Seattle School Board Meeting - October 21, 2020

Hello this is Zachary DeWolf.

Thank you and I'm so happy you could be with us here today.

I'm now calling the October 21st 2020 regular board meeting to order at 330 p.m.

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

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

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

So with our land acknowledgement I'll now turn it over to Miss Wilson-Jones for the roll call please.

Director Hampson.

Here.

Director Harris.

She said she will be late.

Director Hersey.

Here.

Director Mack.

Here.

Director Rankin.

Here.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Present.

And Director DeWolf.

This is him.

Present.

Thank you.

Okay so we do have about 15 minutes on our agenda before a public comment.

And so Superintendent Juneau is also joining us for today's meeting.

and additional staff will be briefing the board as we move through today's agenda.

As we begin this meeting I also want to extend the warmest of welcomes to one of our students today Darby.

Darby's pronouns are he him.

And Darby is joining us as the student representative from Ingraham High School today.

We will be hearing from Darby later in the meeting as well as Darby's friend and peer Kaia.

Just for a little bit of housekeeping here.

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

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

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

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

Before we begin with Superintendent Juneau's comments I want to just take a point of personal privilege here and just ask Superintendent to please respond to a few emails we sent over the course of the last two weeks.

Would love to get some of those answers.

And with that Superintendent Juneau over to you.

Thank you President DeWolf and hello everybody.

Today my comments are I'm just Emails are in progress.

I know they take a while to get things together but they're coming.

The what if you remember back hearken back a while ago when y'all passed Resolution Number 29 or 2019 backslash 20 hyphen 38. There was a requirement to report back to the board on the status of and plan for implementation of each point in the resolution within within 120 days.

And so I'm going to give a verbal update today during the superintendent comments and then provide a written update in the Friday memo as well.

And so working through working through the therefore be it resolved.

The first one is therefore be it resolved that Black lives don't just matter.

They are worthy beloved and needed.

So when we utilize holistic social emotional learning to support students Abandoning notions of policing and pathology.

We meet with students and community to learn the wisdom that already exists and design social management systems that authentically recognize and value Black lives and knowledge.

So the update on that is that we as we have Seattle Excellence priority called High Quality Instruction and Learning Experiences.

A goal of safe and welcoming schools was a focus goal in 2019-20.

and continues to be a focus goal in 2020-21.

And the main initiatives of that focus goal are one to change school culture by shifting adult beliefs and practices.

Two provide equitable whole child systems and structures.

And three interrupt disproportionate discipline and referral to special education and inequitable access to advanced learning services.

Additionally we continue to monitor discipline data regular attendance survey climate data and equitable access to services.

And you'll see some of this year-end data on our new scorecard scorecard.

We also have a Seattle Excellence Priority of inclusive and authentic engagement and we have elevated family engagement as a 2020-21 focus goal and so you'll see more work coming around that focus goal as well.

The second resolution be it further resolved that the Seattle School Board supports defunding police i.e. reducing police funding so as to increase social service funding positively impact safety and well-being of our students while reducing police violence.

We have not received an update from the board on this work and so we'll wait for that information to come in.

But you'll see that reflected in the Friday memo.

The third one be it further resolved that the board commits to.

by accountably engaging in substantive and substantial family and community engagement.

Re-examine and amend as appropriate school board policy numbers 3200 written rules of student conduct 3243 3240 student behavior and disciplinary responses 4310 relations with law enforcement child protective services and the county health department 4314 notification of threats of violence or harm and 3225 school-based threat assessment which is planned for adoption to ensure consistency with the following principles.

And then you had some principles that you listed in that therefore be it resolved.

This is the work that the board had a work session with with Erin Jones.

Ms. Jones submitted recommendations for the board the district and our work with our community following that work session.

I think there's a need to revisit those recommendations and decide which recommendations if any The board would like to move forward with some of those recommendations included for the board to develop clear work plans and deadlines based on your priorities to ensure you'll stay focused as you move your policy work forward.

To develop protocols and communication plans necessary to promote collaboration and commonality among board directors and with district staff.

A suggestion to create mini-videos or how-tos for policy development and how the community can be engaged She suggested each board member create one 10 to 15 minute video about a different element of the policy making.

And then to do a listening tour via Zoom or Teams of your region to engage them on your priorities.

And then she posed.

Superintendent Juneau.

Superintendent Juneau.

If you could focus on the things that we are requiring the district to do through the resolution that would be helpful because I think you're conflating the board and yourself here.

So I just just trying to make sure that what you're giving back to us has information on the things that you were tasked with doing.

Thank you.

Yeah I'll get there.

And the final one from her recommendations and these were recommendations for the board and so it is a part of the resolution so I'm just covering them.

And she posed possible questions you could ask on your engagement such as what would a safe school environment look feel or sound like to you.

What data would you as a community like to gather about safety and discipline when misconduct happens to staff and what communication Is that Liza.

What kind of communication do you want.

And then the district there were recommendations and again I think the asking to for the board to revisit about which ones should be prioritized for the district to take on and which ones in all of these categories should we be moving forward.

So to complete the PASS and SEA conversation Ensure there are sufficient resources for implementation of policy including funding for the social supports necessary to replace mentoring work that used to be done by SRO's and implementation of ethnic Black Studies work.

To gather and share data broadly in ways that are readable and comprehensible to staff the board the public.

Ensure there are clear definitions for terms like social emotional learning restorative justice culturally responsive practice.

To do a legal analysis to understand the rights of staff who feel threatened by students.

To develop language for how discipline will be addressed in SPS and state state language protect staff from students.

And so a lot to unpack there and work to do.

And then there were some additional recommendations.

One just a couple of those where I know you are working on a draft anti-racism policy.

I actually believe you have all the makings of anti-racist policy in which you already have on the books addressing policing discipline Curriculum instruction partnerships with CBO's.

I worry that creating a new policy would actually muddy the waters.

Work to make sure you are enforcing what you already have.

It's not a new policy it's the one that was created by community just to be clear.

Well I'm just reading her words President DeWolf.

Work to make sure you're enforcing what you already have and that you have devoted the resources and time needed to.

No this is not productive.

If you could please provide an update on what you are doing in your locus of control that would be helpful.

Otherwise I would be happy to move to the student comments for remaining 5 minutes.

We'll put it in the Friday Memo.

I certainly hope we get some response.

That would be great.

Thank you Superintendent Juneau.

Okay so again I would like to welcome Darby Dervasula.

Darby is a senior and ASB Vice President at Ingram High School.

Darby is involved in multiple sports clubs and student government and is passionate about making Ingram a more inclusive and dynamic community.

We are so grateful and humbled to have you with us today Darby.

I will turn it over to you.

Just a few minutes here before we have to get to public comment so if you could keep your comments to about two or three minutes that would be most helpful.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi everyone.

First off I'd just like to thank you for this chance to represent Ingraham at the meeting.

The transition to virtual learning has been difficult for all of us and it's great to see that the district is valuing student input and feedback as we navigate this process.

So here at Ingraham academics are settling into a nice smooth routine.

We definitely faced some struggles at the start of the year with the new technology just like everyone else.

But in general these problems have been addressed and resolved.

One issue that I've heard come up for many students is the workload.

And I think since we only have two synchronous learning times per week for each class that's meant that almost all of our schoolwork is becoming homework.

And a lot of us students are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of assignments many of which kind of feel like busywork rather than productive learning.

Another issue that we've been encountering has been building community within our school.

The lack of the lack of face-to-face interaction and in-person learning has been difficult especially for teachers who usually cherish building these relationships with their students and for new freshmen who may not already have an established group of friends or peers who they can talk to.

Within ASB we're working to improve this and to raise school spirit.

For example next week we have a Halloween spirit week coming up with lots of fun themed days and competitions to try and increase student engagement in school activities.

I also believe that extracurriculars are going to be the most important thing to maintaining a healthy and happy school community when we can't be in person.

And so we've been working very hard to get those running.

Our clubs have been running virtually during lunch sessions.

And although they've been successful in terms of organizing and planning, it's been really hard to garner interest and participation from the student body.

Sports have also been taking advantage of the open season we've been given by WIAA and we've been holding small COVID safe practices which has been great for students both physical and mental health.

However I can assure you I'm one of the Frisbee captains and it's been a really tricky process trying to get everyone involved while still following guidelines and maintaining social distancing.

I truly think that the more we're able to have these fun events and extracurriculars the more high school will feel back to normal because at the start of the year it definitely felt kind of isolated and we were just sitting in our bedrooms each morning going to class.

However the most prevalent conversation that's been circulating our school community has been social justice and reform.

I'm sure you guys have heard about this.

And in light of the recent momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement many student leaders at Ingraham have been reflecting on issues within our own community and ways we can address them.

So like I said we've had student leaders from both ASB and a variety of clubs who have been collaborating with school administration to brainstorm feasible solutions to issues surrounding racism sexual assault and inclusivity at our school.

As we continue this work we hope to continue seeing action being taken on a district level to address the countless student voices that have come forward demanding accountability.

Thank you for your time and I hope that the district will continue to seek input from the student body they serve since it really shows true intention in making the learning experience great for all the students.

Thank you so much Darby.

You know it's it's definitely not our favorite to have to be virtual but I want you to know and at least feel from myself and I don't I think I'm speaking on behalf of the board.

We're always so humbled and grateful to have you join us.

Your voice is absolutely important and valuable in this district.

And I truly appreciate you taking the time on this afternoon with us and for giving us your insights and perspective.

Greatly appreciate it.

And just as a small preview myself and Director Hersey are working with students right now on adding student representatives to the board.

If you'd like to get involved in that effort please email myself or Director Hersey we'd be happy to get you connected.

We truly do believe that students have an important say in how their district is serving them.

So thank you for being with us today.

Thank you.

Yes thank you.

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

May I have a motion for the consent agenda.

Sorry.

This is Director Hampson.

I will be making that motion.

I move approval of the consent agenda.

Thank you.

This has been moved by Director Hampson.

Do I have a second.

Second.

Thank you.

I think that was Director Rivera-Smith.

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

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

Okay.

Hearing none.

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

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed.

Okay this is passing unanimously.

With that we are at our public testimony portion of today's meeting right on time.

Great work everybody.

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

So 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 and I apologize I'll be yammering at you for just a few more moments.

So 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 must can speak at a time please.

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 test 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 wait list.

And finally the majority of the speaker's time should be spent on the topic they've indicated they wish to speak about.

Ms. Wilson-Jones I think you'll be sharing a little bit more and then reading off the testimony speakers.

Thank you Director DeWolf.

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 yourself on the conference line.

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

The first speaker on today's public testimony list is Kaia Jarvigran.

Hello, my name is Kai Jarvagrand, and I'm a senior at Ingram High School.

I'm a member of our school's Associated Student Body, among other things like Girls Soccer, Student Senate, and Suicide Prevention Club.

One of the most prevalent issues in our country right now is the Black Lives Matter movement.

At Ingram, we have a group of dedicated students called Student Union, with leaders from ASB and clubs like BSU, Latinx, Feminism, Jewish, ASU, and GSA.

We work alongside the staff in attempts to get rid of or define solutions to racially unjust systems within our community.

One of the largest issues in our school is the lack of diversity in the IB program.

Our classrooms may typically include one to four students of color maximum.

Not only does this make those students feel isolated and alienated, it has created an issue of tokenism and microaggressions from teachers.

To increase diversity and inclusivity in the IB program at Ingraham, we are attempting to make one IB class mandatory for each student in their junior or senior year.

On top of this mandatory class, we want to create an anonymous feedback system to eliminate the power structure between teacher and student, hopefully putting an end to microaggressions in the classroom.

Another prevalent issue is sexual assault and harassment.

We have plans to create a peer-to-peer support system to help students of color who are victims of aggression or victims of sexual assault and harassment have a trustworthy peer to talk to if they're hesitant to report it to administration or police.

There is also plans for restorative justice system to address the root of the racial or sexual misconduct and to help the victim find justice in their own form.

Obviously these issues are not unique to Ingraham and we strongly believe that Seattle Public Schools as a whole should be taking action to create fundamental and institutional change within our district and address the issues that have been forgotten by the administration of SPS.

Having listened to the last board meeting where a Franklin High School student brought up similar concerns what changes have occurred in the district in support of the movement.

We need an environment where the district where there is district-wide support of the movement and as beings of color.

It is important to recognize the students who are taking these leadership roles in our school and it shouldn't entirely be on them.

And we expect the help of our district creating institutional change.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next is Leilani Norman.

Leilani Norman.

Leilani if you're on the line if you could press star-6 to unmute.

Leilani are you there.

Okay moving to our next speaker on the testimony list.

Kayla Harstad.

Kayla Harstad.

Kayla are you there.

Hi my name is Kayla Harstad.

I am Turtle Mountain Chippewa.

I'm an 11th grade at Ingraham and I am a Title 6 enrolled student.

My topic is Pachuceta and Ingraham High School.

There is an absence of visibility and recognition of Indigenous voices at Ingraham High School.

We spend a week on 9-11 but we can't even acknowledge Indigenous Peoples Day.

Even though I'm involved in sports I still feel a disconnect because I don't have any connection to the school that supports my tribal identity.

Students are targets of racist comments such as stop being in a group this isn't a powwow.

Don't call a Native on us and oh the Natives are restless.

The racial comments increased with racially sensitive text material.

Students and staff think it's okay to freely use offensive words like savage and word redskin because it's presented in a book outside of the classroom.

I've seen a number of my Native peers drop out of Ingram.

My voice is silenced as an Indigenous woman who Indigenous perspectives cultures the hostile environment is reinforced daily through acts of exclusion and alienation.

The only time was to get support when UNEA came in to help us form Indigenous Student Association.

During the time they were there we were constantly moved and shuffled around to different classrooms.

During COVID times UNEA constantly reaches out to me and many of my other Seattle School District friends to offer resources and support us like groceries and school supplies.

Some solutions I propose include having a dedicated safe space that's stable for UNEA and other Native-based organizations.

Why doesn't Ingraham work with the Native community to do a mural or display case to showcase our Native perspectives in art and music.

In our curriculum it would be amazing to have topics and discussions that center Native voices.

We shouldn't have our Indigenous perspective in our learning no matter what class it is.

We shouldn't just learn about it in history.

We should show the beautiful parts of being Indigenous.

