School Board Meeting - Nov 4, 2020

This is Director Hampson.

I am now calling the November 4th 2020 Regular Board Meeting to order at 330 p.m.

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

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

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

Ms.

Wilson-Jones the roll call please.

Director DeWolf is not here so proceeding with the remaining directors.

Director Harris.

Present.

Director Hersey.

Here.

Director Rankin.

Here.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Present.

And Director Hampson.

Here.

I don't believe you called me Director Mack but I'm here.

Apologies Director Mack.

Thank you.

No worries.

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

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

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

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

We will now we will not have Superintendent comments today as Superintendent Juneau is unable to attend because of an unexpected emergence family emergency in Montana.

Chief Human Resources Officer Dr. Clover Codd is with us on the Superintendent's behalf.

Dr. Codd are you with us.

Yes I am here.

As we also do not have a student speaker we will now move directly to the consent agenda.

May I have a motion for the consent agenda.

I move approval of the consent agenda.

Second.

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

Those opposed.

The consent agenda has passed unanimously.

We have now reached the public testimony portion of the agenda and it is not yet 345 p.m.

So we will begin board comments now to keep the meeting going.

We will then start testimony at about 345 p.m.

and we'll come back to director comments at the end of the meeting.

I will begin by reading a proclamation from the Superintendent for Native American Heritage Month.

Whereas Washington State is home to 29 federally recognized Native American tribes and the City of Seattle is named for Chief Sealth.

And whereas Native American contributions and values have shaped the social political environmental cultural and economic fabric of Seattle.

And whereas state law and Seattle School Board curriculum adoption mandates since time immemorial the teaching of Washington State Tribal History Culture and Government in K-12 schools which contribute greatly to improving this improving school's history curriculum enhance students' identity safety and improve all students' cultural understanding.

And whereas Seattle Seattle Public Schools Native American Education Program is dedicated to increasing academic success for Native American and Alaskan Native students across the district and Whereas Seattle Public Schools Native American Education Program is providing identity-safe learning environments through programs like Shikachi and enhanced supports for hundreds of students in response to the global pandemic and remote learning.

And whereas the district's Native American Education Program is actively increasing staff and the community's knowledge by training 400 educators in since time immemorial this fall providing over 3,800 parents and community members with Indigenous People's Day resources and will launch an online American Indian Resource Library webinar for educators on November 5th.

And whereas the state of Washington and Seattle Public Schools have designated the Friday immediately following the 4th Thursday in November a school holiday known as Native American Heritage Day.

And whereas Seattle Public Schools joins others across the nation in celebrating Native American Heritage Month honoring the unique heritage of this continent's First People and affirming the commitment to respect each tribe's sovereignty and cultural identity.

Now therefore Seattle Public Schools do hereby proclaim November 2020 to be Native American Heritage Month.

and November 27th 2020 as Native American Heritage Day in Seattle Public Schools.

And we encourage all people in our district and city to join the district in this special observance.

Additionally I want to take a moment briefly now to thank our Board Office Administrator Tina Lohfelman as this will be her last board meeting.

Tina we want to thank you for all your work in the board office and your dedication to serving the students directors and staff of this district.

We will now move into comments from other directors and we'll go first to Director Hersey.

I'm sorry we'll go first to Director Harris.

Actually I'd like to pass if I might please.

Thank you.

Okay.

Director Hersey.

As well I have not yet thought of my entire list of comments.

So if we could go ahead and pass I'd be appreciated.

Director Mack are you prepared to give your comments at this time.

No I'm not yet.

I prefer to wait until after comments from the public.

So yeah I'll pass at this point too.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Well I want to wait too.

But I can make some comments now and then maybe if there's anything pressing I can return at the end.

Go ahead.

I the last 48 hours have been the longest year in a long long long long long year.

I I don't have a ton to say.

Well the so I just thank you for reading that proclamation and definitely it's supported by by me as an individual as a parent and as a board director.

I also want to take a second to recognize and acknowledge the incredible incredible work of Gail Morris and the Native Ed Department.

People may not realize that the Since Time Immemorial the required state curriculum is exists in tremendous tremendous part due to the work of Gail and Shanna Brown and others from within Seattle Public Schools.

And it's an amazing resource that we have for our students both Native students and and non-Native students.

And it's really they are really a an asset to to not just Seattle Public Schools but to the state.

So I just to take a moment to recognize their their work that has made a lot that's in that proclamation possible.

And I'm excited to continue to get updates through the Student Services Curriculum and Instruction Committee from Gail Morris about how how this important work is is showing up in the classroom and reaching all of our students.

So thank you.

I I'm trying to think of sort of what I'm hearing from community most recently is As we've sort of gotten over the the initial initial adjustment period of what remote learning looks like and kind of figuring out our routines and and and trying to cope and make things work as well as possible in our homes.

I know a lot of people are starting to myself included realize that our children were Where I'll just say where our children have been more successful and where they maybe are not as successful.

It's becoming more apparent to me when and other parents when children are maybe appear to be engaged and are actually not participating or are overwhelmed and withdrawing or not getting the support that they need.

And so I just kind of wanted to say on the record that if that's your experience you're definitely not alone and it is something that we're discussing at the district level to try to figure out kind of how to address that and to make sure that students and families are getting support.

And we're trying to find ways to make things manageable and reasonable for families and for teachers.

And if you have if there's anything at your school that's like some some practice that's really going really well that could maybe maybe other people could benefit from please please please send us an email.

We're sort of re-looking again at grading and the impact of incompletes and how to make sure that students are receiving the education that we are tasked with providing and want to provide in a way that is not punitive or exacerbating stresses but is in fact to support the student and their education in spite of this bizarre situation that we are all in.

So I don't have much other than other than that but I just kind of wanted to put that out there that there is that awareness and and people are looking at okay kind of where might we need to make some some readjustments to respond to just how everyone is experiencing learning right now.

And that's it for me for now.

Thanks.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Rivera-Smith did you want to make some comments at this time.

Director Rivera-Smith I can't hear you.

You sound very far away.

Pass for now.

Thank you.

Okay.

We have a few more minutes so I'm going to go ahead and take Just a few moments to read some things as part of my board comments that I believe to be particularly apropos for this time.

I one of our our Dearborn Park librarian Craig Seasholes had created an opportunity for there to be a live reading of or a live storytelling from Joseph Bruchac who due to technical issues was not able to make it but it did allow me to in preparing to introduce him which I was honored to do to look into one of his new books which is going to be part of the Global Reading Challenge which in case folks don't know the Global Reading Challenge books are out.

I don't know that they're available at every school but I think that there's they're starting to be available at most schools.

So that's a pretty exciting thing.

It's something that I have coached for the last three years.

The Global Reading Challenge partnership between Seattle Public Libraries and Seattle Public Schools.

Really exciting time.

And so his newest book called Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot.

The the Unicorn Rescue Society is out and he's There was a piece of in the introduction at the very starting part of the kind of intro section of the book that I thought was apropos for this time and something that I was looking forward to reading to our children that we're going to be on the call.

So I'm going to go ahead and read it now.

But our enemies are powerful and ruthless and we are in desperate need of help.

Help from someone brave.

and kind and curious and brave.

Yes I said brave twice.

It's important.

Will you help us.

Will you risk your very life to protect the world's mythical creatures.

Will you join the Unicorn Rescue Society.

I hope so.

The creatures need you." And that again was part of the intro to the book Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot. The Unicorn Rescue Society written by Joseph Bruchok. He was here in the district. last year and we got to see him with thanks to the Native Ed Department we were able to take a group of students from Sandpoint to go see him along with the students at Robert Eagle Staff and Licton Springs and it was a very enjoyable time. And I also came across something that he said that I think meant a lot to me in doing that research on him. that and who by the way is Abenaki from the northeast of this country. His original homelands. That is important for us to remember during COVID and in times when we're feeling particularly stressed by the things that are going on in the world even and in this country even on a rainy day like today. And this is just part of a very very short statement slash story that he said. We need to walk. It's about walking. We need to walk to know sacred places. Healthy feet feel the heartbeat of our mother earth. Sitting Bull said that and Walt Whitman knew that too. We need to walk to remember the songs not only for our own but for those but those of the birds those kept in the arms of the hills and the wind. We need to walk to know sacred places those around us and those within us. So I will just leave you with that in hopes that we all remember that each and every day to get outside and walk and connect and keep ourselves healthy as we are often stuck inside during this COVID era. Okay so that brings us now at 346 to our public testimony. Okay so we will now go we will go next to public testimony. We will be taking public testimony by teleconference today as stated on the agenda. For any speakers watching through SPS-TV please call in 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. I will summarize some important parts of this procedure. First testimony will be taken today from those individuals called from our public testimony list and if applicable the waiting list which are included on today's agenda posting on the school board website. Only those who are called by name should unmute their phones 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 amount of time allowed will not exceed two minutes for the combined number of speakers and time will not be restarted after the new speaker begins. In order to maximize opportunities for others to address the board each speaker is allowed only one speaking 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 person. Those who do not wish to have time ceded to them may decline and retain their place on the testimony or waitlist. 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 speakers.

Thank you Director Hampson.

One quick logistical note.

Speakers please remain muted until your name is called to provide testimony.

When your name is called please be sure you have unmuted on the device you are calling from and also press star-6 to unmute on the conference call line.

Each speaker will have a two-minute speaking time and a chime will sound when your time is exhausted and then the next speaker will be called.

First on today's public testimony list is Arianna Eagle-Speaker Gilmore.

So Arianna go ahead and press star-6 to unmute.

Hello.

Go ahead Arianna.

Elke Nisiapi Nataniku Arianna Eagle-Speaker.

Hello my name is Arianna Eagle-Speaker and I attend Nathan Hale High School.

I'm Blackfeet, Sioux, Crow, Aleut, and Iroquois.

I'm very much in support of the Native education classes.

The teachers are there to help me at all times whether it be grades or socially.

I can remember one specific day I was really struggling and my Native education teachers were there to comfort me and help when the school failed to do so.

These classes are a safe supportive environment for all students.

I've learned history and stories from my own and other cultures that would have otherwise been unavailable.

These classes make me feel more connected to my heritage and people my age which is something I miss a lot.

They have really helped me through quarantine and online schooling providing a sense of normal in these hectic times.

They give a whole new approach to teaching.

In that class I can tell my teachers care about my mental and physical health while still supporting me academically.

I understand the importance of community groups like UNEA but worry about actions of community groups affecting our greatly needed and appreciated publicly funded Native Education Department of Seattle Schools.

We need more teachers and curriculum like these provided by Native Education.

UNEA does not represent all Native American communities.

We need more funding and we need access to our stolen languages which is something possible with Chucita.

All our students need help not just a select few in a community group.

Please support our Native Education Department and the educators of our Sakatchewan classes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Could staff please call the next speaker for public testimony.

Yes sorry apologies.

Next speaker is Anna Eagle Speaker Gilmore.

Anna if you're on the line go ahead.

Go ahead Anna.

Hello my name is Anna Eagle Speaker Gilmore.

I am Blackfeet Sioux and Crow.

I go to Jane Addams Middle School.

I'm really in support of the Native education classes.

I've learned more about my heritage and others' heritage while I feel more connected to my heritage and Native Ed than I would have without the class.

The teacher in my Native Ed class provided a safe place for me at school better than any of the other staff at the school.

When I felt as if there was too much going on in my classes than I could handle Native Ed was always my place to go for that.

As well as ones I once when I once got harassed during school hours in my class which they've gotten more done about than the teacher in which class I was harassed in.

Even through COVID and online classes they have still managed to make me feel safe and welcomed in the class.

They've helped me academically by helping me with my other classes but I did not understand the work that I lose given.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next for testimony is Lucan Wolfe Wolfe Marquishtum.

Lucan Wolfe Marquishtum.

Marquishtum.

My name is Lucan Wolfe Marquishtum.

