• action.
• >> Good evening, everyone. We are resuming
• the June 4th, 2026 work session of the
• Clarkstown Central School District.
• We have open meeting, we have called to
• order, we approved the agenda. We had um
• as we had entered into executive
• session, we are now at item 1.4, which
• is leaving executive session.
• Recommended action, be it resolved the
• Board of Education hereby enters I'm
• sorry, I'm
• Um
• recommended action, be it resolved the
• Board of Education hereby leaves
• executive session and returns to the
• work session.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question.
• All in favor.
• >> Aye.
• >> Opposed.
• Abstain.
• Motion carried.
• Item 1.5
• is board reports.
• We will start with Advocacy.
• >> Thank you. Um so we have not um met as
• an Advocacy Committee since our last
• meeting. Um I'm going to try to get a
• final meeting scheduled
• um sometime this month. Um we uh
• discussed at our last meeting and um
• work is ongoing on um some Nisba
• resolutions for the upcoming uh Nisba
• meeting that uh those are due into Nisba
• by July 18th. Um those get put into the
• agenda the resolutions alphabetically in
• order of submission. So we'll try to get
• those in
• uh in June.
• >> On Advocacy, if I may, one of the things
• that we received was a
• information from the Assistant
• Superintendent for Business about a
• recent
• um decision of the Appellate Division
• for the Department
• declaring that
• school districts
• may not use piggybacking
• for the awarding of public works
• contracts as opposed to
• contracts for supplies as their in turn
• that court's interpretation
• of section 103 of the General Municipal
• Law.
• I would suggest when you're considering
• resolutions
• and considering other advocacy since
• this ruling if it stands will cause
• great problems for school districts in
• trying to
• expeditiously and most
• cost-effectively
• issue public works contracts without
• competitive bidding in appropriate
• circumstances where piggybacking is
• available
• that resolutions be considered to
• address that and hopefully
• what I understand is there may be a
• possibility if there's an appeal taken
• that that
• decision may stay pending an appeal but
• it really is going to be a problem
• for many districts including our zone.
• Ask for
• incorporated into the discussions of the
• advocates in any way needs something
• like that.
• >> Do we have additional meetings? We do.
• Not on the calendar as of yet. Send it
• on to request.
• I
• may turn to
• Assistant Superintendent of Business and
• Human Resources Department.
• >> Yes, I'm just reminding everyone that
• our audit meeting is scheduled it
• for
• >> night.
• the 29th
• at
• earlier, but I'll tell you
• >> Do you want me to tell you what time?
• >> That's Monday, May 29th.
• >> Monday, May 29th
• at
• >> 1:00.
• 1:00.
• >> 1:00.
• >> 1:00.
• >> And that's a firm firm on time now,
• right? Just want to make sure.
• >> Mhm.
• >> It's I just want to confirm that that's
• a firm time because we wanted to also be
• sure to convey to our um
• our trustees elect just any community
• needs between now and then.
• >> Yes. How do they manage?
• >> It is for our meeting with our thinking
• and our audit.
• >> And the purpose of that meeting is to
• meet with the external auditor to start
• the process of planning for
• >> For the following
• >> for the external audit for the year that
• ends on the 30th. So, it kind of has to
• happen so that they can start their
• work.
• >> Yeah, absolutely. Just wanted to check
• because I it wasn't on the calendar that
• was provided. So, to that I just want to
• make sure that I add it as a confirmed
• meeting. Thank you. Yeah, thank you,
• DHD.
• Board development
• Board development is trying to
• potentially meet on Tuesday. We're just
• pending confirmation of availability.
• And then that meeting will be noticed.
• Part of our discussion is sort of to uh
• firm up what we can manage in at this
• very busy time of year for wrapping up
• um things related to
• uh a discussion of the board's
• self-evaluation, which will be coming to
• you. We are trying to, you know,
• maintain a cadence because everyone has
• a lot on their plates right now. So, it
• hasn't come to you yet. It will be
• completed as it was last year through a
• digital form so that you don't have to
• hand write the stuff. And um and we will
• also be in touch um to see if we can
• figure out a way before the end of the
• month to reconvene for a um sort of
• closing retreat conversation as well.
• So, uh
• in advance we appreciate everyone's
• flexibility because it's such a busy
• busy time of year
• um to squeeze in things with something
• scheduled for basically every night
• right now for all of us. So, thank you
• for that.
• >> Do you want to offer any insight to the
• public in terms of what we're doing in
• for onboarding new trustees?
• >> Sure, I'd be happy to take that. Yep.
• So, as part of our charge um for the
• board development uh committee, one of
• the um things that we have worked on I
• think for the last 2 years um
• uh very um actively has been to put
• together a uh document that expresses
• our current norms and protocols, meaning
• the norms and protocols of the people
• who are currently serving on the board.
• One of the things that we agreed upon as
• a board is that this is a live document,
• and so it's something that the board
• will be visit uh periodically in its
• current and or future iterations to make
• to ensure that the things that we are
• agreeing to are things that we all agree
• to, meaning whoever is present at this
• table at that time.
• Um and um we are are also ensuring that
• there's always an opportunity to reflect
• during the course of the year on what's
• working and what isn't working to ensure
• that everyone again buys into the
• practices and feels that they can
• maintain them. Um to welcome our
• trustees elect um
• who will be joining us in about a month
• or so, um we have extended to them per
• policy that we revised on the policy
• committee this year um access to our
• board agendas, public meetings, um
• resources from the Westchester Putnam
• School Boards Association to help um
• first year trustees identify potential
• mentors, networking opportunities,
• professional development opportunities,
• mandated governance training for the
• benefit of the public. Every new trustee
• has to participate in a certain number
• of hours of governance training to
• understand the function of a board and
• get a basic introduction to um
• the regulations and rules that determine
• how we um can conduct ourselves [snorts]
• and how we act. In addition to that,
• there's also mandated financial
• oversight training, and um that is
• something that some people choose to do
• in person, other people choose to do
• online, but it's an important part of
• the work of um beginning to serve as a
• trustee. Every new uh
• Every new trustee has 1 year to complete
• that work, but we I think collectively
• [clears throat] it is very important to
• do the governance training as soon as
• possible because that is something that
• it can be helpful to do on day one.
• Further to that, again for the benefit
• of the community to understand the
• commitment that we all have to ensuring
• that that our incoming colleagues and
• this is this is not a new practice this
• year by the way. It's been an ongoing
• practice for us is to ensure that
• that our new trustees have an
• opportunity to connect with each member
• of the school board through a rotating
• mentorship program. I want to just
• credit Sarah Carrier who is on our board
• development committee this year for that
• idea. I think it was a really smart idea
• to ensure that rather than connecting a
• person with just one mentor for the
• whole year to be able to rotate through
• and have an opportunity to interact with
• and connect with each member of the
• board helps build relationships. So that
• I think is a
• very positive
• change that we added this year that we
• will be continuing with. So that's
• that's sort of like the rundown of the
• information that has been shared with
• the trustees elect and we'll be engaging
• as a board as this board exists right
• now in conversations with our new
• colleagues to help them feel welcome and
• I think also to be able to benefit from
• expertise and conversations with with
• any of us all of us who are currently
• serving and those of us who have served
• for a long time as well as our
• administrative team.
• Thank you very
• >> Communications?
• Um yep, so communications we scheduled
• our meeting from this past Monday and
• we'll be meeting on the 22nd
• at 5:00 p.m.
• to finalize and finish up the work that
• we've been doing this year
• with regard to
• the website
• and also to look at
• At that point we'll have the RFP for
• [snorts] communications services
• back. We'll have the results back as
• well.
• That's what we're doing.
• >> Policy?
• >> [clears throat]
• >> Policy Committee will be meeting
• tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in the district
• office.
• Um
• we will
• >> [clears throat]
• >> not be discussing policy
• um
• um
• educational goals because I think the
• thought was that since that is a
• discussion that is more
• wide and more comprehensive, I think it
• should
• and we all agree should involve the new
• board as it's constituted in July.
• Similarly, our discussions on policy
• 8636,
• artificial intelligence, we will not be
• continuing our discussions tomorrow
• because that is again something that has
• a lot of implications, a lot of moving
• parts, so it's felt that it would be
• better for that to be discussed
• by the Policy Committee and the board as
• it's constituted next year.
• Um we will have other policies that we
• are
• hopeful
• to
• be [snorts] able to report for first
• reading on June 11th.
• Um
• >> [snorts]
• >> and how much we can get through and we
• will also be looking at our parking
• [clears throat] lot of policy we have
• not gotten through
• uh to see and what might be priorities
• for next year's Policy Committee and
• next year's board to consider
• uh as you know
• as they go forward.
• Um let me just ask, is this also the
• time for liaison reports and should we
• should we want to do that?
• >> That's next.
• >> Okay, so that's going to be the next
• time.
• >> [snorts]
• >> So, liaison reports and
• >> Okay, moving to the next item on the
• agenda. Um on
• 5/28,
• I attended
• >> [snorts]
• >> the district-wide safety team
• as the board liaison. We talked about
• changes in the school-wide safety plan
• to conform with
• and make sure that we are in compliance
• with Jessica's Law concerning AEDs and
• fire training to students and parents of
• the
• and so our students and parents and
• staff of the
• district and age-appropriate
• for students. We also [snorts] talked
• about
• um emergency procedures that we would do
• uh
• screening place for before-school and
• after-school programs to make sure that
• we have emergency safety procedures
• known by those
• entities that have programs in the
• schools that are after hours and
• we actually had
• at least one representative of one of
• the programs there who talked about
• the um
• protocols and and practices that they
• have with regard to safety that is
• something that
• we are concerned about because that is
• something that the state has said we
• should incorporate into our
• district-wide safety plans which are
• public and our building safety plans
• which are confidential.
• So, that is the only thing on that.
• Uh I also will say that on
• um
• this morning, I attended my last meeting
• of the year with the Student Faculty
• Congress.
• Um Student Faculty Congress spent the
• meeting in part at the beginning
• having snacks and things that people
• brought to celebrate the end of the year
• and then had a very
• um
• extensive discussion of student body
• congress priorities for next year
• including
• how the student body congress and the ex
• officio student trustees could
• be involved in
• providing more
• and not to say anything bad about Phil,
• but to provide more on kind of
• interchange and um
• you know and
• and kind of participation
• to bring student perspectives
• on issues that we are talking about as a
• board and or to bring issues to the
• board that students feel are good to
• consider and that's something that
• they're going to think about
• how to do that in a way that is
• constructive for
• students and constructive for the
• governance team.
