[00:00:02]
>> GOOD EVENING. YOU GUYS GOT QUIET,
[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM]
EVEN BEFORE I SAID ANYTHING. GOOD JOB.WE HAVE CONVENED FOR A MEETING OF THE DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON THIS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM WITH ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT, AND THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED.
FOR OUR OPENING CEREMONIES THIS EVENING, WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN SARAH BLAKELEY AND CLAN.
SARAH BLAKELEY IS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AND DEPARTMENT CHAIR, AND HER CHILDREN, RORY BLAKELEY, A FIRST GRADER AT ROOSTER L. BLAKELEY, A THIRD GRADER AT ROOSTER STELLA, 10TH GRADE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND CHARLOTTE 11TH GRADE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
>> THANK YOU. Y'ALL DID GREAT.
[3. ANNOUNCEMENTS]
>> WELL, WE WANT TO WISH CONGRATULATIONS TO DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL BEST ROBOTICS TEAM ON ADVANCING TO THE UIL STATE CONTEST.
THEY PLAY SECOND AT AREA AND WILL COMPETE AT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, DECEMBER FIFTH THROUGH THE SEVENTH AT FAIR PARK IN DALLAS.
OUR TIGER FOOTBALL TEAM IS ADVANCED TO THE AREA OF PLAYOFFS, WHERE THEY WILL FACE SAN ANTONIO HARLAN ON FRIDAY AT 07:30 PM AT CANYON HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW BRAUNFELS.
A LINK TO PURCHASE TICKETS WILL BE POSTED ON THE DSISD WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AS SOON AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
OUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION WILL BE HOLDING DSEF WEEK FROM DECEMBER 2ND-6TH.
SEVERAL DRIPPING SPRINGS AREA RESTAURANTS WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS GIVING BACK WEEK WITH PROCEEDS GOING TO THE DRIPPING SPRINGS EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
MORE INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO PARENTS IN AN EMAIL AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND THEN JUST A QUICK REMINDER THAT OUR DISTRICT WILL BE CLOSED NEXT WEEK FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK.
>> AND WE HAVE OUR BAN TO RECOGNIZE THIS EVENING.
[4. RECOGNITIONS]
>> GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OFF A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS SEASON AND HOW WE ENDED UP.
THE FIRST CONTEST THAT WE ATTENDED WAS A BANDS OF AMERICA REGIONAL HELD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SAN MARCOS AT TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE WE WERE ACTUALLY CROWNED CHAMPIONS, WHICH IS WHAT THE MEDAL IS FOR.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. AFTER SEVERAL OTHER LOCAL CONTESTS, WE GET TO THE REGION LEVEL FOR UIL, WHICH WAS HELD AT BURGER CENTER, WHERE WE WERE AWARDED SUPERIOR RATINGS FROM ALL THREE JUDGES, WHICH QUALIFIED US TO GO TO THE AREA LEVEL, WHICH WAS HELD AT HEROE STADIUM IN SAN ANTONIO.
THAT WAS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAN THE REST OF THE SEASON, MOSTLY BECAUSE THE WEATHER WAS NOT COOPERATIVE.
WE HAD GREAT WEATHER PRIOR TO THAT, IF YOU CALL 100 DEGREE WEATHER GREAT.
THIS TIME, IT WAS 80 DEGREES AND WET.
AND WE GOT POURED ON IN OUR WARM UP, WHICH WAS OUTSIDE.
AND THEN THERE WAS TWO LIGHTNING DELAYS THAT OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE HAS TO VACATE.
SO WE HAD TO PUT THE KIDS ON THE BUS IN THEIR SOPPING WET UNIFORMS.
[00:05:02]
THEN WE GOT TO START OVER AGAIN, AND THEN IT RAINED ON US WHILE WE PERFORMED.THROUGH ALL THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO QUALIFY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UIL STATE MARCHING CONTEST, WHICH WAS THIS PAST WEEK FOR 6A WAS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, WE WERE OUT OF 40 BANDS, WE PERFORMED SECOND OF THE DAY AT 8:45, AND THE LAST BAND PERFORMED AT 8:45 PM.
WE WERE IN A IT SAYS TIED FOR 17TH PLACE.
WE WERE ACTUALLY IN A THREE WAY TIE FOR 17TH.
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE TIE BREAKING SYSTEM WORKS FOR UIL, WE WERE NAMED 19TH, BUT IN MY HEAD, WE'RE STILL 17TH.
YOU CAN SAY WE'RE 17TH AND BE SAFE.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME PUTTING TOGETHER THE THREADS THAT BIND US.
HOPEFULLY, YOU GOT TO SEE IT AT A FOOTBALL GAME.
WE DON'T LIKE TO. LET ME REPHRASE THAT.
WE GENERALLY ADD STUFF ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SEASON.
IF YOU SAW US AT THE BEGINNING, I URGE YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK US OUT AT THE END BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE STUFF THAT YOU HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.
IT'S VERY MUCH A PROCESS OF ADDITION, SOMETIMES ELIMINATION, BUT MOSTLY ADDITION.
WE HAVE SOME STUDENT LEADERS HERE REPRESENTING THE BAND.
I FELT THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE.
I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, GIVE THEIR GRADE, AND THEIR INSTRUMENT.
>> HI. I'M CAITLIN JENNINGS. I'M A SENIOR.
I'M A DRUM MAJOR, AND I PLAY THE FRENCH HORN.
I'M A JUNIOR. I PLAY THE OPO, AND I'M A DRUM MAJOR.
>> I'M JACKSON WILLIAMS. I'M A JUNIOR, AND I PLAY THE TROMBONE.
>> I'M WIT HASSELL. I'M A SENIOR.
I PLAY TRUMPET, AND I'M A BRASS CAPTAIN.
I PLAY TUBA, AND I'M A SENIOR.
>> I'M LUCAS. I'M A WOODWIND CAPTAIN, AND I PLAY CLARINET, AND I'M A SENIOR.
I PLAY ALTO SAXOPHONE, AND I AM A DRUM MAJOR.
>> I'M GRACE. I PLAY BARTON SAXOPHONE, AND I'M A JUNIOR.
>> I'M GAVIN. I'M A JUNIOR, AND I PLAY CLARINET.
>> I'M IRIS, AND I PLAY THE TUBA, AND I'M A JUNIOR.
>> I'M EVAN. I'M A JUNIOR, AND I PLAY THE MARANDA.
I'M A PERCUSSION CAPTAIN, AND I ALSO PLAY THE MARANDA. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE HAVE A VERY LARGE SENIOR CLASS THIS YEAR, OVER 40, WITH 11 OF THEM IN THE COLOR GUARD.
LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR AND SEEING WHAT OUR JUNIORS RISE UP TO AND HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE OUR INCOMING FRESHMEN AND NEW PEOPLE.
WE DO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF NEW PEOPLE, AS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE MOVING HERE ALL THE TIME.
HOPEFULLY, THEY GET HERE IN TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE SHOW.
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T COME UNTIL END OF AUGUST OR MID SEPTEMBER, AND THEN WE DO OUR BEST, BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS PART OF THE TIGER BAND.
I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAM.
JACKIE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO START WITH MS. MITCH KEY, OVER HERE TO THE RIGHT.
I DID GIVE THEM INSTRUCTIONS AHEAD OF TIME.
[00:10:01]
>> MOVING ON TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION OF THIS EVENING.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
THE BOARD ENCOURAGES COMMENTS ABOUT THE DISTRICT FROM RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT, FROM DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, OR FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.EACH PRESENTATION CAN BE NO LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES PER PERSON OR SIX MINUTES PER PERSON USING A TRANSLATOR.
PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS OR CRITICISM CIVIL AND COURTEOUS, EXCEPT FOR THE SPEAKER STUDENT.
NO OTHER STUDENT'S NAME OR IDENTITY SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.
IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE HEARD AND RESOLVE, PLEASE PRESENT YOUR CONCERN THROUGH THE DISTRICT'S GRIEVANCE POLICIES.
TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE BOARD IS NOT PERMITTED TO DISCUSS OR ACT UPON ANY ISSUES THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THIS MEANS THAT BOARD MEMBERS ARE UNABLE TO DELIBERATE, ASK QUESTIONS, PROVIDE YOU WITH A RESPONSE OR TAKE ANY ACTION RELATED TO YOUR COMMENTS.
IF AN ISSUE MENTIONED IS LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, THE BOARD'S DELIBERATION OR DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUE WILL BE DEFERRED UNTIL THE APPROPRIATE TIME DURING THE MEETING.
FOR ISSUES NOT LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND PRESENTED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY DIRECT A SPEAKER TO THE APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
SPEAKER SHALL BE HEARD ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS AND ARE NOT PERMITTED TO RELINQUISH TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON.
WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF WITH YOUR NAME AND CONNECTION TO THE DISTRICT.
ONCE YOU BEGIN SPEAKING, THE TIMER WILL BEGIN.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE TIMER SOUND, PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD.
WE WILL TAKE AGENDA ITEM, PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST.
>> I ALMOST SAID GOOD MORNING.
IT'S CLEARLY NOT MORNING ANYMORE.
BREKA TRACY, I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF MY DAUGHTER WHO IS A FIFTH GRADER AT DSC.
ALSO, MY DAUGHTER WHO IS A FIRST GRADER.
AS SOON AS I'M DONE, I'M JETTING TO HER THANKSGIVING PERFORMANCE.
I USUALLY DON'T GO SCRIPTED, BUT I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EMOTION TODAY.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN SUNSET CANYON NORTH. IT'S NOT POSITIVE.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STUFF GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN AN OLDER DIVISION AND A YOUNGER GROUP WITH SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN.
IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING, BUT I'M GOING TO SHARE WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO US.
IT'S NOT ABOUT A GATE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE OPENED.
IT'S ABOUT WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE PLACED, AND IT'S ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CHILDREN.
I KNOW THAT IT'S A VERY LARGE AND TIME CONSUMING JOB, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU FILLING THOSE SHOES ON OUR BEHALF.
THANK YOU GUYS. I ALREADY SAID THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTION TODAY.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SUNSET CANYON NORTH.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FEELS THAT WE ARE UNHEARD, WE'RE DEFEATED, WE'RE BROKEN HEARTED, WE'RE SCARED. MANY HAVE GIVEN UP.
MANY DON'T WANT TO BE HERE BECAUSE OF THE BACKLASH ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BECAUSE THEY STOOD UP IN FRONT OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE AND ARE BEING APPROACHED AT THEIR HOMES FROM OTHER NEIGHBORS.
IT'S GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.
I'M SHAKING, BUT I'M STANDING UP BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT. HERE I AM.
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO FIGHT, AND I VOWED TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
I DO UNDERSTAND HOW TAKING AN UNPROTECTED LEFT ON TO 290 IS A SAFE OPTION FOR ANYONE.
MUCH LESS THAN 80 FAMILIES TWICE A DAY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ALL OF THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THE LAST ZONING SURVEY, BUT I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DATA.
THERE'S HOURS AND HOURS OF VALUABLE DATA, RESEARCH ON TRAFFIC, SAFETY, AND ACCIDENT STATISTICS, AND REPORTS.
I PREVIOUSLY SPOKE THE LAST ZONING MEETING, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT I'M HERE TONIGHT.
I GOT TO SPEAK IN TIME, SO I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO JOIN MY DAUGHTER HERE SHORTLY, BUT I AM VERY NAUSEOUS HEARING HOW OUR FELLOW NEIGHBORS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE ARGUED IN FAVOR OF OUR CHILDREN BEING PUT AT RISK ON A DAILY BASIS OVER THE SELFISHNESS OF A GATE BEING OPENED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY'RE PLEADING FOR PEACE ON THEIR STREET, WHEREAS, WE'RE PLEADING FOR PEACE EVERY MORNING WHEN WE'RE TAKING OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL FOR THEIR SAFETY.
PUTTING THAT ANGER ASIDE AND OUR CHILDREN FIRST, WHAT WE DO NEED TO REMEMBER IS THAT REGARDLESS OF THE GATE OPENING OR REMAINING CLOSED, THE GATE STATUS SHOULD NOT DETERMINE WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE ZONED.
OUR CHILDREN CAN STILL BE ZONED TO ES6 A STONE'S THROW FROM OUR HOMES.
EVEN IF HAYE COUNTY DETERMINES THE GATE SHOULD STAY CLOSED, WE CAN STILL EASILY MAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO 290 TO GET OUR KIDS SAFELY TO SCHOOL.
IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE RIGHT TURN FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER SIMPLE RIGHT TURN INTO HEADWATERS.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN WHEN VOTING ON THIS NEWLY PROPOSED OPTION ONE YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENTED.
IN ALL THREE PREVIOUS MAPS, WE WERE NEVER IN CONSIDERATION OF NOT BEING AN ES6.
MANY PEOPLE IN MULTIPLE COMMITTEES TOOK SO MUCH TIME, EFFORT, AND DATA, AND CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE THREE INITIAL MAPS.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'VE BEEN SHIFTED AND THROWN INTO A NEW PROPOSED DISTRICT.
AGAIN, SAFETY FIRST, BUT IT MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH TO THINK ABOUT PUTTING OUR CHILDREN AT RISK EVERY SINGLE DAY, MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER 79 FAMILIES THAT ARE AT RISK AS WELL.
HEAVENS FORBID, SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS, WHICH WE COULD HAVE ALL BEEN EASILY PREVENTED.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY OUR FAMILIES ARE BEING PUT AT RISK WHEN A SAFER OPTION COULD HAVE BEEN JUST TO STAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR CLOSE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN THE PROPOSED OPTION PREVIOUS TO THIS, EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS TAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO 290.
[00:15:02]
NO ONE HAD TO GO LEFT.THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH SAFER OPTION.
I KNOW THIS SOUNDS DRAMATIC, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY COMING STRAIGHT FROM MY GUT AND MY HEART, I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY, I'VE SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES TWICE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AT 290, TURNING LEFT AT A GREEN LIGHT.
I'M A VERY DEFENSIVE DRIVER AND HAD THE INSTINCT TO LOOK ONE MORE TIME BEFORE TURNING LEFT, AND IF I DIDN'T, I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, AND NEITHER WOULD ONE OF MY CHILDREN.
THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WAS AT THE LIGHT AT SUNSET CANON BAPTIST CHURCH, THE SECOND TIME THE LIGHT AT [INAUDIBLE].
MY CHILDREN WERE BOTH WITH ME BOTH TIMES AND ARE SCARED TO DEATH AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS.
PLEASE HELP US KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.
WE CAN'T ALWAYS BE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING AND PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE AT RISK.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE BY LESSENING THEIR RISK ON TO 290.
PLEASE BE THE VOICE OF THESE CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.
WE WOULD KINDLY LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER KEEPING SUNSET CANYON NORTH AND THE 80 FAMILIES SAFE WITH ESC.
>> THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE THIS AS AN AGENDA ITEM, SO WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS AND A FULL PRESENTATION ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM FOR THE BOARD THIS EVENING, THOUGH, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS, SO JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF SUNSET CANYON NORTH, THE FATHER OF TWO ELEMENTARY AGED CHILDREN, AND A MEMBER OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE.
BEFORE I DIVE IN, I WANT TO URGE MY NEIGHBORS THAT PLAN TO SPEAK TO DO SO WITHOUT PERSONALLY ATTACKING ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD OR THE DISTRICT'S ADMINISTRATION.
I WANT TO START MY STATEMENT WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS DIRECTLY.
IF YOU LIVED IN SUNSET CANYON, ESPECIALLY IN SUNSET CANYON NORTH, WOULD YOU FIND IT MORE LOGICAL FOR YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND ES6 AND DSMS OR SYCAMORE? LOOK AT A MAP AND PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF THE RESIDENTS OF SUNSET CANYON.
FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO DIVE INTO EVERY TOPIC I'D LOVE TO DISCUSS, BUT I DO WANT TO NAME A FEW NOTABLE POINTS BEFORE I GET TO MY MAIN ARGUMENT.
ONE, AT NO POINT IN ANY COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON 8/27, 9/04 OR 10/3 WITH SUNSET CANYON A TOSS UP.
AT ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS, SUNSET CANYON WAS ZONED FOR ES6, DSMS BY PASA WITHOUT A SINGLE WORD OF OPPOSITION AMONGST THE COMMITTEE.
TWO, ON ALL THREE OF THE MAPS THAT WERE PRESENTED PUBLICLY ON 10/17 AND 10/22, SUNSET CANYON NORTH WAS ZONED FOR ES6 AND DSMS. IN FULL DISCLOSURE, ONE OF THOSE MAPS HAD SUNSET CANYON SOUTH ZONED FOR SYCAMORE.
THREE, ON 10/24, THE ZONING COMMITTEE MET.
IN THE FINAL MOMENTS OF A THREE HOUR MEETING, A DECISION WAS MADE TO DRASTICALLY ALTER THE MAP THAT THE COMMUNITY GAVE FEEDBACK ON THAT DIRECTLY RESULTED IN MY KIDS AND MY NEIGHBOR'S KIDS BEING ZONED TO SYCAMORE FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHICH MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.
FOUR, ON 11/7, AN ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY FORUM WAS CONDUCTED IN WHICH I KNOW, FOR SURE, THREE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDED AND HEARD MYSELF AND MANY OTHERS GIVE COMPELLING ARGUMENTS AS TO WHY WE OPPOSE THAT MOVE.
I AM SHOCKED TO BE STANDING HERE RIGHT NOW IN OPPOSITION OF THE MAP THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TONIGHT, AS I WALKED AWAY FEELING LIKE THE ARGUMENTS WERE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE THAT SENDING KIDS OF SUNSET TO SYCAMORE WAS THE WRONG CALL FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS.
WE CAN DEBATE CHILD DEVELOPMENT, SAFETY AND TRANSIT ON 290, LEFT TURNS VERSUS RIGHT TURNS, GIVING THE ONLY COMMUNITY LITERALLY CONNECTED TO HEADWATERS THE NOD TO BE ZONED FOR A SCHOOL THEIR CHILDREN CAN WALK TO OR RIDE A BIKE.
WHILE ALL OF THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THESE FINAL DAYS BEFORE A VOTE, LET'S JUST BOIL IT DOWN TO SIMPLE MATH AND LOGIC.
IF SUNSET CANYON IS WITHIN A STONE'S THROW OF THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HAS NO BEARING ON PUSHING THAT SCHOOL OVER CAPACITY UNTIL BIG SKY AND CANYON RANCH ARE BUILT OUT AND OCCUPIED BY PEOPLE THAT DON'T EVEN LIVE IN DRIPPING YET, GIVEN THE TIMELINE YOU WILL ALL SEE ON SLIDE SEVEN TONIGHT SHOWING ES7 WILL OPEN IN THE FALL OF 2028, WHY THROW MONTHS OF COMMITTEE WORK BACKED BY LOGIC AND REASON ZONING SUNSET CANYON TO ES6 DSMS INTO THE GARBAGE CAN? THE DISTRICT WILL GO THROUGH ANOTHER REZONING IN THREE SHORT YEARS.
WHY NOT LAND ON LOGIC NOW AND THEN SEARCH FOR LOGIC AGAIN IN 2028? BOARD MEMBERS.
GIVEN THE ABOVE STATEMENT AND THE MANY MORE YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT FROM RESIDENTS OF SUNSET CANYON, IF YOU LIVED IN OUR HOMES, WHERE WOULD YOU LOGICALLY WANT YOUR CHILD TO BE ZONED TOO? THE LOGICAL CHOICE IS TO ZONE SUNSET CANYON TO ES6 AND DSMS. I HOPE YOU WILL PUSH BACK THE MAP PRESENTED TONIGHT REQUESTING CHANGES ACCORDINGLY.
IF YOU WANT ANY OTHER INSIGHT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS WITH ANY OF YOU IN MORE DETAIL WHEN A CLOCK ISN'T TICKING. THANK YOU.
HI, THERE. I HAVE GRANT TATE'S STATEMENT.
HE WORKS FOR AUSTIN EMS, AND HE COULDN'T, I GUESS, GET HERE IN TIME FROM THE AUSTIN LOCATION.
[00:20:02]
I'LL JUST READ FROM HIS TEXT.HE LIVES IN SUNSET CANYON NORTH.
HE SAYS, REQUIRING NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE NORTH OF 290 TO TRAVEL TO A SCHOOL ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF 290 ALMOST DOUBLES THE NUMBER OF TIMES VEHICLES, INCLUDING SCHOOL BUSES, MUST TURN LEFT ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON 290.
THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR REQUIRING NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF 290 TO GO TO SCHOOLS ON THE NORTH SIDE.
LEFT TURNS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DANGEROUS THAN RIGHT TURNS TO THE POINT THAT THERE IS AN ENTIRE AREA OF STUDY DEVOTED TO MITIGATING THE DANGERS OF LEFT TURNS.
HE JUST WAS BASICALLY IN A NUTSHELL, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THOSE THAT LIVE NORTH OF SUNSET, I'M SORRY, NORTH OF HIGHWAY 290 TO HAVE TO TRAVEL SOUTH OF 290 AND THEN BACK EAST TOWARDS AUSTIN, WHEN THERE ARE TRAILS THAT THE KIDS CAN ACCESS TO BIKE, WALK TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NUMBER 6.
ONCE THE TECH DOT PROPOSED HIGHWAY GOES INTO PLACE, THERE WILL BE LEFT TURNS OUT OF BOTH TROT LINE FOR SUNSET CANYON NORTH AND SARATOGA, AS WELL AS RIGHT TURN, I HOPE I SAID RIGHT TURN, RIGHT TURN, AND THEN ANOTHER RIGHT TURN OUT OF NORTH SUNSET CANYON IN ORDER TO QUEUE FOR HEADWATERS, TAKE A RIGHT, GO IN ROUNDABOUT, AND THEN TO THE LEFT, THAT'S ACTUALLY GRANT [INAUDIBLE], TO THE LEFT, WHERE THE SCHOOL IS.
IF THAT GATE DOES OPEN, I KNOW THAT'S NOT A PART OF THE BOARD'S DECISION, THAT'S A COUNTY DECISION, THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE THING, BUT ONCE THAT GATE OPENS, AGAIN, THE TRAVEL WOULD BE ACROSS THAT GATE FROM SUNSET CANYON NORTH TO THE SCHOOL AND HAVING TO ACTUALLY QUEUE, U TURN AND HEAD BACK THE OTHER WAY IS A LOT MORE DISRUPTIVE.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND. I GUESS, HE WAS SAYING.
HE DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT CROSSING OF NEIGHBORS SOUTH OF 290 ACROSS, AND THEN REQUIRING US TO GO BACKGROUND, IT JUST SEEM COUNTER PRODUCTIVE OR INTUITIVE.
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU'LL PUT US NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER.
THAT'S ME. I LIVE IN SUNSET CANYON NORTH.
I'M FOUR DOORS DOWN FROM THE ACTUAL GATE.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU ALL TO THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR WORKING ON THIS, AND ALSO FOR THOSE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT AS A POSSIBLE SCHOOL GOING INTO THE HEADWATERS LOCATION.
I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO STUDENTS, ONE OF WHICH IS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SHE'S IN SECOND GRADE, SO SHE WOULD BE IMPACTED BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT BE GRANDFATHERED INTO THIS PROPOSAL THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED FOR TONIGHT.
THE CURRENT ZONING PROPOSAL PRESENTED TONIGHT PLACING 70, 7,0, 70 SUNSET CANYON NORTH ELEMENTARY AGED STUDENTS INTO PLANNING UNIT 19B, WHICH WAS MOVED FROM PLANNING UNIT 19 AS A WHOLE BACK IN OCTOBER, AND BEING REPLACED BY 112 STUDENTS FROM THE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS FARTHER AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 290, WHICH IS NOW PLANNING UNIT 33 IS MORE THAN DISRUPTIVE, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE LOGICAL SENSE ON SEVERAL POINTS.
SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATED AT DARDEN HILL ROAD AND SAWYER RANCH ROAD, IS MANY MILES FARTHER FROM BOTH DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ARE CURRENTLY ZONED SCHOOL, AS WELL AS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NUMBER 6.
THE CHANGE OF THESE 70 STUDENTS FROM PLANNING UNIT 19 TO UNIT 19B, AND REPLACING THEM WITH 112 STUDENTS IN PLANNING UNIT 33, AND PLANNING UNIT 19A PLACES THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NUMBER 6 AT A GREATER CHANCE OF OVERCAPACITY AND WE REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THAT SEEMED TO BE ONE OF THE ARGUING POINTS FOR REMOVING SUNSET CANYON STUDENTS FROM THE PROPOSALS BACK IN OCTOBER.
HAVING STUDENTS FROM SUNSET CANYON AND HEADWATERS NORTH OF HIGHWAY 290 ZONED TO A SCHOOL ON THE SAME SIDE OF HIGHWAY 290 AND CLOSER TO THEIR PLACES OF RESIDENCE, AS WAS PROPOSED IN PLAN M MADE MORE LOGISTICAL SENSE.
I DO NOT SUPPORT THE CHANGES IN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT, AS DO MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, WHICH I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, AND UNFORTUNATELY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE TONIGHT, BUT HOPEFULLY WILL EMAIL YOU THEIR OPINIONS AND THEY HAVE ELEMENTARY AGE CHILDREN.
[00:25:02]
AND I PLAN TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THESE.AS YOU CAN TELL I'M SICK, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO BE HERE SO I COULD SPEAK TONIGHT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT ON ALL OF THIS AND LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU.
IS BECKY HERE? NO. NEXT IS JANET KARA.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US UP HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS.
I ALSO LIVE IN SUNSET CANYON NORTH.
I'VE HAD A STUDENT GRADUATE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL HERE, WHICH IS NOW THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 2006.
NOW I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO I'M RAISING, AND SHE IS AT DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A SIXTH GRADER.
I'M HERE TO, HOPEFULLY, CONVINCE OR MAKE MY OPINION KNOWN THAT I THINK THAT OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN COVID KIDS AND THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF INCONTINUITY IN THEIR LEARNING.
I THINK THAT SPLITTING THEM UP FROM THEIR FRIENDS THAT THEY'VE HAD SINCE KINDERGARTEN AND SENDING THEM INTO A NEW SCHOOL WHERE THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, AND THEY'VE ALREADY BOUGHT INTO THE WHOLE THEIR DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND, THEATER, WHATEVER, I JUST THINK AS DRIPPING SPRINGS TOUTS TO BE SUCH A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S ALL ABOUT EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO THINK OF THEM FIRST AND WHAT'S THE MOST RESPECTFUL OF THEIR FEELINGS AND THEIR LEARNING AND THEIR SAFETY.
I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN KEEP THESE KIDS TOGETHER, SUNSET CANYON NORTH AND SOUTH.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S TRAFFIC SITUATIONS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
I THINK THAT OUR KIDS DESERVE TO BE THOUGHT OF FIRST. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT IS MEGHAN JOHNSON. IS MEGAN HERE.
IS KATHERINE HERE? NEXT IS SHANNON MAUZA.
GOOD EVENING, DRIPPING SPRINGS ISC BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I'VE PREPARED SOMETHING TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN AT THE PLANNING COMMITTEES, AND I [INAUDIBLE] IT SO WINGED IT, SO TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO JUST READ IF THAT'S OKAY.
MY NAME IS SHANNON MAUZA, AND I'M A PROUD PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER OF CYPRUS SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.
I HAVE TWO CHILDREN, GIANNA IN FOURTH GRADE AND STELLA IN SECOND GRADE.
WE LIVE IN THE VILLAGE OF BEAR CREEK WITHIN PLANNING UNIT 39.
FIRST, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THE ATTENDANT ZONING COMMITTEE AND SUPERINTENDENT DR. HOLLY MORRIS-KUENTZ FOR THEIR THOUGHTFUL WORK AND DEDICATION TO THE REZONING PROCESS.
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE IMMENSE TIME, EFFORT, AND CARE THAT WENT INTO DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.
I BELIEVE THAT DR. MORRIS-KUENTZ IS RECOMMENDING TONIGHT REFLECTS A THOUGHTFUL BALANCE ADDRESSING LOGISTICS, ENROLLMENT ACROSS SIX ELEMENTARY AND TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, INCORPORATING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MINIMIZING DISRUPTION TO THE WELL BEING OF OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
I AM ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO SUPERINTENDENT, DR. HOLLY MORRIS-KUENTZ AND THE PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY INPUT AND FOR CONSIDERING THE NEEDS OF NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE OURS.
YOUR HARD WORKING COLLABORATION REAFFIRM MY CONFIDENCE THAT DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD REMAINS COMMITTED TO ITS MISSION OF PARTNERING WITH PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION FOR EVERY STUDENT.
IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO ADDRESS MORE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO DO SO, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE THAT HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY REVIEWED AND THOUGHTFULLY INCLUDED IN THE MAP BEING PRESENTED LATER THIS EVENING.
THE BALANCE ACHIEVED IN THIS RECOMMENDATION REFLECTS A PROCESS THAT CONSIDERED MANY PERSPECTIVES, AND I HOPE THAT BALANCE IS PRESERVED IN YOUR FINAL DECISION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION TO THIS IMPORTANT PROCESS.
THANK YOU. NOW, WE'RE MOVING ON TO NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[00:30:17]
THANK YOU ALL. MY NAME IS MANDY COOK.I'M A PARENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I AM SHARING THIS WITH YOU AS A CONCERNED PARENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER WHO WISHES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
ON OCTOBER 30TH, A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER SHOWED THE R RATED MOVIE, SMILE, IN A FRESHMAN BIOLOGY CLASS; FRESHMAN, 14 AND 15 YEAR OLDS.
IT IS A GRAPHIC GORY FILM, WHICH INCLUDES DISTURBING THEMES OF SUICIDE AND DEMON POSSESSION.
