[0:06] Good evening and welcome to the Victoria Independent School District Board of

[0:09] Trustees regular monthly meeting. The date is May 19th, 2022. The time is, it will be,

[0:17] 6 p.m. in just a few seconds, and we are called to order. If you would, please join

[0:23] me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

[0:25] Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[0:31] republic for which it stands, one nation under God,

[0:36] indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

[0:40] Thank you.

[0:50] I know what it is for.

[0:51] Hey, if for some reason or you see a raised hand,

[0:55] would you poke me?

[0:57] Please note that this is a regular meeting,

[1:01] and notice of the meeting has been posted in a time

[1:03] and manner required, and that there is a quorum present.

[1:07] Trustee Keeling is joining us by electronic means

[1:10] this evening.

[1:10] Thank you so much for making the effort to be a part of the meeting this evening.

[1:15] Moving on to item number four, Awards in Recognition, Leadership Academy, Ms. Nikki Taylor.

[1:25] Good evening, President Mercer, members of the board, and Dr. Shepard.

[1:29] Today we have the privilege of honoring our aspiring leaders who completed the BISD 2022 Leadership Academy.

[1:36] The 43 participants include teachers, instructional coaches,

[1:41] assistant principals, principals, and district staff

[1:45] who are pursuing their professional end.

[1:48] Over the course of the spring semester,

[1:50] these district leaders met twice a month

[1:52] beyond regular school hours

[1:54] to explore their leadership topics,

[1:56] connect with district staff from a multitude of departments,

[2:00] and learn more about leadership opportunities within VISD.

[2:04] Experiences have included job shadowing opportunities.

[2:09] The final activity for the VISD Leadership Academy participants is mock interviews,

[2:15] which will occur within the next few weeks.

[2:18] These participants are true examples of VISD staff members leading toward genius.

[2:26] We celebrated our participants this evening with a reception, you may have seen,

[2:30] and they each received a token of our gratitude.

[2:32] At this time, we would like to recognize our 2022 BISD Leadership Academy participants.

[2:39] Please stand to be recognized.

[2:41] At the University

[2:57] Leadership Academy, we look forward to providing an enhanced, role-specific

[3:01] experience for our Leadership Academy participants in addition to our current structure.

[3:06] Thank you.

[3:07] Thank you.

[3:15] Congratulations to each of you.

[3:17] Thank you for taking an interest in advancing and finding your professional hand.

[3:21] That's awesome.

[3:23] Moving on, we are moving to item number five, public testimony in open form.

[3:29] Public testimony in open form is an opportunity for community members to address the bulls.

[3:34] This is your time and it is your privilege to say whatever you want.

[3:39] However, with that privilege comes responsibility.

[3:43] This month you may have noticed that public comment has been moved in the agenda order compared to previous months.

[3:47] that Chains was brought about based on things said in public comment during our last meeting

[3:52] that could be viewed by some as vulgar or profane,

[3:56] especially considering the audience that was still present.

[3:59] I encourage each of the speakers to remember that we are the adults in the room

[4:03] and have a responsibility to model appropriate behavior for the students that we're all here to support.

[4:09] Additionally, if within your comments you include complaints or charges against a VISD officer

[4:15] officer or employee by name, you will be stopped by this chair in accordance with Section 551.074

[4:23] of the Texas government code. At that time, you will be given the option of continuing

[4:28] your comments that do not involve specific individuals by name or foregoing the rest

[4:33] of your comment to file an official grievance against the individuals based on our current

[4:39] policy, GF Legal and GF Local, or the board may adjourn to close meeting under Section

[4:45] 551.074 of the Texas Government Code to hear such complaints or charges. This closed meeting

[4:53] may occur at any point during the meeting. Please be advised that this closed meeting

[4:58] will be to address the specific complaint against the individual and will be limited

[5:03] to claims the named individual can adequately respond to. And finally, pursuant to the

[5:09] the Board Operating Procedures and Policy and the Open Meetings Act, the Board may

[5:13] only respond with specific factual information or recitation or recitation of existing policy

[5:21] in response to inquiries in the public comment. The Board shall not deliberate or decide regarding

[5:28] any subject that is not included on the agenda posted with notice of the meeting, and that

[5:33] is Open Meetings Act in the Texas government code 551.042.

[5:38] Tonight, we have a total of nine.

[5:41] If you go forward, I just blinked my eyes

[5:44] and I didn't get a chance to say anything

[5:46] to the leadership again.

[5:48] I apologize for that.

[5:49] And I thought all of the trustees

[5:51] would like to say something because of the great sacrifice

[5:54] they made and the great work that they did.

[5:57] And I just want to say we're proud of you.

[5:58] Keep up the great work.

[6:00] And I think my colleagues would love to say that as well

[6:02] before we get to that point.

[6:05] I mean, my president was moving really fast.

[6:09] He's pulling at your brother, but I appreciate you.

[6:12] Absolutely, sorry.

[6:12] But you all are our future, and we, the exception of work that you're doing

[6:16] to open up the doors for opportunity, keep it up,

[6:19] and we want to say congratulations to you.

[6:22] Absolutely.

[6:22] Somebody else?

[6:23] Oh, yeah.

[6:24] So I see familiar faces out there, and it's exciting.

[6:27] I see new faces I haven't seen,

[6:29] and I see the excitement and the passion on your faces.

[6:31] And it just makes me excited that we have leaders coming up

[6:35] and the ISD like you guys.

[6:37] Thank you all.

[6:38] Thanks for bringing that up, Pastor.

[6:41] So I definitely see a lot of places

[6:43] that I'm familiar with and I'm so excited.

[6:46] Thank you all so much, even those

[6:48] that I don't necessarily personally know.

[6:51] Thank you so much for doing that

[6:53] and best of luck in your continuing growth.

[6:56] And I hope that you will continue to learn

[6:59] and that you will continue your path to whatever success would like.

[7:07] Thank you, and congratulations, and we're looking forward to being great thanks to continue coming from you. Thank you.

[7:18] I see a cheer person there. I was expecting some cheerleaders.

[7:23] Anyway, congratulations. I could have said it better. Thank you.

[7:29] My apologies. Ms. Keeling, would you like to say something?

[7:33] I think you covered it.

[7:34] Okay, excellent.

[7:36] Yes, absolutely.

[7:38] Oh, yes, she's over here.

[7:40] Yes, I'm sorry.

[7:42] You can hear her, but you can't see her.

[7:45] And my apologies.

[7:46] I should have paused a little bit longer, but okay.

[7:49] So tonight we have a total of nine speakers.

[7:51] Each speaker will have three minutes to deliver their comments.

[7:53] There is a clock present on the wall to my right indicating how much time the speaker

[7:59] has left.

[8:00] Once the clock reaches zero, I will conclude the speaker's time with the gavel and then

[8:04] proceed to call the next speaker to the podium.

[8:07] It is not my intention to be rude or disagreeable but to ensure an opportunity for all who submitted

[8:12] a timely request to speak.

[8:14] Thank you for your understanding and thank you for your willingness to address this

[8:17] board directly.

[8:19] That being said, our first speaker is Ms. Michelle Foster.

[8:24] Right

[8:39] there would be great.

[8:39] That way we can pick you up on the microphone.

[8:42] I'm here for the Victoria West debate team.

[8:46] Originally, we weren't sure if we were going to get approved to go to nationals,

[8:49] but we did look on the agenda and it does say we are approved.

[8:51] So first off, I want to thank you for that.

[8:54] These kids have fought hard to go very hard.

[9:00] The other thing that the team would like me to address is wanting to know how we get more support

[9:04] for our debate team.

[9:06] There's been times that we weren't even sure

[9:07] if we were gonna get to go to competitions,

[9:09] transportation issues.

[9:12] It seems like certain other activities sometimes

[9:16] are put above the academics or the debate.

[9:20] And I know the debate team's kind of new in West

[9:22] sort of because of all the changes with the staffing.

[9:25] We're just hoping that we can get some support

[9:28] and the parents and the team for this summer,

[9:31] we've already got a lot of fundraisers we'd like to do

[9:33] because I know funding's been a big issue.

[9:36] What else do we need to do to get,

[9:38] I guess, higher up on level with some of the other teams?

[9:44] Thank you very much.

[9:45] Thank you.

[9:45] And congratulations on the success of the teams.

[9:48] Yes, yes.

[9:49] By effect, you deserve a round of applause.

[9:58] Our next speaker is Carrie Bland.

[10:12] Good evening.

[10:14] My name is Carrie Bland, and I am currently

[10:19] the Reading Instructional Coach

[10:29] I understand that our district is at a critical place financially and difficult decisions must

[10:36] be made in order to keep our school buildings open and functioning and for us to be able

[10:42] to help our students adequately.

[10:45] I understand also why the recommendations are important and how they can help our district.

[10:53] What I cannot understand and have so much trouble wrapping my head around is the message that

[11:02] this decision will send to our community, our families, and our students.

[11:07] students. This decision is saying that literacy is not valued and our librarians are unimportant.

[11:17] I know that many libraries, possibly most of them, have a Master's Certified Teacher operating

[11:26] in their library and is working as a simple circulation desk. Books are being checked

[11:33] checked in, checked out, and reshelved.

[11:37] But why are we not raising the bar?

[11:40] Why are we not requiring our librarians to bring something to their school to help engage

[11:47] learning and specifically literacy with our students?

[11:52] I know that our library at Sholimer Elementary is an exception, and I am proud of that exception.

[12:02] I know that the driving force at our school and our literacy program is our library.

[12:09] It is the heart and soul of what we have implemented in our school.

[12:14] And it is not because of the books on the shelf.

[12:18] It is because of the person that's in the library.

[12:21] Teresa Schauer, our amazing librarian.

[12:25] I know that there are other librarians in our district

[12:28] that have things that they bring to their school

[12:31] to enhance the learning of their students.

[12:33] There's Marci Becka-Dallow,

[12:35] Lori Vote at Rowland who's taking STEM to a whole new level.

[12:40] So why are we not looking at the great things

[12:42] that these master teachers are doing?

[12:44] And why aren't we emulating them?

[12:47] Why are we not striving to build a team

[12:50] of amazing librarians to enhance the literacy

[12:54] of our students?

[12:56] Why are we not building a team of librarians that is so critical to our school that this

[13:01] recommendation would be laughed at?

[13:05] As an educator, I cannot begin to understand why this is even being considered.

[13:11] This will negatively impact the literacy in our schools.

[13:16] I know that it will personally impact 480 students at Chalimer Elementary.

[13:21] Thank you Ms. Bland.

[13:34] Our next speaker is Melanie Gaynor.

[13:44] Good evening.

[13:45] My name is Melanie Gaynor.

[13:46] I have a son in seventh grade and a daughter in ninth grade.

[13:49] One has been an avid reader from a young age

[13:50] and the other took a little longer.

[13:52] Both benefited from having a school librarian.

[13:54] By having a full-time librarian,

[13:56] students have the opportunity to connect with the person

[13:58] who encourages them to read,

[13:59] knows them and can make suggestions

[14:01] tailored to their interests, strengths and weaknesses,

[14:04] which increases the chances for each student

[14:05] to grow a love of reading.

[14:06] I saw it firsthand with my children.

[14:09] My daughter discovered books that she may never have chosen on her own that are now some of her favorites.

[14:13] My son, who never liked to read, had a librarian introduce him to a variety of series that he would eagerly await the release of the next installment.

[14:21] The librarians were able to do this because they knew my children could make individual recommendations and my children trusted their suggested book choices.

[14:29] It has been proven that librarians help develop the love of books and sense of connectedness that students need in order to want to read.

[14:35] Having a desire to read creates the foundation that students will need for the rest of their lives.

[14:41] There have been numerous library impact studies and the data is overwhelmingly clear,

[14:45] but there is a correlation between school libraries and student achievement.

[14:49] Certified librarians play an important role in teaching critical thinking skills

[14:53] leading the way for technology use and inspiring literacy.

[14:57] Universal findings from more than 60 impact studies

[15:00] Students conducted in 22 states conclude that schools with a well-equipped library, staff

[15:04] by a full-time, certified librarian, and appropriate support staff contribute significantly to gains

[15:09] in student learning. High-quality school libraries not only help students read more, but also

[15:13] help them learn how to use and process information better and to perform better on achievement

[15:18] tests. Studies conducted in at least 14 states show that students in schools with

[15:23] certified librarians consistently score better on standardized achievement tests

[15:26] in reading, compared with students in schools

[15:29] without certified librarians.

[15:32] Studies of third and sixth graders show that in addition

[15:34] to improving literacy and achievement test scores,

[15:36] the presence of a teacher librarian

[15:37] is the single strongest predictor of reading enjoyment.

[15:40] Now especially after the learning disruptions

[15:42] affiliated with the pandemic,

[15:43] and test scores to climate is not the time to remove

[15:45] or reduce these valuable assets.

[15:48] Further, the literacy study conducted

[15:49] by Dr. Krashen show that school libraries

[15:51] are the only thing that matters

[15:52] when it comes to closing the gap that exists

[15:54] and literacy levels when poverty comes into play.

[15:58] The results of Dr. Heragin's analysis were abundantly clear.

[16:01] Poverty was the strongest predictor

[16:02] of poor reading achievement.

[16:03] On the opposite end, school libraries

[16:05] were what had a consistent, positive effect on reading.

[16:08] The National Center for Education Statistics

[16:10] and the Fourth Grade National Assessment

[16:11] of Educational Progress actually documented a decline

[16:15] in reading scores when schools

[16:16] experienced a loss of librarians.

[16:18] Research has consistently shown that school libraries

[16:20] have a positive long-term impact on students,

[16:22] especially in environments where librarians are valued.

[16:26] I urge you to reconsider your choice

[16:27] concerning the librarians in VISD.

[16:29] Our children's futures are at risk.

[16:31] Thank you.

[16:32] Thank you.

[16:42] Our next speaker is Brittany Braden.

[16:53] Good evening.

[16:54] My name is Brittany Braden

[16:55] and I'm the Shaulimer counselor.

[16:56] Not only do I work at this school,

[16:58] but I also speak tonight as a parent

[17:00] since both of my kids attend there as well.

[17:02] I stand before you not in anger,

[17:04] but more in disappointment and concern

[17:06] for the future of our school and our district.

[17:08] I currently share the library with Ms. Schauer, so I'm a living testament of her day-to-day

[17:12] dealings with students, staff, and parents.

[17:15] To say she is the best librarian the district has ever had is an understatement.

[17:21] She provides so much more than checking out books to the students that step foot in

[17:25] her library.

[17:26] She has instilled a love of reading in these kids, not because she forced them, but

[17:30] because she fostered their curiosity for learning, grew to know each of them on

[17:34] on an individual level and guided them in the direction

[17:37] that would best suit them as a human being.

[17:40] I've seen firsthand this year that students

[17:42] that were not excited about reading

[17:44] bloom into some most the confident little souls,

[17:46] not only in books, but emotionally as well.

[17:50] Her library is like no other I've ever seen.

[17:52] It's loud, and I mean loud.

[17:55] Full of excitement, learning, and encouragement.

[17:57] If you've ever been in her library,

[17:59] you know exactly what I mean.

[18:01] If she is shuffled between two campuses next year,

[18:03] There is no humanly way possible for her to continue at that expense and do it well.

[18:09] And believe me, if she's going to do something, it's going to be amazing.

[18:12] She has proven time and time again that she gives it her all.

[18:16] As a team, our reading teachers are reading IC Ms. Bland and Ms. Shauer work diligently

[18:21] to instill a strong sense of literacy to our Shalimer Bears.

[18:25] Taking Ms. Shauer out of that team would in turn require more effort from teachers

[18:30] and this plan who are already occupied with their own responsibilities. I could

[18:34] brag on Ms. Shower for way more than three minutes, but I would invite the

[18:38] board to consider the following food for thought. The TASB staffing review was

[18:43] done prior to or at the end of COVID. We all know COVID changed everything. Our

[18:48] students lost time in the classrooms with their teachers and fell behind

[18:51] academically. Does it make sense to change the structure of our elementary

[18:55] librarians right now when our students are behind academically and in

[18:59] reading. I've always heard you get what you pay for. We shouldn't be a

[19:03] district that settles for average. We should put our money where it matters

[19:07] and improve the literacy and academic path to success for our students. Please

[19:11] consider looking at this situation on a campus by campus basis. I thank you for

[19:15] taking the time to listen to and consider the various concerns people

[19:18] bring forth this evening. Please approach this with an open mind. Have

[19:23] conversations with our librarians and our administrators. Don't let the

[19:26] future success of our kids be impacted so we can save a little money. It's never

[19:31] too late to change your mind on such a vital decision for the future of our

[19:34] district. Thank you. Thank you.