• >> Yeah, if anything I think Phil has been
• a model, right? For that sort of
• engagement. So
• >> Yeah, I know. I I just want to you know,
• what I think I will say to to you know,
• that there were certain concerns about
• reaching out to the student body to hear
• the concerns of the student body and
• then to think, all right,
• how can we present those to the
• governance team in a way that we can
• advocate and kind of you know, it's it's
• going to be new a new dynamic because
• there will be two student trustees and
• there will be I think an increase
• um emphasis on trying to um
• you know, trying to give more
• um
• input and guidance to how the student
• trustees will present student concerns
• to the board.
• >> [snorts]
• >> I wanted to
• before I say the amazing things I have
• to say about Veronica and Marco, say
• that I would like to have a conversation
• on a different level regarding creating
• a pathway between student faculty
• congress and board directly.
• Because I think that the proper
• protocol, the proper pathway for that is
• for students to speak to building level
• leadership.
• >> And that was a lot of fun.
• >> Yeah.
• >> So
• I will I will
• take this off of the committee because
• we as a board have have a gift for you
• both.
• >> [snorts]
• >> So I want to thank you for your work
• here, for coming to every meeting,
• staying here late at night, sharing your
• journey to choosing a college with us,
• offering your insight into what was a
• very difficult like first time dive into
• um you know, a cell phone ban in a high
• school in your senior year, right? Like
• you literally are the last people who
• are experiencing that. Um or the last
• students who are experiencing that. And
• just your constant perspective
• we're so appreciative. We wish you the
• best. We hope that you come back and you
• tell us all about your experience. And
• we just want to thank you for
• volunteering your time and for being
• here with us and for always kind of
• being a sounding board in terms of what
• we can
• when we needed the insight into like
• what is really happening and you were
• very forthcoming and honest and genuine
• about all of it.
• That's my perspective on knowing you
• since you're all of you.
• If anybody else wants to say anything,
• I'd like to want to give you a gift on
• behalf of the board.
• >> Thank you GUYS SO MUCH.
• >> [applause]
• [applause]
• >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING. WE CAN
• SAY MORE THAN ANYTHING.
• >> I CAN'T SPEAK.
• >> OH, I'm sorry.
• >> No, yeah.
• Thank you guys so much. That was so like
• kind and unnecessary and amazing. Thank
• you. So, yeah. I'm very happy to have
• gotten this position, to have been able
• to provide the insight I can. And I
• think it's I'm honestly really grateful
• that the cell phone ban happened this
• year
• because I feel like that was a very like
• interesting pressing discussion like
• specifically for high school students.
• Like I think those were pretty much the
• kids that were most impacted. So, like
• it was like I remember like
• like even at like the start of my
• position before I was coming to the
• meetings like Mr. Like it [snorts] was
• already on my email and he was like,
• "Hey, so you can send me all the all the
• documents and all the articles about it.
• He was like, "Just let us know what you
• think." And I was like, "All right."
• And yeah, so like I I was just very
• thankful to like feel like my insight
• was actually like appreciated and like
• my time here like is appreciated and
• I love coming here and I love providing
• everything I can. It's been a great like
• fantastic learning experience and
• developmental for sure. So, thank you
• all for allowing me to be here.
• >> you for sharing with us your student
• voice because it is something that we
• value I think as a district and as a
• board.
• And we wouldn't have that like every day
• at the meeting and every meeting,
• you know, we wouldn't have that
• perspective being here. So, thank you.
• >> I have one other I have one other thing
• to follow up on.
• Yesterday, I had the opportunity with a
• couple of other trustees to
• observe the
• visit of alumni to the high school to
• meet with high school juniors in small
• groups to talk about their experience in
• um
• their of search, in their college in
• their college experience, how what they
• did in high school did or did not
• help them in college, how it helped them
• in careers,
• and it was really inspiring and it spoke
• back to something that when um
• this kid said, "Don't be a stranger."
• Talking to you, when they have that
• session next year or the year after, I
• hope you'll be able to come because it
• really was inspiring
• to me
• to see not only the students being very
• attentive and very interested in what
• alumni were saying about those those
• very
• um
• significant parts of their lives going
• forward, but also to see how the alumni
• um
• spoke very openly about their searching,
• their trepidations going into college,
• and their their how they adjusted to not
• being within the cocoon, if you will,
• of, you know, this school and this
• school district,
• um and how that led them to
• um
• where they've gone in life or helped
• them see that, you know, they may have
• had a different path. So, I I think it
• was really a wonderful
• um
• program from our guidance
• department at the high school, and
• something that I know they want to do in
• coming years, and I hope it continues
• for years.
• >> So, I Do you want to add something,
• Sarah? I didn't even ask you. Sure.
• Yeah. So, I'll thank Sarah for being
• here.
• Um yeah, so just to follow up on the uh
• the alumni event, um like as as Neil
• said, uh thanks to the guidance
• department, and particularly uh Zo and
• Nadine for really spearheading
• um putting together that uh the event.
• It was It was a really incredible event
• to be able to hear from so many
• different students and a range of
• students who are still in college,
• students who have graduated and are in
• careers, students who went straight into
• careers. So, it was a really great
• breadth of of hearing from different
• students and I don't know what they were
• able to take from Croton and and help
• provide some of that information, some
• of that knowledge, and and also help I
• think give a sense of uh I don't know
• a sense to to our juniors that, you
• know, they don't have to know exactly
• what they want and exactly what they be
• and what they want to be and what they
• want to do or where they want to go
• even. You know, that that those are
• decisions that, you know, can can shift
• and change and that that's okay and
• great and and just part of growing up.
• So, I think it was really a really great
• event.
• Um in terms of a couple other things for
• um liaison reports, and we did have our
• last health and safety
• um committee meeting for the year. Um we
• went through the capital construction
• updates and possible summer projects. Um
• the punch list of work that's going on
• in the buildings. We did also discuss
• about the additional eight uh AEDs added
• um and some dot matrix film added at uh
• each of the schools. Um the next annual
• fire inspection will be in August, which
• makes it a particularly, I think, um
• troublesome time for for the buildings
• um in order to get, you know, there's a
• lot going on, a lot of construction and
• things finishing up in the buildings,
• but you know, our our facilities crew is
• amazing and so they will be ready for
• that. Um and the uh health and safety
• committee membership uh will be before
• the board at the reorganization meeting.
• So, once that's approved, they will have
• their new committee for the the
• following year and uh go from there. And
• then lastly, I just want to say that we
• also had um while I wasn't able to
• attend, uh booster club had the senior
• athletic awards at the beginning of the
• week, um but I heard was a really
• wonderful event. So, kudos to the
• boosters for putting that on and just uh
• last plug that the uh boosters will also
• be having their annual um fundraising uh
• golf outing on Monday. So,
• anyone who would like to attend, there's
• lots of information on the Wooster site
• and on the
• athletics
• social media.
• >> Thanks.
• I don't know what I like in fact to do
• with any of that. Probably a lot of
• things to do.
• Um but I do want to just add on to the
• alumni panel. I want to I know that
• you know, obviously Miss Feeney was
• involved
• and spurred that I do want to because I
• remember I remember when this was the
• grandchild of Miss Feeney and Dr.
• Dubach.
• Um
• so, I do want to just offer
• a thanks to them for
• you know, maintaining these
• relationships, understanding the the the
• value in having different people from
• different perspectives come and speak to
• students and just the reassurance that
• students have
• after having been at that panel or
• experienced that panel
• in that there are different pathways to
• points in terms of education. So, I do
• want to also just thank Dr. Dubach and
• and Miss Feeney for being involved in
• the in the
• the fruition of that coming to life. Um
• and it it didn't was originally planned
• for the winter and it was, you know,
• snowed out. So,
• um I'm so grateful that
• as the spring semester comes to an end,
• we have alumni that are willing to come
• back and speak to our
• our high school [snorts] students.
• >> I will just add on that because it was
• you know, like we I so I said to one of
• the teachers that I talked to after that
• event was like there's certain things
• that you go into the building and you
• sort of like have goosebumps because
• it's like it was so great. So, this
• turning is one of those events. Just for
• the context just so that the community
• sort of understands what this was. So,
• it wasn't just one panel. It was
• actually a it was like a two-hour
• session where the junior class was
• invited to attend six different
• they were assigned to six different
• panel like rooms with with specific
• panels in each room. Each room had
• approximately like three to two two to
• three
• alumni and what was really interesting
• is that they ranged going back as far as
• the class of 2006. So this is somebody
• who graduated 20 years ago, had like a
• has a good job, a career, has gone
• through all their education and people
• as new as having graduated last year. So
• it was really really a wide range and it
• also included
• people who had had different paths to
• college and beyond, gap years, community
• college transfers and I think for the
• for the members of the junior class two
• two or three biggest takeaways that they
• had were the following. First was a
• sense of relief, which I think for
• students at that at this time in their
• in their high school lives, it felt good
• to them because they were able to see
• these are some people that we knew and
• they made it through and they did fine
• and they all seem to be fine. And so I
• think that that they had that feeling of
• reassurance. I think another thing that
• they pointed out, which I have shared
• with our counseling team is they they
• said "It'd be really cool if we could
• actually go to this as sophomores
• because it would help us think very
• differently about what we should be
• focusing on during junior year." And I
• thought that was really valuable
• feedback as well. The students
• themselves actually moderated the junior
• class members of the junior class
• moderated the panels. There were really
• robust questions that really led you to
• understand that all students are really
• taking this question of like what's next
• very seriously and the the variety of
• answers I think like literally every
• person in that room felt like there was
• somebody who was speaking to them, which
• again I think is something that we've
• really tried to work on in terms of
• creating a community here where people
• see
• people see different avenues to sort of
• get to the next thing. So for for them I
• think it was a very um
• it was a very very positive opportunity
• and
• it has been mentioned that one thing
• that that high school might be
• considering is now that we're having
• this event in the spring to even think
• about a way that this this conversation
• can take place with the juniors and
• possibly the sophomores and then also to
• add a component perhaps in the evening
• so that parents and families can also
• come and attend. I think that for me I
• felt very lucky to be a parent who was
• also a board trustee to be able to be in
• that room, but I know for a lot of
• students they also said, "I wish my mom
• could have been here to hear some of
• this stuff or I wish no parent could
• have been in this with my family." So,
• those are some things I think to think
• about as we expand them. And and it's
• always great to be starting in a place
• that is just fantastic and and to
• already have even the students and the
• people who are running the program think
• about where it could go next felt felt
• like a a good thing. My little my little
• uh liaison report is just a reminder to
• everyone that SHS Program and Education
• Foundation uh will be uh hosting its big
• end of the season fundraiser uh
• fundraiser on Saturday, June 20th.
• Croton Royale is going to be at the
• Grand. It's a casino night and it sounds
• like it's going to be
• um swanky and fun. So, if you're
• interested in helping SHS do its
• excellent work of supporting innovation
• in our schools through all three
• buildings, please go to their website
• and consider uh participating in this um
• fun um adult-focused event.
