Jan 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 - Business Meeting

[2. Public Session - 7:30 p.m.]

[00:00:06]

OKAY. WELCOME.

I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING OF JANUARY 31ST, 2024.

PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

OKAY. AND NEXT I'LL ASK MR. ROWE FOR A REITERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS.

WE WE ENTERED EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THE EMPLOYMENT RECORD OF AN INDIVIDUAL.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

AND BY WAY OF OPENING REMARKS, I'LL JUST WELCOME EVERYBODY.

IT'S SO NICE TO SEE YOU ALL HERE.

VERY EXCITED FOR OUR HONOREES TONIGHT.

AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PRESENTATION SOON.

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST THANK THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM AGAIN, MAYOR MULLEN, FOR COMING AT OUR LAST MEETING, PRESENTING THEIR PROPOSAL. AND I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING THAT, THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, MULTIPLE MEETINGS IN OUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE, AND WE'VE DISCUSSED IT, I THINK THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH PUBLIC MEETING, DISCUSSING IT AS A BOARD.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH, REVIEW WITH OUR ARCHITECT, SOUGHT COUNSEL FROM OUR ATTORNEY.

WE'VE DONE THE APPRAISAL TITLE SEARCH.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND FOR THE PELHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND OUR PRIORITIES ARE TO HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN WITH THE WATER SITUATION, TO PRESERVE JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND, WHICH WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, IS CHERISHED, PLACE, MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF ANY KIND OF PUMPS OR INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THAT.

AND WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE ASSETS AND OPTIONALITY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE IN CONTACT AND COLLABORATION WITH THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM.

IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS COMMENTS ON THAT.

NO, JUST JUST THAT IN THE PRESENTATION.

THERE ARE SOME LEGAL ISSUES THAT THAT CAME UP.

SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO GET COUNSEL, SPECIFICALLY ON THAT FRONT.

OKAY. OKAY.

AND WE'RE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR STAFF CLIMATE SURVEY PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO.

OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO DO MINUTES?

[3. Approval of Minutes]

SO I ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

SO MOVED, SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? NO.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT WE CAN MOVE ON TO 4.1 STUDENT RECOGNITION.

[4.1 Student Recognition]

AND I WELCOME EVERYONE TONIGHT TOO.

IT IS ALWAYS AN EXCITING NIGHT WHEN WE CAN HAVE SUCH DISTINGUISHED STUDENTS HERE AND THE EDUCATORS WHO SUPPORT THEM AND WHO LEAD AND GUIDE THEM.

SO I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY MOVE OVER TO THE OTHER MICROPHONE FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.

SO AGAIN, GOOD EVENING.

WE ARE ALWAYS, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS, WHICH IS REALLY QUITE SPECIAL IN AND OF ITSELF.

THE SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM, AS I THINK WE'RE ALL VIVIDLY AWARE, IS REALLY ONE OF THE CROWNING PROGRAMS OF OUR DISTRICT.

UNDER THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP, IT HAS GROWN AND FLOURISHED, NOT ONLY IN QUANTITY BUT IN QUALITY.

SO FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN IN A REALLY UNIQUE POSITION OF BEING HAVING STUDENTS RECOGNIZED NOT ONLY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL AND THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

SO WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS AND TO, TO HELP ME WITH THAT AND TO REALLY PROVIDE THE DETAIL, FOR THOSE STUDENTS AND THE FACULTY MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCH A CRITICAL PART OF THAT PROGRAM, I'M GOING TO INVITE DR.

CALLAHAN, OUR DIRECTOR OF MATH AND SCIENCE, TO JOIN ME, AS WELL AS OUR PRINCIPAL, MARK BERKOWITZ [APPLAUSE].

THANK YOU, DR.

CHAMP. IT REALLY IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE REMARKABLE, REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR RESEARCH STUDENTS.

[00:05:09]

SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT ARE HERE THIS EVENING.

SO IF MARIA BUCKLEY COULD COME UP AND JOIN US.

MARIA BUCKLEY FOUNDED THE STEAM RESEARCH CLUB IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.

AND STEVE GARCIA WAS A BIG SUPPORTER OF THIS, ALONG WITH LYNN SABIA THOUGHT IT'D BE A GREAT IDEA TO START SOME OF THAT RESEARCH EARLIER [INAUDIBLE].

OH, THERE SHE IS. ALL RIGHT, SO I WASN'T SURE.

I TOLD HER SHE HAD TO COME UP.

I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN OR NOT.

ALL RIGHT. BUT WE WORK TOGETHER WITH MARIA TO REALLY EXPAND THE RESEARCH PROGRAM AND THE TYPES OF SKILL BASED INSTRUCTION THAT WE WANTED TO SEE TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WHEN WE DID THAT, MARIA STARTED TO ACTUALLY HELP DEVELOP THE PROGRAM AT THAT LEVEL.

AND IN HER FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, SHE, WITH HER STUDENTS EARNED NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS BROADCOM SCHOLARS, WHICH IS THE REGENERON EQUIVALENT IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO MARIA SAID, YOU KNOW, PLEASE DON'T EXPECT TOO MUCH.

I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO GO.

AND I WAS SITTING IN THE THE PRESENTATION AT THE FIRST COMPETITION.

AND OF COURSE SHE WON IT WITH HER KIDS, WHICH WAS CRAZY BECAUSE OTHER SCHOOLS HAD HAD MORE DEVELOPED PROGRAMS AND ACTUAL CLASSES IN RESEARCH.

AND SHE WAS ABLE TO, I DON'T WANT TO SAY BEAT THEM, BUT THE KIDS WERE ABLE TO OUTSHINE THE KIDS FROM SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAD ACTUAL CLASSES.

SO MARIA HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB.

TWO OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING RECOGNIZED THIS THIS EVENING STARTED IN EITHER SIXTH OR SEVENTH GRADE WITH THEIR RESEARCH.

SO I THINK THAT'S, SOMETHING THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY NOTEWORTHY.

SO THANK YOU, MISS BUCKLEY.

THE OTHER PERSON THAT I WANT TO [APPLAUSE].

SO I THINK WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE TOO.

THERE WE GO. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.

THE PROGRAMS REALLY WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER, AS I'LL MENTION A LITTLE BIT LATER ON WITH SOME OF THE STUDENT RECOGNITION.

BUT MARIA WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH STEVE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ON REALLY THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM AND ITS GROWTH.

SO SHE'S REALLY DONE A REMARKABLE JOB.

THE NEXT PERSON I'D LIKE TO CALL UP IS DR.

LORI TORTORELLA.

SO DR. TORTORELLA IS KIND OF LIKE A JACK OF ALL TRADES IN THE DISTRICT AT THIS POINT.

SHE'S TAUGHT CHEMISTRY, SHE'S TAUGHT BIOLOGY.

AND THIS YEAR WE ACTUALLY, BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH OF PROGRAM, NEEDED AN EXTRA PERSON IN THE SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM TO HELP WITH THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE IT HAS GOTTEN A LOT BIGGER THAN IT USED TO BE.

SO WE HAD IT'S ACTUALLY JUST A PRETTY SMALL TEACHING ASSIGNMENT.

IT'S REALLY JUST ONE CLASS.

BUT SHE'S ACTUALLY DONE WAY MORE THAN SOMEONE WHO HAS ONE CLASS WOULD DO.

I CAUGHT HER CAUGHT HER HERE SEVERAL TIMES, WAY, WAY PAST MY BEDTIME, WHERE SHE WAS LIKE EDITING PAPERS AND GOING OVER PRESENTATIONS AND WENT REALLY, REALLY ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT SOMEONE WHO JUST HAS THIS AMOUNT OF TEACHING IN THAT CLASS WOULD NORMALLY DO.

SHE HELPED TO PROOFREAD THE PAPERS THAT WE SUBMITTED TO THE SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH THIS YEAR, AND WAS A HUGE PART OF WHY WE DID AS WELL AS WE DID.

SO I WANT TO THANK DR.

TORTORELLA. WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU AS WELL [APPLAUSE].

MR. DIBELLO COULD NOT BE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING, BUT WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRAM WE WANTED A FEW YEARS AGO TO ADD KIND OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCE TO OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE WE CAN SOMETIMES TEND TO BE AND IT'S ACTUALLY A REFLECTION OF OUR AREA, BUT WE HAVE A TENDENCY OF BEING LIFE SCIENCE HEAVY IN SOME OF THE RESEARCH FIELDS.

SO WE WANTED TO BRING A PHYSICAL SCIENCE PRESENCE TO THE RESEARCH PROGRAM, IN THE FORM OF A TEACHER THAT COULD HELP MENTOR SOME OF THESE STUDENTS IN THESE AREAS.

SO MR. DIBELLO WAS BROUGHT IN TO REALLY HELP WITH THE PHYSICAL SCIENCE SIDE OF THE WORK THAT WAS BEING DONE IN THE SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM.

AND HE'S ALSO DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM THIS EVENING AS WELL SO [APPLAUSE].

AND THE QUIETEST PERSON IN OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM ON THE TEACHING SIDE.

THE PERSON WHO TYPICALLY NEEDS A MICROPHONE OR YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR HIM.

YEAH. THAT'S NOT AT ALL TRUE IF YOU'VE MET HIM.

SO, MR. STEVE BELTECAS. SO IF YOU COULD COME UP, STEVE [APPALUSE].

YOU NOTICE HOW THE STUDENTS REACTED TO THAT PARTICULAR COMMENT AS WELL? THEY THEY DEFINITELY RELATED TO THAT LITTLE BIT OF AN INSIDE JOKE.

SO WHEN I WAS TEACHING RESEARCH, I WAS THE GUY.

[00:10:03]

DR. CHAMP KNOWS I HATE PICTURES.

SO I INSIST ON NOT BEING IN ANY, STEVE IS THE GUY WHO ALWAYS SAT IN THE FRONT AND WOULD BE FLYING A DRONE IN THE AUDITORIUM, DIRECTING THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION AND YELLING FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN THE VIDEO CAMERA THAT THE DRONE WAS SHOOTING.

AND HE WOULD ALL BE DOING ALL THIS FROM THE VERY FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM.

WHILE I WAS IN THE BACK, KIND OF HIDING, LIKE BEING LIKE, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THIS GUY'S MY FRIEND, YOU KNOW? SO SO, STEVE IS AN INCREDIBLE PRESENCE IN THE SCIENCE RESEARCH COMMUNITY.

HE'S ON PRETTY MUCH EVERY BOARD IN ALL OF THESE, IN ALL OF THESE COMPETITIONS.

BUT THE PRESENCE THAT HE BRINGS IS REALLY MORE OF THAT OF A COACH, RIGHT? HE'S REALLY INSPIRING.

HE BUILDS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN THE PROGRAM AND SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE TO OUR PROGRAM HERE, WHICH WE REALLY CELEBRATE, IS WE DO NOT IT'S NOT AN EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM LIKE IT IS IN OTHER PLACES. THERE ARE NO THERE'S NO REAL HURDLES TO GET INTO OUR PROGRAM.

OTHER PROGRAMS REALLY DO RESTRICT WHO CAN ACCESS A SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM.

WE INVITE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO WORK HARD AND IS PASSIONATE ABOUT LEARNING SOMETHING ABOUT A TOPIC THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN TO ENGAGE IN RESEARCH.

AND WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY OUTSTANDING RESULTS FROM STUDENTS, REALLY ACROSS THE SPECTRUM IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE PRIDE IN.

STEVE HAS REALLY DEVELOPED AND FOSTERED THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN THE RESEARCH PROGRAM, AND THE SUCCESS THAT YOU SEE IS REALLY A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS LEADERSHIP.

SO THANK YOU, STEVE, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THAT PROGRAM AND FOR REALLY MAKING IT A PROGRAM THAT EVERYBODY CAN ACCESS IF THEY WANT TO, WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US HERE [APPLAUSE].

SO JUST A FEW OTHER THANK YOU'S.

REALLY A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MISS SABIA AND MR. BERKOWITZ. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHO HAVE BEEN TIRELESS ADVOCATES FOR THE INVESTMENT IN THESE PROGRAMS THAT THAT THEY REQUIRE, BOTH ON THE PERSONNEL SIDE AND ALSO ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE.

WE'RE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HER CABINET.

I MENTIONED STEVE EARLIER, WHO'S BEEN A HUGE PART OF OUR SUCCESS, WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE NEEDED FOR SUCH A HIGH PERFORMING PROGRAM.

FINALLY, WE WANT TO THANK THE PEF AND THE PAST AND CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR VISION FOR OUR SUCCESS VERY EARLY ON IN TODAY HAS MADE AUTHENTIC RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS A REALITY.

AND OUR CELEBRATION TONIGHT IS REALLY A RESULT OF THAT ONGOING VISION FOR RIGOROUS, RELEVANT, PROGRESSIVE, SKILL BASED MATH AND SCIENCE EDUCATION.

IT ALLOWS NOT ONLY US TO THEORIZE ABOUT WHAT CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SHOULD LOOK LIKE FOR PELHAM STUDENT, BUT TO REALIZE IT, ESPECIALLY ON NIGHTS LIKE TONIGHT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION FOR THE RESEARCH PROGRAM AND FOR SUPPORTING OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM AS MUCH AS YOU DO.

SO THANK YOU.

SO TONIGHT I JOINED THE BOE IN CELEBRATING THE HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE IT REQUIRES TO EARN REGIONAL AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH BY SECONDARY STUDENTS.

RECENTLY, THE JUNIOR SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM WAS CONDUCTED AT YORKTOWN HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S A REGIONAL SCIENCE COMPETITION FOR THIS BRANCH.

IT'S REALLY SUPPORTED OR WAS SUPPORTED EARLY ON AND STILL IS BY THE ARMED SERVICES.

SO IT'S A NATIONAL SCIENCE RESEARCH AWARDS PROGRAM.

THIS IS ONE OF TWO MAJOR COMPETITIONS HELD IN OUR AREA IN ORDER TO RECOGNIZE, HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH.

THE JSHS AS WE CALL IT, FOCUSES ON A STUDENT'S ABILITY TO ARTICULATE THEIR RESEARCH THROUGH AN ORAL PRESENTATION AND THEN AT THE END, TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM YOUR JUDGES.

AND SO YOU'RE RATED BASED ON THAT PERFORMANCE ON WHAT WHAT'S BASICALLY A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY A Q&A.

SO AT THIS REGIONAL COMPETITION, WE HAD, SEVERAL STUDENTS ACKNOWLEDGED FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS WORK AND RESEARCH.

SO FOR WORK ON THE NEUROGENIC EXPLORATION OF COMORBIDITY IN AUTISM AND EPILEPSY.

WE HAD AN HONORABLE MENTION AND RUNNER UP POSITION FOR STATES IN ALBANY AT JSHS STATES.

THIS WAS AWARDED TO SAMANTHA GREGWARE [APPLAUSE].

FOR WORK ON PENCIL BEAM SCANNING.

FLASH RADIOTHERAPY ON GI TOXICITY.

[00:15:02]

THANK YOU. A TRIP TO STATES AT ALBANY, AND THE SEMIFINALIST AWARD AT JSHS WAS AWARDED TO AADITA ROY FOR HER WORK ON PRO-INFLAMMATORY MACROPHAGES AND STEM CELLS [APPLAUSE].

SO THE STATE FINALIST FROM JSHS AND ALSO A TRIP TO ALBANY TO PRESENT ON ASSESSING KEY WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS IN OYSTER BAY GOES TO GYAN SCHLOYER [APPLAUSE].

AND FINALLY, WE HAVE ONE MORE, RECOGNITION THAT I'D LIKE TO, REALLY EMPHASIZE THIS EVENING.

SO MANY OF YOU KNOW, AND I ALSO WANT TO, AGAIN, GIVE STEVE CREDIT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PROGRAM IN THIS AREA.

FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD FOUR STS SEMIFINALISTS.

ONLY ONE.

EXCUSE ME, THERE ARE ONLY 300 SEMIFINALISTS IN THE COUNTRY EVERY YEAR.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE RESEARCH AND THE BODY OF RESEARCH THAT WE'RE CONTRIBUTING TO IS REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. SO EVERYBODY WHO ENGAGES IN RESEARCH IN OUR PROGRAM IS A WINNER, BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR OUR STUDENTS TO REALLY GET TO WHERE THEY END UP IN SOME OF THESE, PRESTIGIOUS, PRESTIGIOUS COMPETITIONS, WE HAVE THE OTHER STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PEER EDITING AND GIVING THEM CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON THEIR PRESENTATIONS.

