[I. Call to Order]
[00:00:04]
I HEREBY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
PLEASE, WOULD YOU JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SEANIECE WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. GEORGE? I AM HERE. MR. GOODVIN. HERE.
[IV. Approval of Agenda]
YOU HAVE AN AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED.
SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR SUCH? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION TO MOVE THE BOARD REPORTS.
A SECOND TO MOVE THE DIRECTOR'S REPORTS AND ITEM SIX TO THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. OKAY, SO PRESIDENT GREENWELL WE'LL DO A MOTION TO AMEND.
AND THEN AMEND THE AGENDA TO MOVE.
OKAY, SO THEN WE'LL DO ANOTHER MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
SO DO WE NEED TO WITHDRAW THE FIRST MOTION AND THE SECOND THEN? YEP. WE'LL DO A FIRST AND SECOND MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA.
BUT THERE'S CURRENTLY A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE THOSE OFF THE TABLE? NO, IT'S A MOTION TO AMEND.
NO, BUT WE CURRENTLY HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE.
BERNIE MADE A MOTION. JAN SECONDED IT.
DO WE NEED TO UNDO THAT OR JUST AMEND? BERNIE CAN AMEND HER MOTION.
OKAY, SO, BERNIE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA AND MOVE THE DIRECTOR'S REPORTS UP TO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE OR THE FIFTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND THEN MOVE EVERYTHING DOWN ONE.
DO I HAVE TO REPEAT THAT. NO, IF YOU JUST SAY.
YES, I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THAT TO REFLECT THAT.
OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY.
A MOTION A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
NOW WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.
A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO WITH THAT AGENDA, TYPICALLY I GO LAST.
[VII. Board Member Reports / Future Meetings]
BUT TONIGHT BOARD MEMBERS I'D LIKE TO GO FIRST.I OWE DIRECTOR SCARLETT AN APOLOGY AS WELL AS ONE TO THE OTHER DIRECTORS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY.
IN MID-MAY, MR. KRASTEL CONTACTED ME BY EMAIL AND ASKED IF I WAS AWARE OF ANY FORMER OR CURRENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD OR ADMINISTRATION WHO HAD REPORTED HIM TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR SPEAKING AT BOARD MEETINGS.
MY RESPONSE WAS A VERY CLEAR NO.
I WAS NOT AWARE, NOR HAD I HEARD OF ANY SUCH ACTION.
IN MID-JUNE, MR. KRASTEL CONTACTED ME VIA PHONE AND ASKED THE QUESTION.
MR. KRASTEL CAME TO THE JUNE 26TH BOARD MEETING AND SPOKE DURING THE CITIZEN INPUT PART OF THE MEETING, AND AS PART OF HIS REMARKS, HE ASKED THE FULL BOARD THE SAME QUESTION REGARDING THE REPORTING OF HIM TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR SPEAKING AT MEETINGS REGARDING MASKING AND HIS CHILDREN.
FOLLOWING THE JUNE 26TH MEETING, I HAD THREE BOARD MEMBERS ASK ME ABOUT MR. KRASTEL'S COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEETING.
MR. GOODVIN MR. MICHAELSON AND MISS SCARLETT.
MS. SCARLETT EMAILED ME ON JUNE 28TH AT 8:49 P.M.
THAT EMAIL WAS ALSO ADDRESSED TO MR. GEORGE, DR. EARLEYWINE AND MS. BEMUS. I RESPONDED TO MS..
SCARLETT AND THE OTHERS AT 10:24 P.M.
DIRECTOR SCARLETT LATER SENT ME A TEXT MESSAGE ON THE 4TH OF JULY AT 4:15 P.M.
IT SAID, DO YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO TALK? I RESPONDED, YES.
SHALL I CALL YOU? WE SPOKE ON THE PHONE ABOUT MR. KRASTEL'S EARLIER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DISTRICT REGARDING HIS CHILDREN AND THE ABILITY OF MR.
[00:05:03]
KRASTEL TO PUBLICLY DISCUSS THIS ITEM.WE ALSO DISCUSSED HIS MOST RECENT INQUIRY OF THE BOARD ABOUT THE REPORTING OF HIM.
I ASKED MISS SCARLETT IF SHE HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATTER.
MRS. SCARLETT RESPONDED BY SAYING, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DO.
HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE HAD NEW INFORMATION THAT WOULD SHED LIGHT ON THIS MATTER.
THAT INFORMATION INCLUDED TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS FROM THE FORMER FBI AGENT.
BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, I BELIEVED HIM.
MR. KRASTEL SPOKE AT THE AUGUST 14TH MEETING.
I PREPARED SOME HANDWRITTEN NOTES FOR MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT RIGHT BEFORE THE AUGUST 14TH MEETING.
MS. SCARLETT ONCE AGAIN, I'VE HAD TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL SOUL SEARCHING.
MY PAST AND RECENT EXPERIENCES WITH PRIOR ADMINISTRATION, PRIOR BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR OWN PRIOR SCRUMS CAUSED ME TO ASSUME NEGATIVE INTENT WHEN IT CAME TO YOU. I ASSOCIATED YOU WITH THEM.
THEREFORE, I WAS QUICK TO JUDGMENT.
I HAVE HAD TO REFLECT FURTHER SINCE THE LAST MEETING, AND I AM AWARE THAT I TREATED YOU UNFAIRLY.
I REMAIN A WORK IN PROCESS WITH THE NEED TO FURTHER IMPROVE.
DIRECTOR GEORGE. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GREENWELL.
MY REPORT WILL BE SHORT AND TO THE POINT.
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THIS DISTRICT HAS LOST THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO MEANT A LOT TO THIS DISTRICT.
FLORA LI, ARLENE BALDES AND MARK LARSON.
WE WILL MISS THEM AND WE SHOULD ALL WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS THEY ARE.
THE LAST MEETING BEGAN TO GET AWAY FROM US.
I DO APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC APOLOGY THAT PRESIDENT GREENWELL JUST MADE TO DIRECTOR SCARLETT.
LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, I HOPE NOBODY MINIMIZES THAT GESTURE AND WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THAT.
WE MUST ALLOW EACH OTHER TO MAKE MISTAKES AND GROW FROM THEM.
BUT WE ARE UNIFIED IN WANTING TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THIS DISTRICT.
PLEASE, LET'S NOT CAST STONES.
PLEASE GIVE US ALL UP HERE SOME GRACE.
AND WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY REPORT.
WE WERE ALL SADDENED TO HEAR ABOUT THE PASSING OF EAST HIGH'S MR. LARSON AND I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT ARLENE, WHO I TAUGHT WITH FOR YEARS.
HE POSITIVELY TOUCHED THOUSANDS OF LIVES, INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER, A 2011 EAST GRAD.
IT'S A DEVASTATING, HEARTBREAKING LOSS.
THE REST THAT I HAVE TO SHARE DURING MY BOARD REPORT TONIGHT PALES IN SIGNIFICANCE TO OUR LOSS OF MR. LARSON HOWEVER, I'M TASKED WITH SHARING MY THOUGHTS AND ACTIVITIES.
I WILL START BY SHARING ONCE AGAIN MY STANCE ON BOARD REPORTS THEMSELVES.
I RECOMMEND THAT THEY BE WRITTEN AND SUBMITTED ONLINE FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED.
I BELIEVE OUR MOST VALUABLE COMMODITY IS TIME.
I DON'T BELIEVE ORAL BOARD REPORTS HAVE PROVEN TO BE PRODUCTIVE.
IF AN ISSUE IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO BE ADDRESSED, IT SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA.
[00:10:08]
AS FAR AS MY BOARD ACTIVITIES, I ATTENDED MY COMMITTEE MEETINGS, BOARD POLICY AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.I ALSO HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE SHARED CONCERNS THAT I HAVE PASSED ALONG TO APPROPRIATE CABINET MEMBERS WITHOUT NAMING NAMES SO THEY CAN DO THEIR JOBS.
THERE ARE A TON OF MOVING PARTS IN AN ORGANIZATION THIS BIG, SHARING CONCERNS AND GIVING HEADS UP AIDS AND MAKING ALL OF US MORE EFFECTIVE IN OUR POSITIONS. OFTENTIMES, OUR ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF AT THE CABINET, HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVELS ARE UNAWARE A PROBLEM MAY EVEN EXIST.
FINDING THE SUCCESSES WE ARE ALL AIMING TOWARDS.
PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS ARE JUST THAT CLOSED AND PRIVATE.
TRULY FRUSTRATING. PART OF THIS POSITION IS THAT BY LAW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I CAN'T SAY PUBLICLY, AND I CAN'T SAY EVERYTHING I KNOW AND I WISH I COULD. MAYBE THEN YOU ALL COULD FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE UNDERSTAND MORE CLEARLY HOW AND WHY DECISIONS ARE MADE.
THOSE GAPS OF CLARITY CREATE A NATURAL REACTION THAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO FILL IN THE BLANKS AND CREATE A NARRATIVE THAT OFTEN LACKS FACT AND CREATES DISCORD.
IN CLOSING, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I BELIEVE ALL SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS, OUR CABINET, OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF ARE DOING THEIR LEVEL BEST TO STRENGTHEN OUR DISTRICT. ALL INVOLVED WANT THE BEST EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON STAFF AND STUDENTS.
DIRECTOR GOODVIN. REAL, REAL QUICK.
I KNEW MR. LARSON FOR 20 PLUS YEARS AND CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND, TEACHER, COACH, ROLE MODEL.
I CAN'T SAY SOMETHING THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID ON EAST HIGH, AND SIOUX CITY WILL MISS HIM.
EAST HIGH FOOTBALL WILL MISS HIM.
THE EAST HIGH CHILI COOK OFFS WILL MISS HIM.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ABOUT HIM.
SO. AND THEN THE LAST THING AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO HARP ON IT BECAUSE I KNOW OTHERS HAVE SAID IT.
I'M JUST SORRY THAT WE ONCE AGAIN HAVE TO TAKE TIME.
RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF A BOARD MEETING, AT THE BEGINNING OF A SCHOOL YEAR WHERE WE TAKE ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND ARE DOING THE HARD WORK.
I'M SORRY THAT THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS GOTTEN OFF TO A ROCK SOLID START.
I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS.
I'M SORRY THAT WE CANNOT FOCUS ON THAT.
I'M SORRY, MO, THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU LAST WEEK OR THE LAST BOARD MEETING? IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I'M SORRY.
SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET BACK ON TRACK.
LIKE EVERY BOARD MEMBER BEFORE ME HAS SAID.
TONIGHT, MY CONDOLENCES TO EVERYBODY THAT KNEW MARK LARSON.
I SPENT OVER 20 YEARS WITH MARK.
WE COACHED SIDE BY SIDE ON FOOTBALL TEAMS. I WILL SAY THIS MORNING AT HIS FUNERAL WAS ONE OF THE NEATER THINGS I SAW.
