School Board Meeting - September 9, 2020

September 9th 2020 regular board meeting to order at 3 p.m.

We live and go to school in a city that is the ancestral homeland to the Duwamish people the Muckleshoot Nation and the Suquamish Nation.

We acknowledge them as custodians of this land since time immemorial.

As guests and in many of our cases as settlers on this land we extend our deepest gratitude and respect to their ancestors and elders past present and teacher.

Miss Wilson-Jones the roll call please.

Director Hampson here.

Director Harris present.

Director Hersey here.

Director Mack here.

Director Rankin here.

Director Rivera-Smith present.

Director DeWolf.

Here.

Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones.

Superintendent Juneau is also joining us for today's meeting and additional staff will be briefing the board as we move through the agenda.

This meeting is being held remotely per the governor's proclamation prohibiting meetings such as this one from being held in person.

The public is being provided remote access today by phone and through SPS-TV by broadcast and streaming on YouTube.

To facilitate this meeting I will ask all participants to ensure you are muted when you are not speaking.

Staff may be muting participants to address feedback and ensure we can hear directors and staff.

With that I will now turn it over to Superintendent Juneau for her comments.

Okay.

Thank you President DeWolf.

Appreciate everybody being here and.

Engaging.

So start of school happened and things are rolling.

As you all know we started last Friday and we are tracking numbers of log-ins and such.

And you know we do have a strong start that is going that will continue the rest of this week where we have asked our educators and our principals to make sure that we are building relationships getting students set up with tech making sure that everybody knows how to log on.

You all know that the first day Friday we had a few technical glitches.

Our DOTS teams worked around the clock to make sure that we were getting better at bandwidth and other things.

They provided updates over the weekend to SPS devices.

So things went a little more smoothly yesterday.

And I think as we continue to build this system of remote learning and working the kinks out that we will be able to provide a quality education to our students no matter the circumstances.

As you all know that there is a lot of anxiety that comes with everything that's everybody's dealing with right now.

And so you know also recognizing that there is a human element to all of this and our families are you know trying to work out their own systems of working remotely of having to be set routines and schedules at their own home.

Our teachers and our educators also dealing with all these issues at home and often have their own families to provide education to.

And so just recognizing that everybody is doing the best they can that we continue to build the systems that are going to be necessary to provide a quality remote learning system.

We did have some technical issues.

I wasn't I've been in schools where you know devices are still getting rolled out.

People are still coming to enroll in our system.

So at John Stanford our enrollment center is open for this week for those families that you know are in the habit of having access to in-person and translation stuff and so that's important for the word to get out that you know enrollment office is open.

at John Stanford taking all the health protocols and putting those in place of course allowing only so many people into the building at a time along with all the sign-in and things that need to happen.

And so contacting families contacting students are still continuing.

Yesterday we only had 25,680 log-ons.

And so you know identifying who still needs to be tracked down.

What's the reason for not logging on.

Is it a technical issue.

Is it because there still needs to be devices.

So all of those things still being worked out for this week.

But just wanted to point out that things are rolling.

School did start.

People are logging on and we're still fixing the system as concerns come up.

And as I've been telling everybody the name of the game this year is really going to be patience and flexibility.

That's I think going to be the mode that we have to be in for as long as we're in dealing with this crisis.

So I just want to kind of run through a few little updates from this week.

So next slide please.

Launch of the 2020-21 school year.

Not like any other in history.

I just really want to give a huge shout out to the Department Technology staff.

Some are pictured here.

They toured the city.

We partnered with Seattle Housing Authority and they handed out hotspots.

They did a lot of troubleshooting with families provided free internet for where we were able to.

And just really want to thank our partners Comcast Amazon and everybody else who stepped in to support our students and our families.

This dual pandemic.

We know is unpredictable and can get lonely at times but it's reminded me also of the kindness of the human spirit.

Most people at their core are kind and willing to step up to help others.

And so just really want to thank our partners staff and families who stepped up.

Know that I appreciate you and this district appreciates you.

These are some of our newest learners.

These twin girls and their brother are with their Dad getting hotspots to support their learning at West Seattle Elementary.

And as you can see staff are pretty busy and the lines were really long and so that was some good stuff that happened.

So next slide please.

I also visited Northgate Elementary for their Start Proud backpack distribution and want to thank our partners again at Office Depot.

They handed out hundreds of stuffed backpacks.

They provided a teacher an entire office setup which is pretty cool and provided a $25,000 check for the school.

And so Principal Quantler and I celebrated with the eagle.

We also recognized three SHIROs for their work from the school supporting the families throughout the shutdown.

These moms took it upon themselves to serve Northgate families.

They delivered food school supplies and really helped with anything that the families needed.

And so just really want to again thank them.

Next slide please.

As you all know we have a big thank you to give out to Alaska Airlines and Challenge Seattle.

When Chief Berge informed me that our laptops or our iPads were stuck on pallets in Boston I called Governor Governor Gregoire to see if she could help since she leads Challenge Seattle and this is the type of challenge that they all step up to help with.

She put me.

She got in touch with Brad Tilden the CEO of Alaska who immediately found a way to help deliver the iPads.

And as a result of this work Chief Berge and the DOTS team were able to get enough of these ready for delivery to Tier 1 and Tier 2 schools last week.

The rest will be in students hands by the end of the week.

And when I was out in schools this week I saw a lot of volunteers who were coming into the school to really help get these devices ready.

So I just want to thank Director DeWolf for celebrating this event as well.

And thank you to Cole and Cece and your moms for sharing this event with us.

There are just many many heroes amongst us and what I've been really I think what's great about this city is you know people want to support Seattle Public Schools and they've showed it in big and small ways.

Next slide please.

The first day of school last Friday was one of mixed emotions.

As you know we started with strong start knowing that there would be tech issues that we would have to work out.

It's sort of like Chief Berge said driving on a freeway with 5,000 cars and then suddenly there are 50,000 more.

So with this in mind our network and the team supporting it did their best to support it.

And it was by no means perfect but the team held it together for most of the day.

And over the weekend they worked to troubleshoot and pushed out updates that helped this week.

I want to thank Principal Campbell at Robert Eagle Staff for inviting me to the 6th grade open house.

Families stepped up stopped by to get computers library books planners Robert Eagle Staff Raven Swag and to meet some of the staff and The lines again there were long but everybody was upbeat and looking forward to learning.

Next slide please.

These are the She-Ros Miss Velma and her team.

This team at Rainier View Elementary worked all summer to ensure that families were provided meals.

They often served 200 meals per day and on Fridays I think it got increased to 400. Just want to thank Principal Jones and Director Smith for showing up to support your team and their families.

This team really is Seattle Strong.

Next slide.

And then there's this team at Rainier Beach High School.

Principal Brooks Assistant Principals Patu and Ouellette organized a freshman drive-thru for students to pick up all things beach and they also serve barbecue.

And just want to thank them for inviting me out for this event.

Our students our school leaders our staff our families and our partners really are truly amazing in this really weird year.

But whenever we call they step up and they serve and I cannot say thank you to everyone often enough.

Next slide please.

Directors as you know we have never lost sight of Seattle Excellence priorities during this crisis shutdown.

My small cabinet and I are more committed than ever to these priorities.

We will hold ourselves accountable to centering African-American and Black boys and teens in our decision making regardless of other challenges and obstacles.

We'll continue to focus on these priorities and center those voices and other students furthest from educational justice.

So thank you again for all the work you continue to do and just look forward to continuing to build out this school year.

Thank you.

Thank you Superintendent Juneau.

Well we have now reached the consent portion of today's agenda.

So may I have a motion for the consent agenda please.

I move approval of the consent agenda.

Do I have a second.

Second this is Director Hampson.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Harris and thank you Director Hampson.

Approval of the consent agenda has been moved by Director Harris and seconded by Director Hampson.

Do directors have any items they would like to remove from the consent agenda.

Okay.

Hearing none.

All those in favor of the consent agenda please signify by saying aye.

All those opposed.

Okay.

This consent agenda has passed unanimously.

And we are on time here.

So we'll just go over some housekeeping before we move into public comment.

We have now reached the public testimony portion of the agenda.

We will be taking public testimony today by teleconference as stated on the agenda.

So for any speakers watching through SPS-TV please call in now to ensure you're on the phone line when your name is called.

Board Procedure 1430BP provides the rules for testimony and I ask that speakers are respectful of these rules.

I will summarize some important parts of this procedure.

First testimony will be taken today from those individuals called from our public testimony list and if applicable the waiting list.

Only those who are called by name should unmute their phones and only one person should speak at a time please.

Speakers from the list may cede their time to another person when the listed speaker's name is called and the total amount of time allowed will not exceed two minutes for the combined number of speakers and time will not be restarted after the new speaker begins.

In order to maximize opportunities for others to address the board each speaker is allowed only one speaking spot spot per meeting.

If a speaker cedes time to a later speaker on the testimony list or waiting list the person to whom time was ceded will not be called to provide testimony again later in the meeting as there is only one speaking slot per person.

Those do not those who do not wish to have time ceded to them may decline and retain their place on the testimony or wait list.

Finally the majority of the speaker's time should be spent on a topic they have indicated they wish to speak about.

And with that Miss Wilson-Jones will read off the testimony speakers.

Thank you Director DeWolf.

Quick logistical note.

Speakers please remain muted until I call your name to provide testimony.

When your name is called please be sure you have unmuted both on your phone and also by pressing star-6 to unmute on the conference call line.

Each speaker will have a two-minute speaking time and a chime will sound when your time is exhausted.

With that moving to the first speaker on our public testimony list Bob Watt.

Bob Watt if you're on the line you can please press star-6 to unmute and you can begin your testimony.

Good afternoon board members.

By way of introduction I spent the last decade of my work life first as the CEO of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and then as Vice President of Government and Community Relations for the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company.

I want to thank Principal Laura Davis-Brown Vice Principal Joe Powell and the whole team at Southlake for supporting this proposed name change from the very first time they heard about it.

Last week you heard from state representative Sharon Tomiko Santos about Al Sugiyama's remarkable record of leadership in pursuit of equity and justice including his work as a Seattle School Board member.

I've been asked to address why the Seattle business community loved Al and his lifetime of work.

The answer is simple.

By creating the Center for Career Alternatives and later on while leading the Executive Development Institute Uncle Al and his team helped tens of thousands of people gain the confidence and skills they needed to find their first job and to move up the career ladder so that they could achieve their financial and career goals.

In so doing, he created a talent pool for this region that was deep, diverse, and motivated.