[19:52] Our next speaker is Ms. Teresa Shower. My

[20:07] name is

[20:07] Teresa Shower and I am a librarian. I'm finishing my 32nd year in

[20:11] education and hold a master's degree in library science from Sam Houston State

[20:15] University. On May 10th the ISD Librarian signed into a remote meeting.

[20:20] It began with a cheerful reassurance that none of us were losing our jobs.

[20:25] We were guaranteed our positions for as long as we wanted them.

[20:28] This was followed by the news that elementary library staff workloads were being doubled

[20:33] and our time cut in half.

[20:35] The goal, absorb 50% of certified staff and replace them with paraprofessionals.

[20:41] We were given no warning that this was planned.

[20:45] During my tenure as an educator, I have accomplished things under seemingly insurmountable odds.

[20:51] At one point I held the role of district librarian, sixth grade teacher, and part-time reading consultant, traveling the nation.

[20:58] I made it work with great success. This is a different situation.

[21:05] If I thought I could effect change on a bigger scale because of this staffing shift, I would work myself to the bone.

[21:12] but what is being asked is not tenable if you want us to be effective.

[21:18] I appreciate the fact that VISD is being fiscally responsible, I do,

[21:23] but is this decision looking only at the fiscal component?

[21:27] After the report was presented to the board in 2020,

[21:30] the TASB representative explained that they were fiscal recommendations only

[21:34] and that the district should proceed with due diligence

[21:36] and research before following through on any of them.

[21:40] Was research done?

[21:44] Was research presented to support the idea that achievement would improve or even stay the same without us?

[21:51] No one on a district level has ever asked me for data on how my library program aligns with student achievement.

[21:59] Were there any local studies conducted?

[22:03] If the answer is yes, please show us.

[22:08] I am happy to show the difference the library program has made at Shullimer.

[22:12] We have solid data to demonstrate how what I do directly benefits our state

[22:18] measured performance. Ask me what I do. Let me show you. There is a reason a

[22:24] graduate degree is required. In grad school we learned how to be the weight

[22:28] bearing beams of a school. As we are stretched to the point of breaking and

[22:32] leave we will be replaced with non-certified staff. Is the district

[22:36] absolutely certain that this is the right place to save less than $400,000

[22:42] dollars, is the financial gain worth the loss? In the classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird,

[22:48] Scout Muses, until I feared to lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.

[22:56] This is like having my oxygen cut off. Being a librarian isn't something I do. It's who

[23:03] I am. It's not something I can teach a pair of professionals. It's definitely not something

[23:08] I can do all learning a new library and establishing relationships with 500 students.

[23:13] Please, if it's winded your power to change the trajectory of this decision, look deeper.

[23:19] Today, after much prayer and consideration, I started the retirement process with TRS.

[23:27] Walking out those doors for the last time will be the hardest thing I've ever done,

[23:33] But having an exhausted half me would be worse than the kids not having me at all.

[24:05] Our next speaker is Lindsay Young.

[24:07] It's

[24:16] not a whole lot I can say following that, but I will share with you what I have prepared.

[24:25] My name is Lindsay Young, and I'm the mother of fifth grade triplets at Sholimer.

[24:29] One will be speaking tonight, and it's important that I communicate that she was not asked or pressured to speak.

[24:35] Between the three of them, they are top of their class, academic achievement for

[24:40] excellence recipients, GT identified, and completely involved in their campus. My

[24:46] children are products of six years worth of dedicated teachers, administrators, and

[24:50] a single librarian. Their librarian has instilled in them 11 respect for

[24:56] reading. I have been semi-immersed in the accelerated reading program at

[25:01] Shalimer since our kids were five years old and I only understand a fraction of

[25:05] what it provides. I have a bachelor's and ag leadership from A&M and I

[25:09] completed my master's in business when they were three years old and I'm

[25:13] certain my kids have run more in six years than I did in my entire academic

[25:17] career. One of my children achieved the final certification level in the

[25:23] accelerated reading program and has a comprehension average of 94 percent. One

[25:29] one of my daughters made a perfect score on the ELAR benchmark this year.

[25:33] These achievements would not be possible without a full-time on-campus librarian at their disposal.

[25:39] I'm not going to cite data, I'm not going to talk about positive relationships between

[25:43] full-time on-campus librarians, student achievement, and standardized test scores, or how full-time

[25:50] librarians are critical to low socioeconomic communities.

[25:54] I shouldn't have to argue that there are positive correlations.

[25:57] I realize the ongoing narrative is that no one is at risk and that each campus will have

[26:04] a certified librarian half of the time.

[26:07] Have you spent any amount of time in the library at Shalimer or any of the other campuses?

[26:12] Do you know how many children rely on our libraries or our librarians' daily presence,

[26:18] knowledge and the sanctity of the library that ours in particular has created?

[26:23] How can you have a strong library program when librarians are expected to operate two

[26:28] campus libraries, two inventories, two literacy programs, and create relationships that are

[26:34] needed at the elementary level with over 900 students?

[26:38] The literacy program at Shalemur is thriving and it's significant.

[26:42] Goal number one of the district improvement plan is to increase the Meets percentage

[26:46] of third grade reading star from 34 to 44 percent by 2024.

[26:50] core meets being the absolute basic understanding of the material. In two years the district's

[26:56] goal is that less than half of the third grade students understand the material presented

[27:01] in the star test. Reading comprehension is fundamental and it's the most important part

[27:05] of the student's foundation. Certified librarians strengthen that foundation if utilized correctly.

[27:12] They are the rebar in the foundation providing strength. Considering all of the data I've

[27:18] reviewed, the shift in library staff appears inherently dangerous and irresponsible. Reviewing

[27:24] each program and determining why some are working over others seems more responsible. I appreciate

[27:30] the district being piscally conservative and trying to find ways to cut and shift costs.

[27:34] I do question though whether absorbing librarian positions and doubling the expected caseload

[27:40] is worth diluting programs that are successful. Now is not the time to absorb half of

[27:44] the rebar in the foundation.

[28:01] Lainey Young.

[28:10] Hey, we got a stool.

[28:11] We got a stool right here.

[28:12] We got a stool right here.

[28:12] We got it.

[28:15] My

[28:18] name is Lainey Young and I'm a fifth grader at Schoenler Elementary.

[28:22] I'm a triplet and we've been at Schoenler for about six years.

[28:26] I earned the Academic of Excellence Award and I'm in the Gifted and Talented Program.

[28:31] I can also read all the way up to the ninth grade level.

[28:34] I'm here today because I want to ask you a question.

[28:38] My question is, why are you slowly getting rid of our librarians

[28:41] and replacing them with someone else? I know it has something to do with money,

[28:46] but is that worth risking the education of children?

[28:50] My relationship with Mrs. Shower is very special, but something

[28:54] every student should have. Mrs. Shower isn't just one of those

[28:58] librarians that just sits there and says get some books. She actually takes

[29:02] the time to help students find books. She shouldn't have to go place to place every week. She should

[29:08] get time to have a relationship with kids at Schollmer, like the time I got. I want kids to

[29:14] have the same feelings that I felt when I was in the library. The thing is that I only feel that

[29:20] I only feel it when the shower is in the library. For example, when the shower is on a vacation

[29:25] for a couple of days, the library isn't where I want to be. But when she is there,

[29:30] I suddenly really enjoyed being in the library. This has happened ever since I stepped foot in the Shalmer Library in kindergarten.

[29:38] I've got the urge to read. I'm sure my brother and sister feel the same way because a couple weeks ago

[29:44] my brother got the highest rating achievement at Shalmer and my sister is very close to getting that honor.

[29:51] My brother and sister both made a statement for this and they wanted me to include it.

[29:56] My brother has a young group. We need librarians at our school.

[30:02] The library is just a big room with bookshelves. My sister Dylan found a quote that meant a lot to her.

[30:09] It's from R. David Linus. He is a professor and dean scholar for a new librarian ship at a university in Washington.

[30:18] He says, bad libraries vote collections, good libraries vote services, but great libraries vote communities.

[30:26] Thank you for this opportunity to speak about my librarian and the experience I had. It means a lot to me.

[30:49] Thank you.

[30:54] Go ahead. I'm not going to step up.

[30:56] That was great, young lady.

[30:59] You might want to keep her up here for the profile of a graduate.

[31:04] Our next speaker is Terry Hermes.

[31:12] I'm sure it's hard to follow all of that, but my name is Terry Hermes, and I have been in education for over 30 years.

[31:19] I'm here to show support for our certified school librarians and VISD.

[31:25] Every school needs and deserves a certified school librarian.

[31:30] School librarians work with every student in the school, providing them with the resources

[31:34] they need to be successful.

[31:37] School librarians are partners with every teacher to help with student learning.

[31:43] School librarians are leaders in our schools.

[31:47] A certified librarian is a powerful search engine with a heart.

[31:54] Our school librarian has helped each one of my students discover a love for books and for

[32:01] reading.

[32:02] She shares knowledge of books and the students are blessed to have someone who not only loves

[32:08] books but loves seeing children reading a book that she has recommended.

[32:12] school librarians are a valuable resource that cannot be replaced. A quote by Frank

[32:20] Serafini, there is no such thing as a child who hates to read. There are only

[32:26] children who have not found the right book. Our librarian helps all children

[32:32] find the right book and a love for reading. Thank you for your time and

[32:37] please reconsider keeping our certified school librarians and our

[32:55] last one is

[32:55] Laurie Schama.

[33:14] Good evening ladies and gentlemen and thank you for your service

[33:16] to our community. I'm a parent of three VISD students and a concerned

[33:21] community member. I think we can all agree that reading is a foundational skill

[33:24] that sets a child up for future success. I would encourage you to rethink the

[33:28] recommendation of absorbing certified librarians at the elementary level. I

[33:32] I understand that the TASB survey provided comparisons to other districts and made recommendations

[33:37] based on ratios with the goal to decrease overall payroll in the district.

[33:42] But payroll can't be the only determining factor.

[33:44] My three boys all attend to Shalimer so I can speak specifically about this particular

[33:48] library program although I know there are many programs in the district that are succeeding.

[33:54] Mrs. Schauer has cultivated the love for reading and the vast majority of students.

[33:57] I have personally seen data correlating increased star scores at Shalimer with increased AR

[34:04] certifications, and it was quite astounding.

[34:07] These are not simply AR points, but certifications that are achieved by reading progressively

[34:11] longer and harder books.

[34:13] This program builds not only fluency, but also reading stamina, which is equally important.

[34:18] In addition, this program meets kids right where they are and lifts them up.

[34:23] Ms. Schauer was able to implement this program because she is a certified librarian with a master's degree, passion, and a comprehensive understanding of children's literature as well as drivers of reading.

[34:33] I also understand the desire to make campuses across our district equitable.

[34:37] I think the resounding goal across all programs in our district should be to raise all campuses up to the highest level rather than striving to keep them all average.

[34:45] Each campus has their own strengths and needs.

[34:47] The library program at Shalimer happens to be one of its strengths.

[34:50] When we have a gym in the district like this, we should figure out how to keep it, flourish

[34:55] it, and grow it to other campuses.

[34:57] Would it be possible to table this recommendation and spend the next school year really diving

[35:01] into the jobs of librarians, not just from a fiscal perspective, but with a holistic

[35:06] approach, without making any changes in current staffing or placements?

[35:10] This could culminate in developing a mentor program with the goal to emulate the

[35:15] Shalmer program or the ideal model across the district and this would not

[35:20] affect our budget this year at all. If the board is adamant about proceeding

[35:23] with the plan to pair a certified librarian with a para for two campuses

[35:27] would it be possible to let the certified librarian along with the

[35:30] principals at those campuses have the autonomy to structure that in a way

[35:34] that best fits their schools. This would give those who know the school

[35:37] best some decision-making power for their schools. Constantly

[35:41] alternating staff between schools is not the best is not in the best interest of

[35:45] either school, the staff or the students. The roughly three hundred fifty thousand

[35:50] dollars in savings from librarian absorptions is a drop in VISD's budget

[35:54] bucket. We have some amazing parrots across our district but if we proceed

[35:58] with this plan to absorb librarians and other certified jobs and replace them

[36:02] with parrots especially if there is no training program in place we are

[36:07] sending the wrong message. We're sending a message that we do not value higher education

[36:12] and certifications. Definitely not the right message for a school district to send. Thank

[36:17] you for your time. Thank you

[36:29] again. Thank you to all who came and spoke and presented

[36:31] before the board this evening. We appreciate your interest and also your concern and

[36:35] care for all of our students. Moving on to the next item is information item number

[36:41] of six administration report, Dr. Shepherd.

[36:52] So this evening you're gonna notice change

[36:54] in how we present the administration report.

[36:57] Really grateful and appreciative of the public

[37:00] who've reached out to some of the trustees

[37:03] and offered comments and suggestions

[37:05] about an inability to see what was being presented.

[37:08] So we're gonna try it a slightly different way

[37:10] so that you can see what's being presented

[37:12] and what's being highlighted.

[37:13] So once we bring that up, I will get started.

[37:20] Do what?

[37:23] No, it's not the right one.

[37:28] It's the whole report today.

[37:32] Oh, we're going to do the whole report today.

[37:34] You're going to flip through.

[37:36] Well,

[37:39] I don't, I, um, anything.

[37:42] Because I don't have that one in front of me,

[37:44] so let me think through how to do that.

[37:59] Actually, you know what, let's just go this round because I wasn't prepared for presenting

[38:04] it this way.

[38:05] Why don't we just go around, Robin, let the board members talk about the things that you

[38:09] all saw in the administration report, like we typically do, and we'll do comments that

[38:14] way today.

[38:15] Excellent.

[38:16] All right?

[38:18] There's a link, we'll start with you.

[38:21] I'll tell you what, why don't we wait.

[38:23] I know the Leadership Academy came to celebrate and I don't know if y'all want to sit through a long

[38:28] two hour meeting so if y'all want to take a second I know to

[38:32] gather and celebrate together. Sausage bowls are still out there.

[38:37] Thank you ladies so much and gentlemen.

[38:40] Give them a round of applause.

[38:41] Yeah, thank you all for coming.

[38:46] Actually, I can't get the comments.

[38:48] Oh, yeah, you found it.

[38:49] Okay, good.

[38:49] I like that.

[38:50] Well, I was just going to allow that.

[38:54] Let's get that.

[38:55] Let's get it.

[38:56] Okay.

[38:57] I wonder if it is in that after.

[38:59] Yeah, I thought they were going to take a pic or something.

[39:03] I guess not.

[39:04] No, we don't.

[39:05] Actually, I might have done all that out there.

[39:06] Okay.

[39:07] Before.

[39:09] Okay, thank you.

[39:10] I told some of them, hey, usually,

[39:12] The picture and y'all can go, and then I was like, ah.

[39:17] Oh, yeah.

[39:19] Yeah, so that was awesome.

[39:22] If you give me two seconds.

[39:24] All right.

[39:26] I think you found it.

[39:29] Oh, okay.

[39:35] The changing of the bars, maybe.

[39:38] Yeah, and I saw tons of people out there sitting in here.

[39:42] So, this is good.

[39:46] And even the bones.

[40:06] Yeah, are you good with that?

[40:07] Yeah.

[40:08] If it's a pleasure aboard, let's take a five minute recess.

[40:11] Yeah.

[40:12] Perfect.

[40:13] Exactly.

[40:14] I know we've got a lot ahead of us.

[40:15] No.

[40:16] Yeah, no, especially if you're going to be having a shirt.

[40:18] I could put my minute recess in my shirt.

[40:24] Get your little hammer there.

[40:25] All right.

[40:27] Our five minutes is up.

[40:29] And we are back in session, picking up where we left off

[40:32] on the administrative report.

[40:33] Yes, and the new and enhanced version

[40:35] so that people in the audience can see.

[40:37] We've got it loaded up so you can see it now.

[40:39] And I'm less panicked than I was five minutes ago.

[40:43] So we're going to do essentially three slides.

[40:45] Points of pride, areas of concern,

[40:48] and things that we're working on.

[40:49] And this was a suggestion from one of the trustees.

[40:51] I thought it was a great suggestion

[40:52] for laying out the administration report that way.

[40:55] So here's how it lays out.

[40:56] Points of pride in just highlighting three things

[40:58] out of what could be a list of hundreds and hundreds of things.

[41:02] First of all, grants for great ideas, $65,000 being handed out for grants for great ideas.

