Apr 15, 2024 April 15, 2024 Board Meeting - 7:00 p.m.

[A. Regular Board Meeting - 7:00 p.m.]

[00:00:07]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL

[B. Opening Items]

>> THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT ACKNOWLEDGES OUR DISTRICT IS ON INDIGENOUS LAND. RESERVED TREATY RIGHTS ON THIS LAND, INCLUDING THE INDIAN TRIBES. WE THANK THE CARETAKERS OF THIS LAND. WE COMMIT TO CONTINUE COLLABORATING WITH OUR NATIVE COMMUNITY TO TEACH THE INDIGENOUS HISTORY OF THIS LAND AND THESE LOCAL TRIBES TO ALL CHILDREN OF THE DISTRICT. WE ALSO COMMIT TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN OF NATIVE DECENT WHO

ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS. >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR STUART.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.

>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY DIRECTOR LALIBERTE AND SECONDED

[C. Recognitions]

>> OF >> WHEREAS THE ARTS, INCLUDING DANCE, MUSIC, THEATRE, AND VISUAL ARTS, ARE DEFINED AS A COURSE.CORE SUBJECT IN WASHINGTON STATE'S DEFINITION OF BASIC EDUCATION, AND CONSIDERED AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE COMPLETE AND BALANCED EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. AND WHEREAS LEARNING IN AND THROUGH THE ARTS ENABLES STUDENTS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS, IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY, DISCIPLINE, ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO COMMUNICATE AND EXPRESS FEELINGS AND IDEAS, AND CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, WHICH SUPPORTS ACADEMIC SUCCESS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM AS WELL AS PERSONAL GROWTH OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. AND WHEREAS IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY ARE INCREASINGLY UNDERSTOOD AS CRITICAL CAPACITIES NEEDED FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE.

AND WHEREAS THE ARTS CAN TRANSFORM OUR SCHOOLS INTO HAVENS OF CREATIVITY AND EXPLORATION, PLACES WHERE STUDENTS WANT TO LEARN, TEACHERS WANT TO TEACH, AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE LEARNING COMMUNITY ARE MORE ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED. AND THEREFORE WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY 2024 AS ARTS IN EDUCATION MONTH IN LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR YOCUM. THE SECOND RECOGNITION WE HAVE THIS EVENING IS FOR OUR SCHOOL NUTRITION EMPLOYEES. DIRECTOR LALIBERTE, WILL YOU READ THE PROCLAMATION RELATED TO SCHOOL

NUTRITION EMPLOYEE WEEK? >>

>> WHEREAS NUTRITIOUS MEALS AT YES.SCHOOL ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY. AND WHEREAS THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO PREPARE AND SERVE SCHOOL MEALS HELP NURTURE OUR CHILDREN THROUGH THEIR DAILY INTERACTION AND SUPPORT. AND WHEREAS THE STAFF OF THE DISTRICT'S NUTRITION SERVICES DEPARTMENT ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HEALTHFUL, NUTRITIOUS MEALS TO THE DISTRICT'S CHILDREN. AND WHEREAS LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS PARTNERED WITH SODEXO TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH NUTRITIOUS MEAL OPTIONS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. THEREFORE WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 29 TO MAY 3, 2024 AS SCHOOL NUTRITION EMPLOYEE WEEK IN LAKE

WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> THANK YOU. DR. HOLMEN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROVIDE ANY EMPLOYEES.

>> ABSOLUTELY. OUR FOOD SERVICE WORKERS PROVIDE MEAL FOR OUR STUDENTS. FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, IT'S A BONUS. IT'S AN ADD ON TO THEIR DAY. FOR SOME STUDENTS, THEY COME TO SCHOOL, AND THESE ARE TWO MEALS THEY CAN COUNT ON BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COUNT ON THEM OTHERWISE. WE HAVE 145 NUTRITION SERVICE STAFF MEMBERS THAT COME TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY. WHEN I REFLECT ON THE PANDEMIC, I RECALL THOSE FOLKS COMING TO WORK MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE ONGOING SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC PROVIDING MANY, MANY LUNCHES AND MEALS TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WERE 18 AND UNDER DURING THAT PERIOD OF

[00:05:03]

THEM THROUGH THE MONTH OF MAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE

[D. Audience Participation]

SUBSTITUTIONS AT THE MEETING WILL NOT BE ACCOMMODATED. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.

IT'S 7:15:00 P.M. THE FIRST PERSON, I BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE COMING UP TOGETHER. VERA VARKA AND KIYA JOSHI. I'M SORRY. I BUTCHERED YOUR NAMES. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US YOUR

NAMES? >> HELLO. I'M KIYA JOSHI, AND THIS IS VERA VARKA. WE ARE PART OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED BEYOND PRESSURE. WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT OUR CAMPAIGN THAT TARGETS ACADEMIC STRESS. ACADEMIC STRESS IS A BIG ISSUE

[00:10:01]

WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, WE KNEW THAT SOME OF OUR PEERS WERE FEELING ACADEMICALLY STRESSED, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW IF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY WAS FEELING ACADEMIC STRESS. WE GO TO EAST LAKE HIGH SCHOOL AND WE LIVE IN KING COUNTY, SO WE LOOKED AT KING COUNTY SURVEYS FOR OUR RESEARCH, AND WE FOUND THEY HAD ONE SURVEY SHOWING THAT 55-68% OF HIGH SCHOOLERS WERE STRESSED, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SPECIFIC REASON FOR THE STRESS. SO WE CREATED OUR OWN SURVEY THAT WE SPREAD THROUGH EAST LAKE, AND WE FOUND THAT 74% OF STUDENTS RECOGNIZED ACADEMIC STRESS AS THEIR MAIN STRESSOR, AND THIS IS OUT OF THE 311 RESPONSES WE RECEIVED FOR THE SURVEY. AND THE SURVEY WASN'T TARGETED TO ANY SPECIFIC GROUP. AFTER UNDERSTANDING HOW STUDENTS FELT WITHIN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO TARGET THE ISSUE OF ACADEMIC STRESS. BY CONTACTING AND INTERVIEWING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST AT EVERGREEN HEALTH, WE FOUND MAJOR CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS OF ACADEMIC STRESS. SOME CAUSES INCLUDED FAMILY EXPECTATIONS, SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS, A LACK OF FREE TIME, AND OF COURSE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS. THERE ARE FEW CAUSES WE COULD HELP WITH SUCH AS FAMILY EXPECTATIONS AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, AND THERE ARE SOME THAT REQUIRED THE HELP OF TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS ALONG WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OVERALL.

>> WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM AND HELP THE HIGH SCHOOLERS DEALING WITH THIS OVERWHELMING STRESS.

IMAGINE SITTING IN A CLASS FOR 90 MINUTES, THE FAST-PACED LEARNING SATURATING YOUR BRAIN. WHAT WOULD YOU NEED TO KEEP CONCENTRATING? A RESEARCH ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF BRAIN BREAKS FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS AS IT CAN IMPROVE MEMORY, ATTENTION, PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS, AND REDUCE CORTISOL LEVELS. A BRIEF PAUSE OF JUST THREE TO FIVE MINUTES INVOLVING ACTIVITIES LIKE DOODLING OR COORDINATION EXERCISES ACTUALLY RECHARGES THE BRAIN. AND BY INCORPORATING THESE SHORT BREAKS INTO OUR SCHOOL DAY, YOU NOT ONLY ALLEVIATE OUR STRESS BUT ENHANCE OUR FOCUS AND HOW WE CAN RETAIN THE INFORMATION. ALSO, OFTENTIMES MANY CLASSES WILL HAVE TESTS AND BIG PROJECTS IN THE SAME COUPLE OF DAYS. THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO STAY UP REALLY LATE EVERY DAY TO STUDY, WORK ON THE PROJECTS, KEEP UP WITH NEW ASSIGNMENTS, AND MANAGE OUR EXTRACURRICULARS TOO. THE ARTICLE CALLED THE TEENS ARE NOT ALL RIGHT EXPLAINS THE BENEFITS OF COORDINATING WORKLOAD AND TESTS ACROSS CLASSES AS IT ALLOWS US TO MANAGE OUR TIME MORE EFFECTIVELY AND REDUCES THE FEELING OF DROWNING IN WORK. BY IMPLEMENTING THIS, YOU EMPOWER US TO PRIORITIZE OUR MENTAL HEALTH WHILE STILL STRIVING FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING US BREAKS AND COORDINATING WORKLOADS. THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT PERSON WE HAVE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING IS MARIE SHAM

SHAMBECK. >> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. HELLO AGAIN. MY NAME IS MARIE SHAMBECK. MY 8-YEAR-OLD ATTENDS REDMOND ELEMENTARY. WHEN I SPOKE TO MONTHS AGO, OUR SCHOOL HAD 563 STUDENTS. TODAY, WE HAVE 580 STUDENTS, AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR STAFFING OR RESOURCES. 24. 24. 23. 24. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN EACH OF OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASSES. 24, 25, 25, 25. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN EACH OF OUR FIRST GRADE CLASS. 26, 25, 25, 25. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN EACH OF OUR SECOND GRADE CLASSES. 23, 22, 24, 24. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN EACH OF OUR THIRD GRADE CLASSES. OUR STATE HAS RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL CLASS SIZES IN EARLY LEARNING. AND ENCOURAGES SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE ONE TEACHER FOR EVERY 17 STUDENTS. THE STATE PROVIDES FUNDING BASED ON THIS MODEL, AND DISTRICTS MISS OUT ON VITAL DOLLARS BY HAVING OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS. OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS ARE NOT THE ONLY OBSTACLES OUR STUDENTS AT REDMOND FACE. AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, OUR STUDENT HAS DOUBLE THE DISTRICT'S AVERAGE OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, AND

[00:15:01]

THIS NOW. THANK YOU. >>

>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT PERSON WE HAVE SIGNED UP IS MARIANA

MECOWSKA. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS MARIANA. I AM A JUNIOR. I'M A PART OF A STUDENT TEAM OF AMBASSADORS, A NON-PROFIT LEARNING ORGANIZATION SEPARATING STUDENT LEADERS, TEACHER LEADERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO RAPIDLY ADVANCE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. WE TRULY APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE INITIATED A PROCESS TO DEVELOP SUCH A POLICY, BUT WE NEED TO SPEED IT UP AND ALSO MAKE IT REALLY COMPREHENSIVE.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO FULLY ADOPT OUR DRAFT STUDENT RECOMMENDED SUSTAINABILITY POLICY. THE PURPOSE, THE LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEKS TO MINIMALIZE ITS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND INCREASE INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE AGENCY FOR CREATING A SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, COMMUNITY, AND WORLD. TO DO THIS, WE COMMIT TO STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS TO ALIGN OUR IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES WITH THEIR GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION TARGETS AND SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS. THE VISION, ALSO STUDENTS GRADUATE EDUCATED FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, ABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND MAKE DECISIONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ECONOMY, AND SOCIAL EQUITY. PART A, THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY. THE THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES BELOW SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR THE DISTRICT'S SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT. PILLAR ONE, DISTRICT RESOURCES.