THIS FILM WAS SHOWN WITHOUT PARENT CONSENT AND DID NOT SERVE ANY INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE.
THIS INCIDENT HAS HAD A LASTING DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE STUDENT MENTIONED, WHO HAS SINCE EXPERIENCED PERSISTENT NIGHTMARE, SIGNIFICANT ANXIETY, A DISRUPTION IN SLEEP, ALL OF WHICH HAS IMPACTED THIS STUDENT'S ABILITY TO FOCUS IN OTHER CLASSES.
SINCE VIEWING THIS FILM, THE STUDENT HAS FALLEN ASLEEP DURING SCHOOL HOURS, HAS DECLINED IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN A CORE CLASS AND HAS HAD A DISCIPLINARY ISSUE AT SCHOOL.
NONE OF THESE WERE PROBLEMS BEFORE OCTOBER 30TH.
WE SHARE THIS TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE CAN HAVE LONG TERM REPERCUSSIONS.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE TO HELP PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
WHILE IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MOVIE WAS CHOSEN BY A POPULAR VOTE AMONG THE STUDENTS IN THAT CLASS PERIOD, THE TEACHER SHOULD NEVER HAVE INCLUDED THIS OPTION.
THE MATURE THEMES AND DISTURBING NATURE OF THIS MOVIE MAKE IT WHOLLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR A CLASSROOM OF MINORS, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN MANY STUDENTS WOULD BE UNSUPERVISED ON THE FOLLOWING TWO DAYS WITH NO SCHOOL.
THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN TRAGEDY FOR ANY STUDENT IN THAT CLASS WHO HAD CONSIDERED HARMING THEMSELVES.
THE PRINCIPALS, COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS CONSISTENTLY ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO TAKE INITIATIVE WITH SCHOOL STAFF ON THEIR OWN BEHALF.
THIS INSTANCE OF EXTREMELY POOR JUDGMENT WHEN A TEACHER PROVIDED INAPPROPRIATE MEDIA AT SCHOOL IS A COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BREACH OF TRUST.
AS PARENTS, WE EXPECT THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN CHILD AND ADULT TO BE CLEAR AND WHEN PARENTAL AUTHORITY IS COMPLETELY DISREGARDED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, THIS UNDERMINES OUR EXPECTATIONS.
FRESHMAN STUDENTS ARE NOT ADULTS.
OUR CHILD IS IN SCHOOL TO LEARN, NOT WATCH THEIR FIRST R RATED MOVIE FILM IN A SCIENCE CLASSROOM.
WHEN REPORTING THIS INCIDENT TO THE AP, WE LEARNED THAT ALTHOUGH THERE IS A SCHOOL SPECIFIC APPROVAL PROCESS FOR TEACHERS TO SHOW INSTRUCTIONAL RELATED MOVIE CLIPS THAT WAS NOT FOLLOWED DURING THIS INSTANCE.
THERE IS NO DISTRICT POLICY OUTLINING RULES FOR SHOWING FILMS WITH MATURE RATINGS IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE FIND THE ONLY REFERENCE TO MOVIES IN CLASSROOMS IN A '23, '24 EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK ON PAGE 55 UNDER THE HEADING COPYRIGHT MATERIALS.
IT STATES THAT ELECTRONIC MEDIA INCLUDING MOTION PICTURES AND OTHER AUDIO VISUAL WORKS ARE TO BE USED IN THE CLASSROOM FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
THIS GUIDELINE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT FROM HAPPENING, NOR DOES IT CLARIFY THE CONSEQUENCES FOR EDUCATORS WHO FAIL TO ADHERE TO IT.
THEREFORE, WE ARE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IMPLEMENT A CLEAR AND ENFORCEABLE DISTRICT LEVEL POLICY REGARDING FILM SELECTION AND PARENTAL CONSENT.
SPECIFICALLY, WE URGE THE BOARD TO NUMBER 1, PROHIBIT THE SHOWING OF R RATED FILMS TO STUDENTS UNDER 17 WITHOUT EXPLICIT PARENTAL CONSENT AND PROVIDE A CLEAR DOCUMENTED INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE AND NUMBER 2, ESTABLISH A CLEAR POLICY IN THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK REGARDING USE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN CLASSROOMS, INCLUDING EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES FOR ANY VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE BOUNDARIES AND FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF THE STUDENTS.
WE BELIEVE THAT SUCH GUIDELINES WILL REINFORCE A SAFE, RESPECTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE ENVIRONMENT IN ALL CLASSROOMS AND WILL HELP PREVENT ANY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IF YOUR FRIEND HAS NOT ALREADY, I RECOMMEND THEY DO REPORT IT AT A CAMPUS LEVEL..
THIS IS JUST TO MAKE YOU AWARE AS THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TO REQUEST THAT THE POLICY BE REVIEWED AND REVISED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I WOULD URGE DR. MORRIS-KUENTZ TO LOOK INTO THIS WITH OUR CAMPUS LEADERSHIP AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU. OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMENT THIS EVENING IS TONY PALMERI.
>> KATHERINE, WHY DON'T YOU COME FIRST AND THEN TONY WILL?
>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I LIVE IN SUNSET CANYON NORTH, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS PLANNING UNIT 19B.
I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PLANNING AND ATTENDANCE ZONING SINCE IT STARTED AND EVEN BEFORE THAT, WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 2016, WE HAD HEARD THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT DOOR, SO WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG.
MY OLDEST CHILD IS SET TO GO TO KINDERGARTEN NEXT YEAR.
[00:35:02]
TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NEXT TO OURS WHERE WE BELIEVE WE ARE GOING.I HAD READ ABOUT THE GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE, WHICH ARE TO MEET THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS, TO OPTIMIZE THE UTILIZATION OF DISTRICT FACILITIES WHILE WE'RE LEAVING OVERCROWDED CAMPUSES, WORK TO DEFER THE TIMING OF FUTURE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION WHERE POSSIBLE.
THREE, CONSIDER THE PROXIMITY AND TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, KEEP SUBDIVISIONS TOGETHER AND ZONE STUDENTS TO THE CLOSEST CAMPUS, AND STRIVE TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF TIMES A STUDENT IS REZONED BY CONSIDERING FUTURE ZONING CHANGES AS ATTENDANCE ZONES ARE DEVELOPED.
AFTER WORKING WITH THE COMMITTEE, THE BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE THIRD PARTY COMPANY PASA, THERE WERE THREE MAPS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH WERE OPTION C, J, AND M. I'VE REVIEWED ALL THOSE.
ALL OF THEM HAD SECTION 19B ZONE 2 HEADWATERS ELEMENTARY NUMBER 6.
THERE WERE TWO MEETINGS AND I WASN'T AWARE OF THE MEETINGS UNTIL AFTER THEY PASSED.
I DIDN'T HAVE A COMPLAINT, SO I DIDN'T ATTEND THE FIRST TWO MEETINGS.
AFTER THE FIRST TWO MEETINGS, AND THESE ARE GONE ONLINE.
I'M NOT ABLE TO FIND THESE ANYMORE WITH ALL THE DATA AND THE NUMBERS THEY HAD BACKING UP FUTURE PROJECTED GROWTH, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO SEE UP UNTIL THE BOARD MAKES THEIR FINAL DECISION.
IF THE BOARD HAS THE ABILITY TO PUT THOSE BACK ONLINE, I THINK IT COULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST TIME TO SPEAK, SO IT COULD BE DONE.
BUT AFTER THE FIRST MEETINGS WERE DONE, A MAP CAME OUT THAT DOESN'T MATCH ANY OF THE THREE THAT WERE SUPPOSEDLY THE BEST ONES CHOSEN BY PASA AND THE ZONING COMMITTEE.
I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT CHANGED THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S MEETING MINUTES AVAILABLE ONLINE OR THERE ARE SOME TYPE OF INTERNAL DOCUMENTS THAT THE BOARD COULD MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC TO DETERMINE HOW THEY WENT AGAINST THE PASA AND THE PIT MAPS ALL MADE TOGETHER THROUGH THE ZONING COMMITTEE PROCESS.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT.
AT ANY RATE, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS MAP THAT IS PROPOSED FOR ACCEPTANCE MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FOLLOW ALL THE PARAMETERS THAT THE ZONING COMMITTEES ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW, WHICH ARE KEEPING THE SCHOOLS CLOSE TO WHERE THE KIDS LIVE.
JUST FOR BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, 19B IS CONNECTED TO HEADWATERS AND HAS A ROAD THAT THEY WILL USE FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS.
>> ANYWAY, IT INCREASES TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND WHEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 7 IS BUILT, WILL PROBABLY BE REZONED AGAIN.
KEEPING US WITH THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
I ALSO THINK 33 COULD BE INCLUDED LIKE MAP M THAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD.
>> WE WILL HAVE A ROBUST PRESENTATION IN A FEW MINUTES FROM OUR ADMINISTRATION THAT HOPEFULLY ANSWERS A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND SOME MORE BOARD DISCUSSION AS WELL ON THIS ISSUE. TONY PALMERI.
>> GOOD EVENING. I HAVEN'T REALLY PREPARED ANYTHING.
I'M JUST WORKING OFF THE NOTES HERE.
I'M A TAXPAYER AND RESIDENT OF BELTERRA.
FOR THE RECORD, I AM NOT A MEMBER OF, I NEVER HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF CEEDS.
I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK ELAINE FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION ON BOND AND CAPACITY.
THAT WAS VERY THOROUGH, VERY INFORMATIVE, AND VERY CLEAR.
AS A MEMBER OF CBSC AND SEEING WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE 2022 BOND, I WAS NOT A MEMBER AT THAT TIME BUT I ATTENDED THE FINAL TWO MEETINGS.
I WAS ALARMED AT SOME THINGS THAT I WAS SEEING THERE AND I SEE HAPPENING THIS TIME AS WELL.
NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH, OF COURSE, IS THE ASTRONOMICAL PRICE TAGS PUT ON MANY OF THE PROJECTS THERE WITHOUT A MEANINGFUL BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THESE NUMBERS CAME FROM AND THE BREAKDOWNS WITHIN EACH PROJECT.
WE WERE GIVEN A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT TO, "BUILD A BOND," WHERE WE HAVE THESE VARIOUS LINE ITEMS AND THINGS WERE SILOED OFF INTO THESE CATEGORIES, EACH OF THEM WITH ASTRONOMICAL NUMBERS.
THERE'S NO TIME FOR MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION OF, ARE THERE SUB ITEMS HERE WHERE THERE'S POTENTIALLY DIFFERENT OPTIONS OR DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACHIEVE GOALS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I KNOW TIME IS SHORT, BUT I'M JUST EXPRESSING IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GIVE A FULL-ON THUMBS UP OR A THUMBS DOWN TO SOME ASTRONOMICAL NUMBER FOR A PROJECT THAT MAY BE A VERY WORTHY PROJECT.
[00:40:03]
SOME HAVE INSINUATED THAT I'M HERE WITH AN AGENDA TO KILL ANY BOND.I HAVE LONG ACCEPTED THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR A NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
I SEE THAT THE BROAD-BASED SUPPORT FOR IT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, A BOND WILL HAPPEN FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT WE'RE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH THERE.
THAT THE BOARD, THE COMMITTEE, EVERYONE INVOLVED ARE INDEED BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.
IT'S HARD TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S THE CASE BASED ON THE PRESENTATIONS WE'VE BEEN GIVEN SO FAR.
I'M ALSO ALARMED AT THE WAY THESE MEETINGS ARE BEING CONDUCTED.
WE AS TEAM MEMBERS WERE SILOED OFF INTO SEPARATE GROUPS.
WE'RE NOT REALLY ALLOWED TO HAVE MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION WITHIN THE GROUP AT LARGE.
WE'RE GIVEN A BRIEF FIVE MINUTES TO DISCUSS A TOPIC AND EACH TABLE IS ALLOWED ONE QUESTION, WHICH MAY BE A REPEAT OF SOME OTHER QUESTION THAT SOME OTHER TABLE HAD ASKED.
THE STRUCTURE OF THESE MEETINGS IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO HAVING MEANINGFUL BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION AND DEBATE ON ANY OF THESE ISSUES.
ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD IN THE PRIOR MEETING JUST NOW IS HOW THE CBSC IS WHERE THE CITIZENS ARE BEING HEARD.
>> I DON'T FEEL LIKE WERE NECESSARILY BEING HEARD.
>> THANK YOU. WE'RE MOVING ON TO PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION.
JAMES, WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WAITING OUT THERE? DID ANYBODY ELSE GET LOCKED OUT? NO.
WE'RE MOVING ON TO PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION.
[6. PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION]
FIRST IS OUR LEARNING SPOTLIGHT FROM OUR DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL.>> WHICH WAY IS IT? NO. I PROMISE I WON'T BE TALKING FOR VERY LONG.
TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT.
LAST MAY, WE HAD A DATA-DRIVEN CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT ARE OUR NEXT THREE YEARS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AT DSHS.
WE GOT INPUT FROM STUDENTS, WE'VE GOT INPUT FROM OUR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE, OUR CIC, AND ALSO FROM ALL OF OUR LEADERSHIP AND TEACHERS.
WHAT THIS BECAME WAS AROUND THREE BIG ROCKS, ACADEMICS, POST SECONDARY SUCCESS, AND CULTURE.
THAT WAS BASED ON A LOT OF OUR SURVEY DATA AND ALSO OUR TESTING DATA.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT INTO THAT, THAT MADE US IDENTIFY THOSE THREE THINGS SPECIFICALLY.
THEN UNDER THAT AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM, SO OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM ON CAMPUS IS COMPRISED OF AT LEAST ONE STAFF MEMBER PER DEPARTMENT.
MOST ACTUALLY HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES.
WE CAME UP WITH TWO MEASURABLE GOALS PER BIG ROCK AND 1-2 STRATEGIES FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.
ONE OF THE GOALS, THE BIG ROCKS IS CULTURE.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
THESE ARE OUR CULTURE GOALS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS; 100% OF STUDENTS ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR CLUB OR ORGANIZATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUDIES SURROUNDING THAT, THAT IF STUDENTS ARE INVOLVED, THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL.
TWO, 100% OF STAFF ARE GOING TO FEEL CONNECTED TO THEIR PEERS AND TO THE CAMPUS AND MR. DE BORD IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND MS. BLAKELEY.
THEN ALSO, WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH OUR LIGHTHOUSE TEAM TO BUILD ORGANICALLY GRIT IN OUR STUDENTS, AND THAT'S AN ACRONYM THAT WILL COME UP LATER.
BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT OUR STAFF HAD IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY AS WANTING TO HELP BUILD IN OUR STUDENTS.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS IN DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR CURRICULUM AND HOW CAN THEY BUILD GRIT THROUGH THE CURRICULUM IN EVERYDAY CLASS TO CLASS?
>> I'LL JUST LEAN OVER. SORRY.
>> MY NAME IS K. B DE BORD. I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ON THE CULTURE TEAM.