[41:07] That's just fantastic.

[41:08] That will happen tomorrow in the prize patrol.

[41:11] Does they elementary?

[41:13] I'm sorry.

[41:14] I don't mean to interrupt you, but would you, for anybody that might be listening

[41:17] on it, explain where that money goes to, specifically.

[41:20] That money goes into classroom teachers, right, for grants, teachers and staff,

[41:27] not

[41:28] to try activities with students

[41:30] that they think will enhance the learning process.

[41:32] These are things that would be outside the traditional budget,

[41:35] the school budget or program-based budget.

[41:37] So the foundation raises money for the grants for great ideas

[41:39] and then the teachers apply for those grants.

[41:41] The foundation then passes those grants out.

[41:45] So that money goes straight into the classroom.

[41:46] Straight to the classroom, straight to the kids.

[41:48] Thank you.

[41:49] Dudley Elementary has the quote, highest distinction

[41:53] that can be earned and that comes from Imagine Learning.

[41:56] so I wanted to make sure that I gave a shout out to them for that.

[42:04] And then finally, I just want to celebrate our partner who's

[42:09] really stood up in the last couple of years in a pretty amazing

[42:13] way in the YMCA. So they've stepped up this next year.

[42:16] They're going to fund 60 scholarship students to run

[42:20] the YMCA program after school at O'Connor for next year.

[42:31] areas of concern kind of a big one and it it harkens back to what we all heard

[42:36] yesterday when we were at our CASV so for the audience members who don't know

[42:41] this board members are constantly going through training hours and so on and so

[42:44] forth and learning and they actually spent all day yesterday as part of

[42:47] region three with other school board members around the region learning

[42:50] about happening around the state, and one of the things that was discussed during the

[42:56] lunch lecture was social-emotional learning and wellness, mental wellness for students.

[43:02] And one of the slides that was shown in her presentation, you'll recall, was at that

[43:05] 50% slightly lower than 50% threshold for feelings of hopelessness and resiliency.

[43:13] If you remember that slide, it was on the left-hand side of the page.

[43:16] Essentially, our panorama survey bears that out on page 28.

[43:20] Our students test below 50% in growth mindset and emotional regulation.

[43:26] So we're seeing very much the same data that was shared yesterday from TEA,

[43:30] and it's the same data that folks are finding around the country.

[43:33] Just all of this leading into the conversation that we're going to still

[43:36] have in front of us this evening.

[43:39] And then finally, the last slide that I have is things that we're working on,

[43:42] just stuff that's happening in the district.

[43:43] So one of those things is the Board of Operating Procedures.

[43:46] We're going to stand that up for you tonight in the consent agenda to approve.

[43:51] And we've got that in place, which is a good thing.

[43:54] And then finally, the portrait of the graduate on page 19.

[43:57] And that will take up a bulk of our evening this evening.

[44:01] We've got a pretty robust presentation in front of you to talk about that this evening.

[44:06] And so that's what I've got.

[44:08] Excellent.

[44:11] Do we have any questions or comments on the admin report?

[44:13] comments. So I love on page three all the great opportunities that we're gonna

[44:21] offer during the summer for our students in closing that gap so that is awesome I

[44:26] love that also we as board member we got the opportunity to attend CTE and CNA

[44:35] penny that was so awesome to see those kids and they have their and some of

[44:39] them were going to go to work actually when we were at the CNA

[44:44] pinning the gentleman, Mr. Fowler, and I can't remember his last name, Bettis, maybe?

[44:48] I hate to misspeak, but anyways, he said, if you're 18, we're ready for you to come

[44:55] to work for us, and so that was just absolutely amazing, so now they've got their certificate

[44:59] get in there.

[45:00] It can go to work. And so that that was a great end. I know some of the other students

[45:05] as well in the CPE had their certificates and have jobs. They're going to go to work. So Monday

[45:11] after graduation or maybe already, they're at work. They've got their future. They're

[45:16] going to be successful and so wonderful that teachers and support that they've had throughout

[45:22] the years that have gotten them through those programs. So that's just absolutely amazing.

[45:26] I'm I'm really excited about that and then the last thing I want to talk about is on page for

[45:32] The shack and I always forget what shack stands for it's health Advisory Committee, right?

[45:39] School Health Advisory Committee. I know that there's a lot of people involved in that

[45:44] We've got some parents that are involved in that we've got students that were involved in that

[45:48] We've got nurses and community members and teachers and so

[45:53] So I'm just so excited that they came, we got a new health book, they're going, we're

[45:58] going to, we're going to prove that tonight?

[46:00] Is that correct?

[46:01] So we're going to look at that and see about approving their suggestion.

[46:06] And I know that we had parents involved and we'd love, if you don't know about

[46:10] SHAC, please go on the website and look at it and learn a little bit more.

[46:16] We'd love to have parents come.

[46:17] We need more parents.

[46:18] We had a couple of parents and they volunteered to go through the health book and do the

[46:23] the hard work and so the health teachers as well looking through the book and

[46:28] things and and looking at it and making sure that that's what we wanted and

[46:32] bringing a recommendation to us tonight so I'm super excited about that and

[46:36] thank you so much to those that are part of the shack and if you know anybody

[46:40] that would like to be part of it I'm sure that they are always welcome and

[46:45] and we'll have the meetings and stuff posted on it.

[46:48] Thank you.

[46:49] Excellent, thank you, Ms. Crow.

[46:51] Ms. Lengel.

[46:52] Yes, so I had a couple things on the,

[46:54] I love this new, whoever came up, I'm not sure,

[46:57] but I love that new highlights.

[47:00] Love that.

[47:01] So going through pages here just hitting points

[47:04] that I wanted to go over on page three,

[47:07] we talk about TEEX certification,

[47:09] how the State Board of Education

[47:10] has certified the TEEX,

[47:12] our own committee certifies that

[47:14] that we will be teaching the TEACs

[47:15] and in saying that we are following the law

[47:19] and Governor Abbott passed a law in June, 2021.

[47:22] We're in accordance with the State Board of Education.

[47:25] Our TEACs and our curriculum do not cover CRT.

[47:30] And I just wanted to state that for the record.

[47:32] On page four, just like...

[47:34] CRT is...

[47:35] Oh, sorry.

[47:36] Critical Race Theory is what we're talking about.

[47:38] There's many different versions of what CRT can be.

[47:41] Yes.

[47:41] What we're talking about specifically here

[47:42] is critical race theory.

[47:43] Yes, thanks for clarifying.

[47:45] And then on page four, just like Ms. Margaret was talking about,

[47:50] I love this health textbook.

[47:53] You know, there can be a little controversy on some subjects in here.

[47:59] And I love how we have a textbook and we have a companion textbook.

[48:04] And the only way, those controversial subjects that we talk about

[48:08] are in the companion textbook.

[48:10] And the only way a student will be given that textbook is if a parent opts in.

[48:15] This is all in our admin record. I'm just regurgitating.

[48:19] And that parents have 14 days or more to review the material

[48:24] and to decide if this is something they want their child to see or not.

[48:27] And so I thought this was very important to bring up to the parents.

[48:30] It's an opt-in. It's not an opt-out.

[48:33] So I wanted to bring that up on page...

[48:38] Oh, page 15, oh, super excited work-based learning.

[48:43] Caterpillar reached out to VISD to consider

[48:46] and talk about work-based learning.

[48:48] That's exciting to me.

[48:51] Also, VISD, I think you already talked about it,

[48:53] Education for Over 17 Scholarships, given $23,000.

[48:58] And I know in the month of May, all of us,

[49:01] our favorite time is May,

[49:02] because we get to see these awards, these scholarships,

[49:05] the people graduating, all the excitement

[49:07] on these kids faces, and it's exciting.

[49:11] I think I have one more point.

[49:16] The Stroman auxiliary buildings are supposed to be in completion,

[49:20] it says in June, correct?

[49:22] It's what I read, sorry, it's in here, it says it will be ready in June,

[49:25] and so I'm excited for the DAP program, credit recovery,

[49:28] the Family Connection Center, it's all up and ready to go in June,

[49:33] so August rolls around and we're ready to go over there.

[49:36] And so reading that, I was very excited.

[49:39] Whoever is all doing that work, we appreciate you.

[49:42] Thank you so much for being diligent about that.

[49:45] Thanks.

[49:46] Excellent.

[49:48] In addition to, I want to highlight the special education

[49:59] program, the journeys, transitions,

[50:02] and all the work programs that they're involved in and it's just so great to see our kids out there succeeding, finding their end.

[50:11] And the Smith students, their career showcase, those were fun to look at.

[50:18] Things that they wouldn't usually dream of.

[50:21] And thanks to the STEM program, their horizons, it

[50:28] was very exciting.

[50:31] I want to talk about the teacher appreciation week, I'm glad that we really moved forward

[50:36] and appreciated all of our teachers and I think they do a fantastic job all the time.

[50:41] I can't stop talking about what the YMCA is doing with those 60 students that they're going to be.

[50:48] Equity takes place right there. You guys know I said love to talk about equity.

[50:53] as no cost being able to make sure that they move forward with that, and then this is the

[50:58] outstanding part. There is a lady by the name of Margaret Pruitt and there's a lady by the

[51:03] name of Kathy Bell that were elected to office, and so that's a part of our effort, and we

[51:08] say congratulations to both of those ladies. By the

[51:18] way, that's part of the report.

[51:22] Mr. Baldwin.

[51:24] Yeah, thank you. So I'm going to try to speak in the microphone. I'm going to work

[51:27] backwards and I'm going to start with page 34. I noticed that we were working on the bus parking

[51:33] and I've seen that and that has been really exciting for me to see because I remember the

[51:38] Potholes when I first started and did a tour with you two years ago so thank you so much.

[51:43] I also appreciate the page 30, the field positions. I remember last month and we had

[51:49] quite a few of them so that's exciting for me to see. We still have others to go but thank

[51:53] Thank you so much for your staff working continuously to get those filled.

[51:58] I will go to – I echo a lot of the same things that my peers have said, and I appreciate

[52:04] very much what's been going on.

[52:05] I love STEM and I love CTE, as you know, that's one of my passions, and I appreciate

[52:11] Ms. Lingle to say about the opt-in, and I know that that's a big issue for a lot

[52:16] of parents.

[52:17] And I'll remind the public that if you choose not to opt-in, there are a lot

[52:20] of things out there with the sex education can be not only from parents but as our pastor

[52:26] knows there's several religious organizations and others and so that is a very big step for

[52:32] us on the opt-in.

[52:34] And then finally it was noted and I appreciate all the comments tonight on the library and

[52:39] I believe that was on page seven that I read and so I have appreciation for your thoughts

[52:44] there but I think now that we will at least say that we have that one in the concerns.

[53:05] You know,

[53:31] the one thing that I'm going to point out that I agree with everything everyone

[53:35] else said here is the community-based accountability for reviews, for the improvement plans.

[53:43] Man, I cannot stress this enough.

[53:45] Those links are available to the public through the admin report.

[53:50] It aligns with what our strategic plan is.

[53:52] I know sometimes there's a lot of confusion, even sometimes amongst ourselves, confusion

[53:56] exactly what is our strategic plan, our goals, our objectives and how that lines up, but much

[54:02] like your administration reports have done, these campus improvement plans follow that

[54:07] same format. And if you want to get educated real quick on what our strategic plan is here

[54:13] and how we're going about it and how we're accomplishing it and what is being done, I

[54:17] highly recommend. I mean it's a rabbit hole, don't get me wrong. I'm two hours into it

[54:22] but I'm like, oh, Craig, I got to stop and eat lunch

[54:23] at some point in time.

[54:25] But it is incredible information.

[54:28] And again, is it perfect?

[54:30] Absolutely not.

[54:31] And I applaud you again for being completely upfront

[54:34] and honest with this, letting us know where we stand

[54:37] on each objective and in each strategy.

[54:40] But I can't stress enough that we as board members

[54:43] and really members of the community

[54:46] just take some time and step into those improvement plans

[54:50] because it is the, I would say the essence of what this district is supposed to be doing.

[54:56] So thank you for that diligent work and for reporting on that on that quarterly basis

[55:01] and putting it to us in a, in a way that even I can understand it.

[55:05] Thank you very much.

[55:07] All right, if there's nothing else, we will move on to item seven, workshop.

[55:13] Is it portrait of a graduate or profile of a graduate?

[55:19] We have used both of those terms, so we're going to have to narrow it down to one, probably,

[55:25] at some point.

[55:25] Can I speak to that?

[55:27] Please.

[55:28] Just a little bit.

[55:29] One of the things that maybe is, might be lost in our community is we obviously have

[55:34] this passion for how we phrase things, how we work, and how we present things to our

[55:38] community.

[55:38] And so what that finds is us as administration, sometimes floating phrases or floating words

[55:44] by the community to see what sticks.

[55:46] I'll give you a really, really great example.

[55:48] The power of the ant, right?

[55:50] That was just something that stuck with our community

[55:52] and people could get behind it and rally it.

[55:54] And we're often beta testing phrases, trying to come up with things

[55:57] that inspire people, but also communicate what it is

[56:00] that we're trying to do.

[56:01] This profile of a graduate or portrait of a graduate

[56:03] or a couple other balloons that we've floated, it's interesting

[56:07] because Niner is really stuck with our community

[56:11] in a profound way, so we continue to search.

[56:13] I say all of that so that I can say this.

[56:15] If anybody in the audience is like, this is it,

[56:18] this is the phrase, you ding dong, you should be using this.

[56:21] Like, let us know.

[56:22] We're happy to try it and see what works.

[56:27] There'll be a suggestion box on you.

[56:29] Well, yeah.

[56:31] Absolutely.

[56:33] Good evening, President Narser, members of the board,

[56:35] Dr. Shepherd.

[56:36] We're excited this evening to bring you

[56:38] an update on our work with our portrait

[56:40] or profile of a graduate.

[56:42] This has been an ongoing journey

[56:44] where we have really worked to define the district's vision for our graduates.

[56:50] So we're really trying to define, you know, all of the skills and attributes that we want our students to have

[56:57] when they graduate and walk across the stage for Victoria ISD.

[57:02] This work is kind of grounded in our strategic plan. That's where it started.

[57:08] And this evening we're going to kind of look at what that journey's been

[57:12] And then we're going to ask for you to give us some of your thoughts on some input as well.

[57:16] We're going to start with an activity.

[57:19] We have been working on this for two years, off and on because COVID kind of slowed things down a little bit for us.

[57:26] But this is an activity that we have done with lots of groups as we've gone through this journey.

[57:32] We've had parents involved. We've had students. We've had staff.

[57:35] We've had community members and business representatives and members of the clergy.

[57:41] join us for some of our sessions and this evening you have a blue folder that has

[57:46] your items for this workshop in it. I'm going to ask you to look in the left

[57:51] pocket of your folder and you have a graduate. So I'm going to ask you to just

[57:58] take a couple of minutes. This is an activity that we've started many of our

[58:02] sessions with and I want you to think about some children that you know

[58:07] personally. So maybe your own children, it may be your grandchildren, it may be your neighbors or

[58:12] nieces or nephews, but I want you to think about the children in your life that you know personally

[58:17] and I want you to just kind of jot down some of the hopes and dreams and aspirations that you have

[58:24] for the children in your life. And then also what do your children need to thrive in this

[58:31] ever-changing world? So I'll give you a couple of minutes. This is for your use only.

[58:35] You'll just take a couple minutes to jot this down.

[58:38] What's the second part?

[58:40] What are you making?

[58:42] Thrive.

[58:44] Thrive.

[58:46] Thanks.

[58:47] Mom, number two.

[1:01:28] And what do all of our students need to

[1:01:38] that lens? And see if there's anything that you would want to change

[1:01:43] from when you're thinking about children you know personally to our community at large.

[1:01:47] If there's anything you want to add or anything you want to edit, just kind of think of it through that lens.

[1:01:53] What

[1:02:25] we have found as we've worked through this activity with different groups is that when we start

[1:02:31] by talking about our hopes and our dreams,

[1:02:34] that it really kind of raises that bar

[1:02:36] because it's what is possible for our kids.

[1:02:40] What are those goals that we,

[1:02:41] those stretch goals that we really want to work towards?

[1:02:45] And we're going to be coming back to your graduates

[1:02:48] throughout the evening, so keep that close by.

[1:02:52] We have several goals for tonight.

