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Good evening.
We are reconvening the special board meeting to take formal action.
Is there a motion on what was discussed in closed session?
I'd like to make a motion to amend the contract as written to include the board agrees to complete a formal evaluation by January 31st, 2027, at which time a salary adjustment may be negotiated.
Is there a second?
Second.
Motion by Megan Miller.
Seconded by Carol Fox.
Any discussion?
Hearing none.
Do we need a roll call vote?
I don't think we do, but I will request one.
Mrs. Shope.
May we get a roll call vote?
Yes.
Chair.
Board Member Miller.
Can you email me the rest of that?
Thank you.
Carol Fox.
I.
Tom Hankins.
I.
Bill Johnson.
I.
Meghan Miller.
I.
Joanne Rue.
I.
Dan Schuth.
Aye.
Antia Johnson.
Aye.
Motion carried unanimously.
Thank you.
Is there any motion to adjourn the special board meeting?
So moved.
Second.
Motion by Megan Miller.
Seconded by Joanne Rue.
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Motion carries unanimously.
Here is a motion to adjourn the special board meeting.
And the second.
Please leave here.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Okay.
Next item.
Please.
I.
I.
I.
We have to move on.
Please move on.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please move on.
And please.
Please kick it down.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
the board meeting, the board business meeting
of Tuesday, June 16th.
It is 604.
Mrs. Shope, may we get a roll call, please.
Yes, Meghan Miller?
Aye.
Bill Johnson?
Aye.
Tom Hankins?
Here.
Here.
Carol Fox?
Here.
Joanne Ruhl?
Here.
Dan Schuth?
Here.
And Tia Johnson?
Here.
Mr. President?
Thank you.
May I get an approval of the agenda?
So moved.
Second.
Motion by Joanne Ruhl, seconded by Carol Fox.
Any discussion?
Mr. Schuth?
Just as a point of, I don't know what I want to call this,
but we just want to have a moment to remember a memory
right who passed away recently.
There's going to be a memorial service later this summer,
so stay tuned for dates on that.
Sometimes the summer in Beloit, but many of you
know memory and his lovely wife, Freddy, and his family.
Memory was a friend of a lot of ours up here and in the room.
He was a board member here in this board from 1983 to 90.
And again, from 1983 to 1993 to 1995,
he was a president, the vice president, the clerk.
He was a true friend to the school district of Beloit,
and he will be missed.
He served with lots of other board members
that we know of their names, like Betty Johnson, Arne Lee,
Charles O'Kelly, Ida Foy, Gary Seidel, John Winkleman,
and many more.
So we just want to have a moment to say
that memory was a true friend to the school
district of Beloit, and he will be missed.
Thank you, Mr. Shoe, for sharing that with us.
We really appreciate that, and our hearts
go out to memory rights family.
And next, we have the Pledge of Allegiance, Dr. Anderson.
Oh, oh, I'm sorry.
I'm getting ahead of myself.
We have a motion and a second.
Any other comments?
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries unanimously.
Now, Dr. Anderson.
Thank you, Dr. Anderson.
And I'm going to correct you, and this
is your last regular board meeting.
You never know.
You never know with this board.
Good evening, and thank you for joining us tonight.
We appreciate your continued interest in and support
of the school district of Beloit.
Since our last regular board meeting,
we had a beautiful graduation ceremony
for our 2026 graduates of Beloit Memorial and BLA
and other programs.
So congratulations, again, to all of them
and to all of the families.
We have also been very busy with a lot of year-end gatherings
and celebrations.
Thank you to all of the staff and volunteers
who have pulled off the events.
Press star six to unmute.
And all of the attendees who were able to make it out
and show their support.
We continue to listen to our staff, families,
and community members regarding the difficult budgetary
decisions we have before us.
We appreciate the support, understanding, and patience
needed to navigate these challenging times.
Dr. Anderson, thank you for stepping up last November
when the school district of Beloit
needed somebody with experience and compassion
to help steady us.
And thank you, Dr. Liam Malat, for agreeing
to serve as our next interim superintendent.
For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Gordon Malat,
she has nearly three decades of experience
with the school district of Beloit
and understands the gravity and the nuances
of the multiple issues facing the school district of Beloit.
We trust her to lead us through these issues
while making systemic improvements along the way.
We are very appreciative of both of your leadership
and your commitment to the school district of Beloit.
Together, we remain committed to strengthening our district
and improving our outcomes for every student.
That concludes my report for tonight.
Next, we have upcoming events and announcements.
Board Clerk Miller.
Thank you very much.
Glad to see so many people here this evening.
Good evening, these are the announcements
for Tuesday, June 16th, 2026.
The school year ended wonderfully full of celebrations
like the retirement party on June 2nd
and graduation for our seniors on June 6th.
The first edition of the board
and superintendent newsletter was sent out
on Sunday, May 31st.
There will be another edition coming out in about a week.
So head over to the board of education website
at beloitschools.net and sign up to receive the newsletter.
You won't want to miss it.
Summer school begins next week on June 23rd
and runs through July 30th of 2026.
Middle school begins at 7.45 a.m. at the high school
as well as the high school students who begin at 8 a.m.
Our elementary school students begin at 8.30 a.m.
at either Converse or Todd elementary schools.
There are a few dates in July
where there will be no summer school.
For more information, please go to the district,
the our district tab on the district website
and click on 2026 summer school.
Breakfast and lunch will be served daily.
Will your child be four years old
on or before September 1st, 2026?
If the answer is yes, then your child is eligible
to enroll in the school district of Beloit 4K program.
Come on into the Colac Education Center
to enroll your child or enroll your student online
at bladeschools.net.
Don't delay enroll today.
As a reminder to all parents,
if your student or students are already enrolled,
you may also go online to register your children
for next year.
Should you need any assistance,
secretaries will be on site for another week or two.
It's official and it's coming.
Board docs will be changing to diligent community.
Same company with a slightly different look.
It will be a couple of months before the backside work
is done.
So until then, continue to look for our board information
and meetings on board docs and we will keep you up to date
as progress continues on community.
Watch for training sessions coming this fall.
All district buildings will be closed on Friday,
June 19th and observance of Juneteenth
and on Friday, July 3rd and observance
of our country's 250th birthday.
Meetings coming up and being held
at the Colac Education Center include Monday, July 6th,
policy meeting at 3 p.m., Tuesday, June 7th,
business operations, finance and HR meeting at 5 p.m.,
and the teaching, learning, equity
and pupil services committee meeting at 5.30 p.m.,
or immediately following the 5 p.m. meeting
whichever is later.
This concludes the announcements for tonight.
Thank you, Kirk Miller.
Next, we have recognition.
Tonight, we have the recognition of Dr. Tracy Saladar.
Dr. Anderson?
First, I'd like to thank both her and her husband
for being able to be here tonight so we can properly
honor you for your achievement of being this year's recipient
of the Beloitte Memorial High School Hall of Fame Award.
Dr. Saladar grew up in Beloitte attending Todd Elementary,
Aldrich Jr. High, and was a Beloitte Memorial High School
graduate in 1992.
Dr. Saladar returned to Beloitte following her college education
and began her nursing career at Hackett Elementary in 1996.
She is a clinical professor in pediatric primary care nurse
practitioner with a distinguished career
in pediatric health care, nursing education,
and global health.
She is a board certified pediatric nurse practitioner
and pediatric primary care mental health specialist
with extensive clinical experience caring for children
from newborn through young adulthood.
She currently practices at Genesis Pediatric Medicine in Illinois
with clinical work in many areas of childhood medicine
and literacy.
At UW Madison School of Nursing, she serves as clinical professor
and pediatric primary care DNP program lead.
Dr. Saladar has placed a central role in nursing education
through her commitment and teaching across a wide range of courses.
She also serves as co-factly leader for an interprofessional
annual global health immersion experience in Belize.
She has a focus on roles in immunization,
national and state nursing organization,
and is an affiliate member of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Additionally, Dr. Saladar is nationally and internationally
recognized for her presentations at major conferences
as she contributes to advancing nursing education
through scholarship focused on teaching innovation,
interprofessional collaboration,
and global health program development.
Her personal and professional journeys reflect a lifelong dedication
to children, families, education, and community,
both locally and globally.
Dr. Saladar has accomplished so much more,
and this is just a sample of her local, national,
and global counselors.
So if we can please give her a round of applause at this time.
Thank you so much for having me here tonight.
What an amazing honor, probably the best honor I have ever received
to be able to come back to Bloitte Memorial.
And as a pediatric nurse practitioner, a primary care provider
to be able to speak to that many adolescents in one space
was probably one of the joys of my life.
So this community, Daryl and I have been a part of this community.
We grew up here.
Daryl taught in the district for 20 years.
I worked in the district.
We have four graduates of Bloitte Memorial High School.
We are huge advocates for public school.
I'm thankful for all of my partners in the school district
who allow me to bring my students from UW-Madison.
Michelle Aniel allows me to come to kindergarten
where my students learn from her students
and her students learn from my students.
So it is a very cool relationship.
And I look forward to continuing all of these relationships
that I have built into fighting for public schools
and to be just immersed in this community,
learning from all of you and giving back.
So I thank you so much for this honor
and look forward to what comes next.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Salazar.
Salazar, is there any board members
who would like to make any comments?
Joanne?
So my path has crossed Tracy's path multiple times.
We graduated around the same time.
We both worked at Hackett at the same time.
And she's also a fantastic mom
and gives great mom advice too.
And so I was very happy to see your name listed
and congratulations, you deserve this
and all the amazing things that.
And how do you do all this in the same hours of the day
that I have?
Because like when they were talking about all that stuff,
that is incredible.
So fantastic.
Congrats, Tracy.
Megan?
I just want to say thank you, Tracy and Daryl.
You know, I moved to Boyd in 2010
and Daryl, you were my first colleagues
and just the generosity and kindness
that you've shown me and have shown our entire community
or kids, generations of students is just remarkable.
You still, my favorite coffee mug came from you.
I use it on a fairly, fairly regular basis
and just your willingness to pay attention to people
that aren't even in your immediate like orbit
and just show up for people is so inspiring
and so appreciated.
And I'm just couldn't be happier
that you're honored here tonight, Tracy.
And just thank you so much for everything.
I thank you.
Anyone else?
Thank you, Dr. Saladar.
Again, we really appreciate everything you've done
for our district and the leadership,
the role model that you are, both of you,
but tonight's your night.
So thank you everything for everything.
Next, we have public comment.
Mr. Schope, is there any public comment tonight?
Yes, there is.
I have about eight in the room,
and then I have 17 emails.
Okay.
Depending on how long the eight in the room go,
we may need to adjust the 17 emails.
If they are redundant,
according to board policy,
we can just have you email those forward, those to us.
Okay, so let's keep an eye on the time.
Members of the public are welcome to attend all open meetings
of the Board of Education.
Individuals attending board meetings are expected
to conduct themselves in a respectful and courteous manner
that models appropriate behavior for our students.
Individuals wishing to comment are expected to comply
with the norms found on the back of your comment cards
and in board policy 187,
public participation at board meetings.
We ask that each of you contribute to maintaining a respectful
and orderly meeting and prevent discussing confidential matters
in public forum by following these norms for public comments
during your board meetings.
Thank you for your participation and crew to see.
Ms. Schope?
The first person I have is Isabella.
Good evening, members of the Board and the community.
My name is Isabella Flores.
I am a 2023 graduate from Deloitte Learning Academy.
I am here just to tell you why Deloitte Learning Academy
cannot be replaced so my closing date would be a devastating loss.
In 2023, I was a single mom trying to graduate from Deloitte Memorial
instead of getting the flexibility.
I needed to raise my kid.
I was kind of turned the other way and said,
you're not going to be able to graduate with your class.
It was like a door being shut right in my face,
which was very like we just came out of COVID,
going back to school saying I'm not graduating with my class.
It wasn't great.
Then I found Deloitte Learning Academy my sophomore year.
They didn't see me as a scheduling problem.
They seen me as a person and listened to my needs and helped me
rearrange my schedule and my life around that.
And because of their tailored support,
I didn't just catch up.
I graduated early.
They even transformed how I learned in their English programs
instead of forcing books that I had no interest in at all.
They, sorry, they helped me find my own style
and taught me to truly love reading.
And my story goes deeper than academics.
During my time there, I hit my goals vulnerable to point.
I became homeless moving with my small child from house to house
when we were just trying to survive school became the last priority.
But Deloitte Learning Academy didn't let me fall through the cracks
they supported me through the housing crisis wrapped their arms around my little family
and gave us a safe harbor.
Their support didn't stop at a diploma thanks to the resources I took my CNA program
and has been a CNA for almost five years now.
Because of that program, health care has been my career for almost five years
allowing me to provide for my family.
Deloitte Academy is more than a school.
They are a family.
When the rest of the world felt unstable, they were my bad rock.
They don't just hand out diplomas.
They lift people, build careers, and give young mothers
and struggling teens a fighting chance.
If you close this school, you aren't just cutting a budget,
you're cutting off a lifetime of support.
Deloitte Learning Academy saved me but my career,
built my career and secured my child's future.
I urge you to look beyond the paperwork
and see the human's lives attached to this program.
Please keep Deloitte Learning Academy open
and keep them in the building they're currently in.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Lisa Schill, next public comment, please.
I have Devon.
Devon?
Good evening.
My name is Devon Roselle.
I'm a 2019 graduate of BLA.
I graduate with honors from Black Hawk Tech.
I'm here with you today to discuss a matter of importance,
not just for me and you, but for the young kids of Deloitte,
especially those who need a little extra support and guidance
to reach their full potential.
I was one of those kids,
strung with numerous problems with myself in school.
Deloitte Memorial was failing me in my academics.
BLA picked up the pieces for someone as a need as myself,
providing ample amount of time and home my skills
currently for social.
My bad.
Academically and socially.
This was through not only the teachers,
but the entire faculty staff.
I still remember the impact the staff at BLA had in my life.
Teachers sat down with me for hours on end,
ensuring growth in my academics.
The security staff showed me the importance of taking action
and being responsible for my education.
The school counselors taught me patience
and how to help calm people during difficult situations.
These may seem like small lessons,
but they've stayed with me throughout my entire life and career.
As people in leadership roles,
it is important that we understand and consider others
and address them appropriately.
BLA helped me develop those skills as a young adult.
These lessons were learned through dedication,
dedication, support, and guidance of the BLA staff,
who invested their time, energy to help students succeed both inside
and outside the classroom.
I certainly say that they still hold those values today.
Without BLA's involvement, I would not have the successful career
that I do today as a professional chef.
Walking into BLA, my academics were below average.
Through rigorous efforts from teachers and staff,
I was able to overcome my shortcomings and graduate,
putting me on the same level with college academics.
I exceeded those expectations, graduating college with honors.
This achievement would not have been possible without BLA
and the foundation it provided.
Send me up for success long after graduation.
That is why I'm here today.
BLA's much more than the school is a home of education
and is a place of safety.
Even to this day, when I'm down struggling,
the staff do not hesitate to answer the call for help.
It is my obligation to help them in their time of need.
I believe BLA should continue to exist in the future
for the other kids like me to get their second chance at a good future.
This is something only BLA can offer.
So, removing that would be as good as walking out on them
in their time of need.
I hope you find your hearts to allow BLA to keep their doors open
for those kids' opportunities, and thank you for your time.
APPLAUSE
Ms. Rishal.
Next I have Katie with Kabiko Yielding Time.
Right after Katie, we'll have Estavan.
Good evening Board members.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity
to speak here tonight.
I am here to advocate for Beloit Learning Academy
to continue having its own dedicated space.
Whether that's at Cunningham or another location
separate from Beloit Memorial High School.
Many of the students at BLA are thriving
because they are not in a large school environment.
As a parent who has watched many of these students grow up,
I am incredibly proud to see them walk
through those doors every day.
Some of these students had given up on school
before coming to BLA.
And today, I see students who once struggled
with attendance and feeling grades,
now showing up consistently building confidence
and finding success.
There is definitely something special happening at BLA
and it deserves to be protected.
My own son, Esteban, struggles with severe school anxiety.
Do you know what that's like as a parent
to pull into a school parking lot day after day,
getting ready for school, actually trying to go.
And he cannot physically get out of the car.
It is, it's a lot.
To watch them want to succeed but feel completely overwhelmed
by the environment, it's heartbreaking.
I would even call the school counselor in front office
and say, my son is having a panic attack in the bathroom.
Can someone please check on him?
The main concern was for him to be in class on time
and not for his specific well-being.
I had email threads, probably 100 emails long.
For seven months, I advocated for my son.
I wrote emails and called meeting after meeting.
I made phone calls and pushed for support.
Despite documentation, medical diagnoses,
I was often told that he just simply did not want to be there
and did not want to do the work.
As a parent that was devastating to hear
because I knew that wasn't true,
feeling unheard and out of options,
I began opening and rolling him
into schools outside of our district.
I was preparing to send him somewhere else
because I could not find the support he needed at BMHS.
I was honestly heartbroken with how proud I am
to be part of the school district of Beloitte.
I was constantly told he doesn't need to go to BLA,
he's not a problem child.
And my son, he's never been suspended from school.
He's never caused issues at school
and that was always, he doesn't belong there.
He doesn't belong there.
So, he did get into BLA due to me directly advocating to BLA
after calling many meetings at the high school
and just said, well, he'll have to wait
at least two more years, probably till his junior year
before we can even consider to send him over.
So, as a freshman, he was supposed to struggle
for two more years, not getting the support that he needed.
So, he was accepted into BLA this last spring,
the fourth term at spring break time.
He goes to school every day.
He has relationships with staff
who support him when he's struggling.
He feels seen, understood, and accepted.
At BLA, he can use the gym during lunch
to help regulate emotions and manage anxiety,
while not getting overwhelmed
with the other hundreds of students.
That was something that I asked for at the high school.
I'm like, can he just get 10 minutes on lunchtime
to just release some energy?
Absolutely not.
There's no way we can accommodate that
and I understand that we cannot accommodate every child,
but not every child is the same.
So, there's that.
And then, those opportunities do matter.
Those relationships matter.
And for students like my son,
they can make the difference
between showing up and giving up.
If BLA exists because some students struggle
in a traditional high school setting,
then moving into the high school
defeats the very purpose of the program.
Putting students back into the environment
where they were struggling is not a solution.
I understand that the district is facing
difficult financial decisions and budget cuts.
However, I ask that you consider
the long-term cost of this decision.
If students who are currently thriving at BLA
are placed back into the environment
where they struggled before,
some will disengage,
attendance will suffer,
and graduation rates will decline.
We risk losing students who have finally found a place
where they feel supported, connected, and successful.
BLA is more than a building, it's a lifeline.
It is a place where students find hope, support,
and a path towards graduation
when other options have not worked.
Please listen to the students, families,
staff, and community members
who have experienced the positive impact
of this school firsthand.
For many students, BLA is not simply another school,
it is the reason that they are succeeding.
Please do not disrupt the very thing
that is helping these students thrive.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Schill.
Oh, extra bond is our next speaker,
and then who's up after us, ma'am, Mrs. Schill?
No, Mrs. Schill.
