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>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER MEETING OF RICHARDSONS ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
I'M CHRIS POTEET, BOARD PRESIDENT.MR. EAGER AND MS. TIMMY WILL NOT BE JOINING US TONIGHT DUE TO A CONFLICT.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:02 PM.
DR. HELLER, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE THIS EVENING.
>> YES. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT POTE.
THIS EVENING, I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THE JROTC COLOR GUARD FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY INCLUDE STUDENTS JOSE ALVAREZ, AMARI JAMALU.
WE HAVE JUDE BAILEY, AS WELL AS TATE NEIMAN.
THEY ARE LED BY JROTC SENIOR ARMY INSTRUCTOR, CAPTAIN JAMIE J LAWRENCE, US ARMY RETIRED.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE TO THE AMERICAN FLAG.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THANK Y'ALL.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE BEFORE WE DO.
SUPERINTENDENT BRANDON HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.
>> YES, JUST ON BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT, OUR HEARTS AND OUR PRAYERS GO OUT TO FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BOTH BY HELENE AND HURRICANE MILTON.
MY SECOND SON IS IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ALONG WITH HIS FIANCE, AND THEY ARE SEEING FIRSTHAND.
THE DAMAGE AND THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE CAUSED BY A HURRICANE.
THERE ARE SCHOOLS AND THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT RIGHT NOW CANNOT BE IN THIS BUILDING LIKE THIS AND CANNOT BE WORKING TOGETHER AND BE ENGAGED IN LEARNING AND SO JUST OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL OF THEM AS WE'RE GATHERED HERE TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. PLEASE JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, IS NOW TIME FOR OUR RECOGNITIONS, DR. HELLER.
>> YES. GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS WHO ARE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THE RISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF STUDENTS, STAFF, SCHOOLS, AND DEPARTMENTS.
OUR TRUSTEES ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS MAKE TO THE DISTRICT.
AT EACH REGULAR MONTHLY BOARD MEETING, WE TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE THESE ACHIEVEMENTS.
WE ASK THAT ALL OF OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS HELP CELEBRATE THESE RECOGNITIONS BY STAYING TO ENJOY THE ENTIRE RECOGNITION PROCESS.
THIS ALLOWS EVERYONE TO SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION FOR EACH RECIPIENT.
THERE WILL BE A SHORT BREAK AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE RECOGNITIONS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
ANY GUESTS WISHING TO LEAVE THE AUDITORIUM CAN DO SO AT THAT TIME.
THIS MONTH, I'M EXCITED WE HAVE TWO PARTNER RECOGNITIONS TO BRING FORWARD.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR FRIENDS AT ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL IN RICHARDSON,
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IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD.I WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE OUR FRIENDS FROM ALTRUSA, AS THEY ARE COMING FORWARD.
I WILL READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY WE ARE RECOGNIZING THEM.
ALTRUSA, FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE ORGANIZATION, IS AN INTERNATIONAL NONPROFIT MAKING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES BETTER THROUGH LEADERSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, AND SERVICE.
ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL RICHARDSON, PROVIDED 10 NEW TEACHERS $200 EACH TO USE TOWARDS MATERIALS FOR THEIR CLASSROOM.
IN ADDITION, ALTRUSA DONATED BACKPACKS TO DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS ACROSS MULTIPLE CAMPUSES.
IN ATTENDANCE, THIS EVENING, WE HAVE MISS JEAN STEWART, PRESIDENT, JULIANNE LOVELACE, FOUNDATION VICE CHAIR, AND JANIE JACI, FOUNDATION TREASURER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR RICHARDSON ISD.
[APPLAUSE] IF YOU GO AHEAD AND RECEIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM THE BOARD, AND WE WILL TAKE A GROUP PICTURE.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE RECOGNITION, WE WILL BE GETTING A PICTURE.
OUR NEXT PARTNER RECOGNITION IS WITH ASSOCIA.
I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR GUESTS FROM ASSOCIA TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE.
ASSOCIA IS A COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT PROVIDER THAT HAS A LONGSTANDING TRADITION OF GIVING BACK AND CONTRIBUTING TO A VARIETY OF GOOD CAUSES THAT UPLIFT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE AND WORK.
OUR LOCAL ASSOCIA OFFICE COLLECTED MORE THAN 09,000 SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR RICHARDSON ISD STUDENTS IN NEED.
WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THIS LARGE DONATION OF SUPPLIES THROUGH OUR NEW TEACHER ACADEMY TO HELP THEM STOCK THEIR CLASSROOMS AS THEY BEGIN THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAREERS HERE IN RICHARDSON ISD.
IT WAS A REALLY FUN TWO DAYS AS TEACHERS GOT TO GO SHOPPING.
WITH US THIS EVENING IS K PICKETT, MR. JOE GARZA, RITA LOGAN, TO SHAWNA ROBERTSON, AND MARIUS BURNS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY TO RICHARDSON ISD.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, ASSOCIA.
[APPLAUSE] WE ARE NOW WANTING TO RECOGNIZE OUR EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM YALE ELEMENTARY, ARE THEY HERE THIS EVENING TO RECEIVE THEIR RECOGNITION? IS MISS GREER HERE.
SOMETHING MUST HAVE COME UP, SO WE WILL HOLD THEM SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE THEM NEXT MONTH.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO RECOGNIZE THREE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FOR THE AP SCHOOL HONOR ROLL TO PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THAT WOULD BE FROM PIERCE, RICHARDSON, AND LAKE HIGHLANDS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME UP.
I SEE PRINCIPAL JONES, AWESOME. YES, THIS EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] WE ARE RECOGNIZING THREE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THEIR AP SCHOOL HONOR ROLL, THAT RECOGNIZES SCHOOLS DOING OUTSTANDING WORK TO WELCOME MORE STUDENTS INTO AP, ALSO KNOWN AS ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES.
SCHOOLS CAN EARN THIS RECOGNITION ANNUALLY BASED ON CRITERIA THAT REFLECT A COMMITMENT TO INCREASING COLLEGE GOING CULTURE, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT, AS WELL AS MAXIMIZING THEIR COLLEGE READINESS.
SO TONIGHT WE ARE RECOGNIZING BOTH PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL AND RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AS SILVER RECIPIENTS.
I KNOW ASHTON'S HERE REPRESENTING PIERCE AND THEN FOR LAKE HIGHLANDS, AS A BRONZE RECIPIENT, WE HAVE PRINCIPAL CARRIE JONES.
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WE'RE GOING TO GRAB THAT PHOTO.MAYBE HAVE ASHTON AND CARRIE COME.
[APPLAUSE] WE ARE NOW GOING TO RECOGNIZE A FEW OF OUR STAFF FOR THIS MONTH.
FIRST, WE ARE EXCITED TO WELCOME MISS LYDIA BUFFINGTON, FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS, ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] EARLIER THIS WEEK, LYDIA WAS RECOGNIZED AS SHE WAS SELECTED AS THE ELEMENTARY RECIPIENT OF THE TEACH AWARD, ESTABLISHED BY THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS TEXAS ASCD.
THE AWARD THAT TEXAS EDUCATORS ACHIEVING CLASSROOM HONORS RECOGNIZE AS INNOVATIVE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATORS FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN THE CLASSROOM IN WHICH IMPACT THE STUDENTS THEY TEACH AND INSPIRE OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS.
CONGRATULATIONS. I KNOW SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM GOT TO BE THERE ON MONDAY MORNING TO PRESENT HER AWARD OVER IN IRVING AT THEIR STATE CONFERENCE.
CONGRATULATIONS, LYDIA, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF YOU.
[APPLAUSE] PARDON? OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THANK YOU. I WAS JUST JOKING WITH TAB.
I WAS ASKED TO GIVE A FEW WORDS WHEN I RECEIVED THIS AWARD THIS WEEKEND, AND I ETHICALLY FAILED AND PARALYZED AND DID NOT SPEAK AND SO I ASKED IF I COULD MAKE UP FOR THAT AND SAY A FEW WORDS TO YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, TAB. YOUR LOVE AND PASSION FOR ISD AND THIS TEAM IS SO CLEAR AND EVIDENT IN THE WAY THAT YOU LEAD US, AND I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE AND A PART OF IT.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME, I GREW UP IN PLANO, GRADUATED FROM A&M, AND THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR IN ISD, FOURTH YEAR AT LAKE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY AND FOURTH YEAR AS A TEACHER.
I WEIRDLY REMEMBER MY INTERVIEW LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.
I WON'T TELL YOU AGAIN EVERYTHING, BUT I REMEMBER WALKING IN AND LEAVING.
IT WAS MY FIRST INTERVIEW IN PERSON AND I INTERVIEWED IN COVID.
I WALKED OUT AND CALLED MY MOM AND I SAID, I WANT TO BE AT THAT SCHOOL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I DID.
THANK YOU, EMILY. I'VE BEEN THERE.
YOU REALLY TOOK A RISK ON ME AS A FRESH COLLEGE BABY AT THE RIGHT AGE OF 22 AND I REALLY WATCHED ME GROW UP.
YOU'VE CHALLENGED ME TO GROW IN AREAS I NEED AND GIVEN ME OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT MY STRENGTHS, THE MARK OF A REALLY GOOD LEADER.
EMILY AND I HAVE THIS LITTLE CUTE JOB CALLED MY FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THINKING THAT AT 27, I'D HAVE SOME GRAND IDEA THAT MY LIFE NEEDED TO LOOK DIFFERENT, BUT I'M REALIZING I THINK THAT MY GRAND LIFE MIGHT BE TUCKED AWAY IN THE SQUARE BLOCK THAT IS LAKE HIGHLANDS.
IT'S REALLY BECOME MY WHOLE WORLD, AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY AWESOME.
I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING LED BY EMILY FOR A LONG TIME.
MAGGIE AND CAITLIN, THIS RECOGNITION IS AS MUCH YOURS AS IT IS MINE.
THE TRUE BACKBONE OF MY CAREER, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, YOU BOTH HAVE BUILT ME INTO THE TEACHER THAT I'M.
YOU'VE LAPPED WITH ME, ENCOURAGED ME AND OFTENTIMES HAVE GENTLY CORRECTED ME.
NOT ONLY SOME OF THE BEST TEACHERS THAT I KNOW, BUT SIMPLY SOME OF THE BEST HUMANS AND I'M THANKFUL YOU'RE ON MY TEAM AND YOURS.
MY PARENTS, MY FIRST EVERYTHING, MY FIRST CHEERLEADERS, ADVOCATES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DISCIPLER.
THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME ABOUT THE BEST GIFT, WHOSE I'M MADE IN THE IMAGE OF OUR CREATOR GOD, I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE BEING A TEACHER. I LOVE WHAT I DO.
I THINK THESE GUYS WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR GOOD IF WE LET THEM.
SOMETIMES I LIKE TO TELL MYSELF, WE REALLY ARE ALL JUST 10 YEAR OLDS TRYING THE BEST THAT WE CAN AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES EVERYTHING OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. [APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, LYDIA.
WE HAVE TWO MORE ISD STAFF, BOTH FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE FORWARD.
WILL MR. DAVID JOHNSTON AND STONE MANNY PLEASE COME FORWARD? [APPLAUSE] LET ME SHARE WITH YOU WHY WE ARE CELEBRATING THEM THIS EVENING.
THEY WERE RECENTLY RECOGNIZED AS PART OF THE TECH TITANS TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION FOR NORTH TEXAS.
THEY RECOGNIZE EACH YEAR A HIGH SCHOOL MATH OR SCIENCE TEACHER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INNOVATIVE TEACHING TECHNIQUE OR PROGRAM THAT
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INSPIRES STUDENT INTEREST IN MATH AND OR SCIENCE.AND BOTH DAVID AND STONE FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, GO EAGLES WERE RECOGNIZED.
CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING SO WE CAN CELEBRATE YOU.
IF YOU ARE A STUDENT HERE TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND AND LINE UP HERE TO MY LEFT.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO TRANSITION INTO OUR STUDENT RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING.
WE HAVE SOME ACADEMICS TO CELEBRATE THIS EVENING, BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM, AS THEY ARE COMING FORWARD.
WE ARE RECOGNIZING THESE STUDENTS FOR THEIR NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED RECOGNITION.
THE NATIONAL MERIT QUALIFYING PROGRAM RECOGNIZED 34,000 COMMENDED STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE NATION FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC PROMISE.
COMMENDED STUDENTS PLACED AMONG THE TOP 50,000 STUDENTS WHO ENTERED THE 2025 COMPETITION BY TAKING THE 2023 PRELIMINARY SAT NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP QUALIFYING TEST.
THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE ON THIS TEST IS A 228.
TO REACH THE LEVEL OF COMMENDED, A STUDENT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SCORE BETWEEN 219 AND 208.
WE ARE SO PROUD OF THESE STUDENTS THIS EVENING AND WE'RE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THEM TO YOU.
IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD [APPLAUSE]. YOU HAVE YOUR CARD.
IF YOU HAVE YOUR CARD WITH YOUR NAME, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
WE HAVE FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, MICHAEL MELO.
[APPLAUSE] ALSO FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, MICHAEL HALE.
[APPLAUSE] LUKE MARSHALL FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
SAMIR MOSHI FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
[APPLAUSE] AMARA WAHID FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
PEYTON HOW, LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
[APPLAUSE] JENNIFER RAYMAN FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
HANNAH CHAPMAN FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
JOEL RAHE FROM BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL.
EVAN DRAZIN FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL.
SAM CASEY FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL.
DAVID GREVEN FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL, AND JACOB ERICKSEN FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ARE SO PROUD OF THIS GROUP OF STUDENTS AND THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS.
IF YOU CAN NOW PLEASE COME BACK AROUND IN FRONT OF THE BOARD, AND WE ARE GOING TO AROUND THE BOARD, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER INCREDIBLE STUDENT RECOGNITION THIS EVENING.
WE HAVE MS. ADARA MCBETH FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
ADARA IS ONE OF 17 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BE PART OF THE STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE BUSH SCHOOL YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS SCHOOLS.
THE BUSH SCHOOL YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WILL ENJOY THEIR FIRST SUMMER GATHERING IN 2025 WITH 75 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THEY WILL ALL BE ELIGIBLE TO EARN THREE CREDITS FROM THE BUSH SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND GOVERNANCE, RATHER.
STUDENTS WILL FOCUS ON CIVICS AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
WHAT A GREAT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.
WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE REPRESENTING RISD IN THIS PROGRAM.
[APPLAUSE] FINALLY, THIS EVENING,
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AS WE DO EVERY MONTH, WE HAVE OUR BE THE ONE AWARDS, WHERE WE RECOGNIZE STUDENTS AND STAFF FOR REALLY GOING THE EXTRA MILE AND BEING THE ONE FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.THIS EVENING, AS WE GET STARTED, WE DO HAVE THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, SOME OF THE TEAM FROM AUDELIA CREEK ELEMENTARY BEING RECOGNIZED.
I DO WANT TO GIVE A QUICK LITTLE SHOUT OUT TO OUR FRIENDS AT NOTHING BUT CAKES BECAUSE THEY DONATE A SWEET TREAT FOR ALL OF OUR BE THE ONE AWARD RECOGNITIONS EVERY MONTH.
FOR AUDELIA CREEK ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE BRE SEATON, PRINCIPAL SARAH DYE, LAURA LOUGHMILLER MILLER, AND JAQUELINE SIGNALL.
TO SHARE WITH YOU WHY WE ARE RECOGNIZING THEM WHAT RECENTLY, ONE OF THEIR FAMILIES OUT OF AUDELIA CREEK EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THEIR APARTMENT, AND THE FAMILY WAS STILL ASLEEP, AND ONE OF OUR THIRD GRADE TEACHERS, BRE SAW THE FIRE AND RAN OVER AND WAS ABLE TO WAKE EVERYONE UP IN THE APARTMENTS.
ADDITIONAL STAFF, INCLUDING PRINCIPAL DYE AND HER COUNSELORS, MS. LOUGHMILLER, AND MS. SIGNALL HELPED THE FAMILY GET ACCESS TO BASIC NEEDS, INCLUDING FOOD AND CLOTHING AND PROVIDED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND COMFORT, EVEN FOR THEIR PETS AND THEIR TIME OF NEED.
WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING THE ONE FOR THIS STUDENT AND THEIR FAMILY DURING THEIR TIME OF CRISIS.
[APPLAUSE] WE'RE GOING TO GRAB A QUICK PHOTO WITH MS. DYE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER STUDENT THIS EVENING THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE.
HE IS A SENIOR AT RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AND PLAYS VARSITY FOOTBALL AS WELL AS IS ON THE DESPERADOS TEAM.
MATTHEW IS BEING RECOGNIZED BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN AND DONATING HIS TIME EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY EVENING TO HELP SOME ASPIRING SIXTH GRADERS MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM FLAG FOOTBALL TO TACKLE FOOTBALL.
COACH MATTHEW, AS THE BOYS REFER TO HIM, TAKES TIME TO BUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE, REVIEW GAME FILM, AND KEEP SHOWING UP TO INVEST IN EACH OF THE KIDS SUCCESS.
HE IS KIND AND MOST OF ALL, JUST A GREAT YOUNG MAN.
MATTHEW LEWIS IS ONE OF THE GOOD ONES, FOCUSING ON BEING A TEAM PLAYER, AND GIVING BACK TO THE NEXT GENERATION.
ON BEHALF OF TEAM B MOD, MR. LEWIS, THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS, MATTHEW.
WE'RE PROUD OF YOU. WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE ONE MORE MOMENT.
WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND STAFF HERE TO SUPPORT OUR RECOGNITION.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT FOR RICHARDSON ISD AND THESE STUDENTS AND STAFF, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR RECOGNITIONS FOR THIS EVENING.
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>> WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH OUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
WE NOW HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE FIRST RATING.
[II. Public Hearing: Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Rating for RISD]
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE FIRST RATING REPORT.MS. MCGOWAN, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING?
>> AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION. THANK YOU, MR. PATEE.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'LL WELCOME OUR VISITORS.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THIS HEARING.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, MS. MCGOWAN.
THIS PRESENTATION IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 39 OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE IN SECTION 109.1001 OF THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, CONCERNING THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY RATING SYSTEM OF TEXAS, ALSO KNOWN AS FIRST RATING REPORT.
MS. BRANHAM, DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION FOR US?
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PATEE.
YES. AS YOU KNOW, THE FIRST RATING REPORT, RSD RECEIVES THIS ANNUALLY AND WE PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO THE DISTRICT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE REPORT ON ALL OF THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY PIECES.
WE PRESENT THE REPORT FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION, AND AS A REMINDER, THERE'S NO ACTION REQUIRED. I HAVE ASKED MR. PATE AND HIS TEAM TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION TO THE BOARD AND OUR VISITORS ABOUT THIS YEAR'S FINDINGS. MR. PATE.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BRANHAM. MR. POTEET, ALLISON DAVENPORT, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE WILL BE MAKING THE FIRST PRESENTATION THIS YEAR.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT POTEET, FLORIDA TRUSTEE, SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM.
STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE DISTRICT CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SCHOOL FIRST RATING AS ASSIGNED BY TA.
AS YOU HAVE LET US KNOW, FIRST IS THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY RATING SYSTEM OF TEXAS.
NOTICE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS POSTED ON OCTOBER 1 IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.
THIS RATING FOR THE 2024 YEAR IS BASED ON THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION AS OF JUNE 30, 2023.
THE RATING SYSTEM HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.
THE INDICATORS HAVE BECOME MORE DIFFICULT FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO EARN AN A RATING.
TONIGHT, WE WILL JUST LOOK AT THE INDICATORS IN PLACE FOR THIS RATING YEAR.
THE PURPOSE OF SCHOOL FIRST IS TO EXPAND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AREA OF PUBLIC EDUCATION WITH THE GOAL BEING TO IMPROVE MANAGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
THE 2024 RATING WAS INITIALLY BASED ON 21 INDICATORS, ALTHOUGH TEA DID DECIDE NOT TO SCORE TWO OF THOSE INDICATORS.
THE INDICATORS ARE FURTHER BROKEN INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE CRITICAL INDICATORS, CEILING INDICATORS, AND INDICATORS WHERE POINTS ARE ASSIGNED.
A DISTRICT MUST EARN AT LEAST 90 POINTS TO EARN A A RATING.
THE FIRST FOUR QUESTIONS ARE THE CRITICAL INDICATORS.
ANY NO ON THESE QUESTIONS WOULD RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF SCHOOL FIRST.
QUESTIONS 4, 5, 06, 16, 17, 20, AND 21 ARE CEILING INDICATORS, AND THOSE DO LIMIT THE MAXIMUM POINTS THE DISTRICT CAN EARN.
THE REMAINING QUESTIONS ARE SCORED FIVE OR 10 POINTS.
SOME ARE ON A SLIDING SCALE, OTHERS ARE ALL OR NOTHING.
WE WILL QUICKLY LOOK AT THOSE QUESTIONS.
WAS THE COMPLETE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT SUBMITTED TO TEA WITHIN 30 DAYS OF OUR NOVEMBER 27 DEADLINE? YES, THAT RATING WAS PASSED.
IT WAS SUBMITTED ON NOVEMBER 14.
WAS THERE AN UNMODIFIED OPINION IN THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT? YES, AGAIN, THE RATING WAS PASSED.
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WAS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PAYMENT TERMS OF ALL OF OUR DEBT AGREEMENTS AT FISCAL YEAR END? AGAIN, WE WERE.WAS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID WE MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS TO TRS, THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, IRS, AND ALL THE OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES WE PAY? WE DID.
WAS OUR TOTAL NET POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES COLUMN IN THE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION GREATER THAN ZERO? WE WERE AT 76 MILLION.
WAS THE AVERAGE CHANGE IN ASSIGNED AND UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS LESS THAN A 25% DECLINE? IT DID NOT DECLINE AT THIS FISCAL YEAR, AND THEREFORE, WE EARNED ALL 10 POINTS.
WAS THE NUMBER OF DAYS OF CASH ON HAND IN CURRENT INVESTMENTS SUFFICIENT TO COVER OPERATING EXPENDITURES? A DISTRICT NEEDS 90 DAYS OF CASH ON HAND TO EARN ALL 10 POINTS.
WAS OUR MEASURE OF CURRENT ASSETS TO CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR THE DISTRICT SUFFICIENT TO COVER OUR SHORT TERM DECK? A RATIO OF THREE OR GREATER WOULD EARN ALL 10 POINTS AND WE WERE AT 3.5.
DID OUR DISTRICTS REVENUE OR GENERAL FUND REVENUES EQUAL OR EXCEED EXPENDITURES? IT DID.
QUESTION 10 WAS ONE OF THE TWO INDICATORS THAT WAS NOT SCORED BY TEA, SO WE GET THOSE 10 POINTS.
THEN QUESTION 11. WAS THE RATIO OF OUR LONG TERM LIABILITIES TO TOTAL ASSETS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT OUR LONG TERM SOLVENCY?
>> A TA DETERMINED THAT A RATIO OF 60% OR LESS WOULD EARN ALL 10 POINTS WHILE A RATIO BETWEEN 60-70% WOULD EARN EIGHT POINTS.
WE WERE AT 65, AND SO WE DID EARN EIGHT POINTS FOR THIS QUESTION.
WHAT'S THE CORRELATION BETWEEN OUR FUTURE DEBT REQUIREMENT AND OUR ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE? TA HAS DETERMINED, AGAIN, A RATIO OF FOUR OR LESS WOULD EARN ALL 10 POINTS AND WE WERE ONLY AT 3.18, SO EARNING ALL 10 POINTS.
