Seattle School Board Meeting Oct 20, 2021

of the Coast Salish people.

Ms. Wilson-Jones the roll call please.

Director DeWolf present.

Director Dury present.

Director Harris present.

Vice President Hersey present.

Director Rankin here.

Director Rivera-Smith present.

And President Hampson here.

We are holding today's meeting in a hybrid format with directors staff and members of the public here in person with remote access also available through SPS-TV by broadcast and streaming on YouTube and by phone consistent with the governor's proclamation on open public meetings.

For those joining us by phone please remain muted until we reach the testimony period and your name is called.

I will now turn it over to our esteemed Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones for his comments.

Thank you President Hampson and board members.

I'd like to just talk a little bit about goals and guardrails and start out with a appreciation to the board for adopting this governance model around goals and guardrails.

I'm looking forward to working with you as we develop the framework for progress monitoring as we go forward.

I'll be using this time when invited to offer superintendent comments to update you on how my office is implementing student outcome focused governance.

And at the last board meeting you heard about the recent reorganization of my cabinet and that this structure is going to give us the necessary structure to achieve these goals and outcomes.

So staff are currently working on the interim goals in the guardrail metrics.

as well as looking at our portfolio of multiple measures that are going to be available to the board during my updates.

And with this we're going to need student data that is valid reliable equitable culturally responsive and predictive.

We want to make sure that this tells us if the instructional approach is moving students toward better outcomes.

So as data becomes available I'll provide updates on our progress.

And soon you'll receive an abridged assessment calendar for your review to give you a sense of the cadence for our data collection.

This will include district wide district required assessments aligned with 3rd grade literacy 7th grade math and college and career readiness as well as our school climate survey.

So a comprehensive version of this will be soon available on our SPS website.

We'll have that available to you as well.

So please note that some of these assessments are actually formative.

Some are benchmark.

Some are summative.

And so they're going to be varied in our use in our system in our portfolio of measured interim metrics.

And we are still in the assessment of how we will administer the Smarter Balanced assessment and we've already began to we'll begin to use the measures of academic progress in November.

And so after administration we will clean and analyze the data to make sure that this meaningful information to the board on student progress that I share with you will be available to you about one month after that closes.

And so in order to prepare for this on November 18th the board will begin its training on student outcome focus progress monitoring with our consultant A.J.

Craybill from the Council for Great City Schools.

So ultimately this governance model will allow us to keep our eyes on our students and our work geared towards creating the climates for our students to thrive.

Providing high quality learning experiences and engagement with students and families in Seattle Public Schools.

So I look forward to a productive and meaningful conversation with you board members on this on this work.

So my superintendent comments will be geared toward keeping us focused on student outcome governance.

Thank you.

Thank you very much Superintendent Jones and we look forward to those conversations.

We've now reached the consent portion of today's agenda.

May I have a motion for the consent agenda.

I move to approve the consent agenda.

Second.

Approval of the consent agenda has been moved by Vice President Hersey and seconded by Director Rivera-Smith.

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

Seeing none all those in favor of the consent agenda signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Abstentions.

This motion passes unanimously.

We have now come to the board committee report section of the agenda.

We'll hear briefly from the chairs of each of the board's four committees starting with the Audit and Finance Committee Chair Director Vice President Hersey.

Thank you very much.

In terms of meaningful updates from our last Audit and Finance Committee meeting I do not believe that there are any worth sharing at this intersection.

But I would like to alert folks that our budget work session or at least our next budget work session will be October the 27th at 430 p.m.

This will be a meeting you will not want to miss.

So if you are available please join us.

Thank you.

We move now to the Operations Committee chaired by Director DeWolf.

Thank you President Hampson.

I just want to just quickly do an update of what we talked about.

We're going to see a lot of those tonight.

One of the big ones obviously is our BTA V levy resolution coming before the board tonight as well as some BEX V projects.

You're going to I don't need to have any much more comments than that because we'll be talking about that later.

So and our next meeting is on November and I don't remember off the top of my head but more information will be out online.

Thank you.

And now to the Student Services Curriculum and Instruction Committee Chair Director Liza Rankin.

Thank you.

Our October Can you hear me.

Yeah.

Our October meeting covered we had you know rich rich discussion as always.

Talked about one-to-one devices which will become is an item coming to us today for introduction.

Talked about policy 4311 which is also coming to us today for introduction and rigorous course enrollment for high school students which is a policy that we've discussed a few times that's a response to a new state law.

So if that is something that interests you keep an eye out as that will come before the board I believe next month.

And next month we'll have our standing agenda items updates on ethics delays in Black Studies since time immemorial.

And a big new one is the K-5 math adoption which we have started and which we'll be hearing an update in committee on monthly.

So join us for that if that is something you are interested in.

And lastly we have the Executive Committee which I chair as board president.

That occurred on October 13th.

Our next meeting will be coming up on November 10th and and Outside of what will be discussed tonight with respect to board actions coming before the full board today as intro items we went over the board goals and evaluation from this past year moving into next year and our legislative agenda and the overarching board work plan.

We also spoke briefly about board orientation We have new board members that will be joining us soon after the election.

We had on Monday night Director Rankin and I led a two-hour orientation for the candidates so that when once the election is over they're able to hit the ground running.

Their first event will be to attend the WASDA conference.

I will share the documents and all the information with the rest of directors.

Once I get a few more items uploaded it was well received by the candidates.

We had 4 no 4 or 5 just 4 4 participants in that and we heard appreciation from them for getting them up to speed prior to even even the election so that they can hit the ground running.

And then we also talked about prospective input on board orientation in general.

And if directors have comments on that that they would like to make connect with somebody in the executive committee so that they can bring that forward.

And as I said again the we set the the agendas for the our legislative meetings for this meeting in the executive committee and our next meeting for that is on November 10th.

Okay.

5 o'clock.

We have now reached the public testimony portion of the agenda but is not yet 5 p.m.

To keep the meeting going we will begin board comments now.

We will then begin testimony at 5 p.m.

and we'll come back to board comments at the end of the agenda if we haven't all made our comments.

Which directors would like to start their comments at this time.

I mean since everyone's clamoring at once.

I can make some comments.

Let's see.

I think I think I always or recently have been saying habitually how tired everybody is.

How tired I am and it's still true.

Some big issues that have come my way and I've been discussing with community recently has been special education staffing and arts performances.

So I just I will talk a little bit about that right now.

The staffing staffing reallocations is always super super tough and it it seems like it's easy to to not feel the impact or not realize that this is an annual thing until it happens to your school and when it happens to your school doesn't matter if it's a reallocation or a restructuring it feels like a cut.

I just I want to acknowledge that it feels like things are being taken away from some people but also to I want to explain a little bit that you know every year the the district does an enrollment projection and staffs based on that projection and that includes our special education service models.

And this year is an oddity as the last two years have been.

And the the best guess on enrollment didn't didn't reflect in our actual actual numbers.

And so because of that some staff has to be moved around.

And it doesn't mean that that your school is not important if you are losing staff.

And what it does mean actually is that according to the formula agreed to in the contract with with SEA and in some other internal structures that there is overstaffing in some places and again I know it doesn't feel like overstaffing because if that's what you're used to that's you know things sort of expand and contract to meet the need.

You know if your child's IA is moving that it doesn't matter that that technically is overstaffed.

It still feels like a loss.

But if there is movement it is because there is an over-enrollment or higher than expected enrollment at another school and that staff person is very desperately needed.

And it it's not fun.

It's a hard thing to have to go through and this year especially.

But I just wanted to I guess explain a little bit of that that that staff takes very seriously looking at the impact that that will have on different buildings and is trying to make the best decision possible to balance needs across the district.

And also that your principal hopefully is aware should be aware that there is a process by which the principal can can appeal and work through specific cases with the district.

So just to say that.

In terms of the arts we've been getting a lot of emails about arts performances and as which are have we started the year off limiting who can go into buildings.

The district started off limiting that with with good cause.

and made the commitment to us that at the end of October they would re-evaluate look at staff look at how transmission has been happening and and decide if there could be more allowances of things.

My immense support for the arts comes from being a former arts professional and also as the Chair of Student Services Curriculum and Instruction fully understand how important performances are not just because they can be fun or exciting but to engage in the arts especially performance arts you know what you can do in school and what you can do in practice is is only gets you so far until That final piece of you can design a set on paper but unless you've seen it in front of you built and realized and supporting a production you don't get you don't you're not getting that full experience that we need to deliver as part of education but that's also just a really satisfying and enriching process.

And so I I believe that buildings will be getting more information about how to expand access to performances.

And I thank communities for working together across the district and writing to us in support of Arts for Everyone and not just for individual schools.

It was actually a really a nice advocacy to witness and accept and and I hope that we'll be seeing students performing very soon.

And I think that's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Other directors like to go at this time.

Okay I'm going to go ahead and go I promise I won't try to use up all the time.

And if we don't have other directors go we'll move into intro items.

I did want to just point out my gratitude immense gratitude and support for the team that is supporting our buildings and contact tracing and vaccinations and all manner of keeping our staff and children safe from COVID.

The numbers are down this week in buildings and that's incredibly impressive.

And the system for notifying parents I think is appears to be working well.

I know it's incredibly difficult.

It's apparent how much time our administrators are spending managing COVID.

It's it's hard to watch them go through it.

And I so appreciate their patience and dedication to making sure that our buildings remain safe places for staff and students alike.

From a from a COVID standpoint as well as all the other things that they in a quote unquote normal year which is a concept that I don't think exists anymore are supposed to be attentive to in the context of education which is our exclusive charge I also would like to say how grateful I am for the immense seeming positive results of the massive shift in transportation.

I've had in my district which probably had some of the biggest cuts in bus routes very little Truly just a couple of emails from families who are struggling with the change.

And of course I know that all families are struggling with the change and yet there seems to be a pretty smooth transition and uptake.

And so thank you to those that worked on making sure that there were bus routes Metro bus routes to support Students transitioning from Yellow Bus Service to Metro Bus Service both from as an executive our head of operations is leaving the room and I was kind of trying to give him kudos over there.

That's okay.

It's okay Fred.

Just want to make sure you heard this.

I know he's working on routes.

It's it's been pretty amazing watching the new bus routes Coming right in front of schools Director Rankin and I had the opportunity yesterday to meet with our with Council Member Peterson not to be confused with Senator Peterson and around Eckstein Middle School to see both we were looking at safety concerns and we're also had plain view of the new bus routes coming down and how they're working their way into our physical spaces.

and kids finding the stops and and using getting their paperwork filled out for their Metro passes.

I know we have a long way to go in building out our relationship with with Metro in terms of creating this next generation of public transportation ridership.

But it was pretty it was it felt pretty good to have we had SDOT with us as well.

Leadership from the.

the building and it was pretty clear that this had been somehow y'all got this changed into a different structure quite quickly and I just could not be more more grateful for how smoothly that has gone.

So to every person involved in that and to the families for being so adaptive and and the kids as well.

So thank you for that.

Director DeWolf is going to go ahead and make his comments as I've run out of things to say at this time.

Go ahead.

Thank you President Hampson.

And I do apologize.

I have to leave at 715 tonight but I see we have a lot of folks tonight really passionate about their own environmental clean energy ideas.

And so you know I think one thing I just want to share is that when we approved the Clean Energy Resolution in February it opened like this.

It said as scientists from around the world and locally have declared that the climate crisis requires significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions Seattle Public Schools must position itself as a leader in this effort.

And the message that we received when we did this work Director Rivera-Smith and I was that and it came from all students very passionately was that the time to act is now.

Our students and their futures can no longer wait for us to take bold and systemic action.

I've been hearing from community very passionately about the fact that in our BTA V levy which we'll get to later there is a line item for clean energy projects and it is Maybe something left to be desired and so I'm working on proposing an increase to that existing line item for unspecified clean energy projects in order to prioritize clean energy as part of upgrading existing buildings.

So I don't have it done yet.

I don't have anything for anybody to see yet necessarily but it is my intention to at least follow through our commitment that we made on that resolution which is we need to do more because it is 2021. Some some folks say it could be 2028 before we're at a point of no return.

So we need to do something and so I'll I'll have that prepared for directors closer to our next meeting on the 3rd.

So just wanted to let folks know because I see we have a lot of people talking about their own passionate ideas.

So thank you.

I just remembered one more item I wanted to encourage directors if you have not yet logged on to your Council of Great City Schools conference sessions to please do so.

I don't know how many of you have logged on and participated But they are phenomenal opportunities to hear and learn from and explore with and connect with the best and the brightest and the most passionate dedicated caring anti-racist individuals that you can find in all the major cities in this country around the area of education.

It's incredibly reassuring.

inspiring and just brings a lot more energy into the day.

So even if you can go in and all the items or all the sessions are recorded so you can go back in and listen to them if you're in a hurry you can listen to them at one and a half times speed.

But really strongly encourage board members and staff who are registered to take advantage of those because There are people doing amazing work throughout the country and it is so directly connected to the work that we're trying to do here in Seattle Public Schools.

And for me personally that commitment to best practice and innovation that is not done in isolation here in the Pacific Northwest.

Portland is actually a very active participant in Council of Great City Schools.

Anchorage.

San Francisco.

So it's it's time for us to join our partners throughout the country and become part of that.

that cohort as well and I couldn't be more grateful.

It's a 65th year anniversary.

There's been some some powerful words that have come through these sessions so encourage folks to take time to whether it's the beginning sessions or the individual deeper dives to take advantage of those.

With that are there any other directors that have would like to make comments at this time.

Okay if not we will head into the intro items.

So we are going to start with intro item number 1. Approval of Board Resolution 2021-2212 resolving that those persons newly elected November 2nd.

2021 to the Seattle School District Board of Directors be designated to attend the annual conference of the Washington State School Directors Association to be held November 18th through 20th 2021 as representatives of the district.

And am I going to introduce this am I introducing this item.

Okay.

So this is because these are directors though they will have been duly elected.

They will not have yet taken office and yet there is training that is state-mandated that happens at this conference as well as really critical learning that they have the opportunity to take advantage of.

And the state guidelines suggest that it's best if we because we are paying for them to attend this conference that we pass this resolution making it clear Why we are doing this and having the approval of the full board.

I don't.

Did I miss anything staff.

No.

Okay.

So with that I'll ask directors if they have any questions on that item.

Go ahead Director DeWolf.

Thanks President Hampson.

It's not a question but I know at least for myself when I was elected in 2017 I was able to attend with the then Director from.

Looks like it.

And so I really appreciate the opportunity.

So I would I do support this and thanks for bringing this forward.

Any other comments questions or concerns.

Go ahead Director Dury.

I'm I just wanted to say as the newest this term member of the board that this would be incredibly helpful for any incoming director to have access to the logistics and the timing and the understanding the deeper knowledge the The runway of that is very long and steep.

The learning curve is very steep so I just think that this will set every director up for a much more successful term and be able to hit the ground running and really be there for students as they need to be.

So this is really exciting to me and I support it wholeheartedly.

Thank you.

Thank you for those comments and I know you're the most recently joined board member.

Any comments you want to share with the executive committee about orientation.

We'd love to have your your feedback about that so that we can get better and better at welcoming new directors in because it is as I've said before now memorialized in a SNL skit a very difficult job.

Thank you.

Saturday Night Live for doing that for us.

Okay if no other comments questions or concerns I'll move to Introduction Item Number 2. Amendment to Board Policy Numbers 1010 1240 1310 2090 2190 2200 2255 31 23 31 30 32 08 42 60 5000 6000 6 0 3 0 6530 6801 6882 and 6900 and repeal of board policies A02.00 those are zeros right.

Yes they are.

F21.00 H13.00 and number 6535 an amendment to the Information Technology Advisory Committee charge and repeal of the capacity enrollment and Facilities Master Plan Advisory Committee Charter.

So I am the sponsor of this board action report.

I want to provide some background in our move towards student outcomes focused governance.

And as our superintendent illuminated during his comments the need to move towards reporting on metrics connected to the success of our students and the progress towards the success of our students and specifically the outcomes what our students know and are able to do.

It requires a tremendous lift to create those frameworks which we will start to see again the Superintendent Jones shift to having Superintendent Commons be focused on our progress with respect to student outcomes focused governance and the goals contained therein which were previously approved by this board I believe on August 25th.

The goals and guardrails.

We took a look at the reporting that we currently have contained within policy.

I believe the document that staff put together for us was about 40 pages of reporting that comes to the board.

Much of which is not legally required.

And even if it is in policy sometimes it wasn't was if it is in policy is not necessarily connected or used for decision making relative to what we need to hold the superintendent and staff accountable for.

with respect to the outcomes that we create for students and us creating the conditions that allow for staff to effectively get to outcomes for students.

So in order to get to that place I sat down with each committee chair and went through section by section each of the reporting requirements that they thought were were relevant to the decision making that happens.

in their committee and then ultimately at the board level.

And they went back each of them so those directors Hersey Rankin and DeWolf had connections with staff about that and we compiled all of that.

I gave that back to staff and I said these are this is the reporting that we believe we can let go of because it's not connected or it's duplicative or it's just downright confusing in terms of what is required in terms of annual reporting to come to the board.

