[4:15] All right.
[4:15] Thank you all for coming.
[4:17] It's September 10th at 6 32.
[4:21] We'll go with, and I'll call this meeting
[4:25] of the Ashton School Board to order
[4:28] as a reminder in accordance with public meeting law.
[4:30] This meeting is being recorded
[4:31] and will become part of public, public record
[4:35] and then volunteered to.
[4:40] We acknowledge that the sacred land that we live
[4:42] and learn on today belongs to Tema, Shasta, Modoc, Klamath,
[4:45] and Umwa Peoples.
[4:47] We honor and acknowledge the traditional owners
[4:49] of the land we now call the United States.
[4:51] We recognize the Native American people's continuing
[4:54] connection to land, place, waters, and community.
[4:56] We pay our respects to their cultures, country and elders.
[4:59] Past, present, and emerging.
[5:04] Thank you. Moving right along.
[5:06] At this time I would take a motion to amend
[5:10] or adopt the agenda.
[5:12] I'm gonna move to amend the agenda
[5:14] to remove item 12, the executive session.
[5:17] Second. All in favor?
[5:24] Okay. Point of
[5:25] Order.
[5:26] That would also include item 13 as we won't need
[5:28] to return from executive session.
[5:31] Thank you. Sorry. So then a motion to
[5:37] remove items 12 and 13 from the agenda.
[5:42] Okay, so, okay. All in favor? Great.
[5:48] By the book. Okay. Moving right along.
[5:59] The consent we're, I'll take a motion
[6:01] to approve the consent agenda for contacts.
[6:04] The consent agenda, consistent routine items that have been
[6:07] provided to the board in advance for review.
[6:09] Board members have had the opportunity to review these meal
[6:12] materials prior to today's meeting.
[6:14] If any board member wishes to discuss an item separately,
[6:17] please request that it be removed from the
[6:19] consent agenda at this time.
[6:20] Otherwise, the chair will entertain a motion
[6:22] to approve the consent agenda as presented.
[6:29] I move to approve the consent agenda.
[6:31] All second. All in favor?
[6:36] Okay.
[6:39] Moving Right along.
[6:42] Okay, so since we don't have the OSEA
[6:45] or a EA reps today, oh wait.
[6:48] Yes we do. Okay.
[6:50] Sorry. No problem.
[6:53] Thank you.
[7:23] Here we go.
[7:26] Ashton schools are off to a strong, a strong start
[7:28] for the 26 27 school year with students
[7:31] and staff settling into routines, building relationships,
[7:34] and creating positive classroom communities.
[7:36] New teachers, support staff
[7:38] and administrators have joined several campuses
[7:40] and are making smooth transitions into their
[7:42] roles across the district.
[7:43] Extracurricular activities
[7:44] and core instruction are underway
[7:46] with students already experiencing successes in
[7:48] athletics and other activities.
[7:50] Virtual students at Ashland Connect have also shown strong
[7:53] engagement and enthusiasm for the new school year.
[7:56] Elementary schools have welcomed students with energy
[7:58] and excitement with staff quickly establishing connections
[8:01] and getting in the year underway.
[8:02] Several schools are navigating larger class sizes
[8:05] with some classes approaching 30 students
[8:07] and stretching available staff resources in physical space.
[8:10] Hellman and Walker are also continuing to use combination
[8:13] of straight grade and blended classrooms
[8:16] to meet student needs.
[8:18] Despite these challenges,
[8:19] staff across the schools are embracing the year
[8:21] and working together to support students and families.
[8:24] Fall activities and community events are already
[8:26] filling the calendar.
[8:28] Ashland High will welcome families
[8:29] to open house on September 16th while Ashland Middle is
[8:33] launching fall sports including volleyball, football,
[8:35] and cross country trail.
[8:37] Students are completing benchmark assessments
[8:39] and beginning core lessons with back to school night
[8:42] and annual river crossing.
[8:43] Planned for this week.
[8:45] Willow Wind is caring for more than 20 monarch caterpillars
[8:48] before releasing them for their journey South
[8:51] and sixth graders are looking forward
[8:52] to outdoor school later this month.
[8:54] Overall, schools are off to a positive
[8:55] and energetic start with a strong focus on
[8:57] connection, learning and community.
[9:01] Thank you. Thank you very much.
[9:05] Now it's time for our student board representatives reports.
[9:11] I'll go first. This will be a two part report for those
[9:15] who don't know who I am
[9:16] or new to the board, my name's Tobias Pugh.
[9:19] I am the new student board rep for this school year.
[9:23] I have served as the alternate rep for the last two years
[9:26] and I've had the pleasure to
[9:28] take on the primary role this year, so
[9:31] I unfortunately wasn't able to make it
[9:32] to the introductory meeting, so I'm showing my face here.
[9:35] Hi everybody. I'll start with the first report
[9:39] that school is now in session at Ashton High School
[9:42] and we are all excited
[9:43] because we have a new bear on campus
[9:45] right in the middle of the quad.