THE NEXT QUESTION. IS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ADMINISTRATIVE COST RATIO EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN THE THRESHOLD RATIO? FOR A DISTRICT OUR SIZE, A LARGE DISTRICT WHICH MEANS ATA OF GREATER THAN 10,000, 8.55 IS THE MAXIMUM RATIO TO EARN ALL 10 POINTS.
DID WE NOT HAVE A 15% DECLINE IN STUDENT TO STAFF RATIO OVER THREE YEARS? WE DID NOT EARN ALL POINTS.
QUESTION 15, WAS THE SECOND QUESTION THAT TA DETERMINED NOT TO SCORE.
QUESTION 16, DID OUR PEIMS DATA COMPARED TO AN ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT RESULT IN LESS THAN A 3% VARIANCE? OUT OF $385 MILLION, WE WERE ONLY OFF $576.
DID THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR REPORT THAT OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT WAS FREE OF ANY MATERIAL WEAKNESSES? THEY DID. WE PASSED THAT RATING.
DID THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR INDICATE THAT THE FINANCIAL REPORT WAS FREE OF ANY MATERIAL NON COMPLIANCE? THEY DID, SO WE ALSO EARNED 10 POINTS. JUST A FEW MORE.
DID OUR DISTRICT POST ALL OF THE REQUIRED FINANCIAL POSTINGS ON OUR WEBSITE? WE DID EARNING FIVE POINTS.
DID THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ADMINISTRATION AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSS ANY CHANGES TO FUNDING 120 DAYS BEFORE WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET? D WE DID THROUGH OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS AND PASS THAT RATING.
DID WE NOT RECEIVE AN ADJUSTED REPAYMENT SCHEDULE, WHICH WE DID NOT, SO WE DID PASS THAT ONE AS WELL.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE WITH THAT.
WE DO HAVE AN A RATING 98 POINTS FOR THE 2024 YEAR.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DO HAVE FIVE DISCLOSURES THAT ARE REQUIRED.
ONE OF THEM IS OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT, WHICH YOU WILL FIND ON OUR DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.
ANY OUTSIDE COMPENSATION RECEIVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH THERE IS NONE TO REPORT, GIFTS RECEIVED BY EXECUTIVES OR BOARD MEMBERS, AGAIN, NONE TO REPORT.
BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE BOARD MEMBERS, NONE TO REPORT, AND THE LAST ONE BEING REIMBURSEMENTS RECEIVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ALL BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE IN FRONT OF YOU.
WITH THAT, MR. PATE, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALLISON.
FIRST AND FOREMOST. I JUST WANT TO THANK MR. PATE, YOU, YOUR ENTIRE TEAM WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE THAT OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE FOCUSED, THEY ARE SPENT,
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THAT THEY ARE MANAGED WELL, AND I JUST SO APPRECIATE THE TRUST THAT YOU HAVE EARNED BY OUR INTERNAL AND OUR EXTERNAL TEAM AND JUST A PHENOMENAL JOB.THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY FEEDBACK, COMMENTS, OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
>> DO ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME?
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY, CONGRATULATIONS, RISD ON SCORING AND GETTING AN A RATING. APPRECIATE IT. GOOD WORK.
>> THANK YOU. IT TAKES THE ENTIRE DISTRICT FROM THE FOLKS IN THE SCHOOL TO THE CENTRAL OFFICE TO ACHIEVE THESE RESULTS.
IT TAKES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT IN GETTING US HERE.
>> EXCELLENT. WELL, WITH THAT, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. PATE. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS FIRST RATING REPORT.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION.
[III. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]
MS. MCGOWAN, DO WE HAVE ANY PERSONS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD?>> THANK YOU, MR. PATE. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR VISITORS.
DURING TODAY'S MEETING, SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON BOTH AGENDA AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. AS A REMINDER, SPEAKERS ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PROTOCOL AS NOTED ON THE RSD WEBSITE.
SPEAKERS PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. I'M A BUS DRIVER, AND I LEFT YOU A FEW PHOTOS SO YOU CAN LOOK AT.
WE'RE DIRE NEEDED THOSE FUNDS.
PAGE 1 SHOWS THE ENTRANCE THAT WE CAN'T HAVE ACCESS TO BECAUSE THERE'S CHAINS ON THE DOORS OUTSIDE THE GATE.
PAGE 2 SHOWS A GOOD VIEW OF WHERE WE WANT TO BE TO GET TO AND FROM OUR BUSES ALONG PAGE 3 AND 4.
PAGE 5 SHOWS WE'RE CURRENTLY TUNED IN.
IT'S BEEN DISENGAGED THE CAR KEY AND YOU CAN SKIP 10.
THAT'S A WORK QUARTER, THAT'S IN AND 13 IS SPECIAL FOR ME.
I'M A MOTORCYCLIST, AND WE LOVE SPECIAL PARKING.
ANY QUESTIONS? PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT.
HOPEFULLY WE GET THOSE FUNDS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. MS. MCGOWAN,A RE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS TONIGHT?
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[IV. CONSENT / CONFIRMATION AGENDA ITEMS]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN ACTION ITEM FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.DOES ANYONE WISH TO PULL ANY CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION?
>> YES, MR. PATE, I'D LIKE TO PULL AN ITEM.
I WISH TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 4, LETTER I FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT SALE WITH VICTORY REAL ESTATE OUT OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE.
>> MS. HARRIS. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITHOUT ITEM NUMBER 4, LETTER I, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT SALE WITH VICTORY REAL ESTATE 401 SOUTH SHERMAN STREET.
>> THANK YOU, MS. TERA. IS THERE A SECOND?
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS POINT? HEARING NONE.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM IS TO CONSIDER GIFTS. MS. BRANHAM.
[V.A. Consider Acceptance of Gifts]
>> THANK YOU AND AS ALWAYS, THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PARTS OF OUR MEETING WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SEND APPRECIATION TO OUR AMAZING PTAS AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT GIVE GRACIOUSLY TO OUR STUDENTS,
[00:40:02]
TO OUR CAMPUSES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ACHIEVING OUR NORTH STAR GOAL.I'VE ASKED MR. PATE TO PREPARE A REPORT ON OUR GIFTS OVER 5,000. MR. PATE.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BRANHAM. I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT GIFTS RECEIVED THIS MONTH.
WE HAVE SEVEN GIFTS OVER $5,000 SUBMITTED FOR BOARD APPROVAL.
ARAPAHO CLASSICAL MAGNET PTA DONATED $7,000 TO ARAPAHO CLASSICAL MAGNET.
ANDREA STUBBLEFIELD FIELD DONATED $6,112 TO ARAPAHO CLASSICAL MAGNET.
ERICA DONATED $6,300 TO ARAPAHO CLASSICAL MAGNET.
THE BRENTFIELD ELEMENTARY PTA DONATED $16,560 TO BRENTFIELD ELEMENTARY.
THE MOSS HAVEN ELEMENTARY PTA DONATED $68,000 TO MOSS HAVEN ELEMENTARY.
THE PRAIRIE CREEK ELEMENTARY PTA DONATED $15,325.63 TO PRAIRIE CREEK ELEMENTARY, AND THE YALE ELEMENTARY PTA DONATED $5,000 TO YALE ELEMENTARY FOR A TOTAL OF $124,297.63, AND WE HAVE NINE GIFTS, LESS THAN $5,000 FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES TO CAMPUSES ACROSS THE DISTRICT, TOTALING $15,720.12, WHICH ARE SUBMITTED FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION.
TOTAL GIFTS THIS MONTH ARE $140,017.75.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. PATE. WITH THAT, I DO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THE GIFTS OF $5,000 OR MORE IS LISTED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES.
>> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE GIFTS?
>> THANK YOU, MS. HARRIS. IS THERE A SECOND?
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE GIFTS? I'LL JUST ADD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, IT'S A LOT MORE.
I THINK IT WAS TO THE TUNE OF 50% HIGHER OR SOMETHING.
I JUST WANT TO REALLY THANK ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY THAT HELPS US TEAM WITH SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS.
IT'S REALLY RESPECTABLE TO SEE THAT EFFORT.
WITH THAT, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THANK YOU AND THE MOTION PASSES 5-0.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERING APPROVAL OF RENAMING FIVE SCHOOLS. MS. BRANHAM.
[V.B. Consider Approval of Renaming Five Schools]
>> THANK YOU. ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAD, AS A RESULT OF PROJECT RIGHT SIZE WAS TO CONSIDER THE REPURPOSE AND THE NEW PURPOSE OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO USE THOSE NEW BUILDINGS ALONG WITH THE OPENING AND THE NAMING OF OUR THIRD DAYCARE ACADEMY, AND WE FOLLOW BOARD POLICY ANYTIME WE NEED TO EITHER NAME A NEW BUILDING OR RENAME A FACILITY.
I WANT TO THANK MS. TIMMY AND MS. HARRIS FOR THEIR SERVICE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
IT WAS LED BY MS. HAYES, AND I'VE ASKED HER TO BRING FORWARD THE INFORMATION AND REALLY THE PROCESS THAT WAS USED TO COME UP WITH THESE NAMES. MS. HAYES.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BRANHAM. GOOD EVENING, BOARD.
IN JULY, WE PUT TOGETHER A FACILITY NAMING COMMITTEE.
WE TRIED TO INCORPORATE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, OF COURSE, BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENT, AND THEN WE HAVE A PRINCIPAL.
WE HAD DOUG PLANEY REPRESENTING FOR OUR PRINCIPALS.
WE HAD FOLKS FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT MAINTAIN OUR BUILDINGS AND WORK WITHIN OUR BUILDINGS.
WE HAD ALL FOUR OF OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS SINCE THERE WAS A BUILDING IN EACH OF THEIR AREAS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT NAMING.
WE ALSO INCLUDED MR. HALL AS PART OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS TO BE PUT INTO OUR BUILDINGS AND MAINTAINED.
TIM CLARK,W E ASKED THE PTA REP, SARA BARKER TO REPRESENT PTA ON OUR COMMITTEE JOE MINESCUCO, AND THEN OF COURSE, JAMES WATSON AS OUR SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES.
OUR COMMITTEE MET. WE MET SEVERAL TIMES.
WE MET FIRST TO AGREE THAT THAT WE WANTED TO RENAME THEM TO REPRESENT MORE OF THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING NOW, REMOVE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM THE FOUR OF THEM AND THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT CHRISTA MCAULIFFE LEARNING CENTER NEEDED TO LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD SINCE THERE WOULD BE NO MORE STUDENTS THERE AS WELL.
WE MET, WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUILDINGS AND THE PURPOSES.
WE AGREED THAT PART OF OUR PROCESS IS TO PUT A SURVEY OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND SO WE DEVELOPED A SURVEY VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID THE LAST TIME WE NAMED A BUILDING.
WE PUT IT OUT ON THE STREET FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.
WE HAD ABOUT 440 FOLKS PUT RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME FOR ALL FOUR OR FIVE SCHOOLS, OTHERS FOR JUST THE SCHOOL THAT WAS IN THEIR AREA THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE A SAY IN.
WE LOOKED AT THE SURVEY RESULTS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT NAMES THAT WERE SUGGESTED.
THEN AS A COMMITTEE, WE CAME TO A CONSENSUS ON WHAT WE FELT LIKE THE NAME OF
[00:45:02]
THE BUILDING SHOULD BE CONSIDERING THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING MOVING FORWARD.TONIGHT, I BRING YOU THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
MOVING FORWARD, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE GREENWOOD HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BE RENAMED GREENWOOD HILLS LEARNING CENTER.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SPRING VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RENAMED SPRING VALLEY LEARNING CENTER.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE THURGOOD MARSHALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RENAMED, THURGOOD MARSHALL STUDENT SUCCESS ACADEMY.
WE'D LIKE THE CHRISTA MCAULIFFE LEARNING CENTER TO BE RENAMED THE RISD SUPPORT CENTER.
THEN WE WOULD LIKE SPRING RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE RENAMED LITTLE RAMS AND LITTLE WILDCATS CHILD LEARNING ACADEMY AT SPRING RIDGE.
THAT IS PART OF THE SAME NAME OF CLOTURE THAT WE DID FOR THE OTHER DAYCARES.
WE'D LIKE TO KEEP THOSE CONSISTENT FOR OUR STAFF.
THOSE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MS. BRANHAM.
>> THANK YOU, MS. HAYES, AND WITH THAT, I DO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE NAMES OF THE CAMPUSES AS IDENTIFIED.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, SUPERINTENDENT.
THANK YOU, MS. HAYES. IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD ON THE RECOMMENDATION?
>> THANK YOU, MS. PACHECO. IS THERE A SECOND?
> THANK YOU, MS. ANDREA. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE VOTE? YES. MS. [INAUDIBLE].
>> I JUST ALSO WANTED TO EXTEND GRATITUDE TO OUR COLLEAGUES TO BOTH MS. TIMMY AND MS. HARRIS.
I KNOW SOMETIMES IT SEEMS PRETTY SIMPLE, JUST TO NAME IT, BUT IT CAN GET SO TIED IN WITH EVERY LITTLE WORD MATTERS.
AS WE HAD ALL OF OUR PROJECT RIGHT SIZE EARLIER IN THE YEAR, THE REPURPOSING OF OUR BUILDINGS, IT'S VERY VERY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU, MS. HARRIS, AND THANK YOU TO MS. TIMMY, WHO WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT GETTING THOSE NAMES JUST RIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> IF I MIGHT ADD ONE THING, PART OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED WAS AND WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE NAME OF WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED AS PART OF THEIR NEW NAME.
THEIR IDENTITY, GREENWOOD HILL, SPRING VALLEY, SPRING RIDGE, THAT IDENTIFIES A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE COMMUNITY REALLY FELT STRONG ABOUT KEEPING THAT AS PART OF THEIR NAMES.
>> GREAT POINTS. YES. MS. HARRIS.
>> JUST A PIGGYBACK ON TRUSTEE RENA.
IT CAN BECOME VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU ARE ON A COMMITTEE AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT, AND YOU'RE ALSO TRYING TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE ALSO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NAME REALLY RESONATES AND MEANS SOMETHING AND THAT IT'S POWERFUL FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING THERE EVERY DAY.
YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY SURPRISED ABOUT JUST ONE WORD THAT WE TOSSED AROUND SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WE DECIDED ON A NAME.
I REALLY ENJOYED BEING ON THE COMMITTEE.
I APPRECIATED BEING ON THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT CHALLENGE FOR US.
I THANK YOU SANDRA FOR RUNNING IT.
>> THANK YOU, MS. HARRIS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, MS. PACHECO.
>> I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE, AND MS. HAYES FOR LEADING THIS CHARGE.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE HAD SO MUCH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WITH GETTING THE NAMES, AND I SAW THE LITTLE THING THAT CAME THROUGH MY EMAIL, ASKING FOR NAMES, AND I WONDERED HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY DO IT, BUT I'M JUST REALLY THAT OUR COMMUNITY TOOK UP THE CHALLENGE AND HELPED US OUT WITH NAMING EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS.
I'M EXCITED. I LIKE THOSE NAMES, ESPECIALLY THE LITTLE RAMS/LITTLE WILD CATS.
MAYBE LITTLE RS AND LITTLE W CLASS.
I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S A REALLY LONG NAME, BUT IT'S A GOOD NAME. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> HEARING NO OTHERS ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU.
THE MOTION PASSES FIVE TO ZERO.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN ACTION ITEM TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF
[V.C. Consider Approval of 2024-2025 Campus Improvement Plans]
THE 2024/2025 CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS. MISS BRANHAM.>> AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN LEADING THE BOARD IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS PROCESS SINCE REALLY BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
I'M GOING TO IMMEDIATELY TURN IT OVER TO MR. HASSO, WHO WORKS WITH OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS THAT ALIGN TO THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT'S ALL ABOUT US ACHIEVING OUR NORTH STAR GOAL. MR. HASSO.
>> THANK YOU, MRS. BRANHAM. BOARD, GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO CONTINUE OUR WORK ON THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS FOR THE DISTRICT.
[00:50:08]
WE NEEDED THE CLICKER. AS MISS BRANHAM ALLUDED TO, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE BOARD DURING OUR BOARD MEETINGS THIS FALL, DATING BACK TO AUGUST, DR. HELLER AND I SPOKE TO THE BOARD ABOUT THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PROCESS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING INITIATIVES AND PRIORITIES.THEN LAST MONTH IN SEPTEMBER, THE BOARD TOOK OFFICIAL ACTION TO ADOPT THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH WE GREATLY APPRECIATE.
REMINDED THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THAT PROCESS FEEDS THE SAME PROCESS THAT CAMPUSES FOLLOW FOR THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO JUST PROVIDE YOU A FEW BRIEF REMINDERS FOR CONTEXT AS TO HOW THE CAMPUSES ARRIVE AT THEIR IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
WE SEE THAT ALL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN IMPROVEMENT PROCESS.
THE FIRST PARAGRAPH HERE, THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTIONS, OR WHAT I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, BUT JUST A REMINDER, IN YELLOW, WE SEE THAT THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS DEVELOPED, EVALUATED, AND REVISED ANNUALLY.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THAT EACH YEAR.
GOING DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, THE PURPOSE OF THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS TO GUIDE DISTRICT AND CAMPUS STAFF IN THE IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE, WHICH WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALONG THE WAY AND THEN IN RED, JUST A REMINDER THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS PRESENTED IN SEPTEMBER 2024.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM THAT'S APPEARING HERE.
THIS SPEAKS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND AGAIN, CALLING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS, WE'LL START WITH YELLOW.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EACH CAMPUS OPERATES A SITE-BASED COMMITTEE TO ASSIST THE PRINCIPAL IN THE CAMPUS-LEVEL PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING.
HERE IN JUST A SECOND, WE'LL DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO WHAT EXACTLY IS MEANT BY THE SITE-BASED COMMITTEE.
THEN IN RED THERE AT THE BOTTOM, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MUST APPROVE THESE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS JUST LIKE WE DID THE DIP ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT. THERE WE GO.
THE SITE-BASED COMMITTEE PURPOSE.
YOU CAN SEE IN BOLD, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO INSULT ANYONE'S INTELLIGENCE AND READ A SLIDE TO YOU.
IN BOLD, THE SITE-BASED DECISION-MAKING AND SITE-BASED DECISION IS A PROCESS FOR DECENTRALIZING DECISIONS.
IF YOU JUST FOLLOW THE BOLD FONT THERE, IT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, AND ULTIMATELY THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PARAGRAPH IS INTENDED TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, JUST LIKE THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE USE FOR THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AS WE START THINKING ABOUT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SITE-BASED COMMITTEE, THE FIRST LISTED RESPONSIBILITY IS CAMPUS GOALS AND IMPROVEMENT PLAN, SO THAT FEEDS DIRECTLY INTO THE PARAGRAPH ABOVE AND THEN NUMBER 2 IS THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
THE COMMITTEE WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRINCIPAL TO REVIEW, REVISE, AND DEVELOP THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AGAIN, THAT'S A KEY PART OF HOW WE ARRIVE AT OUR STATUS TONIGHT.
DR. NEWMAN, WHO IS ONE OF OUR OUTSTANDING ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS AT JAS HARBIN PROVIDED ME JUST A QUOTE ON HER EXPERIENCE USING THE SITE-BASED COMMITTEE IN THIS PROCESS.
SHE RESPONDED, MY SITE-BASED COMMITTEE GIVES INPUT TO THE CIP THROUGH BRINGING THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE TO ENRICH OUR SCHOOL.
PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE INSIGHTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
IT IS A TRUE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
SHE IS SOMEBODY THAT REALLY TAKES THIS PROCESS SERIOUSLY AND INVOLVES THOSE REPRESENTATIVE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
ALONG THE WAY, WE'VE ALSO REMINDED THE BOARD OF OUR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL THAT WE USE IN THE DISTRICT.
VERY QUICKLY, JUST A REMINDER THAT AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THAT CIRCLE, ALL OF THAT IS DATA-RELATED, ANALYZE AND REFLECT ON DATA, MOVING ACROSS TO THE RIGHT, MAKE DATA-DRIVEN ADJUSTMENTS, AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE LEFT, GATHER NEW DATA AND THEN YOU'LL SEE IN THE CENTER OF THAT CIRCLE, ALL OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF OUR DISTRICT STRUCTURE AND CULTURE RATHER, STARTING WITH THE NORTH STAR GOAL AT THE TOP, THE GRADUATE PROFILE STRATEGIC PLAN.
YOU SPECIFICALLY HAVE ALREADY APPROVED THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH FEEDS THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND THEN THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLANS THAT WE HAVE ADDRESSED WITH YOU AS WELL.
ALL OF THESE ALIGN OF BOARD GOALS AS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.
WE ALSO REVIEWED WITH YOU ALONG THE WAY THE PRIORITIES FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN YEAR 2 AND
[00:55:02]
FOR THE DIP AND CIP PLANS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD THAT ALIGNMENT THAT MISS BRANHAM TALKED ABOUT.WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF THIS, BUT IF I CAN BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE RIGHT COLUMN, WHICH IS DIP CIP, JUST A COUPLE OF REMINDERS.
FIRST BULLET IS USE OF SCHOOLOGY AND CSW FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO SET AND TRACK GOALS.
MISS BRANHAM AND THE TEAM HAVE TALKED TO YOU ALONG THE WAY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GOAL-SETTING FOR STUDENTS THIS YEAR.
THE SECOND BULLET ITEM IS REALLY THE LAST ONE I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IN THIS COLUMN.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF, SPECIFICALLY UNDER THAT BULLET, ADDRESS CLIMATE SURVEY RESULTS.
IN MY TIME IN THE DISTRICT, I KNOW THAT WE, AS A DISTRICT, CENTRAL STAFF, AND AS CAMPUS TEAMS, SPENT MORE TIME DIGGING THROUGH THE TEACHER FEEDBACK TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE RESPONSIVE THAN I'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE, SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
THEN FINALLY, WE COME TO OUR TIMELINE FOR THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
WE SHARED THE TIMELINE FOR THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLANS, AND THIS READS ROUGHLY THE SAME.
STARTING IN JULY OF 2024, CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROCESS BEGINS.
WE MOVE ON TO AUGUST AND WE HAVE THAT CAMPUS TEAM COLLABORATION.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE SITE-BASED COMMITTEE BEING A PART OF THAT.
MOVING FORWARD TO AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS BEGIN THEIR REVIEW AND FINALIZE THEIR REVIEW OF EACH ONE OF THEIR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS, AND THEN AT THE END, HERE WE ARE IN OCTOBER, ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ACTION TO APPROVE OUR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
TWO POINTS THAT I WOULD LIKE JUST TO ADD ON TO THAT IS NUMBER 1, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THESE PLANS ARE DYNAMIC.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN A MOMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR OUR BEGINNING-OF-THE-YEAR MAP SCORES.
AS OUR CAMPUSES INDIVIDUALLY DIG INTO THEIR SCORES, PART OF WHAT THEY DO IS TO EVALUATE THIS IS ONE DATA POINT, BUT BASED UPON THIS ONE DATA POINT, ARE THERE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS? DO WE NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON A CERTAIN STRATEGY? DO WE NEED TO MAYBE COURSE CORRECT IN OTHER STRATEGIES? THESE PLANS ARE MEANT TO BE SOMETHING THAT ARE USED AND THAT THAT WE KEEP GOING BACK TO AS WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION.
THE SECOND THING IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WE'RE DELIVERING ON THE PROMISES THAT WE MAKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
WE DO QUARTERLY UPDATES BUT WITH THE CIP AND THE DIP WHERE WE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE IN IMPLEMENTATION.