HALF THE CHURCH WAS FULL OF EAST HIGH BLACK RAIDER FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN THEIR JERSEYS.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SERMON THOSE YOUNG MEN WALKED OUT OF THE CHURCH AND LINED THE SIDEWALK, STANDING LIKE SENTRIES AND AS MARK WAS ROLLED OUT.
AND I KNOW HE WAS SMILING DOWN AND A GREAT LOSS FOR ME AND EVERYBODY THAT KNEW MARK.
[00:15:03]
AND WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY REPORT.I'D LIKE TO START OUT MY REPORT TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
FIRST OF ALL, MY CONDOLENCES AND PRAYERS ALSO TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF COACH MARK LARSON.
SO MY PRAYERS AND CONDOLENCES TO THAT FAMILY AND THOSE FRIENDS.
I REALLY TRIED TO PREPARE FOR TONIGHT.
HOWEVER, A LOT OF THOUGHTS IN MY MIND AND HOW TO SAY IT.
WHAT TO SAY. DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE WHAT I SAY WRONG.
WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAY AND KNOW THAT I'M TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
THE ONLY THING THAT CONTINUE TO COME TO ME REGARDING AS I HEAR MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND APPRECIATE YOUR EXPRESSIONS AND WORDS IS FORGIVENESS DOES NOT CHANGE THE PAST, BUT IT DOES ENLARGE THE FUTURE.
I'M JUST GOING TO BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY ME THIS EVENING, OKAY? THIS POSITION IS NOT ABOUT ME, BUT IT IS ABOUT EVERYONE WHO NEEDS SUPPORT, GUIDANCE, AND MOST OF ALL, AN EDUCATION.
I HAVE LESS THAN THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE AN OATH AND FINALIZE A FOCUS ON BELIEVING, ACHIEVING, AND SUCCEEDING . AS A BOARD MEMBER WE MUST STAY ACCOUNTABLE TO ONE ANOTHER, BUT MOST OF ALL, ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE WHO VOTED US IN THIS SEAT.
I AM COMMITTED TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTED, STAFF IS SUCCESSFUL, AND PARENTS AND GUARDIANS HAVE PROVISION.
YOU KNOW, MR. GREENWELL, I DO REMEMBER REACHING OUT FOR CLARIFICATION.
I DON'T RECALL OUR VERBAL CONVERSATION GOING QUITE LIKE THAT AT ALL.
BUT I KNOW I WAS REACHING OUT FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON WHY SOMEONE WOULD BRING UP SOMETHING THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, I THOUGHT WAS RESOLVED AND DONE AND TAKEN CARE OF IN THE PAST. MY UPBRINGING TEACHES ME TO FORGIVE THOSE AND PRESS FORWARD. TOWARD A MARK OF A HIGHER PURPOSE.
SO THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY DURING THIS LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAS BEEN HUMBLING, WELCOMED, AND HAS REASSURED ME THAT MY EFFORTS ON THIS BOARD AND HARD WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE NOT BEEN IN VAIN.
SOMETIMES I HAVE TO QUESTION MYSELF WHY DO I SPEND ENDLESS HOURS CONCERNED ABOUT COMMUNITY WHEN I FEEL LIKE SOME PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN CONCERNED? I HAVE TO PRAY TO THE GOD THAT I BELIEVE IN TO GIVE ME STRENGTH EVERY DAY TO GET UP AND FACE EVERY OBSTACLE TAKE OFF THE WEIGHT THAT CAN DISTRACT ME.
CLEAR MY VISION SO IT'S NOT DISTORTED.
AND LET ME TRULY LIVE WHY I WAS CREATED.
SOME DAYS ARE EASIER THAN OTHERS.
THESE LAST TWO WEEKS I ALSO HAVE DONE A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING AND A LOT OF QUESTIONING MYSELF OF WHY, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO SAY, I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THAT.
I DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THAT.
THEN I HAD TO QUESTION MYSELF, WHAT AM I IN THIS FOR? IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, PEOPLE.
IT IS ABOUT HELPING THOSE STUDENTS WHO ALSO REACHED OUT IN THE MASSES AND SAID, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FROM ATTENDING OUR GAMES TO SPEAKING UP FOR US TO DOING WHATEVER IT TOOK.
I WILL CONTINUE TO FINISH MY TERM.
I WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH PRESS AND PRAY.
THOSE THAT KNOW ME KNOW THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE IN.
AS SOMEONE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP TO FORGIVE, I HAVE TO FORGIVE.
I MUST FORGIVE BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO TO MY BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL OF YOUR STATEMENTS, INCLUDING DAN GREENWELL, IT IS MY DESIRE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR DISTRICT.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
[00:20:03]
I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE OUT THIS FOR THOSE THAT DID NOT RECEIVE ONE.IT'S GOING TO TAKE LESS THAN A MINUTE.
I READ PRETTY FAST WHEN I WANT TO.
IT'S A DECLARATION OF STEPHAN M FRIEND.
FOR THE RECORD, I STEFAN M FRIEND PURSUANT TO IOWA CODE 622-.1 CERTIFICATION UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY HEREBY DECLARE AS FOLLOWS I AM A PERSON OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE AND COMPLETE TESTIFY COMPETENT TO TESTIFY.
I'M SORRY FOR MY BELIEF AND INFORMATION.
I MAKE THIS DECLARATION OF PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE AND IN MY SUPPORT OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER SPECIAL AGENT WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION HERE AND AFTER THE FBI IN NOVEMBER 2020, IT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NEXT FBI OMAHA DIVISION, SIOUX CITY RESIDENT AGENCY.
HEREINAFTER, THE SCRA SIOUX CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HEREINAFTER, THE SCPD CHIEF, REX MUELLER, NOTIFIED MY OFFICE THAT MR. CHAD KRASTEL BELIEVED SIOUX CITY PD FAILED TO CONDUCT AN ADEQUATE INVESTIGATION OF MULTIPLE CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS.
CHIEF MUELLER PROVIDED ME MR. KRASTEL'S EMAIL ADDRESS.
DECEMBER 2020, I EMAILED MR. KRASTEL INVITING HIM TO THE SCRA OFFICE AT 501 PIERCE STREET, SIOUX CITY, IOWA.
I SUBSEQUENTLY INTERVIEWED MR. KRASTEL. SPECIAL AGENT JEFF HOWARD WAS PRESENT FOR THE INTERVIEW.
I INFORMED MR. KRASTEL THAT THE FBI COULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE MATTER, AND HE ADVISED ABOUT HIS INTEREST TO SEEK REMEDY THROUGH THE IOWA OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN. MR. KRASTEL WAS A REPORTING TO THE IOWA OFFICE.
MR. KRASTEL WAS A REPORTING PARTY DURING THE INTERVIEW.
AT NO POINT WAS HE THE SUBJECT OF AN FBI INVESTIGATION.
FOLLOWING THE MEETING WITH MR. KRASTEL, I CONTACTED THE MERCYONE SIOUXLAND CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER.
I VERIFIED THAT KRASTEL'S CHILD WAS INTERVIEWED AT THAT PROPERTY.
I NOTIFIED CHIEF MUELLER THAT THE FBI WOULD NOT INVESTIGATE MR. KRASTEL COMPLAINT AGAINST SCPD, SIOUX CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
DURING THE HEARING, I DESCRIBED CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH I CONDUCTED SURVEILLANCE OF THIS PARTICIPANTS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS IN MY CAPACITY AS A SPECIAL AGENT INVESTIGATING DOMESTIC TERRORISM.
THIS SURVEILLANCE OPERATION TRANSPIRED IN BUNNELL, FLORIDA, IN FALL OF 2022.
I RECENTLY LEARNED MR. KRASTEL ALLEGED SIOUX CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF REX MUELLER AND OTHER SIOUX CITY OFFICIALS REFERRED HIM TO THE FBI AS A POTENTIAL DOMESTIC TERRORIST.
I BELIEVE MR. KRASTEL CONFLATED HIS INTERVIEW AT SCRA IN 2020 WITH MY PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN 2023.
AT NO POINT HAS MR. KRASTEL BEEN THE SUBJECT OF AN FBI INVESTIGATION NOR A TARGET OF FBI SURVEILLANCE.
FURTHER, SIOUX CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF REX MUELLER NEVER REFERRED MR. KRASTEL TO THE FBI AS A POTENTIAL DOMESTIC TERRORIST OR CRIMINAL SUBJECT.
WHAT TRANSPIRED IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING WAS NOT BASED ON FACTS AT ALL.
I WANT THAT TO BE, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME, ALONG WITH FOUR OTHER INDIVIDUALS NAMES, WERE SLANDERED.
WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY REPORT AND I WANT TO THANK MY 4 FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY MR. GEORGE, FOR DOING WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO BREAK AT THAT MOMENT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR FORMER ITEM FIVE.
[V. Citizen Input]
ITEM SIX NOW IS CITIZEN INPUT.AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS INVITES INDIVIDUALS OR DELEGATIONS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON ANY ISSUES RELATED TO SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED ON TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA.
[00:25:01]
AND AS YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBER OR ANYONE WHO'S SPEAKING GETS FIVE MINUTES FOR THEIR TALK.BUT PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD FOR SEANIECE TO PICK UP.
SEANIECE DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS TONIGHT? ALONG WITH THE BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ARE THE FUTURE MEETINGS.
FAIR ENOUGH. I SAID WE'D COVER THAT, DIDN'T WE? SO. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
SO ACTIVITIES EAST HIGH VERSUS NORTH HIGH VOLLEYBALL MATCH 7 P.M.
BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING AT 3 P.M.
ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, A REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AT 6 P.M.
A TRADES BUILDING RIBBON CUTTING 11:30 A.M.
ON SEPTEMBER 13TH AT THE HARRY HOPKINS FACILITY.
THE NEW FACILITY WILL BE OPEN.
A BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING 3:00 PM ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, BOARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 20TH AND THE REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 25TH.
NOW WE'LL HAVE ANYBODY COME FORWARD AND SEANIECE YOU HAVE A LIST.
MY ADDRESS IS 3290 NORTH MARTHA STREET TRAILER 108, SIOUX CITY, IOWA.
NONETHELESS, I WAS HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED BUT NOT SHOCKED AT WHAT TOOK PLACE.
IT IS ULTIMATELY OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS PARENTS AND OR CAREGIVERS TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO BE KIND.
I DO NOT AGREE WITH SLANDERING PUBLIC ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OUR POLICE CHIEF.
A LOT OF ALLEGATIONS WERE MADE THAT TURNED OUT TO BE FALSE, THAT WERE DELIBERATELY AND INTENTIONALLY AIMED TOWARDS INDIVIDUALS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO ATTACK THEIR CHARACTER. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE NOR HONORABLE.
FURTHERMORE, OUR CHAIR DECIDED NOT TO INVESTIGATE OR RESEARCH THE ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST THEIR FELLOW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, MONIQUE SCARLETT, OR EX SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PERLA ALARCON-FLORY.