DISTRICT RESOURCE POSITIONS IMPROVE SUSTAINABLE CONDITIONS MEASURED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION GOALS AND SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS OF THE CITIZENS OF KIRKLAND, REDMOND, AND SAMMAMISH. PILLAR TWO, ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY.

CONSISTENT WITH THE DISTRICT OBLIGATION TO KEEP STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE, THE DISTRICT WILL PRIORITIZE ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY IN ALL DISTRICT BUILDINGS TO MANAGE FOR RESILIENCE, ACCOUNTING FOR CHANGES IN WEATHER PATTERNS, AIR QUALITY, HEAT WAVES, FLOODING, AND OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS. AGAIN, EXAMPLES ARE INCLUDED IN THE FULL POLICY RECOMMENDATION.

PILLAR THREE, COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING AND STUDENT VOICE. CONSISTENT WITH THE DISTRICT VISION, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE CHOICES, ACTIONS, THE PHYSICAL WORLD AND EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR ALL PEOPLE WILL BE EMPHASIZED THROUGHOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE INCLUDING CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, STUDENT ACTIVITY, AND SERVICES TO STUDENTS. THIS IS RELEVANT TO ALLOW ALL STUDENTS TO LEAD A REWARDING AND RESPONSIBLE LIFE AS A MEMBER OF OUR SOCIETY. NOW, MY FELLOW AMBASSADOR WILL PRESENT PART B, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS POLICY.

THANK YOU. >>

>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT PERSON WE HAVE SIGNED UP IS I'M GOING TO BUTCHER THIS NAME TOO, KUSTA?

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS KUSTA AND I'M A JUNIOR AT TESLA STEM HIGH SCHOOL. I'M ALSO A MART OF A STUDENT TEAM OF SUSTAINABILITY AMBASSADORRED. I'LL BE READING THE SECOND HALF OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY LANGUAGE. THIS COMES FROM THE BELLVUE SCHOOL DISTRICT. PART B, IMPLEMENTATION. TO IMPLEMENT THE THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL DEVELOP A PROCEDURE TO ACCOMPANY THIS POLICY. ONE, ACTION PLAN. A THREE-YEAR SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN FOR BOARD APPROVAL THAT SETS FORTH THE ACTIONS AND STEPS THAT WILL BE TAKEN BEGINNING 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR TO ADDRESS EACH PILLARND WILL INCLUDE GOALS, TARGETS, AND MEASURES PUBLICLY SHARED ON A PROMINENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WEB PAGE DEDICATED TO SUSTAINABILITY AND WITH OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL REVIEW THE SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN ANNUALLY. NUMBER TWO, SCHEDULE FOR TRACKING IMPACT. A SCHEDULE WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR REDUCING OUR NEGATIVE IMPACT AND INCREASING OUR POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT ALIGNED WITH THE THREE PILLARS. NUMBER THREE, TIMELINE. A TIMELINE FOR INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY CONTENT, SYSTEMS THINKING, AND STUDENT AGENCY INTO OUR

[00:20:02]

IT WILL CENTER STUDENT VOICE AND REFLECT AND HONOR THE DIVERSITY AND MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE PROCESS WILL INCLUDE THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP, INCLUDING 50% STUDENT MEMBERSHIP THAT SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN. THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD WILL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO PROVIDE INPUT INTO DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, REVIEW, AND REVISION OF SUSTAINABILITY WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. DISTRICT AND STAFF VOLUNTEERS WILL ENCOURAGE STUDENT VOICE AND AND AGENCY. PROJECTS THAT ALIGN WITH CITY CLIMATE ACTION GOALS.

THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE SUSTAINABILITY POLICY WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD TO ADOPT IN FULL. WE DO NOT NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. WE CAN AND SHOULD FOLLOW BELLEVUE'S MODEL. WE WANT OUR DISTRICT TO BE BOLD. VERY, VERY BOLD. OUR CITIES ARE ALREADY LEADING US TOWARD MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. THIS IS OUR FUTURE. EVERY STUDENT FUTURE READY, WE CAN HELP. SO FAR, 130 STUDENTS HAVE SIGNED ON TO THIS EFFORT.

THANK YOU. > PUBLIC SPEAKER IS MICHELLE COVELL.

>> HI. MY NAME IS MICHELLE COVELL. I HAVE FOUR STUDENTS IN LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT, THREE OF WHOM ATTEND REDMOND ELEMENTARY. I HAVE BEEN A PARENT THERE FOR NINE YEARS.

I'VE SEEN THE CHANGES AND GROWTH OF THE SCHOOL OVER THE YEARS. I HAVE ALSO COME TO LOVE THE SCHOOL AND PARTICULARLY THE STAFF THAT HAVE HELPED MY CHILDREN GROW AND LEARN. BUT THE CHANGES I HAVE WITNESSED THIS YEAR ARE ALARMING. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT MY COMMENTS TONIGHT ARE DIRECTED SOLELY AT LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERS. I FULLY SUPPORT THE STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION AT REDMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I HAVE WITNESSED THEIR DEDICATION AND HAVE SEEN THEIR EFFORTS TO CONVINCE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SCHOOL BOARD OF THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BEING SERVED. THIS YEAR I ALSO SERVE AS THE PTSA PRESIDENT AT REDMOND ELEMENTARY. BECOMING PTSA PRESIDENT WAS NEVER SOMETHING I EVER WANTED TO DO, BUT FRANKLY THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE WILLING TO DO IT. I HAVE PUT OFF RETURNING TO MY OWN PROFESSION AS A REGISTERED NURSE TO SERVE OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THIS POSITION HAS ALLOWED TO HAVE A GREATER INSIGHT INTO THE WORKINGS OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. I HAVE BECOME CLOSE WITH THE TEACHERS AND STAFF AT SCHOOL. I SPEAK TO THEM FREQUENTLY, AND I AM IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING ALMOST DAILY. I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE PROBLEMS, AND THIS YEAR MORE THAN ANY OTHER YEAR, THE PROBLEMS ARE AFFECTING MY OWN CHILDREN. THE PRIMARY ROLE OF ANY PTSA IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE STUDENTS WE SERVE, AND THAT IS WHY I AM HERE TONIGHT. REDMOND ELEMENTARY IS UNIQUE COMPARED TO MOST SCHOOLS IN LAKE WASHINGTON. OUR TEACHERS ARE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE LARGEST CLASS SIZES IN THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT THOSE LARGE CLASS SIZES ALSO INCLUDE SOME OF THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH IEP'S AND 504'S.

MANY STUDENTS WITH COMPLEX LEARNING NEEDS AND A CONSTANT INFLUX OF NEW STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING.

AND A HIGH NUMBER OF STUDENTS DEALING WITH TRAUMA, ABUSE, HOMELESSNESS, FOOD INSECURITY, AND A LARGE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

REDMOND ELEMENTARY IS ONE OF ONLY A FEW SCHOOLS THAT ARE STILL PROJECTED TO HAVE AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, OUR SCHOOL SIZE HAS INCREASED BY ALMOST 30 STUDENTS, AN ENTIRE CLASSROOM WORTH OF STUDENTS, AND YET WE HAVE RECEIVED NO ADDITIONAL STAFF. MANY TEACHERS ARE CONSIDERING LEAVING OUR SCHOOL FOR OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT. IT IS WELL KNOWN FACT AMONG STAFF. SHOULD I CONTINUE? OKAY. IT IS A WELL-KNOWN FACT AMONG STAFF THAT OUR SCHOOL IS NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT, THAT CHANGING SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT MEANS SMALLER CLASS SIZES, AND STUDENTS WITH LESS NEEDS. AS A PARENT, IT IS HARD TO SEE THAT MY SON IN KINDERGARTEN IS ONE OF 25 IN HIS CLASS WHEN NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS ARE LESS THAN 20. AS A TEACHER, THAT MUST BE INFURIATING. HOW IS THAT EQUITABLE? AS I HAVE SAID, I HAVE THREE BOYS AT REDMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. MY KIDS HAVE ALWAYS LOVED GOING TO SCHOOL. BUT THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY DO NOT FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL. EXCUSE ME. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL ONLY SHARE THE EXPERIENCES OF ONE OF MY CHILDREN. MY THIRD GRADER HAS BEEN CHOKED MULTIPLE TIMES BY A STUDENT AT RECESS.

ANOTHER STUDENT IN HIS CLASS STARTED THROWING SCISSORS AT

[00:25:04]

>> IF YOU COULD WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT.

>> LAST PARAGRAPH. >> COULD YOU ACTUALLY PROVIDE US WITH YOUR WRITTEN COMMENT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO WRAP IT

UP. >> I UNDERSTAND. ALL THIS TO SAY, I KNOW WE ARE NEARING THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. I DO NOT EXPECT NEW CLASSES TO BE MADE TO ADDRESS THE INEQUITABLE SIZES WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING, BUT IT IS WITHIN REASON THAT WE SEE AN INCREASE IN STAFF MEMBERS AT OUR SCHOOL TO HELP LIGHTEN THE LOAD OF OUR STUDENTS. AS YOU SAY, ALL MEANS ALL. THAT INCLUDES REDMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU.

>> COMMENT THIS EVENING IS DEVON KELLOGG.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DEVON KELLOGG. I AM THE PROUD PARENT OF TWO AMAZING STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT WHO ARE ACTIVELY PREPARING FOR THEIR FUTURE. HOWEVER, AS OUR FAMILY UNDERSTANDS FIRSTHAND THE RISKS OF CLIMATE INSTABILITY IF WE DON'T ACT NOW, WE OFTEN WONDER ANXIOUSLY WHAT THAT FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE. AND THEY'RE NOT ALONE. A STUDY FROM THE LANCET HAS DETERMINED THAT 59% OF YOUTH ARE VERY OR EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. AND 89% ARE AT LEAST MODERATELY WORRIED. AND THESE COME FROM FEELINGS OF BETRAYAL AND POWERLESSNESS AND FROM INADEQUATE RESPONSES OF THEIR GOVERNMENTS AND LEADERS. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S RECOGNITION THAT OUR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND LIVELIHOODS ARE ALREADY BEING IMPACTED BY OUR RAPIDLY CHANGING CLIMATE, AND THAT WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN REDUCING THE HEAT-TRAPPING POLLUTION THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, THE SOLUTIONS NOT ONLY HELP TO ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR US ALL, THEY ALSO SAVE US MONEY AND ARE CLEANER, HEALTHIER, SAFER, AND MORE RESILIENT. KUDOS TO THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES ALSO ADVOCATING FOR STRONG DISTRICT SUSTAINABILITY POLICY. I APPRECIATE THEM POINTING OUT THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE MORE THAN JUST GOOD INTENTIONS. TO BE EFFECTIVE, WE MUST PUT OUR VALUES INTO ACTION. A STRONG SUSTAINABILITY POLICY SHOULD CONTAIN THESE THREE POINTS. INCLUDE A PLAN WITH CLEAR, MEASURABLE GOALS FOR BOTH STUDENT-FACING SOURCES OF POLLUTION LIKE LUNCHROOM WASTE, ENERGY USE, AND TRANSPORTATION, AS WELL AS THE EQUALLY HARMFUL BUT LESS WELL-KNOWN IMPACTS FROM BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, AND PURCHASING CHOICES. WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS ON THE CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, HOW IT IS IMPACTING OUR PLANET, HEALTH, AND SOCIETY, AND GIVE THEM THE STOOLS TO HELP CREATE BETTER OUTCOMES. IN THE WORDS OF A MIDDLE SCHOOLER, VEDA NAYAR, WE NEED THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO TAKE ACTION TO ALERT A CRISIS AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND FIND SOLUTIONS IN A CHANGING WORLD.