Okay.
Paolo?
All right, whoof.
All right, good afternoon,
Beloit school board members
and members of the Beloit community.
For those of you who may not know me,
my name is Paolo Delgado.
I am one of the many students
who attended Beloit Learning Academy.
I graduated in 2020 during COVID.
To give you a brief background,
I am the oldest of five siblings,
the first Mexican American in my family
to graduate from high school,
the first to graduate from college
and the first police officer in my family.
I was also a resident of Project 1649,
a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting
homeless youth in the Beloit and Janesville area
by providing transitional living housing
and other vital resources.
Now that you know a little bit about my background,
I would like to share a brief story.
During the police academy,
my director handed me a book called
Start with Why by Simon Sinek.
To be honest, reading has never been my favorite activities,
but the academy challenged me in ways
I had never experienced before.
As I worked through those hardships,
I began reading the book and eventually found myself
asking the same question, why?
Why did I begin this journey?
When I looked back, I found my answer.
Part of my why started right here
in the school district of Beloit.
It started at Royce Elementary,
where I learned English, my second language.
I then continued through my years in the district,
which ultimately led me to Beloit Learning Academy,
a school that gave me an opportunity
to graduate as a proud purple knight.
Beloit Learning Academy provided much more than education.
Through its partnership with Project 1649,
I had access to stability, support,
and a place to call home during a difficult chapter of my life.
I was able to work part-time,
continue my education, and build a future
that once seemed out of reach.
On the school district of Beloit's board
of education webpage at states,
we acknowledge the challenges and adversity
that so many of our families are facing.
We are committed to supporting our students,
families, and staff.
We are here for you, and we are stronger together.
Tonight, I invite the board to start with why.
I encourage you to reflect on the message
you want to send this community,
and to remember the purpose behind the programs
and opportunities that have changed so many lives.
One of my favorite quotes from Start With Why says,
all organizations start with why,
but only the great ones keep their why clear year after year.
Because of Beloit Learning Academy,
I became a police officer.
Because of Beloit Learning Academy,
one of my sisters graduated
and now it serves in the Army Reserves.
Because of the opportunities provided through the district,
another sister graduated from Beloit Memorial High School
and now proudly serves our country
in the United States Air Force.
These are not just individual success stories.
They are examples of what can happen
when a school district invests in its students,
especially those facing adversity.
Beloit Learning Academy is much more than a school.
It is a second chance.
It is hope.
It is opportunity.
It is proof that when a community believes in its students,
those students can achieve things
they never thought possible.
Thank you.
I'm sorry, your time is up.
Oh, sorry.
Thank you.
Okay.
Mrs. Scho.
APPLAUSE
Next, I have Kylie.
Hello.
My name is Kylie Cribbs.
I attended BLA.
I want to thank Ms. Mackinte for inviting me here to speak today.
I'm speaking today on behalf of Bulloy Learning Academy
and the vital yet overlooked part of it
that it plays within not just our school district
but our community.
I attended BLA during my senior year
after struggling to feel connected to my education.
Hoping BLA could be the change needed.
While there, I experienced something I never have
from any school prior.
I experienced a school completely filled to the brim.
Sorry, I have anxiety.
Completely filled to the brim with educators
who truly saw us and understood the challenges
that we go through.
The staff that put genuine time and care
into recognizing us not just as students
but as individual people.
I was able to maintain a job and also graduate
five months early, which I could not have done
at the time without my teacher support.
Looking back at some of my peers,
simply needed guidance in academically, sorry,
simply needed guidance academic wise,
while others had harsh and violent home environments
that made education the least of their worries.
The teachers around me both understood and acknowledged this.
If you truly wanted to obtain a high school diploma,
they ensured you would do so.
They gave you the resources to achieve it.
And if you were a troubled student
who was convinced a diploma wasn't necessary,
they found ways to get through to you
by reminding you of your potential.
But that's not where they stopped.
They also pushed for higher education,
which for some students was the first time
an adult made them feel that was even a possibility
or an option.
Minimizing BLA's importance within our school district
is minimizing the importance of the many
at-risk children within our city.
The school is a pillar for our community
and it is one that should not be taken for granted
or forgotten.
I can sincerely say BLA give me an education
that will follow me throughout my life.
It's imperative that the district recognizes
just how vital BLA is to kids
that don't deserve to be left behind,
simply because they didn't have the same access
to the education and educators
I was fortunate enough to have.
I think the first time I stepped into BLA,
it was nerve-wracking because BLA has a reputation
of a lot of their kids being trouble,
a lot of them having anger issues
and that's why they're sent there.
I think the mix was actually quite beautiful.
I was surprised that a lot of the kids
weren't really angry, they just never had an adult hear them
or listen to them and truly see them.
BLA has a unfortunate side to it at times.
There can be violence, there can be anger
and I think that trickles down to the students,
it trickles down to the kids
and I saw firsthand how the teachers
were able to connect with some of these kids
that were angry and they didn't know why.
The educators are truly amazing
and I wanna thank them all for doing what they can
to support these students and support me
and I think that's why we're all here today
and I'd like to say thank you guys for your time.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Mrs. Schill, who do we have next?
The last one I have in the room is Mario.
Give me one second.
Here we go.
Good afternoon everyone.
My name is Mario Flores Kulin.
I am a 2024 BLA graduate.
I graduated with honors at Tricocci University of Beauty Culture.
First and foremost, I want to thank everyone
for being here in this moment
and for all my teachers for being the most supportive
and helping people in my career.
I am living proof of why BLA shouldn't be moved or erased.
I was a student at Beloé Memorial High School.
I was only there for about a year and a half.
That school didn't bring any benefits to me.
The only thing it gave me was anxiety and stress.
Ever since I switched to Beloé Learning Academy,
my career changed for the better.
It's been the only school that has made me feel safe,
cared for, and made me feel safe.
Cared for and made me feel good about myself.
When I was moved to Beloé Learning Academy,
I was greeted with such loving, passionate,
and open-minded people.
The way these teachers take care of the kids,
you would have thought they were all therapists.
To me, these teachers are like second mothers to me.
I came here to tell the board to put importance into the school
why, you may ask,
because this school accepts everyone.
It doesn't matter where you came from, what you want to be,
or what you look like.
Beloé Learning Academy welcomes everyone.
Identity isn't a matter to be worried about for these students.
I please ask you to not touch Beloé Learning Academy.
It's an important school that is helping students
actually graduate and succeed in their life and careers.
As a gay Latino, I want to represent this school
and to speak up for the students and teachers that can't.
I can't be represented on the BMHS field,
but in my heart, I graduated in Beloé Learning Academy.
I can't comprehend how, as a parent,
you can't put yourself in the shoes of these students.
Imagine your child being stripped from the confidence,
joy, and opportunity this school brings.
Why should the students be disvalued over students at BMHS?
These programs have fought so hard to be in one building,
why move them and break them apart?
BLA hasn't brought harm to anyone.
What it has brought is to Beloé as a whole is community,
love, and education that truly does matter.
Here's my proof of what BLA has helped me with.
And I have my certification of my scholarship
that I received through BLA.
It was a $10,000 scholarship through the Herb Cole Foundation
and my graduation certificate of Tricogee.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Mrs. Schul.
Now I have emails.
This email is from Dan.
My name is Dan, and I'm a teacher at BLA.
I respectfully ask that the Beloé Learning Academy
remain at the Cunningham Success Center.
The Cunningham Success Center is much more than a building.
It houses Beloé Learning Academy even start.
The Teen Parent Program Office, the BVS Office,
GEDO2, the Bridge Transition Program,
Challenge Academy Mentoring, a Makerspace, a library,
a food pantry, a clothing closet,
and school social work services.
That's not a building.
That's a toolbox.
We also have a courtyard and garden that serve as outdoor
classrooms for our environmental literature
and environmental science students.
The food pantry and clothing closet provide resources
for students while creating opportunities for volunteer
service, work experience, and skill development.
The Bridge Transition Program helps students with
intellectual disabilities develop employment
and independent living skills that prepare them for the life
after high school.
What makes the Cunningham Success Center special is that
these resources work together.
Students can access academic support, basic needs,
resources, social emotional support, work experience,
transitioning programming, and mentoring all in one place.
I've learned something in education.
Success isn't just about programs.
It's about connections between people, resources,
and opportunities.
Many of our students come to us because traditional settings
have not met their needs.
The Cunningham Success Center provides stability,
consistency, and support.
For many students, it is the first place they've experienced
success in school.
As you consider the future of the Lloyd Learning Academy,
I ask that you look beyond square footage and facility maps.
Look at the students.
Look at the programs.
Look at the opportunities.
Because the Cunningham Success Center isn't just a school
but it's a toolbox filled with programs, resources,
opportunities, and people who help students succeed.
And it changes lives every day.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Next, I have one from Finley.
My name is Finley and I stand in support of the
Lloyd Learning Academy.
First, I would like to apologize for not being able to attend
this meeting in person.
I had to work tonight.
But I hope my words can help show the impact the school has
had on students like me.
As a freshman in high school, I experienced severe bullying
and eventually lost hope that I would graduate.
I felt isolated, unsupported, and ultimately stopped attending
school because I could not see a path forward.
Everything changed when I transferred to the Lloyd Learning
Academy halfway through my junior year.
For the first time, I felt supported by my teachers
and believed that my future mattered.
Because of the opportunities and encouragement I received there,
I not only graduated, but I graduated early.
Without the Lloyd Learning Academy, I honestly do not know
if I would have graduated at all.
This school is more than an alternative option.
It is a lifeline for students who need a different path to success.
I am living proof of the difference it can make.
Please do not take away that opportunity from future students.
Lloyd Learning Academy changed my life and I hope it can
continue changing lives for years to come.
Thank you for your time, consideration, and for listening
to my story.
Next, I have one from Juliana.
My name is Juliana, and I'm writing to express my strong
support for Lloyd Learning Academy and to respectfully ask
that it not be removed.
Lloyd Learning Academy has been more than just a school to me.
It has been my second chance at success.
I began my freshman year at Bulloyt Memorial High School
with hope for my education, but I quickly faced challenges
that made it difficult for me to succeed.
My class schedule was changed in ways that created confusion
and made me feel unsupported.
When my mother and I tried to address the situation,
we did not feel that our concerns were taken seriously.
As a result, I began to lose faith in the school system.
During the middle of my sophomore year, my mother applied
for me to attend Bulloyt Learning Academy.
I was grateful to be accepted because it gave me
another opportunity to continue my education.
While attending BLA, I was able to complete my 10th grade year
and recover all of my missed credits.
Later, I had to step away from school during my junior year
because of difficult personal circumstances.
I needed to help my mother care for my three younger siblings
while also working three jobs to support my family.
Even during that time, the staff at BLA continued to encourage me
and believe in me.
Mrs. Buchanan, Ms. Monroe, Mr. Harrow, Ms. Scoville,
and many others went above and beyond for me.
They stayed after hours to help me, pushed me to do my best,
and never gave up on me.
Their dedication made me believe that I could still succeed
even when I felt overwhelmed.
During my senior year, I also experienced a deeply difficult
and traumatic personal situation that made continuing
school even harder.
In one of the darkest times of my life,
Mr. Buchanan reached out to me and asked how I was doing
and encouraged me to continue my education.
That support meant everything to me.
Today, I can honestly say that I would not be close to completing
my education if it were not for Bloitte Learning Academy.
This school gave me the support, encouragement,
and second chance that I needed when I felt like giving up.
BLA helps students who may be behind struggling or facing
serious life challenges, and it gives them a real opportunity
to graduate and build a better future.
I strongly encourage the board to reconsider any plans to move
BLA into the high school.
BLA's current location has created a supportive environment
that benefits many students and families,
and relocating it could negatively impact the programs
and relationships that have made it so successful.
One of the most valuable aspects of BLA is the connection between
the younger children and the older students they look up to.
These children, including preschool-aged students,
have built trusting relationships with older student mentors
who help them learn, grow, and feel comfortable.
At the same time, the older students take pride in supporting
and encouraging these young learners,
including children who are nonverbal and have additional needs.
Taking away those opportunities would be a loss for both groups.
BLA also provides important support for students facing challenges
in their lives, including teen parents who are working hard
to continue their education, and students who are making positive changes.
We're at three minutes on that one.
Okay.
This one is from Noah.
I am from BLA, and I'm writing about the choice of our school
either being moved or even canceled altogether.
In my opinion, I think both moving our school and ending it
are both horrible decisions for many reasons,
but I won't talk much about the bad.
I'll speak on behalf of the good BLA has done for me.
In BLA, it has allowed me and many others in our own way and pace.
I personally am very fast in this environment in exchange
for finishing my work.
I was given chances to do stuff I liked,
like making props for costumes in the maker space,
as well as spending time sewing a costume,
helping around when things need transporting and all together
just getting time to be myself.
BLA is very accepting of students in my opinion
and doesn't single out a student for the way they think, dress, or act.
The staff there have always sat and listened about random facts I have
or even just if I need to get what's on my mind out.
It has also been very good with helping me follow my accommodations
and I don't have to second guess if they will be met if I need them.
I know our school isn't perfect in all means,
but getting rid of it would affect the lives of me and so many other students.
Most of us have gotten set into our routine at the school
and have learned to love the teachers and other staff we have.
If our school was even just moved we'd lose many of our staff
who aren't teachers because those staff are at other schools
and I've personally learned to love coming every day and seeing everyone.
I hope you can take what I say into account when making the choice for BLA.
Have a wonderful day.
I would like to voice my support for the BLA Academy
it is much needed in the city.
I did have the privilege to work as a security guard at the right building for eight years.
I did see many students grow and mature during the years there.
I also had the opportunity to sponsor three students
who attended the Challenge Academy at Fort McCoy.
All three did graduate.
I believed in BLA and the students.
We did have a basketball team even though the players were not very good, but they did try.
I did transport some of the students to the games
and even one of the players who was a guest at the Juvenile Detention Facility.
My job was not just a role as a security officer,
but a person to talk to these youngsters, students as a father role model.
There is a need for BLA in Beloit.
I wish I was younger.
It was a challenge but very enjoyable and I would not have changed it for the world.
I am thankful that Dan Stoffaker who was in charge of school safety
placed me at BLA.
Respectful yours, Robert.
My name is Daniel.
I have four children in the school district at Frozen and BMHS.
I understand that you're under a lot of pressure to figure out solutions given the financial situation we're in.
However, based on conversation with teachers at BMHS as well as kids,
I know who have successfully studied at BLA.
I believe that it would defeat the whole purpose of BLA by moving it back to the high school building.
The success of BMHS and BLA stems in no small part from their separation.
The students who are thriving at BLA are doing so because they're in a different environment.
Putting them back in the place where they struggled is counterproductive.
Daniel.
To your members of the board, I am writing as a family member of several Beloit Learning Academy graduates
and as someone who spent 10 and a half years serving as a data analyst
in the United States Air Force throughout my career,
I have learned one simple truth, data does not lie.
When evaluating the future of BLA, I urge the board to look beyond the surface level numbers
and consider what this school was created to accomplish.
BLA serves students who often need a different educational environment to succeed.
While traditional schools are measured primarily by standardized test scores,
alternative schools should also be evaluated on graduation rates, student retention,
attendance, and the number of young people who remain connected to education rather than dropping out.
According to publicly available data, Beloit Learning Academy serves over 150 students
and has maintained graduation rates around 77%.
Reaching as high as 82% in some years.
Enrollment has grown over recent years demonstrating that families continue to seek the services
and support the school provides.
The numbers are important, but they only tell part of the story.
My cousins attended BLA and I witnessed firsthand the impact it had on their lives.
The school provided an environment where they could grow, mature, and ultimately succeed.
Without this opportunity, I generally do not know if they would have experienced the same positive outcomes.
As a data professional, I understand that every organization must make difficult financial decisions.
However, good analysis requires asking the right question.
The question should not simply be, how much does this building cost?
The question should be, what happens to the students who rely on this program if it disappears?
If even a portion of these students are able to graduate because Beloit Learning Academy exists,
then the return on investment extends far beyond test scores.
It affects employment, future earnings, community engagement, and the lives of entire families.
Schools like BLA are often the last opportunity for students who have struggled elsewhere.
Closing or significantly downsizing the school risks removing an educational lifeline
that has already changed countless lives, including those of my own family members.
I respectfully ask the Board to carefully consider the long-term impact of this decision.
Data should guide decisions, but it must be interpreted within the context of the population being served.
The success of BLA cannot be measured solely by traditional metrics.
It's true success is measured by the students who graduate, move forward, and build better futures
because someone believed they deserved another chance.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your consideration, Amanda.
To the Beloit School Board, my name is Olivia, and I'm writing in support of keeping BLA open
and, if possible, allowing it to remain at the Cunningham Building.
I attended BLA, and I honestly say that the staff and teachers there were so much more than educators.
They were mentors, advocates, and a support system for students facing challenges both inside and outside of school.
As a teenager, I experienced domestic violence, teen pregnancy, and struggles at home.
During some of the most difficult times in my life, the teachers at BLA never gave up on me.
They saw me as a person, not just a student sitting in a classroom,
two teachers who made a lasting impact on my life were Mr. Larson and Mrs. Scoville.
Early in my pregnancy, I would often become very sick during class.
Mr. Larson made sure I was comfortable and supported instead of making me feel like a burden.
Mrs. Scoville, along with many other staff members, always made sure students knew someone cared about them.
They understood that many of us were caring burdens that extended far beyond the classroom.
The staff at BLA recognized that students cannot focus on learning when they are worried about basic needs.
There were times when teachers provided snacks because they knew students were coming to school hungry.
They created an environment where students felt safe, supported, and valued.
Academically, the teachers went above and beyond.
They taught in ways that students could understand and relate to.
They took the time to explain concepts differently, offer extra help, and help students succeed when traditional learning environments had failed them.
They believed in us even when we didn't believe in ourselves.
One of the proudest moments of my life was graduating from high school and walking across the stage with my first-born child there to watch me receive my diploma.
That moment was possible because of Bloitte Learning Academy and the support I received from teachers like Mr. Larson and Mrs. Scoville.
They helped me see the becoming a young mother did not mean giving up on my education or my future.
If it were not for BLA, I do not believe I would have graduated, and if I had not graduated, I would not be where I am today.
The support, encouragement, and compassion I received at BLA changed the trajectory of my life.
They helped me build a future not only for myself but for my child as well.
BLA is more than a school. For many students, it's a lifeline.
It's a place where students who are struggling facing adversity or feeling overlooked are given the support they need to succeed.
The relationships built there and the individualized attention provided by the staff cannot be replaced.
I respectfully ask the Board to consider the profound impact BLA has made on students like me.
My story is just one of many.
Keeping BLA open means continuing to provide hope, opportunity, and a path forward for students who need it most.
Thank you for your time and consideration, Olivia.
Good morning. My name is Chrissy, but everyone knows.
As I was starting my freshman year, I was scared but excited because it was different,
but I was dealing with a lot of things outside of school due to my behavior.
The high school kicked me out every chance they got because of my behavior and not knowing what I was going through
and dealing with at the time because they don't care about the students just the paycheck it seemed like.