That talent pool has helped this region's business community thrive.

Al left many legacies.

But it's safe to say that by helping so many people many of those people from diverse communities get and keep jobs he did more to enhance the economic vitality of this region than almost anyone.

In this challenging time in our world recognizing and celebrating Alan T. Sugiyama who spent his lifetime creating good trouble as the late John Lewis would say is a wonderful way to add hope and light and a time when we all could use it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Emily Cherkin.

Good afternoon.

My name is Emily Cherkin and I'm an SPS parent.

I'm outraged at SPS's rushed screens-only approach to remote learning.

This failure is a direct result of a refusal to consider that remote learning would be on the table again for the fall and a refusal to think about how remote learning could mean something other than iPads and laptops.

As a result of this failure you are further exacerbating the very inequity you claim to prioritize.

This is inexcusable.

This collective failure has resulted in four disastrous outcomes for SPS kids only three days into the school year.

First every SPS student is asked to sign a network user agreement when they log into their school issue device.

This agreement is designed to protect the district in the event a student sees or shares inappropriate content.

But the user agreement puts the onus on students to avoid inappropriate content which is a developmentally misguided and puts children at risk.

Second the school-issued devices are flawed in many ways and many students are turning to personal devices which are often owned by families who have resources.

But most offensively a kid logging into the SPS system through a personal device is not forced to sign the network user agreement.

which means that a kid on a personal device has less legal risk than one on an SPS device.

Third these devices don't come free.

You are voting today to approve 12 million dollars in funds to pay for iPads for preschoolers.

Aside from the fact that a 4-year-old on an iPad is repugnant to an educator that 12 million could fund the outdoor learning proposal you were so eager to promote last month but about which we've heard nothing since.

Finally it is wrong to expect children to spend hours a day on a screen.

Preschoolers need hands-on tactile tools for learning not iPads.

The AAT recommends less than an hour a day for young children.

This is not a win for kids.

It's a catastrophe.

Please explain why there is no low screen option available to families.

Please do not spend 12 million dollars of taxpayer money on iPads until you set aside money for the outdoor option you promoted.

A district that cannot think creatively cannot think outside the box and cannot center children in decision making will not produce students who are flexible inspired or empathetic humans.

You are failing the children of Seattle.

It is inexcusable.

You can do better.

Next for public testimony is Chris Jackins.

My name is Chris Jackins.

Box 84063 Seattle 98124. On the name change of South Lake.

Three points.

Number one district staff discussed how the naming was chosen to be Alan T. Sugiyama High School at Southlake in order to retain a recognition of the work done at Southlake.

Number two I attended the board meeting when Sharpless was renamed to Aki Kurose.

Few district people at the time expected that it might be seen as disrespectful toward a previous school board member.

Number three perhaps a similar approach to Southlake could have been used or could still be used such as a name like Aki Kurose at Sharpless.

On the racial imbalance analysis for Kimber Kimball Elementary.

Four points.

Number one Kimball hovers on the edge of being racially imbalanced.

It was racially imbalanced just six years ago.

Number two the capacity of Kimball will increase.

The district analysis presumes that this will not change the racial composition of the enrollment.

Number three in other words the district expects that the enrollment will become racially imbalanced again within a couple of years after the project.

Number four this means that the project will be used as part of a student assignment plan that is expected to create racial imbalance which violates WAC 392 342025. Please vote no.

On the personnel report Erin Bennett is leaving as Executive Director of Relationships and Strategic Initiatives.

I wish to thank Erin Bennett for her good work.

Also my compliments to Speaker Emily Cherkin on her testimony today and To let you know a hard copy of my statement was faxed to the school district four times and the board office staff kindly let me know that the district has not yet found the copies.

Thank you very much.

Next for public testimony is Mary Sugiyama.

Next for public testimony is Mari Sugiyama.

If you have joined by phone you may need to press star-6 to unmute now.

Good afternoon.

My name is Mari Sugiyama.

Elvis' daughter of Alan Sugiyama.

Thank you to Principal Davis and Vice Principal Dr. Powell of South Lake High School for your great support and commitment in renaming your school in memory of my dad and ensuring the history and legacy of a local community activist is not forgotten.

Thank you to Bob Watt and Representative Sharon Comico-Santos for your tremendous efforts as well.

My family and I hope renaming and rebranding as Allen T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake will cultivate and bring a reinvigorated sense of pride for South Lake students faculty families and the community.

This would be a remarkable honor for my dad.

But not only that it would teach and remind people of the work done by one of our own community members.

My dad's activism and was inspired by the Black Power Movement.

and rooted in Asian-American civil rights.

As the community needs changed so did his activism.

This school would not only represent the Japanese-American community but also the many other people impacted by his work.

Vietnamese refugees.

Adults impacted by the criminal justice system.

East African refugees.

Gang involved and impacted youth.

Job trainers and trainees.

Corporate entities in his professional network that supported and hired his referrals.

And last but not least students of all ages.

For my dad learning never stopped.

Whether it is a middle school re-entry program a GED program trades programs universities or professional development in the corporate world the key is identifying the formula you need to further your learning.

Bootstraps don't exist for all of us to pull ourselves up.

But for many people across many communities in the greater Seattle area my dad Alan T. Sugiyama provided the boots and bootstraps of opportunity and education.

As we face two pandemics COVID-19 and continued racial injustice we know representation matters.

School board directors I respectfully urge you to vote in favor of renaming to Allen T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Sabrina Burr.

Sabrina Burr.

Good afternoon.

Go ahead.

We can hear you.

Sorry.

Believe.

Inspire.

Empower.

Those are the pillars of South Lake High School.

I had the honor to work with Al Sugiyama but I also had the honor when I started my career to work with San Sugiyama.

Al Sugiyama's characteristics are generational.

and came from his father.

As a diversity affairs specialist for Nordstrom's I had the honor of watching Alex and he had a way of putting a mirror up to our youth and letting them know that they were not their story.

That all they needed was already inside of them.

So I think that renaming South Lake High School in the name of this iconic community member is a great idea.

But only if the commitment for this on the district side is bigger than a name change.

If we put this man's name on the building it must be done in the spirit and the energy of his legacy and of his life's work and the ancestral commitment to excellence and community that he comes from.

On family engagement we must tell the truth.

We must stop creating silos that further erode the little bit of trust that we have with community.

Superintendent Juneau you sent out a letter to community members asking them to partner with you to collect community data to meet with you quarterly.

The letter basically was asking family members to do your work for you for free across affinity groups.

the same people that you had listening sessions with that rendered no results.

Just more false narrative.

We must demand authentic family engagement with accountability and a rubric.

We now have cameras in homes.

How will you do things differently than you have in the past few years.

How will you build in a process for predictability for families experience.

Do you even understand the opportunity that is here.

We we work to find a visionary but now we have a politician.

And do you even know how to lead.

Please prove me wrong.

We have to do right by families now.

We can't wait.

Thank you Sabrina.

Next up for public testimony is Manuela Slye.

Can you hear me.

Yes.

Hello.

Good afternoon everyone.

My name is Manuela Slye.

I'm the proud mother of four children and President of Seattle Council PTSA.

I have listened to community and I'm here today in full support of renaming of the South Lake High School to be the Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake.

This is to honor not only his name but also his legacy in Seattle Public Schools.

I also want to commend Director Hersey's work in community as he has been meeting with our Seattle Council PTSA South East Director and a group of South End PTA leaders.

Director Hersey this is for you.

We appreciate you in this very first step towards authentic community engagement.

Next I would ask you to please be intentional and unapologetic and bring ELL communities to this table.

They continue to be missing.

SPS Policy 4129 Family Engagement States the district will provide support and guidance to families teachers and staff as they plan and implement effective family engagement efforts.

Unfortunately we do not have support and guidance and that is the simple truth.

We do have a superintendent procedure 4129 approved last year in May.

The procedure highlights accountability by convening annually with stakeholders.

As president of the council.

I have asked when this group will meet and I'm still waiting for a response.

Additionally communities demand SPS to honor policy 4110 and bring back the Family Community Advisory and Oversight Committee as a true commitment to family engagement.

The time is now.

We can no longer wait.

Thank you for your attention.

Next for public testimony is Francisco Iragon.

Francisco.

Can you hear me.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

After hearing all those testimonies and other things happening in the school I know my late friend and brother Alan Sugiyama would run again for Seattle Public Schools.

We want to thank the Seattle Public Schools Board for considering renaming Salt Lake High School after my friend fellow activist and compadre Alan Sugiyama.

This renaming is strongly supported by a whole lot of people.

As you probably know he was the first Asian-American elected to the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors.

He also founded the Center for Career Alternatives an agency that provided education employment training and career development services to more than 30,000 people in King and Stohomish counties and also at no cost to them.

Al strongly believed that education was the key in opening doors to livable wage jobs and a pathway to achieving the American dream.

Al was also a realist that that's that that pathway oftentimes is blocked by systemic racism.

Consequently it was a community activist who was dedicated to and involved with the civil rights struggle.

Police did the right thing by renaming the Salt Lake High School after Alan P. Sugiyama.

I want to thank you all so very much for listening to me and to others and also to the parents of the Seattle Public Schools.

Thank you very much.

Next for public testimony is Raymond R.H. Chavar Chavar apologies for the pronunciation.

Raymond.

Good afternoon.

Can you hear me.

Yes.

How about now.

Okay.

Yes we can hear you.

Okay.

Good afternoon.

When homeschooling began in March it became painfully obvious to us that our daughter was dyslexic.

Homeschooling or online learning is difficult enough without the added problem of an unaddressed learning disability.

We were informed by the school psychologist that nothing could be done until school was back to brick and mortar.

It is our understanding that the sooner a child is diagnosed and intervention implemented the better.

My husband and I each administered the same online dyslexia test to our daughter.

The results were the same indicating serious dialectic dyslexia.

Her maternal grandfather was seriously dyslexic dyslexic as well.

We sent the results to Ms. Amar the school psychologist stating that since the SPS contracts out for assessment We saw no reason why this could not be done during the homeschooling period.

She never replied.

Our school our child's counselor also contacted Ms. Amar and got the same response.

I also contacted the homesbugsman Naomi Razine.

She was supposed to get back to me but also has been ghosting me.

So today I did get a carbon copy.

of an email request to Jen Anderson to put me in touch with the proper supervisor.

During this time of online learning procedures need to be adjusted to accommodate the needs of the students.

We are no closer to getting help for our daughter than we were in March.

She is starting off the school year unnecessarily struggling.

