WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:07.920 Good evening. 00:07.920 --> 00:08.920 It is 6 o'clock. 00:08.920 --> 00:14.400 I am calling to order the special board meeting of Tuesday, May 12th. 00:14.400 --> 00:15.400 This is Shope. 00:15.400 --> 00:18.800 May we get a roll call, please? 00:18.800 --> 00:20.800 Yes. 00:20.800 --> 00:21.800 Carol Fox. 00:21.800 --> 00:22.800 Here. 00:22.800 --> 00:23.800 Tom Hankins. 00:23.800 --> 00:24.800 Here. 00:24.800 --> 00:25.800 Bill Johnson. 00:25.800 --> 00:26.800 Here. 00:26.800 --> 00:27.800 Meghan Miller. 00:27.800 --> 00:28.800 Present. 00:28.800 --> 00:30.800 Joanne Ruhl. 00:30.800 --> 00:31.800 Present. 00:31.800 --> 00:32.800 Dan Schuth. 00:32.800 --> 00:33.800 Here. 00:33.800 --> 00:35.800 And Tia Johnson. 00:35.800 --> 00:36.800 Here. 00:36.800 --> 00:38.960 All members are present. 00:38.960 --> 00:39.960 Thank you. 00:39.960 --> 00:42.400 May I get approval of the agenda? 00:42.400 --> 00:43.400 So moved. 00:43.400 --> 00:44.400 Second. 00:44.400 --> 00:47.240 Motion by Tom Hankins, seconded by Carol Fox. 00:47.240 --> 00:49.400 Any discussion? 00:49.400 --> 00:51.840 Hearing and seeing none, all in favor? 00:51.840 --> 00:52.840 Aye. 00:52.840 --> 00:53.840 Aye. 00:53.840 --> 00:54.840 Aye. 00:54.840 --> 00:55.840 Aye. 00:55.840 --> 00:56.840 Any opposed? 00:56.840 --> 00:57.840 Motion carries unanimously. 00:57.840 --> 01:01.840 Mrs. Schope, is there any public comment? 01:01.840 --> 01:06.880 Yes, I have some both in the room and e-mails to read. 01:06.880 --> 01:07.880 Okay. 01:07.880 --> 01:13.840 Members of the public are welcome to attend all open meetings of the Board of Education. 01:13.840 --> 01:17.960 Individuals attending board meetings are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and 01:17.960 --> 01:23.200 courteous manner that models appropriate behavior for our students. 01:23.200 --> 01:26.960 Individuals wishing to comment are expected to comply with the norms found on the back 01:26.960 --> 01:34.080 of your comment cards and in board policy 187, public participation at board meetings. 01:34.080 --> 01:39.080 We ask that each of you contribute to maintaining a respectful and orderly meeting and prevent 01:39.080 --> 01:44.120 discussing confidential matters in a public forum by following these norms for public 01:44.120 --> 01:46.400 comments during board meetings. 01:46.400 --> 01:49.320 Thank you for your participation and courtesy. 01:49.320 --> 01:51.400 Mrs. Schope. 01:52.400 --> 02:02.400 I first have Jessica with Rocio and Sarah yielding their three minutes each. 02:02.400 --> 02:24.800 Keeping things exciting. 02:24.800 --> 02:29.800 All right. 02:29.800 --> 02:35.800 Dear Dr. Anderson and the school board, my name is Jessica weed and here today to voice what 02:35.800 --> 02:40.960 is going on in this district behind the scenes in regards to dual language, to have it be 02:40.960 --> 02:45.920 in the public record and allow the parents to know what is going on as well. 02:45.920 --> 02:51.720 In addition, I am here and what comes on the heels of teachers appreciation week to express 02:51.720 --> 02:59.000 that I have never in my 26 years of working in this district felt so disrespected, unappreciated 02:59.000 --> 03:04.280 and devalued for my hard work as I have this past month in the school district. 03:04.280 --> 03:08.680 I've been committed to teaching in the school district to belite at Hackett for 26 years. 03:08.680 --> 03:13.640 In fact, I interned at Hackett in the fall semester of 2000 and have worked there ever 03:13.640 --> 03:14.640 since. 03:14.640 --> 03:19.880 I drive from the very far part of Milwaukee to come to this district and serve our students 03:19.880 --> 03:20.880 every day. 03:20.880 --> 03:27.760 I have implemented many after school reading clubs over the years with no stipend, including 03:27.760 --> 03:30.160 during some of the dual language years. 03:30.160 --> 03:35.520 I have a minor in Spanish and use that Spanish language in the classroom daily to help my 03:35.520 --> 03:37.760 dual language learners. 03:37.760 --> 03:42.760 I was rotary teacher of the month in 2013 and teacher appreciation honoree a few years 03:42.760 --> 03:43.760 back. 03:43.760 --> 03:49.560 A couple of years ago, when we started the split, which I'll talk about, I agreed to 03:49.560 --> 03:55.520 do kindergarten in addition to first grade as an out-of-the-box solution with our given 03:55.520 --> 03:57.560 DLI numbers. 03:57.560 --> 04:04.880 I needed to get certified for kindergarten, so I paid $400 to do months of studying online 04:04.880 --> 04:13.880 to take a task, asking me questions about DNA, RNA, what would the trade wins be, what 04:13.880 --> 04:22.120 will the climate be in this part of the world, all to get certified to teach kindergarten, 04:22.120 --> 04:27.760 and all to help the dual language program in addition to paying for the cost of the test 04:27.760 --> 04:33.400 plus the license cost to help out the DLI for kindergarten and as a whole. 04:33.400 --> 04:38.960 ROCO is my work wife, our co-teacher, and we are good at what we do. 04:38.960 --> 04:41.240 We are good teachers. 04:41.240 --> 04:46.680 ROCO and I both serve on the leadership team at Hackett, working on the SIP goals to get 04:46.680 --> 04:50.680 Hackett off the state list of schools in need of improvement. 04:50.680 --> 04:56.280 It is disheartening that a few decision makers in the district have decided to ignore continuous 04:56.280 --> 05:03.840 feedback from our strong dual language K3 team, as well as the recommendations of the board 05:03.840 --> 05:10.760 from the March 17 meeting that our Hackett configuration is strong and should stay intact. 05:10.760 --> 05:19.560 A couple of weeks ago, our K3 DLI team gave a 19 page presentation and document to a 05:19.560 --> 05:24.960 few decision makers after school in the district discussing our reading data and dual language, 05:24.960 --> 05:30.440 both at our school and the other DLI schools, and demonstrated why our split grade level 05:30.440 --> 05:36.200 model of dual language, though unconventional, is working at Hackett. 05:36.200 --> 05:43.800 We even sent follow-up data last week on Thursday to show the extreme growth this year 05:43.800 --> 05:50.200 with the K3 model at our school, versus the lack of as much growth with only one Spanish 05:50.200 --> 05:57.320 teacher teaching, all English, Spanish, math, science, social studies, all of it. 05:57.320 --> 06:02.040 In addition, at this meeting a few weeks ago, we were tasked with homework to try and find 06:02.040 --> 06:07.120 an article discussing another school in a state or nation that is doing the same configuration 06:07.120 --> 06:10.680 as Hackett to prove it can work. 06:10.680 --> 06:13.080 Shouldn't our data and feedback be proof enough? 06:13.080 --> 06:15.080 Be that as it may. 06:15.080 --> 06:19.880 I went searching for articles online trying to find this particular configuration that 06:19.880 --> 06:24.120 we're doing at Hackett and even called and spoke with them bilingual schools in Florida 06:24.120 --> 06:26.800 to try and get the proof that was needed. 06:26.800 --> 06:31.960 But then I got to thinking, when a scientist thinks of a new way to initiate an idea, they 06:31.960 --> 06:35.480 don't get discouraged because they didn't find an article telling them that their idea 06:35.480 --> 06:36.680 could work. 06:36.680 --> 06:39.560 They try their idea and if it works, great. 06:39.560 --> 06:44.000 There always has to be a ground zero, a place in which to start from. 06:44.000 --> 06:48.000 Our DOI configuration is working at Hackett in the K3 classrooms. 06:48.000 --> 06:54.360 If necessary, I can submit an article to an educational journal as the ground zero group 06:54.360 --> 07:00.280 at Hackett and it may be the K1 and 2, 3 split work, but why is that necessary? 07:00.280 --> 07:04.200 In coming from a place on the leadership team and working to develop a plan for our 07:04.200 --> 07:08.720 school for the next three years to improve our scores, why would the decision makers 07:08.720 --> 07:14.040 in the district be so stunned on tearing apart a program at Hackett that is in fact strong 07:14.040 --> 07:19.080 in favor of replacing it with people shuffling all over the district, middle school teachers 07:19.080 --> 07:23.200 potentially getting placed in the kindergarten and first grade classrooms? 07:23.200 --> 07:25.240 It is vastly into me. 07:25.240 --> 07:27.400 It makes no sense. 07:27.400 --> 07:32.920 This shows that it takes about three years to develop teacher efficacy as a new teacher. 07:32.920 --> 07:36.920 Even still, it typically takes one to two years for a teacher to reach their previous 07:36.920 --> 07:41.160 level of effectiveness after switching grade levels. 07:41.160 --> 07:45.560 When teachers change grades, their rate of improvement can drop by as much as 20% the 07:45.560 --> 07:47.120 first year. 07:47.120 --> 07:51.880 Data suggests it takes roughly two years in the new grade to reach full effectiveness, 07:51.880 --> 07:56.800 with student learning potentially suffering for about 42 to 50 days, less instruction 07:56.800 --> 08:00.240 than the first year in 22 days in the second year. 08:00.240 --> 08:04.920 This drop in effectiveness applies to both new and veteran teachers, even experienced 08:04.920 --> 08:11.760 teachers, need time to learn new curriculum standards and age appropriate pedagogy. 08:11.760 --> 08:19.440 Furthermore, the district decision makers were stunned additional data last week showing 08:19.440 --> 08:23.240 just how strong our K3 model was at Hackett with a split class. 08:23.320 --> 08:28.120 However, it was just the feeling by a couple district decision makers at the meeting that 08:28.120 --> 08:30.760 this configuration was worrisome. 08:30.760 --> 08:35.800 There was no article on their end that provided explanation that our way does not work. 08:35.800 --> 08:38.960 We should rely on data, not feelings. 08:38.960 --> 08:42.920 We are veteran teachers in the dual language program at Hackett. 08:42.920 --> 08:47.400 The other two teachers in 2-3 have been working for years together as well. 08:47.400 --> 08:49.160 We are organized. 08:49.160 --> 08:50.760 We are devoted to our school. 08:51.080 --> 08:54.520 There's not an article out there that I have found that states that the way Hackett 08:54.520 --> 08:57.080 is configuring DLI does not work. 08:57.080 --> 09:03.160 Think about schools that have to put two classes together embedded into one class. 09:03.160 --> 09:08.680 What is infuriating is that we were supposed to have the follow-up meeting this past last Thursday. 09:08.680 --> 09:13.040 We received notice about an hour or so before the meeting that it was canceled for a situation 09:13.040 --> 09:15.760 that needed to be addressed. 09:15.760 --> 09:19.920 However, no meeting was rescheduled, but rather our principal was told that the district 09:19.920 --> 09:23.560 team apparently made a decision without holding the meeting. 09:23.560 --> 09:27.040 So it makes you wonder if the second meeting that was originally scheduled was just put 09:27.040 --> 09:31.120 in place to make it appear that they were considering our feedback. 09:31.120 --> 09:35.120 It was stated if we wanted to schedule another meeting at a later date, we could seek that 09:35.120 --> 09:37.720 out, but that it would have to be virtual. 09:37.720 --> 09:41.680 What is even more interesting, but even more baffling, is now the narrative is changing 09:41.680 --> 09:45.520 for why the decision makers are choosing to have one Spanish teacher teaching all and 09:45.520 --> 09:47.920 break apart Heart Hackett's program. 09:47.920 --> 09:51.520 The first meeting was all about the data and thinking it would be too heavy a teaching 09:51.520 --> 09:53.840 mode, which it is not. 09:53.840 --> 09:57.680 We would argue that the other way is more of a teaching mode for a variety of reasons 09:57.680 --> 10:02.640 that were addressed at the March 17th Board meeting, and I can send that again. 10:02.640 --> 10:06.760 Plus, apparently, some decision makers had spoken to other teachers from other schools 10:06.760 --> 10:11.760 that they did not like the model we are doing at Hackett, but they never spoke to us. 10:11.760 --> 10:16.920 I've created data charts, and the latest one with the yearly growth. 10:16.920 --> 10:30.640 I also have created data charts and the latest one with yearly growth at Hackett using the 10:30.640 --> 10:36.440 current configuration at Hackett with K-3 versus a single teacher in the 4-5, and it 10:36.440 --> 10:42.440 makes a very compelling argument in favor of our two-teacher, two-grade split model. 10:42.440 --> 10:46.440 Plus, it saves the district two Spanish teachers. 10:46.440 --> 10:49.680 Why can't Hackett do what works for them? 10:49.680 --> 10:54.240 These individuals have never had anything to do with dual language until now, yet they 10:54.240 --> 10:56.800 are making the decisions and ignoring our feedback. 10:56.800 --> 10:59.720 It is really disheartening. 10:59.720 --> 11:03.800 Now the narrative is that they need a place to shuffle all the displaced dual language 11:03.800 --> 11:04.800 staff. 11:04.800 --> 11:07.800 How about open back up grade five? 11:07.800 --> 11:11.080 What about the current staff that are going to be displaced? 11:11.080 --> 11:19.000 I, along with my work wife, Rocio, we feel very disrespected, unappreciated, and devalued 11:19.000 --> 11:24.480 for the hard work and accomplishments and data that we have worked hard to achieve, 11:24.480 --> 11:28.760 and we do have good data. 11:28.760 --> 11:34.560 This complete upheaval is clearly not about the data and student achievement, although 11:34.560 --> 11:36.000 it should be. 11:36.000 --> 11:40.440 I am not sure what or why this decision was made that we found out about after a canceled 11:40.440 --> 11:42.000 meeting. 11:42.000 --> 11:43.720 This district is struggling. 11:43.720 --> 11:47.960 The veteran staff are one of the main pieces holding this district together. 11:47.960 --> 11:53.680 I am losing faith that what is stated in this district is actually going to be followed. 11:53.680 --> 12:01.920 The portrait of a graduate, I looked online, and says there's a commitment to our students. 12:01.920 --> 12:06.560 A portrait of a graduate will ensure that we provide strategic, engaging, collaborative, 12:06.560 --> 12:11.800 experiential learning opportunities, successful academic learning environments for each and 12:11.800 --> 12:13.520 every student in our district. 12:13.520 --> 12:18.960 We are doing that right now in the K-3 model. 12:18.960 --> 12:25.400 It also states, the school district of Hawaii by creating welcoming environments, nurturing 12:25.400 --> 12:32.560 open, trusting relationships, practicing mutual respect and engaging in proactive communication. 12:32.560 --> 12:36.080 Please involve the teachers in the discussions. 12:36.080 --> 12:40.120 It states, create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, staff, families 12:40.120 --> 12:43.840 and the community, where all people are seen, heard and valued. 12:43.840 --> 12:49.360 Please make sure that we are seen, heard and our strengths are valued. 12:49.360 --> 12:59.920 Excuse me, Ms. Reed, just for a point of order, the policy is for up to one person yielding 12:59.920 --> 13:00.920 time. 13:00.920 --> 13:07.440 I'm going to let you finish because you started, but when you were introduced, I only heard 13:07.440 --> 13:13.840 Rosie Alberto being the, there was so much noise, I didn't hear, I only heard that there 13:13.840 --> 13:19.920 were two people, but if anybody else is planning on having three people or two people yield 13:19.920 --> 13:25.560 time to one, it's a six minute limit, which again, is a believe it or not, for government 13:25.560 --> 13:27.400 time, it's very generous. 13:27.400 --> 13:33.640 So, Mrs. Shope, if you could help us keep track of actually who's, okay, go on. 13:33.640 --> 13:34.640 Thanks. 13:34.640 --> 13:39.240 Our system, portrait of a graduate, our systems will value and appreciate and support our 13:39.240 --> 13:42.200 staff and professional growth needs. 13:42.200 --> 13:46.280 We are here today to try and ensure the success of students at Hackett School. 13:46.280 --> 13:50.240 As stated, there are many areas that need to be fixed at Hackett. 13:50.240 --> 13:54.880 The K3 model isn't one of them, but potentially could be in the future with this proposed 13:54.880 --> 13:59.440 Apple card upset of our school. 13:59.440 --> 14:03.840 The school district of Beloit will move our state report card from sales to mean expectations 14:03.840 --> 14:05.720 to meeting expectations. 14:05.720 --> 14:11.000 We already have two strong teams at Hackett for K3 working towards the school, and it 14:11.000 --> 14:16.960 states strategies, design systems that make high quality instruction materials, instruction 14:16.960 --> 14:20.360 including engagement and professional learning, the foundation of the district's teaching 14:20.360 --> 14:22.280 and learning experiences. 14:22.280 --> 14:26.920 We have a system right now in K3 at Hackett with high quality instruction, wide break 14:26.920 --> 14:31.320 apart the system in favor of another system that shows it is not working at Hackett. 14:31.320 --> 14:36.760 So, my question to Dr. Anderson, the board and the people that made this decision, Hackett 14:36.760 --> 14:41.120 is a school that needs to develop a three-year plan to improve their scores. 14:41.120 --> 14:45.040 Why are you upsetting something that isn't broken? 14:45.040 --> 14:49.520 That could potentially be broken by your upsetting the Apple card. 14:49.520 --> 14:52.280 We say we want to keep people here in the district. 14:52.280 --> 14:55.960 The DLI staff at Hackett and elsewhere will be shifting. 14:55.960 --> 14:57.680 We are committed to the district. 14:57.680 --> 15:02.840 When you make big shifts in grade levels, subjects, it's a real risk that we are going 15:02.840 --> 15:07.160 to be losing people just like we did last year when Liz was in 4K. 15:07.160 --> 15:11.640 She was a veteran staff member committed to DLI at Hackett, and because they ended 15:11.640 --> 15:16.080 4K, they said she was going to first grade at Todd, she got there, and then they're like, 15:16.080 --> 15:19.840 oh no, wait, it's third grade, and she just decided to leave. 15:19.840 --> 15:21.600 How is this any different? 15:21.600 --> 15:25.760 How is that any different than what we are doing now by putting middle school teachers 15:25.760 --> 15:29.920 potentially in kindergarten or first grade teaching both languages? 15:29.920 --> 15:32.480 Are we setting people up for success? 15:32.480 --> 15:35.360 People can and will go elsewhere. 15:35.360 --> 15:40.920 If I choose to stay, it will be to support the kids at Hackett, my principal, leadership 15:40.920 --> 15:45.080 team, and staff who will be putting in the hard work to provide the best experience for 15:45.080 --> 15:48.960 our students and support the growth of students. 15:48.960 --> 15:53.520 I have been here long enough to remember what the district used to be, and it's sad. 15:53.520 --> 15:59.200 Please reconsider for the sake of keeping continuity at Hackett and improving data if 15:59.200 --> 16:01.640 that is indeed what all this was originally about. 16:01.640 --> 16:02.640 Thank you. 16:02.640 --> 16:03.640 Thanks. 16:03.640 --> 16:06.760 And I have other information that is for the documents. 