It was only two teachers and a principal that tried to help me.
I went to high school from September until March 6th of my ninth grade year.
I couldn't do it anymore, so I asked, could I go to BLA, not even knowing the teachers or principal there yet.
As I waited a week to get transferred to BLA, it was the best thing to do.
At first, it was hard because I was still dealing with things on the outside, but that didn't stop them.
They helped and helped in any way that they could.
They reached out to the family if we didn't show up for school.
They will pick us up if we don't have a ride to school.
If we didn't have food or clothes, they will provide it.
If we need extra help on homework, they will sit there and help.
They will help you also make a big group of people that need the same help and that lack in the same category if it helps everyone.
Half of the kids in Beloit wouldn't be graduated if it wasn't for BLA or community actions.
Yes, kids graduated high school, but the kids that do have a good, decent family.
That's more supportive and involved than some other families.
I can go on and on, but my story and how I became so successful.
We needed our own space and we have comfort with the teachers.
Putting everybody together will not help the next generation.
Dear Beloit School Board members, my name is Brene and I'm writing to express my support for Beloit Learning Academy
and ask that you consider keeping the school open.
I truly believe that I would not have been successful in high school if it were not for BLA and it's incredible teachers.
Beloit provided me with an environment where I felt supported, encouraged, and motivated to succeed.
The teachers took the time to understand me, help me through challenges, and make sure I stayed on track academically.
The teachers at Beloit Learning Academy are some of the most caring, understanding, and loving educators I've ever met.
They go above and beyond for their students and generally want to see each student succeed.
They create a welcoming environment where students feel safe, respected, and valued.
Their dedication makes a difference in the lives of so many students who may struggle in a traditional school setting.
Beloit Learning Academy is more than just a school.
It's a place where students are given a second chance, where they are supported through difficult times
and where they are encouraged to reach their full potential.
I know firsthand how much of an impact this school has had on my life.
I know many other students feel the same way.
Closing Beloit Learning Academy would take away an important opportunity for students who need the unique support
and learning environment that BLA provides.
I strongly believe the school should remain open so future students can continue to benefit from the caring staff, positive atmosphere,
and educational opportunities that help me succeed.
Thank you for being, taking the time to read my letter and consider my perspective.
I hope you will keep Beloit Learning Academy open for current and future students.
Beloit Learning Academy is a great school that my siblings attended.
I went to Beloit Memorial, but I was on the path to becoming a teen dropout after getting pregnant during my sophomore year.
I stopped going to school and chose to work instead of attending my classes.
I met Mrs. Bailey through my brother, and that connection changed everything for me.
Even though I wasn't a BLA student, the school still opened their doors to me.
BLA gave me the resources, support, and encouragement I needed to keep going and graduate with my class.
I truly believe they can help so many other kids the same way.
When I became a teen parent, BLA helped me get into the Teen Head Start program at a moment when I felt lost and overwhelmed.
I will always be grateful to BLA and Mrs. Bailey for lifting me up instead of letting me give up on school.
To the individuals dictating the future and lives of many of our youth just by discussing closing a school,
I was one of the many students that was lucky enough to attend Beloit Learning Academy.
BLA gets a bad rap for being the bad kid school, but it is so much more than that.
I started my freshman year like any other kid and I got by just fine, good grades, friends, etc.
I had something very traumatic happen to me and I mentally and physically gave up.
I didn't want to continue with anything let alone school.
I pretty much dropped out my junior year without any teachers, counselors, or adults really noticing at the high school.
A few weeks before the end of my junior year, my counselor finally sat me down and told me I wasn't going to graduate.
This was the first conversation I'd ever had with her since the start of my freshman year.
How was that supposed to make me feel like she cared about my education?
She finally told me I could try and talk to the teachers at BLA.
Reluctantly, I went and the moment I stepped inside BLA, I was greeted with kindness and treated like I was wanted there.
I sat down with Mrs. Monroe and Mrs. Bailey. They never once judged me by my grades. They asked me why.
They listened to my tears. They hugged me while I cried.
They told me it wouldn't be easy and they were there for me and I would succeed.
I started my senior year with nine credits. That's the amount of a freshman.
I showed up every day because of the encouragement I got from those ladies.
They connected us with members of the community to show us if college was not for us.
There were other careers out there. Not only was I able to graduate, but I graduated early with two extra credits
and walked the stage with my class because the teachers and staff at BLA cared
and they supported me just like many of the other students that have gone to BLA.
BLA is not just an alternative school for bad kids.
It is for the kids who don't have anybody. It's for the kids who think nobody cares.
It is for the kids who need somebody to give them one last chance
and it's for kids who just need someone to notice that they are hurting but do care.
If you close that school down, who will give these kids that one last chance without BLA?
I would not be the woman I am today. I am a mother to two beautiful boys and have a fantastic career
and I am so proud to say I am a BLA graduate. Sam.
Hello, my name is Logan and I'm emailing you about BLA Academy from what I understand the school is at risk of being closed.
I don't think this is a good idea. BLA has helped so many people including myself.
Some kids wouldn't have graduated without this school.
The teachers here understand special education students more than any other school I've been to.
I was treated better here as a special ed student than I was at McNeil.
I was at this school from seventh to twelfth grade.
A lot of students will struggle if they have to move to a different school.
Please consider keeping this school open.
Logan.
Dear school board members, I am ready to use a former student of BLA to express my deep concern regarding the potential closure of the school.
BLA played a crucial role in why I was able to finish high school.
The teachers there helped me through incredibly hard times supporting me as I improve my credits and my attendance.
They taught me things and provided support that the traditional high school simply did not offer.
In my opinion, it's the best school in BLA because the teachers truly care and ensure that students are moving in the right direction.
Closing the school that helps students in this way would be a major mistake.
By doing so, you are taking away the chance for students to learn and become better versions of themselves.
I urge the BLA district to do better for students and keep this essential school open.
Thank you for your time and for considering my perspective, Jasmine.
My name is Tamara and instead of going to the high school when I moved back to Beloit, I chose to go to BLA and be around less students and have more hands on time with the teachers.
BLA taught students that they needed to learn at a very slow pace.
It was better than any high school I went to because sometimes teachers go fast and give you assignments on top of assignments.
When I transferred to BLA, I didn't have enough credits.
I needed to graduate with my class.
They made a plan with me and pushed me to work hard lots of times.
I was distracted more than I should be.
But they always encouraged me to get back on track.
BLA and all of the teachers felt like family and treated all of the students like their own.
Everyone who went to BLA had at least more than one trusted teacher.
I looked forward to going to school every day.
I could feel the love from all of the staff.
One of the things I love to do is hair and got to turn in my work credits when I was falling short and was able to graduate early March.
BLA gave me such an unforgettable experience from the staff to the students.
It was somewhere I wanted to be.
BLA has changed my life in so many ways and changed my mindset to want to go to college.
It should not close because they helped so many students graduate.
They helped so many students graduate with their class and without BLA, a lot of us wouldn't be where we are now.
And it's from M-E-R-R Milan.
This one is from Myara.
Hello, I'm writing this.
For the reason I heard BLA might not stay open and I just wanted to say I've transferred through almost all the schools in Beloit,
none of which were anything like the help BLA has offered the children in Wisconsin.
From day one, I was welcomed, never felt left out, never felt unheard or unseen.
The principal knew all of the students by name and greeted us herself every morning.
Schools don't do that anymore.
They cared about me.
They cared about making sure I succeeded in any way they can.
From rides to bus passes to even helping me find somewhere to stay.
When other schools never even took the time to give me a chance, I bragged about this school religiously.
Ever since I graduated five months early in 2024, there was no way I would have made it through without this school.
This one is from Treasure.
We need to keep BLA due to the fact that it's a safe place to learn for a lot of kids, even my oldest daughter.
She was a freshman in BMHS and she had so much trouble at the high school.
But when we got her in BLA, she exceeded and graduated from BLA.
It is a safe place for the kids and I would recommend to keep BLA and think about putting something similar to BLA for elementary and middle school to all kids who need a safe place to learn.
You should keep BLA and Merrill if you think about it the way all other schools have a swinger and all but Merrill.
Merrill Elementary has been left out for so long.
It needs to be seen.
Just open your eyes and see what we have and use it.
Not get rid of it.
Just use what we have.
Go back to what we had back in 2013.
The kids did good.
And that's all of them.
Thank you, Mr. Shope.
We really appreciate your endurance.
Next, we have the superintendent's report, Dr. Anderson.
Well, since this is my last regular board meeting and I'd like to say thank you to the board to all the administration, to the staff and the community for letting me come back for the last half of the year.
The reason I came back was because when I was here the first time I saw that the school district provided so much potential.
And they, there was the opportunity to succeed and become the school district.
Everybody wanted to be the school district that they remembered.
So I was glad when I came back so I could try to do maybe some small part in having that turn around.
I know that you are in great hands with Dr. Malott.
I know that in a short period of time she will put me to shame, so I actually applaud and look forward to that.
But I just want everybody to know how grateful I am, how grateful I am to the community, and that I wish you nothing but the best going forward.
Thank you, Dr. Anderson.
Next, we have policy committee report, Chairperson Fox.
Hi, the policy committee met on June 1st at 3 o'clock.
There's a lot of policies that are on this agenda that we moved forward for the board's perusal, so we will be discussing those later.
I won't spend any time on those.
We are continuing to look at the cell phone policy, particularly for the high school.
We had a group of teachers and staff that came to talk with us about how their cell phone plan is working,
and they were going to go back and look at the older policy and the new policy and the one that's currently in place
and see what kinds of things they might want to have in the cell phone policy.
We're also working on one about adult student boundaries that's required by the DPI,
and so we're working on making, we have those policies.
We just need to coordinate our policies with what the state law says there should be there.
And so we always have a lot on our agenda these days.
So we are meeting this coming Monday, I believe, at 3 o'clock.
So thank you.
Thank you, Chairperson Fox.
Next, we have business operations and finance and human resources committee report, Chairperson Hankins.
Thank you, Board President.
Yes, we met on Tuesday, June 2nd at 5 o'clock.
We approved the monthly financial from April, which will be presented later on in tonight's agenda.
We looked at the potential line of credit, disbursement, requests.
It's a formality we go through with short-term borrowing, and we approved that.
And we also had the EHCI grant funding vehicle purchase, which we move forward to the Board
for everyone to weigh in on this purchase of a new vehicle.
We had a lot of things to discuss, but I want to take you for time, which will come later in the budget.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chairperson Hankins.
Next, teaching, learning, equity, and pupil services committee report, Chairperson Roo.
Yes, thank you.
The first time with the full board being part of our discussions on June 2nd.
And later on in our meeting, you'll see that we have an consent agenda.
Renewing the seven mindsets are contracted services, which some of them changed since last year,
and have actually helped us to lower some costs and improve academic experiences at the same time.
So that's pretty amazing.
And then our annual adoption of academic standards.
And so those will be found in the consent agenda tonight.
And then our next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7th.
Thank you.
Next, we have the legislative update, legislative liaison.
Yeah, no update tonight.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
That brings us to board action and discussion items.
First up, we have read, talk, play, everyday initiative.
The purpose of this is to seek a formalized partnership with the school district of Illinois to deepen and expand early childhood efforts birth to age five, specifically within the school district boundaries through read, talk, play, everyday initiative.
Ms. Austin and Dr. Flanagan.
Thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight.
I am Jessica Austin, director of early brain development at the state line community foundations literacy for life.
I'd like to start with a simple thought.
By the time a child walks through the doors of a school for the first time, five years of learning and development have already occurred.
The experiences children have during those first five years shape how they learn, communicate, build relationships and engage with school.
Read, talk, play, everyday exists to help families make the most of those years.
Tonight, I'd like to share what we're already doing across Strack County and how a partnership with the school district of Beloit can help us intentionally reach more Beloit families before kindergarten.
Before I talk about the proposal, I'd like to briefly explain what read talk play every day is.
Read talk play every day is Rock County's Early Learning Initiative focused on helping families support their children's development birth through age five.
Our vision is simple.
A future where every child in Rock County begins kindergarten prepared and equipped to succeed, supported by a community that values early learning and empowers families to make everyday moments count.
Our mission is to ensure every child in Rock County has a strong foundation built in the first five years by empowering families and activating the community to embrace reading, talking and playing as essential building blocks for lifelong success.
Everything we do is grounded in a simple belief.
Parents and caregivers are a child's first and most important teacher.
The everyday moments families already have with their children reading, talking, playing, singing and exploring are the moments that build, build brains and shape future success.
The science behind the work is clear.
90% of brain development occurs before age five, 80% by age three, making the early years one of the most important periods of development in life.
According to the Harvard Achievement Gap Initiative, disparities in language, development, cognitive skills and socially emotional growth can emerge as early as 18 months and are clearly evident by age two.
Without early early support, these gaps often persist, impacting children's readiness when they enter kindergarten and continuing through their K-12 educational experience.
This is why our focus is not simply on preparing children for kindergarten in the year before they enter school.
By then, many developmental patterns are already well established.
Our focus is on supporting families during the years when brain development is happening most rapidly, when parents and caregivers have the greatest opportunity to influence their child's learning and development.
The earlier families have access to information, resources and support, the greater the opportunity to build strong foundations that benefit children for years to come.
One of the core beliefs behind retail play everyday is that parents and caregivers are the child's first and most important teacher.
Children spend far more time with their families than with any teacher, school or program.
Research shows that those positive interactions with caring adults are among the most important factor.
When parents understand how children grow and learn, they are better equipped to support and develop through those everyday interactions.
When people hear kindergarten readiness, they often think about letters and numbers.
Those skills matter, but readiness is much broader.
Children need development across five key domains.
They need social and emotional skills, language and communication skills, cognitive development and physical development,
as well as positive approaches to learning, like curiosity, persistence, attention and confidence.
Kindergarten readiness is not built in a classroom alone.
It is built when families, communities, early childhood providers and schools all work together to support a child's development from birth to age five.
Read Talk Play Already, Everyday is already reaching families across Strack County.
Families receive resources through our hospital newborn tool kits.
Parents receive developmental tips and activities through basic sin sites.
Families encounter learning opportunities through Read Talk Play while you wait locations.
We distribute books and learning resources throughout the community.
We provide online resources, videos, activities and public awareness campaigns to help families understand how children learn and develop.
The work already exists.
The opportunity is to intentionally expand our reach within Beloit.
I also want to recognize that many of these efforts have been successful because of strong community partnerships,
including the partnership already with Beloit School District of Beloit.
Through the leadership and support of Missy Beavers, we've already been able to collaborate on initiatives such as Read Talk Play at the park
and several of our Read Talk Play while you wait locations throughout the community.
The district also partnered with us to enroll all of last year's 4K students into the basic sin sites,
ensuring families receive developmental tips and activities directly on their phones throughout the year.
What we're proposing is in a brand new relationship.
It's an opportunity to build upon the partnership and success that already exists.
The next step is reaching families even earlier, before children enroll in 4K.
So parents have access for these resources during the years when development is happening most rapidly.
When children enter kindergarten ready to learn, everyone benefits.
Children are better prepared socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively for the expectations of school.
Families have stronger understanding of child development and the important role they play in supporting learning at home.
Developmental concerns are more likely to be identified earlier, allowing families to access support and intervention before children enter school,
rather than after the challenges become more significant.
Schools spend less time helping children catch up and more time building upon the strengths children are ready to bring into the classroom.
This work doesn't replace the important role of school.
It helps strengthen the foundation children bring with them when they arrive.
As I've shared tonight, many of the building blocks for this work are already in place.
We talk play every day as already reaching families across Rat County through resources, partnerships and community-based strategies.
What we're proposing is not a new initiative but a deeper investment in reaching below families before kindergarten.
To do that, we're requesting a three-year fund 80 partnership of $80,000 annually.
This investment provides the capacity to intentionally coordinate and expand this work within Beloit,
building on the strong foundation and partnerships that already exist.
The next slide highlights what the investment will make possible for Beloit families.
This investment allows us to take resources that already exist and make them more accessible.
As a key part of this work is meeting families where they are.
In neighborhoods, community events, parks, faith-based communities and places families naturally gather.
Through a parent ambassador model, we can engage trusted community members to help share resources, start conversations,
and connect families to the opportunities to support their child's development.
We also plan to host family engagement opportunities at Beloit Elementary School.
These events would provide families with simple hands-on activities they can do with their children
while helping them become familiar with their neighborhood schools before kindergarten begins.
We envision coordinating these opportunities with child-fine, kindergarten transition activities
and other family engagement opportunities taking place in the district.
Families would also have access to basic sin sites, a text message resource that delivers practical,
developmental information directly to the parents and caregivers.
Each week families receive easy to understand information about child development along with simple activities
they can do during everyday routines.
In addition, we would distribute books and family activity kits that encourage reading conversation, play, and family interaction.
These resources provide practical tools families can use at home while also encouraging alternatives to screen time.
At its core, this work is about helping parents and caregivers better understand how children learn
and develop while providing simple, realistic ways to support development in everyday.
Success begins with parents feeling confident in their role as their child's first teacher.
Success is children entering kindergarten ready to learn.
Success is families understanding what children need to thrive and knowing where to turn for support.
Over time, these strong foundations contribute to stronger literacy, stronger academic outcomes,
and more opportunities for children to succeed in school and in life.
The investment we're discussing tonight is about planting seeds and going upstream.
I'll close with a quote from Desmond Tutu.
We need to stop pulling people out of the river.
We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in.
Everyday, schools work hard to help children overcome challenges.
This partnership represents an opportunity to support families during the years before those challenges become barriers.
By helping families build strong foundations before kindergarten, we can help more children enter school ready to learn,
ready to succeed, and ready to thrive.
Thank you for your consideration.
At this time, I'd like to invite Bill Flanagan, Chair of Literacy for Life at the Stateline Community Foundation,
to share a few thoughts.
Thank you, Jessica, and thank you board members and Dr. Anderson for the opportunity to meet with you to share our vision
for ensuring every child born in Beloit is ready to learn by the time they get to kindergarten.
Jessica has expertly laid out our request as well as the why for this proposal for Fund 80 Financial Support.
My job is to reinforce the importance of this proposal for the entire Beloit community.
Rarely in life are we given an opportunity to do something that is a total win-win for every party involved,
but such is the case tonight.
By supporting this proposal for Fund 80 Financial Support, the children who are born here in Beloit
will be included as part of a highly researched initiative, including the work of Nobel Laureate James Heckman,
that clearly emphasizes that the return on investment for early childhood brain development
will return up to $6 to $9 for every dollar invested and could be higher depending on the local educational circumstances.
In short, it's the best investment any community can make to ensure the children are ready to learn by the time they get to kindergarten.
Investing in remedial efforts later in the educational process is far less effective.
But the win-win continues with families being more engaged with their children's learning and success.
Kindergarten teachers will have a higher percentage of students ready to learn making the classroom a more positive learning experience.
Students are more likely to be successful in school.
Lower truancy rates and discipline problems because students will want to learn for the simple reason they can and want to learn.
And finally, students will be more likely to graduate on time and better prepared for a job, college, career,
military service, or whatever path they choose post-high school.