WE ALSO PROVIDE DATA UPDATES SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN SEE HERE'S WHERE WE ARE PERFORMING IF THAT DATA IS AVAILABLE AS WELL AND WE POST THOSE UPDATES ON A WEBSITE AS WELL.
AGAIN, WE WANT THIS TO BE A VERY TRANSPARENT. HERE'S THE INFORMATION.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR CAMPUS IS WORKING ON, HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET THAT INFORMATION, AND THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS AND THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT YOUR CAMPUS IN ACHIEVING THE GOALS THAT THEY HAVE SET OUT IN THEIR CIP.
AGAIN, I THANK MR. HASSO AND OUR AREA, SUPERINTENDENTS AND OUR PRINCIPALS FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK AND WITH THAT, I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS FOR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MR. HASSO.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, MISS BRANHAM.
IS THERE A MOTION BASED ON THIS RECOMMENDATION?
>> THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO. IS THERE A SECOND?
BOARD, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE CIP PRESENTATION? YES, MISS PACHECO.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL THE STEPS YOU'VE TAKEN TO WALK US THROUGH THEM.
I ALSO DID LOOK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE CIP PLANS FOR THE SCHOOLS.
I DON'T KNOW. IT'S GOOD READING, GUYS.
ESPECIALLY IF YOUR KIDS ARE AT THAT SCHOOL. IT'S TRUE.
IT GIVES A LOT OF GOOD DETAILS, INFORMATIONS, AND STRATEGIES.
OUR DISTRICT FOCUSES ON STUDENT GROWTH AND I SEE THAT IN EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT I LOOKED AT.
IT ALSO FOCUSES ON HEALTH AWARENESS, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT.
SOME OF THEM HAVE LITTLE SPRINKLINGS OF GREAT THINGS LIKE LET'S SEE, I'M GOING TO MENTION TOO.
MEN OF EXCELLENCE AND EMPOWER HER PROGRAM.
THEY'RE EXPANDING AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS AMAZING BECAUSE I DID GO SEE ONE YEAR BACK, I THINK, AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT.
I LOVE THAT WE'RE EXPANDING ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND, OF COURSE, ACCELERATED LEARNING AND HIGH-QUALITY, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ARE KEY IN EVERY SINGLE THING THAT I SAW.
I APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK. THANK YOU.
[01:00:01]
MISS MCGOWAN, DID YOU HAVE ONE OR NO? MISS MCGOWAN.>> THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING HERE AS WELL.
I TOO LOOKED AT SOME OF THESE AND I DO HAVE A KIDDO BECAUSE I HAVE KIDS STILL IN THE DISTRICT I DO WANT TO KNOW, AND I DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE AND TRACK AND SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT ONE OF MY QUESTIONS FOR ONE OF THE PRIORITIES SET IS I THINK IN OUR PRESENTATION IT WAS TRAINING ON SCHOOLOGY AND CSAA AND HOW TO SET AND TRACK GOALS FOR OUR TEACHERS AND FOR OUR FAMILIES SO THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE THOSE TWO PROGRAMS BECAUSE IT'S CHALLENGING THE PROGRAMS AS PARENTS.
ARE WE ALLOCATING THE TIME NEEDED OR HOW ARE WE ALLOCATING THE TIME NEEDED FOR OUR TEACHERS AND TRAINING ON THAT [INAUDIBLE] AND OUR PARENTS?
>> LOVE THAT. MR. HALL, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN AS WELL.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY TEAM AFFECTIONATELY CALLED THE I TEAM THEY WORKED ON A PLAN LAST SPRING AND MET WITH PRINCIPALS IN THE SPRING TO REALLY DEVELOP WHAT WAS THE YEAR-LONG ROLL-OUT GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW IS THAT WHEN TEACHERS ARE LEARNING A NEW TOOL, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT JUST-IN-TIME TRAINING.
AS THE YEAR DEVELOPS AS WE'RE POSTING A NEW ASSIGNMENT OR AS WE'RE GOING TO SEND OUT A NEW PIECE OF INFORMATION TO PARENTS, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT ONGOING TRAINING.
YOU CAN'T JUST DO IT ONE AND DONE.
THERE WAS A BEGINNING-OF-THE-YEAR, TRAINING THAT WAS PROVIDED BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED AND THEN THE I TEAM HAS WORKED AND COLLABORATED WITH PRINCIPALS TO PROVIDE EITHER TRAINING DURING PLCS OR DURING CONFERENCE PERIODS OR AFTER-SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
THEY'VE ALSO PROVIDED A LOT OF CHOICE SESSIONS THAT ARE IN OUR EGOPHOIA CATALOG THAT TEACHERS CAN ATTEND EITHER AFTER SCHOOL OR ON WEEKENDS AND THEN EVEN AT OUR DISTRICT-WIDE DAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM WORKED WITH THE I TEAM, IF THEY HAVE A CONTENT DAY, LET'S SAY THEY'RE FOCUSED ON SOCIAL STUDIES, THEY'RE EMBEDDING MODELING SCHOOLOGY AND CSAA IN THAT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AS WELL SO THAT THE TEACHERS ARE GETTING PRACTICE WITH IT.
AM I KEEPING TABS THAT WILL BE RELEASED TOMORROW? ONE OF THE THINGS WE SHARE IS THE WORK WE ARE DOING IN THAT ANGIE LEE AND OUR EQUITY DEPARTMENT, THEY ARE LEADING OUR PARENT GROWTH CAMPS.
WE'RE ASKING OUR CAMPUSES TO HOST A PARENT GROWTH CAMP WHERE THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN, LEARN ABOUT HERE'S HOW YOU CAN ACCESS CSAW IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE, OR IF YOU HAVE AN UPPER ELEMENTARY AND A SECONDARY STUDENT, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GET INTO SCHOOLOGY.
HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN SEE YOUR PORTFOLIO.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR STUDENT GROWTH GOALS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE I TEAM AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING VIDEOS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
AGAIN, A PARENT, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GO IN AND ACCESS GRADES THROUGH SCHOOLOGY OR C WHERE DO I GET THE CALENDAR TO KNOW THAT THERE'S AN UPCOMING TEST OR PROJECT THOSE PARENT SNIPPETS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
THE DISTRICT SENDS THAT INFORMATION OUT, AND THEN WE ALSO REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR CAMPUSES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SENDING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO PARENTS AS THEY'RE READY.
MR. HALL, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT?
>> THANKS, MISS BRANHAM. THANKS, MISS MCGOWAN FOR THE QUESTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING WE HAD A SOFT LUNCH OF THIS LAST YEAR WITH OUR PIONEER CAMPUSES SO WE LEARNED A LOT LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT ROLLOUT SHOULD LOOK LIKE WITH TRAININGS.
THIS YEAR, WE HAD A THREE-PHASED APPROACH TO THE TRAINING.
WE HAD A TRAINING IN AUGUST, A TRAINING IN SEPTEMBER, AND A TRAINING IN OCTOBER AND SLOWLY BUILT ON ONE ANOTHER TO GIVE THE TEACHERS THE SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE GOAL SETTING AND BEING ABLE TO USE THE PLATFORM.
WE ARE STILL GROWING IN THE PARENT CATEGORY, AND THOSE VIDEOS ARE BEING DEVELOPED AS WE SPEAK AND THE TRAININGS FOR PARENTS AS WELL.
MISS BRANHAM, YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB EXPLAINING THE TRAINING. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN A STAFF MEMBER IS LEARNING A NEW TOOL LIKE SCHOOLOGY OR CSAA AND AGAIN, THEY WERE SO ACCUSTOMED TO USING, FOR EXAMPLE, GOOGLE CLASSROOM FOR SO LONG THAT IT IS A CHANGE PROCESS AND IT IS A CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS.
WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO WALK ALONGSIDE THEM AND SUPPORT THEM AS THEY'RE LEARNING THIS NEW TOOL.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP OUR EXPECTATIONS REASONABLE IN THIS FIRST YEAR AND RECOGNIZING THAT IT PROBABLY WILL NOT BE A TOOL THAT THEY FEEL GREAT WITH UNTIL LIKE YEAR 3.
THAT'S REALLY OUR JOB IS JUST TO CONTINUE TO EQUIP THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL SUPPORTED.
I THINK THEY'RE BEGINNING TO SEE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF IT BUT THERE'S NO PERFECT CALENDAR, THERE'S NO PERFECT SCHEDULE, AND THERE'S NO PERFECT LMS. THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS ABOUT ONE SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT SOMEONE LIKES MORE THAN ANOTHER AND SO WE JUST REALLY TRY TO LISTEN, HAVE A STUDENT EMAIL ME WITH A QUESTION AND OUR I TEAM GOES AND WE SIT,
[01:05:01]
KNEE TO KNEE WITH THAT STUDENT, WE LISTEN TO THEIR VOICE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SUPPORT THERE TO HELP THEM IN THEIR TRANSITION.>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS I WENT THROUGH THE SLIDES, IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON AND TO SEE THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE ARE DEVELOPING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND WITH OUR PARENTS, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL AND SO IMPORTANT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, AND THE GOAL SETTING IS AMAZING.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR ALL THIS WORK.
I'M SUPER EXCITED, CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK AND SHARE SOME OF THIS GOOD STUFF WITH MY COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? GREAT COMMENTS. GREAT QUESTIONS.
I WILL SAY THAT I'M VERY IMPRESSED THAT WE'VE GOT A PLAN.
PLANS ARE NOT EASY, BUT WE DO A LOT OF PLANNING, BUT EXPERIENCE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IS THOSE PLANS SOMETIMES SIT ON THE SHELF, AND WE DON'T HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE PLANS AND CHECKING THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
HAVING THAT STRUCTURE IN PLACE WHERE WE USE THEM, THEY DON'T SIT ON THE SHELF, THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING CHECKED QUARTERLY THAT'S OUTSTANDING SO BRAVO TO THAT.
WITH THAT, NO MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU.
RIGHT BEFORE WE GET INTO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS BEGINNING YOUR MAP.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP FOR A FIVE-MINUTE BREAK.
WE'VE BEEN A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
RIGHT NOW IT'S 7:10, SO WE WILL START BACK AT 7:17.
I'LL MEET YOU IN THE MIDDLE, SO SEVEN MINUTES. WE'LL BE HERE. THANK YOU.
WELCOME BACK. WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED HERE.
WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A QUICK SWITCH ON AGENDA ITEMS IN RESPECT TO OUR ATTENDEES.
OUR NEXT ITEM WILL BE THE ISD FOUNDATION ITEM, FOLLOWED BY JROTC, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE BEGINNING OF YOUR MAP.
WITH THAT, OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM TO RECEIVE
[V.F. Richardson ISD Foundation Annual Report]
THE ANNUAL UPDATE FROM THE RICHARDSON ISD FOUNDATION, MISS BRANHAM.>> WE ARE SO HONORED THIS EVENING TO HAVE OUR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR OUR FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT IS HERE THIS EVENING, AND AGAIN, WE CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE, AND IT'S THROUGH GREAT PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THE FOUNDATION THAT ALLOW US AND INSPIRE US TO MAKE THINGS POSSIBLE THAT WE DIDN'T THINK WERE.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. HELLER, WHO'S GOING TO SET SOME CONTEXT AS WE MOVE INTO THE PRESENTATION.
>> YES. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. THIS EVENING.
I'M EXCITED TO WELCOME PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION, KAMIKA CRAWFORD AND I KNOW MEMBERS OF HER BOARD ARE HERE AS PART OF OUR CURRENT MOU THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR FOUNDATION.
THEY ARE TO COME FORWARD AND PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT EACH FALL, AND SO THAT IS THE REPORT THAT KAMIKA IS HERE THIS EVENING TO SHARE WITH US. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
BOARD PRESIDENT POTE, TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM ON BEHALF OF OUR FOUNDATION AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO YOU IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
FIRST, JUST TO SET SOME CONTEXT.
OUR FOUNDATION IS A 501 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, AND THIS MARKS THE 40TH YEAR THAT WE HAVE RAISED FUNDS EXCLUSIVELY TO SUPPORT RICHARDSON ISD STUDENTS AND STAFF.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING THAT MILESTONE THAT GIVES US THE HONOR OF BEING ONE OF THE THREE LONGEST-RUNNING, I DON'T LIKE THE WORD OLDEST, EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE IMPACTFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO BENEFIT ALL WITHIN RICHARDSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND OUR CORE VALUES, INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, AND EQUITY, EXPRESS THE HEART OF THE FOUNDATION AND THE WORK WE DO, AND THEY ARE THE FILTER THROUGH WHICH WE EVALUATE ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO OPERATE UNDER AN INDEPENDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT IS LED BY BOARD CHAIR LAURI KELLY AND OUR BOARD CURRENTLY HAS 17 VOTING MEMBERS, SOME OF WHOM ARE WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU, RICHARD AND ANNE, FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH ME.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE JOINING US AND WATCHING VIRTUALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR SINCE WE LAST PRESENTED, WE HAVE PRO WELCOMED THREE NEW MEMBERS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY'RE HIGHLIGHTED IN TEAL GREEN.
SO WE ARE EXCITED TO WELCOME ELIZABETH CALVO, AND CELEBRATE ANNE FOSTER, WHO I KNOW,
[01:10:02]
MANY OF YOU KNOW AND LOVE AND CHRISTIAN RIDER, AS OUR THREE NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS.WE ARE ALSO VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE FOUR EX-FICIO BOARD MEMBERS WHO WORK ALONGSIDE US AND ARE PART OF OUR BOARD.
THEY SERVE AS ADVISORS TO THE ORGANIZATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME RIGHT NOW TO THANK TRUSTEE RENTERIA, SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM, AND DR. HELLER, FOR YOUR WORK ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR NEWEST MEMBER, JUANITA ARMSTRONG, WHO IS REPRESENTING THE ISD COUNCIL OF PTAS.
WE ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT YOU SO THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT, OR EXCUSE ME, LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE FOUNDATION HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE CAME TOGETHER IN 2023, AND WE PUT THAT PLAN TOGETHER AND LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE ARE ALSO OPERATING AND EXECUTING ON OUR PLAN.
THIS IS YEAR 2. JUST AS A REMINDER, WE PRESENTED THIS PLAN LAST YEAR, BUT OUR GOALS ARE TO FIRST DETERMINE WHO WE ARE AND WHY.
THAT SOUNDS STRANGE THAT, WHY WOULD A 40-YEAR-OLD ORGANIZATION NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE? WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS THAT WE ARE EVALUATING ALL OF OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS, AND WE ARE EVOLVING OUR ORGANIZATION SO THAT WE CAN BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT.
OUR SECOND GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF THE FOUNDATION AND THE VALUE THAT WE BRING TO STAKEHOLDERS.
WHEN I GO OUT AND MEET WITH PEOPLE, I TALK ABOUT THE BREADTH OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AND THEY ARE SHOCKED AT ALL OF THE WORK THAT OUR FOUNDATION IS DOING TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT, AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE SHOCKED.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARDER TO TELL OUR STORY.
THIRD, WE WANT TO ALIGN MORE CLOSELY WITH RICHARDS AND ISD TO GUIDE OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES AND FOUNDATION EFFORTS.
WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS WE WANT TO BE NIMBLE.
AS THE DISTRICT IDENTIFIES NEEDS, WE WANT TO BE AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN BE NIMBLE, THAT CAN STEP UP AND BRING OUR PARTNERS ALONGSIDE TO HELP US MEET THOSE NEEDS.
WITH THAT, I WANT TO PROVIDE A LOOK BACK AT OUR FISCAL YEAR 23/24.
WE STOOD HERE A YEAR AGO AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH A NEWSLETTER AND WE DID IT.
WE HAVE IMPACT IN ACTION, AND THAT GOES OUT TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO RECEIVE THAT NEWS AND INFORMATION.
THIS IS REALLY A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT BACK TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS ARE DONORS.
THIS GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A FACE WITH THE WORK THAT THEY ARE HELPING TO SUPPORT.
WE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH DOCTOR NICKI DELK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS, MET HER AT LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON AND WE WERE ABLE TO ALLOW AND SPONSOR RICHARDSON ISD STUDENTS TO HAVE A HANDS-ON PAID SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE WHERE THEY WORKED ALONGSIDE HER STUDENTS WORKING IN HER LAB, AND THEY DID CANCER RESEARCH.
TWO WEEKS AGO, I HAD THE ABSOLUTE PLEASURE OF MEETING SHERI OBI.
SHERI IS A SENIOR AT LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE'S PICTURED IN HERE SHE GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND SHE TOLD ME THAT CONDUCTING THIS RESEARCH AND PARTICIPATING WAS LIFE CHANGING FOR HER.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO HAVE PAID SUCH A SMALL ROLE IN HER LIFE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHE SAID SHE IS GOING TO TAKE WITH HER FOREVER.
WE ALSO RESTRUCTURED OUR ORGANIZATION, SO IN JULY, WE VERY PROUDLY WELCOMED THE NEW FOUNDATION COORDINATOR.
STEPHANIE IS A PROUD BERGNER ALUM.
ALL OF THE THINGS I GAVE HER WERE GREEN, SO SHE'S VERY PROUD TO REPRESENT BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE'S ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED TO MAKE HER MARK IN HELPING US THINK THROUGH OUR IMPACT GRANT PROGRAM.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO SEE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT SHE WILL HELP IMPACT THIS YEAR.
FINALLY, AND THIS IS GOING TO SOUND A LITTLE BIT STRANGE THAT I'M SAYING THAT WE WELCOMED PEOPLE BACK TO SCHOOL, BUT OUR FOUNDATION FISCAL YEAR ACTUALLY RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH AUGUST.
SO WE ARE CELEBRATING THAT IN OUR LAST FISCAL YEAR WITH PARTNERSHIP FROM CLAY COOL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, WE WERE ABLE TO WELCOME STAFF BACK AND WE LAUNCHED THE LAUNCH PAD AWARDS.
SO 10 RISD STAFF GOT $100 EACH TO HELP THEM DREAM AS THEY START THEIR CAREER.
IT HAS BEEN EXCITING TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE DOING AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE.
WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE ENTIRE YEAR TO USE THOSE FUNDS, SO WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THEY WILL USE THAT TO IMPACT STUDENTS.
MR. HASSO MENTIONED DATA DRIVEN CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT EARLIER SO NOW I'M GOING TO MOVE INTO THE NUMBERS.
HERE'S A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR IMPACT OVER THE LAST YEAR BY THE NUMBERS, AND WE WORK TO PROVIDE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT HELPS THE DISTRICT STUDENTS AND STAFF ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.
[01:15:03]
OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE DID MORE THAN $175,000 TO FUND AVID CTE, LITERACY INITIATIVES TO REALLY READ TOGETHER, AND STEM INITIATIVES.WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT GIVING THE STUDENTS SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO HELP FUND SOME STEM ACTIVITIES AT THE CLASS AND LEARNING COMMUNITY LEVEL.
WE ALSO RAISED MORE THAN $118,000 TO PROVIDE BACKPACKS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AS THEY STARTED SCHOOL, AND THAT TRANSLATED TO THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 07,000 BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLY KITS.
WE WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR WALKING ALONGSIDE US TO CELEBRATE THAT.
WE FUNDED MORE THAN 115 IMPACT GRANTS TOTALING MORE THAN $62,000 FOR OUR ISD STAFF.
WHEN I REPORTED LAST YEAR, I INTRODUCED YOU TO A STAFF MEMBER.
SHE WAS A TEACHER AND NOTICE I'M USING PAST TENSE.
SHE WAS A TEACHER'S AIDE AND SHE GOT A $1,000 SCHOLARSHIP OR EXCUSE ME GRANT SO THAT SHE COULD FINISH HER DEGREE.
WELL, I AM SO PROUD AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET EMOTIONAL, BUT I RAN IN TO HER OVER THE SUMMER. SHE GRADUATED.
SHE IS A TEACHER IN THE PAST PROGRAM AT AIKEN ELEMENTARY AND SHE JUST A MONTH AGO GOT ANOTHER GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION BECAUSE SHE IS NOW WORKING ON HER MASTER'S DEGREE.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT FOR HER. I'M JUST SO PROUD OF.
ALSO, 27,000 RISD GRADUATES GOT $58,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS, SO WE WERE PROUD TO SUPPORT THE CLASS OF 2024 AS THEY CONTINUED THEIR EDUCATION BEYOND RICHARDSON ISD AND ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS MEANS THAT AS A FOUNDATION, WE HAVE INVESTED, AND WE INTENTIONALLY USED THE WORD INVESTED MORE THAN $8.4 MILLION IN RICHARDSON ISD.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTERS FOR THAT.
AT YOUR SEAT, YOU HAVE SOMETHING I'M ALWAYS VERY PROUD TO REVEAL HERE, BUT FOR THE TRUSTEES, YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF OUR 23/24, WE CALL IT OUR YEAR IN REVIEW, FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE DETAILS ABOUT HOW THE FOUNDATION IS IMPACTING RICHARDSON ISD.
THIS IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'VE RAISED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS FOR RICHARDSON ISD, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN 2020/2021, LIKE MOST NONPROFITS AND EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS, WE TOOK A DIP BECAUSE OF COVID.
THEN WE ALSO HAD SOME TRANSITION IN THE FOUNDATION.
IN FISCAL YEAR 22/23, WE STARTED TO SEE AN INCREASE IN GROWTH AGAIN, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT IN THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE PRE COVID.
WE ARE EXCITED AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME THINGS PLANNED AND IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH.
WITH THAT, I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON.
YOU'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GET OFF TO A START AND IMPLEMENT.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO IMPLEMENT THIS YEAR.
WE TALKED ABOUT DOING A BETTER JOB OF TELLING OUR STORIES.
WE WILL BE LAUNCHING WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS A NEW WEBSITE SO THAT WE CAN BETTER ENGAGE OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
THIS WEBSITE INCLUDES SOMETHING I'M VERY PROUD OF AND EXCITED ABOUT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A BLOG SO THAT WE CAN TELL OUR STORIES.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT STUDENTS LIKE SHERI AND STAFF MEMBERS LIKE TAMIKA, WHO ARE DOING GREAT THINGS WITH THE GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS THAT THEY ARE GETTING FROM THE FOUNDATION.
WE ARE GOING TO RELAUNCH AND REFRESH OUR IMPACT BRANDS AND STAFF AWARDS.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MRS. HAYES AND HER TEAM BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN MONEY BY A VERY GENEROUS DONOR TO EXPAND OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH RECOGNITION PROGRAM, AS WELL AS EXPANDING OUR CHAMPION AWARD PROGRAM SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE IS AT LEAST ONE RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY STAFF MEMBER IN RICHARDSON ISD.
WE ARE ALSO VERY PROUD THAT WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE EQUITY DIVERSITY INCLUSION TEAM TO EXPAND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING UNDER PARENT UNIVERSITY, AND WE ARE EXCITED THAT WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH AN AGENCY TO REALLY BRING OUR GEMS PROGRAM TO THE COMMUNITY.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT AWARE, GEMS IS OUR MONTHLY GIVING PROGRAM, WHICH STANDS FOR GIVES EVERY MONTH.
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FUNDS THAT WE RAISE THROUGH GEMS, AND I'M GOING TO SAY THAT AGAIN BECAUSE THAT'S NOT OFTEN,100% OF THE MONEY THAT WE RAISE THROUGH GEMS FUNDS ARE IMPACT GRANT PROGRAM.
[01:20:04]
THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT IS GIVING OUR STAFF MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, PROVIDE HANDS ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR THEIR STUDENTS.I'D LIKE TO THANK THOSE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE JOINED ME IN BEING GEMS. IF YOU HAVEN'T JOINED GEMS AND YOU ARE SUPER EXCITED TO DO SO, IT'S A VERY EASY PROCESS AND YOU CAN DO THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.