• >> We'll be there.
• >> [laughter]
• >> We'll see you there.
• >> I want to ask
• I do. This isn't typically something
• that we include in board reports, but I
• do just want to take a moment and
• acknowledge um the fact that the
• kindergarten lottery went off.
• Uh I'm sorry, UPK lottery went off um
• and that it has closed and I want to
• just thank um Assistant Superintendent
• for Pupil Personnel Services, Bridget
• Collins, and everyone involved in doing
• that.
• Um it was a long time coming
• and
• it came and it went
• and now we will have uh you know
• hopefully an incoming class of fourth
• graders for UPK. So, thank you for that.
• What is
• >> That's a fourth
• >> And the fourth
• >> Hopefully
• >> The fourth four-year-old four-year-old
• Yes, four-year-old.
• >> Say I mean they need they
• >> I know somebody's going to write about
• this on the internet.
• Incoming four-year-old UPK lottery
• acceptance. Thank you so much for the
• attention on all of that.
• We will now go into business.
• >> [snorts]
• >> 2.1 The results of the budget vote and
• school board election. Recommended
• action, the result of the board of
• education hereby accepts the results of
• the May 19th, 2026 school budget vote
• and the school board election as
• presented.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question.
• >> Can I just
• Can I just commend our district clerk
• >> [applause]
• >> for all of her responsibilities. It's a
• big undertaking and she did a fabulous
• job.
• >> This community has no idea what Denise
• does.
• >> [laughter]
• >> They they don't.
• I mean, aside from having to read, uh,
• you know, Disney characters into,
• uh, writing classes, she
• she answers text messages at all sorts
• of times of the day.
• Um, thank you.
• Uh, all in favor?
• >> Aye.
• >> Opposed?
• Abstain?
• Motion carried.
• Item 2.2.
• Recommended action, the result of the
• board of education of the Croton-Harmon
• Union Free School District hereby
• nominates Cheryl Brady for a 2-year term
• as New York State School Boards
• Association Area 10 Director effective
• January 1st, 2027 and authorizes the
• district clerk to execute any documents
• consistent with this motion.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question.
• All in favor?
• >> Aye.
• >> Opposed?
• Motion carries.
• Item 2.3, regulated action. The result
• of the Board of Education of the Coral
• Harbour School District hereby grants
• and part and denies in part the appeal
• of student number 24280-SF-4 its
• decision dated June 4th, 2026, which
• decision is approved hearing and directs
• the school I'm sorry, directs the
• district court to issue said decision to
• the student's parents and the
• superintendent of schools.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question?
• All in favor?
• >> Aye.
• >> Opposed? Abstain?
• Motion carries. Item 2.4,
• the ad hoc committee on technology. This
• is a discussion.
• >> Should I kick it off the Board of
• Education? Sure. Okay. So, just as a
• reminder to our to our colleagues on the
• board, the public, and the
• administrative team, during our work
• session on technology three weeks back,
• uh the board determined at that time
• that that it felt that we as a
• collective felt that it was important
• for us to continue to engage more
• specifically on the topic of
• technology across the board as as it's
• being used in our schools. Um it's
• obviously like that's a very broad
• topic, right? And that's sort of where
• we landed at the end of a very long and
• productive um work session. So, our goal
• today with this discussion point is to
• talk about in a little bit more detail
• what we were thinking, what we might be
• looking for. For context, and I may rely
• a little bit on Neil if he's willing um
• to help uh to help sort of shape this
• conversation. Um I want to sort of put
• it in the context of policy because
• policy actually does determine um a
• little bit of like what kind of
• committee we might want to have and
• and how we could sort of execute this. I
• sort of like do you feel like you're
• comfortable with me passing it over to
• you for that because I know you um
• reported on this extensively to the
• board separately.
• >> Sure.
• The Board has the authority under policy
• 2250
• to establish committees, including ad
• hoc committees of the board and of board
• members to deal with particular issues.
• And in years past
• probably like 10 years ago, the board
• established
• 2 years ago [snorts] an ad hoc committee
• on travel to talk about travel policies
• and before we drew the board and for the
• changes in some policy based on that ad
• hoc committee's report.
• The policy 2260
• provides that the board may establish a
• community advisory committee,
• which [snorts] can consist of
• um those who meet community um who the
• board desires to have on the committee,
• um which may include representatives of
• representative residents of the district
• to meet with the board to provide advice
• and reaction on important matters before
• the board, which may have special
• significance to the community.
• The board may each community advisory
• committee shall be appointed and
• discharged by official board resolution,
• and [snorts] the resolutions will set
• forth the scope of the committee, and uh
• that policy provides for um
• what criteria should be used for the
• board to consider and and who it will
• appoint, as does the regulation that
• goes along with that policy. So really,
• the first question I think
• for the board to discuss is should we
• have
• a board committee consisting of three or
• fewer board members cuz it cannot a
• quorum,
• um um
• to work on this issue or are we
• considering a community advisory
• committee, and if so, then the board
• would just would adopt a resolution to
• you know, to to establish that and
• set its charge.
• >> And so, for further context on that,
• just because that we have a menu of
• options [clears throat] before we start
• talking about this.
• >> Can I ask you a question? Let's
• understand this.
• >> Sure. Sure.
• >> Yeah. Yeah. Before we look at the menu,
• are we trying to get a whole menu first?
• >> No, I I have a question about that.
• Yeah.
• Yeah. So, I just wanted to just be 100%
• clear. So, the community advisory
• committee would only consist of
• community members, or can it be a
• combination
• of board
• members along with community members?
• >> I see no reason under the policy that it
• could not include some board members as
• well as community members. And I think
• for context for the
• for the committee to understand
• the role of the committee, the role of
• the board, and the interrelationship
• between board and district in the
• establishment of policies, protocols, it
• probably would be better to have um
• a board member or two board members in
• addition to those who are appointed as
• representative [snorts] community
• members.
• >> And if I may
• add,
• representatives from the district.
• Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
• So, just just to flesh out the full menu
• of options. So, as it was articulated,
• an ad hoc committee of just board
• trustees, a community advisory
• committee, which would contain uh
• you know,
• various um representatives as you know,
• as outlined. Um third thing just that we
• should have for context, of course, the
• district has as well this year community
• committee that is focused with a
• committee that we are called that has
• been called the district committee on
• technology, but for this for this year,
• the scope has been um has been has
• shifted a little bit, honestly. There
• was a new focus at the beginning of the
• year on AI and that ended up being AI
• policy and those discussions have I
• think been shaped by other topics and
• urgencies to
• it's shifted. So, it has a very very
• broad scope. That work just again for
• the benefit of this board as we all
• know, that is comprised of district
• administrators, teachers,
• community members, and Board of
• Education members as well.
• >> And students.
• >> And students. Right. And students. So,
• that's an important reminder because
• that also drives the timing and
• participation
• of those meetings because we are trying
• to make sure that it's possible to
• represent people within our educational
• system. So, that's that's what the
• that's that's option three.
• >> Option four.
• >> Let's just talk about all of them is
• part of the reason that this
• that the question of a committee came to
• the table was because as a board we'd
• identified during that work session that
• there was an urgency that we felt in
• terms of being able to discuss this
• topic with regularity. So, another
• option to put out there if we if we
• determine that
• that we don't for example let's say we
• determine that we wanted it to be a
• committee of the board, but we didn't
• want to exclude, you know, four of our
• colleagues and we actually wanted it to
• be something that we were discussing
• together. We could also figure out a way
• to
• to enact some of those discussions
• through our public board meetings. Any
• board committee meeting doesn't is a
• public meeting, right? So, whether we're
• doing it here live-streamed or in a
• different room not live-streamed, that's
• really my opinion right here. It's a
• question of sort of like what we're
• thinking of. So, two two other like
• pieces of background that we need to
• have. Of course, we want to make sure
• that as we're formulating this that
• we're we're making sure that we are
• working collaboratively with the
• district on our shared aims of reaching
• consensus on what we want to be talking
• about, what we want to be centering, and
• how we're going to then work together to
• sort of implement policies and
• operations to be able to bring, you
• know, whatever that is to life. So, this
• is just a starting point for discussion
• to to surface some of these things. The
• other piece of it in addition to that,
• of course, is um
• is just sort of like capacity and time,
• and so we'll also get to that later.
• This board, as we know, we already have
• five committees with seven people,
• right? So, um many of us are doing two
• or three board committees as well as our
• liaison work as well as external
• obligations, you know, regionally and
• elsewhere, and it also becomes a
• question of sort of like what we can all
• manage together and still uh move things
• forward. So, with that as background, I
• guess if that does come to Oh, sorry,
• the last thing is depending on what type
• of committee we we decide to enact, the
• charge will need to be very specific.
• There will need to be a finite uh period
• of time as as our policy entails, so
• it's not like something that goes on
• forever. And it it is going to be
• something that is going to have to have
• like a specific purpose, because our
• policy does require us to determine a
• discrete purpose and discrete timeline
• if we choose one or two of these other
• options. Do Do you feel like um you feel
• like that covers the background and
• stuff?
• >> Yeah. I I I think that in other words,
• background, and one thing I'll add is
• the discussion that you described in
• option four
• is not
• is really something that can occur if
• you if option one or option two
• or option three is selected.
• >> Absolutely.
• >> Because anything that the committee
• reports,
• if it's a committee advisory committee
• or an ad hoc committee, reports to the
• board, then is funneled either through a
• general discussion of that committee's
• report or a policy that that committee
• suggests as the policy committee
• suggests to the board for consideration.
• So,
• you know,
• it's sort of like
• to give an analogy,
• boards
• are required by law
• to establish audit committees. Audit
• committees can be a committee of the
• board,
• as we do.
• Can be a committee of the board and
• other representatives selected by the
• board to be on that audit committee.
• Or can be a committee of the whole,
• which is the last of those options.
• Thinking about how the work
• will be done
• and how the time pressures are there for
• everything else that the board does and
• has on its plate,
• you know, that kind of
• that kind of
• I think will will inform what um
• what path
• uh the board desires to take, as well as
• the fact that there are many people in
• the community
• who have expertise
• and interests
• in
• some issues
• uh involving technology and not many
• issues. And one of the reasons for
• community advisory committees is for the
• board to get advice and counsel or ideas
• from the community in a more formal
• structure than simply receiving um
• information at a hearing of the public
• or receiving communications
• um by email or letters or whatever. So,
• in thinking about the structure,
• I just put that all out for you and I
• think that's consistent with what our
• policy is.
• >> a clarifying point to the last minute
• Neil said, which is it's important to to
• remember is that if we if we do
• determine to go in the community
• advisory committee direction, that
• committee would be would be reporting
• not just to the board, but to the board
• and the district as well. So, it's it
• would be responsive and uh communicating
• results jointly to us.
