[1. REGULAR MEETING CALL TO ORDER - 5:30 PM]
[00:00:08]
>> [BACKGROUND] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO OUR APRIL 24TH BOARD MEETING.
IT IS A LITTLE AFTER 5:30, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO IF YOU PLEASE RISE IF YOU'RE ABLE AND JOIN ME, CONNIE HENNESSY WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.
>> NEXT IS OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, AND THAT WILL BE READ BY TRACY MALONE.
>> I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGION OF CANVAS IS LOCATED ON THE ANCESTRAL AND TERRITORIAL LANDS OF THE CHINOOK AND CAL ITS PEOPLE AND THAT THE CHINOOK ARE STILL FIGHTING TO BE A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE ON THEIR OWN LAND.
>> THANKS, TRACY. ITEM 2 ON THE AGENDA IS OUR MILL TOWN PRIDE AWARDS.
[2. MILL TOWN PRIDE AWARD(S)]
I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO DR. ANGELO.>> THANK YOU, COREY, AND GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE THIS EVENING.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT MIDDLETOWN PROVIDE TONIGHT WE HAVE SEVERAL AWARDEES.
FIRST, WE'LL START OFF WITH OUR ESD 112, SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGIONAL ART AWARD WINNERS.
IF YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT, I KNOW WE'VE ALL BEEN INVITED.
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE HERE TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD AND PLEASE COME FORWARD.
NICOLE HERE? COME ON UP, NICOLE.
MALLORY WOODWARD, HALEY YOSSI KALA.
SANTA HERE, DO YOU KNOW? PAIGE FOLLY.
IS PAIGE HERE? [LAUGHTER] MORE TIME FOR YOUR SPEECHES.
I'M JUST KIDDING. [LAUGHTER] OKAY.
LET'S CONGRATULATE THESE LADIES.
[APPLAUSE] AGAIN, THESE ARE STUDENTS OF THE SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGIONAL ART AWARD, AND I CAN GO THROUGH EACH ONE SO THE AUDIENCE CAN SEE.
WITH PAIGE AND HANNAH BOTH RECEIVED THE HIGHEST AVERAGE SCORES FROM THE JUDGES AND WILL REPRESENT THE SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION IN THE ANNUAL STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION ART SHOW IN OLYMPIA.
LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL PICTURE THERE.
[APPLAUSE] PAIGE AND HANNAH ALSO BOTH RECEIVED THE HIGHEST AVERAGE SCORES FROM THE JUDGES AND WILL REPRESENT THE SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION.
WHAT KIND OF MEDIUM IS THAT? IS THAT ACRYLIC? YOU DON'T KNOW? WELL THOUGHT ANYWAY, [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE].
THIS WAS THE AWARD WINNER FOR MALLORY WOODWARD.
MALLORY'S WORK WAS RATED VERY HIGHLY BY THE JUDGES IN THE FOR JUDGING CATEGORIES, ORIGINALITY, COMPOSITION, EMOTION, AND TECHNIQUE.
I WOULD AGREE LOOK AT THAT IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.
GOOD JOB MALLORY. [APPLAUSE] AN HONORABLE MENTIONED WAS NICOLE LAMBERT FOR THEIR IMPRESSIVE PIECE TITLED PREMONITION GORGEOUS PIECE.
[APPLAUSE] HAYLEY WAS FEATURED IN THE ESD 112 AWARDS VIDEO CEREMONY AND SHE WAS NOMINATED FOR THE SHOW BY HER VISUAL ARTS TEACHER AT CAMERAS HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU IF THE TEACHER IS HERE.
BEAUTIFUL WORK. WELL, I CONGRATULATE YOU AND GIVE YOU THERE. [NOISE]
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? CAN YOU GUYS JUST TELL ME WHAT GRADE YOU'RE IN? WHO YOUR TEACHER IS AND WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT ART?
>> [INAUDIBLE] SORRY. [LAUGHTER] WE'RE BOTH IN HAITI HEATS OKLA. WE'RE BOTH SENIORS. [APPLAUSE]
>> HELLO ONE MORE TIME FOR THESE AMAZING ARTISTS. GREAT JOB.
[00:05:02]
[APPLAUSE] AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CANVAS HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR, FOR MANY YEARS IS OUR INCREDIBLE ROBOTICS PROGRAM AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE PACIFIC NORTHWEST DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP DEAN'S LIST FINALIST AWARD.THIS IS A VERY ESTEEMED HONOR FOR ROBOTICS TEAM MEAN MACHINE.
AILA SERVED AS PRESIDENT AND CHS IS SHE'S A CHS JUNIOR.
I SAW THIS STUDENT IN ACTION ABSOLUTE, WONDERFUL LEADER.
INCREDIBLE WORK AND I KNOW WE'RE ALSO PROUD OF THE WORK IN HER LEADERSHIP.
CAN AILA COME ON UP? CONGRATULATIONS AILA. [INAUDIBLE] [APPLAUSE]
>> IS THAT ON. MY NAME IS BRUCE WHITEFIELD AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF A MENTORING THE ROBOTICS TEAM FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
EVERY NOW AND THEN WE RUN ACROSS SOME PRETTY INCREDIBLE STUDENTS.
NOW THE FIRST ROBOTICS IS AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AND IT'S TWO BY WORDS ARE GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM.
PROFESSIONALISM IS LEARNING EVERYTHING YOU CAN, BEING THE BEST YOU CAN, COMPETING LIKE CRAZY.
BUT GRACIOUS, IS THAT COMPETITION FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND WILL ALWAYS HELP OTHER PEOPLE AND WE HELP PEOPLE ON OUR OWN TEAMS AND THAT GRACIOUSNESS IS THAT YOU'RE BEING A PROFESSIONAL AND LEARNING AND DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN THE BEST YOU CAN, BUT YOU'RE RAISING EVERYBODY ELSE WITH YOU.
NOW ALL OF THE WARDS, THE STUDENTS CAN WIN IN ROBOTICS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THEM, BUT THEY'RE GIVEN OUT AS A TEAM EFFORT EXCEPT ONE AND THAT'S THE DEAN'S LIST.
THE DEAN'S LIST IS AN AWARD FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS NOMINATED BY THEIR TEAM AND BY THE STUDENTS ON THE TEAM, BY THE MENTORS ON THE TEAM AS SOMEBODY THAT EXEMPLIFIES THIS GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM.
THEY LEARN HOW TO DO STUFF THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO STUFF THEY LEARN IT, BUT THEN THEY TEACH IT TO OTHERS AND THEY BRING THEM UP ALONG WITH THEM.
OUT OF THE 150, SO TWO TEAMS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, IOWA WAS NOMINATED BY OUR TEAM AND THEN WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS WITH JUDGES AND TWO LEVELS OF INTERVIEWS AND WAS ONE OF THE FOUR STUDENTS IN THE ENTIRE PACIFIC NORTHWEST THAT REPRESENTED US AT THE WORLD COMPETITION IN HOUSTON.
IT IS REALLY AMAZING AWARD, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A PLEASURE SINCE AYLA JOINED THE TEAM AS AN EIGHTH GRADER.
ABOUT THREE MINUTES AFTER SHE SAW THE ROBOT BEING DEMONSTRATED AT THE CAMP TOWN YOUTH FESTIVAL.
ANYWAY, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL JOURNEY TO WATCH AND IT'S GIVEN OUT TO JUNIOR SO THEY CAN HAVE ANOTHER YEAR TO AMAZE US. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND]
>> HOW ABOUT ONE MORE HAND FOR AYLA? THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
>> THANK YOU. WAY TO GET THINGS STARTED.
NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE DOWN TO ITEM THREE.
[3. STUDENT REPORTS]
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF STUDENT REPORTS.FIRST, WE HAVE A STUDENT REPORT FROM CAMAS HIGH SCHOOL.
FOR THOSE REPS, IF YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE HERE AND TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> COREY, WE HAVE ALEXA WARNER AND CODY KANDARIAN.
>> MY NAME IS ALEXA WARNER AND I'M THE CHS TREASURER.
>> MY NAME IS CODY KANDARIAN AND I AM THE CHS SECRETARY.
WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF UPDATES ON WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL.
TO START WITH CLUBS AND COMPETITION, SCIENCE OLYMPIAD PLACED SECOND INSTEAD.
>> THEN THERE WAS A MODEL UN COMPETITION TWO WEEKS AGO AND AFTER MUCH RESEARCH AND PREPARATION, THE TEAM REPRESENTED THE REPUBLIC OF HAITI AND DEBATED A WIDE VARIETY OF GLOBAL ISSUES SUCH AS SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND MORE.
>> THEN OUR SKILLSUSA CLUB COMPETED TWO WEEKS AGO IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON, AND TOOK HOME GOLD AND SILVER IN THE 2D VISUALIZATION AND ANIMATION CATEGORY.
[00:10:07]
>> THEN MOCK TRIAL COMPETED LAST WEEK AT STATE.
>> KNOWLEDGEABLE WON THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT AND JUST COMPETED AS THAT.
>> THIS WEEK WE HAVE DECA STUDENTS COMPETING AT INTERNATIONALS.
>> OUR GREEN TEAM RECENTLY FINISHED HELPING COLLECT 433 POUNDS OF PLASTIC, PLACING 13TH IN THE NATION.
>> THEN WE JUST HAD OUR SPRING MUSICAL, ANASTASIA, AND IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED AND I'VE HEARD VERY GOOD REVIEWS.
>> THEN BAND PERFORMED AT DISNEYLAND DURING SPRING BREAK AND STUDENTS LOVE THEIR EXPERIENCE.
>> THEN WE RECENTLY HAD ENGLISH STATE TESTING, AND THEN THIS WEEK WE'LL HAVE MATH, AND NEXT MONTH WE'LL HAVE SCIENCE.
>> THEN IN LEADERSHIP CLASS, WE'RE DOING RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKS.
AN EXAMPLE OF IT, WAS DURING LUNCH, WE HANDED OUT ICE CREAM TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS DURING THESE HARD MONTHS.
>> THEN WE HAD OUR SENIOR CLASS PHOTO TAKEN LAST WEEK IN THE GYM.
THAT'LL GET PUT IN THE YEARBOOK.
>> WE CREATED AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT FOR THE CLASS OF 2023 SO THEY COULD POST THERE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO NEXT YEAR AND PUT THEIR SENIOR POST ON IT.
>> THEN WE HAVE A PROM COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
WE STARTED SELLING TICKETS LAST WEEK.
OUR THEME IS MASQUERADE, IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM.
WE HAVE A SPIRIT WEEK THAT STARTED THIS WEEK ACTUALLY TODAY WAS TO BRING A BLANKET TO SCHOOL, AND THEN WE HAVE AN ASSEMBLY BEFORE PROM ON FRIDAY WHERE WE'LL DO PROM ROYALTY.
>> THEN WE'RE PLANNING FOR GRADUATION, WHICH IS ON JUNE 9TH.
>> THEN JUST BEFORE THAT, WE'LL HAVE A SENIOR FAMILY PICNIC AND THAT'LL BE ON THE 31ST OF MAY.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING INCLUDING TEAMS AND FOOD AND FUN, THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> [APPLAUSE] ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THEM? I WILL SAY I APPRECIATE WE ALL GOT INVITES TO DO SOME GRILLING, I THINK AT THAT SENIOR BARBECUE THERE AT THE END.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO BE THERE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT.
RIGHT IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, TRACY.
ITEM 3B ON THE AGENDA IS A REPORT FROM OUR STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEES SO SOPHIA AND HADLEY COME ON UP.
>> HELLO, I'M HADLEY FROM STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN MARCH.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAD AN AFTER-ACTION REVIEW MEETING PROVIDING VALUABLE FEEDBACK IN PREPARATION FOR OUR LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE NEXT YEAR.
WINDOWS AND MIRRORS SUBCOMMITTEE IS WORKING WITH HELEN VALOR TO PRESENT THEIR FIRST-GRADE LESSON AND ARE HOPING TO COMPLETE THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SOPHIA JOHNSON AND I'M ON THE STUDENT EXPERIENCES SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE SUBCOMMITTEE PREPARED AND PRESENTED OUR SURVEY TO OUR STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE GROUP IN PREPARATION OF GATHERING STUDENT VOICE AND EXPERIENCES IN CAMAS.
WE'VE ALSO PREPARED A FLYER AND UPDATED THE STUDENT APPLICATION FORUM FOR INTERESTED STUDENTS IN SAC FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
WE PLAN TO HAVE INFORMATION OUT INTO THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY MID-MAY, AND WE'LL BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS UNTIL MAY 31ST.
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCES SUBCOMMITTEE IS ALSO PLANNING TO EXPAND OUR SURVEY NEXT YEAR TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> SORRY, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
FOR THE COMMITTEE, HOW LONG DO YOU SERVE? IS IT A TWO-YEAR TERM AND THEN SO SOME ARE ROLLING OFF AS YOU'RE GATHERING NEW MEMBERS OR HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> YOU HAVE A WHOLE NEW CREW EVERY YEAR?
>> NOT NECESSARILY. YOU CAN REAPPLY.
>> AWESOME. WHERE DO YOU GO? ARE YOU REAPPLYING?
THERE HAS EVER BEEN AN OVER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO JOIN, THOUGH IT'S NORMALLY [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN MARCH, I GOT A CHANCE TO POP INTO SOME OF THAT.
IT FELT LIKE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT I WOULD RECEIVE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE, ADULT DRIVEN, AND IT WAS VERY WELL ORGANIZED.
[00:15:01]
GREAT INFORMATION.I'M CURIOUS JUST IF YOU GOT ANY FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED OR IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING OR IS IT GOING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES ON IT? SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THIS.
>> I DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE I DID NOT GO.
>> WELL, I WENT. [LAUGHTER] I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE THAT BE AT LEAST AN ANNUAL THING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE PERSON WHO PLANNED IT ON ERICA, SHE WORKED REALLY HARD ON IT AND IT TOOK, I THINK HER ENTIRE TIME ON STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO GET THAT GOING BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A LOT OF WORK TO PLAN THAT EVENT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY VALUABLE TO DO IT AGAIN, BUT I DON T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ANYTHING LIKE AN ANNUAL THING.
>> BUT YEAH. [OVERLAPPING] I ALSO FOUND IT REALLY VALUABLE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I THINK BRINGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS FOR SOME LEADERSHIP WORK AND JUST THAT UNITY, IT WAS AMAZING TO WATCH.
YOU HAD A GREAT KEYNOTE SPEAKER WITH NAN HENDRIX AND IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
WHO DID YOU SAY WAS THE ONE WHO BASICALLY SPEARHEADED THAT? WAS IT ERICA?
>> MY COMPLIMENTS TO HER BECAUSE IT WAS [OVERLAPPING] FANTASTIC.
>> I GOT NOTHING BUT POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THEM? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[4. BOARD COMMUNICATION]
>> NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM 4A BOARD COMMUNICATION, I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A BUSY FEW WEEKS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING IN APRIL OR IN MARCH, AND LAST WEEK WE GOT TO DO QUITE A FEW OF OUR COFFEE AND CONVERSATION CONVERSATIONS, THAT WAS REDUNDANT.
BUT WEDNESDAY WE DID ONE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HAD GREAT TURNOUT FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR THAT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE SATURDAY, WE WERE ABLE TO DO ONE WITH STAFF.
IT'S SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN SOME DIALOGUE AND SOME QUESTION-AND-ANSWER.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF BOARD HAS ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT OR ANY COMMENTS, THINGS THAT HAVE STUCK WITH YOU SINCE THEN.
>> I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND BOTH OF THEM AND I APPRECIATED.
WE HAD SOME CONVERSATION WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND THEN SATURDAY ON STAFF.
BECAUSE IN OUR BOARD MEETINGS, WHEN WE DO PUBLIC COMMENTS, AS YOU GUYS MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, WE'RE NOT BY LAW ALLOWED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, WE JUST LISTEN.
THESE WERE NICE FORUMS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO HAVE A BACK-AND-FORTH DISCUSSION WHICH IS REALLY VALUABLE.
I HOPE IT WAS VALUABLE FOR EVERYBODY THAT WAS THERE, SUPER VALUABLE FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THE IMPACT OF BUDGET CUTS AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THERE WAS IN THE STAFF WENT ON SATURDAY, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION JUST ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS IN AS FAR AS STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND STATE LAWS THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE ARE ABLE TO HOLD STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE AND THE IMPACT THAT'S HAVING IN THE CLASSROOM AND THERE WAS A REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.
REALLY I CAME AWAY FROM THAT ONE WITH REALLY JUST WE NEED TO HAVE A COMMUNITY INTERVENTION, SOCIETAL INTERVENTION, NOT CANVAS COMMUNITY, BUT A SOCIETAL INTERVENTION.
WHAT'S GOING ON? IT HAS CHANGED SINCE COVID.
I WORK IN A SCHOOL MYSELF IN A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT, AND I SEE IT EVERY DAY AND IT'S REAL AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE DOING WITH THAT.
THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH STAFF AND TO HEAR, AND I THINK FOR ALL THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS TO REALIZE IT'S NOT JUST AT MY SCHOOL, IT'S NOT JUST IN MY CLASSROOM, IT'S NOT JUST IN MY DISTRICT BUT WE ARE DEALING WITH IT HERE.
THAT WAS SUPER INTERESTING, AND THAT WAS FROM SATURDAY.
WE HAD A VERY LONG ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AND I REALLY VALUE IT.
>> NO. I'LL JUST ECHO SOME OF WHAT CONNIE SAID.
I WASN'T ABLE TO TEND TO SATURDAY ONE, BUT THE WEDNESDAY ONE WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED AND IT WAS FOR TWO HOURS.
BUT I KNOW WE ALL STAYED AN EXTRA HOUR AND HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH THE STUDENTS FROM DISCOVERY AND OUT OF THAT, AND BEFORE THAT WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT AND WE'RE MEETING WITH DISCOVERY STUDENTS TOMORROW, JUST SO THAT WE WANT TO MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE.
THOSE COFFEE AND COMMUNITY TALKS, WE'VE BEEN DOING THEM FOR AWHILE BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND HEAR THE COMMUNITY AND THIS FORM ISN'T ALWAYS THE BEST PLACE WHERE THAT HAPPENS.
WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OUT OF THEM.
[00:20:02]
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE PLANNING SOME MORE.MAKE SURE YOU LOOK FOR THOSE AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS IF THEY WANT TO COME OR REACH OUT TO US ANYTIME TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IT'S GREAT WHEN WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AND WE SEE THE COMMUNITY AND ARE ABLE TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU GUYS. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
>> SAME THING. IT WAS INFORMATIVE TO SEE THE STUDENTS PRESENT THERE, THE COMMUNITY, THE TEACHERS, THE STAFF.
LIKE THEY SAID, WE DON'T GET TO COMMUNICATE HERE, SO THAT TYPE OF FORM OF A SMALL COFFEE TALK WAS AWESOME BECAUSE GIVE EVERYONE TIME TO CHAT, TO POUR OUT THEIR CONCERNS.
I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH PASSION, PASSION COMING FROM THE STUDENTS, PASSION COMING FROM THE STAFF.
EVERYONE IS IN IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, FOR THE SAME REASON.
IT WAS VERY HEARTWARMING, BUT ALSO HEARTBREAKING SOMETIMES JUST TO HEAR ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER TO ATTACK ONE THING AT A TIME, WHICH IS REALLY NICE TO SEE THAT WE ARE A TEAM.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I GOT FROM THE SMALLER TALK AND HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THOSE TWO THINGS. THANK YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY. NO, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO REITERATE AS WELL, WHEN WE WERE TALKING WITH STAFF AND COMMUNITY, BOTH OF THEM IT CAME UP THAT THIS TIME THAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE EXTRA STAFF IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE'RE SHORT STAFFED, AND WE HAVE TO CUT.
IT'S A HORRIBLE POSITION TO BE IN.
THERE'S SO MANY LAYERS TO IT AND WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AND TRYING TO PRESERVE THE EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM FOR KIDS, TRIED TO MAKE CUTS FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOMS, IT'S TOUGH.