And staff had the opportunity to weigh in with each of these things and and in many cases these reporting items not it wasn't it's not necessarily bad information or isn't information that shouldn't be available.

In many cases it's information that should be available.

It's not necessarily something that we as a board need to use our precious minutes to be talking about and discussing instead of holding the superintendent and the district accountable to student outcomes.

And we have woefully inadequate data at this time and metrics and progress on student outcomes and that is the shift that we are trying to make.

So in the case of say CM what's CM's Capacity Enrollment Facilities Master Planning Committee Charter that was simply a committee that didn't get off the ground isn't going to meet and didn't have any prospects of coming into play but was mandated by the board.

The Technology Advisory Committee the ITAC committee great committee not one that makes a lot of sense to be coming to the board.

It's about how the school district uses technology to create outcomes for students.

It's not about the what.

And it's not that we wouldn't necessarily have reports that might come through ITAC but that would be up to the superintendent to say let me show you how this data from ITAC that has been reviewed by ITAC is going to come before you to support a purchase that I believe positively gets us towards the student outcomes that that we need.

And in some cases such as student insurance that was one of the ones that we're asking for repeal of.

That's something Director Rankin and I had it came up through the reporting but also was one that we had looked into and found that we were without it's an old law doesn't exist anymore and force puts the board in a or the school district in a position of providing actual sort of sale putting up for for you know support that People can buy these insurance emergency insurance for this for students.

There's no competitive process.

It's just and it's not necessarily something that is utilized to our knowledge.

There really just wasn't any purpose for it.

And yet we also reported on that every year.

So there's a lot in here.

I know directors will have a lot to say about this but this is a very very small step in creating the space and consolidating and clarifying what is a maze of conflicting and overlapping reporting about accountability that makes it really quite impossible for us to hold the superintendent and staff and really it's about the superintendent accountable to any of those specific reporting metrics or reporting items that come out of these policies and again are disconnected from our goals.

and our guardrails and the vision and values that we're trying to achieve.

I'm sure there's something that I missed but I'm going to turn it over to first to Director Hersey for comments questions or concerns.

Oh I'm sorry.

Actually I'm going to let before we do that apologies Vice President Hersey because I need to give lots of credit too.

for helping us put this together but also let our Director of Policy Ellie Wilson-Jones provide us some additional background on how this process how this came to be thus far.

Thank you President Hampson.

Good evening.

I'm Ellie Wilson-Jones Director of Policy and Board Relations and President Hampson I was just going to cover the updates that were made to the materials since it was included in the executive committee's packet.

This item was amended by the executive committee as noted to include the repeal of Board Policy 6535 that's student insurance.

And so the initial version shared with the Executive Committee would have just discontinued that report but the version before you now would repeal that policy.

And that was a change made with the support of the Executive Committee members as well as Director Rankin who was at the meeting.

The next change following Executive Committee was to adjust the language in board policy 3208 the sexual harassment policy.

That policy had included some gendered language that was not inclusive of our entire SPS community.

So that language has been addressed in the version before you.

And then finally the materials have also been updated to include an additional attachment that summarizes the policy and reporting changes made under this action.

And so that concludes my summary of those updates.

Thank you Ms. Wilson-Jones.

And just as a side note there are And some of you might might talk about this a bit.

There are other changes that likely need to be made in these policies and this isn't intended to be the only time that we look at some of these policies.

One of the needs that we have is to get to a place where we have enough and enough clarity in our policies that we can actually keep them up to date on a much more regular schedule.

There's quite a bit of strong support and movement in Washington State in particular to the policy governance model in which they have five policies.

And the only committee they have is is a budget committee.

So this is a long ways from.

From that we are actually just trying to get to something that is manageable so that we can actually have updated policies on a regular basis that are consistent and current and that we can hold ourselves and staff accountable to which is at this point impossible.

And again this is just only about the reporting pieces of it.

And then we did have Director Rivera-Smith pointed out that the gendered language that was in that particular harassment policy and we agreed that that was an important change to make at this time.

So I'm going to go to committee chairs first so that they can talk about their work on their their contributions in terms of what was added to this list for for removal out of policy as a reporting item.

or repeal altogether.

And I'll go to Director Hersey first.

Yeah.

So for me I don't know if it would necessarily be helpful for me to like list out exactly what we have removed from the Audit and Finance perspective but I did want to drill in a little bit on the idea and concept behind this move.

I believe to Director Hampson's or excuse me President Hampson's point around districts that have 5 policies.

The district that I used to teach for Federal Way is one of those districts.

So when we're thinking about how do we continue to push our system to be one that is squarely focused on students what they know and what they can do and move us away from the performative nature of accountability that doesn't necessarily give us the information that we need to make ensure that we are actually doing something about the opportunity gap that we like to talk about so much.

This in my opinion is a critical step forward.

I do not believe.

that it is in the best interest of the district to pay taxpayer dollars to have reporting that does not necessarily help us get to that aid.

When I first transitioned onto the board folks told me time and time again that your first two years will be difficult because it's like drinking from a fire hose.

And you would be surprised to know that that fire hose is largely unnecessary.

Given that when we get these reports they often end up And it's so funny to think about because they often end up in a presentation.

We get them.

We move on.

We get an update on it next year.

So in my opinion as the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee what is critical is to actually take a look at what is it that we need to know in order to help our students become prepared for whatever comes next for them.

Largely you'll see that many of these reports as we go into them in detail later on are not directly related to student outcomes focused governance.

I believe strongly that this is a move that we need to make not only to free up the time of staff so that they can also focus their work on what most of them were hired to do but also gives us as an opportunity as a board to do what we have charged ourselves to do in terms of focusing on what students know and what they can do.

The performative nature of accountability has been something that we have been talking about for a long time and I'm really excited under President Hampson's leadership that we're finally taking a look at some of these items.

Thank you Director Hersey.

I'll go now to Director Rankin.

Thank you.

Should if I have specific questions should I ask those now to you or do you just want to hear about committee work.

Okay.

Just a little bit of an echoing of what was already said.

What I think is so critical about making these changes is that there is so much and I've heard this as a as a community member and now as a board director and it's it's just become even more apparent under our current in response to COVID how much we as a community have gotten used to being really reactive.

And there's always kind of a fire to be put out.

There's always you know some emergency popping up here and there.

And I think everybody's gotten so used to doing that and responding that you know Actually one of the just thought of this the first time I ever gave testimony to the school board was about this very issue that we need to stop running to put out fires and start looking at where the matches are coming from.

And a lot of time the matches are coming from inside the house.

And and it's because everybody has gotten dug into certain emergencies and and is at a lost site of the broader picture of what we're trying to do here and what our our role is as an educational system and then us as a board.

And so I have a couple specific questions but but in general I think that we found ourselves in a place where kind of everybody's responsible for everything which means that nobody's actually accountable for anything.

And everybody experiences kind of the same emergency over in different locations because we're not as connected as a system and we're not all focused on certain goals.

There's been some vague vague goals about you know that that sort of boil down to just everybody just try to do this better.

And I think with our work on goals and guardrails getting to some very specific You know I don't need to see another presentation that's essentially a replay of the same report that's due to OSPI.

I can look it up on the OSPI website.

The OSPI website's actually super user-friendly.

I can usually find what I'm looking for.

What I want to know as a report to the board is given that information what are we going to do.

I want to hear from the superintendent and stop.

We learned X.

That means now Y.

That's what I want to know.

And we spend a lot of time as Director Hersey said doing a lot of sort of accountability theater and it feels very productive because it takes a lot of time and it's and it's in a PowerPoint.

But a lot of times at the end of it and I'm sure community members have sat through different reports where they think well I didn't actually learn anything new about that that I didn't know at the beginning of that meeting.

And so I think this is is a really important shift to make and it's going to be hard and there's a lot of pushback from people who are used to things being in a certain way and and want to see those same kinds of reports and and feel uncomfortable at the thought of losing those reports.

What I want to be really clear about is again as President Hampson said this isn't like and now we close the books on these policies forever.

This is just one way of dealing with a particular lens about reporting.

And so if there's you know between now and action please email us.

Take it's a big document.

Take time to look through and see if you have specific questions.

Email us let us know so we can find out more if we need to beforehand.

But also know that this doesn't mean that now these policies are going to be bronzed and not to be touched again.

This is just one way we can always bring things back.

These are all living documents.

And and also it doesn't mean that the information from those reports is not important or no longer exists.

It just means it's not coming to the board as an official report.

And I actually my hope and my question to staff is what kinds of that I would like to hear either now or or at the next meeting where What I would like to see is a system where the information is more readily available to the public instead of restricted to these annual reports.

I've heard lots of community members who have been longtime advocates say do you have the information on you know such and such.

I used to be able to find that on the website.

And I think because we have moved towards well it'll be in the annual report it has no longer felt as important to put it on the website.

And so that information has actually become less accessible and less transparent.

So I would really like to know from staff what are the plans or what is sort of a commitment to making meaningful information more readily accessible and available to the public.

And and that yes but it's just the the function of reporting these things annually to the board.

It's not that the information or the report is no longer important.

It is important.

My specifically related to that last comment I'm wondering about in 21-90 and when we approved that we were under a different office or a different superintendent different staff different structure.

I my amendment actually was for an annual reporting requirement.

And so and that was in there because based on historical experience there was a lot of mistrust about Would these things actually happen or would they just disappear into the void and we've heard this all before.

So I would like to know how how the public could still find that information.

I think it's still really important information that's accessible to folks and adds a measure of accountability for providing that state required service.

So to see it come out of the policy it makes sense to me but now I want to know where it's going to go.

And then my other specific question is about the student insurance.

As Director Hampson mentioned it doesn't make sense to have it but I I want to know if there are any legal implications or anything that maybe we missed that if there's not a requirement for that.

But it does seem borderline predatory to to push a envelope in the first day packets suggesting that people sign up for insurance that that they will likely already covered covered for in some other way.

And I think that's my two most specific questions.

So just to answer the legality piece all of this has been scrubbed for legal requirements.

So as far as the insurance goes.

I do not know if Dr. Pedroza or Dr. Jones want to respond on the highly capable information reporting That's obviously an evolving scenario as well in terms of of access so or if you want that kind of to talk about next time in terms of how that is going to evolve as as programming as it changes from a cohort model.

And then your other question was about.

No those were the two specific ones although the highly capable one kind of.

to some of the other things as just in general you know do we have a commitment or what's what's sort of the the plan for sharing information in other more efficient and effective ways.

So Director Rankin I'd like to engage you a little deeper about that so we can know specifically what would be meaningful.

So can we have an opportunity to talk to Dr. Pedroza and myself and see what would be really helpful.

Okay thank you.

Okay I'm going to go now to Director DeWolf Chair of Operations Committee.

I don't have any questions.

I appreciated the conversation we had reviewing all these.

My only question really is what it took us so long to be this efficient.

So I'm grateful for this improvement and I look forward to voting for it.

Thank you Director DeWolf and we'll go now to Director Dury.

Actually no I'm I'm sorry.

No that's right.

That's right.

Then I go to Director Harris.

Okay.

Go ahead.

Yes me.

Okay.

So as folks might know my background is in non-profits and I've worked with boards and consulted with boards and I'm really excited to see this board get focused on governance and advocacy and oversight in ways that do focus on the mission of what we do which is teach students.

So I think this is all really great and I totally agree with slimming down policy.

I will say that when I was handed the policy binder I I was like what what how do we do this.

Like there's no way.

that we can follow all these policies in a way that is effective.

And also there's no way that all of these policies are necessary to support student education.

So so I I fully agree with slimming these down and making sure that what we're doing is very focused.

I love the idea of five policies that also like the Executive Director and me is like okay but it would be a really great move.

So.

On that I just and I like aligning to what we're doing.

I would like to say that I think it's a bumpy road to make a major shift in change particularly when you're talking about a major shift in governance.

And so you know we just need to remember all the steps as we keep moving forward and remembering that accountability particularly in our district I would say is really important.

Which brings up one question I have which is how are we going to to Director Rankin's point make some of the reporting that is Very important to the public available to the public.

And how do we determine what those things are and how can the public our community be involved in determining what those reports are.

I think that's more important than us determining what we think we need to see that is not related to the education of students.

And then the only other comment I have is I was actually a little bit surprised that there are still three committees with incredibly large bodies of work.

So I decided to go down this road to see development of making the bodies of work for our committees less so that information is more publicly accessible and not held in a committee that very few people can attend or go back and watch for hours and hours upon hours.

So that was my question was around reporting accountability to the public and my only other like comment of surprise was was the amount of work that's still being held in committee.

Thank you for that last point about kind of the the community interest in what's available.

And I do I like that bridge from from Director Rankin's comment and I've had some thoughts about that as well.

And in fact there were some there's been some some of the sessions on on those notions.

And so I do think that that's in our letting go of our insistence that some of these things have to be available to us then it creates an opening for that to be determined based on the superintendent and the district's engagement with community of what they need to know.

And I do think that we have sucked away that opportunity because there's so much focus on what needs to come to us that is really about managing the adults in the system and not about outcomes for kids and it's not our job to manage the adults in the system.

It is our job to drive towards outcomes for for kids.

So I'm going to let that give that question to Superintendent Jones if you want to speak to that at all.

And I wouldn't expect you to have a ready answer right now but I like the way that Director Dury teed it up.

Yeah so I think I think it's a both and situation.

We know that the board's obligation is to represent the values of the community.

And so you are somewhat proxy to what the community wants to see in terms of reporting.

However we also want to make sure that we're doing deep and robust authentic engagement with with communities and families to understand what their what their needs are and what they think is important for reporting.

Last time I was before you I talked about the concept of radical inclusion.

I'm just talking about really just asking families and community what they think is important for reporting.

So I think we're in alignment with the intent and now it's time to actualize that.

Sorry I forgot one more point.

Is that reducing this and thinking about reporting in particular.

I think that this will allow opportunity for the board to get more big-picture reporting happening instead of these siloed reports which will allow the board to do future gazing and real system change for students such as student outcomes post- the governance model.

And I think that that's a really very valuable and important part of boards that boards often forget is their responsibility.

So this does allow more time for that future gazing and change for students.

Sorry.

Thank you.

And just as another point of clarity as Superintendent Jones pointed out our first training on the progress monitoring is coming up and we'll everyone will still those of you that are that will be departing will still have an opportunity oh no I guess it'll be the next day actually after your last formal meeting with us.

But the what we will then start to see on the agenda is progress monitoring.

And so that will be regular every board meeting real-time data and conversation even as it's developing because as we've heard in our other meetings we don't have the interim metrics that we need to evaluate how we're doing with our students.

I was drooling over metrics that I was seeing coming out from other districts.

Data around how students in different demographic groups were responding to certain math problems that clearly indicated when when they were getting a different answer on on certain problems that you had large numbers of students you could identify how it was that they were making the mistake in the problem and therefore better understand what they did know which is they knew how to add these two things and therefore they were getting this one answer even though it wasn't the correct answer there was still something very clear that they knew and And then what they didn't know versus at another school where more students were making a different mistake.

And so there was something different in how things were being taught.

I know as an example with respect to some of the critical where that kind of deep data dive that we will and having those conversations with our superintendent and staff is so critical as we're for example about to do a math adoption.

and understanding what it is that that we need to do.

And to you know the notion that in Federal Way for example there's only a two-week gap.

They've gotten to the point of there's only a two-week gap and I should I should let Director Hersey speak to this but in terms of for their math curriculum you can go from school to school and you're only going to be at max two weeks off of what you got at your other school.

And that's really powerful for students where there's high mobility.

I mean I my kids were to school with 30 percent mobility and we had purchased a math curriculum and that's not okay for those kids.

And that's you know interestingly enough that's actually one of the things that's in here and it's the problem is the is not the fact that there are that we need a report on the different curriculums that are being adopted.

The problem is that we can't have so many different curriculums.

That's the that's the policy issue.

Not that getting that information is going to let us know that but the but the outcomes the actual data looking at that is is going to get us there.

So it's it's there's some exciting opportunities presented presented by this.

So now going to Director Harris.

I'm sorry were you done Director Dury.

Okay.

Director Harris go ahead.

Thank you.

First I'm going to read an email that I sent to my colleagues and senior staff.

that was not read in the Executive Committee meeting but I'm hoping very much that folks did read that to take into account a different perspective and opinion.

Please read the statement in the record and append in the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting this morning.

I heartily agree that many of our policies and procedures need updating.

However bringing forth these proposed amendments and repeals in this fashion with less than two days notice I believe is arbitrary and capricious and does not indicate quote unquote good governance or collaboration with the full board.

There were or many good reasons for some of these policies.

For example ITAC as a board committee and the Capacity Enrollment and Facilities Master Planning Advisory Committee.

It's not personal but I am unwilling to pass over many of the established board duties and oversight to the superintendent to quote keep us informed end quote when our communication to date is not robust and has not been so for well over a decade.

Should this matter pass the Executive Committee this morning I request that a summary of each policy of its history reasoning and alternatives be brought forth at introduction of this proposed BAR and that staff weigh in with more than two days notice of analysis and alternatives.

Twenty allocated minutes for discussion and the late notice is not transparent to our voters and communities during the workday and should be a topic of a televised robust work session prior to being brought forth for introduction.

