Mar 21, 2024 Called Meeting

[I. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE CALLED MEETING OF THE RICHARD SONAYA'S D BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

I AM REGINA HARRIS, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM TONIGHT.

THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 6 O'CLOCK PM.

[II. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]

MR. POTETE, DO WE HAVE ANY PERSONS WILLING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD TONIGHT?

>> YES. MISS HARRIS, WE DO.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR VISITORS.

DURING TODAY'S MEETING, SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY DUE TO THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS TONIGHT, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO PRESENT HIS OR HER COMMENTS.

AS A REMINDER OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PROTOCOLS LISTED ONLINE AND ADOPTED BY THIS BOARD OUTLINED THAT APPLAUSE, HECKLING, BOOING, AND OTHER VERBAL DISTURBANCES OF ANY KIND WHILE SOMEONE IS SPEAKING ARE NOT ALLOWED.

IF ANY VISITOR DISRUPTS A MEETING BY FAILING TO FOLLOW THE BOARD PROTOCOLS, A VERBAL WARNING WILL BE ISSUED.

IF THE BEHAVIOR CONTINUES, INDIVIDUAL WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE BUILDING AND LEAVE RSD PROPERTY.

WE APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT.

WE JUST WANT TO RESPECT EVERYBODY'S TIME IN THIS MEETING.

SPEAKERS, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME AND WE WILL START TONIGHT WITH MRS. PAMELA HUGHES.

[APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PAM POLYGONIA HUGHES.

I BEGAN SENDING QUESTIONS ABOUT PROJECT RIGHT SIDE ON THE 23RD, MANY OF WHICH REMAIN UNANSWERED.

CHIEF AMONG THESE, I SENT A LETTER WITH SIGNATURES FROM MORE THAN 100 BERKNER AREA VOTERS REQUESTING MEANINGFUL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

NOT INDEX CARDS, NOT 60 SECONDS, BUT A COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATION.

I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING FROM THE BEST INFORMATION YOU HAVE AVAILABLE, BUT WE HEARD ON THE 27 THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT PROXIMITY TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COULD IMPACT OUR HOME VALUES.

WE HEARD THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THIS LINE WOULD DO TO TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ON YALE BOULEVARD.

YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE CREEK IS NOT A BOUNDARY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S THE CENTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT BRINGS OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. TONIGHT, TRUSTEES, I AM ASKING YOU IF THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT INCLUDE MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE ASK YOU TO REJECT IT UNTIL IT DOES. THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU, MISS HUGHES. OUR NEXT SPEAKER TONIGHT IS MISS STEPHANIE WARREN.

>> YESTERDAY, I SHARED A VIDEO WITH YOU ALL OF MY WALK STARTING AT THE 2,100 BLOCK OF COLUMBIA DRIVE IN DUCK CREEK TO YALE ELEMENTARY.

THIS WALK OCCURRED DURING LUNCH AND OUTSIDE OF DROP OFF, PICK UP TIME, AND RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.

I LIVE AT ONE OF THE FURTHEST IMPACTED HOUSES IN THE DMM COMMUNITY AFFECTED BY PROJECT RIGHT SIZE REZONING.

IN THE RECORDING I INCLUDED TIME MARKERS AND NOTED HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ALONG MY WALK DOWN YALE, JUPITER, AND CROSSING ARAPAHOE TWICE.

OUR CURRENT WALK TO DARTMOUTH IS 8 MINUTES DOOR TO DOOR, AND THE PROPOSED REZONED WALK IS 35 MINUTES FOR AN ADULT, NOT AN ELEMENTARY AGE CHILD.

AS NOTED IN THE VIDEO, DARTMOUTH IS VISIBLE ON OUR WALK TO YALE ELEMENTARY.

MY CHILD WOULD HAVE TO PASS DME IN ORDER TO GET TO YALE.

I VIVIDLY RECALL THE DISTRICT SAYING THAT THEY WOULD NOT CONSIDER SPRINGRIDGE STUDENTS PASSING ONE SCHOOL IN ORDER TO GET TO ANOTHER.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING MY CHILD AND MANY OTHERS TO DO.

I BELIEVE THIS FURTHER HELPS ILLUSTRATE WHY THE REZONING PLAN SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED. DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCTS.

>> THANK YOU, MISS WARREN. AGAIN IF WE COULD REFRAIN FROM THE CLAPPING, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW THE RULES HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT FOR EVERYBODY'S ENGAGEMENT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MISS SARAH PACK.

>> I AM A DARTMOUTH PARENT AND AN ATTORNEY BY PROFESSION.

THIS IS MY CLOSING ARGUMENT AGAINST PROJECT RIGHT SIZE.

THE ADMINISTRATION HAS FAILED TO PRESENT COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT FORCIBLY REMOVING STUDENTS FROM DARTMOUTH IS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE DISTRICT'S BUDGET CRISIS.

[00:05:02]

IT HAS FAILED TO PRESENT ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE PLAN FOR COMMUNITY CONSIDERATION BEFORE THIS MEETING AND PERHAPS MOST GLARINGLY, IT HAS IGNORED CALLS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO FORM A COALITION OF RESIDENTS TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE SOLUTION.

WITH RESPECT TO TIMING, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ADMITTED THAT TODAY IS AN ARBITRARY DATE AND THERE'S NO PERTINENT NEED TO TAKE FOR ACTION SO QUICKLY.

WE PRESENTED VIABLE ALTERNATIVES FOR FILLING UP YALE, WHICH MAY TAKE LONGER TO IMPLEMENT, BUT SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY EXPLORED BEFORE TAKING THE DRASTIC STEP TO REMOVE STUDENTS FROM A SCHOOL THAT'S STAYING OPEN.

YOU WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US. PLEASE DO THAT.

>> THANK YOU, MISS PACK. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MISS BECCA EBBY.

I APOLOGIZE. MISS ABBY.

>> I AM THE PARENT OF A DARTMOUTH FIFTH GRADER AND APOLLO SEVENTH GRADER, AND I'VE LIVED IN DUCK CREEK FOR 11 YEARS.

WE WOULD BE ZONED TO STAY AT DARTMOUTH WHILE ALL BUT TWO OF MY DAUGHTER'S FRIENDS WOULD BE KICKED OUT.

WE ARE A UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS BEGGED THIS BOARD AND THIS ADMINISTRATION TO SEE US AND TO HEAR US AND ENGAGE WITH US IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.

BUT OUR PLEAS HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.

THOUGH THE MEMBERS WERE DIFFERENT, THE BOARD HAS A HISTORY OF LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND INVITING THEM TO THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE DECISIONS ARE THE RIGHT ONES FOR THE LONG RUN.

IN 2016, THE BOARD AND LEADERSHIP LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY PUSHED BACK ABOUT THE DECISION TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL AND DIVIDE THE WHITE ROCK COMMUNITY.

HISTORY HAS SHOWN US THAT WHAT A MISTAKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO GO THROUGH WITH THAT PROPOSAL.

THE LACK OF COMMUNITY INPUT INTO THIS PROPOSAL IS SHORT SIGHTED AND WILL TARNISH YOUR LEGACY AND FOREVER DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY.

IT SEEMS PLANO ISD IS ALREADY USING THIS PLAN AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO AND GIVING THEIR STAKEHOLDERS A YEAR'S NOTICE BEFORE SCHOOL CLOSURES.

DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU, MISS ABBY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MISS ELEANOR EBBY.

>> I'M A FIFTH GRADER AT DARTMOUTH AND WE ARE ALL ONE FAMILY TRULY PAINS ME TO BE LEFT WITH ONLY TWO OF MY FRIENDS.

IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS PLAN, ALL OF THE REST WOULD BE SENT AWAY.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE IMPACT THIS HAS ON EVERYONE IS MOHREDIBLE IS NOT ONLY IF THE ONES WE MOVED, BUT ALSO LEFT BEHIND LIKE ME, YOU'RE SPLITTING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN HALF.

IMAGINE A DIVORCE BETWEEN A LARGE AND CLOSE FAMILY.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR US.

SEPARATION. ALSO, MORE THAN HALF OF THE DARTMOUTH PTA WOULD BE MOVED.

FUNDING WOULD GO CRAZY ALONG WITH THE UIL TEAMS, SUCH AS MATH AND WRITING THAT I COMPETE ON.

ONLY ONE OTHER TEAM MEMBER WOULD SAY DARTMOUTH. WE WOULD BE DAUGHTERS.

ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS LIVES ACROSS THE STREET FROM DARTMOUTH, BUT WE MOVED WHEN SHE WAS HOMESICK, WE COULD WAVE TO HER FROM THE PLAYGROUND TO LET HER KNOW WE MISSED HER.

NOW SHE HAVE TO WALK OVER A MILE ACROSS DANGEROUS ROADS.

I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ONE WHOLE DUCK, NOT TWO HALVES, WHICH IS CREEPY AND GROSS, AND THAT WE ARE A FAMILY.

THANK YOU. DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FORGIVE ME, MISS GENEVIEVE FOR ASISKI.

>> HI. I FIRST WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I'M A PARENT, BUT I SPENT A DECADE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, MANY OF THOSE YEARS HERE IN RICHARDSON, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THE OFTEN THANKLESS WORK THAT YOU DO.

I SEE THE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT SITUATION WE ARE IN.

THESE ARE CLEARLY THE FIRST OF MANY HARD DECISIONS TO COME.

THAT IS WHY I IMPLORE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE, TO COLLABORATE, TO COME UP WITH IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OUTLINED BY PROJECT RIGHTSIZE.

THE TRUTH IS THAT SENDING DARTMOUTH STUDENTS TO YALE DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS DEFICIT, IS A POOR SOLUTION AT BEST FOR YALE'S LOW UTILIZATION.

THERE ARE MANY PROPOSED WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN WELCOME ALL OF SPRING RIDGE AND KEEP DUCK CREEK STUDENTS AT DARTMOUTH.

I KNOW YOU ARE AWARE THAT THIS DECISION REQUIRES THE SACRIFICE OF SOME STUDENTS' BEST INTEREST FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR DISTRICT.

IT IS YOUR DUTY AS STEWARDS TO MITIGATE THESE RISKS AND ENSURE DUE DILIGENCE HAS BEEN DONE, ALL AVENUES EXPLORED, AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED BEFORE THESE CHANGES.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. CODY HANSON.

[00:10:13]

>> I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO TO PROJECT RIGHTSIZE TODAY. I'M SORRY.

SHE WAS REFERENCING MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS SICK ACROSS THE STREET, AND AS YOU CAN TELL, THIS IS INCREDIBLY EMOTIONAL FOR US.

I'M ASKING THAT YOU VOTE NO TO PROJECT RIGHTSIZE TODAY.

I'M ASKING THAT THE OUTCRIES FROM DARTMOUTH BE HEARD AND VALUED.

THAT TOGETHER WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION.

I HEAR YOUR DESIRE TO MAKE RISD THE BEST, AND I HEAR YOUR DESIRE TO HONOR COMMUNITIES AND THE ABILITY TO WALK TO SCHOOL, WHICH PROJECT RIGHTSIZE ELIMINATES FOR THE MAJORITY OF DARTMOUTH.

AS I'VE STATED, WE LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM DARTMOUTH, A SAFE 70-FOOT WALK TO GET TO SCHOOL.

IMAGINE IF YOU VOTE NO, AND WE WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION WHERE RISD ADMIN, TRUSTEES, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL FELT THEY HAD A VOICE IN THE SAY OF THE FUTURE OF THIS DISTRICT.

REMEMBER, MOVING KIDS TO YALE DOES NOT INCREASE PROFITS AND FIRMLY SHOWS THE INCONSISTENCIES WITHIN PROJECT RIGHTSIZE.

RISD, WE ARE ONE.

WELL, LET'S ACT LIKE IT AND WORK TOGETHER. DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU, MS. HANSON. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. WILL SLACK.

>> I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU OF MY FAMILY SITUATION.

WE LIVE AT 1818 COLUMBIA, ACROSS THE STREET, AND 200 FEET FROM DARTMOUTH.

MY FOURTH-GRADE DAUGHTER AND I WALK IT EVERY DAY.

IT TAKES US 40 SECONDS.

PROJECT RIGHTSIZE WOULD DENY US THAT WALK AND SEND US OVER A MILE AWAY ACROSS ARAPAHOE TO YALE.

THAT WOULD BE A 25-PLUS MINUTE WALK.

THE ALTERNATIVE IS A CAR RIDE.

NEITHER IS IDEAL.

I'M ASKING AGAIN THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE BOUNDARIES FOR DARTMOUTH.

NO OTHER SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT HAS SUCH AN EGREGIOUSLY CLOSE PROPOSED BOUNDARY.

I'VE HEARD ALL THE REASONINGS, STILL THIS DIVIDING LINE DEFIES LOGIC.

MY YOUNGER DAUGHTER IS EXCITED TO START KINDERGARTEN IN THE FALL AT THE SAME SCHOOL SHE HAS WATCHED HER SISTER ATTEND.

I HOPE THIS WILL BE THE CASE.

DARTMOUTH FAMILIES HAVE REPEATEDLY TRIED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

WE'VE PROVIDED INFORMATION, WE'VE OFFERED ALTERNATIVES.

I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER OUR EFFORTS.

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT APPROVE PROJECT RIGHTSIZE AS IT STANDS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. SLACK. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. ALYSSA ECKSTEIN.

>> DON'T START UNTIL YOU'RE READY.

>> MY NAME IS ELISA.

I'M PART OF THE COVID GENERATION.

IT'S BEEN PRETTY TOUGH.

I STARTED KINDER IN 2019, AND IN 2020, WHEN I STARTED FIRST GRADE, I HAD TO LEARN FROM A SCREEN.

IT FELT IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE FRIENDS, AND IT WAS SO HARD TO LEARN WITH ALL THE CHANGES.

CAN'T YOU SEE I'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH ALREADY? IF YOU APPROVE PROJECT RIGHTSIZE WITH THE BOUNDARY SPLITTING MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HALF, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY FRIENDS WILL BE REZONED, AND MY HEART WILL BE TOO.

YOU ARE STEALING MY FRIENDSHIPS.

IF ALL MY FRIENDS ARE GONE, I WILL CRY A SEA OF TEARS.

I WILL HAVE YET ANOTHER CHANGE.

PLEASE, I DON'T WANT TO BE ALL ALONE.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE AWAY MY NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDS.

PLEASE DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS, BECAUSE DUCKS SHOULD FLY TOGETHER.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHLEY MARIE ECKSTEIN.

>> I'M HERE TO BEG YOU TO KEEP THE DUCK CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER AT DARTMOUTH INSTEAD OF DRAWING THE BOUNDARY LINE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AS A LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST, I'M SPEAKING AS SOMEONE THAT INTIMATELY UNDERSTANDS THE NEGATIVE ATTACHMENT IMPACT DIVIDING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WILL CREATE.

A RECENT ARTICLE FROM A JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH STATES, "FEELING INSUFFICIENTLY CONNECTED TO OTHERS IS ASSOCIATED WITH PROFOUND AND LASTING NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, EVEN LEADING TO INCREASED MORTALITY." WE MAY STILL LIVE CLOSE, BUT SENDING OUR KIDS TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WILL MAKE THEM INSUFFICIENTLY CONNECTED.

DIVIDING DUCK CREEK WILL HURT THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL BEING OF OUR CHILDREN AND WILL LEAD TO WHAT RESEARCH FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE CALLS POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

WE KNOW POOR TEST SCORES EQUALS LACK OF FUNDING,

[00:15:03]

KEEP DUCK CREEK TOGETHER.

DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

DUCKS SHOULD FLY TOGETHER. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. KATIE SMITH.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATIE.

I'M A PARENT OF A DARTMOUTH STUDENT, AS WELL AS A REGISTERED VOTER IN PLACE 2.

WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL POSITION THE DISTRICT IS CURRENTLY IN, I NEITHER UNDERSTAND NOR DO I SUPPORT THE PROPOSED TIMELINE OF PROJECT RIGHTSIZE.

YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT A DECISION TO CREATE A MAGNET AND YALE ELEMENTARY WOULD TAKE 12-18 MONTHS.

WHY IS THE PROPOSED CLOSING OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE REZONING OF ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS BEING TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY? A RASH DECISION SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED WHEN THE OUTCOME WILL IMPACT THE LIVES AND FUTURES OF OUR CHILDREN.

AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOUR PRIORITY NEEDS TO BE ON THE COMMUNITY.

I IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE NO TODAY, AND THEN TAKE THE TIME TO GET THE FEEDBACK FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS BEFORE MAKING A DECISION THAT WILL AFFECT THE FUTURE OF RISD AND THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MS. SMITH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. ANTHONY RICE.

>> MY NAME IS ANTHONY RICE.

I'M THE DUCK CREEK HOA PRESIDENT.

I'M SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO TRUSTEES TONIGHT.

SUPERINTENDENT AND HER TEAM HAVE CHOSE NOT TO LISTEN TO HER CUSTOMERS.

THIS BOUNDARY LINE IS UNNATURAL.

IT DRIVES A WEDGE RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

IT KICKS OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENT KIDS OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS ARAPAHOE AND YALE.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT SPRING RIDGE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WANT TO STAY TOGETHER, BUT SO DO WE.

IT'S UNFAIR FOR YOU TO SPLIT UP OUR COMMUNITY FOR THIS.

THINK ABOUT THIS AS YOU VOTE TONIGHT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR DECISION.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION, AND IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL.

NOW, I'LL GO HOME AND I'LL LISTEN TO MY 5TH GRADER CRY AGAIN TONIGHT, WHY SHE CAN'T SPEND HER 6TH-GRADE YEAR WITH HER FRIENDS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. RICE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LILIAN WARREN.

>> HELLO, RISD, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

MY NAME IS LILIAN WARREN.

I'VE BEEN AT DARTMOUTH FOR SEVEN YEARS AND I'VE ALWAYS LOVED BEING PART OF OUR DARTMOUTH COMMUNITY.

WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS BREAKING APART OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE FUN EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE HAD AND WOULD BE MAKING.

ACCORDING TO THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO LEARN WHEN THEY FEEL CARED FOR AND VALUED BY THEIR TEACHERS.

BUT US STUDENTS CAN'T FEEL AS CARED FOR AND VALUED BY TEACHERS THAT WE HAVEN'T KNOWN FOR YEARS, UNLIKE OUR TEACHERS THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH AND HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE KIDS THAT HAVE TRUST ISSUES AND ARE SHYER THAN MOST.

ANOTHER THING IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS SO CLOSE THAT EVERY HALLOWEEN, ALL OF THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, NO MATTER HOW FAR AWAY, GO TO OUR TEACHERS' HOUSE ON COLUMBIA DRIVE WITH HOPES OF SEEING OUR FAVORITE TEACHERS AND GETTING CANDY.

THIS COMES TO SHOW WHY YOU SHOULDN'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. JOSH DENNISON.

>> TRUSTEES. YOU CAN AND MUST VOTE AGAINST PROJECT RIGHT SIZE TONIGHT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE, BUT THIS REPRESENTS LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT ITS WORST, YOU HAVE DEVISED A PLAN WITH ZERO COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WILL HAVE MAXIMUM COMMUNITY IMPACT.

IT MAKES NO SENSE. YOU'RE PUSHING THIS DECISION THROUGH IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.

THE CBSC MET FOR SIX MONTHS.

A SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION PLAN SHOULD HAVE A COMMITTEE FOR AT LEAST THAT LONG.

REPRESENTATIVE EAGER.

YOU GAVE US A NICE SPEECH ABOUT HOW OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES ARE NOT REPRESENTING US WELL.

[00:20:03]

PLEASE LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND SEE THAT YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING TO US. YOU'RE NOT LISTENING.

I SENT EMAILS THAT HAVE BEEN UNRESPONDED.

I HAD QUESTIONS AT THE LISTENING TO OUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT GOT SENT TO ME AT 3:15 THIS AFTERNOON LESS THAN 3 HOURS AGO.

PLEASE PAUSE THE CONSOLIDATION PLAN.