16:06.760 --> 16:10.280 If you want to leave a copy with Mrs. Shope, she'll make certain we get that. 16:10.280 --> 16:11.280 Thank you. 16:12.280 --> 16:24.280 Mrs. Shope, our next speaker, the next person I have is Emily with Gretchen yielding time. 16:24.280 --> 16:36.800 I'm sorry, it's been about a year since we've shifted it down to two. 16:36.800 --> 16:37.800 Okay. 16:37.800 --> 16:39.160 So, good evening, everybody. 16:39.160 --> 16:40.160 My name is Emily Ray. 16:40.160 --> 16:42.160 I'm one of the school nurses at the district. 16:42.160 --> 16:45.840 I am a nurse and I'm also an educator. 16:45.840 --> 16:49.360 I am here to speak on the proposed elimination of the director of school health position 16:49.360 --> 16:52.280 and two registered nurse positions in the school district. 16:52.280 --> 16:58.280 I want to say, by saying clearly, this is not just a staffing decision, this is a student 16:58.280 --> 16:59.840 safety decision. 16:59.840 --> 17:03.680 Right now across our district, school nurses are already managing an extremely high level 17:03.680 --> 17:04.680 of need. 17:04.680 --> 17:10.560 Based on our data, we are seeing over 4,600 to 4,800 student health encounters every month. 17:10.560 --> 17:16.520 We administer more than 5,600 medications, respond to over 12,500 health office visits 17:16.520 --> 17:21.000 and calls and manage more than 2,200 diabetic related visits alone. 17:21.000 --> 17:26.720 On a daily basis, that's about 18 to 24 students per day in the health office. 17:26.720 --> 17:32.400 Even with current staffing, one nurse may already be responsible for around 1,100 to 1,300 students. 17:32.400 --> 17:35.120 This is an already heavy and high risk workload. 17:35.120 --> 17:40.040 If these cuts move forward and we are reduced to just three RNs for 10 schools, that number 17:40.040 --> 17:41.520 will rise even higher. 17:41.520 --> 17:46.040 There is no safe or realistic way to meet student needs under those conditions. 17:46.040 --> 17:47.560 I need to say this very clearly. 17:47.560 --> 17:51.760 If there are only three nurses for 10 schools, there will be times when a school does not 17:51.760 --> 17:54.360 have a nurse available during an emergency. 17:54.360 --> 17:57.880 That is not just a possibility, it's a guarantee. 17:57.880 --> 18:01.960 Our district serves a large population of students with complex medical needs, many 18:01.960 --> 18:05.960 of whom have IEPs that include required healthcare services. 18:05.960 --> 18:07.640 These are not optional supports. 18:07.640 --> 18:10.640 They are legally required and medically necessary. 18:10.640 --> 18:14.880 A non-licensed person cannot do the job of a nurse, only a registered nurse has a training 18:14.880 --> 18:18.320 licensure and clinical judgment to provide this level of care. 18:18.320 --> 18:22.920 A non-licensed person cannot interpret physician orders, develop or adjust care plans, manage 18:22.920 --> 18:28.480 diabetes safely, monitor for medication side effects, recognize seizure activity or perform 18:28.480 --> 18:31.880 procedures like catheterization or managing a G2. 18:31.880 --> 18:36.480 So I need to ask, is a secretary going to catheterize a student, is a secretary going 18:36.480 --> 18:41.240 to manage dislodged feeding tube, is an unlicensed staff going to make a medical decision in 18:41.240 --> 18:45.720 an emergency because that is exactly what this decision would force. 18:45.720 --> 18:50.400 When nurses are not available, students will be sent home unnecessarily because staff cannot 18:50.400 --> 18:52.200 safely assess them. 18:52.200 --> 18:55.480 Teachers, secretaries and administrators will be pulled away from their roles to try and 18:55.480 --> 18:58.360 fill the gap they are not trained to fill. 18:58.360 --> 19:03.800 Classroom time will be lost and students will either receive delayed care or wrong 19:03.800 --> 19:04.800 care. 19:04.800 --> 19:09.320 This impacts not only safety, but also learning and stability in our schools. 19:09.320 --> 19:11.160 Nurses are first responders in our buildings. 19:11.160 --> 19:16.200 We are the ones who respond to medical emergencies, guide staff, step-by-step in crisis situations, 19:16.200 --> 19:20.920 administer life-saving medications like EpiPen and Narcan and determine when emergency services 19:20.920 --> 19:22.000 are needed. 19:22.000 --> 19:26.400 Without adequate staffing and leadership, response times increase, confusion increases 19:26.400 --> 19:28.800 and risk to students increases. 19:28.800 --> 19:32.680 The director of school health role is not extra, it is essential. 19:32.680 --> 19:37.280 That position oversees medical safety across the district, ensures compliance with IEPs 19:37.280 --> 19:42.600 and state regulation, monitors medication errors, coordinates care across schools, trained 19:42.600 --> 19:48.640 staff and CPR, emergency response and overseas Medicaid building, which brings funding back 19:48.640 --> 19:49.880 into the district. 19:49.880 --> 19:52.760 If that role is eliminated, who will train staff and CPR? 19:52.760 --> 19:54.960 Who ensures we remain compliant with laws? 19:54.960 --> 19:56.880 Who oversees safety and accountability? 19:56.880 --> 20:00.640 The district will likely have to spend more money bringing in outside services while losing 20:00.640 --> 20:04.000 the expertise that currently protects students every day. 20:04.000 --> 20:07.200 This is not truly a cost-saving decision. 20:07.200 --> 20:11.800 School nurses help keep students in school instead of sending them home unnecessarily. 20:11.800 --> 20:16.320 We reduce emergency calls and hospital visits and bring in funding through Medicaid billing. 20:16.320 --> 20:21.280 Removing positions does not remove the need, it shifts costs and increase risk. 20:21.280 --> 20:25.200 I also want to paint a picture of what this looks like in real life. 20:25.200 --> 20:28.880 A nurse may be monitoring a student who is at risk of having a seizure while working with 20:28.880 --> 20:31.320 a health room assistant to contact a guardian. 20:31.320 --> 20:36.000 At the same time managing a diabetic student's care, administering scheduled daily meds, responding 20:36.000 --> 20:40.560 to an asthma attack and being called to another classroom for a student in distress. 20:40.560 --> 20:43.960 This is not hypothetical, this is a normal part of the day. 20:43.960 --> 20:47.680 This is skilled, licensed critical care happening in real time. 20:47.680 --> 20:51.720 I also want to be honest, nurses in the district could leave and earn significantly 20:51.720 --> 20:53.160 more money elsewhere. 20:53.160 --> 20:56.600 We stay because we care about the students and we believe in what we do. 20:56.600 --> 21:00.880 But if staffing is reduced to this level and leadership is removed, the remaining nurses 21:00.880 --> 21:03.360 are probably not going to stay. 21:03.360 --> 21:06.400 And then the district will face a much larger problem. 21:06.400 --> 21:12.280 The reality is simple, we are not overstaffed, we are already operating at maximum capacity. 21:12.280 --> 21:15.600 Cutting positions does not remove the need, it removes the safety. 21:15.840 --> 21:21.320 Again, we stay because we love these kids and we choose to be here because we believe in taking care of them. 21:21.320 --> 21:25.080 Please don't put us in a position where we can't keep them safe. 21:25.080 --> 21:29.360 Because you will not see the consequences of the decision in a spreadsheet. 21:29.360 --> 21:35.720 You will see them in real emergencies and real children when the help is not there in time. 21:35.720 --> 21:36.080 Thank you. 21:37.880 --> 21:38.960 Thank you, Mr. Schop. 21:40.360 --> 21:42.280 Next, I have Lauren. 21:45.600 --> 21:55.600 Karen's going to give me some time, if I can, because I don't know how fast I'm going to read the library in, you know. 21:55.600 --> 22:01.800 Okay, my name is Lauren Burner and I've probably served the school district specifically at Gassner for the last 10 years. 22:01.800 --> 22:06.800 I'm here to speak today about the proposed cuts to the library staff in positions in our school. 22:06.800 --> 22:09.560 The school library is much more than a room filled with books. 22:09.560 --> 22:12.240 It's the heart of the learning in the school. 22:12.240 --> 22:17.440 It's a place where students go together to read, to research, to study, to create, to grow. 22:17.440 --> 22:24.120 Today alone an estimated 1600 students crossed the district used our libraries in some way. 22:24.120 --> 22:34.520 Research from the American Association of School Libraries consistently shows that schools with strong library programs achieve higher test scores in reading and in math. 22:34.520 --> 22:40.960 Students who regularly borrow and read books perform better on literacy assessments than those who do not. 22:40.960 --> 22:49.960 This school year alone, I personally have helped students and staff check out more than 9,000 books in my building across the district school libraries. 22:49.960 --> 22:53.600 Have circulated 57,000 books since September. 22:53.600 --> 23:00.880 That's 57,000 opportunities for learning, imagination, literacy, and academic growth placed directly in the hands of our children. 23:02.280 --> 23:05.240 The librarians do far more than just check out books. 23:05.240 --> 23:09.280 Today I taught 200 students, I simply did not read them a story. 23:09.280 --> 23:16.440 I taught dozens aligned to state standards that build literacy, responsibility, collaboration, and teamwork. 23:16.440 --> 23:19.360 I also helped students regulate emotions in my room. 23:19.360 --> 23:21.800 I provided a quite quiet testing place. 23:21.800 --> 23:23.920 I fixed 15 Chromebook issues. 23:23.920 --> 23:25.680 I supervised a lunch duty. 23:25.680 --> 23:29.600 I continued to build meaningful relationships with our students. 23:29.600 --> 23:31.360 This is not unique to me. 23:31.360 --> 23:35.040 Every one of our dedicated library staff does this work and much more every single day. 23:36.040 --> 23:39.640 School libraries also provide equity and opportunity. 23:39.640 --> 23:45.040 Not every student has access to books, technology, and quiet study spaces at their home. 23:45.040 --> 23:47.640 My house isn't one of those quiet study places. 23:47.640 --> 23:55.440 For many students, the school library is one of those safe and welcoming places where they can receive those resources and support. 23:55.440 --> 23:59.440 Our staff and students rely on librarians daily. 23:59.440 --> 24:02.440 From, I forgot my laptop, can I borrow one? 24:02.440 --> 24:06.240 To, I don't know why my smart board won't turn on, can you fix it? 24:06.240 --> 24:13.040 The library staff works collaboratively with our teachers and support staff to keep the learning willingness over every day. 24:13.040 --> 24:19.640 The impact of school libraries is clearly not only in the research, but in the daily reality. 24:19.640 --> 24:24.040 Libraries are essential services that students and staff have come to depend on. 24:24.040 --> 24:34.040 Cutting library staff positions may save money in the short term, but long-term costs to student learning, literacy, and opportunities, and support will be far greater. 24:34.040 --> 24:38.040 In conclusion, the school libraries are a critical part of student success. 24:38.040 --> 24:46.040 We strengthen academic equality, support emotional well-being, and help school functions every single day. 24:46.040 --> 24:52.040 We are the tech support, we are the problem solvers, we are the literacy leaders, and yes, we are the ladies with the books. 24:53.040 --> 24:56.040 But more than anything, we are the beating heart of our schools. 24:56.040 --> 25:03.040 I urge you considering the lasting impacts that the cuts to our staff will impact on our students, staff, and communities. 25:03.040 --> 25:05.040 Thank you. 25:05.040 --> 25:07.040 Thank you, Lorraine. 25:07.040 --> 25:08.040 Michelle? 25:08.040 --> 25:11.040 Next, I have James. 25:23.040 --> 25:25.040 Hello. 25:25.040 --> 25:26.040 My name is James. 25:26.040 --> 25:34.040 I am co-president of the Boy Education Association, and I am here tonight to reiterate what Melissa and I talked to you about last week. 25:34.040 --> 25:41.040 We definitely understand the tough position you are in, having cut four and a half, five plus million dollars this year and many more next year. 25:41.040 --> 25:47.040 As you can hear from the people in the room, there are many tough decisions that you are going to have to make. 25:47.040 --> 25:50.040 But we are in this budget situation for a variety of reasons. 25:50.040 --> 25:57.040 We have a broken public education funding system, the previous mismanagement or poor decisions in this district. 25:57.040 --> 26:03.040 But I think we can all agree that teachers and staff are not the cause of this budget problem. 26:03.040 --> 26:09.040 So the BEA respectfully asks that you make the cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. 26:09.040 --> 26:12.040 We have many, many dedicated teachers to this district. 26:12.040 --> 26:18.040 Please use attrition for any of the positions that you need to cut as much as possible. 26:18.040 --> 26:23.040 We ask that the board honors and respects staff by paying them a living wage. 26:23.040 --> 26:26.040 We ask that the board recognize staff that have stayed. 26:26.040 --> 26:34.040 They have chosen to stay in the community and teach them a very difficult place to teach and reward them and recognize them with longevity pay. 26:34.040 --> 26:38.040 Tonight you are going to hear a couple of different plans being proposed. 26:38.040 --> 26:40.040 I hope people at home have read through those plans. 26:40.040 --> 26:44.040 They are very drastic plans, especially one of them is a very drastic plan. 26:44.040 --> 26:47.040 And this is regardless of a referendum. 26:47.040 --> 26:56.040 I hope the community and I hope the school board realizes that without a past referendum in November, the plans are going to be ten times more drastic. 26:56.040 --> 27:00.040 We have to focus on getting a referendum passed in November. 27:00.040 --> 27:08.040 So we ask that you get through this budget and get moving on a referendum question that has to be approved within two months or three months, whatever that is. 27:08.040 --> 27:13.040 We need a referendum question that is very focused on very specific things that we need to tell the district that we need. 27:13.040 --> 27:18.040 We need to tell them why we need that. We need to tell them what it's going to cost, where the money is going to go. 27:18.040 --> 27:21.040 And we also need to explain what's going to happen if that referendum does not pass. 27:21.040 --> 27:26.040 Because if a referendum does not pass in November, this district is going to look drastically different. 27:26.040 --> 27:30.040 We need to rally support in this community around passing a referendum. 27:30.040 --> 27:32.040 Thank you. 27:32.040 --> 27:33.040 Thank you, James. 27:33.040 --> 27:34.040 Mrs. Schull. 27:34.040 --> 27:36.040 Next, I have Stephanie. 27:43.040 --> 27:48.040 Good evening. 27:48.040 --> 27:53.040 My name is Stephanie Stevens. I'm a proud product of the School District of Beloit. 27:53.040 --> 27:58.040 It has been a privilege and honor to be a school teacher here in Beloit for twenty-five years. 27:58.040 --> 28:05.040 My husband and I have both graduates of Beloit Memorial, eight class of eighty-five and eighty-seven, so I'm dating myself. 28:05.040 --> 28:10.040 Our children are the class of twenty-eleven, thirteen, and nineteen. 28:10.040 --> 28:15.040 We're all better people because of our educational experiences here. 28:15.040 --> 28:25.040 I spent twenty-two years at McNeil, teaching Spanish, ELA, career, financial literacy, and whatever else was asked me. 28:25.040 --> 28:29.040 Because I wanted to do what was right for children. 28:29.040 --> 28:33.040 After the huddle, as we called it, the home of the Lancers, closed. 28:33.040 --> 28:38.040 I was relocated to Merrill, which I learned a lot more. 28:38.040 --> 28:47.040 I have a new, huge, newfound admiration and respect for elementary teachers and staff. 28:47.040 --> 28:50.040 And we're spending two years at that level. 28:50.040 --> 28:56.040 I had the chance, though, to return to the middle school at Frusen, and this year, and I truly, that's my jam. 28:56.040 --> 28:59.040 And I'm so happy to be back because I love that. 28:59.040 --> 29:05.040 Throughout my career, though, and my children's education here in Beloit, I have always did what was best for my kids, 29:05.040 --> 29:09.040 meaning my children and my students. 29:09.040 --> 29:15.040 Because once you're one of my babies, you're always one of my babies. 29:15.040 --> 29:19.040 A bag and plead with you to come up with different solutions. 29:19.040 --> 29:24.040 Cutting educators, parents, student service staff is not the way to go. 29:24.040 --> 29:30.040 You will be directly impacting children and families, many of which can't afford to be impacted anymore 29:30.040 --> 29:33.040 because they're already caring so much. 29:33.040 --> 29:38.040 Could we please take a second, third, maybe a fourth look at what ways to cut that cost 29:38.040 --> 29:41.040 that do not directly harm our children and our families? 29:41.040 --> 29:46.040 I'm afraid that if we cut teachers, parents, student services, and also sports, 29:46.040 --> 29:50.040 we will have even more families and staff leave the school district polite. 29:50.040 --> 29:53.040 Our students do not deserve less. 29:53.040 --> 29:55.040 They deserve more. 29:55.040 --> 30:01.040 Our students and families, we need the teachers. 30:01.040 --> 30:03.040 We need the parent educators. 30:03.040 --> 30:04.040 We need student services. 30:04.040 --> 30:05.040 We need the sports. 30:05.040 --> 30:08.040 Please, I beg you to look at things differently. 30:08.040 --> 30:09.040 Thank you. 30:09.040 --> 30:11.040 Thank you, Stephanie. 30:11.040 --> 30:13.040 Mrs. Shope. 30:13.040 --> 30:15.040 That's all I have for in the room. 30:15.040 --> 30:17.040 So next, I just have emails. 30:18.040 --> 30:21.040 The first one is from Skylee. 30:21.040 --> 30:25.040 She's a speech language pathologist at Hackett Elementary School. 30:25.040 --> 30:29.040 I want to begin by acknowledging the difficult position our district faces across Wisconsin. 30:29.040 --> 30:34.040 School districts are being forced to make impossible choices because the current funding formula 30:34.040 --> 30:38.040 does not reflect the realities of educating children today. 30:38.040 --> 30:41.040 Costs continue to rise while resources fail to keep pace. 30:42.040 --> 30:47.040 And districts like ours are left trying to protect opportunities for students with fewer and fewer options. 30:47.040 --> 30:51.040 At the same time, we cannot remain in survival mode forever. 30:51.040 --> 30:57.040 While we address immediate financial pressures, we also need to think about how we move forward together as a community. 30:57.040 --> 31:00.040 There are no painless cuts in public education. 31:00.040 --> 31:04.040 Every program, service, and staff position affects real children and families. 31:04.040 --> 31:09.040 Behind every decision is a student who depends on stability, opportunity, and support. 31:09.040 --> 31:12.040 That is why these conversations matter so deeply. 31:12.040 --> 31:15.040 In moments like this, trust becomes essential. 31:15.040 --> 31:21.040 Our district must continue working to prioritize transparency and communication with families and community members. 31:21.040 --> 31:26.040 When people do not understand why decisions are being made, misinformation fills the gap. 31:26.040 --> 31:33.040 Unfortunately, negative stories often spread faster than the many positive things happening in our schools every day. 31:33.040 --> 31:35.040 And there are positive things happening. 31:35.040 --> 31:37.040 Our teachers continue to innovate. 