SO WHENEVER WE WIN, WE WIN AS A SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM.

AND AGAIN, I DON'T EVEN LOVE THE WORD WIN.

SO I'VE USED THE WORD EARN THIS EVENING A LOT MORE THAN I THINK I'D LIKE TO USE THE WORD WIN, BUT IT REALLY IS A GROUP EFFORT.

BUT IT'S A GROUP EFFORT NOT ONLY FROM THE SCIENCE RESEARCH TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO FROM EVERYONE WHO'S CONTRIBUTED ALONG THE JOURNEY TO GET TO THIS, THE APPLICATION PROCESS STEVE, HOW LONG IS THE APPLICATION NOW? 63 PAGES.

SO IT'S A 63 PAGE APPLICATION PROCESS, COMPLETE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, TRANSCRIPTS, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.

BUT WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT, WE FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT OUR STUDENTS DO SO WELL BECAUSE THEY HAVE GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEMS. SO WE WANT TO CELEBRATE THE GREAT WORK THAT A STUDENT SUBMITS IN TERMS OF THEIR RESEARCH.

BUT WE ALSO WANT TO CELEBRATE THE SUPPORT THEY'RE GIVEN BY THEIR STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM WITH THEM.

SO WE ARE VERY, VERY PLEASED THAT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE HAD FOUR STS WINNERS.

AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S ONLY 300 EVERY YEAR.

SO WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, THIS YEAR AGAIN, WE HAD A SEMIFINALIST IN MEDICINE AND HEALTH, FOR THIS MOST PRESTIGIOUS OF, WRITING COMPETITION.

SO UNLIKE THE PRESENTATION COMPETITION, THIS IS A PURE WRITING COMPETITION WHERE THEY FILL OUT THE 63 PAGE APPLICATION AND SUBMIT THEIR, THEIR WRITTEN PAPER, FOR ASSESSMENT BY THE COMMITTEE. SO THIS YEAR, OUR, STS SEMIFINALIST WAS AADITA ROY [APPLAUSE].

BEFORE DR. CALLAHAN SLIPS AWAY, PROGRAMS LIKE THIS DO NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT VISION, LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT.

SO I KNOW HE DOESN'T LIKE BEING THE PICTURES.

HE DOESN'T LIKE BEING RECOGNIZED, BUT WE'RE DOING IT ANYWAYS.

THANK YOU, DR. CALLAHAN, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO SUPPORT YOUR TEACHERS, TO REALLY THOUGHTFULLY CRAFT THE PROGRAM, PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.

[00:20:07]

SO I'D SAY ANOTHER HAND A ROUND OF APPLAUSE [APPLAUSE].

WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

I REALLY YOU DO. YOU MAKE US SO PROUD AND, JUST THRILLED TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR.

AND I THINK WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR RESEARCH DOWN THE ROAD WHEN IT GETS PUBLISHED.

AND, BE LOOKING FOR EXCITING THINGS AHEAD.

THANK YOU FOR COMING. IF YOU FEEL FREE TO, GO ON YOUR WAY THIS EVENING, DON'T FEEL YOU NEED TO STAY UNLESS YOU TRULY WANT TO.

YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME, BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE LOTS OF WRITING AND RESEARCH TO DO SO THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR FOLKS TOO, FOR, FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THEY PROVIDE [APPLAUSE]. OKAY.

OKAY. SO IT IS ALWAYS WONDERFUL TO HAVE, THESE STUDENTS IN.

SO, TONIGHT, OUR OTHER, MAIN FEATURE OF THE EVENING.

[4.2 Climate Survey Report]

AS THE BOARD KNOWS, WHEN WE MET IN THE SUMMER AND SET GOALS FOR THE YEAR, ONE OF THE, SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF INTEREST AND FOCUS OF THE BOARD IN THE DISTRICT THIS YEAR IS TO LOOK AT CLIMATE, SCHOOL CLIMATE FOR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO CRITICALLY, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW DO WE BEST SUPPORT OUR FACULTY, HOW DO WE GET A SENSE OF, SCHOOL CULTURE AND CLIMATE AND FIND WAYS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE, TO SUPPORT OUR FACULTY? AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU, SOME OF YOU HAVING A HUMAN RESOURCES BACKGROUND.

I KNOW IT'S A PASSION, BUT ALSO YOU UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF DOING THAT TO SUPPORT THE STRENGTH OF THE WORKFORCE.

SO, WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS.

AGAIN, THE BOARD KNOWS THIS, BUT JUST FOR ANYONE WHO MAY BE WATCHING, WE WENT THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS, BACK OVER THE SUMMER.

AND ACTUALLY BACK WAS LAST SCHOOL YEAR, REVIEWED SEVERAL APPLICATIONS, HONED IN ON WHAT SEEMED LIKE SOME POSSIBLE, POSSIBLE GOOD FITS FOR OUR DISTRICT AND HAD A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS.

AND I REMEMBER NATALIE JOINED US FOR THOSE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WITH, ALONG WITH THE WHOLE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM TO TRY TO IDENTIFY WHICH SEEM TO BE THE BEST FIT FOR PELHAM, AND FINDING A RESEARCH BASED ORGANIZATION THAT UNDERSTOOD, SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS AND ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF REAL, QUALITY DATA ANALYSIS AND REALLY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO HOW TO THEN IMPLEMENT FINDINGS FROM THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.

SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE IDENTIFIED THE CORE COLLABORATIVE, AS THE PARTNER WE WANTED TO WORK WITH.

AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TONIGHT TO HAVE THEIR LEAD RESEARCHER WITH US, THIS DR.

ALAN DALY, WHO OF COURSE, I SENT MY NOTES SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHO IS A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN SAN DIEGO.

DID I GET THAT RIGHT? ALL RIGHT. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN SAN DIEGO ALSO WORKS WITH THE CORE COLLABORATIVE.

HE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH DR.

GARCIA. SO THANK YOU, DR.

GARCIA, FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS.

AND AMONGST THE CABINET, AND, DR.

GARCIA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH A TEAM, A CORE TEAM OF ADMINISTRATORS.

SO WITH US TONIGHT, WE HAVE JOHN SEBALOS, OUR DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY, RACHEL GARCIA, PRINCIPAL OF COLONIAL.

AND MR. SEAN LLEWELLYN COULD NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT, BUT THEY WERE THE THREE ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT THAT WORKED WITH DR.

GARCIA AND WITH DR.

DALY TO CRAFT OUR OUR VERY FIRST, CLIMATE SURVEY FOR FACULTY.

AND AGAIN, VERY THOUGHTFUL GROUP, REALLY THINKING HARD ABOUT HOW DO YOU BUILD TRUST, HOW DO YOU GET IMPORTANT CONSTRUCTS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US AS AN ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE TO GROW, CONSTRUCTS THAT ARE GOING TO NOT ONLY HELP OUR FACULTY, BUT THAT WILL TRANSLATE DOWN TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, WHICH AT THE END OF THE DAY, IS WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE ABOUT. SO WE WERE PLEASED TO HAVE DR.

DALY IN DISTRICT THIS WEEK.

WE LAUNCHED THE SURVEY.

JUST A COUPLE OF DETAILS ON THAT TOO WE LAUNCHED THE SURVEY BACK IN MID-OCTOBER.

IT WAS OPEN FOR ABOUT SIX, FIVE WEEKS OR SO.

SO WE WERE THRILLED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF PARTICIPATION, WHICH DR.

DALY WILL SHARE WITH YOU.

WE'VE GOT A REALLY GREAT RESPONSE RATE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR FIRST, FIRST TIME OUT WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

SO, DR.

DALY WAS WITH US TODAY WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AT PROSPECT HILL.

THERE WAS A LOT OF JEALOUSY ABOUT THAT BEAUTIFUL, LIBRARY.

THAT'S WHERE WE MET A LOT OF THE ADMINISTRATORS HADN'T BEEN THERE BEFORE, SO THAT WAS SOME JUST FUN CONVERSATION.

BUT WE HAD A REALLY, REALLY THOUGHTFUL SESSION WHERE HE WALKED US THROUGH THE DATA, AND WE REALLY, TOOK A STRENGTHS BASED APPROACH TO IDENTIFY WHAT DOES THE DATA MEAN AND WHAT MIGHT BE SOME POSSIBLE NEXT STEPS FOR US.

SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO DEBRIEF WITH THE TEAM.

[00:25:03]

BUT TONIGHT, DR. DALY IS WITH US ALL THE WAY FROM SUNNY CALIFORNIA.

HE'S VERY EXCITED ABOUT WEARING HIS SCARF.

I'M SURE HE'LL PROBABLY TELL US ABOUT THAT, TOO.

GOOD REASON TO COME TO NEW YORK.

BUT REALLY EXCITED TO TURN OVER TO HIM FOR HIM TO SHARE THE PROCESS, THE RESEARCH, THE FINDINGS, THE DATA, AND ANY, ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS WORK.

SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, DR.

DALY. GREAT. THANK YOU ALL.

THANKS, CHERYL. AND THANKS, STEVE.

AND THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR HAVING ME.

TWO THINGS JUST TO NOTE ON THAT LAST, EXPERIENCE THAT WE JUST ALL SHARED TOGETHER.

NUMBER ONE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE ALL BEEN TO CONCERTS BEFORE, BUT GENERALLY AT A CONCERT THEY HAVE, LIKE A WARM UP BAND AND THEN THE MAIN BAND GOES ON.

YOU GUYS HAVE SORT OF REVERSED THIS.

YOU'VE HAD THE ROLLING STONES COME ON, AND NOW YOU HAVE BOB'S TROMBONE BAND THAT IS SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CROWD.

SO THANKS FOR THAT.

APPRECIATE IT. SECONDLY, AS CHERYL SAID, I'M A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AND WE ENGINEERED.

WE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PUBLIC SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD, A VERY STRONG PUBLIC RESEARCH SYSTEM.

WE ARE SO BRILLIANT WE ORGANIZE THIS ENTIRE PRESENTATION JUST FOR ME TO BE HERE, SO I COULD RECRUIT SECONDARY STUDENTS FROM PELHAM TO COME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.

SO I'D LIKE YOU TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS KIND OF OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO STEAL SOME OF YOUR BEST STUDENTS.

I'M SURE THERE'S LOTS MORE OF THEM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT I'LL BE HAPPILY TAKING THESE BACK TO SAN DIEGO WITH ME.

SO, SO THANKS FOR THAT.

SO, OKAY, YOU GOT BOB'S TROMBONE BAND WHO'S GOING TO COME AND TAKE YOUR BRIGHTEST TALENTS SO THANKS.

IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

AS CHERYL SAID, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN STEVE AND I AND THE TEAM WHO OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T PAY FOR THE FRONT ROW SEATS.

SO THEY HAVE TO SIT IN THE BACK HERE.

THEY'VE BEEN REALLY FANTASTIC IN TERMS OF THINKING AND GOING THROUGH THE ITEMS, AND I'M REALLY IMPRESSED BY A COUPLE OF THINGS.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE DATA IN A SECOND.

YOU'VE ALREADY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A PREVIEW, BUT WHAT WAS SO IMPRESSIVE TO ME IS THAT A SCHOOL BOARD REALLY ENGAGING IN THESE KIND OF CULTURE AND CLIMATE ACTIVITIES, MOST SCHOOL BOARDS ARE INTERESTED IN THAT, BUT NOT TO THE DEGREE THAT YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN IT.

SO THAT WAS REALLY QUITE GOOD.

SECONDLY, USUALLY WHEN I SHOW UP, THERE'S SOME KIND OF HORRENDOUS THING THAT'S GOING ON.

I RARELY GET TO COME INTO A PLACE AND BE LIKE, WOW, THERE'S A LOT OF AWESOMENESS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE HERE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT TONIGHT IN THE DATA.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT YOU ALL HAVE SOME HIGH LEVEL OF NERDINESS IN YOU, WHICH I CONSIDER TO BE A REALLY GOOD THING.

I'M GOING TO BE SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE CONSTRUCTS THAT WE MEASURED.

SO I WAS FOLKS WHO SAID, OH, THEY'LL REALLY BE INTERESTED IN THIS, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S MY FAVORITE BIT OF THIS.

SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AS I GO THROUGH THIS.

IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT CLEAR, WHICH IS HIGHLY LIKELY, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ME AT ANY POINT.

IN MY FAMILY, I GREW UP IN BOSTON, IRISH CATHOLIC FAMILY.

SO INTERRUPTING AND YELLING AND SHOUTING OUT AT ME JUST MEANS I LOVE YOU, SO I'LL BE COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

SO LET'S START HERE.

THIS IS SOMETHING YOU OBVIOUSLY ALL UNDERSTAND AT A VERY DEEP LEVEL, PARTICULARLY THE GEN X MEMBERS OF YOU, IS THAT WE CAN SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT GROWTH AND CHANGE AND PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATION, ETC.

BUT WE KNOW IF THAT IS SITUATED IN A CULTURE OR IN A CLIMATE THAT IS TOXIC OR THAT WORKS AGAINST THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, NO MATTER HOW AMAZING YOUR EXECUTION IS, YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL.

SO THE RESEARCH IS REALLY CLEAR.

WE'VE GOT TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO CULTURE AND CLIMATE, AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT IN A COUPLE OF REALLY SPECIFIC WAYS AS I WALK YOU THROUGH THIS.

BUT THE GOAL HERE IS REALLY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

AND WE WANT TO TAKE A STRENGTHS BASED APPROACH TO DOING THAT, WHICH IS ALSO DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE RESEARCH.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW IT.

AND CHERYL TOLD ME, A FEW OF YOU HAVE, HR KINDS OF BACKGROUNDS AND RESOURCES, KIND OF BACKGROUNDS.

THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK AND POSITIVE ORGANIZATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP, WHICH IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN THIS IDEA THAT IF WE RIGOROUSLY EXAMINE THE THINGS WE DO WELL, WE CAN ACTUALLY END UP DOING EVEN BETTER.

IT'S A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE, BECAUSE WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME THINKING ABOUT THE AREAS IN WHICH WE FAIL OR WE HAVEN'T DONE WELL, AND WE NEED TO ATTEND TO THOSE.

BUT OFTENTIMES, LEADING FROM OUR STRENGTHS BUILDS A SENSE OF EFFICACY AND AGENCY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE WORK.

SO AS SHERYL MENTIONED TODAY, WHEN WE WERE DOING WORK WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, WE WERE DEEPLY CONNECTED AND INVESTED IN THE STRENGTHS THAT YOU HAVE HERE IN THIS DISTRICT.

[00:30:05]

AND WE ARE USING THE SAME RIGOROUS APPROACH AND SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS TO LOOK AT THAT DATA IN WHICH WE'RE DOING WELL, THE SAME KIND OF ENERGY WE MIGHT USE TO LOOK AT THOSE AREAS IN WHICH WE'RE NOT DOING SO WELL.

SO THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL AND PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT LOOKING AND EXAMINING DATA.

SO I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO DO SOME OF THAT.

I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE STRENGTHS IN THIS PRESENTATION, TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME TRENDS THAT WE NOTICED WHEN WE DID THE ANALYSIS.

AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

SO AS CHERYL MENTIONED, THIS IS I GET THE PRIVILEGE TO DO SOME WORK WITH THE CORE COLLABORATIVE, WHO ARE JUST A GREAT GROUP OF FOLKS, AND THEY TURN TO ME BECAUSE, LIKE MANY OF YOU, THEY WERE TIRED OF USING INSTRUMENTS THAT WERE NOT SCIENTIFICALLY VALID OR RELIABLE.

SO IT'S NOT UNCOMMON IN SYSTEMS FOR PEOPLE TO SIT IN THEIR MOMS BASEMENTS AND TO CRANK OUT SURVEY ITEMS WITHOUT PSYCHOMETRICALLY TESTING THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY MEASURING WHAT THEY INDICATE THAT THEY'RE MEASURING.

SO IN THE WORK THAT I'VE BEEN DOING, WE'VE DEVELOPED A CADRE OF REALLY WELL USED, WELL REGARDED INSTRUMENTS THAT WE HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE, SOME FAITH IN. WE'VE MEASURED THEM USING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF EDUCATORS ACROSS THE US AND INTERNATIONALLY.

SO WE HAVE CONFIDENCE.

SO I'M WHEN I SHARE THESE RESULTS TO YOU AND I TELL YOU THAT WE'RE MEASURING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND WE'RE MEASURING WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION, YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME FAITH IN THE FACT THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY MEASURING THOSE THINGS.

SO I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE FOUND.

