[00:00:07]
>> WELCOME. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF
[2. Public Session - 7:30 p.m.]
THE PELHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION OF FEBRUARY 12TH, 2024.PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> I'LL ASK MRS. ANGXELIS FOR A REITERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS.
>> WE MET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATIONS AND THE EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERSON.
>> THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT A SPECIAL GUEST TONIGHT, SO WELCOME.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM YOU.
WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON TONIGHT, BUT I DID JUST WANT TO CALL OUT TO OUR LOCAL SCOUTING LEADERS, GIRL SCOUTS AND BOY SCOUTS.
I KNOW I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AT MY DAUGHTER'S AND MANY LOCAL YOUNG WOMEN FOR THE GIRL SCOUT DANCE AND THE BOY SCOUTS HAD A BIG, VERY SUCCESSFUL PANCAKE BREAKFAST.
I THINK SCOUTING ADDS SO MUCH TO THE STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO A BIG SHOUT OUT TO EVERYBODY WHO VOLUNTEERS THEIR TIME FOR THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TONIGHT, TAKING THE FIRST STEPS ON THAT, AND WE HAVE AN INITIAL BUDGET PRESENTATION.
I ALSO WANTED TO, IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS UPDATED ON THE LATEST THINKING AND DEVELOPMENTS ON THE STORM WATER ISSUE IN JULIAN'S PLAYGROUND.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR JULIAN'S PLAYGROUND AND OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY FLOODING AND THE ENTIRE PELHAM COMMUNITY.
I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE CONSIDERED THIS IN A CAREFUL PROCESS THAT'S BEEN TRANSPARENT.
I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BY THE BOOK IN TERMS OF OPEN MEETING LAW, THAT THE DISCUSSIONS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PROPER WAY.
THE PROCESS WE FIRST LEARNED ABOUT THIS IN OCTOBER.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM HAS BEEN CONSIDERING IT FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS, BUT WE WERE NOTIFIED IN OCTOBER.
AFTER THAT TIME, WE'VE HAD THREE MEETINGS OF THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM DID A PRESENTATION TO THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AT LEAST IN FOUR OR FIVE BOARD MEETINGS.
WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM THE MAYOR OF THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM IN ONE OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS.
WE ALSO HELD AN OPEN FORUM FOR THE COMMUNITY AND HEARD FROM A LOT LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE'VE DECIDED AN EASEMENT IS NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
WE ALL WANT TO FIND A SOLUTION, BUT AN EASEMENT IS NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION.
AT THIS POINT, THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM HAS NOT AGREED TO CONSIDER OTHER SOLUTIONS.
WE ARE CONCERNED, AND WE'VE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM MAY PURSUE CONDEMNATION OF JULIAN'S PLAYGROUND.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AND WE'RE TRYING TO OPERATE IN TRANSPARENCY AND KEEP EVERYONE INFORMED. YES.
>> I'LL SAY A FEW THINGS AS WELL, SOME OF WHICH ARE GOING TO BE DUPLICATIVE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S THINKING ON THIS, AND THIS IS MINE, AND I INVITE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH ME.
BUT THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT TO ECHO WHAT MICHAEL SAID, WE, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AGREE THAT THE FLOODING IN NORTH PELHAM IS A PROBLEM WHICH IS INARGUABLY WORTH SOLVING.
BUT THE BOARD ARE UNANIMOUS, AND I'M LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM TO MY COLLEAGUES, WE ARE UNANIMOUS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WITH IAN, IAN'S ON THE LINE.
WE ARE UNANIMOUS IN NOT WANTING TO GO DOWN THE PATH OF AN EASEMENT BECAUSE THIS IS A MASSIVE ENGINEERING PROJECT WHICH WILL HAVE A PRESENCE FOR GENERATIONS AND THE MUNICIPALITY DRIVING THIS PROJECT IS THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM.
THEREFORE, THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM SHOULD ASSUME ALL THE RISKS,
[00:05:04]
AND THEREFORE, THE PROJECT SHOULD BE COMPLETED ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE VILLAGE.BECAUSE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WANTS TO FIND A PATH FORWARD, WE BEGAN EXPLORING CONCEPTUAL ALTERNATIVES, IN WHICH LAND COULD BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE DISTRICT TO THE VILLAGE AND THE DISTRICT WOULD GET SOMETHING IN RETURN IN THIS TRANSACTION, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY MAKE THE DISTRICT NO WORSE OFF, WOULDN'T IMPEDE UPON THE BUILDABILITY OF THE SITE, AND WOULD MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON THE FAMILIES LIVING IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY.
BUT AS MICHAEL I THINK ALLUDED TO, THIS ALTERNATIVE LINE OF DISCUSSION WAS REJECTED BY THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM BECAUSE FOR THE DISTRICT TO TRANSFER LAND TO THE VILLAGE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO VOTE FOR APPROVAL, THE DISTRICT'S VOTE FOR APPROVAL, AND THE VILLAGE DOES NOT WANT IT TO GO TO A VOTE.
NOW, IT'S NOT FOR ME TO SAY WHY THE VILLAGE SHOULD WISH TO SIDESTEP A VOTE, BUT IT IS FOR ME TO SAY THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, I THINK BEING FRAMED AS VILLAINS IN THIS IS COMPLETELY UNJUSTIFIED IF ANYONE FELT LIKE MAKING THAT IMPLICATION.
SUPPORT FROM THE DISTRICT'S MANY STAKEHOLDERS IS BY NO MEANS UNILATERAL FOR THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS A BIG DECISION WITH LONG LASTING IMPLICATIONS, AND SO A PUBLIC VOTE SEEMS LIKE A REASONABLE PATH TO PURSUE.
I WILL ALSO ECHO MICHAEL IN SAYING WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE FROM SEVERAL SOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE VILLAGE PROCEEDING WITH EMINENT DOMAIN IS ACCELERATING FROM A HYPOTHETICAL TO A REALITY, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE A FRUITFUL PATH FORWARD.
THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS AND I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND AT THE SCREEN FOR IAN TO ECHO OR DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING I SAID.
>> THANKS, WILL. I'LL REITERATE, I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT BOTH VILLAGES ARE TRYING TO REMEDY THE FLOODING IN PELHAM.
IT IS DEVASTATING AND TRAUMATIC TO MANY OF US.
IT AFFECTS COLONIAL SCHOOL AND IT'S BY NO MEANS AN AFTERTHOUGHT TO THIS BOARD, THE FLOODING THAT'S OCCURRING IN THIS TOWN, I THINK IN AGREEMENT WITH WHAT WILL SAID, THE EASEMENT IS NOT A GOOD OPTION FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT INCREASES RISKS AND COSTS TO THE DISTRICT IN PERPETUITY.
IT INCREASES THE WORK REQUIRED BY DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS.
WHILE JULIAN'S PLAYGROUND IS CHERISHED, AND I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT IT SHOULD REMAIN A PLAYGROUND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME, THE PROJECT DEVALUES THE PROPERTY AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT ALTERNATIVES.
I'M REITERATING WHAT WILL SAID.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALTERNATIVES AND TRANSFERRING THE PROPERTY, WHICH WE THINK IS PROBABLY THE BEST COURSE FOR THIS.
>> I DO ECHO WHAT WILL AND EVERYBODY ELSE HERE HAS SAID.
LOOK, MY HEART GOES OUT TO ANYONE THAT FLOODS.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO COME TO A SOLUTION WITH THAT, AND THE TOWN OR THE VILLAGERS HAVE TO COME TO A SOLUTION.
HOWEVER, ANYTHING THAT WOULD INTERFERE OR AFFECT EITHER OUR ASSETS OR ANY FINANCIAL MEANS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I BELIEVE WE NEED UNANIMOUS CONSENSUS, OR AT LEAST A WILLING NEED TO ENGAGE ALL THE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS VILLAGE OF THE TOWN BECAUSE WE SERVE ALL THE KIDS IN THIS TOWN, NOT JUST THE KIDS IN NORTH PELHAM.
AGAIN, MY HEART GOES OUT TO ANYONE THAT FLOODS, BUT WE DO HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AND ENSURE A FEW THINGS.
ONE IS THAT THE BOARD OF ED OR THE DISTRICT WILL NEVER BE PUT INTO A PLACE WHERE WE WILL HAVE RISK.
OUR ADMINISTRATORS HAVE A LOT TO DO TODAY, AND IN ORDER TO THROW MORE WORK AT THEM WILL BE UNFAIR.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S A CHERISHED PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I DO FEEL, AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
WE PUT OUT OPTIONS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE OPTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN UP ONCE WE'VE PROPOSED THEM.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE. AGAIN, AN EASEMENT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR US AS A DISTRICT.
>> I'LL JUST SAY THAT IF I WERE TO SAY ANYTHING, I'M GOING TO BE REPEATING EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID PRIOR TO ME SPEAKING.
BUT I AGREE AN EASEMENT IS NOT THE ANSWER FOR US.
[00:10:01]
IT POSES TOO MUCH RISK FOR THE DISTRICT.AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE VERY MUCH A COMMUNITY THAT CARES ABOUT ONE ANOTHER IN THE DISTRICT, AND THE VILLAGE AND THE TOWN AND BOTH VILLAGES HAVE HAD GREAT RELATIONSHIPS ALL THIS TIME, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
AS NATALIE SAID, THE FLOODING IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.
IT AFFECTS US, BUT WE SEE HOW IT AFFECTS OUR NEIGHBORS AND SO WE FEEL THAT WE'VE BROUGHT ALTERNATIVES THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE VERY ISSUE AND STILL KEEP ALL INTERESTS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS, KEEPING THE PLAYGROUND SACRED AND HELPING TO ADDRESS THE FLOODING.
WE FEEL THAT WE'VE BROUGHT SOME ALTERNATIVES.
>> THIS IS IAN, AND I APOLOGIZE EVERYONE.
I'M IN WASHINGTON DC, BUT I CONCUR WITH ALL OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
THE ISSUE OF FLOODING IS SOMETHING WE'RE ALL EXTREMELY CONCERNED WITH.
WE'RE VICTIMS OF IT AS WELL, WITH OUR COLONIAL SCHOOL AND JUST OUR NEIGHBORS, SO SOMETHING WE WANT TO SEE SOLVED.
FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED, THE EASEMENT IS NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER.
BUT I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO STEP BACK.
WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAR FROM OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTANTS BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK UPON A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN WHERE WE ARE CHARGED WITH REALLY THINKING THROUGH, HOW DO WE GO FROM EXCELLENT TO EVEN MORE EXCEPTIONAL AS A DISTRICT IN CREATING INCREDIBLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS? I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO LOOK BACK AT THE WORK SESSION THAT WE DID LAST YEAR WITH THE ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY.
IT WAS REALLY THE AMAZING CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY WERE FACING.
AND I REMEMBER ASKING A QUESTION, WHAT WOULD BE THE TRANSFORMATIVE IDEA? IT'S LIKE A FLOODGATE OF IDEAS REALLY CAME OUT.
WHAT WAS INTERESTING WAS THAT ALMOST ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT TEACHERS, FACULTY LEADERS TALKED ABOUT WAS FACILITIES ISSUES AND LACK OF SPACE, WHETHER IT WAS SCIENCE, ENGLISH, MUSIC, JUST AS COMMON ISSUE HOLDING THE HIGH SCHOOL BACK WAS THE INABILITY TO HAVE FACILITIES THAT COULD HAVE THINGS LIKE A 21ST CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, LAB-BASED STATION WORK.
THEY TALKED ABOUT LARGE CLASS SIZES OF 28 AND 29 KIDS.
EVEN IN ENGLISH, THE ENGLISH FACULTY TALKED ABOUT IT HURTS THE ABILITY TO GIVE FEEDBACK.
WE'RE TRYING TO REMEDY SOME OF THOSE ISSUES NOW THROUGH CREATIVE SCHEDULING AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL EASE SOME OF THE PRESSURE.
BUT WHEN WE HAVE KIDS IN THE CAFETERIA LITERALLY HAVING TO SIT ON THE FLOOR TO LUNCH, WE AS A BOARD, HAVE TO STEP BACK AND SAY, HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? ESPECIALLY AS POTENTIALLY OUR COMMUNITY GROWS AND SO ACCESS TO FACILITIES, LAND IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT 100 PERCENT OF OUR ASSETS IN A WAY THAT TRULY ENHANCES THE EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS IN OUR DISTRICT, WHILE ALSO PRESERVING JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND AND THAT LEGACY FOREVER.
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MANY OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THEY'RE DEVELOPING 21ST CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, CAREER-CENTERED LEARNING.
I MEAN, IMAGINE A JULIANNE'S PAVILION WITH AMAZING FACILITIES.
AGAIN, WE'RE AT THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF A STRATEGIC PLAN.
BUT THE POINT IS, I THINK WE AS A BOARD BOTH SHARE THE URGENCY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR ASSETS TOWARDS A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT ENHANCES EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS, PRESERVES JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND, AND HOPEFULLY PRESERVES A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VILLAGE THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE WORKING IN CONCERT BUT WE'RE NOW HEARING MESSAGES THAT THE VILLAGE, AND THEY PROCEED UNILATERALLY OF STARTING TO DIG HOLES IN JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND TO DO TESTING WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT.
I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING WE HOPE IT DOESN'T COME TO THAT.
WE JUST DON'T THINK AN EASEMENT IS THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN ARTICULATED.
I DON'T HAVE A TON TO ADD TO WHAT ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID OTHER THAN TO SAY I'M HOPEFUL THAT WELL,
[00:15:02]
I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM THAT WOULD ENABLE THE FLOODING PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD, PROTECT JULIANNE'S, AND PROTECT AND BENEFIT THE DISTRICT.I HOPE THAT THE VILLAGE WILL KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN TO SEE IF WE CAN FACILITATE A RESULT LIKE THAT.
>> OKAY. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED ON OUR PRIMARY MISSION, WHICH IS EDUCATION.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR AGENDA AND APPROVE SOME MINUTES.
[NOISE] I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM JANUARY 31ST.
[3. Approval of Minutes]
I THINK THAT BRINGS US UP TO OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PRESENTATION.
[4.1 Hazard Young Attea & Associates Strategic Planning Presentation]
I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I KNOW LOTS OF FOLKS WERE JUST PLEASED TO GET A PHONE CALL FROM ME A FEW MINUTES AGO.
LOTS OF FOLKS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOVELY SNOW DAY TOMORROW.
BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IMPORTANT BUSINESS TO DO HERE TONIGHT, BEFORE WE ALL GO HOME AND HUNKER DOWN FOR THE FIRST REAL SNOWSTORM I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD IN QUITE A LONG TIME.
BUT REALLY EXCITED TONIGHT TO HAVE A GUEST WITH US, AND THAT IS MONICA BROWN.
SHE WAS HERE FROM HAZARD YOUNG ATTEA, OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTANT.
SHE'S MET WITH THE BOARD LEADERSHIP AND MYSELF AND SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BOARD JUST FOR SOME OF THE PRE PLANNING STAGES AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HER HERE TONIGHT.
HER PARTNER IS WITH US VIRTUALLY AS WELL.
SHE AND IAN ARE SHARING THE MINI SCREEN OVER HERE TO THE RIGHT.
AND THAT IS KAREN, AND HER LAST NAME IS ESCAPING ME RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU. ANOTHER CONSULTANT FROM HYA.
SHE'S NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US IN PERSON TONIGHT, BUT SHE WILL BE WITH US IN PERSON IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE THEM HERE AS WE KICK OFF OUR NEXT ROUND OF STRATEGIC PLANNING.
THIS SHOULD BE, I THINK, A PRETTY MINI PRESENTATION TONIGHT, AND TONIGHT IS REALLY IS THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROCESS.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MONICA TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HERSELF AND ABOUT THE PROCESS, AND I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS SOME DECISION POINTS THAT YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD TONIGHT AND MONICA WILL WALK US THROUGH THAT.
WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, MONICA, WELCOME AND I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, DR. CHAMP. I'M GLAD YOU GOT A CHANCE TO MEET KAREN.
SHE WILL BE WORKING WITH ME FACILITATING THE CREATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU BETTER OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE I WANT TO THANK YOUR BOARD LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR BEING VERY GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MEETING WITH US TO HELP PREPARE FOR THE SESSION TODAY.
CHAMP AND HER CABINET, ALEX, AS FOR COMMUNICATION, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN AMAZING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CHERYL AND I WE'RE TEXTING BUDDIES NOW.
WE'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH A GREAT DEAL.
THE GOAL IS TO MAKE THIS A PROCESS THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED IN, THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN STAND BEHIND, THAT YOU'RE FINDING A PATH FOR THE DISTRICT THAT REFLECTS YOUR DESIRES AS A BOARD.
YOU WERE ELECTED AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY'S VALUES ARE REFLECTED IN THE SCHOOLS, AND THIS IS A CHANCE TO BRING ALL OF THAT TOGETHER. AGAIN, THANK YOU.
I AM GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR A LOT OF INPUT TODAY, MANY DECISION POINTS.
IN ADVANCE, I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME YOUR OPINIONS.
I'M HOPING WE CAN COME TO CONSENSUS AND LET'S MOVE ON THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SO WE'VE HAD OUR PRE PLANNING MEETINGS WITH BOTH YOUR BOARD LEADERSHIP AND THE CABINET.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING TODAY IS PLANNING FOR THE SEARCH.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED, BUT WE NEED CONSENSUS AROUND IT AND THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD.
THIS SESSION IS CALLED THE BOARD INPUT SESSION. THAT'S YOU ALL.
THIS IS A GRAPHIC I LIKE TO USE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND IAN COULDN'T HAVE GIVEN ME A BETTER SEGUE TO STRATEGIC PLANNING.
IT'S TAKING EXCELLENT WORK AND PUTTING IT IN THE EXCEPTIONAL.
THERE'S SO MANY GREAT THINGS GOING ON HERE AT PELHAM, THAT'S THE BEFORE AND SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE THAT ARE GREAT.
[00:20:07]
THE GOAL OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS ARE HEADED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SAME GOALS.THERE'S FOUR PHASES TO OUR PLAN.
