[1. Call to order]
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>> GOOD EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE NOVEMBER 1, 2021 LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL BOARD STUDY SESSION. LET THE RECORD REFLECT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AND PARTICIPATING REMOTELY.
UNDER PROCLAMATION 20 DASH 28.15, THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT AND THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT, IN PERSON MEETINGS ARE PERMITTED PROVIDED THAT THE ORGANIZATION CAN FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES FOR BUSINESS MEETINGS FOUND IN MISCELLANEOUS VENUES GUIDANCE. THE GUIDANCE STATES THAT GOVERNING BODIES OF PUBLIC AGENCIES OPTING TO HOST IN-PERSON PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE PERMITTED WITH NO RESTRICTION OR CAPACITY OR PHYSICAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS.UT ALL APPLICABLE FACE COVERING REQUIREMENTS AS OUTLINED IN PROCLAMATION 20 DASH 25. MUST BE FOLLOWED.
THE BOARDVALUES PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE MEETINGS . THIS BOARD WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO COMPLY WITH ALL LAWS RELATED TO OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT AND CURRENT EMERGENCY PROCLAMATIONS.F THE GUIDANCE CANNOT BE FOLLOWED AND THE REQUIREMENTS CANNOT BE MET, THE SCHOOL BOARD MUST HOLD ITS MEETINGS REMOTELY.
DUE TO RECENT NONCOMPLIANCE AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS, THE BOARD IS DETERMINED TO HOLD MEETINGS REMOTELY.
AT THIS TIME, IT IS PLANNED ALL BOARD MEETINGS IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER WILL BE HELD REMOTELY UNLESS THERE ARE CHANGES IN THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED. BOARD MEETINGS, STUDY SESSIONS AND SPECIAL BOARD MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE TO BE LIVE STREAMED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE, WWW.LSD.ORG.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO LIVE STREAM THE MEETING, YOU MAY
[1. Work Plan of the Board]
CALL TO LISTEN. THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THAT IS 425-936-2813. THE CONFERENCE ID NUMBER IS 37127. THE FIRST TOPIC FOR TONIGHT'S STUDY SESSION IS CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF THE BIRDS WORK PLAN. DR. HOLMEN, CAN YOU LEAD ATHANK YOU. ANYTIME WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS SUCH AS THESE, FOR ME IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO GO BACK TO THE POLICIES THAT HELP GUIDE US.
SO I WANT TO START -- I'LL SHARE MY SCREEN SO WE CAN ALL JUST HAVE A REMINDER OF THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN, THE PROCESS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, COVID HAS REALLY REACHED SOME HAVOC ON PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES.
THIS IS A GOOD REMINDER OF REALLY WHAT IS THE EXPECTED PROCESS AND ANNUAL CYCLE THAT WE WENT TO GO THROUGH? SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, GOVERNANCE CULTURE, POLICY NUMBER 6. THE BOARD WILL FOLLOW AN ANNUAL WORK PLAN THAT INCLUDES CONTINUAL MONITORING AND REVIEWING OF ALL POLICIES, ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, STUDENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE POOR PERFORMANCE. 6.1.
THE ANNUAL PLANNING CYCLE WILL END EACH YEAR BY JUNE 30 TO ALLOW THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PROPERLY ALIGN INTERNAL OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES.
6.2 -- THE BOARD'S ANNUAL WORK PLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR WILL INCLUDE THESE THINGS: SCHEDULED ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND PERSONS, GOVERNANCE PROCESS AND IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING ORIENTATION AND TRAINING OF CANDIDATES AND NEW BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE BOARD'S GOVERNANCE PROCESS AND OTHER DISCUSSIONS BY THE BOARD ABOUT MEANS TO IMPROVE ITS OWN PERFORMANCE. ESPECIALLY BOARDKNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. SCHEDULE MONITORING OF ALL POLICIES. OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE PART OF THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTERESTS.
TO ME, IT'S INTRIGUING GIVEN THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD LAST TIME , REALLY PART OF THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN PROCESS IS TO BE IDENTIFYING THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE BOARD.ND SO, WHILE IT DIDN'T FIT WITHIN THIS TIMELINE AND CYCLE, I'M GLAD WE ARE REVISITING THIS. WE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS -- I DID WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE LAST WEEK.
ANDTHIS, TO ME, IS REALLY A GOOD LUNCH POINT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND SO, TONIGHT , REALLY THE SPECIFIC REQUEST WAS TO HAVE DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION AROUND BOARD LINKAGE. THE WHEN AND THE HOW.HO DOES THE BOARD ENGAGE WITH? I OFFERED TO CONNECT WITH ALL OF YOU. AND I MET WITH ERIC FIRST, AND PEARS AFTER THAT. WHAT I DID, AND IT'S IN BOARD DOCS. I TOOK EIGHT PAGES OF NOTES FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND I TRY TO NARROW IT IN ON WHAT I BELIEVED WHAT WAS SOME COMMONALITIES IN SOME KEY
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AREAS. AND SO, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SHARE MY SCREEN. WITH THAT DOCUMENT, YOU WILL ALSO FIND IT IN THE STUDY SESSION PORTION OF BOARD DOCS.ALL RIGHT. THIS IS ALITTLE BETTER SIZE.
I CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT ON MY SCREEN! YOU CAN SEE HERE, WHEN I MET WITH EACH OF YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT DEFINITION . NONE OF THIS IS SET IN STONE.
THIS IS -- AS I HEARD THE BOARD DISCUSSING, ULTIMATELY, WE ALL HAVE A RELATIVELY SIMILAR DEFINITION OF WHAT A LINKAGE SESSION IS. IT REALLY IS ABOUT BOARD MEMBERS MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO HEAR FEEDBACK. TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.ND FOR CONSULTATION TO HELP INFORM THE BOARD REGARDING YOUR WORK. AND SO, AS I HEARD EACH OF YOU TALK ABOUT IT, THAT'S REALLY WHAT I LANDED ON.
THE THREE COMPONENTS OF IT -- FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT AROUND YOUR WORK. EXPERIENCES THAT STAKEHOLDERS ARE HAVING WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION OR IN RESPONSE TO OUR ORGANIZATION. OR THE BOARD MAY SAY WE ARE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING, AND WE WANT TO GET INFORMATION FROM YOU AROUND A SPECIFIC TOPIC. AND SO, THAT IS WHAT I HEARD FROM EVERYONE. IN TERMS OF PARTICIPATION -- WHEN DOES THE BOARD ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN LINKAGE SESSIONS? AND HOW IS THAT CONSTITUTED? EACH OF YOU THAT I MET WITH, IT WAS AN EVOLVING CONVERSATION.
EVERY TIME WE TALKED ABOUT IT. BECAUSE THERE REALLY WERE TO SPECIFIC PURPOSES IDENTIFIED IN TERMS OF HOW THE BOARD VIEWS LANGUAGE. ONE IS WITH THE FULL BOARD.
AND THAT ALLOWS THE BOARD TO IDENTIFY A VERY SPECIFIC AREA OF INTEREST. IT'S PROBABLY MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LARGER -- A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY ORCHESTRATED, IF YOU WILL. I RECALL -- IT WAS WHEN DR.
PIERCE WAS SUPERINTENDENT. WE HELD IN THE BOARD ROOM HERE A LINKAGE SESSION REGARDING SPECIAL EDUCATION.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE HAD FAMILY AND STAFF.
WE HAD FIVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF TABLES SET UP.
BUT EVERYONE WAS IN THE SAME ROOM HAVING SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS. SO THAT REALLY WAS A FULL BOARD EXPERIENCE AROUND A VERY SPECIFIC TOPIC THAT THE BOARD WANTED TO RECEIVE.ND I WOULD CONSTITUTE THAT AS TO RECEIVES FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND THEIR EXPERIENCES WITHIN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. THEN, REALLY WITHIN THIS LAST YEAR, WE REALLY DEVIATED FROM WHAT THE BOARD HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY IN TERMS OF FORMALIZED LINKAGE SESSIONS.
AS YOU KNOW, AS THE BOARD DID THAT INITIAL WORK AROUND OE-14, IT REALLY WAS TO BUY TWO BOARD MEMBERS.
BUT ALL OF YOU FOUND THAT TO BE VERY BENEFICIAL.
AND PART OF WHAT YOU HOPED WOULD BE PART OF THE PLAN AND SCHEDULE MOVING FORWARD. SO TWO BOARD MEMBERS REALLY WAS ENGAGEMENT WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUPS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD IS THAT'S A NICE WAY OF JUST KINDA CONTINUALLY CONNECTING AND CHECKING IN WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS. ANOTHER QUESTION I ASKED WAS AROUND TIMING. SO WHEN SHOULD THE BOARD BE DOING LINKAGES AND HOW OFTEN? AND FOR THE FULL BOARD SCHEDULED LINKAGE SESSIONS, I WOULD SAY IT WAS ABOUT QUARTERLY. PROBABLY THREE TIMES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. YOU KNOW, VERY PLANNED OUT.
PART OF THE WORK PLAN CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE WORK PLAN.
AN AREA OF INTEREST FOR THE BOARD.