A CHAIRPERSON'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LISTEN, GATHER FACTS AND ACT UPON THE FACTS GIVEN.
INSTEAD, IT WAS THE MEDIA THAT REACHED OUT TO THE FBI AGENT WHO THEN STATED THAT THERE WAS NEVER AN FBI INVESTIGATION INITIATED BY ANY PERSONS NAMED FOR THIS FICTITIOUS COLLUSION.
WHAT IS TROUBLING IS THAT OUR CHAIR, WHO IS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, GASLIT, AND MADE DISPARAGING REMARKS TOWARDS A FELLOW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, WHICH IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS CODE OF ETHICS.
TO CALL HER ACTIONS AS AN ATTEMPT TO GRAB ATTENTION IS ABHORRENT.
WHEN THE STATEMENTS WERE INDEED NOT TRUE AND SHE WAS DEFENDING HERSELF AND HER CHARACTER .
AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, YOU ARE HERE TO REPRESENT THE WHOLE DISTRICT, NOT YOURSELF.
YOU ARE ALL HERE TO SERVE AS ROLE MODELS TO OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UPON PREPARING MY STATEMENT TO THE BOARD, I ASKED MY TEN YEAR OLD SON, DOMINIC, WHO IS A STUDENT AT UNITY ELEMENTARY, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMEONE IS BEING BULLIED OR BEING PICKED ON? HIS RESPONSE YOU TELL THEM TO LEAVE THE PERSON ALONE AND YOU TELL THE TEACHER.
THEY NEED TO APOLOGIZE AND BE KIND.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE OUR SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR TO ISSUE A PUBLIC APOLOGY, WHICH YOU HAVE DONE, BUT TO ALSO EXTEND THAT TO THE SIOUX CITY POLICE CHIEF, REX MUELLER, AND THE CITY MAYOR, BOB SCOTT.
ALSO JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS NOT FLORIDA.
[00:30:01]
THIS IS SIOUX CITY, IOWA.A NATIONAL AGENDA SHOULD NEVER, EVER COME IN THIS BOARD ROOM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SEANIECE.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? SEMHAR GARAKUTA.
HELLO. SO EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD.
BUT I'M NOT IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD.
I'M IN AN ACCOUNT. DID YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE? SURE. I'M SEMHAR GARAKUTA, 1920 BOYSE STREET, SIOUX CITY, IOWA.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE'S IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD, AND I'M NOT IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD.
I'M IN AN ACCOUNTABILITY HOLDING KIND OF MOOD.
THIS ATMOSPHERE EXTENDS BEYOND THE BOARD ROOM, AFFECTING NOT ONLY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, BUT POTENTIALLY TRICKLING DOWN TO TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF WITHIN THE SIOUX CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WITNESSED HERE IS NOT MERELY A MATTER OF SCHOOL BOARD POLITICS.
IT IS A REFLECTION OF THE VALUES YOU ALL SHOULD INSTILL IN THESE STUDENTS.
THE ATMOSPHERE CREATED BY MR. GREENWELL'S ACTIONS HAS NOT ONLY HINDERED THE BOARD'S ABILITY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS, BUT ALSO HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRICKLE DOWN TO OUR TEACHERS, STAFF AND ULTIMATELY OUR STUDENTS. LET US REMEMBER THAT THE BEHAVIOR EXHIBITED IN THIS MEETING, IN THIS LAST MEETING WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE FROM OUR STUDENTS OR PARENTS.
YOUR ACTIONS, PARTICULARLY TOWARDS WOMEN OF COLOR ON THIS BOARD AND PREVIOUSLY HAVE FAILED TO UPHOLD THESE IDEALS AND HAVE REGRETTABLY CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT THAT MANY FIND UNWELCOMING AND HOSTILE.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE TWO POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR YOUR ACTIONS, MR. GREENWELL. EITHER YOU ACTED BECAUSE YOU GULLIBLY ACCEPTED FALSE CLAIMS WITHOUT THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATING, OR YOU ACTED WITH MALICIOUS INTENT TOWARDS MONIQUE SCARLETT AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE JOURNAL ARTICLE.
GIVEN THESE CONCERNS, I IMPLORE MR. GREENWELL TO ENGAGE IN SINCERE SELF-REFLECTION AND CONSIDER THE BEST PATHS FORWARD.
STEPPING DOWN AS SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT WOULD NOT ONLY BE AN ACT OF RESPONSIBILITY, BUT ALSO A GESTURE OF COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES. YOU ALL MUST COLLECTIVELY WORK TOWARDS AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL VOICES ARE HEARD AND WHERE EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY FEELS VALUED, RESPECTED AND SAFE.
CONSIDERING THESE CONCERNS, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE VALUES OF THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARD ARE UPHELD, I BELIEVE IT IS WITH THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY FOR MR. GREENWELL TO STEP DOWN FROM HIS POSITION AS SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT AND REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE BOARD IMMEDIATELY.
FALSE CLAIMS WERE MADE AGAINST MS. SCARLETT, MAYOR BOB SCOTT, CHIEF REX MUELLER AND FORMER BOARD MEMBER PERLA ALARCON-FLORY THROUGH A PARENT WHO MAY BE SUFFERING FROM PERSECUTORY DELUSIONS, WHICH WERE THEN PUBLISHED IN THE SIOUX CITY JOURNAL AND BACKED BY MR. GREENWELL. IT'S THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM'S COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT SUCH ALLEGATIONS ARE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED AND THAT THE TRUTH IS BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
MR. GREENWELL SHOULD BE ASKED TO REDACT THE STATEMENTS HE MADE TO THE SIOUX CITY JOURNAL, AND INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO ADDRESS THE ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST MS. SCARLETT AND ALL OTHERS WHO WERE NAMED.
FURTHERMORE, THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MUST WORK DILIGENTLY TO REBUILD MISS SCARLETT'S NAME TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE, AND IN DOING SO, UPHOLD THE PRINCIPLES OF FAIRNESS, JUSTICE AND INCLUSIVITY THAT ARE AT HEART OF OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION.
THE SCHOOL SHOULD CONSIDER PURSUING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE PARENT WHO BROUGHT FALSE CLAIMS TO PROTECT THE REPUTATION AND WELL-BEING OF ITS STAFF MEMBERS, INCLUDING MONIQUE SCARLETT. THIS ACTION WOULD SERVE AS A DETERRENT AGAINST BASELESS ACCUSATIONS AND WOULD UNDERSCORE THE SCHOOL'S COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE TRUTH AND FAIRNESS IN ALL MATTERS.
[00:35:03]
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES NO LESS.THE INACTION OF CERTAIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DURING THOSE TROUBLING EVENTS IS CONCERNING AND HAS PERPETUATED A HOSTILE ATMOSPHERE AND RAISES DOUBTS ABOUT THEIR CAPACITY TO EFFECTIVELY REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY'S INTERESTS.
THANK YOU. SEANIECE NEXT SPEAKER.
THAT'S IT. OKAY. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS.
[VI. Consent Action Item(s)]
SO TONIGHT WE MOVE ON TO OUR CONSENT ACTION ITEMS. IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES THE FOLLOWING CONSENT ITEMS. ITEM A BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST 14TH, 2023.ITEM B HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT.
ITEM D AUDIT ENGAGEMENT LETTER FOR JUNE 30TH, 2023.
ITEM E AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IJAG.
ITEM F TEACHER QUALITY COMMITTEE 23-24, ITEM G IOWA READING CORPS MOA.
RFID CARD PRINTER AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
ITEM I CONTRACTS FOR BOARD APPROVAL.
BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS? SO MOVED.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND FOR THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS. ANY DISCUSSION BOARD MEMBERS? I DO. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION, MORE FOR CLARIFICATION.
THE IOWA READING CORPS, THE FUNDING THIS YEAR IS FOR MORNINGSIDE STEM AND LOESS HILLS.
DO THEY ROTATE EVERY YEAR? IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? OR HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT SCHOOLS.
SO THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN AT THOSE BUILDINGS IN THE FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN.
OKAY. AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EITHER FOR MR. VANDERLOO OR MR. MOSER AGAIN, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT AN I.
IT'S A BOARD APPROVAL FOR THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM, AND I JUST DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO COULD SOMEONE JUST SHARE SOMETHING? BECAUSE I THINK THAT SOUNDED AWESOME.
AND I JUST I THINK THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MAKE SURE THEY KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND AS A PART OF THAT, IN THE PAST, THEY'VE HAD A MEAL COVERAGE AND THAT'S THE COST OF THE CONTRACT.
IN THE PAST, THAT'S JUST I DON'T BELIEVE SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN CAUGHT.
BUT SO THOSE FUNDS HAVE TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
THAT'S WHY THE CONTRACTS BUT THEY'RE GOING IN AND WORKING WITH GROUPS OF STUDENTS AND SMALL GROUPS OF STUDENTS.
THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH TEACHERS AND CLASSROOMS. I JUST I'VE NEVER EVEN HAVE HEARD IT.
I WISH WE PUBLICIZED THAT MORE.
BASED ON BOARD MEMBERS ANY OTHER QUESTION ON THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS? I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE CONTRACTING OUT FOR THE BUS PASSES.
DOES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRINT OUR OWN BUS PASSES AND NOT CONTRACT OUT AND SPEND DISTRICT MONEY? CITY BUS. OH, THEY WERE CITY BUS PASSES.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS.
SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. OKAY, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION.
REAL, REAL QUICK ON THE AUDIT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THEIR LAST YEAR.
ARE WE PLANNING ON PUTTING THIS OUT TO BID OR HOW HAVE WE DONE THIS IN THE PAST? I HAVE NOT I HAVE NOT DISCUSSED MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO DO THAT OR NOT.
I. WE'LL PROBABLY ADDRESS IT AFTER THIS AUDIT IS COMPLETE.
SO I SUSPECT THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOUR TWO YEAR OPTION TO RENEW IS PROBABLY WHAT WE'LL CERTAINLY DON'T TAKE MY COMMENT OR QUESTION AS ANY SUBSTANTIVE TALK ABOUT THEIR ABILITY JUST WAS WONDERING WHAT WHAT WE DO SO THANKS.
[00:40:02]
WHAT WILL BE THE FUNDING SOURCE IN THE FUTURE? OKAY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAVE NO NOTHING FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES THE FOLLOWING CONSENT ACTION ITEMS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. OKAY. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
MOVING ON SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.
[VIII.Superintendent’s Report - Dr. Rod Earleywine]
DR. EARLEYWINE. GOOD EVENING.IT'S BEEN A BUSY COUPLE OF WEEKS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WITH THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL.
A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, A LOT OF CHANGES FROM THE LEGISLATORS THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED.
WE HAVE COMMUNICATED AND WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR SOME GUIDANCE ON ON A COUPLE OF THEM.
BUT TYPICALLY, WE GET THE LEGISLATION THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TAKES IT INTERPRETS IT PROVIDES US GUIDANCE ON THE ISSUES. SO IT'S IMPLEMENTED CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE STATE OF IOWA.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON SOME GUIDANCE.