I am enrolled in MACA.

My MACA name is Jenna Clewood.

I am in 5th grade at Viewlands Elementary and I'm 10 years old.

These are my words but I'd like my mom to read the rest for me.

Thank you.

Is that okay.

Of course please go ahead.

Thank you.

I watch the school board meetings with my family and have watched Native Ed and Superintendent Juneau being bullied.

I don't like it.

No one likes to get bullied.

I was bullied at my last school and know how it feels.

When I was bullied Ms. Gail from Native Ed came to talk to me.

She talked to my principal and talked to my teachers.

I made the hard decision to move to different school because I wasn't getting the support in my classes that I needed.

It was hard but Native Ed made it easier for me.

They checked on me all the time and made sure I had what I needed.

My Native Ed teacher Ms. Nancy helps me with my classes and has an after-school program online twice a week.

We get to talk about whatever we want.

When I asked her to she even had a Teams meeting on a Saturday for Halloween so we could share our costumes and tell spooky stories.

Before COVID happened we used to go to culture nights and learn to make drums and learn how to drum and sing.

I also participated in the Native Education Summer Program every summer.

I really missed it this last summer.

Native students need to see role models that look like them.

We need Native Ed and Superintendent Juneau.

You may not listen to me because I'm a kid but I hope you will listen and stop the bullying.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Can staff please call the next speaker for public testimony.

Next on the list is Leilani Norman.

Leilani Norman.

Can you hear me.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okii Nitaaniku Otsukoi Nisimaki.

Hello.

My name is Yellow Buffalo Stone Woman.

I am Blackfeet Cree and Inukoi Iroquois and I am a proud Native youth advocate.

I'm also here on behalf of UNEA and as a Native SPS student.

I feel like Seattle schools should provide more Native programs for youth so we can feel more connected to our urban Native community.

And I feel like this should apply to all schools not just a few.

Seattle schools have shown minimum acknowledgement to the Native community.

As a young Native traditionalist I feel like we should be learning a lot more and learning more of our First Nations greatness.

UNEA has been a great program connect to connect with my Native youth community as it helps helps Native youth set good goals to Native youth and empowers us to set many more goals in our in life in our future.

And to be engaged and comfortable with our urban Native lifestyles.

I feel like Seattle schools should introduce more programs like this for Native youth.

This would help a lot of Native youth Learn more and better about our Native history and connect more to our cultures in many other ways.

Thank you for your time.

Kitake dematsin.

Thank you.

Next for testimony is Emily Churkin.

Emily Churkin.

My name is Emily Churkin.

In regards to the technology device refresh BAR how much was spent on the 16,900 computers that are riddled with issues.

I understand the need to get tools for remote learning to all children.

I do not understand the use of BEX funds as a revenue source.

The BEX fund was not specifically created to buy iPads for preschoolers.

It was created to fund our school building.

This is a misuse of taxpayer dollars.

Additionally putting these building funds building funds towards actual building-related sources such as outdoor learning space is a much more meaningful use of these funds.

What is the long-term goal with this high level of spending on devices most of which will continue to need upgrading and maintenance.

If this BAR is approved the district will have spent nearly $37 million on devices.

Books are less expensive and do not require the same level of maintenance and as devices.

With this high spend on devices for this school year what does that mean for next year when kids theoretically are back in school.

Does this impact the district's willingness to move towards re-entry if so much has been invested in devices.

In regards to the Seattle Times article about one student in the district currently receiving in-person special education services for students for whom remote learning is not viable why is only one student receiving services when we've known since August or earlier that school would be remote.

Again a low screen option would be a different solution for many families for whom hours in front of teams isn't working.

If the district can secure 10 million for more devices then surely the district can find the funds to make more in-person services available to students who desperately need it.

Finally a letter has been sent to OSPI regarding the district's claim that quote everything students do on Schoology and Teams is public record with your name associated with it end quote.

Please address this and explain how this is not a violation of FERPA.

This is the third time I've testified about this issue and I've heard nothing in response.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next for testimony is Chris Jackins.

Chris Jackins.

My name is Chris Jenkins.

Box 84063 Seattle 98124. On the laptop contract two points.

Number one the state OSPI has been asked to stop the district's remote software approach because it appears to violate student privacy laws.

Number two the laptop funds should be kept available to implement other approaches such as outdoor classrooms.

Please vote no.

On the personnel report board office staffer Tina Wolfelman is leaving the district.

I wish to thank Tina for her good work.

On the fund transfer to the Webster project.

Please don't pay extra COVID-19 costs to rush the construction schedule.

There is no longer an opening date for Webster.

Please vote no.

On the construction reports for Viewlands and Northgate.

The board is ignoring public input.

The board needs to respond to issues like loss of playground space.

doubling the building size and loss of Native cultural resources.

Please vote no.

On the $14 million architecture and engineering contract for Rainier Beach to be awarded to Bicetti Architects.

Three points.

Number one the contract process looks unfair.

The company had an inside track.

Number two the project came before the Landmarks Board.

The chair of the Landmarks Board works for this architecture firm.

Number three I asked the state auditor to look into these and other issues.

The district got a copy of my concerns.

The state auditor kindly acknowledged receipt of my packet.

Please vote no.

I would also like to note that the school board adopted a resolution in 2016 in support of the recognition of Duwamish Tribe.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next for testimony is Dr. Carol Simmons.

Dr. Carol Simmons.

He realizes Black and Indigenous people and community have expressed disappointment in her leadership is insulting.

Disappointment does not begin to describe the pain and trauma that has been inflicted on underserved communities marginalized students that she was selected to serve or the district she was employed to lead.

The NAACP the Youth Council UNEA parents and community members gave her many opportunities to hear concerns and respond and they were ignored.

If the board relinquished their oversight of her actions then they must assume some responsibility for her failures.

But they cannot use this as an excuse to support her.

Request needs and demands that were ignored include reaching out to those who have expressed concerns.

Revising the strategic plan.

Resuming the partnership with UNEA.

Resurrecting the African-American Academy and Indian Heritage High School.

Responding to the needs of special education students.

Resolving the dysfunction of Title 6 Parent Advisory Council.

and returning Black male leaders to their leadership positions.

Our students are suffering.

Members of the community and UNEA support NAACP 100 percent.

Thank you.

Next for testimony is Brian Terry.

Brian Terry.

Good evening.

In our schools today a White student is many times more likely than a Black student to be identified as highly capable.

Both state law and district policy mandate equitable identification.

Unfortunately district staff responsible for identification of highly capable students choose to overlook the mandates.

They told me that this is because they believe that highly capable Black students due to their socioeconomic circumstances will not be able to keep up with their White peers.

and that segregated classrooms are best for both groups.

This was the same argument used to defend racial segregation in Brown versus the Board of Education.

Fortunately the United States Supreme Court saw that Black students served in segregated classrooms received a significantly inferior education and ruled that separate is not equal.

Furthermore they warned that segregation generates in Black children a feeling of inferiority that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone.

Although we have long aspired to address systemic racism in our schools our efforts have fallen short.

Please approve an anti-racism policy born in community and demand that the district develop superintendent procedures to provide clear instructions for how we will identify and address all of the many forms of racism that plague our schools today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Dr. Jimmy R. Simmons.

Dr. Jimmy R. Simmons.

I have a quote from a recent letter from Sharon Navas Executive Director of the Equity and Education Coalition dated October 17 2020. We submit the following testimony in reference to the contract extension of Superintendent Denise Juneau.

Our organization is over 100 or over 10 years old and is rooted generationally in Washington State's Black and Indigenous people of color communities.

We've watched the development of the current leadership at Seattle Public Schools and are somewhat apprehensive about the extension of any current contract without some real tangible deliverables around equity undoing racism in the educational system and our authentic family engagement at the capital cabinet level.

The district readership does not seem to be interested in serving our families of color.

Some of the issues we see include one Title 6 Indian education election of voter suppression by way of multiple unrealistic deadlines technology barriers and denial of participation for eligible families.

Achievement data especially native student data on multiple performance member measures show no or little improvement despite a record of low count of Title 6 students.

Staggering attrition rates due to factors including students denied legally required services and disproportionate disciplinary practices.

Lack of culturally and supportive aligned partnerships based at schools or working collaboratively with the district.

Stripping Licton Springs School of its Native-focused approach and removing students and staff from the Licton Springs Park a designated sacred site to the Coast Salish people.

Displacing Indigenous students seems to be a pattern of Seattle Public Schools leadership.

Seattle Public Schools refusal to conduct an external audit of Title 6 programs and procedures.

Seattle Public Schools unwillingness to cooperate engage or initiate a parent family and community resolution process to address the polarized leadership at all levels of Indian education.

We are in 100 percent agreement with NDPLACP UNEA and other community-based organizations calling for a change in district leadership.

Please conclude your remarks.

I have done so.

Thank you.

Next for testimony is Shanna Brown.

Shanna Brown.

Okay.

We can hear you.

Thank you.

My name is Shanna Brown.

I'm Yakima Muckleshoot Puyallup Sillaguamish Watson Sihomish and both of my children attend Ingraham High School.

Not enough people know what's happening in Native Ed and there's a lot of misrepresentation and omission of facts.

The truth is is that Native Ed is leading the charge set forth by the school board the strategic plan and policy 0300. If you've been relying on just one source or haven't been paying attention I encourage you to go to the American Indian Studies page for Seattle Public Schools the Native American Education page.

The American Indian Resource Library and its librarian follow them on Twitter.

or come to an IPAC meeting more than once a year.

The truth is is that SPS and Native Ed does respond to educational injustice.

Last spring my son walked out on during an offensive video that was shown in one of his classes and the end result is the teacher apologized in writing and the proof that that content was removed and it will never be shown in SPS classrooms again.

And COVID also shone light on a lot of inappropriate materials that teachers are using on their own.

And parents complained.

The district responded.

The district instituted a new scope and sequence of approved Native resources and curriculum for every single grade.

They established a protocol for reviewing and removing materials that have anti-Indian bias and that initiative was all led by Native American Program Manager Gail Morris.

And this is unprecedented progress.

As a parent I thank Native Ed for the American Indian Resource Library where students and teachers have access to thousands of volumes of current literature and reference and support and online materials.

Native Ed is now developing a year-long tribally focused Washington History and Civics course for all 7th graders and they're also helping with the 12th grade initiative in that.

Muckleshoot is stepping up and providing our our grade 4-5 teachers just this year training and classroom sets of the book that Director Hampson just read.

As a parent I'm thankful for Shikha Achieve.

I don't know the details of the identity but I do know that dozens of young men and women would not have would not have graduated without them.

There this is clear evidence.

Is everything perfect.

No.

Is it happening fast enough.

I don't know.

Dismantling hundreds of years of systemic racism and colonial education I think takes longer than the three years that the school board has given Superintendent Juneau.

Given her record what more is there.

I will be happy to.

I can tell you what I want.

I want to be free of the political jockeying of the school board.

The school board tends to be a little fickle when it comes to the tenure of superintendents and also quite frankly tend to cower at the tyranny of those who yell loudest and longest regardless of what the truth actually is.

As a parent I deserve more.

Our students deserve more.

Superintendent Juneau deserves more and our students need her.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker please.

Next is Kaye Fidler.

Kaye Fidler.

Kaye if you're on the line you can go ahead.

My name is Fidler.

I'm from the band Ojibwe of the Turtle Mountains.

I'd like to access some of that wonderful services that they're talking Can you hear me.

Yes we can.

My grandchild was enrolled in the Native class itself and they did advocate for him in the district really well until I angered the PAC chairperson who publicly in a PAC meeting threatened me with don't forget my sister is a teacher for your grandson and reminded me you dropped off the PAC so that no retaliation would go to him for your speaking out here.

There are witnesses to that event.

I wrote emails of complaint to the district the Indian Ed Director Special Ed.

No response no action.