I request staff to send me a recording of this meeting.

Last I believe that BAR's require more than one sponsor.

A couple of statements that have been made here tonight that I want to comment on.

That the Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee is dead.

If I recall correctly there was extreme concern and probably absolutely appropriate concern that the diversity of the Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee was unacceptable.

And that was paused or disbanded without notice to the board of directors.

And it's a board committee.

My colleague from Erin Dury's district Eden Mack worked two years very hard to get this committee put together.

And frankly she was stonewalled by staff And we live to tell the tale every couple of years and we have boundary adjustments etc.

And if we can bring in experts to work together on those sorts of issues and what we need in 10 15 and 20 years I think that's a win.

And I think it's an appropriate committee for the school board.

We were all elected for oversight.

The information technology Committee was set up as a board committee because we're representatives again of the community and one can hope that we bring forth people to that committee with a different lens than staff.

And I can remember hours long meetings working through we're A definite set of questions and arguing with each other where former directors Burke and Geary as to why one person makes more sense than another so that we could geographically balance it.

We could balance it between private industry.

We could balance it from ethnicity and different districts and different needs.

And I thought that that was a very good process and I attended many of those meetings and was very pleased to see the level of the robust conversation and input.

And I don't know that we will get the same.

Transparency and accountability.

No disrespect to anyone this district has gone through a number of superintendents.

We currently have an interim superintendent We just heard tonight that we'll only be reporting on data on goals and guardrails and we don't have Friday memos so that when your constituents call you and ask you questions we can often be my unfortunate favorite word blindsided.

And and that's that's not healthy for elected positions and it's not healthy to the community and the voters who we go to every two years for very very substantial sums of money.

We don't have Friday memos.

We don't have a regular transparent way to keep elected citywide folks advised.

Do I want to micromanage.

Oh heck to the no.

Absolutely not.

I do not.

But putting.

This many changes in one fell swoop I think is not transparent.

I'm sorry.

Apologies.

Thank you.

Is not transparent and I I'm I'm disappointed in this process and I hope we have a more robust publicly transparent process before we move forward on this.

With respect to the five policies in Federal Way the Federal Way School District has had extreme difficulties with their budgets and their superintendents in the past and I'm not sure that that is a model I want to emulate.

I appreciate they're doing great work.

I appreciate most of that great work is boots on the ground teachers and principals.

But if we only have one clear option to get rid of the superintendent or not then we've been through that dance before and it's unhealthy.

Extremely unhealthy.

So I'm I'm very very concerned about transparency and accountability.

And it's not personal.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Harris.

I'm going to go now to Director Rivera-Smith.

I well let me start with saying it's already 522 so I'm and I have honestly a lot of stuff here.

So if you want to I don't know if it's an option to pause and do public testimony because I know we have a lot of people waiting to give public testimony.

That's not my call but I just I want to offer say I'm willing to wait till public testimony is over to come back to it because I know we so if that's.

We can pause if you want to do your.

I just feel bad that we're going to make people wait because I probably have a good 20 minutes of stuff here.

Questions and comments and conversation I hope we have about this.

So I'm willing to take a pause if you want to go to public testimony.

That's totally up to you.

I will not be offended.

And I want to offer that up.

If you think we should carry on just say the word and I'll carry on.

Do you have an initial summary that you can give.

Oh gosh.

I mean I can just say you know I don't I I can say I don't think it's an either-or here.

Like I I definitely support a lot of this.

I know that in committee when it moved out I abstained from the vote and that probably threw you guys a little.

But I did that because the motion was for approval and I didn't feel confident if Director Hersey had a motion for consideration I would have been yes.

I think that's a good one.

But it was for approval and I had hesitancy because I think there was some changes we still need to see and there was some we even set up a meeting to make.

So I I hesitated there but I didn't vote no because it's not a no it was a I wasn't sure about that one.

I would have done I would have done for consideration.

Anyways I want to just clarify that you know I don't think that it has to be a for or against this this package.

I support a whole lot of it.

I have some concerns and questions about a whole lot of it too.

So that's my intro.

And we can like I said we can take a pause.

I'm sorry and I'll come back after public testimony or you tell me to keep going and I will.

No that's that's okay.

And we'll take a short break after public testimony as well.

A short file break and then we'll come back to the intro item but we will go to action items first.

You okay with that.

I'm sorry say again.

We will after public testimony we'll go to the action item and then we'll go back to our place in the intro item.

Oh yeah no roger roger.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right.

As such we will now go to public testimony.

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

For any speakers watching through SPS-TV please call on now to ensure you are 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.

We'll 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 which are included on today's agenda posting on the school board website.

Only those who are called by name should unmute their phones or step forward to the podium and only one person should speak at a time.

Speakers from the list may cede their time to another person when the listed speaker's name is called.

The total number of time allowed will not exceed 2 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 slot 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 meeting.

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 the topic they have indicated they wish to speak about.

Ms. Wilson-Jones will read off the testimony of the speakers.

Thank you President Hampson.

For those who are joining us by phone please remain muted until your name is called and at that time please unmute yourself both on the phone you're calling from and press star-6 to unmute yourself on the conference call line.

For those who are here with us in person you can step forward to the podium once your name is called.

We will be using a two-minute timer today and a beep will sound when your time is exhausted.

The first speaker on today's testimony list is Kelly Summerfeld.

Kelly Summerfeld.

Hi my name is Kelly Summerfeld and I cede my time to Gannette Technu.

Lee is the person you ceded your time on also on the phone.

I'm not with her so I'm not sure.

She may have connection problems.

Will she have an opportunity to try later.

So our time clock is running at this point.

So can you say that name one more time.

Gannett Cakluu.

Can you please press star-6 to unmute and drop from principal line.

Kelly did you want to provide the testimony.

I'm not seeing Gannett unmuting.

I do have a handwritten note from her and prepared to do that.

Go ahead Kelly.

Okay.

My name is Gannette Teknu.

I'm here to ask to keep our special education staff at Kimball Elementary.

As the Kimball parent this is important to me because our kids need significant academic support even adaptive social needs behavioral and safety support.

We recently learned of the plan to reduce Kimball staffing to eliminate one focus classroom and combine students into one K-5 classroom.

focus classroom with 12 students.

We want to share with you a bit about Kimball and our students as well as advocate for Kimball staffing to remain unchanged.

We hope this helps understand a bit about the devastating impact your proposed changes will have on our families.

These impacts were devastating to families student staff at Kimball.

We advocated for several years to get two focus classrooms to better support students.

In a focus model having one K-5 class versus K-2 and 3-5 class is not created for success or growth for either student or staff.

Losing a teacher completely changing a classroom two months into one most difficult year in recent memory is not what is best for kids.

Our kids deserve to keep peers classroom relationships You say the district are committed to supporting students furthest from educational justice but our students are furthest from educational justice and they are not supported by losing teachers and being put into a K-5 classroom with 12 students.

For these reasons we urge you to keep Kimball Special Education at its current level.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Eloise McGuire.

Eloise McGuire.

Hello everyone.

My name is Eloise McGuire.

I'm a senior at Roosevelt High School and I'm speaking to you today on behalf of other performing arts students across the district.

I urge you to revisit your policies and allow performing arts curriculums to hold in-person performances after school hours.

Performance is an essential part of learning done in the theater class.

Several classes and goals are performance and spending a great amount of time putting a performance together in class Not being able to perform it would be like similar to studying every day in class and never being able to take a final.

These performances being in person is also important.

It is an unfair expectation to place on students and teachers for them to meet in person and perform remotely as it is twice the amount of time planning and instruction.

Online performances are also not equitable.

Very few plays and musicals are still available to be licensed available to be licensed for online or filmed performances and the ones that can be are very expensive to purchase and produce.

If both indoor and outdoor athletics are able to hold events with spectators it is reasonable to allow the performing arts to do the same.

The performing arts have a unique ability to keep participants separated and seating arrangements can be spaced out to keep audience members safe.

The performing arts are also more than eager to enforce mask wearing and require proof of vaccination slash negative COVID test at doors which is industry and statewide standard as performances are optional.

I have spent enough time in the performing arts to see how much it truly means to those of us who do it.

The thrill of performing live and sharing the product of my and all my friends hard work is a special experience that has made my time in high school better.

It gives me a sense of purpose a community of people I know I can rely on.

Opportunities to give back to that community and a greater perspective on this world.

The performing arts in schools live music and theater are a very important part of many students social and academic lives in the school district and to see them continue to be put on hold would be a great shame.

Once again I strongly urge the school district to revisit their policies and allow performing arts programs to hold in-person after-school performances.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you Eloise.

Next on today's list Chris Jackins.

My name is Chris Jackins.

Box 84063 Seattle 98124. Thank you for allowing both in-person and remote testimony today.

My compliments to the first two speakers.

Nice job.

On the minutes of the October 6th board meeting please reschedule the consent agenda to allow for public comment.

On transportation and education three points.

Number one the district suspended 142 bus routes.

Number two did the district first examine accelerating the option of changing school schedules.

Three please consider seeking advice from two retired district employees.

One is Kirk Stevenson a decades-long bus driver.

Current Superintendent may remember him from past school board meetings.

Another is Robert Femiano a decades-long elementary teacher who received a Presidential Award for his work.

Superintendent may remember Mr. Femiano as well.

On Resolution 2021-22-12 two points.

Number one this action would designate board directors newly elected on November 2nd to represent the district at a November 18th conference.

Number two King County elections will not certify the final results until November 23rd after the conference is over.

I don't think the school board should intend to make the decision on who is elected before this King County election does.

On the BTA V capital levy.

Three points.

Number one when is the hearing.

Number two the levy includes funds to pay the debt on the district headquarters which is not a school facility.

Number three the district is attempting to insert a new project by signing a letter of intent to allow the city to take over the Memorial Stadium site.

Thank you very much.

Nice to see you all in person.

Next is Jess Wallach.

Jess Wallach.

Good evening board directors.

My name is Jess and I'm a campaign co-director with 350 Seattle.

We're a local grassroots climate group.

Two years ago along with our partner Got Green we launched the Seattle Green New Deal campaign calling on the city to take climate action at the scale of the crisis and make investments that reduce climate solutions create good living wage jobs and healthier neighborhoods for all.

The 2021 Clean Schools Resolution that y'all voted for last year.

Thank you.

It goes even further setting clear targets and deadlines for the district to reduce our climate pollution and address environmental justice.

But like Seattle's Green New Deal the Clean Schools Resolution is just promises on paper unless it's backed with real funding.

That's why I'm calling in today and representing the over 500 Seattle Public Schools students families staff and community members who signed a petition in support of clean energy investments for Seattle schools.

We urge you to fund clean energy projects in the 2022 levy.

As you all know the Clean Schools Resolution calls for 100 percent zero carbon energy by 2027 with renewable energy sources installed on district property being a key strategy for achieving this goal.

And thanks to the SPS Student Community Workforce Agreement investing in these renewable energy sources will create living wage union jobs.

that prioritize Black workers and directly benefit SPS students and their families.

By investing in infrastructure that can store energy like solar microgrids Seattle Public Schools can also help build community climate resilience.

When the power goes out schools with solar power can serve as essential community hubs cooling centers and emergency shelter.

For all these reasons Seattle Public Schools is poised to lead achieving the goals of the Clean Schools Resolution and Seattle's Green New Deal.

But to get started we need to back our promises with funding and the 2022 levy is a real opportunity for that.

We urge you to fund clean energy projects in the 2022 levy.

Thank you.

Next is Reed Olson.

Reed Olson.

Go ahead.

Yes we can hear you.

Thank you.

Hello.

My name is Reed.

I'm an SPS community member.

I'm calling to urge the board to include funding for clean energy climate action in the 2022 school levy.

We are indeed committed to meeting the goals of both the SPS Clean Schools Resolution and Seattle's Green New Deal and clean energy investments in this year's levy are and I cannot stress this point enough essential The Clean Schools Resolution calls for the whole district to run on 100 percent zero carbon energy by 2027 and installing renewable energy like rooftop solar on district property to help us get there.

By installing rooftop solar microgrids and other clean energy projects SPS will create new living wage union jobs that prioritize Black workers and directly benefit SPS students and their families.

thanks to the SPS Student Community Workforce Agreement.

By investing in renewable renewables SPS can also build climate resilience in neighborhoods across Seattle.

When the power goes out like it did for many in this summer's deadly heatwave schools with solar power and microgrids can serve as essential community hubs by providing cooling centers for emergency shelter.

Thank you and I yield my time.

Next speaker is Shawn Glaze.

Shawn Glaze.

And I am.

That's Shawn.

Oh okay now we're.

Sorry the unmute took a while.

Hi y'all I'm Shawn Glaze.

I use they them pronouns.

I am a Black queer non-binary parent of a Dearborn Park student and the fundraising chair of our PTA.

I am pro-solar because I'm pro-resilience and I really want to urge the board to act here.

Installing rooftop solar in schools is one of the most crucial projects this money could fund.

Thanks to the SPS student community workforce agreement we know that this is a priority.

By installing rooftop solar SPS will create living wage union jobs for families like mine prioritizing Black workers and directly benefiting our students and our families.

Plus my student would love to dive into a STEM project with solar that really benefits their school community.

We must center resilience.

We must center resilience for families like mine Black families.

We must believe in the power of resilience and cooperation together and looking out for each other, because honestly, those are values that my community, plural, has.

And it's what I know will carry us into a better future.

By investing in infrastructure that can store energy, like rooftop solar especially, SPS can also build climate resilience in neighborhoods like ours.

More and more, we're seeing power outages.

We're seeing these deadly heat waves.

We're seeing our internet get knocked out.

And those are essential services.

Creating community hubs internet access cooling centers and emergency shelters through our schools that are solar powered is really cool and it makes a lot of sense.

We all know where our schools are.

SPS can really help kickstart a roadmap that other places like our libraries our public buildings our community centers can follow.

And there's broad community support both in terms of the petition that went around where there are over 500 SPS students and families participating.

As well as in my family and community here in Diprone Park.

This is Shawn Glaze and I yield my time.

The next speaker is Melanie Zahn.

Melanie Zahn.

Can you hear me.

Yes we can hear you Melanie.

Thank you.

All right.

Hi my name's Melanie.

I'm an SDS community member.

I'm also an educator in the Renton School District.

As a teacher it's generally understood that if you want students to learn a skill or a behavior you must also first model it yourself.

Students are sponges.

They know just so much about the world that we construct around them for better or for worse.

And it's become abundantly clear that it's up to us adults to model the values and the actions we wish our students and our communities to uphold.

Funding clean climate projects and the 2022 levy is an opportunity for SPS to put those words into actions and demonstrate their commitment to making our communities climate healthy.

It was really great to see the Clean Schools Resolutions passed with clear timelines and commitments for the district to reduce climate pollution and create healthier healthy neighborhoods for all students.

But these promises need funding to become action.

And so the 2022 levy is a really great place to start.

Funding renewables like rooftop solar will keep us on track for the 2027 target of 100 percent zero carbon energy district-wide.

It's also an opportunity to create good living wage jobs that directly benefit SPS students and their families and help kickstart our local clean energy transition.

Building an infrastructure that can store energy SPS can also build climate resilience in neighborhoods across Seattle.

When the power goes out like we all know it did this summer in my neighborhood and in other schools with microgrids can keep the A.C.

on and keep all of us healthy.

So I'm just asking you to please fund the clean energy in the 2022 levy.

Thank you.

Next is Beth Brunton.

Beth Brunton.

Beth had signed up to provide testimony in person.

Beth was today.

Beth if you're on the phone line can you please press star-6 to unmute.

Okay moving to the next speaker.

Hi can you hear me now.

Yes this is Beth Bratton and I am here tonight to ask you to support the amendment for the rooftop solar pilot in the next levy.

I'm calling as someone who's a parent of Seattle Public School graduates.

Thank you very much.

And also a longtime Seattle Public School teacher and also a longtime enthusiastic school levy voter taxpayer and supporter.

I'm also the co-chair of South Seattle Climate Action Network.

And this is a brilliant idea to to lead not just our schools but our communities to switch to solar as a better cleaner every way better form of energy for our homes and other buildings.

And not just in Seattle but the whole state and the whole nation.

So you know I've been grateful to work for Seattle schools and have my children in Seattle schools because this community is brilliant and brave and bold.

So going with this amendment is going to be a really a message to this whole country not just Seattle.

So I hope you will pass it and I'm sure I will work for it and our voters will pass it.

So you know I just want to thank you for your leadership and this is a really important time for our students to learn that there is hope.

They don't need to be.

as worried about climate if they know there's things that they can do and that we as adults are doing.

So this is a really important time to do this.

So please be sure to pass it.

Thank you.

Is Alexa Fay.

Alexa Fay.

Hi just checking.

We can hear you.

Go ahead.

Hi my name's Alexa.

I'm a registered nurse and graduate of Seattle Public Schools.

I'm calling in to support an increase in funding for clean energy and sustainable solutions as outlined in the February 2021 resolution.

This funding would provide an opportunity for SPS to be a leader in sustainability and foster resilience.

Research has shown that children are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and heat waves as their bodies and organs are still developing.

Children may also feel anxious confused and overwhelmed when facing the climate crisis.