[9:47] We have a massive bronze bear
[9:49] and all the students are love to talk about it, are like,
[9:53] we should dress it up for Halloween.
[9:55] It's like the new topic of discussion.
[9:59] So that is the new thing on campus
[10:01] and we are all super excited about it.
[10:06] Hi everyone. I'm Leah Lynette
[10:08] and I'm very excited to be a student board representative.
[10:11] This school year I'm here to talk about
[10:15] the new system we've kind of used to help tour the freshmen
[10:18] around campus, so last year in like the last couple years,
[10:21] the freshmen were just allowed to like roam around
[10:23] and do like sort of like a scavenger hunt
[10:25] during their Grizz Academy class to get a feel of all
[10:29] of the different campus spaces.
[10:31] But this year we decided to do
[10:32] as a leadership class campus tours
[10:34] and we think that that's been very helpful
[10:37] for getting the freshmen navigated.
[10:38] Thank you.
[10:45] Okay, thank you Leah to buy us.
[10:48] I appreciate you taking the time to be here
[10:50] and volunteering to be on the board.
[10:54] Moving right along. We have board reports.
[10:58] Should we start the usual? Yeah,
[11:00] We'll keep it the, the way we've been doing it,
[11:02] I've got two things to report on.
[11:04] Number one was we had a work session in August.
[11:08] I think that was our only board meeting
[11:09] in August and that was great.
[11:11] The highlight I wanna point out from that is
[11:13] that we have a revised complaint policy,
[11:15] which I'm very excited about
[11:17] because it offers a lot more ways
[11:20] to resolve problems for the district.
[11:23] And then we had our back
[11:24] to school breakfast and that was a lot.
[11:26] That was great. Good to see all the teachers
[11:29] and I thought it was an amazing keynote
[11:30] speaker, so thank you Dr. Patrick.
[11:37] Hello all. It feels like it's been a blink
[11:39] of an eye since our last work session,
[11:43] but I just wanna continue
[11:44] to thank the transformation steering committee for the work
[11:47] that they're doing and the work outside.
[11:48] I know I've met up with a couple folks
[11:50] and it's been really great just to hear their experience,
[11:53] feedback and a reminder to all that the Monster Dash is up
[11:58] and coming and start dusting off that costume and get ready.
[12:05] Yeah, so beginning of the year, it's been exciting
[12:08] to see everybody back in school.
[12:10] It feels right again.
[12:12] I mean, summer's really nice,
[12:14] but I, I do enjoy the rhythm of the school year.
[12:18] It was great to be able to serve breakfast to everyone
[12:20] and I really enjoy that new ritual as well
[12:23] and hope we keep doing that.
[12:24] It's a nice way to see everybody
[12:25] and also feel like you have some purpose in being there.
[12:30] Beyond that, I've been having meetings with peers
[12:33] and a couple of parents who are just sharing thoughts about
[12:37] the transportation or the transformation process and,
[12:42] and then got to go to Barn coffee, welcome at
[12:48] Willow Wind, which was another nice way to meet up
[12:51] with a bunch of parents and get a lot
[12:52] of feedback from the community.
[12:55] That's that. Okay,
[12:58] next up we have the superintendent report.
[13:02] Alright, thank you.
[13:04] Typically, I'll, I would give a list of activities,
[13:07] but this report I wanna focus on transformation.
[13:11] On Monday night, we have our next
[13:13] transformation steering committee meeting.
[13:15] In preparation for that, I'll be sending out a letter
[13:18] to our community through, through share to our families,
[13:23] but then I'm also looking at other ways to send it out
[13:25] to the community at large.
[13:26] Tonight, I'd like to read the letter
[13:28] that's gonna be going out just to provide it's, it's
[13:32] to provide context to essentially the entire process
[13:35] that the district's going through.
[13:39] Over the coming months, the Ashton community will hear a
[13:41] great deal about the future of our schools.
[13:43] Eventually, there will be a be public discussion
[13:46] of different scenarios involving programs, facilities,
[13:48] enrollment, finances,
[13:50] and how our district might be organized for the years,
[13:52] years ahead before any of these scenarios are presented.
[13:55] However, I believe our community deserves a clear
[13:57] understanding of why this conversation
[13:59] is happening in the first place.
[14:00] No decisions have been made
[14:02] and no school has been selected for closure.
[14:05] We are having this conversation now
[14:06] because I want our community to understand the facts
[14:09] and the forces shaping our future
[14:10] before decisions are made, not after.
[14:14] The larger reality is
[14:15] that public education is entering a period
[14:17] of significant change, and many of the forces driving
[14:19] that change extend far beyond Ashland.
[14:22] There are simply fewer children being born.
[14:24] Oregon's fertility rate is approximately 1.4 children per
[14:27] woman compared to the 2.1 rate needed
[14:30] to maintain a stable population.
[14:32] Deaths have outnumbered births statewide every year since
[14:35] 2020, and in Jackson County since 2015.
[14:38] State projections anticipate approximately 80,000 fewer
[14:41] school aged children in Oregon by 2035.
