>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
THE MAY WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE RICHARDSON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.I AM REGINA HARRIS, BOARD PRESIDENT.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 06:00 PM.
TRUSTEE RINTA RIA AND TRUSTEE MCGOWAN WILL NOT BE JOINING US THIS EVENING, BUT AS STATED EARLIER, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
[II. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]
MR. POTTIT, DO WE HAVE ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD THIS AFTERNOON?>> YES, MISS HARRIS, WE DO TONIGHT.
THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR VISITORS.
DURING TODAY'S MEETING, SPEAKERS MAY ONLY SPEAK TO AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. A SPEAKER WHO ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS NON-AGENDA RELATED TOPIC, MUST STOP THE COMMENTS WHEN DIRECTED, PLEASE.
AS A REMINDER, SPEAKERS ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PROTOCOL AS NOTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
SPEAKERS, PLEASE APPROACH OUR PODIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER TONIGHT IS MR. WIN BLACKMAN.
>> GOOD EVENING BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM, PRESIDENT HARRISON, ESTEEMED EMPLOYEES.
THEY ARE SINGING AND DANCING FOR THE JOY OF WHAT YOU PASSED A FORTNIGHT AGO.
THE WORK THAT TRUSTEE TIMMY PUTS IN TO ADVOCATE FOR TEACHERS AND THEIR SALARIES IS MUCH APPRECIATED.
I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS FROM A NUMBER OF TEACHER AT THE EVENT LAST NIGHT THAT THEY CELEBRATED TEACHERS DOING GREAT RESEARCH PROJECTS AND NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR THAT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO THOSE FOLKS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT MR. POTTIT, AS WELL. GREAT STUFF.
SUCCESS IS NOT FINAL, FAILURE IS NOT FATAL, IT IS THE COURAGE TO CONTINUE, THAT'S WHAT COUNTS.
THAT'S A PLAQUE THAT A STUDENT GAVE ME FROM SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL.
I RISE TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO RESETTING THE RIC ENVIRONMENT.
TO BEGIN, I WANT TO TALK OF MY FELLOW TEACHERS.
WE TEACH CEOS, PRESIDENTS, CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY.
WE ALSO TEACH RAPISTS AND MURDERERS AND THIEVES.
YOU SEE ALL PEOPLE GO THROUGH SCHOOL, AND EQUAL ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE FOR THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE AS THE SCHOOL TO ANYTHING PIPELINE.
I HOPE TONIGHT THE PRESENTATION WILL GUIDE US THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM.
SOME OF THE BEHAVIOR ISSUES THAT WE SEE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO UP TO ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS WHERE A YOUNG GIRL NOW IS FACING THIRD DEGREE FELONY ASSAULT CHARGES OF A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.
SHE PUT HER HANDS ON AN ADMINISTRATOR AND THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR, BUT I WASN'T THERE FOR THAT ISSUE, I WAS THERE FOR ANOTHER GIRL WHO, AND I SAY LITTLE, SHE'S JUST A FRESHMAN, WHO WAS ASSAULTED GRIEVOUSLY BY ANOTHER STUDENT, JUMPED FROM BEHIND, VIOLENTLY SO, BLOOD COMING FROM THE NOSE BECAUSE EARLIER SHE HAD TRIPPED ON HER BACKPACK.
TODAY, THAT ASSAILANT RETURNED TO HER SCHOOL AFTER BEING 30 DAYS AWAY. YOU KNOW WHAT? I ADMIRE THAT STUDENT FOR THEIR BRAVERY TO FACE UP TO WHAT MUST BE A HORRIFYING PROSPECT OF WALKING THOSE HALLS.
SEE, THE TRICK WITH A DIVERSE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THAT DIVERSITY ISN'T JUST SKIN DEEP, IT IS SO MUCH MORE.
I HOPE THAT DISCERNMENT AND WISDOM WILL PREVAIL IN OUR COMING DISCUSSIONS.
HOW TO DEAL WITH A FIST FIGHT WITH MUTUAL COMBAT VERSUS HOW TO DEAL WITH THE GANG BANGERS OF 20 KIDS MUTUALLY COMBATING IN A HORRENDOUS HALLWAY, CAUSING MAYHEM AND CHAOS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WISH TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS IN, THAT TAKES REAL THOUGHT, REAL UNDERSTANDING.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF SETTING OUR STANDARDS.
LET'S NOT GET MIRED INTO THE SUBTLE BIGOTRY OF THAT LOWERED EXPECTATIONS.
BECAUSE DARN IT, I HOLD MY KIDS ACCOUNTABLE IN MY CLASSROOM, AND I WATCH THEM RISE TO LEVELS THEY NEVER THOUGHT THEY COULD.
GO AND TEACH A TEENAGER ABOUT PHYSICS.
WE'LL OPEN YOUR EYES. AS WE GO FORWARD TO THIS RESET, I HOPE THAT WE DO SET THOSE HIGHER, THAT WE LEVEL UP.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSION.
>> PRESIDENT HARRIS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THE EVENING.
>> THANK YOU, MR. POTTIT. THANK YOU, MR. BLACKMAN, FOR YOUR PRESENCE TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE IT.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AN INFORMATION ITEM REGARDING 2024,
[III.A. 2024 - 2025 Budget Discussion]
2025 BUDGET UPDATE, MS. BRANHAM.>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HARRIS.
REALLY, IT'S MONTH 12 BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING REALLY SINCE THE FALL WHEN YOU ALL FORMED THE COMMUNITY BUDGET STEERING COMMITTEE.
BUT REALLY SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON THE 2024,
[00:05:02]
2025 BUDGET, WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS SINCE JANUARY.NOW WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU SINCE WE ADOPTED THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE A LAST FEW MOVING PIECES TO THE BUDGET WHERE WE WOULD LIKE YOUR FEEDBACK AS WE FINALIZE FOR FINAL ADOPTION ON JUNE 6TH.
OF NOTE TONIGHT, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE TALKING WHAT WE ALWAYS KNOW IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE JUST HOLD OUR BREATH AS WE RECEIVE THE EMAIL AND WAIT TO OPEN IT, AND THAT IS THE INCREASE IN OUR INSURANCE COSTS.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE AND MR. PATE IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THAT, AND THAT PROBABLY IS WHERE I SEE US ANCHORING MOST OF THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
MR. PATE, I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE.
>> THANK YOU. YES, IN ADDITION TO THE TRS ACTIVE CARE RATES, WE'LL LOOK AT THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
THEY DON'T GET AS MUCH ATTENTION DURING THE BUDGET BUILDING PROCESS AND THEN ALSO GO OVER SOME INFORMATION ON OUR FEDERAL FUNDS.
THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT ADOPTED BY THE BOARD, THOSE BUDGETS, BUT JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE BECAUSE THEY DO HELP SUPPORT THE GENERAL FUND AND PAY A NUMBER OF OUR STAFF ALSO OUT OF THOSE FUNDS.
STARTING WITH THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND, THE RAISE BUILT INTO THEIR BUDGET.
START WITH THE KITCHEN STAFF ASSISTANT MANAGERS, MANAGERS, AREA SUPERVISORS, WE'RE ADJUSTING THEIR BUDGET BASED ON WHAT WE DID WITH CUSTODIAL, SO WE'RE TAKING THE STARTING SALARY FOR THAT GROUP TO $15 AN HOUR AND THEN MOVING EVERYONE UP WITHIN THAT.
AGAIN, THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE RAISE IN THE CUSTODIAL PAID TO $15 AN HOUR.
THE EXEMPT PERSONNEL ARE RECEIVING A 3% RAISE, SAME WITH OUR OTHER FUNDS, AND WE HAVE 14 COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION CAMPUSES.
THOSE ARE OUR CAMPUSES WHERE ALL OF THE STUDENTS EAT FOR FREE, AND WE ANTICIPATE THE SAME NUMBER AS LAST YEAR, BUT THURGOOD MARSHALL ELEMENTARY IS COMING OUT OF THAT POPULATION, AND WE'RE WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION IN THE NEXT WEEK, BUT WE BELIEVE RICHLAND ELEMENTARY WILL BE JOINING THE GROUP OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION.
JUST AS ALWAYS, SINCE WE STARTED THAT PROCESS, THE FAMILIES ON THOSE CEP CAMPUSES, WILL STILL NEED TO COMPLETE OUR LOCAL INCOME FORM, AND OF COURSE, OUR NON-CEP CAMPUS FAMILIES WILL COMPLETE THE REGULAR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION FORM, AND OUR REIMBURSABLE MEAL PRICE WILL CONTINUE AT THE 2019, 2020 RATES.
WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO BEING FORCED TO RAISE THAT, BUT WE DO NOT NEED TO RAISE IT FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR.
THE FORCE THERE HAS TO DO WITH THE RULES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, RELATED TO THE GRANT FUNDS, THE FEDERAL FUNDING WE RECEIVE FOR STUDENT MEALS.
JUST A COMPARISON OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR CHILD NUTRITION FOR 2023, 2024, COMPARED WITH OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2024, 2025, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL REVENUE LINE, IS BASICALLY THE SAME, JUST A SHIFT BETWEEN FEDERAL FUNDING AND LOCAL REVENUE.
WE JUST NEED TO CLEAN THAT UP A LITTLE BIT WITH WHERE THINGS ARE COMING NOW, SEVERAL YEARS POST PANDEMIC.
WE DID THE FINAL AMENDED BUDGET FOR THAT FUND, YOU WILL ALSO SEE A CHANGE IN THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL REVENUE FOR 2023, 2024 WHEN WE BRING THAT IN.
OUR EXPENDITURES ARE INCREASING, OF COURSE, DUE TO RAISES, INFLATION, AND REALLY THE BIGGEST SINGLE CHANGE IN THERE IS THERE'S 3 MILLION BUDGETED FOR EQUIPMENT.
OUR FUND BALANCE IN THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND, AGAIN, IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S REGULATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND OUR FUND BALANCE IS TOO LARGE IN THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND SO WE NEED TO SPEND DOWN SOME FUND BALANCE, SO THE CHILD NUTRITION TEAM IS INVESTING IN ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE KITCHENS.
THE PROBLEM IS GETTING THE EQUIPMENT.
THEY TRIED TO BUY SOME THIS YEAR AND IT DID NOT COME IN IN TIME, SO THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE REDUCTIONS IN FUND BALANCE, SO WE WILL CONTINUE THAT.
AS LONG AS THEY DO HAVE A PLAN AND OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, IT WILL NOT BE AN AUDIT FINDING, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR AUDITORS SPECIFICALLY TEST FOR IS TO MAKE SURE THAT FUND BALANCE IS NOT TOO LARGE IN THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND.
[00:10:01]
MOVING ON TO THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.THE BUDGET FOR IT IS BUILT WITH A 35-CENT I&S TAX RATE.
THAT IS THE SAME TAX RATE WE HAVE HAD SINCE THE 2016 BOND ELECTION.
AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER THAT THE TAX REVENUE FROM THE INTEREST & SINKING FUND TAX RATE CAN ONLY BE USED TO SERVICE OUR DEBT.
WE CANNOT USE THAT FOR PAYING TEACHERS, OPERATING OUR BUILDINGS, PUTTING FUEL IN OUR BUSES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT IS PURELY JUST THE TAX WE LEVY TO MAKE OUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT.
SO FAR, WE'VE ISSUED 600 MILLION OF BOND 2021.
WE HAVE 150 MILLION REMAINING.
WE EXPECT TO ISSUE 125 OF THAT REMAINING 150 IN JUNE.
THEN THE LAST 25 MILLION OF BONDS WE EXPECT TO ISSUE SOMETIME IN 2025.
OUR TAXABLE, AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE GENERAL FUND, PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH IS ESTIMATED AT PERCENT HOLD HARMLESS.
IT'S UNDER CURRENT LAW AS WE UNDERSTAND IT TODAY.
THERE HAS BEEN STILL MUCH CONFUSION ABOUT THE WAY THE HOLD HARMLESS IS APPLYING TO OUR DEBT AND THE VARIOUS ASPECTS, WITH THE INCREASE IN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO $100,000.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CERTAINTY AROUND THE GENERAL FUND SIDE, NOT AS MUCH AROUND THE DEBT SERVICE FUND SIDE.
THEN OUR BOND RATING, JUST A REMINDER, WE ARE AAA FROM MOODY'S.
THAT IS THE HIGHEST BOND RATING THAT ANY OF THE RATING AGENCIES ISSUE IS AAA RATING, AND WE ARE AA+ WITH S&P.
THERE ARE SEVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE RATED AAA BY MOODY'S.
FOUR OF THOSE ARE RATED AA+ BY S&P.
THAT IS, AGAIN, THE HIGHEST RATING S&P GIVES ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS.
TWO OF THE SEVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE RATED AA+ BY FITCH.
THEN ONE IS RATED AAA BY FITCH.
REALLY, FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS, THE SWEET SPOT IS TO HAVE ONE AAA RATING AND ONE AA+ RATING BECAUSE YOU STILL GET THE STATE'S PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND GUARANTEE, WHICH GIVES YOU THE STATES AAA BOND RATING, AND THAT'S WORTH JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE MARKET.
WE DO JUST A LITTLE BETTER THAN IF WE WERE GOING TO THE MARKET WITH OUR OWN UNDERLYING AAA RATING FROM TWO FIRMS. I KNOW IT'S STRANGE AND IT SOUNDS WEIRD NOT TO WANT THE HIGHEST RATING FROM BOTH FIRMS, BUT WE ARE IN THE RIGHT SPOT WITH A AAA AND DOUBLE AA+.
OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND MULTI-YEAR.
AGAIN, THIS WAS BUILT WITH TAX REVENUE REMAINING AT THE 35 PERCENT TAX RATE.
YOU SEE OUR SCHEDULED DEBT PAYMENTS THERE AND THEN OUR FEES AND THEN CAPACITY FOR PAYMENTS ON FUTURE DEBT ISSUES, WHETHER THAT IS THE REMAINING 150 MILLION OR A FUTURE BOND ELECTION OR JUST USING THOSE TAX PROCEEDS TO CALL AND SHORTEN THE EXISTING DEBT AND REDUCE CURRENT OUTSTANDING DEBT.
THE GOAL WITH FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL, EXCUSE ME, IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND IS TO TRY TO KEEP IT AROUND $30 MILLION BECAUSE REMEMBER, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOW GETTING WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE MORE SUBSTANTIAL STATE FUNDING AT ABOUT SEVEN MILLION THIS YEAR IN THE PAST, IT'S BEEN A MILLION DOLLARS OR LESS.
IT'S NOT REALLY BEEN ENOUGH TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.
BUT WE DON'T GET ANY CASH FLOW COMING IN FOR DEBT SERVICE UNTIL PEOPLE START PAYING THEIR TAX BILLS IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY.
WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AUGUST DEBT PAYMENT EVERY YEAR, AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH CASH ON HAND TO MAKE THAT DEBT PAYMENT.
THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO HOLD THAT AROUND $30 MILLION.
IN THE PROPOSED DEBT SERVICE BUDGET, YOU CAN SEE JUST A SHIFTING BETWEEN LOCAL REVENUE AND STATE REVENUE, BUT TOTAL REVENUE STAYING PRETTY FLAT.
THE DEBT SERVICE PRINCIPAL INTEREST PAYMENTS, THAT JUST REALLY IS FOLLOWING ALONG THE EXISTING DEBT SERVICE SCHEDULE PLUS SOME ESTIMATES FOR THE IMPACT OF ISSUING THE REMAINING 125 THIS YEAR BECAUSE THAT WILL GO INTO THE BUDGET FOR '24, '25, AND YOU CAN SEE CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE REALLY TRYING TO TARGET BASICALLY BREAKING EVEN BECAUSE WHEN WE END '23, '24, I EXPECT TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT 30 MILLION, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HOLD IT FLAT.
[00:15:01]
IF WE COME IN A LITTLE HIGHER IN '23, '24, WE WILL EITHER USE THAT MONEY TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON THAT 125 OR WE WILL CALL SOME OUTSTANDING DEBT WE HAVE WE HAVE CALLABLE BONDS CURRENTLY.IN THE LAST MEETING IN MAY, YOU AUTHORIZED ME AGAIN, JUST LIKE YOU HAVE IN THE PAST TO CALL ANY OF OUR OUTSTANDING BONDS, AND WE WOULD DO THAT IN JANUARY.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, AT THE FEBRUARY CALL DATE, WE NOTIFY THE MARKET IN JANUARY OF THAT.
MOVING ON TO HEALTH INSURANCE, WHICH WE DO PROVIDE THROUGH TRS-ACTIVECARE.
THE FIRST THING I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH WITH YOU ON THAT IS TRS IS ELIMINATING ONE OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS.
THEY'RE ELIMINATING ACTIVECARE HMO, AND WE HAVE CURRENTLY 93 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PARTICIPANTS ON THAT PLAN.
IF THOSE EMPLOYEES DON'T MAKE ANOTHER CHOICE, TRS WILL MOVE THEM TO ACTIVECARE PRIMARY+.
I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH CARRIE RAMBO, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PAYROLL AND BENEFITS.
SHE AND HER TEAM WILL BE REACHING OUT INDIVIDUALLY TO ALL 93 OF THESE EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TO ANSWER ANY OF THEIR QUESTIONS SO THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES HAVE A SMOOTH A TRANSITION AS POSSIBLE TO ANOTHER HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.
WE'VE HAD A CONSISTENT NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THAT HMO PLAN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS AND CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION WHEN SELECTING A NEW PLAN.
THE AVERAGE RATE INCREASE, AND THIS IS AGAIN, GOES BACK TO WHAT MS. BRANHAM SAID ABOUT IT'S ALL HOLDING OUR BREATH THAT AVERAGE RATE INCREASE IS ABOUT 11.2 PERCENT ACROSS ALL OF THE COVERAGE LEVELS AND PLAN TYPES.
I'VE GOT MORE DETAIL ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT ACTIVECARE HD AND ACTIVECARE PRIMARY+ ARE INCREASING $51 A MONTH, WHICH IS $612 A YEAR.
ACTIVECARE PRIMARY+ IS INCREASING $59 A MONTH OR $708 A YEAR.
NOT KNOWING WHAT DIRECTION THE BOARD MIGHT WANT TO TAKE OR WHAT FEEDBACK YOU MIGHT GIVE US, I WENT AHEAD AND CALCULATED TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF A DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION INCREASE.
I'M JUST PRESENTING INFORMATION AT THIS POINT.
BUT BASICALLY COVERING HALF THE INCREASE, $26 A MONTH, TAKING THE DISTRICTS CONTRIBUTION FROM $313-339 A MONTH WOULD COST ABOUT 1.2 MILLION.
IF THE DISTRICT WANTED TO INCREASE THE CONTRIBUTION TO COVER THE ENTIRE EMPLOYEE ONLY INCREASE OF $51 A MONTH, THAT WOULD TAKE US FROM $313-364 A MONTH PER EMPLOYEE IS THE DISTRICT'S CONTRIBUTION COSTING APPROXIMATELY $2.2 MILLION, AND THEN JUST AS A REMINDER, APPROXIMATELY 55% OF ISD EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.
THIS REALLY HARD TO READ SLIDE IS ALL OF THE DETAIL FOR EACH OF THE DIFFERENT PLANS.
YOU HAVE THE PLAN, THE VARIOUS COVERAGE OPTIONS, EMPLOYEE ONLY, EMPLOYEE SPOUSE, EMPLOYEE CHILD AND FAMILY, THE NUMBER OF DISTRICT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SUBSCRIBED TO THOSE PLANS, WHAT THE FULL PREMIUM WAS ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR '23, '24, THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR '23, '24, AND THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR '23, '24.
THEN THE SAME DATA FORMATTED THE SAME WAY FOR '24, '25.
THE FULL PREMIUM, THE DISTRICT'S CURRENT CONTRIBUTION OF 313, THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION, EMPLOYEE MONTHLY INCREASE, AND EMPLOYEE ANNUALIZED INCREASE.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD POINT OUT TO YOU ON THIS, SO THE ACTIVECARE PRIMARY PLUS NUMBERS, I WENT AHEAD AND MOVED THE HMO PARTICIPANTS INTO THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE STATE WILL DEFAULT THEM TO IF THEY DON'T MAKE ANOTHER PLAN CHANGE, AND SO I JUST DID THAT.
THEN ANOTHER REMINDER THAT ACTIVECARE TOO IS CLOSED TO NEW ENROLLEES AND THE DISTRICT HAD A DIFFERENTIATED PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION FOR EMPLOYEES WITH 10 YEARS OR MORE COMPARED TO 10 YEARS OR LESS.
I FULLY EXPECT THAT THE STATE,
[00:20:02]
IF THEY'RE ALLOWED TO BY LAW, WE'LL ELIMINATE THIS PLAN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF EMPLOYEES IN THAT PLAN AND SINCE IT'S CLOSED TO NEW ENROLLEES, IT'S AT SOME POINT GOING TO BECOME COST PROHIBITIVE TO MAINTAIN THAT, I WOULD ASSUME.THIS NEXT SLIDE IS A COMPARISON OF OUR HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE AREA.
THESE NUMBERS ARE, OF COURSE, SUBJECT TO CHANGE BECAUSE MOST OF THE DISTRICTS HAVE NOT ADOPTED A BUDGET YET AND THEY COULD MAKE CHANGES IN WHAT THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING.
ALSO OF THIS COMPARISON GROUP, ONLY MESQUITE ISD IS SELF-FUNDED AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY MAKING THE HIGHEST CONTRIBUTION, AND THAT IS AN AVERAGE CONTRIBUTION BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A DIFFERENTIATED CONTRIBUTION BASED ON DIFFERENT PLANS.
JUST A FEW THINGS WALKING THROUGH HERE.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS ALL SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.
WE CANNOT USE IT IN PLACE OF GENERAL FUNDS.
IT HAS TO BE AN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE ON OUR STUDENTS.
TITLE I IS FOR OUR EDUCATIONALLY DISADVANTAGED.
FUNDING IN ALL OF THESE IS BASED ON STUDENT ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
TITLE I IS TIED TO OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED IS WHAT GENERATES THIS.
BUT IT'S REALLY MEANT TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
TITLE II SUPPORTS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
BOTH TITLE III IMMIGRANT AND TITLE III ELA ARE SERVICES TO OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS.
THEN TITLE IV IS SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS, CRISIS COUNSELORS, LIVE WISE, LIVE HEALTHY.
THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED IN WHOLE OR IN PART OUT OF TITLE IV.
THEN OF COURSE, IDEA B IS FUNDING FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND PERKINS IS CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FUNDING.
THESE ARE OUR PLANNING AMOUNTS, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME INCREASES IN SOME, DECREASES IN ANOTHER, BUT ON THE WHOLE, IT'S VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED FOR OUR FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING.
AGAIN, THE STATE USES PMS DATA TO DETERMINE THESE NUMBERS.
ALSO, PRIOR TO SUBMITTING OUR GRANT APPLICATIONS, THE GRANTS TEAM WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR CAMPUS AND CENTRAL LEADERSHIP AND THE DISTRICT PLANNING COMMITTEE, ON ASSESSING OUR NEEDS BASED ON DATA AND ALSO EVALUATING OUR PROGRESS ON DISTRICT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
IT'S IMPORTANT PART OF THE WHOLE GRANT PROCESS.
WE DO INVITE THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON OUR GRANT EXPENDITURE PLANS THROUGH CAMPUS AND DISTRICT REPRESENTATION ON PLANNING COMMITTEES, AND OF COURSE, OUR LET'S TALK CHANNEL.
>> IF I CAN JUST ADD, MR. PATE,.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT IDEA B, IN PARTICULAR, IT'S INCREDIBLY CONCERNING BECAUSE AS WE HAVE SEEN NOT JUST RICHARDSON ISD, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT REGIONAL AND STATE DATA, WE ARE SERVING MORE KIDS THAN WE'VE EVER SERVED BEFORE.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE IDENTIFICATION, THE DYSLEXIA CHANGE NOW THAT IS SERVED UNDER SPECIAL EDUCATION.
WE ARE SERVING MORE STUDENTS, AND AGAIN, WE ARE NOT SEEING EQUITY IN TERMS OF INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE INCREASED NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING.
THEN ALSO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LEVEL OF STUDENT NEEDS AND WHAT THEY REQUIRE FOR PROGRAMMING, AND AGAIN, THAT FUNDING IS JUST NOT EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THAT EXPENDITURE LINE IS.
I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO POINT THAT OUT.
>> THANK YOU, MRS. BROWN, AND THEN OF COURSE, ALSO, WE PAY A LARGE NUMBER OF T TYPES OUT OF THESE GRANTS, AND THE RAISE YOU ADOPTED FOR T TYPES AT THE LAST MEETING IMPACTS EVERY ONE OF THESE GRANTS.
YOU CAN SEE THE DOLLARS ARE NOT INCREASING, BUT THE SALARY COST WILL BE INCREASING.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO EVALUATE WHERE WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS OUR EXPENDITURES IN THESE GRANTS BECAUSE IT IS HARDER AND HARDER TO FUND THE SAME NUMBER OF STAFF WITHOUT SEEING ANY INCREASES IN OUR FEDERAL FUNDING.
JUST A REAL CHALLENGE FOR THE GRANTS TEAM, AND WE HAVE A MEETING WITH MRS. BROWN NEXT WEEK ON THAT VERY TOPIC.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IT, THERE ARE NO NEW ITEMS ON THERE FOR YOU, JUST A REMINDER THAT IT IS IN HERE.
[00:25:01]
I WILL SAY THAT THE ONE THING THAT'S REALLY MISSING ON THIS CALENDAR, JUST BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT IT THERE, IS THE FACT THAT RIGHT ABOUT JULY 1, I START ON THE '25/'26 BUDGET PROCESS.I'M TRYING TO KEEP THE BUDGET PROCESSES A LITTLE SEPARATED THERE.
WITH THAT, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU, MR. PATE. ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD? MRS. BROWN, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING?
>> YOU WANT TO KEEP US OFF. QUESTIONS? MR. EAGER. THERE YOU GO.
>> LET'S SEE. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
WE LOOK BETWEEN '24 AND '25 AND '25/'26 AND DEBT PAYMENTS.
WE GO FROM 94 MILLION TO 69 MILLION.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT OF THE REDUCTION, BECAUSE I SEE THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE, I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE WHERE THE SHIFT CAME FROM.
THE SHIFT IS THE WAY WE NORMALLY STRUCTURE DEBT WHEN WE'RE SELLING NEW BONDS.
WE TRY TO LEAVE CAPACITY IN FOR A FUTURE BOND SALE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN RIGHT NOW, WE STILL HAVE OUTSTANDING BONDS, AUTHORIZED BUT UNISSUED BONDS FROM THE 2021 BOND ELECTION.
THOSE ARE DOWN THERE THE LINE THAT'S THE 44 MILLION, THE PAYMENT ON FUTURE DEBT ISSUANCES.
ONCE WE GET SCHEDULED DEBT PAYMENT, FOR ME, IT JUST MOVES FROM THAT LINE OF THE 44 UP INTO THE 69 ONCE WE ISSUE THE BONDS.
JUST TRYING TO RECOGNIZE WHAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE THOSE BONDS ARE ON THE STREET AND THE CAPACITY WE HAVE FOR A FUTURE BOND SALE AND STRUCTURING THAT FUTURE BOND SALE.
>> BASICALLY THE FUTURE DEBT ISSUANCE, IS THAT EXCESS CAPACITY?
>> THAT LINE ITEM IS DESCRIBED?
>> THEN I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT.
THE INCREASE IN CHILD SERVICES HERE, THAT INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES, HAS THAT BEEN EVEN REFLECTED ON SOME OF THE BUDGET PROJECTIONS WE'VE SEEN BEFORE?
>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE SEEING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS IN ITS OWN FUND.
>> I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLEAR ON THAT AT THE START.
JUST AS A REMINDER FOR THE AUDIENCE AT HOME, THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTS THE BUDGETS FOR THREE DIFFERENT FUNDS: THE GENERAL FUND, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, AND THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND.
BECAUSE THE GENERAL FUND EMPLOYS THE MAJORITY OF STAFF, WE SPEND THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND.
BUT THIS ONE IS A SEPARATE FUND THAT YOU WILL VOTE ON ON JUNE 6TH. THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GENERAL FUND IS THERE.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS AHEAD. THANK YOU. WELCOME.
>> MR. POTTIT, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> QUICK QUESTION ON THE TIMING OF THESE FUNDS.
THE FEDERAL GRANTS, THE CHILD NUTRITION FUNDING, AND THESE ARE ALL REIMBURSEMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE BASED ON OUR ENROLLMENT AND QUALIFIED STUDENTS, AT WHAT POINT? I'M TRYING TO SEE THE TIMING ON THIS.
>> YES, SIR. WE'LL TAKE THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND FIRST.
PART OF IT IS REIMBURSED BASED ON THE MEAL SERVED, AND THEN PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FOOD COMMODITIES THAT WE RECEIVE AND SERVE TO THE STUDENTS.
WE PUT OUR ORDERS IN AND THOSE COMMODITIES COME IN WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO SEND THEM TO US.
YES, IT'S NOT HIGHLY PREDICTABLE THERE.
THE REIMBURSEMENT IS PREDICTABLE, THE REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE MEAL SERVED IS PREDICTABLE.
