[00:00:05]
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE RICHARDSON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
[II. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL PROCEED WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.I WELCOME OUR VISITORS. DURING TODAY'S MEETING, SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ONLY ON AGENDA ITEMS. AS A REMINDER, SPEAKERS ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PROTOCOL AS NOTED ON THE RISD WEBSITE.
SPEAKERS, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
MS. RENTERIA, DO WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS TODAY? YES, MR. POTEET, WE DO. OUR SPEAKER FOR THIS EVENING, OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. EWEN BLACKMAN, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON THE 2025 SUMMER CONSTRUCTION AND 2021 BOND PROJECTS UPDATE.
Y'ALL DON'T HAVE TO BE THAT SCARED OF ME. GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM, ESTEEMED EMPLOYEES. THE GREAT EDUCATOR HORACE MANN ONCE SAID THAT A HOUSE IS BUILT OF WALLS AND BEAMS. A HOME IS BUILT OF LOVE AND DREAMS. AND TODAY, AS YOU REFLECT ON THE DISTRICT'S PROGRESS, I SEE A NOT ALL TOO DISSIMILAR SPIRIT IN HOW WE'RE BUILDING NOT JUST INFRASTRUCTURES, BUT VIBRANT LEARNING HOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
EVERY PROJECT FROM THE $10 MILLION RENOVATIONS AT HAMILTON PARK, NORTHRICH AND STULTS ROAD, TO THE $4 MILLION UPGRADES FOR THE [INAUDIBLE], LITTLE WILDCAT CLA, A PROJECT CHAMPIONED BY TRUSTEE MCGOWAN OVER MANY YEARS.
LOOKING GREAT. THANK YOU. $3 MILLION IN CTE ENHANCEMENTS, SOMETHING I THINK I HAVE ADVOCATED FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IT'S A GREAT START. I THINK 2025 BOND WITH THE NEW CTE CENTER.
BRAVO FOR THE WORK TO GET THAT IN ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.
THE VISUALS SPEAK VOLUMES. THE FRESH CONNECT TRADITIONS AND HISTORY WALLS AT HAMILTON PARK, THE COLLECTIVE SPACES, THE COLLABORATIVE SPACES AND THE CORRIDOR GRAPHICS AT STULTS ROAD, AND THE GYMNASIUM AND RESTROOM UPGRADES TO NORTHRICH.
I'M ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE THESE REINFORCES THE BOARD'S FAITHFULNESS TO THE COMMUNITY IN COMPLETING THOSE THREE ELEMENTARY UPGRADES THAT WE ADVOCATED FOR A FEW YEARS AGO WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY MEMBER. WELL DONE.
OUR STUDENTS WILL THRIVE IN UPDATED AND REFRESHED ENVIRONMENTS, NO DOUBT.
AND LET'S GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE NEW TOWN [INAUDIBLE], RISING AS A WORTHY REPLACEMENT FOR THE ENTERPRISE CITY THAT HANDS ON ECONOMIC SIMULATIONS WILL IGNITE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPARKS IN OUR YOUNG MINDS AND FULFILL A PART OF THAT FINANCIAL LITERACY WE TALK ABOUT IN OUR GRADUATE PROFILE.
DIRECTLY BOLSTERING ACADEMIC INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD, AND I COMMEND SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM AND TEAM FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT MATERIALIZE FULLY.
LOOKING AHEAD AS WE GEAR UP FOR THE START OF SCHOOL, LET'S KEEP THE MOMENTUM ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE.
THESE INVESTMENTS WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR FOUNDATION.
LET'S GO. ON A PRACTICAL NOTE, THE ELEMENTARY FURNITURE REFRESHES.
SOLID START, NEW FURNITURE IS A GREAT REFRESH.
COVERING CLASSROOMS, COLLABORATIVE SPACES. TEACHERS KNOW THE DIFFERENCES CAN MAKE, BUT AS WE IMPLEMENT, LET'S REMEMBER THE LATEST AND GREATEST IS ALWAYS NOT THE BEST. NEW FURNITURE CAN BE TRICKY, AND IF THERE'S ONE THING I'VE LEARNED LOUD AND CLEAR FROM REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES IS THAT PUTTING WHEELS ON CHAIRS FOR FIDGETY FIVE YEAR OLDS AND FIDGETY TEN YEAR OLDS IN FIFTH GRADE COULD BE A BIT PROBLEMATIC. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO RISD´S FUTURE, A BRIGHT NORTH STAR FOR ALL, TOGETHER BUILDING DREAMS AT LAST. GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU, MR. BLACKMAN. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS FOR THIS EVENING, MR. POTEET. GREAT. THANKS, MS. RENTERIA. THANK YOU, PUBLIC.
THANKS FOR COMING OUT TO SPEAK TONIGHT, MR. BLACKMAN.
[III.A. Superintendent's Start of School Update]
OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM TO RECEIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S START OF SCHOOL UPDATE PRESENTATION.MISS BRANUM. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT POTEET. THANK YOU, BOARD.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE'RE ALREADY IN OUR SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL.
[00:05:06]
AND I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR PRINCIPALS. AND I'LL KNOCK ON ALL OF THE THINGS.BUT IT BY FAR HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST STARTS OF SCHOOL, AT LEAST SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE.
EVERYONE IS FOCUSED. BARRIERS ARE REMOVED. OUR TEACHERS ARE IN CLASSES.
THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. FACILITIES HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE.
WHEN WE IDENTIFY AN ISSUE, THEY ARE THERE TO FIX IT.
TRANSPORTATION IS DELIVERING OUR KIDS ON TIME AND SAFELY.
I COULD JUST GO THROUGH THE LIST. IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL HAVE A PERCEPTION, MAYBE, OR MISPERCEPTION, THAT DURING THE SUMMER, IT'S LIKE OUR QUIET TIME.
AND REALLY FOR OUR CENTRAL TEAM AND FOR OUR PRINCIPALS, THAT IS THE TIME WHERE WE DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK SO THAT WE CAN BE READY FOR AUGUST 12TH, AND WE CAN MAKE IT AS SMOOTH A START AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STAFF.
SO JUST QUICKLY, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THE OPENING OF SCHOOL.
MAINLY THE TEAM IS GOING TO BE SHARING AGAIN WHAT WORK THEY DID THIS SUMMER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD A VERY SMOOTH, FOCUSED START OF SCHOOL. AS YOU KNOW, EVERY ACTION THAT WE TAKE IS IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND OUR LEADERS MEET OR EXCEED THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH GOALS.
I WANTED TO TALK JUST A MOMENT ABOUT THIS YEAR'S THEME AND WHY DREAMING BIG WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO OUR ENTIRE TEAM AND TO OUR PRINCIPALS.
THIS REALLY WAS INSPIRED SOMEWHAT FROM THE BOND STEERING COMMITTEE, WHEN YOU HEARD INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TEACHERS, OTHER STAFF MEMBERS FOR SIX MONTHS DREAM ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED FOR THEIR SCHOOLS, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY HAD ABOUT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY WANTED.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE A KINDERGARTNER AND IF YOU GIVE A KINDERGARTNER A PAPERCLIP, THEY CAN COME UP WITH A THOUSAND WAYS TO USE THAT PAPERCLIP.
AND BY THAT SENIOR YEAR, THEY MAY ONLY LOOK AT IT IN ONE WAY.
IT'S A TOOL USED TO CONNECT PAPERS. AND WHAT CAN WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION TO FOSTER THAT CREATIVITY AND THAT ABILITY TO DREAM, AND FOR OUR KIDS TO THINK ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE? JUST LIKE OUR BOND STEERING COMMITTEE FOR SIX MONTHS DREAMED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE AND BROUGHT FORWARD THAT RECOMMENDATION.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS AND AGAIN, OUR BOARD HAS DONE SUCH A TREMENDOUS JOB IN CREATING A COMPENSATION AND A BENEFIT PACKAGE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT VETERAN TEACHERS, AS WELL AS YOUNG TEACHERS THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
BUT BY ALSO ENSURING THAT THEY HAD A CURRICULUM THAT WAS TIGHT, THAT WAS STRONG, BUT ALLOWED THEM THE ABILITY TO THEN CREATE THAT EXPERIENCE IN THEIR CLASSROOM. SO WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A STICKY EXPERIENCE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TO HAVE OUR KIDS REALLY BE INSPIRED TO LEARN AND WANT TO LEARN? AND THAT GOES FROM EVERYTHING. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR US TALK ABOUT.
AND MR. MCDONALD, I THINK IS NOT HERE YET, BUT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT FROM THE CURB TO THE CLASSROOM.
HOW DO WE, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. HOW DO WE CREATE THAT EXPERIENCE SO THAT PEOPLE FEEL A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND ABOUT THE CLASSROOM AND ABOUT THE TEACHER THAT THEY SEND THEIR KIDS TO EVERY DAY? SO THAT'S WE'RE DREAMING BIG IN RICHARDSON ISD THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SOMEDAY I'M GOING TO DREAM ABOUT A REMOTE THAT WORKS. I'M JUST KIDDING. WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW FOR NOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS STARTING MY FOURTH SCHOOL YEAR HELPING TO SUPPORT AND LEAD RISD.
THIS OUR MANTRA. IF WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT NORTH STAR GOAL, IT REALLY STARTS HERE.
LIKE, HOW DO WE LEAVE AT THE END OF THE DAY BETTER THAN WHEN WE WALKED IN? SO THAT CONSISTENCY, I THINK THAT IS ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO SUCH A SMOOTH START OF SCHOOL IS THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENCY.
SO YOU CAN SEE A FEW PICTURES OF OUR BEGINNING OF SCHOOL AND ALL OF THE WAYS THAT WE CELEBRATED OUR STAFF, ALL THE WAYS THAT WE WELCOMED OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
IT WAS SO MUCH FUN AT THE NEW TEACHER PEP RALLY TO SEE HOW MANY OF OUR STAFF, WHILE THEY MIGHT BE NEW TO RISD RIGHT NOW, THEY WERE ACTUALLY RETURNING. AND I THINK DOCTOR GOODSON IS GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WHEN HIS REPORT.
SO AGAIN, WE WERE RETAINING BUT ALSO ATTRACTING A VIBRANT NEW GROUP OF EDUCATORS.
[00:10:05]
KIDS, WE WERE HELPING. MELISSA AND I WERE AT BERKNER AND WE WERE HELPING, LIKE, WE WERE HELPING KIDS GET TO CLASS ON THE FIRST DAY.AND AT BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL, BY 9:15 KIDS WERE IN CLASS LEARNING.
AND THAT'S A TREMENDOUS, WHEN YOU HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU HAVE THAT MANY KIDS AND YOU HAVE FRESHMEN WHO ARE JUST FIGURING OUT THINGS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, THEY WERE IN CLASS LEARNING BY 9:15. YOU JUST GOT TO LOVE IT.
AND THIS JUST A HIGHLIGHT OF THE BILLS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT PUBLIC EDUCATION, OVER A HUNDRED OF THEM. AND WE'RE CURRENTLY STILL IN THE SECOND SPECIAL SESSION OF THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO REALLY, WHAT OUR TEAM HAS HAD TO DO, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IS TO UNDERSTAND THESE LAWS.
MANY OF THEM ARE WRITTEN WITH LANGUAGE THAT EITHER DEMANDS AN ACTION BY SEPTEMBER 1ST, OR THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN THINGS IN PLACE BY DAY ONE OF THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WE'VE HAD TO WORK DILIGENTLY. AND I APPLAUD MISS MORRIS.
I MEAN, MISS MCGOWAN, I APPRECIATE HER DURING THE WHOLE TIME, BUT MISS MCGOWAN AND [INAUDIBLE] GARCIA, FOR THEIR WORK TO HELP US IDENTIFY HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE THESE.
HOW DO WE DO THIS IN A WAY THAT PUTS THE LEAST BURDEN ON OUR CAMPUS STAFF? SO ONE OF THE THINGS, AND I'M GOING TO USE THIS MOMENT AS A LITTLE BIT OF PRIVILEGE.
THIS WEEK, OUR FAMILIES ARE GOING TO RECEIVE AN EMAIL.
A PART OF SENATE BILL 12 IS REALLY ALLOWING OUR FAMILIES TO HAVE MORE VOICE AND CHOICE IN THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEIR KIDS HAVE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. THAT INVOLVES EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH SERVICES AND WHAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT YOU WANT YOUR NURSE TO PROVIDE TO YOUR CHILD FOR HEALTH SERVICES ALL THE WAY TO COUNSELING SERVICES, EVEN CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES, AND MAKING SURE OUR PARENTS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A VOICE IN WHAT CLUBS ACTIVITIES THEIR KIDS ARE A PART OF. AND WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT IS A MILLION FORMS GOING HOME, OR PARENTS HAVING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FILL OUT ALL OF THOSE FORMS. AND THEN IF I'M A HIGH SCHOOL AND I HAVE 2700 KIDS, I'M TRYING TO CURATE THOSE FORMS, CREATE LISTS, AND TRY TO KEEP UP WITH WHO CAN BE, WHO CAN'T BE.
AND AGAIN, THANKS TO DOCTOR GIBBONS AND HIS TEAM, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A BEAUTIFUL PROCESS THAT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE OUR ONLINE ENROLLMENT PROCESS. SO THAT A PARENT, IT'S CUSTOMIZED TO THEIR CAMPUS, THAT THEIR KIDS ARE ENROLLED, AND THEY CAN GO THROUGH EACH FORM AND SELECT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE, WHAT THEY WANT THEIR CHILD TO BE A PART OF, WHAT THEY WANT THEIR CHILD TO ENGAGE IN, WHAT THEY DON'T.