For me as a student I feel invisible in a school that was always preaching about multiculturalism and inclusion.

It makes me sad to witness others' cultural identity being shared while mine is being erased.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Emily Cherkin.

Emily Cherkin.

Hi my name is Emily Cherkin.

I see that the technology device refresh bar was removed.

I hope when it comes back it will be more transparent.

In terms of the outdoor learning resolution it is my understanding that two task forces are to be created in order for outdoor pilots to proceed.

Now that members have been selected for the Remote Learning Task Force when will we see the bar for the Outdoor Education Task Force.

I sent a document to directors last week with a resource called Out and Under a Design and Feasibility Study for the Emergency Deployment of Outdoor Covered Learning Spaces During COVID-19 written in September by teachers and specific to SPS.

Though not perfect it is an excellent resource for teachers interested in an outdoor pilot.

Is it possible to distribute or promote this to teachers who express interest.

The presentation from the reopening update work session on September 30th page 8 has a sample document from Jane Addams Middle School which states be aware that everything you do or say on school year team meetings is public record with your name associated with it.

Is it true that all students remote learning experience is now public record.

This is a serious use of student data and appears to be a FERPA violation.

To my knowledge The district has not obtained written consent to release information from student education records to the public.

None of the non-consent exceptions apply and the disclosed information is not quote directory information.

Finally I'd just like to again request a low screen option for remote learning.

Remote learning does not have to mean all screens.

Research continually shows that writing by hand on paper and reading words on a printed page are better for brain health and development.

Making textbooks or independent reading books available to all families would be beneficial in many ways.

Thank you very much for your time.

Next is Chris Jackins.

Chris Jackins.

My name is Chris Jackins.

Box 84063. Seattle 98124. On the laptop contract the board report states that many laptops are not working.

Buying books instead might avoid this problem.

On the $870,000 fund transfer to the Webster project.

Two points.

Number one the board is being put on the hook for COVID-19 costs incurred to maintain the construction schedule.

Number two but the district does not know when any schools will open.

The board should have had the chance to consider alternatives.

Please vote no.

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

Seven points.

Number one the contract process looks unfair.

The company had an inside track.

It planned all the projects in the Building Excellence 5 levy including Rainier Beach.

Number two the City Landmarks Board recently rejected landmark status for the school as the district had requested.

Number three coincidentally a chair of the Landmarks Board works for this architecture firm.

Number four the district's landmark nomination did not make any reference to Betty Patu a first Seattle school board director of South Pacific Islander origin with strong connections to the school.

Number five Betty Patu is an obvious person of importance per the landmarking criteria.

Number six the district's approach had the feel of cooking the books and the district showed disrespect by not mentioning Betty Patu's existence.

Number seven how many other issues is the district cooking the books on.

Please vote no.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Dr. Carol Simmons.

Dr. Carol Simmons.

My name is Dr. Carol Simmons and I will read a letter written to you by a Native educator in Seattle Public Schools that underscores the lack of responsiveness and transparency for Native students.

Dear Seattle School Board Directors my name is Robin Wilson.

My mother is Tribal Elder Barbara Doyle Stengar of the Coeur d'Alene tribe and my father is Alan Wilson a Canadian citizen of Scandinavian descent.

I am a parent of a junior in Seattle Public Schools and have been an educator in Seattle Public Schools since 1999. I am currently a teacher of humanities at Middle College High School previously Indian Heritage High School.

As the elected teacher representative of Seattle Public Schools Native Education Program in 2019 and 2020 I had negative experiences and concerns that I previously tried to communicate to administrators and school board directors.

I emailed these concerns to the current Native Education Program manager former president of IPAC Indian Parent Advisory Council.

the IPAC secretary and to Superintendent Juneau on September 9th 2020. I additionally sent my grievances to Seattle School Board Directors Harris and Hampson on September 23rd.

To this date I have not received a response or acknowledgement of receiving these concerns from anyone in Seattle Public Schools.

While I was serving as an elected Title 6 committee member I experienced divisiveness and hostility directed at committee participants and partiality negatively affecting treatment and services for Indian education students.

There was a lack of access for parents families students and stakeholders to relevant I hope that the necessary barriers and Native family disenfranchise is resolved.

This letter is an obvious example of the lack of responsibility for transparency and corrective action.

Thank you Dr. Carole Simmons.

Please conclude your remarks.

For students furthest from educational justice.

UNEA joins in support of.

Dr. Carole Simmons please conclude your remarks.

Thank you.

Will you please keep this line open.

This is Dr. Jim Simmons and I'm next scheduled to speak.

This line if you keep it open I can go ahead.

Ms. Wilson-Jones.

Yes.

Next on the list is Dr. Jimmy Simmons.

Okay.

Thank you.

My name is Dr. Jim Simmons.

I grew up in Seattle attending McGill Elementary Mena Junior High Queen Anne High School.

My B.A. M.E.D. and Ph.D. degrees are from the University of Washington.

With the Seattle Public Schools I served as a teacher a principal with students at all grade levels as a central office administrator including supervision of the district office of student placement bilingual programs special and alternative programs desegregation planning and implementation programs and the transportation department.

I've also served as a board member of the Urban League of Greater Seattle the Board of Citizens for Quality Integrated Education and the University of Washington Multicultural Alumni Partnership.

I've also taught students at all university levels as well as graduate students in South America and throughout Asia and the Pacific and overseas programs.

I'm also an honorary elder of UNEA.

I am extremely concerned with our school board and superintendent for what seems to be the abandonment of their responsibility to communicate with all of our communities.

Most notably with significant members of our Native American community.

Our school board and superintendent seem to feel there is no need to respond to their concerns and issues.

This is a radical departure from Seattle's longstanding and laudable tradition of community involvement and transparency.

In reference to our Native community your present policy seems to be to ignore their complaints and issues and to simply say and do nothing.

This is most certainly the case with the superintendent's cancellation of the district's contract with UNEA and the board's failure to say anything at all in reference to this action despite numerous requests to the board and superintendent to do so.

I hope the members of our school board will remember their responsibility to communicate clearly with their many communities to properly supervise the actions and policies of our superintendent whoever that might be and to discharge those who seem incapable of open and honest communications.

This includes the current positions and issues raised by the NAACP with which UNEA is in full agreement.

Thank you for your attention.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Flo Bowman.

Flo Bowman.

Hello.

Hello.

Good afternoon.

Go ahead.

Yes.

Okay you got me.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Flo Bowman.

My son is in 8th grade at Mercer Middle School in the Mandarin Dual Language Immersion Program.

Next year he will go to high school and in the current situation he would not be able to continue his language studies which are not only academic but reflect his Chinese heritage.

We don't yet have an effective pathway to high school for immersion students in the Southeast region but the groundwork has been done and we are so close.

We need you the school board to make an easy change to the student assignment plan for enrollment in 2021 to change the pathway to Franklin High School.

Mercer students can continue their immersion studies at Rainier Beach but it is not their neighborhood school.

Since it was set up two years ago no DLI students from Mercer chose to attend Rainier Beach.

As many parents testified before the school board previously and have voiced in two surveys Rainier Beach is too far away from where they live.

Most attend Franklin or Cleveland.

But there are some students at Mercer who are not in the Franklin zone and they should have the same opportunity to continue their DLI education.

That is what the pathway is for.

And they are part of the number needed to make the language classes viable.

We have an effective DLI pathway in the Southwest at Chief Sealth.

This is important for Spanish-speaking ELL students to access.

We need you to fix the pathway in Southeast to include all the kids rather than studying a world language since kindergarten and to include Native Spanish and Native Mandarin-speaking students who would benefit from studying in their home language.

This is an equity issue for our neighborhood.

The board and district staff have been working with us on this.

We have a good plan.

The state superintendent supports expanding DLI throughout the state.

I'm asking you to please change the DLI high school pathway in Southeast to Franklin High School and to do it this fall for next year.

It is the logical and effective way to fulfill the promise of dual-language immersion in Southeast.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Barbara Lee.

Barbara Lee.

I live in North Seattle.

I'm a retired elementary school teacher a PTA member and I'm representing the Washington chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America today.

We're asking the superintendent and the Seattle School Board to help educate the district community about the life-saving importance of secure firearm storage defined as guns stored locked and unloaded with ammunition stored separately.

Since early spring as COVID-19 began to spread the purchase of guns has increased.

Many buyers are first-time gun owners.

Now most students are learning remotely at home and the danger of unsecured guns in the home is heightened.

Unintentional shootings by children who find unsecured loaded firearms are a preventable tragedy.

Additionally suicide is on the rise with teenagers of color being at particularly high risk.

Easy access to a gun can mean the difference between life and death.

We believe that because the school district has such an important role in our community that they should provide a public service to our families by alerting them to the potential dangers of unsecured guns in the home.

Many districts across the country have done just this by sending out communication to parents about safe gun storage.

Over the past two months we have emailed three letters to the superintendent and the school board about this subject.

Thank you to Director Rankin and Director Rivera-Smith for your acknowledgement of our proposal.

We're asking the district to post links to besmartforkids.org or the King County Public Health website on gun violence for parents and community members and to send home-related materials to district families.

We appreciate your consideration of this request and are standing by to help implement in any way.

Thank you for your time.

Next is Sarah Sense-Wilson.

Sarah Sense-Wilson.

UNEA has been asked to appeal to each of you regarding the superintendent's contract extension.

Our organization is over 12 years old and rooted generationally in our Seattle community.

While our formal SPS partnership agreement was severed over a year ago UNEA has survived and continues to serve SPS students.

Our relational commitment is not to SPS but to our shared students and families.

The district leadership appears to be more interested in running a public image campaign than it is in serving our families of color.

These manufactured illusions serve to distort reality hide facts and truth of our lived student experiences.

I want to specifically address Indian Ed and Native student services.

Number one Title 6 Election voter suppression by way of unnecessary or unnecessary barriers for our eligible families.

Number two Native student data in multiple performance measures show no or little improvements.

Number three staggering Native student attrition rates.

Number four lack of Native community partnerships and culturally responsive educational programs and services.

Number five SPS blocking resources and services and support to Native students and families.

Number six apparent lack of accountability at all levels of Indian education.

The past two years have been marked by missed opportunities attrition warfare intentional neglect and negligence exacerbating the crisis in Indian education.

We urged SPS elected officials to be leaders and not politicians.

Decolonizing starts with our with sharing power and participatory decision making with community.

We are in 100 percent agreement with the NAACP and with other CBO's calling for a change in district leadership.

Thank you all for your time.

Thank you Sarah.

Thank you so much Sarah.

Thank you.

Next for testimony is Kay Fidler.

Kay Fidler.

Hello.

Go ahead Kaye.

Hello.

Can you hear me.

We can hear you.

My name's Kaye Fidler.

I'm an enrolled member of the Pimita Band of Ojibwe out of the Turtle Mountains.

Seattle Public Schools patronizing and racist attitude to the Native community is unbearable.

An example of the federal PAC not being representative of the fuller Native parent community.

was parents contacting the school board prior to elections regarding the lack of outreach to community.

The protocols developed for nomination and participation in elections and all processes that seem to be aimed at minimizing community input and alienation of general parent community.

I asked for Seattle Public Schools intervention and they responded they were not going to be involved.

However they do get involved and intervene when they don't like the direction or the activities of parents involved.

including at one time banishing the PAC from meeting in their buildings.

Much like the historical behaviors exhibited by government departments like the BIA Seattle Schools chooses to involve or not involve dependent on their benefit not the benefit of students or parent communities.

The superintendent benefits from these actions but it is incumbent on the school board to intervene both on behalf of the community in general and the Indian Ed issues.

The school board representatives are reflected elected to reflect the best interests of the communities they represent and they are not doing it.

The Native community does not have representation on the school board and we should.

That representation should not be appointed by the school board or the superintendent and we do not recognize Mr. DeWolf or Ms. Hampson as being our appointed representatives.

Our community did not have input and we should.

The issues outlined in the NAACP news conference were well-defined and also reflect the majority of issues defined by the Native community including lack of access lack of communication reflecting racism and other issues raised.

I call on the Seattle School Board to arrange meetings with the Native community at large to clearly define the issues and arrive at resolutions for them that are signed off and legally binding.

And there is no representation for foster children in the school district whether it's Indian ed or general ed.

Nobody is representing them or protecting.

I hear you Zachary.

No one is representing or protecting those children in foster care and somebody needs to.

Now you can mute me.

Next for public testimony is Carol Podney-Wartman.

Carol Podney-Wartman.

My name is Carol and I am a teacher in the Seattle Public Schools currently acting as a long-term substitute.

I'm also a parent of three children in the Seattle Public Schools in middle school and high school.

I'm speaking today to advocate for the children in the Seattle Public Schools.

I am the voice of the 4,000 Seattle Public School students who are unaccounted for within the scope of remote learning.

and the thousands more who are frustrated and disengaged.

In order to address the inequities in Seattle the educational inequities I believe we need to get kids back in the classroom.

Referring to the mission statement of the Seattle Public Schools that is committed to ensuring equitable access closing opportunity gaps and furthermore doing whatever it takes to ensure that every child achieves their highest level.

I refer to this statement when I talk about my own experience in the spring in the Seattle Public School during remote schooling.

I taught 3rd grade math to two different cohorts of students.

One average learners the others were above average doing one level ahead in math.

As I taught my fraction unit I realized that the two cohorts were acting on the learning very differently.

The higher achievers could grasp the hard math concepts but the more average learners they weren't behind just average.

were generally confused with new concepts.

And when that's when I knew there was a problem in remote learning.

I had taught these kids in the classroom.

They had said oh I get it now.

But those now those average learners were not saying that they were checking out.

My example doesn't even include the 4,000 kids who are unaccounted for.

I'd like to address the data.

Brown University economist Emily Oster reported on a study she completed in September where she collected 200,000 data points from children in 47 states and she found that schools are not the super threat or sites we believed.

By not opening schools we are putting our students at risk for failure in schooling.

We need to start thinking what's the safest way to reopen our schools.

Please please address these issues.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Brooke Strom.

Brooke Strom.

My name is Brooke Strom.

Certificated educator and support staff to UNEA.

I will be sharing on behalf of two Native parents and one student from the Native community.

Joe Jackson Quinault tribal member and Title 6 eligible parent of 6th grade Whitman student.

