Feb 14, 2022 Board of Directors

[00:00:05]

OK, MY CLOCK TICKED OVER TO THE SIX O'CLOCK, SO I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MONDAY, FEBRUARY

[1. Call to Order]

AND WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE COME TONIGHT, THE CITIZENS.

WE HOPE TO GET TO COMMENTS IN NOT TOO LONG.

WE HAD A THREE WEEK BREAK, SO WE'VE GOT A FEW EXTRA THINGS TO DISCUSS HERE AT THE BUSINESS PART OF THE MEETING, BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL GO WELL.

THANK THE STAFF AND PRESENTERS WHO WILL SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE BOARD AND HELP US MAKE DECISIONS AND WITH THAT RICARDO WILL HELP US LEAD THE FLAG SALUTE.

[2. Pledge of Allegiance]

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

NEXT UP IS ROLL CALL.

[3. Roll Call]

HERE.

VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT 5 JACKIE MADDUX.

HERE. DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT 1 MARY SNITILY.

HERE. DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT 2 ROB HENRIKSON.

HE DOES HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE THIS EVENING.

DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT THREE TED CHAMPINE.

HERE. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE SYDNEY CORDON.

HERE. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE RICARDO MARTIN DEL CAMPO.

HERE. MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

GREAT.

DIRECTOR, HENRIKSON, CALLED ME THIS AFTERNOON SAID HE WAS FEELING ON THE ILL SIDE AND DIDN'T WANT TO RISK BRINGING THAT INTO THE MEETING.

SO I SAID, ABSOLUTELY, KEEP US ALL SAFE.

IF I COULD GET A MOTION TO EXCUSE HIS ABSENCE.

MR. PRESIDENT, I'LL MOVE THAT WE EXCUSE DIRECTOR HENRIKSON FROM THE MEETING TODAY ON FEBRUARY 14TH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S BEEN MOVED TO ACCEPT THE EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR DIRECTOR HENRIKSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.

IF I TRY TO GET AWAY WITH SAYING FIVE TO ZERO SOMETIME TONIGHT, HELP ME OUT.

[LAUGHTER] AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT AT FOUR OR WHICHEVER NUMBER IT IS.

OK, NEXT UP IS OUR AGENDA APPROVAL.

[4. Agenda Approval]

WE'VE GOT COMMUNICATIONS.

WE'VE GOT ASB REPRESENTATIVE HERE TONIGHT.

WE HAVE OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS AND DIRECTOR REPORTS FROM THE BOARD.

THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF UPDATES.

WE'LL GET TO OUR CITIZENS COMMENTS WE HAVE FOUR CITIZENS ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT FOR COMMENTS. OUR CONSENT AGENDA, HAS ITEMS A THROUGH K.

I'LL READ THOSE WHEN WE GET TO IT.

NO OLD BUSINESS, NEW BUSINESS.

WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND BOARD EVENTS. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR REVISIONS TO THE AGENDA.

IF NOT, I COULD GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY 14, 2022.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES 4 TO 0 AGENDA IS APPROVED.

FIRST UP, WE HAVE SOME WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION.

[5. Recognition]

I THINK I'M REALLY MOVED TO HAVE THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING THESE AWARDS TODAY, MOSTLY BECAUSE THE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE RECEIVING THESE AWARDS HAVE MEANT SO MUCH TO ME, BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY, AND THEIR SERVICE TO THIS DISTRICT IS CERTAINLY UNQUESTIONED.

EVERY YEAR, THE LEARN HERE REAL HEROES PROGRAM MADE UP OF BUSINESS LEADERS ACROSS CLARK COUNTY WHO APPRECIATE THE QUALITY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT CAN BE FOUND IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON, TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN.

LEARN HERE CALLS THEM REAL HEROES, AND THIS YEAR THEY RECOGNIZE TWO OF THE 2021

[00:05:08]

AND I'D LIKE TO CALL UP HERE IN JUST THIS.

YEAH, COME UP HERE NOW BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO BE SEEN ON CAMERA IF I COULD GET CATHY SHANNON AND MONTY ANDERSON TO COME UP.

[APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO READ HERE FOR JUST JUST A SECOND.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE WHOLE THING, BUT AGAIN, BOTH OF THESE BOTH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE MEANT AN THE WORLD TO ME.

I FIRST MET CATHY SHANNON WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE DISTRICT IN 2007.

I WAS A A YOUNG, A YOUNG.

I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER BEING YOUNG, [LAUGHTER] BUT I WAS A YOUNG ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL AND CATHY SHANNON WAS THE NURSE THERE.

AND FROM THE MOMENT I MET CATHY, I KNEW THAT THIS WAS A PERSON THAT NO ONE I WAS GOING TO GET ALONG WITH, AND NUMBER TWO WAS GOING TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN KIDS LIVES.

AND I'VE WATCHED HER DO THAT.

I'VE WATCHED HER DO THAT FOR 15 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH THAT CATHY HAS COME DOWN TO DISTRICT OFFICE TO JOIN US DOWN THERE.

AND CATHY'S WORK DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING.

I ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY STRESSFUL.

IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT.

IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING.

IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HARD.

BUT SHE HAS GIVEN HER ALL TO US AND TO THE KIDS THAT WE SERVE AND HAS MADE QUITE THE DIFFERENCE. I WAS FORTUNATE TO GET TO KNOW MONTY FIRST, WHEN AGAIN, BACK IN THOSE DAYS WHERE I WAS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL, I USED TO HAVE THE HONOR EVERY YEAR OF GOING UP TO AMBOY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PARTICIPATING IN THEIR GRADUATION.

AND SEVERAL OF THE YEARS WAS THAT I WAS THERE MONTY WAS ALSO A NEW BOARD MEMBER AT THE TIME AND MONTY AND I WOULD SIT UP ON THE STAGE AND GET A CHANCE TO TALK.

AND I KNEW THEN HOW MUCH HE CARED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND ABOUT, AGAIN, THE KIDS.

AND THEN I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH DURING MY TIME AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL SERVICES AND AS THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MONTY.

AND I SAW WHAT HE DID FOR THIS DISTRICT IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP AND REALLY SETTING US UP WELL FOR THE FUTURE.

WHEN I TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE PRIDE I HAVE IN THE INITIATIVES OUR LEARNING INITIATIVES, THE CONSISTENCY THAT WE'VE BROUGHT TO OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, THE STRONG FINANCIAL SHAPE THAT WE ARE IN AS A DISTRICT, MUCH OF IT GOES BACK TO THAT MAN RIGHT THERE. SO IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I GET TO AWARD TO THEM EACH.

SO HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING.

YOU'RE GETTING A CRYSTAL PLAQUE.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL. YOU'RE ALSO GETTING SOME OF THE PROGRAM MATERIALS.

AND INSIDE THIS PACKET IS ALSO A $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR A CELEBRATORY LUNCH OR DINNER AT THE BEACHES RESTAURANT BAR IN VANCOUVER.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR ALL OF US HERE AND FOR ALL OF US IN THE DISTRICT, IT'S NICE THAT LEARN HERE RECOGNIZE THE TWO OF YOU AS REAL HEROES.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN REAL HEROES TO US HERE, AND WE THANK YOU VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.

THANK YOU, GUYS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU YEAH. SHOW THEM YOUR PLAQUE.

IT'S HEAVY. I KNOW, IT'S A CRYSTAL PLAQUE.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL THANK YOU, GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THANK YOU. THE BOARD REALLY APPRECIATES THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THIS THAT IN ADDITION TO OUR OWN SCHOOL DISTRICT, HELP RECOGNIZE PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

[00:10:01]

LOTS OF NAMES I RECOGNIZE, WHICH IS COOL.

THANK YOU BOARD FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.

YOU BET. OK, THE NEXT IS OUR COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE BOARD, AND WE

[6. Communications]

DID I GET THAT RIGHT? YEAH, COME ON UP. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU GOT GOING WITH PRAIRIE ASB. HELLO.

SO I'M TAYLIN [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M THE JUNIOR CLASS PRESIDENT AT PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL.

YEAH, THAT'S ME.

I'M RICARDO'S FRIEND SO HE ASKED ME TO COME TODAY.

[LAUGHTER] SO I HAVE A LIST OF SOME RECENT EVENTS THAT WE'VE PUT ON OUR SCHOOL, STARTING WITH ARTIST OF THE MONTH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO BEFORE.

BUT IT'S NEVER REALLY PICKED UP, AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN AT PRAIRIE, WHERE WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT TYPES OF ARTISTS, WHICH BEING A SHORT MONTH AND ALSO THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME DOING IT IN A WHILE.

WE ONLY GOT THREE SUBMISSIONS, BUT WE'RE PLANNING ON CONTINUING TO DO IT BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE NOT JUST OUR ATHLETICS, BUT ALSO DIFFERENT ARTISTS AT OUR SCHOOL. SO THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID.

ALSO, WE'VE BEEN HOLDING MONTHLY STUDENT COUNCIL MEETINGS BECAUSE WE ALSO STRESSED THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOT JUST GET STUDENT INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE IN OUR CLASS, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD AT PRAIRIE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY IS BEING RECOGNIZED IN OUR DECISIONS. SO WE'VE BEEN ASKING THEM TO PRESENT IDEAS FOR THINGS LIKE ARTISTS OF THE MONTH, AS WELL AS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THEIR THOUGHTS ON DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING ON. WHICH LEADS ME TO MY NEXT THING, WHICH IS WE HELD A VALENTINE'S EVENT THIS PAST WEEK, WHICH WAS SWEET SURPRISES WHERE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO COME AND BUY LITTLE SURPRISES AND WRITE NOTES TO THEIR FRIENDS.

WE DID A SIMILAR EVENT DURING HALLOWEEN AND LIKE THE FALL SEASON, AND IT WAS A REALLY WELL-RECEIVED EVENT, SO WE KNEW THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY FOR OUR ASB CLASS, AS WELL AS DOING SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE AT OUR SCHOOL WOULD ENJOY.

AND LAST THING THAT I HAVE ON MY LIST IS INSPIRE WEEK, WHICH ISN'T AN ACTUAL ASB RUN EVENT, BUT WE DO TRY TO HELP OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY CLASSES AT OUR SCHOOL STARTED WITH MS. ROWE, WHERE JUST A WEEK WHERE WE TRY TO JUST LIKE SPREAD LOVE THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL. AND I THINK WE DO THEM TWICE A YEAR.

SO THIS WEEK IS OUR LATEST INSPIRE WEEK.

AND AS FAR AS WHAT ASB IS DOING FOR IT THIS TIME IS WE'RE WRITING NOTES, SAYING THANK YOU TO BUS DRIVERS. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT TODAY OR TOMORROW, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING IT TO THEM ON THURSDAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

I'M NOT TOO SURE IF WE'RE DOING ANYTHING ELSE THIS YEAR, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ALL RIGHT THANKS TAYLIN. I'M GLAD RICARDO TAPPED INTO YOU.

YOU CAN RETURN, THE FAVOR AND PASS IT TO THE NEXT PERSON AND TELL THEM THEY NEED TO COME AND TALK TO US. SO GREAT HEARING FROM YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES? YEAH, GO AHEAD. RICARDO.

SO I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE SINCE, LIKE DECEMBER, WHICH IS KIND OF CRAZY.

HOWEVER, THAT'S BECAUSE PRAIRIE DRAMA IS DOING THEIR SHOWS THIS PAST WEEK AND ALSO THIS WEEK. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO SEE TEEN TERRORS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PRAIRIE DRAMA TEAM. WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD ON IT, AND IT'LL BE THIS FRIDAY AT 7:00, SATURDAY AT 1:00 AND 7:00 AS WELL.

AND TOMORROW WE'RE PERFORMING FOR CHIEF MIDDLE SCHOOL.

NICE. THANKS.

PASS IT ON. YEAH.

ANY OTHERS.

I HAVE NOTHING.

IT'S JUST BEEN WORK AND CLARK.

YEAH. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US YOUR NEW JOB SITUATION OR WHATEVER, AND IT JUST PROVES THAT WE WE PICKED A GOOD CANDIDATE.

[INAUDIBLE] PICK A BUSY PERSON FOR ANOTHER BUSY JOB.

OK, THANK YOU, SYDNEY.

OK, NEXT UP IS OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS.

WE'VE GOT THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, BATTLE GROUND EDUCATION FOUNDATION, WIAA AND THE WSSDA SCHOOL DIRECTOR ASSOCIATIONS.

AND TOURS, I GUESS WE'LL YEAH. OK, GREAT.

AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

YEAH, OK. DIRECTOR HENRIKSON AND I TAG TEAM ON THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

SEEMS LIKE A WHILE AGO ALREADY, BUT WE HAD THE WEEK ON THE HILL EVENT AND I DID TALK WITH TWO OF OUR LEGISLATORS, LEGISLATOR HARRIS AND WILSON, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE

[00:15:04]

DIRECTOR HENRIKSON SAID HE DID NOT, BUT HE'S BEEN STEADILY WRITING IN ON THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT BILLS. MANY OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE SENT IN AS SOME OF OUR TOP 15 PRIORITIES ARE IN FACT ADVANCING AND I HOPE THAT WE GET AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT OF HELP FROM THE LEGISLATURE WHEN THE FINAL SESSION COMES AROUND.

IT SEEMED AS IF THEY'RE KIND OF IN COMMITTEE MODE RIGHT NOW, AND A LOT OF THINGS WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN TOWARDS THE LAST WEEK OF THE SESSION.

BUT IT'S NOT TOO LATE.

I KNOW I GOT AN APPEAL TODAY FROM THE GROUP PROMOTING OUTDOOR SCHOOL FOR ALL, ONE OF MY CAUSES THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MOVE FORWARD AS WELL.

SO I SENT MY LETTER IN TODAY OF SUPPORT FOR THAT.

SO ANY QUESTIONS ON LEGISLATIVE UPDATES? I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE ATTENDED THE LEG CONFERENCE I DID AND ACTUALLY THEN COMMENTED ON SEVERAL BILLS IN COMMITTEE.

SO. YEAH, WAS IT THAT LONG AGO? YEAH, MICHELLE AND I SAT IN ON THAT.

I DID AS WELL. YEAH.

IT WAS GOOD. GOOD.

OK. NEXT UP, AUDIT COMMITTEE, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MET JACKIE AND I WERE IN ATTENDANCE, AS WELL AS MICHELLE AND HER STAFF.

WE REVIEWED WHAT WE NORMALLY REVIEW, WHICH IS THE SUPERINTENDENTS TIMESHEET, SPEAKERS] THE SUPERINTENDENTS EXPENSES, THE BOARD'S BUDGET, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND PAYROLL.