YOU CAN STILL HAVE AN UNFUNDED GENERAL FUND BALANCE OF OVER 25% WHICH IS THE STATED DISTRICT REQUIREMENT.

EVEN IF YOU BELIEVE THIS PLAN IS RIGHT, I KNOW YOU RECOGNIZE IT'S THE WRONG WAY.

DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. DENNISON.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LINDSAY SHUTTLESWORTH.

>> JUST EIGHT YEARS AGO, THE DISTRICT WAS PROPOSING AND VOTING TO APPROVE BUILDING A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE WHITE ROCK NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE ARE HERE EIGHT YEARS LATER NOW, CLOSING FIVE SCHOOLS, AND WE ARE TOLD AS A WHOLE THAT THE DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE IN SIZE.

YOU ARE CURRENTLY NOT BEING BEATEN OVER THE HEAD BY A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD'S DECISION TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL.

BECAUSE THEY HALTED THEIR PLANS IN ORDER TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT ON A BETTER WAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR POPULATION PROBLEM.

THEIR PARTNERSHIP RESULTED IN ONE LESS SCHOOL THAT YOU ARE HAVING TO MAINTAIN AND POTENTIALLY SHUT DOWN.

DUCK CREEK IS ASKING FOR THAT SAME PARTNERSHIP, HELP US HELP YOU IN AVOIDING A BAD DECISION.

PLEASE GIVE THE BERKNER FEEDER PATTERN THE SAME COURTESY YOU GAVE WHITE ROCK.

THIS IS A CYCLICAL ISSUE THAT DISTRICTS HAVE DEALT WITH FOR DECADES.

TOGETHER WE CAN DEVISE A PLAN THAT CAN WORK WELL FOR OTHERS.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BETTINA CROMLEY.

>> BOARD, I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES WHY THERE ARE SO MANY SPEAKERS HERE IN SUPPORT OF DARTMOUTH AND OPPOSED TO PROJECT RIGHT SIZE.

THIS IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HAVING THEIR SCHOOL CLOSED.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO MISSED OUT ON THEIR OPEN HOUSE, HAD TO REARRANGE SPIRIT NIGHT TO BE HERE TO TALK TO YOU.

BECAUSE THE DECISIONS YOU'RE MAKING TODAY SERIOUSLY AFFECTS OUR COMMUNITY.

DARTMOUTH IS NOT THE SCHOOL THAT IS CLOSING, BUT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO KICK OUT AT LEAST 30% OF OUR STUDENTS.

I DON'T WANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL TO ANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLOSING.

BUT LOSING THAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS FEELS LIKE DARTMOUTH IS CLOSING.

THE DISTRICT'S LISTENING SESSIONS WERE NOT REAL COLLABORATION.

THIS PROJECT IS TOO RICH, PROJECT RIGHT SIZE AS IS, OR ANY SOLUTION LIKE MOVING A BOUNDARY BY A STREET IS NOT LISTENING.

YOU SAID AUSTIN GOT YOU HERE.

WELL, YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD DECISION IN A BAD SITUATION, PLEASE REJECT ANY PROJECT AS IS, OR ANY VERSION THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE ACTUAL COLLABORATION. DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. PATRICK MOORE.

>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR LETTING US ALL SPEAK HERE.

I'M A GOVERNMENT PROFESSOR AT RICHLAND COLLEGE.

MY WIFE IS A CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, AND WE'VE LIVED IN DUCK CREEK FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW AND HAD A FIRST GRADER AT DARTMOUTH.

WE AGREE WITH ALL THE ARGUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BEFORE, BUT WE WANT TO GO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER.

SHE WAS DIAGNOSED IN KINDERGARTEN WITH ADHD, AUTISM AND SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER.

DESPITE HER DISADVANTAGES OR HER CHALLENGES, SHE'S VERY BRIGHT AND HAS JUST BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM.

THE REASON SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO STAY THERE IN THE CLASSROOM AND BE SUCCESSFUL IS THAT SHE RECEIVES WONDERFUL SERVICES FROM THE SPECIAL ED PROGRAM WITH HER IEP.

OTHER KIDS HAVE IEP'S FOR OTHER REASONS, AND THEY ALL BENEFIT DIRECTLY FROM THAT.

BUT IF WE RUSH THIS PLAN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAKEN APART FROM THEIR COUNSELORS AND THEIR FRIENDS AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE WAY THEY HAVE BEEN.

THEY'RE GOING TO REGRESS AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANKS, SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VICTOR RICANO.

>> HI, MY NAME IS VICTOR RICANO.

I'M A FIFTH GRADE AT DARTMOUTH ELEMENTARY.

I'VE BEEN IN THE SAME SCHOOL WITH MY BEST FRIEND SINCE KINDERGARTEN.

IF YOU APPROVE THIS, YOU'LL BE TEARING US APART.

[00:25:02]

YOU HAVE SIGNS IN FRONT OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT SAY EVERY CHILD EVERY DAY.

BUT THAT'S A LIE. PROJECT RIGHT SIZE WON'T BENEFIT US.

I'M ASKING YOU TO PROVE TO ME AND MY FRIENDS, WE MATTER, KEEP THE DUCKS TOGETHER AND VOTE NO ON PROJECT RIGHT SIZE FOR SPRINGFIELD ELEMENTARY.

EVEN THOUGH I LIVE ON THE RIGHT SIDE THAT'S STAYING FOR DARTMOUTH.

I'M DOING THIS FOR MY FRIENDS, SO I WON'T BE FRIENDLESS.

WE'RE ALL TRYING TO COPE, BUT IT'S HARD FOR US DUCKS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. LUCAS TRAMMEL.

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LUCAS TRAMMEL.

I LIVE ON AUBURN DRIVE AND I'M A FIFTH GRADER AT DARTMOUTH ELEMENTARY.

I'VE GONE TO DARTMOUTH FOR SIX YEARS.

I LIVED 2 MINUTES AWAY FROM SCHOOL AND OFTEN WALKED TO AND FROM SCHOOL WITH MY LITTLE SISTER.

DURING MY TIME AT DARTMOUTH, I'VE MADE MEMORIES AND FRIENDS THAT I WILL REMEMBER WHEN I'M AN ADULT.

HOWEVER, THIS WOULD ALL CHANGE IF PROJECT RIGHT SIZE IS VOTED THROUGH AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED A COMMUNITY WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DESERVES TO STAY TOGETHER.

I WANT TO GRADUATE FROM 6TH GRADE WITH ALL OF THE FRIENDS I'VE HAD SINCE KINDERGARTEN.

I WILL WELCOME NEW FRIENDS FROM SPRING RIDGE WITH OPEN ARMS, BUT I CAN'T DO THAT IF I'M SENT AWAY TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.

PLEASE DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. CALEB WARREN.

>> I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR DARTMOUTH ELEMENTARY IN THE SURROUNDING DUCK CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD.

OUR COMMUNITY IS UNITED IN OPPOSITION TO PROJECT RIGHT SIZE AS IT IS DRAFTED BECAUSE OF THE FORESEEABLE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS THE CURRENT REZONING PLAN WILL CAUSE.

OVER THE LAST WEEKS, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE WRITTEN VOLUMES OF LETTERS AND EMAILS, PLACED NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS APPEARED ON MEDIA BROADCASTS, POSTED SIGNS AND RIBBONS, PETITIONED, ATTENDED LISTENING SESSIONS, AND ADDRESSED THIS PANEL DIRECTLY.

WHILE OUR STATEMENTS MAY BE CHARGED WITH THE MOTION, THEY ARE NOT ABSENT OF LOGIC OR MERIT.

THIS BOARD HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEED OUR OBJECTIONS AND FAMILIARIZE ITSELF WITH A MULTITUDE OF OPTIONS WE HAVE INTRODUCED IN HOPES OF REACHING A BETTER SOLUTION.

NOW IS THE BOARD'S CHANCE TO SHOW THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY IT IS MEANT TO SERVE THAT OUR INPUT MATTERS.

WE IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE DOWN THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT OF SPRING RIDGE ELEMENTARY.

DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. WARREN.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FAITH JOSLYN.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JILL HIGGINBOTHAM.

>> MY NAME IS JILL HIGGINBOTHAM.

I'M A BURTNER WESTWOOD AND DARTMOUTH PARENT.

IT IS DISHEARTENING TO SEE THAT OUR CONCERNS AND REQUESTS FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT HAVE BEEN LARGELY IGNORED BY THE ADMINISTRATION BY SENDING THIS CALL TO VOTE AS PRESENTED, I'VE HEARD YOU EXPECTED US TO GO AWAY BY NOW.

BEFORE NOW, I GENERALLY TRUSTED THE ADMINISTRATION, APPARENTLY TO OUR DETRIMENT.

WE ARE STILL HERE.

WE WANT YOU TO HEAR US.

AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WE HEARD THE DESIRE AND NEED FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FOR RENOVATIONS AND LANDSCAPING AT ONE SCHOOL.

YOU'RE PROPOSING TO DIVIDE OUR SCHOOL IN HALF AND CHOOSE NOT TO INVOLVE US.

WE ARE ASKING FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEING DONE TO OUR CHILDREN.

WE UNDERSTAND SACRIFICES MUST BE MADE TO MAKE UP FOR THE ADMINISTRATION'S LACK OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE AT THE SACRIFICE OF OUR COMMUNITY OR CHILDREN'S SAFETY.

I'M A PROUD RICHARDSON ALONE, SO I WAS MY MOTHER, SO I RETURNED TO RAISE MY CHILDREN HERE AS WELL.

I'VE SEEN THE DECLINE IN THE DISTRICT.

THOSE FAILURES ARE A TOP-DOWN ADMINISTRATION ISSUE.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREVENT ANOTHER FAILURE.

PLEASE VOTE NO ON PROJECT RIGHT SIZE FOR SPRINGFIELD ELEMENTARY.

PLEASE DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU, MISS JILL HIGGINBOTHAM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. MARK LEWIS.

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS MARK LEWIS AND I HAVE A CHILD AT SPRINGRIDGE ELEMENTARY.

I KNOW EVERYONE IN THE SPRING RIDGE COMMUNITY

[00:30:02]

IT IS A BIG REASON WHY WE CHOSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I HAD GRAND DREAMS OF WALKING TO SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH MY DAUGHTER THOUGH THE WALKING NEVER MATERIALIZED.

THE REALITY IS THIS STINKS, THERE ARE NO WINNERS.

BUT WE UNDERSTAND, WE UNDERSTAND THE POSITION THE DISTRICT IS IN.

WE UNDERSTAND WHY OUR SCHOOL NEEDS TO CLOSE, WE UNDERSTAND WHY EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE A SHARED SACRIFICE FOR THE LARGER COMMUNITY.

IN THIS PLAN, NO COMMUNITY IS KEPT WHOLE, NOT EVEN SRE.

AS A PARENT, I SUPPORT THE DECISION TO KEEP AS MANY SRE KIDS TOGETHER AS POSSIBLE, AND I KNOW THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN AN EASY DECISION FOR THE BOARD OR THE FOLKS MAKING THE PLAN ITSELF.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S A LOT OF HURT IN THE ROOM.

YOU HEAR IT? I HEAR IT.

WE SHOULD ALL HEAR, BUT WE CAN'T KEEP KICKING THIS THING DOWN THE ROAD.

I IMPLORE THE BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT SO WE CAN GET THE HURT BEHIND US AND START TO HEAL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JED EBBIE.

>> WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR HOME IN DUCK CREEK 11 YEARS AGO, WE CHOSE IT FOR THE LOCATION IN THE SCHOOL.

WE LIKE SO MANY, AND OUR NEIGHBORS ARE DEEPLY INVESTED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SCHOOL.

MOST OTHER DARTMOUTH PARENTS THAT WE KNOW INTENTIONALLY CHOSE DUCK CREEK FOR THE SCHOOL, THE WALKABILITY AND THE COMMUNITY.

THIS PLAN ROBS US OF ALL OF THAT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ALL BUT ONE OF OUR TOP DONORS WOULD BE FORCED TO MOVE SCHOOLS.

AND 80% OF OUR DONORS THAT DONATED OVER $100 WE SENT THE YALE.

THIS LEAVES DARTMOUTH IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION AND SETS US UP POORLY TO BRING SO MANY NEW STUDENTS, WE ARE HAPPY TO WELCOME THEM FROM SPRING RIDGE AS MANY AS OUR CAMPUS CAN HOLD.

BUT WE ASK YOU TO KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER.

YOU'RE SACRIFICING OUR COMMUNITY TO THIS YALE.

AND WE DID NOT VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE.

WE ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN TREATED ON THE LISTENING SESSION.

OUR QUESTIONS WERE IGNORED.

WE HAVE RECEIVED ZERO ENGAGEMENT FROM YOU THE BOARD, WE FEEL SLIGHTED AND DISMISSED.

PLEASE SLOW DOWN THIS PROCESS, YOU CAN MAKE SURE YOU'RE MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US.

WE ASK YOU DO NOT PASS THIS.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. BRIAN FORSISKI.

>> MY FAMILY MOVED TO DUCK CREEK IN 2017 WHEN MY SON CAL WAS TWO YEARS OLD SPECIFICALLY SO THAT HE COULD ATTEND DARTMOUTH, OUR SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.

CLOSING ELEMENTARIES TO FILL SEATS AT OTHER CAMPUSES DOES AWAY WITH WHAT DREW US TO THIS CITY AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.

CAN WE NOT USE SMALL STUDENT POPULATIONS TO MAKE RICHARDSON A DRAW FOR YOUNG FAMILIES LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO SETTLE? LET'S TAKE PRIDE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP THEM.

LET'S MAKE OUR SMALL FOCUSED CAMPUSES SOMETHING RICHARDSON HAS THAT SURROUNDING CITIES ARE ELIMINATING, WITH OTHER DISTRICTS CLOSING SCHOOLS AND STILL FAILING TO SOLVE THEIR BUDGET PROBLEMS. WE NEED TO TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO MAKE THIS A REASON FAMILIES COME TO RISD, CREATING INTEREST IN RICHARDSON FOR DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, AND FOCUSING ON TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITIES.

CLOSING SCHOOLS AND PULLING FAMILIES OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS IS SCARING FAMILIES AWAY FROM RISD.

I KNOW WE ARE HAVING SOME TOUGH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS FOR CAL.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER, FIND A CREATIVE SOLUTION, AND MAKE OUR SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS SOMETHING RICHARDSON TAKES PRIDE IN.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHLEY WITS KEYS.

>> THIS EVENING, I'M ASKING THAT THE BOARD VOTES AGAINST PROJECT RIGHT SIZE IN ITS CURRENT CAPACITY AND ACTIVELY ENGAGES THE COMMUNITY TO COLLABORATE FOR A BETTER SOLUTION.

I WILL SAY AGAIN, AS I DID TWO WEEKS AGO, PARENTS SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON WHAT THE BEST OPTION IS FOR THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGED KIDS NEXT YEAR.

THE PLAN IS RUSHED AND THE BOUNDARY LINES ARE NONSENSICAL.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUDGET HAS TO BE RIGHT SIZED, BUT WHY IS IT BEING PUSHED THROUGH SO QUICKLY? THE PROPOSAL WAS RELEASED TWO WEEKS BEFORE SPRING BREAK, MAKING TIMELINES FOR OPEN RECORDS ACT REQUESTS AND RESPONSES, OR ANY ABILITY FOR YOU TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COMMUNITY, EVEN SHORTER.

TRUSTEES PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU REPRESENT THIS COMMUNITY.

YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND TWO WEEKS AGO FROM THE DARTMOUTH COMMUNITY.

YOU'VE SEEN OUR EMAILS, OUR SIGNS, OUR PETITIONS, OUR PHONE CALLS.

PLEASE SAY NO TO THE REZONING OF DARTMOUTH.

DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PATRICIA ENGEL.

[00:35:11]

>> PLEASE GO ON ESTEEMED EMPLOYEES.

SUPER BRANDON THIS WAS ABOUT FOLKS, THIS IS WHAT ELECTIONS LOOK LIKE SO WHEN I'M UP HERE SPEAKING MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD DO THINGS AND BETTER DO THINGS, AND THEN THIS HAPPENS.

AND WE KNOW FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IT'S BEEN PRETTY QUIET IN THIS ROOM.

I'VE BEEN THE ONLY ONE HERE FOR A LONG TIME FOR THAT, LISTENING IN. THIS IS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, MR. JACOB.

YOU DON'T RETURN MY EMAILS.

I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW THESE PARENTS ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THEIR ACTUAL KIDS IN THEIR ACTUAL SCHOOLS.

MS. MCGOWAN, WHEN YOU SAID MULTIPLE TIMES, OUR COMMUNITIES DON'T SEND THEIR KIDS TO OUR SCHOOLS, WHY? BECAUSE WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT GREAT.

NOW, A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS CAME BEFORE YOU.

I TRY TO HAVE THE TRUMPET IN THE WIND BACK THEN, BUT IT WAS MORE LIKE SPITTING INTO THE WIND.

SO YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE TO LISTEN WHEN THEY TALK.

THERE ARE A FEW THAT KNOW THE BUDGET WELL.

THIS IS NOT AN EXIGENT EMERGENCY SITUATION FOR US, WE HAVE 170 MILLION, 160 MILLION IN THE UNASSIGNED SCHOOL FUND.

I, FOR ONE WOULD VOTE FOR EVADER IF I MEANT YOU WOULDN'T BE CLOSING NEW SCHOOLS, REDESIGNING THE DISTRICTS IN SUCH A HAPHAZARD FASHION.

KEEP THE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, KEEP THE BOUNDARY SOLID, AND LET THE KIDS HAVE A CHANCE TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH KIDS THEY PLAY WITH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LISTENING.

>> THANK YOU, MR. BLACKMAN.

AGAIN, I'LL JUST SAY ANOTHER TIME, PLEASE RESPECT THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

WE APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO OBSERVE THOSE PROTOCOLS AS WELL.

MR. TJ CALLAWAY.

>> SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM AND TRUSTEES.

MY NAME IS TJ CALLAWAY, AND MY SON ATTENDS SPRINGRIDGE ELEMENTARY.

IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS.

WE ARE HAPPY WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, AND IT'S THE PRIMARY REASON WE BOUGHT OUR HOME.

BUT WHEN I STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, I SEE WHY IT MUST BE DONE.

I'VE HEARD THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS FOR TWO YEARS AT THESE MEETINGS, I'VE HEARD THE DEMOGRAPHERS FORECAST FOR LOWER ENROLLMENT IN OUR AGING CITY.

I'VE PAID CLOSE ATTENTION TO HOW OUR CORRUPT GOVERNOR AND REPUBLICAN DOMINATED STATE LEGISLATURE ARE HOLDING HOSTAGE THE CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED FUNDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO GET A VOUCHER BILL PASSED FOR THEIR MEGA DONORS.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY MADDENING, AND WE ARE THE ONES PAYING THE PRICE FOR IT.

I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO VOTE FOR THE ORIGINAL REZONING PLAN THAT KEEPS ROUGHLY 80% OF SPRING RIDGE STUDENTS TOGETHER.

WE ARE LOSING OUR SCHOOL AND 20% OF OUR STUDENTS.

PLEASE DON'T SEPARATE US MORE.

I'M ALSO ASKING EVERYONE LISTENING TO THIS TO REMEMBER IT IN NOVEMBER, WE NEED TO VOTE OUT REPRESENTATIVES ANGIE CHEN BUTTON AND MORGAN MEYER.

THEIR TENURE IS CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT GOVERNANCE AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE NEED TO VOTE THEM OUT.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHLEEN KIRCHOF.

>> GOOD MORNING BOARD OR EVENING.

I'M A SPRING RIDGE PARENT OR GRADUATES OF MY KIDS HAVE GONE THROUGH BERKNER AND RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.

I ALSO HAVE WORKED AT FOREST RIDGE, SO THEY WILL BE GETTING THE KIDS FROM SPRING RIDGE.

I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE, THAT SPRING RIDGE IS OKAY.

I MEET PEOPLE AS I WALK AROUND THE PARK.

WE DIDN'T KNOW THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSING, WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

THEY HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN, THEY'RE PLANNING TO GO THERE.

