[00:00:04]
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A FULL ROOM.WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER WORK SESSION OF THE RICHARDSON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I AM REGINA HARRIS, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM TONIGHT, AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM.
I AM JUST GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ACTUALLY GO OFF OF AGENDA, AND I JUST WANT TO SPEND JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS JUST IN SILENCE, JUST RECOGNIZING MANY.
SO IF EVERYONE WOULD JUST KIND OF GO INTO SILENCE JUST A FEW MOMENTS.
IT'S TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
[II. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]
MR. POTEET, DO WE HAVE PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? YES, MS. HARRIS WE DO.A SPEAKER THAT ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS A NON-AGENDA ITEM MUST STOP HIS OR HER COMMENTS WHEN DIRECTED.
AS A REMINDER, PLEASE FOLLOW THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PROTOCOL AS NOTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS TONIGHT, MS. HARRIS, AND THE FIRST ONE I'LL START WITH IS MISS KELLY PRITCHARD.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND ONE THEN, WHICH IS MR. [INAUDIBLE] BLACKMAN.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM, PRESIDENT HARRIS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ESTEEMED EMPLOYEES.
ALL OF YOU. BEFORE ANY OF YOU WERE ELECTED TO THE BOARD, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT THAT CAME TO THE DISTRICT FROM A FORMER BOARD MEMBER REGARDING OPEN MEETINGS AND THE REASON THIS IS BEING ADDRESSED THIS EVENING IS WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS POLICY, AND YOU HAVE A PROCESS WHICH I BELIEVE IN THE SPIRIT OF.
IT IS NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT WOULD ALLOW FOR, AND IN THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO DISCUSS POLICIES AND THE MEETINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE WITH, I BELIEVE IT'S A THREE BOARD MEMBERS AND THEN THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THEN LEGAL COUNSEL DISCUSSING WHAT POLICIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE.
THIS WAS BROUGHT UP IN A LEVEL THREE HEARING THAT I PRESENTED TO THE BOARD IN THIS ROOM NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHERE IT WAS INDICATED THAT THINGS WOULD BE CHANGED BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED UPON.
AS WE ALL KNOW IN OUR LIVES, AS WE GO THROUGH EVERYTHING, WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE UPON THINGS, AND WHICH IS A GREAT THING, BUT WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE IMPROVED UPON, AND HOW AND WHERE THEY DISCUSSED AND HOW THEY DISCUSSED IS WHAT I TAKE SOME CONTENTION WITH, AND TONIGHT YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS SEVERAL POLICIES, CHANGES THAT WERE NOT DISCUSSED IN AN OPEN. IT WILL BE DISCUSSED NOW AS A MATTER OF PROCESS, BUT IT WAS NOT DISCUSSED BEFOREHAND IN AN OPEN MEETING.
IT WAS DISCUSSED IN A CLOSED COMMITTEE THAT PEOPLE CAN ATTEND AND LISTEN TO, AND I THINK THAT IN THAT REGARD, TOMA DEMANDS OPENNESS AT EVERY STAGE OF THE GOVERNMENTAL DELIBERATION PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT CITIZENS KNOW WHAT THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS DECIDE AND HOW EACH DECISION IS REACHED WITH THE PATRICK HENRY QUOTE, THE LIBERTIES OF PEOPLE NEVER WERE NOR EVER WILL BE SECURE WHEN THE TRANSACTIONS OF THEIR OF THEIR RULERS MAY BE CONCEALED FROM THEM.
VOTES THAT APPEARED SWIFT AND UNCONTESTED, BUT IN TRUTH WERE CHOREOGRAPHED BEHIND THE SCENES.
500 YES VOTES IS WHAT THE FORMER BOARD MEMBER REFERS TO IN THESE ROVING QUORUMS. ET CETERA, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THOSE ARE STILL HAPPENING, BUT I SAY THIS SORT OF FALLS INTO THAT SAME CATEGORY OF A MEETING THAT'S NOT OPEN TO DISCUSS, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN'T SEE THE DELIBERATION THAT HAPPENS.
TRUST ME, THAT CONTENTION THAT WE HAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS NOT GREAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE NEED OPEN AND HONEST DISCUSSION ON ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO POLICIES AND CHANGING THEM, BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE HIGHLY COMPLEX, WHERE ONE WORD CAN PIVOT THE ENTIRE MEANING OF THE SENTENCE.
SO AS YOU DISCUSS THOSE THIS EVENING, I HOPE WE'LL SEE SOME OF THAT DELIBERATION, AND IF NOT, THEN THE PUBLIC IS LEFT TO ASK, WHY DON'T WE SEE THAT DELIBERATION? BECAUSE HAS THIS BEEN DISCUSSED AHEAD OF TIME? WE SORT OF JUST A NOD TO THOSE THREE FOLKS AND SAY WHATEVER THEY SAY, WE'LL SAY YES WITH AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE CRUCIAL AND VITAL TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
SO WHEN WE HAVE AN OPEN MEETING, IS PRECEDED BY COMMUNICATION AMONG A NUMBER OF OFFICIALS, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CONSTITUTE A QUORUM, THEN TOMA REQUIRES THE COMMUNICATION TO BE MADE PUBLIC, AND THAT'S ALL I WOULD ASK FOR, IS THAT THOSE MEETINGS THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THAT ARE IN CLOSED SESSIONS ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ATTEND, AND YOU
[00:05:06]
KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT SHOWS UP.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. DAVID GEIER.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, MISS HARRIS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. POTEET, AND THANK YOU, MR..
MR. BLACKMAN, FOR COMING UP AND SPEAKING TONIGHT.
THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS AN INFORMATION ITEM REGARDING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PLANNING UPDATE, MS.
[III.A. Middle School Planning]
BRANUM. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HARRIS.FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND MR. BRADFORD IS IN THE ROOM, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO CELEBRATE OUR FOUR MARCHING BANDS.
THEY COMPETED IN AREA CONTEST LAST SATURDAY, AND WE HAD THREE THAT ADVANCED TO THE FINALS AND OF THOSE THREE, WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE THAT IS ADVANCING TO STATE, AND THERE ARE DISTRICTS I CAN TELL YOU ALL THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY ADVANCED TO FINALS, NOT ALONE ADVANCED TO STATE, AND SO WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF OUR FAMILY AND OUR BERKNER RAMS. THEY WILL BE COMPETING MONDAY AT 8:30 P.M.
IN SAN ANTONIO AT THE ALAMODOME, AND THEN FINALS WOULD BE ON TUESDAY, AND SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND YOU JUST HAVE A MOMENT WHERE YOU LOOK IN THE STANDS AND, YOU KNOW IT'S 900 KIDS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS EXPERIENCE, AND BEING IN THE BAND, IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST LEARNING TO PLAY THE INSTRUMENT OR LEARNING HOW TO PROPERLY USE YOUR MARCHING TECHNIQUE OR IN THE COLOR GUARD.
THERE ARE SO MANY LIFE LESSONS, AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE GRADUATE PROFILE AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT IN TERMS OF OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS AND TO HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THE ADULTS.
BAND IS JUST ONE ILLUSTRATION OF THAT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. BRADFORD AND ALL OF OUR FOUR BAND DIRECTORS.
WELL, TONIGHT WE ARE HITTING A BIG MILESTONE IN THE WORK THAT REALLY STARTED YEARS AGO WHEN WE FORMED AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD A COMMUNITY GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE, IN WHICH THAT TEAM SPENT MONTHS AND MONTHS STUDYING OUR CURRENT GRADE CONFIGURATION OF PRE K THROUGH SIXTH GRADE AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT ON ALMOST ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES, WE HAVE PRE K STUDENTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE THREE AND FOUR YEARS OLD, ALL THE WAY THROUGH SIXTH GRADE VERSUS AND STUDYING THAT MODEL VERSUS HAVING A PRE K FIVE AND A SIX, EIGHT, NINE, 12, AND AFTER LOTS OF DELIBERATION AND MR. JASSO AND THE TEAM ARE GOING TO LEAD THE CONVERSATION AROUND IT, REMINDING EVERYONE OF THE RESEARCH AND WHY THE RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE, BUT IN THE END, A RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO CHANGE OUR GRADE CONFIGURATIONS AND SHIFT FROM A PRE K SIX TO A PRE K FIVE, A 6 TO 8 AND A 9 TO 12, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT THE BOARD DID ADOPT THAT, AND THEY DID ACTUALLY PASS A RESOLUTION THAT FURTHER BASICALLY SAID WE KNOW THAT DUE TO CAPITAL CAPACITY, WE COULD NOT SHIFT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT ALL AT ONE TIME, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A PHASE IN.
SO WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE STARTING WITH LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LAKE AND FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE FIRST PHASE OF SOME OF THE OUTLINE OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION, AND THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION FOR OUR STAFF, FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO DIG INTO THIS TRANSFORMATION, ALLOW THE BOARD SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
YOU ALL WILL PROBABLY LEAVE TONIGHT WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN YOU DO ANSWERS.
SO WE'RE PHASING THIS. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE MEETING THIS MONTH, AND THEN WE'LL BRING BACK THE NEXT SET OF ANSWERS IN DECEMBER, AND SO WE REALLY WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS. YOU CAN SEE THIS WHOLE TEAM.
THIS IS JUST A SMALL EVIDENCE OF ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS.
WE'VE BEEN MAKING SITE VISITS.
WE HAVE BEEN READING, WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING.
WE'VE DONE ALL THE THINGS TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN FEEL REALLY GOOD JUST A LITTLE BIT.
[00:10:01]
WE CAN FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT WHERE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD TONIGHT, AND SO, MR. JASSO, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND THE TEAM.I WAS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER.
I KNEW I WANTED TO TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THERE'S A REASON DEVELOPMENTALLY AND WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS AND THAT MATURATION, WHY IT IS SUCH A GREAT FIT TO HAVE THOSE SIX SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS TOGETHER, WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE THREE YEARS TO FORM A COMMUNITY.
TWO YEARS IS REALLY, REALLY FAST.
YOU JUST GET THEM IN AND THEY'RE LEAVING, AND SO TO HAVE THREE YEARS WHERE THEY ARE COMMUNITY AND THEY CAN BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WE CAN REALLY TARGET SUPPORTS FOR THAT DEVELOPMENTAL AGE GROUP.
I LOVED BEING A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER.
I LOVED EVERY MINUTE, AND I TAUGHT ALL THREE GRADES AT DIFFERENT POINTS, AND I LOVED ALL OF IT.
SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND MR. JASSO AND TEAM, PLEASE TAKE IT OVER.
A LITTLE SHOUT OUT TO MISS BALLAST WHO CREATED THE LITTLE SWAG BAGS FOR YOU.
SO FEEL FREE TO LOOK IN THERE AND ALL THE GOODIES THAT SHAWNA CREATED FOR US.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE CREDIT, BUT I ASSUME THAT YOU KNOW THAT IT WASN'T MY WORK, MUCH LIKE I WILL RELAY THE SUPER CUTE COMMENT TO HER.
MUCH LIKE WHAT MRS. BRANUM SAID I'M GOING TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT HERE AT THE BEGINNING.
LIKE HER, I STARTED MY CAREER AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER AND A COACH, AND THEN I BECAME A MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AT ONE POINT IN MY CAREER, AND I ALSO AM A PARENT OF A YOUNG MAN THAT WENT THROUGH A SIX THROUGH EIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROCESS AND SO AS WE WERE PUTTING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER, I REALLY STARTED TO REMINISCE AND MR. EAGER AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS TRANSFORMATION AND FROM MY MIND, FROM A PARENT, THIS WAS A REALLY CRITICAL COMPONENT TO MY SON'S MATURATION, BOTH AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND ALSO IN HIS ACADEMIC CAREER.
THE CULTURE, AND HE'S GOT FRIENDS STILL.
HE'S 23. HE JUST GRADUATED FROM TECH, GUNS UP.
HE STILL IS FRIENDS WITH SOME OF HIS FRIENDS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SOME OF THEM WENT ON TO THE HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER AND A HANDFUL WENT ON TO COLLEGE.
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT, AS HE GOT TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AS HE GOT TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCED ACADEMICS, HE WAS REALLY GIFTED IN MATH.
I DON'T KNOW WHY BECAUSE I WAS AN ENGLISH TEACHER, BUT THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT.
ALONG WITH REALLY ENGAGING INTO HIS SCHOOL THROUGH BOTH FINE ARTS AND ATHLETICS, HE RAN CROSS COUNTRY, PLAYED BASKETBALL, ALL OF THE THINGS, AND SO I PAINT THAT PICTURE BECAUSE AS WE STARTED UNPACKING THIS, I REALLY BEGAN TO INTERNALIZE WHAT A PROFOUND IMPACT THAT IT HAD ON MY CHILD, AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED.
I'VE LIVED IT AS A PROFESSIONAL.
I'VE LIVED IT AS A TEACHER AND A COACH.
I'VE LIVED IT AS A PRINCIPAL OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL SIX THROUGH EIGHT, AND THEN, AS I JUST SHARED WITH YOU THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT IT HAD ON MY SON, AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT WAS A CATALYST NOT ONLY FOR HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT TO GO ON AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO AS WE'VE POINTED OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES, THERE ARE LOTS OF FRIENDS BEHIND ME AND AROUND THE ROOM, AND I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE EVERYONE HERE, BECAUSE THAT IS A VERY VISIBLE SIGN OF HOW THE WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
YOU ARE HEARING FROM ME AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT ME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER OR THE PROJECT LEAD, BUT THIS IS ENTIRELY A BIGGER PROCESS THAN ONE PERSON, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EMPHASIZE THE TEAMWORK THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, SO TO SPEAK, TO THE TRANSFORMATION TEAM.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU, I COULD NAME ALL THE NAMES, BUT LIKE MISS BRANUM SAID OUR GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE YOU HERE ALL NIGHT BY NAMING NAMES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS BUT YOU CAN SEE JUST VERY QUICKLY HUMAN RESOURCES, TEACHING AND LEARNING, STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, OPERATIONS AND CAMPUS AND CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION, AND I WANT TO TAKE A SECOND JUST TO REALLY THANK AND HONOR SUSAN BURT AND NICK RUSTIN AND JENNIE BATES, BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO LIVE IT.
[00:15:01]
ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES, ASKING QUESTIONS, MAKING SUGGESTIONS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT THIS HAS BEEN. PURPOSE OF THE TRANSFORMATION TEAM, WE FACILITATE THE ACTUAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE JUNIOR HIGH, THE CURRENT JUNIOR HIGH MODEL, TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL TO REALIZE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE, LIKE MS. BRANUM REFERRED TO A SECOND AGO AND THOSE THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD.WE CONTINUE TO RESEARCH EFFECTIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL, AND WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ALONG THE WAY, AND SO WE'RE GLAD TO SHARE SOME OF THAT WITH YOU TONIGHT.
JUST A VERY BASIC FRAMEWORK OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
WE HAVE A LARGE GROUP THAT WE MEET PRETTY REGULARLY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORK CONTINUES TO ALIGN TOWARDS THAT REALIZATION OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL IMPLEMENTATION SUBCOMMITTEES.
SO FOR INSTANCE, I'M GOING TO GO BACK ONE SLIDE.
GIBBONS, I'M SURE, HAS HIS FOLKS COME IN, AND THEN THEY DISCUSS AND RESEARCH AND DO THEIR PART TO ALIGN THEIR SERVICES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE OVERALL PLAN.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW OUR WORK HAS PROCEEDED, WE HAVE THE LARGER COMMITTEE.
THEN WE HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES, AND AGAIN, AS MS. BRANUM TALKED ABOUT, WE CONTINUE TO RESEARCH COHORT DISTRICTS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE ARE TWO PRINCIPLES AND MS. BATES WENT YESTERDAY.
WE CONTINUE TO READ AND COLLABORATE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT UNTIL NEXT FALL WHEN WE ACTUALLY OPEN, AND THEN IT SOUNDS EXCITING. WEST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND IF YOU GO BY FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT ACTUALLY SAYS FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL ON IT.
WELL, IN OUR CONTEXT, IT STARTS AT THE FIELD LEVEL, THE OPERATIONAL TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER AGAIN, TO STRUCTURE THE PROCESSES FOR OUR GREAT PRINCIPALS OR GREAT LEADERS AT THE CAMPUS AND IN THE LEARNING COMMUNITY.
MISS BATES, TO TAKE THAT AND IMPLEMENT IT FULLY.
MOVING FORWARD, A LITTLE HISTORY AND CONTEXT AGAIN MS. BRANUM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND BE OVERT WITH SOME REDUNDANCY, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD TO GET HERE, AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HISTORY AND CONTEXT SO THAT WE REACQUAINT OURSELVES WITH THE PATH THAT LED US TO TONIGHT.
IF YOU DOUBT THE NEED TO DO THAT.