>> THIS YEAR, WE HAVE THREE, WHAT I LIKE TO CALL FRIEND AND FUNDRAISERS.
IN LESS THAN A MONTH, WE ARE HOSTING OUR FIRST EVER PARTY FOR A CAUSE, AND I WILL TELL YOU WE WERE NEARLY SOLD OUT WHEN WE TOOK THIS TO THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS SOMETHING, IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT TIME.
WE WILL BE AT TOP OFF, AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US, YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE YOUR TIME, YOU SHOULD RUN TO THE FOUNDATION WEBSITE AND SIGN UP TO JOIN US.
LAST YEAR, WE LAUNCHED RAGE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WELL, WE GOT SOME LEARNINGS AND WE ARE GOING TO REPURPOSE THAT EVENT SO THAT IS MORE OF A HANDS ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
IT WILL STILL BE FOCUSED ON ROBOTICS, ANIMATE GAMING EXPERIENCES FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE MORE STRATEGIC IN MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY STUDENT IN RISD WHO IS INTERESTED.
WE WILL HAVE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR PRE-K, UP THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
STAY TUNED FOR THAT, THAT WILL BE IN THE WINTER.
PROM WILL BE THIS YEAR ON MAY 3RD.
WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE WESTON, DALLAS PARK CENTRAL, AND WE ARE PLANNING FOR THIS YEAR TO BE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH ALL OF MY PEERS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR AN EDUCATION FOUNDATION TO HAVE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH ITS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY GETS THAT PARTNERSHIP, SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOU.
WITH THAT I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
I'LL OPEN THAT UP TO MY FELLOW TRUSTEES FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE. YES. MS. RENTERIA.
>> THANK YOU, BRIAN. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN TO MS. CRAWFORD, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I KNOW THAT FOR ME, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE AND THE HONOR TO REPRESENT MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD HERE, AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
FOR ME, I LOVE GOING TO OUR MEETINGS, I LOVE HOW EVERYONE COMES TOGETHER, AND I JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THESE PEOPLE WHO COME TOGETHER IS JUST TO SEE HOW IMPACTFUL THEY CAN BE IN THE COMMUNITY.
JUST EVERYTHING IS SO PRECISE, EVERYBODY DOES JUST A WONDERFUL JOB.
BUT AGAIN, TO COMMEND YOU, MS. CRAWFORD, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE GEMS PROGRAM, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE FEEL LIKE AT LEAST I KNOW THAT THIS IS YOU SEE PEOPLE AND WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE THOSE THAT DONATE LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY.
WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEOPLE AND THEY GIVE LARGE SUMS, AND SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
BUT SOMETIMES WE THINK, WELL, WHAT CAN I DO? I CAN'T POSSIBLY MATCH THAT.
BUT EVERYBODY CAN DO SOMETHING.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN GIVE, I THINK IT'S LIKE THE SMALLEST AMOUNT IS LIKE $10 A MONTH, AND THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS.
IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS YOU SEE IN THE PICTURES HERE, AND YOU GET TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE JUST LISTED HERE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO ALSO SEE THE IMPACT IT MAKES TO OUR STUDENTS, AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR TEACHERS.
I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO REALLY LOOK INTO THAT GEMS PROGRAM.
IT'S JUST REALLY WONDERFUL. I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU GUYS THOUGHT OF THIS AGAIN.
I THINK THE THE AMOUNT OF THOUGHTFULNESS AND INTENTIONALITY THAT GOES INTO EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM THAT GOES IN THERE.
I LOVE THE PROM, THAT'S ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN.
EVERY YEAR, IT JUST SEEMS TO GET BETTER AND BETTER.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, AND LIKE FOR RICHARD, WHO I SEE OUT THERE TOO, AND OUR NEWEST MEMBER WHO'S GOING TO JOIN US, I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE SOMEONE AS WONDERFUL AS MS. ANDES.
AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
>> YES. THANK YOU, MS. RENTERIA.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MS. HARRIS.
[01:25:05]
>> I BELIEVE I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE WHEN YOU PRESENTED A WHILE BACK, BUT MY APPRECIATION TO YOU FOR BRINGING SO MUCH AWARENESS TO THIS PROGRAM.
I JUST CAN REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS BACK, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT, WHAT IT WAS.
NOT ONLY HAVE YOU BROUGHT AWARENESS, BUT JUST THE INSIGHT OF WHAT IT HAS DONE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND JUST THE EXCITEMENT AND ALL THE FUN.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PROM EITHER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND JUST BRINGING THIS TO THE FOREFRONT FOR US AND REALLY EXPLAIN WHAT YOU ALL DO AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I'M ECHOING WHAT THEY SAY, AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION, HARD WORK, THE BOARD THAT SUPPORTS YOU AND ALL EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S SUPPORTING THE FOUNDATION.
WITH WHAT PUBLIC AS GOING THROUGH FINANCIALLY, I THINK WE ARE SO BLESSED TO BE IN A DISTRICT THAT HAS A FOUNDATION THAT SUPPORTS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HERE IN OUR DISTRICT, AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PART BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY NOT HAPPENING IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> I GUESS I'LL GO TO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU GOT HERE AND YOU'RE SO EXCITED SHOWING US THE PLANS AND THE STRATEGIES AND ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL IDEAS FOR THE FOUNDATION.
SO MANY HAVE COME TO FRUITION AND THEY'RE SO SUCCESSFUL.
JUST SO EXCITED THAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED AND EVEN IMPROVED ON RAISING THE FUNDS FROM A FEW YEARS BACK, AND NOW YOU'RE AT 581,000.
THAT'S AMAZING. I REALLY DO HOPE THE COMMUNITY LOOKS AT THIS AND SEES ALL OF THIS AND WHERE IT GOES WITH THE ISD TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR GRANTS, THE INITIATIVES FOR STEM AND LITERACY AND CTE AND AVID, INCLUDING THE CELEBRATIONS AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR KIDS.
THERE'S SO MANY WAYS THAT THE FOUNDATION IS SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
I'M JUST SO EXCITED AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT ELSE YOU GUYS HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. ALL CHIMED IN.
>> WE ARE NOW AS I SAID EARLIER,
[V.E. JROTC Program Update]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE JROTC PROGRAM, MS. BRANDON.AS YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ARE SO PROUD OF PROGRAMS THAT YOU SUPPORT, YOU INVEST IN, YOU PROVIDE US THE RESOURCES FOR THAT ALLOW US TO HAVE A BREADTH OF JUST ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES WHERE OUR KIDS CAN SEE, YES, I WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT, AND YES, I SEE A FUTURE FOR ME IN SOMETHING, AND JROTC IS ONE OF THOSE, AND IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE'RE SO PROUD OF, AND WE KNOW THERE'S EVEN MORE THAT WE CAN DO TO INVEST AND GROW THE PROGRAM.
WE'RE HONORED TONIGHT TO HAVE KELLY SELLERS HERE.
DOCTOR LIEBER, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY BEFORE KELLY TAKES IT OVER?
>> NO, I'M WE'RE JUST VERY EXCITED AS A TEAM TO BRING AN UPDATE ON JROTC, AND I KNOW SO MANY OF HER COLLEAGUES ARE WITH HER HERE TONIGHT SUPPORTING HER THAT SO HELPFUL FOR OUR KIDS.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM, CABINET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE.
I'M YOUR HEALTH PE AND JROTC DIRECTOR.
I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF JROTC AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT IS ALL ABOUT A TEAM.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THAT TEAM.
WE HAVE FROM BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL, STAFF SERGEANT JAMES RODGERS.
FROM PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL, LIEUTENANT COLONEL NORMAN MORTON, AND SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BILLY PATTERSON JUNIOR.
AT LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE LIEUTENANT COLONEL ROBERT GERALD.
THANK YOU. MASTER SERGEANT CALVIN WASHINGTON.
THANK YOU. FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE CAPTAIN JAMIE LAWRENCE, AND FIRST SERGEANT VINCENT HERRON ALONG WITH A FEW CADETS.
[01:30:09]
[APPLAUSE] YES. WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT AN AMAZING TEAM OF INSTRUCTORS AND CADETS.WE ARE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT DR. KRISTIN LEEPER.
LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
WE'RE A TEAM AND WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THE BOARD AND THE BOARD GOALS.
OUR MAIN THING IS, YES, THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE RISD'S NORTH STAR GOAL THAT EVERY STUDENT TEACHER WILL MEET AND EXCEED THOSE GOALS.
WE ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE US ARMY JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS, YOUR JROTC.
THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND CITIZENSHIP PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH IN THE LET'S SAY, NOT IN RICHARDSON, NOT IN TEXAS, BUT THE WORLD.
THAT'S UNDER THE NATIONAL DEFENSE ACT OF 1960.
WHY JROTC? WELL, IT'S A HIGH QUALITY PROGRAM.
IT'S PROVEN TO ACHIEVE EDUCATIONAL QUALITY.
IT INCREASES LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, CHARACTER, AND CITIZENSHIP QUALITIES.
IT'S PROVEN TO INCREASE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, THEIR POST SECONDARY READINESS, SUCH AS MILITARY COLLEGE OR THE WORKFORCE.
OUR STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, AND MORE LIKELY TO GO TO COLLEGE AND SUCCEED IN THEIR CAREERS.
LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORICAL JOURNEY.
WE STARTED WITH BERKNER, WHICH BEGAN BACK IN 2007 AS AN NDCC PROGRAM.
NDCC IS YOUR NATIONAL DEFENSE CADET CORPS PROGRAM.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE YOU ASK? NDCC IS FUNDED BY SCHOOLS, JROTC MILITARY HELP, BOTH SAME CRITERIA.
ALSO, I'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A LIMITED NUMBER OF JROTC'S BY THE MILITARY, THERE'S ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER.
ONCE YOU MEET THOSE CRITERIA THROUGH THE NDCC, YOU CAN APPLY FOR JROTC.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THEN FROM BERKNER, WE MOVED THROUGH PIERCE, LAKE HIGHLANDS, AND RICHARDSON.
NOW, THIS YEAR, WE'RE AT FOUR CAMPUSES, FULLY JROTC PROGRAMS. WE HAVE 549 CADETS.
OF THOSE ARE 70 SENIORS, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE JUNIORS, SOPHOMORES, AND FRESHMANS.
WE HAVE AMAZING, FABULOUS, HIGHLY QUALIFIED SEVEN INSTRUCTORS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU CAN SEE OUR BREAKDOWN.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THESE OUT TO YOU.
YOU CAN SEE THROUGH OUR PROGRAMMING OF THE 549, THIS IS THE ETHNICITY OF EACH AT THEIR SCHOOLS.
IT'S NOT JUST MARCHING, IT'S NOT JUST A FEW YELLING AND THROWING OF A FLAG.
JROTC ADDRESSES A NUMBER OF NATIONAL ACADEMIC STANDARDS TO INCLUDE LEADERSHIP, US HISTORY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, GLOBAL AWARENESS, LANGUAGE ARTS.
IT'S BASED ON SOME PRINCIPLES THAT ARE LEARNER-CENTERED EDUCATION, AND I REALLY LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT THESE.
FOR JROTC, THEY ARE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING, COMMUNICATION, RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTIONS AND CHOICES, RESPECTFUL TREATMENT OF OTHERS, AND CRITICAL THINKING TECHNIQUES.
IT TAKES OUR CURRICULUM TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
WHEN YOU JOIN JROTC, YOU JOIN AS A LET 1 CADET.
WHATEVER AGE YOU MIGHT BE, WHETHER YOU'RE A FRESHMAN COMING IN OR A JUNIOR COMING IN, YOU ALL BEGIN AS A LET 1.
THIS IS A QUICK LITTLE OVERVIEW OF OUR CURRICULUM OF WHAT THEY DO IN THE CLASSROOM.
LET 1, LET ME TELL YOU STANDS FOR LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CURRICULUM GETS THE FOUNDATION STARTED FOR OUR CADETS.
ALONG WITH CURRICULUM IN THE CLASSROOM, WE HAVE HIGH QUALITY ACTIVITIES.
YOU SAW ONE TONIGHT WITH OUR COLOR GUARD.
YOU'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES, WE HAVE ROBOTICS TEAMS, DRONE TEAM, AND RADAR TEAM.
WHY A COUPLE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, THEY'RE DOING RADAR PRACTICE.
THEY HAVE MADE IT TO NATIONALS WHERE THEY WILL TAKE
[01:35:04]
THEIR RADIO TEAM TO KENTUCKY TO PRESENT NEXT WEEK.MILITARY WILL FLY THAT TEAM TO PRESENT AT THE NATIONAL, SO WE'RE EXCITED.
HIGH QUALITY ACTIVITIES ARE A MUST.
LET ME ALSO MENTION, ACTIVITIES INCLUDE NOT JUST FOR THEIR SCHOOL, NOT JUST AT THEIR CAMPUS.
THESE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY DO FOR THE CITY OF RICHARDSON.
THEY MAY DO FOR AREA COMMUNITIES, COLLEGES, YOU NAME IT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT MY INSTRUCTORS DON'T SAY NO.
THEY LOVE TO REPRESENT RICHARDSON ISD, AND THEY DO IT VERY WELL.
WITH THESE QUALITY ACTIVITIES, WE CAN THEN SEE HERE A FEW OF OUR PICTURES.
THEY JUST CAME BACK FROM LEADERSHIP WEEKEND, THERE'S COLOR GUARD.
>> A FEW MORE OF OUR ACTIVITIES IS THE F.L.A.G PROGRAM.
THIS IS WHERE OUR CADETS GET TO WORK WITH THEIR LEARNING COMMUNITIES, THEY GO TO THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, AND THEY TEACH THEM HOW TO FLY, LOWER, AND GATHER THE US FLAG.
WE ALSO HAVE A FEW LESSONS ON THE HISTORY OF THE FLAG AND LEADERSHIP AND CITIZENSHIP.
THIS PROGRAM OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUR CADETS.
THOSE THAT GO AND WORK DOWN FOR THE ELEMENTARIES CAN EARN SCHOLARSHIPS.
OTHER CADET OPPORTUNITIES ARE THOSE THAT COULD BE ENLISTED.
IF THEY COMPLETE A HIGH SCHOOL JROTC PROGRAM, THEY CAN ENTER THE ARMY AT A E 2 OR E 3 PRIVATE, WHICH MEANS THEY CAN ENTER AT A HIGHER PAY SCALE.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ARE AS IF THEY FINISH SCHOOL COLLEGE, AND THEY MEET THIS CRITERIA, THEY CAN THEN GO IN AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT TOO.
LAST YEAR, WE AWARDED 1.8 MILLION IN ARMY ROTC SCHOLARSHIPS TO 12 GRADUATING CADETS.
THEY'RE LISTED HERE. I WON'T READ THEM WORD FOR WORD THAT YOU COULD SEE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT JROTC RECRUITMENT.
OUR INSTRUCTORS WORK AT THE CAMPUSES TO RECRUIT, BRING OVER CADETS AND STUDENTS FROM THE JUNIOR HIGHS.
THEY GO DOWN TO THE JUNIOR HIGHS AND RECRUIT THE STUDENTS.
THEY GO THROUGH THEIR PE CLASSES, THEY MEET IN THE CAFETERIA, THEY GO THROUGH THE COUNSELORS, ANY WAY TO SHOW THEM HOW TO BE A PART OF JROTC, AS WELL AS ELEMENTARY PRESENTATIONS.
OUR INSTRUCTORS WORK WITH MILITARY RECRUITMENT.
MILITARY RECRUITMENT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THE FACT THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE SEPARATE.
OUR INSTRUCTORS' MAIN GOAL IS TO FOLLOW THE ARMY MOTTO AND BUILD BETTER LEADERS IN CITIZENSHIP NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO ENTER THE MILITARY, BUT RECRUITERS ARE THERE DEFINITELY, AND THEY WORK WITH OUR INSTRUCTORS HAND IN HAND.
MILITARY RECRUITERS COME IN AND WORK WITH THE COUNSELORS, THEY WORK WITH OUR INSTRUCTORS TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL.
ANOTHER GOAL IS THROUGH CCMR. YES, YOU'VE HEARD THIS, COLLEGE AND CAREER MILITARY READINESS.
WE'RE PART OF THAT WITH ASVAB.
THERE'S TWO ASVABS, IF YOU WILL.
ASVAB NOW IS CALLED AS ASVAB-CEP.
THE STATE WAS LIKE, WOW, ASVAB IS GOOD.
WELL, IT CAN BE GOOD FOR ALL, AND THAT'S HOW THIS IS.
IT IS OPTIONAL FOR ANY 10TH-12TH GRADE STUDENT TO COME AND TAKE THE ASVAB WHICH IS A CAREER AND EXPLORATIONS PROGRAM, AND THEREFORE, THEY CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT WORKS FOR THEM, WHAT CAREER THEY MAY BE HEADED INTO, WHAT COLLEGE MEETS THOSE CAREERS, WHAT WORKFORCE MAY HAVE THOSE IDEAS.
THE ASVAB IS GREAT, AND OUR INSTRUCTORS WORK WITH OUR COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELORS TO HELP ALSO MEET THE STUDENTS THAT ARE NEEDING ASVAB TO ENTER THE MILITARY.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US AS JROTC IS DEFINITELY INCREASE OUR PARTICIPATION.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO ADD MORE STUDENTS.
OUR RETENTION RATE, ONCE THEY'RE IN OUR PROGRAM, WE WANT TO KEEP THEM.
THEN RECRUITING AND RETAINING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTORS.
[01:40:02]
WE HAVE AMAZING INSTRUCTORS THAT TAKE THIS PROGRAM ABOVE AND BEYOND.I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THEM.
THEY'RE AMAZING AND WE WANT TO KEEP THAT.
A FEW OF THESE LITTLE FACES MAY LOOK FAMILIAR.
WE ASKED THEM, WHAT DOES JROTC MEAN TO ME, AND THEY TOOK THIS PROJECT AND RAN WITH IT.
SOME HAVE SAID CHALLENGING, EMPOWERING, SOME SAID HARD WORK, TEAM WORK.
I LIKE THAT ONE GROUP SAID WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO DO AN INDIVIDUAL PART OF THIS, BUT WE'D LOVE TO TAKE THIS AS A GROUP AND SAY WE'RE ONE FAMILY.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE, A LOT OF THEM SAY FAMILY.
IT'S ABOUT BEING PART OF A TEAM AND FEELING APART.
I'D LIKE YOU TO REMEMBER, JROTC WORKS TO MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT TO RISD CADETS, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
OUR PROGRAMS ALIGNED TO MEETING AND EXCEEDING YOUR NORTH STAR GOAL.
WE ENSURE SUCCESS AND FOUNDATION FOR OUR STUDENTS TO CONTINUE A CAREER IN MILITARY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS ANY CAREER.
CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR PARTICIPATION, AND CONTINUE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN HIGH QUALITY STAFF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MRS. SELLERS, AND I WANT TO AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STAFF, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, THANK YOU FOR POURING INTO OUR KIDS, THANK YOU FOR LOVING OUR KIDS, CADETS, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND TRUSTING THIS PROCESS AND BEING ON THIS JOURNEY.
I'M IN AWE OF ALL OF YOU AND WE JUST THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, BOARD, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND REFLECTIONS.
> >BOARD, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MRS. PACHECO.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO LEAD A LIFE WITH HONOR AND INTENTION OF HOW TO BE A BETTER HUMAN AND HOW TO SUPPORT OTHER PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE DOING IT.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG COMMITMENT THAT YOU ALL TEACH OUR KIDS.
I'M A DAUGHTER OF A NAVY SAILOR, SO I PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND I'M JUST SO PROUD THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE THAT YOU SUPPORT OUR KIDS, AND I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR IT.
>> OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MRS. PACHECO. YES, MRS. MCGOWAN.
>> THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR CHILDREN.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT THIS PROGRAM GIVES OUR KIDS OTHER OPTIONS OUTSIDE FOR YOUR COLLEGE PROGRAM.
I LOVE THE THOUGHTS AND THE IDEAS THAT KIDS HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO EXPLORE.
MAYBE COLLEGE IS JUST NOT IT, AND MAYBE THIS IS.
LIKE MRS. PACHECO SAID, I JUST THINK ALL KIDS NEED THIS.
EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL ARE GIVING THEM, I THINK ALL KIDS NEED IT.
PRIDE, DIGNITY, CIVILITY, RESPECT.
YOU GUYS ARE GETTING A GREAT PROGRAM.
I WISH, AGAIN, ALL KIDS WE'RE GETTING THIS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
THANK YOU FOR POURING INTO OUR KIDS AND FOR THE KIDDOS THAT ARE IN IT.
THANK YOU FOR LOOKING FORWARD AND LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE AND POSSIBLY SERVING OUR COUNTRY AND PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY. THANK YOU.
>> ALSO, TO ADD ON WHAT MY TWO COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID.
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY AND SELLERS, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE INSTRUCTORS.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST THANK YOU.
I WAS PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO ACCOMPANY MR. POTEET.
BOTH OF US WERE AT THE NORTH TEXAS ARMY ROTC SCHOLARSHIP EVENT THAT WAS JUST HELD AT LAKE HIGHLANDS.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU LADIES.
I LOVE THAT EVERYTHING WAS SO ORGANIZED AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST WONDERFUL.
IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION, AND I WAS JUST SO PROUD TO SEE THE LADIES THERE BEING IN COMMAND AND JUST DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THAT.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE OR ONE OF THE FIRST ONES IS IN THE ROTC PROGRAMS, ARE THEY ALL AFFILIATED WITH JUST THE ARMY? IS IT THE ARMY THAT THE ROTC IS AFFILIATED WITH?
[01:45:04]
>> IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JROTCS, IS THAT JUST ACROSS THE STATE? IS THAT JUST IN A CERTAIN AREA OR NO?
>> A LITTLE HISTORY, AND SAN JORIE MAY WANT TO JUMP IN A LITTLE BIT.
WHEN WE STARTED AND SAID WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF JROTC, WE GO TO FIFTH BRIGADE IN PART OF SAN ANTONIO, IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT, WHEN IS LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE RAN ALL OF THAT.
WHEN WE ASKED, WHAT IS THE NEXT UP? THEY SAID YOU SHOULD TRY FOR ARMY, AND THAT'S HOW WE STARTED.
NOW, OUR INSTRUCTORS ARE KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE AREA AS BEING A TOP NOTCH PROGRAM AND GET CALLED QUITE A BIT JUST TO SAY, HOW DO WE EVEN BEGIN? THEY'RE GETTING CALLED FROM COLORADO.
JUST LAST WEEK, A PRIVATE SCHOOL FROM COLORADO ASKED, "WHAT DO WE DO?" YES, IT'S JUST HERE IN RICHARDSON ISD.
OUR FOUR SCHOOLS ARE ARMY AT THIS TIME.
>> THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD ADD THAT TO KELLY.
WE KEEP LOOKING AT STANDARD BECAUSE SHE WAS HERE IN 2007 WHEN IT STARTED AND THEN MOVING FORWARD ON.
WE'RE ALL PARTNERS WITH IT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, BUT HERE IN TEXAS AS WELL IS THE MAJORITY OF PROGRAMS HERE IN TEXAS ARE ARMY RELATED.
THERE'S AROUND 3,000 OR SO ROTCS IN THE COUNTRY AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE ARMY.
LIKE KELLY MENTIONED, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR EACH YEAR THAT THEY WILL ACCEPT EACH YEAR.
ARMY IS THE LARGEST REALLY AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE GOT OUR TOES IN WITH FIRST AND HAVE THE MOST SUCCESS WITH HERE.
IT'S JUST ONE THAT WE BUILT OUR PROGRAMS AROUND, BUT EVERY BRANCH DOES HAVE A JROTC.