WE ALSO DISCUSSED PROCEDURES AROUND TEACHER CONTRACTS AND HOW THAT GETS TRANSLATED FROM THE STATE SALARY SCALE.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT PROCEDURES AROUND RUNNING START AND HOW THE RUNNING START ENROLLMENT IS PROCESSED.

SO EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER.

GREAT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE AUDIT COMMITTEE? OK, NEXT UP BATTLE GROUND EDUCATION FOUNDATION DIRECTOR MADDUX.

WELL, THEY'VE BEEN VERY BUSY AS THEY ALWAYS ARE.

THEY JUST HELD A EVENT WHERE AT THE BLAZER GAME YESTERDAY.

SO THAT WAS FUN.

AND THEN AFTER THE GAME, THE KIDS GOT TO GO DOWN AND SHOOT HOOPS ON THE COURT.

SO REALLY EXCITING FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT GOT TO DO THAT.

THEY ARE WORKING ON HIRING TO HELP PROMOTE THEIR PROGRAM.

AND THEN AND SO THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS.

I BELIEVE YOU REPORTED THREE WEEKS AGO ON READ ACROSS AMERICA, WHICH IS COMING UP THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH.

THEY'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THEIR AUCTION AS WELL.

AND THEN WE'VE ASSEMBLED A FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE ON THE SIDE TO REVIEW FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN GROW COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THE GROUP.

SO. OK.

OK. NEXT UP, WIAA.

THE NEXT MEETING IS THIS THURSDAY, THE 17TH, SO NOTHING NEW.

BE THE MEETING OF THE 28TH.

YEAH. [INAUDIBLE].

GREAT. WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION.

ANY UPDATES? I LISTENED IN THURSDAY TO THEIR NOON PRESENTATION, BUT IT WAS MOST OF THE THINGS THAT HIT THE NEWS ABOUT SUPERINTENDENT REYKDAL AND GOVERNOR INSLEE AND THE DISCUSSIONS THERE.

AND SO. MOST OF THAT NEWS GOT OUT IN OTHER FASHION.

TOURS WILL BE RESUMING.

SOUNDS LIKE. WHERE'S OUR FIRST STOP, PLEASE? I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT.

I MEAN, WE JUST WE CANCELED THE PRAIRIE TOUR, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT RESCHEDULING THAT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY'S NEXT TOURS ARE, BUT.

I'VE GOT IT HERE. SO I SEE GROUP ONE MAPLE GROVE, GROUP TWO CAPTAIN STRONG AND GROUP THREE CHIEF UMTUCH. THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU. EARLY MARCH.

IT'S MARCH 1ST FOR GROUP ONE AND THEN MARCH 4TH FOR 2ND AND 3RD GROUPS.

GREAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, THOSE ARE A GO.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD TO HEAR.

ARE WE GOING TO TRY TO GET THE RUNS THAT WE MISSED BACK ON THE CYCLE? YES. OKAY. YES.

SO WE'VE GOT TUKES AND PRAIRIE AND PLEASANT VALLEY, RIGHT? YEAH, WE'LL RESCHEDULE THOSE.

OKAY, THANK YOU. OK.

THAT'S IT FOR OUR BOARD COMMITTEES.

INDIVIDUAL DIRECTOR REPORTS.

[00:20:01]

IT WAS THE MUSIC MAN AND IT WAS A FABULOUS PERFORMANCE BY THE STUDENTS AND I KNOW THE STAFF WORKED SO HARD ON THAT WITH THEM FOR MONTHS.

THE HIGHLIGHT WAS THERE WERE FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE STORY THEY INCLUDE FOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND THEY SING IN HARMONY. YES, YES.

AND THEY'RE QUITE GOOD. SO WE DO HAVE FOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HERE TODAY, [LAUGHTER] THERE WON'T BE MUCH. WE WON'T BE SINGING.

[LAUGHTER] I JUST WAS POINTING IT OUT.

I WASN'T.

YEAH, IF RICARDO CAN LEAD US, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT.

BUT IT WAS A FANTASTIC PLAY.

I THINK THEY DO A GREAT JOB OVER THERE WITH THEIR MUSICAL.

OK, ANY OTHERS? I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND LAST THURSDAY'S CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

IT'S GOING REALLY WELL.

REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONTRIBUTION THAT CITIZENS ARE MAKING THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEIR INPUT TO IT. IT FEELS LIKE THERE CAN BE SOME OWNERSHIP FROM THE COMMUNITY IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN. AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A FIRST IN A LONG TIME.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE DISCUSSION AND CONTRIBUTION THAT WE'RE DOING IT'S COMING ALONG WELL. OK, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR US, SO SUPERINTENDENT STAFF UPDATES.

[7. Superintendent and Staff Updates]

FIRST, AND FOREMOST, I WILL ECHO MARY'S THOUGHTS ON THE PLAY.

BOTH SHELLY AND I AND OUR RESPECTIVE SPOUSES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE PLAY ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND JUST ENJOYED IT, ENJOYED IT THOROUGHLY.

THE STUDENTS WERE WONDERFUL.

THE MUSIC WAS GREAT. THE STAGE PRODUCTION WAS FANTASTIC, JUST THE WHOLE THING.

SO KUDOS TO CHIEF MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR FOR DOING THAT.

IT WAS WONDERFUL. SO AS YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD RESUME TOURS AND THE RESUMING TOURS DECISION IS BASED OFF OF THE DATA THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH COVID CASES. SO LET ME GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS.

FOR THE TIME PERIOD OF 1-22 TO 2-11.

WE'VE HAD 83 STAFF CASES AND 464 STUDENT CASES, WITH THREE UNKNOWNS FOR A TOTAL OF 550 CASES. NOW THAT MAY SEEM A LOT, BUT LET ME BREAK IT DOWN OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE WEEKS. SO THREE WEEKS AGO WE HAD 44 STAFF AND 220 STUDENTS WITH ZERO UNKNOWN CASES.

TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD 25 STAFF AND 149 STUDENTS WITH TWO UNKNOWN CASES.

LAST WEEK WE HAD 14 STAFF AND 95 STUDENT CASES WITH ONE UNKNOWN.

SO IT'S EFFECTIVELY ON THE STAFF SIDE IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS, IT'S GONE FROM 44 25 TO 14. AND FOR STUDENT CASES IT'S GONE FROM 220 TO 149 AND 95.

SO ACTUAL CASE NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY BELOW WHAT WE SAW PRIOR TO THE OMICRON VARIANT, WITH AN EXPECTATION THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE CONTINUING TO DROP.

AND OUR CASE NUMBERS IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND BOTH LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CLARK COUNTY AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SEEM TO BE REALLY FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINE ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

SO WE'RE SEEING A CONSIDERABLE DROP IN NUMBERS.

AGAIN, I WANT TO OFFER MY THANKS MY APPRECIATION TO THE STAFF THAT HELPED US WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THE OMICRON OUTBREAK.

I MEAN, THERE WERE A LOT OF TIMES IN THERE WHERE WE DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAY OPEN, BUT STAFF CONTINUED TO COME THROUGH AND DO THEIR WORK.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR RESPONDING TO OUR EFFORTS TO GET MORE SUBSTITUTES.

MY UNDERSTANDING AS OF LAST WEEK, WE'VE ADDED OVER 40 NEW SUBSTITUTES TO OUR SUB ROLES.

SO NOT ONLY DID IT HELP US GET THROUGH THE OMICRON, BUT IT HAS ACTUALLY PUT US IN A BETTER POSITION MOVING FORWARD FROM THIS POINT ON.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.

[00:25:01]

WE ARE WORKING ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

WE'RE NOT WORDSMITHING, SO WE'VE GOT MORE GENERIC IDEAS.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS COME OUT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO KEEP THOSE CONNECTIONS FOR THE COHERENCE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING.

SO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION CERTAINLY HAS RISEN OUT OF THE GROUP TO BE ONE OF THE FOUNDING GOALS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT GOALS.

THE OTHER HAS BEEN INTERESTING AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS FOR KIDS.

IT REALLY HAS MORPHED ITSELF INTO A SAFE AND CARING CULTURE IS MORE OF A BETTER ENCOMPASSING.

AND I THINK THE REASON IT HAS IS BECAUSE SAFE AND CARING CULTURE, WE COULD ALSO TALK ABOUT QUALITY FACILITIES AND SAFE BUILDINGS, THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT CAN BE FOLDED INTO THAT. SO IT BECOMES MORE THAN JUST THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS FOR KIDS.

AND THEN THE LAST IDEA THAT IS EMERGING AND SEEMS TO ENCOMPASS A LOT OF THE OTHER IDEAS.

FOR INSTANCE, FISCAL TRANSPARENCY IS A BIG DEAL.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT IS A BIG DEAL.

BUT THIS IDEA THAT WE AS A DISTRICT WILL FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN AN EFFORT TO WHAT WAS THE WORD THAT WE USE, NOT MAINTAINING.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE ALL OF THE OTHERS CAN FIT UNDER THAT CATEGORY.

AND AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO THE WORDSMITHING.

WE'VE GOT THESE BROAD GENERAL IDEAS, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA THAT WE COULD WALK AWAY FROM THIS PROCESS WITH THREE MAIN IDEAS THAT REALLY WOULD ENCOMPASS THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO.

IT IS OUR INTENT TO HAVE A TEAM OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CAC COME TO ONE OF OUR NEXT MEETINGS. IT WON'T BE THE NEXT FEBRUARY MEETING, BUT I'M THINKING IT COULD BE THE LAST MEETING IN MARCH AND PRESENT TO YOU JUST THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE OVERALL PROCESS OF THE CAC. YOU KNOW, AND WHAT THEY THINK HAVE BEEN THE POSITIVES, WHERE WE COULD GROW, WHERE WE MIGHT SEE THE CAC DEVELOPING IN THE FUTURE, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME DIRECT INPUT ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

I DO THINK IT IS CRITICAL WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THE CAC HAS CERTAINLY PRESENTED US WITH A VEHICLE IN WHICH WE COULD HAVE THAT PARENT ACCESS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO GET SOME STAFF INPUT INTO THIS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING THIS WORK THAT THE CAC HAS DONE AND BRINGING IT TO OUR COHERENCE GROUP, WHICH IS MADE UP OF STAKEHOLDERS, OF ADMINISTRATORS, OF TEACHERS, OF CLASSIFIED STAFF.

AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH SOME KIND OF STUDENT REPRESENTATION.

SO I'M HOPING MAYBE THAT RICARDO AND SYDNEY CAN HELP ME FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE CAN GET SOME STUDENT INPUT INTO THIS.

AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, BEFORE WE FINALIZE ANYTHING, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, RITA AND I HAVE TALKED THIS IDEA OF ROLLING IT OUT TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY.

NOT SO MUCH THROUGH ONE TO ONE MEETINGS, BUT MORE THROUGH LIKE A THOUGHT EXCHANGE PROCESS WHERE THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT AND TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK FOR US.

AND THEN WE COULD TAKE THAT BACK AND WORK.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE LAST KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUP FOR THAT WOULD BE THE BOARD, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE INDICATED A DESIRE TO HAVE ALL OF OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BE SHARED SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.

AND SO TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS AND SEE HOW THAT FITS WITH WHAT YOUR NEEDS AND DESIRES AND WANTS ARE FOR THE DISTRICT.

BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION WE'VE MADE, EXCITED ABOUT THE GAINS WE'VE MADE AND I THINK IT COULD YIELD SIGNIFICANT RESULTS FOR US.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE. I DID WANT TO COME BACK IN YOUR COVID UPDATE, THE BOARD HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN HAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK QUESTIONS PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE RIGHT CALL ANNOUNCEMENT AND SO ON.

IS THAT THE NEXT PIECE? I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO GO ON.

GO THERE NEXT? OK, PERFECT.

YEAH. WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.

I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ONE, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME PROTESTS OCCURRING IN THE DISTRICT, AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL REMOVAL OF THE MASK MANDATE.

[00:30:01]

FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PROTESTS.

WE HAVE SEEN STUDENT PROTESTS LAST WEEK AND WE ARE COGNIZANT OF STUDENT PROTESTS AND OUR BOARD POLICY, POLICY 2223 RECOGNIZES THE FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY.

IT STATES CLEARLY THAT THE FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY IS NOT TO BE ABLE TO DISRUPT CLASSES OR OTHER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.

SO THAT WAS REALLY OUR PRIORITY THAT WE DIDN'T DISRUPT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, CLASSROOMS, THOSE THAT DIDN'T CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE WOULD STILL BE ALLOWED THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN. WE ATTEMPTED TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR GROUPS AT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL THAT WANTED TO SET UP A PROTEST.

OUR BUILDING PRINCIPALS WERE INSTRUCTED TO WORK WITH THEM AND DESIGNATE A PLACE AND A TIME. TYPICALLY, THE STANDARD FOR TIME, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE ALLOW FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN RANGES ANYWHERE FROM 15 MINUTES TO TO HALF HOUR TO FORTY FIVE MINUTES, TYPICALLY NOT LONGER THAN AN HOUR.

ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS WERE WILLING TO SET SOMETHING UP TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A DEMONSTRATION THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO LEAVE THEIR CLASSROOMS, RETURN TO THEIR CLASSROOMS AND NOT HAVE ANY UNEXCUSED ABSENCES.

AND I WANT TO STATE THAT CLEARLY ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WERE GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY COULD DO THAT, GET BACK TO CLASS AND THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCES.

SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, SOME OF THEIR FAMILIES, FELT LIKE THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TIME.

AND WE HONOR THAT DECISION THAT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TIME.

AND SO SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY AT AMBOY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL, CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN PROTESTS THAT LASTED MORE THAN THE TIME AND THE TIME PERIOD THAT WE HAD SET UP OR ALLOWED OR WORK WITH OUR STUDENT LEADERS.

AMBOY PROTESTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

BATTLE GROUND PROTESTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

THOSE WERE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DECISIONS.

AND I'M ASSUMING THEY WERE MADE WITH SUPPORT FROM THEIR PARENTS.

BUT WE WERE CLEAR IN OUR DESIGNATION THAT THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOLS COULD SUPPORT IN STUDENTS BEING OUT OF CLASS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.

WE DID HAVE A FEW PROBLEMS, SOME MINOR PROBLEMS WITH STUDENTS ATTEMPTING TO, AND I THINK IT WAS WITH GOOD INTENTION.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT IT WAS A NEGATIVE.

IT WAS WITH GOOD INTENTION.

BUT FEELING THAT THE PROTESTS THAT WE ALLOWED THE PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION WAS NOT SENDING A STRONG ENOUGH MESSAGE.

SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS TRIED TO PROTEST IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT INCLUDED AT TIMES THE DISRUPTION OF LEARNING FOR OTHER STUDENTS.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE ENTER INTO A LINE.

WE GAVE PLENTY OF WARNINGS.

WE GAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES.

