OSPI distressed schools grant award architectural and engineering services contract P 1 5 8 0 to Malhom Architects Inc. for the co elementary school classroom addition project.
This came before Ops October 4th for approval for approval approval motion please.
Everybody shuffles through their paper really quickly.
Number seven.
I move that the school board A authorize the superintendent to execute a contract with Malum architects for the co elementary school classroom addition project in the amount of one million forty eight thousand two hundred and fifty one dollars plus reimbursable expenses not to exceed twenty thousand dollars.
Any minor additions deletions.
and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract and B authorize the superintendent to accept and obligate distressed school grant funds for this contract.
I second the motion.
Comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
Director Pinkham.
Mr. Herd your last board meeting with us.
Yes you sound sad.
I just want to one make sure that we do highlight what the additions were since it was introduced and there was public comment on this asking issues such as the impacts on playground space and.
I pulled it because there was going to be comments.
But if you're here and heard them if you can address them I think that would help.
Yes Flip Herndon associate superintendent of operations and facilities.
The only change in the language was that requested by the board in the last meeting about accepting distressed schools grants from the state.
We've worked with the district General Counsel office on making that change.
That's the only change between intro and action.
As far as impact on playground space the co-addition does not impact playground space.
The addition is to the west to the sorry to the east of the building sixth classroom addition on the east side of the building.
Other questions comments concerns from my colleagues.
Seeing none roll call please.
Director Burke.
aye Director DeWolf aye Director Geary aye Director Mack aye Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Harris aye.
This motion is passed unanimously.
Number eight from the consent calendar.
OSPI distressed schools grant award architectural and engineering services contract P 1 5 7 9 to Malum architects Inc. for the Magnolia elementary school phase 2 classroom addition project came before Ops October 4th for approval.
Motion please.
I move that the school board a authorize the superintendent to execute a contract with Malum architects for the Magnolia elementary school phase 2 classroom addition project in the amount of five hundred and forty three thousand nine hundred and thirty eight dollars plus reimbursable expenses not to exceed twenty thousand dollars with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract.
and B authorize the superintendent to accept and obligate distressed school grant funds for this contract.
I second the motion.
Comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
Director Pinkham.
Studeau from the other one.
But one of the highlights I think of the questions there has their polls making all the K through class size reduction been evaluated as a site specific academic priority.
There's another question or about the enrollment drop but I think for me we got to prepare for the future not what happened which I think was an issue.
So again the change in this one was again to the only change between current action was the change the board requested on the language of acceptance distress schools grant.
In this particular case the addition does slightly impact play space about 2000 square feet.
That's about as efficient as we can get on that particular site.
It's a very very tight site.
At some point I'm sure board directors will go out and take a visit.
Again another wonderful addition it will look great by the time it's done a little bit different from the co location.
There is a park that's close by.
It's very similar to many of our other schools.
It would be akin to Cedar Park Fairmount Park.
In this particular case it was a park.
That was part of the location originally that SPS owned.
However they did sell that portion of that property to the parks and rec district.
Therefore we no longer own that particular portion but our students would be able to probably have access.
They just wouldn't have exclusive access during the day.
So much like Fairmount Park if you ever go over there during the day they have supervision.
Students use that grass area.
In this particular case for Magnolia it's a little bit of a hill climb.
But so you'd have to have an adult go down there but it is literally the property adjacent to the school property.
Director Mack.
That was going to be my question is to talk a little bit about that.
And so.
Is the district in the process of having the agreement put in place so that the school can use that during school hours.
The park and for some reason I'm blanking on the name of the park but it is actually an amazing park with an amazing view.
You should go visit it.
It's beautiful.
But can you tell me a little bit about the process for the school getting access to use that during school time.
So the process has been with parks because we do not have the exclusivity of the park so they can't just shut down the park during school hours.
It's just we will occupy most of that play space but they can't prevent the public from coming in and using that a little bit different again from the Fairmount Park and maybe a couple of other parks that are used.
There are no restroom facilities on that particular park so the supervision is really more line of sight.