WE NEED TO COORDINATE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION GOALS IN LINE WITH LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL EFFORTS, AND TO INCLUDE STUDENT AND COMMUNITY VOICES IN THE PROCESS. WE HAVE AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY WITH LOTS OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND SUPPORT. SO LET'S USE THIS MOMENTUM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE PROPOSED POLICY PRESENTED BY THE SUSTAINABILITY AMBASSADORS, WHICH BOTH OF MY KIDS SIGNED IN SUPPORT, CONTAINS MOST OF THESE ELEMENTS. IN SUMMARY, OUR SCHOOLS NEED TO BOTH TEACH AND MODEL THE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO PRESERVE A LIVABLE PLANET WITH CLEAR, COORDINATED GOALS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. AND WE NEED TO ACT NOW. PLEASE PASS THE POLICY THIS YEAR THAT INCLUDES THESE POINTS. THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU. THAT WRAPS UP OUR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE EVENING. WE DID ALSO RECEIVE A FAIR NUMBER OF WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS. I'D ENCOURAGE THE REST OF THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE TO GO AHEAD AND READ ALL OF THE WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON BOARD DOCS. THE MAJORITY OF THEM PERTAIN TO THE

[E. Consent Agenda]

[00:30:06]

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>> SECOND. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY DIRECTOR LALIBERTE AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR YOCUM.

SUPERINTENDENT HOLMEN, WILL YOU PULL THE BOARD?

>> DIRECTOR GUTHRIE? >> YES.

>> DIRECTOR STUART? >> YES.

>> VICE PRESIDENT LALIBERTE? >> YES.

>> AND PRESIDENT CHOI? >> YES.

>> WILL YOU PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE DONATIONS THIS EVENING?

>> YEAH. SO TONIGHT IN THE BOARD'S PACKET, YOU HAVE OVER $100,000 OF DONATIONS FROM OUR PTSA'S AND PTO'S. WE HAVE BOTH IN OUR DISTRICT. SO JUST WANT TO THANK OUR PARENTS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITIES FOR THESE DONATIONS BECAUSE AS I READ ABOUT WHAT THESE ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, STUDENT GARDENS, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, ADVENTURE PROGRAMS. I MEAN, THESE ARE EXTENSIONS THAT DO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, SO THANK YOU TO OUR PARENTS AND

FAMILIES FOR THIS SUPPORT. >> YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE

[F. Non-Consent Agenda]

STAFF THAT ARE HERE TO PRESENT? >> YEAH. SO, WE WERE TRYING TO THINK TODAY, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THE BOARD RECEIVED AN OVERALL PROGRAM UPDATE AROUND OUR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS? AND THE ONLY ONE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH WAS A VERY BRIEF UPDATE DURING COVID. IT WAS ABOUT HOW WE WERE PROVIDING SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WHEN SCHOOLS WERE SHUT DOWN AT THE END OF THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE TO RECEIVE A PROGRAM UPDATE AROUND A PROGRAM THAT WE KNOW PROVIDES HIGH LEVERAGE FOR STUDENTS. AS WE THINK ABOUT CLOSING OPPORTUNITY AND ACHIEVEMENT GAPS, THE EARLIER WE CAN INTERVENE WITH STUDENTS, WE KNOW THE GREATER CHANCE WE HAVE AT CLOSING THOSE GAPS. AND SO TONIGHT, WE HAVE DIRECTOR OF EARLY LEARNING, KIM BRENNER WITH US. SHE MET WITH US TODAY IN CABINET. I TELL YOU THESE ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST PICTURES YOU WILL SEE IN A PRESENTATION. AND SO WITH THAT,

I'LL HAND IT OFF TO KIM. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KIM BRENNER, AND I AM THE PROUD DIRECTOR FOR EARLY LEARNING IN THE LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE SINCE 2019, AND WHAT A FIVE YEARS IT HAS BEEN. I'D LIKE TO FIRST START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT EARLY LEARNING SERVICE REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING, WHY DO WE EXIST AND WHO DO WE SERVE? FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES CAN BE SUMMED UP WITH THIS STATISTIC.

90% OF A CHILD'S BRAIN DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS BEFORE THE AGE OF FIVE. CAPITALIZING ON THIS PERIOD OF A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT WITH A HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCE IS ESSENTIAL AND SO MUCH OF THE REASON WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

OUR OTHER PRIMARY DRIVER FOR WHO WE SERVE AND WHY WE EXIST COMES FROM IDEA, WHICH STATES THAT STUDENTS WITH IDENTIFIED DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ARE PROVIDED THOSE SERVICES THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM THREE YEARS OF AGE TO 21 YEARS OF AGE. THIS ILLUSTRATES THE VARIOUS ROUTES THROUGH WHICH STUDENTS WITH IDENTIFIED OR SUSPECTED DISABILITIES COME INTO OUR SYSTEM. ON THE LEFT IS OUR CHILD FINE SCREENINGS. IDEA OUTLINES LEA'S ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO LOCATE, IDENTIFY, AND EVALUATE STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN OUR SERVICE AREA AND HAVE A SUSPECTED DISABILITY. ON THE RIGHT, THE PART C TO PART B TRANSITION REFERS TO CHILDREN WHO ARE TRANSITIONING FROM A LOCAL BIRTH TO THREE EARLY INTERVENTION PROVIDER. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR BIRTH TO THREE PROVIDERS IN OUR AREA. PAINLY, IT'S KINDERRING TO TRANSITION STUDENTS FROM PART C SERVICES TO PART B SERVICES BY THE CHILD'S THIRD BIRTHDATE. WE RECEIVE A HANDFUL OF TRANSFER STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR SERVICES THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ARE MOVING

[00:35:06]

TRANSITION MEETINGS TAKE PLACE BETWEEN A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BIRTH TO THREE PROVIDER, PARENTS, AND OUR TRANSITION COORDINATOR WHEN A STUDENT IS AROUND TWO AND A HALF YEARS OLD. THIS TRANSITION MEETING DETERMINES IF THE STUDENT WILL NEED A SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATION TO DETERMINE PART B ELIGIBILITY. WE CONDUCT AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT TRANSITION MEETINGS PER WEEK AND ROUGHLY ABOUT 80% OF THOSE MEETINGS ARE REFERRED ON FOR AN EVALUATION AND QUALIFY FOR SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES. THESE STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO BEGIN RECEIVING THOSE SERVICES THE DAY THEY TURN THREE YEARS OLD.

OUR CHILD FINE SCREENINGS TAKE PLACE AT OUR EARLY LEARNING CENTER AND ARE FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN REFERRED FOR HAVING A SUSPECTED DELAY BUT HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED BIRTH TO THREE SERVICES. THESE STUDENTS ARE OFTEN REFERRED BY DOCTORS OR PRIVATE DAYCARES, PRESCHOOLS, FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS. AND A CHILD FIND SCREENING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR EVALUATION TEAM TO INTERVIEW PARENTS AND OBSERVE STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL-BASED SETTING. STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO COMPLETE A VARIETY OF PLAY-BASED ACTIVITIES THAT SCREEN FOR POTENTIAL DELAYS IN COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, AND ADAPTIVE AREAS AS WELL. THAT SCREENING IN ADDITION TO INPUT FROM PARENTS INFORMS THE TEAM'S DECISION TO REFER THE CHILD FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATION OR NOT.

OUR REFERRAL RATE FROM CHILD FIND SCREENINGS THIS YEAR IS UP TO 81% FROM 60% IN PREVIOUS YEARS, LIKELY AN IMPACT FROM COVID. THE RESULT OF CHILD TRANSITION MEETINGS ARE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATIONS WE COMPLETE TO DETERMINE IF A STUDENT QUALIFIES TO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. IDEA STATES THAT EACH PUBLIC AGENCY MUST ENSURE THAT TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT APPROPRIATE, CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ARE EDUCATED WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE NON-DISABLED. IN LAKE WASHINGTON, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM OFFERINGS THAT ENSURE WE ARE FULFILLING THIS OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE ALL THE CHILDREN IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR PREVIOUS PROCESS WITH THE NECESSARY SERVICES IN THEIR LEAST-RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

OUR FIRST PROGRAM OFFERING IS HEAD START. HEAD START IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM BASED ON INCOME ELIGIBILITY. WE CURRENTLY SERVE UP TO 80 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BETWEEN OUR TWO LOCATIONS AND FOUR SESSIONS OF HEAD START PRESCHOOL. THERE IS AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FAMILIES TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR HEAD START.

ABOUT 10% OF THE STUDENTS IN THAT PROGRAM ARE ALSO RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO PRESCHOOL, HEAD START PROVIDES MEALS AND HEALTH SCREENINGS TO STUDENTS AND WRAP-AROUND FAMILY SERVICES FROM OUR FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS. SERVICES ARE ANOTHER PROGRAM OFFERING FOR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.