THEN ALL OF THE FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING, THOSE GRANTS THAT ARE PRESENTED HERE ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'RE CORRECT, THOSE ARE ALL REIMBURSEMENT BASIS GRANTS.
WE HAVE TO FUND THOSE AND THEN REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE FOR THOSE, AND THE MONEY FLOWS FROM THE FEDS TO THE STATE THEN TO US, WHICH AGAIN, IS ANOTHER REASON FOR THE GENERAL FUND NEEDING A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FRONT THAT MONEY FIRST.
[00:30:04]
WE ESSENTIALLY NEED, IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, WE NEED THE WORKING CAPITAL TO PAY THOSE STAFF, BUY THOSE SUPPLIES, SUBMIT THE REIMBURSEMENTS, AND THEN WAIT FOR THE STATE TO FUND US.>> THANK YOU. THAT'S GOOD FOR ME AND EVERYBODY WHO'S LISTENING AS WELL TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THAT CASH FLOW TIMING ON THIS.
THE ONLY THING I HAD WAS A COMMENT REALLY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE INSURANCE AND THE CLOSING DOWN OF ONE OF THE POLICIES, I GUESS, AND WE'VE GOT 93 EFFECTED EMPLOYEES, STAFF MEMBERS.
I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGH PROJECT RIGHTSIZE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT GOING OUT AND INDIVIDUALLY MEETING WITH EACH OF THESE EMPLOYEES, AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S GREAT SERVICE.
AND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PROJECT RIGHTSIZE, WE TALKED ABOUT STAFF THAT WERE IMPACTED AND TRANSITIONING FROM SCHOOLS AND I KNOW THAT THE SAME EFFORT WAS STRESSED IN THAT PROJECT AS WELL.
I THINK WE MENTIONED IT IS LIKE A CONCIERGE SERVICE ALMOST.
I THINK AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF WHAT WE DO FOR STAFF, THIS IS PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR WHAT WE DO FOR STAFF, AND THAT STUCK OUT TO ME WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING THAT IN ALL OF OUR ACTIONS.
BRAVO, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. POTTIT. MISS TIMMY.
I THINK ONE IS GOING TO PROBABLY BE SPLIT BETWEEN BOTH OF YOU GUYS.
BUT AS FAR AS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE EMPLOYED, WE GIVE THESE RAISES, THAT SORT OF A THING, AND IT ENDS UP TAKING US OVER OUR GRANTS.
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT? WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IF THERE'S EXCESS SALARY OR EXCESS FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THOSE?
>> WE START LOOKING CAREFULLY AT ALL OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THERE, WE DISCUSS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OR THE CAMPUS BECAUSE IN SOME CASES, FOR INSTANCE, IN TITLE 1, THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE MADE DECISIONS WITH TITLE 1 FUNDING THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED TO THEM TO EMPLOY PEOPLE.
WE WILL WORK WITH THAT CAMPUS, LOOKING AT THE TOTAL TITLE 1 FUNDING WE'VE ALLOCATED TO A CAMPUS.
CAN THEY SQUEEZE? DO THEY WANT TO KEEP THAT EMPLOYEE? DO THEY HAVE CAPACITY WITHIN THE REMAINING NON-PAYROLL FUNDS IF THEY DO WANT TO KEEP THAT EMPLOYEE IS THE FIRST STEP.
OR IF JUST THE AMOUNT THAT THAT'S ALLOCATED TO A PARTICULAR CAMPUS, IF THEY'RE JUST NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER IT, THEN WE START TALKING.
THAT'S WHY DOCTOR BUTEL AND MYSELF ARE MEETING WITH MS. BRANHAM NEXT WEEK.
I'LL SAY, TECHNICALLY, THEIR CONTRACTS ALWAYS SAY IF THE FUNDING GOES AWAY, THEY ARE NOT HERE, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND WE HAVE JOB OPENINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL ONE BY ONE.
MS. BRANHAM LOOKS LIKE SHE WANTS TO STRAIGHTEN ME OUT.
>> CAN I ADD ONE MORE POINT TO THAT, TOO.
ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE NOT GOING OVER POTENTIALLY BY SOMEONE'S WHOLE SALARY.
THERE MAY JUST BE PARTS OF IT, SO YOU HAVE THIS EXTRA OFFENSE IF THE SERVICE IS STILL NEEDED.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S TWO THINGS.
ONE, WE LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THESE FUNDS ARE THERE TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT WE KNOW STUDENTS WHO HAVE THOSE NEEDS, THEY CAN STILL BE MET.
IF WE SEE, LET'S SAY THERE'S A CAMPUS THAT WE ARE SEEING A DEMOGRAPHIC TREND, WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY ARE SERVING LESS AND LESS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
I'LL TELL YOU, WE HAVE A CAMPUS THAT BECAUSE OF THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR GRANTS DEPARTMENT DOES, WE'VE HAD THEM ON A WATCH LIST FOR TWO YEARS THAT WE SEE.
YOUR NUMBER IS GOING DOWN AND WE THINK THAT THERE'S A CHANCE THAT IN TWO YEARS YOU'RE NO LONGER GOING TO BE TITLE 1.
WE BEGIN TO WORK WITH THEM, USUALLY AT LEAST TWO YEARS IN ADVANCE SO THAT THEY CAN BEGIN TO IDENTIFY HOW DO WE NEED TO SHIFT THOSE RESOURCES? ARE THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THOSE SUPPORT PERSONNEL YIELDING THE OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT? WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THAT PRINCIPLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
FOR IDEA GRANTS, THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PERSONNEL THAT ARE IN THERE AND THAT OFTENTIMES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PERSONNEL ALLOCATIONS.
IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE BROUGHT BACK WHERE WE SAW COST INCREASES THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE INTO THE BUDGET, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE THOSE PERSONNEL FROM IDEA, FOR EXAMPLE, TO OUR M&O BUDGET IF WE CAN'T MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE IDEA GRANT.
>> WE'RE ESSENTIALLY TAKING THOSE LOCAL COSTS ON BECAUSE, MA'AM.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SHORT STUDENTS,
[00:35:01]
CERTAINLY IN AREAS OF HIGH NEED WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED, WE'RE GOING TO FIND WAYS TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES STILL, REGARDLESS.>> THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO COME TO AGAIN, WHEN WE BROUGHT TO YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF THAT WE HAD FUNDED THROUGH SR.
WE STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AND STUDENTS STILL DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR IEPS MET.
THAT'S WHEN WE ASKED YOU ALL TO APPROVE THE INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES TO FUND THOSE POSITIONS.
WE APPROACH THE TITLE CAMPUSES AND THE TITLE FUNDS THE EXACT SAME WAY.
>> THE BOTTOM LINE IS AS WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE KIDS NEED, WE TRY TO MAXIMIZE OUR FUNDING OUT OF HERE, BUT IF THEY STILL NEED IT AND OUR CAMPUSES NEED THOSE THINGS.
AFTER WE'VE DONE AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT WE NEED, IS IT WORKING, THEN WE'RE STILL GOING TO FIND A WAY REGARDLESS OF THE GRANT FUND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE, IT'S EITHER SERVE KIDS OR NOT AT THAT POINT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. BRANHAM. I TEND TO PROVIDE THE VERY BLACK AND WHITE.
THIS IS THE GRANT RULES ANSWER, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, MISS TIMMY. MISS PACHECO.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ON THE SAME SLIDE, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS AGAIN ON THE IDEA, JUST TO FOLLOW BACK ON THAT.
IF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS CHANGE, IS THERE A WAY THAT GETS ADJUSTED, IS IT A YEAR BEHIND OR DO WE REAPPLY THE NEXT YEAR, AND THEN THAT CHANGES? HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> THESE REALLY ARE ALL FORMULA GRANTS.
THESE ARE REALLY FORMULA DRIVEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THESE GRANTS ARE FEDERAL AND THEN THEY'RE FUNNELED THROUGH THE STATE AND THEN THE STATE GIVES US OUR FINAL ALLOCATIONS.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE COST OF SERVICES AND THE VOLUME OF SERVICES HAS INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY AND FEDERAL AND STATE ALLOCATIONS HAVE NOT INCREASED COMMISERATE TO WHAT OUR EXPENDITURES ARE.
THERE'S REALLY NOTHING WE CAN DO, IN TERMS OF REPORTING.
MAKING SURE ALL OF OUR PMS INFORMATION AND ALL OF THAT IS TIGHT.
NOW IT'S JUST EVERYONE BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND SEE THAT THEY ARE NOT FUNDING US AT ADEQUATE LEVELS.
>> I SEE. LOOKING AT THE TITLE 3 IMMIGRANT, AND IT'S BEEN REDUCED, IF WE HAD AN INFLUX OF THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES NEEDED, HOW WOULD THE DISTRICT?
THESE ARE OFTEN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT LIKE A YEAR AND ARREARS AS WELL.
THIS YEAR, IF YOU REMEMBER IN THE FALL, WE ACTUALLY SAW WE WERE NOT RECEIVING AS MANY IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AS WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, BUT THEN IN THE SPRING, THAT NUMBER INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY.
WHEN WE RESUBMIT, THERE'S TWO.
THERE'S A SETTLE UP THAT HAPPENS MID YEAR, SO WE COULD RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THESE AREAS, IF THAT SETTLE UP.
WE CALL IT A SETTLE UP, BUT BASICALLY, IT'S WHERE ARE YOUR NUMBERS LOOKING NOW AND THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED AFTER THE STATE LOOKS AT THOSE NUMBERS.
IF NOT, IT WOULD BE LOOKED AT THE YEAR AFTER.
WE'VE SEEN THIS BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TITLE 3, IT HAS SWUNG, IS THAT RIGHT WORD? YES. IT HAS SWUNG.
ALMOST IN MY 10 YEARS OF BEING HERE, WE WILL SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AND THEN WE'LL SEE A DECREASE BECAUSE THE WAY THAT WE RECEIVE OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND WHEN WE HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT INFLUXES, THEY NEVER ALIGN EXACTLY WHEN WE HAVE TO SUBMIT OUR NUMBERS WHERE WE GET THE FUNDING ENTITLEMENT.
BUT YES, IN THE END, IT WILL SHORE UP, IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CLARIFYING. APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
>> MISS HARRIS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, THERE ALSO IS AN ITEM IN THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING EACH MONTH.
IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER.
DOCTOR BUTEL SUBMITS AN ITEM THAT'S IN THE CONSENT AGENDA DESCRIBING THOSE ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER.
SHE IS WORKING VERY HARD WITH VARIOUS CENTRAL TEAM MEMBERS TO CONSTANTLY LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING TO HELP US WITH THE STAGNANT LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THESE FORMULA GRANTS.
I APPRECIATE YOU, MS. BRANHAM, REMINDING ALL OF US THAT THOSE ARE FORMULA GRANTS TIED TO STUDENT ACCOUNTS AND THEY ARE NOT COMPETITIVE.
WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR THEM, BUT IT IS ALL A FORMULA BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AN INFORMATION ITEM
[III.B. Discipline Overview & Focus for School Year 24 -25]
REGARDING THE DISCIPLINE OVERVIEW AND FOCUS FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2024, 2025. MS. BRANHAM.>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HARRIS.
[00:40:02]
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALLISON.DAVENPORT IS HERE TONIGHT, AND SHE IS SUPPORTING DAVID IN HIS BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THEN I ALSO INVITED A CREW JOE MENCALCO IS GOING TO BE COMING TO THE TABLE AS HE LEADS STUDENT SERVICES AND HAS BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS WORK.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR PHENOMENAL AREA SUPERINTENDENTS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM, SUMMER MARTIN WITH COUNSELING, SARAH DIA IS HERE, JENNY LANIER, PEDRO LOPEZ.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES ON THE CAMPUS AND THE NEEDS OF THE CAMPUS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE IN THE ROOM AND THAT THEIR VOICES ARE REPRESENTED.
THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN WE ASK THEM FOR INPUT OR YOU MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OR ASK FOR THEIR FEEDBACK, AND SO WE JUST WANTED THEM TO BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU AS WELL.
TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO REALLY ANCHOR OUR CONVERSATION REALLY BACK INTO WHAT INITIATED THE CONVERSATION AROUND CELL PHONES AND TRYING TO CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR TEACHERS CAN TEACH AND OUR STUDENTS ARE FOCUSED ON LEARNING.
WE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS IN THAT EFFORT, BUT WE KNOW WE ARE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING STUDENT BEHAVIORS THAT ARE DISTRACTING NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR PEERS AND CAUSING DISRUPTION IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
WITH A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND COLLABORATION, WITH THE SHAT COMMITTEE, WITH OUR CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS, AND WITH OTHERS, HAVE JUST BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS OF WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.
IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS CONVERSATION IS ALL ABOUT THIS GOAL.
YOU ALL HAVE CHARGED US WITH A VERY BOLD AND AGGRESSIVE NORTH STAR GOAL AROUND GROWTH.
IF WE ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE 100% OF OUR STUDENTS MEETING OR EXCEEDING THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH GOALS OF TEACHERS ARE GOING TO MEET OR EXCEED THEIR GROWTH GOALS, AND WE HAVE TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH SUPPORTS THAT ACHIEVEMENT.
WE HAVE TO CREATE STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE GOING TO ALLOW OUR TEACHERS TO FOCUS ON TEACHING AND ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO FOCUS ON LEARNING.
THAT REALLY IS WHY WE ARE GATHERED HERE TONIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE FOR EVERYONE, AND DR. GIBBONS IF YOU'LL GO ON, REITERATE FOR OUR AUDIENCE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
I DON'T THINK SOMETIMES WE SPEND ENOUGH TIME TALKING ABOUT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
WE WILL TALK A LOT ABOUT STUDENT DATA, WE WILL TALK ABOUT SURVEY DATA, QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE DATA.
BUT REALLY, OUR CLIMATE SURVEY HITS ON THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE SOMETIMES DON'T NAME IT.
THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MATTERS.
IT'S WHY WE PAY SUCH ATTENTION TO THE ARCHITECTURE OF A BUILDING.
IT'S WHY WE KNOW THAT WINDOWS IN LIGHT MATTER FOR STUDENTS AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THEIR BRAIN AND WHAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE POISED AND READY TO LEARN.
IT'S WHY WE PAY ATTENTION TO COLORS, IT'S WHY WE PAY ATTENTION TO FURNITURE, AND WHY FURNITURE MATTERS.
EVERYTHING CONTRIBUTES TO THE QUALITY OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND HAVING THE STUDENT READY TO ENGAGE IN WHATEVER IT IS THAT THAT TEACHER HAS DESIGNED FOR THEM THAT DAY.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING TO OCCUR, THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MUST BE SAFE, PHYSICALLY, INTELLECTUALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION IN THE MEDIA, IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND SAFETY.