WE GAVE PLENTY OF CHANCES FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND OUR VIEWPOINT.

IF THEY CHOSE NOT TO ABIDE BY THAT, THEN IT MOVED TO DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES, WHICH MEANT THAT ALL WE WERE ASKING FOR, WE DID EMERGENCY EXPULSIONS, AND WE ASK THAT THE STUDENT AND THE PARENT BE WILLING TO MEET WITH US SO WE WOULD COME TO A SOLUTION AND GET THE STUDENT, NUMBER ONE, GET THE STUDENT BACK IN SCHOOL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THE STUDENT CAME BACK TO SCHOOL, THE RULES THAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW MEANS THAT THE STUDENT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK MASKED.

SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT WAS A SMALL NUMBER.

MANY OF OUR STUDENTS TOOK US UP ON THAT OFFER AND THE DISCIPLINE WAS NEVER REALLY INSTITUTED. OTHERS HAVE HELD FIRM IN THEIR BELIEF THAT THEY NEEDED TO SEND A STRONGER MESSAGE AND THEY WERE UNWILLING TO COMPLY WITH THE MASK RULE AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS.

SO WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THOSE FAMILIES.

THERE IS TALK AT OSPI, THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE THAT HE WAS GOING TO END THE MASK MANDATE THAT HE WAS WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO DETERMINE A TIMELINE FOR THAT.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AS SUPERINTENDENTS AND I CAN SPEAK FOR THE BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS IN OTHER DISTRICTS. WE AGREE WITH CHRIS REYKDAL, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, WHO HAS CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE MASK MANDATE.

WE AGREE THAT IT HAS BEEN IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT.

[00:35:05]

ALL INDICATIONS ARE WE'RE IN A TIME.

I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH OUR GROUPS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT MASKS STILL IN THE CLASSROOM FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO USE THOSE.

SO THAT'S KIND OF RIGHT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS HE IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE THAT DATE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

WE'VE HEARD DIFFERENT STORIES THAT THERE'S A PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW THAT THERE'S A PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY THAT THERE'S A PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK.

I JUST DON'T KNOW, AND I HAVE NO INDICATION AS TO WHAT HE'S GOING TO SAY AT THIS MEETING.

MY SUSPICION IS HE'S GOING TO SET SOME DATE NO LATER THAN AND WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM THERE. THE DATE THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE HAS BEEN AS LATE AS MARCH 31ST, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OREGON HAS DONE.

BUT I'VE ALSO HEARD DATES AS EARLY AS THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK.

SO IT'S JUST HARD TO SAY WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE.

QUESTIONS ON THOSE TWO ISSUES? DENNY, SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT PROTEST THAT WAS GOING ON, THEY WERE CALLING FOR THE END OF THE IMMEDIATE END OF THE MANDATE.

AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, SEVERAL DISTRICTS HAVE ALREADY TRIED TO GO MASK OPTIONAL AND THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY REVERSED DUE TO THE CONSEQUENCES.

CAN YOU KIND OF OUTLINE FOR US WHAT THOSE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE IF WE WERE TO AS A BOARD VOTE ON A POLICY TO MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL? YEAH, THANK YOU TED.

I THINK I FORWARDED ALL OF YOU THE LETTER THAT WE GOT FROM CHRIS REYKDAL, AND HE KIND OF OUTLINES IT. BUT HERE'S JUST HERE'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OSPI AND THIS IS FROM A LETTER DATED BACK TED TO YOUR POINT IN EARLY AUGUST, WHEN THEY FIRST INSTITUTED THE MASK MANDATE.

FOR BOTH MANDATES THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MASK MANDATE AND THE VACCINATION MANDATE.

THE PROCESS AT A HIGH LEVEL WILL BE AS FOLLOW IF WE WERE TO CHOOSE UPON OSPI'S DETERMINATION THAT A LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY AN LEA HAS WILLFULLY FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER, OSPI WILL PROVIDE A FIRST NOTICE TO THE LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY.

THE LEA WILL HAVE DAYS UPON RECEIPT OF THE FIRST NOTICE TO PROVIDE VERIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE. IF CORRECTIVE ACTION IS NOT TAKEN, OSPI WILL PROVIDE A SECOND NOTICE TO THE LEA. THE SECOND NOTICE WILL IDENTIFY A FIVE DAY DEADLINE FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION.

IF THE LEA FAILS TO COMPLY AFTER FIVE DAYS, THE LEA APPORTIONMENT WILL BE WITHHELD, WHICH MEANS PAYMENT MINUS ANY REDUCTION UNDER THE NEXT BULLET WHEN OSPI HAS DETERMINED THAT THE LEA IS NOT COMPLYING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

SO BASICALLY, WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS THAT FROM THE OSPI STANDPOINT, IF WE FAIL TO COMPLY, THEY WILL WITHHOLD OUR APPORTIONMENT MONEY THAT WE RECEIVE, WHICH COULD HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON ABILITY TO PAY OUR BILLS AND TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS. I THINK BEYOND THAT, THOUGH, THE OTHER THING IS, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY OUR INSURANCE AGENCY AND I HAVE SHARED THOSE EXCHANGES EMAILS WITH BOARD MEMBERS IS THAT OUR INSURANCE COMPANY HAS SAID THAT IF WE WILLFULLY CHOOSE NOT TO FOLLOW THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MANDATES OR THE GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION, THAT THEY CANNOT INSURE US BECAUSE WE WOULD BE OUTSIDE THAT SCOPE.

SO THERE IS THE LOSS OF FUNDING AND THERE'S THE INSURANCE ASPECT.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH LNI.

WE'VE ALREADY.

LNI LABOR AND INDUSTRY JUST FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW.

LNI HAS ALREADY DONE, SO WE'VE ALREADY HAD LNI REACH OUT TO US SEVERAL TIMES, I WOULD SAY AT LEAST THREE TO FIVE TIMES DOING INVESTIGATIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURE. FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE, BUT LNI CAN ALSO FINE US IF WE'RE NOT COMPLYING THAT WAY. ANOTHER ASPECT THAT I DON'T THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE OFTEN REMEMBER IS THAT WE DO HAVE PARTNERS IN THIS PROCESS OF PROVIDING EDUCATION, OUR LABOR PARTNERS AND WE HAVE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS THAT SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO IF WE WERE TO GO AGAINST THAT, THAT OPENS THAT UP, WE WOULD HAVE TO NEGOTIATE.

[00:40:04]

IT COULD LEAD TO AN UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE IF WE WIN AGAINST AN MOU THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

OBVIOUSLY, IF THE WORKING CONDITIONS CHANGE BECAUSE THE MANDATE CHANGES, THEN OUR LABOR PARTNERS WOULD THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO RE-BARGAIN THE SITUATION IN WHICH THEY'RE WORKING. SO IT'S COMPLEX.

IT'S MULTIFACETED IN TERMS OF ANY CHANGES THAT WE MAKE MOVING FORWARD.

IT'S NOT A SNAP YOUR FINGERS AND ALL IS WELL.

THE LAST THING THAT I'LL BRING UP IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN NOTED TO US SEVERAL TIMES THAT MYSELF AS A SUPERINTENDENT AND ALL OF YOU AS ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR POSITIONS ASK US TO UPHOLD THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.

AND THE REPERCUSSIONS ON US, THE REPERCUSSIONS ON YOU COULD ARE ALSO A FACTOR THAT IS A CONSIDERATION IN THAT.

SO I DO THINK WHILE IT IS TO TED'S POINT, MY LAST UNDERSTANDING THAT I WAS TOLD WAS THAT THERE WERE SEVEN DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON WHO AT SOME POINT CONSIDERED OR ACTUALLY EVEN BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IDEA THAT THEY WOULD NOT FOLLOW THE MASK MANDATE OR NOT FOLLOW THE VACCINATION MANDATE.

ALL OF THOSE DISTRICTS TURNED THOSE DECISIONS AROUND WITHIN A WEEK.

BECAUSE OF THE CONSEQUENCES AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE DECISION MAKING THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THIS, SO IT'S NOT JUST AN, IT'S NOT AN EASY DECISION.

RIGHT. MARY.

YEAH. SO IF INDEED THE MASK MANDATE IS CHANGED, SAY TOMORROW.

MM HMM. WHAT IS OUR PATH FORWARD? DO WE HAVE TO TAKE SOME KIND OF ACTION OR DOES IT DEPEND ON HOW THAT'S DONE? YEAH. AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MARY.

I THINK IT DOES.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS.

BUT ONE OTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT IS OUR AND THE BOARD'S RECOGNITION THAT WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE PROCLAMATIONS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM THE MASK MANDATE THAT THE GOVERNOR IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WITH LNI.

SO IF THAT DECISION WAS MADE TO END THE MASK MANDATE, I DON'T THINK THAT.

AND IN TERMS OF IT BEING HELD UP WITH OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD DECIDE IS WHETHER THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO BARGAIN THAT.

THAT'S A DECISION ON THEIR END, NOT OUR END.

SO THE OBLIGATION WOULD BE FOR THEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH US THAT THEY EXPECTED THAT.

BUT IT WOULDN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT WE FOLLOW THE MANDATE.

AND SO IT'S NO LONGER A MANDATE, BUT IT COULD AFFECT WORKING CONDITIONS, SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD MEET ABOUT.

MY ASSUMPTION, MARY, IS IF YOU GO THROUGH THAT CHECKLIST OF THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED TO YOU AND IF THE PROCLAMATION WAS GONE, IT WOULDN'T BE ANY VIOLATING OF THE LAW.

AND SO THEREFORE THE INSURANCE WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.

FOR YOU AND FOR ME, IT CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.

THE OSPI FUNDING WOULD NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE.

SO, I MEAN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, IF THIS IS LIFTED, BEGIN TO GO AWAY.

AND THE PATH FORWARD, I THINK IS CLEAR.

I THINK THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, YOU KNOW.

WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THAT, IS IF IT MEANT THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A BOARD MEETING.

I MEAN, SAY, IF IT COMES DOWN TO IT CAN BE A DISTRICT CHOICE, THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'D HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.

RIGHT. AND IF IT REQUIRES AN EMERGENCY BOARD MEETING, I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD DO THAT ASAP.

YES. YES, DEFINITELY.

BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WILL BE STATEWIDE.

IT WILL NOT REQUIRE DISTRICTS TO CHOOSE THAT THAT WILL BE OPTIONAL FOR FAMILY MEMBERS.

AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WHILE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WILL RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM THE STATE THAT THEY CAN INSTITUTE IT IN THEIR OWN AREAS OR REGIONS, THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THAT AND WOULD ONLY DO THAT IN WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DISTRICTS THEY ARE WORKING WITH.

OK, SO IT WON'T BE SOME ARBITRARY DEADLINE.

SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SEEING WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAYS FOR THAT DATE.

I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, SO.

YEAH.

SO OPTIONAL PER FAMILY, RIGHT, WHICH IS WHAT WE RECOMMENDED IT FEELS LIKE MANY MOONS AGO, ALONG WITH THAT LETTER THAT WE WROTE CAME SOME CHASTISEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE NOT APPROPRIATELY BEING SAFE ENOUGH FOR OUR STUDENTS.

[00:45:03]

THERE'S ALSO THOSE WHO DO.

I THINK THAT IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT COVID HAS AFFECTED EVERYONE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, FROM ANXIETY TO FRUSTRATION TO ISOLATION.

SO I THINK THAT WHILE WE ALL KNOW THIS IS COMING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF IF YOU CHOOSE TO WEAR A MASK THAT NOT ONLY ARE YOU, YOU SHOULD BE NOT CHASTISED, YOU SHOULD NOT.

WE SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT.

OUR STAFF SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR OUR STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ISN'T FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, BULLYING GOING ON OR, YOU KNOW, AND SO I JUST WANT TO BE AWARE OF MAKE THAT STATEMENT AS WELL.

AGAIN, IT'S PERSONAL CHOICE AND I WANT EVERY FAMILY TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT TO CHOOSE. BUT I WANT TO BE, I WANT THOSE KIDS WHO STILL WANT TO WEAR THEM OR WHOSE PARENTS STILL WANT THEM TO WEAR ONE TO FEEL SAFE.

YEAH. AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO UP BECAUSE I DO TOO.

I WANT TO ADD TOO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR US TO NAVIGATE DURING THIS TIME IS THE FACT THAT THE VIEWS DIFFER SO GREATLY AND PEOPLE BRING THEIR OWN ISSUES TO THE TABLE.

I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S TRUE FOR THE MASK MANDATE.

IT'S ALSO TRUE FOR PROTESTING.

YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WHILE WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO WANT TO PROTEST, WE'VE ALSO HAD STUDENTS THAT SAY, I'M SCARED.

I SEE PEOPLE OUT IN FRONT OF MY SCHOOL AND IT SCARES ME TO DEATH.

SO THE PERSPECTIVES ARE SO DIFFERENT, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THOSE FEELINGS ARE REAL FOR WHOEVER, WHATEVER SIDE THEY MAY BELIEVE IN OR WHATEVER THEY HAVE GOING ON.

AND SO NAVIGATING AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS FEEL WELCOME AT SCHOOL.

AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH WE ROLL OUT MASSIVE CHANGES.

AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT BECAUSE IT REALLY GOES FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH DURING THIS TIME.

AND JUST KNOWING THAT BOTH SIDES ARE RIGHT.

YEAH, YOU KNOW, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.

SO I THINK IT DOES GO TO THE IDEA OF WHY THERE.

I DOUBT BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THAT HE WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THE MASK MANDATE IS OVER.

I FEEL LIKE THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF TIME, WHETHER THAT TIME IS A WEEK, WHETHER IT'S TWO WEEKS OR WHETHER IT'S SIX WEEKS, THERE WILL BE THAT TIME.

THERE'S A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DOES CONTACT TRACING LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, IF A STUDENT GETS COVID AND COMES BACK, EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE A MASK MANDATE IN PLACE, ARE WE ASKING THAT STUDENT TO WEAR A MASK FOR A PERIOD OF TIME? THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

AND SAFETY IS THE CRITICAL FACTOR HERE.

AND SO I THINK THERE IS SOME RATIONALE AS TO WHY THE DECISION THAT THE GOVERNOR MAKES ON ENDING THE MASK MANDATE WOULD INCLUDE SOME LEEWAY OR SOME TIME TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT JACKIE HAS BROUGHT UP, BUT ALSO SOME OF JUST THE PLANNING ISSUES AND THE ANSWER TO THE HUNDREDS OF QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE ON HOW DO THINGS WORK NOW IF WE CHANGE THE SYSTEM SO DRASTICALLY? I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP THE CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH OUR BUS SERVICE AND OUR FOOD SERVICE AND ALL OF THOSE GROUPS THAT AREN'T DIRECT EMPLOYEES AND THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE A VOICE AS WELL IN HOW THIS MOVES FORWARD.