WE CALL OURSELVES THE C TEAM IF YOU GET THE JOKE.
MS. GAMEZ TALKED ABOUT THE THREE YEAR GOALS THAT WE SET OUT.
WHENEVER WE LOOKED AT IT, WHERE DID WE START? WE HAD TO BREAK DOWN SOME ACTION STEPS.
EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT STUDENT CONNECTION.
WE HAVE ALL OF OUR KIDS INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING, ALL THE DIFFERENT SPORTS, THE BAND KIDS YOU SAW UP HERE, DANCE, CHEER, ANY OF THAT STUFF.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THOSE THINGS.
PART OF STUDENT CONNECTION IS MR. BROOKHART PUT ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST CLUB FAIRS WE'VE EVER SEEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL,
[00:45:01]
GETTING KIDS INVOLVED INTO THE GROUPS AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY LIKE OR THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, AND THAT GETS THEM INTO THAT SOCIAL GROUP.AGAIN, THIS IS YEAR 1, SO WE GET TO LOOK AT OUR ACTUAL KIDS THAT AREN'T INVOLVED AND THEN IDENTIFY THEM AND GO OUT AND JUST REACH OUT.
SECOND ONE, STAFF CONNECTION, THAT'S STAFF TO STUDENT AND STAFF TO STAFF.
ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL IS THE PEOPLE.
NOT JUST THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES, BUT OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF.
WE WANT THEM TO FEEL A SENSE OF CONNECTION.
WHEN WE HAVE A 162 TEACHERS ON CAMPUS AND IF YOU'VE BEEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S BIG, KNOWING PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HALLWAY.
WE'RE DOING A FEW THINGS HERE THAT I'M GOING TO LET MS. BLAKELEY TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND.
THEN THE LAST ONE WAS GRIT, WHICH MS. GAMEZ JUST SPOKE ABOUT, HOW ARE WE BUILDING RESILIENCE IN OUR KIDS.
THAT'S WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH OUR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES AND IN OUR DEPARTMENTS.
THEN MR. BROOKHART AND HIS GUESTS ARE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BRIDGE.
MS. BLAKELEY, I'M GOING TO HAND THIS OVER TO HER.
SHE IS NOT ONLY A GREAT TEACHER DEPARTMENT CHAIR, SHE'S ON OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND SHE'S ON OUR CULTURE TEAM, AND SHE'S ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS OUT OF HERE.
THIS JUST FEELS EASIER BECAUSE WE HAVE A WHOLE LINE TO PASS THAT DOWN.
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT IS TIGERS IN ACTION.
THIS IS AN EMAIL THAT'S PRODUCED EVERY WEEK BY OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM ON TUESDAYS.
THIS LETS OUR STAFF KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE A BIG CAMPUS, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, AND THEY'RE NOT JUST ATHLETICS.
WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES.
THIS TELLS OUR STAFF HOW TO COME SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, WHICH HELPS BUILD CONNECTION BETWEEN STAFF AND STUDENTS.
AS PART OF THAT, WE HAVE DESIGNED A STAFFPORT.
STAFFPORT IS A WAY FOR OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO SUBMIT SELFIE PHOTOS WHEN THEY ATTEND STUDENT EVENTS.
WE TRACK PARTICIPATION AND WE GIVE OUT PRIZES.
WE DO THIS AT THE FACULTY MEETING EVERY MONTH.
THESE ARE SOME OF OUR STAFFPORT SELFIES AS WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS.
WE ALSO WANT TO WORK ON BUILDING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE STAFF WITHIN THE BUILDING.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME BACK FROM OUR SURVEY DATA, IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF FELT A SENSE OF BELONGING, THEY KNEW THEIR PEERS, THEY KNEW THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM, AND NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND IN THEIR HALLWAYS.
WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT EVENTS THIS YEAR TO FORCE SOME FUN, SOME FORCED FUN ACTIVITIES.
IN AUGUST, WE HOSTED A STAFF OLYMPICS.
IN JANUARY, WE'RE HAVING A CHILI COOK OFF AND BAKE OFF.
WE'VE HAD SOME SPIRIT DAYS AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER EVENTS COMING UP.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STAFF TO FEEL LIKE THEY KNOW EACH OTHER AND THEY BELONG AND ARE REALLY A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
>> IT IS TRULY MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE THE OFFICERS FOR BRIDGE AND TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE CALLING BRIDGE 2.0 THIS YEAR.
BRIDGE, AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE HERE A YEAR AGO TO DISCUSS THE ROLL OUT OF THIS PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE FRESHMEN MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH CONNECTS UPPER CLASSMEN LEADERS AND ROLE MODELS WITH ALL OF OUR FRESHMEN.
THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES THIS YEAR WITH 2.0.
WE'RE UP TO 146 MENTORS AND THE MENTORS ARE GOING INTO THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES OF THE FRESHMEN ONCE EVERY THREE WEEKS FOR 30 MINUTES, SO THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LONGER TIME TO WORK WITH THE FRESHMAN.
THE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS HAVE BEEN GRACIOUSLY GIVEN UP A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO HELP US OUT.
THE BIG SHIFT THIS YEAR AND IT'S PAYING INFINITE DIVIDENDS REALLY IS SHIFTING THE LEADERSHIP AND THE CREATIVITY ON TO THE STUDENTS, AND HAVING THEM TAKE A MUCH MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PROGRAM.
WE NOW HAVE OFFICERS, WE HAVE A WHOLE SLATE OF OFFICERS, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE UP HERE TO DISCUSS ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SUBCOMMITTEES AND THE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS THEY ARE NOW TAKING THE GROUP TO HELP OUT.
I'M GOING TO HAPPILY GET OUT OF THEIR WAY.
WE'LL START OFF WITH OUR TREASURER.
I'M A JUNIOR AND I'M A SECOND YEAR BRIDGE MEMBER.
WE RECENTLY CONDUCTED A SURVEY FOR OUR PROGRAM WITH THE FRESHMEN.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO PAUSE YOU REAL QUICK.
IF YOU GUYS CAN MOVE A LITTLE IN BECAUSE IF ANYBODY IS WATCHING ON CAMERA, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SEE Y'ALL AND THEN WONDERING.
SINCE YOU GUYS ARE SUCH BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING STUDENTS I WANT YOU GUYS TO BE SEEN ON CAMERA AND GET ALL THE CREDIT.
RIGHT WHERE THE PODIUM IS, IS WHERE IT CUTS OFF.
>> WE CONDUCTED A SURVEY LAST WEEK THROUGH A GOOGLE FORM THAT GOT FEEDBACK FROM THE FRESHMAN CLASSES ON TO HOW THEY WERE RECEIVING THE BRIDGE INFORMATION AND HOW IT WAS HELPING THEM BENEFIT THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR.
I THINK LOOKING BACK FROM LAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF CHANGES AND WE WANTED TO SEE HOW THOSE WERE,
[00:50:03]
I GUESS, RECEIVED BY THE FRESHMEN.SOME QUESTIONS WE ASKED WERE HOW WELL MENTORS WERE BEING RECEIVED AS A SOURCE OF SUPPORT? THE AVERAGE SCORE WAS AROUND A 7 OUT OF 10.
ANOTHER QUESTION WAS MENTORS HAVING AN IMPACT ON THEM BECOMING MORE INVOLVED IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
PART OF WHAT BRIDGE DOES IS GETTING FRESHMEN INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL CLUBS AND EVERYTHING THAT OUR SCHOOL HAS TO OFFER.
WE ALSO RECEIVED AROUND A 7 OUT OF 10 FOR THAT.
OUR NEXT QUESTION WAS MENTORS HAVING COMMUNICATED BEING PROACTIVE, WHICH IS HABIT NUMBER 1.
THAT ALSO RECEIVED A 7 OUT OF 10.
THEN THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM AFTER ONLY THREE MEETINGS, RECEIVED A 6 OUT OF 10.
LOOKING AT THAT DATA, WE CAN SEE THAT OUR PROGRAM IS HAVING A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
I THINK THE NEW CHANGES WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING WITH THE LONGER MEETING TIMES AND THE MORE PLANNED OUT CURRICULUM THAT RIDER HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
WE'RE JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT IT'S, I GUESS, RELAYING TO THE FRESHMEN IN A POSITIVE WAY.
>> I'M STALEY VERNON. I'M A SENIOR AT DSHS, AND THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR TO BE A BRIDGE MENTOR.
A BIG GOAL OF THIS YEAR WITH BRIDGE WAS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NOT ONLY THE MENTORS AND THE MENTEES, BUT THE MENTEES TO THE MENTEES.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNICATION OF THE GOALS OF OUR CURRICULUM, AND WE'VE TAILORED OUR COMMUNICATION MORE EFFECTIVELY THROUGH THE SPORTSYOU AND THROUGH INSTAGRAM, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IT'S WORKED REALLY WELL.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO GO FOLLOW A BRIDGE ON INSTAGRAM, THAT'D BE GREAT.
WE'RE TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD AND HOPEFULLY GET MORE MENTORS NEXT YEAR, WHICH WILL JUST HELP OUR FRESHMEN EVEN MORE.
MY COMMITTEE HAS ALSO WORKED ON CREATING VIDEOS TO GET THE WORD OUT AS WELL AND TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING GRANTS.
WE CREATED A VIDEO, AND THIS IS THE QR CODE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO GO WATCH IT.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING ON GROWING THIS PROGRAM.
>> HOWDY. MY NAME IS RYDER TRENT. I'M A SENIOR.
THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR IN BRIDGE, AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CURRICULUM.
HONESTLY, IT'S A HOOT IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE IT IN ONE WORD.
I KNOW IT'S NOT REALLY A ONE WORD SITUATION.
BUT THE CURRICULUM TEAM AND I WORK VERY HARD TO CREATE TAILORED CURRICULUM MEETINGS FOR THE MENTORS TO RELATE TO THEIR MENTEES.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES UP RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S OUR SECOND ONE, SORRY, IS THE HOCO SPIRIT WEEK REALLY EMPHASIZING ETIQUETTE AND HOW TO BEHAVE WELL AT A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC EVENTS.
THEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONES WAS OUR HALLOWEEN BINGO AND CANDY ACTIVITY.
EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A LOT OF FUN, IT'S ALSO EDUCATIONAL, AND A BIG PART OF TEACHING OUR FRESHMEN ABOUT BEING A HIGH SCHOOLER IS ALSO ABOUT HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE HUMAN, WHICH IS NOW WHAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING CALLED THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEENAGERS.
IS ALSO PEOPLE. BUT IT'S A VERY BIG LEADER IN ME EXPERIENCE, AND IT TEACHES FRESHMEN, AND EVEN ME, I FORGET SOMETIMES THAT I'M STILL GROWING AND THAT THESE SEVEN HABITS ARE IMPORTANT FOR TIME MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT REALLY ARE EFFECTIVE IN BEING A WELL ROUNDED INDIVIDUAL JUST BESIDES ACADEMICS OR ATHLETICS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> HI, MY NAME IS KIRBY BRANDON.
I'M A SENIOR, AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF BRIDGE.
MY GOAL AND MY COMMITTEE'S GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE HALLS OF DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL WITH SPIRIT AND CULTURE AND REPRESENTING OUR STUDENT POPULATION VISUALLY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IMPROVING THIS YEAR IS THE BULLETIN BOARDS AROUND THE SCHOOL THAT REPRESENT ALL OF THE VARIOUS CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE STUDENT RUN AND CREATED.
TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO REALLY SHOW THEIR CREATIVITY AND EXPRESS THEIR ORGANIZATION, WE'VE ORGANIZED A BULLETIN BOARD COMPETITION BETWEEN ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WHERE EACH ORGANIZATION HAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO DECORATE THEIR BOARD.
SOME REQUIREMENTS, IT HAS TO HAVE THE ORGANIZATION'S NAME AND A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THE CLUB ORGANIZATION DOES.
[00:55:06]
THIS IS TO IMPROVE SPIRIT OF THE CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS ALLOW A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CLUB SO THAT STUDENTS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED CAN LOOK AND GET INSPIRED AND MAYBE WANT TO JOIN THE CLUB.THEN THE BOARDS ARE GOING TO BE JUDGED BASED ON CREATIVITY, REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE CLUBS, AND OVERALL AESTHETICS.
WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN SOME REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK, MR. BROOKHART, AND MEMBERS OF CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE PART OF HAVE ALREADY TOLD ME HOW COMPETITIVE AND EXCITED THEY ARE ABOUT THIS COMPETITION TO SEE THE WINNERS.
>> HI. MY NAME IS ALLISON GORCHS.
I AM A JUNIOR, AND I'M A SECOND YEAR BRIDGE MEMBER AND THE SECRETARY OF BRIDGE.
I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR OUTREACH ACTION TEAM.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS TEAM IS TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND HELP OTHER SCHOOLS TO SET UP THEIR OWN BRIDGE ORGANIZATIONS, TO HELP THEIR FRESHMEN AND THEIR STUDENTS.
IT CONSISTS OF MENTORS THAT ARE WORKING WITH FACULTY AND STUDENTS FROM OTHER DISTRICTS.
WE'VE HAD A ZOOM MEETING SO FAR WITH AN ADVISOR AND A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM MANDEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL IN LOUISIANA, AND WE'RE HELPING THEM WORK THROUGH SOME ISSUES THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR AND GET THEIR ORGANIZATION ALL SET UP SO THAT THEY CAN HELP THE KIDS THEY HAVE THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE A FEW OTHER SCHOOLS INTERESTED.
I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE IN TEXAS AND ONE ALL THE WAY IN VIRGINIA.
BY THE END OF THE YEAR, HOPEFULLY, WE WILL HAVE HELPED SET UP ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT BRIDGE ORGANIZATIONS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
I JUST THINK THAT THIS CLUB IS REALLY INVALUABLE TO THE CULTURE AT DRIPPING SPRINGS.
I WENT TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT.
WHEN I MOVED HERE, I WAS A LITTLE BIT LOST, BUT JOINING BRIDGE EVEN AS A MENTOR, SOPHOMORE YEAR HAS HELPED ME SO MUCH, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT TOOL TO USE TO BRING THE SCHOOL TOGETHER, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING THAT WE GET TO SHARE IT WITH OTHER SCHOOLS AS WELL.
>> WONDERFUL JOB. I KNOW WE DID GET THIS PRESENTATION LAST YEAR, AND I WAS IMPRESSED THEN AND EVEN MORE IMPRESSED THIS YEAR.
WHAT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS DO I HAVE FROM BOARD MEMBERS? TRICIA?
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I LOVE THIS PROGRAM.
I KNOW THAT IT'S REALLY HELPFUL WITH THE STUDENTS COMING IN.