The SPS's failure to address the situation in a timely manner is affecting her desire to learn.

needs immediate assessment and help to adopt the behaviors that dyslexics use to cope and or mask their disability.

What is SPS to remedy students getting assessed for learning disabilities and receiving the services they need to succeed.

Thank you.

Please conclude your remarks.

Thank you Raymond.

That was the final speaker on the testimony list.

Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones.

So that concludes our public testimony for the meeting.

We will now move to the action items on today's agenda.

And as we move through these items today I will first call on committee chairs and then I'll call on the remaining directors alphabetically for questions and comments.

So we will now begin at Action Item Number 1. This is approval of name change of South Lake High School to Allen T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake.

This came through the Operations Committee on August 13th for approval.

May I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move for the approval I move for the that the school board authorize the change of the name Southlake High School to Allen T. Sugiyama High School at Southlake.

Second the motion.

Thank you directors.

This has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

We will now move to directors for any comments or questions for Chief Operations Officer Fred Podesta before we vote.

And I will begin with our Operations Committee Chairperson Director Mack.

Hi good evening.

As stated in the agenda and in the BAR this came through Operations Committee on August 13th with a resounding recommendation from the committee for approval.

I greatly appreciate all of those involved in providing additional information and support for the robust community engagement for this name change.

And additionally in introduction we heard testimony and from State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos as well as others about the importance of this and I appreciate the testimony that came before us today as well.

And I have nothing further to add.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Mack.

Next we'll be with Director Hampson.

No questions for me.

Thank you to each and every member of Mr. Sugiyama's family and extended community.

It's been an excellent education for me on this particular individual and his accomplishments and the impact that he had on his community and I feel honored to have the opportunity to vote on this.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Hampson.

Director Harris.

I could not be in more favor of this for my friend and one of my personal heroes and I will restate my concerns that we have not given South Lake High School the attention funds and robust assistance that it deserves.

And again if we are going to put Uncle Al's name on it folks are watching.

So I look forward to seeing what we do with this honor.

And we'll echo the comments from Ms. Burr as well.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Harris.

Director Hersey.

Please.

So no questions from me.

I think that I would again echo the comments from Ms. Burr.

As we push forward I am just really excited that this is going to be a change that our community is 100 percent behind.

With that said if we are going to honor Mr. Sugiyama we need to do it the entire way and make sure that we make good on our promises and really dig in to advocate for our children in the way that he did to advocate for his community in the way that he did.

and to continue and re-begin quite frankly our family engagement from the beginning so that we can really truly make this name change an actual honoring of this legend and not just a PR stunt.

I am so excited and I'm really happy to vote yes on this.

Thank you very much.

Thank you Director Hersey.

Director Rankin.

Hi thanks.

Mostly just echoing what's what's been said already.

It's been really special to hear from family and friends and colleagues of Mr. Sugiyama around this item and the principal and assistant principal.

So I really appreciate everyone taking the time to come in and share with us about Alan T. Sugiyama.

And I want to also echo the sentiments expressed by Director Harris that this is an opportunity to to not only honor Mr. Sugiyama with a name change but also to elevate the work that's been happening at South Lake High School and to hopefully help more students find their way there into a community that's that's right for them if that's what they you know that we have so many different things to offer in the high school experience in Seattle Public Schools and South Lake is One of those special places that I think more students need to know about.

And and also just repeat what Director Hersey said that in honoring in the in the honor that comes with the name change to truly honor Mr. Sugiyama we need to to make sure that it's not just a name change but it's that it's the whole that we honor it honor him with the whole focus and that we act as he did in and of and with community and not at or for community.

So I appreciate just everybody's comments again.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I probably can't say it better than all my colleagues have already expressed the gratitude for this opportunity to honor Mr. Sugiyama and I hope that we can find ways to support Southlake in its in the ways that will honor him.

And even let's just grow it from there because there's I know one of our community members mentioned Aki Kurose who was another Seattle teacher and social justice advocate who we honor with that name change at that school there and I we should keep our eye on schools and how we can keep honoring those leaders that we do this for.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

And my only final comment just I think not only want to express my gratitude for speakers today for voicing their support for this.

and also the speakers from our last meeting as well as Representative Tomiko Santos.

But I wanted to read one one sentence here from the BAR in the equity analysis.

I think it really speaks to Mr. Sugiyama and I think really particularly timely given the conversations we're all having right now in Seattle Public Schools.

It says Mr. Sugiyama believed that all persons need and deserve a second and sometimes third opportunity and he promoted determination and compassion while standing up to institutional systems of racism.

I can think of no other person to honor at this time.

And so with that Ms. Wilson-Jones please roll call vote.

Director Mack aye Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director Hampson aye Director Harris aye Director Hersey aye Director DeWolf aye.

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you.

Okay we'll now move to Action Item Number 2. This is approve the purchase of laptops for staff and preschool and elementary school student computers to support teaching and learning in a remote learning model.

May I have a motion for this item please.

I move that the school board ratify the superintendent's execution of the purchase orders through Dell Thornburg Hewlett-Packard Micron and Apple for a total not to exceed amount of $12,400,000 including estimated Washington State sales tax of any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the purchase orders and supportive devices for pre-K and staff.

Immediate action is in the best interest of the district.

Second the motion.

Thank you directors.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

This item did not go through committee and is on the agenda for introduction and action today.

Chief Financial Officer JoLynn Berge I believe you will be briefing us.

And again I'll begin with Director Hampson as the chair of A&F A&F.

Excuse me.

We'll start with you Chief Financial Officer JoLynn Berge.

Go ahead Chief Berge.

Oh okay.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

This is JoLynn Berge Chief Financial Officer.

So this BAR is to ask for the board to ratify the critical purchases that were made this summer for one-to-one devices for our students and devices for our staff.

As noted in the BAR we had two BARs that were previously approved for purchasing devices but given the pandemic we had to rework those plans.

The remaining authority for devices purchased from the June 2019 BAR was four and a half million dollars.

And the remaining authority from the March 2020 BAR was $5,753,000 and that is outlined in the finance section of this BAR.

So approval of this BAR replaces those remaining amounts and those remaining amounts total $10,253,000.

This BAR is requesting the ratification of a new total of 12.4 million dollars.

I would note that while we tried to use previous RFPs that had been approved to purchase from because of the supply chain issues we brought we bought what we could from our RFP which was Thornburg and the Dell devices and then we went to Hewlett-Packard for the other 5,000 laptops.

It was the only way that we were going to get them in time for school to start.

And then we had not purchased iPads before and we did go to Apple and purchase those iPads.

That would conclude my remarks and Director Hampson I believe you wanted to have comment.

Yes.

Thank you.

Am I unmuted.

Yes.

Thank you for for providing all that background information.

So this is very much in the spirit of full transparency.

The while the school board had an emergency spending authorization for staff in place that expired on the last day of school which I believe was June 19th.

And whereas we do have and I will ask Director Chief Legal Counsel Greg Narver to speak to this as well.

Whereas we do have some language within procurement for bidding that allows for emergency expenditures there were parts of the expenditures that I didn't think fit under the emergency The full amount didn't fit under the the emergency purchase guidelines either in the resolution or in policy and felt that for transparency that we should bring it before the board.

And so Chief Berge was willing to do all that background work and I'll let Chief Narver provide some some legal clarification as to why we felt that was necessary.

And is Chief Legal Counsel Greg Narver on.

I am on.

Okay.

Yes yes.

Do you want to restate your question for him.

Sure.

Chief Counsel Narver would you be willing to just speak briefly about why we needed to bring this forward to the full board for a ratification.

And apologies I didn't realize that was stated as a question before for the silence.

Well a purchase of this size has to be approved by the board of course and the timeline was is laid out in the background here why you know why it's coming at this point.

You and I consulted about I won't go into the details of that consultation but did this really fit within an emergency purchase that the board would be ratifying under one particular provision or is this simply a ratification of under under the regular contract provision.

And we we agreed that was that was the proper way to bring it before the board.

Thank you.

So yes I just wanted to provide that that background that this was something that was that I knew that we had discussed in our approvals.

for expectations around technology expenditures during this period and the timing of expenditures being different than what we might have imagined last year.

And then there being some some carryover but for the sake of transparency I noted that there were some that I did that didn't fit into any particular box in terms of approvals and so ask that we bring it forward.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Hampson.

Thank you for that background.

We'll next move to Director Harris.

I'll pass for now but if you could loop me in at the end I'd be grateful.

Thank you.

Absolutely.

Yep.

Director Hersey.

No questions from me at this time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Mack.

Yeah I have one question and then I I understand that Director Rivera-Smith posed a number of questions that I'd like to have daylight and responded to and I'll I'll allow her to to to go through those.

But my one question is just to get clarity on for the BEX V levy Does this amount of expenditure overextend beyond what the commitment was in the BEX V levy.

No it doesn't Director Mack but we're close to spending all of the BEX V money.

We have a little bit left.

I think a few million dollars left for some other replacement devices but it did use up most of the authority.

And I also I apologize I did realize one other thing I did want to bring up that in the BAR it states some information about the technology plan and that I just want for clarity that the plan was never a board-approved document and was only presented kind of cursorily to the board.

And just for clarity I think that needs to be stated.

And that I would strongly advocate that our efforts to put a technology planning policy in place sooner than later start.

And with that I'll hold my comments until after others.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Thanks.

I just want to I guess reiterate confirm that this is purchase that has already been made and we are ratifying that action that has already happened.

And just to respond to the Ms. Cherkin who gave public testimony I have a lot of the same kind of pedagogical and developmental concerns about appropriateness of devices.

However in a remote setting the thing that we have to have first and foremost is is a way to contact and let every single family have access.

And so for me the the device is a necessity for a connection between child and a child and teacher.

And I personally make a distinction between looking at a screen in communication with a live person and a child being left to their own own devices no pun intended with an app or other kind of passive passive or active kind of electronic entertainment.

So I just wanted to sort of say hear those concerns absolutely and my hope and knowing that the educators that we that we have working with our learnest learner working with our youngest learners that the devices really are about access and shouldn't be the you know the main source of of interaction for a student with electronics but with a with a person with contact with a person.

So that's all.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

Let me start with a probably easy question here.

In the BAR under the description of the purchases can you explain the micro K-12 and Thornburg iPad processing the British school that's was that separate of I'm trying to understand what that what that was for exactly.

Yeah they thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

So those are the two contractors that we have that picked up the devices from Alaska Airlines and they took them to their facilities and they have to break them down between 90 pallets worth of stuff and put them into shipments for each individual school and then they deliver them to the schools.