The concern that you have and some of the other ones with facilities is if students were to be able to go into a building you'd have to make sure that there's somebody there.
In this case that isn't the case.
This is an open park area.
Students would go down there.
It wouldn't be closed to the public but chances are if you have someone from the public going there and they see 40 children around in the grass.
They may decide to come back later but that would be up to them.
So it's not part of the joint use agreement could probably talk about it but generally parks has been pretty reluctant to carve out exclusive use for that time because it's a public park.
So we just kind of make sure we provide supervision for the children when they're there during that time.
Thank you.
Other questions comments concerns from my colleagues.
Seeing none roll call please.
Director DeWolf aye Director Geary aye Director Mack aye Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Burke aye Director Harris aye.
This motion has passed unanimously.
OK we are at C action items number one.
2018 19 legislative agenda.
This came before exec committee October 11th for consideration.
Motion please.
I move that the school board adopt the 2018 19 legislative agenda as attached to the board action report.
I second the motion.
I second the motion.
Welcome to my world.
OK did you wish to give a short rendition of this legislative agenda.
I think it's worthwhile to do because we're on video and we know that there are thousands of people watching us.
So as noted earlier in the introduction this follows board policy 1 2 2 5. This follows our regular and annual effort to have a broad legislative agenda to address key issues in Olympia.
is actually quite simple similar to what we presented to you last year because there are a number of funding challenges that continue to exist.
There are call outs for sustainable funding for K-12 that has been a ongoing challenge for our state for over 30 years and we're not there yet.
It calls out for support with capital funding and there are some issues to help us with addressing the opportunity gap.
Comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
Director Mack short please.
Yeah I just wanted to also let folks know that this legislative agenda was not done in a vacuum.
In particular the statement around levy authority is in line with WSSDA's adopted.
policy statement which is it's a lot longer than what ours is but they make the statement that raising the amount of maximum level levy funding available to districts from a dollar fifty per thousand square feet of assessed value to two dollars per thousand feet of assessed value get tripped up or twenty 500 per student whichever is greater.
Right now the law says whichever is less which leaves us with the twenty five hundred cap.
Whichever was greater would be more appropriate and allow us to actually access appropriate dollars and WSSDA is in line with with our legislative platform to focus on that issue.
Director Burke.
I'll throw on the C&I hat momentarily under the third priority eliminate opportunity gaps.
One of the items there is one that's had a fair amount of conversation among the board and locally nationally is fair and equitable assessment to adopt an alternative assessment framework to allow use of assessments other than smarter balanced assessments and I just want to be really clear and transparent that.
That is not eliminating assessments that is effective use of assessments and assessments that provide value back to our students and to our system.
Other comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
Seeing none roll call please.
Director Geary aye Director Mack aye Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Burke aye aye Director DeWolf aye Director Harris aye.
This motion is passed unanimously.
Number two replacement for educational programs and operation levy resolution number 18 19 dash 2. This came before A&F October 8th for approval.
Motion please.
I move that the Seattle School Board accept the proposed replacement for educational programs and operations levy and adopt resolution 18 slash 19 dash 2 which places a three year levy totaling eight hundred and fifteen million dollars on the February 12th 2019 ballot as attached to the board action report.
I second the motion.
Comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
Seeing none roll call please.
Director Mack Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Burke aye Director DeWolf aye Director Geary aye Director Harris aye.
This motion is passed unanimously.
Outstanding.
Monitoring myself.
Number three approval of facilities master plan update 2018 for building excellence BEX V capital levy came before Ops October 4th for.
Motion please.
I move that the school board approve the facilities master plan update 2018 as attached to this board action report.
I second the motion.
We have some questions and I'm hoping that general counsel can come address them as Scrivener errors.
The definition of a closed school specifically the one that I'm ever so aware of Schmitz Park that is not in fact closed.
How are we going to clean that up.
Yes Noel Treat general counsel.
You're correct.
I think the document in a number of places refers to Schmitz Park as closed which it's not.
I think that's the type of thing under the policy that we can change as a Scrivener's error.