[1:02:55] First, we're just going to kind of review the timeline

[1:02:58] and some of the activities that we've worked through

[1:03:01] and give you an update on where we are now as we're working to develop that

[1:03:05] portrait or that profile of the VISD graduate. I would want to spend some time

[1:03:11] talking about student as person and student as learner. That's some language

[1:03:16] that came out in our strategic planning process working with our task

[1:03:20] courses, some of those phrases that that kind of really stuck and spoke to

[1:03:24] us and that we're going to really focus in tonight on student as a

[1:03:28] a person because 90% of the time that we come to you,

[1:03:32] we're talking about students as learners.

[1:03:34] So we want to spend some time talking about

[1:03:37] what does it mean when we say student as a person?

[1:03:40] What does that social-emotional development look like?

[1:03:43] What do those we've heard them call soft skills

[1:03:45] or 21st century skills?

[1:03:47] What are these other skills that are so important

[1:03:49] for our students to be successful

[1:03:52] as they move on and use their and in the future?

[1:03:56] We're going to look at the draft of the attributes that have kind of risen to the top in our

[1:04:02] last community work session that we had, and talk about how we might organize that into

[1:04:08] the portrait or the profile of our graduate, and then we're going to, in the night, talking

[1:04:15] about some implementation priorities and asking you for some input on, you know,

[1:04:21] a lot of work before us, so where do we start and what do we focus on? What are our priorities?

[1:04:29] This is our kind of our timeline of the work that's happened. You can see there's been

[1:04:34] lots of things, and I know you can't really read that, but I just wanted to show that

[1:04:39] this has been an ongoing process. It started with our task forces and our strategic plan

[1:04:45] back in 2018, and we've conducted multiple thought exchanges. We've worked with

[1:04:52] our student leaders. They've given us some input. We held student forums this year where

[1:04:58] we worked with students who were transitioning into that next school, from elementary to

[1:05:04] middle school, from middle school to high school, and they gave us some great feedback.

[1:05:08] We had sessions with our East and West staff. We worked with our debt community,

[1:05:14] and then on April 13th we had a community work session where we came together and

[1:05:19] looked through all of the data that's been collected.

[1:05:22] And all of that has brought us to tonight

[1:05:25] to our board workshop.

[1:05:27] As we have gone through all of these steps,

[1:05:30] we have focused on that question,

[1:05:32] what are the most important skills that students need

[1:05:35] so that when they graduate with their end,

[1:05:38] they can successfully use it

[1:05:40] and experience success at the next level?

[1:05:42] And as we have worked through these steps,

[1:05:45] we've really focused on student as a learner

[1:05:47] and student as a person and as I said earlier we're going to spend more time

[1:05:53] tonight talking about student as a person and really clearly defining that.

[1:06:02] I'd like for you to do now take your graduate out again and I want you to draw

[1:06:07] a circle around words that are on your description that kind of speak to

[1:06:13] student as a person and then underline the words that talk about your

[1:06:19] student as a learner.

[1:06:22] Kind of see how that plays out in their description. And then if

[1:06:26] there's anything you want to add, maybe you really focused on student as a learner and

[1:06:30] you'd like to add some things about student as a person or vice versa.

[1:06:53] I'm concerned almost everything is online.

[1:07:03] I'd love to hear, how did that balance out?

[1:07:06] If you have more of a person as a learner, is it a balance?

[1:07:10] I think mine's more people. More as a person.

[1:07:12] I think it's the same.

[1:07:13] Yeah.

[1:07:17] Anyone else want to share how there's kind of balanced out?

[1:07:21] Half.

[1:07:22] Half and half.

[1:07:24] I'd like to add, I've watched several iterations and one of the things that I noticed is fascinating

[1:07:30] to me is when we're talking about student as a learner, it's really easy to phrase

[1:07:33] any one of those phrases that you might have underlined as what we want from our kids.

[1:07:38] Right?

[1:07:39] But then when you look at student as a person, it's a lot easier to frame those as what

[1:07:42] we want for our kids.

[1:07:43] And I think that's one of those big distinctions

[1:07:45] about what you want from somebody versus what you want for somebody.

[1:07:48] And it bears out in the words that you write.

[1:07:51] Yeah, I know one thing that really kind of hit me.

[1:07:56] The first session we had post COVID was with our student leaders.

[1:08:01] And we were in the auditoriums.

[1:08:03] We did our sessions separate.

[1:08:04] We did our west feeder schools in the west auditorium.

[1:08:08] And then we spent the afternoon at east.

[1:08:10] And we had about four groups working at that time and they were doing a Venn diagram activity.

[1:08:17] But one thing that really stuck out to me that the kids repeatedly wrote was about hope and having hope.

[1:08:27] But that just really kind of struck me as like that's not a word that I have put in my definition before, but I thought it was interesting.

[1:08:36] When you say drive the world and take a world view, that changes that student.

[1:08:43] Yes.

[1:08:44] And our world is changing.

[1:08:45] For our student.

[1:08:46] For sure.

[1:08:48] All right.

[1:08:49] So we're going to talk about why are we looking at student as a person.

[1:08:54] We're going to shift a little bit and just kind of explore what does student as a person mean.

[1:09:00] And some of you were in the strategic planning session when we had a student

[1:09:06] leader who stood up, and it was just a very profound moment, one of our students

[1:09:12] stood up and said, I am more than a test score. And that was what was so important

[1:09:19] to that student that our strategic plan spoke to the fact that our students

[1:09:24] are more than a test score. And I think that was kind of the moment where we

[1:09:28] We really started thinking about students as people and students as learners and making

[1:09:35] sure that we never forget that our students are people and that we're growing up to be

[1:09:41] adults.

[1:09:43] Recently, during our student forum, we collected some more statements from some of our students.

[1:09:50] These are just a few.

[1:09:52] We have hundreds.

[1:09:53] But I thought that some of these speak to our students developing as people.

[1:10:01] One of our students said, one of the questions we asked was what is finding your and mean to you?

[1:10:07] And one of our students said finding my and means knowing and being prepared for the next step in my life when I graduate.

[1:10:16] So knowing what I want to do and being prepared for that.

[1:10:20] One of the students said that my and is my purpose.

[1:10:24] Simple statement, but man there's a lot.

[1:10:26] A lot of meaning behind that. We also asked our students

[1:10:32] what they needed to work on to be successful at the next level.

[1:10:36] So some of these were 5th graders going into 6th grade.

[1:10:39] Some of them were 8th graders going into 9th grade and then we had

[1:10:43] some seniors who are about to graduate and move on to their

[1:10:47] next step. So the things we heard from our kids a lot of our students talked

[1:10:51] about time management. I need to learn to manage my time better. I need to learn

[1:10:56] to turn off my video game and focus. This student in particular said I need to make

[1:11:03] sure I start with the big things first with the big assignments or the big

[1:11:06] jobs. One of our students talked about knowing how to set goals and then

[1:11:17] one of them talked about having a positive mindset.

[1:11:20] That kind of speaks to that growth mindset data

[1:11:22] that Dr. Shepard mentioned earlier.

[1:11:25] And then one of our students talked about

[1:11:28] knowing that they need to learn how to communicate more,

[1:11:30] communicate better with adults or with peers,

[1:11:33] but really that skill of communication.

[1:11:36] So these are some of the things that we heard

[1:11:39] from our students.

[1:11:41] And then just a couple of weeks ago,

[1:11:43] we asked our teachers, we did a thought exchange,

[1:11:46] We sent out some information about social emotional learning, and the prompt that we

[1:11:52] gave our teachers was, um, recently the ISD has received questions regarding the need

[1:11:59] and appropriateness of social emotional learning in our schools.

[1:12:03] Please share your thoughts about the SEL needs of your students and the ISD's efforts

[1:12:09] to meet these needs.

[1:12:11] And this exchange was open for a week.

[1:12:14] We had 247 participants who entered 168 thoughts

[1:12:20] and over 4,000 ratings.

[1:12:23] So we're going, you have in your folder, you have all of the thoughts

[1:12:28] from number one to number 168.

[1:12:31] We could be here all night going through those.

[1:12:33] So I'm going to do that.

[1:12:34] But we're going to look at the top, I think I have nine up here

[1:12:38] that we're going to look at.

[1:12:41] So we'll do a little countdown.

[1:12:44] Number nine, I was going to do the top 10, but they did not fit.

[1:12:48] And then I realized you couldn't see the top nine either.

[1:12:50] So you're going to see some things going on top of others.

[1:12:53] Number nine, SEL is an important component

[1:12:57] of educating the whole child and helping

[1:12:59] our students overcome life challenges and obstacles.

[1:13:03] Over 2 thirds of our children experience some form

[1:13:06] trauma before the age of 16, which interferes with their success at school.

[1:13:12] At number eight, we're going to talk about this one a little bit more later in our workshop.

[1:13:18] At time of the steps, our social and emotional behavior specialists, but I think in general,

[1:13:22] it's talking about our system as a whole, should still hold students accountable for their behaviors.

[1:13:30] Sure, SEL should be addressed, but there should still be accountability for behaviors.

[1:13:35] so we're going to talk later on this evening about what that balance may look

[1:13:40] like between support and responsibility and accountability. And number seven in

[1:13:48] many cases the parents or our students have not addressed social learning nor

[1:13:52] did they discuss their child's emotional needs. This year more than any

[1:13:56] other I've had a large number of students who simply do not know how to

[1:13:59] behave in class or treat others.

[1:14:04] Number six, this one's talking about the need

[1:14:08] at the high school for counselors to have some time

[1:14:11] dedicated to social-emotional learning support

[1:14:14] and group and individual therapy.

[1:14:17] Our counselors spend much of their time

[1:14:18] advising students on classes

[1:14:21] and working with their schedules.

[1:14:27] Number five, we need people available

[1:14:29] to assist students in emotional crisis at school.

[1:14:33] A student learning needs can not be met when they are dealing with other crisis and emotions that come in the lock-up kind of school.

[1:14:46] Number four,

[1:14:49] definitely need social-emotional learning at school. Students are acting out because they don't know how to handle their emotions.

[1:15:05] You can't teach if a student's social-emotional needs aren't met first. Students can't focus

[1:15:11] on learning if they aren't in a good mental and emotional state.

[1:15:19] This one, number two,

[1:15:20] this one stayed at the top the entire time the exchange was open. It kind of hovered

[1:15:25] between number one and number five, but this one talks about needing to make sure we also

[1:15:30] address the social-emotional needs of our teachers and having resources available

[1:15:36] for our teachers for their wellness as well.

[1:15:41] And then number one, children need

[1:15:43] to learn how to regulate their emotions,

[1:15:46] learn how to share, and respect differences.

[1:15:52] So those were the top thoughts that came in

[1:15:55] from our thought exchange that we did with teachers

[1:15:57] around social and emotional learning, which

[1:15:59] is a piece of that student as a person.

[1:16:03] I couldn't see the average rating because it's once below five, you only have the top five.

[1:16:11] I think it's in your list.

[1:16:15] Another point.

[1:16:16] Oh, okay.

[1:16:18] The average rating was above 4.2.

[1:16:22] For many of them, yes.

[1:16:25] We had a lot that were above that 4.0.

[1:16:30] And

[1:16:33] if you read through the top lens, you hear the same sentiment kind of repeatedly that our teachers as a whole saw a significant need for social emotional learning and emotional support for our students.

[1:16:49] I'm trying to look here all the way to number 46.

[1:17:01] 46 and above were all rated 4.0 or higher.

[1:17:07] But in your packet you have every class that was shared.

[1:17:10] Talk

[1:17:19] about what do the skills look like for a learned person.

[1:17:22] I'm going to put some skills up and I want you to just kind of take a minute to look at it.

[1:17:28] And we're going to talk about whether this is student as a learner or student as a person.

[1:17:34] So what do you think about this person?

[1:17:43] You want me to read it?

[1:17:43] Student as a learner.

[1:17:45] Apply mathematical process standards.

[1:17:49] So that one is a learner.

[1:17:53] The next one.

[1:17:55] The student develops the capacity for self-assessment and evaluation, goal setting and decision making.

[1:18:05] identify and apply strategies to develop social emotional health, self-regulation, and healthy

[1:18:12] relationships.

[1:18:15] That's almost exactly what that taught. I thought it was interesting how that one

[1:18:20] really aligned to our number one rated thought in our thought exchange. The difference is

[1:18:25] between elements and compounds.

[1:18:30] Using critical inquiry to analyze author's choices and how

[1:18:34] how they influence and communicate meaning within a variety of texts.

[1:18:40] And then we have identify and apply strategies

[1:18:42] to develop socio-emotional health, self-regulation, and healthy relationships.

[1:18:48] Identify ways to respectfully communicate verbally

[1:18:51] and non-fully. So we have three examples

[1:18:55] of student as person, three as student as learner.

[1:18:58] And you might be wondering where these come from.

[1:19:01] These are all actually state standards, yeah, absolutely.

[1:19:07] The first number that you see about the standard is the grade level for that standard.

[1:19:13] And then the second number and the letter tell you where to find it within that content.

[1:19:18] So our new, our health standards have been updated.

[1:19:23] Our revised health standards will go into effect in August.

[1:19:29] Our old health standards, which are still in effect now, also have social-emotional standards

[1:19:36] in them, but they fall under, it's called, interpersonal-interpersonal skills.

[1:19:42] And in our new health standards, they've changed that strand, and they're now calling

[1:19:48] it mental health and wellness.

[1:19:50] So from kindergarten on up, in our health standards, there's a strand on mental health and wellness.

[1:19:59] And this is the statement from our techs, our antiques that kind of explains what that standard is.

[1:20:10] Can I make a presentation to presentation connection for our trustees?

[1:20:14] You remember yesterday, we talked about this very same thing that was presented to you,

[1:20:19] so I just want you to kind of draw all that together.

[1:20:22] I remember thinking, we're doing that.

[1:20:24] Yeah, great.

[1:20:28] So I think this last, the first part just kind of explains what that strand is.

[1:20:33] This last part starting right here really kind of explains how it progresses from the early grades up.

[1:20:40] So in the early grades, students are developing fluency around their emotions, self-regulation,

[1:20:47] and understanding the relationship between feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

[1:20:53] We've had a lot of discussions with principals recently where we've talked about how our feelings

[1:21:00] create emotions and our emotions impact our behaviors.

[1:21:03] And so, helping students recognize those feelings and getting a grasp on it before they let it

[1:21:11] control their behaviors completely.

[1:21:13] I think I said it to almost every principal as we were, you know, kind of debriefing at the end of the year.

[1:21:18] Renee Brown has this great book, if you haven't read it, Atlas of the Heart.

[1:21:22] And in that book she talks about understanding your feelings deep enough that you don't allow them to hijack your emotions.

[1:21:28] I thought, what an interesting turn of phrase, and we talked about that with, I think, almost all the principals here in the last couple of months.

[1:21:38] So as our students are getting older, the focus kind of shifts to really learning appropriate

[1:21:44] ways to solve interpersonal conflicts, working to develop that positive self-image, and then

[1:21:51] developing healthy self-management skills.

[1:21:54] And I would imagine that some of those things would encompass what you wrote on your graduate

[1:21:59] We are going, you're now going to get like the best part of tonight's workshop because we're going to invite our principal to that.

[1:22:09] Ms. Hill and Ms. Gabbish, come on in.

[1:22:13] I asked Ms. Hill and Ms. Gabbish and we could have asked any principal here, but asked them to just talk about, still kind of focused on students as a person,

[1:22:24] kind of talk about what that looks like at their campus.

[1:22:29] So if you're just going to start us off, thank you.

[1:22:34] I'm going to dip you in the stuff.

[1:22:39] I'm not nervous at all.

[1:22:44] So very first when a student comes to Hopkins

[1:22:47] and they get to school in the morning,

[1:22:49] they are greeted by an adult.

[1:22:51] If you look up at the picture, you can see an adult is meeting them either at the car

[1:22:57] if they're getting out of their car or they're meeting them at the bus.

[1:23:00] From that point, when they first get to campus, we can get a judge of how that child's day is going to be.

[1:23:08] But the child comes out and they're excited and they're telling us about what they ate for dinner last night.

[1:23:12] We know that child is good to go.

[1:23:14] But if they're coming out and they have tears or they're a little bit leery,

[1:23:17] and we know that we need to get that person to an adult, that they can talk to them.

[1:23:23] As you get out of your car, you don't just see myself, the instructional coaches, or a teacher.

[1:23:29] When you get to the door, my nurse is there.

[1:23:32] I have my attendance clerk that is there that's telling them,

[1:23:35] oh, you did good, you're going to get another Starbucks because you made it here to school today

[1:23:39] and you're on time, that makes you get two.

[1:23:41] So the students are automatically acknowledged.