Thank you.

Okay.

And so I'm going to back way way up to some just to build on what Director Rankin brought up.

I did send an email earlier today to the board and just a couple of the chiefs and superintendent just to back up again.

Looking at our June 3rd budget work session where we I felt we had a really great conversation about the device purchasing and what we wanted to do for our students.

A lot of focus was on the elementary one-to-one devices.

And and I feel like I that was the last I kind of heard about anything until and purchased iPads and laptops and now it's happening and I get I get the urgency.

No fault on anybody for that because it was something we needed to do and needed to do fast.

This has been a fast-moving situation.

But you know I think there was just some lack of follow-up that at least personally I wasn't in the loop for so I was lost for some things.

I didn't even know about those.

Some things I'm still not sure on and I just to touch on some of that was at that meeting we heard how Chief DeBacker was running 6 different digital learning workgroups which sounded great.

I never heard what came out of those.

That was never shared at least with the full board.

So how I'm going to guess that in there and then you say that we did consult with ITAC.

Where in there did it turn from laptops to iPads because when we had that meeting on June 3rd you specified how schools were leaning towards laptops how even when they'd been offered iPads they were not taking up on those and it sounded and I not that I'm cheering for iPads I'm just or against them I'm just wondering because where did the direction change at that point.

I just was not aware of what turned it there.

Yeah thank you.

I actually have your email in front of me and I'm happy to respond to the questions that you had.

So we were one of the things do you want me to go over all the questions or you just want me to answer the one you just asked.

I'll start with the one I just asked.

Yeah.

Okay.

So at the end of the day I was directed to go back to ITAC.

Oh sorry Director DeWolf.

Okay.

I was directed to go back to the ITAC committee which is our advisory committee.

And you know both Director Hersey and Director Rankin had raised differences of opinion about iPads and reconsideration of those.

And that's all that happened is that we reconsidered.

We did some research with ITAC.

And ITAC came back with a recommendation for iPads for grades K-2.

We do have teacher librarians and teachers sitting on the ITAC committee.

So that was the process that I was directed to use and that's what we did.

I did write really probably maybe one of my better emails to you in late June but apparently I didn't send it to the right email address.

Director Hampson brought that to my attention later as we were discussing it.

So I'm happy to resend that.

It really lays out.

how what research ITAC used in the process that we used to make the decision for the iPads.

So all that was laid out in the email and I thought everyone had gotten it.

So I apologize for that.

I will say that too that touchscreens for K-3 were purchased so the laptops that were purchased do include touchscreens.

We did go to ITAC.

You some of the board members really asked us to reconsider that decision.

And we did that.

We did that honest work and we reconsidered where we were at and the decision came out differently and that's why we ended up with iPads.

Okay.

No and I appreciate that that work was done.

Definitely.

Again there was a breakage in the loop there because I guess the email.

Well sorry.

Making its way.

And I know yeah I mean these things happen.

I just again I was just trying to follow up.

I know it's really late to be doing that but on that and just look back and we'll see what is really applicable right now.

I just, again, like that was just part of that.

And it's just that transparency because suddenly we're buying iPads and I'm like, when did we approve that purchase?

And how can I explain this to people why we chose that?

Because, you know, there is a lot of chatter just amongst families about how it's not working for everybody, but that's laptops too.

It's not like either one was going to be the magic bullet.

We're having a lot of difficulties right now.

I just I wanted to just see how that happened how we came to that decision.

And I'm trying to find any oh so I also did get a question from families who are getting iPads would if they if they would prefer a laptop can they request and get an SPS laptop instead.

Because for some students it just doesn't jive with their you know use of a device to be on the touchscreen iPad.

Yeah as I understand it we are asking everyone to be consolidated on the same platform.

Otherwise the teaching environment for the teacher becomes super difficult.

So part of the purchase was that we bought iPads for the teacher as well as for the students so that they could be on the same device together at the same time.

And we did buy key keyboards for second graders as well to ease them into that transition to laptops.

If a family wants to do a bring your own device for a K through 2nd can they use a laptop still would that work or wouldn't.

They could.

They could.

We are recommending that they use an iPad for even bring your own device just because of the way some of the applications functions on an iPad may look and feel different.

Okay.

And then I think last question here was some of the purchasing do we do we I understand we got earbuds or headphones of some sort.

Have those been I I've only seen this amongst parents talking I had not seen our district announce this.

Do we have those families.

Amazon donated 5,000 earbuds to us and so we were been distributing those the last couple of days and in fact the superintendent and I went to 6 schools in West Seattle yesterday and dropped off dropped off a bunch of earbuds.

So they are for families who don't have them.

And it's part of the checklist that we're asking teachers to do as far as make sure they have a device.

Make sure that they're connected and you've seen them connect.

And if they need like earbuds or other things hotspots let us know.

So it's all part of making sure kids have what they need.

Great.

Thank you so much.

No further questions.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

Director Harris.

Thank you for looping me around.

I appreciate the transparency initiatives here and I am very pleased that that we did this.

One of the concerns that I have with respect to the rollout here we just heard about 25,000 log in.

That's that's a darn sight less than 53. Do we have an idea.

how many of our students still do not have connectivity either because of lack of hardware or because of hotspots or Internet access.

Hi Director Harris.

We don't have any more firm numbers.

So we know that at least 10,000 of those students are kids without iPads yet.

Right.

Because those have been rolling out they're due to roll out tomorrow was the day that we were rolling out the iPads to everyone.

So we think it could be a combination of just maybe people don't think school starts until the 14th and we need to give them a reminder.

So we haven't heard anything.

There hasn't been anything coming back from principals who are keeping in touch with us and they do have a way to route requests to us.

So I know that we still you know are working through all of our tech tickets that we have if there's some connection issues.

But that's all we know for now.

I just think it's a new environment and we're going to continue to ask our schools to report out to us.

Have they connected with each student.

What does that look like.

I think that we'll firm up some of that information hopefully by Monday.

And how will you report back to the board and the community at large on that.

We can do it in a Friday memo.

Appreciate that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm done.

Thank you.

Okay.

I don't have a question but I do have a request for the Friday memo.

Can you Chief Berge or Superintendent Juneau just share what the McKinney-Vento team the plan is to provide education and educational service to our students experiencing homelessness.

Just a request for the Friday memo would be great.

Yes I remember you requested that.

So thanks for the reminder.

Thank you.

Okay.

Director Mack you have one final question please.

Yes and they're connected or they're yes they're connected.

So the question was asked about headphones and providing those for students and I understand there's been some donations.

And I'm curious about first that whether or not we're allocating any additional dollars in our budget to support that effort as having headphones I think is actually really important and helpful for students especially if they're in an environment where they have to sit next to their sibling.

And having access to those is you know it's an expensive additional cost that many families could not afford.

So I'm wondering if we actually have any budget left over.

And the other question is about My concern around the infrastructure issues.

Right.

So the question is about the allocation of the BEX V dollars towards technology which this BAR is and has done that.

And whether or not there are dollars left over for infrastructure improvements that may be necessary given that our traffic has gone from 6,000 to 50,000 overnight in terms of our VPN and the infrastructure of servers.

And again I think those are technically not laptop purchase BAR questions.

So if folks are not prepared Friday memo might be an opportunity as well.

Yeah I'm happy to answer that really quickly.

Do we have extra money for those things.

No.

But do we have to find money for those things.

Yes.

So we continue to work with our community partners like Amazon towards donations and we'll buy what we have to to make sure our kids have what we need.

There are some smaller purchases that we're making you know $80,000 things like that to shore up some of our tech issues.

And we did just get approval from the state to expand our pipeline four times past what it is now which is long overdue and we've had that request into them for a few months.

And from a financial perspective is that does that have a dollar attached to it or do we do we know what that is at this point or have an estimation.

I think when I recall yeah it's a couple hundred thousand dollars so we'll be able to cover it and the state gives us some funding.

Okay thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Miss Wilson-Jones roll call please.

Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director Hampson aye Director Harris aye Director Hersey aye Director Mack

Director Mack.

Apologies.

Still debating.

Abstain.

Thank you.

Director DeWolf aye.

This motion has passed by a vote of 6 yes to 0 no to 1 abstention.

Thank you.

We will now move to Action Item Number 3. Approval for Contract Amendment with School Data Solutions for School-Based Implementation of MTSS Student Data Portal.

This also known as RFP09615.

This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on August 17th for consideration.

So may I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move the school board authorize the superintendent to execute a contract amendment with School Data Solutions the amount of $300,765 for the Student Data Portal Homeroom in the form of the contract amendment dated July 15th 2020 and attached to the school board action report with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract amendment.

Second the motion.

Thank you directors.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

So we'll now move to directors for any comments or questions for Chief of Schools and Continuous Improvement Wyeth Jessee before we vote.

We'll begin with our Audit and Finance Committee Chairperson Director Hampson.

Yes thank you.

So we had quite a bit of discussion about this in terms the extent to which it's utilized to track student performance and status comprehensively.

And I think and how deep that goes in terms of utilization as well as how it's going to look and be utilized during remote learning environments.

And so that was kind of where a lot of the questions were focused.

And I'll turn it over to Chief Jessee to kind of give the quick summary on those and anything else he deems relevant.

Thank you Director Hampson.

Yeah so the conversation has really been around how we utilize this tool.

We are now in our third year of full implementation of Homeroom.

This product is usually referred to as Homeroom And so we've just been really building not only utilizing the tool but also the practices.

A lot of that conversation also was around the pivot in remote learning.

What are we utilizing it for.

And so those are the things where we are centering ourselves around attendance and engagement as well as the priority standards.

And so Already the teams are mobilizing really looking getting ready to help schools set up groups so they can support those students who need further assistance.

And then also just around our opportunity to use multiple data points in helping drive decisions on the student's story strength and needs.

Okay.

Director Hampson any more questions.

No we had good discussion in committee as well as last week because we had put it forth for consideration.

So if there we did get some follow-up information that was was much more detailed and so I think I'll leave it to other directors to ask any questions they feel have yet to be answered.

Thank you.

Director Harris.

is I think an exceptional tool that has been underutilized to date.

This is no surprise to Chief Jessee and others and certainly members of the Audit and Finance Committee.

Given the fact that we are doing check-ins now with each of our families it's my hope that we exponentiate by a factor of a thousand or two the utilization of this tool.

that the staff or excuse me the DACA that has come forth before is not that impressive and I hope this is the year that we really make it work for our families.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Harris.