[14:44] That demographic shift is already affecting public schools
[14:46] across the Oregon statewide.
[14:48] Enrollment has declined by approximately 43 3000 students
[14:51] since 2019, representing six consecutive years of decline.
[14:56] Ashton is part of that same trend.
[14:58] This past June, approximately 221 seniors
[15:00] graduated from Ashton High School.
[15:02] This fall, approximately 150
[15:04] kindergartners entered, entered our schools.
[15:06] The difference between those two classes
[15:08] is roughly 70 students
[15:10] or the equivalent of three or four classrooms.
[15:12] That matters because Oregon School funding is
[15:14] closely tied to enrollment.
[15:16] When enrollment declines, revenue declines with it.
[15:19] If the size and cost
[15:20] of a school system remain unchanged while the number
[15:22] of students it serves continues to decrease,
[15:24] the mathematics eventually stop working.
[15:27] Housing is also part of the story.
[15:29] The data compiled for a transformation discussion shows a
[15:32] median Ashland home value of approximately $584,000,
[15:37] a medium household income of roughly $68,000
[15:40] and a medium age of 47.7.
[15:43] Those are not simply economic statistics.
[15:45] They're also educational statistics
[15:48] because the long-term health
[15:49] of our schools depend on the long-term ability of families
[15:52] with children to live in our community.
[15:54] A school district cannot solve housing affordability on its
[15:57] own, but we cannot ignore the connection between housing,
[16:00] family, demographics, and enrollment.
[16:02] If we care about the future of our schools, we also need
[16:05] to care about whether Ashland remains a place
[16:07] where young families can build a life.
[16:09] There are other constraints as well.
[16:11] Oregon School finance structure limits the district's
[16:14] ability to simply raise additional local operating revenue.
[16:17] Measure five and 50 constrained property tax rates
[16:20] and the state's equalization formula limits
[16:22] how much additional local property wealth translates into
[16:25] additional general operating revenue for schools.
[16:28] We also no longer have open enrollment as a tool
[16:31] for broadly recruiting students from surrounding districts.
[16:34] At the same time, the broader financial
[16:36] picture remains uncertain.
[16:38] State education funding, while historically high remains
[16:41] below the level identified
[16:42] by the state's own education funding, benchmarks
[16:45] and pension costs are expected to rise in the next biennium.
[16:48] Federal education funding has also become increasingly
[16:51] unpredictable, including the temporary withholding
[16:54] of approximately $73 million in Oregon
[16:56] Education Fund last year.
[16:58] These are significant headwinds
[17:00] and most of them are out outside the the direct control
[17:04] of Ashton School District.
[17:05] What we can control is how we respond.
[17:08] It is equally important to acknowledge that not all
[17:11] of Ashton's financial challenges came from outside forces.
[17:14] Local enrollment declined
[17:16] by more than 400 students from its 220 17 to 18 peak
[17:21] of approximately 2,950 students during the pandemic.
[17:25] Temporary federal Esser dollars allowed the district
[17:27] to increase staffing
[17:28] to meet extra extraordinary student needs.
[17:31] When those temporary funds expired,
[17:33] staffing did not decrease proportionally.
[17:36] Over time expenditures exceeded sustained sustainable
[17:39] revenue contributing to a projected structural deficit
[17:43] approaching $8 million.
[17:45] We confronted that prob problem directly.
[17:47] During the 24 25 school year,
[17:50] we froze hiring reduced discretionary spending,
[17:53] implemented limited furlough days, relied on attrition
[17:56] where possible and reduced administrative costs.
[17:59] Those decisions resulted in approximately 2.229 million in
[18:02] savings, exceeding our stab stabilization target.
[18:06] The following year. We continued aligning the district
[18:09] with current enrollment by reducing approximately 27 FTE
[18:13] recalibrating staffing and course selections
[18:15] and reducing administrative staffing district-wide.
[18:18] Those were difficult decisions,
[18:20] but they changed our financial trajectory.
[18:22] We moved from reacting to to instability towards planning
[18:26] for long-term sustainability.
[18:28] Just as importantly, we protected the educational experience
[18:31] of our community values, core academics, arts, music,
[18:35] athletics, career and technical education electives,
[18:38] dual credit opportunities, student services
[18:41] and intervention supports remain central
[18:42] to Ashland education.
[18:45] That distinction matters
[18:47] because the conversation we are entering now is not simply
[18:49] another round of emergency budget reductions.
[18:53] We have stabilized enough
[18:54] to begin asking a more am ambitious question.
[18:57] What should Ashton School District become this summer?
[19:01] 556 community members helped answer that question.
[19:04] Through our transformation survey,
[19:06] nearly two thirds indicated that they were open
[19:08] to significant change if it makes the district sustainable.
[19:12] The written comments told an even more important story
[19:15] across hundreds of responses and three open-ended questions.
[19:20] There was remarkable consistency about what people value
[19:23] even when they disagreed about specific options.
[19:26] People want us to protect educational excellence
[19:29] while living within our means.