THEY OUGHT TO GO THERE OR THEY GO TO ST.

JOSEPH'S AND THEY CAN TELL YOU THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE ARE LEASING THE DISTRICT, AND IT IS YOUR POLICIES THAT ARE DRIVING PEOPLE OUT, THAT ARE DRIVING TEACHERS TO RETIRE LIKE I DID.

YOU NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. I GAVE YOU TWO PAGES OF GOOD SUGGESTIONS THAT COULD MAKE YOU $10 MILLION IF YOU SELL A DIFFERENT PIECE OF PROPERTY, YOU HAVE THE MONEY YOU NEED TO PUT IT IN THE CHILDREN.

I'M ALSO HERE, NOT JUST FOR SPRING RIDGE, BUT FOR THE KIDS AT THURGOOD MARSHALL.

OUR KIDS NEED REPRESENTATION TOO.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. GARY RUIZ.

>> THANK Y'ALL FOR LISTENING TO EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO SAY.

THERE'S NO WAY I CAN CRAM EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER INTO ONE MINUTE, SO I'LL JUST MENTION, MY DAUGHTER IS A VERY EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED PERSON.

[00:40:01]

SHE HAS VERY GOOD FRIENDSHIPS WITH EVERYBODY IN THE STAFF.

IF THESE BOUNDARY LINES CHANGE, SHE WILL ONLY SEE THEM, AS LILIAN MENTIONED, HALLOWEEN ON COLOMBIA, WHICH THOSE STUDENTS AREN'T EVEN GOING TO GO THERE ANYMORE, I DON'T THINK.

BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO THE KIDS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THIS THAN JUST OUR PHYSICAL BOUNDARY LINES.

BUT I WILL TOUCH ON THE PHYSICAL BOUNDARY LINES.

YALE BOULEVARD IS A HORRIBLE LIGHT IN THE MORNING AND ALL THAT'S GOING TO DO IS WRAP ALL THE TRAFFIC AROUND AND AROUND AND CAUSE MORE CONGESTION AND PROBLEMS AND ALL THAT.

>> THANK YOU, MR. RUIZ. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GRAYSON SHUTTLESWORTH.

>> I'M GRAYSON AND I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE AT DARTMOUTH.

TONIGHT I AM USING MY BRAVERY AND VOICE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A TEACHER THAT FEELS LIKE THEY ARE UNABLE TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

SHE SAYS, "MY CHILDREN WITH HEARTS DREAMS ONCE NEEDS ARE NOT SEAT FILLERS.

THEY HAVE USED COMMUNICATION AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS TO BUILD A COMMUNICATION AMONGST THEIR PEERS.

IT'S SOMETHING STAFF AT DARTMOUTH PRIDE THEMSELVES ON HELPING TO CULTIVATE.

REMOVING THIS FIELD AS THOUGH IT'S RIPPING APART THEIR FOUNDATION OF WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THEIR EDUCATION.

REDUCING THEM TO NUMBERS IS VITAL".

I AGREE. DON'T DIVIDE OUR DUCKS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. PRESIDENT HARRIS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THIS EVENING.

>> THANK YOU, MR. POTE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS COME UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

WE DO HEAR THE PASSION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

BOARD, OUR ONLY ACTION ITEMS FOR TODAY WILL BE REGARDING

[III.A. Consider Attendance Boundary Adjustments for 24-25 Budget Reductions: Project RightSize ]

MISS BRANUM WILL PRESENT THE PROPOSED ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS AND WE WILL VOTE ON EACH ONE SEPARATELY. MISS BRANUM.

>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE HARRIS.

THANK YOU, BOARD, THANK YOU, STAFF.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY.

I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK OUR STUDENTS TODAY WHO USE THEIR VOICE SO BRILLIANTLY TO SHARE HOW THEY'RE FEELING AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF THIS PROCESS AS WELL.

I DO WANT TO ANCHOR OUR COMMUNITY AND I WANT TO ANCHOR OUR BOARD BACK INTO WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT AND THE REASON FOR THIS CONVERSATION THAT I KNOW NONE OF US, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT COULD BE HERE TONIGHT AND THOSE THAT MAYBE ARE WATCHING AT HOME AND COULD NOT BE HERE.

WE'RE HAVING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT NO ONE WANTS TO HAVE, AND WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION THAT WE KNOW IS DISRUPTIVE FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR STAFF, FOR OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR COMMUNITY.

WE KNOW THAT IT IS CAUSING A LOT OF HURT AND ANGER.

FOR THAT, AGAIN, I'M SO INCREDIBLY SORRY.

WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION AND ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES FOR FOUR SCHOOLS FOR 24, 25, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO STREAMLINE SOME OF OUR BOUNDARIES THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR NON CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARIES AND BRINGING THEM CLOSER TO A HOME SCHOOL AND REDUCING SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS WELL.

THERE WERE THREE OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAD AS WE BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO RIGHT SIZE OUR BUDGET AND THE NEED TO RIGHT SIZE OUR BUDGET.

REALLY THE URGENCY, A SENSE OF URGENCY THAT WE FELT THAT THE BOARD FELT AROUND THESE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT NO ONE WANTS TO MAKE.

THEY WERE REALLY ANCHORED IN THESE THREE THINGS.

WE HAVE LIMITED BUDGET RESOURCES.

IN A MINUTE, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN WHY WE'RE IN THIS PLACE, BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE LIMITED BUDGET RESOURCES, AND WE ARE VERY CLEAR.

I THINK WE CAN ALL BE UNITED AROUND THE NUMBER 1 THING THAT WE KNOW THAT IMPACTS STUDENT GRADE, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS THAT TEACHER IN THAT CLASSROOM, FOLLOWED BY A CLOSE SECOND WITH THE PRINCIPAL IN THE BUILDING THAT LEADS THAT BUILDING.

[00:45:01]

YOU COULD BE A TEACHER HERE THAT HAS 10, 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND YOU CAN GO TO ANOTHER DISTRICT AND MAKE 3,000-4,000 DOLLARS MORE.

WE SAW THE SAME DATA THAT WAS TRUE FOR OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.

S IF WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT OUR NORTH STAR GOAL THAT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS A PRIORITY, THEN COMPENSATION HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE.

ENSURING EVERY BUDGET RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE IS ANCHORED AROUND THAT TEACHER AND STAFF COMPENSATION IS PRIORITY.

THE SECOND THING THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT AS A PRIORITY IN THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS IS TO TRY TO PRESERVE AS MANY OF THE STUDENT PROGRAMS THAT WE KNOW MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WHETHER YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS OR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD ALL CONSIDER TO BE, MUST HAVES, LIKE A LIBRARY AND A CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN IN OUR BUILDINGS, LIKE A REGISTERED NURSE IN OUR BUILDINGS, LIKE ELEMENTARY ART AND MUSIC.

THERE ARE SO MANY STUDENT PROGRAMS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY THRIVING ACADEMICALLY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THRIVING SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY AS WELL.

TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF STUDENT PROGRAMMING THAT WE BELIEVE IS NOT JUST AN EXTRA, BUT IT IS A PART OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO THEN THE THIRD STRONG PRIORITY THAT WE ALL HAD WAS TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

WHETHER IT'S OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCES, WHETHER IT'S OUR CLASSROOM RESOURCES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING.

THE TOOLS THAT OUR PRACTITIONERS ON THE GROUND IN THE CLASSROOMS NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE AND SUPPLY THOSE.

CREATING AND ENSURING THAT THERE IS SPACE IN THE BUDGET THAT THESE THREE THINGS CAN BE PRIORITIZED WERE DRIVERS AND HAVING TO MAKE THESE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS, ALL WITH A GOAL OF ENSURING EVERY STUDENT AND TEACHER AND LEADER CAN MEET OR EXCEED THAT ACADEMIC GROWTH GOAL AS YOU SEE BEHIND US AND ON THE SCREEN.

THIS WAS NOT A CONVERSATION THAT WE WERE NOT HAVING TO HAVE IN RICHARDSON ISD, AND I KNOW AS I TALKED TO OUR PEER DISTRICTS, THERE'S NOT A DISTRICT AROUND US THAT WISHES THAT THEY WERE NOT HAVING TO HAVE THE SAME CONVERSATION.

UNLESS YOU ARE A DISTRICT THAT IS A FAST GROWTH DISTRICT, THERE IS PRETTY MUCH EVERY DISTRICT IS HAVING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.

NEARBY DISTRICT IS HAVING A MEETING TONIGHT, HAVING THE SAME SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS.

DISTRICT STRATEGIES MAY VARY SLIGHTLY OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE APPROACHING IT THROUGH STAFFING CUTS OR PROGRAMMING CUTS OR SCHOOL CONSOLIDATIONS.

BUT WE ARE ALL HAVING TO CONSIDER MAKING DECISIONS THAT, AGAIN, AS A SUPERINTENDENT, AS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WE NEVER WANT TO MAKE.

WHEN I MOVED INTO THE ROLE OF WORKING IN CENTRAL OFFICE, AND WHEN YOU ASKED ME TO BECOME THE SUPERINTENDENT, THIS WAS NOT ANYWHERE ON THE LIST OF THINGS THAT SOMEDAY I HOPED I COULD BRING FORWARD.

WE WANT TO BRING FORWARD THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO ENRICH AND ENHANCE AND BE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT.

BUT THIS IS ALSO AN INDICATION OF WHERE WE ARE AND THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE.

IF YOU LOOK AT HOW DID WE GET HERE, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT WHEN WE RETURNED FROM THE PANDEMIC, OR GOING INTO THE PANDEMIC, OUR DEMOGRAPHER PREDICTED WE WOULD BE A DISTRICT OF 40,000 STUDENTS BY 24, 25.

ON THE HEELS OF THE PANDEMIC, WE LOST 2,500 STUDENTS.

OF THOSE 2,500 STUDENTS, 85% OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE HISPANIC, AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN OUR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, 2,500 STUDENTS.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DEMOGRAPHER'S REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED IN JANUARY, WE ARE PREDICTED TO LOSE ANOTHER 3,600 STUDENTS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THERE ARE MANY REASONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT, WHETHER IT IS DECLINING BIRTH RATES, WHETHER THERE ARE MORE FLEXIBLE EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS,

[00:50:02]

I CAN NOW MOVE TO MORE SUBURBAN AREAS THAT ARE FAST GROWTH.

I CAN GET A BRAND NEW HOUSE THAT IS MAYBE SOMETIMES HALF THE COST OF WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO BUY IN OUR AREA, WHETHER YOU LOOK AT MORTGAGE RATES, COST OF LIVING.

WE HAVE A RECORD NUMBER IN OUR AREA OF OVER 65 HOMEOWNERS, AND WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THEM.

WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT THEY LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND THEY STAY.

BUT WE SENT OUT 8,200 RISD TAX BILLS OF $0.

THEY'RE NOT TURNING OVER THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THERE'S NO AFFORDABLE OPTIONS, AND THERE'S NO PLACES FOR THEM TO GO.

AGAIN, LOOKING AT AND KNOWING THAT WE ARE FUNDED BY PER-STUDENT ENROLLMENT, THAT IS HOW WE RECEIVE OUR REVENUE, THAT'S HOW WE RECEIVE OUR BUDGET.

WE KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DECLINING ENROLLMENT.

WE DID THIS YEAR AND THE DEMOGRAPHER PROJECTS THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO DECLINE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT SINCE 2018, 2019, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING ON OUR BASIC ALLOTMENT PER STUDENT.

SINCE 2018, 2019, THAT IS A RECORD SIX YEARS THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCREASE.

THERE WAS A $33 BILLION SURPLUS IN AUSTIN.

THERE'S $4 BILLION THAT WAS SET ASIDE AND ALLOCATED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING, BUT THAT WAS NEVER APPROPRIATED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WERE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD, SUCH AS AN ARMED SECURITY OFFICER AT EVERY CAMPUS, BUT THE FUNDING PROVIDED IN SAFETY AND SECURITY ALLOTMENT DID NOT MATCH THE COST EXPENDITURE OF HAVING THOSE SAFETY AND SECURITY OFFICERS.

YOU WOULD COUPLE THAT WITH WHAT WE'VE ALL SEEN IN OUR PERSONAL HOMES AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AS A DISTRICT IN TERMS OF RECORD INFLATION.

THERE'S NOT AN ASPECT OF OUR DISTRICT THAT OUR OPERATIONS DON'T COST MORE TODAY THAN THEY DID IN 2018, 2019, WHETHER YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF FUEL, YOU LOOK AT OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE, YOU LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS TO COMPENSATE OUR STAFF.

WE ARE HAVING TO PAY MORE TODAY THAN WHAT WE DID IN 2018, 2019, AND YET WE HAVE NOT SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR BASIC ALLOTMENT.

I BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON THE PRESSURE TO ADDRESS OUR WAGES, THE COMPETITION FOR STAFF.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPETITION, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE AUXILIARY STAFF, HVAC AND PLUMBERS, AND ELECTRICIANS, WHO WITHOUT THEM, OUR CAMPUSES CANNOT OPERATE.

WE ARE NOT ONLY COMPETING WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT WE ARE COMPETING WITH THE DEMAND THAT HAPPENS IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PUTTING TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON THE SYSTEM.

WE KNOW WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO COMPENSATE OUR STAFF SO THAT WE CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN, AND RETAIN, IS THAT KEYWORD, THE BEST OF THE BEST TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS.

WE KNOW WE WANT TO MAINTAIN STUDENT PROGRAMMING, AND WE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE OUR TEACHERS HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO DO WHAT THEY DO SO WELL.

THEN WE HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES, AND AS A DISTRICT, THAT WE HAVE INEFFICIENT OPERATIONS.

WE DID HAVE INEFFICIENCIES IN OUR CENTRAL OFFICE, AND WE HAVE WORKED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO IDENTIFY THOSE CUTS.

WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD OVER $2 MILLION OF CUTS FOR THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, WITH A COMMITMENT FOR ANOTHER $2-2.5 MILLION THE NEXT YEAR.

WE ALSO HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE HAVE INEFFICIENCIES WITH OUR FACILITIES.

WE ARE A DISTRICT OF 37,000 STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE AN AVERAGE ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENT OF 455 STUDENTS.

THAT'S 40 ELEMENTARY, AND IF YOU ADD DOBIE AS A PRE-K CENTER, THAT'S 41 ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES TO SERVE 37,000 STUDENTS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERHEAD OF WHAT IT COSTS TO OPERATE 41 ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES, THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY SEATS AVAILABLE.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY NEEDED TO HAVE LOOKED AT A LONG TIME AGO.

WITH A LACK OF LEGISLATIVE FUNDING, WITH THE COST OF INFLATION, WITH THE NEED TO COMPENSATE OUR STAFF, WE ARE AT A PLACE WHERE WE CANNOT PUSH THIS DECISION DOWN THE ROAD ANY LONGER.

THE URGENCY IS IN HERE AND THEN NOW.

I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL DEFICIT BUDGET.

[00:55:04]

YES, WE HAVE BEEN CONSERVATIVE IN THE YEARS PAST, BUT WE ALSO KNOW, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD IN YOUR PERSONAL HOUSEHOLD, YOU CAN ONLY DIP INTO THAT SAVINGS FOR SO LONG BEFORE YOU ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE VERY CONSEQUENTIAL.

WHEN WE OFFER A RAISE, IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT YOU DON'T ADD THAT EXPENDITURE LINE IN YOUR BUDGET ONE YEAR.

THAT IS THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU ARE MAKING TO INCREASE YOUR EXPENDITURES EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN CUT BACK AFTER YOU AWARD THAT RAISER, YOU GIVE THAT COMPENSATION.

WE DO NOT KNOW. WE HAVE ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING UP AND WE DO NOT KNOW YET WHAT THAT IS GOING TO HOLD.

WE ARE AT A PLACE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IN RISD, AND WE'VE SPENT 18 MONTHS ADVOCATING FOR AND HOPING THAT AUSTIN WAS GOING TO DELIVER ON THEIR PROMISE TO ADEQUATELY FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION.

WE ARE AT A PLACE NOW WHERE WE HAVE TO CONTROL OUR FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN, AND THERE'S NO PERFECT PLAN.

THERE IS NO PERFECT PLAN, BUT IT'S THE BEST PLAN THAT WE CAN MAKE MOVING FORWARD TO ENSURE THE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF RICHARDSON ISD.

PREDICTING THAT WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A DEFICIT BUDGET AND WITH A DECLINING ENROLLMENT, WITHOUT AN ASSURANCE OF INCREASED FUNDING FROM AUSTIN, WE DID SPEND SIX MONTHS WITH A COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE ANALYZING OUR BUDGET AND HAVING THEM STUDY WHAT STRATEGIES, KNOWING THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE STRATEGY.

I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER.

I CAN ACTUALLY REMEMBER ONE OF MY FIRST BUDGET PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD.

IT WAS JANUARY 20 MONTHS AGO, JANUARY 2022.

I REMEMBER A SLIDE IN WHICH I SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND I SHARED WITH THE BOARD, HERE'S THE REALITY OF THE STATUS OF OUR CURRENT FINANCIALS.

HERE ARE ALL THE WAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CONSIDER SIZING OUR BUDGET.

IN THAT JANUARY PRESENTATION, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO BE ONE THING THAT COULD SOLVE IT.

IT WAS GOING TO TAKE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL OF THE STRATEGIES IF WE WERE GOING TO RIGHT SIZE OUR BUDGET.

TWENTY MONTHS LATER, IF YOU LOOK AT 18 MONTHS, WHEN YOU COMMISSIONED THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE, AND THAT GROUP OF 60 INDIVIDUALS SPENT SIX MONTHS STUDYING THE BUDGET.

IN THE END, THEY BROUGHT FORWARD NINE STRATEGIES FOR CONSIDERATION.

OUT OF THE NINE STRATEGIES, WE HAD TO CONSIDER A PHASE IN.

THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD IMPLEMENT ALL NINE STRATEGIES IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE RECOMMENDATION.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SEVERAL OF THESE STRATEGIES ARE DEPENDENT UPON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FIRST PHASE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT CHOICE PROGRAMMING.

BEFORE WE IDENTIFY THE IDEAL LOCATION FOR CHOICE PROGRAMMING, UNTIL WE IDENTIFY, DO WE HAVE THE CURRENT CAPACITY WITHIN OUR OPERATING BUDGET? LAUNCHING A NEW CHOICE PROGRAM, WHETHER IT'S A NEW MAGNET OR A NEW CHOICE ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY CAMPUS, PROVIDING THE TRAINING, THEIR RESOURCES.

IT MIGHT ALSO INVOLVE FACILITY CAPITAL PROJECTS MONEY.

WE HAVE TO DETERMINE IF WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN THE BUDGET TO IMPLEMENT AN EXPANDED CHOICE SET OF PROGRAMS. WE HAVE TO DETERMINE, ONCE WE ARE EFFICIENT IN THE NUMBER, DO WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WE NEED TO SERVE THE NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.

THEN WE NEED TO EVALUATE THEN OUR ENROLLMENT, AND WHERE DO WE STILL THEN HAVE CAPACITY IN OUR ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS TO IDENTIFY THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD CANDIDATE.

IS IT GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED IN A LOCATION THAT WOULD ATTRACT AND BE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY? ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT AFTER WE KNOW WE HAVE AS EFFICIENT OF AN ELEMENTARY MODEL AS POSSIBLE.

THAT CAN'T BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT

[01:00:03]

WHETHER WE CONSIDER A VOTER APPROVED TAX RATIFICATION ELECTION.

AGAIN, THAT IS A CONSIDERATION THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO MAKE, THAT IS A CALLED VOTE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT GOES OUT TO OUR VOTERS.

THE TIMING OF THAT IS VERY CRITICAL IN TERMS OF YOU CAN ONLY OFFER THEM IN MAY OR IN NOVEMBER.

MANY OF THESE THINGS HAD TO BE LAYERED AND THEY HAD TO BE PHASED IN.