He received no services pre-COVID or at the past six months from Indian education.

He was not invited to Title 6 elections.

His son has received no SPED services and said quote online learning is doing nothing for him.

At Clear Sky he receives one-on-one academic support and he loves it.

He said quote we are big proponents of UNEA.

Sativa 10th grade 10th grader at Nathan Hale High School enrolled Yakima Title 6 eligible.

Received no notice of elections or support from Huchoosedah.

Experiences racism in the classroom at Nathan Hale High School.

Received support from UNEA in a variety of ways.

Laura parent of 12th grader Cherokee formerly at Garfield High School pushed to leave the district twice due to complete lack of support for her daughter required by her 504 plan.

Throughout time with SBS repeatedly reached out for support and information at the school and district level and rarely if ever received return calls or emails.

In 2018-2019 submitted paperwork to have daughter tested for additional SPED services and called the SPED department at the district level every week from September until April.

did not hear back until end of April.

She said quote leaving families with placehangers is unacceptable behavior.

The entire SPED department needs to be looked at and individuals need to be held accountable for not returning families calls or emails.

At beginning of this year she repeatedly reached out to Garfield High School and the district office in response to an email sent out promising support to support students to support students with 504 plans and their online learning.

Never heard back from any district staff or admins counselors or office staff at Garfield.

Finally a former teacher told her that none of the teachers knew what was going on either and that they would that there would be no additional supports for students with 504 plans.

That they were just going to be pushed through.

Her daughter has again left the district.

Laura said quote if you can't do something don't make wild promises.

If you can then follow through with it.

Her daughter has received emotional academic and leadership support from Clear Sky and UNEA for the past six years.

She has received no support from Huchoosedah.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next for public testimony is Tina Marie Norman.

Tina Marie Norman.

Yes hello.

We can hear you Tina.

Go ahead.

Yes hello.

My name is Tina Marie Norman.

I am the mother of a Chief Sealth student Leilani Dawn Norman Big Spring.

And she's involved with Clear Skies and UNEA as well as my participation as much as possible.

I am wanting to seek clarity and change with the obstruction and participation of the Housdacha Indian Education Title 6 elections.

I found that many families were having complications with partaking in the elections.

And the concerns that they had and need to present to the board, to SPH, have been swept under the carpet.

There has been a lot of third party transactions of saying, or return to parents saying they couldn't log on for certain reasons, they couldn't join for certain reasons.

And some were totally alienated from being able to partake in the elections as of this this last election and probably other elections from what I'm hearing as well.

I would like to see more representation of the parents and more work with the SPH and communications and getting notifications out to all parents.

and students or any educators or anybody who is involved such as Clear Skies and UNEA I would like them to to basically bring more more you know do less obstruction and focus on getting more involvement from all around.

I'm also looking I'm sorry I'm going to keep going.

I'm also looking into implementing more — within the schools and the systems of the arts and Native First Nations teachings.

There's a lot to be covered at this time and I'm hoping that the Seattle Public School Board will now engage all parents and all programs and stop hiding and stop the corruption of not notifying people.

I'm sorry you're going to have to wait.

I will stop here in just a second.

Please.

Please.

Please intimate.

The next speaker for public testimony is Brian Terry.

Brian Terry.

Good afternoon.

My name is Brian Terry.

We have erected many barriers to opportunity for our Black students.

Racism both systemic and individual is behind many of these barriers.

Although we have worked long to address racism in our schools the efforts have been piecemeal and the progress has been slow.

There is ample evidence that racism remains a significant barrier to our students of color.

This is not because it is impossible for us to address this racism.

Many other districts have done much better than we have.

Our efforts have fallen short because other objectives take priority.

This is no more clear than in our advanced learning program.

where we continue to exclude most highly capable Black students and serve students in segregated classrooms because ending the systemic racism would be disruptive to the mostly White students in the program today.

It is time for us to make ending racism a priority.

We must begin by unanimously unanimously approving an anti-racism policy born in community and demanding that the district create superintendent procedures that provide clear guidelines for identifying and addressing all forms of racism that plague our schools and our students today.

Thank you.

The final speaker on today's list is Alaina Mijas.

Alaina Mijas.

Alaina if you're there you may need to press star-6 to unmute.

Elena Mijas.

Director DeWolf that concludes our list of speakers then.

If we can just give maybe 5 or 10 more seconds here for and if you could just call that person's name one more time.

Yes.

And apologies if I'm mispronouncing it but Elena Mijas or Mijas or Mijas.

Okay.

Thank you Ms. Wilson-Jones.

And thank you to our — Alaina.

I'm requesting the call of Leilani Norman-Bigspring.

Oh Leilani yes.

Yep.

Director DeWolf we did have one speaker who was.

Yeah let's let her let's let Leilani go.

Leilani you may need to press star-6 to unmute.

Can you.

We can hear you Leilani.

Can you hear me.

Yes.

Okay.

My name is Leilani.

I am speaking on behalf of UNEA Clear Sky.

I would like to talk about Chukachi and how Chukachi is a good opportunity to connect with Native student communities.

But when it comes to learning about our First Nations history present and future we have not learned anything that we need to.

I have.

not been taught about our First Nations peoples and Šǝqačib has trouble connecting us students to our Native cultures and other communities.

My school chief self tries to represent the First Nations but all they've done is separate us from all the rest of the students.

I feel like connecting more of the Native community programs such as UNEA or Clear Sky program with Šǝqačib will help the Native youth feel more pleased being in this class and feel more close to our culture.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

So with that we will that will conclude our public testimony for today's meeting.

Thank you to everybody.

for joining us for public comment and for public testimony.

I greatly appreciate you spending your time with us today.

And I really appreciate our students especially for being able to speak truth back to the district and this board.

Definitely makes an impact.

So we'll now move to the action items on today's agenda.

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

So we'll now move to Action Item Number 1. This is Authorization for Claim Settlement.

This came to the Executive Committee on October 14th for approval.

May I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to take all necessary actions to resolve a claim for damages dated April 18th 2019 brought by a parent volunteer and student against the district which would include payment in the amount of $350,000 less the cost of agreed to monetary terms in exchange for a waiver and release of all claims following any necessary court approval for the minor student.

Immediate action is in the best interest of the district.

Do I have a second.

Second.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

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

This item is on the agenda for introduction and action today.

Deputy Chief Counsel John Cerqui I believe you'll be briefing us.

Yes.

Thank you.

Good afternoon Directors and Superintendent John Cerqui Deputy Chief Legal Counsel.

What you have in front of you for introduction and action today is a board action report requesting authorization to settle a claim for damages in the amount of $350,000.

We will be receiving $100,000 from the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool as a contribution.

for this settlement with other mediation fees the case will go above $250,000 which is why we're we're requesting board authorization to approve the payment.

The background for this action is that during the 27-18 school year actions were made toward a parent and a volunteer parent volunteer and a student at Thornton Creek Elementary School.

The district investigated the complaint.

We went to mediation following the first investigation.

Additional concerns were raised and a second investigation was conducted.

Following the second investigation the district concluded the Human Resources Department concluded that staff violated policies toward the parent and the student on our discrimination policy and our retaliation policy.

We issued those outcome letters to the parent.

We went to a second mediation to resolve the damages that are associated with the acts of discrimination retaliation toward the parent and student.

And we have through the help of the mediator come to a payment amount of $350,000.

If this is approved we will then move forward to get the court to approve the minor settlement amount which needs to be approved by court and then we will execute a final release before making any payment.

As part of the resolution we will be providing training to staff at Thornton Creek and we will also have there'll be anti-racism training for the staff and then we'll also have anti-racism training available for parents who want to participate.

Part of the acts were by individuals at the school who were part of the essentially the building leadership team the site council.

So we want to make training available for those individuals so they can learn and understand how their actions impact others.

So that concludes my remarks and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you so much.

As the chair of that committee I don't have any questions.

I know we talked about this previously but I do want to just elevate one interesting point and how the universe works.

The day that we advanced policy number 0040 which is our anti-racism policy out of the executive committee in that same meeting the second item on our agenda was was this item.

And so it just for me it made more clear and how important and urgent it is to finally adopt the community-created policy number 0040 and just how urgent that need is so we can prevent any future harm so.

With that I will turn it over to Director Hampson.

Thank you.

Yeah I just wanted to thank you for that Council Cerqui.

I wanted to just confirm in terms of training you mentioned BLT and site council.

The statement was a little muddled and so I just wanted to clarify that those are two very different things.

written into the CBA and is the building leadership team whereas the site council was in this instance a parent organization that got inappropriately conflated with members of the BLT.

Is that can you just take what I said and reconfirm or clarify for the sake of the record.

Yes thank you for clarifying that.

It would be the site council not the CBA building leadership team.

So I misspoke or muddled both of those but it is the the parent group that we would provide the volunteer training to and hope that they would participate.

Okay.

And have you has this been part of any other Is there any other broader district training that developed out of this or you know what lessons learned that you're aware of.

I know it's kind of outside of your purview but.

I could call on Clover Codd Chief Human Resources Officer to answer the question as to her attempt to formulate the type of training and how it could potentially be parlayed to other schools and other groups.

Dr. Codd.

And and I think and in answering that Dr. Codd if you would I think one of the things that is of great concern to you know this happened in my district and I knew many of the families that that were traumatized as a result of this incident.

Most of them have left the school and the community and some even the city.

And that's the opposite of a warm and welcoming environment.

And yet many of the staff remain and I think that's one thing that we need to be able to talk about really honestly is what are we doing and to Director DeWolf's comments what are we doing to make sure that there's systemic change when parents don't can't even continue to exist or coexist in this system.

And yet we have staff that are getting resources to be trained.

You know how do we for for families how do we reconcile that and and demonstrate our commitment to systemic change so that they feel a warm and safe and safe identity safe and anti-racist environment going forward.

So Director Hampson I definitely would not be able to answer all of that thoroughly by myself because this is an effort by multiple divisions.

So we've got.

Engagement Partnerships and Equity.

So we've got the DREA the Department of Racial Equity Advancement.

We've got part of Wyeth Jesse's team is working on Warm Welcome Environment.

So this is a multi-divisional effort to develop and implement professional development for our staff to ensure that we've got identity-safe schools classrooms And that we are taking racial equity seriously.

There's a series of racial equity literacy professional development et cetera.

But with respect to Thornton Creek what we have in this and this agreement which is up for board action tonight what we have is that we will be mandating the staff to go through I can't remember if it was 6 or 8 hours of training around implicit bias and racial equity.

that we would work to find a facilitator to do that and that I would want to work in collaboration with the DREA department because this is this is an area of their expertise.

I do know that the DREA department had been working with Thornton Creek prior and I think during and after this with respect to changes that we can see or affirm with our families that the professional development that we're implementing that we will see results from that.

We I don't really have an answer for you to be really honest in is our professional development actually changing the beliefs the hearts and minds and the practices of our practitioners.

We don't have data on that or research on that but that is something that we actually are going to be researching through our strategic plan.

We've got a partnership with the University of Washington to look at Changes in teacher perceptions and changes in teachers practices over time with respect to culturally responsive practices and racial equity.

So that is an ongoing conversation.

Again not a thorough answer to provide you tonight because there are other colleagues working on the same endeavor.

But hopefully that provides you a little bit of insight into what we're working on.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

Sorry about that.

I don't have any questions on this item so feel free to move to the next director.

Thanks Director Hersey.

Director Mack.

No questions.

I do appreciate that part of the resolution is the required training and that that will be provided.

That's all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

What does this is I'm sure just something that's routine that I just it's just something I don't know about.

The approval that the court has to do.

You said the last step.

So when a minor somebody under 18 they cannot legally sign a contract and a settlement agreement as a contract so the court appoints an individual called the guardian ad litem who will review the settlement terms and make sure that this settlement is in the miner's best interest objectively.

And if they determine that the settlement is fair and reasonable then they will sign off on the settlement terms and then it goes to a judge who has to approve the settlement.

And once it's approved by the guardian and once it's approved by the court then the document can be signed on behalf of the minor.

Gotcha.

Thank you so much.

So that it's basically just because the settlement is for the child not the family.

It's for the the parent but it's also for the child.

Okay.

Yep.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

And then the other question I have is regarding the training which I think it's great that this is being addressed with training for for that community.

But I'm wondering about there is some staff I think that was involved that's no longer at the school and same with parents.

So the training being offered is it being offered to individuals or is it being offered to you know the site council as a group.

Because although I mean I think.

It's being offered to people.

It could be of value.

What about the people that aren't there anymore.

Right.

It's true.

So Director Rankin it is being offered to the parent group as a whole and we will invite anybody from the community that wants to attend certainly.

So it won't be exclusive.

As with respect to forcing people who are no longer in the community we don't have the ability to do that.

Okay.

But it's not mandatory.

The part of the settlement is offering it.

It's not mandatory for anyone.

It will be mandatory for staff but as far as like the parent groups we can't.

Right right right.

Will there be I mean can the offer be extended I guess that that goes into individuals that you may not may not have the authority to contact.

But I so I guess the staff if it's mandatory for staff is that based on individual staff whether they are or aren't still at the school.

No we'll be offering it to the Thornton Creek educators and staff that are there right now.

So what what about staff that may have been involved that are no longer at this school but may still be.

I mean if they're still in our system I would want to know that they were getting that this wouldn't this type of thing wouldn't happen again.

Yeah.

So I think we're getting into personnel matters at this point for individuals so I'd rather not speak on that at a board meeting.

But but noted Director Rankin.

Okay thanks.

And Director Rankin John Cerqui I just wanted to chime in that the parent complainant also wanted training for staff and for parents so I don't want to leave the impression this is purely a district-generated idea but it was also a parent complaint-driven idea as well so I wanted to give the parent credit for that as well.

Yeah and I think that's great.

And I actually a lot of credit to to that.

parent for foreseeing the gap and wanting it to be fixed and not just being you know upset at the situation.

I just you know I think it's great that we're doing that.

I'm just concerned that maybe some of the if there are people that are no longer in the community that could benefit greatly from some of that that if we're not addressing that then what does that do or what can we do about that.

But that's.

I've taken enough time so.

And I've heard that concern and so has Glover.

So thank you.

Okay.

Thanks.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I have no questions.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

With that Miss Wilson-Jones roll call vote please.

Director Mack.