When talking about childhood health it's important that SPS considers what outcomes will happen if they transition to clean energy.

We will also provide an opportunity for a sustainable energy generation that will build resilience in neighborhoods across Seattle and improve the health of all SPS students as well as the Seattle community.

Schools can become hubs when power goes out.

Heatwave strike and emergency shelter is needed.

And this will also benefit the health and wellness of our greater community.

I'm asking for the board to increase funding for clean energy as outlined in the February outlined in February 2021 resolution to ensure they are a leader in the clean energy transition.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Dave McCall.

Dave McCall.

Hello this is Dave.

Go ahead Dave.

Hi there.

I'm a parent of two children who currently attend Seattle Public Schools.

I'm calling in support of the clean energy amendment to the levy package.

On a personal note my 4th grader was actually assigned a persuasive essay last year on the pros and cons of fossil fuels versus renewables.

And it was about a month after that that Seattle hit a record high of 108 degrees in June.

And it sort of made that essay we worked on together seem inadequate.

It's tough explaining to young kids that deadly heat waves like the one we had in June are here to stay.

And they're here to stay because of the bad energy choices that we've made.

But it's even harder to think of them coming of age and seeing that the adults in their lives aren't treating the climate crisis like an emergency.

Investments in clean energy at the school level would be a real-world application of that essay that my kid and I worked on last year.

And it would be tangible proof that we're investing in these kids' futures.

So I'm just imagining when the next heat wave comes, which we know it will, that we're able to point to their school buildings and say, hey, because of investments by SPS, your school can function as a clean energy cooling center that works when the power goes out.

It has zero emissions.

and it saves lives in our community.

For these reasons I hope the Board of Directors passes this vital amendment for clean energy.

Thank you for listening.

Can I just say something.

Dave can you have your can you send in that essay.

I would love to see that.

Moving to the next speaker.

Peter Condit.

Peter Condit.

Peter if you're on the line please press star-6 to unmute.

Hi my name is Peter Condit.

I'm a community member in Green Lake and I have served as a Seattle Public Schools volunteer.

I also have a PhD in geological sciences and I've lived through historic flooding in Boulder Colorado and Hurricane Harvey in Houston Texas.

Along with those two quote unquote natural disasters the heatwave here in the Pacific Northwest Last June struck me sticks with me in its severity and threat to life and they will only get worse.

Long days with unrelenting heat will become more and more regular and we need a way to care for ourselves and our community without relying on fossil fuels and the harms associated with climate change that burning fossil fuels creates.

I'm calling to say that we need to increase investments in clean energy in the 2022 school levy.

Money could be put into a variety of green investments including rooftop solar panels on schools.

The solar schools idea is tangible visible and has support from community members.

By investing in clean energy construction SPS can create new living wage union jobs that prioritize Black workers and directly benefit SPS students and their families.

By investing in distributed clean energy SPS can build climate resilience in neighborhoods across Seattle.

When the power goes out like it did during the heat wave Schools can still have power and essential and serve as essential community hubs cooling centers and emergency shelters.

Thank you for listening.

Next is Lisa Marcus.

Lisa Marcus.

Can you hear me.

We can hear you Lisa.

Hi can you hear me.

Yes we can.

Okay great.

Good evening directors.

My name's Lisa Marcus and I'm a Seattle Public Schools community member and parent of a grown former SPS student.

And thank you for hearing my comment.

I'm personally very concerned about the climate emergency and I spend a lot of my time working toward climate justice.

And my son was also quite concerned even as a very young one on learning about it as an elementary student.

He right away went to work.

Finding creative ways to try to raise awareness assuming that would lead to change.

But when he perceived that people weren't doing the logical thing which was to do something to solve the emergency he became very discouraged.

And I actually know of many youth and parents experiencing mental health challenges as a response to their powerlessness as they watch the climate crisis unfold without adequate response.

What would it be like for youth and families to get to be part of the solution instead.

through their schools taking leadership and bold just action.

Thankfully as per the February 2021 approved clean schools resolution we need to increase investments in clean energy like installing rooftop solar and other such.

Youth and families can now be part of their Seattle Public Schools modeling climate resilience projects that the city can then install and can be a model also for people across the country.

By doing so Seattle Public Schools would also create union living wage jobs that prioritize Black workers and directly benefit Seattle Public School students and their families.

For all these reasons I urge you to pass the amendment to fund clean energy projects in the 2022 levy.

Thank you.

Next is Sarah Kahn.

Sarah Kahn.

Hi.

Hi Sarah we can hear you.

You can go ahead.

Hi.

My name is Sarah and I'm an SPS community member.

I am also calling in support of funding for clean energy in the 2022 school levy because climate action and especially climate justice are just really important to me.

It feels really hard to explain why honestly.

It sounds simple.

I just really don't know what could be more important than making sure we all have a livable future and that we close gaps of injustice and community suffering in the process.

And this funding is a huge opportunity for the action we need for the goals of the 2021 Clean Schools Resolution and for Seattle's Green New Deal.

By investing in clean energy projects SPS can reduce local climate pollution while creating good green jobs which thanks to the SPS Student Community Workforce Agreement prioritized Black workers and directly benefit SPS students and their families as many folks have already mentioned tonight.

It is also an opportunity to lead the way on community climate resilience.

Sorry.

By investing in infrastructure that can store energy like Rooftop solar.

SPS can also build climate resilience in neighborhoods across Seattle.

And when the power goes out like it did for many of us in this summer's deadly heatwave schools with solar power can serve as essential community hubs cooling centers and emergency shelter.

So for all of these reasons and all of the reasons that other callers have already mentioned I urge you to support funding for clean energy in the 2022 school levy.

Thank you so much.

A next speaker is Derek Dexheimer.

Derek Dexheimer.

Can you hear me.

We can Derek.

Hello this is Derek Dexheimer.

Can you hear me.

Yes we can hear you Derek.

All right.

Thank you.

My name is Derek Dexheimer.

I'm a Seattle resident.

I fully support the.

increase in solar energy, renewable energy funding for the 2022 levy.

This is nothing new.

This is stuff President Carter was talking about in 1978 when I was eight years old.

What are we doing?

Why are we talking about this?

Why wasn't this done 20 years ago?

Please install everything you can to provide some shelters against the terrible weather that's coming in the future.

And I yield my time.

Thank you.

Next is Matt Remley.

Matt Remley.

Matt Remley.

Hello.

Sorry.

My name is Matt Rimley.

I am a resident of Beacon Hill and a father of three school children aged children.

And I'm also a member of Seattle's Green New Deal Oversight Board and also an honored participant in the crafting of the last year's Clean Schools Resolution.

I am very thrilled to to be calling today in support of putting in real investments to the resolution that we all worked on last year.

And this is a absolute incredible opportunity for the Seattle Public Schools to really help pave a path towards climate resilience for our communities.

and showing our youth all of our youth that the true care and commitment that you have in their health welfare and well-being.

So I look forward to seeing an increase in investments for clean energy in the 2022 budget and applaud you all for taking these efforts and I yield the rest of my time.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Jeremy Smithson.

Jeremy Smithson.

Jeremy Smithson you're on the line please press star 6 to unmute.

Moving to the next speaker on today's list.

Irene Svet.

Irene Svet.

Hello.

Is that Irene.

My name is Irene Sveti.

I'm an SPS.

community member.

I'm speaking in support of the amendment to the 2022 capital projects levy package which would add significant funding for clean energy especially rooftop solar at multiple Seattle public schools.

To be brief I would point to the comments made by the previous speakers to illustrate the broad community support for the timely addition of clean energy projects to the levy package.

Among other things rooftop solar installations would provide good living wage union jobs which are something we desperately need more of in the city.

On a personal note as a senior living in a building that cannot be retrofitted with air conditioning I'm deeply concerned about climate change and events such as last summer's devastating heatwave.

We are at a critical moment in figuring out how our neighborhoods are going to get through the coming year.

Adding rooftop solar to our school would increase our city's climate resilience by providing cooling centers and emergency shelters that wouldn't be vulnerable to power outages.

Thank you.

And I yield my time.

And the next speaker is Kerry Glunny.

Kerry Glunny.

Hi my name is Carrie Glenny and I cede my time to Yolanda Ferenz.

Yolanda if you're on the line can you please press star-6 to unmute.

Good evening.

Hi.

Can you hear me.

We can hear you Yolanda.

Great.

Good evening everyone.

I just want to.

say here that my name is Yolanda Cervantes and I am a mother of Isabella who is a 4th grader at the Kimball Elementary School.

And I am speaking today regarding the Kimball special education budget cuts that we recently learned about combining our classroom into one classroom K-5th grade for special education.

So I do appreciate the time.

this opportunity to share my journey with my daughter and her disability.

She first started having difficulties when she was in kindergarten and she was attending a different school in the Seattle District.

I noticed that she was having a hard time retaining information in her classroom and I brought this up to her teachers and they said you know what kids at this age all have different difficulties but eventually adapt.

And they grew out of this.

As a new parent with no experience I took their advice and gave it time.

Unfortunately things did get harder for her.

And you know as a healthcare worker I thought to myself perhaps her vision is off or her eyesight isn't very well.

So we got some tests done.

Everything came back normal.

But eventually you know we reached second grade and she finally had an abeliation which came back that my daughter did have severe dyslexia.

And she had also a learning disability which made it difficult for her to grasp and retain that information.

And IEP was created and I felt great.

I felt that you know she would be able to have the support that she desperately needed.

Unfortunately this wasn't the case.

She was being pulled from her regular class for 40 minutes total throughout the weekend.

She was still struggling and she wasn't enjoying her time at school which wasn't very well for her and myself as her parent.

And so you know the pandemic hit.

She was miserable in front of a screen like every other kid but especially her because she wasn't getting the education or she wasn't grasping everything that the special education teachers were providing for her.

And this year she was actually connected with the teachers with the FOCUS program here at Kimball.

And I can say with enthusiasm that this has been the support the growth and the environment that she has longed for.

And words aren't enough to express my appreciation on how thankful my family is for them and how Isabella's attitude and feelings towards school have changed.

She comes home super excited to tell me about her day.

And so I can't imagine her being back into the classroom with kindergartners and first graders and second graders.

I don't want her to go back and think that you know she's back in the same situation as she was before.

I want her to be surrounded by kids around her age and that are at the same level that she can relate to.

And I just want to finish off by saying that I understand that we live in a society where numbers are important and they're very much valued.

But I do ask that you please focus on the most important thing that that we have here which is our students.

Thank you for your time.

Luis Escamilla.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Hello, can you hear me?

We can hear you.

Great, great, thank you.

My name is Luis Escamilla and I cede my time to Amina Hassan.

Can you hear me?

We can hear you.

Hello.

We can hear you Amina.

Yes.

Hi my name is Amina.

Hello.

Go ahead.

Yeah.

Hello.

Sorry.

Hello my name is Amina Hassan and I'm a mother of special education and Kimball Elementary School.

I'm in the 4th grade and I'm really I'm same story with Yolanda.

I'm not a deaf.

My dad go through a lot when he was in kindergarten with different schools.

So and then when I come to Kimball and signed for this program since that day that's the place I feel happy and that's the place I feel a second home for my child.

And the support they give me the teacher all the staff members.

Last year when the pandemic hit my son was emotionally and socially it was so hard for me.

But the teachers who support me was our focus classroom teachers.

They were amazing.

Academically I would get supported.

And today I'm here to advocate for my child and the rest of the other students and the teachers not to cut our our focus staff members.

Please don't see the numbers but see what are the needs of these children.

Don't see how many kids in the class but just see how many what are the what are the need of these children.

So.

Thank you so much.

Thanks.

Sorry.

The next speaker is Natalia Yudkowsky.

Natalia Yudkowsky.

Hello.

Go ahead Natalia.

Sorry.

Let me start again.

Hello school board members and district staff.

My name is Natalia Yudkowsky and I am a member of the Associated Friends of Roosevelt Drama the theater booster organization at Roosevelt High School.

Together with the performing arts programs at Roosevelt West Seattle High School Chief Sealth International High School Denny International Middle School Ingram High School Garfield High School and Lincoln High School we have written you a letter urging you to support live in-person performing arts performances.

Performing arts classes are academic curricular classes just like math science and language arts.

These are not extracurricular classes and in many cases are used to meet state and local graduation pathway requirements.

Nearly one third of the learning standards for performing arts classes require students to perform.

Our SPS music and theater production classes meet standards by rehearsing real shows meant to be performed on stage.

Expecting performing arts students to perform virtually is unreasonable and inequitable.

It places too many burdens on teachers students and parents especially at under-resourced schools.

Current guidelines from the Washington State Department of Health for K-12 schools support live in-person performances in front of audience with some in front of audiences with some restrictions like masking and distancing.

Therefore this is not a question of health or safety.

We urge you to treat the performing arts like any other curricular class and provide these programs with the support required so that student learning is not further interrupted and our students can meet all of their learning standards while meeting the mission of the SPS Visual and Performing Arts to quote ensure equitable access to a comprehensive sequential and predictable arts education for each and every student at SPS.

Thank you very much.

The next speaker is Julie Ray.

Julie Ray.

Julie Ray and Julie signed up to be in-person.

Is Julie in the room.

Julie if you're on the phone please press star-6 to unmute.

Okay moving to the next speaker.

Canon Evans.

Canon Evans.

Canon Evans.

Please press star-6 if you're on the phone.

The next speaker is Serafina Miller.

Serafina Miller.

Hello.

Oh sorry.

Could you please state your name.

Yes sorry.

My name is Serafina Miller.

Oh excellent.

Thank you.

Please provide your testimony.

Okay.

Hi my name is Serafina Miller.

I'm currently a student at Roosevelt High School and the Seattle Public Schools but I'm also a student of the Performing Arts Department.

And I think it's kind of funny to be a student in the Performing Arts right now because by very definition Performing arts are forms of creative activity that are performed in front of an audience such as drama music and dance.

And I'm here today because performing arts are living and breathing creations and they can only so survive so long without having an audience to see them.

When last year we were all sent home my performing arts classes were the first things to come back online and the first to decide that we would not be beaten and we would find a way to share the things we created.

And I was proud that my teachers had cared so much to find show find different ways for us to showcase what we had worked on.

But there was something incredibly disappointing about each virtual concert.

I'm not sure if it was the length of time you had to walk out to attend a concert that was just in your dining room or the undeniable cringe of having to watch yourself perform rather than actually doing it.

But I think it was really the solitude.

After concerts, there was no applause and all the work that you felt like you had done had no triumphant end.

But now that we're back, we can play together and dance together, sing together, do whatever together, just be together.

And maybe it looks a little different than when I was a freshman.

Masks aren't something I had planned to add to my daily wardrobe, but at least we're back.

And hearing that performing arts was maybe not going to be able to perform was absolutely devastating.

Learning things that we were trying to do.

And while knowing that we wouldn't be able to be on stage even when professional theaters like Spina Royal or 5th Avenue or lots of others like them would be starting their newest season it was it was very hard to feel that we were not being able to explore the full curriculum that we had planned to take or that was what we wanted to learn from our high school experience.

The classes in the performing arts such as band dance musicals theater everything under that same umbrella means so much to myself to my peers to my teachers to my friends.

And I will implore you to allow performing arts to do what they have been taught to do and learn to do and want to do and perform.

It is something that means so much to so many different people.

And it's a short statement but I think that it means a lot.

Thank you.

President Hampson that was our 20th speaker tonight.

Thank you Ms. Wilson-Jones.

Thank you to our speakers.

And at this time before we go to our action items we're going to take a five-minute bio break if that's sufficient for directors.

So we will reconvene recess now at 810 and reconvene at 815. Please be back at the dais.

I'm sorry.

And we are going to go to our action items.

Yes just a moment please.

Go ahead.

I will open the floor for a motion.

I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to execute collective bargaining agreement with the International Union of Teamsters Local Number 117 with the wage schedules and other attachments in the form of Take a breath.

The draft agreement for the period September 1 2020 through August 31st 2023 as 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's immediate action is in the best interest of the district.

Second.

This is moved by Vice President Hersey and seconded by Director DeWolf.

And I'm going to turn this over now to staff presentation.

Mr. King.

Your mic is not on.

Good evening I'm Lance King I'm the Director of Labor Relations.

Thank you for bringing the contract forward.

The contract pertains to our warehousemen that are in the Teamsters Local 117 bargaining unit.

The primary issue during negotiations was a wage adjustment and there were some minor relatively minor changes to the contract language.

Your package should have all the details related to bargaining and the contract but I'm happy to answer any questions if the board has them.

Okay and just as a note this came through the Executive Committee on October 13th and is presented here for approval and this was brought forward for introduction and action.

I will go first to Director DeWolf for any questions comments or concerns.

None here.

Happy to support this.

Thanks for your work on this.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

Thank you.

Could you give us a couple of highlights from the bargaining table.

What were some of the wins in your perspective for the contract.

Sure.

Specifically for the workers not on the part of the district.

Yeah.

Well like I said it was primarily a wage adjustment.

These these warehousing worked very hard.

They worked during the pandemic and the comparables showed that they were under-marketed.

And so that like I said that was that was mainly what was argued.

Okay and then to Director Dury.

No questions for you.

Director Harris.

