BETTER? SO WHEN WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE DILAPIDATED LABS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT FIRST AND FOREMOST BEFORE WE DID MAX, BEFORE WE DID RETURFING FIELD, BEFORE ANY OF THOSE OTHER SORT OF ANCILLARY THINGS THAT THAT PROVIDE TO THE HOLISTIC EDUCATION OF A CHILD SHOULD BE DONE.
AND THAT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A BOARD TO DO THAT.
IF I OF YOU GET A VIDEO OF SOME OF THIS, PERHAPS IN A LIBRARY FORMAT, I'VE SUGGESTED BEFORE THAT THAT SOME OF THESE COMPLEXITIES OF EDUCATION FOR THE COMMON RESIDENT OF OUR DISTRICT MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO TO EXPLAIN IN A VIDEO FORMAT SO SOMEONE CAN JUST CLICK AND WATCH.
PERHAPS. MR. PATE, I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT TO DO SOMETHING WHERE HE'S EXPLAINED TO ME MANY OF THESE COMPLEXITIES, MANY OF THESE ISSUES WITH BUDGETARY FUNDS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING.
WE EXCEED 75 DAYS OF OPERATION BY $91 MILLION, 175 DAYS OF CASH ON HAND.
ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. SCHOOL BOARD.
THAT'S YOUR JOB. I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE IN-DEPTH PROBES.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO INQUIRE ABOUT.
WE ALL WENT INTO CLOSED MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TO DISCUSS THAT.
I SEE THE ONE FROM AUGUST IS ON THERE, BUT THERE'S NO UPDATED COPY.
IT WAS NOTHING SIGNED, ANYTHING SIGNED, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE IT WAS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
I SPENT A LITTLE TIME ON THOSE $54,000 IN EXPENSES FOR TRAVEL AND MEAL REIMBURSEMENTS.
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS WE CAN MANAGE WHEN THE BUDGET IS TIGHT.
AND WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE ARE WE SPENDING OUR MONEY.
AND ON THAT NOTE, TO BE POSITIVE, THANK YOU AGAIN TO MR. PATE AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM. I THINK THEY'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB OF MANAGING OUR BUDGET.
THE THINGS THIS THICK, IT'S A LOT OF MINUTIAE, A LOT OF PAPERWORK, A LOT OF DETAIL.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, SIR.
YOU DO A GREAT JOB. APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BLACKMAN. MISS HARRIS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS FOR THE HEARING PORTION.
WE WILL NOW OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 39 OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE AND SECTION 109.1001 OF THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE CONCERNING THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY RATING SYSTEM OF TEXAS FIRST RATING REPORT.
MS.. BRANUM, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION FOR US? THANK YOU. MS.. HARRIS. I DO THANK YOU.
WE PRESENT THE REPORT FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION AND NO ACTION IS REQUIRED.
[00:40:04]
MR. PATE. THANK YOU, MRS. BRANUM. TRUSTEES.JUST WANT TO START AND POINT OUT ON THIS FIRST SLIDE, THIS IS THE 2003 RATINGS REPORT, BUT IT IS ALL BASED ON DATA FROM FISCAL YEAR 22.
SO THE RATING IS BASED ON LAST YEAR.
THE DATES ARE JUST THE START OF THE CONFUSING CONFUSION RELATED TO THIS PROCESS.
SCHOOL FIRST IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO MANAGE THEIR FINANCIAL RESOURCES BETTER, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM ALLOCATION POSSIBLE FOR DIRECT INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES.
THERE ARE SEVERAL INDICATORS THAT MUST BE PASSED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A RATING OF SUPERIOR.
THOSE ARE CONSIDERED THE CRITICAL INDICATORS AND THEY ARE ONE THROUGH SIX, 16, 17 AND 20 AND IN CRITICAL INDICATOR FIVE WAS NOT SCORED.
AND THOSE ARE ALL PASS FAIL INDICATORS.
THE REMAINING INDICATORS RECEIVE BETWEEN 5 AND 10 POINTS AS THE MAXIMUM.
AND WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THE INDICATORS INDIVIDUALLY.
AND SO HERE ON THE FIRST ONE, YES, THE DISTRICT'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT WAS FILED ON TIME.
OOPS. YES, RICHARDSON ISD RECEIVED AN UNMODIFIED OR CLEAN OPINION ON THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDIT, SO WE PASSED THAT INDICATOR.
YES, WE MADE ALL OF OUR DEBT PAYMENTS ON TIME PAST THAT INDICATOR.
YES. ASSIGNED AND UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE WERE MORE THAN 75 DAYS OF OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES PASSED.
YES, WE HAD MORE THAN 90 DAYS OF CASH ON HAND.
CURRENT ASSETS WERE MORE THAN THREE TIMES CURRENT LIABILITIES.
YES. GENERAL FUND REVENUES EXCEEDED GENERAL FUND EXPENSES.
THERE WAS LESS THAN A 10% VARIANCE BETWEEN BUDGET AND ACTUAL REVENUES.
LONG TERM LIABILITIES WERE 62% OF TOTAL ASSETS.
AND THIS IS A DECREASE FROM PRIOR YEAR.
LAST YEAR WE RECEIVED TEN POINTS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD A SLIGHT DECREASE.
WRITING. RSPB'S OUTSTANDING BONDS PER $100 OF VALUE ARE LESS THAN FOUR TIMES THE ASSESSED VALUE.
EXCUSE ME. I WAS ON THE WRONG.
THERE'S NO EASY WAY TO SIMPLIFY THIS ONE.
BASICALLY, IT'S A MEASURE OF CAN WE MAKE OUR DEBT PAYMENTS? YES, WE CAN MAKE OUR DEBT PAYMENTS.
RICHARDSON'S ADMINISTRATIVE COST RATIO WAS 6.1%, WHICH IS LESS THAN THE THRESHOLD OF 8.55%, SO WE RECEIVE THE MAXIMUM OF TEN POINTS. AND THIS INDICATOR WAS NOT EVALUATED FOR 2223 RATING PURPOSES, SO WE RECEIVED THE MAXIMUM POINTS.
YES, THAT ONE WAS NOT EVALUATED.
THE ADA WITHIN THE ALLOTTED RANGE WAS ALSO NOT EVALUATED FOR 20 TO 23.
YES, OUR AUDIT REPORT AND OUR TEAM'S DATA MATCH.
SO WE RECEIVED A PASSING RATING ON THAT ONE.
[00:45:05]
THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT WAS FREE OF MATERIAL WEAKNESSES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING AND COMPLIANCE FOR OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS.SOME OF THESE LOOK EXACTLY ALIKE.
SO SORRY, I'M GOING A LITTLE SLOW THERE.
RZD POSTED ALL REQUIRED FINANCIAL INFORMATION, SO WE RECEIVED IN THIS CASE FIVE POINTS.
ALL THAT INFORMATION IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND YES, THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE SCHOOL BOARD DISCUSSED CHANGES TO LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING AT A MEETING WITHIN 120 DAYS PRIOR TO ADOPTING THE BUDGET PASSED. THEN THERE'S A FEW ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO POST.
ONE IS THE SUPERINTENDENTS CONTRACT AND ANY AMENDMENTS EFFECTIVE AS OF THE DATE OF THIS HEARING.
AND YES, THOSE ARE POSTED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.
AND THERE'S THE WEBSITE ADDRESS.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO REPORT WHETHER OR NOT CERTAIN OTHER TRANSACTIONS.
SO THE SUPERINTENDENT DID NOT RECEIVE OUTSIDE COMPENSATION IN FISCAL YEAR 2023.
NO GIFTS WERE RECEIVED BY EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND THE BOARD IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, AND THERE WERE NO BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN THE THE DISTRICT AND BOARD MEMBERS IN 2023.
WE RECEIVE A RATING OF SUPERIOR.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THESE RESULTS ARE THE WORK OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND HELPING US TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
WHILE THAT IS TRUE, AGAIN, YOU LEAD THIS WORK AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS ENSURING THAT OUR PROCESSES AND OUR SYSTEMS ARE IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN EARN AND CONTINUE TO EARN THE TRUST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR TAXPAYERS WHO ARE INVESTING IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
SO THANK YOU, MR. PAYTON. THANK YOU.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR ENTIRE TEAM KNOWS OUR APPRECIATION AS WELL.
MISS HARRIS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND WE THANK YOU.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE WORK.
AND IT JUST SOMETIMES IT CAN BE UNDERAPPRECIATED, SOMETIMES UNTIL SOMETHING YOU DON'T REALIZE YOU NEED IT UNTIL SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS AND THEN YOU SO APPRECIATE IT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL JUST SAY IT ONE MORE TIME THAT IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED BY ALL OF US.
THANK YOU MR. EAGER. WE DO APPRECIATE YOU.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AND NO ACTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE FIRST READING REPORT.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS FOR THE REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
[III. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]
MR. POTEAT, DO WE HAVE ANYONE WANTING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? YES WE DO. MS.. HARRIS, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS TONIGHT.AS A REMINDER, WE ASK THAT YOU FOLLOW THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PROTOCOLS AS NOTED ON THE WEBSITE.
SPEAKERS, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
WE'LL START WITH MS.. AMY GILL.
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE, AND TONIGHT I WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THAT EXPERIENCE WITH YOU.
THE RISD HIRES AN UNQUALIFIED COACH.
[00:50:01]
THE NEGLECTS HER SUPERVISION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.I COMPLAIN THAT OUR HEAD COACH IS UNQUALIFIED.
THE RISD APPOINTS AN ADDITIONAL UNQUALIFIED COACH.
THE RISD ASSIGNS THE HEAD COACH FOR SUPERVISORS.
THE IRIS HAS A FIFTH PERSON INVESTIGATE PARENTAL COMPLAINTS.
I TELL YOU, THERE IS NO JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A HEAD COACH.
I TELL YOU THAT OVER THE LAST TWO SCHOOL YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN NO INSTRUCTION TAKING PLACE IN MY CHILD'S CLASS DURING THE FINAL NINE WEEK GRADING PERIOD.
THE ESD SAYS THAT WILL CHANGE.
I SUBMIT A REPORT WITH APPENDICES DETAILING SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS IN THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.
THE SD TELLS ME THEY DON'T HEAR FROM OTHER PARENTS.
PARENTS GET TOGETHER A PETITION SIGNED BY OVER 100 PEOPLE IN ONE WEEKEND.
THE 60 TELLS ME THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN ANYTHING.
PEOPLE SIGN PETITIONS THEY DON'T READ ALL THE TIME.
CHEERLEADERS CRY WITH EMBARRASSMENT AFTER A PERFORMANCE.
THE RISD ASKED ME IF I'M TELLING THEM THEY ARE BAD.
THE CALLED TEAM MEMBERS OUT OF CLASS TO INVESTIGATE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE COACH.
AND THEN HOLDS A MEETING WITH THE GIRLS, MENTIONING THAT.
THEY ARE GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE COACHES AND THAT THERE WILL BE NO COACHING CHANGES.
I SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION OF COACHES INCOMPETENCE, TOXICITY, AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE THE.
SHE TELLS ME SHE IS AND WILL BE THE COACH.
I CREATED THE BETTER BIRKNER COALITION ON FACEBOOK TO SEEK CHANGE.
AND I REALLY NEED YOU TO AGREE THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER THAN THIS.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CAMMY.
I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING ABOUT SOMETHING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I USUALLY SPEAK ABOUT, AND I'M GOING TO OFFER MY TIME TO SPEAK FROM MY HEART.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE MAIL YOU SENT REGARDING THE WAR IN ISRAEL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY TOUCHING.
YOU KNOW, BEING A MOM MYSELF AND I'VE LOST TWO BABIES AND MY DAUGHTER WAS REALLY INJURED.
I KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY AND THE PAIN IT IS TO LOSE A CHILD.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR CHILDREN FROM THIS AND CHILDREN ARE GETTING INJURED.
FOR THE LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT MAKING THIS DISTRICT A BETTER ONE, BUT WE USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO PRAY FOR ALL THE MOTHERS AND CHILDREN OUT THERE IN MAUI, IN ISRAEL, IN GAZA, IN UKRAINE, AND ALL THE OTHER COUNTRIES, AND THAT YOU COMFORT THEM AND THAT YOU STRENGTHEN THEM, AND YOUR LOVE AND YOUR PEACE WILL ABIDE, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY WHEN WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER THAT WE CAN TRULY LIVE IN HARMONY.
THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR ANSWERED PRAYER.
ADEPOJU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. RANDY BLANKENSHIP.
IT'S FUNNY. I CAN'T SEE WITH MY GLASSES ON.
[00:55:10]
LIBRARIES AND TAUGHT IN SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES.THIS PROHIBITED MATERIAL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ALSO, IF A TOPIC IS PROHIBITED BY FROM BEING TAUGHT BY A CERTIFIED TEACHER, THEN IT CANNOT BE TAUGHT, EXPRESSED OR CONDONED BY A NON CERTIFIED TEACHER.
THIS WOULD ALSO EXTEND TO ANY STUDENT OR STUDENT ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD WANT TO EXPRESS SUCH PROHIBITED TOPICS OR IDEAS, SO IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW YOU WRAP IT UP, IT REMAINS PROHIBITED.
CLOSING. CLOSING THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE A START.
SINCE MID AUGUST, MY DONATION OF QUALITY BOOKS TO THE DISTRICT HAD BEEN HELD UP AND NOT ACCEPTED.
QUALITY BOOKS RETAIL VALUE OF ABOUT $15,000 REMAIN IN LIMBO.
IT HAS BEEN ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS, ACTUALLY, ABOUT TWO MONTHS.
THE CONSTITUTION, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE FEDERALIST PAPERS AND OTHER FOUNDING DOCUMENTS, WHICH GOES BY TEXAS CHAPTER 28 OF THE TEXAS CODE, HAVE NOT BEEN ACCEPTED.
WHY? THIS IS SOMETHING YOU GUYS NEED TO LOOK INTO.
WHY IS THERE A DELAY YET? BOOKS AND PROHIBITED MATERIAL BY STATE LAW REMAIN IN THE LIBRARIES, CLASSROOMS, AND HALLWAYS.
THERE IS NO SUCH DEFENSE OR PROTECTIVE RIGHT TO AN INAPPROPRIATE, UNETHICAL, OR IMMORAL THEME, SUBJECT OR ACTIVITY. IT DOES NOT EXIST IN THE LAW.
IT IS BEYOND TIME FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION AND OVERSIGHT TO THE ADMINISTRATION BY FAITHFULLY OBSERVANCE AND OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW.
AND IN CLOSING, THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED QUICKLY.
THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR OF TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THIS.
PRESIDENT HARRIS, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM BOARD MEMBERS AND DEDICATE DEDICATED STAFF.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS AN ADVOCATE FOR A CHANGE.
A CONCERNED PARENT AND A TAXPAYER.
MOCKING AND SLANDERING THE VERY CORE OF CHRISTIAN VALUES AND FAITH.
THE BOOK THAT THAT THAT HAS AROSE.
OUR DEEP CONCERN IS WHAT OUR GIRLS MADE OF BY ELLEN K ARNOLD.
ALLOW ME TO PRESENT TWO DISTRESSING PASSAGES THAT VIVIDLY ILLUSTRATES THE GRAPHIC OF THIS ISSUE.
EVERY SUNDAY IN CHURCH, SWELLING SETS COME SOMETHING ON THAT TRAIL, ISN'T IT? ISN'T IT DIFFERENT? IS IT? THIS IS A SUBTITLE.
ON PAGE 58, QUOTE, WE FIND THE PASSAGE SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT WORSHIPING JESUS.
BUT COME ON, SHE'S TALKING ABOUT SEX.
THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTED TO GIVE HIM, TO GIVE JESUS HEAD.
WE CANNOT SIMPLY DELEGATE THE CRITICAL ISSUES TO LEAVE IT UP TO THE PROFESSIONALS.
[01:00:08]
AS I'M SORRY, CHILDREN'S FUTURE ARE AT STAKE.STAND UP FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
NEXT SPEAKER. AND LAST SPEAKER IS MR. EWAN BLACKMAN.
HI AGAIN. IS THIS REAL LIFE? IS THIS JUST FANTASY? CAUGHT IN A LANDSLIDE.
LOOK UP TO THE SKIES AND SEE I'M JUST A POOR BOY I NEED NO SYMPATHY.
BECAUSE I'M EASY COME, EASY GO.
I'VE PAID MY DUES TIME AFTER TIME.
I'VE DONE MY SENTENCE BUT COMMITTED NO CRIME.
I'VE HAD MY SHARE OF SAND KICKED IN MY FACE.
AND WE MEAN TO GO ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON.
BECAUSE WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD.
WITH ALL DUE DEFERENCE TO THE DALLAS COWBOYS, FREDDIE MERCURY.