BUT I THINK I HEARD EACH OF YOU ALSO SAY THAT THOSE TWO BY TWO CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, STAKEHOLDERS -- REALLY, BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN THOSE MONTHLY.
AT A MINIMUM. THAT'S HOW YOU ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY ENGAGED WITH BUT ALSO STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND HEAR FROM.
WHEN I HEARD FROM YOU ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, YOU CAN SEE
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THERE IS ONE SPECIFIC GROUP CALLED OUT AND THAT'S STUDENTS.ALL FIVE OF YOU WERE VERY SPECIFIC THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE PURPOSEFUL ABOUT HOW WE ARE HAVING STUDENTS PARTICIPATE WITH THE BOARD FOR THE PURPOSES OF FEEDBACK EXPERIENCE IN CONSULTATION. SO I HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.
WE HAVE SOME STRUCTURES IN PLACE.
BUT I ALSO HEARD THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS OF STUDENTS THAT YOU ALSO WANT TO BE TALKING WITH.HAT COULD BE WITH THE FULL BOARD. BUT THAT COULD ALSO BE WITH SMALLER GROUPS OF BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THEN, THERE ARE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS RELATED TO THE BOARD'S WORK PLAN. MEANING THERE MAY BE WORK ON THE AGENDA AHEAD THAT WE MAY NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO CONSULT WITH? OR RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON? BUT ALSO, I HEARD THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT YOU ENGAGED WITH OVER THIS LAST YEAR? THERE IS A STRONG INTEREST TO MAINTAIN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS FOR ONGOING DIALOGUE AND CONNECTION. IN TERMS OF TOPIC DEVELOPMENT, IT'S TWO SPECIFIC THINGS. ONE, JUST THE CONCEPT OF EQUITY. I HEARD OTHER TOPICS AND CONTENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, PREDOMINANTLY ALL FIVE OF YOU SAID THAT IS A TOPIC THAT YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN -- LINKAGE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT.
AND THE OTHERS ARE REALLY DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BOARD'S WORK PLAN. SO, THOSE LINKAGE SESSIONS WILL EVOLVE OVER TIME. AND DEPENDENT ON THE WORK THAT THE BOARD IS FOCUSED ON. AND IN TERMS OF FACILITATION, THE LAST COMPONENT HERE.WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST YEAR. THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO HOW WE FACILITATED LAST YEAR. BUT PREDOMINANTLY, I DID HEAR THAT HAVING STAFFS FACILITATE AND TAKE NOTES FOR THE BOARD, SO THAT YOU CAN BE PRESENT AND ENGAGED IN THOSE LINKAGES WAS BENEFICIAL. SO THAT'S MY -- MY CONSOLIDATION OF ALL OF MY NOTES.
THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS, OBVIOUSLY, IN MY NOTES. BUT THAT'S WHERE I LANDED.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT PIECES THAT YOU EITHER AGREE, DISAGREE, OR JUST
DISCUSSION POINTS. >> SORRY, I COULDN'T GET OFF MUTE. CASSANDRA, YOUR HAND WENT UP FIRST.> YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ALL OF US HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE. WE HAVE THE ABILITY AS A BOARD MEMBER TO, OF COURSE, DO MORE THAN WHAT THE PLAN SAYS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AND SOME
ENCOURAGEMENT. >> YEAH.AND CASSANDRA, I BELIEVE IT WAS YOU, SIRI AND I MET.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THAT SPECIFIC CONVERSATION.
AND I WANT TO BRING THAT TO THE SPACE AS WELL.
LINKAGE IS A VERY SPECIFIC, DEFINED TERM.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT BOARD COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, IF THAT WERE THE UMBRELLA, THERE WOULD BE MANY MORE LAYERS TO THIS. YOU THINK OF ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THE BOARD HEARS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
TALKS TO THE COMMUNITY. UNDERSTANDS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE COMMUNITY. IT'S MUCH BROADER THAN JUST THIS DEFINITION OF LINKAGE. SO THANK YOU.
I WAS WONDERING, ONE OF THE POINTS WE HAD EARLIER DURING THE DISCUSSION WAS THE PUBLIC'S CONCERN THAT WE WERE HAVING TOO MUCH STAFF INVOLVEMENT. WE BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF PERHAPS HAVING A STENOGRAPHER OR REPORTER TYPE PERSON COME IN. AND IT OCCURRED TO ME AFTER WE HAD OUR MEETING THAT WE MIGHT EVEN WANT TO CONSIDER A THIRD-PARTY FACILITATOR? THAT MIGHT MAKE FOLKS MORE FORTHCOMING WITH THEIR COMMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW.T'S JUST A THOUGHT.
LORD KNOWS, WE DON'T WANT TO KILL BUDGETS BY DOING THIS.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET GOOD, HONEST FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. IT'S A THOUGHT.
>> YEP. AND YOU KNOW, MARK, IN RESPONSE TO THAT, I WONDER IF THAT'S ALSO A TOPIC OF
(INDISCERNIBLE)? >> IT COULD BE.
IT MIGHT EVEN BE GROUP SPECIFIC.
I DON'T KNOW.T DEPENDS ON THE ISSUE.
I THINK THERE ARE MORE MARGINALIZED GROUPS THATNEED MORE . ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THEY WANT TO DISCUSS.
THAT'S MY FEELING OR MY IMPRESSION FROM THEM ANYWAY.
A FEW OF THEM HAVE SPOKEN UP AND WERE TAKING NOTES.
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>> (LAUGHING). >> I DON'T DISCOUNT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND. IT'S THE OLD FEAR OF BEING CALLED INTO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE.
>> YEAH. >> DR. BELIEVES IN HER, YOU CAN GO NEXT. OKAY.
I'LL GO THEN. SO ONE COMMENT I HAD WHEN I TALKED TO JOHN -- IT SORT OF RECOGNIZED IN HERE AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THIS OUT IN THE MEETING IS THAT I VIEW LINKAGES AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AS A BOARD MEMBER TO LISTEN.
I SUPPOSE THERE IS ALSO AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT -- FOR LINKAGE IT'S MORE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE PARTICIPANTS. FOR ME, I THINK THE MOST VALUE FOR THE LINKAGE IS IF IT IS JUST MORE OF A LISTENING SESSION. AND SO, JOHN'S DEFINITION, HE HAS THE WORD HERE AS THE VERB. WHICH I THINK REFLECTS MORE OF LISTENING THEN DIALOGUE.BUT JOHN, I DIDN'T HEAR FROM YOUR SYNOPSIS OF WHETHER -- WELL, I'LL JUST PUT IT OUT TO THE BOARD. I'LL PROBABLY DO IT THAT WAY.
IF ANYBODY DISAPPEARS STOMACH DISAGREES, I'D BE CURIOUS TO
HEAR ONE'S THOUGHTS ON IT. >> SO WILL QUICKLY, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK FROM. TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION, ERIC, IN REGARDS TO LISTENING, I DO BELIEVE LINKAGES ARE ABOUT LISTENING AND HEARING. YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE YOU GET DOWN TO THE DEPTH YOU WANT TO. BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT REALLY IS WORKING AND HEARING FROM OUR COMMUNITY ON SPECIFIC TOPICS.
I THINK THE TOPIC DEVELOPMENT EQUITY -- I KNOW THE OTHER PIECE WE HAD WHEN WE INITIALLY DID THIS WAS ALSO WHAT DOES A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT LOOK LIKE? AND SO, I DO THINK THAT'S ANOTHER TOPIC WE HAVE COMING DOWN.
IN REGARDS NOT TO JUST FACILITIES BUT ACTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. WITH REMOTE OPTIONS AND WHAT DOES AT VISION LOOK LIKE AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN THAT SETTING.
AND I DO THINK THE OPTION OF FACILITATORS IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT UPON THE TOPIC AT HAND.
I KNOW WHEN WE DID THE LONG-TERM FACILITY TASK FORCE, HAVING ANOTHER FACILITATOR DEDICATE THE TIME TO IT WAS HIGHLY VALUABLE. BECAUSE IT GAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THOSE. SO I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT AS WELL. STUDENTS I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT WE DO ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS. THAT WOULD BE MY ONE CONCERN WITH THIS. I DON'T THINK QUARTERLY IS ENOUGH. AND THE ONE THING THAT I DON'T SEE AND I HAD MENTIONED WAS SCHOOL VISITS.
ACTUALLY GOING OUT WITHIN THE SCHOOL TO SEE THE PURPOSE.
WHETHER THAT'S A LINKAGE OR ANOTHER ANGLE OF BOARD ENGAGEMENT IN SOME REGARDS? I DO THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO BE OUT IN OUR SCHOOLS IN A CONSISTENT FASHION.
THAT'S ANOTHER COMPONENT. >> DIRECTOR STUART, YOU CAN GO
I AGREE HAVING CONTACT WITH THE STUDENTS MORE IS BETTER.
AND THE POINT ABOUT THE FACILITATION OF THE LONG-TERM TASK FORCE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I KNOW WHEN WE WERE HAVING OUR DISCUSSION, CHRIS AND JON AND I WAS THE MORE LANGUAGES E HAD, THE MORE STAFF KEPT TIME. IT'S A FULL-TIME JOB.