AS THE MOTHER OF AN EIGHTH GRADER WHO IS TOTALLY ANXIETY DRIVEN ABOUT THE THOUGHT OF GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO HER ABOUT, WELL, THERE'S THIS MENTOR PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE A PART OF.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR STEPPING UP AND HELPING OUT THE STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO ALL NOT BE ANXIOUS WHEN THEY'RE COMING IN, AND THEN ONCE THEY GET THERE TO HELP THEM AND GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING INVOLVED AND BEING THE LEADERS.
>> JUST A TESTIMONIAL FROM A FATHER OF A FRESHMAN.
PRINCIPAL GAMEZ AND I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS LAST TIME WE VISITED.
MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST SEMESTER AT DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL SO FAR FOR HER COMING OUT OF SYCAMORE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THIS PROGRAM, WHICH SHE'S A PART OF.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE CULTURE THAT YOU'RE BUILDING AT DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I REMEMBER MY MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE HIGH SCHOOL ADVENTURE BEING A LOT LESS ENJOYABLE [LAUGHTER] THAN MY DAUGHTER'S EXPERIENCING.
THAT'S A TESTAMENT. I'M GOING TO PUT MY DAD HAT ON FOR A SECOND. WELL DONE, Y'ALL.
Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB LEADING BY EXAMPLE, INVESTING IN THESE YOUNGER STUDENTS.
TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS OVER THERE WHO ARE ONTO SOMETHING, Y'ALL GREAT JOB.
KEEP IT UP, PLEASE, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR YOUNGER KIDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> IS IT OKAY TO SAY WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS?
>> [LAUGHTER] ALSO KIND OF SIMILAR BOAT.
I HAVE AN EIGHTH GRADE DAUGHTER, AND SO SHE'LL BE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR, AND I'M EXCITED TO TELL HER ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND THAT SHE HAS KIND OF A HELPFUL TRANSITION.
TWO THINGS. FIRST, 415 RESPONSES ON A SURVEY IN THIS DISTRICT IS PHENOMENAL.
PAT ON THE BACK FOR THAT BECAUSE TELL US HOW YOU DID IT.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW. WELL, AND THAT WAS MY SECOND NOTE.
ACTUALLY, WAS A THANK YOU FOR GETTING
[01:00:02]
YOUR COMMUNICATION OUT IN A WAY OTHER THAN SOCIAL MEDIA.SPORTSYOU IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
AS A PARENT WHO IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A DAUGHTER WITH SOCIAL MEDIA NEXT YEAR, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT THAT GOES BEHIND THAT THAT NOT ALL OF THESE FRESHMEN DO HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA.
USING THAT SPORTSYOU OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF COMMUNICATION IS REALLY HELPFUL AND APPRECIATED BY PARENTS LIKE US WHO MAYBE DON'T GIVE THEIR KIDS INSTAGRAM WHEN THEY'RE FRESHMAN.
I WILL FOLLOW YOUR INSTAGRAM, THOUGH.
>> THANK YOU GUYS, DID A GREAT JOB PRESENTING.
I KNOW YOUR PLATES ARE FULL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
WITH YOUR ACADEMIC LOAD AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU HAVE IN SCHOOL AND OUT OF SCHOOL THAT YOU CARVE OUT TIME IN YOUR SCHOOL YEAR TO WANT TO MENTOR AND HELP AND MAKE SURE SOMEBODY HAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FOUR YEARS OF THEIR LIFE.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO YOUR STAFF.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE ENTIRE STAFF ON THE CAMPUS IS AMAZING.
IT'S HARD TO BRING THAT MANY PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
>> Y'ALL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR US, RIGHT?
ANYWAYS, I ACTUALLY READ THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I STILL FORGOT WHAT IT WAS.
WHAT DO YOU WANT THE FRESHMAN TO LEARN IN THEIR BRIDGE MEETINGS?
>> I'LL LET YOU TAKE THIS, OLIVIA.
>> YOU GUYS DO SUCH A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. A LOT OF IT YOU COVERED, BUT I'LL JUST REITERATE.
NUMBER ONE, PATHS, CLUBS, CAREER COUNSELING.
JUST AS A FRESHMAN, AN EIGHTH GRADER COMING UP, IT IS A WHOLE NEW WORLD WITH OPPORTUNITIES WITH ELECTIVES AND CLUBS.
I THINK HELPING THEM FIND THAT BEST MATCH FOR THEM.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT CLUBS.
MY SON IS IN THE CHESS CLUB RIGHT NOW AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL AND THOSE CLUBS HELP THEM HAVE THAT SENSE OF BELONGING, AND THEY CAN SHARE THOSE TALENTS AND SKILLS WITH OTHER KIDS.
I THINK PATHS, CLUBS, CAREER COUNSELING IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT COMING INTO A NEW HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS A LOT LARGER THAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL STAFF, HOW TO FIND SOMETHING IF THEY NEED IT.
LIFE SKILLS, GOOD HABITS, AND IT MADE ME SO HAPPY TO SEE THE SEVEN HABITS INCORPORATED INTO YOUR PRESENTATION.
I KNOW WE'RE STARTING THAT AT A KINDERGARTEN LEVEL.
YOU'VE PUT A MORE MATURE SPIN ON THAT AS YOU'RE TALKING TO HIGH SCHOOLERS, BUT I THINK KEEPING THE SEVEN HABITS AS THAT FOUNDATION FOR THE PROGRAM IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU, GUYS.
>> IN ORDER TO HELP US GROW, WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT Y'ALL THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT THE BRIDGE PROGRAM.
>> I FIRST THINK OF YOUR ACRONYM, ESPECIALLY BELONGING IN RESILIENCY.
AS A FAN OF BRIDGE 1.0 LAST YEAR, I WAS ABLE TO GO TO A PANEL WHERE THERE WERE SEVERAL, I WAS TRYING TO LOOK AT FACES.
MAYBE STELLA, WERE YOU PART OF THAT PANEL? AND SO I GOT TO HEAR THE PERSPECTIVE OF BOTH THE MENTOR AND THE MENTEE AND I WAS STRUCK BY THE KIND OF WIN WIN OF IT ALL THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FOCUS IS ON EMPOWERING THESE FRESHMEN TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE, IT INSTILLS LEADERSHIP IN Y'ALL, AND EVERYONE SAW THE BENEFIT FROM YOUR LENS AS WELL.
I THINK THAT IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF AN ED FOUNDATION GRANT THAT WAS INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE, SO KEEP APPLYING.
THEN FINALLY, GOVERNANCE CAMP LAST FEBRUARY, I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE YOUR OUTREACH COMMITTEE BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO SEE YOUR PRESENTATION, AND THERE WERE SUPERINTENDENTS, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, AND OTHER ADMIN, TRUSTEES FROM ACROSS THE STATE, AND STUDENTS LIKE YOU WHO WERE LISTENING AND THEY WERE ENTHRALLED.
THERE WAS JUST A BUZZ IN THE ROOM AND IN THE HALLWAYS AFTERWARDS OF HOW CAN WE REPLICATE THIS IN OUR SCHOOLS. GREAT JOB.
>> THEN OUR LAST QUESTION, WHAT SUGGESTIONS DO YOU HAVE TO IMPROVE THE FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE THAT BRIDGE CAN HELP WITH?
I THINK OLIVIA ACTUALLY BROUGHT A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS JUST IN TERMS OF CONTENT.
BUT TO YOUR GOAL OF REALLY MAKING SURE THERE'S BELONGING OF THOSE STUDENTS, ONE OF YOU MENTIONED ABOUT IMPROVING THE MENTEES RELATIONSHIP, BUT I WAS EVEN CURIOUS IF Y'ALL AS MENTORS ARE ALSO HAVING YOUR OWN GET TOGETHERS OR MEETINGS BECAUSE THIS IS A CLUB IN AND OF ITSELF FOR Y'ALL.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING IN THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE ACTUALLY DOING FOR YOUR MENTEES AS WELL.
[01:05:03]
THAT WAS ONE IDEA, JUST BEING SURE TO CULTIVATE THAT.THEN THE OTHER IDEA I HAD, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO TAKE AS YOU GUYS GROW, BUT POTENTIALLY IF YOU HAD ENOUGH TO CREATE LIKE A POD OR A FAMILY WHERE IT'S LIKE A FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORE, AND AN UPPER CLASSMAN, WHERE IT'S MORE OF A UNIT OF A MEET UP WHERE SOMEONE FEELS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONNECTION THAT MAYBE DON'T GET IN THEIR OTHER CONTENT OR SUBJECT SPECIFIC CLASSES OR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, THAT THEY CAN FEEL ANOTHER ADDED SENSE OF BELONGING.
IN A DREAM WORLD, YOU ALSO HAD A STAFF MEMBER IN THAT LITTLE CLUB, TOO, BUT I KNOW THAT.
IT'S ALL GROWTH, BUT I AM SO PROUD OF EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE DONE WITH THIS PROGRAM.
TO OUR STAFF, OR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS PROGRAM, I'M SO IMPRESSED. GOOD WORK, STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> DO YOU WANT A PICTURE, JENNIFER? WE'LL ALL STAND UP. YOU CAN COME GIVE US ALL HANDSHAKES AWKWARDLY NOW AFTER THE FACT, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE TOO.
>> MOVING ON TO OUR LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT AND BOARD UPDATES.
FIRST, WE HAVE OUR VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION.
I'LL KICK IT TO OUR HOMEGROWN VETERAN, MR. ROB MCCLELLAN. [LAUGHTER]
>> MAN, ONE OF MY FAVORITE DAYS IN THE DRIP, Y'ALL.
FIRST OF MY COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT BY JUST BY BEING PRESENT.
ALL Y'ALL ARE PRESENT IN SOME CAPACITY, AND SO WE APPRECIATE IT.
OBVIOUSLY, I GOT THE PRIVILEGE TO GO TO ROOSTER.
MY SON'S A FIFTH GRADER THERE AND GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO KIDS AND DO THAT.
WE HAD PROBABLY, OH, I DON'T KNOW.
JENNIFER, IF YOU GOT THE COUNT.
AT LEAST 200 OR 250 VETERANS ACROSS ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES, MAYBE MORE THAN THAT.
TO MY FELLOW VETS, THANKS FOR COMING OUT, I HOPE YOU FELT APPRECIATED.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY HERE IN DRIPPING SPRINGS THAT APPRECIATE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
IT'S AT A TRIANGLE RIGHT DOWNTOWN.
WE GET THE FLAG FLYING PROUDLY.
THE FACT THAT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKES TIME INTENTIONALLY AND PURPOSELY TO CELEBRATE VETERANS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL.
EVERY ONE OF OUR PRINCIPALS, EVERY ONE OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS, EVERY ONE OF OUR TEACHERS THAT WERE PART OF THAT.
ON BEHALF OF VETERANS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE THIS FOR YEARS TO COME HERE AT DRIPPING SPRINGS.
IT MEANS A LOT TO US. THANK YOU.
>> I DO WANT TO ADD, I SAW A COMMENT SOMEWHERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT A COMMUNITY MEMBER WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT WE WEREN'T CLOSED ON VETERANS.
HE WAS LIKE, I AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT THE SCHOOL IS NOT CLOSED ON VETERANS DAY.
THEN THE COMMENTS AFTER, THOUGH GOT ME TEARY-EYED BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE COMMENTED AND SAID, I'M A VETERAN, AND I LOVE THAT WE HAVE SCHOOL ON VETERANS DAY.
I LOVE BEING IN THOSE CELEBRATIONS.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE SEVERAL PEOPLE MADE THOSE COMMENTS, AND HOW SPECIAL IT IS THAT WE DO GET TO HAVE SCHOOL AND HONOR THE VETERANS ON THOSE DAYS.
IT STRUCK ME, AND I WANTED TO REALLY PUBLICLY SAY THAT THAT I LOVE THAT, TOO.
>> IT'S INTERESTING. I'M FROM A VETERAN FAMILY AND LIVING IN A VETERAN TOWN.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE SCHOOL, THERE'S TONS OF THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THAT'S NOT US.
WE DON'T LIVE NEXT TO A MILITARY BASE AND SO I THINK OUR SCHOOLS HAVE PICKED THAT UP, AND OVER THE YEARS, IT'S BECOME A TRADITION WHERE EVERYTHING THAT DAY, THERE'S SOME CURRICULAR FOCUS TO VETERANS, ESPECIALLY MORE AT THE YOUNGER LEVELS AS WELL, AND I SAW THAT.
I HEAR THAT FROM A LOT OF VETERANS THAT THEY LOVE COMING TO ALL OF OUR CELEBRATIONS.
[01:10:01]
EVEN MY HUSBAND, WHO HATES COMING TO THE CELEBRATIONS.[LAUGHTER] BUT HE CAME, AND HE ENJOYED IT.
WE ALSO HAD A TAXPAYER TUESDAY THIS MONTH.
MARY JANE AND OLIVIA WERE THERE.
OLIVIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I KNOW IT'S LIKE YOUR FAVORITE THING.
>> TAXPAYER TUESDAY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS JUST BECAUSE WE ARE, WHAT'S THAT?
>> YES, CTE IS MY VERY FAVORITE THING.
THIS IS MY PARTICULAR FAVORITE TAXPAYER TUESDAY BECAUSE WE TOUR CTE FACILITIES.
WHEN I LOOK AT OUR DISTRICT AND OUR PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE AND HOW WE'RE PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR POST SECONDARY LIFE, WHAT I LOVE ABOUT DRIPPING SPRINGS IS WE'RE PREPARING OUR STUDENTS WITH SKILLS AND OUT OF OUR CTE, SO MANY HEALTH SCIENCES CERTIFICATES.
KIDS CAN COME OUT BEING READY TO WELD AND WITH THEIR REAL ESTATE LICENSE AND WITH THEIR FLORIST DESIGN LICENSE.
I LOVE OUR COMMUNITY BEING ABLE TO COME IN AND SEE THAT.
I THINK IT REALLY HITS HOME WHERE THEY SEE, WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT.
THE INTERESTING NOW WITH SO MUCH CONVERSATION ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL TOO, I HEARD A LOT OF SIDE CONVERSATIONS HERE, WHAT IS CTE GOING TO LOOK LIKE AT THAT HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND AVIATION KEEPS COMING UP.
>> I JUST HAD TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO DR. KIDD.
IT WAS A PHENOMENAL PRESENTATION, AND IT MADE ME SO PROUD, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN BLAST ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
BECAUSE WE DO LIVE AND DIE BY SOCIAL MEDIA, IT SEEMS AND THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT FROM SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN A SUPPORTER AND EVERY OTHER TIME I COULD THINK OF, WHO SAID, MAN, WE REALLY NEED MORE CTE OPTIONS.
I THOUGHT IF YOU HAD COME TO TAXPAYER TUESDAY, [LAUGHTER] YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN.
JENNIFER, YOU MUST KNOW, WE PROBABLY HAVE 10 TIMES FROM WHEN I STARTED ON THE BOARD AND DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T ADD MORE, BUT EXCELLENT JOB.
>> ALSO, THERE WAS ATHLETICS SIGNING DAY.
WHO WENT TO THAT? KIM? YES. OF COURSE, KIM.
WE SIGNED 18 ATHLETES ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SOCIAL MEDIA OF OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE 18.
