GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM TAMMY RICHARDS, BOARD PRESIDENT AND PRESIDING OFFICER,
[1. CALL TO ORDER: 4:00 P.M.]
[00:00:11]
NOTING THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT.I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD, ME AND THE PLANO ISD TRUSTEES AT 4:02 P.M.
ON TUESDAY, APRIL THE 16TH, 2021, ON THE BOARD'S BEHALF.
I WISH TO WELCOME OUR VIEWERS AND TO ALL WHO ARE PRESENT WITH US THIS AFTERNOON.
DUE TO HEALTH CONCERNS RELATED TO COVID-19, THE DISTRICT WILL FOLLOW GUIDANCE FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION AND THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY.
TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD IN THE BOARDROOM WITH LIMITED SEATING CAPACITY AND OVERFLOW LOCATION IN THE LOBBY WITH LIVE STREAMING IS PROVIDED.
ENTRY TO THE BOARDROOM AND THE LOBBY IS ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS.
EVERYONE PHYSICALLY PRESENT MUST WEAR A FACE MASK AT ALL TIMES, EXCEPT WHILE GIVING A SPEECH TO AN AUDIENCE.
AND EVERYONE MUST PRACTICE SIX FEET SOCIAL DISTANCING.
ALL VISITORS MUST BE SCREENED FOR SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 VISITORS WITH SYMPTOMS OR WHO OUR TEST CONFIRMED POSITIVE WITH COVID-19 SHALL REMAIN OFF DISTRICT PROPERTY.
VIOLATORS MAY BE REMOVED FOR TRESPASSING.
ADDITIONALLY, DUE TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS NOTED ABOVE, THE MEETING MAY BE CONDUCTED IN PART BY VIDEOCONFERENCE.
FURTHER, PURSUANT TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, SOME PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEETING MAY PARTICIPATE VIA ELECTRONIC MEANS.
NOW LET ME INTRODUCE MY FELLOW TRUSTEES AND STAFF.
SEATED TO MY LEFT, MS SARAH BONSER, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
DR. THERESA WILLIAMS, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND SECRETARY DR.
SEATED TO MY RIGHT, VICE PRESIDENT JERI CHAMBERS TRUSTEE.
DAVID STOLLE, TRUSTEE, NANCY HUMPHREY, TRUSTEE, CODY WEAVER AND TRUSTEE ANGELA POWELL.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL ASK SUPERINTENDENT BONSER TO VERIFY THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT REGARDING THE NOTICE FOR THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.
I VERIFY THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AS TEMPORARILY AMENDED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS FROM THE BOARD, WE WILL NOW ADJOURN TO CLOSED
[2. CLOSED SESSION]
SESSION AS AUTHORIZED UNDER SECTION 551.001 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE, SECTION 551.074.PRESIDENT RICHARDS, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD ALSO ADJOURNED A CLOSED SESSION, AS NOTED ON THE BOARD, NOTICE AN AGENDA PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY.
WHEN THE BOARD SEEKS ADVICE ABOUT PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION OR A SETTLEMENT OFFER, OR WHEN THE ATTORNEY WILL HAVE AN ETHICAL DUTY OF CONFIDENTIALITY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.071, SPECIFICALLY ITEM 7 OF THE AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS FROM THE BOARD, WE WILL NOW ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION AS AUTHORIZED UNDER SECTION 551.001 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES.
SECTION 551.071 AND 551.074 THE TIME IS 4:05 P.M.
CLOSED SESSION WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE BOARDROOM.
SO AT THIS TIME I ASK EVERYONE WHO IS NOT PART OF CLOSED SESSION TO PLEASE
[3. RECONVENE OPEN SESSION]
EXIT.THE BOARD WILL NOW RECONVENE OPEN SESSION TODAY IS TUESDAY, APRIL THE 6TH, 2021, AND THE TIME IS FOR 4:49 P.M..
[4. PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE]
PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES AND TEXAS FLAGS.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
TONIGHT'S INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE WILL BE DELIVERED BY BOARD VICE PRESIDENT JERI
[5. INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE]
CHAMBERS, MS. CHAMBERS.WELL, FOR ME AND PERHAPS MOST OF US, IT SEEMS THAT SPRING IS ESPECIALLY RENEWING THIS YEAR AFTER THE WINTER STORM.
WE'RE ALL CHECKING TO SEE WHAT PLANTS WILL RETURN AND WHICH ONES MAY NOT.
WE'RE ALSO CHECKING ON EACH OTHER TO SEE HOW WE ARE DOING.
AFTER OVER A YEAR OF DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC AND COMPARING NOTES ON A RECENT VACCINATIONS SPRING ALSO THE TIME FOR MANY RELIGIOUS OBSERVATIONS TO OCCUR WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF EACH OTHER, ALL OF THEM WITH THE THEME OF HEALING AND RENEWAL.
LAST WEEK WAS HOLI, A POPULAR HINDI FESTIVAL IS ALSO CALLED THE FESTIVAL OF COLORS, OR THE FESTIVAL OF SPRING.
IT SIGNIFIES THE VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL.
ON APRIL 13TH, HINDUS WILL CELEBRATE THE HINDU NEW YEAR, A TIME OF RENEWAL.
[00:05:06]
STARTING MARCH 27TH THROUGH APRIL 4TH OF LAST WEEK, OUR JEWISH FRIENDS CELEBRATED PASSOVER, A HOLIDAY COMMEMORATING THE HEBREWS LIBERATION FROM SLAVERY IN EGYPT AS A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE.LAST WEEK, PEOPLE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH CELEBRATED HOLY WEEK, INDIA EASTER INDIAN, AN EASTER, A CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST AGAIN, A TIME OF RENEWAL AND REBIRTH.
OUR ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FRIENDS WILL CELEBRATE HOLY WEEK FROM APRIL 25TH TO MAY 2ND.
BEGINNING APRIL 12TH, CONTINUE UNTIL MAY 12TH, OUR MUSLIM FRIENDS WILL OBSERVE RAMADAN, A MONTH OF FASTING, PRAYER, REFLECTION AND COMMUNITY, AND TO BE INCLUSIVE WAS WHAT AND WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE TOP FIVE RELIGIONS.
FRIENDS WHO PRACTICE THERAVADA BUDDHISM CELEBRATE THEIR NEW YEAR ON APRIL THE 27TH.
WE CHERISH OUR DIVERSITY, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LISTEN, ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS.
WHEN ANY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY HURTS IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, THE PLANO ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES PASSED A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING THE IDEALS OF EQUITY, UNITY AND HEALING WITH A COMMITMENT TO WORK ON SOLUTIONS FOR DEVELOPING AND NURTURING A CULTURE OF EMPATHY AND CARING.
WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO EMBRACING DIVERSITY IN THE PLANO ISD COMMUNITY IN ALL THE WAYS IT CAN BE FOUND.
LAST WEEK I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PARTICIPATING IN MY FIRST OF, I HOPE MANY LISTENING ROUNDS.
I HEARD DIALOG THAT WAS PASSIONATE AND AUTHENTIC.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF THESE ROUNDS AND HOPE THEY WILL CONTINUE AS PART OF OUR PISD CULTURE.
I ASPIRE TO GET IT RIGHT OVER BEING RIGHT.
WE ARE A DIVERSE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF PISDS GREATEST STRENGTHS.
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS AND THAT MEANS THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE, SECURE, VALUED AND PROTECTED.
WE ALL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES OF THE LAST YEAR AND MONTHS AND LOOK TOWARDS RENEWAL AND MOVING FORWARD WITH HOPE.
AS KIERKEGAARD, A 19TH CENTURY DANISH PHILOSOPHER, SAID, HOPE IS PASSION FOR THE POSSIBLE.
MAY WE ALL HAVE THAT KIND OF HOPE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JERI.
OUR RECOGNITION'S THIS EVENING CELEBRATE MANY STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS AT THE
[6. RECOGNITIONS]
STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS.PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE SLIDESHOW OF AWARDS ON THE MONITORS.
[VIDEO] CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE NATIONAL WINNERS IN SCIENCE.
PLANO ISD STUDENT ANYA CHAI FINISHED IN THE TOP 10 AND THE REGENERON SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH, EARNING A 70,000 DOLLAR AWARD IN THE IN THE SCHOLASTIC VISUAL AWARDS COMPETITION.
PLANO ISD STUDENTS EARN ONE GOLD AND TWO SEVERAL SILVER MEDALS, AND IN THE SCHOLASTIC WRITING COMPETITIONS TWO STUDENTS, STUDENTS EARNED SILVER MEDALS.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE STATE WINNERS, THE PLANO WEST ACADEMIC DECATHLON TEAM WHO WON SECOND PLACE AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT.
COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENTS WHO WON NOVICE AND ADVANCED WARDS AT KAWAR SPONSORED BY HEWLETT-PACKARD.
ONE COMPUTER SCIENCE TEAM WHO IS THE THIRD PLACE WINNER AT CYBER QUEST, A CYBERSECURITY COMPETITION SPONSORED BY LOCKHEED MARTIN, THREE SENIOR HIGH STUDENTS AND FIVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO BROUGHT HOME TWO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, AS WELL AS MANY INDIVIDUAL AWARDS FROM THE TEXAS FORENSICS' STATE TOURNAMENT TWO WORKS BY PLANO ISD STUDENT ARTISTS WERE CHOSEN FOR EXHIBITION AT THE STATE CAPITOL FOR YOUTH ART MONTH IN MARCH IN THE SCHOLASTIC VISUAL ARTS SOUTHWEST REGION AT LARGE COMPETITION, PLANO ISD STUDENTS EARN 20 GOLD KEYS, 20 SILVER KEYS AND 30 HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS IN THE SCHOLASTIC WRITING SOUTHWEST REGION.
AT LARGE COMPETITION, STUDENTS WON 8 GOLD KEYS, 7 SILVER KEYS AND 4 HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, PLANO ISD HAD TWO WINNERS AT THE DALLAS REGIONAL SPELLING BEE, A FIRST PLACE WINNER FROM WILSON MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO ADVANCED TO THE SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE THIS SUMMER AND A THIRD PLACE WINNER FROM SKAGGS ELEMENTARY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING THESE STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.NEXT, IT IS THE BOARD'S HONOR TO RECOGNIZE AN ATHLETIC STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
DR. KARY COOPER, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND DISTRICT SERVICES, WILL INTRODUCE THIS RECOGNITION.
THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR STUDENT ATHLETE FROM PLANO EAST SENIOR HIGH TREY DICKEY, AND ALSO HIS COACH, MS. LENA HARRINGTON.
[00:10:19]
THERE WE GO, WELCOME TREY AND COACH HARRINGTON, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SCHOOL BOARD AND CABINET MEMBERS AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY WHO IS VIEWING ONLINE, WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF TREY FROM PLANO EAST SENIOR HIGH TREY AND HIS COACH, MS. LENA HARRINGTON, HAVE JOINED US FOR THIS RECOGNITION.TREY HAS HAD A MEMORABLE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER SWIMMING FOR THE PANTHERS AND CAP IT OFF ON FEBRUARY 26 BY WINNING THE 500 YARD.
LET ME REPEAT THAT, 500 YARDS FREESTYLE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND JUST FOR REFERENCE, THIS WAS THE WEEK AFTER THE BIG WINTER STORM.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT WAS A DISRUPTIVE TO THE PRACTICE AND THE REGULAR ROUTINE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER OBSTACLE IN ITSELF.
THIS WAS TREY'S FOURTH TRIP TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT.
HE COMPETED IN THE 500 YARD FREESTYLE, ALL FOUR OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEARS.
LAST YEAR, HE TOOK FOURTH PLACE AT STATE.
SO THAT GAVE HIM SOME EXTRA MOTIVATION THIS YEAR TO GO BACK AND I'M SURE FACE POTENTIALLY SOME OF THOSE SAME YOUNG MEN THAT HE COMPETED AGAINST IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
COACH HARRINGTON, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE INTRODUCE TREY TO THE BOARD AND OUR VIEWERS AND THEN TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS TALENTED YOUNG MAN AND THE LAST IMPORTANT RACE OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.
AMAZING TO WATCH HIM GROW AS AN ATHLETE AND A STUDENT AND A YOUNG MAN, BUT, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE SWIMMER, A GREAT STUDENT INVOLVED IN HIS COMMUNITY AND A REALLY GREAT TEAMMATE.
YOU CAN ASK ANY OF HIS TEAMMATES, THEY JUST LOVE TO BE AROUND HIM.
AWESOME PERSONALITY KEEPS PRACTICE FUN, ALWAYS SMILING, ALWAYS RACING, EVEN WHEN HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, WHEN IT'S TIME TO COOL DOWN AT THE END OF PRACTICE.
HEY, YOU WANT TO RACE? NO, BUT TREY HAS HAS ALSO BEEN NAMED AN ALL-AMERICAN TWO OUT OF HIS FIRST THREE YEARS.
AND WE WILL BE WAITING ON HIS THIRD ALL-AMERICAN.
NOMINATION IN JULY, WHEN ALL OF THE TIMES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT HE DID EARN THE AUTOMATIC, SO HE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT THIS SUMMER.
AND WE'LL BE HEADING OFF TO SWIM AS A SCHOLARSHIP ATHLETE AT TEXAS A&M IN THE FALL.
SO I WILL PASS THIS OVER TO TREY AND LET HIM TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS SENIOR SEASON AND WHAT HE'S GOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT FOUR YEARS HERE AT EAST AND THIS LAST YEAR, DESPITE COVID AND EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN HANGING OUT WITH THE TEAM GOING TO STATE, AND I'M GOING TO MISS YOU GUYS A WHOLE LOT.
WELL, THANK YOU, I WAS SAYING, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A&M GIVE ME A RUN DOWN THERE IN COLLEGE STATION.
AND IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, I HOPE.
WE'RE PROUD OF THE WAY OF YOU HAVE REPRESENTED PLATO EAST AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOTH, YOU KNOW, IN THE POOL AND ALSO IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND YOU'VE WORKED VERY HARD FOR NOT JUST THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, BUT ALSO WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THERE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO TO YOU AND THE AND THE ACHIEVEMENT.
AND COACH HARRINGTON, FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS WITH THE TEAM AND ALSO WHEN YOU'RE TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES.
WELL, YOU HAVE PICKED AN INCREDIBLY FINE UNIVERSITY.
AND SO YOU MAY END UP BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OR PRESIDENT SOMEDAY WITH THAT TYPE OF CREDENTIAL BEHIND YOU.
SO WE JUST SUPPORT EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SWIMMING COMPETITIVELY? SINCE I WAS SIX, I GUESS IT'S BEEN ABOUT 12 YEARS NOW.
THAT'S A GREAT DEAL OF COMMITMENT BOTH BY YOU AND BY YOUR FAMILY.
I'M SURE SOME OF THOSE PRACTICES WERE A LITTLE EARLY IN THE MORNING.
WE WOULD HAVE SOME OF THEM AS EARLY AS 5 A.M.
LUCKILY THIS YEAR HAVEN'T HAD TO WAKE UP THAT EARLY.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND FOR REPRESENTING PLANO EAST AND PLANO ISD SO WELL.
COACH HARRINGTON, YOU MUST BE HAPPY AND A LITTLE BIT SAD TO HAVE TREY GRADUATING.
SO WHEN DID YOU KNOW HE HAD WHAT IT TOOK TO BE A STATE CHAMPION? HIS FRESHMAN YEAR, PRETTY MUCH AS SOON AS HE CAME, AS SOON AS HE CAME OUT FOR THE TEAM, I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME VIDEO FOOTAGE TO ADD JUST TO SHARE WITH THE TEAM.
AND I FOUND A YOUTUBE VIDEO FROM THIS YEAR'S STATE MEET.
[00:15:02]
AND YOU CAN ASK ANY SWIMMER FROM AROUND THE STATE IF THEY KNOW WHO TREY DICKEY IS AND THEY WILL TELL YOU YOU CAN'T BEAT HIM IN THE LAST ONE HUNDREDTH OF THE RACE.LIKE IF YOU'RE WITH THEM, HE'S GOING TO BE GONE.
AND LISTENING TO THESE TWO BOYS COMMENTATE AS THEY VIDEO THE FIVE HUNDRED BEFORE THEY PUT IT ON YOUTUBE, IT WAS HILARIOUS BECAUSE THEY JUST SAY THE SAME THING THAT EVERYBODY SAYS.
LIKE, YOU GOT TO KEEP HIM CLOSE, YOU GOT TO KEEP HIM CLOSE AND HE'S GONE.
AND SO IT'S SEEING THAT TREY'S GOT A SIXTH GEAR THAT THAT REALLY NOBODY ELSE HAS.
AND HE'S SHOWN THAT OFF SINCE FRESHMAN YEAR.
YOU KNOW, TEXAS IS ONE OF THE FASTEST STATES IN THE COUNTRY.
SO HE'S ALWAYS HAD SOME GOOD COMPETITION ON OUR TEAM, ON HIS CLUB TEAM, LOCALLY AND AROUND THE STATE.
SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY FUN TO KIND OF SEE HIM.
HE KNEW BEFORE HE GOT UP ON THE BLOCK TO DO WHAT'S GOING TO WIN THAT RACE.
IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE OFF OF EVERYONE BECAUSE WE JUST GOT TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY WATCHING HIM ENJOY SWIMMING.
BOARD COLLEAGUES, YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, SO TREY THERE'S THREE AGGIE'S ON THE BOARD AND THE ONLY THING WE LIKE CELEBRATING MORE THAN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ARE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS BY PLANO GRADS AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL, NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
EXCUSE ME, SO NO PRESSURE THERE.[LAUGHTER] AND TREY, IF I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF ADVICE.
MY FRESHMAN YEAR I LIFEGUARDED AT THE REC AND I WAS THERE AT THE 5 A.M.
JUST BE NICE TO YOUR LIFEGUARDS.
WELL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE WITH US THIS EVENING.
AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BRINGING HOME THE GOLD FOR PLANO EAST AND PLANO, ISD.
TRY YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUTTING THE WORK IN WILL SERVE YOU WELL IN THE FUTURE.
WE'LL MIL YOUR BOARD CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE TO YOUR HOME.
AND EVERYONE, PLEASE JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING THIS CHAMPION.
NEXT, WE HAVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MR. RANDY MCDOWELL.
MS. SARA BONSER WILL INTRODUCE THIS RECOGNITION.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.
RANDY MCDOWELL HAS BEEN HONORED WITH THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL HONOR GIVEN BY TASBO TO A MEMBER WHO BEST DISTINGUISHES THEMSELVES WITHIN THE PROFESSION, WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT AND WITHIN TASBO.
AND WE AGREE RANDY IS VERY DESERVING OF THIS HONOR.
WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO TO PLAY THAT'S BEEN SHARED WITH US BY TASBO REGARDING THIS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD.
[VIDEO] I COULD NOT THINK OF A BETTER PERSON THAN RANDY MCDOWELL TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
RANDY MCDOWELL IS ONE OF THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE EXPERT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS IN THE STATE.
I THINK RANDY HAS IMPACTED THE DISTRICT VERY POSITIVELY AS ITS CFO.
AND IT MEANT SO MUCH TO ME AS THE OUTGOING CFO TO KNOW WHEN I LEFT HERE THAT THE DISTRICT WAS GOING TO BE IN GOOD HANDS.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO RESOURCE ALLOCATION, SUPPORTING THE NEEDS OF THE CAMPUS, SUPPORTING STUDENTS THAT ARE IN NEED OR AT RISK, HE HAS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THOSE COMPONENTS ARE AND DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB OF WORKING AS A PARTNER AND A SUPPORT AS A SUPPORT SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT OUR CAMPUSES AND OUR AND OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO GET THE JOB DONE FOR OUR KIDS.
YOU KNOW, RANDY WILL TELL A STORY THAT HE STARTED OUT IN HIS SCHOOL PROFESSION BY DRIVING A BUS AND NOW HE'S THE CFO OF PLANO, ISD.
AND I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO WORK WITH HIM BOTH IN ROCKWALL, ISD, AND THEN AGAIN IN PLANO, ISD.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT HAVING A CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WITH THE DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE, THE GREAT PERSONAL SKILLS AND HIS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP IS LIKE HAVING A WINNING LOTTERY TICKET AND PLANO ISD HAS WON THE LOTTERY WITH RANDY MCDOWELL.
RANDY IS SOMEONE THAT I CAN CALL UPON WHEN I NEED SOMETHING OR THERE'S AN ACADEMIC NEED.
I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT MAKES RANDY SO SPECIAL IS THAT HE TAKES TIME OUT TO MENTOR AND ADVISE YOUNG FINANCIAL EXECUTIVES MAYBE WHO ARE NEW
[00:20:02]
TO THE PROFESSION OR NEW TO THE JOB.AND HE JUST DOES THIS ON HIS OWN BECAUSE THAT'S WHO RANDY IS.
HE'S A HUMBLE PERSON, BUT HE'S FUN TO WORK WITH.
AND AND YOU JUST COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER MENTOR THAN RANDY MCDOWELL.
THE COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD IS TASBOS HIGHEST HONOR WHERE WE RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS GIVEN NOT ONLY TO THE PROFESSION, BUT ALSO TO TASBO.
I COULD NOT THINK OF ANYONE ELSE WHO IS MORE DESERVING THAN YOU, RANDY, AND I'M SO THRILLED THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU THIS YEAR AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST AWARD THAT TASBO OFFERS EACH YEAR.
AND YOU WERE CERTAINLY DESERVING OF IT.
RANDY, WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT YOU HAVE MADE NOT ONLY TO A DISTRICT THAT IS VERY DEAR TO MY HEART, PLANO ISD, BUT FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF TASBO.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE THAT YOU'VE DONE AT THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND FOR ALL THE TASBO MEMBERS.
I'M SO PROUD OF YOU AND YOU ARE SO DESERVING OF THIS AWARD.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR SCHOOL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
YOU ARE SO DESERVING OF THIS AWARD.
AND I DO THINK THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME HAS JUST BENEFITED MY CAREER.
AND JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT FOR TASBO.
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A COINCIDENCE THAT THE NAME OF THE AWARD IS ALSO THE VISION STATEMENT FOR PLANO ISD, OF ARE BEING COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN YOUR ENTIRE CAREER AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE TO US.
AN EXCELLENT LEADER, AN EXCELLENT COLLEAGUE.
AND WE'RE SO, SO HAPPY FOR YOU.
SO RANDY'S PROBABLY VERY UNCOMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW, RIGHT, BUT WITH US TONIGHT TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION ARE TRACY GINSBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR TASSO AND MICHAEL STEFFAN WITH EQUITABLE, THE AWARD SPONSOR.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION.
AND RANDY, WHY DON'T YOU COME TO THE FRONT AS WELL SO YOU CAN STAND AND RECEIVE YOUR RECOGNITION? THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN YOU THIS EVENING TO RECOGNIZE RANDY.
I THINK THE VIDEO CAPTURED THE ESSENCE OF RANDY VERY, VERY WELL.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING WE'VE LEARNED IN THE YEAR OF COVID IS FLEXIBILITY.
AND OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE ALWAYS ENDS WITH THE CULMINATION OF IT, IS WITH THIS AWARD.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT OTHER SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS LOOK UP ON THAT STAGE AND SAY, I WANT TO BE THAT PERSON SOMEDAY, AND THEY STRIVE TO BE THAT PERSON.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANYONE WHO IS MORE DESERVING OF THE COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD THAN RANDY.
HE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY GRACIOUS AND UNDERSTANDING EVERY STEP OF THE WAY BECAUSE WE HAD SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FACE TO FACE PRESENTATION THAT BECAUSE OF COVID OR BECAUSE OF SNOW, WE WERE UNABLE TO DO.
AND SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME JUST TO STEP INTO YOUR BOARD MEETING TONIGHT AND JOIN YOU TO RECOGNIZE AN OUTSTANDING LEADER.
RANDY HAS SERVED AS OUR BOARD PRESIDENT.
HE HAS BEEN AN AFFILIATE LEADER IN WEST TEXAS, WHERE HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AND THEN AGAIN HERE IN THE DFW AREA WHERE HE WAS MOST VALUABLE TO ME, THOUGH, WAS AS BOARD PRESIDENT.
AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO BOUNCE THOSE IDEAS OFF OF AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE SEEING THINGS CLEARLY.
AND RANDY IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST PERSON IN THE STATE TO THINK THROUGH DIFFICULT PROBLEMS, TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
MICHAEL IS THE NEW VP OF EQUITABLE.
EQUITABLE HAS BEEN SPONSORING THIS AWARD FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, AND THEY HAVE MADE A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION TO RANDY, WHICH HE IN TURN IS GIVING TO YOUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR A PURPOSE HERE IN PLANO.
[00:25:03]
SO THANK YOU.SHALL I PUT YOU ON THE SPOT AND ASK YOU TO SAY A FEW COMMENTS? SURE.
SINCE I AM UNCOMFORTABLE AND ALL.
I WANT TO THANK TRACY AND THE BOARD.
FIRST, FOR THE AWARD, IT'S A HUGE HONOR.
IT'S I GUESS IT'S THE ONE WHEN YOU START IN THIS BUSINESS, YOU ONLY DREAM THAT YOU CAN GET ONE DAY.
AND THIS MAY BE MAY MEAN THAT I'M A HAS BEEN I'M NOT SURE.
ALSO ONE OF THE SARA AND THE BOARD FOR RECOGNIZING ME TONIGHT.
IT'S, I'VE BEEN TRULY BLESSED AND MY WHOLE CAREER TO WORK WITH GREAT PEOPLE AND WORK FOR GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND I'VE HAD GREAT BOARDS EVERYWHERE I'VE BEEN.
I'VE HAD GREAT SUPERINTENDENTS.
AND I MEAN, TRULY, IT MAKES IT A GREAT PROFESSION.
AND I'M SO HAPPY I CHOSE THIS PROFESSION AND KIND OF FELL IN MY LAP WHEN I STARTED DRIVING A SCHOOL BUS.
AND THEN THE CFO ASKED ME TO COME BY HIS ACCOUNTANT AFTER I GRADUATED COLLEGE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I GOT INTO IT.
BUT I MEAN, IT'S SUCH A BLESSING.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR WONDERFUL SPONSOR, AND I WANT TO THINK THAT RANDY IS DONATING THE MONEY TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION THAT WILL BENEFIT CHILDREN.
AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THAT'S REALLY WONDERFUL AND HEARTWARMING.
RANDY, I WAS GOING TO SAY, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU CAN'T GET AWAY YET.
CONGRATULATIONS, AND IT'S A VERY WELL DESERVED AWARD AND YOU ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPERTS ON SCHOOL FINANCE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU.
BUT YOU ALSO LEAD THE BUDGET PROCESS SO WELL HERE IN THE DISTRICT.
AND AS FAR AS THIS BOARD MEMBER AND I PROBABLY AM SPEAKING FOR THE OTHERS, WE UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE GO THROUGH IT AND THE PROCESS.
AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF BONDS AND INDEBTEDNESS AND HOW WE ARE SO FRUGAL WITH THE WAY WE MANAGE THOSE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND EVEN THOUGH I'M AN ACCOUNTANT, I STILL APPRECIATE HOW FRIENDLY YOU ARE ABOUT EXPLAINING THESE HARD CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND.
SO THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
RANDY, I FOR ONE, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER SEEN YOU AS UNCOMFORTABLE AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LET YOU OFF THE HOOK.SPEAKS TO NOT JUST THAT THE VALUE OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE, BUT THE VALUE OF THE PERSON ITSELF.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO TAMMY'S COMMENT THAT THE FACT THAT YOU'VE TAKEN THIS AWARD AND YOU'RE DONATING IT TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION SPEAKS VOLUMES AS TO YOUR CHARACTER.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU SUCH A GREAT KEY COMPONENT TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS NOT JUST THE WORK YOU DO, WHICH IS VALUABLE, BUT THE VALUE OF YOUR CHARACTER AS WELL.
THE LAST COMMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS AN OBSERVATION, THAT VIDEO THAT THERE WERE TWO INVESTMENT BANKERS WHO ARE ON THAT VIDEO.
THE WORLD HAS WAY TOO MANY INVESTMENT BANKERS.
THERE IS ONLY ONE CFO OF PLANO ISD.
I WAS GOING TO ASK, HOW MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS HAVE YOU MENTORED THAT HAVE ENDED UP GOING ON TO BE CFOS AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS? I'D SAY SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT.
THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO TOUCH AND HELP GROW, AND I'M SURE YOUR LEGACY, NOT THAT YOU'RE GOING ANYWHERE, WILL LIVE ON THROUGH THEM AND THE IMPACT THEY MAKE IN THOSE DISTRICTS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING BETTER THAN KNOWING YOU HAVE THE BEST CEO OR CFO IN THE STATE IS KNOWING THAT EVERYBODY ELSE KNOWS IT AND GIVES THEM AN AWARD FOR IT.
YOU'VE BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SUCCESS, AND YOU HAD BIG SHOES TO FILL WITH RICHARD MATKIN AND STEVE FORTENBERRY, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU IN A COWBOY HAT BEFORE.
MY FAMILY HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE EITHER .
WE WILL NOW HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS, DR.
[7. PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION (Part 1 of 2)]
TERESA WILLIAMS, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, WILL ADVISE IF ANYONE HAS SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.DR. WILLIAMS? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.
WE HAVE 16 CARDS FOR A TOTAL OF 10 SPEAKERS, SIX ON AGENDA ITEMS AND 10 ON THE AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION AT A MEETING OF THE BOARD IS LIMITED TO THE PORTION OF
[00:30:01]
THE MEETING DESIGNATED TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY AT ALL OTHER TIMES DURING A MEETING OF THE BOARD.THE AUDIENCE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO DISCUSSION OR DEBATE ON MATTERS BEING CONSIDERED UNLESS REQUESTED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER MYSELF.
A PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION AT A BOARD MEETING IS PROVIDED TO HEAR PERSONS WHO DESIRE TO MAKE COMMENTS TO THE BOARD REGARDING AGENDA AND NOT AGENDA ITEMS AND WHO HAVE SUBMITTED A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING AS INSTRUCTED IN THE MEETING NOTICE.
COMMENT CARDS ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE TO OTHER SPEAKERS.
WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL SIGNS UP, THEY MUST INDICATE WHETHER THE COMMENT PERTAINS TO AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND IF SO, WHICH ITEM.
IF THE COMMENT PERTAINS TO A NON AGENDA ITEM, THE SUBJECT OF THE COMMENT MUST BE INDICATED.
COMMENTS ARE LIMITED SOLELY TO THE IDENTIFIED TOPIC AS LISTED ON THE COMMENT CARD.
THE INFORMATION SHARED IN PUBLIC COMMENT PROVIDES THE OPINION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER ONLY, NOT THE DISTRICT.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME AND THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF BUSINESS, THE BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DECREASE THE PER SPEAKER TIME LIMIT, TAKE ITEMS IN A DIFFERENT ORDER THAN SHOWN ON THE AGENDA.
RECOMMEND THAT COMMENTS INVOLVING THE PERFORMANCE OF DISTRICT EMPLOYEES BE MADE THROUGH A GRIEVANCE POLICY REQUIRE THAT THE COMMENTS INVOLVING PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE STUDENT INFORMATION BE MADE THROUGH THE GRIEVANCE POLICY MOVE A MEETING OR AN AGENDA ITEM TO ANOTHER DAY IN ORDER TO ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND MAKE OTHER REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE TIMING OF PUBLIC COMMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW.
COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD IN THE ORDER OF THE CORRESPONDING AGENDA ITEM UNTIL ALL AGENDA ITEM RELATED COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD.
IF TIME REMAINS DURING THE ALLOTTED MINUTES, COMMENTS ADDRESSING NON AGENDA ITEMS MAY BE HEARD.
WE HAVE DECIDED AT THIS TIME PERIOD TO HEAR ALL COMMENTS, BOTH AGENDA AND NON AGENDA ITEMS, DURING THIS SAME TIME PERIOD.
WE HAVE ALSO DECIDED TO ALLOCATE SPEAKERS THE MAXIMUM TIME OF THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
A TIMER IS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREENS, AND IF YOU ARE NOT FINISHED SPEAKING AT THE END OF YOUR TIME, YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO STOP OR I WILL INTERRUPT AND THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM OR THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ALL LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN BOARD POLICY.
SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION OR RECITATION OF EXISTING POLICY MAY BE FURNISHED IN RESPONSE TO INCREASE, BUT THE BOARD SHALL NOT DELIBERATE OR DECIDE REGARDING ANY SUBJECT THAT IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA POSTED FOR THE MEETING.
THE BOARD MAY ALSO REFER A SPEAKER TO A STAFF MEMBER IN AUTHORITY OVER THE ISSUE.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER MYSELF SHALL DETERMINE WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL ADDRESSING THE BOARD HAS ATTEMPTED TO SOLVE A MATTER ADMINISTRATIVELY THROUGH RESOLUTION CHANNELS ESTABLISHED BY POLICY.
IF NOT, THE INDIVIDUAL SHALL BE REFERRED TO THE APPROPRIATE POLICY TO SEEK RESOLUTION.
IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE FOR A PERSON WITH INTENT TO PREVENT OR DISRUPT A LAWFUL MEETING TO SUBSTANTIALLY OBSTRUCT OR INTERFERE WITH THE ORDINARY CONDUCT OF A MEETING BY PHYSICAL ACTION OR VERBAL UTTERANCE AND THEREBY CURTAIL THE EXERCISE OF OTHER'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
THE BOARD SHALL NOT TOLERATE DISRUPTION OF THE MEETING BY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
IF, AFTER AT LEAST ONE WARNING FROM THE PRESIDING OFFICER, MYSELF, ANY INDIVIDUAL CONTINUES TO DISRUPT THE MEETING BY HIS OR HER WORDS OR ACTIONS, REFUSES TO STOP AND LEAVE THE PODIUM WHEN INSTRUCTED, THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL ESCORTED FROM THE MEETING.
DR. WILLIAMS, PLEASE CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER TO THE PODIUM.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS, CONSENT ITEMS, A-M.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MINISTER DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF THE NEXT GENERATION ACTION NETWORK.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT I'M HERE TODAY.
I FELT LIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS GOING TO BE AND HER STAFF WAS GOING TO BE WHOLE HEARTEDLY AND WORK WITH US, SIT DOWN WITH US.
I THOUGHT THAT OUR EXCEL TEAM WAS GOING TO REALLY BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO VISIT PERSONAL TRUSTEE'S HOMES OR DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I THOUGHT WAS REALLY GOING TO DO THAT.
BUT THE SUPERINTENDENT FAILED TO RESPOND TO THAT.
SHE FAILED TO RESPOND TO SIT DOWN WITH US AND REALLY COME UP WITH POLICIES TO ADDRESS CURRICULUM, TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
COME TO FIND OUT, YOU PUT A PRESS RELEASE OUT AND SAYS, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES.
AND THEN I FIND SOMEBODY FROM THE COMMITTEE, THREE PEOPLE, AND SAY THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY PASSED IN THE FALL, BUT IT WAS SENT IN THE PRESS LIKE IT WAS ACTUALLY DONE RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN TO SAY SEVEN LISTENING SESSIONS, A CALL FOR A SPECIAL CALL BOARD MEETING.
I'M HERE BECAUSE THESE KIDS HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED BY THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
[00:35:05]
I'VE HEARD, OH, I'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH THESE CHILDREN AND THEN I GO BACK TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENT.NO, THEY HAVE NOT HAD MEETINGS WITH US.
I'M JUST ASKING Y'ALL TO DO THE RIGHT THING SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PROTEST.
I CAME TO THAT MEETING, SUPERINTENDENT, WITH THE WHOLE THE WHOLE HEART TO WORK WITH YOU, NOT AGAINST YOU.
IN THE NEXT MEETING, Y'ALL THROW IT RIGHT IN OUR FACE LIKE WE'RE TRASH.
WE CAME OUT HERE FOR CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED.
YOUR DEPARTMENT, YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT LACK POLICY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR REACTIVE SOLUTIONS.
WE WANT TO PREVENT THESE SITUATIONS FROM HAPPENING IN PLANO ISD.
NOT COME UP WITH SOME MADE UP WHERE SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GIVE THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TO HAVE A LISTENING SESSION.
YOU COULD SUSPEND THE RULES TO HEAR EVERY CHILD IN PLANO ISD! THEM CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE YOU THEIR NAME.
AND YET I'VE HEARD NUMEROUS OF CALLS SAYING THE SUPERINTENDENT IS GETTING THREATS.
THESE CHILDREN FEEL TERRORIZED! I GET THREATS EVERY DAY! I TRY TO COME TO SOLUTIONS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S INVOLVING CHILDREN, BUT IT CAN BE UGLY.
IF YOU FAIL TO WORK, YOU CAN CALL A DR.
I SIT DOWN AND WORK WITH YOU GUYS, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WRONG.
AND IT'S NOT ONE PREACHER THAT YOU CAN CALL TO SUPPRESS OUR VOICE.
DO WE? MR. ALEXANDER HAS SPOKE, OR HAS PUT A NON CONSENT, SO HE? PLEASE ASK HIM TO RETURN THEN TO DO THAT ONE AS WELL.
OK, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER TO SPEAK ON A NON AGENDA ITEM.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS UNDERSTANDING, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEXT GENERATION ACTION NETWORK.