THESE SERVICES ARE TYPICALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO MIGHT ONLY QUALIFY FOR THERAPY-BASED SERVICES AND CAN MAKE PROGRESS IN THOSE AREAS THROUGH WEEKLY THERAPY SESSIONS. IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP STUDENTS IN THEIR LEAST-RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, IN 2019 WE STARTED OFFERING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES DIRECTLY IN PRIVATE PRESCHOOL SETTINGS FOR THOSE STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN A PROGRAM BUT WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM SOME SPECIAL SERVICES. THIS IS PROVIDED IN A MORE CONSULTATIVE MODEL BETWEEN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND THE PRIVATE PRESCHOOL STAFF RATHER THAN THE DIRECT SERVICE MODEL PROVIDED IN OUR PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS. OUR LARGEST PROGRAM IS OUR INCLUSION PRESCHOOL PROGRAM, FORMERLY OR MORE COMMONLY IT MIGHT BE REFERRED TO AS READY START. IN 2019, WE CHANGED THE MODEL TO PROVIDE A FULLY INCLUSIVE PRESCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS. IT WAS THE FIRST STEP ON OUR INCLUSION JOURNEY DISTRICT WIDE. IN THESE CLASSROOMS, WE HAVE CAPACITY FOR A 50/50 RATIO SPLIT OF STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND STUDENTS WHO ARE TUITION-BASED STUDENTS. ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WE HAVE 16 CLASSROOMS IN SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. OUR TUITION-BASED STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED ON A LOTTERY SYSTEM AND PAY A $475 PER MONTH TUITION. EACH CLASSROOM IS CO-TAUGHT BY A CERTIFICATED

[00:40:05]

SNAP STANDS FOR STUDENTS NEEDING ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING SUPPORT AND IS AVAILABLE TO CURRENTLY ENROLLED PRESCHOOL STUDENTS WITH A PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM WHO DEMONSTRATE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL INTERVENTION BEYOND THE PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM. THIS TAKES PLACE AT THREE OF OUR SIX PRESCHOOL LOCATIONS AND SERVES UP TO 75 STUDENTS ACROSS THESE LOCATIONS. THE VISION THAT WE HAVE IN ALL OUR EARLY LEARNING CLASSROOMS AND PROGRAMS IN LAKE WASHINGTON IS THAT WE ARE CREATING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE PREPARING EACH CHILD FOR PERSONAL SUCCESS IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WORK WE ARE DOING IN OUR PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE THAT VISION FOR OUR STUDENTS. OOPS. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO THINK THAT COVID IS IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, WE CAN'T IGNORE THE IMPACT IT HAD ON OUR PROGRAM, OUR STUDENTS, AND FAMILIES. AN IMPACT THAT WE ARE STILL FEELING TODAY. WHEN THE MAJORITY OF OUR DISTRICT AND OUR WORLD WAS TEACHING, LEARNING, AND WORKING REMOTELY, WE WERE DOING THE OPPOSITE. IN THE FALL OF 2020, WE OPENED THE DISTRICT'S EARLY LEARNING CENTER AT THE OLD REDMOND SCHOOLHOUSE AND WELCOMED A SMALL NUMBER OF IN-PERSON STUDENTS ACROSS OUR CLASSROOMS. IT WAS DEFINITELY A YEAR TO REMEMBER. WHILE WE ARE IN PERSON, HOWEVER, PRIVATE PRESCHOOLS AND DAYCARES IN THE AREA WERE CLOSING THEIR DOORS, AND OUR BIRTH TO THREE PROVIDERS REMAINED REMOTE FOR SOMETIME. THIS LACK OF ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES HAD A LARGE IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STUDENTS COMING INTO OUR PROGRAM. AS A RESULT OF THIS, WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR CHILD FIND NUMBERS, WHICH I REFERENCED EARLIER, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRALS WE ARE MAKING FOR OUR TUITION-BASED STUDENTS ONCE THEY'RE ENROLLED. THIS IS A GRAPH OUTLINING OUR ENROLLMENT TRENDS. WE ARE BACK ON TRACK AND EVEN EXCEEDING OUR ENROLLMENT PRE-COVID. THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE CHANGE IN ENROLLMENT FROM SEPTEMBER TO SPRING SINCE 2019. BOTH FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH IEP'S AND OUR TUITION-BASED STUDENTS. AND I JUST THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS RECOGNIZING THAT KIDS ARE TURNING THREE ALL YEARLONG. STUDENTS ARE QUALIFYING FOR SERVICES ALL YEARLONG. SO THAT BLUE BAR, WHICH REPRESENTS OUR STUDENTS WITH IEP'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING THAT BIGGEST JUMP FROM SEPTEMBER TO SPRING EVERY SINGLE YEAR. SO WE START LOW, GO HIGH, THEN THOSE KIDS GO TO KINDERGARTEN, AND WE START LOW AND GO HIGH AGAIN EVERY YEAR. BUT IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT WE HAVE RECOUPED OUR ENROLLMENT BACK FROM WHAT WE SAW PRE-COVID. IN PRESCHOOL, EVERY MINUTE MATTERS. EVERYTHING WE DO WITHIN OUR STUDENT'S DAY IS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. FROM TRANSITIONING FROM THE COMFORT OF MOM OR DAD OR A FAMILIAR ADULT INTO AN ENVIRONMENT OF FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS, SHARING TOYS, TAKING TURNS, DOING ANY KIND OF NON-PREFERRED ACTIVITY, EVERY OPPORTUNITY IS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. WHILE PLAY IS WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE WHEN YOU WALK INTO A CLASSROOM, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT SCHOOL READINESS SKILLS ARE BEHIND EVERYTHING WE DO THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL DAY. AND THIS IS JUST A REPRESENTATION OF THAT, THE COMPONENTS OF OUR DAY, AND THE MYRIAD OF THINGS THE STAFF IN OUR PROGRAMS ARE HELPING KIDS WORK ON THROUGHOUT THEIR DAY. WE ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THIS WITH THE USE OF OUR PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM, WHICH WE ADOPTED IN 2018. THE CURRICULUM COVERS ALL DEVELOPMENT AND PRE-ACADEMIC AREAS IN A PLAY-BASED AND HANDS-ON APPROACH THAT ALLOWS TEACHERS TO DIFFERENTIATE TO MEET STUDENTS AT THEIR CURRENT LEVEL. THE CURRICULUM IS DIVIDED INTO DIFFERENT STUDIES.

IN THESE PICTURES, YOU CAN SEE A FEW EXAMPLES FROM THE PET STUDY, THE LIGHT STUDY, THE CLOTHING STUDY, AND OUR TREE STUDY. ALIGNING OUR WORK AT PRESCHOOL TO THE WORK BEING DONE IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND IS A LARGE PART OF MAKING OUR VISION A REALITY. SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS ARE CREATING A PRESCHOOL PAGE ON OUR EPIC WEBSITE ALLOWING OTHER GRADE LEVELS TO ACCESS THE STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM WE ARE WORKING ON IN PRESCHOOL. WE ALSO UTILIZE TS GOLD FOR OUR PROGRESS MONITORING. TS GOLD

[00:45:01]

ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HAS INCLUDED PARTNERING WITH OUR ASSISTIVE TECH TEAM ON CREATING COMMUNICATION-RICH CLASSROOMS, WORKING ON DEESCALATION STRATEGIES, AND ALL OF THE PARAEDUCATORS IN PRESCHOOL HAVE BEEN ENGAGING IN THE DISTRICT-PROVIDED INCLUSION BITES AS PART OF THEIR IPCP CERTIFICATION. WE HAVE ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF DISTRICT PARTNERSHIPS OVER THE YEARS TO HELP ALIGN OUR WORK IN PRESCHOOL. IF YOU THINK PRESCHOOLERS ARE TOO YOUNG TO CODE, THINK AGAIN. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH JAKE DUKE, A CURRICULUM SPECIALIST IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING DEPARTMENT TO BRING THE BLUE BOTS, ROBOTS INTO OUR PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS. MELISSA PROVIDED A YEAR-LONG PD SERIES LAST YEAR ON STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH MULTI-LINGUAL STUDENTS. WE HAVE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH VIRGINIA RAMIREZ FROM OUR EQUITY AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE WORKING MOST EFFECTIVELY WITH OUR FAMILIES NEEDING INTERPRETING SERVICES. OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ARE ALMOST TOO MANY TO NAME ON THIS SLIDE. THIS IS A PICTURE OF A NUMBER OF PRESCHOOLTEACHERS AND OTHER THERAPISTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT WHO CAME ON THEIR OWN TIME TO ENGAGE IN A WORKSHOP PUT ON BY ONE OF OUR PARENTS.

IT WAS CALLED ADAPTING FOR ALL, AND HE TAUGHT HIMSELF REALLY HOW TO ADAPT TOYS TO BE SWITCH ACTIVATED FOR KIDS WHO NEEDED TO ACCESS THEIR TOYS AND THEIR LEARNING. HE HAS WRITTEN A BOOK AND HAS A BLOG THAT OUTLINES HOW TO DO THIS, AND HE CAME AND DID A KIND OF WORKSHOP. SO ALL OF THESE LITTLE CACTUSES THAT THEY'RE HOLDING ALL DANCE WHEN YOU HIT THE SWITCH. AND PRIOR, THEY DID NOT. WE ALSO PARTNER CLOSELY WITH THE UW HARING CENTER. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH KINDERRING. WE HAVE A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH A NEW ORGANIZATION CALLED MANOS UNIDAS INTERNATIONAL. THEY ARE WORKING TO SUPPORT HISPANIC AND LATINO FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND REALLY BEING ADVOCATES AND HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND AND NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. WE HAVE HELD A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIRS AND WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR LOCAL DAY CARES AND PRESCHOOLS AS WELL. PARENTS AND FAMILIES ARE AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK WE DO. PRESCHOOL IN LAKE WASHINGTON IS THE FIRST INTRODUCTION FOR MOST OF OUR FAMILIES INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SYSTEMS, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, IT CAN BE A SCARY AND CONFUSING TIME. WE STRIVE TO PARTNER CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM AND SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DISTRICT. ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO THIS IS BY PROVIDING PARENT EDUCATION AND NETWORKING EVENTS. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE TOPICS WE HAVE PRESENTED ON

[00:50:01]

>> ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR.

BRENNER. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? DIRECTOR YOCUM?

>> I'M TRYING TO FIND IT. OKAY. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE LOTTERY ARE ACCEPTED INTO

PRESCHOOL? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

DATA I DON'T HAVE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. IT WOULD DEPEND ON LOCATION REALLY. WHEN STUDENTS ENTER THE LOTTERY, THEY GO INTO THE LOTTERY BASED ON THEIR FEEDER PATTERN WITH THEIR HOME ADDRESS. AND SO WE HAVE CERTAIN LOCATIONS THAT HAVE A MUCH LONGER WAITING LIST AND A LOWER PERCENTAGE THAT GET IN, AND WE HAVE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT MORE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS GET IN. SO I WOULD GUESS THAT IT'S A LITTLE OVER HALF OF THE FAMILIES THAT GET IN INITIALLY. WHAT WE KNOW HAPPENS OVER THE SUMMER, FAMILIES MAKE OTHER PLANS, THEY FIND SOMETHING ELSE, AND SO WE ARE ABLE TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH OUR WAIT LIST RELATIVELY QUICKLY IN THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER SO WHERE GENERALLY, THE ONLY LOCATION WHERE WE DO HAVE A WAIT LIST STILL BY MID-YEAR IS USUALLY OLD REDMOND

SCHOOLHOUSE. >> CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP TO THAT? IS THAT OKAY? THANK YOU. BECAUSE OF THAT 50/50 RATIO FOR THE INCLUSION PROGRAM. INCLUSIVE. I SHOULD NOT SAY BECAUSE OF THE INCLUSION PROGRAM. BECAUSE OF THE RATIO, DO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ACCEPTED INTO THAT TUITION-BASED PROGRAM DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH AN

IEP? >> NO. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. OUR CAPACITY IN EACH CLASSROOM IS 16. SO THERE ARE EIGHT SPOTS FOR TUITION-PAYING STUDENTS AND EIGHT SPOTS FOR STUDENTS WITH IEP'S. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS WITH IEP'S ARE QUALIFYING ALL YEARLONG, WE DON'T GENERALLY START WITH EIGHT STUDENTS IN EACH CLASSROOM ON AN IEP. WE START FULL WITH OUR TUITION-PAYING STUDENTS, AND THEN OUR ENROLLMENT INCREASES FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL SERVICES AS THE YEAR GOES ON.

>> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. >> DIRECTOR GUTHRIE?

>> YES. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SAYING THAT INCLUSION FROM THE START DOESN'T GUARANTEE INCLUSION THROUGHOUT. BUT SEGREGATION FROM THE START OFTEN GUARANTEES SEGREGATION THROUGHOUT. THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN PRESCHOOL TO MAKE THAT INCLUSIVE AND TO SUPPORT OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS REALLY IS DRIVING THE WORK WE'RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM NOW, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT. I WAS CURIOUS TALKING ABOUT SERVICES AND THE CONSULT MODEL. KNOWING THAT PRESCHOOL IS JUST HALF A DAY, DO YOU SEE STUDENTS OR FAMILIES OPTING FOR THOSE MODELS FROM A MORE OF A CHILD CARE PERSPECTIVE? YOU KNOW, BEING

[00:55:03]

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. IT'S NOT REALLY AN OPT-IN OPTION. WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE FAMILIES WHEN WE CREATE THEIR IEP IS THIS IS THE LOCATION AND SERVICES WHERE WE FEEL WE CAN BEST MEET THEIR NEEDS AND HELP THEM MAKE PROGRESS ON THEIR GOALS. WE WORK WITH EVERY FAMILY INDIVIDUALLY AND WORK WITH THEIR NEEDS INDIVIDUALLY, BUT WHAT WE REALLY TRY TO STRESS WITH OUR FAMILIES IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HELP WHERE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE BEST SERVICES IN ORDER TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THEIR GOALS. THAT'S ULTIMATELY OUR OBLIGATION IN OUR PROGRAM IS TO DO THAT, SO WE DON'T FIND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T RUN INTO A LOT OF SITUATIONS WHERE THAT BECOMES PROBLEMATIC. WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS WHO ACCESS OUR PROGRAM FOR HALF OF THEIR DAY AND THEN THEY DO GO TO A PRIVATE PRESCHOOL OR DAYCARE FOR THE OTHER HALF OF THEIR DAY. SO GENERALLY, FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK TO GET THE SERVICES MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR KIDS. BUT GREAT QUESTION.

>> ONE MORE QUESTION. >> YEAH.

>> I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID. AND KIND OF MAYBE IN LINE WITH THAT AND LOOKING SORT OF AT ONE OF YOUR LAST SLIDES WHERE IT WAS KINDERGARTEN HERE WE COME, AND THE TRANSITION SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE IT'S VERY HEAVY STAFF SUPPORT. IS THERE ANY SUPPORT THAT CONNECTS THOSE PRESCHOOL FAMILIES TO ELEMENTARY FAMILIES? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S UP TO PTSA'S, BUT HAVING HAD A CHILD IN PRESCHOOL, I'M JUST CURIOUS.

THAT IS A BIG TRANSITION, BUT I THINK ALSO HELPFUL FOR FAMILIES THAT CAN MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS MOVING INTO AN ENVIRONMENT.

>> ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THAT ROLL UP FOR REGISTRATION IS THAT THEY GET AS SOON AS THAT ROLL UP HAPPENS, THEY ARE CONNECTED TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S PARENT SQUARE. THEY'RE ON THEIR MAIL LIST FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

WHEN THOSE SCHOOLS ARE HAVING PTSA EVENTS OR WHEN THEY'RE HAVING BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENTS, THAT COMMUNICATION IS REACHING OUR FAMILIES A LOT EARLIER THAN IT WAS IF THEY HAD, IF THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE IT UNTIL THEY WENT AND REGISTERED. SO AS SOON AS THAT ROLL UP HAPPENS, WHICH IS GENERALLY IN JANUARY, THEY WILL START RECEIVING ANY COMMUNICATION THAT'S BEING SENT OUT TO INCOMING FAMILIES. SO THAT HELPS A LOT. I DEFINITELY THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF MORE PTA'S DID OR SCHOOLS IN GENERAL DID KIND OF SOME NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY EVENTS TO HELP. AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE DO SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE IS JUST SO THAT FAMILIES START BUILDING THAT COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE AND THAT NETWORK OF PEOPLE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, THEY'RE IN THIS SYSTEM WITH A LOT OF THE SAME PEOPLE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, SO WE WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS EARLY.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR BRENNER.

>> THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. THANK YOU.

>>> THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING THE IS REDIRECTING OF 2022 CONSTRUCTION LEVY PROCEEDS AND MATCHING FUNDS, RESOLUTION NUMBER 2365. THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION AND THE UNDERLYING DATA RELATED TO LWSD HIGH SCHOOLS AT PREVIOUS STUDY SESSIONS. THE BOARD RECEIVED THE FORMAL PRESENTATION OF 2365 AT THE MARCH 25, 2024 BOARD MEETING. THE PUBLIC WAS NOTIFIED VIA PRESS RELEASE AND DIRECT COMMUNICATION TO ALL LWSD FAMILIES ON MARCH 26, 2024. THE PUBLIC WAS NOTIFIED THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE COMMENT TO THE BOARD DIRECTLY THROUGH E-MAIL OR VIA THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. ADDITIONALLY, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COULD SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO HAVE THEIR COMMENTS SHARED DIRECTLY. DR. HOLMEN, CAN YOU SUMMARIZE THE COMMUNICATION THE BOARD RECEIVED DIRECTLY AND THE COMMUNICATION THAT THE DISTRICT RECEIVED VIA THE COMMUNICATIONS

DEPARTMENT? >> YEAH, I WILL. SO WHAT I BELIEVE THE BOARD HAS FORWARDED ME ALL THE COMMUNICATION YOU RECEIVED, AND IT REALLY WAS A COLLECTION OF FAMILIES FROM THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATING FOR USING DOLLARS TO REBUILD AND ENLARGE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE BOARD SAW MY RESPONSE TO THOSE FAMILIES, AND WE SHARE THAT INTEREST IN HAVING THAT ON OUR NEXT FUNDING MEASURE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE FOUR SPECIFIC AGING SCHOOLS THAT DO NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. AND SO I CAN TELL YOU PEOPLE APPRECIATED THE RESPONSES, AND ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ALSO OFFERED SUPPORT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT

[01:00:01]

IT'S ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS WE OFTEN GET AROUND VARIOUS TYPES OF BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE. AND JUST SHARED WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION BUDGET OF WHICH THESE DOLLARS CAN ONLY BE USED FOR FACILITY UPGRADES FOR THE BUILDING OF NEW CLASSROOMS, MODIFYING SCHOOLS. IT CAN'T BE USED FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES. AND SO THAT WAS THE TOTALITY OF THE COMMUNICATION WE RECEIVED

REGARDING THIS. >> ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT. THANK YOU. DR. HOLMEN, CAN YOU NOW SUMMARIZE THE ACTION PRESENTED

IN RESOLUTION NUMBER 2365? >> YEAH. AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE OPENING, YOU DID RECEIVE A PRETTY LENGTHY PRESENTATION AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING AROUND THE CONTENTS OF THIS RESOLUTION. ULTIMATELY, WHAT THIS RESOLUTION DOES IS IT REDIRECTS FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED FOR WHAT WE HAVE REFERRED TO AS THE HIGH SCHOOL AT SITE 59 FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, OF WHICH SOME ARE IN THE RESOLUTION, AND SOME WERE IN THE PRESENTATION AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING. IT REDIRECTS FUNDS TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM ADDITIONS AND MODIFICATIONS TO CORE SPACE AT BOTH EAST LAKE HIGH SCHOOL AND REDMOND HIGH SCHOOL. THE RESOLUTION GOES ON TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO CONDUCT AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN STUDY RELATED TO A FIFTH COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER TYPES OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT COULD BE MADE FOR HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY FOR HOW TO ADDRESS HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY SUCH AS DO NOTHING, CONDUCT A DISTRICT WIDE REBOUNDARY, AND LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS. ALL OF THAT WAS PRESENTED AT YOUR LAST BOARD MEETING, AND TONIGHT THE RESOLUTION IS PRESENTED FOR THE

BOARD TO TAKE ACTION. >> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS IN REGARD TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 2365? HEARING NO MORE QUESTIONS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2365. REDIRECTING 2022 CONSTRUCTION LEVY PROCEEDS AND MATCHING FUNDS AS PRESENTED.

>> I MOVE TO ADOPT, WHOA, THERE WE ARE. I MOVE TO ADOPT, WOW.

AGAIN. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2365, REDIRECTING THE 2022 CONSTRUCTION LEVY PROCEEDS AND MATCHING FUNDS AS

PRESENTED IN OUR PACKET. >> SECOND.

>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY DIRECTOR LALIBERTE AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR STUART REDIRECTING 2022 CONSTRUCTION LEVY PROCEEDS AND MATCHING FUNDS AS PRESENTED. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL PROCEED TO VOTE ON THE MOTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY VOTING AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. HEARING

NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >>> THE AUTHORIZATION TO SELL BONDS RESOLUTION NUMBER 2366 WITH A PUBLIC HEARING LGO BONDS. THE NEXT ITEM IS A PRESENTATION. THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FORMAL ACTION BY THE BOARD TO DELEGATE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT THE AUTHORIZATION TO SELL THE

BONDS. DR. HOLMEN? >> AS PART OF THE CAPITAL LEVY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, THE BOARD WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE STRATEGY TO USE NON-VOTED DEBT WOULD BE USED TO FUND CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL ADDITION PROJECTS. NON-VOTED DEBT IS CONSIDERED A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND, WHICH IS PAID BACK USING VOTER-APPROVED CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION LEVY. I INQUIRED ABOUT THE USE OF LGO'S TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF EAST LAKE AND REDMOND ADDITIONS. GIVEN THE TIMING OF THOSE PROJECTS, WE WERE UNABLE TO FUND THOSE THROUGH, WE WERE

[01:05:01]

PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'VE ASKED ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION AND RECOMMENDATION TO SELL LGO'S. BARBARA?