I. Director Rankin aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director Hampson aye Director Harris I believe is not on the line yet.

Director Hersey aye and Director DeWolf aye.

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you Mr. Wilson-Jones.

Okay we'll move to Action Item Number 2. This is approval of the renewed agreement with King County to purchase ORCA Business Passport Projects Metro Transportation.

This came to the Operations Committee on October 8th for consideration.

May I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move that the school board waive the 2019-20 Transportation Services Standards for the sole purpose of making additional middle school students eligible to receive An ORCA card while the while school bus service is not offered and authorize the superintendent to execute a contract with King County for ORCA for student ORCA cards that will not exceed $1.5 million in the form of the agreement attached and presented to the school board with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract.

Immediate action is in the best interest of the district.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

Appreciate you greatly.

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

This item is on the agenda for introduction and action today.

So Chief Operations Officer Fred Podesta I believe you'll be briefing us and then I'll turn it over to directors.

Yes thank you Director DeWolf.

Again this is an annual agreement that the district enters into with King County Metro to supply ORCA transit passes for secondary students.

Even though we currently find ourselves in a remote learning environment we're maintaining the program because high school and middle school students may need to travel to access remote learning services at a location other than the residence and as well to access other services that the district is offering such as visiting meal distribution sites.

The structure of this year's agreement is a bit different than in the past where we paid a flat rate.

We're this had already been planned because we believe it would save us costs but the current agreement will charge as a pay-as-you-go based on the actual utilization of the cards not a an annual flat rate per student.

We have been working with Metro to track utilization thus far this year and as not surprisingly it is far lower that in past years you know on the order of 13 percent of kind of what the model is.

And given that the needs are different this year the operation Director Mack and our colleagues on the Operations Committee suggested that we waive the transportation standards so we could make additional cards to middle school students who would have been served by yellow school buses if we were running them because they some of them may face the same transportation needs to access meal distribution sites or go to other locations to access remote learning.

So I'd be happy to entertain any questions you may have.

Thank you Chief Podesta.

Great to hear from you.

So now we'll move to directors for any comments or questions before we move to the vote.

And Director Mack as our Operations Committee Chairperson you'll take the first one.

Yes thank you.

Appreciate this the conversation we had in Operations and Mr. Podesta thank you for covering that as well as adjusting the original BAR proposal to ensure that we're accommodating and providing support to students especially in this time of remote learning and the increased need for access to the meal sites etc. which may not be their typical school so they may not actually be picking up their lunches from their middle school but it might be a closer elementary school where they go.

And so therefore the transportation service standards limiting cards to students outside of the walk zone etc. was severely limiting.

Mr. Podesta could you also clarify for colleagues for my colleagues and the public the other aspect of the cards that are what is typically provided to our high school students in our transportation service standards and then the separate program that closes the gap for the rest of the students.

Can you explain that a little bit.

Because that what I what I want to clarify for colleagues and the public is that while the motion language says that we're waiving the standards in particular for middle school It's because we don't need to waive those standards for high school because the way they're already written provides for all high school students to have access to an ORCA card.

And Mr. Podesta can you explain that a little bit further.

Certainly.

The City of Seattle funds a complementary program for high school students where the where in the district issues cards for students again based on our transportation service standards and the city annually distributes car provides cards for us to distribute to all other high school students.

So every high school student is eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

That's the action that the operations committee that you and the operations committee suggested is that we adjust our standard this year for middle school students to put all secondary students in the same circumstance where they're all eligible for transit passes and that we're filling the gap this year for middle schoolers.

Because again the city covers high school students but they don't cover middle school students so now we will work with middle school families to see if they need these cards that would otherwise not be eligible.

And could and I don't know if JoLynn Berge is on the line and if I can cover this piece of it but I think it's important for transparency that typically the ORCA cards are covered in the existing transportation formula so the state should cover the cost of these cards is my understanding.

Even though there needs to be adjustments at the state level around transportation that this is not something that's going to be coming out of somewhere else but it would be covered by the state dollars.

And I I explain that well enough.

Okay.

Thank you Ms. Berge for this.

underscoring that I just wanted everyone to understand that piece.

And I don't have any other further questions.

Allow other directors to make comments or questions please.

Thank you Director Mack.

Director Hampson.

Thank you.

That was helpful Director Mack that additional information.

I think my only question is do we have any sense of we've been hearing from principals and families specifically about these need such that we have a sense of the need.

Not yet.

We again we're at this point kind of monitoring ridership and utilization.

And you know we will continue to work with students.

We're trying to do some outreach with regard to meal sites and others to see where the gaps are of services that aren't being covered and try to understand how transportation plays into that.

And that would be our kind of entrance point to see how we distribute cards to students who don't have them.

And I hope that as we do outreach that we'll be letting re-emphasizing at the same time the ability for students to For example get you know lunches for all of their their siblings and their their parents so that they're you know able to to take full advantage of the other resources that are available as well as the flu shot clinics that kind of thing which are also walk-through.

So I look forward to seeing the additional any additional PR that goes out about that to spread the word.

Those are great suggestions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

Yeah.

I don't have any additional questions on this item.

I think that there are a lot of students who are really going to benefit from this and I'm excited to see it pass.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

I'll just echo Director Hersey's comments.

Okay.

Thank you.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

Chief Podesta I'm wondering.

So in this it sounds like we're waiving the transportation standards.

Is there a consideration to modify the transportation standards altogether or is this going to just be this one time one year waiver.

Because I would wonder I would expect that we'd want to continue this making cards available to middle school.

So what do we.

Well typically we're offering yellow school bus service to Many middle school students.

No you're right.

You're right.

Yeah.

So.

But it I mean I guess I'm thinking also but I know we do offer that for after school.

After school don't we offer ORCA cards for athletics transportation or after school like Boys and Girls Club getting to those things.

Do we do we normally offer that too.

Typically you know at least per the Transportation Service Standards it's really if it's outside the service area or to the linked program.

I think you raise a good point though that you know we can see how they're utilized this year and think as we develop the transportation service standards for the coming year or for whatever operating model we're under later this year you know we can see if it needs to be a more sustained change.

Thank you for that.

No further questions.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith and I have no questions for you at this time but thank you Chief Podesta and thank you Operations Committee for your work on this.

So Ms. Wilson-Jones roll call vote please.

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

This motion has passed unanimously.

Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones.

We have one one moment.

Our action item number three is the Assistance League of Seattle ALS is donating gift cards to fund its Operation School Bell OSB shopping program for new school clothes for fall quarter of the 2020-2021 school year.

This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on October 12th for approval.

So may I have a motion for this item please.

This is Director Hampson.

I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to accept a donation of $350,000 from Assistance League of Seattle to benefit students who wish to participate in its Operation School Bell program for the 2020-21 school year.

Immediate action is in the best interest of the district.

Second.

Thank you directors.

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

And this item is on the agenda today for introduction and action.

So Chief of Schools and Continuous Improvement Wyeth Jessee I believe you'll be briefing us before we move to directors for questions and comments.

Thank you Board President DeWolf.

Yes this is an item we're moving forward for both intro and action.

We've had a long held relationships with the Assistant League of Seattle.

What a great relationship we've had with them and their generosity to help support Operation School Bell.

Typically we have they host on-site at select shopping locations for students who are identified through our Family Support Worker Program.

We do a ton of outreach through our elementaries and middle schools through Operation School Bell about basic needs and supplies.

I know that folks are aware.

with the cut in the ability for services with the stimulus package to assist folks who may not have employment or have needs.

And so this is a really dire need right now in our community.

Again with the thanks for the Citizens League of Seattle $350,000 $125 gift cards will be distributed at 83 elementary and middle schools across the district for 2,804 of those particular gift cards.

Again through the Family Support Worker Network we have relationships with our families.

Those who are identified in the strategic plan.

Students of color furthest from educational justice schools and those relationships long held.

identify and relations build to help support the basic needs.

And so we will be helping to distribute those gift cards right away.

We are ready teed up actually with the hopeful approval by the school board so that we can get those started literally tomorrow in distribution.

With that that will conclude my comments and I am ready for any questions.

Thank you.

Thank you so much Chief Jessee.

Great to hear from you.

So next we will move to directors beginning with Director Hampson who is our Audit and Finance Committee Chairperson.

Thank you.

And I did want to note it was the committee's recommendation that for the sake of the students receiving these services as expediently as possible that it was necessary for us to recommend this for intro and action so that as we're heading into winter and coats and new shoes are needed that those are available to students expeditiously.

As is explained in the BAR this is a slightly different operational procedure from how it's how it's been done in prior years because of COVID and so I would recommend directors to ask any follow-up questions they have about that.

But otherwise thank you for that presentation.

Okay.

Thank you Director Hampson and thank you for clarifying.

introduction and action today.

And that makes a lot of sense.

So next we'll move to Director Hersey.

Hey thank you.

I don't have any additional questions.

I think that this is something that's critical and the quicker we can get this done the better.

Thank you.

Director Mack.

Yeah I'm very excited about accepting funds from such an amazing program to support our students.

But I'm curious I just want to make public that I put in a question to district staff around why we have several other type donations to the district that haven't come through for board approval including the donation of the monitors to our educators as well as the donation of Chromebooks that previously happened.

I'm not sure that that needs to be answered here but I just want to publicly state that I'm still concerned that those have not come through the board in the appropriate process as this BAR is coming.

And I'm very supportive of this BAR.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Thank you.

I my question is if So these will be distributed through family support workers.

And if the if the families have restrictions or limitations placed upon them or if they are able to spend the gift cards as as they choose.

Yeah so this is coordinated through the Family Support Worker Network.

We don't have 83 family support workers but we do have points of contacts at some of our schools where we don't have family support workers at these 83 elementary and middle schools.

So I just want to make sure I was clear about that.

And then also the distribution of these gift cards they are with two select retailers.

So those gift cards are in the $125 amount for use at those two and there is no restriction restrictions attached to it.

Great.

Thank you.

And thank you to the Assistance League of Seattle for supporting our students.

Okay.

Next is Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I want to first thank Chief Jessee for including the equity analysis tool as I requested at A&F.

So thank you for attaching that to this BAR.

I also want to appreciate Director Mack's comment regarding the other types of donations that have come through.

Her keen eye on that because that is something we want to make sure we are being transparent with with our communities about.

And I definitely appreciate this BAR so no other questions.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

I don't have any questions but I'm so grateful to our chair Director Hampson for moving this up for introduction action today.

Appreciate the thoughtfulness around that.

So Miss Wilson-Jones.

Roll call vote please.

Sorry can I.

This is maybe out of order but can I just ask a question.

Director President DeWolf you're breaking up.

Oh I'm sorry.

Director Rankin if you'd like to make a question or comment go ahead and I'll figure out my.

I just was wondering about it.

I don't know how if this is the right way to address this or what but the items that Director Mack brought up my understanding are the Chromebooks and the monitors for teachers or direct donations from organizations to families and to teachers directly as individuals.

So we didn't accept those funds as a district and that's why they didn't come through.

But these are being accepted by the district for dispersal to our students.

Director Rankin I I appreciate your attempt to speak on behalf of the district staff and — Well I'm wondering if my interpretation my understanding is correct.

I that's why I would actually I I appreciate that you are asking the question and I would like to have that question answered.

That's not a part of this BAR and I would like to defer that question to later.

I just wanted to frame it and ask it.

And I'm not sure that and maybe President DeWolf would agree with this that inside of this BAR is not the place to be having that conversation.

At this time.

I do believe that and I think one thing that we've been talking about in our meetings is to make sure that we circle back at the end to elevate what we heard as follow-up items.

So I'm going to ask at the end when I ask that question if you can just remind us the staff on the record here on the call anything that we had asked.

And so I'll circle back at the end.

Please.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

So Ms. Wilson-Jones roll call vote please.

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

This motion has passed unanimously.

Okay.

Before we move to introduction items are there any motions that any directors would like to entertain at this time.

Director President DeWolf this is Director Hampson.

I have a motion I'd like to make from the dais.

Okay.

Can I just get one quick clarification from Greg just to confirm.

Greg are you on the call.

Okay so we just want to clarify we can make a motion from the dais correct.

Well I don't know what the motion is.

There are certainly things like.

Let's let Director Hampson share and then please just share with us that confirmation that we can do that.

Go ahead Director Hampson.

Thank you.

Yes I would like to propose a very simple one word amendment to Policy 001. 3 0 from that that with respect to the superintendent procedure removes the word authorizes and replaces it with the word requires.

I believe that we can demonstrate some some swifter accountability to community when clarity of directives to staff is needed.

And I think that that's that's something that we've been that's been asked of us.

And I believe that we can do that without going through a lengthy legislative process that doesn't have any meaningful change to the actual policy itself other than to just make very clear that we do direct that a policy a procedure be developed.

So that's the motion that I would like to make from the dais today.

Can you share a few more details if you're looking at policy 0030.

So the last page of policy 0030 It's page 3 of 3 and it states the superintendent is authorized to develop procedures to implement this policy comma including an action plan with clear accountability and metrics.

And I would strike the word authorized and replace it with the word required.

Thank you.

So Greg and I just got an email from you Director Hampson with that policy if directors want to look at something at the top their inbox.

Chief Counsel Narver does this meet the ability of our board to make a motion from the desk.

The concern I have here is that while motions to add items to the agenda are usually in order the concern we have here is that there is a state law that says that before school boards can adopt new policies that relate to the operations of the district there has to be an opportunity for public comment first.

It doesn't necessarily mean there has to be a long legislative process associated with it but this isn't on our agenda at all and it may be something that the public I think by law has to be given a right to comment on this.

And so I think this needs to be on the agenda for a future meeting.

That's not to say it has to be a long process to get there.

So Greg how do we take from today the requests or the motion to amend that one word for our future in two weeks regular board meeting.

Is there anything we need to do procedurally here on the record to illustrate that.

Director Hampson's elevating this motion.

It is now open for public discussion and comment and we can come back at our meeting in two weeks.

Is there anything we need to do here.

We I think we would need we the executive committee has approved the legislative agenda for that next meeting but items can be added to it with the agreement of the board president and the superintendent.

I would probably want to consult with Ellie to make sure we've crossed all the T's and dotted the I's but I will certainly take from this the direction to find a way to make that happen at the next board meeting.

You can assume that you have given adequate direction to staff that that is a is something that you would like before the board for consideration.