SO PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US ON A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS.
MOST OF OUR BUSSES ARE AIR CONDITIONED, BUT WE STILL HAVE 5 OR 6 THAT ARE NOT.
SO THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN.
I DID FIELD A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS ON THE BUSSES IN THE HEAT AND MY RESPONSE WAS, WELL, NOT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT, UNFORTUNATELY, COME FROM HOMES WITH AIR CONDITIONING.
SO IF WE CAN GET SOME REPRIEVE FOR THOSE STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND AIR CONDITIONED BUILDINGS, THEN WE'RE PROBABLY OUR STUDENTS ARE PROBABLY BETTER OFF . VISITED EVERY ELEMENTARY BUILDING SO FAR, ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS, ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
AND AGAIN, THEY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THAT THEY ARE FACING.
AND WE AGAIN, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHANGES, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE OFF TO A GREAT START.
AND THAT HAS TO BE OUR FOCUS IS OUR STUDENTS.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL END MY REPORT.
EARLEYWINE. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NINE ITEMS OF PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND OR ACTION.
[IX.A. Department Achievements for the 2022-2023 School Year – District Leadership Team]
22-23. DESPITE ALL THAT'S GOING ON WITH ALL THE LAW CHANGES WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, DR.EARLEYWINE, YOU AND YOUR STAFF REMAIN FOCUSED.
THIS LOOKS LIKE A FIRE DRILL OF SOME SORT, BUT I GUESS IT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS COMING UP.
AND MISS BEMUS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK FIRST.
I SEE MR. MOSER'S PIECE IS FIRST, BUT TAKE IT AWAY.
AND JUST AS WE WERE REFLECTING, WANTING TO REFLECT ON OUR YEAR LAST YEAR, WHAT WE'VE DONE WELL, WHAT WE COULD DO BETTER, WE REALIZED THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT I WOULD SAY THESE PEOPLE DON'T BROADCAST TO EVERYBODY, SO THEY ARE GOING TO SHARE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME INTERESTING THINGS IN HERE FOR ALL OF YOU THAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED THAT YOU PROBABLY HAD NO IDEA.
WE ARE GOING TO START WITH MR. JAROD MOSER. THANKS, MISS BEMUS.
SO JUST SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS LAST YEAR FROM THE ELEMENTARY PERSPECTIVE.
[00:45:03]
OCCUR AT A HIGH LEVEL REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF LEARNING, WHETHER THAT'S WHOLE GROUP, SMALL GROUP OR INDEPENDENT WORK TIME.ALONG WITH THAT STAFF AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE PROVIDED STAFF WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXTRA PLC OR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY TIME WHERE STAFF MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN ADDITION TO WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
THEY CAN DO THAT OPTIONALLY OUTSIDE OF CONTRACT TIME TO PLAN AND DESIGN FOR INSTRUCTION TOGETHER, REDUCING VARIABILITY, AND AGAIN, FOCUSING ON RESEARCH BASED STRATEGIES THAT ALIGN TO OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEING PROVIDED AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
THE NEXT ACHIEVEMENT IS JUST THAT, THE ACHIEVEMENT DATA.
WE HAVE SOME ACHIEVEMENT DATA.
THE FAST LITERACY GROWTH AND THE IREADY MATH GROWTH.
SO THESE ARE SCREENERS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
I SHOULD MENTION THEY'RE ONLY ELEMENTARY SCREENERS.
THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE SCREENERS FOR SECONDARY OR HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT WE FOCUS ON THE GROWTH FROM THE FALL TO THE SPRING.
IN THE SPRING FOR MATH, 10% WERE PROFICIENT IN THE FALL, 48% IN THE SPRING.
CLASSROOM SUPPORT THEN WE ALSO SUPPORTED ALL STAFF IN DEVELOPING CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND THOSE PLANS HAVE FOUR SPECIFIC FOCUS AREAS, MAKING SURE THAT IN ALL CLASSROOMS WE HAVE A CLEAR ATTENTION SIGNAL TO GET THE ATTENTION OF STUDENTS WHEN WE NEED IT.
POSTED EXPECTATIONS GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY COMMUNICATED AND THEN EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN ALSO THE ATTENTION SIGNAL POSTED EXPECTATIONS A POSITIVE PHYSICAL SPACE.
SO 93 CLASSROOMS TO INDIVIDUALIZE THAT INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS.
WE STARTED THE ADOPTION OF CHARACTER STRONG, AND THAT'S REALLY TO PROMOTE THAT SELF REGULATION IN THOSE COPING STRATEGIES IN STUDENTS AND TO BUILD THOSE SKILLS THAT WE KNOW ARE SO IMPORTANT.
AND WE HAD TWO BUILDINGS THAT DID THAT, THOUGH K THROUGH FIVE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN BUILD UPON.
AND THEN WE ALSO STARTED THE ADOPTION OF THE BENCHMARK LITERACY PROGRAM AT ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS SO THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE SCIENCE OF READING AND BUILDING THOSE STRONG FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS AND PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS IN OUR STUDENTS AND THEN FINALLY TUTORING.
AND A LOT OF THE TEACHERS THAT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH REALLY TALK ABOUT THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THAT'S HAD ON ACHIEVEMENT IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ELEMENTARY ITEMS. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. [INAUDIBLE]. ONE QUESTION MR. MOSER, WHEN DO WE EXPECT THE FINAL IOWA ASSESSMENTS FOR LAST SPRING? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT RIGHT NOW THAT'S EMBARGOED INFORMATION IS THAT? WE HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
I'M SORRY. WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
BUT IT'S EMBARGOED UNTIL THE STATE PUTS OUT A STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC AND THEN WE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT.
ANY ETA OR SOMETIME IN THE FALL.
TWO WEEKS AGO THEY SAID IN 2 OR 3 WEEKS.
BUT THAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THOSE DETAILS WILL BE SHARED WITH PUBLICLY AND WITH THE BOARD.
WOULD SORRY, WOULD YOU GUYS PREFER WE WAIT TILL THE END OR.
I WAS GOING TO SAY I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION, BUT I KNOW IF I ASK, EVERYONE'S GOING TO ASK.
WELL. WHY DON'T WE WAIT. I'LL WAIT TILL THE END.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN EXPLAIN NONE OF THIS HAPPENED IN ISOLATION.
NOT ONE OF US DID THIS ON OUR OWN.
THERE'S A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT HELPED IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE LIFTS.
AND SO I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY OR CIA OR JAROD OR ANGELA OR ROB.
THERE'S EVERYBODY'S INVOLVED WITH EVERY ONE OF THESE LIFTS.
THE CULTURE AND CLIMATE IS AMAZING IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
THAT IS SOMETHING I HOPE NEVER GOES AWAY FROM THIS DISTRICT.
IT IS VERY, VERY POWERFUL AND IT'S GOOD FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND FAMILIES, QUITE FRANKLY.
WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED PLC WORK WITHIN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS WHERE OUR TEACHERS HAVE DESIGNATED TIME WITH CONTENT I LIKE PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT GOOD INSTRUCTION STANDARDS, RETEACHING A VARIETY OF THINGS.
[00:50:01]
AND SO THAT TIME FOR OUR TEACHERS AGAIN, TIME FOR OUR TEACHERS HAS BEEN HAS BEEN CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND GREATLY APPRECIATED BY OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS.WE ALSO ADDED, ALONG WITH THE CIA OFFICE, ADDED READING CLASSES IN SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE.
BUT THEY'RE OUT THERE AND OUR KIDS ARE BEING TAUGHT READING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A NUMBER OF YEARS.
WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED HIGH SCHOOL TEAMING.
SAME THING TEAMING JUST LIKE OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
WE PUT IT INTO OUR NINTH GRADE THIS YEAR WITH OUR PLC WORK AS WELL AS TEAMING.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING ALREADY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SOLUTION TREE.
IT'S A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS AROUND PLCS AND THE CREATION OF PLCS.
AND SO WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM AND THEY'RE COMING IN AND SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS ON OUR CAMPUSES, NOT JUST ONE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY, BUT IN OUR CLASSROOMS WITH OUR TEACHERS ON A REGULAR BASIS THROUGHOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
A VARIETY OF THESE OTHER THINGS.
MOSER OR EXCUSE ME, JAROD MOSER HAS ADDRESSED ALREADY, ALONG WITH THE TUTORING AND THE PLC WORK, OUR TEACHERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEND AN HOUR AFTER SCHOOL ONCE A WEEK FOR PLC WORK WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES TO TALK ABOUT GOOD TEACHING AND LEARNING.
THEY ALSO HAVE AN HOUR EVERY WEEK TO TALK TO HELP OUR STUDENTS WITH TUTORING AND SO ON.
SO ALONG WITH THE REST OF THIS LIST, AGAIN, I CAN GO ON AND ON.
SO IN ESSENCE OF TIME, I'M GOING TO MOVE IT ON TO THE NEXT CABINET MEMBER.
I DIVIDED OUR HR ACHIEVEMENTS INTO TWO CATEGORIES RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
WITH PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ADVERTISING PUBLICATIONS, TV SPOTS, RADIO SPOTS THAT WE'VE DONE COMPARED TO PRIOR YEARS.
WE'VE INCREASED TEACHER DIVERSITY.
OUR RECRUITMENT RETENTION SPECIALIST HAS ATTENDED OVER 20 CAREER FAIRS.
ALONG WITH THAT, INITIATING IMPLEMENTING AN EMAIL CAMPAIGN WHERE SHE WAS CONTINUOUSLY SENDING EMAILS TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHE VISITED WITH DURING THE CAREER FAIRS.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO REACH OUT TO A NUMBER OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN ADDITION, THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE CAREER FAIRS THAT WE ATTENDED, AS WELL AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY TO RECRUIT, CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED STAFF.
WE HAVE 19 PARTICIPANTS IN THAT PROGRAM AND WE RETAINED ALL 19.
THEY HAVE TO STAY IN IOWA, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY'LL STAY HERE IN SIOUX CITY.
AND THEN WITH OUR OOPS, THERE WE GO.
WITH OUR RETENTION EFFORTS, WE WERE ABLE TO ADMINISTER SOME RETENTION SURVEYS.
ONE WAS TO OUR FIRST AND SECOND YEAR TEACHERS AND THEN ANOTHER ONE TO OUR FOOD SERVICE STAFF.
AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE DOING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THIS SCHOOL YEAR AS WELL.
AGAIN, KIM SMITH, OUR BENEFITS MANAGER, LEADS OUR WELLNESS ACTIVITIES AND SO WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF WELLNESS ACTIVITIES WE'VE DONE THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, AS WELL AS TRYING TO REACH MORE PEOPLE.
SO INCREASING THE VARIETY OF THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.
SO TO BETTER EDUCATE OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT THEN ALSO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TAKING THAT PLAN.