OUR CURRENT SIXTH GRADERS WERE THIRD GRADERS, AND SO FOR THOSE KIDS AND MAYBE THEIR PARENTS, I KNOW THIS IS COMING, BUT THAT'S NOT MY REALITY YET, AND SO NOW IT'S THE REALITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE PATH THAT WE TOOK TO GET HERE AND WHY WE'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING, AND MRS. BRANUM WILL KEEP US REFERRING TO BEST PRACTICES, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, TOO, AND WHILE WE'RE MAYBE SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME IN THIS CONTEXT, IN THIS HISTORY, IS BECAUSE ACTUALLY MANY OF YOU WERE NOT ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME THAT THIS DECISION AND THIS VOTE WAS MADE AS WELL AND SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO EQUIPPING YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE COMMUNITY QUESTIONS OR WHEN YOU KNOW YOU, YOU READ SOMETHING, THAT YOU ALSO HAVE THE FULL CONTEXT AND CAN BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT, CONTINUING ON, LET'S TAKE A STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE.
WE HAVE A LITTLE TIMELINE IN FRONT OF US, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF THAT TO YOU AND INSULT ANYONE'S INTELLIGENCE, BUT I WILL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO A FEW OF THE COLUMNS, AND SO THE FIRST ONE IS THAT SECOND COLUMN AND THAT REFERS TO IN 2019-2020, THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE STUDY AND MR. EAGER ACTUALLY WAS A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE, THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE THAT HE HAD.
YEAH, AND WE THOUGHT ABOUT PUTTING THAT IN, BUT WE RAN OUT OF SLIDES.
AN EXECUTIVE DECISION. [CHUCKLING] AN EXECUTIVE DECISION HAD TO BE MADE AND I MADE IT.
SO THANKS FOR PLAYING ALONG WITH MY HUMOR THERE.
[00:20:02]
THE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT HAPPENED ON MAY 4TH OF THAT YEAR.
THE FOLLOWING OR I GUESS, THE FOURTH COLUMN.
I'M GOING TO FAST FORWARD JUST A LITTLE BIT, AND WE'RE GOING TO THE ONE AT THE TOP THAT READS MAY 2021, BECAUSE THAT'S A PIVOTAL MOMENT WHERE THE BOND PACKAGE WAS APPROVED AND THAT BOND PACKAGE INCLUDED THE RENOVATIONS OR THE TOUCH, THE TOUCHES, OR IN ONE CASE, THE NEW BUILD OF THE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE THIS COMING FALL.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT, AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN, AND THEN IF WE FAST FORWARD TO THE VERY END, AUGUST 2024, WHICH IS NOT VERY FAR AWAY, WE IMPLEMENT THE TRANSFORMATION, THE FIRST PHASE OF THE TRANSFORMATION WITH THE OPENING OF FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL JUST SOUNDS GREAT TO SAY.
SO AGAIN, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL UNDERSTOOD THE PATH THAT LED US TO TODAY, AND THAT'S GOING TO LEAD US DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL THAT FATEFUL DAY NEXT AUGUST WHEN WE OPEN UP.
WHAT WERE THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE'S AREAS OF STUDY.
SO YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU DISTRICT ENROLLMENT NUMBERS AT THE CAMPUSES, CURRENT FACILITY CAPACITY INFORMATION, STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND CURRICULUM, STUDENT WELLNESS CONSIDERATIONS, ATHLETICS AND FINE ARTS AND FACILITIES WERE PART OF THAT AND AT THIS POINT, I KNOW IN PREPARATION FOR TONIGHT, MR. RUSTIN AND MS. BURT HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR ROLE.
THEY ACTUALLY WERE ON THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE AS WELL, AND SO OBVIOUSLY WE WANT YOU TO HEAR FROM THE CAMPUS LEADERS BECAUSE THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I DON'T KNOW, NICK AND SUSAN, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND JUST KIND OF SHARE SOME THOUGHTS ON ON YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE AND THE TRANSFORMATION. YEAH, COME ON UP.
I WAS EXCITED ABOUT PRESSING THE BUTTON.
[CHUCKLING] JUST A LITTLE BIT.
WANT ME TO GO FIRST? SURE, LADIES FIRST.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK WITH YOU, AND IT'S REALLY A SURREAL MOMENT FOR [INAUDIBLE] LIKE MR. EAGER, I WAS ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT I WAS SERVING AS AN ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL.
I WAS CURRENTLY, AT THE TIME, THE PRINCIPAL AT MERRIMAN PARK AND WAS LIVING WITH SIX GRADERS IN THE ELEMENTARY, AND I KEPT THINKING, YES, IT'S TIME THEY'VE OUTGROWN THE BUILDING LITTLE BIG HUMANS IN THIS SMALL SPACE, AND I KNEW THAT ACADEMICALLY, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, THEY WERE READY TO MAKE THAT STEP, AND WE FAST FORWARD TO THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE, AND THERE I WAS, SITTING AS THE PRINCIPAL AT FOREST MEADOW, GOING, OH, GOOD, THEY'RE COMING BACK, BUT I LOVE SIXTH GRADE, AND I REALLY AM IN THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND IN OUR SITE VISITS, IN LEARNING ABOUT OUR ACADEMICS AND THE WAY THAT WE CAN REALLY, TRULY HELP RICHARDSON REACH OUR NORTH STAR GOAL WITH OUR GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL ARE INCREDIBLE.
WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO THINK ABOUT MATH FOR ONE IS AN AREA THAT FOREST MEADOW IS EXCITED ABOUT HAVING SIXTH GRADERS THERE SO THAT WE CAN REALLY START THAT ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND THAT KIND OF ADVANCED RIGOR TO HELP OUR STUDENTS REALLY, TRULY GET TO THAT ALGEBRA ONE IN EIGHTH GRADE. SO IT IS VERY EXCITING.
FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL IS ON THE BUILDING AND I'M LIKE, IT IS NOT.
HOW AM I WALKING INTO THIS BUILDING EVERY DAY AND NOT SEEING IT? I MARCHED MYSELF OUT THERE AND I'M LIKE, IT'S NOT THERE, AND THERE I GO AROUND THE CONSTRUCTION SITE ACROSS ABRAMS TO TAKE A PICTURE, BUT IT REALLY IS EXCITING, AND TO WATCH FOREST MEADOW JUNIOR HIGH REALLY, TRULY BE ADDED ON [INAUDIBLE] EXCITING AND I CAN'T.
I CANNOT WAIT TO WELCOME [INAUDIBLE] FOREST MEADOW.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
[00:25:08]
US TRANSITION TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL.IT WAS GREAT TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS, TO REALLY SEE THE NUTS AND BOLTS AND REALLY THE THE DEPTH IN WHICH WE LOOKED AT THINGS IN EVERY FACET, AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS BECAUSE GOING IN I'M LIKE, WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S PROBABLY JUST A MONEY THING, BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE FROM AN ACADEMICS POINT OF VIEW, FROM A FINANCIAL POINT OF VIEW, FROM A FACILITIES POINT OF VIEW, FROM A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL POINT OF VIEW, AND IT WAS REALLY NEAT TO SEE HOW ALL THOSE MINDS COME TOGETHER TO MAKE A DECISION AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS, BECAUSE IT JUST TAKES ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN ENGLISH TEACHER AT RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL, AND I THINK ABOUT WHEN THE KIDS ASKED ME, THEY'RE LIKE, MR. RUSTIN, WHY ARE YOU LEAVING THE CLASSROOM? AND I SAID, WELL I COULD EXPAND MY CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE AND THEN TO BECOME AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 650 MY INFLUENCE GREW, AND THEN NOW TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OVER AND BE A PRINCIPAL OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WE DID THE NUMBERS.
THERE COULD BE POTENTIALLY ALMOST 1300 KIDS AT LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT'S JUST THE NEXT STEP IN THAT JOURNEY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE THOSE KIDS FOR THREE YEARS.
I THINK ABOUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVED ABOUT BEING A FRESHMAN ENGLISH TEACHER.
NOT MANY PEOPLE WANT TO TEACH FRESHMEN, BUT THE BEAUTY OF IT IS I GOT TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE KIDS FOR FOUR YEARS, AND SO I HAD EVERY YEAR, SENIORS COMING BACK INTO MY CLASSROOM YOU TALK ABOUT LIFE EXPERIENCES, AND I THINK ABOUT THE SAME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR SIXTH GRADERS TO BUILD THOSE STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM TO BRIDGE THAT GAP BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WITH A JUNIOR HIGH, IT IS JUST A BLINK OF AN EYE AND THE KIDS ARE GONE AS SOON AS THEY GET SETTLED IN AS SEVENTH GRADERS AND THEY START TO FIGURE THINGS OUT AS EIGHTH GRADERS, WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL, AND SO THIS COULD CREATE A GREAT GRADUAL RELEASE FOR KIDS IN A SIXTH GRADE MODEL TO WHERE WE COULD TEACH THOSE SOFT SKILLS THAT MAYBE WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE PRACTICE WITH AND AND REALLY BUILD A GREAT FOUNDATION GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS FOR US.
AWESOME. THANKS FOR THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS.
WHATEVER YOU SAID, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY GOOD, AND SO GOOD JOB I DIDN'T SEE ANY NOTES OR ANYTHING.
YOU WILL HEAR FROM OUR TWO STARS, IF YOU WILL, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE THE MAGIC HAPPEN LIKE THEY DO NOW CURRENTLY, AND SO CONTINUING ON WITH THE SHOW, BUT BEST PRACTICES AND RESEARCH SUPPORT A MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL. SO VERY QUICKLY, AGAIN, I'LL SAY IT A COUPLE MORE TIMES.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF REDUNDANCY IN OUR PRESENTATION, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AS CLEAR AS WE CAN, AND SO VERY QUICKLY LOOKING AT THE WHAT THE RESEARCH SUPPORTS, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL SIX THROUGH EIGHT, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FOR SIXTH GRADERS TO ATTEND SCHOOL WITH SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE.
THE STATE CURRICULUM IS BUNDLED SIXTH GRADE THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE.
OVER 95% OF DISTRICTS STATEWIDE HAVE A SIXTH THROUGH EIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL.
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CULTURE AND COMMUNITY.
BOTH OF OUR PRINCIPALS TALKED ABOUT THAT.
I TRIED TO REFERENCE THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A PARENT OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, AND THEN IT SUPPORTS DEFINITELY SUPPORTS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND NORTH STAR GOAL FOR INDIVIDUAL GROWTH, AND SO WE FEEL THAT IT ALL LINES UP VERY NICELY FOR US TO PROCEED.
WHAT ARE THE GRADE LEVEL CONFIGURATIONS IN OTHER DISTRICTS? SO HERE'S A SNIPPET IN FRONT OF YOU OF OTHER AREA DISTRICTS, AND I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BLUE HIGHLIGHTS.
THOSE ARE DISTRICTS THAT CURRENTLY EMPLOY A 6 TO 8 MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL.
I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION AS WELL.
ON THE RIGHT COLUMN, THE VERY BOTTOM ROCKWALL IS IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMING AS WELL, AND IF WE LOOK BACK AT THE LEFT COLUMN ABOUT MIDDLE OF THE WAY THROUGH DALLAS ISD, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS VARIETY, THEY DO EMPLOY SIX THROUGH EIGHT MODELS.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE AWARE.
THESE ARE THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE, AND YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE THAT'S DIRECTLY TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE BOARD PRESENTATION ON MAY 4TH OF 2020.
SO AGAIN, WE EMPHASIZE THAT 95% OF THE DISTRICTS STATEWIDE HAVE A SIX THROUGH EIGHT MODEL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THE TEKS ALIGNMENT OR THE TEKS BUNDLES, IF YOU WILL THE CURRICULUM IS COMES IN BUNDLES OF SIX THROUGH EIGHT IS REALLY WHERE OUR ATTENTION IS DRAWN RIGHT NOW.
[00:30:10]
IT'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEACHERS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND SHARE OWNERSHIP OF STUDENTS, WORK COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY ON INSTRUCTION AND INTERVENTIONS AND CULTURE AND ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS AND SO WE EMPLOY THAT ACROSS THE DISTRICT, BUT WE FEEL WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL, IT COULD EVEN BE STRENGTHENED FURTHER.CONTINUING ON WITH THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE UNDER STUDENT WELLNESS AND SUPPORTS, AGAIN, WE SEE THAT DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FOR SIXTH GRADERS TO BE WITH SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS.
THE SECOND BULLET IS A PRETTY PROFOUND STATEMENT OR A PRETTY PROFOUND FINDING, IF YOU WILL.
DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PRE-K TO SIXTH.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT AND MRS. BRANUM MADE THE POINT THAT WE'VE GOT THREE AND FOUR YEAR-OLDS ON SOME CAMPUSES ON THE SAME CAMPUS AS SIXTH GRADERS, AND SO IT'S DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE SIXTH GRADERS TO GO TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS, AND I THINK MISS BURT ACTUALLY COINED THE PHRASE THEY OUTGROW THE ELEMENTARY A LITTLE BIT, AND SO THAT'S THE MAIN PART THAT I'LL EMPHASIZE TO YOU HERE, AND THEN, MR. RUSTIN, THE VERY LAST BULLET POINT THERE, MORE TIME TO IMPACT STUDENTS POSITIVELY, TO PREVENT DROPOUTS AND ENCOURAGE POSITIVE DECISION MAKING.
I'VE LIVED THAT BOTH AS A PRINCIPAL AND I'VE LIVED THAT AS A PARENT OF A MIDDLE SCHOOLER.
THE FUNDAMENTAL PIECES WERE LAID AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ATHLETICS AND FINE ARTS.
INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHOICES AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS, AND SO, HAVING BEEN A COACH, A TEACHER AND A COACH BOTH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, AND THE FATHER OF A COACH, FATHER OF AN ATHLETE AND A MUSICIAN THESE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES FEED THE PASSION OF OUR KIDS TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, TO SHOOT A BALL, TO HIT A BALL, WHATEVER CONTEXT IT IS, BUT WE KNOW THAT LIFE SKILLS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY AND FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDE OUR KIDS WITH SKILLS SUCH AS COMMITMENT AND PERSEVERANCE, SELFLESSNESS, OR LEARNING HOW TO BE A GOOD TEAMMATE. ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS TIME PRIORITY.
CONTINUING ON FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FACILITIES.
WE DON'T WANT TO INSULT YOUR INTELLIGENCE, BUT I WILL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BOTTOM.
A BULLET POINT SAYS MINIMUM OF FIVE YEARS FOR ANY IMPLEMENTATION OF NEWLY RECOMMENDED MODEL, AND OF COURSE THAT WAS IN MAY, MAY 4TH OF 2020, AND SO HERE WE ARE ABOUT TO DO THAT.
HUGELY EXCITING. WHAT A HISTORIC TIME TO BE A PART OF THIS.
I REALLY HAVE RELISHED THIS ROLE.
SO THE SUMMARY OVERALL SUMMARY OF BENEFITS.
THE SIX THROUGH EIGHT MODEL IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS AND MR. EAGER. YOU WERE REALLY PASSIONATE WHEN WE WERE TALKING BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT THIS SUPPORTS OUR NORTH STAR GOAL.
EVERY STUDENT, TEACHER AND LEADER WILL EXCEED, WILL MEET OR EXCEED THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH GOALS.
EXPANDS CONTENT AND CURRICULUM OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, BOTH IN THE CORE SUBJECT AREAS WHICH ARE YOUR ENGLISH, YOUR SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, AND MATH, ALONG WITH THE CHOICES THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL HAVE FOR ELECTIVES.
IT GIVES AN ADDITIONAL YEAR OF SUPPORT FOR STUDENT SUCCESS.
SUCCESS WITH TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL, AND SO I'VE SPOKEN TO THAT.
BOTH OF OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE SPOKEN TO THAT.
IT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US, AND THEN IT SUPPORTS THE DISTRICT'S GOAL FOR EQUITY AND ACCESS FOR ALL, AND SO IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, WE WILL GO ONE MORE TIME AND TALK ABOUT THE SUMMARY OF BENEFITS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUNDLES THAT IT COMES IN UNDER STUDENT WELLNESS AND SUPPORT, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FOR SIXTH GRADERS TO ATTEND SCHOOL WITH SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES.
THAT WAS THE FIRST SNIPPET THERE AND THEN FOR ATHLETIC AND ATHLETICS AND FINE.
I'M SORRY. THAT SHOULD SAY ATHLETICS AND FINE ARTS INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES AND CHOICES.
SO WE'LL INVITE YOU TO OBVIOUSLY READ THE REST OF THOSE SLIDES.
[00:35:03]
MR. JASSO, IF I MAY AS WELL.JUST I ALSO WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THE PRIMARY DRIVER IN THE DECISION OF WHY THE LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY WOULD BE THE FIRST WAS BECAUSE BASED ON THE FACILITIES CONDITION INDEX, LAKE HIGHLANDS JUNIOR HIGH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS AT A BREAKING POINT AND THE DISTRICT WAS GOING TO HAVE TO INVEST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT IN MR. RUSTIN'S SHAKING HIS HEAD.
WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO QUICKLY INVEST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CAPITAL FUNDS OR BOND FUNDS TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE, FROM PLUMBING TO HVAC, AND AS WE DID A FURTHER ANALYSIS, IT WAS GOING TO COST MORE TO RENOVATE LAKE HIGHLANDS THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REBUILD, AND SO THE BOND PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THAT THE BOARD WITH BOARD INPUT, IN THE END, FELT LIKE IT WAS FISCALLY THE MOST RESPONSIBLE THING TO TARGET LAKE HIGHLANDS JUNIOR HIGH BECAUSE OF THAT BREAKDOWN, AND SO WE KNEW WE WANTED TO.
IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE THAT A LEARNING COMMUNITY TRANSITION AT ONE TIME, WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE ONE HALF OF A LEARNING COMMUNITY AND ANOTHER HALF OF A LEARNING COMMUNITY. LET'S SAY YOU TOOK ONE JUNIOR HIGH AND MADE IT A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE LEARNING COMMUNITY AND THEN OVER IN BERKNER YOU WOULD HAVE DONE ONE THAT IN TERMS OF SUPPORT, DEPLOYING CURRICULUM SUPPORTS ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE TARGETED, AND IT NEEDED TO BE UNIFORM SO THAT ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WOULD TRANSITION AT THE SAME TIME.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE OF THAT DECISION, AND KNOWING THAT AND WHY THE BOARD PASSED THE MIDDLE SCHOOL RESOLUTION WAS IT WAS THE OVERT, REALLY COMMITMENT FROM THE BOARD THAT WHILE WE WERE STARTING WITH THE LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY IN THE NEXT CONSECUTIVE BONDS, THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION WOULD BE HAPPENING IN THE OTHER AREAS OF THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
GOOD EVENING BOARD. AS WE DO MOVE INTO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMING AND TRANSITIONING INTO THAT MODEL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THERE IN THAT FIRST BULLET, YOU WILL SEE.
AS A PLANNING EMPHASIS ON ACADEMIC AND CLASSROOM AREA GROUPING FOR SIXTH GRADE CORE COURSES, AND WHEN WE SAY CORE COURSES, WE MEAN THOSE FOUR CORE CONTENT AREAS OF MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES AND THEIR RLA, THEIR READING LANGUAGE ARTS BLOCK CLASSES, AND SO WHEN THEY MOVE INTO THE SECONDARY MODEL, WHEN THEY GO INTO SIXTH GRADE, THEY WILL CONTINUE THAT SECONDARY MODEL.
THEY'LL HAVE THOSE EIGHT CLASS PERIODS AND THEY'LL BE BLOCKED.
THEY'RE 90 MINUTE BLOCKS, LIKE AT THE JUNIOR HIGH HAS NOW AND THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS NOW, AND SO REALLY PLANNING AN EMPHASIS ON THAT ACADEMIC PLANNING WITH THE TEACHERS, BUT ALSO THE CLASSROOM AREA GROUPING FOR OUR SIXTH GRADE CORE COURSES, AND WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT IS THOSE CORE COURSES, ACTUALLY THE LOGISTICAL LOCATION OF THOSE COURSES IN THE BUILDING.
SO THEY'LL HAVE HOPEFULLY THEY WILL HAVE THE SAME TEACHERS.
SO IF I AM ON A TEAM OR A PLANNING TEAM, THEN I MIGHT HAVE THE SAME TEACHERS WITH DR.
GOODSON, MELISSA AND DAVID, AND I KIND OF GO RIGHT HERE FOR THE MOST PART AS THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR SIXTH GRADE, AND SO I AM KIND OF CONTAINED A LITTLE BIT AND HELD IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA OF GROUPING FOR SIXTH GRADE CORE COURSES.
NOW THEY WILL GO OUT FOR THEIR ELECTIVE COURSES.
THEY GO OUT FOR LUNCH. THEY'D BE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE BUILDING AS WELL, BUT JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH NICK AND SUSAN, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW CAN WE KIND OF PLACE AN EMPHASIS ON THAT AREA GROUPING FOR OUR SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS SO THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE TOGETHER? ALSO, LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCED SIXTH GRADE COURSES, IN PARTICULAR IN THOSE CORE CONTENT CLASSES.
SO JUST LIKE IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE NOW THEY HAVE ADVANCED COURSES, ADVANCED MATH, ADVANCED SCIENCE, DOING THE SAME THING AND GIVING THEM THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY IN SIXTH GRADE, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ACCELERATION.
I KNOW MRS. BURT SPECIFICALLY EMPHASIZED MATH OUR DISTRICT HAS A BIG FOCUS ON ALGEBRA ONE FOR ALL AND REALLY ENSURING THAT OUR EIGHTH GRADERS ARE TAKING ALGEBRA AND SO THEY CAN BE READY FOR THAT, AND HAVING THOSE SIXTH GRADERS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, REALLY, AS MR. HAAS SAID, HELPS OUR TEACHERS BE ABLE TO PLAN TOGETHER.
[00:40:03]
ARE IN ELEMENTARY, THEY MIGHT HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT PARTICULAR CURRICULUM.SO FOR EXAMPLE, THEY MIGHT BE USING MATH AT ELEMENTARY.
THEY MIGHT BE USING CARNEGIE MATH AT SECONDARY.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY DIFFERENT CURRICULUMS THAT THEY USE BECAUSE THOSE CURRICULUMS ARE BUNDLED DIFFERENTLY, AND SO IN SIXTH GRADE THEY'RE ALMOST A SINGLETON, A LITTLE BIT PLANNING FOR BY THEMSELVES AND SO THIS WILL REALLY HELP, AS MRS. BRANUM SAID, WITH THOSE PARTICULAR PLCS AS WELL, VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY, AND WHEN WE MEAN THAT VERTICALLY, WE MEAN SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, THAT VERTICAL PLC AND THEN HORIZONTALLY IS WHEN IF WE HAVE THE SAME KIDS AND WE'RE SHARING THE SAME KIDS, I CAN ASK CHRIS, HOW IS HE DOING IN YOUR CLASS? HOW IS HE DOING HERE? I'M SEEING HIM BEHIND IN MY CLASS.
LET'S ALL GET TOGETHER AND CALL THIS PARENT.
LET'S ALL FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WELL, HE'S DOING GREAT IN YOUR CLASS, DR.
GOODSON, WHY AREN'T YOU DOING IN MINE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? AND REALLY KIND OF HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR 12 YEAR-OLDS AS THEY ARE ADVANCING INTO THE SIXTH GRADE, WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL AS WELL, AND I PERSONALLY HAVE SEEN THAT AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AS WELL, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT AND HOW IT CAN HELP KIDS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING IS A DOUBLE BLOCK IN RLA AND MATH.
WE DOUBLE BLOCK NOW IN READING LANGUAGE ARTS IN JUNIOR HIGH.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR KIDS ARE USED TO.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DOUBLE BLOCK IN MATH AND JUST KEEPING THAT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THEY HAVE IN SIXTH GRADE NOW, AND WHEN WE MEAN DOUBLE BLOCK, THAT MEANS THAT THEY WOULD GO TO RLA AND MATH EVERY DAY.
NOW, JUST STAYING CONSISTENT WITH THOSE MINUTES THAT THEY NEED NOW FOR THAT TYPE OF CURRICULUM.
THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE WOULD SINGLE BLOCK SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES.
SO TWO OF THEIR EIGHTH PERIODS, LIKE I MENTIONED, FOUR OF THE EIGHT WOULD BE MATH AND RLA.
THE OTHER TWO OF THE EIGHT WOULD BE ONE BLOCK OF SCIENCE, 90 MINUTES OF SCIENCE EVERY OTHER DAY, AND ANOTHER BLOCK OF SOCIAL STUDIES, WHICH WOULD BE 90 MINUTES EVERY OTHER DAY AS WELL, AND IF I CAN JUST ADD, I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE FEEL REALLY COMMITTED TO HAVING THE DOUBLE BLOCK OF READING LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS IN SIXTH GRADE IS ALSO, WE RECOGNIZE THAT ANY TIME STUDENTS MAKE A TRANSITION, THERE IS A NEW LEARNING.
THEY'RE LEARNING A NEW FACILITY.
THEY ARE LEARNING NEW EXPECTATIONS AROUND BEHAVIOR, NEW SYSTEMS, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY HAVE THAT TRANSITION IN ANY REGRESSION THAT HAPPENS, WE GIVE THEM ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF TIME IN THE SUPPORTS NECESSARY TO REALLY LEARN THOSE TWO CORE AREAS AT A REALLY DEEP LEVEL, AND THEN IF WE HOPE TO ACCELERATE STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS IN EIGHTH GRADE, GIVING THEM LESS TIME, IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP US GET THERE.
SO WE WOULD MOVE BACK TO A SINGLE BLOCK OF MATH FOR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE LIKE WE CURRENTLY DO.
IT WOULD JUST BE A FOCUS ON THE SIXTH GRADE.
THANK YOU, MRS. BRANUM. I APPRECIATE THAT FOCUS ON TRANSITION.
[INAUDIBLE] THOSE TRANSITIONS.
SO EXCITED TO JUST WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND THEM EVEN MORE TO SUPPORT THAT.
MOVING ON, WHAT CHOICES AND ACADEMIC ELECTIVES WILL THE SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS HAVE? AS FAR AS ACADEMICS IS CONCERNED, WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT THEY, ONE OF THEIR EIGHTH PERIOD CLASSES, WILL BE A REQUIRED CHOICE BETWEEN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PRE ATHLETICS, AND SO EVERY OTHER DAY THEY WILL HAVE ONE OF THEIR CLASS PERIODS THAT WILL BE PE, AND THEY CAN CHOOSE BETWEEN PE 90 MINUTES EVERY OTHER DAY.
OR THEY WILL GO INTO PRE ATHLETICS AND MRS. SLOVAK HERE WILL ELABORATE ON THAT ON OUR NEXT SLIDE, BUT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE EIGHT ELECTIVE CHOICES THAT THEY WOULD CHOOSE FROM, AND THE SECOND ELECTED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ONE OF THE EIGHT CLASS PERIODS WOULD BE A CHOICE ELECTED THAT THEY COULD HAVE, AND YOU'LL SEE THERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT RECOMMENDING FOR ELECTIVES FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS IS A CAREER AND STEM EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, ALIGNING WITH CTE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS BRINGING IN SOME OF THE STEM OPPORTUNITIES, CODING AND A BIG BASIC BASIS ON MATH THERE AS WELL.
THAT WOULD BE A FULL YEAR CLASS FOR THEM.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DISCOVERING LANGUAGES AND CULTURES THAT WOULD BE A FULL YEAR.
EACH NINE WEEKS WE WOULD HAVE NINE WEEKS OF SPANISH, NINE WEEKS OF JAPANESE, NINE WEEKS OF FRENCH, AND NINE WEEKS OF LATIN, AND THAT REALLY WE PICKED THOSE SUBJECTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE HIGH SCHOOL OFFERS THERE AT LAKE HIGHLANDS, AND REALLY YOU'LL SEE THOSE TWO WORDS EXPLORATION, DISCOVERY.
THOSE ARE REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT THOSE CLASSES WOULD LOOK LIKE, REALLY GIVING KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE AND DISCOVER DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, DIFFERENT CULTURES AND DIFFERENT CAREERS THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BEFORE THEY HIT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
WE ALSO LOOK AT POSSIBLY OFFERING AN AVID ELECTIVE AND ADVANCEMENT VIA INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION.
WE SEE MR. EASTON THERE WHO IS THERE TO SUPPORT ALL THE EFFORTS WITH OUR AVID PROGRAMMING.
[00:45:06]
OFFER THAT SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS, AND THEN FINALLY, THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE A FINE ARTS ELECTIVE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE FROM AS WELL, AND MR. BRADFORD HAS JOINED US AT THE TABLE HERE, AND HE'S GOING TO, BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MRS. SLOVAK TO DIVE DEEPER IN.WHAT IS ATHLETICS REALLY LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? GOOD EVENING BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WHEN I TALK TO MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE STATE, SO MANY OF THEM HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED PRE ATHLETICS AND THEY JUST TALK ABOUT IT IS A GAME CHANGER, AND FOR ME IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY AND THE EQUITY PIECE.
AS YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW SEVENTH GRADE IS THE FIRST TIME WE CAN START ATHLETICS, AND THAT THE UIL SETS SETS THOSE RULES, AND SO MANY OF OUR KIDS CANNOT AFFORD PRIVATE LESSONS AND SELECT TEAMS. SO SOMETIMES THE FIRST TIME THEY'RE LEARNING FUNDAMENTALS ABOUT SPORTS IS IN SEVENTH GRADE, AND WITH PRE ATHLETICS YOU KNOW AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE BULLET IT'S JUST BULLET POINT. IT'S JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE THE STUDENTS AND PREPARE THEM BY TEACHING THEM THE FUNDAMENTALS AND NOT ONLY CONDITIONING BUT PREPARING THEM AND BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP. BECAUSE OUR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE COACHES WOULD BE TEACHING THAT PRE ATHLETIC CLASS, THAT IS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, NOT OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL DAY, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO FOLLOW THOSE RULES, BUT WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COACHES WHO WILL BE COACHING THEM IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE.
SO I THINK WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, IT REALLY IS JUST A GAME CHANGER FROM A FOUNDATION STANDPOINT, FROM THE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY, AND I THINK WE WILL SEE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. I REALLY DO, BECAUSE THAT'S BASED ON MY COLLEAGUES TELLING ME WHO ARE THREE, 4 OR 5 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD ALREADY AND THEY ARE SEEING THE BENEFITS AND SO JUST VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKE AND JUST THE CONFIDENCE FOR OUR KIDS.
THE JUMP FROM FROM SIXTH TO SEVENTH IS A PRETTY BIG JUMP FOR ATHLETICS, AND IF YOU'VE HAD ZERO TRAINING AND YOU'VE HAD ZERO SKILLS, YOU KNOW SOMEONE COMING IN AND REALLY TEACHING THE SKILL FOR THAT SPORT.
I TAKE JUST LEARNING HOW TO SERVE A VOLLEYBALL, AND NOW OUR COACHES CAN WORK WITH OUR KIDS AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY OUT IN SEVENTH GRADE, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN WITH SO MUCH MORE CONFIDENCE.
SO JUST EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE JUST INCREDIBLE FOR OUR ENTIRE ATHLETIC PROGRAM, AND I THINK WE WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT ALL THE WAY UP. IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS AS WELL, AND THEN IF KIDS DO NOT WANT TO BE IN PRE ATHLETICS, THEN THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO BE IN PE.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER NOW WHERE JEFF CAN TALK ABOUT FINE ARTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE ROOM MORE EXCITED THAN LESLIE AND I.
[CHUCKLING] YOU CAN ASK TABITHA.
SHE HAS HAD TO HOLD US BACK OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THIS, WHEN WE WERE A PART OF THE GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE, AND THROUGH THE PROCESS AND A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS THAT SHE SAID BUT I'M GOING TO HIT IT FROM A PERSONAL LEVEL, TOO.
I HAVE A FIFTH GRADER, AND LAST NIGHT I WAS WORKING ON THIS AND HE SAID, DAD, WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON? I WAS LIKE, OH, WE'RE MOVING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HE GOES, WHAT ARE THOSE? AND I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW HOW YOU'RE LIKE, YOU SPENT SEVEN YEARS HERE.
YOU'RE GETTING READY TO FINISH UP SEVEN YEARS IN A LITTLE BIT, AND HE GOES, [INAUDIBLE].
WELL, THEN YOU WOULD GO TWO YEARS AND YOU GO FOUR YEARS AT A CAMPUS.
HE GOES, WHY WOULD I ONLY GO TWO YEARS SOMEPLACE? AND THAT WAS GREAT FOR ME TO HEAR FROM A TEN YEAR OLD JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT.
HE GOES, WELL, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
I'M AT THESE CAMPUSES A WHOLE LOT LONGER.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS WHEN I CAME INTO THE DISTRICT IN 2006, I WAS A BAND DIRECTOR AND LIKE MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE DO THIS IS YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT A SECONDARY PROGRAM OFFERING INTO AN ELEMENTARY SETTING, AND I THINK SUSAN AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS IN HERE, IT'S HARD.
SO I TAUGHT IT IN A TEACHER'S LOUNGE AND MISS DEBORAH WOULD HAVE LUNCH AND LISTEN TO ME, AND ON DAY THREE SHE SAYS, WHEN'S THE CONCERT? AND I SAID, GIVE US A FEW WEEKS, MA'AM.
WE CAN'T GET THE CASE OPEN, AND SO LUCKILY IT GOT BETTER AND WE MOVED THE CONCERT ELSEWHERE, BUT I SAY THAT BECAUSE THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH IS YOU'VE GOT WE CAN ONLY OFFER BAND AND ORCHESTRA RIGHT NOW, SO WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY OFFERINGS FOR THE KIDS THAT I DON'T WANT TO DO AN INSTRUMENT, I WANT TO I WANT TO PAINT, I WANT TO DRAW, I WANT TO SING, I WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, AND ALL OF THESE OTHER SURROUNDING DISTRICTS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH AND TALKED TO, AND WE'VE GOT DATA FROM, LET'S SHOW YOU WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, AND SO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, I WENT TO MESQUITE BECAUSE THEY HAD JUST GONE THROUGH THIS, AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE ON THAT GRADE CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE, KNOW THAT THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF THE FINE ARTS DIRECTOR CAME AND TALKED TO US.