I JUST REALIZED REALLY QUICKLY, YOU SAID INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND I'VE ONLY MET HALF OF THE BOARD.
JUST VERY QUICKLY, I'M A SENIOR ASSOCIATE WITH HYA.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMPANY SINCE 2017 WHEN I RETIRED AS A SUPERINTENDENT FROM BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT A DECADE BEFORE I RETIRED, AND NOW I WORK ON SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES AND STRATEGIC PLANS WITH HYA.
MY PARTNER, KAREN, I MET HER AS SHE WAS THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND ONE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES THAT I DID.
SHE WAS AN AMAZING BOARD PRESIDENT WHO REALLY WORKED HARD TO BUILD CONSENSUS ON HER BOARD FOR SOME LONG TERM PROJECTS AND FOR SUPERINTENDENT.
THOUGH SHE'S NOT SERVING ON THE BOARD ANYMORE, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH HER BECAUSE SHE DEFINITELY BRINGS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO OUR TEAM.
WE ARE AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS PHASE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS WHERE WE SEEK YOUR INPUT TO PUT A PLAN TOGETHER TO MOVE FORWARD.
PHASE 2, HOPEFULLY WE'LL START TOMORROW WITH THE ENGAGEMENT PHASE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE START REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE TO ATTEND FOCUS GROUPS, GET THE SURVEY READY TO GO OUT, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO INCLUDE YOUR COMMUNITY AS VERY IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS WHO WILL HAVE INPUT INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
LET ME BE CLEAR, PEOPLE CAN HAVE INPUT.
YOU'RE GOING TO ASK YOUR STAFF, YOU'RE GOING TO ASK PARENTS, YOU'RE GOING TO ASK STUDENTS THEIR INPUT.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE DECISION ON HOW THE PLAN IS GOING TO LOOK ARE SEATED AROUND THE TABLE AS BOARD MEMBERS.
THE ENGAGEMENT PHASE IS DESIGNED FOR YOU TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS ARE FEELING IN THE DISTRICT.
I ASSUME THAT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU ALSO HEAR FROM STAKEHOLDERS QUITE A BIT.
YOU'LL BE BRINGING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER WHEN WE'RE SETTING THOSE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
ONCE WE ENGAGE EVERYONE, WE'RE GOING TO START FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SET OUR PRIORITIES.
WE USUALLY RECOMMEND ABOUT 3-5, MORE THAN FIVE IT GETS A LITTLE JUMBLED STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL WILL COME TO AGREEMENT AS A GROUP.
THEN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE EVALUATION.
ONCE YOU HAVE A PLAN APPROVED BY THE BOARD, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE TURNING TO YOUR VERY CAPABLE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM TO KEEP YOU INFORMED ON HOW YOU ARE REACHING YOUR GOAL.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THAT'S THE IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE.
YOU'LL SEE THIS GRAPHIC EVERY TIME WE GET TOGETHER, AND EVENTUALLY THAT WE ARE HERE, ARROW IS GOING TO KEEP MOVING UP THE PYRAMID.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE STARTING THE DATA COLLECTION, INCLUDING STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS, DISTRICT PERFORMANCE, AND OTHER DATA ANALYSIS, SO WE'RE GATHERING A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR YOU, AND WHEN I SAY WE, I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUR TEAM, YOUR ADMINISTRATORS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR YOU.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO A SET OF WORKSHOPS WHERE I'LL LEAD YOU THROUGH SOME PROTOCOLS TO START MAKING SURE THAT THE VALUES, MISSION AND VISION ALIGN WITH WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
YOU ALREADY HAVE A MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT, BUT WE'LL BE LOOKING TO REVAMP THAT.
MAYBE KEEP IT EXACTLY THE WAY IT IS BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE PRIORITIES, MAYBE CHANGE IT.
AGAIN, THAT WILL BE A DECISION YOU'LL MAKE COLLECTIVELY.
THEN WE'LL COME UP WITH THE OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES.
THOSE ARE THOSE 3-5 STRATEGIC AREAS WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO FOCUS.
IT'S AT THAT POINT THAT THE BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO ADOPT THE PLAN, SO IT'LL BE FORMALLY ADOPTED AS YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
ONCE THAT COMES IN, YOU SEE WHERE THE MANAGEMENT BAR ON THE LEFT SIDE, THAT IS WHEN YOUR ADMINISTRATORS WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER TO SUGGEST TO YOU WHAT INDICATORS SHOULD BE USED TO MEASURE GROWTH, AND ONCE THOSE ARE APPROVED BY YOU, THEN THEY'LL BE PRESENTING YOU WITH INFORMATION ALONG THE WAY.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT YOU ALL CAN CHANGE YOUR OBJECTIVES OR YOUR INDICATORS THAT YOU MEASURE ALONG THE WAY BASED ON INFORMAL AGREEMENT.
BUT THE PLAN CAN ONLY BE CHANGED BY A VOTE OF THE BOARD.
IT'LL BE AT THAT POINT THAT YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM WILL BE GIVING YOU FEEDBACK AND REPORTS ON THAT IMPLEMENTATION, AND THEN YOU'LL LOOK TO SEE, DO WE NEED TO SHIFT THE WAY WE'RE MEASURING IT?
[00:25:01]
DO WE NEED TO ADD MORE SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION? BUT YOU'LL KEEP TRACK OF THAT AS YOU GO FORWARD FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? JUST STOP ME IF YOU HAVE THEM.
THE FIRST PHASE ACTUALLY AFTER THE READINESS IS WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
WE START OFF WITH THE BOARD STUDY SESSION.
THAT'S THIS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO GET YOUR OPINIONS ON HOW TO BEST MOVE FORWARD.
KAREN AND I ARE GOING TO INTERVIEW EACH BOARD MEMBER SEPARATELY, AND THEN INTERVIEW DR.
CHAMP AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CABINET.
FIGURE OUT WHO THE FOCUS GROUPS ARE, WHICH I'LL BE ASKING YOU ABOUT IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SURVEY AND THE DATA SCAN, WHICH IS THAT GATHERING OF INFORMATION AND JUST SOME LOGISTICS SET.
ONCE WE COME UP WITH OUR IDEAS FOR TONIGHT THANK IN ADVANCE, ESPECIALLY I KNOW ALEX HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS ALREADY.
HE HAS OUR COMMUNICATION TOOL KIT AND HE'S BEEN RUNNING FORWARD WITH IT.
YOU ALL WILL BE INVITING PARTICIPANTS TO THE FOCUS GROUPS, AND WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE TO YOU IN JUST A FEW MINUTES WHAT WE PROPOSE THAT THAT LOOK LIKE.
COLLECTING THE RSVPS, INVITING ALTERNATES IF NECESSARY.
ARRANGING FOR ROOMS IF YOU'D LIKE THEM DONE IN PERSON, WHICH I BELIEVE THAT IS YOUR INTENT, AND IF YOU NEED TO PROVIDE ANY TRANSLATORS.
WE WILL FACILITATE THE GROUPS, TAKE COPIOUS NOTES, AS A QUALITATIVE DATA EXERCISE, AND THEN ASSEMBLE MANY REPORTS FOR YOU ALL TO VIEW AND TO USE AS WE LOOK AT THAT MISSION AND VISION AND CORE VALUES.
FIRST DECISION POINT, I'VE MET WITH YOUR BOARD LEADERSHIP AND I'VE MET WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS TO OFFER YOU AS FAR AS FOCUS GROUPS ARE CONCERNED.
THESE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON LOTS OF DISCUSSION.
BUT OF COURSE, YOU ALL GET TO DECIDE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
THESE FOCUS GROUPS ARE DESIGNED TO TAP AS MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS YOU CAN TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON HOW TO SEE WHERE THEY WANT TO SEE THE DISTRICT MOVING.
WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF DATA ON HOW THEY THINK THE DISTRICT IS DOING AND THEN WE ASK THEM WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR IN THE FUTURE.
IN YOUR CONTRACT, YOU GET 15 GROUPS, AND LIKE I SAID, THOSE CAN BE IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL.
I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE APPRECIATE THE VIRTUAL, BUT WE ARE READY TO BE HERE ON SITE 2, I HAVE SOME DATES THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING OVER FOR THAT.
BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE 15 THAT I'VE WORKED OUT WITH CHERYL, AND WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE BOARD LEADERSHIP, THEY HAVE NOT AGREED TO ANY OF THESE, BUT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT BRIEFLY.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU BOTH SLIDES AND THEN GO BACK AND GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
STARTING OFF WITH THE PARENTS, WE'D LIKE TO MEET WITH ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS.
IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FOCUS GROUPS REPRESENT A DIVERSE GROUP OF PARENTS FOR EACH, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS THAT FOR EACH OF THE GROUPS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE 12-15 PEOPLE, WE FIND THAT EVEN WHEN YOU INVITE 18, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T SHOW UP.
AT LEAST WE'LL GET TO 15, IF WE INVITE 18, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING.
WE WOULD HAVE SIX PARENTS INVITED BY THE ADMINISTRATORS.
USUALLY, THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS WILL PROBABLY GET TOGETHER AND SAY, WHO ARE THE PARENTS WHO YOU THINK WOULD PROVIDE THE MOST INPUT POSSIBLE? WE'D ASK THE PTA LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE SIX NAMES.
USUALLY, THOSE ARE YOUR MOST ACTIVE PARENTS, WHETHER THEY SUPPORT OR DISAGREE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCHOOLS, THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE.
THEN TO HAVE YOU AS A BOARD CHOOSE SIX PARENTS.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU LET YOUR BOARD LEADERSHIP TEAM RECOMMEND THOSE PEOPLE.
AGAIN, YOU ALL HEAR FROM PARENTS ALL THE TIME.
YOU MIGHT HAVE PEOPLE WHO YOU REALLY BELIEVE NEED TO BE ON THESE GROUPS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT FOR ALL THREE, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS.
ALSO, FROM YOUR COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, YOU HAVE A VERY ENTHUSIASTIC GROUP OF INTERNATIONAL FAMILIES WHO WOULD BE A GROUP OF POSSIBLE INTEREST WITH THE PARTICIPANTS CHOSEN THE SAME WAY.
[00:30:01]
COMMUNITY LEADERS.I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING EARLIER TODAY ABOUT THE FLOODING AND WORKING WITH THE TOWN.
I'VE BEEN WHERE YOU ARE AND IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN TOWN WHO DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS OR CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS, OR HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO HAVE OTHER ROLES, REC DEPARTMENTS, TOWN COUNCIL, VILLAGE COUNCIL, THE TOWN NURSE.
WHOEVER THOSE ARE, YOU WOULD GET TO DECIDE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT GREATER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, MAYBE THE SCOUTS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THEM TOO.
YOU WOULD CHOOSE SIX AS A BOARD, PTA BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY COULD CHOOSE SIX, AND THEN YOU ADMINISTRATORS TO WORK WITH [OVERLAPPING]
>> JUST TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT IT, BECAUSE BY BOARD POLICY, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A MECHANISM FOR THE PTA.
BECAUSE WHEN WE'VE HAD COMMITTEES IN THE PAST, USUALLY YOU SOLICIT APPLICATIONS AND ASSEMBLE THE COMMITTEES.
I THINK THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT THAT WORK WITH YOU TO FINALIZE THAT.
FOR FOCUS GROUPS, WE HAVEN'T DONE IT THAT WAY.
I KNOW WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, ALEX, YOU HAVE TO HELP ME OUT THERE.
I THINK WE SOLICITED PREDOMINANTLY FROM THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS FOR THE PARENT GROUPS.
THE PRIOR STRATEGIC PLAN, IT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS STRUCTURE.
I THINK IT WAS AN OPEN CALL FOR FOCUS GROUPS AND I THINK WE WERE CAREFUL TO SELECT PARENTS THAT REPRESENTED ALL SIX SCHOOLS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROCESS, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE FOCUS GROUPS, IT'S ONE TIME OPPORTUNITY.
SAME THING I WOULD SAY WHEN WE'VE DONE THE HIRING WITH HYA, DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
THEY DID A PARENT EVENING SESSION, A PARENT MORNING SESSION, BUT THEN WHEN WE HAD SMALLER FOCUS GROUPS.
IT WAS AGAIN ONE TIME IDENTIFIED BY PREDOMINANTLY BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS.
THIS IS A VARIATION ON A THEME OF THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BOARD WANTS A HAND IN MAKING SURE THAT THE BROAD PERSPECTIVES ARE REPRESENTED THERE, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE FORMAL STRUCTURES OF LEADERSHIP, THAT BEING THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL AS THE PTAS, HAD SOME VOICE IN THIS AS WELL.
THAT'S THE THINKING BEHIND IT.
>> BUT WHO'S DECIDING AT THE END OF THE DAY?
>> IDEALLY, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, MY IMPRESSION WAS THAT EACH OF THOSE BODIES WOULD SUBMIT THEIR NAMES, AND GENERALLY THAT WOULD BE WHO WE WOULD INVITE [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHO'S GOING TO SEND THE INVITATION?
>> THAT WOULD GO THROUGH MY OFFICE.
>> THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT'S A DISTRICT DECISION.
IT'S EITHER IT'S YOU, IT'S ME, OR IT'S THE FULL BOARD. THAT'S HOW I SEE IT.
>> I GUESS I WAS TAKING IT AS THE NAMES THAT WERE SUBMITTED WOULD ALL BE INVITED.
THAT'S HOW I WAS INTERPRETING OUR CONVERSATION.
IF THE BOARD WANTS TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THEN.
>> BUT THE BOARD CAN APPROVE A PROCESS THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO PICK SIX OF THE PEOPLE AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE PTA TO GIVE SIX NAMES IN THE ADMINISTRATORS, THERE'S NO REASON I DON'T THINK WHY WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
>> I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THE PROCESS.
>> BECAUSE I JUST SEE BOARD, PTA, ADMINS.
THAT PROCESS COULD BE THAT NOT TOTALLY CLEAR TO ME, LIKE HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
>> I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. WHAT WE WERE ENVISIONING.
AGAIN, IT'S YOUR CHOICE HOW TO WORK IT, IS THAT YOU WOULD CONTACT YOUR ADMINISTRATORS AND ASK THEM TO GET TO CHERYL.
YOU WOULD CONTACT YOUR PTA LEADERS.
I'LL BE HONEST, A LOT OF TIMES THEY PUT THEMSELVES ON BECAUSE THEY'RE THE PTA LEADERS, THEY GET TO DO A LOT.
THEY MIGHT TAKE THEIR EXECUTIVE BOARDS OR MAYBE THEY'RE BOARD RELATIONS CHAIRS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN FOR THE ADMINISTRATORS, THEY USUALLY MEET DURING AN ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL MEETING AND COME UP WITH THEIR SIX.
I ENVISION THEM ALL THAN GOING TO CHERYL'S OFFICE AND THE INVITATIONS WOULD COME OUT THROUGHOUT.
THAT'S HOW I ENVISION IT, BUT IF THAT'S UNCLEAR.
>> I GUESS TO ME IT FEELS MORE LIKE BECAUSE THIS IS AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL AND STRATEGIC PLANNING IS REALLY ONE OF OUR PRIMARY ACTIVITIES, AND BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING, WE'RE NOT HAVING A SUBCOMMITTEE.
THIS FEELS MORE LIKE SUBCOMMITTEES.
THAT SHOULD BE MORE LIKE THE REGULAR COMMITTEE PROCESS.
WHY DON'T YOU ASSEMBLE IT AND THEN YOU
[00:35:06]
CAN MEET WITH ME AND IAN AND WE CAN GET FEEDBACK FROM EVERYBODY SO THAT EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD.>> MICHAEL, COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
CHAMP DO THIS, WHICH IS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPREADSHEET WITH THE NAMES-
>> WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE A CALL FOR.
>> YEAH, GET INPUT FROM THE PTA, THE ADMINISTRATORS, I GUESS WE COULD GET INPUT.
MY SENSE OF HOW THE BOARD WOULD GET INPUT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOGLE FORM FOR PEOPLE TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES.
>> MY APPROACH TO THIS IS THAT I WAS GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE PRINCIPALS AS A GROUP AND SAY, WE NEED SIX ELEMENTARY PARENTS, SIX MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS, SIX HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS, AND THEN THEY WOULD TALK AMONGST THEMSELVES, GIVE ME BACK THE NAMES.
PTA COUNCIL. I WOULD GO TO THE PTA COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND SAY, LOOK, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THIS CONFIGURATION, CAN YOU WORK WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND GET ME THE NEEDED NAMES BY THIS DATE? THEN CERTAINLY YOU AS A BOARD THEN COULD COORDINATE TO COME UP WITH THE SIX NAMES BY THE DATE AS WELL [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT WOULDN'T YOU JUST SEND OUT AN EMAIL AND SAY, IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE FOCUS GROUP.
>> I THINK THE POINT WAS TO ALLOW THE BOARD TO FEEL AS IF PEOPLE WHO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM OFTEN, AND HAVE MANY OPINIONS THAT NEED TO BE SHARED CAN BE TAPPED IN THE SESSION ALSO.
>> NO, I DO LIKE THIS PROCESS.
HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE THAT COMMUNICATE WITH US OFTEN, THEY COMMUNICATE WITH US OFTEN. WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM.
THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I WOULD LIKE TO TAP INTO THOSE PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT BE OUT THERE COMMUNICATING WITH US AS OFTEN, OR MAY JUST HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, WHICH YOU WOULDN'T FIND NECESSARILY IF YOU'RE ALWAYS TAPPING INTO, MY ASSUMPTION IS THE PTAS ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND THE SAME PEOPLE AS THE PRINCIPALS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PARENTS THEY'RE ALWAYS SEEING IN THE SCHOOLS.
>> THEY MAY COORDINATE TO MAKE SURE THIS IS [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE COULD SELF SELECT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT RESPONSE WE'RE GOING TO GET.
I KNOW THE LAST TIME WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS FOR THE FIVE YEAR PLAN WAS, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A LOT OF SURVEY AND PEOPLE WERE VERY ACTIVE AND REPLYING TO THE SURVEY.
THEY MAY BE VERY ACTIVE IN SAYING, CAN YOU PICK ME FOR ONE OF THESE FOCUS GROUPS.