IN OUR ORGANIZATION WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED NGN EXCEL, WHICH HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS, PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE SKILLED IN THIS AREA.
YOU KNOW, AS AN ACTIVIST AND A PERSON THAT IS GLORIFIED ON THE NEWS AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I DON'T ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF TO SIT AT THE TABLE.
I ADVOCATE FOR THE PROFESSIONALS.
THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPECIALIZED TO SIT AT THE TABLE.
THE PEOPLE LIKE DAVID [INAUDIBLE] MOTHER AND FATHER WHO HAVE OFFERED TO COME HERE IN PLANO ISD, AND ACTUALLY TRAIN YOUR ADMINISTRATION ON THE ACTUAL DAVIS LAW AND BULLYING AND HOW TO IDENTIFY BULLYING AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES.
BUT SINCE THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS DIDN'T WANT TO ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND THE FACT THAT WHEN THE NEXT MEETING HAPPENED AND I BELIEVE IT WAS YOUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, THE NEXT MEETING CAME UP AND IT WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WE WERE SUPPOSED HAVE BEEN SITTING DOWN AND ACTUALLY COLLECTIVELY COMING UP WITH IDEAS.
HOW DID YOU GET TO THIS SEVEN LISTENING SESSIONS AND WHERE IN THESE DEMANDS THAT WE SENT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, DID YOU COME UP WITH SEVEN LISTENING SESSIONS? WE CALL FOR A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING, BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE CHILDREN NEED TO HEAR, YOU NEED TO HEAR FROM THESE CHILDREN.
IF YOUR STAFF FAIL TO ACTUALLY ADHERE TO THE POLICIES THAT Y'ALL IMPLEMENT, THESE CHILDREN NEED TO COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, NOT COME WHERE THEY CANNOT HAVE A QUORUM.
WHERE ONE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS INVITED AND NOT KNOWING IF THE GOVERNING BODY IS ACTUALLY LISTENING TO THEM.
YET, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.
WE'VE HAVEN'T HAD NO, DIVERSITY INCLUSION COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER COMMITTEE THAT Y'ALL CREATED.
YOU'RE GOING TO ASK PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR YOU IN MAY.
AND YET AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU DO TO OUR CHILDREN.
WHEN WE ASK YOU TO DO ONE THING, NOT COME HERE AND ACTUALLY RAISE HELL.
ACTUALLY, ONE THING WE ASK YOU.
SPECIAL CALLED SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
WE WANT A SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING.
CANCEL THE LISTENING SESSIONS, OK? WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THAT STUFF Y'ALL GAVE US.
WE ASKED TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND COME UP WITH CONCRETE SOLUTIONS.
AND YET AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS NOT A RELATIONSHIP BUILDING PROCESS.
[00:40:01]
IF WE CANNOT DO THIS, THEN GUESS WHAT? WE'LL JUST VISIT YOUR HOMES AND THEN WE'LL TALK LATER.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUMMER SMITH TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS A-M..
FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY, WHY AM I SITTING OUT HERE WATCHING SWIMMERS? SWIMMERS.
Y'ALL HAD RECOGNITION FOR SWIMMERS.
I HAVEN'T TALKED TO NOTHING BUT LIKE TWO PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND I KNOW EVERYONE HAS SEEN THE VIDEO.
HAS EVERYONE SEEN VIDEO OF MY SON? CAN WE SHOW THE VIDEO OF MY SON WHILE WE'RE GIVING AWARDS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THEIR JOBS? CAN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE MY PROTECT HIM DO THEIR JOB? BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF THE SMALL THINGS THAT I ASKED FOR, LITTLE.
I DON'T THINK I ASKED FOR MUCH.
I ASKED TO TALK TO YOU ALL SO THAT YOU ALL CAN KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.
BUT I'M SITTING OUT HERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WINDOW.
WE'RE SURROUNDED BY ALL OF THESE POLICE AND EVERYTHING DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU GUYS SAFE.
BUT WHO KEPT SEMARION SAFE? NOBODY.
I WENT TO THEIR SCHOOL MULTIPLE TIMES.
THE SCHOOL HEARD FROM ME MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENED OFF CAMPUS.
THINGS NEED TO CHANGE! YOU GUYS CAN CHANGE IT.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAD TO GET TO YOU GUYS THIS WAY.
HOW CAN YOU HAVE SOMEONE AND HIS COACH UP HERE AT THE BOARD MEETING, BUT NOT ME AND MY SON? HOW CAN SWIMMING BE A SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA ITEM, BUT NOT SEMARION ? I CAN NAME NAMES OF ALL OF THESE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT.
THESE PARENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO ME.
I'M JUST A MOTHER OF A CHILD WHO WAS DONE VERY WRONG IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND YOU HAVE STILL FAILED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING, I THOUGHT, THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO DIVERSITY TRAINING.
HOW? FROM WHO? THE POINT WAS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
THE POINT WAS FOR EVERYONE TO BE INVOLVED.
SO THAT WE CAN HELP CHANGE THESE THINGS, NOT A LISTENING SESSION.
AND YES, YOU DID HAVE TO PROVIDE YOUR CHILD'S FULL NAME.
WHY DO THEY HAVE TO? THEY'VE BEEN VICTIMIZED ALREADY.
YOU GUYS DID YOUR BEST TO KEEP US FROM BEING HERE TODAY.
BUT I WILL BE AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE MEETINGS.
I WILL SIGN UP EVERY SINGLE TIME UNTIL SOMEONE LISTENS TO ME.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DO THIS THIS WAY, BUT I'M LITERALLY SITTING HERE BEGGING FOR THINGS TO CHANGE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAN CHANGE THEM ARE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT SWIMMING! SWIMMING! IN THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, APRIL! WHY ISN'T SEMARION'S NAME ON YOUR AGENDA? WHY ISN'T BULLYING ON YOUR AGENDA? WHY AREN'T THERE POLICY CHANGES REGARDING BULLYING, CYBER BULLYING ON THE AGENDA? TIME IS UP.
MS. SMITH, YOU HAVE THREE MORE MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT YOUR NON AGENDA ITEM.
IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE VIDEO, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO WE HAVE MY SON BEING FORCED TO DRINK URINE.
WE HAVE HIM BEING SLAPPED ALL THROUGH HIS SLEEP, ALSO WENT VIRAL.
WE HAVE RACIAL SLURS, VIDEOS THAT WERE SENT.
VIDEOS THAT WERE PASSED AROUND DURING SCHOOL TIME.
DID YOU GUYS KNOW THAT? BECAUSE ACCORDING TO ALL THE PRESS RELEASES THAT I'VE SEEN, EVERYTHING KEEP SAYING THIS NON CAMPUS EVENT.
WHAT ABOUT THE ON CAMPUS EVENTS? BECAUSE THERE WERE MANY.
I HAVE ALL OF THESE KIDS, THEY'RE PLANO ISD COMING TO ME SAYING WE'VE GONE TO THEM.
WE'VE ASKED FOR A BOARD MEETING.
WHY, I MEAN, IF I WAS SWIMMING, WOULD THAT BE BETTER OR CAN I GET AN AWARD? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO GET IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS.
SO WE ARE HERE AND LIKE I SAID, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE HERE.
BUT WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS A MEETING.
A MEETING WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE ISSUES, RACIAL ISSUES,
[00:45:05]
BIGOTRY ISSUES.STOP CALLING IT BULLYING BECAUSE IT'S BIGGER THAN THAT.
AND I NEED FOR EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO SEE HIM? BECAUSE HE'S RIGHT THERE.
SO YOU TELL HIM HOW YOU REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING.
TELL HIM HOW WE COULDN'T EVEN GET A MEETING.
TELL HIM HOW YOU WOULD RATHER DO LISTENING SESSIONS SEPARATED.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH SPEAKING.
WHY DON'T WE ONLY GET ONE TRUSTEE MEMBER AND THEN Y'ALL SPLIT IT UP? NO, LET EVERYBODY TALK.
LET EVERYONE SPEAK TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GUYS AS A BOARD.
JUST LIKE YOU VOTE ON EVERYTHING AS A BOARD VOTE ON THAT.
VOTE ON THE FACT THAT MY SON HAS HAD TO BE VICTIMIZED.
THE VIDEOS ARE STILL GOING AROUND.
AND I WANT Y'ALL TO LOOK AT HIS FACE BECAUSE I HAVE TO.
YOU THINK PEOPLE STILL DON'T KNOW HIM? THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.
YOU GUYS HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE IT.
MRS. BONSER, I SAT THERE AND I TALK TO YOU.
YOU TOLD ME THAT WE COULD WORK TOGETHER.
AND THEN THE NEXT MEETING I'M WITH DR.
GOBER AND I DON'T EVEN TALK TO YOU ANYMORE.
Y'ALL KEEP RELEASING PRESS RELEASE, PRESS STATEMENTS.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE POLICIES.
MAKE YOUR ADMINISTRATORS ADHERE TO THESE POLICIES.
LET THAT BE A MEETING AGENDA ITEM.
SWIMMING? REALLY SWIMMING? THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN PIGGINS.
TO SPEAK ON CONSENT ITEMS A-M.
DR. WILLIAMS, CAN YOU ANNOUNCE THE NAME AGAIN, PLEASE? OUR NEXT SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS KAREN PIGGINS TO SPEAK ON CONSENT ITEMS A-M..
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA AS SUMMER HAS STATED.
THAT WE'RE, I'VE TAKEN NOTES AND LOOKED AT IT CLOSELY AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KITCHEN RENOVATIONS AND RECOGNIZING ACHIEVEMENTS IN SWIMMING.
AND THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS THINGS ON THE TABLE THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO GET OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT HERE IN PLANO AND FOCUS MORE ON THE SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN THAN WE ARE ON KITCHEN RENOVATIONS.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON YOUR NON AGENDA ITEM.
I WROTE SOME NOTES JUST SO I CAN KEEP FOCUSED HERE.
I STAND BEFORE YOU A PROUD RESIDENT OF PLANO.
I'VE LIVED HERE MOST OF MY LIFE AND I WENT TO PLANO SCHOOLS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
BUT I ALSO STAND HERE APPALLED AND OFFENDED THAT WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL FROM BULLIES.
WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE SENDING OUT TO SOCIETY AND TO OUR CHILDREN.
WE NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE OUT ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
WHO SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE? PISD ADMINISTRATION, THE PARENTS, THE CHILDREN THEMSELVES AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT MESSAGE ARE WE SENDING OUT? ARE WE PARTICIPATING IN BREEDING HOMEGROWN TERRORISTS? BECAUSE BULLIES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GROW INTO ANGRY MEN.
INSTEAD OF CONSEQUENCES, THESE MEN ARE OFFERED A MENTAL DIAGNOSIS INSTEAD OF A HEALTHY RESOLUTION.
THIS ISN'T JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIM OR FOR THE BULLY AND DEFINITELY NOT FOR SOCIETY.
I WISH I COULD SAY THAT I'M STANDING HERE IN THE BEHALF OF AND MAKE IT ALL ABOUT
[00:50:06]
SEMARION GETTING THE JUSTICE, BUT I'M HERE FOR EVERY CHILD THAT HAS A RIGHT TO BE EDUCATED IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.I AM HERE FOR WHAT I DIDN'T DO FOR MY OWN CHILDREN WHEN THEY WERE IN PISD, AND I'M HERE FOR MYSELF FOR WHAT I ENDURED WHILE ATTENDING A PLANO SCHOOL.
IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF APPLYING JUSTICE TO UNJUST SITUATIONS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEAR MESSAGE TO EVERYONE.
NOT IN OUR SCHOOLS AND DEFINITELY NOT OUR CHILDREN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS SARAH SHIRLEY, FIRST TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS A -M AND THEN A NON CONSENT, I'M SORRY, A NON AGENDA ITEM.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED TO PUT OFF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN ON YOUR AGENDA IN ORDER TO RECOGNIZE AND FIX THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
I WAS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED WHEN I HEARD AND SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO SEMARION.
AND THEN I STARTED TO HEAR THE STORIES AND THEY STARTED TO COME IN.
THE PERSONAL TESTIMONIES OF RACISM, SEXISM, HOMOPHOBIA, SEXUAL ASSAULT THAT HAPPENED HERE IN YOUR DISTRICT.
PERSONAL TESTIMONIES OF OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
A THOUSAND CHILDREN WHO HAVE COME THROUGH YOUR DISTRICT, HJAVE COME FORWARD AND SPOKEN ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
SO THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL HAVING TO COME TO THESE BOARD MEETINGS.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE HAVING TO COME AND WE ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE HOOPS IN ORDER TO BE HEARD IS A VERY BIG PROBLEM AND AN INDICATOR OF JUST HOW BROKEN THE SYSTEM IS.
I AM GETTING SO TIRED OF HEARING THAT THE WAY TO FIX THIS IS COMPLICATED.
DOING WHAT IS RIGHT IS NOT COMPLICATED.
OK? ONLY CORRUPT SYSTEMS WILL TELL YOU THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIX ISSUES LIKE THIS.
A REAL SYSTEM, A GOOD SYSTEM, ONE THAT IS BUILT FOR CHILDREN, WILL DO THE RIGHT THING NO MATTER WHAT.
NO MATTER WHAT IT MAKES THEM LOOK LIKE.
DOESN'T MATTER IF IT MAKES YOU LOOK WEAK OR THAT YOU CAN'T DO YOUR JOB BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING WHAT IS RIGHT.
WE HAVE TRIED MEETING AND I KNOW THE VICTIMS HAVE TRIED TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO MEET WITH YOU.
WE DON'T WANT TO MEET WITH ANYBODY ELSE, BUT THE SUPERINTENDENT.
WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM THE DIVERSITY TEAM.
WE DO NOT WANT TO HEAR FROM THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION WITH YOU.
OK? I AM ONE OF THE PROFESSIONALS THAT MINISTER DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER SPOKE ABOUT.
AND IF WE ARE NOT HEARD AND IF IT IS NOT FIXED, WE WILL MAKE YOU HEAR US AND WE WILL SHOW UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO ANOTHER CHILD AGAIN.
MS. SHIRLEY? IF NEEDED, YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 3 MINUTES ON YOUR NON AGENDA ITEM.
I ACTUALLY WANT TO SHARE AN EXPERIENCE BEING SOMEBODY WHO WORKS IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
I HAVE BEEN, I GREW UP IN AN ABUSIVE HOUSEHOLD, AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE MY MOTHER TEACH ME TO BE FIERCE AND TO SPEAK UP FOR MYSELF.
AND AS A RESULT, I WAS ABLE TO BREAK THE CYCLE THAT MY FAMILY WAS IN.
[00:55:02]
AND IT WAS VERY DISHEARTENING THE DAY THAT I REALIZED THAT I HAD LEFT ONE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP ONLY TO WALK INTO ANOTHER ONE.WE LIKE TO PRETEND THAT THE SYSTEM IS NOT AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ITS TEACHERS AND ITS STUDENTS.
OFTENTIMES OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS ARE IGNORED.
WE HAVE TECHNIQUES LIKE GASLIGHTING AND MANIPULATION USED AGAINST US.
AND WE ARE OFTEN MADE OUT TO BE THE BAD GUYS.
THIS SYSTEM, WE WE HAVE A CHANCE TO FIX THIS.
THIS IS WHY IT'S SO FRUSTRATING TO BE COMING IN HERE AND PLEADING WITH YOU WHEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE TRULY THERE FOR THE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS WRONG.
YOU KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WRONG AND YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.
AND I NEED YOU GUYS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE.
I NEED YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS SYSTEM IS A BROKEN SYSTEM.
OUR TEACHERS LIVE IN PERPETUAL FEAR OF LOSING OUR JOBS AND OUR LICENSE BECAUSE THE STATE OF TEXAS DOESN'T PROTECT US BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO UNIONIZE.
THAT IS NOT ANYTHING BUT AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP.
OK, SO IT IS TIME FOR US TO PULL TOGETHER OUR RESOURCES, TO RECOGNIZE OUR FAULTS AND TO BREAK THAT CYCLE LIKE MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DENISE DRAPER.
FIRST TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS A-M AND THEN A SECOND TIME ON A NON AGENDA ITEM.
I AM A PLANO PARENT, I HAVE TWO KIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I ACTUALLY CHOSE PLANO.
I CAME HERE FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE I HAD KIDS WHO WERE BULLIED.
AND NOW I'M SEEING THINGS AREN'T SO DIFFERENT HERE THAN WHERE WE CAME FROM BEFORE, AND IT WAS ANOTHER AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT I THOUGHT PLANO HAD WHAT MY KIDS NEEDED.
AND SO I AM HERE TODAY SPEAKING OUT FOR SEMARION, FOR MY KIDS, FOR OUR KIDS, FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS.
THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS OUR FUTURE.
AND IF WE DO NOT ADDRESS WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS IS GOING, THIS IMPACTS KIDS BEYOND WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SCHOOL DOORS.
BEYOND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY'RE KIDS.
THE IMPACTS OF THE TRAUMATIC EVENTS THAT HAPPEN WITH BULLYING AND HARASSMENT AT THIS AGE, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, STAY WITH PEOPLE FOR AN ENTIRE LIFETIME.
THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS, THE EMOTIONAL EFFECTS, THE MENTAL EFFECTS.
STATISTICALLY, IT'S THERE, YOU CAN RESEARCH IT, YOU CAN FIND IT.
STAYS WITH PEOPLE FOR A LIFETIME.
AND THIS HAS TO COME FROM THE TOP DOWN.
THIS IS, WE GOT TO RE SET THE SCHOOL CLIMATE.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT PLANO NEEDS TO BE A PLACE WHERE ALL KIDS FEEL SAFE.
EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND SET A TONE SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN NOT JUST HOW TO BE GOOD AT READING AND MATH, BUT ALSO BECOME GOOD HUMANS.
SO I WISH I WASN'T HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT I AM BECAUSE I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT KIDS.
I WORKED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 15 YEARS.
I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS PATTERN KEEP REPEATING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHEN DOES IT STOP? MAKE PLANO A MODEL OF WHAT DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE LOOKS LIKE FOR EVERYBODY.
ESPECIALLY FOR BIAS BASED ACTS OF VERBAL AND PHYSICAL ACTS OF BULLYING, HARASSMENT.
[01:00:01]
I'M NOT EVEN SURE BULLYING COVERS WHAT HAPPENED HERE.BUT IT'S GOT TO BE A MODEL THAT COMES FROM THE TOP DOWN SETTING THE SCHOOL CLIMATE, THE TONE AND SCHOOLS.
THEY GOT TO START LEARNING FROM LITTLE BITTY UP.
THERE'S NO COMMUNITY WITHOUT UNITY, WE ALL GOT TO BE IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE GOT TO SIT AT THE TABLE TOGETHER AND FIND SOLUTIONS.
MS. DRAPER? YOU HAVE ANOTHER THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR NON AGENDA ITEM.
YOU KNOW, I TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON THE FACT THAT THERE ARE LONG TERM SIDE EFFECTS, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT SIDE EFFECTS, THE LONG TERM IMPACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH, EMOTIONAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, ACES, ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES.
IT'S A, IF YOU GO ONLINE AND GOOGLE IT, YOU CAN SEE TONS OF RESEARCH THAT IS OUT THERE.
IT'S NOT ONLY TRAUMATIZING TO THE VICTIM, IT'S TRAUMATIZING TO EVERYBODY IN THE SCHOOL WHO SEES IT.
EVERYBODY WHO'S SEEN THIS VIDEO CIRCULATING AROUND.
NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE TO SEE THAT.
SO IT'S REALLY I GO BACK TO COMING FROM THE TOP DOWN, EVERY SINGLE CAMPUS NEEDS TO HAVE AN ACTION PLAN AND IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO SAY, HERE'S WHAT YOU DO AFTER IT'S HAPPENED.
WE'RE IN REACTIVE MODE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S GOT TO BE AN ACTION PLAN FOR PREVENTION, NOT JUST WHAT DO WE DO ONCE IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED, BECAUSE BY THEN IT'S TOO LATE.
THAT'S IN THAT KID, THAT'S IN THAT FAMILY, THAT'S IN THE COMMUNITY.
LIKE I SAID, THESE ARE ALL OUR KIDS, THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY.
WE CAN'T, WE ALL HAVE TO FIX THIS TOGETHER.
WE ALL HAVE TO SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND FIX THIS.
AND I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH ONE THING.
YOU KNOW THE WORD COMMUNITY, THE END OF IT IS UNITY.
WE CAN'T HAVE A COMMUNITY WITHOUT HAVING UNITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SULLA SAMAD TO TALK ABOUT HEALTH AND WELLNESS, DIVERSITY AND BULLYING.
HI, MY NAME IS SHOLA SHAMMADI, AND I'M HERE, I HEARD TO TALK ABOUT HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
I AM THE FOUNDER OF A PROGRAM CALLED SEEDS.
WE SERVE, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER DIVERSE STUDENTS THROUGH SELF EXPLORATION AND MENTAL WELLNESS.
I ACTUALLY ENDED UP HERE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL BECAUSE I HAD A GROUP OF MOMS, ALL PLANO ISD MOMS REACH OUT TO ME BECAUSE OF TRAUMATIC EVENTS THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAD FACED, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT MY PROGRAM COULD POTENTIALLY BE A GOOD FIT FOR PLANO.
I DID A LITTLE MORE DIGGING AND FIGURED OUT WHY THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO ME, AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO SEMARION.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE STANDING BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY.
I HEARD MS. CHAMBERS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS STATE THAT WE ARE OR THAT YOU ALL ARE ALL ABOUT EMPATHY AND COMPASSION.
I HEARD THE WORD DIVERSITY GET THROWN OUT THERE AND THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS AND THAT ALL STUDENTS SHOULD FEEL SAFE AND SECURE.
THAT'S, THOSE ARE VERY IMPACTFUL WORDS, BUT I'M AFRAID THAT NOT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FEELING THAT.
AND WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COMMUNITY? WHAT CAN YOU ALL DO TO HELP THAT? WE HEARD ABOUT A SWIMMER WHO WAS ALWAYS SMILING, A GREAT STUDENT AND TEAMMATE, I WISH THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS COULD SAY THEY WERE ALWAYS SMILING AND THEY WERE GETTING SOME SORT OF RECOGNITION LIKE THAT.
WHAT EXACTLY IS ZERO TOLERANCE LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE WE HAVE A CHILD OUT THERE THAT WAS BULLIED, THAT WAS A VICTIM OF A HATE CRIME, SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT.
I'M HERE TALKING ABOUT BULLYING.
WHAT SEEDS DOES AS AS A PROGRAM, IS WE NOT ONLY ILLUSTRATE WHAT DIVERSITY LOOKS LIKE, WE ELABORATE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF ACCEPTANCE.
WE KNOW CHILDREN VIEW THE WORLD WITH THE SAME EYES THEY VIEW THEMSELVES.
AND OUR GOAL AS A PROGRAM IS TO HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP EYES THAT SEE BEAUTY.
[01:05:06]
THAT ARE FILLED WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING.AND THAT'S THE GOAL OF OUR PROGRAM.
I'M HERE NOW AND TALKING ABOUT BULLYING BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS, SEMARION OUR CHILDREN AREN'T SAFE.
THEY AREN'T FEELING SAFE IN THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
THEY'RE NOT FEELING LOVE, THEY'RE FEELING RESPECTED, AND THAT HAS TO CHANGE.
AS AN EDUCATOR, AS A COUNSELOR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COURTNEY BROOKS TO SPEAK ON EQUALITY.
I'M A SWIMMER, TOO, SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL PAY ATTENTION.
WE SEND OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL BELIEVING THAT THE PEOPLE THERE WILL PROTECT THEM.
EVERYONE THINKS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IN A SCHOOL KEEP CHILDREN SAFE.
BUT WHEN A BLACK STUDENT, A SWEET, HARDWORKING, HAPPY BOY, WAS FORCED TO DRINK URINE, FORCED TO BE HUMILIATED AND CALLED RACIAL SLURS, THESE ARE THE CHILDREN HE HAS BEEN PUT INTO A SCHOOL WITH.
AND IF YOU WANT TO SAY, WELL, THIS EVENT WASN'T ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, LET ME LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET.
THIS IS BEING DONE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY AS WELL.
RACISTS JUST DON'T JUST COME OUT DURING A SLEEPOVER.
DO SOMETHING! TAKE IT UPON YOURSELVES TO HELP THIS CHILD GO TO SCHOOL PEACEFULLY.
RUBY BRIDGES ALREADY CREATED A PATH.
AND, OF COURSE, IT'S PLANO ISD GOING OFF THE PATH AND CONTINUES TO DO RACIST CRAP.
IF SEMARION WERE WHITE, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BY THE ISD AND PLANO PD.
WE CAN SEE WHEN YOU WANT TO, THAT YOU WANT TO DUST US UNDER A RUG.
BUT WE AREN'T HERE TO BE DUSTED.
IF YOU CAN'T SIT HERE AND PROTECT A CHILD IN SCHOOL, YOUR ACTUAL JOB, THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT SEAT.
THAT SEAT ISN'T TO PROP YOURSELF UP IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT SEAT IS A PLACE YOU WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL STUDENTS.
AND KEEPING THEM SAFE SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST PRIORITY.
DO YOUR JOB, STOP BEING BLATANTLY RACIST AGAIN.
OR WOULD THAT UPSET THE RACIST WHITE PARENTS WHO TAUGHT THESE CHILDREN TO BE RACIST? WHITE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS AREN'T ABOVE PEOPLE OF COLOR.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT Y'ALL DID IN THE 90S WHEN THE ISD HAD DEAD CHILDREN'S BODIES DYING FROM HEROIN.
OH, WAIT, THOSE WERE WHITE KIDS.
AND Y'ALL WORKED HARD AND FAST IN THAT.
PUT THAT EFFORT INTO THIS OR JUST CONTINUE TO BE THE WHITE TRASH THAT EVERYONE IN THOSE SEATS HAVE BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF PLANO ISD.
GET WOKE! TAKE OFF YOUR RACIST GLASSES AND PAY ATTENTION! THANK YOU.
NEXT, WE HAVE DENISE HUNTER TO SPEAK ON SAFETY OF STUDENTS.
HELLO, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS OF PISD, BUT IN ORDER TO GET TO TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, WE NEED TO START WITH WHY OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT SAFE.
THESE STUDENTS ARE NOT SAFE AND THEY FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE ADULTS AROUND THEM.
MY COMMENT IS IN REGARD TO THEIR SAFETY, BUT ALSO THE SAFETY OF THEIR MENTAL WELLNESS.
IT STARTS WITH DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING FOR ALL OF PLANO ISD EMPLOYEES, BUT IT HAS TO START AT THE TOP.
NOT ONLY A RECOMMENDATION, BUT SHOULD BE REQUIRED THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BE ALSO RACIALLY LITERATE AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT.
HOW CAN A BOARD GOVERN AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT A DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE NO AFFINITY WITH? UNFORTUNATELY, OUR BOARD DOES NOT CONTAIN ANYONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE BLACK, LATINX, INDIAN OR MOSTLY ASIAN.
NOT ONLY IS IT RECOMMENDED, BUT IT SHOULD BE REQUIRED FOR ALL PLANO ISD MEMBERS,
[01:10:06]
EMPLOYEES FROM THE TEACHERS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MAINTENANCE STAFF, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.YOU CAN'T EXPECT TEACHERS TO BE RACIALLY AWARE AND YOU REMAIN UNAWARE IN THIS AREA.
IT'S SHAMEFUL ENOUGH THAT OUR BOARD IS NOT DIVERSE AS IT IS, BUT MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT STUDENTS WHEN YOU HAVE NO CULTURAL AWARENESS THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY CONSULTING RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR YEARS FOR THIS BODY TO NOT BE CULTURALLY COMPETENT AND RACIALLY LITERATE.
AS SOME OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS SEEK REELECTION ON MAY 1, YOU SHOULD SINCERELY CONSIDER IF YOU ARE RACIALLY AWARE, CULTURALLY COMPETENT AND ABLE TO REPRESENT THIS DIVERSE BODY OF STUDENTS IN PLANO ISD.
OUR FINAL SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS KAREN PETROSK REGARDING SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND BULLYING.
GOOD EVENING, I AM HERE BECAUSE I AM A THREE TIME MOTHER OF PISD STUDENTS.
AND WHEN ALL OF THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN, I WAS INFORMED OF THINGS THEY HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING, SOME SINCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND I ASKED ABOUT THE DAY, I WAS A STAY AT HOME MOM, AND I SAID, WELL, HOW AM I FINDING THIS OUT NOW? AND MY CHILDREN SAID TO ME, WELL, THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS.
SO MY GOAL IS THAT NO OTHER BROWN SKINNED CHILD WILL LEARN FROM THEIR EDUCATION, THAT THAT'S JUST WHAT HAPPENS.
THOSE THINGS ARE JUST DONE AND WE'RE JUST SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT THEM.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THERE WILL BE CHANGE.
I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE LANGUAGE OF THE CURRENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AROUND BULLYING.
I FEEL THAT IT IS A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS, SOMEWHAT SUBJECTIVE, AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE LANGUAGE REGARDING RACE BASED BULLYING AND HATE CRIMES.
SO I GUESS SOMEWHERE IN THERE IS A QUESTION.
WILL THERE BE CONCRETE, MEASURABLE CHANGES TO THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, EXCUSE ME, REGARDING PUNISHMENT AND INCLUDING HATE CRIMES? ALSO, CONSIDERING THE USE OF THE N-WORD AND THE VIOLENT ACTS THAT HAPPENED ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, INCLUDING A BELT.
WHY IS THIS NOT CONSIDERED A RACE BASED BULLYING OR A HATE CRIME? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE ONLY LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN USED IS BULLYING.
AND I MAY HAVE MISSED IT BECAUSE TO CONTINUE TO WATCH THE VIDEO AND FOLLOW THE NEWS IS TRIGGERING AND PAINFUL.
AND I'M FIFTY, ALMOST FIFTY THREE AND IT JUST TEARS JUST STREAM.
SO IF IT DID HAPPEN, I APOLOGIZE, BUT I'VE TRIED TO AVOID SOME OF IT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S PAINFUL.
MY OTHER CONCERN IS THE MENTAL HEALTH.
OF OUR STUDENTS AROUND THESE SITUATIONS.
THE PTSD, THE ANXIETY, THE DEPRESSION, THE HEADACHES AND THE TUMMY ACHES, THE MOMMIES, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL.
THE OLDER KIDS THAT SAYS, MOM, I JUST NEED A MENTAL HEALTH DAY.
WHAT IS BEING DONE AND ARE WE CONSIDERING THAT WHEN THESE ACTS OF RACIST BULLYING ARE OCCURRING AND ARE CONTINUALLY IGNORED? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
DR. WILLIAMS, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER SPEAKERS? NO, PRESIDENT RICHARDS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR STACK FOR TONIGHT.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T AND DISRESPECTFUL IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DO HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD THAT ARE DIVERSE, DR.
AND SO WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ADDING COMPLEXITY TO OUR THOUGHT AND OUR ANALYSIS.
ALSO, JUST TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE THE LISTING ROUNDS, ON APRIL 1ST, PLANO ISD BEGAN THE FIRST COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WHICH WE'RE CALLING LISTING ROUNDS WITH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY PARENTS.
THESE BOARD AND PLANO ISD ADMINISTRATION, SMALL GROUP LISTENING ROUNDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL WITH STUDENTS, STAFF, COMMUNITY AND PARENTS.
AS PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LISTING ROUNDS, THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION WILL DISCUSS WHAT WAS LEARNED AT DULLY CALLED REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
ONE POINT NOTED FROM THE FIRST DAY OF LISTING ROUNDS, IS THAT PARENTS WANT MORE DETAILED COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHAT ACTIONS PLANO ISD TAKES WHEN REPORTS OR CLAIMS ARE MADE REGARDING REGARDING BULLYING AND HARASSMENT.
A DETAILED SUMMARY OF ACTIONS WAS SENT TO PARENTS THIS WEEK.
THE SCHOOL IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS AT SCHOOL, AND WE WANT PARENTS TO KNOW THAT WE TAKE ALL REPORTS AND CLAIMS SERIOUSLY.
[01:15:03]
THE DISTRICT SINCERELY THANKS THE PARENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR FIRST SIX COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS OUR LISTENING ROUNDS FOR THE FEEDBACK, HONESTY AND SUPPORT, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT SESSIONS, WHICH WILL NUMBER ABOUT ANOTHER 24 IN THE DAYS AHEAD.WE WILL NOW PROCEED AND ADDRESS THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH CONSISTS OF ROUTINE
[8. CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEMS GROUPED TOGETHER FOR APPROVAL AS ONE ITEM UNLESS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, THESE ITEMS WILL BE ACTED ON AT ONE TIME WITH NO DISCUSSION.BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY REQUEST TO REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
I HAVE A MOTION BY DAVID STOLLE, A SECOND BY CODY WEAVER, THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, THANK YOU.
WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WE HAVE TWO ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT INTRODUCTIONS AND DR.
BETH BROCKMAN, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR EMPLOYEE SERVICES, WILL DO THE HONORS.
DR. BROCKMAN? GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU.
TONIGHT, I HAVE THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING OUR TWO NEWEST PRINCIPALS TO YOU AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY WILL SERVE.
RESEARCH TELLS US THAT THE CAMPUS PRINCIPAL IS A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER OF STUDENT SUCCESS ON THE CAMPUS.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR PRINCIPALS WHO ENGAGE WITH STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF LEADING TO HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL.
THEY MUST BE PERSONABLE, DEDICATED, ENGAGED, TRANSPARENT, KNOWLEDGEABLE, COMMITTED AND TIRELESS AS THEY STRIVE TO LIVE OUT THE PISD VISION ON THE CAMPUS.
THESE CANDIDATES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE EVERY DAY IN THEIR CURRENT POSITIONS.
THEIR DEDICATION TO CARING FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS, AND THAT THEY ARE POWERED BY LEARNING AS THEY LEAD THE LEARNING IN THEIR CURRENT ROLES.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PRINCIPALSHIP IS A COMMITMENT BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL.
THE SUPPORT OF A PRINCIPAL'S FAMILY IS CRITICAL TO HIS OR HER SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING.
SO TONIGHT WE ARE INTRODUCING BOTH THE PRINCIPAL AND THEIR FAMILY SUPPORT SYSTEM.
I AM PLANO PROUD TO INTRODUCE JEFF BANNER, OUR NEW PRINCIPAL OF PLANO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
MR. BANNER CURRENTLY LEADS THE SHEPTON HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND HAS A PASSION FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUCCESS IN LEARNING.
AND COME ON RIGHT DOWN OUT HERE.
HE IS JOINED TONIGHT BY HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH, HIS CHILDREN, COLTON AND CAMBREY AND HIS FATHER AND FRIEND GARY BANNER AND JANET KING.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING HIM TO WILDCAT NATION.
NOW, MR. BANNER, WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU FROM THE WEST CLUSTER.
I BET THEY DON'T NAME A VILLAGE AFTER YOU THERE LIKE YOU HAD AT SHEPTON.
ACTUALLY, WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THIS.
RIGHT? SO I WANT TO KNOW WHO YOUR FAVORITE QUARTERBACK OF ALL TIME WAS.
I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO GET BROUGHT UP.
WE'RE SAD TO SEE YOU LEAVE THE WEST SIDE AS WELL, BUT PLANO SENIOR HAS GOT A GOOD ONE.
WELCOME TO THE CENTRAL CLUSTER.
YES, WILDCAT NATION IS A SPECIAL PLACE, SO I'M EXCITED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PART OF IT.
MR. BANNER, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR NEW APPOINTED POSITION.
IT'S WELL EARNED, AND I KNOW WHILE SHEPTON WILL MISS YOU TERRIBLY, I KNOW THAT THE WILDCAT NATION IS ANXIOUS TO HAVE YOU.
AND SO WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO AS A PRINCIPAL IN YOUR NEW IN YOUR NEW ROLE AS A CENTER CLUSTER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS, MR. BANNER? WELL, I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED, HUMBLED AND HONORED JUST TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU BE A PART OF THE WILDCAT NATION.
FIRST, I JUST WANT TO THANK MY BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL FAMILY AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEM.
I HAVE A GREAT WORK FAMILY, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT JUST SUPPORT EVERYTHING, WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME FOR 15 YEARS IN THIS WONDERFUL DISTRICT.
AND THEN I'M EXCITED TO MEET MY NEW WILDCAT FAMILY AND JOIN THAT FAMILY.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS.
AND I JUST COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED AND PROUD TO BE HERE.
CAN WE POSSIBLY GET A MASKS OFF PHOTO FOR THE FAMILY?
[01:20:06]
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.I AM ALSO PLANO PROUD TO INTRODUCE TODD WILLIAMS AS OUR NEW PRINCIPAL OF MCMILLEN HIGH SCHOOL.
MR. WILLIAMS CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION AT PLANO WEST SENIOR HIGH.
AND BRINGS HIS PASSION FOR STUDENT SUCCESS TO THIS NEW LEADERSHIP POSITION.
HE IS JOINED TONIGHT BY HIS WIFE, THERESA, AND HIS CHILDREN, HAYDEN AND NOLAN.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING HIM TO THE PISD FAMILY OF PRINCIPALS AND TO MCMILLEN HIGH SCHOOL.
ANOTHER CONTRIBUTION FROM THE WEST CLUSTER.