WE ALSO, ALONG WITH THE INSURANCE WE COLLABORATED, WITH PERSPECTIVE TO GET THE BEST INSURANCE OPTION FOR OUR STAFF GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THEN ALSO HAD THE GRACE OF THE BOARD TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A STIPEND FOR THOSE INSURANCE PREMIUMS. WE ALSO HELD SUBSTITUTE ORIENTATION AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN WE HELD THE SMART FIND, WHICH IS OUR ABSENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WE HELD A WORKSHOP FOR SUBSTITUTES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST, SO WE'RE PROUD OF THOSE AS WELL.
[00:55:07]
DIRECTOR, AND REALLY LEADING THAT, WHICH IS BASICALLY BRINGING EMPLOYEE RECORDS, APPLICANT TRACKING EVERYTHING THAT'S WEB BASED ONLINE.JUST ONE QUESTION. YES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WAIT OR CAN WE ASK OR WAIT? WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO WAIT.
AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LESLIE.
AS I SAT ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE I HEADED HOME FROM WORK AND I REFLECTED ON LAST WEEK, I THOUGHT, HOW DO I CAPTURE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MESSAGES AND CALLS AND EMAILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES THAT WE RECEIVE LAST WEEK, AND THERE'S NO WAY TO CAPTURE THAT.
SO I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT BEFORE STARTING THIS OFF.
USUALLY THAT TAKES 4 TO 6 MONTHS, MAYBE FOR ONE WEBSITE.
BUT WITH TECHNOLOGY'S HELP, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT 21 NEW WEBSITES.
THOSE ARE ACCESSIBLE IN ALL LANGUAGES.
IN ADDITION, WE LAUNCHED A NEW MOBILE APP WHICH HAS AROUND 1500 USERS AND A NEW ALERT SYSTEM.
WE HAVE ABOUT A 17% CLICK THROUGH RATE FOR OUR DIGITAL CAMPAIGN.
THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE IS AROUND 2%, WHICH IS PRETTY OUTSTANDING.
SO WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE OUR GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR HR TEAM.
WE ALSO LAST YEAR IMPLEMENTED A SUCCESSFUL SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH COMMUNICATION PLAN WHICH INVOLVED EVERY AUDIENCE POSSIBLE FROM STUDENTS TO STAFF TO THE COMMUNITY. WE GIVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT AND THAT WAS A REAL SUCCESS.
WE ALSO DID A LOT OF WORK THIS LAST YEAR IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR SECONDARY AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS ON COMMUNICATING OUR NEW STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT PROTOCOLS, OUR BEHAVIOR DISCIPLINE PROTOCOLS, IF YOU WILL.
IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED THOSE STORIES OUT, WE'LL START RUNNING THOSE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
BUT WE HAVE OUR BELIEVE ACHIEVE SUCCEED STORIES, WHICH RUN EVERY SUNDAY.
WE HAVE STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH.
WE'VE ALSO ENHANCED THE COLLABORATION WITH FIRST RESPONDERS IN SIOUX CITY.
THAT'S DONE THROUGH SAFE TRAINING LAST FALL.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE HAVING SAVED TRAINING AGAIN FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF THIS FALL.
WE PLAN SUCCESSFUL RIBBON CUTTING FOR HUNT ELEMENTARY LAST FALL, WHICH WAS REALLY EXCITING AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN A FEW WEEKS, DOING THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION TRADES BUILDING.
WE HAD A 270% INCREASE IN ENGAGEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVER THE LAST YEAR.
IT'S DEFINITELY A THING. IT'S HERE TO STAY AND PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY ENGAGED WITH US ON THAT.
WE HAD 830 GRAPHIC DESIGN JOBS THAT WE FINISHED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND WE HAD 100 WEBSITE REQUESTS.
WITHIN THE ELL WORLD WE CREATED THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS TASK FORCE.
WE CONTINUE TO GO BACK TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF, OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING THE SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUCCEED LINGUISTICALLY IN THEIR LANGUAGE ACQUISITION.
WE ALSO PROVIDED ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF TO SUPPORT THEIR KNOWLEDGE ON VARIOUS TOPICS THAT INCLUDED THOSE PROPOSALS FROM THE TASK FORCE . COORDINATED WITH MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY JUST LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, TO HELP STAFF RECEIVE ELL ENDORSEMENTS FOR FREE.
WE HAVE 25 TEACHERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING RIGHT NOW IN THIS COHORT, AND WE HAVE A HUGE LIST OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE SUPPORT OF MORNINGSIDE TO CONTINUE WITH THOSE. WE ALSO PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR ELL TUTORS.
WE HAD ABOUT 32 TUTORS PARTICIPATE IN THIS INVITATION.
[01:00:03]
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TUTORS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.IN OUR SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM, WE HAD A GREAT NUMBER OF PARTICIPATION.
WE INCREASED THAT PARTICIPATION 27%.
WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO SEE A LOT OF NEW STUDENTS IN THAT PROGRAM.
330 FAMILIES RECEIVED DEPARTMENT SUPPORT THROUGH THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR, AN INCREASE OF 106 FAMILIES FOR THE 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH OUR FAMILY SUPPORT COORDINATOR WHO HAS TAKEN ON THIS DUTY UNDER THE SUPPORTS OF ESSER, AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT SUPPORT VERY MEANINGFUL TO THE FAMILIES IN OUR DISTRICT.
IN 2023, WE GAVE ABOUT 850 BACKPACKS THAT DAY.
WE HAD TO RESTOCK AND RESTOCK AND RESTOCK.
I AM ALSO THE FOSTER CARE, HOMELESS, MIGRANT AND MIGRANT LIAISON FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND THIS YEAR WE DEVELOP A PLAN FOR MIGRANT STUDENTS.
HOME BASED APPROACH IS A NEW APPROACH THAT WE TOOK AND WE WERE VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THE STATE REACH OUT TO US TO GIVE US SOME CREDIT FOR THE EFFORTS THIS SUMMER.
WE WILL CONTINUE THESE VISITS TO OUR FAMILIES AS THE SCHOOL YEAR GOES ON.
SO A LOT OF SUCCESS THAT WAY AS WELL.
I AM ALSO THE TITLE 9 COORDINATOR FOR THE DISTRICT, AND IN THAT REGARD, WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PROCESSES AND THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS IS PLACED FIRST.
WE HAVE ENHANCED OUR PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE SAFE AND THAT THEY KNOW THE PROTOCOLS WHEN THEY HAVE THE NEED TO REPORT SOME TITLE 9 CASES.
WE COLLABORATED WITH THE BOEE TO ENHANCE THE DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THEM LAST YEAR PRESENT LIVE TO OUR STAFF FOR THE UPDATES AND REGULATIONS OF TITLE 9.
TITLE NINE CONTINUES TO GROW IN THE LEGISLATION AND EXPAND TO OTHER GROUPS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, DIFFERENT POCKETS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT IN THE PAST WE HAD NOT PROVIDED PD FOR WERE TRAINED WERE MADE AWARE OF ALL THE PROCESSES AND OPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHEN WE HAVE SITUATIONS OF THIS NATURE.
WE ENHANCED ALSO PROTOCOLS FOR INVESTIGATION TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INVESTIGATION REVIEWS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAD ACCESS TO ALL THE LEVELS THAT THE DISTRICT PROVIDES.
PLAN DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUAL SAFETY.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE REVIEW DIFFERENT SITUATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS THAT OUR STUDENTS KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY BEHAVIORS THAT ARE DANGEROUS TO THEIR SAFETY. AND THEY ARE REPORTING THAT TO US AS A DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THE THINGS IN PLACE TO PROTECT THEM AND INVESTIGATE WHEN NECESSARY.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT WE DO HAVE ADVANCED SPANISH SPEAKERS WHO ARE LITERATE.
THEY KNOW HOW TO WRITE, HOW TO READ, HOW TO.
STEP TWO. THEY ARE LINGUISTICALLY ADVANCED, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD OPTIONS FOR THAT.
WE DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR SECOND LANGUAGE COURSEWORK ADVANCEMENT BASED ON LINGUISTIC SKILLS, PLAN FOR CONDUCTING SPANISH PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM REVIEW TO START IN 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING HERE PRETTY SOON.
WE WILL CONTINUE THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SELECTING OUR NEW CURRICULUM FOR SPANISH LANGUAGE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT IS IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO REVIEW THOSE MATERIALS TO UPDATE.
[01:05:09]
TO OTHER OTHER UEN'S OTHER STATES THEMSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REACHING OUT TO ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO BRING PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES, FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO BE IN OUR STAFF TEACHING SECOND LANGUAGE, TEACHING ENGLISH, TEACHING DUAL LANGUAGE SPANISH.WE'RE VERY EXCITED BECAUSE OUR CONNECTIONS WITH THE STATE ARE PRETTY STRONG AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
MR. [INAUDIBLE], ARE YOU GOING TO TECH US? TELL US. RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN FOLLOW IT. I'M TIRED LISTENING TO ALL THAT.
WE JUST COULDN'T GET THAT ALL DONE.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE A LITTLE MORE BRIEF HERE SO THAT THE NEXT PEOPLE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
WE HAVE OVER 16,000 DEVICES, AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING PRINTERS, COPIERS AND NETWORK DEVICES.
AND SOME OF THE STUFF WE'VE GOT TO ACCOMPLISH IS IN A SHORT WINDOW.
SO WHEN WE REFRESHED THE 12,651 LAPTOPS, THAT WAS OVER THE SUMMER.
THAT'S A TWO MONTH WINDOW, 3059 IPADS.
WE GET THE DEVICES IN WE GOT TO GET THEM REFRESHED AND GET THEM RIGHT BACK OUT TO THE STUDENTS.
SO THE GROUP THAT DOES THAT, THEY GET A LOT DONE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT.
IF YOU'RE DOING 12,000 OVER A WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT'S ONE THING.
BUT DOING IT IN TWO MONTHS, THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
126 PROJECTORS, 351 STAFF LAPTOPS ON OUR LIFE CYCLE REFRESH.
100 COPIERS, REPLACED ALL THE COPIERS IN THE DISTRICT IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE THAT WE GOT TEN YEARS OUT OF THEM.
LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 3 TO 4 ON THE LONG END.
WE REPLACED OUR DOMAIN CONTROLLERS ONCE AGAIN.
WE GOT JUST TONS OF LIFE OUT OF THAT STUFF.
IF YOU WANT TO JUMP OVER TO SECURITY, WE MOVED INFINITE CAMPUS TO THE CLOUD.
BIG DEAL. WE MOVED OUR TIME CLOCK TO THE CLOUD.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS EVERYTHING THAT'S BACKED UP IS THEN MOVED OFFSITE OFF THE NETWORK.
SO IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS ON THE NETWORK THAT CAN'T REACH IT AND SO THAT WE'RE SAFER AND MORE SECURE, PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TYPE OF THINGS, STREAMLINE THE ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
SO WHAT THAT IS, IS EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO CERTIFY OUR ENROLLMENT.