THEY HAD A LOT LESS THAN THAT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.
[LAUGHTER] WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS IS THE NUMBER OF DIVISION 1 SCHOOLS THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO GO TO WHO GOT SOME REALLY GREAT OFFERS.
BUT THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS CEREMONY IS THE COACH GETS UP AND INTRODUCES THE ATHLETE, TELLS YOU ABOUT THE FIRST DAY THEY MET, WHAT THEIR POTENTIAL WAS, ALL OF THE SUCCESS ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY THAT THEY HAD ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO FOLLOWING THEIR FUTURE.
BUT THIS IS JUST A TINY HANDFUL OF WHAT'S WALKING THE HALLS IN THAT HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE TO COME AT ANOTHER SIGNING IN APRIL, BUT THESE STUDENTS ARE, I AM SO PROUD TO SIT HERE AND SAY THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND REPRESENT US ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. IT WAS GREAT.
>> THEN OUR CAMPUS VISIT THIS MONTH WAS AT ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, AND WE GOT A REALLY NICE OVERVIEW OF ALL DIFFERENT SPECIAL SERVICES AND DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, WHICH I KNOW IS NEAR AND DEAR TO TRICIA'S HEART.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, COMMENTS?
>> WELL, I LOVE ALL OF OUR CAMPUS PROGRAMS. THE STAAR PROGRAM HAS REALLY DONE A NUMBER ON MY FAMILY.
I ENJOY GOING TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CAMPUS AND JUST SEEING THE DIFFERENCES THAT THEY HAVE IN THE SAME PROGRAMS, BUT DIFFERENT CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENT TEACHERS.
WE GOT TO SEE THE STAAR PROGRAM, WHICH IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY FAMILY'S HEART, AND WE GOT TO JUST SEE ALL THESE LITTLE KIDDOS IN ACTION PLAYING GAMES, AND WE GOT TO PLAY A MATH GAME THAT I WON.
IT'S A LOT OF FUN ENGAGING WITH THE KIDS AND SEEING THE KIDS IN THE DIFFERENT CAMPUSES AND BEING ABLE TO JUST SEE WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING AND SEE ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR ADMINISTRATION AND OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING FOR OUR STUDENTS. IT WAS A GREAT VISIT.
>> THEN THERE'S OTHER EVENTS. KIM.
>> WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF DELIVERING TOOTIE PIES OUT THERE AND THAT WAS MY TOOTIE PIE DELIVERY THERE FOR THE ADMIN BUILDING.
[LAUGHTER] I RAN INTO SCOTT, AND SCOTT IS LIKE, OH, MY GOD, YOU'RE EVERYWHERE.
WELL, SCOTT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A TOOTIE PIE?
[01:15:01]
THEY'RE ON THE HOUSE FOR THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION.I'M JUST GOING TO THROW THIS REPORT IN.
WE'RE DELIVERING PIES RIGHT NOW TO 1,235 STAFF IN THE DISTRICT.
EVERY STAFF MEMBER WILL GET A PIE, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION, FACILITIES, ADMIN IN ALL EIGHT CAMPUSES.
THE TIGER APPRECIATION EVENTS WERE SPONSORED BY SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO CELEBRATE THE GRATITUDE THE COMMUNITY HAS FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
THEN CHICK-FIL-A WAS ALSO AWARDED.
WALNUT SPRINGS WAS ALSO ORDERED CELEBRATED AT CHICK-FIL-A LUNCH FROM THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
THEY HAD THE HIGHEST PARTICIPATION IN SUPPORT OF THE EMPLOYEE GIVING PROGRAM.
EMPLOYEE GIVING ALLOWS US TO SHOW OUR DONORS THAT EVEN OUR STAFF SUPPORTS OUR MISSION, AND DRIPPING SPRINGS EDUCATION FOUNDATION PRESENTED A CHECK FOR $165,750 TO THE DISTRICT AT THE DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS WESTLAKE GAME.
THIS AMOUNT REPRESENTS ONE HALF OF THE MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE FUNDING.
THE MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE SUPPORTS THE WELL BEING OF ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF WITH THE LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THAT PIE PICTURE, WE HAVE BEEN IN EIGHT BUILDINGS SO FAR AROUND TOWN.
WHEN YOU KNOCK ON SOMEBODY'S DOOR AND YOU'RE LIKE, WE HAVE A FREE PIE FOR YOU, THEY'RE LIKE, A WHOLE PIE? YOU GET THE WHOLE PIE ALL TO YOURSELF.
THE NEXT THING IS, YOU GET TO PICK YOUR FLAVOR. THERE'S FOUR FLAVORS.
I THINK THIS ONE WAS PUMPKIN, BUT IT WAS FUN.
Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. IT WAS FUN.
>> OLIVIA, YOU'VE BEEN TO A FEW SHOWS THIS FALL.
>> WE WENT TO GO SEE THE HIGH SCHOOL SHAKESPEARE PERFORMANCE OF THE COMEDY OF ERRORS.
THEN WE ALSO LAST NIGHT, WENT TO GO SEE ALADDIN JUNIOR.
AGAIN, IT JUST MAKES ME SO PROUD OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE HERE, OUR THEATER DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING AMAZING.
BUT I HAVE A PASSION, I'VE SHARED THIS BEFORE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY 65 PLUS, COME AND ENJOY THIS ENTERTAINMENT THAT WE HAVE, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT OUR KIDDOS ARE DOING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT THEY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB, AND I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND FOR ANYONE.
IF YOU EVER HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO GO SEE OUR KIDS PERFORM, PLEASE DO.
>> CAN I ADD ONE THING TO THAT? THERE'S A NEW MOVIE OUT THAT STREAMING, OH, MY GOSH, I POST IT.
THERE'S A CHRISTMAS MOVIE OUT THAT ONE OF OUR SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IS MAKING HIS FEATURE FILM DEBUT ON.
>> IS IT? WE HAVE A MOVIE STAR NOW, TOO.
>> LIAISON REPORTS, I'LL START WITH YOU KIM, GO DOWN THE LINE FOR SUBCOMMITTEES.
I ALREADY GAVE THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION REPORT.
WOMEN'S CLUB, WE'RE HAVING OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET LATER THIS WEEK, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SHOPPING ALL THE LOCAL VENDORS ON SITE AT THE WOMEN'S CLUB MEETING THIS COMING WEDNESDAY.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN.
>> NOT MUCH REPORT FROM THE COUNCIL OF PTA.
IN REGARDS TO THEIR PROGRAMS, THEY ARE CONSIDERING DOING A DISTRICT WIDE SPELLING BEE, WHICH I KNOW AT CAMPUS LEVELS, THEY DO SPELLING BEES, AND SO THEY'RE CONSIDERING A DISTRICT WIDE SPELLING BEE.
NOVEMBER IS HEALTHY LIFESTYLES MONTH, AND ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY IS HOSTING SOME FALL HEALTHY TRICHOTON, OR SOMETHING ON A SATURDAY.
I DIDN'T PUT THE DATE FOR THAT, BUT IT'S ROOSTER SPRINGS FAMILIES ONLY, I BELIEVE. IT'S A SMALL SCALE.
THEY DID POINT OUT THAT THE NATIONAL PTA IS RAISING THEIR DUES BY $1 NEXT YEAR, AND THAT EACH LOCAL PTA, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO COLLABORATE BETWEEN SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEIR PREFERENCES FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL, TO HAVE THE SAME DUES ACROSS ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND THEN HIGH SCHOOL.
THEN THEY HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE TEXAS PTA ADVOCACY PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND RALLY DAY AT THE CAPITOL, THAT IS ON FEBRUARY 24 AND THAT THOSE ADVOCACY PRIORITIES CAN BE FOUND ON THE TEXAS PTA WEBSITE, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. THAT'S IT.
>> WE'RE DOING COMMITTEE AND LIAISON.
>> OH, BOY, WHERE DO I START? I'LL START WITH PARKS AND REC.
WE RECENTLY, AT THE END OF OCTOBER, WE HAD A MEETING.
IT WAS CITY COUNCIL P&Z, PLANNING AND ZONING, PARKS AND REC,
[01:20:02]
WHICH I'M A COMMISSIONER ON AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION JOINT SPECIAL MEETING REGARDING OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY GIVE ROB MY HARD COPIES HERE, AND THEN WOULD LOVE TO PASS IT AROUND THE BOARD.
I BELIEVE IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.
BUT THIS DTJ IS DOING THEIR DESIGN ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THE NAME, IT'S CALLED REIMAGINE DRIPPING SPRINGS.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE BECAUSE THIS PROJECT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT COMMUNITY CHARACTER, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FACILITIES.
JUST AS WE TALK ABOUT NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING ON, ROAD PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING ON, WHEN YOU LOOK AT EVERY ENTITY AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY AND UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR COLLEAGUES ON CITY COUNCIL AND OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE PARKS AND REC OR CITY OR COUNTY, THERE ARE SO MANY PROJECTS GOING ON AND SEEING HOW WE FIT INTO THIS, IT'S REALLY BIG.
WE TALK ABOUT CONNECTIVITY AND CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENTS, HOUSING, IDENTIFYING THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING, THE MIXED USE THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE COMING INTO OUR MARKET, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING, OF COURSE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY CREATING THESE FIVE AND 10-YEAR PLANS, HOW MANY OF THOSE PROJECTS WERE SO UNIQUE IN THE WAY THAT OUR MUNICIPALITIES OVERLAP, WHAT'S GOING TO BE PAID FOR LOCALLY BY TAXPAYERS, WHAT COMES FROM THE STATE? IT'S HUGE. I THINK FOR ANYONE THAT'S WATCHING THE GROWTH OF THE AREA, I WOULD JUST REALLY RECOMMEND BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THIS, AND IT'S AVAILABLE ON CITY WEBSITES.
MORE WILL BE COMING, OF COURSE, FROM THAT.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING REGULAR ZOOM CALLS FOR UPDATES FROM THE DESIGNER.
ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2, THE COMMITTEE TOWARD DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL AND ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY TO LOOK AT IMPROVEMENT NEEDS.
THEY LOOKED AT DSE TO LOOK AT THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE COMPLETE THAT WE DID THIS SUMMER FROM THE 2023 BOND.
THEY LOOKED AT THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT AT WALNUT SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.
THEY LOOKED AT THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS OF THE EXPANSION AT SYCAMORE MIDDLE, AND THEN ALSO LOOKED AT THE SITE THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR HIGH SCHOOL TOO AT DARDEN HILL.
THE MOST RECENT MEETING WAS LAST WEDNESDAY.
THIS MONTH HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING FOR ME ON MEETINGS.
I GOT SOME OVERLAPS AND WHATNOT, BUT THEY WERE PRESENTED FROM THE DISTRICT WITH A FIVE-YEAR IDENTIFIED PROJECT NEEDS FOR NEW CAMPUSES, AND THEN ALL OF THE OTHER FACILITY IMPROVEMENT NEEDS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
BASICALLY TO GET US THROUGH 2030, FIVE-YEAR TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE, FIVE-YEAR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO HOLLY AND OUR DISTRICT AND THIS BODY.
I THINK THAT WE'VE MADE MASSIVE IMPROVEMENTS OF FORECASTING OUR NEEDS, DOCUMENTING THOSE NEEDS, AND THE TRANSPARENCY WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I THINK TONY MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, WERE PROVIDED WITH A WORKSHEET FOR LISTING EACH PROJECT AND PRIORITIZING THEM ON THEIR OWN, AND THEN THIS UPCOMING MEETING, I BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM AT THEIR TABLES.
>> SINCE WE ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING IN NOVEMBER IT PRECEDES THIS MONTH'S CHAMBER MEETING.
BUT ON WEDNESDAY, IT IS THE ONE TIME PER EACH YEAR THAT YOU CAN SPEND JUST A FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT EITHER YOUR BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION, SO I CAN GET WITH YOU TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR YOU'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.
THEN, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS WITH MY PERSONAL HAT, LAST WEEK WAS THE FIRST JOINT CHAMBER DRIPPING SPRINGS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION COMMUNITY DAY, FOCUSED ON NON PROFITS.
IT WAS INTERESTING THAT A COMMON THREAD IS THE NEED FOR FREE VOLUNTEER SERVICE, AND EVERYBODY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ORGANIZATIONS KNEW ABOUT TAPPING OUR STUDENTS FOR THOSE COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
I'M SURE THE HIGH SCHOOL DOES A GREAT JOB OF MAKING THOSE OPTIONS AVAILABLE, BUT I CAN CIRCLE BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
>> WE HAVEN'T MET ON THE SHACK, BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE NEXT SHACK MEETING, I BELIEVE, IS ON MY CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER 4.
WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THE LAST MEETING WAS LAST TUESDAY 11/12, WHERE OUR AMAZING COMMITTEE REALLY CAME TOGETHER WITH OUR ADMINISTRATION AND OUR STAFF THAT WAS THERE.
THEY HAVE HIGHLIGHTED A FEW THINGS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT IN THE EVENT THAT IT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO CUT THINGS.
[01:25:01]
AND GINA AND TEAM HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB WITH ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS, AND I'VE REALLY ENJOYED LISTENING TO THE COMMITTEE SPEAK ABOUT IT AND REALLY DIVE IN TO THE WHYS.IT HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED, WE HOPE THAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES HELP US IN THIS CONVERSATION, AND WE AREN'T HAVING TO MAKE ALL THE CUTS AND THINGS THAT THEY DISCUSSED.
WE ALL DECIDED THAT WE HOPE THAT IT'S A COMPLETE WASTE OF THEIR TIME, BUT THIS IS WHERE THEY ARE AS A COMMITTEE AND I THINK THE BOARD WILL AGREE AND APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THAT WAS SPENT GOING INTO THIS COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE GOT IT. NOW, JUST TO BE MINDFUL, THERE IS A LOT ON OUR SCHEDULES TO EVERYBODY'S POINT, SO JUST KEEP A LOOK AT YOUR SCHEDULES.
WE ALSO GOT AN EMAIL RECENTLY WITH ALL OUR CAMPUS VISITS THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO IF YOU GUYS NEED TO BLOCK THAT TIME OFF, OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER IS COMING UP, ALSO, SO JUST BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR EVERYTHING AND THEN ALL THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
IF THERE IS AN INCIDENT THAT'S COMING UP, LIKE OLIVIA HAD TWO THINGS FROM LIAISON AND COMMITTEE, SPEAK UP, SHARE WITH ME, OR HOLLY, SO THAT IF ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER WANTS TO GO IN YOUR PLACE, THEY HAVE THAT OPTION.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
THEN IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE AT A MEETING THAT YOU ARE NOT A LIAISON FOR, JUST GIVE ME A HEADS UP SO THAT THERE'S NOT QUORUM OR ANYTHING THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE A STRONG VOTE FOR US.
I KNOW THAT'S IT. THEN MY FAVORITE PART, OUR READING ASSIGNMENT, KIM READ CHAPTER 4 OF THE BOOK GRIT FOR US.