The teacher's sister stopped all advocacies for him left us on our own to deal with the school and turned against us in the next IEP meeting.

I had to transfer him to a different school to protect him.

It was a good program if you kowtow to the elite PAC and the Indian Ed staff.

For the rest of us just everyday Indians surviving here there is not advocacy protection only for those privileged to be politically connected.

Community and programs that might advocate for us are blocked.

Years of oppression and suppression have gone unanswered for due to recent media attention the superintendent sends out an insulting invitation for a one-hour meeting with Native families on what they call authentic issues.

Authentic by whose definition.

The incestuous committee the SPS staff that populate that committee.

This meeting is an example of what the NAACP was referencing in the superintendent checking the box just to say she did it.

I pay property taxes in West Seattle.

Y'all work for me.

Our voices go unheard.

There is no representation on the school board for the larger Native community.

Sanctioned gossip about community who stand up to them denied services and retaliation.

You think throwing us a block of cheese will quiet us.

Madam Superintendent.

Elite PAC members.

School Board.

Indian Ed Department.

You can keep your block of cheese.

Me and mine are not for sale and I demand my rights and the rights of the larger Native community.

If you have any questions feel free to ask or to contact me.

Thank you.

Next is Sarah Sense-Wilson.

Sarah Sense-Wilson.

In honor of Native Heritage Month I would like to share a Native perspective on critical race theory and identity politics.

Our tribal ideals are rooted in relationships.

We are relational in worldview and in principles.

The colonial system protected and upheld by your current leadership is not representative of our tribal ideals or values.

Appointed and elected positions held by SPS leadership uphold colonial ideals.

SPS weaponizes race and uses identity politics to shield leaders from critique criticism and scrutiny.

The systems you protect by using race gender and sexual orientation underscores the need to commit to evaluating your privilege and power.

All race of people have their Kanye West their Clarence Thomases and Dino Rosses.

Tribal people have vastly different ideals cultural beliefs practices and traditions.

Cultural authenticity is not attained or acquired by wearing turquoise cedar hats beaded medallions moccasins eagle feathers.

Authenticity by Lakota standards is demonstrated by how we caretake our relatives.

How we sacrifice for the collective.

Our titles positions last name or degrees are not important if we lack those fundamental cultural values life ways and beliefs.

We choose our leaders.

We define who represents us.

We decide who is our kin.

And from my vantage point not one of your staff or elected officials can measure up to our definition of leadership.

In closing I want to reiterate our allyship and support of NAACP and other CPOs calling for new leadership and inclusion of our community of color in decision making for real change.

I love the slogan nothing about us without us.

Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you.

Next is Emma Medicine White Crow.

Emma Medicine White Crow.

Emma Ross Medicine White Crow.

I am Comanche Cherokee and adopted Makah.

I'm here today to speak only for myself.

I have a son and granddaughter who and two granddaughters who attend SPS.

I want to be clear.

I support Native Education Program.

and Superintendent Juneau and the work they're doing.

The Native Education Program is growing under the leadership of Gail Morris.

In fact the board previously supported changing their position from manager back to director as the position was previously.

I'm curious as to why this hasn't occurred.

Also why when Native Ed's integrity is attacked over and over again until today not one person spoke up for the good work they're doing.

The work that Gail and her team do is amazing.

For such a small group of dedicated individuals they deserve your support.

I've watched over and over again as this public testimony platform has been used to spread untruths about this program.

This is unfair and bullying.

Much of the work that Native Ed does is private.

They will never and cannot tell anyone about the support they provide or to whom.

This platform is also a way a one-way opportunity for anyone to say anything they want without any of the staff being able to respond.

This is demeaning and demoralizing.

Staff has no way to defend their work or correct the information.

This needs to change.

The district is also growing and changing for the better under Superintendent Juneau's leadership.

The changes I want you to focus on are the changes for the better.

There are more women in leadership roles particularly women of color.

Her focus on institutional racism is also making changes for the better for all our students.

I hear a very small but vocal group of people asking for you not to extend her contract.

I've also seen a groundswell of support for her and extending her contract.

This is not the time for new leadership.

This is a time of a pandemic.

I'm grateful for her vision leadership and confident in her ability to successfully lead us into the future.

Our students family and staff deserve for her to continue.

And for us to be held in her capable hands.

Thank you.

Wado.

Thank you.

Next is Marcus Shriver.

Marcus Shriver.

Native nonprofit son we express our resolute passion for education and the future of Seattle School District.

We have family members friends and professional allies who call your schools home.

We believe that today presents a new opportunity for innovation and community partnership.

We believe that each student regardless of race ethnicity family income geography disability or language has the opportunity to succeed in school.

We as a community partner stand in unity toward a common goal to provide culturally relevant educational programs that are grounded in honoring our vibrant and diverse cultures as a gathering place and forum That symbolizes unites and galvanizes the beauty resilience and sacredness of Seattle's urban Native community.

Quality education is our promise to current and future generations.

Improving student achievement post-secondary completion and career readiness most occur must occur through King County.

Our city shares a history of genocide relocation economic oppression cultural violence and health disparities that result from racist policies and systems.

We continue to resist these systemic attempts of erasure through many generations of organizing and activism.

SUN envisions a healthy safe and thriving Native community in the Pacific Northwest.

Our organizations include Chief Seattle Club Duwamish Tribal Services Indigenous Showcase Longhouse Media N'aahali Fund National Urban Indian Family Coalition Native Action Network Native American Women's Dialogue on Infant Mortality Northwest Justice Project Native American Unit Potlatch Potlatch Fund Red Eagle Soaring Seattle Indian Health Board United Indians of All Tribes Foundation and Urban Native Education Alliance.

SUN collaborative convenes and strengthens Native Ed organizations throughout community throughout King County to build collective power through dialogue education action and advocacy.

SUN will be sending this letter in full to the board and I really appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Kateri Jo.

Kateri Jo.

Hello my name is Kateri Jo.

I'm Slidemish and Halelt and I'm also an alumni of Seattle Public Schools.

It's no secret that Indigenous youth are disproportionately impacted by the foster care system.

Native American and Alaska Native youth are two and a half times more likely to be an out-of-home placement when entering foster care system and stay longer.

Last year Native American youth had a dropout rate of 20 percent of 20 percent the highest of any ethnicity and youth in the foster care system had a dropout rate of 23 percent.

Youth who are impacted by the foster care system also lack seeing positive representation of Indigenous of themselves as Indigenous people.

They have experienced trauma in many facets.

They need staff that are culturally competent in the ways that trauma can show up and show up in students' behavior.

Youth in foster care are disproportionately involved in special education and refer to disciplinary practices.

Last year Native youth made up nearly 4 percent of all exclusionary behavioral violations.

Youth in the foster care system made up 6.5 percent despite both of them being less than 1 percent of the population.

All of the statistics would be increasing if we if we All statistics would be increased even higher if we were to include Indigenous youth that are checked under the two or more races category.

With all these statistics prove that youth in foster care especially Indigenous youth in the foster care system are in need of a more are in need of more educational opportunities.

In my own experience as an urban Native youth growing up in the mainstream educational system I rarely if ever saw myself represented in positive or even as a modern person in our country.

My first Indigenous educator was not until college.

Just like all youth attempting to find their own identity and navigate the school system they need to know that they and their people contributed to society as a whole.

They also need to feel as though they are part of something empowering of their cultural identity.

Schools need to be a place of safety free from re-traumatization and feelings of being othered.

Our students can benefit from a more holistic approach by partnering with community-based organizations to give sense of community connection.

During COVID the sense of isolation and lack of connection has only increased.

When students are connected to a community and supportive adults that understand the nuances of their lived experience it becomes a safeguard for the youth to be successful both academically and in life.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Brooke Strom.

Brooke Strom.

My name is Brooke Stromme.

Certificated educator and support staff to UNEA.

I'll be sharing on behalf of two Native SPS guardians.

Laura Mae Arms parent of 8th grader at Washington Middle School Alaskan Native.

This is her statement.

Quote.

I have witnessed my child treated unfairly in school.

She would often have a bad day because of bullying from students and teachers.

If the teacher didn't like my child's attitude they would send my child to a room in the back of the school.

The teacher would alert her next teachers to her attitude And my child would be sent to this room all day without her work.

Only minority students were sent to this room.

She was failing while attending.

She was given an education given she wasn't given an education due to this.

We are in 2020 now and racism is still blatantly displayed throughout SPS end quote.

It should be noted that the principal that oversaw this treatment Emily Butler-Gonolfi resigned from Washington Middle School due to numerous complaints and lawsuits filed against her by other Black and Brown families experiencing discriminatory disciplinary actions.

And yet she is now the principal of Licton Springs K-8.

Laura and her daughter have received no support from Matruska and limited COVID assistance from SPS.

She says quote UNEA has supported her tremendously.

She feels she fits in somewhere end quote.

Laverne Young grandmother of 8th grader at Licton Springs Alaska Native would like to share these grievances.

The complete lack of communication and transparency in terms of meetings around Licton Springs relocation One of the key meetings she was only made aware of by Sarah Sense-Wilson of UNEA not school administrators nor the district.

The movie of Licton Springs K-8 will have a direct negative impact on her granddaughter.

She says quote my granddaughter now has to travel five and a half miles to school.

The Webster building is not even on a main bus line end quote.

In addition Laverne a Native guardian at the school was not even informed that Licton Springs has been stripped of their Native focus.

She calls for more transparency and communication to allow families to be part of critical decisions.

She would also like to share this sentiment.

Quote.

It was a shame that they took the Native kids out of the Robert Eagle Staff building which he fought so much for and for all Native kids.

I had three kids that went to Indian Heritage with Eagle Staff as principal and was a staff for them as well.

I saw firsthand his hard work.

And now that building is mostly for White kids not Native kids.

They took his name in vain.

End quote.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is next is Elizabeth Murphy.

Elizabeth Murphy.

Hello.

Go ahead Elizabeth.

Hi.

Hello.

Can you hear me.

Yes.

Okay great.

Hi.

I'm here representing a new development that's proposed in Rainier Beach.

In the midst of a citywide affordable housing crisis Catholic Housing Services and Equity Alliance of Washington supported by the Rainier Beach Action Coalition Seek to develop a community-oriented project that includes affordable housing and commercial space.

Research shows that Black families and other families of color who qualify for affordable housing are larger than the county average and particularly larger than White households who qualify for affordable housing.

Elizabeth Thomas Holmes will deliver much-needed housing to working families at risk of displacement from Seattle addressing the missing middle population or those left with few housing options.

Elizabeth Thomas Homes will seek to preserve and grow the number of affordable family-sized units so that communities of color can preserve their place in the Rainier Beach neighborhood.

This development will be adjacent to the Rainier Beach light rail station and will contain approximately 119 units of affordable housing serving 500 residents about and target families between 50 and 60 percent of the area median income and lower.

Planned amenities will seek to elevate the health and well-being of its residents.

Parking will cater to large families.

A ground floor plaza will elevate natural light and a ground floor retail space offered for service providers and community oriented businesses.

This site is very close to the schools in the area so we wanted to make the school board aware.

And currently we are in the funding application phase and have a project website ElizabethThomasHolmes.com which includes a community survey translated into seven languages and contact information for folks wanting to provide input.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Jennifer Eagle Speaker.

Jennifer Eagle Speaker.

Hello everybody.

My name is Minnie Starswoman.

My colonial name is Jennifer Eagle Speaker.

I'm part of four.

I'm a parent of four Seattle Public School kids one that's graduated.

My kids go to Jane Addams Olympic Hills and Nathan Hale.

I currently work for North Helpline Food Bank and Emergency Services.

I asked to speak because after watching and listening to the last board meeting I was just ashamed and shocked.

As a graduate of Indian Heritage School and a member of the Native Education Board, I could not believe the things that I heard.

I understand the niceness of community groups, but one community group does not represent the whole Native community.