>> GOOD EVENING. SO I JUST HAVE A FEW SLIDES TO GIVE A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF OUR SALE AND KIND OF DESCRIBE WHAT A LIMITED GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND IS OR LGO. AS DR. HOLMEN SHARED, OUR 2022 CONSTRUCTION LEVY PASSED BY VOTERS IN FEBRUARY OF 22. AND SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BOARD AT MULTIPLE STUDY SESSIONS. THE MOST RECENT ONE ON MARCH 16TH ABOUT OUR NEED TO DO A FUTURE LGO BOND SALE.

AND THE PURPOSE IS, AGAIN, WE ARE GETTING THE LEVY FUNDS FROM SPRING OF 23 THROUGH FALL OF 28, BUT THE MAJORITY OF OUR EXPENDITURES WILL OCCUR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS USING THE LGO BONDS TO FRONT FUND THOSE PROJECTS SO WE CAN GET THEM BUILT FASTER AND SAVE CONSTRUCTION INFLATION. AND AGAIN, THEY'RE NON-VOTED BONDS, AND THEY'RE PAID BACK WITH VOTER-APPROVED LEVY PROCEEDS.

SO JUST WHAT IS A DEFINITION OF THE LGO BOND? A LIMITEDDED GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND. IT'S SHORT-TERM NON-VOTED DEBT PAID BACK WITH THE SIX-YEAR LEVY TIMEFRAME. THE PRINCIPAL IS PAID BACK WITH LEVY PROCEEDS. THE INTEREST ON THE BONDS IS PAID BACK USING OTHER SOURCES. WE ARE USING PRIOR 2016 AND 2019 STATE CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS THAT WE HAVE REMAINING. THE RCW AROUND LGO BONDS REQUIRES THE BOARD TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND REQUIRES THAT, THAT PUBLIC HEARING BE ADVERTISED IN A PUBLIC NEWSPAPER. IT WAS ADVERTISED IN BOTH THE SEATTLE TIMES AND OUR LOCAL REPORTERS.

SO JUST ADDITIONAL DETAILS, THE RESOLUTION DELEGATES THE SUPERINTENDENT OR MYSELF THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT THE BOND UNDERWRITER TO MARKET OUR BONDS WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS, WHICH ARE SET FORTH IN THE RESOLUTION. THE PARAMETERS INCLUDE THE BOND AMOUNT, WHICH IS UP TO $50 MILLION. THE FINAL MATURITY BY DECEMBER 1, 2028 AND AN AGGREGATE TRUE INTEREST COST NOT TO EXCEED 5%. WE'RE CURRENTLY ESTIMATING INTEREST RATES AT 3.1. THEY PUT A PARAMETER IN THERE HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING JUST TO HAVE SOME CUSHION. THE ADVANCED AUTHORIZATION ALSO PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY IN TIMING THE BOND SALE. SO THE SALE CAN BE SCHEDULED BASED ON CONDITIONS.

WE'RE PLANNING THE BOND SALE IN JUNE, BUT THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU'RE APPROVING, THAT YOU'RE ACTING ON TO NIGHT ACTUALLY ALLOWS US TO HAVE THAT BOND SALE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, AGAIN DEPENDING ON MARKET CONDITIONS. SO AS WE'VE SAID, THE LGO PROCEEDS CAN ONLY BE USED FOR ADDITIONS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND PROPERTY. IT CAN'T BE USED FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REFURBISHING AGING FACILITIES. IT'S CUSTOMARY IN THE BOND MARKET TODAY FOR BONDS TO BE SOLD AT WHAT'S CALLED AN ORIGINAL ISSUE PREMIUM. SO INVESTORS ARE WILLING TO PAY A PREMIUM, WHICH IS GREATER THAN THE PAR AMOUNT OR FACE VALUE OF THE BONDS SO THEY GET ABOVE-MARKET INTEREST RATES. SO THE DISTRICT WILL RECEIVE $50 MILLION, BUT THE PRINCIPAL WE PAY BACK OVER SIX YEARS IS ACTUALLY A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS LESS THAN THAT. SO THAT PREMIUM OFFSETS OUR INTEREST COST. OUR NET INTEREST COST WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION. JUST A REMINDER, WITHOUT THE LGO BOND SALE, WE WOULD NEED TO DELAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, WHICH THEN INCREASE THE COSTS GREATER THAN THE COST OF INTEREST. SO AGAIN, OUR UNDERWRITER STRUCTURES THE BONDS FOR THE BEST OUTCOME FOR THE DISTRICT. SO OUR TIMELINE TONIGHT, THE BOARD, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING AND BOARD ACTION ON THE RESOLUTION. WHENEVER DISTRICTS SELL BONDS, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A RATING PROCESS. WE EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN IN MAY.

[01:10:01]

PRESENTATION. SO. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

BARBARA. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> AS YOU STATED, THE AUTHORIZATION TO SELL BONDS REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING. AT THIS TIME, I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC, PLEASE COME TO THE CENTER PODIUM, AND STATE YOUR NAME. SEEING THAT THERE IS NO ONE WISHING TO PROVIDE COMMENT DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OKAY. I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2366 AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF LIMITED GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF THE DISTRICT IN THE AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT UP TO $50 MILLION AS PRESENTED.

>> I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2366 AS PRESENTED.

>> SECOND. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY DIRECTOR GUTHRIE AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR YOCUM THAT WE ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2366 AS PRESENTED. IS THERE ANY BOARD DISCUSSION? HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY DIRECTOR GUTHRIE AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR YOCUM THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2366 AS PRESENTED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY VOTING AYE.

>> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED? HEARING

NONE, MOTION CARRIES. >>> AND THE FINAL ITEM ON THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE FIRST READING OF OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION THREE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EXPERIENCE. DR. HOLMEN, WILL YOU AND YOUR STAFF PLEASE PROVIDE A PRESENT AND INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD'S

FIRST READING OF THIS POLICY? >> YES. AND SO TONIGHT, THE BOARD DOES HAVE OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION THREE ON THE AGENDA FOR A FIRST READING. AS THE BOARD KNOWS, YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN A LOT OF POLICY WORK OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THAT OE3 AND OE9 REALLY DID NEED TO COME TO THE BOARD FOR REVISION. KNOWING THAT THERE WAS SOME VALUES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OUT OF DATE AND SOME VALUES MISSING IN THOSE POLICIES. AND SO TONIGHT, TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION ON THE FIRST READING IS ASSOCIATE, EXCUSE ME, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT MATT GILLINGHAM.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. HOLMEN. SO WE'LL BE PROVIDING A BRIEF OVERVIEW TO THE BOARD RECAPPING SOME OF THE WORK THAT THE BOARD HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS AS IT'S LOOKED AT OPERATIONAL POLICIES THREE AND NINE. JUST TO KIND OF RECAP, THE BOARD HELD A STUDY SESSION ON DECEMBER 4, 2023 IN WHICH WE ENGAGED WITH OUR STUDENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES TO ASK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES. AND OVER THAT STUDY SESSION AND THE JANUARY 22ND STUDY SESSION, THE BOARD REVIEWED BOTH OE3 AND OE9. HAD DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE CONSIDERATIONS OF WHETHER TO MAINTAIN THE TWO POLICIES.

HISTORICALLY, THESE ACTUALLY HAD BEEN A SINGLE POLICY, AND THEN WERE SPLIT AT ONE POINT IN TIME TO BE SEPARATE POLICIES.

DISCUSS THE BOARD'S VALUES RELATED TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER EXPERIENCE. AND THEN THE BOARD WAS PRESENTED WITH FRAMEWORKS RELATED TO BEST PRACTICES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I'LL GO THROUGH A FEW OF THOSE THAT WE SHARED. AND WE ALSO, THE BOARD, LOOKED

[01:15:03]

AND CANADA HAD TAKEN THOSE FRAMEWORKS AND ACTUALLY WAS PUTTING THEM INTO PRACTICE, WHICH WE WILL NOT GO INTO HERE, BUT THOSE ARE AVAILABLE PUBLICLY FROM THAT JANUARY 22ND STUDY SESSION. SO WE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, I'LL JUST STICK TO THREE FRAMEWORKS, ONE IS WE LOOKED AT THE GRADE SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIPS AND HOW SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS HAVE TRADITIONALLY WORKED WITH AND CONNECTED WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY. AND SO HISTORICALLY, SCHOOLS LIVE IN JUST THIS KIND OF PROVIDING INFORMATION, AND IT'S KIND OF UNIDIRECTIONAL.

AND THEN THERE'S ENCOURAGING INVOLVEMENT. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS BEING EQUITABLE PLACES, WE'RE RECOGNIZING THE WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE THAT OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES BRING, AND SO THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE ENGAGE WITH THEM DIFFERENTLY WHERE WE'RE SHARING AND KIND OF COLLABORATING AT A HIGHER LEVEL? ONE OF THE BEST MODELS THAT'S OUT THERE FOR THAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THEIR SPECTRUM REALLY KIND OF BREAKS DOWN THAT WE CAN LIVE ALONG A VARIETY OF PLACES FROM INFORMING TO COLLABORATION AND EMPOWERING, AND LOCALLY WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING ONE OF THE FOREMOST EXPERTS IN FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WITH SCHOOLS, DR. ANDY SCHAMARA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. SHE AND HER TEAM HAVE DEVELOPED AN EQUITABLE COLLABORATION FRAMEWORK. IN HER BOOK, WE KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED DO SOME OF THE WORK IN DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. OUR EQUITY AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TEAM ACTUALLY USES THIS MODEL IN KIND OF GUIDING THE WAYS WE WORK AND LOOKS AT HOW DO WE DEVELOP COMMUNITY CAPACITY? HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT BUILDING AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS? STARTING FROM A STANDPOINT OF VIEWING OUR FAMILIES AS EXPERTS, TAKING A LEARNING STANCE AS EDUCATORS, BEING CURIOUS, THINKING ABOUT THE BALANCE OF POWER AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT DYNAMIC, AND THINKING ABOUT FAMILY-DRIVEN GOALS FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. SO AS A RESULT OF ALL OF THAT, WE'RE PROPOSING A REVISED POLICY TO THE BOARD. SO IT WOULD BE A COMPLETE REVISION TO OE3. WITH THAT, WE'D ALSO CALL FOR THE BOARD TO STRIKE OE9. WE WOULD CONSOLIDATE THOSE INTO A SINGULAR POLICY, AND WE WOULD BASE, THAT POLICY IS BASED ON THAT EQUITABLE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORK. AND SO THIS IS REALLY STARTING WITH WHAT'S A FRAMEWORK, WHAT'S BEST CONSIDERED BEST PRACTICE, AND THEN HOW DOES THE BOARD ALIGN ITS VALUES TO THAT? WE'VE DONE SOME SIMILAR THINGS WITH R3 WHERE WE LOOKED AT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY WE WANT TO DEVELOP STUDENT SOCIAL-EMOTIONA L SKILLS? WHAT'S A GOOD FRAMEWORK FOR THAT? WE'RE PROPOSING A POLICY BASED ON THAT FRAMEWORK. IT IS ASPIRATIONAL AND KIND OF FUTURE, FORWARD ORIENTED. SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING THIS POLICY AND DEMONSTRATING THAT WILL REQUIRE ADAPTATION FOR US AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AS AN ORGANIZATION. BUT ONE OF THE BENEFITS, I BELIEVE, IS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY DESCRIPTIVE OF THE TYPES OF BEHAVIORS. IT IS DESCRIPTIVE OF THE VALUES THAT THE BOARD HOLDS. AND WHEN WE CONTRAST THAT TO OUR EXISTING POLICY, IT IS NOT BASED ON A FRAMEWORK. WE TALKED ABOUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT R3, THAT CREATES COHERENCE CHALLENGES THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION. IT IS COMPLIANCE ORIENTED, WHICH WHILE THAT IS IMPORTANT AS A FORMER COMPLIANCE OFFICER, I BELIEVE THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MOTIVATE THE TYPE OF CHANGE OR KIND OF LEAD VALUES FIRST. AND SO THE DRAFT POLICY, WHICH THE BOARD HAS IN BOARD DOCS, BUT REALLY KIND OF STARTS WITH THE PREAMBLE, WHICH IS ALSO A NEW THING. THE CURRENT POLICIES DO NOT KIND OF LAY OUT THE BOARD'S VALUES OR BELIEFS AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. AND THEN PROVIDES A DIRECTIVE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO MAINTAIN THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE THAT