• >> See, before we go on there Yeah, but the
• only thing there is something about
• that, which is simply because some of
• the things that that community advisory
• committee might
• surface as things to consider would be
• in the bailiwick of the board,
• establishment and policy and might or
• might be in value with the
• administration
• and administration can take that
• feedback and
• do that
• or implement things as
• they feel is best obviously. Once again,
• with the board providing its oversight
• role and ability to through policy and
• through budget
• have an effect on
• what the district what the district may
• be doing or what the district may be
• going in that direction.
• >> I'm just going to start with some
• concerns that I have.
• So the first is obviously the overlap
• with the district existing committee.
• That's my first concern. My second
• concern is the selection process in
• terms of who would be
• how like how would we select community
• members because I know that there are so
• many very dedicated passionate people in
• our community that are on this year. My
• third concern with any of these advisory
• committees that are board committees is
• that there is no real opportunity for
• hearing of the public. Right? So like
• once you create this microcosm,
• they're closed meetings where obviously
• the public can attend but there's no
• real pathway for dialogue with the
• community.
• So I just kind of wonder like what
• the body of work is and how it's done.
• >> Question on that. Could that why
• couldn't we just have a committee is
• actually just established that there
• would be public input?
• >> Right.
• Well, you can always get public input
• but you wouldn't have a hearing of the
• public in a public meeting.
• I mean, you could you could
• >> You could meet.
• >> We like certainly We ran into this with
• We ran into this with advocacy, right?
• Where we were like, oh we'll have these
• like public discussions with like
• different stakeholders regarding this
• and then it
• became problematic because people come
• to you with requests
• and it's not the board that you're
• coming to, you're coming to a sub
• committee of three people. The district
• is not always present and then it leads
• to frustration.
• Right? Like it's
• it's it's the structure of it that
• deviates from
• that deviates from having hearing at the
• public at the whole board.
• >> But I sort of get that but I wonder if I
• mean and I don't want to interrupt what
• you were about to say. I sort of get
• that but I wonder if there wouldn't be a
• way. I think that there that might be
• something that we could sort of build
• structures around and I think it's
• important to sort of say this because I
• think you're right. It's a fair point.
• We haven't practiced We haven't
• practiced in that way before and we
• don't have sort of like an existing
• mechanism 100% for for for determining
• and and this this of course, you know,
• it's like you're talking about getting
• this set up and getting it rolling and
• trying to have it do work immediately.
• These are all really important questions
• to be asked so 100% agree with you on
• that.
• >> And again, I'm just surfacing it. I'm
• not I'm just like these are some of my
• concerns as we're brainstorming around
• having these committees that you know,
• there's there are overlap with. These
• are some of the things that I'm just
• thinking about. Like we want to take
• this on, we want to prioritize this work
• but like we have to do it in a very
• thoughtful way because you don't want to
• be in the middle of it and realize
• >> Sure.
• >> the structure of it actually doesn't
• serve the purpose and then have to
• backtrack.
• >> Okay.
• So and I think in one way that you could
• you know, I'm thinking back to like the
• the school lunch committee was was a is
• an example of a of a community advisory
• committee that that that was convened
• and that prepared and presented like
• regular updates to the board. So at a
• board meeting there was the ability for
• a committee and it wasn't necessarily
• the board members of that committee like
• reporting out at the liaison. It was a
• presentation of that committee
• presenting to the board and to
• administration on on the work that they
• had been ongoing with that committee. So
• that might be something that provides
• that that It's feedback loop or or that
• that discussion moved to to come into a
• board meeting and having the work of a
• committee be done, right? And having
• that dedicated time for a committee and
• and community members on that committee
• to to put things together and then also
• have that brought back for to the board
• to to report out, right?
• >> So, I don't want to diminish anyone's
• service who sat on that committee. That
• was incredible amounts of work and I
• know that there was a lot of thought put
• into the surveys, right? But that to me
• embodies the disconnect between having
• one of these committees and what
• actually happens. Like we were going to
• go to the lowest bidder.
• There was a lot of time spent presenting
• results on whether or not we wanted to
• have organic food.
• That was never going to happen. That's
• the disconnect that happens sometimes.
• So, I would not want anyone to take
• their time and kind of and because that
• leads to disappointment, right? Like
• when you offer those options and then
• it's never based in reality, right? Like
• there were no providers as I recall at
• the time that would even actually offer
• those options. So, like that disconnect
• is my concern because we've been there
• before and then it's then we end up
• disappointing our community.
• >> Right. Well, I mean I think and those
• some of those things like evolved over
• the time of like right that this was
• there were there were some of those
• discussions that happened on before we
• had kitchens and the ability to be going
• out to to providers to get, right? A
• that would be going out there and then
• bidding. It was things that were being
• brought in. So, there there was that
• time of lag between. So, there was there
• was like a a shift in the program.
• >> Just that's not the way I remember it,
• but we can agree to disagree.
• >> Wait, do you want to
• >> No, no.
• >> Um I I hear what you're saying about
• that. I've managed task force at my my
• college on very contentious issues and
• there always is that challenge of like
• how you how do you define the scope, um
• how do you keep the people focused on
• what the scope is and what you can
• reasonably and not reasonably accomplish
• in it. Um I think there's ways to manage
• that. I think there's
• I don't know if there's a possibility
• and and we did listening sessions with
• [clears throat] members of the community
• like open hours like we do have meet the
• BOE and I think
• just trying to be transparent and clear
• on what our process is and what the
• scope is and what we can and can't do
• helps alleviate some of that. And like
• you can't please everybody in this, but
• I don't think as hard as that can be it
• should get in the way from collecting as
• much data as we can from different
• viewpoints in the community.
• To me I am on the district technology
• committee, so I feel like comfortable
• saying that my experience has been in
• terms of what that scope of that work
• thus far has been and where I see
• possible gaps could be.
• Um
• I I do think there's it's an important
• to have some sort of community advisory
• committee or some mechanism for that. I
• think there's been so much that's been
• happening in the community. There's a
• lot of like different opinions about
• this and for us to hear directly as a
• board
• and of course along with administration
• I think is is important.
• I think you know again I think it's a
• really good point like how do we choose
• who's on the committee and who's not. I
• think trying to be transparent on what
• our like what the criteria were or like
• how we're going about that would be
• important, but then also again having
• these other moments like a town hall or
• other listening sessions. So if somebody
• can't make that kind of commitment like
• on a regular go case you know because of
• work or other commitments that are out
• there they're not chosen they still have
• a clear moment where they can engage in
• the process.
• So I think this is all solvable. It
• takes work and planning like said it's a
• lot of work and planning.
• I
• I do like the idea of us being able as a
• board to talk about this regularly in
• public all of us
• because again it is
• very fast moving topic and I think many
• of us are very interested in in this.
• That being said I think it might make
• sense to this is very complicated and
• kind of going all over the place with
• stuff but for the
• you know in order for efficiencies it
• might make sense to initially have some
• district committee.
• Sorry some some board committee of the
• board on this topic to help just
• organize and spearhead and get this
• moving along from the infrastructure.
• And my impression is we can always stop
• you know and shift gears once that
• that's you know accomplished.
• So
• I do think it makes sense to commit a
• significant amount of time and effort in
• this area in the year ahead if if we're
• able to because it impacts so much
• what's happening in the district. It
• really is like a found like the
• lifeblood of a lot of what's going on.
• To me I I feel like I would like to
• better
• Well you know I'll be quiet now cuz I
• have some other things like thoughts on
• on things some things I'd like to hear
• like delve into that maybe
• I should just be quiet and let somebody
• else talk a little bit and just give
• their opinion.
• >> Can I just can I just piggyback on what
• you're saying?
• So while I have concerns about that I
• love what you're saying about having
• listening sessions. So I think that
• there would actually even be benefit to
• convening a
• subcommittee of the board that was
• literally engaging with the public and
• hearing what their concerns are and then
• reporting back to the board in
• way and then after hearing those
• concerns maybe whittling down to what
• like the actual action item might be
• after and like a whole board discussion
• but the listening sessions I think would
• be you know beneficial to everyone
• certainly who are interested in
• in doing that. That is kind of like what
• I was saying about the challenge of it
• is you can be in these committees and
• then you don't ever hear from the
• public. Or how do you choose, you know,
• certain people in the public and then
• you only hear from those voices. But
• like hearing having listening sessions
• from the community would be something
• that I think that would be beneficial to
• the board. We could then in turn, you
• know, have conversations with the
• district regarding like what we've been
• approached with.
• That's my
• >> I think that
• you know,
• although Allison said you jumped all
• over the place, she really wasn't
• jumping all over the place. I was just
• >> Well, thank you.
• >> I I think I think
• I think a combination of what you said
• and
• and what you said um really makes sense
• for how the board
• and it will not be until after July
• probably because you know, it's going to
• be new board members who you might
• um you know,
• will probably be on the board who will
• be involved.
• Um
• will do that. And there can be a lot of
• different structures. You know,
• sometimes with some of the committees
• and in the ad hoc committees that I
• served on over the years
• athletics and some other areas, we did
• provide the opportunity for that
• committee to hear from members of the
• public. We've had that more
• >> Can I just interrupt you? How did you do
• that?
• >> Oh, we just told people when we meet and
• then they come and talk to us.
• >> Just like we do meet the meet the BOE.
• >> Yeah, and that was Yeah, that's what we
• did. This was many years ago when we
• were
• dealing with certain issues in the
• athletic
• structure of the athletic program and we
• heard from parents, coaches
• >> [snorts]
• >> So then I'm just curious, why was the
• advocacy committee not allowed to do
• that?
• >> The advocacy committee not allowed to do
• that?
• >> Like last year.
• >> So I think what what I think that it
• there's a difference in that like if
• someone is coming to a community
• advisory committee to like to to speak
• to the committee on things, right? There
• There isn't that disconnect in thinking.
• They're coming to the board with a
• request, right? When you're you're
• you're coming to like a subset of the
• board that would then have to report out
• on that to make recommendations. So, I
• think that is the
• the slight difference in that like the
• board committees, right? We're doing
• like subcommittee work for the board and
• and bring that bring those
• recommendations back to the board. So, I
• think that might have been the
• disconnect in that.
• >> You don't think that's a nuance the
• public wouldn't pick up on? Like if
• they're talking to members of the board,
• they think they're talking to the board.
• They think the rest of the board is
• going to hear that.
• >> But
• But if you're coming to a community
• advisory committee, you're not just
• coming and talking to members of the
• board, right? You're coming to a
• presumably a larger group than just
• three members of the board.
• >> But I think the way
• >> It's a community advisory committee
• that's established by the board of
• education. So,
• you're speaking The The assumption is
• that you're speaking to the board.
• >> But you're not speaking to the board.