NOW, I DO LIKE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL FAMILIES, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT BEFORE, AND I DO THINK WE HAVE AN INFLUX OF INTERNATIONAL FAMILIES IN I THINK ALL OF WEST CHESTER.
I ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'RE ENGAGING THE SCHOOLS, THE ACTUAL STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
>> I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TOO, AND I JUST SAY THIS, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THIS.
THERE IS SOME IMPORTANCE TO GIVING THE ADMINISTRATORS OWNING SOME PIECE OF THIS PROCESS.
I WANT TO BE SURE THAT THERE IS STILL SOME DECISION MAKING AT THAT LEVEL.
AGAIN, THEY'RE SMART PEOPLE, THEY KNOW THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY WANT BROAD PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
I THINK THEY KNOW THE SPECTRUM OF FOLKS THAT THEY DEAL WITH AS WELL, AND I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE IN GETTING BROAD STAKEHOLDER OPINION THROUGH A PROCESS LIKE THIS.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD JUST BE THE DEFAULT TO THE EASIEST OR THE MOST INVOLVED.
I THINK THEY'RE REALLY THOUGHTFUL LEADERS THAT WOULD REALLY HELP TO PROVIDE A SOLID GROUP OF FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO COME WITH A GOOD MINDSET.
I THINK THESE ARE FOCUS GROUPS TOO, AS MONICA SAID TOWARDS THE BEGINNING, THIS IS TO GET A BROAD SENSE OF WHAT PEOPLE THINK AND TO DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER FROM A QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S TO COME UP WITH THEMES AND IDEAS.
THE FOLKS WHO COME TO THE FOCUS GROUPS ARE GIVING US THEIR THOUGHTS AS DATA.
THAT IS ONE PIECE OF DATA THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO INFORMING PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
THE SURVEYS THAT YOU'LL TALK ABOUT IS ANOTHER PART OF THE CONVERSATION, THERE'S A DATA SCAN THAT'S GOING TO BE A THIRD PART.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT DATA COMING IN THERE.
>> FOCUS GROUPS WILL ONLY BE ASKED TO MEET ONCE.
THEY'RE NOT PART OF AN ONGOING COMMITTEE WHO IS GOING TO BACK TO YOU ALL.
[OVERLAPPING] THE LEADERSHIP DECIDED THE ENTIRE BOARD WOULD BE WORKING ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN COLLECTIVELY WITH THE CABINET AS TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND WORKING WITH YOU.
BUT THE FOCUS GROUPS ARE GOING TO PROVIDE DATA THAT YOU CAN USE AS A GROUP,
[00:40:06]
BUT THAT IS THEIR ONLY ROLE.YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR A GREAT DEAL FROM THEM, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE, WE HAVE DONE IN OTHER DISTRICTS AND IT REALLY IS UP TO YOU.
YOU CAN SEND OUT THAT IS ANYBODY INTERESTED.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK FOR ALEX BECAUSE HE'LL HAVE TO KEEP GOING AND NOT YOU GUYS JUST TELLING THEM WHO TO INVITE.
THERE MIGHT BE AN EXTRA COUPLE DAYS IN THAT PROCESS, BUT I THINK WE DO STILL HAVE THE TIME IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
IT WOULD BE FOR EACH OF THE ONES THAT INVOLVE OUTSIDE, PEOPLE WHO AREN'T WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS, IT WOULD MEAN SENDING OUT THE EMAIL TO SEEK INTEREST.
>> I THINK THE BOARD, PTA, THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD CROSS SECTION OF STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DISTRICT.
I THINK AS ENTITIES TO PICK THE FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS, I THINK THOSE ARE PROBABLY GOOD ENTITIES.
SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, IF I CAN PLAY BACK TO YOU, WHAT I THINK YOU'RE SAYING IS ONE STEP PRIOR TO THAT, YOU WANT TO SOLICIT OR YOU WANT TO SEND AN EMAIL SAYING, WHO WANTS TO RAISE THEIR HAND TO BE ON THE LONG LIST FROM WHICH BOARD, PTA, ADMINISTRATION WILL THEN CURATE THAT LIST AND PICK THE WINNERS. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT?
>> I DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB.
BUT YOU ARE YOU'RE ON BOARD WITH THE BOARD, PTAS AND ADMINISTRATION BEING THE THREE ENTITIES THAT PICK THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE FOCUS GROUPS.
>> YOU SAID TO SEND OUT AN EMAIL.
>> I THINK THOSE GROUPS HAVE TO BE INVOLVED.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK MY ONLY THING IS I'M JUST SAYING WE'VE ALL COMMITTED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS PROCESS AND WE ALL THINK IT'S THAT IMPORTANT.
I DON'T WANT TO DOWNPLAY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FOCUS GROUPS, THIS IS A BIG CHUNK OF THE DATA THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET, SO I'M JUST SAYING I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FINAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DATA WE GET IS GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE, THAT IT'S GOOD DATA AND IS REPRESENTATIVE TO JUST HAVE A FINAL REVIEW BEFORE THOSE FOCUS GROUPS ARE FINALIZED.
>> YOU'RE SAYING TO APPROVE THE NAMES BASICALLY?
>> JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHAT WE WERE THINKING WAS YOU ALL AS A GROUP WOULD NOMINATE PEOPLE.
INSTEAD, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS AN ALL CALL FOR PEOPLE BUT THEN WE BRING YOU BACK THE LISTS OF WHO ARE JUST RECOMMENDED AND YOU APPROVE THAT.
>> I'M NOT SURE. IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING?
>> JUST NOT HAVING EACH OF THOSE GROUPS FIND PEOPLE OR NOMINATE PEOPLE, BUT THE DISTRICT PUTTING OUT AN ALL CALL EMAIL, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE [OVERLAPPING]
>> MICHAEL, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S WHAT WE DO FOR THE COMMITTEES.
WE PUT OUT A CALL FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO JOIN COMMITTEES.
>> I GUESS WHAT I'M THINKING IS WITH THOSE EMAILS, JUST LIKE NATALIE, YOU WERE SAYING, LIKE SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE OR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE SAYING, THE PTAS WILL NOMINATE THE SAME PEOPLE OR THERE MIGHT BE SOME OVERLAP.
I THINK WITH THOSE EMAILS TOO WE RUN THE RISK OF THE SAME PEOPLE APPLYING VIA THOSE EMAILS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T CHECK THEIR EMAIL.
JUST ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL, EMAILS GET MISSED SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH US, I THINK THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, THEY KNOW THEIR FAMILIES AND WHATNOT.
BUT TO PUT SOME SUGGESTIONS IN PLACE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE'RE PICKING PEOPLE OR WHEN THE PTA IS SUGGESTING PEOPLE AND ASKING FOR JUST A BROAD REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF PEOPLE SO WE SAY IT IN A WAY THAT'S VERY POSITIVE WHERE YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS INVITING THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING.
I KNOW THE PTAS DO CARE ABOUT GETTING LOTS OF PEOPLE INVOLVED AND NOT ALWAYS THE SAME PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER SO MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
>> I GUESS I'M JUST THINKING, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PTA IS GOING TO, MAYBE SOME OF US NOMINATE PEOPLE AND THE PRINCIPAL.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SAME PERSON IS NOMINATED AS AN ELEMENTARY PARENT, A HIGH SCHOOL PARENT, AN INTERNATIONAL FAMILY? THE PTA NOMINATED THEM, THE ADMINISTRATOR NOMINATED THEM, WE NOMINATED THEM. [OVERLAPPING]
>> SOMEONE'S GOT TO LOOK AT THE FINAL LIST INSTEAD OF ASSUME THAT.
[00:45:05]
>> THIS IS PART OF WHY WE'RE LOOKING FOR 18 WHEN THE GROUPS TARGET SIZE IS 15 BECAUSE WE DO ANTICIPATE SOME OF THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING, WHEN THE NAMES ALL FLOW TO MY OFFICE, THAT WE WOULD SEE THOSE DUPLICATIONS AND WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF RESOLVING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING.
>> BECAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE WE WOULDN'T WANT ONE PERSON IN MULTIPLE FOCUS GROUPS.
YOU MAY HAVE A CHILD IN EVERY SCHOOL, BUT YOU SHOULD ONLY BE REPRESENTING ONE FOCUS GROUP.
>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE WAY THAT WE'VE SOLVED THAT PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER COMMITTEES IS THAT DR.
CHAMP REVIEWS ALL THE APPLICATIONS, PUTS THE LIST TOGETHER, AND THEN WE USUALLY MET, I THINK, HISTORICALLY, THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT HAVE MET WITH YOU AND JUST IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS LIKE THAT, LIKE THIS PERSON'S ON MULTIPLE THINGS, HOW DO WE BALANCE IT OUT BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SINCE EVERYBODY IS WANTING TO BE VERY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, SHOULD WE JUST HAVE THAT FINAL PIECE OF INVOLVEMENT.
>> INVOLVEMENT IN? SORRY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. [LAUGHTER]
>> I'M JUST SAYING HAVE A MEETING BEFORE [OVERLAPPING]
>> FINALIZE THE NAMES KIND OF THING.
>> JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
YOU DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO PICK SIX TO YOURSELF OR YOU WANT TO SEND OUT A GENERAL EMAIL, ADMINISTRATIVELY WE PUT THE GROUPS TOGETHER AND YOU ALL HAVE A FINAL SAY ON IF YOU LIKE IT. IS THAT WHAT WE SAID?
>> THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS THINKING.
>> NO, I WAS THINKING ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT YOU HAVE UP HERE.
SIX INDIVIDUALS ARE SUGGESTED BY EACH OF THESE GROUPS BUT MAYBE, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING MICHAEL CORRECTLY, THERE'S A FINAL LOOK AT ALL THE NAMES BASICALLY.
I WOULD ASSUME MAYBE THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY.
>> IS THERE ONE MORE STEP AS WELL BEFORE THAT WHICH IS AN INVITATION FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY?
>> IS IT JUST PICKING OR ARE PEOPLE APPLYING, FILLING OUT SOMETHING? THAT IS THE QUESTION?
THE WAY WE HAD IT WAS THE GROUPS PICK.
SAY, ARE YOU INTERESTED AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED YOUR NAME GOES ON A LIST.
THEN CHERYL AND ALEX GET IT ALL TOGETHER AND THEN LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO DUPLICATES.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO THE ALL CALL FIRST, WE CAN DO THAT.
WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.
I ADMIRE YOU FOR WANTING TO GET SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED.
I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT WE RECOMMENDED. MICHAEL.
>> DO WE WANT TO DO THE ALL CALL?
>> I THINK AN ALL CALL GETS COMPLICATED THOUGH BECAUSE THEN YOU'VE GOT THREE GROUPS, THE BOARD, THE PTA, AND THE ADMINISTRATORS LOOKING AT THE LIST, WHO'S PICKING THE SIX FOR EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, TELL ME IF I'M RIGHT OR WRONG, JUST REALLY RUN IT THE WAY THE COMMITTEES ARE RUN.
>> I GUESS TO ADD THE PIECE OF HAVING THE PTA ADMINISTRATOR, BECAUSE THE COMMITTEES, WE JUST PUT OUT THE EMAIL AND SAY, PLEASE APPLY TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT THIS WOULD BE PUTTING OUT AN EMAIL, PLEASE APPLY IF YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FOCUS GROUPS, AND THE PTAS WOULD NOMINATE PEOPLE, AND THE ADMINISTRATORS WOULD NOMINATE PEOPLE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS, BUT THEN DR.
CHAMP AND ALEX WOULD PUT TOGETHER THE FOCUS GROUPS AND THEN MAYBE WE HAVE A MEETING TO FINALIZE IT, AND THEN THAT'S THE PROCESS.
>> WHO'S THE WE FOR THAT MEETING?
>> WELL, WITH THE COMMITTEES, IT'S BEEN THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.
I DON'T HAVE A REAL STRONG FEELING.
I'M WILLING TO DO THAT IF OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO DO THAT OR WE COULD MAKE A SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THAT OR WHATEVER.
>> IS THE CONCERN THAT WE'D GET TOO MANY OVERLAPPING NAMES. IS THAT IT?
>> I CAN WEED OUT THE OVERLAPPING NAMES.
>> SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO AN ALL CALL, I'VE DONE THIS IN OTHER DISTRICTS, AND IF YOU DO IT WITH THE PTA, THEN THE PTA DOES THEIR ALL CALL.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING.
>> AND THE ELEMENTARY PTAS DOES ALL CALL, AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PTAS DOES ALL CALL.
THE ADMINS ALL GET TOGETHER AND ALL THAT INFORMATION IS BROUGHT TOGETHER.
THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT IS YOU ALL, BECAUSE IF YOU WANTED TO DO YOUR SIX.
ALL THAT INFORMATION THEN GOES TO CHERYL, DR.
[00:50:01]
CHAMP, AND THEN SHE GIVES YOU A LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEE A WIDE REPRESENTATION, AND THAT MIGHT JUST BE YOUR LEADERSHIP.I THINK THAT IF THERE'S TOO MANY STEPS, WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE THE FOCUS GROUPS THE FIRST WEEK IN MARCH.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE HOLIDAY NEXT WEEK COMING UP, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
IF YOU ALL WANT TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN BY JUNE 5TH, WE CAN'T REALLY PUSH THAT OUT VERY FAR.
WE ALSO DO NEED TO THINK OF TIMING AND HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO GET TOGETHER.
JUST SAY THIS, THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT IS HAVE DR.
CHAMP PUT OUT AN EMAIL. ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED BEING IN A FOCUS GROUP, LET ME KNOW.
THEN SHE WORKS WITH ALEX IN THE CABINET TO MAKE SURE TO GET ELEMENTARY PARENTS, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER, THEN YOU ALL APPROVE THEM AND MOVE FORWARD.
WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION, THOUGH, FROM OUR MEETINGS THAT BOARD MEMBERS REALLY WANTED TO HAVE MORE OF A SAY.
THAT'S WHY WE PRESENTED IT THIS WAY.
>> IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE TO ONE WAY OR ANOTHER HAVING DONE THIS?
>> THERE'S NOT. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO BE INVOLVED GET A CHANCE.
IF I'M A PARENT, I HAVE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILD AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILD, I AM ALSO A SCOUT LEADER, AND I PUT MY NAME IN, THEN DR.
CHAMP MIGHT SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO PUT HER IN THE COMMUNITY LEADER GROUP BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE TOO MANY ELEMENTARY PEOPLE.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO SHE CAN DO THAT AND TRY TO SPREAD IT OUT.
BUT AGAIN, DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEADERSHIP GROUP, THE STEERING GROUP, I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ALL WANTED A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT IF YOU DON'T, WE CAN DO IT THAT FAST WAY AND MAKE SURE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE MAKE UP THESE LISTS.
WHAT WOULD GO OUT IS AN EMAIL TO EVERYBODY THAT SAYS, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BEING IN A FOCUS GROUP? WE HAVE A NICE LITTLE TEMPLATE, BUT THEN WHAT WE WOULD DO IS SAY, CHOOSE THE AREAS WHERE YOU COULD FIT.
I'D CHOOSE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE COMMUNITY LEADER AND THEN WE SIFT BY THAT, GET THE LISTS, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO APPROVE IT AFTER THAT, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
>> WE'RE LIKELY TO GET MORE THAN WHAT WE NEED, RIGHT?
>> WHEN DOES THAT DECISION GET MADE?
>> IF YOU'RE NOT NOMINATING PEOPLE.
>> THIS I THINK MAY BE ONE OF THE REASONS.
I KNOW WHEN WE DID OUR COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, ENSBROG ACTUALLY CAUTIONED AGAINST THAT, I THINK, SOMEWHAT FOR THAT REASON.
>> AGAINST AN ALL CALL APPROACH.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN DONE EITHER WAY.
IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS WE DO THE ALL CALL AND THEN I SHOW THE LIST TO THE PRINCIPALS AND SAY, DECIDE ON YOUR PEOPLE, PTA, DECIDE ON THE PEOPLE.
WHEN WE CALL THEM, THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO ELIMINATE THE DUPLICATIONS.
WE REALLY DON'T SEE DUPLICATION AS A PROBLEM, JUST A MATTER OF DOES THE BOARD ALSO WANT TO PICK SIX OR DO YOU WANT IT TO BE THE BOARD IS THE FINAL SAY ON WHO'S IN AND WHO'S OUT? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
IF THERE'S THIS DESIRE TO HAVE THE BOARD BE THE FINAL SAY ON WHO'S SELECTED FOR THE FOCUS GROUPS JUST HEARING THAT.
>> HOW ARE WE GOING TO PICK SIX PEOPLE.
>> HOW ARE THE SEVEN OF US GOING TO PICK SIX PEOPLE?
>> ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
>> YOU WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THAT, THEN THEN WE MOVE ON.
BUT THE OTHER THING, YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT DOING AN ALL CALL, WHENEVER YOU PUT AN ALL CALL OUT AND PEOPLE RAISE THEIR HAND AND THEY DON'T GET CHOSEN, THAT'S THE INTERACTION THEY'VE HAD WITH YOU.
THE TAPPING ELIMINATES THAT, BUT IT DOES ALSO THEN COULD GARNER, THIS IS MY FAVORITE PERSON, THIS IS YOUR FAVORITE PERSON.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO BALANCE OUT HOW YOU WANT THIS TO BE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU DO BELIEVE THAT AN ALL CALL WOULD CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS THAN THE SOLUTIONS, THEN THAT'S WHEN YOU GO INTO THE APPOINTMENT.
>> MICHAEL, TO YOUR POINT, I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING LIKE HOW DO WE AS THE BOARD PICK SIX PEOPLE FOR EACH OF THESE GROUPS? IT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE FROM THE PTA STANDPOINT JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE WITH THE FAMILIES, THEY'RE IN THE SCHOOLS, THEY KNOW THEIR COMMUNITIES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD PICK.
>> WHAT ABOUT THEN IF WE DID EIGHT FROM THE PRINCIPLES, EIGHT FROM THE PTAS EACH GROUP, AND THEN THE FINAL LIST THEN COMES TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL? IT'S TAKEN OUT THE BOARD HAVING TO SELECT.