The community, businesses, and employers will win when they have kids ready to be positive and engaged members of our community
and better prepared for the opportunities they will encounter.
Closing the achievement gap and rising test scores will result in more families feeling better about the educational systems their children will experience.
A community with demonstrated academic success for its children will attract and retain economic investment,
a better quality of life, and a community that will prosper.
These are the potential outcomes when we invest in our children, especially their first five years of life when 90% of their brain is developed.
It is for these reasons that we humbly request your financial support from the Fund 80 account in the amount of 80,000 annually for three years.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
And I just also want to thank Missy Beavers for her professionalism and support of our efforts here in the community on the foundation and with the subcommittee.
Thank you, Missy.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Flanagan and Miss Austin.
Are there any board members that have any questions?
Tom Hankins.
Well, thank you very much.
Number one, I'd like to applaud Miss Austin, Dean Flanagan, and Mrs. Tinder, who's in Ireland.
God bless her.
On this whole effort, I've learned a lot and you've talked to me, Dean Flanagan, about the zero or five.
My question goes back to, and I've said before, my wife works for Head Start.
And the reason she stays there is because they have, they do like three or six, three every half year check-ins with the families.
They teach the families how to be better parents to this.
My question to you is, does this program, I mean, it is what's learned in the house before they get two, three, K, four, K, five, K, whatever.
So, my question is, how do you address that?
How do you get to the families individually?
You can hand them a book, but, you know, so Jessica, if you could explain how you individually handle each case.
Thank you.
Thank you so much more than handing a book.
The tools come with what do you do with that book.
So, having books available and accessible are very important.
What we do is through partnership, so we are partnered with Head Start.
We work to share out icons and models so that families, when they see those icons, they see them as learning moments.
So, we are heavily partnered with Head Start.
As the resources we use and share are the resources now that Head Start uses and shares, so that we are all speaking the same language.
So, when parents here maximize love-managed stress, that signals this is a learning moment I need to pay attention.
These are easy, simple tools that make learning easy for parents.
So, the resources we hand out are parent tools, not child tools.
We want to better succeed and fill toolboxes of parents so that they know the job they have,
and they know the job that they can do with their children when they're young.
So, partnership is everything and how we get those tools out to our partners is the work we do.
Not to belabor this, but understand you give out the toolkit at birth to the parents, and then you do a follow-up right away.
We're working to deburr integrate partnerships with the physicians.
Right now, our partnership is deeply integrated through the three birthing hospitals in Rock County, so they receive a toolkit.
Information and that information is delivered through the nursing staff.
Beloit Health System is heavily partnered SSM and Mercy.
Excellent. Thank you very much.
Carol Fox.
You answered some of my questions. I was just wondering what other funding, I mean, this is obviously just a piece of your total funding,
and that you have it very nicely laid out. I just was kind of wondering what some of your other funding sources are
and how this would play into some of those other sources.
Right. So, we have very wonderful philanthropic donors that have made this work accessible
and who are continuously donating to see that these efforts succeed.
There have been other communities with successful models just as ours and seeing the raising test scores.
Unfortunately, we don't have a kindergarten readiness assessment to see that community temperature,
but other states that have similar models to what we are sharing out continuously see the kindergarten readiness assessment percentages increase.
Anything else?
Megan Miller.
Thank you so much. So, obviously, huge supporter, and Jessica was my oldest child's very first caregiver.
So, we remain a huge fan, so thank you for that.
As a reading teacher, 100%, this is really important.
And one thing I wanted to, I guess I just wanted to, I'm obviously in support of this 100%.
Curious if you see, I guess, you talked about partnerships with Head Start.
To what extent are you already partnering with Even Start?
Yes. So, Even Start, Cindy, is on the committee that drives my work.
We have one of our ReadTalk Play While You Wait stations, so they are deeper integrating with the families.
So, everything, like I said before, is parent support.
So, how do we give parents those tools to fill their toolbox?
So, they are now going to be doing parent learning sessions utilizing the basics and the resources so that we all...
Sorry, I'm making a talker.
We are all continuously speaking the same language.
So, all of our resources are in English and Spanish to better accommodate all those in our community.
That's outstanding. I have two other questions.
So, like every time we do something as a board, there's like the right away impact and then there's a long-term impact.
So, I am curious if you had, you know, like, assuming like optimal circumstances,
what is your ideal vision for where this partnership can go?
Like, if you had like endless resources, what would your vision be?
That was actually a big struggle of mine thinking three years because I am...
I see the long-term vision, so taking those steps back on how do we build this because obviously great things take time.
So, we, through this partnership, I can see it evolving to bring in the educational supports within child cares.
Professional development is difficult and you are reaping the benefit of the educational systems in child care.
So, we have to do a better job at educating those who are educating the children in the systems.
So, finding a common PD model within 4K and kindergarten would eliminate resources but also better prepare children before they come into school.
So, that is one of the longer-term models and also bridging the gap into from not school into school, so into that 4K kindergarten.
We often prepare children long-term for college.
We do walk-throughs, we do tours, we understand where your dorm is going to be, you know the campus, you get to school, you have all of that.
But magically 4K, we line them up in a line and give them a kiss on their head and they are there.
So, going through one of the most stressful times in a child's life, we want them to already know their school.
We want to understand that they are prepared to enter through that door that parents have full trust,
and I think that comes when you open the doors before that kindergarten day.
So, having that understanding that the school is already a safe place for you to be.
Well, that's beautiful and I think that very much is something that is needed very much so.
So, later on in our agenda, we're talking about our board's goals that we set for our district.
And so, I guess a question I would have for you that's going to go to my colleagues later is without in any way,
like taking away from spotlight on the powerful and important work that you're doing that I hope we continuously support you in doing.
I think that part of our charge as a school district is to continue working with a variety of community partnerships
to meet all needs, like for example, I know for quite a long time now we've had the imagination library and things like
and I think it's part of our job as a district to help resource navigate for families to piece those things together.
So, to what extent is that something that matches your interest?
Again, not taking away, right?
But if the direction of the district is to go continuously toward like more of like a literacy community outreach,
like because we know our kiddos, the way that they perform and are able to perform academically in school
is very much determined by outside factors that we can't control.
So, to the greatest extent that we can, like how do we support our families and students?
That's something that you're interested in kind of continuing conversation.
And every family to succeed.
Our work is driven throughout the county.
This proposal is specific to Beloit.
So, ensuring and seeing that children succeed and through that partnership model.
Yes.
That's fantastic.
Thank you so much.
And, you know, for all the work that you're doing and for bringing this here this evening.
Thank you.
Are there any other board member questions or comments?
Mr. Johnson.
Thank you for your compassion with the kids and for what you do.
As far as I'm concerned, reading is a key to success in life.
If you can read in the earlier the better, it makes everything work.
Thank you again.
I would add love.
Reading and love having support.
Thank you.
Anyone else?
Carol Fox.
I move approval of providing $80,000 annually for three years for read talk play.
Utilizing fund 80.
I think this is a wonderful use of fund 80.
I'll second that.
We have a motion by Carol Fox and a second by Joanne Roo.
Are there any board member questions on the motion?
Mr. Hankins.
Yeah, I just want to go back to fund 80 for a second and Miss Elwood.
I know we carry a balance in there.
And what I've heard and please explain to me, if we approve something that stays in that, it's an annual levy.
I mean, they're asking for three years.
Now, after three years, does that disappear?
Or do they have to re-up or does it just stay?
Just explain that to me, please.
So if the board approves it for three years, yes, you could use that for three years.
And then, depending on what the fund balance is, we need to look at what the levy would need to be.
If there's a fund balance in fund 80, we wouldn't need a levy as much to cover the 80,000 a year.
The other portion of this, though, is that, yes, you can make this request that we put it in fund 80,
but it first needs to be approved by the Department of Public Instruction and our auditors to be able to be allowed to be in fund 80.
Excuse me, when we finalize the budget in October.
Okay, thank you.
I knew we had to go through that hoop anyways, but I'm just asking after the three years.
After the three years, if you're only going to approve it for three years, yes, you would need to revisit and approve it for longer, if you wanted to go longer.
Okay, thank you.
Do I need to modify the motion to that we are moving it forward to getting approval from DPI?
Or can we just stick with the motion and see what happened?
If somebody would like to make that amendment just to keep things germane, that would be appreciated.
May I ask a clarifying question?
So, just looking at the motion language, the way it was stated, and it says on here, I just want to double check that.
Oh, you didn't read, there wasn't a recommended action.
Okay, I see.
Didn't you, did you say Ms. Fox, like through funded through fund 80 in your motion language?
I did.
Okay, and I think like one of seven, I mean, I feel like that's implied if that's part of the process.
What would you want to add to make?
Executive Director Elwood, are you comfortable with this motion the way it's stated and the process that you have to go through now?
I think we need to add in the language that it needs to approve of DPI.
Okay, so we can add to it pending DPI approval.
That would do it.
Sure, I'll move that amendment.
Is there a second to the amendment?
I'll second it.
So, are there any questions to the amendment at this point?
Okay, we are voting on the amendment to the original motion, and the amendment is pending approval from the DPI.
Mrs. Schop, do you have any questions right now?
Okay, all in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
The amendment motion carries unanimously.
Now we are voting on the original motion by Carol Fox, seconded by Joanne Rheum.
Any questions before we take this vote on what we're voting on?
Okay, all in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries unanimously.
Thank you, Ms. Austin and Dr. Flanagan.
Next up, we've got the 2025-2026 report on district goals.
The purpose of this is to update board members on the status of the district goals from 2025-2026.
Dr. Anderson.
Your first goal dealt with student achievement, and you wanted the English language arts and math in grades 3-8
to increase the percentage of students rated proficient or advanced by 5%, and also wanted the ACT in pre-ACT
grades 10-12 to boost the percentage of meeting reading and math benchmarks by 5%.
I cannot give you the answer on the first one because that information is embargoed until October.
Once the information does not become embargoed, they will make a presentation at that time.
But I can give you information on ACT.
So in the ACT, our juniors in the area of reading, 12% met expectations in 24-25.
This year, in 25-26, we had 20% of our juniors' meeting expectations.
So we did increase by 8%.
Now, it still means that even this year, 80% did not meet, but it did increase from 12% to 20% in reading for our juniors.
Math, however, we had 6% in 24-25 that met the standards.
In 25-26, we only had 5%, so we actually went down for math for the ACT for juniors.
In our pre-ACT, which is our freshman and sophomores, in 24-25, we had 14% of our students being on target.
In 25-26, we actually decreased, and we only have 11% of our students on target.
In the area of math, in 24-25, we had 7% that were on target.
This year, we have 9% on target.
So as far as meeting the goals for pre-ACT and ACT, increasing by 5%, we only did that in one category.
The second was on student attendance, and it was to improve the district-wide attendance metric from 86 to 92%,
and to reduce the chronic attendance rate from 46% to 36%.
Our attendance rate did increase from 86% to 87.6%,
and our chronic attendance rate did decrease from 46 to 44.6,
so it didn't reach the levels that we had expected, but they were going in the right direction.
The next one dealt with student conduct behaviors, safety, and also staff retention compensation,
well-being, and there were numerous factors.
One dealt with the pulse checks.
Dr. Kim Erhart is working on that.
I know that the staff members took that at the end of the school year in each of the meetings,
so I know he'll be compiling that and probably bringing that to the board at a later time.
In other words, climate survey, they usually do a climate survey every year.
However, the last one was done in 24-25, and that was actually presented to the board in February of 25.
There was not a survey done this year, so there's no recent data to give you.
The board usually does an end-of-the-year survey, that at this point I don't think has yet been completed,
and the other one is staff exit surveys.
At this point, we have 24 staff members who have left the district who have completed the exit survey.
However, the HR department would like us to wait until July or August when they had a larger sampling size of those
who have left to give a report.
So that is the information I have on the district goals for 25-26.
Thank you, Dr. Anderson.
Are there any board member questions or comments?
Carol?
I'm sorry.
I could get to the right screen.
The goals are just sort of a broad target, and what we really need as a board is much more specific information
and better information about what kinds of things we're looking at.
I was at the TLE meeting, and we just approved all of these assessment data things,
and I know we're assessing the life out of our kids, and our teachers are doing it all the time,
and yet we don't see any assessment data.
And I really think that we need to have a much larger report that covers the assessment data.
We don't have to wait for WKCE, because it's kind of late.
We have a whole ton of our own assessment data that we should be looking at.
I think we certainly need to be disaggregating our data,
and we need to be looking at attendance data that way as well.
I'd like to see the data by school.
I'd like to see it by grade level.
I'd like to see it by ethnicity.
I think we need to be able to look at this data a lot more thoroughly.
It should be readily available.
I'm hoping that all the buildings have been looking at all of their data and studying all of these things,
and it really kind of needs to go with what strategies that were put in place and how effective we are,
and then what strategies we think we're going to put in place to improve the dynamics as we move forward.
And I didn't hear you talk about student conduct.
I did hear staff, but we do need to be looking at some of that data as well.
So again, I know the goals themselves are pretty broad, and we got the things for the goals,
but we need much more information about how our students are doing.
That's what we're here to find out.
Thank you, Mrs. Fox.
Ms. Miller.
Thank you so much.
Board Vice President Fox, I was so happy to hear what you said about our reporting,
because one of the things that's coming up I think later on the agenda has to do with one of the tools that we're looking at
or that we're going to be using to some extent is next path.
And it's something that is both the cost savings, but it is going to allow our district to do all of those things that you said,
and is in the capacity, at least of my day job, I can say that it's going to be powerful for our district,
which leads me then to the things that I wanted to comment on initially, which are very related.
This is going to shock all of you to hear me say this, but I really would love it if the board could partner with our administration to look at a needs assessment for our students,
because I would like similarly like to know, like, where are we seeing growth in what capacity is like?
What are we doing that is working that we need to sustain?
Our budget is a document that should act to fund and, you know, fuel, right?
The way that we carry out the mission of our district, which is to support primarily, you know, academic growth for our students and to meet their needs.
So in order to do that, we need to know what needs to be sustained.
We need to know what needs to be changed or discontinued.
And we need to be able to work with our educators to create that larger vision that supports what we are seeing, right?
And the needs of our kids and our staff.
So I don't know exactly what the vision is for what we do next with board goals, but I wholeheartedly agree that we need them to be like smart goals.
They need to say, you know, this is the vision.
I'd like that vision to be created in tandem with our administration, because I think we're all going to be on the same page that we want to talk about literacy.
We want to talk about math, right?
I don't think anybody's going to disagree about what needs to be prioritized.
But I think that the way our goals are written should be informed by the current data that we have, which I think really fits what I just heard board member facts discuss.
Another thing that I would like to put out there is I'm curious, since so many of our goals have to do with things that are both within and outside of the control of the school district,
and particularly like attendance and transportation issues.
I'm curious, and I don't know if Board President Johnson can help address this now, or if this is a discussion for later,
but I'd love to explore the extent to which we can develop these more robust goals that are hopefully based on some needs assessment data in tandem with our stakeholders in the city of Beloit and in other outside agencies
so that we can not only capitalize on partnerships, but also be very deliberate in working smarter, not harder,
because I think that we're not the only institution in the community that benefits directly from us achieving the goals that I think for the most part,
we're all in agreement that we need to achieve.
I'm just curious to hear more about what those next steps look like, or what they could look like,
and maybe the degree to which we can bring in outside stakeholders at some point into that discussion.
Thank you. I will meet with Dr. Milan over the next couple of weeks,
and we will put our heads together and come up with a time where we can figure something out.
Joanne Ru.
Yes, thank you.
Speaking of Dr. Gordon Milan, I think one of the first steps in this is giving her the ability to hire the person that's taking her position and doing it quickly and making sure that Dr. Gordon Milan is able to work closely with them because she's been in this role for a while now,
but she has a plan and is ready to implement it, but just needs the people to help her do that.
Any other board member questions or comments?
Tom?
Thank you.
And thank you to the Hendricks Foundation and Lisa for Seth, who's sitting here in front,
but the spotlight has been put on literacy and absolutely correctly.
But as Dr. Anderson just pointed out, our numeracy is going the other direction.
So they work in tandem, but we need to keep our eye on that ball also.
I just want to make sure that is well noted that, and I'm sure Dr. Milan is on top of that.
But as we shift our focus to the younger grades and literacy that numeracy to me is in tandem with that. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hinkins.
Ms. Miller, did you have another comment?
Yeah, I'll just put in a quick plug that in addition to reading core America's program called math core that works the same way.
So, you know, I think there are a lot of possibilities there, Mr. Hinkins.
Thank you.
Our next item tonight is the resolution to authorize an independent hearing officer to determine pupil expulsion.
The purpose of this is to renew the Board of Education's authorization for the use of an independent hearing officer for the expulsion of pupils for the 2026-2027 school year.
This resolution is approving the authorization to use an independent hearing officer only.
Are there any board member questions or comments before I read the resolution?
Or if somebody would like to move to waive the reading of it, we can do that.
I'll move to policy 183 rule 1.
I'll move, wave in the reading.
I'll second.
Waving the reading motion by Dan Shuff, seconded by Carol Fox.
Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries unanimously.
Are there any questions regarding questions or comments regarding the independent hearing officer resolution 26-27.01 expulsion of pupils?
Megan Miller.
Thank you so much.
I think given the main event issue that we have later this evening regarding our budget, it's important for us to be mindful of all of our decisions regarding spending.
And I'd email Dr. Anderson earlier to ask about like legal fees, which I know have been a popular discussion item.
And the estimation that I received was that we spent about $80,000.
Was it just this past year, right, doing with the IHO?
And that if we were to hear expulsions and do the process ourselves, which some of us at least were trained to do already, which, you know, was kind of, you know, kind of just follow a packet, it would cut that in half potentially.
So I respect that this is more than just a budget issue, but having experienced it both ways as a board member.
I like my evenings just like all the rest of us, but I am certainly willing to hear expulsions on our own as a way to help reduce that budget burden.
Thank you, Ms. Miller.
Ms. Elwood, do you know what our cost for the legal fees for the IHO were?
And do you know what the legal costs were for the attorneys for the administrative pre expulsion hearings over the last year?
Yes, actually, since I got that information and it's what I gave from a smaller, your IHO cost this year, about $50,000.
And then the attorneys that we have with the pre expulsion process is about $30,000.
So that's about where the $80,000 comes in.
So $50,000 for the hearing officer and then $30,000 for what I'll call our pre expulsion legal advice.
Thank you, Dr. Anderson.
And then another question, follow-up question I have with that.
And this may not be readily available because I think it predates your time here.
When the board was doing the expulsions ourselves, we had an attorney sit in on them and that attorney was not doing it for free.
Do you know how much we were paying that attorney for that time?
Nobody looking at that debt.
I actually, when I started here my first time three and a half years ago, the board was actually doing the number of expulsions.
They were hearing themselves.
I will tell you that the number of hearings that the board held dramatically decreased.
So you may find what you were charged per hour.
But I can tell you the number of expulsion hearings that are currently taking place this past year and how many that took place during the year which the board was hearing.