[19:31] They want stronger literacy
[19:33] and mathematics, greater academic rigor, high expectations,
[19:36] college and career preparation, career
[19:39] and technical education, dual credit, critical thinking,
[19:42] and real world skills.
[19:44] At the same time, people do not want Ashton
[19:46] to become a generic school district.
[19:48] They want us to preserve the arts, music, theater,
[19:51] outdoor education, environmental learning, innovation,
[19:53] relationships, and hold child education
[19:56] that makes this community distinctive.
[19:58] Importantly, respondents did not generally describe those,
[20:01] print those priorities as alternatives
[20:03] to academic excellence.
[20:05] They want both. There was also a clear desire
[20:09] to reimagine rather than simply reduce.
[20:11] Community members suggested career pathways,
[20:13] apprenticeships, project-based learning, bilingual programs,
[20:17] dual credit, early childhood education, stronger career
[20:20] and technical education, flexible learning
[20:22] and partnerships with local employers.
[20:26] They also challenged us to think
[20:27] beyond the walls of our schools.
[20:29] Respondents repeatedly named Southern Oregon University,
[20:32] rogue Community College, the sub,
[20:34] the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, healthcare organizations,
[20:37] local businesses, the city of Ashland, parks
[20:40] and Recreation, nonprofits, farms, arts
[20:43] and outdoor organizations as potential partners in creating,
[20:47] creating a richer learning ecosystem for students.
[20:50] Perhaps most importantly, people asked us
[20:52] to lead transparently.
[20:54] They asked for clear financial information,
[20:56] long-term planning, consistency, fewer surprises,
[20:59] and thoughtful decision making.
[21:01] The feedback suggests that people are willing
[21:02] to consider difficult choices when they understand the
[21:06] rationale and trust the process.
[21:09] I hear that as both permission and responsibility.
[21:12] Permission to consider meaningful change
[21:14] and responsibility to make sure
[21:15] that change produces something better.
[21:18] Our vision for 26 27 is that every student is known,
[21:21] engaged, growing, and prepared for what comes next.
[21:25] That vision is supported by four commitments.
[21:27] Every student grows, every student belongs.
[21:30] Every student is prepared,
[21:31] and our system sustains the mission.
[21:34] Those commitments give us an important standard
[21:36] for evaluating any future scenario.
[21:38] We cannot judge any idea only by how much money it saves.
[21:43] We also have to ask whether it
[21:44] improves opportunities for students.
[21:46] Strengthens academic excellence preserves
[21:49] what is distinctive about Ashland Advances.
[21:51] Equity and access helps attract and retain families
[21:55] and remains financially sustainable over time.
[21:58] Our 37 member transformation steering committee,
[22:00] which includes parent representatives from each a SD campus,
[22:04] has developed a similar set of decision making principles.
[22:07] Any recommendation should put students first provide
[22:10] excellence and meaningful opportunity, advance equity
[22:14] and access, be financially responsible, rename,
[22:17] remain adaptable, and future ready,
[22:19] and strengthen relationships and community pride.
[22:22] On September 14th, the transformation steering committee
[22:25] is beginning the work towards the creation
[22:28] of broad scenarios.
[22:30] They're planning models, not recommendations.
[22:33] In October, November, we'll hold a community session at
[22:35] every school with the scenarios, the criteria
[22:38] for weighing them and honest
[22:40] estimates of what each would save.
[22:42] We'll publish what we heard and what it changed.
[22:45] Before any recommendation reaches the school board.
[22:48] The board's decision is targeted for January.
[22:50] Nothing takes effect before the 27 28 school year.
[22:57] Sorry, I have a repeated paragraph.
[23:03] It's understandable that conversations about change create
[23:05] anxiety and can generate rumors about closure.
[23:08] Decisions that haven't been made.
[23:09] Schools represent more than facilities.
[23:12] They represent neighborhoods, memories, relationships,
[23:15] and generations of children.
[23:17] We should honor that,
[23:18] and at the same time, I hope we are willing to ask not only
[23:21] what we might lose, but also what we might gain.
[23:25] Could a smaller facilities footprint allow us
[23:27] to direct more resources into classrooms and programs?
[23:30] Could deeper community partnerships expand opportunities
[23:32] for students without dramatically increasing costs?
[23:35] Could every Ashland student graduate have an explored a
[23:38] meaningful pathway toward college, career,
[23:40] trade, or apprenticeship?
[23:42] Could our schools become even more connected
[23:44] to Southern Oregon, U University, rogue Community College,
[23:47] the arts, healthcare, local businesses,
[23:50] and the extraordinary natural environment that surrounds us?
[23:54] And could Ashton, once again be become a district that
[23:57] families deliberately seek out because of the quality
[23:59] and distinctiveness of the
[24:00] educational experience available here?
[24:03] Those are the questions that should define transformation.
[24:06] Our community feedback can be summarized in a powerful way.
[24:10] Ashland appears ready to support
[24:11] meaningful structural change.