[1:23:46] We have determined if we need to intervene so that then when they go to class,

[1:23:51] they can actually have a good day while they're in class.

[1:23:55] Being a blended learning campus, we were fortunate enough to be growing at the T-Class grant.

[1:24:03] In that, we have developed what we call the characteristics of a star learner.

[1:24:09] In that, we have them shooting and striving to be reflective problem solvers, a collaborative

[1:24:17] teammate, of course a star learner in the academic area, and we also invite them to

[1:24:25] grow their inner compass navigation.

[1:24:29] That means they're self-regulating, knowing when to come and tell us,

[1:24:32] I'm really having a bad day, can I go and talk to Ms. Hill?

[1:24:35] Can I go and talk to the counselor?

[1:24:36] these are the things that we're working on with our students and it is working we

[1:24:41] are seeing those students come to us and some of the behaviors in the classroom

[1:24:45] are declining. If you look up at the pictures that we have, these are just

[1:24:52] some of our shining examples that we are so proud of. You see our student

[1:24:57] council members and they are the ones in the Bermond t-shirts. These ladies

[1:25:01] and gentlemen go to the food bank once a month and they do community

[1:25:05] service hours for two hours the first Monday the first Saturday I'm sorry every

[1:25:11] month our students volunteer their time there they are also volunteering at one

[1:25:18] of the walks or some other type of community service so they are getting

[1:25:22] back into the community and they're working on that inner compass of

[1:25:26] themselves the picture below with the students with the backpack that is

[1:25:30] also our student council they came to their student council sponsor which

[1:25:35] who, as I said, and they wanted to do something more than what they were doing.

[1:25:40] So these young ladies and gentlemen actually took up donations and were able to purchase

[1:25:50] 25 backpacks full of supplies for the cancer patients that are here in Victoria, and they

[1:25:56] delivered those 25 backpacks to citizens, to the cancer patients.

[1:26:00] Then those backpacks had had water, it had snacks, it had anything, it had cooling towels,

[1:26:06] everything that they thought would help those cancer patients.

[1:26:09] Come over to the next picture. Hopkins is very fortunate to have a mentor connect program.

[1:26:15] When we have mentors from the community come in and work with our struggling first and second grade leaders.

[1:26:20] To date we have, I believe it's approximately 83 mentors right now that work with our students.

[1:26:26] Our goal is 100, we're still striving for that goal.

[1:26:30] 84.

[1:26:31] 84?

[1:26:32] Yes, if you're willing to start off all out of this, 30 minutes.

[1:26:36] 30 minutes, one time a week, and you can help one of our kids become a more fluent reader.

[1:26:41] These boys and girls have had a relationship with the University of Houston,

[1:26:46] University of Victoria, Houston, Victoria.

[1:26:50] They're softball team.

[1:26:50] They have been sponsors of our Mentor Connect program for the last 14 years.

[1:26:57] I thought it was 11 but it has been 14.

[1:26:59] Their current coach was a softball player with UHV.

[1:27:04] When she played ball and she is now a coach and they make preparations for the girls to come

[1:27:10] and they mentor our students.

[1:27:13] They are a vital part and this year was the first year

[1:27:18] that our students were actually able to go and see those girls do what they do best, play softball.

[1:27:23] So our entire students who were being mentored, which is about 42 students, were able to go to a USP softball game,

[1:27:32] totally sponsored with the University of Houston, Victoria.

[1:27:36] In our last picture in our photo, you see we have the Victoria Police Department here.

[1:27:42] We were fortunate enough to challenge the Victoria Police Department to a kickball game against our fifth graders.

[1:27:48] Our fifth graders were very ingenious. They developed what they called a police trap.

[1:27:55] And they had donuts and honeybones in there.

[1:27:58] They pulled the police department before they played the game.

[1:28:02] I am proud to say that the Victoria Police Department did graciously let our fifth graders win.

[1:28:07] But it also developed a really good community relationship with the police department because

[1:28:14] a lot of our students' relationships with law enforcement is not positive.

[1:28:18] So we feel that this was a very good opportunity for them.

[1:28:21] They have also come, some of you same officers and some other ones have come and had lunch with our students.

[1:28:28] So when a child comes to school in the morning, we are looking at them as the whole person.

[1:28:34] We are looking at them from when they get out of the car and we're saying, how are you doing?

[1:28:39] Do you need something?

[1:28:41] We are there.

[1:28:42] In return, we have noticed that the students are more comfortable in coming to ask us, what do we need?

[1:28:48] And we are seeing that inter-compass navigators, they're going into some very rich and fulfilling personalities.

[1:28:56] My last example, which I don't have a picture of here, but it is our room.

[1:29:04] We were able to get a book vending machine for our campus, and in order to get a book,

[1:29:11] you get a token and you can go and pick whatever book you want out of the book vending machine.

[1:29:17] Our very first recipient of our vendor book was a young lady who noticed that when we were in the wintertime,

[1:29:28] her classmate was coming to school in shorts.

[1:29:32] This young lady went home, went into her closet,

[1:29:35] and brought back pants for the young lady

[1:29:38] in order for her to wear a school suit

[1:29:41] that she would not be caught.

[1:29:42] The teacher acknowledged that.

[1:29:44] They sent them to the office with their star.

[1:29:49] This worked hard.

[1:29:50] We wrote.

[1:29:51] The teacher wrote what she did.

[1:29:53] We, as the principal's administrators,

[1:29:55] wrote a note back to the school.

[1:30:00] So this is how we are seeing our students as the whole person, and it is working.

[1:30:20] No, no, it's fine.

[1:30:22] Hello. As you know, Schild Elementary received the blended learning grant last year as well,

[1:30:27] and so one of the components is that you had to have an SEL piece to it.

[1:30:32] Also, you had to have extended school year or extended day,

[1:30:36] and so at the end of the day, everybody's tired, the kids are done, the teachers are done,

[1:30:41] And so we decided to put 15 minutes on the front end of our day.

[1:30:45] So Shilva Elementary starts every morning at 7.45 to get an SEL component in.

[1:30:52] Now our day doesn't start really at 7.45 because it starts when the kids get out of the car.

[1:30:57] So much like Hopkins, we have people greeting the children at the door, I'm sorry,

[1:31:03] at the car doors by the time they even make it to their classroom.

[1:31:06] They've already been greeted by two other adults.

[1:31:08] and so the teacher is standing at the door and every morning, especially when you come down the first grade hallway,

[1:31:15] the teacher is standing there and the children get to decide how do they want to be greeted by the teacher.

[1:31:20] And so it might be a fist bump or a high five or a silly dance that they do.

[1:31:25] The most favorable one is, of course, a hug.

[1:31:29] The kids are just so excited. They're smiling.

[1:31:32] It also gives the teacher a chance to gauge, you know, are they coming in with a smile?

[1:31:37] do they have tears in their eye?

[1:31:38] What kind of day are we going to have?

[1:31:40] So it really starts the moment they get out of school,

[1:31:43] I mean, out of their car.

[1:31:45] And so it doesn't stop there.

[1:31:48] We decided that really, based on what our needs were last year,

[1:31:52] we could send out surveys to staff members,

[1:31:55] to the community, to alumni, to the students,

[1:31:58] like what do you want in this redesign for SEL?

[1:32:01] And the words that continuously were heard

[1:32:04] were relationship skills, growth mindset, curiosity, and empathy. We knew that we not

[1:32:09] only wanted to focus on the academic side, but we wanted to focus on the whole child,

[1:32:14] which goes hand-in-hand with the student as a learner and the student as a person.

[1:32:19] And so by focusing on the whole child, we are able to have our students engage in

[1:32:23] experiences that nurture the totality of cognitive, emotional, social, and physical

[1:32:28] factors that impact their learning, development, character, and overall health and well-being.

[1:32:34] So once the kids come into the classroom, they start with a community circle every morning.

[1:32:39] And so just imagine you have carpet and you have kids that are sitting in a circle.

[1:32:46] And so it starts with affirmation statement, and so everybody is doing the same one for

[1:32:51] the week.

[1:32:52] And so this week it was, you can be anything you want to be.

[1:32:55] And so the teacher reads the affirmation.

[1:32:57] We also have slides that go along with quotes

[1:33:00] on the morning announcements.

[1:33:01] And then the teacher leads a discussion.

[1:33:04] And so she'll make a personal connection

[1:33:05] to those students about how does that quote or question

[1:33:10] relate to her.

[1:33:12] And so for example, this week I just

[1:33:14] happened to be in the classroom.

[1:33:16] And the teacher was sharing a story

[1:33:18] about how her dad wanted to work for NASA

[1:33:21] and how he had to take this math class.

[1:33:24] and he had to take it three different times,

[1:33:26] but his end goal was to work at NASA.

[1:33:28] And so sometimes things are challenging,

[1:33:31] but you have to persevere.

[1:33:32] And so it was really, and he did work for NASA.

[1:33:35] Like, it was a fascinating sort of thing all the way.

[1:33:38] But the point being is,

[1:33:40] they're also making those relationships.

[1:33:42] And then the question for the students was,

[1:33:45] what do you want to be when you grow up?

[1:33:46] And why?

[1:33:47] And so then we have a talking piece.

[1:33:49] And so this has become full circle for our campus

[1:33:52] from the beginning of the year to now and just to see at the beginning nobody wanted to talk.

[1:33:57] They would just pass the talking piece because they were not comfortable.

[1:34:00] It was, you know, communication is a hard thing, especially when you're talking about

[1:34:03] fifth graders. I don't want to say anything because, you know, I'm way too cool to tell you,

[1:34:08] you know, and let me just tell you the difference from the beginning to how it is now.

[1:34:13] It is incredible. The students have found their voice. They have found their comfort.

[1:34:19] And that's a lifelong skill, and if you don't have something set aside, like, we're so focused

[1:34:24] all the time on academics, which is important, but this is lifelong skills that we are setting.

[1:34:30] Even when you walk in, I went to a kindergarten class the other day, and a little student

[1:34:34] got up in the carpet, and I'm like, you know, it's okay, and she's like, this is my job.

[1:34:38] And so she came, and she greeted me like, oh, like, you know, it's just one of those things,

[1:34:43] like, these are lifelong skills, and if we didn't have this opportunity,

[1:34:50] It really is.

[1:34:51] Even just the kids have like purposeful partnering.

[1:34:55] And so they are giving affirmations to each other.

[1:34:58] And like, how are you today?

[1:34:59] I'm so glad you're here.

[1:35:01] And, you know, they'll ask for, you know, how do you want to be greeted?

[1:35:03] Like as a hug or a fist bump.

[1:35:06] The same way, but it's still, it's making those connections.

[1:35:09] And it's really made a difference.

[1:35:11] Looking at just some of our pictures from our school,

[1:35:13] We also wanted to focus on the whole child and so that comes with curiosity and so I love this picture of the gardens

[1:35:21] This also was a grant for great ideas that we had received a couple years ago and it has continued

[1:35:27] and if you ever come to Shields like you will see every grade level has garden boxes

[1:35:33] and so the front of the school is the kindergarten boxes so that's where these are taken

[1:35:37] and they really are teaching the kids about how the food,

[1:35:41] you know, doesn't just come from H-E-B,

[1:35:43] like it comes from a plant, and what do you have to do?

[1:35:46] You have to have skills to, you know,

[1:35:49] take care of the plant, and you have to nurture it,

[1:35:51] and so it's more than just academics.

[1:35:53] We are hands-on doing these things

[1:35:57] just like the butterfly, the curiosity,

[1:35:59] and I don't know if you can see

[1:35:59] the little boy is pointing the cooperation

[1:36:04] And just really the joy of what we're doing, I think, is huge.

[1:36:11] And it just, you have to have time.

[1:36:13] And so, oh, I do want to have one more thing in closing.

[1:36:18] So in, oh, I'm sorry.

[1:36:20] In closing, our whole child or student person vision and shield is a school where students

[1:36:28] will feel safe, loved, valued, empowered, and successful.

[1:36:31] The aims of students include building positive relationships, resolving conflicts productively,

[1:36:37] managing stress effectively, and honestly communicating with their feelings without judgment.

[1:36:42] And that has been huge because we're talking about it daily in our community circles.

[1:36:47] They're setting the class goal of what do you want this week to focus on as a group.

[1:36:53] And so if it's walking in the hallway or just being kind, it just takes time.

[1:36:58] And it takes that patience, and you're giving them the skills to be productive members of our society.

[1:37:08] Awesome.

[1:37:18] That was

[1:37:22] the best part, right?

[1:37:25] Yeah, absolutely.

[1:37:27] I told Mrs. Gavrish, like that butterfly picture, if that doesn't show self-control,

[1:37:33] like our kids learning, because every one of those kids wants to just jump up and grab that butterfly.

[1:37:39] Look at them, they're just waiting so patiently.

[1:37:43] So we wanted to kind of share what it looks like

[1:37:45] in our schools for multiple reasons

[1:37:50] because it's not about one little piece of time.

[1:37:53] There may be a designated time for a guidance class

[1:37:56] or for SEL 15 minutes, but it's all day long.

[1:38:01] The minute students get out of the car

[1:38:02] into the minutes they get back on the bus

[1:38:04] or back in the car at the end of the day.

[1:38:06] And so, you know, sometimes you ask, how do I opt my child out of SEL?

[1:38:12] Well, that's why the answer is you really can't because it's not a designated period of time in the day.

[1:38:20] It's all day long and it's in the relationships that students are building with their teachers and with their peers.

[1:38:26] And so that is what our student as a person looks like in a couple of our elementary schools.

[1:38:33] And we could spend, like I said, all evening hearing stories from other principals as well.

[1:38:39] But we're going to kind of get back to our portrait, our profile, and where we are in that journey.

[1:38:45] Now that we've explored a little bit about what student as a person looks like.

[1:38:51] On April 13th, we came together with a group of community and staff and students.

[1:38:57] We had representatives from several of our churches with us, some of our non-profits

[1:39:04] were there with us.

[1:39:07] And on that day, each one of our groups, it was truly a work session.

[1:39:12] We met all afternoon.

[1:39:13] I think we started right around noon and we worked up until five o'clock.

[1:39:18] And they didn't quite get a stack that tall.

[1:39:20] But every group has a stack of data and information that we've collected through all of these sessions

[1:39:28] up until this point.

[1:39:30] And everybody in their folder had pieces of student voice and adult voice.

[1:39:36] So these are just some of the things that were included in the information and the data that they were working through.

[1:39:44] and we asked them to go through with their group,

[1:39:48] go through everything in that holder,

[1:39:51] and look for the patterns and the trends

[1:39:53] that you see emerging.

[1:39:54] So these were notes of Venn diagrams

[1:39:57] from our student leaders.

[1:39:59] They were the feedback forms from our student forums.

[1:40:02] Method exchange is we asked our most recent graduates,

[1:40:06] other classes of 2020 and 2021,

[1:40:08] we sent them a thought exchange and asked them,

[1:40:10] like, what was it that made you successful

[1:40:12] in your next step?

[1:40:13] And then we had adult voice in our strategic plan.

[1:40:17] We had input from our high school staff.

[1:40:20] We had a school quality survey, community thought exchange.

[1:40:24] And then we had some note cards that the participants that day had completed

[1:40:30] very similar to what we did at the beginning of our workshop tonight.

[1:40:33] And as they worked through that, we asked them to create a chart

[1:40:40] with their top skills or attributes and in your packet you have copies of each group's work.

[1:40:50] So this is what they created for us during their work time.

[1:40:54] They had a student as a learner and a student as a person and they were asked to look through

[1:41:00] all of the information, pull out those top indicators and then write a description

[1:41:06] for what they saw in those indicators.

[1:41:11] And once they did that, we came back together

[1:41:15] and combined all of our information.

[1:41:21] And we did a hot dot activity at the end,

[1:41:23] because if you know we want a hot dot activity, something.

[1:41:27] But at the end, I'm going to share the top three.

[1:41:30] And then we'll look kind of at the top findings.

[1:41:33] But you have all the notes there as well.

[1:41:35] As a student as a person, the top three were adaptable.

[1:41:41] Being able to adapt to change.

[1:41:43] That was the third highest.

[1:41:46] Our second one was critical thinking.

[1:41:48] Please excuse the handwriting.

[1:41:50] We were trying to write as fast as we could

[1:41:51] because people were just throwing out words

[1:41:54] and then effective communication

[1:41:58] or effective communicator was the top.

[1:42:01] ended up being the top trait on that student as a person side.