31:37.040 --> 31:41.040 Our students continue to make measurable growth and personal gains. 31:41.040 --> 31:46.040 Staff members continue showing up for children despite uncertainty and increasing demands. 31:46.040 --> 31:50.040 We need to tell those stories more consistently and more visibly. 31:50.040 --> 31:54.040 As a district, we should focus on proactive communication and community engagement. 31:54.040 --> 32:00.040 We should create more opportunities for dialogue, respond to misinformation factually, 32:00.040 --> 32:07.040 and when it occurs and continue highlighting student achievements and district successes, 32:07.040 --> 32:13.040 people are more likely to support public schools when they feel informed, respected and connected to them. 32:13.040 --> 32:18.040 This moment requires honesty about the challenges we face, but it also requires vision. 32:18.040 --> 32:21.040 Survival cannot be our only strategy. 32:21.040 --> 32:24.040 We must continue asking what kind of district we want to be in the future 32:24.040 --> 32:28.040 and how we preserve opportunities for students even in difficult times. 32:28.040 --> 32:33.040 My final message is to urge the community to band together in this moment of uncertainty, 32:33.040 --> 32:37.040 continue to spread positive messages and provide support to our district. 32:37.040 --> 32:39.040 Our teachers need you. 32:39.040 --> 32:41.040 Your children need you. 32:41.040 --> 32:42.040 Thank you. 32:48.040 --> 32:50.040 Next, I have one from Heather. 32:50.040 --> 32:54.040 I believe teacher and paracuts should be the last on the list. 32:54.040 --> 33:00.040 These children deserve the best and the teachers and paris are the only ones that make it happen. 33:00.040 --> 33:02.040 We are here for them every single day. 33:02.040 --> 33:06.040 We are the ones they trust and come to for whatever reason need be. 33:06.040 --> 33:11.040 If you take this away, it will make classroom sizes larger than they already are. 33:11.040 --> 33:13.040 These kids need us and they count on us. 33:13.040 --> 33:17.040 We all need to keep these babies in our thoughts and prayers during this 33:17.040 --> 33:21.040 and they should be able to come to school without worrying about if their teacher will be there or not. 33:21.040 --> 33:27.040 So I really hope everything that is talked about today, these two positions are the most talked about. 33:32.040 --> 33:34.040 Next, I have one from Brittany. 33:34.040 --> 33:37.040 Good evening board members and SDB staff. 33:37.040 --> 33:42.040 My name is Dr. Brittany Keys, physical therapist, former city of Deloitte, 33:42.040 --> 33:46.040 council vice president, taxpayer and Deloitte, mom of two kiddos at Todd, 33:46.040 --> 33:48.040 and frequent school district volunteer. 33:48.040 --> 33:54.040 Depending on the day, I could be on field trips or referred to as Ms. Frizzle celebrating our favorite planet Earth. 33:54.040 --> 34:00.040 With my sidekick Liz or Ms. Butterfly as we embrace the wonders of the monarch as it goes through metamorphosis. 34:00.040 --> 34:06.040 How its third generation flies to Mexico, learning about milkweed and native plants, 34:06.040 --> 34:10.040 supporting it along the way and watching milkweed seeds dance like fairies. 34:10.040 --> 34:16.040 We could be supporting and appreciating our teachers with treats, running beside our strong third grade girls at Girls on the Run, 34:16.040 --> 34:21.040 mowing and weeding the school garden or helping my young friends with math. 34:21.040 --> 34:30.040 Needless to say our educators, staff and students are amazing and they work extra in off hours so I can spend more time on a weekly basis supporting them. 34:30.040 --> 34:40.040 My daughter is third grade at above grade level in two languages when her parents are English speaking and very beginning Spanish learners at home. 34:40.040 --> 34:44.040 She writes fantastic stories and she's mastering math concepts. 34:44.040 --> 34:50.040 I was introduced to you in ninth grade geometry and we need more support at Todd and across the district. 34:50.040 --> 34:54.040 Our children have a lot of needs right now that are not being met. 34:54.040 --> 34:56.040 We have libraries without librarians. 34:56.040 --> 35:00.040 We have special ed teachers with unrealistic caseloads stepping in with zero experience. 35:00.040 --> 35:04.040 We have buildings without enough paraprofessionals and behavior supports. 35:04.040 --> 35:14.040 We have fantastic educators with classrooms that are already too full and some classrooms with too many kiddos that have more needs than are not being met. 35:14.040 --> 35:17.040 And our babies, our students, our teachers need support. 35:17.040 --> 35:19.040 These children are the future of our community. 35:19.040 --> 35:27.040 The City of Beloit continues to have high numbers of lead laterals and historically slow rates of addressing them. 35:27.040 --> 35:35.040 The City of Beloit has 95 to 100% of industry reported, not monitored hazardous air pollutants. 35:35.040 --> 35:42.040 The City of Beloit also has concerning levels of PM 2.5 which is reported, not monitored. 35:42.040 --> 35:52.040 PM 2.5 is a zero threshold pollutant that increases risk of heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes as well as neurological conditions such as ADHD and autism. 35:52.040 --> 36:03.040 These are all environmental exposures that shouldn't be that are setting our children up for more difficult difficulties and needs even before they step through the door of our schools. 36:03.040 --> 36:14.040 Then we sum up the highest ACE adverse childhood event scores in the state along with one of our highest per capita rates of homelessness for any school district in Wisconsin. 36:14.040 --> 36:25.040 Our children and families have needs and they need support, not cuts, and certainly no cuts of staff that has become family, a constant and critical person in their lives. 36:25.040 --> 36:36.040 I appreciate the state and political actors focused on destroying public education, have stripped and attacked public education and funding in Wisconsin for more than 15 years. 36:36.040 --> 36:40.040 The position you are in is unfair. It is nearly impossible. 36:41.040 --> 36:42.040 Okay. 36:42.040 --> 36:44.040 You can email that to the board members. 36:44.040 --> 36:45.040 Okay. 36:45.040 --> 36:53.040 Next, I have one from Leah to the Beloit school district board members, administrators and community leaders. 36:53.040 --> 37:00.040 I'm writing today with deep concern regarding the proposal to eliminate two nursing positions in the director position within the school district of Beloit. 37:00.040 --> 37:03.040 This decision will not simply be budget adjustment. 37:03.040 --> 37:09.040 It would be a direct reduction in student safety, health equity, crisis response, capability, and educational support for some of the people. 37:09.040 --> 37:20.040 In our community, at a time when student health needs are higher than they've ever been, reducing health care staffing in schools is not only irresponsible but dangerously short sighted. 37:20.040 --> 37:23.040 Our schools are no longer just places of education. 37:23.040 --> 37:33.040 They are frontline centers for physical health, mental health support, crisis intervention, chronic disease management, medication administration, trauma response, and family stabilization. 37:34.040 --> 37:48.040 School nurses are often the very first health care professionals to identify signs of serious illness, abuse, neglect, suicidal ideation, anxiety disorders, asthma attacks, diabetic emergencies, allergic reactions, infections, and behavioral health crises. 37:48.040 --> 37:56.040 To remove two nurses from a district already carrying enormous health care responsibilities would dramatically increase risk for students and staff alike. 37:56.040 --> 38:03.040 Every single day, school nurses manage students with diabetes requiring blood sugar monitoring and insulin administration. 38:03.040 --> 38:25.040 Severe allergies requiring emergency intervention with epinephrine, asthma attacks that can become fatal within minutes, seizure disorders, mental health emergencies, medication administration for hundreds of students, communicable disease monitoring, injury response, emergency preparedness, health documentation, and compliance requirements, coordination for families, hospitals, physicians, and social services. 38:25.040 --> 38:29.040 Students experiencing homelessness, trauma, hunger, or neglect. 38:29.040 --> 38:31.040 These are not optional services. 38:31.040 --> 38:33.040 These are life-preserving responsibilities. 38:33.040 --> 38:37.040 When nurses are spread too thin, the response time increases. 38:37.040 --> 38:38.040 Mistakes become more likely. 38:38.040 --> 38:40.040 Students fall through the cracks. 38:40.040 --> 38:42.040 Emergencies become harder to manage. 38:42.040 --> 38:47.040 Staff members who are not medically trained are forced into situations they should never be expected to handle alone. 38:48.040 --> 38:53.040 One nurse trying to cover multiple buildings or overwhelming student caseloads is not efficiency. 38:53.040 --> 38:57.040 It's a setup for burnout, delayed care, and preventable tragedy. 38:57.040 --> 39:00.040 And eliminating the director position would only worsen the problem. 39:00.040 --> 39:11.040 A district health director provides essential leadership, coordination, compliance oversight, emergency planning, policy implementation, training, public health communication, and strategic health care management. 39:11.040 --> 39:18.040 Without centralized leadership, nurses become fragmented, unsupported, and overwhelmed by administrative burdens that pull them away from students. 39:18.040 --> 39:34.040 This position is especially critical now because schools are dealing with rising student anxiety and depression, increased behavioral crisis, higher rates of chronic absenteeism tied to health issues, ongoing communicable disease concerns, increased special education medical needs. 39:35.040 --> 39:42.040 More medically fragile students remaining in traditional school settings, staffing shortages across health care professions nationwide. 39:42.040 --> 39:43.040 The reality is this. 39:43.040 --> 39:51.040 The health care needs in schools have increased dramatically over the last decade, cutting health care staff in response to growing needs defies logic. 39:51.040 --> 39:55.040 The district must ask itself what message does this send a family? 39:56.040 --> 39:59.040 You can pour that to the board members too. 39:59.040 --> 40:00.040 Okay. 40:00.040 --> 40:04.040 The next one is from Stephanie. 40:04.040 --> 40:06.040 Good evening members of the Board of Education. 40:06.040 --> 40:14.040 I am writing to you about the fact that longevity pay for educators is still under consideration as one of the budget cuts for the 2627 school year. 40:14.040 --> 40:20.040 While I understand the need to reduce our budgets in many areas, I urge you to reconsider this option. 40:20.040 --> 40:37.040 Our dedicated and hardworking educators are the backbone of the Blight School District, and every year we hear the school district staff, board members and public talk about how important it is to attract and retain quality educators for our schools. 40:37.040 --> 40:41.040 And longevity pay is a shining example of how to do just that. 40:41.040 --> 40:49.040 Experience matters in the classroom, and as an educator in my 41st year of teaching, I can tell you that my experience is worth that little bit of extra pay 40:49.040 --> 40:56.040 that the longevity bonus gives me when surrounding districts are giving their staff higher than cost of living raises each year. 40:56.040 --> 41:06.040 While we barely get that, longevity pay is an incentive for educators to stay in our district and can be an incentive to someone considering employment in our district in the future. 41:06.040 --> 41:13.040 Please keep longevity pay for educators in the budget and show us that we are valuable to the Blight students in the school district to Blight. 41:13.040 --> 41:17.040 Thank you. 41:17.040 --> 41:19.040 Next one is from Shanae. 41:19.040 --> 41:20.040 Good evening. 41:20.040 --> 41:22.040 My name is Shanae, and I'm the school counselor at Hackett. 41:22.040 --> 41:28.040 I'm writing tonight about my concerns about some of the proposed reductions for the 26-27 school year. 41:28.040 --> 41:34.040 I wholeheartedly believe any staff person who deals directly with student behavior should not be cut. 41:34.040 --> 41:39.040 The reduction of the Dean of Students position would create an avalanche of problems at the elementary level. 41:39.040 --> 41:44.040 As someone who works in the trenches with student behaviors every day, I see daily what our Dean of Students, 41:44.040 --> 41:47.040 Mitchell Crisman does throughout his day. 41:47.040 --> 41:54.040 He provides heavy support with all students from EC3 to 5th grade, Special Ed, General Ed, and DLI. 41:54.040 --> 41:59.040 He's always stepping up and stepping in to cover for people since we are so severely short staffed every day. 41:59.040 --> 42:06.040 I cannot even imagine how the rest of the admin and student services team would be able to manage the building without our Dean of Students. 42:06.040 --> 42:13.040 These academic goals that the district has set for our students seem so out of reach already due to the behavioral management and lack of social emotional skills 42:13.040 --> 42:14.040 from our students. 42:14.040 --> 42:23.040 The solution to our budget crisis is not reducing staff that help manage these issues so students can learn and achieve their academic goals. 42:23.040 --> 42:30.040 The elimination of the assistant principal position last year had a huge impact on our school, and I am sure many others. 42:30.040 --> 42:35.040 But Mr. Crisman stepped in as Dean of Students and provided the behavioral support that we are missing. 42:35.040 --> 42:42.040 He is, and I cannot stress this enough, and I don't even feel like my words adequately describe a significant asset to our team. 42:42.040 --> 42:49.040 Again, it feels like these reduction thoughts are coming from individuals that are simply detached from the inner workings of the schools here in Beloit. 42:49.040 --> 42:56.040 Student behaviors are at an all-time high to an almost unmanageable level, and they will only increase over time and quickly. 42:56.040 --> 43:02.040 Cutting the Dean of Students position will only lead to more behavioral problems than academic problems for our students, 43:02.040 --> 43:08.040 and it's highly possible that with increased behavioral issues, more loyal and competent staff will leave the school district to Beloit. 43:08.040 --> 43:11.040 The problems will just continue and never get better. 43:11.040 --> 43:18.040 I strongly suggest that the district and board agree to keep on the Dean of Students positions in both budget reduction options. 43:18.040 --> 43:20.040 Thank you for your time. 43:32.040 --> 43:34.040 The next one is from Sarah. 43:35.040 --> 43:39.040 My name is Sarah. I teach 4th grade at Hackett. This is my 12th year in the district. 43:39.040 --> 43:46.040 Although I do not live in Beloit, I choose to commute here every day because I care deeply about the students and families in this community. 43:46.040 --> 43:54.040 I'm passionate about educating these children despite the daily challenges we face, and I am deeply concerned about the budget shortfall and the proposed cuts being discussed. 43:54.040 --> 44:02.040 I ask the board district leaders, colleagues, families, and stakeholders to carefully consider the impact these decisions will have on students and staff. 44:02.040 --> 44:06.040 First, I question the benefits of eliminating or reducing social worker positions. 44:06.040 --> 44:15.040 Social workers do far more than many people realize. They support student check-in checkout systems, help create behavior intervention plans, 44:15.040 --> 44:18.040 manage McKinney-Vento cases, and respond during behavior crises. 44:18.040 --> 44:24.040 Much of their work happens behind the scenes, but their presence is essential to keeping schools functioning safely and effectively. 44:25.040 --> 44:35.040 I would also like clarification on what the board considers to be reasonable class sizes, especially if the district expects improved test scores, closing achievement gaps, and stronger behavior management. 44:35.040 --> 44:41.040 I have taught classes of both 21 and 29 students at the elementary level, and neither was easy. 44:41.040 --> 44:48.040 Next year, I may have close to 32 students, while our school remains under increased DPI scrutiny for academic performance. 44:48.040 --> 44:58.040 Managing students with varying academic levels, behavioral needs, and special education services, while also meeting benchmark expectations becomes increasingly difficult as class sizes rise. 44:58.040 --> 45:07.040 If arts and sports programs are reduced or eliminated across schools and grade levels, one incentives will remain to attract and retain families in this district. 45:07.040 --> 45:11.040 These programs are often what keeps students engaged and connected to school. 45:11.040 --> 45:15.040 Hackett currently has one of the highest elementary enrollments in the district. 45:15.040 --> 45:25.040 How is the principal is expected to effectively manage 400 to 450 students, supervised staff, address behavior concerns, and improve academic outcomes without a dean of students? 45:25.040 --> 45:31.040 From the perspective of those to us working directly with students every day, these decisions are difficult to understand. 45:31.040 --> 45:39.040 Finally, if elementary teachers lose prep time due to reduced library staffing, if the district prepared to compensate teachers for that lost time, 45:39.040 --> 45:41.040 libraries are not optional resources. 45:41.040 --> 45:49.040 If the district's goal is to move students toward success, then providing access to books, literacy support, and library services should remain a priority. 45:49.040 --> 45:53.040 Final words, student needs supports, not cuts. 45:59.040 --> 46:01.040 This next one is from Mitchell. 46:01.040 --> 46:03.040 He's currently the dean of students at Hackett. 46:04.040 --> 46:12.040 I've been working with the district for five years and decided to step out of the classroom and into a leadership role beginning with the school year when the dean position was created. 46:12.040 --> 46:16.040 Every year has come with challenges, but this has given me ample reason to leave the district. 46:16.040 --> 46:23.040 I have stuck with the district because I have a deep level of care, compassion, and dedication to our families, our students, and our staff. 46:23.040 --> 46:28.040 I work extra long hours, put forth more than 100% effort, and push our students to be the best it can be. 46:29.040 --> 46:35.040 I'm the type of staff member that would work in the district for my entire career if I was treated with fairness and respect. 46:35.040 --> 46:40.040 As the dean, my position is vital to the success and safety of students and staff in our buildings. 46:40.040 --> 46:49.040 The office constantly hears from teachers how grateful they are that the dean is able to go around and visit classrooms and deal with behavior issues that stop the rest of the classroom learning. 46:49.040 --> 46:54.040 We are told over and over again how important it is that students feel safe and welcome in our schools. 46:54.040 --> 47:00.040 If they are constantly fearful and worried about behaviors in their classrooms, then they will struggle to learn. 47:00.040 --> 47:07.040 Not only does having a dean help facilitate this learning, but it ensures that the principal is able to continue to run the building. 