THERE'S NOT AN EASY ANSWER AND IT SUCKS BASICALLY.
I MEAN IT'S NOT A FUN TIME AND WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR DISTRICT AND FOR OUR SMILING FACES HERE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT THAT YOU JUST MADE THERE.
NONE OF US ARE UP HERE BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE IN THIS DISTRICT OR THAT WE WANT TO TEAR IT DOWN OR WE WANT TO MAKE IT LESS THAN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
EVERYBODY UP HERE, ARE STRONG BELIEVERS IN CAMAS, STRONG BELIEVERS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH A SITUATION THAT IS, WE'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS NOW IS THIS PERFECT STORM AND THERE ARE NO GOOD OPTIONS.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT CERTAIN PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE FEEL RIGHTLY SO PASSIONATELY ABOUT.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO DO IS BEHIND THE SCENES BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE PROCESS BY LAW OR BY CONTRACT HAS TO BE.
I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PUT OUT WHAT WE CAN WHENEVER WE CAN.
BUT BECAUSE 90% OF OUR BUDGET IS SALARIES AND BENEFITS, WE'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE AND HUMAN RESOURCES.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO THAT WE HAVE TO HONOR WITH THAT, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
THESE ARE JUST HEART WRENCHING DECISIONS.
I THINK THAT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS A BOARD IS PRIORITIZE THE PEOPLE.
IT MAY NOT ALWAYS SEEM LIKE THAT WHEN IT'S THE THING THAT MEANS THE MOST TO YOU AS ONE, AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR AS A GROUP, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN UP HERE TO PRIORITIZE EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW THAT IS IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE.
FOR EVERY POSITION THAT STAYS OR GOES, IT HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT.
IT HAS THOSE TENTACLES, THE OCTOPUS THAT REACHES DOWN.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEN OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASS SIZES ARE LARGER OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT WE AS A BOARD WRESTLE WITH.
WE DO OUR BEST TO TO INFORM AND TO ADVISE OUR SUPERINTENDENT, ARE THE BIG THREE JOBS OF THE BOARD.
MAKE POLICY, CREATE A BUDGET, AND HIRE A SUPERINTENDED TO OVERSEE THOSE THINGS.
WHICH IS WHY I KNOW WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION LAST MONTH ABOUT OUR REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM MODEL RESOLUTION THAT CAME OUT AND WHY IT WAS SO BROAD.
THAT IS THE JOB OF A HIGHLY FUNCTIONING BOARD,
[00:25:02]
NOT TO MICROMANAGE DOWN TO THAT LEVEL.OUR JOB IS TO SET THAT BUDGET.
WE HIRE A SUPERINTENDENT THAT WE HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN, WHO THEN GOES BACK TO HIS CABINET AND DOWN WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATE AND I KNOW JOHN, YOU MIGHT MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT THIS IN YOUR REPORT, BUT THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT'S BEEN IN THERE AND REALLY PUTTING IT BACK TO THE INDIVIDUAL PRINCIPALS AND THE BUILDINGS, THIS IS NOT A TOP-HEAVY, DICTATORIAL DISTRICT.
WE REALLY ARE PUTTING IT BACK TO THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.
IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT AND WE KNOW IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAIN AND THE HEARTACHE THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING.
BELIEVE US WHEN WE SAY THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IT OURSELVES.
THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT GLOOMY LOOKS FROM THE BOARD AFTER THE LAST MEETING.
NONE OF THIS IS WHAT ANY OF US WANT IN THIS POSITION, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE ELECTED TO DO AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO REFLECT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
WE KNOW THERE'S NO PERFECT DECISION TO THIS, THERE'S ALWAYS BAD DECISIONS.
IT'S NOTHING BUT BAD DECISIONS TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
YOUR BAD CHOICES, I SHOULD SAY, I'M SORRY.
WE ARE WE ARE COMMITTED TO CAMAS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS DISTRICT.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF.
I'M GOING ON, I COULD RAMBLE FOREVER, BUT IT'S BEEN HARD.
IT'S GOING TO KEEP BEING HARD, BUT WE TRUST OUR STAFF, WE TRUST OUR COMMUNITY AND THROUGH A UNITED EFFORT WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS, WE WILL.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WANTED TO TOUCH ON, ANYTHING THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND IN THE LAST MONTH OR GO AHEAD?
>> SORRY, I JUST SWITCH OFF HERE SO QUICKLY.
I WENT TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING ON THURSDAY NIGHT, WRAPPING UP THIS PROCESS AND THE INPUT THAT THEY HAD AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SWITCH GEARS, AND LISA [INAUDIBLE] OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, LED US THROUGH A PROCESS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AND SHE'S GOING OUT ENGAGING VERY DIFFERENT GROUPS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WAS JUST ALSO IN THE CITY SCHOOLS MEETING RIGHT BEFORE THIS AND WE WENT THROUGH THE SAME EXERCISE.
GATHERING INFORMATION ON WHAT IS OUR DISTRICT DOING WELL, WHAT ARE WE DOING WELL AND WANT TO CONTINUE AND WHAT ARE SOME NEW THINGS WE'D LIKE TO SEE OR AREAS THAT WE THINK WE NEED TO MOVE INTO AND GATHERING THAT FROM ALL OUR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS? IT WAS A GREAT PROCESS AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO AND THEN WE HAVE TO RATE THEM LIKE EVERYBODY GETS THREE STICKERS AND RATE WHAT OUR TOP ONES ARE.
THEN WE'LL GATHER ALL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER AND WE'LL HELP GUIDE US IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH EVENTUALLY GUIDES OUR BUDGET, GUIDES WHAT WE OFFER, GUIDES THE DIRECTION THAT WE GO IN.
IT'S REALLY SUPER IMPORTANT WORK AND TO HAVE EVERYBODY'S VOICE IN IT.
THANK YOU, LISA, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS GET AN OPPORTUNITY IN OTHER COMMITTEES THAT YOU'RE ON TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
>> I'LL JUST JUMP ON HERE, I KNOW WE ALSO DID SOME SITE VISITS.
WE LOVE BEING OUT IN THE BUILDINGS AND SO IT'S HARD BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WHAT DID I DO THIS PAST MONTH? WELL, WE DID SOME SITE VISITS.
I KNOW WE WENT TO SKY SKY RIDGE AND TWO ARE THERE AND YOU GUYS DID A FEW THAT I DIDN'T MAKE, BUT WE TRIED TO HIT EVERY SCHOOL AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.
WE TAKE HALF A DAY OR A WHOLE DAY AND SPEND TIME IN SCHOOLS AND TALK TO THE KIDS AND THE STAFF THERE.
WE ALSO HAD A WORKSHOP AND WE SPENT SOME TIME ON THE UL PROPERTY, WHICH IS A GEM OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE AND JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH IT AND WHAT THE FUTURE IS FOR THAT.
WE HAD SOME CONSULTANTS FROM ESD HERE THAT JUST RAN THROUGH SOME NUMBERS WITH US AND GAVE US SOME IDEAS OF WHAT POSSIBLY WE COULD TURN THAT INTO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ALSO, WE HAD MARYLINE AND GARY GIVE A LITTLE PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR CHOICE HIGH-SCHOOLS AND SOME MARKETING FOR THEM.
THAT WAS A DISCOVERY VIDEO AND A HAZE FREEDOM VIDEO, WHICH I THOUGHT WERE FABULOUS TO GET OUT.
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CCA VIDEO YEP.
TO GET OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, TO JUST SHOW EVERYONE, LOOK AT THESE CHOICE HIGH-SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN THESE ARE ALL OPTIONS FOR YOU.
THE VIDEOS WERE FANTASTIC AND WORK ON THE MARKETING THERE, AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT BESIDES TOMORROW OUR STUDENTS, WHERE OUR CONVERSATION AT DISTANCE.
>> YOU KNOW TO TAKE IT BACK A LITTLE BIT TO OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WITH STAFF AND COMMUNITY.
WE HEAR FREQUENTLY ABOUT THE LED BETTER CAMPUS,
[00:30:01]
THE FORMER UN BUILDING THAT THE DISTRICT PURCHASED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS IF THEY WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.THAT WORKSHOP WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING THE DISTRICT.
WE HAVE PROPERTY RIGHT, WE HAVE PROPERTY AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT MAKES THAT'S PART OF OUR BOND PROCESS IS PURCHASING NEW PROPERTY.
WHAT MAKES THE LEAD BETTER CAMPUS SO UNIQUE IS THAT THERE'S A BUILDING ON IT.
I THINK BECAUSE THERE'S A BUILDING ON IT, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT AWAY WITH THAT.
THERE'S SOME GOOD CONVERSATION ON THERE FROM OUR WORKSHOP AT THE DATE WAS THAT APRIL 10TH OR.
>> TWO MONDAYS AGO WHENEVER THAT WAS.
GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND CHECK THAT OUT.
JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS ARE ALL LIVE STREAMED AND THEN THEY'RE ARCHIVED.
YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND YOU CAN CLICK ON AGENDA ITEMS AND SEE THE VIDEO THAT'S RELATED TO IT.
IF YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS, YOU CAN GO BACK AND WATCH IT AGAIN. ANYTHING ELSE?
>> JUST SAME THINGS THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THAT TRACY HAD ATTENDED.
THE COFFEE TAGS, THE SKYPE IS VISIT.
IT IS NO BETTER WAY TO LEARN WHAT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A STUDENT AND THE TEACHER IS THEN TO BE PRESENT AT THOSE SCHOOLS TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE RUN.
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS I DID ENJOY AND LOVED VOLUNTEERING AS MUCH AS I DID BACK IN THE DAY WHEN KIDS WERE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I LEARNED A LOT BY THOSE VISITS, AND THE COFFEE TALKS WERE GREAT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY WAS, I KNOW A LOT OF THE TIMES IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE MAYBE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD OR ANYONE'S PAYING ATTENTION.
I ASSURE YOU THAT I FEEL LIKE WE ALL ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
WE ALL ARE HEARING AND LISTENING AND COMING FROM A BIT OF A HEALTHCARE BACKGROUND, I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM EFFORT.
IF ANYTHING, IN THIS DISTRICT, WE DO WORK WELL WITH EACH OTHER.
THERE'S NOT ONE DECISION THAT'S JUST MADE BY ONE INDIVIDUAL.
WE HEAR ALL SIDES, THERE ARE TEACHERS INVOLVED THERE, SUPERINTENDENTS INVOLVED, THE BOARDS INVOLVED, I MEAN, IT IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM AND NO BETTER WORKING PLACE THAN A PLACE THAT APPRECIATE THAT TYPE OF APPROACH.
IT IS BEING HEARD, IT IS BEING READ AND I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT.
>> THANK YOU. JOHN, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN REALLY QUICK BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
>> YEAH. JUST ON A DIFFERENT NOTE REALLY QUICKLY BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE TO LEAVE SOON.
MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY COUNTRIES IN THE EASTERN EUROPE, SPECIFICALLY POLAND AND SLOVAKIA AND OTHERS.
MANY OF YOU KNOW WE'VE WELCOMED 13 DELEGATES THIS WEEK AND THERE'LL BE GOING INTO SEATTLE AND OLYMPIA AND THEN BACK TO CANVAS.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HOSTING TWO AMAZING MAYORS FROM ONE FROM POLAND, IN ONE FROM SLOVAKIA AT MY HOUSE WITH MY FAMILY.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR COMING TO CITY SCHOOLS AND ALSO SHARING SOME TIME AT OUR BOARD MEETING.
I KNOW THEY HAVE TO LEAVE SOON.
IF WE CAN JUST GIVE A HAND TO MAYORS.
[APPLAUSE] TO MY LEFT IS MR. MARTIN MUSIC, HE IS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF [INAUDIBLE] IN POLAND.
I PROBABLY BUTCHERED THAT, BUT ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO MEET YOU AND NOT BAD AND TO HIS LEFT IS MR. MICHAEL DROTAVON, HE IS THE MAYOR OF RAJA.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT TOGETHER, MIKE AND THAT IS IN THE COUNTRY OF SLOVAKIA.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR SPENDING SOME TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND OUR FAMILY HERE IN CANVAS AND WE WISH YOU NOTHING BUT A GREAT WEEK HERE IN AROUND CANVAS.
THANK YOU BOTH AGAIN. [APPLAUSE]
[5. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
>> ALL RIGHT, THAT MOVES US ON TO ITEM 5, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE DO HAVE EIGHT PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE WRITTEN THAT WERE RECEIVED BEFORE THE ATM DEADLINE THIS MORNING, SO THOSE ARE INCLUDED FOR THE RECORD IN THE AGENDA.
FIRST, THE DIRECTIONS HERE, THE BOARD VALUES PUBLIC INPUT.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD IS TO ACTIVELY LISTEN AND REFLECT ON PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE BOARD MAY ONLY DISCUSS AN ACT UPON ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE WRITTEN AGENDA.
FOR THAT REASON, BOARD MEMBERS CANNOT RESPOND TO ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT CAN ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT TO FOLLOW UP ON ISSUES RAISED DURING PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC INPUT EMPHASIZE THE RESPECT AND CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS.
BOISTEROUS CONDUCT WILL NOT BE PERMITTED AT ANY MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, NOR WILL ANY HARASSING OR THREATENING REMARKS BE TOLERATED.
COMPLAINTS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE AS A PERSONNEL MATTER.
[00:35:02]
THE BOARD REQUESTS THAT ANYONE WHO HAS SUBMITTED WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS REFRAIN FROM READING THOSE COMMENTS DURING THIS PORTION OF OUR MEETING TO GIVE OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR COMMENTS.EACH PERSON PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES.
ONCE CALLED UPON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM, FACE THE BOARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
THE BELL WILL RING AT THREE MINUTES TO REMIND YOU THAT YOUR TIME IS UP.
ALSO, PER POLICY 1,400, WE AUTHORIZE 30 MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT FOR EACH MEETING.
LOOKING OVER MY LIST HERE I HAVE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH DOES, IF YOU DO THE MATH, DOES PUT US OVER THAT 30-MINUTE MARK.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE IN ORDER TO HAVE EVERYBODY'S VOICES AND EVERYBODY'S POSITIONS AND OPINIONS BE HEARD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE BE BRIEF AND TO AVOID REPEATING OTHERS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE EVERYBODY ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS IS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS WITH THE BOARD GET ADDRESSED.
I'M ALSO GOING TO SAY THAT SOME OF THE HANDWRITING IS VERY DIFFICULT AND I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE AHEAD OF TIME SO IF YOU CAN HELP ME OUT AND PLEASE BE FORGIVING.
OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT IS MIA GREER.
>> HELLO, CAMERAS SCHOOL BOARD.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, I'D LIKE I'D ASK YOU TO PLEASE SET ASIDE YOUR DEVICES AND PAY ATTENTION.
LAST TIME I SPOKE, I CAME TO YOU WITH DATA AND SOLUTIONS.
I HAVE SPENT WEEKS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR PLAN IS AND CAN ONLY COME TO ONE REASONABLE CONCLUSION. YOU HAVE NONE.
WHAT REASONABLE PLAN COULD INCLUDE LAYING OFF A THIRD OF OUR TEACHING STAFF, OR ENGLISH TEACHER OR SCIENCE TEACHER, OUR MEDIA CENTER AND MEDIA PRODUCTION TEACHER WHO HAS BEEN A TEACHER IN YOUR DISTRICT FOR 18 YEARS.
YOU CLAIM TO HAVE A TRADITION OF QUEUING AND QUALITY.
MAYBE HAVING THE ONE SCHOOL WHERE I EVER FOUND A HOME DESTROYED PIECE-BY-PIECE IS PART OF SOME MASTER PLAN, BUT I CAN'T SEE IT.
NO LONGER WILL I BE ABLE TO TURN TO MRS. FOR HIS V WHEN I NEED SCIENCE HELP.
NO LONGER WILL I BE ABLE TO ASK MR. ICE GROWTH FOR WRITING ADVICE.
NO LONGER WILL I BE ABLE TO GO TO THE LIBRARY AND TALK TO MR. MADISON WHEN I WANT A BOOK OR NEED TO HIDE.
YOU SAID THERE HAVE BEEN SLEEPLESS NIGHTS OVER THESE DISCUSSIONS.
I HOPE YOU'VE HAD AS MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AS WE HAVE, AS WE WONDERED WHETHER WE'D EVEN HAVE A SCHOOL ON EURO TOO, I HOPE YOU'VE HAD AS MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AS WE HAVE WHEN WE REALIZED OUR SIBLINGS WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS SCHOOL, YOU, WE'VE FOUND A HOME IN.
I HOPE WHAT YOU'VE DONE KEEPS YOU AWAKE AT NIGHT BECAUSE IT KEEPS ME AWAKE.
MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I AM A STUDENT AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
FOR THE PAST MONTH OR SO, THE STUDENTS AT OUR SCHOOL HAD BEEN PLAGUED WITH UNEASE AND UNCERTAINTY REGARDING DECISIONS MADE BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AT A MEETING JUST LIKE THIS.
BUT OUT OF ALL THOSE THINGS, PREDOMINANTLY, WE'RE ANGRY.
ANGRY AT HAVING OUR QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, AND PLEASE DISMISSED.
ANGRY AT DECISIONS THAT WILL BREAK OUR PROGRAM.
ANGRY AT THE LACK OF CARE SHOWN FOR OUR SCHOOL AND OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN IN PBL FOR JUST ABOUT HALF OF MY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE AND IT'S TAUGHT ME HOW TO PRESENT AND USE MY VOICE TO SPEAK UP ABOUT MY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AND THE THINGS I BELIEVE THAT OUR RIGHT.
WELL, APPARENTLY THAT DOESN'T MATTER WHEN THE PEOPLE WERE ADDRESSING, REFUSED TO LISTEN.
OUR REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND PLEASED TO BE HEARD HAVE BEEN MET WITH DEFLECTIONS AND DISMISSAL AT ALMOST EVERY TURN.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT THAT THESE DECISIONS ARE SOMETHING THAT THEY HOPE BENEFITS THE SCHOOLS IN THE LONG RUN.
WELL, A HOPE AND A PRAYER ARE GREAT, BUT THEY DON'T MAKE A STRATEGY.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT AFFECTS A CORE PART OF OUR PROGRAMS FUTURE.
AT DISCOVERY AND ODYSSEY, THE TEACHERS ARE THE HEART OF OUR PROGRAM.
[00:40:01]
THEY BUILD PROJECTS, THEY HELP SUPPORT STUDENTS AND ABOVE ALL ENCOURAGE US TO RISE ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR OWN EXPECTATIONS.THEY HELP US SO THAT WE CAN FILL OUR MISSION OF LEARNING FOR LIFE.
THEY ARE THE VERY FOUNDATION THAT PBL IS BUILT ON.
HOW WAS RIPPING AWAY A GOOD THIRD OF THAT FOUNDATION, ANYTHING BUT CRIPPLING OUR PROGRAM? INSTEAD OF JUST HOPES AND DREAMS, WE NEED TO HEAR CONCRETE PLANS.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS JACK HARDING.
I'M A JUNIOR AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN QUESTIONING WHY WOULD SAY TO YOU ALL TONIGHT FOR THE PAST MONTH, RETHINKING EVERY LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SPEECH.
LIKE I TOLD MOST OF YOU AT THE LISTENING SESSION THIS PAST WEDNESDAY, I'VE BEEN IN THE PBL PROGRAM FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, STARTING AT [INAUDIBLE] IN SIXTH GRADE TO NOW A JUNIOR AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL, I WITNESSED A GROUNDBREAKING FOREIGN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM.
I WATCHED AS OUR BUILDING WAS BUILT.
I WAS THE FIRST STUDENT INSIDE OR HIGH SCHOOL DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION.
I WAS SAD, CONFUSED, AND CONCERNED LAST TIME I SPOKE BEFORE YOU.
FOR THE PAST MONTH, ME AND A FEW OF DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ALL GRADES HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO PROTECT OUR SCHOOL AND OUR STAFF.
I UNDERSTAND THAT CUTS NEED TO BE MADE AND THIS IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE.