DO YOU WANT ONE WITHOUT THE MASKS? MR. WILLIAMS, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING NAMED THE PRINCIPAL OF MCMILLEN HIGH SCHOOL.
I KNOW THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL AT THE 11-12 LEVEL, COUPLED WITH YOUR 9-12 EXPERIENCE, THAT MAYBE SOME DON'T KNOW THAT YOU ACTUALLY POSSESS AT ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL IN WEST TEXAS, WHERE YOU WERE ALSO NAMED THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE RANDY MCDOWELL MOMENTS OF DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT CERTAINLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS WILL BENEFIT THE MCMILLEN COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR YOU TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? OF COURSE[INAUDIBLE] SO I'VE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT.
WHAT I WOULD SAY, AND THE FIRST THING THAT ALWAYS COMES TO MIND IS THESE GUYS RIGHT HERE .
AND WITHOUT YOU, I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN ME THROUGH EVERYTHING AND I TRULY, TRULY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
AND BOARD, SARAH, THERESA AND STAFF, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO EMBRACING THE MCMILLEN FAMILY AND BEING A PART OF THAT AND BRINGING THE EXCITEMENT BACK TO THE CAMPUS AND GETTING US WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND HELP EVERY SINGLE STUDENT EVERY SINGLE DAY TO BRIDGE THE GAPS IN THE COMMUNITY AND HELP SUPPORT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT.
SO WITH THAT, I TRULY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I APPRECIATE THE FAITH THAT YOU HAVE IN ME.
WE NOW MOVE TO THE DISCUSSION AND ACTION PORTION OF THE AGENDA,
[9.A. Approval of the Recommendation to Send Notice of Proposed Termination to a Chapter 21 Term Contract Employee]
DR. BROCKMAN WILL PRESENT THE FIRST ITEM.APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION TO A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS BOARD APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION TO A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION OF A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
SECOND IS THAT [INAUDIBLE] AFTER YOU, DR.
WILLIAMS? I HAVE A MOTION BY CODY WEAVER AND A SECOND BY HEATHER WANG THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION OF A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
[01:25:01]
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0.
THE NEXT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION ACTION PRESENTED BY DR.
[9.B. Approval of the Recommendation to Send Notice of Proposed Termination to a Chapter 21 Term Contract Employee]
BROCKMAN IS THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION TO A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.DR. BROCKMAN? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.
ADMINISTRATION REQUESTS THAT YOU CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION TO A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND A NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION OF A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT TEACHER.
I SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY CODY WEAVER, A SECOND BY DAVID STOLLE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION OF A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT TEACHER.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO VOTE.
RAISE YOUR HAND MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY,7-0.
THERE WAS ONE OTHER SPEAKER THAT WE MISSED.
[7. PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION (Part 2 of 2)]
I PREFER THEY GO AHEAD AND SPEAK NOW, I THINK THAT HAD BEEN THE WILL OF THE BOARD EARLIER IF THE PERSON IS STILL PRESENT.SO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO, I THINK SINCE WE DID NOT COMPLETE THAT AGENDA ITEM, WE'RE ALLOWING ONE MORE PERSON TO PRESENT.
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THAT AND THANKFUL YOU STAYED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, YEAH Y'ALL ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT ME, BUT I WASN'T GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN ANYWAY, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ALL THE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND THE CONGRATULATIONS, AND WHILE ALL OF THOSE ARE A BEAUTIFUL THING TO HEAR, YOU'RE PLANO PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THOSE YOU JUST MENTIONED.
I'M ASKING YOU, ARE Y'ALL PLANO PROUD OF HOW YOU HAVE HANDLED SEMARION'S BULLYING CASE? BEYOND THAT, ARE Y'ALL PROUD, PLANO PROUD OF HOW Y'ALL HAVE HANDLED THE COUNTLESS CASES OF BULLYING AND ABUSE IN PLANO ISD THAT HAS NOT MADE MAINSTREAM MEDIA? I'M HERE BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED AND IN REGARDS TO YOUR AGENDA, I'M LOOKING AT ATHLETIC TRAINING SUPPLIES.
SO YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ATHLETIC TRAINING SUPPLIES, BUT NOT YOUR ATHLETES? THE ATHLETES BEING ONE SEMARION WHO WAS ABUSED AND BULLIED IN YOUR LOCKER ROOMS. THE PRIORITY ON THIS AGENDA IS FIBER OPTIC CABLE SERVICES AND KITCHEN RENOVATIONS.
THAT MADE THE PRIORITY MORE THAN SEMARION.
WE HAD TO BRING THE SPECIAL MEETING THAT WAS REQUESTED.
AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF Y'ALL SAW THE VIDEO THAT WAS OUT THERE.
DID THAT NOT DO ANYTHING TO Y'ALL'S HEARTS? DID IT NOT DISGUST YOU, WHAT YOU SAW? AND I INVITE YOU TO THINK, WHAT IF THIS WAS YOUR CHILDREN? WOULD YOU FEEL THAT IT WAS EXCELLENT PLANO EXCELLENCE OF HOW THIS CASE IS BEING HANDLED? I CAN HONESTLY STAND HERE AND SAY THAT I HAVE HAD A PRIDE FOR PLANO FOR MANY YEARS, I GREW UP IN PLANO.
I HAVE CHILDREN WHO ATTEND PLANO SCHOOLS.
MATTER OF FACT, I LOVE MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.
BUT HEARING THESE STORIES AND THEN OTHER STORIES UNFOLD, IT PENETRATES MY HEART TO KNOW THAT WHERE I GREW UP AND THE PRIDE THAT I HAD, IS NOW TAINTED BY ALL THESE INSTANCES OF BULLYING THAT YOU ARE NOT PROPERLY ADDRESSING.
WHAT IF THIS WAS YOUR CHILDREN? WOULD YOU FEEL PROUD OF HOW THIS WAS HANDLED? WOULD YOU WANT THIS TO BE THE PRIORITY ON THE AGENDA, FIBER OPTIC CABLE SERVICES? I DON'T THINK SO.
AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE, AND THIS IS WHY I STOOD OUTSIDE WAITING FOR MY TURN
[01:30:02]
TO SPEAK, BECAUSE I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF AS A PLANO PARENT.YOU GUYS PROBABLY HAVE STUDENTS IN PLANO.
THIS IS FOR NOT JUST SOME SEMARION, THIS IS FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
MS. HIGGINS, YOU STILL HAVE THREE MORE MINUTES FOR YOUR NON AGENDA ITEM, AND I'M SO SORRY THAT WE MISSED YOUR CARD.
AS FAR AS MY NON AGENDA ITEM, I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT LISTENING ROUNDS ARE GOING TO DO AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE.
WHY DO I ASK THAT QUESTION? IT'S BEEN EXPRESSED TO ME BY MANY, MANY FELLOW PISD PARENTS AND STUDENTS THAT PLANO ISD HAS NOT BEEN LISTENING FOR YEARS REGARDING THEIR CONCERNS ON BULLYING AND HATE CRIMES.
THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN OF MINE.
YOU THREW OUT THESE LISTENING ROUNDS AS A VERY PASSIVE SOLUTION TO SEMARION'S CASE AND Y'ALL HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN LISTENING.
SO WHAT ARE LISTENING ROUNDS IS GOING TO DO NOW? THAT IS THE QUESTION I'M POSING HERE TODAY AND WHAT I WANT Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT.
IS THAT PASSIVE ACTION GOING TO TURN INTO REAL PRODUCTIVE ACTION AND AS DOMINIQUE SAID BEFORE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR ACTION THAT IS PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE.
AGAIN, IF THIS WAS YOUR CHILD, WOULDN'T YOU WANT THERE TO BE MEASURES PUT IN PLACE THAT ARE PREVENTING ALL OF THIS TO HAPPEN TO OUR CHILDREN? WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO FEEL THAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE? AS I AM STANDING OUTSIDE AT HAGGARD WITH MY THREE KIDS AND MY BABY EVERY SCHOOL DAY, I HAVE PARENTS COMING UP TO ME THANKING ME AND THE THREE OR FOUR OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY THERE SAYING I'M SCARED.
I'M SCARED FOR MY CHILD TO BE AT HAGGARD MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND IF YOU READ IN THE ARTICLES IN NEWSPAPERS, YOU HEAR THAT PLANO IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE AFRAID FOR OUR KIDS TO ATTEND PLANO SCHOOLS DUE TO HOW PLANO ISD HANDLES BULLYING.
THAT DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH ME.
IT DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HEARD FROM TODAY AND THAT SAT IN THIS LOBBY WAITING TO HAVE THEIR TURN.
DOES THAT SIT WELL WITH YOU? WHAT IF THIS WAS YOUR CHILD? THANK YOU.
AT THIS POINT, WE ARE ALLOWED TO CORRECT ANY INACCURACIES THAT MIGHT BE SHARED AND DR.
WILLIAMS. COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY TAKE US THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION THAT HAPPENED? YES, MS. RICHARDS.
I'M GOING TO READ SOME NOTES FROM OUR WEBSITE, AND, OF COURSE, I WANT TO SHARE WITH OUR PARENTS AND VIEWERS THAT WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT'S DEDICATED TO RESOLVING ANY COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS HOW TO DIRECT.
AND THERE'S EVEN SOME DIRECT LINKS TO THE CAMPUSES AND AN EASY SEARCH FOR IF IT'S TO A TEACHER OR TO A PRINCIPAL.
AND WE HAVE SHARED THAT IN OUR DAILY COMMUNICATION AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO STATE AS WELL THAT WE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING OUT THERE, WE WANT TO KNOW.
AND THE MORE THE MORE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, THE FASTER WE CAN EXPEDITE ANY INVESTIGATION.
AND SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT WE'RE SHARING WITH FAMILIES AND I WANT TO JUST ECHO THIS AGAIN TONIGHT, THAT IF THERE'S ANY CRIME CONCERN, ASSAULT.
FIRST, IMMEDIATE ACTION, 911 OR YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SECONDLY, THE MORE DETAILS THAT WE HAVE THAT WILL THEN INCITE, AGAIN, A FASTER RESPONSE.
AND SO THE CAMPUS NAME, THE STUDENTS NAME, THE ALLEGED VICTIM, ANY WITNESSES , THE LOCATION, JUST THE MORE INFORMATION THAT CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS HAVE TO BEGIN LOOKING INTO THE INCIDENT WHEN IT OCCURRED WILL HELP GET THE PROCESS UNDERWAY.
THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO HAVE AN ANONYMOUS PISD TIP LINE FOR STUDENTS.
AND ALL OF THAT IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND WE ARE ASKING THAT THAT BE A PLACE TO FORMALLY PUT ANY COMPLAINTS FORWARD.
[01:35:05]
SECONDLY, AS WITH THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND THIS PARTICULAR INVESTIGATION.IT WAS REPORTED AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT TIME LINE, BUT IT WAS REPORTED ON, I BELIEVE, MARCH THE 2ND, WHICH WAS A TUESDAY.
AND THAT BEGAN THE 10 DAY WINDOW AND ACCORDING TO BOARD POLICY, WE HAVE 10 DAYS TO COMPLETE A BULLYING INVESTIGATION.
NOW, THERE WERE TWO PARTS TO THIS INVESTIGATION.
THERE WAS THE THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WITH THE VIDEO.
AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO AN ALLEGATION TO SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST, SO A PRIOR ALLEGATION.
SO WE HAVE REOPENED THE CLAIMS THAT WERE MADE FROM 2019.
WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR THAT IS GOING THROUGH INVESTIGATING THAT PARTICULAR CASE, AN INCIDENT, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR DISTRICT POLICIES, OUR PROCEDURES TO BE AS THOROUGH AS POSSIBLE SO THAT IN OUR FINDINGS, NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING TO BECOME AWARE OF WHETHER THERE WAS.
AN ACT OF WRONGDOING THERE, BUT THEN ALSO ANY POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTION MEASURES THAT WE COULD TAKE GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT IS ONE CASE AND IT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.
BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED IN THE PAST, WE IT'S AS THERE ISN'T A 10 DAY WINDOW OR 15 OR 20 DAY WINDOW, IT'S HOWEVER LONG THAT INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR TAKES TO CONCLUDE THE INVESTIGATION.
NOW, THE CURRENT ONE WAS COMPLETED WITHIN 10 DAYS.
AND AT THE END OF AN INVESTIGATION, NOT ONLY IS THE STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF THE BULLYING OR HARASSMENT, NOT ONLY IS THE PARENT NOTIFIED THAT THE CASE HAS BEEN CONCLUDED AND WHETHER IT WAS SUSTAINED OR UNSUSTAINED OR UNFOUNDED, THAT IS THE INFORMATION THAT THE PARENT RECEIVES.
IF IT IS SUSTAINED, THEN STUDENTS, THE ALLEGED PERPETRATORS OR THE STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE BULLYING AT THAT POINT, THE CAMPUS THEN ASSIGNS DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
AND THOSE STUDENT'S FAMILIES ALSO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION THAT THE INVESTIGATION HAS CONCLUDED.
AND AGAIN, OF COURSE, THEY WOULD BE NOTIFIED IF THERE WERE WHEN THERE'S DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS BECAUSE PARENTS ARE PRESENT AT THOSE CONFERENCES.
THAT IS ALL WITHIN OUR POLICY.
AND AT THIS POINT, THE SECOND CASE WE'VE CONCLUDED, THE 10 DAY PERIOD, ALL PARTIES HAVE BEEN INFORMED.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS INVOLVED.
AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED AND ACTED WITHIN NOT ONLY LEGAL BUT LOCAL POLICY, AS WELL AS FOLLOWING CHAPTER 37 AND THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT.
THANK YOU, DR. WILLIAMS. WE WILL NOW RETURN TO OUR AGENDA, SO THE NEXT DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM
[9.C. Approval of the Recommendation to Send Notice of Proposed Termination to a Chapter 21 Term Contract Employee]
IS THE APPROVAL OF A RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION TO A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.ADMINISTRATION REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION TO A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND A NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION OF A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY CODY WEAVER IN A SECOND BY NANCY HUMPHREY THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION OF A CHAPTER 21 TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0.
SO, DR. BROCKMAN, THAT WAS THE LAST OF THE THREE? YES, MA'AM.
OUR NEXT DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM IS TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE
[9.D. Consider Approval of the Plano ISD Wraparound Service Center – Phase 3]
PLANO ISD WRAPAROUND SERVICE CENTER PHASE THREE.[01:40:01]
MR. MCDOWELL? YES, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.SO MAYBE THIS WILL COME UP ON THE SCREEN.
OK, SO WE'RE BACK TONIGHT FOR THE THIRD DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC.
AND SO ADMINISTRATION WILL BE LOOKING FOR SOME FORMAL GUIDANCE AT THE END OF THIS IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO DO THAT.
AND SO MOST OF THIS IS REALLY JUST HERE TO REMIND YOU OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND SO THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT DEALS WITH COUNSELING AND ACADEMIC PLANNING, STUDENT SERVICES, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL WORK, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS LOOKING FOR A POTENTIAL FACILITY THAT COULD HOUSE ALL OF THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES IN THAT AREA OF THE DISTRICT.
AND SO SOME OF THE FOLLOW UP ITEMS, AGAIN, TO FIND THE SPACE AND LOCATION NEEDS, WE'RE DOWN TO TWO OPTIONS HERE.
WE BELIEVE AS FAR AS THE POTENTIAL SITE.
ONE OF THOSE WOULD BE EVALUATING EXISTING COMMERCIAL AVAILABILITY.
SO SOME PROPERTY THAT ALREADY EXISTS OR COULD BE BUILT THAT COULD HOUSE A FACILITY LIKE THIS.
THE OTHER WOULD BE NEW CONSTRUCTION ON PROPERTY THAT THE DISTRICT ALREADY OWNS, AND THAT WOULD BE THE MAPLE SHADE PROPERTY.
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND THEN ALSO HOPE TO END TODAY WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE POTENTIAL SPACE, AGAIN, YOU HAVE SEEN THIS, BUT LOOKING AT A FACILITY THAT WOULD HAVE AT LEAST THREE CLASSROOM SIZED ROOMS THAT COULD BE MULTIUSE, OBVIOUSLY WOULD HAVE THINGS LIKE CLINICS, CONFERENCE ROOMS, OFFICE SPACE, AND THEN OTHER COMMON AREAS, HALLWAYS, RESTROOMS, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL ROOMS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE AROUND, YOU KNOW, NINE TO ELEVEN THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
AND IF WE DID DECIDE TO BUILD, WE WOULD ENGAGE AN ARCHITECT WHO WOULD HELP US CONTINUE TO REFINE THAT.
THE, AGAIN, THE AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT'S BEEN RECOMMENDED IN DR.
GOBER AND HIS TEAM WHEN THEY'VE EVALUATED THIS IS THAT SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT WHICH IS NEAR THE MAPLE SHADE PROPERTY.
WE ALSO, AS WE DISCUSSED IN THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS TOPIC, WE DID LOCATE ONE POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL LOCATION THAT IRONICALLY IS ALSO ON MAPLE SHADE, EXCEPT IT'S FURTHER EAST AND AROUND THE BEND AND SLIGHTLY SOUTHEAST OF THE PROPERTY THAT THE DISTRICT OWNS.
AND SO THIS FACILITY IS A FACILITY THAT'S ABOUT 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE DID RECEIVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THAT.
AND I'LL TRY TO HIT THOSE BRIEFLY.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE QUESTIONS CAME FROM OUR ATTORNEY ON THE BOARD, MR. STOLLE.
AND SO A COUPLE OF THOSE WERE ABOUT NEGOTIABLE.
I WON'T BRING THAT UP IN A PUBLIC MEETING ON WHAT I FOUND OUT THERE.
WHAT WOULD WE ACTUALLY BE BUYING? AND SO WHAT WE WOULD BE BUYING IS JUST THAT FIRST FLOOR IF WE DID PURCHASE THIS.
THE LAND IS UNDER A LEASE AGREEMENT, AND SO WE NEVER WOULD TAKE TITLE TO THE PROPERTY.
WE WOULD ONLY TAKE TITLE TO THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING.
AGAIN, THE ATTORNEY PROBABLY UNDERSTANDS ALL THIS BETTER THAN I DO AS HE DEALS WITH REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
BUT THAT IS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT I GOT FROM THE REALTOR, WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THE UNDERLYING PROPERTY.
IT'S THE LANDOWNER, THE LANDLORD THAT ACTUALLY BUILT THE BUILDING THAT IS HOUSED ON THE CURRENT SECOND FLOOR.
THEY DO HOLD THE TITLE TO THE ENTIRE FACILITY.
AND SO THEY IN SOME WAYS WOULD BE ANOTHER TENANT.
IN OTHER WAYS, THEY WOULD ALMOST BE A LANDLORD.
ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THIS PROPERTY? THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS THAT IT CAN INCLUDE MANY OF THE THINGS THAT PROPERTIES TYPICALLY EXCLUDE.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY A LOT WITH OUR NEIGHBOR THAT IS GOING TO BECOME A BAR OR A CLUB OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S THOSE RESTRICTIONS IN THERE.
AND SO WE DO FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE USE OF WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS WOULD BE.
PARKING, THERE'S CURRENTLY ABOUT SEVEN SEVEN SPACES PER THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
THERE IS ADDITIONAL PROPERTY THERE TO BUILD ANOTHER 10,000 FOOT STRUCTURE.
IF THEY DECIDED TO DO THAT, THEY DIDN'T CLARIFY.
IF THEY DID, WOULD THAT BE JUST 10,000 OR WOULD IT BE MULTISTORY? BUT IT'S A FOOTPRINT FOR ABOUT A BUILDING ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS THIS TWO STORY BUILDING.
AND THEY MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IN THEIR RESPONSE THAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT A SINGLE STORY.
BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY GUARANTEES OF THAT, NOR IS THAT COMPLETELY CLEAR.
THERE ARE ASSOCIATION DUES, WHICH ISN'T UNCOMMON, THAT WOULD COVER THINGS LIKE
[01:45:02]
LANDSCAPING, THE OTHER, SOME MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR ITEMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.WE ALSO RECEIVED THE QUESTION ABOUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND EACH ONE OF THE MEETINGS, BUT WOULD IT BE CONSIDERED E OCCUPANCY? WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE UNTIL THAT GOES TO THE CITY FOR PERMITTING.
BUT IN TALKING TO SOME OTHERS, WE FEEL STRONGER THAT NO, IT WOULDN'T BE CATEGORIZED AS E OCCUPANCY, WHETHER IT WAS THIS BUILDING OR WHETHER IT WAS THE BUILDING THAT WE BUILT ON MAPLE SHADE.
THOSE WON'T FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY, WHICH WOULD MEAN THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A STORM SHELTER GENERATOR, ALL THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT GO WITH THAT.
THE THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS IS NOT FOR EDUCATION.
IT'S NOT TO BRING STUDENTS AND EDUCATE THEM LIKE A REGULAR CLASSROOM.
AND SO WE DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO FALL UNDER THAT.
SO THOSE ARE A FEW OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I RECEIVED, THE MAJORITY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I RECEIVED.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OFF OF THOSE QUESTIONS? IS IT OUR TIME TO TALK? BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO SAY I WAS YOU KNOW, I APPEARED TO BE ONE OF THE LAST HOLDOUTS LAST TIME IN TERMS AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND I DID WANT AND I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSES AND THE DILIGENCE AND GOING BACK THROUGH THERE, YOU KNOW.
I REALLY WANTED TO WEIGH THE TWO DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN BUYING A PROPERTY AND GETTING IN THERE AND OFFERING THE SERVICES AND GETTING THINGS GOING VERSUS BUILDING, I THINK AFTER STUDYING IT FOR TWO WEEKS, AFTER LOOKING AT YOUR RESPONSES, I'M REALLY MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE DALLAS PROPERTY AND BUILDING.
AND IF THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION, I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE A REAL HANG UP ON, NOT A HANG UP AT ALL.
BUT THE REALLY DRAGGING CONCERN FOR ME IS THAT DALLAS IS A NIGHTMARE TO DEAL WITH IN GETTING PERMITS.
AND I ASKED SOME OF MY PARTNERS, WHO DO THEY DO THIS FOR A LIVING ABOUT THE PROCESS? AND THEY SAID IT'S INSANELY DIFFICULT.
THERE ARE PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT HAVE A COTTAGE INDUSTRY AND GETTING YOUR PERMITS THROUGH.
AND SO THAT NEEDS TO BE THAT KIND OF EXPECTATION NEEDS TO BE BUILT INTO OUR PLANNING.
IT MAY NOT GO AS QUICKLY AS WE THINK IT WILL, BUT EVEN WITH THAT WEIGHING THAT SIDE OF THE EQUATION FOR ME, I THINK A COMMENT HEATHER MADE AT THE LAST AT OUR WORK SESSION WHERE SHE SAID, I DON'T LIKE TO SHARE, I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST THAT WEIGHED A LOT WITH ME AS WELL.
AND I DON'T WANT TO BE A CONDO OWNER WITH SOMEBODY ELSE, ESPECIALLY WITH SOMEBODY WHO OWNS WHERE THE GUY WHO RUNS THE REGIME IS OUR UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOR AND COULD BUILD ANOTHER BUILDING IF HE WANTED.
IT'S NOT AS IDEAL A SITE AS THE DALLAS SITE.
THE DALLAS SITE HAS MUCH BETTER ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S CLOSER TO THAT SOUTHWEST QUADRANT WHERE WE HAVE A HEAVIER NEED.
I THINK IT'S EASIER TO GET TO.
SO I THINK I'VE DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE ON THIS AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, WITH GOING FORWARD WITH THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT I WROTE DOWN, CAN'T CONTROL THE SHARED SPACE, DR.
WANG, YOUR COMMENTS FROM TWO WEEKS AGO CLEARLY STAYED WITH ALL OF US.
WE'RE GIVING YOU ALL THE CREDIBILITY ON THAT ONE.
YOU KNOW, HEARING DAVID, I ALSO THINK THAT THE DALLAS, BECAUSE THERE'S MORE LAND THERE AND ALLOWS FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR A LONG TERM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BOARD WILL LOOK LIKE OR WHATEVER OUR SITUATION WILL LOOK LIKE IN 20, 30 YEARS.
BUT I'M HOPING THE BOARD AT THAT TIME WILL LOOK AT US AS HAVING SOME FORETHOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME FLEXIBILITY AND ABILITY TO MAYBE SERVE STUDENTS MORE OR BE ABLE TO USE THE PROPERTY IN A WAY THAT WILL BENEFIT THE DISTRICT LONG TERM.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO LEVERAGE THAT ASSET AS BEST WE CAN.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIME, BUT I THINK THAT FOR THE LONG TIME, WHICH IS WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT, THIS IS I'M GOOD WITH DALLAS.
WELL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE AND FINDING THAT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT WAS AVAILABLE.
AND THAT WAS A UNIQUE WIN THERE.
BUT I FEEL LIKE I'VE HAD MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
I THINK MY ONLY CONCERN REALLY ABOUT THE MAPLE SHADE PROPERTY THAT WE CURRENTLY OWN IS THE SIZE OF IT AND THE NEED TO PERHAPS PARCEL IT OFF AT SOME POINT.
SO I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE WE PLACE OUR BUILDING AND WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE.
WELL, WHAT WE ANTICIPATE DOING WITH ANY EXCESS LAND, THAT'S A CONCERN I HAVE.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING AN UP AND RUNNING BY
[01:50:01]
THE FALL CENTER, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT ESTIMATED COMPLETION OF DECEMBER 2022.AND I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THAT, NEGOTIATING WITH A COTTAGE INDUSTRY TO HELP US GET OUR PERMITS.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE REMAINDER PIECE OF THE MAPLE SHADE PROPERTY.
I'D LIKE TO OFFER MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU TOUCHED ON.
FIRST, IN TERMS OF THE SPACE, I KNOW LAST TIME WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT, I HAD EXPRESSED THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE WISEST TO PUT THE PROPERTY ON THE LEAST DESIRABLE PART OF THE OF THE LAND FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SELLING IT DOWN THE ROAD.
I THINK THAT'S STILL MAYBE A GOOD IDEA, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER THAT WE BOUGHT THIS LAND TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
WE DIDN'T DO IT OUT OF SPECULATION.
WE DIDN'T DO IT TO MAKE MONEY ON IT SOME DAY.
WE BOUGHT IT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE COULD USE THAT LAND SOME DAY TO HELP SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE PUTTING THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY OR WE'RE CONSIDERING PUTTING THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY WHERE IT IS BECAUSE WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO SERVE THE MOST NEEDS AND THAT THAT'S AN UNDERSERVED AREA AND COMMUNITY.
I HAVE TO ASSUME, AND I COULD BE WRONG, THAT AREAS THAT ARE CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, UNDERSERVED ALSO LACK PARKS AND OTHER GREEN SPACES.
I THINK IF IT'S POSSIBLE AND IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT KEEPING THIS LAND AND IF WE WANT TO KEEP THE PEOPLE WE'RE SERVING IN MIND, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING HERE, THAT THAT LAND, RATHER THAN SELLING IT OFF AND PUTTING SOME MONEY IN OUR POCKET, MIGHT BE BETTER SERVED AS PROVIDING A PARK OR SOME TYPE OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITY CENTER FOR THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA, THE FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING TO COME TO THOSE THAT SERVICE BUILDING FOR WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THAT LAND IS USED AND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROPERTY AND MAYBE PUTTING IT IN A PRIME LOCATION AND MAKING IT THE FOCAL POINT OF THE PROPERTY AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, A PARK THAT SERVES OUR COMMUNITY MIGHT BE A BETTER IDEA AND MIGHT BE MORE PURPOSEFUL AND INTENTIONAL FOR WHY WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW MANY PEOPLE IN THIS BOARD HAVE SAID IT.
I'M NOT THE FIRST I'M PROBABLY THE LAST PERSON TO SAY THIS, THAT WE DIDN'T BUY THIS FOR LAND SPECULATION.
WE DIDN'T BUY IT TO ENRICH THE DISTRICT.
WE BOUGHT IT TO ENRICH OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE SERVICES.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD USE THAT LAND TO THE MAX THAT WE CAN TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT DALLAS CITY IS VERY INTERESTED IN THAT PIECE OF LAND, IF EVER WE WANT TO PARK THERE, I MEAN, WE CAN COOPERATE WITH THEM, MAYBE LET THEM BUILD THE PARK OR JUST LIKE THE FRANKFORD LOCATION.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, BRAINSTORMING HERE.
BUT IF WE EVER COME TO THAT, I MEAN, I AGREE WITH SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, PUT IT IN THE LEAST IN CASE WE'RE GOING TO SELL, BUT IT'S PUTTING IN THAT IN THE LEAST DESIRABLE LOCATION.
DOESN'T MEAN WE'VE TURNED THE CORNER.
WE NEED OF COURSE, WE NEED LIKE VISIBILITY ROAD FRONTAGE.
AND YEAH, THE PURPOSE IS TO SERVE THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
IT'S NOT PURELY TO SAVE MONEY.
I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T LIKE TO SHARE.
SO THE ONLY THING MORE DIFFICULT THAN BUILDING THE PROPERTY IN DALLAS IS TRYING TO GET THEM TO DO IT WITH YOU.
I MEAN, IF IT'S A PARK AND THEY MAINTAIN IT, AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO SAVE THE DISTRICT MONEY AND TO LET THEM PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BAD IDEA AT ALL.
IT'S A GIVE AND TAKE IS NOT YET.
YOU KNOW, RANDY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE WRAPAROUND, EXPANSION OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
AND THIS CONSTRUCTION IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR, BECAUSE THE THING WAS THAT WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS BROUGHT ON THE PURPOSE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND IT SHOULD BE USED FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I WANTED TO TOUCH ON ONE MORE THING.
YOU SAID YOU HAD A CONCERN, A VERY VALID CONCERN THAT WITH THE PROLONGED AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO BUILD THIS AND GET THE PERMITTING THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT TAKES THAT THAT'S THE TIME, THAT'S SERVICES ARE NOT NECESSARILY BEING PROVIDED OR THAT THOSE FAMILIES HAVE TO GO TO OUR OTHER SERVICE CENTER.
THAT AND SO WHAT I WOULD POINT OUT IS RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING.
THEY'RE ALREADY GOING OVER THERE.
AND ALSO WE'RE TRYING TO YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL WANTING THIS TO BE AN INTENTIONAL, PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR THAT AREA.
AND SO I WOULD SAY EVEN IF IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, THAT THE FAMILIES IT'S GOING TO SERVE ARE GOING TO BE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT WE DID IT RIGHT AND WE DIDN'T CUT ANY CORNERS AND THAT THEY FEEL WE TOOK THEIR NEEDS INTO CONSIDERATION AND THEY GOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED, NOT WHAT WAS EASY FOR THE DISTRICT, BUT WHAT WAS RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT'S A COMMUNITY THAT'S VERY FOCUSED ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY NEED OR WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE THINKS THEY NEED.
[01:55:03]
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK DOING THIS RIGHT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT THIS.WE ONLY OWN ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY TO DO THIS.
AND IF IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, THAT'S DIFFICULT.
BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO APPRECIATE THE END PRODUCT.
I COULD, TOO, ALSO REMIND THAT THE PHASE TWO OF WRAPAROUND IS THE MOBILE SO THAT'S ALSO IN PROGRESS, SO THAT COULD GET US THROUGH AN INTERIM, EVEN AN EXTENDED INTERIM.
THAT'S EVEN MORE REASON TO DO IT RIGHT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WASTE TIME ON THIS [INAUDIBLE].
SO IT MIGHT BE PAINFUL TO WAIT THAT LONG, I MEAN, TO WORK WITH DALLAS, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE WORTH IT.
SARA, I THINK I WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY ASK YOU ABOUT THE PHASE TWO AS WELL, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE, IF WE COULD EXPEDITE THAT TO GET THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, A MOBILE UNIT THAT CAN BE OVER IN THAT AREA AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO ALLEVIATE THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON TIMING OR AT LEAST IT'LL MITIGATE THAT.
DR. GOBER, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT OR NOT REALLY? WELL, FIRST, LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK THIS CONVERSATION IS JUST WELCOMED AND LONG OVERDUE, I THINK, FOR OUR DISTRICT AS WELL.
I DO WANT TO GO TO MR. WEAVER'S COMMENT AND I HESITATE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR DOUBTING GOBER.
BUT I JUST I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE ARE TURNING OVER A LARGE PART OF THE STUDENT FAMILY COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM.
AND SO FOR ME, KNOWING WE HAVE ABOUT TWO YEARS TO SORT OF REDEFINE OURSELVES, REDEFINE OUR SERVICES, FINE-TUNE THE THINGS WE'RE DOING AND EXPANDING.
TO ME, THAT'S COMFORTING TO KNOW WE HAVE THAT TIME BEFORE WE TRY TO DUPLICATE IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AND JUST ECHO WHAT YOU SAID.
NO, I'M I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
I MEAN, THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS HAVE US PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT PREPARED FOR, BUT ALSO THAT YOU KNOWING THAT IT'S IN THE PIPELINE, YOU ARE PREPARING FOR IT AND THAT IT STAYS INTENTIONAL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD SOMETHING AND PREPARE SOMETHING FOR THE CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE THINKING ABOUT AND PLANNING FOR THAT.
SO IF IT TAKES SOME TIME, I'M GLAD THAT THE TIMELINE WILL ALIGN WITH THAT AND BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE MOBILE LAB, MR. TANNER AND I ARE GOING OUT THERE ON FRIDAY.
WE HAVE SCHEDULED TO GO FRIDAY, SORT OF DO AN EVALUATION OF OUR CURRENT MOBILE UNIT, SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO ENHANCE IT.
AND THEN WE TALKED TO RANDY AND HAD HIM FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
SO ONE FINAL THING FOR ME ON THIS, AND THIS IS NOT A DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE TONIGHT, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THIS OUT THERE, BECAUSE I BROUGHT THIS UP A COUPLE OF TIMES.
I'D LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER PAYING FOR THIS WITH FUND BALANCE AS OPPOSED TO DRAWING DOWN ANY MORE BOND MONEY.
AND I THINK IT GOES THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS WHY, BUT ONE OF WHICH IS WE HAVE THE FUND BALANCE TO DO THIS, TO PAY CASH INSTEAD OF TAKING OUT DEBT.
BUT TWO, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN WE TOOK IT OUT, WHEN WE HAD THOSE BONDS APPROVED, THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE DEAL.
AND SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO OUR FOLKS NEXT TIME WE NEED TO BOND AND TELL THEM WE USE THE BOND DOLLARS.
EXACTLY HOW WE TOLD YOU WE WERE GOING TO USE THOSE DOLLARS.
AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE, IF IT DIDN'T MATCH UP, WE DIDN'T USE BOND DOLLARS.
I THINK IT'S MORE PRUDENT THING TO DO.
I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN TERMS OF FINANCES, AND I THINK WE CAN AFFORD IT.
SO, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A CONVERSATION FOR RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AS A BOARD AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
[INAUDIBLE] I THINK THE ORIGINAL FOURTH EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER HAD A WRAPAROUND SERVICES ELEMENT TO IT, BUT IT WASN'T WHEN THAT LAND WAS PURCHASED, WHEN THE BOND WAS OUT.
IT WAS PURELY JUST A WRAP AROUND SERVICE BUILDING.
SO FOR THAT REASON AND FOR THE FINANCIAL PURPOSES AND FOR THE FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, I AGREE WE HAVE THE MONEY AND THE FUND BALANCE IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR THINGS LIKE THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN GOING THAT ROUTE.
JUST TO INTERJECT, THE PROPERTY WAS NOT BOUGHT WITH TWENTY SIXTEEN THOUSAND BOND DOLLARS.
IT WAS BOUGHT WITH REMNANTS FROM 2008.
SO THAT PROPERTY WAS NOT BOUGHT WITH ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE PROMISED TO THE TAXPAYERS.
I DO THINK THERE MAY BE A BLEND SOLUTION IF WE CAN LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE OF THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE FROM THE EARLY CHILDHOOD THAT HAD WRAP AROUND BECAUSE THOSE BONDS DOLLARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN AUTHORIZED.
AND SEE, THERE MAY BE SOME BLEND USING BOND THAT WAS GOING TO SUPPORT THE
[02:00:02]
WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND FUND BALANCE FOR THE REMAINDER.BUT I JUST I WANT TO KEEP REPEATING THAT, THAT THAT PROPERTY WAS NOT BOUGHT WITH ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE EXCEPT TO SERVE STUDENTS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, I MEAN, I'M GLAD TO HEAR DR.
GOBER SAY THAT TWO YEARS IS A GOOD WINDOW FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO PLAN AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT DONE, BUT IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY OR WHERE IS THE STAGE OF OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT AND CONSIDER THE COMPLETE POTENTIAL OF WHAT THAT SITE COULD BE LONG, LONG TERM? I MEAN, NOT.
IT'S OPTIONS, I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT IN THE PLANNING PROCESS OR WE JUST WORRY ABOUT THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES NOW AND THEN JUST SEE LATER.
YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE LET'S FOCUS ON WHERE ON THAT LAND.