So following board action staff can eliminate those references to closed and then post the final document in that format.
Thank you and thank you to the public for pointing that out.
Director Mack.
Yes thank you for that.
And also note that pages 10 and 11 have the building classifications of essential which is actually that is an important piece and the addresses.
I did notice the old Van Asselt on page 11 interim site is at the same address as the old Van Asselt original building site and just wanted clarification on that because this exact same same name same address but listed twice.
Correct.
If you were to take a look at those and have been to that particular site there are actually two buildings.
So one was built in 1909. That's the one we refer to as the wood frame building.
That's the smaller one.
And in that on that page you can also see that it's referenced at 15000 about 15000 13000 square feet.
That hasn't been used as a school in decades.
Going inside would probably be appropriate tomorrow on Halloween and probably be a pretty scary place to be.
It's a little creepy but interesting space.
Definitely interesting inside.
Old.
It's currently used.
I think we have some some items in there just for storage but that's pretty much it.
The other reference is to the interim site original Van Asselt building which is more the concrete block building which is currently going to be used as an interim site that's listed at about fifty five thousand square feet.
So the square footage alone kind of points out the two actual structures on the site.
And yes they do have the same address because they are on the same site but deliveries wouldn't be going to the wood frame building they'd come to the concrete building.
And then for further clarification Van Asselt is now at the building named the African-American Academy or is it so the building is actually technically called African-American Academy the 8 3 1 1.
Correct.
So that's farther south on Beacon Avenue.
And if you go up to that building the the signage on the actual building like in cement says African-American Academy but it is Van Asselt at the African-American Academy building.
Great thank you for the clarification and making sure that the documents correct.
Other questions comments concerns from my colleagues.
Director Pinkham.
On the growth trends and enrollment projections and I was asking if somehow we can acknowledge the indigenous people this area and I see that has been added and I read this Seattle's name for Chief Sealth of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes.
The Duwamish tribe is considered indigenous natives and have been living in the current metropolitan Seattle area since the end of the last glacial period.
I do have a bit concerned with we adding that since the last glacial period because that almost talks about to me infers the land bridge theory that they weren't here before the glacial period.
As for an edit or did we consult with the Duwamish the Quamish tribes and got that language from them.
I can figure out where that came from but certainly if as a board you wanted to edit or strike part of that sentence you could certainly do so and we can update the document.
I'm not sure if that fits in also to the same parameters.
I think you'd have to check with general counsel on that but we'd be happy to edit the document.
Can you also clarify when the last clerical period is because I mean I just want to be thoughtful.
Yes I hear Director Pinkham's concerns but it to my knowledge it was a long long time ago.
So I think if you're going to use that just be more specific but I don't necessarily hear the same concern so.
from probably from a technical perspective that sounds substantive enough that we couldn't do that as a some sort of Scrivener error.
So if we wanted to make a change to that we'd probably need an amendment or we could go forward with the plan as drafted tonight do some research and bring it back at a later date if we needed to.
readjust that language down the road.
I think one one thing to note is just our policies were required adoption of the facilities master plan before you move forward with the next BEX levy.
So we it's important to consider both those items tonight in whatever format you wish.
So just if I can just one comment on that particular language and why that narrative was used.
It's my understanding that that's the narrative that the city of Seattle uses in describing the land.
So I think that's where that language came from.
I guess we have to talk to the city of Seattle about some things as well.
But.
I guess if we can see if I can come up with some kind of amendment to the language here so we can move it forward today instead of delaying it.
Resident paleontologist Deputy Stephen Nielsen said the last glacial period was 10000 years ago.
Oh he played the Google song.
Or maybe just reflect with OSPI since time immemorial just say metropolitan area since time immemorial.
I don't know if that would be something.
I saw some head nodding here.
Do we have consensus since time immemorial and get rid of the last glacial age.
Make your amendment.
I'll give you a second.
So I move that we amend the sentence in the document reads the Duwamish tribe is considered indigenous natives and have been living in the current metropolitan area since the end of the last glacial period to change the last portion of that to say since time immemorial.