[00:55:05]
FIFTEEN WAS REALLY THE TARGET.WE WERE GOING NINE BECAUSE I WAS THINKING THE SIX SCHOOLS TIMES THREE GROUPS, BUT THAT DIDN'T ACTUALLY WORK ITSELF OUT.
>> I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO TAKE THE BOARD OUT OF CHOOSING PARENTS.
>> GOT IT. JUST TO REITERATE, WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE PTA TO GET THEIR INPUT, THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE GOING TO GET THEIR INPUT, THEN YOU ALL ARE GOING TO SEE THE FINAL AND NOD OR SAY YEA OR NAY. DOES THAT SOUND GOOD?
>> THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE IS SAYING IT'S 9 AND 9 OR EXACT NUMBERS NOT LEAVING, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED IN THE MEETING WAS NOMINATE, NOT APPOINT.
SO MAKING IT YOU GET NINE PICKS, YOU GET NINE PICKS RATHER THAN YOU'RE NOMINATING PEOPLE, AND FOR THE REASONS THAT WE DISCUSSED OF BALANCE AND DUPLICATES AND ALL THAT, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY.
>> AGREED. WE'VE COME BACK AROUND FULL CIRCLE.
I THINK I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.
I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN A ROAD THAT YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH.
WHEN I SAY TAP, THAT IS NOMINATE.
BUT I'M SAYING I'D ASK THE PERSON IF THEY WANT IT, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN JUST NOMINATING SOMEONE.
IF THE ADMINISTRATORS DID THAT, AND THE PTA DID IT, AND DR.
CHAMP ORGANIZED THE LIST, AND THEN YOU ALL SAW IT AND GAVE THE FINAL NODE.
WE TYPICALLY TRY TO GET BETWEEN 12 AND 15 IN EVERY FOCUS GROUP.
I THINK IF YOU'RE NOMINATING 16-18 PEOPLE, WE WILL GET OUR 12 TO 15.
>> WHEN YOU SAY GIVE THE FINAL NOD.
>> THAT'S UP TO YOU. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT WITH YOU, JUST SIT WITH DR.
CHAMP. AS HAS BEEN DONE FOR OTHER COMMITTEES, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.
IF YOU THINK THE REST OF THE GROUP WOULD LIKE A SAY, PLEASE JUMP IN.
>> WELL, WE CAN'T REALLY DO IT IN A PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS SPECIFIC.
>> IT WOULDN'T BE EXACT SESSION.
>> EACH OF US COULD GIVE MICHAEL AND DR.
CHAMP THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE LIST AND THEN YOU TWO COULD OR YOU TO AND IAN, HOWEVER YOU WANTED TO DO IT, COULD THEN HAVE A MEETING TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH INPUT FROM US.
THAT WASN'T, IT WASN'T GROUP INPUT, IT WAS JUST ONE OFF INPUT.
I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'M LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DUPLICATES BECAUSE I THINK THAT'LL WORK ITSELF OUT.
I THINK PARTICULARLY WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE VOICES FROM EVERYWHERE, WHICH I THINK EVERYONE HAS A DESIRE FOR.
BUT THAT SEEMS LIKE THE MORE IMPORTANT THING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
>> EVEN WHEN WE GET INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, WE USUALLY TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO STILL REPRESENT THE DIFFERENT CORNERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS THEY MOVE UP.
WHAT I'M HEARING IS PRINCIPALS TAPPING EIGHT FOLKS, PTAS, TAPPING EIGHT FOLKS.
THEN SUBMITTING THE NAMES TO ME WILL ASSEMBLE THEM, ELIMINATE DUPLICATES, PUT TOGETHER LISTS, SHARE THEM WITH THE FULL BOARD.
YOU GIVE FEEDBACK TO MICHAEL AND IAN.
AND THEN I WILL MEET WITH THEM AND THEY WILL SIGN OFF ON FINAL SELECTIONS.
>> SORRY, JUST WHAT ABOUT WHEN SOMEONE COMES AND SAYS, I REALLY WANTED TO DO THIS.
THEY'RE GOING TO COME THE DAY BEFORE WE PRESENT THE FINAL PRODUCT.
THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND SAY, I REALLY WANTED TO DO THIS.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE OR SOMETHING.
>> WELL, IF I COULD JUMP IN THERE FOR JUST A SECOND.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING A SURVEY THAT COMES WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE BOARD IS STARTING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
WE'D LIKE EVERYONE'S VOICE TO BE HEARD.
PLEASE TAKE THIS SURVEY SO THEY WILL KNOW IF THEY'RE CHECKING EMAIL, THEY WON'T BE SURPRISED THAT THE ACTUAL PROCESS IS GOING ON.
>> WHAT IF WE SENT AN EMAIL AND SAID, THIS FOCUS GROUP THING IS HAPPENING? IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, SPEAK TO YOUR PRINCIPAL AND PTA.
>> THAT'S IN ESSENCE, THE ALL CALL.
[01:00:01]
HOW DO YOU NARROW THAT DOWN?>> IN MICHAEL'S PROPOSAL, THE PTA AND ADMINISTRATORS GET TO DEAL WITH IT? DECIDING HOW TO CALL IT DOWN FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
>> I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS SO IF THERE'S AN ALL CALLS, ADMINISTRATORS IN THE PTA ARE NOT GETTING TOGETHER TO CHOOSE THE PEOPLE.
>> WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN IS THAT'S WHY I'M TALKING ABOUT EXTRA STEPS.
YOU HAVE AN ALL CALL, THEN THAT INFORMATION HAS TO BE DESEGREGATED AND SENT TO THE DIFFERENT GROUPS TO THEN MAKE THE DECISIONS.
TO THEN COME TOGETHER TO THE ADMIN TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER TO THEN GO TO THE BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION.
I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT IN TWO WEEKS.
>> THAT INTERIM STEP IS IMPORTANT.
BUT THEN WHICH NAMES WOULD GO TO THE PTA? I COULD SEE, WHICH NAMES GO TO THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THEN THE PTAS, I GUESS WE JUST GET ALL THE NAMES FROM THEIR SCHOOL.
>> YEAH, WE COULD WORK OUT THE DETAILS OF THAT.
BECAUSE WE'D PROBABLY GIVE THE FULL ELEMENTARY PARENT LIST TO THE PTAS AND THE FULL ELEMENTARY PARENT LIST TO THE BUILDINGS.
THEN THEY WOULD PICK THEIR PEOPLE. THEY WOULD SUBMIT THEM.
THERE PROBABLY WOULD BE DUPLICATIONS SO THEY WOULD READ SOME BACK AND FORTH.
IT WOULD JUST TAKE LONGER TO DISTILL THAT DOWN, WHICH MAYBE TO MONICA'S POINT, IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TURN IT AROUND QUITE AS QUICK.
BUT IF THAT'S THE DESIRE FOR A BROAD ALL CALL AS THE FOUNDATION, WE CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IS, WE HAVE TO DECIDE, YES.
THIS IS A DECISION POINT THAT WE NEED.
>> MAYBE IT ISN'T AN ALL CALL, BUT JUST TRANSPARENCY AROUND WHAT THE PROCESS IS AND IN OUR BOARD WRAP UP OR SOMETHING AND SAYING WE ARE DOING THE FOCUS.
WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN EMAILS ASKING ABOUT, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AS LONG AS WE'RE TRANSPARENT, PEOPLE KNOW THE PTA AND PRINCIPALS ARE GOING TO BE NOMINATING PEOPLE.
>> TO THEN BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD AND AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY.
>> I GUESS WE'RE NOT SAYING SPEAK TO YOUR PTA AND PRINCIPLE, BUT IT'S LIKE THE IMPLICATION, IF YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO DO THIS, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR NAME IN THE HAT SOMEHOW.
>> YES. I THINK SAYING IT OR NOT, IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF YOU'RE COMMUNICATING TO EVERYONE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AND YOU'RE SAYING WHERE THOSE NOMINATIONS ARE COMING FROM, YOU'RE IN ESSENCE, DOING AN ALL CALL, EVEN IF IT'S NOT DIRECTLY RESPONDED BACK TO THE SAME CENTRAL PLACE.
IT WOULD DEFINITELY CREATE THE ISSUE OF WHY DID I GET PICKED, WHY DID I NOT GET PICKED? AND NOW ALL THE PRINCIPALS HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT, AND NOW ALL THE PTA'S DO AS WELL.
>> IF THE BOARD HAS THE FINAL REVIEW, THEY CAN BLAME US.
>> UNLESS THEIR NAME DIDN'T MAKE IT FROM THE BUILDING LEVEL TO THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
>> OR YOU CAN ALWAYS BLAME THE CONSULTANT.
[LAUGHTER] THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD POINT.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COMES DOWN TO THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
LET'S SAY PICKING INDIVIDUALS, USING THEIR JUDGMENT TO PICK INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, VERSUS PEOPLE STEPPING UP TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES.
SELF SELECTING AND FILLING OUT SOMETHING THAT SAYS WHY THEY SHOULD BE PICKED.
>> WHICH IS WHAT THEY FOR THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEES.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO DO THE LADDER.
I GUESS IT COMES DOWN TO A LITTLE BIT OF TRUST OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS TO PICK PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO LOOK AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN VERY INVOLVED WHEN MY KIDS WERE LITTLE, NOT ALWAYS PICKING THE SAME PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I THINK WE CAN STRESS THAT TO THE PTAS AND I THINK THEY'RE ON BOARD WITH THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS A PUSH TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND NOT HAVE THE SAME FACES ALL THE TIME.
AND AGAIN, HAVING BEEN ONE OF THOSE FACES, I GET IT.
>> WE DO HAVE SEVERAL MORE DECISIONS TO MAKE.
ARE WE NOT DOING THE ALL CALL OR WE'RE DOING THE ALL CALL? [INAUDIBLE] THE LAST PIECE ALL CALL OR NO ALL CALL.
BUT TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING THROUGH IS,
[01:05:04]
AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT, THAT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW HOW HOW THIS IS GOING DOWN.>> YEP. GOT THE DASHBOARD READY FOR YOU IN A BIT.
ALEX IS WORKING WITH ME TO DO A RELEASE ON THE SURVEY WHICH WILL GIVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
YES, WE WILL MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW IF THEY WANT TO KNOW.
>> DO WE WANT TO TALK ANYMORE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC FOCUS GROUPS?
>> I DO, LIKE I SAID, THE INTERNATIONAL, THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, I DO LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER FOCUS GROUPS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE WILL SEE WHEN YOU PUT OUT A SURVEY BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY ONLY PARENTS.
LIKE I SAID, MY ONLY WORRY WILL BE IT'S ALWAYS A LOT OF THE SAME PARENTS THAT COME TO US AND I LOVE THEM, TRUST ME.
I LOVE THOSE PARENTS WHO ALWAYS GIVE US THEIR OPINION.
I JUST WANT NOT JUST THOSE PARENTS, BUT I WANT OTHER PARENTS, VOICES WHO MAY NOT HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO GIVE, BUT WILL MAKE TIME FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT EFFORT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE.
>> THE ONE GROUP THAT I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT I DIDN'T SEE WAS SPECIAL ED PARENTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS INTENTIONAL OR HOW YOU GUYS THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
>> AS WE WERE BRAINSTORMING, SPECIAL ED PARENTS DID COME UP.
THE THOUGHT WAS THAT THEY COULD BE IN ALL OF THE OTHER PARENT GROUPS.
THAT WITH THE CURRICULUM COORDINATORS AND DIRECTORS AND SUPERVISORS THAT THE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES WOULD BE DISCUSSED AND THOUGHTS AS FAR AS THE FUTURE WOULD BE.
SO WE HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT COULD DEFINITELY BE ONE.
>> YEAH. I FEEL LIKE THE PARENT EXPERIENCE WITH THE IEP PROCESS IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT ONE.
I'D LIKE TO FIND A WAY TO INCLUDE THAT IF WE CAN. I'M NOT SURE WHAT.
>> COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST SHOT?
>> [LAUGHTER] YOU COULD COMBINE SOME.
>> GROUP 13 FELT LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF SCHOOL STAFF IN VARIOUS ROLES WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE FOCUS GROUPS ALREADY, AND WHETHER THERE'S A WAY TO EITHER COMBINE THEM OR FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK FROM OTHER GROUPS.
>> THE CLERICAL, CUSTODIAL, AND MONITORS GROUP, TYPICALLY, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON THE DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
NOW WHAT YOU COULD DO IS INSTEAD OF ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, YOU WOULD DO ELEMENTARY STAFF, MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF, HIGH SCHOOL STAFF.
BUT YES, YOU COULD COMBINE THOSE.
ANOTHER ONE THAT YOU COULD COMBINE IS THE CURRICULUM DIRECTORS AND STAFF DEVELOPERS AND YOUR DISTRICT SUPERVISORS.
THAT'S ANOTHER GROUP THAT COULD BE COMBINED BASED ON YOUR SIZE.
WE COULD PROBABLY GET TO 15-18 IN ONE GROUP WITH THAT.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT OUR INITIAL MEETING ABOUT THE NEED TO MAKE CURRICULUM DISCIPLINES ARE REPRESENTED.
WE'RE THINKING IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS WITHIN THE DISCIPLINES.
THAT'S WHY WE TRIED TO SEPARATE THOSE.
BY THE WAY, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THIS IS ONE PIECE OF DATA THAT YOU WILL USE.
WE'LL USE A LOT OF OTHER DATA TOO, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC DATA WHEN WE START LOOKING AT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT SCORES, BECAUSE THOSE ARE DONE IN DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC WAYS.
CHAMP WHAT YOU THINK, BUT 11 AND 15 SEEM TO ME LIKE THOSE ARE PROBABLY LIKE FIVE OR LESS IN EACH GROUP RIGHT NOW.
>> A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS ON THAT.
WE SEPARATED THEM OUT BECAUSE IN PLANNING, MICHAEL IN PARTICULAR HAD RAISED SOME DESIRE TO SEE SOME FOCUS ON ACADEMICS.
WE TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS VERY PRESENT.
WE SEPARATED OUT THE COORDINATORS AND STAFF DEVELOPERS WHO ARE TEACHER LINE FROM THE DIRECTORS, SUPERVISORS WHO ARE ADMINISTRATIVE LINE BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE CONVERSATIONS CAN BE VERY DIFFERENT.
THAT BEING SAID, WE COULD ABSORB THE CURRICULUM COORDINATORS,
[01:10:01]
STAFF DEVELOPERS BACK IN WITH THE TEACHER GROUPS.WELL, ACTUALLY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH, WE COULD REDISTRIBUTE THEM.
THAT'S 11, WE COULD REDISTRIBUTE ACROSS 8, 9, AND 10. MONICA'S IDEA ABOUT ABSORBING 13, THE CLERICAL, CUSTODIAL, INSTEAD OF ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, WE COULD ABSORB THOSE AS STAFF TOO.
I THINK EITHER ONE OF THOSE WOULD STILL GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE'S VOICES TO BE HEARD IN THE ISSUES RAISED IN THOSE GROUPS.
>> SID, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED HAVING ONE, I GUESS, A SPECIAL ED FOCUS GROUP, BUT WOULD IT MAKE ANY SENSE OR WOULD YOU BE OKAY IF NOT JUST PULLING FROM THE PTA, BUT ALSO ASKING SEPTA TO PROVIDE NAMES?
>> I DON'T THINK WE COULD ASK PTA FOR SPECIAL ED.
THAT WOULD GET INTO SOME [INAUDIBLE].
I DON'T THINK WE CAN ASK THEM TO POINT AT EACH OTHER, BUT YOUR SPECIAL ED PARENT GROUP WOULD BE THE ONE.
>> I THINK SHE WAS SUGGESTING THAT THE SPECIAL ED PTA WOULD NOMINATE SOME PEOPLE.
>> EXACTLY. JUST I WOULDN'T GO TO YOUR REGULAR PTA FOR THAT. I'M AGREEING WITH YOU.
>> MONICA, DO ALL SCHOOLS HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS?
>> THAT WAS ANOTHER GROUP THAT I LOVE THE STUDENT VOICE IN IT, BUT THAT IS NOT [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU COULD ALSO TAKE YOUR COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PUT THEM BACK IN THEIR STAFF WITH THE TEACHERS, AGAIN, TO MAKE THAT EXTRA ROOM.
>> THE OTHER THING WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS MORE DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC, LIKE A STEM FOCUS GROUP AND A HUMANITIES FOCUS GROUP.
>> WE JUST COULDN'T FIT THEM IN THE 15 IF YOU WANTED TO GET ALL THESE OTHERS.
WE CAN DO WHATEVER 15 YOU WANT, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO ELIMINATE SOME TO GET THOSE.
>> DO PEOPLE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON STEM AND HUMANITIES, OR?
>> I WOULD [OVERLAPPING] DO THIS, JUST LOOKING AT THE LIST, BECAUSE I AGREE IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT I THINK THAT COULD BE CAPTURED IN THE-
BUT LIKE SID SAID, I DO THINK HAVING POSSIBLY A SPECIAL ED FOCUS GROUP IS IMPORTANT.
>> DO I SEE CONSENSUS NOD? THIS IS NOT A VOTE, IT'S JUST A CONSENSUS NOD.
I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST ONE.
>> ELEVEN. PUT THOSE BACK IN WITH TEACHERS?
>> I THINK IF THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU AND KAREN CAN BE ATTENTIVE TO, AS YOU DO THE FOCUS GROUPS-
>> THAT YOU DO HAVE SOME TEACHER LEADERSHIP IN THE CONTENT AREAS.
>> THAT COULD BE PART OF WHAT THE ADMINS DO IN THEIR SELECTION PROCESS.
>> MAYBE DR. BOWMAN CAN PROBABLY EXERCISE A LITTLE PRESSURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE AND [INAUDIBLE].
>> THE GOOD THING IS [OVERLAPPING], IT'S GOING TO BE ONE MEETING.
I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE TOO MANY TROUBLES.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE GETTING [INAUDIBLE] HOME FOR YOU, GET READY FOR THE SNOWSTORM.
BUT WE DO NEED TO DESEGREGATE THE DATA FOR THE SURVEY.
WE CAN DESEGREGATE IT TO UP TO SIX GROUPS.