TWO THINGS THAT WERE GLARING TO ME IS, JEFF, IT GIVES THESE KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE GAPS THAT WE NEVER HAD BEFORE WHEN WE MOVED TO THIS, AND THE OTHER ONE, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THE GROWTH, AND ISN'T THAT COINCIDENTAL IN WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW? AND SO I SAY THAT TO YOU BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THAT AND WE SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, AND YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE SCREEN ON YOUR POWERPOINT THAT WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THE KIDS NOW AND KIDS WOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE EITHER BAND, CHOIR, ORCHESTRA OR ART, BUT THE THING THAT REALLY JUMPS OUT TO ME IS ALSO FOR OUR STAFF AND FOR OUR STUDENTS.
[00:50:08]
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT YESTERDAY IT WAS POURING RAIN AND I RAN INTO A YOUNG LADY AS SHE WAS LEAVING AN ELEMENTARY AND I SAID, HEY, CAN I HELP YOU? AND I SAID, HOW'S YOUR DAY GOING? SHE SAYS. CONTEXT CLUES, JEFF, AND I'M LOOKING AT HER AS SHE'S CARRYING HER MOBILE CLASSROOM.THAT WAS HER THIRD ONE OF THE DAY THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO GET TO IN THE WEATHER AND EVERYTHING, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RETAINING TEACHERS AND GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAY SOMEPLACE, OR MAYBE THEY ONLY HAVE TO GO TO ONE CAMPUS OTHER THAN THEIR PRIMARY, IMAGINE HOW MANY MORE TEACHERS WE WILL RETAIN AND CLOSING THOSE GAPS FOR THOSE FOLKS AS STAFF. SO I SAY ALL THAT TO YOU BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK ALL OF US ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, AND AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS, WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGES, BUT WHAT WE SEE FOR OUR KIDDOS AND THE BENEFIT FOR THEM AS WELL AS OUR STAFF MEMBERS, IS WHY WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE WORKING TO SUPPORT THIS PROCESS.
SO I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO DR.
APPRECIATE IT. YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY UP HERE? YOU GUYS ARE GOOD. OH, OKAY [INAUDIBLE].
JUST ANOTHER SIDE NOTE AROUND.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FINE ARTS AND ATHLETICS, AS WELL AS THE ACADEMIC PARTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE THIS IS FOUNDATIONAL WORK, AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS SO IMPORTANT, AS MR. JASSO SAID, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO EMULATE THIS DOWN THE ROAD IN OTHER LEARNING COMMUNITIES, AND THE EXCITEMENT AROUND THAT IS GOING TO BE AS EQUAL AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE LEARNED SOME THINGS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THROUGH OUR NEXT 4 OR 3 LEARNING COMMUNITIES DOWN THE ROAD, SOME EVEN BETTER ROLLOUTS.
SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE STUDENT WELLNESS AND SUPPORT SECTION.
YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD A LITTLE BIT FROM EVERYONE, I THINK, WHO'S PRESENTED IN TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDENT WELLNESS AND JUST THE SUPPORTS THAT NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE AROUND THOSE THINGS.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM OUR STUDENT SERVICES STANDPOINT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT SIXTH GRADE? SO YOU CAN SEE HERE WITH MR. MANISCALCO IS HERE. HE'S OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT, SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES, AND WITHIN HIS DEPARTMENT, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING. SO WE'LL HAVE SOME FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES THAT HIS DEPARTMENT WILL WORK WITH THE ADMIN AROUND, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLWIDE ACTIVITIES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S REALLY STRESSED ALSO, ON THAT SECOND BULLET, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THEY PARTICIPATE IN INCOMING STUDENT, BOTH SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADE BECAUSE MS. BRANUM WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF NEW STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE.
SO IT'S TWO THIRDS OF THE BUILDING ARE GOING TO BE BRAND NEW STUDENTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT, AND SO HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT TRANSITIONING AND SUPPORT, AND HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT POURING INTO THIS YEAR'S SEVENTH GRADERS AND HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY REALLY HAVE TO LEAD THOSE SEVENTH AND SIXTH GRADERS, AND WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY IS FOR THEM TO BE THE TRAILBLAZERS.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THAT SECOND BULLET, MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT, THE SAFETY MEASURES, WHAT IT ALL LOOKS LIKE, AND JOE AND HIS TEAM ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE ADMIN ON BOTH OF THOSE CAMPUSES, AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS REALLY IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAMPUS CULTURE.
IT'S GOING TO BE YOU GET ONE SHOT AT THAT WHEN OPENING UP A BUILDING AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT CAMPUS LEADERSHIP IS WELL VERSED AND EQUIPPED ON DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES THAT ARE THAT ARE OUT THERE TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A STRONG SCHOOL CULTURE, RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WILL POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS CHAMPS, ALL THOSE TYPES OF CLASSROOM INTERVENTIONS THAT WILL HELP.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WORK THAT JOE AND HIS TEAM WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THE ADMIN TEAMS ON THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE BASICS, AND REALLY THAT'S ABOUT THE CORE SELECTION.
SO YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE COURSES THAT WILL BE OFFERED.
SO HOW WILL THAT COME ABOUT FOR OUR RISING FIFTH GRADERS UP TO SIXTH GRADE, AND SO REALLY IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, WE START THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING COURSES OR COURSE SELECTION PRETTY EARLY, AND IN FACT, RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT COURSES WE ARE GOING TO BE OFFERING NEXT YEAR AT ALL LEVELS, FROM JUNIOR HIGH ON UP, AND THEN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS START WITH THEIR COURSE SELECTION AT THE END OF JANUARY, AND IT BLEEDS OVER INTO FEBRUARY, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH OUR RISING SIXTH TO SEVENTH GRADERS IN FEBRUARY, MAKING SURE PARENTS UNDERSTAND THE COURSE SELECTIONS AND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES THEY WILL HAVE GOING FORWARD IN JUNIOR HIGH AND THEN IN HIGH SCHOOL.
[00:55:07]
BEFORE. SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.SO WE HAVE BLOCKED OFF MARCH FOR THAT TIME PERIOD.
SO IT'S REALLY CLEAR AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND FOR THOSE 11 TO 12 YEAR-OLDS AND THEIR PARENTS.
SO SOME OF IT IS JUST BEING ABLE TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, LEARNING ABOUT BETTER FRIENDSHIPS AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AS FAR AS BEING A JUNIOR HIGH STUDENT, BUT IT'S ALSO SOME OF THE LOGISTICS.
SO WE HAVE STARTED THAT ALREADY, BUT THEN AS THEY START IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TRANSITION IS SMOOTH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PARENTS AND STUDENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS TOO, IS THE TRANSITION.
SO WE'VE GOT TO START WITH THINGS LIKE TOURS OF THE BUILDING WHENEVER THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
WE KNOW WITH UNDER BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THAT'S A LITTLE HARD, BUT WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WALKING AROUND A BIG SCHOOL IF THEY'VE SEEN IT BEFORE AND THEY KNOW WHERE THEIR CLASSES ARE.
SO WE KNOW WE WILL BE WORKING WITH SUSAN AND NICK ON WHEN WE CAN DO THAT, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR BOTH THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS, JUST FOR THEIR COMFORT LEVEL AND DOING SOMETHING LIKE A NEW STUDENT CAMP.
SINCE TWO THIRDS WILL BE BRAND NEW, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IS THE CULTURE OF EACH OF THOSE CAMPUSES? SO I KNOW OUR COUNSELORS WILL BE HELPING THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH THAT.
WE ALREADY DO WHAT WE CALL MINUTE MEETINGS THAT ARE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE CHECK INS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR EVERY STUDENT IN JUNIOR HIGH, BUT WHEN WE ADD ON SIXTH GRADE, WE'RE GOING TO DO A SPECIFIC EMPHASIS WITH THOSE STUDENTS ON HOW THE TRANSITION HAS BEEN, WHAT QUESTIONS DO THEY HAVE? AND FROM THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET ANY STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING AND PULL THEM FOR ADDITIONAL HELP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO WANT TO OFFER IS A PEER BASED LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY GIVE US ADDITIONAL HELP WITH THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE, BULLYING AND SUBSTANCE USE.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE PEER TO PEER MODEL IS SO VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
JUST MOVING ON AND COVERING SOMETHING AROUND OUR SPECIAL STUDENT SERVICES.
SO FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DESIGN AND HAVE A REALLY SOLID PROGRAM AROUND A CONTINUUM OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AS A WHOLE. A MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE SERVICE THROUGH SPECIAL EDUCATION ARE SERVICE THROUGH THE GENERAL ED CLASSROOM.
THEY'RE GETTING THEIR SUPPORT WITH A SPECIAL ED TEACHER WHO MAY BE VISITING THE CLASSROOM, A SPECIAL ED PARAPROFESSIONAL WHO MAY BE IN ON THE CLASSROOM BUT A MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THE GEN ED CLASSROOM, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE PULLED AND ARE INTO A SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOM.
SO A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES AT EACH CAMPUS IS GOING TO GUARANTEE THAT THE STUDENTS AND THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE AND THE NEEDS THAT THEY'VE HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE GOING TO BE GOING TO BE MET, NOT NECESSARILY IN ONE CLASSROOM ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES ACROSS THE BOARD, AND IT COULD BE DIFFERENT ROOMS, COULD BE DIFFERENT TEACHERS, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, BUT THAT CONTINUUM OF SERVICES IS GOING TO BE OFFERED, AND THAT'S THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICES, HONESTLY, THAT A LOT OF HIGH SCHOOLS OFFER ALREADY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, THAT CONTINUUM OF SERVICES.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THE SAME SERVICES WILL BE INCLUDED SPEECH RESOURCE AND INCLUSION AND THEN OUR SELF-CONTAINED PROGRAMS. SO AGAIN, THIS APPROACH WILL ALLOW MOST OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL ED TO REMAIN IN THE SAME FEEDER PATTERN, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE DO HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE HIGHLANDS FEEDER PATTERN, BECAUSE THE TYPE OF SELF-CONTAINED PROGRAM IS NOT OFFERED CURRENTLY WITHIN LAKE HIGHLANDS, SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEM BACK, HAVE THEM BE A PART OF THEIR FEEDER PATTERN AND FINISH OUT THEIR SCHOOLING IN THAT FEEDER PATTERN IS REALLY GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO, I THINK, DR.
[01:00:01]
THANK YOU, DR. GIBBONS AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES.SO THE QUESTION OF HOW WILL WE COMMUNICATE AND ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THIS TRANSITION? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING AND SUPPORTING THROUGH OUR REPORT OUTS OF BOND 2021 AND THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AS THEY'VE BEEN HAPPENING, INCLUDING THE RENOVATIONS AND THE NEW BUILD IN LAKE HIGHLANDS, HOSTING OF THE GROUNDBREAKING AT LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL LAST YEAR, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY DIGGING DEEPER AND EXPANDING THOSE COMMUNICATION EFFORTS AND REALLY BRANDING AND OUR MESSAGING AROUND EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WAY AND ANCHORING AROUND THAT MESSAGING.
WE EVEN HAVE A LOGO, BUT THAT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? BECAUSE I HOPE YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT AND THE ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS TRANSITION.
I MEAN, EVERYONE SHARED A PARENT STORY.
I WILL TELL YOU, I TRANSFERRED MICHAEL OVER FROM A DIFFERENT MODEL IN A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT, THINKING THAT I THOUGHT HE NEEDED TO STAY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN HE STARTED MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND AFTER HE FINISHED FIFTH GRADE AT MST AND HE BECAME A SIXTH GRADER, I DEFINITELY SAW THE THE CHANGE IN MATURITY.
I THOUGHT, HE'S DEFINITELY READY TO TRANSITION INTO THAT NEXT AND OPPORTUNITY OF LEARNING.
SO THAT HAS BEEN SOME LEARNING FOR ME AS A PARENT.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED FOR WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
SO YES, WE ARE BRANDING AND MESSAGING AROUND EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WAY.
WE HAVE SOME VERY SPECIFIC TARGETED MESSAGING FOR OUR LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY, PARENTS SPECIFIC TO WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT AND BE PLANNING FOR THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND FOR THE START OF THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR.
WE HAVE A DRAFT OF A LETTER, A LETTER ACTUALLY TO SEND OUT TOMORROW AFTERNOON BASED ON OUTCOMES AND QUESTIONS AND ANY OTHER REVISIONS FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS THIS EVENING, WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE ALL THOSE TRADITIONAL COMMUNICATION TOOLS, OUR CAMPUS AND DISTRICT WEBSITES.
WE HAVE HAD A MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION WEBSITE UP SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE BOARD RESOLUTION, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO ADD TO THAT, BUILDING OUT ADDITIONAL FAQS SPECIFIC TO OUR TRANSITION STARTING NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND AS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY SHARED, SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS AND THEIR EFFORTS TO HOLD INCOMING PARENT AND STUDENT MEETINGS IN THE SPRING SUMMER TOURS, IF AVAILABLE AND NEEDED, AND OF COURSE, OUR TRADITIONAL RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AND COMMUNITY TOURS OF THE NEW AND RENOVATED MIDDLE SCHOOLS NEXT FALL.
THANK YOU, DR. HELLER, AND SO, AT THE VERY BEGINNING, IF YOU RECALL, BOTH MRS. BRANUM AND I GAVE YOU THE HEADS UP OR GAVE YOU THE WARNING, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO FRAME IT, THAT THIS WAS PHASE ONE OF INFORMATION THAT WE WERE BRINGING TO YOU TODAY AND SO AS WE REACHED THE SIXTH ITEM HERE WITH OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO AS WE COME BACK TO YOU IN DECEMBER TO REPORT OUT ON SOME KEY THINGS THAT WE ARE STARTING TO GET QUESTIONS ON, AND I TALKED TO BOTH NICK AND SUSAN ABOUT THIS HUMAN RESOURCES AND STAFFING IMPACT.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO STAFF THIS? OF COURSE, SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS, SAFETY REMAINS THE TOP PRIORITY IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A GROWING NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AMONG STUDENTS AND PARENTS AS FAR AS WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS FOR TRANSFER? HOW DOES THIS IMPACTED WITH THE MAGNET PROGRAMS, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS, AND SO WHEN WE RETURN TO YOU IN DECEMBER, THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAT DR.
STUDENT TRANSPORTATION WE STILL HAVE TO BUS STUDENTS, AND SO WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO THE BUS STOPS AND THE BUS ROUTES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS? AND THEN THE OPERATIONAL LOGISTICAL THINGS OF SCHOOL NAME CHANGES ON SIGNAGE, EXCUSE ME, SIGNAGE, MAPS, ONLINE FOOTPRINTS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS EVEN ARE THE BUSINESS CARDS FOR OUR PRINCIPALS.
THEN NEXT STEPS THE LIKE I JUST SAID, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE TO FINALIZE DETAILS, NOT ONLY THE DETAILS WE BROUGHT TO YOU TONIGHT, BUT THOSE THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED THAT WILL BRING TO YOU AT THE DECEMBER BOARD MEETING.
[01:05:04]
IS THAT RIGHT, DR. HELLER? YEAH.HUMAN RESOURCES WILL BEGIN WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF OF POTENTIALLY IMPACTED BY THE MOVE NEXT FALL, AND COUNSELING STAFF WILL CONDUCT COURSE SELECTION PROCESS WITH CURRENT FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS IN THE LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY IN THE SPRING.
WE WILL ADHERE TO THE NORMAL TIMELINES, BUT REST ASSURED THAT WE ARE ACCOUNTING FOR THAT PROCESS TO THE TRANSITION TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN BOTH CAMPUSES WILL WILL COMMUNICATE INFORMATIONAL MEETING DATES FOR INCOMING FAMILIES IN THE SPRING SEMESTER, AND SO I DO WANT TO MAKE A POINT THERE THAT MIGHT LOOK AND FEEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR THE CAMPUSES ONLY BECAUSE OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO NICK'S BUILDING WE WILL HAVE LIMITED IF VERY LIMITED, I WOULD SAY, MISS HAYES ACCESS TO THAT BUILDING THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, BECAUSE WHILE THE NEW BUILDING IS BEING FINISHED, WE HAVE TO DEMO THE OLD BUILDING AND SO IF YOU START TO FACTOR IN THINGS LIKE, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN STUDENTS IN JULY TO TOUR THE CAMPUS, ASSUMING WE COULD EVEN GET IN.
OKAY, AND I SEE HERE I'M IGNORING HER JUST AS A FAR OUT EXAMPLE.
SO I DID WANT TO I WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT BECAUSE IT MIGHT LOOK AND FEEL DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE CAMPUSES, BUT REST ASSURED THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PLANS FOR BOTH OF THEM, AND THEN THE RIBBON-CUTTING AND THE COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSES.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE FIERCELY AND RICHARDSON.