SO THAT WAS MY MAIN QUESTION.

SORRY TO BE LONG WINDED.

NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I THINK IT'S HELPFUL.

I HAD ONE MORE.

I JUST IN REGARD TO THE PROTEST LAST WEEK, AND I KNOW WE TALK AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT STUDENT VOICE. AND AS UNCOMFORTABLE AS IT IS, SOMETIMES THAT WAS STUDENT VOICE THAT WE WERE HEARING. YES.

AND I GUESS THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS LISTENING.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT STUDENTS FOLLOW OUR POLICY IN THAT PROTEST.

DID YOU HAVE THE SENSE THAT THEY FELT LISTENED TO? I GUESS THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.

[00:50:01]

THIS IS NOT THE LAST HARD, DIFFICULT THING WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH.

NO. AND SO AS WE THINK OF IT IN RETROSPECT, ARE THERE SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN FRAME THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT VOICE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LISTEN BEFORE THERE'S THE FRUSTRATION LEVEL THAT THERE OBVIOUSLY IS WHEN WE GET TO A PROTEST LEVEL.

RIGHT. I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

NO, IT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE CERTAINLY DISTRICT WIDE LISTEN TO.

WE CERTAINLY HAVE HEARD, WE HAVE HEARD WHAT THE STUDENTS HAD TO SAY.

AND I DO WANT ALL OF THE STUDENTS TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IN OUR MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE HAD AT A STATE LEVEL, AT A REGIONAL LEVEL AT A SUPERINTENDENT'S LEVEL.

I HAVE EXPRESSED THOSE VIEWPOINTS, THE VIEWPOINTS OF OUR STUDENTS, THE FRUSTRATION AROUND BEING IN MASKS. GOOD.

SO AND I DO FEEL WHAT I HAVE HEARD, EVEN THE SCHOOLS THAT DIDN'T HAVE PROTESTS AND I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL THAT DIDN'T HAVE PROTESTS.

BUT THE CONVERSATION WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A PROTEST THAT WHAT I'M HEARING BACK FROM PRINCIPALS IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH STUDENT LEADERS AND LEADERS, THEY HAD SOME AMAZING CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE LED TO LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGNS THAT HAVE LED TO STUDENTS REACHING OUT TO AT THE STATE LEVEL TO MAKE THEIR OPINIONS AND FEELINGS KNOWN.

SO MY GUESS IS IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY WITH SHELLY AND I, BUT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE OCCURRING IN OUR SCHOOLS.

GOOD. AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS HERE AT THE MEETING.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT'S THE UNCOMFORTABLENESS THAT COMES WITH THIS IS NOT EASY.

IT'S NOT EASY FOR STAFF.

IT'S NOT EASY FOR STUDENTS, IT'S NOT EASY FOR FAMILIES.

IT'S NOT EASY FOR US IN ADMINISTRATION.

IT'S NOT EASY FOR YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS.

BUT THE LESSONS THAT WERE TAUGHT DURING THIS TIME ABOUT PEACEFUL PROTESTS, ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE AND SIGNIFICANT.

ONE OF THE BUILDINGS THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO, I WAS IMPRESSED WITH JUST THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAPPENING WITH ONE OF THE ADMINISTRATORS IN THE GROUP OF STUDENTS TRYING TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT A PEACEFUL PROTEST WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH . AND WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE? WHAT IS THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO REACH? AND I THINK THOSE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ARE GOOD THROUGH THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS WHEN THEY COME UP. I THINK THE FRUSTRATION IN SOME PLACES IS REALLY JUST ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT THE DECISION MAKERS IN THIS.

AND SO WE CAN'T GIVE THE ANSWER THAT PEOPLE WANT.

AND OF COURSE, THAT JUST INCREASES THE FRUSTRATION SOMETIMES IN THIS SITUATION.

AND SO BUT THE LEARNING, I THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL FOR OUR KIDS AND WE WANT MORE CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE AFTER WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR STUDENTS AS THEY ENTER INTO ADULTHOOD.

SO THAT PIECE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD.

AND SO WITH ADVERSITY COMES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY OF OUR KIDS.

SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

YES. WELL, THANK YOU.

NO THAT, ACTUALLY, JUST BEING ABLE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE EXCHANGES HELPS.

AND I HOPE THE CONVERSATION CAN CONTINUE.

I KNOW THAT TEACHERS AS WELL, HAVING TAUGHT, ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN THEY CAN HAVE AN ACADEMIC CONVERSATION WITH A STUDENT WITHOUT FIRST SAYING PULL YOUR MASK UP.

RIGHT? AND THAT HAS BEEN A BARRIER.

I MEAN, WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT, IT HAS BECOME A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO CONVERSATIONS WITH TEACHERS OR STUDENTS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TEACH LETTER SOUNDS TO, YOU KNOW, YOUR TONGUE GOES HERE.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD.

THE LAST CALL FOR QUESTIONS.

AND AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR MICHELLE REINHARDT.

GOOD EVENING, BOARD. THANK YOU.

HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU.

SO FEBRUARY 3RD WAS NATIONAL SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD DAY, AND SO WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO

[00:55:02]

I THINK MANY OF US SEE THEM BUSY WORKING EARLY MORNINGS AND AFTER SCHOOL AND KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEIR ROLE IS IN KEEPING OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY SAFE.

WE DO HAVE OPEN POSITIONS IN THAT AREA, SO WE'RE ALWAYS ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CHECK THAT OUT.

MIKE KESLER OVERSEES OUR CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM AND SO IS ALWAYS A GREAT PERSON TO TALK TO, TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE POSITION.

LAST WEEK, WE CELEBRATED SCHOOL COUNSELOR WEEK, SO EVERY SCHOOL HAS AT LEAST ONE COUNSELOR. HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE MORE, AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL COUNSELOR IS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS DURING A PANDEMIC.

YOU ADD THOSE PIECES ON AND THE ANXIETY AND THE STRESS THAT STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE UNDER.

WE KNOW THEIR ROLE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

SO WE HAD THE ABILITY TO HONOR THEM.

AND CHRIS BROWN AND RITA SANDERS DEVELOPED A REALLY NICE VIDEO AND IN HONOR OF THEM.

SO WE THANK ALL OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS.

IN HR WE CONTINUE TO BE BUSY WORKING ON OUR PRC, SO THAT'S OUR POSITION REVIEW COMMITTEE.

AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT POSITIONS WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT GROUPS, LABOR GROUPS.

WE HAVE OUR PSC GROUPS, THAT'S OUR CLASSIFIED GROUP, AD SUPPORT, WHICH IS CLASSIFIED STAFF AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.

WE'RE ALSO DOING PRC WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND CURRENTLY WE ARE WELL HOPED TO BE DONE WITH SEVERAL OF THESE GROUPS BY THE END OF MARCH TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT JOB DESCRIPTIONS, UPDATE THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THEN LOOK AT COMPARABLES.

SO LOOK AT EACH CLASSIFICATION EACH OF THESE GROUPS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OFFERING COMPETITIVE SALARIES AS THEY RELATE TO OUR LOCAL DISTRICTS AND LIKE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.

AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO GIVE SOME NUMBERS AS DENNY OR SUPERINTENDENT WATERS ALLUDED TO WITH OUR SUBSTITUTE SITUATION.

WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE 34 STAFF MEMBERS.

SO 23 EMERGENCY SUBS, NINE CERTIFICATED STAFF, NINE CLASSIFIED STAFF AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 10 PENDING.

SO THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING FINGERPRINTS DONE, TURNING IN PAPERWORK.

BUT THAT WAS REALLY IN RESPONSE TO OUR SOS CALL EARLY JANUARY.

AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS JUST STEPPED UP AND SUPPORTED US.

SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL.

A COUPLE OF OTHER NUMBERS OUR FILL RATE, SO WE LOOK AT HOW WE ARE DOING WITH FILLING OUR SUBSTITUTE POSITIONS EACH DAY, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF NUMBERS OF HOW WE'VE DONE.

SO IN DECEMBER, WE HAD A RATE OF ABOUT 60 PERCENT FILLING, SO WE WERE ABLE TO FILL 60 PERCENT OF THE POSITIONS.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE PUT POSITIONS IN THERE THAT NO SUB IS NEEDED OR MAYBE THERE ARE OPEN POSITIONS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE CROSSING GUARD POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN, SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING OR FILLING.

THOSE REMAIN UNFILLED BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HIRED YET.

SO THE NUMBER IN DECEMBER WAS ABOUT 60 PERCENT.

JANUARY HIT US HARD 40 PERCENT.

SO WE WERE WE COULD ONLY FILL POSITIONS, ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE POSITIONS.

AND THEN FEBRUARY, WE'RE MAKING OUR WAY BACK UP.

SO WE'RE AT 60 PERCENT ON AVERAGE.

SO IT'S EXCITING.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE OUR COMMUNITY STEPPING UP AND HELPING US OUT.

AND MANY OF OUR STAFF IN BUILDINGS ARE COVERING ON PREPS.

THEY ARE STEPPING AWAY IF THEY DON'T HAVE A CLASSROOM PER SAY, THEY ARE STEPPING AWAY AND FROM THEIR JOB DUTIES AND COVERING A GENERAL CLASSROOM.

SO EVERYONE HAS JUST STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND ALLOWED IN-PERSON LEARNING TO CONTINUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.

SO ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NO, MAYBE A COMMENT, THOUGH, I HOPE THE LEGISLATURE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT APPRECIATION FOR COUNSELORS AND NURSES COMING UP, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT HELP TO OUR DISTRICT AS MOST LEARNING UPDATE. HAVE AN EXCITING CREW TO INTRODUCE TO YOU.

IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE WE'VE DONE AN UPDATE FOR FCRC AND WE THOUGHT THIS EVENING JILL SMITH COULD COME WITH LYDIA SANDERS AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.

I KNOW SOME QUESTIONS CAME UP EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE THOUGHT WE

[01:00:01]

SO GO AHEAD.

WELCOME. GOOD TO SEE YOU. HI, AS SHELLY MENTIONED I'M JILL SMITH, AND I'VE BEEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR 21 YEARS.

I'VE HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SUPERVISING THE SERVICES FOR STUDENTS IDENTIFIED [INAUDIBLE] LYDIA SANDERS HAS BEEN WITH US FOR 17 YEARS AS OF 21.

OK. AND OVER THAT TIME, WE'VE BEEN BUILDING A PROGRAM THAT HAS PROVIDED A LOT OF SERVICES AND IT'S EXPANDED EACH YEAR, SEEMS LIKE SO LYDIA IS GOING TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE'RE DOING.

HI, EVERYBODY, IT'S GOOD.

OH, AM I? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU'RE GOOD.

WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. I'M LYDIA SANDERS.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY.

THERE'S A LOT OF NEW FACES ON THE BOARD SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT I CAME TO SEE YOU GUYS.

SO BUT A FEW OF YOU, I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME, SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES TOO. SO THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER.

FIRST, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER IN BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE HAVE ONE FCRC IN OUR DISTRICT THAT SERVES ALL 18 OF OUR SCHOOLS, ALL 13,000 SOME STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE.

WE CAN HELP ANY OF OUR STUDENTS IF THEY HAVE NEEDS LIKE CLOTHES, SHOES, COATS, BACKPACKS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, FOOD FOR THE WEEKEND, LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, TOILETRY ITEMS, AS WELL AS HELP FOR THEIR PARENTS AND OLDER STUDENTS IF THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL OR GET A GED OR FURTHER THEIR OWN EDUCATION, THINGS LIKE THAT, OR DIFFERENT LINES OF WORK FOR A FAMILY, LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S THE UMBRELLA OF THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER.

BUT IN UNDER THAT UMBRELLA IS THE PROGRAM FOR WHAT WE CALL MCKINNEY-VENTO OR HOMELESS STUDENTS. SO THOSE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE LACKING, FIXED, REGULAR AND ADEQUATE NIGHTTIME LIVING RESIDENCES, AND WE'VE BEEN IDENTIFYING THOSE SINCE WE STARTED THE PROGRAM BACK IN 2007. SO LOTS AND LOTS OF STUDENTS IN THAT UMBRELLA.

AND THEN WE ALSO WORK WITH STUDENTS THAT ARE IN FOSTER CARE.

SO THAT'S ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE IN BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE STUDENTS IN FOSTER AND IN HOMELESS HAVE SOME VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR THEM THAT WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO DO TO PROVIDE FOR THEM.

BUT THEY ALSO GET HELP WITH ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT I JUST MENTIONED.

SO UNDER THAT UMBRELLA, BATTLE GROUND EDUCATION FOUNDATION, WHERE I WORK WITH JACKIE ON THAT IS OUR FIDUCIARY.

THEY'RE THE FOLKS THAT ACCEPT MONEY AND DONATIONS AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE IN NEED IN THE DISTRICT.

SO IT'S NOT DISTRICT FUNDS THAT WE'RE USING, IT'S BATTLE GROUND EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUNDS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE TO HELP OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

SO WE DO ALL THAT WITH A STAFF OF, I'M THE COORDINATOR.

I OVERSEE KIND OF THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS.

JILL SMITH, OF COURSE, OVERSEES US AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF THAT'S ON HER PLATE.

AND THEN WE HAVE AN FCRC SECRETARY AND WE HAVE THREE FULL TIME FCRC STUDENT ADVOCATES.

TWO OF THEM, ONE EACH, ARE PART TIME AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL AND AT PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL, AND NOW AT SUMMIT VIEW HIGH SCHOOL TO SUPPORT AND ESPECIALLY FOCUS ON OUR UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS YOUTH, AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THEM IN JUST A SECOND.

SO WE HAVE A FULL TIME STAFF OF FIVE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT DO THINGS LIKE HELP IN OUR CLOTHES CLOSET TO HELP STUDENTS THAT MIGHT NEED HELP WITH CLOTHES OR HELP STUFF BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES IN THE SUMMER SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE OUT TO STUDENTS OR, MOST IMPORTANTLY, MENTOR AN UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS YOUTH TO HELP THEM BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND START A NEW WAY OF LIFE.

SO OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTAL IN A HUGE PART OF WHAT WE DO.

SO THIS IS A LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS OF STUDENTS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED UNDER ALL OF THOSE UMBRELLAS FROM WAY.

WELL ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY, ONLY HOMELESS AND FOSTER STUDENTS FROM WAY BACK WHEN WE STARTED BACK IN 2007 AND 2008.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE WENT UP PRETTY STEADILY WITH OUR NUMBER OF HOMELESS STUDENTS, SADLY. BUT WE'RE ABLE TO BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAMS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT, WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS AND THOSE FAMILIES TO BREAK SOME OF THOSE CYCLES OF POVERTY.

SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE TO HELP THOSE FAMILIES REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

HOWEVER, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, BECAUSE OF COVID, WE'VE SEEN A MAJOR DECLINE.

AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE ANYBODY'S DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, WITH HELPING PEOPLE.

IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME REACHING OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF COVID. SO THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE LIVING SITUATIONS OBVIOUSLY CHANGE SO THAT NUMBER CAN GO UP AND UP AND UP THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 140 STUDENTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS MCKINNEY-VENTO OR HOMELESS

[01:05:01]

SO I'M GOING TO BRAG FOR JUST A SECOND BECAUSE IT'S WORTH BRAGGING ABOUT.

BUT THESE GRAPHS SHOW YOU THE NUMBER OF SENIORS.

THESE ARE JUST SENIOR STUDENTS WHO ARE UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS YOUTH AND THERE FIRST, THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE SERVED THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND SERVED THAT ARE BOTH MCKINNEY-VENTO AND THEN THAT ARE UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH WITHIN THAT MCKINNEY-VENTO UMBRELLA.

OK. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT'S GONE UP AND UP AND UP, WHICH HAS BEEN A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP THEM INCREASE THEIR GRADUATION RATES.

THEN WITHIN THAT, THE UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS YOUTH SPECIFICALLY THAT ARE MCKINNEY-VENTO UNACCOMPANIED. SO WE'RE TALKING 16 YEAR OLD'S THAT ARE LIVING WITHOUT MOM AND DAD OR ANYBODY ELSE. A LOT OF THOSE KIDS HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME GRADUATING GO FIGURE.

BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS INCREASE THAT GRADUATION RATE BY 71 PERCENT, WHICH IS JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYWHERE.

I MEAN, WE DON'T SEE IT IN OTHER DISTRICTS, SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO INCREASE THE GRADUATION RATES OF MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS BY 43 PERCENT. SO THAT'S PRETTY COOL, TOO.

YEAH, BECAUSE OF THOSE STATISTICS OF A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, LYDIA WAS ASKED AND THE TEAM WAS ASKED TO DO A ZOOM ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.

AND THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THAT ZOOM TO GO THROUGH.

WHAT IS IT EXACTLY DO WE DO? AND THAT POWERPOINT IS MUCH LONGER? [LAUGHTER] SO NOW COMES THE BAD NEWS, AND THE BAD NEWS IS THESE LET'S GO TO THERE WE GO.

THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF FIRST [INAUDIBLE], THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, BUT ALSO IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE GRADUATED.

AND THAT IS ALL BECAUSE OF COVID.

SO I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE CAN.

WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR STUDENTS BREAK THAT CYCLE OF POVERTY.

SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? EVERYBODY SAYS, WELL, WHAT MAKES BATTLE GROUND SO COOL? I HAVE DISTRICTS THAT CALL ME FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND I'M HAPPY TO HELP THEM.

I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO THEM, BUT THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW WE DO IT.

AND IF WE REALLY BOIL IT DOWN, THIS IS WHAT WE DO.

FIRST, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHO ARE THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING, RIGHT? SO WE NEED TO FIND OUR MCKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS STUDENTS, WE NEED TO FIND OUR FOSTER STUDENTS. WE NEED TO FIND ANY OTHER STUDENT IN NEED IN THE DISTRICT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO FIRST IS IDENTIFY THEM.

HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE HAVE A HOUSING QUESTIONNAIRE THAT'S PART OF THE ANNUAL ENROLLMENT FOR STUDENTS. WE ALSO DO AN ANNUAL TRAINING WITH STAFF IN EVERY BUILDING, INCLUDING BUS DRIVERS AND THE LUNCH PROGRAMS AND ALL THE REST OF IT TO LET THOSE STAFF KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, TO LET US KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANY KIND OF CONCERN ABOUT A STUDENT THAT MIGHT BE IN NEED. AND THEN WE FOLLOW UP WITH FAMILY OR STUDENT AND TAKE IT FROM THERE.

THE NEXT THING WE DO IS THAT WE IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.

AND TO BE TOTALLY FRANK WITH YOU, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN FOLKS ARE REALLY, REALLY STRUGGLING, IT'S REALLY AN ISSUE OF HOPELESSNESS.

THEY FEEL LIKE WHY BOTHER? I CAN'T TRY NOTHING WORKS THAT I TRY TO DO, SO I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO BOTHER WITH IT ANYMORE. SO OUR SECRET RECIPE, IF YOU WILL, IS HOPE, SKILLS AND SUPPORT.

WE HAVE TO LIGHT THAT FLAME OF HOPE IN SOMEONE'S HEART THAT MOTIVATES THEM TO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT THEN THEY NEED THE SKILLS FOR HOW TO DO THAT.

AND I'M TALKING BASIC STUFF LIKE HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE YOUR TIME? HOW DO YOU USE THE CALENDAR APP THAT'S IN YOUR PHONE? WE JUST DID A HOME VISIT LAST WEEK WITH A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT WHO GOT COVID, DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER HE HAD COVID AND HE HAD A PHONE.

SO I SAID, HEY, LET'S TRY THIS OUT.

HE SET AN ALARM CLOCK ON HIS PHONE TO REMIND HIM WHAT TIME TO START GETTING READY FOR BED AT NIGHT SO HE'D GET UP AND AND GO TO SCHOOL AND NOT GIVE PARENTS A HARD TIME.

SO THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S GETTING DOWN INTO THE WEEDS OF WHAT ARE THEY MISSING? WHAT'S THE HOLE TO HELP THEM REALLY BREAK THAT CYCLE? BUT THEN THEY ALSO NEED ONGOING SUPPORT, AND THAT'S WHERE OUR ADVOCATES AND OUR MENTORS ARE REALLY VITAL FOR HELPING THEM WITH THAT ONGOING SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED FROM SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS THEM AND WHO CARES ABOUT THEM.

SO WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP IS TO IDENTIFY THE RESOURCES THAT WE USE.

SO WE HAVE FOLKS FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A FRIDAY RESOURCE REVIEW WHERE I INVITE THOSE FOLKS IN TO MEET WITH OUR STAFF EVERY FRIDAY, A DIFFERENT ONE EVERY WEEK, AND WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM ALSO.

IT ALSO HELPS US IN FINDING THOSE KIND OF BACK DOORS INTO SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES TO GET OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THE SERVICE THAT THEY NEED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

AND THEN WHAT DO WE REALLY DO TO DO THAT? WE CONNECT THEM.

WE CONNECT THE RESOURCES, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE PERSON THAT NEEDS IT.

[01:10:03]

SO THAT'S REALLY THE KEY TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

MM HMM. SORRY, MY LEGS JUST GO NUMB AFTER A LITTLE BIT.

SO THIS IS JUST ONE OF, JUST A LITTLE SAMPLE OF ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT OUR ADVOCATES USE WHEN THEY'RE WORKING WITH A STUDENT OR A FAMILY, AND IT HELPS THEM BREAK DOWN WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHO'S REALLY GOING TO DO IT.

AND LET'S BREAK IT DOWN INTO BABY STEPS TO HELP THEM ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH.

OH, THANK YOU. I'M OK.

I THINK I'M ABOUT DONE.

ARE YOU SURE? WELL, I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE LITTLE.

LOT OF THE TRAININGS AND PROGRAMS. AND OOPS, I'M SORRY, THE TRAININGS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS THAT HELP OUR DATA AND HELP OUR ULTIMATELY OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES.

THE NUMBER ONE THING IS WHY THEY'RE ABLE TO PULL ALL THIS OFF WITH ONLY FIVE PEOPLE.

THERE'S ALSO WE HAD A REAL SMART SECRETARY THAT USED TO BE WHAT A DATA ANALYST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN A PAST LIFE.

SHE HAS AN MBA, AND SHE RETIRED TWICE.

SHE'S AMAZING. YEAH, YEAH.

SO SHE BUILT ALL THESE SYSTEMS IN SKYWARD FOR REPORTING THAT OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE.

SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND THE DATA REQUIREMENTS IS REALLY HUGE.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE THAT AUTOMATED, OH MAN, IT JUST MAKES EVERYTHING SO MUCH SMOOTHER FROM THE LIAISONS OUT IN THE SCHOOLS TO REPORTING TO IT'S JUST ALL AUTOMATED.

IT'S REALLY NICE. AND ACTUALLY, OLYMPIA SCHOOL DISTRICT JUST EMAILED US LAST WEEK AND THEY WANT TO REPLICATE OUR MODEL IN OLYMPIA, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

ANYWAY. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. OK.

THANK YOU. FANTASTIC WORK.

I'M SO IMPRESSED.

THANK YOU. JILL.

YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES UP THAT WE GET ASKED ALL THE TIME IS, FOR INSTANCE, I KNOW THAT WE TRANSPORT OUR HOMELESS STUDENTS IF THEY LIVE OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE FINDING THEM TEMPORARY HOUSING.

HOW DOES THAT? COULD YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT GETS PAID FOR? HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE SPEND, WHERE THAT MONEY COMES FROM? SURE. YEAH. SO THERE'S A GREAT BIG BUDGET CALLED THE PROGRAM 99 BUDGET, WHICH I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON BUDGETS, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT PROGRAM 99 PAYS FOR TO AND FROM TRANSPORTATION. SO IT'S JUST REGULAR TO FROM TRANSPORTATION FOR ANY STUDENT TO GO TO AND FROM SCHOOL. BUT YOU BROUGHT UP CABS.

I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT EVERY STUDENT THAT COMES TO SCHOOL THAT'S IN A CAB IS IN A HOMELESS SITUATION, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I [INAUDIBLE] POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE OUR NUMBER ONE JOB IS TO PROTECT THAT STUDENT'S CONFIDENTIALITY.

RIGHT. BUT THE REASON THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT SOMETIMES IS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED UNDER MCKINNEY-VENTO TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL.

AND SO SOMETIMES WHEN PARENTS DON'T HAVE A CAR, WHEN THEY'RE MOVING AROUND A WHOLE BUNCH AND WE CAN'T SET UP A BUS FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE EVERY NIGHT, WE HAVE TO SET UP A CAB.

RIGHT. BUT IT'S AFTER WE'VE TRIED EVERY OTHER MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. OH, I WAS GOING TO SAY I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER TO COME BACK AND SEE YOU BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF EFFORT THAT WE LIKE TO INCLUDE ON OUR APPLICATION FOR BOARD OF DISTINCTION WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR DATA ABOUT HOW WE'RE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JILL AND LYDIA.

JACKIE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A QUESTION OR NOT.

NO, NO QUESTION.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU.

I DON'T THINK THESE LADIES WILL TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY REALLY DO FOR THIS DISTRICT, AND I'VE GOT TO WITNESS A LITTLE BIT OF IT.

AND HEAR SOME OF THE STORIES AND IT ABSOLUTELY WILL MAKE YOU CRY THE SITUATIONS THEY RUN INTO, AND IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.

SO IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO JUST SIT AND CHAT WITH THEM, DO, BECAUSE YOU WON'T GO AWAY DISAPPOINTED. I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD REALIZES THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY FOR US, LYDIA IS NOT LEAVING UNLESS I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.

[LAUGHTER] BUT, JILL SMITH IS RETIRING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND AS JILL INDICATED, SHE'S BEEN IN CHARGE OF THIS PROGRAM FOR 21 YEARS AND REPLACING HER IS GOING TO BE A MONUMENTAL TASK.

AND WE'RE NEVER GOING TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EVERYTHING THAT JILL BRINGS AND JILL WILL BE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY MISSED.

WELL, THANK YOU. THE ONLY SOLACE THAT I GET IN THAT IS THAT SHE ASSURES ME SHE'S NOT MOVING OUT OF THE AREA, SO WE KNOW HOW TO REACH HER.

[01:15:03]

I WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY LOOP BACK THIS EVENING TO OUR COUNSELORS WEEK LAST WEEK, THE 7TH THROUGH THE 11TH. AND REALLY, I WANTED TO JUST GIVE THE BOARD AN UPDATE ON SENATE BILL 5030. AS YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH LOOKING AT THEIR COUNSELING MODEL AND IN OUR DISTRICT, WE HAVE PLENTY OF WORK TO DO TO LOOK AT THE MODEL AND TO IMPLEMENT THE PIECES THAT ARE REQUIRED IN 50 30.

AND OUR COUNSELORS DO A TON OF WORK AROUND SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING AS WELL AS THE ACADEMICS. I MEAN, THEY REALLY ARE BALANCED.

I WOULD SAY THAT ALL OF OUR COHERENCE WORK FALLS IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE.

THEY ARE WHAT I HAVE LEARNED HAVING THE HONOR TO WORK WITH THEM THIS YEAR IS THAT THEY REALLY ARE LOOKING AT MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE CHILD.

AND WHAT I FIND DIFFICULT FOR THEM IN A TIME LIKE NOW IS THAT THEY ARE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME TRYING TO HELP AND MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE BASE NEEDS MET AND THE SKILLS THAT THEY HAVE IN ORDER TO ACCESS THE ACADEMIC LEARNING PIECES.

THAT YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT SCHOOL IS ABOUT LEARNING AND THOSE PIECES, BUT SOME OF THOSE SKILLS HAVE HAVE REALLY BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR OUR STUDENTS RIGHT NOW.

AND SO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, HELPING STUDENTS GAIN THEIR STRONG COPING, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS, TEACHING DIRECT LESSONS, HELPING THEM IN GROUPS, LOOKING AT THEIR EMOTIONAL NEEDS AND HELPING THEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROCESS THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD HAS BEEN JUST AMAZING.

THE STRATEGIES AND SKILLS THAT THEY BRING TO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO TAKE BACK TO THE CLASSROOM AS JUST OUTSTANDING.

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING THEM BUILD A MODEL THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU IN MAY.

THAT MODEL WILL INCLUDE WHAT DATA THEY'RE GOING TO USE TO LOOK AT HOW THEIR SERVICE IS AFFECTING STUDENTS.

THEY'LL BE LOOKING AT THE USE OF THEIR TIME AND MAKING SURE THAT MOST OF THEIR TIME IS IN DIRECT AND INDIRECT SERVICES.

80 PERCENT IS OUR GOAL.

THAT'S MONUMENTAL CHANGES THAT WILL HAPPEN IN ORDER TO REACH THAT GOAL AND CERTAINLY A PROCESS FORTUNATELY, TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW MODEL, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT WORK INVIGORATED ABOUT THAT WORK.

WE KNOW THAT IT'S THE RIGHT WORK, AND CERTAINLY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS CONSIDERING COULD CERTAINLY HELP US BY CREATING MORE OF A FUNDING MODEL TO HELP US WITH OUR COUNSELOR STAFFING.