[01:20:02]

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION? DIRECTOR

LALIBERTE? >> A PROCESS QUESTION. WHEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN STUDY SESSIONS BEFORE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF ADOPTING A POLICY LIKE THIS OR AS PRESENTED NOW, AND THEN CONTINUING TO DO ADDITIONAL WORK AROUND THIS. SO WHEN THIS COMES BACK TO THE BOARD, WHAT WE'LL BE VOTING ON IS JUST TO ADOPT THAT POLICY, NOT TO ALSO DO ANY, NOT TO ADD AN ITEM TO OUR WORK PLAN. I JUST WANT TO

UNDERSTAND. >> THE ACTION WOULD BE TO ADOPT A NEW POLICY. ESSENTIALLY, ADOPT A REVISION OF OE3, SUNSET OE9. AS WE ENTER INTO OUR WORK-PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR, THE BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED OE3 AS A PLACE WHERE THE BOARD WANTS TO SPEND TIME IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO THAT WILL BE A BOARD DECISION. YOU COULD WALK AWAY FROM THAT INTEREST THAT YOU HAVE OR YOU COULD INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR WORK PLAN FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

>> THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE IS IF APPROVED, IF THIS POLICY CHANGE IS ADOPTED, THIS NEW POLICY WOULD BE MONITORED IN THE FALL. IS THAT RIGHT? IT WOULD BE THE NEW OE3?

>> SO WE WOULD MOVE RELATIVELY QUICKLY TO DO SUPERINTENDENT INTERPRETATION AND IDENTIFY INDICATORS FOR A FIRST MONITORING IN THE FALL. KNOWING THAT WILL STILL BE IMPERFECT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. FRANKLY, I KNEW THE ANSWER TO THAT. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS AN IMPORTANT THING.

>> ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT NEXT YEAR, I THINK THAT WILL HELP ALSO FURTHER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S INTERPRETATION AND THE INDICATORS TO EVALUATE

THIS POLICY. >> YES. DIRECTOR GUTHRIE?

>> I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION. COMMENT, AS I WAS LISTENING TO THE HIGH CAP REVIEW PRESENTATION IN THE STUDY SESSION, I WOULD LOVE TO, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT, THAT GROUP HAS DONE HAS BEEN VERY DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING ELSE I'VE SEEN IN 10 YEARS IN THIS DISTRICT AND I THINK ALIGNS WITH A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S LESSONS LEARNED, NOT JUST FROM A SORT OF HIGH-CAP CONTENT PERSPECTIVE BUT IN THE WAYS THAT COMMITTEE ENGAGED, WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE, WHAT WAS NOT EFFECTIVE, JUST ALL OF THOSE. I HOPE THAT CAN COME IN. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT YEAR AND KNOWING THAT WHATEVER WE ADOPT HERE IS GOING TO AFFECT THAT. THE OTHER THING, CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL NOT SECTION

OF THE DRAFT POLICY PLEASE? >> YES. AND I DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED WITH THE BOARD WAS THERE WERE SOME IMPORTANT COMPLIANCE ELEMENTS THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE, AND SO THERE ARE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS. ONE WAY I THINK ABOUT IT IS ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE CREATING CEILINGS AND FLOORS. THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL, THIS

[01:25:50]

[G. Superintendent Report]

>> THANK YOU. OKAY. SO TONIGHT FOR MY SUPERINTENDENT REPORT, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO BRING US BACK TO SOME ONGOING WORK RELATED TO BUDGET .

SHORT-TERM PROJECTIONS, KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS FOR OUR OVERALL BUDGET. THE TRANSPARENCY FOR OUR PUBLIC, THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, THAT WE'RE SHARING UPDATES WITH THEM, THAT IT IS ALIGNED WITH BEST PRACTICES IN THE INDUSTRY, RESPONSIVE TO THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO TAKE THIS DISTRICT. OUR STRATEGIC PLAN YOU HEARD THE PILLARS OF MTSS EQUITY AND INCLUSIONARY PRACTICES, THAT WE HAVE A METHODOLOGY AND A REASON FOR HAVING BUDGET RESERVES AND THAT OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES ARE IN ALIGNMENT. AS WE KNOW, IT'S THAT LAST PIECE THAT WE ARE TAKING ACTION ON RIGHT NOW. OUR EXPENDITURES ARE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE OUR REVENUES RIGHT NOW. WE'VE HAD AN INTENTIONAL PLAN OVER TIME TO SPEND DOWN OUR FUND BALANCE, OUR RESERVICES. SO IT WAS BACK TO A LEVEL THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE APPROPRIATE THAN WHAT IT WAS. KNOWING THAT WE BUILT IT UP FOR A GOOD REASON, THAT WAS NOT KNOWING WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD DECIDE RELATED TO SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING. SO WE BUILT IT UP IN CASE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN FUNDING. AS YOU KNOW, LAKE WASHINGTON KIND OF RECEIVED A NET NEUTRAL OUTCOME FROM MCCLEARY. WE'VE BEEN SPENDING DOWN THAT RESERVE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATIONS WE'VE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY STARTING WITH LAST YEAR. SOME VIDEO, SOME WRITTEN, SOME BOTH.

I CAN TELL YOU I'VE RECEIVED BETTER FEEDBACK ON THE VIDEO.

IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN HEARING PRESENTATIONS, SEEING DATA VERSUS JUST SIMPLY A WRITTEN UPDATE. SO WE'VE TRIED TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION OVER TIME. IN FEBRUARY 8TH, IT REALLY WAS AN UPDATE FOR OUR

[01:30:03]

WE KNOW THAT INFLATION IS A REAL THING FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL, BUT IT'S ALSO REAL FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED AN UPDATE AROUND OUR ENROLLMENT, OUR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS. AND WE DO HAVE A DECLINE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WHICH WAS RELATIVELY CONSISTENT WITH THE TWO PROJECTIONS. BUT THEN AGAIN, IN THE LONG TERM, IN THE 10-YEAR OUTLOOK, OUR ENROLLMENT DECLINE IS LOOKING TO BE A LITTLE MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. AND SO, THINGS THAT COULD CHANGE OUR SITUATION.

SIGNIFICANT INCREASES OR DECREASES IN ENROLLMENT.

KNOWING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE BRINGS IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE, BUT A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE BRINGS IN LESS REVENUE. AND IF WE HADN'T PLANNED FOR THAT DECREASE, THEN WE ARE PLANNING FOR A BUDGET THAT'S HIGHER THAN THAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE.

[01:35:05]

SO THE LEGISLATURE REQUIRES SOMETHING OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SUCH THAT THEY DON'T FUND IT AND WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT. THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO FIND THOSE DOLLARS ELSEWHERE.

THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE UNANTICIPATED COSTS OF JUST OPERATING AN ORGANIZATION, A SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND INFLATIONARY IMPACTS. THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH WASN'T A BUDGET YEAR, WHICH IS INTERESTING, THEY ACTUALLY DID MAKE SOME POSITIVE MOVEMENT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS SESSION AS WELL IS WHEN THEY TYPICALLY INCREASE REVENUE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IT'S FOR THAT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. THEY INCREASED REVENUE FOR OUR CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEVER PLANNED FOR BECAUSE IT NEVER HAPPENS. AND SO WE DID RECEIVE OR THOSE FUNDS WILL COME IN I BELIEVE BY JUNE IS WHAT I BELIEVE IS WHEN THAT REVENUE WILL COME. BUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR, THEY ALSO INCREASED REVENUE ON AN ONGOING BASIS. ALBEIT SLIGHT, ADDITIONAL ONGOING REVENUE IS A POSITIVE THING. SO LET ME MAKE SURE, THERE WE GO. REVENUE INCREASES. AND THIS IS BOTH ONE TIME AND ONGOING DOLLARS COMBINED. BUT OUR ENROLLMENT, WE HAD AN INCREASE OVER BUDGET BY 240 STUDENTS. THAT'S AN INCREASE IN REVENUE BY ABOUT $2.2 MILLION. WE KNOW OUR CURRENT INVESTMENT EARNINGS WERE GREATER THAN ANTICIPATE BY ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS. THE LEGISLATURE AGAIN DID PROVIDE ONE-TIME DOLLARS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR OF $1.6 MILLION.