BUT THE FACT THAT YOU ACTUALLY THINK COMBINING CCA, DISCOVERY AND ODYSSEY UNDER ONE PRINCIPLE IS PROTECTING PBL SHOWS ME THIS BOARD TRULY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND HOW PBL WORKS.
BUT TO BE HONEST, THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE NOT ONE OF YOU HAS ACTUALLY BEEN TO DISCOVERY AND STAY LONG ENOUGH TO SEE OUR SCHOOL AND UNDERSTAND HOW WE BUILT IT UP FUNCTION.
FOR THE RECORD, I SUBMITTED [INAUDIBLE] THAT WAS REVIEWED AND REJECTED BY THIS BOARD AND PLACING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THIS ITEM OUTLINES MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS TO THE BUDGET CUTS THAT WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE.
I ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO READ THEM, AND AT THE VERY LEAST, BECAUSE A PROPER ANSWER TO WHY THEY WILL NOT WORK.
I ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO READ THEM AND COME UP WITH THEIR OWN REASONS WHY THEY WON'T WORK.
MY QUESTION TO THE BOARD IS, IF I ASSUME FROM DISCOVERY THAT HAS BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS, ASSUMING THAT IS PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED TO DISCOVERY AND HOW IT WORKS.
AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE I WANT TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR IF THESE CHANGES HAPPEN AND AFFECT HOW PBL WORKS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CONVINCE A NEW STUDENT TO COME TO DISCOVERY IN THE FIRST PLACE? YOU ARE SAYING YOU AREN'T DESTROYING PBL, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OR THE UNDERSTANDING TO BACK THAT UP.
ALL OF US HERE TODAY, ALL OF US REPRESENTING OUR INCREDIBLE LIVE PBL.
AS PART OF WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE, IS THE REASON WE ARE HERE STANDING BEFORE YOU AND SPEAKING TODAY.
WE ARE TAUGHT EVERY DAY THAT WE MUST FIGHT AND STAND UP FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN AND WE ALL KNOW IS RIGHT.
I DEMAND TO THIS BOARD REPEAL RESOLUTION 22-04 WITH AND WORKS WITH ALL STUDENTS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY TO DESIGN A NEW RESOLUTION THAT REPLENISHES OUR DEFICIT AND WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
YOU WERE PUT HERE BY YOUR COMMUNITY.
THIS COMMUNITY IS BEGGING FOR A NEW SOLUTION IS YOUR OBLIGATION TO DO SO.
>> GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> WE'RE PART OF THE SAME PRESENTATION.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE ISSUE OF TODAY AND LAUREN IS HERE TO PRESENT HOW IT MAKES US FEEL AS A TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 20 YEARS.
WE'VE RAISED OUR KIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT K THROUGH 12.
I RETIRED IN 2018 AFTER 37 YEARS IN INDUSTRY AND HAVE BEEN A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER FOR CAMAS FOR FIVE SEASONS, AND THIS SEASON I'M DRIVING BUS 102. LAUREN.
I'VE BEEN AT SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEE FOR CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 35 YEARS.
SHOULD BE FAMILIAR AT LEAST TO ONE OF YOU UP THERE.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS HOW WE FEEL, HOW WE REACTED WHEN WE HEARD WHAT HAPPENED. PETER'S GOING TO GO FIRST.
[00:45:03]
>> IN RESPONSE TO A LARGE BUDGET DEFICIT WE LEARNED TWO WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE TERMINATION OF OUR TRANSPORTATION SUPERVISOR TAMARA ALISON, AND A PLAN TO REPLACE HER WITH AN OFFSITE PART-TIME LEADERSHIP MODEL.
TRANSPORTATION IS A COMPLEX, FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT COMPRISED OF 66 EMPLOYEES AND WE'RE ALL UNIT FOCUSED ON ONE THING AND THAT'S DELIVERING OUR STUDENTS SAFELY TO AND FROM SCHOOL.
TAMMY AND HER PREDECESSORS HAVE ALWAYS SUPERVISOR ON-SITE AND FULL-TIME, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED AND OFF-SITE PART-TIME SUPERVISORY MODEL WILL COMPROMISE COMMUNICATIONS AND OUR DEPARTMENT OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS, AND OUR DEPARTMENTAL MORALE.
TWO DAYS AFTER TAMMY'S TERMINATION, WE SUBMITTED A LETTER ASKING FOR DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR CONCERN WITH LOSING TAMMY, WHO BY THE WAY, IS AN ESTABLISHED TRANSPORTATION SUPERVISOR WITH AN INDISPENSIBLE COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE, CLASS B, THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO LEGALLY DRIVE A BUS, IN LIEU OF AN OFFSITE PART-TIME LEADERSHIP PLAN.
A WEEK AFTER TAMMY'S TERMINATION, A JOB WAS POSTED TO REPLACE A RETIRING OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR.
WE IMMEDIATELY SUBMITTED A SECOND LETTER REQUESTING DIALOGUE AND ASK THE QUESTION, WHY REPLACE THE RETIRING SUPERVISOR OF 15 PEOPLE AND NOT RETAIN A 16 YEAR TRANSPORTATION SPECIALISTS WITH A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE SUPERVISING 66 PEOPLE? HOW DOES THAT SAVE BUDGET DOLLARS? IN THE LETTER, WE OFFERED AN ALTERNATE BUDGET NEUTRAL STAFFING MODEL THAT ENTAIL THREE THINGS.
ONE, A PAUSE ON FILLING THE RETIRING SUPERVISORS VACANCY.
TWO, ALLOWED FOR TAMMY'S RETENTION.
THREE, THE POTENTIAL TO BETTER DISTRIBUTE THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT SUPERVISORY LOAD AMONG THE REMAINING DEPARTMENT MANAGERS.
NOW WE WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED ANY RESPONSE TO OUR LETTERS EVEN IF WE DIDN'T LIKE IT.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THUS FAR, ALL WE'VE GOTTEN IS SILENCE AND WE WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND.
>> WAS THAT ME? > YEAH. THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE] SORRY, MS. OVERTON, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOUR TURN ON THE LIST TO SIGN UP THERE.
THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE LIST IS MATTHEW MCBRIDE.
>> MATTHEW MCBRIDE HAVE THREE STUDENTS IN THE PBL CAMPUS WHEN THEY SET TO ODYSSEY INTO A DISCOVERY, SO I'M REPRESENTING THEM AND SOME OF THE STUDENTS HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO START WITH AN ODYSSEY TRADITION OF A GLOW.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A GLOW BECAUSE EVERYONE'S NOT DOING THAT [BACKGROUND] LET'S START WITH THE GLOW.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE CHS TALK ABOUT ANESTHESIA AND THEATER PERFORMING ARTS.
APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT CAN GO DO THAT.
I APPRECIATE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE ABLE TO SHOW UP TO SKY RIDGES PERFORMANCE THIS WEEKEND AT GARVER.
IT'S A GREAT ASSET FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DECIDED TO INVEST IN.
ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO DO LIBERTY, IT'S COMING UP IN THREE WEEKS. THAT'S A GLOW.
LOVE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE TO WELCOME PLACE REGARDLESS OF YOUR POSITION ON THIS.
THE REDUCTION IN FORCE, I UNDERSTAND HAS TO HAPPEN.
AS A SCIENTIST, AS SOME OF THE RUNS OF BUSINESS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, ALL I DO IS RESEARCH, AND I'LL LET MY WIFE TALK MORE, SHE'S UP AFTER ME, I BELIEVE.
ABOUT THE LIBRARIAN POSITION OR TECHNICAL LIBRARIAN AND HOW WE'RE LOSING THAT AT DISCOVERY.
BUT AS A SCIENTIST I'M PARTICULARLY WORRIED KNOWING THE PROJECTS THAT THE STUDENTS GET INTO IT, BOTH ODYSSEY AND DISCOVERY.
NOT HAVING SOMEONE THAT'S A TECHNICAL TEACHER, LIBRARIAN THAT UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL NOT ONLY TO THE STUDENTS AND THEIR PROJECTS, BUT IT'S DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROGRAM IF WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO PBL.
WHAT STUDENT IS GOING TO WANT TO COME TO A PBL CAMPUS.
IF THERE'S NOT SOMEBODY THAT CAN HELP THEM GET THEIR RESEARCH DONE AT A BROAD ARRAY OF RESEARCH.
NOT JUST FIND A BOOK, FIND AN ARTICLE.
WE HAVE A MEDIAL LIBRARIAN UNDERSTANDS COMPUTERS CAN ASSIST THE STUDENTS IN A VARIETY OF THINGS, BUT ALSO, AS MAYA ELOQUENTLY PUT, CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'RE WELCOME.
HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT LIKE IT WAS FOR ME, I'M SURE IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS FOR YOU.
THESE STUDENTS NEED TO PLACE THAT IS A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, AND THEY HAVE THAT AT DISCOVERY, AND THOSE ODYSSEY STUDENTS AS WELL, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT.
I UNDERSTAND THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, BUT I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE DISTRICT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THAT IS SUPPORTED GOING FORWARD.
I'LL END WITH ONE MORE GLOW, AND I DO APPRECIATE BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, HOW RESPONSIVE YOU BEEN TO EMAILS WHEN THOSE ARE SENT, AND YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPLY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU COULD JUST READ IT, TABLE IT, SEND A FORM LETTER BACK.
I KNOW THAT DOES SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT AND THE EFFORT YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE.
[00:50:03]
THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND I'LL TURN OVER THE REST OF MY TIME, I THINK, TO MY WIFE WHEN SHE HAS HER TURN. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. [APPLAUSE]
>> MY NAME IS LAURA FELTER, AND I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE BOARD AND DR. ANZLONE, PREVIOUSLY BOTH AS A PBL, AND AS CCA PARENTS REGARDING OUR SHARED CONCERN TO PROTECT AND GROW OUR NEWER CHOICE SCHOOLS.
I SPEAK TO YOU NOW AS A TECH LIBRARIAN, RELOCATED TO THE WEST COAST TO RE-ESTABLISH COLLECTIONS AND STAFF ELIMINATED DURING COST-CUTTING MEASURES.
I OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DISTRICT TO REMOVE TEACHER LIBRARY POSITIONS.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT AWARE THE POSITION OF LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS OF ODYSSEY AND DISCOVERY OR PROJECT-BASED LEARNING SCHOOLS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
THE KEY QUESTIONS NOW ARE THIS, WITHOUT A TEACHER LIBRARIAN POSITION AT THE NEWLY CREATED OMS DHS CCA UNIFIED SCHOOL THIS FALL, HOW ARE WE SERVING OUR DISTRICT STUDENTS, WHERE THEY ARE AT? HOW ARE WE SERVING OUR STUDENTS EQUITABLY, IF OTHERS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE ACCESS TO A TEACHER, LIBRARIAN, AND OTHERS DO NOT? OUR STUDENTS ARE ENTITLED TO A LIBRARY PROGRAM, NOT SIMPLY A PHYSICAL SPACE.
WASHINGTON STATE SUPPORTS SCHOOL LIBRARIES WITH TEACHER LIBRARIANS.
I HAVE A HANDOUT HERE THAT HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE RESEARCH FINDINGS.
I HAD SUBMITTED A WRITTEN STATEMENT FOR THIS MEETING ASKING THE DISTRICT TO RECONSIDER THE LOSS IN THE POSITION IN TERMS OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THE NEW SCHOOL TO SUCCEED.
THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WAS THIS WAS THE CURRENT PRINCIPLES DECISION.
IN TRUTH, IT IS THE SCHOOL BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR DISTRICT STUDENTS TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO A TEACHER LIBRARIAN FOR THE STUDENTS ATTENDING THE COMBINED PBL CCA CAMPUS IN THE FALL.
AS A TEMPLATE FOR WHAT IS TAKEN FOR OUR PBL STUDENTS TO SUCCEED, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING.
MR. MADISON'S THE CURRENT LIBRARY SPECIALIST WITH 18 YEARS TEACHING IN OUR DISTRICT, HAVING TAUGHT IT TO [APPLAUSE] SKYRIDGE LIBERTY, ODYSSEY, AND DISCOVERY.
HE HAS EXPERTISE IN BOTH PROJECT-BASED AND ONLINE LEARNING, BOTH IN HIS PUBLISHED RESEARCH AND HIS TEACHING YEARS ON OUR CAMPUS.
HE IS A RESEARCH ADVISER AT ALL GRADE LEVEL PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND TEACHES TECHNOLOGY ELECTIVES TO OUR STUDENTS.
HE CONTINUES TO MANAGE THE COLLECTIONS FOR BOTH THE MIDDLE AND HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES, SCIENCES, ALL GENRES AND FICTION AND NONFICTION.
THE MEDIA CENTER REFLECTS HIS ADVOCACY FOR INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY.
I AM DELIGHTED, THE AGENDA TONIGHT WILL FEATURE AN UPDATE FROM MR. MADISON HIMSELF ON HIS PROFESSIONAL WORK HERE DURING NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK.
ULTIMATELY, IF WE ARE INDEED SERIOUS ABOUT LITERACY, SOMETHING OUR SUPERINTENDED CELEBRATED IN THE STUFF NEWSLETTER LAST WEEK, THEN WE WOULD NOT HANDICAP A NEWLY UNIFIED SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT BY CUTTING A TEACHER, LIBRARIAN.
>> NEXT IS HANNAH COUPLEWETHERS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON STUDENTS, STAFF AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS HANNAH COUPLEWETHERS, AND I'M THE SOPHOMORE CLASS PRESIDENT.
I HAVE BEEN WITH THE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING PROGRAM FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
DURING THOSE FIVE YEARS, I'VE MADE COUNTLESS MEMORIES AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH STAFF AND STUDENTS.
I WOULDN'T TRADE THAT FOR THE WORLD.
DURING A TIME WHEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL COULD BE ANYTHING LESS THAN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, I FOUND JUST THE OPPOSITE.
I'VE ALWAYS FELT GREAT AMOUNTS OF SUPPORT FROM THOSE AROUND ME IN WHICH THEY HAVE ENCOURAGED ME TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU ALL TODAY.
SINCE THE DAY I LEARNED HOW TO TALK, I'M YET TO STOP OR SLOW DOWN.
THIS VOICE I WAS BORN WITH HAS LED ME TO THE INCREDIBLE THINGS I'M DOING TODAY.
I'VE STOOD UP AND RAN FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT.
I'M NOT AFRAID TO VOICE MY OPINION IF I KNOW IT COULD BENEFIT THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT MEANS I DO NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT.
AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL, THE FIRST SKILL YOU LEARN IS PUBLIC SPEAKING, AND TRUST ME, IT AIN'T GOING TO GET EASIER.
FROM DAY 1, YOU'RE DOING PRESENTATIONS AND EXHIBITIONS THAT PUSH STUDENTS PASS THEIR COMFORT ZONE, WHICH IN TURN CREATES WONDERFULLY SCULPTED YOUNG ADULTS.
THIS SKILL ISN'T AS PRESENT IN TODAY'S CURRICULUM, BUT IT'S EXTREMELY ENCOURAGED AT DISCOVERY. THINK ABOUT IT.
ONE DAY, OUR STUDENTS WILL BE USING THAT VOICE TO TAKE A NEW JOB JOB OPPORTUNITY, OR SOME MAY EVEN CHANGED THE WORLD.
THE STUDENTS WE HAVE AT DISCOVERY ARE PASSIONATE, CARING, ENCOURAGING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY COMPETENT.
WE SEE OUR TEACHERS AND CLASSMATES [APPLAUSE] AS FAMILY AND NOT JUST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO BE THERE.
EACH TEACHER EQUALLY CARES FOR STUDENTS AS IF THEY WERE THEIR OWN CHILDREN AND WOULD DO ANYTHING TO SEE THEM SUCCEED.
[00:55:01]
I WOULD NOT BE UP HERE TODAY IF I DIDN'T HAVE SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS SITTING BEHIND ME CHEERING ME ON.SINCE MY TIME IS COMING TO AN END, I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS MESSAGE.
THE DISCOVERY STUDENTS AND STAFF HERE TODAY HAVE MADE ME AN INCREDIBLE PERSON, STUDENT AND FRIEND.
THESE PEOPLE SAVED ME AND THEY DO NOT DESERVE THE PAIN OF LEAVING.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE YOU, BUT DO YOU EVEN SEE US.
>> HELLO, I AM ZIMMERY BAXTER, A FRESHMAN AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN PROTESTS AS WELL AS SPREADING AWARENESS OVER THIS BUDGET SITUATION SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON MARCH 27TH.
HOWEVER, TODAY, I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND ONLY MYSELF.
FIRSTLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT IN YOUR EYES, THE MERGE OF ODYSSEY, DISCOVERY AND CCA IS THE OPTIMAL SOLUTION.
THE IDEA WITH THE LEAST ISSUES CAUSED AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS TRUE WOULD ENTIRELY DEPEND ON HOW THINGS ARE DONE.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
THE MERGE OF ODYSSEY, DISCOVERY AND CCA IS NOT WHAT MANY FEAR TO DESTROY OUR SCHOOL.
THAT WOULD BE THE SHEER AMOUNT OF STAFF CUTS YOU ARE MAKING.
AT THE COFFEE TALK ON APRIL 19TH, IT WAS STATED THAT, "THERE ARE ONLY FOUR POSITIONS BEING CUT AND THOSE WILL BE CHOSEN BY MR. SMITH," AND YET HERE WE SEE SEVEN OR EIGHT TEACHERS RECEIVING RIFF NOTICES.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT CUTS UP POSITIONS AND CUTS OF TEACHERS ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE, BUT I WILL NOT STAND BY WHILE YOU DECEIVE OUR STUDENTS BY SPEAKING OF THE POSITIONS BEING CUT WHILE DIRECTLY ASKED ABOUT STAFF.
YOU HAVE INVESTED MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS INTO OUR BUILDING, AND THEREFORE, AT LEAST BELIEVED THAT YOU HAVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR PROGRAM IN MIND.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE MENTIONED WITH THAT FACT.
FIRST OF ALL, WITH THESE BUDGET CUTS AND NEARLY ALL OF THE LGBTQ REPRESENTATION IN OUR STAFF THAT OUR STUDENTS LOOK UP TO SO MUCH WILL NOT BE RETURNING.
WHO ARE WE, THE QUEER YOUTH MEANT TO GO TO ABOUT PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUALITY, HOMOPHOBIA, OR TRANSPHOBIA, BEFORE WE COULD GO TO MANY STAFF.
BUT WITH THE PLANS YOU HAVE GIVEN FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THERE WILL BE NEARLY NOTHING LEFT FOR US TO RETURN TO.
NOT ONLY ARE THESE STAFF THAT YOU HAVE RIFT WILL NOT BE RETURNING NEXT YEAR, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT NOT ONLY THE STAFF BEING CUT WOULD BE LEAVING.
IF LIKE MANY PEOPLE HAVE CONFIRMED MS. FRISBEE IS BEING CUT, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT OUR SPOUSE, MS IVY, WOULD BE INCLINED TO LEAVE AS WELL.
YOU YOURSELVES HAVE STATED THAT MENTAL HEALTH AND HELP FOR OUR STUDENTS IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
BUT REMOVING ONE OF OUR ONLY TWO SCIENCE TEACHERS WHO ALSO OVERSEES GSA MEETINGS, AS WELL AS ONE OF OUR PARENTS, EDUCATORS AND POSITIVE QUEER ROLE MODELS AT THIS SCHOOL WILL DO THE OPPOSITE OF PROVIDING HELP FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE REMOVAL OF OUR REPRESENTATION FROM OUR SCHOOL.
FINALLY, LOSING MR. SMITH WILL BE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS TO HANDLE.
YES, THREE SCHOOLS IS ABSOLUTELY A DIFFICULT JOB FOR ONE PERSON TO DO.
THE MERGE OF ODYSSEY, DISCOVERY AND CCA COULD GO INCREDIBLY POORLY IF NOT DONE ABOUT RIGHT.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU AS THE BOARD TO TAKE STUDENT INPUT ON THESE EVENTS AS THEY COULD GO IN A MUCH BETTER DIRECTION IF INPUT IS IMPLEMENTED PROPERLY, ALL I ASK IS TO BE HEARD AS ANYONE ELSE WOULD BE.