WE RIGHT NOW WE'RE KIND OF AHEAD OF THE CURVE IN MANY WAYS ACROSS THE DISTRICTS BECAUSE SOME DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE COUNSELORS AT THE PRIMARY SCHOOL.

WE HAVE HAD THOSE SINCE 2018.

WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

IT'S MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS AT THE EARLY STAGES WHEN THEY'RE REALLY LEARNING SOME OF THOSE FRIENDSHIP SKILLS, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS, HOW TO HANDLE THEMSELVES IN A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE KNOW THAT THE NEEDS CONTINUE TO GROW.

AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS FOR THAT NOT TO.

FOR THAT TO BE FULLY FUNDED, AND SO ANY COMMUNICATION THAT WE CAN HAVE AT THE STATE LEVEL, I THINK WILL HELP ULTIMATELY, AND I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR COUNSELING TEAMS. THEY'RE AMAZING INDIVIDUALS, BOTH IN OUR CAREER AND COUNSELING CENTER, OUR CAREER CENTERS AND OUR COUNSELING CENTERS.

THEY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR OUR KIDS AND THEIR LIVES MOVING FORWARD.

BUT ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT BEFORE I TURN IT BACK OVER TO MR. WATERS.

I KNOW IN MY DISCUSSION WITH LEGISLATORS THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SEEMED TO HAVE SUPPORT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BOARD.

SO I HOPE THAT COMES THROUGH IN THE END.

I HOPE SO. YEAH. OKAY, THANK YOU CITIZENS WERE ALMOST THERE.

WE GOT A COUPLE MORE THINGS AND THEN WE'LL GET TO YOUR COMMENTS.

THIS WILL HELP. NO FINANCE REPORT TODAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THAT.

[LAUGHTER] OPERATIONS REPORT.

JUST A REAL QUICK REPORT FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS MR. KEVIN JOLMA. GOOD EVENING, ALL.

I WOULD HAVE CANCELED IF I KNEW IT WOULD HELP SPEED THINGS UP.

I'VE BEEN BUSY WITH COORDINATING WITH CINDY AT REGARDING THE CTE PROGRAMS AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL AND HOW TO REARRANGE THEM FOR A LONG TERM FACILITY UPGRADE AND AND JUST LOOKING AT THE SPACES AND HOW THEY'RE USING THEM.

MY NEW ROOF HAS STARTED ON THE A BUILDING, SO WE'LL BE DONE WITH THAT PRETTY SOON.

[01:20:03]

IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO DROP BY THERE, TAKE A PEEK WHAT WE'RE UP TO, YOU KNOW, REPAINTING, CHANGING LIGHTS, PAINTING CABINETS.

SCOTT HAS BEEN BUSY ORDERING IT UPGRADES, SO I'VE BEEN SIGNING A LOT OF THOSE PO'S.

SO THAT'S THAT'S BEEN THE BULK OF MY LIFE IS GETTING READY FOR CAM AND THE ENGINEERING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, KEVIN. AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, RITA SANDERS COMMUNICATIONS REPORT.

GOOD EVENING, BOARD, I JUST HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SHARE THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS SINCE WE'VE LAST MET.

THE FIRST ONE IS THAT OUR BOYS BASKETBALL, MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL HAD A GREAT SEASON AND WE HAD A LOT OF SCHOOLS, HAD THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF TEAMS 7TH GRADE, 8TH GRADE AND BLENDED TEAMS OF 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS SO THAT AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE SPORT.

AND I WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO LAURIN AND AMBOY.

THEY REALLY EXCELLED THIS YEAR IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AGE CATEGORIES, SO THAT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE. AND THE GIRLS HAVE BEGUN PRACTICES LAST WEEK, AND I GET PERSONAL REPORTS OF AT LEAST ABOUT TUKES VALLEY MIDDLE FROM MY DAUGHTER THAT THEY'RE HAVING LOTS OF FUN, SO THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING SEASON.

SO THAT'S GOOD TO SEE. AND REGISTRATION IS ALSO OPEN FOR SOCCER AND CROSS-COUNTRY NOW TOO, SO STUDENTS FAMILIES CAN SIGN UP FOR THOSE SEASONS COMING UP.

SO WE HAVE SOME AMAZING STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.

WE HAVE SIX STUDENTS IN OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WERE SELECTED FOR THE ALL-STATE HONOR BAND, AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT THEM IN OUR MOST RECENT NEWSLETTER.

THAT'S REALLY COOL. WE USUALLY HAVE SOME STUDENTS THAT ARE RECOGNIZED EVERY YEAR, AND WE HAVE A GREAT CROP OF STUDENTS THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE A PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI WHO'S BEEN IN THE NEWS.

SHE HAS TURNED A CONTROVERSY AT HER COLLEGE INTO A SCHOLARSHIP FUND THAT IS OVER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, CREATING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WOMEN.

SO THAT'S PRETTY COOL, TOO.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH A HEART TOUCHING VIDEO OF ONE OF OUR DAYBREAK MIDDLE STUDENTS, DAVID BOGGS. HE'S A CANCER SURVIVOR, AND HE'S VERY POSITIVE, VERY HUMBLE STUDENT, AND HE HAS A GREAT STORY AND HIS FAMILY WANTS TO SHARE ABOUT CHILDHOOD CANCERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF RESEARCH FUNDING.

AND SO HE WANTED TO SHARE HIS STORY WITH EVERYONE BECAUSE HE IS JUST AN AMAZING INDIVIDUAL. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT VIDEO ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

THEN I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT WE RECENTLY SENT OUR, WORKED WITH OUR CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT DEPARTMENT TO SEND INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY REVIEW FOR OUR SEXUAL HEALTH CURRICULA THAT WE'RE REVIEWING.

THAT ALL WENT OUT TO OUR FAMILIES AND THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.

AND SO PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THE LINKS TO THE FOUR DIFFERENT CURRICULA THAT WE'RE REVIEWING AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THIS SURVEY.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR INDUSTRY FAIR IS COMING UP THIS WEEK ON THURSDAY.

IT'S FIVE TO SEVEN P.M.

AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT'S A GREAT EVENT.

STUDENTS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ALL INVITED AND WE HAVE LAST I HEARD TODAY, WE HAVE ALMOST 60 EMPLOYERS FROM THE REGION SIGNED UP TO BE THERE AND TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAREERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE HERE IN OUR AREA.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CREATE A RESUME OR BRUSH UP ON YOUR RESUME, YOU CAN DO THAT FROM 3:00 TO 6:30 P.M.

ALSO AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MEDIA CENTER, I BELIEVE.

SO THOSE ARE SOME GREAT THINGS YOU CAN DO THURSDAY.

CAN YOU DROP IN OR DO WE NEED TO PRE-REGISTER? I BELIEVE YOU CAN DROP IN.

YES, FOR THE RESUME, YOU CAN DROP IN.

AND CERTAINLY FOR THE EVENT, YOU CAN JUST DROP IN.

YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RITA.

THANK YOU, RITA. AND FINALLY, THAT IS IT FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT STAFF UPDATE.

A LOT GOES ON IN THREE WEEKS, I GUESS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.

I'M COGNIZANT OF IT EVERY WEEK, BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO KEEP GOING.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT, CITIZENS, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

[8. Citizens' Comments]

[01:25:04]

THANKS FOR ABIDING BY THOSE.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AT THE PODIUM AND THE BOARD DOESN'T NORMALLY RESPOND TO THOSE.

BUT IF WE FEEL LIKE THE ADMIN NEEDS TO GET BACK TO YOU, WE'LL MAKE SURE AND ASSIGN THEM TO GET INFORMATION.

SO FIRST ON OUR LIST IS CONRAD [INAUDIBLE] NEXT JENNIFER HEINY-WHIPPY THEN JESSICA COLE AND THEN EUNICE INGERMANSON.

YEAH. MY NAME IS CONRAD VERPORTING.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS, ALL OF YOU, THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE THAT DO ALL THIS WORK. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

THE TIME YOU PUT IN. I KNOW I USED TO DO A LOT OF THAT, AND I'M ONE OF THE OLDER GUYS AROUND HERE, PROBABLY, AND I'VE SEEN ALL THIS WORK AND I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

AND WITH MY AGE, I PROBABLY REPRESENT PART OF THE OLDER COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, I REALIZE YOU GUYS LIKE TO GET THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE.

AND SO I'M PART OF IT.

THE THE OLDER PART, I'M SORRY TO SAY, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M STILL HERE AND I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS. I'VE LOST THREE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, PASSED AWAY.

AND SO I'M SPEAKING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I THINK THE ELDERLY AND A LOT OF US DON'T PROBABLY GET INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD, AND FOR VARIOUS REASONS, WE LET OUR CHILDREN, SOMETIMES OUR GRANDCHILDREN DO THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL LIKE I STILL GOT TO SAY SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING.

AND MY SON THREE ACTUALLY GRADUATED AROUND 2000 HERE AND THEY ARE DOING WELL.

I THANK YOU FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE SUPPORT FOR THEM.

THEY'VE TAKEN OVER MY BUSINESS, MY OLDEST HE WENT THROUGH 12 YEARS HERE WITHOUT ONE ABSENTEE.

AND I'M SO PROUD OF HIM.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT JIM DRAKE USED TO TEACH WELDING SHOP OVER THERE AND THEY HAD A YOU REMEMBER THE RACE CAR? YEAH. UH-HUH. I WENT ALL OVER THE OREGON AND WASHINGTON WITH THOSE KIDS, WITH A RACE CAR, WITH THE ELECTRIC RACE CARS.

YOU KNOW, MY SON NOW HE GOES DOWN AND RACES IN THE DESERT WITH A THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR CAR GOING 100 MILES AN HOUR GOING THROUGH THE DESERT.

SEE WHAT YOU STARTED. [LAUGHTER] YEAH, BUT I'M PROUD OF HIM.

BUT THE KID'S AN AMAZING CARPENTER AND AMAZING FABRICATOR AND WELDER, AND A LOT OF IT COMES FROM THE SCHOOL WERE YOU TEACH THEM.

OK, I'LL LET YOU.

YOU STILL GOT 30 SECONDS.

PARDON. WELL, I GOT 30 SECONDS.

OK, WELL, I'M GOING TO I'VE DECIDED TO SPLIT THIS IN TWO.

I'LL CATCH YOU NEXT TIME.

OK, THANK YOU, GUYS.

I WANTED TO SAY, I APPRECIATE YOU.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAY AND DO YOU KNOW THAT? BUT I STILL I'M NOT YOUR ENEMY.

OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR VOICE.

THANK YOU. JUST IN BETWEEN, I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY MY CONDOLENCES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE LOST IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

HI. HELLO, JENNIFER.

GOOD EVENING. [LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW ME, I'M JENNIFER, AND I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE I CAN WITH THIS WHOLE MASK THING I CAN HEAR YOUR ANXIOUSNESS TO GET RID OF THESE.

I UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN UNDER FOR THIS PAST, WHAT YEAR AND A HALF WE'VE HAD THESE THINGS ON.

AND I'VE ACTUALLY GONE ON THE OSPI WEBSITE.

I'VE READ THE DOCUMENT THAT CAME DOWN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OR FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN D.C.

AND SO I KNOW THE BIG DOGS THAT YOU'RE GOING UP AGAINST, BUT I STILL APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE ANXIOUS TO GET RID OF THE MANDATE AND TO MOVE IT TO AN OPTION.

I DO ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU THERE ARE IN THIS COMING WEEKS SOME DISTRICTS IN OUR STATE

[01:30:04]

I JUST GOT A POST TONIGHT.

THE KETTLE FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTED TO DROP THE MANDATE AND TO GO TO MASKS OPTIONAL.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING A LOT OF THAT WITHIN THE COMING WEEKS.

I JUST WANT TO TELL KIND OF A PERSONAL STORY.

ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO, I WENT THROUGH CANCER TREATMENT AND I DID THE WHOLE BAG.

CHEMOTHERAPY LOST MY HAIR EVERYTHING.

WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH CHEMO, CHEMO KILLS OFF BASICALLY YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

IT DROPS IT TO HARDLY ANYTHING.

I HAD THREE LITTLE KIDS AT THE TIME THREE, FIVE AND SEVEN LITTLE GERM FACTORIES.

THROUGH MY TREATMENTS, I NEVER WORE A MASK.

BUT MY MOM AND MY AUNT AND MY UNCLE, MY TWO, MY MOM AND MY AUNT WERE BOTH NURSES.

MY AUNT WORKED AT WALTER REED.

MY UNCLE WORKS FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH.

ALL THREE OF THEM EMPHASIZED HAND-WASHING, AND SO WE WASHED OUR HANDS DILIGENTLY.

WHENEVER SOMEBODY CAME TO OUR HOUSE, THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS GO IN, WASH THEIR HANDS. AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY GO TO MASKS OPTIONAL, I THINK IT'S STILL A GOOD IDEA TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAND WASHING AND HOW THAT REALLY DOES PROTECT US FROM GERMS AN CONTRACTING ILLNESSES.

AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY EASY THING TO DO.

BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I'D APPRECIATE THE I THINK, THE POSITIVE OUTCOME FROM THE PROTESTS AND I THINK SUCCESS ISN'T ALWAYS WHAT WE THINK IT IS.

I THINK THESE KIDS LEARNING ABOUT THE PROTESTS OR ABOUT PROTESTING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF VOICING THEIR OPINION, I COUNT THAT AS A POSITIVE.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO WE HAVE VETERAN SPEAKERS THAT ARE READY TO GO RIGHT WHEN THE NEXT ONE GETS DONE.

HELLO, BOARD, MY NAME IS JESSICA COLE.

I'M A PARENT THAT HAS HAD KIDS IN THE DISTRICT, MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO CATHY AND MONTY.

THEY'VE DONE I'VE HEARD LOTS OF GREAT WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.

AND THIS IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU, I'M SURE SOME OF YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THIS MANY TIMES, BUT TWO OF MY FAVORITE BLACK AMERICANS ARE BAYARD RUSTIN IS ONE AND KYLAR BROADUS IS ANOTHER.

AND THEY'RE BOTH LGBTQ.

AND THE REASON WHY I KNOW ABOUT THESE TWO, THEY'RE NOT CHARACTERS.

THESE ARE PEOPLE. THESE TWO PEOPLE IS BECAUSE MY YOUNGEST HAD A HISTORY ASSIGNMENT FROM ONE OF HIS TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT.

AND SO I DON'T THINK OF MYSELF AS A HISTORY BUFF OR ANYTHING.

BUT LIKE, IT'S INTERESTING TO LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE STORIES BEHIND THINGS. SO MY SON AND I TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT AS HE RESEARCHED FOR HIS PAPERS THAT HE HAD TO WRITE. AND BAYARD WAS LIKE THE CRITICAL PERSON IN MY OPINION IN THE HISTORY WHAT WE'VE READ IN FOR THE MARCH IN WASHINGTON IN 1963 FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM.