BUT ALL NINE OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT WE STUDY AS A TEAM WHERE WE BRING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERED RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

IN THE PROJECT RIGHT SIZE, IN THE CONSOLIDATION, THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE IDENTIFIED CRITERIA OR FACTORS THAT THEY WANTED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE A PART OF WHAT WE LOOKED AT, WHAT WE ANALYZED BEFORE BRINGING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION.

THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IDENTIFIED OTHER FACTORS THAT WE KNEW WERE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS RECOMMENDATION.

WHETHER IT'S CENTRAL PROGRAMS LIKE OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES OR OUR BILINGUAL CLASSROOMS THAT ARE CONSIDERED CENTRAL PROGRAMMING, OR LOOKING AT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THE ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE EQUITY IN THOSE ACROSS ALL FOUR OF OUR LEARNING COMMUNITIES, ALL OF THESE FACTORS WERE CONSIDERED.

AGAIN, EACH LEARNING COMMUNITY IN EACH SCHOOL THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD AS THE CONSOLIDATION HAD TO BE LOOKED AT INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COOKIE CUTTER RECOMMENDATIONS.

WHAT MAY WORK IN ONE AREA OF THE DISTRICT AND FOR ONE OF THE ELEMENTARIES THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD AS POTENTIAL CONSIDERATION, THE NEEDS OF THAT COMMUNITY, AND HOW THAT CONSOLIDATION MOVED FORWARD MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER THREE.

WE ALL LOOKED AT THAT AS PART OF THESE FACTORS THAT WE CONSIDERED.

AGAIN, I HAVE MENTIONED THE NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES AGAIN, THAT WE HAVE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU HAVE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS THAT HAVE AN ENROLLMENT OF 50,000 STUDENTS, AND THEY HAVE 39 ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES AND WE HAVE 37,000 STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE 40 PLUS ADOBE PRIMARY, WHICH IS 41 ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES.

THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM.

NINE THOUSAND OPEN ELEMENTARY SEATS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CURRENT UTILIZATION, WE HAVE SEVERAL ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS THAT ARE WITHIN MILES OF EACH OTHER.

LITERALLY, SOME OF THEM WITHIN A MILE TO TWO MILES OF EACH OTHER, AND YET THEY ALL EXPERIENCE UNDER UTILIZATION.

IF YOU LOOKED AT AN OPTIMAL UTILIZATION WHERE YOU WERE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE, YOU WOULD WANT TO CAMPUS TO BE SITTING AT AROUND THAT 88-90% EFFICIENCY.

THAT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND THAT THAT ENROLLMENT, THOSE $88 THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING PER STUDENT, ARE HELPING TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING THAT YOU NEED TO COVER THE OVERHEAD THAT IT TAKES TO RUN THAT CAMPUS.

YOU ARE OPERATING AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE AROUND THAT 88-90% NUMBER.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT, ANALYZE, AND STUDY AS WE BROUGHT FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION.

WE ALL LOVE AND SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.

ABSOLUTELY, WE HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITY TONIGHT AND WE'VE HEARD THROUGH ALL OF THE LISTENING TOURS.

AND I THINK EVERYONE AROUND THE WHOLE SCHOOL RECOGNIZES THE VALUE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.

IF WE WERE IN A PERFECT WORLD, IN AN IDEAL WORLD WHERE FUNDING WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WERE HAVING TO THINK ABOUT IN THIS WAY, WE MAY NOT HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE WOULD WANT TO PRESERVE THE CURRENT ELEMENTARY THEATERS AS THEY EXIST.

AS WE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE, AND WE WERE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT WE KEPT OUR FOCUS ON THE ACADEMIC GROWTH AND ENSURING THE BEST TEACHERS AND THE BEST CLASSROOMS WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEEDED, HONORING THE LEGACY OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE US AND OF THE CAMPUSES AND THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITY, TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE DID LOOK AT EQUITY ACROSS THE FOUR LEARNING COMMUNITIES, THAT THERE WAS NOT ONE PART OF THE DISTRICT THAT HAD TO EXPERIENCE CONSOLIDATION OR THE CLOSING OF SCHOOLS ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN ALSO ENSURING THAT WE PRIORITIZED

[01:05:04]

IN THE END, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THIS? IF YOU LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS OF THE CONSOLIDATION IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, THIS IS ALMOST AN $11 MILLION PER YEAR SAVINGS IN OUR EXPENDITURE LINE, AND THIS IS A PER YEAR SAVINGS.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RIGHT-SIZE SOME OF OUR CENTRAL BUILDINGS, SUCH AS SELLING THE PDC AND POTENTIALLY SELLING SOME OF THE PROPERTY AT SHERMAN.

AGAIN, THIS IS A ONE-TIME SAVINGS, BUT AGAIN TRYING TO BOOST OUR FUND BALANCE WHILE WE HAVE UNKNOWN IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND IT GIVES US TIME TO CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT THE OTHER PART OF THE STRATEGIES RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE.

A BENEFIT IS THAT WE WILL HAVE AN ELEMENTARY UTILIZATION THAT BETTER REFLECTS OUR CURRENT ENROLLMENT.

WE WILL BE MORE EFFICIENT AND OUR ELEMENTARY FACILITY UTILIZATION MOVING FROM 9,000 AVAILABLE ELEMENTARY SEATS TO LOOKING AT ABOUT 4,600 AVAILABLE ELEMENTARY SEATS.

WE DO ANTICIPATE A COST SAVINGS TRANSPORTATION.

THEN ALSO, IN EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE, WE WILL BE ADDING ADDITIONAL PRE-K SECTIONS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN SERVE OUR PRE-K STUDENTS BOTH THAT QUALIFY AS WELL AS FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE COMMUNITY TUITION.

SO THAT OUR PARENTS WHO WANT TO REALLY BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY WITH RAD, AS YOUNG AS FOUR, WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENROLL IN PRE-K AS WELL.

AS WE STUDIED OUR UTILIZATION, WE LOOKED AT OUR TRENDING ENROLLMENT.

AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT'S NOT JUST LOOKING AT OUR DECLINING ENROLLMENT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, WE LOOKED AT WHERE THAT DECLINING ENROLLMENT IS OCCURRING AT EACH CAMPUS LEVEL.

THEN LOOKING AT THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS OF OUR BUILDINGS, WHERE DO WE HAVE MULTIPLE SCHOOLS THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY NEARBY ONE ANOTHER? WE BROUGHT FORWARD A PLAN THAT WOULD CONSOLIDATE FOUR OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES, AS WELL AS DOBIE PRE-K IN '25-26.

IF YOU LOOK, THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE STATISTICS AROUND INPUT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.

THE BOARD RECEIVED 249 LET'S TALK QUESTIONS.

THE STAFF RECEIVED 114.

THEN YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER GROUPS THAT WE CONNECTED WITH, THE ATTENDEES THAT ATTENDED THE LISTENING TOURS.

I WANT TO SEND APPRECIATION TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT ATTENDED THE LISTENING TOURS.

I WANT TO THANK OUR STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM.

WE ENSURED THAT AFTER EACH LISTENING TOUR, WE HAD A DYNAMIC FAQ THAT WE COULD POST UPDATES TO QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED AND ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS AND THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SOME BIG THINGS THAT WE HEARD.

AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT DID WE HEAR, THIS IS ACROSS THE ENTIRE PROJECT RIGHT SIZE.

THERE WERE INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS AND OVERRIDING CONCERNS THAT MAY HAVE COME FROM EACH INDIVIDUAL CONSOLIDATION RECOMMENDATION.

BUT OVERALL, IF I HAD TO LOOK AT PATTERNS OF FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, WE DID HEAR FEEDBACK AROUND, CAN SCHOOLS BE CONSOLIDATED WITHOUT IMPACTING WHETHER IT'S MY CHILD'S SCHOOL, LEGACY GRANDFATHERING.

CAN WE CHANGE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES, THE RESIDENCY? IS THERE ANOTHER WAY FOR THIS TO IMPACT IN A DIFFERENT WAY? ARE THERE OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT FIRST BEFORE THAT WE CONSIDER THE CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS? WE ABSOLUTELY HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT WALKING SAFETY AND CROSSING GUARDS, AND MISS HAYES LOOKED AT OUR MAP AND IDENTIFYING HOW MANY SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE KNOW ARE CROSSING MULTIPLE SIX-LANE ROADS.

WE HAVE THEM ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

I BELIEVE IN ALMOST A THIRD OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES,

[01:10:01]

THERE ARE CAMPUSES THAT ARE CROSSING SIX-LANE ROADS.

OVER TIME WE HAVE LEARNED AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE SAFETY PROTOCOLS.

WORKING WITH OUR RICHARDSON, CITY OF DALLAS, CITY OF GARLAND TO ENSURE THAT THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS, WHETHER IT'S A CROSSING GUARD, WHETHER IT IS AN INTERSECTION THAT HAS CROSSING GUARD LIGHTS, ENSURING THAT THE SPEED ZONE LIMITS ARE IN PLACE.

BUT ABSOLUTELY, WE HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT WALKING SAFETY AND CROSSING GUARDS.

WE HEARD A DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAINED OUR REPURPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS IN GOOD CONDITION.

AN OVERRIDING CONCERN ACROSS ALL OF THE POTENTIAL FIVE CONSOLIDATED CAMPUSES WAS WE DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT A SCHOOL THAT USED TO BE A PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND SEE IT SHUTTERED, SEE IT NOT TAKEN CARE OF.

WE WANT TO KNOW THAT IT IS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE GREEN SPACE IS STILL GOING TO BE ACCESSIBLE AND STILL CAN BE USED ON THE WEEKENDS FOR, MIGHT BE A BASEBALL GAME OR THAT THE PLAYGROUNDS CAN BE USED.

WE DEFINITELY HEARD THAT DESIRE.

WE DID HEAR A DESIRE TO DELAY CONSOLIDATIONS.

AGAIN, WE HAVE TRIED TO MAKE A COMPELLING CASE AROUND THE URGENCY OF WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR BUDGET, AND WE CAN DO ANYTHING THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO DO, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT ALL.

BASED UPON THE PRIORITIES OF THE BOARD AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT IS WHAT IS BRINGING THIS FORWARD AS PART OF OUR URGENT RECOMMENDATION.

WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT STUDENT TRANSFER PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR FAMILIES KNOW.

IF I'M A FAMILY THAT'S IN A CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL, THEY DON'T HAVE AN OPTION TO TRANSFER BACK TO THEIR CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL.

BUT FOR ANY OTHER FAMILY THAT IS IMPACTED BY THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY WOULD KNOW THAT THEY CAN PLACE A TRANSFER AND THAT THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED IN A PRIORITY ORDER, WE WILL PROCESS THEIR TRANSFER BEFORE WE PROCESS ANY OTHER TRANSFER FOR THEM TO REMAIN AT A SCHOOL THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY ZONED.

THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE HEARD QUESTIONS ABOUT STAFF REASSIGNMENTS IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS HOW WE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT THEM IN THIS TRANSITION AS WELL.

THOSE WERE GENERAL ACROSS ALL FIVE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD, THINGS THAT WE HEARD.

NOW, AGAIN, THERE WERE INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS OR CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE HEARD ACROSS, AND I'M SURE IN YOUR QUESTIONS THAT WE WILL DIVE INTO THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

MOVING FORWARD, WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TONIGHT? IF YOU LOOK AT GREENWOOD HILLS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT GREENWOOD HILLS BE CONSOLIDATED.

THAT IF YOU ARE WEST OF WEST SHORE, THEY WOULD BE ZONED TO MOHAWK.

IF THEY'RE EAST OF WEST SHORE, THOSE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WOULD BE ZONED TO NORTHRICH.

CURRENTLY, UNIVERSITY PLACE, WHICH IS NORTH OF CAMPBELL ROAD, WOULD BE ZONED TO CANYON CREEK ELEMENTARY.

THAT WOULD BECOME THE NEW ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES FOR MOHAWK, CANYON CREEK, AND NORTHRICH.

IF YOU LOOK AT THURGOOD MARSHALL, AND I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY ASK MISS HAYES ON THIS ONE, BECAUSE THIS HAS A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.

I'M GOING TO ASK MISS HAYES TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONSOLIDATION AND HOW WE WOULD BE REZONING OTHER AREAS OF THE DISTRICT AND OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND HOW THESE FAMILIES WOULD BE IMPACTED.

>> THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM. GOOD EVENING BOARD.

FOR THURGOOD MARSHALL, IT SITS SOUTHWEST OF 635, AND SO IN TRYING TO FIND SAFE PLACES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOLS CLOSER SOMETIMES TO THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAN THURGOOD MARSHALL IS CURRENTLY, WE'RE GOING TO SEND ANY STUDENTS THAT LIVE SOUTH OF 635 AND WEST OF SKILLMAN, TO SKYVIEW ELEMENTARY.

THAT IS DOWN THE STREET FROM THURGOOD MARSHALL.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THIS ZONE THAT ARE WITHIN A THREE MILE RADIUS.

WE HAVE THE ABILITY FOR OUR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO WALK, RIDE THEIR BIKES, AND ONCE ALL THE CONSTRUCTION IS DONE, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME BUSSING WHILE THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING ON.

ANYBODY THAT LIVES NORTH OF 635, IF YOU LIVE WEST OF SKILLMAN, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO FOREST LANE.

THAT WOULD BE THEIR HOME CAMPUS.

ALSO, THOSE THAT ARE THE LITTLE HORSESHOE AND GREEN, ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE FOREST LANE,

[01:15:01]

THERE IS A GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT LIVE TO THE WEST OF SKILLMAN, THAT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO AUDELIA CREEK IN THE PURPLE.

WE HAVE FORESTRIDGE LISTED UP THERE.

WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THAT AREA THAT IS SOUTH OF FOREST LANE IS ACTUALLY INDUSTRIAL, AND WAREHOUSE, AND BUSINESSES, THERE ARE TWO MOTELS THERE WHERE WE DO FIND SOMETIMES OUR MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS HOUSING.

IF THEY LIVE IN THAT AREA, THEY WILL GO NORTH TO SPRINGRIDGE.

AND THEN WE HAVE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT IS ON FORESTRIDGE, AND THEN THERE IS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT'S SOUTH OF 635 AND TO THE WEST OF SKILLMAN IN THAT PURPLE AREA.

THOSE STUDENTS WOULD GO DOWN TO NORTH LAKE.

THE THURGOOD MARSHALL STUDENTS, SOME WILL ATTEND NORTH LAKE, SOME WILL ATTEND SKYVIEW, FOREST LANE, AUDELIA CREEK, AND REALLY FORESTRIDGE, ONLY IF THERE'S SOMEONE AT THAT MOTEL AND THAT'S A SHORT TERM HOUSING PIECE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY CONSOLIDATION PLAN THAT HAS STUDENTS MOVING FEEDER PATTERNS.

WE DO HAVE A GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MOVING FROM THE LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL FEEDER PATTERN TO AUDELIA CREEK, WHICH WOULD BE INTO THE BERKNER FEEDER PATTERN.

YES, THERE ARE THREE APARTMENT COMPLEXES TO THE WEST OF SKILLMAN AND SOUTH OF FOREST THAT WILL GO TO AUDELIA CREEK AND THAT IS A BERKNER LEARNING COMMUNITY, SO THEY WILL SWITCH THEIR LEARNING COMMUNITIES.

IF WE LOOK AT SPRINGRIDGE, THIS IS, AGAIN, WHERE WE HAVE THREE SCHOOLS THAT ARE WITHIN A 2.2, 2.3 MILES OF ONE ANOTHER AND IN THESE THREE SCHOOLS, OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD WAS TO CONSOLIDATE SPRINGRIDGE.

THAT THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN DARTMOUTH AND YALE BE BASICALLY THE DUCK CREEK, ACTUALLY THE DUCK CREEK MOVING NORTH AND THEN AS WELL AS IF YOU HAD ADDRESS ON COLUMBIA AND NORTH, THAT YOU WOULD BE REZONED TO YALE ELEMENTARY.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WERE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS WAS CONSISTENCY OF WHERE DOES THAT ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY END IN THE REST OF THE DISTRICT, AND WHEN HOMES ARE PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO BEING ADJACENT, IS THAT CONSISTENT WITH OTHER ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES? AS WE STUDY THAT, WE DID BELIEVE THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THAT TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN SOME OF OUR OTHER ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE AREAS.

BASED ON THAT RESEARCH, WE ARE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO ADJUST THE BOUNDARY FOR SPRINGRIDGE, DARTMOUTH, AND YALE.

THE NEW PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY WOULD BE IF ANY ADDRESS ON COLUMBIA, DRAKE, OR WAKE FOREST, ANY ADDRESSES ON THOSE THREE STREETS WOULD REMAIN AT DARTMOUTH, AND THEN ANY OF OUR STREETS NORTH, I BELIEVE STARTING AT TWO LANE, MOVING NORTH, THOSE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ZONED TO YALE AS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED.

THIS IS THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD TONIGHT IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

FOR SPRING VALLEY, THERE ARE REALLY TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

ONE IS THAT WE CONSOLIDATE SPRING VALLEY, AND THE MAJORITY OF SPRING VALLEY WILL NOW BE ZONED INTO NORTHWOOD HILLS.

THERE IS ONE SMALL APARTMENT COMPLEX IF YOU LOOK TO THE WEST, IT'S CALLED THE CITADEL, IN WHICH, AGAIN, WE VERY RARELY HAVE A STUDENT YIELD THERE.

IF WE DO, IT'S USUALLY ONLY A COUPLE OF STUDENTS, AND THEY'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 635.

AS A PART OF THIS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE REZONE THE CITADEL TO HAMILTON PARK, SO THAT THEY STAY ON THAT SIDE OF 635 AND DO NOT HAVE TO CROSS 635 TO GO TO SPRING VALLEY, INTO NORTHWOOD HILLS.

AS WE MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, WE DO HAVE NON-CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARIES.

THIS WAS A STRATEGY THAT WAS USED BY THE DISTRICT SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN LOOKING AT BALANCING ENROLLMENT AND MAKING SURE AS SOME CAMPUSES WERE EXPERIENCING HIGH ENROLLMENT GROWTH AND DID NOT HAVE CAPACITY, THE DISTRICT FOUND THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT A MULTI-FAMILY COMPLEX AND REZONE THEM TO ANOTHER AREA THAT HAD CAPACITY.

[01:20:05]

I'M GOING TO LET MISS HAYES ADDRESS THESE CHANGES.

>> YES, MA'AM. WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT SETS OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT SIT NORTH OF SPRING VALLEY BETWEEN COIT AND 75.

THOSE ARE CURRENTLY ZONED FOR THREE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

IT'S MULTIPLE APARTMENTS IN SOME INSTANCES.

ONE SET IS CURRENTLY ATTENDING GREENWOOD HILLS, OTHERS ATTEND NORTH RICH, AND THEN OTHERS ATTEND MST.

WE'RE RECOMMENDING DOVER WOULD BE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, ALONG WITH MANY OF THEIR NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE ALONG SPRING VALLEY AS WELL.

WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO PUT THAT BOUNDARY BACK TO ITS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.

THEN IN THE LAKE HIGHLANDS AREA, THERE WAS APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT SIT SOUTH OF FOREST AND WEST OF AUDELIA, AND THOSE ARE CURRENTLY ATTENDING SKYVIEW ELEMENTARY.

THEY REQUIRE BUSING OVER TO SKYVIEW, AND SO WE RECOMMEND PUTTING THEM BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOL, WHICH IS FOREST LANE ACADEMY.

THEN THERE'S THE ONE APARTMENT COMPLEX, FOREST GARDENS, THAT SITS ON PLANO ROAD, JUST SOUTH OF WALNUT STREET.

THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX IS CURRENTLY BEING BUSED TO SPRINGRIDGE, AND SO WE RECOMMEND THAT THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX BE REZONED BACK TO ITS HOME SCHOOL, WHICH IS FORESTRIDGE, ALONG WITH MANY OF THEIR NEIGHBORS AROUND THAT AREA.

AGAIN, EVEN AT SPRINGRIDGE, THERE IS A PART OF SPRINGRIDGE THAT THEIR BOUNDARY IS BEING ADJUSTED AS WELL.