AGAIN, THE LEADERSHIP AND THEN WITH THE CABINET, I DEFINITELY THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE A PARENT OR GUARDIAN GROUP.
A STUDENT GROUP IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE HEADING IN THE DIRECTION THAT IS GOOD FOR THEM.
THE FACULTY AND INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, WE LIKE TO PARSE OUT YOUR CERTIFICATED STAFF, PEOPLE WHO ARE TEACHING, COUNSELING, ADVISING, AND YOUR SUPPORT STAFF.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU CAN SEE SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS FOR THOSE ON ADMINISTRATION AND THEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CHILDREN CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE DISTRICT.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE MISSING, OR? AS I GO TO TAKE THE SURVEY, I CHOOSE ONE, AND PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, I'M A PARENT AND I'M A TEACHER.
THEN THE INSTRUCTIONS SAY, PICK THE ONE FROM WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE YOUR OPINION.
>> THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME, AND THREE SEEMS ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE JUST DECIDED ON THE FOCUS GROUP ALSO.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WOULD STUDENTS BE DESEGREGATED?
[01:15:01]
>> IAN, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING?
>> WOULD STUDENTS BE DESEGREGATED BETWEEN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL?
YOU'D HAVE TO LOSE A GROUP TO DO THAT.
>> I WAS SAYING, HOW DO YOU REACH NUMBER 6.
>> HOW DO YOU REACH NUMBER 6? THANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE.
>> THAT IS WHEN YOU'RE AMAZING COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND I WORK TOGETHER TO PUT THIS EVERYWHERE.
WE ASK THE VILLAGE TO PUT IT ON THEIR WEBSITE.
WE SEND IT OUT TO AS MANY EMAILS AS WE HAVE ACCESS TO, IF WE HAVE ALUMNI EMAIL LISTS, HOWEVER WE GET OUT INFORMATION FOR LIKE COME VOTE ON SOMETHING, IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE WE GET TO FOR THIS.
NOW WILL IT GET TO EVERYONE? I WILL RECOMMEND THAT IT BE ON YOUR WEBSITE HOMEPAGE.
>> WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO DO A POSTCARD MAIL TO ALL HOMES WITH A QR CODE I BELIEVE.
>> TO TAKE THEM RIGHT TO THE SERVER.
>> YOU WANT ME TO JUST SPEAK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? THAT WAS ONE OF THE GROUPS, OBVIOUSLY DURING THE COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT THAT WAS DEFINITELY THE HARDEST TO REACH AND THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO US.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT DID GENERATE SOME RESPONSES AND GOT US CLOSER TO THAT TARGET GOAL WAS REACHING OUT TO AS MANY COMMUNITY GROUPS AS WE CAN, ASKING THEM TO PASS IT OUT THROUGH THEIR EMAILS.
I ATTENDED THE SENIOR CITIZENS CLUB MEETING, WE DISTRIBUTED THE PAPER SURVEYS THERE.
A LOT OF THAT SORT OF LIKE HIT THE GROUND AND DO THE BEST WE CAN TO GENERATE AS MANY RESPONSES AS POSSIBLE. THEN, AS DR.
CHAMP MENTIONED, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING A POSTCARD THAT WE'LL MAIL TO EVERY HOME IN PELHAM WITH A QR CODE LINKING TO THE SURVEY, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T DO AS PART OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, BUT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP AS WELL.
THE TIMING OF THAT ACTUALLY IS SHAPING OUT.
WE THINK THAT IT'LL PROBABLY START TO HIT TOWARD THE END OF THE PROPOSED SURVEY WINDOW, WHICH WILL BE A GREAT CHANCE.
IT'S SORT OF A LAST REMINDER FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED TO TAKE THE SURVEY.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP GENERATE RESPONSES ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH THE BOARD WHO DID THAT.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THAT WILL DRAW IN AS FAR AS NAMES.
I'M SEEING NODDING. I LIKE THAT.
THIS IS WHERE WE USUALLY SPEND A LOT OF TIME, SO MAYBE I'VE TIRED YOU OUT.
I THINK YOU HAVE A HANDOUT FOR THE CALENDAR.
>> I DID NOT GET TO PRINT THAT.
>> ACTUALLY, ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, I DID SHARE THE DRAFT CALENDAR AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.
THE BOARD DID SEE THAT WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT IT.
ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT IS AN ADJUSTMENT TO A REVISED BOARD MEETING CALENDAR.
WITH THAT, I TOOK THE DOCUMENT FROM HYA WITH THE PROPOSED DATES THAT WE ALIGNED WITH OUR ALREADY EXISTING BOARD MEETINGS.
I THINK WE ADDED ONE MORE IN THERE AND PROPOSED BASICALLY A 3:30 START ON SEVERAL OF THE BOARD MEETING DATES.
SO THAT WE COULD DO LIKE A 3:30-6:30 FOCUS WORK SESSION ON STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING DINNER AND THEN TRANSITION TO OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF VARIABILITY TO THE START TIMES BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME BUDGET WORK SESSIONS IN THERE SO THERE MIGHT BE A COUPLE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK SESSION FOLLOWED BY BUDGET WORK SESSION NIGHTS.
>> WHICH YOUR BUDGET REFLECTS YOUR STRATEGIC GOALS.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING UP AND WORKING WITH US FOR THOSE DATES.
THE OTHER OPTION IS TO DO IT ON SATURDAYS FOR SIX HOURS AT A TIME, AND I'M GLAD YOU ALL ARE TAKING IT IN TO SHORTER BITES.
I THINK THAT IT'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH SOME PROTOCOLS, THINK ABOUT SOME THINGS, AND THEN HAVE A LITTLE TIME BETWEEN NEEDING TO MAKE DECISIONS.
I THINK THAT'LL WORK OUT VERY WELL.
>> IS THIS THE SAME UPDATE THAT WE RECEIVED THAT VALERIE SENT OUT?
>> I HAD PUT ONE IN YOUR WEEKLY UPDATE, WE FOUND AN ERROR.
VALERIE HAD SENT THAT OUT WITH THE UPDATES.
THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA 6.1 IS THE REVISED BOARD MEETING DATES AND WITHIN THAT HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW ARE THE CHANGES TO. [OVERLAPPING]
>> DO YOU WANT ME TO GET IT UP?
>> NO. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE IT.
BASICALLY WHAT WE'VE GOT IN TONIGHT'S MEETING OBVIOUSLY WAS
[01:20:01]
THE START OF THIS MARCH 20TH 3:30 START TIME.APRIL 3TH, 3:30 START TIME, APRIL 17TH, 3:30 START TIME.
APRIL 30TH IS THE ONE OFF THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL MEETING WAS ACTUALLY IN THERE AND THEN WE CHANGED NOW IT'S BACK.
VALERIE THERE IT SAYS 6:30, THAT ONE SHOULD BE 7:00.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH SHOULD BE SEVEN O'CLOCK.
THAT'S JUST A STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK SESSION, SO WE'LL MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT ON THE ONE THAT WE VOTE ON.
I THINK THAT SHOULD PARALLEL MONICA WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ON THE PLANNING SHEET.
>> RIGHT. WE HAVE DIFFERENT DECISION-MAKING POINTS.
I THINK THAT'LL WORK OUT REALLY WELL FOR NOT PUTTING TOO MUCH IN ONE SESSION.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION WHEN WE START OUR WORK ON LOOKING AT OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE SURVEY DATA, WHICH IS EVERYBODY WILL ANSWER.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE FOCUS GROUP DATA, WHICH WILL BE FROM THE FOCUS GROUPS.
WE'LL GIVE YOU THE INTERVIEW DATA BECAUSE WE'LL BE INTERVIEWING EACH ONE OF YOU AND WE'LL GIVE YOU DATA ON MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT TO GIVE US, THINGS LIKE WE ALREADY HAVE YOUR EXISTING PLAN, THE COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, I THINK YOU HAVE SOME CLIMATE SURVEY DATA.
WE'LL BE HEAVY IN THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DATA AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE CABINET FOR HELPING ME GATHER ALL THAT INFORMATION.
THERE'S JUST SOME OTHER ROUTE, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE MANY POINTS OF DATA BEFORE YOU'RE ASKED TO START TO FOCUS ON PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE.
THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE'LL BE DOING IS LOOKING AT DATA.
THE FIRST FEW WORKSHOPS, THEN WE'LL BE PURSUING THOSE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND COMING TO CONSENSUS ON THE 3-5 THAT MAKE THE MOST SENSE FOR PELHAM.
>> THAT'S IT FOR THE DATA SCAN?
>> THOSE ARE JUST SAMPLES OF THINGS.
IF THERE'S OTHER REPORTS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE A PART OF IT, LET US KNOW AND WE'LL GATHER THEM FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
>> BECAUSE WE DID A WHOLE THING ABOUT WHAT EXCELLENCE MEANS FROM PELHAM. THAT WAS LAST YEAR.
>> THAT'S GREAT. THAT'LL BE A GOOD STARTING POINT.
>> THE DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY IS THAT OUR OLD ONE, OR IS THAT A NEW ONE WE'RE CONDUCTING.
>> [INAUDIBLE] EXCELLENT. THE MORE RECENT, THE BETTER.
>> THAT'S ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES. WE DON'T YET HAVE OUR BUILDING CONDITIONS SURVEY FOR THE NEW ONE. THE ONE WE'RE HAVING, IS WHAT? NINE YEARS OLD AT THIS POINT, IT WAS BEFORE WE HAD A NEW SCHOOL.
THAT WOULD NOT BE RELEVANT BUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC WE JUST GOT SO THAT WILL BE HELPFUL.
>> HOW WILL WE INCORPORATE A FACILITIES PLAN INTO THIS?
>> YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE A FACILITIES PLAN NOW?
>> NO. OUR CURRENT ONE IS NINE YEARS OLD.
>> WE'D PROBABLY STILL USE THAT AS A START JUST TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON BACK THEN.
JUST BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT I HEARD EARLIER TODAY, I BET SOME OF THE NEEDS FOR FACILITIES WILL COME OUT IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DATA POINTS THAT WE PICK UP.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU A PLAN THAT'S NOT BEEN CREATED, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE AND IT MAY BECOME A STRATEGIC PRIORITY.
>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE BUILDING CONDITION PLAN BY THE END OF.
THE NEXT TWO MONTHS WE HOPE TO HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT, AND WE'LL SHARE WITH FIRST FACILITIES COMMITTEE, BUT [LAUGHTER] WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT SHORTLY.
>> AS SOON AS YOU HAVE THAT THAT IT'S OKAY TO USE WITH THE WHOLE GROUP.
JUST REMEMBER THE GROUP, EVEN IF IT'S NOT PUBLISHED, IF WE CAN JUST USE IT AS AN INFORMATIONAL, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
ESPECIALLY IF THAT'S AN ONGOING CONCERN THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE IS ADDRESSED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
>> A LOT OF DISTRICTS HAVE A CURRICULUM PIECE FINANCING FACILITIES,
[01:25:01]
AND THEN SOMETIMES LIKE A STAFF DEVELOPMENT KIND OF AN HR PIECE.>> THOSE ARE THREE VERY COMMON PRIORITIES THAT EVENTUALLY COME TO THE SURFACE. YOU ARE CORRECT.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY DATA THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO FOR LIKE THE HR PIECE OR WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO PEOPLE LOOK AT FOR THAT?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WE CAN ASK DR.
GARCIA IF PROBABLY HE WANT SOME STAFFING REPORTS.
ANY OPEN POSITIONS, HISTORICALLY OPEN BUSING HERE? YES. NO, BUSING? NO, BUS? LUCKY. [LAUGHTER] THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WE CAN WORK WITH.
DR. GARCIA IF YOU'RE INTERESTED?
>> WE HAVE A NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER.
I MET WITH MISS SABIA ONCE AND THERE WAS A BIG PACKET ABOUT THAT.
>> THERE'S USUALLY AN EXTENSIVE APPLICATION PROCESS.
>> IN OUR IB REAUTHORIZATION DOCUMENTS.
YOU'VE GOT A LIST OF ALL THIS STUFF.
>> YEAH, I'VE GOT A LOT OF THE SAME MATERIALS THAT I'VE GIVEN TO THE BOARD DURING RETREATS AND SUCH.
>> OR EVEN I'M NOT SURE IF YOU MENTIONED THIS, THE TRI STATE WORK.
>> OKAY, AND MONICA TOO, JUST SO WE UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THIS IS A PILE IS ABOUT THIS.
>> AS I SAID SO YOU HAVE TIME IN BETWEEN.
>> THE IB APPLICATION I BELIEVE WAS 750 PAGES ALONE.
[LAUGHTER] WHAT LEVEL OF DATA IS USEFUL TO THE PROCESS? WHATEVER YOU CAN PROCESS IN AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME.
I DON'T THINK 750 PAGES IS GOING TO, BUT MAYBE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IF THERE'S ONE AT THE BEGINNING OR THE END.
THIS IS WORK ON YOU, SO I WOULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
>> BUT THAT'S MY JOB, YOU GUYS HAVE OTHER JOBS? [LAUGHTER].
>> NO, THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.
YOU'RE GOING TO READ IT AND KIND OF SUMMARIZE IT OR PROCESS IT IN SOME WAY.
>> I WON'T PROVIDE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT CAN BE PUBLISHED, BUT I WILL BE READING IT JUST SO I HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> BUT WE'RE READING THESE, THIS IS PART OF IT.
>> IF YOU SAY THAT IT'S PART OF THE DATA SCAN, YOU'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO READ IT.
>> LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU, IT MIGHT HAVE LOGGED ME OUT ALREADY, IT DID.
I THINK THAT'S IT. WE'RE WORKING ON A STRATEGIC DASHBOARD.
NOW, YOU ALL CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS JUST COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ME AND YOU ALL, OR KAREN AND I, EXCUSE ME, AND YOU ALL OR SOME DISTRICTS HAVE PUT THIS OUT ON THEIR WEBSITE AS A LINK TO SHOW THE PUBLIC WHERE THEY'RE GOING, WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO USE IT, IT'S A DESCRIPTION.
BASICALLY WHAT I GAVE YOU ALL EARLIER, SOME INFORMATION ON THE DISTRICT THAT I WOULD WORK WITH ALEX TO MAKE SURE IS WHAT YOU WANTED OUT.
ONCE YOU HAVE INDICATORS, WHAT I'VE JUST PUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT I FOUND ONLINE.
BUT ONCE YOU ALL DECIDE ON MORE INFORMATION TOGETHER, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART.
THIS TRACKS THE PROCESS NOW, BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO KEEP THIS AFTERWARDS, IT'S WHERE YOU'D PUT YOUR STRATEGIES THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, AND HOW YOU'RE DOING ON THEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE PROCESS, WHAT I'VE PUT ON HERE IS PHASE 1, ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS.
THERE ARE TWO STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE DONE.
ONE IS THE VIRTUAL INTRODUCTION MEETING WITH THE ASSOCIATES AND THE LEADERSHIP, AND TONIGHT IS THE BOARD INPUT AND STUDY SESSION, SO I WOULD MARK THAT AS COMPLETE.
AT ANY POINT IN TIME, YOU COULD SEE WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
PHASE 2, THE INCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS ALL THAT INFORMATION I JUST HAD ON THOSE SCREENS WITH THE GROUPS,
[01:30:04]
AND YOU WOULD GET THAT, AND YOU CAN AT ANY TIME CHECK TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.HOWEVER, ONCE THE PLAN IS ADOPTED, THIS WOULD BECOME THE STRATEGIES THAT YOUR ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS ARE ALL WORKING ON AND YOU KEEP TRACK OF THEIR PROGRESS.
IT IS UP TO YOU, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU WANTED TO LINK IT AS PART OF YOUR CONTRACT WITH HYA.
THIS CAN BE UP FOR SIX MONTHS AFTER THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THEN YOU CAN EITHER BUILD YOUR OWN, OR THERE'S A MAINTENANCE FEE, BUT IT WOULD BE UP TO YOU.
BUT FOR SIX MONTHS YOU COULD BE PUBLISHING THIS.
YOU COULD USE IT AS AN INTERNAL COMMUNICATION TOOL WHERE YOUR ADMINISTRATORS TELL YOU HOW FAR YOU ARE MOVING TOWARD ALL YOUR GOALS, OR IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC.
I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE THAT NOW, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE AS WE GO, BUT BE THINKING ABOUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'D WANT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY TO SEE OR IF YOU JUST WANT TO WORK JUST TO HAVE THAT AS AN INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS TOOL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? ANY THOUGHTS?
>> GENERALLY ARE ON THE SIDE OF MORE TRANSPARENCY RATHER THAN LESS, THAT'S MORE.
>> IS THAT AN AGREEMENT WIDESPREAD?
>> YEAH, I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT FOR SURE.
>> I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE SECOND PIECE.
>> RIGHT NOW, THIS DASHBOARD REPRESENTS THE PROCESS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING.
>> AFTER THE PLAN IS DONE, IT WOULD REPRESENT THE PLAN.
IT WOULD START OFF WITH YOUR MISSION, YOUR VISION, YOUR CORE VALUES.
THEN THESE ARE OUR PRIORITIES, THERE'D BE INSTEAD, AND THEN WHAT YOUR 3-5 MAJOR PRIORITIES ARE.
LIKE I SAID, YOU COULD GO WITH LESS OR MORE, BUT I RECOMMEND 3-5. MICHAEL ALREADY SAID WHAT? A LOT OF DISTRICTS GO DOWN FOR THREE, BUT AGAIN, IT WILL BE BASED ON YOUR WORK TOGETHER AND THE CONSENSUS YOU BUILT.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS IT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN KEEP TRACK AS A BOARD MEMBER AS TO HOW IS IT BEING MEASURED AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
THEN IF YOU DECIDE TO OPEN IT UP, THAT PART TO THE COMMUNITY, THEY CAN KEEP TRACK.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU DECIDE AS A GROUP THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR FACILITIES AS FAR AS SPACING, THEN THERE MIGHT BE SOME DATA THAT'S BEING COLLECTED BY YOUR ADMINISTRATORS.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT ARE PRESENTED AND YOU WANT TO PRESENTED BY A CERTAIN DATE.