Obviously it would need to have majority support to to pass.

But in terms of having that be an agenda item I think that's something that can be worked out between now and the next meeting.

So Director Hampson do you understand the next steps.

Yes and that sounds great and I appreciate the clarification and the opportunity to speak on it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Well we look forward to seeing that in two weeks.

So now we'll move to our introduction items for today.

It is 5 0 7. We are moving swiftly along today directors.

This is the implementation of Moss Adams recommendations to create a high-value internal audit function designed to help the district achieve its goals.

This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on October 12th for approval.

And our Director of Internal Audit and Ethics Officer Andrew Medina I believe you'll be briefing us before we turn it over to questions and comments from directors.

Hello.

Andrew Medina Director of Internal Audit.

So as you are as you are aware Moss Adams concluded conducted an independent review of the internal audit function.

The results of their review were presented to the Audit and Finance Committee on September 14th.

And the next steps requested by the committee was to create a BAR for the report to go before the full board.

So this BAR the purpose of this BAR is for the board to accept the recommendations express support for full implementation within the timelines identified in the report and to direct the implementation of the recommendations.

The the full report is included with the BAR and includes several recommendations including one to broaden internal audit scope to include all district programs and functions.

I am I am grateful for Moss Adams to Moss Adams for the work and I think their recommendations will allow us to continue to monitor for accountability while also doing more to help the district achieve its goals.

The Moss Adams recommendations provide us an opportunity to elevate the internal audit function to help the school board superintendent and other district personnel accomplish goals while strengthening the processes and procedures of the district.

The report was discussed in detail with the Audit and Finance Committee but I'm happy to elaborate on any items if desired.

That includes my introductory remarks but I know Director Hampson would also like to comment.

And the lead staff for Moss Adams are also on the line and available for questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you Andrew.

And I just want to point spend a second of personal privilege to just give much kudos to Director Hampson for and the Audit and Finance Committee for for the great work on this.

I'm really excited to see this here.

So Director Hampson I'll turn it over to you.

as our Audit Finance Committee Chair to kick us off on questions and comments.

I'm very excited to be presenting this this work today and so grateful to to staff to Andrew Medina to our external audit team to Greg Narver for helping us push this forward.

I think it's a really important piece of work that as director Medina said can really shift us to a much higher impact and higher value internal audit system.

And I firmly believe that over the coming couple of years that that we're going to see some really positive changes and clarification about how we do our audit work internally and how that's then presented externally to demonstrate how we track and show our accountability to ourselves and to the to the public.

So yeah I'm I want to turn it over to directors that haven't had a chance to answer or to ask questions about this.

Our Audit and Finance Committee has has been had a lot of great questions and provided a lot of detailed response on this.

which I greatly appreciate.

And we've tried to provide all the information that's been requested in the board action report including the detail for the racial equity analysis from that toolkit and look forward to hearing comments and questions today from the rest of board directors and if and our wonderful auditors are also on the line if anyone has questions of them.

I believe both Colleen and Tammy are on the line correct me if I'm wrong Director Medina and I'll turn it over to the next director for questions.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

Will you loop back to me please.

Absolutely.

Apologies.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

Yeah we we talked about this.

a lot in the A&F committee.

I appreciate all the work that's gone into this definitely appreciate Dr. Hampson's drive to have this be done for our district.

And I think that the one of the what's having this plan I think is is great.

That's the first step.

The second step is clearly going to be the the adoption of just by all parts of our district in in taking up those recommendations and working with that.

Definitely this is a great step.

I look forward to seeing it implemented.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

I I don't have questions.

I just really there's a lot of gratitude for to Director Hampson and the SPS auditing team and the Moth Adams folks who have worked I know it was a lot of time and effort to to work on this.

And just in a as you know I have noted personally to myself many times there's the scope of things that school board directors need to consider and make decisions on with no staff or Yeah.

Time is is the scope is so variable and wide and I feel like we're pretty fortunate on the existing board to have a pretty well balanced set of different skills and experiences that we all bring but there's no guarantees of what you know.

I mean Director Hampson's finance experiences you know that's something that there's no guarantees of having on a board and and and you know others of us that have have different skills.

So I think it's it's a little it's almost a little bit scary to me that this type of thing has not been in place before.

So yeah no no questions.

Just a great appreciation and I look forward to how this can help us in our work.

Thank you Liza.

Excuse me Director Rankin.

Director Mack.

Yeah thank you.

I have kind of two lines of question.

I I am sad I no longer sit on Audit and Finance.

I did enjoy working on that but I also feel as if I have plenty of work going on.

But I I wonder if you can give a little bit more information.

I think my first question is around The costs associated with implementing these recommendations in terms of how much additional staff time or do we need more staff auditors to support this work.

Will implementing these recommendations require an uptake of work to be produced that we need to be funding.

Is there an increased expectation around that.

increase in staffing increase workload.

That's my first question.

Go ahead Andrew.

Okay.

So there is a fiscal impact to the recommendations.

One of the big recommendations coming out of the report is to implement a hybrid internal audit structure.

So the internal audit staff that we have currently would continue to focus mainly on accountability compliance financial internal controls as we have been.

Those are important issues and we don't want to let those go to the side.

But there is also a recommendation to broaden our scope and authority to include all district programs and functions.

And in doing that we there is a recommendation is to increase the internal audit budget by $100,000 annually and that those funds would be used to outsource larger scale performance and program type audits that would have more objectives related to effectiveness efficiency.

And so that would not impact the current staffing.

Internal audit would oversee those outsourced engagements.

Make sure they're all being done within auditing standards.

But a lot of times those larger scale program and performance type audits take up to a year to complete with a staff of 3 to 5 auditors working on them.

And since we don't have that staff internally that's why the recommendation is a hybrid approach to where we would be able to outsource some of those types of that type of work to outside firms that could do that on a ongoing basis based on our annual risk assessment and audit planning.

Thank you.

I I very much appreciate that explanation and I am very much in support of that effort.

I think it would be very helpful to increase the scope in that way.

And also I think having outside outside eyes is helpful for the process.

My other question is about the audit response recommendations number 11 and number 12. One is that the observation was that the audit response manager role provides internal audit with limited purview or non-financial compliance functions and then the other one is that the corrective action process does not hold management accountable or provide visibility into an assurance that audit findings are resolved.

I'm curious to know about how these recommendations will be or may be implemented.

One is the essentially changing the job description of the audit response manager and the other is increasing accountability by requiring the reporting of corrective actions and validations of actions.

And I having sat on the Audit and Finance Committee and also listened to the you know the reporting back of these things.

Functionally what does that mean.

Is that can you explain a little bit better about how that process is going to be improved.

Yeah.

So this is Andrew.

I can speak to that some and then I'll turn it over to Colleen and Tammy if I leave something out.

But I think the biggest recommendation they're making with the audit response function is that the primary role should be to provide assurance that the recommendations coming out of the internal audit reports are actually being implemented.

To provide actual words escaping me there is a verification of the recommendations not just providing an update on what management is asserting that they have done or not done but actually doing some verification efforts to ensure that the corrective actions are actually being implemented.

So that's kind of the main focus of the audit response recommendations.

So and having served on Audit and Finance Committee in the past you're you're aware that the current role of the Audit and Response Manager is more the main reason it doesn't report to the internal audit office is because they also help departments decide how to correct items.

They help them write policies and procedures and actually you know get involved in helping them implement the recommendations.

From an internal audit side we need to be independent of that so that when we audit those areas again we're we are independent and objective.

But going forward the recommendation is really centered around making sure that that audit response function is providing some validation.

And if they want to continue to there will be a decision that has to be made by the board and senior management if they want the data response function to continue to provide actual advice and help design policies and procedures and write internal controls in which case there's a recommendation that the function be moved under the superintendent's office.

But if the role is going to be just limited to validation then perhaps it can move under the internal audit function and serve more as like a follow-up auditor type position.

So that is kind of a decision that will have to be made as to what type of role the audit response function has.

But they are definitely recommending that there be the primary purpose of it be validation.

I don't know if I did a good job of explaining that but.

I I I think you did.

I think that sounds great and I'm fully in support of that increased validation and whichever structure the Audit and Finance Committee thinks might work best or if we're as a full board decided to weigh in on that I'm happy to have that discussion at the time but the the validation of the audit response and actually validating that things are actually being done as they were recommended I think would be incredibly helpful.

And so I appreciate that recommendation as well.

So thank you.

That's all my questions.

I fully appreciate the work that Moss Adams did to pull this together and provide comprehensive recommendations and that we have them in front of us and that they will be acted upon when we take action.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Mack.

And I'll just I wanted to ask our friends from Moss Adams.

Just a quick question around this seems like to me and just from an observer you know being on the board for 3 years this feels like a really big deal.

Can you share a little bit more about why both this audit and hopefully what it will produce as far as changes is a big deal.

Sure.

Hi this is Colleen Roselis with Moss Adams.

Happy to talk about why it's a big deal.

So a couple of things.

The role of internal audit that we see really moving forward in kind of more progressive public sector entities encompasses both the traditional compliance and kind of transactional functions that the current internal audit department does as well as the idea of looking at performance efficiency effectiveness and outcomes as well as really reducing risk across the school district and thinking about opportunities to improve our performance.

And ultimately when we think about our goals in the strategic plan how can we really focus our efforts to improve our performance be better stewards of public funds and be and provide more holistic independent oversight of the district.

There are a number of entities locally that have internal audit departments that have a similar model to this.

Sound Transit is one where there really is this focus on let's look annually and agree together to really do a deep dive into certain programs and functions and maybe potentially just you know a whole division really to think about how effectively and efficiently are we operating and are we really achieving the goals that we set out to do.

In addition to this there is a piece of our recommendations that really is about you know the work that goes on kind of day-to-day and the consultants like us in prior roles who were engaged to do assessments of programs.

And often those don't come up to the board level unless it is part of a controversy or a public issue.

And what we want is to really leverage the internal audit function this audit reporting function and corrective action function.

to be able to shed some light on the improvement opportunities that are already occurring within the district.

We want to be able to track those recommendations.

We want to be reporting to the board on a regular basis about what we're doing to become more efficient and effective and improve our outcomes and really show that we're actually implementing these recommendations as opposed to these reports that we pay for sitting on a shelf.

So this will we hope as a whole really improve public trust approve improve accountability and help to improve the relationship between the board and staff in terms of getting answers to things before you have to ask for them.

Director DeWolf any follow-up questions.

Wow no that was thorough and it was even it exceeded expectations in what I was hoping you would share with us.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Before we move to next item I want to make sure I get to Director Hersey for any final comments or questions on this item.

No I think it's been adequately covered.

I'm good.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you.

So next we'll move to Introduction Item Number 2. This is approval of funding for the 2020-2021 school year for the Central Seattle Local School and Neighborhood Network as described in the affiliation agreement between Seattle Public Schools SPS and Seattle University.

signed August 2019. This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on October 12th for approval.

Chief Academic Officer Dr. Diane DeBacker I believe you'll be briefing us before we move to directors for questions and comments.

Yes.

Thank you President DeWolf.

It is my pleasure to introduce this item a partnership between Seattle University and Seattle Public Schools.

I'd like to begin by thanking Our own staff who have been working on this.

That's James Bush our Director of School and Community Partnerships.

Kevin Loyal from the African-American Male Achievement Department.

And Kathleen Panin our Housing Education Manager.

From the Seattle University staff we'd like to thank Kent Koth who is the Executive Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Michelle Krueger who's the Director of the Local Learning Network.

All of these individuals have been working on this for many many months.

I have also been involved in it but not nearly as in the manner that the others that I mentioned.

With this network Seattle University has made a commitment to partner with SPS to support six elementary schools.

That's Bailey Gatzert John Muir Madrona Thurgood Marshall Leschi and Lowell.

Seattle University used the 19-20 academic year to establish themselves as an intermediary for local elementary schools community partners and family leaders and they are prepared to serve as the lead organization on this Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant.

The grant will provide a total of four hundred and forty six thousand five hundred dollars in total.

Of that $390,000 is allocated to the individual and collective activities at the school level and the additional $56,500 will support a halftime coordinator in the School and Community Partnerships Department in the first year of the project.

The network is a targeted investment approach that will support our strategic plan.

We continue to work with Seattle University to ensure that racial equity analysis is fully integrated into this project.

And the project aims to foster equitable learning environments at school home and community.

Each school will be focused on building strong family partnerships and developing culturally responsive instructional practices throughout the school year.

The network also includes collaboration with 12 funded community-based organizations focused on students furthest from educational justice and inclusion of the Seattle Housing Authority as another institutional partner.

The network will work to integrate into other SPS family engagement initiatives and our FEPP levy activities.

We very very much value our partnership with Seattle University and the Center for Community Engagement.

We appreciate.

the board for your support of this particular project.

I have to say that when I joined Seattle Public Schools a few years ago Kent Koch was one of the first people that I met and have just been it's been a pleasure to be a partner with them.

So I will end at that.

I would also like to include that James Bush is available to answer any of the specific questions if you have questions around the partnership agreement.

Thank you.

Thank you Chief DeBacker.

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

Yes.

Thank you.

And I just want to note Director James Bush who had provided an opportunity for me to kind of take a look at updates on this because I'd had some questions around wanting to make sure because they're due to COVID there were some modifications and I just want to make sure everything was represented really clearly and that this had good strong possibility of moving forward.

And I apologize that I wasn't able to get to get back to you on that James.

So but I do very much support this work and this this project.

And so anything that I think hasn't been clarified I'm sure other directors will will speak to today.

And I'm excited to be seeing this work move move forward as we move to introduction.

So I'll take it to the next director for questions.

Okay.

Director Hersey.

Hi.

Thank you.

Just a couple of questions.

Could you speak a little bit more to the racial equity analysis that was conducted for this.

Yes.

And if you have a chance to look in your package you'll see what was done around the racial equity analysis.

A couple areas I think are important to point out As the as Seattle University and Seattle Public Schools looked at the 12 partners that are within this particular partnership they they very much looked at organizations that were able to provide provide programs and initiative and projects that were from our really our our communities of color.

And so I think that's one of the areas that I think is important to look at.

And I can talk to you about those 12 organizations if you have any interest in that.

But they prioritize our African-American community all of our our BIPOC communities.

is where the equity analysis was in.