>> READING GRIT, I GOT TO SUMMARIZE CHAPTER 3, AND THE TITLE OF CHAPTER 3 IS EFFORT COUNTS TWICE.
I'M GOING TO READ YOU A QUOTE FROM THE BOOK.
"TALENT IS HOW QUICKLY YOUR SKILLS IMPROVE WHEN YOU INVEST EFFORT.
ACHIEVEMENT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR ACQUIRED SKILLS AND USE THEM." THE AUTHOR GAVE SEVERAL EXAMPLES IN THE BOOK.
HE TALKED ABOUT TWO OLYMPIC SWIMMERS AND HOW THEY STARTED OUT AND HOW THEY GOT TO OLYMPIC STATUS, AND THEY DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THEM, POTTERS, STARTING OUT, MAKING POTS, AND THE FIRST 50 TO 100 POTS THAT YOU MAKE, THEY'RE NOT VERY GOOD, BUT THE MORE YOU PRACTICE AND YOU MAKE THOSE POTS, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT SELL AND DO WELL.
HE ALSO GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A TREADMILL RESEARCH TEST THAT WAS GIVEN, SEVERAL 20-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS, THEY WERE PUT ON A TREADMILL AND LIKE, "JUST GET ON THERE UNTIL YOU CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE." SOME GOT OFF QUICKLY, SOME STAYED ON.
SOME WERE LIKE, "I'M GOING TO STAY ON HERE UNTIL THE END OF THE EARTH JUST TO BEAT THE GUY NEXT TO ME." IT LOOKED AT THESE PEOPLE, AND IT FOLLOWED THEM LATER IN LIFE AND WHERE THEY ARE IN ADULTHOOD.
DID ANY OF THESE PEOPLE SHOW UP THE NEXT DAY AND TRY TO GET A BETTER SCORE? DID ANYBODY JUST QUIT AND FINISH OR NOT EVEN STAY ON THERE MORE THAN 30 SECONDS? WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WERE THESE PEOPLE THAT GOT OFF EARLY AND QUIT? IT BRINGS ME TO THINKING ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO START A DIET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
I DON'T SEE THAT THEY'RE LOSING ENOUGH WEIGHT AND THEY QUIT, LIKE WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS, "I'M NOT HAPPY WITH RESULTS, AND I'M DONE." THIS BOOK TALKS ABOUT NEVER GIVING UP AND DOING MORE.
WHEN I WAS AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, I WENT TO AN ATHLETE BANQUET ONE NIGHT, AND IT WAS FOR A GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM, AND THE COACH DESCRIBING THE MVP GIRL, THE PHRASE THAT HE USED WAS AND THEN SOME.
SHE WAS THE FIRST ONE THERE, AND SHE WAS THE LAST ONE TO LEAVE.
A LOT OF TIMES SHE WAS THERE BEFORE THE COACH EVEN GOT THERE BECAUSE SHE SAID, "WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE HER BETTER IS AND THEN SOME, NOT THE MINIMUM OF WHAT I'M ASKED TO DO." YOU TAKE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LEARNING DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE THAT DON'T, WHO HAS TO PUT FORTH THE MOST EFFORT, AND WHO HAS TO PUT FORTH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF EFFORT.
BUT THE MORE EFFORT THAT YOU PUT IN, AND THE MORE THAT YOU PRACTICE, THE BETTER THINGS ARE GOING TO GET FOR YOU AND TO ME, THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU.
>> GREAT REPORT, KIM, WONDERFUL.
MOVING ON TO THE AGENDA ITEM OF THE EVENING, OUR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY REZONING.
I DID WANT TO JUST OFFER SOME CONTEXT.
AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE HEAR THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS EVENING THAT THE BOARD AS A WHOLE HAS RECEIVED THIS RECOMMENDATION.
YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN A LOT OF US COMING TO THE MEETINGS ON OUR OWN,
[01:30:03]
BUT BECAUSE OF OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO DISCUSS THIS AS A BODY CORPORATE UNTIL THIS MOMENT IN TIME.WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE A FIRST READING.
THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM FOR THIS EVENING.
NONE OF ANYTHING PROPOSE UNTIL THIS POINT IS FINAL UNTIL WE VOTE ON IT, WHICH IS PRESUMABLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME NEXT MONTH.
BUT I DID WANT TO OFFER THAT CONTEXT, AND DR. MORRIS-KUENTZ WILL OFFER A BIT MORE CONTEXT, ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CONCERNS PRESENTED THIS EVENING LIKE SAFETY AND CAMPUS CAPACITY, AND A LOT OF ISSUES THAT GO BEYOND MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE OR READ FROM AN EMAIL OR SEE FROM ANY GIVEN COMMUNITY FEEDBACK MEETING.
I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE HERE, AND I WILL TURN OVER DR. MORRIS-KUENTZ.
>> KATIE, ARE YOU GO TO GET A CLICKER? THANKS. [INAUDIBLE] JUST PASSED IT ALL THE WAY DOWN.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE ARE GIVING Y'ALL AN UPDATE ON ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY REZONING PROCESS.
WANTED TO START OFF WITH TALKING ABOUT JUST THE FACT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ZONES.
WITH CONSTRUCTION OF ELEMENTARY 6, I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY EXCITED THAT THIS SCHOOL IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING BUILT AND COMING ONLINE NEXT FALL.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING EXPANDED.
THAT PROJECT IS GOING EXTREMELY WELL.
IT'LL BE DONE THIS SPRING WITH A FULL OPENING FOR OUR STUDENTS NEXT FALL.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT LEADS US TO REZONING.
REAL QUICKLY, THIS IS OUR CURRENT MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ZONE BOUNDARIES.
WE HAVE TWO FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH HAS A LARGER BOUNDARY IN SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE SPRING, WE ARE LOOKING AT A CHANGE OF CAMPUS CAPACITY FROM 850-1,200.
AS WE LOOK AT MIDDLE SCHOOL GROWTH OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE CAN SEE THAT THE DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL SIDE OF OUR DISTRICT, THAT CURRENT ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY IS A BOUNDARY THAT WILL HAVE ABOUT 1,500 NEW STUDENTS IN THAT BOUNDARY, WHICH IS PART OF WHY THAT EXPANSION WAS NEEDED, AND THEN THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE PART OF THAT CAPACITY BALANCING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT TO PLAN FOR LONG-TERM.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES, THIS IS AS DRAWN IN GREEN.
WE HAVE FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ZONES.
WE WILL OPEN ELEMENTARY NUMBER 6 IN FALL OF 25, WHICH IS A CHANGE TO SIX ATTENDANCE ZONES FOR US.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO DO WITH OUR COMMITTEE WAS LOOK AT CAPACITY ISSUES.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO CAMPUSES THAT ARE OVERENROLLED.
DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WALNUT SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BOTH HAVE PORTABLES ON THOSE CAMPUSES, BOTH ARE OVERCAPACITY.
WHILE WE HAVE SOME OTHER CAMPUSES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE SOME CAPACITY, OVERALL AS A DISTRICT, EVEN WITH PERFECT REZONING, WE'RE STILL OVERCAPACITY, SO WE NEED THAT ELEMENTARY 6 TO HELP RELIEVE SOME OF THE CAPACITY CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, THIS IS LOOKING AT A HEAT MAP FOR OUR GROWTH OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY ZONE, AS IT'S CURRENTLY DRAWN IN WALNUT SPRINGS ELEMENTARY ZONE, AS IT'S CURRENTLY DRAWN BETWEEN THOSE TWO IS ABOUT 2,600 NEW STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT IN 10 YEARS, SO THAT'S THE CAPACITY CHALLENGE THAT WE ARE FACING GOING FORWARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT IN THIS PROCESS IS REZONING LONG-TERM.
WE HAVE A LONG-RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE WHO LOOKED AT OUR GROWTH OVER TIME AND HELPED US TO ANALYZE WHEN THERE NEED TO BE NEW CAMPUSES COMING ONLINE, SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE FUTURE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT WILL NEED TO COME ONLINE PRETTY QUICKLY BASED UPON OUR CURRENT GROWTH AND OUR DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY.
LOOKING AT ELEMENTARY 7 AND '28/'29, MIDDLE SCHOOL 3 AND '29/'30 AND ELEMENTARY 8 AND '30/'31, THOSE COMMITTEES HAVE LOOKED AT THAT DATA AND GIVEN US THAT RECOMMENDATION.
FROM THAT, THE THING THAT WE OFTEN DON'T TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NEW SCHOOLS IS THE FACT THAT THAT ALSO INCLUDES REZONING AT THOSE TIMES ABOUT A YEAR AHEAD OF TIME, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING NOW FOR WHEN ELEMENTARY 6 OPENS, AND SO WE HAVE ZONING COMING UP SEVERAL MORE TIMES IN OUR FUTURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT IS TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW DOES THAT INTERACT WITH OUR CURRENT CONVERSATION.
WE HAD TWO CONCURRENT COMMITTEES THAT WERE RUNNING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO REVIEW AND ULTIMATELY RECOMMEND THE ZONES, AND THEN A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WAS A NEW PROCESS THAT WE INCLUDED THIS YEAR SO THAT IT WAS NOT JUST AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION, BUT WE ALSO HAD OTHER VOICES AND INPUT ALONG THE WAY, AND SO THAT WE HAD BROADER REPRESENTATION TO THE CONVERSATION.
WE HAD 14 PARENTS WHO WERE INVOLVED, TWO REPRESENTING EACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL,
[01:35:02]
AND THEN TWO ADDITIONAL MEMBERS WHO BELONGED TO THAT COMMITTEE WHO WERE MEMBERS AT LARGE, WHO DID NOT CURRENTLY HAVE STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND THEN TWO TRUSTEES WHO ATTENDED THOSE MEETINGS.THEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HELPED TO FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THIS IS OUR COMMITTEE, 25 PEOPLE ON THE LEFT, YOU SEE OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHO HAD SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE LAND AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING PURCHASED AND TO HELP HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SOME FUTURE DECISIONS THAT WE COULDN'T NECESSARILY DISCUSS AS THOSE ARE CURRENTLY REAL-ESTATE TRANSACTIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THE CHARGE OF THE COMMITTEE WAS TO REORGANIZE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ZONES AND TO TRY TO MEET THESE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS.
OPTIMIZING THE UTILIZATION OF DISTRICT FACILITIES TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDED CAMPUSES, WHERE WE CAN USE OUR FACILITIES WELL.
THAT HELPS KEEP US FROM HAVING PORTABLES, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
IT ALSO HELPS US TO HOPEFULLY DEFER FUTURE CONSTRUCTION.
IF WE START ADDING PORTABLES AND EXPAND OUR CAPACITY AT CAMPUSES AND ULTIMATELY CAN'T MEET IT IN THE SCHOOL AND THEN END UP IN PORTABLES, EVENTUALLY, WE RUN OUT OF PORTABLE SPACE.
THAT'S A COSTLY WAY TO DO BUSINESS, AND SO TRYING TO, AS MUCH AS WE CAN, USE OUR FACILITIES REALLY WELL SO THAT WE'RE MINIMIZING THAT.
CONSIDERING PROXIMITY TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, KEEPING SUBDIVISIONS TOGETHER TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE AND ZONING STUDENTS TO THE CLOSEST CAMPUS WHERE POSSIBLE.
THEN ALSO STRIVING TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF TIMES A STUDENT IS REZONED BY LOOKING AT FUTURE CHANGES AS ATTENDANCE ZONES ARE DEVELOPED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE FIRST MEETING IS, THIS IS A RUBIK'S CUBE, YOU CAN'T TURN ONE PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE WITHOUT IT IMPACTING SOME OTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MOVING A PLANNING UNIT OUT OF A SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE OFFSET THAT THAT DOES FOR THE SCHOOL WHEN YOU TAKE THAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS OUT, AND SO THERE'S A BALANCING ACT OF WHEN YOU MOVE ONE, YOU HAVE TO MOVE ANOTHER ONE.
THERE'S A CAUSE AND EFFECT THAT HAPPENS THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS AS WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT, HOW DO WE DO THIS, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TYPICALLY TO JUST MOVE A SINGLE PLANNING UNIT WITHOUT THAT LEAVING SOME HOLE IN SOME OTHER CAMPUS THAT YOU NEED TO BACKFILL, WHICH IS A PART OF THE CHALLENGE OF THE PROCESS.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT YOU SEE SO MANY MAPS, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT MANY MAPS.
INTRODUCED THAT TOPIC, HOPING TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS GOING THROUGH.
SOME PEOPLE LOOKED AT THAT AND PICKED MAPS AND SAID, "WE LIKE THAT MAP.
LET'S GO WITH THAT MAP." THE CHALLENGE IS THAT THE MAPS WERE NOT ALL BALANCED, AND SO THEY WERE CONVERSATION POINTS TO KEEP US MOVING ALONG THE CONVERSATION, BUT THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY ALL VIABLE IN TERMS OF REALLY BALANCING FACILITIES.
THEY WERE MORE WAYS IN WHICH WE WERE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT RUBIK'S CUBE AND THAT PUZZLE AS WE WENT ALONG.
THIS WAS OUR MEETING OVERVIEW.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED MEETING IN AUGUST, GOING THROUGH THE DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY, TALKING ABOUT PLANNING UNITS AND MAPPING, TALKING ABOUT OUR SCOPE OF WORK, AND THEN ACTUALLY GAVE THE COMMITTEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND BUILD THEIR OWN MAPS AND COME BACK TO OUR FIRST MEETING, AND SO THUS BEGAN THAT PROCESS OF US BEGINNING TO DEVELOP MAPS AND BEGINNING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH SCHOOLS COULD BE ZONED AND WHERE NEIGHBORHOODS MIGHT GO.
THAT CONTINUED ON INTO OCTOBER.
AT THAT TIME, WE CAME UP WITH SOME SMALL NUMBER OF MAPS TO SHARE OUT.
ORIGINALLY, WE PLANNED ON DOING TWO.
THERE WERE THREE THAT WERE PRETTY CLOSE AND TOP PRIORITY IN TERMS OF THOSE EARLY CONVERSATIONS.
EVEN AT THAT POINT, WE DECIDED THAT WAS PROBABLY BETTER JUST TO GO WITH SOME NUMBER OF MAPS OUT THERE AND BEGIN TO GET FEEDBACK SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO REFINE.
WE HAD FOUR COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS, TWO IN THE MORNING, TWO IN THE EVENING, ON TWO DIFFERENT DATES, AND THEN CAME BACK TOGETHER IN OCTOBER AND CONTINUED TO WORK ON MAPS.
IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD A NEW MAP OUT, AND SO WE WENT BACK OUT TO DISCUSS THOSE MAPS, HAD TWO MORE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND THEN THAT BRINGS US TO THIS BOARD MEETING.
ON THE ORIGINAL MAPS, I THINK YOU HAD ALLUDED TO MAP C, J, AND M, THOSE WERE THREE-STARTER OPTION MAPS.