AND I'M THINKING HAVING A FACILITATOR MIGHT MAKE THAT LESS OF A BURDEN TO HAVE IT MORE OFTEN, TO BE QUITE FRANKLY. DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? IF WE HAVE IT MORE OFTEN, YOU WON'T HAVE TO HAVE STAFF DEDICATED JUST TO ORGANIZE. WE CAN HAVE THE FACILITATOR WORK ON THAT AS WELL. NOT TO BE DIVORCED FROM IT ENTIRELY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAKEHOLDERS WE ARE TALKING TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT OUTNUMBERED.
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THERE WERE ONLY STAFF FACILITATING.
ND OFTEN, THERE WAS OFTEN STAFF WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS -- TEACHERS AND SUCH.
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AND TO BE QUITE FRANK, I'D LOVE TO HAVE TEACHERS IN THE GROUP.I'D LOVE TO HAVE LINKAGES WITH THEM.
BUT TO MIX THE TWO, IT KIND OF MAKES THE PARENTS FEEL SHOVED TO THE SIDE. AT LEAST, THAT WERE THE
COMMENTS I GOT. >> ALL RIGHT, DIRECTOR CARLSON,
YOU CAN GO FIRST. >> SO A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
FIRST, I THINK, JON, YOU CAPTURE THE CONVERSATION WELL.
WITH REGARD TO SCHOOL VISITS, I WOULD PUSH BACK ON THAT.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I FEEL WE EVER NEED TO DO FORMERLY AS A BOARD. BECAUSE EVERY TIME I HAVE INVITED MYSELF TO A PCS A MEETING THEY HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO HAVE ME. THAT ISN'T ROUTINE BUT IT'S SOMETHING I'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
SO I DON'T SEE WE NEED TO SYSTEMATICALLY AS A BOARD REACH OUT TO (INDISCERNIBLE). AS FAR AS FACILITATION GOES, BEING CONTACT DEPENDENT IS A GOOD ONE.
THERE WILL BE BIG ISSUES LIKE THE FACILITIES ISSUE WHERE DEDICATED FACILITATOR MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
BUT AS A RULING THING, I'M NOT SURE THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE A FULL-TIME FACILITATOR ON OUR STAFF.
MY LAST QUESTION ON THE STUDENTS IS I AM HAPPY TO MEET WITH STUDENTS ON AN IRREGULAR BASIS.
I AM NOT HAPPY MAKING IT A REGULAR THING UNTIL WE KNOW WHY WE ARE MEETING WITH STUDENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN THE HOUSE? I FEEL LIKE I HEAR A LOT FROM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE READY. SO THAT IS SOMETHING I DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO CONNECT WITH THAT GROUP MORE THAN I ALREADY
DO. >> MY COMMENT IS AROUND DIRECTOR BLIESNER'S. I WANT TO ECHO WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A WEED 10 -- THE STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS PART OF TOPIC. IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME TILL SHE SAID THAT. THAT'S UP FOR MONITORING TONIGHT. I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME CONVERSATION AND COMMENT AROUND THAT.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE BENEFIT OF LINKAGES, FOR ME, IT'S WHEN THEY ARE TIED DIRECTLY TO WORK OF THE BOARD THAT IS OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY. I WANT TO KEEP OUR COMMITMENT THAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO ON OUR EQUITY WORK AND COMPLETE THAT.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE US TO FOCUS ON -- I THINK FOCUSING ON THE STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
I LOST TRACK OF HANDS. I DON'T KNOW WHO IS NEXT.
I APOLOGIZE. SO IF ONE OF YOU JUST WANT TO
JUMP IN? >> I'M JUMPING IN! I JUST WANTED TO REALLY EXPRESS THE VALUE THAT I FIND IN SCHOOL VISITS. I WAS ABLE TO DO SEVERAL LAST YEAR. TEACHERS INVITED ME TO THEIR ONLINE CLASSROOMS. AND THEN, SOME INVITED ME TO IN PERSON WHEN THEY RETURNED. THE AMAZING THINGS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING AND THE THINGS THEY MIGHT NEED SUPPORT WITH ARE REALLY ONLY OBVIOUS IF YOU ARE ABLE TO VISIT THE CLASSROOM. WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND TRYING TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ENVISION FOR OUR KIDS AND OUR FUTURE?
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SCHOOL VISITS.>> DIRECTOR BLIESNER
DIRECTOR STUART. >> SO I WAS JUST GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE REASON THE BOARD DOES SCHOOL VISITS.
THIS IS NOT HAVING A CHILD NOW IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR FIVE YEARS.ND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT THE ELEMENTARY EXPERIENCE IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS. AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE VALUE OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE TARGETED'S THOUGHTS OF SCHOOL VISITS -- SAFETY AND INCLUSION IS ONE OF THE PIECES WE ARE WELCOMING.
GOING INTO THOSE ENVIRONMENTS DURING THE DAY AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE AS A BOARD SO WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OF WHAT WE SEE AND WHAT IS DONE IS HIGHLY VALUABLE. SO I RECOGNIZE YOU HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, BUT THAT IS ONE STUDENT. DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE BREATH OF WHAT EXISTS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS A BOARD THAT WE CONSIDER THAT.
ENCOURAGE SCHOOL VISITS? I CAN GO AND I HAVE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, HOW DO WE BRING THAT TOGETHER AS A BOARD?
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SO I THINK THAT'S A KEY POINT AS TO WHY I RECOMMEND STRONGLY AND HIGHLY THAT WE CONSIDER OPTIONS OF HOW WE DO THAT ANDBRING THAT FORWARD. >> DIRECTOR STUART AND THEN
DIRECTOR CARLSON. >> TWO THINGS: ONE, IT SEEMS WAY FAR BACK, BUT BACK TO THE LISTENING PORTION OF THE SESSIONS, I AGREE. I ALSO THINK YOU ALMOST HAVE TO GO WITH THE FLOW OF THE MEETING.
IF YOU ARE FINDING THAT THE PARENTS OR STUDENTS ARE WANTING TO ENGAGE, THEN YOU HAVE TO KIND OF GO WITH THE FLOW.
I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE SO PEOPLE DON'T THINK YOU ARE JUST SITTING THERE LIKE A BUMP IF THEY ARE ASKING YOU QUESTIONS DIRECTLY. OR THEY NEED CLARIFICATION.
ND THE WAY THEY ASK IT ALMOST BECOMES CONVERSATIONAL.
TWO, THE SCHOOL VISITS, I AGREE WE NEED TO HAVE SCHOOL VISITS.
MY CONCERN IS -- AND MAYBE THIS GOES BACK TO HOW DIRECTOR BLIESNER SAID HOW IT'S STRUCTURED.
I DON'T -- I DON'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S TIME FOR A DOG AND PONY SHOW. WE WANT TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING. WE WANT TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING ON A BASIS THAT DOESN'T GIVE US A FALSE PICTURE.NOT THAT PEOPLE WOULD INTENTIONALLY DO IT.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE THE IN-LAWS COME TO VISIT.
YOU ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE HOUSE IS CLEAN.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE AREN'T -- BASICALLY IT WOULD BE MORE OF A DISCRETION TO THE SCHOOL OPERATION THEN WE ARE AN ACCOMMODATION FOR IT. DISTRACTION.
>> I CAN'T DISPUTE THAT THEY CAN BE VALUABLE.
I WILL STRONGLY DISPUTE THAT THEY NEED TO BE REQUIRED FOR EVERY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. HERE'S WHY.
WE HAVE A JOB WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF VACATION DAYS A YEAR.
PRIORITY SPENT ONE OF THOSE DAYS ON OUR ANNUAL RETREAT ON A BOARD. I'M PERSONALLY NOT EXCITED TO SPEND MORE VACATION DAYS TO VISIT SCHOOLS DURING DAYS WHEN I'M SUPPOSED TO BE AT WORK. THAT'S VERY HONEST AND TRUE.
I'M SORRY. IF WE WANT BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOBS MAKING SCHOOL VISITS MANDATORY FOR BOARD MEMBERS IS A BAD IDEA. THAT'S ALL.
>> IN THE SENSE OF MANDATORY, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO ADAPT THINGS INTO WHAT WE DO.
HAVING THEM CONSISTENTLY SCHEDULED IN A WAY SO THEY COULD BE PARTICIPATED SPECIFICALLY, I DO THINK IS
HIGHLY VALUABLE. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO REFERENCE THE CONCEPT OF SCHOOL VISITS.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW FOR ME, ANYTIME I GO INTO A SCHOOL, I LEARNED SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN I MAY HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE. OR WHEN I THINK ABOUT WE JUST ADOPTED A NEW MATH PROGRAM. WE HEARD A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF AND THE BOARD ADOPTED IT. IT WAS GOOD DIALOGUE.
AND THEN, I GO INTO A CLASSROOM AND IT PROVIDES A DIFFERENT CONTEXT FOR ME TO ACTUALLY SEE STUDENTS INTERACTING WITH THE MATERIALS AND THE TEACHER. AND THEN, TO HEAR TEACHERS TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS IMPLEMENTATION LIKE? AND WHAT THE THINGS ARE THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH AS THEY ARE DOING THAT. THAT'S VERY OPERATIONAL.O FOR ME, THAT IS VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL.
BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND OB 10.
FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE TANGIBLE EXPERIENCES TO BE ABLE TO REFLECT ON -- AND TO CHRIS'S POINT -- I THINK INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS EXPRESSING THEIR EXPERIENCES CAN PROVIDE THAT CONTEXT FOR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.
AND SO, I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD. EVEN IF NOT EVERY BOARD MEMBER IS PARTICIPATING IN A SCHOOL VISIT.
AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING FIVE, SIX, 10 PEOPLE IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT? THAT IS ACTUALLY PRETTY TOUGH TO ACCOMPLISH. AND SO, I APPRECIATE THE
DIALOGUE AROUND THIS. >> DIRECTOR BLIESNER AND THEN,
DIRECTOR STUART. >> SO IF I WERE TO THINK OF
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THIS YEAR AND SOME OF THE WORK, SOME OF THE KEY THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT HIS ONLINE CLASSES.ESPECIALLY IN ELEMENTARY AS TO WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
AND HIGH SCHOOL. AS WELL AS INCLUSION.
TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THOSE PRACTICES MEAN IN PRACTICE. SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE KEY THINGS OF THE BIG ISSUES GOING DOWN.
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME IN WHICH WE GO THROUGH AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND DISCUSSIONS.
>> MY THOUGHT IS, CHRIS, I DON'T SEE IT AS MANDATORY.
I SEE IT AS WE'VE ALWAYS WORKED AS A TEAM.
GOD KNOWS YOUR STRENGTHS ARE SCIENCE AND MATH AND GOD KNOWS THAT'S NOT MINE. WE ALL HAVE OUR STRENGTHS AND ABILITIES TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO. IF REACHING OUT TO THE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL ENDS UP BEING PTSA FOR YOU -- FINE.
TO JON POINT, HAVING A GROUP WALK-IN IS VERY DISRUPTIVE.
IF ONE OR TWO OF US WALK IN, IT'S LESS DISRUPTIVE.
AS MUCH AS I WANT TO SEE THE SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY THE INCLUSION PART, I DON'T WANT TO BE A DISRUPTION THAT MAKES THE VISIT LESS MEANINGFUL. IF WE DISRUPT, THEN WE WILL NOT SEE A TRUE INCLUSIONARY CLASSROOM.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO SEE A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THE MORE WE CAN FADE INTO THE BACKGROUND, ALTHOUGH I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE WE WILL FADE INTO THE BACKGROUND AS A SUPERINTENDENT AND A BOARD MEMBER, I WANT TO MAKE IT AS SUBTLE AS POSSIBLE.
IF WE HAVE CO-TEACHING AND I WANT TO GO VISIT CO-TEACHING, I WANT TO SEE HOW IT WORKS. I DON'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE THROWN A MONKEY WRENCH INTO SOMETHING THAT IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.
IT'S LIKE PLAYING PARTNERS IN A TENNIS MATCH OR FOR THAT MATTER, MARRIAGE. YOU REALLY HAVE TO DEFINE YOUR ROLES. I DON'T WANT TO THROW AN EXTRA PERSON INTO THAT. THAT WOULD DISRUPT IT.
>> SO LISTENING TO THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION, OPERATIONALLY, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIMENSIONS WE NEED TO BALANCE. FIRST IS AT WHAT LEVEL IS THIS OPERATIONAL? AND FRANKLY, AT WHAT LEVEL ARE WE WILLING TO TRUST JON'S JUDGMENT? THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S A CONCERN TO ME.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING WHERE I FEEL LIKE IT DEFINITELY COULD BE A BALANCE THAT IS STRUCK FOR EACH BOARD MEMBER.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM IT WILL WORK WELL FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD TO VISIT THE CLASSROOM. I'M SORRY.
OBSERVING IT WE WILL DISRUPT IT.
AND SO, IT'S SOMETHING THAT -- I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT VALUABLE, EITHER. THAT'S MY POINT, ACTUALLY.
THERE ARE TIMES AND PLACES WHERE THIS IS VALUABLE.
AND HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS THE TIME, ENERGY AND DESIRE TO REPORT OUT ON HERE'S WHAT I SAW.
I'M ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THAT. UT TO SAY THIS IS A BOARD ROLE IS SOMETHING I AM PUSHING BACK ON.
>> DR. FELESIA AND HER. >> I THINK THE KEY THING TO HAVE IS A SYSTEMATIC WAY IN WHICH SCHOOL VISITS CAN OCCUR THAT ARE JUST DEPENDENT ON A BOARD MEMBER ASKING IT TO HAPPEN BUT BUILT IN AS A PIECE OF THE OPTIONS GOING FORWARD IN WHICH TO PARTICIPATE. SO PERHAPS THERE ARE TWO TOPICS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE OCCURRING WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE A FEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO GO WITH OTHER STAFF AND YOU BREAK INTO DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS. SO SOME OF YOU SEE A SECOND GRADE.
SOMEBODY SEES 1/5 GRADE.ND YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
IT INFORMS MY WORK BUT THE REALITY IS, THE VALUE OF HAVING MULTIPLE PIECES TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT TOGETHER.
THE CHALLENGE IS IT'S NOT SYSTEMATIC.
AND THAT'S THE PIECE I WOULD SAY I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
ESPECIALLY AS YOU HAVE BOARD MEMBERS AT DIFFERENT STAGES WITH CHILDREN IN THE SYSTEM WILL STOP AS YOU HAVE NEW MORE
[00:35:03]
MEMBERS, AND OTHERS LEAVE. I THINK IT'S THE WAY YOU SET THE GROUNDWORK. THAT IS MY REASON AS TO WHY IT NEEDS TO BE BUILT IN AS A CONCEPT.>> I AGREE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE SYSTEMATIC.
ONLY FOR THE REASON THAT IF IT ISN'T, IT FALLS THROUGH THE CRACK AND NEVER GETS DONE. IF WE SET UP A SCHEDULE, IF YOU WILL, A SYSTEM OF WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE DONE, WHAT TOPICS AND ISSUES WE ARE LOOKING AT, HOWEVER BREAKS OUT -- IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF A SYSTEM IN PLACE, IT DOES FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. GEE, WE MET TO GO THERE LAST WEEK. OH WELL, WE WILL TRY AGAIN NEXT WEEK. AND TO CHRIS'S POINT, NOT EVERYBODY HAS A SCHEDULE THAT IS THAT FLEXIBLE.
SOME ARE MORE FLEXIBLE THAN OTHERS.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING THAT WHATSOEVER.
BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF MAKING IT SYSTEMATIC FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THERE IS A SCHEDULE.
WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE GOING TO DO IT.
I STILL REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE DOG AND PONY SHOW ASPECT BUT THAT'S JUST ME. I THINK THERE IS NO WAY OF GETTING AROUND IT TO BE QUITE FRANK.
THERE IS NO WAY OF GETTING AROUND IT.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO SURPRISE THE TEACHER BECAUSE THEN THEY GO INTO SHOCK. YOU DON'T WANT TO SURPRISE THE KIDS, BECAUSE THEY GET DISRUPTED THEMSELVES.
SO I THINK THE MORE SUBTLE IT IS WITH 1 TO 2 PEOPLE, THE BETTER. IF THEY SPREAD OUT AND GO INTO DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS, I'LL SAY SPREAD OUT AS OPPOSED TO BREAK-IN BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF BREAKING AND ENTERING INTO ANY PLACE! I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF ORGANIZING IT TO BE QUITE FRANK.
>> IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO DISTINGUISH DO YOU BELIEVE THIS IS PART OF LINKAGE OR WORK PLAN? AND IF WORK PLAN, I WOULD ADVISE US TO UPDATE GC-6.
BECAUSE IF IT'S A VALUE OF THE BOARD, AND THE BOARD WANTS TO SEE IT AS ONGOING, WHAT POLICY DOES IS IT OUTLIVES ALL OF US.
AND IF IT IS SOMETHING THE BOARD SEES AS A VALUE, THEN AND BETTING THAT INTO GC-6 AND GCF, IT ACTUALLY THEN PROVIDES A CONSTRUCT THAT THEN HELPS IT BECOME SYSTEMATIC.
RATHER THAN JUST A ONE OFF CONVERSATION, BOARD MEMBER SUPERINTENDENT. SO THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION I WOULD MAKE. IS DEFINING THIS AS LINKAGE OR NOT. AND THEN, IF NOT, THEN ADDING IT TO GC-6 AS PART OF THE WORK PLAN.
>> I DON'T -- I DON'T VIEW DOING SCHOOL VISITS AS PART OF LINKAGE WORK. AND I COULD SEE THE VALUE IN IT. I COULD THINK OF HYPOTHETICALS FOR A PARTICULAR -- THE TOPICS WERE THE BOARD IS UNDERTAKING.
IT COULD BE VALUE IN HAVING THAT -- BUT IT -- IT'S HARD FOR ME TO THINK OF A SYSTEMIC REASON FOR AND BETTING THIS IDEA AND POLICY FOR THE WORK OF THE BOARD.