A LOT GOES INTO HOLDING FOLKS ACCOUNTABLE.
A LOT GOES INTO ACCOUNTABILITY.
I DO SO IN THE SHADOWS OF THOSE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE THE SHADOWS.
SOME NAMES YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH BILL AMES, LYNN DAVENPORT, TO NAME JUST TWO.
IT'S NOT EASY TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
YOU GET SHUNNED, YOU GET GHOSTED.
I SEE THE SILHOUETTE OF A MAN.
WILL YOU DO THE FANDANGO? THUNDERBOLTS AND LIGHTNING.
IN THE LAWSUIT FOR A TIME OF VIOLATION.
UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, HE USED A GREAT QUOTE THAT I MYSELF WILL USE HERE A FEW TIMES THAT SAYS.
SUNLIGHT IS THE BEST DISINFECTANT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THAT SCHOOL FIRST PRESENTATION EARLIER.
IT'S WHY WE HAVE THE ACCOUNTABILITY, A3F RATING FOR THE FOIBLES THAT IT HAS.
SO WHEN I DO SPEAK UP, IT'S BECAUSE THINGS HAVE FALLEN APART.
AND THROUGH THAT I SHALL CARRY ON.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE, BECAUSE LATER ON, YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM A FORMER STUDENT OF MINE WHO IS AN AMAZING LADY, A WONDERFUL LADY, AND AN ASSET TO OUR DISTRICT. AND I HOPE WHEN YOU DO SO, YOU WILL NOT GIVE ME ANY CREDIT FOR THE GREATNESS THAT SHE DOES, BECAUSE SHE BROUGHT THAT TO MY CLASSROOM AND SHE LEFT THAT WITH MY CLASSROOM AND BRINGS IT TO YOU TONIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
MISS HARRIS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. POTEET.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND SPEAKING FOR.
DO YOU ALL WANT TO TAKE A BREAK OR WE WANT TO PUSH THROUGH? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL KEEP GOING.
OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[IV. CONSENT / CONFIRMATION AGENDA ITEMS]
DOES ANYONE WISH TO PULL ANY CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED. THANK YOU, MISS TIMMY.THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA BY MISS TIMMY AND SECOND, BY MISS MCGOWAN.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. MS. HARRIS. I'M SORRY. GO RIGHT AHEAD, MR. POTEET. JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE CLARIFICATION REAL QUICK, I KNOW ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WE HAD THE POLICIES THAT WERE BEING UPDATED.
[01:05:05]
AND MISS MCGOWAN'S BEEN KIND OF LEADING THE SUBCOMMITTEE THROUGH THAT.AND I THINK WE'RE ABOUT THERE.
A LOT OF IT IS VERY I WON'T SAY MINUTIAE, BUT A LOT OF IT IS JUST SOME ADMINISTRATIVE CLEANUP.
WE'RE THERE. WE'RE CATCHING UP ON THE CLEANUP.
YEAH, WE'RE CATCHING UP ON THE CLEANUP ALL NIGHT.
AND I THINK WE'RE ABOUT THERE.
THOUGH I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE DO HAVE A NEW UPDATE, I THINK, GETTING READY TO HIT THE STREETS.
SO ANYWAY, JUST WANTED TO SAY IT'S BEEN A GOOD EXERCISE.
ALL RIGHT. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. SO THERE IS A MOTION BY MISS TIMMY.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[V.A. Consider Gifts]
OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM IS TO CONSIDER GIFTS.MS.. BRANUM ACTUALLY MS. HARRIS THIS EVENING. WE WILL NOT NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE GIFTS OVER 5000, BUT WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF GIFTS UNDER 5000.
SO, MR. PATE, WILL YOU JUST SHARE WITH THE BOARD OUR TOTALS FOR THE MONTH? YES, WE HAVE NINE GIFTS, LESS THAN $5,000, TOTALING $5,536.56.
SO AGAIN, WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY, OUR PARTNERS, OUR PTA, JUST SO MANY BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS WHO CONTINUE TO GIVE AND SUPPORT THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING EVERY DAY WITH OUR STUDENTS. AND SO WE JUST THANK ALL OF THEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE GIFTS.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN ACTION ITEM TO CONSIDER THE 2023 2024 DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
[V.B. Consider 2023-2024 District Improvement Plan]
MS.. BRANUM. THANK YOU, MS..ALSO DID A PHENOMENAL JOB AT OUR LAST MEETING IN WALKING THE BOARD THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE USE TO DEVELOP THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THE MAIN CORE ELEMENTS OF THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
MR. HOSSA, WOULD THERE BE ANYTHING YOU WOULD WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? NO, WE WE WENT IN-DEPTH IN THE SEPTEMBER TIME THAT WE HAD TOGETHER, AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE PROVIDED YOU ALL THE INFORMATION AS FAR AS THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED.
THANK YOU. MR. HASO. IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. THANK YOU.
MR. EAGER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU.
MS. RENTERÍA. THERE IS A MOTION BY MR. EAGER. A SECOND BY MISS RENTERIA.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MISS TIMMY? OH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, BECAUSE WE HAD REALLY GREAT PRESENTATION, BUT JUST JUST AS A REMINDER, I JUST WANTED TO JUST BRING TO THE FOREFRONT THAT A LOT OF THIS IS DEVELOPED AROUND OUR NORTH STAR GROWTH GOAL, AND THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO US.
NORMING AROUND THAT, I DID JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT THAT.
OR DO YOU GUYS DO USE THIS TO DEVELOP SOME OF YOUR STAFF DEVELOPMENT FROM FEEDBACK FROM THOSE YOU ARE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS? YES, MA'AM. AND SO ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IS WHEN WE MEET WITH OUR DISTRICT PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THEY PROVIDE, AGAIN, WE HAVE TEACHERS, WE HAVE LEADERSHIP TEAM, WE HAVE PRINCIPALS, WE HAVE PARAPROFESSIONALS, AND THEY ALL GIVE US VERY FIRST HAND FEEDBACK ON WHAT WORKED WELL THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHAT MAYBE ARE EVEN SOME NEEDS THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR THAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, AND HOW CAN WE BEST SUPPORT THEM IN ACHIEVING THE NORTH STAR GOAL IN THE PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES THAT ARE IN THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN? I WILL ALSO SAY AFTER EVERY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY, WE ALSO SEEK INPUT FROM OUR STAFF AND THEY GIVE US DIRECT FEEDBACK SO THAT WE CAN ALIGN.
SO I JUST ALSO WANT TO BRING TO LIGHT TO THAT.
I HAVE HEARD JUST OVER TIME, JUST CONTINUED AUTHENTIC FEEDBACK FOR WHAT IS WORKING SO THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO IT IN OTHER THINGS WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'D BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, WHETHER IT'S HOW MANY CLICKS DOWN SOMETHING IS OR WHETHER IT'S WHATEVER, THAT HELPS WITH THEIR GROWTH.
SO I DID JUST WANT TO BRING THAT FORWARD AND SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT.
[01:10:02]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.ANY OTHER COMMENTS QUESTIONS? MISS MCGOWAN? JUST ONE QUESTION.
THIS IS ALSO A LIVING DOCUMENT.
THERE ARE CHANGES THAT CAN STILL BE MADE.
AND YOU DO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT.
ONE IS THAT ACTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO BE HEADING INTO THIS IN TWO WEEKS.
OUR FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT WILL BE DUE.
WHAT MAYBE ARE SOME STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED? HOW WELL ARE THOSE GOING? MAYBE WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE NOT LAUNCHED YET OR INITIATED AND WHY NOT? AND THEN WE ALSO EVALUATE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN JULY AND AUGUST.
WE WERE DEVELOPING THE PLAN THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ADJUSTMENTS MADE.
MAYBE THERE IS A NEW STUDENT NEED THAT IS MET AND IT WAS NOT REFLECTED IN THE PLAN.
OR WE NEED TO SUNSET SOMETHING TO CREATE CAPACITY TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
AND THOSE CHANGES WOULD ALL BE REFLECTED IN THAT FIRST QUARTERLY UPDATE.
WE ALSO THEN TAKE THAT FIRST QUARTERLY UPDATE.
OF COURSE, WE SEND IT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR YOUR REVIEW.
AND THEN WE ALSO POST THAT DYNAMICALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE DO THAT BOTH WITH THE CIP AND THE DIP.
SO YES, THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT AT OUR PRINCIPAL MEETINGS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? MR. POTEET? YES.
AND I KEEP GETTING A FIX TO THE GOALS, THE FIVE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.
AND I THINK TO DOVETAIL OFF WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER, THE FOCUS ON GROWTH IS VERY APPARENT HERE.
THEY ALL MENTIONED GROWTH AND THEY'RE ALL THREE OF THEM SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED GROWTH.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE TWO THAT DID NOT.
ONE TALKS ABOUT THE RETAINING AND RECRUITING OF QUALIFIED STAFF, AND WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET GROWTH WITH OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF IF WE DON'T HAVE THE BEST AND TRY AND GET THE BEST AND TRY AND KEEP THE BEST.
SO THAT'S SO THAT'S DEFINITELY TIED INTO GROWTH.
AND THE OTHER ONE TALKS ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF TIMES THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE GROWTH IF WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, QUALIFIED TEACHER, A WILLING STUDENT AND ENGAGED FAMILY OR PARENTS THAT ARE ALSO PART OF THAT TEAM. SO I THINK THAT'S A CRITICAL ONE THAT SUPPORTS THAT GROWTH AS WELL.
HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THOSE OTHER FOUR.
WHILE WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LEAN AND WE'RE DOING IT AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE QUARTERLY, THOSE QUARTERLY FEEDBACKS ON WHERE WE STAND AND STUFF.
THAT'LL BE A GREAT TOUCH POINT AS WE GO FORWARD.
A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE MADE IN THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR WAS THE FACT THAT ON THAT NOVEMBER 6TH AND SEVENTH, THAT WE HAVE COMING UP, ONE OF THOSE DAYS THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE IS SPECIFICALLY AROUND PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND HOW ARE OUR TEACHERS AND GIVING TIME IF WE SAY IT'S A PRIORITY, IF WE SAY THAT WE WANT OUR PARENTS TO HAVE A PATHWAY OR A RUNWAY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TIME AND WE HAVE TO SAY IT'S A PRIORITY.
SO ENSURING THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE A DAY OF DISTRICT WIDE DAY, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A DAY WHERE THEY CAN JUST MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS, HAVE THOSE PARENT MEETINGS, SEND THOSE PARENT NOTES HOME, REVIEW THOSE MATH SCORES, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY NEED TO TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH THAT PARENT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN THE TIME.
AND WE WILL AGAIN, TO MISS TIMMY'S POINT EARLIER, WE WILL GET FEEDBACK ON HOW WELL THAT WORKED AND WHAT WOULD TEACHERS LIKE TO SEE DIFFERENTLY AS WE TALK ABOUT FUTURE CALENDARS? AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T GIVE CREDIT FOR THE TERM SUNSET AS WELL, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE PROCESSES AND WE TYPICALLY ONCE WE START IT, IT'S HARD TO GIVE UP.
IT'S HARD TO STOP. SO I LOVE THAT WE'RE OPENING UP FROM A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PERSPECTIVE THAT IF IT'S NOT WORKING, WE'RE GOING TO SUNSET IT AND TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUALITY TO HAVE IN ANY TYPE OF STRATEGIC PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, MR. POTTY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
SO THERE IS A MOTION BY MR. EAGER, A SECOND BY MS. RENTERÍA. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[01:15:05]
THANK YOU ALL. AND THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK.THANK YOU, MR. HANSON. THANK YOU.
MR.. MR.. OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN ACTION ITEM TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE
[V.C. Consider 2023-2024 Campus Improvement Plans]
2023 2024 CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.MS.. HARRIS. AGAIN, WE I THINK THIS KIND OF DOVETAILS NICELY WITH OUR DIP.
SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS TO ADD.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MS.. BRANUM.
THANK YOU, MR. POTEAT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MISS TIMMY.
THERE IS A MOTION BY MR. POTEET. A SECOND BY MISS TIMMY.
IS THERE ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? BOARD. MS..
THAT BEING SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM.
BUT I DID GO THROUGH AND LOOKED AT THE HIGHLIGHTS.
I DO APPRECIATE THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE GROWTH GOAL.
THE OTHER THING THAT I APPRECIATE TOO, IS I THINK IN PAST AT LEAST MY EXPERIENCE, THE CIPS HAVE HAD SO MANY NEW THINGS ALL THE TIME, AND IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPETITION. LIKE, WHO CAN DO MORE? LISTEN, I FELL INTO THAT, RIGHT? BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO APPRECIATE IS WE REALLY ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON GROWTH.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE TIME TO GET GOOD AT WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING GOOD AT, RIGHT? AND SO IF WE'RE REALLY ASKING THEM TO RAISE THOSE THIRD GRADE READING SCORES, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO RAISE THOSE SCORES, NOT HAVING A TON OF NEW THINGS EVERY SINGLE YEAR, AND REALLY LETTING THEM GET DOWN TO FOCUS AND REFINE ON THOSE SKILLS THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK WHEN YOU SCAN AND PERUSE THE CIPS, YOU SEE A LOT OF THAT.
IT'S ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION, IT'S ABOUT SUPPORT, IT'S ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS.
AND I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT IS, THAT IS NO SMALL JOB.
SO MUCH APPRECIATED TO THE ENTIRE CREW THAT DID THAT.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, MISS PACHECO? YES. I JUST WANT TO ADD, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MISS TAMMY HAS SAID.
I DID REVIEW SOME, NOT ALL OF THEM.
BUT I JUST REALLY DO LIKE HOW THE FOCUS ON OUR FIVE MAIN OBJECTIVES WAS JUST VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT BY EVERY SINGLE CIP THAT I LOOKED AT. I APPRECIATE IT, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENT GROWTH FOCUS ON ALL OF A LOT OF THE OBJECTIVES, THEIR FOCUS ON HOW ATTENDANCE AFFECTS THEIR LEARNING, THE EFFICIENCIES AND PROCESSES, THE MENTORSHIPS BETWEEN TEACHERS AND AND OTHER ADMIN AND LEADERSHIP EVERYWHERE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE AND A LOT OF OUR CIP.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING SO HARD, EVERYBODY.
ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS PACHECO.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE, THERE IS A MOTION BY MR. POTEET, A SECOND BY MISS TIMMY.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
ALL RIGHT. MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM, AN ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE RICHARDSON ISD FOUNDATION.
[V.D. The Richardson ISD Foundation Annual Report]
MS.. BRANUM, I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED TO PASS OFF THIS INTRODUCTION TO DR.AND WHEN YOU HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT GATHER AROUND THE TABLE WITH A SOLE FOCUS OF HOW DO WE CURATE RESOURCES SO THAT WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT KIDS, AND SO THAT NORTH STAR GOAL CAN MOVE FROM A GOAL TO A REALITY.
I JUST I'M JUST SO APPRECIATIVE OF THEM.
AND DR. HELLER HELPS LEAD THIS WORK ALONG WITH OUR PHENOMENAL DIRECTOR.
AND SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HER SO SHE CAN PROVIDE INTRODUCTIONS.
AND THEN WE WILL PROVIDE OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUPERINTENDENT BROWN AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE AND TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
[01:20:02]
GOT THE RIGHT NEXT LEADER.THERE HAS A LOT THAT HAS HAPPENED.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE SUPPORT OF SOME OF HER FOUNDATION, THE FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS HERE.
SO WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO YOU THIS EVENING.
SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM, PRESIDENT HARRIS, ALL OF THE RICHARDSON ISD TRUSTEES AND CABINET, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU IN THE COMMUNITY AN UPDATE ON THE RICHARDSON ISD FOUNDATION.
I'M GOING TO START OUR PRESENTATION BY INTRODUCING OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
WE ARE ALSO VERY FORTUNATE AND BLESSED TO HAVE FOUR EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS WHO ARE ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE AND WORK ALONGSIDE OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS PART OF THE TEAM, PROVIDING VERY VALUABLE INSIGHTS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM TRUSTEE MS. RENTERÍA DR.
HELLER. AND NOT WITH US TODAY IS SARAH BARKER, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF PTAS.
AND BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I HAVE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO GIVE A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO TRUSTEE EGER, WHO SERVED ON OUR BOARD AS OUR BOARD LIAISON FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND THERE IS A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION AT YOUR SEAT.
THERE'S A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION COMING TO YOUR SEAT.
OKAY. JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THE RICHARDSON ISD FOUNDATION WAS STARTED IN 1984.
WE ARE A 500 AND 1C3 ORGANIZATION, AND WE HAVE THE HONOR AND DISTINCTION OF BEING.
OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE IMPACTFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO BENEFIT ALL WITHIN RICHARDSON ISD.
INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, AND EQUITY ARE THE LENS, AND THEY EXPRESS THE HEART OF THE FOUNDATION AND THE FILTER WITH WHICH WE USE TO EVALUATE ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES.
HELLER MENTIONED, WHEN I WAS HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AS A TEAM.
AND OVER THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE REALLY KEPT THAT MOMENTUM GOING.
FIRST, WE EXPANDED AND RELAUNCHED OUR MONTHLY GIVING PROGRAM.
I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THIS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT REALLY A LOT OF EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ARE DOING IT THIS WAY, SO WE HAVE EXPANDED IT TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE REBRANDED IT CALLED GEMS, WHICH STANDS FOR GIVES EVERY MONTH.
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OVER 100 MONTHLY GIVERS AND GROWING WHO PROVIDE ANYWHERE STARTING AT $5 A MONTH, UP TO $20 A MONTH.
WE ALSO STRENGTHEN OUR CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, STATE FARM EXPANDED THEIR SUPPORT OF US BY ABOUT $14,500.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR RICHARDSON ISD IS WE NOW HAVE $79,500 TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF AVID, WHICH I'M SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF. ATMOS ENERGY ALSO STEPPED UP.
THEY WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPORTING OUR PROGRAM AND THEY SAID WE CAN DO MORE.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THAT EXPANSION.
AND YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE AT YOUR DESK OR 20, 22, 23 YEAR IN REVIEW.
SO WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO SUCCESSFULLY REBRANDED OUR SPRING FUNDRAISER.
[01:25:05]
SO A YEAR AGO I TOLD YOU THAT TO STICK IN THERE WITH ME, WE WERE GOING TO CHANGE BOOTS AND BOW TIES AND WE DID THAT.SO WE JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SUPPORT THERE.
AND OUR FISCAL YEAR STARTS ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AND WE REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
WE ARE A MONTH IN 12 DAYS IN, AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD OUR NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY AND SAW SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN PARTICIPATION FROM THE COMMUNITY. THIS YEAR, WE HAD OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY AND RAISED OVER $24,000.
BUT HERE'S THE NUMBERS THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF.
SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, ON THIS SLIDE, WE HOSTED OUR FIRST EVER RAGE, WHICH STANDS FOR ROBOTICS ANIME GAMING EXPERIENCE. I HAVE TO LOOK AT TRUSTEE HERE.
THIS WAS AN IDEA HE HAD YEARS AGO, AND WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO LAUNCH IT THIS YEAR.
WE HAD OVER 200 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEY DIDN'T JUST COME FROM RICHARDSON ISD.
WE HAD, FOR ALL YOU GAMERS OUT THERE, WE HAD A ROCKET LEAGUE AND SUPER SMASH BROS.
WE HAD STEM PANELS THAT INCLUDED PARTNERS FROM TI.
WE HAD ANIME VOICE ACTORS, AND SO WE HAD SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD HANDS ON DEMOS AND THINGS FOR THE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO INTO OUR IMPACT OVER THIS YEAR.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE SOMETHING THAT IS VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU ALL AT THE TOP OF THIS SLIDE.
AND IT IS THE RAISED GOALS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BECAUSE AS WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR IMPACT AND HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING THE DISTRICT, WE'RE LOOKING AT, HOW DO WE HELP YOU MOVE ALONG IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND HOW DO WE HELP REACH THAT NORTH STAR GOAL WHERE EVERY STUDENT, STAFF AND LEADER ARE ACHIEVING THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH GOALS? SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUR IMPACT, WE HAVE SOME CATEGORIES THAT MOVE ACROSS MULTIPLE MULTIPLE OF THOSE GOALS.
SO OVER THE PAST YEAR I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR CLASS OF 2023.
THE RICHARDSON ISD FOUNDATION GAVE $72,500 TO 37 SENIORS TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION, POST RAISED.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE TEAM MEMBERS TO HELP HONOR CHAMPION AWARD WINNERS, OUR STARS, TEACHERS, THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY PRINCIPALS OF THE YEAR, THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS OF THE YEAR, THE KICKER SERVANT AWARD RECIPIENT, OUR FUJITSU TRAILBLAZER AWARD, WHICH IS AN ELEMENTARY STEM INNOVATOR.
AND THEN ALSO WE GOT TO HONOR FOR T STEM INNOVATION AND TEACHING AWARD RECIPIENTS.
AND THOSE FOUR INDIVIDUALS ALL GOT $10,000 EACH.
AND THAT LIST THAT I JUST READ TO YOU ALL RECEIVED IN TOTAL OVER $57,000 TO JUST THANK THEM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING IN RICHARDSON ISD.
OVER THE LAST YEAR, OUR FOUNDATION ALSO PROVIDED OVER $300,000 TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES AND DISTRICT WIDE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE BACKPACK BASH.
THE RICHARDSON MAYOR'S SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, AND I'D HAVE THAT WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION OUR OWN VERY WONDERFUL INTERN WHO IS FEATURED IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER. RIGHT HAND MY LEFT, YOUR RIGHT CORNER OF OUR.
SHE WORKED TIRELESSLY OVER THE SUMMER AND PLANS TO RETURN TO VOLUNTEER WITH US IN NOVEMBER.
WE WERE ABLE TO HELP UNDERWRITE FAMILY NIGHTS AND WITH SUPPORT FROM PROSPERITY AND ONE OF OUR VERY GENEROUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO HOST AND UNDERWRITE A WEEK LONG STEM.
[01:30:06]
ONE CAMPUSES, AND I AM VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT AS OF THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, OUR FOUNDATION HAS INVESTED OVER $8 MILLION IN RICHARDSON ISD.OVER THE SUMMER, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMPLETED OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM, DR.
HELLER AND TRUSTEE EAGER FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THAT PROCESS.
AND WE NOW HAVE A STRATEGY THAT WILL HELP US STRENGTHEN OUR FOUNDATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN SUPPORTING RICHARDSON ISD. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU VERY BRIEFLY THREE OF OUR GOALS.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO DETERMINE WHO WE ARE AND WHY.
AND MOST PEOPLE WOULD SAY, DON'T YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT? AND THE ANSWER IS YES, WE KNOW.
BUT WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR US IS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OUR EXISTING INITIATIVES, AND WE WANT TO EVOLVE BECAUSE WE WANT TO INCLUDE SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN, SUPPORT THE DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS SHOUTING IT LOUD FROM THE ROOFTOP.
THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO INVEST IN RICHARDSON ISD.
AND THIS IS REALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE DISTRICT.
AND ACTUALLY, IN OUR PREVIOUS SLIDE, YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN EVIDENCE OF SOME OF THE WORK.
WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT OUR IMPACT.
AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT HELP THE DISTRICT MOVE FORWARD ITS STRATEGIC PLAN? SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON IN THE NEXT 3 TO 6 MONTHS.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, STARTING WITH THE LAUNCH OF IMPACT AND ACTION, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR NEW QUARTERLY NEWSLETTERS THAT WILL GO OUT TO ALL OF OUR DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS.
SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
UM, WE WILL ALSO BE AND HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED THE PROCESS TO DO A DEEP DIVE INTO OUR FOUNDATION WEBSITE SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT IT FROM A DONOR, A STUDENT, A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE END USER EXPERIENCE IS MATCHING WHO WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION. UM, AND ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME IS GOING TO BE REALLY SURPRISED THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEXT ONE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF REALLY WORKING WITH TWO OUTSIDE ACCOUNTING FIRMS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING A DEEP DIVE IN OUR FINANCES.
WE ARE STREAMLINING OUR PROCESSES.
RICHARD RAINEY IS OUR PREVIOUS TREASURER, HAS BEEN IN THE IN THE TRENCHES WITH ME, AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY FOLLOWING GAAP AND IMPLEMENTING BEST PRACTICES.
AND SO I AM VERY THRILLED THAT WE WILL BE STARTING IN THE NEXT MONTH TO WORK WITH OUR AUDITOR FOR THE REVIEW OF OUR FISCAL YEAR 2223 FINANCES.
UM, ALSO WITH RANDOLPH BROOKS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, WE HAD THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING 40 TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES THROUGH AN EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH PROGRAM THAT WAS STARTED BY THEIR DIRECTOR AND SAID TO US A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE CAN DO MORE.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO GET THAT STARTED THIS YEAR.
AND FINALLY, I MENTIONED PROM AND RAGE EARLIER.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE DAY MAYBE THE MONDAY AFTER RAGE.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED PLANNING FOR BOTH OF THOSE EVENTS FOR 2024.
SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PROM COMING TO YOU IN THE SPRING AND RAGE COMING IN OCTOBER 2024.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE RICHARDSON ISD FOUNDATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OUR DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. WE ABSOLUTELY KNOW THAT IT'S CRITICAL FOR AN EDUCATION FOUNDATION TO HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE DON'T TAKE THAT RELATIONSHIP LIGHTLY AND JUST BUCKLE UP, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME EXCITING THINGS IN OUR FUTURE, AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME.
[01:35:07]
AWARENESS FOR ME.AND VISIBILITY, NOT JUST VISIBILITY, BUT POSITIVE VISIBILITY.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN ABSOLUTELY AWESOME JOB.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT ELSE YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
ANY OTHER WORDS? BOARD MS. RENTERÍA. SO I HAVE TO START BY JUST SAYING HOW EXCITED I AM TO BE A PART OF SUCH AN AMAZING GROUP.
I'M THE LUCKY BOARD MEMBER HERE THAT GETS TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MR. EAGER. SO WE GET APPOINTED TO COMMITTEES AND I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO BE AMONG SUCH PASSIONATE PEOPLE WHO THEIR FOCUS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU WALK INTO THIS ROOM AND OUR FIRST MEETING, YOU WALK INTO THIS ROOM AND THESE PEOPLE ARE JUST READY AND FOCUSED, INTENTIONAL ABOUT IMPACTING THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND IT IS JUST SO EXCITING FOR ME.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT MY VERY GOOD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE MR. EAGER, I MEAN, IT'S BECAUSE OF HIM THAT I WANTED TO BE ON THIS, ON THIS FOUNDATION, ON THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, I WAS ONE THAT DID NOT KNOW MUCH BEFORE.
BUT I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY.
SO ABSOLUTELY, TO WHAT MISS HARRIS SAYS.
I MEAN, TAMIKA, YOU HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF BRINGING AWARENESS.
YOU KNOW, JUST KNOWING WHAT THIS FOUNDATION IS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
SO FOR ME, I AM JUST AGAIN, SO THANKFUL TO MR. EAGER. FIRST OF ALL, HIS HIS PASSION, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS FOCUS AND JUST HE IS JUST SO I MEAN, WHEN, WHEN HE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING, I MEAN, HE WILL DO IT.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW EXCITED I AM TO BE A PART OF THIS.
AND AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, ALL OF YOU.
YEAH, I JUST. LISTEN, I'M NOT GOING TO TOP ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN I WANT TO FOLLOW THAT BY THANKING YOU AND YOUR BOARD FOR IF YOU IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, WHETHER IT BE ESPORTS, WII, READ, WHATEVER, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT YOU'VE PARTNERED WITH THE DISTRICT TO FIND WHAT COULD BE MOST IMPACTFUL FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR DISTRICT, AND ALLOWED US TO OFFER THINGS THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO WITHOUT THAT SUPPORT.
AND SO THAT TAKES A LOT OF DILIGENCE AND READING A LOT OF APPLICATIONS, MAKING SURE YOU DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MONEY THAT'S GIVEN TO THE FOUNDATION SO THAT IT IS EVERYBODY WANTS TO GIVE TO SOMETHING THAT'S IMPACTFUL, AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE WANT TO COME BACK AND GIVE MORE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
AND THAT'S YOUR COMMITTEE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB, YOUR BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL OF THOSE FOLKS.
SO I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN ENGAGING KIDS IN ACTIVITIES AFTER SCHOOL, HAVING THEM PREPARED, EXTRA READING, COMING UP WITH ESPORTS AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT, THAT'S A THING, MAN. WE PROBABLY HIT SOME KIDS WHO MAYBE WEREN'T ENGAGED IN OTHER THINGS.
THAT'S A REAL THING. AND, UM, I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR THEM TO, FOR ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS TO GET AROUND EACH OTHER IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND TO BE IMPACTFUL. UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I WOULD ASK FOR ONE THING, THOUGH, NEXT TIME WHEN YOU ALL TAKE A PICTURE, CAN I TELL MR. POTEAT WHERE THE CAMERA IS? THANK YOU. MISS TIMMY CAN SAY THE SAME THING ANYTIME YOU GIVE CHRIS A LITTLE GRIEF, I CAN'T HELP MYSELF.
I APOLOGIZE, BUT THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
JOB WELL DONE. THANK YOU, MISS MISS PACHECO.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TOP THAT, BUT ANYWAY, THAT WAS.
THAT'S KIND OF FUNNY, MR. POTEAT.
I DO THAT ALL THE TIME. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE IN GOOD COMPANY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW EXCITED I AM TO SEE THIS GROWTH.
BUT I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU GUYS DID FOR A WHILE.
AND THEN YOU CAME AROUND LAST YEAR.
YOU GAVE US ALL OF THESE GOALS.
YOU SAID ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WERE GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND I'VE SEEN ALL THESE THINGS HAPPEN, AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO.
[01:40:04]
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, MISS MCGOWAN? YEAH, I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO AROUND THE TABLE.BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND TO YOUR AMAZING BOARD THAT SUPPORTS YOU.
AND YOU ARE YOU ARE DEFINITELY ABOUT WHAT THE BIG PICTURE IS ABOUT.
AND THAT'S SUPPORTING OUR KIDS AND OUR FAMILIES AND THEIR ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT HERE AT SCHOOL.
AND IF I CAN GIVE YOU MORE MONEY AND MORE MONEY, I WOULD TOO.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS QUESTIONS.
MS. RENTERÍA. JUST ONE LAST THING THAT I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE PROM.
I WENT LAST YEAR AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE EVERYBODY.
YEAH. AND BUT DEFINITELY I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE EVENTS.
BUT ON THAT NOTE, IT'S IT'S ALSO YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND YOUR JUST PASSION AND LOVE FOR THIS IS WHAT MAKES ME EXCITED TOO. AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR A DRESS ALREADY AND I'M ALL EXCITED AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE EVERYONE THERE.
SO THANK YOU. YES, WE'LL SHOP TOGETHER.
MR. EAGER THANK YOU, MISS MR. EAGER. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANKS FOR ALL THOSE KIND WORDS, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF MISS CRAWFORD AND THE GREAT TEAM THEY HAVE, BECAUSE THEY EXECUTE THE ENERGY THAT SHE HAS BROUGHT AND THE WHOLE BOARD.
WHEN YOU SIT IN THAT ROOM, I AM TELLING YOU, YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE GROUP.
AND IT WAS SPARKED BY MISS CRAWFORD WHEN YOU YOU JUST BRING THIS ENERGY AND THIS CAN DO BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I COME UP WITH GREAT IDEAS.
ENTREPRENEURS, DO I COME UP WITH ALL THESE IDEAS? YEAH. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I KNOW THAT'S A SHOCKING.
IT HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE A YEAR AND THEN I'M DONE WITH GOOD IDEAS.
BUT YOU MADE IT HAPPEN AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE KIDS.
AND I WAS TOLD OF ONE STORY OF, I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE BOY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND HE SAW THE ROBOTICS DEMONSTRATION AND HE WAS NEVER SEEN.
AND THEY ASKED FOR HIS ELEMENTARY TO GET ROBOTICS KITS, AND I THINK IT WAS, WESTWOOD SAID.
SO YOU, THROUGH YOUR ENERGY AND THE WORK OF THAT MAY HAVE SPARKED THE NEXT GREAT ENGINEER IN ROBOTICS SIMPLY FROM YOUR EFFORTS, THAT ONE LITTLE SPARK AND YOU'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR MAKING SURE THESE THINGS ARE MAKING A REALITY, BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO COME UP WITH IDEAS AND CONCEPTS, BUT IT'S THE HARD WORK OF YOU AND THAT BOARD AND SHOWING UP EVERY DAY AND GETTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS BECAUSE IT'S INFECTIOUS AND IT STARTS TO GO AND YOU GET OTHER CORPORATIONS, YOU GET OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT ALL STARTS WITH HAVING THAT GREAT LEADER.
SO AND THANK YOU SO MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M HUMBLY I'M ALMOST EMBARRASSED.
BUT YOU GUYS KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WE'LL STILL BE SUPPORTING YOU.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE NEXT THINGS THAT ARE COMING.
THANK YOU. MR. EAGER MS. RENTERÍA. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD AND ON TOP OF THAT SHE'S FROM THE HOTTEST CLASS OF LEADERSHIP.