THEY'RE FIERCELY PROUD OF THEIR CAMPUSES AND THE ALLURE OF A NEW BUILDING, EVEN IF I DON'T HAVE KIDS, BUT I'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MY KIDS WENT THROUGH THERE AND THE OLD BUILDING. I WANT TO GO SEE WHAT THE NEW BUILDING IS, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENTS, THE CURRENT PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO ENGAGE WITH US IN THAT.
WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, IF I CAN JUST ADD REAL QUICK, I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT WHY WE ARE WANTING TO BE SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE BOTH TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE BOARD, AND ESPECIALLY SINCE NOT ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE SITTING IN YOUR SEATS WHEN WE MADE THIS DECISION.
ALL OF THE BENEFITS OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL.
WE ARE STILL DOING PHENOMENAL THINGS FOR KIDS.
MY DAUGHTER TRANSFERRED TO RICHARDSON ISD AND SHE WAS A SEVENTH GRADER AND SHE HAD TWO PHENOMENAL YEARS AT PARK HILL JUNIOR HIGH, AND OUR CURRENT JUNIOR HIGH PRINCIPALS DO A PHENOMENAL JOB IN THAT MODEL OF ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENT NEEDS ARE BEING MET, THAT WE'RE GROWING OUR STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY, THAT WE'RE PROVIDING LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND CHOICES.
ARE ALL OF THE CONFIGURATIONS FOR SIXTH GRADE FINE ARTS IDEAL IS ACCELERATION FOR MATHEMATICS IN SIXTH GRADE RIGHT NOW, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX, BUT WE'RE STILL MAKING IT HAPPEN.
THIS TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL JUST ALLOWS US TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS A LITTLE BIT SEAMLESSLY, A LITTLE BIT LESS, A LITTLE LESS STRESS ON OUR STAFF AND THAT LEVEL OF COMMUTE, BUT GREAT, GREAT THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, AND OUR OTHER THREE LEARNING COMMUNITIES WHILE THEY'RE AWAITING THIS TRANSITION. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO MESSAGE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW MY DAUGHTER WOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT HER PARK HILL JUNIOR HIGH EXPERIENCE.
GO, RAIDERS! SO WITH THAT AGAIN I REALLY WANT TO THANK MR. JASSO, I WANT TO THANK THE TEAM.
MAKING SITE VISITS REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR RICHARDSON ISD, AND SO WITH THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD. ALL RIGHT, WHO'S UP? [INAUDIBLE] MS. RENTERÍA. I'LL GO FIRST, I JUST AM SUPER EXCITED TO THIS IS OVERWHELMING REALLY BECAUSE, BUT IN A GOOD WAY, RIGHT. THAT IT'S JUST FINALLY SEEING THE PIECES COME TOGETHER, RIGHT? THAT IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME, AND SO JUST JUST A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO DO SO MUCH ON THE DAILY BASIS, AND WE DON'T SEE ALL THE EVERYDAY STUFF THAT YOU GUYS DO, AND EVEN IN TRYING TO AS MISS BRANUM SAID JUST KEEPING THE EVERYDAY SCHOOL DAY GOING WHILE WE'RE HAVING THIS MASSIVE TRANSFORMATION.
FOR ME I KNOW THAT I'M SUPER, SUPER EXCITED, AND I LOOK AT MY COLLEAGUE MR. EAGER AS WELL TOO, BECAUSE THE ATHLETICS AND THE FINE ARTS, YOU KNOW THAT.
[01:10:03]
I MEAN, I KNOW MR. BRADFORD KNOWS HOW I FEEL, AND MISS BRANUM, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT WAS THAT HE SAID OPPORTUNITIES TO CLOSE GAPS, RIGHT, BUT JUST THAT WORD OPPORTUNITY, IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.OPPORTUNITIES ARE JUST EVERYTHING, AND WHILE I'M STILL LOOKING, I KNOW MR. EAGER AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS BRINGING THIS ONTO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, STARTING THEM ALSO IN THE LOWER SCHOOL OR IN THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, BUT TO HAVE THAT SOONER, TO HAVE IT THERE, I THINK IT'S AMAZING, AND JUST TO HAVE OUR KIDS ALL OUR KIDS, RIGHT, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT EXTRA YEAR OR JUST BEING ABLE TO DO ALL THAT.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I DID HAVE, I'M WONDERING, LIKE FOR ATHLETICS, WELL, MOSTLY FOR I'M THINKING OF FINE ARTS, MR. BRADFORD, LIKE WITH ORCHESTRA.
I KNOW IN THE PAST, LIKE WITH MY KIDS, WHEN YOU GOT TO SIXTH GRADE, IT WAS SO EXCITING, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU GOT TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANTED TO DO THIS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ALL THAT NOW WITH THIS NEW TRANSFORMATION, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FIFTH GRADERS? WILL THEY STILL HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE OR.
NO, EVERYTHING'S GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SIXTH GRADE.
RIGHT, RIGHT. I'M JUST SAYING LIKE THE INTRODUCTION TO THAT TO THAT WILL STILL BE AT SIXTH GRADE.
OKAY. SO THAT WON'T BE ANY KIND OF TALK OR TRANSITION OR ANYTHING TO PIQUE THE INTEREST OF.
ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S WHAT I'M THAT'S WHAT I'M SORRY I DIDN'T CLARIFY THAT.
YEAH. YOU GOT TO USE THE MICROPHONE.
OKAY, SO LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
YOU'RE BASICALLY ASKING HOW WILL YOU RECRUIT, HOW WILL YOU EXPOSE THESE CHILDREN? AND IT'S THE EXACT SAME THING.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ON HOLD IN THAT LEARNING COMMUNITY, AND I'VE SORT OF HELD IT FOR THE REST OF THE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW AS WE LOOK THROUGH THINGS, BUT IT WOULD BE THE EXACT SAME THING. THEY'RE GETTING OPPORTUNITIES TO BE EXPOSED TO THOSE EXPERIMENTS, TO THE ELEMENTARY ENRICHMENT PROJECTS THAT WE DO, AND THEN NORMALLY WHEN THEY GET TO DECEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY IS WHEN, HEY, HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS.
SO THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE SOMETHING WE WOULD PROVIDE.
OKAY, GREAT. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T MAKE THAT CLEAR.
SO WE WILL STILL CONTINUE THAT IN THE FIFTH GRADE, WHETHER IT BE THAT LAST SEMESTER OR SOMETHING, RIGHT INTO THE NEXT THREE YEARS THAT THEY'LL BE TRANSITIONING TO RIGHT FOR R IGHT. [INAUDIBLE] EXACTLY.
RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S GREAT, AND THEN JUST ALSO WITH MISS SLOVAK, I LOVE THAT SHE SAID I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT'S A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR KIDS THAT JUST WANT TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK THAT'S THE KEY WORD FOR ME IS JUST I THINK FOR SO MANY KIDS, IT'S JUST ALLOWING OR SETTING UP OR BUILDING CREATING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT FOR OUR KIDS.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO IT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND MAYBE THERE'S A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS SPRINKLED HERE AND THERE, BUT ONE THING I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT THE CAMPUSES WILL OPEN UP FOR EXPANSION OF PRE K.
I THINK THAT'S SO NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT FOR OUR DISTRICT AND THAT EXCITES ME VERY MUCH, AND THE SECOND PART, THE INCREASED PARTICIPATION BACK TO MS. RENTERIA'S COMMENTARY ON FINE ARTS AND SPORTS.
I JUST THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT, AND MY QUESTION REALLY IS ONCE WE MOVE THEM, ARE WE GOING TO JUST HAVE BIGGER BANDS AND BIGGER ORCHESTRAS AND SPORTS TEAMS SINCE SIXTH GRADE IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE ENGAGED AND HAVE MORE PARTICIPATION? WHAT I SEE HAPPENING IS WE WILL BE BETTER PREPARED TO GIVE KIDS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER MORE OF AN EQUITABLE AND FAIR TRYOUT, BUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT IS WE HAVE SOME SPORTS WHERE WE CUT BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST IT'D BE PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP 40 KIDS ON ONE VOLLEYBALL TEAM IN A SMALL SPACE BUT IN TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY, WE DON'T CUT.
IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE SPORTS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON THE TEAM.
SO I DO THINK IN SOME OF THE NO CUT SPORTS YOU WOULD SEE BIGGER NUMBERS, BUT WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN SPORTS WHERE WE DO CUT LIKE BASKETBALL, WE HAVE AN A AND A B TEAM, WHICH IS GREAT.
[01:15:01]
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF OUR KIDS THAT NORMALLY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE A TEAM.MAYBE THEY ARE RIGHT THERE ON THAT EDGE, AND THIS THIS REALLY DOES CLOSE THAT GAP, AND NOW THEY'VE HAD SIX GRADE TO PREPARE, AND THEY'RE MORE CONFIDENT, AND THEY'RE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COACH WHO'S GOING TO END UP BEING ONE OF THEIR COACHES FOR THAT TEAM, AND THEY SEE THEIR ATTITUDE AND THEIR WORK ETHIC, AND SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. YES. OKAY.
PERFECT. PERFECT. WELL, ON MY SIDE I CAN PUT IT TO YOU TWO WAYS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME PHENOMENAL TEACHERS THAT ARE TEACHING IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION AS THE BEGINNER SETTING GOES, AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IF WE'VE GOT PHENOMENAL TEACHERS AND WE'RE GOING TO RETAIN THEM AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM THE SPACE AND THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE ACCESS TO THOSE KIDS IN A WAY I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT THOSE PHENOMENAL TEACHERS GIVING THOSE KIDS AMAZING EXPERIENCES AND CLOSING GAPS IN GROWTH, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH SOMETHING AND YOU'RE GETTING BETTER AT SOMETHING, I MEAN, NOBODY WANTS TO BE BAD AT SOMETHING LIKE LESLIE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THIS IS FUN. I HAVE MORE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO THINGS WHERE WE'RE HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A MICROWAVE SOCIETY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND WHEN YOU'RE AN ATHLETE OR WHEN YOU'RE AN ARTIST, IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
IT'S A PROCESS, AND THAT IS SO REALISTIC TO THE REAL WORLD, AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DO THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BIGGER PROGRAMS. I THINK ALL OF THESE AREAS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY'RE GOING TO GET BETTER BECAUSE WE'RE CLOSING THOSE GAPS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE KIDS ENGAGED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW AT MOST OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, YOU REALLY HAVE TO YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS.
YOU HAVE BAND, YOU HAVE ORCHESTRA AND YOU HAVE STUDY HALL.
WELL THINK ABOUT ALL THOSE KIDS.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE GROWTH ON THESE TWO AREAS.
ALSO PRE-K THREE AREAS, AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION AND COMMENTARY CORE COURSES.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE TWO HOURS ESPECIALLY FOR MATH AND LANGUAGE ARTS.
IS THERE GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW THAT SINCE WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT FOR MAYBE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS, TO HAVE MORE ADVANCED MATH COURSES, AND THEN IN THE STEM PROGRAMMING, IS THERE GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LIKE PHYSICS OR SOME SORT OF LIKE EXTRA SESSIONS OF THOSE TYPES OF LEARNING SO THAT THEY THEN HAVE A BIGGER PATH WITHIN HIGH SCHOOL TO THEN ENGAGE AND DO THE THINGS THEY WANT TO DO WITH THEIR EDUCATION.
I DO THINK I'LL JUST ANSWER THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE STILL KIND OF WORKING WITH NICK AND SUSAN ON EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO ACTUALLY WRITE THAT CURRICULUM, THE SIM-BASED CURRICULUM, AND THE CTE BASED CURRICULUM AS WELL, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, AND SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS WITH SIXTH GRADERS.
THEY GO UP AND THEY'LL TAKE THEY'LL ACCELERATE TO ALGEBRA AND THEY'RE TAKING THAT GRADE.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE USED TO OFFER IN THE DISTRICT A FEW YEARS AGO, PHYSICS ACTUALLY AT THE JUNIOR HIGH, AND WE KIND OF SWITCHED AWAY FROM THAT BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT KIDS WERE STRUGGLING WITH THAT A LITTLE BIT JUST IN THE PROCESS, AND CONCEPTUAL SKILLS OF PHYSICS WHEN THEY WERE 13 AND 14, WERE JUST A LITTLE TOO DEEP FOR THEM TO GRASP, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATED TO GETTING THEM READY FOR A HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS COURSE LIKE ONRAMPS, PHYSICS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT WHAT WE DID LEARN FROM THAT EXPERIENCE IS THAT THEY ARE READY TO EXPLORE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN PHYSICS AND SOME OF THOSE FOUNDATIONAL KEYS THERE'S PROCESS SKILLS AND HOW TO THINK LIKE A PHYSICIST OR THINK AND PROCESS THROUGH AND PROBLEM SOLVE AT A HIGHER LEVEL, AND SO THOSE ARE REALLY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO ENCOURAGE AND EMBED IN THE SIXTH GRADE COURSES SIX, SEVEN AND EIGHT, BUT PARTICULARLY IN SIXTH GRADE, JUST ARE WE REALLY DO WE KNOW HOW TO STUDY.
DO WE KNOW HOW TO THINK? DO WE IN OUR CLASS WE ALSO WANT TO BRING IN CODING.
WE HAVE TALKED TO A LOT OF OUR SIXTH GRADERS.
THEY JUST LOVE TO CODE. THEY WANT TO LEARN TO CODE.
SO WE WANT THAT TO BE PART OF THAT EXPERIENCE AS WELL, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO HEAR FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IS I HAD TO PICK MY PATHWAY, AND IN EIGHTH GRADE, GOING INTO NINTH, I HAD TO PICK HOW DID I KNOW WHAT I NEEDED TO PICK? AND PARTICULARLY NOW THE STATE TEA EVEN SAYING IT'S REALLY EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT YOU PICK THAT PATHWAY IN EIGHTH GRADE AND STAY IN IT FOR COMPLETER STATUS.
SO WE GET OUR CCMR POINTS, AND SO I KNOW I HAVE AN EIGHTH GRADER AND TALKING TO HIM LIKE, WHAT CLASSES ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO PICK YOUR PATHWAY AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO STAY IN IT, AND AND IT'S HARD, AND SO REALLY GIVING THEM TIME, TIME IN JUNIOR HIGH TO EXPLORE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, EXPLORE HEALTH CARE, EXPLORE ENGINEERING, EXPLORE BUSINESS, EXPLORE COSMETOLOGY, BARBERING, THOSE THINGS THAT WE OFFER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, CONSTRUCTION AND
[01:20:07]
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS SOMETHING I'M INTERESTED IN BECAUSE IT IS I HAVE A JUNIOR TOO, WHO'S IN THE HEALTH CARE ACADEMY, AND HE CAME HOME TODAY AND HE'S LIKE, I'M NOT SURE IF I LIKE HEALTH CARE, AND I WAS LIKE, OH BOY, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL, YOU KNOW [CHUCKLING] BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT, AND SO JUST OFFERING THOSE, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, IT OFFERS EVEN MORE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT, AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING WHEN KIDS ARE ABLE TO ADVANCE, WHEN THEY'RE WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE THEM IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TEST THEM IN THE FIFTH GRADE FOR COGAT, WHICH WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR, WE'RE TESTING FIFTH AND SIXTH AND ALMOST KIND OF SCOOPING THEM UP EARLIER TO SAY, OKAY, LET'S START PUSHING.
LET'S START PUSHING AS OPPOSED TO WAITING.
YOU GO INTO ADVANCE, YOU GO INTO THE GT COURSE AND WE CAN START SCOOPING THEM EVEN EARLIER, AND SO JUST TO AND JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S ESPECIALLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S LISTENING. THERE WILL BE GT COURSES AVAILABLE.
THERE WILL BE PRE-AP ADVANCED LITE COURSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE AS WELL.
ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE FOR SIXTH GRADE, WHEN YOU ARE MOVING FROM SEVEN 800 STUDENTS TO NOW 12, 1300 STUDENTS, AND YOU GET THAT ECONOMY OF SCALE.
SO SOME OF THE HIGHER LEVEL MATH CLASSES AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME FIFTH GRADERS AND SIXTH GRADERS THAT ARE TAKING ALGEBRA ONE, AND SO THEY'RE READY FOR ALGEBRA TWO, AND YOU KNOW, PRE-CAL IN JUNIOR HIGH.
WE CAN HAVE THEM RIGHT THERE ON SITE.
SO THE TYPICAL VARIATION OF COURSES THAT YOU SEE IN THE JUNIOR HIGH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THOSE IN SIXTH GRADE AS WELL, AND PARENTS AND STUDENTS WILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE CHOICES WHEN THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE CHOOSING THAT MATH CLASS OR THEY'RE CHOOSING THAT SOCIAL STUDIES AND SCIENCE CLASS.
THAT'S EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING THAT.
I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE THE STEM COURSES AND THE PATHWAYS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NOT CREATED BECAUSE THEY EXIST, BUT JUST KIND OF ADJUSTED AND RECREATED TO HAVE ALL THIS PARTICIPATION OF OUR STUDENTS, AND I HOPE OUR FAMILIES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WHEN THEY'RE HELPING THEIR STUDENTS SELECT THEIR PATHWAY, OR AT LEAST THEIR EXPLORATION TO WHAT THEY WANT TO LOOK AT.