I hated seeing the continued assault on the Department of Native Education.

I know from experience that UNEA has classes on writing bad letters to the school board in support of UNEA.

As an alumni of Indian Heritage, being on student council all through school, and someone who is currently running the Facebook group for Indian Heritage School, Huchoosedah is a great program serving our community.

I am so thankful for them.

It really saddens me to see them under attack yet again by Sarah Wilson and her crew.

They just pushed their angry agendas on Huchoosedah as provided Huchoosedah has provided so much help to the native community with the Sakachi classes and personal support, which is what made Indian Heritage great.

Huchoosedah and the support of the staff of students, they were more than teachers.

And it makes me happy to see that that is what is given to my kids in Sakachi.

When my daughter was assaulted and had nowhere to go, she could turn to her native ed teacher, Stacia.

Stacia attends to more than just the academics, she attends to the whole child, something our kids need.

The student needs more funding so they can help with things like groceries, but then, and whatever the community groups did.

My kids needed clothing.

They were there to help me.

When the when the cable got turned off they paid the bill.

I just can't not believe that this Native Education and Sarah Wilson crew is allowed to come on here and publicly attack the Native Education Department.

I'm severely severely saddened by what goes on here.

I support the Native Education Department.

I support Denise — any pedigree of Native American.

Because it doesn't matter what pedigree you are.

It's just a matter that your blood is there.

And I really hope that you continue to support the Native Education Department.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Carrie Rennie.

Carrie K. Rennie or Rennie.

Go ahead Carrie.

Hi can you hear me.

Yes.

Okay.

I know I'm not in the minority when I say I am feeling like a crappy mother these days unable to do it all and feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders as my kids continue to learn through a computer screen.

This is a futile attempt to plead with decision makers to consider the impact that school closures are having on your community.

For a minute can you consider the long-term implications of keeping schools shut rather than focusing solely on short-term fears.

Your tagline of safe and healthy at home is an oversimplified and unfortunately grossly inaccurate depiction of what it is like for many kids who don't have helpful grown-ups in the house.

Are abused neglected or otherwise.

Forget about equity.

School closures are widening the gap.

The cost of missing school are huge.

Children learn less and lose the habit of learning.

Microsoft Teams is a lousy substitute for classrooms.

For children who are less likely to have good Wi-Fi and educate a parent fall further behind their better off peers.

For a minute would you consider the long-term impact of school closures not only to children but to mothers everywhere.

I know countless mothers who have had to pull back from work in order to ensure that our kids are not falling behind.

My new role as teacher and enforcer is taking its toll on my relationship with my children.

The pandemic is stressful enough that mothers and children are getting the raw end of the deal when schools are shut.

Parents who have nowhere to drop their children struggle to return to work.

Mothers bear the heavier burden and so suffer a bigger career setback.

Children out of school are more likely to suffer abuse malnutrition and poor mental health.

When pediatricians across the globe agree that children should be back in the school building it really makes me question the criteria and input with which Seattle Public Schools are using to make these critical life-altering decisions.

Right now decisions are being made off of emotion not science.

Months into the school year school reopenings across the U.S. remain a patchwork of plans.

But amid this jumble one clear pattern is emerging.

The more and more data that I see the more comfortable I am that children are not in fact driving transmission especially in school settings said Brooke Nichols an infectious disease modeler at Boston University Public Health.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of it all is parents' legitimate concerns are falling on deaf ears.

They've already thrown in the towel until at least January 28th with no guarantee they will return after that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Tina Norman.

Tina Norman.

The next speaker.

Tina Norman.

Tina Norman you may need to press star-6.

My mom Tina Norman she cannot due to my grandfather's passing in the next few days.

Thank you.

Moving to the next speaker on the list then Mary Kummer.

Mary Kummer.

Kummer.

Kummer.

Mary go ahead.

Can you hear me.

Yes.

Thank you.

I think someone read the statement on the Seattle Urban Native Nonprofit.

Thank you.

Go ahead Ellie.

That was the 20th speaker on today's list.

Okay.

That concludes our public testimony for the meeting.

We will now.

Move to the action items on today's agenda.

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

We will move now to Action Item Number 1. Implementation of Moss Adams Recommendations to Create a High-Value Internal Audit Function designed to help the district achieve its goals.

I will.

I move the school board support and direct full implementation of all recommendations identified in Moss Adams September 8th 2020 independent report on the internal audit function within the implementation timeline identified in the report.

May I have a second.

This item has been moved by Director Harris and seconded by Director Rivera-Smith.

Now to directors for any comments questions or concerns before we move to the vote.

As the chair for Audit and Finance I would start with myself.

I'm very proud to bring this forward.

This has been the result of a tremendous amount of work teamwork.

amongst our internal audit staff led by Andrew Medina and our external team at Moss Adams as well as many many other senior and support staff in internal audit and other departments.

And trying to move the district to a high-value internal audit function.

I will briefly turn it over to Andrew Medina to ask for any comments or additional comments or questions before I call on directors.

Thank you.

Just FYI there were no changes or questions since introduction.

And I'd just like to thank Colleen and Tammy with Moss Adams for their work.

Colleen is on the line if there are questions about the report.

And I'd also like to thank the board for giving internal audit an opportunity to elevate our work our value to the district and look forward to the next phase of implementing the recommendations

Thank you.

And now we'll go to Director Harris.

Director Harris is ever so pleased that this BAR has come before us.

I I applaud Vice President Hampson and staff that worked on this and Moss Adams as well.

It's high high time and overdue and this with putting community experts on our Audit and Finance Committee can only bode well for us and my how things have changed and I could not be more grateful.

Thanks ever so much.

Thank you Director Harris.

Director Hersey.

Yeah I don't have much to add.

I'm excited to see this come through and ready to vote.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Mack.

Apologies for the printer noise in the background.

I am equally as excited about this BAR and increasing our efforts towards transparency and fiduciary responsibility of public funds and appreciate this coming forward in the work of the Senate.

Look forward to voting.

No questions at this time.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Rankin.

I don't have any additional questions.

We had a good discussion around this item when it was introduced and I'll just echo my colleagues in appreciation for the work that has gone into bringing this forward and I'm excited to vote.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

Likewise it's it's been it's been a good a good a good deal of discussion on this in committee and now here last last time with introduction.

I I again I like I said before I hope that as this gets implemented we can just you know work to just fulfill you know the the aspirations of it because I know that that's that's always where the rubber meets the road right is where we see the changes happen.

I thank you to Andrew Medina Medina sorry for his work going in this and that will be forthcoming.

Thank you Director Hampson to as well for bringing this forward.

No questions.

Thank you.

Okay.

And I would just note thank you Director Harris for reminding me that we do have currently out for public view on our main board page.

An opportunity for two public advisors to audit and finance and that it will be accepting inquiries regarding that through the 12th of November and are really looking forward to having those are two two-year staggered two-year terms.

for public advisors to the Audit and Finance Committee which they're non-voting members but will provide some tremendous continuity and additional transparency and expertise that that I believe we need for Audit and Finance Committee.

So please grab that link off of our main page and share it.

And with that I will ask Ms. Wilson-Jones for the vote.

Director Mack.

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

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you all so very very much.

We will now move to Action Item 2. Approve the purchase of additional laptops and iPads for staff and students to support teaching and learning any remote learning model through school year 2020-21.

May I have a motion for this item.

I move that the school board authorize the superintendent's execution of purchase orders through Thornburg Slash Dell and Apple for a total not to exceed amounts of $10,313,993 including estimated Washington State sales tax with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement purchase orders in support of devices for pre-K through 12 students and staff.

Immediate action is in the best interest of the district.

The item has been moved by Director Harris and seconded by Director Rivera-Smith.

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

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

Thank you.

This BAR would provide authority to purchase devices through the remainder of the school year for students and staff.

In the background section of the BAR we note that some of our machines have lower memory and are 4 plus years old and need to be replaced.

So there's about 5,419 devices that are needed right now along with cases for the devices that were purchased this summer.

This number of devices would give us enough machines to stock a cart of devices at each school for ease of swapping devices as needed by schools.

And it would also provide inventory for staff devices when issues arise and we need to make swaps there.

So as noted part of this request is to purchase cases for devices.

Cases were not available nor could we get them on machines in time for the start of school.

This BAR would provide also provide capacity for 6,500 additional devices to be purchased throughout the remainder of the school year if needed including any purchases to start the 21-22 school year.

The chart on page 2 provides specifics on the number and type of devices to be purchased.

I would note that BTA IV and BEX V levies both have amounts for the purchase of devices for staff and students included in those levies.

And finally as requested by Director Mack we have included the history of previous device bars.

The June 2019 and March 2020 bars were replaced by the September 2020 bar that was approved by the board because the original spend plans No longer were applicable as the device purchase plans completely changed with the onset of COVID-19.

The unspent amounts from the 2019 and the March 2020 BAR were applied to fund the subsequent BARs.

This information is also noted in a table at the bottom of page 2 of the BAR.

That would conclude my remarks and I would happy to take questions.

Thank you Chief Berge.

Now to directors for any comments or questions before we moved to the vote.

We'll start with Director Harris.

Thank you.

My question is for Chief Berge.

And maybe a little awkward but what the heck.

We're trying to be transparent.

We've taken a lot of pushback about your role as CFO and CIO together.

Is it your understanding that we are going to be looking for a Chief of Information Technology.

Director Harris I'm not exactly sure how that relates to the BAR.

I would say that I don't know that there have been any firm plans made and we would need to probably talk more about this offline.

Thank you.

Director Harris did you have anything about the bar itself.

What I am getting from community is frustration about how we're organized and unfortunately some the bar and personnel are looped together in that.

That's my point.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you Director Harris.

Director Hersey.

I don't have any real outstanding questions but I guess just for clarification we are going to also be utilizing some of these laptops to go to support K-2 teachers specifically with making sure that there is consistency between the devices that the teacher has and the devices that the student has.

Am I correct in that.

That that's correct.

The K-2 teachers are.

are given a laptop and an iPad.

Fantastic.

Yeah that was just a piece of feedback that I have been receiving personally.

So I'm excited that we're addressing it.

No further questions on my end.

Thank you Director Hersey.

Director Mack.

Yes thank you.

I appreciate the responsiveness to kind of modifying the BAR to be more clear as to what what we are doing with this given that we have previously in the previous BAR at least to me it was a little confusing as to okay what have we approved and what have we spent and where does those dollars come from and what are we approving now.

So just for clarity as I see here it says that the fiscal impact for this action is estimated to be about 10 million dollars and that the revenue sources our BTA IV CARES Act Head Start the City FVL the Family and Ed Levy and BEX V. So it's not just our levies where the dollars are coming from to support these efforts.

I'm assuming that the Head Start dollars are because of the supporting the the preschool iPads.

That's correct.

The same with the City FVL it's supporting the preschool students in those programs.

Okay.

And I do see that the BAR kind of lays out more clearly exactly what is being planned.

So I appreciate the clarification and I think I would only reiterate concern around I guess maybe similar to Director Harris's comments is that we don't have an actual like technology rollout plan that's comprehensive.

And I would really like to see more of that more management around the planning process.

Now we're in the middle of a pandemic and we've had to pivot in order to provide the necessary resources for students to access remote learning.

And so I'm in support of this BAR and other efforts we undertake to mitigate that.

At the same time I think we can be doing a better job of planning collaboratively this overarching technology strategy for our students and for our taxpayer dollars.

Thank you.

So Director Mack I think that the oversight work session that's planned in January I believe that you guys will see a lot of that plan coming forward from staff.

There is a technology plan and there is an ITAC report that's being given to the executive committee as well.

So I think some of that planning and more details from staff will be provided at those two opportunities.

And we will be sharing.

Yeah just for clarification.

I appreciate that.

Where is the board interaction with that plan.

Where do we have an intersection with that.

So that that plan should be shared with the full board as well.