AND ONCE AGAIN, IT'S MORE ACCURATE AT CERTIFYING OUR ENROLLMENT, WHICH HAS TO BE DONE CREATING A DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN THAT WAS LITERALLY A BACK OF A NAPKIN THING. NOW IT'S NOW IT'S A LIVING, BREATHING CREATURE THAT IS BEING CREATED.
SO WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO TO IN THE EVENT OF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING.
PUTTING SUMMER SCHOOL IN INFINITE CAMPUS.
SETTING UP THE BEHAVIOR MODULE, REORGANIZING THE THE TICKET TAKING SYSTEM.
AND I COULD KEEP TALKING, BUT I THINK PATTY'S NEXT, SO I'LL LET HER TALK.
OKAY. WELL, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE LAST THREE BULLET POINTS THERE.
AND WE CONTINUE TO CROSS TRAIN, WHICH ALLOWS FOR CONTINUITY IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
GOOD EVENING. I JUST DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, OVER COMMUNICATE IT.
BUT AGAIN, LIKE IT'S BEEN SAID BEFORE, EVERYTHING UNDER THE LEARNING SUPPORT DEPARTMENT IS SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS EVERY ONE OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME AND ULTIMATELY EVERY STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER IN THE DISTRICT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR FOR ALL THE WORK WE DO TOGETHER.
[01:10:03]
SO WITHIN SPECIAL EDUCATION, MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT WE INITIATED A TASK FORCE LAST YEAR AND AS A RESULT OF THAT TASK FORCE, WE HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES.SO WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NEW LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT AS MUCH IN THE PAST AS WE DID THIS PAST YEAR.
WE REVIEWED OUR DATA FOR COMPASS ACADEMY PROGRAMS AND FOUND THAT THAT WAS INCREDIBLY POSITIVE.
WE TRANSITIONED TO A WEB IEP SYSTEM AND WE SURVIVED A YEAR IN THAT NEW WEB IEP SYSTEM.
[LAUGHTER] IT WAS WE WERE HANGING ON BY A THREAD THERE AT THE END.
EXCELLENT GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE, RIGHT? ALWAYS. YEAH, WE'LL GO WITH THAT.
AND THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TASK FORCE WORKED OUT SO WELL, WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT A TAG TASK FORCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TAG SERVICES AND SEE IF THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE THERE AS WELL.
NURSING IS ANOTHER AREA UNDER THE UMBRELLA AND A BIG THANK YOU TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO ADD FIVE SCHOOL NURSES THIS YEAR AND THAT HAS BEEN HUGE.
AND AGAIN, THAT HAS BEEN A VERY MUCH A NEED AND HAS BEEN MUCH APPRECIATED.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH THAT.
THE OTHER AREA WITHIN THE LEARNING SUPPORTS.
CAN I ASK ONE, NOT ONE QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANT SOME CLARIFICATION.
COULD YOU CLARIFY WHAT CIA STANDS FOR? WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
OKAY. JUST JUST WANT TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
IN LIGHT OF THE FBI TERMS, WE PROBABLY SHOULD CLARIFY THE CIA.
WE DO OFFER A HOME SCHOOL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THE ONE THING WE WERE ABLE TO DO FOR THAT DEPARTMENT IS WE SHIFTED FROM DOING HOME VISITS WITH FAMILIES TO HAVING FAMILIES COME TO A DESIGNATED LOCATION IN OUR DISTRICT TO MEET WITH OUR TEACHERS.
THAT HAS BEEN VERY APPRECIATED BY THE TEACHERS IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND IT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR FAMILIES BECAUSE IT GIVES US IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO CURRICULAR RESOURCES BECAUSE OUR LIBRARY IS RIGHT THERE IN THAT SAME LOCATION.
SO THAT HAS BEEN VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I GET TO PASS IT ON TO TIM PAUL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS.
WE'VE ALREADY GONE OVER THE SUCCESS BETWEEN THE COLLEAGUES ON THE DLT TEAM AND HOW THEY WORK.
BUT I REALLY WANT TO SPEAK OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING FROM HOME TONIGHT IN THE THAT MAKE UP OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, THOSE FOUR DEPARTMENTS OF OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, TRANSPORTATION AND FOOD SERVICES.
OVER 300 EMPLOYEES GET UP EVERY DAY AND MAKE ALL THESE MOVING PARTS COME TOGETHER TO GET THE FOOD DELIVERED TO THE SCHOOLS, TO MAKE SURE THE BUILDINGS ARE CLEANED AND MAINTAINED. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M ALMOST IN AWE OF EVERY DAY, WATCHING MOWERS PULL OUT AND REPAIRMEN GOING OUT TO WORK ON THESE BUILDINGS TO JUST SEE ALL THESE MOVING PARTS LITERALLY COME TOGETHER AND FOCUS.
[01:15:02]
NON AIR-CONDITIONED SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT.SO I KNOW THAT WAS MUCH APPRECIATED WHEN WE KICKED OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR THIS YEAR, THE SIOUX CITY CAREER ACADEMY TRADES BUILDING IS ONE OF OUR PRIDES OF THE DISTRICT. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE YET, IT IS JUST SIMPLY AMAZING.
AND WHAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR IS JUST GOING TO BE WONDERFUL IN THAT BUILDING.
AND I WAS PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WHEN THE TEMPERATURES WERE UP IN THE HUNDREDS LAST WEEK, THAT THAT BUILDING WAS COMING IN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH REACHING ITS TARGETED TEMPERATURES. THE KITCHEN HAS DONE SOME UPGRADES TO THAT BUILDING.
WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A NEW WORK ORDER SYSTEM, REPLACING THE ONE FROM 2004.
WE STARTED THAT PROCESS LAST JULY AND ROLLED THAT OUT.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT SOME 12,000 WORK ORDERS WERE COMPLETED LAST YEAR BETWEEN THE O &M TEAM AND THEN ALL OF THE WORK THAT WENT INTO PUTTING IN THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS LOADED IN THERE SO THAT WE CAN BETTER TRACK REPAIRS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU, SAYING IT'S TIME TO REPLACE THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. WE ALSO ARE DILIGENTLY WORKING AT INCREASING OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
WE'VE CHANGED OUT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL GYMS. WE PICKED THOSE AREAS BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE ARE ON FROM EARLY IN THE MORNING TILL VERY LATE AT NIGHT.
THEY'RE ALL NOW LED IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
OKAY. AS DOCTOR, DIRECTOR, DOCTOR I CALLED HIM DOCTOR GEORGE.
DIRECTOR GEORGE ASKED CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT, MRS. DENNEY AND MYSELF.
SO JUST AS MR. MOSER HAD STARTED US OFF WITH, THAT WOULD BE THE POSITIVE TIER ONE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THAT WE ASKED OUR STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS TO PARTICIPATE IN.
IT'S LIKE THIS BIG, THE TEACHERS LOVE IT.
SO IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED AND GREAT CONTENT.
DURING THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD 23 SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS, 21 ELEMENTARY WHO ALL ATTENDED EIGHT FULL DAY SESSIONS WITH A SAFE AND CIVIL SCHOOLS CONSULTANT ON INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR SAFE AND CIVIL SCHOOLS INITIATIVES.
SO AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY ALL RECEIVED IT WELL.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY DIFFERENTLY AND ALL 13 DISTRICT LEADERS ATTENDED NINE FULL DAY SAFE AND CIVIL SCHOOLS TRAININGS WITH A CONSULTANT IN LEADERSHIP AND BEHAVIOR SUPPORT AND COACHING COACHES.
SO COACHING OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES IN POSITIVE TIER ONE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT KIDS RANGING FROM ALL TIERS OF THE MTSS. WE ALSO HAD 50 JUST ABOUT 50 INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONIST STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST COUNSELORS WHO ALSO ATTENDED THAT EIGHT DAY SESSIONS OF COACHING CHAMPS IN THE CLASSROOM TO GIVE THEM THE NON-EVALUATIVE SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM, MODELING AND SUPPORTING AND GIVING FEEDBACK.
LAST YEAR, YOU ALL KINDLY ADDED MY POSITION.
SO THIS WILL BE THE COMPLETION OF YEAR ONE OF MY BEHAVIOR SUPERVISOR.
WE ADDED NOT A NEW POSITION BUT A NEW PERSON TO THE K 12 BEHAVIOR PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND WE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS WITH MANAGING CLASSROOM BEHAVIORS AND A POSITIVE CLIMATE AND CULTURE. ALSO LAST YEAR WE ADDED SIX NEW GEN ED BEHAVIOR TECHNICIAN POSITIONS.
THROUGHOUT 22-23, WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO HIRE FOUR AS OF THE SEPTEMBER 11TH BOARD MEETING.
WE'LL BE FULLY STAFFED WITH ALL SIX.
[01:20:07]
HOW CAN WE RECEIVE COACHING FROM OUR DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THE TEACHER IN IMPLEMENTING, AGAIN, MODELING, GIVING FEEDBACK AND JUST WORKING ALONGSIDE TEACHERS TO GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED WITH OUR STUDENTS.WITH THAT BEHAVIOR PROGRAM PART OF OUR BEHAVIOR TECHS, WE SUPPORTED 15 KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WITH A GEN ED BEHAVIOR TECHNICIAN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 21 OF THOSE WERE THEN 21 STUDENTS K 3.
WE DID NOT SUPPORT OR HAVE ANY REFERRALS FOR FOURTH OR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS.
AND THEN ONE OUT OF FIVE OF THOSE WERE SUPPORTED WITH AGENDA BEHAVIOR TECHNICIAN AS WELL.
WE ALSO HAD FIVE CLASSROOM TEACHERS RECEIVING DIRECT SUPPORT AND COACHING BY MYSELF OR MRS. GARBE, OUR BEHAVIOR PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
AND THEN AS MR. MOSER AND MR. VANDERLOO MENTIONED, WE STARTED EXPLORATION OF OUR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM, WHICH THIS YEAR IS ADOPTED OR STARTED IMPLEMENTING CHARACTER STRONG. SO THAT WILL BE OUR TIER ONE LEVEL INSTRUCTION FOR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, COPING SKILLS BEING KIND, BEING WELL, MORE OF THAT HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SUPPORTING KIDS.
EVERY PERSON GOT TWO SLIDES AND I GOT FOUR, SO.
HA HA. [LAUGHTER] NO, I'M REALLY, REALLY HONORED BECAUSE THEY ALL MENTIONED CIA AND NOT TO MAKE FUN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I AM REALLY HONORED TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF CIA AND I GET TO WORK WITH ALL OF THEM.
AND THEY ALL SAID THIS, BUT YOU HEARD THEM MENTION CIA A LOT, AND IT ENCOMPASSES ALL OF OUR STAFF.