AND STEVE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND CORRECT ALL THE THINGS I GET WRONG.

STEVE WAS REALLY VERY GRACIOUS AND INSTRUMENTAL IN ALL OF THIS, AND HE PROBABLY ENDED UP WORKING MORE WITH ME THAN HE PROBABLY WANTED TO.

SO WE ADMINISTER THE SURVEY.

WE KEPT IT OPEN FOR A WHILE.

WE ENDED UP WITH 199 INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF MEMBERS.

OH, WE JUST COULDN'T GET THAT ONE EXTRA PERSON, WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERALL RESPONSE RATE OF ABOUT 70%.

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO SURVEY RESEARCH, LIKE GETTING 70% OUT OF AN ORGANIZATION IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO SO, STEVE, I OWE YOU A LOT FOR GETTING THAT KIND OF RESPONSE RATE.

SO THE GOOD THING IS YOU'VE GOT GOOD INSTRUMENTS, WE'VE GOT A GOOD RESPONSE RATE.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST CHERRY PICKING A FEW FOLKS IN THE DISTRICT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A GOOD STRONG SAMPLE.

SECONDLY, WE HAD LESS OF A STRONG SAMPLE FROM OUR NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ALSO SURVEY THE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF TO FIND OUT PERCEPTIONS AROUND SENSE OF BELONGING AND WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION AS WELL.

AND FOR THOSE FOLKS, WE HAD ABOUT 34 FOLKS.

THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 30% MORE OR LESS OF THE POPULATION.

SO SHOULD WE EVER DECIDE TO DO THIS IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS, WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT OTHER KINDS OF STRATEGIES AROUND THE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

THEIR VOICES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE ENTIRE ENDEAVOR OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW.

SO WE COLLECTED A GOODLY AMOUNT OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.

WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT THE SURVEY, WE WERE REALLY CAREFUL NOT TO USE ANY IDENTIFYING DATA.

WE WANTED PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT THEY COULD BE COMPLETELY HONEST.

WE ALSO DREW A FIREWALL BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE RAW DATA.

SO THE RAW DATA ACTUALLY CAME IN AND MYSELF AND MY TEAM, WE DID THE ANALYSIS ON IT AND THEN REPORT IT BACK TO THE DISTRICT.

WE REALLY WANTED THAT DATA FOR FOLKS TO FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT, TO HAVE THIS HONEST BROKER THAT WAS WORKING WITH IT.

SO I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT OF, SOME A SAMPLE OF THREE OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC AREAS AND JUST SORT OF NOTE A FEW THINGS FOR YOU TO BE TUNING INTO HERE. SO THE FIRST ONE IS WE ASKED THE INSTRUCTIONAL FOLKS LIKE, WHAT GRADES ARE YOU WORKING AT? SO YOU COULD SEE A BREAKDOWN BETWEEN, TEACHERS THAT INDICATED K TO 5 OR INDICATED, 6 TO 12 OR K TO 12 OR MULTIPLE GRADES. NOW, TO BE CLEAR, THE K TO 12 MEANS SOMEBODY WHO INDICATED THEY WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE GRADES.

I ALSO WANT TO ALERT YOU THAT ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE.

SO IT'S NOT A BIG POPULATION.

SO I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THEIR SCORES.

BUT IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD I WANT YOU RECOGNIZING AND ONLY REPRESENTS A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF FOLKS.

AND THEN WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT WORKED AT MULTIPLE GRADES AS OPPOSED TO WORKING ACROSS THE SPAN.

SO THESE ARE THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF RESPONSES.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO NOTE THAT IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.

ONE, IT'LL ALWAYS BE THE COLOR BLUE, JUST LIKE IN THE REPORT THAT I GAVE YOU.

AND SECONDLY IT'LL SAY INSTRUCTIONAL ON THE TOP.

I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU NON-INSTRUCTIONAL IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT JUST SO YOU'LL HAVE SOME VISUAL CLUES, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S ALSO LATE IN THE EVENING AFTER ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN

[00:35:02]

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER KIND OF DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN HERE.

WE'RE ASKING THE QUESTION HERE WAS, HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN AN EDUCATOR IN ANY POSITION? SO IT COULD BE THAT YOU WERE A SECOND GRADE TEACHER AND THEN A THIRD GRADE TEACHER OR SOMETHING.

SO HERE WE WANT JUST TO GET AN IDEA, WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF IN THE DISTRICT? YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS. YOU COULD PROBABLY PULL OUT ANY NUMBER OF REPORTS.

STEVE COULD PULL THEM UP FOR YOU.

BUT WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE PRETTY WELL SEASONED IN THE EDUCATIONAL GAME, RIGHT? A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT, MAYBE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROLES AND EDUCATORS, BUT CERTAINLY THEY HAVE BEEN EDUCATORS FOR A WHILE.

WHAT'S MORE TELLING IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO NOW THIS IS NUMBER OF YEARS YOU'VE WORKED IN PELHAM.

AND WHAT YOU COULD SEE FROM THIS GRAPH REALLY CLEARLY, BECAUSE THIS N BIT RIGHT HERE IS, OKAY, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE THE MICROPHONE.

THE N BIT RIGHT HERE, YOU COULD SEE STARTS AT 16 TO 20 YEARS ALL THE WAY UP TO 36 TO 40 YEARS.

SO YOU'RE WEIGHTED PRETTY HEAVILY ON FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THEIR CRAFT FOR A WHILE.

FROM WHAT WE COULD TELL IN THE DATA, IT SEEMS THAT PEOPLE ENTER PELHAM AND THEN REMAIN IN PELHAM.

SO ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING THAT'S QUITE DIFFICULT TO DO AND THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING IN OTHER DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHICH YOU'RE CLEARLY REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE RETENTION OF STAFF.

IN MOST DISTRICTS THAT WE WORK WITH, THEY'RE OBSESSED WITH THE RECRUITMENT OF STAFF.

OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT AS PEOPLE RETIRE, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A GOODLY NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO RETIRE.

BUT YOU'VE CLEARLY BEEN DOING SOMETHING RIGHT IN TERMS OF RETENTION.

SO THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE FOR ALL OF YOU IS, WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IN THIS DISTRICT TO BE SO EFFECTIVE AT RETAINING OUR STAFF? THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR BECAUSE YOU WANT TO CONTINUE DOING THOSE SAME THINGS.

IF WE LOOK AT THE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, IT'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PICTURE.

AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME KIND OF BREAKDOWN.

THEY IDENTIFY WHERE THEY WORKED.

REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 34 ISH PEOPLE HERE IN THIS SAMPLE.

IF WE LOOK AT HOW MANY YEARS THEY'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR, YOU'VE GOT A VERY DIFFERENT PROFILE.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE EARLIER ON IN THEIR CAREER.

IT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL PROFILE BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS COME IN AS INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES, ETC., AND MAYBE THEY WOULD GO ON TO SOME OTHER KINDS OF ACADEMIC POSITIONS.

WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT HOW MANY YEARS THEY'VE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT.

YOU'RE REALLY HEAVILY LOADED ON THE EARLY PARTS OF THE CAREER AS OPPOSED TO LATER PARTS OF THE CAREER.

SO WHAT'S INTERESTING FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, YOU GET FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE FOR THE NONSTRUCTURAL STAFF, FOLKS THAT ARE JUST SHOWING UP REALLY NOW, THESE THINGS MAY CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.

STEVE, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHETHER OR NOT THAT PATTERN HOLDS TRUE OVER THE REST OF THE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

MY HUNCH IS IT PROBABLY DOES.

SO WE COLLECTED TWO MAIN DOMAINS.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME USE THE TERM DOMAIN AND CONSTRUCT.

SO WHEN I USE THE TERM DOMAIN OR CONSTRUCT IT MEANS WHAT'S THE KIND OF AREA WE ARE FOCUSED ON.

SO DOMAINS AND CONSTRUCTS THEY'RE COMPRISED OF DIFFERENT ITEMS. IN THE REPORT THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED [INAUDIBLE] YOU GET A SCORE THAT'S RELATED TO THE DOMAIN, WHETHER IT'S BELONGING OR WELL-BEING SATISFACTION.

AND THEN YOU GET A SERIES OF ITEMS. WE HAVE MUCH MORE CONFIDENCE STATISTICALLY IN LOOKING AT THE DOMAIN LEVEL.

SO THE DATA I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY IS THAT THE DOMAIN LEVEL.

RIGHT. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MEASURE A COMPLICATED DOMAIN LIKE SENSE OF BELONGING, IT'S KIND OF LIKE MEASURING AND DESCRIBING AN ELEPHANT.

IF SOMEBODY HAD TO HOLD THE TAIL, THEY MIGHT THINK AN ELEPHANT LOOKS LIKE A SNAKE.

SO IF YOU JUST TALK TO THAT PERSON, YOU'D BE LIKE, OH, AN ELEPHANT LOOKS LIKE A SNAKE.

IF SOMEBODY HAD HOLD OF ITS LEG, THEY MIGHT SAY, OH, IT'S LIKE THE TRUNK OF A TREE.

SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE TRY TO TAKE A COMPLEX CONSTRUCT LIKE SENSE OF BELONGING, AND WE ASK A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ITEMS FOR SENSE OF BELONGING, ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT ITEMS TO BE ABLE TO ACCURATELY PUT ACROSS WHAT WE MEAN BY SENSE OF BELONGING.

SO TONIGHT WE'LL REALLY FOCUS ON THOSE TWO LARGE DOMAIN AREAS.

IN WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS TODAY WE FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ITEMS BECAUSE THEY CAN REALLY SERVE AS SIGNPOSTS AS TO WHERE TO GO.

IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE ASKED THE SAME CONSTRUCTS AT THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL AND THE NON INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL TO SORT OF KEEP THINGS EVEN AND TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT REGARDLESS OF YOUR POSITION, YOUR FEELING OF BELONGING AND YOUR WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION IS IMPORTANT TO US.

AND I THINK THAT'S A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO SEND.

SO NOW LET'S DIG A LITTLE BIT INTO THE DATA.

AND BEFORE I DO THAT THOUGH, YOU HAVE TO PAY A SMALL PRICE HERE.

[00:40:01]

SO THE WAY I'M GOING TO SORT OF EXPLAIN THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SENSE OF BELONGING.

FIRST, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EMPIRICAL BASE THAT UNDERGIRDS THAT.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW YOU ALL DID.

AND THEN I'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION.

I'LL GIVE YOU THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT, AND THEN I'LL TELL YOU HOW YOU ALL DID.

OKAY. NOW WE, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I GET TO DO IN MY POSITION IS I GET TO GO AND READ A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT'S GOING ON IN ADDITION TO PRODUCING MY OWN.

NOT NEARLY AS AWESOME AS ALL OF THAT, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR A SECOND.

AS WE KNOW OR LIKELY WE KNOW, AND THIS IS PROBABLY SUPER HARD TO READ, SO APOLOGIES FOR THAT.

SO I'LL JUST HIT ON A COUPLE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.

AS WE KNOW BELONGING IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEED.

SO REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION OR WHATNOT, IT'S PART OF WHO WE ARE AS HUMAN BEINGS.

AND IT'S A NEED THAT WE HAVE AS HUMAN BEINGS.

A SENSE OF BELONGING IS CORE TO WHAT MAKES US HUMAN.

IT'S ENABLED US TO SURVIVE AS A SPECIES.

IT'S ENABLED US TO DO SOME PRETTY AMAZING THINGS.

IT ALSO PROVIDES US WITH A SENSE OF SECURITY AND STABILITY.

IT'S INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IN THESE COMPLEX TIMES IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES, PARTICULARLY NOW AS WE'RE COMING UP OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, WHEN OUR SENSE OF STABILITY AND SECURITY WAS REALLY RATTLED.

ALSO, WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL NETWORKS, WHICH IS WORK IN SPACE THAT I DO, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SENSE OF BELONGING TO REALLY CONNECT.

SO THIS IDEA ABOUT ALL OF YOU AS A BOARD LEANING INTO THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND THE CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT RELATIONSHIPS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO THE FIRST THING WE KNOW IS BELONGING IS FUNDAMENTAL.

THE SECOND THING THAT WE KNOW IS BELONGING MATTERS.

AND IT MATTERS IN SOME PRETTY INTERESTING WAYS.

A SENSE OF BELONGING CAN GIVE A GROUP PURPOSE AND MEANING TO THE WORK THAT IT HAS UNDERWAY.

BY THE WAY, THIS IS RESEARCH THAT SPANS WELL BEYOND THE EDUCATION DISCIPLINE.

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAYBE WORK IN CORPORATE OR OTHER KINDS OF SETTINGS, THE SAME THING HOLDS TRUE IN YOUR SETTINGS AS WELL.

FEELING A SENSE OF BELONGING OR CONNECTION TO A GROUP HELPS TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL DISTINCTIVE AND IMPORTANT THAT THEIR VOICE ACTUALLY MATTERS.

IT'S CENTRAL TO OUR HEALTH AND GENERAL WELLBEING.

YOU'LL HEAR THE OVERLAP IN A LITTLE BIT.

WE FIND MEANING AND RELEVANCE TO THIS IDEA ABOUT BELONGING.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT A LACK OF BELONGING IS ASSOCIATED WITH A HOST OF NEGATIVE PHYSICAL OUTCOMES AND EMOTIONAL OUTCOMES.

SO OUR ATTENDING IN THIS AREA IS ACTUALLY DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE SCIENCE.

WE ALSO KNOW IN THE WORKPLACE THAT A SENSE OF BELONGING IS REALLY CRITICAL.

WE KNOW THAT A SENSE OF BELONGING INCREASES THE POSITIVE INTERACTIONS AND THE POSITIVE BEHAVIORS BETWEEN FOLKS.

WE KNOW THAT IT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF STAYING IN A PLACE.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT.

AND IF WE THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, WE KNOW IT'S CENTRAL TO LEARNING AND GROWTH IN AN ORGANIZATION.

THAT'S TRUE FOR ANY KIND OF AN ORGANIZATION IN WHICH WE WANT PEOPLE TO INNOVATE AND TO LEARN AND TO GROW.

WE KNOW THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE CAN PLAY AN OUTSIZED ROLE IN A SENSE OF BELONGING.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER HOW MUCH PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG.

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL OF US THAT CARE ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IN SCHOOL, WE KNOW A WHOLE BUNCH ABOUT A SENSE OF BELONGING.

WE KNOW THAT IT INCREASES ACADEMIC EFFICACY STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DO MORE.

WE KNOW THAT IT'S RELATED TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN GENERAL, THAT WHEN STUDENTS FEEL CONNECTED AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG, THEY CAN PERFORM BETTER.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH EXCUSE ME WITH A STUDENT'S PERCEPTION ABOUT HOW THEY'LL PERFORM ACADEMICALLY IN THE FUTURE, THEIR OWN ABILITY TO LOOK AT THEIR CONNECTIONS IN THE FUTURE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT A SENSE OF BELONGING IS TIED TO POSITIVE PEER TEACHER INTERACTIONS.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT AT TIMES, STUDENTS OF COLOR AND OTHERS THAT GET OTHERED OFTEN DON'T FEEL QUITE AS CONNECTED.

THAT THEY ARE THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING CAN OFTEN BE VERY, FRAYED AT TIMES.

SO ATTENDING TO THAT CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO THAT WAS A LOT ABOUT BELONGING.

LET ME BOIL IT DOWN FOR FOUR KEY THINGS WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

WE REALLY CARE ABOUT BUILDING AND NURTURING THE CONDITIONS FOR A SENSE OF BELONGING.

HERE ARE THE FOUR KEY THINGS.

NUMBER ONE DIGNITY IS INNATE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS HAVE VALUE BY THE MERE NATURE OF BEING A HUMAN BEING.

SECONDLY, THAT WE WANT TO PERSONALIZE, THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL IS UNIQUE AND VALUED, HAS A PARTICULAR SET OF GIFTS THAT THEY BRING.

HOW DO WE WORK TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND HONOR THAT IS IMPORTANT.

THIRDLY, THIS IS A LITTLE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, I KNOW.

THIS IDEA ABOUT ENERGY THAT WE WANT TO INVEST IN, THE EXCHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, THAT WHEN I'M WITH YOU, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAVE EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON, I WANT

[00:45:08]

IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR HELPING PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG.

AND FINALLY, WE WANT TO HAVE A FUTURE ORIENTATION.

WE WANT TO INDICATE THAT THE FUTURE ACTUALLY HAS THEM IN IT, THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP IS SO REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOU TOGETHER.