So shared with the board but to what extent does the board have oversight and input.

The corollary around facilities master planning requires the board approval.

So I'm curious to know whether or not the board is engaged from a governance standpoint in in the technology planning.

The.

Director Mack the ITAC report we're following the way that it is currently set up.

It needs some clarification but it currently reports annually to the executive committee.

I think it.

And I had asked that we please share that with with the rest of the of the board.

But that work doesn't currently have a direct tie to the broader planning.

Chief Berge do you want to add anything to that.

That doesn't mean it shouldn't be but that's how it currently it that's how it was created.

Yeah I think one of the things that we need to just remember is that ITAC was new and it was started The technology plan while not approved by the board was really the work plan for the technology levy that was approved by the board.

Those specifics were approved by the board.

And it's our intention as we work through the next levy to follow a similar process that BEX does a little bit more closely this time where previously that wasn't that didn't happen.

The board has expressed the wanting to have that more detailed report that would be approved and that's This is part of our plan that we have in motion for BTA V. So I think that the board will be looking forward to seeing that and we'll be happy with that.

I hope.

Okay.

Director Rankin.

Oh sorry.

Director Rankin.

Thank you.

I don't have any questions.

I do have a comment.

I will be supporting this this item with my vote.

But I did want to acknowledge and respond to some of the public testimony and some few emails that we've been getting about screen time and other things related.

And I I hear that and wholeheartedly agree that remote does not have to mean digital.

That there are a lot of opportunities for students to engage in learning that are not you know tethered to a laptop the whole time.

And I don't think that that is how all students are experiencing remote education right now.

So I mean it is a it's a good good reminder that remote doesn't equal digital and that you know teachers can provide educational opportunities in ways that that are not all on the laptop.

in a remote setting a device equals access.

And and while you know outdoor classrooms are a place I would love to see a lot of investment in but outdoor classrooms and books are definitely things that we should you know make sure students have.

They are not a replacement for the access that a device in the hands of a student is providing.

to a live teacher in a remote setting and that a lot of especially for for littler kids I mean anything is going to require a lot of parental or adult supervision.

But we can't they're not they're not mutually exclusive these devices and outdoor outdoor learning and books.

You know kids need access to all of these things.

But in particular right now what a device means for a student is a connection with an educator which is hugely valuable.

And I will be voting yes on this.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I have a question I guess for Chief Berge.

Can you just addressing one of your concerns that were shared by community could you.

I explain how BEX dollars are they being appropriately spent on this item.

Yes.

BEX dollars are being appropriately spent on this item.

There is a line item there was a line item in BTA and in BEX.

There's a technology component in every part of the levy and that may be where some of the confusion lie.

It's not just for capital dollars.

There is a number of dollars that are identified in both BTA and BEX levies that support our IT department and all of our technology functions.

Thank you.

Thank you for clarifying that.

And then I mean I this also just looking at the stepping back from this and thinking about the amount of money that this board has approved for devices at this time.

At the end of this will we have truly allocated and therefore spend $38 million on devices or is there is that not the dollar we should be looking at.

Well I think that we know that we are planning on spending another $4.6 right now if this is approved.

Another be $5.7 that we would wait and see about.

Do I think it's possible that we spend all 36.9 million dollars by August of 2021. I do think it's possible.

I don't know that it's super likely but we will be over 30 million dollars when you consider that we probably had to add 50,000 devices across our district.

I mean I think that and you think about we're serving 60,000 between our staff and our students.

We're well over 60,000 people that we have on devices.

So if we just do some math about you know about that I think it's you know it's not it's not spending even a thousand dollars per student and staff person.

Just to maybe provide some other perspective.

Thank you for that.

And I will just echo previous director's comments regarding just looking at our department infrastructure and how we are you know with our lack of a Chief Technology or Information Officer you know I think that it is it is imperative on us to decide if that is something that we truly do want to call for as a board.

But I know that's not a question this is a comment.

So thank you Chief Berge.

No further questions.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

Director Mack you had your hand up with another question.

Yes thank you.

I thought of another question after Director Rivera-Smith's questions and also in relation to the previous testimony.

One of the one of the questions that was raised in testimony was around the devices that are not working.

And I know that our what we did immediately upon the advent of the the pandemic and remote schooling in the spring is that we took devices that have been sitting in buildings for many years and turned them into devices that students would have one-to-one.

I'm curious to know if we have a sense as to whether or not the longevity of those devices they're just not as While the expectation that they would work well in the classroom in a 2-to-1 environment on laptop parts have we essentially discovered that they're not working as well as they need to in order to serve students in the 1-to-1 environment.

And that's part of the reason why we're needing to spend these additional dollars now essentially to replace some of those devices.

Yeah that's part of the reason.

That's accurate.

Devices that are 4-plus years old we we were on a we were on track to replace those anyway.

So that's all part of this really getting centered and having a stable base.

And this is about continuing to refine and support and improve our performance now right.

We have a device in the hands of every student.

Now it's about what else do we need to do to continue to improve our performance and improve those tools that we're providing to students.

Okay thank you very much.

That's all.

Thanks Director Harris Director Hampson.

Thank you.

And I don't have any additional questions other than I do want to just add or note that we have some we do have some fantastic expertise with ITAC and I am looking forward to getting that that information from them.

And as well I am very much looking forward to the leadership that will come out of the remote learning task force that was previously named the Reopening Task Force but it's more aptly called the Remote Learning Task Force.

I believe that I appreciate this BAR and the attention to ensuring that we're going to have equitable access to technology because regardless of how our in-person learning evolves this is an incredible opportunity to set some standards and some priorities for how we utilize remote learning to provide more equitable access in a number of different capacities.

And that was pretty well spelled out in our original resolution.

And I think there's some great leadership with that group.

We've had the opportunity to attend one of their meetings and I believe Director Directors Hersey and Director Rivera-Smith sit on that that committee.

And I think that we will be looking to them to provide some strong guidance that that we should take very seriously as a board as to how we take see how we use this this remote environment as opportunity as a learning opportunity for our entire system so that we are more effective in closing gaps with our with our students.

So and I do believe that this BAR allows us to do that.

a bit better because of making sure that we're able to continue that through 2020-21 and is something that was being discussed and planned prior to COVID even happening.

So this will be something that we need to consider on a regular basis for as a newer part of our budget universe.

So with that Ms. Wilson-Jones will you call for the vote.

Director Rankin.

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

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you Ms. Wilson-Jones.

We will now move to Action Item Number 3. Amending Board Policy Number 0030 Ensuring Educational and Racial Equity.

May I have a motion for this item.

I move that the school board amend Board Policy Number 0030 Ensuring Educational and Racial Equity as attached to the board action report.

Immediate action is in the best interest of the district.

May I have a second.

Second.

This item has been moved by Director Harris and seconded by Director Rivera-Smith.

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

And as I am one of the two sponsoring board members I will provide a brief briefing.

This is simply to change one word in the policy and that is a very critical clarity that the board does in fact as we are proposing require a procedure associated with 0030. I know that that is something that staff already has on their docket and I felt it was important to create that alignment and transparency for a community that in fact the expectation is that this is something that requires a procedure for operation for operationalization.

So with that I will move to directors for comments and questions before we move to the vote.

Director Harris.

Director Harris are you muted.

Is Director Harris still on the line.

She is.

Director Harris I'm going to go to Director Hersey and when you get unmuted I will come back to you.

Director Hersey.

Yeah the only real question that I have is that I would like to get a better understanding of this impact on senior staff.

Like where is this work going to live.

Like who is going to have hands on it.

I just want to have a clear understanding of how do we move forward from amending this here.

Well that's a superintendent procedure and the superintendent is not here.

So I don't know if and I know Dr. Keisha Scarlett has shared her plans with the board for working on that if maybe she wants to respond to that in the timeline.

Yeah.

Hi everyone.

So.

The policy work has traditionally lived in the Department of Racial Equity Advancement or maybe previously Department of Equity and Race Relations.

There has been a whole lot of changes you know organization-wise.

And so we haven't we didn't previously have a Stakeholder Engagement Department before.

And so I have charged Manal Al-ansi our Director over our Department of Racial Equity Advancement to move forward in the process and support for Policy 0040 and have recently assigned the Policy 0030 Procedure Development to Director of Stakeholder Engagement State Kirk Mead.

And so so they'll be working on their procedures.

I had.

been really leading in that area and did some partnership with Dr. Pedroza when she previously was Director of the Department of Racial Equity Advancement.

However moving forward within that this has been longstanding work of ERAC and so I think any changes to policy and procedures and the development of procedures should be part of the work with the Equity and Race Advisory Committee.

They have been contacted.

We have an upcoming meeting coming really soon to talk about ways to support procedure development across both as it is codified in Policy 0030. I think the Equity and Race Advisory Committee is one of the only advisory committees with ongoing sort of codified responsibility connected to policy.

And so that wouldn't change in this case for Policy 0030 and the procedure development I sent a lot of information on multiple links and that was a agenda for adoption during last year.

But when we found out about Policy 0040 it was agreed with Equity and Research Advisory Committee that they would work and help support the development of Policy 0040 what became Policy 0040 and help support that process because the two policies are definitely related to each other.

And the whole idea is that an anti-racism policy ends up strengthening the racial equity policy.

So that's where we stand with that right now.

That's helpful.

Thank you.

Anything else.

Director Hersey.

Not at this time.

Okay.

Director Harris are you with us.

I am.

I'm sorry I was cut off and dialed back in.

I I think I've been a very loud and consistent voice about the dilemmas between policies and superintendent procedures.

And one of the problems with 0030 has been that there have been no procedures.

And I appreciate the effort that has been made to start on the procedures but again I I'm really uncomfortable in doing business this way.

I would like to see the draft procedures.

I would like to have a work session on the draft procedures.

I would like the draft procedures to actually have some heft and weight to them so that if folks are doing racist things we can rely on our procedures and with all due respect boot them because because we don't have those tools.

And and policy development and procedure development we're left without those tools.

And if this is forced to a vote tonight I will abstain because I am uncomfortable with not having a work plan.

Not having deadlines.

Not having community engagement.

And and I don't want to because I I have yelled loud and long about the fact that this is aspirational language with no enforcement procedures.

I'd much rather frankly table this until we have time to work out the superintendent procedures hear from AMAC and other folks that have been working on this since I believe it's 2012. And to say that I'm embarrassed that this organization hasn't been able to get procedures done since 2012 and I well appreciate most of the folks charged with that are long long gone.

But I think we're entering a new era of accountability and a new era of folks willing to do the hard work so that there are procedures that can in fact be enforced.

And perhaps I'm leaning too much on my litigation side but I I'm having real difficulty with aspirational language that doesn't have any meat on it.

And with that I'll stop.

Thank you.

Okay.

Director Mack.

You know I appreciate the opportunity to take a look at the language in this in this policy again.

We talk about it a lot.

It's important that we actually read the language.

And so I appreciate this coming forward to to to refresh our memories of what was passed in 2012. And as I was looking over the policy and not just thinking about the one word change but I was thinking about the cross-reference to other policies that are not listed here that I think probably appropriately should be.

There's a policy on equitable access to education.

I'm not remembering the number right now but you know kind of doing these things off my head in the middle of a board meeting going.

There's other policies that this should be cross-referenced with not the least of which is our policy around community engagement and our advisory committees which I know is on the docket to be talked about but.

The the line that stuck out to me here when I was reading through this was that it already says in policy that the report shall be based on the annual goals of the district's Equity and Race Advisory Committee which are set in partnership with the superintendent and the school board.

And I'm wondering when when did we have that partnership with setting the annual goals of the advisory committee.

I don't recall having that process or having a board meeting in which we actually discussed that or or or having that part of our process.

Is there a time when we have actually done that annual goal setting for the advisory committee and I'm not remembering it.

Dr. Scarlett do you want to try to field that.

Yeah.