[24:13] If the result is a financially sustainable district
[24:16] that provides outstanding academics while preserving the
[24:19] arts, community partnerships
[24:20] and distinctive educational character
[24:22] that make Ashland unique.
[24:24] We're not pursuing transformation
[24:26] because Ashland School district's failing.
[24:28] We're pursuing transformation
[24:29] because we have stabilized enough to choose our future
[24:31] before circumstances choose it for us.
[24:34] Nothing has been decided,
[24:35] but doing nothing is also a decision.
[24:38] If demographic and financial trends continue,
[24:40] while our system remains unchanged,
[24:42] circumstances will eventually make choices for us.
[24:46] I'd rather make those choices deliberately,
[24:47] transparently, and with our community.
[24:50] The question before Ashton's not simply
[24:52] what we can preserve from the school district we have today.
[24:55] It is what we're willing to build
[24:56] for the students who come next.
[24:58] We have an opportunity to choose our future.
[25:01] We should use it. That concludes my report.
[25:08] Thank you, Dr. Hatrick. Any questions?
[25:13] I, I would just mention
[25:18] if, if you're comfortable with that,
[25:19] I would also recommend submitting that to Ashland News.
[25:22] Letter to the editor. I know the community at large would
[25:24] also love to hear the message.
[25:27] My plan is to submit it to all the news outlets.
[25:30] Absolutely. Thank you.
[25:34] Okay. At this time, I'd like to invite Alan Broski
[25:39] to do the a EA report.
[25:46] I stood in this place and already did
[25:47] It.
[25:48] Oh, okay. Sorry. I'm sorry. Oh,
[26:00] All right.
[26:01] I'll be here all week people. You're a great audience.
[26:07] Moving right along then. It is time for public comments.
[26:12] I'd like to invite Britt Humphrey.
[26:17] Before we begin, I'd like
[26:19] to state the board welcomes visitors
[26:21] and values public comments that support the quality
[26:24] of education for our students.
[26:25] Regular school board meetings are held in public,
[26:27] but per Oregon open meeting law,
[26:29] the board cannot engage in discussion during this time.
[26:32] Those wishing to speak must submit a comment form
[26:35] to the board secretary before the meeting begins.
[26:37] When called, please state your name
[26:39] and any organization you represent.
[26:41] Comments are limited to two minutes
[26:43] and must be free of abusive language, personal attacks
[26:46] or references to specific staff or departments.
[26:49] Personnel concerns must be directed
[26:51] through the appropriate administrative channels.
[26:54] Thank you for being here and
[26:55] for your commitment to our schools.
[27:00] Excuse.
[27:07] You can sit down if you want. Okay. Okay. People,
[27:19] I really like microphones.
[27:22] I have a very soft voice, so makes it more fun.
[27:29] My name is Brit Humphrey.
[27:30] I am a school counselor
[27:31] and a licensed professional counselor.
[27:34] I have a private practice
[27:35] and I'm an employee of the school district.
[27:38] I also have a child that attends Bellevue.
[27:43] I want you all to imagine a patch of clover.
[27:48] If you've ever tried to weed clover, you know what happens.
[27:51] You tug on one little piece
[27:53] and underneath the ground the roots are connected.
[27:57] If you yank too hard, you might pull up the top layer
[28:00] of soil, but underneath the network remains
[28:03] and the clover keeps growing.
[28:06] But if you tug gently, you can sometimes follow those roots.
[28:11] One plant connects to another and another and another.
[28:15] Well, it looks like a collection of individual plants
[28:18] above the ground is actually a vast interconnected
[28:21] network below it.
[28:24] Three years ago, I noticed an intentionally planted patch
[28:27] of clover in the high school quad.
[28:31] Not as exciting as a bronze bear air.
[28:35] That image has stayed with me scientifically
[28:39] and philosophically.
[28:40] This is known as a rhizome, a network
[28:43] that grows horizontally in many directions,
[28:46] creating connections and new growth in unexpected places.
[28:50] We absolutely have a financial problem.
[28:53] We need to look honestly at our numbers, staffing,
[28:56] enrollment, building property, long-term sustainability.
[29:00] But before we make those decisions, I'm asking the board
[29:02] and the community to consider something bigger.
[29:05] What if we need a paradigm shift?
[29:08] I've been part of the high school turns for
[29:11] re-imagining committee
[29:12] and the district transformation committee.
[29:14] I've heard many good ideas and many good questions,
[29:18] but I don't think they will work
[29:20] unless we shift our paradigm.
[29:22] New ideas need a new paradigm to grow.
[29:25] We need to flip our lens.
[29:27] Most of us tend to think about education
[29:29] as a tree of knowledge.
[29:31] There is a trunk, there are branches, there is a sequence.
[29:34] You learn this, then you learn
[29:36] this, and then you learn this.
[29:38] But learning doesn't always happen that way,
[29:41] and increasingly it doesn't.
[29:43] Our students are growing up in a world of the internet
[29:45] and AI where information is everywhere
[29:48] and learning can happen through thousands of pathways.