IT JUST ARMY IS THE LARGEST ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> YES. SANDRA HAYES DID START THE VERY FIRST.
>> THE ONE IN BERGNER? THAT'S WONDERFUL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, SANDRA. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE TO SHOUT OUT TO HIM. HE AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO START THIS PROGRAM FOR THE DISTRICT.
>> THAT'S WONDERFUL. I KNOW THAT THAT WAS ONE THING THAT I SAW THE GROWTH.
WHERE'S THE SLIDE THAT SAID THAT, SANDRA? YES. THAT WAS IN 2007.
I'M WONDERING WHAT TOOK SO LONG BEFORE THE OTHER THREE GOT IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE I SEE THAT THOSE GOT IN ONE AFTER THE OTHER. I'M JUST WONDERING.
>> A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH COMMUNITY AND LEADERSHIP.
SOME FOLKS THAT BACK IN THE TIME DIDN'T WANT MORE, THEY HAD DIFFERENT FEELINGS.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE SUPPORT OF WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE DISTRICT AND WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
>> IF I CAN ALSO SAY, AGAIN, THANKS TO SANDRA AND HER LEADERSHIP, BUT IN BOND 2016, THAT WAS REALLY THE DISTRICT'S NEXT STEP, AND AGAIN, OUR TRUSTEES AND OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTED INVESTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS NEEDED TO EXPAND JROTC.
IT WAS REALLY WITH THE APPROVAL OF BOND 2016 THAT WE COULD ADVANCE.
THAT WE SAID, YES, WE'RE GOING TO ADD IT TO ALL THREE OF OUR OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS.
>> THAT'S WONDERFUL BECAUSE I JUST WONDER WHEN I SAW THIS SLIDE.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT, AND I SEE THAT IT'S FROM '17 TO '18 TO '19, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, IT WAS ALL ESTABLISHED AND ALL, BUT I THINK THAT'S SUPERB THAT IT'S MOVING THAT WAY.
THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDERING, IS IT COST? HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO RUN A PROGRAM LIKE THIS FOR THE DISTRICT PER SCHOOL MAYBE, OR PER CAMPUS?
>> WELL, WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT TO YOU AND SHOW YOU JUST THE BEGINNING OF WHAT IT WAS AS IN DCC, BECAUSE REMEMBER THAT'S WITH THE SCHOOL ONLY VERSUS WHEN YOU BECOME JRTC, THEN YOU HAVE MILITARY HELP.
>> RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT BECAUSE I WASN'T QUITE SURE WHAT THE DNCC WAS AND HOW THEY DIFFER WITH THE JROTC, BUT THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
ONE OF THE OTHER ONES, LET ME SEE, I HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS HERE TOO.
ON THE OTHER SLIDE, WHERE I SAW, I THINK IT'S AWESOME THAT WE HAVE 549 CADETS.
THAT'S REALLY GREAT, AND THIS IS FOR ALL FOUR CAMPUSES.
NOW, I SEE THAT THE NUMBER OF CADETS, IT TENDS TO DECREASE AS IT GOES UP INTO SENIOR YEAR.
I'M JUST WONDERING, WHAT DO WE KNOW THAT WHY THERE'S MAYBE ALMOST 200 FRESHMEN THAT GO IN, AND THEN BY THE TIME THEY'RE SENIORS, THERE'S 70.
THAT'S PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, AND EVEN DIVIDE, THAT'D BE LIKE LESS THAN 20 OR ABOUT 25.
>> IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT OR I'M JUST WONDERING,
[01:50:03]
WHAT IS IT THAT THERE'S SO MANY FRESHMEN AND THEN WE GO TO SO MANY AS FOR OUR SENIORS.>> GOOD EVENING, LADIES GENTLEMEN. I'M CAPTAIN WALLACE FROM RICHARDSON.
YOUR QUESTION IS A GOOD VIABLE QUESTION.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THE INITIAL START WITH MOST OF THE CADETS THAT START OUT IN LOT 1, AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH THE YEARS, SOMETIMES THROUGH THEIR ACADEMIC OR OTHER CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS, THEY'LL EITHER BE DOUBLE BLOCKS LIKE A NURSING PROGRAM OR SOMETHING, SO THEY GET PULLED OUT OF THE PROGRAM, AND THEY'LL START ATTENDING THE OTHER ONES.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE AS THEY GET OLDER.
A LOT OF TIMES, A LOT OF YOUR LOT 1'S THAT START OUT WITH YOUR LARGER NUMBERS, LIKE EACH YEAR AND COLONEL GERALD AND MASTER HART WASHINGTON CAN BEAR THAT SOME OF THOSE AREN'T ALL FRESHMEN THAT JOIN.
THEY COULD BE JUNIORS, SOPHOMORES, OR EVEN SENIORS.
OUR NUMBERS AREN'T ALWAYS GOING TO BE WHAT YOU STARTED WITH AS YOUR FRESHMAN TO YOUR SENIOR YEAR BECAUSE OF THAT.
EACH YEAR WE PROGRESS AND IT GROWS AND WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THOSE NUMBERS, AND IT'S AMAZING EVERY YEAR.
DOES THAT QUANTIFY YOUR QUESTION?
>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU. I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
I THINK THAT ALWAYS TRYING TO GET THOSE RECRUITS REGARDLESS OF THEM NOT BEING A FRESHMAN, BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, HOW MANY OF THEM START FROM FRESHMAN YEAR AND THEN STAY THERE UP UNTIL THEIR SENIOR YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD GROW IN THAT WAY.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
I APPRECIATE THAT. LET ME SEE.
I KNOW THAT WE TALKED, I THINK YOU MENTIONED, MRS. SELLERS DIFFERENT RECRUITERS COME TO THE CAMPUSES.
IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I KNOW THAT.
WHO DOES THE INVITING? DOES THE SCHOOL INVITE THE RECRUITERS OR IS IT THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF RECRUITERS THAT REACH OUT TO THE DISTRICTS? HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> WE MAY HAVE A COLLEGE FAIR.
RHS JUST HAD ONE AND INVITE RECRUITERS TO THAT.
IT'S DEFINITELY A BOTH WAY COMMUNICATION.
A LOT OF RECRUITERS COME ON THEIR OWN AND TALK WITH THE PRINCIPALS AND THE COUNSELORS AND SAY, WHAT DO WE NEED AND WHO CAN WE TALK WITH? THEY ALWAYS INTRODUCE OUR INSTRUCTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON BOTH SIDES.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AS A STUDENT, IF I WERE IN JROTC.
BUT I'M ALSO REALLY INTERESTED IN BEING A MARINE OR BEING IN THE AIR FORCE.
AGAIN, I'M NOT MILITARY, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE HERE IS, BUT I HAVE ALSO FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE, AND SO I'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, HOW DO THEY GET THAT INFORMATION AS THAT THROUGH COUNSELORS, OR THEY HAVE TO RELY ON THE RECRUITERS THAT ARE OFF CAMPUS? HOW DOES A STUDENT GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES?
>> DEFINITELY BOTH. THEY'RE COUNSELORS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELORS THAT THEY WORK WITH.
THEN ANYTIME THROUGH OUR INSTRUCTORS THAT THEY MAY NEED HELP CAN HELP FEED THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
YES, THE RECRUITERS DO THEIR JOB, DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SEEN ON CAMPUS FROM EVERY BRANCH.
>> PERFECT. I THINK THAT'S AWESOME.
YOU MENTIONED THE COLLEGE FAIR, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE PIERCE ONE THAT WE HAD JUST RECENTLY, AND SO I SAW MANY OF THE BRANCHES THERE, AND THAT WAS GREAT TO SEE.
BUT I'M WONDERING, DO THEY ONLY DO THAT WITH THOSE? HOW OFTEN ARE THEY ON THE CAMPUS? ARE THEY THERE AS OFTEN AS MAYBE WE SEE COLLEGE RECRUITMENT ALSO?
MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, OR IT COULD BE THEY WAIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN THERE'S A FARE COMING UP. PERFECT.
REGARDING THE RECRUITERS, EACH SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY LAKE HIGHLANDS, SPECIALLY LIKE MY COUNTERPARTS.
WE PRETTY MUCH WORK WITH OUR JUNIORS AND SENIORS AND HELP THEM COME UP WITH A VIABLE PATHWAY FOR PAST HIGH SCHOOL.
I LOVE GREENS UP BY AIRPLANES FOR YEARS, BUT IF THEY WANT TO JOIN MARINES, WE PLACE THE MARINES.
BUT I TELL THE RECRUITERS, WHEN YOU COME TO OUR SCHOOL, MAKE YOU TELL THOSE KIDS EVERYTHING BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU LEAVE OUT NAVY GUYS COMING IN, THE ARMY GUY, THE AIR FORCE GUY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THERE'S A HIGH MATRICULATION RATE FOR GUYS GOING TO ARMY, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER, SERVICE AND SERVICE.
>> THAT'S AWESOME. YES, THANK YOU.
I'M TRYING TO SEE HERE. I DON'T MEAN TO TAKE UP ALL THE TIME FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE ASVAB IS ONE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE ASVAB, THAT'S THE ONE TEST THAT THE MILITARY BASES IN ORDER FOR ANYBODY WHO ENLISTS.
[01:55:01]
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT. I THINK YOU DID SPECIFY OR I DID SEE ON HERE, THAT THE STUDENTS DO GET PREPPING OR THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE TEST.DO THEY GET TO PRACTICE LIKE YOU WOULD WITH ANY OTHER COLLEGE ENTRIES? SURE. BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT THIS TEST IS DESIGNED TO BE TAKEN WHERE YOU'RE AT IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.
YES. I WANT YOU TO MAKE NOTE OF THAT.
AGAIN, WE WORK WITH ACADEMIC SERVICES, COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELORS.
MY INSTRUCTORS ARE ALWAYS THERE TO HAND OUT PAMPHLETS.
WE EVEN WORKING WITH LIBRARIANS TO SET UP ANYTHING THROUGH THE WEBSITE THAT THEY MAY WANT TO GO INTO DO HELP SESSIONS THERE.
THERE ARE MANY AVENUES TO DO STUDY GUIDES AND BE READY.
BUT THEN IF NOT, THIS IS A TEST TO BE TAKEN WHERE YOU'RE AT AT THIS TIME.
>> THAT'S AWESOME. IS IT LIKE THE PATH, MS. SELLERS, WHAT WOULD IT BE IF I'M A FRESHMAN OR A SOPHOMORE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU START TO LOOK AT FIRST, OR YOU WAIT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU BUILD UP TO AND YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR JUNIOR OR SENIOR YEAR?
>> WELL, IT IS OFFERED AT 10TH GRADE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S UP TO THAT PARTICULAR TIME IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, FOR THE MATH, FOR THE ENGLISH, FOR THE LITERACY, FOR THE HISTORY.
IT IS BEST TO WAIT AT 10TH GRADE.
BUT I SEE WE HAVE EVERYONE FROM 10TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE TAKING IT AND HAVE ENJOYED TAKING IT AND NOW THAT WE'VE DONE THIS, SOME 10TH GRADERS ARE TAKING IT AGAIN AT 12TH GRADE.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ONE BEST TIME TO TAKE THIS.
IT'S WHERE THE STUDENT IS AT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. IS IT WITH THE ACT AND SAT? I BELIEVE YOU CAN TAKE THAT, AND THEN WHATEVER YOUR HIGHEST SCORE, THAT'S WHAT A COLLEGE WILL TAKE.
>> THAT IS THERE IS A PARTICULARS.
>> MA'AM, I USED TO BE THE DALLAS RECRUITING BATTALION S3 AND THE ASVAB TEST, I GIVE YOU TWO BENEFITS FOR EVERYBODY IN HERE.
THE ASVAB TEST THAT'S OFFERED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BENEFITS YOU, BENEFITS THE CADETS OR STUDENTS THAT TAKE IT BECAUSE ONE, THEY'RE IN THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENT.
THEY'RE USED TO AND COMFORTABLE ABOUT BEING DOING IT AT SCHOOL, VERSUS AT THE DALLAS MEDIC CENTER TAKING THE TEST UP THERE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO.
THERE'S TWO OR THE RECRUITING STATION. THAT'S THREE.
BUT AT YOUR HOME STATION, THEY'RE AROUND THE [INAUDIBLE] THEY GOT THE LUNCHES, EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT THE TESTS, THEY COMPLETE THE TEST.
ALSO, THERE'S TWO WAYS THEY OFFER THE ASVAB TEST.
IT'S A WRITTEN TEST WORTHY, THEY CAN DO IT ONLINE.
WE'RE HOSTING IT THIS YEAR AS OUR FIRST ONE AS THE ONLINE TEST.
MOST CADETS TODAY IF WE ALL KNOW, ALL HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE COMPUTERS, SO THAT TO THEM IS FAMILIARITY. THAT'S NUMBER 2.
THE THIRD PART THAT REALLY MAKES IT A BIG DEAL IS WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS THAT DECIDE THEY'RE GOING TO START TAKING IT AT A 10TH GRADE LEVEL, THAT'S A BATTERY OF TESTS TO FIGURE OUT.
WELL, I WANT TO BE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT ONE DAY OR MAYBE I WANT TO BE AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN, BUT HOW DO I FIND OUT IF I'M WITHIN THE BALLPARK OR UNDERSTANDING IF I'M CAPABLE EVEN POSSESS POSSIBLE KNOWLEDGE OR UNDERSTANDINGS AND FUNDAMENTALS OF THAT? IF THEY TAKE THAT ASVAB TEST, IT GETS THEM INTO THAT BALLPARK TO WHERE IT GUIDES THEM.
WHERE DO I WANT TO BE ACADEMICALLY? AM I GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE? AM I GOING TO SHOOT INTO IT? IT THROWS THAT PIECE IN THERE.
IT GUIDES THEM. IT'S A FREE TEST.
IT DOESN'T COST ANYBODY ANYTHING.
I ALWAYS BOAST IT, COACH IT AND SAY, TAKE THE TEST, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT.
IT IS NO MILITARY OBLIGATION, ZERO.
IT'S JUST AND THERE'S AN ONLINE TESTING.
THERE'S AN ONLINE BATTERY TEST.
YOU CAN GET THE APP ON YOUR PHONE BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS THAT APP.
I'VE GOT THE ACT SCOREBOOKS ON HOW TO DO THAT.
IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER, AND IT ACTUALLY FACILITATES AND CORRELATES WITH KIDS WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN SCHOOL.
>> DOES THE RESULTS OF THE ASVAB AFTER THE STUDENTS TAKE IT? DOES IT HAVE ANY IMPLICATIONS ON THEIR NEXT STEP WHEN THEY LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL? DOES IT?
>> YES. THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS THEY CHOOSE TO JOIN A MILITARY.
THAT ASVAB SCORE SETS THEM UP BASED ON WHERE THEY SCORED IN THAT AND THAT BATTERY OF TEST AND WHAT FIELDS THEY GO TO.
COLONEL GERALD AND I ARE BOTH IN THE MI COMMUNITY.
IN THE MI COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GT SCORE OF A CERTAIN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.
ASK HIM, HE'LL TELL YOU. EVERY EVERY PARTICULAR FIELD OR JOB OR MOS IN ANY BRANCH HAS A CRITERIA TO BE MET AND IT CHALLENGES THEM.
USED TO BE AN OLD MISNOMER, IF YOU'RE JOINING THE MILITARY, THAT WAS BECAUSE YOU GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW OR BROKE LAW OR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE, EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA TO JOIN THE MILITARY PERIOD.
[02:00:03]
IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE AFTER VIETNAM.SO THAT'S JUST REALLY WHERE IT IS.
OFFICERS, WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE BACHELOR'S DEGREES, AND IF YOU CLIMB THE RANKS TO [INAUDIBLE] WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE DEGREES AT THE MILITARY ALWAYS MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING OUR EDUCATION AS WE GO MILITARY CAREER.
ANY OTHER? AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR THAT FOR EXPLAINING AGAIN ALL THIS BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS.
BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, I WOULD HOPE THAT, FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT REALLY HAVE THESE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES.
WHETHER I TAKE THE SAT AND ACT, BUT ALSO WHY WOULD I WANT TO TAKE THE ASPECT, WHICH YOU WERE JUST EXPLAINING TO ME? I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT IS IT LIKE THEIR MILITARY SKILLS OR OCCUPATIONAL [OVERLAPPING] SKILLS.
>> THE ARMY HAS ABOUT 225 DIFFERENT JOBS.
ONLY 1% OF THOSE IS ACTUALLY THE FIGHTER.
IT TAKES EVERYTHING ELSE IN THERE TO SUPPORT JUST LIKE IT DOES IN A DISTRICT.
IN A DISTRICT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERY PIECE OF PART TO MAKE THIS DISTRICT WORK.
WITHOUT THAT, IT'S THE SAME GOES IN THE MILITARY BECAUSE YOUR FIGHTER CAN'T FIGHT WITHOUT BES, BULLETS, PAY, AND CLOTHING.
>> I THINK IT'S GREAT. I JUST KNOW THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO REALLY KNOW ALL THEIR OPTIONS AND TO SEE HOW.
>> I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I REALLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
>> THEN ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAN GET BECAUSE THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
ONCE I TAKE THE ASVAB, IF I'M A JUNIOR OR EVEN A SENIOR, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT CONTINUING AND JOINING A CERTAIN BRANCH, DOES THAT SCORE STAY WITH ME? CAN I TAKE IT AGAIN? IF I DIDN'T DO WELL, CAN I TAKE IT?
>> THAT PIECE RIGHT THERE GOES INTO THE SAY YOU GOT A SOPHOMORE TAKES THE SCORE.
HIS OR HER SCORE CAN LAST UP TO A YEAR, SAY THEY WANT TO TAKE IT UP TO THEIR JUNIOR YEAR CAN DO THE SAME THING.
THEY DO IT ON THEIR SENIOR YEAR AS WELL.
I ALWAYS TELL THEM TAKE THEM OFTEN, FREQUENTLY, BE AND DO IT, TAKE.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT PI IS SAY THAT YOU HAVE AN RTC RECRUITES IN YOUR SCHOOL.
EACH ONE OF US WANT TO DO THE AS THE RECRUITS COME TO OUR SCHOOL AND HELP US FACILITATE THAT TEST PROCESS.
YOU HAVE IN YOUR ROTC SCHOLARSHIP GUYS FROM UTD AND PLACES LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE THE NATIONAL GUARD GUYS WILL BE IN THERE.
THEY'RE DOING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF POSSIBLE RECRUITING FOR EVEN GOING TO COLLEGE OR BECOMING COMMISSION OFFICERS.
IT'S NOT JUST ENLISTMENT ONLY THAT WE PURSUE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH. I APPRECIATE THAT. NO THANK YOU.
>> I KNOW WE SEE THE DISTRICT DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB OF PROVIDING A LOT OF.
I KNOW I SAW THIS AT RHS, THAT'S WHERE MY SON GRADUATED FROM.
WHERE WE DID A COLLEGE NIGHT AND YOU WERE ABLE TO ASK ALL THESE QUESTIONS.
IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE THEY TAILORED IT IN THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.
I THINK THAT THEY STILL DO IT, BUT THEY TAILORED IT TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY THERE.
I'M WONDERING, IS THAT ALSO SOMETHING THAT MAYBE TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING OR JUST REALLY ANY OTHER LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT GETS COMMUNICATED TO OUR PARENTS, THAT OUR PARENTS KNOW? WHAT IS THIS? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE OUR KIDS? IS THAT LIKE A ONE TIME THING OR DO THEY?
>> EACH TIME THEY HAVE THE COLLEGE NIGHT OR IT'S A COLLEGE FARE DAY OR THE SATURDAY OR THE FRIDAY EVENT, ANY OF THAT ABSOLUTELY GOES THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS.
>> THAT'S AWESOME. I THINK I'LL HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN I'LL LEAVE IT TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE 24 25 PROGRAMMING CONTINUED ON THE DEMOGRAPHIC ONE.
I SAW HERE, IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR STUDENTS.
I'M SO GREAT THAT IT'S OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS.
BUT I'M LOOKING LIKE A JJ PIERCE.
I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE ONE ASIAN STUDENT, ONE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT.
I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE SEE A TREND IN WHY MAYBE SOME STUDENTS OR JUST IS IT JUST THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SCHOOL THAT MAYBE? SURE.
>> MOST RECENTLY, YOU SEE A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS, AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE SKEWED AND IT DEPENDS UPON HOW THEY RICH.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF KIDS WHO JUST CAME OVER FROM AFGHANISTAN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS FROM IRAQ AND SYRIA.
THOSE NUMBERS DEFINITELY ARE UP THERE MORE AND LESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST HAD OUR LEADERSHIP CAMP OVER THE WEEKEND AND WE JUST HAD A NUMBER OF MUSLIM FEMALES, INCLUDING MY BATTALION COMMANDER.
HER MOTHER CAME OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE.
YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF DEMOGRAPHICS SKY ROCKETING MORE SO THAN OTHERS.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, ONCE THEY'RE IN OUR CLASS, WE REALLY DON'T LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT.
I TELL MY STUDENTS, I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE IN YOUR POCKET, HOW MUCH, WHAT COLOR YOUR SKIN YOU GUYS CAN ALL EQUALLY MAKE IT.
WE ACTUALLY IMPRESS THAT UPON THEMSELVES SO THAT WHEN THEY FACE THOSE LIFE COPING,
[02:05:01]
THOSE ISSUES, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THROUGH IT AND GET ON THE OTHER SIDE IN A POSITIVE MANNER.>> ABSOLUTELY, AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL PROGRAM FOR AS FAR AS, LIKE YOU SAID, LEADERSHIP, AND DINO TO THE POINT THAT MISS MCGOWAN MADE, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT ALL OUR KIDS TO HAVE.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S AWESOME IN THE SENSE OF IT JUST PROVIDING.
BUT I JUST ASKED BECAUSE I JUST WONDERED, HOW DO WE SEE BECAUSE IN OTHER MAYBE ACTIVITIES OR OTHER PROGRAMS, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIVERSE.
I WOULD LOVE FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS.
I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL WHEN WE BRING DIFFERENT.
LIKE I SAID, I LOVE THAT WE HAD OUR YOUNG LADIES.
I SAW SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN THEY'RE VERY STRONG EMPOWERED WOMEN.
JUST GIVING EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THAT.
AGAIN, LIKE MS. PACHECO HAD MENTIONED, I HAVE BROTHERS WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY, I HAVE UNCLES WHO SERVED IN EVERY WAR, PAST WARS AND STUFF.
VERY VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO, ESPECIALLY RETIRED AND COMING BACK AND PUTTING INTO AND POURING INTO OUR YOUTH, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE LEARNED.
AGAIN, I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
FOR NOW, YES, I WILL PASS IT ON TO MY COLLEAGUES.
I JUST GET VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THIS.
I JUST WANT TO SEE MORE AND MORE AND SEE IT GROW. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MS. PACHECO.
>> SHE HAS A COMMENT. I'LL LET HER SPEAK FIRST.
>> I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T RESIST STEALING THE SPOT LIGHT FROM MY SENIOR ARMY INSTRUCTOR.
[LAUGHTER] BUT SOMETHING I WANTED TO SAY, I REALLY LIKED YOUR COMMENT ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS.
I DEFINITELY SAY THAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE DEFINITELY BECOME MORE NOTICEABLE.
I'VE NOTICED THAT MY BATTALION HAS BECOME MORE NOTICEABLE.
I AM THE FIRST MIDDLE EASTERN FEMALE BATTALION COMMANDER, AND I ALSO HAVE MY FEMALE BATTALION EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND FEMALE BATTALION COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD A ALL FEMALE TOP 3 TEAM UNIT.