There has been a significant increase in the number of expulsion hearings that are being held.
Also, Ms. Miller asked for my opinion.
I did remind us that you will, if you hear it yourselves, you are going to have to dedicate several additional evenings each month because you already know going through in closed session some of the, you know, the results.
If you take each one of those and realize you're going to spend at least two to two and a half hours per, you will get some type of an idea of how many hours you'd have to put in per month to hear the cases.
Thank you, Dr. Anderson.
Carol Fox.
One of the things that the public has clearly made known is that they're very concerned about the safety and the discipline issues that are occurring in our schools.
We need to make it so that our administrators feel that it is a viable option to send the kids to expulsion hearing if they feel it's necessary.
I think when administrators have to bring that to the board, they're pretty hesitant about doing that because it would be feeling like it's reflecting on them.
I also, we spend an awful lot of time doing this and I don't feel the need to spend any more time.
I'd be glad.
I mean, it's not much.
But if you need my $400 a month to pay for the hearing officer, I'd be glad to do that because I don't, I have no desire to do this.
Thank you.
Any other board members?
Dan?
Just a quick comment.
I've been through a couple of the closed session and I've been, I just want to compliment my colleagues.
You know, every meeting we've had, every member has read every word of the packet and when we make the, when we affirm or modify decisions.
So I've been really impressed with the work that is put in already in this process and I'll support the recommended action whenever the motion comes up.
Thank you.
Are there any other board members?
I want to make certain everybody who hasn't spoken yet has an opportunity before we circle background.
Ms. Miller?
Nope, totally.
And thank you for doing that.
I appreciate that.
Yeah, no, I would just say that Ms. Fox, like I appreciate that you brought up, you know, kind of like the concern, right, that admin had expressed.
We did have a conversation recently and I think a few years ago before because I think it's an important trust building piece.
And again, like one is seven, having done it both ways.
It's certainly appreciated.
I mean, as a parent in the district, I appreciate the administration's diligence and prioritizing safety.
And regardless of how, whether we have an IHL, it's not like it's heartbreaking.
Nobody likes that that happens.
But of course, that happens sometimes.
So I would just like to take that opportunity since you did bring that up to reassure that it's certainly appreciated when administration follows policy and does its job.
And whether we are sitting and hearing doing the process, or just simply reviewing the packets, there's no judgment on administration.
It should, hopefully there's some trust and it should feel safe there.
Again, I'm still because of the cost savings.
This is something that isn't a direct classroom piece.
I'm interested in not supporting an IHL.
Thank you.
Is there a motion?
So moved. I'll move the recommended.
Do you need me to read it?
Yes, please.
I moved to authorize an independent hearing officer to determine people expulsion under Wisconsin statutes one, twenty, thirteen, parent, one.
Parente one through four effective July one, twenty, twenty six to June 30th, twenty, twenty seven.
I'll second.
We have a motion and a second on the table. Any questions or discussions on the motion?
Hearing none, all in favor?
Point of order. Yeah.
It's a resolution. I have to do a roll call.
Thank you for reminding me.
Ms. Schop, when you are ready.
Bill Johnson.
Aye.
Meghan Miller.
Nay.
Tom Hankins.
Aye.
Carol Fox.
Aye.
Joanne Roo.
Aye.
Dan Schuf.
Aye.
And Tia Janssen.
Aye.
Motion carried six to one.
Thank you.
It is 802 per board policy.
Is there a motion to extend the meeting?
So moved.
Second.
Motion by Dan Schuf, seconded by Carol Fox. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries unanimously.
Could I just get who moved and seconded please?
Dan Schuf made the motion and Carol Fox seconded.
Thank you.
Our next agenda item is the approval of agreement with the Hendrix Family Foundation.
The purpose of this is to approve the agreement with the Hendrix Family Foundation.
Dr. Anderson?
Well, first I'd like to again thank the Hendrix Family Foundation for the generous offer of
providing two and a half million dollars over three years to help us with the literacy pilot at our elementary schools.
We are actually able to do two elementary schools.
We are going to converse elementary and Gaston.
We are going to fund the 60 slots at one of the two schools and the Hendrix Family Foundation.
Shouldn't the grant agreement be approved?
We'll be funding the 60 slots at the other school, plus they'll be funding the skyrocket professional development.
I'd also like to thank Lisa versus and Liam a lot for all of their help since the board.
Approved going into creating this agreement to sit down and to go over basically to make sure we have covered the topics that we thought were essential and that we could reach agreement on the language.
We have brought the modified language to our attorney.
The attorney actually helped us to draft a couple changes.
They were accepted by the Hendrix Family Foundation, so the grant agreement that you now have in front of you has been reviewed by your attorney and all of the changes that they thought were applicable have been made.
So I am encouraging you to pass this because we are actively working to make sure we're up and running for the beginning of the school year planning for skyrockets to start giving some professional development to the staff.
In August as well as open literacy and arranging our schedules to make this happen.
And I think we're all very encouraged to see what the results will be.
So tonight is where you take a motion on the agreement, but I am in full support recommending that you do this.
And again, I want to give my thanks to Lisa and Leah for all her help in getting us this far.
Thank you, Dr. Anderson, Megan Miller.
Thank you so much.
First, I just want to say just in the spirit of full transparency, I did ask some clarifying questions for anybody who's like playing along at home on the contract language.
And I feel really confident that it is, you know, fair and will be an asset to, you know, our kids in the district.
So I did just want to express also my gratitude toward Lisa for Seth.
I think like in the discussions that we were able to have, it was really, I just want to bring us back to the process.
It was really helpful that we were able to pause and really unpack like what this means and what this, and you know, we've heard a lot tonight from our students in public comment about how there is not a one size fits all.
And I think that for many of our kids, I think open literacy is going to be amazing.
And there are going to be other kids who have different root causes that will need to continue to be creative and work hard to meet those needs.
And I just wanted to highlight that because like this is, I think, really what good community partnership looks like is rooted in mutual respect, willingness to listen and like deeply understand as we move forward.
And I hope that this is the boilerplate for how future community partnership opportunities act.
So thank you so much for your patience and the time that you took to really make this a truly wonderful gift to our children and families in our district.
Dan Shuf.
Yes, thank you.
So one of the things that I'm trying to do is listen carefully to my colleagues and do our homework.
So as a new board member, I just want to express my appreciation.
I've been getting up to speed on this agreement and this proposal, which again, thanks to the Hendricks Family Foundation for providing this in two of our schools.
But I also want to say thank you to my colleagues and to Brian and Amy.
I had a chance to go back and read the minutes, especially of the workshop you had on, I think, Saturday, February 28.
So we don't always talk about times where any board does really good work and digs in and does that.
I want to commend you all for that work you all did and brought us to this point where we can finalize it tonight.
So thank you.
Any other board members?
Here's my thank you.
I move approval of the agreement with the Hendricks Family Foundation for literacy.
I second it.
Motion by Carol Fox, seconded by Bill Johnson.
Any discussion on the motion?
Dan, is your hand still up?
Okay.
Okay.
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries unanimously.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, Lisa and the Hendricks Family Foundation for this very kind, generous offer, and we are looking forward to it.
Our next agenda item is policy 470 rule one student fees.
Student fees, fines, charges, and this is for first reading.
Dr. Anderson and Executive Director Elwood.
Well, first I'd like to just remind everybody this is a first reading.
So what will happen is that these four policies went through the policy committee.
We made suggested changes to bring them to the board.
Now the board has a chance to read and comment.
If there are any changes that you would like on any of these four policies, please contact either myself, Leah, or any one of the policy committee.
And then what we'll do is we'll take this up at our next meeting, make any additional changes that might be suggested, bring them back to you in another month for your second reading and approval.
So basically you have a month period now to determine if there's any additional changes you'd have or any questions on any of the changes that you'd like to see made.
Thank you.
Do any board members have any questions on policy 470 rule one?
Hearing none.
Megan, go ahead.
I'm not very quick to click the thing tonight.
I'm sorry.
This is kind of a tedious clarifying question.
Is this something that would need to be modified depending on what we end up doing with the budget for middle school athletics because I noticed that.
I'm sorry.
I don't have the page number.
It looks like maybe like the third page down.
There's a discussion.
Yeah, there's a highlighted or sorry.
There's a heading that says co-curricular and extracurricular fees.
So like, I mean, I have no objection to passing the policy on to second reading, but is that something that we want to wait to do until after we figure out middle school athletics or I guess I'm just, it's just a question of my colleagues in terms of process and efficient use of time.
But I'm fully the right.
So the fee for middle school sports, if we choose to put the middle school sports program into fund 80 would follow.
It would also be in fund.
Yes, that would be the only change.
And I have to be honest with you because of the waiver of school fees.
It's a very small collection anyway.
No, I figured I just, you know, I just, we want to stay in compliance with policy.
I just didn't want us to create an inefficiency and then, oh, we got to go back to this.
So I just wanted to clear that.
Thank you.
Any other questions?
Is there a motion?
There's be any motions on these of us.
It says a recommended motion approval.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
So then we are on policy.
What?
I'm really, I would just assume that you didn't make, so you gave yourself a month to make, because I know that for fees, we're probably going to have to make a change to that for our next one.
Because of school, of ticket prices for students and what you charge or don't charge.
We just had a meeting today and I know that will be something that impacts this particular policy.
So really, if you use the first reading is simply a time to take a look if there are questions that you can then give us so we can make any changes.
But it gives you a month to read, digest, and ask questions and then approval of the second reading.
Okay.
Are there any questions or comments about policy 671.2 rule one guidelines regulating expense reimbursement?
Tom Hankins.
Thank you.
And listening to Dr. Anderson in that detailed explanation, is that just applying to this one, Dr. Anderson, or are all the ones?
No.
They're all.
All of these are first readings.
All of the paralysis.
But I'm asking, do you see any changes that like you just told us might happen?
I don't know that, you know, it's hard for me to tell you that whether or not there be any changes.
We tried to cover as many things we thought should be changed before we brought it here.
But I have found that giving everybody a month to take a look and to read it to make sure that you understand it.
Because I will tell you the things about policies that I think are extremely important that I've learned over my career.
One is make sure the policy says what you wanted to say for this district.
And then you have to make sure we follow it.
Because what happens is policies are one of those things that get forgotten.
As you just had experience when we were looking at trips earlier.
That, you know, things or languages put in there a number of years ago, it gets overlooked, it keeps going through.
And then all of a sudden you come to an issue and say, well, and you really just said that, or why does it say that?
So you want to make sure the policy says what you wanted to say.
And then you want to make certain that that is a policy that you are going to expect to be followed the way that is written.
So giving yourselves a month to read it to make sure that it does say those things are things important.
Any questions or comments for policy 671.2 rule one?
Okay.
We will move on then to policy 352 field trips excursion student travel and policy 352 rule one walking trips guidelines with new titles 352 field trips and 352 rule one field trips and field trip rules.
Any Joanne.
Yes, thank you.
I'm trying to. Okay.
So it says all request forms must be completed with enough lead time for thorough review.
Any request submitted without ample processing time will be denied.
So is there somewhere where it lists that amount of time?
Like if they're approved by the building principal, like the walking trips, those are usually.
Pretty straightforward or local single day local single day trips are pretty straightforward.
Is there somewhere where it explains to us how much time ahead of time you have to submit these.
I think we kind of thought that the administrative people could kind of make a rule on that.
Joanne is your suggestion that we have a designated amount of time in the policy.
I just as a as a classroom teacher, I would look to see, you know, like if I had an idea, I would probably look to see how many days in advance do I need to know to let my principal know and get all the approval.
Deadlines just are.
Make it clear, but different buildings do things a little bit differently too.
So maybe that just allows for a little bit more.
Maybe the building principles can be the ones that determine how much time ahead of time they need to fill out the paperwork.
Dr Anderson or Dr Milant, do you want to weigh in on that?
That's why we have the first reading so we can take this information and we can take a look and find out, you know, what would be an appropriate amount of days because we do want to make the policies as clear as possible so that people understand them and know what the rules and regulations are of the each policy.
So we will take a look at and see if we can put in, you know, a specific time period or at least a range.
I would really like to board members who haven't actually been on the policy to look this, especially our two teachers.
We kind of combined several different policies together.
So all field trips were kind of under one umbrella.
We have things about chaperones.
We have things, you know, guidelines for the staff.
So most of it was in the policies we had.
It's just very much kind of rearranged.
So I would appreciate it if you'd kind of take a really good read through that and see if you see anything that we missed, especially since you've done field trips too.
Tom Hinkins?
Yes, thank you.
Talking about the timelines, Joanne.
And as we've learned in the last year, I've learned that transportation kind of rules the day.
So, you know, with these requests need to get into our transportation people to make sure there's a bus available to take to and fro.
So that timeline needs to be addressed too with along with the request to the superintendent.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Any other Joanne Reu?
No, I just, my mind basically was about the walking field trips because I've been a member at a couple of different buildings and at one place.
If we came up with it on Monday and had it all set and parents were okay with it by Friday, we could go.
And the other one, it was two month process.
So, I mean, different strokes for different folks, but I'll tell you how I did a whole lot more walking field trips with my first person.
Thank you.
Dr. Malat?
Yeah, Durham typically requires at least two weeks notice to schedule their busing.
And you do have strikeout language in your policy from before.
It did say that executive director of business services needs 150 days before time of travel for international trips and 90 days before time of travel for domestic trips.
So there is a timeline in there that you do have strikeout.
So, but typically in the schools, we need at least two weeks time because Durham has to be arranged.
The nurses have to have time and it is a lot of time for the nurses to check off emergency medical dental and all the things.
So, two weeks is even pushing that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Any other questions or comments on the policies?
Joanne?
Oh.
Sorry, my hand was still up.
Okay.
Maybe we could say like a minimum of two weeks then just so that it covers the nurse and all of that too.
I don't know.
Just for safety sake.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anyone else before we move on to our next agenda item?
Okay.
Our next agenda item is the budget proposal.
The purpose of this is to share with board members the proposed budget reductions that administration has put together for the 2627 school year.
The administration has brought forward several options and is now presenting its final option based on feedback from the board members.
At several meetings taking into consideration many factors including staff feedback as well.
And before I turn it over to Dr. Anderson I do want to point out that oftentimes I have heard criticism against the board and the district as us not having clear goals.
I'd like to respond to that and that many of our district goals are actually enshrined in our policies.
For example policy 610 is fiscal management goals policy 210 is administration goals or policy 710 is support services goals.
The 100 series of our policies are the board policies and our 110 goal policy is our mission statement.
And I'm going to read that to you now.
The mission of the school district of Deloitte committed to excellence and strengthened and enriched by diversity is to prepare each student to compete,
contribute and thrive as an admirable citizen in a rapidly changing world by engaging students in a wide variety of high quality relevant programs in partnership with families,
schools and the state line community.
Further the district's vision statement is preparing and inspiring each student to succeed in life and contribute to an ever changing world.
Last board meeting when we discussed the budget there was some criticism against the board for not being able to come to a consensus.
I will remind everyone when we are looking at decision making models we start with our problem.
I think there's no lack of understanding of what our problem is.
We have a budget deficit this year.
We have a greater budget deficit next year.
We face continually dwindling enrollment.
We have a set of objectives.
The board has approved the board guidance for the 2627 budget that was given to the administration.
In this document which was approved in April, it gives the administration direction and priorities.
These priorities address the question of how do we place students in the instructional spaces that best meet their needs
with a priority of being student focused.
The board's guidance document lists these three priorities maintain existing district teacher to pupil ratio guidelines.
This is laid out in policy 343.2 class size.
The second priority was preserve the focus on staff retention and recruitment by providing a 2.63% CPI increase
for the professional staff and upcoming budget for the professional staff in the upcoming budget.
Prioritize district programs and initiatives that drive student enrollment i.e.
Academies model at BMHS DLI to minimize the recent enrollment patterns for the district.
I'm going to encourage us to keep our discussion grounded in facts.
The other thing this board has done is the board has indicated that it is willing to use OPEB funds to cover the cost of longevity pay for one year.
This would add about 330,000 to any of the budgets budget costs.
And finally at the last board meeting we went down the line and asked what we were looking for and many of the members
and we were looking for a balanced budget.
Again this goes to policy 610 fiscal management goals and well a balanced budget may not be achievable.
I think for consensus building it might be a good place to try to start and then work from there.
How far off from balanced budget?
How far deficit do we want to go?
There are a lot of things we have to take into consideration aside from just we are in a bad situation right now.
We also have to take into consideration not just the voices of all the people who were willing to come out tonight and
or willing to email and share their thoughts but also the voices of the many polluters that don't come out.
Those polluters that share their voice at the ballot box.
The other problem that we have are dealing with is we had three consecutive years of failed referendum.
We have to figure out why we are having failed referendum.
If this community loves this school district so much we have been doing something wrong.
And I think we need to look at our budget, set our budget to align with our priorities and start with a balanced budget
and work from there.
Dr. Anderson?
Well we start again tonight.
So we will start where we left off at our last meeting.
Is it I had brought what I at that time called option D which basically had taken the poll of the various like
did you want elementary deans?
Did you want the director of curriculum and CTE?
Career and technical education excuse me for a second.
I know that I would have been corrected in second if I got it wrong.
Did you want the director of nursing?
So we asked certain questions.
You provided answers and I provided then a budget option that tried to put in.
If you the majority said we would like something at it I put it in.
If the majority said they wanted something taken out then I took it out.
Since the time we have made a couple other revisions to that so what you will see is it says final option.
The only reason it is final is because it is the last option that I will be able to present to you.
And what this option did is it took basically option D and we tried to find out could we get a little bit closer
to using less open up dollars.
And what we found out is that if we went to the virtual school and right now we offer virtual education to all our students
you know all our grades.
If we were to cut that down and just do it for the high school and for those students that are under an expulsion order
we can save 100,000 dollars.
So we thought we would make the recommendation to limit our virtual education to high school
and those students who may be expelled from the district so they have an educational option so that would reduce it by 100,000.
We also then looked at the various budgets in teaching and learning.
We found that we could make some changes in our purchases that were being made and could save 125,000
so that basically dropped it to 225,000.
Now that does not get you to a balanced budget.
That gives you to the option that's in front of you right now which is closer.
We did look at other options that could get you closer.
One of those options was we could take BLA and we could move that to Merrill Elementary.
We could have the students that currently are in Merrill Elementary be on the first floor.
BLA couldn't have it the second floor.
They do have an entrance that could be basically private.
There are still some places that would have to be used.
But that would allow for some additional savings if you did that because we could save on the principal.
In the secretary right now Merrill doesn't have a principal or a secretary for next year.
If we moved BLA the principal could take over that job to the secretary and there may be some additional cost savings.
So we could probably save a couple hundred thousand dollars more if that option was used.
We did look at the option what if we closed the Merrill School?
What if we took the students that since Merrill's are still at the lowest enrollment?
What if we closed Merrill and we divided the students and moved them to Robinson and Todd.
We would then have also some savings and we wouldn't because those buildings already have principals and support staff.
We would have to bring some teachers over because of the number of students so that there would be some savings also in staffing.
So that was an option.