OFTENTIMES WE TEND TO LIMIT THAT CONVERSATION AROUND SAFETY TO WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION OR WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A FIRE DRILL OR WHEN WE'RE THINKING THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE HAVE TO SECURE THE BUILDING.
BUT SAFETY ALSO MEANS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FOUR WALLS OF THE CAMPUS.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE HALLWAYS, IT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE RESTROOM, IT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM.
THAT PHYSICAL SAFETY AND WHETHER OR NOT STUDENTS FEEL SAFE ALSO IMPACTS THEM EMOTIONALLY AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE READY TO ENGAGE IN THAT LEARNING, DO I FEEL EMOTIONALLY SAFE TODAY? DO I FEEL PHYSICALLY SAFE SO THAT I CAN TAKE INTELLECTUAL RISKS AND BE WILLING TO TAKE ON SOMETHING THAT MAY BE CHALLENGING, MAYBE SOMETHING THAT'S NEW FOR ME, MAYBE THAT SOMETHING ISN'T IN MY WHEELHOUSE, BUT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MATTERS.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT REALLY MAKING SIGNIFICANT HEADWAY, AND SPECIFICALLY, HOW ARE TEACHERS ANSWER THIS NEXT QUESTION? THIS NEXT QUESTION, FOR TWO YEARS AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SURVEY RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE STILL SUBMITTING PROBABLY RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE SPEAKING.
I COULD PUT UP 10 YEARS WORTH OF THIS NUMBER,10 YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, 10 YEARS.
I CAN PUT UP THIS NUMBER AND I CAN SAY IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, YOU'LL SEE A SLIGHT TICK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
[00:45:01]
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, UNRULY STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO DISRUPT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DO NOT MOVE THE NEEDLE IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY.
AS ADMINISTRATORS, AND YOU ALL CAN SHAKE YOUR HEAD, YES OR NO, WE LOOK AT THIS CLIMATE SURVEY AND FEEL FREE TO BE HONEST.
WE LOOK AT THIS NUMBER EVERY YEAR AND WE ALL LOOK AT OURSELVES TO SAY, HOW DO WE MOVE THIS NEEDLE? WE'VE TRIED EVERYTHING WE KNOW, WHAT IS HAPPENING THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE OUR UNRULY STUDENTS ARE PERMITTED TO DISRUPT THE CLASSROOM.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, AND WE ARE GETTING INTO THAT CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
WE NEED THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT RESET.
WE ARE NOT ASKING THE BOARD TO ADOPT A WHOLE NEW SET OF POLICIES, WE'RE NOT ASKING THE BOARD TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
WE HAVE MOST OF THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THIS, BUT IT'S A HARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION SOMETIMES.
IT'S HARD AND WE LOVE OUR KIDS.
OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND OUR TEACHERS LOVE OUR STUDENTS, AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT THEM AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT THEM IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES FOR CHOICES THAT STUDENTS MAKE AND ENSURING THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO ENFORCE POLICIES AND CODE OF CONDUCT THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS REALLY THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
IF YOU'LL KEEP GOING, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO JOE AND MATTHEW FOR THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT HERE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT DOING A RESET.
HOW DO WE RESET EXPECTATIONS? BECAUSE I BELIEVE OUR STUDENTS WILL RISE TO THE LEVEL OF EXPECTATIONS EVERY TIME.
WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR AND WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT AND WE HAVE TO REINFORCE AND WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR AGAIN AND WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT AND WE HAVE TO REINFORCE.
I'LL DO THE WHOLE PRESENTATION AND YOU ALL HAVE WORKED HARD ON THIS, AND SO I'LL LET YOU ALL GO FROM HERE.
>> THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM.
YES. ALL OF WHAT TABITHA SAID OR MS. BRANHAM SAID AROUND WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS.
I LOOK AT THE ESTABLISHED NORMS AND THE DEFINED SYSTEMS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN STUDENT SERVICES AND JUST AROUND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT, ETC.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND TRYING TO SET STANDARDS AROUND SINCE PROBABLY 2016 WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED A PBIS SYSTEM AND WE WANTED OUR CAMPUSES TO REALLY EMBRACE THAT.
BUT IT'S TIME FOR A RESET, AND I LOVE HOW MS. BRANHAM HAS LABELED THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT RESET.
BECAUSE FOR US, AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL, A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND THINGS THAT WE COME ACROSS, IT'S A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES, IT'S A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE.
AS I GO TO SOME OF THESE END OF THE YEAR EVENTS, AND EVEN THINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW AWESOME OUR PARENTS ARE, HOW AWESOME OUR KIDS ARE AND OUR TEACHERS ARE.
WE HAVE GREAT ESTABLISHED NORMS AND DEFINED SYSTEMS, BUT THERE ARE STUDENTS AND THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PARENTS WHO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A TIGHT PLAN AROUND, AND WE'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT OUR EXPECTATIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOK AT, I'VE ALWAYS USED AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CLASSROOM ROUTINES AND PROCEDURES.
I TALK ABOUT THE SIMPLE ACT OF SHARPENING A PENCIL.
HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A CLASSROOM? HOW DO WE DO THAT? DO WE RAISE OUR HAND? CAN WE GO WHENEVER WE WANT? HOW MANY TIMES CAN WE GO SHARPEN OUR PENCIL? WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE'RE GOING UP THERE TO SHARPEN OUR PENCIL? ARE WE ALLOWED TO TALK? ARE WE NOT? ALL THOSE THINGS CAN REALLY HURT A STUDENT AROUND IF THERE'S DIFFERENT ROUTINES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE DAY.
YOU TALK ABOUT AN ELEMENTARY, SEMI-CONTAINED, YOU KEEP GOING UP THROUGH THE LEVELS, AND THAT SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF SHARPENING YOUR PENCIL CAN REALLY BE DIFFERENT IN 7, 8 DIFFERENT CLASSES, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
>> NEXT MONTH, WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE CAMPUSES THAT WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THEIR YONDER IMPLEMENTATION AND WHY YONDER HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL AT THOSE CAMPUSES, BECAUSE IT CREATES A SYSTEM BY WHICH IT IS CONSISTENT NO MATTER WHAT CLASSROOM.
YOU DON'T HAVE ONE CLASSROOM THAT SAYS YOU CAN TAKE OUT YOUR PHONE IN THE LAST 10 MINUTES AND ANOTHER DOESN'T.
YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OUT IN THE HALLWAYS, YOU CAN HAVE IT IN THE CAFETERIA.
IT ALLOWS FOR CONSISTENCY, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE TEENAGERS AND WHEN YOU HAVE YOUNG STUDENTS, THEY DON'T HAVE A FULLY DEVELOPED FRONTAL LOBE.
AND SO FIGURING OUT IT'S OKAY HERE,
[00:50:02]
BUT IT'S NOT OKAY OVER HERE, THAT PUTS OUR STUDENTS AND THAT ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO BE CONFUSED.THEN THEY'RE LOOKING LIKE, "WHY AM I GETTING IN TROUBLE? WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME IN THE LAST CLASS, SHE LET ME DO IT?" THAT CONSISTENCY AND THAT'S WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS HOW ARE WE CONSISTENT SO THAT STUDENTS KNOW WHAT TO PREDICT FROM CLASSROOM TO CLASSROOM.
>> YES, MA'AM. THE NEXT SLIDE REALLY TALKS ABOUT US TRYING TO BE MORE CONSISTENT AROUND WHAT WE HAVE FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND EXPECTATIONS WE HAVE FOR THAT, AND THEN ALSO JUST TEACHER RIGHTS.
IT'S SOME WORK THAT OUR EDI DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED AROUND PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH THAT.
THE SECOND LINK THERE YOU HAVE IS THE TEACHER RIGHTS, AND IT'S THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE THAT, HONESTLY, IS A THING THAT WE NEVER WANT TO GET TO, WHERE WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE A TEACHER IS WANTING TO REMOVE A STUDENT FROM THEIR CLASSROOM BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF BEHAVIOR OR THE ACT THAT'S OCCURRED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT'S OUR PLAN TO TRY TO GET THESE ALL PUT TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PARENT ENGAGEMENT, TEACHER RIGHTS, AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE CAMPUS PERSPECTIVE.
>> NO, I THINK THAT WHEN WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR PARENTS, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE LEARNED OVER TIME THAT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE.
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS IN PLACE, BUT MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THINGS GO AWRY, WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION ISSUE.
MAKING SURE THAT AS WE WORK THROUGH PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE, CREATING SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES THAT INFORMATION IS CLEARLY COMMUNICATED TO PARENTS THROUGH OUR PARENTS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO.
IT'S CLEAR. IT'S OPEN TO BE ABLE TO READ AND ASK QUESTIONS, AND THEN IT REALLY STATES WHAT BEHAVIORS, AND WHAT COMMUNICATION STEPS NEED TO BE FOLLOWED IF THERE IS A CHALLENGE AND A PROBLEM THAT WOULD ARISE IN CLASSROOM.
>> AGAIN, WE WANT TO REITERATE, WE HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED.
WE ALREADY HAVE A CLEARLY DEFINED CODE OF CONDUCT THAT SAYS, IN RICHARDSON ISD, IF YOU ARE A STUDENT, THESE ARE THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU, THESE ARE THE BEHAVIORS THAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU.
NOW IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US FROM A SYSTEM POINT OF VIEW TO ENSURE THAT OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED, SO THAT THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY TRAIN AND PUT THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL, THAT TEACHERS ARE IMPLEMENTING THAT SO THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE A STUDENT WHO IS DISRUPTIVE OR WHO IS ENGAGING IN BEHAVIOR THAT IS NOT ALIGNED TO THAT, WE CAN THEN APPLY CODE OF CONDUCT AS WE NEED TO.
>> THOSE DOCUMENTS WE USE AS TEACHING TOOLS.
WE USE THOSE TO HELP EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, BUT WHEN WE HAVE A PARENT WAS SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE, HAVING THAT DOCUMENT THERE TO BE ABLE TO TALK THROUGH WITH THEM SO THAT THEY KNOW IT'S A REFERENCE, IT'S A RESOURCE FOR THEM.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE FORWARD-FACING INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
IF YOU'VE WALKED INTO A SCHOOL, YOU SEE POSTERS EVERYWHERE.
MAKING SURE THAT IT'S UPFRONT PROMINENT.
WE HAVE A CAMPAIGN THAT REALLY TALKS ABOUT SAFE, RESPECTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION IN OUR SCHOOLS.
REALLY THE CODE OF CIVILITY IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS THAT WE TAKE THAT WE WOULD SAY STANDS IN THE GAP TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THIS CLEAR EXPECTATION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE AS A COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT IF YOU KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT OCCUR IN A BUILDING, AND KNOW THAT MANY TIMES THERE ARE COMMUNICATION ISSUES, SOME OF THAT ARISES BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT CLEARLY STATED, HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WILL DO AND EXPECT TO IMPLEMENT, AND THAT CODE OF CIVILITY WILL HELP US DO THAT.
>> THE CODE OF CIVILITY WAS REALLY THE SAT COMMITTEE HAD A PART OF THAT.
WE'VE HAD OTHER TEAMS THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THAT AND PROVIDED INPUT, AND I REALLY WANT TO BE VERY REAL AND AUTHENTIC FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE WHAT MATTHEW SAID A MOMENT AGO IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
99.9% OF OUR PARENTS ARE PHENOMENAL, AND THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE DISTRICT, THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF STUDENTS.
BUT WE HAVE 0.1% OF OUR PARENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY
[00:55:05]
THAT SOMETIMES CAN BE VERY ESCALATED IN THEIR BEHAVIOR.I THINK EVERY ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS WOULD SHARE STORIES WHERE PARENTS HAVE PHYSICALLY TRIED TO ASSAULT, THERE HAVE BEEN VERBAL ASSAULTS.
A TEACHER, NOR A STAFF MEMBER SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OR A CONFERENCE WITH A PARENT, BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF WHAT CURSE WORDS ARE GOING TO BE THROWN AT THEM, HOW VOLATILE IT'S GOING TO BE.
AGAIN, TO YOUR POINT, WHEN A COMMUNICATION GAP EXISTS, WHEN OUR STAFF WILL BEGIN TO NOT REACH OUT, BECAUSE THEY'RE FEARFUL OF WHAT THAT REACTION IS GOING TO BE.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND SO THEY TEND TO JUST, "I'M JUST GOING TO TRY TO IGNORE IT, I'M NOT GOING TO REACH OUT BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO PUT MYSELF THROUGH IT, I'M NOT GOING TO PUT MY STAFF MEMBER THROUGH THAT." WHAT WE WANT TO BE CLEAR IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE PARENTS AT THE TABLE WITH US.
WE HAVE TO HAVE PARENTS IN THE ROOM WITH US SIDE BY SIDE, KNEE TO KNEE WITH US, HELPING TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THEIR KIDS.
WE NEED PARENTS, WE NEED GUARDIANS, WE NEED FAMILY MEMBERS TO STAND WITH US TO HELP SUPPORT LEARNING AT HOME.
WE NEED ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BUT THAT COMMUNICATION AND THAT INTERACTION AND THAT RELATIONSHIP HAS TO BE ONE OF RESPECT ON BOTH SIDES, FROM THE DISTRICT'S POINT OF VIEW AND HOW WE ENGAGE WITH A PARENT AS WELL AS HOW THAT PARENT.
WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY CLEAR WITH OUR COMMUNITY UP FRONT.
YOU'RE WELCOME ANYTIME, BUT WHEN YOU GET TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE CURSING OR YOU ARE PHYSICALLY INTIMIDATING OR ASSAULTING A STAFF MEMBER, THAT IS A HARD LINE IN THE SAND FOR US.
OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF MEMBERS, WE HAVE FRONT OFFICE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT PAID A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, BUT ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE EVERYDAY WORKINGS OF OUR CAMPUS.
THEY INTERACT WITH HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS EVERY DAY.
THEY DO NOT DESERVE TO BE VERBALLY ATTACKED BY ANYONE.
THAT IS NOT IN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION TO ACCEPT VERBAL ATTACKS AND THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR A STUDENT TO ENGAGE IN THAT ACTIVITY, IN THOSE INTERACTIONS WITH THEIR TEACHER OR THEIR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OR THEIR PRINCIPAL.
CURSING, ASSAULTING THOSE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE OKAY.
AS A SYSTEM OVER TIME, BECAUSE WE LOVE KIDS AND WE LOVE OUR PARENTS AND WE WANT THEM AT THE TABLE, I THINK WE HAVE TRIED TO WORK AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO A PLACE WHERE IT DOESN'T FEEL, I THINK, FROM A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS AND WHAT WE SEE IN THE CLIMATE SURVEY THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THEM IN THE WAY THAT THEY NEED US TO SUPPORT THEM.