YOU WOULD HAVE INDICATORS THAT YOU CHOOSE BASED ON WHAT THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU INPUT ON WHAT YOU THINK THEY THINK THOSE SHOULD BE TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS.
THERE'D BE DIFFERENT BUTTONS UP AT THE TOP, BUT YOU COULD EITHER OPEN IT UP OR NOT.
>> DO YOU TYPICALLY FOR THE PAGE THAT YOU WERE JUST ON.
>> WHEN YOU HAVE STATUS OF 100% FOR SOMETHING, DO YOU TYPICALLY HAVE A LINK TO THE OUTPUT FROM THAT? SOMEONE WHO FROM THE COMMUNITY WANTED TO SEE THE FOCUS GROUP REPORT, WOULD THAT SHOW UP AS LIKE WE FINISHED THE FOCUS GROUPS, AND PRODUCED A REPORT, AND THEN THERE IS A LINK TO IT OR NOT NECESSARILY.
>> EXACTLY. THERE COULD BE, ABSOLUTELY.
LET'S SAY WE GET THE TIMELINE FINALIZED, ONCE I GET JUST TO MAKE SURE OUR DATES ARE THE SAME, THEN IF THEY CLICKED ON DETAILS, THEY COULD SEE THAT IT'S COMPLETE OR NOT.
BUT WE COULD ALSO DO A LINK JUST THEY COULD ACTUALLY SEE THE TIMELINE.
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE CAN DO THAT.
>> YOU THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE IT PUBLIC?
>> I THINK THAT SEEMED TO BE WHERE PEOPLE'S HEADS WERE AT AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
>> OKAY. ALEX AND I WILL BE WORKING ON THAT, AND THEN IT'LL JUST BE A LINK FROM YOUR WEBSITE.
THEY'LL JUST PULL IT DOWN, STRATEGIC PLANNING, IT'LL GO TO THIS, WHICH IS OUR PARENT COMPANY, AND ANALYTIC THE ECHO GROUP.
BUT AGAIN, IT'LL BE YOURS FROM THE TIME THE PLAN ENDS, SIX MONTHS, IT'S ALL YOURS AND YOU CAN DECIDE TO KEEP IT GOING OR NOT, OR JUST BUILD YOUR OWN.
>> QUESTIONS. I DO THINK WE HAVE GOTTEN TO THE END OF MY DECISION-MAKING REQUESTS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? MOVING FORWARD, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE PROCESS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND GATHERING YOUR INPUT ALONG THE WAY.
>> I'M SORRY. I'M LIKE THAT KID IN CLASS WHO'S LIKE ASK THE QUESTIONS.
>> IN GRAD SCHOOL AND YOU SAY ANY QUESTIONS.
>> CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE THAT HAD THE PYRAMID ON IT?
>> REMEMBER THE ONE I WAS TALKING ABOUT?
>> GIVE ME ONE SECOND BECAUSE I GOT TO GO BACK IN HERE.
>> MAYBE A SECOND SLIDE OR FIRST SLIDE.
>> YES. TODAY WE HAVE AUTHENTIC LEARNING,
[01:35:01]
CULTURAL COMPETENCY IN THE WHOLE CHILD, THOSE THREE PILLARS, WHERE DO THEY SIT IN THIS PYRAMID? ARE THEY IN THE VALUE MISSION VISION PIECE, OR THE OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES PIECE?>> IT'S OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC [OVERLAPPING]
>> PROBABLY YOUR PRIORITIES. I'M GOING TO GUESS THOSE WERE HERE.
THESE ARE BROAD, AND THEY INFORM THIS.
I'M SORRY, I KNOW I'M NOT TALKING [INAUDIBLE].
>> THANKS. FOR THOSE LISTENING, IF YOU COULDN'T HEAR, IT'S IN THE OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES LAYER.
>> THAT'S WHERE I WOULD PUT THOSE.
>> JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON IT. WHEN WE ADOPT THE OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW MANY PAGES IS THAT?
>> IT'S TYPICALLY THREE PAGES, ONE FOR EACH, OR 3-5.
THEN ONCE YOU DECIDE THESE ARE WHERE WE WANT TO FOCUS, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO SHOW GROWTH AND WE'RE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION, THEN WHAT YOU DO IS YOU TURN IT OVER TO YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, AND I THINK WE HAVE SCHEDULED JULY 1ST AND 2ND FOR THE TEAM TO MEET, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO ULTIMATELY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
THEY'LL THEN RECOMMEND TO YOU HOW THEY'D LIKE TO MEASURE IT AND DEMONSTRATE MEASUREMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS TO THE MANAGEMENT.
YOU ALL AGREE TO THAT, HOPEFULLY, IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER, AND THEN THEY START REPORTING ON IT PERIODICALLY.
YOU DECIDE, DO YOU WANT IT QUARTERLY? DO YOU WANT IT MONTHLY? DEPENDING ON WHAT THE INDICATORS ARE.
LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO RAISE YOUR MASS SCORES, THEN YOU ALL AREN'T NECESSARILY EDUCATORS TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT, BUT THEN YOUR ADMINISTRATORS GET TOGETHER AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE WANT TO DO THIS TUTORING PROGRAM AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO GET THE STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS, WE WANT TO DO A BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT, WHATEVER THOSE INDICATORS ARE, THEN YOU ALL LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, YEAH, THAT'LL DEMONSTRATE GROWTH TOWARD THIS OBJECTIVE, AND THEN THEY START MEASURING.
NOW, YOU ALL CAN CHANGE YOUR STRATEGIC FOCUS AT ANY TIME, YOUR PRIORITIES AND OBJECTIVES, BUT THAT WOULD TAKE A VOTE OF THE BOARD.
BUT THINGS CAN CHANGE. COVID HIT AND A LOT OF STRATEGIC PLANS CHANGED.
TECHNOLOGY WENT WAY UP THERE ON THE LIST FOR MANY.
SO AGAIN, THINGS CAN HAPPEN, BUT SHORT OF ANY MASSIVE CHANGE, YOU'RE TELLING YOUR ADMINISTRATORS, YOUR TEACHERS, EVERYONE WORKING IN THE DISTRICT, THAT THESE ARE THE THINGS WE WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
>> YOU SAID 3-5, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE PILLARS.
>> LIKE I SAID, IF YOU GO MORE THAN FIVE, IT STARTS TO GET CONFUSING [OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE PEOPLE LOSE FOCUS.
>> HAVE I SEEN BOARDS DO IT? YES. IT MAKES THE GRAPHICS A LITTLE HARDER, BUT WE FIGURE IT OUT.
IT IS YOUR PLAN, AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT THE WHOLE TIME.
I THINK YOU'RE GETTING THE IMPRESSION FROM ME, AND KAREN IS THE SAME WAY, WE WANT YOUR INPUT, ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
THIS HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN STAND BEHIND, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU REALLY FEEL AND ARE A PART OF THE PROCESS AND YOUR IDEAS.
YOU'VE BEEN ELECTED BY YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO MAKE SURE THE SCHOOLS ARE RUN WELL, AND ARE MOVING IN THE COLLECTIVE DIRECTION, THE VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S A LONG JOB, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT.
I DO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND IN ADVANCE FOR ALL THE TIME WE'LL SPEND TOGETHER.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT KAREN AND I WILL TRY TO MAKE IT AS INTERACTIVE AS POSSIBLE WITH LOTS OF THINGS TO DO.
WE SPLIT THINGS UP, COME TOGETHER.
THE BOARDS WE'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST, MANY OF THEM SAY THEY'RE A STRONGER BOARD AT THE END BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER BETTER AND THEY'VE COME TO CONSENSUS ON WHERE THEY WANT TO MOVE.
SO IT CAN BRING A BOARD TOGETHER TOO, AND I HOPE IT DOES FOR YOU ALL.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S OKAY.
>> SORRY. JUST TO GO BACK TO THE OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES, SO EACH ONE IS ONE PAGE, AND THAT HAS SOME BULLETS ON IT OR SUB-POINTS, OR WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THAT LOOK LIKE?
>> IT CAN LOOK ANY WAY YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO LOOK, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 3-5 BROAD AREAS.
IT CAN'T HAVE TOO MUCH UNDER IT BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO ASK YOUR ADMINISTRATORS HOW TO GET THERE.
WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SHOW THEM IS WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
IT CAN'T BE SO BIG THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO SHOW YOU GET THERE.
[01:40:05]
THE 3-5 ARE BIGGER IDEAS.BUT AGAIN, WE'LL GO THROUGH IT.
YOU'LL HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH HOWEVER THEY'RE STATED.
>> I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS NOW BECAUSE IT'S GETTING LATE.
BUT AS I THINK ABOUT THE LAST COUPLE STRATEGIC PLANS WHICH I WASN'T INVOLVED WITH, BUT I DID LOOK AT, IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A PROGRESSION TOWARDS MAINTAINING HIGH-LEVEL PRIORITIES, BUT THEN EACH STUDY SEEMS TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL UNDERNEATH.
SO WHEN I THINK OF LIKE, IF YOU HAD A PRIORITY OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE THREE TARGETS UNDER THAT THAT ARE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, DOUBLE MATH PROFICIENCY IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, OR TANGIBLE GOALS RELATED TO THAT PRIORITY, AND THEN YOU MIGHT WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION FOR HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPLEMENT AND REACH THOSE GOALS.
THAT'S HOW I THINK ABOUT IT AT LEAST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HOW YOU GUYS TYPICALLY IMPLEMENT IT.
>> I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, IF YOU HAVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS, THAT COULD BE VERY BROAD.
YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF HOW MANY WAYS YOU MEASURE THAT.
SO YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE THE WAYS YOU WANT TO MEASURE THAT, AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS.
>> SO YOU'RE SAYING GOAL AREA AND THEN SOME MEASUREMENT?
>> FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE SEEN SOME DISTRICTS GO WITH STEM SPECIFIC AS OUR GOAL AREA, BUT THEN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT MORE BROADLY EVEN AS A SECOND GOAL AREA.
AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU ALL COME TOGETHER WITH YOUR THINKING.
YOU WANT THEM TO BE BROAD ENOUGH THAT EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZATION CAN FEEL THAT THEY ARE PART OF ACHIEVING IT, NOT JUST THE FIRST GRADE TEACHERS OR JUST THE ADMINISTRATORS.
THE GOAL FOR THOSE 3-5, I ALWAYS TELL THE STORY WHEN JOHN KENNEDY VISITED, I THINK IT WAS CAPE CANAVERAL, AND HE WAS WALKING THROUGH WITH HIS ENTOURAGE AND HE LOOKED AT A CUSTODIAN AND HE SAID, "WHAT'S YOUR JOB?" HE SAID, "I'M PUTTING A MAN ON THE MOON." BECAUSE EVEN AS A CUSTODIAN, HE KNEW THAT WAS THE MISSION OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS YOU WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO FIND THEMSELVES SOMEWHERE IN YOUR GOALS IN ORDER TO BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
[OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] I'M GOING TO LET YOU ALL TALK ABOUT BUDGET IF THAT'S OKAY.
>> KAREN, I KNOW SHE'S BEEN TUNED IN LISTENING, WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING HER IN PERSON.
>> I KNOW YOU ALL WILL GET TO KNOW AND APPRECIATE KAREN, BUT IN PERSON.
>> I WILL BE THERE IN PERSON NEXT TIME I MEET ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING ALL OF YOU IN PERSON.
>> THE NEXT OVERVIEW OF SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET PROPOSAL.
[4.2 Superintendent's Report - Overview of Superintendent's Budget Proposal]
>> I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE TECH SWAPPING HERE. [BACKGROUND] THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
[01:47:53]
WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING BACK UP.THANKS CHRIS AND ALEX FOR GETTING THINGS SET UP.
PART 2 OF THIS EVENING'S MAIN EVENT.
TONIGHT, I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU THE FIRST ITERATION, JUST AN OVERVIEW TONIGHT OF THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
THANKS TO JIM RICKEY TO JACKIE VIGIL, AND EVERYONE IN BUSINESS OFFICE WHO'VE DONE JUST A TREMENDOUS JOB OF WORKING WITH US TO ASSEMBLE AND TO CRAFT THIS BUDGET.
REALLY DOUBLE CHECKING, TRIPLE CHECKING, QUADRUPLE CHECKING, EVERY LITTLE THING, MAKING ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
THANK YOU TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM TOO AS WELL, WHO'S BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN PROPOSALS AND PREPARING FOR THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
THIS IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS SO WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT IS THE BUDGET APPROVAL.
BUT THOSE OF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, KNOW THAT THERE'S USUALLY SOME ITERATION FROM THIS POINT IN TIME, SOME ADJUSTMENTS, SOME INS AND OUTS AS WE GET MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION, AS WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
WHICH IS WHY WE DON'T GO INTO MUCH DETAIL RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS BROAD BRUSHES, TOP LEVEL OVERVIEW AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE LINE BY LINE BUDGET REVIEW, THAT'S WHERE YOU REALLY GET TO SEE HOW THE BUDGET IS HONED.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE READY TO DIVE INTO IT TONIGHT.
AS THE BOARD IS VERY AWARE, OUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR REALLY ARE THESE.
WE'VE COME BACK TO THESE GOALS MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THE BOARD HAD ASKED FOR AN EARLY BUDGET DISCUSSION.
BACK IN OCTOBER, WE DID HAVE THAT EARLY BUDGET DISCUSSION AND AT THE BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO US THAT WE SHOULD LOOK TO MAINTAIN CURRENT LEVELS OF PROGRAMMING WHILE WE AWAIT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
WE DEFINITELY TOOK THAT INTO ACCOUNT IN PLANNING THIS BUDGET.
WITH THAT IN MIND, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TONIGHT DOES NOT LOOK TO REALLY ADD OR SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE ANY PROGRAMS FROM THE PAST.
IT REALLY IS KIND OF TO HOLD THINGS STEADY WHERE WE ARE, CONTINUE TO DEEPEN OUR IMPLEMENTATION, BUT NOT REALLY TO COME FORWARD WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT NEW IDEAS,
[01:50:02]
RECOGNIZING THAT AS WE JUST FINISHED DISCUSSING EARLIER, THAT WE WILL BE HEADING INTO STRATEGIC PLANNING AND WANT TO BE POISED AND READY FOR THAT.INSTEAD, THIS BUDGET IS BUILT WITH THE IDEA OF PRESERVING THE RICH ARRAY OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT HAVE LED US TO BECOME A STATE AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE POSITIVE STUDENT OUTCOMES THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR.
AS WE GET INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, THESE ARE THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU'LL BE SEEING AND THAT WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT, PROBABLY I THINK WE'VE LAID IT OUT OVER THE NEXT THREE BUDGET MEETINGS.
WE'RE SPREADING THE LINE BY LINE OVER THREE EVENINGS SO WE'LL BE INVITING THE ADMINISTRATORS TO COME AND TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE AREAS OF THEIR PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL BE COVERING THESE GENERAL AREAS THAT MAKE UP THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF THE BUDGET AS WELL AS THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE BUDGET.
WE'LL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE MOMENTARILY.
ONE THING I WILL SAY, IT'S PROBABLY TIPPING THE HEAD ON AN UPCOMING SLIDE, BUT I KNOW THAT I SHARED WITH THE BOARD, AND WE'LL BE SHARING WITH THE COMMUNITY VERY SOON.
WE'LL BE ASKING FOLKS IF THEY'RE INTERESTED TO HELP US WITH SOME ADVOCACY AROUND THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF OUR REVENUE, AND THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR PELHAM.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS, NON HOMESTEAD BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY, SO THE BULK OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES, GENERALLY IN THE AVERAGE 80-85% OF OUR TAXES TEND TO COME FROM OUR HOMEOWNERS.
STATE AID OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS, THANKFULLY, INCREASED FOR US AND FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN PRIOR YEARS.
REMEMBER, WE WERE UNDERFUNDED ON THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA FOR MANY YEARS.
WE WERE FUNDED AT ONLY ABOUT 51% AND SO THE GOVERNOR COMMITTED TO FULL FUNDING OF THAT FORMULA OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN FOUNDATION AID OVER THOSE THREE YEARS, WHICH ENABLED US IN THOSE PAST THREE BUDGETS TO BUILD PROGRAM THAT WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO BUILD BEFORE.
THANKS TO THAT FOUNDATION AID.
IF YOU'VE LOOKED AT THE NEWS RECENTLY, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN THE GOVERNOR LAUNCHED HER BUDGET, 45% OF THE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE RECEIVED A CUT IN FOUNDATION AID, WHICH WAS OTHER THAN THE GAP ELIMINATION, WHICH WAS BACK IN THE RECESSION OF 2008, '09.
DISTRICTS GENERALLY COULD COUNT ON FOUNDATION AID, AT LEAST REMAINING THE SAME.
THERE HAD BEEN A HOLD HARMLESS PROVISION IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME THAT EVEN DISTRICTS WHO MAYBE WERE SEEING DECREASES IN ENROLLMENT, OTHER FACTORS THAT MIGHT THEORETICALLY QUALIFY FOR THEM FOR LESS MONEY UNDER THE FUNDING OF THE FOUNDATION AID, THEY WERE KEPT WHOLE.
THAT MONEY WAS NOT TAKEN AWAY, THEY WERE JUST IN THIS SAVE HARMLESS OR HELD HARMLESS STATUS.
SO THAT WAS A BIG PIECE OF WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR.
THE GOVERNOR DID NOT HONOR THAT HOLD HARMLESS, SO DISTRICTS LOST IN MANY CASES, IT COULD BE 100,000, A COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND TO AS MUCH AS OUR NEIGHBOR IN MOUNT VERNON, THEIRS WAS REDUCED BY THREE MILLION THIS YEAR.
SO DISTRICTS REALLY WERE GRAPPLING WITH HOW DO THEY HANDLE THIS NOW, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE A TAX CAP, GIVEN THAT WE'RE LIMITED IN WHAT FUND WE CAN RAISE THROUGH THE TAX LEVY.
THANKFULLY, WE WERE NOT IMPACTED BY THAT.
WE DID RECEIVE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN FOUNDATION AID, I THINK JUST UNDER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, TOTALLY.
BUT IT CERTAINLY GIVES US PAUSE.