47:07.040 --> 47:16.040 It takes our entire office team of social workers, school site, counselor, principal, and dean to be able to handle all the behavior issues that pop up throughout the school day. 47:16.040 --> 47:22.040 Even with the full team, we are on the border of collapsing every single day because of how many behaviors occur on a daily basis. 47:22.040 --> 47:27.040 In the past, the district has used lead teachers to fill in the absence of a second administrator. 47:27.040 --> 47:31.040 In our current climate, we barely have enough teachers to staff our buildings fully. 47:31.040 --> 47:38.040 Let alone have a sub to be able to cover a class should a person be pulled to be the lead teacher and be in charge of a building. 47:38.040 --> 47:45.040 Pulling someone to do that job would critically hinder the ability of our staff to function in a way that would allow our students and staff to feel safe. 47:45.040 --> 47:51.040 In addition to being in charge of student behavior, helping with attendance and facilitating MLSS meetings and procedures, 47:51.040 --> 47:57.040 the dean is also the one responsible for stepping in to lead the building in the principal's absence, whatever the reason. 47:57.040 --> 48:04.040 Should the dean position be eliminated, not only would our behavioral issues cause further problems with student achievement and success, 48:04.040 --> 48:11.040 but we would lose numerous staff members who rely on a dean to be able to have smooth and success day of teaching. 48:11.040 --> 48:17.040 Staff at Hackett feel more supported this year than they have in years past, and should there no longer be a dean position, 48:17.040 --> 48:22.040 than many people would consider leaving the district due to erupting their behavior issues and severity. 48:22.040 --> 48:30.040 Not only do the classroom teachers rely on the dean position, but the principal relies on the dean for assistance in ensuring the building runs smoothly and safely. 48:30.040 --> 48:37.040 The school could simply not function without a second person to help deal with behaviors and other issues that pop up throughout the day. 48:37.040 --> 48:41.040 I have missed two days the entire school year due to being extremely sick, 48:41.040 --> 48:45.040 and even while out of the building, I was assisting with behaviors in the ways that I could from home 48:45.040 --> 48:49.040 in order to maintain the potential for students to have a successful day. 48:49.040 --> 48:54.040 When I arrived back in the building the next day, I was met with sighs of relief and comments about never being gone again, 48:54.040 --> 49:01.040 because of how hard it is to not have a full office team available to deal with our outpouring of interventions that happen every day. 49:01.040 --> 49:06.040 Thank you for taking the time to consider not eliminating such a crucial position to our district. 49:07.040 --> 49:10.040 And the last one I have is from Mitchell. 49:10.040 --> 49:17.040 To whom it may concern, I'm writing this letter about the concern of possible reduction of nurses and HRA's in the school district of Beloit. 49:17.040 --> 49:22.040 The health room assistant and nurses play a vital daily role in maintaining a safe learning environment. 49:22.040 --> 49:27.040 The removal of these positions is a matter of critical concern for student safety and well-being. 49:27.040 --> 49:30.040 My concerns are based on the following. 49:31.040 --> 49:38.040 Reduction or elimination of these roles will only reduce instructional time for teachers as they will be trying to manage medical health issues 49:38.040 --> 49:43.040 that they are not comfortable with and or may not be trained on. 49:43.040 --> 49:50.040 This could possibly delay treating several allergies, daily scheduled feedings, daily scheduled meds, seizures, and daily insulin management. 49:50.040 --> 49:57.040 The elementary school IAMAT has 18 scheduled medications a daily, including two feedings that are done twice daily 49:57.040 --> 50:03.040 and can be time consuming at times depending on the student behavior and or the equipment not working properly. 50:03.040 --> 50:14.040 This is not counting students that may encounter an injury emergency while at school, not feeling well or a staff member that is experiencing an emergency medical as well. 50:14.040 --> 50:18.040 Who will make the decision on how to prioritize students' medical needs? 50:18.040 --> 50:20.040 Who will be available for student IEPs? 50:20.040 --> 50:23.040 The amount of health conditions on students is on the rise daily. 50:24.040 --> 50:30.040 The Director of School Health is such a critical role as nurses do at times also reach out to her for further guidance. 50:30.040 --> 50:36.040 If nurses are absent for the day, the HREs reach out to the Director of School Health for further guidance if needed. 50:36.040 --> 50:42.040 As other nurses are so busy with their schools that they are not able to take our calls at times, 50:42.040 --> 50:47.040 the nurse director makes sure that all staff are in compliance with nursing standards. 50:47.040 --> 50:54.040 The nurse director takes care of the back-end work that is required, making sure all policies and procedures are being applied. 50:54.040 --> 51:00.040 She also steps in to cover schools when staff calls off or staff have to leave for an urgent matter. 51:00.040 --> 51:01.040 Her list goes on and on. 51:01.040 --> 51:06.040 I strongly urge the Board to reconsider these cuts and prioritize student and staff safety. 51:06.040 --> 51:09.040 The physical safety of our children should be non-negotiable. 51:09.040 --> 51:10.040 Thank you for your time. 51:10.040 --> 51:12.040 And that's all I have. 51:12.040 --> 51:13.040 Thank you. 51:13.040 --> 51:23.040 I don't have another email to read. 51:23.040 --> 51:30.040 I have one giving time to somebody, but that person didn't submit one to read. 51:30.040 --> 51:36.040 Also, if the emails are not received before 12 noon. 51:36.040 --> 51:37.040 Okay. 51:37.040 --> 51:40.040 I'm sorry. 51:40.040 --> 51:41.040 It's not here. 51:41.040 --> 51:42.040 Okay. 51:42.040 --> 51:45.040 Thank you, Mrs. Show. 51:45.040 --> 51:52.040 Our next agenda item is the budget proposals. 51:52.040 --> 52:06.040 And to follow up with what Mr. Holyhead said, we need to focus on getting a referendum to pass because our district does deserve more money financially. 52:07.040 --> 52:15.040 I don't think there is any board member up here that would disagree with that statement. 52:15.040 --> 52:20.040 Many people have a hard time understanding Wisconsin public school funding. 52:20.040 --> 52:27.040 It's an ever moving target and it's never an exact science. 52:27.040 --> 52:38.040 It's very, very confusing to many people because our 26, 27 school year budget starts July 1st. 52:38.040 --> 52:52.040 However, the budget is not finalized until the end of October when we know how many students we're going to have and how much money we are able to receive from the state. 52:52.040 --> 52:56.040 Between now and then there are a lot of moving variables. 52:56.040 --> 52:58.040 How many students are we going to have? 52:58.040 --> 53:01.040 How much money are we going to have? 53:01.040 --> 53:10.040 And what is the appetite of the public for us to be able to tax to the maximum allowable leverage? 53:10.040 --> 53:16.040 We know that everything that we do in the district is important. 53:16.040 --> 53:19.040 If it wasn't, it already would have been cut. 53:19.040 --> 53:32.040 And that's because we have been trying to get a referendum to pass, but we've been also having to deal with the reality of the budget shortfalls that we've had every year. 53:32.040 --> 53:35.040 This year is the easy year. 53:35.040 --> 53:45.040 And we were recently informed that our short shortfall went from 4 million to closer to 6 million. 53:45.040 --> 53:49.040 There are, again, it's an ever moving target. 53:49.040 --> 53:50.040 What plays into that? 53:50.040 --> 53:57.040 Cost of transportation, cost of fuel, cost of healthcare, all kinds of things. 53:57.040 --> 54:12.040 Now, we all learned that, or maybe not all, but yesterday we were informed that Governor Evers and Senator Voth are working on or have come up with a budget amendment for the 54:12.040 --> 54:18.040 biennial budget that may help benefit school districts. 54:18.040 --> 54:19.040 That's great. 54:19.040 --> 54:26.040 It has the approval of those senators, but we and the governor, but we need for it to get all the way through. 54:26.040 --> 54:28.040 Can we sit and wait? 54:28.040 --> 54:40.040 Well, we could, but then we are also holding everybody else up who may be wondering whether or not they're going to have a job going into next school year. 54:40.040 --> 54:47.040 The reason we have tonight's meeting is because we still need to make reductions. 54:47.040 --> 55:09.040 I am very hopeful that the budget will, amendment will pass, but I'm not going to risk the mental state of our employees worrying until that passes. 55:09.040 --> 55:22.040 And it sounds like there's already pushback from both sides of the aisle on that amendment, but we want to give you guys the most information we can up front. 55:22.040 --> 55:27.040 And that's really, ultimately, what we need to all be about. 55:27.040 --> 55:38.040 All of us sharing information, sharing information in a timely manner, and above all else, keeping our focus on what's in the best interest of life. 55:38.040 --> 55:41.040 The best interest of the students. 55:41.040 --> 55:50.040 And if you look at our DPI report cards, we're not doing real great, folks. 55:50.040 --> 55:58.040 I know we are all doing great things, and there are great things happening in every single classroom in every single building. 55:58.040 --> 56:06.040 I know because I visit the buildings, and when I go there, I see great things and things to be excited and to celebrate. 56:06.040 --> 56:14.040 But overall, compared to all of the other 419 districts in the state, we're not doing very good. 56:14.040 --> 56:16.040 And I know we can be doing better. 56:16.040 --> 56:25.040 I know change is hard, but I'm going to ask that we all try to chip in and make these changes together. 56:25.040 --> 56:35.040 And with understanding and compassion and care, and knowing that we are all doing what we need to do in the best interest of our students. 56:35.040 --> 56:39.040 There are a lot of difficult choices ahead. 56:39.040 --> 56:51.040 And I really thank all of you for being here tonight, and I thank you all for your concern and commitment to our students and to one another. 56:51.040 --> 56:55.040 And Mrs. Alberto, it's good to see you again. 56:55.040 --> 57:05.040 A couple of weeks ago, the board passed the board guidance for the 2627 budget. 57:05.040 --> 57:20.040 This is a document presented to the administration laying out some of the board's primary focuses that we want in this budget priorities. 57:20.040 --> 57:29.040 How do we place students in instructional spaces that best meet their needs with a priority of being student focused? 57:29.040 --> 57:34.040 One, maintain existing district to pupil ratio guidelines. 57:34.040 --> 57:44.040 Our guidelines, if anybody wants to know, are in policy 43.2. 57:44.040 --> 57:57.040 Preserve and focus on staff retention and recruitment by providing a 2.63 CPI increase for the professional staff for the upcoming budget. 57:57.040 --> 58:09.040 Prioritize district programs and initiatives that drive student enrollment to minimize enrollment reduced enrollment patterns for the district. 58:09.040 --> 58:12.040 I think that might be a typo. 58:12.040 --> 58:28.040 Also at our last regular board meeting, the issue of longevity paid did come up, and it was the consensus, a unanimous consensus of this board that if we need to dip into the OPEB funds that we will do that, 58:28.040 --> 58:39.040 it's important that we retain the talent of our long-term employees, including those that I went to 2nd grade Waterman School with. 58:39.040 --> 58:47.040 Dr. Anderson, I'll turn it over to you now. 58:47.040 --> 58:52.040 All right, thank you. First, I'm posting myself this way so I can talk to both sides. 58:52.040 --> 58:56.040 Before I start, first, welcome Bill and Dan. 58:56.040 --> 58:57.040 Thank you. 58:57.040 --> 59:00.040 Start smiling. You have good work in front of you. 59:00.040 --> 59:06.040 And then before I start, I want to give a hearty thanks to the executive cabinet for those who don't know. 59:06.040 --> 59:12.040 When I was hired, I told the board, I'll be happy to come, but you have to realize I have some vacations planned. 59:12.040 --> 59:18.040 And one was to go to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji for a little over a month. 59:18.040 --> 59:25.040 So I got back on, I left on April 6th, and I got back Saturday afternoon. 59:25.040 --> 59:34.040 So in my absence, the executive cabinet has done an outstanding job and I couldn't be happier. 59:34.040 --> 59:44.040 So I want to make sure I give a call out to Dr. Malott, Ms. Elwood, Ms. Almondaris, and Mrs. Beavers, because they did, 59:44.040 --> 59:48.040 when I wasn't here, it didn't stop. 59:48.040 --> 59:52.040 They had to continue on, and of course the budget doesn't stop. 59:52.040 --> 59:56.040 We talked about the budget one before I left. 59:56.040 --> 01:00:03.040 Budget discussions had to continue, so they have been doing just an outstanding job and I just can't thank them enough for everything. 01:00:03.040 --> 01:00:10.040 They did, and each of the principals for all that they did because they were involved in the meetings also. 01:00:10.040 --> 01:00:12.040 Now let's get down to the realities. 01:00:12.040 --> 01:00:18.040 One is, when I left on vacation, we had $4.5 million to cut from a budget. 01:00:18.040 --> 01:00:23.040 When I got back from vacation, the number had changed to $5.7 million. 01:00:23.040 --> 01:00:24.040 Why the difference? 01:00:24.040 --> 01:00:29.040 The difference because of the health increase of 18%, we budgeted about 10. 01:00:29.040 --> 01:00:34.040 Increased transportation costs of about $500,000. 01:00:34.040 --> 01:00:40.040 So we have a larger deficit than we originally projected. 01:00:40.040 --> 01:00:47.040 There is no way out of the deficit without personnel cuts. 01:00:47.040 --> 01:00:49.040 There is no magic. 01:00:49.040 --> 01:00:51.040 There is nothing that I can say. 01:00:51.040 --> 01:00:53.040 I'm not going to create new dollars. 01:00:53.040 --> 01:00:56.040 I'm not expecting a lot of new dollars to come. 01:00:56.040 --> 01:01:02.040 There are no ways to balance the budget without personnel cuts. 01:01:02.040 --> 01:01:05.040 Does that mean the personnel aren't valued? 01:01:05.040 --> 01:01:06.040 No. 01:01:06.040 --> 01:01:11.040 What it simply means is when you have less students, you get less resources. 01:01:11.040 --> 01:01:23.040 When you have less resources and you have cut almost everything else to the bone, the only thing left is to look at staffing, which usually is about 80% of your budget is salary and fringe benefits. 01:01:24.040 --> 01:01:27.040 But this is an discussion about just tonight's budget. 01:01:27.040 --> 01:01:41.040 This is an interwoven discussion because it's tonight's budget, or next year's, which we have to balance for 5.7, and it's the 2728 budget, which is a larger fiscal cliff. 01:01:41.040 --> 01:01:50.040 We all know the realities that the Learning Center, the Lincoln Academy, I should say, is expanding. 01:01:50.040 --> 01:01:54.040 We can watch the construction from our windows. 01:01:54.040 --> 01:02:07.040 When that finishes for the 2728 school year, I'm led to believe that it can at that time double its size, which means it could take up to another 700 plus students from us. 01:02:07.040 --> 01:02:09.040 That is a reality. 01:02:09.040 --> 01:02:11.040 How many will take the first year? 01:02:11.040 --> 01:02:12.040 I don't know. 01:02:12.040 --> 01:02:22.040 One of the first discussions that we'll have to have is with the Lincoln Academy for how they're going to go about filling their slots. 01:02:22.040 --> 01:02:25.040 Are they going to fill all of their slots in the first year? 01:02:25.040 --> 01:02:28.040 Are they going to do it over a period of years? 01:02:28.040 --> 01:02:34.040 In the end, it's still going to have 700 and some student capacity that it doesn't have now. 01:02:34.040 --> 01:02:36.040 That is a reality. 01:02:36.040 --> 01:02:40.040 Another reality is that where the vast amount of those students are going to come from. 01:02:40.040 --> 01:02:44.040 They're going to come from Beloit because it is close. 01:02:44.040 --> 01:02:46.040 It is in the same town. 01:02:46.040 --> 01:02:48.040 That is a reality. 01:02:48.040 --> 01:02:50.040 What is the other reality? 01:02:50.040 --> 01:03:00.040 There is no person who can create a budget for you that is sustainable until we solve the problem of declining enrollment. 01:03:00.040 --> 01:03:02.040 We have to come up with the solution. 01:03:02.040 --> 01:03:04.040 Why do students leave? 01:03:04.040 --> 01:03:07.040 We have to fix that issue. 01:03:07.040 --> 01:03:13.040 If we can come to a stable population, let's say 4,000 students. 01:03:13.040 --> 01:03:16.040 One time we're 8,000 or about 8,000. 01:03:16.040 --> 01:03:19.040 Now you're about 4,500. 01:03:19.040 --> 01:03:21.040 My guess is 4,000. 01:03:21.040 --> 01:03:32.040 If you could stabilize at 4,000 and we knew that that was going to be consistent, could somebody create you a three, four, five year plan about what to do? 01:03:32.040 --> 01:03:34.040 The answer is yes. 01:03:34.040 --> 01:03:47.040 If you continue to lose 200 students a year or more, there is no budgetary solution because you're going to cut and you're going to cut and you're going to cut. 01:03:47.040 --> 01:03:50.040 You can't cut your way to success. 01:03:50.040 --> 01:03:53.040 We also have to have a referendum. 01:03:53.040 --> 01:03:58.040 The last referendums have not proved successful in the district. 01:03:58.040 --> 01:04:03.040 We have to look at what is it going to take to have a successful referendum? 01:04:03.040 --> 01:04:06.040 These are all interwoven. 01:04:06.040 --> 01:04:09.040 There is not one separate from the other. 01:04:09.040 --> 01:04:14.040 How do we do this? 01:04:14.040 --> 01:04:24.040 The first thing is we look at what is it that we need to do to construct a budget to balance it for the 26, 27 school year? 01:04:24.040 --> 01:04:26.040 It's going to have staff cuts. 01:04:26.040 --> 01:04:30.040 There's nothing I'm going to tell you that's going to take that away. 01:04:30.040 --> 01:04:38.040 What I can tell you is that I don't like to stay into one spot. 01:04:38.040 --> 01:04:43.040 I'm kind of a wanderer, but for the mic I'll do my best. 01:04:43.040 --> 01:04:53.040 When the referendum, and we have to have that question done by the end of August, we're going to need to state specific needs. 01:04:54.040 --> 01:04:57.040 I'm going to get my water. 01:04:57.040 --> 01:05:02.040 I'll be right back to the station break. 01:05:02.040 --> 01:05:05.040 You should all know that originally I was not going into education. 01:05:05.040 --> 01:05:11.040 I was going to be a pastor, so hopefully this is not a sermon. 01:05:11.040 --> 01:05:16.040 That was my original calling. 01:05:16.040 --> 01:05:18.040 We have to look at a referendum. 01:05:18.040 --> 01:05:21.040 We have to be detailed on what it is. 01:05:21.040 --> 01:05:27.040 If a referendum is going to pass in this community, I believe we need to say a little bit like James said. 01:05:27.040 --> 01:05:40.040 We need to lay out what it is exactly, what we need, what is that going to cost, and what is the impact if it fails? 