In fact just very interesting Director Hersey I'm glad you asked about that question.

I was originally scheduled to review some of those applications or some of those grant proposals and it was during the time of when we were trying to decide you know scheduling time and Kevin Loyal who is with the African-American Male Achievement Department He said to me he said do you mind if I do those applications because these are kids that I work with.

This is a community I know and I would be better sir I would be able to look at those organizations a little bit differently than you.

And I said absolutely so.

So that's just a little bit of an example of the equity analysis.

It's more in the partnerships that will be working with these 6 schools.

Thank you.

Just one more quick question.

Director DeWolf and I just had a recent update with TAF at Washington Middle School.

Is this are they included in this in this package.

No.

No Director Hersey.

They are not included with this particular package.

This particular package is working with all of our elementary our elementary schools and not middle schools.

Got it.

Got it.

Got it.

Got it.

Got it.

Got it.

Got it.

Okay.

Cool.

I'm good.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Hersey.

Director Mack.

Okay.

Director Mack.

No apologies I'm here.

I just toggling.

I don't have any questions at this time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Hi.

I. Well I have a lot of questions.

What is how how am I trying to say this.

What's the end result and how will we know if it was successful.

Yeah.

Director Rankin thank you.

That's a very good question because it is a it is a fairly long bar.

And I think if you kind of hone in on the two major portions of work that will be done.

One is around teacher and school staff development.

And so making sure that the teachers within those six schools are focusing on culturally sustaining approaches to not only engaging students but also engaging parents and families.

So is that you're going to see some very targeted professional development for the students and the staff and the families of those schools.

And the other thing is it's the tiered opportunities for parents and guardians to support their students learning.

So if you think about the parents as teachers programs that you've heard about you know whether they're here in other states It's really a very again a targeted approach to helping parents and guardians be their students' best teachers.

So those are the two things I think that stand out for me.

That's on page 3 I think of the BAR if you want to look at that.

And then the other thing is that there are 12 different community-based organizations that will be working with these different schools and so depending on which organization it will be you know the focus will will be a little bit different as well.

Okay.

So with the professional development that is provided by Seattle University or how

What I'm trying to like I see lots of words that are good.

I'm trying to kind of dig at like what it is because a lot of this stuff is about family engagement connection between school and family and community.

You know all of these things that we are are thinking about and hopefully focusing on district-wide.

So I guess my question is what makes What does this funding go towards that makes this different.

How will we know if it was successful.

And then at the end of it how do we make it sustainable.

And if there are things that come out of it that are successful how do we let that grow and spread to other schools.

Because it sounds I mean it sounds really great but also sounds like the type of thing that's very dependent on the participating individuals.

And so once those individuals change or move on then you know what I mean.

Like if there's organization turnover or whatever like then what happens.

Yeah and I again I think if with within the BAR if you look at the areas that it talks about what Seattle U is going to do Seattle University is going to do what the district will do.

You know the Seattle University makes it very clear that their job is to build capacity.

Build capacity within those schools within the staff within families and also within these 12 organizations so that when the funding is gone that we can do this on our own.

So So I think they you know they have been very forward thinking in that manner that you just can't sweep in and work with a school for a year or two and expect things to change.

You really do have to build that internal capacity.

They're also working very specifically and looking at our remote learning playbook and saying you know what did we outline in that remote learning playbook about how we can ensure our you know help to ensure that students are getting the very best education possible.

So they're they're using some very timely work for us as well.

They're also connecting to all of our district initiatives especially the strategic plan and serving students and schools that serve our students furthest from educational justice.

I would have to look Director Rankin you have you have stumped me a little bit on how we are going to evaluate whether or not or if it's been successful.

I this is introduction.

I'm wondering you know the outcomes if if the outcomes and reporting is for us or if it's for the Gates Foundation and if it can be for us or in addition like how

Yeah I think that you know I think that's a fair a fair comment to be honest.

It as I said this is introduction.

We'll make sure that we have that clear that I at least have that clear as we bring this back for approval and very clear on how we're going to see if this has been successful and if we've made a difference.

Thank you for asking.

I mean to be clear this is all these are all things that sound positive and worthy.

And the type of thing that's very can be very ethereal and then you know two years go by and you are not quite sure what happened.

So yeah I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I appreciate all the discussion we've had for this.

This has been great.

I have one just small question.

If somebody I don't know if Director Rankin or perhaps Diane can kind of remind me in committee we moved this as amended.

What did what did we do we amend on it.

And I want to make sure that's reflected.

Director Rivera-Smith I was not in that committee with you so I believe the amendments however and I'll I'll see if James Bush wants to clarify but there were a few areas that Director Hampson needed more clarification on.

James I don't know if you're available to answer that specifically.

President DeWolf is that okay if James Bush responds.

Of course.

Thank you.

Good afternoon all.

I'm happy to be here.

So it was a very slight edit.

So we laid out the bullets in that section where the schools are to kind of separate it out.

So we added page numbers was another request.

And we also want to kind of clarify that what we did in the background that this is building off of the historic work that we did with the Promise Neighborhood.

So we added just the background for around the affiliation agreement because the affiliation agreement is just kind it's the whole relationship with Seattle U. This particular project is just on of attachment D I believe is what it is.

The local learning network.

So we tried to just plainly just kind of describe that so there was full context.

Because this isn't for the whole affiliation agreement.

Catch it.

Okay.

And I I'm hoping I'm assuming Dr. Hampson got the clarity then she was asking for those amendments.

Yeah those were definitely the very specific things I had asked about to try to make sure because it was It wasn't abundantly clear that we weren't you know looking at this more broadly but that this was just a specific piece that was part of that larger relation or that is connected to that larger relationship which I appreciate having all that background.

I think it's good to have the aggregate relationship.

And I just wanted to make sure that that was that that was clear.

We knew exactly where the funding the schools that were going to be worked with.

So yeah those are all the very specific things that I asked for.

And and I think yeah I guess in the future if you show up redlined then committee members can see where it's where it's changed.

But I'll take responsibility of that since I didn't respond back to James when he asked prior to this meeting.

But he did just cover exactly what I had requested.

So thank you.

Great.

I have no other questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I have no questions for you at this time.

We've certainly discussed this at length today.

So thank you Chief Becker.

Thank you.

Okay next item is item number introduction item number 3. This is BTA IV Approval of Budget Transfer and Construction Change Order Number 17 for the Webster School Modernization and Addition Project.

This came throughout the Operations Committee on October 8th for approval.

So Chief Podesta I believe you'll be briefing us before I turn it over to Director Mack.

Yes.

Thank you Director DeWolf.

This action authorizes the transfer of contingency funds to address the additional costs with managing a safe construction site in compliance with the protocols to keep workers safe.

to and avoid COVID-19 infections.

Construction was closed for a period earlier in the spring and as it as it we opened our sites back up we found that working with our contractors and maintaining physical distancing screening workers for health As they enter the site cleaning tools revising work practices that support physical distancing and other safe practices and managing traffic patterns on the site all created additional costs for general contractors and for subcontractors that are legitimate costs contractually that contractors can make claims to the project owner about.

We were proactive and the project management team Richard Best personally reviewed these practices with all our contractors and Richard Best is the Director of as you know but for others listening the Director of Capital Projects and Planning and monitored these changes on the sites to make sure that we can negotiate reasonable charges for the increased costs that our contractors faced.

And I'd be happy to take any questions.

Yeah.

Okay.

So Director Mack as our Operations Committee Chairperson I'll let you take the first question and comment and then we'll move to directors.

Yeah I I'm not sure if we're going to end up seeing other BAR's like this.

I think we had some discussion last oh I'm sorry this is intro so no apologies.

We had discussion robustly in operations but the impact of COVID on everything.

This is one of those places.

And the safety of workers and and there unfortunately is an additional cost associated to that.

And so we recommended it for approval and I don't have any additional questions at this time.

Look forward to other directors questions or comments.

All right.

Director Hampson.

No questions for me at this time.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

None for me at this time.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

I'm good thanks.

Director Rivera-Smith.

I have no questions.

Thank you.

Okay.

None for me.

Thank you Chief Podesta.

Thank you Director Mack.

All right.

Next item is Item Number 4. This is BEX V Resolution 202-0-21-11 Racial Imbalance Analysis for Viewlands Elementary School Project.

This came to the Operations Committee on October 8th for approval.

So Mr. Podesta I believe you'll be briefing us again.

Yes.

Thank you.

The BEX V program has a replacement of Buhlhofen's Elementary School and the project includes state funding which requires the district to perform an analysis to determine whether the project would create a situation where enrollment at the school in question would become racially imbalanced or if it is already racially imbalanced whether the project would make it more so.

The Washington Administrative Code that guides this has very specific parameters defining racial imbalance and that guides this analysis.

And we've determined that this project will that there is not a racial imbalance and this project will not create one.

And so this action merely asks the board to adopt a resolution to that effect so we can secure the relevant state funding.

And I'll accept any questions you have.

Thank you.

Okay we'll start with Director Director Mack our Operations Committee Chair.

Yeah we we recommended this for approval after discussion.

There's also an additional further down on the agenda today is the Racial Imbalance Analysis for Northgate.

And I don't have any further comments or questions.

Look forward if other directors need any clarity on how the analysis is done and how this is determined.

Please feel free to ask those questions now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We'll start backwards.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I do not have any questions.

Thank you.

Okay.

Director Rankin.

No I'm good.

Director Hersey.

None for me.

Thank you.

Director Hampson.

Okay.

Director Hampson has to step away for a moment so I'll I'll go next and I don't have any questions for you at this time.

Thank you Chief Podesta.

And I believe you'll be joining us on pretty much the rest of these items so I'll just keep you on deck there.

So Introduction Item Number 5. BEX V Approval of the Site-Specific Educational Specifications for the Viewlands Elementary School Replacement Project.

Mr. excuse me this came through the Operations Committee on October 8th for approval.

So Mr. Podesta to you before Director Mack.

Thank you.

Again this is another BAR related to Viewlands Elementary Replacement.

Educational specifications are Narrative documents that at a very high conceptual level describe the program elements that the design need team needs to incorporate into this design of the school to meet the planned educational programs.

These high-level specifications are developed in a collaborative manner with building leaders teachers parents and other community members and will guide the design team and to make sure that the spaces on site will accommodate all the programming elements needed in the building.

Again this is part of a state funding process where board approval of these educational specifications is required to receive this funding and that's what this action accomplishes.

Okay.

Director Mack to you.

Yeah I'll just I'll just add that directors if they're interested in diving into the details and looking at the ed specs.

This is where on individual projects we approve the ed specs.

We don't formally approve the overarching ed specs that are adopted by the district but we do in this step for each individual project as they move forward.

So if there were any questions from directors about specific things in that this is where we have the chance to question and pushback but we have robust conversation.

It's been through BEX ETA Oversight Committee presented I believe we also as an operations committee saw a presentation on this as well.

So if there are any questions from directors I welcome them.

Okay.

Director Hersey.

No question for me at this time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

No I'm good.

Okay.

Director Rivera-Smith.

No questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I actually do have a question for you Chief Podesta.

Back in June this board approved unanimously the LGBTQIA plus resolution.

One of the components of that resolution was that future construction projects would specifically include multi-stall gender-neutral restrooms.

So obviously this is BEX V. This is forward-looking.

How did that how does that resolution kind of operationalize on an item like this.

Especially given kind of the requirement in the resolution.

This particular ed spec I think was built around single-stall gender-neutral restrooms and as specs continue to get developed for future projects that requirement as it fits into the overall ed spec will be adopted.

Okay.

So I think for clarity Viewlands Elementary School replacement project will not include a multi-stall gender-neutral restroom or it will include a gender-neutral restroom.

It will include two single-stall gender-neutral restrooms.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay.

So introduction item number 6. This is BEX V. Approval of the Value Engineering Report for the Viewlands Elementary School Replacement Project.

This came through the Operations Committee on October 8th for approval.

Likely related to the previous item.

So Mr. Podesta you'll brief us again and I'll turn it back over to Director Mack.

Thank you.

A value engineering report again is required.

Again this is for the Viewlands Elementary School And as we've talked has state funding and a value engineering report is required to secure that funding.

Value engineering is a product of a study that is done independently by architects engineers and cost estimators that analyze our project our team's project approach and offer suggestions for adding value or saving costs into the project.

The team you know district staff and our designers and architects and engineers review go through each of those recommendations and determine if the believe the cost savings can be realized per our methods or if value can be added into the project and accepts those that are aligned with the educational program that we're trying to.

maintain and saves costs or also does not create any operations costs downstream because these recommendations typically are about construction changes that could have lifecycle costs for the building.

In this particular case the team is incorporating is planning to incorporate 38 such suggestions and expect to realize approximately $434,000 in savings.

And this is a good process.

And again we need to approve this report as part of the state funding requirements.

And I'd be happy to take any questions you have.

Okay we'll start with Director Mack.

Thank you Mr. Podesta.

As you stated this that process is incredibly valuable in terms of determining efficiency cost savings and appropriateness of the building.

And we deliberated and recommended it for approval.

Any questions from colleagues.

Please.

Okay.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

I think I I grilled you guys pretty hard already in committee about the criteria prioritization so I will not go into that again.

all the work and I have no questions.

Thanks Director Rivera-Smith.

Director Rankin.

No questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

No questions for me.

Thank you.

Director Hampson.

I knew she stepped away for a moment.

Okay.

And I have no questions.

Thank you Chief Podesta and Director Mack.

So next item is item Introduction Item Number 8. This is BEX V Resolution 2020-21-8 New In-Lieu Replacement Option for the Van Asselt School Addition Project.

This came to the Operations Committee on October 8th for approval.

Mr. Podesta and I will be briefing us once more and Director Mack will take questions starting after you.

The Van Asselt School site has Three major parts the original 1909 landmark building 1940's era addition to that building and then another building built in the 50's.

And the BEX V program includes a project to demolish that 1940's addition and replace it with new construction that will add 30 classrooms.

We've applied for state assistance funding to help fund this project.

And as part of that to be eligible for this particular funding source the district is required to attest that this is in fact new replacement construction and not a modernization of an existing building and that the buildings that are replaced are not going to be continued to be used for an educational purpose.

In this case they're going to be demolished.

And so we this option or this action just adopts the resolution to make us eligible for this funding.

Okay.