LAST TWO THINGS LANGUAGE, ADVENTURES AND CULTURES.
OR WHAT WAS IT? ADVENTURES AND CULTURES AND LANGUAGE.
OKAY, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS, BUT THAT'S AWESOME.
SO LET ME DO FRENCH BECAUSE I STILL NEED A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
THEY CAUGHT ME IN SCHOOL, SO I HAD TO DO THAT, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S NEAT BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE EXPLORED JAPANESE OR JUST ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN LATIN BASED LANGUAGES THAT I THINK, FOR ME AT LEAST, WERE KIND OF EASY.
YOU'RE MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES, COMMUNICATING WITH THE STUDENTS, AND I JUST LOVE THAT PEER TO PEER PROGRAMING THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IN HIGH SCHOOL, MY DAUGHTER PARTICIPATED IN BOTH.
YEAH. PEER HELPERS, BOTH OF THOSE, AND SHE REALLY ENJOYED IT.
SO I JUST THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. PACHECO. MISS MCGOWAN, ARE YOU UP? NO, NO, [INAUDIBLE] I SAW HER REACHING OVER. I'M LIKE, ARE YOU NEXT? [CHUCKLING] THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
THE FINE ARTS PIECE I THINK IS INCREDIBLE.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT, LIKE YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE RETENTION OF OUR TEACHERS, AND I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR THEM GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE THE SCHOOLS AND I KNOW HOW MUCH OF A CHALLENGE THAT IS FOR OUR DIRECTORS TO HIRE THE STAFF THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK THAT IS AMAZING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS PROJECT GROW OUR EXTRACURRICULAR, GROW OUR MUSICAL PROGRAMING, BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET THOSE KIDS IN SIXTH GRADE AND KEEP THEM ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I THINK THIS WILL DEFINITELY BENEFIT THAT.
THEY'RE JUST IN AND OUT AND OUT THE DOOR.
[01:25:09]
DUAL CREDIT ONRAMPS.SO I THINK ALL OF THAT IS IN LINE WITH THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT GOALS, WHICH I MEAN PERFECT PICTURE, RIGHT? ALSO, LIKE THE FACT THAT ONE OF YOUR GOALS WAS TO ENSURE FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE WERE IN SUPPORT OF THE MISSION, AND I THINK WE'RE RIGHT THERE ALONG WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.
WHAT ELSE? ACCESS. EQUITY. RIGOR.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO GIVE US MORE ACADEMIC RIGOR TO POUR INTO OUR KIDS AND I KNOW CHRIS IS READY FOR ME TO GIVE UP THE MIC, SO HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
THE HISTORICAL PIECES TO THE TO THE BUILDING.
WHERE ARE WE ON THAT? LIKE WHAT DID WE KIND OF DECIDE ON THAT? GOOD EVENING. YES FACILITIES HAS DONE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE BUILDING AND IS COMPILING A LIST OF POTENTIAL ITEMS THAT WE COULD PUT OUT FOR AUCTION TO THE COMMUNITY BEFORE THE BUILDING IS DEMOED IN THE SPRING.
MR. RUSTIN AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A DATE THAT'S OPEN HOUSE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND LOOK AT THE OLD BUILDING ONE LAST TIME, TO REMINISCE AND TO ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY THERE, AND SO THAT LIST WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS TO LOOK AT.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN SALVAGE IN AN EQUITABLE AND FINANCIAL MANNER, AND SO WE WILL HAVE THAT LIST, AND ONCE THOSE AUCTION ITEMS ARE GONE, THEY'RE GONE, BUT THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THE ITEMS AT THE SCHOOL THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY SHOULD THEY DECIDE THEY WANT IT.
GREAT IDEA. PLUS, IT'S SOME REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT.
RIGHT. I'M JUST SAYING UBER BUS DRIVERS.
THAT'S NEXT, BUT I ALSO LOVE THE SEVENTH GRADE PIECE OF OUR SPORT.
OUR SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND HAVING THAT PEACE AND GIVING SOME OF OUR SEVENTH GRADE KIDS A MORE EQUITABLE EXPERIENCE SO THAT THEY ARE MAYBE ABLE TO COMPETE ON THAT HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL THAT I'M ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH.
SO I REALLY DO THINK THAT THIS MAY GIVE THEM I MEAN, THIS MAY GIVE THEM THAT EDGE AS WELL.
ONE OTHER QUESTION IS ANOTHER ONE, SORRY, IT'S ANOTHER SAFETY ONE.
SO FOR OUR NEW BUILDS, ARE WE DOING THE THE FILM LIKE THE WINDOW FILM COVER.
ARE WE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS? YES. ANYTHING REQUIRED BY THE STATE IS ON ALL OF OUR FACILITIES AND THE UPGRADES THAT WE WANTED TO DO.
I THINK SOME OF OUR SOME OF THE UPGRADES WE WANT TO DO SECURITY WISE IN OUR OLD BUILDINGS, ARE WE ALL LIKE AUTOMATICALLY DOING THAT IN OUR NEW BUILDS? YES, BOTH FOREST MEADOW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LAKE COLLINS MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE THE NEW DOOR ACCESS.
THEY HAVE THE FILM THAT'S REQUIRED.
THEY HAVE THE SAME SAFETY PROTOCOLS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES, AND AGAIN IN DECEMBER, THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR KIND OF DEEP DIVE INTO SOME OF THOSE LAST AREAS, IS JUST REVIEWING ALL OF THOSE SAFETY PROTOCOLS, BOTH THAT WERE BUILT INTO THE BUILDING, AS WELL AS WHAT WE WILL DO TO ADJUST THE TRANSITION INTO A NEW BUILDING FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WELL, THANK YOU, MISS MCGOWAN.
THANK YOU, MR. POTEET ARE YOU READY? DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS, I'M GOING TO EMAIL YOU ALL MY COMMENTS.
SO WE'RE GOOD. ARE YOU READY, MR. RUSTIN? NO, WELL, I KNOW SHORTHAND, SO I'LL SPEAK IN IT HERE REAL QUICK.
NOBODY KNOWS WHAT SHORTHAND IS.
SO YOU HAD ME AT PETTING ZOOS, SO I'M IN.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND WILL SAY THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR BUYING IN ON THIS, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THEN PASSING THE BOND THAT BASICALLY KICKED THIS OFF.
I MEAN, WE THEY BOUGHT INTO THIS.
I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL TO IDENTIFYING WHAT WORKS, WHAT WON'T WORK, WHERE THERE'S GAPS, ETCETERA.
[01:30:08]
COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THE IMPACTS, POSITIVE IMPACTS THAT THIS WILL BRING.I REMEMBER YEARS AGO HEARING AND I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS, BUT IT WAS A IT WAS ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS.
THIS WAS PROBABLY SIX, EIGHT YEARS AGO FROM EITHER LIBERTY OR APOLLO.
ANYWAY, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE WE HAD JUST STARTED THIS CONVERSATION, AND THIS WAS WHEN I HAD A KID GOING INTO SEVENTH GRADE AT FOREST MEADOW, AND I REMEMBER THE FEEDBACK FROM THAT PRINCIPAL WAS, I ONLY GET TWO YEARS WITH THESE KIDS, AND I NEED TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE STUDENTS, AND IF YOU INCREASE THAT BY 50% AND GIVE ME THREE, I CAN MAKE IMPACTS, AND I REMEMBER HEARING THAT WHEN WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS, AND NOW I'M EXCITED TO ACTUALLY SEE IT COME TO FRUITION, AND AGAIN, BEING A PRIMARY PARENT OF A SEVENTH GRADER THAT WENT THROUGH THAT SEVENTH GRADE YEAR IS MY EXPERIENCE WAS THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT UP FROM DOWN AND WHERE THE RESTROOMS ARE.
IT'S A WHOLE NEW WORLD IN THIS BIG, AND BY EIGHTH GRADE, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT IT ANYMORE.
SO I MEAN, IT'S JUST A STEPPING STONE TO HIGH SCHOOL, AND NOW I THINK IT WILL BECOME ACTUALLY A DESTINATION ON THAT PATH.
SO I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL FROM A RELATIONSHIP PERSPECTIVE WITH THESE STUDENTS, AND THE MORE RELATIONSHIPS STRONGER WE CAN BUILD, THE BETTER OUTCOMES WE'LL GET, AND THE LAST THING AND I KNOW, DR.
LEEPER I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU WERE TALKING, BUT THIS OCCURRED TO ME AND IT'S DIFFERENT THAN BUSINESS AND ALL THESE OTHERS, BUT WHEN WE INTRODUCE NEW PROGRAMS, WE PUT A TRANSITION LIKE THIS IN PLACE OR WE EXPERIMENT WITH TRYING SOMETHING ELSE.
WE'RE MESSING WITH STUDENTS AND THEY'RE IN THAT CLASS AND THAT YEAR ONLY ONCE.
SO IT'S HIGH RISK IF THINGS DON'T WORK OUT.
I MEAN, WE'VE MESSED UP THAT STUDENT, AND SO I LOVE THAT THE IT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
RIGHT, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE AND IN THE ROOM FEELS THAT, BUT I LOVE THE THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND THE COMPREHENSIVENESS THAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM ALL ASPECTS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT COMMITTEE AT LOOKING, HOW CAN WE MITIGATE THAT RISK? HOW CAN WE DO THIS RIGHT? WE CAN'T DO IT WRONG.
WE'VE GOT TO DO IT RIGHT, AND SO I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WITH THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE AND EFFORT THAT'S GONE INTO THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THAT WE DO RIGHT BY THESE STUDENTS.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT EFFORT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. POTEET. MISS TIMME.
THAT WAS SHORTHAND? [CHUCKLING] THAT WAS SHORT.
YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE MY LONG HAND.
[CHUCKLING] SORRY, I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF.
I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY, LIKE, SO MANY PLUSES TO MOVING THE SIXTH GRADE UP INTO THE JUNIOR HIGH.
SO I DON'T REHASH THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO I KNOW YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WE CHOSE MESQUITE IN THIS EXAMPLE BECAUSE THEY TRANSITIONED TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROCESS ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, IF I REMEMBER, AND WE WERE REALLY FORTUNATE THAT THE PRINCIPAL THAT WE WENT TO VISIT WAS A PRINCIPAL DURING THAT TRANSITION, AND SO SHE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF INSIGHT THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE READ ANYWHERE.
WE COULD NOT HAVE PAID FOR THOSE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, DO YOU ALL FEEL DIFFERENT? YEAH. SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHY I THINK WE VISITED AN AVID [INAUDIBLE] TODAY, AND JOSH YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? SORRY, JOSH.
WHILE JOSH IS COMING UP I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE TEAM USED AS A BASELINE FOR ALL RESEARCH, AND WHEN WE WERE COMPARING COURSE OFFERINGS AND WHAT ADVANCED CLASSES THEY HAD, WHAT ELECTIVE COURSES THEY HAD, WE USED OUR THE TYPICAL BENCHMARK DISTRICTS THAT WE USE THAT LOOK LIKE DISTRICTS WHO LOOK LIKE US OR SIMILAR SIZE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO BE OUR COMPETITORS IN THE METROPLEX, AND WHO ARE THOSE WE KNOW ARE HIGH, HIGH ACHIEVING, HIGH PERFORMING DISTRICTS AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING AND STUDYING WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS WELL, AND SO WHAT ARE DISTRICTS WHO LOOK LIKE US? WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THEIR SIX EIGHT IMPLEMENTATION? WHAT ARE OUR COMPETITORS DOING SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE PUT TOGETHER A COMPETITIVE RESPONSE AS WELL? AND IT WAS A BALANCE OF BOTH OF THOSE.
HI, NICK AND SUSAN AND JENNIE AND MYSELF AND MY PARTNER STEPHANIE WITH AVID.
[01:35:05]
WE VISITED BUSH MIDDLE SCHOOL IN CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH.IT IS THEIR FIRST YEAR TO IMPLEMENT SIXTH GRADE AVID, AND SO WE ARE LEARNING FROM THEIR TEAM WHAT SOME OF THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF SUCCESS WERE FOR THAT AND HOW THEY RECRUITED STUDENTS, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE GOT TO SEE A LOT OF OTHER INSIGHT INFORMATION AS TO HOW THE SCHOOLS RUN AND NICK AND SUSAN WERE LIKE ASKING EVERY QUESTION YOU COULD THINK OF.
THEY WERE LIKE, SO WHAT DOES LUNCH LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS THE HALLWAY LOOK LIKE? SO A LOT OF DETAIL AROUND IMPLEMENTATION FOR AVID ELECTIVE AND THEN WHAT THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL IS LIKE, AND SO I WOULD WELCOME NICK OR SUSAN TO ADD TO ANYTHING YOU LEARNED AT THE VISIT YESTERDAY.
JUST TO REITERATE, I THINK THAT IT'S THE QUESTION ASKING.
YOU CAN READ A LOT OF ARTICLES, YOU CAN READ A LOT OF BOOKS, BUT WHEN YOU CAN TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE FROM A DAY TO DAY BASIS, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT, WE ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT AT IT.
SO I THINK THE MORE THAT WE SEE IT IN ACTION, WE SEE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH IT.
WE HAD A GREAT VISIT AND CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH AS WELL AS IN MESQUITE, AND WE LEFT WITH JUST A TON OF IDEAS AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT JUST GREAT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT GREAT FOR ALL KIDS.
PLANNERS EVEN WHAT MIGHT SEEM SMALL, BUT THE WAYFINDING SIGNS TO LET KIDS KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING NOW THAT THE CAMPUS IS BIGGER. SO YES, JUST CONSTANTLY TAKING PHOTOS, LOTS OF NOTES GOING SO FAR AS THEY'RE SHOWING AN EXAMPLE, AND I'M LIKE, [INAUDIBLE] TO TAKE WITH ME, AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN GREAT BECAUSE YES, WE CAN READ, WE CAN RESEARCH, BUT GOING AND SEEING IT IN ACTION.
ACTUALLY WENT INTO A SCIENCE CLASSROOM YESTERDAY AT.
BUSH MIDDLE SCHOOL, SIXTH GRADE, AND [INAUDIBLE] AVID STRATEGY, AND I DON'T RECALL THE NAME OF IT, BUT IT WAS EXCELLENT AND COLLABORATIVE. STUDY GROUPS.
FLOWING. SO [INAUDIBLE] SEE IT.
I'M A VISUAL LEARNER, [INAUDIBLE].
I THINK THAT'S GREAT, AND I THINK TOO, I MEAN, I CAN SEE LIKE YOU WANT TO SEE THE ONES WHO'VE JUST IMPLEMENTED LIKE ARE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THAT, RIGHT BECAUSE YOU LIVE THAT DIFFERENTLY, BUT THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THOSE THAT ARE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTENT AREAS, ESPECIALLY WHERE WE STRUGGLE POTENTIALLY.
RIGHT. WE MIGHT LEARN SOME SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS, AND I KNOW AND ON THE THE PART OF CONTENT, YOU KIND OF HIT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT ON WHAT WAS IT SLIDE 22 ESSENTIALLY IT WAS TALKING ABOUT ACCELERATING LEARNING IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, AND SO THAT JUST GOT ME TO JUST WANTING TO UNDERSTAND LIKE OUR INTENTION AS FAR AS, LIKE HOW THAT CHANGES THE SIXTH GRADE CURRICULUM BECAUSE THEY'RE TEKS, RIGHT? LIKE THE TEKS ARE THE TEKS, RIGHT? THE TEKS ARE THE TEKS AND THEN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THERE WAS SOME THERE WAS SOMETHING KIND OF CASUALLY MENTIONED ABOUT LIKE HIGHER LEVEL OPTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT REALLY, YOU STILL HAVE TO TEST OUT OF THOSE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SMALL NUMBER OF KIDS.
SO LIKE THEY DON'T NEED TO BE JUST TAKING MATH WILLY NILLY, RIGHT.
LIKE THERE'S STILL THOSE THERE'S STILL THOSE TESTS AND STANDARDS AS FAR AS ACCELERATING INSTRUCTION, BUT CAN WE SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO LIKE HOW YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING, NOT JUST LOOKING AT THAT CONTENT FOR SIXTH GRADE? SURE, AND ABSOLUTELY JUST TO ADDRESS THAT TOO, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MONICA, WHO IS CERTAINLY ALL THINGS GT FOR RICHARDSON AND OF COURSE, KNOWN ACROSS THE STATE BOARD AS WELL, BUT WHAT WE DO NOW AND OUR PLAN AND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE FIFTH GRADERS MOVING INTO SIXTH AND SIXTH, MOVING INTO SEVENTH IS WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO IS ALWAYS TEST OUR SIXTH GRADERS WITH THE COGAT, AND THEN WE START DETERMINING FROM THAT DATA WHERE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR AND WHAT CLASSES THAT THEY WANT.
