[00:00:02] >> GOOD EVENING. IT'S NOVEMBER 25, 2024, AT 6:01. [I. Call to Order] I NOW CALL THIS ANNUAL MEETING TO ORDER. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> JANICE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. EHMCKE? >> PRESENT. >> MR. GEORGE? > PRESENT. >> MR. GREENWELL? >> HERE. >> MS. LEE? >> PRESENT. >> MR. MEYERS? >> PRESENT. >> MR. MICHAELSON? >> HERE. >> MR. MILLER? >> HERE. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? [IV. Approval of Agenda] >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED. ITEM 5, CITIZEN INPUT. [V. Citizen Input] AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD AND DIRECTOR 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. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, EACH MEMBER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. REMEMBER TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. CITIZEN INPUT ON ACTION, DISCUSSION ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE TIME OF DISCUSSION OF EACH AGENDA ITEM. SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> YES. MARIA RUELAS. >> GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MARIA RUELAS, 4613 CHERRYWOOD LANE, SIOUX CITY, IOWA, 5106. DURING THE SPECIAL MEETING ON OCTOBER 29, 2024, THE BOARD MEMBER MADE SEVERAL STATEMENTS REGARDING ELL LEARNERS. THAT IS THE REASON I AM HERE. THAT IS THE REASON SOME OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE HERE, THAT IS THE REASON WHY SOME PARENTS ARE ALSO HERE. WE HEARD MR. MICHAELSON SAID THAT HE WANTS TO EXPAND THE ELL PROGRAM. THAT HE WANTS A NEW SUPERINTENDENT TO PUT IN PLACE FOR THOSE KIDS TO GET THEM UP TO SNUFF PRIOR TO ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS WONDERING WHAT MR. MICHAELSON MEANT BY GETTING THEM UP TO SNUFF. I HAD SOMEONE EXPLAIN IT TO ME AND WHEN I LOOKED IT UP. MR. MICHAELSON, NO STUDENT HAS TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE REACHED AN ACCEPTABLE OR USUAL STANDARD OF BEING OF PASSABLE QUALITY. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT A FORWARD THINKING SUPERINTENDENT WHO CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX THAT WILL TAKE THOSE LEVEL 1 ESL STUDENTS, AND SOME STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, AND YOU WANT TO PUT THEM IN A SCHOOL. LET'S JUST THINK THAT A SUPERINTENDENT SAYS THIS. THE LEVEL 1 ELS IN OUR GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS ARE CAUSING GREAT STRESS, WALKING IN OUR HALLWAYS. THEY ARE GREATEST WEAKNESS. FOR THIS REASON, THE BOARD HAS ASKED ME TO APPROVE THAT ALL LEVEL 1 EL STUDENTS BE PLACED SOMEWHERE IN A SCHOOL OF SOME KIND AND BE BROUGHT UP TO SNUFF BEFORE WE LET THEM IN INTO OUR SCHOOLS. HERE WE GO. THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO SAY. I CANNOT IMAGINE A SUPERINTENDENT SAYING THAT BECAUSE A SUPERINTENDENT WHO KNOWS BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, LAU VERSUS NICHOLS, CASTANEDA VS PICKARD WILL NOT SAY THAT. I CAN GUARANTEE THAT A QUALIFIED OUTSIDE-THE-BOX THINKER AND INNOVATIVE SUPERINTENDENT WILL AT LEAST ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. HOW ARE WE DELIVERING THE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW? WHERE ARE THEY TAKING PLACE? HOW ARE WE MEASURING THEIR SUCCESS? WHAT RACES AND ETHNICITIES ARE IN THE L1 CATEGORY OF STUDENTS? WHAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN OFFERED FOR OUR STAFF? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE TO MONITOR THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH? ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS IS HOW HAS THE BOARD MET ITS OBLIGATION TO ENSURE MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE? PLEASE REST ASSURED THAT OUR PARENTS WILL BE ASKING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS? WHICH OF OUR CHILDREN WILL BE REMOVED FROM OUR SCHOOLS TO BRING THEM UP TO SNUFF? WILL THEY BE ALLOWED TO WALK IN THE HALLWAYS IN OF THIS NEW PLACE WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEM? HOW WILL THIS PLACE AVOID UNNECESSARY SEGREGATION? HOW WILL YOU ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE MEANINGFULLY IN CURRICULAR AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES? WHY DO YOU CONSIDER ESL STUDENTS OUR GREATEST WEAKNESS? [00:05:04] >> THANK YOU. ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? > YEAH. >> DIRECTOR MICHAELSON. >> I THINK THERE'S A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT I WANT. MY 30 PLUS YEARS AT WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL, THIS IS MY WHEEL HOUSE. I WANT TO PUT THESE KIDS IN A POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL. LAST TIME I SUBSTITUTE TAUGHT, ONE OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS THERE WAS I SAW THIS LITTLE GIRL IN THE HALLWAY. SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS GOING. SHE COULDN'T READ THE SCHEDULE. SHE WAS A SIXTH GRADER IN THE EIGHTH GRADE PART OF THE BUILDING. MY ASSUMPTION IS IS THAT CHILD NEEDED SOME HELP. THAT CHILD NEEDED SOME CARE. THAT CHILD NEED AND SINCE WE'VE STARTED THIS, TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAVE SUPPORTED EVERYTHING ELL. >> NOT EVERYTHING. NOT EVERYONE. >> BUT SIX OUT OF THE SEVEN OF US, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU FULLY MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT I'M SHOOTING FOR. >> CAN I ANSWER? CAN I REPLY TO THIS? >> SURE. >> AT ONE POINT, I WAS THAT LITTLE GIRL THAT YOU SAW IN THE HALLWAY. >> LET ME JUST FOCUSED ON FOLLOW UP QUESTION. >> WE GO UP TO HIRE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ARE BILINGUAL AND BILITERATE. THEY'RE ALSO PART OF OUR SYSTEM. THOSE LEVEL 1 STUDENTS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT, NOW THEY'RE WORKING FOR US. NOW THEY'RE TEACHERS, NOW THEY'RE PARAPROFESSIONALS, NOW THEY'RE PART OF THE MAINTENANCE TEAM. THEY ARE PRINCIPALS, THEY ARE DIRECTORS. WE WERE ALL PART OF L1 LEVEL AT ONE TIME, BUT IT DOESN'T LAST FOREVER. FOR THE THOUGHT OF SEGREGATING STUDENTS UNNECESSARILY, THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. >> AGAIN, MARIA, I THINK YOU'VE COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD MY INTENT. HAD YOU CALLED ME, HAD YOU GIVEN ME A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN. >> DID YOU CALL ME? DID YOU VISIT MY SCHOOL? DID YOU DID YOU EXPLAIN THIS? >> NO. >> DID YOU TALK TO OUR PARENTS ABOUT IT? >> NO. >> BECAUSE 75% OF MY STUDENTS ARE ELS, 75. >> I'M AWARE OF THAT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET THEM ALL THE HELP THAT I CAN GET THEM. >> WHY DIDN'T YOU TALK TO THEM? WHY ARE YOU NOT TALKING TO OUR PARENTS ABOUT THESE PLANS? BECAUSE THIS IS UNNECESSARY SEGREGATION BASED ON THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING NOW. >> I DO HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION MYSELF. ARE WE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING NOW? >> NO. >> COULD WE DO MORE? >> ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT SEGREGATION, YES. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. >> NO, I GOT A QUESTION. DO YOU IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS THINK THAT I WAS PROMOTING SEGREGATION? >> WHEN YOU SAY YOU WANT THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT TO COME UP WITH A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN PUT THESE KIDS AND BRING THEM UP TO SNUFF PRIOR TO ENTRY ELEMENTARY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, YES. >> MARIA, I'M SORRY YOU FEEL LIKE THAT. >> HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THAT? >> THAT'S NOT MY INTENT. >> HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THAT? >> THE DEFINITION OF WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR AND WHAT I'M HOPING FOR IS TO PUT THOSE KIDS IN A BETTER POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL. >> THEY ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY HAVE LANGUAGE MODELS, NOT JUST ONE LANGUAGE MODEL, WHICH WOULD BE THE CLASSROOM TEACHER. >> THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS TO DEFINE THAT, MARIA. >> TRY ME. >> ANOTHER TIME OR PLACE. I'LL CALL YOU TOMORROW. >> SEANICE, IS THERE ANY OTHER? >> IMELDA GARCIA. >> GOOD EVENING. IMELDA GARCIA. 3025 NORMAN DRIVES HERE IN SIOUX CITY, 51104. AS I WATCHED THE SCHOOL BOARDS SPECIAL MEETING WHICH TOOK PLACE ON OCTOBER 29, 2024, SPECIFICALLY, MINUTES 33-39, I LISTENED TO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE BEING PRESENTED BY THE BOARD MEMBERS IN REGARDS TO OUR ELL LEARNERS. I AM A IT MADE ME HAVE THIS DECISION TO COME UP TO THE BOARD AND SPEAK TO YOU. I AM A FORMER ELL STUDENT OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. MY FAMILY MOVED TO SIOUX CITY WHEN I WAS JUST WHEN I HAD JUST COMPLETED SIXTH GRADE IN MEXICO. MY SIBLINGS AND I DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. I WAS ENROLLED AT WIDER WILSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. BECAUSE MY FIRST LANGUAGE WAS OTHER THAN ENGLISH, I WAS PLACED IN AN ORIENTATION CENTER FOR HALF A DAY FOR MY FIRST YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES. OTHER NEWCOMERS LIKE ME WERE BUSED TO CENTRAL CAMPUS FOR HALF A DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE ATE LUNCH THERE AND WE WERE IN THE ROOM LEARNING ENGLISH. I FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING AROUND THIS GROUP OF STUDENTS BECAUSE WE WERE ALL THE SAME. WE WERE ALL NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS WHO CAME FROM A DIFFERENT COUNTRY. [00:10:03] THE EDUCATORS WERE WONDERFUL AND TOOK US UNDER THEIR WINGS AND WELCOMED US TO THIS NEW COUNTRY. I COULD TELL THEY CARED ABOUT US, AND THEY DID WHATEVER THEY COULD TO COMMUNICATE WITH US AND TEACH US. A DOWNFALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE I FELT THAT WE WERE BEING SEGREGATED. WE WERE BEING SEPARATED FROM THE MONOLINGUAL PEERS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN HIGH SCHOOL. THIS HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ME AS I BECAME VERY INSECURE, I WAS NOT ABLE TO SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER PEERS BECAUSE I WAS NOT THERE AT SCHOOL, TO BE WITH THEM, TO LEARN WITH THEM, TO INTERACT WITH THEM. THIS WAS A CHALLENGE FOR ME. I COULD TELL THAT I WAS BEING TREATED DIFFERENT BY CLASSMATES AND BY EDUCATORS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT 36 YEARS AGO, THIS IS WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE. MAYBE THIS DISTRICT THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE BEST SOLUTION TO HAVE ME BUSED FOR HALF A DAY EVERY DAY, AND THAT BE INTERACTING WITH THE MONOLINGUAL PEERS. MAYBE AT THAT TIME, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA. BUT AFTER I THINK ABOUT WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE BEST IDEA. DR. GREENWELL, YOU STATED THAT ONE OUT OF FOUR STUDENTS DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WE ARE AND THEY ARE WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY, AND THAT THAT IS PRETTY DRAMATIC. MY QUESTION IS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY DRAMATIC? DRAMATIC FOR THE STUDENTS, THE ELL STUDENTS, MONOLINGUAL STUDENTS, FOR THE EDUCATORS IN THOSE BUILDINGS THAT SERVE OUR ESL STUDENTS? I DON'T THINK SEGREGATION IS THE ANSWER TO HELPING AND SUPPORTING OUR ELL LEARNERS. I THINK THAT THE STUDENTS WILL LEARN BETTER IF THEY ARE ENGAGED IN MEANINGFUL LESSONS AND ARE ABLE TO INTERACT AND SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR PEERS AND NOT BEING SEPARATED. I QUESTION, WHAT ARE THE SCHOOLS DOING TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS IN TEACHING OUR ELL STUDENTS? >> THANK YOU. >> WHAT ARE THEY RECEIVING? >> ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, DIRECTORS? DIRECTOR GREENWELL. >> OVER 24% OF OUR STUDENTS IS DRAMATIC. WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICES. I THINK THIS BOARD HAS TAKEN CONCRETE STEPS TO ADD A ELL DIRECTOR. AT LEAST MOST BOARD MEMBERS VOTED FOR THAT, INCLUDING ME. WE APPROVED SOME NEW CURRICULUM MATERIALS FOR ELL LEARNERS. I THINK THAT WAS SIGNIFICANT. WE CORRECTED A WRONG IN THE PAST, WHERE WE HAD A INCORRECT CALCULATION OF STUDENT PER TEACHER RATIO WHERE WE FIXED THAT. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR ELL TEACHERS SIGNIFICANTLY. I THINK YOU'LL SEE MOST BOARD MEMBERS SUPPORTING THAT, INCLUDING MYSELF. >> CAN I SAY SOMETHING? >> I'M NOT ASKING YOU ANOTHER QUESTION. I WILL ASK YOU A QUESTION, THOUGH. ARE WE DOING ENOUGH? >> I'M SORRY. >> ARE WE DOING ENOUGH? >> NO. >> WE COULD DO MORE? >> OF COURSE. WAY MORE. >> THANK YOU. >> I'LL ASK YOU TO COME BACK. CAN YOU COME BACK? >> CAN YOU COME BACK BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, I WANTED TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY. >> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT CAN BE DONE. FOR EXAMPLE, PREPARING OUR TEACHERS. IT'S NOT EASY TO LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE. IT TAKES FROM 4-7 YEARS TO LEARN THAT ACADEMIC VOCABULARY. OUR STUDENTS NEED TIME. THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED, TIME AND SUPPORT. WITH THE RIGHT SCAFFOLDS, NOT INTERVENTIONS, BUT THE RIGHT INSTRUCTION, THEY WILL GET THERE, BUT THEY NEED TIME. ONE YEAR BEING SEGREGATED IS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT ALL GREAT. >> JUST ANOTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTION. WHERE DID THE TIME FRAME COME? I'VE NEVER HEARD A YEAR ISOLATED OR SEGREGATED. >> WELL, IT COULD BE MORE. >> MY QUESTION IS, WHERE'S THAT COMING FROM? WHO'S SAYING THAT? LET HER ANSWER. >> FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS. IF IT'S NOT ONE YEAR, WHAT IS IT? HOW DO YOU KNOW? IT COULD BE TWO YEARS, COULD BE SEVEN YEARS. IF A STUDENT COMES IN IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IT TAKES THEM SEVEN YEARS TO BE ACADEMIC PROFICIENT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW UP AT HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE AND NOT BE ABLE TO SOCIALIZE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ISOLATED IN THIS LITTLE CIRCLE, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. SOCIALIZATION AND BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS AND WORK WITH OTHERS IS ESSENTIAL IN EVERYONE'S LIFE. >> THANK YOU. SEANICE. >> MIRANDA MARKS. [00:15:05] >> HI. MY NAME IS MIRANDA MARKS. PO BOX 13 LAWTON, IOWA. I'M RESPONDING TO THE SUGGEST THAT WAS MADE ON OCTOBER 29TH AT A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING OF THIS YEAR. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO HAVE FORWARD THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH STUDENTS WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE THAN ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO HAVE THESE STUDENTS GO TO A DIFFERENT BUILDING TO LEARN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. WELL, BECAUSE ONE IN FOUR STUDENTS THAT ARE WALKING DOWN THE HALLS DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT FORWARD THINKING. A BACKWARD THANK YOU. THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. WE HAVE SPLIT THESE STUDENTS INTO THESE BUILDINGS AWAY FROM THEIR PEERS. THIS IS ACTUALLY CALLED SEGREGATION. DO WE REALLY WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT? DO WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE THESE KIDS AWAY FROM THEIR PEERS FROM PEOPLE THAT THEY COULD BUILD THESE LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH AND PUT THEM IN THE BUILDING THAT'S AWAY FROM THAT OR HELP OUT FROM CARING EDUCATORS SUCH AS MYSELF. I DO NOT LIKE THAT THINKING. I DID NOT HAVE THE BACKGROUND THAT A LOT OF MY TEACHERS HAVE THAT I WORK WITH. I HAD ONLY ENGLISH GROWING UP. I LEARNED SPANISH IN MY HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS NOT THAT GREAT. I'M STILL LEARNING TO IT THIS DAY. MY KIDS TEACH ME AS MUCH AS I TEACH THEM. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS WHO ARE ADULTS ARE THINKING OF SPLITTING THESE KIDS. >> LIKE I SAID, WE CANNOT DO THIS. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MYSELF. I AM AN ENGLISH KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT ERVING ELEMENTARY. I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SEVEN YEARS. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM. NOW, I MIGHT BORE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME DATA, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE. LAST YEAR, I HAD 35 KIDS. OUT OF THOSE 35,26 FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. AT THE END OF MY YEAR, I HAD 17 OUT OF MY 26 THAT WERE PROFICIENT IN LETTER NAMES, 25 OUT OF 26 THAT WERE PROFICIENT IN PRINT CONCEPTS, 25 OUT OF 26, THAT COULD IDENTIFY RHYMING WORDS, 21 OUT OF 26, YOU COULD TELL ME ALL THE LETTER SOUNDS, 19 OUT OF 26 WAS THE VOWEL SOUNDS, 14 OF MY KIDS OUT OF 26 WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT PRODUCING RHYMING WORKS MEANS, AS I SAY A WORD, THEY HAVE TO TELL ME ANOTHER WORD THAT RHYMES WITH IT. THAT IS NOT EASY, EVEN FOR KIDS WHO KNOW THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. IN THE 20 OUT OF MY 26, WE'RE ABLE TO A WORD SEGMENT WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO SPLIT UP THE WORD. JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW. I WENT TO NEW MEXICO LAST YEAR. YOU GUYS SAID WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TEACHERS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL FOUR PROGRAM. [OVERLAPPING] >> THANK YOU. >> ONE MORE MINUTE. >> ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. NO. DECORUM STATES 3 MINUTES. YOU'VE HAD YOUR THREE. I RESPECT YOUR DECISION. I RESPECT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP IT FLOWING. ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, DIRECTOR? THANK YOU. >> DID NOT COME TO MY SCHOOL. I DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT NEGATIVE IN MY CLASSROOM. THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE? >> CHRISTIAN SUPIRA. >> MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN SUPIRA. I LIVE IN 3121 ORLEANS AVENUE. I AM THE FATHER OF OLIVER H8. WE AN ELEMENTARY, AND MY SECOND SON, LUCAS, H4, WILL JOIN HIM NEXT YEAR. I AM AN ENGLISH LEARNER. IN FACT, AFTER 12 YEARS IN THE MIDWEST, FIVE OF THOSE IN SIOUX CITY, I WILL ALWAYS BE AN ENGLISH LEARNER. MY BILINGUALISM IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST ASSETS. ALLOW ME TO HELP YOU OVERCOME YOUR LANGUAGE BARRIER. I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION THAT TOOK PLACE AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD ON OCTOBER 29TH, DEEPLY TROUBLING. PROVINCIAL ENGLISH SPEAKERS, THE COMMUNICATION WAS OBVIOUSLY MISSING. DESPITE BEING BORN IN THE US AND HAVING BOTH LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, MY KIDS ARE LEGALLY CONSIDERED ESL STUDENTS. INSTEAD OF RECOGNIZING THE IMMENSE OPPORTUNITY THAT MULTILINGUALISM BRINGS TO THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SIOUX CITY STUDENTS, [00:20:02] MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD TREATED ESL STUDENTS AS A PROBLEM, A BURDEN TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE BLOOD AND NEGATIVITY AGAINST BILINGUAL STUDENTS WAS MADE APPARENT BY GROSS GENERALIZATIONS. LIKE I QUOTE, THE STUDENTS WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAYS, NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH AT ALL. TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS AS IF THEY NEEDED TO BE RELIEVED FROM THE BURDEN OF SERVING A STUDENT REGARDLESS OF THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE, TALKING ABOUT BEING DRAMATIC IN THIS VERY MEETING. THE FACT THAT THE BOARD WAS LUMPING TOGETHER ENGLISH LEARNERS AND STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AS A BILINGUALISM WAS A DISRUPTIVE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR TO ERADICATE. I WILL HAVE NOT BEEN SURPRISED IF THE SAME MEMBERS WILL LATER ADVOCATE FOR ENGLISH ONLY SCHOOL CODES OF CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY MEASURES AGAINST THE STUDENTS TALKING IN ANY OTHER LANGUAGE. THEY CALL THIS FORWARD THINKING AND ENABLING STAFF TO GROW. BUT TO ANYONE WITH A BACKGROUND IN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION LIKE MY WIFE AND MYSELF, IT'S UNDER THE STRAIGHT OUT OF THE 1960S. ARE WE DOING ENOUGH? YOU ASK? WELL, LET ME DISCUSS THE IOWA SCHOOLS REPORT. I WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE ESL SPECIFIC DATA REFLECTING IN OUR SCHOOLS. IF WE LOOK AT THE DATA FROM ERVING ELEMENTARY, WE SEE THAT OUR ESL STUDENTS SCORE MEASURES AT A HIGHER RATE THAN THE STATE AVERAGE. IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROWTH, THE STATE AVERAGE FOR ALL THE STUDENTS IS 64.61, EXACTLY THE SAME AS OUR ESL STUDENTS, AND HIGHER THAN THE STATE 60.24 FOR ESL SIOUX STUDENTS. ESL LISTENING SCORES WERE MORE THAN TWO POINTS HIGHER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE, FOUR POINTS IN READING, THREE POINTS HEARING AND SPEAKING AND SIX POINTS HEARING AND WRITING. THESE NUMBERS UNDERSCORE THAT FAR FROM NEEDING A RADICAL CHANGE IN THE WAY WAY APPROACH, ESL SUPPORT. >> THANK YOU. >> WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE BRACKET. >> I AM GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE DATA BECAUSE WE'LL BE GOING OVER THAT. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY PROUD OF TALKING ABOUT LATER TONIGHT AND THAT I HOPE THE MEDIA PICKS UP ON AS WELL BECAUSE YOU ARE CORRECT. WE HAVE DONE QUITE WELL. BUT FOR ME, I KNOW WE CAN DO MORE. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION. >> I WAS GOING TO FOLLOW. I WANT TO REITERATE THAT. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE GOING TO BRAG ABOUT TONIGHT. OUR ALPHA TESTING SCORES WERE 7% HIGHER OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS. THAT'S HUGE. WHAT'S BEING MISUNDERSTOOD HERE, I THINK, AND MAYBE I DIDN'T SPEAK CLEARLY ENOUGH THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN I MADE THE STATEMENT THAT I MADE. BUT WE ARE TRYING TO. I AM TRYING TO, IN EVERY WAY SHAPE AND FORM, GET AS MUCH HELP IN YOUR DIRECTION AS POSSIBLE. THERE WAS NOTHING SAID ABOUT SEGREGATION. THERE WAS NOTHING SAID. THIS IS ABOUT PUTTING PEOPLE IN A POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL. IF YOU GO INTO THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, AND I'VE GOT A YOUNG MAN OR A YOUNG LADY WHO COMES UP AND SHOWS UP IN SCIENCE CLASS IN EIGHTH GRADE AND CAN'T SPEAK IN ENGLISH, AND THEY'RE WORKING ON KINETIC ENERGY. THAT CHILD HAS LITTLE OR NO CHANCE OF UNDERSTANDING OR HAVING SUCCESS OR ENJOYING THAT SUCCESS. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUTTING PEOPLE AWAY IN A ROOM OVER THERE IN A ROOM OVER THERE. IT'S ABOUT PUTTING THEM IN A POSITION, LIKE I SAID A LITTLE BIT AGO, IN A POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THIS BOARD MYSELF INCLUDED HAS FOUGHT EXTREMELY HARD FROM START TO FINISH FOR THESE KIDS. AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR INCITING THAT MY WORDS INCITED THIS PASSION IN YOU. BUT YOU CAN BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT I'M WITH YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU. >> TRICIA RIVERS. >> GOOD EVENING, BOARD. I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE THIS OUT BECAUSE I HATE DOING THAT. [OVERLAPPING] >> NAME AND ADDRESS. >> YES, OF COURSE. TRICIA RIVERS, 3290 MARTHA STREET, TRAILER 108. TALKING ABOUT THE ESL AND THIS REMINDS ME COMING FROM THE INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE OF INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS. [00:25:05] I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BUT I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK UP THAT HISTORY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S HOW WE HEAR IT. THAT'S HOW WE HEAR IT AS PEOPLE OF COLOR, AS INDIGENOUS FOLKS. THAT IS INGRAINED IN OUR BLOOD MEMORY. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU NEED I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE LISTENING SESSION, BUT TALK TO YOUR PARENTS, TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL STAFF, TALK TO THE STUDENTS, DO THAT. YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING. I JUST WANTED TO COME UP AND MAKE MENTION OF THE EV BUSES. I KNOW THAT'S ON THE LATER, ON THE AGENDA, BUT I HAD EXTENDED THAT INVITE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO COME TO THE WHITE HOUSE LISTENING SESSION, AND YOU COULD HAVE ASKED YOUR QUESTIONS THERE. YOU HAD THE WHITE HOUSE ADMINISTRATION THERE. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION, I'M HERE. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT AND VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING MY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD LOVE TO GET YOU CONNECTED. I'M HERE AS A RESOURCE. MY LAST THING THAT I WANT TO MENTION IS DAN GREENWELL AND YOUR CONDUCT. I DON'T AGREE WITH HOW YOU SPOKE TO KRISTIE LAST MEETING. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S FAIR. AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT YOU SHOULD BE CONDUCTING YOURSELF LIKE THAT. I KNOW THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT IT. BUT WE'RE STILL HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. WE STILL WATCH YOU. IT'S STILL GOING TO COME OUT. I JUST HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO STOP BEING SO AGGRESSIVE TO FOLKS. STOP RETALIATING. IT'S NOT THAT HARD. WE CAN'T MAKE ANY PROGRESS IF WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT ARE GOING TO AGGRESSIVELY ATTACK FOLKS. WE CAN'T HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE. THAT'S HOW I WANTED TO SAY. ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU. ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, DIRECTORS. DIRECTOR LEE. >> I MISSED THE INVITATION FOR THE WHITE HOUSE INFORMATIONAL. >> YEAH, FOR SURE. THIS WAS HEADED UP WITH UNITED TODAY STRONGER TOMORROW. WE DID MAKE CONTACT. I'M SORRY THAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IT, AND THAT'S OKAY. BUT LIKE I SAID, WE STILL HAVE THAT CONNECTION. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO REACH OUT, I HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, AND I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET YOU CONNECTED AND GET ANSWERS FOR YOU ON THE EB BUS QUESTION. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> JANICE? >> JIM JUNG. >> WELCOME, JIM. >> MY NAME IS JIM JUNG G22 JACKSON STREET, CITY, IOWA. I HAVE DIFFERENT ROLE THIS MAKES ME RELEVANT TO YOU. I'M SETTLING AFGHAN CHILDREN INTO HERE. [INAUDIBLE] >> I'M NOT SURE THE MIC IS ON OR IS IT ON? >> ARE YOU HEARING ME? THE [OVERLAPPING] OTHER PRESCHOOL AT ERVING. THE LAST 1, 2, 3 WEEKS, I PUT A CHILD IN HUNT, AN AFGHAN CHILD. I PUT A CHILD IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND A CHILD IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY SPEAK NO ENGLISH. WHO KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE RELEVANT AND I HAD ONE. THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM TO MAKE ME WISE WHITE GUY STANDING UP HERE. I'M GOING TO START THIS OFF WITH RETALIATION. BOARD AND MR. GREEN, YOU'RE PART OF THAT. I BROKE IN MY TEETH ON GOING TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, SUPERVISORS MEET AT THE COUNTY ALL THE MEETING. I WAS NEVER ATTACKED AT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE. HOW MUCH OF THE LAWSUITS COST YOU ALL NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND TRY TO NUMBER. [INAUDIBLE] THESE ARE JUST QUICK THINGS SO I GET MY TIME. PICK A SUPERINTENDENT FROM OUTSIDE. I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THAT. I THINK IT'S TIME. PLEASE CONSIDER CAREFULLY TONIGHT. I BEG YOUR CHOICE OF A BOARD THINGS TOGETHER. HE IS THE THING, THAT'S THE MAIN REASON I'M HERE. THE DISTRICT SCORES WERE MIXED. SOME OF THEM YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE GOOD, SOME OF THEM DID HEAR THAT. PLEASE CENTER ON THOSE THINGS THAT HELP THE KIDS AND I'M TRYING TO SETTLE. THE BIGGEST THING IS DIVISION, [00:30:01] QUIT THE LAWSUITS, QUIT THE DIVISIONS, LIST YOUR PEOPLE THAT ARE AFRAID TO COME HERE AND TALK. THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE. >> I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU, JIM JUNG NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT WE DIDN'T SUE ANYBODY. THEY SUED US. >> I'M JUST TALKING ALL. [OVERLAPPING] >> YEAH. I UNDERSTAND. >> THAT'S GOING ON. >> BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE THAT THINGS ARE NEEDED [OVERLAPPING] I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON. AS A MEMBER OR A VICTIM OF ONE OF THEM, IT'S HARD TO NOT DEFEND YOURSELF. THAT'S WHAT I FEEL PEOPLE WANT SOME OF US TO DO IS NOT DEFEND OURSELVES. THANK YOU. >> DOMINIC EASTMAN. >> WELCOME, DOMINIC. GREAT TO SEE YOU BACK. >> DOMINIC EASTMAN, 100 PETERSON HALL, IOWA CITY, IOWA. GREETING MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS DOMINIC EASTMAN, AND I AM A JUNIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. I GRADUATED A EAST HIGH SCHOOL IN 2022, AND I ALSO SERVED AS MY STUDENT COUNCIL'S SCHOOL BOARD LIAISON, SO I'M PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ROOM AND HOW THIS WORKS. I ONLY WISH I WERE HERE UNDER A LITTLE BIT BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES. I'VE OBSERVED THIS BOARD CLOSELY IN 2021 AND WOULD LIKE TO THINK I'VE GAINED SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG. I ADDRESSED THIS BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE SITTING BOARD PRESIDENT, DAN GREENWELL DUE TO ATTITUDES AND SOME CONCERTING PATTERNS THAT I HAD WITNESSED FROM AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE CONCERNING PATTERNS, I NOTICED DURING MY FIRST BOARD MEETING AND ADDRESS HAVE ACTUALLY CONTINUED TO PERSIST AND FRANKLY WORSENED. FOLLOWING THAT SPEECH, ACTUALLY, DAN GREENWELL, YOU SAID, I WILL DO BETTER. I PROMISE YOU CAN HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE. TWO YEARS LATER, I AM HERE TO DO JUST THAT. I JUST WANT TO START WITH THE DISTRICT CODE OF ETHICS. AS I SAID LAST TIME, AND WE SAY AGAIN, IT SAYS, I WILL REPRESENT THE DISTRICT RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL ELECTORS, PATRONS, OR GROUPS. MR. GREENWELL, 3,554 VOTES DO NOT ENTITLE YOU TO AN ALL ACCESS PASS TO PRIORITIZE INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS OVER THE COLLECTIVE GOOD. YOUR MINDSET HAS, IN MY OPINION, HINDERED THIS BOARD'S PROGRESS. I'VE NOTICED A PATTERN OF PUBLIC CONCERNS TOO OFTEN MET WITH CLARIFYING QUESTIONS DESIGNED NOT TO ADDRESS OR ISSUE OR CLARIFY FOR THAT MATTER, WHICH WE'RE ACTUALLY WITNESSING TODAY, BUT TO SERVE YOUR OWN AGENDA. IT'S ALARMING HOW MANY TIMES IT'S ALSO BEEN PUBLICLY STATED BY BOARD MEMBERS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS ALIKE THAT YOUR PROFESSIONALISM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. FOR INSTANCE, JUST THIS LAST MEETING, YOU ASKED A QUESTION TO MISS MULLEN MCMENAMY, ONLY TO ANSWER IT YOURSELF IN WHAT I PERCEIVED AS AN EGO DRIVEN DISPLAY. THIS APPROACH DOES NOT FOSTER ANY ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU REPRESENT OVER 15,000 STUDENTS, MORE THAN 2,000 EDUCATORS, AND 1,000S OF OTHER CONSTITUENTS, NOT JUST THE 3,554 WHO VOTED FOR YOU. IT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND ACT ACCORDINGLY. AS WE EVALUATE AND VOTE FOR NEW LEADERSHIP TONIGHT, I'D ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW MORE CONCERNS THAT I'VE HAD WATCHING THIS BOARD FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. SPECIFICALLY, DURING THE JULY 15TH MEETING, ONLY BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEING ANY DISCOURSE ABOUT THIS ONLINE. DIRECTOR MICHAELSON, YOU SECONDED AND VOTED ON KEEPING EARLY RETIREMENT. PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT DOES THAT NOT BENEFIT YOUR WIFE? WOULD THAT NOT MAKE THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? SIMILARLY, DIRECTOR GEORGE, THAT SAME NIGHT, YOU VOTED ON A MOTION TO INCREASE SUBSTITUTE PAY. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY FROM YOUR DISTRICT, NOW YOU ERASED BOARD MEMBER REPORTS, YOU'RE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER. IS THIS NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? THESE ISSUES HONESTLY UNDERMINE THE INTEGRITY OF THIS BOARD. AS I STATED IN JUNE 2022, AND AGAIN, TODAY, IT'S MY OPINION THAT WE NEED NEW BOARD LEADERSHIP THAT'S NOT ALIGNED WITH THE INTERESTS OF MR. GREENWELL, AND INSTEAD FOCUSED ON SERVING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN LEADERSHIP THAT UPHOLDS THE CODE OF ETHICS POLICY. THIS BOARD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISIVE DECISION NIGHT. >> SINCE YOU DIDN'T MENTION MY NAME REGARDING THE SUBSTITUTE PAY, IF YOU GO BACK IN THE MINUTES, I RECUSED MYSELF FROM THAT VOTE. >> THANK YOU. I MISSED THAT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> FENICE. >> YEAH. >> ERIN WEBBER-DREESZEN. >> WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. ERIN WEBBER-DREESZEN, 2735 SOUTH CORAL STREET HERE IN SIOUX CITY. I CANNOT STAND BY AND ALLOW THE BULLYING, INTIMIDATING, HARASSING, AND RETALIATORY CULTURE THAT IS PERVASIVE AND PROMOTED WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE AS A COMMUNITY CANNOT STAND BY AS WITNESSES TO THESE REPEATED ATTACKS AGAINST OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT, AND MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. THE BEHAVIOR WITNESSED IN THIS VERY ROOM AND RECORDED ONLINE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE [00:35:07] REFLECTS A LEVEL OF DYSFUNCTION THAT IS A HARSH DETRIMENT TO OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT NEW FAMILIES AND NEW STUDENTS TO OUR DISTRICT, LET ALONE ATTRACT AND HIRE THE VERY BEST EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND A NEW SUPERINTENDENT TO LEAD THEM. YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO LEAD, AND WE DEMAND BETTER. NOW, HERE'S THE BIG REVEAL. THAT PRECEDING STATEMENT IS AN EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF KRISTIE MCMANAMY'S STATEMENT TO THE BOARD ON JUNE 13, 2022. IT IS JUST AS RELEVANT 2.5 YEARS LATER AS IT WAS THEN AND THE BEHAVIOR HAS GOTTEN WORSE. SINCE THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE LOST 197 FULL TIME STAFF, 189 OF THOSE ARE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. FROM WHAT I SEE, THE PROBLEM STARTS AT THE BOARD LEVEL, AND IT TRICKLES DOWN TO EACH SCHOOL AND ITS ADMINISTRATORS AND THE TEACHERS, AND THE INTIMIDATION AND RETALIATION IS EXACTED UPON ANYONE WHO DARES CHALLENGE IT, AFFECTING THE CHILDREN OF THESE EDUCATORS. I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY SEVERAL FORMER AND CURRENT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE SCARED TO SPEAK OUT BECAUSE THEY FACE THE RETALIATION AFTER THEY DO. ON BEHALF OF A COMMUNITY OF CONCERNED PARENTS AND CITIZENS, PRESENT AND PAST EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF THE DISTRICT, I AM NOT SCARED TO STAND HERE AND CALL THIS OUT. I LOVE THIS DISTRICT. I RECEIVED MY EDUCATION, MY CHILDREN RECEIVED THEIR EDUCATIONS FROM THE SIOUX COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. I LOVE THE TEACHERS THAT THEY HAD THAT HAVE BEEN FORCED OUT. IF YOU AS A BOARD, ALLOW THIS BEHAVIOR TO CONTINUE FROM ANYONE ON THE BOARD OR IN THE DISTRICT, YOU ENDORSE IT AND PROMOTE IT. YOU ARE HINDERING OUR DISTRICT WITH YOUR COMPLICITY. DIRECTOR GREENWELL, IT IS MY OPINION THAT YOU ARE NOT FIT TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD. I CALL FOR YOU TO RESIGN. I JOINED MY FRIENDS FROM LAST WEEK IN THAT CALL. IF HE DOES NOT, I CALL UPON THE REST OF YOU TO KEEP HIM AND ANYONE WHO HAS CODE OF ETHICS OR CONFLICT OF INTEREST VIOLATIONS OUT OF ANY BOARD LEADERSHIP POSITION. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS. >> ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, DIRECTOR MICHAELSON. >> [OVERLAPPING] THE QUESTION BUT I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE YOU MAKE A STATEMENT THAT SERVES YOUR PURPOSE AND DOESN'T GIVE ME A QUESTION. >> MA'AM, LET HIM START FIRST. >> YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KEEP HIM IN CHECK WITH THAT AND YOU HAVEN'T. [OVERLAPPING] SEVERAL SPEAKERS, YOU LET HIM MAKE CLARIFYING STATEMENTS RATHER THAN QUESTIONS. >> WHERE ARE YOU GETTING YOUR NUMBERS? >> I GOT THEM FROM IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE. I'M HAPPY TO GIVE THEM TO YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> WOULD YOU LIKE THAT? >> NO, I HAVE THAT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS. >> ANYBODY ELSE? >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ANY MORE? >> KRISTIE MCMANAMY. >> KRISTIE MCMANAMY, 4505 GRAYHAWK RIDGE DRIVE. I'M ACTUALLY RESPONDING TO A MESSAGE I RECEIVED FROM BOARD PRESIDENT JAN GEORGE [INAUDIBLE] TWO WEEKS AGO CONCERNS THAT NOT ONLY I HAD, BUT THAT MANY OF THE COMMUNITY HAD VOICED TO ME AND OTHERS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I BEGAN MY REMARKS BY PRAISING THIS DISTRICT IN THE EDUCATION THAT MY CHILDREN RECEIVED IN THE SIOUX COMMUNITY SCHOOLS. YOU SAID, "ATTACKED AN ADMINISTRATION BASED ON ASSUMPTION AND NOT FACTS." MR. GEORGE, LET ME TAKE YOU BACK TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON JUNE 13 OF 2022. IN THAT MEETING, THERE WAS OPEN DISCUSSION BY SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS THAT INCLUDED CONCERNS OVER TRANSPARENCY IN THE HIRING OF MS. BEMUS WITH THIS TITLE OF SENIOR DIRECTOR AND WHETHER THAT WOULD TRANSITION TO THE ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT TITLE. IN THAT VERY DISCUSSION, DIRECTOR SCARLETT ASKED MS. BEMUS, "SO YOU WERE NEVER APPROACHED BY PRESIDENT GREENWELL ABOUT BEING A SUPERINTENDENT?' TO WHICH MS. BEMUS RESPONDED, "I WAS ASKED BY PRESIDENT GREENWELL OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS ON CASUAL OCCASIONS IF I EVER WANTED TO BE A SUPERINTENDENT." SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT, "NEVER WAS I APPROACHED TO BE A SUPERINTENDENT NOW, NEVER WAS I APPROACHED FOR A CERTAIN TIME FRAME. [00:40:02] IT WAS ALWAYS BROUGHT UP IN GENERAL TERMS SINCE I WAS A PRINCIPAL." SO REMIND YOU THAT THIS WAS ALREADY HAPPENING IN 2022, AND IN MS. BEMUS' WORDS, THIS HAPPENED ON OCCASIONS, PLURAL, AND OVER A THREE YEAR TIME SPAN. YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF THIS COMMUNITY MAY BELIEVE THAT CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD WANT TO HIRE MS. BEMUS AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OR AS THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, IF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSERT THAT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH QUALITY CANDIDATES. IN A RECENT SIOUX JOURNAL ARTICLE, MS. BEMUS STATED THAT SHE IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE HEAD JOB AND IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT, "I FORMALLY TOLD THE RECRUITER THAT THEY CAN TELL THE CANDIDATES I'M NOT WANTING TO APPLY." THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION MISSING IS, WOULD YOU DENY THE JOB IF OFFERED? ARE YOU STATING PUBLICLY THAT IF OFFERED THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION OR OFFERED AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT POSITION THAT YOU WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT? THAT IS A FAIR QUESTION THAT A JOURNALIST WOULD ASK. WE WANT A GREAT SUPERINTENDENT FOR OUR DISTRICT, A SUPERINTENDENT TO ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES AND TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL. OUR STUDENTS DESERVE IT, OUR STAFF MEMBERS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR TEACHERS, ALL DESERVE THAT. MAY I POINT OUT THAT DR. EARLEYWINE'S SELECTION PROCESS AND THIS CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT SELECTION PROCESS ARE THE ONLY ONES DATING BACK 30 YEARS THAT DID NOT HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR TAXPAYERS AS PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH. SEVERAL WERE INVOLVED IN THE HIRE OF DR. AUSTIN, LARRY WILLIAMS, AND DR. GOSMAN. THERE WERE BOARD MEMBERS DURING THE SELECTION OF DR. EARLEYWINE WHO REQUESTED THAT TYPE OF COMMUNITY INPUT IN THE PROCESS AND WERE DENIED. MR. GREEN WAS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AT THAT TIME. MR. GEORGE, YOU ASKED ME, "DID YOU HELP THE DISTRICT OR DAMAGE IT?" TO THAT, I CAN ASK YOU AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS [INAUDIBLE]. AS A COMMUNITY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL PAY ATTENTION TO THE PROCESS AND RAISE CONCERNS WHEN WORTH IT. THANK YOU. >> DIRECTORS, ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. >> VICTOR MEZA. >> I'M VICTOR MEZA. PRETTY NEW TO SIOUX CITY, THREE YEARS IN. >> I NEED YOUR ADDRESS. >> MY WHAT? >> YOUR ADDRESS. >> MY ADDRESS IS 2712 MORGAN STREET SIOUX CITY, IOWA. >> THANK YOU. >> MY SON IS OLIVER, KINDERGARTNER AT ERVING SCHOOL. I WATCHED AND RE-WATCHED THE CLIPS OF THAT MEETING, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. I WAS ALSO A STUDENT IN SIOUX CITY A LONG TIME AGO. SIX YEARS I WAS HERE FROM THE AGE OF EIGHT TO THE AGE OF 14, THEN MOVED TO BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA. ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU THAT I MIGHT NOT KNOW EVERYTHING ON HOW THE GEARS WORK WITHIN YOUR GOVERNMENT BODY OR WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN SIOUX CITY, IOWA, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS MY EXPERIENCE. I ALSO FEEL ALONE, LIKE THAT GIRL YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. NOTHING AGAINST YOU. I THINK YOU'RE ALL GOOD PEOPLE. NOBODY'S INTENTIONALLY BAD. BUT I FEEL THAT IT IS WISE TO RETHINK THE PLAN YOU GUYS HAVE PROPOSED, BECAUSE KIDS LEARN UNDER PRESSURE. THEY LEARN UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES. I DID NOT LEARN ENGLISH PERFECTLY UNTIL I WENT TO A STATE THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE OR DIDN'T HAVE CERTAIN NEEDS. IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T NEED THOSE NEEDS, BUT IT PUSHED ME TO HAVE THE ENGLISH I HAVE NOW. I'M VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE SPECIAL DISABILITIES OR SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. I QUITE DON'T UNDERSTAND IF YOU WANT TO DO THE SAME THING. I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED AT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE PROPOSING ON THAT ONE, TOO, BECAUSE MY KID IS SPECIAL NEEDS. HE'S LEVEL 1 AUTISM, AND HE HAS HAD BEHAVIOR ISSUES THROUGHOUT SCHOOL. ONE THING I KNOW THAT SEPARATING OUR STUDENTS IN EITHER LANGUAGE OR SPECIAL NEEDS, THEY NEED TO BE AROUND, WELL, IT'S REALLY THE WORLD. WE ARE THE WORLD. IF WE SEPARATE THEM, [00:45:02] THEY'RE GOING TO GET USED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST LIKE THEM. THEY NEED TO ADAPT TO THE WORLD. THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE WORLD. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST YOU GUYS BECAUSE I CAN'T RELATE TO YOU GUYS YET. WHEN I WAS IN GEORGIA, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I FELT VERY SEGREGATED BY BY THE STATE AND HOW PEOPLE WERE. I DIDN'T FEEL IT HERE IN IOWA, I FELT THAT OVER THERE. I FELT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO [OVERLAPPING]. >> THANK YOU. YOU DID WELL. YOU DID GREAT. ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOPE, YOU DID GREAT. [APPLAUSE] >> THAT'S ALL THE CITIZEN INPUT TURNED IN BEFORE THE MEETING. >> THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO SPOKE YOUR PASSION AND YOUR DESIRE. I APPRECIATE THAT. SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO SIT ON THIS SIDE OF THE DIAS. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> IT WAS AFTER THE MEETING STARTED. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TURNED IN BEFORE THE MEETING. >> [INAUDIBLE]? >> YEAH, OUR BOARD POLICY STATES THAT. >> THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT Y'ALL COME DOWN HERE AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE. IT GIVES ME SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. I KNOW IT GIVES SOME OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TIME TO THINK AS WELL. BUT AGAIN, COME ON DOWN ANOTHER TIME. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE, AND SOMETIMES WHEN THERE'S ONLY A FEW SEATS FOOT FILLED, IT GETS A LITTLE LONELY. I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMING DOWN AND LETTING US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO CONSENT ACTION ITEMS. [VI. Consent Action Item(s)] CONSENT ACTION ITEMS ARE AS FOLLOW. BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 11, 2024, FINANCE REPORT, EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS EXEMPTION APPLICATION 2025-2026 OFFER & TEACH GRADES 9-12, PHYSICAL EDUCATION. ITEM D, 2025-2026 SIOUX COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S EDUCATIONAL PLANNING HANDBOOK. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DIRECTOR EHMCKE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE JUST A COMMENT. WHEN WE LOOK AT A CONSENT ITEM THAT SAYS WE'RE LOOKING FOR EXEMPTIONS, I THINK THIS IS BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE USE OF OUR BLOCK SCHEDULING AND THAT WE HAVE TO ASK FOR THIS EACH YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S A DEPARTURE FROM WHAT THE STATE GENERALLY IS LOOKING FOR. BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF OUR BLOCK SCHEDULING IN HIGH SCHOOL, THIS IS A PRETTY STANDARD EXEMPTION. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET OUT OF ANYTHING HERE. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE OUR SCHEDULE WORK. >> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS WELL PUT. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM, SAY AYE? >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY? THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM IS APPROVED. ITEM 7, THE HEARING, [VII.A. Proposed Resolution Approving Expenditure of Funds in the Flexibility Account Within the General Fund – Patty Blankenship Notice was provided that a hearing would be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Educational Service Center, 627 4th St. Sioux City, Iowa on the 25th day of November 2024.] A PROPOSED RESOLUTION APPROVING EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS IN THE FLEXIBILITY ACCOUNT WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. THIS IS FROM PATTY BLANKENSHIP. NOTICE WAS PROVIDED THAT A HEARING WOULD BE HELD AT 6:00 PM AT THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER, 6274 STREET, SIOUX CITY, IOWA ON THE 25TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2024. ANY INTERESTED PARTY MAY APPEAR AND FILE OBJECTIONS AND ANY INFORMATION FOR OR AGAINST THE SAME WILL BE HEARD ON THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION APPROVING EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS IN THE FLEXIBILITY ACCOUNT WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND WITH THE FINAL DECISION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION A MATTER OF RECORD. SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT FOR THIS HEARING? >> NO. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE HEARING ON THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION APPROVING THE EXPENDITURE OF THE FUNDS IN THE FLEXIBILITY ACCOUNT WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. I NOW DECLARE THE HEARING CLOSED. ITEM 8, FUTURE MEETINGS, [VIII. Future Meetings] BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITY COMMITTEE MEETINGS AT 3:00 PM DECEMBER 2, 2024, IN ESC BOARD ROOM. BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, 03:30 PM DECEMBER 3, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM. BOARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING 12:00 PM DECEMBER 4, 2024 ESC BOARDROOM, [00:50:02] EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATIVE FORUM 8:30 AM DECEMBER 7, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM, AND THAT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER PEOPLE. TALK TO YOUR LEGISLATURES ABOUT EVERYTHING. OUR REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 06:00 PM DECEMBER 9, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM, EDUCATIONAL EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING, 12:00 PM DECEMBER 13, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM. BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITY COMMITTEE MEETINGS, 03:00 PM JANUARY 6, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM. BOARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE, 12:00 PM JANUARY 8, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM, EDUCATIONAL EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING, 12:00 PM JANUARY 10, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM. REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 06:00 PM JANUARY 13, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. I THINK I MISS-STATED SOME DATES. IN THE JANUARY, IT SHOULD BE 2025. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD I ASK A QUESTION, A POINT OF ORDER ON [INAUDIBLE]? >> YOU BET YOU. >> DO WE NOT NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONCLUSION OF THE HEARING AND THAT HEARING WAS SCHEDULED AND THERE WAS NO DISSENT, OR CAN WE JUST GO FORWARD OR DO WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THAT OUTCOME SO WE CAN GO [INAUDIBLE]? >> DIRECTOR EHMCKE, THE RESOLUTION IS LATER IN THE AGENDA ITEM. YOU GUYS WILL HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT IT. >> COMING LATER? >> YES. >> I'M SORRY. SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION. >> WE'LL WENT THROUGH THE FUTURE MEET. ITEM 9, SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT, [IX. Superintendent's Report - Dr. Rod Earleywine] DR. ROD EARLEYWINE. YOU'RE UP. >> JUST REAL QUICK. WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE IOWA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS, ANNUAL CONFERENCE WITH DIRECTOR LEE, DIRECTOR GEORGE, DIRECTOR EHMCKE, AND ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT ANGELA BEMUS. I SPENT A LOT OF MY TIME ALL DAY, PRETTY MUCH WEDNESDAY, MEETING WITH OTHER UEN SUPERINTENDENTS, TALKING ABOUT COMMON PROBLEMS, COMMON ISSUES THAT WE SHARE, AND ALSO ABOUT AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF TO TWO HOURS WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE TALKING ABOUT LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND THINGS THAT UEN MEMBERS COLLECTIVELY WILL BE APPROACHING OUR LEGISLATORS ON. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY HEAVY ON PROPERTY TAX, AND WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN PROPERTY TAXES, NOT ONLY THE SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO THE CITIES, THE COUNTIES. THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND PROBABLY SOME ACTION ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. IF YOU READ THE PAPER LATELY, THE GOVERNORS PUSHING A BILL ON BANNING CELL PHONES. WE'RE AHEAD OF THAT BY A COUPLE OF YEARS WITH OUR CELL PHONE POLICY, BUT SHE WANTS A BLANK LAW THAT DEALS WITH CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS. PERSONALLY, I THINK SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHOULD JUST HANDLE THAT THEMSELVES LIKE WE HAVE, BUT THAT'S NOT UP TO ME. I WILL SAY WHEN YOU DISCUSSION ABOUT MY REPLACEMENT, I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COME UP AND TALK TO ME, ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENTS, SUPERINTENDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. I WILL SAY THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS POSITION. THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD POSITION. IT'S A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON A LOT OF STUDENTS AND A BIG COMMUNITY. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WANT THAT CHALLENGE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CHALLENGE. WITH THAT, I WILL END MY REPORT. THANK YOU. >> JUST A BRIEF MESSAGE ABOUT THE IASB. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. THE STATE LAW, HOW OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE DEALING WITH IT. ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS SPENT $25,000 ON CERTIFIED LETTERS. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY OUT THE DOOR. BUT THAT WAS ONE OF OUR BIG ONES RIGHT THERE. POVERTY WAS ANOTHER BIG SPEAKER. I JUST WANT TO SAY THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD INSIGHT GOING DOWN THERE. ITEMS OF PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, [X.A. Human Resources Report(s) - Barb Caskey] AND OR ASHEN HUMAN RESOURCE REPORT, BARB CASKEY. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE HUMAN RESOURCE REPORT? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. THE MOTION PASSES. ITEM B, SCHOOL CALENDAR 2025-2026, 2026-2027, AND 2027-2028. [X.B. School Calendars for 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 – Barb Caskey] [00:55:01] IT'S HARD TO THINK THAT FAR AHEAD. BARB CASKEY. BARB, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SPEAK TO THIS WHEN THE BOARD MEMBERS HAS A QUESTION. I'M SURE THEY WILL. OR DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? IS THERE A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE DECEMBER 9, 2024 AT 6:00 PM LOCAL TIME AT THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER 6274 STREET, SIOUX CITY, IOWA, TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT ON THE DISTRICT'S PROPOSED 202-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028 SCHOOL AND CALENDARS? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DIRECTOR GREENWELL. UNDERSTAND THESE CALENDARS ARE BASED UPON HOURS, NOT DAYS. THIS YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE WENT TO HOURS. WE'RE CONTINUING THE HOURS CONCEPT GOING FORWARD ON ALL THREE OF THESE YEARS, IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES. BY IOWA CODE, DISTRICTS HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 1,080 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 1,098. WE HAVE 18 HOURS TO WORK WITH LIKE SNOW DAYS, LATE STARTS, EARLY OUTS FOR SNOW. EIGHTEEN HOURS, JUST REMEMBER, A FULL DAY OF INSTRUCTION IS 6.5 HOURS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MINDFUL OF THAT. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MEET THAT MINIMUM REQUIREMENT. HOW WE DO IT IS WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY, BUT WE HAVE TO MEET THAT MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 1,080 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. IMC, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, [X.C. Student Achievement – ISASP, ELPA21, & Iowa School Performance Profiles – Amy Denney/ Dr. Mandi Bradford] IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE. MISS DENNY, DR. BRADFORD, ARE YOU READY TO PRESENT? >> WE ARE READY. >> FIRE AWAY. >> GOOD EVENING BOARD. THANK YOU FOR LETTING US [OVERLAPPING] >> I THINK YOUR MIC'S NOT ON OR SOMETHING. >> IT'S NOT ON? >> EITHER THAT OR YELL. GET THAT TEACHER VOICE BACK IN THERE. >> I CAN DO THAT, DEFINITELY. THANK YOU, BOARD FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT UPDATE AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR. TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR OUR IOWA STATE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PROGRESS, WHICH IS THE ISASP. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. THAT'S ELPA21. WE REFER TO THAT. THEN FINALLY, WE'LL SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILES FOR OUR DISTRICT. FIRST, JUST A REMINDER THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRES THAT EACH STATE HAS MEASURES THAT ARE SERVE AS ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES. FOR THE STATE OF IOWA, THOSE ACCOUNTABILITY SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS INCLUDE THE ISASP AND THE ELPA21. THEY BOTH MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AND THEY DEMONSTRATE THE GROWTH AND PROFICIENCY THAT DISTRICTS ARE MAKING. THEY'RE ALIGNED TO THE IOWA CORE, AND IT IS A REQUIREMENT. FOR ISASP, JUST ANOTHER REMINDER THAT THE DATA REFLECTED TONIGHT, IT ONLY INCLUDES OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-11. ISASP IS ONLY ADMINISTERED FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-11 FOR MATH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS. STUDENTS TAKE THE SCIENCE ASSESSMENT IN GRADES 5, 8, AND 10, AND THAT WE ADMINISTER THE ISASP EVERY SPRING WITHIN A THREE-WEEK WINDOW. TYPICALLY THE END OF APRIL. TO START WITH SOME CELEBRATIONS THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR WITH OUR ISASP DATA. WE SHOWED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN GRADES 3-11, LOOKING AT THE DATA TRENDS FROM '21-'24. OVER THAT TIME, WE'VE GONE FROM 58.91% TO 64.33% IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS PROFICIENCY. THEN IN GROWTH, THAT'S MEASURING THE GROWTH THAT STUDENTS ARE MAKING. THEY MIGHT NOT BE STUDENTS WHO ARE PROFICIENT, BUT THEY ARE MAKING ADEQUATE GROWTH. THIS WOULD BE GOING FROM THE 46% TO 50%. THEN IN MATH, WE'RE HAPPY TO CELEBRATE SOME GROWTH HERE TOO IN PROFICIENCY. STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-11 IN PERCENT PROFICIENT ON THE ISASP IN MATH. WE'VE GROWN OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR YEARS GOING FROM 55.99% TO 61.9%. EACH PERCENT GAIN IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ASSESSMENT. [01:00:07] WE DO CELEBRATE THIS IN OUR DISTRICT. IN THE AREA OF GROWTH IN MATH, WE DID NOT SEE THE GROWTH THAT WE EXPECTED TO SEE, WE DECLINED BY 1%. >> CAN YOU PUT THAT ONE BACK JUST ONE MORE? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. OUR ISASP ACTION. EACH YEAR, WE LOOK AT ALL OF OUR ISASP DATA, WHICH IS VAST. THIS DATA HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN BY, BY GRADE LEVEL, AND THEN TEACHERS FROM THERE BREAK THIS DATA DOWN INTO THE STUDENTS THAT THEY SERVE. WE HAVE THIS DATA AVAILABLE BY SUBGROUPS, LOOKING AT THOSE AREAS THAT A GAPS EXIST. BUILDINGS ARE ANALYZING THIS DATA JUST LIKE WE ARE ANALYZING THE DATA AT A DISTRICT LEVEL. WE ARE MAKING ADAPTATIONS IN OUR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION TO SUPPORT DOMAINS OF CONCERN, AND WE'RE DOING THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF ADDITIONAL TESTING, BUT THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT OUR STANDARDS AND OUR CURRICULUM ARE IN ALIGNMENT. WE ARE CONTINUALLY IMPROVING TESTING STAMINA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THROUGHOUT DISTRICT TESTING EXPERIENCES. AS WE WORK TO GET ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS INTO DIGITAL FORMATS, THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR STUDENTS TAKE A TEST IN THE SAME MANNER THAT THEY WOULD ON ISASP. TYPICALLY, THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE. WE MOVED TO ISASP TESTING DIGITALLY LONG BEFORE WE HAD OTHER ASSESSMENTS AVAILABLE IN THAT SAME FORMAT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FOR STUDENTS. BUT WE'RE DOING MORE OF THAT. THEN WE'RE SHARING TOOLS FOR ASSESSMENT AND PRACTICE IN ADVANCE. WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT ADDITIONAL TOOLS THAT THE STATE HAS MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE GREATER SUCCESS IN ELA, ON READING, WRITING, AND MATH TESTS. THEN WE'RE IMPROVING OUR INTERNAL TESTING PROCEDURES TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THE APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS, AND WE'RE SUPPORTING THAT, AND WE ARE PREPARING TO ADMINISTER AGAIN, APRIL 23RD IS THE START OF OUR NEXT ISASP TESTING. THEN DR. BRADFORD IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT ELPA21. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M GOING TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT ELPA21. ELPA21 IS ADMINISTERED TO ALL OF OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND GRADES K-12 AND MEASURES READING, WRITING, LISTENING, AND SPEAKING. IT'S ASSESSED IN SIX GRADE BANDS, K1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8 AND 9-12, AND IT IS ADMINISTERED IN AN EIGHT-WEEK WINDOW FEBRUARY-MARCH. AS WAS SHARED EARLIER, WE HAVE SOME POSITIVE NEWS TO SHARE ABOUT THE PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. WE ARE SEEING POSITIVE GROWTH FROM '21-'24, AS THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS, FROM 2022-2024, WE DID SEE A 5.9% INCREASE IN GROWTH. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DOMAIN AREAS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE LISTENING AND SPEAKING AND READING AND WRITING THAT TAKE PLACE WHEN WE DO OUR UPPER ASSESSMENT. ON OUR LISTENING SUBTEST, THIS SUBTEST EVALUATES SKILLS SUCH AS FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS, COMPREHENDING SPOKEN LANGUAGE, CONVERSATIONS, INTERPRETING INFORMATION. IN OUR SPEAKING SUBTEST, THIS INCLUDES EVALUATING PRONUNCIATION, FLUENCY, VOCABULARY USAGE, AND THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS. IN READING ON THAT SUBTEST, IT ASSESSES SKILLS SUCH AS IDENTIFYING THE MAIN IDEA, UNDERSTANDING VOCABULARY, MAKING INFERENCES, ANALYZING TEXT. IN THE WRITING SUBTEST, STUDENTS ARE EVALUATED ON USING APPROPRIATE GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY AND THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP ARGUMENTS AND NARRATIVES. THE NEXT SIDE GOES INTO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LEVELS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR WHEN WE REFER TO THAT STUDENT IS AT A LEVEL 1 OR LEVEL 2 AND SO ON. THIS GIVES A DESCRIPTOR OF WHAT THAT STUDENT LOOKS LIKE ACADEMICALLY OR WHERE THEY'RE AT WITH THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY. THIS IS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR TEACHERS. UNDERSTAND THAT WAY THEY CAN DO ACTIVITIES AROUND BASED ON WHAT THEY SEE FOR THEIR PROFICIENCY LEVELS. LEVEL 1 STUDENT, YOU WOULD SEE VERY BASIC VOCABULARY WITH A LEVEL 1 STUDENT UNDERSTANDING SIMPLE COMMANDS. LEVEL 2, EXPANDING VOCABULARY NEEDS. LEVEL 3, THEY CAN BEGIN TO COMMUNICATE IN BASIC SENTENCES. THEIR GRAMMAR IS IMPROVING. LEVEL 4, THEY CAN USE MORE COMPLEX LANGUAGE. THEY PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN DISCUSSIONS. LEVEL 5 IS NEAR NATIVE LIKE FLUENCY, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN GRADE LEVEL ACADEMICS. [01:05:04] ON THE ELPA21, PERFORMANCE LEVEL DESCRIPTORS. IF WE LOOK AT THE EMERGING LEVEL, THIS IS A LEVEL 1 AND 2, AND THAT WOULD BE IN ALL FOUR DOMAIN AREAS, READING, WRITING, SPEAKING, AND LISTENING. THESE STUDENTS AT ARE EMERGING LEVEL HAVE NOT YET ATTAINED THE NECESSARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY SKILLS FOR GRADE LEVEL ACADEMIC TASKS. PROGRESSING WOULD HAVE ONE OR MORE DOMAIN SCORE ABOVE A LEVEL 2, AND THESE STUDENTS WITH SUPPORTS ARE APPROACHING THE NECESSARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS FOR GRADE LEVEL ACADEMICS. ON THE PROFICIENT LEVEL, LEVEL FLOOR, HIGHER IN ALL DOMAIN AREAS. THESE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO DO A GRADE LEVEL ACADEMICS, AND THIS IS WHERE WE LOOK AT RECLASSIFICATION. MANY TIMES WE TALK ABOUT MAYBE EXITING THE ELO PROGRAM AT THAT POINT. THESE GRAPHS ARE GOING TO GO INTO EACH DOMAIN AREA. WE'RE GOING TO START BY THE COMPOSITE SCORE. THE COMPOSITE SCORE FOR PERCENT OF ELL STUDENTS MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. WE DID SEE AN INCREASE FROM 54.5% IN 2023 TO 57.2% IN 2024. THE GRAPH THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW, OUR DISTRICT IS THREE PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE, BUT WE ARE OUTPERFORMING DUBUQUE AND DES MOINES. THIS IS IN THE AREA OF COMPOSITE, SO IT'S ALL OF THE DOMAIN AREAS TOGETHER. THE NEXT ONE WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO IS LISTENING. WE DID SEE AN INCREASE AS WELL HERE FROM 33.8% IN 2023 TO 42% IN 2024. CITY SCHOOLS PERFORMANCE IS COMPARABLE TO DOMAIN AND [INAUDIBLE] BUT LAKES BEHIND THE STATE AVERAGE. WE GOING ON TO THE SPEAKING DOMAIN. AGAIN, WE SAW AN INCREASE FROM 42.2% IN 2023 TO 34.3% IN 2024. WE ARE 3.9 PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW THE STATE, BUT SCORING HIGHER THAN DUBUQUE AND DES MOINES. IN THE AREA OF READING IS WHERE WE DID NOT SEE ANY NOTICEABLE INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE. IT WAS PRETTY FLAT. WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT BY IMPLEMENTING TWO NEW READING PROGRAMS, K-5, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING EXPRESS AND HELLO THROUGH BENCHMARK. IN OUR UPPER GRADES, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE LIFT PROGRAM FOR READING. WE SCORED AT 2.4% POINTS BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE AND OUR PERFORMANCE IS RELATIVELY CLOSE TO WATERLOO, COUNCIL PLUS AND HIGHER THAN DES MOINES. IN THE WRITING GRAPH, WE SAW AN INCREASE FROM 29.5% IN 2023 TO 37.1% IN 2024. SIOUX CITY SCORES IS JUST SLIGHTLY BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE IN THIS AREA, OUTPERFORMING DUBUQUE, DES MOINES, AND WATERLOO. ACTION STEPS. WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS ON EFFECTIVE ELL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. BOTH OUR ELL TEACHERS AND OUR CORE CONTENT AREA TEACHERS, DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION BASED ON STUDENT NEEDS, FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY LEVELS LIKE WE LOOKED AT EARLIER. CONTINUE THE WORK OF THE ELL TASKFORCE TO STRENGTHEN ELL PROGRAMMING. IMPLEMENT BENCHMARK HELLO AND EXPRESS CURRICULUM AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THAT'S OUR READING PROGRAM. IMPLEMENT THE LIFT CURRICULUM AT THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ACADEMIC VOCABULARY LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN CORE INSTRUCTION CLASSROOMS. I THINK SANTA ARRIVED. >> THIS WAS NOT SOUND EFFECTS PUT IN, JUST SO I TELL YOU, THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW. >> SHE WAS HOT ABOUT THE SCORES. >> WE ARE TRYING TO FIRE YOU UP ABOUT OUR SCORES, BUT I'M SORRY. >> THE STATE OF IOWA DECIDED THAT IT WAS TIME FOR A REVISED ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, AND SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO REQUIRE THIS. THE STATE APPLIED FOR THIS AND WAS APPROVED. BUT JUST A REMINDER THAT THE NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM DOES INCLUDE THE SAME COMPONENTS AS THE PREVIOUS. IT REFLECTS HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND THEY WANT TO INCENTIVIZE EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND PRIORITIZE PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS WHO NEED SUPPORT. THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILES ARE PUBLISHED EACH YEAR AS A MEASURE OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND IOWA'S SPECIFIC WAY IS JUST THESE ONLINE REPORT CARDS. EACH STATE HAS THEIR OWN WAY OF COMPLYING WITH THE ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE INCLUDES OVERALL SCORES AND PERFORMANCE RATINGS FOR EVERY SCHOOL. [01:10:06] THEN DISTRICTS DON'T RECEIVE AN OVERALL RATING, HOWEVER, DISTRICTS DO RECEIVE DATA THAT THEY CAN USE FOR PLANNING AND IMPROVEMENT. THE NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED IN THE FALL OF 2023, SO LAST FALL, AND THEY HELD CONSULTATION SESSIONS. THE DEPARTMENT OF ED DID FOR A FEW MONTHS. OVER 1,000 RESPONDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A STATEWIDE SURVEY, AND THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT AND SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM. THE PROPOSAL WAS SENT TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN MARCH OF '24, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ED RECEIVED APPROVAL IN SEPTEMBER OF '24. WE RECEIVED THE SCORES JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN NOVEMBER OF '24. THIS IS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE SCORES WERE RELEASED TO PRESENT THE META BOARD MEETING. THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM ARE BASED ON BEING CONSISTENTLY RIGOROUS, RELIABLE, AND FAIR, SUPPORT THOSE SCHOOLS WHO NEED CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, REFLECT HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BE EASILY UNDERSTOOD BY FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, COMMUNITIES, AND TAXPAYERS, AND THEN ALSO THAT INCENTIVIZE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES. A CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR'S ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM TO THIS YEAR'S NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. THE ENGLISH LEARNERS ARE NOW BEING GATHERED INTO THE DATA COLLECTION FOR TWO YEARS AFTER EXITING, SELECT DR. BRADFORD SAID. PREVIOUSLY, WE DIDN'T INCLUDE THEIR DATA IN OUR SCORES, AND SO STUDENTS WHO WERE EXITING THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY BECAME PROFICIENT WASN'T ADDING TO THE GOOD NATURE OF OUR SCORES BECAUSE THAT'S A POSITIVE THING. IT ALSO INCORPORATES THE FIVE-YEAR GRADUATION RATE IN ADDITION TO THE FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE. THERE HAVE BEEN UPDATES MADE TO HOW TARGETED AND IMPROVEMENT SCHOOLS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE RATING CATEGORIES, AND I'LL SHARE THAT LATER. IT INCLUDES A CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM INDICATOR BECAUSE THAT'S BECOME A STATEWIDE FOCUS. THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE TO THE POST SECONDARY READINESS INDICATORS, WHICH INCLUDE COLLEGE CREDIT AND ACCESS TO POST SECONDARY COURSES. THERE HAS BEEN AN ADDITION OF MEASURING SCIENCE ASSESSMENT ON THE ISASP, WHICH IS NEW, AND THERE'S EQUAL WEIGHTING FOR GROWTH AND PROFICIENCY. THEN THE PARTICIPATION RATES, IT'S JUST AN EXPECTATION THAT SCHOOLS MAINTAIN BETWEEN 95 AND 100% OF PARTICIPATION. IF YOU DON'T, THEN YOU'RE JUST DROPPED A LEVEL OF WITHIN THE RATINGS. THEN THERE'S CHANGES TO THE TIMELINE FOR EXITING DESIGNATIONS. NOW YOU'RE ABLE TO EXIT YOUR DESIGNATION AFTER THAT YEAR. IT'S NOT A THREE YEAR. IT PREVIOUSLY WAS YOU HELD THE DESIGNATION FOR THREE YEARS AND NOW YOU CAN EXIT IT BY SHOWING EVIDENCE OF MEETING IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS AFTER ONE YEAR. WITHIN THE ACCOUNTABILITY SCHOOL IDENTIFICATION, I PROVIDED JUST SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS SO THAT GOING FORWARD AS YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, YOU HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE STATE IS DEFINING THESE THINGS SUCH AS PROFICIENCY, STUDENT GROWTH, GRADUATION RATE, ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROWTH, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, AND POST SECONDARY READINESS. THIS IS JUST A REFERENCE SLIDE FOR YOU. WITHIN THE ACCOUNTABILITY INDEX, I'M SHARING THE PREVIOUS SYSTEMS MEASUREMENT SCALE WITH THE NEW SCALE FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE REASON THAT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL USE THE SAME SCALE IS BECAUSE NEITHER OF THOSE LEVELS INCLUDE THE GRADUATION RATE SO THEY DON'T INCLUDE THE GRADUATION RATE OR THE POST SECONDARY READINESS COMPONENTS. THAT IS WHY ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE THEIR OWN SCALE. HIGH SCHOOL, YOU CAN SEE GOING FROM EACH SYSTEM USED TO BE BASED ON A 100 POINT SYSTEM. THE NEW SYSTEM FOR THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE ARE BASED ON 700, THE HIGH SCHOOL IS BASED ON A 900 POINT SYSTEM. AS WE GET INTO THAT, JUST A POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD IS THAT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF POINTS THAT A SCHOOL EARNS, THAT INITIALLY PLACES THEM IN A CERTAIN RATING. A SCHOOL WHO MIGHT HAVE A RATING EARNED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF POINTS THAT THEY HAVE ACCUMULATED, THE RATING CAN DROP BY ONE LEVEL IF A SCHOOL DOESN'T MEET THE PARTICIPATION CRITERIA. IF FOR INSTANCE, THERE WAS A SUBGROUP OF STUDENTS WHO HAD A LOT OF HEALTH CONCERNS AND WEREN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ASSESSMENT AND THEY WEREN'T TESTED, [01:15:01] THEN THAT SCHOOL COULD POTENTIALLY DROP A PERFORMANCE RATING LEVEL. IF THAT SCHOOL ADDITIONALLY HAD A SUBGROUP OF STUDENTS FALLING IN THE BOTTOM 5% OF THE STATE, THAT SCHOOL WOULD DROP AN ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE LEVEL. A SCHOOL COULD HAVE A NUMERICAL RATING OF ACCEPTABLE, BUT BECAUSE OF PARTICIPATION, THEY MAY DROP TO THE NEEDS IMPROVEMENT LEVEL, AND BECAUSE OF THEIR SUBGROUP PERFORMANCE, THEY MAY DROP TO PRIORITY OR COMPREHENSIVE. BECAUSE THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I'VE RECEIVED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN LOOKING AT THE RATINGS AND FEELING LIKE THEY WEREN'T ACCURATE, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, THAT'S A NEW COMPONENT. >> COULD I INTERRUPT YOU FOR JUST A QUESTION? >> YES. >> I DON'T MEAN TO [INAUDIBLE] THEN GET BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE. MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I WOULD WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT PART OF WHAT HAPPENS TO A LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE SIOUX CITY WHERE ALL OF OUR COMPONENT PIECES OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE LARGE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY BE MEASURED SEPARATELY, THAT WE RUN INTO HAVING THOSE AVERAGES ADDED INTO THE MATH THAT COULD EITHER BRING UP OR BRING DOWN DEPENDING ON THIS PARTICIPATION RATE, BUT OUR NEIGHBORS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MAY NOT HAVE THE STUDENT BODY THAT HAS THESE DIFFERENT SUBGROUPS, AND THEREFORE, THEY'RE EXCUSED FROM HAVING TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY'RE ACCOMPLISHING WITH FOLKS THAT IN OUR DISTRICT WOULD FALL INTO THOSE SUBGROUPS. AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? >> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE URBAN EDUCATION NETWORK SCHOOLS, WHICH I'LL COME TO IN A LITTLE BIT, THOSE ARE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE MOST COMPARABLE TO US. BUT BECAUSE SIOUX CITY HAS LARGE ENOUGH SUBGROUP POPULATIONS THAT ARE OVER A VALUE OF 20 STUDENTS, THEN WE DO HAVE MEASURED VALUES BASED ON THOSE SUBGROUP POPULATIONS. WHEREAS A SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO DOESN'T HAVE 23RD GRADE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN AN ELL PROGRAM, THEY WOULDN'T REPORT ON THEM. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES SIOUX CITY AND OTHER LARGER DISTRICTS UNIQUE. IF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS GO TO THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE RATINGS, IT'S WHY SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE DATA FOR A CERTAIN POPULATION BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE REPORTING NUMBER OF 20 FOR THAT POPULATION AT THAT GRADE LEVEL IN THAT SUBGROUP. SO THAT IS WHY. BUT GOOD QUESTION. >> ONE LITTLE FOLLOW UP AT THIS POINT. SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS THAT MAY NOT BE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY AREN'T TESTED AT ALL, SO YOU DON'T SEE ANY REPORT ABOUT THEM? >> CORRECT. OUR PRIVATE SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE OR A SCHOOL RATING. >> SAY THAT AGAIN. I'M SORRY. YOU CANNOT FIND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE INFORMATION THAT ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS REPORT ON. IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILES, IT DOES NOT EXIST FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS, IT'S JUST PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >> JUST TO CLARIFY. THANK YOU DR. EARLEYWINE, YOU SAID YOU CAN'T FIND PUBLIC SCHOOL. I THINK WHAT YOU MEANT TO SAY IS THERE'S NO PRIVATE SCHOOL DATA PERIOD, AND THEREFORE, THERE'S NO EVALUATION OF HOW PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE DOING, CORRECT? >> THAT'D BE CORRECT. >> SORRY TO INTERRUPT. >> NO, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. PER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND IOWA'S APPLICATION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF AN ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE. >> LET'S KEEP MOVING. >> SCHOOL RATINGS. THIS IS THE POINT VALUE THAT I SHARED WITH YOU. THIS JUST BREAKS IT DOWN SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE PERCENTAGE OF POINTS EARNED, WHAT THOSE TOTAL POINTS WOULD BE FOR AN ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL OR WHAT THEY WOULD BE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL AND WHAT THE RATING CATEGORY WOULD BE. THIS IS JUST SO THAT YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THEY'VE RECEIVED THE RATINGS THAT THEY HAVE. THIS IS A SLIDE JUST REPRESENTING OUR SIOUX CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS, SHOWING THAT 38.5% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE WHITE, 38.7 ARE HISPANIC, 2.6% ARE NATIVE AMERICAN, 6.4% ARE MULTIRACIAL, 9% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN OR BLACK, HAWAIIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS MAKE UP 2.6% OF OUR POPULATION, AND ASIAN STUDENTS REPRESENT 2.3% OF OUR POPULATION. OUR MALES AND FEMALES ARE SPLIT, BUT WE DO HAVE A FEW MORE MALES THAN FEMALES. FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, OUR DISTRICT HAS 14.1% OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE AN IEP, AND OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS MAKE UP 23.2% OF OUR POPULATION. [01:20:01] FOR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH ARE 68.5%. >> THAT WAS LAST YEAR, CORRECT? >> YES, THIS WAS LAST YEAR. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. ALL OF THIS DATA REPRESENTS LAST YEAR BECAUSE THOSE HAVE INCREASED FOR THIS YEAR. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT COMPARISONS TO OUR UEN DISTRICTS, THOSE URBAN EDUCATION DISTRICTS. DR. EARLEYWINE MENTIONED IN HIS REPORT THAT HE MET WITH A NUMBER OF SUPERINTENDENTS AND CURRICULUM DIRECTORS HAVE MEETINGS FOR UEN, SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTORS HAVE MEETINGS FOR UEN BECAUSE THOSE LARGER DISTRICTS IN IOWA SERVE THOSE SUB POPULATIONS THAT ARE SO VALUABLE TO OUR DISTRICT. SO THIS REPRESENTS THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS FROM LAST YEAR THAT WERE IN EACH OF THE URBAN DISTRICTS IN IOWA THAT ARE MOST CLOSELY LIKE SIOUX CITY. IN ORDER TO BE CLASSIFIED AS AN URBAN EDUCATION DISTRICT, I BELIEVE THE THRESHOLD IT LOOKED LIKE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 2,500 STUDENTS. I DID NOT INCLUDE THOSE DISTRICTS ON THIS SLIDE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE VERY MANY QUALITIES THAT WERE SIMILAR TO SIOUX CITY. I ONLY INCLUDED THOSE DISTRICTS WHO ARE MOST LIKE US. >> JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, STORM LAKE, IOWA IS THE SMALLEST UEN SCHOOL. THAT'S JUST BEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. >> I DID SEE THEM ON THE LIST. IN LOOKING AT THIS, SIOUX CITY IS THE FOURTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF IOWA, AS OF LAST YEAR'S COUNT WITH 13,887 STUDENTS, DES MOINES, OBVIOUSLY THE LARGEST. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMPARISON OF FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH, SO LOOKING AT THAT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, YOU CAN SEE THAT SIOUX CITY IS HEAVILY IMPACTED BY POVERTY, AND WE ARE MOST CLOSE TO DES MOINES AND WATERLOO IN THAT. THIS SLIDE IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS AND THOSE STUDENTS IN OTHER DISTRICTS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT SLIDE. YOU CAN SEE THAT SIOUX CITY, WE HAVE 19 SCHOOLS MAKING UP OUR DATA, WHEREAS DAVENPORT, IOWA CITY, CEDAR RAPIDS, AND DES MOINES, ALL HAVE MORE THAN US. WITH CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, I PUT A LITTLE NOTE ON HERE, LOWER IS BETTER. SO THE LOWER WE ARE, THE BETTER, THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE WE WANT THE LOWER PERCENTAGE. RIGHT NOW, OUR SIOUX CITY CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATE IS 28.48%. THE STATE AVERAGE IS 21.63%, AND WE'RE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THE UEN DISTRICTS. WITH REGARDS TO GROWTH IN ELA, YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT I COMMENTED THAT WE SAW GAINS IN GROWTH AND WE ARE TIED FOR FIRST. THAT'S HOW I WANTED TO SAY THAT. SOME PEOPLE MIGHT DISAGREE, BUT I THINK WE'RE TIED FOR FIRST. WE'RE RIGHT THERE WITH THE STATE AVERAGE, AND WE'RE IN THERE WITH IOWA CITY, DUBUQUE, AND ANKENY. >> I WOULD SAY WE ARE FIRST. >> OKAY, WE'RE FIRST. THERE WE GO. >> JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS ELA IS? >> ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS. [OVERLAPPING] YES, READING, VOCABULARY, AND WRITING. >> BE CLEAR. >> FOR PERCENT PROFICIENT. WE ALSO SAW GAINS IN PERCENT PROFICIENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, AND WE'RE RIGHT THERE AT 64.33%. WE'RE NOT AT THE STATE AVERAGE, SO WE'RE UNDER THE STATE AVERAGE WITH DUBUQUE, IOWA CITY, WAUKEE, AND ANKENY AHEAD OF US. OUR GROWTH IN MATH, WE WERE AT 49, AND THIS WAS AN AREA, REMEMBER, WHERE WE REGRESSED ONE POINT, AND WE'RE STILL TIED WITH DUBUQUE AND JUST IOWA CITY AND ANKENY AHEAD OF US. WE'RE REAL CLOSE TO THAT STATE AVERAGE. >> WE'RE BETTER THAN WAUKEE. >> YES. I SHOULD BE SAYING ALL THE DISTRICTS, WE ARE BETTER THAN. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF SIOUX CITY. OUR PERCENT PROFICIENT IN MATH, WE SAW GROWTH IN THIS AS WELL, AND WE ARE ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK, WE'RE BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE SO WE HAVE WORK TO DO THERE. PERCENT PROFICIENT IN SCIENCE. THIS IS A NEW MEASURE THAT NONE OF US EVEN KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE MEASURED ON IN THIS REPORT CARD, BUT NOW WE ARE AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE HAD 51.73% PROFICIENT. THE STATE AVERAGE WAS 61.55, AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON IMPROVING THERE. [01:25:04] ON THE ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS, I INCLUDED THIS SLIDE. I'VE NEVER SHARED THIS BEFORE, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST INTERESTING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE RATINGS, IT CAN SEEM DREARY AND DISAPPOINTING FOR OUR DISTRICT BASED ON ALL THE HARD WORK AND THE GAMES THAT WE SEE DAY TO DAY. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS DATA TO SHOW WHERE THOSE UEN DISTRICTS, HOW THOSE RANKINGS IMPACTED THE UEN DISTRICTS. YOU CAN SEE SIOUX CITY, I TRIED TO USE OUR DISTRICT COLOR BUT ON THIS SLIDE, IT DIDN'T COME OUT VERY WELL, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE THAT BRIGHT BLUE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GRAPH. YOU'LL SEE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS. WE ARE CELEBRATING THAT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY SCHOOLS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT. WE DO HAVE SOME SCHOOLS WHO ARE TARGETED. WE HAVE 13 OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS TARGETED. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IN THIS PAST JUNE, WE MET WITH ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND WE WORKED ON ACTION PLANS BASED ON IF OUR SCHOOLS WERE TARGETED, WHAT ARE OUR AREAS OF FOCUS, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS GOOD WORK AND IT'S THE RIGHT WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE THE EDUCATION THAT THEY NEED. >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN TARGETED? >> TARGETED IS THE STATES DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOLS WHO HAVE A SUBGROUP POPULATION WHO FELL IN THE BOTTOM 5% OF THE STATE. IF YOUR SCHOOL FALLS IN THE BOTTOM 5% OF SCHOOLS, THEN YOUR SCHOOL IS A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL. WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME SUBGROUP POPULATIONS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND ELEMENTARY WHO DID QUALIFY AS FALLING IN THAT BOTTOM 5%. >> YES, YOU'RE WELCOME. WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED WITH SEVEN OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY SCHOOLS. WE HAVE SIX OF OUR SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED AS MEETING IMPROVEMENT, THREE OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE CLASSIFIED AS ACCEPTABLE, THREE OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE COMMENDABLE, AND WE DID NOT HAVE ANY HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS THIS YEAR. OVER TIME, THIS IS A GLIMPSE OF OUR RATINGS FROM '21-'24. THIS JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA THAT ALTHOUGH THE INDEX CHANGED, AND THEY MADE SOME CHANGES, JUST OVER TIME, I WANTED YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS HOW OUR DISTRICT HAS FARED ON OUR MEETING OF RATING SYSTEMS. YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THIS CHART. WE'VE REMAINED RELATIVELY CONSISTENT. THE NUMBER OF PRIORITY SCHOOLS HAS INCREASED, AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO WORK ON. WITHIN THE NEW RATING SYSTEM, AND I KNOW THIS IS REALLY SMALL, THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILES, AND YOU CAN SEARCH ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IN IOWA AND LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> THIS IS ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE AGENDA? >> YES, IT IS. >> VISIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY BY JUST GOING ON OUR WEBSITE AND LOOKING AT TODAY'S AGENDA. >> YES. THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M WORKING WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE IT VISIBLE ON OUR WEB PAGE AS WELL SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS INFORMED. >> WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THESE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE NEEDS IMPROVEMENT? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A DISSERTATION JUST LIKE A SHORT SUMMATION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. >> YES. WE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR DATA, AND WE ARE SUPPORTING EACH SCHOOL WITH AN ACTION PLAN FOR THAT AREA THAT THEY NEED IMPROVEMENT ON. YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WERE IDENTIFIED BY A TARGETED SUBGROUP OF ENGLISH LEARNERS OR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND SO THAT IS BASED ON A SUBTEST. TYPICALLY, IT'S BEEN WITHIN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS. WE FOUND SOME QUICK FIXES OF STUDENTS DIDN'T RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED. WE'VE ALSO FOUND OTHER GAPS IN CURRICULUM BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS, AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL, BUT WE'RE MEETING WITH THOSE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND THEY'RE BUILDING LEADERSHIP TEAMS THAT'S BEING SCHEDULED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE PLANS SUBMITTED TO THE STATE OF IOWA BY FEBRUARY 3RD, WHICH IS JUST SEVEN WEEKS FROM NOW. THEN THE LAST SLIDES ARE REALLY JUST [01:30:04] SNIPS OF THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE FROM OUR DISTRICT, AND IT'S SHOWING EXACTLY WOULD SEE IF YOU WENT ON THE WEBSITE, AND IT'S JUST SHARING ALL OF OUR INFORMATION. THE DIAMONDS ARE THE STATE AVERAGE, AND THEN THE COLORED BAR GRAPH REPRESENTS SIOUX CITY'S PERFORMANCE IN EACH AREA. I'M GOING TO SCROLL THROUGH HERE. AGAIN, THIS GOES THROUGH CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, OUR [INAUDIBLE] COMPOSITE, GRADUATION RATE, THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROWTH AND GROWTH IN MATH, AND THEN PERCENT PROFICIENT IN MATH, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, AND SCIENCE. THEN THAT COLLEGE CREDIT POST-SECONDARY READINESS INDEX, THAT'S A NEW COMPONENT, AS WELL AS THE WORK-BASED LEARNING COMPONENT. THOSE ARE TWO NEW MEASURES THAT WE HADN'T PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ON. AS WE GO THROUGH HERE, THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT DR. BRADFORD JUST SHARED WITH YOU. I JUST INCLUDED IT BECAUSE IT'S ON IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE AND I WANTED YOU TO HAVE EASY ACCESS TO IT. GRADUATION RATE. OUR GRADUATION RATE FOR FOUR YEARS IS 87.91%, AND FOR FIVE YEARS, IT'S 89.92%. YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT BREAKS DOWN BY PROGRAM FOR ALL OF OUR LEARNERS FOR FIVE YEARS AND FOUR YEARS. THEN GROWTH, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH, WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE BY PROGRAM AND HOW EACH OF OUR GROUPS PERFORMED. THIS IS THE GROWTH THAT STUDENTS MADE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH, AND THIS IS BY RACE. THIS IS, AGAIN, ALL INFORMATION THAT THE STATE IS BASING ALL OF THEIR SCORES ON AND INFORMATION THAT WE LOOK AT AS WELL. FOR POST-SECONDARY READINESS, COLLEGE CREDIT, OUR SCORE WAS 63.31%, AND OUR WORK-BASED LEARNING WAS 19.7%. AGAIN, WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GOING TO BE MEASURED ON THIS, BUT NOW WE DO, AND SO WE ALREADY HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CAREER PATHWAY AND THE ACCESS THAT OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS HAVE TO TAKING COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSES. WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN WORK ON THIS AREA. THIS IS JUST REPORTING THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO EARNED COLLEGE CREDIT WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAD 63.31% OF OUR STUDENTS EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL. THEN WORK-BASED LEARNING, THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN WORK-BASED LEARNING IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT WAS 19.37%. THEN IT GOES INTO PROFICIENCY, WHICH I SHARED, AND I KNOW MY PRESENTATION IS GETTING TOO LONG IN CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND ATTENDANCE. WE STILL ARE FOCUSED ON ATTENDANCE IN ADDITION TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. THEY'RE NOT THE SAME THING, THEY DO GO HAND IN HAND. I PROVIDED LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION, LINKS TO THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE, LINKS TO THE USER GUIDE, AND A LINK TO THE TECHNICAL GUIDE, WHICH SHOULD HELP EVERYONE. IT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU JUST ACKNOWLEDGE OUR ACHIEVEMENT REPORT FOR THE IOWA STATE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PROGRESS, THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILES. OF COURSE, WE WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> WE'RE GOING TO START THE DISCUSSION, BUT I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT JUST TO LET THE TEACHERS KNOW AND ADMINISTRATORS KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH IN THE MEDIA THEY REPORTED THAT THEY WERE DOWN IN THE DUMPS, BUT WE HAVE DATA THAT SHOWS THAT WE HAVE GROWN AND WE HAVE GROWTH. THE TEACHERS OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ADMINISTRATORS OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR THE EFFORTS THAT THEY HAD GONE THROUGH AND DONE IT, WHETHER IT'S AT ERVING, AT NORTH HIGH, WEST HIGH, EAST HIGH, EAST MIDDLE, WEST MIDDLE, NORTH MIDDLE, ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, PERRY CREEK, AND ALL OF THEM, THEY SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR THE EFFORTS THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO RAISE THEIR SCORES. NOW, WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE, YOU GET JUDGED BY THE OVERALL. I LOVE THAT WORD, DATA. WHEN YOU BREAK THAT WORD DOWN INTO THE DATA, IT SHOWS THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD. THAT WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE'RE MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES, WE'RE TAKING THAT DATA, WE'RE ADJUSTING WHERE WE NEED TO IMPROVE. YES, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SOME THINGS, BUT WE CAN'T TAKE THE FOOT OFF THE GAS. WE CAN'T STOP. WE CAN'T SAY, "GOOD. [01:35:02] WE'RE DONE." WE GOT TO KEEP GOING, AND WE HAVE TO GET TO THE TOP STEPS. WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING. EVERY NOW AND THEN, I HAVE TROUBLE STEPS. I FALL DOWN EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN RIGHT TO IT, OUR STAFF, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, ARE WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF, AND THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE IN THE NEWS, THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING THROUGH TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR THESE KIDS. I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD TO YOU GUYS AND TO THE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM, ADMINISTRATORS IN THE BUILDING, AND EVEN IN THIS BUILDING, MY HATS OFF TO YOU BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE BEEN IN THE CLASSROOM, I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO ACHIEVE. THE WORLD KNOCKS US DOWN SOMETIMES, BUT IT'S HOW MANY TIMES YOU CAN GET BACK UP. AGAIN, THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE TEACHERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. >> PRESIDENT GEORGE, I HAVE A COMMENT. I AGREE, WE DO WANT TO APPLAUD OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE TASKED WITH SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO. THOSE NEED IMPROVEMENTS ARE CONCERNING TO ME, BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING THEM TO CONTINUE TO GIVE MORE AND DO MORE AND HOPE AND PRAY THAT THESE PLANS THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN PLACE TO HELP MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL AND REACH THOSE BENCHMARKS ISN'T ADDING MORE TO THEIR PLATE WITH LESS HELP. MY QUESTION WOULD BE, ARE THERE ANY RAMIFICATIONS THAT TRICKLE BACK UP? IF WE DON'T MEET THOSE BENCHMARKS TO IMPROVE OUR SCORES, THEN WHO'S ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? THE SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T MEET THE SCORE, OR DOES IT COME BACK TO YOU? >> A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. YES, THE SCHOOL WOULD HAVE ACTIONS AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS BY THE STATE, AS WELL AS A LOOK INTO THE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES THAT ARE BEING USED TO SEE WHAT IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE, WHICH WE ARE DOING THAT SAME WORK JUST AT A DISTRICT LEVEL. THEN ABSOLUTELY, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID. WE DON'T WANT TO PUT MORE ON THEIR PLATES. WE'RE TRYING TO JUST MAKE THINGS BETTER, WHICH YOUR SUPPORT OF PURCHASING EL RESOURCES AND EL CURRICULUM, THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS OUR EL SUBGROUPS. THAT'S BEEN AN AREA OF CONCERN THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A LONG TIME THAT WE AREN'T USING THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO MEET THEIR NEEDS AND THE SAME WITH OUR IEP POPULATION. REALLY, IT'S LOOKING AT THAT ALIGNMENT OF GENED INTERVENTION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION AND MAKING SURE THAT'S AN ALIGNMENT SO THAT NO ONE GROUP IS WORKING HARDER THAN THE OTHER BECAUSE REALLY IT TAKES A UNIFIED EFFORT TO MAKE GAINS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL JUST NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE RECEIVING THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE. >> EVEN WITH THOSE TOOLS, WE'RE STILL EXPECTING THEM TO DO MORE? >> WELL, DEFINITELY. EDUCATION DOESN'T GET EASIER, IT JUST GETS MORE AND MORE COMPLEX, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN SAY THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE SPENDING TIME AND ENERGY ON. WE NEED TO LET GO OF THIS. IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME IN A DAY, BUT WE DO EXPECT A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PRINCIPALS. I AGREE. >> DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE]. >> JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. ACCOUNTABILITY, ULTIMATELY, THE PERSON REALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL OF THIS IS A PERSON SITTING IN THIS SEAT. THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS, JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT AND NO SUPERINTENDENT TAKES THAT LIGHTLY. WE ARE PROUD OF THE GROWTH WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO APPROVE IT. UNTIL WE HIT 100%, NO ONE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS HAPPY AND SATISFIED. THAT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO REACH FOR. THE DATA THAT WE SHARE TONIGHT, IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ANY OF US THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT. IT'S NOT A SURPRISE. WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT. WE REALLY COUNT ON OUR TEACHERS AND THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS TO DEVELOP THESE IMPROVEMENT PLANS AND FOCUS ON THE KIDS THAT THEY HAVE IN THE BUILDING. HERE'S THE CHALLENGE. THAT CONSTANTLY SHIFTS AND CHANGES. NOT ONLY FROM NEW STUDENTS COMING INTO OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE CHALLENGED TO US, BUT ALSO THE MOVEMENT WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. [01:40:03] WE'RE JUST VERY MOBILE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. STUDENTS CONSTANTLY MOVING FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER, SO I DO APPLAUD OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS, THEY WORK VERY, VERY HARD, THEY PUT THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO WHAT THEY DO EACH AND EVERY DAY. THERE ARE SOME GAINS, THERE ARE SOME GROWTH, BUT WHEN YOU GET THE REPORT CARD, BECAUSE IT'S A NEW REPORT CARD, THEY CHANGE HOW THEY GRADE US. AN A LAST YEAR IS NOT AN A THIS YEAR. A B LAST YEAR IS NOT A B THIS YEAR, RIGHT ON DOWN THE LINE. WHEN WE GET THESE RESULTS, WE TRY TO FOCUS ON THE GROWTH OF OUR STUDENTS, AND THEN WE HAVE THESE OTHER FACTORS THAT WE'RE GRADED ON AS WELL. WHEN YOU SEE THAT YOU'RE ONE OF 186 SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS THAT ARE TOWARD YOUR PRIORITY, THAT'S DISCOURAGING TO THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF THAT BUILDING. BUT REMEMBER, THERE ARE 1,282 SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF IOWA, NOT DISTRICTS, BUT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SIX WE'RE IN PRIORITY, 229 NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, 277 ACCEPTABLE, 412 COMMENDABLE, 159 HIGH-PERFORMING, AND ONLY 16 EXCEPTIONAL. WE'RE DOING VERY WELL. DO WE NEED TO DO BETTER? EVERYBODY KNOWS WE NEED TO DO BETTER. BUT NOW THE STATE KNOWS WHERE WE'RE AT TOO, SO WHAT ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR? THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LEGISLATORS FOR FUNDING. FUND THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE MOST CHALLENGES, FUND THEM BETTER THAN THE OTHERS. IT'S EQUAL, BUT IT'S NOT EQUITABLE. THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO STRIVE TO DO TO PUSH OUR LEGISLATORS IS WE HAVE A LOT MORE CHALLENGES THAN WAUKEE HAS, THAN IOWA CITY HAS. WE DO. WE DON'T SHY AWAY FROM THOSE CHALLENGES. WE TAKE IT HEAD ON, BUT WE ALSO NEED THE LEGISLATORS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND FUND IT APPROPRIATELY. WITH THAT, THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER DIRECTORS? DIRECTOR REBAR. >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THIS LEVEL OF INFORMATION. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS FOR LIKE 12 YEARS, AND THIS IS THE BEST LEVEL OF DETAIL THE DISTRICT HAS EVER PROVIDED, SO [OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU. THE SECOND THING IS I INCLUDED SOME MATERIALS IN THE BOARD PACKET. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM ALL, BUT I WANT TO EXPLAIN THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF WHAT THOSE MATERIALS ARE. WE GENERALLY LOOK AT OUR OWN PERFORMANCE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, I THINK WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME OF OUR PEER UEN SCHOOLS AND COMPARATIVES. ANALYSIS THAT I DID IS REALLY A LONGER-TERM. ASSUME THAT IS SIOUX CITY. ASSUME THIS IS OUR PEER SCHOOLS, AND OUR PEER SCHOOLS WOULD BE WATERLOO, DUBUQUE, DAVENPORT, AND COUNCIL BLUFF. ASSUME THIS IS OUR NON-PEER SCHOOLS. THIS INCLUDES THE ANKENY'S, THE IOWA CITY'S, SOME OF THOSE. THERE ARE SEVERAL. ALL THIS MATERIALS IN THE BOARD PACKET. HISTORICALLY, OVER TIME, THINK OF IT AS A RACE. CITY HAS PERFORMED A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN OUR PEERS, HISTORICALLY. >> WHAT HAPPENED STARTING IN 2019 IS OUR PEERS STARTED CATCHING UP WITH US. WE WEREN'T PERFORMING AS WELL AS OUR HISTORICAL PERCENTAGES WERE. OUR PEERS STARTED CATCHING UP FROM US, AND OUR NON-SIMILAR SCHOOLS STARTED RUNNING AWAY FROM US, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE GRAPHS THAT ARE IN THE MATERIALS. IN 2022, WE DECIDED TO MAKE SOME SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND IN OUR CURRICULUM AND IN OTHER AREAS, AND PUT MORE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM. WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THAT ANALYSIS, IF YOU LOOK AT 2022 AGAINST 2024, WE'VE PULLED AWAY FROM OUR PEERS, WE'RE PERFORMING HIGHER, AND WE'RE CLOSER TO OUR NON-SIMILAR SCHOOLS. IN OTHER WORDS, OUR PERFORMANCE IS DOING BETTER THAN BOTH OF THEM. LET ME GIVE YOU JUST AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT IS. FROM 2022-2024, WITH OUR PEERS, COUNCIL BLUFF, DAVENPORT, DUBUQUE, AND WATERLOO, WE HAVE PERFORMED 8.2% BETTER THAN THEM OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD. WE DISTANCE OURSELVES FROM THEM. OUR PROFICIENCY RATES ARE NOT WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, WE KNOW THAT, BUT OUR MOUSETRAP THAT WE EMPLOYED WORKED BETTER, AND WE PERFORMED BETTER THAN THEY DO BY A SUBSTANTIAL MARGIN. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PEERS, AGAIN, COUNCIL BLUFF, DAVENPORT, DUBUQUE AND WATERLOO, [01:45:02] WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR MIDDLE AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS WERE DOWN HERE IN 2022, ALMOST BUTTED UP AGAINST THEM. WE MOVED AHEAD OF THEM BY 10.5% IN TWO YEARS. THAT WAS OUR PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT. WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE MOVED AHEAD 8.6% IN TWO YEARS. WE PERFORMED SUBSTANTIVELY BETTER. WITH OUR NON-SIMILAR SCHOOLS, THAT INCLUDES ALL THOSE OTHER LARGE SCHOOLS, AND THAT'S IN THE MATERIAL, YOU CAN SEE THE LISTING, IN ELA, WE MOVED UP 7.1% AHEAD OF THEM COMPARED TO OUR PEERS. WE GOT CLOSER WITH OUR NON-PEERS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, 10.4% AND 8.7%. FOLKS, WE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS DATA IS ALL DATA FROM THE STATE. IT'S ALL AVAILABLE OUT THERE ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE, IN YOUR BOARD MATERIALS. YOU CAN SEE THE GRAPHS, YOU CAN SEE THE INFORMATION. BUT THIS DISTRICT HAD SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT FROM 2022-2024, AND IT WAS FROM A LOT OF HARD DECISIONS MADE BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF TO TAKE THIS ON. QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK IT DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEM, BECAUSE I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. >> DIRECTOR, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE FEEL WE DIDN'T DO VERY WELL. I WOULD BE THE FIRST TO SAY BUT PART OF MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT I'M ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT ALSO SERVES ON THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE. I CAN TELL YOU IT'S AN ACTIVE COMMITTEE AND WE TALK ABOUT TRAJECTORY AND SUCCESSES AND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND THE LIKE. MY OBSERVATION AND COMMENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR REPORT IS THAT THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENED IS THE WAY IT WAS CALCULATED WAS CHANGED. THE EMPHASIS USED TO BE MORE ON GROWTH OR IMPROVEMENT, AND THIS IS THE YEAR WHEN THE STATE DECIDED THAT A FORMULA WOULD DEPART FROM THAT, AND MAKE ACTUAL PROFICIENCY EQUAL TO WHAT THE IMPROVEMENT OR GROWTH IS. THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON A LOT OF SCHOOLS, INCLUDING OURS. IT DID MOVE, I THINK IF YOU REMEMBER THE LIST IN THE CC JOURNAL, THE SCHOOLS WERE LISTED AS TO WHAT THEIR CATEGORY WAS. IF YOU COMPARE, AND THERE'S A CHART PRESENTED IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT SHOWS FROM YEAR-TO-YEAR WHERE SCHOOLS ARE. IT JUST MOVED US DOWN ONE CATEGORY, AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FORMULA THAT SAYS, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS SUBGROUPS WITHIN THE SCHOOL MORE, AND THEY GET WEIGHTED IN THE CALCULATION AND SO FORTH. IF YOU GO TO [INAUDIBLE] AND THEY'LL SAY, WOW, WE GOT GREAT NUMBERS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE FACTORS IN THEIR NUMBERS OF STAFF. NOW, WE CAN SAY, WE CAN LISTEN TO YOU GIVE EXPLANATIONS ALL DAY, SO WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, WHAT I KNOW IS THAT JUST BEFORE I CAME ON THIS BOARD ONE YEAR AGO, THERE WAS A PILOT PROJECT PUT IN PLACE USING THE BENCHMARK MATERIALS AND TEACHERS. ACTUALLY, THAT WAS AN IDEA THAT CAME FORWARD FROM OUR TEACHERS AND OTHERS REINCORPORATED PHONICS AND OTHER THINGS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE. WITHOUT GOING INTO A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, IT STARTED AS A PILOT PROJECT, AND THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR WHEN IT'S FULLY IMPLEMENTED. WE DID SOME THINGS THEN THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SHOW UP IN OUR STATISTICS IN ANOTHER PROBABLY 2, 3 YEARS, BUT MAYBE AS EARLY AS THIS NEXT YEAR BECAUSE FRANKLY, OUR STUDENT BODY IS A VERY SMART STUDENT BODY, AND THEY RESPOND REALLY WELL TO EDUCATION. I THINK WE ARE ALREADY DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WILL BE DIFFERENCE MAKING. THE OTHER THING I WOULD NOTE FOR YOU IS THAT THE NUMBERS THE STATE PUT TOGETHER ARE AVERAGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER. THEY START WITH THE THIRD GRADERS THAT GO ALL THE WAY. WHEN WE SAY 11, THERE AREN'T ANY SENIORS THAT ARE SITTING IN THE SPRING AND TAKING A TEST. SERIOUSLY. I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS. YOUR LAST TEST TO MEASURE A SCHOOL WILL BE WHEN YOU'RE A JUNIOR, AND SO THEY BLEND THEM ALL TOGETHER. WELL, OUR HISTORY HAS BEEN THAT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN WELL ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE. HERE IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, AND I THINK MR. GREENWELL ADDRESSED IT, CHANGES THAT WERE INCORPORATED IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, [01:50:01] PARTICULARLY THE READING PROGRAM, HAVE ALREADY SHOWN EXCELLENT RESULTS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. BUT WHEN YOU AVERAGE IT ALL TOGETHER, AND THEN YOU APPLY THIS NEW RULE, IT TAKES AWAY THE FACTOR OF GROWTH. IT'S LIKE A SALAD. WE'VE JUMBLED IT ALL UP AND NOW WE NEED TO SEE WHERE WE ARE GOING FORWARD. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR TRAJECTORY AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THESE REPORTS CAME OUT RIGHT BEFORE DR. ERWIN AND TREYLA LEE, AND JAN GEORGE AND I WENT DOWN FOR THE IOWA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION. I SPENT MY TIME WITH, THERE WERE SMALL BREAKOUT GROUPS THAT WOULD TALK ABOUT ONE TOPIC OR ANOTHER, BUT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS. I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT ALMOST ALL OF THEM WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS RECALCULATION JUST TOOK THEM A STEP DOWN. NOT MAKING EXCUSES AND SAYING THAT WE'RE WORKING THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE ARE A LOT LOT OF DISTRICTS THAT ARE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AND WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED WITH GETTING A BLIND SIDE BLOCK IN A FOOTBALL GAME. BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET UP AND WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD. THEN THE NEXT THING I DID IS I SAID, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTED? WHEN A GRADUATE STAND UP TO GET A DIPLOMA, SUPERINTENDENT TELLS THE SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT HE SAID, THESE CANDIDATES FOR A DIPLOMA HAD COMPLETED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF IOWA, AND BY THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH MEANS AND OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE OF IOWA AND OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST ONLY THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE OF IOWA. I'M PLEASED TO SEE ALL OF YOU THAT CAME TONIGHT BECAUSE WE NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY. I'VE BEEN PLEASED TO SEE ALL OF YOU ALREADY WAY BACK IN THE LAST SPRING WHEN WE HAD OTHER ISSUES. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDED AND WHAT OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTED. AS A BOARD, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, SO WE DO, AND WE HAVE THREE GOALS WERE SET OUT. I HAVE TO CONFESS THAT THEY HADN'T BEEN A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION SINCE THIS BOARD CAME IN A YEAR AGO BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY IN PLACE. OF THOSE THREE, ALMOST ALL OF THEM, ALL THREE ARE FOCUSED ON A SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION AND THE LIKE. WELL, THE OTHER REPORT THAT CAME OUT IS, HOW ARE WE DOING ON SPECIAL ED, AND STUDENTS THAT HAVE WHAT WE CALL INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS? THESE STATISTICS ARE GLARINGLY DIFFERENT THAN THE STATE REPORT IN IOWA AS IT RELATES TO SPECIAL NEEDS. IF YOU START OUT, AND WE AS A BOARD HAD THREE CRITERIA, I WILL TELL YOU THAT TODAY WE'VE LOOKED AT THE THREE. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THEM WHEN WE BEGAN THE SEARCH FOR SUPERINTENDENT. WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, AND I KNOW I'M THE ONE WHO THOUGHT WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE EMPHASIS ON EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THAT WAS INCORPORATED IN ONE OF THE THREE. IT'S A LITTLE MORE EMPHASIS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, BASED ON WHAT WE AS A BOARD TOLD OUR STAFF AND OUR FACULTY TO DO, I'M CONCLUDING THAT WE HAVE A IMMENSELY EFFECTIVE SET OF ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY BECAUSE WHEN WE TOLD THEM THAT 3/3 OF OUR GOALS RELATE PRIMARILY TO SPECIAL EDUCATION IN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME SINCE 2022, THEY'VE ALREADY TURNED THAT AROUND. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE CHARTS, WE'RE LIKE BEST IN THE STATE OR SECOND BEST IN THE STATE. I WOULD SAY TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD TAKE A REALLY GOOD LOOK AT WHAT OUR GOALS ARE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A RACE CAR WHEN IT COMES TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS THAT YOU SEE AROUND THE ROOM HERE AT OUR FACULTY, AND IF WE TURN THEM LOOSE IN A DIRECTION THAT IS MORE DESIRABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. THAT'S MY CHALLENGE TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS IS WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, ALL IN CONNECTION WITH OUR SEARCH FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AND COME UP WITH THE MOST DESIRABLE PRIMARY GOALS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN KNOW IS TO LISTEN TO YOU. MORE COMMUNITY INPUT IS GOOD. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT TO THE EXTENT THERE'S ANY GLOOM AND DOOM, BECAUSE REMEMBER I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STATISTICS MAKE EVERYBODY ELSE LOOK SORRY. BUT THE STATE IS NOW EVALUATING IT, THE WAY IT'S EVALUATED, IT HAS A NEW FORMULA THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON EVERYBODY, [01:55:03] INCLUDING SAYING, IS IT A GOOD IDEA, ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE INTEND TO DO? I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I CERTAINLY AM RENEWING MY COMMITMENT TO STUDENT EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT, AND I'M CONVINCED THAT OUR STAFF WHEN POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THEY'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL AND YOU'LL SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS MADE SO FAR, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHERE WE'RE GOING. >> HUGE THANKS TO OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF AROUND THE DISTRICT. THEY REALLY ARE WORKING HARD. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM DIRECTORS? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE 2024 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT REPORT OF THE IOWA STATE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PROGRESS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE BREAK HERE, AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. I'M SURE BOBBY YOU'LL BE BACK HERE SHORTLY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GOING. WE'RE ON ITEM D, RESOLUTION APPROVING [X.D. Resolution Approving Expenditure of Funds in the Flexibility Account Within the General Fund - Patty Blankenship] THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS IN THE FLEXIBILITY ACCOUNT WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. PATTY IS HERE TO SPEAK ON IT IF ANYONE WISHES. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS IN THE FLEXIBILITY ACCOUNT WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> SEANICE, PLEASE CALL A ROLL. >> MR. GEORGE? >> YES. >> MR. GREENWELL? >> YES. >> MS. LEE? >> YES. >> MR. MEYERS? >> AYE. >> MR. MICHAELSON? >> YES. >> MR. MILLER? >> YES. >> MR. EHMCKE? >> YES. >> MOTION PASSES. I DECLARE THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED. ITEM E, BOARD AUTHORIZATION TO REQUEST [X.E. Board Authorization to Request Modified Supplemental Amount for EL Beyond 5 years - Patty Blankenship] MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT OF EL BEYOND FIVE YEARS. PATTY IS HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, IF ANYONE WISHES. IS THERE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION TO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR A MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT OF $1,475,592.30 RELATED TO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXCEEDED FIVE YEARS OF WAITING THAT ARE INCLUDED ON THE FALL 2024 CERTIFIED ENROLLMENT? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM F, BOARD OF AUTHORIZATION TO REQUEST [X.F. Board Authorization to Request Modified Supplemental Amount for Open Enrollment Out – Patty Blankenship] A MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT OUT. IF PATTY WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, SHE CAN, OR IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, SHE'S AVAILABLE. IS THERE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION TO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE SCHOOL BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT OF $1,198,349.12 FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT STUDENTS, NOT INCLUDING IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR CERTIFIED ENROLLMENT COUNTS? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, PATTY, COULD I ASK YOU, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR SPENDING AUTHORITY? >> YES, SIR. >> YOU ALL KNOW WE CAN'T SPEND ANYTHING WITHOUT THE STATE SAYING THAT WE CAN, AND THAT'S WHAT SPENDING AUTHORITY IS. THAT'S WHAT THESE LAST TWO [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT. >> ANY OTHER? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE? >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY? MOTION PASSES. SETTLEMENT OF FISCAL YEAR '24 BOOKS. [X.G. Settlement of FY24 Books - Patty Blankenship] PATTY, IS HERE AND GOING TO PRESENT. >> I CAN GET TO IT. [02:00:07] >> WE'RE ALMOST THERE. >> FINANCIAL HEALTH. THAT'S ON THAT PAGE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THIS IS THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL HEALTH REPORT FOR 2024. THE FIRST PAGE IS THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, THE BALANCE SHEETS. I'VE HIGHLIGHTED SOME ROWS THAT I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT TO FOCUS ON. THIS HAS ALL THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS. IT'S THE GENERAL FUND, STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND, MANAGEMENT FUND, SALES TAX, DEBT SERVICE FUND [INAUDIBLE]. THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND AT JUNE 30, 2024, WAS 81.6 MILLION. OUR TOTAL FUND BALANCE FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT WAS 126.9 MILLION. THE SECOND PAGE IS THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES FOR THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST COLUMN THERE, THE GENERAL FUND, OUR TOTAL REVENUES WERE 210 MILLION, FOR ALL OF THE FUNDS WERE AT 237.6 MILLION, OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES WERE 198.2 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND 224.4 MILLION FOR ALL THE FUNDS. LOOK AT THE LAST HIGHLIGHTED THE CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE. FOR THE GENERAL FUND, OUR CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE WAS AN INCREASE OF 8.4 MILLION. THIS MEANS THAT OUR REVENUES EXCEEDED OUR EXPENDITURES BY 8.4 MILLION. THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO INTEREST INCOME. WE HAD ABOUT 4.5 MILLION OF INTEREST INCOME IN 2024. WE ALSO HAD SOME OPEN POSITIONS THAT AMOUNTED TO ABOUT 1.5 MILLION. THAT'S PROBABLY A PRETTY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE. THEN WE USED SOME OF OUR ESSER DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE WE USED ALL ESSER DOLLARS BY JUNE 30, 2024. WE HAD SOME SPENDING AUTHORITY SYSTEMS WITH THOSE DOLLARS. THE MANAGEMENT FUND HAD A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE. THE MANAGEMENT FUND IS FULLY FUNDED BY TAXPAYERS. IT HAD A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 767,000. THAT WAS AN INTENTIONAL DECREASE IN THAT FUND BALANCE. THE ENDING FUND BALANCE IS NOW ABOUT 5.3 MILLION. THAT'S ABOUT AS LOW AS WE PROBABLY WANT TO TAKE THE MANAGEMENT FUND. THE NEXT PAGE IS THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS. THE FIRST COLUMN IS THE SCHOOL NUTRITION FUND, AND THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. THIS IS THE DISTRICT IS SELF INSURED FOR DENTAL INSURANCE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, THE TOTAL NET POSITION FOR THE SCHOOL NUTRITION FUND, HEALTHY BALANCE OF 6.1 MILLION, AND OUR FUND BALANCE CARRYOVER BALANCE FOR THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND IS ABOUT 1.1 MILLION. PAGE 4 IS THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, AND CHANGES IN FUND NET POSITION. FOR THE SCHOOL NUTRITION FUND, IF YOU LOOK TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, IT HAD AN INCREASE IN THE FUND BALANCE OF 144,576, AND THE DENTAL FUND ABOUT $40,000 INCREASE, SO BASICALLY ABOUT BREAK EVEN, WHICH IS WHAT WE EXPECT IN THE DENTAL FUND. PAGE 5 IS ISOLATES, JUST THE GENERAL FUND. IT SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND ACTUAL TO THE GENERAL FUND RE ESTIMATED BUDGET. THE RE ESTIMATED BUDGET COMES FROM WHEN WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON OUR FY '25 BUDGET, WE RE ESTIMATE OUR '24 NUMBERS SO THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH GOOD SOLID NUMBERS GOING FOR OUR '25 BUDGET. THAT SECOND COLUMN IS THE NUMBERS FROM WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE '25 BUDGET. IT'S CALLED THE RE ESTIMATED BUDGET. BUT WE'RE REALLY VERY CLOSE ON THE TOTAL REVENUES. WE WERE 99.83% OF OUR RE ESTIMATED NUMBER. THE ONLY LARGE VARIANCES IN LOCAL REVENUES, [02:05:01] WE WERE ABOUT THREE MILLION HEAD. THAT'S ALL RELATED TO INTEREST INCOME. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR EXPENDITURES, WE WERE AT 98.69% OF OUR RE ESTIMATED BUDGET. THE LARGEST VARIANCE IS IN THE INSTRUCTION FUNCTION. THAT'S MOSTLY RELATED TO VACANT POSITIONS. THEN YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGE AGAIN, IS THAT 8.4 MILLION. WE HAD RE ESTIMATED ABOUT 4.3 MILLION. WE WERE AHEAD BY 4.1 MILLION OF WHAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED AT THAT TIME. BUT WHEN WE RE ESTIMATED OUR BUDGET, WE USED ABOUT $1.5 MILLION OF ESTIMATED INTEREST INCOME AND WE WERE WAY ABOVE THAT. THIS NEXT PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE AUDIT REPORT ALSO. THIS IS A BUDGET TO ACTUAL, BUT IT'S ALL THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS. I'M JUST GOING TO POINT OUT HERE THAT THE LEGAL LEVEL OF CONTROL IS AT THOSE FOUR FUNCTION AREAS, INSTRUCTION, SUPPORT SERVICES, NON INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS, AND OTHER EXPENDITURES. WE DID NOT EXCEED THE LEGAL LEVEL OF CONTROL FOR ANY OF THOSE FUNCTIONS. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAVE AN ORIGINAL BUDGET, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A FINAL. WE HAD A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN MAY OF LAST YEAR. THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER SO THAT WE DIDN'T EXCEED ANY OF THE AREAS BY THOSE FUNCTION CATEGORIES. THIS IS JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT THIS IS JUST A GENERAL FUND REVENUE RATIO. I JUST ALWAYS LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT 66.5% OF OUR REVENUE IS COMING FROM THE STATE. ABOUT 21% COMES FROM LOCAL REVENUE, MOST OF THAT BEING PROPERTY TAX. BUT A LOT OF OUR FUNDING IS REALLY COMING FROM THE STATE. IS VERY COMPARABLE. IF YOU COMPARE '23 TO '24, IT'S VERY COMPARABLE. >> COULD I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LISTENING IN THE AUDIENCE, YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THESE NUMBERS UP THERE. THEY'RE SO SMALL. BUT IN 2023, WE HAD $22.8 MILLION THAT CAME FROM THE ESSER MONEY, THE COVID MONEY. THAT WAS IN OUR BUDGET, THAT WAS IN OUR SPENDING, $22.8 MILLION. IN '24, THE YEAR JUST ENDED JUNE 30TH, WE HAD $15.2 MILLION OF ESSER DOLLARS THAT WE HAD IN OUR BUDGET. WE HAD TEACHERS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE SPENT. THAT MONEY'S GONE. WHEN WE SET A '24, '25 BUDGET, WE IMMEDIATELY HAD $15 MILLION REDUCTION IN REVENUE THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH, AND WE HAD TO ADJUST THE STAFF AND THE STAFF REORGANIZATION THAT FOLKS WERE PRETTY ACTIVE ABOUT. WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT AND WE GO FORWARD IN '25, '26 BUDGET, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE ESSER DOLLARS ANYMORE, EITHER. THOSE ARE GONE. WE'RE NOT GETTING THE MAGIC MONEY BACK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WHEN WE SEE THAT WE HAD TO REORGANIZE STAFF, THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO REORGANIZE STAFF. WE LOST SUBSTANTIVE AMOUNTS OF REVENUE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE ESSER MONEY, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT UP SOMEHOW, AND WE CAN'T TAX FOR IT, OR WE WON'T TAX FOR IT. IT'S NOT ALLOWED BY THE STATE. WE HAVE TO REDUCE COSTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAD DONE. >> ON OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE RATIO, YOU CAN SEE THAT ABOUT 65% OF OUR EXPENDITURES ARE IN THE INSTRUCTION FUNCTION, AND ABOUT 80% OF THAT INSTRUCTION FUNCTION IS SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS. THESE ALSO ARE VERY COMPARABLE TO '23. THERE'S A FEW VARIANCES THROUGHOUT THERE, BUT THEY WOULD MOSTLY HAVE TO DO WITH THE ESSER MONEY IN '23 AND IN '24 WAS SPENT IN DIFFERENT FUNCTION AREAS. THIS SHOWS JUST THE RESTRICTED OR THE CATEGORICAL FUND BALANCES. THIS IS THE CARRY OVER DOLLARS AT JUNE 30, 2024 AND ALSO AT JUNE 30, 2023. WE HAVE ABOUT 5.4 MILLION IN RESTRICTED CATEGORICAL FUNDING. THE TEACHER LEADERSHIP AID THE 1,095,000, THAT'S WHERE WE JUST UNRESTRICTED THAT. WE MOVED IT TO THE FLEXIBILITY ACCOUNT SO THAT WE COULD USE IT ON TEACHER SALARIES IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. ALREADY THAT RESTRICTED BALANCE WILL DECREASE. YOU DON'T WANT TO CARRY LARGE RESTRICTED DOLLARS OVER. YOU NEED TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS. [02:10:02] OUR FINANCIAL SOLVENCY RATIO. IN 2024, SOLVENCY RATIO WAS ABOUT 38%, SO IT'S FINANCIALLY HEALTHY. AS WELL AS OUR UNSPENT BALANCE RATIO, YOU CAN SEE THE HISTORY FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. BUT IN 2024, WE ENDED WITH UNSPENT BALANCE OF 29.75%. THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVE THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL HEALTH REPORT FOR FY '24. >> BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS? >> PATTY, WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT, THIS IS THE LAST FINAL APPROVAL FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WOULD HAVE ENDED LAST MAY, CORRECT? MEANING THE FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDED LAST JUNE 30? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER? DIRECTOR GREENWELL. >> I SAID IT BEFORE, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. THIS DISTRICT IS IN THE BEST FINANCIAL SHAPE IT'S EVER BEEN IN ITS ENTIRE HISTORY. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE A LICENSE TO SPEND LIKE CRAZY. WE ONLY GET SO MUCH FROM THE STATE. IF WE START EATING INTO OUR RESERVES AND GOING NEGATIVE, THAT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THAT THIS BUDGET SEASON COMING UP, WELL, ACTUALLY NEXT MONTH, AND THEN ALL THROUGH MAY. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OUR BUDGETING PROCESS. BUT A LOT OF IT IS DEPENDENT UPON THE SSA THAT THE STATE GIVES US. IS IT GOING TO BE 2%? IS IT GOING TO BE 2.5? WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE? THOSE DECISIONS ARE A MILLION DOLLAR DECISIONS. HALF A PERCENT IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY. WE CAN'T SPEND RESERVES ON ONGOING OPERATING EXPENSES UNLESS WE KNOW WE HAVE A REVENUE SOURCE COMING UP AT A LITTLE BIT LATER DATE TO SUPPORT THAT. BUT IF PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHY WE HAD TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, ESSER MONEY'S GONE, AND WE CANNOT HAVE NEGATIVE OPERATING DEFICITS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE THE DISTRICT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. WE WERE ALMOST THERE IN I THINK '14, '15 AND '16, WHERE WE GOT LITTLE SSA FROM THE STATE, AND IT WAS TOUGH TO CUT COST AS FAST ENOUGH TO MAKE UP FOR IT. IT'S A MOVING FREIGHT TRAIN. THE DISTRICT IS IN THE BEST FINANCIAL SHAPE EVER, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPEND OUR MONEY WISELY AND BUDGET APPROPRIATELY FOR THE POSITIONS TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND OTHER THINGS. >> THE OTHER, DIRECTOR MEYERS. >> JUST A SMALL THING ON THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE IN NOW. WE'RE SPENDING ABOUT THREE OR $4 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE TAKING IN, AND THAT'S JUST FOR THIS YEAR. WE'LL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO IN THE FUTURE. THE REASON I SAY THREE OR $4 MILLION, THAT'S QUITE A DIFFERENCE AND THE VARIABLE IS HOW THE AEA CHANGES ARE GOING TO END UP AFFECTING OUR NET INCOME. >> DEFINITELY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL HEALTH REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR '24? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY? MOTION PASSES. ITEM H, FISCAL YEAR '25 DEPOSITORY RESOLUTION. [X.H. FY25 Depository Resolution - Patty Blankenship] PATTY IS HERE, IF ANYONE WISHES TO SPEAK ON THAT, OR DO YOU WISH TO PRESENT? >> THIS IS JUST STANDARD PROCEDURE TO SET THE BANK DEPOSITORIES FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE '24 FISCAL YEAR. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DESIGNATION OF BANK DEPOSITORIES AS FOLLOWS TO COMPLY WITH THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF IOWA CODE SECTION 12 C? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> THERE'S A FIRST AND THERE'S A SECOND. THE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM RECORDED IN THE MINUTES WILL SATISFY THESE REQUIREMENTS. SECURITY NATIONAL BANKS, SAC CITY, IOWA FIVE MILLION, WELLS FARGO BANK, N/A, SAC CITY IOWA, 200 MILLION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? >> SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM I, FISCAL YEAR PPEL [X.I. FY26 PPEL Fund & Sales Tax Fund Budgets & the 5-year Capital Projects Plan –Patty Blankenship, Tim Paul & Chad Fengel] FUND AND SALES TAX FUND BUDGET AND THE FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PROJECT PLAN. [INAUDIBLE], IS IT TIM PAUL AND [INAUDIBLE]? >> IT'S ONLY A TWO-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN THIS YEAR, I'LL JUST POINT THAT OUT. [02:15:03] NORMALLY, WE DO FIVE YEARS. WE ARE DOING TWO THIS YEAR ON THE SALES TAX CAPITAL PROJECT FUND BECAUSE WE'RE DEVELOPING A MASTER PLAN. ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEN WE WILL GO BACK TO A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT WE COULD ONLY REALLY GO OUT TWO YEARS FOR THIS YEAR. I THINK THE EXACT SUM SAYS TWO-YEAR. >> THE EXACT SUM SAYS TWO YEARS, BUT THIS IS. [OVERLAPPING] WE HAVEN'T DONE IT YET. >> NO ONE MOVED OR SECONDED. >> PAGE 1 IS A PPEL FUND. THE PROCESS HERE IS I START WITH FY25 CERTIFIED BUDGET, AND THEN I RE-ESTIMATE THE FY25 REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES TO DEVELOP THE FY26 PROPOSED BUDGET. TOTAL PROPOSED REVENUES ARE ABOUT 1.2 MILLION. THAT'S USING, I THINK A 3% INCREASE IN VALUATIONS. THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES, ABOUT 1,348,000. THAT'S REALLY BROKEN INTO REALLY TWO CATEGORIES, INTO TWO FUNCTIONS. IF THE FIRST FUNCTION IS INSTRUCTION, THERE'S 75,000 THAT'S BUDGETED FOR EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES IN THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS, AND THEN TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE FOR 600,000, THAT'S OUR LIFE CYCLE PURCHASE. THEN THE OTHER 178,000 THEN IS IN PLANT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE. THAT'S JUST FOR TIM TO UPGRADE SOME OF THOSE LARGER EQUIPMENT. THEN STUDENT TRANSPORTATION, WE HAVE A BUDGET FOR THREE BUSES FOR 495,000. THERE'S ALMOST $1.4 MILLION IN TOTAL EXPENDITURES. THE NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE WOULD BE NEGATIVE ABOUT 100,000, AND THAT'S BRINGING THE PPEL FUND BALANCE DOWN TO ABOUT 500,000. I THINK THAT'S ABOUT THE LOWEST AS YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR PPEL FUND BALANCE. GOING INTO THE FUTURE, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS BUDGET A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. >> I BELIEVE WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WORDING ON ITEM I IN TWO PLACES. IT SHOULD READ, FISCAL YEAR, PPEL FUND AND SALES TAX FUND BUDGETED, AND THE TWO-YEAR CAPITAL PROJECT PLAN ON THE INITIAL AND THEN DOWN BELOW DURING THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT. DO WE NEED A MOTION TO CHANGE THAT? >> WE'RE JUST ACKNOWLEDGING IT, WE'RE NOT MAKING A MOTION. THIS IS NOT A MOTION TO APPROVE, WE'RE ONLY ACKNOWLEDGING IT, SO I THINK WORD OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR THE CHANGE WOULD SUFFICE. >> WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE BUDGET. >> I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF WE NEEDED TO CHANGE THE WORDING ON THOSE. >> IT WAS GOOD TO CLARIFY THOUGH. >> BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS? >> WE GOT TO DO THE SALES TAX FUND, SORRY. [LAUGHTER] >> SALES TAX FUND. GET IT ALL IN THERE. >> I'LL BE FAST. SAME PROCESS, FY25 CERTIFIED BUDGET, TO RE-ESTIMATE IT AND THEN 26, PROPOSE. I'VE PROPOSED ALMOST $20 MILLION IN THE SALES TAX REVENUE. THAT'S BASICALLY THE SAME AMOUNT AS WHAT THE STATE HAS ESTIMATED OUR COLLECTIONS WILL BE IN FY25. THEY SEND OUT AN ESTIMATE LETTER IN AUGUST, SO I RECEIVED THE LETTER IN AUGUST OF '24 THAT ESTIMATED ABOUT 20 MILLION, 19.9 MILLION IN SALES TAX REVENUE. THAT WAS INCREASED FROM WHEN WE CERTIFIED THE BUDGET, WE WERE USING 18.3. IT HAS INCREASED IN 19.9, BUT I DID NOT DO A 2% OR 3% INCREASE IN THOSE REVENUES, I LEFT THEM AT 19.9. THE TOTAL BUDGETED EXPENDITURES ARE ABOUT 24.8 MILLION. THIS WOULD BE A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 4.8 MILLION. WE HAVE A LARGE BOND PAYMENT DUE IN FY26, WHICH IS CAUSING THAT DECREASE IN THE FUND BALANCE, BUT WE'D STILL HAVE $29 MILLION LEFT IN THE FUND BALANCE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT PAGE IS THE DETAIL OF THOSE SALES TAX FUND EXPENDITURES, THIS IS ALWAYS PRESENTED BY FUNCTION BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE BUDGET, AND THAT'S HOW THE STATE REQUIRES OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS TO BE. BUT YOU CAN SEE THE DETAIL. MOST OF THESE CATEGORIES ARE VERY SIMILAR FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. THIS IS FOR OUR CLASSROOM, FURNITURE OF 205,000, MUSIC INSTRUMENTS OF 25,000. WE HAVE A COPIER LEASE OF 100,000 AND TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE. THIS IS AGAIN, THAT LIFE-CYCLE UPDATE PURCHASE OF 500,000. ALSO IN STADIUM, 58,000 LEASE PAYMENT, [02:20:01] AND ONM HAS A CONTINGENCY SPENDING AUTHORITY ASSISTANCE, REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE OF 100,000. WHAT WE CALL THE SPENDING AUTHORITY ASSISTANCE IS ABOUT 1.1 MILLION. WHY IT'S CALLED THAT IS BECAUSE THESE ARE THINGS THAT COULD BE PAID OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE'RE CHOOSING TO PAY THEM OUT OF SALES TAX FUND TO RELIEVE THE GENERAL FUND OF THAT EXPENSE, SO TO KEEP ITS SPENDING AUTHORITY. THE OTHER PART IS ON FACILITIES, ACQUISITIONS, AND CONSTRUCTION. THAT'S A $2.4 MILLION NUMBER, AND THE DETAIL OF THAT IS ON THE NEXT PAGE. THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT TIM HAS DEVELOPED FOR FY27, AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN FY26. THE FY26 NUMBER OF ALMOST 2.5 MILLION, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE I THINK TIM IS CARRYING OVER SOME MONEY FROM '25, ABOUT MAYBE $0.5 MILLION. IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S ONLY SPENDING ABOUT A MILLION IN '25, SO THAT 500,000, I THINK IT IS CARRIED OVER IN THE ELEVATOR PROJECT, WHICH MAKES IT ABOUT 2 MILLION, AND THE REST OF THE ADDITIONAL MONEY IS IN THE POOL REPAIRS BETWEEN NORTH HIGH AND WEST HIGH. A PORTION OF THAT WAS PAID BY A CONTRIBUTION, BUT I STILL NEED TO BUDGET FOR THE EXPENDITURES. THEN THE FY27 PROJECTS ARE LISTED THERE. THAT IS AN INCREASE OF 500,000. IN THE PAST HISTORY, IT HAS BEEN 1.5 MILLION, BUT TIM IS ASKING FOR AN INCREASE OF 500,000 TO GET THAT BUDGET UP TO 2 MILLION. THEN IN THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS, WE'LL BE WORKING OFF OF MORE OF A LONG TERM MASTER PLAN FACILITIES PLAN. THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACKNOWLEDGE THE PPEL AND SALES TAX BUDGETS. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, BOARD? ANY CITIZENS INPUT? >> NO. >> THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PPEL FUND BUDGET AND SALES TAX FUND BUDGET, AND THE TWO-YEAR PLAN FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. IMJ EV BUS AND PURCHASE. [X.J. EV Bus and Purchase – Tim Paul] TIM IS HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT. TIM? >> BOARD MEMBERS, LAST MEETING, WE TABLED THIS CONVERSATION SO THAT WE COULD GO BACK AND GET A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION FROM THE EPA. WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE EPA AND ASKED TWO REAL QUESTIONS. WHAT DO THEY THINK THE FUNDING AVAILABILITY IS GOING TO BE LIKE? OF COURSE, THEY STILL ARE TELLING US THAT IT'S A ROCK SOLID FUNDING. IT'S UNPRECEDENTED THAT THAT WOULD EVER BE REMOVED. IT'S A VERBAL GUARANTEE, THEY WILL NOT GIVE US A WRITTEN GUARANTEE. WE SOUGHT OUT LEGAL COUNSEL AS WELL TO REVIEW THE CONTRACT AND GIVE US THEIR OPINION. I KNOW THAT MR. MILLER IS HERE TONIGHT, BUT DAN HAD SENT BACK HIS OPINION, WHICH FOLLOWS THE SECOND QUESTION WE ASKED THE EPA, IS CAN WE GO AHEAD AND ORDER THE BUSES, CREATE A PO, RECEIVE AN INVOICE RIGHT AWAY AND THEN DRAW DOWN FUNDS FROM THE EPA AND PAY FOR THOSE BUSES PRIOR TO DELIVERY? WE WOULD PLAN TO DO THAT ON BOTH THE CHARGERS AND THE BUSES. THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES, WE CAN DO THAT. MR. MOORE'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IF POSSIBLE, THAT WE DRAW THOSE FUNDS DOWN FROM THE EPA OR OBTAIN IN WRITING A UNCONDITIONAL COMMITMENT. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THAT UNCONDITIONAL COMMITMENT THAT THE FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IF WE WAITED, SO OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE GO AHEAD, AND WITH BOARD PERMISSION TONIGHT, IF YOU APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE BUSES, THAT WE WOULD SUBMIT THE PURCHASE ORDER, GET THE INVOICE RIGHT AWAY, AND THEN DRAW DOWN THOSE FUNDS FOR THE EV BUSES AND PAY FOR THEM RIGHT AWAY, AND THEN EXPECT A DELIVERY SOMETIME IN JULY OF '25. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE]. >> JUST TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, THIS BOARD MEMBER WOULD NEVER APPROVE ELECTRIC BUSES BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN AVERAGE BUS COST WITH THE CHARGES OF NEARLY $414,000. THERE IS NO WAY IN HECK WE COULD BUY THAT ON OUR OWN. IT'S OVER TWO TIMES A NORMAL DIESEL BUS. BUT SINCE THIS IS FREE MONEY, AND SUPPOSEDLY, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD THING AS FAR AS THE PO AND THE REFUND, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT. BUT JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, WITHOUT THE FREE BUSES, THIS MAKES NO ECONOMIC SENSE WHATSOEVER, [02:25:02] SO THIS DISTRICT AND TAXPAYERS OF THIS DISTRICT, ASKING THEM TO PAY 2X THE PRICE OF A NORMAL BUS. >> DIRECTOR EHMCKE. >> TIM, AS YOU KNOW, YOU AND I'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION SINCE THE LAST OCCASION, TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE'S INFORMATION OUT THERE IN VARIOUS SOURCES, SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHERWISE, AND TALKED ABOUT HOW THESE BUSES CAN BE COLD BECAUSE, OF COURSE, YOU DON'T HAVE AN ENGINE IN GENERATING HEAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WAS RESEARCHED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR CONCLUSIONS ARE ABOUT WHETHER THERE WILL BE GOOD HEAT IN THESE BUSES FOR OUR SMALL CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE RIDING IN IT IN JANUARY? >> YES, GOOD QUESTION, DIRECTOR EHMCKE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR WHEN WE PUT THIS OUT FOR AN RFP WAS REFERENCES, AND WE RECEIVED SEVERAL REFERENCES FOR EACH VENDOR. WE WENT AND SPOKE WITH THOSE DISTRICTS THAT HAD PURCHASED THE INTERNATIONAL EV BUSES. THE TWO PRIMARY DISTRICTS THAT WE REACHED OUT TO WERE UPSTATE NEW YORK, AND UPPER MICHIGAN, I BELIEVE IT WAS ON THE UPPER PENINSULA, AND ASKED THEIR ADVICE ON THE TEMPERATURES. THEY DID ADMIT THAT ANYTIME THAT IT'S COLD OUTSIDE AND ESPECIALLY BELOW ZERO, THERE IS A DEGRADATION IN THE AMOUNT OF BATTERY LIFE, WHICH IS ABOUT 30% FROM THE FULL CHARGE IN THOSE COLD TEMPERATURES, BUT THEY HAD NO ISSUES WITH HEATING THE BUSES. THEY ACTUALLY SAID THAT THEY PERFORMED VERY WELL BECAUSE THE ELECTRIC BUSES COMPARED TO THE DIESEL BUSES ARE CONDITIONED PRIOR TO THEM LEAVING THE YARD, SO THE HEAT WILL BE RUNNING. THEY'LL BE UP TO TEMPERATURE BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE YARD. THEN I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE REALLY STRUGGLE IN THOSE SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES WITH OUR DIESEL BUSES AS WELL. THEY'RE NOT A WARM RIDE THAT EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE JUST BECAUSE THE DIESEL DOESN'T FUNCTION AT BELOW ZERO. WHEN IT GETS TOO COLD, 20 BELOW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT TRANSPORTING STUDENTS ON THOSE DAYS, JUST BECAUSE THE FUNCTION OF THE DIESEL BUSES IS IFFY. FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE BETWEEN THE TWO, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ELECTRIC BUS VERSUS THE DIESEL BUS, WE MANY TIMES WILL GO IN AT 4:00 A.M. OR EARLIER AND START THE DIESEL BUSES AND THEY JUST RUN ALL DAY ON THOSE SUPER COLD DAYS SO THAT WE DON'T RUN THE RISK OF LOSING THEM OR OR NOT BEING ABLE TO TRANSFER STUDENTS. FOR THE ELECTRIC BUSES, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE ONCE THEY COME BACK FROM THE ROUTE, WE'D PLUG THEM IN, THEY'D CONDITION THEMSELVES, AND WE'D BE READY TO GO FOR THE AFTERNOON ROUTE. >> I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BEEN A RESEARCH BY YOUR DEPARTMENT ON THE WHAT I'LL CALL THE RELIABILITY QUESTION, BECAUSE MAINTENANCE ON THESE AFTER WE RECEIVE THEM WILL BE OURS TO PAY. WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION ABOUT MAINTENANCE COSTS COMPARED TO THE MAINTENANCE COST OF EITHER DIESEL OR GASOLINE BUSES? >> THERE'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT TYPES OF REPAIRS WITH AN ELECTRIC BUS COMPARED TO A DIESEL BUS. THEY DO COME WITH AN EIGHT-YEAR WARRANTY. THEY ARE SERVICED RIGHT HERE IN SIOUX CITY. CORNHUSKER INTERNATIONAL WILL HAVE A TECH THAT WILL BE ABLE TO REPAIR THOSE. WE ALSO PLAN TO TRAIN ONE OF OUR MAINTENANCE MECHANICS THAT WORKS ON OUR FLEET. A LEVEL 1, I BELIEVE, IS WHAT THEY CALL IT, TO BE ABLE TO DO MINOR REPAIRS, AND HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE BATTERIES OR ANYTHING, BUT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SOME MINOR REPAIRS ON THOSE BUSES. BUT IN COMPARISON FROM WHAT VENDORS HAVE INFLUENCED US ON AND TOLD US IS THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY LESS REPAIR BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE BRAKES. YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE MOVING PARTS, THERE'S NO OIL CHANGES. THERE'S A LOT LESS MOVING PARTS TO THE ELECTRIC BUSES COMPARED TO THE DIESEL, SO THEY'RE PROBABLY EITHER LESS OR EQUAL TO WHAT THAT WOULD BE ON A REGULAR TYPICAL BUS. THE BIGGEST COMPONENT TO THE FAILURE OF AN ELECTRIC BUS IS THE BATTERIES. LIKE I SAID, THOSE ARE COVERED ON AN EIGHT-YEAR WARRANTY, AND THAT WARRANTY AT THE END OF EIGHT YEARS, GUARANTEES THAT THOSE BATTERIES WILL STILL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN AN 80% CHARGE. >> ONE MORE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, QUESTION. GOING BACK TO THE MONEY. >> WE HAVE AN ORAL PROMISE, BUT THEY WON'T WRITE IT DOWN THAT THE MONEY IS THERE. IF WE VOTE TO SIGN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT, DO YOU BELIEVE WE'D HAVE THE MONEY BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER? >> WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM INTERNATIONAL, AS WE'VE BEEN RUFFLING A LOT OF FEATHERS WITH THESE QUESTIONS, MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, [02:30:01] AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION, AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO STRIVE FOR IF YOU APPROVE TONIGHT IS TO HAVE THESE. WE'LL GET THE INVOICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE'LL CUT THE APO TOMORROW, GET THE INVOICE, AND WE WILL HAVE THESE FUNDS SPENT BY THE END OF 2024. WE HAVE FIVE DAYS FROM THE TIME WE SUBMIT. WE SUBMIT THE INVOICE, WE GET THE FUNDS, WE ARE UNDER THE CONTRACT WITH THE EPA. WE HAVE FIVE DAYS TO GET THOSE FUNDS SPENT SO THAT WE DON'T HOLD ONTO THEM. [NOISE] EXCUSE ME. WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE CUT BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> DIRECTOR MEYERS. >> JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE BUSES THAT WE HAVE NOW, WHAT IS THEIR CURRENT REPLACEMENT CYCLE? >> WE HAVE OVER 60 BUSES. THE CURRENT REPLACEMENT CYCLE IS THREE BUSES A YEAR, IS WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE SO ABOUT 20 YEARS PER BUS. >> WHAT'S THE OPTIMAL CYCLE FOR BUSES? >> TWELVE YEARS. >> DOES GETTING THESE BUSES THEN REFLECT AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST THAT REPLACEMENT CYCLE? >> I THINK WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO IS GET A LOT OF THE OLD BUSES THAT WE HAVE IN THE FLEET RIGHT NOW OUT AND THE NEW ONES IN, AND WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS IN THE FUTURE HOW WE WANT TO LOOK AT REPLACING THE EV BUSES IF WE WANT TO LET THEM THEIR CYCLE AND THEN PUNT OR WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THAT. >> I WAS THINKING OF A FOOTBALL GAME I WATCHED YESTERDAY, BUT ANYHOW, THAT'S HELPFUL. THE ONLY OTHER THING, ON A MATTER OF CLARIFICATION, YOU SAID THAT THESE BUSES DON'T HAVE BRAKES, THEY USE GENERATORS INSTEAD, I BELIEVE. >> THEY DO HAVE BRAKES, BUT THEY ALSO USE THE ELECTRIC MOTORS, WHICH IS A BENEFIT FOR US THAT WE LIVE IN A CITY WITH A LOT OF HILLS. EVERY TIME THAT THOSE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY ACTUALLY CHARGE BACK TO THE BATTERIES, AND IT'LL ACTUALLY BE A BENEFIT FOR US LIVING IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO CHARGE OUR BUSES AS WE DRIVE, COMPARED TO FLAT DISTANCES. >> THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE BRAKES, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] >> ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BID FROM HOGLUND BUS COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,685,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF 15 INTERNATIONAL EV BUSES WITH AC? >> PRESIDENT GEORGE, JUST FOR THAT NUMBER, IT'S $5,865,000, FOR THE MOTION. >> WHAT DID I SAY? >> I THINK YOU SAID YOU SAID 685. >> I DIDN'T HEAR. >> WHAT DID I SAY? >> I THINK YOU SAID 5,685,000. >> FIVE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE PURCHASE OF 15 INTERNATIONAL EV BUSES WITH AC. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> [OVERLAPPING] AYE. >> ALL OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. EV CHARGING STATION. [X.K. EV Charging Stations – Tim Paul] TIM, WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK TO THIS WHILE YOU'RE THERE. >> SAME PROCESS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WITH THE BUSES, IS THAT WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND ORDER THESE RIGHT AWAY, GET OUR INVOICE, AND THEN PAY FOR THOSE SO THAT WE CAN DRAW THOSE FUNDS DOWN. THERE IS ONLY ONE BID THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT. THIS WAS PURCHASED THROUGH ONE OF OUR STATE-APPROVED CONTRACTS SO YOU'LL SEE IT'S A SOURCEWELL CONTRACT NUMBER THROUGH INCHARGE. THIS IS ALSO THE CHARGING THAT INTERNATIONAL RECOMMENDS WORKS WELL WITH THEIR BUSES. WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND PROCURE THESE. THESE WERE, I BELIEVE, WHAT DID YOU SAY, DOUG? A 12-WEEK LEAD TIME THAT WE WOULD GET THOSE IN? >> TEN TO TWELVE. >> TEN TO TWELVE WEEKS, SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE PRIOR TO THE BUSES BUT ALSO HAVE THEM IN TIME FOR THE PROJECT WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES WOULD GO, AND THEN THEY'D INSTALL THESE AS WELL. >> JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE. >> WHERE ARE THE BUSES? [LAUGHTER] >> PUT THIS DOWN. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CHARGING STATIONS. >> I WANT TO SEE US VOTE KNOWING THIS. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY. [LAUGHTER] >> THEY DON'T RUN ON DURACELL, SIR. >> I THINK YOU COULD CHARGE THEM WITH 110 BUT IT'D PROBABLY BE A 100-DAY CHARGE CYCLE TO GET THEM. >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO APPLY THAT WE WOULD BE [INAUDIBLE] AGAIN FROM PPEL AND WOULD NOT BE FROM THE GENERAL FUND AFFECTING WHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR TEACHERS IN THE PROGRAM. >> RIGHT. THIS IS COMING OUT OF PPEL. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BID FROM INCHARGE ENERGY IN THE AMOUNT OF [02:35:03] $340,649 FOR THE PURCHASING OF 15 EV CHARGING STATIONS? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> [OVERLAPPING] AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. THE MOTION PASSES. WE ARE NOW ITEM L, [X.L. Benchmark Education – Dr. Mandi Bradford] BENCHMARK EDUCATION, DR. BRADFORD. SHE'S HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM IF ANYONE WISHES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ELL BENCHMARK EXPRESS AND HELLO! INTERVENTION CONSUMABLE WORKBOOKS, AN ONLINE TEACHER DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION FOR A CONTRACTED TWO-YEAR PERIOD, 2025-2026, 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEARS FOR ALL K-5 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $303,124.79 WITH $250,000 OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT FUNDED BY THE TITLE 3 GRANT, AND THE REMAINING $53,124.79 FUNDED BY THE TITLE 1 GRANT. >> [OVERLAPPING] SO MOVED. >> DR. GEORGE, THAT'S BACKWARDS. IT'D BE 250,000 OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT FUNDED BY THE TITLE 1 GRANT AND THE REMAINING 53,124.79 FUNDED BY THE TITLE 3 GRANT. >> I'D ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. >> ANGELICA, IS THAT READY? >> WE'RE ACCEPTING THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? >> YEAH, TO MAKE THAT CHANGE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> IT'S WRITTEN IN BACKWARDS, 250,000 BY TITLE 3 AND $53,124.79 FUNDED BY TITLE 1. >> I THINK THAT'S INCORRECT. I DON'T THINK IT WAS TO CARRY OVER FUNDS THAT YOU WERE USING FROM TITLE 4 [INAUDIBLE]. >> DIRECTOR GREENWELL. >> IS IT POSSIBLE, SINCE IT'S UNCERTAIN AT THIS MOMENT, TO SAY IT SHALL BE PAID OUT OF EITHER THE TITLE 3 OR THE TITLE 1? WITH SOME COMBINATION THEREOF? >> EITHER EITHER OR AND, ONE OR THE OTHER. >> A COMBINATION OF TITLE 3 AND TITLE 1 FUNDS? >> WHY DON'T WE SAY THAT, AND THAT COVERS A LOT OF GROUND AND IF IT'S OKAY WITH LANCE, IT GETS US CLOSER TO WATCHING FOOTBALL. [LAUGHTER] >> YOU MIGHT WANT TO WITHDRAW THE MOTION. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY. >> WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? [BACKGROUND] >> WE'VE GOT A NEW MOTION AGAIN, MOVED AND SECONDED. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D WITHDRAW THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND IN ITS PLACE, MOVE, I'VE GOT TO GET IT RIGHT, THAT THE DISTRICT APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE ELL BENCHMARK EXPRESS AND HELLO! INTERVENTION CONSUMABLES WORKBOOKS, AND ONLINE TEACHER ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTION FOR A REQUIRED TWO-YEAR PERIOD, THAT'S 2025-2026 AND 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEARS FOR ALL K-5 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $303,124.79 FROM EITHER AND OR THE TITLE 1 GRANT OR THE TITLE 3 GRANT. >> SECOND. >> DID SOMEBODY SECOND BEFORE? >> IF IT WERE WITHDRAWN, THERE WAS A SECOND. >> WHO? >> WHO'S DAN? >> IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ME. [OVERLAPPING] I WITHDRAW. >> DO WE NEED TO REDO? >> NO. WE ALREADY MADE A MOTION, NOW WE NEED A SECOND. >> SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> [OVERLAPPING] AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. WE'RE IN ITEM M, FOLLETT. [X.M. Follett - Chad Fengel] CHAD FENGEL, HE IS HERE TO SPEAK ON THE AGENDA ITEM IF ANYONE WISHES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PAYMENT OF SOFTWARE LICENSING FOR FOLLETT LIBRARY AND INVENTORY SOFTWARE FOR $54,169.50? [02:40:01] >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> [OVERLAPPING] AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM N, [X.N. Contract for Board Approval - Amy Denney] CONTRACT FOR BOARD APPROVAL. AMY DENNEY. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING AND ACTIVITIES FOR A TOTAL COST OF $2,500? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> [OVERLAPPING] AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM O, FACILITY RENTAL CONTRACT, [X.O. Facility Rental Agreement – Jim Vanderloo/ Jarod Mozer] JIM VANDALOO AND JAROD MOZER. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE THE FACILITY RENTAL CONTRACTS? >> SO MOVED. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, BOARD MEMBERS? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> [OVERLAPPING] AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. WE'RE TO THAT POINT OF ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS. [XI.A. Election of Board President / Oath of Office – Board Secretary Heilman] THE FIRST ONE UP IS ELECTION OF BOARD PRESIDENT, OATH OF OFFICE, AND I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO BOARD SECRETARY, SEANICE HEILMAN. >> BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS FOR THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM OR UNTIL THE NEXT ANNUAL MEETING. NOMINATIONS WILL BE TAKEN FIRST FOR THE OFFICE OF BOARD PRESIDENT. NOMINATIONS NEED NOT BE SECONDED. WHEN NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED, EACH NOMINEE WILL BE OFFERED THE CHANCE TO READ THEIR STATEMENT OF INTEREST AFTER WHICH VOTING WILL COMMENCE. IF NO NOMINEE RECEIVES THE REQUIRED MAJORITY VOTE, A MAJORITY OF THOSE PRESIDENT VOTING, THE BOARD WILL VOTE AGAIN. NOMINEES MAY REMOVE THEIR NAME AT ANY TIME DURING THE PROCESS. THE SAME PROCEDURE IS THEN FOLLOWED FOR THE ELECTION OF VICE PRESIDENT. ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT? >> I WILL NOMINATE DIRECTOR GEORGE. >> FOR THE RECORD, DIRECTOR MEYERS DID NOMINATE DIRECTOR GEORGE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? DIRECTOR MEYERS, YOU HAVE ELECTED DIRECTOR JAN GEORGE FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT. I NOW DECLARE NOMINATIONS CLOSED. >> NOMINATED. YOU SAID ELECTED. >> SORRY, NOMINATIONS. YOU'RE JUST NOMINATED AT THIS POINT. NOW YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ YOUR STATEMENT OF INTEREST. >> MY STATEMENT IS PART OF THE BOARD PACKET, SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT ALL. I THINK SOME GOOD THINGS I'VE DONE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD THINGS I'VE DONE SINCE I'VE BEEN BOARD PRESIDENT. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, I'VE BEEN A LEADER AND SUPPORTER OF TASK FORCE THAT ADDRESS SPECIAL ED, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, AND DISCIPLINE REFORM WHILE SUPPORTING REINTRODUCTION OF READING CURRICULUM AND THE TEAMING CONCEPT BACK INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. AS DATA IS COLLECTED, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IS TRENDING UPWARDS, BEHAVIORS ARE IMPROVING, AS WELL AS SCHOOL CULTURE. THE WORK IS NOT DONE. AS A BOARD, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THIS GREAT DISTRICT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON, STUDENT WELL-BEING. I THINK THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENT AND STAFF IS PARAMOUNT AND ALWAYS OUT FRONT. HAVING BEEN A TEACHER FOR 30-PLUS YEARS, I KNOW SOME DAYS IT CAN BE PRETTY DAUNTING. TEACHER SUPPORT RETENTION. OUR EDUCATORS ARE AT THE HEART OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THEY DESERVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO THRIVE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE INITIATIVES THAT IMPROVE TEACHER RETENTION, PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ENSURE TEACHERS ARE RECOGNIZED AND VALUED FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THEY DO. I THINK FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY STANDS FOR ITSELF. I THINK WE NEED TO PUSH FOR SOME TYPE OF NEWCOMER EDUCATION. I'M GOING TO DROP THE WORD CENTER OFF IT BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE A HOT TOPIC. BUT THE REALITY IS, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO POSSIBLY AFFECT STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR DISTRICT, AND THEY NEED THE SUPPORT. I ALSO BELIEVE AS WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE WRITING OUR PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT, OUR STRATEGIC GOALS, I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE DOING THAT AS WELL. I HOPE TO HAVE ALL YOUR VOTES, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. BUT I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS FOR THE JOB YOU GUYS DO. YOU GUYS ARE A GREAT TEAM. [02:45:02] >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR GEORGE. BOARD POLICY 201.1 INDICATES THAT A BALLOT VOTE WILL BE USED UNLESS THE BOARD DETERMINES TO VOTE BY ROLL CALL OR BY VOICE VOTE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR A ROLL CALL OR VOICE VOTE? IF NONE, I WILL DEFAULT TO A PAPER BALLOT. >> I'D MAKE A MOTION FOR A VOICE VOTE. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF DOING A ROLL CALL VOTE, WHICH IS A ROLL CALL VOICE VOTE, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> A VOICE VOTE OR A ROLL CALL VOTE. >> THERE'S A FIRST AND A SECOND TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON YOU GUYS DOING A ROLL CALL VOTE. >> IT WAS FOR A VOICE VOTE. >> IT'S THE SAME THING. I'LL READ THE ROLL CALL AND YOU BASICALLY WILL SAY YOUR NAME, OR YOU WILL BASICALLY SAY AYE OR NAY TO DOING A VOICE VOTE. WE NEED AYE IF EVERYBODY CLEAR, IS YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE ON DOING A ROLL CALL VOTE. >> I'LL JUST POINT TO CLARIFICATION. THIS IS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO KNOW HOW YOU VOTE. DO YOU JUST A VOICE VOTE [OVERLAPPING] DISTINGUISHABLE SO THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHO YOU VOTED FOR OR DID NOT VOTE FOR? >> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING [INAUDIBLE] >> YEAH. I WANT TO HAVE A VOICE VOTE. >> THE MOTION WAS FOR A VOICE VOTE. WE HAVE TO. >> FOR THE ACTUAL [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE SAYING. [BACKGROUND] >> [INAUDIBLE] FOR YOUR PATIENT. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN. WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND TO DO A VOICE VOTE, WHICH I ALSO CLARIFY AS A ROLL CALL VOTE SO WE NEED EVERYBODY TO SAY AYE IN ORDER TO DO THE VOICE VOTE, AND THEN WE WILL VOTE BY A ROLL CALL. I WILL SAY YOUR NAMES AND YOU WILL VOTE ALOUD, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. >> AS OPPOSED TO DOING BY BALLOT. >> YES. SO IF ALL BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF DOING A VOICE VOTE, PLEASE SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL OF THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. >> NAY. >> SIX TO ONE. WE'RE NOW GOING TO DO A VOICE VOTE. I WILL SAY YOUR NAME. THIS IS FOR ELECTING DIRECTOR GEORGE AS BOARD PRESIDENT. SAY AYE, IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR, NAY, IF YOU ARE. MR. EHMCKE. >> AYE. >> MR. GEORGE. >> AYE. >> MR. GREENWELL? >> AYE. >> MS. LEE. >> AYE. >> MR. MEYERS? >> AYE. >> MR. MICHAELSON? >> AYE. >> MR. MILLER? >> NO. >> IT'S THE SIX TO ONE VOTE, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE THE MAJORITY VOTE. YOU CAN COME DOWN AND I WILL ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE TO YOU. PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA AND THAT YOU WILL FAITHFULLY AND IMPARTIALLY, TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE COUNTIES OF WOODBURY, PLYMOUTH, IOWA, AS NOW OR HEREAFTER REQUIRED BY LAW? >> YES. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. >> WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO THE ELECTION OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ONE YEAR TERM. [XI.B. Election of Board Vice-President / Oath of Office – Board President] NOMINATIONS WILL BE NOW TAKEN FOR THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT. NOMINATIONS NEED NOT BE SECONDED. NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED, EACH NOMINEE WILL BE OFFERED THE CHANCE TO READ THEIR STATEMENT OF INTEREST, AFTER WHICH VOTING WILL COMMENCE. IF NO NOMINEE RECEIVES THE REQUIRED MAJORITY VOTE, MAJORITY OF THOSE PRESENT PRESENT AND VOTING, [02:50:03] THE BOARD WILL VOTE AGAIN. NOMINEES MAY REMOVE THEIR NAME AT ANY TIME DURING THE PROCESS. ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT? >> I NOMINATE TREYLA LEE. >> ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? [APPLAUSE] DIRECTOR LEE HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT. I DECLARE THE NOMINATION CLOSED. DIRECTOR LEE WILL NOW READ HER STATEMENT OF INTEREST. >> WELL, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM HERE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD THE SUCCESS OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ADDITION TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OUR TEACHERS, OUR STUDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY. I GRACIOUSLY ACCEPT THE NOMINATION. >> BOARD POLICY 201.1 INDICATES THAT A BALLOT VOTE WILL BE USED UNLESS THE BOARD DETERMINES TO VOTE BY ROLL CALL OR VOICE VOTE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ROLL CALL OR VOICE VOTE? MAKE A MOTION FOR ROLL CALL VOTE. >> BY VOICE. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST IN A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> THAT PASSES. NOW LET'S GO ON TO THE VOICE VOTE. >> DIRECTOR EHMCKE. >> AYE. >> MR. GEORGE. >> AYE. >> MR. GREENWELL? >> YES. >> MS. LEE. >> YES. >> MR. MICHAELSON? >> AYE. >> MR. MEYERS? >> AYE. >> MR. MILLER. >> AYE. >> THE VOICE VOTE WAS 7-0. CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR LEE ON BECOMING THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD. PLEASE JOIN ME IN FRONT FOR THE OATH OF OFFICE. PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. DIRECTOR LEE, DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA, THAT YOU WILL FAITHFULLY AND PARTIALLY TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN THE SIOUX COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE COUNTIES, WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH, IOWA, AS NOW OR HEREAFTER REQUIRED BY LAW? CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] WE HAVE ELECTED THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT. SOME REMARKS BY THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT. [XI.C. Remarks from Newly Elected Board President and Vice-President] I WILL DEFER TO VICE PRESIDENT LEE IF SHE NEEDS TO SAY SOME MORE. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY. IT'S BEEN A LONG EVENING. LET'S WRAP THIS UP. >> I'VE GOT FOUR PAGES. >> NO. >> TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, TO THE ADMINISTRATION, TO THE COMMUNITY OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA, FRIENDS AND FOES, I SUPPOSE I COULD SAY, TODAY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A POWERFUL CONCEPT THAT UNDERMINES OUR ABILITY TO THRIVE AS INDIVIDUALS AS A COMMUNITY. IT'S FINDING CONSENSUS, WORKING TOGETHER, OWNING OUR OWN ACTIONS. IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN FEELS DIVIDED, THE ABILITY TO COME TOGETHER AND FIND COMMON GROUND IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. CONSENSUS ISN'T ABOUT EVERYONE AGREEING ON EVERYTHING, RATHER, IT'S ABOUT LISTENING TO DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND STRIVING FOR A SHARED UNDERSTANDING. WHEN WE TAKE THE TIME TO ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER, WE BUILD BRIDGES THAT FOSTER COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION, [02:55:02] EACH VOICE MATTERS, AND WHEN WE RESPECT THIS, WE CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF IDEAS THAT ENRICHES OUR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCES. WORKING TOGETHER IS A NATURAL EXTENSION OF FINDING CONSENSUS. TEAMWORK IS NOT JUST ABOUT POOLING RESOURCES, IT'S ABOUT HARNESSING THE UNIQUE STRENGTH IN EACH OF US BRINGS TO THE TABLE, AND WE HAVE A GREAT BUNCH OF TEAM MEMBERS HERE. WHEN WE COLLABORATE, WE EMPOWER ONE ANOTHER. WHEN WE OVERCOME CHALLENGES THAT MIGHT SEEM INSURMOUNTABLE WHEN FACED ALONE, BY FOCUSING ON OUR SHARED GOALS, WE CAN CREATE SOLUTIONS THAT REFLECT THE BEST OF OUR CONTRIBUTIONS. IMAGINE THE INCREDIBLE OUTCOMES WE CAN ACHIEVE WHEN WE UNITE OUR EFFORT AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN OUR ENDEAVORS. HOWEVER, COLLABORATION REQUIRES MORE THAN JUST COMING TOGETHER. IT DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY, OWNING OUR ACTIONS. EACH OF US PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR SHARED MISSION. WHEN WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR CHOICES AND WORDS, WE DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY, BUILD TRUST WITHIN OUR TEAMS, ACKNOWLEDGING OUR MISTAKES, AND LEARNING FROM THEM ENABLES US TO GROW BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY. THIS OWNERSHIP FOSTERS A CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS VALUED AND EMPOWERED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREATER GOOD. IN CONCLUSION, LET US EMBRACE THE CHALLENGES OF FINDING CONSENSUS BY VALUING EACH OTHER'S PERSPECTIVE. LET'S COMMIT TO WORKING TOGETHER. RECOGNIZING OUR COMBINED EFFORTS CAN LEAD TO EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS. FINALLY, LET OUR OWN ACTIONS, CULTIVATING THE ENVIRONMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY INTERESTS, TOGETHER, WE CAN CREATE A BRIGHTER AND MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE FOR THIS GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, [XII. Board Committee Assignments - Board President] YOU WERE ALL PRESENTED WITH A FORM OF COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. BEFORE LEAVING, MAKE SURE YOU TURN THEM IN TO SEANICE, SO WE CAN GET GOING ON THAT. IT SAYS, LET ME START AGAIN, APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBERS TO THE SIOUX CITY CONFERENCE BOARD PRESIDENT. [XIII. Appointment of Board Members to Sioux City Conference Board - Board President] BOARD MEMBERS, THERE ARE TWO VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE AS THE VOTING MEMBER OF THE SIOUX CITY CONFERENCE BOARD UNTIL THE NEXT ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IS THERE A MOTION FOUR WHO'S WILLING TO SERVE? WHO'S ON IT NOW? JOHN AND LANCE? IS THERE A MOTION FOR LANCE AND JOHN TO SERVE AS THE VOTING MEMBERS ON THE SIOUX CITY CONFERENCE BOARD UNTIL THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS? >> LET'S MAKE [OVERLAPPING]. >> LANCE. >> YES, LANCE. >> LET'S BACK UP, EARL. HEY, JOHN, I'D LIKE TO GET THEM BOTH ON THERE BECAUSE THEY DO IT TO ME. >> I THINK I JUST MADE A MOTION THAT IT'S LANCE AND JOHN. >> WHO WOULD LIKE TO SECOND. >> I SECOND. >> TO WHICH ONE? >> LANCE AND JOHN. >> LANCE AND JOHN, WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK LANCE AND JOHN WILL MAKE A GREAT TEAM. I REALLY DO. WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING ON THE SIOUX CONFERENCE BOARD, I THINK YOU GUYS MEAN. >> AS CALLED. >> AS CALLED. THAT WAS PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR TIMES LAST YEAR AT THE MOST? >> SEVENTEEN. >> LET'S GO. SEANICE, IS THERE CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF LANCE AND JOHN, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY. MOTION PASSES. OH, WE HAD A NAY. JOHN DID VOTE NAY. ITEM 14, APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBER TO WOODBURY COUNTY CONFERENCE BOARD, PRESENT. [XIV. Appointment of Board Member to Woodbury County Conference - Board President] BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY BOARD MEMBER THAT WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE WOODBURY COUNTY CONFERENCE BOARD UNTIL THE NEXT ANNUAL MEETING OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS? NO ONE WANTS SIOUX CONFERENCE BOARD? >> YES. >> OKAY. >> I'VE DONE IT. I'LL DO IT AGAIN IF UNLESS THERE'S OTHER VOLUNTEERS THAT WOULD RATHER STEP FORWARD. >> IS THERE A MOTION? >> LANCE JUST SAID, YES, SO YOU HAVE YOUR TWO. [LAUGHTER] >> WE HAVE JUST JUMPED AHEAD OF IT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT JOHN TO SERVE ON THE WOODBURY COUNTY CONFERENCE BOARD UNTIL THE NEXT. SO MOVE. >> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. [03:00:01] >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURNMENT? >> SO MOVED. >> WE HAVE A FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. WE ADJOURN. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.