Director Mack Operations Committee Chair I'll let you kick this off.

I don't have anything further to add.

This is just approving the project getting delayed.

Thank you.

Okay.

Director Hersey.

No additional questions for me at this time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Nope.

Thanks.

Director Rivera-Smith.

No questions.

Thank you.

And I have no questions at this and I have no questions at this time but.

I wanted to confirm I wanted to make sure we we just were talking about item number 8 which is Van Asselt.

Can you can somebody just confirm that we did talk about item number 7 racial imbalance.

I want to hear.

I do not believe that we did.

I think we skipped over it.

Yep.

I okay.

I thought I said those exact words but I guess maybe I was dreaming them.

So I will go back to introduction item number 7. Apologies.

This is BEX V Resolution 2020-21-10 Racial Imbalance Analysis for Northgate Elementary School Project.

This came to the Operations Committee on October 8th for approval.

Chief Podesta.

And you can be excused the deja vu moment because we had a similar action.

I think Item 4 was a similar action.

Oh okay.

For Viewlands.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes.

This has state funding.

We are required to attest that the project will not create a circumstance where enrollment is racially imbalanced or exacerbate an existing situation where it is already imbalanced which is the case in Northgate.

But we've done the analysis again with very prescribed parameters supplied by the state and this project will not worsen racial imbalance that already exists at Northgate and we would bring the resolution forward to secure the associated state funding.

Be happy to take any questions.

But the same as the previous item.

Director Mack Operations Committee Chairperson I'll let you lead.

Nothing further to add.

This is similar.

The analysis is done.

It's all there.

discussion over at event if directors have any questions about the analysis or the process please.

Thank you.

Okay.

Director Rivera-Smith.

I'm sorry.

No questions.

Thank you.

Director Rivera excuse me Director Rankin.

Nothing from me.

Thank you.

Director Hersey.

Nothing for me.

Thank you.

And I have no questions for you at this time as well.

Thank you for the work on this.

Okay.

We will move now to Introduction Item Number 9. This is BEX V Award Architectural and Con — and Engineering Contract P1788 to Bassetti Architects for the Rainier Beach High School Replacement Project.

This came to the Operations Committee on October 8th for approval.

This seems like a pretty big deal.

So Chief Podesta I believe you'll be briefing us and then I'll turn it back over to Director Mack.

Yes.

As the board is keenly aware a key project in the BEX V construction program is the replacement of Rainier Beach High School.

Given the size and the complexity of this project we are managing this through the general contractor construction manager process which allows us to get Eventually that construction management general contractor firm on board and work early on with the architect.

So getting an experienced architect in educational construction is important.

We were very fortunate to have a very competitive field of 8 firms supply qualifications for this work.

The team interviewed 4 of the 8 firms and after much deliberate deliberation selected Bassetti Architects to lead this effort.

And this action would allow us to finalize this contract and begin design work on this very exciting project.

Okay.

Director Mack Operations Committee Chairperson to you first for questions and comments.

Yeah.

Super excited to be having the work start on the planning.

Mr. Podesta can you speak a little bit about the planning process from here in terms of because the ed specs I mean we don't actually have a full design yet.

They're just starting to design it.

And BEX ETA Oversight Committee got a presentation there was robust discussion there last week.

Can you describe for the public and for my colleagues the kind of process around the planning and the involvement of the SDAT team in terms of how we ensure that the ed specs and the design of the program or design of the building actually meets the program.

Goals.

So we'll continue to work with the school design advisory team to do a master planning project process that really lays out the whole site.

We're doing this project in phases and you know more than 600 students will remain on site during construction.

So the team again will work with the project stakeholders to translate the educational specification into specific design elements and then also have to plan the staging and the timing of the project since the site will still be occupied and we'll still be operating a school there while this is going.

And you know this is a 1960's vintage building so it's quite a change in and We're expecting a larger site to support multiple programs and meet our modern specifications.

This school the community is very interested in this project so we'll continue to work with the community as we have in contractor selection processes and other things.

But really working at a site level of how will the master plan for the site be laid out and how can that be accomplished.

while the school is still occupied are the next phases and then the individual design elements will follow after that.

And for clarification Rainier Beach also has the Skills Center which is technically a separate school as well as a high school and so both of those spaces are being planned for and considered moving forward.

Yes.

And you know the needs of the skill center to serve both the Rainier Beach community and you know since it's an option program serve others will need to be considered as part of that process.

Thank you for that clarification.

I have no further questions.

Look forward to any questions from colleagues.

Okay.

We'll start with Director Rivera-Smith and work backwards

Hi.

Thank you.

Definitely a big project.

I appreciate I think what is this years of planning and work that's gone into this.

I don't think I have any questions I could add any more clarification to what's already been laid out.

So I will pass to the next director.

Thank you.

All right.

Director Rankin.

I don't have anything to ask right now.

Thanks.

All right.

Director Hersey.

Same here.

Thank you.

All righty.

And I have no questions for you at the time but again just underline this is a big deal and I'm really looking forward to this project moving along through the process.

So with that we have now come to the board comment section of the agenda.

Before we move into individual director comments We will begin with Office of Internal Audit and Ethics Annual Report from Director of Internal Audit and Ethics Officer Andrew Medina.

Hello.

Andrew Medina Director of Internal Audit and Ethics Officer.

Here to provide two annual reports.

The first is the Internal Audit Report.

If we go to slide 2. Board procedure requires that I provide an annual report that covers audits completed major findings corrective actions taken by administrative managers and significant findings which have not been fully addressed by management.

So Slide 3 shows the audits and projects completed.

There were three completed internal audits this year.

We also created an internal audit racial equity advancement tool to be used in our audits.

And then we also participated in the Moss Adams independent review of the internal audit function.

Slide next slide.

Slides 4-8 kind of summarize the different major audit findings we had.

The next 4 slides.

First one alternative subcontractor selection process and then second one stipends.

The findings identified can be read in more detail in the audit reports located on our department website.

These findings represent the areas we will monitor to ensure that corrective action is taken.

Next slide shows some of the Moss Adams recommendations.

Their report identified 14 observations and 19 recommendations.

I've included what I believe are the 10 most significant recommendations.

And their full report is also available on our public website and it's also included in the material for intro item number 1 which we discussed earlier today.

Next slide continues with some of the Moss Adams items.

I wasn't going to go into detail into each finding because the audit reporting process is already very transparent.

Each finding is discussed in detail at a public audit and finance committee meeting.

All completed audit reports are posted to our department's public webpage.

And the Chair of Audit and Finance announces all completed audits at the next school board meeting.

The next slide shows corrective action plans.

So it's important to note that the corrective action process is a management function.

Management is responsible for maintaining an adequate system of internal controls and that includes the corrective actions made to resolve audit findings.

Since we may audit the future it's important that we remain independent of the corrective action process to ensure that we are still objective when it's time to conduct a second audit in the same area.

So as a result we make recommendations only.

We do not direct staff write procedures or create internal controls.

Once we make a recommendation that's up to management to determine how they are going to resolve it.

In order to accomplish this the district employs an audit response manager that works with departments in developing corrective action plans.

And each quarter management provides the Audit and Finance Committee an update on the status of the corrective action plans.

And after that follow-up audits can be performed if we deem it necessary based on our risk assessment.

So since management is responsible for implementing corrective actions I was not going to speak to the specific steps they have taken.

But the next slide provides some data demonstrating the progress that management is making towards resolving internal audit issues.

So for status of recommendations we've issued a total of 530 535 recommendations since the Internal Audit Department started in 2011. Of those less than 1% are overdue and only 5% are still in progress.

Meaning that they are still within their 6-month window for management to resolve the issue or they have received an extension from the Audit and Finance Committee.

The important thing to keep in mind with this data however is that this is based on management's assertion.

Management informs the Audit and Finance Committee that it has resolved an issue.

But internal audit does not go in and verify that each and every corrective action was sufficient unless we do an actual follow-up audit.

Next slide.

Significant findings not addressed by management.

The two overdue items that I mentioned in the previous slide are the results of items that have to be bargained.

We have not had any actual areas of disagreement with management where they have decided not to accept our recommendations.

We have had some instances of misunderstanding that required some further clarification but the only outstanding items that have a significant delay are the ones that involve bargaining.

Next slide starts the annual ethics report.

Ethics policy requires that I provide an annual report that covers the number and type of contacts received.

the percentage of contacts submitted anonymously and the status of the ethics training program.

Slide 12. For the types of contacts received I track every contact received by the ethics office and log them into different categories.

42 percent of the contacts I receive are advisory opinions.

These are people asking for advice.

Usually they are being proactive and wanting to know if something is acceptable before they do it.

The high number of advisory opinions is encouraging because it demonstrates that most employees want to do the right thing and are being proactive to make sure that they're making ethical decisions.

18 percent are other.

These are items that are not related to ethics or complaints.

People making me aware of news stories public records requests.

advertising emails from vendors or people just copying me on notifications of other investigations or information.

Personnel complaints represent 13 percent.

These typically involve discrimination or harassment intimidation and bullying or retaliation.

The ethics office does not have any authority over personnel items.

So these items are referred to HR for follow-up.

Miscellaneous complaints are 8 percent.

These are complaints that aren't considered ethics personnel or whistleblower.

Usually a policy or procedure violation or off-campus situations.

So exploring available options is 8 percent.

Callers don't provide enough detail to start an actual investigation but they want to know what their available options are.

These can sometimes be a little concerning because I never know for certain if they actually follow through in reporting their concerns or not.

Ethics complaints are 7 percent of the contacts received.

Conflict of interest disclosures are 3 percent and the items less than 1 percent include whistleblower complaints training requests student civil rights or whistleblower retaliation.

Overall the workload increased slightly this year to about 9 contacts per month.

Last year it was approximately 7 contacts per month.

The next slide shows the number percentage of complaints that are submitted anonymously.

55 percent are anonymous.

Now this is just complaints not all types of contacts.

Anonymous complaints are a bit concerning because it signifies that there may be there may be a lack of trust with the system or that there's just a general fear of retaliation.

The current slide shows anonymous complaints by the type of complaint.

The four main types of complaints I receive are personnel miscellaneous ethics and whistleblower.

Overall 55 percent of complaints are submitted anonymously.

However most of the anonymous complaints are personnel items that are investigated by HR instead of the ethics office.

So if you remove the personnel complaints less than half of the miscellaneous ethics and whistleblower complaints are submitted anonymously.

Next slide talks about ethics training.

There is no change to the ethics training program this year.

Currently the ethics policy is included in new employee orientation.

There is a training course available to employees in safe schools but it is not it's not required on a regular basis.

I will also respond to requests for training or provide it if I receive any information where I think somebody might need it.

There is also an FAQ document on the ethics And I forgot to include it as a bullet on this slide but the Moss Adams report includes a rocket sorry includes a recommendation to implement mandatory ethics and fraud waste and abuse training.

So we will be making ethics training a priority as we work through the implementation of the Moss Adams recommendations.

Last slide.

Just discussion and questions.

Just a reminder that all our reports including the Moss Adams review are available on our public web page.

A big part of the Moss Adams recommendation is updating our policies and procedures.

So I encourage you to provide any input you have on improving our policy including any recommendations on how to make these annual reports more valuable going forward.

Thank you.

Thank you to our Director of Internal Audit and Ethics Officer Andrew Medina for that report.

Wanted to move to Director Comments here.

I mean our final few moments on our board meeting here today.

So we'll just begin with Director Hampson move through and then we'll adjourn.

So Director Hampson.

I'm going to I have a competing obligation tonight which is the 50th anniversary of the Stanford American Indian Alumni Association of which my uncle was one of the founders.

And so all of my Stanford native friends and family are all online and I'm going to just say thank you to all of the staff and the students.

Our student presenter today and grateful for all the work that was presented today.

And I'm going to go join my the folks who helped me get through college in all honesty.

and have been my support system since I was 18 and and and on.

And I will with that turn it over to the next director and bid you all good night.

Thank you.

Thank you Director Hampson.

Director Hersey.

I'm going to keep it brief this evening.

Just a huge thank you to all of the work especially to our educators and senior staff who have been crushing it over the past few weeks.

We really appreciate it.

Thank you so much and I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe.

Thank you.

All right.

Next up is Director Mack.

Yeah hi thank you.

I I think at first I want to actually reiterate a request for consideration.

President DeWolf and Executive Committee and you know since we started doing these remote meetings we changed the agenda up so that we don't have the time for the committee reports and I'd like to just request that that be considered again because it's so important to hear.

So.

I do apologize.

I told you I was.

Yes I am writing it down now.

Thank you.

Oh awesome.

Yeah I just wanted to I just wanted to say that as part of my thing.

So I wanted to take some time just briefly to share with my colleagues You know three two of you are also there and another one always shows up too.

But just to give a heads up of what's coming up in the next Ops meeting which is a couple of weeks away.

A couple of things that I think are of interest is that we are going to get the green resolution update from staff about what's going on and then I believe we're going to be hearing about the proposal of the clean energy resolution and having those two conversations together I think will be really nice to see how the existing policy dovetails.

Additionally we'll get some update about the emergency management protocols around COVID and some updates around that that there's some you know increased intention obviously to those efforts and what's going on.

So we're going to get an update on that from staff.

As well as under special attention items I don't think it's going to be brought with full board action reports but the conversations of the threat assessment policies and the corollary couple that relate to that that were referenced in the previous resolution we're going to have that under special attention so we can move that policy work forward as we've been talking about doing.

So I'm looking forward to that and appreciate my colleagues for the meetings hopefully it's not going to be too long.

It looks like we probably can do it in the time allowed instead of extending the meeting.

I will also say thank you to all of the presenters and public who came and I've said this many times before I do catch everything that comes in.

I read it.

I don't physically have the capacity to respond to all of it and I do hear and incorporate and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to raise issues and I look forward with my colleagues to helping address some of the issues that have been raised going forward.

I look forward to that work together for the furtherance of our student experience and the safety of our students.

And I did want to also just kind of highlight I think for the record is now a good time Director DeWolf my question around the.

Yes.

Okay.

And mostly it was just to say as we kind of look back at our meetings today elevating the things that we want to make sure are on the record as requests that we need to see in the Friday amendment or some other communication.

This would be a perfect time yes.

Yeah.