WOULD IT MAKE MOST SENSE TO SIT AND THEN WHAT PORTION OF THE LAND DOES THAT LEAVE? AND THAT I MEAN, I WOULDN'T WANT TO TRY TO PUT THOSE DECISIONS TOGETHER BECAUSE THAT WILL SLOW THE WHOLE THING DOWN AGAIN.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN, IS IT WOULD BE A FURTHER DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER POINT IN TIME.
SO, RANDY, AS THE WE ENGAGE, ASSUMING THE VOTE GOES TODAY, IF WE WERE TO ENGAGE AN ARCHITECT AT THE NEXT STEP AND THE ARCHITECT WOULD ALSO LOOK AT THE SITE, THE SITE PLAN, HOW YOU MIGHT USE IT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO FIRST THEY WOULD GO IN THERE AND LOOK AT PROGRAMING OF THE FACILITY AND SEE HOW MANY SQUARE FEET DO THEY THINK WE NEED.
THEN THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT CODE AND HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE DICTATED BY THAT IS A MINIMUM AMOUNT.
AND SO THEN WE'VE GOT MORE OF A FOOTPRINT THAT NOW WE CAN START PLACING.
WE'VE DONE SOME ROUGH RENDERINGS OF THAT, BUT THEY'RE IN HOUSE.
AND SO WE'D REALLY LIKE FOR THE ARCHITECT TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.
AND WE CAN BRING THAT BACK PROBABLY EVEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
BUT I AGREE WITH WHAT SARA SAID.
AS FAR AS THE OTHER PROPERTY, IT'S IT'S VALUABLE PROPERTY.
AND I'D HATE TO RUSH THE DECISION OF HOW TO USE IT JUST BECAUSE, NEEDS TO DEVELOP OVER TIME.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED, THEN MAYBE SOMETHING WILL COME ALONG.
OH, WELL, WE STILL HAVE THAT PROPERTY OVER THERE AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO USE IT FOR.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO SAY I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT.
AND OF COURSE, AS VIEWS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD CHANGED , VIEWING THE PAPER RECENTLY, THERE'S DISCUSSION OF EVEN, YOU KNOW, THREE YEAR OLDS THAT COULD BE FUNDED.
SO AT SOME POINT WE MAY HAVE NEED FOR THE REST OF WHAT WE'D ORIGINALLY INTENDED THERE.
AND SO I THINK CERTAINLY MAKES SENSE TO USE THE ARCHITECT'S DIRECTION.
WE DON'T WANT TO PLOP IN THE MIDDLE AND PRECLUDE OPTIONS, SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS HAVE ABOUT THIS? NO.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION I MADE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DIRECTS THE ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A PLAN AND A TIMELINE TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING TO SUPPORT THE PLANO ISD WRAPAROUND SERVICES IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT ON THE MAPLE SHADE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE DISTRICT.
OK, I HAVE A MOTION BY JERI CHAMBERS, A SECOND BY RANDY MCDOWELL.
THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DIRECTS THE ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A PLAN AND A TIMELINE TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING TO SUPPORT THE PLANO ISD WRAPAROUND SERVICES IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT ON THE MAPLE SHADE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE DISTRICT.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0.
I'M GOING TO TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, THERE'S A QUOTE IT'S A GREAT QUOTE ABOUT SOCIETY GROWS GREAT WHEN OLD MEN PLANT TREES IN WHOSE SHADE, THEY WILL NEVER SIT.
AND SO I THINK THAT APPLIES HERE.
SOCIETY GROWS WHEN OLD TRUSTEES PLANT A TREE WHERE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SIT, BUT IT WILL BENEFIT CHILDREN.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A PROJECT SPANNING ALMOST TWO DECADES FOR ME, SUPPORTING THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT.
AND SO I'M THRILLED WITH THE LEADERSHIP THAT MRS. BONSER AND DR.
WILLIAMS AND DR. GOBER HAVE DEMONSTRATED, BECAUSE THIS SHOWS HOW WE DO VALUE ALL CHILDREN .
HOW WE LOOK TO HAVE CREATIVE RESOURCES FOR ALL KIDS AND OUR FAMILIES SO ALL KIDS CAN HAVE BOTH ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL SUCCESS.
AND SO, MS. BONSER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE, DR.
I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO I WANT TO THANK YOU, TAMMY, FOR BEING OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, FOR ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING OUR WRAPAROUND SERVICES THIS YEAR AND ALSO BECAUSE OF YOUR PERSISTENCE IN MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROPERTY WAS USED FOR OUR STUDENTS.
[02:05:01]
OUR FINAL ITEM FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION IS APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OPERATING PROTOCOL SECTION REVISIONS, AS PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION ON MARCH THE[9.E. Approval of Board Operating Protocol Section Revisions]
2ND, 2021, MAY HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE REVISIONS OF THE FOLLOWING BROAD OPERATING PROTOCOL SECTIONS, CONTACT WITH CAMPUS' AUDIT COMMITTEE, CHARTER AND RESPONSIBILITIES, DISTRICT PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES IN DEVELOPMENT, ADOPTION OF BUDGET AS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE PRESENTED IN CLOSED SESSION MARCH 2ND, 2021.I HAVE A MOTION BY ANGELA POWELL, A SECOND BY CODY WEAVER, THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES THE REVISIONS TO THE FOLLOWING BOARD OPERATING PROTOCOL SECTIONS, CONTACT WITH CAMPUS' AUDIT COMMITTEE, CHARTER RESPONSIBILITIES, DISTRICT PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES AND DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF A BUDGET AS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE AND PRESENTED IN CLOSED SESSION ON MARCH THE 2ND, 2021.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WE'LL NOW PROCEED TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 7-0, THANK YOU.
THE BOARD WILL NOW CONSIDER ACTION ON POLICIES.
DR. WILLIAMS WILL PRESENT THE ADOPTION OF TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS
[10.A. Adoption of Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Localized Policy Manual Update 116 Affecting (LOCAL) Policies on Second Reading]
TASB LOCALIZED POLICY MANUAL UPDATE 116 AFFECTING LOCAL POLICIES ON SECOND READING.UPDATE 116 WAS REVIEWED BY DISTRICT STAFF AND LOCAL COUNCIL, LOCAL POLICIES INCLUDED IN THE DATA PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION OR SECOND READING THIS EVENING EXHIBITS.
REGULATIONS REVIEWED ARE, AS PART OF THE UPDATE, RESULTED IN REVISIONS TO DH EXHIBIT FFAC REGULATION AND THE ADDITION OF FFAC EXHIBIT, AS INCLUDED IN THE UPDATE PACKET.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADDS REVISES OR DELETES LOCAL POLICIES AS RECOMMENDED BY TASB POLICY SERVICE AND ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR TASB LOCALIZED POLICY MANUAL UPDATE 116 ON SECOND READING.
I HAVE A MOTION BY CODY WEAVER, A SECOND BY JERI CHAMBERS AT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
AS REVISES OR DELETES LOCAL POLICIES AS RECOMMENDED BY TASB POLICY SERVICE AND ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR TASB LOCALIZED POLICY MANUAL UPDATE 116 ON SECOND READING.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0, THANK YOU.
THE BOARD WILL NOW HEAR REPORTS FIRST WE WILL HEAR FROM SUPERINTENDENT BONSER
[11.A. Advocacy Efforts for the 87th Texas Legislative Session]
REGARDING ADVOCACY EFFORTS FOR THE 87TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.SUPERINTENDENT BONSER? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.
IT'S MY PLEASURE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE TRISHA WINDHAM.
TRISHA IS HERE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE BILLS OF THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WE ARE WATCHING AND FOLLOWING AND TO TALK ABOUT OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
SO I WILL TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO TRISHA.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
FEELS LIKE LAST SESSION WAS JUST YESTERDAY.
OK, IS THIS MY CLICKER? WE KNOW HOW TO WORK IT? YEP.
I'M NOT SURE WE'RE HEARING YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME AT ALL? NO? MY RED LIGHT'S ON.
NOW, CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, YEAH.
WELL, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR HAVING ME.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS TRISHA WINDHAM AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS YOUR PUBLIC POLICY CONSULTANT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON WHO I AM, WHAT MY FIRM DOES FOR PLANO ISD, AND THEN AN OVERVIEW ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ONGOING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO QUICKLY, MY PARTNER, KATIE O'BRIEN AND I MANAGE TRINITY PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
WE'RE A FULL SERVICE PUBLIC POLICY CONSULTING SHOP.
OUR FOCUS IS ON LOCAL AND STATE ADVOCACY, AND WE REPRESENT A VARIETY OF CLIENTS THROUGHOUT NORTH TEXAS AND THE DALLAS AREA WITH THE FOCUS ON BUSINESS ISSUES, QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, AND PARTICULARLY PUBLIC EDUCATION.
I HAVE WORKED IN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, PUBLIC POLICY FOR ABOUT A DOZEN YEARS HERE IN NORTH TEXAS, AND KATIE WORKED IN AUSTIN FOR A SENATOR FOR SIX YEARS AND HAS BEEN BACK HOME FOR ABOUT FIVE.
SHE WORKS ON LOCAL ADVOCACY LARGELY SO THAT'S WHO WE ARE.
THIS IS OUR SECOND LEGISLATIVE SESSION WORKING WITH PLANO ISD.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR THE MORE THAN 7000 BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED SO FAR THIS SESSION AND DETERMINE WHICH OF THEM IMPACT THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL PASSED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
[02:10:02]
WE HAVE OF THE HUNDREDS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED WITH ABOUT TWO HUNDRED BILLS THAT WE VIEW AS POTENTIAL PRIORITIES FOR PLANO ISD THAT WE MONITOR ON A DAILY BASIS.A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS AND JUST SORT OF INTERNALLY HOW IT WORKS AS BILLS BEGIN TO MOVE.
IT'S MY JOB TO REACH OUT TO A LEADERSHIP TEAM, TO SARA, TO RANDY, TO THERESA.
SHARE WITH THEM THE BILLS UNDERSTAND WHETHER THE IMPACT TO PLANO ISD IS SIGNIFICANT, WHETHER IT'S POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.
AND FROM THEIR FEEDBACK, WE USUALLY FORMULATE A PLAN ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE LEGISLATION.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AS BILLS PROGRESS.
I TAKE THEIR FEEDBACK AND HELP DEVELOP POSITION STATEMENTS, WHETHER THAT'S WRITTEN TESTIMONY THAT WE SUBMIT TO COMMITTEES OR LETTERS, EMAILS, PHONE CALLS.
DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SITUATION CALLS FOR.
I THINK MY SECOND MAJOR PRIORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLANO ISD IS JUST TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS ARE EFFECTIVE AROUND ADVOCACY.
SO PLANO ISD IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A RESPONSIBLE, RESPONSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE DELEGATION.
AND WE WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF PLANO ISD'S PRIORITIES AND THAT THEY HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE AS THEY NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THEMSELVES.
AND WE ALSO WORK THROUGH WITH THE LEGISLATURE THROUGHOUT.
SO EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE, PARTICULARLY ON THE COMMITTEES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HEAR US AND ARE AWARE WHEN WE'RE WATCHING BILLS.
I REALLY VIEW MY ROLE AS WITH YOU ALL IS TO FACILITATE AND HELP MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES THAT YOU CAN BE FOR YOUR DISTRICT.
A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ON THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WE ARE NOT SHORT ON HEADLINES THIS SESSION.
WE STARTED WITH ANOTHER NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE SPEAKER DADE PHELAN, GOT TO WORK REALLY QUICKLY.
THERE WAS NOT A DELAY IN COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
AND WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW SOME NEW CHAIRS AND COMMITTEES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US, PARTICULARLY HOUSE PUBLIC EDUCATION, NEW CHAIRMAN, JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS IN A DIFFERENT PRIORITY.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING TO KNOW HIM.
WE ALSO STARTED WITH, AS YOU'LL RECALL, PROBABLY LAST YEAR AS THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, THE COMPTROLLER RELEASED BUDGET FORECASTS THAT HAD ALL OF US REALLY WORRIED THAT THIS SESSION WAS GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON BUDGET CUTS.
AND AFTER THE LANDMARK LEGISLATION OF HOUSE BILL THREE FROM THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT PUT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL MONEY INTO PUBLIC EDUCATION, THE FEAR WAS THAT WITH A DOWNTURN AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, THAT WE WERE NO LONGER GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND THOSE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.
AS THE PANDEMIC AND THE DOWNTURN PROGRESSED, THE BUDGET CONTINUED TO IMPROVE EACH AND EVERY TIME WE HEARD AN UPDATE.
IT'S LARGELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW COLLECTING ONLINE SALES TAX REVENUE, WHICH WAS A FIX THAT THE LEGISLATURE ENACTED LAST SESSION.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR IT BECAUSE IT HAS REALLY ENDED THE BUDGET IN A PLACE WHERE IT'S NOT ZERO SUM, BUT WE'RE CLOSE TO IT.
SO WITH THE FIVE PERCENT AGENCY CUTS THAT THE GOVERNOR ASKED FOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WE BASICALLY MET OUR BUDGET FOR THIS LAST BIENNIUM AND ARE ABLE TO FUND MOVING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUTS.
AND I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS IN A SECOND, BUT FUND FOR GROWTH AS WELL.
SO IT'S ALSO JUST A DIFFERENT FEEL, THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH ALL THE COVID PRECAUTIONS, A LOT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS FOCUSED ON RELATIONSHIPS.
AND SO IT'S SEEING PEOPLE IN THE HALL.
AND THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AMONGST LEGISLATORS THEMSELVES, BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND GETTING THINGS DONE.
AND SO COVID'S REALLY DISRUPTED SORT OF THE NATURAL FLOW OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THE FIRST HALF A SESSION WAS STRANGELY QUIET AND SOMEWHAT SLOW.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF ADJUSTED TO THE NEW PROTOCOLS AND GOTTEN USED TO THE SOCIAL DISTANCING, THE PUBLIC HEALTH PRECAUTIONS LIKE MASKS.
THERE'S VOTING OFF THE FLOOR AND COVID TESTING BEFORE YOU ENTER THE CAPITOL.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE HIT OUR STRIDE.
NOW, THE LEGISLATURE HAS FULL COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND FULL AGENDAS ON THE HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR MOST DAYS.
THEN ANOTHER BIG ONE IS THE DELAYED CENSUS DATA.
I THINK THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING IN HINDSIGHT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A SAVING GRACE BECAUSE THE CENSUS DATA WAS DELAYED AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON REDISTRICTING, WHICH IS AN ENORMOUS, ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND VERY CONTROVERSIAL EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, EVERY DECADE WHEN THEY HAVE TO DO IT, WE KNOW THAT THAT DATA IS GOING TO BE DELAYED AND WILL NOT BE DELIVERED TO THE LEGISLATURE PROBABLY UNTIL THIS SUMMER.
SO WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION, MOST LIKELY LATE SUMMER, TO DEAL WITH REDISTRICTING.
AND THEN LAST IS THE WINTER STORM CRISIS.
THIS HAS REALLY TAKEN A LOT OF FOCUS THIS SESSION, RIGHTLY SO.
OBVIOUSLY, NO ONE SAW THAT COMING.
AND BOTH HOUSE AND THE SENATE, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR, HAVE HIGHLY
[02:15:03]
PRIORITIZED LEGISLATIVE REMEDIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE THE PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.SO, LIKE I SAID, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE SPECIAL SESSION.
I'VE HEARD RUMORS WHICH THIS IS THE POINT IN THE SESSION WHERE WE ALL TALK ABOUT RUMORS OF WHETHER THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL SESSION THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE WINTER STORM BILLS WON'T BE ABLE TO BE WRAPPED UP IN TIME.
AND WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, SPECIAL SESSIONS ARE CAN ONLY BE CALLED BY THE GOVERNOR FOR 30 DAYS AT A TIME.
AND HE CAN PUT ANYTHING HE WANTS ON THE CALL.
SO IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ONE FOR REDISTRICTING, IT MAY JUST FOCUS ON REDISTRICTING OR IT MAY FOCUS ON ANY OTHER PRIORITY THAT HE FEELS LIKE WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE REGULAR SESSION.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO KIND OF HARD TO BELIEVE.
BUT WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT SLOW DOWN DEADLINES FOR THE END OF SESSION.
SO I PUT A COUPLE UP THERE THAT ARE OF NOTE APRIL 29TH.
IF A HOUSE BILL HAS NOT YET BEEN VOTED OUT OF A HOUSE COMMITTEE, THAT'S, AT THAT POINT.
ALL OF THOSE BILLS ARE NO LONGER MOVING IN AND ARE DEAD.
HOUSE BILLS HAVE THERE MUST HAVE A SECOND READING IN THE HOUSE BY MAY 13TH.
SENATE BILLS HAVE A SECOND READING IN THE HOUSE BY MAY 25TH AND THEN FINAL DAY OF SESSION AND SIGNING DAY IS MAY 31ST.
SO RAPIDLY APPROACHING END OF SESSION.
NEXT, I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE TRACKING CLOSE TO TWO HUNDRED BILLS FOR YOU, BUT I PULLED OUT A COUPLE OF KEY BILLS TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
SCHOOL FINANCE IS YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
AND I PULLED OUT A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
AND REALLY, THIS IS THE BIGGEST PRIORITY THIS SESSION BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO MUCH DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDING AND THE FEDERAL AID.
SO THIS IS OUR BIGGEST BUCKET, I WOULD SAY, OF BILLS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE'RE MONITORING.
SENATE BILL ONE, THE SENATE'S VERSION OF THE BUDGET WAS PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE LAST WEEK AND WAS JUST PASSED ON THE SENATE FLOOR TODAY.
SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT BUDGET MAINTAIN FUNDING FOR HB THREE AND ACTUALLY INCLUDED FUNDING FOR ENROLLMENT GROWTH.
I THINK IT WAS THREE POINT ONE BILLION AND ANOTHER BILLION FOR THE CONTINUED TAX COMPRESSION.
THAT WAS ALL PART OF THAT HOUSE BILL THREE PACKAGE LAST YEAR.
THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BILL CONTINUES TO WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW.
THE TWO VERSIONS, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, ARE ABOUT TWO BILLION DOLLARS APART WITH THE SENATE'S BEING THE LOWER.
IT'S ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN SEVENTEEN BILLION DOLLARS FOR THEIR TOTAL BUDGET.
BOTH OF THOSE THE SENATE'S ARE ABOUT FIVE BILLION DOLLARS BEYOND WHAT THE COMPTROLLER SAID WAS AVAILABLE FOR FUNDING.
SO AS THEY CONTINUE TO WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH, THERE WILL BE CUTS TO THOSE BUDGETS.
BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF PART OF THE PROCESS.
THE SENATE BILL DOES NOT ADDRESS THE FEDERAL AID THAT I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT'S BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO TEXAS AS PART OF THE LATEST AID PACKAGE FROM THE PANDEMIC.
THERE HAS BEEN 17 BILLION DOLLARS SENT TO TEXAS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS SINCE DECEMBER.
AND THE CONVERSATION IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW IS REALLY WHAT TO DO WITH THAT FUNDING.
WHETHER THERE WILL BE STRINGS ATTACHED.
AND IF THEY DO ACCEPT IT, HOW DO THEY DISTRIBUTE IT? FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT STANDPOINT, I THINK THE CONCERN IS WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL USE THAT MONEY TO SUPPLANT THEIR OWN BUDGET, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS DEPOSITING IT.
AND INSTEAD OF INCREASING THE BUDGET THAT GOES TO PUBLIC EDUCATION USING SOME OF THE ORIGINALLY INTENDED STATE FUNDS FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET DOES HAVE A RIDER ON IT RIGHT NOW THAT PROHIBITS THE USE OF FEDERAL AID TO SUPPLANT STATE EDUCATION FUNDING.
WE'LL SEE IF THAT REMAINS AS IT CONTINUES TO WORK THROUGH ITS PROCESS.
AND SO THEY TALKED ABOUT IT AT LENGTH TODAY ON THE SENATE FLOOR ABOUT THE FEDERAL AID AND THE FUNDING AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE SENATE LEADERSHIP SAID WAS THAT THEY REALLY JUST DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT AND THEY CAN'T COMMIT TO WHEN THAT FUNDING WILL COME IN, IF IT WILL COME IN.
THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT STRINGS ARE ATTACHED TO IT.
THEY DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL COME IN BEFORE THE END OF SESSION.
BUT THEY DID SAY THAT THE ARE ADDING LANGUAGE TO, THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THE BUDGET THAT WHEN THAT FUNDING COMES IN, IF IT DOES, THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE A SAY IN HOW IT'S DISTRIBUTED AND IT WON'T BE SOMETHING THAT NECESSARILY JUST HAPPENS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
SO MOVING ON, HOUSE BILL 1525 AND SENATE BILL 1536 BY HUBERTY AND TAYLOR ARE CONSIDERED THE CLEAN UP BILLS FOR HOUSE BILL THREE.
AT THIS POINT, THESE BILLS ARE LARGELY NOT IMPACTFUL TO PLANO ISD.
I THINK RANDY AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'RE SOME PROS AND CONS TO THEM, BUT WE'RE WAITING TO SEE A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE.
THE SENATE BILL VERSION IS SET TO BE HEARD ON THURSDAY.
SENATE BILL 28 IS A CONCERN TO PLANO ISD BECAUSE IT REMOVES THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S ABILITY TO VETO NEW CHARTER SYSTEM APPLICATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THIS FOLLOWS YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL OUTLINED.
IT LEAVES THE FULL POWER APPROVAL WITH THE COMMISSIONER.
AND IF YOU'LL RECALL, PLANO ISD ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, I BELIEVE, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND.
[02:20:03]
SEPTEMBER.AND EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS WITH I THINK THERE WERE, I DON'T KNOW, CLOSE TO A DOZEN APPLICATIONS THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING.
AND ULTIMATELY, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ENDED UP DENYING SEVERAL OF THOSE APPLICATIONS BASED ON FINANCES AND JUST THE ABILITY OF THOSE FOR THOSE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION TO THEIR STUDENTS.
AND SO FROM PLANO ISD'S STANDPOINT, WITH YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, THE CONCERN THERE IS THAT IT'S JUST A FURTHER REMOVAL OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY WHEN IT COMES TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
TRISH, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? PLEASE.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, THAT'S FINE.
ON THAT, SO SBOE WOULD HAVE THE VETO POWER OVER CHARTER SCHOOLS, BUT CURRENTLY, IF A CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM EXIST, TEA CAN AUTHORIZE TO EXPAND IT IF IT'S ALREADY EXISTING.
AND SOMEONE PROBABLY KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE ROOM THAN ME, BUT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE CLARIFICATION.
THESE ARE NEW SYSTEMS.COMMISSIONER? YES.
THIS IS JUST TAKING AWAY NOW THE SBOE FROM ALLOWING INITIAL? SO THE WAY IT WORKS NOW, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, IS THAT THE COMMISSIONER IS ALLOWED TO EXPAND WITHIN A SYSTEM UNILATERALLY.
BUT A NEW CHARTER SYSTEM APPLYING TO OPERATE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS TO APPLY THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER.
THE COMMISSIONER DECIDES WHETHER TO APPROVE THAT APPLICATION OR NOT.
AND THEN THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ULTIMATELY HAS THE RIGHT TO VETO HIS APPROVAL.
WHAT THIS BILL WOULD DO WOULD REMOVE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S RIGHT TO VETO HIS NEW SYSTEM.
SO IT WOULD BE EVERYTHING WOULD BE ON THE COMMISSIONER.
SO EVEN IF A COMPANY COMES IN AND LET'S SAY THEY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT STILL ALLOWS THEM TO THEN PUT A CHARTER SCHOOL ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE? WHEN YOU SAY THE SYSTEM? THE SYSTEM MEANS THAT IF IT'S A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT ALREADY OPERATES WITHIN TEXAS AND HAS CAMPUSES HERE, THAT THE COMMISSIONER CAN EXPAND THE NUMBER OF CAMPUSES THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED.
UNLIMITED? UNLIMITED ANYWHERE IN THE STATE.
BUT IF IT'S A NEW SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T ALREADY HAVE A PRESENCE, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAT THEY GO THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CAN WEIGH IN ON A VETO.
WELL, AND I'LL EVEN POINT OUT THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
SO THERE IS NO PUBLIC REPRESENTATION.
THE SBOE HAS, I THINK, 25 MEMBERS AND THEY'RE ELECTED BY EVERY REGION THAT HAS AN SBOE MEMBER.
SO THERE IS MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR PUBLIC IN THAT REGARD.
AND TAKING THAT AWAY IS WHAT I THINK IS A REAL PROBLEM.
HOW MANY OUT OF THE EIGHT LAST YEAR THAT THE COMMISSIONER APPROVED DID WE SAY GOT VETOED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
THREE? SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HIS THRESHOLD FOR ALLOWING CHARTER SCHOOLS TO BE APPROVED IS MUCH LOWER THAN AN ELECTED BODY OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION WHO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND MAKE A DECISION AND REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ELECTED TO HAVE AN APPOINTED PERSON MAKING THE FIRST DECISION.
AND THE ONLY THING STOPPING A CRAZY EXPANSION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IS THE ELECTED STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO REMOVE THAT AUTHORITY FOR THEM.
AND THAT'S REMOVING THE AUTHORITY, REALLY, OF THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS TO DECIDE HOW PUBLIC EDUCATION OPERATES.
THEY WOULD BE APPOINTED AND IT WOULD EXPAND THE POWER OF THE COMMISSIONER.
THE POWER OF THE COMMISSIONER IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
AND IT'S BEEN DEMONSTRATED BY HIM TAKING EVERY SIDE OF EVERY ISSUE FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND NO LONGER SURPRISING BASED ON EVERY REPORT THAT I'VE RECEIVED IN THE SHORT TIME I'VE BEEN A TRUSTEE.
I WOULD EVEN ADD, CODY, IT'S NOT JUST RIDICULOUS, IT'S DANGEROUS WHEN YOU CONSOLIDATE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE SYSTEMS AND ALLOW THE APPROVAL OF EXPANSIONS OF SYSTEMS IN ONE APPOINTED OFFICE.
YOU ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE AND YOU ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VOTERS OF THIS STATE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY LIKE TO SAY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
THAT'S AN APPOINTED PERSON MAKING DECISIONS WHERE ELECTED PEOPLE WERE MEANT TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
AND NOW THE STATE LEGISLATURE'S CONSIDERING MAKING THAT LAW.
THE THE ONE THING I WILL POINT OUT IS THAT SENATE BILL 28 DOES NOT HAVE A COMPANION BILL.
SO WHETHER OR NOT IT SURVIVES IN THE HOUSE IS A GOOD QUESTION TO ASK.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IF IT SEES THE SENATE FLOOR, IT'S OUT OF SENATE ED COMMITTEE AT THIS POINT.
IT HAS NOT BEEN SLATED FOR THE SENATE FLOOR.
IF IT DOES PASS THE SENATE FLOOR, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO IT IN THE HOUSE.
BUT THAT'S ONE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH AND BRING YOU UPDATES ON.
HOUSE BILL 1246, THIS WAS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES, WAS TO CHANGE ENROLLMENT, TO CHANGE FUNDING, TO BE BASED ON ENROLLMENT VERSUS ATTENDANCE.
WE HAVE SEEN ONE BILL, HOUSE BILL 2406 THAT ADDRESSES THIS DIRECTLY.
[02:25:03]
UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED FOR COMMITTEE.I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A CHANGE LIKE THIS TO AT LEAST, WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS A LONG SHOT COMING INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT THIS PROBABLY WASN'T JUST GOING TO BE A SNAP OF A FINGER AND HAPPEN.
BUT WE HOLD OUT HOPE THAT MAYBE THIS MAY APPEAR AS AN AMENDMENT OR A PART OF ANOTHER BILL OR AT LEAST MAKE SOME INCREMENTAL PROGRESS TOWARDS THIS CHANGE.
SO IF YOU ASK ME TOO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, I'M GOING TO CALL ON RANDY.
ESSENTIALLY, THIS CREATES A SCENARIO WHERE IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT GOES OUT FOR A TRE AND IT FAILS, THE DISTRICT IS THEN FORCED TO REVERT TO THE LESSER OF EITHER NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE OR A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE.
AND SO THIS WAS ONE THAT WE SPECIFICALLY WROTE A STATEMENT IN OPPOSITION TO AND SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE.
AND THAT BILL IS STILL PENDING IN COMMITTEE AND HAS BEEN FOR OVER TWO WEEKS.
RANDY IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT? REALLY, THE WAY THAT BILL IS WRITTEN, AND IF YOU KNOW THE AUTHOR, YOU WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED, BUT IT'S WRITTEN IN A WAY TO PENALIZE SCHOOLS, BASICALLY, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE TO SEE IF YOUR VOTERS WANT TO INCREASE YOUR REVENUES.
IF THAT FAILS, IF THEY SAY NO, IT DOESN'T ONLY BRING YOU BACK DOWN TO WHERE YOU WERE.
BUT WITH THAT DOING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THAT DOESN'T LOOK AT THE STATE FUNDING AND PROPERTY TAXES COMBINED.
SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY, IN MOST CASES, REDUCE YOUR TAX RATE BELOW WHERE IT WAS BEFORE YOU ASKED THE VOTERS FOR AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE.
AND SO IT'S BASICALLY THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.
IT'S A PENALTY TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT CAN'T PASS A TAX RATIFICATION ELECTION AND ACTUALLY LOWERS YOUR REVENUE FROM WHERE IT WAS.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE MIGHT BE CONSIDERING SOMETHING THAT HAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES? AND? I THINK IT'S INTENDED.
OH, IT'S INTENDED? WELL, THAT'S EVEN WORSE.
AGAIN, IF YOU KNOW THE AUTHOR, IT'S PROBABLY INTENDED.
I THINK IT'S MEANT TO BE TO ENCOURAGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROBABLY NOT TO GO OUT FOR A TRE.
SO IT'S PUNITIVE/ YES IN NATURE? YES.
SO OUR COMMENTS AROUND THE OPPOSITION TO THAT ESSENTIALLY WERE THAT IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT'S IN A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE FORCED TO SEEK A TRE, WHICH FOR PLANO ISD TO BE IN THAT POSITION, WE TALKED ABOUT JUST THE RESPONSIBLE BUDGETING AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE MANAGE FISCALLY AROUND HERE TO HAVE TO BE FORCED TO RISK REVERTING TO LESSER FUNDING WHEN YOU'RE IN A POSITION THAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO GO OUT FOR A TRE IT JUST CREATES IRRESPONSIBLE BUDGET MANAGEMENT.
OK, THE NEXT THING THAT IT KIND OF BUZZ THROUGH TALKED ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON A THROUGH F, I HAVE NOT SEEN A TON OF BILLS THROUGH THAT AROUND THAT.
WE ARE WATCHING A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT DEAL WITH INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE FLEXIBILITY FOR GRADUATES DURING THE PANDEMIC, FOR THIS YEAR.
FOR LAST YEAR'S GRADUATES, THIS YEAR'S GRADUATES AND NEXT YEAR'S, AND ALSO MAKES THE INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE'S PERMANENT.
SENATE BILL 226 IS A BILL BY ANGELA PAXTON THAT ADDS A COMPONENT OF DIGITAL AND VIRTUAL LEARNING FOR AN INSTRUCTION TO EDUCATOR TRAINING PROGRAMS. HOUSE BILL FIVE IS A PRIORITY OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEADERSHIP OF BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE.
THIS IS THE EXPANSION OF BROADBAND THAT'S ACTUALLY SLATED TO BE HEARD ON THE HOUSE FLOOR ON THURSDAY.
AND THEN HOUSE BILL FOR 1114 ALLOWS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND EDUCATION AT HEALTH CENTERS THAT ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION? IS THERE A COMPANION BILL FOR SB 226? THERE IS NOT.
SO I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION THEN ABOUT HOUSE BILL 1468, AND I THINK THAT ONE WAS RELATED TO CURRICULUM AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROVISION OF LOCAL REMOTE LEARNING TO QUALIFY FOR STATE FUNDING AND CALCULATION OF AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT ONE? I SAW THAT.
REMIND ME WHOSE BILL THAT ONE WAS.
WAS THAT TAYLOR OR HUBERTY? GIVE ME ONE MOMENT AND I CAN PULL THAT UP FOR YOU.
CODY, JUST WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
SENATOR PAXTON'S BILL IS REALLY AROUND TRAINING.
SO IF YOU'RE IN A TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM, THERE WILL BE A NEW COMPONENT TO YOUR EDUCATOR TRAINING PROGRAM TO BECOME A TEACHER THAT INCLUDES VIRTUAL LEARNING AND DIGITAL INSTRUCTION.
IT'S REALLY GETTING OUT THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO, THAT WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL LEARNING AS AN OPTION OF PREPARING OUR TEACHERS TO TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
SO THIS ONE IS FROM BELL OF KAUFMAN.
LET ME LOOK INTO IT AND I'LL SEND YOU SOME INFORMATION ON IT.
WHAT DID YOU SAY THAT ONE WAS ABOUT? THAT ONE'S IN REGARDS TO THE REMOTE LEARNING AND THE QUALIFYING FOR STATE FUNDING AND CALCULATION ON AN AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
[02:30:01]
LOCAL CONTROL OF VIRTUAL LEARNING IS WHAT I HAD MY NOTES.THAT'S THE SAME THING, RIGHT? WELL, YEAH, THERE'S LOCAL CONTROL.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT'S REAL HARD TO CONTROL IT WHEN YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY MONEY FOR IT.
SO I THINK IT'S MORE OF A FUNDING FORMULA TYPE OF DEAL.
AM I RIGHT ON THAT, SARA? YEAH, THAT'S A KEY COMPONENT TO TO SOME OF THE BILLS.
AND RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF VIRTUAL LEARNING BILLS FLOATING.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF WAITING TO SEE WHICH ONES LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE AND NOT MOVE BEFORE WE GO TO, YOU KNOW, TOO ALL IN ON WHICH ONE.
AND A LOT OF THEM AT THIS POINT ARE FOCUSED ON THE STATE'S SORT OF VIRTUAL LEARNING NETWORK, AS OPPOSED TO LETTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS RUN THEIR OWN VIRTUAL LEARNING THROUGH A DISTRICT.
SO THAT WAS WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THAT BILL WAS ABOUT.
BUT I'LL LOOK INTO IT FOR TRUSTEE.
HUBERTY'S IS A COAUTHOR ON THAT.
AND IT WAS LEFT PENDING IN COMMITTEE AS OF THE END OF THE MONTH.
IF SOMETHING'S LEFT PENDING IN COMMITTEE, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE MOVING ANYWHERE? NO, THAT'S ROUTINELY HOW THEY HANDLE BILLS.
IT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME IT'S BEEN LEFT IN COMMITTEE.
SO AFTER YOU'VE GOT PAST A COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT'S USUALLY GOING TO STAY THERE.
BUT END OF THE MONTH, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S STILL POTENTIALLY VIABLE.
WE LAID OUT SOME LONG TERM PRIORITIES IN THE PLAN PLANO ISD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
AND REALLY THIS FOCUS WAS FOR, AT THAT TIME, WE THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD BE A BUDGET SESSION FOCUSED ON CUTS THAT WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN FUNDING, THAT WE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WE'D RECEIVE THROUGH HOUSE BILL THREE.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME MAJOR BILLS IN THIS PRIORITY.
FIRST, THE CHAPTER THREE 13 BILLS ARE BILLS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO WATCH, AS OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A, PLANO ISD HAS A BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH TEXAS INSTRUMENTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF THESE BILLS WOULD RETROACTIVELY CHANGE THE AGREEMENT WITH THEM, BUT ALSO JUST MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT REMAINS OPEN FOR THE FUTURE.
AND THEN HOUSE BILL 3445 WAS HOW I SPENT MOST OF MY DAY.
IT, THIS IS A BILL BY HUBERTY THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CAP THEIR OWN FUND, BALANCE YOUR RESERVE THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO KEEP AT 110 DAYS OF OPERATING BUDGET.
AND WE SUBMITTED A TESTIMONY IN OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL THIS MORNING.
AS OF TEN MINUTES AGO, THEY HAD STILL NOT GOTTEN TO THIS BILL WITH THEIR HOUSE [INAUDIBLE]COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS BILL WOULD DO, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET AT IS THEY DON'T WANT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, HUNERTY BELIEVES THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ESSENTIALLY SAVE TOO MUCH MONEY.
AND IT WOULD PUT PLANO IN A POSITION WHERE WHAT OUR COMMENTS OF OPPOSITION DETAIL WAS THAT PLANO IS IN A POSITION WITH A JULY 1ST FISCAL DATE, ONE OF THE HIGHEST RECAPTURE PAYERS IN THE STATE.
WE DON'T RECEIVE A LOT OF STATE FUNDS.
THERE ARE MONTHS AT A TIME WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS THE CASH FLOW ITS OWN FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S FIVE MONTHS AT A TIME.
SO TO PUT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL CAP ON THIS, WHERE YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATING BUDGET, DOESN'T WORK FOR A DISTRICT LIKE PLANO ISD, WHERE YOU'RE EITHER GAMBLING THAT YOU'RE ZERO, SOME BUDGET IS GOING TO COME OUT EXACTLY TO ZERO AND BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MEET YOUR OBLIGATIONS OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE FORCED TO GO AND LITERALLY BORROW MONEY SO THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE PAYROLL UNTIL YOU START TO HAVE DEPOSITS FROM YOUR PROPERTY TAX INCOME IN THE FALL.