Director Rivera-Smith.

And Director Rankin.

Just gratitude for an agreement and support for our employees.

Couldn't hear any of that but okay.

The roll call please.

Director or Vice President Hersey and if you could turn on your mics.

Thank you.

Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director DeWolf aye Director Dury aye Director Harris aye President Hampson aye.

This motion has passed unanimously.

Okay and we are now back to our introduction items and we are finishing with our last board director comments on introduction item number two.

Back to you Director Rivera-Smith.

All right.

Hi.

Thank you.

To recap I wanted to mention how this moved out of the committee and my thoughts that it required more conversation and and from directors so I wanted to make sure that when this came forward it was strongly considered and not just kind of taken as is because even in there we did change things.

We took out one of the policies that we decided there in committee that was not necessary.

My first thought when I look at this BAR though is I want to just be clear because it does you know has parts of where it says you know we are rooted in community's vision.

and community's values.

So I'm really stricken when it gets to community engagement and it says inform because that seems to go against that idea of community input and and consideration in this.

And I you know I want to start with that because I think that there is a lot that we need to make sure we we even if we're informing we're bringing people along.

And I don't know if that was done yet because I know that the few people who probably know we're doing this.

You know that's not enough.

We talk at all about how with the change of like especially like in the consent agenda how people have more time they have to know that the process starts in committee.

Well we at the same time acknowledge that few people do and even few people even fewer people attend those meetings.

So I just want to make sure that we're not losing you know side of that engagement because we're trying to get this done quickly.

And I get I get the urgency.

We're moving forward.

We're going to do our trainings.

We've had a lot of meetings on this already.

But that is a concern to me that that this is all moving so quickly.

I think a lot of this is very what's it called like non substantive you know like the pronouns and things that we don't need to vote on.

We know that you know let's change those and update those.

So like out of all of these policy changes there's probably I think there's a good 16 where I'm like sounds good.

Like I don't have any questions or concerns.

But there are some that I think just need maybe some conversation.

And so I'm going to I'm not going through every every policy.

You're welcome.

I'm not going to make us do that.

But I just want to have maybe some questions to clarify some of the things in here.

And I try to focus more on the ones that are going to be eliminated because when we change a policy that's great it lives on and these are living documents as it's often said so we can change them again and alter them as we go.

But when we eliminate it's gone.

It doesn't live.

So I try to focus more on those ones and see if that was you know yeah should we just eliminate this or is there something to be looked at inside of these still.

So I'll start with the A02.00 Performance Management.

And I'm wondering I read through this and I see a lot of this has to do with schools and how they're decided on the supports and leniences leniences or I guess autonomy I don't know the word is used I don't have any running word but and I'm wondering my first question is do we reach out we I guess I'll have to ask Director Hampson this is your BAR and I don't know how much staff did this with you but Has there been reach out to school leaders or pass about this one.

Because of this they're going to if this was eliminated there's some codified insurances in this that they're not going to have anymore.

Then maybe they live somewhere else I'm not sure.

It wasn't outlined in the beautiful summary that the board office provided for us which I'm very grateful for.

It did help a whole lot.

But it doesn't mention those assurances in that policy living on elsewhere.

And again those seem to affect schools primarily in some of those sections so I'm wondering were school leaders in the past engaged on that.

You can answer now if you want me to keep going.

It's just a yes or no I guess with.

You're looking for a specific response to.

To the A02.00 performance management elimination of that policy.

Again so my question about eliminating that have you discuss that with any leaders or with PASS to get their I guess opinion on that one if it was eliminated they would do some at least codified issues.

So but can you clarify for me what it is that that you think is specifically connected to that.

And tell me what page you're on of the document the broader document.

Well it says and I believe that school performance and the circumstances should drive the type and level of support.

I mean if you can particularly for anybody who's listening what page of the Board Action Report document are you talking about.

Should be at the bottom of your screen.

That's a good question.

It's not showing up on my thing.

Preview is weird.

I can't find page numbers in it.

Maybe it's page 62 at the top of my screen I think.

62 of 170. So in there it basically talks about the kind of supports or autonomy a school receives based on certain things and those things are listed.

You know it talks about high performing and low performing and then what kind of supports they get or what kind of autonomy they get.

So that's codified here.

They might still be getting this by whatever superintendent we have but they're losing this assurance of the policy being in there.

How do they feel about that I'm wondering because I haven't talked to them but I don't know if you have.

Maybe you know that they're cool with this and being eliminated.

So I'll refer to Ellie did we talk to PASADO that This is one that we looked at in detail and look to see because in many instances this information is represented elsewhere.

And one of the things that is it's incredibly difficult to track who is accountable for what represented where and this policy and these particular aspects are represented in many other instances.

So I don't know if you want to speak to that at all Ellie because we did have a lot of discussion about this and you were leading on the back-end staff check-ins.

And I do not believe we checked in with with PASS on this but.

To answer the specific question Director Rivera-Smith we did not consult with PASS or with school leaders on that policy.

I can tell you that that policy has long been on board's work plans for revision and replacement.

It is not a policy that is consistent with the current framework for school reporting and goal setting and performance.

So it is a policy that is not well utilized in this moment and it's language that's just not consistent with our current sort of state and regulatory framework.

So we did consult with our Associate Superintendent Pedroza and Dr. Mike Sprosky to make sure and other staff throughout these conversations to see if this was a policy where there are additional pieces that should be retained.

But it's just not one where it's really consistent with our current landscape.

It's really really dated language that predates.

than most almost everyone in the room probably.

Yeah and no definitely there's definitely a lot of policies that are are not followed anymore and I get that.

So but I didn't know.

So that's my question.

Thank you for that background.

Moving on to F21.00 the specific areas of involvement reserved to the district superintendent slash board or their designee.

Now I kind of get this when I'm like yeah this has a whole lot of stuff that doesn't really tell us anything.

You know there's a bunch of jobs but they didn't even say who they were.

Didn't say if it was the board or the superintendent.

So I'm kind of like yeah well that maybe isn't completely necessary.

But it does say that there is some language that's consolidated in policy 2200. And so when you go there you know a lot of that language survived.

There's 8 decision making criteria in in programmatic changes I believe and and locations.

And but it says You know but as it's written the criteria are there but as it's written the the there will be no more statement on quote the relevant factors considered and the basis for each change end quote of programmatic or service changes.

So it sounds like that the reassurance that that kind of information we can will be produced is no longer there.

So I know what you can say we could ask for it.

This never stops any board member or committee member from asking for it.

A lot of the onus on the most unpaid people in all of this which are us and the community.

So I'm kind of just concerned that we're taking a lot of making things harder to access in that way.

And I love hear I'd love to hear that the Superintendent will of course share that you know they've considered those factors and what the basis for change would be.

But the only guarantee we ever have of anything is is you know in policy.

And it reminds me of like AJ's quote about And God we trust you know all others bring data well it's sort of like you know God we trust all others follow policy.

You know I kind of want to I trust but you know either it's God I trust you or I'd like to see following policy just to know that it's it's sure going to happen.

So that's my consider that's my concern is that one.

Moving on to the other one being eliminated H13.00 capacity management.

According to that one again the annual evaluation slash report and recommendations for possible actions are part of an ongoing planning process that includes capacity management functional capacity analysis and enrollment and demographic projections and capital program development and or program placement.

But as far as I can see you want to get a report yeah because like I think Director Rankin was mentioning sometimes it's the reporting.

Not a big deal.

Having it presented to us I can live without.

But knowing that it's somewhere again I think is very important to us knowing that it's still visible and it's you know it's available somewhere.

Because I think the rest of that statement is actually really valuable.

Not just as a directive but as you know transparency to how our capacity is managed.

So I'm kind of wondering is that statement going to live on elsewhere.

According to the summary I did not see that so.

The last one is about getting rid of board policies 55-35 student insurance.

Yeah we talked about that.

We don't need that right.

It seemed like I think Director Rankin had a good word for it.

It was kind of predatory having those in the packets.

And so I I feel I agree with that one getting rid of it.

Going on to the Advisory Committee to Eliminate the Capacity Enrollment and Facility Master Planning Committee.

I I'm all for getting rid of the name.

The name was always impossible to remember and say.

Please let's.

scrap that if we can but at the same time you know this was about community.

This is about bringing community in to have a voice in these processes.

And I'm wondering if that could just like we're doing to ITAC should it be a superintendent committee.

Because I think I'm sure the superintendent would love to have some some community insight that has knowledge of those processes.

you know at his at his availability there rather than to scrapping it because as I you know as Director Harris mentioned that took a lot of work to get that committee going and there was a lot that went into it.

It wasn't just Eden.

She couldn't have passed it by herself.

It came with other directors supporting it and working on it and staff.

So as much as Eden's gone that doesn't mean that this has to be gone necessarily because there's I think a lot of value to be had in that.

I understand it's kind of defunct right now but that doesn't mean it's not useful in some way.

So like I said I think my recommendation was could we make that a Superintendent Advisory Committee.

Now we go on into the other ones that are just to be changed.

I had questions about the 1010 policy 1010 Oversight and Progress Monitoring.

It's super shipped down.

It goes from like 4 pages to 1. That might not be a big deal but I'm just wondering that it says the superintendent will establish a student outcomes focused progress monitoring framework and mechanisms to inform the board regarding progress towards the outcome goals in adherence to the guidelines.

Is that monitoring framework going to be approved by the board.

I wasn't sure about that.

So I'd like to know.

Board Policy 1310 Policy Adoption and Suspension Creation of Manuals and Superintendent Procedures.

where it says superintendent shall annually provide a report.

We got rid of the part about the non-substantive.

I get that.

I'm totally okay.

The part that's retained is superintendent will annually provide a report on any changes to superintendent procedures from the previous year.

I actually think there should be more often.

I think the superintendent procedure changes.

We need to know that as soon as we can just so that we are informed as we communicate with the public.

I'd actually feel like to be I'd actually like to see that be quarterly or monthly somehow rather than annually.

It's kind of crazy to me that a procedure could change and we don't know for maybe up to 12 months later.

That's a little concerning.

Board Policy 2190 Highly Capable Services.

We eliminate a whole paragraph that's specifically about Consistent with our commitment to anti to being an anti-racist organization and to quote build trust amongst our families and students of color furthest from educational justice.

And we talk about all the things that we would do to to do that all the all the sorry information we gather and data we share.

I'm kind of wondering like why we would want to eliminate the part that is about building trust.

You know I kind of feel like maybe we still we still need to build trust.

We're still working on that right.

So I'm wondering if that has to go because that is specifically to build trust amongst our families of color.

I'm not sure that should be going anywhere.

Board Policy 3123. Withdrawal prior to graduation.

We eliminate that the board directs the superintendent to submit an annual or early withdrawal report which outlines the age and grade level for each student.

The reasons for leaving followed data.

This to me is very much a student outcomes report because this is their outcome as they left school.

So I kind of feel like that would actually be viable to still hear about and know about.

I don't know how hard it is to produce that but again that seems like a student outcome which is what we're trying to focus on so.

And Then there was a board procedure but I know I'm sorry a superintendent procedure but we don't approve those anyway so I just had a comment about the natural resources conservation that eliminates that you will provide an annual annual report to the school board on natural resource conservation measures employed in capital projects.

As somebody who co-sponsored and authored the Clean Energy Resolution I kind of want to see that still.

I think that's great to have or maybe that can be provided to the Clean Energy Task Force.

Anyways that was probably not a necessary comment but I wanted to share that thought because I noticed that.

That is my litany.

That's everything there.

Thank you for giving me the chance to go through that with you all.

Again as you can see there was close to over there was over a dozen policy changes that I'm not taking issue with.

I think they are things that I really appreciate the streamlining of our work.

It is long overdue and I look forward to the extra time and ability our staff will have to work on reaching those soon outcome goals.

Okay thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

I know Ms. Wilson-Jones would like to comment on a few of those items and then I can respond to some of them.

I know other directors have comments on them based on their involvement at some point or another to get some of your questions answered.

Go ahead Ms. Wilson-Jones.

I can share just some of the technical pieces related to the policies that you mentioned.

So for Policy F-21 as you mentioned it is kind of just a sort of detached list of things that somebody might do.

And then in the middle it has a much denser section that overlaps with Policy 2200. So the content that it was not specifically included in Policy 2200 or the accompanying policy on closures was moved into 2200. 2200 had their reporting requirements removed.

And then there still is the list of considerations or factors that would need to be worked through.

And in talking with staff I mean that is the list that they will use to do their job.

And I think that part of the conversation and determinations for the board is just kind of what what how prescriptive do you want your policies to be about just the way staff approaches their work.

And in that case it was paring back the requirement that they do that in writing because that was really linked to the reporting requirement although those are the factors that they would consider.

Similar with H13 the reporting requirement.

was recommended by directors for repeal.

And then the rest of the policy is much of that is description of the work that staff will continue to do.

And it was just without the reporting requirement it's a description of staff work.

And so President Hampson made a determination in this BAR she wanted to repeal that policy.

For the Capacity Enrollment Facility Master Planning Committee.

I know that in talking with staff they also indicated that they want to have community engagement.

They want to bring together groups of people to support their work.

It just wouldn't necessarily be under the framework of that committee as it was originally drafted.

And then I'm not sure that I have the answers to your questions the specific ones on Policy 1010 and the the respective roles on development of the progress monitoring framework.

So I'll pass on that one for now.

On Policy 1310 I think that's a good point about an annual report on superintendent procedures feeling like a long wait to know about those.

I'll let you know that by by practice in the board office and by policy through That same policy I guess we are required to run superintendent procedures through board committees for information.

We also by practice immediately send the the procedures to the board as we're processing them.

Is that in policy or is that just in procedure.

Because I know you do that I appreciate that.

It's either in.

More than once a year.

It's either in the superintendent procedure for that policy or in that policy that they go to the committees for information.

They do come back to the board.

relatively quickly and then by practice we immediately provide them or semi-immediately provide them.

I just appreciate that it is codified somewhere so I wasn't sure if it still lives somewhere else but yeah.

It is for the committee piece.

And then I didn't have any specific sort of technical pieces on the other ones.

Thank you.

Director DeWolf you wanted to respond on the CM piece I believe.

I would just say as a co-sponsor of that that I can't speak for that former director but I don't know that it would have could or really is the most valuable thing for our time or for our community's time.

So I personally as somebody who is now the chair of operations I don't feel that we are missing out on any information that we don't already have or can get.

Did you want to speak to that as well.

Yes as the second to Director Mack on that committee it we yes the the the initial concern was that the makeup of the committee did not represent the diversity of our our district.

That was a big problem.

As we continued on I haven't added up the number of hours because it would be too depressing honestly spent working with staff and with Director Mack as we sort of work towards what what the actual charge and purpose of the committee was.

We kept finding ourselves getting kind of circular discussions and realizing that we were overlapping a lot with things that existed in in levy processes and other community engagement things.

And then the committee members from community themselves brought the same concerns once we started to engage them more.

And so it really I I I will disagree respectfully with the Stonewall comment.

Staff was actually I thought very accommodating and giving a lot of time to try to figure out how to move that forward.

And it just ultimately I felt was a collaborative decision that sort of it needed to be rethought.

I also agree that we had a lot of great minds in there.

And that I think I discussed with Director DeWolf on sort of a debrief as he was becoming the operations chair that there was there was value there and we maybe needed to reconsider how it would best serve the district and that could potentially be as a advisory committee for for staff.

So I don't know where that ended up but I mostly wanted to kind of push back on the idea that it was somehow deliberately not move forward because we actually worked speaking of hard work we worked very hard and spent a lot of time together to try to figure that out and it just kind of didn't it wasn't the appropriate place for that as we as we discovered.

And then I also wanted to respond Director Rivera-Smith the paragraph that you mentioned also in 2190 is the same one that I brought up which was an amendment that I had made before we passed that.

And so as I will definitely be following up with Superintendent Jones about how we do do that reporting because that was a big part of making the changes to Highly Capable is like Well because a lot of families felt that they you know they were always kind of chasing those services and trying to figure out how to how to make sure they were actually provided.

And so it is critical and it's a state requirement that we do have have it living somewhere.

You know what those services are.

Who's accessing it.

And in turn and I actually think it ties very well with one of our goals about access to high quality instruction and challenging classwork.

I can't remember exactly the third goal but that as part of reporting on that goal I would expect to see a general report based on information that I would expect the superintendent to be demanding of staff.

What students are we serving.

What are the demographics.

Is this equitable across the district.

I think that actually goes right into one of the goals that we've laid out.

I want to I think call out a little bit that we really need to be aware that as we are responding to the desperate pleas from so many community members to make change for students who have been underserved.

This feels to me very much like an equity detour the pushback on this.

I just wanted to name it as that and that's not anybody personally that's just the general and I recognize it in myself too of like that's a lot of numbers on that bar.

And I just want to kind of just call that in this moment that in pushing that all of these reports and all of these various requirements have not made have not narrowed the gap that we are known for that the Seattle Times has talked about that so many people have talked about the gap between White students and Black students.

We have the fifth biggest gap.

We're actually by the numbers and by nationwide we are technically a high achieving district.

But that the benefit of that goes mainly to White students.