>> NEXT IS SYDNEY MILLER. [APPLAUSE]
I'M GOING TO CUT STRAIGHT TO THE CHASE, TRY TO KEEP THE TIME DOWN.
I AM AN AUTISTIC STUDENT AND IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT I FIT RIGHT INTO DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
ME AND MANY OTHER AUTISTIC STUDENTS HAVE FOUND A REFUGE HERE.
ALONG WITH THAT, I COME FROM A FAMILY WHO HAS LIVED IN THE CITY FOR 22 YEARS, AND I HAVE LIVED FOR 16 OF THOSE.
AS I CONTINUE MY SPEAKING, I URGE YOU A GENTLE REMINDER THAT ME AND MANY OTHER DHA STUDENTS SHARE PERSPECTIVE YOU CANNOT.
I'LL START WITH A BIT OF BACKGROUND.
IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVEN AT A YOUNG AGE, I COULD TELL THAT I WAS DIFFERENT FROM MOST IN THE SENSE THAT I DID NOT LEARN, I DID NOT THINK, AND NEITHER COULD I ACT WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF ME.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED, FOR YEARS AND YEARS, I WAS LEFT TO WONDER WHY I FELT SO BROKEN AND REJECTED.
AS MUCH AS I WISH IT HADN'T, THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF'S FAITH IN ME SHAPED MY OWN, AND IN TURN, IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN MYSELF AND NEITHER DID THE TEACHERS, THAT WAS THE DECIDING FACTOR FOR MY POOR PERFORMANCE.
THAT WASN'T THE ONLY NAIL IN THE COFFIN.
MY OLDEST SISTER IS A STRAIGHT-A STUDENT.
A GRADUATED STUDENT FROM YOUR CAMAS HIGH SCHOOL.
I DID EVERYTHING I COULD DO TO BE AS GREAT AS HER, TO FOLLOW HER GRADES, TO FOLLOW IN HER FOOTSTEPS.
SHE EXCELLED WHILE I STRUGGLED IN THE STANDARD SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I WAS LEFT CONFUSED AND ASHAMED THAT I COULD NOT LEARN LIKE SO MANY OTHERS.
WHY COULDN'T MY SISTER GO ON THESE EXCEPTIONALLY FUNDED TRIPS
[01:00:02]
TO BUILD A NEARLY PERFECT PORTFOLIO FOR HER FUTURE AND I COULD NOT? UNTIL I TRANSFERRED TO THE PBL CAMPUS FROM LIBERTY SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL, I COULD NOT HAVE HAD THE SPACE TO BREATHE MY OWN FUTURE.WHILE ITS COMMUNITY WAS STILL BEING BUILT, NEARLY EVERY ASPECT OF BOTH SCHOOLS WELCOMED MY VERY BEING.
IT WAS IN THIS ENVIRONMENT I WAS ABLE TO DISCOVER THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH ME.
IN DISCOVERY, I WAS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS MY CLASSMATES.
JUST LAST OCTOBER, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM.
AS SOME UNEDUCATED PEOPLE MAY SEE THIS AS AN OBSTACLE, THIS WAS A CONFIRMATION, A CONFIRMATION THAT WE, THE STUDENTS OF DISCOVERY HAVE EVOLVED PAST OUR EXPECTATIONS OF LEARNING.
I SAW YOU ANNOUNCE YOUR CHOICE.
A CHOICE THAT MEANS OUR BELOVED STAFF WILL BE STRIPPED OF A COMFORTABLE JOB AND THE STUDENTS, A COMFORTABLE CLASSROOM.
THE DEAFENING FEELING OF DREAD THAT FOLLOWED, [NOISE] WHY MUST WE GO BACKWARDS? WHY MUST WE LOSE SLEEP? NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, I'M CRYING OUT FOR MY TEACHERS, THE FUTURE, AND OUR STUDENTS, WOULD STICK IN MY HEAD LIKE SCARS.
YOU CLAIM THAT THIS MATTER WAS OUT OF YOUR HANDS.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
ME AND MANY OTHERS HERE WITH ME COULD CLAIM THE SAME.
WE COULD CLAIM THAT AS SUCH A SMALL NUMBER, A SMALL STATISTIC OR OUTLIER IN YOUR NUMBERS CANNOT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE NEEDED, YET STILL WE STAND.
AS ALLIES, YOU COULD BELIEVE THIS CHOICE AS LITERALLY AS YOU COULD DISREGARD YOURSELVES, THAT YOU CARRY THE POWER TO REFORM EDUCATION FOR THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.
SO I ASK YOU, IS IT REALLY OUT OF YOUR HANDS WHEN YOU HOLD OUR FATES IN YOUR SLEEVES? [APPLAUSE]
>> NEXT STEP IS ROB MADSEN. THANK YOU.
I AM HERE ALONG WITH MANY OF OUR PARENTS OF THE MANDARIN PROGRAM AND THE STUDENTS REPRESENTING THE MANDARIN PROGRAM.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROGRAM IS BEING ELIMINATED OR AT RISK OF BEING ELIMINATED.
THERE ARE TALKS ABOUT POSSIBLY SOME OPTIONS, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS WORK FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS DEFINITELY VERY IMPORTANT.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, A LOT OF THE UNIVERSITIES REQUIRE THIS PROGRAM, THREE, FOUR YEARS WORTH OF LANGUAGE AT THE SAME LANGUAGE PROGRAM, AND A LOT OF OUR KIDS NEED IT IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
I, ALONG WITH MANY OF US HERE, HAVE BEEN IN CAMAS FOR WELL OVER 25 YEARS, SO WE'RE NOT JUST JUMPING IN AND SAYING, HEY, WE NEED TO GET THIS GOING.
WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS, WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY, WE LOVE OUR SCHOOLS, WE LOVE OUR CAMAS.
IN 2018, WAY BEFORE THAT, WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED A MANDARIN PROGRAM INTO THE SCHOOL.
BY 2018, WE APPROACHED THE SUPERINTENDENT AT THAT TIME ALONG WITH THE PRINCIPAL AT THE TIME AND WE SAID, HEY, HOW COME THERE ISN'T A MANDARIN PROGRAM? THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, WE'VE BEEN WANTING ONE.
WE'RE LIKE, WELL, WHY DON'T WE HAVE ONE? WELL, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FIND ONE.
THE PARENTS DID. A GROUP OF US DID AND FOUND- IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO FIND HER, BELIEVE ME, BECAUSE A CERTIFIED MANDARIN TEACHER IS A VERY HARD PERSON TO FIND.
SO WE FINALLY FOUND HER MS. [INAUDIBLE] AND SHE HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING.
[APPLAUSE] REALLY, SINCE DAY 1, SHE HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING SINCE DAY 1.
I MEAN, ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR HER STUDENTS OFF HOURS, THE PARENTS.
SHE'S THE REAL DEAL. IT'S NOT ABOUT HER, REALLY, ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
WE NEED THE PROGRAM TO SURVIVE.
NOT ONLY IS IT A GREAT PROGRAM FOR OUR KIDS AND THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS,
[01:05:03]
BUT IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT OUR KIDS, OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS.THE MANDARIN LANGUAGE IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGE.
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST USED BUSINESS LANGUAGES, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PARENTS HERE TO DISCUSS THE BENEFITS OF THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO COME HERE TODAY AFTER OUR CONVERSATION AT A COFFEE TALK ON WEDNESDAY TO FOLLOW UP AND THAT HAVING TO CUT TEACHERS AND BEING IN BUDGET IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. BUT MY CONCERN TODAY ARE FOR THE RISING FRESHMENS THAT JUST FINISHED FORECASTING ON FRIDAY.
THE DECISION TO ELIMINATE MANDARIN WAS ALREADY SLATED BEFORE FORECASTING WAS COMPLETED ON FRIDAY FOR ALL THE INCOMING STUDENTS.
MANY KIDS HAVE PLANNED IN ADVANCE TO TAKE MANDARIN.
WE'VE HAD TUTORING, WE'VE HAD A FOLLOW-UP, WE'VE HAD ONLINE COURSES SO THAT THEY CAN GET CREDIT FOR MANDARIN 2, 3, OR HOWEVER MANY CLASSES THAT THEY WOULD BE WANTING TO TAKE.
IT'S ONLY LOGICAL THAT CAMAS SHOULD KEEP MANDARIN PROGRAMS IN PLACE.
IN ECONOMIC TREND FOR BUSINESS AND DOING BUSINESS IN THE WORLD ARENA WILL LIKELY CROSS PATHS WITH MANDARIN SPEAKERS.
REGARDLESS OF POPULARITY, MANDARIN IS THE SECOND MOST LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE WORLD, SO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT OF ALL THE KIDS WHO ARE OUT THERE PLANNING TO TAKE MANDARIN IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND AUDIENCE.
MY NAME IS NANCY GIN, I'M A NEW RESIDENT HERE.
THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] TO SHARE THE STORY OF HOW MANDARIN PROGRAM HAS COME TO PLACE.
I THINK IT IS AN INSPIRING STORY ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COME TOGETHER, BE CREATIVE, AND COLLABORATIVE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
BEFORE WE MOVE TO CAMAS, WE CAME TO CHECK OUT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND WHEN THE NICE LADY GIVE US A TOUR ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE PROBABLY TOLD US, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE HAVE MANDARIN CLASS 4 LEVELS.
I WAS LIKE, WOW I DON'T EVEN NEED TO ASK FOR OTHER AP CLASSES OFFERING, I KNOW THIS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR MY KID BECAUSE HAVING A COMPREHENSIVE MANDARIN OFFERING MEANS A LOT SPEAKS A LOT ABOUT DISTRICT.
IT TELLS ME THAT THIS DISTRICT IS FORWARD-THINKING, IS OPEN-MINDED, AND REALLY INVEST A LOT OF EFFORT INTO CULTIVATING THE OPEN MIND AS THE WORLDVIEW OF THEIR STUDENTS.
I KNOW THIS IS A GOOD PLACE, AND THEN DURING LAST SUMMER WHEN WE JUST MOVED HERE, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM MRS. COS AND SHE USED HER OWN TIME TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT LEVEL FOR MY SON TO BE PLACED AT FOR THE MANDARIN CLASS.
I WAS SO SURPRISED AND NOW I SEE IT IS REALLY SHE SPEAKS A TRADITION OF CARING AND QUALITY.
THAT'S THE TYPE OF CLASS I KNOW THAT MY SON WILL BE I KNOW THAT, HE'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE IN THE RIGHT SCHOOL WITH THAT QUALITY OF TEACHERS.
WITH THAT, I HAVE THREE QUICK POINTS TO MAKE.
FIRST OF ALL, I CAME HERE, SPEAK VOLUNTARILY.
I'M NOT BEING RALLIED, PERSUADED, OR BEING BRIBED TO BE HERE.
SECOND, WE DO NEED TO SAVE THE MANDARIN CLASS BECAUSE THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A CURRICULUM.
IT SAYS THAT CAMAS DISTRICT HAS A ROBUST CURRICULUM, BUT IT OFFERS MUCH MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER CLASS.
FINALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES IT'S DIFFICULT, IT'S PAINFUL.
BUT AS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SAID, NOTHING IN THE WORLD IS WORTH DOING UNLESS IT MEANS EFFORT, PAIN, AND DIFFICULTY.
I KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT HAS DONE THAT BEFORE WITH COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
[01:10:01]
I TRUST THAT WE CAN DO IT AGAIN TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THE STUDENTS.>> WE HAVE GONE PAST WELL PAST OUR 30-MINUTE TIME ALLOTMENT.
I STILL HAVE 16 PEOPLE ON THE LIST, SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO ALLOW THESE 16 PEOPLE TO SPEAK, BUT I'M GOING TO SHORTEN THE TIME TO ONE MINUTE APIECE, SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE BE READY TO GO, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET YOUR THOUGHTS THERE.
>> HONESTLY, EVERYTHING THEY SAID WAS GOOD. MY NAME IS ERIC.
[FOREIGN] WHAT I WAS JUST SAYING IS THAT I LIVED IN CHINA FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE I STUDIED CHINESE, AND HONESTLY THE THING THAT PROBABLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY CAREER IS THE LANGUAGE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO LEARN A DIFFERENT WORLD LANGUAGE, AND CHINESE OBVIOUSLY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES THESE DAYS.
I WOULD SAY WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IN CAMAS OR EVEN IN THE NORTHWEST WITHOUT IT BECAUSE I GOT EVENTUALLY INVITED HERE TO HELP MANAGE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHINESE GARDEN DOWNTOWN, SO THAT'S HOW WE GOT HERE.
EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE STUDY CERTAIN THINGS, THEY PROBABLY END UP BEING DRIVEN IN DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGH CULTURE AND LANGUAGE AND THEIR INTERESTS, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP IT.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS ANNA ELM.
>> HI, THANKS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK FOR A MINUTE. I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK.
AS YOU ALL KNOW I REALLY DO GET THE WHOLE BUDGET CUTS SITUATION GOING BACK TO 2018.
BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE EMAILS I'VE SENT REGARDING MY PLEA TO PLEASE KEEP THE MANDARIN PROGRAM.
AS A FORMER PBL PTO BOARD MEMBER, I LED A LOT OF PARENT TOURS FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD GO TO ODYSSEY AND/OR DISCOVERY.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE INTERESTS THAT PARENTS HAVE, EXCUSE ME IF IT'S TOO LOUD IN HAVING LANGUAGE OPTIONS MORE THAN ONE.
MY CONCERN IS IF THE MANDARIN PROGRAM IS CUT, DISCOVERY WILL BE LEFT WITH ONLY SPANISH, AND I LOVE SPANISH, THAT'S WHAT I TOOK IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, BUT I KNOW THAT PARENTS DO WANT MORE THAN ONE OPTION, AND THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS AS OTHERS ARE ARTICULATING THAT MANDARIN IS CRITICAL TO KEEP.
>> COLLEEN TATUFEST JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M GOING TO TRY TO READ QUICKLY.
I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS AN ARTICLE THAT WAS IN THE CAMAS SPECIAL GOALPOST RECORD ON APRIL 13TH AS IT HAD SOME DIRECT QUOTES.
IT WAS QUOTED THAT PER-PUPIL SPENDING AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT $18,135 IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE PER-PUPIL SPENDING AT CAMAS HIGH SCHOOL AT $12,284 OR HAYES FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL AT $14,494.
THERE IS AN EMAIL SENT REQUESTING JUST WHERE ARE THESE NUMBERS FROM.
WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE CONTRARY.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH WHAT'S ON OSPS, STATE REPORT CARD WEBSITE, OSP STATES DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL IT'S SAYS 17,948, CAMAS HIGH SCHOOL IS AT 14,862, WHICH IS A $2,578 DIFFERENCE THAN WHAT WAS STATED IN THE ARTICLE.
HAYES FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL IS AT $16,093, WHICH IS A $1,599 DIFFERENCE THAN WHAT WAS STATED IN THE ARTICLE.
WE JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THESE WERE PUBLIC COMMENTS GIVEN TO A MEDIA OUTLET AND WE WANT TO KNOW JUST THE FACTS WHERE THIS INFORMATION COMES FROM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] NEXT IS CHERYL KRONET.
>> I'M CHERYL KRONET, YOU KNOW ME, YOU'VE GOTTEN ABOUT 11 EMAILS FROM ME RECENTLY.
[LAUGHTER] YOU COPIED ON EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT.
I'M HERE TO CELEBRATE DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TONIGHT.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SOMETHING WE
[01:15:02]
PROMOTE AT PBL IS THAT WE GET WARM AND COOL FEEDBACK.WE REVISE, WE PIVOT IF NEEDED, AND THEN WE PRESENT AGAIN.
NONE OF US IS ABOVE THE NEED FOR FEEDBACK.
DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN OUR STUDENTS ORGANIZED A MARCH IN DOWNTOWN CHEMISTS THAT WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM HAYES FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND PARENTS JOIN US AND CONNECT WITH US BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABOUT PITTING SCHOOLS AGAINST EACH OTHER? WE REFUSED TO DO THAT.
SOLUTIONS ARE BEST WHEN THE KIDS AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAMS ARE THE ONES BEING CONSULTED AND GIVING YOU YOUR FEEDBACK.
DO YOU KNOW THAT THE DHS STEF ARE UNIQUE AND THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EVERY SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT IN OUR BUILDING? WE REALLY DO UNDERSTAND THIS.
AS A STAFF, WE BRING A HIGH VOLUME OF RESPECT BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS NOT SPENT ANY CONSIDERABLE TIME IN OUR BUILDING IN PBL SCHOOLS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU AGAIN.
PLEASE COME SEE HOW WE FUNCTION, SEE HOW WE RUN, GO SEE HAYES FREEDOM TOO.
WE'RE CONCERNED THAT DUE TO THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THAT PERHAPS YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING COMBINING THREE SCHOOLS UNDER ONE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT FEASIBLE.
>> MY NAME IS CARMEN MOORE AND I HAVE THREE KIDS IN CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT, ONE AT HAYES AND TWO STUDENTS AT CAMAS CONNECT ACADEMY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT CCA, DAN HULD AND NICOLE O'ROURKE ARE INCREDIBLE LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE.
SECONDLY, [APPLAUSE] I WANT TO SAY EMOTIONS ARE HIGH AND EVERYONE'S CONCERNS SHARED TONIGHT ARE VALID.
I APPLAUD ALL THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SO BRAVE AND THEY'RE SHARING AN ADVOCACY AND I BEG OUR DISTRICT LEADERS TO DIRECTLY PUBLICLY ADDRESS EVERYTHING YOU ARE HEARING TONIGHT.
STOP ASKING US TO HAVE EMPATHY FOR YOU.
[APPLAUSE] WHICH IS A JOB THAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR AND INSTEAD REFLECT BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY WHAT YOU'RE HEARING.
THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT THAT ARE LOSING THEIR LIFE'S WORK.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING CRITICAL HEALTH INSURANCE AND STUDENTS WHO ARE LOSING REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR FUTURE.
YOU ALL UP THERE HAVE YOUR JOBS AND YOUR PRIVILEGES, SO STOP TELLING US HOW HARD IT IS FOR YOU AND START SHOWING US THAT YOU HEAR US.
OTHERWISE, EVERYTHING YOU SAY RINGS HOLLOW.
I'M SORRY. JUST TAKING LORNA, I SKIPPED ONE.
>> I'M SORRY. THAT WAS A MISTAKE.
>> I ALWAYS TELL MY DAUGHTER NOT TO SPEED TALK AND NOW I'M GOING TO DO IT.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M GOING TO BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU AND TELL YOU IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SPEAK PUBLICLY.
I STUTTERED WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND I SPENT YEARS OVERCOMING THAT.
WHEN I'M NERVOUS AND STRESSED IT'S BACK, SO IF I GET QUICKY OR WHATEVER THAT'S IT.
I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU I'VE WORKED HAM SCHOOL DISTRICT 45 YEARS.
MY FIRST SUPERVISOR DID HAVE A CDL BUT DID NOT DRIVE STUDENTS.
TAMMY IS THE ONLY SUPERVISOR I'VE HAD WHO HAS ACTUALLY WORKED AS A BUS DRIVER, HAS THE CREDENTIALS AND CERTIFICATION TO STEP IN AND FILL IN FOR US WHEN NEEDED.
SHE'S DONE THE JOB SHE KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE, SHE KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
THE PRESSURE WE GET, THE PROBLEMS THAT POP UP IN AN INSTANT.
WE NEED AN ONSITE ALL THE TIME SUPERVISOR NOT PART-TIME.
WE CAN'T PLAN WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, IT HAPPENS.
MY OWN EXPERIENCE IS THAT I HAD A BAD ALLERGIC REACTION LAST YEAR, 3:45 IN THE AFTERNOON LONG AFTER SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF WORK, TAMMY IS THE ONE THAT SHOWED UP TO COME HELP ME.
JUST SAYING WE NEED AN ONSITE SUPERVISOR.
>> BECAUSE OF RESOLUTION 2204 DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL IS BEING STRIPPED AWAY OF ITS MOST VITAL RESOURCES AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IS UNDER SIEGE.