Neither of those two options are going to get you to using no OPEB funds but they were both you know there were potentials.
If you did not even hate to say this but if you eliminated BLA as a program and you did not offer it at all you would probably save enough to have a balanced budget.
Now I would vehemently fight and tell you why that would be the total wrong decision because it does serve a segment of our population of our student population that has been very worthwhile.
You've had this for a long time.
It does provide an option to help students in graduation that if you did not have it it takes a last chance opportunity
away from some that it seems to be very successful but if you did not have it would the elimination of all those staff bring you closer to a balanced budget the answer is yes.
I will tell you that tonight whether you make a decision or not you will make a decision and what I mean by that is if at the end of the night we haven't found a solution that is acceptable
and you go into July you will have made the decision of not being able to close any buildings because you won't have enough time there just will not be the time to make that happen.
So the discussion tonight will be is that if you do want to move students we would have to know that tonight in order for us to have the time to do that before the beginning of the next year.
Now I'm not advocating that.
What I am advocating is what I went back a couple times ago I was asking what I call enhanced C.
Enhanced C basically says that the employees that currently are working for the district stay working for the district.
They may be in a different position they may be in a different building but the cuts would be made through the vacancies attrition of course some of the things that we did tonight.
I call it enhanced C because in C we had taken the library media professionals and introduced in the halftime in the elementary schools.
There was a lot of discussion even at the board level about potentially making them back.
So I would put those back which means you're going to have to use more open funds but it does give you the time that you need to make sure that when you are going to make changes because you are going to make building changes
in twenty seven twenty eight there is no way around it.
You are simply going to have to make those changes because your student bodies will decrease and you won't need to use all of them.
I have been a firm proponent that I think what the board should do right away is that the board should start having a discussion.
How what do you want your facilities?
How do you want to use them?
Now we've had discussions.
Could you keep them all open?
If you had student enrollment that was you know tending back up the answers then I would say yes.
At this point we have not been able to solve that problem so enrollment is still declining so realistically I don't think that's going to be an option for you in twenty seven twenty eight.
But I think when you start making building changes you're going to want to make those one time.
In other words I don't think you want to make a change this year and then make a different change the following year.
I'll give an example.
It had been discussed it might be politically wise if you took like frozen middle school and you moved that over into Cunningham and had a middle school on both sides.
That then both sides of town have middle school.
That might be a good idea if you were going to maintain two middle schools but I think you're probably going to go to one.
So you certainly want to move the students from frozen to Cunningham and then in a year from now say well we're only going to have one.
I don't think people would look at that with much foresight.
Now I think if you start having those discussions on what do you want your buildings to look like and you can let people know well in advance.
So I have been a proponent in my board bulletin of saying that if the board can have its discussion with among itselfs with among its constituents and come out in January and say we believe for the twenty seven twenty eight school year our facilities will use as follows.
I'll just use an example.
This is not what it would be.
But you know that Memorial High School is going to stay at Memorial High School.
That's not going to change.
You may decide you're going to go to one middle school.
Let's say that's Aldrich.
You may decide that you want to either sell frozen or use that as an elementary school and close to elementary school so you have two elementary schools both sides.
Maybe frozen becomes the elementary school for Todd and Merrill so you have frozen elementary in Robinson.
Maybe do the same thing on the other side of town.
Maybe Cunningham becomes the elementary school for Gaston and Hackett so you have Converse and then Cunningham.
Whatever the situation will be is if you give people enough time so they can make those changes and if you do that maybe Merrill Elementary School becomes where BLA would be and some of its auxiliary programs.
But my point is the decision that you make if you can then tell the public in January what everybody can expect then you're giving everybody eight months for the planning.
You're giving administration and staff eight months to determine how this is going to work.
You give the public eight months to know what it is that you're going to do in the decision that you make.
Now if you decide that you want to move students for this next year we'll move students just this next year.
It's just that I think you'd be better off if you did all your moves in one particular year letting people know what they're at.
But the motion that or the not the motion the option we have up there basically takes the option we left with at the end of the last meeting.
And it has some additional savings.
Now I do want to bring one other question up is that one of the things this option does not have an option D did not have was the director of nursing because we cut nursing staff and we cut the director.
I will just tell you that you may want to take a look we have not determined how those additional services are going to be covered.
All right I'm not saying that they shouldn't be caught I'm saying that you know but we might want to take a look at how are those services are going to be covered or what services you no longer want people to perform.
Because when you have less staff there are going to be less things that can be done and I know the questions have come to me.
Well Wayne who's going to do you know who's going to check out for all the field trips if we don't have that.
Who's going to do the Medicare and the answer is I don't know.
Which is not a very good answer but it's the answer that I can give you at this point.
So I'm simply that's why I'm advocating for what I call enhanced C because that gives a lot more time determine how you're going to make these changes in the future.
So I guess that's my opening mark for clarification are you enhanced is option enhanced C the same as option final.
No the option final is option D which we covered last time with some additional savings that we were able to find about $275,000.
So basically decreases option D by 275.
It does contain the things that you wanted in the budget in other words it does contain the elementary deans are put back in.
It does contain the director of career technical education.
It does not contain the director of medical services the director of health.
So but it does get you closer that is what the final option that we have and like I said that was based on polling the board members on things that they wanted to see in the budget.
But we were able to find some additional savings.
Thank you. I'm sorry.
No I don't.
So we board members do not have option C enhanced in front of us to view.
That is correct.
You have option C the only difference when I call option C enhanced is that option C we had the library media specialist that half time in the elementary school.
It would simply move them to full time.
That's the only difference.
Okay.
Board member Miller your hand is up.
It is. Thank you.
I just had a clarifying question.
We heard through public comment this evening some thoughts about sort of.
I'm characterizing it as like a community.
It's more than a community schools model like a pretty comprehensive community space that's been currently housed in Cunningham.
So I guess my clarifying question before we kind of get into the larger board discussion would be.
You know, I know that there was something put forward about, you know, consolidating things in the mayoral like what what happens to those other services like was there any like I don't I'm not saying there should have been I'm just kind of curious.
Where are those other services or programming pieces would be housed?
Well, first of all, if BLA goes out of Cunningham, it doesn't mean we won't have any programs there.
I mean, it makes sense to keep some there.
We zone our heating and cooling and all that.
So we've had numerous discussions and Stephanie is reminded us is that there is a benefit to keep, you know,
to keep some programs in each of our buildings that just makes sense in its because we can't totally shut off it, but we can zone it so we can lower the heating in that cost.
So we would keep some programs there.
Some programs can be moved like the GEDO program that can be moved to the high school.
We could do that.
Fresh their even start.
If we if we move BLA to Merrill, then it doesn't make sense to move that there because then we run shortage of rooms.
If BLA stays where it is, but you wanted to move that over.
There is rooms in in Merrill.
So there is movement that can take place and we can move some programs to the high school because some are more compatible than others that are currently in Cunningham.
But I don't think we'd look at totally closing down any of our buildings as Stephanie is reminding us it doesn't make fiscal sense.
Got it.
No, I appreciate that clarification.
So I'll just say like going back to the board guidance priorities question.
How do we play students in the instructional spaces that best meet their needs with the priority of being student focused.
One of seven like I have like zero interest right now and I think it sounds like Cunningham works really well the way it is.
Like you said, like if there's like little stuff that we can move around that isn't going to have like a major impact on student.
I'm going to back to our question language.
Student focused and meeting student needs like moving the GED.
It's a little GEDO program through BDC like cool.
But yeah, I just wanted to clarify that because I'm just trying to wrap my mind around like what all the options are.
But again, like one of seven like I really am.
I'm really liking what I'm seeing in both enhanced C as well as option D.
You know, willing to hear from my colleagues as well.
So thank you for clarifying.
I appreciate it.
And remember, we will look for additional savings.
This is a draft budget.
Your finalism in October.
Whatever decision the board makes, we are not going to.
I shouldn't say we.
We for the next two weeks after that will be a different we will continue to look for options on where we can potentially save dollars.
Because we all want to do that.
I think we just have different views on, you know, maybe the rate in which we need to make certain changes.
But we are going to continue to look.
I mean, one of the examples is that when you passed the budget last time, you said, well, you would allow for the expenditures of what was a 1.7 million of OPEB funds if we needed it.
And we're not going to need that.
Now we did sell a building, which I helped a great deal.
But what we look at is that when we're telling you that we think we need so many OPEB funds, if we are saying, hopefully we'll be able to use less than that.
But we want to give at least an estimate of where we are right now as we continue to look for additional ways we might be able to save money.
Thank you, Carol Fox.
I must say I'm very disappointed in all of this.
There was an option B on the table that had suggestions for changing some of the buildings and closing things around.
And that was presented in a timely manner.
And here we are now because it got totally backed away from.
And now it's too late, right?
It's like, oh, gosh, if you can't make the decision tonight, then we can't do anything about it.
So to me, we've had this method of doing things before where we just drag our feet until it's too late.
And then we get stuck with not the decisions that we really want to make.
And I'm also disappointed in the fact that somebody who was saying, you know, what, two and a half months ago,
they highly recommend that we don't use OPEB money, and we're still not anywhere close to a balanced budget.
We had several board members who asked for a balanced budget.
I asked for a budget to get below a million dollars, and we're not there.
We're just not there.
And it's pretty disappointing.
I just don't really know where to go with this at this point.
I just really don't.
Once again, let's kick the can down the road.
And yeah, we can do it next year and move everybody around all at once.
But it's just really disappointing.
And there's lots of things in here that still need to be looked at.
I mean, I was, you know, we still put deans into all of our elementary schools.
We're looking at a Merrill School is going to have 174 students.
That's two administrators for 174 students.
That's 87 students per administrator.
Are we really going to do that?
I mean, why are we not looking at the realities of things?
And the other thing that I asked for was a plan of what we're going to do
and where we're going to use the Title I money and the AGR money.
Now it looks all different.
And I don't see a plan for what you're really planning thinking of doing
and how this money is going to be spent.
And so, yeah, we've delayed again.
And here we are.
Joanne Roo.
Yes, thank you.
Since we are at the end of June.
I did visit Cunningham the other day.
It's a beautiful building.
I have a lot of concerns about moving people this late in the summer.
We combined buildings a long time ago.
I remember when Royce and Hackett were combined and we met as a team in the spring.
We came up with a plan to make us one community.
The students had time to have closure in their buildings,
to say goodbye to what they've always known there.
Our schools, they're not as much neighborhood schools as they used to be,
but they still are neighborhood schools.
And I think that there's more than just packing up buildings
and moving them across town or to another place.
I think we need to allow our students and teachers to have time
to bring closure to relationships
and celebrate the accomplishments that they have.
Cunningham itself, when I walked through the building,
I was actually surprised at how much of the building is actively used.
After hearing how it wasn't, there are many programs housed under one roof.
And each of those programs require special things.
The transition program has a kitchen.
They have a living area where the children can practice making beds
and doing all of the things that you do at home.
They learn how to sort laundry and do laundry.
They have the food pantry there.
Even Start takes up a large section of the building.
They have a gorgeous library there.
If we move them over to Merrill right now,
we're talking about two separate libraries.
We don't have a place for all these other programs.
They're going to still be at Cunningham or shoved somewhere else.
I think we need to do what's best for our students at this point
and our staff members and respect that this is their summer
and they should be able to take this time to restore and rejuvenate
so they're ready to come back in the fall.
And then I think us as a board in July, we need to sit down
and look at things really hard and come up with a plan
that we can move forward with so that we can move things the next year
because absolutely we do need to close buildings.
We do need to put more buildings up for sale.
I think we need to do it in a way that's very thoughtful
and considerate of our students and staff.
Thank you.
So according to the proposed budget reductions 26-27 presentation,
May 12th, and this has been on just about every agenda since then.
On slide seven, it has the historical enrollment context.
Our alternative programs from 2024 had an enrollment
of 2005 as of May 6th of this year,
and 205 as of May 6th this year, it had 118.
That's a reduction of 42% enrollment in our alternative programs.
Can any of the administrators tell me,
have the staff been reduced to follow that reduction,
and do we know what the projected enrollment will be
for our alternative programs for fall?
Well, if you're asking what it was prior to this,
I honestly don't know that because I don't know what the enrollment,
or what your staffing was the last year,
and if you decreased what your staffing decreases were last year.
My point being, folks, we don't have any money.
We just don't have money,
and nobody is coming up here with any good recommendations.
We have to do something.
We as board members have to prioritize the solvency
of the school district of Illinois, not this program,
not that school, not this, not that.
We are hearing a lot of, we can't, don't do this, don't do that.
We are hearing zero recommendations.
Moving the BLA program,
shuttering Cunningham for a year, what that would do
is we could reduce services, costs, and services.
The high school, I will actually pull this out
because I was taking notes.
Who was the student?
BLA teachers are the most caring, dedicated teachers
who give their all.
Amen to that, aren't they?
Guess what?
Every single teacher in the school district deployed is.
Every single one.
And I don't know if those students had stayed at the high school
if they would have had a different experience,
because there are kind, loving teachers everywhere in this district.
BLA, to my knowledge, has not made efforts to right size
as the enrollment has drastically reduced.
I don't know that we can continue doing this
and go to our taxpayers and say please give us money.
I personally would love to live in a mansion, have lots of room,
but my financial situation says no, you get paid $400 a month
and that's what you need to live in.
I would suggest that we do a better job looking at how we are spending money.
I was told by the previous superintendent that when we changed
the intermediate schools back to middle schools,
that it would have an effect by increasing our DPI report cards
because it would have the alignment of the grades.
This result has not come to fruition.
We cannot make decisions based on hopes.
We have to base our decisions on the data
and the reality that we have.
And looking at this enrollment,
I'm concerned what our fall enrollment will be
for our alternative programs and the incredible costs.
And if you cost it out, cost per student,
it gets unfair to the students at the high school.
Again, going to this capacity, this presentation, slide 13,
the high school has less than 50% capacity.
Now, do they have the academies and whatnot?
How are they laid out?
I don't know, that's not my job, but it says to me
if we have a functional capacity of 2472 students
and we only have 1,131 students, that's less than 50% full.
I honestly believe we can get creative and find a wing,
a floor, some space in the high school
and put the BLA program and all of these other programs
at the high school, would it cost to move?
Yeah, is it short notice? Yeah.
But hey, you know, look at Janesville, they just had a flood
and they moved an entire building in a week.
It's not, it's not, it's not undoable.
A few years ago, we closed two Westside schools,
got them moved over the summer.
We're talking about 118 students moving.
That has, in my opinion, the least impact on the number of students.
And the next group up would be Merrill.
Merrill has more than cutting him.
You know, give us some other options.
One thing I'd like to suggest that the board does,
especially when you talk about capacity, is to actually take tours
of the buildings so you can see what the rooms are.
Can you increase capacity?
The answer is yes, you can.
So part of that capacity means you're going to increase the number of students
in each of the classrooms because capacity is built on how many rooms,
how many students can a room hold, you know,
and that's going to mean you're going to have to look at different changes also
and basically what are your class size limits.
So I'm not saying that the high school doesn't have a lot of space.
I'm simply saying that I think if you want to move BLA over to the high school
and you want it to maintain separation, which what it has,
I don't believe that that's possible without spending a fair amount of money
to basically make it two separate.
And I think the, for me to tell you that is one thing,
but I think if you actually walk over, because we did,
before we did that, we walk through to determine how that could happen
and the bottom line is we could not figure out how that could happen
without spending a fair amount of money.
So I would just recommend the board, please walk through the buildings,
make that, let the building principal walk you through,
so you can see, so we talk about capacity, we truly,
we can see what capacity truly is because what capacity says on a piece of paper
and what capacity looks like in a building may not be exactly the same.
Thank you for that, Dr. Anderson.
I believe all board members have been to the high school
and have at one point or another toured the high school.
I think part of our question here is when we're talking about capacity,
if we have 1100 students for a building that's supposed to comfortably fit 2500,
what's the real size of our classes?
And I think that might be some data that might be beneficial as well.
And why, through this process, even after the fact that we all,
myself as well, when after approving the board guidance
and our number one priority, meaning maintain existing district teacher pupil ratio
guidelines, it's maintaining the guidelines, not the actual classes.
I have heard that there are classes with as few as four or five, six students,
which is actually outside of board policy.
I think we really need to take a deep look at all of our systems
because all of it comes back to we're spending a lot of money.
We're spending, and looking at the effectiveness and the efficiency,
it doesn't seem to equate.
When we did do the staffing, with each of the buildings,
we did use the staffing guidelines that are in your policy to determine
that's why there are a number of high school staff members on the list,
because when you take a look at how many students per class a week cut out,
when I say week, with Emily Pells and that take a look at all of the students
enrolled in various classes to cut the lowest enrollment classes.
Dr. Anderson, can I have some more questions?
So answers a couple of your questions.
We have reduced enrollment, but in the BLE entity before,
some of the previous numbers included our early graduates and expelled students
and also our fresh start program.
So it's a fresh start program, we lost 40 students,
but that also then saved us, we were putting out $240 a year in cash,
$6,000 per student to community action.
With that, we have also reduced a teacher, a library of media,
we did not have a coach and a behavior peace room,
so that we have reduced staff along the way.
In BLE proper, we still have six teachers for 100 students.
We have maintained where that has been,
even when we moved from the right building had smaller numbers.
So there has been a reduction in enrollment,
but it's been through some of these programs that we used to count,
or we no longer have, and they're also, you know,
the cost savings from what we put out for a fresh start.
Thank you, Mr. Skenvers.
I will double check my notes that I have from the fresh start program.
I appreciate your input.
Okay, thank you.
Megan Miller, and then Carol Fox.
Thank you so much.
Board President Johnson, you raised a number of really good questions.
I really appreciate kind of the, I think the lens of match,
like you started with like a lens of matching needs,
which I can always get behind, and that makes a lot of sense.
A couple of things, I want to add some context to,
you had mentioned the situation with West Side Schools.
The least favorite vote by far I've ever had to take.
We had to approve that in April.
It was really criticized.
The timing was really criticized, and the reason for that timing
is exactly what we're seeing here right now.
It wasn't just a whiplash decision.
Moved some schools over the summer.
It was like, if we were going to do something and it had to be done
in that amount of time, which again,
a lot of circumstances were not ideal about that.
However, I just wanted to make sure it was clear that that's like
an apples to oranges kind of situation.
Also, our state report card has gone up every year since 2021
school year.
We were at 46.9 and 48.7, then 50.6, then 53.1 last year,
so 55.8, the 24.25 school year.
So there were increases that we saw because of that.
So I just want to make sure we could clarify those pieces.
You asked for, okay, so what's the solution?
You are 100% right, that any time we talk about any kind of
budget thing, including things that I personally care about,
there's going to be stuff that we're like, yeah, we shouldn't,
but we have to.
And I think that's a really important point to make because
I think Dr. Anderson also has done a great job of articulating
throughout this entire process.
There's going to be, there's no way to do this without hurting
kids, and that's our main goal is to support and grow our children.
So you are absolutely right to point that out.
And I just want to validate that.
So you did also though say no one is brought forward a plan.
So I would just, I'm going to throw this out here.