SO THERE IS NOT A SENATE COMPANION TO THIS BILL.
I DON'T THINK THAT, IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE EXACTLY WHO WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BILL, BUT IT WAS FILED BY FORMER CHAIRMAN HUBERTY.
SO JUST WITH THAT COMES A LOT OF CREDIBILITY.
SO WOULD IT BE BETTER IF WE RENAMED OUR FUND BALANCE RAINY DAY FUND, THEN YOU DON'T EVER HAVE TO USE IT.
RANDY, IF WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED AND HOPEFULLY I DON'T THINK WE WILL, BUT IF THIS DID HAPPEN, WHAT IS THE COST TO THE TAXPAYER, THEORETICALLY, HYPOTHETICALLY, JUST ROUNDABOUT NUMBER OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST FOR US TO BORROW THAT MONEY AND INTEREST TO BANKROLL OURSELVES UNTIL WE GET THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED? YEAH, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN ANSWER THAT ON THE FLY, BUT I MEAN, IT WOULD.
YOU'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOW IN THE DISADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE HERE IS IF WE HAD ONE HUNDRED AND SO CURRENT YEAR, WE NEED ABOUT 162 TWO MILLION THE CASH FLOW TO CASH FLOW US UNTIL WE GET ENOUGH REVENUE IN.
SO IF OUR 110 DAYS IS LESS THAN THAT, WE KNOW WE'D HAVE TO BORROW SOME MONEY, RIGHT? BUT IT ALSO WOULD NEVER GIVE US THE ABILITY.
AND THAT WAS THE OTHER THING IN THE LETTER IS WE DON'T HAVE ANY EMERGENCY MONEY THEN ALL OF OURS FOR CASH FLOW.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT SET, OR WE'RE ASKING OR TELLING THEM WE THINK YOU'VE GOT TO SET A DIFFERENT THRESHOLD BECAUSE THAT'S NOT TRULY FUND BALANCED TO US, THAT'S CASH FLOW MONEY.
AND THEN IT'S GOING TO TAKE A NUMBER ABOVE THAT TO ACTUALLY BE WHAT WE COULD SPEND DOWN BEFORE WE HAVE TO USE OUR CASH FLOW MONEY.
THEY'VE GOT MILLIONS OF MEGABYTES OF WHAT IS IT, HB3 FORMULA.
BUT THEY CAN'T CREATE A FORMULA FOR THIS.
TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, WHICH THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN BE
[02:35:01]
DOING THE BILL IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE IT'S THE REMOVAL OF ADDITIONAL LOCAL CONTROL.AND I WOULD SAY THIS, TOO, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE OTHER POINTS THAT WE PUT IN OUR TESTIMONY WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL DISTRICTS BOND RATINGS AND INTEREST RATES ARE DEPENDENT ON PARTIALLY TO A LARGE DEGREE ON THE HEALTH OF YOUR FUND BALANCE.
AND SO IF THIS BILL WERE TO PASS AND WE DID NOT HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE, OUR BOND RATINGS WOULD CHANGE, WHICH MEANS OUR INTEREST RATES WILL BE WORSE, WHICH IS LESS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
SO ALL OF IT WILL COST MORE TO OUR TAXPAYERS AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE SOUND RATINGS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO IT CREATES A VERY UGLY CYCLE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND IT'S JUST.
AND THERE'S THAT VERY TIMELY EXAMPLE OF THE AMOUNT OF CASH THAT YOU HAD TO OUTLAY AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC WHEN YOU WERE FORCED TO PAY FOR PPE AND ALL OF THAT, WHICH WE CITED IN OUR TESTIMONY THIS MORNING AS WELL, THE PPE LIKE THE DESK SHIELDS THAT NOW THE CDC SAYS WE DON'T NEED THOSE.
I WANTED TO TOUCH ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC, BUT I'LL LET OTHER TRUSTEES IF THEY STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
WELL, I HAVE A WHOLE SLEW OF THINGS I WANTED TO TOUCH ON.
SO LET ME JUST START BY SAYING I APPRECIATE THIS WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
THIS IS YOUR SECOND SESSION OF DOING THIS.
THE REASON WHY WE HIRED TRISHA IS BECAUSE WE'VE TRIED TO DO THIS VERY THING BEFORE OURSELVES WITH CARLA REALLY BEING TASKED WITH DOING THIS.
AND IT WAS SO OVERWHELMING FOR SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF EXPERTISE THAT YOU DO AND WHO CAN DEDICATE A FULL TIME TO IT.
IT'S REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR US TO HAVE YOU DOING THIS FOR US.
I GUESS THAT'S GOING TO LEAN INTO MY NEXT RELATED QUESTION, WHERE ARE WE ON THE BILL ABOUT NOT SPENDING PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR LOBBYISTS? HOUSE BILLS 749 IS, HAS BEEN HEARD IN COMMITTEE AND HAS NOT BEEN KICKED OUT YET.
THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY PROHIBIT ANY SORT OF POLITICAL SUBDIVISION LIKE A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR CITY COUNTY FROM USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FUND SOMEONE THAT IS REQUIRED TO REGISTER AS A LOBBYIST IN A CONTRACT POSITION.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PLANO ISD SUBMITTED COMMENTS IN OPPOSITION TO.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S STILL PENDING IN ITS HOUSE COMMITTEE.
THERE IS A SENATE BILL VERSION OF THAT, SENATE BILL TEN, AND THAT ONLY APPLIES TO CITIES AND COUNTIES.
PLANO ISD WOULD NOT BE PART OF THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S BEING HEARD IN ITS SENATE COMMITTEE, THE NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON THURSDAY.
YEAH, THAT'S A YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A REAL RED MEAT ISSUE THIS SESSION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR US AND I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER OF THOSE BILLS WOULD BE BROAD ENOUGH TO CAPTURE WHAT YOU DO FOR US, BUT IF WE HAD TO GO INTO THE NEXT SESSION WITHOUT YOU DOING THIS FOR US, WE WOULD BE SEVERELY HAMPERED.
AND SO I THINK WE AS A BOARD NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT THAT IS MONEY WELL SPENT.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
I'LL ONLY ASK SUMMARY QUESTIONS AND I'LL STOP AND LET OTHER PEOPLE ASK AND I'LL COME BACK.
IS THIS GOING TO GENERATE? ARE WE LOOKING AT BEING ABLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE FROM THIS ONLINE SALES TAX? IT WAS A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF NUMBER EVEN FOR THE COMPTROLLER.
SO OBVIOUSLY, GOING FORWARD, IF THE ECONOMY COMES BACK, BOUNCES BACK, IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER SURPRISING NUMBER IN TWO YEARS.
IS THERE AN OPENING FOR US TO TRY AND GET SOME SORT OF LIMITATIONS ON RECAPTURE, ON GROWTH OF RECAPTURE? IS THERE IS THERE A SLIVER HERE THAT WE CAN CRACK OPEN THE DOOR ON SOMETHING TO GRAB? BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE BIG ISSUE.
YES, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY RECAPTURE, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
WELL WE HAVE NOW A FUND MONEY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY'S FOCUSED ON THAT LONG TERM BECAUSE WE WERE SO FOCUSED ON THINKING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE SUCH A BUDGET CUT SESSION.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, THE INTERNET SALES TAX REVENUE.
I DON'T HAVE THE FIGURES IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I COULD FIND THEM FOR YOU, HAVE EXCEEDED WHAT THE COMPTROLLER EXPECTED THEM TO BE AND HAVE DEFINITELY MADE THE HOLE FROM THE DOWNTURN LESS DEEP.
BUT IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT WHERE WE WERE FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT IS WHAT WE EXPECTED BEFORE WE RAN INTO THIS DOWNTURN.
SO I THINK THAT THEY'RE STILL KIND OF TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS RIGHT NOW BEFORE THEY THINK LONG TERM OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ECONOMY FULLY COMES BACK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE MORE REVENUE THAN WE DID BEFORE.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION TO START HAVING WITH OUR DELEGATION.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AFTER WE GET THROUGH THIS SESSION, WE AS A BOARD NEED TO START PUSHING.
WE NEED TO CREATE SOMETHING, A PLAN AND BECAUSE THAT, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
THE DOOR IS JUST OPEN THAT MUCH, BY THE WAY.
[02:40:02]
I WONDER, DAVID, IF THAT'S ALSO A TOPIC FOR THE TECH SCHOOL COALITION GROUP, BECAUSE THAT IS LIKE DISTRICTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING RECAPTURE AND THAT MIGHT BE A LEGISLATIVE TOPIC.I COULD BRING IT UP AT THE NEXT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.
START PLANTING SEEDS NOW, BECAUSE THIS IS A LONG TERM GAME FOR US.
OK, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD THE MORRISON RIDER ON HOUSE FUNDING BILL, WHERE'S OUR COALITION STAND ON THAT? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, SPECIFIC YOU'RE, OUR DELEGATION IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? IS OUR [INAUDIBLE]? I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY IF WE HAVE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT SUPPLANTING FEDERAL FUNDS.
BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE.
I THINK THAT IT'S NEVER QUITE AS BLACK AND WHITE AS IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN ON WHAT TO DO WITH THAT BUDGET AS THEY'RE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT PLANO ISD NEEDS THAT MONEY.
PLANO ISD SHOULD BE THE ONE THAT DISPERSES AND DECIDES HOW TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AN OP-ED IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS LAST WEEK ON WEDNESDAY THAT WAS AUTHORED BY TAMMY, PRESIDENT RICHARDS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE DALLAS ISD SCHOOL BOARD ON THAT VERY TOPIC.
YEAH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO PUSH ON THAT, ESPECIALLY, AGAIN, COUPLED WITH THE ONLINE TAX REVENUE, THAT THERE ARE STATE DOLLARS AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GRAB THE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THERE'S SOME LOGIC TO SUPPORT THAT MORRISON AMENDMENT.
I'M GOING TO PAUSE AND LET OTHERS SPEAK FOR A MINUTE AND ASK QUESTIONS, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK LATER.
I'M GOING TO TAKE A CUE FROM CODY AND SIT BACK.
I WAS JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOUSE BILL 3846.
REPRESENTATIVE KRAUSE ISSUED AND THEY TALKED ABOUT IT TODAY.
AND TRISHA AND I WERE KIND OF TEXTING BACK AND FORTH.
THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNING BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
AND I THINK REPRESENTATIVE KRAUSE WAS CITING SOME DISTRICT THAT IS GOING TO START SCHOOL ON JUNE 8TH.
BUT HE COULDN'T NAME WHO THAT WAS OR IF IT WAS A FACT.
BUT THANK GOODNESS REPRESENTATIVE HUBERTY OPPOSED THE BILL.
BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF TESTIMONY FROM VARIOUS CAMPS AND BOY SCOUTS AND ANOTHER CAMP DIRECTOR.
SO YOU COULD TELL WHO WAS FOR IT BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE MONEY FROM, YOU KNOW, TRAVELING OR CAMPING.
SO WE'RE BEGINNING TO LOOK AT THAT FIGHT AGAIN.
AND WE, I THINK, IN A GOOD WAY.
DAN, HUBERTY TALKED ABOUT THE DOI DISTRICTS OF INNOVATION, WHICH WE ARE A DISTRICT OF INNOVATION.
AND HE ALSO REFERRED TO THE HOUSE BILL THREE EXTENDED DAYS.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT TESTIFIED AND TALKED ABOUT HOW IT WOULD HURT THEIR MOVEMENT TOWARDS THOSE EXTENDED DAYS.
I THINK IT WAS IN HOUSTON AND ALIEF AND DISD, THEY'VE ALREADY BEGUN THOSE EXTENDED DAY OFFERINGS TO ENRICH LEARNING FOR SOME OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE MOST ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE SUMMER SLIDE, AS THEY CALL IT.
SO THAT'S A BATTLE THAT MIGHT CONTINUE ON.
BUT I THINK WE WE SHOULD KEEP OUR EYES OPEN ON THAT ONE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD A COUPLE OF TIMES.
AND THE OTHER ONE I HEARD ALSO THAT WAS JUST OF INTEREST WAS HOW HOUSE BILL 1014 BY BUCY.
AND HE'S RECOMMENDING THAT ON THE YOU KNOW, THE ID CARDS THAT OUR STUDENTS WEAR ON A LANYARD AROUND THEIR NECK, THAT THOSE INCLUDE THE CRISIS HOTLINE, SUICIDE HOTLINE, PHONE NUMBER ON THE BACK OF THAT FOR STUDENTS AS WELL AS LIKE I THINK WE HAVE A TIP LINE, AN ANONYMOUS TIP APP FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING, UNLESS IT'S THERE'S A HUGE COST TO US THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF.
BUT I THINK THAT IS AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER.
NANCY, LET ME GET YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ON HOW HOUSE BILL WAS IT 1014 THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED? YEAH.
AND THE ONE BEFORE THE ONE THAT TALKS ABOUT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT BILL PROBABLY HAS A LOT OF CHANCE OF GETTING OUT OF COMMITTEE.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE CHAIRMAN IN SUPPORT OF IT OR MOST OF THOSE MEMBERS.
AND A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE THERE WHEN THEY CRAFTED DISTRICT OF INNOVATION AND HOUSE BILL THREE.
AND SO IT WOULD DO AWAY WITH A LOT OF THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THEY'VE ALREADY PROVIDED AND ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT THEY PROVIDED THE DISTRICTS.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT THAT THAT BILL STAYS THERE.
WELL, AND I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU REACH OUT TO ME WHEN YOU HEAR BILLS OR YOU'RE WATCHING COMMITTEE.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT AT ANY
[02:45:02]
POINT.IF THERE'S A BILL THAT YOU'RE WATCHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, SEND IT MY WAY.
I CAN I CAN SEND YOU ANY INTEL I CAN FIND ON IT OR TELL YOU WHERE IT'S OUT IN THE PROCESS.
SO PLEASE, BY ALL MEANS, CONSIDER ME AVAILABLE TO YOU, AND I'M HAPPY TO HELP YOU AS YOU KIND OF WATCH THE LEGISLATION YOURSELF.
AND I HAVE NOT DONE THAT, BUT I WILL DO THAT.
TRACEY? DO WE HAVE WEEKLY REPORTS FROM YOU? WE DO.
YES, I BELIEVE THAT TRUSTEE HUMPHREY'S, THEY WERE GOING IN HER SPAM.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT FROM ME, YOU MIGHT CHECK THERE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF READING FOR YOU.
FOR ME IF IT'S BEEN IN MY SPAM.
THOSE WEEKLY REPORTS WE'RE COMING OUT ON FRIDAY OR OVER THE WEEKEND.
AND NOW IS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION CONTINUES TO PUSH BACK FRIDAY AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY'LL MEET DURING THE WEEKENDS.
AND I'LL TRY TO ALWAYS GET THEM TO YOU BY MONDAY AT THE LATEST.
ARE YOU JUST SOME OF YOUR E-MAILS DO GO TO OUR SPAM? AND THE THING IS THAT I HAVE UNSPAM YOU AND PUT YOU BACK OVER TO OUR INBOX.
SO, OF COURSE, OUR FILTERING SYSTEM IS VERY.
I KEEP YOU IN THE SPAM BOX, BUT I DO READ THE EMAIL.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF BILLS THAT ARE BEING MONITORED BECAUSE THEY ALIGN TO THE BOARD'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
AND THEN JUST SO FROM A POINT OF PROCESS IS THAT THAT ANY POSITION THAT'S TAKEN IS THE ADMINISTRATION'S POSITION AND ALSO RUN THROUGH THE BOARD LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE THAT BACK TO TRISHA AND SHE'S FACILITATING OUR VOICE IN THE PROCESS.
BUT SHE IS NOT THE VOICE OF OUR PROCESS.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE IS THAT WE REPRESENT THE, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION.
WE REPRESENT THE YOU KNOW, THE POSITION WE'LL TAKE ON A ON A BILL OR AN ISSUE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DRAFT AND THEN WE CRAFT AND THEN WE SEND IT BACK TO TRISHA SO SHE CAN JUST KIND OF TAKE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR US.
BUT IT IS OUR POSITION AND I THINK THAT'S A FINE DISTINCTION TO MAKE BECAUSE THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, SUPPORT AND LOBBYING.
AND WE ARE NOT ASKING TRISHA TO DRAFT OUR LOBBYING POSITION FOR US AND EVER.
OR EVEN REALLY BE YOUR VOICE TO LEGISLATORS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I SEE MYSELF AS A FACILITATOR AND YOU ALL ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LEADERSHIP FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM ME.
AND THE MORE I CAN SUPPORT YOU AND HELP YOU BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND BE ADVOCATES FOR YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT'S MY GOAL AND HOW I VIEW MY ROLE.
AND SHE DOES YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT SERVICE TO US AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I DID HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
ARE THERE ANY BILLS THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING ON ELIMINATING THE STAAR TEST? THERE HAVE BEEN SOME STAAR TESTS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME STAAR TEST BILLS.
NONE THAT I HAVE SEEN THAT ARE, HAVE LEGS THAT ARE TRULY FOCUSED ON ELIMINATING THE STAAR TEST.
MAY I SAY THAT AFTER TODAY THAT MAY CHANGE? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY.
I'VE HEARD THE NEW CHAIRMAN'S NOT NECESSARILY KEEPING A KEEN EYE ON ANY BILLS LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S PRETTY FOCUSED ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND SCHOOL CHOICE AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO OBVIOUSLY, FROM A STATE LEADERSHIP STANDPOINT AND TEA, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING WITH STAAR.
SO I THINK IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A BILL THAT WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WILL.
JUST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE LOST TIME AND, YOU KNOW, NOT EVEN GETTING TO THE WHAT OCCURRED TODAY.
WE, MY OPINION IS THAT WE NEED TO RECLAIM THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT DISRUPTION OF STUDENT LEARNING FOR MAKING CERTAIN ACCOMMODATIONS RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW A TEST LIKE THIS TO DISRUPT STUDENT LEARNING.
AND THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH DISRUPTION.
AND THIS TEST, IT DOESN'T JUST DISRUPT THE STUDENT LEARNING.
IT DISRUPTS THE TEACHER'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN A CLASSROOM AND MAINTAIN THE CHILD'S EDUCATION AND WORK ON THINGS WHEN THEY HAVE TO START TEACHING A TEST.
AND THERE'S LITERATURE FROM EVERY SPECTRUM, EVERY POLITICAL SIDE, TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH STANDARDIZED TESTS.
AND I TOOK AN SAT PREP COURSE WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I DID 200 POINTS BETTER THAN I DID THE FIRST TIME.
AND GUESS WHAT? THAT HELPED A TON GETTING INTO SCHOOL AND I COULD AFFORD TO GO TAKE THAT TEST.
FOR THE STUDENTS THAT JUST DON'T TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN HOW TO DO THE TEST, I DON'T BLAME THEM BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN THE MATERIAL.
AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE STAAR TEST AND NOT SOMETHING MORE LIKE THE MAP TEST THAT'S ADAPTIVE AND MEASURES PROGRESS, THEN WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE
[02:50:02]
WASTING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND TEACHING OUR STUDENTS HOW TO TAKE A TEST AND NOT HOW TO ACTUALLY HAVE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND BE SPENDING TIME.THAT WAS LOST THIS PAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE COHESION OF THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCE OR THE LACK THEREOF.
AND SO I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT THERE'S NOBODY LISTENING OR CONSIDERING A BILL TO ELIMINATE OR REPLACE STAAR WITH SOMETHING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AND DO WHAT IT'S INTENDED TO DO, WHICH IS TO MEASURE THEIR PROGRESS AND MEASURE WHERE THEY ARE AND GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO TEACHERS SO THEY CAN HELP THEM GET WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
WELL, I THINK PLANO ISD'S TALKING POINT ON THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WE'RE SUCH A HIGH FUNCTIONING, HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT DISTRICTS LIKE PLANO ISD DESERVE TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY AND AUTONOMY.
MOST DISTRICTS DO UNTIL THEY DON'T, UNTIL THEY DON'T DESERVE IT, SO THAT WE BEAT THE DRUM EVERY SESSION ON THAT.
AND AT SOME POINT THEY ALWAYS SWITCH OUT THE SCHOOL THAT, THE TESTING.
BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME FOR STAAR.
WELL, IF YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY THIS SESSION OR ANY OTHER FUTURE SESSION WHERE WE COULD BEAT THE DRUM HARDER.
IF WE COULD MOBILIZE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, PLEASE LET US KNOW, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT.
WELL, CODY, LET ME HELP HIM MOBILIZE BECAUSE IT COSTS THE STATE 70 DOLLARS PER STUDENT TO ADMINISTER THIS TEST.
AND THAT'S A LOT OF OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WITH THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE TEST CRASHING, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT RESOLVED.
IF IT CAME BACK ONLINE, THAT'S A TERRIBLE WASTE OF OUR MONEY.
THAT TEST IS NOT GOING TO BE MEANINGFUL THIS YEAR.
WE CAN ONLY ADMINISTER IT TO STUDENTS WHO ARE IN PERSON.
SO THAT LEAVES OUT A HUGE PART OF THE POPULATION ACROSS THE STATE AND WE'RE PAYING MONEY FOR THAT.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE MEANINGLESS RESULTS.
SO THERE'S YOUR BIT FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, I'M SO GLAD THAT OUR DISTRICT, WHEN A PARENT REACHES OUT, THEY CAN GET SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
THAT USED TO BE, HEY, MY STUDENT NEEDS TO, YOU KNOW, DO THE COMPUTER, WHETHER IT'S SPECIAL NEEDS, WHETHER IT'S ELO, WHETHER IT'S 504, IEP, YOU KNOW, A COMPUTER RESOURCE TO HELP.
AND NOW IT'S CONSIDERED AN ACCOMMODATION TO ASK FOR PAPER AND PEN.
AND THAT BLOWS MY MIND THAT THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE'RE MOVING AND THAT'S THE NORM.
AND I UNDERSTAND, I GUESS BY 2023, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ALL END OF COURSE, CURRICULUM OR END OF COURSE TESTING HAS TO BE ONLINE.
AND THEN IT'S GOING TO BE AN ACCOMMODATION TO DO IT, TAKE THE TEST WITH PEN AND PAPER.
AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY LEARNS DIFFERENT.
AND I GREW UP AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM GREW UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M THE YOUNGEST ONE HERE, GREW UP WITH PEN AND PAPER.
OK, SO YOU'RE 30S, RELAX, BUT IT'S JUST MIND BLOWING THAT THAT'S THE DIRECTION OF WHERE IT'S GOING.
AND IT SEEMS PRETTY TONE DEAF BASED ON THE LEGISLATION AND OR TEA, WHOEVER'S MAKING THESE DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE WHERE THE ONLINE IS THE NORM.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND IF THIS YEAR'S TAUGHT US ANYTHING WITH THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED GROUP OR GENERATION, THAT THERE IS SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME.
AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT DON'T THRIVE BY LEARNING ONLINE AND FORCING THEM TO TEST ON A COMPUTER IS NOT GOING TO HELP THEM OUT ANY BETTER.
AND I'M TOTALLY WILLING TO SPEND MY TAX DOLLARS AND PAY MY PROPERTY TAXES SO THEY CAN HAVE A PAPER TEST.
I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH MORE IT COSTS AND IT'S NOT A COST SAVING MEASURE WHEN IT'S DETRIMENTAL TO THE STUDENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING FROM PARENTS.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY LEGISLATION OR ANYTHING CONSIDERING CHANGING OR ALTERING THAT.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD SUPPORT.
THERE'S ALWAYS LEGISLATION AROUND STAAR, CHANGING STAAR, REMOVING STARR, IT'S WHETHER OR NOT IT'S VIABLE LEGISLATION THAT'S SUPPORTED BY LEADERSHIP.
AND AT THIS POINT, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE COMMON GO TO REASON OR EXCUSE IS FOR NOT ADDRESSING THAT? PLEASE.
SO THIS IS THE THING THAT WE HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IS, WE ARE GIVEN A LOT OF MONEY BY THE STATE FOR, TO FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE RESULTS OF HOW WE HAVE USED THE RESOURCES.
AND SO IT IS A STANDARDIZED TEST, THAT'S ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT'S ABOUT BOTTOM LINE IS IT'S ABOUT TRUST.
IS DO YOU TRUST YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO EDUCATE? AND THE IDEA OF WE'RE GIVING YOU A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY PER STUDENT.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, YOU MUST PROVE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
AND IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT WORLD, IT IS THE STANDARDIZED TEST.
SO THEY DON'T EVEN SCAPEGOAT THE FEDERAL LAW THAT REQUIRES IT FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDS.
THEY'RE SAYING IT'S ABOUT THIS IS US, THE STATE LEGISLATURE, HOLDING YOU
[02:55:04]
ACCOUNTABLE.THERE IS ALSO THE FEDERAL COMPONENT OF THAT FOR SURE.
BUT IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT IT'S ABOUT HOLDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACCOUNTABLE.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND OUR PARENTS AND PEOPLE LISTENING THAT IT'S OUR LEGISLATORS THAT HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THIS.
I KNOW THEY OFTEN COME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TELL US AND WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND WE HAVE THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LEGISLATORS TO DISCUSS THAT.
CODY, WE'RE NOT HEARING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BACK OFF EITHER.
I'M HEARING THAT IT WILL CONTINUE.
I GUESS I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED RIGHT NOW.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, ALL THE THE DEADLINE FOR BILL FILING IS PASSED FOR THIS SESSION.
BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT A SPECIAL SESSION.
IF THIS WERE TO COME UP, COULD IT? YOU KNOW, POSSESSIONS CAN BE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO BE.
HE'S NOT GOING TO DO A SPECIAL SESSION ON THIS.
LET ME FINISH, ONE THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT ANYONE WATCHING THIS, WHO WANTS TO SEE MORE OF WHAT WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
SO ON OUR WEBSITE UNDER THE PISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES/LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THAT'S DISCUSSED.
THE TRINITY CONSULTANT'S REPORTS ARE PUBLISHED OUT THERE FOR US TO SHARE.
SO I JUST IF IT GOES TO YOUR SPAM, IT'S ALSO THERE, JUST FYI.
SO, TRISHA, I'VE GOT TO KIND OF BIG PICTURE LAST QUESTION.
WE'RE NOW IN THE SESSION WHERE SHENANIGANS OCCUR WITH CALENDARING ITEMS AS OUR CALENDARS COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE PRO OR MORE PRO PUBLIC ED OR NO, OR DO WE HAVE ANY ALLIES IN THE CALENDARS COMMITTEE? WHAT A LOADED QUESTION.
YES, IT'S A NEW CHAIRMAN FOR CALENDARS THIS YEAR, CHAIRMAN BURROWS.
SO I HAVE YET TO SEE HOW HE HANDLES BILLS THAT ARE PRIORITY FOR US.
AND THEN A FEW SESSION, A COUPLE SESSIONS AGO, WE SAW THE MOTHER'S DAY MASSACRE.
DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF LOOSELY AFFILIATED GROUPS THAT ARE GOING TO LOOK TO DO ANYTHING CRAZY LIKE THAT? I DON'T THINK SO.
YOU KNOW, FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE, IT'S BEEN THE CONTENTION HAS REALLY BEEN AROUND THIS FEDERAL AID.
BUT THE SB ONE PASSED THE SENATE FLOOR TODAY UNANIMOUSLY, WHICH IS PRETTY UNIQUE.
SO IF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING THAT WELL AND I MEAN THE ELECTION INTEGRITY BILL SEEM TO BE RISING IN TERMS OF PUBLICITY.
SO THAT COULD BE A VERY DIVISIVE PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE THINGS THAT PLANO ISD IS FOCUSED ON WILL GET TIED INTO THAT.
[11.B. Head Start Program Update]
NEXT, WE WILL HEAR A HEAD START PROGRAM UPDATE FROM DR.KATRINA HASLEY, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR ACADEMIC SERVICES.
DR. HASLEY? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.
DENISE LOHMILLER WITH US TONIGHT.
SHE IS THE PRINCIPAL AND DIRECTOR OF OUR HEAD START PROGRAM IN PLANO ISD.
LOHMILLER HAS PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE MAKING ON OUR NEEDIEST FAMILIES IN PLANO.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
I HOPE TO PRESENT SOME HAPPY AND WELL THOUGHT OUT COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES THAT I'M HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU TO TALK ABOUT.
THE BOARD USUALLY GETS A TRAINING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS IS NOT WHAT THAT IS THIS EVENING.
THIS IS HOPEFULLY TO PAINT A PICTURE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES THAT THE OFFICE OF HEAD START AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COINED THE TERM WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT EARLIER WITH DR.
GOBER AND HIS MISSION TO SERVE THE DISTRICT.
SO HEAD START IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO MEET 146 FAMILIES.
IT'S A SMALL DESIGNED PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN I LIKE TO SAY I'M HONORED TO SAY THAT HEAD START PLANO ISD HEAD START AS THE FIRST EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL IN PLANO, IN 1965.
AND SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH AND JUST HIGHLIGHT THE WHAT YOU, I HOPE TO FIND INTERESTING.
AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES OF STATE FUNDED PRE-K HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE.
[03:00:04]
AND SO WE ARE FACED WITH FAMILIES SAYING, WELL, WHAT MAKES HEAD START UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT AND WHY IS IT FOR US? SO ONE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IS THAT FAMILIES THAT APPLY FOR OUR PROGRAM, THEY HAVE TO MEET THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES.SO THOSE ARE LOWER THAN THAT OF THE STATE.
SO WE REALLY WHEN WE SAY WE'RE SERVING THE NEEDIEST FAMILIES IN PLANO, THAT TRULY IS WHAT THAT MEANS.
WELL, I DIDN'T WEAR MY MINNIE MOUSE EARS TONIGHT, BUT EACH YEAR WE WELCOME 146 STUDENTS INTO OUR PROGRAM.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND, ALLOTS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SLOTS PER REGION SO THEY OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE SLOTS IF THE COMMUNITY HAS GREATER NEEDS.
WE HEAR ABOUT THE GREATER NEEDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND IT COMES AROUND EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.
YOU HAVE TO BE WATCHFUL AND MINDFUL OF THAT.
AND THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT NEEDS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT.
SO WE DO SERVE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS THAT ARE BOTH THE CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES.
AND WE'RE THE ONLY PLANO ISD EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL WHO DOES THAT, SERVING THREE YEAR OLDS WITHOUT DISABILITIES.
AND WE LIKE TO SAY WHEN YOU COME THAT YOU ARE VISITING THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH.
WE STRIVE TO BUILD OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
I'VE ALIGNED THIS TODAY JUST TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL THAT HEAD START IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE GOVERNMENT WITH A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, JUST LIKE PLANO ISD.
AND SO IT WAS MY MISSION WITH MY TEAM TO ALIGN OUR PLAN, OUR STRATEGIC FIVE YEAR PLAN WITH THAT OF PLANO ISD.
SO TWO MAJOR GOALS FALL UNDER THE PILLAR OF LEARNING AND TEACHING AND THE OTHER ONE OF CULTURE AND COMMUNITY.
AND I'VE JUST PUT A COUPLE OF TALKING POINTS THERE.
WE'VE ALIGNED OUR PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES WITH THE INITIATIVE IN CREATING A SCHOOL WIDE MODEL OF INSTRUCTION ALONGSIDE THAT OF ENHANCING THE STUDENT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND BUILDING A STRONG SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING COMPONENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
SO HERE IS OUR COMPREHENSIVE MODEL OF OUR WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
THERE'S FIVE MAIN CATEGORIES PROGRAM GOVERNANCE, EDUCATION AND DISABILITIES, HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, NUTRITION, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE ACRONYM ERSEA, AND THAT'S THE ACRONYM FOR ELIGIBILITY, RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE.
SO I'M GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT AND HIGHLIGHT ABOUT EACH COMPONENT AS WE MOVE THROUGH.
PROGRAM GOVERNANCE, THIS IS THE FIRST AREA.
THIS IS WHERE OUR PROGRAM STRIVES TO INVOLVE BOTH YOU, THE BOARD, YOU ARE THE GOVERNING BOARD OVER HEAD START AND THE GRANTEE.
ALONGSIDE AND MS. POWELL AND MS. HUMPHREY HAVE BEEN OUR WONDERFUL LIAISON.
THIS YEAR IS MS. POWELL AND MS. HUMPHREY HAS SERVED AS OUR LIAISON.
AND SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING HEAD START AND HELPING TRAIN AND REALLY EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
SO ALONGSIDE OUR GOVERNING BOARD, WE HAVE OUR POLICY COUNCIL.
SO THIS IS A PICTURE, THE POLICY COUNCIL.
WHAT IS THAT? IT'S SIMILAR TO A PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION.
HOWEVER, THERE'S NO TEACHERS ON THIS COUNCIL.
THEY ARE ELECTED BY OTHER PARENTS IN THE PROGRAM AS WELL SO THEY CHANGE EVERY YEAR.
ALONGSIDE THE COUNCIL, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO SIT ON THE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE THREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAN SERVE THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
SO WE HAVE A HARINGTON LIBRARY, SHERI STONE OR EXCUSE ME, JULIE CONNOR, THE KIWANIS CLUB, SHERI STONE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A PREVIOUS HEAD START EMPLOYEE.
SHE OVERSAW THE ERSEA AND SHE'S VERY ABLE TO EDUCATE THE POLICY COUNCIL ABOUT THAT.
AND SO THEY SERVE ALONGSIDE THE TWO GOVERNING BODIES POLICY COUNCIL.
AND YOU ARE OUR PROGRAM GOVERNANCE.
WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT POLICY COUNCIL? AND IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN A PART OF HEAD START, THE PARENTS GROW TREMENDOUSLY.
THEY GET TO SAY THEY'VE SAT ON A LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE.
THEY GET TO SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN A DECISION MAKER IN SHARED DECISION MAKING ALONGSIDE OUR BOARD.
[03:05:01]
AND IT REALLY IS IT'S REALLY REWARDING TO SEE BY THE END OF THE YEAR THAT YOU ELECT OFFICERS THAT KNOW DO WHAT YOU DO.THEY THEY MAKE MOTIONS, THEY LEARN ALL OF THIS, AND THEY MAKE A MOTION.
THEY PASS AND AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THE OTHER PART OF THE GOVERNANCE IS THE PARENT COMMITTEE AND EVERY PARENT'S PART OF THE PARENT COMMITTEE, THEY MEET WITH MY FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH MANAGER STARTING OFF THE YEAR.
BUT THE GOAL WITH THE PARENT COMMITTEE TO HELP WITH EVENT PLANNING AND SUCH, THEY TURN OVER THE FACILITATION OF PARENT COMMITTEE TO THE PARENTS.
SO THEY ARE LEARNING THESE SKILLS ON HOW TO FACILITATE AND REALLY COME OUT AND KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER AND REALLY STRONGLY COMMIT TO WHAT IT IS THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO THIS PIECE JUST JUST QUICKLY, IS REALLY A PART TO SAY THAT THE FEDERAL IT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT BOTH REGULATIONS FROM THE HEAD START ACT, THE MOST RECENT ACT IS 2007, ALONGSIDE THE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
SO WE HAVE TWO SETS OF REGULATIONS THAT WE'RE USING TO BUILD OUR PROGRAM ON OUR GOALS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ULTIMATELY ENSURES THAT THESE ARE WE HAVE EVIDENCE.
IN FACT, WE JUST GOT A MONITORING REPORT TODAY FROM THE FIRST ONE THAT I'LL BE SUBMITTING TO YOU IN THE NEXT REPORT.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THAT ONGOING COMMUNICATION THAT IS PART OF THE GOVERNANCE.
THE NEXT AREAS, EDUCATION AND DISABILITIES ARE THE HIGHLIGHT HERE.
WE'RE PROVIDING A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, JUST LIKE OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOLS, SAME CURRICULUM.
WE PARTNER WITH THAT ELEMENTARY ACADEMIC SERVICES.
WE ALSO HAVE TO FOLLOW AND CREATE SCHOOL READINESS GOALS.
AND YOU USE A RESOURCE FOR THOSE.
AND THEY'RE ALL THE CHECK POINTS OF WHAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE.
CHILDREN BEING ABLE TO LEAVE THE HEAD START PROGRAM READY FOR ENTERING THEIR NEXT PHASE OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAREER.
SO I MENTIONED THE SCHOOL READINESS GOALS, THERE IS A RESOURCE CALLED EARLY LEARNING OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK IN ADDITION TO THE TEXAS PRE-K GUIDELINES, WE PAIR THOSE, WE ALIGN THEM BOTH, AND THEN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
CHILD SCREENINGS IS A UNIQUE FEATURE IN ALL OF THE AREAS THAT YOU SEE HERE WITHIN THE FIRST 45 DAYS OF ENROLLMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT ARE HEAD START CHILD THAT COMES IN.
OUR TEACHERS ARE REQUIRED TO INPUT BRUSHING TEETH INTO THEIR DAY EVERY DAY.
ALONGSIDE HANDWASHING AND OTHER KINDS OF JUST SELF CARE.
ALONGSIDE THAT, WE HAVE GROSS, FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO INCORPORATE INTO THE DAY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE THIS IS A REQUIREMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE A MINIMUM OF 10 PERCENT OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
WE DO PARTNER WITH OUR LEOR, WHICH IS YOU, IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE TO WE DO SCREEN DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING.