01:05:40.040 --> 01:05:41.040 How do we start? 01:05:41.040 --> 01:05:48.040 I used to teach finance for a university in Wisconsin Madison, taught for about 17 years. 01:05:48.040 --> 01:05:50.040 I taught those classes. 01:05:50.040 --> 01:06:08.040 The first thing I would tell all my students would be when you construct a budget, see a human face in every dollar, because every dollar that you allocate or that you cut is going to have an impact on an individual. 01:06:08.040 --> 01:06:17.040 Take a look at what the impact is going to be and try to make decisions that have the least amount of negative impact possible. 01:06:17.040 --> 01:06:21.040 That's what we have to do for at least the upcoming. 01:06:21.040 --> 01:06:22.040 All right. 01:06:22.040 --> 01:06:27.040 What are some potential solutions? 01:06:27.040 --> 01:06:46.040 One is, since we're going to have to cut staff, my first take is that let's look at the positions that we have in the district that are currently either vacant or that we're going to be vacant because through attrition 01:06:46.040 --> 01:06:48.040 or that we have through contracted staff. 01:06:48.040 --> 01:07:02.040 In other words, the staff members who have dedicated their lives to this district and have done the things that we've asked them to do, what can we do to preserve those spots? 01:07:02.040 --> 01:07:08.040 Because I believe in protecting people, I do not believe in protecting positions. 01:07:08.040 --> 01:07:21.040 If we go in, we eliminate what I would call, I'll call them vacant positions for next year, we could cut 37 positions from the budget. 01:07:21.040 --> 01:07:31.040 37 positions from the budget are basically going to be $3,874,616. 01:07:31.040 --> 01:07:32.040 All right. 01:07:32.040 --> 01:07:33.040 It's an amount. 01:07:33.040 --> 01:07:36.040 Is it the 5.7 that we need? 01:07:36.040 --> 01:07:37.040 No. 01:07:37.040 --> 01:07:40.040 So then you can take a look at. 01:07:40.040 --> 01:07:41.040 All right. 01:07:41.040 --> 01:07:49.040 When we cut staff, one of the things we can take a look at in a referendum is, what can we put back in? 01:07:49.040 --> 01:08:03.040 In other words, if I have to cut something, I can put that back into the referendum to say, if the public values this position, then here's what the position costs. 01:08:03.040 --> 01:08:09.040 If you're willing to support it, then here's what's going to do to your tax bill to put it back in. 01:08:09.040 --> 01:08:16.040 People are going to have to see and make decisions of what it is that they truly value in the district or not. 01:08:16.040 --> 01:08:24.040 So in some of those positions that are vacant, where they mentioned tonight, the answer is yes. 01:08:24.040 --> 01:08:36.040 They were because they would be either, you know, either someone's not currently have it or someone retired or left the district, but it created a vacancy. 01:08:36.040 --> 01:08:39.040 We can take a look at. 01:08:39.040 --> 01:08:44.040 I know that the board in their goals said. 01:08:44.040 --> 01:08:47.040 We want to make sure we give all the staff a raise. 01:08:47.040 --> 01:08:48.040 All right. 01:08:48.040 --> 01:08:50.040 I know this part of their goals. 01:08:50.040 --> 01:08:55.040 However, my job is to try to create options to take a look at. 01:08:55.040 --> 01:08:58.040 Even options that are unpopular. 01:08:58.040 --> 01:09:12.040 If you were to look at a salary freeze across the board in all areas, you'd save another $1.1,253,000. 01:09:13.040 --> 01:09:30.040 Now, what I would leave as a caveat to that is that one of the things I think is important about selling a referendum is that people want to know that the money that they give is going to directly impact staff. 01:09:30.040 --> 01:09:33.040 You could put that in a referendum in November. 01:09:33.040 --> 01:09:42.040 If it passes, you can make the pay increase retroactive to the beginning of the year. 01:09:42.040 --> 01:09:45.040 But that remembers, that means it has to pass. 01:09:45.040 --> 01:09:46.040 All right. 01:09:46.040 --> 01:09:53.040 If it doesn't pass, there is no money to give a wage increase. 01:09:53.040 --> 01:09:59.040 But if our next referendum doesn't pass, we have a lot of other issues we have to deal with. 01:09:59.040 --> 01:10:09.040 Governor Eveners did have a working on some type of a compromise or a deal with the legislature. 01:10:09.040 --> 01:10:13.040 I am confident that something will be passed. 01:10:13.040 --> 01:10:28.040 We took a look on what the information that we've been provided that I think that if what is currently being discussed and voted on comes to fruition, 01:10:28.040 --> 01:10:37.040 which we'll know by the end of the week, I think that would bring in a minimum of $1 million to our district. 01:10:37.040 --> 01:10:39.040 Those are some things right away. 01:10:39.040 --> 01:10:49.040 So if you take those amounts of things, so if you take away our vacant staff, if you take away, if you free salaries for a year, 01:10:49.040 --> 01:10:59.040 if you add the additional million dollars, now you're coming close to a balanced budget. 01:10:59.040 --> 01:11:10.040 But that way that goes on the backs of all staff, because there is no guarantee that I can give anyone in this room that a referendum is going to pass. 01:11:10.040 --> 01:11:17.040 All I can tell you is that whatever the referendum is, we need to explain in detail what we're asking for. 01:11:17.040 --> 01:11:21.040 We need to explain in detail what they're going to get for their dollars. 01:11:21.040 --> 01:11:29.040 They're going to want to see what it is that they're going to get for their money that they got their money's worth. 01:11:29.040 --> 01:11:35.040 Most of the time I'd ask for recurring, which means a year after year, I don't think that would pass. 01:11:35.040 --> 01:11:41.040 I think what you're going to have to do is you're going to have to go for a non-recurring of two years at the max three. 01:11:41.040 --> 01:11:52.040 So if the public realizes they have the opportunity to evaluate what we're doing, and if it's a value, then we have to come back in two or three more years to ask for more money again. 01:11:52.040 --> 01:11:56.040 If they don't see it's a value, they're going to vote no. 01:11:56.040 --> 01:12:00.040 If they did see it's a value, then hopefully they'll continue to vote yes. 01:12:00.040 --> 01:12:04.040 That is one option to get us there. 01:12:04.040 --> 01:12:06.040 Now, that is not the only option. 01:12:06.040 --> 01:12:08.040 That is an option. 01:12:09.040 --> 01:12:15.040 The other option is to give the salary and fringe benefit increase, which we know that every one of the staff deserve. 01:12:15.040 --> 01:12:19.040 There is no doubt in my mind that that is. 01:12:19.040 --> 01:12:25.040 That is going to require, you know, I didn't have a call. 01:12:25.040 --> 01:12:35.040 I'd say I'd be allergic to stress, but then I'd be, you know, I'd be incapacitated most days. 01:12:36.040 --> 01:12:45.040 And I actually don't mind talking with you about this because it is important. 01:12:45.040 --> 01:12:50.040 So if we give all the raises, then I have to cut more positions. 01:12:50.040 --> 01:12:55.040 I have to cut positions that are more than what is vacant. 01:12:55.040 --> 01:13:04.040 We'd have to take a look at, and as I said, my executive cabinet did a tremendous job of taking a look at positions meeting with all of the building principles to look at. 01:13:04.040 --> 01:13:06.040 What it is that we could cut. 01:13:06.040 --> 01:13:13.040 So if we don't do that, we have to go back and determine what additional staffing cuts do we need to make. 01:13:13.040 --> 01:13:27.040 Whatever staffing cuts we make, we can then put back into a referendum to explain the cost of these programs and what it is that we believe the benefit. 01:13:27.040 --> 01:13:32.040 And obviously, if it fails, that means that we would not be able to put that back in. 01:13:32.040 --> 01:13:34.040 That's really where we're at. 01:13:34.040 --> 01:13:40.040 Both of the proposals lay out things for this year. 01:13:40.040 --> 01:13:43.040 Basically, they have two proposals. 01:13:43.040 --> 01:13:46.040 One is much more aggressive than the other. 01:13:46.040 --> 01:13:48.040 The proposals A and B evolve. 01:13:48.040 --> 01:13:52.040 Seeing them, we can put them up if that becomes necessary. 01:13:52.040 --> 01:14:00.040 Proposal A basically keeps all programs where they are now in buildings, but it reduces staff. 01:14:00.040 --> 01:14:02.040 Proposal B is more aggressive. 01:14:02.040 --> 01:14:07.040 It starts saying let's start shifting programs to different buildings. 01:14:07.040 --> 01:14:14.040 So in effect, you know, buildings would not, all buildings would not be used in the current fashion that they're being used. 01:14:14.040 --> 01:14:18.040 It is much more aggressive, it would save more money. 01:14:18.040 --> 01:14:25.040 But again, it causes more changes. 01:14:25.040 --> 01:14:39.040 I am not in favor of Proposal B to act on for next year because I don't think that we have sufficient time to really do a good job of moving programs and positions around. 01:14:39.040 --> 01:14:50.040 However, I think it is extremely important that we start having these discussions now because there is going to be a fiscal cliff in a year. 01:14:50.040 --> 01:14:53.040 I cannot repeat that enough. 01:14:53.040 --> 01:15:03.040 And I think we need to start having the discussions with everyone in the schools with all the staff, with all the residents that are around. 01:15:03.040 --> 01:15:16.040 Irregardless of whether or not they like decisions or not, I want people to know that before we make the decisions, they're going to have every opportunity to listen to why they're being made and to give their input. 01:15:16.040 --> 01:15:23.040 Because in a year, somebody is going to have to make some tough decisions. 01:15:23.040 --> 01:15:30.040 Now, announcement, announcement. 01:15:30.040 --> 01:15:33.040 I really want to retire. 01:15:34.040 --> 01:15:48.040 But the bottom line is, it's not fair to the staff or the board or the community to try to saddle this to somebody else to come in. 01:15:49.040 --> 01:16:07.040 So, if the board wants me, I will stay on a little longer to help you through this process so that when the big issues happen, they can fall on my shoulders rather than the shoulders of the new superintendent. 01:16:08.040 --> 01:16:16.040 Whoever that is, and that is going to be a big decision for the board to make and a big decision for the community. 01:16:16.040 --> 01:16:24.040 But it wouldn't be right or fair to try to put somebody brand new in the position to walk into this. 01:16:24.040 --> 01:16:29.040 So, I haven't told my wife yet. 01:16:30.040 --> 01:16:39.040 Fortunately, I was a lot lighter when this ring went on. I don't think it comes off very easy. 01:16:39.040 --> 01:16:43.040 But I just want to know that I'm not going to leave you in this alone. 01:16:43.040 --> 01:16:47.040 That's the bottom line. I'm not going to leave you in this alone. 01:16:47.040 --> 01:16:53.040 But I'm not a magician. I don't have any magic answers to how this is going to happen. 01:16:53.040 --> 01:17:00.040 There's no, I don't have any secret juice or smells or knowledge. 01:17:00.040 --> 01:17:03.040 All I can say is that we need to have a lot of discussions. 01:17:03.040 --> 01:17:08.040 We've talked about what committees we should form as a board. 01:17:08.040 --> 01:17:16.040 I think one of the first committees that really we need to take a look at, in regards to what we call it, is the committee to stop the bleeding. 01:17:17.040 --> 01:17:22.040 What is it? Because that is the core issue. 01:17:22.040 --> 01:17:26.040 We can't continue to have students leave our district. 01:17:26.040 --> 01:17:32.040 We need to have a stable population. 01:17:32.040 --> 01:17:37.040 We try to bring back some of the students that we've left, that have left us. 01:17:37.040 --> 01:17:41.040 If we can do that, we can set a roadmap for success. 01:17:41.040 --> 01:17:44.040 But that's what we have to tackle. 01:17:44.040 --> 01:17:49.040 We have lots of reasons why we believe that's going to happen, but I think those are the discussions. 01:17:49.040 --> 01:17:59.040 If we have any group, I think the group is, what are we going to do to stabilize and possibly bring back students into our district? 01:17:59.040 --> 01:18:07.040 When you solve that problem, the budgetary problems won't be nearly as significant. 01:18:08.040 --> 01:18:10.040 Now, I was talking to James today. 01:18:10.040 --> 01:18:15.040 James said, you know when I didn't get wrong, James, you can correct me. 01:18:15.040 --> 01:18:23.040 He said, you know, I was talking to my wife, and I said, what are we going to have just like a normal school year? 01:18:23.040 --> 01:18:25.040 You know, like just a normal year. 01:18:25.040 --> 01:18:36.040 You know, we just work worry about like curriculum and what we're teaching that we're not always thinking about budget cuts and program cuts and cuts and cuts. 01:18:36.040 --> 01:18:39.040 I think I added the cuts and cuts part. 01:18:39.040 --> 01:18:46.040 But the bottom line is, those days aren't going to come until we stabilize our student enrollment. 01:18:46.040 --> 01:18:49.040 Now let's figure out how we're going to get there. 01:18:49.040 --> 01:18:54.040 So, what are the decisions that the board is going to have to make? 01:18:54.040 --> 01:19:00.040 The big ones are, how much of a cut do we do this year for staffing? 01:19:00.040 --> 01:19:08.040 I am not a proponent of going into, in this case, OPEB or Fund Equity. 01:19:08.040 --> 01:19:10.040 I really am not. 01:19:10.040 --> 01:19:29.040 But the bottom line is if we go into that for a one year time period, this next year, to give us a time to put a referendum together to tell people what it is that we need and give them the opportunity to vote, that that might be beneficial for a year. 01:19:29.040 --> 01:19:37.040 But, you know, there are no guarantees. 01:19:37.040 --> 01:19:42.040 Now, there are other areas that we can take a look at making cuts. 01:19:42.040 --> 01:19:46.040 Or I should say, one is we talk about middle school athletics. 01:19:46.040 --> 01:19:52.040 Middle school athletics, if we put into Fund 80, Fund 80 is a community fund. 01:19:52.040 --> 01:20:01.040 If we open up our middle school athletic programs to everybody in the district, so that means the Lincoln Academy, it means Rock County Christian. 01:20:01.040 --> 01:20:05.040 If we open them up, then we can put that in Fund 80. 01:20:05.040 --> 01:20:09.040 Fund 80 means everybody's tax on it, but you don't have to go to referendum. 01:20:09.040 --> 01:20:11.040 That could be $80,000. 01:20:11.040 --> 01:20:15.040 Our district spends a great deal on legal fees. 01:20:15.040 --> 01:20:16.040 All right. 01:20:16.040 --> 01:20:22.040 I think that there's the possibility we could take a look at either hiring our own attorney. 01:20:22.040 --> 01:20:26.040 That would be on site, like other districts. 01:20:26.040 --> 01:20:29.040 Could be a potential cost savings. 01:20:29.040 --> 01:20:37.040 I was told that maybe we could renegotiate with our current legal provider, and there might be some savings there. 01:20:37.040 --> 01:20:41.040 There are other means we can start saving money. 01:20:42.040 --> 01:20:48.040 But I think this night was not a night that anybody had to make a decision. 01:20:48.040 --> 01:20:49.040 All right. 01:20:49.040 --> 01:20:51.040 We have another board meeting coming up. 01:20:51.040 --> 01:21:01.040 Now, I truly would love to have a draft budget done for the board so that they could review it and vote on it before the end of June. 01:21:01.040 --> 01:21:06.040 So that we could start the school year with an idea of what it's going to look like. 01:21:06.040 --> 01:21:12.040 The final budget's not until October, but at least it's a budget we all start with. 01:21:12.040 --> 01:21:16.040 So where do we go from here? 01:21:16.040 --> 01:21:21.040 Part of it goes, how severely do we want to make the cuts for this year? 01:21:21.040 --> 01:21:30.040 As we said, if we do the vacant positions and all that, and we start with that, and we do that, I think, and we do a wage freeze. 01:21:30.040 --> 01:21:32.040 I know that that's not part of it. 01:21:33.040 --> 01:21:44.040 The original discussion, I think we can get through without having to cut additional staffing positions for the next year, and we build those into a referendum. 01:21:44.040 --> 01:21:59.040 If we want to go with providing the salary and benefit increase, then I think we take a look at what other positions do we need to cut that are going to end up filling that void so that we can do that. 01:21:59.040 --> 01:22:01.040 And then we're going to have to take a look. 01:22:01.040 --> 01:22:08.040 Now, when I talk about attrition and vacancies, that isn't every building across the district. 01:22:08.040 --> 01:22:10.040 That includes COLAC. 01:22:10.040 --> 01:22:18.040 So if so many things that we're not, it means no way of the positions in COLAC 2 that would not be filled. 01:22:18.040 --> 01:22:23.040 So I guess now I'm going to open it up to questions. 01:22:23.040 --> 01:22:29.040 Like I said, there are two fine proposals that were worked out. 01:22:29.040 --> 01:22:48.040 But I think I wanted tonight to start to at least express what my thoughts and ideas are to answer questions so that I can come back with something specific to the board and to the community. 01:22:49.040 --> 01:22:53.040 So I guess I'm opening myself up to the swings and arrows of outrageous fortune. 01:22:53.040 --> 01:22:56.040 I was an English teacher. 01:22:56.040 --> 01:22:58.040 Thank you, Dr. Anderson. 01:22:58.040 --> 01:23:01.040 And you'll be pleased to know this is not being live streamed. 01:23:01.040 --> 01:23:07.040 So you have a few hours to let Mrs. Anderson know. 01:23:07.040 --> 01:23:11.040 Dan, do you have a question or comment? 01:23:11.040 --> 01:23:12.040 Yes. 01:23:12.040 --> 01:23:14.040 Thank you, President. 01:23:14.040 --> 01:23:19.040 So Dr. Anderson, thank you for your comments. 01:23:19.040 --> 01:23:26.040 And I'm certainly as one board member, very supportive of you staying as long as you'll stay. 01:23:26.040 --> 01:23:28.040 So we do need that continuity. 01:23:28.040 --> 01:23:29.040 So thank you to that. 01:23:29.040 --> 01:23:38.040 So I'm going to make some general comments and then get to a question at the tail end and I'll try to limit my comments throughout the evening. 01:23:38.040 --> 01:23:40.040 So if you bear with me here. 01:23:40.040 --> 01:23:45.040 So I've been thinking a lot about our friends that have rejoined our community at the Hochunk Nation. 01:23:45.040 --> 01:23:51.040 They have this belief that you should make decisions that span seven generations. 01:23:51.040 --> 01:24:00.040 And what's interesting about that is seven generations ago, we, this town was started. 01:24:00.040 --> 01:24:05.040 And this town already had a public school when they started the city. 01:24:05.040 --> 01:24:07.040 It already had a street named College Street. 01:24:07.040 --> 01:24:09.040 They didn't have a college yet. 01:24:09.040 --> 01:24:19.040 So it's, it feels in places like the school board, which I'm brand new to like Bill and places I've been in the past in public service and at the college. 01:24:19.040 --> 01:24:23.040 We're always making decisions for tomorrow for next month. 01:24:23.040 --> 01:24:29.040 And, you know, I really want to try to get out of that cycle if possible. 01:24:29.040 --> 01:24:35.040 Since January, I've been talking to a lot of community members across Beloit. 