THIS CODE OF CIVILITY IS OUR WAY TO SAY, HERE'S OUR EXPECTATIONS, ENGAGE WITH US ANYTIME, BUT HERE'S HOW WE NEED YOU TO ENGAGE WITH US.
WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR RESPECTFUL CONVERSATION. KEEP GOING.
>> I THINK THAT OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, THERE ARE CLEAR PARAMETERS FOR BEHAVIOR.
WE HAVE GOTTEN VERY GOOD AT DR. THARP AND HIS TEAM.
THEY WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH OTHERS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE GET PARENT INPUT, WE BRING IT TO THE BOARD.
IT'S A GREAT TOOL FOR US TO MANAGE STUDENT BEHAVIOR.
WE HAVE THE PARENT BILL OF RIGHTS, WHICH PROVIDES PARENTS DIRECTION, AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO ENGAGE WITH SCHOOLS.
BUT YET WE DON'T HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT REALLY GUIDES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL PERSON.
THAT'S WHAT THIS CODE WILL BE ABLE TO FILL.
I THINK IT'S TIME NOW WE ALL TURN ON THE TV EVERY DAY AND WE GET TO WITNESS THINGS THAT I KNOW EVERYONE IS SHAKING THEIR HEAD ABOUT IT.
IT'S TIME FOR US TO BE THE MODEL AND NOT THE MODEL AFTER IT.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO ENGAGE PARENTS IN A SAFE RESPONSIBLE AND RESPECTFUL WAY AND THEM TO ENGAGE US IN THE SAME.
THIS IS A START OF A CONVERSATION AS MS. BRANHAM SAID, AND WE'RE GOING TO START REALLY THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO REALLY BEGIN IN A RESET AND DR. GIBBONS HAD MENTIONED.
HE DID A GREAT JOB IN STUDENT SERVICES, PRE COVID, GETTING THINGS READY FOR SOME TIER 1, SOME CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS THAT EVERY STUDENT
[01:00:01]
IN EVERY CLASSROOM WITH EVERY TEACHER WILL EXPERIENCE.EVERYONE GETS THE SAME SET OF EXPECTATIONS AND SKILLS.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH, WE DO A GREAT JOB ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE.
DR. LEIBER AND HER TEAM, WE TALK ABOUT SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS, AND WE KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A STUDENT DOESN'T GET AT THE FIRST TIME.
WE NEED TO LEVEL SET, PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH SUPPORT STRATEGIES SO THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS IN EVERY CLASSROOM EVERY DAY. STUDENT NEED IT.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING THROUGH THAT, MAKING SURE THAT OCCURS.
THIS TRAY REALLY IS AN IMAGE [NOISE] THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE FOCUS AREAS.
WE KNOW THAT EVERY SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT.
TEACHERS HAVE DIFFERENT SKILL SETS.
SOME TEACHERS HAVE NO ISSUES WITH RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT, TIER 1 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, BUT A GOOD RESET WOULD BE NICE BECAUSE THEY CAN BE MODELS AND EXEMPLARS FOR OTHER TEACHERS AND BUILDINGS.
BUT THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE AREAS THAT ARE GOING TO ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME AUTONOMY IN BUILDINGS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD OUR SKILLS AROUND.
HOW DO WE ACKNOWLEDGE STUDENTS? WHAT DATA DO YOU USE? WHAT SKILLS DO EVERY STUDENTS? BECAUSE IF WE APPROACH THIS IN AN EDUCATION OR IN A INSTRUCTIONAL FASHION, BEHAVIOR IS LEARNED.
WE NEED TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO BEHAVE.
WHAT TO DO IN A CLASSROOM, HOW TO APPROACH LEARNING THROUGH BEHAVIOR IN A MANNER THAT EVERYONE GETS.
WHAT SUPPORT STRUCTURES WE'RE GOING TO PUT ON? HOW DO WE CONNECT WITH OUR STUDENTS? THEN HOW TO CORRECT AND REDIRECT BEHAVIOR? THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT EVERY STUDENT IN OUR DISTRICT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THROUGH A YEAR LONG PROCESS, WORKING WITH THE AREA OF SUPERINTENDENTS AND PRINCIPALS TO PROVIDE THEM SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN PUT THERE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MS. BRANHAM HAD MADE MENTION OF AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION ABOUT, EVEN THOUGH WE DO THOSE THINGS AND WE PROVIDE SUPPORT IN TIER 1, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOME BEHAVIORS AN ACCEPTABLE, SOME NON NEGOTIABLE BEHAVIORS.
THE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IS A CHALLENGE TODAY.
IT PUTS NOT ONLY THE STUDENT IN JEOPARDY, BUT THE ADULTS AROUND THEM AS WELL.
ANY GANG AFFILIATION OR GANG RELATED BEHAVIOR THAT EXIST IS GOING TO BE NON NEGOTIABLE WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THAT TO CREEP INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND BECOME A PART OF A NORM, AS WELL AS TERRORISTIC THREATS.
WHEN WE THREATEN AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT THREATEN THE LIVES OF OTHERS, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
WE AS THE DEPARTMENT IN WORKING WITH PRINCIPALS AND WORKING WITH AREA SUPERINTENDENTS ARE REALLY LOOKING AT THE GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE FOR PLACEMENT IN OUR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.
ARE WE GOING TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS NOT TO DO THOSE THINGS? YES, BUT WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF DAYS AND ASSIGN TO SHOW OUR STUDENTS THAT THESE BEHAVIORS ARE UNACCEPTABLE.
NOW, THE ONE THING I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT EVEN IF WE WOULD INCREASE PUNISHMENT AND TIME CONSEQUENCE FOR PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, GANG AFFILIATION, AND TERRORISTIC THREAT, OUR PLAN IS TO ENTER ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL TO PROVIDE INCREASED LEVELS OF SUPPORT.
WE'VE ADDED AND I KNOW THERE'S A SLIDE IN THERE ABOUT SUPPORT, BUT WE'VE IMAGINED THAT.
WE HAVE INCREASED THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT AT OUR DAEP.
WE'VE GOT LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS THAT ARE THERE TO PROVIDE REALLY TO UNPACK, THAT BEHAVIOR COMES FROM SOMEWHERE.
SOMETIMES IT'S GRIEF, IT'S TRAUMA AT HOMES, IT'S SUBSTANCE USE.
IF WE INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DAYS FOR THOSE TYPE OF TIER 3 BEHAVIORS, WE THEN NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHY THAT IS OCCURRING AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO NOT ONLY THEM BUT TO THEIR FAMILIES.
WE CAN WORK THROUGH THAT CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT RECIDIVISM.
WE DON'T WANT A REVOLVING DOOR AT OUR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.
WE HAVE AN INTERVENTION COUNSELOR THERE AND SO REALLY TRYING TO GET TO WHAT MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT AND FEW DO, AND THAT'S WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
THAT IS OUR PLAN AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK OUT A TURN OR GET OUT OVER MY SKIS, BUT WE'RE OVER-WORKING OUT A PARTNERSHIP RIGHT NOW WITH AN OUTSIDE AGENCY AND DEVELOPING AN INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT TO REALLY ADD SIX SOCIAL WORKERS ACROSS OUR LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THAT WILL ALLOW US ONCE A STUDENT HAS PROVIDED OR HAS DONE AND SERVED THEIR CONSEQUENCE, WHEN THEY GO BACK TO THE SCHOOL, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THOSE SERVICES SO IT'S NOT JUST PULLED OUT FROM UNITY AS YOU KNOW, BEHAVIOR AGAIN IS LEARNED.
>> IF I CAN INTERJECT ON THIS PART 2, I KNOW JOE WILL NOT MENTION THIS BUT WE HAD AN EARLIER CONVERSATION WITH OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION AROUND GRANTS AND JUST THE NEED FOR OUTSIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS,
[01:05:01]
MR. MENSCACO AND HIS TEAM HAVE BROUGHT IN OVER $2.5 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDED SUPPORT.WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT OUTSIDE RESOURCES, SOME OF THE WELFARE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THIS IS FROM WHAT HE'S GENERATED.
I KNOW WE'RE TALKING DISCIPLINE, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING SOME OF THESE HARDER AREAS, BUT KNOW THAT OUR HEART AND OUR INTENT AROUND AND FOR ANY STUDENT IS TO TRY TO INTERVENE AND HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A LINE AND SOME NON NEGOTIABLE.
WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT OUTSIDE RESOURCES, YOU HEAR ABOUT THE DAP RESET, THAT COMES FROM A MINDSET AND A HEART OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
>> TWO THINGS I WANT TO ADD TO THAT, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT SET UP TO FOCUS ON THE NORTH STRUGGLE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL KIDS IN THAT.
AS WE KNOW AND EVERYTHING THAT MR. MENSCACO SHARED WITH YOU, EVERY ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS CAN TELL YOU STORIES OF KIDS THAT WE KNOW ARE HEARTBREAKING AND ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE BEHAVIORS THAT WE'RE SEEING, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THOSE SUPPORTS TO TRY TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH THE ANGER OR THE HURT OR THE GRIEF OR THE DEPRESSION OR THE ADDICTION THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
WHILE THEY'RE RECEIVING THOSE SUPPORTS, WE ALSO HAVE TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE OTHER STUDENTS THAT ARE WALKING AROUND THAT BUILDING.
WE KNOW IT'S A FINE BALANCE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IN THIS CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
BUT EVERY STUDENT DESERVES A CLASSROOM AND A BUILDING THAT IS PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND INTELLECTUALLY SAFE.
WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THE PARAMETERS BY WHICH WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IN RICHARDSON ISD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS IS ABOUT LOVING OUR KIDS EVEN WHEN WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS AND THAT WE'RE HAVING MAYBE TO APPLY SOME STIFFER CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRY TO GIVE THEM THE SKILLS THEY NEED WHILE WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM AND TO PROVIDE THEM THOSE SUPPORTS BEFORE WHEN THOSE SAME BEHAVIORS WHEN THEY WALK OUT OF OUR DOORS FOR THE LAST TIME ARE GOING TO HAVE FAR STIFFER CONSEQUENCES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YES, WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN YOU AND WE BELIEVE YOUR FUTURE DESERVES A POSITIVE OUTLOOK THAT IS GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLE THING FOR YOU.
WE ARE GOING TO ENSURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THERE ARE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES FOR CHOICES, AND WE'RE GOING TO HELP TO PROVIDE YOU SUBSTITUTE BEHAVIORS FOR THOSE SO THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE US THE CONSEQUENCES ARE NOT FAR GREATER.
I REALLY WANT EVERYONE TO HEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT WE'RE GIVING UP ON ANY GROUP OF KIDS OR ANY STUDENT NO, IT'S THE OPPOSITE, WE'VE GOT TO HELP THEM TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO DEAL WITH WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE OUTCOMES IN THEIR FUTURE AS POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU. REALLY, JUST TO END THIS SLIDE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE TO CONSUME.
THIS IS NOT A ONE AND DONE THING.
WE HAVE TO REGULARLY COMMUNICATE TO OUR PUBLIC, TO OUR STUDENTS, TO OUR TEACHERS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS A PART OF OUR DNA, AND YOU DO THAT THROUGH STRONG COMMUNICATION, FREQUENT COMMUNICATION, IT'S GOT TO BE EFFECTIVE, GETTING FEEDBACK FROM INDIVIDUALS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR WRITTEN DOCUMENTS REALLY EXPRESS HOW WE WANT BUSINESS TO BE DONE AROUND HERE, Y'ALL.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT EVERY PIECE OF PAPER SO THAT REALLY IT MATCHES WITH.
>> WHEN YOU SEE ON THE COMMUNICATIONS PART, IT SAYS POLICY UPDATE, AND I'LL JUST SHARE THIS LAST SLIDE WITH YOU GUYS AROUND CHAPTER 37.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING LOCALLY AND WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO IMPROVE ON AND TIGHTEN UP.
BUT MS. BRANHAM AND ONE OF THE LOCAL SUPERINTENDENTS HERE IN TOWN HAVE BEEN LEADING A COALITION OF SUPERINTENDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS SO FAR BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THE CHALLENGES AND THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE AROUND STUDENT BEHAVIOR, STUDENT DISCIPLINE, CONSEQUENCES, AUTONOMY TO MAKE WELL INFORMED DECISIONS FOR INDIVIDUALIZED STUDENTS.
THIS TASK FORCE THAT'S BEEN CREATED AND WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING TODAY.
[01:10:02]
WE'RE ALL GETTING TOGETHER AND TALKING THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AS A STATE.I'VE SHARED SOME OF THESE THINGS WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND I JUST GAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES UP THERE OF SOME OF THE PROPOSALS AND THE IDEAS AROUND, WHAT CAN WE CHANGE FROM A STATE LEVEL TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR OUR CAMPUSES IN OUR DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN SEE AND I'M SORRY FOR THE VISUAL, IT'S A LITTLE BLURRY, BUT IT'S ONLY HARD COPY I HAD.
IT GOT PASSED OUT AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD AND THEY NEVER SENT IT ELECTRONICALLY.
I TOOK A PICTURE OF IT AND PUT IT ON THERE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. BUT I DO HAVE THE HARD COPY RIGHT HERE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE.
BUT WHAT IT REALLY STATES IS THAT BACK IN 1995, WHEN CHAPTER 37, WHICH IS OUR DISCIPLINE CODE BASICALLY FOR OUR TEXAS EDUCATION CODE WHEN IT STARTED OUT, IT REALLY DID HAVE A VERY SMALL GUIDED POLICIES FOR US.
BUT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S GOT MORE THAN 130 PAGES NOW.
THERE'S TONS OF MANDATES IN IT, THERE'S THINGS THAT REALLY STIFLE US AS FAR AS DECISION MAKING.
I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF QUICK EXAMPLES AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SECOND BULLET IS TITLE V FELONIES, THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH TITLE V FELONIES, HOPEFULLY, YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
BUT SOMETHING AND THIS IS SERIOUS.
A LITTLE SERIOUS ON THIS, BUT TITLE V FELONY IS A MURDER.
FOR US RIGHT NOW, IF WE HAVE A STUDENT THAT COMMITS MURDER OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL OUT IN THE REAL WORLD, SO TO SPEAK, THAT FOR US, IF WE GOT THAT NEWS, THEN AS A DISTRICT, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO EXPEL THAT STUDENT TO JJAEP, TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT.
THAT WOULD BE ON OUR DIM BECAUSE IT'S A DISCRETIONARY PLACEMENT, AND THERE'S SEVERAL OF THOSE THAT GO DOWN THE ROW AND I KNOW [INAUDIBLE] MS. MCGOWAN, COULD SHARE MORE OF THOSE.
THOSE ARE THINGS IN POLICY THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US EVEN FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT TO KNOW THAT IF THOSE TYPES OF FELONIES OCCUR, CAN WE NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE EXPULSION OF THAT STUDENT.