SO IT'S THESE FOUR THINGS WE WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO RIGHT DIGNITY, PERSONALIZATION, ENERGY AND FUTURE ORIENTATION.

SO WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SETTING DIRECTION AND VISION, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THIS IMPORTANT SENSE OF BELONGING.

THESE ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR DATA IN THIS SPACE.

A COUPLE OF THINGS TO NOTE ON THE SCALES.

WE USE THE SAME SCALE FOR BOTH OF THEM.

IT'S A SIX POINT SCALE.

YOU YOU MAY BE THINKING LIKE, WHY IS HE SPENDING ANY TIME TELLING US THIS? BECAUSE IT'S AN UNUSUAL KIND OF SCALE.

MOST SCALES ARE FIVE POINT SCALES YOU'RE USED TO SEEING, WHICH IS STRONGLY DISAGREE, DISAGREE.

THEN THERE'S SOME NEUTRAL CATEGORY AND THEN THERE IS AGREE AND STRONGLY AGREE, ETC..

OKAY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DRIVES ME A LITTLE CRAZY ABOUT THAT IS THAT OFTENTIMES WHEN I DO THIS WORK, I COME BACK TO A DISTRICT AND THE SCORES ARE SOMEWHERE AROUND THE NEUTRAL AREA.

THIS ENABLES YOU NOT TO DO VERY MUCH.

IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU ANY CLEAR SIGNPOSTS WHERE TO GO.

SO IN THIS WAY WE FORCE CHOICE.

SOMEBODY HAS TO SIT ON THE EDGE, EVEN IF THEY SLIGHTLY DISAGREE OR SLIGHTLY AGREE.

WE FORCE THEM INTO A PLACE.

AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE THIS DATA AS ACTIONABLE AS POSSIBLE.

SO REMEMBER I TOLD YOU BEFORE, THIS IS LIKE MEASURING THE ELEPHANT.

WE USE 21 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL ITEMS TO ASSESS SENSE OF BELONGING.

WE ALSO PROVIDE YOU ALL SCORES WITH EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. BUT HERE'S WHERE THE MAGIC IS.

SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS JUST AS A REMINDER, SIX MEANS STRONGLY AGREE.

AND WE'VE GOT ONE DOWN THE BOTTOM MEANS STRONGLY DISAGREE.

HARDLY EVER IF YOU'RE DOING SURVEYS, DO YOU GET A BUNCH OF PEOPLE SAY STRONGLY AGREE TO ANYTHING.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T BOTHER DOING THAT.

SO WE LOOK FOR IS WE LOOK FOR ABOVE A FOUR SLIGHTLY AGREE TO APPROACHING FIVES.

SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT ACROSS THE BOARD THAT YOU'RE IN REALLY STRONG SHAPE THAT PEOPLE AT K-5 REPORT ALMOST A FIVE, MEANING THEY AGREE WITH THESE STATEMENTS, WHICH, BY THE WAY, ARE PRO-SOCIAL.

SO THEY'RE ASSERTED IN A POSITIVE WAY, EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE OF NEGATIVE WORDED ONES, WHICH I CAN GET INTO THE WEEDS ABOUT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

BUT THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS WHO ARE REPRESENTED BY K-5 AND 6-12, THEY'RE OVERWHELMINGLY INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING, THAT THEY FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING HERE. THIS IS REALLY EXCELLENT DATA.

AS I SAID BEFORE, ASIDE FROM BEING BOB'S TROMBONE BAND, I USUALLY GET CALLED IN WHEN THOSE SCORES ARE AROUND TWOS AND THREES.

SO IT WAS ACTUALLY A TREAT TO COME IN AND BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS.

AND SO WE'LL LOOK AT IT A COUPLE COUPLE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC CATEGORIES BECAUSE THERE'S AN INTERESTING PATTERN THAT SHOWS UP SO OVERWHELMINGLY STRONG.

SO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.

LET'S LOOK AT IT BY HOW LONG FOLKS HAVE BEEN IN EDUCATION IN GENERAL.

YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE REMEMBER WE'RE LOOKING AT APPROACHING FIVE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR HERE.

AND ALL THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS ARE LISTED IN THE REPORT.

THEY'RE ALL LIKE 4.8 OR 4.9.

OKAY. I'VE BEEN TALKING FOR A LONG TIME.

WHAT DO YOU NOTICE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT GRAPH? WHAT'S THE THING THAT JUMPS OUT AT YOU? VERY CONSISTENT. SOUNDED RHETORICAL, BUT I REALLY MEAN IT.

GO AHEAD PLEASE. SOMETHING'S GOING ON AT 11, 15 YEARS.

YEAH, SOMETHING. SO TWO THINGS.

ONE, IT'S RELATIVELY CONSISTENT.

AND WE'VE GOT SOMETHING GOING ON IN THIS MID-CAREER THING.

AND THIS PATTERN ACTUALLY SHOWS UP MULTIPLE TIMES.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT I MEAN IT'S RELATIVE RIGHT.

THESE ARE STILL QUITE GOOD SCORES.

THE STANDARD DEVIATIONS WHICH MEANS HOW MUCH SPREAD YOU HAVE ON THE SCORES ARE ACTUALLY QUITE WIDE HERE FOR THIS, THIS GROUP.

SO THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN THIS SORT OF SOPHOMORE SLUMP THAT'S HAPPENING.

CLEARLY IT DOESN'T IMPACT PEOPLE STAYING IN THE DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY STAY.

SO THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON LIKE IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO DIG IN AND GET SUPER TARGETED ABOUT SOMETHING, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT FOLKS THAT ARE IN THIS 11 TO 15 YEAR RANGE.

STEVE AND I SPENT A GOODLY AMOUNT OF TIME, AS DID JOHN AND RACHEL AND SEAN, LIKE, PUZZLING THROUGH THIS AND TRYING TO THINK, WHAT COULD WE DO TO SUPPORT THAT KIND OF THOSE PROFESSIONALS, RIGHT? EVERYTHING ISN'T SHINY AND NEW ANYMORE, AND THE PENSION IS TOO FAR AWAY TO REALLY ENGAGE.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO BE REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT.

IT'S NOT AN EASY ORGANIZATIONAL TASK TO ENGAGE, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE, I THINK.

[00:50:04]

I WOULD JUST SAY THERE'S A BOTTLE OF WATER ON THE BOOKSHELF NEXT TO YOU, THAT'S FOR YOU.

YEAH, IF YOU NEED. THANKS.

YEAH. EXCELLENT.

GOOD. OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SENSE OF BELONGING? GREAT. OKAY.

AND I KNOW YOU HAVE LOTS TO DO TONIGHT.

SO SORRY. IT'S A PROFESSOR HABIT JUST TO GO ON.

WHILE YOU DRINK I'LL JUST ASK ONE QUESTION.

[INAUDIBLE] SO FOR THE 11 TO 15, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE A SLIGHT DIP.

I'M EYEBALLING THIS.

IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEM RESIDE AROUND 4 AND A 4.6, 4.7, 4.8.

AND THAT'S LIKE 4.5.

SO YOU KNOW, SLIGHTLY I MEAN, BECAUSE THIS IS A MEAN, COULD THAT BE BECAUSE YOU JUST HAD A COUPLE OF FOLKS IN THAT IN THAT COHORT WHO GAVE YOU LIKE WHO WERE HAVING A BAD DAY OR THERE WAS SOMETHING UP AND THEY GAVE YOU A TWO GREAT QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, BY THE WAY.

THAT'S THE BEST NEW YORK ACCENT I'VE EVER HEARD.

OH, SOUTH BRONX, YEAH, THAT'S WHERE IT IS.

I COULDN'T QUITE GET THAT.

IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.

SO I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO A DIFFERENT PLACE.

SO I'LL. I'LL DO THE PROFESSOR THING AND ASK THE QUESTION I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO ASK AND ANSWER THAT, AND THEN I'LL ANSWER YOURS AS WELL.

THE QUESTION YOU COULD ASK IS, IS THAT A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE? LIKE IS THAT A REAL DIFFERENCE OR IS IT SO IT TURNS OUT THAT THAT APPROACH IS STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANT.

IT'S ACTUALLY A MEANINGFUL DIP.

TO YOUR POINT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT DATA, WE HAVE A HIGH SO WE COLLECT THE MEAN SCORE AND THEN WE COLLECT THE STANDARD DEVIATION.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THIS OKAY GREAT.

SO YOU KNOW THAT'S A MEASURE OF CONVERGENCE OR DIVERGENCE REALLY HIGH STANDARD DEVIATIONS HERE.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE A BUNCH OF FOLKS THAT PROBABLY GAVE RELATIVELY LOW SCORES AND SOME NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT GAVE RELATIVELY HIGH.

SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

YOUR HYPOTHESIS ABOUT A FEW PEOPLE INDICATING THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE THE CASE.

ALSO TO SAY, LIKE, I'M NOT TRYING TO SUGARCOAT ANYTHING THERE, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYONE IS LIKE DANDY, RIGHT? THERE ARE STILL VOICES AND STILL FOLKS THAT DON'T FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING.

WE'RE LOOKING AT BIG TRENDS, BUT YOU'RE COMPLETELY RIGHT.

THE STANDARD DEVIATIONS ARE REALLY WIDE, WHICH TO ME INDICATES THAT WE OUGHT TO DO SOME REAL EXAMINATION AROUND THIS PARTICULAR SPACE.

SO IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT IT IS APPROACHING STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCE.

SO EVEN THOUGH LOOKING VERY SMALL, IT DOES HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANCE.

OKAY, I'LL DO THIS BIT QUICKER, I PROMISE.

SO WE ALSO ASKED BECAUSE YOU ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO TAP INTO WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION.

WE ALSO ASKED QUESTIONS AROUND WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION.

TURNS OUT THERE'S A BIG SCIENCE BASE BEHIND THAT AS WELL, BUT NOT AS LONG AS SCIENCE BASED AS WE HAVE FOR SENSE OF BELONGING.

THE WORK HAS ONLY BEEN HAPPENING ABOUT THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS.

IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW WORK, RELATIVELY SPEAKING.

AND WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE PULLED AGAIN FROM ALL KINDS OF DISCIPLINES, YOU SEE WELL-BEING SHOWING UP IN SOME OF THE BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL LITERATURE.

YOU SEE IT IN PUBLIC HEALTH, YOU SEE IT SOME IN EDUCATION.

IT'S STARTING TO GET SOME REAL TRACTION NOW.

AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WELL-BEINGS.

IT'S THE DEFINITIONS AS A FIELD STARTS TO CONVERGE AROUND SOME DEFINITIONS.

BUT BASICALLY THEY TALK ABOUT THIS HOLISTIC IDEA OF WELLNESS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.

AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE ASSESSED IT AS WELL IN TERMS OF WORK.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH WELL-BEING OR SATISFACTION, WE KNOW THAT POSITIVE MUTUAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE CONNECTED TO THAT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THESE ARE RECIPROCATED, RELATIONSHIPS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE KNOW THAT ENGAGEMENT AND COMPETENCE, PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE SKILLS AND THEY REALLY FEEL CONNECTED TO THE WORK IS IMPORTANT.

WE KNOW THAT WHEN FOLKS HAVE MEANING AND PURPOSE IN THEIR WORK, THEY ALSO TEND TO HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF WELL-BEING.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE SENSE OF BELONGING.

ALSO, THIS PIECE AROUND THE SOCIAL CONNECTION AND A GOOD, SOLID, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

THIS IS REALLY COME TO THE FORE SINCE PEOPLE WERE SO ISOLATED FOR SO LONG AFTER THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY'RE ALSO KIND OF WORKING THEIR WAY BACK INTO THIS NEW NORMAL.

SO WHAT OUTCOMES ARE RELATED TO WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION ACCORDING TO LITERATURE? IT'S BETTER PHYSICAL HEALTH, BETTER EMOTIONAL HEALTH, INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY IN THE WORKPLACE, MORE PRO-SOCIAL INTERACTIVE BEHAVIORS.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE FEELING GOOD, THERE IS COLLECTIVE BENEFITS.

WHEN MORE PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION OR COMMUNITY FEEL A SENSE OF WELL-BEING, AND IN TURN, OTHER GROUPS CAN FEED OFF OF THAT WELL-BEING AS WELL.

WE KNOW IN THE SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOLKS TEND TO BE MORE RESILIENT.

[00:55:03]

THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO LEAVE THE PROFESSION AND EXPERIENCE BURNOUT, AGAIN, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF RETENTION.

FOR STUDENTS HAVING STRONGER CONNECTIONS TO TEACHERS.

I LOVED WHAT THAT TEACHER WAS LIKE HIGH FIVING FOLKS.

IT INDICATES A SORT OF ANOTHER LEVEL OF RELATIONSHIP WITH AN EDUCATOR.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THOSE LITTLE CLUES ABOUT THE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS.

HAVING TRUSTED ADULTS ON CAMPUS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

SO WELL-BEING DEEPLY GROUNDED IN LITERATURE AS WELL.

WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH IN THIS SPACE.

WE REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS.

AND, WE INTERVIEWED OR TALKED TO 39 TEACHERS.

SO WE INTERVIEWED THEM.

WE SURVEYED THEM AND WE ASKED THEM, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO EXPERIENCE WELL-BEING? AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HELP TO ENABLE THAT? OUR RESEARCH SHOWS THAT FOLKS HAVING A FEELING OF PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO WELL-BEING.

YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE SOME OF THESE ARE SENSE OF BELONGING AS WELL, TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL GROWTH, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, TO HAVE POSITIVE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE, TO BE HAPPY IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

IT'S A THING WE DON'T OFTEN TALK ABOUT, BUT ONE OF OUR ITEMS IS AROUND HAPPINESS ACTUALLY .

THAT LEADERS HAVING TRUST IN THEIR WORK AND AUTONOMY, ALLOWING THEM TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WITHIN GIVEN SPECIFIC, CLEAR, UNDERSTOOD PARAMETERS THAT THERE'S SUPPORT FROM THE WIDER SCHOOL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND THAT THERE'S A SENSE OF SENSE OF STABILITY, THAT THEY KNOW THAT TOMORROW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK THEY NEED TO DO. SO WE ASK THAT USING SEVEN DIFFERENT ITEMS. SO IT'S A MUCH MORE TARGETED SCALE.

WE WERE LEANING IN A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS THE SATISFACTION PART OF THIS.

SO WE TOOK WELL-BEING, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT ENJOYING A WORK AND BEING ENTHUSIASTIC AND HAPPINESS AND THINGS LIKE THIS.

SO THE SAME SCALE APPLIES HERE.

AND ACTUALLY THE RESULTS ARE A LITTLE BIT STRONGER.

SO PEOPLE FEELING HIGHLY SATISFIED IN THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THE PLACE IN WHICH THEY'RE DOING THEIR WORK.

AND THAT'S A REALLY STRONG, IMPORTANT THING.

AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU ABOUT K-12 REPRESENTS ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE.

MULTIPLE GRADES REPRESENTS EVEN FEWER, I THINK.

SO THIS IS LOOKING AT IT FROM GRADE LEVEL.

WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT IT FROM THE WELL-BEING SATISFACTION IN TERMS OF YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR.

WE NOTICED THAT SAME KIND OF DIP THAT WE IDENTIFIED PREVIOUSLY.

AND IF WE LOOK AT YEARS IN PELHAM, IT'S AGAIN, THAT KIND OF SOPHOMORE SLUMP THAT TENDS TO SORT OF SLOWLY IMPROVE AS FOLKS MOVE THROUGH THE DISTRICT.

BUT ALL IN ALL, VERY GOOD SCORES, REALLY STRONG SCORES.

THERE'S STILL WORK TO DO THAT CHERYL AND STEVE AND OTHERS WILL REPORT ON THE WORK THAT WE ALL DID TOGETHER AS ADMINISTRATORS TODAY.

THEY'LL GIVE YOU SOME WE HAD THEM WORK ON SOME ACTION STEPS.

I THINK THEY'LL COME BACK AND REPORT TO YOU AT SOME POINT AS A BOARD.

WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THAT AREA, YOUR VISION AND SETTING THAT KIND OF VISION IS IMPORTANT.

IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, I'M SHOWING YOU THE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF TOO.

WE ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS.

YOU'LL SEE THE SCORES ARE CLOSE TO A STRONG.

AGAIN, WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT 30% OF THE POPULATION HERE, SO YOU NEED TO WEIGH THAT IN THE WAY THAT YOU LOOK AT THE SCORES.