I THINK IT WILL EVEN BE THE SAME FOR NEXT YEAR.
NOTICING MY STAFF OFFICERS, MY COMPANY LEADERSHIP, WE'VE HAD MIDDLE EASTERN CADETS.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HISPANIC AND LATIN AMERICAN CADETS.
WE'VE HAD AFRICAN AMERICAN CADETS, EVEN AFRICAN CADETS, A LOT OF AFGHANISTAN.
AS COLONEL GERALD SAID, A LOT OF ARANI MUSLIMS, ESPECIALLY FEMALE HIJABS, THEY HAVE JOINED OUR BATON AND THEY'VE BECOME MORE CONFIDENT AND MORE ACCEPTING.
EVEN WHEN RAMADHAN COMES AROUND, WE MAKE SURE TO CATER TO THEM, MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND JUST SHOW THAT WE ACCEPT DIVERSITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR BATTALION UNIQUE, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, WE ADD TOGETHER.
I JUST THINK THAT IT WAS VERY NICE OF YOU TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR THAT, SWEETIE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED THAT WAS MY WHOLE POINT IN ASKING THAT QUESTION IS TO SEE HOW DIVERSE AND TO SEE THAT DIVERSITY.
IT'S WONDERFUL, LIKE I SAID TO SEE MORE YOUNG WOMEN, BUT TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES AND TO REALLY EXPAND THAT AND TO SEE THAT.
AGAIN, FOR ME, IT'S ABOUT HAVING EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER TO OUR STUDENTS BE REFLECTIVE OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE SEEING.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SUCH AN AMAZING ROLE MODEL. THANK YOU.
>> IT'S NICE TO SEE OTHER YOUTHS.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I JUST WANT TO ASK WHAT IS LAKE HIGHLANDS DOING? BECAUSE THEY HAVE TWICE AS MANY CADETS THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOL.
FIRST OFF, WE START BY WELCOMING EVERYONE WITH OPEN ARMS. EVEN WHEN I MET MISS RENTERIA, MR. CHRIS POTEET, MR. MIKE JASSO, I SAID, HEY, GUYS, WELCOME TO LAKE HIGHLANDS.
IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT USING THAT WELCOMING OPENING THAT JUST KEEPS PEOPLE COMING BACK.
IT'S ALSO HOW YOU REPRESENT YOURSELF.
IF YOU HOLD YOURSELF WITH YOUR HEAD HIGH, IF YOU WALK AROUND THE HALLS WITH YOUR HEAD HIGH, YOU'RE ALWAYS GREETING PEOPLE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM, YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING, OR YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, ARE YOU OKAY? YOU LOOK A LITTLE DOWN? EVEN THOSE LITTLE ALTERCATIONS CAN MEAN SO MUCH FOR ONE PERSON.
WE ALSO GO TO THE JUNIOR HIGHS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE FLAG PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING,
[02:10:03]
AND THAT REALLY GETS US OUT THERE.THAT'S WHAT HELPS LET OTHER PEOPLE, OTHER STUDENTS, OTHER CADETS KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU GUYS.
WE ARE ALSO HERE TO HELP BUILD YOU UP NOT ONLY AS LEADERS BUT AS SOMEONE WHO CAN DO SOMETHING GREAT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE JUST HAD OUR ROTC ONBOARDING SCHOLARSHIP EVENT.
THAT GETS CADETS FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM FORT WORTH.
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM DESOTO, WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM EVERYWHERE IN TEXAS JUST TO COME LOOK AT OUR OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE SERVE FOR THEM.
IT'S JUST REACHING OUT AND TAKING THAT INITIATIVE TO BE LIKE, HEY, WE'RE HERE.
WE WANT TO HELP YOU, WE WANT TO SUPPORT YOU.
WE ALSO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.
WE HAVE TIKTOK, WE HAVE INSTAGRAM, WE HAVE THREADS.
WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING OUR NAME OUT THERE AND WE'RE GETTING OUR CADETS AND WHAT WE DO OUT THERE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE, I THINK, ABOUT 600 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM, SO WE GROW EVERY YEAR, AND WE'RE ALWAYS EAGER TO POST JUST THINGS THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT OUR BATTALION, JUST LIKE THE CAMP THAT WE JUST COMPLETED OR WE DO HIGHLIGHTS FOR DIFFERENT CADETS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON AROUND THAT TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT'S THE BEST ANSWER.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT TO THE CADET FOR THEIR CADETS WITH PURPOSE AND INTENTION.
THAT'S AMAZING, AND I JUST LOVE IT.
I WANT TO SEE THIS PROGRAM GROW AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AS INSTRUCTORS AND THANK YOU, CADETS, FOR LEADING THE REST OF YOUR TEAM.
YOU HAVE ONE MORE? MISS RENTERIA?
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, I PROMISE.
I JUST THINK, AGAIN, THIS IS WONDERFUL.
I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
ONE LAST THING, IF YOU CAN JUST REMIND ME, MISS, HOW DOES THE CCMR POINTS FOR COLLEGE WORK? HOW DO WE AS A DISTRICT JUST REMIND ME HOW WE GET OUR POINTS WITH THAT PART?
>> NOW, WE ARE JUST STARTING OUR PORTION OF IT WITH THE MILITARY.
I'LL LET MISS BRANHAM AND DR. LIEBER JUMP IN ON THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO MEET THOSE POINTS, HOW OUR MILITARY IS HELPING.
OUR INSTRUCTORS ARE NOW LOOKING AT THE ASVAB SCORES, WHO SIGNED UP AS YES, I'M TAKING IT TO BE ENLISTED THAT MAYBE NOT EVEN IN OUR JRTC.
THEY ARE KEEPING UP WITH THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL.
>> I DO THINK THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT FOR US, BUT FOR DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS TO GET THE MILITARY FORM.
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS ONCE THEY DO ENLIST, THEY PUT IN THEIR DD 4 FORM, AND THAT PARTICULAR FORM, WE HAVE TO REQUEST FROM THE STUDENT TO GET A COPY TO GIVE BACK TO THE CAMPUS OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN GET OUR MILITARY POINT FOR THEM.
THEY HAVE TO ENLIST, AND WE HAVE TO GET THE FORM.
>> IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THAT DATA IS NOT GIVEN TO TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A VIOLATION.
THAT'S PRIVATE INFORMATION FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WE DO HAVE TO REQUEST FROM THE STUDENT FOR THEM TO GIVE THIS TO US.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MRS. KENDRA DID, OUR NEW CCMR DIRECTOR, OVER THE SUMMER, WHAT HER AND HER DEPARTMENT DOES IS REACH OUT TO EVERY SINGLE STUDENT WHO TOOK THE ASVAB, WHO SAID THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THE MILITARY.
DID YOU GO INTO THE MILITARY? CAN WE GET YOUR FORM? WE DID GET CLOSE TO 100 OR SO DD 4 FORMS FROM THAT BUT THAT IS ONE REASON WHY IT'S CALLED CCMR, BUT IN THE PAST, IT'S REALLY CCR AS IT RELATES TO OUR ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S REPORTED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR OUR ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET THE MILITARY DATA.
THEY ADDED THE MILITARY BACK IN THIS YEAR, BUT REALLY IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PARENTS, OUR KIDS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'LL SAY, WHY DO YOU NEED THE FORM? WHY DO YOU NEED THEM? WELL, WE HAVE TO GET OUR MILITARY POINT FOR CCR ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE BEST REASON FOR US TO GIVE A PARENT, SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT WITH THEM RIGHT NOW BUT WE DO REACH OUT TO THE PARENTS TO GET THE DD 4 FORM THAT WE AND THEN HAVE TO TURN INTO THE STATE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.
>> THEN IT IS THEN ONCE WE TURN THAT IN THAT WE GET OUR CREDIT, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT AND SO VITAL THAT PARTNERSHIP CONTINUE WITH THEIR PARENTS.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE RELYING ON THE STUDENT TO BRING BACK THAT DD 4, IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE, OKAY, WE NEED FOR YOU TO DO THIS SO THAT AGAIN, THE ACCOUNTABILITY IS THERE SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN CONTINUE TO GROW MORE CADETS AND CONTINUE, BUT HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARENT TO SEE HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TOO,
[02:15:02]
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME. APPRECIATE IT.
THANKS FOR THE CADRE, THANKS FOR THE CADETS, ESPECIALLY YOUR ALL'S INPUT TONIGHT.
THAT WAS VALUABLE AND JUST VERY UNIQUE.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE AND WHAT YOU GAVE US.
[V.D. Discussion of Beginning of the Year MAP]
WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM.WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE AN APPLAUSE. GOOD JOB.
[APPLAUSE] INFORMATION ITEM TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS UPDATES ON THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR MAP. MISS BRANHAM.
>> THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE FOLLOW THAT.
THAT WAS AMAZING, AND SO THANK YOU.
DR. ORTIZ HAS THIS HONOR TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP.
AS YOU KNOW, THE MEASURE OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS, OUR MAP, IS A PART OF THE CULTURE, IT'S PART OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO IN RICHARDSON ISD.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE TAKE THIS BEGINNING-OF-YEAR ASSESSMENT, THIS IS REALLY OUR FIRST DATA POINT, ONE OF MANY, THAT WE USE TO ASSESS THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CAMPUS AND DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
THIS IS THE FIRST GLANCE OF QUANTITATIVE DATA THAT WE USE TO EVALUATE.
ARE THE STRATEGIES WE'VE SET FORWARD IN OUR DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND OUR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN, ARE THOSE THE RIGHT STRATEGIES? I MENTIONED THAT CIP AND THE DIP ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DYNAMIC.
IF AT THIS POINT WE RECEIVE MAP DATA THAT INDICATES, WAIT A MINUTE, SOMETHING MAY NOT BE WORKING HERE.
WE HAVE TO EVALUATE: DO WE DOUBLE DOWN ON SOMETHING? DO WE CHANGE THE COURSE? DO WE TRY SOMETHING ELSE, OR DO WE GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER? THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS BEGINNING-OF-THE-YEAR ASSESSMENT IS ABOUT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS DATA WE'RE TAKING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SIX, SEVEN WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR.
IT IS ALSO ON THE HEELS WHERE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ENGAGED IN A FORMAL STRUCTURED SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAM.
AS YOU LOOK AT THIS INFORMATION AND AS YOU LOOK AT THESE DATA POINTS, AGAIN, WE ARE REALLY SETTING THE BASELINE OF PERFORMANCE FOR '23/'24.
WE DO LOOK AT LONGITUDINAL PERFORMANCE FROM YEAR TO YEAR BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO KNOW ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING CAUSING LEARNING TO BE STICKY? ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE, THE WAY THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING TEACHERS, THE WAY THAT WE'RE IMPROVING OUR FOCUS ON TIER 1 INSTRUCTION, THE WORK THAT DR. HERNANDEZ AND OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS AND TEACHING AND LEARNING ARE DOING AROUND DATA-DRIVEN INSTRUCTION? YOU GOT A BIG PIECE OF THAT WHEN WE PRESENTED TO YOU ALL IN AUGUST WITH OUR DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND HOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON INCREASING STUDENT OUTCOMES.
ARE THOSE THINGS STICKING AND ALLOWING STUDENTS TO RETAIN INFORMATION AND LEADING US TO THE STUDENT OUTCOMES THAT YOU HAVE ALL SET FORWARD IN OUR BOARD GOALS? I JUST WANT TO SET CONTEXT FOR WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS.
THIS IS NOT A STAR PREDICTOR TODAY.
WE ARE NOT USING THIS TO SAY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO PERFORM SIX MONTHS FROM NOW.
THIS IS RIGHT NOW BASED UPON WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS EARLY INDICATOR.
ARE WE READY TO STAY STEADFAST AND STAY THE COURSE? WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. ORTIZ AND DR. LIEBER TO SHARE OUR BEGINNING-OF-THE-YEAR UPDATES.
AGAIN, THIS REALLY SUPPORTS OUR NORTH STAR GOAL, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A MEASURE TO SEE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GROWING, THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE GROWING, AND OUR LEADERS AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO BRING BACK OUR GRAPHIC THAT WE SHARED EARLIER IN SEPTEMBER AND AUGUST.
TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON THE MAP GROWTH BUBBLE.
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE USING THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, GATHER DATA ON OUR STUDENTS, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING REFLECTIONS ON WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT ACADEMIC PROGRESS.
I HAD SHARED A CALENDAR LAST MOY AND EOY, AND SO I WANTED TO BRING THIS BACK JUST TO SHOW THE PROGRESSION.
WE DID ADMINISTER THAT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IN SEPTEMBER.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF OUR MONITORING THE RESULTS AND RESPONDING TO WHAT WE FOUND FROM THAT DATA POINT.
IN JANUARY, WE WILL TAKE THAT MIDDLE-OF-THE-YEAR ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATE THE GROWTH BETWEEN OUR BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
THEN AGAIN, RESPOND, LOOK AT THE RESULTS, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS, AND ENSURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR PROGRESS AS WELL.
THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AFTER OUR STAR ASSESSMENTS, WE HAVE THE END-OF-THE-YEAR ASSESSMENT FOR MAP AS WELL BEFORE WE GET READY FOR OUR ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTS AND ALL THE OTHER DATA THAT TEA WILL PROVIDE TO US.
[02:20:05]
BUT TODAY, OUR FOCUS WILL BE ON MAP, AND WE DO ADMINISTER A MAP IN K-8 FOR READING AND MATHEMATICS.I HAD SHARED THESE GRAPHICS AT THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, AND I WANT TO REVIEW THIS A LITTLE BIT JUST TO GROUND THE WORK AS WE GET INTO THE BAR GRAPHS SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE MEASURES THAT ARE BEING USED FOR OUR MAP ASSESSMENT.
MAP ASSESSMENT USES A RIT SCALE.
THAT RIT SCALE IS A STABLE SCALE.
THEY COMPARE IT TO A MEASUREMENT OF FEET AND INCHES.
EVERY STUDENT WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR MAP ASSESSMENT WILL BE GIVEN A NUMBER BETWEEN 100-350, AND IT IS THE SAME SCALE, WHETHER THEY'RE IN KINDERGARTEN OR ALL THE WAY UP TO EIGHTH GRADE.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS INCREASING AS THEY'RE MOVING THROUGH THEIR GRADE LEVELS.
THIS YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO LOAD SOME REPORTS ONTO FOCUS FOR OUR PARENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO.
THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR OUR PARENTS, AND THEY WILL SEE THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION FOR THEIR CHILD, AND IT IS ALL BASED ON THE RIT SCORES.
THEY'LL SEE A BAR CHART THAT'LL SHOW THIS IS HOW MY CHILD DID IN KINDERGARTEN.
THIS IS HOW THEY DID IN FIRST GRADE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, END OF THE YEAR.
THE GRAPH THAT YOU SEE WITH ALL THE COLORS, THAT WOULD BE ALL OF THEIR YEARS IN SCHOOL.
IT WOULD SHOW EVERYTHING FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THEY'VE TAKEN THAT ASSESSMENT.
OUR FIRST GRAPH THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR RESULTS FOR THIS FALL IS FOR OUR MAP READING IN ENGLISH, AND IT IS A COMPARISON OF FALL '23 TO FALL '24.
WE ARE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE COHORT LENS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW THAT PROGRESS BECAUSE THEY JUST STARTED IN SEPTEMBER.
BUT WE DID WANT TO SHOW WHAT THAT WHOLE YEAR LOOKED LIKE FOR THE STUDENTS.
THESE ARE THE SAME GROUP OF STUDENTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT KINDERGARTEN IS ONLY GOING TO HAVE THE CURRENT INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PRIOR DATA POINT.
BUT FOR THE SECOND COLUMN, THE RED IS THEIR FIRST GRADE PERFORMANCE AND THE BLUE IS HOW THEY PERFORMED IN KINDERGARTEN.
AT THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE BOY RIT SCORE IS FOR THAT GRADE LEVEL.
WE CAN SEE THAT FOR KINDERGARTEN, READING ENGLISH, THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AVERAGE WAS 160, AND THE NORM IS FOR 156.
SHOWING THAT WE'RE ABOVE THAT NORM.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT THE STUDENTS CONTINUE TO GROW FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
I KNOW THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GRAPH, WE'LL SEE THAT GAP THAT WE SEE IN KINDER, THE GROWTH FROM KINDER TO FIRST, LOOKS A LOT MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN WHAT WE SEE IN THE UPPER GRADES.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SEE ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE NATION.
I WANT TO JUST ADD IN HERE BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE WILL LOOK AT THAT MIDDLE YEARS REALLY STARTING ALMOST IN FOURTH, FIFTH GRADE, SIXTH GRADE TO SEVENTH, SEVENTH TO EIGHTH AND WE WONDER, WHY DO WE NOT SEE THAT SAME AMOUNT OF JUMP YEAR TO YEAR? REALLY, THE BEST ANALOGY I CAN COME UP WITH IS WHEN I THINK ABOUT, MY SON HE'S A BASEBALL PLAYER.
RIGHT NOW, HE GOES TO PITCHING LESSONS, AND WE'RE SEEING TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN PITCHING.
EVERY TIME HE GOES OUT TO PITCH, HE'S SO MUCH BETTER THE NEXT GAME THAN HE WAS THE GAME BEFORE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN HE'S PITCHING AT 12U,13U WHEN HE'S LEARNED ALL OF THOSE PITCHES, AND AT THAT POINT, HE IS NOW WORKING ON VELOCITY.
HE'S WORKING ON PITCH MOVEMENT.
HE'S WORKING ON PITCH LOCATION.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NUANCES THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE HUGE VAST IMPROVEMENT THAT YOU'RE SEEING WHEN HE'S LITTLE WHEN YOU'RE SEEING FROM T BALL TO NOW WHEN THEY'RE AT 8U, AND THEY MOVE FROM KID PITCH OR USING THE T TO NOW COACH PITCH TO KID PITCH.
THAT'S A HUGE GROWTH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN WHEN THEY GET TO THIS AGE, NOW IT'S JUST THESE LITTLE INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'RE MAKING TO THEIR GAME.
THAT REALLY IS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENS WITH LEARNING.
THAT KINDER FIRST, SECOND, THERE IS SUCH GROWTH BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS NEW.
AFTER THAT, IT'S ONE THEY'VE LEARNED THERE'S MULTIPLICATION FACTS, THEN ALL WE ARE DOING IS BUILDING ON THIS FLUENCY OF MULTIPLICATION AND NOW SHOWING DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE THAT BASIC FOUNDATIONAL SKILL.
THAT GROWTH IS NOT GOING TO BE AS EVIDENT AND AS SIGNIFICANT AS IT WAS IN THOSE EARLY YEARS.
DOESN'T MEAN STUDENTS AREN'T GROWING? IT'S JUST THEY'RE GROWING IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND AT A DIFFERENT RATE THAN WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE.
WE CAN SEE THAT WITH A SCALE AT THE BOTTOM.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE JUMPS BETWEEN THE NORM,
[02:25:01]
IT'S MORE SIGNIFICANT IN THE LOWER GRADES THAN WHAT WE SEE IN OUR UPPER GRADES.WE ALSO HAVE THE NEXT CHART WILL SHOW US THE BREAKDOWN BY STUDENT GROUP.
THIS DOES AGGREGATE ALL THE GRADE LEVELS TOGETHER BUT IT IS RISD STUDENTS IN THE FALL OF 2023 AND RISD STUDENTS IN THE FALL OF 2024.
THESE ARE ONLY STUDENTS THAT TOOK BOTH THE FALL '23 ASSESSMENT AND THE FALL '24 ASSESSMENT.
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SEE, DID THE STUDENTS THAT STAYED WITH US A FULL YEAR, WHAT DID THEIR PERFORMANCE LOOK LIKE? AGAIN, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE GROWTH AND TO SEE THAT STUDENTS CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS REGARDLESS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC.
AGAIN, THE FIRST REPRESENTATION IS JUST GOING TO BE THE AVERAGE RIT SHOWING FROM THE PREVIOUS GRADE LEVEL TO THE CURRENT GRADE LEVEL, AGAIN SEEING THOSE INCREASES FROM GRADE TO GRADE AND MEETING THOSE TARGETS FOR SEVERAL OF THE GRADE LEVELS.
THEN AGAIN, BY STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC.
LOOKING AT OUR ALL STUDENTS SHOWING 14 AVERAGE RIT SCORE INCREASE FROM FALL '23 TO FALL '24.
THEN LOOKING AT MATHEMATICS, WE'RE SEEING THE SAME TREND.
ONE OF OUR DIFFERENCES FOR OUR CHART IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT SEVENTH TO EIGHTH GRADE.
THAT IS A VERY SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS.
I DO WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THAT DATA POINT.
THOSE ARE OUR STUDENTS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASONS ARE NOT TAKING THE ALGEBRA AS EIGHTH GRADERS, AND IT COULD BE FOR A LOT OF REASONS, MAYBE STUDENTS JOIN US A LITTLE BIT LATER SO THEY'RE COMING IN AS EIGHTH GRADERS, BUT WE'RE NOT ON THAT ALGEBRA FOR ALL WHEREVER THEY WERE COMING FROM, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE STUDENTS IDENTIFY TO TAKE SEVENTH GRADE MATH AS SEVENTH GRADERS.
>> AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THE INFORMATION FOR EACH OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS AS WELL AS ALL STUDENTS.
WE CAN SEE AN 11-POINT INCREASE IN OUR MATHEMATICS SCORES FOR ALL STUDENTS AND THEN ACROSS EACH OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS, WE SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AS WELL.
I WANT TO STAY ON THIS SLIDE AND THEN THE MAP READING AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK THIS FOR US IS REALLY THE DATA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO HELP INFORM US DO WE NEED TO DO ANY COURSE CORRECTION.
WHAT THIS SLIDE TELLS US IS THAT THIS SAME SNAPSHOT LAST YEAR, RIGHT NOW, OUR STUDENTS ARE GROWING AT A HIGHER RATE, THEY'RE PERFORMING AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF RIT SCORE THAN THEY WERE AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, OUR EARLY INDICATORS ARE THEY ARE WORKING, STAY THE COURSE, STAY COMMITTED TO THE STEPS, THE ACTION PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CIPS AND OUR DIPS.
THEY ARE RETAINING THEIR INFORMATION. WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO.
DON'T GET ME WRONG BUT THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, WE'RE DOUBLING DOWN ON THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE DATA THAT SAYS IT IS WORKING.
>> YES, MA'AM. THIS GRAPH WILL LEAD US INTO OUR PIE CHART GRAPH THAT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU IN THE NEXT SLIDE BUT BEFORE I GET TO THAT, I DO WANT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY ON HOW GROWTH IS MEASURED FOR MAP.
IT'S NOT WHAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY DEFINE AS JUST YOUR AVERAGE LIKE DID I GROW? YES OR NO.
PARENTS WILL SEE THAT ON THEIR REPORT BUT EVEN ON THE REPORTS THAT THEY SAW IN FOCUS, THEY'LL SEE HOW MANY POINTS THEY GREW AND WHAT THEIR PROJECTED GROWTH WAS.
REALLY, THE YES OR NO FOR THE PARENT IS, DID THEY MEET THAT PROJECTED GROWTH OF WHAT MAP HAS IDENTIFIED AS THEM HAVING AS A TARGET? MAYBE MY TARGET IS GOING TO BE TO GROW FIVE RIT SCORES, BUT DR. LEEPER'S TARGET MIGHT BE 10 RIT POINTS AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR EVERY STUDENT.
AS WE LOOK AT THIS NEXT PIE CHART, AND WE SAY, WELL, I'VE GOT 51% OF OUR STUDENTS THAT MET GROWTH FOR MAP IN READING.