• >> But But I
• >> I know. And And this is something that
• you have to make clear.
• Um for example, if as this board has
• done in years past,
• um
• the board has hired outside consultants
• to look at an issue and give a report to
• the board
• and to the district, which led to
• decisions, whether they were policy
• decisions or budgetary decisions. And
• so, that
• consultant did the work of doing the
• research and presenting something to the
• governance team for the governance team
• to consider.
• A community advisory committee, to my
• mind, is
• similar in structure in a way, except it
• is using the expertise and
• um the um
• interest of members of the community to
• reflect something that the board is
• concerned about.
• Um that does not
• but but the ultimate decision on
• whatever is going to be
• see recommended by that committee is up
• to the board. The committee makes a
• report to the board. The board considers
• that report and decides what actions the
• board wants to take
• or you know, for what actions the
• district administration wants to take on
• what that committee has reported. Same
• way as with the consultant, but that
• does not preclude
• in any manner that committee from
• getting
• input
• from members of the community who are
• not on the committee by
• town halls, listening sessions, have
• surveys, whatever you want to do or what
• that group does to you to gather
• information.
• But the since the decision maker is
• the people who sit
• this table or these tables, that is who
• the
• who that commentary in the end would be
• directed to as we decide or the board
• decides what it is going to do with that
• report. I will say also with regard to
• even some committees like policy
• committee, in the years past we have had
• um listening sessions. We have provided
• an opportunity on certain policies
• publicly noticed to come and anybody
• come and speak about a particular policy
• for or against
• and use that to change the draft. That's
• one way of doing it.
• >> It's not every policy.
• >> Not every policy. Things where it was
• felt that community input to help guide
• the policy committee to make a
• recommendation to the board was
• would be useful. Now, all of that being
• said, it will be up to the board to
• develop the scope,
• to develop a membership, you know, how
• people will be selected. One concern is
• you don't want to have so large a
• committee that is unwieldy.
• And you don't want to have too small a
• committee that you don't have the
• requisite
• um expertise and different
• uh different viewpoints that may be
• important to the natural area of an uh
• difficult
• planning process to manage, and you
• know, but and the end of board could
• actually say to the committee,
• in in the doing your work to give a
• report to us,
• we charge the committee
• with having
• um
• providing opportunities to members of
• the public to provide their feedback
• input at various points in time. You can
• put that in the charge if you want. You
• know, that's what you're saying to the
• community advisory committee.
• It's you know, it's the board's
• committee
• um
• that the board can establish whatever
• whatever criteria they want on both the
• selection and
• and the members. So, that would take
• care of some of the concern um I think
• that you have raised.
• Um
• and you knowing that whatever is the
• result of that process
• will be brought to the board, the board
• will discuss, and may discuss at you
• know, during the process if as an update
• said, having you know, updates from time
• to time as has that been done.
• And then, you know, if it's it's you
• know, it's kind of a wide open thing for
• to figure out what works best.
• >> Um
• I think so just to say it
• I like the community advisory committee
• idea. I think it's important that we
• have
• um
• various voices and viewpoints
• as part of that committee. Um
• and it it seems like that is the
• structure that probably, in my mind,
• like
• gets kind of the most participation and
• most viewpoints in the mix.
• Um and I think just the clar- I think
• from the very beginning clarity will be
• key as to like what is the charge,
• right? As we're talking about what's the
• timeline, what is the structure. Um
• and
• you know, the selection process, all the
• stuff that we've been talking about. Um
• I I do think we can structure it so
• there's like robust input provided. And
• then in my mind, it's like I think it's
• like three phases. It's like we're we
• plan like pretty carefully, and that
• might take a little while, right? Like
• plan the scope, what does it look like.
• And then we do a lot of listening and
• debating, right? And learning and
• reading, etc. And then I think the last
• piece
• on the sort of like, okay, then what
• happens now? Because I think many of us
• have been part of I mean, I've been part
• of like teams where I'm just like, so
• what comes out of this thing? Like,
• will something happen, right? And I
• think we need to be very clear
• maybe not at the outset cuz we might not
• even know like what's going to be the
• result, but
• um we need to have some idea that there
• will be a result and
• as part of the process, I think it it'll
• be important for us to be clear as like,
• all right, this is where we're moving.
• This is looks like where we're moving,
• whether it's, you know, board policy or
• district practice or whatever the
• administrative practice. Um because I
• think that's sometime where confusion
• happens, right? Where people are like,
• well, we're talking, but then where is
• this going? So I think we need to be
• really clear to the public on on that
• question, like whether it's
• whatever it is, right? Whatever it is
• where we're headed through the
• conversation.
• >> Um
• okay.
• I'd like to build on at some point. Do
• you mind if I pop back to something I
• said before before you build on that? Is
• that okay?
• >> [clears throat]
• >> Just just so that we I think because
• this is helping us sort of like
• recognize what are the points that have
• been above board and that we all have
• agreed on and I think you have also. So
• I think
• I'm sort of actually like in agreement
• with the the way that I think
• the way that I think you sort of
• articulated this as as they just
• articulated it as a multi-step process.
• What could be interesting actually is
• the idea of perhaps initially forming an
• ad hoc committee of just us to sort of
• like nail this stuff down. And it would
• have to be an ad hoc committee that's
• committed to working fast. Like but you
• know, what else are we doing in January?
• Nothing.
• So we could do that.
• Or July. I don't know. We will you know,
• we'll have to determine sort of like
• what the right time is for that. But
• that could be that could be a way to
• sort of help establish that and answer
• all the questions that have been raised
• here before we inflict it on anyone else
• in the community. And I think that's
• important. I think what you know, if
• we're asking people to join, we we do as
• they said is like we need to have a
• clear sense of like where it's going or
• where where do you think it's going so
• that people understand what they're
• signing
• sort of up for. And then I think also
• the timeline and scope. So it does seem
• like a multi-tiered kind of process
• works. Just going back to Anna's point
• though about sort of like the like the
• the getting the information and the
• listening. I think one of the things
• that that we've all expressed has been
• pretty challenging is that when folks
• come to talk to us in hearing of the
• public because of the way that we the
• way that that
• that
• that type of community engagement
• structured, we're often hearing things
• that we're not able to react to because
• that's our practice right now. And I
• think also to be able to even when
• people are coming and participating in
• that, you know, we're in a listening
• capacity and they're coming in a
• speaking capacity to be able to engage
• and ask follow-up questions and sort of
• again, we know from our own work
• together that we do better when we're
• talking to each other rather than just
• like downloading information and
• processing it ourselves, right? So I
• think to be able to sort of have that
• back and forth in those forums as we
• have done again, you know, I do I know
• we've we've done a little bit on policy
• also is just to sort of like have that
• input and and give ourselves the
• flexibility to say, yes, sometimes it's
• going to work, sometimes, you know, it
• it's not. It's going to require, as
• Allison said before, somebody who is um
• a strong facilitator or possibly even
• like a team of strong facilitators
• because the task forces, yeah, but that
• can get like gnarly sometimes. I think
• it's true.
• >> I just want to feed back on what Norma
• was saying there. I I would suggest to
• to add to what you were saying
• that
• you can't determine the scope of
• something or parameters of something
• until you identify exactly what that
• something is. And that something can
• only be identified through having
• to Allison's point, those listening
• sessions. So, I would suggest that you
• have a series of listening sessions and
• then whoever's on the committee's board
• members determines what the scope going
• forward is based on
• but I think that that is the front end
• of that because
• you can't determine what it is that
• you're looking at until you determine
• what it is that you're even considering,
• I think.
• >> Um yes to everything that's been said.
• Just want to add a little bit more to
• particularly the idea of the formation
• stage.
• To me, it's really important for people
• to have a common for us as a board, but
• also [clears throat]
• then that would be conveyed to the
• community to have a common understanding
• of of some of the the current like
• practices and the way things are
• organized. Um
• from my observations, I some of the the
• questions that were things that I feel
• like we keep circling around is
• understanding
• what is curriculum and what what is
• technology as it relates to curriculum
• versus like business operations. So,
• like and who if, you know, when we talk
• about is technology curriculum, is it
• not? Like how are we slicing and dicing
• that? Um to understand the district's
• perspective on that, you know, and and
• who within the organization structure is
• at the table like making those decisions
• in the room. So, for us to understand
• like how this is happening right now, I
• think would help us have some of the
• background
• to to move forward with this. Because
• otherwise, if like if I don't fully
• understand what's the difference between
• the curriculum versus the technology,
• like I feel like what we come up with
• might be like just not making any sense,
• you know, to to the
• So, having a better understanding about
• like what what
• how that's translated here would be
• helpful. I don't Does that make sense?
• >> Yeah.
• >> It does.
• >> I I think what you're really saying is
• to
• define the scope of the issue and
• limitations of what
• that
• advisory group is going to be looking
• at. You have to know some of that up
• front and I think you were
• accurately said that there's some part
• of things that
• we as board members kind of don't really
• have a handle on, but that will help
• give an identification or give the board
• the ability to develop the charge of the
• committee and to think about who can
• best move that committee forward get
• information and and provide a report,
• what resources outside of the members
• may be necessary. I know I'm sure the
• technology district technology committee
• you are providing resources for your own
• learning as I have been on committees
• that I've I've been serving on and
• that's all things that will help
• you know,
• and develop that scope and and then
• having the advisory committee really
• have a charge that is meaningful and
• meaningful both to the board and to the
• administration because the
• administration will be receiving
• feedback, input, and things for you
• consider on the other side. And as you
• said, or somebody said, there is a
• difference between curriculum and
• operations. So, technology
• >> [clears throat]
• >> brought to operations,
• and use of AI in, you know, in the
• business office context is something
• that
• is important, but not in the same way as
• it's as the instructional and
• >> It's just different.
• >> And so,
• having that scope
• >> Yeah.
• >> um
• ascertained probably that listening
• session
• and listening sessions from that board
• subcommittee that may be
• uh appointed to kind of help the board
• establish a charter sounds like a good
• idea to me, but
• um
• but it's not listening so much on
• substance [snorts]
• as much as okay, well, let's help define
• the scope, and then
• the advisory committee is going to deal
• more
• in, you know, deeper dive into the
• substance.
• >> No, it's the opposite. You're hearing
• from the public regarding the substance.
• >> Well, right, so that you can define what
• it is that you're going to be working on
• from
• >> And and I think just in terms of that
• I'm hearing correctly, I think it it
• makes sense, right? So, the creation of
• a of a short-term ad hoc board committee
• that would determine what that what that
• broader
• um community uh community advisory
• committee would look like, but I think
• one of the important things that that
• will need to be entertained in fact
• aside from the board's listening
• sessions is also understanding how that
• committee would be different from the
• district convened
• technology committee, right? Because if
• there's an extreme overlap there, you're
• that that doesn't work. So, I think that
• needs to be understood um cuz right now
• there is that that district convened
• committee that that is expected to
• continue its work into the next year.