YOU LOOK AT OUR UTILIZATION NUMBERS BEFORE AND AFTER, YOU CAN SEE IN THE RED THE NUMBER OF CAMPUSES THAT WE ARE INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY AND PROVIDING MORE OPTIMAL UTILIZATION OF OUR CAMPUSES MOVING FORWARD IN '24, '25 IF THE BOARD MOVES FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE HAVE SHARED SOME INFORMATION AROUND OUR REPURPOSING OF OUR BUILDINGS.

TONIGHT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME DIGGING INTO THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT IS NOT PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT.

BUT AGAIN, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT ALL OF OUR CONSOLIDATED CAMPUSES WILL BE REPURPOSED AND MAINTAINED BY THE DISTRICT FACILITY STAFF, WHERE THE COST SAVINGS WHEN YOU CONSOLIDATE THE CAMPUSES COMES IN WHEN NOT HAVING A PRINCIPAL, AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, FRONT OFFICE STAFF, THAT COUNSELOR, THAT NURSE THAT LIBRARIAN.

WE ARE GOING TO REPURPOSE THE EXISTING BUILDINGS IN A WAY THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE.

AGAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, SELL THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER THAT IS OFF OF BELTLINE AND PUT OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN ONE OF THE CONSOLIDATED CAMPUSES.

IT'S ALSO GOING TO ALLOW US TO CONSIDER INNOVATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF OUR CENTRAL STUDENT PROGRAM, CENTRAL SUPPORT STAFF, AS WELL AS MAYBE OFFER SOME INNOVATIVE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE HAVING A DAYCARE AND EXPANDING OUR THIRD DAYCARE FOR OUR STAFF AS WELL.

WE ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE GROUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY USE, INCLUDING FIELDS AND PARKS THAT ARE ON OUR PROPERTIES.

THEN WE ALSO WILL CONTINUE TO USE THOSE FACILITIES, SUCH AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH POTENTIALLY COMMUNITY CENTERS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES WITH INNOVATIVE SUPPORTS, WITH PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS, BOTH THE CITY OF RICHARDSON AND THE CITY OF DALLAS.

WE HAVE ADDRESSED, AGAIN, WE KNOW HOW DISRUPTIVE THIS IS AND ASKING A FAMILY, ASKING A STUDENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR ELEMENTARY JOURNEY, THEY WERE ATTENDING ONE SCHOOL AND NOW ASKING THEM TO ATTEND A DIFFERENT SCHOOL, THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT IS DISRUPTIVE.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS INTRODUCING A TRANSITION IN THEIR ELEMENTARY JOURNEY THAT THEY DID NOT ASK FOR AND THAT THEY DID NOT PREDICT WAS GOING TO BE A PART OF THEIR TRAJECTORY.

ENSURING THAT WE HAVE OUR COUNSELING SUPPORTS AVAILABLE, THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, THAT OUR TEACHERS FEEL EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE EXPERIENCING THIS CHANGE.

I KNOW SEVERAL OF OUR CAMPUSES HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO DESIGN AND THINK ABOUT IT IF THIS MOVES FORWARD.

HAVING CAMPUS AMBASSADOR TEAMS SO THAT ANY CAMPUS THAT IS IMPACTED BY PROJECT RIGHTSIZE, THAT THEY HAVE STAFF MEMBERS ON THEIR TEAM THAT ARE THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THAT ARE THOSE GO TO PEOPLE FOR STUDENTS, STAFF, OTHER STAFF MEMBERS OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS TO REACH OUT TO AND FEEL CONNECTED WITH.

[01:25:02]

I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO SPEND SEVERAL HOURS ALONG WITH MS. HAYES WITH OUR RICHARDSON RETIRED SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

I CAN TELL YOU, MANY OF THESE AMAZING INDIVIDUALS WERE LONGTIME STAFF MEMBERS AT THE CAMPUSES THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR CONSOLIDATION AND THEY HAD WONDERFUL, INCREDIBLE MEMORIES TO SHARE ABOUT THEIR TIME AT THESE CAMPUSES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR THOSE RETIRING CAMPUSES, THAT WE GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEGACY EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME THROUGH AND REALLY REFLECT ON THEIR TIME IN THAT CAMPUS, THAT WE CAN HONOR THAT.

ALSO, CREATING DESTINATION EVENTS WHERE OUR STUDENTS CAN BEGIN TO FEEL CONNECTED TO THEIR NEW CAMPUS, WHERE FAMILIES CAN BEGIN TO IDENTIFY THE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST ON THEIR NEW CAMPUS AS WELL.

REALLY HONORING THE CURRENT CAMPUSES AND THE RETIREMENT OF THOSE CAMPUSES, WHILE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT MIGHT BE NEXT ON THAT EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY.

AGAIN, I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR IN MY VOICE, THIS IS NOT EASY AND I CONTINUE TO BE INCREDIBLY MOVED BY HEARING THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH THEY ARE HURTING.

WE ARE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE BRING FORWARD THE BEST RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CAN.

IT IS NOT A PERFECT PLAN.

THERE IS NO PERFECT PLAN TO RIGHT SIZE THE BUDGET, BUT IT IS THE BEST PLAN THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH TO MOVE FORWARD TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE DISTRICT AND ENSURE THAT THESE THREE THINGS CAN CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO COMPENSATE OUR STAFF, THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF STUDENT PROGRAMMING, AND THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED.

WITH THAT, WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM.

BEFORE WE DIG INTO THE QUESTIONS OR JUST OUR NEXT STEP, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I WOULDN'T SAY JUST A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS.

AS THE PRESIDENT HERE, ME AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE YET ONCE AGAIN HAVING TO DEAL WITH A VERY DIFFICULT TASK OF ADDRESSING A MAJOR ISSUE FACING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE NEED TO, UNFORTUNATELY, CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS.

SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS DUE TO SEVERAL FACTORS INCLUDING BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS.

I WANT TO, AGAIN, ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK DONE BY OUR COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE AND SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM AND HER LEADERSHIP TEAM.

THEY HAVE INVESTED SIGNIFICANT TIME, SIGNIFICANT TIME STUDYING OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION AND DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS OUR BUDGET DEFICIT.

THEIR EFFORTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.

LET ME BE CLEAR. OUR TOP PRIORITY IS BEING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO ENSURE WE CAN CONTINUE PROVIDING A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EVERY STUDENT IN OUR DISTRICT.

ONE OF OUR BOARD'S CORE DUTIES IS ADOPTING AN ANNUAL BUDGET THAT IS BOTH EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE IN OFFERING THE BEST ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES OUR STUDENTS DESERVE.

WE HAVE ALSO PRIORITIZED COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF AS RECRUITING AND RETAINING TOP TALENT IS CRUCIAL.

HOWEVER, THE REALITY IS THAT WE MUST FIND WAYS TO OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND REDUCE EXPENSES.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE US INVOLVED CONSOLIDATING SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS AND ADJUSTING BOUNDARIES.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS NEWS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR FROM OUR DEDICATED EMPLOYEES, OUR FAMILIES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND MY COLLEAGUES RIGHT HERE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE.

PLEASE KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT ROAD, BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO POSITIONING OUR DISTRICT FOR LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS.

WITH THAT, BOARD, WE WILL NOW VOTE ON EACH ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT SEPARATELY.

[01:30:02]

>> MS. HARRIS, I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A MOTION.

RIGHT. THE SECOND I DO, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR FIRST AND PROCEDURAL CLARIFICATION. CAN I DO THAT?

>> YES.

>> CAN I ASK MISS MCGOWAN? IS THAT OKAY FOR ME TO DO THAT?

>> SURE. SO IF WE I UNDERSTAND VOTING ON THEM SEPARATELY BUT ALSO IN ORDER TO TALK ABOUT THEM THE WAY WE WOULD HAVE TO LIKE READ THE MOTION, THERE'D HAVE TO BE, THE MOTION AND THEN A SECOND.

AND THEN THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, WE COULD ONLY TALK ABOUT EACH ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALLY AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL EACH ONE CAME UP TO ASK THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ONE? CORRECT. SO, WE COULDN'T ASK ABOUT SOME OF THEM THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY SET IS THAT CORRECT?

>> CORRECT. THE WAY THAT THE AGENDA IS POSTED, YOU WOULD TALK ABOUT THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND ASK QUESTIONS INDIVIDUALLY.

>> CAN WE TALK ABOUT THEM TOGETHER.

SINCE WE HAVE A SINGLE PRESENTATION, CAN WE CONSOLIDATE BECAUSE I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT ARE ABOUT ALL OF THEM BUT ALSO TO STILL ALLOW THEM FOR INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS FOR EACH ONE OF THE AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED. CAN WE DO THAT?

>> YES. ANY BOARD MEMBER CAN MAKE A MOTION TO CONSOLIDATE THE DISCUSSION AND TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN DO SO AND THEN THERE WILL STILL BE THE INDIVIDUAL VOTES AND QUESTIONS CAN ALSO BE ASKED.

>> WELL, MS. HARRIS, I HAVE A MOTION.

SINCE WE HAD A SINGLE PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT OUR DISCUSSION FOR THE FIVE ATTENDANCE AREAS BE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD.

>> PERFECT. SO A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO CONSOLIDATE THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF THE ACTION ITEMS. 3A1-5. IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU, MR. RENTERIA.

>> I'M SORRY, IS THAT.

>> VANESSA PACHECO. SECOND.

>> THERE'S A MOTION BY MISS JIMMY, A SECOND BY MISS PACHECO. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, MR. POTETE?

>> I'LL JUMP IN. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

>> IT HAS TO BE ABOUT THE MOTION.

>> I WILL LEAD IN WITH THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE.

CORRECT. I'LL START WITH A QUESTION ON THE TIMING OF THE PROCESS.

AND YOU TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

>> I'M GOING TO THERE'S SOME CLARIFICATION.

>> YEAH. SO THE MOTION RUNS ON THE FLOOR IS TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROJECT OVERALL.

AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED.

YOU ALL WILL NEED TO VOTE ON THAT MOTION.

ASSUMING THAT THE MOTION PASSES, THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE FLOOR OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.

>> I'LL DEFER BACK TO PRESIDENT HARRIS.

>>SO THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS HERE AND NONE ALL IN FAVOR TO CONSOLIDATE THE QUESTION SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. GOT IT.

HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. MOTION PASSES 70.

NOW, BASED ON THE MOTION, TRUSTEES WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLAN.

NOW WE CAN MOVE INTO QUESTIONS.

SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PLAN, THAT SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM JUST SPOKE ON? ANY QUESTIONS, MR. BOTIQUE?

>> YES. DEJA VU.

EARLIER YOU HAD ALLUDED TO SOME REPETITIVE COMMENTS.

WE'VE GOT BACK ON THE TIMING OF THE PROCESS FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT WE SET UP ALL THE WAY THROUGH TONIGHT.

I KNOW THAT BUDGETS, A BIG PIECE OF THAT, OUR BUDGET TIMELINE DRIVES A LOT OF THAT.

CAN YOU GIVE US SOME OF THE FACTORS AND JUST SOME MORE CONTEXT AROUND WHAT'S DRIVING? AND I KNOW WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN OTHER DISTRICTS, BUT GIVE US THAT CONTEXT A LITTLE BIT.

>> SURE. SO ULTIMATELY, AGAIN, AS A DISTRICT, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AROUND WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR BUDGET AND OUR BUDGET FORECAST REALLY FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND WE HAVE SPENT, 18-24 MONTHS EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR ENROLLMENT,

[01:35:02]

WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, EVEN IF THERE WAS SOME CHANGES TO FUNDING, THAT WE STILL IDENTIFIED, THAT WE HAD SOME INEFFICIENCIES IN THE DISTRICT AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE.

AND THE TIMING AND THE URGENCY OF THOSE COULD BE DEPENDENT UPON WHETHER OR NOT AUSTIN PROVIDED FUNDING OR NOT.

THEN IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, PART OF WHY THE BOARD COMMISSIONED THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE IS WE BEGAN TO REALLY GET A SENSE THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF FUNDING FROM AUSTIN WAS LOOKING NARROWER AND NARROWER.

AND SO WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO CONTROL THE FINANCIAL DIRECTION THAT WE WENT INTO.

THAT WAS WHERE THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE REALLY CAME IN.

ULTIMATELY, THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK IS CLEAR.

WE KNOW THAT WE ARE DECLINING ENROLLMENT.

WE'RE NOT RECEIVING ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

THE DEFICIT BUDGET IS REAL.

YES. DO WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE? YES. BUT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH IT DOWN THE ROAD ANY LONGER IN HOPE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET RELIEF AND THAT THAT IS GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

WE KNOW WE HAVE TOO MANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR THE NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE.

AND ALL OF THAT IS OVERHEAD THAT WE CANNOT WITH THE COST OF INFLATION AND THE COST OF WHAT IT MEANS TO MAINTAIN OUR TALENT.

AGAIN, THESE ARE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE PROBABLY ALREADY DEFERRED TOO LONG.

IT IS DECISIONS THAT WE ARE AT A PLACE NOW WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE THEM.

THESE DECISIONS.

AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE NINE STRATEGIES RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY STEERING COMMITTEE HAVE TO BE LAYERED.

IF WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND CHOICE SCHOOLS, WE FIRST NEED TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE GET EFFICIENT IN SERVING THE CURRENT STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE.

THEN WE NEED TO IDENTIFY, DOES THE BOARD WANT TO REALLY SET ASIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO INVEST IN EXPANDING MORE CHOICE PROGRAMS? THOSE ALL ARE GOING TO TAKE FINANCIAL RESOURCES.

WE NEED TO STUDY AND ANALYZE WHERE IS THE BEST LOCATION FOR THOSE CAMPUSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DESIRABLE.

WE ALSO HAVE TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF THE THREE MAGNET PROGRAMS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT CAMPUSES ARE GOING TO BE OPEN FOR '24, '25, AND WHAT ARE THEIR ENROLLMENTS GOING TO LOOK LIKE? ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE STAIR STEPPED AND HAVE TO BE PHASED IN IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.

AGAIN, LOOKING FORWARD TO ADOPTING A BUDGET THIS YEAR WHERE WE CAN INCLUDE A COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGE CREATING THE CAPACITY WE NEED TO IN THE BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN BE AGGRESSIVE WITH OUR COMPENSATION FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR AUXILIARY STAFF, OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS.

THAT IS WHY WE ARE BRINGING THIS RECOMMENDATION FORWARD NOW.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, ANSWERING SOME OF THE CONTEXT AROUND THE TIMING.

I'VE GOT A FEW OTHER COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BUT I WE'LL GO AROUND I'LL LET SOME OF MY PEERS ASK THEM IF THAT'S OKAY.

>> SURE. ABSOLUTELY. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, MS. RENTERIA?

>> THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT RANA FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REQUESTING DELAYS.

THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DELAYS.

WHAT WOULD THIS ENTIRE PROJECT LOOK LIKE IF WE WERE TO PUSH THIS BACK? IF YOU CAN GIVE ME AN IDEA OF WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT.

IF YOU WERE TO PUSH IT BACK, HOW FAR? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE IMPACT?

>> ULTIMATELY, THE BOARD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE DECISIONS ON WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE.

IN THE END, IT COULD BE THAT WE ARE HAVING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT REDUCING STAFF PERSONNEL, NOT PROVIDING A COMPETITIVE RAISE OR REDUCING THAT RAISE, MAKING IT A SMALLER RAISE.

YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT, DO WE PRIORITIZE AND MOVE FORWARD SOME STUDENT PROGRAMMING REDUCTIONS, POTENTIALLY? WE KNOW WE HAVE INEFFICIENT NUMBER OF ELEMENTARIES FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE.

IF THE BOARD DECIDES THAT YOU WANT TO SPEND ANOTHER YEAR, ULTIMATELY THAT URGENCY OF WHERE THAT FINANCIAL CLIFF IS, IN TERMS OF OUR FUND BALANCE,

[01:40:01]

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE PREDICTING 26, 27.

YOU COULD BE EXPEDITING THAT AND MOVING THAT FORWARD.

THIS IS REALLY ABOUT TAKING `WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN A TWO-YEAR JOURNEY.

BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY CUT THE BUDGET BY $14.4 MILLION.

WE'VE ALREADY MADE REALLY IMPORTANT DECISIONS ABOUT RIGHT SIZING OUR BUDGET THE PAST TWO YEARS.

THIS IS ANOTHER STEP IN RIGHT SIZING THAT BUDGET FOR ANOTHER 11 MILLION, PROVIDING SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP INCREASE OUR FUND BALANCE AS WE WORK TOWARDS RIGHT SIZING AND THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU. THEN JUST ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION IS, I KNOW WHAT A VITAL ROLE THAT THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE PLAYED.

IF YOU CAN JUST MAYBE REMIND ME AGAIN, HOW DID ALL THAT COME TOGETHER? I MEAN, I THINK ABOUT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS BEING A CONSTITUENT OF THE DISTRICT.

I MEAN, THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE RIGHT? SO EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMITTEE.

REMIND ME AGAIN HOW THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER.

>> SURE. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK DR. HELLER TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE OUTREACH THAT WE DID IN TERMS OF RECRUITING MEMBERS FOR THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE.

>> THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT BRANDON AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

IN JUNE, WHEN THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR AND YOU AS A BOARD, PASSED THE MOTION FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PULLING TOGETHER A COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE, THAT IS WHEN WE ACTIVATED THROUGH OUR CHANNELS, WE SENT THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE LINK TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR SCHOOL TIMES.

IT WAS SHARED FOR NUMEROUS WEEKS, ACTUALLY A COUPLE MONTHS, IN SCHOOL TIMES, WHICH IS SENT WEEKLY TO OVER 100,000 UNIQUE EMAIL ADDRESSES, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR PARENTS.

IT WAS SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE ALSO SENT A FINAL SIGN PARENT MESSAGE TO EVERY PARENT IN THE DISTRICT BEFORE WE FINALIZED THE COMMITTEE, ASKING FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED TO RECRUIT THEM AND TO SIGN UP ON THE FORM THAT MR. PATE AND THE TEAM USED TO FINALIZE THE COMMITTEE.

>> THANK YOU, DR. HELLER. ALSO, IS THERE ANOTHER MEANS, IF I DIDN'T HAVE, LET'S SAY, I'M RETIRED OR I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT ANYMORE, SO I DON'T GET THAT COMMUNICATION, WAS THERE A WAY TO ALSO REACH THOSE CONSTITUENTS?

>> YES. WE REACHED OUT TO OUR VARIOUS PARTNERS, INCLUDING OUR RICHARDSON RETIRED PERSONNEL, OUR REALTORS WHO SUPPORT RICHARDSON SCHOOLS, OUR AMBASSADORS, OUR FAITH-BASED PARTNERS.

ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PARTNERS AND GROUPS THAT WE WORK WITH.

WE SHARED THE INFORMATION WITH THEM.

>> THANK YOU, DR. HELLER. I THINK ALSO I JUST WANT TO GIVE GRATITUDE TO THAT COMMITTEE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID.

I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND LET MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU, MS. RENTERIA. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? MR. EAGER?

>> I HAD A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE GENERAL FUND FORECAST, AND THIS IS PROBABLY FOR MS. BRAN AND MR. PATE. THERE'S A 90 DAYS OF EXPENDITURE WHICH IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAIN OUR FINANCIAL RATING, BONDS, ETC.

CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE RAMIFICATIONS, BECAUSE WE'RE WITHIN A THREE-YEAR WINDOW ON CURRENT RATE WHILE WE KEEP HEARING HEALTHY FUND BALANCE, BUT THAT'S LIKE OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT.

ONCE WE TRIP THAT THRESHOLD OF GOING BELOW 90 DAYS, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE MARKET RAMIFICATIONS, CREDIT RATINGS, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE RAMIFICATIONS OF US GETTING THAT CRITICALLY LOW IN OUR FUND BALANCE.