IT ENCOMPASSES ALL DIRECTORS, ALL ADMINISTRATORS, ALL TEACHERS, ALL PARAPROFESSIONALS, BECAUSE WE ARE THE CLOSEST DIRECT CONTACT TO THE STUDENTS AND GETTING THAT SUPPORT TO OUR STUDENTS.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
WE WENT WITH A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND WE REALLY TRIED TO FIND COURSES THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORTED OUR DISTRICT AND BUILDING GOALS, AND WE HAD AN INCREASE IN PARTICIPANTS. WE HAD 868 PARTICIPANTS, WHICH WAS AN INCREASE FROM THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
AND THEN THROUGH THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE OFFERED 732 LICENSURE RENEWAL CREDITS.
BUT WE HAVE CONTENT AREA SPECIALTY CURRICULUMS GOING ON IN EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IN OUR DISTRICT, ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH GRADE 12. AND THERE ARE SO MANY HARDWORKING TEACHER LEADERS, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS TO LEAD THIS WORK BECAUSE THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT I CAN BE EVERYWHERE EVERY DAY.
AND SO I JUST THERE'S SO MUCH WORK GOING ON.
BUT I MEAN, FROM EVERYTHING FROM OUR SUCCESSFUL I ISASP VISIT WITH THE STATE, WE WERE A MODEL OF THAT TO WORKING WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THESE THINGS TAKE PLACE. WE ARE IMPLEMENTING [INAUDIBLE] MATH FOR SECONDARY WRITABLE FOR ELA.
AT THE SECONDARY WE HAVE NEW ELEMENTARY ELA CURRICULUM.
WE'RE PROVIDING FREE FIELD TRIPS.
WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS EXCITING.
WE HAVE LOTS OF CONTENT COMMITTEES.
WE'VE GOT HIGH PARTICIPATION IN THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND WE'RE JUST DOING A LOT OF THINGS.
SO TO CLOSE, WE AS A DLT, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT OF ALL OF US, THESE THINGS WOULDN'T HAPPEN FOR OUR KIDS AND OUR STAFF. AND I KNOW THAT WE COME TO YOU IN LOTS OF BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
YOU ASK US A LOT OF QUESTIONS, YOU PLACE A LOT OF TRUST IN US, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT TRUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO USE OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS THE MOST WISELY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO. WE ALSO KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATING, AND I SPEAK FOR EVERY ONE OF US THAT WE JUST REALLY LOVE OUR JOBS.
[01:25:08]
WE LOVE GETTING TO HAVE THE BEST JOBS IN THE WORLD WHERE WE SERVE THE STUDENTS OF OUR CITY.SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS.
THANK YOU. AND I GUESS WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF THIS STUFF THAT REALLY GOES UNSPOKEN ABOUT AND YOU GUYS JUST DO IT. I MEAN, YOU JUST GET IT DONE.
AND WE GAVE YOU A PRETTY BIG LIFT THIS PAST YEAR, A VERY BIG LIFT.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT DR.
EARLEYWINE, MISS BEMUS AND ALL ALL YOUR DIRECTORS, THANK YOU.
YOU GUYS WERE THE ENERGIZER BUNNIES LAST YEAR.
YOU REALLY WERE. I MEAN, IT WAS CLEAR.
IT WAS OBVIOUS. AND SAY THANKS.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A MUCH, MUCH STRONGER DISTRICT NOW THAN WE HAD AND THROUGH YOUR HARD WORK.
AND SO THANK YOU AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
THANKS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR DEFINITELY THE CYBERSECURITY DOING THAT STUFF.
CONCERNING WHAT SEVERAL IOWA SCHOOLS HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH, FOR TECH WIRELESS PROJECTORS.
ARE WE GOING TO THAT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT BECAUSE IS IT MOST PROJECTORS KIND OF HARD WIRED YET? SOME OF THEM ARE CONNECTED TO THE LAPTOP.
SOME PROJECTORS IN THE ROOM ARE WIRELESS.
WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING GOING ON.
SOME TEACHERS GET ATTACHED TO CERTAIN DEVICES.
AND DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM UP.
IS THAT A SHOT AT THE OLD TEACHERS? I MEAN, I'M JUST JUST CLARIFYING THINGS.
[LAUGHTER] I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE OLD TEACHERS.
RIGHT. I SEE MISS BANKS OUT HERE.
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT AIR CONDITIONED BUILDINGS.
ALL THE GYMS EXCEPT THE HIGH SCHOOL ARE AIR CONDITIONED GYMS, RIGHT? TIM. YES. YES.
OKAY. AND DID WE HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO AIR CONDITION GYMS? NOT THAT WE'RE EVER GOING TO GET TO 150 SOME DEGREE AGAIN, BUT.
WHAT WE HAD NUMBERS OF BEFORE WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 600 TO 700.
OKAY. GLAD ABOUT CHAMPS NEW TEACHERS THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SPEED AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
CHARACTER STRONG, ALL THAT STUFF.
I JUST ASKED FACULTY GET MOVES UP ON THE THE PAY LINE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR ME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT. I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME JUST TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.
BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE THAT JUST REALLY STOOD OUT BECAUSE IT WAS A PASSION.
WHEN I CAME ON THIS BOARD AT 2019, I JUST SEEN SO MANY PHENOMENAL THINGS HAPPEN AND WATCH IT EVOLVE.
SO I JUST WANT TO DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE DR.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING AND THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX WHEN RECRUITING AND DOING THOSE WORK FAIRS AND JUST INTENTIONALLY WORKING ON A MORE DIVERSE RECRUITMENT TO FIT OUR DISTRICT.
AND SO I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED HARD IN THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU.
YOUR HARD WORK HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
AND THEN WOW! LESLIE, GEEZ, YOU HAVE REALLY BLOWN IT UP.
I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER BEEN DONE THIS WAY.
AND WITH CLASS AND TIMELINESS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, PEOPLE ARE TALKING.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT IT IS NOW, HOW EASY IT IS TO NAVIGATE.
WE'RE KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
[01:30:05]
AND SO AND AMY, OF COURSE, AND JANINE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE BEHAVIOR HARD WORK.AND SO I JUST APPLAUD ALL OF YOU NOT TO LEAVE ANYONE OUT.
BUT I KNOW I HEARD THE WORD COLLABORATION.
JUST HOW IMPRESSED I AM WITH SEEING EVERYONE COLLABORATE AND WORKING TOGETHER.
AND TRUST ME, IT IS BEING NOTICED AND APPRECIATED.
ONE OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AS A BOARD IS TEACHER RETENTION.
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE SURVEYS? HOW ARE THEY BEING LOOKED AT OR WHAT? YEAH, SO WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A REPORT FROM THOSE SURVEYS AND SHARED IT WITH THE RELEVANT STAFF.
I CAN SHARE THOSE RESULTS WITH THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
SO AND THEN ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, DR.
CAN ANYTHING MORE SPECIFIC THAT YOU CAN SHARE ABOUT? YEAH. SO I JUST DID THE NUMBERS FROM THE BEGINNING OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A BIG INCREASE.
WE WENT FROM LIKE 3% TO 6% AND NOW WE'RE AT 6.7%.
THAT WAS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO I HAVEN'T EVEN DONE THE MATH YET FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SO YOU'LL HAVE A PICTURE OF OUR ENTIRE STAFF.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO KIM NEAL.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT A TASK FORCE.
AND IT'S FROM THE BOTTOM UP WITH THE STAFF INVOLVED.
SO I LOVE THAT I HAVE TO DO A SHOUT OUT TOO AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AMY DENNEY OR MRS. BEMUS, BUT WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STAFF SUPPORT, IT WASN'T MENTIONED.
BUT ON FACEBOOK, BECAUSE I'M ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SOME THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF OUR COUNSELORS FROM OUR DISTRICT THAT GOT TO GO TO THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELING ASSOCIATION WORK CONFERENCE.
THEY WERE THANKING OUR DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU THERE. I THINK WE'RE AT 13 THAT WERE ABLE.
THAT WAS AWESOME. YES, AWESOME.
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. AND I JUST HAVE TO I'M NOT I CAN'T GO INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE. THOSE REPORTS ARE OUTSTANDING.
SO I APPRECIATE KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
SCARLETT, DIRECTOR SCARLETT, IT HASN'T GONE UNNOTICED AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOU.
THE LAST QUESTION. I SAVED THE VERY LAST.
YOU SAID WAIT TILL THE END. OH YEAH. [LAUGHTER] SO THE INSURANCE OR CATASTROPHIC LOSSES WAS REALLY HAS BEEN DRIVING OUR RATE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. I KNOW WE'RE NOT THROUGH ALL THE REPORTS, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE OR ARE THEY LOWER OR ABOUT THE SAME OR DO WE HAVE ANY TYPE OF UPDATE AT ALL, MID-YEAR UPDATE OR ANYTHING? NOT YET.
WE, I BELIEVE, HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH PERSPECTIVE IN SEPTEMBER.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE THEN.
SORRY, SORRY. I HAVE A LONG LIST, BUT I WON'T.
I WON'T. SO I THINK I HEARD THE WORD SURVEY OUT OF ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S GREAT. WE'RE BEING EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WITH HOW WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR STAFF.
I CAN ASSURE YOU WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME.
IT SHOWS IT IS GOING APPRECIATED AND RECOGNIZED.
ON PAIRING THINGS WITH WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE SAID FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM STAFF, JUST WE CAN SEE FROM A BOARD AND WE SAW HERE IS THAT THE PARTICIPATION RATES ARE UP, OUR PARTICIPATION RATES ARE UP AMONG STUDENTS, STAFF, PARENTS.
I THINK THAT SHOWS THAT THE DISTRICT IS MOVING FORWARD ON.
THIS IS THE FIRST SUMMER I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FOUR YEARS.
[01:35:06]
[LAUGHTER] BUT IT JUST SHOWS THAT THE COLLABORATION AND PARTICIPATION IS THERE AND IT'S BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING IN THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE ON.YOU GUYS ARE DEMANDING OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS ACT THE WAY WE ALL WANT THEM TO ACT.
SO AND YOU'VE ROLLED WITH THE PUNCHES.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAS HEARD MULTIPLE THINGS FROM US, MULTIPLE THINGS FROM THE STATE.
SO WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, CHAD.
I SAW OUR TECHNOLOGY GET BETTER AND BETTER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
YOU SEND A KID TO THE TECH PEOPLE WITH A WITH A COMPUTER PROBLEM, THEY COME RIGHT BACK.
I MEAN, IT JUST GOT BETTER AND BETTER AND SAME IN THE SYSTEM.
KIM NEAL, IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU'RE STANDING UPRIGHT AND YOU'RE EVEN HERE.
IF THE COMMUNITY KNEW THE STRESS AND SOME OF THE HEADACHES THAT GO WITH THESE JOBS, JUST SPECIAL EDUCATION LAWS AND JUST I MEAN, YOU EARNED YOUR SALARY JUST DEALING WITH THAT NEW ACHIEVED SITE THAT THE STATE PUT OUT, LITERALLY.