SO WE'LL DO THAT THIS YEAR WITH THE FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS, AND THEY WILL MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THOSE COURSES AND THEY CAN GO INTO THE CONTENT COURSES, WHICH ARE THE FOUR CORE AS WELL AS WE'LL ALSO HAVE ADVANCED COURSES FOR THEM, AND THEN OUR OWN LEVEL COURSES AS WELL, AND KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOU MENTIONED, MRS. TIMME IS COMPLETELY CORRECT THAT [INAUDIBLE] TEKS SO REALLY IT'S THOSE STRATEGIES AND REALLY THE ART OF THE TEACHER.
WE HAVE A SECONDARY ADVANCED LEARNING TEACHER THAT WE HIRED LAST YEAR IS REALLY GOING TO SUPPORT THIS YEAR AS WELL, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL AND TEACHING THOSE TEACHERS. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS ADVANCED? HOW DOES ADVANCED LOOK DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS THE THINKING?
[01:40:01]
WHAT ARE THOSE STRATEGIES THAT YOU MENTIONED IN AVID THAT ARE JUST GOOD FOR ALL KIDS, BUT ALSO BETTER FOR THAT HIGHER LEVEL, THE HIGHER LEVEL OF RIGOR? AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN OUR CLASSES, AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.WE'RE SAYING THEY'VE TESTED INTO COGAT.
ARE THEY READY TO REALLY START TO THINK WITH THE RIGOR AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO PUSH THEM? AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, ARE THE TEACHERS THAT THEY HAVE CAPACITY TO REALLY DIFFERENTIATE THAT INSTRUCTION, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DIFFERENT AND THAT WE ARE PREPARING THEM FOR, AS MRS. MCGWAN SAID, FOR OUR DUAL CREDIT CLASSES, FOR THE TSI, SO THEY CAN PASS TSI TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE.
THE WRITING AS YOU SOME OF THOSE AREAS OF STRUGGLE, THAT'S ONE OF THEM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE PUSH THAT IN SIXTH GRADE REALLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT, BUT SIXTH GRADE EVEN MORE NOW THAT THEY'LL HAVE IT [INAUDIBLE] EVERY DAY, AND I THINK JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF I'M A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACCELERATION AND DIFFERENTIATED COURSES, AND SO WE I WOULD SAY MATH IS USUALLY THE EASIEST ONE TO ANCHOR BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE SEE THE MOST OF OUR ACCELERATION, AND THAT'S WHERE REALLY WE ARE RELYING UPON THOSE ASSESSMENTS THAT ALLOW US TO KNOW A STUDENT TESTED OUT OF THAT GRADE LEVEL, AND THEY CAN ACCELERATE FROM, LET'S SAY THEY'RE IN FIFTH GRADE THIS YEAR.
THEY HAVE WENT THROUGH SIXTH GRADE MATH.
THEY ARE READY TO TAKE SEVENTH GRADE MATH.
THEY MIGHT EVEN PASS THAT ONE, AND THEY MIGHT BE READY TO TAKE EIGHTH GRADE MATH AS A SIXTH GRADER, AND THEN THEY'RE TAKING ALGEBRA ONE AS A SEVENTH GRADER, AND SO WE HAVE A VERY DEFINED PROCESS FOR THOSE ACCELERATED TESTS TO ALLOW US TO KNOW WHERE A STUDENT SHOULD BE PLACED.
NOW FOR THE ADVANCED CLASSES, THOSE THOSE ARE LIKE THEY ARE NOW.
THEY WILL BE OPTIONAL FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND THEY CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I'M GOING TO CHOOSE TO OPT IN TO THAT ADVANCED LEVEL COURSE, OR AM I GOING TO TAKE ON LEVEL NOW WITH EFFORTS LIKE WE'RE HAVING WITH SPOT'EM AND GOT'EM.
WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS THAT WE SEE YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ADVANCED COURSE OFFERING, ENCOURAGING TO BE THERE, WORKING WITH PARENTS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE THERE, BUT THOSE ARE STILL THOSE WILL BE AN OPT IN AND STUDENTS CAN CHOOSE THOSE COURSES.
OUR GT COURSES, JUST LIKE THEY ARE NOW.
THOSE ARE BASED UPON A STUDENT WHO'S IDENTIFIED FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED SERVICES, AND THEN THOSE COURSE OPTIONS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM, BUT THIS IS ALL DIFFERENT, THOUGH THAN WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE SIXTH GRADE CONTENT.
CORRECT. RIGHT. SO IT'S A FULL LIKE IT'S THE FULL CONTINUUM.
JUST CURIOUS AS TO LIKE PLANS AND THOUGHTS, AND THIS MAY COME IN THE DECEMBER MEETING, AND MAYBE THAT'S ACTUALLY THE MORE APPROPRIATE SPOT FOR IT, BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW TAXING IT IS TO SUPPORT BOTH MODELS.
RIGHT? YOU'RE CONDENSING AND CONSOLIDATING INTO ONE SPOT.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD SIZE LIFT.
YES. OKAY, SO MAYBE DECEMBER MEETING.
THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE HAVING, AND LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, SUPPORTING OUR SIXTH GRADE TEACHERS AT THE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENTLY THAN SUPPORTING OUR ELEMENTARY, AND HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE THAT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING? THAT'S RIGHT. IN A WAY THAT IS MEANINGFUL FOR BOTH.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE STILL NAVIGATING RIGHT NOW, THAT THE ONE THING THAT I THINK THAT MAKES THIS IMPLEMENTATION A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE IS BECAUSE OF THAT, AND SO THERE ARE NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DISTRICTS WHO'VE HAD THIS LEVEL OF DIFFERENCE IN THEIR IMPLEMENTATION, AND SO THAT WE'RE HAVING TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP AROUND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT'S DONE FOR BOTH VERY WELL.
ABSOLUTELY, I WOULD ALSO SAY, LIKE, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT, THIS IS NOT NEW INFORMATION TO YOU, BUT JUST PUBLICLY WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR OUR BAND AND ORCHESTRA TEACHERS ESPECIALLY TO GO THEY'VE GOT TO GO TO ALL OF THESE ELEMENTARIES AND THEN TEACH ALSO THEIR CLASSES AT THEIR CAMPUS WHILE ALSO LISTEN, I SAY THIS AS A FORMER ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL, I AM SCHEDULING, AND THE LAST THING I'M THINKING OF IS MY BAND AND ORCHESTRA.
SOMETIMES I FORGOT OR NOT REALIZING THE IMPACT OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS THEY MISS WHEN WE'RE TESTING AND THEY'RE TRAVELING AND DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS, OR THEY'RE TESTING ON THAT JUNIOR HIGH OR MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS, KNOWING WHAT A TOUGH JOB IT IS AND WE WANT TO RETAIN, WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT TEACHERS AT THAT JUNIOR HIGH LEVEL, LIKE HOW WE CAN POTENTIALLY ASSIST IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THEM GOING FORWARD WHILE THEY'RE WAITING, HOWEVER MANY YEARS GOING FORWARD, POTENTIALLY.
[01:45:07]
I DON'T EVER WANT TO TAKE THE FACT THAT VOTERS ARE GOING TO PASS A BOND, RIGHT, LIKE FOR GRANTED.LIKE WE HOPEFULLY MAKE A COMPELLING ENOUGH CASE THAT HAPPENS FOR EVERY LEARNING AREA, AS WE HOPE, BUT POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ASSIST IN THAT STAFF AS WELL. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS TIMME.
MR. EAGER. YOU KNOW THIS WAS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
JUST A LITTLE SELF INDULGENCE HERE.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE A WHILE, BUT IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TOP MEGAN'S [INAUDIBLE] BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THIS JOURNEY, BECAUSE BACK IN 2017, I SERVED ON A STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT, AND AFTERWARDS I GOT ASKED TO SERVE ON THE FACILITIES, AND I'M A PARENT.
I GOT KIDS IN THE DISTRICT AND MY BOYS WERE FRESHMEN IN HIGH SCHOOL AT THE TIME.
THEY'D JUST GONE THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I WAS ASKED WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE SMALL FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE, AND MISS HAYES GOT TO PUT UP WITH A LOT OF ASKING QUESTIONS AND AND THERE WAS A SMALL GROUP OF ABOUT FOUR OF US THAT LOCKED INTO THIS.
HEY, WHY ARE WE NOT? WHY ARE WE NOT TEACHING OUR KIDS? WHY ARE WE NOT? IT WAS JUST COMMON SENSE.
THE BENEFITS AND THE TRANSFORMATIONAL.
HELP TO OUR KIDS TO GIVE THEM THAT EXTRA YEAR, TO GIVE THEM THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE I'D JUST GONE THROUGH IT MISS HAYES HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OF THE EAGER BOYS, BY THE WAY.
THEY STILL PUT THEIR CAFETERIA TRAYS UP ON TIME, BUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS, IS THAT AND I GOT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN WE STARTED TALKING TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND I STARTED GOING, THIS IS THIS IS SUCH A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR KIDS.
THIS WILL TAKE TOO MANY YEARS.
IT'S GOING TO COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AND SO DON'T TELL AN ENTREPRENEUR THAT, AND SO HAVING THE FAITH AND THEN GOING FROM THAT AND THEN HAVING THE HONOR TO SERVE WITH A BIGGER GROUP OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE SIXTH FLOOR AND OUT OF THAT COMMUNITY, THEN THE RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT WAS WE JUST KEPT HEARING THIS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AND THEN AFTER THAT, HAVING THE HONOR OF GETTING ELECTED TO THE BOARD AND HAVING A CHANCE TO HELP PITCH AND THEN HAVING THE FAITH LIKE MR. POTEET SAID.
HAVING FAITH IN OUR COMMUNITY, HAVING THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY THIS IS THE RIGHT THING FOR KIDS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME.
THIS TEAM HERE IS TAKING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO DO THIS, BUT YOU CAN SEE ALL THESE BENEFITS.
THOSE MUSIC TEACHERS THAT ARE LUGGING AROUND.
MY KIDS ARE IN THE CAFETERIA AT NORTHWOOD HILLS, AND LET'S SAY I FEEL SORRY FOR THE TEACHERS WHO'RE NEXT TO HEARING THEM PLAY, BUT ALL THAT HAVING OUR KIDS IN ATHLETICS AND HAVING THAT EXTRA YEAR, GIVING THEM THAT SHOT, THAT CONFIDENCE, I'M JUST TELLING YOU IT IS GOING TO BE YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK ON THIS DAY AND SAY, THIS MOMENT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO TRANSFER, IT IS GOING TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR GENERATIONS OF KIDS.
WHAT IS MY GIFT IN THE WORLD? AND SO I THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED.
I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD, AND OBVIOUSLY WE GOT A LOT MORE TO GO, BUT I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE.
MS. RENTERÍA. I HAD A QUESTION, IF I MAY, JUST REALLY QUICK, AND THIS IS PROBABLY AGAIN FOR MR. BRADFORD AND MS. SLOVAK.
I ALSO WANTED TO JUST ASK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SPORTS, RIGHT.
[01:50:10]
HOW IS THAT GOING TO LOOK FOR THE OTHER SPORTS THAT I THINK OF LIKE, LIKE TENNIS, GOLF, SWIM THAT ARE, THAT ARE ON THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, RIGHT.LIKE I REMEMBER WHEN MY SON WAS AT RICHARDSON WEST, HE HE WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A COACH WHO WOULD VOLUNTEER, LIKE AFTER SCHOOL TO HELP HIM WITH TENNIS. RIGHT, BUT WILL OUR KIDS HAVE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES TO GO INTO THESE OTHER SPORTS THAT AREN'T YOUR LIKE YOUR MORE I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT BASIC, BUT YOUR POPULAR FOOTBALL BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL.
SO JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE GOLF OR SWIMMING IN THE JUNIOR HIGH OR BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL, WE STILL WANT TO HAVE, WE WANT TO AT LEAST GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THEM TO THE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS, THE RULES, JUST AND BE ABLE TO INVITE OUR HIGH SCHOOL COACHES DOWN AND WE HAVE TO GET CREATIVE WITH THAT, BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE IN A CORE SUBJECT.
SO SOMETIMES THE SCHEDULES DON'T MATCH UP, BUT WE WILL TRY TO BE CREATIVE AND THEN WE WILL PREPARE OUR JUNIOR HIGH COACHES IN THESE PRE ATHLETIC COURSES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE SPORT IS IN THE JUNIOR HIGH OR NOT.
EXACTLY. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
THAT WILL BE A WAY TO EXPOSE THEM, INTRODUCE THEM TO SOMETHING THAT THEY THOUGHT.
I MEAN, IT COULD END UP BEING JUST LIFE CHANGING.
EXACTLY OR THAT THEY'RE EVEN THAT THEY HAVE THAT SKILL OR ABILITY.
SO YOUR BASEBALL AND ALL, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL SOMEBODY OFFERED IT AT RICHARDSON WEST DOES THIS HAPPEN? I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAPPENED TO BE EVERY YEAR OR WHAT, BUT THE TIME HE WAS THERE AND WHEN HE SAID, OH, YEAH, THEY CAME AND TALKED TO US.
HE WANTED TO GO AFTER SCHOOL AND DO TENNIS, MOM, AND I SAID, YOU SHOULD DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW AND THEN HE ENDED UP JUST LOVING IT, AND HE STAYED WITH IT ALL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HE ALSO BECAME VERY GOOD AT AND EVEN NOW IN COLLEGE STILL DOES THAT. SO IT'S WONDERFUL THAT HE DOESN'T PLAY IT I MEAN LIKE COLLEGIATELY, BUT TO BE ABLE TO STILL BE AND WANT TO PLAY AND THAT HE'S GARNERED THAT SKILL.
RIGHT, AND STILL IS ALWAYS LOOKING TO DO BETTER.
MR. BRADFORD AGAIN THAT I'M JUST A BIG FAN OF THAT AND THEY'VE DONE SO WELL AND THAT WE'RE CONTINUING THIS FOR THE SECOND YEAR, BUT WILL OUR JUNIOR HIGH KIDS, WILL THEY ALSO HAVE EXPOSURE OR AT LEAST SOME KIND OF ACCESS TO AT LEAST HAVING SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THAT PARTICULAR GENRE? WELL, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS LIKE LESLIE TALKED ABOUT IS IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO BE ON A CAMPUS LIKE THAT ON A THREE YEAR CAMPUS.
THEY HAVE NO FLEX WHATSOEVER, SO THEY BARELY HAVE THE BARE MINIMUM TO GET BY ON A DAILY BASIS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE THIS WHOLE NEW WORLD THAT OPENS UP FOR THEM.
LIKE WE CAN'T OFFER JAZZ BAND OR LIKE WE OFFER SHOW CHOIR RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A THING THAT OCCURS, BUT IT'S NOT A CLASS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AT THE JUNIOR HIGH.
SO MOST OF THEM OFFER THAT AS AN AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY, AND SO I CAN SEE SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE KIDS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOMETHING WHEN THERE'S AN INTEREST AND WHEN WE'VE GOT THE TEACHER IN THE PLACE THAT HAS THE TIME TO DO IT, AND THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THAT SKILL LEVEL AS WELL.
ABSOLUTELY, AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT.
SO THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S AMAZING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID SEE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHOICES OR THE OFFERINGS HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT TOO, AND WE HAVE SUCH A STRONG DANCE PROGRAM IN THE DISTRICT, BUT HOW ARE WE IMPLEMENTING DANCE AGAIN IN THIS NEW THIS NEW PROGRAM? HOW ARE WE GETTING THOSE DANCERS OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO EXPERIMENT WITH DANCE? I'VE NEVER DANCED BEFORE, BUT I WANT TO KNOW, IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT? NOW THAT WE HAVE THESE THREE YEARS TO ESTABLISH THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP? I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT ONE, MS. RENTERIA. I THINK PART OF WHAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT.
SO WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THIS WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 6 TO 8, AND ALREADY WE KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME INNATE BENEFITS OF HAVING THE 6 TO 8 MODEL THAT THE OTHER THREE LEARNING COMMUNITIES WERE GOING TO HAVE, AND SO WE WANTED TO BE CAREFUL THAT
[01:55:10]
THERE WAS STILL SOME LEVEL OF EQUITY ACROSS THE LEARNING COMMUNITIES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD FINANCIALLY SUSTAIN AS WELL.SO OUR HOPES ARE THAT WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU TONIGHT, GET THAT DONE REALLY WELL, ANALYZE THE STAFFING IMPACT, ANALYZE ALLOCATIONS BASED UPON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE.
WE WANTED DANCE THEATER, LIKE THERE WERE LOTS OF OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE WANTED, AND SO IT WAS, HOW DO WE GET THERE OVER TIME? AND AS WE IMPLEMENT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL, ALSO ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND SO THIS WAS A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN PROVIDING A ROBUST SET OF OFFERINGS FOR SIX THROUGH EIGHT WITHOUT COMPLETELY ALLOWING FOR AN INEQUITY AMONGST THE FOUR LEARNING COMMUNITIES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I JUST THINK THAT ALL THOSE ARE SO IMPORTANT.