So for me, what I believe would be constructive,
given the limitations that we have with total, you know,
with Wiggle Room, you know, we haven't really gotten into the
details, right?
And option D and like the new and improved option C or any of
the other pieces, you know, coming from a curriculum standpoint,
we know where we're going to be in 2728.
We know what that cliff looks like.
It would be my belief that we backwards plan from that number.
Like we're going to start with this place, a draft budget,
and that's going to take us to the next step.
Then our next step, like I 100% agree with what Joanne said,
we're going to need to be here a bunch in July.
And we're not really just going to be preparing to pass our
October budget for this year.
We have to have embedded in the thinking and planning for our
budget this year, what next year's looks like.
And so for me, I think the solution would be what can we do
this year that is feasible, that's like respectful to the
capacity of our staff and, you know, families, of course,
with the understanding that we're going to have at least a draft
plan prior to January with what those facility changes will look
like, because from what I've heard, and I don't want to put
words, anybody's mouth, but what I'm not hearing really any
disagreement from any of my colleagues up here about the
reductions and the re-imagining of like how we use
facilities that's going to have to happen.
I'm actually, this is going to sound terrible, but I'm kind of
like excited to have those conversations because it's painful,
but it also comes with like this sort of hopeful visioning for
like, how are we going to set ourselves up and to thrive in
this new reality.
So I want to be very careful about how I'm communicating
because Board President Johnson, like I definitely appreciate
where you're coming from.
And we disagreeing on a few pieces, but I think we are,
I am overhaul hearing a lot of consensus and a lot of
agreement between all of us on the board.
So while I know that some of us and Carol made it really
clearly feeling disappointed, I respect that.
I think where we are now, I would love to see us say,
what is our budget going to need to be by October 15th when we
got our stuff from the state in 2728.
And how are we going to backwards plan considering that next
year and this year, create a facilities draft to figure out
how we get as close as we can to a balanced budget.
And I fully, I'm on board with that.
I just, I think given the time that we have now,
realistically what that's going to mean for our students,
like that's the solution or a solution that I would offer.
Because to me, I feel like that accommodates what I'm hearing
from everybody.
But those are my thoughts.
Jo-Ann Ru.
Yes, thank you.
So talking about combining the buildings back to kindergarten
through fifth grade, I think overwhelmingly the community has
been happy with that.
I don't think that is the reason why our test scores are going
down, like we've heard.
I think it's collective teacher efficacy.
And the reason for it isn't because of the teachers that we've
had in place, it is because we are using temporary employees
that are not actually district employees.
We're having to go through agencies to help fill positions.
And when we have that problem, it makes things bigger.
And if we don't show respect to our teachers
and move them right now, we're going to lose more teachers.
And because moving right now would make for major headlines,
we would not be able to attract the kind of quality teachers we want
to attract.
And I think when we are coming up with this new plan,
I think we need to have a lot of decision-makers at the table.
I think we need our principals at the table, the cabinet at the table,
so we can all work together to have some thinking outside of the
box ideas.
And I think the budget is just, this is just step one.
And then we like tease it apart, right?
And like find some more things.
And didn't we, we said that we could use OPEB this year,
and then we ended up not using it, right?
That is correct.
Yeah.
That's, I'm concerned for our students.
I envision, as much as I don't want to say that we're going to be a
smaller district, I envision a smaller but better district.
If we are able to focus and really do some great planning ahead of our
changes, I think we could make things really amazing for our community.
Carol Parks.
You know, we have asked a lot of people for a lot of input and a lot of
the out of the box ideas.
And every time we come up with an out of the box idea, people don't like it.
So we spend a lot of time, time to deal with that.
I would actually like to hear from Dr. Molot.
I hate to put you on the spot.
But, you know, it's, it's, what is your opinion about things like closing
some of these buildings?
I, I just very uncomfortable having yet another year where we have
totally underutilized buildings.
But maybe what we do is we sell colac and move everybody over to the
high school.
And maybe that'll satisfy some folks.
If you, we don't think we can shut down Cunningham and we don't think
we can move programs and, and, but, you know, I, whether we move BLA this
year or not, BLA is going to be moved.
It's just it.
And I don't know that we can afford to have a separate spot.
I just don't.
Because we're going to be pretty small.
And, and we've got to come to some, some grips with some stuff.
But if we aren't going to be closing Cunningham or moving BLA or doing
any of those kinds of things, you need to go back to the drawing board
and, and, and find more.
You got to find more.
Dr. Molot, I would, if you don't mind, I would appreciate your input.
And I hope the other board members would too as well.
And yes, we have been having different conversations.
I talked to a board member recently who had one viewpoint because of what
they had spoken to, the, the, their constituents they had spoken to,
completely different from the constituents I had spoken to.
And that's fine.
We understand we come from a very diverse community.
That's going to have a lot of different opinions.
But we have to decide on a budget.
Many of us have also taken time to have meetings with BEA members,
with staff members, with families.
I will say one of the things I have heard over and over is their
concern about BLA going to the high school is not because the students
don't want to go there.
It's because of the behaviors and quote one of our administrators.
They don't want to go there because they don't want to have to see
their enemies.
This is why I read our mission statement from the start because if we
are having a separate building for a school because we are preventing
students from having to see their enemies, we are doing a disservice
to our mission statement.
Dr. Molot.
So we have a lot going on here.
A lot.
I have many, many thoughts about what we could do, what we should do,
or what we should have already done.
Just give us the hard truth.
That's what we need to hear.
Well, the hard truth is we should have done this in March or April.
Very definitely.
This is getting to the point where it's ridiculously late.
And I say that not to offend anyone, but it is ridiculously late.
I agree with everything everybody is saying because everybody is putting
their thought and their heart into their comments, right?
We want to keep our staff here.
We want to keep our students here.
It is disheartening to know that we have lost so many students.
We have staff that we have lost, but we also can't give staff an answer
right now.
So, to be very honest with you, if I were a new young teacher and I
didn't know what my future looked like, I would probably look somewhere,
you know, maybe a little bit more stable.
And that's the hard unfortunate truth.
So, our job right now is to prepare our school for our school year.
We have to prepare for our school year and we have to make a decision,
whatever that might be.
Just looking at the figures that you have, I think,
I don't even know where it went.
But there was some figures up on the board with the budget that Dr.
Anderson was talking about in the blue areas.
If you look at the early literacy paraprofessionals that are added on there,
that is actually factored into Title I.
So, board member Fox, I do have Title I and AGR plans for you.
We worked on them very extensively.
But those positions would be put into Title I.
Okay.
So, with those six positions, you're gaining an additional $252,000 that you would cut out of that budget
that Dr. Anderson proposed there, just putting that out on the table.
So, that brings you $252,000 closer to where you want to be,
just making a side note there.
There are a couple of other things there that could also be looked at.
The early literacy coach, the .5, that is under Gaston.
There's a literacy coach that is under, let's see, Robinson, it's a .5.
And then the early literacy coach that's under Todd, those remember are also grant funded.
Those were grant funds that we received just recently from the state,
that we do have postings up on weekend four.
So, those will be additional pieces that would be taken out of Title I.
I did not add those up because that's what I was doing over there real quick.
So, that would be additional funds that you would take off that total balance on the bottom
to get you closer to your balance that you want to be at.
Dr. Anderson, time for my drink there, please.
Sorry.
Thank you.
Additionally, thank you.
Additionally, I do want to mention that Mr. Stenders has been working on kind of another option
that would close Merrill.
Again, we don't want to close anything, but we have to look at all the options.
So, you know, we can talk about that in just a minute.
I do think a statement would be made if we did put a for sale sign in our Colac yard.
I know Colac is big and beautiful and everyone loves it, but it is underutilized.
It's empty.
A big chunk of the building is empty.
We could all fit on one floor of the building.
So, something could be done utilizing the rest of the building.
If we all move to one floor, we could try to sell it.
I also think it's a good optic to have our staff, the administrative staff in schools.
So, it's kind of a win-win.
So, that would be a big powerful move, I believe, in getting some of the community on board
with a possible referendum.
They've asked for that to be a possibility for a number of years is close, Colac, close,
Colac.
Additionally, I do want to make a comment that, you know, we do have a vulnerable population
that does go to BLA.
And it's a very, very difficult decision to have to make about what you're going to do
with that school.
As a parent who had a student, a child that was a student that did graduate from an alternative
program, she was not able to finish her time in the regular high school because of her
anxiety.
I have a very, very deep concern for where we place some of our students.
I think we need to be very careful about how we do that.
If we do agree to send them to the high school, I would want to make sure that we are operating
in that school within a school model where they are completely protected from whatever
may be the source of their reason for wanting to be there, whether it is anxiety from kids
or school or whatever.
We don't know what some of our triggers are for our kids.
And the misconception that BLA kids are bad is not true.
It's not true.
There's always kids that are handful in every place, right?
So we have to kind of get away from that mentality and protect our kids.
So wherever we decide that program should land, we need to keep the integrity of our kids
at hand.
If we send them to Merrill, you know, we were, Joanne was mentioning, I think it was Joanne
about the kitchens and, you know, things like that for our 18 to 21 year old program.
Those pieces are essential for our 18 to 21 year old transition program.
So we do want to make sure we remain or we keep the integrity of all of our programs as it is.
So, you know, again, careful planning is going to need to be in order.
So whether or not we can complete that timeline between now and September 1st is a big question.
I do question that.
I also am concerned about, you know, how that looks as a community of school community,
but how we're going to communicate that to our families.
That's a concern I have.
I do absolutely know we have to close buildings.
We have to do that.
Next year will be a big year for closures and redistributing our students and staff.
And how and how we go about that needs to be decided starting in October or earlier.
We need to start those discussions.
So we need to get this year taken care of now in the best possible way and decide exactly
what that number is going to look like for longevity pay so that we can hit that mark and then just move forward.
So wherever we land with that.
Director L, would you have that number for what the longevity pay would be from the opab?
330,000. Thank you.
And I'm sure you said that about a hundred times.
I'm sorry.
330,000.
So if we can get somewhere close to that, that would be fantastic.
Again, cutting a few of these things out and putting them in the title positions is going to help.
You know, we're we're trying to cut as much as we can.
Are there other things that can be cut?
Yep, absolutely.
We can look at, you know, there's there's things that we haven't done asking buildings to reduce budgets.
We did re-reduced by 10% in the 24, 25, 20.
We reduced budgets by 10% for this past school year and you could ask buildings to reduce again.
You know, a member Miller had asked, you know, previously about could families help and the community help with school supplies and things like that for the school.
There's ways to help supplement that if we do ask for another cut from our our buildings.
If we did a cut if we did ask our administrators to cut about 10% from their budgets.
I think I figured it out to be about four, eight thousand dollars.
If it's just a 10%, you could you could ask for more than that.
So I don't have an absolute zero here, but I do have, you know, the recommendations that I gave you.
You know, it but as far as we just have to we have to decide, we have to decide.
Are we going to actually close a building this year?
If we are going to actually close something, I would recommend it be this because there are no students that are going to be impacted here.
Shuffling around adults is much easier and we can do that in slow steps.
You know, if we if we posted this for sale and it did sell, we have a deadline to get out.
We can meet that deadline, right? We can kind of do things softly instead of quickly.
Slowing instead of quickly.
So that would be my immediate recommendation if we decide that we do have to close a school building.
My recommendation, I guess, would be to relocate our BLA friends to Merrill and make sure that we maintain the integrity of the programs, but then also do the zoning of our of what might be remaining at Cunningham.
And then I'm going to have Jeff come up and talk real quickly about the plan that he was kind of brainstorming through as well because that was kind of a quick coming to fruition.
I appreciate you sharing the information about your daughter. Likewise, I have an IEP student with anxiety and dyslexia.
And I want to remind everyone, if we move BLA, we are not getting rid of BLA, we are just moving it.
We do have the option to eliminate it because it's not legally required.
Right now, we are in a very different position than we were 13, 14, 15, when did BLA start?
It's more so many times over the years.
We no longer have a monopoly in education.
There are different choices and to close that program, students may choose to, if we move it to BLA in a partition section, they may choose to do that.
They may choose to do virtual learning.
They may choose to open and roll elsewhere.
They may choose to homeschool.
There are so many other options now for students.
And it's an unfortunate reality with the market, the way it is.
But we have to adjust.
Otherwise, we're not going to be a school district employee anymore.
It's just the way it is.
Mr. Stenrose.
Thank you.
Thank you.
So a couple of weeks ago when I was here, I heard a couple of things that stood out to me.
I heard balanced budget was one of them, not wanting to use OPEB or bring that down as much as possible.
And I also heard making some bold, aggressive moves, knowing we have something for the following year that's going to be needing even something more.
I'm going to be the first to say, I don't want to move programs, I don't want to close schools.
But hearing what those pieces were, I went back and I looked at what it would do to move BLA to Merrill and put them in there.
And understanding in conversation we had that duplication of services is where we save money.
That we can reduce positions that are duplicated.
Moving BLA to Merrill only saved us approximately five positions.
Because the teachers in the BLA program cannot teach the littles, and the little teachers cannot teach the BLA students.
So it is a counselor, principal, dean of students, secretary, social worker is essentially when we get our savings.
So there is a savings there.
And my numbers using information from the previous board positions was about 384,000.
So I looked at closing Merrill and moving Merrill to Robinson or Todd, so we're moving like programs to like programs.
So there you do have duplication of services.
We looked at class enrollments for each of the grades.
And three of the grades can move students to one of the other schools and absorb them almost entirely, not quite.
We get a little bit larger class size there.
Three of the grades are going to require a teacher to move with them.
So out of the pre-K through five, three teachers would have to move someplace to a lot for those numbers.
So that means we could reduce three there.
We wouldn't have a principal, a dean of students, a secretary, a social worker, a counselor, a PE teacher, a literacy coach, an art teacher,
a media library, a steam coach, an early literacy parent, and a music teacher.
Which came out to be about $985,000 in cuts by that.
And again, I'm not in favor of cutting any buildings or moving.
But when you did this, we also looked at what our current staffing is.
Currently, Merrill only has about 40% of their staff that are hired and actually employed by our district.
So 60% are already not real people, and these 40% are.
And we went through and we looked at as our, with all of our TLE, people services teams,
those staff members could all be moved to other buildings and we have positions so it doesn't look like we're cutting any real bodies out of this.
So the savings for those things, again, about almost close to a million dollars with those, again, using the numbers.
And so I had put together a plan E using the same ABCD format that was there.
I put in a couple of other cuts that were a little aggressive and it involved raises.
Freezing administrative raises for next year that put somebody out there.
I put an option out there about reducing the teacher increase from 2.63 down to 2%.
It's an increase, but it does save us some money.
All of those numbers in putting on there brought me to an opab number of 99,000.
99,000, a deficit budget of 99,000.
Well, I would have appreciated seeing this before now.
I mean seriously, you got it.
Tom.
Madam chair, I had my hand up.
Yeah.
And I did not take an account longevity pay.
That was not a part of that.
So it's 99,000 on this if longevity pay was in there.
Yeah, or it's already in the budget.
Okay.
But I did, according to what I saw for the plans, ABCD, and I used the same as that format, same numbers, and it came under 100,000.
Okay.
I think you need to repeat though that you're not giving the complete raise to the teacher.
Correct.
Correct.
In that format was not the complete raise for the teachers.
Right.
So if you took that off, then it's approximately $400,000.
If the teachers got the complete raise.
Okay.
So a question I have for that is then for the closing, Merrill, are you keeping the 4K and 3K programs in the other buildings and moving Merrill into those buildings?
In tomorrow?
No.
No.
It sounds like you want to close Merrill and move.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
Those would be vacant.
We looked at anything else that was in there moving to different buildings that we had.
Mr. Schuf.
Thank you.
No offense, Jeff.
I'd like to talk to Dr. Gordon Malott.
So I want to go back to your comments because I think in the, I mean, tonight's a turning point for the district.
We, you know, approved a contract to have you be our leader for the next two years.
So thank you.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
So I really liked your comments.
I was listening with an eye to hear if our colleagues on the board here, if you were addressing some of their concerns.
So what I was jotting down sort of in the Dr. Leah Gordon Malott plan was you'd already been doing some work to with the Title 1 transfer and some other things.
You're getting closer to a planned backstop of Opep of only a million dollars draw.
So getting down under that million dollars.
You're almost there already.
We don't have that in front of you, but we heard you're getting close.
We heard that we had also then list this building, you know, hire the right commercial building consultant and so on to list Colac.
We put that, put that on the market.
We would work to sell that during this year.
That of course, just like McNeil did for us this year, that would reduce our Opep draw and leave it in for the future conversations.
And then we would immediately, I know we already have a referendum meeting scheduled for this board.
We need to immediately go into that planning for the things like the overall building plan that we think we all agree on that we have to get to.
For me, that's the sort of thing that on, you know, whatever we are here today on July, June 16th that we could, you know, get to an approved draft budget.
So we can move on to those things.
We can do that.
No one here has a head in the sand.
We understand that we're going to have to close buildings.
We understand we have to be, keep teacher ratios were, you know, appropriately where they need to be in buildings.
We're doing our best to seek this board before I got here is in on the lawsuit where we'll push our state leaders for more funding.
And then we'll have a discussion about, you know, what sort of resources the community here would support in a referendum that, of course, is ultimately mostly paid for by the state taxpayers if that's successful.
So I really liked where you were going on that.
I liked that the homework that the, you had already made progress on the title one dollars and other things.
So, I mean, I think we're getting closer to, you know, something where we can get that passed on, you know, today.
Thank you.
Thank you.
There, you know, there's a lot of other, you know, smaller things to take into consideration.
Jeff did mention, you know, freezing administrator salaries for a year.
I did not that anybody wants that, but I think it does speak volumes, right?
This, the, the community is asking for fewer administrators.
We're, we're going fewer, right?
And it just freezing for a year and reevaluating, you know, however you want to look at that, but that would be another cut.
Stephanie, I'm sure has that dollar amount somewhere, right?
Not off the top right, but it would be a reduction, you know, so there's other ways to do that.
Some of our contracts for our services, school vendors that we use, we don't have those yet, but everything we're looking at is cheaper.
So, the things that we presented to you at TLE that will be approving later, all of those are a reduction.
The one that is the biggest dollar amount is actually, it looks like a big dollar amount, but it's actually cheaper than what the other thing we could have gone with.
So, everything that we're doing is taking budget into consideration, obviously.
I mean, it's, it's not easy to cut funds from school districts and keep the integrity of the programming going and keep the best interest of kids at hand.
So, you know, and just, just looking at ways we can ease things using some title funds to replace Chromebooks.
And if they're used for only literacy, you know, doing things like that, class sets.
So, really kind of reframing how we are purchasing and how our funds are used is going to help us out a lot.
Thank you.
Tom Hankins.
Thank you.
I want to go back to Mr. Stenros.
If I could, please.
You know, you talked about moving BLA into the scenario, moving them into Merrill and likes not being liked, so there's not a big redundancy.
There's, you talked about duplication of services.
Did you do that same study and moving them into high school?
No, it did not.
Where is likes to likes?
No, I did not.