Director Hersey.

No additional questions from me.

Excited to have this tool ready to go.

Thank you.

Director Mack.

No questions at this time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

I don't have questions but I have a request that Chief Jessee will probably nod his head of course she wants to do that.

I would like to request a one-on-one just to get a better sense of how this tool works and what type of data is in it and how how are you using it.

for MTSS and how it aligns with our values and everything else that's going on.

I would just really appreciate the opportunity to see that in a little more detail.

Thanks Director Rankin.

Director Rankin.

Thank you.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

We have had lots of conversations on this so far and I can't think of any outstanding questions I have but I I do feel and not just for this one but for all of our investments that we do like this is you know $300,000.

We purchased tools like this.

I would just love for somehow we can share this with families how we are using this and how this is improving their child's experience in schools because let's bring this down to the level that it's understandable for families because we should be able to let them know that we are investing in their students.

Thank you.

Thanks Director Rivera-Smith.

Chief Jessee I don't have any questions for you at this time.

I will I'll probably email you separately offline.

I had an LGBTQ community meeting last night and had just some Just some offline questions but I have no more questions on this.

Thank you.

So Miss Wilson-Jones roll call please.

Director Rivera-Smith aye was that an aye.

Sorry.

That was an aye.

Director Hampson aye Director Harris aye Director Hersey aye Director Mack aye Director Rankin aye Director DeWolf aye.

Motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you directors.

Next we'll move to item action item number four.

This is Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction OSPI Beginning Educator Support Team otherwise known as VEST Grant Approval.

This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on August 17th for consideration.

So may I have a motion for this item please.

I move that the board authorize the superintendent to accept the 2020-21 BEST grant in the amount of $300,000 and to implement the provisions of the grant.

Second the motion.

Thank you directors.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

So we'll now move to directors for any final comments or questions before we before the vote for Chief Human Resources Officer Dr. Clover Codd.

And we'll begin with our Audit and Finance Committee Chairperson Director Hampson.

I don't have a whole lot to to add to this.

Obviously this is something that comes to us through OSPI to support beginning teachers.

And I think I'll just leave it to Director Chief Codd to introduce it and hear from if we have any remaining questions from directors.

Thank you Director Hampson.

This is Clover Codd Chief Human Resource Officer.

So we introduced this at the last board meeting.

I haven't received any new questions from directors between then and now.

So if you do have additional questions directors go ahead.

I'm here to answer.

Thank you.

Dr. Codd we'll start first well not first we'll start with Director Harris.

No questions for me.

I'm in favor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

None for me.

Thank you.

Director Mack.

No questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Not for me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rivera-Smith.

No questions.

Thank you.

Thank you and no questions for me Dr. Codd.

Thank you for the work on this and excited for this.

So we'll move to Miss Wilson-Jones for the roll call vote.

Director Hampson aye Director Harris aye Director Hersey aye Director Mack aye Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith Director DeWolf aye.

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you Ms. Wilson-Jones.

We will now move to Action Item Number 5. It is Amend Board Policy Number 5253 Maintaining Professional Staff Slash Student Boundaries.

This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on August 17th for consideration.

May I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to execute a contract with Seattle Central College for a total not to exceed amount of five.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Wrong motion.

I move that the school board amend Board Policy 5253 Maintaining Professional Staff Student Boundaries as attached to the Board Action Report.

Second the motion.

Thank you directors.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

We will now — Yes that is correct.

Do any directors have an amendment on the floor.

Proverbial floor.

This is the this is Director Mack.

I would like to propose an amendment.

Okay.

Director Mack.

Mr. Narver can you help me with the should I do a motion language or should I just say I move to amend the attached policy revisions on page 2 of 3 of the policy to read as is attached and presented on the screen as Ms. Wilson-Jones had just flashed up and I think she'll flash up in a second.

Yes what oh yes what you what you want to do is say I move that the and then you would sorry is it going to go up on the screen here.

I think Tina is working on it right now.

It's coming.

One second.

Thank you guys.

Okay so the motion you're offering isn't to change anything in the BAR.

It's to make a further revision to the policy that is being amended through this BAR.

So you would say that you move to further amend the policy with this language.

You should read verbatim the language that you want added to the policy and make clear in your motion where in the policy that that new language would go.

Okay great.

So I move.

Sorry.

I'm happy to help identify where it's at too if it's helpful.

Okay.

So I move to further amend policy number 2 5253 maintaining professional staff and student boundaries to include the following language On page 2 of 3 following the sentence employees whose conduct violates this policy may face disciplinary action up to and including termination consistent with the district's policies acceptable use agreement and collective bargaining agreements as applicable.

This new language is.

All district staff shall report any boundary violation that constitutes abuse neglect or exploitation under Seattle School Board Policy Number 3421 to their supervisor or appropriate school administrator.

In addition all provincial school personnel shall report any boundary violation that constitutes abuse neglect or exploitation under school board policy number 3421 to law enforcement or child protective services within 48 hours.

I second the amendment.

Okay so Greg just to clarify we we will go through the amendment discussion first and then back to the underlying motion as amended.

Correct.

You'll have debate on the amendment at this point and then a roll call vote as to whether or not to adopt this amendment.

Okay.

So we'll start with Director Mack quickly here on just any final background or anything you want to raise here before we move to other directors.

Yes I appreciate that this language is new to some on the board that it was just developed and put forward this afternoon.

So apologies for the late notice.

I did attempt to have the meeting with staff to get clarity on some of the questions that were raised in intro and it's been a busy couple of weeks so that meeting didn't take place until this afternoon just before this board meeting.

And a special thanks to Mr. Cerqui for discussing the questions that I had around this policy and concerns around clarifying in this policy as well mandatory reporting of issues and that it's it from my opinion important to have this also referenced in this policy to be explicit when we're talking about student safety.

And I think this goes very much in line with our recent work session around student safety.

And this amendment resolves the concerns I had and was raising previously.

So with that I'm happy to entertain any questions about the amendment from directors.

Sure.

Thank you Director Mack.

Okay so first we'll begin with Director Hampson.

Hi.

Yes I I I understand the concern and the reference and and I actually had received communication from a constituent about it and I think what I had stated is my concern about why I wasn't didn't feel the need to bring in the mandatory reporting is that this is about Wanting to encompass the remote environment we're in importantly about boundaries between students and and staff and which includes volunteers and wanting to provide clarity about about how that is managed and it's delicate and in the best cases.

And one of the fears that I have the unintended consequences that as much as I understand the logic of this amendment is that it would encourage would go beyond what that relationship is between teachers and students and would potentially incur over-encourage staff to report to CPS and to police on matters that they're witnessing remotely in children's homes.

And and I have really grave concerns about that where where good intention goes awry.

And so that that's you know it's we need to remind folks that there are mandatory reporters.

I'm just nervous about the concept of of overemphasizing it in this particular context which is meant to specifically discuss that staff-student relationship.

So those are those are my my comments.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Hampson.

Director Harris.

I appreciate comments thus far from both of my colleagues.

I would suggest that it is not a given that at least in the past some of our educators have not fulfilled their mandatory reporting statutory role.

I I see this as an appropriate amendment.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

To me this seems pretty straightforward.

I don't have any questions.

I'm still thinking through.

I worry about unintended consequences here a little bit but I'm still I'm still thinking through.

So I will let you know if I need you to loop back to me or not.

Thank you Director Hersey.

Director Rankin.

Yeah I I have some concerns about this actually conflating a couple different policies.

I know when this was intro'd Director Mack and I both had some questions about making sure that language language and kind of what's the word I'm looking for.

anything kind of relational with students that you know we look at this with make sure that it's consistent with the other set of policies that we're looking at under safety and security.

And I actually feel pretty strongly that this amendment muddies this a little bit because this policy is really about keeping appropriate relationships between students and staff.

And and not crossing boundaries that are outside of the bounds of an appropriate and I know appropriate is up for you know interpretation but or could be.

But that this is really about relational boundaries and a boundary violation that constitutes abuse neglect or exploitation is not a boundary violation.

It is simply abuse neglect or exploitation.

And that moves it into something different than this policy is addressing.

And so for that reason I will not be supporting this amendment.

Thank you.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I I appreciate everybody's perspective on this.

I I don't know that it will have the harm some may be worried about.

And this is I haven't thought much more about it than being introduced here so I'm trying to.

think fully about that.

Everything's going to have unintended consequences so we can't use that as a reason to not do something but at the same time just judging what the magnitude of those may be.

I think it's never a bad idea to remind our educators of their mandatory reporting responsibilities.

But but yeah I'm I'm also still thinking still thinking about it.

So no further questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

I have no questions on the amendment.

Thanks for the clarification and background Director Mack.

So with.

Mr. DeWolf can I respond to the.

Concerns.

Quickly quickly quickly please yes.

So I appreciate that the.

Folks are thinking about unintended consequences but one of the unintended consequences of not actually explicitly clarifying the responsibilities of our staff to ensure that other staff or volunteers are not harming our students and to bring those to the attention of appropriate folks and not just shove it under the rug.

The.

Concern that I have with not being explicit about it is that the language that was previously in this policy around with respect to sexual harassment and other potential issues of grooming and things like that it has been removed and this policy is actually does go beyond just you know how they communicate with each other.

It is literally talking about catching and clarifying and making sure that harm is not coming to our students in these ways.

So I would I would I would put that to you that that our greatest responsibility is keeping our students safe.

And if they don't have a safe place in which to report an issue or they know that it will be actually managed if something is inappropriate they won't.

And they won't be protected.

So.

I I I think that's a bold statement that I I'm not sure I fully support that kind of broad statement.

But we do need to move to the vote for this.

So Ms. Wilson-Jones.

Sorry.

Can I. Oh sorry the thing I was looking at just went away.

Is there a way to bring that back up the amendment.

Tina can you put the amendment back on the screen please.

One moment please.

I do take some issue with the idea that there is a lack of concern for student safety by not supporting this amendment and I don't think that's the case at all.

But I'm wondering if there's maybe a different way to phrase it that would sit better with people just as a reminder that there is a policy that protects students or that governs our response to abuse and whatnot.

I think the kind of relational interactions that this policy is addressing are important enough that they are a distinct policy from abuse harassment neglect.

And I don't want it muddied.

by having people be able to say well it's not really abuse it's just inappropriate so I won't do anything about it.

So that is I don't know how to.

I'm just I'm just putting that out there.

I don't know.

Thank you Director Rankin.

We do need to move to the vote on this.

So Ms. Wilson-Jones roll call please.