So I'm not sure if it's a Friday memo or if it's something that should show up as an agenda item in Audit and Finance but the question of the threshold by which gifts to the district or to staff or to students of the district that we actually handle in some form or another.

I would like to get clarity as to what seems to be inconsistent application of the policy that requires that we do a board process that meets our goals of the district.

And I you know I appreciate we have a policy on that that is pretty expansive and I I have those raised questions about a couple different things that have happened recently and I'd I'd like to have that conversation somewhere.

I don't know where that would be.

So I would leave that to you.

and other directors to help identify the appropriate place to have that conversation.

And then also I want to raise the question mark around the technology planning policy which was on Ops agenda.

It was it was work that we were doing around The time of bringing 6,900 facilities planning online and we talked about whether or not technology planning belonged in that policy as well and we agreed that we can go ahead and not put it in there and so we didn't but we also agreed to developing a technology planning policy and I'm I would just like to know and and get that calendared.

Given the new committee structure I think that work falls in the new C&I and forgive me for the not having the correct name in front of me but I just want to put that on the kind of request back to the exec committee to ensure that we are moving the technology planning policy work forward.

in some form and also you know to what extent it it should have some operations committee overlap.

Looking forward to those conversations.

So I just want to get those on the agenda and in the ether of what we're working on.

And I I just want to close with and I don't know how many are watching on TV right now or on the phone or you know well catches all of this and whether or not they hear our words but I really personally hear you that remote schooling and this entire environment is really really challenging.

And I am fully fully in support of increasing our efforts to.

get in-person activities going so students are not as isolated as they are now.

And be that the outdoor school pilots be that increased supports for extracurriculars.

I just I really want to advocate for and support all of our district efforts to meaningfully support the mental health and engagement with our families in whatever way we can.

And I hear you.

It's hard.

And please take care everyone.

And somebody Mia I think you're accidentally unmuted.

Mia.

Okay.

All right.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Rankin.

Just a thank you to everybody who made arrangements to come speak during public testimony.

That's that's always something I look forward to as part of board meetings is that opportunity even though it's sort of you know it's a little strange because we don't we can't really respond in the moment and because of the time limit and everything but it is one of those opportunities to you know have different issues elevated before the board.

And there's an additional challenge.

Well in-person it's a challenge to you know get transportation and and and the timing and and all of that to get to the John Stanford Center but in this remote model calling in is sort of you know awkward.

And so anyway I just appreciate those of you who took the time to do that in particular our students.

Hearing from students is always something that that is so valuable.

And you know tonight especially with Ingraham students that's those are you know you're in my my district.

So I wanted to particularly note thanks and recognition to Kaia talking about the noticing the inequities around you in IB and what you as students want to do to to make that more equitable is is really commendable.

And and and reach out to me if you have ideas that we can do at the board level or just you want to update me I would love to hear about how things are at your school and that.

And in terms of the racial incidents and sexual harassment and various things that are as you as Kaia said not not unique to Ingraham but are are things that we as the adults should really be handling and taking care of and both in terms of responding to incidents but also in You know it's it's our it's the adult's responsibility to create the safe environments for students and to respond appropriately to incidents.

And I know that that is just not always happening.

And so I'm at the same time very sorry that the adults are not doing that but also really in awe and proud to hear of of the efforts of the peer-to-peer support support system that you all are building for students to come to go to a student if they want to report something and they don't necessarily feel safe going to an adult.

It's really amazing and it's going to make a difference for your classmates.

And I hope that the adults will follow suit and offer that same same support to you as students.

Let's see.

Oh Barbara Lee of Moms Demand Action.

Thank you so much for your for your testimony.

Wanted to let you know that links are going to be included in a family communication on safe for safe gun storage that are I think in this week's school messenger.

And I had asked last spring for a set of mental health and community health resources and supports to to either be on our website or go out and email and that hasn't happened.

But I think given the fact that we are as Director DeWolf said in the last meeting I think in talking about sort of crisis crisis timelines that one of the most difficult parts is a 9-month to 12-month time.

And that we're approaching that.

And we are also approaching the part of the year in this part of the world where it is literally very very dark.

So I'm even more particularly thinking about the need to revisit that conversation to just provide some specific resources and tools and anything that we can to support families and students and teachers and staff in taking care of themselves as best they can.

It's it's really hard.

I this week I don't have a very good relationship with sleep.

I tend to stay up really late and and can't turn my brain off and then not sleep very much.

But this week I slept kind of a lot and I said something to my husband about you know I just I keep feeling so tired.

And he said well he's very kindly said well you don't feel good.

And you know I'm not sick.

I'm not unsafe I'm not unwell but but I don't feel good.

He's right.

There's a lot there's a lot in a lot of our lives whether we have economic security housing security all these different things or not.

There's a lot happening right now for a lot of us that that is making us not feel good.

And you're not alone if you're feeling that way.

There's a ton that's super overwhelming.

And so I hope that as a district we can do more to to show some care for our community and hopefully just at least alert folks to different ways different tools they can access different resources for taking care of themselves and each other.

Because we just don't know how long this is all going to go.

And you know in terms of people wanting us to go back to school You know I have a 6th grader and a 3rd grader and there's a lot that they really like about being at home actually.

But you know we we do there is so much that students and teachers are craving that we can't we just can't get remotely that they want in person.

But you know we're seeing there's so many different factors that have to be taken into consideration.

And we're also seeing that even if schools aren't necessarily defined or or or pinpointed as sources of spread.

Community spread is great and schools are part of our communities.

And you know we've still got we've got people going to restaurants and doing all these other things that we as a school system don't don't have a lot of control over.

And we're also seeing in places that schools that went in-person are now returning remote.

And and so there's just As Director Mack said we hear you we're there with you.

A lot of us as parents as teachers as community members and none of us are taking it lightly that that that we're remote.

But we also take really really seriously the responsibility that we have in any decision going forward and what in-person looks like so.

And while it's not too cold a day like today is a great day.

Well not this morning but a great day to go outside and and see your neighbors and friends in a distance way if you can.

Get a school lunch.

Get a school lunch and check in with each other.

And I guess yeah just take care and we'll see you see you at the next meeting.

Thank you Director Rankin.

Director Rivera-Smith.

Thank you.

As many of you probably noticed I like to use my board comment time to respond directly and by name to our public testimony speakers as much as I can.

I don't do it because it's easy.

In fact it's it's pretty hard to face the music sometimes and respond to the critical comments and accusations and the like that come our way.

But I very much believe it's our job to not only listen hopefully learn but also to respond and be willing to be held accountable to what you tell us.

Now of course that being said I do not profess to have the ability to heal every harm or correct every ill that has been brought forward today but I wish I had that power.

But I will offer my feedback and acknowledgments where I can.

So not necessarily in order.

Brian Terry thank you once more for using your voice for equity and removing barriers to racism.

I obviously can't predict whether or not our board vote on 0040 will be unanimous but I do too hope that We can in partnership with all the families and organizations and departments and stakeholders.

We can create a policy that's so strong it will be worthy of a unanimous approval.

So thank you for your comments tonight.

To Carol Ortman thank you for your service to our students as a teacher a long-term sub.

Your feelings on the urgency to get students back in classrooms is definitely shared by many who have been emailing us and we were getting lots of emails when transition rates were low.

But as I'm sure you've seen the rates are back up and currently we're at 94 cases per 100,000.

So had we moved students in in higher numbers we would already be moving them out.

So that being said I understand that our district is working on some communications to families that will give more details about our re-entry planning and our engagement process.

So look forward to that.

As Director Rankin mentioned to Barbara Lee thank you for your advocacy on what what is a relatively small step our district could take that would As you said could mean the difference between life and death for our students and community.

So safe storage is something that as Director Rankin shared is going to be shared in our School Beat newsletter.

I hope we do also have that coupled with a posting to our website.

So thank you Chief Campbell for that.

To Flo Beaumont thank you for speaking on the Southeast Dual Language Immersion Pathway.

I do remember this being a topic last year You make excellent points regarding the sustainability of the pathway and the viability that may be strengthened with a move to Rainier Beach or sorry move from Rainier Beach to Franklin.

I expect this will be discussed further in committee and testimony like yours will definitely weigh into our decision making.

So thank you for that.

Emily Cherkin I agree with your request for transparency in the BAR that will be coming back to us regarding devices And thank you for sending in the outdoor learning document.

I did forward it on to Chiefs Podesta and DeBacker.

Chief DeBacker told me that it will be useful for our outdoor education task force and that she has shared it with small cabinet.

Chris Jackins thank you as always for your critical eye to all of our documents.

And I share your suggestion that we do not overlook the importance of books.

To all the students to the students who are here today Darby and Kai from Ingraham your voices as students are so greatly appreciated.

The topics you spoke of.

As you acknowledge are definitely not limited to Ingram.

Those of racism sexual harassment assaults and the needs for community building in your schools.

I admire that you are working in your schools to reduce barriers to bring solutions to take actions at your school.

And I accept your call for us as district leaders to create institutional change in our district so that you're not doing this school by school.

I believe our board is committed to that.

as is demonstrated in our unanimous passages of the LGTBQ and the affirmation of Black Students Resolutions.

There is still more work to be done.

And as I was pointing out earlier tonight our district began the process of evaluating some key policies a few months ago and regardless of all the challenges of our combined jobs which are many we do need to circle back to that work.

So thank you for sharing your time and voices with us tonight.

To the several community members who spoke tonight Leilani Kayla Dr. Carroll Dr. Jimmy Sarah Kaye Brooke and Tina.

Hope I didn't miss anybody.

You spoke passionately on what you know I'm only not a year into this job but I'm gathering that it has been it's been an ongoing struggle to to make our community to make our Native communities feel appreciated and heard.

And I definitely want to say that I heard you tonight.

What I heard was a desire for you to learn about First Nations history.

A desire to see our district re-engage with UNEA who has survived and despite being expelled from our buildings over a year ago there's a need for recognition and inclusion of Native voices.

And it sounds like regardless of what CBO or tribe or social status or history within within SPS exists.

When I was running for this job I received and I'm very proud of an endorsement from former Director Scott Pinkham then Director Scott Pinkham who said I believe you will help raise the voice of the underserved populations.

And I think about his words all the time as I strive to look to live up to them.

So please know that I will continue that work.

I will work to bring recognition to your voices and your needs because you are indeed vital members of our community.

All of you.

Everybody I I accept the work ahead of me for that and our board.

So thank you for speaking tonight.

Everybody I appreciate you all and I will end it there.

Have a good night.

Thank you Director Rivera-Smith.

I just wanted to share a few comments.

First sincere gratitude to the parent leaders in my district for our community call on Monday had some really great conversations and some questions and I'll send those again to the district and Superintendent Juneau and hopefully we'll get some answers back.

Thank you Director Mack.

I heard you.

I will definitely add that to our conversation around the community reports.

Thank you for the reminder.

I also just want to extend gratitude to our speakers particularly our students for coming and sharing your truth and speaking truth to power today.

Greatly appreciate you keeping the district accountable.

And I wanted to end on just some clarification.

Back in June after the murder of George Floyd myself as well as Director Hersey and Hampson put together a resolution 2 0 2 2 0 1 9 slash 2 0 dash 3 8. It was the it was basically our commitment an affirmation of our commitment to our Black students here in Seattle Public Schools.

And as part of that work we identified policies we'd be working on and prioritizing And Erin Jones who is an outside facilitator but also many folks know her work in equity led us in a really really great board discussion around how to prioritize anti-racism work both in policy as a district as a board individually.

And so we took that work and we were really grateful for Erin and myself as well as well as Directors Mack and Rankin went over those recommendations and Just to think about how to operationalize those recommendations we ended up assigning I think almost 16 policies to various to our committees and prioritize them based on both our commitment in that resolution and just the overall commitment we've had since basically the beginning in January around student safety.

And so we've assigned those policies and prioritize those policies and committees and we we will be asking community to stay engaged as we work through those policies and revise them.

And the other thing I want to mention too.

Last week the Executive Committee after a year a year after the policy number 0040 anti-racism policy was delivered to the district after a year we finally were able to move it forward last Wednesday.

And there's actually been we are there's a collaboration between the Seattle Council PTSA as well as Seattle Public Schools on engagement opportunities and feedback sessions with the policy because that will be coming back to us at our November 18th regular board meeting.

And so for example last week they hosted a Native American community anti-racism work and policy conversation.

SPS led two engagement opportunities on Monday and Tuesday this week.

Tonight there is one with the indigenous Mexican community.

We are the group is also hosting a BIPOC and anti-racist youth town hall.

as well as conversations with the Latinx community around this policy as well as a conversation on the 28th of October at the intersectionality of race and disability as well as another conversation on the 29th with Asian Pacific Islander community conversation around anti-racism work and policy 0040 as well as an Educators of Color Town Hall on November 2nd.

So I just want to at least elevate on the record that those are engagement opportunities.

I encourage people to share those opportunities.

I know that Seattle Council PTSA is sharing information about those.

One of the asks that we had at that at our board meeting when we when we moved the policy forward for the November 18th meeting was to send out a press release.

We asked the district to send out a press release to share information about this huge milestone that we finally moved this policy forward and we have a month of engagement and so I hope we'll have an answer from the district on whether they can send out this press release so we can get more people engaged and hearing more about this exciting exciting development and milestone in our work around policy 0040. Outside of that I just wanted to again elevate that Director Rivera-Smith and I have been working with students and educators and community members since I want to say April or May on our climate resolution.

I am so grateful Director Mack for your allowing us to share that in your committee and hopefully we'll be able to move that through.

I also just want to give credit and big props to our students and our educators and our community.

from NAACP Youth Coalition for example who have been coming together regularly weekly over the course of the last few months on this resolution.

And it's a huge deal.

It's a commitment to ensuring that the Seattle Public Schools utilize this clean energy by 2025 and 2040 in different sectors.

And so it's a huge deal.

We're very excited and I look forward to sharing more about that in the coming weeks.

The only thing I'll say here before we end the meeting is ballots arrived last week.

Please make sure you are engaging in civic civic life and voting.

If you have your ballot in your in your mailbox or your house please make sure that's returned on time on November 3rd.

And as always continue to wear a mask.

Please socially distance.

Wash your hands and please stay safe.

We're not out of the woods on this pandemic yet.

With that there being no further business to come before the board tonight the regular board meeting is now adjourned at 646 p.m.

Thank you all.