SO WE WILL BE LAUNCHING AN ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, ASKING OUR COMMUNITY IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, ESPECIALLY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, TO NOT ACCEPT THAT BUDGET PROPOSAL.
CERTAINLY, WE DON'T WANT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN TO US.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO CONSIDER ADVOCATING FOR RESTORING THE HOLD HARMLESS PROVISION, FULLY FUNDING ALL DISTRICTS.
IN DOING THAT, NOT TAKING IT AWAY FROM THE DISTRICTS WHO RECEIVED TO FIX THE SAVE HARMLESS FOR THOSE WHO HAD RECEIVED CUTS.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR IS FUNDING STABILITY.
THAT'S, I THINK, SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED TO MAKE SURE AS WE GO FORWARD AGAIN WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE TAX CAP LIMIT, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE STATES FOUNDATION AID AND THE STATES AID FORMULAS FOR US ARE STABLE SO WE CAN APPROPRIATELY BUDGET.
SO WE'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT FOUNDATION AID AND STATE AND FEDERAL AID AS WE GO THROUGH THE LINE BY LINE OF THE BUDGET.
AS WE LOOK TO PUT THIS BUDGET TOGETHER, AND AS WE DO EVERY YEAR, WE LOOK FOR WHAT ARE THE MAJOR THINGS DRIVING PARTICULAR CHANGES, INCREASES, DECREASES, ET CETERA.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY KNOW THAT EVEN WITHOUT ADDING ANY PROGRAM, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THIS YEAR WAS SOMEWHAT CHALLENGING IN A LOT OF WAYS DUE TO A VARIETY OF REASONS.
[01:55:01]
SO WE SAW SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. SO THAT WAS SOMETHING WE SPOKE WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THIS MORNING ABOUT.SO A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WE EXPECTED, BUT THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON HERE IN THIS DAY AND AGE.
OF COURSE, OUR SCHEDULED INCREASES IN EMPLOYEE SALARIES AS ALIGNED WITH OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH TWO DIFFERENT UNITS.
SO WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR OUR CURRENT OBLIGATIONS PLUS ANTICIPATED SETTLEMENTS.
WE ALSO SAW INCREASES IN STATE REQUIRED CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR EMPLOYEE AND TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. THOSE ARE THE THREE COST DRIVERS IN THE DIFFERENT TYPICAL AREAS OF THE BUDGET.
WE ALSO SAW A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES BASED ON INCREASED STUDENT IP NEEDS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, WE ALWAYS ARE LOOKING TO PROVIDE FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND BUDGETING BASED ON THOSE IP NEEDS.
SO WHAT WE DISCOVERED THIS YEAR IS A LOT MORE INCREASED NEEDS FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT HAD A LOT OF FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS AS WELL AS IN ADDITION TO NEEDING SOME ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE PLACEMENTS THAT ALSO COME WITH TRANSPORTATION, POTENTIALLY STAFF SUPPORT IN THAT TRANSPORTATION.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR INTEGRATED CO-TEACH PROGRAM AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
SO ALL THAT PUT TOGETHER WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
THAT WAS SOME OF OUR CHALLENGE AS WE PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S REALLY TWO WAYS THAT YOU CAN ENCLOSE ANY POTENTIAL BUDGET GAP, WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE DOING THIS YEAR.
YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR REVENUES OR YOU CAN DECREASE YOUR EXPENDITURES.
PRETTY SIMPLE. AS WE LOOKED AT IT, WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD NEED A VARIETY OF APPROACHES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THIS BUDGET DOES PROPOSE A MIXTURE OF THOSE, AGAIN, THAT WE WILL HIGHLIGHT AS WE GO THROUGH THE LINE BY LINE.
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATORS, WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS.
WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE TO COME.
THIS IS WHEN THINKING GETS REALLY CREATIVE.
BUT WE APPRECIATE THEIR TIME AS WE COME AND WE LOOK AND SCRUTINIZE, REALLY SHARPEN THE PENCIL AND LOOK AT EVERYTHING LINE BY LINE INTERNALLY, SO THAT WHEN WE COME FORWARD WITH A BUDGET LIKE THIS, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY USED AND THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED WITH OUR PRIORITIES AND OUR GOALS.
SO I APPRECIATE THEIR EXPERTISE AND DEDICATION AND THAT THEY COME WITH A PROBLEM SOLVING MINDSET.
EVERYONE COMES ADVOCATING FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT, FOR THEIR BUILDING, ADVOCATING FOR THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS, BUT ALSO WITH A CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING MINDSET.
I THINK THAT TOUCHED ON EVERYTHING THERE.
JUST ONE MORE PIECE TO OUR TRANSPORTATION COSTS ARE RISING, NOT ONLY FOR THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PLACEMENTS, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD AS WELL, AS INFLATION CONTINUES TO HIT A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE DID WITHIN THIS BUDGET, CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR 2% CONTINGENCY, WHICH HAS BEEN OUR PRACTICE FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
HERE'S THE MONEY SHOT, THE BIG SLIDE OF WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROPOSAL.
SO THE TOTAL PROPOSAL FOR APPROPRIATIONS FOR THIS YEAR IS $93,400,000 WHICH REPRESENTS A BUDGET-TO-BUDGET INCREASE OF $2.44 MILLION.
YEAR-TO-YEAR BUDGET INCREASE, THAT'S 2.68% AND THE PROJECTED ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY INCREASE IS 2.68%.
THAT IS STILL SUBJECT TO CHANGE PENDING FINAL STATE AID RUNS.
WE START THE BUDGET PROCESS BASED ON STATE AID FROM THE YEAR THAT WE'RE IN, SO PRIOR YEAR STATE AID.
THEN WHEN THE INITIAL RUNS COME OUT, WE MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENT.
THIS IS NOT THE FINAL ADJUSTMENT.
TRADITIONALLY, WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE FINAL ADJUSTMENT, BUT GIVEN THE FLUCTUATIONS GOING ON THIS YEAR, WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HOPING FOR SOME ADVOCACY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AT LEAST REMAIN WITH WHAT WAS INITIALLY ALLOCATED TO US.
WHEN YOU PUT EVERYTHING INTO THE INTO THE TAX CAP CALCULATORS, THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH A 2.68% PROPOSED LEVY INCREASE THAT IS TAX CAP COMPLIANT.
WE'VE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS BROKEN OUT THE OPERATING BUDGET SEPARATE FROM THE CAPITAL BUDGET, AND THAT WAS WHEN WE TOOK ON THE DEBT RELATED TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FROM 2018.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS YEAR, THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS VERY, VERY SMALL PORTION OF THIS YEAR'S TAX CAP, 2.67% IS RELATED TO GROWTH IN THE OPERATING BUDGET AND JUST 0.01% ON CAPITAL.
JUST TO SEE IF I CHECK MY NOTES, MAKE SURE I'VE TOUCHED ON EVERYTHING THERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT, AND AGAIN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS MORE AS WE GO THROUGH THE LINE BY LINE.
YOU MAY RECALL ON THE REVENUES SLIDE THAT,
[02:00:01]
LET ME JUST GO BACK TO IT SO I GET MY TERMINOLOGY CORRECT.APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE IS ONE OF OUR CATEGORIES IN THE PRIOR YEAR.
I'M SURE THE BOARD REMEMBERS WE APPROPRIATED TWO MILLION DOLLARS FOR SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE HVAC UNITS AND THE PLAYGROUNDS.
THAT WAS ONE PARTICULAR TYPE OF FUND BALANCE.
RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BUILT IN, BUT WE DO HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER RESERVES.
WE HAVE A T RESERVE, THAT'S TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM, AN EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM RESERVE, A VARIETY OF OTHER RESERVES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN LOOKING AT OUR RESERVES, TRYING TO USE THEM STRATEGICALLY TO GET US THROUGH TIMES WHERE MAYBE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE STRESS ON THE BUDGET, FLUCTUATIONS IN REVENUE.
THIS BUDGET AS IT STANDS, DOES PROPOSE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL $1.5 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE AS A REVENUE TO THIS BUDGET.
1.5 MILLION TO THIS BUDGET, ABOVE WHAT WE HAD ALLOCATED IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S BEEN CERTAINLY ON THE BOARD'S RADAR.
ALSO WITHIN THIS, WE ARE LOOKING TO ALLOCATE A FULL AMOUNT OF THE DEBT SERVICE RESERVE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR.
THOSE HELPED US TO OFFSET THE INCREASES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
WE'VE LONG TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING HEALTHY LEVEL OF FUND BALANCES IN RESERVES.
RECOGNIZING THAT TIMES MIGHT COME WHERE WE NEEDED TO USE THEM AND DRAW UPON THEM, AND WE FELT LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHERE WE COULD START TO USE SOME OF THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE HEAVILY THAN IN PRIOR YEARS.
AS WE NAVIGATE THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STATE ITSELF IS IN A LITTLE BIT OF FLUX AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PRESERVE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, BUT DO IT IN A STRATEGIC AND RESPONSIBLE WAY.
THIS IS HOW THE TAX CAP IS CALCULATED.
WE'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE MANY TIMES, WE'RE OVER 10 YEARS INTO THE TAX CAP.
YOU KNOW THAT THE TAX CAP, IT'S NOT REALLY A 2% TAX CAP, IT'S BASED ON 2% OR THE CPI, WHICHEVER IS LOWER.
IN THIS CASE, CPI IS MUCH HIGHER, SO 2% WAS THE GROWTH FACTOR THAT GETS CALCULATED INTO THE TAX CAP.
YOU WORK YOUR WAY THROUGH THE FORMULA AND JIM WILL BE SHOWING US ABOUT THIS.
I THINK IN OUR IN DEPTH OVERVIEW WHEN WE START THE BIND BY LINE.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THE INS AND OUTS OF HOW THE TAX CAP WORKS BY THE ADDITION OF THE DEBT SERVICE RESERVE, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL RESERVES THAT ARE IN THERE WITH THE OPERATING BUDGET AND THE ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY INCREASE.
THAT DOES BRING US TO THE 2.68% INCREASE.
IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, ABSENT THE USE OF THAT DEBT SERVICE FUND, THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAX INCREASE THAT WOULD BE TAX CAP COMPLIANT WOULD BE 5.78%.
THAT'S THE REAL IMPACT OF THAT DEBT SERVICE RESERVE THAT THE BOARD HAS STRATEGICALLY CONTINUED TO USE, SO WE'RE AGAIN PROPOSING THAT THAT BE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
SINCE IT IS KIND OF A MAINTENANCE BUDGET, THIS REALLY IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE BOARD'S GUIDANCE TO SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE BUILT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITHOUT ADDING.
WE'RE MAINTAINING OUR CLASS SIZES AT OR BELOW BOARD GUIDELINES, CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THAT FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS.
NOT LOOKING TO NECESSARILY GROW PROGRAM THIS YEAR, BUT TO GO THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS TO THEN DECIDE WHERE TO ALLOCATE THOSE RESOURCES IN THE FUTURE.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE ONE AREA OF GROWTH THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IS CONTINUING TO GROW OUR ELEMENTARY INTEGRATED CO-TEACH PROGRAM SO THAT WILL BRING US, WE'LL HAVE FIFTH GRADE KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE IS WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING FOR THIS COMING YEAR BASED ON CRITICAL MASS OF STUDENTS IN THOSE PROGRAMS. I WILL MENTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AND IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO PUT OUT WHAT GETS IN, BUT ALSO WHAT DIDN'T MAKE IT IN.
ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT I KNOW, IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR ME.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, BUT BECAUSE THIS REALLY WAS A MAINTENANCE APPROACH, THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY, IN THIS BUDGET, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASSES.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING, AGAIN, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE GIVEN THE GAP THAT WE WERE TRYING TO INITIALLY CLOSE AND CURRENT FORECASTED REVENUES.
BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT IT ON THE BOARD'S RADAR THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IS PROBABLY ON YOUR MIND AS WELL AS WE MOVE FURTHER THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
IF YOUR DIRECTION WILL HELP TO STEER US ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON THAT.
BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S ONLY TWO LEVELS FOR, AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER, FOR MAKING BUDGETS WORK.
LOWERING EXPENSES, INCREASING REVENUES.
IF WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO ADD ANYTHING MORE INTO IT OR MAKE ADJUSTMENTS,
[02:05:01]
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF BOTH SIDES OF THAT EQUATION.THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WOULD ADD IS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE LAST YEAR, YOU'LL REMEMBER WE HAD THE TWO MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE HVAC UNITS AND THE PLAYGROUNDS.
CURRENTLY IN WHAT'S PROPOSED TONIGHT, WE DID NOT HAVE THAT TYPE OF CAPITAL LINE IN THERE.
WE DO HAVE AN UPCOMING FACILITIES MEETING AFTER THE BREAK, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE MAY COME BACK TO YOU AND PROPOSE IN ADDITION OF THAT, PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING TO SEE IF THERE ARE AGAIN SIMILAR CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO CONTEMPLATE PUTTING INTO THIS BUDGET.
THAT COULD BE A FUTURE ADJUSTMENT.
FROM A HIGHLIGHT PERSPECTIVE ON FACILITIES SAFETY AND SECURITY, THESE ARE THINGS AGAIN THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN AND CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS AROUND THE DISTRICT ON.
NOT VERY EXCITING, BUT THESE ARE THE NECESSARY THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN.
HVAC CONTROLS ON OUR SYSTEMS, WHICH MAKES THEM MORE EFFICIENT AND MAKES OUR BUILDINGS MORE MANAGEABLE FROM AN ENERGY PERSPECTIVE.
CONTINUING FLOOR REPLACEMENT PROJECTS, WE DID THE TOP FLOOR AT PROSPECT HILL THIS PAST SUMMER, ADDITIONAL FLOORS NEED TO BE DONE.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF PROJECTS THAT JOHN CONDON AND HIS DEPARTMENT ARE ALREADY PLANNING FOR THE SUMMER, SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT IN COMING WEEKS.
CONTINUING TO MAKE USE OF OUR TALENTED INTERNAL STAFF FOR PROJECTS INSTEAD OF USING OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS TO THE DEGREE POSSIBLE.
THAT'S KIND OF A GREAT ASSET OF HAVING SUCH A TALENTED STAFF.
IN THE TECHNOLOGY REALM, AGAIN, VERY SIMILAR MAINTAINING OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO.
JOHN SABALOS HAS GOTTEN THIS INTO A GREAT REFRESH CYCLE WITH TECHNOLOGY, SO ALL OF OUR FIFTH GRADERS AND NINTH GRADERS ARE GETTING A NEW CHROMEBOOK THAT THEY'LL KEEP FOR FOUR YEARS.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A ONE TO ONE RATIO K12 OF CHROME BOOKS, PLUS A VARIETY OF OTHER TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND FOR STAFF ACROSS THE K12 SPECTRUM.
CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN ALL THE ELECTRONIC RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING, WE HAVE A WEALTH OF THOSE AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN THOSE AS TEACHERS ARE ACTIVELY USING THEM AS STUDENTS, AND WE DO REVIEW THOSE ANALYTICS PERIODICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRUNING AS NEEDED.
AS THE BOARD HAS HEARD A COUPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE MTSS PROCESS THROUGH CONTINUING TO GROW OUR PRACTICE WITH BRANCHING MINES AND DATA VIZ.
THAT'S BEEN A BIG UPLIFT FOR OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, SO WE'RE CONTINUING THOSE EFFORTS INTO THE COMING YEAR.
THEN THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND GROWTH OF OUR DISTRICT WIDE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALSO BUDGETED FOR WITHIN THIS BUDGET.
THAT BRINGS US, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TO THE LAST SLIDE, WHICH IS OUR KEY DATES.
THESE ARE BASICALLY OUR BUDGET REVIEWS AND OUR LINE BY LINE SESSIONS THAT WILL BE SPREAD OUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW MEETINGS.
BUDGET REVIEW, OUR NEXT MEETING AFTER THE BREAK, THE 28TH, AND THAT'S ALSO WHEN WE START OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
THE BUDGET PORTION STARTS AT THESE TIMES, SEVEN O'CLOCK ON THE 28TH, 7:30 ON MARCH 20, ETC AND YOU CAN READ THROUGH THE DATES, KEEPING IN MIND OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING ON THOSE DAYS WILL GENERALLY BEGIN AT 3:30.
IT'LL BE 3:30 STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING DINNER, TRANSITION INTO OUR BOARD BUSINESS AND WORK SESSION ON BUDGET AND ANY OTHER BUSINESS ITEMS THAT WE NEED.
WE'RE AIMING FOR THE BOARD TO ADOPT THE BUDGET AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE DATES.
YOU REMEMBER WE ORIGINALLY HAD IT SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 30TH.
DUE TO THE MILITARY BALLOT CHANGES IN THOSE TIMELINES, WE HAD TO MOVE THAT BACK TO EARLIER SO WE'RE TARGETING APRIL 17 FOR BUDGET ADOPTION.
MAY 8TH, STATE MANDATED PUBLIC HEARING.
YES, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY WOULD GO IN THE REVERSE ORDER.
BUT THIS IS THE ORDER THAT THE STATE TELLS US TO DO THEM, WE ADOPT AND THEN WE HAVE A HEARING EVEN THOUGH THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS TO PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE BUDGET.
THEN OUR AIM IS FOR MAY 21ST FOR OUR BUDGET AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION VOTE.
UNDER THE SKILLFUL HAND OF OUR NEW DISTRICT CLERK, SHE AND PAULINE DAVIES HAVE CONTINUED TO MEET LAST WEEK TACKLING POLICY AND BUDGET VOTE AND PAULINE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A RESOURCE AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE VOTE AND CERTAINLY KEEN AND BEAN.
LIST SERVES, VALERE IS GOING TO SIGN UP FOR A BUNCH OF TRAININGS, SO SHE IS EAGERLY WRAPPING HER HANDS AROUND THAT BUDGET VOTE, SO WE SHOULD BE IN GOOD HANDS.
I'M GOING TO MOVE BACK OVER TO THE TABLE AND JIM'S GOING TO BE MY PARTNER IN HELPING TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
JIM, DID I MISS ANYTHING OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO UNDERSCORE, REITERATE, HIGHLIGHT?