WE MIGHT THINK, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE 49? IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE 49 DIDN'T GROW.
THIS IS MORE LOOKING AT THAT TARGETED GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE NORMS OF MAP BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE SOME NORMS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED.
WHAT MAP DISCUSSES IN WA IS THAT THEY SAY IF IT'S A 50 OR ABOVE, THEN THAT IS A CELEBRATION.
THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WILL BE AT LEAST AT 50%.
COMPARING IT TO LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME FOR READING, IT WAS AT A 50, AND SO WE'RE SEEING INCREASES THERE,
[02:30:02]
AND THEN IN MATH, WE SAW FOUR FOUR-POINT INCREASE, WHICH AGAIN, THAT'S FOUR ABOVE WHAT THE NATIONAL NORM AND EXPECTATION IS FOR OUR STUDENTS BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE 46 HAVEN'T GROWN AT ALL.IT JUST MEANS THAT MAYBE DR. LIEBER ONLY GOT EIGHT RITS SCORE POINTS INCREASE INSTEAD OF THE 10, AND MAYBE I GOT THREE INSTEAD OF MY FOUR.
THAT'S HOW THEY LOOK AT THE GROWTH OVERALL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A DISTRICT OR A CAMPUS.
FOR OUR COMPARISON, WE SEE THAT WE ARE IN TARGET TO MEET OUR GROWTH GOALS AND SHOWING THAT TRAJECTORY THAT WE WANT TO SEE AND CONTINUE TO SEE AS WE TAKE THESE ASSESSMENTS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NEXT STEPS, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, WE'VE ANALYZED THE DATA.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO CREATE THOSE INDIVIDUAL GROWTH PLANS FOR EACH OF OUR STUDENTS, AND IT'S NOT ONLY GOING TO INCLUDE MAP, IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE DIFFERENT DATA POINTS BECAUSE THIS WAS JUST ON ONE DAY THAT THEY TOOK THE ASSESSMENT.
CAMPUSES ARE INCLUDING MEASURES LIKE HOW DID THEY DO ON THE STAR LAST YEAR? WHAT ABOUT THEIR M CLASS? IF THEY'RE IN THOSE GRADE LEVELS, IF THEY'RE IN PRE-K, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE CIRCLE EXAM.
CIAS THAT THEY'RE TAKING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THEY'RE USING THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MAKING INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS FOR STUDENTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
WITH OUR DATA-DRIVEN INSTRUCTION IN K12, THEY'RE MAKING SURE WHAT DOES TIER 1 INSTRUCTION LOOK LIKE IN THE CLASSROOMS. RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW, DOCTOR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE LEARNING WALKS AND THE DATA PLCS.
>> SURE. I'LL JUMP IN AND JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS NOW THAT WE HAVE THE DATA FOR US.
REALLY LOOKING AT THAT DATA-DRIVEN INSTRUCTION AS YOU HEARD FROM DR. HERNANDEZ AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY A BIG PUSH FOR THIS THIS YEAR BUT UP TO THIS POINT, WE HAVE DONE OUR MAP BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
WE HAVE DONE OUR FIRST CURRICULUM INTERIM ASSESSMENT, JUST A DIPSTICK INTO THE CURRICULUM THAT HAS BEEN TAUGHT UP TO THIS POINT, HOW ARE WE DOING AFTER OUR LITTLE DIPSTICK IN THAT? WE'VE DONE OUR CIA. FROM THAT, WHAT WE DO IS REALLY LOOK AT THOSE RETEACH PLANS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL RATES.
THE TEACHERS GO IN AND LOOK AT THAT DATA, WHETHER IT'S MAP DATA OR THE CIA DATA AND CREATE AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN FOR EACH KID.
LIKE DR. ORTIZ SAID, SHE GOT HER DOCTORATE A FEW MONTHS AGO, SO WE'RE STILL CELEBRATING HER.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EACH KID FROM THE DATA HAS AN INDIVIDUAL PLAN.
THAT'S WHAT'S BEING CREATED FOR THEM AS WELL.
THEN FROM THE CIA DATA, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE LOWEST TEAK IN THEIR CLASS FOR THIRD-GRADE MATH OR SECOND-GRADE READING, WHAT WAS THE LOWEST TEAK THAT THEY HAVE ON THAT CIA AND THEY'RE CREATING REALLY INTENTIONAL RETEACH PLANS FOR THAT.
THEN THEY'RE ALSO WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW TOO WITH AREA SUPERINTENDENTS.
REALLY ALL OF CENTRAL CURRICULUM SUPPORTS AS WELL IS GOING IN AND DOING LEARNING WALKS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE BUILDING TO SEE.
NOT NECESSARILY WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT JUST WHAT ARE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING? IS THERE ENOUGH STUDENT DISCOURSE AND STUDENT TALK OR ARE TEACHERS DOING MUSCULAR TALKING? ARE THEY USING THE CURRICULUM TO THE LEVEL OF FIDELITY THAT THEY SHOULD BE? ARE WE SEEING RESOURCES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE CURRICULUM TOOLS AND WHY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT? THIS CAMPUS IS CREATING AN ACTION PLAN THAT IS INDIVIDUALIZED TO THEIR CAMPUS THAT THEY'LL WORK ON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WILL BE IN THEIR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AS YOU'VE SEEN TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A TARGETED IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR EACH KID AND THEN FOR EACH CAMPUS AS WELL.
>> AS WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE INFORMATION, REALLY, THE KEY TAKEAWAYS IS THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE DATA AND THAT THIS MAP DATA IS INTENDED TO DRIVE THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
THE DISTRICT HAS MET THE MAP NORMS WITH GROWTH, HAVING OVER 50% IN READING AND MATH, AND WE SEE THAT RIC STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK TO CONTINUE TO SHOW GROWTH OVER THE '24/'25 SCHOOL YEAR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO LEAD IN? OTHERWISE, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
YES. BOARD. WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION FOR YOU ALL.
THERE'S AN INFORMATION ITEM, SO FEEL FREE IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THE MAP READING ENGLISH STUDENT GROUP PERFORMANCE AND THE MAP READING SPANISH STUDENT GROUP PERFORMANCE.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING MAP READING SPANISH,
[02:35:01]
IS THE TEST IN SPANISH?>> WE HAVE EMERGENT BILINGUALS LISTED ON BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
>> OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS WILL INCLUDE NOT ONLY STUDENTS IN A DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM BUT ALSO STUDENTS THAT HAVE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE.
THOSE COULD BE STUDENTS THAT SPEAK OTHER LANGUAGES.
WE DO HAVE SOME SPANISH-SPEAKING STUDENTS THAT ALTHOUGH THEY ARE EMERGENT BILINGUAL, THEY'RE ALREADY AT A POINT WHERE THEY WOULD BE TAKING THE ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH AS WELL AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM IN BOTH ASSESSMENTS.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
THEN ON THE LAST THING IN THE PIE CHART, I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT IT.
THERE'S READING AND MATH, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS 49 IN READING AND 46% IN MATH STUDENTS ARE GROWING THEY'RE JUST NOT GROWING THE TARGET THAT MAP DESIGNS FOR THAT STUDENT, CORRECT? WHAT HAPPENS? WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF A STUDENT THAT DOES NOT GROW THE TARGET BASED ON THE MAP?
>> I WANT TO ADDRESS THAT AND THEN, OF COURSE, EVERYONE CAN CHIME IN AS WELL.
THE FIRST THING I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT THE MEASURE OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS, THE MAP ASSESSMENT IS A NATIONAL ASSESSMENT.
MILLIONS OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE NATION TAKE THIS ASSESSMENT.
NWEA TAKES ALL OF THAT DATA AND THEIR RESEARCH TEAM IDENTIFIES BASED UPON AN AVERAGE SECOND GRADER AND HERE ARE THE SKILLS THAT WE EXPECT A SECOND GRADER TO HAVE.
HERE WOULD BE THE EXPECTED GROWTH THAT WE WOULD WANT FOR THAT STUDENT.
THEY INDIVIDUALIZE THAT GROWTH GOAL BASED UPON AND THIS IS WHY THE LONGITUDINAL PIECE OF MAP IS SO IMPORTANT.
HE'S BEEN TAKING MAP SINCE HIS KINDERGARTEN YEAR.
THEY HAVE THAT LONGITUDINAL PICTURE OF KASIN.
THEY COMPARE WHERE HE'S AT IN EACH GRADE LEVEL COMPARED TO WHAT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS, AND SAYS, KASIN FOR US TO BE AT THIS TRAJECTORY, THIS IS YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIT SCORE GROWTH THAT YOU NEED TO HIT.
JUST LIKE WHAT DR. LIEBER SAID WITH OUR RETEACH PLANS, WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS THAT TEACHER LOOKS AT KASIN'S INDIVIDUAL MAP ASSESSMENT AND THAT TWO-POINT RIT SCORE THAT HE HASN'T ACHIEVED.
THEY'RE LOOKING DOWN TO THE SKILL LEVEL.
WHAT IS THE SKILL THAT IS KEEPING HIM FROM HITTING THAT GROWTH GOAL BECAUSE IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THAT SKILL AND DON'T INTERVENE ON THAT SKILL AND ACCELERATE THAT, HE'S GOING TO ALWAYS BE STRUGGLING TO HIT THAT GROWTH GOAL BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING YEAR, IT MAY NEED TO BE A 12-POINT GROWTH GOAL FOR HIM TO GET WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE NOT JUST AN EIGHT-POINT GROWTH GOAL.
THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS DOWN TO THAT STUDENT SKILL LEVEL, DEVELOPING THOSE RETEACH PLANS SO THAT FOR KASIN IT MIGHT BE A FLUENCY ISSUE, FOR MR. POTEET, IT MIGHT BE A COMPREHENSION ISSUE.
NO, I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVEN'T ISSUE.
BUT HOW DO WE GROUP STUDENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES ALL HAVE AN INTERVENTION TIME BUILT INTO THEIR SCHEDULE DURING THE DAY.
THAT WAY, PARENTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR KIDS AFTER SCHOOL.
THEY MAY NEED TO BRING THEM EARLY.
BUILT INTO THE DAY, WE TAKE THE SECOND GRADERS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH FLUENCY, AND WE'LL PUT THEM IN A SMALL GROUP AND WE'RE GIVING THEM INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION FOR THAT 30 MINUTES EVERY DAY TO ACCELERATE THAT LEARNING THAT THEY'RE HAVING.
I KNOW THIS IS REALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE WANT THIS NUMBER TO BE AT 100%.
WE LOOK AT THIS, AND WE'RE LIKE, THE GOAL SHOULD BE 100% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE HITTING THEIR RIT GROWTH GOAL SCORE AND WHY WE EMPHASIZE, AGAIN, MILLIONS OF STUDENTS ARE TAKING THIS AND THE RESEARCH TEAM SAYS IF 50% OF YOUR KIDS ARE HITTING THIS GROWTH GOAL YES, WE ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE 100% BUT THE RESEARCH, THE DATA SAYS, IF 50% OF YOUR STUDENTS ARE HITTING THAT, THEN YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS TO GROW STUDENTS AND THEN OUR WORK IS TO TAKE THAT 49% THAT 46% AND DEVELOP THOSE INDIVIDUAL PLANS SO THAT WE CAN GET THERE.
BUT Y'ALL, WE WILL NEVER BE AT 100% BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S NOT A DISTRICT IN THE NATION THAT HAS 100% OF THEIR STUDENTS HITTING THAT GROWTH GOAL.
WE ASPIRE TO THAT BUT THAT IS NOT PROBABLY A REALISTIC GOAL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
BASICALLY, I'M GLAD THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE YES, IF A CHILD DOES NOT MEET THESE GOALS,
[02:40:01]
WE'RE DRILLING OUT INTO THEIR SKILLS GAP AND SUPPORTING THAT GAP, SO THAT WHEN THEY DO THIS TEST AGAIN, THEY HAVE REACHED PERFECT.ARE PARENTS BEING EDUCATED AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THEIR STUDENT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW I MIGHT BE GUILTY OF THIS AS A PARENT.
I'LL SEE A TARGET AND I'LL BE LIKE, WHY DIDN'T YOU REACH THAT TARGET? WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT'S GOING ON? I WOULD NEVER SAY MY KID FAILED, BUT I WOULD WONDER DOES MY KID NEED SO MUCH SUPPORT THAT THEY DIDN'T REACH THAT TARGET? DO PARENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING?
>> NOT AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY NEED TO.
THAT IS WHY ANGIE LEE AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN REALLY WORKING, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PARENT UNIVERSITY OR ON INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES BECAUSE WE FIND THAT IT HAS TO BE DOWN AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL FOR PARENTS TO HEAR IT.
WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CAMPUSES TO DESIGN MAP GROWTH GOAL CAMPS AND THE GOAL OF THOSE GROWTH GOAL CAMPS IS TO BRING PARENTS IN, REALLY WALK THEM THROUGH MAP, WALK THEM THROUGH THIS IS WHAT IT TELLS YOU AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WALK THE PARENT THROUGH THEIR INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH GOALS.
MISS MCGOWAN, HERE'S YOUR DAUGHTER'S GROWTH GOALS, BOTH IN THE GRADUATE PROFILE AND IN THEIR MAP SCORES.
HERE'S THE SKILL THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON, HERE IS THINGS THAT YOU CAN BE DOING AT HOME TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT. AN EXAMPLE.
THIRD GRADE, ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS THAT OFTEN KEEPS OUR STUDENTS FROM ACCELERATING IN MATHEMATICS IS MEMORIZING THOSE MULTIPLICATION TABLES.
WHEN A STUDENT IS NOT SHOWING FLUENCY IN MULTIPLICATION AT THE RATE WE WANT, WE HAVE FLASHCARDS THAT GO HOME, AND WE BEG PARENTS, PLEASE WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME PLEASE USE THOSE FLASHCARDS LIKE IN THE CAR.
YOU BE CHECKING YOUR MULTIPLICATION FACTS.
WE ARE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITH THAT AND A LOT OF IT IS BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS THEY ARE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME ENSURING THAT HIGH-QUALITY TIER 1 INSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING THAT IT'S THEN HARD TO CREATE THE TIME AND THE SPACE TO SAY NOW BECAUSE WHAT YOUR CHILD NEEDS IS DIFFERENT THAN YOURS, IS DIFFERENT THAN YOURS, AND SO HOW DO WE PACK IT? AS A DISTRICT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO COME IN AND FILL THAT GAP AND ANGIE AND HER TEAM ARE TRYING TO WORK ON THOSE GROWTH GOAL CAMPS TO MAKE IT EASIER.
I WOULD SAY WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE WAY OF WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO HIT OUR NORTH STAR GOAL WITH PARENT ENGAGEMENT IN THAT AREA.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SHE BROUGHT MEMORIES INTO MY MIND ON THESE CARDS AND THINGS THAT I WOULD PUT IN THE BACK OF THE CAR.
I'M LIKE, WHILE I'M DRIVING, YOU BETTER READ THIS TO ME, SPELL THIS TO ME, DO MATH. THANKS FOR THE MEMORY.
I DID ACTUALLY SEE THAT ON THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT.
A LOT OF THE CAMPUSES DID HAVE STUDENT OUTCOME IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES, AND IT INCLUDED PARENT ENGAGEMENT SO I SEE HOW YOU'RE TYING THAT IN AND I HOPE WE IMPROVE ON PARENT PARTICIPATION.
YES, I'M TALKING TO THE GUARDIANS AND PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT.
GO TO THOSE MEETINGS WHEN A TEACHER ASKS, GO TO THOSE OPEN HOUSES, PLEASE, AND STOP BY AND SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT AT HOME. THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS REALLY EXCITING STUFF, SO I'M EXCITED.
THIS IS WHAT I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT, DEBBIE, MISS RENTERIA.
BEING A PARENT HERE, I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK OFF OF JUST MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN LEARNING THIS, AND LIKE YOU SAID, THE PARENT ENGAGEMENT PIECE IS SO CRITICAL.
ME BEING A TRUSTEE, I'M STILL IGNORANT TO SO MUCH OF THIS PART OF IT AND I WANT TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR PARENTS SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN WITH ME, AND WE CAN ALL DO THIS BETTER TOGETHER BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STRONGER SCHOOLS, WHICH REALLY EXCITES ME ABOUT STULTS.
SOMEONE DROPPED A BOTTLE. I'M LOOKING AT MY DAUGHTER'S MAP BECAUSE YOU SAID THEY'RE GOING TO BE UPLOADED IN FOCUS, I WENT TO FOCUS AND LOOKED AT HER STUFF.
I'M LIKE, SHE'S GROWING BEAUTIFULLY.
THANK YOU DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING. THANK YOU, MISS BRANHAM.
THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF FOR GROWING KIDS.
I'M LOOKING AT SOME GROWTH HERE.
ONE OF MY QUESTIONS AND I THINK I ASKED YOU THIS ALREADY, AND I DON'T QUITE REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID.
BUT JUST FOR SOME OF THE DUAL LANGUAGE, BECAUSE IT'S A PROGRAM AND WE'RE IMPLEMENTING IT'S NEW, PARENTS ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
[02:45:03]
[LAUGHTER] I JUST WANT YOU TO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE THEY FIT IN, YOU SAID THEY'RE CONSIDERED PART OF THE EMERGENT BILINGUAL, THEY'RE IN THAT GROUP.BUT ARE EMERGENT BILINGUAL KIDS THEY'RE TESTED IN THEIR SPANISH NATIVE LANGUAGE.
AS FOR DUAL LANGUAGE KIDDOS, ARE THEY TESTED IN ENGLISH? I'M ONLY SEEING THAT THEY'RE TESTED IN SPANISH.
>> REAL QUICK, OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE IN TWO-WAY DUAL LANGUAGE.
THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE AT STULTS.
THAT TWO-WAY DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE GOAL IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS, AND THOSE STUDENTS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT ARE IDENTIFIED AS EMERGING BILINGUAL STUDENTS, AND THEN THE NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS, THEY ARE NOT EMERGING BILINGUAL STUDENTS.
THEY'RE NOT CLASSIFIED IN THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY ARE A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER, THEY'RE LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE AND THEY'RE LEARNING IN A SECOND LANGUAGE, BUT THEY'RE NOT CLASSIFIED IN OUR PMS REPORT AS EMERGING BILINGUAL STUDENTS.
THERE'S A SEPARATE CRITERIA IN WHICH THAT IS CODED.
IN TERMS OF THE ASSESSMENT IN THE LANGUAGE, I'LL LET DR. ORTIZ ADDRESS THAT.
>> I'M GOING TO ALSO ASK DR. LEEPER BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M GETTING THE GRADE LEVELS CORRECT.
BUT KINDER AND FIRST TESTS IN SPANISH ONLY BECAUSE OF THE MODEL THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING FOR THE DUAL LANGUAGE.
AS THEY GET TO THE UPPER GRADES, THERE COULD BE A CHANGE IN LANGUAGE, DEPENDING ON THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT, WE MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHAT IS THE BEST FOR THAT CHILD.
FOR THE MOST PART, MOST WILL MOVE INTO ENGLISH AT A CERTAIN POINT, BUT THERE'S STILL A FEW STUDENTS THAT MIGHT CONTINUE TO TEST IN SPANISH.
THERE WILL BE OTHER INSTRUMENTS THAT WILL BE USED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE OTHER LANGUAGE.
IF THEY'RE TESTING IN SPANISH, THEN SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEASURING HOW ARE THEY DOING WITH THEIR ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
BUT FOR THE MAP ASSESSMENT, K IN FIRST, ANY STUDENT, WHETHER IT'S ONE-WAY DUAL LANGUAGE OR TWO-WAY DUAL LANGUAGE WOULD BE TAKING THAT ASSESSMENT IN SPANISH ONLY.
SOME OF THE MEASURES BECAUSE OF THE NORMING THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WITH THE SPANISH ASSESSMENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE FROM FALL TO FALL.
BUT ONCE WE GET TO MOY, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHOW SOME OF THOSE NORMS IN A DIFFERENT LENS FOR OUR SPANISH AS WELL AS OUR ENGLISH ASSESSMENTS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. ON ONE MORE QUESTION, I THINK IS BECAUSE IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, IT'S OUR GOAL PROGRESS MEASURE NUMBER 2, IT'S K THROUGH SECOND MATH ON OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL.
MEASURED BY MAP WILL INCREASE FROM 46-60 BY JUNE 27TH.
HERE WE ARE IN 2024 AND WE'RE AT 51%.
I'M NOT SURE, ARE CHARTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT TRENDING WITH THESE PERCENTAGES ON OUR GROWTH PROGRESS MEASURES AS WELL.
>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, RIGHT NOW, YES.
BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THESE ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
REALLY, I CAN TELL YOU MORE OF ARE WE STILL TRENDING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION AT MIDDLE OF THE YEAR WHEN WE HAVE THAT SECOND DATA POINT? REALLY AT THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE THE GOALS THAT YOU HAVE SET IN THE GOAL PROGRESS MEASURE ARE BASED UPON THE END OF THE YEAR ASSESSMENT.
IT WOULD BE VERY PREMATURE FOR ME TO SAY TONIGHT, YES, WE'RE ON TRACK TO MEET THE GOAL PROGRESS MEASURES.
THE EARLY INDICATION, IS THAT WE ARE IN A VERY GOOD PLACE.
IF WE MAINTAIN THE SAME MOMENTUM OF GROWTH, WE HAVE REAL NEXT WEEK AND WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH PRINCIPALS ON LOOKING AT THE DATA AND MAKING SURE THE HEALTHY PRESSURE, THE HEALTHY URGENCY THAT I FEEL, THAT YOU ALL FEEL, THAT OUR TEAM FEELS, THAT OUR PRINCIPALS NEED TO FEEL THAT OUR TEACHERS NEED TO FEEL TO KEEP THE SAME FOCUS ON GROWTH STUDENT BY STUDENT.
WE GOT TO NAME THE NEED, WE GOT TO NAME THE STUDENT, AND WE GOT TO ACCELERATE THAT LEARNING.
THINGS ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I CAN'T SAY TO YOU WITH CERTAINTY TONIGHT THAT, YES, BASED ON THIS, WE'RE GOING TO HIT THOSE GOAL PROGRESS MEASURES.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M GLAD I ONLY HAVE TWO WATCH AND NOT.
[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT.
BUT IT IS HEALTHY PRESSURE, LIKE YOU SAID, I LIKE THAT YOU USE THAT TERMINOLOGY BECAUSE IT'S THE PRESSURE THAT I FEEL AS A TRUSTEE TO MY COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO GROW KIDS BECAUSE THAT IS OUR FOCUS,
[02:50:02]
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY HERE.I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT.
ONE OTHER THING, CIRCLE, WHICH IS FOR OUR PRE-K KIDDOS.
DO WE LOOK AT THAT OR IS THIS A GOOD TIME FOR US TO INCLUDE THEM IN THIS PIECE BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY LOOK AT THAT DATA, DO WE?
>> IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN MISS FINNY WAS HERE. WAS IT LAST MONTH? YES. LAST MONTH SHE SHARED OUR END OF THE YEAR CIRCLE DATA.
YES, WE WILL BRING FORWARD OUR BEGINNING OF THE YEAR CIRCLE DATA SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT AS A COMPARISON POINT AS WELL.
WITH THE CIRCLES HERE, ARE WE GOOD WITH THIS NUMBER OR LIKE REALISTICALLY, WHERE WILL WE ASPIRE TO BE? I KNOW WE WON'T GET TO 100%, BUT WHAT'S A GOOD RICHARDSON ISD NUMBER?
>> OUR GOAL IS THAT BY 2027, WHEN WE LOOK AT FALL TO END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE AT 60% AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE OTHER SUBJECT WAS.