CAN YOU TELL WE APPRECIATE YOU.
HELLER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.
HELLER. AND, MISS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AS WELL.
[V.E. Drug and Alcohol Task Force Presentation]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM AND PRESENTATION REGARDING THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TASK FORCE.HARRISON. I WISH I HAD A MORE NUANCED SEGWAY TO MOVE FROM THAT CELEBRATION TO A TOPIC THAT IS A LITTLE BIT HEAVIER, BUT IT REALLY IS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT.
AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO IN WHICH WE WERE SEEING IN HEADLINES ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE NATION, ACROSS OUR LOCAL AREA, AROUND FENTANYL AND JUST THE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS THAT IT HAS.
[01:45:03]
AND LOOKING AT OUR NUMBERS OF STUDENTS THAT WERE VAPING, VAPING WITH THC, USING E-CIGARETTES, AND UNDERSTANDING THE RESEARCH AROUND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WANTING TO THINK ABOUT THE WORK DIFFERENTLY.I SENT A LETTER TO OUR COMMUNITY AS A MOM, AS A MOM, BECAUSE THESE DRUGS, THESE E-CIGARETTES, THESE THEY DON'T THERE'S NO DEMOGRAPHIC THAT IS NOT UNTOUCHED.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT AN ETHNICITY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT A ECONOMIC DISPARITY THAT THIS IS IT'S IMPACTING ALL OF OUR KIDS IN SOME WAY.
AND I ASKED OUR PARENTS TO GET INVOLVED, TO GET ENGAGED.
AND THEN I REALLY ASKED OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO KIND OF ASSEMBLE DIFFERENT MINDS IN A ROOM.
AND HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THIS DIFFERENTLY? AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE DOING, DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LOVE RED RIBBON WEEK.
I'M SURE THE TEAM IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT.
RED RIBBON WEEK AND HAVING THEME DAYS AND BUT WHAT IS THE ACTUAL IMPACT AND WHAT IS THE LASTING MESSAGE AND OUTCOME AS A RESULT OF SOMETHING LIKE RED RIBBON WEEK? AND DO WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT OUR PREVENTATIVE MEASURES DIFFERENTLY? AND I SO WANT TO THANK DR.
GIBBONS AND SANDRA HAYES AND MELISSA HELLER.
WE HAD REALLY HARD CONVERSATIONS WITH KIDS.
WE PUT A PANEL OF KIDS AND WE ASKED THEM THE REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR DAILY EXPERIENCES.
WE ASKED THEM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, AND THEY WERE SO REAL AND RAW AROUND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A STUDENT TODAY AND WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? AND AS ADULTS, AS THOSE THAT ARE HERE TO SERVE AND SUPPORT AND GROW THEM, WHAT CAN WE DO TO SOMEHOW? SOMEHOW MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS ARENA.
AND SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD SOME OF THAT WORK.
I WISH THIS WAS THE MAGIC BULLET.
I WISH WE HAD ALL THE ANSWERS.
FIGURING OUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
IT'S GOING TO BE EVERY SINGLE PERSON WORKING IN THIS ORGANIZATION TO LOVE AND SUPPORT AND TO CONNECT WITH EVERY SINGLE STUDENT, AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE SUPPORTS AND THE TOOLS AND THE RESOURCES TO NAVIGATE WHATEVER IT IS, IS THEIR REALITY THAT CAUSES THEM TO ENGAGE IN SOME UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR.
THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM.
AND ON A LIGHTER NOTE, I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT DURING THE LAST PRESENTATION, HENRY ASKED LETICIA TO PROM, AND SHE CHECKED THE YES BOX, AND SO? SO.
YEAH. SO MAKING PLANS ALREADY? I DON'T WANT TO GET ARRESTED.
BRANUM, WE HAVE DAILY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THIS, WHETHER IT BE FROM A DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE OR WHETHER IT BE FOR A SPECIFIC STUDENT, ARE SOME OF THE STORIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OWN DISTRICT AROUND ADDICTION AND THE DECISIONS THAT STUDENTS MAKE AROUND WHEN WHEN THEY HAVE AN ADDICTION PROBLEM? THEY'RE THEY'RE HARD TO DEAL WITH SOMETIMES.
AND SO THIS PLAN LOOKS IT'S A DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, EVALUATION AND AN INTERVENTION PLAN.
BUT WE HAVE INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS ALL THE TIME AS WELL.
AND THE WORK IN MY OPINION, WILL NOT IT WILL NEVER END.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A CONTINUAL WORK THAT WILL BE LASTING FAR BEYOND THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR A WHILE, UNFORTUNATELY. SO, AS MS..
BRANUM SAID, CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? I DON'T KNOW WHO'S.
[01:50:05]
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE IN THE IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THEN WE REALLY WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE WE FRAME THE IDEA THAT IN ORDER FOR OUR KIDS TO GROW ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AROUND SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE.
SO WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
BRANUM MENTIONED, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP OR MEMBERS THAT WE HAD.
I BELIEVE MR. POTEET WAS THERE.
I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T REMEMBER OFFHAND IF ANY OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WERE THERE, BUT IT WAS A REALLY MOVING EXPERIENCE TO HEAR FROM THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE CAMPUSES.
WE HAD MS.. SIMONTON, WHO'S A US STATE ATTORNEY, COME IN AND TALK ABOUT HER DRUG FORCE PREVENTION EFFORTS AND WHAT SHE'S DOING AROUND THE STATE TO TRAIN TO TRAIN OTHERS IN THE IN THE AREA AND, OF COURSE, OUR PROSPECTIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THANK YOU. SO THESE ARE THE JUST THE BASIC MEETING FORMATS.
WE MET THREE TIMES IN THE SPRING.
WE HAD A FOLLOW UP MEETING THIS FALL.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROGRAMING REVIEW.
THESE ARE OUR GOALS AND INDICATORS.
BASED ON OUR COMMITTEE, WE SETTLED ON THREE PARTNERSHIPS PEOPLE AND PROGRAMING JUST TO HELP KIND OF CLARIFY AND SIMPLIFY WHAT OUR WORK WOULD FOCUS ON. SO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WRAPAROUND SERVICES, HAVING SPECIFIC TRAININGS AND OWNERSHIP FROM OUR PRINCIPALS AND CAMPUSES AROUND DRUG AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION AND THEN OUR PROGRAMING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW DR.
MARTIN WILL SHARE IS THE PERCEPTION OF HARM.
AWARENESS FOR OUR KIDS IS IS REALLY SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK ON.
THAT'S A REALLY BIG ISSUE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND YOU CAN TELL YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TELL THROUGH OUR PLAN.
AND THEN JUST HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THIS OUT? WE CAN HAVE ALL THE GREAT RESOURCES AND INFORMATION.
BUT THE COMMUNICATION PIECE IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MR. MANISCALCO AND DR. MARTIN.
WE WANTED TO COMMUNICATE THE RESULTS WITH THE COMMITTEE OF WHAT WE CAME UP WITH.
WE WANTED TO DESIGN THIS SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION INTERVENTION PLAN THAT YOU DO HAVE A HARD COPY THERE AT YOUR TABLE, AND WE WANT TO GAIN FEEDBACK AND SOME GUIDANCE FROM FROM THE BOARD AS TO WHAT YOU SEE MOVING FORWARD AND WHAT YOU ENVISION.
SOME OF THIS WORK IS ALREADY BEGUN.
YOU KNOW, WE WE, WE HAVE WORK TO DO EVERY DAY AROUND THIS.
SO SOME OF IT YOU'LL HEAR IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
SO I'LL TAKE I'LL SEND IT OVER TO MR. MANISCALCO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL BE TAKING INFORMATION AND ADJUSTING THE PLAN AS WE GO.
MARTIN LED THAT THAT PROGRAMING COMPONENT.
DR. SPILLER, WHO WAS REALLY LEADING THE PEOPLE COMPONENT, WE WERE ABLE TO GET DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO EDUCATE INDIVIDUALS AND USE PEOPLE AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL TO REALLY CARRY THAT MESSAGE.
THAT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE LEVERAGE STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF TO CARRY THE MESSAGE FORWARD.
AND I HAD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND HELPING US BUILD THAT PLAN.
BUT AGAIN, THIS PLAN WILL BE LIVING AND BREATHING.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO DR.
MARTIN, AND SHE'S REALLY GOING TO UNPACK THE PRIMARY COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN.
AND I'M STILL OLD SCHOOL AND I LIKE PAPER.
SO YOU ALL GOT A PAPER COPY OF IT.
BUT I LIKE WHAT JOE SAID, THAT IT'S VERY MUCH A LIVING, BREATHING DOCUMENT.
AND IT WILL CHANGE AS THINGS CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR STUDENTS.
SO IT IS LINKED IN THE PRESENTATION SO YOU CAN SEE THE PRETTY COLORFUL COPY.
[01:55:01]
BUT WE WANTED EVERYBODY TO HAVE A HARD COPY OF IT AS WELL.AND SO WE DECIDED FROM THE DRUG TASK FORCES THAT WE NEED SOMETHING THAT IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
WE WERE INCLUDING STUDENT VOICE.
WE WERE INCLUDING GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUILDING THROUGH GREAT PARTNERS LIKE GRANT HALLIBURTON WHO IS HERE TONIGHT, RECOVERY RESOURCE COUNCIL, YOUTH 180, AND SO FORTH. AND SO WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION, BUT WE ALSO TOOK THE INFORMATION FROM THE TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE THAT WE GAVE TO OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS IN 2022, AS REALLY THE BASIS OF IT, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT.
SO IT'S A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF STUDENTS IN GRADES SEVEN THROUGH 12 THAT WE HAD AT EVERY CAMPUS, AND IT WAS ABOUT 4000 STUDENTS, AND IT WAS A DEMOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF OUR DISTRICT. AND FROM THOSE RESULTS, WE FOUND THREE TOP SUBSTANCES THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE USING.
WE LIKE TO USE THE TERM USE BECAUSE ANY USAGE OF OUR STUDENTS IS ILLEGAL.
SO WE REALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE THREE AREAS WITH OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT WITH THAT AND IN THE PACKET YOU CAN SEE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS FROM IT.
BUT WHAT WE REALLY LEARNED FROM OUR STUDENTS IS THAT THEY REALLY DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE'S ANY HARM WITH IT, WITH THE WITH THE SPECIFICALLY THOSE THREE AREAS, THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THERE'S ANY HARM WITH IT.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE THREE.
WITH ALCOHOL, YOU CAN LEGALLY USE IT AT A CERTAIN TIME.
THEY SEE PARENTS DRINKING IT AT HOME.
OTHER SUBSTANCES ARE BECOMING SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ILLEGAL.
SO STUDENTS CAN SEE THAT AND DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW HARMFUL THEY ARE.
WHAT WE REALLY SEE IS THAT THE EDUCATION IS WHAT PEOPLE NEED.
THEY REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW HARMFUL THOSE THREE ARE.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEIR PARENTS THINK.
THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND REALLY INTERESTING IS 15 TO 20% OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WERE SURVEYED, EITHER THEIR PARENTS DON'T CARE OR THEY THINK THEY DON'T CARE IF THEY USE ANY OF THOSE SUBSTANCES OR THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEIR PARENTS THINK.
IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE STUDENTS ALL OF A SUDDEN WANT TO USE THEM.
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY HAVEN'T HEARD OR SEEN IT IN SOCIAL MEDIA OR ON TV OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I'M A PAPER PERSON AND I SWITCHED MY SLIDES HERE, BUT NOT UP THERE.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT CURRICULUM K THROUGH SIX.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR CURRICULUM THAT WE HAVE K THROUGH THREE.
THAT IS REALLY FROM OUR GUIDANCE LESSONS THAT OUR COUNSELORS DO.
AND IT STARTS WITH RECOGNIZING WHAT DRUGS ARE, UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN THE DOCTOR GIVES YOU MEDICINE, THAT IS OKAY, BUT TAKING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT IS NOT OKAY.
WE REALLY HIT HARD FOR OUR FOURTH OR SIXTH GRADERS WITH A CURRICULUM CALLED TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS, AND THIS CURRICULUM IS A TEN WEEK CURRICULUM THAT COVERS SPECIFICS ABOUT DRUGS, BUT IT ALSO COVERS STRESS AND COPING AND REFUSAL SKILLS THAT ALL ALL OF OUR FOURTH THROUGH SIXTH GRADERS GET IN THERE WITH THEIR COUNSELORS AND WITH THEIR TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, WHERE WE SAW THE BIGGEST GAP WAS SEVENTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
SO WE REALLY HAD TO RAMP UP OUR CURRICULUM FOR SEVENTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
SO WE HAVE CREATED WHAT WE CALL THE MORE YOU KNOW, LESSONS WITH SPECIFIC WEEKS.
SO WE KIND OF THOUGHT ABOUT I KNOW WHAT TO DO DAY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR SECURITY TO HAVE THOSE DAYS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT EVERYBODY STOPS AND DOES SOMETHING RELATED TO SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WELL, WITH THAT WE THOUGHT, WHY? WHY NOT DO THE SAME THING, BUT LET'S EXTEND IT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS.
THERE ARE UNDERLYING REASONS THAT KIDS USE THESE SUBSTANCES.
[02:00:06]
MISUSE AND FENTANYL.AND WE'RE COVERING ALCOHOL IN THREE DIFFERENT WEEKS WITH MULTIPLE LESSONS ABOUT STRESS COPING, THE HARMFUL EFFECTS AND THINGS THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW, INCLUDING THE LEGALITIES OF THOSE.
SO WE'RE STARTING WITH RED RIBBON WEEK, AND WE HAVE LESSONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE AN ADVISORY FOR ALL SEVENTH THROUGH 12TH GRADERS THAT TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? HOW WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO INSTEAD? WHAT ARE THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ALL OF THESE? BUT THIS ONE IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THC AND MARIJUANA.
AND THEN IN JANUARY WE ARE COVERING FENTANYL SPECIFICALLY, ALONG WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUG MISUSE.
AND THEN AT THE END OF MARCH, WE'RE COVERING ALCOHOL MISUSE AS WELL.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU NOTICE RED RIBBON WEEK IS TECHNICALLY THE 23RD THROUGH THE 31ST.
THAT'S LONGER THAN A SCHOOL WEEK.
SO WE HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT LESSONS.
WE ALSO, LIKE I DID IT AGAIN, I FORGOT TO SWITCH THE SLIDE.
SO OUR FOCUS IS ON THE EDUCATION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE MESSAGING SPECIFIC TO STUDENTS THAT WILL COME THROUGH OUR NEW PROJECT WISDOM CHARACTER TRAITS PROGRAM THAT WE ARE WORKING ON. SO EVERY DAY THERE WILL BE SPECIFIC ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS THAT COVER DRUGS AND REFUSAL SKILLS.
BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE'RE ADDING IS THE MESSAGING TO PARENTS.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE CAMPUSES WILL HAVE THE CHOICE TO INCLUDE ALL THE FUN ACTIVITIES THAT THEY LIKE TO DO DURING RED RIBBON WEEK, TO KIND OF BRING UP THE SPIRIT OF IT AND AND REMINDERS OF WHAT WE ARE LEARNING, BECAUSE THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IS LEARNING ABOUT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS AND THE REFUSAL SKILLS.
AND THEN PART OF THE PLAN ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PLACE TO BELONG AT SCHOOL.
SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS THAT PREVENTS STUDENTS FROM USING ARE WHAT WE CALL PROTECTIVE FACTORS, AND THAT INCLUDES CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS, IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT CAN BE WITH THEIR PARENTS, THAT CAN BE WITH THEIR TEACHERS, THEIR COUNSELORS, THEIR COACHES.
AND SO WE WANT TO ALSO PROMOTE THAT THROUGH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT GIVE BACK AND MAKING SURE THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS KNOW, LIKE, HEY, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO YOUR NEW STUDENTS, TO ANY OF YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT FINDING A PLACE FOR THEM THAT BELONGS IN SCHOOL.
LIKE WE WERE JUST WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL RAGE, THE GROUPS WITH ROBOTICS.
SO THE PLAN TALKS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TOWARDS THE END IS LIVE WISE, LIVE HEALTHY.
A LOT OF THIS IS HOUSED IN OUR LIVE WISE, LIVE, LIVE HEALTHY INITIATIVE THAT DR.
GIBBONS STARTED ABOUT 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO.
AND SO WE HAVE UPDATED THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE MONTHLY TOPICS TO INCLUDE STARTING SAFE WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY IN AUGUST, OUR MENTAL HEALTH MONTH IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.
WE SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT BULLYING AND DRUG PREVENTION.
AND THEN WE ADDED IN DECEMBER'S MONTH OF STRESS AND COPING, BECAUSE THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS VERY HARD, NO MATTER HOW YOU CELEBRATE, IT'S ALSO A TIME FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE COMPLETING COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, AND IT'S THE END OF THE SEMESTER.
SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THAT IN DECEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY IS OUR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS MONTH MONTHS, BOTH MONTHS AND WHERE WE TALK ABOUT DATING VIOLENCE PREVENTION, BUT ALSO HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AS CHILDREN THAT WILL HELP US PREVENT BULLYING AS WELL.
MARCH IS UP CLOSE AND CULTURAL, AND THEN APRIL AND MAY TALK ABOUT PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND THEN ENDING UP THE YEAR REMINDING WHAT ALL WE HAVE DONE SO WE CAN PREPARE OURSELVES TO GO OFF TO THE SUMMER AND BE SAFE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICES.
SO WE DO A LOT OF ACTIVITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH LIVE LIVES OF HEALTHY THAT EVEN IF THE TOPIC ISN'T SUBSTANCE USE RELATED, IT ALL GOES TO PREVENTING STUDENTS FROM MAKING UNHEALTHY CHOICES FOR THEIR LIVES.
[02:05:03]
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL WANT.SO WITH THAT, WE TALKED TO MISS BRANUM AND WE ASKED TO EXTEND THAT TO AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT THE FEEDBACK FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, AND WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS ALL THESE ACTIVITIES.
SO WE ARE GOING TO EXTEND OUR DRUG TASK FORCE INTO THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE ARE GOING TO GET FEEDBACK ON ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR MORE PARTICIPANTS.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PARTICIPANTS TO SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK AND GIVE YOU IDEAS TO HELP BUILD THIS BECAUSE IT IS A LIVING, BREATHING THING THAT WE WILL DO AND WE WILL UPDATE AS WE NEED TO, AND WE WILL COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ADDED AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE ANY TYPE OF AWARENESS AND EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
THE OTHER NIGHT WE DID HAVE I HAVE THE FLIER UP HERE.
WE HAD DREW DUTTON FROM THE PHENIX HOUSE COME AND DO A CURRENT DRUG TRENDS PRESENTATION.
AND WE WERE JUST SO BLOWN AWAY WITH THIS INFORMATION AND HOW HE SHARED IT.
MARTIN. THANK YOU, MR. MANISCALCO AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR THEIR WORK.
YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY, WE HAVE A NORTH STAR GOAL THAT'S ABOUT GROWTH AND THAT WE WANT OUR KIDS TO LEAVE AT THE END OF THE DAY BETTER THAN WHEN THEY CAME TO US.
AND PART OF WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED IN AND MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT UNHEALTHY, THEIR FOCUS IS NOT ABOUT THEIR GROWTH. AND SO THIS THIS FOR ME IS IT'S IT'S IT CAN BE LIFE CHANGING FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND MY BIGGEST ASK, MY BIGGEST REQUEST.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR KIDS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT LANGUAGE TO USE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO START THE CONVERSATION.
IS THAT A STATEMENT THAT MY CHILD IS CURRENTLY SOMEHOW INVOLVED WITH? WHATEVER THAT ACTIVITY IS, AND PEOPLE JUDGE ME FOR THAT AND.
I THINK WE HAD 8 OR 10 STUDENTS THAT WERE UP THERE, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM TALKED ABOUT THE POWER OF WHAT IT MEANT WHEN THEIR MOM OR DAD HAD A CONVERSATION, OR WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
AND THEN WHEN AND THEN HOW DO WE THEN SUPPORT THAT CONVERSATION AND EQUIP OUR STUDENTS WITH EVEN STRONGER LANGUAGE ON HOW DOES THAT CONVERSATION LOOK, IF I AM OFFERED, AND HOW DO I SAY NO? HOW DO I WALK AWAY AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME LATER ON IN THAT DAY OR OR OR THE NEXT DAY? SO AGAIN, WE DO NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, OH MY GOSH, THAT'S YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT ABOUT THE WORK AND IT'S ABOUT THE WORK OF ALL 37,000 STUDENTS AND EQUIPPING OUR EDUCATORS AND EQUIPPING OUR STUDENTS TO NAVIGATE A TIME.
GIBBON'S POINT, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I HOPE SOMEDAY THIS WILL BE A CONVERSATION WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE.
OUR KIDS KNOW IT'S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP.
WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO ADD JUST REALLY QUICK BECAUSE THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TOPIC.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE ARE STATING FOR OUR PARENTS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR KIDS, IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE WHO IS NOT YOUR STUDENT, YOUR KID, PLEASE TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I MEAN, WHEN MY SON WAS IN SCHOOL.
WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
[02:10:05]
THANK YOU. THIS IS A SUPER IMPORTANT TOPIC.THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS FOR MR. POTEAT? YEAH, I'VE GOT A FEW.
IN MY PERSPECTIVE IS AS A TRUSTEE.
AS A PARENT, I AM VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT COMES OUT THE OTHER SIDE AND TOOLS THAT I CAN USE BECAUSE I'M AT THAT AGE AND MY KIDS ARE AT THAT AGE WHERE I NEED GUIDANCE. THEY DON'T TEACH YOU HOW TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN YOU HAVE A KID.
I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND IN THE BACK AND WATCH THE PANEL AND LISTEN TO THE STUDENTS.
AND AND IT'S IT WAS POWERFUL, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S THE THE US ATTORNEY FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT, MS..
SIMONSSON. UM, SHE HAD I REMEMBER THERE WERE A FEW THINGS THAT STUCK WITH ME.
SHE'S THE ONE THAT PUTS PEOPLE IN JAIL.
SHE SAID, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU CAN'T ARREST YOURSELF OUT OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE'S A DEMAND, AND AS LONG AS THE DEMAND IS THERE, SHE'LL DO WHAT SHE CAN AND SHE'LL PUT AS MANY IN JAIL AS SHE CAN.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHY IS THERE DEMAND? BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S THE CRITICAL PIECE THAT WE'VE GOT TO SOLVE.
AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO SILVER BULLET.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO SOLVE FOR DECADES.
RIGHT. BUT IT JUST KIND OF BROUGHT THAT IN.
HER COMMENT KIND OF BROUGHT THAT REALITY TO BEAR IN THAT ROOM.
UM, ONE OTHER THING THAT I WAS THINKING, THE KIDS KEPT USING THE TERM, IF YOU RECALL TO, THEY KEPT REFERRING TO EACH OTHER OR THEIR PEERS AS THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO DEAL.
THEY'RE TRYING TO LIKE, DEAL WITH THE PRESSURE, DEAL WITH THE WHATEVER.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE TAKING THESE SELF-MEDICATING AND TAKING THESE SUBSTANCES.
AND I SIT HERE AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THESE KIDS, I THINK, HAVE IT HARDER THAN WE DID IN A LOT OF WAYS BECAUSE OF THE STRESSES AND THE PRESSURES THAT WE ADULTS HAVE PROBABLY INSTITUTED IN THEIR LIVES, WHETHER THAT'S CELL PHONES, SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAKE 4.5 JUST TO GET INTO A STATE SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CRACK, BUT I KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
AND AGAIN, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF EXPERTS TO HELP US GET DOWN THAT ROAD.
BUT I FEEL SOMEWHAT RESPONSIBLE AS AN ADULT CAUSING THIS PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THE ADULTS NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR AT LEAST LEAD IN THAT THAT PATH.
I'M SORRY. I'M KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE.
I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THIS, BUT I THINK I THINK THAT'S KEY.
AND WE TALK ABOUT ENGAGEMENT BEING A CRITICAL PIECE OF GROWTH OUTCOMES.
WHATEVER WE TALK ABOUT, WHETHER IT'S GRADES, YOU KNOW, OR STAR SCORES, I MEAN, ALL OF IT, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A KID THAT'S ENGAGED IN THE SCHOOL, ENGAGED IN THEIR EDUCATION, AND THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS TO ENGAGE, WHETHER IT'S, LIKE YOU SAID, SPORTS, ARTS, MUSIC CLUBS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS OF? DO WE DO IT SHORT TERM? DO WE DO IT LONG TERM? ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE UNKNOWINGLY AND NOT INTENTIONALLY? BUT THAT SIDE OF THE COIN, I THINK, IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
BECAUSE IF ENGAGEMENT IS SO CRITICAL, KIDS SCREW UP, ADULTS SCREW UP.
LET'S LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEM REENGAGED AS QUICK AS WE CAN TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
SO ANYWAY, JUST SOME THOUGHTS THAT I HAD.
I LOVE THE EFFORT THAT YOU ALL ARE PUTTING INTO THIS.
THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO I WANT TO ADD THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THIS TEAM AS WELL, IS THAT WHEN KIDS ARE KIDS AND THAT FRONTAL LOBE IS STILL DEVELOPING AND THEY ARE DEALING WITH PRESSURES, AND MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE DEALING WITH TRAUMA.
SO WHEN THEY DO SCREW UP AND THEY DO MAKE THAT BAD CHOICE.
[02:15:03]
ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SO PROUD OF IS THAT IF THERE IS A CONSEQUENCE THERE, THERE'S AN EDUCATION PIECE THERE AND IT'S SITTING KNEE TO KNEE TO THEM AND SAYING, YOU MADE A BAD CHOICE, BUT WE LOVE YOU.HERE'S WHAT IT CAN MEAN FOR YOUR FUTURE.
IT'S HOW DO WE HELP EQUIP YOU? HOW DO WE HELP YOU NAVIGATE SO THAT YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENT DECISION NEXT TIME THAT YOU'RE FEELING THAT WAY OR YOU'RE IN THAT SITUATION? MS. RENTERÍA, I THINK YOU HAD A COMMENT.
YES. I JUST ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I LOVED THE PART THAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT MESSAGING THE PARENTS.
SO I DID HAVE A QUESTION AND I'M MAKING AN ASSUMPTION THAT IT IS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
SO THEY DO THAT. HOW DO THEY DO THAT? IS IT JUST THROUGH LIKE PRINT OR ALSO WITH BLACKBOARD.
AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR DR.
HELLER CAN EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO EVERYTHING THESE TYPES OF PARENT COMMUNICATIONS WOULD GO OUT IN ALL OF OUR TOP FIVE, SIX LANGUAGES FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS, THE IN-PERSON EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE'S ALWAYS TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR THOSE IN-PERSON EVENTS.
AND YES, WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND BOTH IN PRINT AS WELL AS IN-PERSON TO TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR REACH FOR ALL FAMILIES AND PARENTS. PERFECT.
YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS TOO, THAT I LOVE, THAT YOU SAID WERE THE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK MR. POTEET TOUCHED ON THIS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THAT RELATIONSHIPS ARE DEFINITELY CRUCIAL.
HARRIS'S POINT, I KNOW THAT FOR MYSELF, I THINK IT WAS A VERY SAD TIME WHEN MY KIDS STARTED DRIVING BECAUSE THAT WAS OUR TIME TO, LIKE, REALLY BE ON, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL AND THE WAY BACK.
AND I THINK THAT FOR US, JUST LIKE MS..
HARRIS SAID ABOUT HAVING THOSE KIDS AND HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, I THINK I WAS VERY GRATEFUL AND BLESSED TO HAVE A GROUP OF FRIENDS, PARENTS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL SHARED THE SAME SCHOOLS OR ACTIVITIES THAT WE WERE IN, BUT I THINK IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE I LET MY KIDS KNOW. AND AMONG THIS GROUP, ONE THING THAT WE DID WAS TO LET OUR CHILDREN KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION AND YOU KIND OF FEEL AWKWARD, WHATEVER IT IS ABOUT COMING TO ME OR YOUR DAD, IT'S LIKE, GO TO MS..
HARRIS, YOU KNOW, GO TO MR. AND MRS. SO-AND-SO.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT AND AGAIN, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID THERE.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL PART OF THAT, THAT RELATIONAL KIND OF THING.
IT GAVE ME CONFIDENCE THAT SAYING, HEY, I'LL TRY MY BEST, BUT IF I CAN'T, PERHAPS MR. SO-AND-SO CAN DO IT OR MS..
SO-AND-SO CAN'T. SO RELATIONSHIPS ALSO.
YES. I MEAN, I THINK AS ADULTS WE SEE THE STRESS WE HAVE DURING THOSE MONTHS, BUT HAVING TWO KIDS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE COLLEGE PROCESS AND ALL, AND EVEN AFTER, YOU KNOW, WHILE IN COLLEGE, THAT TIME IS SO, SO STRESSFUL AND SO REALLY BEING THERE FOR OUR KIDS.
AND AGAIN, HAVING A GROUP, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM.
BUT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT WE DID THAT.
UM, AND THEN MORE COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS.
I LOVE THAT YOU'RE SEEKING THAT BECAUSE I UNFORTUNATELY WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THIS LAST ONE.
BUT I THINK THOSE ARE CRUCIAL.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THOSE ARE SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT TO MAYBE MAKE THEM AVAILABLE AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
RIGHT. UM, AND SO BUT YES, BUT I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
THE FOCUS OF EDUCATION, THE FOCUS OF PARTNERING WITH OUR PARENTS.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT STARTS REALLY, REALLY EARLY.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT MY HUSBAND AND I, WE TRIED OUR BEST TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS EARLY, LIKE IN ELEMENTARY, THAT I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT NOW I CAN SEE LITTLE, YOU KNOW, SPRINKLES OF, LIKE WHEN MY KIDS DO CALL ME AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, MOM, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE IT BECOMES NORMAL, RIGHT? IT'S NOT TABOO.
[02:20:03]
AND SO AGAIN, BUT I LEARNED THAT RIGHT FROM PEOPLE THAT I COULD GO TO, I LEARNED THAT FROM GOING TO DIFFERENT EDUCATORS OR PANELS OR WHATEVER. SO THAT'S WHY I WAS GRATEFUL TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE AROUND WHEN I NEEDED THEM TOO.THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISS ANDREA.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR CHANGING OR ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE CULTURAL NORMS AROUND SUBSTANCE USE.
GROWING UP HERE IN MY COMMUNITY, I CAN RECALL A LOT OF CULTURAL NORMS AROUND SUBSTANCE USE.
I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN TOUCHED BY SUBSTANCE USE IN OUR FAMILIES AND THROUGHOUT OUR FAMILIES.
SO I THINK, AGAIN, LIKE MS. RENTERÍA SAID, IT'S NOT A TABOO THING.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER CONVERSATION TO HAVE AND SOMETIMES A VERY DIFFICULT ONE.
WHEN YOU FIRST START THE PRESENTATION.
I IMMEDIATELY SAW MY SON WALKING INTO A BATHROOM IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COMING HOME AND SAYING, I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T GO INTO THAT BATHROOM BECAUSE OF THIS OR, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE BATHROOMS. AND SO IT'S NOT THAT THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE ALL THEY'VE ALL BEEN TOUCHED BY.
THEY ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF IT.
BUT I THINK YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT CHANGING THAT CULTURAL NORM MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND THE PIECE ABOUT THE PARENTS AND PULLING THEM INTO IT, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN IN OUR SCHOOLS, IT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS, RIGHT? WHEN THEY'RE TOGETHER OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, ON THE WEEKENDS AND DIFFERENT EVENTS.
AND IF YOU CAN JUST HELP US, IT CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
SO THANK YOU FOR REALLY TRYING.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? MISS TIMMY? YEAH, I WON'T REHASH WHAT THEY SAID BECAUSE I THINK THEY SAID IT BEAUTIFULLY, BUT BUT YES, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DOCTOR GIBBONS, YOU HAD FIRST.
WELL, LET ME BACK UP, DR. GIBBONS.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYBODY BETTER TO LEAD THIS WORK.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THIS VISION OF COMPASSION AS WELL AS ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRYING TO FIND THINGS.
FIRST LET ME START WITH YOU CAN'T SOLVE ALL THINGS IN ONE YEAR.
RIGHT. AND SO I APPRECIATE THE ROLE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
WHERE SHOULD WE GO? I THINK THAT'S THE RESPONSIBLE WAY TO DO ANY PROGRAM.
UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT UM, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT PARENTS NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEIR KIDS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WHO KIDS LISTEN TO THE MOST IN THOSE TEENAGE YEARS ARE THEIR PEERS.
AND I THINK THAT I THINK IT MIGHT BE NICE TO GIVE THEM SOME TOOLS TO HOW CAN YOU RECOGNIZE A PROBLEM? WHAT DOES SECRECY MEAN? HOW ARE PEOPLE CLOAKING IT? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. WHEN YOU NEED TO HELP A FRIEND, WHAT CAN YOU DO? I ALSO THINK IT'S CYCLICAL AT TIMES, AND I THINK THAT UNDERSTANDING HOW IF THEY'RE SURVIVING IN A SCENARIO, JUST RESOURCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY CAN SEE ALL THE TIME.