YET STILL, YOU RUN FROM ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS.
YOU TREAT OUR EDUCATION WITH CARELESSNESS.
THIS IS CLEAR IN EVERY CONVERSATION.
FOLLOWING THE LISTENING SESSION YOU HOSTED ON WEDNESDAY, YOU SPOKE ABOUT HOW OUR PUBLIC OUTCRY TO SAVE DISCOVERY AND PROTECT PBL IS MISLEADING BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL IS NOT TECHNICALLY BEING SHUT DOWN, NOT ON PAPER AT LEAST.
HOWEVER, AS THE BUILDERS OF THIS PROGRAM, THIS IS WHERE OUR EXPERIENCE OVERRULES THAT WHAT YOU PRETEND TO KNOW AND YOU CAN TRY TO QUELL THIS.
WHY IS IT THAT YOU ARE VISITING THE DISCOVERY CAMPUS ONLY NOW, WHETHER YOU'RE AWARE OF IT OR NOT YOU ARE TRYING TO FABRICATE A SENSE OF AUTHENTICITY FOR THE MEASURES THAT YOU'RE TAKING WHEN IN REALITY YOU COULDN'T MISUNDERSTAND OUR PROGRAM ANYMORE.
THIS DISPLAY IS NO MATCH FOR TRULY KNOWING AND WE ARE THE ONES WHO TRULY KNOW.
[01:20:02]
WE ARE THE ONES YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO.ON WEDNESDAY, WE ASKED YOU WHAT SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN TRIED.
IN RESPONSE YOU TOLD US HOW STRENUOUS THE PROCESS WAS ON YOU BUT NEVER ONCE DID YOU DESCRIBE ANY OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT WERE PUT UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
TO YOU ARE WE UNDESERVING OF KNOWING, ARE YOU AFRAID WE WILL FIND A SOLUTION THAT BALANCES MONEY AND STUDENT EXPERIENCES? WE ARE CAPABLE AND WE ARE NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT REASSURANCE AND HALF MEASURES.
NO, WE ARE LOOKING FOR GENUINE AND IMMEDIATE ACTION ON BEHALF OF OUR FUTURES.
>> HI, MY NAME IS JACK SKIRTSON AND I'M A JUNIOR AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
OUR HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT NEITHER IS CAMAS OR HAYES OR THE CCA.
TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MAY BE FINE FOR SOME STUDENTS, BUT WITHOUT ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS, HOW CAN EVERY STUDENT EXPECT TO BE IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT WORKS FOR THEM? HERE'S THE FACTS.
CAMAS IN HAYES FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOLS ARE AT OR OVER CAPACITY.
DISCOVERY WAS OPEN NOT ONLY TO BE AN ALTERNATE OPTION, BUT DIVERT STUDENTS TO A NEW SCHOOL AND THEREFORE HAVE FEWER STUDENTS AT CHS.
REDUCING FUNDING OR CUTTING STAFF OR CLASSES AT DISCOVERY COULD ONLY FURTHER THE PROBLEM OF STUDENTS NOT WANTING TO ATTEND OUR SCHOOL.
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IS THE FOUNDATIONAL PART OF THE CAMAS COMMUNITY.
NOT ONLY IS IT AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS ALREADY IN CAMAS, BUT COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE PROBLEM OF OVERPOPULATION AT CHS, BUT TO INCOMING STUDENTS AS WELL.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL HERE.
NOT INVESTING IN IT IS FRANKLY A MISTAKE.
SAVE OUR STAFF AND RISE PHOENIX.
I HAVE TWO KIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, A SEVENTH GRADER, ODYSSEY, AND A FIFTH GRADER WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO TO ODYSSEY NEXT YEAR BUT HONESTLY, AS A PARENT LOOKING IN ALL THE CUTS, I'M NOT SURE IT'S THE BEST PLACE I SHOULD SEND MY KIDS OR KEEP MY KIDS.
THIS MORNING WHEN I WOKE UP AND I SAW THE CUTS THAT WERE BEING MADE TO THE PBLS, I WENT AND I LOOKED AT WHAT STAFF HAS LEFT AND WHAT SURPRISED ME BECAUSE I'M NOT IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.
I WORKED FOR A FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY AND IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS BUT IT WASN'T TO ME THAT TO HAVE A CAMPUS, THERE ARE MORE NON TEACHERS THAN TEACHERS ON CAMPUS.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DOWN TO SEVEN TEACHERS ABOUT, MY NUMBERS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT OFF.
AT DISCOVERY AND ABOUT 13 TEACHERS AT ODYSSEY.
THAT'S ABOUT 20 CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 25 EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NON TEACHERS.
I KNOW I'M OVER TIME, BUT PBL IS WONDERFUL MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE THEM PART OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE, SKYBRIDGE LIBERTY OR CHS LIKE THE MAGNET PROGRAM.
THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE MORE NON TEACHERS THAN TEACHERS AND YOU CAN REFILL ALL THE TEACHING POSITIONS AND THE KIDS DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER FROM NOT HAVING ELECTIVES OR MORE CAR TEACHERS.
>>THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] NEXT IS ANN PUTATAPONG.
>> GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M A PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS BOTH AT ODYSSEY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND INCOMING TO DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
WE MOVED HERE 3,000 MILES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I WENT TO THE TOP, THE TOP 10 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN UNITED STATES.
COME TO PBL, COME TO THIS CAMPUS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE LEARNING.
IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, MY TWO GIRLS HAVE LOST FIVE OF THEIR TEACHERS.
THEIR INCOMING PRINCIPLE, THEIR THREE ODYSSEY TEACHER.
IT'S A HUGE LOSS FOR THEM WHEN THEY ONLY HAVE SIX CLASSES A DAY.
TO KNOW THAT MY SIXTH GRADER AT 10 YEARS OLD, 11 YEARS OLD, LEARNED HOW TO BUILD A WEBSITE, WHICH I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DO, WAS A HUGE SKILL SET.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO KNOW THAT MY GIRLS WHO WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO ODYSSEY AND DISCOVERY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOSE SOME OF THOSE VITAL SKILLS THAT MAKE US PROFESSIONALS AND MAKE US SUCCESSFUL IN THE REAL WORLD.
I HOPE THAT THROUGH THE ARDUOUS PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER AND TAKING ACCOUNT ALL THE SKILLS THAT THEY'RE LEARNING.
>> FRANK ZHANG, Z-H-A-N-G. SARAH FRISBEE IS NEXT.
[01:25:02]
>> I THINK I'M THE LAST ONE. OH, MAN.
I'M GOING TO GO QUICK THEN. BASICALLY, WHAT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT WAS ERICA WOOD.
I REMEMBER YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT HER AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
I HAD A CONVERSATION LAST YEAR WITH ERICA WHERE SHE ALMOST DIDN'T COME BACK TO DISCOVERY.
SHE WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT HER CLASSMATES AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I LOOKED AT HER AND I SAID, ERICA, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE DO VERSUS WHAT CAMAS DOES IS THAT YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT IF YOU STAY NEXT YEAR.
AS A RESULT, ERICA PASSED OFF DISCO SALES IT IS WHAT? IS IT PROFITABLE? IT RUNS ITSELF AND SHE COMPLETELY ORGANIZED THAT ENTIRE CONFERENCE THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL TAKE ON NOW BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH WORK IT IS.
[APPLAUSE] THAT IS WHAT OUR PROGRAM DOES AND BY STRIPPING US SLOWLY YEAR AFTER YEAR, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A YEAR THAT OUR SCHOOL HASN'T HAD CUTS.
YOU NEED TO INVEST BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL WILL HELP YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT GAIN THOSE PEOPLE, SO PLEASE DON'T LET US DIE.
>> THESE LAST THREE WERE DEFINITELY WRITTEN IN A HURRY, SO I'M SORRY ABOUT THIS.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DEANNA HEME AND I CURRENTLY ATTEND CAMAS HIGH SCHOOL.
HAVING FIRST HEARD THE NEWS ABOUT CHINESE, I EMAILED MY PRINCIPAL, MRS. AURORA, WITH THE QUESTION OF HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE.
I FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING HOW I BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT OUR SCHOOL HAD OVER 39 DIFFERENT ART CLASSES TO BE IGNORED.
WHEN ASKING ABOUT IT AND QUESTIONING WHY SOME OF THOSE CLASSES HADN'T BEEN PUT INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT RATHER THE ONLY CHINESE TEACHER IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT HAD BEEN, I SIMPLY WAS MET WITH THE ANSWER OF, AND I QUOTE, ''AND WITH MANDARIN HAVING LOW ENROLLMENT AT BOTH OUR SCHOOLS, MEANING DISCOVERY AND CHEMIST HIGH SCHOOL, THAT COURSE UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO BE ON OUR LIST OF POSSIBLE ELIMINATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT A STAFF, THE DECISION TO REMOVE A TEACHER IS BASED ON NUMBERS, SO THE CONCLUSION OF REMOVING CHINESE IS A PROGRAM RATHER THAN ONE OF THE ART CLASSES OF ANY FORM HAS SEEMINGLY LEFT ME CONFUSED.
MANDARIN 1, 2, AND 3 HAVE ALL BEEN PUSHED INTO ONE PERIOD FOR THE NEXT UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, INCASE WHICH QUITE LITERALLY IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TEACH TO BEGIN WITH WITH SUCH A CONFUSING LANGUAGE.
I STAND HERE AND ASK, WHY CAN THIS DECISION NOT BE MADE FOR ANY OF THE OTHER CLASSES WHEN ENROLLMENT FOR SOME OF THE ART CLASSES THIS YEAR HAS ALSO BEEN AT A SIMILAR RATE? THANK YOU.
>> I'M TRYING MY BEST HERE. I REALLY, I'M SHY.
IT STARTS WITH AN S AND I THINK THAT THE LAST NAME IS HEIL, HEIL MAYBE.
[LAUGHTER] THE LAST ONE IS YOU WANT TO HELP ME? [LAUGHTER] I'M SORRY. I THINK IT STARTS WITH A P.
>> SOMETHING. NAME STARTS WITH AN R OR P.
>> IT'S THE LAST ONE. IF YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED YET, COME UP HERE REAL QUICK.
>> JUST BECAUSE I PASSED EARLIER WAS BECAUSE ORIGINALLY I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT MYSELF, BUT INSTEAD I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR PRINCIPAL, AARON SMITH.
I KNOW THAT HIS POSITION HAS BEEN RIPPED AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF HIM COMING BACK IS NOT THERE.
I WANT TO SPEAK TOWARDS WHO IS CARING FOR HIM NOW, I TAUGHT WITH MR. SMITH'S SINCE MY FIFTH YEAR TEACHING.
I KNOW THAT THE STRESS THAT HE IS UNDER AS HE WATCHES THESE TWO SCHOOLS THAT HE BUILT IS TEARING HIM APART EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY.
IT'S IMPACTING HIS HEALTH BECAUSE HE'S LOSING THE COMMUNITY HE LOVES AND HE'S BEING ASKED TO FORM A PLAN FOR THAT COMMUNITY NEXT YEAR THAT INVOLVES RIPPING US APART.
I WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HIM BECAUSE I CARE FOR HIM AS A COLLEAGUE AND A FRIEND.
MY POSITION, AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO EVERYBODY SPEAK HERE ABOUT A LACK OF A PLAN, ASKING SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN RIPPED FROM THEIR POSITION TO STEP FORWARD AND MAKE A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE IS SIMPLY JUST NOT RIGHT, AND THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY.
>> THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE ON WITH OUR NORMAL BUSINESS MEETING HERE, WHICH EVERYBODY IS WELCOME TO STICK AROUND AND ATTEND.
[7. CONSENT AGENDA]
THAT PUTS US TO ITEM 7, THE CONSENT AGENDA.BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'VE SEEN THE CONSENT AGENDA PRESENTED IN FRONT OF YOU.
[01:30:02]
I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.>> I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> IT WAS MOVED BY TRACY, SECONDED BY BOMINIE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
THAT MOVES US DOWN TO ITEM 8A,
[8. REPORTS]
THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. DR. ANSELO.>> THANKS, COREY. AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPEAKERS.
GIVE EVERYBODY A SECOND WHO'S LEAVING.
I'LL JUST GIVE EVERYBODY ANOTHER COUPLE OF SECONDS HERE.
AS NORMAL, I WILL START OUT WITH SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
I KNOW THE BOARD HAS MENTIONED SOME OF THIS ALREADY AS FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS LAST MONTH SINCE WE SPOKE LAST.
IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT ON MARCH 30TH, WE HAD A TREMENDOUS SITE VISIT TO DOROTHY FOX, GRASS VALLEY, AND SKYBRIDGE.
FOR ME, I THINK ONE OF THE COMMONALITIES THAT I SAW WAS JUST A SENSE OF BELONGING AND A SENSE OF WELCOMING, THE SEL WORK THAT OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, AND OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THE MOST AT SKYBRIDGE SPECIFICALLY, WERE SOME OF THE ANTI-BULLYING POSTERS AND NARRATIVES THAT I SAW THAT REALLY WERE DRIVEN BY THE STUDENTS.
ONE THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THE MOST WAS THE STATEMENTS THAT STUDENTS CREATED TO BE ABLE TO SAY ON THE SPOT TO OTHER STUDENTS WHO MAY BE ENGAGING IN BULLYING OR THOSE SENTIMENT.
VERY, VERY PROUD OF THOSE STUDENTS AND THE LEADERSHIP AT EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS, SO HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE VISITS AS WELL.
REALLY, REALLY GOOD NEWS COMING OUT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH ALL OF IT YET SINCE IT JUST ENDED LAST NIGHT AROUND MIDNIGHT, BUT WE JUST HEARD THAT OUR TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE, WHICH IS AMAZING.
I THINK THE NEW NAME IS TRANSITION TO KINDERGARTEN.
THESE ARE FOUR-YEAR OLDS THAT ARE HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN KINDERGARTEN, AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I WAS FORTUNATE TO VISIT OUR TRANSITIONAL KINDER PROGRAM AND MS. ALLELE WOLF AND HER TEAM ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH SOME OF THESE FOUR-YEAR OLDS WERE OUTSHINING SOME OF THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN KINDERGARTEN FOR AWHILE.
THEY'RE JUST CATCHING ON SO QUICKLY.
IT'S VERY REALLY NICE TO KNOW THAT OUR STATE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO FUND THAT.
OUR HOPE HERE IN CAMAS IS THAT WE CAN ONLY EXPAND THAT PROGRAM OVER TIME.
I THINK IT'S AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR YOUNG STUDENTS.
WE HAD OUR THIRD EMPLOYEE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH WAS JUST INSTITUTED THIS YEAR AND I DO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE STAFF FROM AROUND THE DISTRICT WHO ATTENDED ON APRIL 11TH.
WE HAD A REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION SHOCKINGLY AROUND THE BUDGET.
I THOUGHT THERE WERE SOME GREAT FEEDBACK THERE AND SOME INPUT THAT WAS PROVIDED, AND SOME THINGS THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PUT INTO PLACE.
THANK YOU TO OUR EMPLOYEE GROUP.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE MORE MEETING BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE.
OUR PRUNE HILL ELEMENTARY FINE DINING EXPERIENCE, IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO THAT BEFORE, IT BLEW MY MIND.
THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO GO TO PORTLAND TO THE SYMPHONY AND DRESSED UP, THEY WERE IN FORMAL ATTIRE.
THEY CAME BACK, AND IT WAS FUNNY TO SEE THE ROLES REVERSED AS THEIR PARENTS WERE SERVING THEM FOOD.
WE HAD SO MUCH PARENTS' SUPPORT, OUR PRINCIPAL, JULIE SWANN, JUST AN INCREDIBLE LEADER, THE STAFF AT PRUNE HILL, AND EVEN OUR TEAM FROM SODEXO, OUR FOOD SERVICE CONTRACT.
JUST AS STUDENTS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A THREE-COURSE MEAL, I WAS PROBABLY THE ONE WITH THE WORST MANNERS AT THE TABLE.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT EXPERIENCE.
OUR CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL, THIS IS A COUNCIL THAT I BELONG ON WITH OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS.
WE MET ON THE 13TH, REALLY SHARED IDEAS.
IT WAS EYE-OPENING TO HEAR OF SOME OF THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH SIMILAR CUTS AS US, AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME WHO ARE FACING THESE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO TO COME.
AS SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS A STATE ISSUE
[01:35:04]
HEARING FROM SOME OF OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS AND IDEAS THAT THEY'VE HAD.IT WAS HELPFUL. I ALSO HAD AN OUTREACH MEETING WITH DAVE LUTANZI.
HE IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE MAN, VERY TRIED AND TRUE TO CAMAS.
DAVE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HELP US AS WE ENTER OUR LEVY SEASON, AND I APPRECIATE DAVE'S SUPPORT.
COREY AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH CONGRESSWOMAN PEREZ'S REPRESENTATIVE AND COREY AND I PROBABLY COULD HAVE GONE ON FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS, MAYBE MORE.
BUT WE REALLY TRY TO HIT SOME CONCERNS THROUGH CAMAS.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BUDGET.
WE ALL KNOW THAT FEDERALLY WE ONLY SEE ABOUT 2% OF OUR BUDGET FROM THE FEDS.
BUT WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD AND NUTRITION AND HOW OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN HELP MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE ALL FED FOR FREE, AND A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES AROUND SCHOOL SAFETY AND THE SRO PROGRAM, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MOMENT.
AGAIN, COREY, I HOPE YOU AGREE IT WAS A REALLY FRUITFUL MEETING AND WE HOPE TO MEET WITH THE CONGRESSWOMAN SOON.
ACTUALLY, SHE WANTS TO VISIT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, SPECIFICALLY SOME OF OUR CHOICE SCHOOLS SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THEN I MET WITH OUR CAMAS WASHOUGAL PORT DIRECTOR, DAVE RIPP.
DAVE RIPP IS LEADING AN IMPRESSIVE CHARGE TO BRING ADDITIONAL SOLAR TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW OUR BOARD AND I HAVE SPOKEN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY GET INTO THE SOLAR FOOTPRINT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE YEARS TO COME.
WITH THAT, DEREK JAQUEZ, OUR CT DIRECTOR, AND I WERE HONORED TO ATTEND THE BUILDING FUTURES FOUNDATION.
I THINK SOME OF OUR PROJECT-BASED LEARNING STUDENTS WOULD HAVE REALLY BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THIS DINNER.
WE WERE TEAMED UP WITH SOME OF OUR LOCAL BUILDERS, BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, AND WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY SHINE A LIGHT ON SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT OUR KIDS ARE DOING HERE IN CAMAS.
WE WERE HIGHLIGHTED. DEREK WAS INCREDIBLE SPEAKER AND DEREK IS VERY RESPECTED IN THAT COMMUNITY. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED.
BUT WE HEARD FROM MULTITUDE OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SOME INCREDIBLE THINGS OUR KIDS ARE DOING.
TINY HOUSE BUILDING, LABS THAT KIDS ARE BUILDING RIGHT FROM THE GROUND UP, AND JUST REALLY GOOD WORK AROUND THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD.
WHAT WAS INTERESTING WAS THERE WAS A USA SKILLS STUDENT WHO WON A HUGE AWARD AND A SCHOLARSHIP.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MOST IMPRESSIVE WERE THE TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS WHO TALKED ABOUT GOING INTO THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD AND MAYBE DIDN'T GO ON TO UNIVERSITY AND ARE DOING PROBABLY JUST AS WELL, IF NOT BETTER FINANCIALLY THAN STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING INTO FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY.
JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AS BUILDING CONTINUES TO PROSPER.
[NOISE] WE HELD A SUPERINTENDENT BUDGET COMMITTEE ON APRIL 20TH.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOW STARTING TO LOOK AHEAD INTO HOW WE'RE GOING TO STABILIZE OUR BUDGET IN THE FUTURE.
I DO WANT TO THANK ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, GRASSET, WHO ATTENDED IN MY ABSENCE SINCE I WAS AT THE BUILDING DINNER.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION AROUND STRATEGIC PLANNING AS WELL, LISA, AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT OUR BUDGET-MINDED PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SHARE SOME INSIGHT ON OUR BUDGET INTO THE FUTURE.