AND IF IN FACT A STUDENT DOES HAVE THE HAVE DISABILITIES AND OUR PROGRAM ISN'T EQUIPPED WITH A CLASSROOM OR A TEACHER WITH THAT SKILL SET, THEN WE DO PARTNER WITH THE OTHER SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN PLANO TO HELP SERVE THAT CHILD AND FAMILY.
WE ALSO ANOTHER UNIQUE FEATURE, JUST LIKE OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS, WE DO DO THE PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES.
HOWEVER, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO HOME VISITS.
SO THAT'S TWICE A YEAR EARLY IN THE YEAR AND THEN AGAIN IN WINTER.
AND THEN WE PAIR THAT FALL AND SPRING PARENT CONFERENCE.
ALSO, OUR TEACHERS ARE REQUIRED TO CREATE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS IN EVERY SERVICE AREA.
SO WHAT MAKES A LITTLE BIT OF A UNIQUE FEATURE HERE IS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE DESIGNING PARENT WORKSHOPS RELATED TO EDUCATING THEIR CHILD, SUPPORTING THEIR CHILD AND THEIR LEARNING AT HOME, BUT TAKES EXTRA TIME, TAKES EXTRA COMMITMENT AFTER HOURS PROVIDING THOSE WORKSHOPS TO PARENTS IN THIS SERVICE AREA.
NEXT IS OUR HEALTH, DENTAL AND NUTRITION.
SO I HAVE A SCHOOL NURSE AND SHE SERVES AND THIS IS THE HEAD START WORLD AS WHAT'S
[03:10:01]
CALLED THE HEALTH MANAGER, HEALTH, NUTRITION AND DENTAL MANAGER.SO WE HAVE A HEAD START SPECIFIC MENU FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH HOUR MENUS PUBLISHED DIFFERENTLY.
A REGISTERED DIETITIAN RIGHT HERE IN PLANO DOES HELP CREATE THAT MENU FOR THE HEAD START STUDENTS.
WE ALSO PROVIDE DENTAL HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL HEALTH SCREENINGS WITHIN THE FIRST 45 DAYS, DOCUMENTING THAT AND THEN REQUIRING TO PROVIDE REFERRALS.
THE OFFICE OF HEAD START DOES ALLOW OUR PROGRAM TO USE OUR PROGRAM FUNDS TO HELP FAMILIES OUT WITH MEDICAL OR DENTAL NEEDS OR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH MEDICAID AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
SO NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS ALONGSIDE KNOW W[INAUDIBLE] PLANO DOES USE THAT AS A RESOURCE.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE NUTRITION CLASSES TO THE PARENTS.
YOU SEE A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF OUR CHEFS FROM THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK COMING ON SITE, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE A KITCHEN NOW EQUIPPED WITH AN OVEN.
AND THAT KIND OF THING IS BECAUSE OF THOSE PARENT NUTRITION CLASSES THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROMOTE AND HELP EDUCATE FAMILIES INTO THAT HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE.
YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THIS NUMBER ON THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD IS HOW MUCH DO WE SPEND ON DOING SOME OF THE DENTAL WORK AND SCREENINGS? WELL, I DO REALLY KNOW THAT BECAUSE I JUST SIGNED A REQUISITION.
WE TRY TO LOOK AT PAST YEARS AND TRY TO BUDGET FROM THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE GET OUR BUDGET'S OUR BUDGET, AND THEN WE HAVE TO WORK TO BUILD IT BASED ON THE NEEDS AND THE CHANGING NEEDS.
AND DENTAL HEALTH IS INCREASING.
I WOULD SAY COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS IS COULD BE JUST FOR ONE FAMILY, THOUGH, IF IT'S REALLY IT'S OUR CHILDREN THEY DO COME WITH REALLY.
WE HAVE WE WORK WITH COLLIN COUNTY DENTAL COLLEGE AS OUR PARTNER TO PROVIDE THOSE DENTAL SCREENINGS AND THEY BRING THEIR COLGATE VAN CAME TO OUR CAMPUS LAST YEAR BEFORE COVID AND PROVIDED THE SCREENINGS TO THE FAMILIES, TO THE CHILDREN THERE, BUT ANYWHERE FROM IT CAN BE TWO THOUSAND FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
REALLY, WE JUST MAKE SURE IT'S THOSE FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER FUNDING SOURCE.
AND I CAN GET A MORE ACCURATE NUMBER, OK.
AND IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH COLLIN COLLEGE ARE ALSO DENTISTS WHO GIVE THEIR SERVICES PRO BONO OR REDUCE FEES? YES, THEY DO.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO TAP INTO THAT RESOURCE.
AND SO MY HEALTH MANAGER, MY SCHOOL NURSE AND HEALTH MANAGER KEEPS A RUNNING LIST OF LOCAL DENTISTS THAT WILL PROVIDE PRO BONO SERVICES.
AND DO YOU SHARE THAT ALSO WITH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THOSE RESOURCES? YES, WE DO.
WE PARTNER TOGETHER IN THE EVENT THAT THEY HAVE A NEED LIKE THAT.
AND ONE MORE NONDENTAL QUESTION.
WHAT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT THE NUMBER OF SLOTS FOR PISD HEAD START WERE EXPANDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? WELL, THAT WAS THE FIRST QUESTION I HAD WHEN I WAS HIRED.
I JUST LIKE 1965 WAS THE ORIGINAL GRANT.
AND IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG TIME, VERY LONG, I WOULD SAY, THE LAST COMMUNITY WE HAD TO DO A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
IT USED TO BE EVERY THREE YEARS.
AND I'VE LOOKED THROUGH A LOT OF THE DATA AND THERE WAS A COMMITTEE HERE IN PLANO THAT WAS PART OF THE BOARD AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS PRIOR TO ME COMING INVESTIGATING THE NEED TO INCREASE THE SLOTS.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, AFTER COVID, THERE'S A GREAT THERE'S GOING THERE.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT ALREADY SHOWS THAT.
THE TRICK IS I JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP, YOU KNOW, NAVIGATING THE OFFICE OF HEAD START SYSTEM.
AND RANDY'S BEEN AND HIS DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL AND HELPING ME NAVIGATE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY THOSE GRANTS ARE WRITTEN, YOU HAVE TO APPLY.
AND THE LAST TIME I ASKED MY GRANT SPECIALIST, WHO I MEET WITH MONTHLY, SAID, WELL, YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEM.
YOU KNOW, THE REGION, YOUR REGION ALLOTS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF REGIONAL SLOTS.
AND SO THERE ARE IF THEY'RE ALREADY ALLOCATED, THERE ARE NONE EVEN FOR SOMEONE LIKE US THAT MAY HAVE THAT NEED.
BUT TYPICALLY THEY WILL COME OPEN EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT HAS THE DATA SHOWING THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN HAVING FAMILIES, THE HOMELESS SHELTERS OR THERE'S JUST A BIGGER NEED, THE CRISIS WITH THE SNOWSTORM DIDN'T HELP FOR OUR FAMILIES THIS YEAR.
WE REALLY HAVE HELPED FAMILIES AND OUTREACH AND GETTING THEIR HOMES AND APARTMENTS REFURNISHED, NOT TO MENTION JUST THEIR, YOU KNOW, WATER AND HEAT BILLS.
[03:15:02]
I USED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF HEAD START OF GREATER DALLAS, AND IT WAS EITHER 2008, 2009, WHAT WAS CALLED THE ARA DOLLARS.THERE WERE AN EXPANSION OF SLOTS AT THAT TIME.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE ON THE LOOK FOR.
AND EVEN IF WE NEED TO GET SOME MENTORING ON HOW TO DO THE GRANTS, BECAUSE JUST SO ALL MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, HEAD START DOESN'T COST US ANYTHING.
AND SO WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE TO HELP KIDS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I'LL PLANT THE SEED.
I WOULD HAVE TO DO A WHOLE LOT MORE INVESTIGATING WHEN I ASKED MY GRANT SPECIALIST ABOUT THAT.
IT'S VERY EASY TO GET AN EARLY HEAD START GRANT.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE GET THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD ME.
BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU I'M JUST GOING TO SAY 20, I'LL JUST MAKE THAT NUMBER UP 20 SLOTS FOR ZERO TO THREE.
YOU HAVE TO FIND THE SPACE TO DO IT AND ALL THAT.
BUT DOWN THE LINE, IF YOU HAVE BOTH EARLY HEAD START, I JUST LEARNED THIS AND HEAD START, YOU CAN MOVE THE NUMBER OF SLOTS AROUND YOURSELF.
SO NEXT YEAR I HAVE A NEED FOR TEN MORE THREE YEAR, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
WELL, I CAN TAKE THOSE OUT OF EARLY HEAD START NOW.
I'LL ONLY SERVE 10 ZERO TO THREE.
SO THAT WAS THEIR EXPLANATION OF THAT.
WELL, TAMMY, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS DOING THE NSBA FEDERAL ADVOCACY BACK IN 2017 IN WASHINGTON, DC, THEY, WE WERE ADVOCATING FOR A FEDERAL EXPANSION OF HEAD START BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE EXPANDED THE PROGRAM SINCE BEFORE THE 2000S.
AND IT WAS LIKE IN THE 1990S THAT THEY HAD DONE A FEDERAL EXPANSION.
THEY EXPANDED IN 2000 TO THAT 2008, 2009 AS PART OF THE PROGRAM IS CALLED ARA BECAUSE HEAD START IN DALLAS GOT MORE SLOTS.
OK, WELL, THEN THAT WAS THE LAST TIME.
BUT IT NEEDS EXPANSION FOR SURE.
WHICH IS SOMETHING WE SHOULDN'T LET THAT OPPORTUNITY GO UNTAPPED.
AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE THE POVERTY ON THE WEST SIDE IS AS INTENSE AS THE POVERTY ON THE EAST SIDE.
AND SO THERE WAS ACTUALLY DISCUSSION BACK.
WAS THE FIRST TIME IT WAS ACTUALLY DISCUSSED TO TRY TO GET A HEAD START ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
SO THE NEEDS THERE AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE BECAUSE IT IT DOESN'T COST US MONEY.
TO THE MENTAL HEALTH TO I'LL JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH THIS.
AS YOU KNOW, COVID HAS PLAYED A REAL HAS MADE A MAJOR IMPACT ON OUR PROGRAM, IN PARTICULAR WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN COMING TO US WITH TRAUMA AS A RESULT OF COVID AND OTHER THINGS.
SO WE ARE REALLY WORKING TO EXPAND AND BUILD.
I'M REALLY HONORED TO SAY BUILD A TRAUMA INFORMED PROGRAM WITH OUR FUNDING FROM THE GROUND UP.
AND THAT IS PART AND IT'S IN PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, EDUCATING THE THE STAFF ON WHAT TRAUMA IS.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROGRAM ARE TEACHING ASSISTANTS.
AND I MEANT TO TELL YOU THIS WITH THE TEACHING ASSISTANTS AT HEAD START, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN ELSEWHERE.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CHILD DEVELOPMENT FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
ACTUALLY, IT IS CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE CERTIFICATION, EXCUSE ME, AND WORD FINDING, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT WITH DURING THEIR TENURE.
WE GET TO BUILD IN FUNDING IN OUR GRANT TO HELP PAY BACK FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTS TO ENROLL IN THESE PROGRAMS. IT'S EXPENSIVE AND THEY'RE ON A TEACHING ASSISTANT SALARY.
SO THAT'S PART OF OUR GRANT FUNDING AS WELL TO HELP THEM WITH THAT.
SO ALL THAT TO SAY THE MAJORITY OF SO TRAINING THE PARAPROFESSIONALS, THE EDUCATORS IN WHAT TRAUMA INFORMED HERE ALONGSIDE THE THREAD IN ALL OF THIS, THAT'S THE SAME.
EVERY SERVICE AREA IS REQUIRED TO DESIGN PARENT WORKSHOPS.
YOU'VE HEARD THAT FROM EDUCATION AND DISABILITIES, HEALTH AND NUTRITION AND NOW MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS ALONGSIDE ENSURING THAT STAFF.
GOBER'S DEPARTMENT, I MEAN, IT'S JUST BUILT OFF THE SAME WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
SO IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH SOME OF HIS STAFF AND MY SOCIAL WORKERS ATTEND THE DISTRICT SOCIAL WORK MEETINGS SO THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH SHARING RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO IT'S REALLY BEEN A JOY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH HIS DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR FAMILY'S NEEDS ARE BEING MET.
MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? SURE.
THIS YEAR COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS, SO PRE COVID YEARS AND THEN THIS YEAR, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE SEEN IN TERMS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUR STUDENTS IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES? YES, SIR, I DO.
AND I HAVE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR I'M REQUIRED TO REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT ANY WELL, THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
[03:20:04]
AND IN EVERY SERVICE AREA, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE GRANT IS LIKE A DISSERTATION AND IT'S VERY LENGTHY REPORTING PROGRESS.AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, OR JUST NEW NUMBERS WHEN IT RELATES TO WHAT ARE WE SEEN AS A NEED 30 PERCENT INCREASE WAS THE LAST THAT I REPORTED.
AND THAT WAS WHEN BACK IN THE FALL.
SO THEY HAVE THEIR THE NEEDS ARE RISING DAILY.
ARE SOCIAL WORKERS, WORK INTENSELY WITH OUR FAMILIES TO GET OUT OF ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND THEN HELP THEM REALLY NAVIGATE.
ANOTHER PIECE ASIDE FROM COVID, THOUGH, IS [INAUDIBLE], WHICH DOES LEAD TO TRAUMA.
HOWEVER, IS THE IMMIGRATION TO NAVIGATE THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU DOCUMENTATION OF THEIR W2S OR THEY DON'T HAVE.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU HOW THEY MADE ANY KIND OF INCOME.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH HAVING ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS TO, SAY, SELF-EMPLOYED, NOT EMPLOYED.
THEY JUST REALLY THE FINANCIAL STRESS IN AND OF ITSELF CREATES TRAUMA FOR FAMILIES AND THE STRESS, WHICH THEREFORE KIND OF LEADS INTO THIS MENTAL HEALTH PIECE AND REALLY FOCUSING ON THE MENTAL WELLNESS OF STAFF AND OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
CAN YOU CONTEXTUALIZE THAT A LITTLE BIT JUST IN TERMS OF SO WE'VE SEEN A POSSIBLE 30 PERCENT INCREASE, MAYBE MORE THIS YEAR.
WHAT WAS THE TREND? LET'S SAY THE RUNNING FIVE YEARS OF WHAT YOU SAW.
WAS IT PRETTY STABLE? IT WAS FAIRLY STABLE.
AND THE REASON I KNOW THAT IS BECAUSE EVERY YEAR IN AUGUST, WHAT'S DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT IS CALLED A PROGRAM INFORMATION REPORT WHERE YOU ARE REPORTING TREND DATA.
AND THE LAST I ANALYZED THAT WAS AROUND 15 PERCENT.
I HAVE TO GET SOME MORE CURRENT DATA BECAUSE WHERE WE'RE CAPTURING THAT INFORMATION IS IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS OF THE CHILDREN.
FOR ONE, THE SOCIAL WORKERS GET THAT ARE RECORDING THEIR WHAT THEY GO INTO FAMILY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH FAMILIES.
THEY BECOME IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH 146 FAMILIES.
AND IN THAT THEY DISCOVER IN THEIR NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING SOME KIND OF TRAUMA.
AND SO THAT GETS RECORDED AND THEREFORE THAT DATA IS CAPTURED.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS A SPIKE? IT DEFINITELY IS A SPIKE.
AND THE TREND IS WITH THE MOST RECENT.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES SKYROCKETING, OUR FAMILIES DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE MAKING ENDS MEET AND THEY'RE KNOCKING ON OUR DOORS TO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, HELP ME FIND FURNITURE.
THERE WAS A CHILD THE OTHER DAY WHO SIMPLY WOULD NOT LEAVE THE SCHOOL.
HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY FURNITURE IN HIS HOME, SO HE'S COMING FROM A CLASSROOM THAT IS JUST FILLED WITH PURPOSEFUL PLAY.
AND SO MY SOCIAL WORKER IS WORKING TO OUTFIT THAT HOME NOW WITH A CHILD.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE AND ONE STORY OUT OF HUNDREDS.
WELL, YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT BUT VERY REWARDING JOB.
THIS IS OUR SOCIAL WORKERS PIECE.
THERE'S TWO SERVICE AREAS LEFT, THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES HERE.
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR SOCIAL WORKERS.
WE HAVE TO AND WE HAVE A FAMILY SERVICES SPECIALIST.
THEY ARE HOUSED IN OUR SCHOOL AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DEPARTMENT IN THE SCHOOL.
AND HERE IS THIS IS WHY HEAD START ISN'T FOR EVERY FAMILY.
IT'S FOR THOSE THAT ARE THE NEEDIEST.
AND IN THAT WE FORGE RELATIONSHIPS, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILIES CREATE PERSONAL GOALS, FINANCIAL GOALS TO ALL OF THE ONES I DESCRIBED EARLIER TO IMMIGRATION STATUS, TO ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
BUT WE ONLY HAVE THEM FOR SMALL TIME.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO GET THEM OUT OF POVERTY.
THAT'S THE GOAL OF HEAD START.
AND SO WE WORK TO PROVIDE EVENTS AND REALLY MAKE FAMILIES FEEL WELCOME.
NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK IS ANOTHER.
I HAVE A LIST OF OUR FAMILIES, OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AT THE AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
BUT TO MAKE WHAT THE EVENTS ARE DIFFERENT THAN JUST HOSTING AN EVENT.
THEY'RE PLANNED WITH THE INTENTION OF HAVING THE SCHOOL READINESS GOALS,
[03:25:04]
MEANING THE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN POSTED AT EVERY SINGLE EVENT SO THE FAMILY CAN LEARN WHAT THEY CAN DO TOGETHER WITH THEIR CHILD WHEN THEY LEAVE.SOCCER IS A POPULAR EVENT THAT THEY LOVE TO HOST.
SO RATHER THAN JUST A SOCCER EVENT WHERE AROUND THE SIDE WATCHING AND CHEERING YOUR KIDS ON, WE'RE HELPING THE FAMILY ENGAGE WITH THE CHILD, THEREFORE, THUS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.
I'D LIKE TO PLANT A SEED FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT AS YOU GO THROUGH THE BUDGET WORK FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN SHARED THERE, ABOUT 50 TO 1 IN TERMS OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND FAMILY ADVOCACY FOLKS AT HEAD START, PUT THAT IN CONTEXT, WE MAY HAVE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF 400 KIDS, HALF WHO LIVE IN POVERTY.
AND SO WE REALLY NEED AS WE LOOK AT SOCIAL WORKERS, I HOPE NO ONE LOOKS AT THEM AS A LUXURY AS WE PUT THEM IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR REGULAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT SOME OF THESE OTHER SOCIAL WORKERS ARE DOING.
SO LET'S JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE LOOK AT HOW WE RESOURCE OUR SCHOOLS.
THE LAST AREA IS ERSEA, AND YOU CAN SAY ERSEA OR ERSEA, BUT THE FEATURES HERE, THIS HOLDS EVERYTHING TOGETHER, EVERYTHING.
AND THE GOVERNMENT TAKES THIS AREA VERY STRONGLY IN THAT WE HAVE A FULL ENROLLMENT NOW THIS YEAR DURING COVID IS A YEAR OF WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND MEET THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES VIRTUALLY VERSUS FACE TO FACE.
SO YOU HAVE TO FILL YOUR SLOTS WITHIN 30 DAYS.
BUT HERE IS WHERE THE LITTLE BODIES GET IN THE SEATS.
AND SO WITH THOSE EFFORTS THIS YEAR, WE HAD OUR FIRST EVER DRIVE THROUGH ENROLLMENT HEAD START ENROLLMENT.
WELL, POLICY HEAD START ROUNDUP, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER HAD A ROUND UP.
I'M PROUD TO SAY IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
PART OF THE SUCCESS CAME FROM THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT, THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
I CANNOT EVEN DESCRIBE HOW THANKFUL I AM TO HAVE PARTNERED WITH THEIR GREAT DEPARTMENT.
LESLEY, YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE THAT I'VE CREATED AND ERSEA COMMITTEE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, I HAVE JAMES THOMAS SIT ON IT.
I HAVE OUR ELEMENTARY ACADEMIC SERVICES SIT ON IT AND A MULTITUDE OF OTHER PEOPLE.
AND SO THAT PARTNERSHIP TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICIES ARE SOLID ON HOW WE ENROLL KIDS, THAT WE FOLLOW POLICY, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
PLANO ISD RESIDENT IS TOO AND THEN THE AGE REQUIREMENT.
SO ALONGSIDE THAT, SOME OF THE RULES UNDER HERE, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT OUR PROGRAM MUST HAVE AT LEAST 10 PERCENT.
WE ALWAYS HAVE OVER 10 PERCENT OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THE TREND THERE IS AROUND 28 TO 34 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS, TYPICALLY WITH THE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DISABILITY.
USUALLY THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHERS THAT AND THERE ARE EVERY YEAR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO ARE REQUIRED TO PUBLISH AND PUT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND OUR POLICY COUNCIL A SELECTION CRITERIA THAT COULD CHANGE EVERY YEAR.
BUT WE ALWAYS ASK FOR INPUT EACH YEAR FROM OUR GOVERNING BODY AND OUR RECRUITMENT PLAN.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR SLOTS FILLED AT ALL TIMES? AND THAT'S THROUGH OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.
SO WE ARE EMBARKING BY THE 1ST OF MAY.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT I KNOW IN RECENT HISTORY, IF NOT EVER, THAT WE WILL BE PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH THE QUALIFICATION THAT YOU'VE QUALIFIED BY MAY.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO LOCK THOSE NUMBERS IN NOW SO FAMILIES CAN PLAN.
AND BUT IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF EXTRA WORK UP FRONT AND A LOT OF PLANNING TO GET THIS LAUNCHED WHEN WE DID, LESLEY.
I'LL HAVE MORE TO REPORT AND THE BOARD REPORTS IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE'RE ON TARGET.
SO THAT IS THE LAST OF THE SERVICE AREAS.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN PLANO ISD, THAT QUALIFIES FOR HEAD START.
SO ALL CHILDREN ARE THEY CAN ACCESS TRANSPORTATION.
WE MUST TRAIN OUR BUS DRIVERS.
WE PARTNER WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
ALSO, PARENTS MUST BE TRAINED ON BUS SAFETY.
SO THEY COME TO THE SCHOOL AND GET ON THE BUS.
THEY SEE THE HARNESS WHERE THEIR CHILDREN SITS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THEIR THREE YEAR OLD TO GET ON THE BUS UNTIL THEY SEE IT.
[03:30:02]
SO IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.AND THEN OUR TRANSITION SERVICES I JUST LISTED AT THE END, IT'S THE LAST I'M NOT GOING TO READ THESE.
THESE ARE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THIS AND THEN ANOTHER SLIDE THAT OUR EDUCATION DISABILITIES GROUP AND OUR HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH AREAS, THESE PARTNERSHIPS, OUR NEWEST ONES ARE AT THE BOTTOM.
THESE ARE THIS YEAR, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS, THE PLAY WITH ME PROGRAM PLAY THERAPY.
WE HAVE THIRTEEN FAMILIES ENROLLED IN THAT RIGHT NOW THAT ARE ENGAGED IN A SIX WEEK PROGRAM AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS CHILD PARENT RELATIONSHIP THERAPY.
THOSE ARE OUR NEWEST PARTNERSHIPS.
AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE OUR STORIES ABOUT HEAD START AND HOW WE CONTINUE TO GROW, I HAVE A COUPLE OF HASHTAGS.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO FOLLOW THAT.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO PAINT A PICTURE OF HOPEFULLY ONE OF, IF NOT THE HAPPIEST PLACES ON EARTH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
JUST IN TERMS OF THE STUDENTS THAT COME THROUGH.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE BEEN OFFERING THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, WHICH IS GREAT.
DO WE KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS TYPICALLY STAY IN DISTRICT AND EVEN IF THEY DON'T STAY IN DISTRICT, WHAT PERCENTAGE, WHAT THEIR GRADUATION RATE IS? WELL, I'M GOING TO LOOK THAT UP BECAUSE I WILL.
I WILL, BECAUSE THAT IS THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.
OUR WHOLE SELLING POINT IS THAT WE WANT TO GET THESE.
THE FAMILIES ARE IN PLANO, SO GET THEM NOW WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG AND RETAIN THEM.
AND WE BUY QUALITY EDUCATION AND PROGRAM.
AND WE OFTEN LOOKED AT LOOK AT STUDENT DATA IN COHORTS, DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.
AND WITH THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM, I'D LOVE TO SEE DISTRICT DATA ON STUDENTS THAT ARE THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH HEAD START.
AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THE SUCCESSES THAT THEY'VE HAD.
AND AND I'M SURE THERE'S MANY, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
I'LL LOOK INTO THAT AND I'LL GET THAT BACK TO YOU, DR.
I WANT TO SAY THERE'S BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO BE A BULLY ISN'T YOUR HEAD START THIS YEAR? BECAUSE MY FIRST YEAR DOING IT AND BEING, LISTENING TO THE POLICY COUNCIL OF PARENTS WHO ARE DEDICATED PARENTS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THE NEW IDEAS THAT COME UP WITH AND HOW YOU WORK WITH THEM, I THINK IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIP TO SEE YOU WITH THE RELATION WITH THOSE PARENTS.
NOW, THE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK IS THAT WHERE DO YOU MOST OF YOUR STUDENTS FIT INTO WHICH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS? ALL OF THEM.
THE MAJORITY ARE ON THE EAST SIDE, HOWEVER, WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN ARE BUSSED FROM ALL OVER THE DISTRICT, WHICH DOES MAKE FOR A LONG BUS RIDE IN THE MORNING.
YEAH, ALL THE WAY BY THE TOLLWAY.
AND THEY HAVE AN HOUR RIDE, MANY OF THEM.
SO ALL ALL THEY DO WE FEED INTO ALL SCHOOLS.
THIS DEPENDING ON THE FAMILIES WHO QUALIFY.
I DID ACTUALLY HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
JUST THINKING LONG TERM CAPACITY WISE, TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ZERO TO THREE AND GETTING 20 ADDITIONAL SLOTS FOR THAT.
HOW DOES THE CAPACITY LOOK AT YOUR CURRENT FACILITY FOR DOING THAT, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOUR FACILITY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE? WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND I'VE LOOKED INTO IT THERE.
WE DO HAVE AN EXTRA CLASSROOM THAT THAT IS OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM.
IT IS THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS CLASSROOM.
SHE PUSHES IN THE INCLUSION SO THAT COULD BE TRANSFORMED INTO A CLASS.
CATHY FOSTER MAY NOT WANT ME TO SAY WELL, AND KNOWING ZERO TO THREE YOU WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE ZERO TO THREE MEADOWS IS OUR SCHOOL THAT WE ARE CONNECTED TO.
WE HAVE OUR OWN ADDRESS, BUT WE DO SHARE THEIR CAFETERIA.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAPACITY THEY HAVE OR NOT TO HAVE IF THEY'RE AT FULL CAPACITY TO DO.
IS THAT? WHERE IS MEADOWS LOCATED? OK, JUST TRYING TO THINK THE UNDERUTILIZED EMPLOYED CHILD CARE THAT ALREADY GOES DOWN TO AGE SIX WEEKS, JUS SAYING, YEAH, AND I'M JUST THINKING LIKE OBVIOUSLY IF THOSE SPOTS DOWN THE ROAD, IF THAT WAS APPROVED AND THEN WE TRANSITION TEN OF THOSE SPOTS AND WE HAVE THAT OTHER CLASSROOM, LIKE, I GET IT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK LONG TERM.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENCOURAGING YOU TO GO FOR A GRANT THAT YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO EXECUTE THAT AND ACTUALLY SEE THAT THROUGH.
HASLEY, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, LAURIE TAYLOR AND MY GRANT SPECIALIST TO HELP COACH THAT.
AND I DO WORK WITH A CONSULTANT AS WELL, WHO I HAVEN'T ACCESS TO SERVICES THIS YEAR, BUT REALLY TO HELP COACH THAT, THAT'S THE WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY.
SO I DO HAVE SOME RESOURCES TO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DOING A LITTLE INVESTIGATIVE WORK, ESPECIALLY RANDY AND HIS TEAM AND KATHY WASCO.
THEY'LL THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING WORK THE NUMBERS AND WHAT THAT WOULD
[03:35:05]
POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE.WELL, YOU'RE DOING GREAT WORK AND WE WANT TO HELP YOU DO MORE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT AND YOUR SUPPORT.
THAT'S A VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
I'LL SEE YOU SOON, OK? SO JUST A QUESTION ABOUT KIND OF REPORTING STRUCTURE, SO DOES HEAD START REPORT UP THROUGH YOU, DR. HASLEY? IS THAT THE ONLY PHYSICAL SCHOOL THAT REPORTS UP THROUGH YOU? YES, DENISE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM, REPORTS TO LAURIE TAYLER, WHO'S OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OUR ELEMENTARY ACADEMIC SERVICES.
OK, AND SO I DO HOPE TO SEE MORE AND MORE COLLABORATION WITH DR.
I READ ALL THE REPORTS THAT WE GET.
AND I LOOK THERE'S ONE LITTLE CHART THAT TALKS ABOUT HELPING KIDS GET BEDS AND HELPING JOB PLANNING AND HELPING DENTAL SERVICES AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND I KEPT ALWAYS THINKING, WHY CAN'T WE DO THE SAME THING FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD? AND PART OF IT IS THAT WE DON'T GET THE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO DO SOME OF THOSE EXTRA SERVICES.
BUT I DO THINK THERE'S SOME BEST PRACTICE AND SOME LEARNING THAT WE COULD DO.
THERE'S TREMENDOUS NEED ACROSS THE DISTRICT FOR THOSE SAME SERVICES, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PRINCIPLES.
THEY ALSO REPORT TO ASHLEY DAVIS, WHO'S DIRECTOR UNDER ELEMENTARY ACADEMIC SERVICES.
SO WE DO HAVE A CLOSE CONNECTION WITH ALL THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PRINCIPALS, SCHOOLS AND HEAD START.
AND IF YOU NEED TO BUILD ONE ON THE WEST SIDE, THERE'S SOME PROPERTY I KNOW ABOUT.
ALL RIGHT, AND NEXT, WE WILL HEAR A TECHNOLOGY UPDATE FROM MR.
[11.C. Technology Update]
PATRICK TANNER, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES.MR. TANNER? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT RICHARDS.
THIS EVENING BOARD, WE'RE PLEASED TO BRING FORTH AN OPERATIONAL UPDATE ON THE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. MATT FREI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, AND HE WILL KIND OF TAKE US THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS FACED OVER THIS PAST YEAR AS WE ATTEMPT TO LEAD THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES BY APPLYING THE MOST APPROPRIATE, COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO MEET THE INSTRUCTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF THE STAFF, STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY OF PLANO ISD.
THANK YOU, PATRICK, HOW IS THIS? TURNED APPROPRIATELY HERE? IS THIS FINE? GOOD EVENING.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS CERTAINLY AND SUPERINTENDENT BONSER, TRUSTEES AND COLLEAGUES.
IT'S BEEN A FULL YEAR SINCE OUR LAST TECHNOLOGY UPDATE.
IN FACT, MORE THAN A FULL YEAR.
AND YOU MAY RECALL YOU MAY NOT.
WE TALKED ABOUT JOHNNY APPLESEED AND COMMITTED SARDINES WAY BACK THEN.
SOUNDS WEIRD TO SAY IT NOW, BUT WE DID THE TITLE OF THAT PRESENTATION WAS OF FRUITS AND FISHES.
TONIGHT, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, WE OFFER REALLY A SIMILARLY ALLITERATIVE TITLE, THIS ONE WE'RE CALLING OF WEBCAMS AND WATER POLO.
AND I HOPE THAT TAG LINE PIQUES YOUR INTEREST.
HAS YOU WONDERING A BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
WE'RE GOING TO GET SORT OF RIGHT INTO IT.
TO NO ONE'S SURPRISE, THE CONTEMPORARY WEB CAM HAS BECOME A CENTRAL FIGURE, REALLY A FIXTURE IN THE DAILY LIVES OF ALMOST EVERY PLANO ISD STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER.
TONIGHT, THE PLAN IS TO DEDICATE AT LEAST A PORTION OF OUR TIME TOWARD UNDERSTANDING THE SCALE TO WHICH THOSE TINY CAMERA LENSES HAVE INFLUENCED TEACHING, LEARNING AND WORKING ALL ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
BUT BEFORE WE DO, AND THIS IS ALMOST BECOME CUSTOMARY, I THOUGHT WE MIGHT START WITH A LITTLE HISTORICAL TRIVIA.
WHEN AND WHERE DO YOU SUPPOSE DID THE FIRST WEBCAM SORT OF BURST ONTO THE SCENE AND MAYBE MORE THAN THAT, WHAT NOBLE PURSUIT MUST HAVE LED TO THAT MILESTONE INVENTION? SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE QUESTIONS WHEN, WHERE AND WHY DO WE HAVE WEBCAMS? AND THE ANSWER LIES WITH THE FOURTH OLDEST COLLEGE IN THE WORLD.
I FOUND OUT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE LOCATED ABOUT 60 MILES NORTH OF LONDON, CAMBRIDGE HAS SOME AGE TO IT.
BY ANYONE'S DEFINITION, IT'S REALLY LONG IN THE TOOTH.
FOUNDED IN 1209, A DATE THAT ASTONISHED ME MORE THAN EIGHT CENTURIES AGO, THE UNIVERSITY HAS MATRICULATED MANY NOTABLE ALUMNI, INCLUDING EMINENT MATHEMATICIANS AND SCIENTISTS AND HEADS OF STATE.
THEY BOAST 121 NOBEL LAUREATES IN 11 FIELDS, MEDAL OF SEVEN TOURING AWARD WINNERS, 14 BRITISH PRIME MINISTERS.
THAT IS ALL TO SAY THAT ITS PEDIGREE IS SORT OF UNDENIABLE AND THEREFORE SHOULDN'T COME AS ANY SHOCK AT ALL THAT IT WAS A CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENTIST WHO IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR PLACING THE FIRST CAMERA ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB BACK IN 1993.
[03:40:02]
SO SOME 28 YEARS AGO.AND THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS OF WHEN AND WHERE, BUT NOT YET WHY.
SO WE'LL TRANSITION INTO THE WHY HERE.
SURELY IT WAS A PRESTIGIOUS PURSUIT EQUAL TO THE THE UNIVERSITIES CELEBRATED IN TIME HONORED REPUTATION, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE GUESSED.
BY MOST ACCOUNTS, COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH IS FUELED BY A REGULAR AND DEPENDABLE FLOW OF CAFFEINE.
I WOULD ARGUE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY PERHAPS IS TO.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCHERS WORKED IN OFFICES THAT WERE LOCATED APPARENTLY AND INEXPLICABLY NOWHERE NEAR THE ONLY COFFEE POT IN THE ENTIRE BUILDING 28 YEARS AGO.
SO THE STORY GOES THEY WOULD OFTEN SHOW UP TO GET SOME COFFEE, ONLY TO FIND THAT THE POT WAS EMPTY.
AND THIS, OF COURSE, CAUSED GREAT CONSTERNATION TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THEY SET UP A CAMERA TO MONITOR THE DRIPPINGS AND DROPPINGS OF THAT ISOLATED NOW FAMOUS COFFEE MACHINE.
THIS SORT OF REMOVE THE NEED FOR ANY PHYSICAL EFFORT TO CHECK THE COFFEE LEVELS AND AVOIDED THE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS OF SHOWING UP ONLY TO FIND A POT WITHOUT ITS CAFFEINATED CONTENT.
THAT'S THE WHEN, THE WHERE AND NOW THE WHY.
THESE, BY THE WAY, ARE AUTHENTIC PICTURES OF THAT COFFEE POT IN CAMBRIDGE.
AND FINALLY, WITH THIS BIT, WORD GOT OUT BEFORE LONG, MILLIONS OF TECH ENTHUSIASTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WERE ACCESSING IMAGES OF THE VERY SAME COFFEE POT IN NEARLY REAL TIME.
THE CAMBRIDGE TEAM TELLS ABOUT RECEIVING EMAILS FROM AS FAR AWAY AS JAPAN, ASKING IF A LIGHT COULD BE LEFT ON OVERNIGHT, THAT THEY COULD MONITOR THE POT ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT TIME ZONES.
BUT FAST FORWARD NOW TO MODERN DAY PLANO ISD, WHERE NEARLY ALL OF OUR 60000 CHROME BOOKS AND OUR 15000 DESKTOPS AND OUR 10000 IPADS AND OUR 8000 LAPTOPS, ALL OF THOSE DEVICES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THAT LITTLE WEBCAM AND PRE COVID.
WE WOULD SAY THOSE LITTLE LENSES RECEIVED ONLY OUR CASUAL ATTENTION.
TODAY, THEY ARE INDISPENSABLE TOOLS OF THE TRADE, CONNECTING OUR STUDENTS TO TEACHERS AND OUR TEACHERS, TO ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR CAMPUSES, THE CENTRAL OFFICES AND REALLY OUR DISTRICT, TO OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE REGION, IN THE STATE AND REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND THE GOOD WORKS OF OUR WEBCAMS ARE MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE AND A COMBINATION OF VIDEO CONFERENCING PLATFORMS THAT MAKE SUCH CONNECTIONS ROUTINE.