AND I WILL ALSO SAY, JUST BECAUSE MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW THAT MY MY FAMILY'S IN THE SPORTS WORLD, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE CONVERSATIONS YOU WANT, BUT SOMETIMES IF IT'S OPIOIDS OR SOMETHING ELSE IN SPORTS INJURIES, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LONG TERM PIECE OF THAT.
AND SO JUST HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AROUND LIKE IT'S NOT IT'S NOT BAD PEOPLE.
AND ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T PROMOTE SHAME AND ALLOWS FOR OPENNESS AND ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS RESOURCES WHEN THEY'RE READY, I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT FEEDBACK.
YEAH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU MR. EAGER I'M SORRY.
OH JUST REAL QUICK. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL ARE HITTING ON AS WELL IS THAT IT HAS TO BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION BECAUSE ANY STUDENT, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, THEY MAY IN SEPTEMBER, THAT MESSAGE DOES NOT RESONATE WITH THEM THE SAME WAY THAT IT DOES WHEN THERE IS AN INJURY OR WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS THAT CAUSES THEM.
AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'RE HEARING THAT REDUNDANCY.
WHY DID WE PICK THREE DIFFERENT WEEKS IS BECAUSE WE WANT THEM LIKE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAY EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY I WANT THAT EYE ROLL BECAUSE THEY KNOW LIKE THEY COULD FINISH MY SENTENCE FOR ME.
I WANT THEM THE SAME WAY I WANT THEM TO HAVE LIKE IN THAT MOMENT IN THERE, MAKING THAT DECISION TO HAVE FLUENCY AND TO HAVE SUCH LIKE THEY HAVE THESE TOOLS IN THEIR TOOL BOXES THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN DEPEND ON.
WE WILL BE DOGGED WITH THAT MESSAGE.
[02:25:01]
THEY CAN GO WHEN THEY ARE READY, OR WHEN THEY FEEL AT THEIR LOWEST, OR WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION THEY'RE IN.MY SON REMEMBERS THINGS I SAID FIVE YEARS AGO ALL THE TIME NOW HE'S READY.
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN READY THEN. BUT HE WASN'T.
BUT YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN THEY ARE, IF THEY'LL REMEMBER.
BUT I REMEMBER IN THAT WEEK THEY SHOWED ME THIS PAGE.
I REMEMBER IN THIS WEEK THEY SHOWED ME THOSE RESOURCES LIKE SOME.
SOMETIMES THAT'S THE GREATEST THING WE CAN GIVE THEM IN THE MOMENT.
MR. EAGER. DID YOU? AND, YOU KNOW, DITTO TO EVERYBODY SAYING.
BUT I GUESS THE KEY THING HERE IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WE ASK THE COMMUNITY AND THEY SAID FROM A GRADUATE PROFILE, IT WAS BEING LIFE READY.
OKAY. AND BEING A PARENT OF TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS, MAN, YOU SENT THEM OFF TO COLLEGE.
THAT'S SCARY, RIGHT? AND THE THING THAT SCARES ME TO DEATH THESE DAYS IS THE STRENGTH OF SOME OF THESE MEDICATIONS.
I MEAN, HEY, EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES, YOU KNOW? AND THE PROBLEM WITH THESE MEDICATIONS TODAY, I MEAN, IT CAN BE DEADLY.
RIGHT? I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY MAKES A BAD MISTAKE, BAD CHOICE.
I MEAN, IT COST THEM THEIR LIFE.
AND SO IT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
EVERY EVERY GENERATION IS GOING TO SAY THAT.
I GET THAT, BUT I REALLY DO THINK THAT THERE'S A.
TO SUCCEED. TO GET THAT FOUR POINT.
BE ALL THINGS TO EVERYONE, AND EVERYBODY THINKS THAT I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
AND TO MISS TAMMY'S POINT, YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE THAT OKAY, MOM OKAY, DAD, YOU SAID IT 100 TIMES, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE THAT TIME IN FIVE YEARS WHEN YOU'RE PRESENTED MAYBE AT A PARTY OR YOU'RE AT SOMETHING AND SOMEBODY PRESENTS SOMETHING AND YOU WANT.
I DON'T THINK I'D WANT MEGAN'S VOICE IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD, SO.
EVERYBODY DOES. AND SAY, HEY, THINK ABOUT IT.
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK THE IDEA IS JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANYTHING ELSE IS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
SOME THINGS ARE GOING TO WORK, SOME NOT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOU KNOW STARTING THIS PROGRAM AND WORKING VERY HARD ON IT.
THANK YOU. MR. EAGER. MISS PACHECO.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS PLAN.
THE MULTIPLE AGENDAS THAT YOU HAVE AND OBJECTIVES ARE AMAZING.
PERSONALLY, I REMEMBER IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN THEY STARTED TEACHING US ABOUT SAYING NO AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I WENT BACK TO MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I HAD QUESTIONS, BECAUSE HE BUILT THAT TRUST, MY SCHOOL BUILT THAT TRUST.
I REMEMBER TALKING TO MY THIRD GRADE TEACHER ABOUT CERTAIN ISSUES THAT ARE TOUCHED ON THIS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING IS WITH NO JUDGMENT, AND IT'S GOING TO BUILD THAT HONESTY AND OPENNESS THAT I THINK ALL OUR CHILDREN NEED TO GROW AND DEVELOP THEMSELVES AS NOT JUST HUMAN BEINGS, BUT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN AND TO REALLY TAKE THIS IN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS BRANUM. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, DR.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM AND PRESENTATION REGARDING THE REFUGEE SERVICES PROGRAM.
[V.F. Refugee Services Program Presentation]
MS.. BRANUM. THANK YOU.[02:30:03]
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS BE AT THE TOP OF MY LIST IS THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING IN THIS ARENA RIGHT HERE, AND BUSH RAYHAWK CAME TO ME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND SHE SAID, I HAVE THIS VISION, I SEE THIS NEED, AND WE REALLY CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A WAY TO FILL THAT NEED.AND SHE'S LIKE, BUT I HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT CAN LOOK LIKE.
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES AT THE TIME, BUT I SAID, DON'T GIVE UP.
WE ARE GOING TO WORK AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND THE RESOURCES TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
AND AS A RESULT OF JOE MANISCALCO AND A TEAM, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDS, RECEIVED GRANT FUNDS, AND I THINK SINGLE HANDEDLY HAVE CREATED A TEAM THAT THERE'S NOT A PRINCIPAL I DON'T TALK TO.
THERE IS NOT A FAMILY, NOT A STUDENT THAT I DON'T TALK TO, THAT DO THAT DOES NOT HAVE SPECIFIC WAYS ALREADY, THAT THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE ALREADY POSITIVELY IMPACTED THE CULTURE OF THEIR SCHOOL AND SPECIFICALLY IMPACTED STUDENTS.
AND TONIGHT, WE WANTED THE BOARD TO BE AWARE.
I WANTED THE BOARD TO HEAR AND CELEBRATE THESE LEADERS AND THE LIFE CHANGING EFFORTS THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR KIDS AND YOU ALL. IT'S NOT A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS, AND I WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO HEAR THE BREADTH OF THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING EVERY DAY, AND HOW THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS AND THE TEAM THAT SUPPORTS THEM ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO Y'ALL.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE THIS AGENDA ITEM, WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE TWO OF OUR NEWEST STUDENT SERVICES, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE REFUGEE SERVICES PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS WHO RUN THE PROGRAM.
FANTASTIC ONE IS MR. BLACKMAN'S A STUDENT IN CHEMISTRY, BY THE WAY.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE QUALIFIED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW, SOME DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, REALLY HIT ON THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SERVICES THEY'RE PROVIDING. BUT BEFORE WE HAND IT OVER TO MISS HAWK AND MISS SAID, REALLY WANT TO MAKE A FEW POINTS.
WANT TO THANK OUR SUPERINTENDENT FOR BEING FORWARD THINKING AND LOOKING, MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AS OUR REFUGEE POPULATION GROWS.
SHE WENT OUT AND SAID, GO GET IT AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK DOCTOR BEUTEL FOR REALLY DOING THE WORK OF WORKING ON THE GRANT, REALLY WORKING WITH ME, TRYING TO CONSTRUCT THAT, LIKE WE WERE TRYING TO FIND LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THAT.
BUT DOCTOR BEUTEL WAS FANTASTIC IN THAT WORK, AND SHE SHEPHERDS US ALONG FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE, AND SHE MAKES SURE THAT WE'RE COMPLIANT, BECAUSE THIS IS A GRANT THAT REALLY IS TECHNICAL, AND SHE DOES A GREAT JOB HELPING US.
CECILIA GALVAN, MISS GALVAN IS OUR PROJECT MANAGER AND REALLY OUR GRANT MANAGER.
WE WERE AWARDED $700,000 IN OUR FIRST GRANT SUBMISSION, SO WE RECEIVED THAT LAST FALL, BUT REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THE TEAM ON BOARD UNTIL MID-YEAR.
AFTER THAT, BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF THE TEAM AND THE WORK OF MISS HAWK AND MISS SAID, AND REALLY, THE THE NEED TO EXPAND AS OUR POPULATION GROWS AND THE WORK JUST BECOMES DEEPER.
WE RECONSTRUCTED THAT APPLICATION AND APPLIED AND RECEIVED 920,000 FOR THE SECOND YEAR.
SO THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO DEEP WORK, RIGHT, IN SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS.
IT'S IT'S CRITICAL, RIGHT? WE DO A LOT OF OF INTENSE WORK AND SUPPORT.
IT'S REALLY CAUSED OUR DEPARTMENT TO REALLY START REACHING OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
DOCTOR LEEPER'S DEPARTMENT WERE PARTNERING WITH WITH.
IN AN ACCULTURATION CLASS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS.
SO IT'S CAUSED US TO WORK WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
EXCUSE ME IN A WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T IN THE PAST.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MISS BUSHRA HAQ AND MISS MARIA.
[02:35:05]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR STICKING AROUND OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND EVERYONE WHO'S WATCHING AND ALSO OUR AMAZING TEAM OVER HERE.
I'M ONE OF THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS.
I AM MARIA CID, THE LEARNING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR.
ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THE REFUGEE SERVICES PROGRAM? SO WE ADVOCATE TO ENSURE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY FOR REFUGEE AND ASYLUM STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
AND WE DO THIS ALL WITH A VERY HOLISTIC APPROACH AND A VERY UPSTREAM AND PROACTIVE APPROACH AS WELL.
I AM SO INCREDIBLY BLESSED TO HAVE ALL OF THESE MEMBERS.
AND REALLY, THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM DOES GO TO EVERYONE ON THE SCREEN.
RIGHT NOW. ANGELA SHAH IS OUR PROGRAM SPECIALIST.
SHE WORKS A LOT WITH THE STUDENTS.
SHE LEADS OUR MENTORING PROGRAM ALONG WITH OUR TUTORING PROGRAM.
SHE ALSO WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES AND ENSURING THAT THEIR STUDENTS, IF THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING RELATED TO ACCESSIBILITY, THAT WE ARE CONNECTING WITH CLINICS IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, HANNA H.
BILAL IS OUR INTAKE ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST.
SHE'S THE FIRST SMILING FACE THAT A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES GET TO SEE AT THE FAMILY SERVICES CENTER.
SHE LEADS THE INTAKE AND ORIENTATION PROCESS AND THIS PROCESS IS VERY LENGTHY.
IT TAKES A COUPLE HOURS, BUT WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE IMMEDIATELY FORM A PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PARENTS AND SET THEM UP WITH THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS.
SO WE GO OVER AN ENTIRE HANDBOOK.
I'M NOT GOING TO SHOW YOU THE WHOLE HANDBOOK, BUT I'LL SHOW YOU THE FRONT PAGE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
AND SHE CONNECTS THEM WITH LOCAL RESOURCES, WHETHER THAT BE FOOD PANTRIES OR CLOTHES CLOSETS.
SO WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING READY TO GO.
AND DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, WE MAKE SURE THAT LANGUAGE IS NEVER A BARRIER.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND AS WELL.
AT THE FAR RIGHT WE HAVE RASUL AL-JUBOURI.
SHE IS OUR HOME INSTRUCTOR FOR PARENTS AND PRESCHOOL YOUNGSTERS INSTRUCTOR.
IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM THAT REALLY WORKS TO EDUCATE OUR FAMILIES STRAIGHT FROM THE START.
AND THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS OFTENTIMES THE PARENTS END UP BECOMING EDUCATORS THEMSELVES.
SO IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM AND OUR TEAM COLLECTIVELY IS VERY MULTILINGUAL.
WE HAVE PASHTO, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON LANGUAGES OF OUR REFUGEES.
WE HAVE SPANISH, WE HAVE URDU, WE HAVE HINDI, WE HAVE FRENCH.
AND NOT ONE, NOT TWO, NOT THREE DIALECTS OF ARABIC.
PLEASE DON'T STEAL ANY OF MY TEAM MEMBERS, I NEED THEM.
SO JUST TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF TERMS THAT YOU'LL HEAR US REFER TO.
AND THAT OPENS UP A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR THEM.
WHAT WE TRY TO SHARE WITH OUR CAMPUSES AND OUR AND OUR TEACHERS IS THAT SOMETIMES SOME OF THESE REFUGEES ARE IN REFUGEE CAMPS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. SOMETIMES IT CAN BE MONTHS, SOMETIMES YEARS, AND SOME ARE REFUGEES WERE ACTUALLY BORN IN REFUGEE CAMPS.
AND SO THIS IS A LONG PROCESS WITH LOTS OF INTERVIEWS AND DOCUMENTATION.
BUT ONCE THEY RECEIVE THAT, THAT STATUS, THEN IT REALLY DOES OPEN UP A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR THEM.
SO JUST RECENTLY, WE FOUND OUT THAT TEXAS SLID INTO THE NUMBER ONE SPOT OF THE STATE IN THE NATION WITH THE MOST REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.
SO IT DOES IMPACT DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE, PARTICULARLY RICHARDSON ISD.
IN OUR STUDY, WE HAVE 11,291 EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS, WHICH I PERSONALLY THINK IS WHAT MAKES OUR DISTRICT AMAZING. THERE ARE 76 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS, WITH THE TOP LANGUAGES BEING SPANISH, ARABIC, AMHARIC, VIETNAMESE, PASHTU, AND URDU. AND THIS IS REALLY SURPRISING FOR SOME PEOPLE WHEN WE TELL THEM WE HAVE OVER 1300 REFUGEE AND ASYLUM STUDENTS IN RICHARDSON ISD.
OVER 70% OF THOSE ARE FROM AFGHANISTAN.
[02:40:05]
FACE. SO WHEN WE COME UP WITH STRATEGIES AND TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO HELP OUR REFUGEE STUDENTS, THAT'S IN TURN GOING TO HELP ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR ESD.SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES STARTING OFF WITH HORRIFIC BACKGROUNDS AND TRAUMA.
A LOT OF OUR REFUGEE STUDENTS, JUST LIKE MARIA SAID, WERE BORN IN CAMPS.
THERE ARE EXTREME LEVELS OF TRAUMA THAT WE SEE.
WE SEE THAT IMPACTING BEHAVIOR IN CLASSROOMS. WE ALSO SEE THAT THERE'S A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE K-12 AND POST-SECONDARY PIPELINE, JUST LIKE A LOT OF OUR FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS.
AND THIS IS JUST LIKE OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS BULLYING, RACISM, CULTURE SHOCKS AND ACCLIMATING TO WESTERN CULTURE JUST LIKE SEVERAL OF OUR OTHER STUDENTS IN RCSD. LACK OF FINANCIAL STABILITY, JUST LIKE OVER HALF OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION.
MALNUTRITION IN REFUGEE CAMPS AND BACK HOME WHILE DEALING WITH WAR.
AND THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO COGNITIVE DELAYS AND ALSO NEUROLOGICAL DEFICIENCIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
ALONG WITH THAT LIMITED FORMAL SCHOOLING OR NO FORMAL SCHOOLING AT ALL.
SO THEY'RE REALLY COMING TO US WITH A HEAVY LOAD, AND WE WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THEM.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DEVELOPING FULL PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY.
SO OUR GOALS FOR THIS PROGRAM IS BASICALLY TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SO THAT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL AS THEY ACCULTURATE TO THE NEW COUNTRY. WE WANT TO SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON IMPROVING SCHOOL PERFORMANCE FOR OUR REFUGEE STUDENTS.
SO WE OFFER SUPPORT SUCH AS AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING AND SUMMER SCHOOL.
WE WANT TO CREATE POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARENTS SO THAT THEY CAN INTEGRATE WITHIN THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY, AND INFORMING AND EDUCATING SCHOOL PERSONNEL ABOUT THE NEEDS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO THE REFUGEE POPULATION.