[1:42:06] So what we did to get to this point is we

[1:42:09] kind of just went round Robin around the room and asked each group

[1:42:14] one at a time to give us one thing off of their list for student

[1:42:17] as a person. So if somebody said communication, then we

[1:42:22] asked all the other groups in the room, does anybody else have communication? And that's why

[1:42:26] it has so many descriptors, or separate

[1:42:30] descriptors because multiple groups had that down and they had defined it a

[1:42:34] little bit differently. We did that all the way through until everybody's thoughts

[1:42:39] that were on their note-taking page have been captured and these were the top

[1:42:43] three for students person. We did the same thing with students as a learner.

[1:42:50] The

[1:42:50] second highest number of hot dots was growth mindset and then we had two

[1:42:58] that tied, as the highest, desire to learn and critical thinker, that problem

[1:43:07] solver and solution oriented. And we took that information and you have this

[1:43:14] paper in your packet as well.

[1:43:19] We took that information and we compiled it

[1:43:26] into which skills, which attributes came up the most often in all of this

[1:43:34] information that we have collected.

[1:43:39] I'll give you a minute to read through those.

[1:43:43] I wish I had a copy for everybody. I know the screen is not easy

[1:43:49] to read.

[1:43:57] The administration report too, right?

[1:43:59] Yes, it is. Thank you. There's a link to it in the administration report.

[1:44:03] So

[1:44:21] what are some things that you notice?

[1:44:28] The ones we wrote on here or on here?

[1:44:31] Oh, are they?

[1:44:31] Yeah, that's kind of neat.

[1:44:33] Almost in order.

[1:44:34] Really?

[1:44:34] Yeah.

[1:44:36] You're in sync.

[1:44:37] Yeah.

[1:44:39] What else do you notice about the skills on the student as person and student as learner?

[1:44:44] Several show up on both columns.

[1:44:45] Yeah.

[1:44:49] They show up on both columns with slightly different descriptions.

[1:44:54] Without looking at every one...

[1:45:00] I believe everybody prophesied effectively.

[1:45:05] Are there any surprises?

[1:45:08] Anything that shows up there that surprises you or that doesn't show up there that surprises you?

[1:45:31] I just thought maybe it's in there in a different way and there's a lot of words to read through.

[1:45:35] But one of the things that I'm pretty bullish on and I really hope for my community to be more cognizant of is the world surroundings.

[1:45:44] We see more and more, and it's not going to do anything but less.

[1:45:48] The things that go on that impact us here.

[1:45:51] And I don't think I see that point as much as I would like.

[1:45:59] Also, I see that word adaptability.

[1:46:02] When we talk about world as well, my student is going to have to be able to handle racism smartly.

[1:46:20] Anything else that isn't up there that's surprising to you?

[1:46:28] I will say, I know you asked the question, but I'm pleased to see the critical thinking.

[1:46:33] I hear that a lot in the circles I run and not only that, the business of people, even

[1:46:39] with two sons that I'm trying to get through things a lot more than what they do.

[1:46:44] Yes, and it shows up in the top two of both sides.

[1:46:50] Number two, as soon as person number one and student is learning.

[1:46:56] I wonder if that, you were talking about the global perspective, if I'm going to speak,

[1:47:01] But under desire to learn and that descriptor driven to broaden their knowledge and experience new opportunities,

[1:47:10] it may kind of fit in there that may be a place to...

[1:47:14] It does, but I mean, I still think it could be limited.

[1:47:18] There are, I've experienced people that have not really been outside the county much.

[1:47:23] So that could mean going to a larger city, flying on an airplane for the first time,

[1:47:29] even though it's from Victoria to Houston but I just think that the global

[1:47:33] impact is a lot more than that.

[1:47:42] I

[1:47:48] love the way they're very self-aware but they've

[1:47:52] got to work on themselves so that they can be you know just in general.

[1:48:00] I don't

[1:48:00] know I don't see respectful or to be respectful I guess active and reflective

[1:48:06] or speakers, maybe active listeners, I mean that's being respectful, yeah.

[1:48:11] And loving the effective communicator, so do you have control of your emotions and your behaviors, you're communicating well with others?

[1:48:28] If I could personalize, this thought came to me, and I'm going to age myself here.

[1:48:34] One of the reasons why I believe that I have a compassion for international goes back to

[1:48:40] a show called Kukla Fran and Ollie.

[1:48:43] They always highlighted an international student and how they view the world and how they may

[1:48:49] walk a long ways, what have you.

[1:48:52] So you don't necessarily have to travel in today's world with virtuality to have that

[1:48:57] type of exposure begins to give them a perspective that maybe they hadn't thought about.

[1:49:02] sure did for me nobody knows about that so you really know the next question we

[1:49:18] had some of you already hold on hold on one second this is Keely sorry miss Keely

[1:49:22] Yes ma'am.

[1:49:26] Yes.

[1:49:26] I think this

[1:49:36] is our portrait of Bradwood.

[1:49:40] I think you said after he said,

[1:49:42] write down posted frames for children he does.

[1:49:45] And then,

[1:49:55] yes?

[1:49:57] Yes.

[1:49:58] Then you said,

[1:50:11] write down some of

[1:50:16] the most generous comments

[1:50:18] about what do we want

[1:50:20] for our students to come

[1:50:22] from our

[1:51:37] to the, how do your descriptors align to the attributes

[1:51:42] that kind of came to the surface

[1:51:44] during that community work session.

[1:51:47] And as we were, you know, several of you mentioned

[1:51:49] that you see indicators that are on both sides.

[1:51:53] And so that kind of got us to thinking as well

[1:51:56] because one of our next steps is to start thinking

[1:51:59] about how do we want to organize this?

[1:52:02] Because we need to organize it and create a visual

[1:52:05] that really speaks to our community, to our students, to our parents.

[1:52:10] And originally, you know, our first thought was

[1:52:13] we would have kind of two columns or two different lists,

[1:52:17] student as a person and student as a learner. But as we

[1:52:21] got deeper into the work, we're realizing

[1:52:25] that there may be some other ways to organize it.

[1:52:29] So maybe we organize it by the attributes

[1:52:33] or the characteristics, and we underneath that

[1:52:37] in the descriptors address student of person,

[1:52:41] student of learner.

[1:52:44] Maybe we do it by attributes.

[1:52:46] This is what we've seen a lot of other districts do.

[1:52:49] They just kind of have those skills listed

[1:52:51] to define their portrait of a graduate.

[1:52:54] So that's an option, and there's probably lots

[1:52:57] of structures out there that we haven't considered.

[1:53:01] So I'd like to just kind of get some feedback from you.

[1:53:05] I see a Venn diagram since there's an intersection of the two circles.

[1:53:15] I hadn't thought of that. We did that with our student leadership group though.

[1:53:26] Anybody have a preference for anything?

[1:53:28] I like V. Yeah, I like V.

[1:53:30] Especially when I look at the sheet that you provided for all the top answers, the fact that so many exist in both,

[1:53:37] but they may mean a little bit something different on each one.

[1:53:45] Exactly. I'd say that kind of draws in where everything overlaps.

[1:53:48] I like this one. I like being done.

[1:53:50] That's great feedback.

[1:53:52] It seems to be landing with all of you the same way.

[1:53:56] So what are our next steps?

[1:53:59] We'll have some more discussion in just a bit as well,

[1:54:02] but one of our next steps is to really go back to that list, kind of our working list

[1:54:10] or draft that we just looked at briefly, and refine that language so that it aligns to

[1:54:16] our strategic plan and to the leadership definition that we've been working on developing

[1:54:21] so that we have a common language that we're using across the district, creating

[1:54:27] drafts of that visual and organizing that information and then seeking some input from

[1:54:33] our stakeholders, our community, our students, our staff, and then you as well bringing that

[1:54:40] back for some more input and making some final revisions and we also, once we kind

[1:54:46] of have that, we really want to look at some gateway expectations so you heard

[1:54:51] and Ms. Hill and Ms. Gabbard, she both talked about the graduate aims that they have for

[1:54:56] their elementary school. And the skills they want their fifth graders to master before

[1:55:01] they go to sixth grade. Once we have our vision of our graduate, we want to break that down

[1:55:09] so that in order to get there, where does a child need to be at the end of second

[1:55:13] grade? Or maybe it's a different grade, but second grade, fifth grade, eighth grade.

[1:55:17] what are those gateways along the way where we can say if you are here by

[1:55:23] second grade you're on track. If you're here by fifth grade you're on track.

[1:55:29] We

[1:55:30] want to integrate our portrait or a profile of a graduate into our community

[1:55:34] based accountability. So this work will go side by side. These indicators will

[1:55:40] be part of that community based accountability dashboard. That's our

[1:55:44] goal is to align these things. We have plans to host a parent institute in September to

[1:55:52] really define for parents what student as a person, a student as a learner are and what

[1:55:57] they look like and get some more input there. Incorporating it into our student advising

[1:56:03] sessions. And then we talked a little bit about this earlier and Mr. Salsinas is

[1:56:10] going to come up in just a minute to talk more about it, but trying to define that balance

[1:56:17] because we talked a lot with this about student support. So how do we support students so

[1:56:23] that they learn the skills that they need to be successful as learners and as people?

[1:56:29] But balancing that with holding students accountable for their behaviors and for

[1:56:37] the choices that they make. So how do you balance that support with that accountability? And

[1:56:43] so we're going to kind of move into a discussion around that now, and Mr. Esposiness is going

[1:56:48] to come up to lead that discussion.

[1:56:52] Good evening.

[1:56:53] Good evening.

[1:56:54] Oh, right. So I have some very open questions. I can land a lot of different ways. So we're

[1:57:00] going to try to keep up this play, Mr. We just had a great conversation on a portrait

[1:57:04] sort of a graduate for student as a person, student as a learner.

[1:57:09] And so I think looking to the lens of that discipline balance

[1:57:16] as far as growing the student as a person,

[1:57:20] but also having some consequences when needed

[1:57:22] and what that kind of looks like.

[1:57:25] What do you think our community perceives

[1:57:27] as the biggest challenge when it comes to discipline?

[1:57:32] Very open-ended question.

[1:57:34] Oh, man.

[1:57:34] Cal, let me get back to my emails right now.

[1:57:39] I would say consistency, and even so, consistency within different campuses.

[1:57:48] So what one campus does, and maybe another campus doesn't think that that's as, I don't

[1:57:56] want to say bad, as severe maybe, and so how they react to a specific behavior would

[1:58:04] be different than at Dudley or at Shields or at Allo or you know just that

[1:58:11] consistency throughout the campus that if you do it everyone has the same

[1:58:17] consequence. Just wrote to a student who continues to be able to go back to the

[1:58:48] And then just hearing how, you know, behavior disrupts the learning environment, right?

[1:58:55] So all the other kiddos are missing on that learning when we're having a discipline problem.

[1:59:03] Okay, I'm going to ask another very open question.

[1:59:07] So, in a perfect world, what would it look like to you?

[1:59:11] Like, if everything, like, what is that gold standard?

[1:59:14] What is that gold bar?

[1:59:15] So, we're talking about all the challenges.

[1:59:17] We thought you had that answer, Jane.

[1:59:20] That's actually why we're here.

[1:59:23] I'm just joking.

[1:59:24] Yeah, but I think it's, and the reason why is

[1:59:27] because sometimes people have different interpretations

[1:59:30] of what that is, and is it the direct opposite

[1:59:34] of what we just said or is it I would like to hear if we talk about it.

[1:59:37] To repeat the question again, I'm sorry for me, I apologize.

[1:59:40] What is that old standard for discipline in a school?

[1:59:46] Whether I'm not going to be good at this.

[1:59:47] I didn't know if I said gold standard or the perfect situation.

[1:59:51] Either one.

[1:59:52] The perfect situation, in my opinion, would be the consistent problem

[2:00:01] Specific students to narrow down to see if there is other concerns that we have to address

[2:00:09] because it's repetitive. And that's what I see often outside looking in. The same students

[2:00:16] on the disruptive ones and we're not going any further to see what can be done with that

[2:00:22] person.

[2:00:24] So, like, your goal standard would be that we were doing that consistently.

[2:00:29] Yeah, consistently identifying that individual, sitting down and trying to meet every need possible,

[2:00:36] including mental health, if that's the case.

[2:00:38] Or learning discipline.

[2:00:39] I think Margaret was wanting to speak in the middle class.

[2:00:43] That's a perfect word.

[2:00:45] I mean, I have, you know, a lot of ideas and I know you guys do too.

[2:00:49] I like the idea of consistency across the board and then, you know, great communication with parents, right?

[2:00:58] So I kind of feel like in my younger grades I had a consistent communication and that kind of falls off.

[2:01:05] Kind of like PTO involvement, right?

[2:01:07] Like it's crazy exciting supportive and kinder and then like in junior high it falls off, right?

[2:01:12] So I feel like I would like a little more parent communication, but then the downside of that is,

[2:01:22] now you're putting that on the teacher and they've got to talk about 25 students every day

[2:01:26] and they already got a great papers and prepare for the next day.

[2:01:29] So I mean, it's a balance, right?

[2:01:32] I like your comment as well.

[2:01:35] I mean, there's a repeat offender or, you know, a consistent disruption from a few kids

[2:01:41] and I think it's important to we need to help that child but also we need to you

[2:01:50] know we have a classroom we're trying to teach right so we have this learning

[2:01:54] environment and we're trying to maintain but we need to help that child figure out

[2:01:58] is it a learning disability is it something at home is it I don't I don't

[2:02:03] I don't know, but I don't know what the answer is.

[2:02:08] And I was saying also to bring it back into that learning environment without putting as

[2:02:14] much resources that we need to put into that individual before doing so.

[2:02:19] I mean, time, effort, you know, what's really going on?

[2:02:22] Right.

[2:02:23] I think in the end, the gold standard for me is we don't treat the symptom, we treat

[2:02:29] the root that our discipline, whatever we do in discipline, takes care of whatever's

[2:02:34] causing the problem. Not masking it, not sort of like what you were saying, same

[2:02:39] kids going back into alternative education, whatever the case may be, over

[2:02:43] and over and over again, but at some point in time there is a, yeah I got her,

[2:02:46] there is a, we address what, go back whether it's a learning disability,

[2:02:52] whether it's a mental health issue, whatever the case may be, gold standard

[2:02:55] to me is that, hey, we go to the root, we take care of the root, and then that person can

[2:02:59] flourish and go on from that point on in a normal setting. Ms. Keeling has her hand up.

[2:03:59] That's what it is, getting to the root and allowing the child to be responsible but to provide help.

[2:04:08] What's that? Hope?

[2:04:10] Yeah, I thought the same thing. I was just thinking in different terms of being proactive instead of reactive.

[2:04:18] And that's what Mike said about getting to the root of the problem.

[2:04:23] Oh,

[2:04:28] sorry, Fred.

[2:04:29] For me, you asked perfect, and to me is student self-management.

[2:04:36] Obviously that comes with maturity and age, but to me that's the ideal world.

[2:04:40] And that comes from the leadership of the teacher and the school administration as a whole.

[2:04:47] That sets the expectation.

[2:04:51] I agree with asking why.

[2:04:56] Why?

[2:04:57] And the root, why?

[2:05:00] And how can we help?

[2:05:03] Okay, so...

[2:05:05] Andy, do you have anything else?

[2:05:07] That's okay. I'm good.

[2:05:09] So what I'm hearing is that we want a perfect elementary school, like was here in Victoria and I believe we have 14 of them.

[2:05:20] Absolutely.

[2:05:21] It's here and we would expect that every classroom in that perfect elementary school that we're seeing kids that are very mindful of their emotions,

[2:05:33] They self-regulate pretty well at a high level.

[2:05:38] We have, if there is an issue we're identifying the root cause across the board pretty much every time.

[2:05:44] Like we have a high batting average.

[2:05:46] But in those situations where a kid that we've identified as root cause

[2:05:51] and we've tried to accommodate multiple, multiple times and it's continuously disruptive,

[2:05:56] that kid may need a consequence, right, in that perfect elementary school.

[2:06:03] I think I heard you say it really well, there's a difference between those who can't and those

[2:06:09] who won't.

[2:06:10] And I think that's kind of what you're talking about right there.

[2:06:13] Right.

[2:06:14] And so knowing that our gold standard, our perfect classroom, and our current reality

[2:06:20] may be a little bit different in certain situations, we're looking at a few different

[2:06:26] things.

[2:06:26] It's like when we have that gap, let's say academically,

[2:06:30] like we have so many tools in our tool value.

[2:06:32] Like we can do small group, we do interventions,

[2:06:34] we'll have all these huge summer programs,

[2:06:36] Saturday schools, like we're really good

[2:06:39] at a lot of those academic issues, all right?