AND IT'S ALL DONE. THOSE LISTS ARE PROVIDED RIGHT TO THE CAMPUS AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY WORK.
WE JUST NEED THEIR HELP IN GETTING OUT THE WORDS. SO THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENACT LEGISLATION, MAKE SURE RICHARDSON ISD IS COMPLYING WITH THE LAW, BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT ALSO SUPPORTS OUR LEADERS AND OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS, SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A VERY FOCUSED AND SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR.
WITH THAT, WE KNOW AT THE HEART THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, THE THING THAT WE KNOW NUMBER ONE IMPACT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS THE TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM. SO I'M GOING TO LET START OFF WITH DOCTOR GOODSON AND ALLOW HIM TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM. GOOD EVENING, BOARD. I'M GLAD TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU IN TERMS OF WHAT HR HAS BEEN DOING AND THE EXCITING START OF THE YEAR THAT WE HAVE. AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR FOCUS IS TO REALLY HELP, FIND AND KEEP THE BEST. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS A RESULT OF YOUR INTENTIONAL ACTIONS TO INVEST IN OUR TEACHING STAFF AND IN ALL OF OUR STAFF, WE'VE SEEN REALLY, REALLY GOOD IMPROVEMENTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO NOT ONLY THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN OUR DISTRICT. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BY THE FIRST PICTURE UP THERE. THIS WAS OUR JOB FAIR WHEN WE WERE AT PIERCE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, HAVING BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR.
THIS OUR YEAR TEN NOW, I BELIEVE. THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST WELL ATTENDED AND I GUESS ROBUST GROUPING OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN COMING TO WORK IN RICHARDSON ISD. PRINCIPALS AFTER PRINCIPALS WOULD COME UP AND SAY THIS WAS THE BEST JOB FAIR WE'VE HAD IN A LONG TIME.
SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'VE HIRED ABOUT AROUND 325 TEACHERS, 116 PARAPROFESSIONAL, AND THEN A COMBINATION WITH CLASSIFIED CENTRAL AND CAMPUS ADMIN AND OTHER SUPPORT POSITIONS. 121. I'M SORRY. SO THAT SHOULD BE 562 TOTAL.
[00:15:02]
AS WE CALCULATE, TEACHER TURNOVER FROM TWO YEARS AGO TO LAST YEAR, WE SAW A DIP DOWN IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FROM 13.07 TO 11.54. IN THE MIX OF THE NEW HIRES, WE ALSO HAD AROUND 35 PEOPLE WHO WERE IN RISD, AND THEY CAME BACK. CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHO WERE WITH US, AND THEN THEY LEFT, AND NOW THEY WANTED TO COME BACK HOME AGAIN.WE ALSO HAD A LITTLE OVER 25 RISD GRADUATES WHO ARE NOW WORKING FOR RICHARDSON ISD IN THE CLASSROOM.
I BELIEVE WE'RE AT SEVEN RIGHT NOW, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE HAD A FEW OF OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO WENT THROUGH OUR PARENT TEACHER PROGRAM, WHO ARE NOW CLASSROOM TEACHERS WITH US. THEY WERE ABLE TO FINISH THEIR MODULES AND GO THROUGH THE REST OF THEIR PROGRAMING SO THAT THEY COULD COME BACK AND BE FULL TIME TEACHERS FOR US. I HAPPENED TO BE AT BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY TODAY, AND I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND WATCH IN ACTION, A PARAPROFESSIONAL THAT HAD BEEN A PARAPROFESSIONAL FOR US FOR TEN YEARS.
AND THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE'S LEADING HIS OWN CLASSROOM.
IT WAS A THING OF MAGIC. IT WAS JUST AN INCREDIBLE TESTAMENT TO THE PROGRAM AND TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO JUST LOVES KIDS AND WANTED TO WORK WITH KIDS NO MATTER WHAT THE ROLE WAS.
AND FOR NOW, FOR HIM TO LEAD HIS OWN CLASSROOM, IT'S PRETTY SPECIAL.
SO NOT ALL OF THOSE ARE REPLACING INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY HAVE VACATED THEIR ROLE.
IF YOU REMEMBER, WE ADDED 14 SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS. WE ALSO ADDED TWO COACHING ALLOCATIONS DUE TO GROWING PROGRAMS AT TWO OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
SO NOT ALL OF THESE ARE REPLACEMENTS. SOME OF THESE ARE NEW ALLOCATIONS.
DOCTOR GIBBONS. SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW MY SLIDE WAS UP NEXT.
AND SO I'M SORRY FOR ALL THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS ON HERE, BUT IN THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS OUR BIGGEST CHEERLEADER, MISS TABITHA BRANUM. SO. MANY YEARS BEHIND, YOU KNOW, MEGAPHONE CHEERING FOR A CHEERLEADER.
JUST AS A REMINDER, PE AND HEALTH IS NOW UNDER ATHLETICS.
SO SHE'S BEEN HELPING WITH THE LEARNING FOR THAT GROUP, YOU CAN SEE WITH FINE ARTS THE NUMBER OF JUNIOR HIGH, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS.
AND THEY AGAIN HAD A DISTRICT WIDE DAY AT RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, IN WHICH THERE WAS A FULL GROUP IN THE MORNING, AND THEN THE AFTERNOON WAS SPLIT INTO THEIR DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF REALLY GOOD PDS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THIS WAS OUR SECOND YEAR FOR PROJECT CONSTRUCT, WHICH, THANKS TO THE BOARD, WE WERE LAST YEAR ALLOWED TO LENGTHEN THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN THE CONTRACT FOR OUR CENTRAL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
AND SO THIS WAS THE SECOND YEAR THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU CAN SEE WITH HEALTH SERVICES, WE HAVE 68 FULL TIME STAFF.
AND THEN WE ALSO TRAIN NOT ONLY NURSES GET TRAINED, BUT THEY TRAIN THE TEACHERS AND STAFF ON UPCOMING, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATION. AND WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES AROUND HEALTH SERVICES.
AND I PULLED SOME DATA, I THINK, FROM LAST WEEK.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD 3600 CLINIC VISITS ACROSS THE DISTRICT UP TO THIS POINT.
STUDENT SERVICES, AS MISS BRANUM MENTIONED. HOUSE BILL 6, SENATE BILL 1481.
HOUSE BILL 6 IS THE DISCIPLINE BILL, IF YOU WILL, AROUND CHAPTER 37, CODE OF CONDUCT.
SENATE BILL 1481 IS OUR CELL PHONE, WHICH WE ARE.
[00:20:05]
AND THEN OF COURSE, SENATE BILL 12, WHICH IS THE PARENTAL RIGHTS BILL THAT MISS BRANUM MENTIONED EARLIER.WE'VE HAD TO DO QUITE A BIT OF TRAINING AROUND THAT.
SO YOU CAN SEE WITH STUDENT SERVICES, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CODE OF CONDUCT. WE HAVE A NEW POSITION AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, WHICH WAS NOT A NEW ALLOCATION, BUT A NEW POSITION WHERE IT'S THE DEAN OF STUDENTS, WHICH IS OUR BEHAVIOR COORDINATOR.
SO WE MOVED OVER TO A STATE REQUIRED THREAT ASSESSMENT SYSTEM.
SO WE'VE HAD TO DO A LOT OF TRAINING FOR ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS ON HOW TO USE THAT NEW PLATFORM.
IN THE END, I THINK IT'LL BE VERY POSITIVE AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRACK DATA VERY WELL.
BUT THAT HAS BEEN A BIG TRAINING. AND THEN WITH SOME.
THIS NOT ADDING ALLOCATIONS OR ANYTHING, BUT WE HAVE REVAMPED A LITTLE BIT OF OUR STRUCTURE AND WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT CALLED ACCESS AND ENROLLMENT, WITH JOE MINISCALCO OVERSEEING THAT. AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS UNDER HIS DEPARTMENT THAT THEY COVER.
MKVTO, WHICH WE HAVE I THINK AROUND 800 STUDENTS CURRENTLY.
TRANSFERS, BOTH INTER AND INTRA DISTRICT TRANSFERS.
LAST YEAR WAS OUR FIRST YEAR. AND THEN THIS OUR SECOND YEAR GOING INTO THAT.
I DO WANT TO DO A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT AND RECOGNITION TO OUR SDSS.
AND AS A RESULT, IF YOU WENT TO ANY OF OUR FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS EVEN A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU WOULD HAVE, ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, SEEN LINES OF PEOPLE.
AND IT WAS HOT AND THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, FRUSTRATED, WAITING IN A LONG LINE.
AND IF YOU WOULD HAVE GONE TO ANY OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T A LINE. YESTERDAY, WE HAD SOME KIDS THAT WERE THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST ENROLLING THAT DAY.
CALLING THEM AND SAYING, WE NEED YOUR INFORMATION.
OUR NURSES WORKED WITH THE SDSS, IF IT WAS AN ISSUE OF IMMUNIZATION, CALLING BEFORE SCHOOL EVER STARTED, AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE IMMUNIZATIONS WERE UPDATED SO ON DAY ONE, STUDENTS WERE READY TO LEARN.
TREMENDOUS JOB BY OUR SDSS. AND SOMETIMES THAT IS AN UNHERALDED POSITION.
AND THEY ARE, AGAIN, JUST A PART OF THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO, WHAT WE DO.
SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO THEM. LET'S GO TO MELISSA AND DOCTOR HALL AND OUR STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM. YES, GOOD EVENING.
I'M EXCITED TO UPDATE YOU ON SOME OF OUR EFFORTS WITH STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT OVER THE SUMMER.
IT CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON THE OPPORTUNITIES OF TELLING OUR RISD STORY, AND WE HAD SOME AWESOME CHANCES AND TRAININGS THIS SUMMER, NOT ONLY WITH OUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAMS, BUT ALSO WITH OUR CAMPUS LEADERSHIP TEAMS TO REALLY START FOCUSING ON SOME OF OUR SPECIFIC BRANDING AND CAMPUS MARKETING EFFORTS LEADING UP INTO THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL.
BUT LOTS OF GREAT COMMUNITY AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT LEADING UP TO THIS FIRST WEEK.
I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT FOR OUR BACKPACK BASH.
WE HOSTED THAT ON AUGUST 7TH AT 23 OF OUR TITLE ONE ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES.
AND BECAUSE OF THE GRACIOUSNESS OF OUR AWESOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THEY RAISED OVER $150,000, WHICH ALLOWED US TO GIVE OUT 7500 BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLY KITS, WHICH IS JUST A TREMENDOUS.
THIS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST YEARS. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT HAVING THESE EVENTS HOSTED THE SECOND YEAR, WE'VE HAD THEM HOSTED AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL, REALLY ENCOURAGING A LOCAL CAMPUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD NEARLY A HALF A MILLION WEB PAGE VIEWS ON OUR WEBSITE.
THAT'S GOING TO RISD.ORG AND THEN GOING TO OUR BACK TO SCHOOL LANDING PAGE, ENROLLMENT PAGES.
SO REALLY DRIVING A LOT OF INTEREST IN TRAFFIC TO OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR PRINT SERVICES.
THAT TEAM DOWN AT OUR OPERATIONS CENTER ON GREENVILLE HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD, AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROCESSING, AS YOU CAN SEE, OVER 424 ORDERS, NOT JUST FOR OUR CAMPUS AND DISTRICT TEAMS, FOR THE BACK TO SCHOOL RUSH, BUT ALSO FOR OUR PTA AND BOOSTER CLUBS, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY AWESOME THAT THESE OTHER GROUPS ARE SUPPORTING OUR PRINT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE HAD OVER 47,600 COMMUNICATION TOUCHPOINTS WITH PARENTS LEADING UP TO THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL.
[00:25:07]
THAT INCLUDES NEWSLETTERS. WE'VE HAD OVER 104 NEWSLETTERS CAMPUS, BETWEEN CAMPUS AND DISTRICT NEWSLETTERS GOING OUT THAT HAVE GARNERED OVER 40,000 VIEWS SO FAR IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL.THAT INCLUDES OVER 150 FINAL SITE MESSAGES AND AS WELL AS 7500 INTERACTIONS ON TALKING POINTS, WHICH IS OUR SECURE TWO WAY TEXT TOOL THAT A LOT OF OUR CAMPUSES USE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THEN I THINK IT'S ALSO EXCITING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME RECENT EARNED MEDIA THAT WE'VE HAD WITH LOCAL NEWS STATIONS. WE HAD WFAA, WE HOSTED THEM AT PRESTON WOOD, WHERE THEY HIGHLIGHTED AND INTERVIEWED A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, AS WELL AS INTERVIEWED SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM AS PART OF THEIR BACK TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN.
THEY ALSO KICKED OFF THEIR BACK TO SCHOOL LIVE COVERAGE.
IF YOU WATCH THAT THE WEEK OF LAST WEEK, AND WE WERE ABLE TO KICK THAT OFF AT CAROLYN BUKHAIR ELEMENTARY, WHERE THEY DID LIVE FEED STARTING AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING, AND WE GOT TO CELEBRATE TEACHERS AND THEIR TIA EARNINGS, AS WELL AS OUR HEB PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR, DOCTOR RUIZ.