NOT AN EXPULSION OUT JUST OUT ONTO THE STREET.
THIS IS AN EXPULSION TO AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT WHERE THEY HAVE REALLY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT WHERE HOPEFULLY THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IF AND WHEN THEY WOULD EVEN GET RELEASED FROM THAT KIND OF AN OFFENSE.
THE OTHER THING WE HAVE ON HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS MITIGATING FACTORS IS MCKINNEY-VENTO.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE AS A DISTRICT ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO IS TO SUSPEND STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS.
THE INTENTION AROUND THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IS A GOOD ONE, IN MY OPINION.
IF WE HAVE A STUDENT WHO'S HOMELESS, WHY WOULD WE SUSPEND THEM OUT OF SCHOOL? WHY WOULD WE SEND THEM HOME IF THEY ARE TECHNICALLY HOMELESS? WE DON'T WANT THAT.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE CAN TRUST OUR CAMPUSES TO MAKE SURE THAT DISCIPLINE AROUND MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENT CAN BE JUST IN A WAY THAT, IT COULD BE OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING HOME TO A SEMI STABLE ENVIRONMENT OR WE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED WHEN THEY'RE SUSPENDED FOR A DAY OR WHATEVER IT MAY LOOK LIKE.
THOSE ARE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT FOR LEGISLATORS TO LOOK AT AND GIVE DISTRICTS MORE AUTONOMY WHEN THEY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
>> REALLY, OUR GOAL, WE ARE WORKING WITH MOSES AND THOMPSON TO DEVELOP AND DRAFT POTENTIAL LEGISLATION THAT AGAIN, THERE'S OVER 60 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE PART OF THIS COALITION AND THAT WE WOULD EVENTUALLY TAKE LEGISLATION THAT WE WOULD WORK WITH.
WE HOPE LAWMAKERS, THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO SPONSOR BILLS THAT COULD ENACT POTENTIAL CHANGES IN THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AGAIN, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE CHANGES IN CHAPTER 37 THAT ARE GOOD FOR ALL SYSTEMS, AND AGAIN, HEARING THAT UNIFORM NEED FOR US TO LOOK AT THIS WORK DIFFERENTLY.
AGAIN, I THANK DR. GIBBONS FOR HIS WORK AND SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
AGAIN, TONIGHT, WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE AGAIN, IN THAT EFFORT OF BEING TRANSPARENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
NUMBER ONE, I WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW HOW AMAZING OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE OUR COUNSELORS BECAUSE EVERY DAY THEY ARE IN SITUATIONS IN WHICH THEY MIGHT BE PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY VULNERABLE.
YET THEY SHOW UP EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR KIDS.
I'M HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR WITH OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE LOVE ALL OF OUR KIDS ENOUGH THAT WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR KIDS, AND THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT WE HAVE
[01:15:01]
THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE SO THAT STUDENTS KNOW WHAT'S EXPECTED, THEY KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE.THEY KNOW WHAT THE BEHAVIORS ARE, WE TEACH, WE MODEL, WE GIVE FEEDBACK, WE REINFORCE THOSE THAT CYCLE MUST GO ON AND ON.
BUT WHEN A STUDENT DOES MAKE A CHOICE THAT IS NOT IN LINE WITH THOSE EXPECTATIONS WITH OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, THAT THERE ARE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT.
LETTING OUR PARENTS KNOW THAT WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH THEM, BUT WE NEED TO DO SO IN A WAY THAT IS PRODUCTIVE FOR ALL.
AGAIN, WE HAVE MOST OF THESE TOOLS.
YES, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES TO CHAPTER 37 THAT I THINK WOULD MAKE THIS WORK EVEN MORE BENEFICIAL, MORE PRODUCTIVE.
BUT MOST OF THE TOOLS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S JUST US DOUBLING DOWN ON THEM, PROVIDING THIS RESET, ENSURING THE CAMPUSES HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
ALSO, BOARD, I NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU SUPPORT US IN THIS WORK.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT FIRST TIME WHEN WE HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A PARENT, WHO WE HAVE TO SAY WE MAY HAVE TO ISSUE A LETTER THAT SAYS, WE ARE NOW GOING TO ONLY COMMUNICATE WITH YOU VIA EMAIL BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE YOU VERBALLY ASSAULT OUR PRINCIPAL ANYMORE.
OR THAT TIME WHEN WE SAY, NO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A ZOOM CONFERENCE BECAUSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THAT ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A ZOOM MEETING AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO COME ON CAMPUS.
THERE IS POTENTIAL THAT YOU MIGHT HEAR FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AS A BOARD, YOU MIGHT HAVE A GRIEVANCE OR THERE COULD BE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS.
WHAT YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT ON IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO COMMUNICATE THE EXPECTATIONS.
THIS IS NOT A ONE STRIKE, WE WOULD NEVER DO THAT.
THIS IS WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS, BUT WHEN IT GETS TO A PLACE THAT IT'S UNSAFE, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, INTELLECTUALLY, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE ARE GOING TO INTERCEDE AND WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WITH THAT, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, HEAR ANY FEEDBACK, HEAR ANY COMMENTS.
I JUST APPRECIATE ALLOWING US TO BE VULNERABLE WITH YOU IN THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN EASY ONE.
THIS IS NOT AN EASY CONVERSATION.
SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM AND MYSELF TALKED ABOUT IT IN OUR PRE-MEETING AND JUST THE EMOTION AND PASSION AROUND IT.
I KNOW THAT WE ALL WANT THE BEST FOR ALL KIDS.
YOU CAN HEAR IT IN SUPERINTENDENT'S VOICE AS SHE TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE ARE GOING TO OPEN THIS UP FOR QUESTIONS. MISS TIMMY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. LISTEN. A LOT OF GREAT WORK WENT INTO THIS.
ONE THING YOU ALLUDED TO, BUT I'M NOT SURE IT WAS EXPLICITLY STATED, SO I WANT TO EXPLICITLY STATE IT.
YOU DID SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES A SAFE CLASSROOM, BUT I WANT TO SAY EVERY STAFF MEMBER ALSO DESERVES A SAFE CLASSROOM.
I'VE BEEN ASSAULTED AS A PRINCIPAL.
WE'VE HAD TO CALL THE POLICE AND WE'VE HAD TO HAVE ARRESTS, LIKE IT HAS HAPPENED.
IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE AS A PRINCIPAL YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR TEACHERS FROM THAT AND YOUR STAFF SO YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT THERE IN THE FRONT AND OUR PRINCIPALS DO THIS OFTEN.
I'M SPEAKING OF MULTIPLE TIMES.
I KNOW OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE DONE THAT.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THEIR GREAT WORK FOR THEM DOING THAT I HATE THAT THEY HAVE TO AT THE SAME TIME.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I DO THINK OUR CLIMATE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO ATTRACT GREAT TEACHERS IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FAMILIES.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL THEY'RE SAFE.
JUST LIKE I WOULD WANT THAT FOR MY KID, FOR ANY OF OUR KIDS, FOR ANY OF THOSE KIDS OUT THERE.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE I TOTALLY HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS OTHER THAN COMMENTS.
THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I FULLY BELIEVE AND I HEARD YOU GUYS SAY THIS, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT DISCIPLINE IS REALLY ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE, IT'S ABOUT TEACHING.
I DON'T THINK ANY STUDENT GETS UP AND SAYS, I THINK I WANT TO GO TO JAIL TODAY.
I THINK I WANT TO ASSAULT SOMEBODY.
I DON'T THINK ON THE WHOLE THEY DO THAT.
THEY'RE REACTING WITH THE BEST TOOLS THEY HAVE IN THE MOMENT.
YOU GIVE A CONSEQUENCE SO THAT THE PRICES TO HIDE, HOPEFULLY DO IT AGAIN WHILE TEACHING THEM HOW TO REACT BETTER. I DEFINITELY HEARD THAT.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT BUT THAT ALSO COMES THROUGH THE RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS THEY MAKE WITH THE STAFF INSIDE THE BUILDING.
I ALSO HEARD AN EMPHASIS ON THAT SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I DID WANT TO SAY JUST AT SOME POINT IF YOU GUYS AREN'T READY TO DO THAT I TOTALLY GET THAT AND I WOULDN'T ASK YOU TO DO IT.
BUT I THINK IN ADDITION TO THE RESET I THINK THE TRAINING AROUND THIS FOR OUR STAFF WILL BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK BECAUSE IT'S A RESET I THINK BY THE END OF THE YEAR IF TEACHERS AREN'T FEELING SUPPORTED OR THINKING THAT THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND THEY'RE JUST TIRED.
LET'S BE HONEST WE'RE TIRED AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
BUT I THINK THAT HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS REPEATEDLY, TRAINING AND RETRAINING PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS,
[01:20:03]
TEACHERS, ANYBODY WHO'S INTERACTING WITH CHILDREN I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.ARE YOU GUYS DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR THAT?
>> YES, MA'AM, AND I'LL LET JOE AND MATTHEW CHIME IN HERE A LITTLE BIT.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THIS IN OUR DIP.
WHEN WE BRING FORWARD THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ARE FOR EXAMPLE THAT, THAT CODE OF CIVILITY IS A PART OF THAT CODE OF CONDUCT.
AGAIN THE TRAINING OF THAT BOTH FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
THEN IN TERMS OF THE BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT DO YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT EMERGENTRY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE ARE APPROACHING THAT STRONG RESET?
>> WE WENT IN SEARCH OF AN INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATION THAT COULD SUPPORT US DO DISTRICT-WIDE TRAINING TO FIND ONE THAT CAN DO OUR SIZE IN YEAR SO THEY HAVE A TRAINER MODELS.
GOING TO BE TAKING KEY LEADERS IN THE BUILDING TO BE ABLE TO EXPOSE THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE FACE-TO-FACE SESSIONS AND VIRTUAL SESSIONS.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE AREA OF SUPERINTENDENT.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS THROUGHOUT THIS.
I'LL HAVE VIRTUAL COACHING AS WELL BECAUSE ONCE WE DO A TEACH PIECE, SEEING THOSE PRACTICES BEING [INAUDIBLE] HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE KEY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WALKING IN GRADING TEACHERS PAPERS BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
YEAR 1, WE HAVE A MULTIPLE-SESSION PLAN SET UP.
NOW ALONG WITH THAT, THIS YEAR AND I'M NOT SURE WE EVEN SHARE THIS INFORMATION.
THIS YEAR THAT SAME ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED ALL OF OUR DOI TEACHERS WHICH IN OUR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES.
WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THIS LIKE AN INSTRUCTIONAL CHALLENGE THEN OUR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES WHO NUMBER 1, YOU TALKED ABOUT, MADE A GREAT POINT OF RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING SURE ROUTINES THAT ARE PEDAGOGICAL MOVES FOR TEACHERS.
THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES SUPPORT THOSE BASELINE PRACTICES.
ALL OF OUR ICS ARE TRAINED, BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TEACHERS ARE TRAINED.
OUR PLAN IS TO BUILD THROUGHOUT THEN ADDRESS TIER 2 IN THE NEXT YEAR WITH STUDENT SERVICES TEAM.
THOSE BEHAVIORS ARE A LITTLE MORE SEVERE.
THEY DESERVE A LITTLE MORE DIRECT ATTENTION.
TIER 3 BEHAVIORS OBVIOUSLY SEVERE.
WE HAVE A THREE YEAR PLAN OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE THROUGH THAT TRAINING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GO BACK AND WE KNOW THIS AS WE HAVE NEW TEACHERS COME IN WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THIS TRAINING GOING.
THAT'S WHY KEY LEADERS IN THE BUILDING ARE GOING TO BE TRAINED SO THAT AS NEW TEACHERS COME IN THEY CAN EXPOSE THEM [INAUDIBLE].
IT BECOMES THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS INTERESTING.
>> THAT'S GREAT. I WOULD SAY TOO, I THINK PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE WORKING WITH TEACHERS AND OTHER MENTOR TEACHERS THEY'RE GIVING THE BEST THEY HAVE AND SOMETIMES SITUATIONS STILL DON'T GO WELL.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL TOOLS AND OTHER WAYS TO APPROACH THAT AND THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOME PLACE TO GO FOR THAT.
BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY TOO AS YOU CHALLENGE US TO SUPPORT THIS AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY WOULD SUPPORT THAT AND IF WE HAVE A LEVEL 3 AND WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN, I ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO PROBLEM SUPPORTING THAT.
BUT THAT ALSO COMES WITH ADMIN SUPPORTING THAT TOO AT A CENTRAL OFFICE LEVEL WHEN THINGS GO OVER THEIR HEAD. THINGS LIKE THAT.
I KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENS AND IF EVERYBODY IS MEANING WHAT THEY SAY AND SAYING WHAT THEY MEAN, AND WITH THE COACHING BACK AND FORTH, THEN IT'S A FEEDBACK CONVERSATION I THINK THAT'S ITS ONLY CHANCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND I'M HERE FOR THAT.
THAT COMES WITH PARENTS BEHAVIOR AS WELL.
I'M HAPPY THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THIS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD AND WE'LL SEE DATA ON YONDER.
YOU MENTIONED THAT IN THERE. WE WILL SEE THAT AT SOME POINT.
>> YES, MA'AM. IT'S IN THE END OF THE YEAR CLIMATE SURVEY.
WE WOULD LOVE FOR MORE PARENTS TO FILL THAT OUT.
WE STILL HAVEN'T HIT OUR MARK WITH PARENTS AND WE KEEP SENDING IT OUT BUT I'LL KEEP PLUGGING IN FOR PARENTS.
BUT MOST OF OUR STAFF WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO HITTING OUR MARK WITH THE STAFF, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON SOME PARENTS.
YES, WE WILL BRING ALL OF THAT FORWARD TO YOU.
I BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE IT READY FOR THE JUNE 6TH MEETING.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT GREAT PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RESET AND BASED ON THIS CONVERSATION EVERYONE IS GOING TO GET ALL KINDS OF TRAINING.
THAT'S EXCITING. MY TAKEAWAY AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONSISTENT RULES ACROSS ALL CLASSROOMS FROM ALL TEACHERS SO THE EXPECTATIONS ARE THE SAME FOR ALL STUDENTS.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY I THINK FOR KIDS SO THAT'S AMAZING.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS ON THE INCREASED LEVELS OF SUPPORT THAT THE STUDENTS WILL GET.
THE STUDENT WILL HAVE THAT INCREASED LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR AN X AMOUNT OF DAYS AND THEN THEY COME BACK AND THEY'LL
[01:25:04]
STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT OR HOW DO WE GAUGE THAT THE STUDENT IS READY TO RETURN BACK TO THEIR SCHOOL?>> GREAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS WE SEE STUDENTS TRANSITION, WE HAVE A TRANSITION PLAN THAT WE BUILD.