[2:06:42] But in the world of this, within discipline and behavior,

[2:06:46] there's so many approaches and they're all valid.

[2:06:51] And there's always, they're all correct,

[2:06:53] But there's some that could be better suited in certain situations for sure

[2:07:00] So as we go through this, like what does this look like when the child struggles behavior in BISD and

[2:07:07] What does getting it right look like to you?

[2:07:10] At the end of the day, so knowing we have this gap and saying like hey, we want to hit this gold standard

[2:07:15] Like moving forward. What is getting it right look like for us for next year?

[2:07:20] Is it is it the consequence?

[2:07:23] Is it the, or is it the support of the root cause, or is it a blend of both?

[2:07:28] I think that that's...

[2:07:30] Especially when you talk in a year's time, I think, yeah, it's both, yeah, absolutely.

[2:07:38] Blend of both.

[2:07:40] So let's just talk that out a little bit, because I really do want to make sure that we're all of the same mind on this.

[2:07:46] We've talked a lot about this theory of capacity, of capacity to do the work.

[2:07:52] capacity is three-legged stool, priority resources and processes. And if we're

[2:07:58] saying we're going to do both, we're decreasing our capacity in both because

[2:08:04] not everything can be a priority. It's not like these are the only two things

[2:08:08] we're going to work on, right? And so it's like it's a conscientious decision

[2:08:12] that I want to make sure that we're being very, very deliberate about, because

[2:08:14] of course we want both. We want everything for our kids. That's how we

[2:08:17] started our meeting tonight. We want the best and more for our kids, all

[2:08:21] us like that. The reality is there's just certain constraints to our ability to make

[2:08:26] progress and if we really want to improve our capacity, what is the priority?

[2:08:31] Because whatever we prioritize, that's where we're going to put our resources.

[2:08:35] That's where we're going to put our people, our time, money, and then we're

[2:08:40] going to develop processes and that takes lots of effort and energy as well.

[2:08:44] And if the answer is both, of course the answer is both, but are you

[2:08:48] I'm feeling it now that the bigger issue with our community is discipline, what it very bluntly,

[2:08:55] or is the bigger issue developing like a social-emotional wellness program at early age?

[2:09:04] Discipline.

[2:09:09] Those are the calls I get from people.

[2:09:12] I think discipline is what we see. I think that is what's in our face.

[2:09:18] if there's a fight, if there's someone vaping in the bathroom rooms, those are the things

[2:09:24] that we see.

[2:09:25] Those are the things I think that draw attention away from administrators and from classroom

[2:09:31] teachers from being able to serve us, you know, the 18 other students in the room.

[2:09:38] So I lean towards a discipline because it impacts what we're trying to do here so

[2:09:46] very much with with those others you're damaging or you're you're upsetting or

[2:10:04] you're affecting that entire classroom so I lean towards discipline first and then

[2:10:10] even if you can, if you get that under control, I know this is not helping you, and I'm sorry,

[2:10:17] but get that under control, and then we start working on those root cause, then we start

[2:10:23] working on modifying that behavior, changing that behavior, nurturing whatever, you know,

[2:10:28] the resources there, but I just, I think initially the response I would give is, let's

[2:10:34] fix it so that learning can continue for the vast majority of our students and then

[2:10:40] work-pract from that. Ms. Keely.

[2:10:44] Ms. Keely.

[2:10:52] Help me out. It's hard to hear.

[2:11:00] But our kids and student learning is hard.

[2:11:04] Right.

[2:14:56] And I think that's the challenge.

[2:15:00] We've got to continue to talk about with our community.

[2:15:02] So I'll wrap up by saying this.

[2:15:04] We are planning on having, hopefully,

[2:15:06] we can draw together a community forum around this conversation.

[2:15:10] And it's not going to be DISD-driven,

[2:15:12] but get, hopefully, our hospitals involved,

[2:15:16] get our local law enforcement involved,

[2:15:20] get folks together.

[2:15:21] And I'm working with Jeff Tunnell at Gulf End

[2:15:24] to see if he would potentially help moderate a lunch and learn

[2:15:27] and potentially a community-wide session.

[2:15:29] We're going to have this conversation with everyone and get every entity we can at the

[2:15:34] same table and say, okay, if we want to do some downstream work and we want to do some

[2:15:37] upstream work, what's it going to look like as a community?

[2:15:40] And not just a school district because we've all heard this is much, much bigger than

[2:15:45] what's happening in the classrooms and in the schools.

[2:15:49] So again, if you have these thoughts and you're laying awake tonight, don't hesitate

[2:15:51] to shoot me an email or text if you make a call.

[2:15:56] Thank you all.

[2:15:57] Absolutely.

[2:15:58] Thank you.

[2:15:58] Great

[2:16:06] presentation by the state.

[2:16:08] Thank you.

[2:16:09] Do I get to keep my little graduate?

[2:16:11] It's yours to keep.

[2:16:12] Absolutely.

[2:16:14] Thank you very much.

[2:16:16] Moving on, we move to action items number eight on the agenda.

[2:16:21] Issue certificate of election,

[2:16:22] administer statement of elective officer and oath of office

[2:16:26] to district six trustee and district seven trustee.

[2:16:30] Wait

[2:16:49] at all.

[2:16:50] I'm going to give those.

[2:16:55] Thank you.

[2:16:56] Second, members of the board, Dr. Shepard, and the committee members,

[2:17:01] the BIS Board of Trustees has recently moved out for election this year.

[2:17:05] District 1, represented by Chapter 7, nine hoops.

[2:17:08] District 6, represented by Margaret Pruitt,

[2:17:10] and District 7, represented by Mike Mercer.

[2:17:13] Chapter 1, hoops, and not to the election.

[2:17:26] We will now administer the Statement of Officer and Host of Office.

[2:17:31] Okay.

[2:17:33] I'll go for a comment.

[2:17:34] Okay.

[2:17:36] Hi.

[2:17:38] Hi.

[2:17:39] Hi.

[2:17:41] Hi.

[2:17:42] Hi.

[2:17:45] and I have gotten.

[2:17:47] Directly or indirectly paid,

[2:17:49] directly or indirectly paid,

[2:17:51] we need offers, promises to pay,

[2:17:53] offers, promises to pay,

[2:17:54] contributed or promised to contribute,

[2:17:57] contributed or promised to contribute,

[2:17:59] any money or thing of value,

[2:18:01] any money or thing of value,

[2:18:03] or promised any public office or employment,

[2:18:06] will promise many of us a lot of support.

[2:18:09] For giving, for giving,

[2:18:11] or the polling of the vote,

[2:18:13] or the polling of the vote,

[2:18:14] at the election, at the chose elected,

[2:18:18] at the chose elected, or as a reward,

[2:18:20] or as a reward to future life appointments,

[2:18:23] to future life appointments, confirmation,

[2:18:26] whichever the case may be,

[2:18:27] whichever the case may be, so help me God.

[2:18:31] Now we're going to get over the topic.

[2:18:33] That was just to the point of fact,

[2:18:34] I felt you've heard that once,

[2:18:36] we're not going to do it again next time.

[2:18:37] Right?

[2:18:38] We're going to repeat it forever.

[2:18:51] I will basically execute the views of the office of the ISEE more trustee of the state of Texas of the state of Texas.

[2:19:09] and will to the best of my ability to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and the law of the United States and the law of the United States and the law of the United States.

[2:19:34] That

[2:21:42] being said, nominations are now in order.

[2:21:47] Are there any nominations? Dr. De Los Santos,

[2:21:53] nomination for Mike Mercer for president? Are there any other nominations?

[2:22:02] You don't have some. That's okay.

[2:22:05] Seeing no others, Mike Mercer has been nominated for the office of president. Being no further nomination, if it so pleases the board, we will elect Mike Mercer by acclamation.

[2:22:17] I'm really like talking to the third person.

[2:22:21] Mike Mercer now will go to the next time.

[2:22:28] We don't.

[2:22:28] I'm the only candidate.

[2:22:44] Please indicate with your right hand.

[2:22:46] All those opposed, same sign.

[2:22:48] That's it.

[2:22:49] Thank you.

[2:22:50] 7-0.

[2:22:50] Thank you very much.

[2:22:51] Appreciate you guys.

[2:22:53] I will be leaning on you at least for the next month.

[2:22:57] Moving on.

[2:22:58] The nomination is now in order for the office of vice president.

[2:23:00] are the nomination Dr. DeLos Santos.

[2:23:02] I nominate Margaret Pruitt for the office of vice president.

[2:23:07] We've got a nomination for Margaret Pruitt

[2:23:08] for the office of vice president.

[2:23:10] Are the other nominations at this time?

[2:23:14] Being once, going twice.

[2:23:17] Excellent.

[2:23:18] Nominations, if they're not being the other,

[2:23:21] it is closed.

[2:23:22] All those in favor of electing Margaret Pruitt

[2:23:24] as vice president at this time, raise your right hand.

[2:23:26] All opposed, same sign, motion carries,

[2:23:29] or the election carries 7-0.

[2:23:30] And finally nominations are now in order for the Office of Secretary. Are there any nominations for the Office of Secretary at this time?

[2:23:42] Say what?

[2:23:43] Mandy Ling.

[2:23:44] We have a nomination for Mrs. Lingle for the Office of Secretary. Are there any other nominations at this time?

[2:23:54] I have one question.

[2:23:55] Yes.

[2:23:55] You willing to take officer training?

[2:23:58] Yes.

[2:23:58] Awesome.

[2:23:59] I'm doing it in San Antonio.

[2:24:00] Perfect. Perfect. Yeah, it's quite helpful.

[2:24:03] All right, seeing no other nominations.

[2:24:06] Nominations are closed for this.

[2:24:08] All those in favor, please indicate by raising your right hand.

[2:24:10] All those opposed, same sign.

[2:24:12] Motion carries, seven, nothing.

[2:24:14] Congratulations.

[2:24:15] Hold on, that's one more position.

[2:24:17] I nominate Kevin Bennett as being retired.

[2:24:22] He's done it.

[2:24:24] According to Mike's rule of state,

[2:24:26] the Mike Mercer's rule of order here is non-debatable.

[2:24:30] And it cannot be.

[2:24:31] It cannot be.

[2:24:34] I do want to say that we are absolutely pleased to have you with us again this week and we

[2:24:39] thank you for your continued service as we wait to see Ms. Bell.

[2:24:43] Excellent.

[2:24:44] So now we move on to item C and action items discussed and take action to approve the

[2:24:48] VISD 2022-2023 compensation plan.

[2:24:52] Mr. Meyer.

[2:24:52] President

[2:24:59] Mercer, members of the board, Dr. Shepard, Ms. Goel and I are very happy to

[2:25:05] be here with you to see the Chair and the Joint.

[2:25:11] We're going to take you just through

[2:25:12] some of the highlights of the compensation plan that you have been provided. Just some

[2:25:17] interesting information. Employee compensation in most school districts will take up

[2:25:22] between 80 to 85% of the entire budget.

[2:25:26] That is typical, especially for Victoria ISD.

[2:25:31] Last year, we implemented a new concept

[2:25:33] of taking all the compensation in the district,

[2:25:37] whether it's an hourly rate or an extra duty pay

[2:25:39] or a base salary or a stipend.

[2:25:41] And we compiled it into one giant compensation plan

[2:25:45] that is available on our website.

[2:25:47] It's easy for anybody to find and to see.

[2:25:49] And so this compensation plan will replace the 21-22 compensation plan.

[2:25:57] And we promised a year ago that we would bring to you a compensation plan in the month of May.

[2:26:04] It does a couple of things.

[2:26:05] It's very selfish on the CFO's part because it certainly helped budget planning during the summer

[2:26:10] to know what everybody's going to make in May rather than August.

[2:26:14] But it also is good for our folks who are finishing up a very difficult challenging year to know

[2:26:22] what their compensation is going to be for next year.

[2:26:25] So we're happy to honor that commitment to bring it to you in May.

[2:26:29] We do look at other sources to help us with these decisions.

[2:26:34] TASB, Texas Association of School Boards for many years, has provided market analysis for school districts

[2:26:41] to help in looking at what they should be what it is where we're higher than the market where we're

[2:26:47] below the market how we're doing comparing to other districts so here in the highlights we are

[2:26:52] proposing a two percent of midpoint pay increase across the board for every employee who follows

[2:26:58] one of the pay plans for the twenty twenty two twenty twenty three school year

[2:27:04] for a teacher and anybody on the teacher and teacher hiring schedule that's an eleven hundred

[2:27:10] increase. Some teachers get actually a little bit of step from year to year and the 1100 is on top of that.

[2:27:19] With the one-time ESER retention stipend that has already been approved of $3,000 and the one-time

[2:27:27] teacher ESL certification, if they have it by September 1, of an extra $1,000, for next year

[2:27:35] a teacher could earn $5,100 more than they did this year.

[2:27:42] For

[2:27:46] the first time in several years,

[2:27:48] we are actually increasing the starting salary

[2:27:51] for a teacher at BISD for several years.

[2:27:54] It has been $46,200 and the new starting salary

[2:27:58] will be $48,200 for BISD.

[2:28:03] And all new hires are also eligible

[2:28:07] for the $3,000 one time in 10 months.

[2:28:11] So then we're recruiting for next year.

[2:28:14] A brand new teacher is looking at over $51,000

[2:28:17] in the starting price of the first year with the FES.

[2:28:21] Yes.

[2:28:25] So some other highlights.

[2:28:26] Everybody else who's not on a teacher salary schedule

[2:28:29] falls under the traditional minimum,

[2:28:32] midpoint maximum schedule.

[2:28:34] and there will be a 2% of midpoint pay increase

[2:28:37] on the new proposed minimum maximum midpoint.

[2:28:42] And so TASP has recommended that we take all minimums

[2:28:45] in our district and shift that.

[2:28:48] So the starting salary for every single position

[2:28:51] in this district will be higher.

[2:28:53] Therefore the midpoint is higher

[2:28:55] and therefore the 2% is based on the new higher midpoint.

[2:29:01] Staff salary notifications will no longer be in September

[2:29:04] When you find out what you're making, we're going to try to get those out in mid-June because

[2:29:09] after tonight, should you approve, we've got 2,200 people who would love to know what does

[2:29:13] that look like for me.

[2:29:15] And so we're going back to our departments.

[2:29:18] We've cappinged up the payroll ladies and they're going to start printing these numbers

[2:29:24] out and we want to get a nice letter out to every employee in mid-June letting them

[2:29:28] know this is what you're going to make next year.

[2:29:31] That's great.

[2:29:32] This proposal is going to cost us about $2.7 million dollars.

[2:29:37] Not all of that comes out of the general fund.

[2:29:40] We do have a number of employees who are paid out of grant and title.

[2:29:45] And so title and grant will make the increase and if we have to reduce somewhere in those budgets

[2:29:51] other expenses to cover this we will.

[2:29:54] Although the federal government and the 2022 fiscal year omnibus bill did

[2:30:00] We're going to increase title funding to schools, not to meet the inflation rate, but some of

[2:30:05] our title funds are going to be increased by 2 to 6 percent. So we feel like we can absorb

[2:30:09] the portion of the raise out of those funds without negatively impacting other services.

[2:30:17] Everything else comes from the work of an amazing team of administrators who have worked so

[2:30:22] well with me, trying to scale back spending. If we absolutely need it, we want to do it.

[2:30:28] If we absolutely don't need it, can we leave something left for the raise?

[2:30:32] Because it's a matter of shifting.

[2:30:34] There's no need money to pay for this raise, for the general fund.

[2:30:38] Last year's 4% was paid for by our community with a yes vote on the VATRE.

[2:30:43] This year's raise has to come by cutting other expenses elsewhere.

[2:30:47] And so I am, couldn't be happier to be able to work with an amazing team of

[2:30:52] and administrators who have helped us do that and they know the slogan or do you want that either.

[2:31:04] And so they just kind of regurgitated and so they have helped so much by trying to find savings

[2:31:11] and they have come up with some brilliant ways of doing that too.