Second.
Other questions comments concerns from my colleagues point to personal privilege.
This was a very heavy lift.
This required hundreds of hours of staff time probably a hundred or two hours of director max time.
And we had a committee that worked very hard as well and we were we were way behind the curve.
But not only did we catch up.
We did a stellar job and I thank those folks and please send our thanks to the committee as well.
Roll call please.
And just just a reminder you need to vote on the amendment and then on the amendment.
He didn't let me.
Director Burke aye Director DeWolf aye Director Geary aye Director Mack aye Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Harris aye.
This amendment has passed unanimously.
OK let's go to the main motion as amended.
Tough crowd here.
Roll call please.
Director Burke aye Director DeWolf aye Director Geary aye Director Mack aye Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Harris aye.
This motion as amended has passed unanimously.
Number three approval of facilities master.
Number four.
You guys took me off my roll.
Building excellence BEX V capital levy program and authorizing resolution 2018 19 dash 6 came before Ops October 4th for.
Motion please.
I move the board adopt resolution 2018 slash 19 dash 6 placing a six year capital levy on the February 12th 2019 special election ballot for voter approval to fund the building excellence BEX V capital levy program.
I second the motion.
Comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
This is a very big deal.
Director Mack.
I have a question just for clarification.
Has there been any changes since introduction.
It doesn't say that there has so there hasn't been anything that actually has been altered.
Director Burke.
I just want to honor my my friends at the Sacajawea and Let you know the gift that they provided us around these that I've distributed to directors during our visit.
We got the tour of their facility and so I have two kind of a little bit in the weeds questions that for Superintendent Herndon.
The work in Sacajawea is it intended to include playground resurfacing and ADA accessibility.
I believe those are the two projects targeted for Sacajawea.
Correct.
Thank you.
Director Geary please.
I just want to point out that the last one to.
Three items are a reflection on the hard work that has been done under your leadership.
And so again thank you for all of this.
It's been.
These are just such big big issues and take such a tremendous amount of work.
And so thank you to you.
Thank you to Director Mack as the chair of ops for all the effort that has gone in on these combined items.
Thank you.
Director Mack.
I want to say a huge thank you to staff and to the community members that engaged and my fellow board colleagues and I feel incredibly grateful to the responsiveness that we we had during this process to come up with a package that is as responsive as we potentially can be.
I wish we could do more.
I wish we could do a lot more.
We need to do a lot more.
We need more money to do that.
So I'm grateful.
I'm just I'm really grateful for the package that we're looking at here and I'm hopeful that the voters will support us in February because these are such important.
Important.
Important needs buildings that are critical to our students learning.
So a big thank you and onward.
Yes I guess I would just like to add my congratulations to Seattle Public Schools and thank you to the board for taking a strong stand and on this vote tonight and all the work of your committees and your everything that you've done Director Mack I think has led to this culminating event and I think it's a really important moment for Seattle Public Schools both this BEX levy and the operations levy it's just so important to the work of this district.
And as the superintendent and leader of the school system I am just really appreciative for everybody who has had a part to play in it who have spent their time and to the staff of course who has have been leaders in this effort just super appreciate all the work that's gone into it.
And I just really look forward to all of this work and working with the voters to get it passed and the good things that are going to happen for Seattle Public School students as a result of it.
So thank you.
Director DeWolf please.
Thank you.
And I just also want to not only to thank Eden and all the work that you've done Director Mack on this and the staff.
Thank you Flip.
But I think just to really also share gratitude for our community over the last couple of decades for really supporting our public schools and public education.
I know it is a huge investment of our neighbors and voters across the city to put their dollars into our schools and so please know that we are so grateful for your support each each year we bring these up but also that you are you you own our public schools and we're really grateful for that and I hope that you continue to turn out and support our schools to make sure that we're providing high quality education for every kid.
Director Burke.
I appreciate the way you phrase that Director DeWolf I think that's really spot on.
One of the things that I heard regularly from the community when we're struggling with how do we go out and ask the community for more money when they're already feeling tax fatigue.