[29:52] A student may walk into our classroom through art,
[29:55] science, music.
[29:56] They may have built something in their garage.
[29:59] They may have a question they can't stop thinking about.
[30:02] They may have spent hours in their community.
[30:04] They may have learned something from a
[30:06] grandparent or an elder.
[30:08] They bring all of that knowledge with them.
[30:11] They aren't simply vessels poised and ready to be taught.
[30:14] They're ready to teach us.
[30:16] They're ready to collaborate, communicate, create question,
[30:22] solve problems, and make connections and develop wisdom.
[30:26] That's what becomes possible when we shift our paradigm from
[30:29] a tree of knowledge to a rhizome of learning.
[30:32] A rhizome doesn't require every learner
[30:35] to take the same path.
[30:36] It creates pathways, it creates connections
[30:39] and allows for experimentation.
[30:42] Failure, new growth.
[30:44] Students can learn by trying, failing, creating,
[30:48] solving real problems, reflecting and trying again.
[30:52] And so perhaps we shouldn't only be asking
[30:55] what do students need to know?
[30:57] We should be asking, what can students contribute, create?
[31:01] What can they make? What problems will they solve?
[31:03] What they can they teach us?
[31:06] And that brings me back to our financial decisions.
[31:08] If we're going to make difficult choices
[31:10] and we know we are, we need to make choices
[31:13] that move us towards something not away.
[31:16] We shouldn't simply ask, how do we preserve what we have
[31:19] or become a smaller version of what we already are?
[31:23] What should we become? I think Dr.
[31:26] Hatrick was pointing out some really great ideas about that.
[31:29] I also wanna be clear
[31:31] that I'm not the only person thinking about education in
[31:34] this way or imagining this as a future forward paradigm.
[31:38] There's a growing body of work
[31:40] and many people thinking deeply about
[31:42] what education can become.
[31:44] I'm planning to share resources, information
[31:46] with the transformation committee
[31:48] and the board ideas that can help us begin to imagine
[31:51] what this shift might actually look like in practice.
[31:55] Because a metaphor is only the beginning.
[31:58] We can move from a metaphor to a workable idea, to a plan,
[32:03] and then who knows what.
[32:04] That's the part that excites me.
[32:06] Imagine an education system
[32:08] with many pathways into learning deeper connections
[32:11] within our communities.
[32:13] More opportunities for students to create, contribute,
[32:17] collaborate, and grow a system that isn't organized simply
[32:20] around preserving individual pieces,
[32:23] but around strengthening the network that connects them.
[32:26] Because when you look at rhizome, you don't see a collection
[32:29] of individual plants.
[32:31] You see the network underneath.
[32:33] You see resilience, connection, the capacity for new growth,
[32:38] even in unexpected places.
[32:42] Are we willing to transform?
[32:44] Are we willing to imagine something different?
[32:46] Are we willing to change our paradigm? I believe we have to.
[32:52] And I believe that beneath all
[32:53] of the difficult decisions we face is an opportunity
[32:56] to grow something more connected, resilient,
[32:59] and capable of new growth.
[33:02] Not by simply preserving the trees,
[33:04] but by nurturing the rhizome.
[33:08] Thank you for the opportunity to share a draft
[33:11] of what this shift is.
[33:13] I purposely created it as a draft to show that ideas, ideas
[33:18] that need nurturing start as a pencil on paper, words
[33:21] and images not created by ai, but be created,
[33:26] but created by us Ashland School District.
[33:32] Alright, Thank you for your comments.
[33:50] So at this point, we'll be moving into a public hearing.
[33:54] We will now convene the local contract review board
[33:57] and open the public hearing regarding the proposed
[34:01] exemption from competitive bidding requirements
[34:03] for the Hellman Elementary School seismic retrofit project.
[34:07] The purpose of this hearing is to receive public comment
[34:11] on the draft findings supporting the use of the
[34:14] construction manager slash general contractor,
[34:16] or CMGC alternative contracting method.
[34:21] The public hearing is now open at 7:02 PM
[34:33] All right.
[34:34] Seeing that there is no further public comment,
[34:36] I will now close the public hearing.
[34:38] The public hearing is closed at 7:02 PM
[34:49] Okay.
[34:51] Moving on to new business, we have our first action item
[34:54] of the night and will be presented by Director
[34:59] of operations, Steve Mitchell.
[35:04] Yeah, I'm gonna carry off right from that.
[35:08] The exemption, the first resolution that we're going to have
[35:11] before you tonight is to actually approve that resolution.
[35:15] And I wanted to make sure
[35:16] that I answered any questions before we did.
[35:18] So I will preface that
[35:21] by saying the board should
[35:22] be very familiar with this process.
[35:23] This is the process we followed throughout the bond projects
[35:26] going all the way back to 2019 and 20.
[35:29] The construction management general contractor
[35:34] approach allows us to bring
[35:35] contractors into the project earlier.
[35:38] We get to emphasize experience versus just the low bid.