DR. MARTIN IS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND SHE CAN HOP IN AT ANY POINT IN TIME IF I GET IT WRONG, BUT WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE THERE, THEY'RE RECEIVING THAT INTENSE.
THEY HAVE CLINICIANS, THEY GO BACK TO THE BUILDING.
OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO CASE MANAGE THAT STUDENT.
IT'S NOT LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE TRAUMA THAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED GOES AWAY BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING BACK TO A SETTING THAT YOU MAY FEEL THAT EXPERIENCE NOW.
BUT IN THAT TRANSITION MEETING, WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH CAMPUS PERSONNEL AND CMLC PERSONNEL ABOUT WHAT WORKED, WHAT ARE STILL THE NEEDS? WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION NOT ONLY BETWEEN PERSONNEL ON THE SCHOOL BUT WITH PARENTS, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE WE OFFER THEM OUTSIDE SERVICE.
BECAUSE MANY TIMES THINGS HAPPEN AFTER HOURS THAT THEY LEAVE SCHOOL.
THE INTERVENTION COUNCIL ACCEPT THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE LEVEL, WE'LL HAVE A LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER THAT WILL ALSO HELP CASE MANAGER.
ONCE YOU LEAVE DAEP, ONCE YOU LEAVE OUR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, YOU STILL HAVE A SAFETY MANAGER.
IT'S NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
I'M JUST GOING TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE REALLY RECOGNIZED.
WE DON'T HAVE RECIDIVISM BACK TO DAEP FOR MANY OF OUR BEHAVIORS IS NOT HIGH, BUT WE DO SEE PHYSICAL ASSAULTS.
WE HAVE SOME SUBSTANCE USE WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS GO BACK AND REPEAT OFFENDERS.
WE'VE GOT TO GET BETTER AT THAT.
BUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IS DEVELOPING SYSTEMATIC CASE MANAGEMENT IS REALLY KEY, AND REALLY WE GOT INTO THAT LEARNING THROUGH THE HIRING OF OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND OUR PARTNERS WITH MENTAL HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE.
THE CENTRAL OFFICE TEAM HAS LEARNED A GREAT DEAL MORE ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT THAT IN OUR EXECUTIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY WHICH WE INTEND ABOUT, HOW DO WE SUPPORT STUDENTS BEYOND THE DAEP.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD ON THAT TO GET THEM.
>> THAT'S GREAT. I LIKE THAT PLAN BECAUSE WE WANT A PATH OF SUCCESS FOR THE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT BEING FAILURES OR THEY'RE NOT ENOUGH, AND THEY COME WITH SO MANY THINGS, AND THEY ALREADY FEEL THEY'RE IN TROUBLE CLEARLY FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
I FEEL IF WE CONTINUE THAT SUPPORT, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE OFFERING SUPPORT EVEN OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, BECAUSE IT'S SKILL BUILDING.
WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO BEHAVE BETTER, AND A PLAN FOR SUCCESS IS REALLY GOOD.
I'M JUST SO HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT PARENTS MISBEHAVE. I KNOW IT HAPPENS.
I'VE HEARD, BUT IT'S JUST REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT PART, BUT WE HAVE THE PARENTAL SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARENTS ACTUALLY READ THAT DOCUMENT? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, JUST CHECK OFF THE TERMS AND CONDITION, ARE THEY INITIALING EVERY PARAGRAPH, AND DOES IT DEFINE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR BEHAVIOR TOWARDS OTHERS?
>> I'LL CHIME IN ON HIGH LEVEL, AND THEN I'LL LET JOE AND MATTHEW COME IN AS WELL.
IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT, WE WANTED TO KNOW THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING, AS A BOARD, THAT YOU COULD SUPPORT.
BECAUSE IF NOT, THEN WE DIDN'T NEED TO PROCEED FURTHER.
BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT LEAST HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THEN THIS WOULD BE IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT, AND JUST LIKE WE DO IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT, WE WOULD LAY OUT, HERE ARE THE STEPS THAT WE WOULD TAKE.
THE FIRST IS, WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO ISSUE A WARNING.
WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE EMOTIONAL, YOU LOVE YOUR CHILD, YOU WANT WHAT'S BEST AND YOU'RE JUST ADVOCATING FOR THEM, BUT IN OUR FUTURE COMMUNICATION, WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE NEED YOU TO BE RESPECTFUL IN YOUR LANGUAGE, ETC.
THE SECOND TIME IT MIGHT BE, OUR FUTURE COMMUNICATION IS GOING TO BE VIA AN E-MAIL.
THE THIRD, IT MIGHT BE, WE'RE GOING TO ONLY HAVE VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION.
WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THOSE PIECES LINED OUT.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A ONE STRIKE, AND WE'RE MOVING TO THOSE, BUT AGAIN, OUTLINING FOR OUR PARENTS, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE SATURATE THE COMMUNITY WITH THESE EXPECTATIONS.
WHETHER IT IS, WE'RE REVIEWING THEM AT OUR ATHLETIC MEETINGS WHERE WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONCENTRATION OF PARENTS, AND OUR ATHLETIC PARENTS ARE LISTENING TO THAT AT-MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT, WHEN OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE PTA AND OTHER EVENTS,
[01:30:04]
REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE EXPLICITLY TEACH IT, BECAUSE IT CAN BE IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT, AND THEY CAN'T EVEN READ IT.BUT WHEN THEY ARE IN THAT PLACE OF EMOTION, AND WHEN THEY ARE HURT OR WORRIED OR ANGRY BECAUSE IT'S THEIR CHILD, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE TO, AGAIN, DO THAT RE-TEACHING, AND THAT REINFORCE.
WE ALSO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THIS AS A TOOL WITH OUR KIDS AS WELL.
OUR PRINCIPAL STARTED TO GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF OUR KIDS UNDERSTANDING? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE RESPECTFUL? WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN WE'RE RESPONSIBLE? HOW ARE WE SAFE WITH OUR WORDS AND WITH OUR BEHAVIORS? THAT WILL ALL BE A PART OF THE DIP, AND WILL BE CLEARLY OUTLINED.
OUR GOAL IS THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THE BOARD NEVER HEARS IS, I DIDN'T KNOW IT EXISTED? I WOULD BE HAPPY IF EVERY PARENT GETS TO A PLACE WHERE, "STOP TALKING ABOUT IT, WE GET IT." THAT'S MY GOAL.
IT'S LIKE WITH THE NORTH STAR GOAL.
I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW, THIS IS WHO WE ARE, AND WHAT WE'RE ABOUT IN RICHARDSON ISD, AND THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE ALSO INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER IN RICHARDSON ISD.
>> THAT'S WONDERFUL. THAT'S A GREAT RESET.
I DO LIKE THE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND RULES OF RESPECT AND ENGAGEMENT, OF COURSE, AND THE POLLSTER LOOKS GREAT.
I LIKE HOW THEY DEFINE OUR BEHAVIORS. GOOD WORK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? MR. PATE?
>> OVER HERE. HE'S DUCKING OVER THERE, AND I'M TRYING TO JUMP UP AND DOWN AT THE SAME TIME.
GREAT PRESENTATION, AND I SALUTE THE STAFF FOR TAKING THIS ON YOUR SHOULDERS, BECAUSE THIS IS A HEAVY LIFT.
I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY AN ANSWER TONIGHT, BUT THERE'S JUST A CURIOSITY QUESTION I'VE GOT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE ESTABLISHED THIS IS A NEED.
WE SHOWED SOME OF THE RAW DATA FROM SURVEYS.
I'M JUST INTERESTED HOW MANY VIOLENT INTERACTIONS ARE WE SEEING JUST FOR CONTEXT ON WHAT LEADS US DOWN THIS PATH THAT WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM? I KNOW THE SURVEY RESULTS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THAT LATER ON, JUST SO I CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO GAUGE OFF OF SOME UNDERSTANDING.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TAKING CARE OF STAFF, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COMPENSATION PLANS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DAYCARES, WE TALKED ABOUT CLINICS, THIS IS A PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE.
[OVERLAPPING] THIS IS A CORNER PIECE OF THE JIGSAW PUZZLE.
WE CAN PAY TONS OF MONEY TO SOMEBODY TO DO THIS WORK, BUT IF THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN A CLASSROOM OR THOSE STUDENTS CAN'T LEARN IN THAT CLASSROOM, THAT TEACHER OR STAFF MEMBER IS NOT GOING TO STICK AROUND.
THAT MAKES THIS EQUALLY CRITICAL, AND I'M GLAD THAT IT FITS INTO THAT SAME INTENTION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE OTHER PUZZLE PIECES.
I LOVE THAT IT START OUT WITH THE NORTH STAR.
THAT IS OUR FOCUS POINT, AND WE CONTINUE TO USE IT AS IT'S INTENDED TO, THAT WE CAN THEN LOOK AT THESE PIECES TO BUILD AND SUPPORT THAT.
BUT THAT GIVES US A FOCAL POINT TO KEEP STRIVING TOWARDS.
I LIKE BRINGING THAT UP, AND HEARING IT OVER AND OVER BECAUSE IT EVEN BRINGS ME BACK IN LINE WITH WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? THE WHY? I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL.
LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, MISS PACHECO SAID, CONSISTENCY IS CRITICAL.
AS WE WENT DOWN THE PATH OF THE YONDER POUCHES, I KNOW IT'S STILL NEW FOR SOME, AND THERE ARE INCONSISTENCIES OUT THERE.
THOSE INCONSISTENCIES AND HOW WE, AS A DISTRICT, APPLY SOME OF THESE TOOLS AND RULES, WILL EASILY SCUTTLE OUR INTENTIONS.
I MEAN, THAT'S HOW CRITICAL THAT CONSISTENCY NEEDS TO BE.
LIKE YOU SAID, WE HAVE YOUTH THAT ARE NOT FULLY DEVELOPED AND UNDERSTANDING CONSISTENCY, AND THE WHY, WHAT'S THAT? FRONTAL LOBE.
THAT'S RIGHT, THE FRONTAL LOBE.
BUT I MEAN THAT EVEN VARIES ACROSS A FIVE YEAR OLD ALL THE WAY TO AN 18 YEAR OLD, SO THAT CONSISTENCY IS CRITICAL.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT YONDER, I THINK WE HAD SOME OF THE PRINCIPALS SPEAK PUBLICLY.
I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. CHOATE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE CONSISTENCY PIECE, AND HOW STAFF AFFECTS THIS RULE WILL BE CRITICAL.
ANYWAY, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT FORWARD FACING IN THESE RULES AND HAVING THEM ON WALLS AND STUFF.
FORGIVE ME HERE A LITTLE HUMOR, BUT I WENT TO THE POST OFFICE YESTERDAY.
THERE'S STUFF PASTED TO THE WALLS EVERYWHERE, SO THERE'S A BALANCE THERE.
I TOTALLY GET IT, AND WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND DO IT,
[01:35:02]
BUT [OVERLAPPING] DON'T BE THE POST OFFICE.THAT'S RIGHT. US POSTAL SERVICE. OUR FINEST.
WE START OUT TALKING ABOUT A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENTS, AND TOTALLY AGREE.
BUT THESE SMALL PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IMPACT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENTS.
THAT'S WHAT EVEN BRINGS US EVEN TO WHY THIS IS SO CRITICAL TO TACKLE THIS, BECAUSE WHO IS IMPACTED BY THIS? IT'S HUGE.
THAT ONE STUDENT IN A CLASSROOM THAT MAY HAVE AN OUTBURST AFFECTS 22 OR 25 OR 18 OTHERS.
A COUPLE OF ANECDOTES THAT I TAKE GOING BACK TO THIS CLASSROOM THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WITH TEACHERS, WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE STARTED THE YONDER.
A TEACHER ENGAGING A STUDENT TO CONFISCATE A CELL PHONE.
I HAVE HEARD SOME ANECDOTAL STORIES OF THE STUDENT SAYS, "NO," OR THREATENS THE TEACHER.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, NOBODY IN THAT CLASS IS GOING TO LEARN, BECAUSE THAT TEACHER IS NOW IN A COULD BE VIOLENT SITUATION THAT THAT TEACHER SHOULD NOT BE IN, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL UP AND SHUT DOWN EDUCATION IN THAT CLASSROOM.
THAT'S ONE ANECDOTE. THE OTHER IS, I'VE HEARD SOME STUDENTS THAT WON'T GO TO THE BATHROOM IN A SCHOOL.
THE WAIT UNTIL THEY GET HOME BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE USING THE RESTROOMS. THOSE ARE THE STORIES THAT THIS GETS AT THE HEART OF, OF HOW IS THAT EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT GOING TO BE POSITIVELY IMPACTED IF WE CAN GET OUR ARMS AROUND THIS OR IMPROVE IT? LET'S SEE HERE. I'M SORRY.
I'M SCATTER SHOOTING, BUT THAT'S HOW I WRITE NOTES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FROM A STAFFING, HR EXPERIENCE LEVEL, AND AS WE'VE SAID OVER AND OVER, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR TEACHERS ARE IN EXPERIENCE, YOUNGER, 0-5, 0-10 YEARS, THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND THE TOOLS AND THE UNDERSTANDING TO TACKLE THIS.
THAT IS SO CRITICAL THAT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT WHERE WE HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOMS, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE BEHOLDEN TO THE LEADERSHIP IN THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION TO GET BEHIND AND PROVIDE THOSE SUPPORTS AND THAT TRAINING TO GET THOSE YOUNGER INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS THOSE TOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN TACKLE THIS.
I JUST ALWAYS THINK ABOUT HOW OUR TEACHERS FALL IN THE EXPERIENCE BAND, AND THERE'S SO MANY IMPACTS IN ALL DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE ROLE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND HOW IT'S EXPANDED OVER TIME.
I WAS IN SCHOOL, WHEN MY PARENTS WERE IN SCHOOL, WHO WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS EFFORT, AND WE'RE HAVING TO TAKE THESE RESOURCES.
THANK GOD, THERE'S THIRD PARTY TEAMING PARTNERS OUT THERE THAT HAVE THAT EXPERTISE THAT CAN PLUG IN.
BUT NOW WE ARE HAVING TO TACKLE WHAT IS PROBABLY A SOCIETAL, CULTURAL, WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US.
IT DIDN'T START IN THE SCHOOL.
IT STARTED OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL. NOW IT'S IN THE SCHOOL.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL UPON GRADUATION.
BUT SOMETIMES, IT BLOWS MY MIND TO JUST THINK, WOW, HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT WHERE THIS IS WHAT? NOW WE LOOK AT A PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE ARE CRITICAL OF AND THAT THEY SO DISTRUST IN, AND THEY'RE NOW RELYING ON US TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, WHICH WE WILL TAKE ON AND WE ARE TAKING ON.