And the feedback that I got was make it relevant.
Reach as many schools as possible.
Keep equity as the focus.
and be fiscally responsible.
And so I just wanted to share my experience with with this board and this staff that I believe that the the dollars that we're talking about here are in really good hands in terms of.
being relentless trying to find places where we can reduce costs operate efficiently stay on time on budget and deliver amazing things for our kids.
And I'm reminded that this investment is is paying it forward for a whole bunch of other people that are going to get investments in the future.
And it's also.
A bunch of people who have waited who have historically invested but haven't received direct benefits are getting them on this cycle.
And while we'd love to provide more.
projects for more people across the district.
There's a time component and I actually heard that reflected a lot from community saying well we thought we were going to be on this time and this time but we recognize you know Rainier Beach is really important and we'll wait until next time.
And so that was just really kind of uplifting and I think it created the environment that we could put this on the ballot.
I believe I will wrap it up then.
Certainly this district has received some criticism about the amount of levies and I would invite those folks who criticize to come meet with us collaborate with us and we can show you the value and the transparency and the earned trust by this district and this board and we're going to take it to the streets and we are going to pass this for the future of our children and our city.
Roll call please.
Director Burke.
Yep.
Director DeWolf aye Director Geary aye Director Mack aye Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Harris aye.
This motion has passed unanimously.
Number five repeal of policy 2 0 2 3 classroom use of electronically accessible materials and approval of new policy 2 0 2 3 digital citizenship and media literacy.
This came before C&I October 5 for approval.
Motion please.
I move that the school board repeal policy 2 0 2 3 classroom use of electronically accessible materials and replace it with the new policy 2 0 2 3 digital citizenship and media literacy as attached to the board action report.
I second the motion.
OK we had a robust discussion at intro so this better be a new question comment or concern.
Any of my colleagues please.
Director Patu.
I'd like to find out what's the difference between digital citizenship and media literacy.
Those two terms are actually defined within the policy language itself.
And of course if you could refer to that you can see that.
But digital literacy of course referring to the need for students to understand the use of those instructional materials within the classroom and then the media literacy is the use of online resources.
Thank you.
Director DeWolf please.
I just wanted to just share gratitude for the inclusion of the being able to interpret all forms of bias including racial and other forms of explicit and implicit bias.
So thank you for including that.
Questions comments concerns from my colleagues.
Director Mack.
I just appreciate the clarity in the changes that were made to show what's being repealed and thank you.
Seeing no further comments questions concerns roll call please.
Director Patu aye Director Pinkham aye Director Burke aye Director Mack aye Director DeWolf aye Director Geary aye Director Harris aye.
This motion has passed unanimously.
Number six annual approval of programs of schools using the alternative learning experience model and review of policy number 2 2 5 5 alternative learning experience schools or programs came before C&I October 5 for approval.
Motion please.
I move that this board approve the Cascade parent partnership program interagency academy school Nova high school and middle college school as the district's alternative learning experiences programs and having reviewed policy number 2 2 5 5 alternative learning experience schools or programs approve continuation of the policy with no amendments at this time.
I second the motion.
Director DeWolf.
I just want to use this moment to share how much I appreciate and I'm grateful for these programs in our schools and really hope we can improve our communication and outreach to the students that might benefit from this.
I am really proud of these programs and so thank you for supporting them and hope we can do a better job supporting them in the future.
Director Geary.
So I just want to take a moment to underscore the participation of our middle college high school students today.
I heard Gareth Locke say he wished he had been advised of these kinds of programs from his high school counselors and I heard Arianna Phillips say if she had known about these programs in middle school.
She may have saved many hours in trouble within her school or something to that effect.
Teachers and herself quote unquote teachers and herself.
I think she's giving herself some credit for creating a few gray hairs out there.
But I heard her and I was very sincere in my question about thinking creatively on how it is that we.
Let our students know that these programs exist at the moment when they start feeling the need for something different.
And this is going to give us an opportunity to think more about that and do that I hope because it's one thing what I have found is that.