You know it might predate me because by the time I had worked in the position and been hired as Executive Director Organizational Development for Equity Overseeing and I was charged with relaunching the former Department of Equity and Race Relations under the leadership of Dr. Jones.

At that point the policy had already been in place for 6 years so that was 2018. So it was brought at the top of the policy agenda and also us like sort of staffing the partnership with with ERAC.

I have been the convener for ERAC and for you know multiple years within that.

So then there's also been transition with my position in moving into you know Dr. Jones's former role.

So I I would say the goals the last time I sent information to you all about the last time that we met with Superintendent Juneau to discuss I believe was January 2019 that we met with her to to establish the goals.

Myself and other members of ERAC met with her on early in January to discuss the goals.

and made agreements on that.

I sent those goals to the school board along with a number of links.

I'd be happy to put it in Friday Memo again to refresh your memory.

But so that would be the last time any goal setting was done on the annual goals and then there was agreement about you know the different goal areas and Superintendent charged us with working on the policy process.

I also hired a policy intern or hired or got one to really help us move through.

Please note that at the same time we were we had just established the Seattle Excellence Strategic Plan.

The strategic plan was the Policy 003-0 the AAMAC recommendations.

Those were all foundational documents for the establishment of the Seattle Excellence Strategic Plan.

And I think in many cases the different work streams and priorities and initiatives are definitely reflective.

And I and I would say you know each year through our report process that we share the Policy 0030 Annual Report as part of sharing you know the goals of ERAC as well.

But we've not convened yet this year to establish goals and just are trying to kind of move through some different leadership shifts.

So that's where we are now with the Equity and Race Advisory Committee.

but would be happy to share goals.

And most of the role of the Equity and Race Advisory Committee is really around policy work because we have sort of a broader equity synergy group to help support other things.

Just reminding you that the African-American Male Advisory Committee has been sunset and so but there's a lot of interest from a lot of stakeholders.

and helping to support our broader equity work moving forward.

And then the last thing is you know we do have the establishment of the Office of African-American Male Achievement which they are really guiding many of the district strategies around our strategic plan implementation of our targeted universalism work as well.

So the system has just changed.

There's a lot more people to do this work.

It's not just Keisha sort of sitting in these places convening people.

So I'm excited about the capacity that we do have to be able to move this work forward and these policies and procedures both 0040 and 0030 are part of our division goals this year.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for that.

Yeah.

Thank you for.

I appreciate that.

I my my kind of follow-on question as I look for the Equity and Race Advisory Committee information because each of our advisory committees have you know they're under our policy and they need to have a charter and all of these things.

And I looked online and I just see that the last on our website it only lists the meetings from 2018 to 19. And then I found a Google website that's separate.

So I'm kind of confused about that about why there's a Google website and not being hosted on our website that's calling itself the SPS Equity and Race Advisory Committee homepage which is not on Seattle Public Schools and then the Seattle Public Schools one is not updated with recent membership meetings and so forth.

So I'm just kind of curious about how that all is is working and appreciate all the work that's going into it.

I guess how I feel about updating this policy at this point.

to require the procedures be written but not actually see what those procedures are.

I I shared Director Harris's concerns around not having a draft in front of us.

And I I I I also feel a bit uncomfortable with changing the date of the adoption of this policy to today's date which happens when we change change one word.

And so I I support the construct of the movement towards getting the procedures done but I don't support modifying the policy at this point.

Thank you.

So Director Mack I would ask you based on those comments to clarify.

So when we do update the adopted date stays the same and then we have a revised date right when we do policies.

And one of the things that based on all the history that we just heard I believe that we as a board have an ethical responsibility to be clear with staff and to support staff by providing directives so that that can be included in budgetary decisions and management decisions and in future crafting of procedural and policy language.

But if we don't actually require the procedure then how does staff know that that that's the expectation I guess is what what my question would be to back to you and Director Harris.

And I think it's one that we have to grapple with as a board because I don't I don't believe that it's fair to have that expectation or to of staff to to make sure that work happens.

when we haven't been clear about whether or not it's necessary to have a procedure in the particular instance.

And we've heard about it consistently from community and I think it's difficult when staff has many competing priorities for them to know where the board stands if we haven't been clear about it.

So so that's what I would kind of say and I'll go to other directors and I can come back around to see if you have any further comments after after they do.

And part of doing this is because I really do want to make sure that we have that discussion because we have we do we have a lot of nebulous directives and procedures.

So I'm going to go now to Director Rankin.

That's actually a perfect segue for the question that I have which is not specific to this item but but in general in our policies we have you know directs the superintendent to develop procedure requires authorizes.

There's just a bunch of different ways of stating that that a procedure is requested I guess.

And so I my question might be more for legal or or maybe for I'm not sure.

But but basically is there a need for us to look to make consistency in that across policies or or is this just something that kind of as needed we're going to change going down the you know as work progresses.

Because what what I'm wondering now is you know the assumption is even when it says that the superintendent is authorized to create procedures You know the assumption is that there will be a procedure.

So then if there's you know some that say authorized and some that say required does that sort of then make the ones that say authorized sound more optional.

I can address that.

This is Greg Narver Chief Legal Counsel.

I it really depends what the board's intent is. is a required step by the board if there is going to be a superintendent procedure but you're not requiring it.

And I think authorized does imply some level of it being discretionary with the superintendent.

Words a word like required is different and that is a directive from the board to develop a procedure.

I these aren't defined terms in our policies but They are I think we're just going to a plain language understanding of them.

There is a difference between authorization and requirement.

I don't think it's inconsistent.

It really just depends what the board intends to either direct or leave up to the discretion of the superintendent.

Okay.

Because I mean my my thinking is that there we have now several that I If I'm remembering right you know I think we have or I think Passport at some point maybe consistently used authorizes.

And so we may find that some policies that say authorizes we actually do want to be a requirement.

Well and if I could jump in that's what's happening in today's BAR is a change from authorization to to a direction.

And again that's that's a these are the board's policies and what you want to direct in them is is a board decision.

You may not want to change all the authorizations to to requires depends on what the policy and what kind of action the board wants the superintendent to undertake.

So I mean I'm I'm thinking that there you know we may not want to change all of them but there are probably some that we So in your advisement would it be like do we need to review a bunch of stuff or should we just sort of go as it comes up.

That's really that's up to you how you want to if you want to go through the the policy book and see other places you think a superintendent procedure where it's already authorized ought to be required that's something you could bring before the board.

I don't think that's a process that's underway right now.

We have a lot of policies but again it's ultimately the board's decision what you want to direct in policy.

Okay thank you.

So I guess for for my fellow board members I'm just kind of putting that out there as something that you know we shouldn't take time with right at this moment but maybe as you know committee chairs or just as we're thinking through some things we might want to revisit that or if anyone wants if anyone's interested in having that discussion I am too.

And I'll just leave it at that.

Just to respond to that that's actually part of the planning for I've been Director DeWolf and I've been working with Ellie on looking at what there is an accounting of that of which we receive right.

What what procedures have been updated which ones are are out there.

And then we are starting to look at where there are policies that don't have procedures should have procedures.

So it's something with some of the other work that we're doing right now that is a little bit more comprehensive.

You know we're quite a few years out from a lot of policy revisions and I think it would be an important part of that process to be to be really clear since we keep having this back and forth about getting a procedure not getting the procedure but then how does how do we direct staff to do it if we're not actually saying that.

So.

Yeah.

Okay.

That's.

Director Rivera-Smith are you done.

No just thanks.

Okay.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you Noel.

I I am it's been really good to hear the discussion on this and thank you for for being here Wayne and Keisha and for Director DeWolf and all your questions.

I don't have any other questions for this.

Thank you.

Okay.

So any follow-up.

I did provide that option.

Director Mack go ahead.

Yes thank you.

Just kind of in response to what you're saying about like you know the creating the clarity around whether or not it's required and that it should get worked into the work plan and all of that.

I do think that's important that we need to look at that.

But I also feel like and having served on the board for three years and followed very closely previously the previous practice when policies came forward with you know associated procedures the procedures were also drafted at the same time.

I am increasingly uncomfortable with not having those in discussion when when the policy is coming forward for revision not having a draft of it not having an understanding of what is going to be drafted.

Because I think there there ends up and has been in many cases gaps between what the board's intention in policy was and what was interpreted in procedure.

And that disconnect is it feels like over the last several years.

And not no not pointing any fingers at any one person but it feels like from a process standpoint there's just been an increasing divide between ensuring that the procedures match the policy intent and have that come alongside the same conversation and have those in draft form when we're asked to be approving a policy change.

And I you know in a previous discussion that Director Harris pointed out in that discussion around a policy that was brought forward without procedures I was not consistent in saying no I'm not going to approve this because of the hope that the procedures would come along.

But I'm I'm deeply uncomfortable about having seen those draft and not having that be presented and discussed at the same time.

So that's that's kind of my main reason for not supporting this updating this policy at this time.

I do support that the procedures need to be written but I think they should come to us.

And I'd be happy to approve the policy word change at that time when we have the staff procedures in front of us.

And that's where I stand on on on my perspective.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thanks for clarifying your philosophy.

Director Harris go ahead.

Thank you so much.

Again none of this is personal but I think we can do much better.

And I think 0030 and SP0030 deserves better.

In the equity synergy what do you call it breakout session one of the Iraq members was beyond shocked that there were even superintendent procedures and he was ready to get to work right then and there.

Again the devil's in the details.

And I appreciate Dr. Scarlett giving us the thumbnail history but I would suggest that the last time that the superintendent and the board and the previous department that she inherited met in 2019 were before 4 school board members were seated.

So again I would like to have a work session on this.

It's too important not to do correctly.

I want to direct the superintendent to do superintendent procedures so they have full force and effect.

And I'd like to table this quite frankly and I wonder if any of my colleagues would like to table it until February and we get drafts back and and do a really bang up job which this deserves.

And that would give staff as well some bandwidth during the holidays during all the community engagement et cetera to feel beyond proud of our work that that hasn't been enacted since 2012.

Okay so as a co-sponsor of this I'm I'm I'm happy to I'm going to call for the vote.

I'm happy to hear if there's if folks want to raise their hand and and and pull it.

But I do you know I think we have a philosophical difference in terms of how the directive happens.

And and I'm not unfamiliar in any way shape or form with that the history.

Because it's something that I've paid attention to very closely and I you know I do believe that that resources also follow directives and the timeline that that was established is one that was provided in the work that Dr. Scarlett was talking about so that it's it's just says 2021 so there's plenty of time.

So it's not a rush to to make that happen.

But so unless other directors are feeling otherwise.

Go ahead Director Hersey.

That wasn't me.

Oh sorry.

Okay.

So I'm going to go ahead and ask Ms. Wilson-Jones to call for the vote.

Wait sorry.

This is Director Rankin.

Just confirming.

What we're being asked to vote on right now is just the change of word from authorized to required.

Yes.

Okay.

Thanks.

Ms. Wilson-Jones.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Aye.

Director Harris.

Abstain.

Director Hersey aye Director Mack abstain Director Rankin aye Director Hampson aye.

Motion has passed with a vote of 4 yes to 3 to 2 abstentions.

Oh no 4 you're right.

Okay.

We will now move to Action Item Number 4. Motion to correct clerical error.

An action item approved by board at October 21 2020 meeting related to approval of renewed agreement with King County to purchase ORCA business passport products.

May I have a motion for this item.

I move that the school board waive the 20 20-21 Transportation Service Standards for the sole purpose of making additional middle school students eligible to receive an ORCA card while school bus service is not offered.

Motion is up.

This is the motion offered at the October 21 2020 board meeting in support of the board action report authorizing approval of a contract with King County for student ORCA cards mistakenly referenced the waiver of the 2019-2020 Transportation Service Standards.

The basis for the waiver of the 2020-2021 Transportation Service Standards is explained in the board action report approved by the board at the October 21 meeting.