And so we have to be brave.

and honest with ourselves about when we see hesitancy about not wanting to let go of things the way that they were done before they were not producing the results that we need to see for our students and they were not closing gaps that we all know exist.

And again this isn't this isn't going to get bronzed.

If it turns out we made a mistake if it turns out something needs to come back we can bring it back.

That's our job.

But we were elected to be accountable to community.

They're asking us to make changes.

And so that's what we need to do.

I wanted to talk about a few of the things that you well not I want to talk about generally and you and I can sit down and go through some of it in specifics if that's helpful between intro and action.

But the again this is something that that built up with with input from a lot of different folks using our committee chair structure as it is.

Understanding the reality of those three binders of policies that our job as governance the reason why the policy governance model is becoming a favorite model in Washington State is because the model as we have it right now is not doable by the people that are doing it.

We cannot keep up with our average age of a policy is 2014. for many of our policies that's completely inappropriate.

And it's not governance.

It's just layers and layers and layers and layers of built upon layers of of digging into management of adults with no focus on what we actually do have which is a really solid strategic plan.

that we are accountable to.

And we're already three years into that with nothing to show for it.

Nothing.

We have nothing to show for a strategic plan.

And if we don't do something now and and just to the point of bringing people along we we went out into community.

Actually Superintendent Jones and I went together out into community and talked to folks night after night after night and some of the other staff who were in the audience were there as well talking to community about this strategic plan what they did and how it did and did not how they did and did not see themselves necessarily reflected.

They were hard conversations.

We had folks from the Native community the Latino community Pacific Islander community who you know with hard questions about well if we're focusing on Black males you know how do we how do we how are we represented in this.

How do we represent it in targeted universalism.

We cannot in any of these situations remove ourselves from our accountability to those outcomes and our are now our approved goals and guardrails and I will talk about some of the interims because we have a really heavy workload ahead of us and this is truly about making space for that heavy workload not just for ourselves but for staff because the major issue here with the You know what comes first in this process and in bringing people along and how nice it would be to be able to bring folks along is time.

We don't have the luxury of time.

We don't have the luxury of excessive funding.

And it is not possible to maintain the current load of policy maintenance and reporting and move this institution forward into a functional model with a functional culture of accountability for actual outcomes for students.

And so what we tried to do in going through all of these which in each of these conversations and I did you know we asked all year long I've been talking about talk in your committees about the reporting and the workload and what can we get rid of and what can we clear away because we have to make space to do the work that matters and to be accountable to our strategic plan and and to set up the entire community for that next strategic plan with a with a clear clean racial equity focus that is actually doable and that people can run for office and be elected and get elected to a job that's accessible to them and that they can actually do because it's not 12 hours a day of waiting through Some of these I mean I challenge anybody to look at some of these policies that the F21 I mean it's there's no there's so little value in any of that why are we holding on to it.

And that's not to say that that there isn't good people cared about important things and wanted this district to be functioning at a high level.

got missed along the way is what the role of the board is.

And the role of the board is not management.

It's governance.

And so in going through all of these every step of the way there there were some that I too had that conversation with myself of should we really let go of this.

And and some of them were hard to let go of.

Because you're right some of them do talk about student outcomes but that doesn't mean that they're going away altogether.

That means that we need to look at them based on the goals that that we have set forth based on the vision and values of the community and the top level goals the guardrails connected to that and then insist on the one thing that we have been missing in my two years on the board I have seen barely a wisp of actual student data on how our kids are doing.

And yet I'm watching our staff run around like crazy trying to feed us information that's disconnected from that.

The the reforms to 1010 are are intended to create space for staff to to devote time and attention to building a progress monitoring framework and and the metrics to support student outcomes focused governance.

It's the fact that we don't have interim metrics for students in terms of how they're doing in the middle of the year is that that's going to take time to get to.

So staff are and you can ask them because I bug them every day about the interim goals and guardrails and they are college they're about college and career readiness school climate surveys which are being administered in November and on the long run identifying the best assessment tool for 3rd grade literacy 7th grade math.

And we know that we talked about that as a board that's a 12-month process including working with the joint task force on on the assessments on the assessments calendar calendar for the fall of 2022. So that framework is getting built out.

And and then in the next step for us as directors then is actually taking this out to community.

And I that's where we need to be right.

We actually need we're so head down in this endless myriad of of reporting and quote unquote accountability that has gotten for 20 years no change in the gaps that exist for Black students and Black males in particular.

And that's not okay.

We are leaving.

We are getting left behind nationally.

It's time that there is nothing about our current system of governance that is consistent with best practices.

It's not consistent with innovation and it's not consistent with any direction that any forward thinking district that actually wants to operationalize racial equity is doing.

And that doesn't mean that any of this stuff isn't important.

It just means that it's not our work.

And this is about trying to get us focused on what is our work as board directors.

Director Hersey you had a couple of things you

Oh I don't I don't know.

I thought I'd seen you with a finger up at one point but you're all good.

Okay.

Any other comments questions about this.

Go ahead Director Rivera-Smith.

Definitely I would like to respond to all that.

That was a lot and thank you.

This is what I wanted.

I wanted a conversation on this because we you know with the full board.

So I'm very happy that we are having this now.

And I'm hearing I hear you guys.

I don't know if you heard me. and Director DeWolf was literally reading a book while I was talking.

So I'm not sure because I don't know what in this was against moving towards that work you just spoke so well about there.

I again most of this I am absolutely on board with eliminating or streamlining with the report on students who withdraw prior to graduation.

I don't actually think I asked to maintain a whole lot in here.

I had questions about things and if they were somewhere else.

So I don't really want to be you know canceled out because I'm not joyfully just moving with it.

I have questions and I think that's my job.

You're absolutely right.

Our job is governance.

It's also oversight and accountability.

And how we have that how we how we are able to do the oversight and accountability is with the information that a lot of things have.

And I hear you a lot of it lives elsewhere.

That's I mean that's what the summary showed very well and I like I said before I really appreciate that summary.

And we can talk more about my specific questions here because again I don't think a lot of them were no let's keep doing it the way we're doing it.

I don't think I said that and I'm sorry if that's what you heard.

I'm not worried about the few people who've gotten back to us all up in arms about this.

They're not the people I'm worried about.

I'm worried about people we didn't hear from who don't know but some of this information is going away that they could probably use.

And I don't know why that's funny.

Okay I know and that's a problem right.

I mean we wanted people to be able to people should be able to you need the information to advocate.

And so many people don't have that and don't have the time to advocate.

I mean I was raised by a single mom.

I get that she never would have known anything about the school board what they were doing or how to make changes to better my education.

And that's so many of our family and those are the ones we care you know we're trying to look out for those people.

those families and those populations who can't be following the bars and be at you know our committee meetings.

So again people we've heard from I appreciate that they got to us.

But yeah we all know that it's the people we don't hear from.

And that's the idea right.

We come to the table we bring the people the voices that we're not hearing.

And they have a voice when they have information.

You know it has to start somewhere.

So again I don't even I'm probably going too deep here because there wasn't a whole lot I was asking to maintain.

I am on board with a lot of this and I appreciate that you launched this and initiated this process and I know staff appreciates it.

And the superintendent's definitely going to appreciate it.

He does appreciate it already.

I just you know I said I had some nuggets that I was like hey that might be nice to keep.

It might be nice to know where it is and if it's not you tell me it's nowhere and we'll move on from there.

But again like I I want to be clear on This you know this is just about being thoughtful.

I'm just trying to be thoughtful.

And I know you guys are too but it's something like I want to make sure that like it's understood how much I want to.

you know come along and bring people along as I can.

And I know we all do the best we can at that and I appreciate how much people are.

I loved the explanations you guys gave.

And I again I appreciate that we have two more weeks to go through this and talk about it before action.

And it might come back the same or it might have some changes but I know we'll work on that together.

So thank you.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith and I do I do hear you.

I mean and I didn't mean to I mean I was kind of responding more generally and just making sure that that the perspective from which this comes is clear and and I offered to sit down because I want to make sure what I heard were things that I felt like I've processed and and working with other their committee chairs have come to the conclusion with staff come to the conclusion that they don't meet the criteria to stay.

But that doesn't mean that you and I shouldn't sit down and have that conversation again.

And I appreciate your desire to have that two-way conversation and make sure that you have as much information as you need to to be supportive of.

of what I know you believe is good work.

So I yeah I don't want to in any way I don't want you to feel unheard.

I think it's important that you do feel heard.

So yes let's please do that and go through those things.

I describe this as like when you you realize that this one corner of your floor is you know super dirty and you go to sweep it up And then you realize the rest of the floor is really dirty and you know next thing you know you're either sweeping the whole floor or you just you know and you forget about something else that you were supposed to do like pick your kids up from school or something.

So I'm trying to keep us focused on this one little little area so that then so that we can just create just enough space looking at staff that have been working with me on this just enough space for us to move forward.

on this other good work that we will be doing in lockstep together and with our new our new board directors as well.

So okay with that for the sake of staff and all of us let's move along to Item Number 3. Approval of Seattle Public Schools SPS Personal Services Contract for City Year of Seattle.

This is an annual thing.

This came through SSC&I on October 12th for consideration.

And are you briefing us on this.

Who's briefing us on this.

Come on up Mr. Bush.

I just wanted to say it's for consideration and not approval because in.

Did I say approval.

No no no I just I was just explaining why it says it's for consideration is because I elected with the notice to my fellow committee members and actually I think I emailed the whole board.

that this seemed like because it's an annual so I just sharing this again for transparency because this is an annual item that we've had before I I wanted us to and there weren't any major changes.

I wanted us to have the benefit of the conversation and the presentation as a full board rather than Having it only in committee and then having an abbreviated version happen in this meeting that that more people pay attention to and that's recorded.

So that's why it's for consideration not because there's any concern but just because we actually moved it to the full board without discussion.

Thank you.

Go ahead Mr. Bush.

Yes.

So it's pretty brief but James Bush thank you for the time.

Assistant Superintendent of Equity Partnerships and Engagement.

So I'm going to be super brief and just available for questions.

This is a renewal of the City Year contract which is a total of 1.38 million dollars.

And historically it used to come to the board and by individual school.

We made the decision like many many years ago to do a master contract with City Year and other partners similar to this to take the burden off of our school leaders and doing MOU's and personal services contracts were very similar work.

City Year supports the academic enrichment activities before after and through an extended day program at 10 of our schools.

Wing Luke.

Chief Sealth High School.

South Shore K-8.

Roxhill.

Rising Star Martin Luther King Jr.

Highland Park Denny.

Concord and Aki Kurose.

There's always an interest in expansion to more schools.

Our challenge is kind of the funding and the resources but they're always interested in expanding and having those conversations with us.

City Years AmeriCorps partners are representative of the cities they serve especially those students furthest from educational justice.

City Year data shows that 51 percent of the Seattle Public School team is Black Indigenous or a person of color and 49 percent are White or Caucasian.

51 percent of the BIPOC breaking that down a little bit more 14 percent are Black or African-American 14 percent Asian 13 percent Hispanic Latinx 10 percent multi-ethnic other or other and 49 percent White as I already shared.

City Year has been an integral part of the work at schools with the folks in academic support mentoring and other enrichment activities to serve all of our students furthest from educational justice as you look at the geography of the schools that they serve and the population that they serve.

Do I have for you all any questions.

Do directors have any questions comments or concerns.

I'll start with you Director Rankin.

Chair of the SOC&I committee.

Thank you.

I am curious mostly about And I think this will probably be part part of other discussions but one reason I wanted to bring it to the full board for discussion is is where it fits in the landscape of all the different contractors that we have.

So you may not be able to answer that right now and that's okay.

But my main wonder is As we have various contracts with outside agencies coming in I noticed that the scope of work here is to focus on attendance behavior and coursework support.

So my question is the attendance and behavior part of that how do we measure success or not in that.

And also how do we how does this contract align particularly with the focus on behavior.

How are we bringing how are we ensuring that City Year is aligned with our shifts of less punitive and more supportive whole child health and how do we how do we monitor and manage that.

Well they are managed at the school level.

So typically City Year projects and some of you are familiar with some of the schools that have City Year in their buildings.

But they're integrated into the school teams and so they're actually part of the teams that are actually doing a lot of that work on the ground.

We provide resources and training with them often city years at some of our community partnership PD.

They're also in some of our other school-based PD.

They're really integrated into the school buildings.

That's what their model is.

So so that's that's one piece.

In terms of the contract.

They're funded by the City of Seattle through the through DEEL Title 1 and 10 of those blended funding models similar to Parks and Rec communities and schools.

So some of those big CBO's that are doing that work they kind of fall into that same bucket.

There aren't a lot of CBO's that kind of have these kind of master contracts.

I think we have maybe four or five but there aren't that many that have this this kind of an arrangement.

And I think in a few weeks you're going to get a couple more that are going to come your way with Seattle U and Parks and Rec.

All right I actually have one other question.

When there's programs like City Year in a building that is in that is separate from or in addition to the staffing deployed from Seattle Public Schools per you know W that You know the FTE.

So this this is.

It's it's definitely in addition to.

In addition.

And most of the model at many of the schools that their model kind of depends on kind of which school you're at but they're actually partnering with a teacher actually supporting in the classroom.

Kind of operating kind of in a.

And so there's definitely a value add.

And actually they actually a lot of them after they finish their time in CDER they end up becoming teachers and go through.

I don't want to give you too much information but like some of them are in STR.

There's just lots of opportunities for alignment and growing young people doing this work that we're able to maximize on.

And STR is Seattle Teacher Residency correct.

Yes.

Sorry I know that I must use acronyms.

Other comments questions Director Harris.

I've watched them in action for years and I can't imagine Frankly how much worse it would be unfortunately if we didn't have their assistance.

And every principal I've known has begged for more.

Oh.

Other comments questions concerns.

Okay.

Thank you Mr. Bush.

Are you.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Okay.

Next up we have approval of the purchase of additional laptops and iPads for students to support the one-to-one teaching and learning model for the school year 21-22.

And Director of Technology.

Hello.

Gosh.

Hi Carlos.

The technology guy doesn't know how to use the mic.

Good evening President Hampson Directors Superintendent.

I'll be presenting the BAR for Student Devices.

The purpose of the school board action is to authorize the superintendent execution of purchase orders through Thunder Dell and Apple for a total not to exceed $5,840.

$2,034 plus Washington State tax with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent to take any necessary actions to implement purchase orders to support the devices for pre-K through 12 students.

Of note after spring after spring check-ins 25 percent devices is still missing.

Over 2,600 iPads and 10,000 laptops.

We knew that some number will not come back in the fall but unsure how many.

Plus some of the devices that were returned and they were broken beyond you guys wouldn't believe.

It's very bad.

Last spring we had about 53,000 laptops laptops order oh I'm sorry 5,300 no 53,000 5,300 laptops order.

from the previous BAR and replace the older underpowered laptops.

Kept the older ones devices since we were short rather than surplus them but needed some of the higher power for the high school laptops as well.

The bring your own device and lower end laptops help to cover for the high schools because I remember last year.

Low-end laptops were distributed early in the pandemic.

We're trying to update those as part of the refresh from middle schools.

Returns are still coming and some of the schools they're not finished with the distribution so this purchase is our best estimate.

DUTS is doing an inventory in every school right now.

We have provided the list to principals of what's missing.

And we're targeting to have a full inventory by the end of October.

Of note part of this purchase we submitted through the past purchases we submitted for the Emergency Connectivity Fund and I'm happy to to report that about 3.7 million were approved.

That's money that's coming back and it's going to offset some of the costs for this BAR which is good.

ITAC did review this this BAR and gave their inputs and they they're very concerned to point out the student benefit that this Washington State requires for students as far as technology.

I'll say we're working on a sustainable process around The management of devices we're trying to devise a better process for the one-to-one student program.

And we're trying to figure out who manages the devices at each step of the of the distribution.

Inventory control tracking.

The collection distribution plan for remote in-person as well.

The loss prevention approaches and some developing some comprehensive communications our plans out.

It doesn't seem right that we have to reimage about 40,000 devices during the summer.

That is a lot.

So we need to start figure out how to make that process more efficient.

There were some questions during committee from directors.

Director Rivera-Smith asked us about the bring your own device in high school.

How does this match with equity.

We were short in devices so allowing bring your own device help us provide better devices to those who needed them.

Even if we did not allow the bring your own device the first year of high school the one-to-one we saw that at least 15 percent of the students who will not take the device the district devices.

preferring their own devices because a personal device devices sometimes do not work as well on district resources and they cannot be used for standardized testing.

We continue to review the bring your own device policy.

If we make this decision not to allow the bring your own device we'll need to purchase more high school devices.

Another question that came up is will we continue to see levels of loss annually.

We'll have better inventory numbers by intro.

Too soon to tell.

I don't have them.

The pandemic you know how I said we have the inventories going by the end of this month.

The pandemic closures added huge challenges to the collection of the distribution.

You know how I said you know DUS is working in this developing this sustainable process for the future.

We'll have the inventory by the end of October.

And also, there was a question of equity as far as the charges, the $25 charges.

And if they were lost, they'd have to pay $350 laptop incidence and $48 for charges.

We we had these feasibility study equity study done initially when we started the one-to-one program.