Calling the vote on the amendment.

Director Rivera-Smith aye Director Hampson nay Director Harris aye Director Hersey abstain Director Mack aye

Director Rankin.

Nay.

Director DeWolf.

Abstain.

Apologies I'm just trying to get back to the right screen to count the The vote has this motion has passed by a vote of 3 to 2 to 2.

Okay we'll move to the underlying motion.

Greg do we need to do any wording on the record for coming back to the underlying motion as amended.

Well we want to clarify for the record that the vote on the underlying motion is now going to be sorry don't have calling the language back up here.

It would be moving that the school board amend Policy Number 5253 Maintaining Professional Staff Student Boundaries as attached to the Board Action Report and as amended.

So the motion language now should explicitly note that the policy changes that are going to be voted on by the board are affected by the amendment that just passed.

Chief Narver this is Chief Cox.

I am a bit confused by the 3 to 2 to 2. Wouldn't that mean the amendment failed.

Our abstentions do not count in the they count toward quorum but not in the vote total.

Correct.

So sorry this is Director Rankin.

So just to clarify abstentions wait so we don't actually need a majority of the board to vote on something to approve it.

Just a majority of the yeses and nos.

Yeah the abstentions count towards the quorum.

As Ms. Wilson-Jones said but the the yeah.

There was two abstentions.

Essentially the vote is out of five.

Correct.

Got it.

That's why an abstention is different than a no vote.

Thank you.

So we need a new motion for this item as attached and as amended.

Correct.

I think that the record should reflect that.

Yes.

So this is Director Hampson.

I will move to amend Board Policy Number 5253 Maintaining Professional Staff Student Boundaries as amended.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

We'll now move to directors for final questions and comments on the underlying motion as attached and as amended.

We'll start first with Director Hampson Audit and Finance Committee Chairperson.

Thank you.

So this we the discussion around this in Audit and Finance primarily had to do with not having accompanying procedure.

And I think you know there's depending on the policy but that we definitely have philosophical variability in terms of whether we need to have a procedure coming forthcoming with the the board action itself.

And I want to remind board members that and staff that procedure Superintendent Procedure does need to come to to the board for review not not as an action but but needs to be sent to us when it's developed and that if board feels that that procedure is not consistent with policy that we do have the option to to amend Superintendent Procedure.

That being said I do think I support this particular amendment set of amendments because I do feel that it significantly clarifies some important aspects of again student and staff boundaries and relationships.

And at a time when we do need to be particularly thoughtful we are not I don't believe in an environment where we can write policy to answer all questions and policies are living documents and need to be And again this is a philosophical approach that policies are living documents and they need to reflect the growth of the organization and the learning that the organization encounters and we are at a time of extreme exponential growth and learning about how we do certain things and what how we maintain boundaries in a virtual space.

And for that reason I think it's important that we provide guidance as a board knowing full well that we will learn quite a bit over this year that will influence how we might see this going forward and will inform procedure which I know Chief Codd will will speak to in terms of how that will be forthcoming.

And I think that this is an important way for us as a board to indicate that we need to do this work.

Again I do want to state that I I have concerns about conflating this with the mandatory reporting factor.

It's relevant but I think that we do also already state it in here.

But I still support having guidance from the board as to what expectations are and board members are also mandatory report reporters.

And so for those of us that are heavily involved in our communities and with students or volunteer it it forces us to even think about those relationships when we have student representation.

And I think it creates a level of thoughtfulness that we need to encourage and have people thinking about and being really clear about and transparent about.

So with that I'll turn it over to Chief Codd to talk about some of the specifics.

Good afternoon everybody.

I learned I learn every time we talk about this policy I learn a little bit more.

So I appreciate the amendment that you all approved.

And I do think that it does just reinforce policy 3241. I am deeply concerned whether the amendment was in here or not.

I am deeply concerned about the potential for over-reporting.

and the impact that it may have on communities in this remote model.

I'm not quite sure what to do about that but I do think we need to address that with some training head on.

I am passionate about this policy.

I think that while Policy 3241 and 5253 are distinct and important in their own right they also there are some the training that needs to happen that encompasses both.

The I believe we have answered directors questions with respect to this policy between Audit and Finance Committee introduction and now.

If there are any other questions please let me know.

The procedures as soon as this policy if approved we will start not only drafting the procedures to closely follow the WSSDA model procedures but we will also get input from the same people we got input from on the policy as we were going through this.

We also need to work with our labor partners to make sure that we're not changing working conditions.

If you look at the WSSDA model procedure The assumptions are that we're in an in-person school model.

And all of the examples are really kind of about that.

And we need to really think through what could some examples be in this remote instructional model that we're in now.

Because we're not just talking about what happens on Facebook or you know sort of private chats.

I mean we're talking about we're in a world where the teaching and the instruction between the student and the teacher is happening virtually.

And might there be boundary violations that occur.

and what would that look like.

So there's a lot more work to do on just to be able to operationalize and implement this policy.

I would appreciate your vote today.

This is important.

We've got to get going.

We've got to be able to start to communicate out to staff that we have policy changes and we've got to get going on the procedures and then the new training that goes along with it.

Thank you Dr. Codd.

Director Hampson any more questions or comments before we move to Director Harris.

No thank you so much.

Thank you.

Director Harris.

As stated earlier this morning in an email to my colleagues and a question to senior staff and Chief Codd I I'm distressed that we keep talking about doing superintendent procedures at the same time as policy.

And and I think this is important enough to bring the superintendent procedures together for all the reasons that have been mentioned already.

I am in favor of more protection for our students.

We've all seen student harm.

It's devastating to see.

And this is something that we've been talking about for well over a year and I'm not quite sure why is We know some form of this will be put forth probably past that it can't come together.

I will be voting no.

And I did pose questions about what other districts of like size nationally we look at for this policy for best practices.

It seems as though we've had less benchmarking with other districts in the past year or so and I'm curious about that as well.

Thank you.

Director Harris this is Clover Codd again.

So a couple of ways I'd like to respond to that.

So when we did our benchmarking we really benchmark policy 5253 against the WSSDA model policy for the state of Washington.

That's really the benchmarking on how we write policies kind of the that's typically what we follow.

When we do benchmarking with other districts across the country what we do is we look to the Council of Great City Schools and we look at kind of types of reporting that's going on.

Number of incidents per thousand employees.

You know Seattle is actually we have more reporting than most districts.

The median reporting would be 15 incidents per 1,000 employees.

We are at 30 which is on the very high end.

You could look at that a couple of different ways.

People are reporting things that they see or more incidents are happening or more reporting is going on and in other places maybe less reporting is going on.

We don't really know the answer to that.

With respect to best practices I want to take that under advisement and think about as we do our training and as we write these procedures what are some of the best practices that we need to be thinking about to truly engage our our staff around understanding these policies and not just reading them but understanding them and being able to make sure that they're able to follow.

So I thank you for bringing that up.

But that's all the benchmarking that we've done to date.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

No additional questions for me at this time.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Excuse me Director Mack.

Yes thank you.

I appreciate the conversation around the superintendent procedures and want to point out that in the BAR there are the WSSDA model procedures and the procedures actually go even further in-depth mentioning what we've just amended the policy to clarify.

Mentioning the policy 3421 as well as it very specifically clarifies what a boundary invasion is that it's an act or pattern of behavior by a staff member or volunteer that does not have bona fide health safety and educational purpose of the student.

It goes on to say that inappropriate physical or sexual conduct is inappropriate and needs to be reported.

It's it's the procedure that attack that is was written alongside this by WSSDA is pretty comprehensive.

It talks about how.

It's required that violations need to be reported.

It gives clarification around what kind of behaviors are inappropriate.

And it's really focused on staff and volunteers and their adult-appropriate behavior.

It's not focused on students.

It's focused to protect students from potentially adverse behaviors.

The the procedure also does go into clarifying investigations and documentations and it has a section on reminder about reporting sexual abuse and disciplinary disciplinary action and training.

So while I'm typically not comfortable adopting policies without the drafted procedures attached There is already if we follow the WSSDA model procedure it's pretty comprehensive and as long as our procedures follow this model to the extent that they're as clear as they are then I have more confidence in voting yes on this with the amendment as it's been presently approved.

So I appreciate the clarification that the procedures will be written and that there's a WSSDA model procedure already there that clarifies a lot of our questions.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

I wanted to respond to Dr. Codd I guess and just appreciate and re-emphasize what she said about the importance of training connected to this and particularly addressing boundaries in a remote setting that as she said a lot of the WSSDA policies and other things are all were all come from a time other than now which is remote and that we're seeing with with students and you know ourselves I think too just our sense of different boundaries are different because we're literally in our homes.

We're in our homes which is is for some of us more comfortable.

Some some people might be less comfortable in their homes but there is a change in dynamic in relationships in that we're remote.

Also being online if kids or or educators are people who are really comfortable with social media just the act of being on a laptop And your sense of boundaries and kind of what's what's appropriate what's not appropriate could change just by the very fact of being on a laptop which you're used to be could be used to being on in a more kind of casual social media kind of setting.

So I think that is super critical.

And I look forward to that that happening.

And just just the continuing conversation about the safety boundaries all kinds of things and how they're very different.

They're very different now in a remote setting.

And they're also in terms of cultural competency and kind of family values and cultural values and whatever we may see that we are no longer in a situation where students are in our classrooms.

We're now all guests in students' homes.

And so I'm particularly interested in and concerned about our response as as as individuals across the system to that setting of being in students' homes and how they respond to it.

So I guess just to reiterate that that the the focus that this is on is about boundaries and relationships and interaction not necessarily in a way that talks about physical harm.

And physical harm is something of course students need to be protected from.

But this is a the type of boundary that we're talking about is really critical to address and identify and know how to respond to it.

And so I just yeah appreciate that and look forward to knowing more about the procedures around this.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Rivera-Smith.

No questions or comments.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And no questions or comments for me so we can move to roll call vote please.

Ms. Wilson-Jones.

Director Hampson aye Director Harris no Director Hersey aye Director Mack Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director DeWolf aye motion is passed by a vote of 6 yes to 1 no.

Thank you Ms. Wilson-Jones.

Okay next we'll move to Action Item Number 6. approval of contract to support the Open Doors Youth Re-engagement Program for the 2020-2021 school year.

This came through Curriculum and Instruction Committee on August 18th for approval.

May I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to execute a contract with Seattle Central College for a not-to-exceed amount of $516,000 over fiscal years 2020-21 in the form of the draft agreement attached to the school board action report with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract.