From a parent's perspective when your student starts going sideways there's so much fear and even potentially grief in the loss of that anticipated high school experience.
I think student parents see their students as you know they project what it's going to be to be a high school student and when that doesn't happen they may.
They may not be thinking that they want their student to go into these kinds of settings.
And so sometimes we have to reach them through the students and that's going to look different.
I'm not saying every parent would be that way but we have to put on both caps in terms of marketing and informing our public because sometimes it's going to be the student him or herself themselves who will need to figure that out.
And we've just got to be mindful that this is so very important to capture and catch them as their before they start falling.
So.
Michael if I had a nickel for every hour you and I have spent talking about these programs I'd be a rich woman.
We've made some really significant mistakes and I'm pleased that we're recognizing those and that we're changing things.
But I don't want to hear about these schools with deficit language ever again.
I see smoke out Harris's ears.
We talk some about well the comprehensive high schools are doing such a much better job and that's why our enrollment is down.
Correlation does not make causation.
We have not done right by these schools.
I swear I will pay out of my own.
cheap pocket to hire a secret shopper to figure out why we can't embrace alternative education.
It works.
And most importantly it saves lives.
Rant over.
Director Pinkham.
I just want to also if we can acknowledge that Middle College how many sites do they have.
Currently three sites and those sites are.
Northgate mall site association with the Simon youth programming University of Washington and Seattle University.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I just wanted to acknowledge those.
No we do not have a southwest site because we closed it arbitrarily and capriciously with no notice after we starved them.
And in the motion we just refer to it as Middle College but then the official name of the school is Middle College High School.
And but then in some of the documents we add the trailer to it for social justice or of social justice.
Yes that's correct.
What is the official name of the school.
We refer to it as Middle College High School but as an additional descriptor we do add the social justice description.
So the official name of it is Middle College High School or is it Middle College High School of Social Justice.
I would say it would be Middle College High School of Social Justice.
How is it listed in the facilities master plan and do we need to go through OSPI for renaming.
I don't have that information.
We'll have to look into that.
Mr. General Counsel can we do a Scrivener's cleanup on this once we get that information.
Thank you sir.
Any other comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
Director Patu.
Do we actually.
recruit or actually advertise this program to kids for students that actually are looking for that kind of education.
Because I remember when I used to work in the school I actually literally had to go find out what was available for our kids that actually that can handle regular schools.
And if this program is successful in terms of handling those kind of students I believe that it's our obligation to actually to be able to advertise what's available for our kids.
OK I again those kind of students can't handle is tricky language because these are not quote unquote safety net schools.
These are alternative schools.
We all learn differently.
We all have different needs and I couldn't agree with you more that we need to recruit and we need to advertise.
But we've also got to change the frame of our language.
Is that a fair comment.
Associate Superintendent Tolley.
That is correct.
And I have been working with the principals of these schools to come up with a different model actually.
In fact at the recent school board work session we talked about transitioning middle college high school school that we were just talking about into an early college model.
Currently the school accepts enrollment of students in the 11th and 12th grade.
We're wanting to move it to a 9 through 12 program and be more proactive in addressing the needs of our students in that way.
So that would be an early college model where the students would progress towards in partnership with our local Seattle colleges an AA degree as well as a diploma.
But that's something to work towards currently.
The model is of a 11th and 12th grade program for middle college.
But if the board chooses to approve the changes to the student assignment plan we would make it a 9 through 12 program.
I apologize for my passion on this one but it is about as deep seated and held as anything I know.
And on that note actually I'm thinking why couldn't we extend it from 9th on.
You know I think I heard him right say that it's at a certain.
We're working on that.
But that is not part of the resolution tonight.
So I'm going to put you out of order until that comes up.
But I assure you Director Patu it's coming.
Director Burke please.
I.
was didn't quite follow the conversation as far as where we ended up in the in the naming around Middle College that when I look at what's in the facilities master plan and what's on OSPI it is Middle College High School.
The additional content or the descriptor is that something that is going to be part of the formal thing or is currently part of and will it be per OSPI.