[02:10:03]
CHAMP. JUST THAT THIS IS BEGINNING OF A PROCESS THAT COMPLETES WITH THE PUBLIC VOTE AND THAT WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS WELL THROUGH THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
AS DR. CHAMP MENTIONED, IT IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS.
>> I DO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS OR THINGS TO SAY, BUT I'LL KEEP MY POWDER DRY FOR, I GUESS, THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT COULD I JUST SAY ONE THING? OR TRY AND ARTICULATE HOW I'M LOOKING AT THIS.
THE GUIDANCE THAT WE GAVE BACK IN OCTOBER WAS KEEP THINGS AS THEY ARE. NO ADDITIONS.
PLEASE TRY AND RESTRAIN HEADCOUNT GROWTH AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE LOTS OF DATA AROUND HEADCOUNT GROWTH, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE OR LESS FLAT-ISH IN TERMS OF HEADCOUNT GROWTH.
THANK YOU. AS I LOOK BACK ON THE LAST BUDGET, I REMEMBER IT'S A $91 MILLION BUDGET, BUT TWO OF THAT WAS CAPEX FOR PLAYGROUNDS AND HVAC, AND SO THEY'RE OPERATING WHAT I CALL THE OPEX, THE COST OF RUNNING THE SCHOOLS WAS MORE LIKE 89.
AS WE THINK ABOUT THE COMPARISON YEAR-TO-YEAR, IS IT FAIR TO SAY IF WE SHOULD BE COMPARING THE 93.4, NOT REALLY WITH 91 LAST YEAR, BUT WITH 89? BECAUSE IF YOU PUT THE CAPEX TO ONE SIDE, BECAUSE THAT WAS A ONE OFF THING, THE INCREASE IN OPEX, IN THE COST OF RUNNING THE SCHOOLS IS REALLY 89-93, WHICH IS AROUND A $4 MILLION INCREASE.
THE WAY I'M READING IT IS BY REALLY DOING NOTHING, AND BY NOTHING I MEAN BY ADDING NOTHING, JUST THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, AS IT WERE.
THE COST OF RUNNING THE SCHOOLS HAS JUST NATURALLY INCREASED BY ABOUT 4 MILLION BUCKS, WHICH IS ABOUT 4%, I THINK, OF 89-93 IS MAYBE LIKE A 5% INCREASE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I EXPLAIN THAT VERY WELL, BUT IS THAT A GOOD WAY OF THINKING ABOUT IT?
>> I THINK IT'S VERY FAIR TO PEEL OFF THE CAPITAL EXPENSE FROM LAST YEAR IF YOU WANT TO DO AN APPLES TO APPLES.
I THINK AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, WHAT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE BOARD, AND THE BOARD TO THE COMMUNITY IS THOSE DRIVERS THAT ARE GOING TO PLACE PRESSURE ON THE BUDGET.
LIKE DR. CHAMP MENTIONED, MEETING STUDENT DEMAND, SOME COSTS RELATED TO SALARIES AND BENEFITS, THAT GREW AT A LITTLE BIT FASTER PACE THAN WE HAD REALLY ANTICIPATED THEM FOR GROWING.
THEN OTHER THINGS RELATED TO TURNOVER PERSONNEL WHERE SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME BREAKAGE AND THERE'S SOME SAVINGS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT NORMAL TURNOVER RATE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN PRIOR YEARS, WHICH I THINK PLAYS A ROLE.
EACH OF THESE THINGS PLAY A ROLE INTO THAT AND I THINK THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AGAIN, I HOPE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AND DEMONSTRATE WHAT THAT IS.
BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THERE'S A CERTAIN GROWTH TO THE BUDGET BASED ON THE STUDENTS THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THE DISTRICT EVERY YEAR, AND ANY OF THE COSTS BUILT INTO ANY OF THE PARTICULAR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
LAST YEAR, WE USED SOME FUNDS FOR HVAC, DO YOU FORESEE ANY FUNDS BEING DRAWN OUT THIS YEAR FOR ANYTHING THAT'S FACILITIES RELATED? I KNOW WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED OUR PLAN YET, BUT ANYTHING PRESSING THIS YEAR?
>> THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT HAVE COME UP.
I THINK, AGAIN, THROUGH THE PROCESS LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WAS AS WE LOOK AT PLAYGROUNDS, LET'S LOOK AT ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
PROSPECT HILL IS THE LAST ONE IN THAT LINE, SO I'M SURE THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
WE'RE IN THE STATE PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR RECEIVING APPROVALS AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME COST ESCALATION THERE JUST AS A RESULT OF TIMING AND TYPES OF EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BE YOU SPECIFIED.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THAT AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT OTHER THINGS WITH OUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
[02:15:01]
AGAIN, WE HAVE A SHORT LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'D WANT TO LOOK AT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE WANTS OF THE COMMUNITY, SO THAT WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING NOT WORKING, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.>> THEN DR. CHAMP, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THE KINDERGARTEN QUESTION, BECAUSE IT WILL PROBABLY, DEPENDING ON HOW THE DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY AND HOW, I GUESS, ENROLLMENT TURNS OUT THIS YEAR, WE MAY SEE VERY SIMILAR CONCERNS FROM PARENTS THIS YEAR AND WE WILL HAVE TO, I GUESS, AS BOARD DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT GIVEN WHAT YOU SAID, YOU COULD EITHER INCREASE OR GET MORE REVENUE IN.
>> YEAH. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN PART OF OUR CONVERSATION ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
I THINK WE ALL SEE THE NEED AND THE DESIRE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FINDING THE PATHWAY TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTROL AS FAR AS CLASS SIZE AND HOW WE MIGHT JUGGLE SOME THINGS WITHIN THE BUILDINGS.
WE ARE LIMITED IN OUR CLASSROOM SIZES.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES LAST YEAR AND WE HAVE THE SAME CLASSROOMS THIS YEAR AS WE DID LAST YEAR.
WE'LL HAVE TO JUST LOOK REALLY CREATIVELY, I THINK, AT THAT AND STRATEGICALLY AND I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR THEM.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ALL THAT. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT CLASS SIZE AS WELL, NOT MAKING ANY FORMAL CHANGES NECESSARILY, BUT TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC AND HOW WE MAKE THOSE SECTION SPLITS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE DETAIL OVER THE NEXT FEW MEETINGS.
>> THAT BRINGS US TO COMMITTEE REPORTS, ANOTHER FINANCE COMMITTEE.
[4.3 Board of Education Committee Reports]
SURE, WE HAD A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING THIS MORNING WHICH WE GOT A PRECURSOR TO WHAT YOU JUST SAW REALLY, WHERE WE JUST COVERED MAJOR BUDGET DRIVERS, STAFFING CHANGES, FUNDING SOURCES, AND VARIOUS OTHER MATTERS INFLUENCING DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET THAT DR.CHAMP SHARED WITH EVERYONE TODAY THIS EVENING.
I THINK WE REMINDED OURSELVES OF THE BOARD'S DIRECTIVE BACK IN OCTOBER TO TRY AND KEEP EXPENSES AS FLAT AS POSSIBLE IN ANTICIPATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN TONIGHT, THIS BUDGET APPEARS TO BE DELIVERING ON THAT GUIDANCE.
>> ARE WE DONE WITH FINANCE COMMITTEE?
>> YES, WE'RE DONE WITH FINANCE. DID L MISS ANYTHING JIM?
>> WE ALSO HAD A SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK AND WE TALKED THROUGH THE STATUS OF DISTRICT WIDE DRILLS AND THE DISTRICT IS UP TO DATE ON ALL OF ITS DRILLS.
YES, EVAC CHAIRS THAT WILL HELP STUDENTS DOWN THE STAIRS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
ONE WILL BE PLACED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE AT SYMINOI AS WELL.
WE WENT THROUGH TRAININGS THAT ARE UPCOMING.
THERE IS SCHOOL MONITOR AND BUILDING ERT NARCAN TRAINING, RECERTIFICATION, ALSO THREAT ASSESSMENT TRAINING.
I THINK THAT'S HAPPENING ON MARCH 15TH.
WE REVIEWED THE PROTOCOL FOR THE MONITORS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SIT AT THE FRONT DESK AT SCHOOLS.
WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE PROTOCOLS THAT THEY HAVE, THAT'S LIKE THE FIRST PERSON TO KEEP THE SCHOOLS SAFE.
THEN ON MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, ANNE MARIE AND I PARTICIPATED IN THIS.
WE ATTENDED, I WAS LIKE, I DON'T SEE IT ON HERE, BUT ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING AT PROSPECT HILL.
IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THE WORK THAT GOES INTO PREPARING FOR A SITUATION LIKE THAT.
I THANK PELLA MANOR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE VILLAGE APPELLANT POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR COMING TOGETHER TO DO THAT.
I THINK THERE WAS INCIDENT COMMAND TRAINING FEBRUARY 5TH,
[02:20:05]
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE PARENT SQUARE ROLLOUT AND HOW HELPFUL THAT HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATIONS.WE WERE GIVEN AN UPDATE ON THE EMS RESPONSE TIME NOW THAT THE TOWN HAS AN AMBULANCE.
I THINK WE HEARD THAT FOR TWO EMS CALLS, THE RESPONSE TIME WAS UNDER THREE MINUTES, SO WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIG IMPROVEMENT.
THEN I THINK IT'S FEBRUARY 15TH THAT COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER AND SOME OTHER OFFICIALS [BACKGROUND] ARE COMING TO SEE THE PEDESTRIAN ISSUE AT GLOVER AS PART OF FIGURING OUT A WAY FORWARD THERE TO IMPROVE THAT SITUATION.
THEN LASTLY WE TALKED ABOUT THE BOARD OF ED COFFEE THAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 11TH THAT WAS ACTUALLY SAFETY FOCUSED.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS AFTER THERE ARE SITUATIONS SUCH AS THE BOMB THREAT THAT HAPPENED RECENTLY WHEN STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE JUST SOME WAY FOR THE KIDS ANXIETY TO BE LESSENED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT THERE'S NOW A SCRIPT FOR THAT WHEN THE KIDS COME BACK.
>> I WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S STILL IN DEVELOPMENT.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD DURING ONE OF THE BOARD COFFEES.
WE ALWAYS REMIND STUDENTS IF THEY ARE UPSET, THEY CAN AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE COUNSELING SERVICES.
BUT THEY REMINDED US THAT OFTEN THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO MAYBE AREN'T EXPRESSING THAT VISIBLY OR JUST REALLY ENCOURAGING US TO NORMALIZE THAT FEELING ANXIOUS AND STRESS AND THESE KIND OF SITUATION IS A NORMAL REACTION AND TO FIND WAYS TO HELP STUDENTS PROCESS THAT.
GENERALLY, AT THE SCHOOLS, THE PRINCIPALS, OR THE CLINICIANS WILL PUSH IN AFTERWARDS AND REMIND STUDENTS OF THAT.
BUT GENE FARRELL ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO HIM FOLLOWING THAT AND HE'S GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE TEAM TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE SYSTEMATIZE OUR APPROACH A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HOPEFULLY, WE CAN WRAP THAT INTO OUR CRISIS PLANS.
THAT WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO STAFF DURING EVENTS BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A CLINICIAN IN EVERY CLASSROOM, BUT THERE'S A TEACHER IN EVERY CLASSROOM.
WHAT MESSAGING CAN WE GIVE TO THEM TO HELP PROVIDE A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE FOR KIDS DURING A SITUATION? THEN ALSO, WHAT LANGUAGE CAN WE GIVE THEM AFTERWARDS JUST TO HELP PROCESS? WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
CHAMP, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED AS A BOARD MEMBER BY MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME INCIDENTS UNFORTUNATELY IN JANUARY AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, WE DO HAVE A FULL TIME STAFF ON SITE WHO IS THE MAIN ROLE IS SECURITY.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THAT IN THAT WE DO TAKE THESE SITUATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING VERY SERIOUSLY AND THERE'S ALWAYS A DEEP BRIEF AND A LESSONS LEARNED.
AND WE ALL LEARN FROM WHEN THINGS HAPPEN AND HOW WE THEN DEVELOP NEW PLANS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SITUATIONS DON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
>> NO, I THINK YOU CAPTURED THE AGENDA.
>> [LAUGHTER] I APOLOGIZE, I JUST SENT THE BOARD JIM'S MEMO.
IT'S BEEN STUCK IN MY EMAIL, SO I APOLOGIZE.
I'M WONDERING IF GIVEN THE LATE HOUR MAY BE JUST QUESTIONS ON MEMOS AS OPPOSED TO YOUR POINTS.
>> AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE THAT JIM HAS JUST CAME THROUGH TO YOU, BUT I KNOW ALICE AND TRACY AND STEVE SENT THEIR MEMOS HOME.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT TO YOU OVER THE WEEKEND.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU [NOISE] WOULD LIKE THEM TO SPEAK TO.
>> MINE, REALLY COVER THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND IF I COULD JUST ADD, THE FRIENDS OF PELHAM SPORTS FITNESS AND WEIGHT ROOM IS PROGRESSING NICELY.
THE FLOORING WAS INSTALLED, THE PAINTING IS COMPLETED, THE LIGHTING IS READY.
WE'RE JUST REALLY WAITING FOR SOME NEW EQUIPMENT TO SHOW UP, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT WORK WORKING WITH THEM.
I THINK ONCE EVERYTHING IS SET, THERE'S A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RIBBON CUTTING.
[02:25:03]
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A TOUR.
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT LOOKS GREAT.
I ADDED A COUPLE OF PICTURES IN MY MEMO SO YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE PROGRESS.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DETAILED MEMOS TOO.
I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO FINANCIAL REPORTS AND MOTIONS.
[6. Financial Reports and Motions]
I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE AS A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 6.1 THROUGH 6.5.>> YEAH. 6.1 IS THE BOARD MEETING DATE ADJUSTMENTS THAT I REFERENCED EARLIER.
6.2 SADLY, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO BRING BACK TO YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT.
THAT WAS AN UPDATE ON OUR SINGLE-PAGE CALENDAR FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR SINCE WE TOOK A SNOW DAY A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK [LAUGHTER] AND [OVERLAPPING] TOMORROW IS NO SNOW DAY.
REALLY HAVE THIS PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS THOUGH.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS MEANS THAT WE ARE ONLY GOING TO HAVE A THREE-DAY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.
IF YOU RECALL, THE ORIGINAL ITERATION OF THE CALENDAR HAD TWO BLUE DATES IN MAY; THE 23RD AND 24TH.
THOSE ARE WHAT WE CALL CONTINGENCY DAYS.
THOSE ARE RELATED TO A PROVISION IN SOME OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
IF WE TAKE NO SNOW DAYS, THEN WE GET THOSE AS TWO EXTRA DAYS WHERE SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAD IN THE PAST SCHOOL YEAR.
WE HAD A LOVELY FIVE-DAY WEEKEND.
BUT THE WAY THAT WORKS IS IF YOU TAKE ONE SNOW DAY, WE LOSE THE FIRST OF THOSE TWO, AND NOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW, IT'S OUR SECOND SNOW DAY, WE'LL NOW LOSE THE SECOND ONE OF THOSE.
I'LL BE BRINGING THIS BACK TO YOU FOR APPROVAL AGAIN AT OUR NEXT MEETING, IN ADDITION TO THE 23RD, REVERTING TO A SCHOOL DAY, THE 24TH, WE'LL NOW REVERT TO A SNOW SCHOOL DAY.
THAT DOES STILL LEAVE US THREE MORE SNOW DAYS BEFORE WE WOULD HAVE TO THEN GO TO GIVING UP ADDITIONAL VACATION DAYS.
YOU DO SEE LISTED AT THE BOTTOM A BIG PARAGRAPH ABOUT THAT.
IF WE WERE TO USE THREE MORE SNOW DAYS, THEN WE WOULD START TO GO INTO THE SPRING BREAK, AND IT HAPPENS PASSOVER WEEKEND.
THAT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, BUT THOSE ARE THERE, JUST AS A WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO TOMORROW'S [OVERLAPPING] CANCELLATION, WE'LL BE COMING AND BRINGING THIS BACK TO YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.
>> [OVERLAPPING] SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO APPROVE IT [LAUGHTER] THIS NIGHT?
>> WE COULD DO IT EITHER WAY. WE COULD TABLE IT AND JUST COME BACK WITH A REVISED DRAFT THE FOLLOWING OR WE COULD APPROVE IT AND THEN JUST REVISE.
>> WE TOOK A CONSENT MOTION, SO MAYBE WE JUST [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER]
FOR RIGHT NOW IT'S ACCURATE, AS OF TOMORROW, IT WILL BE INACCURATE AND WE'LL BRING A NEW ONE BACK NEXT TIME.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. ALL IN FAVOR?
>> POSITION. NO. UNANIMOUS. MOVING ON TO POLICY MONITORING AND GOVERNANCE,
[7.1 Policy 6190 - Workplace Violence Prevention Policy (Second Reading)]
WE HAVE THE SECOND READING OF THE WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY 6190 WHICH IS A REQUIRED POLICY AT THIS POINT.>> YEAH, NEW POLICY REQUIRED BY THE STATE AS DR. GARCIA WENT INTO GREAT DETAIL LAST TIME, SO I WON'T REITERATE THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT OUR HOPE IS THAT IF THE BOARD IS AMENABLE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER WAIVING THE THIRD READING AND THEN ADOPTING THIS TONIGHT SO THAT WE CAN MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR TIMELINES.
>> I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING.
THEN WE CAN CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE POLICY 6190.
[8. Superintendent's Personnel Recommendations]
8.1 THROUGH 8.3 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.I'D ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE ITEMS.
[02:30:03]
>> NOTHING SPECIFICALLY, JUST A SERIES HERE OF RESIGNATIONS, LEAVE APPOINTMENTS, LEAVE REPLACEMENTS, SOME CLUB STIPENDS, AND OBSERVERS LIKE STUDENT-TEACHER TYPE OBSERVERS PRE-STANDARD.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? NO. I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE SCHEDULE D.
>> I THINK WE MISSED 8.4. BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. [LAUGHTER]
>> I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE 8.4.
[8.4 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Non-Instructional]
>> MOTION TO APPROVE SCHEDULE D.
>> ANY NEW BUSINESS? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> YEAH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.