AND THEN UNIVISION WAS ALSO AT THE TOGETHER WE GROW TO SPEAK AND REPORT OUT ON THE EFFORTS WITH OUR BILINGUAL, MULTILINGUAL, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND THE WORK OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING.
SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT START. WE'RE CONTINUING TO FOCUS OUR WORK ON OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS FOR THE YEAR AROUND WHY ISD IS THE ONE FOR OPPORTUNITIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND EXPERIENCES.
THANK YOU. MISTER HALL. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM.
WE HAD INITIATED A PILOT AT OUR MAGNET JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS AT WEST AND WESTWOOD.
AND CONDUCTED A LOT OF TRAININGS THAT ARE GROW AND ENGAGE CONFERENCES.
ON THE NETWORKING SIDE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES ON THE THE SCREEN, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, BUT RISD HAS 20,000 PHONE NUMBERS. AND ACCORDING TO THE NEW LEGISLATION AND THE NEW E911 REGULATIONS, THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS PARTNERING WITH THE SAFETY AND SECURITY DEPARTMENT TO PLACE THE NEW SILENT PANIC TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHONE.
AND SO WE HAD TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT AND CONFIGURE ALL OF OUR SWITCHES IN OUR MDF ROOMS TO MATCH EXACTLY TO A PORT IN A CLASSROOM THAT THE PHONE WOULD BE CONNECTED TO, SO THAT IF AN EMERGENCY OCCURS, THEN THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CLASSROOM THAT OCCURS IN. AND SO THAT WAS A HUGE PROJECT THAT WE BEGAN AND WE SHOULD BE FINISHING BEFORE THE END OF THIS FIRST SEMESTER.
ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, LOTS OF TRAINING. YOU HEARD H.R.
TALK ABOUT THE 561 NEW STAFF MEMBERS. DURING THOSE ORIENTATIONS, WE INITIALLY ISSUED DEVICES TO THOSE 561 STAFF MEMBERS AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF TRAINING ON THE INITIAL WAYS TO ACCESS THE DISTRICT RESOURCES.
AND WE'VE REPLACED SOME OF OUR AGING END OF LIFE CHROMEBOOKS AND OTHER DEVICES AROUND THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU, MR. HALL, AND THANK YOUR TEAM. I´M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO MR. JASSO AND HIS TEAM. BUT Y'ALL, ONE OF MY DREAMS, Y'ALL.
I WAS LIKE, WHY DON'T WE HAVE CHOCOLATE MILK? WHY DO WE HAVE CHOCOLATE MILK? WHY DON'T WE HAVE CHOCOLATE MILK? NOW THERE ARE VERY STRICT DIETARY GUIDELINES, VERY STRICT DIETARY GUIDELINES.
BUT AS WE BEGAN TO RESEARCH AND TALK WITH OTHER DISTRICTS, WE FOUND SOME CREATIVE WAYS AROUND IT.
AND THIS AMAZING TEAM SOMEHOW MADE MY DREAMS COME TRUE.
AND THEY BROUGHT CHOCOLATE MILK BACK. SO IT IS PROBABLY, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE THING BEING CELEBRATED BY OUR KIDS.
I GET MESSAGES ALMOST DAILY FROM OUR KIDS. THEY WILL CONTACT ME ON ON X, THEY WILL SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH A PIC LIKE. YES, OUR KIDS ARE THRILLED ABOUT CHOCOLATE MILK, SO SOMETIMES IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
BUT, MR. JASSO. YES, THANK YOU, MRS. BRANUM, BOARD.
GOOD EVENING. FAMILIAR FACE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.
[00:30:01]
NOW THAT I AM BLESSED TO BE OVER OPERATIONS. I WANT TO THANK MISS HAYES FOR CREATING A HIGH FUNCTIONING TEAM THAT I CAN TAKE OVER AND HOPEFULLY KEEP FUNCTIONING AS WELL AS IT HAD IN THE PAST.CHOCOLATE MILK IS BACK. YES. THERE MIGHT BE A PRINCIPAL OR TWO ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT MIGHT HAVE STAKED THEIR CLAIM THAT THEY MADE IT HAPPEN AT THEIR CAMPUS, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT IT IS IAMBRANUM ON X THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN.
IS ONE OF THE MOST RETWEETED AND LOVED THINGS THAT SHE PUT OUT THERE.
AND SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO CHOCOLATE MILK IS BACK.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO OUR PRE-K FRIENDS, THE GUIDELINES DID NOT CHANGE FOR THEM.
SO I APOLOGIZE TO PRE-K FRIENDS THAT CAN'T HAVE CHOCOLATE MILK.
BUT PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
HOW TO EARN IT, YEAH. YEAH, YEAH, YOU HAVE TO EARN IT.
TIME IN THE SYSTEM AND YOU'LL GET YOUR OPPORTUNITY FOR CHOCOLATE MILK.
TRANSPORTATION. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IMPLEMENTING OUR BUS BADGE SYSTEM, AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF OUR BUSSES, OUR RIDERS, AS WELL AS PROVIDE US IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT A LOT OF VALUABLE DATA, SUCH AS BEING ABLE TO ALMOST IN REAL TIME, CONFIRM AND VALIDATE OUR RIDERSHIP, OUR RIDERS ON EACH OF OUR ROUTES.
THAT ULTIMATELY WILL HELP US MAINTAIN EFFICIENT ROUTES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
WE'VE SEEN A TREMENDOUS UPTICK IN THAT. AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THE VISIBLE BADGES MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR ADMINS AND OUR STAFF TO KNOW WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON CAMPUS AND WHO'S NOT, AND THEN LITERALLY WITH THE BUS.
AND SO WE REITERATE THAT SAFETY COMPONENT. I KNOW OUR PARENTS ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BRING THAT FORWARD.
AND IN SAFETY AND SECURITY ALONG THE SAME LINES BEYOND THE THE BUS BADGE SYSTEM, OUR CAMPUS AND OUR DISTRICT CONTINUES TO PARTICIPATE IN REQUIRED SAFETY AUDITS. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH, SUCH AS INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS THAT MISS HAYES HAS REPORTED ON FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW. THE SELECT CAMPUSES UNDERGO CAMPUS SAFETY AUDITS, WHICH ARE MUCH MORE THOROUGH IN NATURE.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THOSE ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS.
AND THEN THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN A DISTRICT VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, WHICH AGAIN, IN COMPARISON TO THE CAMPUS SAFETY AUDITS, REALLY PROVIDES US SOME CRITERIA TO JUDGE WHERE WE ARE ON OUR OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS WITH SAFETY. IT'S GOING TO BE A MULTI TEAM APPROACH.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE MET EARLIER THIS WEEK INVOLVING SAFETY AND SECURITY, OPERATIONS STRATEGY ENGAGEMENT IS GOING TO JOIN US, COMMUNICATIONS, ALL AND JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY AT THIS TABLE IS GOING TO BE REPRESENTED.
BUT ULTIMATELY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ENHANCE SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. PART OF THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY TEACHING AND LEARNING.
DOCTOR LEEPER. YES. THANK YOU, MISS BRANUM. GOOD EVENING, BOARD.
WE DO IN TEACHING AND LEARNING SAY THE SUMMER AND LEADING UP TO THE SCHOOL YEAR IS OUR SUPER BOWL.
AND OUR GAME DAY IS THAT FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL FOR US.
WE ARE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN ALL OF OUR NEW STAFF IN THE DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S TEACHERS, PARAS, EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT. WE DO THAT AT NEW TEACHER, THEN WE HEAD INTO TOGETHER WE GROW WHERE WE TRAIN ON ENDLESS TOPICS FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF THERE AS WELL. AND THEN OF COURSE, LEADING UP TO OUR DISTRICT WIDE DAYS WHERE WE TRAIN EVERY TEACHER IN THE DISTRICT FOR TWO DAYS AND GET THEM READY TO LAUNCH THE SCHOOL YEAR AS IT RELATES TO THEIR CURRICULUM.
OF COURSE, OUR FOCUS THIS YEAR IS TODD TIGHT TO OUR LEARNING FRAMEWORK AND OUR THREE INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES THAT ARE OUR DATA DRIVEN INSTRUCTION, OUR LESSON INTERNALIZATION, AND OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES, AND PROVIDING THAT TARGETED OBSERVATION AND FEEDBACK TO OUR TEACHERS.
YOU SEE JUST SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND TEACHING AND LEARNING AS WELL THERE TO JUST NAME A FEW.
OUR EXPLORER STAFF IS BACK AND WELCOMING OUR KIDS.
[00:35:09]
WE HAVE AROUND 230 IN OUR CHILD LEARNING ACADEMIES, AND OF COURSE, OPENED OUR NEW ONE OVER AT SPRING RIDGE, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR PRE-K CLASSES THERE AS WELL.SO GOING OVER THERE IS JUST A HAPPY SPOT IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN THERE.
YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THERE WITH OUR CTE.
THAT'S A SUMMER BRIDGE CLASS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR DALLAS COLLEGE KIDDOS.
WE HAVE 42 SENIORS THAT I'LL BE DOING THE MAJORITY OF THEIR CLASSES OVER AT DALLAS COLLEGE.
THEY ACTUALLY START ON MONDAY. THEY DID A TOUR TODAY.
SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK OVER THE SUMMER TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS TO GET READY FOR THOSE COLLEGE COURSES, AS WELL AS SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS WHO TEACH THOSE COLLEGE COURSES AS WELL.
SO JUST A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING, AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR.
IT TRULY IS FOR OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM DURING THAT, YOU KNOW, THREE WEEKS LEADING UP, EVERY DAY THERE IS A GROUP OF WHICH THEY ARE HAVING TO BE ON THEIR A-GAME TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE HELPING OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, GROW SO THAT THEY'RE READY TO WELCOME BACK OUR KIDS. THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB THIS SUMMER.
HELLO AGAIN. SO THE FIRST LITTLE SAMPLE WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU IS JUST THE FOCUS ON THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS THERE FOR OUR NEW HIRES WITH THE ENGAGE CONFERENCE, IF YOU WILL.
AND THE FOCUS OF THE ENGAGE IS REALLY TO PROVIDE ALL OF OUR NEW HIRES WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE WANTED THEM TO SEE HOW SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM CAN DANCE.
THAT WAS THE TOP PRIORITY. NO. THE PURPOSE IS TO WELCOME THIS GROUP OF EDUCATORS INTO A FAMILY AND A CULTURE THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE HERE FOR THEM. AND SO THE EVENTS OF THOSE SEVERAL DAYS REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT.
SO THEY HAVE THE KICKOFF CELEBRATION, THEY GET THE NEW HIRE LUNCHEON.
BUT THEN REALLY THE FOCUS IS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND PREPARING THEM WITH THE INFORMATION, WITH THE TOOLS, WITH ACCESS TO WHAT THEY NEED, SO THAT WHEN THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL STARTS, THEY'RE READY TO GO. THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO LEARN THE CURRICULUM OR FIGURE OUT WHAT TO LOG IN TO.
THEY GET THAT EXPERIENCE. THEY GET TO HEAR FROM OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS, LOTS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING DEPARTMENTS, OUR CURRICULAR DEPARTMENTS, SHARING WITH THEM.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE PEOPLE, FROM THE ATTENDEES THOSE DAYS.
SORRY. AND THEN THE OTHER EXAMPLE REALLY IS, AGAIN, WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE AWARE SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM HAS A MARVELOUS WAY OF COMMUNICATING TO THE MASSES AND PARTICULARLY TO ALL OF OUR LEADERSHIP, WHETHER IT'S CENTRAL LEADERS WITH OUR CENTRAL NEXT CONFERENCE OR OUR NEXT CONFERENCE, WHICH IS WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH ALL OF OUR CAMPUS TEAMS AND LEADERSHIP TEAMS. THE FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, THAT THIS ABOUT RISD, DREAM BIG. THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL OF THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES.
WHAT WE DID NOT WANT IS TO HAVE ANY GROUP OF LEADERS NOT BE KEPT UP TO DATE WITH THE EXTENSIVE LAWS AND CHANGES THAT THEY HAVE TO MONITOR, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING AT THE CAMPUS IN CENTRAL LEVEL.
I'M REALLY GETTING OTHER UPDATES FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN AGAIN FOCUSING ON DDI. AND THEN FOR CENTRAL CONNECTS, FOCUSING ON THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND HOW THAT HELPS GUIDE OUR CAMPUS LEADERS AND THEIR PLANS TOO. I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH AN UPDATE ON ENROLLMENT.
AS OF TODAY. THIS WAS AROUND 11:00, WE WERE SITTING AT 36,278 STUDENTS, WHICH THIS DAY THE SAME NUMBER DAY INTO THE SCHOOL. NOT THE SAME CALENDAR DAY, BUT THE SAME NUMBER OF SCHOOL DAYS.
WE WERE AT 36,267. SO WE HAVE 11 MORE KIDS RIGHT NOW THAN WE DID THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
SO I THINK WE ARE VERY MUCH ON TREND TO BEAT OUR DEMOGRAPHERS PROJECTION FOR OUR ENROLLMENT FOR 25-26. SO AGAIN, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE THE ONE, AND WE ARE THE DISTRICT THAT OUR FAMILIES CONTINUE TO CHOOSE, AND NEW FAMILIES CHOOSE TO HELP THEIR CHILD REACH THEIR NORTH STAR GOAL.