THEN LASTLY, TODAY, THIS AFTERNOON, WE MET WITH OUR CITY SCHOOLS GROUP.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY OFFICIALS.
WE HAD OUR FIRE CHIEF THERE, OUR POLICE CHIEF, MANY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, OUR CITY MANAGER WAS THERE AND OTHERS COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON A FEW THINGS.
ONE, WE WERE ABLE TO, UNFORTUNATELY A LITTLE SHORT TONIGHT, WORK ON SOME STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH THE CITY.
BUT WE SPOKE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OUR SRO AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC THAT I KNOW THE SRO POSITION WAS ONE OF THE TWO, WAS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOKED AT AS A CUT IN ORDER TO SAVE AT LEAST ONE TEACHER AND THE CITY AND MYSELF AND OUR TEAM ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO PARTNER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE HAVING OUR TWO SROS.
HOWEVER, THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL ARE VERY OPEN TO THAT DISCUSSION AND CONTINUING THAT PARTNERSHIP.
THEY UNDERSTAND OUR BUDGET SITUATION AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND SCHOOL SAFETY, AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE MAKING, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS WHO I THINK IN THE FUTURE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO ADDRESS AN AUTHORITY FIGURE AND REALLY HOW TO FEEL COMFORTABLE SPEAKING TO A POLICE OFFICER OR OTHER AUTHORITY FIGURES.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR FOR UNDERSTANDING THAT.
WE ALSO SPOKE A LITTLE BIT AND I THINK COREY ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER.
OUR LED BETTER RUL PROPERTY AND SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT OUR DISTRICT AND OUR CITY MAY BE ABLE TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
[01:40:03]
I KNOW WE HAD A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT I WANTED THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THAT PROPERTY IS BEING LOOKED AT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE BEST THING FOR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY POSSIBLE.WE DON'T WANT TO RUSH INTO ANYTHING.
WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT FUTURE SCHOOLS, OR FUTURE COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL AND OTHER OPTIONS.
AGAIN, EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE THERE.
WONDERFUL INVESTMENT BY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHILE BEFORE I WAS HERE, SO I CAN'T TAKE ANY CREDIT FOR THAT.
THAT'S MY COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THE LAST MONTH.
>> QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT FOR JOHN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OKAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON ALL OF THAT.
JUST AGAIN, I KNOW I MENTIONED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.
I LISTED ALL THE NAMES OF OUR MAYORS, COUNCIL CHAIRS, AND SUPPORTERS THAT ARE IN TOWN FOR THE WEEK, AND WE'LL BE BACK IN TOWN IN JUST A FEW DAYS WHEN THEY RETURN.
THIS WILL BE IN THE PUBLIC RECORD.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHO IS HERE AND WHAT CITIES THEY REPRESENTED, I PUT THAT HERE, INCLUDING THE TWO DELEGATES WHO ARE STAYING WITH MY FAMILY AND ME SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
BY THE WAY, THERE'S A PICTURE OF ME A LITTLE INFORMALLY.
THIS WAS LAST NIGHT WITH MY WIFE AND THE TWO MAYORS.
MOVING ON TO CURRENT ENROLLMENT.
REALLY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION SLOWLY, BUT SURELY.
WE HAD A PLUS 15 OR A POSITIVE ENROLLMENT THIS LAST MONTH.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT AGAIN, CCA WITH OUR LARGEST ENROLLMENT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS PLUS 10, AND THEY ARE AT 122 FULL-TIME ENROLLMENT.
WE HAD A DECREASE IN KANSAS HIGHSCHOOL OF 10 AND NOT REALLY TOO MANY OTHER OUTLIERS.
THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR, OF COURSE, WHERE STUDENTS WHO ARE MAYBE IN A CREDIT CRUNCH ARE LOOKING AT HIS FREEDOM OR OTHER OPTIONS LIKE CCA.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT SHIFT.
THIS MONTH PUTS US JUST UNDER 7,000 FTE.
THAT'S NOT FULL HEADCOUNT, REMEMBER.
MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, WE SHARE FTE WITH RUNNING START OR CASCADIA TECH OR OTHER LOCATIONS.
SO 69, 96, WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, NOT AS QUICKLY AS WE MAY HAVE HOPED TO GET BACK TO OUR PRE-COVID NUMBERS.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PLUS NUMBER AND NOT THAT MINUS NUMBER.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS A FEW THINGS ABOUT BUDGET.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A BIG CONCERN WE'RE GOING THROUGH, DEFINITELY FEELING THE PAIN OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.
STARTING OFF, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT TO LOOK AT OUR NUMBER.
$7.4 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY IN A DISTRICT THAT HAS A $110 MILLION BUDGET.
IT MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A BIG NUMBER, BUT I WILL TELL YOU AND SOME OF YOU COMMENTED ON THIS TONIGHT THAT WHEN THAT NUMBER TURNS INTO PEOPLE, IT BECOMES ABSOLUTELY JUST HEARTBREAKING.
I THINK THAT AGAIN, THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE ARE TO TRY OUR BEST TO KEEP AS MANY TEACHERS AND MANY STAFF IN POSITIONS AS POSSIBLE.
I KNOW IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE THAT TONIGHT, BUT IT IS REALLY THE HONEST TRUTH.
STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND THOUGHT EXCHANGE WAS COMPLETED ON MARCH 20TH.
WE HAD OUR FIRST PRINCIPAL COUNCIL ON MARCH 21ST, WHICH IS WHEN OUR PRINCIPALS COME TOGETHER TO BOUNCE SOME IDEAS OFF ONE ANOTHER.
WE DID OUR RESOLUTION AS THE STUDENTS ALLUDED TO ON MARCH 27TH, AND THAT'S WHEN ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS BEGAN AFTER THE BOARD GAVE US THE GREEN LIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I DO WANT TO COMMEND OUR STAFF FOR HAVING ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO IS AFFECTED.
I CAN'T SAY THAT TO BE TRUE ABOUT EVERY DISTRICT IN WASHINGTON, LET ALONE OUR NATION.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS EASY CONVERSATIONS.
ON APRIL 10TH, WE HAD OUR BUDGET PLANNING WORKSHOP AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT THROUGH SOME OF OUR PLANS.
OUR GOAL IS, IN EITHER MAY OR JUNE WORKSHOP, TO REALLY START TO MOVE FORWARD AND LOOK AT THE FUTURE.
I KNOW JASON IS HERE TONIGHT AND HE'LL HAVE HIS BUDGET REPORT COMING UP, SO I'M SURE JASON WILL ALLUDE TO THAT A LITTLE BIT OF WHEN WE'RE TAKING OUR NEXT STEPS.
THEN WE'RE EXPECTING THE BOARD TO ADOPT OUR BUDGET IN AUGUST.
THERE ALWAYS IS TIME TO MAKE CHANGES AND LOOK FORWARD INTO SEEING HOW OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS PLANNED OUT SO THAT REMEMBER, THE FINAL BUDGET DOES NOT GET APPROVED UNTIL AUGUST, SO THERE'S STILL SOME TIME TO LOOK AT SOME OPTIONS.
IT WAS ALLUDED TO A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT,
[01:45:03]
BUT I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS DIDN'T JUST START YESTERDAY.IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN A MONTH AGO.
THESE CONVERSATIONS STARTED WELL BEFORE I WAS HERE AND MANY OF YOU ARE WERE POTENTIALLY HERE IN 2018, THE FALLOUT FROM THE MCCLEARY DECISION AND WE AS CAMAS RESIDENTS, AS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT REALLY WAS HIT HARD BY THAT DECISION.
WE'RE NOW FEELING THE EFFECTS.
BUT THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THERE WAS PREDICTIONS OF THIS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T HIT HOME UNTIL IT HITS HOME.
FIVE YEARS IS A LONG TIME AGO.
WE STARTED TO SEE THAT DECLINE IN REGIONALIZATION, WHICH WE'VE PROBABLY TALKED ABOUT IT NAUSEUM AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE IN OLYMPIA OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
OF COURSE, THE LOSS OF OUR LEVY FUNDS, WHICH IS A CONSEQUENCE OF SOME OF THAT.
THE PANDEMIC ARRIVED IN NATIONWIDE.
OBVIOUSLY WE ALL FACED JUST VERY DEVASTATING ENROLLMENT JOBS AND WE LOST ABOUT 300 STUDENTS SINCE PRE-COVID.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT THE STATE PROVIDES FOR EVERY STUDENT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT OUR DISTRICT HAS NOT RECOVERED, AND THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS PUT UP THE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE AT LEAST WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE'RE NOT CLOSE TO WHERE WE WERE PRE-COVID.
WE ALSO SAW [INAUDIBLE] FUNDS, WHICH AGAIN WERE COVID RELIEF FUNDS, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY EXPIRE HERE VERY SOON.
THAT WAS A SAVING GRACE FOR MANY DISTRICTS.
CAMAS DID NOT RECEIVE AS MUCH AS OTHERS, BUT $11-12 MILLION WAS HELPFUL AND THAT HELPED US AVOID SOME OF THESE HORRIBLE CUTS FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
BUT WE KNEW THAT THOSE MONEYS WOULD EXPIRE AT SOME POINT AND SO WE TRIED TO USE THOSE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I COMMEND CAMAS ON IS KEEPING STAFFING THE SAME.
I'VE MENTIONED THIS MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
WE KNEW THAT OUR KIDS, OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES NEEDED MORE SUPPORT, MORE LOVE, MORE COMPASSION THAN EVER BEFORE AND CAMAS KEPT ALL OUR STAFF.
I THINK WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO HIT A BRICK WALL HERE SOON.
BUT I DO COMMEND THE BOARD AND OUR STAFF THAT SAID, HEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CUT STAFF BECAUSE OUR KIDS NEED IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT CAN'T LAST FOREVER IN THIS BUDGET TIME.
THEN OF COURSE, OUR BOARD DIRECTED THE DISTRICT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH A FOUR-YEAR PLAN.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT NOT HAVING A PLAN.
I WILL SAY THAT THE FOUR-YEAR PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO ME ALMOST DAY 1 WHEN I TOOK OVER.
THAT WAS A PAINSTAKING PROCESS I KNOW WITH MANY STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE IS A FOUR-YEAR PLAN IN PLACE.
IT MAY NOT BE PRETTY, IT MAY NOT BE WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE, BUT OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS THAT IN A YEAR FROM NOW, WE WILL NOT BE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
IT DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER TODAY, BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT IT'LL BE BETTER TOMORROW.
LASTLY, OUR RIFF RESOLUTION, SCHOOL UNIFICATION DECISION AND CENTRAL OFFICE REDUCTIONS ARE NOW IN THAT PROCESS.
COREY, DID YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THAT?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS PLAN THAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS FOUR-YEAR BUDGET PLAN.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BOTTOM LINE NUMBERS, NOT INTO THE WEEDS WITH POSITIONS AND THAT STUFF.
IT'S WE SEE WHERE OUR REVENUES AND EXPENSES ARE GOING AND WE'VE MADE THAT PLAN BEFORE.
I JUST WANT MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR THAT WE'VE MADE PLANS ON STAFFING AND ALL THAT STUFF FAR IN ADVANCE.
IT'S BEEN JUST BUDGETED NUMBERS AT THAT POINT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I KNOW SOME OF THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT ALLUDED TO THIS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR THAT THE RIFF NOTIFICATIONS, THOSE BEGAN FOR TEACHERS ON MARCH 31ST.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WELL AHEAD OF THE STATE LAW OF MAY 15TH BECAUSE WE KNEW WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN EVERGREEN.
WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOME OF OUR OTHER DISTRICTS AND WE WANTED TO GIVE OUR STAFF SOME RUNWAY, SOME LANDING SPOT, AND KNOWING THAT SOME WOULD NOT BE BACK WITH US IN THE FALL.
SOME OF THE PUBLIC I KNOW HAS REACHED OUT AND SAID THEY FELT THAT THAT WAS TOO FAST THAT WE RUSHED IT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN WHY THAT WAS.
I'M LOOKING OVER AT MY HR DIRECTOR NOW IN THAT, I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE AND THE PROCESS IS STILL NOT COMPLETED.
BUT I STAND BY THE FACT THAT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND OUR TEAM.
THAT'S WHY IF IT FELT TOO RUSHED, THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY.
KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR DISTRICT OFFICE, BASED ON THE BOARD RESOLUTION, OUR DISTRICT OFFICE THEN WORKS WITH OUR PRINCIPALS.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU MENTIONED THAT TONIGHT.
NOT TO PASS THE BUCK TO OUR PRINCIPLES,
[01:50:01]
BUT OUR PRINCIPALS KNOW OUR SCHOOLS BEST.TO YOUR POINT, COREY, OUR BOARD, EVEN ME AS A SUPERINTENDENT, I DON'T KNOW THE INTRICACIES OF ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PRINCIPALS TO TRY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS POSSIBLE.
I'M LOOKING AT OUR STAFF HERE, THERE IS NOT ONE PRINCIPLE THAT DIDN'T GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE POSITION, EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM, EVERY SINGLE SECTION, TO LOOK AT NUMBERS, TO LOOK AT PROGRAMS, TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE, BUILD AND FORECASTING OF WHAT STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING.
COREY, YOU SAID IT EARLIER VERY WELL.
EVERY CHOICE WAS A BAD CHOICE.
I FEEL NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE AT THIS END OF IT, BUT FOR OUR PRINCIPALS WHO HAD TO LOOK PEOPLE IN THE EYE, WE HAVE PRINCIPALS WHO HAVE BEEN PRINCIPALS, OTHER SCHOOLS FOR 15 YEARS, 17 YEARS WHO HAVE DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE ON COURSE WITH FAMILY AND TELLING THEM THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE OR THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE ELIMINATED.
WE HAVE TO MAKE TRADE-OFFS, AND THIS IS NOT EASY AND NO PROGRAM IS BETTER OR MORE VALUED THAN ANOTHER PERIOD, END OF STORY AND I STAND BY THAT.
EVERY PROGRAM WE HAVE WAS BUILT WITH STUDENTS IN MIND AND EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM THAT WILL BE EITHER REDUCE OR CUT, STUDENTS ARE IN MIND WITH THAT.
IT'S NOT AN ENVIABLE TASK THAT WE'VE ASKED OUR PRINCIPALS TO DO OR OUR STAFF TO DO.
THIS BEGAN EARLY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BEST OPTIONS FOR OUR STAFF.
ON APRIL 18TH, WE STARTED TO NOTIFY OUR TEACHERS OF SELECT OPENINGS.
FORTUNATELY IN THIS PROCESS, SOME OPENINGS OPEN UP NATURALLY.
SOME OF OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE REDUCED OR RIFT, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE LANDING SPOTS.
ACTUALLY THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR TEACHERS DO.
THERE ARE SOME BASED ON OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, SENIORITY SPECIFICALLY THAT UNFORTUNATELY JUST DON'T END UP COMING BACK, AT LEAST NOT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
BUT AGAIN, THE PROCESS THAT IS TAKEN IS WE FOLLOW THE CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY.
THERE IS NO HAND SELECTING, THERE IS NO CHOOSING ONE PERSON BECAUSE WE LIKE THEM BETTER OVER ANOTHER.
THE ACTUAL PROCESS, JUST FOR THE RECORD, HERE IN OUR DISTRICT IS WASHINGTON STATE EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY SUPERSEDES CAMAS EXPERIENCE.
JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW AND LOVE SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN IN CAMAS A LONG TIME, THERE COULD BE EXPERIENCE IN WASHINGTON STATE THAT SUPERSEDES ONE OF OUR FAVORITE TEACHERS NEXT TO US.
THAT'S JUST THE PROCESS, THE WAY IT GOES.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE THEN COMES NEXT, CREDITS, CERTIFICATION AND THEN OF COURSE, IF WE EVER GET TO IT, A LOTTERY, WHICH WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET.
JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN FOR THE RECORD THAT PROCESS. CONNIE.
>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELIMINATING POSITIONS AND TEACHERS GETTING RIFT? LIKE THE BUMPING PROCESS.
>> SURE. UNLIKE IN MANY OF THEM CORPORATE SPACES OR PRIVATE SECTOR.
IT'S NOT A HANDPICK DECISION WHERE YOU LOOK AT THE PERSON OR POSITION THAT COST THE MOST.
IT SPECIFICALLY LOOKS AT THE LEAST AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE.
WHAT HAPPENS IS EVERY SINGLE PRINCIPLE FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH MIDDLE-SCHOOL, TO ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, EVERY SINGLE PRINCIPAL IS TASKED WITH REDUCING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF POSITIONS.
NOW, WE DID PROTECT AS MANY CLASSIFIED POSITIONS AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I'VE STATED PUBLICLY THAT OUR CLASSIFIED POSITIONS HAVE BEEN HIT VERY HARD IN THE PAST.
THE FIRST THING WE DID TO REDUCE THAT AMOUNT OF TEACHER REDUCTION WAS WE LOOKED AT CENTRAL OFFICE AND WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE ABOUT JUST UNDER $2 MILLION OF CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATION.
THAT HELPED REDUCE POTENTIALLY OUR TEACHER REDUCTION FROM MAYBE ABOUT 60 TEACHERS DOWN TO UNDER 30.
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE.
REGARDLESS, ONCE WE GET INTO THE TEACHER REDUCTIONS, IT REALLY STARTS AT HAVING EACH PRINCIPAL LOOK AT THEIR SPECIFIC SCHOOL.
THE PROBLEM WE RUN INTO IS THAT CERTAIN SCHOOLS LIKE PBL, FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER THE WAY THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IS, ARE NOT EXEMPT.
EVERY SINGLE TEACHER THAT IS REDUCED IN ONE PLACE POTENTIALLY CAN SHIFT OVER TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.
IT ACTUALLY CREATES A VERY DIFFICULT PUZZLE TO FIGURE OUT.
IT CREATES THIS DOMINO EFFECT THAT FRANKLY DOES NOT EXIST IN MOST CORPORATIONS OR MOST BUSINESSES.
IT'S REALLY DISTINCT FOR EDUCATION AND CAMAS ISN'T DIFFERENT,
[01:55:04]
IT'S JUST, THAT'S THE WAY EDUCATION CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN.WHAT HAPPENS IS IT TRICKLES IN.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT PBL OR YOU LOOK AT ONE SCHOOL OVER ANOTHER, THERE'S NO ONE THAT BECOMES SAFE, JUST BECAUSE FOR TEACHERS ARE REDUCED IN ONE SCHOOL, IT MAY END UP BEING SIX TEACHERS, OR EIGHT TEACHERS, JUST BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE BUMP THE OTHERS OR PUSH OUT THE OTHERS.
I CAN'T FIGURE OUT A BETTER TERM TO SAY THAN THAT.
IT'S LIKE A DOMINO EFFECT. TRACY.
>> BUT THE TEACHERS, WHEN THEY SAY DISCOVERIES LAST SEVEN TEACHERS, THEY'LL GET NEW TEACHERS, JUST DIFFERENT TEACHERS BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTING THAT HAPPENS.
>> YEAH, AND THAT I THINK TO THE STUDENT'S POINT, THAT BECOMES VERY CHALLENGING BECAUSE I RESPECT THE FACT THAT MANY OF OUR TEACHERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT HAVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING, SPECIFICALLY PBL.
WHEN WE WENT TO MR. SMITH AND SAID, THIS IS THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS WE NEED YOU TO REDUCE.
BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS IT CREATES ADDITIONAL OPENINGS BECAUSE OF THAT DOMINO EFFECT.
HOWEVER, THEN PEOPLE ARE PLACED IN THOSE POSITIONS.
REALISTICALLY, A SCHOOL MAY HAVE TO REDUCE BY EIGHT, BUT REALLY LOSE FOUR.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ONLY FOUR BECAUSE EVERYONE IS VALUED.
I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT SOME MEMBERS OF OUR DISTRICT SAY.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEAVE ONE SCHOOL EXEMPT OVER ANOTHER AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY PROTECT CERTAIN TEACHERS OVER ANOTHER.