• And so, if that's something that the
• board is then going to to take and and
• move into under its purview then then
• that needs to be understood for people
• as well.
• >> I mean I think so far that hasn't I I
• think so far we
• I think so far we
• >> Or at least what that overlap would be
• cuz it to have two two
• somewhat similar committees with with
• there with there being a great deal
• overlap might constrain
• >> Yeah I I yeah I I would like
• I think that that would definitely be
• like a driving you know factors to
• ensure that there is that there is
• separation of the work and then also
• again
• I mean I think it's fair to say that
• like the the the inquiry
• inquiries coming out of the board are
• not what is driving the work of the
• district committee and we have
• determined amongst ourselves that we
• have a lot of inquiries and so I think
• again to be able to do that in a way
• that doesn't step on anyone else's work
• and also doesn't like limit our pool of
• people because obviously you know it's
• like yes we're going to need to rely on
• having some administration be part of
• that conversation and also the elected
• trustees. But I think it's really
• important that you brought that up.
• >> I just want to add that.
• Until we have those listening sessions
• we really don't know if there's an
• overlap or there isn't any overlap and
• what's
• there I to your point like I do think
• those initial listening sessions are
• very important to then regroup
• and decide whether or not there is an
• overlap. Maybe there is maybe there
• isn't and at that point move forward and
• determine the scope of what the concerns
• are or the work that we're doing.
• >> Um
• Yeah definitely and um
• I guess like I've done a lot of work
• with design thinking so this is kind of
• like the process you need you know speak
• to multiple stakeholders you got to like
• secondary primary research and then from
• that you figure out um specifically like
• what is the problem you're trying to
• address right and then you work with
• people. Um the other thing I would like
• to just uh briefly comment on is um
• you know the
• like the point that Nomalanga brought up
• like what are the expectations of
• dialogue and community between the board
• members and the and the community like I
• think part an important part of this
• process might, you know, like just as
• the board we have our own norms and
• protocols, like you can as a on a
• committee or a group create some sort of
• norms or, you know, lay things out in
• advance so people have a sense, like a
• shared understanding of what's going to
• be happening in that moment. So,
• um that would probably And I think it's
• the kind of thing that it can it can
• feel kind of like stiff or like, why are
• we doing this? But, I think it actually
• creates transparency so that everybody
• kind of had realistic expectations about
• what the moment is about. And it builds
• trust. So, it can feel kind of like
• Okay, so where do we think we've landed
• based off of this? If I can try to
• summarize what I have heard,
• um I think
• it would
• And And this is not like a resolution or
• motion, so it is just sort of like a
• thumbs up, thumbs down, thumbs sideways.
• Sorry, thumbs up, sideways, thumbs down.
• Thumbs sideways meaning you're not sure
• yet. Our conversation, um
• to keep to keep momentum going, we don't
• want to save the the resolution to start
• this for our organizational meeting in
• July, um would we feel comfortable
• bringing to the table for everyone who's
• here today, would we feel comfortable
• bringing to the table to next week's
• meeting a resolution to institute an ad
• hoc board committee to answer the
• questions that have been surfaced by
• this collective, um and then sort of to
• set the groundwork for then determining
• what the what the next stages would be.
• Does that feel like a comfortable
• starting point for people? Just again,
• we have to get the resolution and you
• have to resolve. And then I again, for
• the benefit of the public, appointments
• to committees are we we have like an
• internal process for that where we
• express interest and we are actually
• appointed to those committees uh by the
• board president. That's our practice and
• our protocol right now. So, thumbs up,
• thumbs down. Well, I would actually
• >> suggest something else. I would suggest
• that we um
• convene
• an advisory committee to engage in three
• listening sessions from the community
• and then to regroup and determine the
• rest of that. So, like I think it's too
• big of a chunk
• to take on to say like we're going to
• convene and then we're going to address
• the concerns. Like how are you getting
• the concerns? Like I think
• >> I think the idea, sorry, just to just to
• clarify that that that board ad hoc
• committee would be We can't spend I mean
• we can't We could, but we I don't think
• we want to spend every one of these
• meetings with all seven of us sort of
• like determining what the next step is.
• So, the idea of this ad hoc committee
• would actually be to even
• establish the parameters for like what
• is that What is What do those listening
• tours look like since we have actually
• determined that we like that idea as a
• as a group. Um just setting up like
• How's that going to look? Where's it
• going to be? You know, like what like is
• What are the norms going to be, etc.
• >> The listening sessions, yes.
• >> Yeah.
• >> Um I would just echo that what I found
• helpful in the listening sessions is to
• go in and like have like have heard, you
• know, yes, you can go and just sit and
• say like I'm here with you to say, and
• you know, that's one's one way and that
• that can be helpful in its own right. Um
• but another way to say in um is to kind
• of have like an agenda or set of guiding
• questions and then also have a time for
• like open discussion for, you know,
• whatever anybody wants to bring up. So,
• and that requires prework, you know, so
• so it might be helpful to have that
• listening session part of the ad hoc
• committee's work just from a
• practicality standpoint, but um
• >> That's what I was going to say and I was
• thinking the ad hoc committee would
• would have those initial listening
• sessions that would help it determine
• what the scope for the community
• advisory committee would be.
• >> Right. So, part of the ad hoc
• committee's work would be that and like
• sort of figure out what what those
• listening sessions are.
• >> Just trying to get to procedurally, what
• do we start with? Are we starting with
• an ad hoc committee?
• >> Yeah, that was my understanding.
• >> So, that's I mean that's all we're
• trying to establish is if we can get
• that on the table.
• >> An ad hoc committee of listening
• sessions, yeah.
• >> Yeah, well, there would an ad hoc
• committee to uh
• make a recommendation to the board
• of a scope and
• issues that should be
• delegated for further work by a
• community advisory committee. They will
• utilize that.
• >> Well, yeah, and
• >> Yeah, that
• that's just
• kind of the description of what
• he saw and that the ad hoc committee
• would gather information
• from variety of sources, including
• listening sessions, however they are
• going to be done.
• >> I don't I don't agree with you. I don't
• think it needs to be a variety of
• sessions. I think it needs to be an ad
• hoc committee
• formed to engage in listening sessions
• with the community to then inform the
• board regarding a community advisory
• committee's
• scope.
• That's it.
• It needs to be that simple because I
• I've been on the board for 5 years.
• We've tried to take on like it needs We
• need to prioritize exactly what we're
• doing and it needs to be a small scope.
• It needs to be informed by the
• community's perspective on this
• and move forward with respect to like
• And if if if it if we're determining I'm
• going to be at a later time that there
• is like a broader scope, then that's
• additional work that needs to happen,
• but it's too much.
• >> Yeah, I I was just thinking about the
• fact that
• >> We've literally formed committees to
• take on one policy
• and not been able to accomplish that.
• >> But but but but
• if I can if I can continue
• um
• I was thinking that that and that task
• that ad hoc committee, which I'm in
• agreement with,
• is going to make a recommendation.
• They will listen, have listening
• sessions with the community, but they
• also want to consider
• You or may not, that's to be up to the
• board consider other inputs as to what
• that committee recommends be the scope
• of the community advisory committee. For
• example,
• um
• uh
• one of the things I think that Allison
• mentioned was not really having a clear
• understanding
• of the uh what's
• technology, what's curriculum.
• Is that something
• that we would want to charge the ad hoc
• committee to get a little handle on so
• that the ad hoc committee can present
• um
• you know, the charge for the community
• advisory committee or is that something
• that would await the work of the
• community advisory committee? I don't
• know. Could be one way or the other, but
• and the we can decide that. I think it's
• important, whatever we do, to have a
• resolution
• preferably
• on um the
• June 11th agenda.
• However, knowing that there's going to
• be a change in the composition of the
• board,
• um and you just you know, you may feel
• let's talk about it in July, but I I
• leave that to my colleagues to decide
• timing of that and also
• whether my suggestion
• makes sense or doesn't make sense.
• >> [clears throat]
• >> Just a point of clarification, um
• like I automatically hear what you're
• saying about not overreaching and and
• like making it like It's not
• overreaching.
• >> It's not overreaching.
• >> It's taking on too much.
• >> Yeah, exactly.
• >> That's a better word for it. Taking on
• too much.
• If
• if the scope is say like the
• seri- like three listening sessions,
• does that
• if we write up charge that way, it that
• prevent
• the ad hoc committee from doing some of
• this background work to vet to to
• prepare themselves for those listening
• sessions? Like does it have to be
• How how how much flexibility does one
• have once one has its charge? Like if we
• say that we're just doing this through
• the meeting, can we never do anything
• any real preparation
• like background work on it?
• >> I mean I need to Personally, I would
• argue that I I guess like we have to
• determine this, but I would argue that
• the charge should have gets a little bit
• more flexibility than just limiting
• ourselves to those listening sessions
• only because I don't want to go through
• this again to like do the next thing.
• And I don't again either, so it's like
• if we give ourselves a little bit of
• latitude, we can actually we can agree
• because we've agreed here and again in
• this configuration clearly that will
• change or it could change. May also it
• may not change. We don't know, but we
• know that we we prioritize the idea of
• listening that there's a clearly
• consensus on prioritizing the idea of
• listening. So let's say that we're not
• going to step away from that. Let's say
• that that's what we're going to do and
• give ourselves like a little bit of
• latitude if there's like another, you
• know, tangential thing that comes up. We
• don't have to reconstitute a separate ad
• hoc committee because unfortunately
• these policies are written to like
• direct how we do this and that's why
• we're talking about it in this way is
• because we have to.
• Right? So I think I I would argue for
• give ourselves a little bit of
• flexibility, get the resolution out for
• next week. It doesn't have to get filled
• next week, but the resolution's taken
• care of, we can fill it as soon as we're
• ready to initiate the next term.
• >> Yeah, I mean it's support of that
• because I I mean I think the the main
• issue is like not getting too lost in
• holding off.
• >> Yes, exactly. Exactly, which I think we
• have we've expressed that well, right?
• Here.
• Do you feel like this Do you feel like
• this
• Do you feel like this
• >> just don't understand where where the
• having the listening sessions first is
• like limiting in some way. I I'm I was
• coming from a place of
• wanting to hear what the community
• concern is and then
• understanding how it could be addressed.
• So when you when you start saying like
• we're going to determine the scope and
• like the actions and all of this like
• before you understand what the problem
• is, I don't understand how you do that.
• >> I don't think we can determine the scope
• or the actions. I think the idea is just
• to constitute a committee.
• >> Right, but that's not what was discussed
• in the beginning. It was like to do the
• work and so forth.
• >> I think we can evolve.
• >> Okay.