[00:40:01]
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE BOARD ALLOWING ME A FEW MINUTES TO REALLY, I HOPE, SHOWCASE OUR TEAMS, OUR CENTRAL TEAMS, OUR CAMPUS TEAMS, INDIVIDUALS THAT OFTEN ARE BEHIND THE SCENES.BUT WE COULD NOT DO ANY OF WHAT WE DO TO BE READY FOR AUGUST 12TH IF IT WASN'T FOR EACH OF THEM.
SO I JUST CELEBRATE THEM. I THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIRELESS SERVANT HEARTS, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT LEADERS THAT ARE IN THE RIGHT SEATS, THAT ARE MAKING GREAT MOVES EVERY DAY TO HELP US REACH OUR NORTH STAR GOAL.
SO WITH THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS.
PRESIDENT POTEET. YES, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, EVERYBODY ON STAFF.
SO, BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS PRESENTATION? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NO? MISS PACHECO? NO? OKAY.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I GUESS YOU KNOW I LIKE A MICROPHONE, SO, YOU KNOW.
I APPRECIATE THAT, MISS MCGOWAN. HEY, YOU'RE ACTUALLY ASKING HER A LITTLE BIT. NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I KNOW THAT THOSE PRESENTATIONS ARE BRIEF IN THE HIGHEST OF OVERVIEWS, BUT I THINK THEY, JUST TO YOUR POINT, I DON'T THINK IT REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF HOURS I THINK ABOUT, LIKE GETTING THINGS READY FOR 562 EMPLOYEES AND THE WORK THAT GOES INTO BEING READY FOR THAT FOR ALL OF THE LEARNING PIECES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE NEW GROUPS YOU'RE BRINGING IN AND GETTING.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, JUST DESIGN ITSELF, RIGHT? LIKE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW 20,000 PHONES.
I MEAN, I CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE THE MAN HOURS. I MEAN, THAT'S A LITTLE MIND BOGGLING.
I MEAN, TRYING TO THE LEGISLATIVE PIECE AND JUST GETTING THE CODE OF CONDUCT READY.
ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO SAY, AS A FORMER PRINCIPAL ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, LIKE JUST KNOWING EVERYBODY GOT HOME AND WHERE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT CALL WHEN SOMEBODY GETS LOST. LIKE, I MEAN, I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT A BIG DEAL THAT IS.
SO I MEAN, THAT WAS MY SUPER BOWL IN THAT DAY WAS LIKE, EVERYBODY GOT HOME TODAY ON THE FIRST DAY.
SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR TEAMS. I HOPE YOU GUYS WILL PASS THAT ON BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING.
ALSO I DID JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO ONLY BECAUSE SOMETHING OF PARTICULAR INTEREST FOR ME WAS.
MR. GOODSON, I THINK IN OUR LAST, I BELIEVE IT WAS OUR LAST MEETING.
I BELIEVE YOU SAID. I'M NOT HOLDING YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT WAS OVER 17%, I BELIEVE, OR MAYBE 19%, I CAN'T REMEMBER. 17.08 YES.
AND THEN NOW WE'RE AT WHAT, THIS YEAR? 11.54.
SO THAT'S JUST SO MEANINGFUL BECAUSE THAT TOUCHES EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO IN THE DISTRICT.
AND HAVING TO RETRAIN TEACHERS AND DO ALL OF THAT EVERY YEAR MAKES.
WELL, I LOVE OUR NEW TEACHERS AND THEY'RE AMAZING. I THINK THEY WOULD ALL AGREE THERE.
I MEAN, IF THEY WERE LIKE ME AS A NEW TEACHER, I WAS TRYING NOT TO CRY EVERY DAY, LET ALONE BE LIKE INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE ON EVERY DAY, BUT TO LIKE LEARN SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS, IT IS A BIG LIFT FOR THEM.
SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT TRAINING AS MANY TEACHERS, BECAUSE NOW THEY GET TO HONE THEIR CRAFT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN PLACES WHERE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY'RE FAMILIAR, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR CULTURE. AND THEN ALSO WE'LL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR OUTCOMES AS THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO DECREASE.
SO THAT'S FOR YOU BRINGING FORWARD, I WOULD SAY, THE SALARY PIECES.
I THINK I WANT TO COMMEND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR VOTING THAT THROUGH BUT ALSO TOO FOR.
WHEN YOU GUYS WERE LEADING THINGS SUCH AS CELL PHONES AND DOING OTHER THINGS THAT WERE LISTENING TO TEACHERS AND MAKING SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THAT MADE THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT BETTER, WHICH ONLY TRICKLES DOWN TO OUR KIDS HAVING BETTER OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY, I JUST THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB.
I WILL ALSO ADD TO YOUR POINT AROUND NEW TEACHERS.
I THINK ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE HAD THAT WE'RE NOT RECRUITING 325 BRAND NEW TEACHERS, IS THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE THOSE ZERO YEAR TEACHERS, WE CAN PROVIDE THEM A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SUPPORT NOW.
TO YOUR POINT, FIRST YEAR´S HARD. YOU'RE LEARNING A CURRICULUM.
YOU WALK INTO THAT CLASSROOM AND THESE EYES ARE ALL STARING AT YOU, AND YOU LOOK AROUND AND YOU REALIZE LIKE, OH, I'M THE ONE. LIKE THEY'RE THERE WAITING FOR ME.
AND SO WE FEEL WAY MORE CONFIDENT RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN SUPPORT WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, 50 ZERO YEAR TEACHERS VERSUS WHEN YOU HAVE MAYBE 200 OR 300 THAT ALSO INCLUDE ALTERNATIVELY CERTIFIED OR DOI TEACHERS WHO HAVE NOT HAD THAT BACKGROUND TRAINING. SO I HOPE ALSO THAT OUR ZERO YEAR TEACHERS, AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR, THEIR RETENTION IS GOING TO INCREASE BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD THE SUPPORT THAT THEY FEEL LIKE, OKAY, I CAN DO THIS AND I CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. [INAUDIBLE].
[00:45:04]
OKAY, I'M NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THAT UP WITH WHAT MS. TIMME JUST SAID BECAUSE I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING SHE SAID. SO I CAN'T REPEAT ALL OF THAT. BUT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID.ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE BUS BADGE, BECAUSE I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THAT PART OF THE SAFETY PIECE.
ARE THEY SCANNING THE BADGES WHEN THEY GET ON AND SCANNING THEM WHEN THEY GET OFF? NO, THAT IS NOT STATE REQUIRED. THAT, AGAIN, THIS SOMETHING THAT MISS HAYES, WHEN SHE WAS STILL LEADING OPERATIONS TEAM ALONG WITH, WITH SCOTT SELLERS. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW. TO MS. TIMME'S POINT. THERE'S LIKE. OUR PARENTS WANT TO KNOW THAT MY CHILD IS ON THAT RIGHT BUS.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE DELIVERED TO THE RIGHT BUS STOP AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HOME.
DID THEY GET ON THE RIGHT BUS? ARE THEY ON THERE? DID THEY GET OFF ON THE WRONG STOP? AND ESPECIALLY.
BUT IF YOU SCAN AND YOU'RE ON THE WRONG BUS ROUTE, IT ACTUALLY ALERTS THE BUS DRIVER.
LIKE WITH THIS LIKE RED X. SO HE KNOWS, LIKE, NO, THIS NOT YOUR RIGHT BUS STOP.
LET'S FIND THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, BUS AND THE RIGHT BUS STOP FOR YOU. SO AGAIN, I'M JUST.
HUGE KUDOS. WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ALL ASPECTS OF WHAT WE DO, NOT JUST WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FOUR WALLS OF THE CLASSROOM.
YES. WELL, THANK YOU, MISS HAYES, FOR THAT BRILLIANT CONCEPT AND IDEA.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT PARENTS CAN SEE THAT. AGAIN, RISD IS ON THE.
WITH THE CELL PHONE, WE CAME OUT WITH THAT AND THEN THIS ON TOP.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PIECE TO ADD TO OUR PARENTS AND COMMUNITY.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING THE STEP OUT AND DOING THAT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES. MISS HARRIS.
ACTUALLY I ALSO HAD A COMMENT IN REFERENCE TO THE BUS BADGES AS WELL.
SO I LOVE THE IDEA. I REALLY LOVE IT. BECAUSE, I REMEMBER I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR, I ACTUALLY HAD A PARENT WHO CONTACTED ME BECAUSE THEY HAD AN ISSUE IN REFERENCE TO THEIR KID GETTING ON THE WRONG BUS.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WAS IT IMPLEMENTED SMOOTHLY? AND ARE THERE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE SIBLINGS AND THEY MAY BE RIDING DIFFERENT BUSSES, AND THERE IS A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S LIKE CONFUSION ABOUT, HEY, MY LITTLE SISTER IS ON THIS BUS.
WHY AM I NOT ON THAT BUS? I KIND OF HEARD THAT A LITTLE BIT.
IS THAT REALITY OR IS THAT A THING? YEAH. SO WITH THE NUMBER OF RIDERS WHICH WE'RE TRENDING BACK TO ABOUT 5000 RIDERS PER DAY LIKE WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. ANY OF THOSE SCENARIOS IS POSSIBLE.
BUT WITH REFERENCE TO THE BUS BADGING SYSTEM, EVEN IF THE YOUNGER SIBLING BADGED ON TO THE APPROPRIATE BUS, BUT THEN THE OLDER SIBLING TRIED TO BADGE ON, AND IT WASN'T THE APPROPRIATE BUS.
WE'RE TRAINING OUR DRIVERS, AND WE'RE SETTING UP OUR SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO DRIVE OFF AND LEAVE SOMEONE. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE JUST A SECOND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. IT MAY BE AN OCCURRENCE FOR THAT DAY, A ONE OFF WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE A LITTLE FLEXIBLE IN WHAT WE DO AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE NOT ONLY A LOT OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, THE DRIVERS THEMSELVES DISPATCH, BUT ALSO WITH CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THOSE ONE OFFS DO OCCUR.
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED THIS WEEK, THERE WAS A REPORT OF A YOUNG MAN THAT THAT WAS MISSING, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT HE GOT ON THE BUS, THAT HE GOT OFF THE BUS.
IT WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN DAD AND THAT YOUNG MAN WHERE HE EXPECTED HIM TO BE.
BUT WE COULD VERIFY THAT. HEY, HE GOT ON AND HE GOT OFF, AND WE CAN TELL YOU WHERE HE GOT OFF, THAT KIND OF THING. YEAH. THAT PART IS GREAT.
I MEAN, I LOVE IT. I MEAN, WHEN I SHARED THE VIDEO, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES BECAUSE I WAS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I HAD RECEIVED A FEW CALLS IN THE PAST ABOUT STUDENTS GETTING ON THE WRONG BUS.
THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION AND IT JUST CAUSES AN UPROAR, RIGHT? BETWEEN THE BUS DRIVER, THE SCHOOL, THE PARENT.
AND SO, I MEAN, I WAS ALL IN FOR THIS IDEA, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT THE EXECUTION OF IT WAS PRETTY SMOOTH.
OF COURSE, I KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME HICCUPS THIS FIRST WEEK, WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED.
[00:50:03]
YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO JUMP OFF THAT CLIFF, SO TO SPEAK. AND SO WE LEARNED A LOT OF VALUABLE LESSONS AT FOREST MEADOW.AND SO WE'VE TAKEN THOSE NOW INTO THIS YEAR. BUT NOW THAT WE'RE TAKING IT DISTRICT WIDE, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF COMMUNICATION AND A LOT OF ONE OFFS, IF YOU WILL. AND SO EVEN LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE TEAM AND I MET TODAY.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE REINFORCE IS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE ANY STUDENT BY THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE JUST ENOUGH TIME TO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SITUATION IS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS, BECAUSE WE CAN'T BLINDLY DO THAT, AND THEN COMPROMISE SAFETY, WE'RE DOING ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF SAFETY.
AND SO THAT IMPLEMENTATION WE'RE GOING TO TAKE JUST LONG ENOUGH.
IF YOU REMEMBER, I REALLY COMMENDED THE CAMPUSES FOR REQUIRING THE KIDS TO WEAR THE IDS, BECAUSE THE FIRST STEP IS THE STUDENT HAS TO HAVE AN ID TO BADGE ON AND BADGE OFF. AND SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT FIRST STEP.
MAY SEEM LIKE, WELL, HOW BIG A DEAL IS THAT? IT'S A HUGE DEAL TO GET, ESPECIALLY IN JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL KIDS TO WEAR A VISIBLE ID, SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT A GOOD POINT. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK OUR SYSTEM SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE BEST WE CAN COMMUNICATE AS FAR AS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND THE VALUE NOT ONLY TO GET ON AND OFF THE BUS, BUT ALL STUDENTS HAVING THAT VISIBLE ID ON CAMPUS.
AND THEN JUST WHILE I HAVE THE MIC, YOU KNOW, THE STARS OF THAT VIDEO ARE MISS GUTIERREZ SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT [INAUDIBLE] ALLOWED HER KIDS TO BE A PART OF THAT.
YES, ABSOLUTELY. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THOUGH, TRUSTEE HARRIS, TO YOUR POINT.
THE COMPLEXITIES OF OUR BUS ROUTES, WE ADD A LOT OF COMPLEXITY.