BUT THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE KEEP AN EYE ON.
AS WE LOOK AT MAP, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE BRING INTO CONVERSATION.
HOW ARE WE DOING FOR ALL STUDENTS? HOW ARE WE DOING FOR EACH OF THE SUBGROUPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TRACK? IF THERE'S EVER A POINT WHERE MAYBE WE DIDN'T MEET A TARGET OF A CERTAIN YEAR, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT BY THE 2027, WE'RE GOING TO MEET THAT TARGET THAT HAS BEEN SET BY THE BOARD.
>> FOR READING, IT IS 58%, AND FOR MATHEMATICS, IT'S 60%.
>> MY COMMENT ALSO SHOULD BE PRETTY SHORT.
IS THAT I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THE MOVEMENT AND THE PROGRESS WE'RE DOING WITH PARENT UNIVERSITY, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE THING THAT AGAIN, TOO, I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT OUR STUDENT GROWTH.
BUT FOR ME, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THAT IS ALSO IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, OUR PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT GROWTH AS WELL, TOO.
I LOVE THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE, AS MISS MCGOWAN POINTED OUT, THIS IS OVERWHELMING.
IT'S OVERWHELMING FOR US AS ADULTS, SO I CAN IMAGINE JUST FOR ALL PARENTS, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR OUR PARENTS THAT SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH, THIS IS A LOT, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT, WHEN WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN AND WE GET PROGRESS REPORTS, WE'RE ON IT.
BACK IN MY DAY, WHEN MY KIDS CAME BACK WITH A RED MARK IN A CIRCLE WHAT HAPPENED? HOW DO WE GET FROM HERE TO THERE? THESE MAP SCORES SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S JUST AGAIN, IT'S EVERYDAY LANGUAGE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST SPEW OUT AND BE LIKE, YES, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO BE.
I LOVE ALSO THE QUESTION THAT MISS HARRIS ASKED BECAUSE THAT WAS ALSO ANOTHER NUMBER I WAS LOOKING FOR, WHAT IS REALISTIC? IT'S GOOD TO KNOW, YES, WE WON'T BE AT 100, BUT THIS IS A MORE OR LESS GOAL.
THEN AGAIN, GETTING OUR PARENTS TO REALLY PARTNER WITH US AND TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
THANK YOU FOR GETTING THAT PROGRESS GOING, AND I LOOK FORWARD ALSO TO SEE WHAT OUR NEXT NUMBERS WILL BE AS WE GO TO MID YEAR AND END OF YEAR. THANK YOU.
>> I LOVE WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING AND I WILL JUST ADD ON TO THAT THAT FOR ME, THE PARENT PIECE IS PIVOTAL, BUT I WILL SAY THE STRONGER IMPERATIVE I HAVE IS TO BRING OUR STUDENTS TO THE TABLE.
THE ADULTS SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT DATA IN TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS OF STUDENTS AND WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND OFTENTIMES OUR STUDENTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LEFT OUT.
AGAIN, IT'S AMAZING HOW EVEN OUR LITTLES CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING, WHERE THEY NEED TO GROW, AND WHEN THEY ARE OFTEN NOT IN CONTROL OF A WHOLE LOT.
WHEN THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN CONTROL OF, THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO GROW, AND HERE ARE THE THINGS I'M GOING TO DO TO GET THERE.
IT'S INCREDIBLY EMPOWERING, AND THEY'RE MOTIVATED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
FOR ME, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PRINCIPALS, WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR TEACHERS, IT REALLY IS ABOUT, ARE YOU HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOUR KIDS? ARE YOU SITTING WITH YOUR KIDS EYEBALL-TO-EYEBALL AND TALKING ABOUT AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT I SEE YOU, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO AND HERE'S HOW I'M GOING TO HELP SUPPORT YOU TO GET THERE.
I AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ALL THE WAY THERE YET.
BUT LIKE THAT IS WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LEGACY OF HOW I HOPE TO LEAVE THIS DISTRICT BETTER THAN WHEN I WALKED IN, IT IS OUR KIDS FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT TRAJECTORY, AND IT'S NOT JUST DEPENDENT UPON ALL THE ADULTS MAKING THESE DECISIONS FOR THEM.
[02:55:03]
>> PIGGYBACK ON SUPERINTENDENT BRANDON'S COMMENT.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU SAID, BRING THE STUDENTS IN, BRING THE KIDS IN.
BECAUSE ONE THING THAT I LOOK AT IS I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT, MORE THAN ONE KID.
I CAN SEE STUDENTS SIBLINGS HELPING EACH OTHER, JUST COMING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY TO FIGURE THIS THING OUT AND GET IT DONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WROTE IN MY NOTES WAS PARENTS.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET OUR PARENTS INVOLVED AND TO UNDERSTAND THIS BECAUSE JUST LIKE TRUSTEE RENTERIA, THIS IS OVERWHELMING.
YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH DATA, YOU'VE GOT DAY-TO-DAY STUFF TO DO.
YOUR KIDS, ALL OF THIS IS A LOT SOMETIMES.
BUT IF YOU BRING THESE FAMILIES TOGETHER WHERE KIDS ARE HELPING THEIR SIBLINGS AND HELPING ONE ANOTHER, THAT COULD BE VERY POWERFUL. THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ALSO ADD TO THAT THAT I THINK THIS IS WHERE IT'S SO IMPORTANT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR PARENTS BEING OUR FIRST TEACHERS.
JUST TO YOUR POINT, MISS BRANHAM AND TO MISS HARRIS, THAT IS SO KEY TO HAVE THEM HAVE THAT POWER, THEY'RE JUST SO EMPOWERED BY THAT.
BUT WITH OUR PARENTS, TO REALLY BE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT PARTNERSHIP IS JUST SO IMPORTANT.
BUT, WE AS PARENTS, WE'RE OUR VERY FIRST TEACHERS FOR OUR KIDS.
WE PARTNER WITH THAT AND HELP THEM BUILD IT UP.
GREAT WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS ORTIZ.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS? YES, MISS MCGOWAN.
>> I HOPE I WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
BUT JUST LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, AGAIN, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE AS TRUSTEES NOW AND THAT THAT WE HAVEN'T.
BUT THAT WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION, WE CAN TAKE IT BACK TO OUR PTA MOMS AND SHOW THEM LIKE THIS IS YOUR CIP, HERE ARE THE GOALS FOR YOUR SCHOOL.
YOU WANT TO SEE THE NUMBERS, THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR SCHOOL A BETTER SCHOOL? I APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NOW CAN TAKE BACK, PUT IT TOGETHER A LITTLE MORE, BUT IT'S MORE SIMPLE FOR THEM TO DIGEST AND UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I KEEP THINKING IN MY HEAD, AN ANALOGY WITH ALL THIS DATA, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF STUFF OUT THERE.
AS A PARENT, AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, AS A TRUSTEE.
I MEAN, IT'S OVERWHELMING AND I KEEP THINKING BACK TO IF ANYBODY HERE PLAYS A GOLF SWING, THERE'S 100 PIECES OF A GOLF SWING.
BUT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TELL YOU WHERE THE FEW THAT YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON THE HIGH LEVERAGE ONES ARE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RELYING ON AS PARENTS.
WE'RE RELYING ON THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE TEACHERS TO TELL US, HERE'S THE TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE GOT DATA ON 100 THINGS WITH YOUR CHILD.
I THINK THAT'S THE CHARGE IS REALLY TO TRANSLATE THAT DOWN TO A COUPLE OF HIGH LEVERAGE ACTIONS THAT WE CAN ALL TAKE BECAUSE IF WE JUST HAND IT TO HIM WITH EVERYTHING, IT IS OVERWHELMING.
GREAT PRESENTATION, DOCTOR ORTIZ, AND DOCTOR LEEPER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
[V.G. Legislative Priorities Update]
AN INFORMATION ITEM TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, MISS BRANHAM.>> I WANT TO CELEBRATE AS MISS MORRIS IS COMING UP THE WORK OF OUR LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE.
WE HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, REALLY PROCESSING WHAT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ARE GOING TO BE AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, I'M ADVOCATING FOR RICHARDSON ISD. MISS MORRIS.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? MUCH BETTER.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THESE PRIORITIES, AND I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES.
FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING, BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM.
WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND WHAT WE THINK WILL HAPPEN, AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, AND I WAS HOPING THAT WE WOULD HAVE MAYBE A DISCUSSION OR SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO OUR LEGISLATORS IN PARTICULAR.
I WILL TELL YOU I KNOW A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH FINANCE AND FOSTER WAS THERE AND SHE SAID, WHAT ELSE IS THERE? I SAID, WELL, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON.
IN THAT, WE AS A COMMITTEE OPTED TO PUT AS A FIRST PRIORITY, THE DISCIPLINE CODE WORK AND CHANGING
[03:00:03]
THAT SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE CLASSROOMS AND AS WE HAVE DISCIPLINE.I WOULD ASK IF YOU ALL WANT TO DISCUSS ANY OF THESE OR IF THERE'S ANY PART THAT IS QUESTION OR NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AND I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD GO DOWN THE ROW QUICKLY AND TALK ABOUT THEM IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED.
>> YEAH, LET'S GO DOWN REAL QUICK AND WE CAN HIT THEM AND IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE'LL BRING THEM UP BUT I THINK EVERYBODY'S SEEN THEM AND WE'VE ASKED FOR FEEDBACK.
>> WE HAVE AS THE FIRST ONE LEGISLATION THAT MODIFIES THE DISCIPLINE CODE, WHICH IS THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE CHAPTER 37 TO ALLOW LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY HANDLE STUDENT DISCIPLINE.
I THINK THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT IS WORKING WITH OTHERS.
IN FACT, MISS BRANHAM, IF YOU WOULD KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT FOR OUR LISTENERS.
>> SURE. I'VE BROUGHT THIS PREVIOUSLY FORWARD TO THE BOARD.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DR. GIBBONS AND I WITH A COALITION OF DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE, REALLY ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CURRENT CHAPTER 37 CODE OF DISCIPLINE THAT REALLY, THAT GREW FROM BEING EIGHT PAGES TO NOW OVER 130 PAGES AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON LEARNING.
A LOT OF THOSE THINGS AND THOSE FLEXIBILITIES THAT WE'VE HAD TO ADDRESS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED, AND SO WE ARE JUST ASKING FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SUPPORT.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAVE SOME BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING EARLY TO SOME LEGISLATORS AND THEY ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR A CHANGE IN THIS AREA.
AGAIN, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A POWERFUL THING FOR US TO LEAD OFF WITH YES, WE NEED MORE RESOURCING BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOVES THAT AUSTIN CAN TAKE TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND IT DOESN'T COST THEM ANY MONEY.
PLEASE HELP US. WE ALL WANT STUDENT OUTCOMES AND A PART OF STUDENT OUTCOMES IS TO ENSURE WE HAVE ORDERLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
>> I HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT THAT FROM MY COLLEAGUES IN OTHER PLACES.
AND WHEN I MENTIONED THAT WE'RE DOING IT UP HERE, EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE REALLY BEHIND THOSE EFFORTS.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET SOMETHING ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT.
THE NEXT ONE WE HAVE IS LEGISLATION THAT FULLY RESTORES HOUSE BILL 3 FUNDING LEVELS AND WILL INCREASE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
OUR BASIC ALLOTMENT, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF TIMES, HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE 2019, AND I THINK NOW THEY'RE ESTIMATING SOMEWHERE AROUND 23% INFLATION, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT IF WE HAD THE EQUIVALENT BUYING POWER IN 2019, WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE AN EXTRA 1,300, I THINK IN $63 IN OUR BASIC ALLOTMENT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO IN SAYING WE HAVE TO HAVE $1,363 ADDED TO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, BUT WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT OUR BUYING POWER HAS DIMINISHED BY THAT MUCH AND SO INFLATION HAS REALLY BEEN THE CULPRIT HERE.
THE NEXT ONE TALKS ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES FUNDING TO ADDRESS STUDENT NEEDS AND HIGHER COST AGAIN, DUE TO INFLATION THAT INCLUDE AND THEN WE LIST SEVERAL AREAS SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE ARE BEHIND ON FUNDING.
I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH QUICKLY.
SPECIAL EDUCATION, WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDERFUNDED BY $8.1 MILLION IN RISD.
WHEN I SAY UNDERFUNDED, I MEAN WHAT WE SPEND VERSUS THE REVENUE THAT WE ARE GIVEN FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION ALLOTMENTS.
IN STUDENT AND SCHOOL SAFETY WE TALKED ABOUT HOUSE BILL 3 FROM THE LAST TIME BUT WITH THE MANDATES THAT CAME WITH THAT AND THE OTHER COSTS OF SECURITY, WE ARE UNDERFUNDED BY ALMOST SIX MILLION DOLLARS, $5.98 MILLION IN OUR RISD.
AGAIN, UNDERFUNDING THAT WE SPEND THAT MUCH MORE THAN WE ARE RECEIVING TO DO THAT.
I WILL SKIP NOW JUST FOR A MINUTE TO THE PRE-K FUNDING, WHERE WE ONLY RECEIVE FUNDING FOR HALF DAY, BUT WE HAVE THEM FOR A FULL DAY.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'RE SHORT ON THAT TOO.
WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO FOCUS ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CTE.
THERE ARE THINGS I THINK WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO, AND WE NEED THE DOLLARS TO DO IT.
AGAIN, THIS HAS TO DO WITH INFLATION, AND REALLY THE INCREASE IN A BASIC ALLOTMENT WOULD HELP MEET SOME OF THOSE OPERATION EXPENSES AND IT LISTS ALL THE INCREASE IN COSTS THAT WE'VE HAD THAT I THINK YOU ALL HAVE HEARD PROBABLY A LOT.
[03:05:05]
WE WON'T GO OVER THAT. THEN THE NEXT BULLET TALKS ABOUT LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE RECRUITING AND RETRAINING OF TEACHERS.OF COURSE, WHEN WE'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT THAT, AUSTIN, PAY RAISES, TEACHER, INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT, AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THEY WANT TO DO, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO THAT AS WELL, WHICH IS WHY IT'S A PRIORITY.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO WANTED AND THERE WAS A BILL FILED LAST TIME, WHICH IS PAID LEAVE FOR NEW PARENTS.
THEY DID IT TO TEXAS STATE EMPLOYEES, WE'D LIKE THEM TO DO THE SAME FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.
THEN THE LAST ONE IS LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE THE STATE'S TESTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS LISTED THERE.
>> YES. AGAIN, THIS JUST COMES BACK TO OUR REQUEST THAT WE BELIEVE IN ACCOUNTABILITY, WE WANT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR STUDENT OUTCOMES.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO COMMUNICATE HOW WELL WE ARE DOING, THAT IT IS DONE IN A WAY THAT IS ACTUALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICT, AS WELL AS IT TRULY IS EASY FOR PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND.
RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, THE CURRENT ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, I WOULD SAY IS AS COMPLEX AS OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM.
TO SAY THAT THIS IS AN EASY WAY FOR PARENTS TO KNOW THE QUALITY OF THEIR SCHOOL, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IS AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION.
AGAIN, WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE JUST WANT IT TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF ACTUAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND NOT A COMPLEX CALCULATION THAT REALLY WE CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN TO PARENTS.
>> BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS.
>> THAT SUMS UP OUR SPECIFIC PRIORITIES.
ANYTHING IF IT'S NOT ON HERE DOESN'T MEAN IT WON'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE FOCUS ON, BUT THESE ARE OUR PRIMARY AREAS OF FOCUS AND BILLS THAT COME AND ADDRESS THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT WE WILL BE PARTICULARLY WATCHING.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?
>> WE'LL START WITH MISS HARRIS DOWN HERE.
>> JUST CURIOUS. DO OUR PRIORITIES MIRROR OR LOOK SIMILAR TO SOME OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS?
MOST OF THEM HAVE A FUNDING PRIORITY FIRST.
I THINK PLANO WILL TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND SOME OF THE RECAPTURE THINGS THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, BUT WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT FUNDING.
I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO ONE DISTRICT THAT ISN'T.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO. I THINK THIS IS GOOD. THANK YOU.
I GUESS THIS WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR APPROVAL AT A FUTURE MEETING, AND THEN WE'LL START ENGAGING WITH OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.
I KEEP COMING BACK TO PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF GOOD IN THIS.
I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A PERFECT LIST OF PRIORITIES OR HOW WE LAY THEM OUT.
THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE IN THIS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE 100 OTHER PRIORITIES ACROSS THE TABLE FROM US AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO BE DIFFERENT THAN EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT ALSO COVER THE SAME CONCERNS.
I THINK THAT UNIQUENESS HOPEFULLY WITH OUR LEADOFF MAYBE GETS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S NO GUARANTEES, BUT THIS IS OUR PLAYBOOK AS WE START ENGAGING GOING INTO THE SESSION.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK ON THAT, MISS MORRIS, AND MISS BRANHAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AND THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[V.H. Safety and Security Update]
AN INFORMATION ITEM REGARDING A SAFETY AND SECURITY DATE, SUPERINTENDENT BRANHAM AND MISS HAYES.>> IT'S TIME FOR US TO COME BACK TO OUR AUDITS.
THE STATE IS ONCE AGAIN DOING INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS THAT ARE UNANNOUNCED.
TO DATE, WE'VE HAD 17% OF OUR SCHOOLS AUDITED, EIGHT ELEMENTARIES AND ONE JUNIOR HIGH.
WE DO NEED TO REPORT OUT TO THE BOARD TONIGHT THAT WE DID HAVE ONE ELEMENTARY THAT HAD A FINDING.
MOHAWK ELEMENTARY HAD A DOOR THAT WAS SECURE BUT NOT SECURE ENOUGH.
WE HAD TO PUT IN A WORK ORDER AND DO SOME HARDWARE CHANGES, BUT OTHERWISE, OUR SCHOOLS ARE PASSING AND EVERYONE IS DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
>> EXCELLENT. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? VERY SHORT BRIEF.
PASS IT ON TO THE STAFF AS WELL, PLEASE.
OUR LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO PROVIDE
[V.I. Discussion of Student / District Activities]
A SHORT REPORT ON DISTRICT ACTIVITIES THAT OUR BOARD HAS TAKEN PART IN.WE'VE GOT A WHOLE MYRIAD OF EVENTS THAT WE'VE ALL
[03:10:01]
COVERED DOWN ON AND BEEN LUCKY TO BE A PART OF, BUT EACH OF US PICKED ONE EVENT.I'LL START ON THIS SIDE THIS TIME WITH MISS PACHECO, AND THEN WE'LL COME AROUND.
I BELIEVE YOU ATTENDED THE EDCON WITH TAZBY TASSA, CORRECT?
I DID I THINK IT WAS MAYBE SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT TRAINING SESSIONS AND THEY WERE ALL VERY GOOD INCLUDING ONE WHERE OUR SUPERINTENDENT TABITHA BRANHAM PRESENTED, AND IT WAS VERY GOOD TOO, IT WAS ABOUT HOW WE DO IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR BUILDINGS AND THE RENOVATIONS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
THAT WAS GREAT. THE OTHER HIGHLIGHT OF THAT VISIT WAS THEY HAD A KEYNOTE SPEAKER, THE ASTRONAUT JOSE HERNANDEZ, WHO HAS A MOVIE THEY MADE ABOUT HIS LIFE AND HOW HE BECAME AN ASTRONAUT.
I THINK LISTENING TO HIM, HEARING HIS STORY, WHICH, AS A HISPANIC WOMAN, WHO GREW UP IN EL PASO, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHO HE IS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER PEOPLE DID, BUT HE'S GOT A GREAT STORY.
HE'S A FARM WORKER FAMILY, A SON OF FARM WORKERS HE HIMSELF.
ALSO PICKED UP CROPS IN THE SUMMERTIMES.
AT ANY RATE, IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS EMPOWERING.
I LOVE THE PLAN OF WHAT HE SAID, HOW WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, HOW WE CAN ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND JUST DO THE GOOD WORK, FOCUS, AND ACHIEVE THE GOALS THAT YOU SET OUT TO ACHIEVE.
A LEARNING EXPERIENCE ALL AROUND.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU, MISS PACHECO, FOR THAT.
>> I HAD THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE APOLO JUNIOR HIGH HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH EVENT.
I HAVE TO JUST AGAIN, APPLAUD PRINCIPAL GETHA.
SHE ALWAYS DOES AN AMAZING JOB.
I WAS THERE AS WELL LAST YEAR BUT IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION ON CELEBRATING THEIR HISPANIC STUDENTS AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
THEY DID A GREAT JOB. THEY HAD GREAT PERFORMANCES, THEY INVITED THE BERGNER MAIACI THERE.
THEY HAD THEIR STUDENTS PERFORM.
IT WAS A REALLY WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL EVENT.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, MISS RENTERIA.
MISS MCGOWAN. WHAT'S THAT? OH, YES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU ATTENDED THE YALE 50TH ANNIVERSARY FUNCTION WITH ME.
>> I DID. THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE THE BEST OUR DISTRICT IS PEOPLE HAVE ROOTS HERE.
THEY'RE FOREVER GROWING AND GRANDPARENTS AND PARENTS.
IT'S JUST LIKE GENERATIONAL GROWTH AND SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT THEIR ANNIVERSARY WAS THAT WE SAW PEOPLE FROM EVERY GENERATION COME BACK AND CELEBRATE.
AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT OVERALL, AND IT WAS FUN TO GO TO ANOTHER PART OF OUR DISTRICT AND CELEBRATE THAT WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. MISS HARRIS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU ATTENDED FORREST MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I'LL LET YOU ELABORATE ON THAT TRIP, PLEASE.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE ROUND TABLE WITH SENATOR JOHN CORNIN WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ONLINE SAFETY LEGISLATION WITH OUR KIDS AND IT WAS MODERATED BY OUR ONE AND ONLY LIZ MORIS.
SHE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AND SO DID THE PRINCIPAL, MISS BURCH.
SHE DID A WONDERFUL JOB AS WELL.
HE WAS VERY ENGAGED AND REALLY WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR YONDER POUCHES.
HE WANTED LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES OVER HERE WERE THERE AS WELL.
IT WAS GOOD. I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY COOL.
IT WAS COOL TO ATTEND AN EVENT LIKE THAT WITH SO MUCH SECURITY.
HAD A GREAT TIME, ENJOYED BEING THERE.
>> EXCELLENT, GOOD PUBLICITY FOR THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
THEN MINE THAT I'LL COVER, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO KICK OFF OUR NEW AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT WE'VE GOT.
WE'VE GOT A NEW COHORT OF ROUGHLY 45 NEW AMBASSADORS, WHICH IS A SELECTIVE GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE GETTING ENGAGED WITH THE DISTRICT TO LEARN HOW THINGS FUNCTION BEHIND THE CURTAIN.
WE KICKED THAT OFF FOR THEIR FIRST MEETING,
[03:15:01]
AND I THINK THEY ROUGHLY HAVE THEM FOR THE NEXT HOW MANY MONTHS?>> THE WHOLE YEAR ONCE A MONTH, AND WE HAVE OUR SECOND MEETING COMING UP HERE SHORTLY BUT IT WAS A GREAT TIME TO MEET PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE DISTRICT AND REALLY SEE THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND THEIR DESIRE TO LEARN HOW RSD FUNCTIONS.
WE HOPE TO GIVE THEM A LOT MORE OVER THE NEXT YEAR SO THAT THEY CAN BE ADVOCATES AND GET ENGAGED WITH US EVEN MORE, SPREAD THE WORD.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
WE WILL NOT HAVE A CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING.
CHEERS. THEREFORE, I AM ADJOURNING THIS MEETING AT 9:28 PM.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.