[00:00:01] IT IS 6:00. [1. Call to Order Open Session in the Board Room at Little Elm ISD Administration Building on 400 Lobo Lane, Little Elm, Texas 75068.] WE WILL CALL OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE LITTLE ELM ISD TRUSTEES TO ORDER HERE AT LITTLE ELM ISD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING A 400 LOBO LANE, LITTLE ELM, TEXAS. AND WITH THAT IT IS ALWAYS SO FUN. AS SOON AS WE OPEN IT, WE GET TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE OR WE'RE OPENING IT AT 6 P.M. [2. The Board will recess into Closed Meeting in the Board Support Conference Room as permitted by the Texas Open Meetings Act Code Subchapter 551.072 & 551.074. The Board and Superintendent will discuss: A. Personnel B. Land] AND I AM GOING TO ROUND AND CLOSE IT AT 6 P.M. THE BOARD WILL RECESS IN A CLOSED MEETING INTO THE BOARD SUPPORT CONFERENCE ROOM, AS PERMITTED BY THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT CODE SUBCHAPTER 551.072 AND 551.074. THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT WILL DISCUSS PERSONNEL AND LAND. [3. Pledge of Allegiance] I THOUGHT MY MIC WAS ON, IT WAS NOT. THERE IT IS. AND SO, MS. FLORES, CAN WE HAVE INTRODUCTION AND ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MR. DANIEL GALLAGHER. HERE. MR. KEN BEBER. PRESENT. MR. DAVID MONTEMAYOR. HERE. DR. MONIQUE THOMPSON. HERE. MR. JASON OLSON. HERE. MR. DELEON ENGLISH. HERE. MS. MARY WATKINS. HERE. MR. ALEXANDRO FLORES. HERE. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO INTO SUPERINTENDENT HIGHLIGHT, MR. [6. Superintendent Spotlight] GALLAGHER. ALL RIGHT, PRESIDENT OLSON, BOARD MEMBERS. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, MR. ROSS ROBERTS. DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE? USUALLY I CALL YOU TO THE PODIUM, BUT THAT'S. THIS IS BETTER. SO, MR. ROBERTS IS GOING TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS FOR JUST BEING EXCELLENT OUTSTANDING LOBOS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT GALLAGHER, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR TRADITION OF CELEBRATING OUR INCREDIBLE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN OF LITTLE ELM ISD. AND SO I'M SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO STAND IN FRONT OF A PACKED HOUSE OF PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND SHARE THIS SPECIAL TIME WITH THEM. SO AT FIRST, WE ARE GOING TO DO THE ELEMENTARY GROUP, WHICH IS THE SUPERINTENDENT STAAR RECIPIENTS, AND GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO ME OF WHY THESE STUDENTS WERE CHOSEN FOR TONIGHT TO BE HONORED. THEY TALKED ABOUT KINDNESS, HARD WORK. THEY TALKED ABOUT BEING ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR LEARNING, RESPECTFUL, HELPFUL AND ALSO REACHING LOFTY GOALS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO TURN NOW OVER TO THE STUDENTS. AND SO STUDENTS, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT HERE WHERE SUPERINTENDENT GALLAGHER AND MR. OLSON ARE STANDING, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE EVERYBODY STAY UP THERE AND THEN WE'LL TAKE SOME PICTURES. OKAY. SO CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. SO FIRST UP, FOR BRENT ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE BROOKE RUNYAN, FOURTH GRADE. [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS, BROOKE. YOU GET A NICE LITTLE TROPHY THERE TO TAKE WITH YOU. FROM CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY WE HAVE GABRIEL BEAUREGARD, FOURTH GRADER. [APPLAUSE] FROM HACKBERRY ELEMENTARY, SEAN JORDAN, THIRD GRADE. [APPLAUSE] FROM LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE A SECOND GRADER TONIGHT, AND THAT IS LAYLA MARK. [APPLAUSE] FROM OAK POINT ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE ZOE HAQUE. [APPLAUSE] [00:05:01] AND ROUNDING US OUT, WE HAVE PRESTWICK ELEMENTARY, JACK JOHNSON. FOURTH GRADE. [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL STUDENTS. JOB WELL DONE. [APPLAUSE] PICTURES. ALL RIGHT. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] PARENTS, AGAIN, A BIG THANK YOU TO EACH ONE OF YOU. WITHOUT YOUR LOVE, COMMITMENT, DIRECTION, A LOT OF THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO EDUCATE AND TO BE WITH YOUR CHILD EVERY DAY. SO THANK YOU, PARENTS. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR STUDENT RECOGNITION SECTION WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. AND SO FIRST UP, I'M GOING TO ASK MR. BUSH, OUR PRINCIPAL OF STRIKE MIDDLE SCHOOL, TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT HIS STUDENT OF THE MONTH. YEAH. YEAH. GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE BEING HERE TONIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE HALLE WOEHLER. [APPLAUSE] SO HOLLY HAD TWO TEACHERS THAT RECOMMENDED HER FOR THIS AWARD. WE HAVE MR. INMAN, AND WE HAVE MS. MINI. MR. INMAN IS HER SCIENCE TEACHER. HALLE IS THE EPITOME OF A HARDWORKING STUDENT. SHE IS ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT SHE HAS ALL HER DUCKS IN A ROW. SHE IS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP PUT PEOPLE AROUND HER. SHE IS ALWAYS ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND HAS AN INVESTIGATIVE SPIRIT IN SCIENCE. SHE IS ALWAYS WANTING TO LEARN THE NEW THINGS AND IS INTERESTED IN ALL COOL SCIENCE EXPERIENCES. AND THEN MS. MINI IS HER ENGLISH TEACHER. SHE IS SUCH A HARD WORKER. SHE IS ALWAYS POSITIVE AND RESPECTFUL AND KIND. SHE IS THIS WAY TO TEACHERS AND TO ALL OTHER STUDENTS. SHE HAS WORKED SO HARD TO DO WHAT SHE IS DOING IN ENGLISH AND SHE NEVER STOPS TRYING EVEN WHEN IT GETS TOUGH. SHE IS AMAZING. [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] MOVING TO WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL. I AM NOW GOING TO BRING MS. PETRASIC, OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL, TO COME AND TALK ABOUT HER INCREDIBLE STUDENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD EVENING, MR. GALLAGHER, AND PRESIDENT OLSON, REST OF OUR BOARD. I HAVE THE PLEASURE TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF WALKER'S FINEST STUDENTS, AND THAT IS MUSTAFA AL-SHAIKHLI. MUSTAFA, COME ON UP. [APPLAUSE] COME STAND NEXT TO ME AS I READ SOME WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT YOU. I'M VERY EXCITED, FIRST OF ALL, TO GET TO RECOGNIZE MUSTAFA. HE IS A FANTASTIC STUDENT AT WALKER. AND I THINK AFTER YOU HEAR FROM SOME OF HIS TEACHERS, YOU'LL AGREE. SO COACH HUNT SAYS THAT I HAVE HAD MUSTAFA FOR TWO YEARS NOW. I'VE HAD HIM IN SEVENTH GRADE MATH WHERE HE CONTINUOUSLY SHOWED SUCH PERSISTENCE WITH HIS WORK. HE ASKS QUESTIONS UNTIL IT'S CLEAR TO HIM. HE ASKS FOR EXTRA PRACTICE TO MAKE SURE THAT HE KNOWS THE MATERIAL. HE PARTICIPATES IN THE CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS AND PROVIDES GREAT EXAMPLES AND REASONING. HE ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE UNDERSTOOD THE MATERIAL TO ENSURE HIS BEST WORK. NOW, IN INVESTIGATING CAREERS, SHE SEES THE SAME PERSISTENCE AND EAGERNESS TO DO WELL. SHE BELIEVES THAT HE HAS, THAT IS ONE OF HIS BEST QUALITIES, HE ALWAYS WANTS TO DO WELL AND ALL THAT HE DOES. HE STANDS OUT IN REGARD IN THAT REGARD, AND SHE TRULY BELIEVES THAT THAT SETS HIM APART AND WILL HELP HIM DO WELL IN HIS FUTURE. [00:10:02] HIS DRIVE TO DO WELL AND PURSUE HIS BEST WORK WILL BE SUCH AN ASSET FOR HIS FUTURE EMPLOYER. SHE'S GOING TO MISS HIM AS A STUDENT AS HE MOVES TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. HE IS A TEACHER'S DREAM AND SHE'S VERY PROUD OF YOU. MS. HAEUSSLER, HIS US HISTORY TEACHER, SAYS MUSTAFA IS SUCH A HARD WORKER, HE HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR HIMSELF AND THE PEOPLE THAT HE SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH. HE STRIVES TO BE THE BEST IN HIS CLASS AND WORKS DILIGENTLY TOWARDS HIS GOAL. HE HAS A BRIGHT YOUNG MAN WITH AN EVEN BRIGHTER FUTURE AHEAD. MR. PSZYK SAYS MUSTAFA IS ONE OF OUR PROGRAM MANAGERS IN ADVANCED THEATER. HE IS A LEADER THAT IS ALWAYS WILLING TO SERVE. HE EMBODIES OUR CORE VALUE OF RESPECT IN ALL OF HIS INTERACTIONS WITH PEERS AND ADULTS. COACH JOHNSON, HIS ENGLISH TEACHER, SAYS HE IS A STUDENT WHO CAN WORK IN A GROUP AND MOTIVATE THE OTHER STUDENTS AROUND HIM AND KEEP THEM PRODUCTIVE. THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. HE IS POSITIVE, HELPFUL, COOPERATIVE AND FRIENDLY IN CLASS. HE'LL BE A GREAT LEADER ONE DAY. AND LASTLY, MS. MCNUTT SAYS MUSTAFA PUTS IN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. HE IS NOT CONTENT WITH JUST SOLVING A PROBLEM. HE WANTS TO UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL AND WHY THINGS ARE DONE A CERTAIN WAY. HE IS A GOOD FRIEND TO HIS PEERS. HE PARTICIPATES IN CLASS. HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP AND HE IS GENUINELY A GOOD PERSON. SO CONGRATULATIONS, MUSTAFA, AND WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MS. PETRASIC, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. ROUNDING OUT OUR STUDENT CELEBRATION TONIGHT IS OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. AND SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL AT LITTLE ELM HIGH SCHOOL TO COME UP. MS. CARTMILL. SO TONIGHT WE HAVE WITH US JOY CARTMILL. GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL PARENTS AND STUDENTS. I CAME. I'M NOT TRAVELING LIGHT AND I WAS TOLD SPECIFICALLY THAT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WERE OUT DOING EVERYONE WITH ALL OF THEIR AWARDS. SO WE HAVE AWARDS TONIGHT FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL. THE FIRST STUDENT THAT WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IS MS. NOELLE HENRY. [APPLAUSE] CAN YOU STAND HERE AND LET ME EMBARRASS YOU A LITTLE BIT? OKAY. NOELLE IS AN AMAZING YOUNG LADY. SHE IS VERY ACTIVE AT LHS AS A BLUE ANGEL DRILL TEAM MEMBER AND NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY MEMBER, DECA PRESIDENT AND SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, NOELLE PLANS ON ATTENDING TEXAS A&M TO MAJOR IN MARKETING. YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND HER BOUNCING AROUND THE HALLS WITH A SMILE OR VOLUNTEERING AT A LOCAL EVENT. HERE ARE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM HER TEACHERS. MS. MALLORY MINER SAYS SHE HAS SERVED IN VARIOUS LEADERSHIP ROLES BASED ON HER POSITIVE, OUTGOING ATTITUDE AND ABILITY TO MAKE OTHERS FEEL WELCOMED. SHE HAS A KEEN SENSE OF HUMOR AND AN INCREDIBLE WORK ETHIC. NOELLE IS INVOLVED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT FACETS OF OUR CAMPUS AND IS TRULY MAKING A DIFFERENCE AT LHS. FROM YOUR TEACHER, MS. SHANNON MIDDLETON. NOELLE IS A WONDERFUL STUDENT WHO IS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF SUPER UPPER LEVEL CLASSES AS WELL AS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS A LOT ON HER PLATE SHE DOES A GOOD JOB BALANCING HER OBLIGATIONS AND KEEPING AN A AVERAGE IN HER CLASSES. SHE ALSO HAS A GREAT PERSONALITY AND WORKS WELL WITH HER CLASSMATES. CONGRATULATIONS, NOELLE, ON BEING SELECTED AS LHS STUDENT OF THE MONTH. [APPLAUSE] WE HAVE A SECOND STUDENT WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE. AND THAT'S MR. MICHAEL REYES. [APPLAUSE] YOUR TIME TO SHINE. MICHAEL REYES IS AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG MAN. MICHAEL HAS BEEN A VERY ACTIVE STUDENT, PARTICIPATING IN A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS THE NATIONAL SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY, VARSITY CHAMBER CHOIR. HEART AND SOUL, ONE OF OUR BANDS, MAGICAL ENSEMBLE AND THE WOLFPACK. [00:15:03] MICHAEL PLANS TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO AND MAJOR IN VOCAL PERFORMANCE. HERE ARE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM HIS TEACHERS. MICHAEL REYES IS AN EXTRAORDINARY MUSICIAN AND STUDENT. HE HAS BEEN NAMED ONE OF THE TOP TENORS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, ALONGSIDE MULTIPLE SUPERIOR RATINGS AND AWARDS. AS A STUDENT, MICHAEL HAS SHOWN HIMSELF TO BE A LEADER TO HIS PEERS BY HELPING OTHERS WITH THEIR ACADEMICS AND MUSIC LITERACY. WE ARE FILLED WITH PRIDE THAT MICHAEL HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS A STUDENT OF THE MONTH. HE IS DESERVING OF THE HONOR, THIS HONORABLE AWARD. MICHAEL HAS SUCH AN AMAZING, POSITIVE ATTITUDE. HE IS A GIVING AND KIND STUDENT. MICHAEL IS VERY TALENTED AND HE'S HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING HIS BEAUTIFUL VOICE FOR MANY YEARS. HE'S ALWAYS A GREAT HELP IN THE HOUSE OFFICES AS WELL. CONGRATULATIONS, MICHAEL REYES. [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MS. CARTMILL. CONGRATULATIONS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. EXCELLENT JOB. AND MR. GALLAGHER, THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR STUDENT CELEBRATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. ROBERTS. WE'RE NOT DONE CELEBRATING OR RECOGNIZING. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS SAY, THAT OBVIOUSLY LITTLE ELM ISD IS A GREAT DISTRICT BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT KIDS, GREAT FAMILIES, WONDERFUL TEACHERS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS, MRS. CECILIA JONES, TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM. AND WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAS MADE A GREAT IMPACT ON LITTLE ELM ISD OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS. THANK YOU, MR. GALLAGHER, PRESIDENT OLSON. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. ACTUALLY DID SOME HISTORICAL INFORMATION BEFORE I PRESENTED OR BROUGHT FORTH OUR HONOREES THIS EVENING. THIS PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIP DATES BACK TO 2017. THEY HAVE SUPPORTED US THROUGH THE FOOD TRAILER CONVOCATION, LOBO LUAU. THEY JUST RECENTLY HELD A VETERANS EVENT. MR. ENGLISH WAS THERE. AND THEY FED OUR STAFF AT MULTIPLE CAMPUSES. AND EVERY TIME I AM ON THE PHONE WITH SOMEBODY FROM CUTX, THEY'RE SAYING OR ASKING ME, HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? HOW CAN WE HELP YOUR TEACHERS? WHAT CAN WE DO? AND I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ALWAYS BEGGING FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO THAT IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP TO HAVE. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TO CALL UP VP OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DESMOND BIBBS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER DANIELLE MARATAS. RIGHT. DID I PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT? [APPLAUSE] GOOD TO SEE YOU. SO THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARD. I WAS GOING TO LET YOU DO THAT, MR. GALLAGHER, BUT I'LL DO THAT. SO, WHAT WE DO IS WE WE CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR WHAT YOU DO IN SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, OUR EVENTS AND THE FACT THAT YOU ARE JUST YOU'RE IN IT. YOU WANT TO BE WITH US. AND THIS IS JUST A WAY FOR US TO RECOGNIZE AND TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION IN THIS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARD PRESENTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, MR. GALLAGHER. [00:20:06] AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, CUTX, FOR JUST EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR OUR KIDS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. NEXT, WE HAVE ANOTHER RECOGNITION, AN APPRECIATION, SPECIAL GROUP, TWO SPECIAL GROUPS. AND I'M GOING TO LET, AGAIN, MRS. JONES, TALK ABOUT THESE TWO GROUPS. SO THE TWO SPECIAL GROUPS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HONOR TONIGHT IS OUR LONG RANGE FACILITY PLANNING COMMITTEE AND OUR PAC. I HAVE INVITED A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS AND THEY ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT. BUT I ALSO WANT TO GIVE SOME HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION. THIS WAS NO EASY TASK. WE BEGAN. I SAY WE. I WENT TO EVERY MEETING. BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, AND WE DISCUSSED WHAT COULD BE ON THE BOND PACKAGE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY. WE MET FOR FOUR OF THOSE MEETINGS BEFORE THE MAY ELECTION AND THEN IT FAILED. AND THEN WE REGROUPED AND HAD TWO MORE MEETINGS IN THE SUMMER AND THEY CAME BACK AND THEY DISCUSSED, OKAY, GIVEN THE COMMUNITY INPUT, HOW CAN WE REPACKAGE THIS AGAIN? THIS WAS ALL VOLUNTEER. THEY SHOWED UP, THEY WORKED HARD, AND THEN NATURALLY THE LRFPC, ONCE YOU GUYS CALLED FOR THE ELECTION, THEY TRANSITIONED INTO THAT PAC ROLE AND ON THEIR OWN TIME THEY TALKED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA ANSWERING QUESTIONS. THEY PUT YARD SIGNS OUT. THEY WERE AT THE HOMECOMING PARADE AND PUT OUT THAT DIGITAL SIGN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS SAW THAT, BUT THAT WAS BRILLIANT AND JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT AND JUST HAVING CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THESE DEDICATED COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR THEIR WORK, THEIR SUPPORT, THEIR DEDICATION. SO WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, IF YOU CAN JOIN ME UP HERE. DAN BLACKWOOD. COME ON UP. [APPLAUSE] MARY WATKINS. [APPLAUSE] DR. MONIQUE THOMPSON. KEN BEBER. [APPLAUSE] JENNIFER REYNOLDS. [APPLAUSE] CHAD NUZUM. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. MICHELLE DAVIS. THERE'S TWO OF YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. AND MICHELLE WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO PUT HER FACE ON THE VIDEO AND SHE DID AN AMAZING JOB. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BRIAN SOLIS. NO. OKAY. I THINK THAT IS ALL. IF I MISSED YOU, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP? I THINK I GOT EVERYBODY. OKAY. GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION. WE WANT TO TAKE A QUICK PHOTO AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. PRESENTATION] MIC] BOARD, WE ASK TO SAY JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS ALSO. THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT HERE TONIGHT THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO, THAT WE OWE A HUGE AMOUNT OF THANKS TO. ONE WOULD BE LINDSAY REYES, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PAC ALSO BACK IN MAY. AND THEN SARONA WINFREY, I APOLOGIZE. WHO IF IT WASN'T FOR HER, I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. SHE DID A TREMENDOUS JOB HELPING THE LONG RANGE FACILITY PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE PAC. ALSO, MS. ADAMS, IF YOU COULD COME JOIN US, TOO, PLEASE. NOW THAT THE BOND HAS PASSED, THE PAC HAS DISSOLVED, AND WE DO HAVE FUNDS LEFT OVER. [00:25:03] WE WERE GOING TO DONATE THEM TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION. BUT CONSIDERING TWO OF OUR OFFICERS ARE ALSO OFFICERS ON THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, IT DIDN'T WORK. SO WE HAVE A CHECK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE DISTRICT TO JUST GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE LEFTOVER MONEY FROM THE PAC. [APPLAUSE] LET'S DO A PICTURE. YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. OKAY, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GO INTO THE REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, MR. [7. Reports of the Superintendent] GALLAGHER. YES. PRESIDENT OLSON AND BOARD MEMBERS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, DR. TRAMEL, TO COME UP. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT OLSON, BOARD, MR. GALLAGHER,. TONIGHT WE COME TO YOU BRINGING A REPORT ON A FOUR DAY WEEK. SOME MONTHS AGO, THE BOARD ASKED US TO LOOK INTO THAT. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT RESEARCH THAT WE CONDUCTED. AS WE LOOKED AT THE REASONS DISTRICTS PARTICIPATE IN A FOUR DAY WEEK AND THEN SOME OF OUR NEEDS IN THE DISTRICT, WE FOUND SOME CORRELATIONS THAT WOULD INDICATE IT COULD POSSIBLY BE BENEFICIAL FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING SUCH AS THIS. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN WE LOOK AT CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, WE KNOW THAT OUR DATA INDICATES WE NEED TO DEFINITELY CLOSE GAPS IN OUR STUDENTS PERFORMANCE. AND ACCORDING TO OUR STAAR DATA AND OUR MAP DATA FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. YOU'LL NOTICE THE LAST COLUMN SAYS TEXAS TEACHER POLL. AND THAT IS A BODY OF RESEARCH THAT THE CHARLES FOUNDATION HAS CONDUCTED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS SINCE 2020, IN FACT. AND SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT TEACHER RETENTION ACROSS THE STATE. WE KNOW THAT 43,000 TEACHERS CHANGED PROFESSIONS LAST YEAR. AND WHEN WE GET TO RECRUITMENT AND POTENTIALLY RETENTION, YOU'LL SEE OUR DATA IN LITTLE ELM ISD ALONG THOSE LINES. SO THE TEXAS TEACHER POLL INDICATED FROM TEACHERS THAT THEY FEEL EXPECTATIONS ARE A LITTLE BIT UNREALISTIC WHEN YOU LOOK AT STAAR AND HOW IT'S CALCULATED AND THEN THE TIME SPAN FOR THE EXPECTATION OF CLOSING THE GAP, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. WITH RECRUITMENT YOU'LL NOTICE OUR TURNOVER RATE LAST YEAR WAS 28.2%, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU BRING ON TEACHERS AND YOU TRAIN THEM AND THEN YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF TURNOVER, IT MAKES YOU LOOK AT WHAT CAN WE DO TO RETAIN TEACHERS. AND THE STATE ACTUALLY RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM, OBVIOUSLY, WITH 43,000 PEOPLE LEAVING THE PROFESSION. AND ON MARCH THE 10TH, THE STATE LAUNCHED THE TEXAS TEACHER VACANCY TASK BOARD TO LOOK INTO STAFFING CHALLENGES ACROSS THE STATE. AND THE ISSUE IS NOT REALLY UNIQUE TO TEXAS. IT IS A NATIONAL ISSUE. SO OUR DATA THUS FAR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 3.7% OF OUR TEACHERS WHO HAVE ABANDONED THEIR CONTRACTS. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE BECAUSE YOU HAVE SANCTIONED SOME OF THOSE CERTIFICATIONS ALONG THE WAY. IN 2020, THE TEXAS TEACHER POLL INDICATED THAT 58% OF TEACHERS WERE CONSIDERING LEAVING THE FIELD OF EDUCATION. AND IN 2022 AND THAT, THERE'S ABOUT 1300 TEACHERS THAT WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED AND PARTICIPATED IN THAT STUDY THIS PAST SPRING, INDICATED THAT 77% REPORTED CONSIDERING LEAVING THE FIELD OF EDUCATION. AND OF THAT 77%, 93% OF THEM TOOK SIGNIFICANT ACTION TOWARD THAT, WHETHER IT WAS WORKING ON THEIR RESUME, YOU KNOW, NETWORKING FOR A DIFFERENT JOB, ENROLLING IN THE UNIVERSITY TO CHANGE CAREERS. [00:30:02] SO THAT ISSUE IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE ACROSS THE STATE AND LITTLE ELM IS PART OF THAT. ANOTHER THING WE LOOK AT IS TIME TO PLAN, WHILE OUR TEACHERS CERTAINLY HAVE TIME TO PLAN. WE HAVE MANY, YOU KNOW, NEEDS IN OUR DISTRICT. AND IN LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OF A FOUR DAY WEEK, IT WOULD ALLOW US TO EXTEND THE LEARNING TIME DURING THE DAY SO WE MIGHT COULD BETTER ACCOMMODATE FOR A HIGHER QUALITY PLANNING TIME TO MEET INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND PERSONALIZE THEIR LEARNING. IN THE TEXAS TEACHER POLL, 85% OF THE TEACHERS REPORTED THAT IF THEY HAD MORE TIME TO PLAN QUALITY LESSONS, THAT THAT WOULD AID IN TEACHER RETENTION. THEY WOULD THEY WOULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER IT, YOU KNOW, A MORE QUALITY EXPERIENCE TO TEACH . SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. TEACHERS, OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE HAD AROUND 15 ABANDON THEIR CONTRACT THIS YEAR. SO OUR DATA INDICATES THAT IS AN ISSUE FOR US. WE ARE NOT EVEN IN THE SEASON OF WHERE PEOPLE LOOK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES YET. IN THE TEXAS TEACHER POLL, 85% OF THE TEACHERS REPORTED THAT TIME OFF FOR STUDENT AND TEACHER WELLBEING WOULD DEFINITELY AID IN THEIR DECISION TO STAY IN THE FIELD. AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT SUBSTITUTE SHORTAGES, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP THAT I BELIEVE WE STARTED LAST YEAR WITH ESS, WHICH IS EDUCATION STAFFING SOLUTIONS. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY HELPED US WITH OUR FIELD RATE FOR SUBSTITUTES. BUT STILL WE HAVE AROUND 16% OF OUR ON AVERAGE CLASSES THAT NEED A SUBSTITUTE THAT WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO DIVIDE UP STUDENTS AND MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THAT WAY. SO IN LOOKING AT THE TEXAS TEACHER POLL, 97% OF THE TEACHERS SURVEYED SAID A POSITIVE WORK CULTURE, AN ENVIRONMENT WOULD AFFECT THEIR DECISION OR CHOICE TO STAY IN THE FIELD. AND I WILL SAY THAT WHEN YOU PLAN QUALITY LESSONS AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WONDERFUL TEACHERS AND WONDERFUL ADMINISTRATORS, BUT IT DOES DISRUPT WHAT YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THE DAY WHEN YOU HAVE TO DIVIDE KIDS UP AMONG CLASSES AND THAT DOES AFFECT THE LEARNING AT TIMES. SO IN LOOKING AT A FOUR DAY WEEK AND KIND OF WHAT IS THE IMPORTANT THING BESIDES SAFETY THAT WE WANT TO KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT, CERTAINLY IN STUDENTS ENSURING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL IT CAN BE, AND THEN RETAINING AND RECRUITING THE MOST TALENTED TEACHERS. YOU KNOW, ASHLEY, MS. BROWN, SENDS OUT OUR OPENINGS EVERY WEEK AND YOU'LL NOTICE WE STILL HAVE RECURRING POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FILL. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS A PRIMARY REASON TO PARTICIPATE IN A FOUR DAY WEEK IS THAT RETAINMENT AND RECRUITING OF HIGH QUALITY EDUCATORS. IN LOOKING AT THE ACADEMICS, THAT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS, WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. A FOUR DAY CALENDAR DOES ALLOW US JUST BECAUSE WE WOULD BE EXTENDING THE DAY MORE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS. WE WOULD HAVE FEWER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS, HOWEVER, AND THAT WOULD BE ACCOMMODATED WITH THE JUST INTENSIVE EFFORT AND TRAINING THAT WE HAVE HAD ON PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES, WHICH SUPPORTS JOB EMBEDDED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AS OPPOSED TO HAVING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND TRAINING TEACHERS IN THAT WAY. SO IT WOULD BE MORE AUTHENTIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. FOCUSED ACCELERATION DAYS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE AROUND 2,700 STUDENTS THAT QUALIFY FOR HOUSE BILL 4545 MANDATED TUTORING AND ACCELERATION. WE ARE STRUGGLING, ESPECIALLY AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, TO DO THAT WITH THE LENGTH OF OUR DAY. AND, BUT TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE OF OUR UNIQUE SITUATION WITH OUR SCHOOLS BEING SPREAD OUT, WE ARE LIMITED IN THE NUMBER OF BUS DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE. AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TRIED TO HIRE MORE, BUT WE ARE LIMITED IN OUR ABILITY TO TRANSPORT KIDS OR TO GET KIDS INTO THOSE MANDATED TUTORING SESSIONS. [00:35:02] SO HAVING THE FOUR DAY YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO, AS WE LOOKED AT A POTENTIAL CALENDAR, BUILD IN FOUR ADDITIONAL DAYS, JUST FOR THOSE STUDENTS NEEDING THAT ACCELERATION, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT 32 HOURS OF ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION IN ADDITION TO EXTENSION OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, TIME TO WORK WITH CONTENT, THEY MIGHT HAVE MORE QUALITY TIME WITHIN A CONTENT AREA TO PARTICIPATE IN HANDS ON HIGHLY ENGAGING LESSONS. NOT THAT THEY DON'T DO THAT NOW, THEY CERTAINLY DO. BUT THIS WOULD ALLOW MORE TIME FOR MATERIALS TO BE, YOU KNOW, A PART OF THE LESSON. DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN THIS REPORT DECREASE IN STUDENT DISCIPLINE AND INCREASE AS MUCH OF 3% IN STUDENT ATTENDANCE. AND JUST IF YOU THINK ABOUT SUBSTITUTES, THEY ARE ENCOURAGING TEACHERS TO ON AN OFF DAY SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS AND THEY ARE ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS FOR STUDENTS SO THAT THE FOUR DAY STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOL, THEY HAVE THEIR CERTIFIED TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEY ARE IN ATTENDANCE THEMSELVES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER POTENTIAL BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED AS WE'VE LOOKED INTO THIS, THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE A COST SAVINGS IN TRANSPORTATION, CERTAINLY LESS WEAR AND TEAR ON THE BUSSES IF THEY'RE NOT RUNNING ROUTES FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND THEY'RE ONLY RUNNING THEM FOUR DAYS A WEEK. WHEN WE LOOK AT BUILDING AND OPERATIONS, ANOTHER POTENTIAL SAVINGS THERE, SUBSTITUTES. POTENTIALLY FEWER SUBS WOULD BE NEEDED TO COVER CLASSES. SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE WOULDN'T HAVE AN 84ISH PERCENT FIELD RATE. WE HOPEFULLY WOULD HAVE PLENTY OF SUBS TO COVER WHEN TEACHERS DID HAVE TO BE OUT. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. YOU KNOW, ONE DISTRICT REPORTED GOING FROM LIKE THREE APPLICATIONS TO 80 IN A WEEK. AND AS WE LOOK AT OUR APP POOL, WE'RE LOOKING AT QUITE A FEW NEW TEACHERS AND TEACHERS THAT ARE ALTERNATIVELY CERTIFIED. AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE QUALITY PROGRAMS. BUT WHAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE IS A LARGER SELECTION OF APPLICANTS AND MORE EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM WITH STUDENTS. AND THEN ATTENDANCE POTENTIALLY INCREASED ATTENDANCE FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND THEN ENROLLMENT. SOME OF THE SMALLER DISTRICTS ARE REPORTING THAT THEY ARE HAVING INCREASED ENROLLMENT BECAUSE STUDENTS WANT TO COME TO THEIR DISTRICT. SO THOSE ARE POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OUTSIDE OF THE OTHER ONES THAT WERE KIND OF ALIGNED TO THE TEXAS TEACHER POLL. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE ANTICIPATED AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN FAQ FOR OUR PARENTS AND OUR STAFF. CHILD CARE COULD BE AN ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE WORKING PARENTS. WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH ALPHABEST SINCE THE BOARD ASKED US TO LOOK INTO THIS, AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY COULD ACCOMMODATE CHILD CARE ON FRIDAYS WHEN WE ARE OUT OF SCHOOL. AND THEN IN LOOKING AT OUR SPECIAL POPULATIONS, YOU KNOW, ONE QUESTION THAT COMES TO MIND IS, WELL, MY STUDENTS STILL GET THE SERVICES IN THEIR IEP OR THAT THEY ARE COMMITTEE HAS DESIGNATED. AND THE ANSWER TO THAT WOULD BE YES. AND THEN ATHLETICS AND FINE ARTS, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ON FRIDAYS. AND SO MANY TIMES OUR COACHES AND OUR TEACHERS ARE TRYING TO GET READY FOR A GAME OR, YOU KNOW, OUR STUDENTS ARE PULLED FOR REHEARSAL FOR DIFFERENT FINE ARTS FUNCTIONS AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO, YOU KNOW, IF IN LOOKING AT WHICH DAY MIGHT BE THE BEST DAY FOR STUDENTS TO NOT BE IN A FULL INSTRUCTIONAL ACADEMIC DAY, FRIDAY SEEMED TO BE WITH THE DISTRICTS WE CONSULTED THE DAY OF PREFERENCE SO THEY WOULD HAVE FULL DAYS OF SOLID INSTRUCTION ON MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, AND THEN WE WOULD STILL MEET THE CTE MANDATED INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. AND YOU KNOW, ANOTHER CONCERN MIGHT BE THAT STAFF MEMBERS WHO AREN'T SALARIED AND ARE HOURLY OR WORK ON A DIFFERENT CALENDAR MIGHT HAVE [00:40:04] THEIR SALARIES AFFECTED. AND WE HAVE SOLUTIONS FOR THAT. SO THAT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS. SO, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, I LINKED IN THE TEXAS TEACHER POLL 2022 REPORT SO THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE BOARD BOOK SO THAT PEOPLE COULD READILY ACCESS THAT. SOME OF THE ISSUES WE ARE FACING, IT DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING. I WILL SAY THAT TALKING TO SUPERINTENDENTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS, THEY'RE GETTING LOTS OF PHONE CALLS AND INQUIRIES AND THEY ANTICIPATE THAT THE NUMBER OF DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING WOULD POTENTIALLY DOUBLE. AND THEN I FOUND OUT I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO CALL THIS AFTERNOON, BUT I FOUND OUT THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE 5A DISTRICTS LOOKING AT A FOUR DAY CALENDAR FOR THE '23 SCHOOL YEAR AS WELL. SO, I MEAN, IT IS AN INNOVATIVE THOUGHT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT ACADEMICS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THE BENEFITS FOR RECRUITING AND RETENTION FOR OUR DISTRICT OF THE BEST OF THE BEST, WE WOULD BE THE ONLY DISTRICT IN THIS AREA DOING THIS AND HAVE ALREADY SOME OF OUR PEOPLE ARE REPORTING BACK TO ME AND GETTING INQUIRIES FROM PEOPLE IN OTHER DISTRICTS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THAT. DR. TRAMEL, BEFORE THE BOARD ASKS QUESTIONS, WOULD YOU FIRST, I WANT TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY THAT'S WATCHING, WE'RE NOT AT A POSITION TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION YET. NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT REALLY IS JUST TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOUR DAY WEEK. SO WOULD YOU LET THE BOARD KNOW AND LET THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THE PROCESS? ABSOLUTELY. SO. GO AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. THIS WILL NOT BE A RECOMMENDATION BY ITSELF. SO LET THE BOARD KNOW THE PROCESS WITH DEIC. AND HOW DEIC COMES UP WITH CALENDAR OPTIONS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY GO TO THE COMMUNITY FOR SOME INPUT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THE DEIC SERVES AS OUR CALENDAR COMMITTEE IN LITTLE ELM, AND SO WE TAKE POTENTIAL CALENDAR OPTIONS TO THEM. THEY TAKE THOSE OPTIONS BACK TO THEIR CAMPUSES AND GET INPUT FROM THEIR STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS. THEN WHEN WE COME BACK TO DEIC IN DECEMBER, WE WILL TAKE ALL OF THAT INPUT AND POTENTIALLY MAKE CHANGES, CREATE A NEW CALENDAR. YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS CAN HAPPEN IN THAT MEETING. I WILL SAY THAT I HAVE HAD MEMBERS OF THE DEIC ALREADY SUBMITTING QUESTIONS TO ME FOR LIKE AN FAQ BECAUSE OF JUST THE POTENTIAL OF A DIFFERENT OPTION THAN WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO. RAISES QUESTIONS AND AND PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. SO WE ARE RESPONDING TO THAT WITH AN FAQ. SO WHEN WE COME BACK IN DECEMBER, WE WILL LOOK AT THAT INPUT AND THEN WE WILL CONSIDER ANY CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE MADE TO THE CALENDARS THEY HAVE TAKEN OUT TO THEIR SCHOOLS AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES AT THAT TIME. THEN WE WILL PUT WHATEVER THEY COME UP WITH OUT FOR COMMUNITY INPUT AND VOTING. SO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE, ALWAYS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THE CALENDAR CHOICES THAT THE DEIC PUTS OUT FOR THEM TO VOTE ON AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GIVE COMMENTARY. SO NOT ONLY CAN THEY VOTE, BUT THEY CAN MAKE COMMENTS. FROM THERE COMMUNITY HAS GIVEN AS INPUT AND THEIR VOTE. AND THEN THE BOARD WILL DETERMINE. VOTE. RIGHT. THAT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DEIC TO THE BOARD. AND THEN OF COURSE THE BOARD SELECTS WHICH CALENDAR AND ADOPTS THE CALENDAR FOR THE COMING YEAR. SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CALENDARS OUT THERE, BUT THEY'RE JUST OUT FOR INFORMAL INPUT BEFORE THE [00:45:03] DEIC COMES AND MAKES TWO FINAL CALENDARS TO PUT OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO VOTE ON. SORRY IF I MISREPRESENTED THAT WHEN I GAVE THE REPORT. DR. TRAMEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THE RESEARCH ON ALL THIS. I APPRECIATE THAT. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, ONE OF THE PARENTS HAD POSTED THE IDEA THAT WAS BEING TOSSED AROUND ON FACEBOOK. AND SO I GOT TO SEE SOME OF THE COMMENTS. IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO TELL WHETHER THE MAJORITY WERE PRO OR AGAINST THE IDEA. I THOUGHT IT WAS MAYBE AROUND 50-50 AT THE TIME, BUT THERE WERE SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP THAT I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. SOME OF THEM YOU ADDRESSED IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION. BUT ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT DEPEND ON MEALS, WHETHER FOR BREAKFAST OR FOR LUNCH. AND SO HOW WOULD THAT BE HANDLED? YEAH. SO RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T REALLY PROVIDE THOSE MEALS ON DAYS WHEN WE ARE OUT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OR DAYS WHEN WE ARE OUT FOR HOLIDAYS OR DURING THE SUMMER. AND SO WE WOULD NOT PROVIDE MEALS ON THE DAY THAT WE WERE OUT. WE ACTUALLY DID LOOK INTO THAT. BUT OUR LEVEL OF POVERTY IS NOT SUCH THAT WE COULD DO THAT. THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION REALLY AROUND THE DATA FROM OTHER DISTRICTS AS FAR AS SCORES, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, ETC. WHAT IS SOME OF THE DATA LOOKING LIKE? SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE ACADEMICALLY IT CAN HAVE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A NULL EFFECT. IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE READING. WE DO HAVE A TEACHER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WHOSE MOM IS IN A DISTRICT DOING A THREE DAY OR FOUR DAY WEEK. AND, YOU KNOW, SHE SENT AN EMAIL TO ME SAYING THAT, NUMBER ONE, THEY LOVE IT. AND THEN NUMBER TWO, THAT THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT HAS GONE UP IN EVERY SINGLE AREA, INCLUDING THEIR AP SCORES. HMM. SO BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU READ. WHAT I THINK FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR NEEDS IN LITTLE ELM AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, NUMBER ONE, WHAT WE GIVE. WHAT DO WE FEEL LIKE WOULD GIVE US THE BEST ADVANTAGE FOR THE HIGHEST QUALITY EDUCATORS TO COME AND WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS. AND NUMBER TWO, OBVIOUSLY, WITH A TURNOVER RATE, WE WANT TO HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY IN OUR CLASSROOMS WITH HIGHLY TRAINED TEACHERS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IN LOOKING AT, JUST OUR ACADEMIC DAY. YOU KNOW, IF WE JUST TAKE THE HIGH SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, WE NEED MORE TIME IN THE DAY. HOUSE BILL 4545 IS MANDATED, IT'S NOT AN OPTION, AND WE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND THE MINUTES IN THE DAY WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GET THAT MANDATED TIME IN. THIS WOULD ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME QUALITY TIME IN. IF, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME DAYS IN THE CALENDAR, I THINK LIKE TWO OR THREE THAT ARE DATA DIG DAYS TO WHERE WE REALLY GO AND LOOK DEEPLY AT EACH STUDENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE DAYS THAT WE PUT IN A FOUR DAY CALENDAR TO THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT FOR CLOSING THE GAP. IN ADDITION, AN EXTENDED DAY, WE'VE JUST PLAYED AROUND WITH SOME SCHEDULES, WHAT COULD THAT LOOK LIKE? DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU COULD CHOOSE TO EXTEND CLASS PERIODS TO WHERE YOU COULD HAVE MORE INQUIRY BASED LEARNING AND TALKING AND THINKING IN CLASSROOMS INSTEAD OF JUST MORE CONTENT SHARED TEACHER KIND OF DRIVEN OR AN ENTIRE PERIOD WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY WORK WITHIN A CHILD'S DAY OR A STUDENT'S DAY TO TARGET SOME OF THE GAPS THAT THEY HAVE. YEAH. I THINK THE BIGGEST THING I'D BE INTERESTED IN, ONE IS DATA FROM OTHER DISTRICTS OR DATA AROUND THE STATE. WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OR WHAT HAVE THEY SEEN CURRENTLY? AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DISTRICTS HAVE HAVE DONE IT. IN PARTICULAR, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG OF A SPAN THEY'VE DONE. I THINK SOME HAVE DONE IT FOR UP TO LIKE THREE YEARS. AND OF COURSE THERE ARE OTHER STATES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS. SO I'D BE REALLY, REALLY INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT DATA. THE OTHER THING I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IS TEA MANDATES THAT WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MINUTES INTO A DAY, THE TEACHERS. ARE WE THINKING THAT THE TEACHERS WOULD BE HERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND THEN THE STUDENT WOULD BE OUT? ARE WE THINKING THAT EVERYBODY WOULD BE OFF FRIDAY? WHAT IS THERE? SO THE TEACHERS WOULD HAVE AN EXTENDED DAY. [00:50:03] OKAY. SO TEA SAYS YOU WILL PAY TEACHERS FOR 187 DAYS AND SO WE WOULD STILL PAY OUR TEACHERS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CALENDAR WHAT IT WOULD DO IS THEY WOULD HAVE MORE TIME DURING THE DAYS THAT THEY ARE HERE. SO THEY WOULD NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE ON FRIDAYS WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT HERE. OKAY. SO, EXAMPLE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL IS WE START AT WHAT, 8, 7? 7:15. 7:10. SO THEY, INSTEAD OF LEAVING AT 3, THEY WOULD LEAVE AT 4 OR 5. YEAH. THEY WOULD LEAVE AT LIKE, I DON'T HAVE THAT PARTICULAR. ABOUT 4 OR 5. IT HAS NOT. I'M JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLED OF WHAT IT WOULD POSSIBLY. POSSIBLY. RIGHT. THE STUDENTS WOULD STAY THAT LONG AS WELL. YEAH. IF WE PUT THAT PARTICULAR CALENDAR OUT FOR COMMUNITY VOTE THEN WE WOULD TAKE THEIR INPUT IN TO CONSIDERATION WITH THAT AS WELL. BUT WE DO NEED TO MEET THE 75,600 MINUTES. BECAUSE I KNOW THE MINUTES ARE SET, THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR MINUTES. AND I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, BUT I'D REALLY BE INTERESTED IN IF WE DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ALSO, WHAT WOULD BE AN IMPACT POTENTIALLY ONTO A BOX SCHEDULE? HOW THAT WOULD PLAY IN? MMM. BECAUSE I KNOW I MENTIONED THIS. WE TALKED ABOUT IT. THERE WOULD BE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. I MISSED THE QUESTION. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? BLOCK SCHEDULE. HE'S ASKING ABOUT BLOCK SCHEDULES. SO YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW THAT COULD POTENTIALLY. WELL I JUST, I WOULD JUST BE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING IF WE WENT TO A FOUR DAY WEEK AND WE WENT TO A BLOCK SCHEDULE FOUR DAY WEEK, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT? AND POTENTIALLY SAME THING, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE DATA POINTS THAT WE CAN PULL FROM EITHER FROM THE STATES OR OTHER STATES TO FIGURE OUT, IS THIS IMPACTFUL? MY BIGGEST CONCERN ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING IS WE'VE SEEN OUR STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY AFTER COVID, THE SCORES HAVE REALLY SUFFERED AFTER COVID. THOSE STUDENTS, HONESTLY, PROBABLY WE SHOULD. IF I REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, WE SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY RESET THE WHOLE YEAR. AND IT'S A KIND OF A CRAZY IDEA OF PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THIS LIKE, THAT YEAR'S LOST, RESET THE YEAR. THOSE KIDS HAVE TO KIND OF REPEAT THAT YEAR BECAUSE THEY NOW AND YOU KNOW THIS AND I KNOW THIS, THOSE KIDS ARE BEHIND AND THEY'RE TRYING TO CATCH UP. I'VE HEARD IT FROM TEACHERS ACROSS DIFFERENT DISTRICTS. RIGHT. AND SOME OF THESE TEACHERS ARE MENTIONING SAY, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF WE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, RESTART THE YEAR, RESET IT, SORRY YOU GUYS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPEAT 10TH GRADE, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CATCH UP BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A COMPLETELY LOST YEAR. AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE THAT AND REALIZE THAT THAT IS HIGHLY IMPACTFUL TO OUR STUDENTS RIGHT NOW WHO ARE NOW SUFFERING. AND YOU SEE IT THROUGH ALL DISTRICTS THROUGH TEXAS. SO WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT IS SINCE WE'RE SEEING THIS IMPACT AND SUFFERING, THE QUESTION IS IS ONE, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DATA WE HAVE, WE MOVED SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SUPPORTS IMPROVEMENT IN OUR SCORES WITH OUR CHILDREN AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE RIGOR THAT WE WANT TO INCLUDE IN SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE DATA POINTS THAT WE CAN USE TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGOROUS IS THERE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING IN MY MIND WHEN WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT SOME OF THIS STUFF. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS INNOVATIVE IDEA. I APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS, AND I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE THAT SOME WE MAY HAVE TO GET DATA TO US LATER. SO, ONE QUESTION I HAD IS, IS THE FOUR DAY SCHOOL WEEK CONSIDERED AN EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHER RETENTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. HAS IT BEEN EVIDENCED LIKE THAT? SO A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH TEACHER RETENTION. AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, CIT,E I HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF ARTICLES AND THINGS IN ADDITION TO JUST VISITING WITH SOME OF THE DISTRICTS. NOT ONLY IS IT A RETENTION TOOL, BUT IS A TREMENDOUS RECRUITING TOOL. SO EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE IS GOOD FOR THE TEACHER RETENTION? YES. OKAY. GOT IT. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE ON IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, IS IT ALSO THAT? SO, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE DATA IS MIXED. IT'S KIND OF A NULL EFFECT BECAUSE YOU'LL GET A DISTRICT TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE ABOUT THE SAME, BUT OUR ATTENDANCE IS BETTER AND OUR DISCIPLINE IS DOWN. SO KIDS ARE PAYING BETTER ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU'LL GET SOME LIKE, I THINK IT WAS ATHENS WHO SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, OUR ACHIEVEMENT IS UP ACROSS THE BOARD AND INCLUDING OUR AP SCORES. SO I WOULD SAY THAT IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU USE THAT TIME, BECAUSE JUST LENGTHENING THE DAY TO WHERE KIDS HAVE MORE TIME TO ABSORB OR WORK WITHIN A CONTENT OR MORE INQUIRY BASED TYPE OF LEARNING, [00:55:09] LENGTHENING THE DAY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT. IT IS WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THAT TIME? AND THEN WE HAVE HAD FEEDBACK OF MORE FOCUS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BEING MORE FOCUSED WHEN ON THE DAYS THAT THEY ARE IN SCHOOL. SO WE'RE THINKING THAT WE WOULD HAVE A GREATER POOL OF APPLICANTS. YES. AND BECAUSE YOU SAID, I THINK ONE WENT FROM LIKE THREE OR FOUR TO. TO 80. IT WAS CRAZY. SO THEN WE HAVE A GREATER POOL OF APPLICANTS TO PULL BETTER FRUIT FROM THE TREE. AND I KNOW MS. BROWN HAS ACTUALLY TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE AS WELL. SO WHEN I KNOW THAT THIS IS, BUT I DID, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO DIRECT THIS QUESTION A LITTLE TIP OVER TO HR. YES, SURE. IS THERE KIND OF A STANDARD THAT SEEMS TO BE COMING OUT FROM THE HR SIDE OF THIS WITH OTHER DISTRICTS? THERE'S NOT A STANDARD FOR THIS PER SAY. WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY DISTRICTS YET IN THE DFW AREA WHO ARE LOOKING TO DO, TO MOVE TO THIS KIND OF MODEL. I DID TALK WITH A DISTRICT AT MINERAL WELLS WHO HAS MOVED TO IT, I THINK. THIS IS THEIR FIRST YEAR. I TALKED TO THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF HR AND WHO JUST GUSHED AND GLOWED AND RAVED FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAD ON TEACHER RETENTION TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION. AND RECRUITING. THEY HAD SEVERAL DISTRICTS AROUND THEM, VERY SMALL, RURAL, LIKE 1A DISTRICTS AROUND MINERAL WELLS THAT WERE GOING TO THIS FOUR DAY WEEK. SO THEY KIND OF WENT TO IT BECAUSE OF FEELING PRESSURE FROM NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS GOING TO IT. BUT THEY HAVE HAD LOTS OF, THEY WENT FROM HAVING, HE TOLD ME CURRENTLY THEY HAVE ZERO VACANCIES. DESPITE THE TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE NATION, HE SAID THAT RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE NONE AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH A HEALTHY POOL AND THEY'RE GETTING PEOPLE THAT ARE APPLYING THAT ARE SAYING THAT THE REASON WHY THEY'RE APPLYING IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS FOUR DAY WEEK CALENDAR. SO I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S CATCHING ON A LOT RIGHT NOW YET. AND THAT'S KIND OF THE BENEFIT OF I THINK POSSIBLY IF WE DECIDE TO PUT THIS OUT AS A CALENDAR OPTION, IT'S A BENEFIT THAT IT'S NOT A TREND YET BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ON THE FRONT END OF IT AND BE ABLE TO PULL THE BEST TALENT FROM OTHER DISTRICTS. WHAT ARE THE HR CONCERNS ABOUT IT? IS THERE ANY CONCERN? YEAH, I ASKED THAT QUESTION OF THE HR GENTLEMAN THAT I SPOKE WITH DOWN IN MINERAL WELLS AND HE SAID IT WAS MOSTLY LOGISTICAL. SO HAVING TO WORK THROUGH THE PAY SCALES AND ADJUSTING THE PAY SCALES, THE COMPENSATION PLAN, KIND OF TAKING THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, LOOKING AT THE WORK DAY CALENDARS AND ADJUSTING THOSE FOR STAFF. ALL THE DIFFERENT CALENDAR, LIKE YOU KNOW WITH THE 226S, THE 187S AND MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE WORKDAY CALENDARS AND THAT HE SAID THAT THAT TAKES TIME, A LOT OF EFFORT, BUT THAT IT WAS WORTH IT, THAT HE AND HIS FOLKS IN THE MINERAL WELLS ISD FEEL LIKE IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT. THEY'RE 1A. WE'RE BIGGER. YOUR THOUGHT ABOUT LITTLE ELM, OUR HR NEEDS. DOES THIS SEEM TO MAKE SENSE FOR LITTLE ELM'S ISD'S HR NEEDS AS FAR AS RETENTION AND WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANCIES. YOU BROUGHT THAT TO US AS AN ISSUE. WE'VE BEEN REALLY LUCKY WITH OUR SUBSTITUTE FIELDS BECAUSE OF THE. PARTNERSHIP. PARTNERSHIP. WHAT WHAT IS THE THOUGHT THERE? I 1,000% FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR OUR HR NEEDS. I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER THE COMMUNITY INPUT, THE ACADEMIC PIECE AS WELL. BUT IN TERMS OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND PEOPLE, I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE AN AMAZING BOOST, ESPECIALLY IN THE TIMES THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WITH TEACHER SHORTAGE, WITH JUST MORALE AND STRESS LEVELS THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM EMPLOYEES AND FROM STAFF. IT WOULD BE IF HR WAS THE ONLY THING TO CONSIDER, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A SLAM DUNK AND THAT WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY PURSUE A FOUR DAY WEEK CALENDAR. BUT I WANT TO BE, LET ME JUST CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC THAT'S WATCHING. THERE IS A PROCESS THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE THE SUPERINTENDENT, ADMINISTRATION. IT REALLY IS LED BY THE DEIC, WHICH THAT IS MADE UP OF STAFF MEMBERS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SO I WANT TO MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT ABSOLUTELY NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE ON THE DISTRICT'S PART OF MOVING FORWARD ON THIS. THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT THE DEIC AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO WITH EVERY CALENDAR DECISION. THE DEIC HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEN WE MUST PUT OUT THE SURVEYS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN SHOULD THOSE SURVEYS COME BACK, WE'LL BRING IT TO THE BOARD AND WE'LL LET THE BOARD, YOU ALL WILL BE THE FINAL DECISION [01:00:08] MAKERS ON THIS. BUT IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT WE WILL LET THE BOARD MAKE THAT DECISION. RIGHT. SO THAT CLARIFIED MY HR QUESTION, THE NULL EFFECT ON THE CURRICULUM. BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE WILL OR THAT WE WON'T WITH THE FOUR DAY WEEK. SO IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT IS OUR WHAT IS OUR EXPECTATION ON IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? BECAUSE EVEN IF THIS DOES COME TO FRUITION, WE STILL WOULDN'T HAVE IT THIS SCHOOL YEAR. SO WHAT AND WE SAY WE'RE STRUGGLING TO MEET HB 4545. WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW THAT WOULD BE SO DIFFERENT WITH THE FOUR DAY WEEK OR SINCE WE KNOW THERE'S A NULL EFFECT, HOW DOES THIS REALLY HELP US? DOES IT REALLY HELP US WITH THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? ABSOLUTELY. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET 20 MINUTES OR, YOU KNOW, SMALL CHUNKS OF TIME TO WORK WITH STUDENTS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. I MEAN, WE DO HAVE, WE JUST GOT APPROVED AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON TRYING TO GET AT LEAST A BUS TO RUN FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL AFTER HOURS. OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T FIT ALL THE KIDS THAT NEED REMEDIATION. SO WE'VE COME UP WITH A ROTATION SCHEDULE. BUT BECAUSE WE NEED SO MANY BUSSES TO RUN OUR ROUTES BECAUSE OF HOW WE ARE ON THE LAKE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. AND I WILL TELL YOU, OUR CAMPUSES ARE DOING THE VERY BEST THEY CAN IN MAXIMIZING THE CHUNKS, THE SMALL CHUNKS OF TIME THAT THEY HAVE. SO I THINK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ACADEMICALLY, YOU HAVE TO THINK OF WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THAT TIME? BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU THAT IF YOU DON'T SET UP YOUR ACADEMICS CORRECTLY, YOU PROBABLY GOING TO GET. TRAMEL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO WITH HOUSE BILL 4545, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR OFF, CAN YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE NUMBER, BASICALLY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT? AND THEN HOW DOES HOW WOULD A FOUR DAY WEEK MAKE THAT FEASIBLE OR MAKE IT MAKE IT EASIER TO ACHIEVE THAT REQUIREMENT OF HOUSE BILL 4545? OKAY. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO HOUSE BILL 4545 IS A MANDATE FROM THE STATE. AND WHAT IT BASICALLY SAYS IS STUDENTS WHO DO NOT PASS AN EOC, AN END OF COURSE EXAM OR STAAR STARTING AT THIRD GRADE ARE MANDATED TO HAVE 30 HOURS OF TUTORING, QUALITY TUTORING TO TARGET THEIR WEAKNESS. AND, SO, WHAT, IN JUST EXPLORING A FOUR DAY CALENDAR, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, AFTER OUR BEGINNING OF YEAR ASSESSMENTS, WE HAVE A DAY AT THE BEGINNING TO WHERE WE REVIEW STAAR, RIGHT. AND OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES SO THAT BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO GROW OUR KIDS WHO ARE ALL OVER THE SPECTRUM. AND SO LOOKING AT STRENGTHS AND HOW WE CAN PUSH OUR HIGH ACHIEVERS AND OUR STUDENTS IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEN OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE GAPS. AND THEN AFTER OUR FIRST ROUND OF MATH ASSESSMENT, WE HAVE ANOTHER DAY, A PARENT CONFERENCE DAY, AND THEN ANOTHER DAY TO ACTUALLY LOOK DEEPER AT CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE. AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT OUR SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE THAT'S THE DATA WE HAVE OTHER THAN STAAR FOR HIGH SCHOOL. THEN WE HAVE AN ACCELERATION DAY. IT WOULD BE AN EIGHT HOUR AND 15 MINUTE ACCELERATION DAY. WE HAVE FOUR OF THOSE IN THE YEAR STRATEGICALLY PLACED, SO WE WOULD HAVE ONE EARLIER IN THE FALL, LIKE END OF SEPTEMBER. AND THEN WE'D HAVE ONE STRATEGICALLY KIND OF BEFORE END OF COURSE EXAMS AND RE ASSESSMENT FOR THOSE STUDENTS. AND MY LAST QUESTION, THIS IS FOR 2020 WHAT YEAR? THREE. 202-3. SO THIS COMING FALL? UMHMM. UMHMM. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. YOU'RE WELCOME. YES. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN. MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZENS. ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT. BUT, SO YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISTRICTS THAT HAVE CITED INCREASED ENROLLMENT. [01:05:01] ARE THOSE OPEN DISTRICTS? THEY ACCEPT STUDENTS. THEY DO ACCEPT STUDENTS FROM SURROUNDING DISTRICTS. WE ARE NOT AN OPEN DISTRICT. THAT WOULD BE. WE ARE? WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY OPEN. AND WITH THEM IT'S JUST FOR A CERTAIN REGION, ISN'T IT? OR IS IT THE WHOLE DISTRICT? THERE'S FACTORS AROUND IT, BUT YES. AND THERE'S CRITERIA BEHIND THAT. AND WE DO HAVE STUDENTS ATTENDING SOME OTHER SCHOOLS AS WELL. SO WE'RE NOT JUST AN OPEN DISTRICT? WE'RE NOT A FULLY OPEN DISTRICT. WITH CERTAIN AREAS WITH DENTON ISD, YES, WE ARE. RIGHT. SO, BUT DO WE HAVE STUDENTS GOING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, THOUGH? REMEMBER, YOU GOT STUDENTS THAT DECIDED TO GO TO CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT TAKE AWAY FROM OUR DISTRICT, RIGHT. SO THEY COME BACK. BACK TO OUR DISTRICT? WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF STUDENTS. OKAY. AND THEN, SECOND ONE WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU DID MENTION THAT NO PAY, NO STAFF'S PAY WOULD BE DECLINED, DECREASE BECAUSE OF THIS. RIGHT. ONE LESS DAY OF BUSING, ONE LESS DAY OF MEALS, WHICH WERE ALREADY ESTABLISHED. DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU GET MORE PER HOUR AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT ALL WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE MADE BEFORE? SO WE WOULD LOOK AT THEIR SCHEDULES AND THEY WOULD WORK, THEY WOULD HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR FLEX SCHEDULES TO FULFILL OTHER NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT. SO, BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT HAPPENING IS, ESPECIALLY FOR BUSING, WHICH IS ALREADY AN ISSUE WITH STAFFING. RIGHT. . IF THEY'RE GOING TO NET LESS, THEN IT'S NOT A BENEFIT ON THAT FRONT. SO IT'S MORE TEACHERS, BUT THEN LESS WAYS OF GETTING KIDS TO THE SCHOOL. YEAH. THAT'S NOT GOOD. YOU KNOW, MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE SECOND JOBS. AND SO IF YOU, WHEN YOU READ THAT TEXAS TEACHER POLL, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT ABOUT 41% OF THE TEACHERS RANDOMLY SELECTED HAVE SECOND JOBS. AND SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT ON THAT THREE DAY SPAN TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. AND SAME THING WITH OUR AUXILIARY EMPLOYEES. BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO CONSIDER THAT SECOND JOB TO OFFSET A DECREASE. ABSOLUTELY NOT. NO. SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF AN ASIDE. BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THOSE TEACHERS WITH SECOND JOBS DO IT AT NIGHT. AND NOW IF THEY'RE WORKING LATER INTO THE DAY, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY CUT INTO THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SECOND JOBS. AND IT'S ONLY GIVING THEM ONE EXTRA DAY. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME BACK AND FORTH THERE FOR EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL SCHEDULES. SO THEN ALSO SIZE OF DISTRICTS. I DID HEAR REFERENCE THAT THERE IS AT LEAST THREE FIVE A'S THAT WERE LOOKING INTO IY AS WELL. ARE THERE ANY 6A'S CURRENTLY DOING THIS? NO. SO WE WOULD BE THE FIRST 6A DISTRICT IN THE STATE. AND THEN HOW MANY 5A'S ARE CURRENTLY DOING IT? THREE. THERE ARE CURRENTLY OR THOSE ARE THE ONES CONSIDERING. NO. CURRENTLY ZERO. SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO THERE'S NO 5A OR 6A. NO, THERE'S NO 5A. SO IS THIS MORE OF A RURAL AREA INITIATIVE? IT IS. PRIMARILY HAS STARTED IN THE RURAL AREAS, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SUPERINTENDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING, IT'S LIKE I THINK I FORGET IF IT WAS ATHENS HAD LIKE 150 DIFFERENT DISTRICTS SHOW UP FOR A MEETING THEY HAD IN NOVEMBER THAT ARE EXPLORING A FOUR DAY WORKWEEK. SO THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW. RIGHT. IT'S SOMETHING NEW. SOMETHING COULD BE GREAT. IT COULD. OKAY. SO WITH THAT, I MEAN, YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST TRY SOMETHING JUST FOR ONE YEAR. YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHETHER IT'S WORKING AFTER ONE YEAR. SO, DEPENDING ON WHAT RECOMMENDATION COMES DOWN THE LINE WOULD YOU USUALLY COME WITH A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT TO THIS, A TWO YEAR? NO, I THINK WE LOOK AT IT YEAR BY YEAR BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN METRICS. I BELIEVE THAT WE LOOK AT OUR DATA AND WE KNOW WHERE WE START AND HAVE A GOOD FIRM KNOWLEDGE OF THAT. AND THEN WE BENCHMARK ALONG THE WAY. AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. IT IS. IS IT SOMETHING WE WOULD STICK WITH YEAR AFTER YEAR? BUT, WE REALLY, WE MIGHT, BUT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE BOARD. EVERY YEAR THE BOARD IS THE ONE THAT DECIDES WHAT THE CALENDAR IS GOING TO BE. SO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE METRICS, LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, LOOKING AT THE INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY, THE BOARD MAY DECIDE AFTER A YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO TRADITIONAL OR THE BOARD MAY DECIDE WE'RE GOING TO STICK WITH TRADITIONAL FIVE DAYS. IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO WHAT THE BOARD DECIDES. I JUST REMEMBER YEARS AGO WHEN WE SWITCHED SCHOOL START TIMES. HOW MUCH THAT LED TO SOME CONSTERNATION IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION I HAD WAS JUST, AND YOU ADDRESSED IT PARTLY IN YOUR PRESENTATION, THE FRIDAY VERSUS MONDAY DAY OFF. THE INITIAL FEEDBACK THAT I WAS HEARING WAS THAT HAVING THOSE UIL ACTIVITIES AND SOME OF THAT TEND TO BE SO FRIDAY HEAVY THAT THAT WAS KIND OF BEING VIEWED ON AS THAT WOULD BE A DAY THAT THAT PEOPLE DID WANT THEIR STUDENTS ALREADY AT SCHOOL SO THAT THEY JUST GO FROM ONE TO ANOTHER. [01:10:05] BUT THE WAY YOU WERE EXPLAINING IN THE PRESENTATION THAT IT ALMOST SEEMED IT WAS BETTER TO HAVE THAT AS A FREE DAY BECAUSE THAT AGAIN PROVIDED MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE TEACHERS. THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO FIND A SUB FOR THEIR NORMAL CLASS. THE KIDS COULD FOCUS MORE ON THAT ACTIVITY. I MEAN, HOW MUCH DISCUSSION HAS HAPPENED ON THAT FRIDAY VERSUS MONDAY DAY OFF? SO WHEN WE WERE FIRST RESEARCHING, ACTUALLY LOOKED AT AND HAD A MONDAY CALENDAR, BUT THEN AS WE VISITED WITH MORE AND MORE DISTRICTS, WE SHIFTED THAT TO A FRIDAY BECAUSE OVERWHELMINGLY THEY PREFERRED THE FRIDAY. AND YOU DID, I MEAN, YOU OBVIOUSLY CONSULTED WITH OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND, INTERNALLY THAT WAS THE STATEMENT BY THEM. OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR HAS VISITED WITH OTHER DIRECTORS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN A FOUR DAY WEEK AND HAS NOTHING BUT POSITIVE. AND I KNOW THEY HAD A LITTLE CRASH COURSE THIS YEAR WHEN WE HAD THAT ONE WEEK OFF THAT OTHER DISTRICTS DID AND KIND OF COORDINATING ON ACTIVITIES ON DAYS THAT KIDS WEREN'T AT SCHOOL. AND I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL LIKE LOOKING AT THAT THAT FINE ARTS AREA BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE THE BAND AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER KIDS BESIDES ATHLETES AS WELL. MM HMM. YEAH. AND THOSE ARE MY MAIN ONES. OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. JUST ONE MORE QUESTION. I THINK WHEN YOU COME BACK WITH THE DATA. AND WE'D BE ALSO INTERESTED IN HAVING KIDS AT SCHOOL SO LONG. RIGHT. BECAUSE WE KIND OF KNOW THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME DAYS AFTER ABOUT 6 HOURS, SATURATION KICKS IN AND WE LOSE THEM. AND SO YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT. YEAH. AND YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT IN THE LEARNING AND OBVIOUSLY THE LEARNING CANNOT LOOK LIKE THE TEACHER STANDING UP AND DELIVERING CONTENT TO STUDENTS. STUDENTS HAVE TO BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE EXCITING FOR STUDENT LEARNING TO REALLY HAVE THE TIME TO EMBED GOOD INQUIRY INTO LESSONS. BUT I THINK TOO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT THE RESEARCH ON MOVEMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE THINGS IN THE CURRICULUM TO SUPPORT. YEAH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING GOES IN MY MIND IS ONE, IS LIKE I SAY, SATURATION, LUKE [INAUDIBLE]. AND THEN I THINK ABOUT KIDS WHO ARE, WHO HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES, LIKE MY DAUGHTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE TYPE ONE DIABETIC AND AT CERTAIN POINTS THEY NEED TO EAT. THEY LIKE THEY HAVE TO. IT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR THEM BECAUSE THEIR BLOOD SUGARS WILL GO LOW. SO, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, I'M QUITE SURE YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THIS, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME BACK, GET SOME OF THE THOUGHTS THAT SURROUND SOME OF THOSE THINGS. ABSOLUTELY. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE QUESTION I HAVE. AND JUST KNOWING OUR PUBLIC, WE NEED TO ALSO CONSIDER A LOT OF OUR KIDS HAVE JOBS. AND THEIR FAMILIES DEPEND UPON THOSE KIDS HAVING JOBS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WE NEED TO, DO NEED TO LOOK INTO. AND NOT ONLY THAT, WITH OUR DECA KIDS, WITH OUR OTHER FINE ARTS PROGRAMS, OUR OTHER ACADEMIC, ATHLETIC, NOT ATHLETIC, ACADEMIA TEAMS, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THEM AND THEIRS? BECAUSE NOW ONCE AGAIN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF TEAMS AND SPORTS THAT ARE DOING THINGS AFTER HOURS, BEFORE HOURS. NOW, IF WE LENGTHEN THE DAY AND THEN YOU TACK ON PRACTICE ON TOP OF IT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A 12 HOUR DAY POTENTIALLY. AND THAT'S A VERY LONG DAY FOR ANY KID. AND ON TOP OF THAT, NOW, YOU'VE GOT TO TURN AROUND. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD STORIES AND MY KID DID IT, TOO, WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL UP TILL NOON, 1 A.M., 2 A.M. DOING HOMEWORK, STUDYING. WELL, NOW IF YOU JUST TACK ON AN EXTRA TWO DAYS NOW THEY'RE UP TILL THREE, FOUR OR FIVE IN THE MORNING AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING RIGHT BACK UP THE NEXT DAY. I JUST THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO FACTOR IN AND DISCUSS WITHIN THAT. BUT THANK YOU, DR. TRAMEL. YOU'RE WELCOME. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD, AND THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE AN ITEM FOR LATER DISCUSSION, I'M SURE, IN ONE FORM OR FASHION. SO, LET'S GO AHEAD AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. MR. MARTIN. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU. WE HAVE A DRONE FLYOVER OF THE ATHLETIC FIELDS AND THE STADIUM. I'M SORRY, NOT THE STADIUM. OUR INDOOR FACILITY. AND. ARE YOU STARTING IT OR AM I? WELL, THIS GOES THROUGH MULTIVISTA. THIS WAS A COMPANY THAT WE HIRED TO, WE DID THIS AT BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOLS AS WELL. [01:17:45] JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS PROGRAM. I THINK I GAVE THIS TO YOU LAST TIME. WE'VE MOVED A FEW THINGS AROUND, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY AND A LOT OF COMPLETION IN THIS BOND PROGRAM OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. WE JUST SHOWED YOU THE RECENTLY COMPLETED INDOOR FACILITY. IT'S BEEN OCCUPIED. SEVERAL GROUPS HAVE ALREADY STARTED USING IT. YOU JUST SAW A FLY THROUGH THIS SPACE. AND THE OUTSIDE, HAVE YOU SEEN THE "LE" AT NIGHT? IT'S VERY COOL. IS THAT OKAY? OUR WEIGHT ROOM. GRAPHICS ARE BEING INSTALLED, IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETED YET, THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. THIS IS THE AD OFFICE UPSTAIRS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. RECENTLY I ALSO COMPLETED THE WELDING SHOP EXPANSION. WE TOOK HALF OF THE INDOOR WEIGHT ROOM OVER THERE AND MADE TWO CLASSROOMS OUT OF IT. WELL, A CLASSROOM AND ANOTHER LAB. YOU'RE USING ALL THOSE SPACES TODAY. THIS SHOT SHOWS AN INCOMPLETE, BUT WE HAD SOME. THE NEXT PHASE IN THERE WAS REDOING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND ADDING POWER IN THIS SECOND LAB FOR NEW WELDING MACHINES THAT THE CT DEPARTMENT IS PURCHASING. SOME OF THAT INITIAL WORK WAS DONE THIS LAST WEEK AND WE'RE EXPECTING ALL OF THAT WORK, ALL THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND EVERYTHING TO BE COMPLETE BY THE TIME THE KIDS COME BACK FROM CHRISTMAS BREAK. OUR DRIVE OVER AT LEBANON WAS NEARLY COMPLETED. AT THIS POINT, I THINK ALL THE CONCRETE IS POURED. WE'RE LETTING IT SIT. WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE SIDEWALK AND ADA ACCESSIBILITY AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT. BUT WE EXPECT THIS TO BE AVAILABLE AND FULLY IN USE BY THE TIME THE KIDS COME BACK AGAIN NEXT YEAR. [01:20:01] SOME SHOTS AT THE TIME. THIS IS SEVERAL WEEKS OLD AT THIS POINT. WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING NEXT WEEK OUT THERE WITH THE CREW THAT IS MANAGING THE LANDSCAPING ALONG LEBANON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT ALL OUR BASES COVERED OUT THERE. THAT IS AN INTERFACE AREA. ZELLARS EARLY CHILDHOOD. AS WE TALK ABOUT AREAS, AREA A WAS THE OLD ADMIN OFFICE AREA, AREA B WAS WHERE [INAUDIBLE] AND GOLD DAEP CLASSES WERE. AREA D IS WHERE THE NURSERY IS, THEN AREA C WAS EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE MIDDLE AND OUT THE FRONT. WE ARE STILL ON TARGET FOR AN APRIL COMPLETION. WATERLINES BEEN RUN AROUND THE BUILDING, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE INSIDE. WE'RE STARTING BACK UP WITH OUR SHEETROCK WALLS. THE WINDOWS ARE IN THE INTERIOR CORRIDOR, WINDOWS ARE IN STOREFRONT AND START GOING IN IN SOME OF THESE AREAS. YEAH. THAT WAS. YEAH, THAT WAS SOME NEGOTIATING POINTS THERE. THESE ARE A COUPLE OF AREAS. NEW PARENT RESOURCE ROOM, WHICH IS RIGHT OFF THE SIDE ENTRANCE WHERE THE COVER IS AND BUS CIRCLE. THE GYM, NOW WE'VE OPENED IT BACK UP, TOOK THE OFFICES THAT WERE DOWN THE SIDE OUT. IT'S A NICE LARGE OPEN SPACE. THE NEW LIGHTING MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN THERE. YOUR TYPICAL CLASSROOMS, MOST OF THEM HAVE SLOPED CEILINGS. ONE OR TWO WILL HAVE A FLAT CEILING, BUT IT'S AT NINE AND A HALF FEET. THESE ARE SOME SIDE AREAS I NOTICED TODAY COMING IN THAT THEY'VE GOT THE EDGE BOARDS UP FOR THE NEW PARKING AREA OUT FRONT. NEXT THING WE WANT TO SEE, ONCE THEY COMPLETE, THAT WILL BE THE REBAR THAT GOES IN. I'VE READ ALL THE COMPACTION TESTS. EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO THERE. THE ONE IN THE UPPER RIGHT IS THE NEW PLAYGROUND IN THE BACK. SAME SITUATION THERE. THE NEW 12 INCH WATERLINE. IT IS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE NORTH SIDE AND ROUND TO THE BACK. THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING BETWEEN WHERE IT IS AND THE TENNIS COURTS RIGHT NOW IS ALL THAT'S LEFT. WELDING SHOP EXHAUST SYSTEM, AS I SAID, SHOULD BE COMPLETED OVER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK. HIGH SCHOOL SECURITY FANS GOING BETWEEN THE TWO WINGS, THAT'S ALSO IN PROCESS. AND THESE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT. OTHER FENCING AND LIGHTING, SAFETY, SECURITY CAMERAS, THAT KIND OF THING. THE NEW BOND WILL ALLOW US TO DO OUR NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION, THE FINE ARTS PROGRAM, AND MULTIPLE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE CAMPUSES, NOT JUST FINISHES, BUT ALSO SOME THINGS THAT WILL HELP MAKE THEM WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY AND SAFELY. THAT'S IT. QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. CAN YOU SEND THE SLIDE DECK TO US? CAN YOU SEND A SLIDE DECK, I DON'T THINK WE. DID WE. I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE BOARD. NO, IT WASN'T IN THE PACKET. OKAY. COULD YOU? SEND IT, SONIA, PLEASE, SO SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT TO THE BOARD. SURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE CAN DO THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU, RICK. APPRECIATE IT. THIS PART IS CITIZEN INPUT. [8. Citizen Input] AS A REMINDER TO EVERYONE COMING UP TO DO CITIZEN INPUT, WE WILL GIVE YOU 5 MINUTES. I WILL GIVE YOU A ONE MINUTE WARNING WHEN YOUR TIME IS GETTING CLOSE TO BEING COMPLETED. SO WE'LL GO FIRST. MR. DAN BLACKWOOD. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT OLSON, SUPERINTENDENT GALLAGHER, BOARD. I JUST HAVE A VERY QUICK STATEMENT. WITH THE PASSING OF THE BOND, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DISTRICT AND THE BOARD APPROVE A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, JUST LIKE WE DID IN 2017 WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BASICALLY WATCH OVER THE BOND SPENDING AND BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK TO THE THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. BLACKWOOD. [INAUDIBLE] GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS. LET ME JUST QUALIFY A LITTLE BIT BEFORE I SAY SOMETHING. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ORGANIZATION. YOU ALL HAVE YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRIORITIES. [01:25:01] WHAT I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS THE SPANISH PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE, YOUR DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS. I'VE HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT, IN PARTICULAR DUAL LANGUAGE. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME STUDENTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE SAID SOME THINGS THAT ARE VERY POSITIVE. AND I THINK THEY'VE BENEFITED IN WAYS THAT MAYBE THE PROGRAM WASN'T INTENDED FOR THEM TO BENEFIT. NOW, WITH SPANISH CLASSES, I GUESS IT'S LIKE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. AND I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH YOUR PROGRAMS, BUT I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO ADD OR REQUIRE SOME CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH IF IT'S NOT IN THERE. AND, THERE WAS SOME FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED THAT THEY SAID THAT IT WASN'T REQUIRED BECAUSE SOME STUDENTS OR PARENTS COMPLAINED. AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN I HEARD THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TRUE, BUT IF A FEW PEOPLE AFFECTED THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, THAT'S DISAPPOINTING. I WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT PUBLIC SPEAKING IS DIFFICULT. AND FOR SOMEONE TO GET UP AND SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE LEARNING AND THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE A GREAT COMMAND OF IT, THAT THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT AND EMBARRASSING. BUT THAT'S PART OF THE GROWTH THAT WE CAN GIVE THESE CHILDREN. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT HOW BUSY WE ARE AND OUR LIMITATIONS. THE CHILDREN ARE BUSY, TOO, AND THEY'RE HERE. AND IF THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE, THAT'S FANTASTIC. AND IT'S GOING TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, SPANISH, THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE LANGUAGE. SECOND LANGUAGE, I BELIEVE. BUT I JUST, IF MAYBE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO REQUIRE IT BECAUSE SOME PARENTS MIGHT COMPLAIN, YOU COULD GET AN EXTRA CREDIT IF SOMEBODY PARTICIPATES IN THE CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH OR MAKES A PRESENTATION IN SPANISH. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. AND I THINK THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS THAT WOULD LIKE IT. BUT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE OTHERS AREN'T DOING IT, THEN THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT. BUT THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS THAT THEY WANT THOSE BETTER GRADES TO BE COMPETITIVE AND TO SURPASS THEIR FELLOW STUDENTS. AND MAYBE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EXTRA CREDIT TO SPEAK IN SPANISH, MAKE A PRESENTATION, OR I THINK THERE'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY THERE. YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU ALL CAN'T RESPOND TO ME, BUT IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO EDUCATE ME, MAYBE I'M TOTALLY WRONG. I'LL BE HAPPY TO GET A PHONE CALL. I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE. THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY. AND, YOU KNOW, THE REASON I SAID ABOUT YOU ALL HAVING PRIORITIES AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO. I UNDERSTAND. BUT I KNOW THAT YOU DO OFFER SPANISH AND THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE BENEFIT TO BE MAXIMIZED. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. OKAY, WE'LL GO INTO ACTION ITEM 9. [9. Approval of Minutes] APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. SO EVERYONE HOPEFULLY HAS HAD A CHANCE. WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF PUBLIC HEARING MEETING MINUTES FROM JUNE 30TH, 2022. IT'S, YES, IT'S CORRECT. THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE CORRECTION THAT WE'VE MADE. JUNE 20TH. YES, MS. FLORES, PLEASE. NO. JUNE 30TH. OH. JUNE 20TH. EXCUSE ME. JUNE 20TH, 2022. Y'ALL COULD HAVE CORRECTED ME IN THE MOTION. WHAT WAS THE CHANGES? NO, THERE ARE NO CHANGES. WE USUALLY DON'T APPROVE MINUTES ON HEARINGS OR SPECIAL MEETINGS THAT HAVE NO AGENDA, NO ACTION ITEMS ON THEM. BUT MS. SHAY ADAMS AND HER DEPARTMENT NEEDED THE SPECIFIC MINUTES FOR AN AWARD THERE, IN PUTTING THE INFORMATION ON THAT. SO THAT'S WHY. IS THERE NO CHANGES. SO NO, NO, WE'VE GOT TO APPROVE THIS ONE BECAUSE THEY NEEDED IT APPROVED. IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED IN THE PAST, CORRECT. THAT'S REASON WHY WE. YES, THE REASON WHY IT'S OLD IS BECAUSE MS. ADAMS AND THE TEAM NEED IT FOR PURPOSES. YEAH. WE HAVE TO HAVE EVIDENCE OF THE MEETING. SO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO ACCEPT THE APPROVAL MINUTES FROM JUNE 20TH, 2022. SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL AS OPPOSED. YES, SIR. MOTION PASSES. WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER APPROVAL THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 24TH, 2022. HOPEFULLY EVERYONE'S HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT. DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO ACCEPT THE BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 24TH, 2022? [01:30:02] SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. SO I'VE GOT FIVE FOR. ANY OPPOSED? TWO ABSTAINS. OKAY. MOTION PASSES, 5-0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GO INTO ACTION ITEMS. [10. Action Items] SO GO INTO THE FIRST ACTION ITEM. A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE LITTLE ELM ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MR. GALLAGHER, IS THERE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS? WE'VE ALL RECEIVED A LETTER, EVERYBODY'S REVIEWED IT. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO ADD FOR IT? OKAY. YEAH, I KNOW. I WAS JUST MAKING SURE HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD BECAUSE HE IS A PRESENTER, TECHNICALLY. OKAY, SO DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT LITTLE ELM ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. SO MOVED. I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR R AISE YOUR HAND. ALL AS OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. AND THANK YOU, BOARD. WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR GOODBYES IN THE COMING MONTHS. BUT I DO WANT TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT MY MAIN GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE MOVING THE DISTRICT FORWARD AND TO WORK WITH YOU ALL ON A, I KNOW YOU GUYS WILL FIND A GREAT SUPERINTENDENT, BUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE A GOOD TRANSITION. THANKS, SIR. APPRECIATE IT. WE'LL GO ON TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE HIRING OF INTERIM MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MS. BROWN. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT OLSON, MR. GALLAGHER, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. SO THE PRINCIPAL POSITION AT WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL BE VACANT BEGINNING JANUARY 2023 D UE TO THE RETIREMENT OF OUR CURRENT WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. SO TO MAINTAIN THE FOCUS ON INSTRUCTION AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND TO PROVIDE EXPERIENCED AND QUALITY LEADERSHIP FOR THE CAMPUS, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE HIRING OF AN INTERIM PRINCIPAL FOR THE SPRING 2023 SEMESTER. SO THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE HIRE OF AN INTERIM PRINCIPAL AT WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL, AS WAS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO ACCEPT THE APPROVAL OF THE HIRING OF INTERIM MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. I'M GOING MONIQUE AND DAVID. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION. FINANCIAL ALLOCATION OF $10,000, IS THAT IT IS. IT'S RETIREE SURCHARGES FOR TRS. WHO MADE THE MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION FROM MONIQUE. SECOND FROM DAVID. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. SO JUST TO ANNOUNCE, THE BOARD HAS JUST APPROVED THE HIRING OF THE INTERIM PRINCIPAL OF LYNDA OPITZ FOR WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL. THANK YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MS. OPITZ BACK FOR A SECOND ROUND. YES. ALL RIGHT. CONSIDER THE APPROVAL PERSONNEL ACTION RELATED TO DFE (LEGAL). MS. BROWN AGAIN. SO THIS ACTION ITEM IS IN RESPECT TO RESIGNATIONS THAT ARE REQUESTED AFTER THE PENALTY FREE DEADLINE, WHICH WAS BACK IN JUNE. SO THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS THE BOARD FIND THAT THE RESIGNATIONS OF LISA PHILLIPS, DON RAMIREZ AND SHANNON NICHOLS WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY OF THE ACCEPTED METHODS OF RESIGNATION UNDER TEXAS EDUCATION CODE SECTIONS 21.105 (A) AND (B), AND THAT THOSE EDUCATORS FAILURE TO COMPLY WAS WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE UNDER TEXAS EDUCATION CODE SECTIONS 21.105(C2), 21.160(C2) AND 21.210(C2). AND THAT THE BOARD THEREFORE REQUESTS THAT THE STATE BOARD FOR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION PURSUE SANCTIONS AGAINST THOSE EDUCATORS FOR ABANDONING THEIR CONTRACTS. DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO ACCEPT THIS? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM ALEX. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I SEE NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL THOSE NOT APPROVED, DO YOUR HANDS. GOT CAUGHT UP THERE FOR A SECOND. OKAY. THAT MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL, THE PROCUREMENT METHOD FOR THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM. MR. MARTIN AGAIN. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU. AS YOU KNOW, THE BOND PASSED. CONGRATULATIONS. WHICH JUST MEANS NOW WE HAVE TO GET BUSY. WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE RFQS FOR OUR DESIGN TEAMS AND DESIGN CONSULTANTS. THOSE WENT OUT BEFORE THANKSGIVING BREAK, AND WE HOPE TO WRAP THAT UP RIGHT AFTER WE GET BACK AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, MAKE PRESENTATIONS TO YOU IN OUR JANUARY MEETING IS WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR. THIS I BRING TO YOU TONIGHT, THOUGH, IS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PIECE OF IT. WE HAVE TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT FROM THE BOARD ON HOW WE ARE TO PURCHASE THE CONSTRUCTION PIECE OF THESE PROJECTS IN THE BOND [01:35:10] PROGRAM. WE DID THIS LAST TIME. WHAT I'M PRESENTING TO YOU DENIES REQUEST AND APPROVAL TO USE THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK OR THE CMAR METHOD, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE USED IN 2017 . METHOD OF PROCUREMENT FOR THE '22 BOND PROGRAM AND THE AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE RFQS FOR BOTH THE CMR AND THE JOC CONTRACTORS. SO I WOULD. ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THIS PROCUREMENT METHOD AS PRESENTED AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE AND PUBLISH THE REQUIRED RFQ DOCUMENTS. DO I HAVE A MOTION BOARD TO ACCEPT THIS MOTION? SO MOVED. DAVID, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND FROM MARY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON THIS PROCESS? MORE STEPS. NOPE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE WILL GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. [11.B. Consider approval of 2023-2024 New Courses] I HAVE NOT. DOES ANYBODY NEED ANYTHING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA PULLED FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING? YES. ITEM B OKAY. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND PULL ITEM B RIGHT NOW. I HAVE A MOTION FROM MONIQUE AND A SECOND FROM DELEON TO PULL IT. SO IF MS. TRAMEL, IF YOU COULD COME ON UP HERE, I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THE CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF THE 2023-2024, NEW COURSES. SO IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE US A QUICK, QUICK UPDATE JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL UPDATED ON WHAT THE COURSE IS WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDED FOR 2023-2024. ABSOLUTELY. SO WE HAVE AN AP PRE-CALCULUS COURSE THAT WOULD BE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. IT WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT IN PRE-CALCULUS. WE HAVE A DUAL CREDIT ART APPRECIATION COURSE THAT WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS SOME FLEXIBILITY IN HOW THEY EARN THEIR ART APPRECIATION CREDIT OR AN ART CREDIT. WE HAVE A PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY AND ECONOMICS COURSE. AGAIN, THAT IS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. AND THIS COURSE WOULD OFFER STUDENTS JUST ANOTHER OPTION FOR COMPLETING THE THREE REQUIRED CREDITS IN SOCIAL STUDIES. ANOTHER COURSE THAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR IS OUR FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY WITH LAB. IT'S FOOD PROCESSING WITH LAB COURSE. SO THAT'S TWO COURSES THAT ARE PART OF A PROPOSED NEW PROGRAM OF STUDY OPTION FOR STUDENTS. AND THEY SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, OCCUPATIONS IN AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SCIENCE AREAS BY BEING TECHNICIANS OR SUPERVISORS OF PRODUCTION INSPECTORS, TESTERS, SORTERS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT. IT WOULD, COULD POTENTIALLY FULFILL A BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ENDORSEMENT IN STEM WITH THE MATH AND SCIENCE CRITERIA BEING MET. THEN WE HAVE A GREENHOUSE OPERATION IN PRODUCTION WITH A LAB. AND THEN ANOTHER COURSE WOULD BE FLORAL DESIGN WITH A LAB AND THEN ADVANCED FLORAL DESIGN WITH A LAB. AND THIS WOULD BE POTENTIALLY AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS. AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, OBVIOUSLY, IT WOULD ALLOW US TO UTILIZE OUR GREENHOUSE AND WE WOULD PROBABLY ADD SOME I THINK THEY'RE CALLED HYDROPONIC. YEAH. PODS TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW TECHNOLOGY IS INFLUENCING THE WAY WE ARE STARTING TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE MASSES. AND THEN THEY WOULD ALSO SUPPORT QUITE A FEW POST-SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACTUALLY WITH SOIL AND PLANT SCIENCES, LANDSCAPING SUPERVISORS, SPRAYERS, APPLICATORS, BIOLOGICAL TECHNICIANS. YOU KNOW, I INDICATED THERE ARE 13 INDUSTRY BASED CERTIFICATIONS AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AS A RESULT OF THAT PROGRAM OF STUDY. SO IT WOULD JUST REALLY PROVIDE SOME VARIETY AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IF THEY MAKE BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL POTENTIAL COURSES. AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T MAKE, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WOULDN'T OFFER THEM. A PRACTICUM IN AGRICULTURAL FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES. AND THIS WOULD BE A PART OF THE NEW PROGRAM OF STUDY IN PLANT SCIENCE AND FOOD TECH SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY, AND THEN AN EA SPORTS [01:40:08] GENERAL COURSE, EA SPORTS JUNIOR VARSITY AND EA SPORTS VARSITY. THIS IS, UIL IS ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF APPROVING THIS AS AN AN EVENT, A UIL EVENT. AND IT IS A VERY PROGRESSIVE UP AND COMING AREA. A LOT OF SIX FIGURE CAREERS AROUND THIS. I THINK THEY HAVE, I BELIEVE IN TALKING TO OUR COORDINATOR FOR CTE, HE SAID MORE FANS THAN THE NFL, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT. SO, JUST SOME CURRENT THINGS THAT WOULD PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS. I DID, I THINK, LAST WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY PROVIDE TO MR. GALLAGHER A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON CTE JUST IN THE STATE AND CURRENT, JUST TO INFORM THE BOARD OF WHAT CURRENTLY IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF CTE. AND WE CERTAINLY WANT OUR KIDS TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, IN ALL THOSE AREAS. PERFECT. SO BEFORE WE CAN HAVE ANY DISCUSSION DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT ACTION ITEM B FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF THE 2023-2024 NEW COURSES ? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? POTENTIAL FINANCIAL GAIN FOR PARTICULAR CTE, WE STILL NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S POPULAR WITH STUDENTS AND IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WOULD BEGIN AND COMPLETE. MM HMM. ABSOLUTELY. COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT ON THIS? YES. AND SO I PROVIDED THE BOARD WITH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE RECEIVED IT OR JUST THE COMMITTEE. IT WAS IN THE UPDATE. AND SO IT WASN'T LAST WEEK. IT WAS BEFORE. SO WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THE TOP 20 COURSES MR. ENGLISH HAD REQUESTED FROM THE STATE, BUT OUR REGIONAL SERVICE CENTER DID. THEY WERE ABLE TO CALCULATE THAT AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL. SO THAT IS IN THAT INFORMATION. AND SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE FLORAL COURSES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING ARE HIGHLY POPULAR. JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR COORDINATOR FOR CTE GOES TO ALL THE REGIONAL MEETINGS. HE GOES TO SUMMIT REGION 10 AND REGION 11. AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT TENDS TO FLOURISH IN EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT IT'S OFFERED. IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW US TO LEVERAGE OUR GREENHOUSE TO GROW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THAT. IT WOULD ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR KIDS TO HAVE SOME COMMUNITY OUTREACH TOO POTENTIALLY. SO THIS PARTICULAR CTE IS ONE OF, I DIDN'T SEE A LIST OF THE COURSES. I DIDN'T SEE THAT. YEAH. SO IF IT COULD BE MAYBE RESENT. I DIDN'T. I DIDN'T RECEIVE IT. I DON'T. YEAH. MR. GALLAGHER. WAS IT IN THEIR BOARD UPDATE OR DID YOU. SO THE NOVEMBER 18TH. WHAT YOU SENT ME I PASTED AND COPIED. SO IN THERE IS THE TOP COURSES FOR OUR REGION, OUR REGIONAL AREA. AND ALSO I LINKED IN EACH PROGRAM OF STUDY FROM THE STATE SO THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE ALL THE CAREERS AND EVEN YOU KNOW CAREERS IN BY OBTAINING A COLLEGE DEGREE, BUT ALSO CAREERS BY OBTAINING CERTIFICATIONS FOR KIDS WHO MAYBE COLLEGE IS JUST NOT GOING TO BE THEIR THING. SO THIS PARTICULAR COURSE IS ONE OF THOSE THAT YOU SHARED WITH US. THE, IN THE. THE PROPOSED. THE NEW CTE COURSE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS ONE OF THE ONES ON THE LIST THAT YOU. DR. TRAMEL, WHAT YOU SENT ME ON THE 18TH. I'M SORRY DO YOU HAVE THE. YEAH. WHAT YOU SENT ME ON THE 18TH WAS THE CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT UPDATE AND THEN THE STAAR INTERIM ASSESSMENT. RIGHT. I SENT YOU A SEPARATE EMAIL WITH THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE MET AND ON I THINK IT WAS WEDNESDAY EVENING. AN ENTIRE WORLD OF INFORMATION ON CTE. THAT DID NOT MAKE IT IN THE. OKAY. I RECEIVED THE ONE ON WILL YOU JUST SEND THAT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD? OH, I CAN. ABSOLUTELY I WILL. I'M HAPPY TO. OKAY. YES. OKAY, PERFECT. PERFECT. SO THIS ONE WAS ONE OF THOSE LISTED. SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE EA SPORTS. [01:45:01] GALLAGHER. SO I SENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND I CAN'T RECALL EVERY SINGLE THING IN THERE, BUT HERE COMES JJ BECAUSE I LOOKED BACK AT HIM WHILE AGO BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN GOING TO ALL OF THESE MEETINGS. AND SO HE HAS MORE OF A WORKING KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE HE COLLABORATES WITH ALL THE CTE FOLKS AROUND IN THE AREA. SO, JJ, WHY DON'T YOU COME AND. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. GALLAGHER. SO AGAIN, WHICH QUESTION WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS? THE ESPORTS CTE RECOMMENDED COURSE? YES. WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD. SO FIRST I WANT TO MAKE SURE I EVEN FOLLOW WHAT YOU EXPLAINED TO US WAS THAT PART OF WHAT'S AFFECTING OUR ACCOUNTABILITY RATING IS THE POOR LEVEL OF COMPLETION RATE. WE HAVE LOTS OF GREAT COURSES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO GREAT ECONOMIC OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT THEY NEED TO COMPLETE THEM TO. AND THE THINGS, SO IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE INTERESTING COURSES. SO THIS PARTICULAR ONE, THE QUESTION WAS, IS IT AMONG THE MORE POPULAR COURSES? THAT WAS ONE QUESTION. AND THEN MY OTHER ONE IS DO WE THINK THEY'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY COMPLETE THIS NEW OFFERING? BEFORE WE GO TO THAT, HOLD IT JUST. SO AS A BOARD, BECAUSE DR. THOMPSON, SHE MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO. SO IN THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE CTE COURSEWORK AND DR. TRAMEL DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF PRESENTING. WHAT'S CTE COURSE. THE BOARD DID RECEIVE THIS ON NOVEMBER 16TH. OKAY, THAT WAS NOVEMBER 16TH. THANK YOU. I KNEW I HAD SENT IT. YOU DID. OKAY. I NEEDED TO CLARIFY, SO MANY EMAILS, BUT EACH BOARD MEMBER DID RECEIVE THIS LIST AND STATED NOVEMBER 16TH AND IT HAS AREA 4, 5, AREA 6. THE TOP THREE CTE PRIORITIES RECOGNIZED BY THE COMMITTEE, IS THAT THE. THAT'S THE DOCUMENT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO JUST KIND OF TO RECOURSE SO THE BOARD IS AWARE. DR. TRAMEL DID A GOOD JOB OF PRESENTING TO US ONE, THE LIST OF CTE OR COURSES THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE, PARTICIPATION RATE IN THOSE CTE COURSES AS WELL AS CERTIFICATION RATES IN THE CTE COURSES, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ACCOUNTABILITY AND OUR RATINGS, WHEN WE LOOK INTO OUR TAPR AND SOME OF THE OTHER OTHER ASPECTS OF IT. THE CTE PIECE OF THE COURSE IS IMPORTANT AS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF CALCULATING IN, OUTSIDE OF OUR RATINGS. AND SO WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE REALLY GREAT COURSES. WE HAVE KIDS WHO ARE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN COURSES. BUT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS KIDS COMPLETING THE CERTIFICATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE COURSES. SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A LOWER RATE OF CHILDREN OR STUDENTS ACTUALLY COMPLETING THE COURSE, WHICH ACTUALLY HELPS OUR ACCOUNTABILITY BE READY AND ACTUALLY HELPS THEM. SO WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THAT AND SAID, HEY, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE. YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE STUDENTS THERE. WE CAN SEE STUDENTS TAKING THE COURSES, BUT THEY'RE JUST SIMPLY NOT COMPLETING THE COURSE. THAT AFFECTS ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. SO THE QUESTION BECAME, ONE IS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO IMPROVE THEIR CERTIFICATION RATE IN SOME OF OUR COURSES? TWO, POPULARITY OF CTE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS, WHICH ONES ARE MOST POPULAR SO THAT WHEN WE OFFER THOSE STUDENTS, THOSE STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE PARTICULAR COURSES. AND THEN THREE, THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WHICH CTE COURSES ARE MOST POPULAR AT STATE THAT WE CAN PARTICULARLY OFFER HERE AT LITTLE ELM TO HELP OUR STUDENTS? SO, THE FIRST QUESTION, WHICH IS THE WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT TO WORKSHOP BECAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT POTENTIAL PILOTS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THAT DR. TRAMEL BROUGHT TO US AND SAID, HEY, WE MAY WANT TO HAVE A POLICY CHANGE ON THIS BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS THE STUDENT'S COMPLETION RATE. AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT STUDENTS WOULD GET INTO A CTE COURSE AND THEN THEY SWITCH AND THEN THEY SWITCH AGAIN. SO THAT WAS PROBABLEMATIC. THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC. SO JUST I WANT TO BRING THE BOARD UP TO SPEED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD AND SOME OF THE THOUGHTS THAT ARE GOING AROUND THAT AND WHY THAT QUESTION THAT DR. THOMPSON HAD, WHY THAT WAS KIND OF RELEVANT THERE. I'M SORRY, DR. THOMPSON. GO AHEAD. SO I DO SEE THE EMAIL. THE FLORAL COURSE IS MENTIONED IN THE EMAIL, BUT NOT, AND ITS PROGRAMS OF STUDY. AND IT MAY BE JUST THAT I NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN WHERE IT FALLS. MAYBE IT FALLS UNDER ONE OF THESE AREAS, BUT I DON'T QUITE SEE THE FLORAL DESIGN IS ONE OF THE TOP OFFERINGS FROM OTHER DISTRICTS AND THE ESPORTS, I DON'T SEE IT LISTED THERE EITHER, BUT THAT'S MY QUESTION IS SINCE [01:50:01] IT'S, HOW DO WE DECIDE THAT WE WANT TO OFFER THESE TWO THINGS WHEN THEY'RE NOT REALLY RANKED THERE AND WE'RE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH GETTING THE KIDS TO COMPLETE OUR CURRENT CTES. OKAY. SO LET'S START OFF TO BEGIN WITH, WITH THE FLORAL DESIGN. SO THE WAY CTE IS SET UP IN THE STATE IS YOU HAVE GENERAL CLUSTERS. IN THIS CASE UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL CLUSTER, THE ACTUAL PROGRAM OF STUDY WOULD NOT BE FLORAL DESIGN. THAT'S JUST IT'S COMMON NOMENCLATURE. IT'S USUALLY, THE ACTUAL STATE REFERENCE FOR THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES PLANT SCIENCE, WHICH THIS DISTRICT HAD ONCE BEFORE, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO BEFORE I ARRIVED. WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS WHERE PREVIOUSLY THE DISTRICT WAS FOCUSING ON HORTICULTURE, WHICH IS MORE OF AN AGRICULTURAL, PLANTING, STARTING SEEDLINGS, THAT SORT OF THING. FLORAL DESIGN, WHICH I BELIEVE, AND I'LL GET TO THIS IN A SECOND, IT'S MORE POPULAR TO STUDENTS BECAUSE IT'S, LAYMAN'S TERMS, IT'S FLORAL ARRANGING, YOU'RE ARRANGING FLOWERS. OKAY. BUT THAT BEING SAID, THE INFORMATION WE GOT FROM REGION 11 GAVE US TWO SETS OF INFORMATION. NUMBER ONE, IT GAVE US THE TOP 20 PROGRAMS BEING OFFERED BY THE DISTRICTS HERE IN REGION 11, IN WHICH CASE IT WAS, I WANT TO SAY NUMBER 17. IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM. HOWEVER, OUR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ALSO SENT US A DIFFERENT ONE, WHICH SHOWED THE NUMBER OF COMPLETERS, IN WHICH CASE IT WAS IN THERE AGAIN. AND THE NUMBER OF COMPLETERS SHOWS US THE INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY FULFILLING THE COURSES AND FOLLOWING IT ALL THE WAY TO THAT COMPLETION RATE. IN THAT CASE, IT JUMPED UP CLOSER TO 15 OR 14 OR 15. I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER UP. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS SHOWS MORE OF THE ACTUAL INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS BY THEM COMPLETING THE PROGRAMS. THE HORTICULTURE DID NOT, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, WE HAD AN AMAZING HORTICULTURE TEACHER SEVERAL YEARS AGO. WE STARTED HORTICULTURE, WE BUILT THE GREENHOUSE. THEN THAT TEACHER LEFT AND THE PROGRAM FELL APART COMPLETELY AND THE GREENHOUSE HAS BEEN SITTING MORE OR LESS VACANT AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE THE LAST THREE YEARS. AND SO THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET BACK IN. AND BY ADDING THE FLORAL DESIGN WITH THAT GREENHOUSE OPERATION, THEY CAN GET INTO IT AND START MAINTAINING IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER. MY IDEA IS, IS TO THEN CONVERT HALF OF THAT GREENHOUSE TO EITHER AIRPONIC OR HYDROPONIC TOWERS SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE INNOVATION THAT'S GOING INTO SOLVING WORLD HUNGER AND THOSE ISSUES. IN THAT CASE, PART OF THAT WOULD NOT ONLY BE PART OF THE GREENHOUSE OPERATION FOR THE FLORAL DESIGN, BUT ALSO THEN HELP THE FARM TO TABLE ASPECT OF THE CULINARY ARTS SO THEY COULD BE GROWING HERBS AND THAT SORT OF THING, VEGETABLES, YOU NAME IT. SO THAT'S THE PART ON THE FLORAL DESIGN. NOW THAT, EXCUSE ME. I'M GOING TO ADD ONE THING TO YOU WITH THAT ONE TOO. WE ALSO, I THINK WE HAVE AN MOU WITH THE ST. ARBOR BOARD FOR THE SEEDLINGS, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT. IS THAT STILL IN PLACE. WE DO, BUT THEY'RE NO LONGER USING IT. I THINK THEY'VE. I'LL TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT. I SIT ON THEIR BOARD. THEY HAVE OUTGROWN OUR. YEAH. IT'S GETTING BIG. BUT ANYWAY, OKAY. SO WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS LIKE I SAID, AND THE OTHER PART OF THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY WE WOULDN'T JUST THROW OUT A SET OF COURSES WITH A TEACHER THAT WOULD MAYBE ONLY BE TEACHING ONE CLASS. THIS IS WHERE THE FOOD SCIENCE COMES IN TO HELP WITH THE FOOD PRESERVATION IN THE CULINARY SIDE. IT, BY NATURE IS ALSO PART OF THE AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM, SO ONE TEACHER CAN COVER BOTH FLORAL DESIGN AND THE FOOD SCIENCE WHILE IT'S GETTING OFF THE GROUND AND GROWING. THE FOOD SCIENCE AND PRESERVATION ALSO THEN LEADS TO SOME OF THE MORE POPULAR COMPETITIONS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH BARBECUING. THERE'S A TEXAS STATE BARBECUE COMPETITION, THAT SORT OF THING. SO WE CAN START USING THE FOOD TRAILER A LITTLE BIT MORE FREQUENTLY. CAN I JUMP IN REAL QUICK? YES. BECAUSE, DR. THOMPSON, HER QUESTION WAS A GREAT QUESTION ABOUT REALLY IT WAS THE PATHWAY ENSURING KIDS CAN MOVE. I WANT TO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT ENSURING STUDENTS CAN MOVE TOWARDS CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION. MAKING SURE THAT. YES, SO. RIGHT, THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO OFFER THE NEW CTE, ARE WE. ARE THEY GOING TO COMPLETE? YES. SO DO THESE COURSES FIT INTO A PATHWAY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO COMPLETE A CERTIFICATION? [01:55:06] BECAUSE I THINK THAT. IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT DOES, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S THE AGRICULTURAL. IT CAN ACTUALLY COUNT THE FLORAL CAN COUNT IN AGRICULTURAL. SO IT'S ANOTHER OFFERING WITHIN THAT AGRICULTURAL FAMILY SO THAT THEY CAN COMPLETE BEGINNING FRESHMAN TO SENIOR YEAR. IT'S ONE OF THE COURSES. ACTUALLY WE HAVE. JUST IT COULD ALSO BE AT EIGHTH GRADE BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT DR. THOMPSON WAS TALKING ABOUT, THAT COMPLETER STATUS. AND WE NEED TO HELP SUPPORT OUR KIDS IN GETTING OR OBTAINING THAT STATUS. SO WE'VE MET WITH SECONDARY PRINCIPALS AND SO WE WOULD PULL DOWN A COUPLE OF THESE BASIC CLASSES SO KIDS COULD START THEM IN EIGHTH GRADE SO THEY COULD ACTUALLY BE COMPLETERS BY THE TIME THEY ARE IN 11TH GRADE. AND ANOTHER THING ON FLORAL WOULD BE WE HAVE TREMENDOUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT. FLORIST IN A TOWN HAVE SAID THEY WILL TAKE INTERNS AS MANY, I BELIEVE, AS WE CAN SEND THEM. AND SO. WE START THIS IN EIGHTH GRADE? YES. WELL, THE PRINCIPALS CLASS COULD START. IT'S POTENTIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. SO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR MEETING, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS KIDS ARE TAKING CLASSES THEY ARE INTERESTED IN WHEN THEY'RE IN NINTH GRADE, BUT THEN THEY'RE CHANGING TO SOMETHING ELSE. AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT PROGRAM OF STUDY OR THEY'RE TAKING THE CLASSES, BUT THEY'RE NEVER TAKING THE CERTIFICATE BECAUSE THEY'RE SENIORS AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE A EARLY OUT AND WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THAT ANYMORE. AND SO BY BACKING THEM DOWN TO EIGHTH GRADE, THAT ALLOWS US TO HELP SUPPORT THEM IN GETTING SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATION. CORRECT. AND SO THAT WOULD HELP. AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR MEETING, IT'S NOT, IT WOULD HELP US ON STATE ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT'S GOOD FOR KIDS AND HAVING SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATION IF THEY CHOOSE TO GO TO COLLEGE OR CHOOSE TO HAVE A CAREER, IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE EXTRA INCOME, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM AND IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THEY WOULD ALWAYS HAVE. SO THEY CAN START THE ESPORTS IN EIGHTH GRADE AS WELL OR NO, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. YEAH. THE ESPORTS WE'VE ONLY GOT IT SET FOR THREE LEVELS. BASICALLY WE'RE FOLLOWING THE SAME STRUCTURAL FORMAT AS THE CURRENT BAND IS SET UP. SO WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT REALIZE IS THAT WHILE WE MAY HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BANDS: WIND ENSEMBLE, JAZZ BAND, THAT SORT OF THING, THERE ARE ONLY FOUR TEAMS NUMBERS IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS THAT COVERS ALL OF THE MUSIC CHOIR, BAND AND ORCHESTRA. WHAT THEY DO IS THE SAME THING I'M PROPOSING HERE. SO THIS COURSE CAN BE TAKEN UP TO THREE TIMES FOR CREDIT. SO WE OFFER IT BASED ON THE STUDENTS GRADE LEVEL. SO AT THE SOPHOMORE LEVEL, WHETHER THEY'RE IN GENERAL, JV OR VARSITY, THEY GET ASSIGNED THAT PARTICULAR COURSE NUMBER. THEIR JUNIOR YEAR, THEY GET ASSIGNED A SPECIFIC COURSE NUMBER, WHETHER THEY'RE JV, VARSITY OR FOR GENERAL AND THE SAME THEIR SENIOR YEAR. THE NICE THING IS, IS THIS COURSE THAT WE'RE, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GOING TO BE CALLING IT E SPORTS GENERAL, JV AND VARSITY, THE TECHNICAL TEAM STATE ACCOUNT COURSE CODE WILL BE INDEPENDENT STUDY IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, WHICH FALLS INTO THE COMPUTER SCIENCE OR THE PROGRAMING AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF STUDY. SO OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE, POSSIBLY AT THE EIGHTH GRADE LEVEL AND THEN TAKING THESE THREE COURSES, INSTANTLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR COMPUTER PROGRAMING. AND THEN THERE ARE SIX CERTIFICATIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH THIS. SO SIX DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OR CERTIFICATION. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? YES. AND THIS IS JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. I'M LOOKING AT THE AP PRE-CALCULUS. THE STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE CHOICE TO TAKE THE DUAL CREDIT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. OR THE AP. CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. THANK YOU. JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION. SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT SOME SYNERGIES THERE WHERE WE CAN USE THE SAME TEACHER FOR BOTH COURSES. HOW MANY TOTAL TEACHERS WILL WE NEED IN ADDITION NEXT YEAR? SO I DON'T THINK ANY. RIGHT? WE TRIED TO BE VERY CONSERVATIVE AND IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY STUDENT DRIVEN. YOU KNOW, THE WORKFORCE READY INFORMATION WITH THE FLORAL WITH OUR FLORIST IN TOWN SAYING WE WILL TAKE AS MANY INTERNS AS YOU CAN SEND US WAS DATA TO HELP US DECIDE ON THAT PARTICULAR AREA AS WELL. [02:00:06] BUT WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT ADDING TEACHERS CERTIFIED FOR ALL OF THESE COURSES. IS THAT THE QUESTION, MR. FLORES. EFFECTIVE, RIGHT, FOR NEXT YEAR? ARE WE GOING TO NEED TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL STAFF OR ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY? RIGHT. I MEAN, WHETHER WE COULD SORT OF TEACH CURRENT TEACHERS CERTIFIED AND THAT'S FINE, BUT JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WE DO HAVE SOME SORT OF CERTIFICATIONS THAT OUR TEACHERS WOULD HAVE TO GET. SO. BUT IT WOULD BE OUR CURRENT TEACHERS. SOMETHING MS. FLORES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DR. TRAMEL. WE THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFF? CORRECT. CURRENT STAFF. CURRENT STAFF WILL HAVE TO GET SOME CERTIFICATIONS TO TEACH THOSE COURSES, BUT WE DON'T ENVISION HIRING ANY FUTURE STAFF FOR THESE COURSES. CORRECT? THEY WILL BE ON STAFF AND WE'LL JUST GET THEM CERTIFIED. YES. AND IF ENROLLMENT IS SUCH. TO SUPPORT THE CLASSES. TO SUPPORT THE CLASSES, THEN THE PROGRAM ITSELF WOULD FUND AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER. BUT IT'S TOTALLY STUDENT DRIVEN. THEY'VE GOT TO SIGN, THEY'VE GOT TO SIGN UP. WE'VE GOT TO GET STUDENTS TO SIGN UP FOR THE CLASSES. CORRECT. IF I MAY JUST STATE THIS. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, AS FAR AS FUNDING WITHIN THE CTE, WHENEVER WE GET FUNDING, CTE IS ALWAYS WEIGHTED FUNDING FOR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL COURSES. SO COURSES THAT DO NOT FALL WITHIN A PROGRAM STUDY ARE WEIGHTED AT 1.1. SO WE GET 1.1 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING. COURSES THAT ARE IN THE LOWER LEVEL AND MOST PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK OF THIS AS FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMORE LEVEL, BUT THEY'RE REALLY CONSIDERED LEVEL ONE AND TWO, MORE LIKE A COLLEGE DEGREE. THOSE COURSES ARE WEIGHTED AT 1.25. THE UPPER LEVEL COURSE IS AGAIN JUNIOR AND SENIOR, BUT REALLY IT'S JUST LEVEL THREE AND LEVEL FOUR ARE WEIGHTED AT 1.47. SO WE GET ONE AND ONE HALF TIMES WEIGHTED FUNDING FOR COURSES THAT ARE IN THAT UPPER LEVEL. THIS. THE E SPORTS COURSES. THIS INDEPENDENT STUDY IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IS A LEVEL THREE COURSE. YEAH. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT IS HOW DO WE FUND THE COURSES AND THE TEACHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COURSES BECAUSE WE GET 1.2 OR 1.4 MORE REVENUE FROM THE STATE FOR THE CTE COURSES. THEY BASICALLY ALMOST FUND THEMSELVES. AND SO IF WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE, THEN WE'LL GET MORE, WE'LL GET MORE FUNDING. THE MORE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE, THEY'LL GET MORE SYNERGY, WE'LL GET MORE FUNDING. BECAUSE THAT WAS THE QUESTION ME AND DR. THOMPSON WAS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE FUNDING, HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THE CTE FUNDING? ARE WE PUTTING IN MONEY? AND WE'RE SEEING STUDENTS EITHER NOT COMPLETE COURSES AND NOW WE'RE LOSING MONEY BY. BUT AS THEY KIND OF EXPLAIN THE FUNDING TO US. SO. THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC? OKAY. SO SAYING THAT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION FROM ALEX AND MARY ON THE ITEM B FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE'VE PULLED. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL AS OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU DR. TRAMEL. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS WE NEED PULLED? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. SOLD. SO, DO I HAVE APPROVAL OR DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS, MINUS ITEM B? [11. Consent Agenda] FROM DAVID. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. FROM ALEX. ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ON ANY OTHER ITEMS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. SO WE WILL GO INTO BOARD PRESIDENT COMMENTS. [12. Board President Comments] I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING BREAK. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF A QUICK TURNAROUND FOR US. IN TWO MORE WEEKS WE'LL BE BACK FOR OUR DECEMBER MEETING, WHICH IS KIND OF ODD. BUT THANK YOU FOR STAFF, EVERYBODY STICKING AROUND. A BIG, BIG THANK YOU. I KNOW ON BEHALF OF ALL THE BOARD AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE LONG RANGE PLANNING FACILITY COMMITTEE. I KNOW WE HIRED A LOT OF THEM EARLIER, BUT CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR ALL THEIR WORK. THEY THEN TURNED INTO THE PAC. THAT IS A GREAT VOTE OF CONFIDENCE BY THE COMMUNITY. WE WERE ABLE TO COME BACK, REVISIT IT, GET THE BOND PASSED, WHICH IS GOING TO DO GREAT WONDERS FOR OUR KIDS AND BEING ABLE TO GET THESE OTHER PROGRAMS UP AND RUNNING AT OUR OTHER SCHOOLS SO WE CAN RELIEVE SOME OF THE CAPACITY ISSUES AT SOME OF OUR OTHER SCHOOLS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THOSE COMMITTEES. BOARD MEMBERS INCLUDED IN ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVE WE'VE DONE OUT THERE, REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR REALLY PUTTING THE EFFORT FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THE COMMUNITY GOT EDUCATED AND WE GOT THAT BOND PASSED. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S REALLY ALL I'VE GOT. SO WE'LL GO INTO BOARD COMMENTS AND I WILL START FROM THE RIGHT. [13. Board Comments] WELL, I WANTED TO SAY IT'S ALWAYS NICE SEEING OUR STUDENTS COME OUT AND BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. IT'S ALSO GREAT SEEING THE COMMUNITY COME OUT, ESPECIALLY AFTER A LONG ONE WEEK OFF HOLIDAY ON A MONDAY. AND IT'S JUST GREAT SEEING THEM OUT AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, CREDIT UNION OF TEXAS AND THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS AS WELL. [02:05:09] SO. THAT'S ALL I GOT. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR PUTTING THIS MEETING TOGETHER, LIKE KEN SAID, RIGHT AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY. I ALSO WANTED TO JUST GIVE A GOOD LUCK TO OUR BAND STUDENTS THAT ARE COMPETING IN ALL REGION AUDITIONS AND EVERYTHING THIS NEXT WEEK, THURSDAY AND THEN SATURDAY, THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M ALWAYS EXCITED TO SEE THE STUDENTS RECOGNIZED. SO THAT'S JUST, I JUST WANT TO SEND A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS WHO WERE OUT HERE TONIGHT. I LOVE THE TROPHIES THAT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS GOT. THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY SWEET. A SWEET TOUCH, I WANT TO MENTION, BECAUSE IT IS KICKING OFF SOON, THE MAYOR'S MATH CHALLENGE, TO OUR LITTLE ELM RESIDENTS. AND WHETHER YOU'RE A RESIDENT OR NOT, IF YOU ATTEND LITTLE ELM ISD. LAST YEAR, LITTLE ELM ISD HAD A GREAT SHOWING OF MATHLETES AT THE MATH CHALLENGE AND I BOASTFULLY HOPE WE CAN DO THE SAME BECAUSE THERE'S FRISCO ISD PEOPLE WHO ARE ROOTING FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND SO I'M ROOTING FOR OURS AND JUST EXCITED ABOUT THAT THIS YEAR. I WANT TO THANK YOU TO STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION AND OUR TEACHERS FOR ALL THE EFFORT AND TIME PUT IN. ONE THING IS [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT HAVING A OFFICIAL BOARD WORKSHOP. I GOT IT ON MY LIST. SO MR. OLSON WILL GET SOME DATES RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD TO SEND OVER YOUR ITEMS YOU WANT TO HAVE FOR THE BOARD WORKSHOP. WE PROBABLY NEED A COUPLE, TO BE HONEST BECAUSE I HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS IN ALL THE BOARD ROOMS HAVE ITEMS ON THERE. DO YOU WANT TO, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, YOU WANT TO GET DATES FROM EVERYBODY OR JUST. I'LL WORK IT. LET'S CONTINUE WITH BOARD COMMENTS AND I'LL WORK IT. OKAY. SO I HAVE THAT AND. BUT OTHER THAN THAT THAT WAS IT. LOVED TO SEE THE CHILDREN AND THE KIDS. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON WHAT'S THE PROGRESS FOR THE BOND AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CTE COURSES. THOSE ARE PRETTY EXCITING FOR THE KIDS COMING IN THE COMING YEAR. SO THANK YOU MUCH. I WANT TO THANK THE CABINET FOR THE PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING, ESPECIALLY DR. TRAMEL. IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. AS A NEW TRUSTEE, I ENJOY, I'VE REALLY ENJOYED LEARNING FROM ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WHEN IT COMES TO CURRICULUM. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. TO THE COMMUNITY, THANK YOU FOR PASSING THE BOND. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEEDED. WE NEED SPACE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN. WE CAN'T BECOME A DESTINATION DISTRICT IF WE DON'T HAVE PLACES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO PHYSICALLY SIT. ALSO, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR THEATER DEPARTMENT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. IF YOU DIDN'T GO SEE FROZEN, YOU MISSED A FANTASTIC SHOW. SO TO THE STAFF, TO THE PARENTS, TO THE STUDENTS, THANK YOU FOR AN AWESOME EVENING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOME OF OUR FUTURE PRODUCTIONS. AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. THANK YOU. MR. OLSON, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE LEAVING THE BEST FOR LAST NOW. SO THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] MR. GALLAGHER. THIS IS FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM. I KNOW, EARLIER WE WATCHED, WE SAW THE PRESENTATION FROM DR. TRAMEL. AND ONE OF THE PAIN POINTS THAT WE SEE THERE IS A SUBSTITUTION RATE. WE WERE LIKE AT 83%. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP TO ME IS THAT IN OTHER DISTRICTS WE PAY OUR TEACHERS, THEY PAY THEIR TEACHERS WHEN THEY HAVE TO FILL IN DURING THOSE TIMES WHEN WE CAN'T FIND A SUBSTITUTE FOR A PARTICULAR COURSE. RIGHT. AND SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF FRUSTRATION WHEN THEY LOSE THEIR THEIR LEARNING PERIOD, THEIR STUDY PERIOD OR PREP PERIOD, AND THEY'RE HAVING TO GO IN AND SUBSTITUTE FOR A COURSE. CAN WE LOOK AT MAYBE DOING A STIPEND OR SOME KIND OF PAYMENT TO THOSE TEACHERS THAT FILL IN ON THOSE SPOTS JUST TO SEE IF IT'S FEASIBLE OR NOT? WE CAN TAKE THAT AS AN ACTION ITEM, MR. FLORES. I WROTE IT DOWN FOR YOU. OKAY. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. WITH THAT, SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS, MR. [14. Superintendent Comments] GALLAGHER. YEAH. IT WAS AWESOME, AS ALWAYS, TO SEE OUR KIDS. AND ANY TIME WE CAN CELEBRATE OUR KIDS, THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR BOARD MEETING SPECIAL. AND IT'S THE WHOLE REASON WE'RE ALL HERE IS FOR OUR KIDS. AND ALSO TO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY HERE, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARD RECOGNITION TONIGHT WITH CUTX. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING I MENTIONED EARLIER. YOU KNOW, THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE, IT REALLY HELPS ALL OF US HAVING THESE GREAT PARTNERS. AND I RECEIVED A CALL, I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS, BUT. WHAT. IS WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, MR. BEBER GAVE ME A CALL. HE SAID, HEY, AND I SAW A POST ON FACEBOOK THAT ATMOS WAS HAVING SOME OUTAGES IN THE AREA, AND HE SAID, YOU'RE GOING TO BE [02:10:05] GETTING A CALL FROM SOMEONE WITH ATMOS AND THEY'RE GOING TO REQUEST TO USE OUR STADIUM AS A STAGING AREA. AND I SAID, OH, ABSOLUTELY NOT A PROBLEM. AND I DID RECEIVE A CALL AND WE WERE HAPPY TO HELP ATMOS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT HELPS OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I HAVE LEARNED AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS. BUT ATMOS IS GOING TO MAKE A SIZABLE DONATION TO OUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR AGAIN, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS. BUT I WANT TO SAY HUGE THANK YOU TO ATMOS AND WE WILL ALSO RECOGNIZE THEM AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO MR. BEBER FOR HIS WORK CONNECTING US WITH. I FORGET THE GENTLEMAN'S NAME. RED. YES, RED. HOW CAN I FORGET HIS NAME? BUT JUST A WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN AND VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE DISTRICT FOR LETTING US OR LETTING THEM USE OUR FACILITY. AND IF YOU DROVE BY THE STADIUM THAT DAY, YOU PROBABLY SAW IT WAS PACKED WITH TRUCKS, ATMOS TRUCKS. SO JUST A GREAT, GREAT ORGANIZATION AND THANKFUL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO A DONATION TO OUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION. SO WE WE WILL HAVE SOMEBODY FROM ATMOS TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING. BUT AGAIN, STAFF MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR STAYING AND PARENTS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR KIDS AND THANK YOU FOR SENDING GREAT KIDS TO LITTLE ELM ISD. THANK YOU, MR. GALLAGHER. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SO MOVED. MONIQUE. SECOND? SECOND. SECOND FROM ALEX. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED. SORRY. YEAH, I KNOW. I KNOW Y'ALL ARE IN FAVOR. EVERYONE'S IN FAVOR. SO OFFICIALLY AT 9:11 P.M., WE WILL CLOSE THIS MEETING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.