>> THANK YOU, MR. EAGER. THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS, ONCE OUR FUND BALANCE DROPS BELOW THAT 25% OR 90-DAY LEVEL, THERE ARE TWO FIRST INDICATORS THAT ARE TIED TO THE FUND BALANCE.

WE WOULD START TO LOSE POINTS AND THEN ULTIMATELY, FAIL THOSE INDICATORS IF AT SOME POINT, WHEN IT GETS BELOW 90, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT PERCENTAGE, BUT THERE'S NEGATIVE RAMIFICATIONS TO OUR FIRST RATING, IS THE VERY FIRST THING ON THAT.

THEN ON THE BOND SALES SIDE, AS OUR FUND BALANCE BEGINS TO DWINDLE, THAT DOES NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR BOND RATING, WHICH DIRECTLY WHEN WE GO TO THE MARKET THEN FOR OUR NEXT BOND SALE,

[01:45:05]

IT WILL COST MORE TO PAY OUR MORTGAGE.

IT'LL COST MORE TO BORROW THAT MONEY TO RENOVATE OUR SCHOOLS, TO BUY THE BUSES, TO BUY THE OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR, SO OUR DOLLAR WILL NOT GO AS FAR.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATING AVAILABLE TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM MOODY'S.

WE ARE AAA WITH MOODY'S, AND THEN WE ARE AA+ WITH S&P, WHICH THERE MAY BE ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS THAT HAS A AAA WITH STANDARD AND POOR'S, BUT THAT I THINK, IT WOULD POSSIBLY BE ONE.

WE HAVE A VERY HIGH BOND RATING WITH BOTH MOODY'S AND S&P, AND THOSE WOULD SUFFER, WHICH WOULD DRIVE UP OUR BORROWING COST.

>> THANK YOU, MR. EAGER. I ALSO JUST WANT TO ADDRESS, AND MR. TRIER, EARLIER TO YOUR QUESTION AROUND PART OF THE URGENCY THAT WE HAVE WITH THIS CONVERSATION.

THE BOARD, MANY OF YOU WERE A PART OF COMMUNITY MEMBER IN THE DISTRICT IN 2011, AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT AGAIN, I WOULD SAY PUBLIC EDUCATION IN TEXAS.

THAT WAS IN A PLACE.

WE WERE IN A RECESSION FUNDING.

AGAIN, AT THAT POINT, IT HAD BEEN FROZEN FOR FOUR YEARS, WERE IT SIX YEARS? SO AGAIN, THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME WHERE WE HAVE NOT SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR BASIC ALLOTMENT, BUT IN 2011, FOR VERY GOOD REASONS.

BUT AT THAT TIME, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MADE A DECISION THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO PROVIDE RAISES FOR STAFF.

THAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY KEPT, THEY MANAGED THE BUDGET IN THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT THEY HAD.

ONE OF THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT IS WE'RE SEEING IT A DECADE LATER BECAUSE WHEN YOU FREEZE RAISES, AND THEY DID SO FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS, WHEN YOU FREEZE THAT SALARY AND YOU'RE NOT PROVIDING THAT RAISES, THEN TRYING TO HAVE AND TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE RESOURCES NECESSARY IN ORDER TO CATCH UP BECAUSE YOU HAVE EVERY OTHER DISTRICT THAT WAS CONTINUING TO MOVE THEIR SALARIES AND THEIR COMPENSATION FORWARD WHILE WE WERE FROZEN.

IN A DECADE LATER, WE ARE STILL NOT RECOVERED AT THAT POINT WHEN THOSE SALARIES WERE AT A STANDSTILL FOR THREE YEARS.

SO I THINK THAT IS A PART OF THE CONCERN I HAVE.

WE DO TRY TO LEARN FROM PAST EXPERIENCES AND LOOKING AT OUR STAFF TODAY AND SAYING WE WANT TO NOT ONLY RECRUIT, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY RETAIN OUR VETERAN TEACHERS, OUR VETERAN STAFF, KNOWING THAT IF WE WERE TO, WE COULD MAYBE WITHSTAND A YEAR NOT HAVING A RAISE.

BUT OUR VETERAN STAFF ARE ALREADY TO $3,000 BELOW BENCHMARK, AND SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE HELD STEADY FOR ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER TWO YEARS.

THAT IS JUST GOING TO FURTHER EXACERBATE THE GAP THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN US AND OUR BENCHMARK DISTRICTS.

REMEMBER, WE HAVE TWO SETS OF BENCHMARK DISTRICTS.

WE HAVE BENCHMARK DISTRICTS THAT LOOK LIKE US OR OUR SIZE OR DEMOGRAPHICALLY SIMILAR TO US, BUT WE ALSO HAVE GEOGRAPHIC BENCHMARK DISTRICTS.

WE ARE A METROPLEX WHERE WITHIN MILES OUR STAFF CAN CHOOSE FROM AMAZING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AT A TIME WHERE WE'RE EXPERIENCING RECORD INFLATION IN OUR HOMES AS WELL.

EVERY DOLLAR MATTERS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL.

I WANTED TO JUST ADDRESS AGAIN, THE URGENCY THAT WE HAVE IS KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TRIED A STRATEGY BEFORE OF MANAGING OUR BUDGET LIMITED RESOURCES DIFFERENTLY, AND WE ARE SEEING THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT EVEN TODAY.

>> THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO.

>> GREAT. I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS MISS BRANUM. SUPERINTENDENT BRANUM.

SORRY. CAN YOU REMIND ME OR CLARIFY THE REASONING BEHIND THE CANYON CREEK SCHOOL BOUNDARY CHANGE FOR THE NEW UNIVERSITY PLACE?

>> ABSOLUTELY. I'LL PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A HIGHLIGHT AND THEN MISS HAYES CAN PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

ULTIMATELY, AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT NORTH RIDGE, CANYON CREEK, AND MOHAWK, I BELIEVE AGAIN, THEY'RE ONLY WITHIN 2 MILES, A LITTLE OVER 2 MILES, LESS THAN 2 MILES, BETWEEN THOSE THREE CAMPUSES.

GREENWOOD HILLS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NON CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARIES, THAT WAS AN ENROLLMENT THAT WAS SMALL, AND WE SEE THAT IT IS DECLINING OVER TIME.

[01:50:01]

BUT NORTH RIDGE CANNOT SUBSUME ALL OF GREENWOOD HILLS.

IF YOU LOOKED AT THE NEXT GEOGRAPHIC SCHOOL THAT IS TO MOHAWK, CLOSE TO GREENWOOD HILLS, IT WAS MOHAWK.

MOHAWK TO ENSURE THAT IT HAD CAPACITY TO, IT SERVED SEVERAL CENTRAL SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT UNIVERSITY PLACE, WHICH IS NOT GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS TO MOHAWK, AND LOOK AT THAT ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY TO GIVE THE CAPACITY TO MOHAWK TO ABSORB PART OF GREENWOOD HILLS AND MOVE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY TO CANYON CREEK.

MISS HAYES, WHAT OTHER CONTEXTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROVIDE?

>> THESE ARE THERE ARE SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOOD UNIVERSITY PLACES, ONE OF THEM THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, THEY'RE ALL NORTH OF CAMPBELL AND THEY'RE ALL OUR NEW NEIGHBORHOODS.

THEY HAVE JUST BEEN BUILT AND REALLY ARE CONTINUING TO FILL UP NOW.

AS WE LOOKED AT OUR CAPACITIES OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE FELT LIKE IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST TO TAKE THOSE STUDENTS NORTH OF CAMPBELL, ALL OF THOSE, THE MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS THERE, AND REZONE THEM TO CANYON CREEK SO THAT WE HAVE BOTH CAPACITY AT MOHAWK WITH ITS NEIGHBORHOOD GROWTH, PLUS THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE ADDING TO SHOULD THE BOUNDARY CHANGE FROM GREENWOOD HILLS.

>> IT'S REALLY ALSO MATCHING CAPACITY OF, WHILE UNIVERSITY PLACE IN THOSE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS NORTH OF CAMPBELL ARE CONTINUING TO SHOW SOME GROWTH.

YOU HAVE CANYON CREEK, THAT IS STABLE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A DECLINING ENROLLMENT.

YOU'RE MATCHING THE NEEDS OF BOTH OF THOSE AREAS AS WELL AS THEN YOU HAVE MOHAWK AND GREENWOOD HILLS THAT WE'RE ADJUSTING THAT ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY.

WE SEE THAT MOHAWK IS STABLE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH IN THE GREENWOOD HILLS THAT'S DECLINING.

IT REALLY FOR LONG TERM WAS ALIGNED IN TERMS OF FUTURE DEMOGRAPHIC ENROLLMENT.

>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON THE SPENT PROGRAMS. I WANT TO ASK GENERALLY HOW SPENT PROGRAMS JUST WORK WITH THEIR TEAMS AND THE 504 AND IPS THAT GET DESIGNATED FOR THOSE STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES.

HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK WITH STUDENTS THAT ARE MOVING TO NEW SCHOOLS OR ARE NOT IN A SCHOOL THAT, BECAUSE WE'RE CONSOLIDATING?

>> ABSOLUTELY. I'M GOING TO LET DR. GIBBONS CHIME IN HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE WE HAVE A FULL CONTINUUM OF STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.

WHEN WE IDENTIFY A STUDENT WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS, WE MAY HAVE A STUDENT WHO IS IDENTIFIED IN NEEDING DYSLEXIA SUPPORT OR MAY NEED GENERAL INCLUSION SUPPORT, OR RESOURCE SUPPORT THAT IS MANAGED BY A RESOURCE TEACHER AND THAT MAYBE HAS A CASE MANAGER.

THOSE STUDENTS IEP THEIR PLANS WE SUPPORT AT THAT LOCAL CAMPUS LEVEL.

THERE'S AN ART COMMITTEE THAT MEETS AND REVIEWS THEIR PLAN, MEASURES THEIR GOALS, IDENTIFIES OPPORTUNITIES FOR WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT MAY BE NEEDED. IS IT WORKING? IS IT NOT WORKING? WHEN A STUDENT MOVES CAMPUSES, THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT IS PROVIDED AT EVERY ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES.

AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE, WHETHER IT'S A 504, I ALSO WANT TO BRING IN OUR 504 STUDENTS OR A SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A TRANSITION ART OR A TRANSITION 504 MEETING WHERE THE EXISTING STAFF WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THE PARENT, THE STUDENT AND THE NEW STAFF TO HAVE A MEETING WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THE IEP GOALS HERE, THE SUPPORTS THAT ARE IN PLACE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ALLEVIATE AS MUCH OF THAT TRANSITION STRESS THAT WE KNOW THAT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN MORE CENTRALIZED PROGRAMMING.

THAT THEY MAY HAVE MORE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS IN TERMS OF THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION IDENTIFICATION.

FOR THOSE STUDENTS AND TEACHER AND THE PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.

THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN THAT IF WE HAVE TO MOVE A CENTRAL SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM.

THAT SAME LEVEL OF TRANSITION COMMUNICATION R MEETINGS WOULD HAPPEN AT THAT LEVEL AS WELL.

DR. GIBBONS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS IN THE TRANSITION.

>> YES, MA'AM. THAT REALLY COVERED QUITE A BIT OF, THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE DISTRICT WE HAVE, I THINK AROUND 130 CENTRAL PROGRAMS. THERE'S CONSTANT PLANNING, REGARDLESS OF CONSOLIDATION OR NOT EVERY YEAR AROUND WHERE THOSE PROGRAMS ARE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT AND APPROPRIATE STAFF AT EACH CAMPUS FOR THOSE PROGRAMMING.

THIS CONSOLIDATION WILL ADD A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXTRA LAYER TO THAT AS TO WHERE SOME OF THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL CENTRAL PROGRAMS WILL BE,

[01:55:02]

BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR US ON A YEARLY BASIS AS FAR AS MOVING CENTRAL PROGRAMS TO WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED MOST.

>> GREAT, THANK YOU. I WILL SAY I'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL TRANSITION MEETINGS WITH ONE OF MY STUDENTS WHEN HE WAS STILL IN RICHARDSON, AND I THOROUGHLY APPRECIATE THAT THE PAPERWORK THAT WAS ALWAYS PROVIDED FOR ME, FULL THOROUGH, AND VERY SUPPORTIVE FOR HIM, THAT EVEN TO THIS DAY AT SCHOOL, HE TOOK THAT PAPERWORK AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GIVE HIM SUPPORTS AT HIS UNIVERSITY.

I APPRECIATE THAT. FROM RICHARDSON ISD COUNSELING. THANKS.

>> THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO. MISS MIGAEL?

>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS AND THE PRESENTATION.

I WANT TO GO BACK DOWN MEMORY LANE JUST A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK MISS HAYES COULD PROBABLY GET A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK ON THE WHITE ROCK ELEMENTARY BUILDING SOME YEARS BACK IN THE CONTROVERSY AROUND THAT.

I JUST WANT YOU TO MAYBE CLARIFY FOR ME, WAS THAT A POPULATION DECISION AT THE TIME OR WAS IT A FUNDING DECISION FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT?

>> THAT WAS FOR GROWTH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE DISTRICT HAD HAD PURCHASED LAND SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE THAT.

I HAD AN OFFICE BUILDING SENT IN ON IT.

AT THE TIME THE DISTRICT FELT LIKE IT WAS, RATHER THAN ADD ON TO WHITE ROCK TO BUILD A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THE CORNER OF WHITE ROCK TRAIL IN WALNUT HILL, AND CHANGE THE ELEMENTARY BOUNDARIES.

SOME STUDENTS GOING TO WHITE ROCK WOULD THEN GO TO THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AFTER DISCUSSIONS AMONG THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY, WE DID SEVERAL OUTREACH PIECES ASKING THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WERE ON A NEW SCHOOL OR ADDING ON.

THEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO ADD ON TO WHITE ROCK TO CREATE A 1,200 STUDENT CAMPUS.

>> I THINK AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT THAT I WOULD ADD IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AROUND MANAGING GROWTH.

ONE IS NOT BETTER THAN THE OTHER, THEY JUST BRING DIFFERENT STRENGTHS, AND THEY BRING DIFFERENT CHALLENGES WITH THEM.

I THINK THERE WAS A TIME WHEN RICHARDSON ISD WAS AGAIN A GROWING DISTRICT.

AGAIN, EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE PROJECTED TO GROW UP TO 40,000 STUDENTS.

AGAIN, IT WAS AN IMPORTANT PHILOSOPHY AT THE TIME TO TRY TO PRESERVE THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, WAS THAT WE WERE COMMITTED TO USING BOND FUNDS, CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS TO ADD ON AND KEEP THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER.

THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES THAT ARE SOMETIMES USED WHEN MAYBE YOU'RE NOT A GROWING DISTRICT OR MAYBE YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT LEVEL OF BOND FUNDS.

THAT IS THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN DISTRICTS DO HAVE TO BALANCE ENROLLMENT THROUGH THE CHANGING OF ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES.

NOW, AGAIN, NO ONE WANTS TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS DISRUPTIVE AND PEOPLE DO GET CONNECTED AND THE SCHOOL IS AGAIN A PART OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY.

BUT I THINK AS DISTRICTS, WHEN YOU ARE NOT GROWING, AND WHEN YOU EITHER HAVE AN ENROLLMENT THAT'S BEING MAINTAINED OR YOU'RE SEEING A DECLINING ENROLLMENT, WE ARE AT A PLACE NOW THAT IF A NEIGHBORHOOD, LET'S SAY IT HAS SIGNIFICANT REGENERATION AND IT STARTS TO GROW AND MAYBE WE HIT A SIGNIFICANT CAPACITY, A PHILOSOPHICAL CONVERSATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AS A NEW BOARD AND AS A NEW TEAM OF EIGHT WOULD BE, WHAT IS OUR CURRENT STANDARD ON MANAGING THAT GROWTH? WOULD IT BE TO LOOK AT ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES AND YOU'RE GOING TO MANAGE THAT THROUGH ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES, OR WOULD YOU COMMIT BOND DOLLARS TO INCREASING CAPACITY OF THAT SCHOOL AND ADDING ON? THAT IS A PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION THAT I THINK AS A DISTRICT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK AND ANSWER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU. BUT IT WASN'T THE DECISION WAS MADE, IT WAS ABOUT GROWTH AT THE TIME AND WE WERE NOT IN A CRISIS AT THE TIME OF WE WERE LOOKING AT GROWTH.

OUR STUDENT BODY WAS GROWING, SO WE NEEDED TO INCREASE THE SEEKS.

>>YES, MA'AM.

>> ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE KIDDOS THAT ARE MOVING TO NORTH LAKE ELEMENTARY.

I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 19 STUDENTS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS.

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE PROPER CHANNELS IN PLACE FOR THEM AS IF THERE'S A NEED FOR COUNSELING SERVICES,

[02:00:02]

IF I MAY, I'M GOING TO BRING THAT UP TO LOOKING AT ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED.

BECAUSE AGAIN, WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING AT THURGOOD MARSHALL OR SPRING VALLEY, OR GREENWOOD HILLS, OR SPRING RIDGE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THESE IMPACTED CAMPUSES ARE GOING TO NEED SUPPORT, OR ANY STUDENTS THAT ARE DISRUPTED AS PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION ARE GOING TO NEED, WHETHER IT'S COUNSELING SUPPORTS YOU, OR TEACHER SUPPORTS, ADMINISTRATOR SUPPORTS IN THAT TRANSITION.

NOW, BRINGING IT BACK DOWN TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT NORTH LAKE AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT RIGHT SIZE, WE HAVE CURRENTLY, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PRE K THROUGH FOURTH CENTRAL BILINGUAL PROGRAM THAT IS CURRENTLY PLACED THERE, 87% OF THOSE BILINGUAL STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY ZONED TO WALLACE.

THE OTHER 13% OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE ZONED TO OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE NOT ZONED TO NORTH LAKE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING THAT BILINGUAL PROGRAM BACK TO ITS HOME SCHOOL OF WALLACE, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THOSE STUDENTS ACTUALLY LIVE AND IT IS CLOSER TO THEIR HOME.

THEN WE ARE GOING TO USE THE AZUL APARTMENTS AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ZONING THEM TO NORTH LAKE.

THOSE STUDENTS, JUST LIKE WE WOULD DO FOR ANY OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE DISRUPTED, WILL ABSOLUTELY HAVE COUNSELING SUPPORTS, THEY WILL HAVE WELCOMING DESTINATION EVENTS WHERE THEY WILL BE INTRODUCED TO THE TEACHERS, INTRODUCED TO THE COUNSELOR, TO THE NURSE, TO THE PRINCIPAL, TO THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL WELCOME AND INCLUDED AT THEIR NEW CAMPUS.

DR. GIBBS, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD IN TERMS OF SPECIFICS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION OUR STUDENTS?

>> YES, MA'AM. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, EVEN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL TOO.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PREPARED IF THE BOARD APPROVES.

WE'LL HAVE SOME COUNSELING OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES AROUND FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR ALL TEACHERS, AND FOR OUR PARENTS AS WELL.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT AT THE LISTENING MEETINGS, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY FEELS AS PREPARED AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRANSITION.

I KNOW TEACHERS, SINCE THEY'RE THERE WITH THE STUDENTS AND THESE THINGS START TO HAPPEN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASKING THEIR TEACHERS THESE QUESTIONS.

WE ARE PREPARING AND HAVE READY, IF THE BOARD APPROVES TO HAVE SOME PLANS IN PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR TEACHERS TO HAVE SUPPORTIVE INTERVENTIONS AROUND THAT.

>> THAT'S IT, MISS MIGUEL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. BOTIQUE.

>> YES. I KNOW THAT YOU HAD PRESENTED SOME OF THE NUMBERS.

WE'VE GOT THE ENROLLMENT IN EACH OF THESE SCHOOLS.

WE LOOK AT THE ENROLLMENT CURRENT.

WE LOOK AT POTENTIAL ENROLLMENT UTILIZATION NEXT YEAR.

CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE CONTEXT ON, WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THIS POSITION IN TWO YEARS AGAIN OR NEXT YEAR.