DIRECTOR CARLSON? >> YOU ACTUALLY SET UP BETTER THAN I WAS GOING TO. I WOULD SECOND THAT POINT WAS THAT SIMPLY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT -- I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT I COULD GET OUT OF GOING INTO A SPECIFIC CLASSROOM TO WATCH. AND THAT IS GETTING THE FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF SOMETHING.
IN PRACTICE, LINKAGE SESSION IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE US THE FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCE.
AND JON'S REPORT IS POSTED GIVE US THE SYSTEMATIC PERSPECTIVE OF HOW HE THINKS IT'S GOING. BETWEEN THOSE TWO, I HONESTLY DON'T THINK MY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. RELATIVE TO LINKAGE OF COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING SOMETHING AND LISTENING TO THEM CAREFULLY. AND LISTENING TO JON AND HIS TEAM WHEN THEY MAKE REPORTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO I AM ALSO QUITE SKEPTICAL OF FORMERLY PUTTING IT INTO LINKAGES AS A PIECE OF OUR SYSTEM.
I THINK LINKAGES THERE IS NO QUESTION.
BUT I DON'T NEED FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE.
I NEED TRUSTED VOICES GIVING THE ADVICES FROM BOTH WITHIN
[00:40:01]
AND WITHOUT THE SYSTEM. >> DIRECTORS DO IT AND THEN
DIRECTOR SAGE. >> IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME AS CHRIS WAS SPEAKING. ONE OF THE LINKAGES WE SHOULD HAVE HIS LINKAGES WITH THE TEACHERS WHO ARE DOING THE CO-TEACHING. TO GET THEIR EXPERIENCES.
THAT MIGHT BE VERY VALUABLE. AND I THINK ALSO HAVING LINKAGE WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THOSE CO-TEACHING ENVIRONMENTS. SEE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE TO PUT ON YOUR GROWING
>> IRON HE MENTIONED HOW HIGHLY VALUABLE I FIND IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT BOARD MEMBERS, WHETHER OR NOT WE DECIDE, THE ENTIRE BOARD NEEDS TO DO. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE -- IS OUR STRATEGIC VISION AND MISSION, IS IT BEING CARRIED OUT IN OUR SCHOOLS. DO THE STUDENTS SEEM LIKE THEY FEEL WELCOMED AND SAFE? I REALLY VALUE SEEING THE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE SCHOOLS. AND THE TEACHERS AND THE WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH KIDS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY HAVE A LOT OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL RECOVERY FROM THE ISOLATION OF THE PANDEMIC AND BEING AT HOME FOR SO LONG.
REALLY VALUABLE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS
>> I WOULD JUST SECOND WHAT DIRECTOR SAGE'S COMMENTS REGARDING THE VALUE OF OBSERVATION.
ANYTIME YOU ARE LOOKING TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THINGS ARE, YOU TRY TO COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE ANGLES.
OBSERVATION IS ONE OF THOSE. HAVING DONE A LOT OF WORK AND RESEARCH IN THOSE AREAS THAT UTILIZES A MULTI PRONG APPROACH? THIS IS THAT GOAL PIECE.
I DO THINK THINKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT TOPICS YOU ARE THINKING OF AND WHY YOU ARE GOING TO A SCHOOL VISIT? IT'S NOT GOING TO SHOW SOMETHING, IT'S TO GO WITH CERTAIN THINGS IN MIND. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT INCLUSIONARY PRACTICE IS. WE SPEAK ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN A CLASSROOM? HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING? HOW DO YOU SEE IT? GIVE AN UNDERSTANDING. SO I IS A BOARD MEMBER CAN SPEAK BETTER TO THAT WHEN WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT IT.
IT'S ALMOST A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT.
AND I DO THINK THERE IS VALUE IN OBSERVATION.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER COMPONENT. >> DIRECTOR STUART.
>> WE HAVE OFTEN SAY DOMINIC SAID WE CAN ENACT THINGS AT THE POLICY LEVEL. AND THEN YOU GET TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL. AND THEN YOU GET TO WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD LEVEL. I KNOW IT HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM.
AS DISRUPTIVE AS IT WAS TO MY SCHEDULE (LAUGHING).
BUT TO HAVE MY WIFE AND I IN THE CLASSROOM DAILY AND WATCHING THE HALL'S DAILY? I FOUND IT VERY INFORMATIVE.
IT'S HELPED TO FORM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT I BROUGHT TO THE BOARD. AND GUESS WHO DOES IT SKEW ME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER? YEAH, IT DOES.ECAUSE I COULDN'T PUT ON A DOG AND PONY SHOW FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
AFTER A WHILE, THE SMILES HAD TO GO AWAY AND IT WAS REAL TIME. SO I SEE THE VALUE IN IT.
I WENT TO SEE HOW OUR POLICIES ARE BEING ENACTED IN THE CLASSROOM. BECAUSE ONCE YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE FILTERS FROM SUPERINTENDENT TO ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT TO YADA YADA YADA, I WANT TO SEE HOW IT FLEX.
OR HOW IT NEEDS TO BE FLEXED. PERHAPS WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A REALLY GREAT IDEA STINKS? OR MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE MANIPULATED A LITTLE BIT. ADJUSTED.
THAT'S THE WORD I WANTED. YES.DJUSTED -- TO MAKE SURE IT'S DOING THE INTENT WE INTENDED TO MAKE BETTER.
BECAUSE GOD FORBID WE DO SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY MADE IT WORSE. AND NOT REALLY REALIZE IT.
AND HAVING THE TEACHERS GO OH, GOD.
HERE COMES ANOTHER IDEA FROM THAT BOARD THAT HAS NO CONCEPT OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN MY CLASSROOM.
>> I HEAR YOU, MARK. I'M STRUGGLING WITH -- I MEAN -- WE ALL -- LIKE IT OR NOT, IF YOU ARE ON THE BOARD WHEN YOU
[00:45:04]
HAVE A KID IN SCHOOL, YOU KNOW THE MOMENT YOU ARE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IN THE CLASSROOM, IT'S A DIFFERENT DYNAMIC VENT IF THERE WASN'T A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IN THE CLASSROOM.IT JUST HAPPENS. COMPARING THAT WITH ANOTHER PIECE OF OUR EARLIER DISCUSSION AROUND THE OVERALL LINKAGE -- IT WILL TAKE SIGNIFICANT ENERG , AS IN DEDICATED FTE TO ARRANGE THE LINKAGE SESSIONS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
BOTH THE FULL BOARD LINKAGE SESSIONS PERHAPS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS AND THE TWO BY TWO LINKAGE SESSIONS.
THOSE DON'T HAPPEN EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT LOTS OF HOMEWORK BEFORE HAND. SO THERE IS A LOT OF ENERGY BEING PUT IN THERE. AND IN TERMS OF THE FTE REQUIREMENTS TO THEN OFFICIALLY COORDINATE BOARD MEMBER VISITS AS OPPOSED TO UNOFFICIAL COORDINATED BOARD VISITS, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW FROM JON WHAT THAT MIGHT INVOLVE? I MEAN, TO ME THERE IS A COST BENEFIT. THIS ISN'T RISING TO THE LEVEL I'M EXCITED ABOUT EXPENDING FORMAL RESOURCES ON IT.
>> TO THAT POINT BEFORE JON JUMPS IN, THAT'S WHY I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE FACILITATOR FOR THE LINKAGES IN PARTICULAR.
BECAUSE IT DOES REQUIRE A LOT OF HOMEWORK AND A LOT OF FOOTWORK. I WASN'T THINKING OF STAFF.
AS SIRI WAS MENTIONING, THE CONTRACTOR WE HAD COME IN FOR THE FACILITIES TASK FORCE. THAT'S THE WAY I ENVISION SOMEONE FACILITATING. SO WE AREN'T ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL OF STAFF TIME. GOD KNOWS EVERYBODY HAS ENOUGH ON THEIR PLATE WITH THEIR OWN JOBS.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK A FACILITATOR FROM THE OUTSIDE WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH US AND PERHAPS IS EVEN A RETIRED TEACHER? I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S JUST A THOUGHT. >> SO DR. HOLMEN, LET'S SAY A BOARD MEMBER IS GOING TO COME VISIT THE SCHOOL.
HOW MUCH OF A DRAIN ON STAFF RESOURCES IS THAT FOR A ONE
TIME VISIT? >> TO THE POINT OF IT WOULD BE BASED ON A SPECIFIC TOPIC. LET'S JUST TAKE INCLUSION.
IF WE WERE GOING TO VISIT ONE OF OUR INCLUSION PILOT SCHOOLS, WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE ESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP STAFF TO AT LEAST PROVIDE CONTEXT FOR THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE THAI CENTER AND THAT WHOLE PIECE THAT'S OCCURRING. WE WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PRINCIPAL AROUND THE WORK THEY ARE DOING AS A STAFF.
BECAUSE GOING INTO ONE CLASSROOM IS JUST ONE PART OF THE OVERALL PUZZLE. BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S THE WORK THE ENTIRE SCHOOL HAS HAD TO DO TO ALLOW THE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS IN AN INCLUSIONARY MODEL? AND THEN, IT'S GOING INTO THE CLASSROOM -- POTENTIALLY HEARING FROM THE TEACHER AHEAD OF TIME.