[35:42] So we get, you know, when you're talking about a seismic
[35:45] renovation, you wanna make sure you have a contractor
[35:46] that is fully qualified to, to perform the duties
[35:49] that we're going to need them to perform.
[35:50] So this allows us a little bit more flexibility in our
[35:53] selection of that contractor
[35:55] and bring them into the project sooner
[35:56] so they can come alongside the architect as we're going
[35:59] through that design process and
[36:01] make sure that we're staying within budget.
[36:02] So with that, I'll ask if there's any questions about
[36:05] that process or the resolution before you.
[36:15] And I believe there's a resolution to read there before you,
[36:19] and just so you know, all the
[36:20] supporting documents are there with you as well.
[36:23] For that exemption,
[36:26] I move to approve resolution alternative contracting
[36:28] method, adopting the formal findings
[36:30] and approving the exemption from competitive bidding
[36:33] requirements to utilize the CMCG contracting method
[36:36] for the Helman Elementary School seismic retrofit project.
[36:41] Second. All in favor?
[36:48] Motion passes. We'll now proceed to consideration
[36:52] of the draft findings and the proposed exemption.
[36:59] Sorry.
[37:02] Okay. The recommendation
[37:04] to award, is that what we're moving to?
[37:06] Yeah. Okay. So that takes us to the recommendation to award.
[37:08] So moving on in that same project,
[37:10] the Helman Seismic Renovation, we have gone
[37:13] through a process selection process for the design team
[37:16] for that project.
[37:17] And we have made a selection.
[37:19] We had a lot of turnout at the walkthrough.
[37:21] We had at least five
[37:22] or six different agencies show up to
[37:25] walk that facility with us.
[37:26] We received, ultimately, I believe, four
[37:28] or no three proposals.
[37:31] A few of those individuals did not submit proposals.
[37:34] We graded those proposals.
[37:35] We had two that were very close,
[37:36] but we ultimately, we selected the architect team
[37:39] and we're here to make a recommendation to award
[37:42] to architect for design services for the highest se,
[37:44] for the Helman Seismic Renovation Project.
[37:52] Well, I move to award the contract for design services
[37:55] for the Hellman Elementary School seismic retrofit project
[37:58] to Architect Design
[37:59] and Architecture in the amount of $147,000 and 700
[38:04] and, oh, sorry, $147,770.
[38:10] Second. All in favor.
[38:17] Thank you very much. Is
[38:20] there anything else you need from me on this?
[38:23] That is all. Thank you. Thank
[38:25] You, Steve.
[38:26] I have one quick question. Estimated beginning
[38:28] of con of construction. Is it next summer?
[38:31] Yes. We're hoping that we're, we're definitely in line
[38:36] with our schedule that we had hoped for.
[38:38] And so if we can get the CMGC in place
[38:40] and we can get design process started, now
[38:42] that we've got the approval, we're hoping
[38:44] that we can actually do some preliminary work,
[38:46] some investigator investigatory,
[38:48] potentially some demolition work as early as spring break.
[38:52] And then our goal would be as soon as students
[38:54] and teachers are gone for the summer, we're we're moving in.
[38:57] 'cause if we have a very short window of opportunity
[38:59] to get the work done and have that all ready to go
[39:02] for the return to school.
[39:03] So yeah, it's summer of 27 is the, is the goal.
[39:06] It's the hope. Great.
[39:07] Thank you. Yeah, And the money has to be spent,
[39:09] I believe by October, so we can't really drag it
[39:13] on. Thank you. Alright,
[39:18] Thank you Steve.
[39:21] Okay, our next action item, the board will consider request
[39:25] to adopt core instructional materials for social sciences.
[39:29] And the presenter is superintendent,
[39:32] assistant superintendent, Michelle Cutback.
[39:35] I
[39:39] Boy.
[39:47] Oh, it's over here. Yeah. Okay.
[39:49] It's looking at all those, all those things. Got it.
[40:02] Okay. Good evening. I'm here
[40:05] before you to ask the board to initiate the adoption process
[40:10] for the year for the social science curricular materials.
[40:16] So why now? We have a plan that has put,
[40:21] been put before the board.
[40:22] It's our corrective action plan for division 22.
[40:24] We've been a bit with our curricular adoption in relation
[40:29] to the state years.
[40:31] Last year was the state adoption year for social science
[40:35] materials, and we were adopting health and science.
[40:39] So we're finishing out our corrective action plan
[40:42] to get back on cycle, just in time
[40:44] for the state to redo the cycle.
[40:46] So we'll see what they decide in a couple of months.
[40:49] So we also have budgeted funds
[40:52] for curricular adoption this year in
[40:54] the budget that's been adopted.
[40:56] And there are new social science standards.
[40:59] And so this will ensure that our updated material,
[41:01] our materials are reviewed at the very least,
[41:04] and that we can adopt any updated materials
[41:06] to make sure we stay in compliance with state standards.