Second the motion.

Thank you directors.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

We'll now move to directors for any final comments or questions for Chief Academic Officer Dr. Diana DeBacker before we vote.

And we will begin today on this item with Director Rankin who is the Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee.

Thank you.

So Director Rankin I don't have anything really to add.

We've had this come through Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee.

and discussed it in the last board meeting as an intro item.

I think it would be good if Dr. DeBacker could just kind of briefly summarize for folks who may be listening and wondering what this is.

But generally we moved it along pretty easily with support and not a lot of questions.

So of course if anyone has any please ask.

Director Rankin this is Diane DeBacker Chief Academic Officer.

There were only two questions asked at introduction.

Director Rivera-Smith ask if we knew the racial equity or ethnic makeup of the staff of the Open Doors program.

We do not have that information.

That's not information that was available to us.

We do know that they have about 10 and a half staff members.

Some of those are full-time some of them part-time.

The second question that was asked was asked by Director Harris about how we could make this more visible on the website.

Director Harris is correct that it takes takes more than one click to find this on our website.

Right now you have to go to academics and then you have to go to high school programs and then option programs.

I think those are the three steps.

That's way too many.

As our website is redesigned overall for SPS each division and department has been asked to give feedback as to how we can get to our information quickly.

So Director Harris we will take that into account and try to get something that's more easily available online.

And we also know the best way that students find out about this program are through their individual schools through teachers that have relationships and connections with students and through our counselors.

Thank you Dr. DeBacker.

We Director Rankin any final comments or questions or can I move to Director Hampson.

Go go ahead.

Move on.

Thanks.

Thank you Director Hampson.

No questions.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Harris.

No questions.

Just a comment that we are incredibly blessed to have this program and are met and many other collaborations with the Seattle Colleges and I thank them.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

No additional questions from me.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Mack.

No questions.

I am fully in support.

Excited about this program.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rivera-Smith.

No questions yes definitely in support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Director DeBacker I have no questions for you at this time.

Thank you for bringing this forward.

Looking forward to supporting it.

Ms. Wilson-Jones roll call please.

Director Hersey aye Director Mack aye Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director Hampson aye Director Harris aye Director DeWolf aye.

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you.

We'll now move to Action Item Number 7. This is BEX V. Resolution is to 2020 slash 21-5 Racial Imbalance Analysis for Kimball Elementary School Replacement Project.

This came to the Operations Committee on August 13th for approval.

May I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move that the school board approve Resolution 2020-21-5 certifying that the proposed Kimball Elementary School Replacement Project will not create or aggravate racial imbalance as defined by WAC 392-342-025.

Second the motion.

Thank you directors.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

We will now move to directors for any final comments or questions for Chief Podesta before we vote and we'll begin with our Operations Committee Chairperson Director Mack.

I want to recognize the questions about the analysis and that this analysis came through Ops.

We had the conversation around it and agree that given current state and known information it's not expected to create a racial imbalance and that I'm looking to approve this.

There were questions that came through on the overarching project however.

around the community engagement with the community and the building height that I just want to elevate.

And I'm not sure that we need to have that conversation here but community has raised questions about whether or not the community surrounding the school has been adequately engaged around the plans for construction.

And Mr. Podesta do you want to just respond to that at another time Friday memo or something.

I I think we can give a more comprehensive answer in a Friday memo.

We have heard concerns about the building height from community.

The there's a fairly steep grade in the site that kind of limits the developable area but we are have reached out to community members are reassessing the design to see if there's any ways to mitigate this.

And I think once the product of some of the analysis and conversation is complete we could inform the board in a Friday memo you know who we've talked to and what options we've looked at.

Thank you.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Excuse me Director Rankin.

I mean Director Rivera-Smith.

No yeah I don't I don't have any questions or comments about this.

I appreciate that she put us a candidate into that into the engagement process so that we can just share that and learn some of the places where there could have been more engagement done.

Thank you.

Apologies Director Rankin I did skip you.

That's okay.

No I have I know it's on email about building height.

So I'll just look forward to the Friday memo.

Thank you.

And I have no questions for you at this time.

Thank you to Director Mack for your your the background there.

Ms. Wilson-Jones roll call vote please.

Director Rankin oh apologies I went out of order.

Director Mack aye Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director Hampson aye Director Harris aye Director Hersey aye Motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you Mr. Wilson-Jones.

All right.

We'll now move to Action Item Number 8. This is Distressed Schools Grant Award Construction Contract P5121 for bid number B062087 to Western Ventures Construction for the Coe Elementary School Addition Project.

This came to the Operations Committee on August 13th for approval.

So may I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to execute construction contract P5121 with Western Ventures Construction in the amount of $5,043,001 including base bid plus alternate number 1A plus Washington State sales tax with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract.

Do I have a second.

Thank you.

This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.

We'll now move to directors for any final comments or questions for Mr. excuse me for Chief Podesta before the vote.

We'll begin again with our Operations Committee Chairperson Director Mack.

Yes this came through operations for when we recommended moving forward for approval.

Looking forward to continuing to move on this project as we expect the need for capacity when we reopen our buildings.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Mack.

All right we'll begin with Director Hampson.

No questions for me.

Thank you very much.

Thank you Director Harris.

No questions but a comment and a huge thanks to our legislators and our staff and our board ledger reps that go to Olympia and help us snag some of this funding that we desperately need.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

None for me.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Rankin.

No questions.

Echoing Director Harris's thanks.

Thank you.

Director Rivera-Smith.

No questions or comments.

Thank you.

Thank you.

No comments or questions from me.

Just just a sharing gratitude as Director Harris has done.

So Ms. Wilson-Jones roll call vote please.

Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith Director Hampson aye Director Harris aye Director Hersey aye Director Mack aye Director DeWolf aye.

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you.

Okay we'll now move to our final section board comments.

And before we do board comments this now evening before we do move to those individual director comments I also want to note that the superintendent Superintendent Juneau's evaluation document is posted to the board meeting agenda online.

One today we'll because we've been doing alphabetical order for comments and questions we're going I wanted to start backwards so we'll start with Director Rivera-Smith first for any final board comments before we adjourn.

Thank you.

No I appreciate today's meeting and the conversations.

I think I speak for a lot of parents when I say it's been a it's been a hard week getting going with the school year.

It's definitely not happening.

As we had hoped months ago that we sort of knew that the inevitable is that it was going to look different and it does look very different as we're in a remote setting doing our best to reach students and engage with them.

And I I I just want to.

Give a big shout out to all of our educators who are rolling with it because life as they knew it is different too.

This is nobody signed up to be a remote teacher and they're they're doing their best.

And I just want to say just so much gratitude for that because you know we think we have a hard work Sunday because a lot of them are teaching with students at home family they're caring for.

So it's it's the biggest lift ever.

And I don't want that to go unrecognized.

and amongst our essential staff too who are also you know the people behind the curtain trying to get everything going and making things work.

We are testing our DOTS department like never before.

And it's not just the people we hear from.

It's the people down at the IT.

It's the people answering phones responding to emails who we just need to really recognize because this this is not You know I don't think anyone's patting themselves on the back for it's done and we're good.

Because I know there's a lot of corrections to make.

A lot of updates.

A lot of training.

A lot of communications.

And this is a process.

It's definitely it's not going to be solved this week or next month.

I just hope that we can show some grace and I know that some people are doing that and it's hard when our students are in tears or in frustration.

It is the hardest thing.

A lot of us on the board are parents too so we definitely feel that.

And I want to know I want everybody to know that we are here for you to just even to listen to do what we can to support you.

We are.

Our communications with the district are only going to grow I believe with our staff and with the superintendent because we know that we need to improve that if we want to really serve our families.

So thank you for encouraging us and supporting us through that.

I don't know that there's I don't know what next week will look like but we are working on everything.

Please know that we are doing our best here.

And thank you everybody for your patience grace and strength.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

Director Rankin.

Sorry you said you're going backwards didn't you and I just totally let that go right past me wasn't ready.

Yeah I would love to to see or know if we can.

I'm thinking about that 25,000 26,000 login number and how that's only about half of our students.

And presumably this is something that's happening but if it's not I just wanted to say that I would like to request or or support looking I know all the logins I'm assuming Assuming that we're counting those logins through Teams and Schoology and the student ID numbers I would love to know if there's a pattern in terms of demographic information economic status a school what school kids are in if there's any kind of patterns emerge that we can address if it's a communication gap if it's a device gap if it's a whatever it is I would just be super interested to see You know the breakdown of numbers there and kind of where where all that plays out so we know who's who's connected and who's not.

And let's see from oh I also just hearing you know talking with parents and teachers and hearing about what's going what's going on out there.

I just want to sort of give give big a big shout out to to kind of everybody involved.

I overheard Eckstein P.E.

teacher who I'm sure in person is just like the most enthusiastic and warm and welcoming.

You know she was working so hard to be excited and engaged and and you know very physical and to a bunch of grids of students all sitting at their at their desks.

So I just I really appreciate the extra effort that everybody's putting into working so hard to connect with our students and knowing that that personal connection is is really tough right now but it really is critical to any success that we're going to have in a remote setting that I would I feel pretty comfortable saying that it's it's a rare student although I'm sure they exist a rare student who can just take the information and do their work without feeling like they're like they're part of a community that they're being supported that they're interacting with their peers and their teachers.

And so just like huge shout out to to the ways in which teachers are trying to make that happen.

And connected to that also It was came up in public testimony so I'm just going to bring up again the critical importance especially before it starts to get really rainy of us pushing and working as much as we can to find creative ways for students to get together and connect in small groups outside or in community spaces.

And so I'm really looking forward to continuing on pushing and working on that.

And I know that there are a lot of people who can't wait to support to support that and participate in that and that's really exciting.

A final kind of request that I think would be helpful from what I'm hearing from the community is in addition to the training that's been provided to educators on different platforms and I know I've asked about this before but I'm not sure where it has settled.

If it's possible and I would assume librarians would be a good resource for this and in fact probably have already done this and if we could just connect and try to find a good template if we could get a basic one-page flowchart for families for students for teachers who are still struggling with Teams and other applications of just a very basic floor of here's where your email is going to be if a teacher is going to use email or if they're going to use the messenger in Schoology if they're going to email a parent There's just there's so much information coming at everybody right now.

I think it would be really really really helpful if we could have some one-pagers just basic basic step-by-step of like where to go.

And I know there's videos and there's other things but a visual one-pager would be I think a huge help based on what I'm hearing from particularly parents who are supporting younger students trying to figure out where they should go where they should direct their student to go.