THERE ARE CONTRACTUAL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT ARE PART OF THE TEACHER'S CONTRACT WHICH ARE FINE.
BUT ALLOWS THEM TO MEET WITH FOLKS AHEAD OF TIME AND AFTERWARDS. SO, YOU KNOW -- THAT SAID, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF EXPERIENCES? I ALSO THINK THEY ARE BENEFICIAL.
BECAUSE IT ALSO HELPS, YOU KNOW, CENTRALLY.
IT HELPS BUILDING ADMINISTRATION.
IT HELPS THE TEACHER BE ABLE TO THINK THROUGH -- WHAT ARE WE DOING AND WHY ARE WE DOING THOSE? AND TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THAT ACTUALLY HELPS TO IMPROVE.
SO WHILE YES THERE IS A DEDICATION OF TIME AND ENERGY, THERE IS ALSO A BENEFIT THERE AS WELL.
>> JON, A QUICK QUESTION. IF WE WERE TO HAVE THE VISIT ALL LINKAGE WITH THAT TEAM,IF YOU WILL, FROM THE SCHOOL .
BASICALLY, THE VISIT TO THE SCHOOL, IT COMES A LITTLE MORE NATURAL. THE TEACHER ALREADY KNOWS WHAT HE OR SHE PRESENTS. HOW THEY TEACH AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT. THE PRINCIPAL ALREADY TALKS ABOUT HIS OR HER PROGRAM. AND THEN, WE HAVE A GOOD PICTURE. SO NOBODY HAS TO EXPLAIN IT ONCE WE ARE IN THE CLASSROOM OR THE HALLWAY.
I THINK IT COULD BE A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
I'VE HAD SITE VISITS THAT ARE THAT EXACT SAME MODEL.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LET ME IN THE CLASSROOMS WITHOUT GIVING THE INFORMATION EITHER.
BUT WHEN WE WERE PARTICIPATING WITH THE WESTERN STATES BENCHMARKING CONSORTIUM AND WE WOULD DO SCHOOL VISITS? THAT'S THE EXACT MODEL WE WOULD FOLLOW.
WE WOULD MEET -- AND THOSE WERE MUCH DEEPER DIVES INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF IMPLEMENTATION AND WHATNOT.
[00:50:06]
SO WE WOULD SPEND A FEW HOURS WITH A TEAM AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE WE WENT INTO A SCHOOL. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO CONDUCT SCHOOL VISITS. A BOARD MEMBER COULD ALSO DO SOME READING AHEAD OF TIME, PRIOR TO GOING IN SO IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF STAFF CONTACT AHEAD OF TIME.SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT MODELS WE COULD IMPLEMENT.
FOR ME, THE IDEA OF KNOWING THE CYCLE -- THE JUNE 30 TIMELINE SO IT'S PART OF THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN.
WHETHER IT'S A TRUE LINKAGE OR NOT HELPS US TO ACTUALLY DO YOUR LUNG PLANNING, WHICH IS MUCH EASIER THEN MOMENT BY MOMENT. OR IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TRYING TO SCHEDULE A LINKAGE. BECAUSE I KNOW DIANE IS NOT GOING TO COME ON AND TALK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WORK IT TAKES TO SCHEDULE LINKAGES. BUT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HER TIME. BECAUSE IT'S OUTREACH.
IT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE. IT'S ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
BECAUSE ANYTIME YOU ARE ASKING A GROUP OF PEOPLE, WHETHER YOU ARE GOING INTO THEIR CLASSROOM OR YOU WERE ASKING THEM TO COME MEET, THERE ARE ALWAYS QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE DETAILS WHERE AT TIMES WE DON'T EVEN THINK OF.
SO TO CHRIS'S POINT, THERE IS A DEDICATION OF STAFF TIME.
THAT IF WE CAN BE PROACTIVE ABOUT IT AND DO IT PLAN FULLY FROM THE OUTSET, THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IT BETTER.
>> HOPEFULLY, THIS IS MY FINAL COMMENT ON THE SUBJECT.
BUT AS SOMEONE WHO IS SELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY TO BE A VOICE FOR THE COMMUNITY, I FEEL THIS IS MY JOB AND I'M UP TO DO IT.
>> SO IT SEEMS LIKE THE POTENTIAL IS TO REQUEST -- JON YOU MENTIONED THERE WERE MULTIPLE OPTIONS OF HOW THIS COULD OCCUR. SO IN THE SENSE OF THE LINKAGE PIECE PUT FORWARD, HOW COULD THIS ALSO FIT AND BE THE MOST USEFUL AND EFFECTIVE, I GUESS? AND THAT'S NOT FOR TONIGHT.
I CAN SEE THAT COMING FURTHER IN THE DISCUSSION.
>> TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION -- HOW COULD SCHOOL VISIT BECOME CONNECTED TO THE LINKAGE?
>> OR HOW IT COULD FURTHER WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT TOPICS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DELVE MORE INTO.
HOW WOULD A SITE VISIT HELP TO INFORM THAT WORK AS WELL?
>> ALONG THOSE LINES, I THINK THERE IS GREAT VALUE IN PILOTING. WHICH I THINK IS WHAT DIRECTOR BLIESNER WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
FINDING A LINKAGE WHERE THIS COULD BE ARGUABLY VALUABLE.
AND THEN, TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU COULD DO THAT SET THE BENCHMARKING CONSORTIUM, THAT'S A SITE VISIT. TRUST ME, EVERYBODY IS ON THEIR BEST BEHAVIOR. AND YOU KNOW -- ANYWAY.
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WHERE THERE WILL BE DIFFERENCES FROM WHATEVER IS DAY-TO-DAY. NONETHELESS, IT COULD PROVIDE VALUE. I DON'T WANT TO WRITE IT OFF.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THE STEPS FROM HERE IS FIRST TO FIND A PLACE WHERE IT MIGHT WORK. SECOND, FOR JON TO BRING US HERE ARE WAYS TO DO A SITE VISIT.ND FOR US TO SAY HEY, WE WANT TO DO A SITE VISIT AND WE WANT TO DO IT THAT WAY.
SO DOES THAT SEEM REASONABLE? >> SO I GUESS -- JON GO AHEAD.
AND THEN I WILL SAY SOMETHING. >> I WAS GOING TO PROPOSE THE
>> OKAY. MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE GIVEN THAT I THINK I HEARD THE BOARD GENERALLY AGREE WITH THIS SET OF OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS FOR LINKAGE, AS AN ONGOING PLANNING PROCESS IN TERMS OF MEETING WITH THE FULL BOARD AND SMALLER GROUPS. I ALSO HEARD THAT CONNECTING SITE VISITS IN SOME MEANINGFUL WAY TO THE BOARD'S WORK PLAN IS ALSO AN INTEREST OF SOME OF THE BOARD.
AND THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK MODELS FOR HOW THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED TO HELP INFORM THE WORK OF THE
THANKS. AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO CAPTURE TOO IS WE TALKED ABOUT SPECIFIC TOPICS.
[00:55:02]
YOU CAPTURED THAT WHEN WE MET WITH YOU AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT TONIGHT.N ADDITION TO THE EQUITY WORK, I HEARD INTERESTS FROM AT LEAST SOME OF THE BOARD OF THE FOCUSING ON OE 10.WHICH IS THE STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
OKAY. SO WE WILL -- WE WILL LOOK AT FUTURE STUDY SESSIONS TO BRING US BACK.
AND QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOARD'S ANNUAL WORK PLAN RIGHT NOW. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS SQUARED AWAY SO WE CAN GET THINGS SCHEDULED OUT AND ON THE
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE AROUND THE WORK PLAN?
TO BRING TO US TONIGHT? >> THE ONLY OTHER PIECE IS THE BOARD'S INTEREST IN CONTINUING THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN REGARDS TO EQUITY. AND SO, THE REQUEST IS TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE FACILITATOR TO CONTINUE DOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR THE BOARD. SO THAT'S A PIECE I AM ALSO LOOKING INTO, TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK A PROPOSAL FOR THE
GREAT. AND SO, I TAKE IT THAT'S SOMETHING -- WELL, WHEN YOU MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH THE BOARD, THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE INTEREST WAS EXPRESSED --?
>> SO THERE WAS INTEREST LAST YEAR TO CONTINUE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN REGARDS TO EQUITY. TO SAY IT WAS CONSISTENT THROUGH ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE THIS LAST WEEKUT I BELIEVE I CONSISTENTLY HEARD THE BOARD WANTS TO CONTINUE THEIR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WITH REGARDS TO EQUITY WITH AN
OUTSIDE FACILITATOR. >> I JUST REMEMBER WHEN THE BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION NOT TOO LONG AGO , THAT IS SOMETHING WE RESOLVED TO DO AS WELL.
YOU ARE ON MUTE. >> THAT HAS TO HAPPEN ONCE A MEETING, DOESN'T IT? I AGREE.
IT'S NOT LIKE A ONE-TIME SHOT. IT'S A REGULAR BOOSTER.
I CAN'T SAY WE ALL CAME AWAY AT THE END OF THAT SESSION IN THE SAME PLACE NECESSARILY. I THINK WE ALL HAD PROGRESS.
BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THERE'S NOT A HELL OF A LOT MORE PROGRESS THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE. A LOT OF ANGLES AND A LOT OF ISSUES WITHIN THE EQUITY ISSUE. I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN TOUCH. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BROADEN THAT TOO. SO IT MIGHT TAKE MORE THAN ONE FACILITATOR. ONE HITS ONE TOPIC AND ONE HITS ANOTHER AREA. ONE HAS A BROAD STROKE.
BUT I AGREE. IT'S AN RESOLUTION SO LET'S NOT
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE WORK PLAN FROM ANYONE TONIGHT?
[2. 2022 Legislative Priorities]
OKAY. THE NEXT, SECOND TOPIC FOR TONIGHT'S STUDY SESSION IS A CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF THE 2022 LEGISLATOR PARTIES. DR. HOLMEN, CAN YOU KICK US OFFSO AS THE BOARD KNOWS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WE DO WORK TO ADOPT LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM.
SO THE BOARD CONDUCTED SOME SURVEYING WITH DIRECTOR SAGE.
SHE COMPILED THAT INFORMATION. AT OUR LAST STUDY SESSION WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE THAT CONVERSATION.
SO TONIGHT IS A REVISIT OF THAT DISCUSSION SO WE CAN FINALIZE THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM AND GET THAT FORMALIZE.
AND THEN, THE BOARD WILL SUBSEQUENTLY TAKE ACTION AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING TO ADOPT THAT.
>> DIRECTOR SAGE? >> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT GENERAL ASSEMBLY WAS HELD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
IN WHICH THAT SURVEYS THAT EACH OF YOU FILLED OUT INFORMED ME AS TO HOW I COULD BEST CAST VOTES ON BEHALF OF OUR DISTRICT. SIRI WAS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY, WHICH WAS HELPFUL. SHE WAS FOLLOWING ALONG.
IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE IN DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE, AND THE THINGS THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH.
AND WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE
[01:00:01]
FOR. SO WE DON'T YET HAVE THE RESULTS AS TO WHAT PAST AND WHAT DIDN'T PASS.IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUT TODAY, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
AS SOON AS THAT COMES OUT, I AM ABLE TO BRING TOGETHER WHAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE AND HOW YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO CAST OUR VOTE FOR OUR TOP 15 OR 20, I BELIEVE, IS WHAT THEY WANT TO.
ALSO, WE NEED TO THINK REALLY LOCALLY ON WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE. AND JUST FROM LOOKING AT EACH OF YOUR INITIAL ANSWERS, I THINK WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO CONSENSUS ON WHAT OUR TOP 10 MIGHT BE.
SO AS SOON AS I HAVE THE LIST GOING FORWARD AND I CAN USE THAT IN THE ANSWERS YOU'VE GIVEN ME PREVIOUSLY, I WILL
SEND THEM OUT TO EVERYBODY. >> THANKS.
I WAS TRYING TO THINK IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE I WANTED TO ADD. I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION.
THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO -- I'VE A QUESTION.
BASED ON THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, DID YOU HAVE A SENSE OF ANY PARTICULAR TOPICS THAT WERE GOING TO BE PUSHED HARDER STATEWIDE BY OTHER DISTRICTS AND BY WAS DEAD THIS YEAR?
>> A LOT OF IT CAME DOWN TO FUNDING.
AND WHAT FUNDS COULD BE USED FOR AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE ACTUAL COSTS THEY REALLY WERE. AND THEN, WITH THE DIFFICULTY IN HIRING STAFF? NATIONWIDE, RIGHT NOW, FOR JUST ABOUT ANY OCCUPATION. HOW TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU MIGHT BRING INTO YOUR POOL AS APPLICANTS.
SPECIAL EDUCATION. THAT'S HIGH ON THE LIST.
TRYING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS NOT JUST RECOVER ACADEMICALLY, BUT ALSO SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. ANYTHING ELSE, DIRECTOR BLIESNER, THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU?
>> I THINK THEY ARE CALLING IT BUDGET STABILITY VERSUS (INDISCERNIBLE). BUT SAME CONCEPT.
HOW TO ADDRESS THE FACT OF ENROLLMENT DECLINES AND IMPACTED TRANSPORTATION. AND EACH DISTRICT EXPERIENCED THIS DIFFERENTLY. WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT THINGS IMPACTING THROUGH.
AND THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT THE DISTRICTS ARE TRYING TO DEAL WITH. I THINK THERE IS A SENSE OF FUNDING CHALLENGE IS WHAT I WOULD SAY WAS A BIG COMPONENT THAT CAME ACROSS. AND THAT IT'S GOING TO BE -- YOU NEED A COMPREHENSIVE FIX TO BE TRULY EQUITABLE ACROSS YOUR STATE. YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET SMALL FIXES WHERE YOU CAN GET FIGURE AGREEMENT.
SO IN TERMS OF US DEVELOPING OUR DISTRICT PLATFORM, I THINK WE CALL IT, OR PRIORITIES -- DR. SAGE, HOW CLOSE -- DO YOU HAVE A SENSE -- WELL, MY PERCEPTION IS THAT WE ARE ALL PRETTY WELL ALIGNED ON HOW THAT LOOKS.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT TIMELINE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF FINALIZING THAT? IF WE WANT TO BE EFFECTIVE,
WHEN SHOULD WE HAVE THAT DONE? >> SO I THINK IT CAN BE DONE AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT FOR US.
AND I ALSO INCLUDED JON HOW HE RANKED THINGS OFF TO THE SIDE.
I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT IN OUR BOARD.
BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S PRETTY SIMILAR IN LIKE THE TOP SEVEN OR 10. SO WHAT COMES UP RIGHT NOW IS SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, FUNDING BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT SERVICES AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, CONSTRUCTION. AND FULLY FUNDING INDISCERNIBLE). THEY SEEM TO BE RISING TO THE
TOP. >> IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT, THAT IS FAIRLY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
>> VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
>> WHICH MAKES SENSE GIVEN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING
THE LAST 18 MONTHS. >> DID YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN,
[01:05:01]
JON? >> MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE FULLY FUNDED STAFFING LEVELS. IS THAT THE -- PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL MODEL? FUNDING?
>> THAT IS ACTUALLY A SEPARATE ITEM.
BUT PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL MODEL, I THINK IT FELL IN OUR TOP 10 SOMEWHERE.> YEAH. WILL YOU REMIND ME OF THE FULLY FUNDED STAFFING LEVELS? WHAT WAS BEHIND THAT? I JUST DON'T HAVE A PULLED UP RIGHT NOW.
>> RIGHT. DON'T HAVE IT -- IT'S LEGISLATIVE POSITION 7.1 POINT 8.3. I COULD LOOK IT UP.
>> THE REASON I ASK IS, WHEN I THINK OF BIG, HIGH IMPACT CATEGORIES, FUNDING OF THE PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL MODEL IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKGROUP THAT'S BEEN FOCUSED ON THAT -- I THINK IT WAS FOR TWO YEARS? AND I KNOW WHEN THEY CAME TO THE LEGISLATIVE -- NOT ASSEMBLY, BUT THE MEETING WE GO TO IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY -- YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY HAVE THAT MAPPED OUT WHAT THE PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL MODEL SHOULD BE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND SO, WITHOUT REMEMBERING WHAT THE FULLY FUNDING STAFFING LEVELS PIECE IS COMPARED TO THAT, THAT'S WHY FOR ME I KIND OF LEANED TOWARDS THE PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL MODEL.
BECAUSE THAT IS VERY HOLISTIC AND WHAT IT LOOKS AT.
IF IT'S THINKING ABOUT THE COMMITTEE'S WORK.
>> SO WHEN I SEND OUR TOP 20 OUT, I WILL SEND THE HANDBOOK AGAIN, SO YOU CAN LOOK UP THAT PARTICULAR -- HOW EACH ONE READS. AND THEN, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU TO RANK ORDER THOSE 20. SO WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO DO
>> QUICK QUESTION CASSONDRA. THE ONE ISSUE THAT YOU AND I DISCUSSED WHERE THEY WERE TRYING TO TAKE OUT SPECIAL NEEDS AND SO FORTH -- WAS THAT CORRECTED? OR DID THEY NOT ADOPTED OR WHAT?
>> SO IT WASN'T TRYING TO TAKE OUT THE LINK TO I DDA.
IT WAS A STATE FOCUSED ISSUE RATHER THAN A FEDERAL FOCUSED ISSUE. SO THEY HAVE THE FEDERAL POSITION OF FULL FUNDING ON ID DA.
AND THERE WAS A STATE POSITION FOR FULLY FUNDING SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE WORDS I DDA IN IT BECAUSE IT'S
FEDERAL RATHER THAN STATE. >> OKAY.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. BECAUSE THE WAY IT LOOKED, IT WAS NOT PLEASANT. ANOTHER POINT I WANTED TO MAKE.
AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER IT'S A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR FTES OR WHATEVER, I WOULD LIKE US TO PRESENT IT AND THINK ABOUT IT FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, AS OPPOSED TO HOW TO MAKE A DISTRICT WORK BETTER. I THINK AS WE TALK TO LEGISLATORS AND WE DEMONSTRATED HOW IT AFFECTS STUDENTS, THE IMPACT ON BUSES AND GETTING KIDS UP BEFORE THE CRACK OF DAWN -- WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, LET'S TRY TO ADDRESS IT FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE. MORE SO THAN THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICTS AVAILABILITIES. THE ELBOW TO ELBOW CLASSROOMS AND THAT SORT OF THING, WE CAN HAVE THAT RECEPTION.
>> I SEE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. AND YOU AND I DISCUSSED THIS
>> BUT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO FULLY FUND THE STAFF, THEN WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THE SINKS. I MEAN, WE DEFINITELY GOT THAT MESSAGE ACROSS LAST YEAR. IN THE $19.2 MILLION THAT WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH LOCALLY TO IMPLEMENT SPECIAL EDUCATION TO MEET OUR STUDENTS NEEDS. UNFORTUNATELY, SO MUCH OF IT COMES BACK TO FUNDING IN ORDER TO DO WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED.
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT ON STUDENTS. I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT
EFFECTIVE. >> SO WHEN WE GET TO HOLDING MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS, THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF STORIES AND EXAMPLES. WE WILL DO SOME MORE VIDEOS THIS YEAR. LET THEM SEE IN 90 SECONDS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. CHRIS?
>> SO DIRECTOR SAGE, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE PUT MORE ENERGY INTO THIS THAN I HAVE SEEN IN 14 YEARS ON A SCHOOL BOARD. AND IT IS NOT EASY! THE TRUTH IS AT SOME LEVEL, THE STATE IS LOSING FOCUS ON THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE TO OUR LEGISLATORS.
[01:10:08]
WHEN YOU HAVE A LIST OF HERE ARE 50 THINGS WE CARE ABOUT, NOBODY REMEMBERS WHAT ANY OF THEM ARE.SO IT'S REALLY INCUMBENT UPON US AND THANK YOU FOR DOING SO MUCH TO MAKE IT EASY FOR US TO DO THAT.
TO GET THIS DOWN TO 10 OR PREFERABLY THREE THINGS THAT WE CAN HAMMER ON WITH OUR LEGISLATORS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN. THIS IS NOT EASY AND YOU HAVE
DONE A GREAT JOB. >> THANK YOU.
>> THE ONE THING JUST TO MAKE SURE ON OUR LEGISLATIVE IS ONLINE LEARNING. AND FUNDING TO BE ABLE -- BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
I DO THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE A PUSH SINCE WE ARE IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BUDGET CYCLE. THAT'S A POLICY SHIFT.
>> RIGHT. THAT MIGHT BE IN OUR TOP 20.
>> BUT I THINK WE WOULD WANT TO TARGET THAT LOCAL PRETTY HEAVILY. EVEN MORE SO.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE CAPACITY TO DO THINGS.
>> AND HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE ONLINE FUNDING -- WHAT IF A STUDENT COULD TAKE ONE CLASS ONLINE OF THEIR CHOOSING TO MEET THEIR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS? AND THEN HAVE THE (INDISCERNIBLE) THAT THEY NEED DUE TO ANXIETY OR WHATEVER REASON THEY HAVE THAT THEY NEED THAT LATE ARRIVAL TO SCHOOL. OR WHAT ABOUT KIDS WHO GO THROUGH CELL LA SCALA AND LEARN LATIN THAT WANT TO CONTINUE? AND WE DON'T OFFER LATIN. SO THEY COULD TAKE IT ONLINE FOR THEIR LANGUAGE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO.
SO GIVING FLEXIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES.
OR ONE OF MY KIDS NEEDED ANOTHER MATH.
HE COULD HAVE (INDISCERNIBLE) CALCULUS.
HE COULD'VE DONE THAT AS WELL. SO I THINK FULLY FUNDING THOSE OPTIONS WILL BE VITAL FOR OUR INNOVATION IN THE FUTURE.
ERIC? >> I WAS GOING TO SHIFT GEARS.
I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM JON FIRST.
>> OKAY. >> SO DIRECTOR BLIESNER TOOK A LITTLE OF MY THUNDER! WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LEVEES THAT THE BOARD JUST APPROVED FOR THE FEBRUARY 2022 BALLOT AND I THINK OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS LEVY, 90 PERCENT OF THE FUNDING FOR OUR TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AND OUR FACILITIES MAINTENANCE PROGRAM COMES FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT BASIC EDUCATION? TECHNOLOGY IS BASIC EDUCATION. AND FOR THAT NOT TO HAVE A CONSISTENT LEVEL OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE, AND FOR THAT TO BE RELIANT ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES? I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THAT CAN PLAY IN THE 21ST CENTURY IF WE ARE TRULY SAYING WE WANT ALL CHILDREN IN WASHINGTON STATE TO BE 21ST CENTURY LITERATE. SO TO ME, IT'S A PLATFORM.
AND AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR LOCAL LEVEES, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DO.
WHO HAS SUPPORTED OUR CAPITAL PROJECT LEVEES FOR SO MANY YEARS. AND IT'S TIME FOR THE STATE TO RECOGNIZE THAT NO LONGER CAN TECHNOLOGY BE CONSIDERED NOT
PART OF BASIC EDUCATION. >> IF WE CAN TELL OUR STORY WELL, I THINK WE CAN ADVOCATE THAT FOR THE STATE AND HELPING FOR ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS.
WITH PAPER PACKETS. MANY DISTRICTS COULDN'T GET COMPUTERS. NOT JUST THE FUNDING, BUT BY THE TIME THEY TRIED TO ORDER THEM, THERE WERE NONE AVAILABLE. THE KIDS ENDED UP WITH PAPER
PACKETS LAST YEAR. >> IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL, WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THE ROAD TO MCCLEARY TWO.
BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE NOT DOING -- THEY SHIFTED FUNDS, BUT THEY STILL DIDN'T PROVIDE THE FUNDING FOR TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE AND CAN ENJOY IN THE SMALLER COUNTIES.
AND PERHAPS IF WE TEAMED UP WITH SOME OF THE SMALLER DISTRICTS AND SHOWED HOW INEQUITABLE THAT IS, THAT COULD REALLY MAKE THE POINT. AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE
[01:15:07]
PAPER PACKETS REALLY MAKES A POINT.>> YEP. I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE ONCE A MONTH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS ON JUST THIS THING. SO WE KNOW OF THE STORIES AND WHAT EVERYONE IS STRUGGLING WITH.
ERIC? >> JUST ANOTHER PLUG FOR HAVING THE SIMPLE MAJORITY ON OUR PLATFORM AGAIN FOR THIS COMING YEAR. IT REMAINS RIDICULOUS TO ME THAT ONE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS IS THE MAJORITY AND THE OTHER IS 60 PERCENT.
THAT IS A BIG TIME LOCAL CONCERN FOR US HERE.
SO I WOULD JUST -- WE'VE GOT TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT EVERY
YEAR. >> YOU WILL BE SEEING IT AGAIN WHEN YOU RANK ORDER THE NEXT ROUND.
>> WE NEED TO THINK OF A WAY TO PRESENT IN A WAY THAT MAKES THE LEGISLATOR LICKS AND OPPOSED TO OH, THAT AGAIN.
>> WE CREATED THE VIDEOS LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE FIGURED THERE REALLY BUSY PEOPLE. IF THEY HAVE 90 SECONDS OR 120 SECONDS, THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY REMEMBER THE IMAGES AND THE
THANK YOU. >> I THINK JON'S HAND IS UP
>> IT IS. AND I GOT THE MUTE BUTTON THAT TIME. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE TOP THREE THINGS DIRECTOR SAGE LISTED OFF, SPECIAL EDUCATION, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS? AGAIN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION AS A REQUIRED PROGRAM OF SERVICES FOR STUDENTS THAT QUALIFY -- OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO FUND UPWARDS OF 20+ PERCENT OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM OUT OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION'S LEVY.
THE BOARD HAS DIRECTED FUNDING OVER THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS TOWARDS ENHANCING OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM. WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS LEVY.
SO I THINK ABOUT STUDENTS COMING BACK THIS YEAR AND THE GREAT BENEFIT FOR THAT. HAVING IT ON OUR PLATFORM, I THINK, IS CRITICAL. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. WITH THE PASSING OF MCCLEARY, WHICH ALSO CAME WITH IT A STATEWIDE BENEFITS PROGRAM CALLED THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BOARD, SEB IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS. THE LOCAL COST OF THAT HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY. WE HAVEN'T HAD A TYPICAL YEAR YET. SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE. WE ARE ESTIMATING THOSE TO BE ABOUT $5 MILLION PER YEAR. WHICH WE HAVE TO FUND THROUGH OUR LOCAL DOLLARS. SO ALL THINGS THAT HAVE DIRECT LINKS BACK TO THE LEVEES THAT THE BOARD JUST ADOPTED ON
OCTOBER 18. >> AND WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT COMPARISON. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. MAKE SURE YOU LOOK AT YOUR EMAIL THE NEXT WEEK! GOOD WORK, CASSANDRA.
THANKS FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
>> OKAY. THAT IS THE END OF OUR STUDY SESSION TONIGHT. THERE IS A BOARD MEETING AT 7 PM AND IT WILL ALSO BE HELD REMOTELY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.