BUT SOMETIMES, YOU NEED A LEVEL SET AND SAY OKAY, THIS IS A BIG DEAL.
IT'S A BIG DEAL THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO US TO SOLVE INSTEAD OF OTHER PARTS OF SOCIETY AS WITH EVERYTHING, AND THAT'S FINE.
BUT WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT, 20 YEARS AGO, 50 YEARS AGO.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE THING AS YOU GO THROUGH THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THIS IS GOING TO TAKE, THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND TIME.
THAT TIME, THOSE ARE RESOURCES THAT DON'T GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE DISTRICT AND OTHER EFFORTS THAT WE'RE BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR AS WELL. LET'S SEE.
LAST THING, AND I KNOW I MENTIONED THIS ON THE PHONE, BUT I THINK MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF HUMAN NEEDS.
SAFETY IS A CRITICAL BUILDING BLOCK AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT TRIANGLE IF PEOPLE AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THERE'S SO MUCH IN BUILDING A PERSON AND THEIR NEEDS, BUT IT ALL STARTS WITH IF YOU DON'T FEEL SAFE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS FOR NOT.
AND SO WE MIGHT AS WELL GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID AND START TACKLING THESE CRITICAL CORNERSTONES INSTEAD OF WHITTLING AWAY UP HERE WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING DETAILS AND GOING DOWN THIS PATH WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORTING THE ACTIONS. THAT'S ALL.
[01:40:01]
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MR. EAGER.>> I'LL BE REAL SHORT BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUES HAVE COVERED EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY THING I JUST IS A GENERAL COMMENT AND TO JUST DOVETAIL IN YOUR COMMENT.
WHEN DID IT BECOME ACCEPTABLE ASSAULT A TEACHER OR A PRINCIPAL? WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THAT WAS UNHEARD OF.
IT IS HOW DO WE TOLERATE THAT? AND I KNOW WE DON'T.
I'M JUST SAYING, HOW DOES SOCIETY ALLOW US BECAUSE TEACHERS DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH AND JOBS ARE ALREADY HARD ENOUGH.
NOW YOU'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH, I'M WORRIED ABOUT DOING SOMETHING WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER FOR A KID AND YOU'RE GOING TO ASSAULT A PRINCIPAL? REALLY, COME ON FOLKS. WE CAN DO BETTER.
WE CAN DO BETTER AS A SOCIETY AND I KNOW THIS IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE BECAUSE WE CARE FOR KIDS.
BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RESPECT, RESPECT IS PEOPLE WILL TREAT YOU THE WAY THAT THEY ALLOW THEY'RE ALLOWED TO TREAT YOU.
AND OUR TEACHERS SHOULD NOT BE SCARED.
NAMING ANY OTHER PROFESSION BESIDES BEING A POLICE OFFICER OR WHERE YOU COME TO WORK, AND YOU'RE AFRAID THAT BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING THAT I'M GOING TO GET ASSAULTED AND THAT WAS TOLERATED.
I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T. I'M MAKING SURE WE DON'T.
BUT CLEARLY, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS.
I'VE NEVER SPENT A DAY IN A CLASSROOM.
I HAVE TO RESPECT THAT ALL THIS STUFF IS COMPLETELY COMPLICATED AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE KIDS WHEN THEY GET SUPPORT YOU NEED BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOME ROOT CAUSE, THERE'S SOMETHING THERE, SO WE DON'T WANT TO WRITE OFF THE KID.
BUT THERE IS LIFE AND LEARNING CONSEQUENCES TO YOUR ACTIONS.
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID EVERYTHING I WANT TO SAY AND PROBABLY MORE DETAIL THAN I'D ASK.
ONLY THING I WOULD ASK IS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ON CHAPTER 37, TELL ME MORE ABOUT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ORIGINALLY GENERAL GUIDELINES, AND NOW IT'S THIS 130-PAGE DOCUMENT, HOW MUCH DOES THAT HAMSTRUNG, THE DISTRICT'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES?
>> WELL, CHAPTER 37 IS BASICALLY THE LEGISLATIVE CODE ON HOW DO WE HANDLE STUDENT DISCIPLINE ACROSS THE STATE.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO WHEN APPLYING DISCIPLINE.
I BELIEVE EVERY AMENDMENT THAT WAS MADE TO CHAPTER 37 AT THE TIME WAS MADE WITH GOOD INTENT AND FOR GOOD PURPOSE.
BUT I THINK LIKE ANYTHING ELSE OVER TIME, IT HAS BEEN SO OVERDEVELOPED AND SO OVER PRESCRIPTIVE THAT NOW WE REALLY ARE LIMITED AND AS WELL AS STUDENTS CHANGE AND THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS, AND SOCIETAL NEEDS CHANGE.
I THINK NOW AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STATE IS WE NEED SOME INCREASED FLEXIBILITY.
HOW IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF CHAPTER 37 AND PROVIDE LOCAL DISTRICTS BASED UPON THEIR CONTEXT AND THEIR NEED.
SOME OF THOSE FLEXIBILITIES TO APPLY DISCIPLINE THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, ALSO, ENSURING THAT WE ARE DOING THINGS IN A WAY THAT ENSURES EVERY STUDENT HAS ACCESS TO A FREE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WE THINK THERE ARE CHANGES THAT CAN BE MADE THAT STILL CAN DO BOTH.
>> TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, HAVE WE GOT A PULSE OF THE ABILITY TO GET SOME OF THESE CHANGES MADE BECAUSE LET'S JUST SAY THE CLIMATE DOWN IN AUSTIN IS VERY ANTI-PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ANYTHING THAT MIGHT IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT SEEMS TO BE GETTING SHOT DOWN.
>> WELL, I'M HOPEFUL AND THAT MIGHT BE NAIVE. BUT I'M HOPEFUL.
AGAIN, WE ARE WORKING IN THIS COALITION IN WHICH I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME LEGISLATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERS THAT HAVE A REAL STRONG PULSE ON OUR LEGISLATORS AND THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A RED OR BLUE TOPIC.
[01:45:01]
THIS IS ABOUT A TOPIC THAT EVERYONE CAN UNITE AROUND, WHICH IS SAFETY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CREATING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.THEY BELIEVE WE CAN GET SOME REAL TRACTION FROM ALL SIDES AROUND.
AGAIN, GIVING OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR TEACHERS.
I THINK EVERYONE CAN UNIFY AROUND GIVING OUR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED SO THAT LEARNING CAN BE A PRIORITY IN THE BUILDING.
THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS GOING TO GET TRACTION AND THAT WE CAN GET THIS BILL SPONSORED EARLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THAT WE CAN GET SOME REAL MOMENTUM AROUND THESE CHANGES.
I'M HOPEFUL. I KNOW THAT MIGHT SOUND NAIVE, BUT I'M HOPEFUL.
>> NO, THAT'S OKAY. THIS NEW WORLD ORDER.
ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT.
IT'S EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND THEN IT'S HARDER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE, MAKE THAT DONE, AND THANK YOU, THE ADMINISTRATION.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER TOUGH ISSUE. BRING IT ON.
WHAT'S NEXT ON THE LIST? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND ALL THE WORKS GOING INTO THIS ALREADY.
>> RIGHT MR. EAGER. MISS TIMMY.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE THING. I JUST FEEL COMPELLED.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS AND I KNOW THAT THE CONSUMING OF IT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT THIS HAPPENS, BUT I WILL SAY MY EXPERIENCE AND I THINK PROBABLY MOST. IT'S VERY FEW.
IT REALLY IS A VERY SMALL GROUP, MAYBE IT MIGHT BE A HANDFUL OR LESS.
THAT BEING SAID, THEY TAKE UP SO MUCH TIME THAT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S MORE THAN THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT AND IT'S SO CONSUMING.
GIVING THAT TIME BACK TO TEACHERS AND TO OUR STAFF.
I WOULD SAY, WE'VE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST PARENTS HERE.
EVEN A LOT OF OUR KIDS STRUGGLE ON THAT LINE OF BEHAVIOR AND THEY PARTNER WITH US FOR GOOD OUTCOMES.
I THINK OUR PARENTS WANT OUR KIDS TO HAVE GOOD OUTCOMES.
THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO HAVE GOOD OUTCOMES AND THEY WANT TO PARTNER WITH US.
I THINK THIS WILL HELP IN DEFINING ENGAGEMENT, BUT WE REALLY DO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO THANK OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS WHO SPEND HOURS UPON HOURS MAYBE DEALING WITH A SMALL HANDFUL, BUT REALLY SUPPORTING THE VAST MAJORITY AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND ALL THE GREAT SKILLS IT TAKES TO NAVIGATE ALL THE SPECTRUM OF ISSUES THAT CROP UP IN A DAY.
HOPEFULLY BY DOING THIS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOME MORE TIME BACK SO THEY CAN HELP THEIR TEACHERS, COACH, WORK WITH THOSE KIDS IN A WAY WHERE THEY'RE NOT DEALING WITH A FEW DOMINATING THEIR TIME, AND MAKING IT THAT GREAT ENVIRONMENT WE HOPE.
>> YES. GREAT. MISS TIMMY, THANK YOU.
I HAD SOME OF THE SAME COMMENTS IN MY COLLEAGUES.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS FOCUSING ON WITH MISS PACHECO WAS MORE AROUND THE PARENTAL TRAINING.
NOT NECESSARILY JUST THOSE PARENTS WHO ARE HAVING ISSUES, BUT TO EDUCATE OUR PARENTS AS THEY COME INTO RICHARDSON TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT THAT THIS IS HOW WE DO THINGS.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE, AND I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THIS IS FOR K THROUGH 12.
>> PRE K. THAT IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOU SET UP TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN RICHARDSON ISD.
JUST AS A PARENT IN GENERAL, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT TRAINING, COACHING, EDUCATION AROUND, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE, SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE MOMENTS, EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.
I AM DEFINITELY FULL ON BOARD.
>> I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET.
IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN OUR STUDENTS IN THAT WE CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO KNOW AND DO SOMETHING UNTIL WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN IT.
HAVE WE TAUGHT IT? HAVE THEY LEARNED IT? HAVE WE REINFORCED IT? THEY DON'T. HOW DO WE TEACH IT AGAIN.
I THINK WE HAVE TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT OUR PARENTS ARE COMING TO US WITH ALL DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES AND BACKGROUNDS AS WELL.
WE CAN'T EXPECT THEM IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN CLEAR, THAT THAT IS NOT THE WAY THAT WE COMMUNICATE HERE.
WE WANT YOU TO BE A PARTNER WITH US AND TO DO SO, HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE.
IF WE HAVE NOT BEEN CLEAR AND PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL THAT SHOULD JUST BE AN ASSUMPTION.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE IT'S NOT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT IN THE HOUSE OF RICHARDSON ISD, HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE A FAMILY.
YOU DESERVE THAT SAME RESPECT AND WE DO AS WELL.
>> THREES AND FOURS. I LOVE IT.
I HAD THE SAME QUESTIONS ABOUT PARENTAL TRAINING, HOW DO WE EDUCATE THEM? HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THIS OUT? I AM DEFINITELY ON BOARD.
[01:50:03]
I LIKE IT. I LOVE IT. THEN TO MR. EAGER'S POINT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SITTING WAITING TO SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT STAMP FROM AUSTIN, WE STILL HAVE SOME PROCESSES IN PLACE THAT WE CAN DO.WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. FULLY ON BOARD, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?
>> PRINCIPAL [INAUDIBLE] COME ON.
>> THANK YOU. SORRY. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE 1%, THE 0.5%, BUT ALSO THIS MAKES ME THINK OF THAT PARTNERSHIP PIECE WHERE IT'S ALSO ON THE POSITIVE SIDE.
HEY, YOUR KID IS IN THE CLINIC AND SICK, PLEASE DON'T TAKE FOUR HOURS TO GET HERE.
WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PICK THEM UP BECAUSE THEY'RE MISERABLE AND THEY'RE IN PAIN AND THEY NEED TO COME HOME.
OR JUST PLEASE COME TO THE RD MEETING.
WE'RE DISCUSSING YOUR CHILD'S IEP.
WE WOULD JUST LIKE YOU TO BE THERE.
I THINK THIS ALSO EXTENDS THAT PIECE.
WE JUST WANT TO EXTEND THAT PARTNERSHIP PIECE.
THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT EVERYONE NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE.
IF YOU'RE A TIER 1 KID OR TIER 3 KID, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT YOU SOMEHOW.
THAT'S WHAT I GOT FROM THIS, AND I'M SO EXCITED. THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY.
>> GO AHEAD. IT'S OKAY. A VOICE MATTERS.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE. SARAH DYE, PRINCIPAL AUDELIA CREEK. SORRY, I'M LOSING MY VOICE.
WE HAD A LITTLE FIELD DAY TODAY.
BUT I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN SHARING WITH JOE.
HE'S REALLY STARTED SOME OF THIS WORK ON OUR CAMPUS IS JUST THE PARTNERSHIP AROUND LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOT A ONE TIME THING.
WE'RE TALKING TO THEM. WHEN THERE IS THAT EXPLOSIVE PARENT THAT COMES, WE BRING THEM IN.
I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL THAT WE'RE GOING DISTRICT WIDE, AND IT REALLY IS AROUND THOSE THREE PILLARS OF RESPECT AND SAFETY.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOING TO PROPEL OUR DISTRICT FORWARD.
I'M SO EXCITED LIKE SHE SAID, WHETHER YOU'RE TIER 1 OR TIER 3, STUDENT PARENT, TEACHER OR WHATEVER, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT US SO THAT WE ARE ALL ABLE TO FOCUS ON ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS MEET THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH GOALS.
AS A PARENT, AS AN EMPLOYEE, THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE JUST OPEN UP THE LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WHETHER IT'S NEGATIVE OR WHETHER IT'S POSITIVE, WE JUST GOT TO KEEP WORKING WITH THEM.
THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> LOVE IT. I LOVE THE POSITIVE PART AS WELL.
ABSOLUTELY. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? BREAKER FROM THE OTHER NIGHT.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. WE WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF, ALL OF OUR GUESTS THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. OF COURSE, MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE.
[IV. CLOSED MEETING]
IT IS NOW 7:54 PM AND THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE TO CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.[LAUGHTER] IT'S 7:54, AND 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, SECTION 551.074, PERSONNEL MATTERS AND DELIBERATION OF DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICER, AND SECTION 551.072, DELIBERATIONS ABOUT REAL PROPERTY.
>> THANK YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE] GO HOME AND GET SOME REST.
>> THE BOARD IS RETURNING TO OPEN SESSION AT 8:55 PM.
[V. RECONVENE]
[01:55:01]
HAVING TAKEN NO ACTION IN CLOSED SESSION, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 8:55 PM ON MAY 16TH.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.