So just putting that out there.

Yeah ditto what Director Rivera-Smith said.

Nobody expected this.

And I still even though I know there are a lot of things that are challenges I am still looking at the opportunities and trying to find the wins in this situation and things we can learn from and continue to do to do better and carry forward.

So that's it.

Thanks.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Mack.

Yes hi.

Thank you.

I just wanted to ask a question of the President of and Executive Committee going forward on future agendas for our meetings even in this remote setting.

We've dropped our committee reports.

So I'm wondering if those are going to come back and I don't need an answer right now but just wanted to raise that question.

Because that communication around what's going on in committee I think is helpful to have at the board meetings as well.

I appreciate the comments around how challenging it's been in this first week and having three kiddos myself.

I share that experience learning new technology dealing with technology.

Passwords are the bane of my existence.

It drives me crazy and the complicated network challenge that we are dealing with on an individual basis of learning these new systems and how to get connected.

It's just magnified by a you know a district of 54000 students and 6000 educators.

And it's this is just a massive huge technological rollout and ramp up that I don't I don't think any corporation has ever taken this on in this magnitude and so you know I recognize and completely recognize how challenging the entire situation is and appreciate how hard everybody is working to find solutions for students.

And in particular the the focus on social and emotional learning in this first week while the you know lack of clarity around a full schedule etc. as you know we're getting complaints from people about that.

I personally have really appreciated how the educators that I've interfaced with are really focusing on connection helping students to regulate and to manage this new environment.

I mean doing all of this remotely doing our meetings remotely it's taxing in a whole different way.

And I've personally had to focus on trying not to become dysregulated because it's it's it is it's just individually very challenging to deal with all this new technology.

And so a massive thank you to everyone who is keeping cool and and just trying to continue solving the problems and support each other.

And particularly a massive shout out to principals and educators who have taken on the distribution of all these materials and the devices and all of this.

It's just it's just really massive and in such a short time frame.

You know I just massive kudos and thank you to everyone for for doing the best that we can and I look forward to continuing to work on ensuring that we have sufficient infrastructure.

And I appreciate Director Rankin's suggestion around one pagers around best practices.

I do think that it could be helpful also to have some simple best practices of you know here's how to run a remote meeting effectively.

And I know maybe some of that stuff has already been floating around but.

That that might be helpful as well and I appreciate that suggestion.

I also want to highlight that I appreciate that we are continuing to work on student safety and the board resolution that was previously passed a bit ago and that we had a work session on a few weeks ago.

And we've been discussing which policies and which through which committees etc.

So that work is continuing.

And I just wanted to to thank you for the support of the amendment there today on policy 5253 because you know I do feel it's it's it's important to remind staff that we must inform this is already in WAC that they must inform supervisor administration when bounty violations rise to the level of abuse neglect or exploitation.

And as future policies come forward to us that we talk about I'll be seeking to maintain or add policy language to additionally support cross-reporting allegations of harassment intimidation bullying and discrimination and retaliation.

The goal that I have for this is that cross-reporting will help systemically to decrease complaint investigation times potentially and ensure the appropriate policies procedures and personnel or educational files are reviewed by multiple staff when investigating and evaluating the allegations.

I think that systemically we have some gaps in our accountability and that this is one of the ways in which we can shore that up a bit further for the safety of our students.

And so I appreciate the work that we did today.

I also wanted to share that the WSSDA A general assembly is coming up on the 25th and that's where the entire state votes on the WSSDA positions.

And I wanted to bring to your attention that as I sit on the legislative committee and work on helping to develop and recommend position statements to move forward one of the ones that will be coming that I supported and helped craft is one on comprehensive student safety.

And just briefly it states WSSDA shall initiate or support legislation to increase and ensure student experience of physical social and emotional safety.

Legislation should include requirements for student voice and policy development parent notification increased scope and frequency of staff training enforcement of student safety requirements and creation of accountability for all staff and volunteers and provide needed funding.

And so I'm I'm proud to to have support the development of that it's coming in front of the full body on the 25th.

And I still need to I think we still need to assign the delegate for the voting of that from the Seattle School District but I'll circle back on that.

And I think that is all the notes that I had put down of the things I wanted to talk about and deep gratitude to everyone and sending out all of my patience and support to all of you as I'm trying to instill it in myself as well.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

Hey thank you so much for everyone who has put in the work on all of these various pieces.

It is greatly appreciated.

Many of you know we started school today down in Federal Way with fully virtual learning.

And I got to say all things considered it went off without too many grumbles.

But what I will say is that as an educator being back in my classroom and seeing my students' faces and sitting there with their parents and helping them navigate through Zoom and Padlet and so many other resources.

It is just a solid reminder that we need to do everything in our power that we possibly can not only to support our families that are logging on but even more so to support our families who still do not have a device.

Who do not speak the language in which all of our materials are written.

Who do not have access to Internet.

There are so many various obstacles that our families are facing right now.

And as they continue to try and show up to do what's right for their students the very least we can do is do our part to do the same.

So as we are heading into what will be an unprecedented school year across this state I am really very excited and very very I don't even know the word frankly I am hoping that we as a system can really step up to the plate and continue to do everything that we can to get our students the resources the technology and everything else that they need in order to continue to make this a decent and wonderful educational experience.

Because if we do not our students have everything to lose.

So thank you for all the work that has been going into this so far.

We can't stop now.

Let's keep pushing forward and I will cede the rest of my time.

Thank you Director Hersey.

Director Harris.

Let me echo the deep gratitude.

Let me echo my excitement about Alan T. Sugiyama High School at Southlake.

And let me echo the frustration of parents and communities with respect to simple easy-to-use instructions whether that's how to log on Teams whether that's who do I call when I have a problem.

I think some of the website redo will help with that.

Been working with Chief Jessee in terms of Some of that for escalating issues and hope to see that.

I think he and I are looking at 9-15 October 1st.

And then the community engagement piece.

Now more than ever incredibly important for us to be responsive to our community because they can't see our smiling faces.

We can't meet in-person and We we've truly got to step up our game.

I am terrified about losing students from our district.

Not so much because we lose the money but because we've lost the trust.

And I know everybody's working hard.

I just hope we can work smarter and more collaboratively.

Thank you.

Director Hampson.

Thank you.

We've been going for a while so I'll try to keep my remarks short.

I did want to say as part of Audit and Finance we've actually completed our review our external review of internal audit and that will be presented Monday morning at 730 with Moss Adams.

providing that that presentation.

I'm really grateful to so many staff people and board members who contributed to that.

I'm I'm really proud of the work that went into that and the collaboration that created that report.

I think it's going to be an incredibly useful tool and set of next steps to strengthen the role and the collaborative nature of internal audit towards better risk management and performative audits throughout the the organization.

And so I know Andrew Medina and I worked very hard on that with Moss Adams to make to bring that to its conclusion.

And it's probably not exciting to a lot of folks but I do think that it's an important piece of work that brings to into light some work that that has actually been kind of just sitting for a while and and represents a new era of of of how we operate with our internal audit function.

Our other our other staff person.

So anyone who wants to tune in please do.

I know it's early.

It's a good way to get going on a Monday morning.

I don't want to go into too much detail about you know first week of school in terms of what that's been like.

I feel like it's it's really too early to tell.

I know that the one comment that I've heard is kind of a sense of loss.

Happy to see each other but a sense of loss in terms of oh you know we're not really going to have any of that physical interaction with one another.

And for that reason I just want to re-highlight and underline the really hard work that this entire board did to along with many many many community members to put together our resolution on reopening schools with the prospects of having community and outdoor pilots in our schools and the importance of getting that message out.

And that we should have before the board next board meeting our board action report on the outdoor learning community and outdoor learning task force.

And so that work does continue.

And I hear folks in community who want to see us invest in that good work and I know that we're all committed to doing that because we are seeing already and will continue to see very clearly.

that our students need more than just a computer in order to connect to the development of their intellectual health and to connect to their teachers.

There are things that our teachers do for our children that we as parents just simply can't do.

I think that was for me in connecting with my students teacher just that reminder was made me really grateful to have her back in our lives.

But I know that she's very much desperate and concerned about what that's going to look like in a month when when kids particularly younger kids tire of that remote opportunity and haven't developed any other chances.

So we really need to work hard at seeing at the not just trying to rebuild that brick-and-mortar but to be creative and to support our staff in our buildings our our admins and our teaching staff to do things creatively.

That's really where I hope that we're all ready to move collaboratively and roll up our sleeves and do that work because it was hard to get to this reopening.

So onward and upward in Pinagigi to everyone for their work and and Getting to this meeting today I know putting these bars together is hard hard work and I want staff to know that that I do recognize that.

And we have so much more to do.

So we'll see you all tomorrow and the next day and the next day.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just wanted to highlight our resolution in June our commitment to our Black students as well as work over the summer that Director Mack mentioned.

Directors Mack and Director Rankin and myself met I believe last week to go over policies that were elevated and identified and highlighted from both that resolution and our work session.

And so those policies will move out to the appropriate committees.

And so thank you Director Mack and Director Rankin for the work last week.

Wanted to also just elevate that last night I had my LGBT and LGBTQ community Zoom meeting.

This is our second attempt at this meeting.

The first meeting we had we were Zoom-bombed with really harassing homophobic transphobic racist remarks.

And so we had to we had to build in a lot more safety and security measures to ensure that we had a safe and inclusive and welcoming Zoom call yesterday.

So I think if anything I want to elevate the lengths by which we have to take to keep some of our students safe in our district and I'll you know call out the parents and the families that don't that aren't raising their children to be more respectful and kind to others that are different than them.

I have a list of items that were raised by both students and families on last night's call and I'll compile those and send those to Superintendent Juneau and the appropriate staff for just some follow-up and then questions as a as a commitment I made to the folks on that call yesterday.

So thank you to them.

Thank you to the families that helped organize that.

The Maziners from my district as well as the Seattle Council PTSA for helping to organize that as well.

And I look forward to future opportunities to connect with community.

I wanted to give one final reminder about tomorrow.

Our reopening update work session for this week is focused on attendance and schedules and so we will be discussing those topics tomorrow at 3 o'clock.

And you can find the information where to dial in and listen to the conversation on our website.

Thank you to everybody for joining us.

Thank you to staff for all of your hard work.

I know you're working hard as we reopen and so grateful to all of you.

There being no further business to come before the board tonight.

The regular board meeting is now adjourned at 531 p.m.

Thank you all and I will see you tomorrow at our work session.

Thank you.