AND BECAUSE HE WAS GAY, A LOT OF TIMES HE WAS KIND OF LIKE BEHIND THE SCENES OR LIKE A PUSHED AWAY. SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING HOW LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND HOW IT CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO EVEN MORE LIKE, OH, LIKE, YOU'RE MORE UNDERREPRESENTED, SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP YOU OUT.

SO IT WAS INTERESTING LEARNING ABOUT HIM, AND I LOVE HIS QUOTE.

WE NEED IN EVERY COMMUNITY A GROUP OF ANGELIC TROUBLEMAKERS.

AND I REALLY LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE'S A REALLY PEACEFUL HUMAN BEING, AND THAT JUST REALLY RESONATES WITH ME PERSONALLY.

AND THEN KYLAR BROADUS, HE WAS THE FIRST HE WAS ACTUALLY BORN THE EXACT DAY OF THAT MARCH ON WASHINGTON. NOT A DIFFERENT YEAR, THAT EXACT YEAR IN 1963.

I THINK THAT'S SUPER COOL, THAT THEY BOTH, YOU KNOW, WANT TO HAVE CIVIL RIGHTS FOR LIKE LOTS OF GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

AND HE'S ALSO VERY PEACEFULLY AND KIND AND HE WAS THE FIRST TRANS MAN TO OR

[01:35:06]

I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU, NOT READ, READ AT YOU.

AND THAT SPOKE LIKE IN FRONT OF CONGRESS, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST REALLY COOL TO HEAR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.

AND I LEARNED IT BECAUSE OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL AND POSSIBLY SHARE IT WITH YOU AGAIN.

[LAUGHTER] SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JESSICA. AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER, EUNICE INGERMANSON.

GOOD EVENING BOARD, MY NAME IS EUNICE INGERMANSON, MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER, AND I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER IN THIS DISTRICT.

AS YOU KNOW, OVER 20 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE LGBTQ, BUT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, THESE YOUTHS HAVE GENERALLY LIVED IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS UNSAFE, WHETHER THEY HAVE COME OUT TO ANYBODY OR NOT.

THEY HAVE HEARD PEOPLE AND AUTHORITIES SAY THAT IT IS WRONG OR A SIN TO BE LGBTQ.

AT SCHOOL AND ELSEWHERE THEY HAVE HEARD HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC JOKES AND COMMENTS DIRECTED AT THEM OR OTHERS.

SOME HAVE BEEN BULLIED BECAUSE THEY WALK, TALK OR DRESS DIFFERENTLY.

SOME HAVE BEEN SHAMED AND SUBJECTED TO MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE THEM.

SOME HAVE COME OUT COURAGEOUSLY AND NOTIFIED THE SCHOOL OF THEIR NEW NAMES AND PRONOUNS AND BEGAN TO LIVE AS THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES, ONLY TO HAVE OTHERS, INCLUDING SOME OF THEIR TEACHERS OR BUS DRIVERS, STUBBORNLY IGNORE THEIR REQUESTS.

SOME HAVE BEEN BEATEN.

SOME HAVE BECOME HOMELESS BECAUSE OF FAMILY REJECTION, WHILE SOME OTHERS FEAR TO GO HOME FOR THE SAME REASON.

THESE ARE THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF OUR LGBTQ+ YOUTH.

SO TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EACH OF YOU AND AS MANY OTHERS AS ARE WILLING, STAFF, STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DESIGNATE SPACES THAT YOU PERSONALLY CONTROL, SUCH AS CLASSROOM, OFFICE, NURSE'S STATION ASB SPACE, HOUSE, BUSINESS, CHURCH, LIBRARY, A SAFE ZONE AND MARK IT WITH A SIGN SUCH AS THIS.

TO SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO BE A SAFE SPACE FOR ALL, INCLUDING LGBTQ+ YOUTH, SAFE FROM ANY KIND OF HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION OR BULLYING, AND A SPACE WHERE ANYONE BEING TARGETED COULD COME AND STAY FOR A WHILE TILL THEY FEEL SAFE TO VENTURE OUT AGAIN.

TRY TAPING UP THESE SIGNS OUTSIDE YOUR OFFICE OR BUSINESS AS A PROMISE THAT YOU WILL STAND UP TO BULLYING AND DISCRIMINATION AND WILL BE KIND AND HELPFUL TO ANY WHO SEEK TEMPORARY REFUGE IN THE SPACE THAT YOU CONTROL.

IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU ACQUIRE SOME LGBTQ CULTURAL COMPETENCY.

NO HIV POLICIES IN YOUR SPACE AND OUR TRAUMA INFORMED.

THIS COULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TOWARD OUR SCHOOLS BECOMING A SAFE AND CARING PLACE OF LEARNING.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENGAGE IN FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH YOU TO MAKE SAFE ZONES A WIDESPREAD REALITY IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU EUNICE. OK.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR OUR CITIZENS COMMENTS.

NEXT UP IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. Consent Agenda]

ITEM B APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 24TH, 2022 REGULAR MEETING.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 24TH, 2022 SPECIAL MEETING.

ITEM D THE BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS REPORT.

ITEM E CONTRACTS AND RATIFICATION.

ITEM F PERSONNEL REPORTS.

ITEM G STUDENT TRAVEL.

ITEM H FINANCIAL REPORTS.

ITEM I APPROVAL OF THE 2021 2022 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

ITEM J THE EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE DAYBREAK YOUTH SERVICES FOR 21 22.

[01:40:03]

IF THERE'S ANY OF THESE ITEMS THAT YOU FEEL NEED THEIR OWN SPACE CAN DO THAT AT THIS TIME. IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

I MOVE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES 4 0.

THANK YOU. MARK, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE DONATION THAT WAS MADE.

YEAH, I JUST.

AND YOUR HEART IS NEAR AND DEAR TO THE CASEE “B" SO I'LL LET YOU DO THAT.

OK, GREAT. ACTUALLY, JUST AN OPEN INVITATION LIKE I'VE SOMETIMES MADE IN THE PAST, BUT I HAVEN'T SO MUCH.

I'LL BE GLAD TO WALK YOU AROUND THE 80 ACRE CASEE PROPERTY AND GIVE YOU SOME OF THE HISTORY THAT PATI HOUGH FOUNDATION GRANT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING MULTIPLE FEATURES OUT THERE AND CONTINUES TO HELP BUILD CTE PROGRAMS, HORTICULTURE IN PARTICULAR, AND CASEE IN PARTICULAR OUT THERE.

SO OPEN INVITATION TO COME TAKE A WALK.

YEAH, WELL, AND IT'S I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THE BOARD GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW MUCH THE DONATION WAS FOR.

YES, BUT MAYBE THE COMMUNITY OR ANYBODY LISTENING IN DOESN'T REALIZE THAT THE DONATION WAS FOR ONE HUNDRED AND THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS, ALMOST ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS.

I MEAN, IT'S SIGNIFICANT FOR WHAT IT DOES.

AND I CAN TELL YOU ON THE NICE WARM SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WHEN I WAS OUT THERE, THERE WERE PEOPLE PICNICKING NEXT TO THE POND PAID FOR BY THE PATI HOUGH GRANT.

AND THE BOTANICAL GARDENS HOPEFULLY PAID BY THE GRANT.

AND SO LOTS OF FEATURES OUT THERE AND THE COMMUNITY SEEMS TO BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEM.

THAT'S GREAT. YEAH. YEAH, SOUNDS OUTSTANDING.

THANK YOU. OK, OLD BUSINESS, NONE, SO WE'RE READY FOR NEW BUSINESS, WE HAVE THREE ITEMS.

[11. New Business]

GOOD EVENING. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE CURRICULUM CALLED POPFIZZ, AND SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE BROUGHT A COURSE IN FRONT OF YOU CALLED COMPUTER SCIENCE A AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A.

AND WITH THAT WAS THE CURRICULUM CALLED TECHSMART, IN WHICH THEY WOULD USE THE THE COMPUTER SCIENCE.

IT'S THE CURRICULUM FOR THE COMPUTER SCIENCE CLASS.

AND SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT HAS POPFIZZ HAS COME ABOUT AND IS A PROGRAM OR A CURRICULUM THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT IN REPLACEMENT OF THE TECHSMART.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A BETTER FIT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

AND SO I HAVE HERE WITH US TONIGHT CINDY ARNOLD AND TODD FERRIS, AND I'M GOING TO HAND THE MICROPHONE OFF TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.

AND THEN YOU CAN ASK THEM QUESTIONS.

HI, SCHOOL BOARD.

CINDY ARNOLD AND WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED TO US BY TEALS. WE WORKED WITH TEALS TO IMPLEMENT AP COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND WE HAD CSAWESOME, CODE.ORG, TEALS, PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, CODE HS, AND POPFIZZ, AND OUR ADVISORY RECOMMENDED POPFIZZ. AND TODD HAS BEEN USING IT AS A PILOT, AND WE LIKED IT SO WELL WE WANTED TO IMPLEMENT IT WITH PYTHON AS WELL.

SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE CURRICULUM ITSELF FROM TODD? SURE, THAT'D BE GREAT. SO CLEARLY IT'S AN ONLINE PROGRAM.

THE REASON WE CHOSE IT, WE'RE THE ORGANIZATION ON IT IS VERY WELL STRUCTURED AND WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS TRYING IT THIS YEAR.

IT'S A SELF-PACED TYPE SYSTEM SO THEY CAN GO AS QUICKLY AS THEY WANT TO OR AS SLOWLY AS THEY NEED TO. SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY HAPPY WITH IT.

THE STUDENTS HAVE GIVEN US GOOD FEEDBACK, PARTICULARLY FOR THE PYTHON PORTION.

WE ARE COMPARING IT TO THE TECHSMART.

AND STUDENTS HAVE PREFERRED THE POPFIZZ.

ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS, BUT IS THE PYTHON, DO I UNDERSTAND THE

[01:45:03]

OK, SO POPFIZZ HAS A PYTHON CURRICULUM FOR THE INTRODUCTION LEVEL, AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE THE AP COMPUTER SCIENCE JAVA CURRICULUM.

WELL, I'M SURE THAT I WOULD FAIL THESE COURSES.

HOWEVER, I DID GET INTO IT AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED TO SEE THE LESSONS ON CYBERSECURITY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A CAREER, YOU KNOW, REALLY, REALLY OPEN CAREER RIGHT NOW AND ALSO MENTION OF BIAS AND ALGORITHMS, WHICH INTRIGUED ME.

YES. BUT I GOT LOST IN A LESSON IN THE INTRO TO COMPUTER, WHICH WAS IS RANDOM, REALLY RANDOM, AND IT'S ABOUT DIGITAL, YOU KNOW, THE DIGITAL RANDOMIZING AND IS IT TRULY RANDOM? SO I NEVER FINISHED THE LESSON, BUT I'M INTRIGUED TO FIND OUT.

THE ANSWER IS NO. RANDOM TRULY IS A VERY COMPLICATED MATH FORMULA.

AND LIKE ANY MATH FORMULAS, YOU GIVE AN INPUT, YOU'LL GET AN OUTPUT.

SO COMPUTERS ARE NOT TRULY RANDOM.

SO IT WAS MENTIONED THAT YOU COULD GO AT YOUR OWN PACE, FAST OR SLOW.

IF YOU'RE SUPER FAST, DO YOU JUST, IS THERE JUST ADDITIONAL? YOU CAN JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE UNITS OR IF YOU'RE AT A SLOWER PACE, HOW DO YOU CATCH UP SO THAT YOU CAN [INAUDIBLE], YOU KNOW, GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE SO THE WAY I USE THAT IS FOR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.

THEY JUST DON'T GET AS FAR BECAUSE THEY DO GO SLOWER, SO THEY DON'T GET AS FAR THROUGH THE CURRICULUM, BUT IT ALLOWS THEM TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PARTS THEY DO GET BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER HAVE THEM REALLY UNDERSTAND WELL A PORTION OF IT THAN TO HALF UNDERSTAND ALL OF IT. NOW THE STUDENTS THAT CAN GO FASTER.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF THOSE AND IT COMES BACK ON ME THAT THEY REALLY FINISHED THE WHOLE CURRICULUM.

I HAVE ONE STUDENT WHOSE FINISHED THE WHOLE YEAR'S CURRICULUM BY THE END OF THE FIRST SEMESTER. AND SO I AM PROVIDING MORE PROJECTS FOR THAT TYPE OF STUDENT.

SO YOU CAN FINISH THE YEAR'S CURRICULUM QUICKLY, AND THEN IT'S UP TO THE TEACHER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL.

IT'S GOOD, AND I PRESUME THERE'S AN AP EXAM THAT HAPPENS AT A CERTAIN TIME DURING THE YEAR OR IS IT CAN IT BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE COURSE? THE AP EXAM IS A SET DATE.

EARLY MAY. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

YES. OK. YES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENT.

YEAH, PLEASE. AS SOMEONE WHO TOOK INTRO TO PYTHON MY FRESHMAN YEAR, WHICH IS VERY LONG AGO, OH MY GOSH.

[LAUGHTER]. I REALLY DO LIKE THE FACT THAT THIS ACTUALLY HAS PACING INVOLVED WITH IT BECAUSE WHEN I WAS DOING IT, MY TEACHER WHO WAS MS. [INAUDIBLE], SHE WAS LIKE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THE ADVANCED CLASS.

I WAS LIKE, OK.

AND LIKE, KIND OF LIKE I HAD TO LIKE, GRAB LIKE SOME OF MY FRIENDS IN THE CLASS AND I WAS LIKE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS? AND THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, AND THEY WOULD HELP ME, BUT LIKE, SOMETIMES I WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. SO I'M GLAD THAT THERE'S LIKE PACING INVOLVED NOW.

THAT WAY, IT'S LIKE EASIER FOR LIKE KIDS TO ACTUALLY LEARN THE MATERIAL.

OK, THANK YOU. IF THERE'S FURTHER QUESTIONS.

WOULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FIRST READING ONLINE POPFIZZ CURRICULUM. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACCEPT THE FIRST READING OF THE ONLINE POPFIZZ CURRICULUM FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION PASSES 4 TO 0.

FIRST READING IS APPROVED.

OK. ITEM B REVISION OF POLICY 2125 SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION.

ALLISON AND DAVE, AGAIN, I THOUGHT WE DID THIS.

I GUESS NOT.

SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT JUST TO UPDATE THE POLICY 2125 ON SEXUAL HEALTH.

AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE A COPY OF THAT POLICY IN FRONT OF YOU.

AND WE WANTED TO OPEN THAT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM YOU.

I JUST HAD A COMMENT ABOUT ONE OF THE PROCEDURES, THERE'S A LINK IN THERE TO

[01:50:04]

THAT LINK DIDN'T WORK.