SO WE DO A LOT OF TRAINING ON CAMPUS, ONE ON ONE SUPPORT, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BUILD CAPACITY IN OUR TEACHERS SO THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION.
SO WE WERE BORN IN JANUARY, AND WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT WITHIN THIS SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO MANY TEAMS THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH, WE DON'T LEAVE ANYONE ALONE.
SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR A LOT OF HELP AND SUPPORT.
AND THEN A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO REGINA AND DEBBIE, WHO WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT I WENT TO.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM AS WELL.
SO PLEASE KNOW THAT WHEN WE GO OVER THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUPPORTS, IT'S EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM ARE ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY AND ALL THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING THIS IS BECAUSE OF YOU. SO FIRST OFF, WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORTS FOR OUR FACULTY.
THE WEBSITE YOU SEE HERE IS A ONE STOP SHOP THAT IS CONSTANTLY BEING UPDATED.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES ON THERE FOR OUR STAFF.
AND WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR ALL PERSONNEL.
WE HAVE EXCELLENT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
WE WORK WITH SEVERAL LOCAL REFUGEE AGENCIES LIKE THE NETWORK WE WORK WITH MARUV WITH ICNA RELIEF, WE WORK WITH GATEWAY OF GRACE, CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND SEVERAL OTHERS.
AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE SOME UNIQUE SITUATIONS AS WELL.
INTERPRETATION SUPPORTS LANGUAGE IS NEVER GOING TO BE A BARRIER IN RICHARDSON ISD.
SO FOR EVERY EVENT THAT WE HAVE, WE WORK WITH STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT AND WE GET INTERPRETERS.
TUTORING AND MENTORING PROGRAMS ARE AMAZING.
WE HAVE SEEN RETENTION AND GREAT PROMOTION INCREASE OR GREAT PROMOTION INCREASE DUE TO OUR TUTORING AND MENTORING PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HAVE HAD AN EXCELLENT SUMMER PROGRAM.
WE GOT SOME PICTURES FOR YOU ALL IN JUST A SECOND AND HELP! MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS HAS BEEN HUGE.
WE DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH TO FIND LPCS AND THERAPISTS THAT HAVE HAD TRAINING AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE THAT HAVE WORKED WITH REFUGEES AND THAT ARE BILINGUAL TO UNDERSTAND THE CULTURES THAT WE'RE REALLY SUPPORTING.
[02:45:05]
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FAMILY INTAKE AND ORIENTATION PROCESS, HIPPIE AND HOME VISITS.WE ALSO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PARENT WORKSHOPS AND WE HAVE AN UPCOMING ONE.
THE FLIER WILL BE SHOWN IN JUST A SECOND.
AND PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES.
AND WE HAVE SEEN THIS INCREASE AND IT JUST MAKES US SO HAPPY.
THEY KNOW THEY FEEL SAFE NOW COMING TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR TEACHERS AND OUR FACULTY.
WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERY STUDENT HAD ACCESS TO INTERNET AT HOME.
WE REACHED OUT TO EVERY FAMILY INDIVIDUALLY AND PROVIDED THEM WITH HOTSPOTS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE AN UPCOMING PROJECT WHERE WE WILL BE UTILIZING IPADS TO PROMOTE PARENT EDUCATION.
AND WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT MODULES ADDRESSING THAT.
ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE MOST PROUD OF IS OUR REFUGEE SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM.
RICHARDSON ISD WAS ABLE TO HOLD A SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM JUST FOR REFUGEE STUDENTS, ADDRESSING THE SPECIAL UNIQUE NEEDS THEY HAVE WITH IN REGARDS TO EFFECTIVE SOCIAL AND LINGUISTIC NEEDS.
THIS PROGRAM OFFERED STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE LANGUAGE RICH FIELD TRIPS, ONE OF WHICH WAS KIDZANIA, WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO ROLE PLAY AND DO HANDS ON ACTIVITIES THAT WERE LANGUAGE RICH.
THEY WENT BACK TO THEIR CLASSROOMS AND WROTE AND TALKED ABOUT IT.
SOME OF THEM EVEN MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS THE BEST DAY OF THEIR LIVES.
SO OF COURSE BOUCHER AND I WERE JUST IN TEARS.
A SPECIAL THANKS GOES OUT TO THE TEACHING AND LEARNING DEPARTMENT, AND DR.
LEEPER AND HER SUMMER SCHOOL PLANNING TEAM, WHO HELPED US NAVIGATE AND PLAN THE LOGISTICS.
WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT FIRST SUMMER SCHOOL WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT.
WE'RE PROUD TO REPORT THAT 97% OF THE STUDENTS THAT ATTENDED SUMMER SCHOOL FOR REFUGEES, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE REFUGEE STUDENTS, INCREASED THEIR LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN THE FOUR LANGUAGE DOMAINS OF LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING, AND WRITING.
WE HAD 132 STUDENTS ATTEND IN GRADES K THROUGH EIGHT, AND WE'VE GOT PLANS TO INVITE EVEN MORE THIS COME THIS NEXT SUMMER SCHOOL. WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE STAFF AS WELL.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN YOU WILL SEE MR. WILSON. HE IS THE PRINCIPAL OF THURGOOD MARSHALL ELEMENTARY, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH THE LARGEST REFUGEE POPULATION.
OUR STAFF HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE AND RECEPTIVE.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT THEY ARE LAUGHING DURING THIS TRAINING.
THERE'S LAUGHING, THERE'S CRYING.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF REFLECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES THAT WE SHARE.
SO OUR FAMILIES WILL GET THIS GUIDEBOOK RIGHT WHEN THEY COME IN.
AND THIS IS TRANSLATED IN EIGHT DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
SO THERE'S EVERYTHING IN THERE.
HOW TO WRITE A NOTE WHEN YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT, HOW TO NAVIGATE THE CLINIC.
WHAT ABOUT IMMUNIZATIONS? SO EVERYTHING IS IN THIS HANDBOOK AND WE GO THROUGH THIS DURING THE ORIENTATION PROCESS.
THIS IS THE EVENT THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WHERE WE HAVE INTERPRETATION SUPPORTS.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE YOU MIGHT SEE ON THE CHILD'S HAND THE CORD FOR THE HEADSET.
AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE YOU'LL SEE THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR BROCHURES.
SO OUR NEXT UPCOMING EVENT IS ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH AT OUR PARENT SEMINAR.
THERE ARE TWO TIMINGS, 930 AND THE SECOND TIME SLOT WILL BE 1230, AND WE WILL BE KIND OF HAVING AN EXPO STYLE EVENT FOR PARENTS AND ALSO A SEMINAR STYLE. AND THE BEST PART IS WE WILL BE PROVIDING ALL OF OUR REFUGEE FAMILIES AND THEIR KIDS WITH JACKETS AND SHOES FOR FREE.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS PROGRAM.
IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US AND WE WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS.
[02:50:02]
THANK YOU. AND I THINK WE ALL WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION AND SUPPORT.I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO OUR OUR TRUSTEES.
MS.. MS. RENTERÍA. UM, I'M JUST WOW.
LIKE I AM JUST SO MY HEART IS FULL AND PEOPLE KNOW ME HERE.
I GET EMOTIONAL, BUT I CAN'T I AND YOU'RE RIGHT, MS..
HAWK. I MEAN, WHEN WE MET, IMMEDIATELY WE TALKED ABOUT SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE COULD RELATE ON AND JUST MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. RIGHT.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, AGAIN, THE PASSION THAT YOU HAVE AND YOU HAVE BROUGHT SO MUCH AND SO LITTLE TIME, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
UM, I AM JUST TAKEN BACK BY JUST, JUST EVERYTHING IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
SO I JUST I JUST FEEL LIKE I WANT TO CARBON COPY YOU AND, YOU KNOW, JUST DO THIS MORE, BUT, UM.
I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL HOW JUST EVERYTHING.
AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK RELATIONSHIP.
RIGHT. THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN THAT IS JUST SO, SO CRUCIAL.
HELLER. I KNOW THAT SHE HELPS US SO MUCH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE ALL OF THIS WORK.
AS AS IMMIGRANT STUDENTS WHO COME IN.
AND EVEN FOR OUR PARENTS, IT'S OVERWHELMING, RIGHT? AND WE JUST YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
AND I THINK THAT FOR THOSE THAT COME IN AND JUST AS YOU SAID, TO ADDRESS ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS FROM NOT JUST THE ACADEMICS BUT SOCIALLY AND THE TRAUMA THAT SO MANY OF US COME WITH, AND TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE LIKE YOURSELVES THAT ARE JUST READY AND WILLING AND ARE JUST A WONDERFUL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT I KNOW.
I'M SO PROUD TO SERVE AS OUR AS OUR DISTRICT BEING FOR THAT.
SO I JUST KUDOS TO YOU AND JUST THANK YOU AND CONTINUE THE AMAZING WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS QUESTIONS FOR MISS PACHECO? I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THIS PROGRAM BE SO SUCCESSFUL WITH OUR REFUGEE FAMILIES.
WE HAVE SO MANY HERE IN OUR DISTRICT, AND I'M PROUD THAT WE HAVE YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO HELP AND SUPPORT THEM, EMPOWER THEM BY GIVING THEM THE TOOLS, AND ALSO BY REMOVING BARRIERS THAT THEY MAY HAVE AND EDUCATING, YOU KNOW, HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS AND HOW TO FIND SOLUTIONS IF WE CAN'T PROVIDE THEM FOR THEM.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THINKING ABOUT ALL THE LITTLE THINGS AND REMOVING BARRIERS THAT MAY EXIST.
AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT IT AND JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO MUCH.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF A TRAINING WHERE THEY WORKED WITH OUR OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS AND OUR FRONT OFFICE STAFF, AND IT WAS AMAZING TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION.
AND I STILL I WAS AT A CAMPUS JUST THE OTHER DAY WHEN I WALKED IN, THAT FRONT OFFICE STAFF SHARED WITH ME HOW WHEN WHEN THEIR REFUGEE STUDENTS WALK THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR, THERE IS A LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAVE AND THAT WHAT MIGHT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATING OR ANSWERING THAT SAME QUESTION TEN TIMES, OR WHATEVER IT WAS, THAT THEY LOOK AT IT TODAY WITH SUCH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN THEY DID AS A RESULT OF JUST THAT LITTLE BIT OF TIME THAT THESE TWO SPENT WITH THEM.
SO IT REALLY IS IT'S IT'S IMPACTING AND IT'S, IT'S IT'S EDUCATING AND INSPIRING ALL MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM TO UNDERSTAND OUR ROLE IN SUPPORTING THESE 1300 STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THAT THAT'S JUST A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO.
I'M GOING TO DATE MYSELF HERE A SECOND AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS PROBABLY GOING TO DATE THEMSELVES.
THEY WANTED TO HELP AND THEY WANTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
BUT THE CHALLENGE IS THAT THOSE WHO ARE FLEEING FROM PERSECUTION ARE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER STUDENTS MIGHT HAVE, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FIGURES AND AUTHORITY, THEIR RELATIONSHIP WHEN THEY DO THINGS THAT AREN'T THAT AREN'T PERCEIVED CORRECT, EVEN THOUGH THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT THEY HAD DONE IN THEIR OWN CULTURE, NOT REALIZING THE DIFFERENCES.
[02:55:06]
TO HAVE THIS KIND OF SUPPORT SO THAT OUR STAFF CAN ADEQUATELY BE EQUIPPED TO HELP THESE STUDENTS AND TO HELP THEM ACCLIMATE, I THINK IS UNBELIEVABLE. AND I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.MR. EAGER. I WAS LITERALLY TALKING TO A PARENT TODAY.
YOU DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE HAVE REFUGEES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I WOULD.
THAT IF YOU ASK MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE, AND IF THEY DID, THEY WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE.
THAT'S ALMOST 4% OF THE POPULATION OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO I'D LIKE TO SAY HOW PROUD, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH ARIAS THE WAY OF NOT ONLY ACCEPTING IT, BUT THE TRAUMA.
I'M IN THE CONVERSATION WITH HIM AND HE GOES, YEAH, I HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY A COUPLE OF TIMES.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I JUST CAN'T COMPREHEND.
PARENTS AND THESE CHILDREN JUST UPROOT AND FOR YOU TO MAKE THEM WELCOME AND PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD THAT CARE, AND THIS IS SUCH THE RICHARDSON ISD IT MAKES US ALL VERY, VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, MISS MCGOWAN? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
THANK YOU FOR THE FUNDING AND ACQUIRING THAT FUNDING.
I WISH THERE WERE MORE STATE FUNDED DOLLARS TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR WORK.
THANK YOU TO SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM FOR SUPPORTING THIS VISION AND POURING INTO THESE LADIES.
LIEBER. AND YOU MENTIONED ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED YOUR EFFORTS.
LIKE THIS IS THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT, RIGHT? THIS IS SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
AND SO MANY OF US FORGET THAT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, RIGHT? WE GET CAUGHT UP IN THE THE POLITICAL SIDE OF THINGS AND THE THE NONSENSE.
BUT THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THIS WORK IS ABOUT.
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, WHAT ELSE WAS I GOING TO SAY? OH, AND THE FAMILIES THAT YOU ARE IMPACTING.
THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL DOCTORS AND ATTORNEYS AND ENGINEERS.
RIGHT. THAT WILL BE LEADING OUR COUNTRY SOMEDAY.
UM, I WAS VOLUNTEERING IN OUR COMMUNITY IS AMAZING.
LIKE THE COMMUNITY HERE IS GREAT.
AND I WAS VOLUNTEERING THROUGH ANOTHER GROUP OF LADIES AT THURGOOD MARSHALL.
AND I HAPPENED TO RUN INTO TWO LADIES THAT WORK AT THE SCHOOL.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO HERE? AND SOMEONE SAID, OH, THEY SUPPORT THAT.
THE REFUGEE FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE.
AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT THURGOOD WAS LIKE ONE OF OUR MOST HEAVILY POPULATED SCHOOLS.
UM, AND THEY WERE JUST SO HUMBLE AND LOVING AND GRACEFUL.
UM, AND I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU, LET US KNOW.
ANY ADDITIONAL? I DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES IT.
I MEAN, FOR WHAT DID YOU SAY THEY STARTED? WHEN DID YOU ALL START? JANUARY. YEAH.
I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S AMAZING.
BRANUM WAS KIND OF PRESENTED ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
A BUNCH OF ROCK STARS FROM KAMEEKA TO THE DRUG.
AND WE'VE GOT A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION THAT NEEDS THIS FUNDING.
YOU ALL ARE RESOURCEFUL ENOUGH TO GO OUT AND CLOSE THAT GAP WHERE IT'S NEEDED.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE'RE PUTTING THAT POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO DO THAT AND WE NO MATTER WHERE THE POLITICS GOES IN AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TAKE IN REFUGEES AND WE WANT TO TAKE IN REFUGEES.
[03:00:01]
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO THAT'S AND SO IT'S IT'S IT'S A VERY SPECIALIZED PIECE OF OUR COMMUNITY, SPECIALIZED PIECE OF OUR DISTRICT AND SPECIALIZED PIECE OF A CHALLENGE THAT WE, YOU GUYS ARE TAKING ON IN ACCOMPLISHING GREAT THINGS THAT DOESN'T GET TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH.WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
[V.G. Discussion of Legislative Issues]
NOT LEAST, OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM REGARDING LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.HARRIS. AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM THAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT PRESENTING.
AND MS.. MORRIS, IF YOU WILL COME FORWARD, AS YOU KNOW WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OR I GUESS WE'RE KIND OF AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR THIRD SPECIAL SESSION.
AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S THE SAME SONG, SAME VERSE, REPEAT AGAIN.
BUT WE ARE STEADFAST WITH OUR MISSION, STEADFAST WITH OUR VOICE.
MORRIS, WILL YOU JUST KIND OF PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY AND OUR BOARD WITH AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE? WELL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW.
GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, BOARD, AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO YOU.
I WILL TRY TO KEEP MY REMARKS SHORT.
PUT IT THAT WAY. THE SENATE IS STILL MEETING AS WE'RE SPEAKING.
THEY HAVE NOT YET HEARD THE SCHOOL FINANCE BILL, BUT THEY DO PLAN.
THEY WANT TO GET OUT OF AUSTIN AND GO HOME AFTER SOME OF THESE BILLS ARE PASSED.
YOU CAN'T FIND WHAT FINAL MEANT OR EVEN THE AMENDMENTS YET.
BUT THE WAY IT LOOKS RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND ALL $500 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOTTED IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED, AND THEY THINK THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ABOUT 60,000 VOUCHERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE UNIVERSAL.
THEY'RE EXPECTING LOTS OF APPLICATIONS AND THEN THEY WILL.
THIS BILL CALLS FOR THEM TO HAVE A LOTTERY.
SENATE BILL TWO IS A SCHOOL FINANCE BILL.