• >> I think it's evolved to
• to actually where where you landed,
• which is the idea of focusing on the
• list of committees that I went Allison
• brought as an as a like an addendum to
• that is also not limiting our scope so
• that we have to re-scope to be able to
• continue the work if stuff comes up.
• >> And you're obviously going in as like
• committee members to, you know, hear
• what the community says and do your own
• research because we do that as trustees,
• right? Like we
• >> That's what I was going to say.
• >> The the charges can't limit us because
• unfortunately when the like the charge
• is the charge, that's all.
• >> Yeah, I don't know that we'd be limited
• to not to independently research or to
• not have conversations with other board
• members and to not consult with the
• district on things. I [snorts] don't I
• don't know that that was ever discussed.
• >> I guess for me as a newer board member,
• I'm still trying to navigate like what
• is within scope for me to reaching out
• to district versus going to the board
• office, you know, the things in that. So
• just trying to think about how to design
• in a way that's that
• um is most efficient.
• >> Yeah.
• >> You know, that's all.
• >> And the in the the the
• the limitation in access to the district
• is not
• uh gatekeeping. It's more to um
• obviously not bombard you with all of
• our
• questions at different times and to
• prioritize our concerns when you know,
• the charge at different times of the
• year we have different functions where
• it applies.
• >> So
• to help with this particular
• conversation, possibly you get a thumbs
• up for constituting an ad hoc committee
• and perhaps a smaller group of us will
• work on the resolution and we'll adjust.
• Well, I think great. So that's six
• six yes. Thank you. All right, perfect.
• Now
• it's going to be number two to to move
• our agenda on.
• >> Vote.
• >> Under 2.5, uh a discussion on the ad hoc
• committee on hiring, retention, and
• tenure.
• >> All right. So, for this here, we've done
• a lot of talking about this. We don't
• have to do that all over again.
• >> You could say ditto. Actually, we could.
• >> So, just I think the context on
• [clears throat] this is is sort of like
• the following. We have had discussions
• collectively as a board on hiring
• practices, the importance uh
• philosophically that we have to ensuring
• that there are pathways for staff to
• seek careers and potential for career
• growth within the district, as well as
• uh the additional question of
• um
• understanding what the tenure cycle
• looks like, and making sure that there's
• transparency to our public and to our
• community
• about that process as well, because I
• think it's a place where the community
• has had questions recently, right? So,
• here, I'm not necessarily going to
• propose four different ideas here,
• because I think as a board we have sort
• of talked about what we thought last
• when we discussed this our starting
• point could be was specifically ad hoc
• board committee to determine what are
• the what are the key topics that we want
• to talk about.
• >> The idea of that would be that that ad
• hoc board committee would invite
• district um leadership to be part of the
• conversation, and that would be then
• determined, of course, by the
• superintendent and the rest of the
• administrative team, so that that um
• that body comes together to sort of um
• surface the questions, and really
• determine um
• what the work needs to be in terms of
• looking at policy, looking at practices,
• policy being of the board, practices
• being of the administration, where those
• intersect, and then once that work is
• sort of underway, determining a cadence
• for communication, and ultimately um
• some sort of clarity to the community so
• that people know. Often the board gives
• clarity to the community through policy,
• right? And often the district gives
• clarity to the community through it, you
• know, information about processes or
• practices through the website and other
• venues. So, we know how some of this
• stuff would work, but that's sort of
• like the the picture. If other folks
• have ideas, this would be a great time.
• But, you know, we can try to be a little
• bit briefer since I think we did a kind
• of really good discussion before this
• meeting.
• >> I am in complete agreement with that and
• I don't know if I should state this, but
• I would like the board to
• proceed and I think the charge of that
• ad hoc committee
• should be developed in a way that um
• identifies all the issues that from the
• board's perspective,
• both in terms of
• policy and in terms of understanding
• practices
• and um
• cadences, I guess you use that word,
• that may not be informal policy that um
• can be
• discussed and you know, and that's a
• that's a shorter term, I think, um
• work than what we've been talking about
• previously, but I think that's something
• that makes sense.
• >> So, what I'm hearing is you want to
• create an ad hoc committee to understand
• the hiring, retention, and tenure
• process.
• >> No. No. No. No. No. No. Go ahead.
• >> Uh no, I don't think that that's what we
• were talking I I don't think that that
• is what came out of like um
• our previous discussions. I think it was
• actually not not to understand it, but
• to
• um
• I want to say document it, but to I
• don't know what the right verb is to use
• here.
• Um
• to engage in discussions between the
• board and the district so that we
• achieve a joint understanding of what
• aspects of this process should be
• enshrined in policy, what elements of
• this process should be delegated to the
• district for the district to carry out
• with, you know, board input {slash} uh
• you know, governance oversight or just
• simply communication to to say this is
• what's happening. We're informing you.
• Like what like what to sort of like
• explore what that would look like. And
• then after that sort of conversation
• part of it, determine what lands in
• policy, what lands in practices. So,
• it's not to understand, it's to sort of
• it's to sort of
• to discuss where things are now, surface
• what's working and what's not working
• and where those gaps are to determine
• again where the district may have some
• work to do in terms of articulating
• practices or refining them and what the
• board may have to do in terms of policy
• in the same way, articulating policy and
• refining it. So, that we're sort of
• mutually
• respecting each other's roles in in the
• enterprise of hiring, retention, and
• tenure. And so, that we're also
• supporting each other by having clarity
• of what lives with whom and how again
• those intersect. Does that make sense?
• If that that's not going to fit into a
• scope, so I think the scope is going to
• have to be like one sentence. But, the
• charge is going to have to be one
• sentence. But, that that would be that
• would be sort of a starting point. And I
• think because we were talking about this
• Steve and also, you know, John and the
• rest of the admin team as something that
• that invites engagement, it would be
• very helpful to hear from you all if you
• also feel that there are areas in terms
• of policy where things are lacking or if
• you feel that over the last few months
• there are places where
• where there's the opportunity for
• clarity or you know, further discussion
• on your part that that you want us to
• sort of share as we try to determine how
• to move forward on this. Does that make
• sense as a question?
• >> Yeah, we've talked before as a team
• about the value in coming to a shared
• vision around, for example, succession
• planning and and what that could look
• like, should look like.
• Where it's your point where that lives,
• is it operational, is it policy, is it
• somewhere else? Uh
• and so, and and related conversations
• around
• what role should
• community feedback play in 10
• considerations?
• And those are
• philosophical conversation, value
• conversation. So, I think there's a
• great value in bringing together a group
• to look at that.
• Obviously, as we're talking about
• practices
• and protocols related to these things,
• then
• different perhaps than technology. It
• has implications around like the
• marketing, there are legal implications
• to these things and and legal
• guardrails. So,
• you know, those are different
• considerations than the technology
• committee, but I think probably to the
• point that was made earlier, a clearer
• endpoint here at this moment than than
• on the technology end.
• Yes, I I mean,
• to answer the question in a long-winded
• way, yes, I think there there's value in
• bringing together a group to to look at
• to surface the what are the questions
• that we need to wrestle with and then
• how do we go about wrestling with them?
• >> Right. And I think it's very important
• that you surface those points about
• about those sort of like legal
• agreements and restrictions because I
• think again, for us as trustees, we
• don't always have visibility and as
• trustees, we don't have an understanding
• of some of those requirements. So, it's
• really it isn't a conversation that that
• that board committee can have by itself.
• And again, the goal is to develop a
• shared understanding and to sort of
• articulate our shared values because I
• think our values are shared, but I think
• by articulating them, one of the things
• that we accomplish is also making it
• really clear to our community that we're
• coming from a place where there is that
• understanding so that when decisions are
• brought to the board or when
• recommendations are brought to the
• board, everyone understands how we sort
• of got there. And then we feel also
• confidence in a
• decision that the district is making as
• well as confidence in the district that
• the board is making. So, yeah, it's not
• going to be like years of work because
• we actually want to be able to implement
• this so that we can start acting on it.
• And I think again, it will if I can use
• this opportunity for a comfortable as a
• segue to like the the other quick brief
• discussion point that we don't
• necessarily have to have this tonight,
• but I think it is important and I think
• we would we would be informed by
• this particular configuration of
• trustees to also sort of think about in
• terms of our committee work over the
• last few years. If we feel that there
• are places where, you know, it's like
• some of this work seems like it could be
• more beneficial to the whole. I think
• for folks who have served on these
• committees, I personally would love to
• hear if people have thoughts about, you
• know what, this hasn't felt like it's
• been driving our work and maybe it's
• something that we can that we can
• consider setting aside. Thinking of the
• fact that we have five board committees
• on money and that, you know, an ad hoc
• committee that's going to be three
• people. Left who have to have to talk to
• them.
• >> I have suggested in the past that it's
• there's also the other part where in
• part of what this item is on the agenda
• now really
• um
• kind of does deal with is thinking about
• the
• committee structure as a whole and
• whether there are other committees,
• audit is one that is required, but other
• than that, other committees that
• might be appropriate
• um
• for
• um
• meeting the needs of the board,
• whether it's a facilities committee or a
• personnel committee or a
• finance committee or you know, how did
• audit take on finance as well beyond
• audit itself. So, that the board can
• operate more effectively and so now is
• probably a time to think about
• >> Well, so I would add to this
• >> However you want to do it.
• >> because that list that list of potential
• I don't mean curriculum committee,
• that's what I was talking about too.
• Because that list of ideas is long, I
• was wondering if we could start with the
• like before we think about more new,
• think about
• >> Yeah.
• >> again for the the seven of us who've
• been doing this now for a little bit, um
• to think about what are the things that
• we feel like maybe
• >> Well, subtraction before addition.
• >> we add.
• >> Yeah.
• >> So, I don't know if you have thoughts.
• >> Um I think that's a good idea for us to
• consider the balance
• of things so we're not spread too thin.
• Um
• perhaps this is something unless people
• have a lot of thoughts about it right
• now is to hold off until our like part
• of our full reflection at the end so we
• have a little bit more time
• to think about it given the fact that we
• just talked about launching
• We can bring it to the end if it feels
• okay to then do we feel like
• Do we need to determine whether
• Do we need to do a thumbs up thumbs down
• on the ad hoc committee hiring
• potential? Do we feel like we in our
• conversation that position is pretty
• clear that that's the resolution to
• bring next week?
• >> Do you think that?
• >> Yeah, okay.
• >> Okay, great. So then we can prepare
• those two resolutions to present to you,
• Anna,
• and and
• bring that discussion about what might
• go away
• to maybe even to polling or something if
• we have time for that next week so they
• can have a little bit more time to think
• about it and and reflect on it.
• >> And if you're convinced at the meeting,
• is that something that you'll bring for
• that that will be on the board
• development agenda to put those those uh
• resolutions down?