SO WHETHER IT'S OUR MAGNET ROUTES, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF OUR BOARD'S INVESTMENT IN PRE-K, WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH SEATS AT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL FOR PRE-K. AND SO WE OFFER TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR PRE-K BABIES.
AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S EVEN A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE, LIKE A PRE-K STUDENT THAT'S AT ONE CAMPUS, AND THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A SECOND GRADER THAT'S AT A DIFFERENT, BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING ON THE SAME BUS. BUT PARENTS REALLY WANT THAT SECOND GRADER TO RIDE WITH THAT FOUR YEAR OLD, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY FOUR YEAR OLD, YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE IF A PARENT HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT BUS ROUTES OR TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'RE SET UP.
OUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TEAM IS SO RESPONSIVE.
IF THEY WILL REACH OUT, I ASSURE YOU WE WILL RESPOND AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO PROVIDE WHATEVER KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS WE CAN, BECAUSE WE CAN'T [INAUDIBLE]. WE CAN'T GROW OUR KIDS IF THEY'RE NOT THERE.
SO AT FIRST AND FOREMOST STARTS WITH US JUST BEING ABLE TO GET THEM THERE SAFELY.
WELL, I'VE RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK ABOUT IT.
I WAS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT AGAIN. I SHARED IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO SCHOOL STARTING JUST TO LET OUR PARENTS KNOW, YOU KNOW, BE READY. PLEASE KNOW WHAT YOUR WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTED OF.
AND SO I APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, MISS BRANUM, THAT AS A PARENT, IN THAT MOMENT, ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS TO FIND YOUR LOST KID THAT GOT ON SOME BUS ON SOME ROUTE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
AND SO AGAIN, THIS WAS MORE THAN 15 YEARS AGO, RIGHT? SO I KNOW THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER. BUT TOO, I WAS SUPER, SUPER EXCITED WHEN I SAW THAT PART OF IT.
THE VIDEO WAS VERY WELL DONE. I WAS SUPER EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
I THINK THIS WAS SO. I GOT SO MANY COMMENTS FROM PARENTS TO SAYING HOW JUST IMPRESSED THEY WERE WITH THAT TOO, BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKING ME LIKE, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS WAS A THING, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG HAD THIS BEEN GOING ON? AND EVEN FOR THOSE PARENTS THAT WERE RELUCTANT TO LET THEIR KIDS RIDE THE BUS, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THIS THING ABOUT, WELL, I'M GOING TO WAIT TILL THE, YOU KNOW, THE YOUNGER SIBLING CAN ALSO GO WITH THE OLDER SIBLING AND ALL OF THIS.
BUT AGAIN, JUST TO COMMEND THAT, THAT SYSTEM WAS JUST SO IMPRESSIVE, AND I LOVE THAT.
THE COMMUNICATION ASPECT ALSO REALLY SEEMS TO BE REALLY, I MEAN, REALLY WELL DONE, AND THAT THERE'S JUST THIS TRANSPARENCY ABOUT EVERYTHING AND PARENTS FEEL VERY SECURE. AND JUST ANOTHER KUDOS TO THE TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, SAFETY AND SECURITY TEAM THAT, WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT AGAIN, OUR PARENTS CAN ALSO.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN YOU SAID FROM THE CURB TO THE CLASSROOM FOR OUR PARENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMETIMES OUR BRAND NEW KINDER PARENTS OR PRE-K, LETTING GO OF THOSE LITTLES AND KNOWING THAT THEY'RE OKAY IT'S A BIG DEAL, RIGHT? SO THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THAT WAS JUST SO AMAZING.
AND YEAH, JUST SUPER, SUPER IMPRESSED. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS PUT THAT INTO MOTION AND HAS JUST, YOU KNOW, LET IT RUN SO SMOOTHLY. SO THANK YOU.
[00:55:08]
KIND OF THINGS AND REALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BUT WE KNOW, ESPECIALLY NOW IN LABOR DAY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE IN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 WEEKS IS THE SECOND ROUND OF COMMUNICATION TO REMIND EVERYONE AND UPDATE THEM ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS SYSTEM, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT. THIS IS ALL DONE IN THE NAME OF SAFETY, AND SO THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS WE'VE GOTTEN HAVE BEEN IN THE VEIN OF, HEY, AGAIN, HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? WHAT DOES MY KID HAVE TO DO? WHAT ABOUT THIS? YOU KNOW, A ONE OFF TYPE SITUATION, WHICH IS NOT A PROBLEM.BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE MORE KIDS ENROLLING, WHICH WILL NEED TRANSPORTATION.
ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK THAT, AGAIN, THAT'S AWESOME.
I THINK THAT THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST ALSO SPEAKS ANOTHER LAYER OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS ON TOP OF, RIGHT? YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS READY AND JUST. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT ONGOING COMMUNICATION IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE GET KIDS THAT ENROLL EVERY DAY, WHETHER IT´D BE AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION THERE AND SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS AND HAS ACCESS TO IS JUST SUPER. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. RUSSELL.
YES, MS. PACHECO. NOT TRANSPORTATION RELATED.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS ON THE LONG.
I GUESS IT'S GOING TO BE BRANDED BY THE SCHOOL, BUT THE SYSTEM IS DOING IT HERE.
AND THEN EACH SCHOOL IS DISSEMINATING IT TO THEIR FAMILIES? SO. WELL, IT'S A DISTRICT SYSTEM. SO BASICALLY IT'S ALMOST LIKE THINK ABOUT IT AS AN UPDATE TO YOUR ENROLLMENT PROCESS.
SO AS A PARENT, I HAVE A FIFTH GRADER AT SPRING CREEK.
SO WHEN I RECEIVE MY INVITATION TO FILL OUT THIS OPT IN, OPT OUT PROCESS, I'M GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THE FORMS THAT PERTAIN TO THE FACT THAT [INAUDIBLE] IS A FIFTH GRADER AND HE'S AT SPRING CREEK ELEMENTARY.
IF I HAD A HIGH SCHOOLER AT J.J. PEARCE, EVEN THEIR CLUBS AND THEIR ACTIVITIES THAT I CAN OPT IN AND OPT OUT OF MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOLS. OKAY. AND SO WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SPECIFICALLY ALIGNED TO THE CAMPUSES BY WHICH THEIR STUDENT IS ENROLLED, BUT THE OVERALL PROCESS IS THE RICHARDSON ISD PROCESS.
OKAY, PERFECT. SO WITH THAT PROCESS AND, BEING SENT OUT TO PARENTS, ARE THE PARENTS GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE THIS? HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THIS OPT IN, OPT OUT FORM TO OUR PARENTS IN MULTIPLE WAYS? LIKE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? YES, MA'AM. I DON'T KNOW IF DOCTOR HILL OR DOCTOR GIBBONS. IF Y'ALL WANT TO ADDRESS THAT.
YES. WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS A TEAM ON A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN THAT WILL BE CONDUCTED BOTH AT THE DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE CAMPUS LEVEL. WE, AT 10:00 TOMORROW MORNING IS WHEN THE FINAL SITE MESSAGE IS GOING TO GO TO ALL PARENTS.
AND THAT WILL BE TRANSLATED IN THE TOP FIVE LANGUAGES FOR OUR PARENTS.
IT WILL DIRECT THEM TO LOG INTO FOCUS. ANNABELLE AND THE TEAM IN OUR STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE FOCUS ACCOUNTS TO BE ABLE TO LOG IN AND ACCESS THE FORM.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO SUPPORTING CAMPUS COMMUNICATION EFFORTS.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME COMMUNICATION ARTICLES THAT WE HAVE SHARED WITH OUR CAMPUS PRINCIPALS TO BE ABLE TO CUT AND PASTE AND PUT THOSE IN THEIR NEWSLETTERS FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKS. AND THEN WE ALSO, JUST IN CASE, WE ARE WORKING WITH PRINT SERVICES AND THEY ARE PRINTING THE PACKETS OF THE FORMS AS WELL, JUST TO HAVE SO EVERY CAMPUS CAN HAVE PAPER COPIES FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO FEEL LIKE THEY NEED THE PAPER TO READ THROUGH IT.
DID I MISS ANYTHING, DOCTOR GIBBONS? OKAY, GREAT.
YOU ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS. I WAS GOING TO ASK WHAT HAPPENS TO PARENTS WHO MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO USE AND, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMS OR, YOU KNOW, ARE AFRAID OF IT? WITH THESE FORMS, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT, LIKE WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PARENTS SELECT? IS THERE GOING TO BE LIKE SOME SORT OF WAY YOU CAN COMPILE THIS DATA? AND. YES, MA'AM. IF YOU'RE OUT LIKE THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT, THE HOW STUDENTS ARE FORMED IN OUR DISTRICT.
[01:00:06]
ACTIVITY. AND SO THAT PART WOULD BE DIFFERENTIATED.BUT FOR EXAMPLE, FOR HEALTH SERVICES. IF WE WANTED TO KNOW AROUND OUR 36,278 KIDS, HOW MANY FAMILIES OPTED OUT OF HAVING THOSE HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED BY OUR SCHOOL NURSE.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RUN A REPORT AND KNOW THOSE NUMBERS.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IF A PARENT OPTS OUT OF SERVICES LIKE THE NURSE AND THERE'S AN EMERGENCY? WHAT DO WE DO AS FAR AS RISK? THAT WAS A REALLY BIG QUESTION WHEN WE GOT THE.
NO, WHEN THE NEW LEGISLATION CAME OUT FROM OUR HEALTH SERVICES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
OH MY GOSH, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE HAVE A STUDENT WHO MAY HAVE OPTED OUT OF ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM GETTING A BANDAID TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WOULD REFER TO LIFE SAVING, YOU KNOW, PROCEDURES. SO WE KNOW THAT A MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO DO NEED MEDICAL PROCEDURES ON A DAILY BASIS HAVE THAT THROUGH THEIR 504 PLAN OR THROUGH THEIR IEP IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. SO THOSE ARE WRITTEN INTO THEIR IEP.
SO FROM A OPT IN OPT OUT, THAT'S BEEN THEIR OPT IN.
AND THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE. IT WILL BE THE ONES WHERE, YOU KNOW, JUST THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE LIST.
AND THEY OPT OUT OF EVERYTHING. SO WHAT WE'VE ASKED IS FOR THE NURSES WHO DO GET THOSE STUDENTS TO TALK WITH THE PARENTS, TO CALL THEM, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE FROM A CAMPUS PERSPECTIVE AND A PARENT PERSPECTIVE, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT CAN BE VERY CONFUSING WITH THE OPT IN AND THE OPT OUT.
SO THE FIRST CALL WILL BE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND THEN SECOND OF ALL, REALLY FROM A LICENSURE, BUT FROM WHAT NURSES ARE THEIR CERTIFICATION.
THEY ARE REQUIRED, JUST LIKE DOCTORS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, TO ADMINISTER CARE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE, FOR LIFE SAVING, YOU KNOW, INTERVENTIONS, SO TO SPEAK, SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE DELAYED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. BUT IT WILL BE TO TRY TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS AROUND.
IF IT'S MEDICATION THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE DELIVERED AT SCHOOL, OR DIFFERENT AREAS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK AND FIGURE OUT A PLAN WITH THE PARENTS, INDIVIDUALIZE FOR THAT STUDENT.
AND IT'S NEW TERRITORY. YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AS WE GO TOO.
BUT I KNOW FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, ASHLEY JONES, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SHE'S IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE LEADERS IN OUR IN OUR LOCAL AREA AND OUR METROPLEX.
AND SHE HAS A GROUP OF NURSES THAT SHE'S WORKING WITH TOO.
SO WE'RE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER.
BUT THOSE ARE, IN SHORT, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING RIGHT NOW.
PERFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT TO GET EVERYTHING READY FOR KIDS TO COME IN AND COME HOME FOR THEIR SCHOOL YEAR, SO I APPRECIATE IT. INCLUDING TECHNOLOGY, NOBODY TALKS A LOT ABOUT TECH.
AND, YOU KNOW, HONING IN THAT LITTLE PORT AND MAKING SURE THAT PORT MATCHES THE OTHER SIDE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO DO THOSE THINGS WHEN I ARRIVE IN CERTAIN COMPANIES, SO THANK YOU. TAKE CARE. YES, MISS HARRIS. SO I WANT TO BE CAREFUL HOW I CRAFT THIS QUESTION OR INQUIRY. BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO.
I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE I'M UNGRATEFUL FOR WHAT PEOPLE ARE DONATING.
BUT WHEN WE GO BACK AND WE TALK ABOUT THE BACKPACK BASH EVERY YEAR, I JUST HAVE THIS ABOUT, I KNOW WE DO A HUGE BACKPACK BASH AND WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH WHAT THEY NEED, RIGHT? BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I SEE SO MANY CHURCHES AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WHO ALSO PROVIDE THESE BACKPACKS.
AND SO I'M ALWAYS CURIOUS AS TO HOW MANY BACKPACKS DOES A KID NEED, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE KIDS ARE FEEDING INTO RISD OR AT THE SAME SCHOOL. AND SO I'M ALWAYS HOPING THAT SOMEDAY WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH THESE PEOPLE AND SAY, HEY, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE REALLY NEED. WELL, ACTUALLY, THAT IS WHAT.
TO YOUR POINT, MISS HARRIS, AND YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO US BEFORE.