YEAH. REALLY SHORT. THEY HAVE A $75 INCREASE IN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
AND RIGHT NOW WE REALLY NEED TODAY WE NEED ABOUT $400.
AND GOING INTO THE FUTURE WE NEED MORE THAN THAT.
IT DOES INCREASE SOME OF THE SAFETY ALLOTMENT FROM $10 TO 20.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES AN AMOUNT FOR PER SCHOOL.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER IT'S 15,000.
SO IT BASICALLY DOUBLES WHAT WE'VE GOT BUT STILL LEAVES US A COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS SHORT.
AND JUST A REMINDER, WE SPEND $151 A STUDENT PER THE ADDITION OF HOUSE BILL THREE.
SO WE'LL SEE. NOW THE INTERESTING THING IS THE HOUSE.
MET ON MONDAY FOR A LITTLE BIT.
THEY ADJOURNED UNTIL THURSDAY.
THEY MET FOR A LITTLE BIT. THEY ADJOURNED UNTIL MONDAY AGAIN.
AND WHAT I HAVE HEARD AND ON MULTIPLE SOURCES, IS THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON A SCHOOL FINANCE AND VOUCHER BILL THAT THEY THINK WILL PASS IN THE HOUSE.
THE DETAILS OF THAT ARE ARE NOT REALLY ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT THEY'RE THINKING ALSO 50 TO 60,000 KIDS ONLY FOR THE LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC OR SPED STUDENTS.
AND THEY ARE I HEARD TODAY FROM A REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT AN EXTRA 6 BILLION TO RAISE IT TO 10 BILLION, WHICH WOULD BRING THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, HE SAID, TO $1,100.
AND THEN I ASKED THEM, I SAID, I DON'T THINK THE SENATE WILL GO FOR THAT, DO YOU? AND HE GOES, NO. SO WHO KNOWS WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN.
HAVE YOU ALL DISCUSSED THE ACCOUNTABILITY LAWSUIT? OKAY, SO THE ACCOUNTABILITY LAWSUIT WE HEARD FROM THE ATTORNEYS FROM THE INTERVENORS, DAVID THOMPSON FROM THOMPSON AND HORTON, AND THEN ALSO ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS THAT WAS THERE FOR THE PLAINTIFFS, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE.
AND THEY FELT REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE HEARING ON TUESDAY.
[03:05:01]
REALLY GOOD. AND THEY FEEL THERE'S THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER THINGS BEFORE THEY WILL.LETICIA, WHAT'S THEY CALLED WHEN THEY STOP IT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE SHORT OF IT.
AM I ECHOING ANY ANY QUESTIONS? AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK LIZ.
SHE'S RIGHT IN THE HEART OF IT.
LIZ. DANNY FROM PLANO ISD, UM, DISD, THEY HAVE CREATED A COMMUNITY TOOLKIT.
WE STARTED COMMUNICATION TO STAFF.
I SENT ONE OUT THROUGH OUR NOTES ON FRIDAY TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND THEN WE WANT TO BE WE WANT TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND INTENTIONAL ABOUT TIMING.
SO AS WE HAVE KEY MOMENTS WHEN THESE PROBABLY THESE BILLS WILL GO TO CONFERENCE AND AT SOME POINT THERE WILL BE MORE SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE WILL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTIVATE OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE REACHING OUT AND CONTACTING THEIR LEGISLATORS.
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE KIND OF MAKING THE SAUSAGE.
SO THAT COMMUNITY TOOLKIT, IT IS NOW BEING SHARED STATEWIDE TASKS HAS SHARED IT.
TODAY TSA HAS SHARED IT WITH ALL OF THEIR MEMBER DISTRICTS.
SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
MISS HARRIS, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY QUESTIONS? MISS MCGOWAN I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
LIZ. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
LIKE IF THEY'RE SPECIAL, NEED KIDS LIKE THEY DON'T GET THE RESOURCES THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS GET.
IF THESE KIDS, LIKE IF THEY'RE SPECIAL, NEED KIDS THAT TAKE THESE VOUCHERS, WILL THEY THEN HAVE TO COME TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THEIR SPECIAL RESOURCE THINGS OR NOT? IF THEY'RE ENROLLED IN AND SPEND THEIR VOUCHER MONEY IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL, BUT THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS DON'T FALL UNDER THE FEDERAL LAWS THE WAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO.
SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHY VOUCHERS AREN'T GOOD FOR THE STATE IS BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY THE SCHOOL THAT PICKS THE KID, NOT SO MUCH THE KID THAT PICKS THE SCHOOL.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY. THANK YOU.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OH.
OUR LAST ITEM THIS EVENING IS A REPORT ON DISTRICT ACTIVITIES.
[V.H. Discussion of Student / District Activities]
WE HAVE HAD A LOT GOING ON SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, BUT IT IS SO AWESOME TO JUST GET BACK AND JUST BE ENGAGED IN THE DISTRICT AND WHAT OUR STUDENTS AND IN OUR BUILDINGS.SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED TO SATISFY, UH, WHO WANTS TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT ONE? DELEGATE. DELEGATE.
THE DELEGATE. YOU KNOW, ANOTHER GREAT CONFERENCE COVERING A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GREAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE GETTING TOGETHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, COVERING, YOU KNOW, EVERY TOPIC THAT'S CONCERNING EDUCATION, HOW TO MAKE THINGS BETTER, HAD THE THE CHANCE TO SIT IN WITH, I THINK THERE WAS THREE, ABOUT 380 DELEGATES TO DISCUSS.
IT WAS IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THE PROCESS HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THE VOICES HEARD AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ALL THE THINGS AT A UNITED
[03:10:07]
VOICE. AND SO YOU DIGEST A LOT OF INFORMATION AT THESE, THESE CONFERENCES.THANK YOU. MR. EAGER AND MR. POTEET, YOU REPRESENTED VERY WELL AT THE COUNCIL OF PTAS, I UNDERSTAND.
WELL, IT STARTED OUT I WAS NOTIFIED THAT MORNING THAT MY POWERBALL TICKET DID NOT WIN.
SO SO IT STARTED OUT A LITTLE BIT LOW, BUT WE TRIED TO BRING IT BACK UP AFTER THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK I STRESSED AND I KIND OF MENTIONED IT EARLIER TONIGHT WITH SOME OF THE GOALS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT HOW THE CRITICAL PIECES AND ACHIEVING THIS GROWTH WERE PARENTS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND OBVIOUSLY PTA ENCOMPASSES A COUPLE OF THOSE.
I'M ALWAYS OPEN FOR Q AND A, AND THERE'S NEVER TIME FOR IT.
BUT I GOT SOME TEXTS AFTERWARDS, WHICH WAS FINE.
SO I GOT TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
MS. MCGOWAN. STOLTZ, ROWE DUAL LANGUAGE.
AND YOU HAVE A SPECIAL, SPECIAL LITTLE INTEREST OVER THERE.
GUYS, IF I COULD SHOW YOU, I SHARE IT WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
THE VIDEOS THAT SHE IS LEARNING TO COUNT IN SPANISH.
AND WE ASKED HER, I'LL GO BACK TO STOLT IN A SECOND.
BUT WHEN WE ASK HER, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID YOU LEARN TODAY? AND SHE'LL START COUNTING AND SHE'LL JUST GO.
AND WE'RE LIKE, WHAT? SO MY MOM'S LIKE, YOU NEED TO WATCH HER.
EXACTLY. BUT ANYWAY, IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM.
I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT WHAT MISTER ANTHONY IS DOING THERE AT THE SCHOOL.
GOD BLESS HIM. HE'S GOT A LOT ON HIS SHOULDERS.
UM, BUT WE ARE THERE FOR HIM TO SUPPORT HIM AND, YOU KNOW, RALLYING THE FAMILIES TOGETHER.
AND WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED.
SO WE'RE DOING WE'RE DOING GREAT.
WE'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD START OF THE YEAR.
THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. AND I WILL SAY THAT THOSE VIDEOS ARE JUST AWESOME.
THEY MAKE MY DAY AND SHE'S DOING AWESOME.
SHE'S DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB.
WE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AND THIS IS LIKE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART TO ATTEND THE LITTLE EAGLES LEARNING CENTER RIBBON CUTTING WITH MR. EAGER AND MS. RENTERÍA MS. RENTERÍA YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT IT? OH MY GOSH, THAT WAS SUPER AWESOME.
IT WAS JUST SO GREAT TO GO IN AND SEE LIKE THE FINAL PRODUCT, HAVE IT ALL THERE.
IT'S JUST WE HAD SOME FUN SEEING THOSE ITTY BITTY CHAIRS, RIGHT? AND ITTY BITTY TABLES, ITTY BITTY TOILETS, ITTY BITTY TOILETS.
WAS WORKING WITH LIKE THE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
SO IT WAS GREAT TO KIND OF GO IN THERE AGAIN AND SEE THAT SO BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
MISS SANDRA HAYES I MEAN, IT'S JUST LIKE AWESOME TO SEE EVERYTHING JUST COME TOGETHER.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY THERE TOO.
I THINK ONE THING THAT I SAW WAS JUST THE GRATITUDE AND THESE TEACHERS THAT WERE THERE AND THAT ARE JUST LIKE, SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS FACILITY AND SEEING IT COME TO FRUITION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE EXCITING PART FOR ME.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.
OUR PRESIDENT HARRIS DID WELL AND WELCOMING EVERYONE AND REPRESENTING US.
SO IT WAS IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY GREAT, GREAT EVENING.
THE SCISSORS WERE GIANT AND THEY WERE REAL SCISSORS.
YEAH, THEY WERE THE RICHARDSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
STATE OF THE DISTRICT LUNCHEON.
UH, MISS TAMMY, YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THAT ONE? I WAS IT WAS REALLY GREAT.
DOCTOR WILLIAMS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT FROM PLANO ISD.
AND MISS BRANUM WERE ABLE TO REALLY DISCUSS THE KIND OF THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT.
[03:15:02]
I THOUGHT YOU GUYS GAVE GREAT OPTIONS FOR HOW BUSINESSES CAN ENGAGE, THE OPENNESS THAT WE HAD TO PARTNERING WITH OTHERS AND HOW THEY CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS TAKE FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY CAN DO BETTER, WHAT THE DISTRICTS CAN DO BETTER IN ORDER TO PREPARE THE WORKFORCE.CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING? SURE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY TOO, I'VE GOTTEN TO GO TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT SPORTING EVENTS.
I MEAN, WHETHER IT'S FOOTBALL GAMES, WHETHER IT'S VOLLEYBALL GAMES, WHATEVER.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY WE HAVE SO MANY KIDS WHO ARE ENGAGED AND SO MANY COACHES, SPONSORS.
I MEAN, JUST WATCHING OUR BANDS, WATCHING OUR DRILL TEAMS, WATCHING THE HOMECOMING FESTIVITIES.
I JUST WANTED TO TO TO SAY THAT WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH LARGE PARTICIPATION AND EVENTS WHERE SO MANY KIDS AND FAMILIES CAN COME TOGETHER IN A COMMUNITY EVENT TO CELEBRATE THEIR KIDS HAVING GREAT HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES.
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE WINS AND LOSSES, IN MY OPINION.
WE DID. WE WERE AT APOLLO DOING THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION THERE.
IT WASN'T THE STAGE, IT WAS IN THE GYM.
IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE PARENTS THERE SUPPORTING THEIR STUDENTS AND PARENTS EXCITED AND AND SURPRISED EVEN TO LIKE, OH, THERE'S SOMEBODY AT CHEER BRUCKNER. OH, THEY HAVE FOLKLORICO AT RICHARDSON.
AND SO IT'S JUST THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN THEY BECOME APOLLO OR ANY OTHER JUNIOR HIGH ALUM AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, AND IT WAS JUST A LOT OF FUN.
AND MR. EAGER AND MS. RENTERÍA HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO START A SAVINGS CHECKING WITH SOME BIG BUCKS.
I'M SURE Y'ALL STARTED WITH SOME BIG BUCKS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SO AWESOME.
I WAS JUST I HAD BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO TO THAT PARTICULAR EVENT.
I WAS TAKEN ABACK BY THE STUDENTS.
THEY WERE JUST SO HELPFUL, SO KNOWLEDGEABLE, SO PROFESSIONAL.
SEEING. UM, THE I FORGOT HIS NAME.
TABITHA THE THE BRANCH MANAGER.
MICHAEL. YES, HE WAS WONDERFUL.
AND JUST EVERYBODY WHO WAS THERE THAT AGAIN PUT THIS TOGETHER, MISS CAGE.
IT'S AWESOME. I JUST THINK AGAIN, WHEN YOU KIND OF SEE THIS FINALLY COME TO FRUITION AND YOU SEE THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY JUST HELPING OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS MORE EXCITED ABOUT OPENING MY ACCOUNT, THE STUDENT OR ME.
I GOT A TEXAS SHAPED CUTTING BOARD OUT OF THAT TOO.
BUT WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
I WAS JUST AND IT WASN'T EVEN JUST A CREDIT UNION.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE WAS A CLASSROOM RIGHT BEHIND IT.
SO TO SEE THAT CLASSROOM AND THAT OUR KIDS ARE GETTING FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AGAIN, HOW IT JUST AGAIN, HOW IT JUST ALIGNS WITH OUR GRADUATE PROFILE THAT FINANCIAL LITERACY.
SO THERE'S A CLASSROOM RIGHT IN THE BACK.
AND THEN YOU JUST TURN AROUND AND THEN THERE'S THE OFFICE.
SO I ENCOURAGE ALL THE COMMUNITY TO GO OUT THERE, CHECK IT OUT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR RICHARDSON BRANCH.
I THINK THEY'RE CLOSING DOWN THE ONE THAT WAS ON PLANO ROAD.
CORRECT. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR RICHARDSON BRANCH.
SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM, I THINK YOU HAVE AN ACTIVITY.
YESTERDAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, ALONG WITH MR. HASSO AND DR.
MISS MCGOUGH WAS THERE TO SEE LAKE HIGHLANDS, BUT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO DUNCANVILLE AND WATCH OUR FOUR BANDS COMPETE AND THEY WERE AMAZING. AND JUST TO AGAIN SEE WHERE THE SHOW WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, TO WHERE IT IS NOW, AND TO SEE OUR KIDS SHINE LIKE THE PASSION THAT THEY HAVE AND THE EXCITEMENT THAT THEY HAD WHEN THEY KNOW THEY HAD A JOB WELL DONE.
[03:20:01]
AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT, BECAUSE WE HAD A COUPLE OF OUR HEAD FOOTBALL COACHES THAT TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO DUNCANVILLE TO WATCH THEIR BANDS COMPETE.AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR STATEMENT TO US WAS, YOU KNOW, THE BAND IS THERE EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT SUPPORTING WHAT WE DO, AND THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM.
AND I JUST WAS SO PROUD IN THAT MOMENT THAT WE'RE CREATING A CULTURE IN A COMMUNITY THAT JUST IS THERE FOR EACH OTHER, AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO SEE.
AND SO FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE, PLEASE GO TO AREA COMPETITION NEXT SATURDAY AND THAT'LL HELP US KNOW IF YOU MAKE FINALS THE TOP 12 MAKE FINALS.
AND THEN OUT OF THAT, THE TOP SIX ADVANCED TO STATE.
OUR BANDS REALLY LOVE TO SEE OUR PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY UP IN THE STANDS CHEERING FOR THEM.
IT'S THERE'S A GREAT ENERGY AND SO JUST APPLAUD OUR FOUR BAND DIRECTORS, Y'ALL.
THE WORK THAT THEY DO, THEIR LEADERSHIP, HOW PAYING ATTENTION TO LIKE THE FEET ON WHICH YARD LINE IN WHICH YOU KNOW, JUST ALL OF THE DETAILS. AND THOSE KIDS WANT TO PERFORM WELL FOR THEMSELVES AND TO MAKE THEIR DIRECTORS PROUD.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT THAT ENGAGEMENT AND THAT STUDENT CONNECTION.
IT'S EVERYTHING. SO HUGE, HUGE APPLAUSE FOR THEM.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF, EVERYBODY THAT KIND OF HUNG OUT THERE WITH US TONIGHT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, OUR VISITORS ALSO MY COLLEAGUES, FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
[VI. CLOSED MEETING]
551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND SECTION 551.07 FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS.GO! EAGLES! EAGLES! CLOSE IT OUT.
THE BOARD IS RETURNING TO OPEN SESSION AT.
[VII. RECONVENE]
11:15 P.M..HAVING TAKEN NO ACTION WHILE IN CLOSED SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR STAYING SO LATE TONIGHT.
OUR STAFF AND COLLEAGUES THAT WERE HERE.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 11:16 P.M..
YAY! WOO HOO! YEAH! THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.