AGAIN, SOME OF THOSE ARE THEN ONGOING INTO FUTURE YEARS. AND THEN OUR TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, AS THE BOARD KNOWS, THE METHODOLOGY FOR CALCULATING THAT IS MAYBE ONLY KNOWN TO ONE PERSON WHO RUNS IT, I GUESS. BUT WE, THE PLANNING AROUND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING IS A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS. SO WE ESSENTIALLY PLAN FOR WHAT WE RECEIVED THE PRIOR YEAR. WHAT WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR WAS ABOUT $3.4 MILLION ABOVE THAT. SO AGAIN, MORE THAN WHAT'S PLANNED FOR IS ALWAYS A POSITIVE. BUT THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR. SO SOME STAFFING COSTS OF ABOUT $2.1 MILLION. AND SO THAT KIND OF NEGATES THAT ENROLLMENT INCREASE JUST BECAUSE OF SOME ADDITIONAL STAFFING COSTS. RISK MANAGEMENT, SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND SOME OTHER COSTS, ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS THERE IN THE MIDDLE. AND THEN OUR TRANSPORTATION COSTS WERE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS GREATER THAN ANTICIPATED FOR THIS YEAR. SO ABOUT $3.9 MILLION OVERALL OF INCREASED COSTS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR AS WELL. AND SO AS WE GO THROUGH THESE PROCESSES KNOWING THAT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR IS REALLY WHEN WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO IDENTIFY THAT $6-$10 MILLION GAP, AGAIN, COMMITTING TO THAT COMMUNICATION, THE USE OF OUR EQUITY ANALYSIS TOOL, WHICH REALLY DOES DIRECT US TO ASK THE QUESTIONS AROUND WHO'S BEING IMPACTED, WHOSE VOICE ISN'T PART OF THE PROCESS, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT ANY DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING HOLISTICALLY.

ENGAGEMENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT AS CHANGES ARE BEING CONSIDERED, WE ASK FOR FEEDBACK, AND/OR IMPACT.

BECAUSE THERE'S TIMES WHERE A DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE, AND SO JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT IMPACT IS ANOTHER FORM OF ENGAGEMENT AND JUST BEING CLEAR ABOUT THE DECISION AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE IMPACTED BY THOSE DECISIONS ARE AWARE OF THAT. AND SO AGAIN, IN SUMMARY, IT IS ABOUT A 1.7% REDUCTION.

IN COMPARISON, THERE ARE DISTRICTS AROUND US THAT HAVE BEEN MAKING 10-15% REDUCTIONS IN THEIR OPERATIONS BUDGET. SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE LONG-TERM FISCAL WORK THAT THIS DISTRICT HAS DONE, THE TEAM THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL VERY AWARE OF OUR FISCAL STANDING AND THE DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE. AND SO THIS YEAR, JUST CONTINUING TO LOOK AT RIGHT SIZING STAFFING LEVELS AND QUESTIONS AROUND WHAT IS RIGHT SIZING STAFFING LEVELS FOR NEXT YEAR MEAN? DOES THAT MEAN ONLY CUTTING? NO. IT MEANS ADJUSTING TO OUR STAFFING RATIOS AND OUR STAFFING MODELS.

SO FOR A GROWING SCHOOL, THE EXAMPLE I USED DURING COMMUNITY

[01:40:02]

LARGEST INCOMING FRESHMAN CLASS THEY'VE EVER HAD. SO RIGHT SIZING FOR THAT MEANS WE'RE INCREASING STAFFING WHERE IF A SCHOOL IS CONTRACTING AND REDUCING IN SIZE, RIGHT SIZING FOR THAT SCHOOL MAY ACTUALLY BE REDUCING. THAT'S WHAT RIGHT SIZING MEANS. THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STAFFING LEVELS AS WELL. NEXT YEAR GOING THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES AND IMPLEMENTING IT IN THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR. SO A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THE TYPICAL SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE. IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AND IMPACTS EVERY PERSON ACROSS THE DISTRICT. I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE OUR STAFF COMMUNITY, OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR VOICE, AND OUR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE

[H. Public and Community Affairs]

PROCESSES. >>> ARE THERE ANY UPDATES FROM THE BOARD? SUPERINTENDENT HOLMEN, DO YOU HAVE ANY

UPDATES? >> I'LL MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT SHORTER THAN MY SUPERINTENDENT' 'S REPORT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS CREATE THEIR LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM FOR THE 25 SESSION THAT I BRING THOSE FORWARD. IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING HOW OUR STATE ORGANIZATIONS ARE KIND OF COALESCING AROUND SOME VERY KIND OF BIG PILLARS, AND THAT WOULD HAVE A LARGE IMPACT ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO WASA, THE WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF, WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. AHH.

THEY HAVE COME OUT WITH THEIR LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM FOR 2025.

AND THEY HAVE THREE PILLARS IN THEIR PLATFORM THIS YEAR, WHICH ARE VERY DIRECT, DIRECTLY RELATED TO SCHOOL FUNDING ISSUES. NUMBER ONE IS SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THE CHARGE TO FULLY FUND THE COST OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. TWO, FULL FUNDING FOR PUPIL TRANSPORTATION. AND THREE, FUNDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MATERIALS, SUPPLES, AND OPERATING COSTS. OR THE TERM MSOCS. WE KNOW THAT ALL THREE OF THESE CARRY A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN WHEN THEY ARE UNDERFUNDED. RIGHT NOW, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDS OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS A FEDERALLY AND STATE-REQUIRED PROGRAM TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $25-$26 MILLION ANNUALLY. AND SO, AND THAT IS TRUE OF EVERY DISTRICT ACROSS THE STATE. WHILE OUR NUMBER IS LARGER THAN MOST, THAT PERCENT THAT WE'RE FUNDING IS ABOUT THE SAME. PUPIL TRANSPORTATION COSTS, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TO FUND PORTIONS OF THAT OUT OF OUR LOCAL LEVIES, AND THE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR SPECIALIZED NEEDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE. AND THEN MSOCS, JUST THE INFLATIONARY IMPACTS, INSURANCE COSTS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE CONTINUED TO RISE OVER THE YEARS. THESE THREE PILLARS IS WHAT WASA IS PUTTING FORWARD AND TARGETING FOR THE 25 SESSION.

>> THANK YOU. DIRECTOR LALIBERTE?

>> DIRECTOR YOCUM AND I ATTENDED A QUARTERLY COORDINATION MEETING WITH THE CITY OF KIRKLAND ON THE 26TH.

I'LL JUST PROVIDE A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF JOINT INTERESTS DISCUSSED. FIRST I'LL SHARE THE CITY OF KIRKLAND IS NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH ANOTHER POOL BALLOT MEASURE. SO ALL THE MORE REASON AND IMPORTANT FOR US MAINTAINING OUR EXISTING AQUATIC FACILITIES IN OPERATING CONDITION AS A COMMUNITY ASSET. THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION AROUND A JOINT INTEREST, THIS IS GOING IN AND OUT HERE, SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GETTING PICKED UP. A JOINT INTEREST FROM THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT OF WORKING TOGETHER ON INCREASING THE NUMBER OF FIELDS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE LIGHTING ON. AND THE CITY'S RECENT WORK ON THE 132ND SQUARE PARK IN THE KINGSGATE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH ABUTS A

[01:45:03]

LET'S SEE HERE. OH, YES. WE AGAIN DISCUSSED IMPACT FEES, AND THERE WAS A JOINT INTEREST IN CONTINUING TO DISCUSS AND WORK TOGETHER ON OUR EXISTING PROGRAM AND DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE FUTURE OF THAT IMPACT FEE PROGRAM. AND I THINK THAT LARGELY SUMMARIZES IT. I HAVE NOTES THAT I THINK I'VE GONE THROUGH HERE. DIRECTOR YOCUM, ANYTHING THAT I, OH. NO. OKAY.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW. THE CITY OF KIRKLAND MAY BE DOING SOME WORK ON IN HOUGHTON PARK AND RIDE. NOT HOUGHTON. I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED THE HOUGHTON PARK AND RIDE. THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER ON SOME FACILITY SPACE THERE IF THERE'S INTEREST AND IF IT COMES TO FRUITION.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATES? YES, DIRECTOR GUTHRIE?

>> I CAN GIVE A QUICK ONE TOO. ON THE LEGISLATIVE REP CALL WE HAD EARLIER THIS MONTH AND I WON'T GO THROUGH IT ALL, BUT JUST TO ALIGN A LITTLE BIT WITH WHAT DR. HOLMEN SAID, WASA IS ANOTHER STATEWIDE AGENCY OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO US. AND AS THE BOARD KNOWS, WE GO THROUGH OR WASA GOES THROUGH A PROCESS AFTER GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO HAVE ALL THE DISTRICTS SORT OF COME UP WITH THEIR PRIORITIES THAT FEEDS INTO WASA'S LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. ONE THING I DIDN'T IS ONLY ABOUT LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF THE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT. THAT, AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK BETTER TOGETHER, THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I'LL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON IN THE COMING MONTHS.

THE NEXT LEG REP CALL, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT MSOCS BECAUSE THAT IS AN INTEREST FOR EVERY DISTRICT IN THE STATE AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BETTER, AND I WILL CERTAINLY REPORT BACK WITH WHAT WE CAN DO AS SCHOOL DIRECTORS. JUST ONE OTHER NOTE, THAT OUR POSITION PROPOSALS THAT WE LOOKED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THOSE GOT SUBMITTED, SO THOSE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE WASA MACHINERY AND POPPING UP AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS SEPTEMBER.

>> WELL, THANK YOU. DR. HOLMEN? >> I'LL BE BRIEF. WE ALSO TEAMS OF BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH OUR LOCAL HOUSE AND SENATE DELEGATION FOR POST-SESSION DEBRIEFS AND REALLY TO HEAR FROM THEM ABOUT HOW THE SESSION WENT FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING ABOUT MOVING FORWARD? SO I JUST PULLED UP MY CALENDAR. I THINK I COUNTED EIGHT OR NINE POST-SESSION MEETINGS SO FAR WITH SOME ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UP FROM THOSE AS WELL. I THINK THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT ASPECT TO OUR WORK AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, UNDERSTAND OUR DELEGATION KNOWING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TURN OVER IN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD. SO.

[I. Closing Items]

>> YES. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES. DO ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE UPDATES THEY'D LIKE TO PROVIDE REGARDING ANY DISTRICT COMMITTEES THEY'RE SITTING ON?

>> I HAD A MEETING, THE ONE WE SPENT HOUR AND 45 MINUTES GETTING AN UPDATE ON, SO I DON'T THINK I'LL PROVIDE ANOTHER UPDATE HERE. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, PLEASE DEFINITELY GO AND LISTEN TO OUR STUDY SESSION DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT VERY, I WAS IMPRESSED AT HOW IT WAS SUMMARIZED ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THIS COMMITTEE OVER THIS PAST YEAR. I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN OVER 50 HOURS OF COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION. SO I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT. REVIEW OF THE FUTURE BOARD BUSINESS IS OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM. THE BOARD WILL PLAN TO MEET AT OUR NEXT STUDY SESSION AT 5:00 P.M. ON MAY 6TH FOLLOWED BY A BOARD MEETING AT 7:00 P.M. I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE APRIL 15, 2024 BOARD

[01:50:05]

MEETING. >> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY DIRECTOR STUART AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR LALIBERTE THAT WE ADJOURN. SIGNIFY BY VOTING AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED?

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.