Second.

The item has been moved.

by Director Harris and seconded by Director Rivera-Smith.

Chief Legal Counsel Greg Narver I believe you will be briefing us on this item which corrects a mistake in the motion approved at the last meeting.

Yes correct.

Thank you Director Hampson.

Good afternoon Greg Narver Chief Legal Counsel.

As Director Hampson just explained and as the motion that was just offered explained The purpose of this is to make a correction to the action taken by the board at the last board meeting.

It's a technical correction but I think it's one that is necessary.

And at the last meeting the board approved the renewal of a contract with King County for the purchase of ORCA cards.

Part of that approval was waiver of the transportation service standards to make additional middle school students eligible to receive ORCA cards.

And unfortunately while the.

staff intent and board intent I think was perfectly clear in the BAR.

There was this clerical error in the motion language that was then read into the record and the wrong school year was referenced.

The purpose of this is simply to make sure that the board has in fact done this waiver of the 2020-2021 Transportation Service Standards consistent with the action that was taken at the last board meeting.

And that's what this motion would do.

And I'm happy to answer any questions about it.

Now to directors for any comments or questions before we move to the vote.

Director Harris.

None.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

None for me.

Thank you.

Director Mack.

Questions.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

No questions for me.

Director Rivera-Smith.

No questions.

Thank you.

And no questions from me.

Ms. Wilson-Jones will you please call for the vote.

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

This motion is passed unanimously.

Okay.

We will now move to Introduction Item Number 1 Resolution 2020-21-13 Certification of Excess Levies and Calculation of General Fund Levy Rollback for 2021. Chief Berge I believe you will be briefing us.

Thank you.

So state law requires school boards to annually certify amounts for levy collections in the upcoming calendar year which would be 2021. And you'll notice that some of the numbers are blank.

We have not yet received the official reports from OSPI to include the amounts in the BAR.

However we do estimate the amounts to be collected of 164 million dollars for the enrichment fund and 312.5 million dollars for our capital funds.

I will point out that our voters have approved our enrichment levy at the amount of $271 million dollars.

However state law caps this levy collection at a per-pupil amount of $3,500.

Previously we had brought this BAR for intro and action.

We're as we as we usually don't have the amounts we're trying in a different way this year.

So when we get to action the amounts will be filled in.

But as was noted at the Audit and Finance Committee this this is a compliance requirement.

That concludes my remarks.

Okay.

Thank you.

I will now move to directors for questions and comments.

Director Harris.

No questions no comments.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

None for me.

Thank you.

Director Mack.

Just a quick question that we will we expect that in the next couple of weeks we'll get the information needed before we are approving this.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

No questions.

Director Rankin.

I don't have any questions right now.

Thanks.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

So just to clarify on Director Mack's comment.

We'll have that information before we take action on this next time.

Is that yes.

Yes.

So yeah no questions right now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And yes this I'm sorry I neglected that this did come through Audit and Finance and don't have anything to add.

It is as is I appreciate actually the the stepped process of going to intro and action so that we have a chance to look at it publicly twice and provide that additional transparency.

Ms. Wilson-Jones can you please call for the vote.

Oh sorry it's intro.

Never mind.

Oh geez.

We've now come to the board comments section of the agenda.

For those that didn't give comments before or may need to add something.

So we'll start with Director Harris.

Oh lucky me.

I have to say that with the darkness earlier now and all of the angst and fear And white-knuckle and not breathing for the last week as Director Rankin talked about yesterday's election.

I'm I'm feeling extremely contemplative and and thoughtful and grateful and angry and frustrated.

We don't have enough money.

We're never going to have enough money.

We're talking about matters of life and death.

We're talking about honoring our staff and their life and death.

Our students life and death.

And there's there's been some pretty significant and I think tonight's board testimony exemplified that some pretty significant personal hits and sadness and We have got to figure out a better way to lead where folks are heard and where we don't carry so much traumatic baggage because so many of the things that we are addressing and reacting to as a be as opposed to being proactive are adult issues not kid student educational issues.

And we probably have something like 20 community engagement outreach issues in the next 8-9 weeks right in the middle of holiday.

We are working in a system that is frankly not sustainable for our staff our students our teachers.

And and I guess what I'm asking for is a little grace.

Giving folks the extra 10 percent before we react and Lord knows I have been called a hothead in the past probably appropriately so to think of ways to collaborate and to think of conflict as an invitation to make something better.

I some of the emails that we received frankly burst me into tears on reading them.

And and I know we can do better.

I'm sure we can do better.

And it's an honor and a privilege to serve with such terrific folks.

But I don't want to look back two years from now on certain policies that we had to cross the T or dot the I and we're pushed into a corner.

I want to be thoughtful and proactive.

And I know everybody's working hard.

And here's hoping we have a new administration by the end of the week and we don't have litigation for the next 10 years.

And we have a new Secretary of Education.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

Thank you.

I just want to start off by saying that I will hardly agree with many of the sentiments that Director Harris brought forward.

And I think that just taking a moment you know not not getting into the politics of the world that we face right now even though many of us are living and existing as people of color especially Black folks through a state of politicized existence that just doesn't seem it doesn't seem fair in a lot of respects.

And as I look at the the political trajectory that our country is taking and I think about my second graders in so many ways feels as though I can exhale but at the same time still hold my breath if that makes sense.

I think that as we think about the landscape that we are creating in our school district that a lot of folks are kind of in that same space right where they're where some are feeling as though they can exhale while others are still very much so holding their breath.

And I just want to take a moment to just say thank you to the wonderful senior staff that we have really grinding and pushing many of these agendas and initiatives forward right now.

I've had conversations with many of you more frequently over the past few weeks and I just want to say that from many of our perspectives I acknowledge you and I see you.

And I think that we as a as a system very much in the same way that our country is coming hopefully to to a reckoning where we can take pause and take stock of what needs to happen for us to move forward united.

That there is a lot there to be learned from our perspective at the top end of our system.

Because at some phase we have to come together and figure out For whatever length of time we have left with this team that we have right now how do we move forward in a united way.

Because the only people who truly lose out if we don't figure this out are our students and our children.

Quite quite frankly our babies.

Right.

So again I am just really thankful to to be working on this team that that is really making a difference for many of our students.

And I don't want this to come across as if though I am wearing rose-colored glasses by any means.

We still have much that we need to do.

Many issues that need to be addressed.

But in the same breath I think that we all can can take a moment to appreciate one another a little more frequently.

I think we can all take a moment to just take a step back and realize that we are all humans and we are all trying our damnedest to make a system that we can all be proud of.

And as we move into this season of engagement and as we move into you know cold and flu season I just want to continue to urge folks to do not let up.

This pandemic is still very much so real.

This pandemic is still very much so claiming the lives of our loved ones.

We we are in a moment in our history where the choices that we make every day right now will impact the very lives of the people who live around us who we might not even know personally.

So I just again want to say an immense and an abundant thank you to all of the work from our educators to our support staff to our custodial staff to every member in our system from the bottom to the top.

We have been grinding.

these past few weeks and your work is appreciated and I am just so thankful to to be in partnership with you and looking forward to moving forward in a more united collegial way.

And I'll I'll end my comments there.

Thank you.

Okay.

Director Mack.

I appreciate following Director Hersey's comments.

A lot.

Thank you for thank you for all of that Director Hersey.

Yeah.

I share that experience of like holding my breath but maybe breathing.

I don't know.

It's a lot.

It's a lot to have this pandemic be ongoing and there is All of it is is is so much and all of our teachers and families and community and everyone is dealing with so many different things and so much work and effort is going into to trying to do our best.

And I know that that's the case.

So I really appreciate your words Director Hersey.

I wanted to thank the community participation and comments tonight and raising your concerns and your thoughts and bringing them to the board.

I really appreciate hearing that there is a deep appreciation for the Indian and I'm sorry I'm not saying the department correctly but the work that is going on inside of the district that there's a lot of appreciation and support for it.

So I just I appreciate that we're hearing some some accolades and support.

I also recognize the continued stress and feelings of broken partnerships and and difficulties that are still there.

And I appreciate speaking truth to those.

And I also encourage our district to increase our partnerships.

and support actually partnership may or may not be the exact right word but hearing from the representative from the NGO of all the different King County-wide organizations I you know we are we are much stronger as an as an organization as a community if we partner together.

And so I hope that we can.

as a district look at increasing those relationships and finding more ways to support our students and families with you.

So thank you for coming.

I also want to recognize the concerns around you know being stuck on the computer all day long and what remote schooling is doing to our kids and how challenging this is.

And it's not lost on me as a parent of three kids at all.

It's not lost on me.

And I I have I feel strongly that we need to do more to find some opportunities for safe in-person opportunities to have real connection.

and not just have all of our connection be happening through these screens.

I do think it's it's concerning and I hope that we can increase our efforts to getting outdoor ed or small group settings.

I don't I don't care what it is.

We do need to within this within the realm of we have to continue keeping our community safe.

We also need to find ways to connect and support our students' mental health in those regards.

So we're walking a fine line and I hear you and I know that we're trying to find ways to improve those opportunities.

For my colleagues on the board just want to give a heads up that operations committee is happening tomorrow.

And we have a couple pretty we have a number of BAR's that are somewhat normal coming through but also Director DeWolf and Rivera-Smith are going to be presenting a clean energy resolution alongside the green resolution update from the green resolution that was passed a good number of years ago by former board And we're also having an update on the health and emergency management with remote learning in the context of the COVID-19.

And Elyse sent out a reminder and a request to my colleagues to please take a moment if you can.

I know it's a lot of paper but we are going to be having a conversation around the threat assessment policies.

Threat assessment notification of threats and harm and can't remember the other one but those are all all of that and background information are going to be presented and discussed and look forward to having that conversation with you all about adopting those policies revisions.

And the Capacity Enrollment and Facilities Master Plan Advisory Committee continues to do their work.

They've been having some really robust conversations about how to ensure that they're representative and getting community input and appreciate that that's ongoing.

I also want to let y'all know that WSSDA conference is happening in a couple of weeks.

Some of you may have it's all virtual.

You may or may not be signing up but I'm My role on the legislative committee is an elected position.

And so I my term of the past two years is actually up this term.

So my position is up for election on bringing their process so that they'll go through a process.

And I believe that Lukecia Phillips from Federal Way who worked closely with this year is her position is also up for re-election and I'm looking forward to supporting her.

I believe she's planning to run again.

And I'll be honest that I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to throw my hat in or whether or not someone else from DA2 should be encouraged to run.

I'm not I'm not sure how that will play out but just want to let you guys know that that's happening.

And that caucus meeting I believe is open to every WASDA member which is every school board member across the DA2 which is King County-ish.

So let me know if you have any questions around any of that.

And I think that's all that I had other than a big thank you to staff for all the work you're doing and and to my colleagues to continue to keep our noses above the water and working together in furtherance of our students.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Thank you.

Yeah I gave some general some broader comments before public testimony but I did have two updates I wanted to share that I just didn't kind of didn't think about before.

Well and two sentiments.

So a big big thank you to Tina who's been a super warm and lovely supportive presence in the board office who we talked about earlier in the meeting.

She is leaving our office.

So thank you so much Tina.

And big condolences and well-wishes and healthy thoughts to the superintendent and her family in Montana.

The updates are on for outdoor and community learning.

I'm super excited to share that we will have in next week's curriculum students now Student Services Curriculum and Instruction Committee meeting we will be reviewing the BAR for the task force for place-based learning.

And that is just just thrilling.

Director Hampson and I with Dr. DeBacker and Director Toner have been working on the BAR and the the draft charter.

And so I'm very very excited to be able to review that next week and start getting participants to move this really exciting work forward.

And in terms of the pilot we've had a handful of of submissions come in for people that want to do outdoor pilots and that is also it would've been great for it to happen sooner.

But you know there's no shortage of things to work on.