I THINK IT JUST NEEDS TO BE THE REFERENCE TO THE GUIDELINES.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS I WAS CLICKING THROUGH STUFF TODAY.

OK, THANK YOU. WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN WORK WITH SANDY TO GET THE LINK TO THAT CORRECTED.

ONE OF THOSE LINKS DOES WORK.

I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE.

YEAH IT DID. YEAH, YEAH, OK.

SO WE'LL JUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYWHERE IT SAYS THE GUIDELINES FOR HEALTH, SEXUAL HEALTH INFORMATION AND DISEASE PREVENTION OR THE 2005 GUIDELINES FOR SEXUAL HEALTH AND DISEASE PREVENTION ARE ALL THE SAME LINK AND ARE WORKING.

AND MY QUESTION AND I SHOULD KNOW THIS FROM BEING ON THE COMMITTEE IS HAVE THOSE GUIDELINES, THOSE ARE THE MOST RECENT GUIDELINES? THAT IS CORRECT. AND THOSE ARE THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE REFERENCED IN THE LAW.

YES. THAT THIS POLICY IS IN LINE WITH.

CORRECT. THAT'S REALLY THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF UPDATING THE POLICY IS TO ALIGN IT WITH THE LAW. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. YES.

AM I KIND OF CORRECT IN SAYING THAT IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS VERSION OF THE LAW SINCE LAST SPRING WHEN WE.

SO LAST SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THE THE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

SO IT WAS. OK.

IT WAS PASSED.

I DON'T KNOW, THE DATES ARE ALL BLENDING TOGETHER.

[LAUGHTER] BUT YEAH, WE HAD AN OPTION.

WHEN THE BOARD POLICY SAID THAT IT WAS FOR ELECTIVE COURSES, IT WAS NOT A STATE REQUIREMENT. SO NOW IT IS A STATE REQUIREMENT THAT WE TEACH SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION.

AND OK, SO THEY PASSED THE LAW.

THEN THEY DELAYED ITS IMPLEMENTATION.

YES. NOW OK, THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.

BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE 2005 GUIDELINES WERE LIKE, IF YOU TEACH IT, THEN THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW.

GOTCHA. AND THEN WITH THE PASSING OF THE LAW, IT'S A MATTER OF NOW THAT YOU DO TEACH IT THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW.

GOT IT. AND I APPRECIATE HAVING THE PROCEDURE THERE.

AND I THINK ALL OF US APPRECIATE ALSO THE LINK TO THE GUIDELINES, BECAUSE REALLY, IF YOU GO BACK AND READ THE LAW, IF THE LAW REFERS TO THE GUIDELINES, YOU SHALL TEACH IT ACCORDING TO THESE GUIDELINES.

AND SO I THINK SOME PEOPLE WILL GO BACK AND THEY'LL LOOK AT THE LAW AND THEY'LL SAY, WELL, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE NOT PART OF THE LAW, AND I'M NOT SURE EVERYONE REALIZES THAT THAT CONNECTS TO THE GUIDELINES AND TO THE STANDARDS.

AND YOU KNOW, I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO PEOPLE TO DECIDE, DO THOSE GUIDELINES AND THOSE STANDARDS ACTUALLY REFLECT WHAT THE LAW SAYS? I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO BE INTERPRETED BY SOMEONE, OK? AND AS WE READ THE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY, IT SAYS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, MEDICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE.

SO AS WE'RE WORKING AS A COMMITTEE, I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'VE EMPHASIZED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS WE LOOK AT CURRICULUM.

YES. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2005 GUIDELINES IN THE DEFINITIONS FOR MEDICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE ARE INTERPRETED AS PART OF THE PROCEDURE PAGE.

BUT IT TALKS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HAVING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OR PUBLICATION SPECIFIC PUBLICATIONS AND THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE FEDERAL CENTER OF DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ARE THOSE THAT ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING IS SCIENTIFICALLY AND MEDICALLY ACCURATE.

I HAVE ANOTHER RANDOM QUESTION.

SO WITH THAT SCIENTIFICALLY AND MEDICALLY ACCURATE, IT SAYS AND OBJECTIVE.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS LISTED IN THE POLICY OR THE PROCEDURE FOLLOWING THAT.

AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY? SAY THAT OBJECTIVE.

SAY THAT AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE I FOLLOW.

SO, THE SENTENCE THAT WAS IN THERE WAS FOR THE GUIDELINE WAS MEDICALLY AND ACCURATE, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE NOW I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT MEDICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE.

BUT IF YOU GO TO THE LAW, IT SAYS AN OBJECTIVE SO LIKE YOU NEED TO BE OBJECTIVE ABOUT IT.

BUT THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS RESTATE IN THE POLICY OR THE PROCEDURE.

I WAS JUST I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST KIND OF SHORTENED FOR, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE].

[01:55:08]

I MEAN, THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF SCIENCE AS OPPOSED TO BEING SUBJECTIVE, I GUESS, WHERE IT'S MORE A MATTER OF OPINION.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

CAN I READ THE PIECE OUT OF THE GUIDANCE? WHAT HOW IT DEFINES MEDICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE, IT SAYS, REFERS TO INFORMATION THAT IS VERIFIED OR SUPPORTED BY RESEARCH IN COMPLIANCE WITH SCIENTIFIC METHODS AND PUBLISHED IN PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS WHERE APPROPRIATE AND RECOGNIZED AS ACCURATE AND OBJECTIVE BY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES WITH EXPERTISE IN THE RELEVANT FIELD, SUCH AS THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICS.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT RIGHT. OBSTETRICS.

THANK YOU. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

SO I THINK THE OBJECTIVE IS BY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES WITH EXPERTISE IN THE RELEVANT FIELDS.

YEAH, I MEAN, ANOTHER USE OF OBJECTIVE IN THAT SENSE IS TO TRY TO REDUCE BIAS.

I MEAN, SO IN ANY SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT OR SOME OTHER, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIAS IS IMPORTANT SO THAT THE LESS BIASED, THE MORE OBJECTIVE IT'S I THINK YEAH THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE.

GOT IT. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? THE LAST TIME I RECALL REVIEWING THE BILL, THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE FOR OPTING OUT. WOULD THAT NOT NEED TO BE IN HERE ANYWHERE IN OUR PROCEDURES? SO THERE'S A PARAGRAPH IN THERE CLOSE TO THE BACK ABOUT.

YEAH. SO I IF I MISSED IT, I APOLOGIZE.

IT'S LIKE CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND PAGE THIRD PARAGRAPH UP.

SO WE HAVE THE EXCLUDING STUDENT FROM A PROGRAM OPT OUT.

YES.

I MUST BE COLORBLIND HERE.

[LAUGHTER] THERE'S A LOT OF UNDERLYING SO I KNOW WHEN I ORIGINALLY REVIEWED THE BILL, I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS JUST POP UP ON HOW THAT PROCESS OF OPTING OUT WAS GOING TO BE.

I THINK IF I RECALL, IT SAYS THAT IT HAS TO GO TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL FOR OPTING OUT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

I JUST WONDERED IF THERE IS ANOTHER SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO SET THAT UP.

MAYBE FAMILY ID WHEN WE REGISTER THE KIDS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE.

SO IT DOES HAVE, I BELIEVE, OR DESIGNEE, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO YOU.

SO WE HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE DO HAVE TO HAVE 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE.

SO THE PARENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REVIEW THE MATERIALS AS WELL AS 30 DAYS PRIOR.

AND THEN THE PROCEDURE HERE TALKS ABOUT PARENTS LETTING US KNOW AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE THAT WAY TEACHERS CAN MAKE THE APPROPRIATE CURRICULAR DECISIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE BEING OPTED OUT.

BUT WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT THEY SUBMIT THEIR NAMES ON A GOOGLE FORM AND THEN THEY HAVE TO ALSO CHOOSE THE TEACHER IN THE CLASS THAT THEY ARE IN, AND THEN THE TEACHER GOES THROUGH AND FILTERS IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE NAMES OF ALL THE STUDENTS WHO ARE OPTED OUT. THERE IS KIND OF A TIME FRAME WITH THAT, SO WE HAVE MOVED TO DOING IT EACH SEMESTER, BUT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD DO THAT AS PART OF THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ENROLLMENT PAPERWORK.

THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO THAT.

PART OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE 30 DAYS OF BEING ABLE TO REVIEW THE MATERIALS.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL NEED TO HAVE WITH THE COMMITTEE AND THE TEACHERS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS TO SEE IF WE NEED TO CHANGE OR SHORE UP THE PROCEDURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THAT.

BUT IT WON'T NEED TO NECESSARILY GO THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD.

IT CAN JUST HAPPEN THROUGH OUR FORM OR SKYWARD OR SOMETHING.

BUT WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST METHOD IS.

AND THE 30 DAY WINDOW THAT'S FOR THE PARENTS TO REVIEW OR? 30 DAYS FOR THE PARENTS. YES.

OK. I THINK IT'S AT LEAST 30 DAYS.

YEAH. YOU HAVE TO DO IT PREVIOUS TO THAT, BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM AT LEAST 30 DAYS.

YEAH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

[02:00:06]

TWENTY ONE TWENTY FIVE.

OH 2125. I'LL MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVE THE REVISION OF POLICY 2125 SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S BEEN MOVED TO ACCEPT THE REVISION OF POLICY 2125 SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? NOW IS THIS FIRST READING? NO, NO. IT'S ONLY ONE READING BECAUSE IT'S A REVISION OF A POLICY.

IT'S NOT A NEW POLICY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE . AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION PASSES 4 TO 0.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OK.

ITEM C LAST ITEM OF NEW BUSINESS, THE PURCHASE OF 31 LAPTOP COMPUTERS, WE GET CINDY ARNOLD BACK UP HERE, IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE.

SO WE HAVE COMPUTERS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA TO BE APPROVED FOR PURCHASE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ASK ABOUT THEM? SO I NOTICED THAT THEY WERE FOR PRAIRIE IS THERE LIKE A CYCLICAL FOR BATTLE GROUND AS WELL, LIKE HOW DO WE MAKE SURE BOTH SCHOOLS HAVE THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT? SO THESE COMPUTERS ARE ACTUALLY BEING REPLACED ACTUALLY, AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT THEY'RE REPLACING ARE PRETTY NEW.

THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE'RE FINDING THAT THE RENDERING OF THE VIDEO GAME DESIGN, THE COMPUTERS ARE NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH.

SO WE HAVE TO ORDER A MORE POWERFUL COMPUTER IN ORDER FOR THE RENDERING TO WORK.

SO THESE COMPUTERS WILL BE ROLLED INTO ANOTHER AREA, WHICH IS WHY THESE COMPUTERS ARE SO EXPENSIVE. AND YES, WE DO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BOTH SCHOOLS ARE EQUAL.

DO THEY GET TO TAKE THESE COMPUTERS HOME? ON OCCASION, THEY MAY.

IF WE WERE IN REMOTE, THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES IF A STUDENT IS REALLY ILL.

THERE ARE TIMES THAT THEY CAN BE CHECKED OUT AND THEY'RE CHECKED OUT THROUGH IT.

SO IS THERE AN INSURANCE POLICY THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT? I GUESS I LIKE WE DO WITH THE CHROMEBOOK'S, I GUESS I MEAN, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN AND THEY'RE JUST FAIRLY EXPENSIVE.

SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS, LIKE HOW WE'RE PROTECTING THEM.

RIGHT. WELL, WE HAVE COMPUTERS THAT ARE IN A LAB RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT TO STUDENTS DURING REMOTE LEARNING.

THESE PARTICULAR COMPUTERS, I DON'T I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH SCOTT MCDANIEL IF WE HAVE INSURANCE AND IF WE WOULD CHECK THEM OUT.

BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT WE DO HAVE INSURANCE.

GREAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I MOVE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF 31 LAPTOP COMPUTERS USING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FUNDS.

THANK YOU I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE 31 LAPTOP COMPUTERS TO CTE.

LAST CALL FOR QUESTIONS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES 4 TO 0.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

[12. Future Agenda Items and Board Events]

CAREER FAIR THIS THURSDAY SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN DROP IT IF WE NEED TO.

WE HAVE THE IT'S FEBRUARY 25TH.

IT'S LIKE SOMETHING AT ONE OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

IT'S PLEASANT VALLEY PRIMARY LIKE HEART TO SOMETHING.

OH YEAH, OH YEAH.

YEAH.

IT'S THE RENAME. USED TO BE JUMP ROPE FOR HEART NOW IT'S CALLED.

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION. I WILL BE ATTENDING THAT.

I WILL JUST BE LATE BECAUSE I WILL BE COMING FROM WORK.

ARE YOU ATTENDING THAT? I WILL BE. YES.

GOOD. THEN I'M PULLING YOU IN, SO YOU'D HAVE TO DO THE CHICKEN DANCE WITH ME.

[LAUGHTER] NO, NO, NO.

NO BACKING OUT OF THE CHICKEN DANCE HERE.

IF I HAVE TO DO THE CHICKEN DANCE, YOU'RE DOING THE CHICKEN DANCE WITH ME.

HOLD ON. I'M GOING TO FIND YOU.

I WILL. I WILL DELAY THE CHICKEN DANCE UNTIL YOU GET THERE.

[02:05:03]

ALL RIGHT. WELL 12. WELL I WILL BE AROUND THERE BY LIKE 12:30.

ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO PLAN THE CHICKEN DANCE FOR 12:30.

ALL RIGHT. IF I HAVE TO DO IT, YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

OKAY. WELL, I NEED SOME REFRESHERS FIRST.

WELL, JUST GO ONLINE, GO ONLINE AND GOOGLE CHICKEN DANCE.

THAT'S RIGHT? YOU GOT IT.

YEAH. I WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING THAT SO.

OH NO, NO, I'M RECORDING.

I'M THE CAMERAMAN. THEN ALL THREE, THEN ALL THREE OF US ARE DOING THE CHICKEN DANCE PROFESSIONAL CAMERAMAN THERE SO, YEAH, YEAH, ALL I KNOW IS I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THE TWO OF YOU ARE GOING TO BE JOINING ME IN THE CHICKEN DANCE. [LAUGHTER].

DO, AS I MENTIONED, THE LEGISLATIVE THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF IN COMMITTEE, BUT KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK BECAUSE THINGS SOMETIMES CAN MOVE FAST AND SOMETIMES THEY DO CALL FOR EXTRA SUPPORT.

SO KEEP AN EYE ON IT AND WE'LL HOPE FOR A GOOD OUTCOME FOR THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION. ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER.

OKAY. WE DIDN'T DO TOO BAD I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN THIS FEBRUARY 14TH 2022 BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL BOARD MEETING 8:06 AND YOU CAN TURN MICS OFF.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.