• >> We should We should Yes, we can bring
• that to you. So that would be the ideal.
• I mean this is one of like the 37 things
• we have to do.
• >> Right, right.
• >> Yeah, but yes, that's that's that would
• be the the place where we can put
• together the board development.
• Yeah, thank you.
• That's it for us.
• >> Thank you for that discussion. Moving
• into item 3.1
• Instructional personnel recommendation.
• Here is a resolution for the Board of
• Education on the recommendation of the
• Superintendent of Schools hereby appoint
• Jennifer Hill as a 1.0 FTE mathematics
• teacher in the mathematics content area
• at the William Allen High School at a
• salary of $91,744
• in A7. Ms. Hill is appointed to a
• four-year probationary term as a
• mathematics teacher commencing on August
• 26, 2026 and probationary term ending on
• August 25th, 2030 in the tenure area,
• math labs. Ms. Hill has initial
• certification in mathematics, 7th
• through 12th.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question?
• All in favor?
• >> Aye. Aye.
• >> Opposed?
• Abstain?
• Motion carries.
• Moving into donations, item 4.1,
• recommended action, the result of the
• Board of Education gratefully accepts
• the donation from Debbie and Ed
• Broderick in the amount of $2,000, two
• scholarships of $1,000 each for the
• Broderick Family Award at Colonie
• Central High School.
• >> So moved.
• >> I'm all set. To be given to two
• graduating seniors that have contributed
• to the community, performed community
• service, or volunteered as a tutor,
• or at civic organizations, attending
• college, vocational program, or
• training.
• >> I will move it.
• >> Second.
• On the question?
• All in favor?
• >> Aye. Aye.
• >> Opposed?
• Abstain?
• Motion carries.
• Item 4.2,
• recommended action, the result of the
• Board of Education gratefully accepts
• the donation from the Carrie E. Tompkins
• Elementary School PTA in the amount of
• $25,000
• as a contribution towards playground
• equipment at Forest Park Elementary.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question?
• >> I think perhaps
• I don't know if if if it would be
• appropriate to ask our assistant
• superintendent for provisions to kind of
• give a little description
• if you can about what's going on with
• the school 2 playground and how this
• contribution, this donation, generous
• donation will help.
• >> Okay.
• So, on the agenda this evening, we have
• we have the award for
• which is the uh uh equipment supplier
• that we've used and in creating the
• supplemental area of the playground.
• We're not replacing anything. We're
• adding additional equipment. Uh when we
• received the pricing, it was
• in excess of what our capital project
• could afford. So, I carried that with
• PTA and they offered to donate
• uh the proceeds from the uh book fair
• to supplement the playground cost. So,
• uh they donated an [clears throat]
• additional $25,000
• for that.
• >> So, thank you. And
• which which means that uh
• you know,
• as I know many members of the CP
• community and Dr.
• will be able to provide additional
• age-appropriate playground equipment for
• use of our older elementary students,
• which is great.
• >> Yes, it's it's going to be
• it's going to be a a lovely space. Of
• course, everything because of its
• location, everything there is for 5 and
• above. So, we have to be
• we have to stay within that range, but
• uh
• it's a little bit more challenging than
• some of the
• equipment that we have now.
• >> Can I just ask going back to what
• happened in this in the fall, were
• upgrades made to the new pieces that
• were considered because at some point
• whatever they were determined to be
• >> No.
• >> smaller or whatever there was there was
• discussion regarding those pieces being
• able to be
• uh
• modified in some way that would make
• them more appropriate.
• >> Right.
• Um so, as you know, received
• very, very opinions of the playground.
• Some felt that it was too challenging,
• some felt it wasn't challenging enough.
• So, at that point, we felt we had some
• additional funds from the capital
• project so that we would provide
• additional an additional space with
• additional equipment. So, we did not
• make modifications to that.
• >> Thank you, Commissioner.
• >> Sure.
• >> Thank you.
• >> Um and I just wanted to report now since
• we're in this
• um
• compendium. So, as Neil
• indicated, there was a ruling by the
• Appellate Division
• kind of
• banning the use of piggybacking and uh
• cooperative contracts. So, another
• pathway other than
• >> cooperative contracts for
• >> for capital capital projects or public
• works, correct. So, in addition to the
• pathway of the appeal to that, there are
• two um
• there's a bill
• both houses approved that uh is
• recommending that that be
• uh extended for a year.
• So, we have
• two pathways there. It will probably
• miss both uh for the additional work
• that we're doing,
• uh but at least there's a there's an
• opportunity out there.
• >> So, unless the governor
• gets that bill and signs it very
• quickly, we will be delayed in have in
• doing the work that would have otherwise
• been awarded through our piggybacking
• public works bidding.
• >> We've already um
• we've already pivoted with regard to the
• HVAC work. We issued the bid and we
• opened it shortly. But uh the work at
• CET on the lighting,
• uh which we were going to go to Musco.
• We did our Spencer Field lighting
• through the cooperative contract. Now,
• it looks as though we're going to have
• to bid that out. And then there are
• timelines, bidding requirements
• as far as how soon we can make the
• announcement, how long we have to wait,
• etc. So, that is going to be delayed up
• a little bit. However, since we have
• been working with with Musco and their
• electrical provider,
• we're on the books as far as they are
• concerned. So, we're hoping that we can
• turn this around hopefully.
• >> On the air? Hi.
• >> Hi. Hi.
• >> Proposed.
• I've seen. Motion carries. I have 4.3.
• Recommended action is to resolve to
• award an educational grant accepted a
• donation from the Pierre Van Cortlandt
• Middle School PTA in the amount of
• $6,000 as a contribution to offset the
• cost of celebratory events.
• So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question.
• All in favor.
• >> I just want to say we love celebratory
• events.
• >> I can just add just as a trustee and
• member of the PV CPTA that this is a the
• PV CPTA annually provides tremendous
• support for end of year events including
• the 8th grade both dance, various
• picnics, yearbook signing events, and
• special occasions, special elements to
• make everyone feel like the end of the
• school year at PVC is really good money
• for and you know, the the
• the motto a few years back of the PV
• CPTA was we fund the fun and
• >> We do.
• >> a wonderful job of doing that through a
• variety of things. And also a variety of
• things that were sort of student
• centered and as a reminder, they did
• have a student initiated dance this year
• which I can't speak to how how they
• contributed to
• as a fundraiser, but I know it was a
• really amazing event that did contribute
• to the conference here, and that was the
• luncheon, so uh there's a nice
• sensitivity to creating and creating
• opportunities to help make the end of
• the year so special for everybody.
• >> All in favor?
• >> I. I. I.
• >> Opposed?
• Abstain?
• >> Motion carries. Item 4.4, donation
• from SHEF. Recommended action, be it
• resolved the Board of Education
• gratefully accepts the donation from the
• Pearl River Education Foundation in the
• amount of $10,000
• to fund the purchase of VEX robots for
• the Principles of Engineering course at
• Pearl River Harmon High School.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question?
• >> Is there anything that we want to add? I
• know you all had a excellent meeting
• with SHEF about this.
• >> Yes, so uh Dr. Juback and I had the
• opportunity to meet with the SHEF board
• uh probably a month ago to talk through
• not only this specific grant, but just
• broadly how we want the process uh to
• work going forward. Uh and I want to
• thank Ricky and Karen and the entire
• team for
• uh their collaborative and really
• tremendous support of innovation in our
• district uh for many, many years, but
• one of the things that's come out of
• that is that we're going to shift the
• way that we
• uh think about the grant process now and
• actually have these in-person uh
• conversations, presentations from the
• faculty so that the
• uh the grant uh decision-makers at SHEF
• have an opportunity to engage directly
• with the faculty to see some of the uh
• uh the potential of these uh various
• funding opportunities. So I think
• everyone left really excited about the
• next steps in terms of our relationship
• with SHEF. Uh so we thank them not only
• for that conversation, but also for
• their support of this on behalf of our
• community uh students who were
• participating uh in the engineering
• course and the project we did with the
• high school.
• >> I don't want to speak for Allison, but I
• know that before you I was also part of
• the allocations committee at SHEF, um
• and to to collaborate on that process
• and to have the opportunity to actually
• see where the money is going to go was
• is a wonderful opportunity. I just have
• a question because I know the amount
• requested was $21,598,
• and the grant is approved for $10,000.
• So, do you mean
• last week you might learn that now
• $11,598.
• Um is that coming from the district?
• >> Uh we're going to have some
• conversations about where that can come
• from from the district budget as well as
• we need to make any modifications to how
• the implementation of that looks like
• from a classroom perspective. We can
• look at that, too.
• >> I'll just chime in and say that I think
• that one of the great things about this
• process has been that you know, as a as
• a board and as a community we've been
• talking about the importance of our
• community partners and these
• organizations that do all this
• fundraising. So, it's really wonderful
• to see this go to sort of like the next
• level in terms of
• um
• including teachers directly in sort of
• the engagement with our potential donors
• and having that conversation happen in a
• way that really allows them to see the
• benefit of
• the work and the contribution that
• they're making and the type of real
• impact it could have in the school
• district. So, I would add just my thanks
• as well as liaison to Shack this year
• for for for them coming in and
• for you all in the district to also
• taking the time to sit down with them
• for I think what was a very productive
• conversation that's now moving us into a
• great direction for future
• collaborations. So, thanks to everybody
• for that.
• All in favor?
• >> Aye.
• >> Opposed?
• Abstained?
• Motion carries. So, I just want to thank
• Deb and Ed Bradick. I want to thank the
• SETC PTA, the PVSC PTA, and the Shack
• Foundation for their very generous
• contributions and their support of our
• students and for collaborating with the
• district and and with the board and in
• bringing some of these things to
• fruition. Thank you very very much.
• Moving into item 5.1, which is the
• consent agenda. Recommended action is
• all the Board of Education hereby
• approves all items on the consent
• agenda.
• >> [clears throat]
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• >> On the question.
• All in favor.
• >> Aye.
• >> Opposed.
• Abstained. Motion carried. Moving into
• the closing of the meeting, item 6.1 is
• polling of the board.
• >> I thought we did that before.
• >> We did take a poll for the board at the
• end of the meeting. We did delve into
• that, but it's still on the agenda. So I
• totally accept that anyone has anything
• to add, and now is your time.
• If no one has anything, we'll move into
• item 6.2, which is the adjournment of
• the meeting. Recommended action is the
• Board of Education hereby
• adjourns the meeting at 9:58 p.m.
• >> So moved.
• >> Second.
• On the question.
• All in favor.
• >> Aye.
• >> Opposed. Abstained.
• Motion carried. The next meeting of the
• Board of Education will be our final
• scheduled business meeting, which will
• be on Thursday, June 11th at 7:00 p.m.
• here in the library at CHS.