>> CAN YOU SAY WE DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS?
>> THAT IS AGREED BY THE TEACHERS AND THE DISTRICT, AND SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO GO AGAINST THAT BECAUSE IT'S SIGNED INTO REGULATION, INTO POLICY.
[NOISE] IT'S A COMPLEX PART OF THE ISSUE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT PIECE.
I TRIED TO EXPLAIN IT THE BEST I CAN. I WISH MARYLAND WAS HERE.
SHE COULD PROBABLY DO MUCH BETTER THAN ME, BUT I DID THE BEST I CAN.
I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF I MISSED ANYTHING HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED IN CANVAS THAT ACTUALLY I DIDN'T SEE BEFORE, IS THAT WE PROVIDE OUR TEACHERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THREE CHOICES OF WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO LAND.
OBVIOUSLY THEIR FIRST CHOICE IS THE HOME, WHERE THEY'VE BEEN.
BUT REGARDLESS, WE ASK OUR TEACHERS TO SELECT THREE CHOICES.
WE DO OUR VERY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THE TEACHER DOES NEED TO BE REDUCED, THEN THEY LAND WHERE THEIR FIRST CHOICE WOULD BE.
AGAIN, MARYLAND AND HER TEAM IN HR HAS JUST DONE AN AMAZING JOB TO HELP OUR TEACHERS FIND THOSE FIRST CHOICE LANDING SPOTS.
WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO AND AGAIN, I KNOW I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO TO SPEAK TO THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS UNDERSTAND, THAT IN MANY DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THERE IS BASICALLY JUST A PLACEMENT.
THERE'S NO CONVERSATION, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF VALUE PUT INTO WHAT OUR TEACHERS WANT OR NEED OR WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED.
IN CAMAS, ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS OF ALL OF THIS DARKNESS HAS BEEN THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PRINCIPALS, WITH OUR TEACHERS TO SAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE WHERE YOU'RE AT NOW, BUT WHERE WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR YOU AND PRINCIPALS, WHERE WOULD THIS TEACHER FIT THE BEST? THAT WAS AGAIN, A VERY ROBUST AND PAINFUL PROCESS TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT I FEEL THAT ADDITIONAL PIECE IS PART OF WHAT CANVAS IS ALL ABOUT.
AGAIN, JUST FINDING A BRIGHT SPOT IN ALL OF THIS.
I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL COMPONENT.
IT'S ACTUALLY NOT WRITTEN INTO OUR POLICY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAMAS REALLY BELIEVES IN.
I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE THAT IF WE EVER HAVE TO CROSS THIS BRIDGE AGAIN.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AS I MENTIONED, ENDED LAST NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT.
I'LL BE GETTING SOME INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY VERY SOON, AND JASON WILL AS WELL ON HOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR US.
WILL OUR FINANCIAL POSITION BE BETTER THAN EXPECTED? WILL IT BE WORSE? WILL IT BE NEUTRAL.
OTHER THAN TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN, I HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT.
I'M HOPING TO HEAR FROM JASON TONIGHT ON SOME BRIGHT SPOTS HOPEFULLY, RIGHT, JASON? WE'LL SEE.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT WAS VERY GOOD TO HEAR BACK FROM OUR LEGISLATORS.
WHEN WE CALLED, THEY ANSWERED, WHEN I WROTE, THEY ANSWERED.
THAT FELT REALLY GOOD THAT AT LEAST THEY WERE LISTENING.
BUT I CAN'T NECESSARILY GUARANTEE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO VOTE IN OUR FAVOR.
[02:00:03]
ON THE 24TH TO THE 28TH, WHICH IS THIS WEEK, UNFORTUNATELY, WE WILL HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL PHASE OF RIFTS AND THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE THAT DOMINO EFFECT IS NOT FULLY PLACED YET.WE HAVEN'T FULLY PLACED EVERYBODY WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
I DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE A LARGE AMOUNT.
IT COULD BE VERY SMALL, BUT I JUST DIDN'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO THINK THAT WE'RE FULLY OUT OF THE WEEDS YET OR OUT OF THE WOODS, I SHOULD SAY, HOPEFULLY OUT OF THE WEEDS SOON, AND THAT THAT PROCESS WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEK.
THE FINAL DAY THAT WE HAVE BY CONTRACT IS MAY 15TH, AND ALL OF THIS WILL BE FINALIZED.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MARYLAND, THE MAJORITY OF OUR PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED TO JUST MAYBE A FEW.
IF YOU COULDN'T HEAR, SHE SAID HOPEFULLY WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT.
FINAL DAY FOR OUR PAC MEMBERS WILL BE JUNE 1ST.
BUT LUCKILY, LIKE I SAID, VERY FEW OF OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES ARE PAC EMPLOYEES.
I DO WANT TO THANK OUR CEA, OUR TEACHERS UNION, FOR WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH ME ON THAT SPECIFICALLY.
I THINK THE WHOLE COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD NOT TO DISCOUNT OUR TEACHERS OR OUR CENTRAL OFFICE AT ALL, BUT I THINK OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD THAT OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES, ARE REALLY THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR DISTRICT, REALLY NEEDED TO STAY INTACT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> JOHN, I THINK JUST REALLY QUICK ON ON YOUR TIMELINE THERE, IT'S IMPORTANT WITH THE MAY 15TH AND THE JUNE 1ST DEADLINES FOR RIFF NOTIFICATIONS.
WHAT THAT MEANS THEN IS THAT AFTER THAT DATE, ANYBODY WHO HASN'T RECEIVED A RIFF NOTIFICATION HAS A JOB THEN FOR NEXT YEAR.
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT, THAT IS, THAT TIMING IS SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, OVER RIFF.
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY THAT THE ENROLLMENT GOES A CERTAIN WAY, THAT THERE MAY BE SOME RECALL PROCEDURE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S LAID OUT IN THE CONTRACT TOO.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST OUTCOME IS MAKING THAT JUNE, JULY, AUGUST PHONE CALL TO SAY IF YOU'RE STILL AVAILABLE, WE WANT YOU BACK AND I KNOW THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT AS WELL.
>> I KNOW SO MUCH OF OUR BUDGET IT'S ENROLLMENT DRIVEN.
THAT'S WHAT IT IS. IT'S ENROLLMENT DRIVEN.
HOPEFULLY THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE SEEN TONIGHT ARE EAKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND WE CAN GET A FEW MORE OVER THE SUMMER.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR MAYOR AND OUR CITY COUNCIL AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE HOUSING DILEMMA VERY CLEARLY.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY NOTICED AROUND TOWN SOME MORE APARTMENTS AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING COMING UP.
I KNOW THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE TRADITION OF CAMAS OVER THE YEARS, BUT WE'RE IN A POSITION NOW WHERE FRANKLY, OUR NEW EMPLOYEES, OUR NEW TEACHERS, ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND HOMES THAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN.
NOT JUST OUR TEACHERS, BUT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
EVEN THOUGH WE SEE SOME BUILDING OF SOME BIG BEAUTIFUL HOMES, MANY OF OUR CITIZENS ARE PRICED OUT OF THOSE, SO OUR MAYOR IS HEARING THAT.
I KNOW OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND OTHERS ARE TRULY LOOKING AT THAT.
I THINK THAT CAN ONLY HELP US AS WE GROW BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO GROW, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR EMPLOYEES CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY THAT THEY WORK.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? [INAUDIBLE].
I DO WANT TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE KIDS.
OUR KIDS IN THIS DISTRICT ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE AND THEY HAVE BEEN JUST AS PROFESSIONAL, IF NOT MORE THAN OUR ADULTS IN MANY ENDS.
I WILL SAY THANK YOU TO OUR KIDS.
OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH US FROM THE BEGINNING.
I APPRECIATE THE RESPECT AND THE PROFESSIONALISM THAT YOU'VE ALL SHOWN TO ME AND MY FAMILY AS WE'VE MET AND TALKED.
I KNOW THE OUTCOMES AREN'T ALWAYS FAVORABLE AND WHAT YOU WANT BUT UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE BEING HEARD AND WE JUST CANNOT SAVE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE.
THESE ARE SOME STUDENTS FROM AROUND OUR DISTRICT THAT I HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR FIVE GOOD THINGS THAT GOES OUT TO THE STAFF.
YOU SEE IOWA AGAIN THERE, OUR GRASS VALLEY STUDENTS AND OUR TRACK TEAM, WHICH BY THE WAY, CHAMP PIZZA WAS VERY GENEROUS AND DONATED ALL THE PIZZAS FOR THAT.
A LITTLE APPLAUSE THERE FOR CHAMP.
WITH THAT SAID, I'LL MOVE IT BACK TO YOU, COREY. THANK YOU.
[02:05:03]
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR JOHN? THANK YOU.
THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO 8B WHICH IS OUR MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT WITH JASON MCEATHRON.
THIS EVENING I WANT TO GIVE A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AND THEN ALSO GIVE YOU A BUDGET STATUS UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
THIS INFORMATION IS ACTUALLY REALLY FROM LAST WEEK, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED YESTERDAY.
BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SLIDE THAT I ACTUALLY SHARED AT OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT SHOWED JUST HOW CLOSE THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE WERE.
REALLY AS THINGS WERE CLOSING IN AT THE END.
THE FIRST LINE THERE, IT SHOWS THE CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET AND THEIR INCREASE INTO THE 23, 25 BIENNIUM.
THE K12 PORTION AS FAR AS THAT BUDGET INCREASE IS ABOUT 3 BILLION. THIS SESSION.
OF NOTE, IT'S AN IMPORTANT NOTE IS THAT 1 BILLION OF THAT IS ESSER FUNDS.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THAT IS THAT JUST LIKE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TALK ABOUT ESSER FUNDS EXPIRING.
THERE'S ALSO STATE ESSER FUNDS THAT ARE EXPIRING NEXT YEAR.
THEY'RE ON THE SAME TIMELINE I BELIEVE, SEPTEMBER 2024.
I EXPECT THE NEXT SESSION TO BE INTERESTING BECAUSE I THINK THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE TO REVISIT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THIS TIME AROUND.
MOST SIGNIFICANT TO US, IS CLEARLY THE INFLATION FACTOR AND THEN REGIONALIZATION AND AND EXPERIENCE FACTOR.
INFLATION FACTOR, OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS IPD, IS A PERCENTAGE THAT IS APPLIED IN THE FUNDING FORMULA.
THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THIS.
THE LEGISLATURE REALLY DID SOME GOOD WORK HERE AND FOUND A LONG-TERM EFFECTS AROUND THIS, WHERE WE WILL NOW KNOW WHAT THIS NUMBER IS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY GOING FORWARD.
WE NO LONGER WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF A SESSION, WHICH AND THIS ONE IS BEEN A LONG SESSION IS THE END OF APRIL.
REALLY PLEASED WITH THEIR WORK AROUND THIS.
THIS WILL REALLY HELP SCHOOL DISTRICTS PLAN AHEAD.
LOOKING AT THE FOLLOWING YEAR, 24, 25, THAT IPD IS RIGHT NOW PROJECTED AT 3.9.
LIKE I MENTIONED, IN ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS, WE SHOULD KNOW REAL FIRMLY WHAT THAT NUMBER WILL BE.
REGIONALIZATION AND EXPERIENCE FACTOR.
THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING UNDERTAKING, THIS SESSION BECAUSE IT'S HELPED US AND IT'S HURT US AS WELL AT THE SAME TIME.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT REGIONALIZATION AND THE IMPACTS THAT WE STARTED AT 12 PERCENT WHEN MCCLEARY CAME INTO EFFECT FIVE-YEARS AGO.
IT'S ERODED DOWN TO 9 PERCENT FOR CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
NOW PART OF THAT LEGISLATION WAS AFTER FIVE YEARS, THEY WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS THAT THEY CALLED A REBASING.
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS DECIDED TO DO IS TO EQUALIZE THE REGIONALIZATION BY COUNTY.
OUR NEIGHBORS ARE AT 6 PERCENT AND THEY WANT TO BRING US TO 6 PERCENT A LITTLE MORE RAPIDLY THAN WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE DOING A TWO-YEAR PHASE IN ON THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ANOTHER 3 PERCENT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THIS IS TOUGH. YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
WE'VE LOST 6 PERCENT OF OUR FUNDING IN THE FUNDING FORMULA OVER THE COURSE OF THIS WILL BE FIVE-YEARS.
YOU ADD THAT ON TOP OF OUR ENROLLMENT LOSS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED DURING COVID, WE'RE STANDING RIGHT AT ABOUT 4 PERCENT. THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
WE'RE NOT ALONE. THERE ARE OTHER DISTRICTS WHO'VE ALSO LOST REGIONALIZATION.
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THESE VERY SAME THINGS.
THEY'RE READING SEVERAL ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE STATE OF DIFFERENT DISTRICTS,
[02:10:04]
GOING THROUGH THIS VERY SAME THING.THEY CITE THE EXACT SAME EXAMPLES THAT WE DO.
THE REASON TO WHY THERE ARE ALSO REDUCING THEIR BUDGET.
>> JASON MAYBE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS.
THE 6 PERCENT REGIONALIZATION, WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO THERE, IT'S GOING TO STAY THERE? OR THEY DON'T KNOW THAT EITHER?
>> WELL, FOR THE TIME BEING, UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE GOES THROUGH ANOTHER REBASING IN WHICH DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT I WOULD ASSUME IS FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
I THINK THAT THAT IS WRITTEN INTO LAW THAT THEY LOOKED AT IT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
>> LET ME SEE IF I UNDERSTAND THIS.
WE HAVE 3 BILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS BEING PUT INTO PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS THE STATE.
>> YES. AS IT RELATES TO REGIONALIZATION.
THE ONE BENEFIT OUT OF THIS SESSION IS THAT THE EXPERIENCE FACTOR IS WHICH WE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR INITIALLY.
WE WILL QUALIFY FOR GOING FORWARD AND THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL 4 PERCENT.
HOWEVER, THESE ARE A LITTLE BIT APPLES AND ORANGES BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOSE REGIONALIZATION, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE FUNDING FORMULA.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE GET AN EXPERIENCED FACTOR BUMP, IT'S JUST AN INCREASE OR WHAT'S CALLED CIS OR CERTIFICATED INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.
BASICALLY OUR FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE FOR TEACHERS DOESN'T INCLUDE CLASSIFIED CERTIFICATED ADMIN, CENTRAL ADMIN, NONE OF THOSE.
>> THAT 4 PERCENT EXTRA THAT WE GET FOR THOSE CIS'S STAFF ONLY INCLUDES THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE PROTOTYPAL SCHOOL MODEL THOUGH, RIGHT?
>> IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE TEACHERS THAT WE STAFF ON TOP OF THAT.
WE GET 4 PERCENT BUT [OVERLAPPING].
>> CORRECT. THAT 4 PERCENT ONLY IS THE PROTOTYPAL SCHOOL MODEL FUNDED TEACHERS, RIGHT? NOT ALL OF THEM.
>> CAN YOU MONETIZE IT? SO THE GOING DOWN 3 MORE PERCENT, THAT'S ABOUT $3 MILLION THAT WE LOSE.
THEN THE BUMP IN THE 4 PERCENT. WHAT IS THAT? DO YOU KNOW BALLPARK, SPITBALL, WHAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS THAT? WE'RE LOSING 3 MILLION AND WE'RE GETTING.
>> OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS, IT'LL END UP BASICALLY CANCELING ONE ANOTHER OUT.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT FUNDING FACTORS.
HOWEVER, I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE MADE WHOLE BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING REGIONALIZATION, WHICH IS ACROSS THE BOARD FACTOR.
I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO US FOR THE LONG TERM.
MORE SO THAN AGAIN AND EXPERIENCE FACTOR, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE LOOK AT THE PROTOTYPICAL FUNDING MODEL.
IT'S A FUNDING MODEL, NOT A STAFFING MODEL, RIGHT? WE WOULD HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE EXPERIENCE FACTOR FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE'VE BEEN PAYING.
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN PAYING AND ABSORBING THESE COSTS.
NOW ON AVERAGE FOR JUST A BASIC HEADTEACHER, ABOUT 12,000 OF THEIR COMPENSATION COMES OUT OF LOCAL LEVY.
THIS WILL, IN THE END, BECAUSE IT'S A FUNDING MODEL, WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED REALLY MADE A LITTLE GAME, BUT WE LOST QUITE A BIT WITH THAT REGIONALIZATION.
ON TOP, LIKE I CAN'T OVERLOOK THE LOSS OF ENROLLMENT TO.
THE GAIN OF 4% ONLY REALLY EQUATES TO THAT LOSS OF 3%, DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE 3% WE ALREADY LOST.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? JUST TO CLARIFY ON THAT.
WHEN I SAY IT'S A BIT OF A BREAKEVEN DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE 3% WHICH WOULD BE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M JUST LOOKING AT BUDGETS MOVING FORWARD.
WE HAD THIS PLAN OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND WE CUT THIS YEAR AND THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO CUT IN THE FUTURE, AND THEN ANOTHER LOPPING OFF 3%.
>> IF I'M UNDERSTANDING RIGHT, IT BASICALLY HOLDS US WHERE WE WERE.
[02:15:05]
IT DOESN'T HELP LIKE JASON SAID, WE'VE LOST MONEY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.NOW IT'S GOING TO HOLD STEADY RIGHT HERE.
YES. FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WHICH IS BASICALLY UNTIL THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AS IT RELATES TO THESE PARTICULAR ITEM, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO THE FUNDING FORMULA AND OTHER FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED.
>> BUT WITH 90% OF YOUR BUDGET IS SALARIES AND BENEFITS, THIS IS THE BALL GAME.
>> YES. SOME OF THOSE OTHER FACTORS THAT WE NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO OUT OF THIS SESSION IS THE SPECIAL ED FUNDING.
THAT WAS BETWEEN THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.
THEY HAD QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENTIAL ON THEIR SPECIAL ED INVESTMENT.
I WILL SAY THEY WENT WITH THE HIGHER NUMBER HERE.
THAT'S GOOD. THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE DOLLARS MILLION STATEWIDE SOUNDS SIGNIFICANT.
HOWEVER, THE TRUE FUNDING GAP OR DEFICIT IS ONE BILLION DOLLARS ACROSS THE STATE.
>> THREE SEVENTY ONE BETWEEN TWO YEARS.
>> YEAH, IT'S ABOUT A LOT OF SPINNING GOING ON WITH THAT RIGHT NOW I NOTICED.
>> YEAH. NOW. BUT THERE WERE SOME POSITIVE MOVEMENT IN INCREASING SEVERAL FACTORS IN THE FORMULA.
THERE IS A MULTIPLIER, THERE'S A CAP, THERE'S SAFETY NET, THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT TERMS. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT TO UNPACK THE EFFECTS OF WHAT THAT MEANS FOR CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS JUST THIS AFTERNOON, I'VE SEEN FROM THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES, THREE DIFFERENT NUMBERS FOR THE STATEWIDE INVESTMENT IN SPECIAL ED.
THIS IS MY MOST TRUSTED RESOURCE.
ONE THAT WE TEND TO LEAN ON WHO'S ACTUALLY A LAWYER AND LEGAL COUNSEL, SO HE'S PRETTY GOOD.
DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE DIFFERENT NUMBERS OUT THERE BECAUSE I SEE DIFFERENT ONES FLYING AROUND BECAUSE EVEN AN ARTICLE IN THE COLUMBIA IN THIS EVENING WITH A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
SOME OTHER AREAS BESIDES SPECIAL ED AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE WILL GET SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SPECIAL ED.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH AND I HOPE TO HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU NEXT MEETING.
SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I EXPECT IS THAT WE WILL PROBABLY GET SOME ONETIME ASSISTANCE FOR WHAT'S CALLED LEA OR LEVY EQUALIZATION DOLLARS.
AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS ONE TIME MONEY WON'T HAVE A LEGACY, WHEREAS THE SPECIAL ED FUNDING I DO EXPECT, WILL HAVE A LEGACY BECAUSE IT'S A CHANGE TO THE FUNDING FORMULAS.