[41:11] Of course, we want to make sure
[41:13] that our materials meet our commitment to equity
[41:16] and ensuring that we are representing multiple viewpoints
[41:20] and making sure that we have equitable access
[41:23] for students too, and instructional consistency
[41:25] across the district.
[41:29] So here is the adoption process.
[41:31] You do have the board policy in the agenda as well.
[41:36] The first step is that you in approve the initiation
[41:39] of the adoption process and define the desired outcome.
[41:44] The superintendent will appoint a facilitator to oversee
[41:46] and manage the adoption activities effectively.
[41:49] We will bring throughout this year material recommendations,
[41:54] rubrics that we might use to measure to,
[41:57] to rate the materials
[41:59] and keep you in updated on the process along the way.
[42:03] And we wanna make sure that your,
[42:04] your involvement does promote transparency, accountability,
[42:08] and community trust in the adoption process.
[42:10] And there is always a public comment, review
[42:13] and comment avenue in all of our adoption processes.
[42:18] So that will take place as well once we land
[42:20] on a recommended material.
[42:23] So that's what I'm here before you to ask you
[42:25] to kick off this exciting process
[42:27] and approve initiation of us moving forward with reviewing
[42:31] and adopting curriculum materials.
[42:36] And oh, really quick, just for context,
[42:41] the second part of the initiation process is the
[42:44] superintendent's names,
[42:47] the process facilitator, just so you're aware.
[42:50] It is Michelle Kaback and her designee.
[42:53] And my designee will be Hilary Cosenza. There
[42:56] It is, Assistant principal at the high school
[42:59] who has led other adoptions before.
[43:03] So the part of this is to articulate the desired outcome
[43:07] and, and depending on the subject matter,
[43:10] sometimes we will look for K 12 alignment in our materials.
[43:13] Sometimes we will look for K five alignment
[43:16] or K eight and then six 12.
[43:18] So it just depends on the curricular area.
[43:21] For social sciences, what we're hoping for
[43:26] is that we would have K five alignment
[43:29] and that making sure that it's aligned to the standards
[43:31] and then across the district,
[43:33] and then all the other levels would be aligned as well.
[43:36] Sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade.
[43:37] And in high school you get your individual courses, right?
[43:41] You have American history, you have world history,
[43:43] you have government, you have civics.
[43:45] So all of those courses have unique standards
[43:48] and would require their own unique materials
[43:51] to meet those standards.
[43:56] I just have a question for people
[43:58] that might be watching this later on a recording.
[44:01] Can you remind us what the kind of makeup
[44:04] of a typical curriculum committee is like?
[44:07] Who do you draw? How big are they and
[44:08] and who does it represent?
[44:11] Sure. We try to get teachers from all across the district,
[44:15] so representative of every level and site.
[44:18] And typically, depending on the size of the committee
[44:21] and how much interest there is,
[44:22] we would maybe split into an elementary focused subcommittee
[44:26] and a secondary focused subcommittee.
[44:29] But the committee would come together at different times.
[44:31] So it's comprised of teachers
[44:33] and administrators across the district.
[44:37] And for those of us that haven't been in school
[44:39] for a couple decades, can you summarize
[44:41] what social science is made up of?
[44:44] Yes. So social science is a geography,
[44:47] history, civics.
[44:51] Oh gosh, there's a fourth component. I'm blanking on this.
[44:54] It's like a test. Jordan.
[45:00] And I have a question. I know we have to align
[45:02] to Oregon State standards for our curriculum.
[45:04] You know, I know there's been a lot
[45:06] of change at the federal level of, you know,
[45:09] history, geography, et cetera.
[45:12] Has this Oregon State standards changed
[45:13] significantly the last few years? No.
[45:15] Okay. Nope. Thank you. Oregon is very committed
[45:18] to ensuring multiple representations of history
[45:21] and perspectives, and of course highlighting
[45:25] shared history through tribal history as well.
[45:27] That's part of our social science standards. Yeah. Great.
[45:30] Yep,
[45:32] That sounds good.
[45:33] And I don't feel the need to include this as an articulated,
[45:36] desired outcome, but I know something I'll be looking
[45:38] for from the committee is really that teacher feedback
[45:40] around the professional development needed to adopt
[45:43] and adapt to whatever proposed
[45:45] or recommended curriculum you all look at.
[45:50] And with that, I'm happy to hand
[45:52] it to Dan to make the motion
[45:54] I move to initiate the core instructional materials review
[45:57] and adoption process to ensure compliance
[45:59] with the division 22 corrective action plan
[46:02] and support standards align curricular materials
[46:04] to the K five and course specific levels.
[46:09] Second, Russell, you gotta do it too.
[46:12] All in favor. Great. Thank you.
[46:24] Thank you, Michelle. All right.
[46:26] That brings us to announcements and appointments.
[46:30] The board will hold a work session on Thursday,
[46:33] September 24th, 2026 at 6:30 PM in the district office.
[46:39] The next regular session will be meeting.
[46:41] Meeting will be held Thursday,
[46:44] October 8th, 2026 in the city council chamber right here.
[46:51] And with that, we are adjourned.