AS MR. POTEETT SAID GETTING THE BUY IN OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WHEN THE COMMUNITY SEES THAT AND THEY'RE THERE TO SUPPORT BECAUSE I'VE GONE TO DIFFERENT EVENTS AND I SEE ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S ALL BY WHOEVER HAPPENS TO BE ON THAT CAMPUS AND HAS THE TIME AND ALL OF THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT ACROSS THE BOARD, AND I KNOW THAT'S A BIG PASSION OF MINE OF BEING ABLE LIKE THE EARLIER THE BETTER, RIGHT? WHILE WE HAVE ONE YEAR, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BUT IT TAKES MORE THAN ONE YEAR, RIGHT.
SO I MEAN THIS IS AWESOME, RIGHT? SO I'M JUST THINKING LIKE EVEN AS AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM OR SOMETHING AND EVEN LIKE WITH THEATER THAT WE SAY THEY CAN START IN SEVENTH GRADE, BUT EVEN BEING ABLE TO HAVE JUST THE EXPOSURE TO CAN I IF THE SEVENTH GRADERS ARE PERFORMING, CAN I BE A CREW CAN I GO AFTER SCHOOL AND HELP? OR JUST BEING EXPOSED TO I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO BE LIKE, RIGHT.
SO TO GIVE OUR KIDS THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY OF LIKE, HEY, I WANT TO DO THAT, AND EVEN GIVING OUR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR TO OUR TO THESE KIDS THAT ARE COMING UP AND ARE GOING TO BE THE NEXT PHASE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING.
I THINK THIS IS AWESOME AND I'M JUST SUPER EXCITED.
ONE LAST QUESTION. SORRY. REALLY QUICK.
AS FAR AS OUR PRE-K FOR ALL, WHERE ARE WE ON THAT PIECE WITH THIS? WELL, THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE IS THAT WITH SIXTH GRADE TRANSITIONING, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE MORE AVAILABLE SEATS IN SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS. WE WILL NOT BE ANNOUNCING WHAT NEW SEATS WE WILL HAVE UNTIL AFTER THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE FINISHES THEIR ANALYSIS AND MAKES THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD AROUND ANY SUGGESTED RIGHTSIZING OR EFFICIENCIES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER, AND SO ONCE WE KIND OF HEAR THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE GET DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP EVERY PRE-K SEAT THAT WE CAN, BOTH FOR OUR FOUR YEAR-OLDS AS WELL AS FOR OUR THREE YEAR-OLDS, INCLUDING MORE TUITION BASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PARENTS, AND THAT'S THE ONE I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT.
I KNOW YOU ARE. YES YES YES YES.
MS. RENTERÍA. I JUST WRITE THESE DOWN, I GET SUPER EXCITED, AND THEN I KIND OF READ MY OWN WRITING.
SO JUST VERY QUICKLY WE TALKED ABOUT WORLD LANGUAGES.
RIGHT, AND MS. PACHECO MADE AN EXCELLENT POINT ON JUST IT'S AWESOME TO HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
IS THERE ANY TALK OR WILL THERE EVER BE AN OPPORTUNITY OR I WONDER IF ANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES IT WHERE THEY OFFER SIGN LANGUAGE AS AN OPTION? ACTUALLY, THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING.
WE WOULD LOVE WE WOULD LOVE TO OFFER ASL AS ONE OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY FIRST WE WOULD LIKE TO START IT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SHORTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO NOT ONLY HAVE THAT SKILL, BUT THEN ALSO HAVE THE CERTIFICATION TO TEACH IT. SO WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, DALLAS COLLEGE AND ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THAT COURSE AVAILABLE? SO YES, IT IS ON OUR RADAR THERE.
THERE ARE NOT MANY DISTRICTS THAT DO IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO SUSTAIN AND IT'S HARD TO SUSTAIN WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT IT IS 100% A PASSION AREA OF OF ALL OF OURS TO GET THAT ADDED TO THE COURSE CATALOG.
SO WE ARE IN RESEARCH FOR THAT.
AWESOME. I THINK THAT'S AWESOME.
[02:00:02]
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER COMPONENT OF BEING ABLE TO PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR ALSO LIKE A TRADE OR A SKILL THAT THEY CAN ALSO DO AND MOVE ON AND BE ABLE TO TEACH THAT BECAUSE IT'S A VERY MUCH SOUGHT AFTER, AS YOU SAY.SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? QUESTIONS BOARD.
THE ONE THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT, HEY, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND, RIGHT? AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I REALLY APPRECIATE MISS TIMME'S COMMENTS ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT I AM A PRODUCT OF RICHARDSON ISD, AND THIS REALLY REMINDS ME OF MY TIME HERE IN THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH, IT WAS THE SEVENTH THROUGH NINTH MODEL, AND WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AMONGST OUR PEERS AND REALLY HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE IN JUNIOR HIGH.
COMPARED TO MY SON'S EXPERIENCE IN RICHARDSON ISD, TWO YEARS AT WEST JUST WAS NOT ENOUGH.
I MEAN, WE WERE IN AND AS YOU STATED, AS I HEARD EARLIER, BY THE TIME YOU GET TO EIGHTH GRADE, WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING FOR NINTH GRADE AND TO MOVE ON, YOU COULD BARELY BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND IT WAS SUPER FAST.
WHAT I GET EXCITED ABOUT IS IT ALSO GIVES THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD STRONG PTAS AND BRING IN.
I MEAN, MS. RENTERÍA AND MYSELF WERE ON THE PTA IN JUNIOR HIGH AND IT WAS QUICK.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO MAKE AN IMPACT.
FIRST OF ALL, PTA IS NOT THAT GREAT BY THE TIME YOU PASS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE WORKING HARD TO GET YOUR FOOTING WHEN YOU'RE IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BUT THE OTHER THING ALSO THAT I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT, ABOUT SIXTH GRADE, WHEN I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE HERE, WE HAD PROGRAMS LIKE TENNIS, WE HAD ART, WE HAD BALLET.
I MEAN, I TOOK ALL OF THEM GYMNASTICS, I MEAN, AND THEY WERE VERY THEY WERE FULFILLING CLASSES.
I REMEMBER WHEN MR. SAVAGE WAS THOSE WHO REMEMBER MR. SAVAGE. YES.
YES, HE WAS OUR TENNIS INSTRUCTOR.
HE WAS OUR TENNIS INSTRUCTOR, AND WE WOULD GO DOWN TO HAMILTON PARK PARK AND HE WOULD TEACH US TENNIS ON THE TENNIS COURT, AND SO THIS REMINDS ME OF ALL OF THAT, JUST THE ENRICHMENT ENRICHMENT FOR SIXTH GRADERS AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IT'S GOING TO GIVE THOSE SIXTH GRADERS. SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ON SO MANY LEVELS.
AGAIN, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND BECAUSE THAT WAS MY EXPERIENCE IN RICHARDSON ISD.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY BACK THERE.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT A LONG ROAD, A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT WE ARE HERE FOR IT.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE, MISS BRENDA? NO, MA'AM.
ALL RIGHT, I'VE LOST MY SPOT ON MY SCRIPT.
ALL RIGHT. IF EVERYBODY IS BACK, I THINK WE CAN GET TO THE REAL GOOD STUFF NOW, RIGHT? OKAY, SO OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM TO DISCUSS AND REVIEW SEVERAL BOARD POLICIES, AND SO I'LL GIVE
[III.B. Review and Discussion of Board Policies]
IT OVER TO YOU, MS. MCGOWAN.THERE'S LIKE A LIST. I'M LIKE I'LL JUST HAND IT OVER TO YOU NOW WITH THAT EXCITING INTRODUCTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, PRESIDENT HARRIS, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM, AND I'M EXCITED THAT IT'S STILL EARLY, AND THAT MEANS I CAN BE WITH YOU ALL FOR ANOTHER THREE HOURS TO TALK ABOUT POLICIES.
[02:05:09]
DISCUSSIONS, THE INFORMATION THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORTH AND THE POLICIES THAT THIS BOARD HAS BEEN BRINGING FORWARD AND WE ARE REVIEWING TONIGHT, REALLY IS ABOUT CLEANUP OF POLICIES AND THAT WORK THAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE TO ALSO INCORPORATE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND ALSO ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS.IT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST EXCITING THING, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GENERATE ANY DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THIS WORK HERE IS REALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE OUR POLICIES ACTUALLY REFLECT WHAT OUR PRACTICES ARE, AND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE INCORPORATED ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS THAT HAVE COME FROM TEA AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES, BUT ALSO LEGISLATIVE CHANGES. SO THERE WILL BE POLICIES THAT COME FORWARD IN FUTURE MONTHS THAT WILL BE A LITTLE MORE EXCITING, AND THE PUBLIC WILL PROBABLY SEE MORE ENGAGEMENT BUT REALLY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE INCORPORATING REQUIRED REGULATIONS IN LEGISLATIVE STATUTE. SO JUST WANTED TO START WITH THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO START WITH BOARD POLICY DCE, WHICH IS ABOUT EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES, OTHER TYPES OF CONTRACTS, AND THE REFLECTION AND CHANGE THAT YOU WILL SEE.
BRIAN, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND PULL UP THE POLICY CHANGE, AND IT'S JUST TO CLARIFY THAT IF AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS A NON CHAPTER 21 EMPLOYEE, MEANING THAT THEY ARE NOT AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A CHAPTER 21 CONTRACT, BUT FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PURPOSES.
THE DISTRICT HAS IDENTIFIED THAT THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS.
WE DO WANT TO HAVE CONTRACTS THAT IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE TERMINATED OR THEIR CONTRACT NOT BE RENEWED AT THE END OF THEIR CONTRACT TERM, THAT THEY WILL FOLLOW BOARD POLICY DGBA AND THAT DOES NOT START WITH THE BOARD.
THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE, AND, DR.
GOODSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? NO, THAT'S IT.
ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CHANGE? WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO BOARD POLICY DEA WHICH IS COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS COMPENSATION PLAN, AND AGAIN, THE CHANGE THAT YOU WILL SEE AS BRIAN IS BRINGING THAT UP, AND WE DO APPRECIATE HIM.
THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES.
THE CHANGES ARE REALLY ABOUT FORMATTING ISSUES BECAUSE WE DO HAVE OUR POLICIES ONLINE, AND THERE ARE JUST SOME MECHANICAL THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES THAT HAVE TO BE DONE FROM A FORMATTING PERSPECTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY APPROPRIATELY SHOW UP ON OUR ONLINE FORMAT AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME LANGUAGE CLEANUP JUST FOR CONSISTENCY SAKE, BUT AGAIN, THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, AND AGAIN I WILL TURN TO DR.
GOODSON TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE MOVING ALONG.
I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO SLOW DOWN.
I KNOW THINGS WILL START GETTING COMMENT ON THAT.
NO, YOU DO NOT. SO OUR NEXT POLICY IS DMD.
[CHUCKLING] BOARD POLICY DMD, WHICH IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS AND VISITATIONS, YOU WILL SEE AS THAT POLICY IS BEING BROUGHT UP, THAT IT IS A COMPLETE STRIKETHROUGH BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR DELETION, AND THE REASON THAT IS, IS BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE THAT IS HERE IS ACTUALLY ALL ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, AND AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, OUR POLICY IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES. THIS LANGUAGE IS ACTUALLY ALREADY CONTAINED IN OUR EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK, AND DR.
GOODSON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP WITH THIS.
MS. MCGOWAN. IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN UP THE POLICY, THOUGH, AND MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WHEN IT COMES TO THE REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES, SO IT'S JUST HELPFUL TO REALLY KEEP IT CLEAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE ARE GOING TO TRANSITION FROM OUR HR POLICIES.
TO OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING POLICIES AND THE FIRST IS EHBB, WHICH IS SPECIAL PROGRAMS, GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS, AND SO YOU WILL SEE THAT THE
[02:10:06]
CHANGES REALLY ARE ABOUT MAKING SURE, AGAIN, THAT OUR CURRENT PRACTICES ARE REFLECTED IN THE POLICIES, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE WE HAVE INCORPORATED PREVIOUS LEGISLATIVE UPDATES AND THE STATE PLAN FOR EDUCATION OF GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS THAT COMES FROM THE STATE.DR. LEEPER, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? NO, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO AGAIN, JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
AS WELL AS MRS. SIMON, MONICA, WHO JUST HELPS US SO MUCH WITH WORKING WITH THE STATE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE UP ON OUR POLICIES AND REALLY LEADING SOME OF THE POLICIES, AND THAT WE'RE JUST VERY BLESSED FOR HER LEADERSHIP, AND WHILE SHE'S IN THE ROOM, I WOULD LOVE TO BECAUSE WE MAY NOT GET TO SEE HER AGAIN.
I MADE THE BOARD AWARE, BUT I WANT TO CELEBRATE MONICA SIMONS WHILE SHE'S HERE.
SHE'S GOING TO BE RETIRING IN JANUARY, AND SHE IS JUST A A JUST AN EXPERT, A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR OUR GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS.
THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO EVER FILL HER SHOES, BUT JUST WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I CAN LOOK ACROSS OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT AND SEE YOUR LEGACY IN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR KIDS, AND YOU MADE THEM HAPPEN.
THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. WE WILL MOVE TO EIF, WHICH IS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT GRADUATION, AND AGAIN, WE ARE INCORPORATING REVISIONS TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RULES THAT ACTUALLY REQUIRE A BOARD POLICY TO ADDRESS THE METHODS BY WHICH A STUDENT CAN CONFIRM COMPLETION AND SUBMISSION OF FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS TO MEET THEIR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
SO YOU WILL SEE RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE THAT ALIGNS WITH TEA GUIDELINES.
THAT INCLUDES INFORMATION FOR BOTH THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID OR FAFSA, AND THE TEXAS APPLICATION FOR STATE FINANCIAL AID, OR TASFA, AND I DO JUST ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT, FOR ANYONE WHO MAY BE WATCHING AT HOME, WE HAVE INFORMATION ITEMS WITH ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND ANY OF OUR DOCUMENTS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE THE BOARD, AND SO WE DO PROVIDE DETAILED INFORMATION SO THAT ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT THE CHANGES ARE ABOUT, THAT INFORMATION IS OUTLINED FOR THEM.
DR. LEEPER. WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION THEN TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FB LOCAL EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.
THE ONLY CHANGE HERE IS REALLY TO AGAIN INCORPORATE SOME STANDARDS FROM FEDERAL LAW, SPECIFICALLY TITLE NINE, AND THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTRICT IS NOT ONLY DESIGNATING THE TITLE NINE COORDINATOR TO COORDINATE ITS EFFORTS, BUT THE DISTRICT IS ACTUALLY DESIGNATING AND AUTHORIZING THE TITLE NINE COORDINATOR TO COORDINATE ITS EFFORTS.
HE WILL BE AUTHORIZED AND DESIGNATED TO COORDINATE.
COORDINATE? YES, AND OUR LAST POLICY FOR REVIEW TONIGHT IS FDE, WHICH IS ADMISSIONS SCHOOL SAFETY TRANSFER, AND AGAIN, THESE CHANGES ARE TO ADDRESS THE REVISIONS FROM TEA'S UNSAFE SCHOOL CHOICE OPTION GUIDANCE HANDBOOK, AS WELL AS LEGISLATIVE CHANGES RELATED TO THE OFFENSES THAT STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO REQUEST A TRANSFER TO ANOTHER.
SO THIS IS JUST REFINEMENT AND STATING WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING ON A DAILY BASIS OR NOT ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT WHEN THE WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES, AND I KNOW YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR ME TALK SOME MORE, BUT THAT IS THE LAST POLICY.
[02:15:03]
OH, WOW. ALL RIGHT.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? MS. RENTERÍA. NO, NO, I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO SAY AGAIN, JUST A BIG THANK YOU TO MS. MCGOWAN AND TO OUR SUBCOMMITTEE.
LAST YEAR WE HAD MISS MCGOWAN.
MISS RACHEL MCGOWAN AND THEN MR. ERIC EAGER, AND THEN IN THIS NEW SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE MISS VANESSA PACHECO AND MR. CHRIS POTEET, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR HELPING US AND WALKING US THROUGH THAT AND FOR ALL THE STAFF THAT'S THERE TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS AND AGAIN THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE WHERE WE GO IN THERE, AND WE ALSO CONNECT WITH THE REST OF OUR COLLEAGUES IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE NEED. SO THANKS FOR BEING THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU. SO THANK YOU, MISS MCGOWAN.
YES, AND AGAIN THESE ARE NOT THE SEXY POLICIES.
THEY ARE NOT THERE WILL BE ONES THAT ARE MUCH MORE INTERESTING AND WILL CERTAINLY GENERATE MUCH MORE DISCUSSION IN MONTHS TO COME, BUT WE WILL SAVE ALL OUR EXCITEMENT FOR THOSE.
ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD IN REFERENCE TO OUR POLICIES? AND I ALSO APPRECIATE I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF WORK, JUST THE WHOLE CLEAN UP OF OUR POLICY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE THEY NEEDED THEM REALLY BAD.
YES. SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK--YOU ALL DIDN'T SEE THAT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING AND HANGING OUT WITH US.
THIS IS PRETTY GOOD. THANK YOU ALL.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, AND GUESS WHAT, NO CLOSED SESSION.
SO GOING TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 8:25 P.M..
SAME DAY. IT'S THE SAME DAY!
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.