TRANSPORTATION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS ARE LOOKING TO INCREASE THAT ABOUT 26 MILLION ACROSS THE STATE.
WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS.
EXPECT 26 MILLION ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
WON'T BE A GREAT DEAL, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME.
I'M STILL UNSURE AROUND SUMMER SCHOOL AND TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN, THOSE TWO PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, AND THEY'VE BEEN GRANT-FUNDED OF LATE.
WE'RE NOT SURE IF SOME OF THAT FUNDING TO WHAT LEVEL IS GOING TO CONTINUE.
CLEARLY THERE WAS AGREEMENT ON BOTH SIDES FROM THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE TO ASSIST IN THESE AREAS.
IT'S IN THE BUDGET, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO UNPACK THAT AS WELL.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM OS PI YESTERDAY OUTLINING THEIR PLAN FOR PROVIDING REVENUE MODELS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
THEY'RE REALLY THE KEY AGENCY THAT THEY'RE WORKING FEVER ACTUALLY THIS WEEK, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL WEEKS FOR THEM, THE WEEK AFTER EVERY SESSION.
THEY NEED SOME TIME AND SPACE TO REALLY FIGURE THIS OUT.
THEY HAVE PRIORITIZED SPECIAL ED FUNDING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN UNPACK THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO DISTRICTS CAN PLAN.
THEY'RE WORKING ON IT AND WE'LL ANXIOUSLY WAITING.
BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY THAT NEXT PHASE OF OUR BUDGET.
UP TO THIS POINT, WE REALLY HAVE NOT HAD SOME CERTAINTY AROUND NEXT YEAR'S FUNDING.
THIS WILL CHECK THAT BOX AROUND THE FUNDING FORMULA.
REALLY HELPS US LOCK IN OUR REVENUE MODEL.
OUR FINAL PIECE ON THE REVENUE SIDE, EVERY YEAR IS OUR ACTUAL ENROLLMENT IN THE FALL, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE HAVE TO BUDGET AHEAD OF THAT.
[02:20:03]
ANY QUESTIONS? PROBABLY ALL QUESTIONS.I DON'T HAVE MANY ANSWERS FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
I APOLOGIZE THE SESSION ENDING LAST NIGHT.
>> I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER EXUCM YOU'VE SEEN HIM.
CAN YOU BALLPARK THE SPECIAL ED? ARE WE TALKING MILLIONS? ARE WE TALKING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS? ARE WE TALKING TENS OF THOUSANDS?
>> WELL, IF YOU THINK OF IT, JUST THAT NUMBER 371 MILLION, RIGHT ACROSS TWO YEARS, ACROSS 295 DISTRICTS.
NO, I SEE IT MORE IN THE REALM OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS SOMEWHERE IN BUT I REALLY DON'T EVEN WANT TO GIVE YOU EVEN A RANGE JUST BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER.
BUT WHEN THEY START CHANGING FUNDING MULTIPLIERS APPS, THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX FORMULA THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
I HAVE YET TO SEE EVEN DURING THE SESSION, ANY RELIABLE FORECAST MODEL.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST TOO MANY FACTORS AT THIS POINT. GOOD QUESTION THOUGH.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE MONTH OF MARCH THEN IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS.
MONTH OF MARCH ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT MARCH IS THAT IT'S OUR LOW POINT FINANCIALLY.
THEN WE GO THROUGH THE SPRING COLLECTION AND THEN WE END THE YEAR FAIRLY CLOSE.
WHAT I MEAN BY LOW POINT IS YOU CAN LOOK IN OUR FINANCIAL REPORTS YEAR-TO-DATE, WE HAVE ABOUT A $5,000,000 LOSS.
BECAUSE WHAT THIS SPEAKS TO IS WHY DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE FUND BALANCED? BASICALLY, WE HAD TO START THIS YEAR WITH AT LEAST FIVE MILLION, OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PAY OUR BILLS OF MARCH AND IT HAS TO BE UNRESTRICTED DOLLARS.
ALSO IN OUR FUND BALANCE, WE HAVE 800 TO MILLION IN RESTRICTED FUNDS.
IT HAS TO BE FIVE MILLION AVAILABLE TO COVER OUR EXPENDITURES.
I WANT TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND FUND BALANCE AND WHY YOU NEED IT.
BASICALLY IT'S TO COVER OUR CASHFLOW.
IT'LL CHANGE NEXT WELL, I SAY NEXT MONTH, BUT THIS CURRENT MONTH THAT WE'RE IN IN APRIL BECAUSE WE HAVE TAX COLLECTIONS THAT COME IN.
OUR REVENUE MODEL WILL SPIKE IN THIS MONTH AND THEN START TO TAILOR OFF UNTIL THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR WHEN WE GET ABOUT 23% OF OUR STATE REVENUES COME IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS JUST THE VOLATILITY THAT WE LIVE WITH.
BUT AS WE START TO DRAW DOWN OUR FUND BALANCE, LIKE WE'RE DOING AND DOING IT VERY AGGRESSIVELY, I MIGHT ADD, THIS BECOMES MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT.
I MIGHT EMPHASIZE THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THOSE COMING YEARS AS THOSE MARGINS CLEARLY ARE GOING TO BE MUCH THINNER.
AS WE'VE INVESTED OUR FUND BALANCE.
THE OTHER FUNDS, TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE DEBT, SERVICE, CAPITAL PROJECTS, CSP.
ALL OF THOSE OF PRETTY NORMAL ACTIVITY, NOTHING SPECIAL TO REPORT THERE.
BUT THE TAKEAWAY IS WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT ROUGHLY A $5,000,000 DEFICIT.
IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT BETTER AT 4.7 NECK, IT ALSO SWING A LITTLE BIT THE OTHER DIRECTION TOO.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? THE OTHER SLIDES JUST GIVE A SENSE OF WHAT THE REVENUES EXPENDITURES BUDGET.
IN OUR INITIAL BUDGET, WE HAD BUDGETED 5.8 MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT.
KEEP IN MIND THAT POINT WE WERE LOOKING AT ALMOST 12 MONTHS AGO.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 4.7, SO FAIRLY CLOSE OVERALL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $115 MILLION OR $115 EXCUSE ME.
THE OTHER SLIDES I REALLY WANT TO JUST MENTION ON THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, I DO EXPECT THINGS HAVE COME IN PRETTY CLOSE TO BUDGET.
WE MIGHT SEE THIS PICTURE GET A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH SAFETY NET FUNDING, WHICH IS ALWAYS THE END OF THE YEAR, THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS DONE AS WE UNPACK THE BUDGET THAT AFFECTS CURRENT REVENUES,
[02:25:03]
THAT'S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY.ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THINGS ARE JUST LOCKING IN MONTH AFTER MONTH [NOISE] WE HAVE MONTH-TO-MONTH CHANGE.
YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING'S LESS THAN ONE PERCENT, LESS THAN A HALF OF PERCENT, SO VERY LITTLE CHANGE ON THE REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE SIDE TO REPORT.
I HOPE OUR NEXT BUDGET STATUS MEETING HERE IN MAY, WE'LL HAVE MORE INSIGHTS OBVIOUSLY ON THE SESSION AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE FOR THIS EVENING.
>> ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR JASON.
I DO FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT LEAST GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
JASON, IS THAT? I MEAN, WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THIS IS TRACKING TO WHAT WE ANTICIPATED OR EVEN.
>> YEAH, IT'S NOT VARYING MUCH FROM REALLY OUR FOUR-YEAR PLAN THAT WE HAD COME UP WITH LAST YEAR.
I THINK SOME THINGS HAVE IMPROVED OVERALL.
AS JOHN MENTIONED, WE'VE SEEN SOME POSITIVE GROWTH IN ENROLLMENT DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
I WILL SAY THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO.
THIS IS TRADITIONALLY THE NUMBER OF KIDS YOU HAVE IN OCTOBER, THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO END THE YEAR WITH.
WE'VE SEEN SOME POSITIVE THINGS THERE, NOT ENOUGH TO MOVE THE METER DRAMATICALLY BUT WE FEEL OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN, OBVIOUSLY, NO ONE WANTS TO GO THROUGH BUDGET REDUCTIONS IT'S THE LAST THING THAT YOU WANT TO DO, IT'S THE HARDEST THING.
BUT NOTHING MATERIAL HAS CHANGED THAT WOULD CHANGE OUR COURSE ALONG THOSE LINES.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR HIM? JASON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THOSE INVOLVED WITH ITEM 8C, THE WSUV AND CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT COLLABORATION REPORT FOR HANGING IN HERE FOR TWO-AND-A-HALF HOURS TO WAIT FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT SO LET'S NOT WASTE ANY MORE TIME ON THAT INTRODUCTION.
COME ON UP AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS REPORT [APPLAUSE]
>> HEY, I JUST WANT TO DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN WE'LL BRING YOU ALL UP IN JUST ONE SECOND.
JUST HANG THERE FOR ONE MOMENT.
AS SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS KNOW, NOT ALL OF YOU AND I KNOW DR. ANSELO AND YOU MAYBE VERY UNAWARE OF THIS COLLABORATION.
BUT IN 2018, JEFF SNELL CAME TO OUR CAMPUS LOOKING FOR COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE KNOW PROJECT-BASED LEARNING WORKS BEST WITH AUTHENTIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
ONE OF THOSE COLLABORATIONS THAT WE CREATED WAS WITH WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE I AM ADJUNCT FACULTY AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE RICK SAWYER, WHO IS THE CO-DIRECTOR OF OUR PROGRAM. RICK.
>> THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYBODY.
IT HAS BEEN A LONG EVENING THANK YOU FOR LETTING US PRESENT.
I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD TONIGHT, THE VOICES AND THE STUDENTS AND EVERYBODY ELSE HERE, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR PARTNERSHIP, THIS COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN WSU, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.
I'M A PROFESSOR IN THE COLLEGE OF ED AND REALLY DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL, AND IN A WAY WE ARE GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PBL AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN OUR OWN WAY.
REALLY QUICKLY, I HAD PREPARED SOME PREPARED COMMENTS WHICH I'M NOT GOING TO READ.
TRADITIONAL TEACHER EDUCATION IS DONE IN A WAY THAT'S SEPARATE FROM REGULAR SCHOOLS.
STUDENTS TAKE THEIR COURSEWORK, THEY TAKE THEIR THEORY AT THE UNIVERSITY, THEY DO THEIR TEACHING PREPARATION, THEY ARE STUDENT TEACHING AT SCHOOLS, IT'S A SEPARATE MODEL.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TO PARTNER WITH YOU AND EMBED SOME OF OUR COURSES ACTUALLY HERE IN CAMAS AND IN DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL SO THINK ABOUT IT.
INSTEAD OF READING ABOUT PIAGET AND HOW TO DO LESSON PLANNING AND THINKING ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES, WHICH IS WHAT I GOT IN 1986 WHEN I BECAME A TEACHER,
[02:30:02]
INSTEAD OF DOING THAT IN A CLASSROOM AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY, OUR STUDENTS ARE HERE WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS FOCUSED ON THE RICH EXPERIENCE, FOCUSED ON THEIR VOICE, CREATIVITY, PASSION, AND INTELLECT, AND HAVE THAT DRIVE THAT TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM.THIS IS ONE OF THE ONLY PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE IT, I FEEL LIKE I REALLY WANT TO RESPECT THE TONE OF EVERYTHING, BUT WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD, AND I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND EVERYBODY ELSE, AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK ROB, WHO'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS.
JUSTIN HILL, WHO'S NO LONGER THE SUPERINTENDENT HERE, WHO HELPS SERVICE WITH US, AND AARON SMITH, THE PRINCIPAL WHO ALSO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS PARTNERSHIP.
BUT I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE INVITED US IN AND BEEN SO GENEROUS WITH THEIR THINKING, WITH THEIR LIVES [APPLAUSE]
>> OUR PRESENTATION LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE THIS I JUMPED BECAUSE I JUST KNEW RICK WOULD HAVE SOMETHING BETTER TO SAY AND I WAS GOING TO BE STUCK.
WE ARE STARTING OFF WITH JUST FIVE-MINUTES WE'RE GOING TO BE REAL QUICK HERE.
OUR MIT STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK YOU TO BREAK OUT AND GET AWAY FROM JUST WHERE YOU'VE BEEN SITTING, AND TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY, THERE'S THREE GROUPS AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO PAIR OFF WITH THOSE THREE GROUPS SO I JUST WANT YOU TO MENTALLY BE READY FOR THAT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PRESENT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU THE CHANCE TO HAVE A Q&A, THAT'S NOT THE Q&A WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST WHILE YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE.
WITH THAT SAID THOUGH, YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE I DO TEACH FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS VIDEO PRODUCTION AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL, [NOISE] AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK VIDEO TO INTRODUCE [NOISE] THEM AS WELL [NOISE] [MUSIC]
>> WE DID AT HAND OFF AN ARTICLE RICKTON MENTIONED THIS, BUT WE WERE PUBLISHED THIS LAST YEAR.
THE ARTICLE THAT WAS HANDED OFF IS ABOUT ME AND MY EXPERIENCE THREE DAYS IN MARCH IN 2020, AND THE WORK THAT I DID TO HELP BUILD ONLINE LEARNING FOR BOTH THE WSU STUDENTS AND AND TO SUPPORT ONLINE LEARNING HERE IN CAMAS.
ONE QUOTE THAT WAS IN THAT ARTICLE THAT I HAD WAS ABOUT THIS IMAGE YOU SEE HERE, A RIPPLE OF CHANGE.
THIS HAS BEEN OUR METAPHOR SINCE I THINK THE DAY I FIRST SAW RICK AT ODYSSEY AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THE METAPHOR IS THAT EVERY EDUCATOR CAN CREATE RIPPLES OF CHANGE.
THE SINGLE EXPERIENCE AND THE PERSONALIZED LEARNING ON OUR CAMPUS CAN IMPACT THE PRACTICE OF STUDENTS IN MY COURSE, WHICH I HAD BEEN TEACHING AT THE WSU CAMPUS FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE THAT, AND THEY CAN IMPACT OTHER EDUCATORS IN THE REGION AND THE REGIONAL EDUCATORS CAN IMPACT LEARNING AND THEIR SYSTEMS AS WELL.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT CHEMISTS, THIS IS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY IN THE ART IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON.
WE LEFT YOU A COPY, IT'S NICE 15 PAGES.
I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU READ ONE OF THOSE FACTORS, WHICH IS THE THIRD ONE, WHICH IS ABOUT THE SUPPORT WE RECEIVED FROM AN ADMINISTRATION AT THE TIME AND HOW THAT FACTORED INTO MY ABILITY TO DO THIS,
[02:35:02]
AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A CONDESCENDING WAY.I THINK IT REALLY HONES INTO THE TYPE OF ADMINISTRATORS THAT WE'VE HAD AND HAVE STILL.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I THINK THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE AND THERE MUST NOT BE ANYMORE ON HERE.
PERFECT. WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TO TURN IT BACK TO OUR STUDENTS, SO LET ME PUT THAT BACK UP HERE.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY OF YOU HAVE I THINK IT WORKS BEST IF WE GO TO CORNERS LIKE THREE TABLES, AND I NOTICED TRACY, THERE'S LIKE A TABLE RIGHT BEHIND YOU.
WHERE ARE MY THREE GROUPS FROM WSU ORGANISMS INTO THREE GROUPS.
I'M JUST GOING TO CALL OUT FIRST GROUP, TRACY, AND I'M SORRY, CAN YOU PLEASE PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU AND ASK.
THOMANY IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN TRACY SINCE YOU'RE RIGHT THERE, AND THEN WE HAVE CONNIE.
PERFECT. MAYBE CONNIE, IF YOU WANTED TO JOIN OVER WITH LISA AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR LAST GROUP COME THIS WAY.
WSU STUDENTS, YOU JUST, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.
GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF, GET TO KNOW OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT A TEN-MINUTE TIMER ON TO RESPECT EVERYBODY'S TIME.
[BACKGROUND] I'M SORRY, I FORGOT THIS WAS SOMETHING RICK AND I SAID, SO I'M GOING TO JUST INTERRUPT REAL QUICK.
IF ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WANTS TO CREATE A SECOND CONCENTRIC CIRCLES SO THAT YOU CAN JUST KIND OF STAND OVER THE SHOULDERS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LISTEN.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT, WE REALLY WANT TO SHARE THE GREATNESS WE'VE DONE.
[02:45:35]
ONE MINUTE. JUST FOR[02:47:46]
THE INTEREST OF TIME, IF YOU CAN MAYBE WRAP UP YOUR CONVERSATIONS.[BACKGROUND] ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY.
AS YOU ARE WRAPPING UP, JUST FOR THE INTERESTS OF OUR WSU STUDENTS, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE JUST A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL THE WORK AND EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE.
[APPLAUSE] I JUST WANT TO PERSONALLY SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND LISTENING TO THIS.
I KNOW PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE WHEN WE THOUGHT OF USING A SCHOOL BOARD PRESENTATION AS PART OF OUR CAPSTONE FOR OUR EXPERIENCE TOGETHER, WAS FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I THINK YOU GOT A LOT TO LEARN TODAY, RIGHT? SO I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I KNOW I TOLD YOU IT'D BE MAYBE AN HOUR OR SO, BUT PLEASE WALK AWAY.
YOU JUST SAW A REALLY DYNAMIC PROCESS HERE.
YOU PARTICIPATED IN A VERY PHENOMENAL WAY TO WRAP UP THAT PROCESS AND KEPT IT POSITIVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOUR FACES AGAIN, GO OUT THERE AND MAKE SOME CHANGE.
[02:50:07]
>> THANK YOU, THANKS ROB FOR YOUR ADVOCACY FOR THAT.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT PROJECT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
I'M SORRY TO SAY WE DO STILL HAVE SOME ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF, SO IF WE COULD.
THANK YOU. WE'RE DOWN TO ITEM 9,
[9. POLICY REVIEW - FIRST READING]
WHICH IS OUR POLICY REVIEW.SO BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF UPDATES TO POLICIES LISTED HERE, A THROUGH N. ERICA AND DR. ANGELA ANNA AND I MET TO REVIEW THESE POLICIES AND THEN SENT THEM TO YOU EARLIER IN THE WEEK SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK THEM OVER.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE ARE REALLY JUST PROFORMA STUFF.
IT'S UPDATES TO UPDATES TO LAWS, BASICALLY MAKING SURE THAT OUR OUR POLICIES ARE UP TO NOT CONFLICTING WITH UPDATED STATE LAWS.
I WILL POINT OUT THE ONE POLICY THAT IS AN IN-HOUSE CHANGE IS POLICY 2320, WHICH REVOLVES AROUND FIELD TRIPS.
REALLY ALL THAT WAS WAS UNDER THE OLD POLICY, THERE WAS SOME NEBULOUSNESS ABOUT WHAT THE PORTLAND METRO AREA WAS, AND SO IN ORDER TO JUST HELP WITH WHICH TRIPS REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL AND WHICH ONES DON'T.
WE CHANGED IT TO BASICALLY INCLUDE THE THE COUNTIES OF MULTNOMAH, CLACKAMAS, AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES, AND THEN ANYWHERE 100 MI NORTH OR OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT.
SO ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THOSE THOSE AREAS DO REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL AND IT'S GOT TO BE SUBMITTED 14 DAYS IN ADVANCE FOR REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I'M POINTING OUT JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT'S IN-HOUSE.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST REALLY KIND OF BUSINESSES USUAL.
SO UNLESS YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ANY OF THE OTHER ONES, SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF THESE POLICIES, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR IT TO APPROVE FIRST READING AND THEN WE'LL BRING THEM BACK AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IN MAY.
>> I MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF THE POLICIES LISTED IN THE AGENDA A THROUGH N FOR APPROVAL FOR FIRST READING.
>> SO IT WAS MOVED BY CONNIE, SECONDED BY TRACY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES THERE.
THAT DOES BRING US TO THE END OF OUR MEETING.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE OR CLOSED SESSION, SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:24 AND WE'LL SEE YOU BACK FOR OUR MAY WORKSHOP.
WE ARE ADJOURNED. [NOISE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.