AND AMONG THE MOST PROMINENT OF THOSE PLATFORMS, YOU MIGHT HAVE GUESSED, WOULD BE ZOOM, RIGHT SHORTLY AFTER THE DISTRICT PIVOTED TO REMOTE LEARNING LAST SPRING, LAST MARCH, WE ESTABLISHED OUR VERY OWN ZOOM DOMAIN.
AND SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 180000 MEETINGS HAVE OCCURRED AND WE'VE HOSTED THREE POINT SEVEN MILLION PARTICIPANTS CONNECTING AT DIFFERENT TIMES FROM 80 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
IN CASE YOU'RE INTERESTED, MEXICO, INDIA AND PUERTO RICO ARE AMONG THE MOST PROMINENT PARTICIPANT LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OUR TEACHERS HAVE RECORDED AND SAVED NEARLY THREE TERABYTES WORTH OF ZOOM MEETINGS, SORT OF PRESERVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO PLAY BACK THOSE LESSONS AT A LATER TIME.
AND WE HAVE ALSO LAUNCHED GOOGLE MEET, ANOTHER VIDEO CONFERENCING PLATFORM, MORE THAN 50000 TIMES SINCE LAST MARCH, AND THEN THERE'S MICROSOFT TEAMS, A THIRD PLATFORM.
IT'S PRIMARILY USED BY STAFF AT PRESENT, BUT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE COMBINED TO LAUNCH TEAMS NEARLY 200000 TIMES, TALLYING MORE THAN 19000 HOURS SPENT INSIDE THAT THAT MICROSOFT VIRTUAL SPACE ALONE.
I HAVE SPENT MY FAIR SHARE AND THOSE ARE SO SO TO HAVE MY MY COLLEAGUES.
SO IN SUMMARY, ACROSS THOSE THREE PLATFORMS, OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS HAVE CONNECTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TIMES AND INVESTED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS IN EACH OTHER'S WEBCAM ENABLED COMPANY, I GUESS.
BUT BUT TEACHING AND LEARNING HAS NOT BEEN CONFINED OR RESTRICTED TO THOSE REAL TIME, THOSE REAL TIME SYNCHRONOUS MEETINGS.
THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT SORT OF ASYNCHRONOUS EFFORT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
AND WE NEED TO DEVOTE A LITTLE TIME AND ATTENTION TO THAT STUFF, TOO, EVEN BEFORE COVID.
CERTAINLY, PROBABLY THE LAST TIME I WAS STANDING HERE, WE TALKED ABOUT GOOGLE CLASSROOM AND HOW IT ALREADY HAD A SIZABLE FOOTPRINT IN OUR DISTRICT.
TWO YEARS AGO, IN FACT, IT WAS OUR SECOND MOST POPULAR APPLICATION.
THIS YEAR, THOUGH, GOOGLE CLASSROOM HAS BECOME FAR AND AWAY, FAR, FAR, FAR AND AWAY
[03:45:02]
THE MOST USED AND USEFUL TOOL IN OUR DIGITAL BACKPACK.OVER THIS 12 MONTH PERIOD, OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVE STEPPED INTO THOSE VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS MORE THAN 11 MILLION TIMES, IN FACT, NOW PROBABLY CLOSER TO 12 MILLION TIMES THAN THEY SPENT GREATER THAN 200000 HOURS COLLECTIVELY ACCESSING AND RESPONDING TO ALL SORTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT.
AND SO YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, WHAT DO OUR STUDENTS ACTUALLY ENCOUNTER INSIDE THOSE GOOGLE CLASSROOMS? WHAT DO THEY FIND WHEN THEY STEP INTO THEM? AND IT'S REALLY ALL SORTS OF STUFF.
THERE ARE INTERACTIVE LESSONS AND THERE ARE LINKS TO VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVE AND ALL SORTS OF ONLINE REFERENCE MATERIAL.
BUT UNDERPINNING IT ALL IS LOTS AND LOTS OF TEACHER CREATED VIDEO.
A VERY POPULAR TOOL USEFUL FOR MOVIE MAKING AND LECTURE CAPTURE IS A WEB BASED EDITOR NAMED WE VIDEO THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
IN FACT, OUR TEACHERS HAVE CREATED AND OR UPLOADED MORE THAN NINE TERABYTES OF VIDEOS IN PLANO I S.D.
WE VIDEO CLOUD NINE TERABYTES.
HOW BIG, YOU MIGHT WONDER, IS A TERABYTE.
IT SAID THAT A SINGLE TERABYTE CAN HOLD SIX POINT FIVE MILLION DOCUMENT PAGES, IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF THIRTEEN HUNDRED PHYSICAL FILING CABINETS FULL OF PAPER.
A SINGLE TERABYTE CAN CAN HOLD 500 HOURS OF HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO.
WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY FILLED NINE OF THOSE CONTAINERS WITH CLOSE TO 4500, ALMOST 5000 HOURS OF VIDEO CONTENT, WANTED TO SHARE.
JUST A COUPLE VERY BRIEF EXAMPLES.
WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON MAKING A SHAPE MONSTER.
AND YOU SHOULD HAVE THESE PAPERS FROM SCHOOL TO MAKE YOUR SHEET MONSTER.
YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF SHAPE ON PAPER.
YOU MIGHT HAVE A RECTANGLE, A SQUARE, A CIRCLE OR A TRIANGLE THAT LIFETIME.[VIDEO] IT IS TIME FOR MATH.
SO THIS VIDEO IS GOING TO BE ABOUT BY SECTORS ANGLE BY SECTORS.
AND SO BEFORE YOU WATCH THIS VIDEO, YOU NEED TO HAVE READ PAGES FORTY FIVE THROUGH FORTY EIGHT AND THEN COMPLETE A NUMBER ONE.
MATH, MATH, MATH, MATH MATH, MATH, MATH , MATH .
SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING A LOOK AT CENTRAL AND INSCRIBED ANGLES.
[VIDEO] SO I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE TEACHERS, THE FIRST CLIP WE SAW WAS FROM WHITNEY GARZA.
SHE'S A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER FROM MITCHELL ELEMENTARY AND THE SECOND TWO CLIPS FEATURED THE SAME GUY.
THAT IS ERIC TUZIN, A MATH TEACHER REPRESENTING PLANO EAST.
AND FINALLY, YOU SAW A CLIP FROM PLANO WEST ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR RYAN ROSS.
AND ALL TOGETHER, MAYBE WE WATCHED TWO, TWO AND A HALF MINUTES OF A VIDEO, HOMEGROWN VIDEO TALENT.
AND IF WE DID NOTHING ELSE BUT WATCH PLANO ISD PRODUCED VIDEO, IT WOULD TAKE US 188 DAYS TO WATCH IT ALL.
HOW ARE WE INDEXING THAT MATERIAL SO TEACHERS CAN QUICKLY FIND IT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH ALL THE TERABYTES? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, SO I WOULD SAY, AND I CAN'T GIVE YOU A DEFINITIVE I CAN TELL YOU HOW SOME OF SOME OF THAT NINE TERABYTES IS ORGANIZED AND WHAT HAPPENS IS CERTAINLY DR.
GROUP, AS THEY BECOME AWARE OF EXEMPLAR LESSONS, THEY WILL MAKE THEM AVAILABLE.
THEY HAVE A TEMPLATE, NOT A TEMPLATE, A REPOSITORY FOR CONTENT THAT THEY SHARE WITH TEACHERS THROUGH GOOGLE CLASSROOM.
SO I KNOW THAT THAT'S ONE PLACE THAT IT HAPPENS.
AND THEN TWO JUST AS WE HAVE POSTED SOME ON, AS WE BECOME AWARE, WE WILL POST SOME.
[03:50:06]
BUT I WOULD SAY THERE IS NOT AS YET A REPOSITORY.IN FACT, I GOT TO TELL YOU, ALL OF EACH OF THESE I DID EXACTLY THAT PICK CLICK THROUGH TO SEE TO FIND SOME.
SO SO I CAN'T TELL YOU WITH CERTAINTY HOW WE SHARE THOSE, ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT THEY ARE TO SOME EXTENT SHARED.
SO I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE CHALLENGE WE HAD THIS YEAR AS TEACHERS WERE HAVING TO CREATE THEIR OWN MATERIAL.
THINGS WERE IN PDFS AND THEY DIDN'T NEED PDFS.
AND SO THAT CREATED A GREAT DEAL OF STRESS AND EXTRA WORK.
AND SO CERTAINLY PART OF HAVING THIS PANDEMIC DO GOOD IS HOW CAN WE, AS YOU SAID, GET THE EXEMPLARS, INDEX THEM IN A WAY SO OTHER TEACHERS CAN REFER TO THEM.
IS THAT ONE OF YOUR PASSIONS? IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
SO WE'VE GOT TO WE WILL WORK, OBVIOUSLY, WITH OUR WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ACADEMIC SERVICES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, MAKE PROGRESS.
SO BUT AS WE BECOME AWARE OF THOSE THAT ARE GOOD, WE WANT TO SHARE THOSE AND WE'LL FIND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD JUST FOCUSING ON THE STUDENT ASPECT.
SO IF I'M A STUDENT OF THAT TEACHER AND THAT'S UPLOADED ME AS A STUDENT, I CAN ACCESS AND GO BACK TO THAT VIDEO ANY TIME.
OK, SO THAT'S I MEAN, I DEFINITELY WANT OTHER TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AND TO USE THAT AS A RESOURCE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE STUDENTS THAT SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS HAVE IT.
SO THAT'S THAT'S A LESSON FROM SCHOOL THAT IF THEY JUST DIDN'T GET IT THE FIRST TIME OR DIDN'T HEAR THE TEACHER, THERE IT IS.
AND I WOULD PROBABLY A GREAT TIME TO MAKE THIS DISTINCTION.
WE DID TALK ABOUT THREE TERABYTES WORTH OF STUFF IN ZOOM.
THE KIND OF VIDEOS THAT ARE RECORDED IN ZOOM ARE REALLY SPECIFIC TO THE KIDDOS IN MY CLASS.
SO MUCH SO WHERE THERE MAY EVEN BE INTERACTION AND YOU WOULD SORT OF BE PRECLUDED FROM SHARING THAT.
THAT'S THAT WITHOUT WITH EVERYBODY THAT'S BUT THE CONTENT YOU SEE IN WE VIDEO THAT TEACHERS PRODUCE, THAT IS WHOLLY REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT COULD BE SHARED, THOSE LESSONS COULD BE SHARED.
AND I THINK THE THE ASPECT OF LEVITY, ESPECIALLY WITH MR. ERIC TUZIN.
YES, I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT'S BEEN FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO FORM MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH TEACHERS THAT THEY HAVEN'T MET.
AND FOR THE TEACHERS TO HAVE A MEDIUM LIKE THIS, TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF PERSONALITY AND CREATE SOME TYPE OF CONNECTION OR, YOU KNOW, FOR STUDENTS TO SAY, OH, YOUR MATH TEACHER DOESN'T DO THIS, I THINK THAT'S REALLY ADDING A POSITIVE HUMANIZING ELEMENT THAT THE CULTURE OF THIS WHOLE COVID THING HAS REALLY ELIMINATED.
SO I LOVE TO SEE THE TEACHERS THAT HAVE THAT CREATIVITY AND WANT TO CREATE THAT BOND WITH THE STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE LAUGH OR GET THEM CONNECTED EARLY IN AND A LESSON PLAN.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE SPECIAL THINGS ABOUT TEACHERS.
GREAT POINTS, SO GREAT COMMENTS.
MATT, LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION ON THIS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, KHAN ACADEMY WAS THE THING TO DO, RIGHT? IT WAS THIS.
YOU COULD LEARN YOUR LESSON AND YOU CAN GO TAKE THAT LESSON CLASS.
AND LOTS OF KIDS USE THAT TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT THE WAY IT WAS BEING TAUGHT.
I'M SEEING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO OUR OWN KHAN ACADEMY.
BUT INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE VIDEO ON ONE SPECIFIC ELEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, MATH, YOU COULD HAVE MULTIPLE TEACHERS DOING BASICALLY THE SAME LESSON AND IT'S JUST THEIR STYLES ARE DIFFERENT.
TO YOUR POINT, IF A KID DOESN'T GET IT FROM THEIR TEACHER, THEY CAN GET ONLINE AND GO, WELL, THERE'S A TEACHER OVER AT EAST THAT I REALLY UNDERSTAND THE WAY THEY'RE TALKING TO ME.
IS THAT SOMETHING IT CAN MEAN? CAN WE BUILD SOMETHING LIKE THAT OUT OF THIS? TECHNICALLY, ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN AND DO I HAVE A DESIRE TO DO THAT.
YES, IT WILL TAKE MUCH CONVERSATION WITH, YOU KNOW, THE VETTING, LOOKING AND FIGURE OUT WHICH ARE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VIDEOS THAT WE WANT TO SHOWCASE.
THAT'S WHERE CONVERSATIONS WILL OCCUR.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO I CAN'T SAY THAT THAT WORK HAS BEGUN YET.
NOW WE ARE JUST FILTERING THROUGH VIRTUAL FILING CABINETS OF VIDEO, AND AT LEAST I HOPE OTHER PEOPLE MAY KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AS WE GET, YOU KNOW, INTO NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'RE BACK INTO A MORE TRADITIONAL SETTING, I CAN REALLY SEE US UTILIZING THIS TYPE OF FORMAT.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE [INAUDIBLE] CLASSROOM WAS THE BIG TREND.
RIGHT? WELL, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT.
YOU HAVE A LIBRARY OF TOOLS THAT YOUR STUDENTS CAN ACCESS TO LEARN LESSONS ON THEIR OWN TIME.
AND THEN THEY USE THE CLASSROOM TO REINFORCE THAT LESSON OR PUT THAT LESSON
[03:55:04]
INTO INTO MOTION.AND SO I YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE SAYING? NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.
I MEAN, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDEFINE THE WAY THAT THE EDUCATIONAL MODEL WORKS.
AND WE'VE HAD TO DO IT THIS YEAR.
BUT NOW WE CAN TAKE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED AND CREATE SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
THAT MAY BE THE WAY THAT THE NEXT GENERATION LEARNS ANYWAY.
YES, JUST A QUESTION, DO WE HAVE COPYRIGHT TO ALL THESE VIDEOS, THE TEACHER, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS THE COPYRIGHT? I'M GOING TO DEFER THAT QUESTION PROBABLY TOO GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE WOULD SPEAKERS], THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE USING PLANO ISD CURRICULAR IT, IT BECOMES THE PROPERTY OF THE DISTRICT.
AND SO ONE THING I WANTED TO JUST MENTION, PIGGYBACKING OFF OF DAVID, AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING YOU SAID, BUT IT'S AN IDEA THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING, WAS THAT I ABSOLUTELY WANT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO BE VOLUNTARY.
I DON'T WANT TEACHERS TO FEEL THAT THERE'S SOME NEW REQUIREMENT OR SOME SOME NEW ADDITION TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IF THERE'S TEACHERS THAT LOVE THIS LIKE THIS, EVEN IF WE CAN OFFER ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WANT, THEN THAT'S GREAT.
BUT IF THERE'S JUST TEACHERS OR GROUPS OF TEACHERS THAT ARE JUST NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THIS, I'M NOT LOOKING TO PUT AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THEM OR EVEN ON A DEPARTMENT SAYING YOU'VE GOT TO FIND SOMEBODY, YOU GOT TO FIND A TEACHER TO DO THIS.
AS MUCH AS I WANT THIS, I WANT IT TO BE VOLUNTARY.
I WANT TO BE A PASSION PROJECT.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT ADDITIONAL STRESSES ON OUR TEACHERS AND TEAM LEADS, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT OUR FOCUS NEEDS TO BE NEXT YEAR.
AND I KNOW HOW THIS CAN HELP WITH THAT.
BUT THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS JOB TO DO NOW AND AN EVEN BIGGER JOB NEXT YEAR.
AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES ON THEM AND STRESS THEM OUT ANY MORE.
AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE AUTONOMY OF OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS TO ALLOW THEM TO DO WHAT THEY DO, THE WAY THEY WANT TO DO IT.
BUT WHAT I SEE THIS IS AS SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES AND IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO USE AS THEY SEE FIT, OR A BRAND NEW MODEL FOR A TEACHER IF THEY THINK THIS IS THE BETTER MODEL FOR THEM IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY A MODEL THEY COULD EXPLOIT.
I WOULD SORT OF TAKING A SMALL LEFT TURN FROM THAT THIS TOOL, THIS WE VIDEO.
WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED IT JUST BEFORE HAVING NO IDEA, I WANT TO SAY JANUARY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF US AND IT'S TURNED IN.
IT WAS FORTUITOUS, RIGHT? BUT THIS TOOL, IT WORKS ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS, IT'S WEB BASED, SO WE BOUGHT IT.
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR IT COULD BE USED ON CHROMEBOOK, IT CAN BE USED ON IPADS, ON MACS, ON, YOU KNOW, ON WINDOWS DEVICES, BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH LICENSES WHERE WE SAID LET'S MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IF THEY WANT IR OR CTE COURSES, SOME OF THEM, THEY USE IT INTENTIONALLY AS PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM, BUT WE MADE IT GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO OTHER STUDENTS.
AND WHEN I LOOK THROUGH WHEN I WAS SEARCHING JUST QUICKLY FOR SOME EXAMPLES, EXEMPLARS, THERE ARE LOTS OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE SAVED GIGABYTES WORTH OF VIDEO.
I WAS CURIOUS, WHAT ARE THEY WHAT KIND OF VIDEOS ARE THEY MAKING? AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE MOST USED, THE MOST USED STORAGE SPACE, KIDS ARE REALLY USING THAT.
THEY'RE RECORDING THEMSELVES, PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.
I MEAN, TO SHARE WITH OTHER KIDS LIKE THIS IS HOW I GOT PAST THIS.
AND SO THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY RECORDING THEMSELVES, PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.
LIKE FILLING UP THOSE VIRTUAL FILING CABINETS WITH THEM.
WE TALKED AT SOME POINT WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF GUIDELINES ON THAT, OR WE JUST TELL THEM TO GO TO TWITCH ON RECORDING ON OUR SERVERS.
WELL, IT'S NOT WE DO NOT I MEAN, IT'S THEY ARE WE'VE MADE THE TOOL AVAILABLE AND THEY'RE PRODUCING THEY'RE CREATING VIDEOS.
THEY ARE NOT THAT'S NOTHING OBJECTIONABLE.
SO THERE'S NO PRECAUTION IN IT.
I MEAN, OTHER THAN WHAT WE SAY, OTHER THAN WHAT OUR POLICIES SAY ABOUT THE KINDS OF OBJECTIONABLE CONTENT YOU CAN'T CREATE, AND IT'S THE SAME AS YOUR GOOGLE DRIVE OR YOUR WHATEVER ITS STORAGE SPACE AND WHAT AND WHAT YOU CREATE AND PUT IN THERE.
SO IN KEEPING WITH CURRENT POLICY, IT'S MY OPINION THAT'S OK.
I GUESS MY CONCERN WAS, ARE WE PAYING FOR THAT BANDWIDTH OR DO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE SERVER FARMS? I MEAN, IS THERE A COST TO US? NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE STORAGE IN THIS PARTICULAR PLATFORM THAN WE WILL USE
[04:00:04]
THAT IN THE FUTURE.IF WE RUN OUT OF BANDWIDTH, CAN WE DELETE THEM? GREAT QUESTION.
SO HERE IS A DIFFERENT SEPARATE EXAMPLE.
ZOOM WE DID WE DID RECENTLY PURCHASE MORE.
AND JUST TEACHERS ARE USING ARE ABLE TO RECORD ZOOM SESSIONS AND WE HAVE 3 TERABYTES.
OUR INITIAL AGREEMENT WITH THEM WAS WAS 2.4 GIGABYTES IS WHAT WE COULD USE.
AND SO WE QUICKLY IT'S AMAZING HOW QUICKLY WHERE WE WERE A MONTH AGO, WE WERE HALFWAY THERE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ALMOST EXPONENTIALLY, WE WERE LIKE APPROACHING.
AND SO WE DID ACTUALLY INVEST IN ADDITIONAL STORAGE FOR ZOOM, BUT THERE IS THIS NOTION THAT WE COULD, IF GIVEN MORE TIME AND HOW WE WILL POSITION OURSELVES NEXT YEAR IS WE'LL SAY ANYTHING OLDER THAN SIX MONTHS.
WE'RE GOING TO DELETE IT YOU CAN STORE IT ELSEWHERE ON YOUR OWN STUFF, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DELETE STUFF THAT'S SIX MONTHS OLD OR OVER SIX MONTHS OLD, OR IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ACTIVE POTENTIALLY FOR A YEAR, WE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, SO THE SAME THING COULD APPLY.
THE SAME KINDS OF PROTOCOL COULD BE APPLIED TO OUR WE VIDEO IF WE WERE EVER TO GET CLOSE TO THAT, WE GET EFFECTIVELY AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, AT JUNE 30TH, WE WILL GET AGAIN THE SAME AMOUNT OF STORAGE THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.
SO IT'S SORT OF CUMULATIVE, NOT JUST FROM A STUDENT PRIVACY PERSPECTIVE.
I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD DISCUSS AT SOME POINT SOME POLICY OF WHEN STUDENTS THAT GRADUATE OR LEAVE THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN THOSE ACCOUNTS GO INACTIVE, GETTING, YOU KNOW, PURGING THAT INFORMATION AND DATA.
AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, IF A STUDENT GOES ON AND DECIDES TO DELETE THEIR VIDEOS, IS THAT THEY'RE GONE.
YES, OK, YES, SO JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF STUDENT PRIVACY AND WE HAVE KIND OF THAT DEAL WITH GOOGLE RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY LEAVE AND THEY HAVE EFFECTIVELY THEY COULD HAVE 12 YEARS WORTH OF STUFF THAT THEY'VE CREATED.
WE SHOW THEM HOW TO DO WHAT'S CALLED GOOGLE, TAKE OUT EFFECTIVELY DOWNLOAD EVERYTHING OR TRANSFER TO YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND LIKE THAT FOR THIS.
OK, AND THEN AFTER THAT, GOOGLE COMPLETELY PURGES AND ERASES.
WE AFTER I THINK IT'S TYPICALLY 90 DAYS IS WHEN WE.
THAT'S TRUE OF STUDENTS AND IT'S ALSO TRUE OF STAFF.
IF THEY SEPARATE, THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE DON'T TOUCH IT.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE AN AREA RIPE FOR SOME POLICY DEVELOPMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TASB SAYS IN THESE THINGS, BUT I THINK WE'RE SEEING SOME NEEDS.
OWNERSHIP IS AN ISSUE OF THEIR COLLEGE PROFESSORS.
AND SO MAKING SURE WE HAVE GOOD POLICY, GOOD DOCUMENTATION, GOOD RECORDS, RETENTION, WHATEVER THE MODERN EQUIVALENT WOULD BE FOR THIS, BECAUSE I DO AGREE THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE DEVELOPMENT OF VIDEOS BECAUSE IT DOES HELP.
IF YOU DON'T GET THE TEACHER YOU WANTED, YOU CAN LEARN FROM THAT TEACHER.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO THIS NOT IN A WILD WEST SORT OF WAY.
I MEAN, THE TEACHER CREATED IT.
I MEAN, THERE IS NO OTHER PRIVACY CONCERNS, BUT IF IT'S A GOOGLE CLASSROOM RECORDING, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE PURGED TOO.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE STUDENTS IN THE ROOM, I MEAN.
THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF PRIVACY CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, WE AGREE, WE ABSOLUTELY AGREE AND HAVE DEVELOPED PRACTICES AROUND THAT.
WE DON'T EVEN WANT THEM POSTED.
BUT IF THEY ARE, IN OTHER WORDS, AND THEY'RE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S POSSIBLE, WE'D LIKE TO ONLY HEAR AND SEE THE TEACHER TO THE EXTENT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
BUT YOU NEED TO SHARE IT FOR STUDENTS WHO WEREN'T AVAILABLE.
IT IS TO ONLY OUR PRACTICE TO SAY IT'S ONLY TO BE SHARED WITH THOSE STUDENTS WITH A WITH A LEGITIMATE SORT OF INTEREST IN SEEING IT PART OF YOUR CLASS SHARED OUTSIDE OF THAT CLASS.
AND THEN TWO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE.
AND I CAN ADD TO THAT AS WELL WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PROVIDED A LOT OF THESE SERVICES, IT WAS OUT OF NECESSITY.
AND SO HAVING THE ABILITY TO RECORD THOSE SESSIONS AND MAKE THOSE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AT THE TIME FOR PLAYBACK WAS PARAMOUNT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE THINGS HAVE THE TENDENCY TO GROW IN CAPACITY VERY RAPIDLY.
BUT IT DOES PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND WE CAN TIGHTEN UP AND FROM A REGULATION STANDPOINT, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GOVERN THESE VIDEOS MOVING FORWARD.
BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO SOME BUILT IN MECHANISMS. WE HAVE TOOLS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN USING, SUCH AS SAFARI MONTAGE THAT ALLOWS US TO META TAG DATA THAT'S IN THERE AND BE ABLE TO SEARCH ON THESE VIDEOS IF WE SO CHOOSE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION SO WE CAN BUILD THAT LIBRARY
[04:05:05]
UTILIZING SOME EXISTING TOOLS THAT ARE THERE TODAY WHILE MANAGING THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE DATA MOVING FORWARD AND ENSURING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY STUDENT PRIVACY ISSUES WITH THAT.BUT BY AND LARGE, WHAT WE'VE SEEN, SOME OF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN TAGGED YOU KNOW TEACHERS ARE CREATING THESE VIDEOS.
THEY'RE LINKING THEM DIRECTLY TO THE ASSIGNMENTS.
AND SO IT'S PRETTY EASY TO GO BACK AND SAY, WHY DID I CREATE THIS VIDEO? LET ME GO BACK NOW AND META TAG THIS AND PUT THIS IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE SO THEY COULD BE USED FOR FUTURE USE FROM THE ZOOM RECORDINGS AND FROM THE GOOGLE MEETINGS.
THOSE ARE PRIMARILY USED WITH THAT CLASS AND THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN ANY NEED FOR US TO GO BACK AND MAKE THAT WIDELY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
IT'S BEEN USED FOR THE CLASSROOM USE WITH THE STUDENTS IN THERE.
HOW CAN WE PUT GUIDELINES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THESE THINGS DRAW OUT OF CONTROL? WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE PURGE THE WHATEVER CONTENT THERE IS OF AN EMPLOYEE WHEN THEY LEAVE.
SO LET'S SAY IN OUR EXAMPLE HERE THAT OUR ROCK STAR MATH TEACHER LEAVES PLANO AND GOES TO DALLAS AND HE'S GOT THESE REALLY GREAT VIDEOS WE LIKE.
ARE WE KEEPING THOSE? WELL, SO HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.
SO WE CAN TRANSFER OWNERSHIP IF THEIR REQUEST IS IF WE KNOW ABOUT IT, IF SOMEONE SAYS THIS GUY IS GONE.
BUT I WE NEED ALL OF THIS STUFF, ALL HIS STUFF, WE CAN TRANSFER IT TO A WE'LL ASK THE PRINCIPAL WHO SHOULD OWN THIS, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF OUR WORK NOW IS COLLABORATIVE.
SORT OF RETAIN NEW OWNERSHIP OVER THOSE ASSETS.
EFFECTIVELY LEAVING A SHELL OF WHAT USED TO BE THE GUYS, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHERS, ACCOUNTANT EMPLOYEES ACCOUNT, AND THEN WE WOULD WE CAN GET RID OF THAT.
SO THERE IS THERE IS ABSOLUTELY THAT NOTION OF TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP FOR SHARED ASSETS OR COLLABORATED ASSETS SO LONG AS WE KNOW ABOUT IT.
YEAH, IF WE DO BUILD A LIBRARY OF SOME SORT AND WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CERTAIN CATEGORY OF 11TH GRADE MATH THAT WE'VE GOT A GREAT LIST OF VIDEOS FOR, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THOSE VIDEOS IN ANY WAY.
AND FRANKLY, I DON'T EVEN WANT THEM TO HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO SOMEONE ELSE.
HAVE YOU GUYS BUILD THE LIBRARY AND HAVE THOSE VIDEOS BECOME PART OF THE PERMANENT LIBRARY UNTIL YOU REMOVE IT.
SO WE ALSO DO HAVE SHARED GOOGLE DRIVES THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL DRIVES AS OPPOSED TO AS OPPOSED TO OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PERSON.
THEY ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE DISTRICT.
THEY ARE THEY'RE USED MORE COMMONLY WITH LIKE THE COORDINATORS OR INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALISTS WHO SORT OF COLLATE COORDINATE ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THOSE ASSETS INTO THAT ONE PLACE.
BUT SO WE DO HAVE A MECHANISM FOR THAT AS WELL.
I JUST THINK TO ME, AT LEAST THE WAY I'M THINKING THROUGH THIS IN MY HEAD ALREADY IS THAT THAT'S THAT LIBRARY WILL ORGANICALLY GROW.
AS YOU SEE THE VIDEOS THAT KIDS ARE GOING BACK TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND YOU'LL KNOW WHICH ONES NEED TO BE IN THERE.
AND THEN YOU CAN PURGE THOSE THAT ARE NO LONGER RELEVANT OR NO LONGER AS GOOD AS THE OTHERS.
AND SO IT'S A KIND OF AN IT'S A LIVING, ORGANIC BREATHING LIBRARY, RIGHT? YEAH, BE FUN.
BUT IF WE HAVE THE COPYRIGHT AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR ANYTHING, DON'T WE OWN LIKE, DON'T WE MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE TEACHER, LIKE IN YOUR VIDEOS, ARE REALLY NOT YOURS.
IF YOU LEAVE, THESE VIDEOS WILL STAY CORRECT.
ALTHOUGH WE JUST DON'T KEEP EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE BECOMES UNWIELDY AND UNMANAGEABLE WITH MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF ASSETS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, JUST THE GOOD ONES.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION A DIFFERENT WAY? IF I'M A MATH TEACHER AND I'M CREATING THIS GREAT CONTENT FOR THE DISTRICT, I'M REALLY PASSIONATE.
AND THEN I GET MARRIED AND MY WIFE LIVES FURTHER SOUTH AND I WANT TO MOVE TO DALLAS ISD EVEN I LOVE PLANO ISD AND I WANT TO KEEP THOSE VIDEOS FOR MY STUDENTS AND FOR FUTURE STUDENTS.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE CONTENT I'VE CREATED TO HELP ME AND MY FUTURE STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK THAT AS MUCH AS I'D HATE TO LOSE THAT TEACHER, THAT'S THE LABOR OF LOVE.
THAT'S CONTENT THEY DID CREATE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S CREATED WITH PLANO ISD MATERIALS.
AND I THINK THAT TEACHER MIGHT HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT WE'D ALLOW THEM TO TAKE THOSE VIDEOS WITH THEM.
WE COULD DECIDE WHETHER IT'S WORK FOR HIRE OR NOT, WHETHER THAT SHOWS UP IN TEACHER CONTRACTS.
AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM THAT GRAY AREA.
YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY DELIBERATE AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY UP FRONT WITH THE CONTENT CREATORS.
WE LIVE IN A NEW WORLD OF CONTENT CREATION AND OWNERSHIP, AND I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT IS STATED UP FRONT.
AND THAT WAY EXPECTATIONS ARE CLEAR BECAUSE I COULD SEE A LOT OF TEACHERS AND
[04:10:01]
PEOPLE GETTING VERY FRUSTRATED OR UPSET IF THEY FIND OUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS OF REALLY PASSIONATE WORK THAT THEY THAT REALLY WAS THEIRS.AND MAYBE IT'S COLLABORATIVE, MAYBE IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE'S, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S THEIR FACE, THEIR VOICE, THEY'RE RECORDING AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT WITH THEM.
AND SO IF THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CASE AND I'M NOT SAYING IT IS, BUT IF IT IS, THEN WE NEED TO BE AS CLEAR UPFRONT AS POSSIBLE, AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK WELL, I WANT TO AS A FORMER TEACHER AND KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TEACHERS AND THEY HAVE ATTICS AND STORAGE IN THEIR HOMES THAT HAVE GIANT BOXES IN THEM THAT HAVE ALL THE MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE DONE AND USED OVER TIME AND YEARS AND THEIR TEACHERS THAT MOVE THOSE WITH THEM FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST PART OF BECOMES THEIRS.
WE NEED TO BE VERY AWARE OF THAT.
WHEN YOU DO CREATE SOMETHING IN THE CLASSROOM, YES, YOU MAY LEAVE IT FOR THAT SCHOOL, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THAT INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CREATED COMES WITH YOU.
SO THAT'S THE PHYSICAL, YOU KNOW, TEACHER HAS A THUMB DRIVE THAT SHE PUTS THE THINGS THAT SHE SAVES ON IT.
IT STAYS WITH THE DISTRICT, BUT SHE ALSO TAKES IT WITH HER.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST IT'S AND WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN I THINK OF THIS IS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN COLLEGE READING ON RAND AND ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF OWNERSHIP OF I PRODUCE SOMETHING AND I OWN IT AND TRYING TO TAKE AWAY THE OWNERSHIP OF SOMEBODY'S THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AND HARD WORK.
IF WE DISCLOSE THAT UP FRONT, THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN AGREEMENT, THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING.
BUT ABSENT THAT, THEY ARE IF THEY ARE CREATING ORIGINAL CONTENT, WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR AS TO WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT ORIGINAL CONTENT IF THEY LEAVE THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE I.
AND THAT MAY DETER PEOPLE FROM DOING IT IF WE SAY, HEY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS WITH YOU.
THAT MAY DETER THEM AND THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE.
BUT I DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME A BIGGER ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE DAVID SAID, WE KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP.
AND SO IF WE COULD BE AS INTENTIONAL AND PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE, I THINK LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS MIGHT BE DOING, IF THERE'S ANY DISTRICT THAT HAS A POLICY LIKE THIS OR IF TASB HAS A POLICY LIKE THIS, OR IF WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR ATTORNEYS TO SEE WHAT'S RECOMMENDED AND WHAT THERE MIGHT BE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY ALREADY BE SOME CASE LAW ON THIS.
AND IF NOT, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE DISTRICT THAT BECOMES THE CASE LAW FOR THIS.
AS YOU SAY, I SUSPECT AND MAYBE I'M JUST REMEMBERING IT WRONG, BUT I SUSPECT WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE SOME LANGUAGE AROUND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, ALL THESE THINGS THAT I JUST REGRETTABLY CAN'T CITE RIGHT NOW.
BUT BUT I'M ALMOST I'M CONVINCED THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THAT.
AND THAT'LL BE MY TASK THAT I GLADLY LOOK INTO TOMORROW.
WELL, WE LOOK AT TAYLOR SWIFT AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE ENGINEERS THAT HAVE CREATED PATENTS.
BUT I THINK THE CORPORATION OWNS IT BECAUSE IT WAS YOU KNOW, THEY WERE.
YES, THAT IS CORRECT.[LAUGHTER] WHEN YOU GO TO LARGE TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES THAT FIRST DAY YOU SIGN AWAY EVERY CREATIVE THOUGHT YOU'RE EVER GOING TO HAVE.
AND SO, YEAH, BUT I THINK THE POINT THAT EVERYBODY'S MAKING IS THAT WE NEED TO BE CLEAR AND UPFRONT AND AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ESTABLISH THOSE POLICIES AND COMMUNICATE THEM.
SO WE STARTED OUR TECHNOLOGY UPDATE SORT OF TALKING ABOUT WEB CAMS, BOTH THEIR HISTORY AND THE INTEGRAL ROLE THEY'RE PLAYING IN OUR LIVES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
BUT THE TITLE SLIDE ALSO PROMISED SOMETHING ABOUT WATER POLO.
AND SO WE HAVE OFFICIALLY ARRIVED AT THE WATER POLO PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION WHERE WE'RE NEARING THE END.
KARY COOPER FOR INSPIRING THE SEGWAY.
I'M LOOKING AT HIS FACE NOW BECAUSE I DON'T THINK HE'S PROBABLY WONDERING WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT? WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? WATER POLO, AS TERI TOLD US A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WAS SCHEDULED TO JOIN THE LIST OF UIL SANCTIONED SPORTS AS PART OF THE 2021 2022 SCHOOL YEAR.
WRIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO DO THAT.
BUT THEN KARY SUGGESTED THAT UIL HAD DECIDED TO DELAY THAT INAUGURAL SEASON.
THEY REASON THAT DISTRICTS WERE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO COMPLETE SORT OF THE THE COMPETITIONS OF CURRENTLY SANCTIONED SPORTS.
SO INTRODUCING A NEW ONE WOULDN'T BE PRUDENT AT THIS TIME.
AND DR. COOPER'S VERY BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT TRIGGERED A MEMORY FOR ME.
IT WAS A REMINDER OF AN ALLEGORICAL STORY I HEARD PROBABLY 10 YEARS AGO.
IT WAS AN ONLINE KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY A GUY NAMED DR.
AND I MAY HAVE SHARED SOME VERSION OF THIS A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT AS OUR CONTEXT HAS CHANGED, I THINK IT'S BOTH APPROPRIATE AND TIMELY TO SHARE THE POLO PARABLE AGAIN.