WE SEE THE SORT OF EXACT OPPOSITE PATTERN HERE THAT THE SOPHOMORES ARE DOING QUITE WELL.

IT'S THE FRESHMEN AND SENIORS THAT ARE STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT HERE.

SO AGAIN, WE ONLY HAVE 30% OF THE FOLKS RESPONDING.

THE SAME PATTERN CHANGES A LITTLE BIT HERE.

WE LOOK AT YEARS IN PELHAM.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION HERE FOR THE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

AGAIN QUITE STRONG.

A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PROFILE, WELL-BEING AND SATISFACTION IN TERMS OF LENGTH OF TIME AS AN EDUCATOR.

AND THEN THIS IS YEARS IN THE DISTRICT.

SO THE REPORT HAS MUCH MORE IN IT.

SO I'M SURE YOU'LL SPEND HOURS AND HOURS REVIEWING IT.

MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE FRIENDS OVER SHARE IT AT A PARTY, MAKE COPIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS FOR PEOPLE, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK MY DEAR, DEAR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES IN THE DISTRICT WHO JUST DID A REALLY GREAT JOB IN SUPPORTING THIS WORK.

I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING LOTS OF WORK.

I'M IN MY 33RD YEAR OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, WORKING IN PUBLIC ED FROM BEING AN ADMINISTRATOR AND A PSYCHOLOGIST AND SPENDING THE LAST 17 YEARS AS A PROFESSOR.

WHICH IS AMAZING BECAUSE I'M ONLY 28 AND THAT'S NOT THE FUNNY BIT STEVE.

SORRY. AND SO IT'S GETTING LATE.

SO IT'S A REAL PLEASURE AND PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOUR FOLKS AND TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH ALL OF YOU.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].

ALAN, I DO HAVE TO ASK HAVE TO ASK THE IN THE WEEDS QUESTION.

SURE. SINCE I KNOW THE BOARD DOES HAVE THE REPORT AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINITELY ARE LOOKING THROUGH DATA.

CAN YOU JUST TOUCH ON THE REVERSE CODED QUESTIONS? SURE. MY FAVORITE.

IT'S MY QUESTION OF THE DAY. I ASKED IT EARLIER.

[01:00:02]

LIKE I REALLY LIKE WORKING HERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

HOWEVER, WE DO INCLUDE SOME REVERSE CODED QUESTIONS LIKE, I CAN'T STAND THIS PLACE.

IT'S NOT THAT'S NOT THE ITEM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE ASK THOSE FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE, WE JUST WANT TO LIKE PUT A LITTLE SPEED BUMP IN THE ROAD SO PEOPLE ARE ANSWERING IT.

THEY JUST DON'T GO DOWN AND GIVE US ALL FOURS OR FIVES.

RIGHT. THEY'VE ACTUALLY GOT TO READ THESE THINGS.

SO WE USE THAT AS LIKE ARE PEOPLE ACTUALLY PAUSING TO READ THESE THINGS.

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT YOUR FOLKS THAT FILL THIS OUT.

THERE WAS MAYBE 1 OR 2 PEOPLE OUT OF 200 THAT ACTUALLY JUST WENT STRAIGHT DOWN EVERYONE ELSE, WHICH INDICATES THAT FOLKS TOOK THEIR TIME TO ACTUALLY REALLY ENGAGE AND DO THIS.

SO IN THE REPORT, IF YOU COME ACROSS ONE OF THOSE NEGATIVE ITEMS, WE'VE STARRED THEM.

WE THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SIGNALS TO YOU THAT THEY'RE REVERSE CODED.

YOU MAY SEE A SCORE NEXT TO THEM THAT'S REALLY HIGH.

YOU SHOULD NOT THINK THAT THAT MEANS THAT'S A HIGH SCORE.

WE HAVE TO CHANGE THAT CODING WHEN WE RUN THE ANALYSIS.

SO A REALLY LOW SCORE IN ONE OF THOSE REVERSE CODES DOESN'T MESS UP YOUR OVERALL MEAN.

SO WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE REVERSE CODING.

SO IF YOU SEE IT PLEASE DON'T BE ALARMED WHAT YOU IRONICALLY FOR THOSE LIKE NEGATIVELY WORDED ITEMS, YOU WANT TO SEE SUPER HIGH SCORES THAT WILL FEEL VERY COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT YOU WANT TO SEE HIGH SCORES BECAUSE WE'VE REVERSE CODED THEM.

OKAY. SO YEAH, IF YOU LOOK AT IT AND IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, YOU CAN STEVE HAS BECOME AN EXPERT WHICH IS THANK YOU FOR THIS.

AND OH CLEARLY THIS REPRESENTS, YOU KNOW, A POINT IN TIME WHICH IS NOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK BEST PRACTICE IS IN TERMS OF RE ADMINISTERING THE SAME SURVEY SO THAT YOU CAN SEE, YOU HOPE, PROGRESS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR THE OPPOSITE, YOU KNOW, PRESUMABLY MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR MAY BE TOO MUCH, YEAH, EVERY YEAR, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, ONCE EVERY TWO, THREE YEARS.

LIKE, WHAT DO YOU THINK BEST PRACTICES IN TERMS OF, OF GETTING SEEING SEEING YOU KNOW, HOW THIS DATA EVOLVES.

GREAT QUESTION. SO WE'VE SEEN IT EVOLVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS.

LET'S PRETEND THE ONLY CULTURE CLIMATE QUESTIONNAIRE THAT YOU DO FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT IN AN ENTIRE YEAR FOR ALL OF YOUR SCHOOLS IS THIS ONE.

THEN DOING IT A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR MAKES SENSE.

THE PROBLEM IS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MEASURING CULTURE AND CLIMATE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS ACROSS YOUR SCHOOLS, AND YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE SOME OF THAT.

SO, SO MORE THAN TWICE IN A YEAR, QUITE HONESTLY, MORE THAN ONCE IN A YEAR IS PROBABLY OVERKILL BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING A BUNCH OF OTHER COLLECTION.

IN SYSTEMS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO ACTUALLY DOING WORK AROUND THESE PARTICULAR AREAS, LIKE AROUND BELONGING AND WELL BEING, OTHER KINDS OF THINGS, THEN MEASURING IT A YEARLY INTERIM IS GREAT. YOU WANT TO TRY TO BE AS CONSISTENT AS POSSIBLE.

WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY WILL SOUND LIKE A JOKE, BUT IT'S NOT A JOKE.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES THAT RECEIVE THIS DATA AND THEN SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THEN OFF THEY GO, AND THEY CONTINUE DOING THE SAME THING THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE, IN WHICH CASE YOU DON'T NEED TO EVER COLLECT IT AGAIN BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T WORKING ON IT.

SO IF YOU'RE ENGAGED, YOU'RE WORKING ON IT.

IT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE COMMITTED TO.

THEN WE WOULD SAY A YEARLY MEASUREMENT IS FINE IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BE LIKE, WOW, THAT WAS GREAT.

AND NOT DO ANYTHING WITH IT, WHICH I DON'T GET THE SENSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT, THEN YOU DON'T NEED TO MEASURE IT AGAIN.

SO WE SAY YEARLY.

OKAY. AND ONE THING I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT I THINK IS NOT ALWAYS EASY FOR FOLKS TO GET, IS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY DESPITE THE FACT THAT I JUST TOOK UP A GOOD CHUNK OF YOUR EVENING GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS.

THE SCORES AREN'T EXACTLY THE IMPORTANT THING.

THE IMPORTANT BIT IS THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE CATALYZED AROUND THESE PARTICULAR AREAS.

AND WHEN PEOPLE LEAN IN AND WRESTLE WITH THIS DATA.

SO THE SCORES PROVIDE A NICE OBJECTIVE WAY TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE YOU SAID AT POINT IN TIME.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT IT ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND THEY WRESTLE WITH IT AND THEY SAY, WHAT DOES A SENSE OF BELONGING MEAN? WHAT DOES WELL-BEING MEAN? HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THAT? HOW DOES IT SHOW ITSELF UP? HOW ARE WE GOING TO FOCUS ON IT? THAT TURNS OUT TO BE THE IMPORTANT BIT.

SO TODAY THE WORK WAS HOW DO WE ENGENDER THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS EVEN MORE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE NEED TO DO TO DO THAT? THANKS FOR THAT. ACTUALLY, IT'S SO WEIRD BECAUSE I HEAR THE VOICE OVER HERE, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I LOOK SUDDENLY IT'S NOT SOME.

IT COULD BE A WEIRD THING, BUT JUST.

YOUR VOICE COMES FROM OVER HERE.

YEAH.

[01:05:03]

THANK YOU. I THINK THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IF WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT, INCLUDING THAT.

YEAH. I THINK THIS IS REALLY WISE.

I THINK IF THE PANDEMIC TAUGHT US ANYTHING, IT TAUGHT US MORE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, THESE KINDS OF SKILLS THAT WE DON'T OFTEN SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME TALKING ABOUT SO.

SO I THINK IT'S IT'S WISE.

MY HUNCH WOULD BE WHEN YOU ENGAGE THAT PROCESS THAT WILL COME UP OUT OF YOUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

IT WOULD BE MY GUESS.

THANKS FOR THAT. YEAH.

MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL.

YEAH. AND YOU SAID SOMETHING AT THE BEGINNING, WHICH IS A STRENGTH BASED APPROACH IS A POWERFUL ANALYSIS, BECAUSE IF YOU DOUBLE DOWN ON THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING REALLY WELL, IT CAN ALMOST OVERWHELM THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING SO WELL ON.

AND I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT A LOT.

SO FROM THE QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA THAT YOU COLLECTED, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE PRACTICES THAT LED TO BECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY CONSISTENT AND POSITIVE.

YEAH. WHICH IS GOOD.

YEAH. BUT IT ALMOST IT MASKS THE VERY TACTICS THAT ARE GENERATING THAT CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE.

YEAH. SO DID ANYTHING POP OUT.

WOW, THESE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING SO WELL THAT YOU SEE CONSISTENT SATISFACTION AND WELL-BEING AND BELONGING FROM PEOPLE 1 TO 5 YEARS OR PEOPLE 25 TO 30 YEARS.

SO DID ANY SPECIFIC ACTUAL INTERVENTIONS COME OUT THAT WE SHOULD BE COGNIZANT OF, THAT WE SHOULD BE INVESTING MORE IN THAT AREA BECAUSE THAT'S A STRENGTH BASED APPROACH. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE YOUR LIKE ACKNOWLEDGMENT ABOUT THE STRENGTHS, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THAT'S A SORT OF SOME POLLYANNA APPROACH WHEN ACTUALLY IT'S QUITE RIGOROUS. YEAH. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID TODAY WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS, BY THE WAY.

SO WHAT WE DID TODAY IS WE HAD SO I, YOU KNOW, I CAN GO THROUGH THIS AND, AND PULL OUT EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW YOUR CONTEXT.

I DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF IT.

SO TODAY WHAT WE DID WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS, WE GOT THEM ALL IN THE ROOM WE WENT THROUGH.

WE HAD THEM GO THROUGH EACH OF THE MAIN AREAS.

SO SENSE OF BELONGING, WELL-BEING THEY HAD TO IDENTIFY 2 OR 3 ITEMS THAT WERE PARTICULARLY HIGH POINTS IN THE DISTRICT.

AND THEN WHAT I ASKED THEM TO DO IS TO, TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY TO RIGOROUSLY EXAMINE HOW IT IS THAT THAT SCORE CAME TO BE.

ASK THEMSELVES THE QUESTION, HOW DO WE CREATE MORE OF THE CONDITIONS TO SUPPORT THAT? AND THEN WHAT'S THE ONE SMALL STEP THAT CAME OUT OF THAT? ALL OF THAT DATA NOW LIVES WITH STEVE.

SO HE'S ACTUALLY PREPPING ALL OF THAT.

AND I'M SURE WE'LL PUT IT TOGETHER IN SOME BEAUTIFUL WAY FOR YOUR THIRD DOCTORATE.

AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING, MAYBE FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

I WILL SAY OVERWHELMINGLY, WHAT CAME OUT IF YOU LOOKED ACROSS ALL OF THOSE WAS THE SORT OF SENSE OF HAVING SOME SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY HERE.

THERE WAS A DEEP SENSE OF FOLKS FEELING SOCIALLY CONNECTED.

SO THE QUESTION I HAVE TO ASK MYSELF THEN IS LIKE, WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU ALL ENABLED FOR THAT TO ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE? IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ACROSS THE SYSTEM TO RIGOROUSLY EXAMINE WHY THAT'S THE CASE AND BRING TO BEAR THE SAME AMOUNT OF POWER THAT WE BRING WHEN WE LOOK AT THE THINGS WE DON'T DO WELL, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND RESOURCES DOING THAT.

SO LET'S NOT DO THAT OR LET'S DO THAT IN SOME CERTAIN AREAS, BUT LET'S START AS OUR STARTING POINT HERE.

SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO STEVE TO SHARE SOME OF THAT DATA THAT COMES OUT THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT'S REALLY CLEAR.

YOU KNOW ONE THING I.

THINGS THAT SURPRISED ME.

BUT ALSO I'M NOT SURPRISED WHEN I REFLECT ON IT.

SO WAS I SURPRISED THAT THE DATA WAS VERY POSITIVE? I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, ESPECIALLY THROUGH COVID.

AND YOU KIND OF WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF REALLY FOR PEOPLE TO SORT OF, PROVIDE A LOT OF PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE AND, AND TO REALLY SHARE SOME EXCELLENT FEEDBACK TO US ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL CONNECTED TO THE DISTRICT AND WHETHER THEY LIKE IT HERE, THEY LIKE WORKING HERE.

AND THROUGH COVID, I HAD NO IDEA.

I THINK THAT IF YOU ASKED ME FIVE YEARS AGO, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I THINK I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE SURPRISED, I THINK, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW, IN OTHER PLACES OF BUSINESS, YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN THAT, EVEN IN YOUR OWN

[01:10:04]

BUT WHY I'M NOT SURPRISED IS BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ENABLED THIS TO HAPPEN IS OUR LEADERSHIP GROUP, AND SPECIFICALLY I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATORS.

IN ADDITION, I THINK THERE ARE LONG HELD TRADITIONS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT I'VE SEEN AND THE CONSTRUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN ENABLED BY BOARDS OF EDUCATION, THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THE WAY THAT THERE'S A PROFESSIONAL ATMOSPHERE THAT I MAY NOT HAVE SEEN IN OTHER PLACES BEFORE IN OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THAT HAS FASCINATED ME ABOUT THIS PLACE, IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO THAT MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THAT THAT I THINK DATA WE THAT ALAN SHARED VALIDATES SORT OF MY PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC ACTIONS. YOU KNOW, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A HEALTHY RESPECT AMONG TEACHERS AND ALSO ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS TO BELIEVE OR NOT.

RIGHT. AND TEACHERS AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT CULTURE HAS SORT OF HELPED PEOPLE FEEL ESPECIALLY MAYBE THEIR ACTIONS OF SAYING, I'M MAKING IT A CAREER HERE.

I WE DON'T HAVE A RETENTION PROBLEM.

THEY WANT TO WORK IN PELHAM.

RIGHT? YOU SEE THAT WITH THE STRONGER EVEN THE SOME OF THE STRONGEST RESPONSES OF POSITIVITY WITH SENSE OF BELONGING, THE BEGINNING, THE FIRST FEW YEARS THAT THAT THAT'S GREAT NEWS, RIGHT? THE FIRST FIVE YEARS PEOPLE ARE FEELING REALLY STRONGLY.

WE DO HAVE A LULL, THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP.

WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND THEN ALSO AT THE END OF THE CAREER, I MEAN, IT'S JUST AMAZING TO KIND OF SEE THAT.

BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT IS HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE.

AND IT GOES BACK TO THAT SENSE OF DIGNITY THAT YOU HAVE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND THAT HUMAN QUALITY.

AND, I SEE THAT HERE.

RIGHT? I THINK I THINK STUDENTS AND FEEL THAT AS WELL.

BUT BUT IN TERMS OF THE STAFF.

THAT'S THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE.

I THINK GIVEN THE THE POWER TO RUN LITTLE PARTS OF THE ORGANIZATION IN THEIR SCHOOLS, IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS, HAVE FOSTERED THAT.

RIGHT. BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S SORT OF WE JUST DO I THINK A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO FIND THE PEOPLE TO HELP LEAD.