THAT IS WHY WE REALLY DID SHIFT. AND I ASKED OUR TEAM TO SHIFT AWAY FROM, PLEASE KNOW I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE WHEN WE HAD THE ONE BIG MEGA EVENT AND EVERYONE WOULD BE THERE. BUT I RECOGNIZED IN THAT MOMENT THAT SOMETIMES THAT REALLY WAS MORE ABOUT THE CENTRAL TEAM IN THE EVENT, AND IT WASN'T ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FAMILIES, AND ALL FAMILIES MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE.
AND IT WAS HOT AND IT WAS JUST ALL OF THE THINGS.
WE KNOW OUR FAMILIES, MOST OF OUR FAMILIES ALL ENGAGE IN MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT.
SO HOW CAN WE USE MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT AS A WAY, IF I'M A FAMILY AND I CAN DO IT IN A SAFE PLACE WHERE I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRINCIPAL, I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CAMPUS, TO HAVE THAT SAFE PLACE, SO EVERY ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES,
[01:05:01]
ESPECIALLY OUR TITLE ONE CAMPUSES, THEY HAD A PARTNER.SO FOR EXAMPLE, MANY OF OUR TITLE ONE CAMPUSES, THEIR PARTNER WAS A CHURCH.
AND SO WE COULD REALLY GALVANIZE THEIR EFFORTS FOR FUNDRAISING THIS CAMPUS.
WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO NEED AT LEAST THIS MANY BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES KITS.
SO THIS HOW MANY WE NEED FROM YOU. THIS GROUP, WE NEED THIS.
WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY TAKE ONE GROUP WHO NORMALLY WOULD DO BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES KITS.
THEY HELPED CREATE SOME RESOURCES AND SOME SUPPLIES FOR TEACHERS SO THAT WE COULD KIND OF REDIRECT.
YES, WE NEED THOSE, BUT LET'S MAYBE USE THOSE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND THEN IF WE HAD EXCESS THAT WERE DONATED BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, FOR EXAMPLE, CITY OF DALLAS, WANT TO CELEBRATE THEM AT AT THE END OF THEIR MAYORAL BACKPACK ANNUAL EVENT, THEY HAD ADDITIONAL BACKPACKS AND THEY RECOGNIZED THAT 60% OF RICHARDSON ISD'S IN THE CITY OF DALLAS. AND SO THEY DID SEND US SOME OF THOSE EXCESS BACKPACKS.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THOSE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN EACH OF THEIR AS YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A KIND OF A RESOURCE CORNER WHERE OUR KIDS, THEIR BACKPACK GETS WORN OUT.
IF THEY NEED EXTRA PENS OR PENCILS, AGAIN, THEY CAN GO TO A PLACE THAT IT'S JUDGMENT FREE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO ASK. WE DON'T ASK QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE ABLE TO GO IN AND GET WHAT THEY NEED. I DON'T KNOW IF, DR.
HELLER, YOU'D ADD ANYTHING. NO, I THINK I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT.
WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO REDISTRIBUTE SOME OF THE EXTRA DONATIONS THAT MANY GROUPS WOULD COME TO THE ADMIN OFFICE HERE AND JUST DROP OFF SOME OF THEIR SUPPLY DRIVES. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO ALSO REDISTRIBUTE TO OUR MIDDLE AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS, WHERE THERE WERE ALSO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE SOME NEEDS.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO RE-DISTRIBUTE. AND MAKE SURE AND THEN WE GAVE SOME EXTRA SUPPLY KITS TO ALL OF OUR COUNSELORS AT THE CAMPUSES TO HAVE IN THEIR OFFICES AS WE ENROLL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. YEAH, BECAUSE I KNOW, FOR ME, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES TO SAY THIS WHAT WE REALLY NEED. LIKE, WE DON'T NEED, YOU KNOW, THREE BACKPACKS PER STUDENT, RIGHT? AND NOT ONLY ARE THE ELEMENTARY KIDS IN NEED, WE ALSO HAVE JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT NEED SOMETHING AS WELL. AND SO WE ALWAYS SEEM TO FOCUS ON JUST OUR LITTLES, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS REALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, I SEE IN MY COMMUNITY. I MEAN, I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME SCHOOLS NOW THAT ARE GOING TO UNIFORMS. YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THAT UNIFORM EFFORT? YES. YOU KNOW, THAT THESE KIDS ARE NOW GETTING INTO.
HEY, EVERYBODY NEEDS A BACKPACK. WELL, MAYBE.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE ARE JUST SO REMOVED FROM EDUCATION BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE GROWN AND ROLLED.
BUT, YEAH. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, I MEAN, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF MY THINGS.
I'M LIKE, I SEE ANOTHER BACKPACK BASH FROM ANOTHER CHURCH, FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY BACKPACKS DO A KID NEED? YOU KNOW, SO I JUST.
YES, MISS MCGOWAN. AND NO, I CAN'T SEE YOU DOWN THERE.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT THE BUS THINGS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ON YOUR BADGE, CAN YOU GET ON THE BUS? YES, MA'AM. NOW, IDEALLY, THE BADGE ALLOWS US TO VERY EFFICIENTLY GET KIDS ON AND OFF THE BUS.
BUT IF FOR SOME REASON, ETHAN JASSO, IF HE WAS IN RISD, FORGOT IT AT HOME.
GREAT SAFETY ASPECT, ADDING LIKE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ON YOUR BADGE, YOU'RE NOT.
[01:10:01]
YEAH, EXACTLY. YEAH. BUT WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO MAKE SURE TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE ID BADGE, THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE NEED FOR THE ID, AND IT GOES BEYOND JUST THE BUS.IT'S ALSO ENHANCING CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURITY.
THE VISIBLE BADGE IS A DETERRENT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
THEY STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB, SO. YEAH. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? ALL RIGHT, I'LL ECHO. THANK YOU. AND THE UNSUNG HERO THAT DIDN'T BRIEF US TONIGHT, MR. PATE DOWN THERE. OBVIOUSLY, NONE OF IT COULD HAPPEN WITHOUT THE BILLS BEING PAID.
SO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE REST OF YOUR CABINET.
SO NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
BUDGET SEASON IS HIS TIME TO SHINE, SO. YES YOU HEAR FROM ME ENOUGH.
AND I WILL BE BACK NEXT MONTH WITH AN UPDATE.
SO CAN'T WAIT. CAN'T WAIT. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT ITEM.
[III.B. Update on 2025 Summer/Bond Construction Projects]
DO WE NEED A BREAK REAL QUICK OR DO WE. DO I SEE ANY? OKAY. LET'S KEEP PLUGGING AWAY. OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AN INFORMATION ITEM TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE REGARDING THE 2025 SUMMER AND BOND 2021 CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. MISS BRANUM. THANK YOU AGAIN, OUR FACILITIES TEAMS, THEY BLOW ME AWAY AT WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN A VERY SHORT WINDOW OF TIME WHEN OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT HERE.AGAIN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF RENOVATION AND ENTIRE CAMPUS RENOVATION AND KNOWING THAT WE CAN DO THE MOST WHEN THE KIDS AREN'T THERE, AND THAT'S REALLY LIKE 74 DAYS AND SOMEHOW THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE MAGIC HAPPEN.
AND SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE FACILITIES TEAM.
HELLO, GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM.
FACILITIES IS ALWAYS VERY BUSY IN THE SUMMER.
I WILL BE GOING OVER THE SUMMER 2025 PROJECTS, AND TO GIVE A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF OUR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AS PART OF BOND 2021 AS THEY COME TO AN END, IS HAMILTON PARK, NORTHRICH AND STULTS.
THEY WERE A UNDER CONSTRUCTION BUDGET OF $10 MILLION.
THEY WERE ALL COMPLETED WITHIN BUDGET AND ON TIME THIS SUMMER.
THEY ALL COMPLETED THIS SUMMER, SO IT'S A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US.
WE ALSO HAD OUR LITTLE RAMS & LITTLE WILDCAT CHILD LEARNING ACADEMY, WHICH IS OUR THIRD DAYCARE AS PART OF THE DISTRICT THAT ALSO HAD A CONSTRUCTION BUDGET OF $4 MILLION, WHICH CAME WITHIN BUDGET AND WAS ON TIME.
AND THOSE WERE COMPLETED WITHIN BUDGET AND ON TIME.
SO FIRST PROJECT WE´LL SHOWCASE IS HAMILTON PARK.
HAMILTON PARK, JUST AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE SCOPE OF WORK WAS.
THE EXISTING BUILDING WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE AUDITORIUM, SO OBVIOUSLY THAT BECOMES A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN WE HAVE STUDENTS EXITING THE BUILDING TO GET TO ANOTHER PART OF THE BUILDING. SO THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO CREATE A CONNECTOR ADDITION, WHICH WE'LL SEE ON THE LEFT, AS WELL AS RENOVATE AND REFRESH THE INSIDE.
AND THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS SOME OF THE CORRIDOR UPGRADES THAT WE DID, WHICH INCLUDE NEW FLOORING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CAMPUS, NEW GRAPHICS ON THE WALLS AND NEW PAINT, NEW CEILING AND NEW LIGHTING JUST TO REALLY REFRESH THE MAIN CAMPUS.
WE ALSO RENOVATED THE CAFETERIA. SO THE CAFETERIA USED TO HAVE A LIKE A GLASS BLOCK IGLOO IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH WASN'T VERY EFFICIENT AT THE TIME OF THE LAYOUT.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS DEMOLISH. WHAT WE DID WAS DEMOLISH THAT AND MAKE A MORE EFFICIENT LAYOUT.
WE ALSO ADDED A SENSORY WALL WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT.
THIS ALSO THE MAGNET PROGRAM. SO WE WANTED TO REALLY REITERATE THE MESSAGE OF BE A LEADER, EMPOWERING LEADERS AND INSPIRING EXCELLENCE. SO THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE MAIN CAMPUS, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF POSITIVE MESSAGING AS PART OF THE LEADERSHIP MAGNET PROGRAM AT HAMILTON PARK. THIS A VIEW OF THE INSIDE OF THE CONNECTOR PIECE.
AND OF COURSE, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY HISTORIC.
AND WHENEVER WE WERE DEVELOPING THE CONNECTOR ADDITION, WE WANTED IT TO BE MORE THAN JUST A HALLWAY.
SO WE CREATED A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS PART OF THE CONNECTOR.
[01:15:07]
AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR STUDENTS. AND THIS WAS A REALLY FUN DESIGN ELEMENT THAT WE GOT TO WORK WITH A LOT OF THE ALUMNI IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND REALLY CAPTURED OLD YEARBOOK PHOTOS THAT ARE SCANNED IN THE WALLS.IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL SPACE. THERE'S A LOT OF DISPLAY OPPORTUNITIES TOO, WHERE THE ALUMNI WILL PUT SOME OF THEIR ARTIFACTS THAT THEY'VE SAVED FROM YEARS AGO IN THESE DISPLAY ELEMENTS. SO IT REALLY SHOWCASES US ALMOST LIKE A MUSEUM FOR THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS A SAFETY FEATURE FOR THE STUDENTS AS A CONNECTOR PIECE.
JUST A BIT OF TRIVIA THERE, OUR OWN DR. TERRY HARRIS´ BROTHER HAS A PICTURE ON THE MEMORY WALL.
SO FEEL FREE TO TALK TO DR. HARRIS ABOUT WHAT HIS BROTHER DID THERE.
AND THEN ALSO WITHIN THAT $10 MILLION TOO, WE WERE ABLE TO RENOVATE THE LOBBY OF THE AUDITORIUM.
SO THIS A BEFORE PICTURE, LIKE RIGHT WHEN WE STARTED CONSTRUCTION AND THEN RIGHT AFTER REALLY REFRESHES THE SPACE WITH NEW LIGHTING, NEW FLOORING, AND THEN ALSO RENOVATING THOSE RESTROOMS LEADING INTO THE AUDITORIUM.
SO THIS WAS A PRETTY IMPACTFUL PROJECT FOR $10 MILLION.
SO NEW FLOORING, NEW GRAPHICS ON THE WALLS, NEW CEILINGS, NEW LIGHTING.
WE WERE ABLE TO RENOVATE ALL OF THE RESTROOMS IN THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
HERE'S A CLOSE UP OF THE RESTROOM RENOVATIONS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD NEW FLOORING AND NEW WALL TILE, NEW PARTITIONS FOR THE RESTROOMS JUST TO CLEAN IT UP AND GIVE IT A MORE MODERN LOOK.
ANOTHER CAMPUS THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE STULTS ROAD ELEMENTARY.
SO REALLY RENOVATE THE OUTSIDE TO GIVE IT A FRESH LOOK.
WE WERE ABLE TO ADD MORE COLLABORATION SPACES WITHIN SOME OF THESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE BREAKOUT SPACE FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS.
WE WERE ABLE TO RENOVATE THE KITCHEN OR THE CAFETERIA SPACE AND ALL THE CLASSROOMS. AGAIN, SAME SCOPE OF WORK AS NORTHRICH. WE WERE ABLE TO DO NEW FLOORING, NEW PAINTING, NEW CEILINGS, NEW LIGHTING. ALSO, ALL THREE CAMPUSES RECEIVED ALL NEW FURNITURE WITHIN THE $10 MILLION AS WELL.