The fees were analyzed with the racial equity tool and the findings were that applying these same fees were equitable across and the families that were able to pay we will we will consider waiving that fee as well.

There's a question also by Director Harris as far as the insurance.

The district negotiated cancellation of the insurance premiums after we were advised that we will need to report each non-return laptop to the police within five days.

It was kind of logistically it's impossible.

before the claim can be paid.

And pretty much bottom line in spring 2020 SPS purchased insurance in about 10,495 New York computers to cover for the loss.

The premiums were about six six hundred thousand fifty five hundred.

And it was a plus at a hundred dollar deductible for every high school device.

They were the high-end devices.

Any other device that were not a high school there was a $50 deductible.

Because the company didn't honor the $100 deductible and they were pushing for the policy the police report that came to an agreement we came to an agreement to have them to refund the the premiums.

Of note the iPads that we purchased We purchased with something called the AppleCare.

And that covers for three years of repairs.

It includes accidental damage.

But it doesn't cover for loss of the device.

The laptops, the repairs in the laptops, we actually have a repair shop that takes care of that.

The question also was are there any districts insured against the loss.

And none that we have found yet.

It's not cost-effective.

We actually send out a request for information to all districts in the Northwest via ACPE that is a Association of Computer Professionals in Education that we use as a service that we can send out RFI.

And we receive a two answers from Edmonds and Shoreline districts and they're having the same challenges that we're having as well.

Lastly the ask ask if the board were informed of this of this refund and to our understanding the finance department notified the board president in the summer of 2020. President Hanson I'm not sure you'll comment to that but that's the information I received.

Great.

I couldn't hear that.

You sort of trailed off.

Maybe talk a little closer to them.

Mike what was your question.

No it wasn't a question.

I said the the the finance office notified the the board the board president in summer 2020 about the refund from the insurance company.

That's that's correct.

Yeah.

With that I'll take any questions.

Okay.

Directors.

Questions comments concerns.

Yes we can go to.

Chair Rivera.

I just wanted to state that we had a discussion you know a lot of what Carlos just said was captured captured the discussion that we had in committee and that we did move this forward for approval.

Okay.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Yes.

I had just wondering feedback there.

Sorry.

Does this include any headsets for the iPads or laptops.

I don't have an iPad myself but I assume it's it's proprietary plug so it has to either be wireless or an Apple headset.

And I'm sorry is this will this if not in here are we purchasing headsets for students.

It is it is not included in here no.

We can we can program for it but not included.

It is just chargers and the computers and the iPads.

I would like to see if I mean if we can find a way to pay for the headsets too because I know that every student is going to need one in class.

They don't all have their families really.

Like I know my son's class they wanted a headset for his.

Yeah we we have we have issue with headsets.

We have all the means that we can purchase the headsets and we have actually provided to the schools as well.

So we already we already provide headsets.

Yes.

Okay.

Awesome.

Thank you.

And then for the AppleCare is there a cost-benefit then to know if that's.

Is that's that's worth it to do the AppleCare for those.

We did the analysis and we believe so.

The I mean they're very expensive devices so just the repairs is a great value.

Thank you.

Any other questions.

Thank you.

Director Hersey did you have a question.

No.

Sorry I was just trying to understand Director Rivera-Smith's question.

I thought the model that we ordered came with a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack.

Is that correct.

Not sure.

I have my director online.

I would imagine I would imagine if we're using the student ones they have the headphone jack so they can just plug in so it wouldn't be proprietary.

I believe so.

Yeah.

Yeah for sure.

I just had a clear I couldn't quite hear what you said about the fees.

Oh there was a question about how equitable the fees were and we did a study when we first started the the one-to-one program back in 2019. There was a study done and it was deemed that it was equitable to apply it across.

Okay.

And my only we do have a fees policy that needs review and so this would fall under that.

But I would just ask that it the request for waiver be a one-step process.

currently a two-step process.

So if you need a waiver you have to put it on the form and then you have to send a separate email.

And and for for families that need the waiver that's not likely to happen and then you just get bugged from the from the district about it.

So one of the many sort of equity meets psychology meets you know what what are we benefiting from for this fee.

Certainly if it's two-step process that's not a good way to recoup.

25 bucks from a staff time standpoint.

So.

We'll we'll take it into consideration as we do this analysis of how do we.

Yeah.

And again that some of that's on us as a board too because we don't really have a good process.

We don't have a good policy around fees.

Student fees.

That the question around the fees is my question and I would love to see us move to where we if we are providing and also requiring that students use devices that we have a way to fully pay for and fund it.

As we move along and becoming part of this whatever 21st second century we're in.

And just for the record the fees piece of it is prospectively part of the discussion in participatory budgeting that involves 6114 because that all gets wrapped up together because there are fees for athletics there's fees for there's all kinds of fees.

So Director Rankin.

Yeah I had one more thing I forgot about that I asked in committee that might be more of a question for Assistant Superintendent Berge but I'll just ask it now which is in the future is there any feasibility of some kind of a statewide like a purchasing cooperative or insurance that that we could I don't know somehow partner with other districts or leverage that to to protect costs and investment.

That doesn't have to be answered right now.

That's just something I wanted to throw out there and see if that's even in the realm of possibility and if it would be helpful.

So we sent a request for information out to all the districts how they're doing and that's part of our research to ensure.

That's a good thing for me.

Good thing for directors to bring up at WSSDA as well.

Yeah.

Don't forget to use your advocacy skills at WSSDA.

They're very approachable and Seattle has not had a lot of say in this statewide legislative ask.

Okay.

Thank you so much Mr. Del Valle.

Item Number 5 Adoption of Board Policy Number 4311 School Safety and Security Services Program Scheme through SSC&I on October 12th and is presented for consideration.

And Fred Podesta you're presenting.

Hello Fred Podesta Assistant Superintendent for Operations.

In the last legislative session the legislature passed House Bill 1214 which relates to school district safety and security programs.

And among other things the law requires that districts adopt a policy for the 21-22 school year that clearly describes safety and security staff duties and responsibilities that recognizes that training security staff know when to enforce the law versus enforcing school rules that clarifies the circumstances that should lead to school staff to request security staff to intervene with a student and explains the contribution that safety and security staff are expected to make to a positive climate.

and student relationships.

It also requires a clearly understood and articulated policy for families to file complaints related to security staff and for investigating such complaints.

So WSSDA developed a model policy in general.

The policy is aligned with the goals and the mission of our safety and security program.

The law also had some relevance to school resource officers which our policy does not cover since we don't have school resource police and school resource officers in our school buildings.

So we have drafted the policy again mostly aligned with the WSSDA model policy which we're bringing tonight for introduction.

Beyond the policy elements the law also requires districts to determine a model for communicating the role of safety and security programs to families and students at the start of the year which we intend to integrate into our student rights and responsibility communications.

Have some training requirements that are being developed by the ESDs.

that our staff will go to and has some record-keeping requirements as well that will require a little bit of modification of some of our systems.

But I think these are all things we can implement and would support.

And with that I will take any questions you might have.

Okay.

First to you Director Rankin.

Chair of SSC&I.

We discussed this in committee a few times as it's a new item in response to a state piece of state legislation.

And I believe Mr. Podesta covered our questions but that led us to have it for consideration.

Director Harris.

Could you address the training schedule that we discussed at SSC&I and the hope that we never see the kinds of claims and harm to our students in the future.

Certainly.

We already have in practice a annual training for de-escalation required of all security safety and security staff.

We've been working with Coordinated School Health to have that training done in an integrated fashion with school administrators as well because many of the issues relate to as described in the policy.

Understanding when school staff should involve security or not.

700 people.

participated in the train in the first round of training that we had about two weeks ago.

Again done in cooperation with Safety and Security and Coordinated School Health it was very well received and our goal is to have we haven't determined the exact schedule since this was our our first pass but our goal is over the remainder of this school year and next school year to try to have training for all school leaders.

And again Safety and Security does this with every employee every year.

I'm not sure I understand what you just said so I'm going to try again please.

Are you telling me that it's not until next year that we'll have all of our security staff trained.

No what I said is.

That's what I'm asking.

Safety and security staff get this training every year and that is not a new policy.

What we are trying to do is train all school leaders as well as school administrators since their decisions often lead to the involvement of safety and security.

And the de-escalation training is how many hours of professional development.

It's CPI training.

I will have to give you the exact parameters at a later date.

I can follow up with that information.

Thank you.

Other directors have comments questions.

I have a comment actually to add to that is that as part of the changes to the isolation restraint policy And let me discuss the overlap in committee.

The separate from this also all school leaders are getting training on identifying and reporting incidents.

And so I guess I'll just ask to reaffirm or affirm that the training that that security is getting aligns with that as well.

And that in the school leader training that support in identifying an incident is also is connected to to identifying whether or not security is the appropriate support to call in.

Yes.

And that is the goal.

Some of the record keeping that will accompany the establishment of this policy is to make sure You know security keeps track of security events.

Discipline and restraint of students are those don't always involve security so those are kept elsewhere but we're going to integrate integrate those records so we understand the involvement of school staff and security staff and events.

Thank you.

I have a question but you know Please take it as a comment and that is a wonder if any of this could be taken out of the policy and put into the superintendent procedure.

There are some requirements that are the legislation is fairly prescriptive so it certainly work.

I was about to say and having not actually read the RCW in preparation that may not be the best comment.

But it's a wonder because of how prescriptive it is.

It is.

I think we tried to keep the policy to the elements that were required by the legislation and the procedure is more expansive.

Okay.

And consistently those prescriptive duties came with zero money correct.

That's correct.

Consistent.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other comments questions concerns.

No.

Okay.

Let's move on to adoption approval of the Athletic Trainer Support Services Contract.

This came through Auditor's Finance on October 11th and is recommended for approval.

Dr. Pedroza is presenting.

Good evening.

I'm here to present the BAR for the approval of the Athletic Trainer Services Contract.

This is a contract with Seattle Children's Hospital to provide athletic trainers for 11 high schools for a 3-year period 2021-24.

The contract is for $464,640 with a 3-year total of $1,000,393,920.

Just some notes from the last time we met under the Audit and Finance Committee there was a request to change the title which we did.

And then the other piece is that we ensured that the appendix A was included because that actually has the roles and responsibilities of what the services to be provided in schools are at the 11 comprehensive high schools.

And TD our Director Davis is actually online if there's specific questions related to the programming of the athletics department if there's any questions related to that.

Thank you.

Director Harris you have a question.

Every time this comes up I continue to ask about our club sports that are often far more inclusive to our students and many of them furthest from educational justice.

And when we are going to recognize that fact and that one can get a good traumatic brain injury lifelong expensive horrific in our club sports.

So I will share that that's one of the things that we were discussing is actually bringing forth a policy around club sports with some specific guidelines.

It is on the docket to discuss sometime this year which will be brought to committee.

So it is on the conversation topic.

We've been talking about it since last year.

Luckily we've been looking at other club sport policies around the districts to give us some guidance.

But it's a conversation we're going to have and hopefully have something brought forward this year.

Okay.

Any other comments questions or concerns.

Director Rivera-Smith.

I just wanted to say thank you for adding the attachments.

That's I think I asked.

Yes you're welcome.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Okay if there's no further questions.

Director Rankin.

Thank you.

Does this.

Sorry is there an educational component to this or is it more of a medical.

I mean are is there any utilization of these professionals to increase students understanding of joint muscle injury prevent prevention.

I guess that's really what I'm getting at.

Is there anything for prevention or is it mostly as an as injury occurs a medical response.

So I am going to defer to Director Davis because I don't exactly know on the ground the support that they provide.

I know Director Davis is actually working alongside many of the trainers in the schools and she's been doing that a long time.

Director Davis are you online.

Maybe she's not it's later than what we thought.

So I don't have an answer for that but I can maybe provide something in some sort of comment or email or memo to give additional information.

Thank you.

Yep.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

Have a good evening everybody.

You too.

Okay.

Next up is approval of a contract amendment with EPI Use Force and that is the name of a company not an acronym.

For SAP which is is an acronym Staff Support for School Year 2021-22 but it's also a product SAP is.

And this came through Audit and Finance on October 11th and it was presented for approval.

And Carlos Del Valle is going to present to us on this.

Take it away Director.

Hi again.

My apologies that we didn't make it in time to get those acronyms for this one but we'll have it for our project.

This action report is to authorize the Superintendent to execute a contract amendment with EPU's the vendor for a total not to exceed the amount of $1,228,800 including taxes for the including taxes for the SAP that's spelled out systems applications and products.

SAP Business Systems Staff Augmentation.

This will maintain continuity for our business systems configuration maintenance while continue to recruit permanent staff to fill these hard-to-fill positions.

The BAR is for SAP Staff Augmentation to support our business systems for 2021 technical support of the HR and payroll basis testing and development.

These staff have expectations as part of our strategy to support our business systems but it needs to be more of a supplement use as is needed based on the projected demand and availability of the budget.

It is not intended to cover our key positions primarily.

It is too expensive.

But because of the great great resignation they have made it very hard for us to reach our talent.

Very specialized fields hard to fill positions.

We have had great success with this this vendor in the past and they have shown how high productivity.

The challenge has been recruiting permanent staff with the right technical skills and trying to limit the attrition in DOTS.

We hit it pretty hard.

We are working with HR and finance to mitigate hiring barriers.

There's a comp study at the end of this month coming to make sure that the pay is competitive with the market and all the retention strategies.

The goal is to to get the permanent roles to staff so we can reduce the spending with vendors.

There were some questions during the committee.

There was a question asked about what what do we get with the SAP platform contract.

Is there any support.

And we had the Enterprise License Agreement which provides some of that support but it's just minimum it's just to the platform itself not for development.

It just covers the Priority 1 incidents to Priority 3. Also we get some tools with it.

We get updates to the platform and any support that is in relation to the platform.

What we don't get is the support for customized development software.

The actual development of the software solutions for the operations you know for HR for accounting and other areas.

That's what that's what we require at this point.

What do we get what did the contract buy in us it's buying us a one HR payroll systems configuration one basis systems administrator and security and two software engineers developers.

Lisa Rivera-Smith asked as well about why the 50 percent increase in cost.

And it's basically because we you know we had it in-house and some people left and now it's being hard to recruit basically.

So we have to lean on the vendors.

The ratio support you ask as well ideally will be like about 80 to 20. I would say that the hiring has been difficult to get to that ratio.

As of right now we got AFTs plus the manager as compared to 4 contractors.

This is about 70-30.

It's still okay.

And then there was another question asked about the union impact.

We don't foresee any impact as these positions are non-representative.

With that I'll take any questions.

Contractors any comments questions concerns.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Good evening.

And that brings us to Item Number 8. Approval of Resolution Number 2021-22-3 sorry slash 22-3 Replacement for Educational Programs and Operations Levy.

This came through A&F on October 11th and is presented here for approval.

Take it away.

Associate Superintendent Berge Assistant Superintendent Berge.

I'm going to get a list up here I've already asked for it.

This BAR would approve a resolution authorizing the replacement of the Educational Programs and Operations Levy also known as EPNL to be a ballot measure for the February 8th 2020 election.

The total amount of the levy over 3 years over the 3 years and this covers levy collections in calendar years 2023 2024 and 2025 would be a maximum of 646.8 million dollars.

which would authorize the maximum amount that could be levied per student which is currently $3,127.28.

We have included some capacity to account for any potential legislative adjustments and for increased enrollment which is a common practice for districts.

But under no circumstances do we collect more than the law allows.

The rate per thousand that is being recommended is 74 cents per thousand.

Of this amount 11 cents represents the capacity that I just spoke of.

Resulting in a rate of 63 cents per thousand that could be collected under current law with current enrollment.

By RCW we are to appoint a pro and a con committee when possible.

We have received expressions of interest for the pro committee and are recommending the individuals as noted on page 2 of the BAR.

As noted also in the BAR to date we have had no persons expressing interest for the committee advocating for the rejection of this levy.

We will continue to advertise and bring forward any persons expressing interest between now and board action.

This levy bridges funding the funding gap between what the state provides and what the district needs and includes funding for nurses.

State funds 9. Nurses for our 50,000 students we have over 60. Custodians the state funds 219 we have 408. Special education cost of the program is estimated at 180 million dollars for 2021-22 with the state funding 82 million dollars of this.

I will stop there and we'll note that we have over 20 informational sessions for the levies currently scheduled.

There were no questions or requested changes at Audit and Finance.

And that would conclude my remarks and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Okay.

First to you Director Hersey.

Do you have any comments questions or concerns.

That is perfect context for the conversation that we are going to be having next week.

I do not have any questions at this time.

We've discussed this thoroughly in committee so I'm going to go ahead and pass it over.

I don't know if you heard some of the public testimony about the untruth that somehow we are giving away Memorial Stadium to the city of Seattle because a letter of intent that has no legal authority binding was signed this last month.

Can you put the pin in that.

I did not hear the testimony but that's not an accurate description of what's happening.

And can you elaborate just a little bit.

Please.

We still own Memorial Stadium.

While there may be an agreement we would still own Memorial Stadium I think our Assistant Superintendent Podesta may be in a better position than I to answer my question.

And a letter of intent is not part of the levy but 66 million dollars is. for improvements of Memorial Stadium in the levy.