[LAUGHTER] I MEAN, IT'S LIKE YOU GO DOWN THE LINE OR, YOU KNOW, DR.
GOMEZ RECRUITING HOW DIFFICULT IT IS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO GET STAFF.
AND SO I JUST WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW YOU CAN HEAR A REPORT, BUT UNTIL YOU'RE RIGHT THERE IN THE TRENCHES AND YOU SEE THE BENEFITS AND HOW HARD AND HOW PROFICIENT SOME OF THIS STUFF IS WORKING FOR OUR STUDENTS, THEN YOU REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
SO LIKE I SAID, I JUST CAME OUT OF THE SYSTEM MANY, MANY YEARS AND HOW GOOD EVERYTHING IS OPERATING.
AND YOU CAN HEAR THESE REPORTS.
BUT YOU KNOW, ONE THING TO HEAR A REPORT, IT'S ANOTHER THING TO ACTUALLY SEE IT.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. ALL RIGHT.
I THINK THAT'S THE TIME TO MOVE ON TO ITEM B.
JUST A SECOND. OH, I HAVE ONE MORE THING BEFORE EVERYBODY SITS DOWN.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY GREAT AT THEIR JOBS, BUT THEY'RE GREAT HUMAN BEINGS AND THEY ARE MODELING WHAT IT MEANS TO WORK TOGETHER, TO COLLABORATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, TO TAKE RISKS AND BE VULNERABLE, TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE START ENTERING THEIR WORLDS LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
AND THEY'RE AMAZING HUMAN BEINGS.
AND THERE ARE GREAT MODELS FOR ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK I'M THE LUCKIEST PERSON TO WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE] WAS DR. EARLEYWINE JUST THE WARM UP BAND FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? IS THAT WHAT IT WAS? YOU WERE THE.
[LAUGHTER] THIS IS JUST A REALLY QUICK SNAPSHOT OF LAST WEEK.
[IX.B. Start of the School Year Update - Angela Bemus]
SO OUR ENROLLMENT ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, THIS IS, OF COURSE, JUST OUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL NUMBERS, BUT WE HAD 14,229 STUDENTS. IT CHANGES EVERY DAY.AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IT BY THE HUNDREDS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BECAUSE AS THE FORMER EDUCATORS UP THERE KNOW, THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL UNTIL AFTER LABOR DAY, KIDS SHOW UP EVERY DAY THAT WE DON'T EXPECT.
SOME KIDS JUST TRADITIONALLY DON'T WON'T START UNTIL AFTER LABOR DAY.
BUT THAT'S ALL OF OUR NUMBERS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY LONGER LIKE 800 OR, YOU KNOW, THE 200 AND THEN ONE WITH 800, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH EVENED OUT OUR POPULATION AT EACH BUILDING.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE THAT FIRST WEEK WE AND LEADING UP TO THAT, EVERY STUDENT RECEIVED THE SAME PRESENTATION BY THEIR TEACHERS WITH THE SAME TALKING POINTS, FOCUSING ON OUR NEW THC VAPE POLICY AND THE REVIEW OF THE CELL PHONE POLICY.
SO CELL PHONES WERE BIG LAST YEAR.
THC VAPE POLICY IS BIG THIS YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S OUR NEXT PROBLEM.
CELL PHONES WERE A BIG PROBLEM.
EVERY FAMILY WITH OUR NEW LEGISLATION RECEIVED GUIDANCE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS RECEIVED GUIDANCE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THE NEW LEGISLATION, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO. TODAY, I SENT OUT ANOTHER UPDATE.
JUST TO CONTINUE TO GIVE THE GUIDANCE THAT WE GET OUR GUIDANCE FROM OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OF IOWA, FROM THE IOWA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS, FROM THE UEN'S.
AND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE GUIDANCE FROM THE DE, WE ARE DEPENDENT ON ALL OF THAT.
[01:40:03]
SO AS WE WORK THROUGH THINGS, OTHER THINGS COME UP THAT NO ONE THOUGHT WOULD AND QUESTIONS ARISE.AND SO WE'VE BEEN CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
AND EVERY FAMILY WAS RECEIVED THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW LEGISLATION AND HOW IT IMPACTS STUDENTS.
WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE ALL OF THAT.
MRS. NEAL SHARED THAT WE HAD ALL THESE NEW THINGS IN SPED START ON THE FIRST DAY.
WE'RE ALMOST THERE. WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE.
WE STILL HAVE OPENINGS, BUT WE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF ELL TEACHERS.
AND I DIDN'T PUT A NUMBER HERE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT YET.
BUT 2316 BREAKFAST AND 8475 LUNCHES ALL ON THE FIRST DAY.
AND ON THAT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, EVERYTHING IS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A MACHINE.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF EVERYBODY THAT AND 80 NEW TEACHERS.
WE HAD 80 NEW TEACHERS BEGIN NEW TEACHERS TO THE DISTRICT, COME TO OUR DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S AWESOME. THERE YOU GO.
JUST A LITTLE SNIPPET OF OUR FIRST FIRST WEEK.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? YEAH, ONE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
I DON'T WANT TO SINGLE ANYBODY OUT.
ONE TK STUDENT [INAUDIBLE] IS THAT CORRECT? THAT ACTUALLY ISN'T.
WE MOVED. WE JUST ONE CLASSROOM THERE.
OKAY. WE MOVED THAT STUDENT TO ANOTHER TK.
OKAY. AND AND I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A SECRET THAT THE FIRST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN GOING OFF GREAT.
THE COMMUNICATION THIS SUMMER HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.
TEACHERS KNEW WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTED TO DO.
STAFF KNEW WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTED TO DO.
OKAY. ANY ANY OTHER THINGS? THE BOARD. SEANIECE ANYTHING? NO.
ALL RIGHT. HAS A SILLY FACE, SO I DON'T WANT HIM TO SAY ANYTHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT [INAUDIBLE] ALL RIGHT.
I THINK WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BOTH THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FOR THE START OF THE NEW YEAR UPDATE.
A HECK OF A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND BEEN DONE WELL.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE READY FOR ITEM C OF OUR AGENDA WINDING DOWN.
[IX.C. First Reading of Board Policies - Dr. Rod Earleywine]
AND IT'S THE FIRST READING OF BOARD POLICIES.WE START OUT WITH POLICY 400 ROLL OF AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR EMPLOYEES 401.3 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT RECRUITMENT SELECTION AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION 402.10.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS 405.2 LICENSE EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS RECRUITMENT SELECTION.
IT'S RECOMMENDED FOR DELETION ITEM 405.5 LICENSE EMPLOYEE WORKDAY 406.5 EMPLOYEE GROUP BENEFITS POLICY 505.12.
STUDENT FEATURES AND FEE WAIVERS.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLANS POLICY 1004.1 COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES.
OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF THESE BOARD POLICIES.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR DELETION OF 405.2? IS THAT A STATE DEAL? IT'S EMBEDDED IN THE PREVIOUS POLICY.
ALL THAT INFORMATION IS ALREADY IN THE PREVIOUS POLICY.
OKAY. THE PRECEDING POLICY, I SHOULD SAY SO.
THANK YOU. SO LOOKING THROUGH THESE, I ASK THIS EACH TIME WE HAVE A FIRST READING AND THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF RED, ARE THEY JUST THE FOUR YEAR UPDATES? ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES? NO. ALL OF THESE ALL OF THESE BOARD POLICIES WERE PRIMARILY LANGUAGE CHANGES, THE COMMUNITY USE OF FACILITIES,
[01:45:02]
THE COST STRUCTURE WITHIN THAT BOARD POLICY WENT UP JUST BUT THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY MAJOR THERE WASN'T A LOT OF RED THIS WEEK, SO.ANYTHING ELSE? BOARD MEMBERS SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES AND FIRST READING IS APPROVED.
[IX.D. November 2023 School Board Election - President Greenwell]
DAY THAT YOU COULD TURN IN YOUR PETITIONS AND FILE FOR THE ELECTION.THE LAST DAY YOU CAN TURN IN PETITION IS SEPTEMBER 21ST AT 5 P.M., NOT 5:01, SEANIECE SAYS 5 P.M.
SO THAT MEANS THAT FOUR POSITIONS WILL BE ON UP FOR ELECTION AND THERE IS FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM.
AND THERE'S ONE POSITION THAT WILL BE FOR A TWO YEAR TERM.
AND I THINK I SAID IT LAST MEETING, BUT AS A CANDIDATE, YOU HAVE TO FILE FOR ONE OF THOSE FOUR YEAR POSITIONS OR THE ONE YEAR YOU CAN'T BE A GENERAL CANDIDATE FOR ALL THE POSITIONS.
YOU HAVE TO SPECIFICALLY FILE FOR ONE OR THE OTHER.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT YOU CAN GATHER PETITIONS FOR EITHER THE FOUR YEAR OR THE ONE YEAR OR THE TWO YEAR AND DECIDE AT THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE YOU TURN IT IN WHICH ONE YOU WANT TO FILE FOR.
SO THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT YOU HAVE TO CLEARLY MARK IT ON YOUR PETITION THAT I AM ASKING YOU TO SIGN YOUR NAME FOR EITHER THE FOUR YEAR POSITION OR THE TWO YEAR POSITION, OR IF YOU HAVE TWO PETITIONS, YOU CAN DO IT FOR BOTH AND THEN TURN IN THE ONE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOTIFYING THE PERSON THAT'S SIGNING YOUR PETITION THAT I'M RUNNING FOR THE FOUR, I'M RUNNING FOR THE TWO.
AND IF THEY SIGN BOTH OF THEM, I'M RUNNING FOR EITHER ONE AND I'LL TURN IT IN AT THE LAST MINUTE.
SO THAT IS ALLOWABLE FROM WHAT MR. GILL HAS TOLD ME OVER AT THE AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY YOU COULD TURN THOSE IN SEPTEMBER 21ST AT 5 P.M.
IS THE LAST DAY YOU CAN TURN IT IN.
WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RUN FOR THE BOARD.
WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION.
THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS HAD A ROBUST NUMBER OF PEOPLE APPLYING FOR MR. HAMMAN'S CURRENT POSITION THAT HE WAS IN, AND WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RUN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, IT'S AN ADVENTURE.
SO GO OUT THERE, GET YOUR PETITION SIGNED AND PICK WHICH SLOT YOU WANT AND AND THE RACE WILL BE ON.
AND BOARD MEMBERS. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR YOU? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE YOU ANSWERED IT.
BUT JUST TO REITERATE, IT WAS A QUESTION I GOT THIS AFTERNOON.
SO THAT'S THE BOX THAT YOU HAVE TO CHECK.
SOUNDS GOOD. THAT WAS A QUESTION I GOT THERE'S A SPECIFIC BOX OR IS IT JUST THE GENERAL POSITION FOR FOUR YEAR THAT'S ON THE PETITION ITSELF? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. OKAY.
WITH THAT. BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE AT ITEM TEN ADJOURNMENT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND TO ADJOURN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. AND MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.