01:24:35.040 --> 01:24:41.040 And the thing that we keep coming back to is this question. 01:24:41.040 --> 01:24:49.040 And we may be asking the wrong question tonight instead of how much money do we have and how can we cut to get there. 01:24:49.040 --> 01:24:55.040 I think the question really is really, I'm going to use the title of our district slightly different. 01:24:55.040 --> 01:24:57.040 We call it the Beloit Public Schools. 01:24:57.040 --> 01:25:02.040 I think sometimes when we call it the School District of Beloit, it's this administrative thing. 01:25:02.040 --> 01:25:05.040 But the Beloit Public Schools, what do we want for our schools to be? 01:25:05.040 --> 01:25:09.040 What are the people out here want, not just the people in here? 01:25:09.040 --> 01:25:12.040 What do they want for our public schools? 01:25:12.040 --> 01:25:15.040 What should our public schools be? 01:25:15.040 --> 01:25:20.040 And then we have to answer the question, what will it take to do that? 01:25:20.040 --> 01:25:31.040 So instead of, you know, instead of being in a cutting mindset, which we've had to be, it's not a criticism for anywhere at sitting at this table in this building 01:25:31.040 --> 01:25:35.040 or the decisions they've made, we've had to be in that mode, right? 01:25:35.040 --> 01:25:45.040 We've had 16 years through two different governors, two different parties, have not been able to deliver funding. 01:25:45.040 --> 01:25:50.040 We've fallen way behind as a state. It's not just Beloit. 01:25:50.040 --> 01:25:54.040 But where do we want to be for that? 01:25:54.040 --> 01:26:01.040 I would like us to have a stability goal and then move towards growth. 01:26:01.040 --> 01:26:06.040 So how do we make that shift from cutting, cutting, cutting to stability? 01:26:06.040 --> 01:26:12.040 What James must have said to him about just a normal year, normal order of business. 01:26:12.040 --> 01:26:19.040 You know, we should be thinking about is it going to rain on graduation or is it going to be too sunny or somewhere in between? 01:26:19.040 --> 01:26:21.040 That's what we should be thinking about right now, right? 01:26:21.040 --> 01:26:26.040 So how do we move toward the stability model and move towards growth? 01:26:26.040 --> 01:26:32.040 Now, we have a lot of tools at our disposal this year. 01:26:32.040 --> 01:26:39.040 We have this OPEB money that's been returned to us, collected to pay for benefits, returned to us from the state. 01:26:39.040 --> 01:26:44.040 We have the new funding that is likely to pass. 01:26:44.040 --> 01:26:50.040 I'm the legislative liaison for this board, and I talk to Senator Spritzer today since it's likely to pass. 01:26:50.040 --> 01:26:54.040 He would like it to be better, but it's likely to pass. 01:26:54.040 --> 01:27:03.040 He sent us during this meeting, sent us some estimates, so I sent that to you and Michelle and Stephanie, so they're a little bit more. 01:27:03.040 --> 01:27:07.040 I know you're being conservative. They're a little bit better than that, so that's good, right? 01:27:07.040 --> 01:27:10.040 So we have OPEB. We have new school funding formula. 01:27:10.040 --> 01:27:12.040 We have the possibility of a referendum. 01:27:12.040 --> 01:27:19.040 Remember, part of this funding package that's passed is school aids that we can't spend. 01:27:19.040 --> 01:27:21.040 It just buys down taxes. 01:27:21.040 --> 01:27:28.040 But if we pass a referendum, we get a little more breathing room for the taxpayers, and we put in a referendum. 01:27:28.040 --> 01:27:30.040 We have those options. 01:27:30.040 --> 01:27:36.040 And we, of course, have the things Dr. Anderson talked about for next year, the cliff. 01:27:36.040 --> 01:27:46.040 But, again, as I've been out talking to people, I think people are ready to have a district that they want. 01:27:46.040 --> 01:27:53.040 When I talk to people, sometimes they talk about the James Fitzpatrick days at Floyd Memorial. 01:27:53.040 --> 01:28:00.040 Sometimes they talk about Carlton Jenkins, sometimes they talk about Rosa, Betty Lang, Mike Walls, Bill Decker. 01:28:00.040 --> 01:28:08.040 There's a lot of places people go to on when they have this district, but what's the today version of that? 01:28:08.040 --> 01:28:15.040 Today's version of that is six award-winning elementary schools, two incredible intermediate schools, 01:28:15.040 --> 01:28:20.040 the best high school in the state, an incredible learning academy that's doing that. 01:28:20.040 --> 01:28:26.040 That's the stability that people want and made up of the people and the culture. 01:28:26.040 --> 01:28:32.040 So, I guess my question for you, Dr. Anderson, is what would you recommend? 01:28:32.040 --> 01:28:36.040 You have a ton of experience in a number of different districts. 01:28:36.040 --> 01:28:41.040 How do we start a conversation about that gets a stability and growth? 01:28:41.040 --> 01:28:43.040 How do we do that? 01:28:43.040 --> 01:28:51.040 I think the discussions that need to be held next year because of the fiscal cliff, I think they're interwoven. 01:28:51.040 --> 01:28:59.040 I think you tell people, and what I have always believed is you need to be very... 01:28:59.040 --> 01:29:03.040 People use transparency all the time, that becomes the word that doesn't have any meaning. 01:29:03.040 --> 01:29:09.040 But, you have to be truly upfront and honest with people and tell them, look, here are the things that are coming. 01:29:09.040 --> 01:29:14.040 But what is it that you want because there are ways to turn around? 01:29:14.040 --> 01:29:18.040 Physically, a referendum is something that can turn around. 01:29:18.040 --> 01:29:25.040 Now, I happen to come in in November after the 500% increase, so, of course, I got those calls right away. 01:29:25.040 --> 01:29:32.040 You know, right now when we're taking a look, if we have a balanced budget and things turn out the way that we think, 01:29:32.040 --> 01:29:38.040 our mill rate is going to go slightly down, which means at least when people look at their property tax bill, 01:29:38.040 --> 01:29:41.040 they should see at least a negative number. 01:29:41.040 --> 01:29:47.040 Now, it won't be a huge negative number, but it will be something that shows its decrease or an increase. 01:29:47.040 --> 01:29:49.040 But I think you have the discussions at the same time. 01:29:49.040 --> 01:29:52.040 What is it that you want this district to look like? 01:29:52.040 --> 01:29:58.040 Because if we know what it is that you want, we can tell you what it's going to take to get there, 01:29:58.040 --> 01:30:02.040 or what we're going to need for resources in order for that to happen. 01:30:03.040 --> 01:30:10.040 And that comes with a cost, but then at least you can lay out exactly what the needs are, 01:30:10.040 --> 01:30:14.040 and you do that by laying out specific what type of staff you need, 01:30:14.040 --> 01:30:17.040 what type of equipment or materials, et cetera. 01:30:17.040 --> 01:30:23.040 And you tell people that, and you listen to what they have to say, 01:30:23.040 --> 01:30:29.040 so that when they say, here's what we would like to see, then we can have an answer. 01:30:29.040 --> 01:30:34.040 We can provide what you'd like to see, but here's what it's going to take for us to get there. 01:30:34.040 --> 01:30:36.040 So you have those discussions. 01:30:36.040 --> 01:30:38.040 And I think we need to have a lot of discussions this year. 01:30:38.040 --> 01:30:42.040 I mean, I think right away, I'm not talking about like later on, 01:30:42.040 --> 01:30:48.040 I'm like talking like right away, start meeting with staff and with all of the, you know, 01:30:48.040 --> 01:30:52.040 and with the students, and with the parents and community members, 01:30:52.040 --> 01:30:56.040 right off the mat that I'm about, here's where we're at, 01:30:56.040 --> 01:31:01.040 here's where we're likely going to be, here are going to be the impacts. 01:31:01.040 --> 01:31:04.040 What is it that we can do to change? 01:31:04.040 --> 01:31:10.040 Now, even if a referendum passes, a referendum doesn't give you more students, 01:31:10.040 --> 01:31:14.040 and that is the thing we have to talk about the most. 01:31:14.040 --> 01:31:20.040 What is it that we need to do to bring students back into the district? 01:31:20.040 --> 01:31:22.040 Thank you. 01:31:22.040 --> 01:31:25.040 Tom Hankins? 01:31:25.040 --> 01:31:28.040 Yes, thank you, Board President. 01:31:28.040 --> 01:31:34.040 Yes, I applaud what you're, everything you said, Wayne, or Dr. Wayne, just standing up there. 01:31:34.040 --> 01:31:42.040 I also went to Dr. Garrison, not to, and we talked about stopping the bleeding and, you know, 01:31:42.040 --> 01:31:47.040 knowing that's where the problem is that we are bleeding our students out. 01:31:47.040 --> 01:31:48.040 How do we get them back? 01:31:48.040 --> 01:31:52.040 And it's a huge, huge issue that needs to be dealt with. 01:31:52.040 --> 01:31:59.040 And why people, why we got to get to the parents and why they are enrolling out? 01:31:59.040 --> 01:32:05.040 Just a couple of pointed questions on referendum dollars, and you suggested that we, 01:32:05.040 --> 01:32:10.040 or a possibility of holding off on a wage freeze. 01:32:10.040 --> 01:32:17.040 But if a referendum passes, if, a huge if, then rectoactively, 01:32:17.040 --> 01:32:21.040 if a referendum passes, I'm just talking about monetarily, 01:32:21.040 --> 01:32:27.040 that money becomes available in January, and then are you talking about rectoactively paying back 01:32:27.040 --> 01:32:30.040 to the beginning of the school year forward? 01:32:30.040 --> 01:32:31.040 Yes. 01:32:31.040 --> 01:32:34.040 And also, okay, that's a good answer. 01:32:34.040 --> 01:32:39.040 And then also, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or by the end of the week with the legislature, 01:32:39.040 --> 01:32:43.040 but we kind of, hopefully, we know it's going to be a positive impact. 01:32:43.040 --> 01:32:47.040 And those dollars will be available in, like, a June payment, 01:32:47.040 --> 01:32:51.040 or does it get stretched into 27? 01:32:51.040 --> 01:32:56.040 Well, there's part of the proposal that would actually give some additional dollars 01:32:56.040 --> 01:32:59.040 during this current school year. 01:32:59.040 --> 01:33:03.040 So my, and Stephanie will correct me. 01:33:03.040 --> 01:33:08.040 But the dollars, if that passes and we get dollars for this school year, 01:33:08.040 --> 01:33:13.040 I guess it would probably come in our next payment from the state. 01:33:13.040 --> 01:33:15.040 That would be my guess. 01:33:15.040 --> 01:33:22.040 The monies that are allocated for the 2627 school year will get in the, you know, 01:33:22.040 --> 01:33:24.040 we'll get it in the standard way. 01:33:24.040 --> 01:33:25.040 We currently get our funds. 01:33:25.040 --> 01:33:29.040 It'll just be the amounts will be larger. 01:33:29.040 --> 01:33:34.040 So just for clarifying, and I think I've learned, just for the audience, 01:33:34.040 --> 01:33:36.040 we get our payments, three payments a year. 01:33:36.040 --> 01:33:38.040 Is that correct from the state in this payment? 01:33:38.040 --> 01:33:41.040 Our next payment would be in June, Stephanie. 01:33:41.040 --> 01:33:44.040 And then if this passes this week, 01:33:44.040 --> 01:33:49.040 we could see an increase of bump in our payment for June of 26. 01:34:04.040 --> 01:34:09.040 Thank you. 01:34:09.040 --> 01:34:32.040 So there were a couple of different funding options 01:34:32.040 --> 01:34:35.040 that the state is looking to pass. 01:34:35.040 --> 01:34:39.040 The special education aid is aid payments throughout the year. 01:34:39.040 --> 01:34:45.040 And the other aid, the state aid payments are equalization aid payments. 01:34:45.040 --> 01:34:47.040 That payment would not be this year. 01:34:47.040 --> 01:34:50.040 That would be in fiscal year 2627. 01:34:50.040 --> 01:34:54.040 But that additional aid would not affect our total revenue. 01:34:54.040 --> 01:35:01.040 That would just be that balance between taxpayers' payments and the equalization aid. 01:35:01.040 --> 01:35:10.040 So if the legislation passes that Governor Evers and the top aides or top people are proposing 01:35:10.040 --> 01:35:14.040 would not affect any monies into the district until when? 01:35:14.040 --> 01:35:23.040 We would get some money for 25-26 and some, again, in 26-27 for special education aid. 01:35:23.040 --> 01:35:24.040 Okay. 01:35:24.040 --> 01:35:30.040 And I think Dan's forwarded a document and 500,000 for this year, 01:35:30.040 --> 01:35:34.040 and about 1.7 was the estimate, but those are estimates. 01:35:34.040 --> 01:35:39.040 But some would be available in both years, yes. 01:35:39.040 --> 01:35:40.040 This year? 01:35:40.040 --> 01:35:41.040 Yes, I'm this year. 01:35:41.040 --> 01:35:45.040 Okay, thank you. 01:35:45.040 --> 01:35:47.040 Thank you, Director Ellwood. 01:35:47.040 --> 01:35:49.040 Megan Miller? 01:35:49.040 --> 01:35:53.040 Thank you so much. 01:35:53.040 --> 01:35:54.040 Okay. 01:35:54.040 --> 01:35:55.040 A couple of things. 01:35:55.040 --> 01:35:57.040 So let me just switch to... 01:35:57.040 --> 01:35:59.040 Am I, like, echoing? 01:35:59.040 --> 01:36:00.040 Here, let me... 01:36:00.040 --> 01:36:01.040 No? 01:36:01.040 --> 01:36:02.040 Are we good? 01:36:02.040 --> 01:36:03.040 Okay, sorry about that. 01:36:03.040 --> 01:36:04.040 Okay, sorry, technology. 01:36:04.040 --> 01:36:08.040 Okay, a couple of things I'd written down and then a comment on the last piece there. 01:36:08.040 --> 01:36:12.040 Okay, so I loved all of the comments. 01:36:12.040 --> 01:36:17.040 Dan, I appreciate your thoughts about, you know, like, how do we set vision, right? 01:36:17.040 --> 01:36:21.040 Because the budget is the mechanism by which we enact our vision. 01:36:21.040 --> 01:36:24.040 So I'm wondering about, like, the specifics of that. 01:36:24.040 --> 01:36:43.040 I think we heard last week that there was a discussion that was going to be had about establishing some kind of, like, a committee that I'm hoping includes staff, teaching staff, you know, kind of represented across the district, you know, as well as community members. 01:36:44.040 --> 01:36:48.040 So one question that I'll have is, what is the status of that? 01:36:48.040 --> 01:36:58.040 And Dr. Anderson, what is your vision for how to, I guess, like, uplift and, you know, coordinate and collaborate voices of different stakeholder groups. 01:36:58.040 --> 01:37:12.040 So we can really specifically, like, when we talk about, like, discussions that feel sort of vague unless there's a plan for, like, what is the mechanism by which we will have those discussions and how will we hear, you know, deeply from a variety of stakeholders. 01:37:12.040 --> 01:37:26.040 And I like to what you said, and so I'm going to repeat it, not only to address sort of our upcoming fiscal cliff, but also to be proactive and plan forward and, like, you know, not only stop the bleed, but, like, let's thrive and not survive. 01:37:26.040 --> 01:37:28.040 I think it's something that we need to come back to. 01:37:28.040 --> 01:37:32.040 So that is one question. 01:37:32.040 --> 01:37:36.040 I'm going to say two more things, and then we'll be good. 01:37:37.040 --> 01:37:47.040 The second comment that I have is, Dr. Anderson, in your discussion earlier, you were saying something about. 01:37:47.040 --> 01:37:56.040 Sorry. 01:37:57.040 --> 01:38:06.040 So I would like the strategy to be cut less now if possible, because as we've seen this week, there are a lot of things that can change. 01:38:06.040 --> 01:38:11.040 And these are real students, real children and families lives in real time. 01:38:11.040 --> 01:38:20.040 And on the one hand, yes, we need to be proactive and, you know, conscious of this sort of fiscal flip piece. 01:38:20.040 --> 01:38:25.040 We also have to make sure that we're not excessively harming children. 01:38:25.040 --> 01:38:36.040 So my preference there would be if we could please go in a direction that mitigates the amount of harm. 01:38:36.040 --> 01:38:40.040 It cuts to classrooms, to students, to services right now. 01:38:40.040 --> 01:38:45.040 And, you know, we don't know what the future is going to bring. 01:38:46.040 --> 01:38:54.040 We can prepare for the worst hope for the best, but I'm really concerned about like the multiple crises that we have in our community now. 01:38:54.040 --> 01:39:03.040 There's mental health crises. There's, of course, I don't need to elaborate because I think our public comments and not just tonight, but in previous weeks have done a really good job of that as well. 01:39:03.040 --> 01:39:12.040 So I guess in addition to asking about like what specifically the plan is in your vision, Dr. Anderson, for how to kind of bring collaborators together to do some problem solving. 01:39:13.040 --> 01:39:23.040 So it's not just not as, I guess, my second preference would be like, let's cut the least we can now so that we can hopefully plan for something better in the future. 01:39:23.040 --> 01:39:31.040 And I guess the third thing I just want to comment on since it was brought up by Mr. Hinkins and Ms. Elwood. 01:39:32.040 --> 01:39:40.040 For President Johnson, you did a really nice job in your opening comments addressing just like the complexities and kind of like the frustrating complexities of school funding. 01:39:40.040 --> 01:39:44.040 And I think something that people need to remember is that this is twofold. 01:39:44.040 --> 01:39:55.040 Yes, it would be absolutely a godsend to have additional aid right now for the reasons that I just said, we have to stop harm as much as we can from coming to our kids and certainly to our staff and families. 01:39:56.040 --> 01:40:05.040 When the state comes out with this equalized aid stuff, it's property tax relief, which is a good thing, but that's not spendable dollars. 01:40:05.040 --> 01:40:06.040 So we need both. 01:40:06.040 --> 01:40:08.040 We need both property tax relief. 01:40:08.040 --> 01:40:13.040 We need to stop relying on referendums, not just and believe it across the state. 01:40:13.040 --> 01:40:23.040 And like we are unable to do that until the state makes a significant change and this thing that's been proposed is not that change, but also I'm very grateful for hopefully some short term relief. 01:40:23.040 --> 01:40:31.040 And I just want to iterate again, Ms. Elwood was talking about special education dollars, what this has been proposed unless it's changed. 01:40:31.040 --> 01:40:36.040 Dan, please don't been cracking if I'm wrong, but what's been proposed is some, some certain funding and not some sufficient. 01:40:36.040 --> 01:40:40.040 And what is going to most been, is that correct? 01:40:40.040 --> 01:40:42.040 Yes, it's just a some certain amount. 01:40:42.040 --> 01:40:45.040 Because yeah, like below it needs it to be and not just below it. 01:40:45.040 --> 01:40:53.040 Every school district needs it to be some sufficient, which means that it's responsive to the needs of the specific students in the district and not just like kind of a rate across the state. 01:40:53.040 --> 01:41:01.040 So I guess to conclude my thoughts, this wasn't posted until like eight o'clock last night, I need more time to digest. 01:41:01.040 --> 01:41:04.040 I have super appreciated everybody's comments. 01:41:04.040 --> 01:41:10.040 Folks who are here, administrators, colleagues, I'm excited to hear more from you. 01:41:11.040 --> 01:41:13.040 I want to get some kind of a group going. 01:41:13.040 --> 01:41:20.040 I would like to please reduce the amount of cuts to children and services that are critical as we can for this upcoming school year. 01:41:20.040 --> 01:41:24.040 And just want us to be conscious of the continued need for advocacy. 