BUT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE ENTRUST TO HELP THAT ORGANIZATION MAKE PEOPLE FEEL A CERTAIN WAY, AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO HELP US TRY TO TAKE THE DATA APART AND SAY, HEY, WE SHOULD DO MORE OF THIS, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, AS IAN SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT POSITIVITY OR WHAT WE'RE DOING, WELL, LET'S CAPITALIZE ON IT AND LOOK AT IT.

SO BUT AGAIN, THAT'S JUST SORT OF MY INITIAL THOUGHTS WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS INFORMATION.

SURPRISED BUT NOT SURPRISED, BUT BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY AFFIRMING.

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO GROW.

YEAH. I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HERE IN PELHAM IS THAT IT'S SORT OF LIKE, A FISH DESCRIBING WATER.

SO YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND YOU'RE SWIMMING AROUND AND YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS AWARE OF IT.

AND SO WHEN I LISTEN TO STEVE, WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT THIS, I THOUGHT, THIS IS GREAT ACTUALLY, THIS IS CAUSING HIM TO PAUSE AND TO REFLECT AND TO THINK OUT LOUD ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THESE SPACES.

AND THAT ACTUALLY TURNS OUT TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO DO, BECAUSE WE DON'T OFTEN DO THAT.

RIGHT. WE'RE SWIMMING AROUND IN OUR WATER, NOT BEING REALLY AWARE OF IT ALWAYS.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT ABOUT YOU AND THE ADMINISTRATORS TODAY.

LIKE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THEM.

I MEAN, THEY THEY WORKED.

THEY TOOK THIS REALLY SERIOUSLY.

THEY WERE DEEPLY ENGAGED.

AND I WORKED THEM FOR OVER TWO HOURS STRAIGHT.

SO WE HAD SOME FRUIT ALAN, STEVE DID PROVIDE SOME FRUIT, QUITE NICE FRUIT.

BUT WE WORKED THEM STRAIGHT AND THEY WERE COMMITTED AND DEDICATED.

SO YOU JUST HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM OF FOLKS HERE, INCLUDING YOURSELVES, THAT HAD THE WISDOM TO SET THIS DIRECTION.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, YOU DON'T SEE THAT ACROSS THE STATES OR ACROSS THE WORLD.

SO LIKE I SAID, IT'S A JOY FOR ME TO BE BOB'S TROMBONE BAND HERE.

AND THANKS FOR THE STUDENTS.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT YOU BECAUSE WHAT YOU JUST ASKED WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID TODAY WHEN WE UNPACKED THE DATA.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH ALAN, NOT BECAUSE HE'S STANDING HERE, BUT BUT IT WAS TRUE AS AN ADMINISTRATOR ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE DATA, WE'RE SO TRAINED.

WELL, IT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE SO TRAINED TO THINK ABOUT LOOKING AT DATA FROM WHAT WAS GOING WRONG.

AND THEN WE GOT THIS DATA SET AND IT LOOKED QUITE HEALTHY, BUT WAS WHAT WAS GREAT ABOUT WHAT WE DID WITH ALAN TODAY WHEN WE UNPACKED THE DATA WAS THAT AND I TOOK A LOT OF NOTES. BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PARADOX OF HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS.

I REMEMBER YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT THE IDEA OF THE FACT THAT COMING FROM THIS, FROM A STRENGTHS BASED APPROACH, WE HAVE TO ASK THOSE CRITICAL QUESTIONS, WELL, HOW DID WE GET HERE? RIGHT. WHAT DID WE DO TO GET THIS THIS PERFORMANCE LEVEL? AND THEN HOW DO WE KEEP BUILDING ON THAT.

[01:15:01]

LIKE HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, TAKE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE INDIVIDUAL BUILDING LEVELS.

BECAUSE I THINK WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE SUCCESS, A LOT OF IT WAS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE PRINCIPALS.

BUT THEN HOW DO WE CREATE THESE SHARED EXPERIENCES? SO IT WAS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TODAY FOR ALL OF US ADMINISTRATORS TO TAKE THIS DATA AND GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW TO THINK ABOUT IT AND BUILD ON IT, BECAUSE YOU GET EXPONENTIAL GROWTH WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WELL AND HOW DO WE MULTIPLY THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.

IT WAS REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE.

MY PLEASURE. DO MOST OF THE TEACHERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE 20 TO 30 YEARS HAVE ANY KIND OF FORMAL MENTORING RELATIONSHIP WITH TEACHERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE 1 TO 10 YEARS? WELL, FOR THE FIRST YEAR TEACHERS, THERE'S A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR NEW TEACHERS, RIGHT? YEP. THAT IS THE FORMAL MENTORING.

AND THEN YOU CAN SAY THE INFORMAL EXPERIENCES MORE.

I THINK WHAT'S MORE PREVALENT, HELPING THEIR COLLEAGUES THROUGH THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

RIGHT. BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, AS PUBLIC EDUCATORS, THAT THAT IS A VERY, STRESSFUL AND THAT SORT OF LIKE THE MAKE OR BREAK EXPERIENCE.

THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE A LOT OF THE INFORMAL COUNSELING, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THEY ARE IN THEIR PACKS, IN THEIR ROOMS, SO THEY SPEAK TO EACH OTHER AND THEY HELP EACH OTHER.

THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

AND WE SEE THAT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS MORE INFORMALLY.

RIGHT. AND THEN WITH THE SUPPORT THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATORS, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AS WELL, THEY KNOW THEIR TEACHERS WELL.

AND IT'S AMAZING, NOT JUST THE TEACHERS.

AND I'M JUST AMAZED BY SOME OF OUR PEOPLE HERE.

THEY KNOW THE KIDS VERY WELL.

RIGHT. AND AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY I THINK PEOPLE LIKE WHAT THEY DO, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY PART OF THE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

BUT. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO PEOPLE ARE VERY HONEST WITH US, AS YOU KNOW, I THINK JUST THE COMMUNITY IS VERY HONEST WITH US, AND I THINK IT'S EMULATED WITH OUR STAFF MEMBERS. AND THEY TALK TO US, THEY TALK TO THEIR COLLEAGUES.

SO, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPEN TO HELP PROVIDE THAT GROWING FEEDBACK.

SO MORE OF AN INFORMAL WAY, I THINK, WITH THE OLDER, MORE TENURED FACULTY.

BUT BUT IT'S STILL PRESENT.

YEAH. THAT MAY JUST BE SOMETHING TOO, JUST DIVE DEEPLY, BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S INFORMAL OR FORMAL, I WOULD IMAGINE KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE MORE SENIOR FOLKS WHO ARE PART OF AN ONGOING MENTORING RELATIONSHIP.

YEAH, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN BELONGING AND GETTING BETTER AND SEEING A PATH FORWARD TO YOUR OWN CAREER, YOU KNOW.

SO THAT'S JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT, I THINK COULD BE VERY POWERFUL.

THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO PIGGYBACK A LITTLE BIT ON EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID TONIGHT, TOO.

I KNOW THE CABINET AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THIS AFTERNOON.

WHAT I REALLY ENJOYED ABOUT IT WAS THE QUESTIONS WERE VERY, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL ORIENTED.

SO IT GAVE US A CHANCE TO SIT AND THINK ABOUT WHAT DO WE SEE OUR LEADERS DOING THAT ARE FOSTERING THESE HABITS AT THE BUILDING.

SO TO ME, IT WAS JUST KIND OF A NICE CHANCE TO SIT TOGETHER AND SAY, THIS PERSON DOES THIS, THIS PERSON DOES THAT.

AND TO REALLY THINK ABOUT AND AND REFLECT, WE DON'T GET MUCH TIME TO REFLECT IN OUR DAYS.

BUT AGAIN, TO REALLY HONE BACK IN ON WHAT AN INCREDIBLE TEAM OF LEADERSHIP WE DO HAVE AND THE INTENTIONALITY OF THEIR WORK AND THE SKILL OF THEIR WORK, EVEN IN, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT TRUSTED ADULTS FOR STUDENTS, ONE OF THE STRONGEST THINGS THAT WE SAW IN OUR GROUP WAS, IN ESSENCE, THE TRUSTED ADULT FOR ADULTS.

ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S I THINK INSTRUCTIONALLY AS WELL AS PERSONALLY, IS REALLY, AS WE TALKED ABOUT IT, WHAT WE SAW WHEN WE THINK OF OUR TEAM AND WE SAW THOSE RESPONSES, WHICH I THINK JUST SPEAKS AGAIN TO THE CALIBER OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE.

SO, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT, THE ADMINISTRATION COMES UP WITH AND THINKING ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS AS YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO, TO PERCOLATE ON IT, I GUESS I HAD ONE QUESTION FOR DR.

DALY. I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, HOW INTENTIONAL YOU WERE ABOUT THE SORT OF SCALE THAT YOU USED.

YEAH. AND SO I WAS JUST SORT OF.

AND IT WAS SORT OF TO FORCE PEOPLE TO BE ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OR THE NEGATIVE SIDE.

PICK A SIDE. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU LOOK BACK AT, INSTEAD OF PRESENTING THE DATA IN TERMS OF AVERAGES, BUT YOU JUST LOOKED AT IT IN TERMS OF IS SOMEONE NET NET ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OR THE NEGATIVE SIDE? HOW DIFFERENT DOES THAT DATA LOOK? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND RUN IT LIKE THAT.

MY HUNCH IS THAT GIVEN THE WHAT I KNOW ABOUT YOUR ITEMS AND THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR DATA, THAT IT WOULDN'T LOOK RADICALLY DIFFERENT.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S CONJECTURE.

[01:20:02]

YEAH. SO YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT IDEA ACTUALLY.

OKAY. SO IT'LL SHOW UP IN ONE OF MY ARTICLES AND I'LL CITE MYSELF AND I CAN BE A COAUTHOR.

YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. SMART MAN.

GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALAN.

WE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS PROCESS [APPLAUSE].

YEAH. I'D TAKE VOTES BETTER JUST TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT, OR WAKE UP REALLY EARLY IN THE MORNING AND GO TO LAGUARDIA, SO I'M OPEN FOR INPUT.

YOU'RE STAYING IN NEW ROCHELLE, RIGHT? OR ARE YOU STAYING? I'M GOING TO DRIVE DOWN TO LAGUARDIA TONIGHT.

OKAY? YEAH. BOB'S TROMBONE BAND'S GOT A LOT OF BIG GIGS TO PLAY, SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

AND THANKS FOR THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE TIME AND THE TRUST IN THE WORK THAT WE DO.

IT MEANS A LOT TO US TOO.

SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANKS TO YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU RACHEL, JOHN, SEAN, STEVE.

WELL DONE.

YOU SET US UP WELL POSITIONED FOR THIS.

NOT MEANING TO BE RUDE, BUT I'M GOING TO LEAVE.

IT'S NOTHING THAT YOU SAID.

TAKE CARE. SAFE TRAVELS ALAN.

THANKS SO MUCH. YEAH.

AND THANK YOU TO NATALIE FOR KIND OF REPRESENTING FROM THE BOARD.

YES, IT WAS ALL THEIR WORK.

SO IT REALLY WAS.

AND TO BE HONEST, THIS IS I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE I'VE, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE HISTORY OF ME, YOU KNOW, BEING AROUND SO MANY SURVEYS, I LOVE EVERYTHING I HEARD HERE.

I'M [INAUDIBLE] I DO HR FOR A LIVING.

SO I LOVED EVERYTHING I HEARD.

YOU KNOW HIS QUESTION ABOUT STRENGTHS FINDER WE PLAY TO OUR STRENGTHS ALL DAY LONG.

IT'S A BIG BELIEVER BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE NEGATIVE.

AND I ALSO LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU YOU ACTUALLY PUSH PEOPLE TO TAKE A POSITION.

SO I HATE GETTING THOSE SURVEYS WHEN HALF THE POPULATION IS ON THE NEUTRAL.

BECAUSE WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT? SO I LOVE THAT YOU YOU KNOW, THAT IT WAS POSITIONED THAT WAY.

SO YEAH. YEAH. SO JUST THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THE WORK.

YEAH MY PLEASURE.

YEAH. I'M JUST MORE CONCERNED THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING ACTIONABLE.

RIGHT. BUT I REALLY LIKE MY COAUTHORS SUGGESTION ABOUT THIS OTHER ANALYSIS.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD STUFF.

SO SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT I BELIEVE IS NEXT.

[4.3 Superintendent's Report]

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY. FOR EVERYONE'S SENSE OF BELONGING AND WELL-BEING.

ABSOLUTELY. AND JOB SATISFACTION.

SO WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT OUR STUDENT RECOGNITION.

AND REALLY JUST TWO THINGS TONIGHT I JUST WANT TO WELCOME, VALERIE MILLER.

SHE'S WORK FLYING SOLO TONIGHT [APPLAUSE].

FIRST NIGHT ON HER OWN AS OUR DISTRICT CLERK.

SO SHE'S LEARNING VERY QUICKLY ALL EVERYTHING THAT FLIES AT YOU WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN THAT CHAIR, ESPECIALLY ON BOARD DAYS.

SO THANK YOU.

AND I APPRECIATE, PAULINE'S EFFORTS TO TRANSITION, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE VALERIE HERE JUST ROLLING UP HER SLEEVES AND AND LEARNING ON THE JOB.

SO, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO REPORT ON TONIGHT, WAS SOMETHING THAT SEVERAL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS JOINED ME WITH.

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GET TO PASS THESE OUT IN ADVANCE, SO I WILL PASS THESE OUT NOW.

HOPEFULLY I'LL SPLIT THEM RIGHT.

WE HAD OUR KICKOFF MEETING FOR ONE OF OUR OTHER BIG INITIATIVES FOR THE YEAR.

OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING KICKOFF MEETING THIS PAST, WITHIN THIS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, JACKIE, MICHAEL AND IAN AND I MET WITH MONICA BROWN, THE LEAD CONSULTANT FROM HAZARD YOUNG AND ATTEA, WHO IS DOING THE WORK ON THE PROJECT.

AND IT WAS REALLY KIND OF SOME OF THE NUTS AND BOLTS.

SO, WE STILL GOT A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.

BUT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT, JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK AND SOME PLANNING.

WE DO NEED TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT DATES.

WELL, REALLY, TWO QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.

AND THOSE WHO WERE ON THE CALL, WERE AWARE, THE PROCESS AND A PORTION OF IT IS LAID OUT HERE.

AND WHAT I JUST SHARED WITH THE BOARD, THERE'S THE READINESS PHASE, WHICH IS, THE INTRODUCTORY MEETING.

THAT WAS THE KICKOFF MEETING.

AND THERE WILL BE A BOARD STUDY SESSION, AND THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 12TH.

SO THAT'S WHEN THE CONSULTANTS WILL BE HERE IN PERSON, TO LAY OUT REALLY THE ENTIRE PLAN FOR THE BOARD.

SO WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? WHAT ARE THE DELIVERABLES? WHAT'S THE APPROACH? AND THAT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE DRAFT PROPOSAL AND THEN DISCUSS IT FEEDBACK AND FOR THE BOARD HOPEFULLY TO APPROVE US GOING FORWARD.

SO THAT'LL BE ONE DECISION POINT FOR THE BOARD.

PART OF THE APPROACH THEN THE QUESTION IS ONE, THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I'M LOOKING FOR YOUR FEEDBACK ON, THEY CAN EITHER WORK IN SUBSEQUENT WORK SESSIONS AS A FULL BOARD.

SO IT COULD BE A FULL BOARD AND THE CABINET HERE IN PUBLIC SESSION DOING A WORK SESSION.

AND THAT WOULD PREDOMINANTLY BE, IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE FOCUS SECTION, DATA REVIEW AND ANALYSIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

[01:25:08]

CABINET THEY'VE AGREED TO INTERVIEW EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY.

THAT WAS A PROGRESSION SINCE OUR KICKOFF MEETING.

THEY'RE SO THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE THE TIME.

SO MULTIPLE SOURCES OF QUALITATIVE DATA AS WELL AS QUANTITATIVE DATA.

SO ADDITIONALLY THEY WILL BE DOING A DATA SCAN.

SO LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT DATA REPORTS.

SO THINGS LIKE THE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES REPORT THAT DR.

BOWMAN DID BACK IN OCTOBER.

OUR ANNUAL GUIDANCE REPORT, THE COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, FINANCIAL AUDIT FACILITIES PLANS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING A SCAN OF THAT AS WELL.

SO THAT WILL BE A DEEP DIVE INTO OUR DATA, WHO WE LOOK LIKE ON PAPER.