ALSO AT STULTS ROAD, WE WERE ABLE TO DO A GRAPHICS PACKAGE IN ALL OF THE HALLWAYS THERE BASED ON ENVIRONMENTS OF THE COUGAR, WHICH IS THEIR MASCOT. SO THESE ARE ALSO MARKER BARDS TOO, THAT STUDENTS CAN KIND OF USE THE HALLWAY NOW AS NOT ONLY A HALLWAY SPACE, BUT AS BREAKOUT FOR CLASSROOMS TO PULL OUT AND JUST SIT AND KIND OF LEARN.
ALSO, AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO RENOVATE THE RESTROOMS AT STULTS ROAD ELEMENTARY, WHERE WE COMPLETELY REFRESHED WITH NEW TILE, NEW FIXTURES, AND NEW PARTITIONS FOR THE RESTROOMS. AND THEN FOR THE LITTLE RAMS & LITTLE WILDCAT FOR OUR $4 MILLION BUDGET.
THAT WAS RENOVATED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THE SPACE A NEW COAT OF PAINT, RENOVATE THE RESTROOMS TO ACCOMMODATE THE LITTLES, AND THEN ALSO GIVE ALL NEW FURNITURE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE DAYCARE.
SO NEW FURNITURE, ALSO NEW PLAYGROUNDS ON THE OUTSIDE.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. AN EXTENSIVE PART OF THIS COST WAS ACTUALLY THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
YES, THAT. YEAH, THAT'S ANOTHER POINT. THIS BUILDING WASN'T SPRINKLED BEFORE.
SO NOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE OCCUPYING IT WITH A DAYCARE THAT REQUIRES US TO SPRINKLE THE WHOLE BUILDING, WHICH IS A HUGE SAFETY UPGRADE FOR THIS BUILDING, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE PRE-K AT THE OTHER END.
SOME OF THE CTE PROJECTS THAT I'D LIKE TO SHOWCASE THIS SUMMER WAS AT LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
WE RENOVATED THE COSMETOLOGY LAB TO HAVE A BIG LAB SPACE FOR THE STUDENTS, AS WELL AS A PORTION.
YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE LEFT. IT'S A PORTION THAT IS GOING TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THEY CAN ACTUALLY CUT YOUR HAIR AND YOU CAN PAY.
AND THEN ALSO AT LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE A VETERINARY LAB.
SO AGAIN, THIS A PUBLIC FACING SPACE WHERE IF YOU NEED TO GET YOUR DOG GROOMED OR YOUR DOG WASHED, YOU CAN DROP YOUR DOG OFF. AND IT´S A STUDENT LED PROGRAM WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WASH YOUR DOG AND LEARN HOW TO GROOM AND LEARN REAL WORLD GROOMING
[01:20:01]
FOR FUTURE. I WANT TO ALSO ADD THAT THERE'S A VET MED COMPONENT OF THIS.SO THERE IS THE VET MED AS WELL AS THE DOG GROOMING.
SO THERE'S KIND OF A COMBINED LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR KIDS.
WE WILL WORK ON THE PRICING AND ADVERTISING SOON.
THIS IS ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH RICHARDSON ISD.
THIS A RENDERING ON THE LEFT. OR FLOOR PLAN´S ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN ALSO ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP WITH RICHARDSON ISD IS A METROCARE.
THIS IS THE THURGOOD MARSHALL STUDENT SUCCESS ACADEMY.
AND WHAT WE DID THIS SUMMER IS WE BASICALLY HOSTED A BIG FURNITURE FAIR.
HAVING A STANDARD FOR FURNITURE IS VERY EFFICIENT FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MOVE A HANDFUL OF CHAIRS BETWEEN ANY OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND HAVE EFFICIENCY IN WHAT WE DO.
SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AS LIKE A MACY'S OR JC PENNEY'S.
SO THEY GAVE US SOME OPTIONS. WE GOT SAMPLES OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE OPTIONS, AND WE LAID THEM ALL OUT IN A GYMNASIUM EARLIER THIS SUMMER, AND WE OPENED IT TO OUR STAFF TO COME AND VOTE.
WE HAD A QR CODE WHERE THE TEACHERS COULD PHYSICALLY SIT IN A CHAIR, YOU KNOW, ROLL THE CHAIR AROUND, OPEN DRAWERS. AND WE DIVIDED IT INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO WE HAD LEARNING SPACES, WHICH COMPRISED OF, YOU KNOW, CLASSROOMS, ART AND MUSIC, SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS. WE HAD A SECTION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE WHICH HAD OFFICES, CONFERENCE ROOMS, BREAK ROOMS. WE HAD MEDIA SPACES AND COLLABORATIVE SPACES SUCH AS THE CAFETERIA AND COLLABORATION AREAS.
AND WE HAD MISCELLANEOUS OF STORAGE AND WASTE.
SO WE HAD ALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES THAT PEOPLE COULD GO TRY AND SIT AND VOTE.
THIS MY TOP CHOICE. THIS MY SECOND CHOICE. AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO AN OPTION TO GIVE COMMENTS ON IT.
SO WE TOOK ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND WE STANDARDIZED.
OKAY, THIS WAS EVERYONE'S NUMBER ONE CHOICE. SO AS WE CAN SEE, WE HAVE CLASSROOMS. FOURTH THROUGH FIFTH GRADE. THESE WERE THE NUMBER ONE CHOICES THAT THE MAJORITY HAD VOTED ON.
AND THEN WE PROVIDED DIFFERENT LAYOUTS. SO AGAIN, THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A STANDARD WITHIN A DISTRICT OF THIS SIZE IS, WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND OUR FURNITURE FROM DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS JUST DEPENDING ON THE EBB AND FLOW OF DIFFERENT GRADE CONFIGURATIONS OR ALLOCATIONS.
AND THEN WE ALSO UNDERSTAND WE DON'T WANT A COOKIE CUTTER IN ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE GET TO THE COLLABORATIVE FURNITURE, THIS WHERE IT CAN BE CUSTOMIZABLE TO HAVE A POP OF COLOR.
MAYBE IT'S YOUR CAMPUS COLOR. THOSE PIECES ARE WHAT MAKES THE CAMPUS POP WITH THOSE COLORS.
AND THAT'LL BE HERE TO COME HERE THIS FALL HOPEFULLY.
ANY QUESTIONS? AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MATTERS.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MATTERS. IT MATTERS TO OUR KIDS.
IT MATTERS TO STAFF. IT IS A CONSIDERATION WHEN THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE THEY WANT TO TEACH, WHERE THEY WANT TO WORK. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MATTERS.
FAMILIES, WHY CURB TO THE CLASSROOM IS SO IMPORTANT TO US? IS THAT WHEN A FAMILY IS DRIVING BY, WE MESSAGE TO THAT FAMILY WHAT WE VALUE AND HOW WE VALUE OUR SCHOOLS.
AND IF THEY'RE TAKING A TOUR, WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE RESTROOMS, THEY LOOK AT THE FURNITURE, THEY LOOK AT THAT FRONT LOBBY. IS IT WELCOMING? IS THIS A PLACE WHERE I KNOW MY CHILD IS NOT GOING TO JUST SURVIVE, THEY'RE GOING TO THRIVE.
I REALLY AGAIN WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED BOND 2021.
MANY OF THESE PROJECTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT BOND 2021.
[01:25:03]
CONSOLIDATING SCHOOLS WAS THE HARDEST THING. I THINK ANY COMMUNITY, ANY TEAM OF EIGHT CAN GO THROUGH.AND AS WE ARE WORKING TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, WE ARE TAKING THESE PLACES AND WE'RE ENSURING THAT AMAZING EXPERIENCES CAN STILL HAPPEN FOR OUR KIDS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE CHILD LEARNING ACADEMIES, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH METRO CARE AT THURGOOD MARSHALL STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER, OR WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, REINTRODUCING A NEW ENTERPRISE CITY AND TO BE LIKE ME AT GREENWOOD HILLS.
SO JUST CONTINUING TO INVEST IN OUR FACILITIES.
AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MISS HARRIS? OF COURSE, I HAVE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT ABOUT HAMILTON PARK BECAUSE OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW THAT HAMILTON PARK IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? JUST THE COMMENTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH FROM THE COMMUNITY PAGE ON FACEBOOK.
THEY ARE SO EXCITED AND ENERGIZED ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION THAT HAS OCCURRED THERE AND JUST THE HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN CAPTURED. EVERYONE HAS NOT SEEN IT.
THERE'S A FEW THAT HAVE SEEN IT AND THEY ARE JUST SUPER EXCITED.
YEAH. AND SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE BEING HAD AND I'M KIND OF READING THEM AND GOING THROUGH THEM.
BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THAT ONE THING THAT'S NOT CAPTURED HERE IS THE PLAYGROUND.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I MEAN, IF YOU COME TO THE COMMUNITY AND SEE THAT PLAYGROUND AND YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT FROM ONE OF THE MAIN STREETS THAT COME THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. AND I WENT THROUGH THERE THE OTHER DAY, AND I SAW THE KIDS OUT THERE PLAYING.
AND, I MEAN, THERE'S SOME STUFF OUT THERE THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN MY LIFE.
I WAS JUST LIKE, WHAT IS THAT? I MEAN, I DEFINITELY WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND PLAY.
I MEAN, IT IS AMAZING INTO THE CAFETERIA. THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED THERE.
GETTING RID OF THAT IGLOO IS. AGAIN, I MEAN, LISTEN, THE IGLOO WAS THERE WHEN MY SON WAS THERE, AND WE USED THE IGLOO FOR WHEN YOUR PARENTS WOULD WANT TO COME AND HAVE LUNCH WITH YOUR KID, AND YOU WOULD SIT BEHIND THIS IGLOO, AND I JUST DIDN'T GET IT.
I'M LIKE, WHY ARE WE BACK HERE? SO AT ONE POINT, IT JUST STARTED BECOMING A STORAGE UNIT, RIGHT? THEY STARTED PUTTING BOXES BACK THERE.
SO TO REMOVE THAT IGLOO AND OPEN UP THAT SPACE AND PUT THAT HUGE, VERY ROBUST BOBCAT ON THE WALL.
THE BOBCAT HAS BEEN EATING IN THE CAFETERIA. THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.
BUT YOU KNOW. HE'S A HEALTHY BOBCAT. BUT, I MEAN, IT IS GREAT.
AND THE THING THAT IS SO FUNNY, I'LL SAY THIS AND I'LL BE DONE.
SO I KEPT THINKING THAT THE CLOSURE WAS GOING TO CLOSE THAT LITTLE SIDEWALK DEAL.
SO WHEN THEY MOVED THE BLUE THING THIS SUMMER AND I PASSED BY.
GOD, WHAT THE HECK? THE SIDEWALK IS STILL THERE.
BUT THEN WHEN I TOOK A TOUR, I WAS LIKE, WHAT? I MEAN, IT IS AMAZING. SO WHENEVER EVERYONE GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT, YOU ARE GOING TO BE THRILLED.
IT'S PRETTY FASCINATING. THE COMMUNITY IS ABSOLUTELY HAPPY.
AND WHEN WE DO A GRAND OPENING OR WHATEVER WE'RE WE GOING TO DO TO.
YOU KNOW, INVITE THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE GOING TO BE SUPER EXCITED. SO YES.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND YOU KNOW, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO SEE THE OTHER SCHOOLS TOO.
AMAZING. IT WAS REALLY COOL. SO YES, I'M VERY EXCITED.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. EAGER, TOP THAT. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN TOP THAT.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS A COUPLE OF THINGS. I THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, AND GOOD JOB.
YOU KNOW, FOR GETTING CONSTRUCTION DONE ON TIME, ON BUDGET, IN SUCH A LIMITED TIME FRAME.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THERE. THE SECOND THING IS THAT, THE EXCITEMENT OF SENDING THE MESSAGE, YOU KNOW, A THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING THESE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS FOR OUR KIDS AND SENDS A MESSAGE TO.
[01:30:08]
IT IS JUST ANOTHER, I WANT TO SAY, ANOTHER SMALL PIECE OF THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AS A COMMUNITY FOR TEACHER RETENTION, FOR KEEPING KIDS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMING BACK TO RICHARDSON.AND SO IT'S THESE COMPOUNDING OF NEW FURNITURE, NEW IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THE OTHER THING I'M EXCITED ABOUT IS OUR LITTLE RAMS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS.
I MEAN, WHAT A DIFFERENCE FOR FAMILIES. AND WILDCATS, I'M SORRY.
ABSOLUTELY, DON'T WANT TO. AND OUR ROW AND YOU KNOW OUR FULL FIGURE BOBCATS.
AND SO, BUT THE OTHER THING TOO IS THE CTE CENTER.
I MEAN THE CTA I MEAN, THE THINGS I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALSO IS JUST THE OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO NOT NOT ONLY TO LEARN ABOUT NEW OPPORTUNITIES, BUT HANDS ON, YOU KNOW, WHILE THEY HAVE A CHANCE IN OUR SCHOOLS TO GET THEIR HANDS ON, AND TO SOMETHING THAT CAN ONLY GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CAREER AFTER WE HAND THEM THEIR DIPLOMAS.
IT ALSO MAY BE A WAY FOR THEM TO SUPPORT, HEY, IF I WANT TO GO ON TO HIGHER ED AND I WANT TO MAKE HIGHER INCOME THAN MAYBE WHAT I HAD TO DO WHEN I WAITED TABLES AND STUFF. IT'S GIVING THOSE KIDS A CHANCE TO GET HANDS ON CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND CERTIFICATIONS.