01:41:24.040 --> 01:41:28.040 So thank you so much. 01:41:28.040 --> 01:41:29.040 Thank you, Megan. 01:41:29.040 --> 01:41:41.040 And I will direct the board members back to the board guidance for the 2627 school district employee budget that we all passed at the last regular board meeting. 01:41:41.040 --> 01:41:46.040 I'm sorry, the one before that, one of these. 01:41:46.040 --> 01:41:55.040 But in the final paragraph says, a district finance committee should be formed to assist in developing and reviewing the above information. 01:41:55.040 --> 01:42:00.040 The committee should include stakeholders from all buildings, levels, and positions. 01:42:00.040 --> 01:42:10.040 The committee should remain active through the 2627 school year to maintain a focus on the 2728 school year and predict future issues for the district. 01:42:10.040 --> 01:42:14.040 And this is a well thought out plan. 01:42:14.040 --> 01:42:19.040 And we are not planning on taking any actions tonight. 01:42:19.040 --> 01:42:40.040 We need to have lots of discussions to make certain everybody has the opportunity to express their concerns and give suggestions because I still think that there are probably some teachers out there that have some really good ideas that perhaps just are a little bit hesitant in sharing them. 01:42:40.040 --> 01:42:42.040 Dr. Anderson. 01:42:42.040 --> 01:42:47.040 One, to go back to when should we start the discussions, discussions should start right away. 01:42:47.040 --> 01:42:50.040 How would I plan to have those discussions? 01:42:50.040 --> 01:42:56.040 One is, I think, for the larger discussion, which is what do we want the district to look like? 01:42:56.040 --> 01:43:02.040 Knowledge of the fiscal cliff that's coming in referendum because really you can have all the discussions at any time. 01:43:02.040 --> 01:43:05.040 I think we start having those discussions at the buildings. 01:43:05.040 --> 01:43:18.040 And then we make for every school building, we have a community event in the evening so the people can come so that for every school that we have, we meet with the staff. 01:43:18.040 --> 01:43:32.040 But we also then meet with the community in the evening to go through and to hear their concerns and to listen to their thoughts so that at least if people want to be informed, 01:43:32.040 --> 01:43:38.040 they have the opportunity to be informed and to ask as many questions and for us to provide information. 01:43:38.040 --> 01:43:43.040 So I'm not going any more vacations anyway, so I might as well be at night meetings. 01:43:43.040 --> 01:43:45.040 Thank you. 01:43:45.040 --> 01:43:47.040 Joanne Ruh. 01:43:47.040 --> 01:43:48.040 Yes, thank you. 01:43:48.040 --> 01:43:59.040 All right, so Dr. Anderson and Dan, you both talked about what makes a great district, great kids, which, yep, got that, and great teachers. 01:43:59.040 --> 01:44:04.040 And when you talk to people in our community about their education in Bloitte schools, they list their teachers. 01:44:04.040 --> 01:44:10.040 I started writing down the teachers that made a difference for me and like the list got really long, super duper fast. 01:44:10.040 --> 01:44:16.040 Ms. Alden, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Franz, Mr. Rooker, Mr. Shicker, Mrs. Gilbertson. 01:44:16.040 --> 01:44:19.040 And what did we have back in the time when we were great? 01:44:19.040 --> 01:44:21.040 We had collective efficacy. 01:44:21.040 --> 01:44:26.040 We had teachers that met together, that worked together, we collaborated across the river together. 01:44:26.040 --> 01:44:31.040 I knew every third grade teacher in Bloitte, not just the ones in my building. 01:44:31.040 --> 01:44:36.040 You get your biggest bang for your buck by investing in our teaching staff. 01:44:36.040 --> 01:44:50.040 Cutting, teaching stuff like the longevity pay, not giving us a cost of living raise for teachers, that's not how we're going to keep these amazing people that we have in our buildings. 01:44:50.040 --> 01:44:52.040 We need more of them. 01:44:52.040 --> 01:44:54.040 We need people that stay. 01:44:54.040 --> 01:44:59.040 We need support staff that allow teachers to spend their energy actually teaching the children. 01:44:59.040 --> 01:45:00.040 That's why they're leaving. 01:45:00.040 --> 01:45:10.040 If we want to know why we're bleeding and how to stop the bleed, we need to read our exit surveys of families and of teachers because that's where the information is right there. 01:45:10.040 --> 01:45:12.040 We need to stabilize our staff. 01:45:12.040 --> 01:45:13.040 We need to respect them. 01:45:13.040 --> 01:45:14.040 We need to collaborate with them. 01:45:14.040 --> 01:45:15.040 We need to build into them. 01:45:15.040 --> 01:45:20.040 And I 100% believe in our town. 01:45:20.040 --> 01:45:22.040 We used to pass referendums. 01:45:22.040 --> 01:45:25.040 We used to be excited about what we were going to do next. 01:45:25.040 --> 01:45:27.040 And we can do that again. 01:45:27.040 --> 01:45:31.040 And I think showing that we respect our teachers is first step. 01:45:31.040 --> 01:45:49.040 And so I say OPAB money to take care of our staff and make sure that we have what we need because if we keep cutting all of this, you can't cut all of these supports and keep having classrooms where people are able to learn. 01:45:49.040 --> 01:45:58.040 So if we use OPAB money as a band aid for right now and then pass the referendum, I think we can be what you're talking about Dan. 01:45:58.040 --> 01:46:00.040 And I believe in our kids. 01:46:00.040 --> 01:46:01.040 I believe in our staff. 01:46:01.040 --> 01:46:02.040 I believe in our community. 01:46:02.040 --> 01:46:08.040 We just got to make this right for our community and for the kids and staff that are here. 01:46:08.040 --> 01:46:12.040 Thank you, Joanne. 01:46:12.040 --> 01:46:15.040 Carol Fox. 01:46:16.040 --> 01:46:17.040 Okay. 01:46:17.040 --> 01:46:24.040 So I'm actually kind of a little confused about where we are and where we're going. 01:46:24.040 --> 01:46:29.040 I thought we had sort of a direction and now I feel like we don't. 01:46:29.040 --> 01:46:31.040 I do agree with Dan. 01:46:31.040 --> 01:46:37.040 We need to sit down and we want to talk about what we want for our public schools. 01:46:37.040 --> 01:46:40.040 We have to include Lincoln Academy in that discussion. 01:46:40.040 --> 01:46:46.040 They are a public school and they're there and they're going to be. 01:46:46.040 --> 01:46:54.040 We have to figure out how we are going to coexist with them and because and the money flows between. 01:46:54.040 --> 01:46:58.040 So they have to be included in this discussion. 01:46:58.040 --> 01:47:00.040 I see two fiscal cliffs. 01:47:00.040 --> 01:47:08.040 I see one this year, five, some million dollars on top of all the other cuts that we've made is a fiscal cliff. 01:47:09.040 --> 01:47:14.040 And then we're going to hit another one when we lose another 600 students to the Lincoln Academy. 01:47:14.040 --> 01:47:17.040 That's going to be huge. 01:47:17.040 --> 01:47:28.040 So I do wonder about where we are in terms of these plans and where you're going to take us with these. 01:47:28.040 --> 01:47:35.040 Yes, option B is more aggressive but we've got to start talking about some of that kind of stuff. 01:47:35.040 --> 01:47:41.040 Are we seriously going to run a building with 150 or less students? 01:47:41.040 --> 01:47:50.040 And we have cutting ham school that doesn't have a lot of stuff going on over there that would fit into the high school. 01:47:50.040 --> 01:47:57.040 And we're not going to be responsible about starting to really look at some of those kinds of things. 01:47:57.040 --> 01:48:07.040 I know that that might be a hard go for next year but we also have to be physically responsible about those things. 01:48:07.040 --> 01:48:22.040 So even in option A, there's a lot of things in there that people are very concerned about that we aren't having the conversations about like the nurses, for instance, that's a big one. 01:48:22.040 --> 01:48:23.040 That's still in there. 01:48:23.040 --> 01:48:30.040 The deans are in the option A. 01:48:30.040 --> 01:48:37.040 And then you bring out not doing the salary increase. 01:48:37.040 --> 01:48:41.040 That's not what we started to discuss. 01:48:41.040 --> 01:48:46.040 So I'm confused about really where we are in this process. 01:48:46.040 --> 01:48:53.040 I thought we were sort of making progress to a plan and I feel like we've taken a couple of steps backwards. 01:48:53.040 --> 01:49:01.040 So, you know, one of the things that I wanted to talk about tonight was some of these things in the plan. 01:49:01.040 --> 01:49:03.040 Well, two things. 01:49:03.040 --> 01:49:08.040 How does that relate to some of the things like our grants and some of those kinds of things? 01:49:08.040 --> 01:49:17.040 And are there unintended consequences in some of these things that we're talking about that we haven't looked at? 01:49:17.040 --> 01:49:25.040 You know, one of the ones that was the conversation that came to me was about the CTE position. 01:49:25.040 --> 01:49:35.040 And the fact that those are a lot of grants that are written and bringing in money and if we don't have that position who's going to do that, who's going to bring that money in. 01:49:35.040 --> 01:49:43.040 So there's a lot of pieces at play and I thought we were trying to bring some of these pieces together. 01:49:43.040 --> 01:49:47.040 And frankly tonight I feel like some of us come apart. 01:49:47.040 --> 01:49:49.040 And that, you know, and that might be. 01:49:49.040 --> 01:49:55.040 Like I said, I have nothing but praise for the administrative team who are diligently while I was gone. 01:49:55.040 --> 01:49:56.040 All right. 01:49:56.040 --> 01:50:04.040 What I think my next steps are is we have a meeting on Tuesday to take the things that I've heard from the board members. 01:50:04.040 --> 01:50:08.040 To take the work that's already been done and basically. 01:50:08.040 --> 01:50:14.040 I mean, I know that we'd like to have a lot of conversation for this budget with people. 01:50:14.040 --> 01:50:18.040 The bottom line is we're in the mid-May, so there's not that time. 01:50:18.040 --> 01:50:29.040 So I think what is feasible for this first budget is to take what we've heard tonight, both from citizens' comments and the boards. 01:50:29.040 --> 01:50:37.040 Take the two plans that we have and for me to construct, when I say me, it is a collective. 01:50:37.040 --> 01:50:48.040 But to construct, here are several options that you can take a look at that, you know, have varying levels of how much pain they're going to cause. 01:50:48.040 --> 01:50:51.040 Now, I will be clear. 01:50:51.040 --> 01:50:57.040 If you have less pain one year, that just means more pain than next year. 01:50:57.040 --> 01:51:05.040 And what I mean by that is if I use OPEB dollars to balance the budget, I can only use those once. 01:51:05.040 --> 01:51:10.040 That means that next year there are no OPEB dollars to use. 01:51:11.040 --> 01:51:18.040 If I use fund equity to balance some of them this year, you do not have that in the future. 01:51:18.040 --> 01:51:25.040 So it's to take a look and provide you with three or four options to talk about. 01:51:25.040 --> 01:51:31.040 I have no problem sitting to go into the buildings and talking with them about the various options. 01:51:31.040 --> 01:51:36.040 My guess is I'd like to have some options for you by Tuesday, so you could have nothing else. 01:51:37.040 --> 01:51:42.040 I'm going to give hypothetical, but say I bring four options to you on Tuesday. 01:51:42.040 --> 01:51:47.040 And you take a look and you say, all right, Wayne, we got A, B, C, and D. 01:51:47.040 --> 01:51:55.040 We literally hate C. There is no feasible in the world that we're going to pass that one, so throw that out. 01:51:55.040 --> 01:52:01.040 A, E, maybe if you tweak it, we'll look at it again. 01:52:02.040 --> 01:52:07.040 B and whatever the letter I didn't use, they got possibilities. 01:52:07.040 --> 01:52:08.040 Could you tweak this? 01:52:08.040 --> 01:52:16.040 And then I would come back with something because we have a variety of opinions on how to do it. 01:52:16.040 --> 01:52:21.040 My job as a superintendent is to bring you what I think are some decent recommendations. 01:52:21.040 --> 01:52:27.040 And then we start massaging it until we get something we can agree on for next year. 01:52:27.040 --> 01:52:36.040 But as soon as we do next year, the next day we start the discussion on the year after that. 01:52:36.040 --> 01:52:40.040 And I said the referendum discussion is a part of all those. 01:52:40.040 --> 01:52:46.040 And I truly believe my heart, and I said this since the first day that I've got here, 01:52:46.040 --> 01:52:51.040 is that if you're going to pass a referendum, we have to be very specific with our requests. 01:52:51.040 --> 01:52:56.040 We have to tell people, we need this and it costs this. 01:52:56.040 --> 01:52:59.040 So when they look down, they can simply add it up. 01:52:59.040 --> 01:53:04.040 This is a total, so they know what it is they're getting. 01:53:04.040 --> 01:53:13.040 And depending on what we put on that is what we need the input from, you know, not only board, the staff, 01:53:13.040 --> 01:53:18.040 the principals in the community, because what is the community going to support? 01:53:18.040 --> 01:53:24.040 So, you know, those discussions I think, I mean, parts that we're already putting in. 01:53:24.040 --> 01:53:28.040 I mean, parts are things I think I already know that have one of the referendum, 01:53:28.040 --> 01:53:32.040 but it's having those discussions so that we can have those right away. 01:53:32.040 --> 01:53:37.040 But I would say for the short term between now and next Tuesday, 01:53:37.040 --> 01:53:44.040 it's to come up with different recommendation scenarios as you can get to a balanced budget, 01:53:44.040 --> 01:53:47.040 but here are different ways to do it. 01:53:47.040 --> 01:53:51.040 I am concerned about the referendum and the referendum question, 01:53:51.040 --> 01:53:57.040 partly because it's November, and it's before we hit the fiscal cliff. 01:53:57.040 --> 01:54:04.040 So, I mean, I don't know how we tie in and make a referendum question that helps sustain us 01:54:04.040 --> 01:54:10.040 and when we go through the fiscal cliff, because we are going to have to be closing buildings. 01:54:10.040 --> 01:54:13.040 I mean, we're not going to be doing it, you know, next year. 01:54:13.040 --> 01:54:18.040 We certainly will be looking at how we're going to do that next year, because we have to. 01:54:18.040 --> 01:54:24.040 And so, how do we, when we deal with a referendum question about what we want for the community 01:54:24.040 --> 01:54:29.040 and we don't even know what that fiscal cliff is going to look like? 01:54:29.040 --> 01:54:35.040 Well, I think one, I mean, one is we already know historically, and this year is no exception, 01:54:35.040 --> 01:54:39.040 that we're losing a minimum of 200 students. 01:54:39.040 --> 01:54:46.040 We already know that we're doing have 200 students less unless something drastic happens over the summer. 01:54:46.040 --> 01:54:54.040 We meet with the Lincoln Academy, we say, when you open this, can you tell us, you know, 01:54:54.040 --> 01:55:00.040 because I'm sure they're willing to tell us, are you going to take all 700 students the first year? 01:55:00.040 --> 01:55:07.040 Are you going to phase in over two or three years so we can at least then plan for whatever they're going to do, 01:55:07.040 --> 01:55:14.040 we can make a guesstimate to say this is what we're looking at to happen for next year 01:55:14.040 --> 01:55:17.040 for the size of the fiscal cliff. 01:55:17.040 --> 01:55:20.040 And we are going to have closed buildings. 01:55:20.040 --> 01:55:25.040 Yeah, and how do we work that into a referendum question, and how do we get all that done by August? 01:55:25.040 --> 01:55:29.040 Because we have to have a referendum question by August. 01:55:29.040 --> 01:55:37.040 So, I'm just very concerned about even, you know, how we're going to come up with a referendum question. 01:55:37.040 --> 01:55:41.040 It's going to be very difficult to figure all those pieces out. 01:55:41.040 --> 01:55:48.040 There's, I'm not denying that in one bit, you know, because, you know, because like I said, 01:55:48.040 --> 01:55:52.040 I don't believe in asking for buckets of money, I don't think that will pass. 01:55:52.040 --> 01:55:58.040 So, it's trying to create the list of what we need so we can have a total so we can put that in. 01:55:58.040 --> 01:56:02.040 Now, the question itself doesn't list every position. 01:56:02.040 --> 01:56:07.040 The question itself looks a little bit different, but we still need to know what the dollar amount is 01:56:07.040 --> 01:56:11.040 and that part of it will depend on what we do with this budget. 01:56:11.040 --> 01:56:16.040 If there are certain things we cut in this budget that we think are necessary around the district, 01:56:16.040 --> 01:56:20.040 those are things you have to put in that referendum. 01:56:20.040 --> 01:56:26.040 So, I mean, our timeline is short, but there's no way I can give you more time. 01:56:26.040 --> 01:56:33.040 I mean, the bottom line is the deadline for a referendum is set by state law. 01:56:33.040 --> 01:56:35.040 I can't change it. 01:56:35.040 --> 01:56:39.040 So, it means we have now till the end of August to get that done. 01:56:39.040 --> 01:56:45.040 I truly want to get a budget done as close to July 1st as possible so that when we're starting the year, 01:56:45.040 --> 01:56:48.040 people know what we're starting with. 01:56:48.040 --> 01:56:55.040 So, like I said, what I think that is feasible to do is to work as a group to come up with what I think 01:56:55.040 --> 01:57:02.040 are some different options for how we can balance a budget that we could take a look at on Tuesday night, 01:57:02.040 --> 01:57:10.040 realizing that, you know, there's going to be different degrees of support for each one. 01:57:10.040 --> 01:57:13.040 All of them are going to have a reduction in staff. 01:57:13.040 --> 01:57:18.040 There is no feasible way that I can bring you anything that doesn't do that. 01:57:18.040 --> 01:57:25.040 But depending on how much money we use from like OPEB or other forces, I mean, that's what we'll take a look at. 01:57:25.040 --> 01:57:30.040 And then it's just we need to sit down and start having meetings. 01:57:30.040 --> 01:57:34.040 And we need to have the meetings where people are going to come. 01:57:34.040 --> 01:57:35.040 No offense. 01:57:35.040 --> 01:57:37.040 This is a great crowd. 01:57:37.040 --> 01:57:42.040 I mean, I am glad and I know when we post this that we'll probably get a lot more people. 01:57:42.040 --> 01:57:48.040 But the bottom line is some people just don't want to come into a school building. 01:57:48.040 --> 01:57:54.040 So, we're going to have to find out what other buildings are accessible that we can go to to talk to people. 01:57:54.040 --> 01:57:56.040 I don't mind talking to people. 01:57:56.040 --> 01:58:05.040 I don't mind listening to the hard questions because if I don't have an answer, I simply tell people I don't have an answer. 01:58:05.040 --> 01:58:07.040 But it's not that I can't get an answer. 01:58:07.040 --> 01:58:13.040 When I came to this district, I said, if you're looking for someone that has all the answers, I am not the person. 