Would you roll that around in your head?
I mean, to me that makes, if we're looking at cost reductions,
moving same age group and the same age group, we'd have some efficiency there.
We could.
Well, if you're looking at like teaching staff.
You made, you know, you told us that moving them into a grade school doesn't make, won't be that efficient.
Right.
But I'm asking, moving them into the high school, would there be a savings?
Just a question.
There would be a savings.
You would have some of the same, some of the same duplication of services.
I mean, if you were to take a look at it, you could say, you know, we're not going to move a principal over.
We're going to assume the administrative staff does that.
There's not a dean of students.
You would need a cert, a secretary, social worker, counselor.
But I'm the same.
That again would probably be about where your duplication of services would end because you still need the teachers for the BLA.
I understand that.
So yeah, so it would, I mean, it would roughly be about the same.
Okay.
All right.
So another point I wanted to make, and thank you, Jeff.
I appreciate that for the idea of selling Colac.
Remember everyone that we're upside down in this building.
And if we do sell this building, we owe approximately 4.5 on it.
The best guest estimate I have received is we could, at the max, we get 2 million.
So we're still upside down 2.5, which we would have to pay off our bonds on that.
Yes.
When we sell, yes, we still owe.
If we got to, if we, if we owe 4.5 and we sell for two, we owe 2.5.
So that money is not going to win the coffers.
Correct.
But we don't have to pay all those bonds off when we sell the building as well.
Is what I meant.
Well, I'm just saying it's not going to be, we're not going to receive any money into our coffers by selling this building.
I'm not saying we don't vacate it.
I'm just saying to sell it is kind of, and it is a nice look.
But we're not going to be 2.5 million in the plus at the end of the day.
We still owe money on this, on this building, unless somebody gave us 4.5 for it.
I think the important question I asked is that if you decide to move a lot of the stock, which is going to be the easiest transition,
it doesn't reduce, I mean, moving us from this building to.
Correct.
Moving individuals from this building to the high school or the op center, that's not going to save you a lot of money.
I mean, so as far as bringing it down, the amount of savings that you're looking for isn't going to be there.
Now, I'd mention before that it's a good optic.
I think this is the easiest move to do.
But I don't want anybody to think that if you make that move, there's going to be a lot of money that you're going to save because you're not.
I agree, but, you know, we're pension pennies here and we're looking for things.
And, you know, to say that we need to keep people in the building, I disagree.
I think that lowering our thermostats to, in our lights down to 50 degrees as we would to keep everything nice,
I don't think we need to have people in the building.
We shudder a building.
It means our line costs, if it's well seen, are spectacular.
And if we moved everybody out of Colac, at least we'd see a big reduction in the line cost.
And you'd be a share cost on somewhere else that it's at.
And the same thing with Wright and the same thing with Merrill.
So, I'm just saying, the line costs are a lot.
And, you know, every little bit helps.
And we talk about the optics of selling this.
I agree with you.
I'm just like, it's not going to be the major windfall that could be perceived as it being because it's simply not true.
And that's just the point I wanted to make.
Yeah, the point I was trying to make is that moving the, if we all move to a different building,
the amount of money that is really going to show for a decrease in the budget isn't going to be that large.
Okay, but 40,000 is 40,000.
Madam Chair, I have a point of clarification that's pretty important for the point that board member Hankins was making.
I just didn't hear the answer that Stephanie said.
So, I heard Tom's question, I'm on the same page as Tom.
So, the district owes money that was used to pay this building.
That's district debt that won't change.
But if we sold the building and got a $2 million check at closing, that could be put back into our reserves.
Because there's no lien on this building.
It wasn't a specific bond issue tied to this building.
Is that correct?
That is correct.
But you also have to remember that that's a one-time revenue.
So, when you're looking at cutting costs for years forward, if you sell a building, that's one time.
You're not selling that building again the next year or the next year?
No, I understand.
I understand.
I heard Dr. Malott, Gordon Malott, recommend it.
And I just want to make sure I understood that we don't, at closing, we would get the money we could put it in our reserves.
And we would still.
We still have the debt, but we have the debt today.
Correct.
Thank you.
Dan, just to be clarifying, we are an ascending payment schedule on that said debt.
Yeah, no, but it's not.
I understand what you're saying.
Yeah, it's not like we have to close it out when we sell it.
No, no, no.
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Chair, for letting me clarify that.
Sure thing.
Meghan Miller and then Carol Fox.
I just want to check, Bill, did you want to jump in?
Sometimes.
It can, Bill, you have not had a, you have not spoken yet to this, so you have priority.
I just had a question as.
No, no, I, for clarification, who has the floor is the prerogative of the chair?
It doesn't matter the order of the hands or anything.
Please consult your Robert's Rules of Orders.
It is the prerogative of the chair.
I am giving the floor to Mr. Johnson.
I only have a question is how much savings would it be if we moved VLA back to where they came from?
Does anybody know?
By that, I assume you're talking about right.
Yes.
Mr. Johnson, would you please repeat the question, please?
Does anybody know how much we would, would be any savings in moving them from cutting hand back to right?
There probably isn't going to be any savings.
In fact, you're probably going to have an increased cost in moving them back, but if you have the same number of staff going, you really are going to have any savings.
Was that all, Mr. Johnson?
Yes, thank you.
Megan Miller.
Thank you so much.
So, I just, a clarifying question for Dr. Gordon Millet.
Am I saying your last name right?
Is it Millet?
Gordon is fine.
Millet's going to be off there in a little while.
Right on.
Thanks.
Dr. Gordon.
That's fine.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Dr. G.
Thanks.
More power to you.
I say that with pride.
Love it.
So, that's amazing.
And I'm wondering then, so I really appreciate it.
Well, and I appreciate it.
Mr. Stenders as well.
A lot of what both of you had to share as well.
Really great creative thinking from everybody.
Everybody's great.
I'm curious in your, in your thinking, Dr. Gordon.
Thanks.
Were you looking?
Okay.
So, like, if hypothetically our board were able to move forward this evening with your
recommendation and please interject when I say something wrong as I wrote as fast as I could,
but I probably missed some things.
To move option, I have question mark with the possibility of selling Colac, freezing,
and potentially, because I don't think anybody wants to do that either, but, you know,
freezing Evan's salary and then, you know, going forward with continuing to look at contracts,
reducing use of Chromebooks, et cetera, what would be your ideal?
So, two-part question.
First part, what would be your ideal option?
Like, is there an option that's listed or is there, like, option, like, G for Gordon?
Like, that's, like, help me understand what that would look like.
Oh, we have so many options.
I can't keep them all straight anymore, to be very honest with you.
So, whatever we can do to get closest to what the board has decided to agree on.
So, in my understanding, we all want zero, right?
But we want, we agreed to do longevity pay, correct?
So, if we can get as close as we can to that, that would be my suggestion.
So, you've heard a lot of different ideas today.
Sorry.
And, you know, pick things that get you closest, right?
It could be a combination of those things.
As far as moving kids, it's very, very hard for me to decide that on my own.
We have two options.
You know, we have two buildings that we're talking about.
One is Merrill.
One is BLA.
So, if we're going to do that, we need to decide today so we can get communications out.
I don't want to do it.
We're going to have to do it at some point.
But we have to make that decision today.
So, I appreciate that so much.
And so, here's what I'm wondering.
So, like, I am in the spirit of compromising.
You know, Mr. Hinkins just walked out for a moment.
But, you know, Tom and I often talk about, like, you know, we have to be, you know, that's part of the work, right?
We all have to be willing to give and build consensus because that's what our, literally what our district is telling us that
it needs to best serve our kids.
So, you know, I am in a place where I am totally comfortable.
I'm not closing any buildings and spending OPEB because I have total faith in our administration and the creativity and resources of our community
that we can get to where we need to be by 2728.
However, in the spirit of compromise, because I totally respect and appreciate where all of my colleagues are coming from.
Like, I really, I see the logic and the reasoning where we are.
I am curious if there is, if it's, if people are finding it palatable to move forward an option that matches to some extent.
And again, I'm looking to our administration for, you know, what you think is most feasible.
And, of course, to the board.
One of the options presented this evening with the possibility of selling Colac with the understanding that we would be passing a draft budget.
I really applaud all of our administrators, but also Mr. Stenrus.
I think brought forward a lot of creative, really innovative thinking that, that really gives us a jumpstart, right?
On that planning that we're going to have to do.
And it, and given the numbers that are pretty hopeful and optimistic that he shared, if we're only looking at it from a budget standpoint,
I'm feeling very encouraged that there is absolutely clarity to a path forward.
So while I understand that it is not ideal for any, and it's not ideal for me either, you know, we're all giving here.
I have one of seven would be interested in moving forward a budget option.
And again, I just need a little bit more clarity on whichever number, you know, letter or however it's labeled.
Just to get us to that draft budget stage with the understanding and, you know, I'm willing to, you know, put on the table like a recommendation to sell Colac.
Because Carol, I think you've made excellent points throughout like the boldness needs to occur.
People need to see that this is real. This feels like the best possible compromise there from what I'm hearing.
And then with the understanding that we're going to work very hard the next several weeks to consider like a lot of Mr. Stenrus's recommendations
and the recommendations of our other administrators as well to really start to depict and begin to communicate what those that reshaping
facility rearrangement will look like. So that's where I'm at. And I guess, I guess that's all I got.
Thank you. Carol Fox.
I'm in a little bit different place, but not too far. I don't think.
I could move forward, I think, with if Dr. Gordon can work to come up with some more options and add some more to it.
I think you've got some ideas. I think you've got some things you're going to do. And I would really like to see those.
I'm concerned about Merrill because I think I just heard that we're not being able to staff it.
And maybe if we can't staff it, maybe we ought to jump on closing it and moving the kids because what are we going to do if we're going to leave the building open and we have no staff for it.
So that kind of resonated with me. And so I'm kind of concerned about that, that we're not really got the staff to cover that building.
So maybe now is the time to take those 150, 70 kids and move them someplace else and save that money in while we're doing it.
So, but if you don't want to close any buildings at all, you'll have to convince me a little harder, but I think what I heard you say got me closer.
I agree. My concern is blessing. So we would have to look at how we would address transportation with that if that were to move forward.
So we would have to work with Director Alwood a little bit to figure out what our cost model would be for that.
Thank you, Dr. Garden. One of my concerns with moving with vacating Merrill into the other two east side elementary schools is
the stability of those buildings.
They've had a lot of turnover in leadership the last few years and we have experienced a lot of behavioral issues in those buildings.
My concern is, again, comparing looking at the capacity and the square footage versus the number of students.
My concern is the class sizes and the extra burden that we will be putting on all of those staff members.
I don't know that right now that that in my humble opinion, I don't know that that's our best option.
I mean, I understand if we don't have the staff, we need to do what we need to do.
But yeah, that's going to be a tough sell and I'm going to remind everybody.
Next Tuesday, we have a meeting plan to discuss a referendum.
But if we have a budget that has a large deficit, I don't even know why we would even bother going to referendum because
every time we've done that, it's failed.
And I think we need to show our constituents that we are being good stewards of their tax dollars and as close to a balanced budget as possible.
With that, Carol Fox, did you have one more comment?
Okay, we did hear that there are other options out there as board members.
I'm a little disappointed because we didn't get a chance to see those before they were discussed.
And I think it would be fair to us board members for us to have an opportunity to see them and do a side by side comparison and have time to mull them over.
I don't want to delay this process any further, but I would be comfortable having next Tuesday's meeting rather than it be for referendum discussion.
We have us have time to look at all Mr. Stenroos option, Dr. Gordon's options and anybody enhanced C option.
And if anybody else has an option or recommendation, bring them now.
Not at next meeting, but now so that we have time to think them over.
How do the board members feel about that suggestion, Mr. Johnson?
I agree. I would take a look at that.
And I also think there's a little bit of savings and some extra coaches.
Some of the sports have not a lot, but maybe 20, 30,000.
Without cutting extra coaches or not.
Oh, okay.
All right, thanks.
Was that in the budget?
Okay.
Did you remember Miller?
Oh, thank you.
It is because you were going 100,000 over 380.
The budget amount was 280.
That's why it doesn't show.
We'll just bring you back to what the budget amount was because you'd overspent by 100,000 last two years.
The district overspent the last two years.
Good clarification, board member facts.
Okay.
So I understand where we're coming from and generally I agree and I'm not strongly against.
My only concern would be could we narrow the scope of the budget options because it sounds like we're just about at that point of no return on some of what some of those options include.
So before I weigh in strongly one or the other, could we just clarify one more time?
I know it gets a bit confusing because it's named differently.
But what of the options that have been presented are actually realistic at this point?
Because I'm hearing you say, I think I've heard all of our administration say, but correct me if I'm wrong, that's the ones that include drastic movement of students are not terribly realistic.
So like how many budget options does that leave us with before I can commit to like let's wait till Tuesday?
Well, and I guess what would be considered drastic moving of students because I just heard that we need to close Merrill and that's a larger movement of students than BLA.
I would argue it's a number of students, but because they would move into like schools, the majority of the equipment supplies, books, those things would already be in place.
So it's not as far as taking everything from Merrill and having it to move to other locations with that and go back to your class size pieces.
When we did this number, we looked at what the recommended class sizes were and tried to find do schools have the schools have spots available within that class limit number.
And they did for three of them, but not three of the others.
And that's why we said three teachers would have to follow.
So we were at that recommended 22 possibly going up to 23 and some of them, but not like just everybody gets dumped in and we're just enlarging every class.
So I just want to make that clear.
So then just like clarifying question then.
So like here's where I'm at.
Like I would prefer like I'm on the same page with Tia, like I would like to see things in front of me.
Are these things like documented well enough or like if we took like a 10 minute recess, like we could go like prints and stuff out, take a look or like.
Like is there that much difference between the two and if not, then sure I'm fine with Tuesday.
It is almost 10 o'clock and we still have another more agenda items that we need to get to.
So like are these documented like in a way that we could just take a quick look kind of thing or I don't think 10 minutes.
I don't need to clarify because I know there's a lot of urgency to get this across the line here.
I guess my only other question to my colleagues is like if we is there like a chunk of what's been proposed where like we could agree on a critical mass of and then come back Tuesday and like do the rest.
Just because like there's a lot of uncertainty.
Like yeah, unfortunately that's the world of being a board member.
No, no, no, no, not for us, but like first I'm just thinking like for staff members, but yeah.
If you meeting in next Tuesday, what I'm just trying to look at is, you know, now, Jeff had talked about we could close Meryl.
You know, so we can give you what that would look like.
You know, there's been transportation costs.
We probably wouldn't have that in a week to be realized.
We could give you what closing Meryl would look like.
Now you have to ask.
Would you rather have BLA?
If you close Meryl, would you rather have BLA at Meryl rather than Cunningham or saying it?
I just want to be a going record again.
I do not think that you can realistically move BLA to the high school.
You can move BLA to Meryl.
You could close Meryl.
I don't think it's realistic to be able to keep it the type of school that it's currently designed to be.
If you want to change the design and make it different, that's different, but that's going to be another larger discussion.
So I just want, if we meet next Tuesday, what it is that you'd really like to see so that we don't waste your time or anybody else's.
So Meryl was one that Jeff brought up.
We could give you what that would look like.
I already said if you did away with the program, you're probably at a balanced budget.
But then what are you going to do with those students?
I think that's a huge question.
But if you're looking budgetarily, if you wipe out a program,
I mean, there's going to be significant savings.
We just want to bring you back what it is that you want to see with a little more specificity.
That is a plan.
We've already talked about, we could do that.
I just want to make sure that if you meet next Tuesday, what's going to be the most productive for the meeting?
Thank you, Dr. Anderson.
And I'm going to remind everyone, we can move BLA over the summer.
But if we have to move it again next year, that's another cost.
So we need to be thinking of whatever we're moving, move once and be done with it.
Tom, I was going down the line and I'd like to get board members input.
Do you support continuing this discussion next Tuesday with the other options before us?
Yes, absolutely.
This is such a turning point.
And as we all know in this district right now, we have to start making some decisions and not wait.
I want to remind, you know, maybe on Tuesday that Scott Ladd is with us because moving people entails those people that have to move them and the equipment.
And I've had conversations with them about how much he could get done this summer and what he couldn't get done.
You know, so if we're going to put it all on for 27th, you know, in January, he's got to be part of that conversation for next Tuesday.
Yes, I'm in support of that.
Thank you.
Carol Fox?
Yeah, I'm in support of that.
I would like to see Dr. Molot's recommendations fleshed up a little more thoroughly and, you know, really determine whether we need to be closing Merrill at this point.
If I don't think we need to close more than one school that we would have enough money, I think if we did that.
But my concern is that we might have to if we're not getting a staff.
So that's a concern.
Joanne Roo.
So I think we have Dr. Anderson and Dr. Gordon in here that both are superintendents.
They both understand the balance balancing the budget problem.
They both are their recommendations are very similar.
I'm ready to vote tonight to support Dr. Gordon and move forward with what her recommendation is.
But if we need to wait till next Tuesday, I can wait till next Tuesday.
Dan Schuch.
Yeah.
So I also believe that we should move forward with our recommendations for our new superintendent who's going to serve us here for the next couple of years, at least.
So I'm ready to go on that.
I want to go on record saying that I would be supportive of a resolution that bound us to a real process to figure out our building needs.
I would, I do not have my head in the sand about those issues.
I kind of get my head around what I've been hearing all of you and stakeholders talk about a district that's founded on, you know, three pillars of student achievement behavior.
And then if you know more of a classical education getting rid of computers and going back, I'm all for that.
Practically, I think the idea of closing Merrill for this fall is a worse decision if you made it in June than this board made to close to Westside elementary schools in April.
Doesn't mean that that's not where we have to get.
I don't have my head in the sand, but there's an incredible amount of community input we all need.
You've all been talking about that.
We need to move into that.
I think we should, on Tuesday, we should move towards a conversation that includes most of Dr. Gordon's recommendations and then bind us to a process in that we can communicate with about referendums and building utilization. Thank you.
Thank you.
Dr. Anderson, Dr. Gordon, you understand your marching orders?
Next Tuesday, thank you, and as soon as you can get those to us, that would be greatly appreciated.
And board members make certain that you reach out to Dr. Gordon and Dr. Anderson and cabinet members with your questions.
Our next agenda item is the consent agenda.
Typically, there is no separate discussion of the items unless a board member still requests in which event the item or items will be removed from the general order of business and considered in their normal sequence on the agenda.
Is there a motion to do any board members with any board members like any of the items removed from the consent agenda?
Hearing none, is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?
So moved.
Second.
Motion by Joanne Ru, seconded by Megan Miller.
Any discussion?
Hearing none.
All in favor?
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries unanimously.
I do have a comment.
I think that's the first time that we've had a consent agenda with nothing pulled off.
And I think part of the reason why is because we all sat at the committee meeting, so Carol Fox, high five.
Way to go, thank you so much.
Is there a motion to adjourn?
So moved.
Second.
Motion by Joanne Ru, seconded by Carol Fox.
Any discussion?
Any none?
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
We are adjourned at 10-0-1.
Have a good night.
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.