AND THAT IS JUST A SMALL STEP THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT INVESTMENT.
AND THEN ALSO THE INVESTMENT IN THE OTHER THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED BY OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO AGAIN, VERY EXCITED. AGAIN, IT JUST SENDS A MESSAGE TO OUR FAMILIES AND TO OUR KIDS THAT, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT IN RISD.
MR. EAGER, IF I COULD. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING THE EFFORTS OF FESTUS AND MR. WATSON, WHO WORKED HAND IN HAND TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ARE DELIVERED ON TIME WITHIN BUDGET.
WE'LL GO WITH MISS TIMME NEXT. THANK YOU, MR. EAGER. I WANT TO START WITH HAMILTON, PART 2.
FORMER PRINCIPAL THERE ALSO STARTED MY TEACHING CAREER THERE.
DOCTOR GOODSON WAS THERE AS WELL. ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT HAMILTON PARK WAS THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT IT WAS LIKE A LIVING HISTORY, LIKE PEOPLE COULD, YOU KNOW, THE FORMER HIGH SCHOOLERS WOULD COME IN WHO ARE NOW GROWN SUCCESSFUL AMAZING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO GIVE BACK.
AND SO WHILE I AGREE THAT HISTORY WAS SO GREAT FOR THE KIDS, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S GREAT FOR THE TEACHERS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL TOOK PRIDE IN WAS THE FACT THAT WE WERE STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF OTHER GREAT TEACHERS THAT CAME BEFORE US THAT HAD SUCH A RICH HISTORY AND THAT IT WAS PART OF WHAT WE DID AS THE LEGACY THAT WE CARRIED FORWARD FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT CHANGE. AND SO TO HAVE THAT WALL TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT AND SEE ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND NOT LOSE THAT, I THINK IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR THINGS I'VE SEEN.
SO I'M SUPER HAPPY THAT THAT WAS DONE. IN ADDITION, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS, I THINK THAT YOU CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH WHAT A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MEANS TO THE KIDS THAT ATTEND THERE TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TO THE TEACHERS THAT TEACH THERE THINGS THAT LOOK NICE AND THAT YOU REFRESH.
THAT'S WHAT YOU VALUE, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE MAKING A STATEMENT WHEN YOU DO THAT. AND SO IF I'M A PARENT AND I'M GOING IN OR IF I'M A TEACHER AND I'M GOING INTO A SCHOOL AND I CAN SEE THAT IT'S NOT WELL MAINTAINED OR IT'S DINGY OR IT'S, I DON'T KNOW, WE HAD CARPETS IN THOSE CLASSROOMS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE, AND I'M GOING IN THERE AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO I WANT TO SEND MY KID? I WANT TO SEND MY KID SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY HAVE PRIDE IN WHERE THEY ARE.
AND KIDS RESPOND TO THE NICE THINGS AND THEY WILL HAVE PRIDE IN THAT TOO.
IT HAS A COMPOUNDING EFFECT IN ADDITION TO THAT.
SO I'M I THINK IT LOOKS FANTASTIC. I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE JOB THAT WAS DONE.
AND I KNOW THOSE THINGS AREN'T EASY. ALSO TO SOME OF THE PROGRAMS, I REALLY LOVE THE VET PROGRAM.
I WILL SAY THAT I THINK THE FINANCIAL LITERACY PIECE ON OUR GRADUATE PROFILE, WHILE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN MY MIND, IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF OUR WEAKEST LINK DIRECTLY.
AND SO BUT I ALSO KNOW YOU CAN'T DO THINGS OVERNIGHT, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE TIME TO BUILD SOMETHING ROBUST. I WOULD HATE FOR US TO PUT SOMETHING IN THAT WASN'T COMPLETELY DONE THOUGHT THROUGH. SO THE FACT THAT THAT'S COMING
[01:35:05]
BACK AND THAT'S GOING TO REALLY BUILD THAT FINANCIAL LITERACY FROM AN EARLY AGE AND GOING ON THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOLS AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THOSE PROGRAMS, I THINK IS LIVING UP TO THE VISION THAT WE HAD FOR THE DISTRICT.SO I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY, I THINK I CAN'T LISTEN.
IN PROGRAMING WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK AND HONESTLY, TO PROVIDE THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR FAMILIES, FOR OUR STAFF. AND I THINK IT'S SO EVIDENT IN ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'VE DONE, JUST LIKE EVEN GOING BACK TO LIKE, PEARCE HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE IT WAS SUCH A DIFFERENCE.
MY DAD STARTED THERE WHEN IT WAS STARTED. HE WAS A COACH OVER THERE.
AND THEN NOW TO SEE WHERE IT IS NOW. AND THERE WAS A TIME IN BETWEEN WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT DID LOOK A LITTLE DINGY IN THERE. WE HAD GREAT PEOPLE. BUT TO SEE WHERE IT IS NOW LIKE TO SEE THAT JOB FAIR, SAYING IT'S THE BEST JOB FAIR, RIGHT? LIKE TO SEE THE KIDS AND HOW MUCH PRIDE THEY HAVE AND THE TEACHERS AND HOW MUCH PRIDE THEY HAVE.
THOSE THINGS JUST MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SO. AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY.
ERIC, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT FOR THEM ALLOWING US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU FOR THE HARD CHOICES.
AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THOSE HARD CHOICES AND PUTTING THEM TO THINGS THAT WILL PRODUCE OUTCOMES.
THANK YOU, MISS TIMME. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MS. RENTERIA? YES, I APOLOGIZE THAT I HAD TO STEP OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT AND, YOU KNOW, MISS SOME OF THAT, BUT I DID SEE THE PRESENTATION.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, I THINK ORIGINALLY THE THREE SCHOOLS, HAMILTON PARK AND STULTS AND NORTHRICH, THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT I THINK, WE KIND OF WENT BACK, RIGHT? AND WE REEVALUATED. I THINK THE COMMUNITY. IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, JUST KIND OF REMIND ME. YES, MA'AM. SO WE WOULD RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE NEED TO BEGIN.
WE KNOW IT'S A LONG RANGE PLAN FOR OUR ELEMENTARY REFRESHES.
BUT I THINK MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FELT THE NEED AND THE URGENCY TO GET THAT STARTED IN BOND 2021.
AND SO OUR TEAM WENT BACK AND REFLECTED AND WE KIND OF LOOKED AT OUR CAMPUSES, WHETHER IT'S FCI SCORES ALSO TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME LEVEL OF EQUITY AMONGST THE LEARNING COMMUNITIES. AND SO EACH OF THESE WERE IN A DIFFERENT LEARNING COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY PRECIPITATED THOSE THREE.
AND I JUST WANT TO. BECAUSE I DO REMEMBER ALL THAT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE ALL THE DETAILS THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALSO, THEY GOT SO INVOLVED IN THIS, WHO ONCE WE HAD.
I KNOW WE, YOU KNOW, I THINK ORIGINALLY THE DISTRICT CAME OUT WITH A SET ABOUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO, AND THEN IT WAS THE COMMUNITY THAT SAID, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THIS? YOU KNOW, AND WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT WHEN THIS COMES TO FRUITION.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE, LIKE, WOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS ADDED ON AFTER THE FACT OR KIND OF READJUSTED, I GUESS. AND TO SEE THIS, I THINK IT JUST SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE INPUT OF, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THAT THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, I JUST COMMEND EVERYONE WHO'S LISTENING, RIGHT? AND REALLY JUST MORE THAN LISTENING, BUT TO REALLY, REALLY TAKE IT ALL IN AND KIND OF SEE WHAT CAN WE DO, HOW CAN WE DO IT, AND THEN TO REALLY MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND HERE'S THE RESULT OF THAT. SO, THANK YOU.
I HAVE A KIDDO THAT ATTENDS STULTS ROAD ELEMENTARY.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF WATCH THE CONSTRUCTION OVER THE SUMMER.
AND THOSE GUYS WERE ON IT, LIKE AROUND THE CLOCK.
IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE ALWAYS THERE WORKING.
THE OTHER PART THAT I DIDN'T SEE ON THERE, WHICH I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT, AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING OUR SIGN WE GOT A NEW MARQUEE SIGN.
WE'VE GOT NEW FOLIAGE OUT. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. WE HAVE NEW SEATS OUT.
SO IN THE MORNING WE TAKE OUR KIDS, WE SIT DOWN AND WE CHAT A LITTLE WHILE, RIGHT? AND SO ALL OF THESE THINGS. YEAH. OH, SORRY. I'M CHATTING OUTSIDE, BUT.
WE LOVE THAT. WE LOVE THAT, WE CELEBRATE THAT.
ALL OF THESE THINGS MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND AN IMPACT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY, AGAIN, LIKE MS. HARRIS SAID, THEY'RE CHATTING. THEY WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ASKING US QUESTIONS LIKE, SO WHAT'S GOING ON AT STULTS ROAD, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
ALSO, LIKE MISS TIMME SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO, YOU KNOW, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, GROWTH AND HOW OUR BUILDINGS ARE SUITED FOR THOSE.
[01:40:02]
AND STULTS IS KIND OF ON THE LOW END OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE, BUT THAT'S OKAY, RIGHT? OUR SCHOOLS KNOW, LIKE YOU DO THIS WHOLE REFRESHER AND IT JUST SENDS A DIFFERENT SIGNAL ALL THE WAY THROUGH.WE'VE DONE UNIFORMS. WE'VE DONE THE REFRESH IN THE BUILDING.
AND PARENTS LIKE, WOW, THEY REALLY DO MEAN WHAT THEY SAY.
WELL, AND AGAIN, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THINK THE BOARD AND I DIDN'T THANK THE TEAM.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROJECTS, WHAT I APPRECIATE SO MUCH.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT RICHARDSON IS EVEN THOUGH THE AVERAGE AGE OF OUR BUILDINGS IS 58 YEARS, WHEN WE DO A REFRESH LIKE THIS, WE STILL ALLOW THE INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY OF THE CAMPUS TO STILL COME THROUGH.
SO EVEN THOUGH NORTHRICH AND HAMILTON PARK AND STULTS EACH HAD KIND OF THIS REFRESH, THE WAY THAT IT MANIFESTED IS KIND OF REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CULTURE AND OF THE VALUES AND THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO THAT LEARNING COMMUNITY.
SO WHETHER IT IS STULTS IN THIS COUGAR PRIDE, AND IF YOU LOOK NOW AT STULTS ROAD´S COMMUNICATION, THEY'RE DOING THIS AMAZING SERIES WITH THIS COUGAR COMMUNICATION.
AND NORTHRICH LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT VALUES.
I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE DIDN'T MAKE THEM COOKIE CUTTER.
YES, WE CELEBRATE YOU ALL. AND WHEN YOU DRIVE BY OUR SCHOOL IN THE MORNING, IT'S.
THEY LOOK CLEAN. THE BUILDING WAS CLEAN. YOU GO INSIDE, IT'S CLEAN.
IT'S GREAT. SO THANK YOU. AND JUST GOING BACK TO EMBRACING THE HISTORY.
DOCTOR GOODSON AND TRUSTEE TIMME WILL APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE BACK OF THE AUDITORIUM, IF ANYONE KNOWS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THEM IN THE BOOK.
YES. SO YOU HAVE PRESERVED AND MADE THE GHOST HOME VERY PRESENTABLE NOW.
SO THE GHOST THAT LIVED BACK THERE IN THOSE BATHROOMS FOREVER, AND NOW IT LOOKS GREAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM TRUSTEES OR QUESTIONS? THE ONLY THING I'D SAY IS, ONE THING I KEPT HEARING TOO IN THE PRESENTATIONS WAS OUR TEAMING PARTNERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT AND WE'VE REALLY STEPPED UP THE GAME WITH WHETHER IT'S A TONY & GUY OR JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, ALL OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE GOT AS A DISTRICT, I KNOW WE'RE BUILDING THOSE.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADD THEM. BUT THESE KIND OF EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THESE CTE SPACES, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT HAVING THOSE TEAMING PARTNERS.
THAT'S A CRITICAL PIECE. SO I WANT TO ALWAYS.
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MS. MCGOWAN? ONE MORE THING. I'M SORRY, I MEANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE CTE, THE VET CENTER.
I LIKE HIGHLANDS, WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING. I JUST ASKED MISS BRANUM, WHERE'S THE PRICE LIST? WHERE, HOW ARE WE ADVERTISING THIS? BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO LOVE IT.
SO JUST GIVE US A MINUTE. BUT THEY WILL BE COMING SOON.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WITH THAT, I DO WANT TO ISSUE A QUICK PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT, BECAUSE I'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF TEXTS DURING THIS FROM PEOPLE WATCHING. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M A LITTLE DIFFERENT TODAY.
SO MY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT IS WHERE YOUR SUNSCREEN AND IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO TELL YOUR KIDS TO WEAR THEIR SUNSCREEN, BECAUSE WHAT THEY DO AT 18 AND 19 WILL CATCH UP WITH THEM AT 53.
SO ANYWAY, HAD TO THROW THAT OUT SO THAT NOBODY ONLINE THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING CONTAGIOUS.
[IV. CLOSED MEETING]
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND SECTION 551.07 FOR PERSONNEL[01:45:10]
MATTERS AND DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICER.THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10:30 P.M. ON AUGUST 21ST,
2025.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.