01:58:13.040 --> 01:58:19.040 If you're looking for someone that's willing to work with people to come up with a collective answer, I'm better at that. 01:58:19.040 --> 01:58:24.040 So? 01:58:24.040 --> 01:58:33.040 Yeah, I just had a question about have we any idea when the casino comes that there will be many families coming with kids? 01:58:33.040 --> 01:58:35.040 Do we know anything about that? 01:58:35.040 --> 01:58:43.040 My belief is that it probably won't bring a lot of families. 01:58:43.040 --> 01:58:48.040 It's bringing the casino just by the nature of it work. 01:58:48.040 --> 01:58:51.040 The vast majority of people are being with the service industry. 01:58:51.040 --> 01:58:55.040 My guess is there will be people that are all my guests. 01:58:55.040 --> 01:58:58.040 And that doesn't make it accurate in any way, shape, or form. 01:58:58.040 --> 01:59:05.040 But my guess is there will be people around here already that live here that will look to get that as an opportunity. 01:59:05.040 --> 01:59:08.040 There may be from other communities that they'll just drive in. 01:59:08.040 --> 01:59:13.040 There will be, of course, an upper echelon, so it may bring in some. 01:59:13.040 --> 01:59:19.040 But I'm not counting on the casino to bring in a lot of students. 01:59:19.040 --> 01:59:27.040 And I'd also like to say, as far as longevity pay, I don't see us giving the teachers anything. 01:59:27.040 --> 01:59:32.040 They were already here in that. 01:59:32.040 --> 01:59:33.040 Thank you, Bill. 01:59:33.040 --> 01:59:40.040 Mrs. Schop, can you project the presentation title, 01:59:40.040 --> 01:59:48.040 proposed budget reductions 2026, 2027, specifically slide 13? 01:59:48.040 --> 01:59:50.040 And well, you guys are getting that up. 01:59:50.040 --> 01:59:53.040 I will open it up to Megan Miller. 01:59:53.040 --> 01:59:55.040 Thank you so much. 01:59:55.040 --> 01:59:58.040 Dr. Anderson, thank you so much for all of that. 01:59:58.040 --> 02:00:01.040 You asked for some specific feedback. 02:00:01.040 --> 02:00:09.040 I'm excited to go through an email and go through like columns, AB and all the things for the purposes of right now. 02:00:10.040 --> 02:00:14.040 Vision is important. 02:00:14.040 --> 02:00:18.040 And so I have a suggestion that you don't need to take. 02:00:18.040 --> 02:00:37.040 But what I would, I think, might be helpful for Tuesday is if we could frame our different proposals around like this is one in which like these are like this is what it will cost like a classroom or a building because like I think that it's difficult sometimes. 02:00:37.040 --> 02:00:39.040 Like these are really big numbers. 02:00:39.040 --> 02:00:40.040 It's a lot of stuff. 02:00:40.040 --> 02:00:51.040 The way I'm trying to conceptualize all this in my notes is like here's like the option with like fewest cuts to staff options with like, you know, fewest cuts to services and things like that. 02:00:51.040 --> 02:00:53.040 So I just, I think like that additional language. 02:00:53.040 --> 02:00:55.040 I think you've done an excellent job. 02:00:55.040 --> 02:00:59.040 I think we want to continue to bring people into the conversation and build community around that. 02:00:59.040 --> 02:01:02.040 So I'm, you know, putting things into that terms would be great. 02:01:02.040 --> 02:01:07.040 And in the spirit of that, I would like for Tuesday, if it's possible. 02:01:07.040 --> 02:01:17.040 First to clarify is so we, because we heard last week that they were going to maybe make cuts just through attrition. 02:01:17.040 --> 02:01:19.040 What I'm hearing you say is that's impossible. 02:01:19.040 --> 02:01:27.040 Like there are going to be people and jobs cut or or is there a scenario possible where it's just through attrition is my first question. 02:01:28.040 --> 02:01:32.040 It is possible to do it just through attrition. 02:01:32.040 --> 02:01:38.040 But then we're going to use other sources in order to like open. 02:01:38.040 --> 02:01:49.040 So it is possible to do it to attrition vacant positions, but it will, it will cause us that we have one other one time sources of revenue. 02:01:49.040 --> 02:01:50.040 Perfect. 02:01:51.040 --> 02:02:00.040 Okay. And again, like my budgety brain like realizes that what I'm about to say is, is a little like, you know, unwise, I think in generally in situations. 02:02:00.040 --> 02:02:05.040 But I think I think it was Ms. Horvath who sent us an email earlier and she said it really beautifully. 02:02:05.040 --> 02:02:10.040 Like, you know, you don't throw the kids by the wayside to fit it, like, you know, do your family budget. 02:02:10.040 --> 02:02:12.040 And I know that we're not a family. 02:02:13.040 --> 02:02:17.040 But I mean, I think that that logic is stands for me. 02:02:17.040 --> 02:02:31.040 And so if it's at all possible, which it sounds like it is one of seven, I would be in favor of an option that is makes use of opub to prevent any cuts to people who are currently in positions. 02:02:31.040 --> 02:02:40.040 A second piece of feedback that I have based on your comments that you just made is I would love to see just at a high level because I know it's unreasonable to ask like, Hey, for next week. 02:02:40.040 --> 02:02:54.040 But at a high level, I would love to see a referendum proposal that accounts for, and it might seem a bit for a fetch, but I would love to see what a referendum proposal proposal would look like that does not include closing any elementary schools. 02:02:54.040 --> 02:03:06.040 We've heard for years and it's not new knowledge, but we've heard resoundingly how critical our elementary schools are to in our community elementary schools are to our to our kids to our families. 02:03:07.040 --> 02:03:20.040 I live in the neighborhood by taught elementary. It is the literal heart of that neighborhood, and it provides so much more than just elementary school services to our entire neighborhood and into our families and communities. 02:03:20.040 --> 02:03:27.040 So my request again, then would be if possible Tuesday or as soon as possible, like to see a high level. 02:03:27.040 --> 02:03:36.040 Look at what a referendum proposal would look like that maintains are just at least our elementary schools and our neighborhood schools. 02:03:36.040 --> 02:03:45.040 And something that accounts for like probably like that would get us through, I think, to Miss Carroll or to Miss Fox's point through 20, maybe to 2829. 02:03:45.040 --> 02:03:53.040 I'm not necessarily saying you have to build like that many years of the question, but I'd like to see that projection because it's kind of more of that like thrive and not survive mindset. 02:03:54.040 --> 02:04:02.040 So just based on what you're saying, you were going to listen to board members and like bring something back Tuesday that's more refined and I'll certainly respond to more as well. 02:04:02.040 --> 02:04:06.040 Those are two things. And then my last thing is going back to Miss Fox's document. 02:04:06.040 --> 02:04:15.040 One of the first priorities on there, I think it might be the first one is to maintain the services to students that are not only critical, but also maintain that enrollment. 02:04:16.040 --> 02:04:21.040 And Dr. Anderson, you've done an outstanding job tonight, like really driving home that point, we have to stabilize enrollment. 02:04:21.040 --> 02:04:25.040 And so I just reacting to some of the public comment we heard tonight. 02:04:25.040 --> 02:04:44.040 I think we need to like highly prioritize what we are doing with DLI and making sure that we are treating staff members and the services that they provide, whether it's through a program or whatever with the utmost respect because DLI are CTE we heard about earlier as well. 02:04:44.040 --> 02:04:49.040 These are critical, critical services, not like a program that we pay for it. 02:04:49.040 --> 02:04:54.040 Like services that we provide that add value, not just to our kids, but to our entire community. 02:04:54.040 --> 02:04:59.040 So those are my three pieces. Thank you so much. 02:04:59.040 --> 02:05:05.040 Thank you. Thank you, Megan. Dr. Anderson, before you respond, it is 805. 02:05:05.040 --> 02:05:09.040 Is there a motion to extend the meeting so much? 02:05:09.040 --> 02:05:13.040 Second motion by Carol Fox, seconded by Tom Hankins. 02:05:13.040 --> 02:05:16.040 I know, but you know what? 02:05:16.040 --> 02:05:20.040 I'm a stickler for procedures and policies. 02:05:20.040 --> 02:05:24.040 It saves us money to follow the policies. All in favor? 02:05:24.040 --> 02:05:25.040 Aye. 02:05:29.040 --> 02:05:31.040 Dr. Anderson. 02:05:31.040 --> 02:05:38.040 Now, the one response to Megan is that to keep all six buildings open. 02:05:38.040 --> 02:05:42.040 You have to remember, part of that is not a dollar question. Part of that is a pupil question. 02:05:42.040 --> 02:05:47.040 If we don't have the bodies, you can't have the schools. 02:05:47.040 --> 02:06:01.040 I mean, that's not so much a referendum question is that if we don't have the bodies to put in the seats, it doesn't make any common sense to keep that. 02:06:01.040 --> 02:06:05.040 So that's why I talked about we need a stabilization. 02:06:05.040 --> 02:06:15.040 If we know if we can stabilize our enrollment, then we can lay out a plan for how we can use buildings and how many buildings we need. 02:06:15.040 --> 02:06:19.040 But a referendum, I shouldn't say that. 02:06:19.040 --> 02:06:23.040 I was going to say a referendum does bring in students. That's not entirely true. 02:06:23.040 --> 02:06:30.040 Depending on what we include in the referendum, it could include things that would bring students back. 02:06:31.040 --> 02:06:33.040 Tom Hinkins. 02:06:33.040 --> 02:06:36.040 Thank you. I'll be brief, kind of. 02:06:36.040 --> 02:06:44.040 Ms. Fox brought up a good point that I wanted to bring back during our business operation of finance committee meeting. 02:06:44.040 --> 02:06:49.040 And Carol said unintended consequences with some of these cuts. 02:06:49.040 --> 02:06:58.040 And we talked about school nursing and Medicaid billing and how much dollars that revenue does bring in to the district. 02:06:58.040 --> 02:07:10.040 And to not provide that, you know, if we start cutting nursing and what they do to bring in revenue for the district would be cutting your nose off despite your face. 02:07:10.040 --> 02:07:20.040 And it also leads to CTE and Mr. Stenros, who brings in a ton of money to a seller program at the high school and the district. 02:07:20.040 --> 02:07:27.040 And to do anything to jeopardize, we should be enhancing our CTE product and not trying to minimize it. 02:07:27.040 --> 02:07:28.040 Thank you. 02:07:28.040 --> 02:07:30.040 Thank you, Tom. 02:07:30.040 --> 02:07:38.040 I agree with you. We shouldn't be cutting programs or positions that bring dollars in. 02:07:38.040 --> 02:07:41.040 But with that, show me the receipts. 02:07:41.040 --> 02:07:47.040 You know who I am. You know, I'm always going to say show me the receipts. Show me the data. 02:07:47.040 --> 02:07:51.040 I need to see it. Okay. I want to trust everyone here. 02:07:52.040 --> 02:08:05.040 But we need to trust, but verify this district for too long has been put in the board, put in positions where we are just supposed to take things on face value that's gotten us into a lot of trouble. 02:08:05.040 --> 02:08:11.040 And I think these changes are hard. It's not comfortable, but it's accountability. 02:08:11.040 --> 02:08:19.040 And this is what we need, especially if we are going to go to our public and tell them we want and need more money. 02:08:20.040 --> 02:08:32.040 It's very difficult to convince people out there when we're doing so poor relative to the other districts in the state that we need more money so that we can keep doing a great job. 02:08:32.040 --> 02:08:42.040 I know we're doing a great job, but we also need to have evidence that what we're doing and how we're spending the money is all on the up and up. 02:08:42.040 --> 02:08:45.040 Dan Shuf. 02:08:45.040 --> 02:08:46.040 Thank you. 02:08:47.040 --> 02:08:56.040 Yeah. So as we put together the options both for Tuesday and as we get towards passing a budget by the 1st of July, as Dr. Anderson set out the goal. 02:08:56.040 --> 02:09:11.040 You know, I think that if we're going to move towards a growth mode, we would love to see on these projections in modeling we do for the district. 02:09:12.040 --> 02:09:19.040 We have this unique problem where our city is growing. The city is on a growth mode. 02:09:19.040 --> 02:09:26.040 And the district has not been for lots of important reasons that are varied and deep. 02:09:26.040 --> 02:09:30.040 But we haven't prioritized recruiting. 02:09:30.040 --> 02:09:38.040 You know, I came from an institution I spent 14 years at Blue College and each year you don't have any students for next year. 02:09:38.040 --> 02:09:50.040 You know, for freshmen, you don't have any. You start from zero and you have a funnel and you literally start talking to thousands of people until you get to the, hopefully, 300 students in your class. 02:09:50.040 --> 02:10:03.040 Well, we, you know, 30 years ago, students showed up at the Beloit Public Schools and that's, they went to it and occasionally you went to, you know, OLA or Brother Dutton or something, but that was about it. 02:10:03.040 --> 02:10:08.040 And that's, you know, that world's been gone for a long time. 02:10:08.040 --> 02:10:18.040 And this district has had to make tough, tough decisions, but we've also not moved to the modern world of actually recruiting students. 02:10:19.040 --> 02:10:26.040 I mean, we have a neighbor that just, there's, there's a child, I'll just more gender them, so I don't give them away. 02:10:26.040 --> 02:10:35.040 Their child is thriving at Beloit Memorial. They went to their elementary school at Turner. They needed a bigger, you know, a bigger pond, so to speak, and they're doing great. 02:10:35.040 --> 02:10:42.040 But we didn't, as a district, we just don't have any, we haven't prioritized reaching out to those parents. 02:10:43.040 --> 02:10:53.040 I get Delavandarian mailings. I get Parkview mailings. I get Instagram ads from other districts. Lincoln Academy will have a robust recruitment plan. 02:10:53.040 --> 02:11:01.040 Part of my growth mode is a switch in mindset that we are going to, you know, in some ways, it's not a criticism of anything we've done. 02:11:01.040 --> 02:11:07.040 It's just that this may be the moment to say, you know, Megan has a lot of experience on the board. 02:11:08.040 --> 02:11:15.040 Tia, you had a previous stint on the board, but it's a young board, right? We're new. You guys have, there's been change over. 02:11:15.040 --> 02:11:23.040 This may be the moment to flip the switch and say, this is the moment to go ask our neighbors and friends to put a thing together. 02:11:23.040 --> 02:11:34.040 But we're going to have to have the information from the great staff in the back and, and Wayne and others to make those decisions over the next, next weeks with these, with the input of the community. 02:11:34.040 --> 02:11:55.040 So I would say that I agree with what people are saying that we have to make tough decisions, but the numbers that are up on the board right now, you know, there are tools to have the students that live in the city of Beloit attend these schools if we tell the story. 02:11:55.040 --> 02:12:01.040 So just something I want to keep as an option. 02:12:01.040 --> 02:12:04.040 Thank you. Any other board members? 02:12:04.040 --> 02:12:15.040 So as I was going through this PowerPoint and thank you for putting this together, this was one of the requests out of the board guidance. 02:12:15.040 --> 02:12:21.040 This is kind of a summary of a loose staffing plan. 02:12:21.040 --> 02:12:25.040 I was surprised to look at some of these capacity numbers. 02:12:25.040 --> 02:12:35.040 And on May 7th, Director Elwood had shared some of the energy costs in the district with the board. 02:12:35.040 --> 02:12:41.040 And this was because I had a question about one of the payments for the frozen middle school. 02:12:41.040 --> 02:12:45.040 And it seemed high compared to the other ones. 02:12:45.040 --> 02:13:00.040 But then looking at the spreadsheet that she sent to us on the 7th and looking at these numbers and explaining why we're in the position we're in and wondering how some of these decisions were made. 02:13:00.040 --> 02:13:22.040 If you look at the cost for the 24-25 fiscal year at the different operating costs of the buildings, Cunningham had over $110,000. 02:13:22.040 --> 02:13:28.040 Blue Memorial was almost $380,000. 02:13:28.040 --> 02:13:31.040 Robinson was $60,000. 02:13:31.040 --> 02:13:41.040 And I have to say, Robinson, when I calculated the energy cost per student at each building, Robinson, nice job. 02:13:41.040 --> 02:13:50.040 You guys came in at the lowest at $127 energy cost per student per year. 02:13:51.040 --> 02:14:10.040 I was really perplexed and I hope that we can do some investigation as to what's going on there because their cost was $393 a year per student. 02:14:10.040 --> 02:14:18.040 Now I know the building's not year-round and we still have to, but this is just across the board. 02:14:18.040 --> 02:14:22.040 Blue Memorial was $336,000. 02:14:22.040 --> 02:14:26.040 So Blue Memorial cost per student is still less than frozen. 02:14:26.040 --> 02:14:36.040 When we are looking at buildings to close, we're going to have to look at all kinds of questions and take into consideration all kinds of things. 02:14:36.040 --> 02:14:46.040 If there are buildings that are really high in the cost per student for energy or for whatever services, those are things we need to consider. 02:14:46.040 --> 02:14:55.040 This one, Cunningham is over $900 a year per energy cost per student. 02:14:55.040 --> 02:15:05.040 We are underutilizing some buildings and then other buildings are beyond what their functional capacity is. 02:15:05.040 --> 02:15:06.040 For example, Converse. 02:15:06.040 --> 02:15:13.040 We have 441 students at Converse and their functional capacity is 412. 02:15:13.040 --> 02:15:26.040 So these are things that we have to take into consideration and perhaps moving some of our programs this year might help save us money next year and in the future. 02:15:26.040 --> 02:15:27.040 Is it going to be fun? 02:15:27.040 --> 02:15:33.040 No, but these are questions we have to come up with answers to. 02:15:33.040 --> 02:15:40.040 If there are any other board questions, I will entertain a motion for adjournment. 02:15:40.040 --> 02:15:41.040 So moved. 02:15:41.040 --> 02:15:42.040 Second. 02:15:42.040 --> 02:15:46.040 Motion by Tom Hank is seconded by Carol Fox. 02:15:46.040 --> 02:15:48.040 No discussion. 02:15:48.040 --> 02:15:49.040 Hearing none. 02:15:49.040 --> 02:15:50.040 All in favor? 02:15:50.040 --> 02:15:51.040 Aye. 02:15:51.040 --> 02:15:52.040 Aye. 02:15:52.040 --> 02:15:53.040 Aye. 02:15:53.040 --> 02:15:54.040 Aye. 02:15:54.040 --> 02:15:56.040 Motion carries unanimously. 02:15:56.040 --> 02:15:58.040 We are adjourned at 815. 02:15:58.040 --> 02:15:59.040 Aye. 02:15:59.040 --> 02:16:00.040 Aye. 02:16:00.040 --> 02:16:01.040 Aye. 02:16:01.040 --> 02:16:02.040 Aye. 02:16:02.040 --> 02:16:03.040 Aye. 02:16:03.040 --> 02:16:04.040 Aye. 02:16:04.040 --> 02:16:05.040 Aye. 02:16:05.040 --> 02:16:06.040 Aye. 02:16:06.040 --> 02:16:07.040 Aye. 02:16:07.040 --> 02:16:08.040 Aye. 02:16:08.040 --> 02:16:09.040 Aye. 02:16:09.040 --> 02:16:10.040 Aye. 02:16:10.040 --> 02:16:11.040 Aye. 02:16:11.040 --> 02:16:12.040 Aye. 02:16:12.040 --> 02:16:13.040 Aye. 02:16:13.040 --> 02:16:14.040 Aye. 02:16:14.040 --> 02:16:15.040 Aye. 02:16:15.040 --> 02:16:16.040 Aye. 02:16:16.040 --> 02:16:17.040 Aye. 02:16:17.040 --> 02:16:18.040 Aye. 02:16:18.040 --> 02:16:19.040 Aye. 02:16:19.040 --> 02:16:20.040 Aye. 02:16:20.040 --> 02:16:21.040 Aye. 02:16:21.040 --> 02:16:22.040 Aye. 02:16:22.040 --> 02:16:23.040 Aye. 02:16:23.040 --> 02:16:24.040 Aye.