[2:31:15] We also have amazing people who have gone out searching for new revenue sources through grants

[2:31:20] and so forth to help us make this possible just some things we recognize we

[2:31:27] recognize that we are not where we want to be we would love to be able to have a

[2:31:32] higher starting salary and a higher salary for teachers across the board we

[2:31:36] recognize that we recognize there are districts that still pay more than us we

[2:31:41] recognize that there are districts that pay less than us we want to be at

[2:31:45] or above the average across the state it is a work in progress if the

[2:31:50] state legislature when they meet in January would love to share some of that

[2:31:54] extra 25 billion in surplus with us we will be happy to put in the pockets of

[2:31:59] our employees we also recognize that the national inflation rate is out of sight

[2:32:05] and that a 2% does not keep us up with inflation we are sorry we wish we could

[2:32:11] fix it here in Victoria Texas but we're hoping that with the pay

[2:32:15] increase and the one-time stipend, it's going to help our staff a little bit with the outrageous

[2:32:21] cost of everything out in the private sector. And then we also recognize that we still have

[2:32:29] a number of millions of dollars in facility needs. And if we are trying to do both, give

[2:32:35] pay increases and fix our facilities, there are some facilities that we're simply not

[2:32:40] going to be able to address because we're trying to keep up with the competitive

[2:32:45] We're trying to do a very delicate balance act to do both as best as we can.

[2:32:51] And there you have your 2022 compensation plan.

[2:32:55] And Ms. Nobles and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

[2:33:00] Excellent.

[2:33:01] Ms. Griffin.

[2:33:02] Just a comment.

[2:33:03] Thank you so much.

[2:33:05] A very much well deserved 2%.

[2:33:08] And thank you all for all the hard work that you do.

[2:33:12] I know it's daily diligent work that you do in trying to find money that we can give

[2:33:18] to our teachers because they definitely deserve, but not just teachers,

[2:33:21] everyone that they deserve very, very much.

[2:33:25] Thank you.

[2:33:26] It is important the community knows that we're doing our very best to make sure

[2:33:30] that our teachers are paid adequately and most of all paid well.

[2:33:35] And so thank you so much for making those efforts because we want to be

[2:33:39] recognize as a district doing the best we can for our teachers.

[2:33:46] Any other comments?

[2:33:47] Questions?

[2:33:48] I'd like to appreciate the acknowledgment,

[2:33:50] and I may have some more questions

[2:33:52] here in a second for the discussion portion.

[2:33:55] But I really appreciate the acknowledgments

[2:33:56] and for you to acknowledge the inflation rate

[2:34:00] and the hard times that we're facing.

[2:34:02] I also personally would like to acknowledge

[2:34:04] that we are the, we being the district,

[2:34:07] is the largest employer in this county.

[2:34:09] And I feel strongly that we have a leadership role in that and that we ought to be looking

[2:34:15] at ways even further, continuing to make us a premier employer as far as a leader to what

[2:34:24] I think in this market is an underpaid society and I've just – I've got a lot of my

[2:34:33] own data that I do in my own business that even further this over the Christmas break

[2:34:37] before we started seeing all the things going on that I was shocked by some

[2:34:41] places still playing in the 80s. And so I challenge us as the premier employer of

[2:34:47] the county to step up and set the role model for the other people that are in

[2:34:51] this county.

[2:34:54] Any other? Oh, Mrs. Kealan.

[2:34:57] It just had one question or verification that the ESR funds or other funds

[2:35:06] that are being used for stipends are not revenue replacement.

[2:35:12] I.e., these are one-shot funds, so they are going to a one-shot stipend

[2:35:18] without using a shot in the arm, for example,

[2:35:21] to cover ongoing expenses, because you're ever protecting us

[2:35:25] from rolling off a fiscal cliff when...

[2:35:28] That is correct.

[2:35:30] The Esther III funds that were approved earlier this year

[2:35:33] for the one-time retention stipend are ESER funds.

[2:35:37] When they go away, the stipend goes away.

[2:35:40] Two

[2:35:47] percent across the board increase

[2:35:49] and does not include, that's not a cost in the end,

[2:35:51] but it's a fine factor.

[2:35:53] I didn't catch that one.

[2:35:54] Was that last part, Jamie?

[2:35:57] You understand what I'm asking?

[2:35:58] We didn't hear the last part of you.

[2:36:01] So, let me see how it makes shorter.

[2:36:04] The $2.7 million cost is for the two percent increase.

[2:36:08] correct and we are not using any extra funds to cover that 2.7 million you

[2:36:22] touched on it a second ago you said the 4% from the VAT are this is something

[2:36:27] above and beyond that okay right we're cutting other areas in our budget to be

[2:36:35] able to cover this cost I move that the board approved the Victoria ISD

[2:36:42] compensation plan for 2022-2023 school year as presented by the administration.

[2:36:48] I have a motion by Dr. Carlos.

[2:36:51] And a second by Mrs. Pruitt.

[2:36:54] Discussion.

[2:36:56] Is there any discussion at this time?

[2:36:57] You said you might have had some questions.

[2:36:59] Yeah, I just, again, I appreciate the hard work.

[2:37:03] I just, I would like to see us do more.

[2:37:07] And I think we have it within our capacity.

[2:37:10] And I think, honestly, I would love to have a workshop in the future with you and or any

[2:37:17] other people that you feel because maybe I'm missing something, but maybe we have some ideas

[2:37:22] that we could bring as opposed to waiting until we get closer to like we've done in the past.

[2:37:28] So for that point, I'm just still would like to see more.

[2:37:33] I think we all would.

[2:37:35] I think you would, right?

[2:37:37] I'll take all the money they want to give us, and we'll put it in the pockets of our teachers

[2:37:41] and staff.

[2:37:42] Right, right.

[2:37:43] And the legislature again, they've got some extra money this year, so let us not be silenced.

[2:37:49] Start writing letters.

[2:37:50] We'll start our letter writing campaign right now.

[2:37:52] Advocacy.

[2:37:54] Just like to thank you for having us physically responsible and doing what we need to do,

[2:37:59] and you doing a great job.

[2:38:01] Thank you, sir.

[2:38:03] Mrs. Keenley?

[2:38:07] I don't have any other questions.

[2:38:10] I would say this deserves our support.

[2:38:16] I

[2:38:20] feel like we can accomplish that.

[2:38:23] This is a priority.

[2:38:26] And you have shown this board, I believe,

[2:38:29] and demonstrated the existing capacity in the district

[2:38:32] to do the best we can on a high priority.

[2:38:34] So I will support the question.

[2:38:41] Anyone else have any?

[2:38:44] I never comment on the first round.

[2:38:45] But I am on board with everything I was saying.

[2:38:48] It's exciting to be supporting our teachers more.

[2:38:53] They were saying it's the highest ever in VISD

[2:38:56] for the paraprofessional and classified employees.

[2:38:59] The highest ever starting salary.

[2:39:02] I mean this is amazing.

[2:39:04] I'm excited.

[2:39:05] And I'm also excited how you're clarifying

[2:39:07] how we're going to, the 2.7 million, what we're doing to make that work right.

[2:39:13] So we made a vote.

[2:39:15] Yeah.

[2:39:17] And I, too, am in support of this with the mindset that I do agree with Mr. Baldwin.

[2:39:24] This is the cornerstone of our community.

[2:39:26] I absolutely believe that public schools is a cornerstone of our community.

[2:39:29] We are the largest employer.

[2:39:31] We want to do everything we can.

[2:39:33] to that end we're making steps maybe not giant leaps but we're making steps and

[2:39:40] we're moving in the right direction and that comes from I know you guys crunch

[2:39:44] in those numbers on those budgets as long as you think cutting that two

[2:39:48] percent in other areas is sustainable I know we talk about the raises being

[2:39:52] stable as long as you're comfortable looking down the road saying hey we

[2:39:56] can continue to function without that 2.7 million in other places then I'm

[2:40:01] And I'm absolutely thrilled that we are continuing to move forward.

[2:40:07] So if there's no other discussion, all those in favor, please indicate by raising your right

[2:40:12] hand, all those opposed, same sign.

[2:40:15] Motion passes six to one.

[2:40:18] Mr. Baldwin voting no.

[2:40:22] Thank you.

[2:40:24] Thank you.

[2:40:27] Next item is our consent agenda.

[2:40:30] Having not received any input from anyone about an agenda item that they would like

[2:40:35] removed from consent for this week the chair would now recognize a motion I move

[2:40:40] that the board approve the consent agenda as presented by administration we

[2:40:45] have a motion by Mrs. Pooitt and a second by Pastor Van Hooke any momentary

[2:40:51] discussion I'll give you just that much just that much okay I appreciate that

[2:40:57] it's a big agenda but for me it's it's what I don't want the public to take

[2:41:03] by having a lot of items on the consent agenda is that we don't take them seriously,

[2:41:09] because we don't have a lot of discussion about them.

[2:41:12] And I know you've given us plenty of opportunity to ask questions prior,

[2:41:17] but I feel like there's a lot of things that are in here

[2:41:20] that warrant at least some more recognition,

[2:41:23] and I won't go into it because I respect your desire there,

[2:41:28] but I definitely feel that there's quite a bit that is on this consent agenda and that

[2:41:36] I wish that we would have had a little bit more time to look into and I know that there's

[2:41:42] – I'll just leave it at that.

[2:41:45] I think that we could have had more time to look into it and I know that we were given

[2:41:50] the packet and everybody has the same amount of time.

[2:41:54] And one of the things that I've just really stricken by as an example is our policies

[2:41:58] procedures which is in the consent agenda and I know that people have told us

[2:42:03] that they want more time to talk and I think that we've actually limited that

[2:42:07] so those are the type of things that I felt we could have really a few of the

[2:42:11] items could have been talked about more immediately that number four is found on

[2:42:19] page three of the administration number four is found on page three of the

[2:42:30] The details are here for everyone.

[2:42:33] It's on the webpage, but we also receive more detail with our packet.

[2:42:38] So I would just rebut that and say, hey, you know, it's there, even for the public.

[2:42:44] I appreciate that, but I like to look at things a little bit more in detail,

[2:42:47] and sometimes I do some comparisons, and then the fact is that you have the...

[2:42:51] Yeah, hold on a second, because I think this is gone.

[2:42:57] I think that if any board member feels like a then

[2:43:06] they would simply suggest that we amend

[2:43:09] the motion that's been made to approve the consent agenda and lift one if it dies for

[2:43:15] like a second then the board is comfortable with the agenda. But basically we have procedures

[2:43:20] If we want to have a conversation for how our agenda can better work for us and maybe

[2:43:27] as a board and maybe for our community so that they can follow along with us, then I

[2:43:36] think, you know, that's a conversation for another time and place.

[2:43:40] But it's not the motion that is before us right now.

[2:43:45] And so I would respectfully ask that the government makes the motion, please offer it otherwise.

[2:43:55] Let's have a discussion for how our agenda is framed up and whether or not we want to

[2:44:00] change our culture from having our board work be about student learning and be about other things.

[2:44:07] And we can do that at a workshop.

[2:44:09] I agree.

[2:44:10] Thank you.

[2:44:11] Thank you for those comments, Mrs. Keeling.

[2:44:14] Again, I do want to stress for those that are here, those that might be listening to this

[2:44:18] movie, are listening to this.

[2:44:21] It's long enough.

[2:44:22] It's literally long enough to be an epic.

[2:44:25] If you're still following along, if you're still following along, and the one comment

[2:44:36] that I do want to rebut is that there's a lot of time and a lot of attention that

[2:44:40] we as board members spend on this packet when we receive it. That's part of our job. That's

[2:44:45] part of what we agreed to do when we took that oath of office and made that statement of office.

[2:44:50] So I do. I don't want there to be some misunderstanding floating out there

[2:44:54] that we do not look through this stuff or spend appropriate time on that.

[2:44:58] That being said...

[2:45:00] If there is no further discussion, all those in favor, please raise your right hand. All those opposed, same sign. Motion carries seven or six, excuse me, six to one, Mr. Baldwin.

[2:45:13] Moving on to the next item. Item number nine, closed meeting. The governmental body may go into closed meeting as authorized by VTCA government code chapter 551 sub chapter D is provided in the notice of this meeting.

[2:45:27] The following items may be discussed in closed meeting.

[2:45:32] It's going to be real short.

[2:45:33] Just B-C-T-E-F-G-N-I.

[2:45:39] See you in a few hours.

[2:45:40] All right.

[2:45:43] Bye.

[2:45:44] That being said, we are adjourned to closed session.

[2:45:47] The board

[2:45:53] will reconvene and take any action deemed necessary

[2:45:55] based on discussion held in closed meeting.

[2:45:58] We are in session.

[2:46:01] Is there a motion, Dr. DeLos Santos?

[2:46:04] Under Item C, I move that the Board employee personnel is recommended by the administration.

[2:46:12] The motion by Dr. DeLos Santos.

[2:46:14] Is there a second?

[2:46:15] Second by Pastor Van Hook.

[2:46:17] Any discussion?

[2:46:18] All those in favor, please indicate with your right hand.

[2:46:21] As opposed, same sign, motion carries 7-0.

[2:46:29] The tables are ready for the next motion.

[2:46:30] Yes, Dr. DeLos Santos?

[2:46:31] Under item D, I move that the board approve the superintendent's recommendation for the appointment of Yasmina Sancini, who serve as principal of Prane Elementary School subject to future reassignment by the superintendent.

[2:46:48] Motion by Dr. De Los Santos. Do I hear a second? Second by Mrs. Lingle. Any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor, please indicate with your right hand. All those opposed, same sign. Motion carries, seven to zero.

[2:46:59] for

[2:47:09] the appointment of Mrs. Mandy Pritchard to serve as principal of mission...

[2:47:20] Oh, I'm just a gun. I'm on E. No, we're on E.

[2:47:23] You're right.

[2:47:26] You're right.

[2:47:28] I'm on E.

[2:47:29] Excellent.

[2:47:30] The motion by Mrs. Keeling is second by Mrs. Lingle.

[2:47:33] Any discussion?

[2:47:34] Seeing none, all those in favor please indicate with your right hand.

[2:47:37] All opposed, same sign.

[2:47:38] Motion carries seven to zero.

[2:47:41] Mr. President, under closed session item F, I move that the board approve the appointment

[2:47:47] of Dion Hughes as the P-TECH program administrator and subject to future reassignment by the superintendent.

[2:47:55] We've got a motion by Mrs. Pruitt, second by Pastor Van Hook.

[2:47:59] Any discussion?

[2:48:00] Seeing none.

[2:48:00] All those in favor, please indicate with your right hand.

[2:48:03] All those opposed, same sign.

[2:48:05] Motion carries 7-0.

[2:48:07] Mr. President, under item G, the closed meeting, the Board will approve.

[2:48:13] I move the Board will approve the superintendent's recommendation

[2:48:15] for appointment of Dr. Tanya Patterson to serve as the principal of Victoria West High School

[2:48:21] and subject to free future of reassignment by the superintendent.

[2:48:26] Thank you. We have a motion by Mr. Baldwin.

[2:48:28] Is there a second?

[2:48:29] Second.

[2:48:29] I've got a second by Mrs. Pruitt.

[2:48:31] Any discussion?

[2:48:33] Seeing none.

[2:48:34] All those in favor, please indicate with your right hand, all opposed, same sign.

[2:48:38] Mr. President, I move under Item L that the board approve the superintendent's recommendation

[2:48:49] for the appointment of Denise Moreno to serve as a Strowman, STEM middle school, and subject

[2:48:55] to future reassignment by the superintendent.

[2:48:58] To serve as president.

[2:49:00] Principal.

[2:49:01] Second.

[2:49:02] We have a motion by Mrs. Lingle, a second by Mrs. Keeling.

[2:49:06] Any discussion?

[2:49:07] Seeing none, all those in favor, please indicate with your right hand.

[2:49:10] All those opposed, same sign.

[2:49:12] Motion carries seven to zero.

[2:49:16] That concludes our business for the evening.

[2:49:19] Thank you all very much for coming prepared.

[2:49:21] Thank you all very much for making it through this.

[2:49:25] Thank you again.

[2:49:26] I've been honest with each and every one of you all.

[2:49:30] And I'm certainly going to miss you.

[2:49:32] The relationships that have been established

[2:49:34] are going to be lifelong relationships.

[2:49:37] So if I call you to cry, please let me cry.

[2:49:41] Likewise.

[2:49:43] Please.

[2:49:44] I'll do everything but call you for money.

[2:49:49] Don't start with education.

[2:49:50] Don't start with health care.

[2:49:51] Thank you guys. One last note before we leave. This is Dr. Beaumont's last meeting with us before he assumes his new position at Wembley ISD and on behalf of myself and the entire board I want to express our appreciation for the work that you've done here over the last eight years. Your legacy lives on and we are eternally grateful for all you've done.

[2:50:11] best we are. And congratulations and best wishes.

[2:50:16] We're

[2:50:23] out on a bittersweet note. That's what happens.

[2:50:25] With that being said, this meeting is adjourned.

May 19, 2022 School Board Meetings

Agenda

Transcript