Is that correct.

That's correct.

It'll be the next item on the agenda and the capital levy component.

Mr. Podesta will be happy to answer those questions.

Thank you.

Any other comments questions.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Hi Jordan.

I had the pleasure of attending one of your listening sessions with John Stanford International School and one of the questions somebody asked there I had again I'm not sure if it was this one or the capital but they still asked it and it's still a valuable question.

What happens if this doesn't pass.

What do we do.

What state are we in.

What do we do.

Yeah.

We would not be able to operate.

We would have to go back out on the April ballot and When districts don't pass those kinds of levies.

So 85 percent of technology is funded by the capital levy.

There would be no capital departmental programming without funding from the capital levy.

And you all have most of you have been through a time where we've tried to identify maybe 2 or 3 percent budget reductions.

This represents 15 percent of our revenue.

It's untenable.

I think that's a great message to make sure we're sharing as we I know we can't and I made it clear too the district cannot advocate for

We can share information.

We can share information and facts.

We can ask people to vote and to vote on February 8th.

Please vote yes.

Thank you for those sessions you're doing.

No further questions.

Any other directors.

Is that a yes or just hanging out with the mic.

Okay.

Sorry.

No it's a it's a comment related to that.

And I I guess I no sorry never mind.

Sorry about that.

Thank you Ms.

Berge.

Okay.

Next up is number 9. Buildings Technology and Academics slash Athletics a.k.a. BTA V Capital Levy Program and Authorizing Resolution 2021 slash 22-7.

This came through operations on October 8th and is presented for approval.

And Associate Superintendent Podesta.

Thank you.

This is a companion action to the action that Assistant Superintendent Berge just brought for the operations levy.

This is again the action that would authorize the resolution to put the BTA V capital levy on the ballot.

I'd really like to acknowledge the work of the team and the board.

Planning for this levy has been going on over for longer than two years and we've subjected you to practically monthly work sessions.

since September of last year going over how we prioritize the projects and the details of this levy.

So I'm going to keep this at a very high levy high level excuse me and high levy as well.

That BTA is Buildings Technology and Academics and Athletics and the building and construction part of this are there are a couple of targeted renovations.

Classroom addition to John Muir Elementary and the replacement of the Memorial Stadium which would stay in district ownership and is really an in-kind replacement of a 75-year-old facility.

The BTA levies in general are about preserving our assets and it's time to invest in that stadium to preserve our ability to use it as an important facility for the district that serves the whole district and the community.

In addition, there will be site improvements, playground improvements, improvements to building envelopes, cladding, roofs, windows, and doors.

and seismic improvements and improvements to building systems plumbing electrical systems HVAC fire suppression systems and the like.

Technology is a big portion of this levy and 85 percent of our Department of Technology Services is funded through our capital levy.

So the some of the things you've heard from tonight and the district has accelerated its use of technology so this represents an area of growth.

in the levy overall as our costs to increase more technology that was accelerated in distribution to students over the last year.

The increase in this levy over the last PTA levy will help cover that those increased costs.

And then academic and athletics.

And this will allow us to make program changes for special education modifications field improvements and the equipment purchase of equipment for arts and science curriculum as well as athletic equipment.

The levy overall is the construction portion is $447 million.

Technology portion is $268 million and the academic athletics about $50 for a $765 million total.

The plan at this point is to assess $0.46 per thousand of assessed value which is a 3-cent increase and that will largely help fund the growth of our technology costs as I mentioned that are needed because of more technology in students' hands that requires more support and on an ongoing basis.

And again we fund a lot of that 85 percent through these levies.

And then the last thing the action does is also appoint two committees to draft the statements in favor and opposing the levies in the the voter manual just as Ms. Berge talked.

So we solicited volunteers and haven't handled a committee for each.

With that I'll take any further questions now.

Directors.

Director Harris.

I've worked on I think every levy on the last 15 years and we can't use our school board resources or school resources but that doesn't prevent us from doing levy supportive work and our own as private citizens because we don't give up our First Amendment rights whether that's sign waving attending the first student levy committee meetings.

Schools first.

Schools first.

That was Freudian wasn't it.

Sorry.

And and helping with that campaign on our own time.

And it's a great bunch of folks and I encourage folks to be involved.

And it's fun.

Other directors.

Director Rankin.

Thank you.

I in Operations Committee when the last time we discussed this I said I would save my comments about how this is funded for the public meeting so I'm going to say that now which is that we are really really fortunate in Seattle to have the population that supports passing these levies.

But that buildings are the education that's funded by the state of Washington doesn't include the buildings that the children go to school in.

And so even though there is sometimes referred to reference to enrichment levies this is actually completely necessary to build new buildings to preserve buildings that we already have and to provide things that meet with the level of education that our community has asked us to provide and that we have a duty to provide.

I particularly wanted to make note of a couple of things that are on this or are in this package which are Arts and Science as Assistant Superintendent Podesta mentioned but also there is specific allowance for outdoor classrooms and related to school board resolution.

And also something that's very very important to me and it's been very important to community members which is an over an overall look into accessibility projects in our schools.

When a new building is built just like with your home new buildings have to be built up to current code.

But there's never a requirement legally to go back and update things.

And it's not a legal requirement but it is a necessity for our students and for accessibility.

And so we can go yeah if you don't if you don't if you're not ready.

If you're not on my anyway sorry.

I got distracted.

The included in this is the project to do a self-audit of all of our buildings and look at accessibility needs that haven't been identified or addressed otherwise and bringing that up to code which is huge.

Also gender-neutral bathrooms and some other things that we know are really important to our students and our communities.

And I'll also just add how to add to the statewide inequity of having to pass a levy to build buildings.

This is based on a property tax which is not not particularly dependable or sustainable and and hits communities hits people that have You know no liquid assets but could have assets if they sell property anyway.

I just can't let the opportunity go without without stating again that this is not this is a necessary thing for us and our district to provide the things we need to provide but it's also a really messy and inequitable way to fund public education for students.

Are I have one question.

Are instruments and stages included or prospectively included in this funding.

Stages maybe.

I would I'll have to see if in this particular proposal musical equipment is part of the equipment that's being replaced.

I don't know the answer to that.

And if not how is that.

I mean there is a there is a.

And I have been to the instrument room upstairs.

As you know there is a considerable inventory of district-owned equipment.

I don't know if we replace it via this levy or are going to start to now that we're using it for equipment which is a relatively new thing so I'll have to check.

But it's been funded somehow up to now I may be moving here.

Yeah if you could let me know because I mean I'm so happy to see art and science.

I think I mean art as part of basic education and not effectively funded by the by the state and so would need to come under levies.

And I know it's something that I heard in comments about you know we're funding athletic equipment and but are we also funding the arts and the and music equipment as well.

Equitably.

Certainly supports for programs and buildings would be.

Would fall under that.

Yeah.

That's why I just wanted to make sure that that was included in that.

It's amazing that we refurbished instruments and that's such a great thing and anybody who you could maybe do a tour now and go see that room.

But I do know that there's still great demand for instruments which are very expensive for for families.

So Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

Assistant Superintendent Podesta.

I'm going to if I can quickly at least.

I'm wondering about this concern regarding the wording.

Oh look at that.

Regarding the sorry the wording of what the funds can be used to pay for.

Right now it says levy includes funds to pay the debt I'm sorry that's not what it says.

What it says is levy proceeds may only be used to support the construction modernization or remodeling of school facilities.

We have somebody arguing that that's very limiting to schools themselves.

Should we perhaps cut say SPS facilities just to neutralize the situation there.

I'll check with our accounting and legal experts to make sure we have any any constraints.

We clearly have used levy fundings over the years to support athletic complexes to support other district facilities that aren't school buildings.

Yeah.

Some way we have a way to get there.

That's my only question.

Thank you.

Okay hang around a bit as you know Associate Superintendent Podesta.

Item Number 10 BEX V Approval of the Constructability Report and Resolution Number 2021-22-4 Certifying the Proposed Van Asselt School Modernization and Addition BEX V for 5-Year Use slash 30-Year Life.

This came through operations on October 8th and is presented for approval.

Thank you.

The district is undertaking a BEX V project to add 26 classrooms and a gymnasium.

renovation to the Van Asselt building.

The project includes state funding and as part of the state funding process there's an administrative step where we provide a constructability report which is something we would do for many projects anyway.

It's an independent quality assurance review by contractors and construction experts that our design is easily built and that there aren't any design flaws that will increase our construction costs.

In addition to this this action adopts a resolution that is also required for the state funding to certify that we will use the funds to make an improvement to the building that we'll use for an educational purpose for five years and that overall it will extend the life of the overall facility for 30 years.

Questions from directors.

Hearing none going to Item Number 11 BEX V Resolution 2021-22-6 New in lieu of modernization for the Mercer International Middle School replacement project.

This came through operations on October 8th and is presented for approval.

Again this is an administrative process related to state funding.

The district has undertaken a project to replace Mercer Middle School and the Because there is state funding in the project board needs to certify that we've looked into and decided to make a replacement instead of modernizing the school.

You know Mercer has significant capacity problems.

We have 25 portable buildings on the site at this time and it's concrete construction really doesn't lend itself to changing any building systems or bringing it up to code so a replacement makes more sense.

reduce some of the hardscape and create actually a playfield which the school doesn't have now.

So we're we're excited about this project.

And again this step is a little bit of box checking related to the funding.

Comments questions or concerns.

And once twice and three times.

Item Number 12. BEX V Award Architectural and Engineering Contract P1929 to Bassetti Architects for the Mercer International Middle School Replacement Project.

This came through operations on October 8th.

and is presented here for approval.

Again this relates to the project I just spoke of.

This allows the superintendent to hire a architect to design the new school.

The this authorizes a nine million roughly nine million dollar contract to Bassetti Architects.

We did a solicitation early this year had a good competitive field with eight bidders and staff determined that Bassetti was the most qualified to complete the work.

The overall project budget is about one hundred and fifty two million dollars and will require two years of construction and we hope to open the school for the 2025 school year.

But we can't get started without an architect so that's why we're here.

Comments questions concerns.

Director Rivera-Smith.

I'm wondering why the attachments are only available upon request?

Is there a reason they're not attached already?

Just because they're large.

How large?

I can't tell you the exact number of pages, but they're fairly complex documents that And again given to anybody that wants to read our A&E contracts.

We could provide them to anyone on request that would like to read our A&E contracts but they just make this package kind of unwieldy and hard to make ADA compliant so we generally don't attach all our construction and A&E contracts.

Okay.

No thank you for that.

No other questions.

Okay.

Item Number 13 BEX V Approval of the Constructability Report and Resolution Number 2021 Dash slash 22-9 certifying the proposed Lincoln High School Phase 2 BEX V project for 5-year use slash 30 years life.

This came through operations on October 8th and is presented here for approval.

And this is a similar step to the earlier item about Van Asselt.

As you know we opened Lincoln High School.

We opened Lincoln High School as a comprehensive high school in 2019. Phase 2 modernizes some of the other buildings and this work is getting started.

It has state funding.

So again we need to provide a constructability report to show that we've done independent assessment of if the design of the Modernization has any assumptions that are flawed with regards to from the perspective of a contractor.

And again we need to adopt a resolution that certifies that we'll use the state funding for improvements to a building that will have an educational purpose for five years and extend the life of the school overall for 30 years.

Any questions comments or concerns from directors.

Director Rivera-Smith.

I'm actually going to use this to circle back to the whole idea we have planned the hope and the dream that we are taking ourselves out of a lot of work that we don't need to be in.

Because this sounds like something like why are we approving this like right because this is a very contract construction technical.

We're doing it because it's legally required.

I can tell that from the whiteboard actions necessary.

Even though we are you know pulling ourselves back from a lot of stuff we have we're going to keep doing a lot of this stuff.

So I don't want people I want this is a message for people I think to show like we're not walking away from a lot of our obligations.

We're going to always have things like this that are legal requirements to do.

And I want people to appreciate that those are still things that we're committed to and have to do and we're going to always do even as we try to focus more on student outcomes and pull away from other things so.

Our workload doesn't go away to nothing because we're always going to do stuff like this.

You know it doesn't sound like you know no one here is going to be like you know no just don't give it to this thing because what do we know right about contractors and the professionals that put this together for us and it's state required.

So I just want again hoping we can get appreciation for that.

We have a lot of work we're still going to be taking on every day.

Thank you.

And to that point we might then also have more with more time we might have better capacity which we should have to more effectively advocate for at the state level to prevent unfunded mandates from coming through and make sure that the legislature is informed about what their mandates mean in the lives of our educators and our students and our administrators.

So excellent point.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Associate Superintendent Podesta and staff and we go down to our last board comments.

No repeats this time around with one exception.

I forgot to celebrate one thing that staff has managed to accomplish and and as we build on all these things it's amazing to me what you've managed to get done and that is 99 percent vaccination rate for Seattle Public Schools staff.

So.

Thank you and congratulations and well done.

And I know from hearing from Carrie Campbell that that involved a lot of education as well that that was a pretty intensive process.

So so thank you tremendously for that.

Okay so for Director Commons Director Hersey I believe you have not gone yet so you are up.

Yes and I will keep my comments brief.

Thank you to all the folks who have been reaching out especially concerning our special education Staffing changes we really appreciate it.

And you know that's all I'll say with that.

There's a ton of moving pieces and we need to make sure that we're prioritizing as much as we can our students all across the district.

That being said I believe that there are opportunities for us to look deeply into our decisions and ensure that we are operating with the highest tier of equity possible.

D7 meetings every other Tuesday.

Well they meet every Tuesday.

Now I join every other Tuesday 630 to 830. Hope to see you there.

Director Harris in your words this is not personal but I did want to talk to you a little bit about your comments on Federal Way.

Their budget situation is largely due to regionalization and the largely racist and quite frankly just ancient way that we fund schools in this system.

I would say that in terms of curriculum they're running laps around us with not only math but also reading and SEL with an equity focus.

I would say that the investments that they have made really give us an opportunity to think if we had been in a similar position what would our experience over the pandemic what would that have been especially given the fact that on their board they are adequately represented by Black women as well as their former superintendent Dr. Tammy Campbell also a Black woman.

In my experience led with great integrity and a focus that we could definitely use here and I'm excited about Dr. Jones's leadership in that capacity.

I think comments like the ones that you made are exactly the reason why other districts especially in South King County turn their nose up at us when we then come to them and ask to walk hand-in-hand around issues that we advocate for at the state.

So what I would just like to offer is that we do actually have a lot to learn from districts like Federal Way and I would invite all of us as board directors to look not only inward but also outward because there are many districts all around us that are getting it right in a lot of ways.

that if we implemented them here would move the needle on a lot of what we are trying to do especially for our students of color.

So I just want to ask us in the future let's be a little bit more I would say thoughtful in the way that we communicate about our fellow districts here in King County and across the state.

I'll leave it at that.

Okay next up let's see Director Dury you already passed.

Did you or did you have comments.

Okay Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

And thank you for all the opportunity tonight to have discussions and to do this work together.

Hand in hand I am going to try to respond to the community who came to give testimony tonight.

I know we're all not here anymore or maybe not listening but still I want to say thank you to Serafina and Eloise our student speakers today who came and gave public testimony.

I we had some people who came in to give testimony about the in-person performances and so I thank Director Rankin who already covered that and gave a great synopsis of where we're at with that and the changes that might be coming here soon.

So thank you Director Rankin for that.

And I think the rest were a bunch of people speaking about clean energy funding and again as a co-sponsor and author of the Clean Energy Resolution I am as big a supporter as any for dedicating more money to our clean energy goals and I am definitely interested in finding ways with my fellow board members to see if we can get more money into that line item there because you know it's true what we have right now is it's going to come and go very quickly in the three years of the levy.

So anyways I'm sure we'll have more discussion about that over the next two weeks and then definitely in two weeks.

when we do some action on the levy.

I think that was kind of everybody right we had a lot of those speakers so I'll I'll end it quickly here.

Thank you for hearing me and no more problems.

Yes.

And to Director Hersey one of the reasons I love you and respect you is because you're always straight across.

And I appreciate the feedback and thank you for that very much.

And I appreciate that we can disagree agreeably if that makes sense and that it's not personal because I think we all really truly want the same things.

And what I want is to call the levy not maintenance but catch up because we've got decades of capital cost We've got as Director Rankin so rightly pointed out ADA non-compliant buildings.

And I have such difficulty with that.

And again I'll put it on the record.

I want to be part of a school board and a school district that works with other school boards and districts and our labor partners and have McCleary too.

Because the state is not doing their job and they're not going to do it anytime soon and we can go down there and beg and we can send busloads if we can find the drivers of our community to talk to.

I'm trying to talk to our legislators but they don't get it.

And frankly I don't think the state Supreme Court got it on McCleary 1 but the disparity in funding for our students that need special education services.

The fact that the state doesn't pay for buildings safe buildings learning appropriate buildings is an outrage and it's a travesty.

And if we're going to change things and be governance oriented let's go big.

And it's an honor and a privilege to serve even if I sometimes disagree with y'all.

Hey and as there is no further business on the agenda I say Pįnagigi and thank you to you all.

And this meeting stands adjourned at 816 p.m.

Safe travels home everyone.