So it's really really exciting to see Some people step in I think our first application I think we got the day after the form went live.

So we've got you know high school classes and reading intervention and first graders and just different different great stuff.

Something that I have been hearing is that people look at the form and think oh there's so many hoops to jump through this isn't actually going to happen.

And so I just want to encourage folks to if you have an idea that really what what all the items on the form are are you know things we have to have in place to make sure that that there's equitable access to whatever opportunity a teacher is presenting.

That it's going to meet the definition of instructional hours and that health and safety protocols are are in place.

And so it may seem like oh my gosh there's so many things to do but actually a lot of those like the health and safety things are things that are already in place and provided by the by the district because we we have had to look at all of that in terms of any kind of in-person learning.

So I just really encourage teachers if you have an idea try it out.

And and the review process that were that the submissions that the proposals go through is not so much of a acceptance or rejection.

It's a is this going to work in terms of safety and all of these things and is there anything popping up that maybe wasn't considered.

And if it's it's a short turnaround the intention is about a 5-day review process and that's just so that like special education someone from special education someone from facilities can just look it over and then get you out there with students.

And there's not you know this is a new thing that obviously wouldn't have been in the budget when it was set last year but we do have a commitment from the district to support when possible particularly Title 1 schools.

So just want to encourage you to go for it if you have the idea.

And it's going to be really exciting to see some groups of students outside with our with our educators.

Really really exciting.

And then a quick update on special education since that came up again that only one student was being served.

We have we will now see increased numbers of students rolling up being served in-person for special education services.

Again would have been good to have it happen sooner but this is such a critical thing for for some of our students and some of the the the hitches on some various protocols and requirements have been overcome.

And so I'm just really relieved and happy to share that that that that you know the the very sadly low number of one student is is no longer accurate thankfully so.

And that's that.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Can anyone see if she's still on.

I don't.

Director Hampson I don't see her on.

Looks like she got dropped.

That's too bad.

Okay well I guess let me know in the next minute or so if she got back on.

I.

I. Hello.

Yeah.

Oh my god I hit the leave button instead of the unmute and that's not the first time it's happened.

I'm super super sorry about that.

Done it before.

All right go ahead.

Not trying to ditch out.

Definitely not.

Oh my lord.

Oh.

Coming back from that.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for waiting for me there.

And thank you Tina.

Tina yes.

I'm so sad you're leaving us.

I'm so happy that I got the chance to know you before COVID happened and we got to compare our literal battle scars and I'm so sad you're going.

I wish you the best and wherever life takes you.

Next.

Please keep in touch.

And then of course to respond to the community we had speaking earlier this evening.

First thank you Emily and Chris for being our reliable SPS watchdogs.

We have obviously now approved that BAR on the devices so I hope your concerns and questions were covered there and also but I wanted to speak to your question about does the investment impact our willingness to move forward with re-entry which I'm sure a lot of people probably want to know because That's a concern a lot of minds.

But I believe no.

I believe personally with for me that this that this investment in devices does not weigh into whether or not we go back into the classrooms.

But I acknowledge that I think it will you know impact how much online learning stays with us even when we are back in person.

What elements are still there.

We've put in not just money to devices but money to professional development and trainings.

And on both sides are teachers and students and community.

So we you know that is that is an investment of time and energy and how and now that we've seen it happen how does that stay with us when we are in-person.

That's I think the bigger question that we'll have to be looking at.

So again thank you for all your questions.

I do also want to reiterate a question that Emily Cherkin had because I would like to find out from community I mean sorry from staff if you could.

I would love if in Friday Memo we can find out if somebody could address this concern about all of the students interactions online all their learning being public record.

If somebody could explain that explain if this is if it's not a violation of FERPA because you know that's a legitimate question and sounds like they've raised it with OSPI.

So if somebody could address that for us on staff in Friday Memo I would really appreciate it.

Moving on.

Thank you of course Brian Terry for your continued and ongoing advocacy for equity.

You are a strong champion there.

Thank you.

Elizabeth Murphy thank you for letting us know about the proposed multi-family affordable housing project in Rainier Beach.

I would encourage you to get in touch with our Director of Enrollment and Planning Services Ashley Davies to have a conversation with her or Ashley if you can find Elizabeth.

I think that's probably a good start because we definitely want to have our eyes and ears to the ground regarding any new housing that comes about that we can plan around.

To Kerry Riney or Riney I'm sorry.

Your concerns regarding remote learning are shared by so many.

So thank you for giving voice to those with us here tonight.

Is the school closure widening the equity gap.

Are kids learning less.

Is Teams a lousy substitute.

Yeah I haven't done the research but it seems like it right.

I mean you know it does there is definitely a lot to be said for those.

Those claims there and if it were that simple though believe me we would have our students back in buildings in a heartbeat.

It's clearly not that simple unfortunately.

Transmission rates right now are at 123 per 100,000 and the signs are telling us that the number will very well go up with the colder weather and the holidays.

So please please believe me your very legitimate concerns are not falling on deaf ears.

And neither are the recommendations of public health and neither are the concerns from families and staff who are who are thankful that we are not trying to move our students back into buildings.

So I hope you will stay tuned with us and learn along with us with about the recommendations that will come out of our remote learning task force.

I'm very excited to be part of that along with Director Hersey.

And like I said looking forward very much to finding out what we can learn from that group.

And then as as of last week thank you for all of our members of the Native American community who have logged on to speak with us tonight and share your experiences with us.

And that's that's really the common thread I found in all of your testimonies tonight is that you came here to share your experiences and very bravely so.

The differences in those experiences are apparent and it's not for me to judge or decide anything about that but I want you to know that especially to our students that came out and spoke that you your feelings your feelings on this are valid your experiences are indisputable and your perspectives are needed.

Because collectively the parents who spoke and the students you all bring the knowledge and the experiences and the viewpoints that we need to create the educational environment and and experiences that you need from our district.

Thank you Arianna.

Anna.

Lucan.

Leilani.

Alumni.

Kateri.

And of course to our our the community members and elders Drs.

Carroll and Jimmy.

Shaina.

Kay.

Sarah.

Emma.

Brooke.

Jennifer.

And then also to Marcus.

And I Marcus I didn't catch what organization you're with yourself but but I appreciate what you had to say about how this is an opportunity for innovation.

And that's really what I want us to hopefully get out of this is that we this is a chance.

I mean conflict and I think it I won't take it I think it's always Director Harris who would say it's constructive conflict and it's conflict isn't a bad thing.

Not that we want it all the time but but it's an opportunity to grow and to come together to collaborate.

I you know I I don't I don't intend to ever insert myself into a community's conflicts or you know But I will say as a board member I do I find I do take the responsibility I have to be accountable to both the district and community.

And in that you know last week after the board meeting I did reach out to Superintendent Juneau and just to just to you know talk about this and see if there is an opportunity maybe for coming together a meeting of some sort facilitated you know because I think that that's that I think that that helps kind of when you have conflict it's nice to have a facilitator to have some sort of you know wish it could be sit down but it can't be sit down meeting right because we're where we are in COVID.

But I recommended that to her.

And just because we all want I believe no one here doesn't want everyone in the community wants the same things.

We all want community to be served and listened to and included.

And I appreciate that she did schedule a meeting that has since been canceled because she's unavailable Sadly so.

But and I also appreciate that you know the meeting was called but but there was there there wasn't the engagement in planning that meeting also.

I mean I I've heard from community that there was a lack of you know just cultural understanding of inclusion in the planning and choosing a facilitator and the date and time.

All of the things are big things and I and I hear that.

So I think that we will keep having to learn and try and come together because This is not something we want again we brush under the rug like many of you feel it has been because I I'm so happy to hear like I said like someone else to hear that the accolades and appreciation for our Native Ed program.

I you know I'm I very I always I love hearing Gail's updates.

It's always inspiring and I'm very proud of the work they do.

And I'm so happy that students are being well-served there.

And that's one experience and I hear the other experiences of the lack of something else that they need and a community voice that's not be they feel isn't heard.

So again I'm not I'm not licensed or anything on these things but I want to I just want to see you know as a district us take initiative to to build those relationships back up.

Because you know that's that's our duty.

And I'm one I'm only one board member and these aren't directives but these are encouraging messages I'm sending and I am happy to talk with anyone who wants to talk more with me on these.

Again like this is an opportunity for some from innovation conversations and I am fully supportive there.

I hope that you'll keep talking and keep keep doing your emails letters whatever we need because that's how we're going to get where we need to be.

Thank you everybody who was here tonight and stayed this long.

Hopefully we'll have you know some news on on that front here.

And I am I'm sure I'm forgetting something but just thank you all and I will pass the mic now.

This is Director Hampson.

So just some final notes.

I do want to send some thoughts and as we would say in my community thoughts and prayers to those that are enduring hardships right now.

Those of our colleagues staff but particularly our students and our families who regardless of how things might turn out this week I know are feeling pretty pretty slept down pretty drugged down pretty unseen unheard in a way that that it's as as adults I think especially in trying to communicate with young people young adults as well as our children it is it's hard to explain.

It's hard to explain where we are as a country right now and What it what it provides for me is resolve to continue to do this work.

And it's a difficult day.

It's a difficult day.

We're in the midst of I read the proclamation for Native American Heritage Month.

That is my community and a community in which I have dedicated myself and in which I'm deeply invested.

And it's hard when.

our agreement or disagreements become public.

And when I know that so many work so hard to serve the needs of particularly our students and particularly those students that are that are feeling so unseen right now.

You know I think the thing that's been circling quite a bit right now is that that Native people were referred to as quote unquote something else in a you know a voter turnout or voter voter poll.

And being erased is a is a is an incredibly soul-crushing experience.

And that comes forward when we as a community are being highlighted by something that's on the calendar and then yet feel unseen and unheard.

I would just ask that you know amongst my fellow board members just a couple corrections.

It's the just to be really clear it's the Native American Education Department that works directly with students and it's the American Indian Studies Department that does all the incredible training and curriculum with Since Time Immemorial.

So you know I really ask you during especially during months like this to learn those names so that when you are at the dais that you can speak about them.

And and respect the your your fellow colleagues who are part of their their communities and speak with us about how difficult these things are in our communities.

Because they're complex and they're not easily solved and this is a place that we find ourselves frequently in November.

And on top of that then you know we're usually dealing with with folks not necessarily taking advantage of the incredible resources that are provided in order to give our students the benefit of the history of Since Time Immemorial of the first people of this land and the ways of knowing that are so important to anybody who lives in this place.

And that that's one of the best ways that you can really support the work that is to make sure that you're reminding all of your constituents within buildings whether it's parents or teachers or administrators to in fact honor the work that that the 29 tribes federally recognized tribes of Washington State have done and and making sure that this curriculum is here and in making sure that that the trainings are completed and that that ends up in our our classrooms.

And I know that the work is is paying dividends because I'm hearing it in in classes more than ever but we still have a long way to go and very few staff to do it.

And so and the last thing I would say is that kind of brings me to what some of our priorities are around and Director Hersey and I are with our Chief Berge and Director Sebring are heading into soon a participatory budgeting process with community.

And so invitations to BIPOC community primarily Black and Indigenous community folks will be going out.

later this week if not or early next to engage in that process.

And we have I believe a facilitator that's going to support us with that.

And I think that's a really important way for us as board members to engage directly with community and start to build deeper and more meaningful relationships that that are more connected to the decision-making in this district that give people a sense of of voice and ownership and license rather than continually creating scenarios where we're pitting community and staff against each other.

And we do have a role to play in that.

So thank you all for your time.

And you know if you're feeling uneasy in the days to come I hope that that you will reach out to somebody or that someone close to you reaches out to you to give you a boost and encourage everyone to do that for one another as we need it as we go into these decisive hours and days.

And with that there be no further business to come before the board.

The regular board meeting is now adjourned at 617 p.m.

Thanks everyone.