SO WE'RE LOOKING EVEN WELL BEYOND THAT ON WHAT OUR PATTERNS AND TRENDS ARE SHOWING US AS WELL AS THE DEMOGRAPHER'S REPORTS ARE ACCURATE.

BUT CAN YOU TALK THAT THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ON HOW WE'RE LOOKING DEEPER THAN NEXT YEAR, DEEPER THAN THE YEAR AFTER, AND THEN ALSO ON THIS, IT'S EASY, AND I'M A NUMBERS GUY, IT'S EASY TO KIND OF FALL INTO A HEADCOUNT EXERCISE.

BUT BEYOND THAT, I KNOW A LOT OF IT TAKES PLACE LOOKING AT CLASSROOMS, LOOKING AT PROGRAMMING WITHIN THAT BUILDING.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A HEADCOUNT FROM BUILDING TO BUILDING.

CAN YOU WALK THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT, THE CONTEXT AS WELL?

>> SURE, ABSOLUTELY. I'LL INVITE MISS HAYES TO JOIN IN AS WELL.

THE FIRST THING IS THE DEMOGRAPHER REPORT WAS CRITICAL TO US IN TERMS OF THE LONG TERM PROJECTION OF THE CAMPUS.

AGAIN, WE WERE NOT LOOKING JUST AT THE ENROLLMENT OF THAT CAMPUS IN 23/24, EVEN IN 24/25.

WE WERE LOOKING AT THE ENROLLMENT OF THAT CAMPUS THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

AS WE BEGAN TO IDENTIFY WHAT CAMPUSES WE NEEDED TO CONSIDER IN TERMS OF CONSOLIDATION, WE LOOKED AT, WE DON'T SEE EVIDENCE RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE UNDERUSED, AND THEN WE SEE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A DECLINING ENROLLMENT.

THEN, FOR EXAMPLE, AT SPRING RIDGE AND AT GREENWOOD HILLS, WE ALSO HAD NON-CONTIGUOUS MULTIFAMILY HOUSING THAT WAS BEING LOCATED AND STUDENTS WERE BEING BUSED TO HELP REALLY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ENROLLMENT TO KEEP THOSE CAMPUSES SUSTAINABLE.

SO THAT HAD TO BE A PART OF THAT CONSIDERATION AS WELL.

THOSE WERE ALL THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT.

IN TERMS OF THAT FIRST PART OF THAT QUESTION, MISS HAYES, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THERE?

[02:05:02]

>> I WILL SAY OUR DEMOGRAPHERS REPORT, PRIOR TO COVID.

WE HAD CONTINUED TO SEE MULTIPLE YEARS WHERE THERE WAS GROWTH HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT.

THEY WERE PREDICTING ADDITIONAL STUDENTS AS THE SUPERINTENDENT BROUGHT UP EARLIER.

AT ONE POINT WE WERE TO BE AT 40,000 KIDS RIGHT NOW.

WHEN COVID CAME AS THE DEMOGRAPHERS PRESENTED THEIR INFORMATION, IT CHANGED EVERYTHING ACROSS THE STATE AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND THE PREDICTIONS.

THEY NEVER PREDICT PRE K AND KINDERGARTEN.

THEY CAN DO KINDERGARTEN SOME NOW BECAUSE OF PRE K, BUT THOSE ARE TWO REALLY THAT ARE DEPENDENT UPON ENROLLMENT EACH YEAR.

BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHICH KIDS ARE GOING TO COME INTO KINDERGARTEN.

THE REST OF THE GRADE LEVELS ARE FAIRLY PREDICTABLE BASED ON TRENDS THAT THEY SEE.

SO WE HAVE SEEN CONSISTENT TRENDS, BOTH CURRENTLY, THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THEN FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

THE TREND SHOW CONTINUOUS DECLINE OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T HAVE GROWTH IN SOME AREAS OF THE DISTRICT.

BUT OVERALL, THE DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE TO SEE A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE DISTRICT.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THURGOOD MARSHALL, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC THEY WERE A CAMPUS OF OVER 600 STUDENTS.

THIS YEAR, THEIR ENROLLMENT IS BELOW 500 AND THERE WAS NOTHING TO INDICATE IN THE DEMOGRAPHER REPORT THAT WE WOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR 2,500 STUDENT ENROLLMENT DECLINE WE LOST IN OUR MULTIFAMILY.

OUR FAMILIES WERE GETTING PRICED OUT OF SOME OF OUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

AGAIN, KNOWING THE NUMBER OF CAMPUSES THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSE TO THURGOOD MARSHALL, KNOWING THAT WE ARE NOT SEEING ANY POTENTIAL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ENROLLMENT INCREASE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE LOOKED AT THURGOOD MARSHALL AS ONE OF THE CAMPUSES THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER FOR CONSOLIDATION.

THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS AROUND CENTRAL PROGRAMMING AND I WILL TELL YOU IT'S ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX PUZZLE PIECES THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM.

WE HAVE TWO KINDS OF CENTRAL PROGRAMS IN THE DISTRICT.

WE HAVE OUR BILINGUAL PROGRAMMING.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE SERVE STUDENTS FROM 74 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A BILINGUAL PROGRAM BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE SPEAKING A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH.

AGAIN, WE HAVE 74 LANGUAGES.

THE STATE KNOWS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS IN ONE PARTICULAR LANGUAGE, THAT THEY DO PROVIDE A WAIVER, AND THAT'S WHEN WE PROVIDE OUR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SUPPORT.

BUT WE DO HAVE A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS AND SO THAT IS TYPICALLY WHERE WE SEE OUR BILINGUAL PROGRAM.

BUT AGAIN, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CONCENTRATION OF NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS AT EVERY ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES TO HAVE BILINGUAL CLASSROOMS IN EVERY ONE OF OUR CAMPUSES.

WE CONSIDER THAT TO BE A CENTRAL PROGRAM.

WE LOOK AT WHERE IS THE CONCENTRATION OF OUR NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS? WHERE ARE WE SEEING PATTERNS OF SIGNIFICANT ENROLLMENT? THEN WE LOOK AT, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS AT THAT CAMPUS OR DO WE NEED TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER CAMPUS? IS THERE CAPACITY AT ANOTHER CAMPUS? THAT'S WHERE WALLACE AND NORTH LAKE HAPPENED.

WALLACE, FIVE YEARS AGO, WAS A CAMPUS THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC THEY WERE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. NORTH LAKE HAD CAPACITY AND SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE THE BILINGUAL PROGRAM FROM WALLACE AND PLACE IT AT NORTH LAKE.

SO THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF IT.

STUDENTS DON'T COME IN EASY PACKAGES OF 22 BY GRADE LEVEL.

THAT'S THE OTHER CONSIDERATION WITH THAT.

THE SECOND KIND OF CENTRAL PROGRAMMING THAT WE HAVE IS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION OR SPECIAL STUDENT SERVICES.

AGAIN, THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT HAVE A VERY PRESCRIPTIVE IEP, WHERE BASED UPON THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION IDENTIFICATION, THEY MAY NEED MORE PRESCRIPTIVE SUPPORT.

SO IT MAY BE FIVE OR SIX STUDENTS IN A CLASS WITH ONE TEACHER AND TWO PARAPROFESSIONALS.

IT MIGHT BE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT, IT MIGHT BE LIFE SKILLS SUPPORT, IT MIGHT BE THAT THEY'RE MEDICALLY FRAGILE AND THEY NEED MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS.

AGAIN, THOSE ARE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE ALMOST REGIONALLY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT ACROSS THE FOUR FEEDER PATTERNS.

BECAUSE AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS IN ANY ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS TO HAVE IT AT EVERY CAMPUS.

IT'S FINANCIALLY NOT FEASIBLE AND THE NUMBERS WOULD NOT SUPPORT THAT.

WE LOOK AT WHERE IS THE CONCENTRATION, WHAT ARE THE AGES OF THOSE STUDENTS, AND HOW DO WE GEOGRAPHICALLY PLACE THEM WHERE IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO THE FAMILIES AND TO THOSE STUDENTS, AND THE CAMPUS HAS SPACE.

[02:10:02]

OFTENTIMES OUR NURSES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PROVIDING THAT MEDICAL INTERVENTION.

SO YOU CANNOT HAVE OR LAYER TOO MANY SPECIAL PROGRAMS ON ONE CAMPUS BECAUSE IT PUTS AN UNDUE BURDEN ON ANY ONE CAMPUS.

IN ADDITION, YOU'RE REQUIRED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE WHAT WE CONSIDER A LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

SO IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT THAT IS IN AND RECEIVING MORE CENTRALIZED SUPPORTS AND THEY'RE IN A PULLOUT ENVIRONMENT FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME, YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH THEIR GEN ED PEERS AS POSSIBLE.

IT'S GOOD FOR THEM AND IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR OUR GEN ED PEERS AS WELL.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CLASSROOMS OR ENOUGH GEN ED STUDENTS WHERE THOSE STUDENTS CAN BE PLACED IN THE DIFFERENT GEN ED CLASSROOMS, YOU WERE ALSO THEN NOT MEETING THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS AND THEIR IEPS AS WELL.

SO ALL OF THOSE PUZZLE PIECES, LITERALLY, IT'S LIKE A WAR ROOM IN THE DISTRICT.

OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM, OUR SOCIAL STUDENT SERVICES, OUR OPERATIONS TEAM, OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS, WE GET IN A ROOM AND WE'RE LOOKING STUDENT BY STUDENT, PROGRAM BY PROGRAM, CLASSROOM BY CLASSROOM IN TERMS OF CAPACITY AND IDENTIFYING WHERE IS THE BEST LOCATION TO SERVE THOSE STUDENTS, TO SUPPORT THE STAFF, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILY NEEDS ARE BEING MET AS WELL.

I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.

>> I GUESS MY QUESTION, WHICH YOU ANSWERED VERY WELL, WAS THAT ALL OF THAT EFFORT AND ALL THAT ANALYSIS IS SOMEWHAT MASKED IF WE'RE LOOKING AT HEAD COUNTS BETWEEN BUILDINGS.

THAT'S WHERE I START IS LOOKING AT NUMBERS, BUT SOMETIMES I DON'T GO TO THAT DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING THE DEEPER DIVE INTO THAT AS.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR UTILIZATION STUDY, FOR EXAMPLE, AND AS IT SHOULD BE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY CLASSROOM COULD POTENTIALLY HOLD 22 KIDS.

THAT'S IN THE END A FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY OF A BUILDING HAS TO BE DETERMINED.

IF WE HAVE A CLASSROOM, WE COULD PUT UP TO 22 OR IF IN FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE, UP TO 28 STUDENTS IN THERE.

BUT IN THE END, THE REALITY IS WE DO HAVE STUDENTS WITH DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE.

SO IT COULD BE THAT IN THAT BUILDING WE HAVE PLACED A SPECIAL PROGRAM WHERE IT ONLY HAS FIVE OR SIX STUDENTS IN THAT CLASSROOM.

AGAIN, THAT IS A PART OF THE CONSIDERATION THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE WHEN EITHER PLACING PROGRAMS OR LIKE WE'RE HAVING TO DO TONIGHT, MAKE POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY CHANGES.

>> I'VE GOT TWO MORE COMMENTS AND THEN I'LL HAND OFF AGAIN.

GREAT ANSWER. THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.

THE ONE THING THAT'S COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT WITH WALLACE, I THINK WE MENTIONED IT WITH OUR STUDENTS AT ADOBE OR AROUND THERE ALSO, IS I DO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT ARE RETURNING TO THEIR "HOME CAMPUS", TO WHERE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD IS.

I THINK THAT THROUGH ALL THESE MOVEMENTS THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE AS A BENEFIT ON THE BACK SIDE, REGARDLESS OF WHY THOSE SPECIAL PROGRAMS WERE MOVED TO OTHER SCHOOLS, ETC.

JUST SOMETHING THAT I HAVE HEARD CONSISTENTLY.

THE LAST THING IS THE NEXT PHASE AND I KNOW WE TOUCHED ON THAT.

I THINK DR. GIBBONS DID A LITTLE BIT ON THE PATH FORWARD.

ONCE A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, BEEN VOTED ON, THE EXECUTION PHASE STARTS.

I WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT AROUND IN MY MIND THAT'S GOING TO REALLY FALL ON THE SHOULDERS OF OUR CAMPUS LEADERSHIP.

THOSE THAT ARE RECEIVING, THOSE THAT ARE LOSING, THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THOSE TRANSITIONS WITH STUDENTS, FAMILIES. SO TALK THROUGH.

I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY CRITICAL NEXT STEP THAT WE GET OUR ARMS AROUND, OUR HEADS AROUND AND THEN DO IT RIGHT.

SO CAN YOU TALK THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AGAIN, WE KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES, AND SO TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE, AND THAT WE HAVE THE SUPPORTS AVAILABLE, THAT OUR CAMPUS PRINCIPALS ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS AND THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.

NUMBER 1, HELP PROVIDE THOSE LEGACY EVENTS AT A CAMPUS THAT IS BEING CONSOLIDATED, THAT THEY CAN HONOR THE CAMPUS, THAT THEY CAN CELEBRATE THE CAMPUS, AND ALL THE AMAZING THINGS THAT IT DID TO CONTRIBUTE TO RICHARDSON ISD.

[02:15:01]

EVERY RECEIVING CAMPUS IS ASKED TO IDENTIFY A CAMPUS AMBASSADOR TEAM.

THOSE ARE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE THE PUBLIC FACING OUTREACH TO THE CAMPUS STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVING, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE NON CONTIGUOUS OR IT'S THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATED ADJUSTMENTS.

THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE THE ONES THAT THEY WILL GO AND THEY WILL VISIT THE RETIRING CAMPUS.

THEY WILL BE THE ONES AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

THEY WILL BE THAT FIRST BASE IF THEY'RE HOSTING A DESTINATION EVENT ON THE NEW CAMPUS, THEY WILL BE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN ANSWER THOSE VERY GRANULAR QUESTIONS OF WHO IS THIS, HOW DOES THIS WORK HERE, WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE LIKE HERE? REALLY BEING THAT AMBASSADOR TO THOSE NEW FAMILIES AND TO THOSE NEW STUDENTS AS WE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION THEM.

IF PROJECT RIGHT SIZE MOVES FORWARD, THERE WILL BE COMMUNICATION FROM BOTH THE CAMPUSES THAT ARE BEING CONSOLIDATED, AS WELL AS THE RECEIVING CAMPUSES WITH COMMUNICATION NEXT WEEK THAT WOULD BE WELCOMING THE FAMILIES, PROVIDING AN OUTLINE AND THE TIMELINE OF HERE ARE THE EVENTS THAT WE WILL BE OFFERING.

HERE ARE THE CONTACTS.

EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS ADDING FAMILIES TO THE NEW NEWSLETTER.

AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE YOUR CURRENT NEWSLETTER, BUT ALSO RECEIVING THE NEW NEWS LETTER, SO YOU CAN BEGIN TO IDENTIFY UPCOMING EVENTS AND IF THERE'S A COMMUNITY EVENT, IF THERE'S THE PTA EVENT, IF THERE'S A STUDENT WELCOMING EVENT, YOU CAN BEGIN TO ADD THOSE TO YOUR CALENDAR SOONER THAN LATER.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE OUTLINED AND WILL BE COMMUNICATED, REALLY STARTING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT OUR PARENTS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR STUDENTS AREN'T LEFT IN THE DARK WONDERING, WELL, WHAT DO I DO NOW? THEY ARE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION QUICKLY SO THAT THEY CAN NAVIGATE THESE NEXT DAYS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. POTE, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, MS. TIMMY?

>> YES, THANK YOU. UNLIKE MY COLLEAGUES, I THINK I'M GOING TO ASK ALL MY QUESTIONS AT ONCE.

I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF SORRY, I DON'T AGREE, BUT SOME OF THEM GO TOGETHER. SOME WILL SPLIT THEM.

MS. BRANUM, CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT I'VE HEARD FROM SCHOOLS SUCH AS LIKE TALKING TO SOME OF THE FAMILIES AT NORTHWOOD HILLS, ALSO POTENTIALLY EVEN CANYON CREEK, WITH THEIR 91% UTILIZATION CONCERN OVER CLASS SIZES.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET THIS INFLUX OF KIDS THAT COME OVER? IT APPEARS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO OVER 22 IN A CLASS.

I KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO A WAIVER AT 23, BUT POTENTIALLY MORE THAN THAT.

WHAT HAPPENS THEN AT THAT POINT?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

THE FIRST THING ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT WE IDENTIFIED FOR ANY CAMPUS THAT WAS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HITTING THAT OPTIMAL 88-91% MARK.

WE DID LOOK AT ARE THERE CENTRAL PROGRAMS BEING HOUSED AT THAT CAMPUS, AND IS THAT STILL THE BEST PLACE TO HAVE IT OR TO FREE UP ADDITIONAL CAPACITY AT THAT CAMPUS? DO WE NEED TO RELOCATE THAT CENTRAL PROGRAM? FOR EXAMPLE, IN NORTHWOOD HILLS, THAT IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY SO THAT THERE ARE MORE CLASSROOMS TO HELP ABSORB THOSE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS.

WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT PROVIDING THE TEACHER ALLOCATIONS, WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT WITH THE 22:1 RATIO.

WHEN WE LOOK AT HAIRS, THE PROJECTED NUMBER OF FIRST GRADE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE, BOTH THAT ARE CURRENTLY AT NORTHWOOD HILLS, AS WELL AS THIS IS THE NUMBER OF KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE SERVING AT SPRING VALLEY.

THIS IS THE NEW NUMBER OF ALLOCATIONS THAT WE NEED TO SERVE 22:1.

NOW, AGAIN, ARE THERE SOMETIMES OPTIONS WHEN WE HAVE TO GO TO 23, BECAUSE WE HAVE A STUDENT ENROLL AND WE WANT TO KEEP THEM THERE, ABSOLUTELY.

FROM THERE, IF A GRADE LEVEL EXCEEDS CAPACITY AT THAT 22:1 FOR HOWEVER MANY SECTIONS THEY HAVE, THE DISTRICT LOOKS AT TWO OPTIONS.

ONE, IF WE HAVE A CLASSROOM SPACE AVAILABLE, WE MAY ADD AN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS AND OPEN UP ANOTHER FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM, FOR EXAMPLE, SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE BEING MET AT THAT CAMPUS.

IF THEY DO NOT HAVE SPACE OR WE DON'T HAVE A TEACHER, WE MAY NOT HAVE AN ALLOCATION AND WE MAY NOT HAVE A TEACHER TO PUT IN THAT OPEN CLASSROOM.

THEN WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT SOMETIMES WHERE WE MAY HAVE TO OVERFLOW A STUDENT WHO ENROLLS LATE OR MAY BE ENROLLS MID YEAR.

THOSE ARE THE TWO STRATEGIES THAT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO EMPLOY TO MANAGE ENROLLMENT.

>> JUST TYPICALLY, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, IF IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE ANOTHER CLASSROOM, YOUR FIRST OPTION IS TO GO TO AN ADDITIONAL SECTION, EVERY TIME OVERFLOW.

>> EVERY SINGLE TIME.

WE'VE MADE A REAL CONCERTED EFFORT.

[02:20:02]

WE MAY LOOK AT OTHER CAMPUSES WHERE MAYBE ENROLLMENT DIDN'T HIT THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT AND THEY HAVE SMALL CLASSES.

SOMETIMES WE MAY HAVE COMBINED CLASSES.

WE MAY ACTUALLY MOVE A TEACHER ALLOCATION SO THAT WE CAN OPEN THAT SECTION, BECAUSE THAT IS ALWAYS OUR PREFERRED STRATEGY OVER OVERFLOWING.

>> AND SO THE 22: 1, I KNOW THAT IS A STATE PIECE FOR K4.

BUT THEN ALSO TO KEEPING OUR NUMBERS FOR FIFTH AND SIXTH.

IN ELEMENTARY AT THE CURRENT, IS IT 28:1, IS THAT WHAT THAT IS?

>> 28:1.

>> SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THAT AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY. WE TREAT IT REALLY AS STRICTLY AS WE DO THE K THROUGH FOUR.

>> PERFECT. THANK YOU.

THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT ON, I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SELLING SOME PROPERTIES AND THEN POTENTIALLY ALL MAY IDENTIFY MORE.

I DON'T KNOW, CAN WE TALK ABOUT LIKE HOW IN COMBINATION WITH FUND BALANCE THAT'S NOT REALLY GOING TO ADDRESS OUR ISSUE.

I DON'T THINK ON THE LONG TERM AND WHY THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL, EVEN LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW AS WELL, IT MIGHT BE A SHORT TERM FIX, BUT THEN PROJECTING LONG TERM DECISIONS OFF THAT SHORT TERM FIX.

>> YEAH. IN TERMS OF AT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER, IF PROJECT RIGHT SIZE MOVES FORWARD AND THE BOARD SAYS YES, WE WANT TO CONSIDER SELLING THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

AGAIN, THAT IS ONLY A ONE TIME SET OF FUNDS THAT WE COULD USE.

IT REALLY IS JUST ABOUT SUPPLANTING OUR FUND BALANCE AND HELPING PUSH THAT POTENTIAL FUNDING CLIFF OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

IT BY NO MEANS IS A STRATEGY AND AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE DIDN'T RECOMMEND THAT AS A STRATEGY FOR RIGHT SIZING OUR BUDGET BECAUSE IT REALLY DOESN'T HELP RIGHT SIZE OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.

IT JUST HELPS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND SUPPLANTING OF OUR FUND BALANCE.

>> I WOULD SAY THAT, I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE IT'S PRETTY DANGEROUS TO MAKE A LONG TERM DECISION OFF OF SOMETHING THAT'S A RECURRING COST OVER TIME.

BECAUSE WHILE YOU MAY THINK SOME THINGS MAY HIT AND YOU MAY THINK SOME THINGS MAY COME TO FRUITION, IF IT DOESN'T, YOU'VE JEOPARDIZED SOME THINGS AND NOW YOU'RE REALLY IN ADDITIONAL SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE HAVING TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON A QUICK TIMELINE THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE.

THEN I DISAGREED WITH ONE THING YOU SAID, AND SO I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF I POINT THAT OUT, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FROZEN SALARIES THAT WERE IN 2011 AND JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT THEY HAD DONE IT FOR GOOD REASON, WHICH I AGREE WITH THAT PART I AGREE WITH FOR SURE, BUT THAT WE CAN'T CONTINUE THAT.

THAT WASN'T AS DETRIMENTAL AS IT WAS.

I THINK IT WAS EXTREMELY DETRIMENTAL.

I DON'T THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO IT AGAIN.

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE ARE MAKING UP FOR THAT 10 YEARS LATER, BUT WE'RE MAKING UP FOR IT IN THE TEACHERS THAT WE ASKED TO SACRIFICE IN 2011.

WE NEVER MADE UP THE DIFFERENCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT FOR THE YEARS THAT THEY HAD THEIR SALARIES FROZEN, WHILE OTHER DISTRICTS MAY NOT HAVE DONE THAT, AND THEY WERE ABLE FOR THEIR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS TO CONTINUE TO RATCHET UP HOW MUCH THEY WERE PAYING.

I DISAGREE THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR IT DIFFERENTLY.

WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DO OUR TEACHERS THAT WAY, ESPECIALLY OUR EXPERIENCED ONES.

I WANT TO SAY TO, I MEAN, I KNOW I SAY THIS OFTEN AND I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT FIRST OFF, WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE TEACHERS WHO TOOK IT ON THE CHIN FOR US.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT TEACHERS AND OUR SALARY RIGHT NOW FOR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS DOES NOT DO THAT.

THERE IS NO FANS OR BUTTS ABOUT THAT, IN MY OPINION.

WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM, IF WE WANT THAT NORTHSTAR GOAL, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM.

I WOULD SAY BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST POOL TO CHOOSE FROM.

IT COMES FROM HAVING ROBUST POOLS.

I MEAN THAT FOR SAP IN GENERAL, AT ALL LEVELS, IT REALLY DOES TAKE BOTH EXPERIENCED AND NEW TEACHERS IN THAT MID RANGE AS WELL TO MAKE THE BEST QUALITY SCHOOL THAT WE CAN HAVE.

I KNOW THAT DOESN'T COME WITHOUT A PRICE TAG AND JUST FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW, I WANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHEN WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT SALARIES, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS.

I THINK HONESTLY, THE VOTING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THE SCHOOLS AND THE FAMILIES THAT ARE IMPACTED FOR ANY OF THE AREAS, ALL THE AREAS HOWEVER, THAT ENDS UP WORKING OUT.

BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE.

IF WE'RE SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US, THEN I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS GOING FORWARD THAT SHOW THAT, TRY TO RECTIFY THIS TO THE BEST EXTENT THAT WE CAN.

IF WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO PAY OUR TEACHERS MORE AND WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST BLUE TEACHERS, THEN WE HAVE TO DO THAT.

I HOPE NOBODY WOULD VOTE FOR THIS IF WE WEREN'T GOING TO DO THAT ON THE BACK SIDE.

[02:25:03]

THEN LASTLY, A LITTLE POSITIVE THAT I SAW THIS WEEK THAT I JUST WANTED TO BRING FORWARD, I VOLUNTEERED AT GREENWOOD HILLS AND I WAS OVER THERE VOLUNTEERING AND JUST HAPPENED TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, GREENWOOD HILLS IS GETTING IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE SHUT DOWN.

THAT THE PTA BOY ELEMENTARY REACHED OUT TO THEM AND HAD STOKED THERE, HAD GIVEN THEM SNACKS, HAD DONE SOME THINGS TO SUPPORT THAT SCHOOL, KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A TOUGH TRANSITION, REALLY WANTING TO SUPPORT THAT STAFF AND THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OVER THERE.

I WAS SUPER GRATEFUL THAT THEY DID THAT.

I'M SURE THAT'S HAPPENED IN OTHER AREAS AND LOTS OF POSITIVE THINGS HAVE GONE ON.

I JUST HAPPENED TO BE THERE AND JUST HAPPENED TO OVERHEAR IT.

I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

IF YOU'RE A SCHOOL THAT ISN'T IMPACTED THAT, YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THOSE OTHERS WHO ARE HURTING.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN, AS IT WAS STATED, HEAL MOVING FORWARD, REGARDLESS OF HOW THIS TURNS OUT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. TIMMY.

MS. RENTERIA, GO AHEAD.

WE'LL GET YOU MS. MCGOWAN.

>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ALSO MAKE A POINT JUST TO GO ON WHAT MS. TIMMY SAID.

THIS HAS DEFINITELY BEEN SO HARD.

WE UNDERSTAND JUST AS YOU EXPRESSED, SUPERINTENDENT BRENDA, HOW DIFFICULT THIS IS.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.

I KNOW THAT WHEN I CAME INTO THIS DISTRICT AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR TRANSITION THAT HAPPENED.

NOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT THE SAME.

IT'S NOT EQUAL. BUT WHEN I CAME IN, I WAS A NEW PARENT.

MY KIDS ARE NOW IN COLLEGE, GETTING READY TO GRADUATE COLLEGE AND GRADUATE SCHOOL, SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

BUT WHEN THIS TRANSITION HAPPENED, IT WAS MERGING TWO SCHOOLS AGAIN, AND AS A NEW TO A NEW SCHOOL, I CAN JUST SAY AS AN OBSERVER THAT I DID SEE HOW THE DISRUPTION, AND I HEARD THE VOICES AND I HEARD ALL THAT, OH, MY GOSH, AND THIS IS DIFFERENT.

MY TEACHERS THAT I MISSED AND THE FRIENDS, THE BUILDING, EVERYTHING.

BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST AN OBSERVER BECAUSE I WAS NEW.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID ALSO SEE AND OBSERVE AND REALLY LOVE WAS TO SEE JUST THAT.

I THINK AT THE END WHAT I SAW IS THAT, A IS A PARENT.

DEFINITELY, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THEIR TRANSITION WAS BEFORE I GOT THERE.

BUT FOR THE SAKE OF HOW THESE CAME TOGETHER, HOW YOU MERGE THESE PTAS, HOW YOU MERGE THE STAFF THAT WAS NOT THERE. THE ADMINISTRATION, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE I JUST BECAME A PART OF THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THESE THAT CAME, AND WERE MERGING THAT HAD KIDS IN OTHER GRADES, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT FOR ME, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THAT GOING ON.

THAT AT THE END, IT'S LIKE THEY WERE A FAMILY.

EVERYBODY AT THE END BECAME THAT SCHOOL.

IT WAS THAT SCHOOL.

IT WAS NO LONGER, WERE A FORMER HERE OR A FORMER THERE.

AGAIN, BUT THEY ALSO NEVER LOST THAT SENSE OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL, BUT I ALSO JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL I'M TO ALL, AND WHEN I SAY ALL, EVERY SINGLE EMAIL, EVERY SINGLE LET'S TALK THAT CAME IN.

I READ EVERY SINGLE ONE.

I HEARD THE QUESTIONS, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS ABLE TO REALLY ASK THE QUESTIONS.

I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATION WHO ALLOWED ME TO CONSTANTLY CALL YOU AND EMAIL YOU, AND TO ASK ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS.

I'M SO GRATEFUL.

BUT I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT IT IS SO DISRUPTIVE, AND I KNOW IT HURTS, AND THERE'S A GRIEF PROCESS WITH THAT.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO EMAIL AND DO THE LET'S TALK, BUT ALSO REMAINED SO GRACIOUS AND REMAIN KIND AND RESPECTFUL IN ALL OF THEIR QUESTIONS AND ALL OF THEIR ENTRIES.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE.

ALSO, AGAIN, I'M GRATEFUL THAT I HEARD THE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I DID THE ROUTES AS COMMITTEE OF MY COLLEAGUES DEEP, BUT I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF THAT I DID THE ROUTES, I LOOKED, I TALKED, I WALKED, I DID ALL OF THAT.

IT REALLY DID HELP ME. THANK YOU.

BECAUSE IT HELPED ME AGAIN ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO ASK.

AGAIN, I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED WITH THIS.

[02:30:01]

WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE.

AGAIN, I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MS. RENTERIA. MS. MCGOWAN.

>> SOMETHING TRUSTEE TIMMY SAID AS WELL STRUCK A NERVE WITH ME, AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ALSO SERVING IN THURGOOD MARSHALL.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, LIKE MS. RENTERIA SAID, WE ARE PARENTS STILL HERE IN THIS DISTRICT WITH KIDS HERE IN THIS DISTRICT, AND WE SERVE ON MANY OTHER BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, SERVING IN OUR DISTRICT, AND SERVING IN A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS.

WHILE THURGOOD, IT'S NOT THE SCHOOL MY KIDDO GOES TO.

IT'S THE SCHOOL THAT I'VE SERVED IN MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH TEACHERS THERE, AND ONE TRULY TOUCHED MY HEART.

SHE SAID TO ME, "I JUST WANT TO BE A PART OF MY COMMUNITY.

I JUST WANT TO BE IN THE SCHOOL.

I JUST WANT TO SERVE IN THIS SCHOOL, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS." I JUST THOUGHT, HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THAT.

YOU HEAR, AND LIKE MS. RENTERIA SAID, WE LISTEN AND WE READ, WE TALK, AND IT GOES ON AND ON.

BUT TO HEAR SOMEONE SAY, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, NO MATTER WHAT DECISIONS ARE MADE, I JUST WANT TO BE IN THIS SCHOOL, AND I WANT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT COME INTO THIS COMMUNITY.

SHOUT OUT TO THE SERVANTS WITH A SERVANT HEART IN OUR DISTRICT THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS HERE, WE KNOW WHAT OUR CHARGE IS, AND THAT IS TRULY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, FAMILIES, AND STUDENTS, AND TEACHERS.

>> THANK YOU, MS. MCGOWAN.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, MS. PACHECO?

>> SURE. I JUST DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THESE COMMENTS.

I KNOW THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND BOUNDARY CHANGES AND CONSOLIDATIONS ARE AFFECTING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, AND THEY'RE AFFECTING ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN RICHARDSON ISD.

BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A DIRECT CORRELATION IN SUPPORTING OUR STUDENT GROWTH AND IMPROVING THE STUDENT OUTCOMES, WHICH IS OUR GOAL.

I DO BELIEVE, LIKE MS. TIMMY SAID, THAT WE MUST KEEP OUR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEW TEACHERS ARE ALSO MENTORED AND PAID FOR APPROPRIATELY FOR THE TASKS THAT THEY DO, WHICH IS EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS.

WE MUST ALSO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE TEAMS OF EXPERIENCE SUPPORT IN THOSE LOCATIONS AT THEIR SCHOOLS.

I KNOW THAT THESE CHANGES ARE COMPLEX.

THEY CAUSE UNCERTAINTY, AS WE HAVE SEEN IN MANY EMAILS AND COMMENTS, AND THEY FEEL VOLATILE. IT'S DIFFICULT.

I JUST HOPE THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN ADAPT TO THESE CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

THAT WE STEP FORWARD AND PROVIDE RICHARDSON, OUR DISTRICT HERE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THIS, BECAUSE DOING THIS WILL IMPROVE HOW WE EDUCATE AND HOW WE SUPPORT, AND HOW WE PREPARE OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SOMETIMES, WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS.

I, MYSELF, HAVE BEEN INQUIRING, ASKING FOR A LOT OF DETAILED INFORMATION, AND I THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR TEAM FOR GIVING ME ALL THESE ANSWERS AND RESPONSES TO ANY IDEA OR QUESTION THAT I HAD.

BUT TOGETHER, I THINK WE CAN CULTIVATE A MUTUAL COLLABORATION ACROSS ALL OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR FAMILIES TO EXPERIENCE THIS CHANGE WITH A POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE OUTCOME.

I THINK WE ALL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO THIS WITH FLEXIBILITY AND FORETHOUGHT, BECAUSE I WANT TO BRING THIS DISTRICT FORWARD TO OUR FUTURE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MS. PACHECO. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? MR. EAGER?

>> AGAIN, JUST TO CONTINUE TO MENTION THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALL PARENTS UP HERE.

SO THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING UP HERE, WE UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE'VE ALL GONE, SOME HAVE CURRENTLY HAVE KIDS.

SOME OF US HAVE KIDS IN THE DISTRICT THAT WE ALSO HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE EXPERIENCED THAT DROPPING THEM OFF AT THE FIRST DAY.

WE'VE EXPERIENCED ALL THOSE THINGS.

WE WE TAKE THESE THINGS IN OUR CONSIDERATION.

IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBER TO US, BUT THE CHALLENGE WE'VE GOT IS THAT NOBODY WANTS TO BE UP HERE MAKING THESE CALLS.

NOBODY. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

IT'S NOT JUST US, IT IS GARL, ALLEN, IRVING, DALLAS.

THE ENTIRE STATE IS BEING AFFECTED, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS HOW DIFFICULT THEY ARE.

[02:35:07]

IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE BEST TEACHERS, RETAIN AND REWARD THE BEST TEACHERS.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.

WHILE IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT, IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THESE CHANGES BEFORE AND WE'VE GONE AND WE PULLED TOGETHER.

IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

WE DON'T TAKE THESE CHALLENGES LIGHTLY, BUT I KNOW, AGAIN, WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DROVE THEM.

WE ANALYZED AND LOOKED WITH THE IDEA OF HOW CAN WE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS HAVE THE BEST OUTCOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY? WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE HURTING.

BUT I HAVE SEEN NUMBERS TIME AFTER TIME THAT THE COMMUNITY PULLS TOGETHER AND WE HELP EACH OTHER.

THERE'S NO EASY ANSWER IN THIS.

NO MATTER WHAT DECISION WE MAKE, THERE'S NO SILVER BULLET ANYWHERE.

IT'S GOING TO AFFECT FAMILIES AND IT AFFECTS KIDS, AND WE TAKE THAT TO HEART.

BUT THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, THAT WE CAN HAVE THE RESOURCES, THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TEACHERS, THE RIGHT STAFF, THE RIGHT FACILITIES SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THE CURRENT AND THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF KIDS ATTENDING RISD.

I THANK EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT AND HELP IN MAKING THESE DIFFICULT DECISIONS, BUT I HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS WITH A HEAVY HEART, THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. EAGER. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? BOARD, WE ARE NOW GOING TO VOTE ON EACH ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY SEPARATELY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME, LOOK LIKE ABOUT 2.5 HOURS, IT'S PRETTY LENGTHY MEETING, EVERYBODY'S GETTING A LITTLE FIDGETY.

I WOULD ASK THAT AS WE DO THE VOTES, PLEASE RESPECT OUR PROCESS, PLEASE.

PLEASE REMAIN QUIET AS WE DO OUR PROCESS AND DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.

WE THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND SUPPORTING RICHARDSON ISD, AND SUPPORTING YOUR SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES, AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IN RICHARDSON.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AHEAD INTO OUR VOTE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT FOR GREENWOOD HILLS ELEMENTARY?

>> SO MOVED.

>> THANK YOU, MISS TIMMY. IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU, MISS MCGOWAN. WE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OVERALL PROJECT.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS CAMPUS? HEARING NONE, THERE IS A MOTION BY MISS TIMMY, A SECOND BY MISS MCGOWAN.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS REAL HIGH SO THAT I CAN SEE THEM.

MOTION PASSES 7-0.

THE NEXT VOTE IS FOR THURGOOD MARSHALL ELEMENTARY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT FOR THURGOOD MARSHALL ELEMENTARY?

>> SO MOVED.

>> THANK YOU, MR. POTETE. IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU, MISS TIMMY.

WE HAVE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OVERALL PROJECT.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS CAMPUS? HEARING NONE, THERE IS A MOTION BY MR. POTETE, A SECOND BY MISS TIMMY.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, RAISE YOUR HANDS REAL HIGH SO THAT I CAN SEE THEM.

MOTION PASSES 7-0.

THE NEXT VOTE IS FOR SPRINGRIDGE ELEMENTARY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT FOR SPRINGRIDGE ELEMENTARY?

>> SO MOVED.

>> THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO. IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU, MR. EAGER. THERE IS A MOTION BY MISS PACHECO, A SECOND BY MR.

[02:40:03]

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS REAL HIGH.

MOTION PASSES 7-0.

PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXIT THE AUDITORIUM, YOU MAY DO SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOTHING. THE NEXT VOTE IS FOR SPRING VALLEY ELEMENTARY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT FOR SPRING VALLEY ELEMENTARY?

>> SO MOVED.

>> THANK YOU, MR. POTETE. IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU, MISS RENTERIA.

THERE IS A MOTION BY MR. POTETE, A SECOND BY MISS RENTERIA.

WE HAVE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OVERALL PROJECT.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS CAMPUS? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.

MOTION PASSES 7-0.

OUR FINAL VOTE TONIGHT WILL BE ON THE PROPOSED NON-CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE NON-CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARY?

>> SO MOVED.

>> THANK YOU, MISS MCGOWAN. IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU, MR. EAGER. WE HAVE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OVERALL PROJECT.

THERE IS A MOTION BY MISS MCGOWAN, A SECOND BY MR. EAGER. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE NON-CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS HIGH SO THAT I CAN SEE THEM.

MOTION PASSES 7-0.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF, OUR VISITORS WHO WERE HERE WHO HAVE LEFT NOW.

WE THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.

THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION FOR ALL OF US HERE.

THE PROCESS HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND THE BOARD WILL NOW GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION.

[IV. CLOSED MEETING]

THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE TO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY IN SECTION 551.074, PERSONNEL MATTERS AND DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICER.

COLLEAGUES, WE WILL MEET UPSTAIRS.

>> ALL RIGHTY, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU EVERYONE.

THIS BOARD IS RETURNING TO OPEN SESSION AT 10:03 PM.

HAVING TAKEN NO ACTION WHILE IN CLOSED SESSION.

I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND STAFF FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.

IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY, BUT IT'S BEEN A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10:03 PM ON MARCH 21ST, 2024.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.