Is that.
That is a process that we can look at right now as I mentioned we typically refer to it as Middle College High School but we do add the social justice line as well.
So the official designator right now within the system is Middle College High School but the friendly name is the more comprehensive.
Yes.
OK thank you.
Roll call please.
Director Mack aye Director Patu aye Director Burke aye Director Geary aye Director DeWolf aye Director Pinkham aye Director Harris aye.
This motion has passed unanimously.
Number 7 approval of courses with new content as defined by superintendent procedure 2 0 2 6 C&I October 5th for approval.
Motion please sir.
I move that the school board approve the courses including an ethnic studies course as set forth in the board action report.
I second the motion.
Comments questions concerns from my colleagues.
Director Patu.
Now is this course actually is going to be offered to high school kids.
Yes ma'am.
Not middle school kids.
It will be I believe offered to middle school kids in the future but because we are embedding ethnic studies as part of our array of curriculum and because we need it.
But tonight we're voting on a high school course.
Thank you.
Director Mack.
I wanted to comment that I feel that the new science courses probably should be on this list personally and so I'm wondering in the future if we need to look at how our policies laid out for that because we have a whole new science course sequencing but I'm supportive of this entire.
action tonight especially because we have courses for how many different languages on here.
I don't know the exact number of languages that are listed but quite a few in order to provide the ability to award students credits based on competency demonstrated through an assessment.
So if their home language if they are able to demonstrate competency in a language other than English we can award credit for that based on policy.
Which is is a really amazing thing that students are being awarded that credit and given the opportunity to retain a gift of a native language and there's languages here I didn't even know existed.
So it's amazing and I'm just grateful.
I would like to note that I have been working with staff to identify a process for assessing the competency level of native languages.
And we anticipate returning to the board in January with an additional list of new courses with new course content and that we would add that those courses to that list if we were able to identify an assessment that is appropriate.
We're currently working with the University of Washington to determine if that's possible.
Director Burke and then Director DeWolf.
I want to acknowledge Director Mack's concerned question around science and recognize that the distinction between course adoption versus course alignment whereas alignment represents the reordering of existing content and adoption represents changes in content.
The guidance that we were provided is that the science work is a realignment and it doesn't have new content.
Personally I am still not satisfied with that.
I believe that we.
We needed to do a more comprehensive engagement but I'm really grateful for the work the science team is doing to try to lift it.
I think we learned a lot in that process and I think that holding hands as we walk forward and making sure that the courses whether they're courses aligned adopted whatever policy spin language we put on it that our kids get some amazing science content in whatever structure we build it in.
The kids just need to get some amazing science content and learn to mastery however you want to structure it.
That's my ask.
And my ask of associate excuse me director DeWolf you are next.
I apologize.
Thank you.
I just want to want to elevate the fact that I think this is a really big milestone in the process particularly as it pertains to our ethnic studies course.
Thank you for shepherding this work forward.
I mean we have some really exciting things to celebrate tonight with BEX and operations and our and our other I can't remember the long name of it the educational programs and operations levy.
Really great things to celebrate tonight but I hope folks watching at home and who are sharing this story wherever on Facebook or otherwise.
This is a really really big milestone as it pertains to our ethnic studies commitment.
So I'm really excited about moving this forward.
So thank you for that work.
Thank you.
And I also would like to point out we did include within the course description the language that you requested in terms of the relationship of Native Americans.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Director Patu.
I also want to say as a longtime board director.
This is actually great to finally see this go through.
So I'm really very happy.
Director Burke.
Well this board rocks.
We may be mouthy but by God we deliver.
Roll call please.
Director Pinkham aye Director Patu aye Director Mack aye Director Geary aye Director DeWolf aye Director Burke aye Director Harris aye.
This motion is passed unanimously.
This meeting is adjourned at 7 58 and the board will immediately be recessing to the.
Executive session to discuss potential litigation which is scheduled for 15 minutes with an anticipated end time of 815. The meeting will adjourn at the conclusion of the executive session.
Thanks all for being here.
Much much appreciate.