FOR THE SAKE OF THIS STORY, LET'S PRETEND THAT WATER POLO HAD BEEN SANCTIONED IN
[04:15:03]
TEXAS YEARS AGO, LONG, LONG AGO AND PLANO.ISD HAS EMERGED AS A TRUE POWERHOUSE, AS EVERYONE MIGHT EXPECT IN THAT SPORT OF WATER POLO.
AND LET'S IMAGINE THAT OUR TEAMS HAVE ROUTINELY EXCELLED AGAINST ALL COMPETITORS, WINNING CONFERENCE TITLE AFTER CONFERENCE TITLE, BRINGING HOME STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND THEN ONE FATEFUL DAY, LET'S SAY MARCH 12TH, 2020, A DATE THAT I DIDN'T CHOOSE RANDOMLY, THINGS CHANGED.
THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR IN THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS CALLED THE WATER POLO COACHES TOGETHER INTO A MEETING, AND THEY EXPRESSED SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR BUILDING A PROGRAM THAT HAD BECOME THE GOLD STANDARD BY WHICH ALL OTHER DISTRICTS MEASURE THEMSELVES.
AND THEN THEY BROKE THE NEWS ON MONDAY.
THEY SAID DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL, WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR ENERGY ON A NEW SPORT.
AND IT'S STILL TECHNICALLY POLO, BUT IT'S GOING TO LOOK VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU'RE USED TO SEEING AND WHAT YOU'RE USED TO COACHING AND WHAT YOUR ATHLETES ARE USED TO.
PLAYING AND SCORING GOALS WILL STILL BE IMPORTANT, BUT YOUR PLAYBOOK WILL LIKELY NEED UPDATING.
AND THE MEETING WENT ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
BUT EVENTUALLY THE COACHES WERE LEFT IN THE ROOM TO START GAME PLANNING NOT ONLY FOR MONDAY, BUT FOR THE THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
AND ON ITS FACE, MAYBE IT SEEMS THE STORY IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS.
BUT JUST BELOW THE SURFACE, I THINK YOU'LL AGREE THERE ARE SOME PARALLELS WE CAN DRAW FROM OUR OUR RECENT MAYBE CURRENT EXPERIENCE.
IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO GET USED TO OUR NEW EQUIPMENT, TO OUR NEW STRATEGIES, AND FOR MANY, A COMPLETELY NEW PLAYING FIELD THROUGH IT ALL, INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES.
OUR AIM HAS BEEN TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AS THEY LEARN TO NEGOTIATE AND NAVIGATE WHAT IS STILL, FOR MANY, AN UNFAMILIAR ARENA.
AND SO I'M GOING TO CONCLUDE WITH A QUICK UPDATE ON OUR TEACHER RELIEF PLAN BASED ON FEEDBACK GATHERED DURING TEACHER ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS LAST NOVEMBER.
THE PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO FACULTY COUNCIL IN DECEMBER AND RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY, OUR EFFORTS CENTERED ON THREE SPECIFIC AREAS.
WE WERE LOOKING TO DISTRIBUTE SECOND MONITORS TO ALL INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.
BASED ON THEIR FEEDBACK, WE NEEDED TO EXPAND SUPPORT FOR CONCEDED CLASSROOMS, AND WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE TOOLS TO PROMOTE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO SINCE JANUARY, HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED NEARLY 4000 NEW MONITORS TO TEACHERS ACROSS ALL 71 CAMPUSES.
TO BETTER SUPPORT COSSETTED CLASSES, WE'VE DEPLOYED 700 SWIVELS TO TARGETED CLASSROOMS AND THESE SORT OF ROBOTIC CAMERA OPERATORS ALLOW TEACHERS TO MOVE FREELY THROUGHOUT THEIR CLASSROOMS WITHOUT EVER DISAPPEARING FROM THE FRAME OF VIDEO FRAME THAT'S BEING BROADCAST TO STUDENTS AT HOME.
AND THEN FINALLY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ACADEMIC SERVICES, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ACROSS ALL 44 ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES NOW HAVE ACCESS TO SEE-SAW FOR SCHOOLS.
IT'S A PLATFORM THAT PROMOTES ONLINE INTERACTIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT, NOT ONLY FOR REMOTE STUDENTS, BUT ACTUALLY A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT FOR THE BRICK AND MORTAR FACE TO FACE STUDENTS AS WELL.
AND SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR REPORT AND WE ARE HAPPY TO RECEIVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, SOME OF THE 60000 OR SO CHROME BOOKS THAT WE DEPLOYED ONCE WE FREED THEM FROM THEIR CARTS LAST MARCH OF 2020.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE RELIABILITY? IT'S VERY MUCH CIRCUMSTANCE DEPENDENT, SO I WOULD SAY THIS FOR THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING BEFORE WE ISSUED THEM FOR JUST GOOGLE DOCS AND, YOU KNOW, RESEARCHING AND RELIABLE.
I WOULD SAY THERE IS LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, THERE'S A DECREASED THE HEALTH OF A BATTERY DIMINISHES OVER TIME, BUT AS THAT HAPPENS, WE'RE REPLACING BATTERIES AT 18 BUCKS A POP IS KIND OF WHAT THAT IS.
SO WE ARE REPLACING THOSE AS NECESSARY.
SO FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THERE HAVE BEEN RELIABLE.
WE WILL DO THE BATTERY REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER.
WE'VE INTRODUCED THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T ENVISION BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CHROME BOOKS, THE YOU KNOW, LIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING.
ALONG WITH OTHER STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY WE HAVE HEARD ON OCCASION THEY WOULD STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP THE PROCESSING REQUIRED OF THEM AND THOSE IN THOSE SITUATIONS.
SO I'D SAY THEY ARE RELIABLE BASED ON WHAT WE PURCHASED THEM FOR AS A COMPLIMENTARY PIECE.
AND IT WASN'T SORT OF THE INTEGRAL HOW WE'RE GOING TO DELIVER ALL INSTRUCTION FOR A FULL DAY.
[04:20:01]
BUT THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION REAL GOOD.LOOK, BUT I'D SAY GENERALLY THEY ARE RELIABLE, BUT WE'VE ASKED THEM TO DO SOME THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T ENVISION ORIGINALLY.
CONCERNING DAMAGES TO THE COMPUTERS, WHEN YOU HAVE STUDENTS DROPPING THEM, ARE WE GUARANTEE WITH SOME KIND OF WARRANTY WHEN THAT HAPPENS? NO, THE ANSWER IS NO, NOT AT THIS POINT AT ALL.
WE THE CHROMEBOOK THAT WE HAD HAD A ONE YEAR MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AND THEN WE HAVE BASICALLY SELF-INSURED AGAINST DAMAGES.
TO PURCHASE WARRANTEE FOR 60,000 CHROME BOOKS WOULD COST MORE THAN IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE NUMBER THAT THAT WE ANTICIPATED BEING BROKEN.
SO IT WAS SORT OF A CALCULATED RISK, BUT I THINK IT'S PLAYED OUT IN OUR FAVOR.
SO DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, TOO, THERE ARE THREE WAYS BROKEN CHROME BOOKS GET FIXED OR GET FUNDED FOR FIXING.
IF IT'S JUST ACCIDENT, WE WILL DO THAT.
AND IF IT'S INTENTIONAL DAMAGE, WE WILL ASK PARENTS TO REMEDY HELP US REMEDY THAT SITUATION.
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT PRICE BREAKS, TOO.
WE HAVE A FEE STRUCTURE, A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD FEE STRUCTURE, AND WE WILL WILL REDUCE THAT BY 50 PERCENT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
SO I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS ARE READY TO GO BACK TO WATERPOLO, AND THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING.
AND I GUESS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS FOR THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE PURCHASED, THE CO SEATING.
I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GO BACK TO A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM SETTING.
WHAT DO YOU SEE COMING AND IN WHAT FORM, BECAUSE I'M SURE IT'S NOT GOING TO WITH KIDS BEING BACK IN THE CLASSROOM, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME THING AS BEFORE.
SO JUST WALK ME THROUGH SOME OF THAT.
GREAT QUESTION SO WE PURPOSEFULLY PURCHASED THE SWIVEL ROBOTS BECAUSE OF THEIR ABILITY TO BE LEVERAGED OUTSIDE.
YOU KNOW, THEY WERE POPULAR BEFORE COVID AS A COACHING MECHANISM, A COACHING PLATFORM WHERE I CAN RECORD MYSELF EFFECTIVELY AND HAVE A PEER WATCH ME AND OFFER CRITICAL FEEDBACK ABOUT MY.
SO ANYWAY, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY LEVERAGE THOSE SKILLS.
IN FACT, THOSE WERE NOT THE FIRST SWIVELS WE PURCHASED.
WE PURCHASED HUNDREDS BEFORE THAT FOR EXACTLY THE PURPOSE I'M DESCRIBING.
SO SO THEY WILL FIND A PLACE IN ANY ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO WE DID THAT RATHER THAN INSTALL, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL PAN TO PAN, TILT, ZOOM CAMERAS IN THE IN THE CEILING, YOU KNOW.
SO WHAT ELSE WILL WE DO? I MEAN, WE ARE WELL, GOSH, WHAT OTHER TECHNOLOGY? WE HAVEN'T PURCHASED I MEAN, THE SECOND MONITORS.
SECOND, MONITORS WILL COME INTO PLAY.
WE ARE CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW, GOSH, THIS IS JUST A THUMB IN THE WIND WHERE WE'RE LEANING RIGHT NOW ARE OUR STANDARD CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY ALLOCATION FOR TEACHERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR CLASSROOMS IS A WORKSTATION AN IMMOBILE, HARD WIRED WORKSTATION AND A CHROMEBOOK DEVICE.
PARTICULARLY BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD IN RETROSPECT, IS IF A TEACHER HAD A MORE POWERFUL MOBILE COMPUTER THAT COULD BE ALSO SERVE AS THEIR MAIN CLASSROOM COMPUTER WITH AN EXTERNAL DISPLAY.
SO NOW WHERE WE BOUGHT THESE SECOND MONITORS, THE IDEA IS VERY LIKELY IN THE FUTURE AS WE DECOMMISSION THEIR AGING, THEY'RE OBSOLETE DESKTOP, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPURPOSE THAT SECOND MONITOR WITH A MOBILE, WITH A MORE HIGHER HIGH POWERED MOBILE DEVICE IS ONE TRAIN OF THOUGHT THAT WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN, I GUESS.
AND SO, LIKE A DIFFERENT QUESTION, GO IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
WHAT TECHNOLOGIES OR WAYS OF TEACHING THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING BECAUSE WE HAD TO ADAPT, ADAPT? DO WE EXPECT TO NO LONGER DO NEXT YEAR? WHAT ARE WE GETTING RID OF? WHAT HAVE WE FOUND THAT WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE? I'LL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, SO I THINK A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING WERE USED IN CLASSROOMS BEFORE COVID, SO LIKE GOOGLE CLASSROOM, ALL OF THE SOFTWARE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS AND SOME OF IT WE HAD IN SMALLER POCKETS.
[04:25:03]
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT A BLENDED LEARNING MODEL IN THE CLASSROOM WITH STATION ROTATION, IT ALLOWS THE TEACHER TO SET UP CENTERS AT ANY LEVEL.SO I'M GOING TO WORK AND TEACH THE SMALL GROUP AND THEN THE OTHER STUDENTS MIGHT ROTATE.
AND WHILE THEY'RE ROTATING BETWEEN DIFFERENT LEARNING CENTERS, IT MAY BE THAT YOU'RE USING SOFTWARE AS A TOOL.
AND WITHIN THAT CENTER, AS WHAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IS CLEARLY WE WOULDN'T BE CO SEATING OR THE NEED TO CO SEAT BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS WOULD BE BACK IN SCHOOL AND THE CLASSROOMS, BRICK AND MORTAR, BUT A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND PRACTICES ARE TRANSFERABLE AND ACTUALLY EXISTED PRIOR TO COVID.
AND NOW WE MAY HAVE NOT HAD A STANDARD BECAUSE OF NEED.
SO WE ALLOWED TEACHER AUTONOMY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE TEACHERS WHO REALLY WANTED TO ADVANCE AND INNOVATE IN THE CLASSROOM USING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, WHILE OTHERS MAYBE HAD A MORE TRADITIONAL WAY OF INSTRUCTING.
AND SO I THINK WHAT WE'LL SEE IS THAT TEACHERS ARE MORE CONFIDENT WITH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.
THE USE OF GOOGLE CLASSROOM CAN STILL BE USED AS PLATFORM AND NOT NECESSARILY THAT OF STUDENTS USING VIDEO IN THE CLASSROOM.
BUT IT MAY BE THAT AS FAR AS YOUR HOMEWORK TONIGHT, CODY, YOU'RE GOING TO UPLOAD YOUR HOMEWORK AND YOUR GOOGLE CLASSROOM.
AND SO THAT'S A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR TEACHER INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BRING BACK YOUR WORKSHEET PACKET.
THE NEXT DAY, YOU'RE GOING TO JUST UPLOAD IT, YOU KNOW, THAT EVENING BY CERTAIN TIME.
SO THAT WOULD BE JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WHAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE LEARNED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
IN TERMS OF SWIVEL, IN WHAT CAPACITY DOES THE DISTRICT EXPECT TO USE CO SEATING FOR NEXT YEAR? NONE AT ALL.
BUT I'LL GIVE YOU ONE OTHER VERY TANGIBLE.
I DON'T THINK I'M BREAKING ANY NEWS HERE.
THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF IS, IS IF A STUDENT OR HOMEBOUND.
OR, YOU KNOW, IF A STUDENT WAS ABSENT AND THE VIDEO WOULD ALLOW THEM TO.
LIKE, WE HAVE A LITTLE ROBOT FROM REGION 10, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THE ROBOT, THE REGION 10 ROBOT.
SO WE OCCASIONALLY WE WILL HAVE A STUDENT WITH A SPECIAL NEED AND AND THEY'RE THERE AT HOME.
AND THEN THE ROBOT WOULD FOLLOW THE STUDENTS SCHEDULE WITH AN IPAD ATTACHED TO IT.
THIS KID STUDENT BE AT HOME LOOKING AT THEIR IPADS.
THEY COULDN'T COME TO SCHOOL FOR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, IEP NEED OR, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL LIMITATION THAT KEPT THEM FROM BEING AT SCHOOL FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
IT WAS NEVER A LONG TERM THING.
IT WAS TEMPORARY BUT THE ROBOT WOULD FOLLOW THE STUDENT'S SCHEDULE AND THEN BE IN CLASS AND BE PROJECTING BETWEEN.
SO IT'S KIND OF A ROBOT CO SEAT, THE TEACHER IS TEACHING AND THE ROBOT WAS.
IT WAS TRANSMITTING, SO I WOULD, GENERALLY SPEAKING, CO SEATING.
NO IN CERTAIN INSTANCES WHERE A STUDENT IS HOME AND THEY CANNOT BE AT SCHOOL, A TEACHER WEARING A SWIVEL COULD TRANSMIT THE LESSON TO THE STUDENT IN A HOMEBOUND SITUATION.
AND I WANT TO BE THE DISTRICT THAT CAN PROVIDE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS.
AND JUST TO ADD LIKE GOING BACK TO WHAT DAVID HAD SAID EARLIER, YOU KNOW, HAVING HAVING SWIVELS IN THE CLASSROOM.
IF A TEACHER WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND RECORD LESSONS THAT THEY CAN UPLOAD AND PERHAPS FOR RETEACH OR STUDENTS THAT ARE ABSENT, OR IF STUDENTS WANT TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE ACTUAL INSTRUCTION, THOSE COULD BE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS.
AND THE ONE LITTLE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE RECEIVED THAT I WOULD CAUTION THOSE TEACHERS OR RECOMMEND SOME TRAINING IS THAT I'VE HAD PARENTS TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE KIDS IN CO SEATING SITUATIONS WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THE TEACHER IS TEACHING TO THE CO SEATING AND SO THAT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE THERE FEEL AS IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING THAT.
YOU KNOW, I CAME I CHOSE THIS OPTION TO BE HERE FACE TO FACE, TO GET A FACE TO FACE EDUCATION.
AND I'VE GOT AN INSTRUCTOR THAT'S TEACHING TO THE SCREEN.
AND, YES, THAT'S NOT THE PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR AND BECAUSE THEY I MEAN, BASICALLY, IF YOU'RE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SWIVEL, THEN YOU ARE KIND OF CONFINED TO THE COMPUTER.
THE SWIVELS ALLOW A TEACHER TO MOVE ABOUT AND NOT BE CONFINED TO A COMPUTER BECAUSE IT FOLLOWS THE TEACHER MOVEMENT.
BUT THEY'RE STILL EXPECTED TO INTERACT WITH THE STUDENTS THAT ARE PROCEEDING FROM HOME.
AND I GUESS THAT'S THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE RECEIVED THAT IT SEEMS NOT WANTING TO MISS OR MARGINALIZE THOSE STUDENTS ON THE SCREEN.
THERE MAY BE TOO MUCH ATTENTION PAID.
THEY'RE NOT ENOUGH WITH THE KIDS THAT ARE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THEM.
[04:30:03]
I IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, WE BOUGHT THE SWIVEL, WE BOUGHT THE EQUIPMENT UPFRONT, BUT THERE IS A SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THEM, RIGHT, TO USE THE SERVICE.I MEAN, WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET IMPACT.
I MEAN, FOR RARE, RARE OCCASIONS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MOST OF THE TIME IF A STUDENT IS SICK.
MEAN? IF IT'S THE RARE, RARE OCCASIONS OF USEFULNESS JUST DOESN'T JUSTIFY THIS SERVICE CONTRACT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
I MEAN, JUST SEE HOW MUCH IT COSTS.
WE DIDN'T FOR THE 700 FOR THIS CO SEATING PROJECT.
SOMEONE FROM PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY HAD FOUR SPECIFIC EVENTS, COACHING INSTRUCTION, COACHING TEACHERS, THEY MAY HAVE, I'M NOT SURE, BUT THAT WOULD BE VERY SMALL IN SCALE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR THESE 700, WE DID NOT FOR THAT WE DISTRIBUTED.
SO IT'S USEFUL THAT THE TEACHER CAN MANIPULATE THE SWIVEL AND DO IT.
SO IT'S WITH A SORT OF AN RFID.
YEAH, WHATEVER YOU CALL THAT AND WALK AROUND IN IT JUST FOLLOWS BASED ON THIS, WITHOUT ANY THERE'S THAT'S INCLUDED WITH THE THAT'S PART OF THE HARDWARE.
I MEAN, YEAH, IF THERE IS NO EXTRA COST AFFILIATED WITH IT, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND ALSO MAKE IT EASY FOR THE TEACHER TO TEACH THE STUDENTS IN FRONT OF THEM.
I MEAN, I HAVE ALL THE SYMPATHY FOR THE RARE OCCASIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE STUDENTS I MEAN, IF I AM A TEACHER, I WILL BE SO CONFLICTED.
YOU KNOW, IF I HAVE TO DO ALL KINDS OF MULTITASKING AND THERE MIGHT BE, IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE.
JUST AS A REMINDER, OUR CONTINUUM OF LEARNING WAS THIS YEAR, ONE YEAR ONLY, SO IT EXPIRES.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY TYPE OF.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS OUR PLANNING, IT'S BACK TO THE TRADITIONAL PRE COVID AS FAR AS BRICK AND MORTAR, AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME GOOD INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND A MORE CONSISTENT LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION AND IN THE CLASSROOM AS A RESULT OF COVID.
BUT THERE IS NO PLANS TO CO SEAT.
AND WE WE ARE EXPLORING A VIRTUAL ACADEMY THAT WOULD BE SOLELY VIRTUAL, AND SO THE TEACHERS IN THAT ACADEMY WOULD ONLY BE DEDICATED TO THAT TYPE OF SETTING AND NOT MULTITASKING BETWEEN STUDENTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND STUDENTS AT HOME.
SO IT'S DAY ONE OF THE FALL SEMESTER.
WE'RE BACK TO BRICK AND MORTAR, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, FACE TO FACE, NO ONLINE OPTION, UNLESS THE FUNDING COMES THROUGH FOR A VIRTUAL ACADEMY THAT WOULD ALLOW PARENTS TO MAKE A CHOICE.
KIND OF LIKE THEY DO FOR SOME OF OUR OTHER CHOICES WOULD BE THE THINKING.
AND THAT'S STILL IN DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT'S PENDING FUNDING AND IT'S ALSO PENDING.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T EVEN BROUGHT ANYTHING TO Y'ALL YET ON WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
SO THAT'S STILL IN DEVELOPMENT HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE DID DO THE DIGITAL LEARNING SURVEY WITH OUR FAMILIES RECENTLY.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS COLLECTED FROM THE SURVEYS.
IS THERE EVEN AN INTEREST AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO WE'RE WE'RE GATHERING THAT INFORMATION NOW AND THEN LOOKING AT ANY OF THAT.
BUT THAT IS THAT IS RIGHT NOW NOT THAT WOULD BE AGAIN.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE BACK TO SCHOOL FACE TO FACE, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
YOU KNOW, I THINK STUDENT EXPECTATIONS AND AROUND TECHNOLOGY WILL HAVE CHANGED.
YOU KNOW, THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU IF YOU MAKE ME LIKE HAND SOMETHING ON PAPER WHEN I COULD SUBMIT IT ONLINE, THOUGH, OK, FINE.
BUT INSTRUCTION IS, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN A CLASSROOM IN THE PRESENCE OF CONTENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ANXIOUS, I THINK ALL OF US, TO TO COME BACK TO AND THEN TO USE TECHNOLOGY AND USE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED TO ENHANCE LEARNING, BUT NOT TO REPLACE TEACHING.
I WOULD I JUST WANT TO SAY I AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF GOING BACK TO FULL TIME, YOU KNOW,
[04:35:08]
FIVE DAYS A WEEK.BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE MOMENTUM OF WHAT IS COMING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC, AND WE HAVE A BRAND NEW WORLD OF ONLINE TEACHING THAT WORKS FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A VIRTUAL ACADEMY OR SOMETHING, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR EDUCATION IN GENERAL, HAS BEEN WORKING FOR 40 YEARS TO GET AWAY FROM THE SIT AND GET MODEL.
AND IT'S BEEN GEARED TOWARDS FOR 40 YEARS.
EDUCATION THEORY HAS MOVED AWAY FROM THAT TO INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.
AND WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO LEARN BETTER THIS WAY.
AND SO WE NEED TO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO LEVERAGE THIS TECHNOLOGY, LEVERAGE.
WHAT WE'RE DOING AND A VIRTUAL ACADEMY IS A GREAT START.
AND I WANT US TO IF THAT'S WHAT WE ALL THINK WE'RE HEADED, I WANT US TO MOVE FULL SPEED AHEAD, BECAUSE THINK ABOUT ALL THE CREDIT RECOVERY YOU CAN GET FROM THINGS LIKE THAT, KIDS WHO JUST LEARN DIFFERENTLY.
I MEAN, I GOT A KID WITH ADD WHO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE GUITAR FROM WATCHING YOUTUBE VIDEOS, AND HE'S.
GOING TO GO PLAY PROFESSIONALLY, I MEAN, HE'S GOT A CAREER OUT OF THIS, SO IT CAN HAPPEN.
I JUST WANT TO ADD ALSO JUST ONE MORE THING.
YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE NEXT LEVEL.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AGREE THAT WE DON'T TAKE STEPS BACK.
AND SO KEEPING VERSATILITY AND USE OF THE INNOVATION THAT'S COME FORWARD IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
AND I THINK KIDS, A LOT OF KIDS ARE DOING WELL WITH SOME TYPE OF ONLINE OR JUST DIFFERENT TOOLS.
AND SO I AGREE, DAVID, THAT, YOU KNOW, FIVE DAYS AWAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, TRADITIONAL FACE TO FACE, BUT STILL ALLOWING STUDENTS TO CONTINUE WITH CERTAIN EXPERIENCES IN A BLENDED LEARNING AND EVEN BLENDED LEARNING WITHIN THE CLASSROOM WITH, YOU KNOW, STATION ROTATION OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF FORMAT SO THAT THEY'RE NOT LOSING THAT, BECAUSE WHEN THEY GO TO A&M OR TEXAS TECH OR I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN HIGHER ED.
THE LAST 12 MONTHS IS GOING TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE SOCIETY.
IT HAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED SOCIETY, AND IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO THINGS IN THE FUTURE.
AND I DON'T WANT I WANT US TO EVOLVE WITH THAT, WITH THE CHANGES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPITALIZING ON THOSE ON THAT EVOLUTION AND NOT FALLING BEHIND.
SO THAT'S MY CONCERN OR MY HOPE.
AND DAVID, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THAT.
I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO PARENTAL CHOICE.
PARENTS ARE GOING TO KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
AND IF THEIR STUDENT IS THRIVING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, THEN WE NEED TO PROVIDE THEM THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND I'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT PARENTS THIS YEAR HAVE NOT FELT LIKE THEY'VE BEEN PARTNERS WITH THEIR EDUCATORS IN THEIR STUDENTS EDUCATION.
AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT THRIVE IN THIS ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT, VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT, BUT THEIR CHILD MIGHT NOT.
AND WHAT THEY GET ON CAMPUS REALLY FOCUSING ON THE 9 TO 12 AND THE HYBRID THEY HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY WITH.
AND SO A LOT OF THEM WILL BE FRUSTRATED KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THIS OPTION IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR OTHER PARENTS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FRUSTRATION.
BUT I'D ALSO SAY THAT GOES INTO THEIR VERY ARGUMENT OF PARENTAL CHOICE, THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO OFFER.
WE CAN'T NEGLECT THAT REGARDLESS OF ANY FRUSTRATION BETWEEN HYBRID AND VIRTUAL, AND THAT WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THIS IS A COMPETENT COMPONENT OF HOW WE EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE CHOICES IN OTHER DISTRICTS IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS VIRTUAL COMPONENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I BUT THERE'S THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM PARENTS AND THE PUBLIC JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LOOKED AROUND AT OTHER DISTRICTS AND WHAT THEY DECIDED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE ONE OF 95 DISTRICTS, I THINK, IN THE STATE THAT DID THE HYBRID WAIVER.
AND A LOT OF DISTRICTS AROUND US DIDN'T.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST LOOKING AT THESE OPTIONS AND THERE'S A LOT OF BAD TASTE IN THEIR MOUTH ABOUT THE VIRTUAL AND SO HOW WE DO THAT AND HOW WE COMMUNICATE TO FAMILIES AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THIS VIRTUAL ACADEMY IS, IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT NEXT YEAR AND HOW WE SET EXPECTATIONS FOR THAT.
ALSO, THERE MAY BE A LOT OF PARENTS THAT DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS GOING BACK.
AND HOW DO WE ACCOMMODATE THAT? HOW HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT? BECAUSE THIS IS A CULTURAL SHIFT.
WE WENT FROM A YEAR OF MORE THAN A YEAR OF TRYING TO FIGURE THIS THING OUT AND GETTING INTO.
YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING BACK AND BRINGING BACK SOME ASPECTS OF IT, AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE YEARS OF FLEXING AND CHANGING AND EBBING AND FLOWING.
[04:40:01]
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.AND SO I THINK KEEPING THAT THAT CLEAR UNDERSTANDING FOR PARENTS AND THAT COMMUNICATION, IT'S GOING TO BE CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
AND SO I THINK GETTING PARENT INPUT IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
IF I COULD INTERJECT, I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF FOLKS MOVING THEIR FINGERS TOWARD THEIR BUTTONS AND ALSO TAKING THEIR MASK OFF.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, JERI AND HEATHER AND ANGELA, I THINK IF YOU THREE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE YOUR TURN RIGHT NOW.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING, I DO YOU KNOW MATT I THINK THAT YOUR PRESENTATION WAS VERY GOOD.
AND THE THING IS THAT WE RAPIDLY, YOU KNOW, PLAN IS DIRECTLY SUPPLIED, THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDED WHEN WE WERE HAD TO SHIFT QUICKLY TO VIRTUAL LEARNING.
AND THE THING IS THAT I THINK SOME OF THE PARENTS DO NOT FIND IT VERY HARD FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO LEARN VIRTUALLY.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING BACK TO SOME FORM OF NORMALITY BACK IN THE FALL, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, YOU KNOW, IN PERSON.
BUT THE THING IS THAT THESE PARENTS ARE ALSO WORRIED.
AND I'M WORRIED BECAUSE I HAD A STUDENT WHO HAD TOOK PHYSICS, YOU KNOW, ONLINE, AND IT'S VERY HARD TO TAKE PHYSICS ONLINE, YOU KNOW, VIRTUALLY.
AND HE HAD TO LEARN [INAUDIBLE] SICKNESS DAYS FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO WHEN WE GO BACK, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY'RE LEARNING, THEY'RE NOT LEARNING, HAVING THEIR HOMEWORK, ALL ON THE SCREEN AGAIN, BECAUSE HE'S BEEN ON SCREEN ON THE COMPUTER ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT LONG DOING HOMEWORK.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE GO BACK AND, YOU KNOW, TRY AND MAKE IT AS NORMAL FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE TO NOT HAVE OUR STUDENTS BE ON SCREEN WHEN THEY COME HOME FIVE HOURS, DO HOMEWORK ON SCREEN.
WELL, THE CONVERSATION KIND OF BEGAN WITH CODY ASKED THE QUESTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE AND.
I DON'T I AGREE WITH DAVID COMPLETELY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE ESTABLISH A CULTURE OR AN IDEA OF EXCITEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE LESSONS THAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THEM, FOR OUR KIDS.
THE OTHER THING IS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO MEET THE KIDS WHERE THEY ARE.
EVERY KID AND I HAVE ALWAYS SAID AS AN EDUCATOR, I WOULD LOVE IT IF EVERY SINGLE CHILD HAD AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN.
I MEAN OUR SPECIAL ED KIDS REQUIRE IT BY LAW THAT THEY HAVE ONE.
BUT ISN'T THE TECHNOLOGY GETTING TO A PLACE? THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT EDUCATIONAL PLAN FOR EACH STUDENT IN SOME RESPECTS, THAT THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT AREAS AND OBJECTIVES THEY NEED TO BE WORKING ON, AND THEY CAN UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY TO HONE IN ON THOSE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO WORK ON.
AND SO THERE'S THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT I DIDN'T GET TO WRITE IT DOWN, SO IT LEFT ME.
YEAH, BUT I JUST THINK THERE'S WE ARE GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT.
WE NEED TO BE EXCITED ABOUT IT, HELP OUR TEACHERS LEVERAGE THAT EXCITEMENT, BUT ALSO MEET EACH OF OUR KIDS WHERE THEY ARE.
NOW, SHE CANNOT NOT GO BACK TO CORRECT ANYTHING, AND THIS ONE TIME YOU PUT IT BY ACCIDENT, IF YOU TOUCHED A INSTEAD OF B, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU DID IT LIKE THE RESULT IS B, YOU CAN GO BACK TO CHANGE.
AND YOU DON'T GET PARTIAL CREDIT, AND SHE IT TOOK HER LONG TIME TO GET USED TO THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SOFTWARE SHE IS USING, BUT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.
AND ALSO, LIKE WHEN I USED TO VOLUNTEER JUST AS A PARENT PTA MEMBER, I COULD MAKE COPIES FOR TEACHERS.
WE GOT A LOT OF WE HAVE LIKE THOUSANDS OF COPIES OF PAPERS, YOU KNOW, TEACHER REQUIRED, REQUESTED AND WE MADE COPIES AND THEY DO THEIR HOMEWORK ON THE PAPER.
AND THEY GET PARTIAL CREDIT, IF YOU JUST LIKE THE LAST STEP, YOU'VE MISSED SOMETHING.
IT WOULD BE SO DISCOURAGING FOR A STUDENT IF THEY DON'T GET PARTIAL CREDIT.
AND HOW DOES THE TEACHER KNOW WHERE THEY MADE A MISTAKE? YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS STUDENT? I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD TOOLS IN THE TOOL BOXES WHERE WE HAVE DEVELOPED AND I MEAN.
HOW MUCH WORK DO WE GIVE TEACHER, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GIVE CHOICE TO STUDENTS LIKE YOU WHO WANT TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK THROUGH PDF? I KNOW STUDENTS WHO HAVE LIKE TOP OF LINE IPADS, THEY CAN DO LIKE.
I MEAN, BUT THEY DON'T BRING IT TO SCHOOL THE SCHOOL WON'T ALLOW THEM TO USE IT.
[04:45:03]
I MEAN, THAT NOT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE IT AT ALL, IT'S VERY EASY WHEN YOU DOWNLOAD IT, UPLOAD THEM AND THAT VERY HIGH END NOTE TAKING SOFTWARE, I MEAN, GREAT.BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THE EQUITY ISSUE? AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF THE PAPER I MEAN, IF YOU SAY, OH, YOU YOU YOU CAN SUBMIT VIA UPLOADING AND THEN YOU.
I MEAN, HOW MUCH WORK DO WE GIVE TEACHERS TO MANAGE THIS? YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE I MEAN, THEY ARE TOOLS AND THEY'RE THEY ARE EFFECTIVE WAYS AND TIME AND PLACE FOR IT.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, BACK TO NORMAL, BACK TO SCHOOL FOR ME, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY MEANS.
YOU HAVE TO MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE.
WE NEED TO BE SENSIBLE ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, WHILE, WE AVOID IT BECAUSE A LOT OF STUDENTS DO THEIR HOMEWORK ON THEIR IPAD NOW.
WILL, WE ALLOW STUDENTS TO BRING THEIR IPAD TO SCHOOL? I THINK THOSE WERE SOME REALLY INTERESTING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SET POLICY, HOW DO WE TRANSITION BACK, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE TOOLS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH, UNDERSTANDING MORE WHAT THE ASSIGNMENTS ARE GOING TO BE IN HIGH SCHOOL SO THEY CAN PLAN THEIR WORK.
AND SO I ALSO HOPE WE NEVER LOCK ALL THE CHROME BOOKS BACK ON THOSE LITTLE CARTS.
SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME DISCUSSION FROM, YOU KNOW, CURRICULUM AND TECHNOLOGY.
WHAT WILL SCHOOL LOOK LIKE? HOW WILL IT BE BETTER IN THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL BE BACK IN THE BUILDINGS? SO I ASSUME THAT SOMETHING IS AS YOU HEAD BACK TO THE NEW YEAR STARTS, THERE'LL BE SOME REPORTS BROUGHT BY THE BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND YOU KNOW, TAMMY, I'M GOING TO SECOND WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT, TOO, BECAUSE A LOT OF PARENTS ARE SAYING HOW IS IT GOING TO BE THE SAME OR HOW IS IT TO BE DIFFERENT? YOU KNOW, COMING, GOING FORWARD IN THE FALL, WHAT IS GOING TO BE BETTER? YOU KNOW, AND THE THING IS WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY BE ALL FACE TO FACE FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
BUT I WANT THAT FACE TO FACE FIVE DAYS A WEEK TO WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY FEELING THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET THAT PARTIAL CREDIT.
LIKE WHAT HEATHER WAS SAYING, OR TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO NOT HAVE TO GO IN THE COMPUTER AND PUT DOWN A, B OR C OR D.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MATT AND PATRICK, FOR THIS UPDATE.
I'LL ADD JUST ONE QUICK PIECE.
ANOTHER PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY IS UNDER PATRICK'S OVERSIGHT.
THEY ARE DEVELOPING A TRUSTEE DASHBOARD THAT'LL PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT WILL BE HELPFUL TO YOU ALL.
AND SO THINGS LIKE PUTTING ALL THE REPORTS LIKE DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT FROM THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR, IN THE PAST, IN ONE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND IT EASILY, WILL BE ONLINE AT SOME POINT FOR THE TRUSTEES, PUTTING ALL OF OUR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE DATA ONLINE AND GIVING YOU COMPARISONS TO THE STATE AND TO OUR DISTRICT SO YOU CAN LOOK AT A CAMPUS AND SAY, THIS LOOKS OK.
BUT WHEN I COMPARE IT TO OUR OTHER DISTRICTS, OTHER SCHOOLS IN THIS DISTRICT, THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE.
AND SO THERE'S WORK ONGOING THERE.
THERE'S SOME NICE PROTOTYPE GOING ON.
AND SO OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, THAT'LL MAYBE BE SOMETHING THAT ALL THE TRUSTEES CAN LOOK AT, BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL REPLACE MY ENTIRE CLOSET OF NOTEBOOKS AND GIVE GREAT INFORMATION, GREAT HISTORY.
ONE I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MATT.
I KNOW WITH I APPRECIATE WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT HAS DONE OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS.
IT IS LIKE NOTHING YOU'VE HAD TO DO EVER.
AND SO I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE EVERYTHING WAS POO POOING ON THAT.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU AND WHAT YOU KNOW, DAN HAD DONE IN THE PAST.
MR. TANNER IS LEADING RIGHT NOW.
AND I APPRECIATE THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS TO IMPROVE AND GIVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS TO LEARN.
SO I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND SUPER NEGATIVE.
I KNOW I WAS TRYING TO EXPRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK I'VE RECEIVED FROM FAMILIES.
BUT I DO KNOW YOU WORK HARD AND I DO KNOW YOUR INTENTIONS ARE PURE AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
AND I WANT TO I DO APPRECIATE YOU.
ALL RIGHT, IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS OR ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE BOARD, THE MEETING WILL BE ADJOURNED.
ON TUESDAY, APRIL THE 6TH, 2021.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.