AND THEN THERE'LL BE ANOTHER WORK SESSION, APPROACH TO DEFINE MISSION VISION CORE VALUES, PRIORITIES, ETC..

SO THEY CAN EITHER DO THOSE WITH THE ENTIRE BOARD AND THE CABINET, OR THEY COULD DO THOSE WITH A SUBGROUP OF THE BOARD AND THE CABINET IN NOT IN PUBLIC SESSION, BUT MORE LIKE A, YOU KNOW, AN OFFLINE WORKING SESSION AND THEN BRING THAT, RESULTS OF THAT DISCUSSION BACK TO THE FULL BOARD.

SO MY QUESTION TO YOU REALLY, WAS LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK IS, IS YOUR PREFERENCE TO WORK AT THE FULL BOARD LEVEL FOR THOSE WORK SESSIONS, OR DO YOU WANT TO GO SUBGROUP LEVEL WITH REPORT BACK. AND THE FULL BOARD LEVEL WOULD REQUIRE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM FOR SIX HOURS? IS THAT WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.

INSTEAD OF WE LOOKED AT AND THIS WAS THE OTHER QUESTION, DO WE WANT TO LOOK AT SATURDAYS? DO WE WANT TO TAP INTO CURRENT BOARD MEETINGS? MY SENSE I'LL GIVE YOU MY SENSE.

YOU TELL ME IF I WAS RIGHT OR WRONG WAS FULL BOARD BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, FOLKS, EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BEING PART OF THE PROCESS.

BUT MY SENSE WAS ALSO MAYBE A LOT OF SATURDAYS COULD BE A BIG LIFT AND ESPECIALLY WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE TIME OF THE CABINET AS WELL, THAT MAYBE WE COULD TAP INTO THREE HOUR CHUNKS ALIGNED WITH OUR CURRENT BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE, PREDOMINANTLY AS A WAY TO MAYBE TACKLE IT IS A LOT OF TIME.

AND I KNOW FOLKS, I KNOW TIME DEMANDS REALLY ARE TOUGH FOR ALL OF YOU AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WORKING PROFESSIONALS.

SO WHAT I HAVE HERE ON PAPER IS WHAT MONICA AND I KIND OF FRAMED OUT THINKING IF WE WANT TO GO FULL BOARD IF WE WANT TO TAP INTO EXISTING BOARD MEETING DATES.

KNOWING THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE AT LEAST A PORTION OF THOSE NIGHTS SET ASIDE, MAYBE STARTING AT LIKE 3 OR 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON DINNER SO WE COULD DO THIS DINNER, LITTLE BREAK FOR DINNER, AND THEN OUR NORMAL BOARD BUSINESS ALSO RECOGNIZING WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH BUDGET AT THE SAME TIME.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE TWO MASSIVE IMPORTANT THINGS.

BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A POTENTIAL DRAFT.

SO [INAUDIBLE] DISCUSS.

THAT WORKS FOR ME.

I'D LIKE TO BE A PART OF IT.

YEAH, OKAY.

ME TOO. I MEAN, NOT ALL OF US WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE SESSION.

OF COURSE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

OKAY. GREATER INPUT ON THE FRONT END.

MORE BUYING ON THE BACK END.

GETTING EVERYONE TOGETHER IS, YOU KNOW, CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

AND SO MAYBE WE'LL JUST HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD JUST WITH 1 OR 2 PEOPLE ABSENT AND THAT'S THAT.

YEAH. OKAY. OR IS IT SUBJECT MEETING TO OPEN MEETINGS LAW.

YEAH. YEAH.

SO SO THE COMMUNITY CAN OBSERVE.

ABSOLUTELY. YEP.

WHICH WOULD MAKE IT A IT'S A MORE TRANSPARENT APPROACH TOO, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

SO IT'S GOT A LOT OF BENEFITS IN THAT SENSE.

OKAY. OKAY OKAY.

SO THEN ONE OTHER SMALLER DECISION POINT ON HERE, I THINK WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS IN ANOTHER SETTING, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE WHAT IS CURRENTLY OUR APRIL 30TH MEETING WHEN WE REVIEWED THE BUDGET TIMELINE MILESTONES.

JIM, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION.

WE REALIZED WE NEED TO MOVE THE APRIL 30TH MEETING EARLIER TO HIT FOR BUDGET ADOPTION.

SO WE HAD IDENTIFIED THE 16TH OR 17TH THAT IS NOW IS WITHIN THE RIGHT TIMELINE, I BELIEVE NATALIE, I THINK YOU I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THEM.

WE HAD SOME I THINK WE HAD SETTLED ON THE 16TH, BUT I COULDN'T 100% REMEMBER.

I THOUGHT IT WAS THE 17TH. IS IT THE 17TH? YEAH. OKAY. WHICH IS THE WEDNESDAY.

BUT YEAH, I HAVE IT ON THE 17TH.

BUT I MEAN LET ME SEE ON THE 16TH.

WELL. ARE BOTH DATES OUT FOR YOU RIGHT NOW? I'M IN LONDON, 15, 16, 17.

YEAH.

AND THE CHANGE I THINK IT WAS PRECIPITATED BY CHANGES IN THE, MILITARY BALLOT TIMELINE OUR OLD

[01:30:05]

SO, 16TH OR 17TH IS WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE.

SO WHAT I WAS HOPING IS TO KIND OF RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, AND RESPECTING THAT NOT EVERYONE MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE IT GIVEN THE LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENT, BUT TO BE ABLE TO COME MAYBE OUR NEXT MEETING WITH ADJUSTED, CALENDAR BOARD MEETINGS SO THAT WE COULD ADD STRATEGIC PLANNING AS WELL AS MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT FROM THE 30TH TO EITHER THE 16TH OR 17TH.

OKAY. IS THERE A PREFERENCE BETWEEN 16 AND 17? ALL RIGHT. SO GREAT.

SO MAYBE WE'LL GO WITH 17 JUST TO KEEP IT ON THE WEDNESDAY NORMAL CADENCE.

SO, VALERIE, WE'LL HAVE TO JUST, GET THAT PREPARED FOR NEXT TIME.

AND IF SOMEBODY DISCOVERS A CONFLICT AFTER WE LEAVE TONIGHT AND THE 16TH WORKS BETTER FOR YOU, LET ME KNOW.

IT SOUNDS LIKE BOTH ARE OPTIONS, SO.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THAT IS IT FOR MY REPORT TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

OKAY, GREAT. AND ARE THERE ANY BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES

[4.4 Board of Education Committee Reports]

YEP. WE'LL SCHEDULING THAT FOR NEXT WEEK.

SO WE'LL HAVE UPDATES AT OUR FOLLOWING MEETING.

OKAY. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

OH, SURE. YEAH. COMMITTEE MET LAST WEEK.

WHAT'S THE LAST WEEK I FEEL LIKE I THINK IT WAS MAYBE THE WEEK BEFORE.

BEFORE? RIGHT AFTER OUR BOARD MEETING.

YES. WE TALKED, ABOUT DIFFERENT INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE CELL PHONE AND THE POLICY FOR UNIFIED WAY OF US TO LOOK AT CELL PHONE USAGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.

SO WE, WE MET WE ALSO TALKED A LOT ABOUT, DIFFERENT, ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT ARE THAT WILL HAPPEN.

USUALLY WE EXPLORE ADVOCACY EFFORTS FROM, NEW YORK STATE OR FROM [INAUDIBLE] ANYTHING THAT MAY BE GOING ON.

HOWEVER, THIS TIME AROUND, WE DISCUSSED AND A SITUATION THAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICT, WHICH IS, GLOVERSVILLE AND, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS WALKING OVER.

SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING AS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AN ISSUE WE COULD ALL RALLY AROUND, AND WRITING TO OUR, EITHER STATE SENATORS OR LOCAL POLITICIANS TO ASSIST.

I KNOW WE HAVE THE LETTER.

WE HAVE THE LETTER, AND WE'VE ENGAGED.

SHE'S GOING TO BE MEETING WITH US, I THINK IT'S FEBRUARY 15TH ISH AT GLOVER, JUST TO COME ON SITE AND ASSESS THE PROGRAM, THE SITUATION.

I KNOW SHE WAS LOOKING TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO HELP WITH RESOLUTION.

AND ALSO, COUNTY EXECUTIVE LATIMER'S OFFICE ALSO REACHED OUT AND, ASKED ABOUT SETTING UP A WORK SESSION SO THAT THEY COULD ALSO BE OF ASSISTANCE IN TRYING TO BRING SOME RESOLUTION. SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY FOR, TO HEAR THAT RESPONSIVENESS.

AND, I THINK YOU AGREED.

I THINK THE PTA COUNCIL THIS YEAR, MANY OF YOU MAY BE AWARE, HAS A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY SUBCOMMITTEE, SO THERE'S ALREADY EFFORTS GOING ON LOCALLY AND AS NATALIE SAID, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALL CONCERNED AROUND AND A UNITING, TOPIC FOR US TO DO SOME ADVOCACY AROUND.

OKAY. AUTHENTIC LEARNING.

[4.5 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Authentic Learning]

I KNOW THE BOARD HAS THE MEMOS.

YEAH. SO YOU GOT IT.

HIGHLIGHTS. WE HAVE JUST FINISHED OUR MID-YEAR REGENTS WEEK, AS WELL AS THE CVC SIMULATION, AND WE ARE WRAPPING UP UNIVERSAL SCREENINGS FOR THE MID-YEAR. WE HAVE KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION OPEN.

PLANNING FOR SUPERINTENDENTS CONFERENCE DAY ON MARCH 15TH IS VERY WELL UNDERWAY.

AND AS OF TOMORROW, WE WILL BE IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

AND WE ARE PLANNING ON HAVING A SECOND ANNUAL READ ALOUD HERE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY ON THE 28TH.

THANK YOU.

WE CAN WE CAN MOVE UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

ARE YOU WAITING TO MICHAEL THAT'S SAMANTHA.

OH [LAUGHTER]

[01:35:03]

[4.6 Assistant Superintendent's Update on The Whole Child]

JUST SOME UPDATES.

THE OUR CO-TEACHING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CONTINUES.

WE HAD A SERIES OF VISITS, IN JANUARY.

WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR OUR NEXT VISIT FEBRUARY 13TH.

WE ALSO, IS PRETTY EXCITING TOMORROW SEPTA MEETING, WHICH WILL BE HELD IN ALUMNI HALL IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY'RE HOSTING AUTHOR DEBBIE REBER.

SHE'S THE AUTHOR OF DIFFERENTLY WIRED, AND SHE'S THE HOST OF TILT PARENTING, WHO'S A SHE DOES A PODCAST ABOUT LEARNING DISABILITIES AND PARENTING DIFFERENTLY.

WIRED CHILDREN, THAT'S TOMORROW AT 7 AT ALUMNI HALL.

IT'S AN RSVP EVENT.

THEY ALREADY HAVE ABOUT 50 RSVP, SO LET THEM KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND.

WE ARE PLANNING FOR OUR NEXT RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM TRAINING, THIS MONTH IN FEBRUARY.

THE FOCUS IS ON CONNECTING MORNING MEETING TO ACADEMICS, SO THAT'S EXCITING.

AS THE BOARD SAW SAW IN THE REPORT, WE JUST SIGNED AN RFP WITH PELHAM TOGETHER.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT DOING SOME, CONTINUED WORK WITH THEM FORMALLY ABOUT ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORK SUPPORTS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.

JUST IN TERMS OF COUNSELING, COUNSELORS HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH STUDENTS TO FINALIZE COURSE SELECTIONS.

DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY, WE RAN SEVERAL THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT RAN SEVERAL INFORMATION NIGHTS FOR EIGHTH GRADERS, SOPHOMORES, AND JUNIORS.

JUST A NOTE, THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT DOES ENCOURAGE SOPHOMORES TO USE FEBRUARY BREAKS TO DO SOME COLLEGE VISITS, IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED.

IT'S A GOOD TIME AND ALSO WANT TO REMIND ANY SOPHOMORES THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE MILITARY ACADEMY.

NOW IS THE TIME TO START MAKING CONTACT.

BECAUSE YOU WOULD NEED REQUESTS FOR YOUR PRE CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES.

AND ALSO TOMORROW BOCES WILL BE VISITING, THE HIGH SCHOOL TO TALK TO SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS ABOUT THE CAREER TECH CENTER AND OFFERINGS THEY COULD AVAIL THEMSELVES TO IF THEY'RE SO INTERESTED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND NEXT HUMAN RESOURCES.

[4.7 Executive Director's Update on Human Resources and Learning]

JUST A LITTLE HISTORY BEHIND IT.

AND I'VE TRIED TO BECOME A QUICK STUDY ON IT, WHICH SOMETIMES ISN'T EASY.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY PASSED IN NEW YORK STATE IN 2006.

THIS WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION LAW AND SCHOOLS WERE EXEMPT.

THAT WENT AWAY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, WHERE THE GOVERNOR, SIGNED THE LAW TO INCLUDE NOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THERE'S A CERTAIN TIMELINE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE, WHICH IS PRETTY AMBITIOUS.

BUT IT IS A MANDATE THAT CAME DOWN FROM THE STATE.

AND I KNOW THAT WE ALL BELIEVE IN PROTECTING ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES FROM PHYSICAL ASSAULT AND VIOLENCE AND ACTS OF AGGRESSION IN THE WORKPLACE, WHICH WE CURRENTLY DO.

BUT THIS IS NOW JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING THE NEW YORK STATE PROCESS FOR DOCUMENTING NEW YORK STATE PROCESS FOR ENSURING THAT EMPLOYERS ARE TRAINED, AND ALSO MAKING SURE, BASED ON THE NEW YORK STATE PROCESS, THAT THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT MADE OF THE SAFETY OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE ANNUALLY.

SO THAT IS PUT IN A POLICY THAT WAS, MANDATED TO BE APPROVED BY SCHOOL BOARDS AFTER THE NEW YEAR.

AND, WE KNOW THAT [INAUDIBLE] HAS PROVIDED US WITH A LOT OF GOOD COUNSEL ON IT.

AND WE HAVE BY MANDATE, WE HAVE CONTACTED AND WORKED WITH OUR UNIT PRESIDENTS TO TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF IT AND GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK AND COLLABORATION. AND THE FIRST ITERATION OF THIS POLICY IS IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TONIGHT.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

AND FINANCE AND FACILITIES?

[4.8 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Finance and Facilities]

AND I TOO WILL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS WE CAN.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CYCLE RIGHT NOW, SO WE'RE WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

MOST RECENTLY, THE GOVERNOR RELEASED HER BUDGET.

YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT.

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.

SO THE, IT'S EXPECTED TO BE PASSED OR BY LEGISLATIVE ACTION.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PASSED BY APRIL 1ST.

WE'LL SEE. WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY RESCISSIONS OF STATE AID.

WE ARE NOT IN THAT, BOAT, GRATEFULLY.

BUT ABOUT 45% OF THE DISTRICTS STATEWIDE ARE.

SO I THINK A LARGE PART OF THAT LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS GOING TO BE SPENT ON TRYING TO RESTORE MUCH OF THAT FUND FOR THOSE DISTRICTS.

AND, HOPEFULLY THAT'S NOT TAKEN FROM OTHER PLACES.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT US THAT MAKES US THAT ISOLATES US FROM THOSE CUTS? WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A POSITION BASED, THE STATE AID IS BASED UPON A FORMULA, OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.

[01:40:05]

SOME OF THOSE DISTRICTS FOUND THEMSELVES OUT OF BALANCE WITH THAT PARTICULAR FORMULA.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN AT A LEVEL OF FUNDING, BUT OVER TIME THEIR POPULATION DROPPED.

SO IN THE PAST, THE STATE EMPLOYED A POLICY CALLED SAVE HARMLESS.

OR I MAY HAVE SAID, HARM, HOLD HARMLESS IN THE PAST, WHEREAS THEY WOULDN'T SEE A DOWNWARD ADJUSTMENT IN THAT AID BASED ON THE FORMULA, THEY ALWAYS AT LEAST RECEIVED A MINIMUM OF WHAT THEY RECEIVED THE PRIOR YEAR.

IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, THE GOVERNOR IS ELIMINATING SAFE HARMLESS AND GOING TO THE FORMULA.

SO IN THAT CASE, YOU'RE SEEING SOME DISTRICTS SEEING SIGNIFICANT DROPS IN AID, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, PROBABLY JUST A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT 50/50 SPLIT OF THAT REDUCTION.

SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE SEEING REDUCTIONS UP TO CLOSE TO $1 MILLION IN THEIR STATE AID.

SO IT'S IT'S JUST IT'S IT'S CAUSING OBVIOUSLY, THAT, THAT CONCERN, THERE'S ALSO NO RELIEF FROM THE TAX CAP.

SO EVERYBODY STILL HAS TO WORK WITHIN THE TAX CAP.

AND IF THEY IF A DISTRICT FINDS THEMSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE THEY WANT TO EXCEED IT, THEY STILL NEED TO HAVE THAT SUPERMAJORITY, THAT 60% PLUS ONE TO GET THAT.

SO, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS AT PLAY, BUT THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S IMPACTING A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS.

AND IN THIS INSTANCE, IT THERE WASN'T A LOT OF PREP TIME.

I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A RUNWAY FOR DISTRICTS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE FOR A RESCISSION OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING.

IT TOOK A LOT OF DISTRICTS BY SURPRISE.

I RECEIVED SOMETHING RECENTLY FROM A FROM A COLLEAGUE, KIND OF A VIDEO FROM A, FROM A PROFESSIONAL, KIND OF DESCRIBING THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.

SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO PASS ALONG TO THE BOARD AS WELL.

IT'S ABOUT A 5 TO 10 MINUTE WATCH ON, ON A, ON A NEWS REPORT.

AND IT'S PRETTY INFORMATIVE ON HOW IT'S IMPACTING THE STATE.

AND AGAIN, IT COMES FROM THE, FROM THIS ONE.

IT COMES FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF SOMEONE WHO'S TAKING A REDUCTION VERSUS, PELHAM, WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES IN A, IN A MORE FORTUNATE POSITION.

AND I THINK I KNOW FOLKS DO REMEMBER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR FULL FUNDING OF THE FORMULA.

SO WE HAD BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR MANY YEARS, AND IT WAS ONLY THIS CURRENT BUDGET THAT WE'RE IN NOW WHERE WE WERE ACTUALLY FULLY FUNDED BY THE FORMULA.

SO I THINK TO JIM'S POINT, OTHERS WERE HELD HARMLESS BECAUSE THEORETICALLY, FROM THE GOVERNOR'S PERSPECTIVE, I GUESS THEY MAY HAVE BEEN OVERFUNDED AND WE WERE JUST GETTING CAUGHT UP.

SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE WERE NOT IMPACTED BECAUSE WE WEREN'T BY FORMULA OVER OR IN THAT HOLD HARMLESS STATUS.

AND THERE'S A SPECIFIC GROWTH FACTORS WHERE THE GOVERNOR USES CPI.

SHE'S KIND OF CHANGED THE METHODOLOGY THAT'S BEEN USED PREVIOUS TO THAT.

SO, KIND OF LIKE A TEN YEAR SMOOTHING, IF I MEAN, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, JUST VALUATIONS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE A PENSION FUND, YOU CAN SMOOTH, SMOOTH OUT CONTRIBUTIONS IF YOU USE A WIDER, A WIDER RANGE OF, OF DATES.

AND I THINK THE GOVERNOR IN THIS CASE IS, USING THAT WIDER RANGE OF CPI.

AND I THINK IT BENEFITS THE GOVERNOR IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS IN HER BUDGET AS WELL.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF ADVOCACY.

WE MET WITH, ASSEMBLYWOMAN PAULIN LAST WEEK.

SO ALL OF THE ALL THE BUSINESS OFFICIALS THAT ARE REPRESENTED BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN PAULIN ALREADY HAVE HAD THAT MEETING, AND SHE PUTS OUT A GREAT ADVOCACY LETTER EVERY YEAR.

AND WE REALLY TRY TO RALLY AROUND THOSE COMMON POINTS THAT ALL OF THE DISTRICTS WITHIN THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE IN COMMON AND IN COMMON GOALS FOR US ALL. SO SHE'S A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, QUITE AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.

SHE GETS IT. JIM, DO YOU FORESEE THAT? THIS IS THE WAY TO GO.

OR IS IT JUST A ONE YEAR SITUATION AND THINGS MAY CHANGE? IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO SEE.

I THINK IT'S A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE TAX RECEIPTS COME IN FOR THE STATE.

AND, I THINK THERE'S A BIG ELECTION COMING UP THIS YEAR.

SO HOW THE ASSEMBLY REACTS TO, THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE FUNDS, FOR BECAUSE, AGAIN, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH MEMORIES COME, COME NOVEMBER.

AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLOSE TO 50% OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, IT WOULD BE REASONABLE TO BELIEVE IT'S HALF THE LEGISLATURE AS WELL.

SO I DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW.

AGAIN FORTUNATELY, WE'VE NOT FOUND OURSELVES IN THAT POSITION.

BUT AGAIN, THE BUDGET'S NOT FINAL WE'RE JUST WORKING.

WE'RE WORKING OFF THE GOVERNOR'S ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.

AGAIN, WE'VE WE'VE WORKED ON ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE SHARED WITH THE BOARD.

WE'VE WE'RE PLUGGING IN OUR OUR OTHER INFORMATION, THE HEALTH CARE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE, THE PENSION NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE, THE TAX CAP ESTIMATED WORKSHEET THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH THE BOARD, KIND OF HOLDING, HOLDING STEADY ALL THOSE PARAMETERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

[01:45:04]

WE'VE ALSO RECENTLY SENT OUT NOTIFICATIONS FOR OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION.

WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR.

SO FOR STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN PELHAM BUT ATTEND PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH A 15 MILE RADIUS, THE DISTRICT IS OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION.

TO RECEIVE THAT TRANSPORTATION, PARENTS HAVE TO COMPLETE A FORM EVERY YEAR.

THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY RECEIVING THAT THAT SERVICE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SENT THAT FORM.

AND WE'VE ALSO MADE, THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC NOTICE.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE NOTIFICATION ON OUR WEB PAGE AS WELL.

AND THAT DEADLINE IS APRIL 1ST.

AND I'LL KIND OF DO THAT AT EVERY MEETING UP UNTIL APRIL 1ST.

SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF IT. I KNOW DR.

CHAMP DOES THAT. THE COFFEES AND WHEREVER, WHEREVER ELSE WE ARE.

AND IF PEOPLE COME UP AND ASK, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU CAN HAVE THAT.

YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION TOO.

AND IT'S AND IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.

WITH THAT WE ALSO STATE THE, THE, THE METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION.

SO IT'S ESTABLISHMENT OF EXPECTATIONS.

AND SO WE WANT AS FEW SURPRISES AS POSSIBLE FOR FOLKS.

SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE PRELIMINARY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FIRST DISTRICT WIDE IS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

AND THEN SECONDARILY, YELLOW BUS TRANSPORTATION.

AND JIM, YOU SAID THAT WAS 15 MILE RADIUS 15 15.

15 YES.

THANK YOU. YES.

WE HAVE SOME PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS THIS NIGHT.

THIS EVENING.

AND WE'RE CURING SOME VACANCY PROBLEMS AND CREATING SOME VACANCY PROBLEMS. WE'RE PROMOTING TWO FOLKS OR REMOVING TWO FOLKS INTO NEW POSITIONS.

SO, WILLIAM MCDEVITT HAS BEEN A GROUNDSKEEPER FOR, CLOSE TO THE LAST 15 YEARS.

WE'RE PROMOTING HIM TO A MAINTENANCE MECHANIC POSITION.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO MOVE BILLY INTO THAT POSITION.

AND SUE FLEMING, WHO'S, IN DR.

GARCIA'S OFFICE, AS A AS A PART TIME PERSON, IS MOVING OVER TO OUR OFFICE AND FILLING THE VACANCY CREATED BY THE PROMOTION OF ALLISON HALLORAN.

SO, AGAIN, WE'RE CURING ONE ISSUE, AND I OWE DR.

GARCIA A BUNCH OF COFFEES FOR CREATING A CREATING A VACANCY IN HIS OFFICE.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH FRIENDS OF PELHAM SPORTS ON THE COMPLETION OF THE OF THE FITNESS AND WEIGHT ROOMS. THIS EVENING, WE JUST HAVE THE FORMAL ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE DONATIONS SO THAT WE CAN COMPLETE OUR PAPERWORK FOR THE, THE STATE PERMITTING PROCESS.

WE ALREADY HAVE SUBMITTED OUR LETTER OF INTENT FOR PERMITTING, SO WE'RE KIND OF WE'VE GOT OUR PLACE ONLINE, BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING TO GET ALL THE PAPERWORK IN PLACE. I THINK YOU RECALL WE DID THE SECRET, RESOLUTION NOT TOO LONG AGO AS WELL.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF CHANGE ORDERS RELATED TO THE CAPITAL PROJECT WE'RE PUSHING ALONG.

WE'RE PUSHING ROPE. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETIMES GETTING GETTING THIS CLOSE.

BUT AS AS I PROMISED TO THE BOARD PRESIDENT, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING ON THAT, AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE I THINK WE'RE WORKING WITH TWO PRIMARY VENDORS RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT COMING TO A CLOSE.

AND THEN, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOU PROBABLY YOU MAY HAVE READ IN THE NEWSPAPER SOME INFORMATION ABOUT, FISCAL STRESS SCORES.

PELHAM RECEIVED OUR FISCAL STRESS SCORES, WHICH WAS A REALLY A NON SCORE, WHICH WHICH IS GOOD.

IT'S BASED ON TWO, TWO INDICATORS REALLY OR FINANCIAL INDICATORS AND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS.

SO FOR FINANCIAL INDICATORS IT'S THINGS LIKE FUND BALANCE OPERATING DEFICIT.

IF THERE IS ONE CASH POSITION CASH FLOW AND FIXED COSTS, ENVIRONMENTAL CATEGORIES, LEVELS OF POVERTY STUDENT TEACHER RATIO, TURNOVER.

WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THAT TODAY, THIS EVENING.

TAX BASE, YOUR BUDGET SUPPORT AND YOUR, YOUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER LEVELS.

SO BASED UPON THOSE WE RECEIVED NOTICE THAT NO DESIGNATION WHICH IS THE BEST DESIGNATION A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN RECEIVE.

SO THAT WAS NICE TO, TO RECEIVE AS WELL.

WE KIND OF KNOW THOSE THINGS, BUT IT'S NICE TO SEE IT WHEN YOU GET IT FROM THE OFFICE OF STATE COMPTROLLER AS WELL.

AND, THAT'S ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

I WAS GOING TO SAY WELL DONE ON THAT, JIM.

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US IN GOOD SHAPE.

AND I ALSO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE AND TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE FRIENDS OF PELHAM.

PELHAM SPORTS.

THAT DONATION IS, REALLY SIGNIFICANT.

SO THANK TO THEM.

THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WHO STEPPED FORWARD, I KNOW EVEN MANY OF YOU AND INCLUDED IN THAT TO CONTRIBUTE TO A RENOVATION THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT NOT ONLY OUR ATHLETES, BUT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

SO, JIM AND I AND JOE TOMBS AND JOHN CONDON HAVE BEEN MEETING WEEKLY WITH THEM NOW AS WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO REALITY.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME EXCITING WORK DONE.

THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME EXCITING WORK ALREADY GOING ON.

IF BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO STOP DOWN AND PEEK IN NEXT TIME YOU'RE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING SOME OF THAT COMING ONLINE AFTER THE FEBRUARY BREAK, SO THERE'LL BE MORE TO COME ON THAT.

WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME RIBBON CUTTINGS AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, FORMAL RECOGNITION OF THAT FURTHER DOWN THE LINE IN THE SPRING, BUT JUST COULD NOT BE MORE THANKFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT CONTINUES TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE THERE TO HELP MAKE OPPORTUNITY, MAKE OUR FACILITIES BETTER SO THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO

[01:50:04]

MAYBE, JIM, MAYBE YOU COULD SEND SOME OF THOSE PHOTOS HOME, OR MAYBE I'LL SEND TO THE BOARD EQUIPMENT WILL BE ARRIVING TOWARDS THE END OF NEXT WEEK AND HOPEFULLY INSTALLED OVER THE BREAK.

SO YEAH, IT'S JUST HOPEFULLY IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE VENDOR GETTING IT TO THE FRONT DOOR.

THAT'S RIGHT. BUT WE'RE WE'RE READY TO RECEIVE IT.

WE'VE ALSO SURPLUSED ALL THAT EQUIPMENT.

WE'VE, WE'VE AUCTIONED OFF WHATEVER'S BEEN SURPLUS.

THERE'S A COUPLE MORE PIECES THIS EVENING.

NICE THING TO SAY TO, WE WE TALKED TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, ASKED THEM IF THEY HAD ANY INTEREST.

AND, ONE OF OUR LOCAL PELHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT, CAME AND THEY THEY TOOK A TREADMILL AND AN ERG, WHICH IS GREAT.

SO WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM TOO.

IT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

GREAT. THANK YOU JIM.

OKAY. I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO FINANCIAL REPORTS AND MOTIONS, AND I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM

[6. Financial Reports and Motions]

SO MOVED. SECOND.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH. I DID WANT TO JUST ADD ONE MORE COMMENT.

I JUST WANTED TO I KNOW, JOHN LEFT HIS APPRECIATION, TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PA, THE PELHAM ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION.

WE'RE PLEASED TONIGHT TO BE APPROVING AN EXTENSION OF THEIR CONTRACT.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP FOR THEIR DILIGENT WORK WITH US ON THAT AGAIN.

ALSO, DR. GARCIA, MR. RICKY, HIS PARTNERS IN WORKING THROUGH THAT.

SO, WE'VE GOT, AS YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, AN INCREDIBLE TEAM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE AND APPROVE A CONTRACT.

ASK THE BOARD TO IMPROVE THAT CONTINUED, CONTRACT EXTENSION TONIGHT.

OKAY. ALL IN. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? NO. THE MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION FOR 6.5 TO ACCEPT GRANT AND DONATION.

[6.5 Motion to Accept a Grant and Donation]

OKAY. AND I'LL READ THIS.

RESOLVED THAT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT A DASNY GRANT OF $150,000 FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENOVATING AND REHABILITATING THE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL WEIGHT AND FITNESS ROOM.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPTS A DONATION OF $397,000, $397 ,409, FOR MONETARY AND OR EQUIPMENT FROM THE FRIENDS OF PELHAM SPORTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENOVATING AND REHABILITATING THE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL WEIGHT AND FITNESS ROOM.

SO THAT'S THAT'S IT.

YEAH. THAT'S FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

YEAH. WOW.

YEAH. YEAH. AND TRANSFORMATIVE FOR.

YEAH DEFINITELY THAT SPACE AND A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES FOR FITNESS AND.

YEAH. AND IT'S EVEN GOING TO BENEFIT OUR PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AS WELL.

SO REALLY I THINK EVERY STUDENT IN THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TOUCHED BY THIS, GENEROUS GIFT.

GREAT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? NO. OKAY, THEN NEXT WE CAN MOVE ON TO POLICY MONITORING AND GOVERNANCE.

[7. Policy Monitoring & Governance]

YEAH. AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE, WE JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THIS, THIS ISN'T BEING DONE BECAUSE OF SOME SPIKE IN WORKPLACE PREVENTION. IT'S ALL BECAUSE THE STATE HAS MANDATED CORRECT THIS TO HAPPEN.

IT WAS ON THE BOOKS SINCE 2006 AND THE SCHOOLS WERE EXEMPT.

BUT NOW GOVERNOR SIGNED IT INTO LAW TO MAKE SCHOOLS PART OF IT, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

YEAH. HOW MANY READINGS DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS NEED TO GO THROUGH? CAN WE GET IT ALL DONE IN ONE? NO, AT LEAST TWO.

YEAH. SO THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT.

I MEAN, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT.

YEAH. YEAH. JUST NOTICE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING HAPPENING OKAY.

[8. Superintendent's Personnel Recommendations]

[01:55:05]

AND I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE 8.1 THROUGH 8.4 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THESE? I THINK WE'VE COVERED EVERYTHING OKAY.

YEAH. WE HAVE A BIG ROSTER OF A LOT OF COACHES.

COACHES. YES, YES.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SUPPORT ATHLETICS.

YES. SPRING COACHING POSITIONS.

YES OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? NO. THE MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHEDULE D.

[9.1 Motion to Approve Schedule D - Committee on Special Education (Confidential)]

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? NO. AND THAT BRINGS US ANY NEW BUSINESS.

WE DISCUSSED OUR DATES AND WHATNOT.

YEP. OKAY.

I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

WE ARE ADJOURNED. OKAY.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.