WE LABELED THEM AS STARTER OPTION MAPS BECAUSE THEY REALLY WERE A GREAT STARTING POINT FOR US TO HAVE A LARGER COMMUNITY-WIDE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF ZONING.
IN THESE MAPS, WE KNEW THAT J AND M FROM THE BEGINNING WEREN'T GOING TO BE VIABLE MAPS FOR US JUST BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T FULLY BALANCED, BUT THEY GAVE US A GOOD STARTING POINT TO BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION AND START TO GET FEEDBACK AND TO KEEP THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.
FROM THAT, THE COMMITTEE GOT BACK TOGETHER, AND WE HAD ZONING OPTION 1, WHICH WAS THE MAP THAT WE PUT BACK OUT TO GET FEEDBACK ON.
I ALSO INCLUDED MAP C BACK IN THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION JUST BECAUSE THAT MAP,
[01:40:03]
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WAS A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS, AND SO IT GAVE US A LARGER DIALOGUE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT PLANNING UNITS AND WHERE PLANNING UNITS COULD WIND UP.WHAT I DIDN'T WANT TO DO WAS BRING THE BOARD BACK ZONING OPTION 1, AND THEN HAVE Y'ALL SAY, WHAT IF WE MOVED THIS PLANNING UNIT SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND THAT NO LONGER BE IN THE MAP AS AN OPTION OR A PART OF THE CONVERSATION? MAP C HANDLES PLANNING UNITS IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY THAN OPTION 1, WHICH GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY FOR Y'ALL JUST TO HAVE SOME OPTIONS AND SOME MORE CONVERSATION ON THE TABLE.
ZONING OPTION 1 WAS THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED MAP, AND SO THAT MAP MOVED FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS AND INTO A KIND OF A LARGER CONVERSATION WITH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ABOUT LAND AND SOME OF THOSE PIECES TO LOOK AT WITHIN THAT MAP, WHAT WERE THE OTHER CHANGES THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR Y'ALL, THERE WERE SIX COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS THAT WE DID TWO ON THE 17TH, TWO ON THE 22ND, AND THEN TWO ON THE SEVENTH, THOSE WERE WELL ATTENDED.
ONE OR TWO OF THOSE WAS SMALL, BUT MOST OF THOSE HAD BETWEEN 60, 70 PEOPLE, AS MANY AS 100, AND SO WE REALLY DID GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
WE ALSO HAD TWO ITERATIONS OF A COMMUNITY-WIDE SURVEY THAT WERE OUT, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD COMMUNITY IMPACT AND SOME OTHER LOCAL MEDIA WHO PICKED UP SOME OF THIS CONVERSATION AND SHARED THAT OUT.
TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE AWARE THAT WE WERE HAVING THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF US DOING THE BEST JOB THAT WE COULD TO GET AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE INTO THE PROCESS.
KNOWING THAT IN THIS PROCESS WITH A LOT OF FEEDBACK, AS WE DISCUSSED IN THE FIRST MEETING WITH THE COMMITTEE, THERE'S NO PERFECT MAP.
THERE'S NOT A MAP THAT ULTIMATELY SATISFIES EVERY COMMUNITY.
THIS MAP JUST ILLUSTRATES PLANNING UNITS WHERE WE GOT FEEDBACK FROM.
THERE WAS A LOT OF INPUT, I FEEL LIKE WE AT LEAST HAD GOOD ENGAGEMENT, AND PEOPLE WERE RESPONDING, GIVING US FEEDBACK AND TALKING TO US ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS RELATED TO THE MAPS THAT WERE PUBLISHED.
>> THIS IS THE RECOMMENDED SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY.
THIS IS ZONING OPTION 1 WHICH WAS THE COMMITTEE MAP THAT THEN WENT THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SO IT'S THE ORIGINAL COMMITTEE MAP WITH A CHANGE AFTER HAVING SOME EXTENDED CONVERSATION ADMINISTRATIVELY ABOUT THAT MAP AND LOOKING THROUGH THE FEEDBACK.
THERE WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD OR A PLANNING UNIT, RATHER, 18, WHICH WE DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT FROM A COMMUTABILITY STANDPOINT OF GOING DOWN FITZU ON THAT TROUT WINE DOWN THAT ONE LANE ROAD CROSSING OVER THAT LOW WATER CROSSING VERSUS THE COMMUTE DOWN FITS YOU TO DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.
THAT WAS A CHANGE TO THE ORIGINAL COMMITTEE MAP THAT WE MADE ADMINISTRATIVELY FEELING LIKE THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT WE DID NEED TO ADDRESS.
OTHERWISE, IT IS THE COMMITTEE MAP.
WE DID TRY TO LOOK AT WERE THERE WAYS TO MAKE CHANGES AND DID A LOT OF EXERCISE ON HOW COULD WE CHANGE THE MAP TO MEET AS MUCH COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE.
THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT IS THAT AS WE LOOKED AT THAT, AND KATIE, I THINK I'M MISSING A SLIDE.
THE CHALLENGE IS THAT THE BALANCING OF THAT ENDS UP PUTTING THREE CAMPUSES OVERCAPACITY IN THE THIRD YEAR, AND FOUR CAMPUSES PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY OVER CAPACITY IN THAT FOURTH YEAR AND SO OUR ISSUE IS THAT WE END UP WITH PORTABLES AT THREE SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SOME SCHOOLS THAT DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE PORTABLES, WHICH WILL MEAN THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE AND ADD PORTABLES TO SOME SCHOOLS.
IT'S OKAY, KATIE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT ON THE FLASH DRIVE WITH YOU, THAT'S OKAY.
BUT SO WE END UP AT ABOUT FOUR CAMPUSES AT 120%, WHICH ISN'T GOING TO GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO FUTURE-PROOF IF WE NEEDED TO.
BASICALLY, THAT WOULD MEAN IF OUR GROWTH DIDN'T HAPPEN AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CAMPUSES THAT ARE OVERCAPACITY AND THEN TWO CAMPUSES THAT WOULD BE SITTING AT 700.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE IF WE TRY TO MOVE THAT ALL AROUND.
IT DOESN'T QUITE WORK, ALTHOUGH THAT'S CERTAINLY A DECISION THAT WE COULD MAKE.
THAT'S HOW OUR CURRENT ZONING IS WORKING RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE SOME CAMPUSES THAT ARE WELL OVER CAPACITY AND SOME THAT ARE UNDER AND SO OVERALL, I THINK THAT'S A GROWTH DECISION.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IN OUR CHARGE WAS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BALANCED
[01:45:03]
ALL THE WAY THROUGH SO THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS WERE SHARING THAT GROWTH, AND WE WERE FUTURE-PROOFING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BUT IT IS A DIFFERENT WAY TO HANDLE THAT IT DOES CREATE SOME CHALLENGES.ALSO IN TERMS OF GRANDFATHERING, AND I KNOW THAT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION THAT FAMILIES HAVE WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH GRANDFATHERING IN THIS PROCESS.
RIGHT NOW, AS WE'RE LOOKING OUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT FUTURE YEARS WHEN WE'RE NOT OVER CAPACITY SO SIGNIFICANTLY IN THAT SECOND YEAR, THEN I HAVE THAT ABILITY TO ADD GRANDFATHERING INTO THAT SECOND YEAR.
IF WE END UP OVER CAPACITY AND START HAVING SCHOOLS OVER CAPACITY IN YEAR 2, THEN THAT PREVENTS US FROM HAVING A SECOND YEAR OF GRANDFATHERING.
IN THE PAST, THE DISTRICT HAS ALWAYS GRANDFATHERED FIFTH AND EIGHTH GRADE SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN OPTION, AND THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE AN OPTION.
RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GRANDFATHER FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE AND SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADE INTO SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE SO THAT CURRENT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS COULD STAY ALL THE WAY THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SO THAT OUR CURRENT THIRD GRADERS COULD STAY FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH AND FINISH OUT THEIR ELEMENTARY.
THE CHALLENGE IS IF WE CHANGE CAPACITY ISSUES AND HAVE SOME THEN CAPACITY ISSUES THAT MOVE FORWARD INTO THOSE EARLIER YEARS, AND WE'RE NOT AS EFFICIENT, THAT MAKES THAT MORE DIFFICULT TO TAKE THAT SECOND YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY OVERCAPACITY IN THAT SECOND YEAR WHEN YOU GRANDFATHER MORE STUDENTS IN, THAT'S ONLY GOING TO EXACERBATE THAT ISSUE AND MEAN PORTABLES EVEN SOONER SO IT'S THAT BALANCING ACT IF WE WANT THE BALANCE, THEN THAT HELPS WITH THE GRANDFATHERING IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
THEN JUST WANT TO MENTION IN JANUARY, WE'LL PUBLISH ALL OF THE ATTENDANCE ZONE CHANGES.
WE'LL ALSO PUT OUT THE GRANDFATHERING RULES AT THAT TIME.
RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS BASED OFF OF THE RECOMMENDED MAP.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH GRANDFATHERING IS WE CAN'T REALLY MAKE THAT DECISION AND SET IN STONE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR THAT PROCESS UNTIL WE GET TO A FINAL MAP BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT CHANGES ARE HAPPENING AND KNOW THAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THOSE OUT YEARS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT IN GRANDFATHERING.
NEXT STEPS AS STEPHANIE MENTIONED NO ACTION IS BEING TAKEN THIS EVENING.
YOU ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION IN DECEMBER.
BOUNDARIES WILL BE PUBLISHED AND WE'LL PUT THOSE OUT COMMUNITY-WIDE IN JANUARY AND THEN THE GUIDELINES WILL ALSO BE ANNOUNCED AT THAT TIME AND THEN THE BOUNDARIES DON'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL NEXT AUGUST.
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMITTEE FOR BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS FOR OUR BOARD, BUT I KNOW IT'S ESPECIALLY NOT AN EASY PROCESS FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO THEN HAVE TO GO HOME AND SEE THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, AND TO THOSE WHO'VE COME AND GIVEN COMMENT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PUT IN A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE MAPS, TALKING TO THEIR NEIGHBORS, TALKING TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, COMING TO SPEAK, SOME PEOPLE COMING TO SPEAK MULTIPLE TIMES AND SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT FEEDBACK.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROCESS.
WE ARE TRYING TO INCORPORATE AS MUCH OF THAT AS WE CAN BUT I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT AT LEAST AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND TRYING TO DO THIS TOGETHER AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK FOR AS MANY FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE.
>> JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS THREE TIMES, FIRST TIME AS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO CLARIFY THOSE STARTER MAPS AND THE FACT THAT THEY WEREN'T RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> YES. THEY WERE DEFINITELY STARTER MAPS.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT CJ&M, EVEN IN SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS I REFERENCED, THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME CHANGES IN THOSE MAPS.
SOME OF THOSE MAPS HAD WALNUT OVERCAPACITY IN THE SECOND YEAR, WHICH MEANT WE COULDN'T WORK FROM THAT STARTING POINT.
THEY DIDN'T MEET THE FULL PARAMETERS FOR THE COMMITTEE, AND THOSE WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
WE WEREN'T GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE BE OVERCAPACITY IN YEAR 2.
WE KNEW THAT THEY WEREN'T PERFECT, BUT WE KNEW THAT THEY STARTED THE CONVERSATION AND STARTED THE BALL DOWN THE ROAD.
>> MAN, A LOT OF EMOTIONS IN THIS CONVERSATION.
I KNOW FOR PARENTS OF KIDDOS, YOU KNOW, IN THE LOWER GRADES, I KNOW THAT IT'S REALLY TOUGH.
CHANGE IS HARD AND SO ANYONE THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CHANGE I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE MEMBERS, AND I THINK HER HUSBAND ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THE IDEA FOR THE PTA.
IN THE EVENT, STUDENTS DO HAVE TO MOVE SCHOOLS TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PTA PROGRAM TO HELP WITH THE TRANSITION,
[01:50:03]
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.I DID WANT TO ASK IF WE COULD GET THE SURVEY AND ALL THE RESPONSES TO THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR FUTURE VOTE, JUST SO THAT THE COMMUNITY DOES UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING, AND I HEAR THEM.
I DID WANT THAT AND ALSO, IN THE EVENT THAT THE GRANDFATHER AND MY COMPUTER CLOSED NOW MY THOUGHT IS DEAD, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADERS GRANDFATHER IN AND THEN THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL OPENS THEY COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE TO THEN TRANSITION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WITH A WHOLE NEW CROWD OF PEOPLE, CORRECT?
>> I THINK THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT WITH FUTURE YEARS.
THAT ZONING ISN'T DONE YET AND THERE'S MORE ZONING TO COME BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT SO IT'S HARD TO EXTRAPOLATE THAT ONE'S GOING TO ALIGN TO THE OTHER NECESSARILY BUT CERTAINLY THAT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK THROUGH FOR FAMILIES, WHETHER IT'S ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
>> THEY TRANSITION MAY BE A LOT EASIER IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IN THE CENTER AREA, IT COULD GO EITHER WAY AS FAR AS THE HIGH SCHOOL ZONING IS CONCERNED SO FOR ME, AS A BOARD MEMBER, I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT LENS AS WELL, JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, THESE KIDDOS ARE INGRAINED IN THE WEST SIDE SCHOOLS, AND THEY MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE TO GO TO THE SYCAMORE SIDE.
AS A BOARD MEMBER, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I LOOK AT, AND THE POTENTIAL OF THESE GUYS HAVING TO MOVE AND THE DAMAGE THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DO, AS WELL.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE THAT HAS GIVEN FEEDBACK, AND EMAILS, COME AND SPOKEN.
I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY AS A BOARD MEMBER THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE GOTTEN SO MUCH FEEDBACK ON AN ITEM SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS AND ALL THE FAMILIES THAT ARE REALLY ENGAGED IN WATCHING THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
>> NO ONE WANTED TO REITERATE WHAT YOU GUYS WERE SAYING JUST THINKING, EVERYONE FOR THE MANY HOURS AND EVENINGS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THIS.
MY QUESTION IS ON THE GRANDFATHERING, IS THERE ANY INDICATION ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE IT'LL BE APPLICATION-BASED, OF COURSE, MEANING WOULDN'T ALL BE APPROVED.
WHAT TYPE OF ASSUMPTION DID YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION LIKE ON PERCENTAGE OF CAMPUS THAT MAY WANT TO DO THAT?
>> IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE, THE WAY WE DID IT WAS ACTUALLY GENERATE A LIST OF STUDENTS WHO WERE MOVING AND SO THEN SENDING A LETTER TO THOSE FAMILIES, LETTING THEM KNOW THEY'RE ELIGIBLE, GIVING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO FACTOR IN IS YOUNGER SIBLINGS TO SOME DEGREE SO IF YOU'RE GRANDFATHERING A FOURTH GRADER WHO'S GOING INTO FIFTH, BUT YOU HAVE A SECOND GRADER AND A FIRST GRADER, THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THE OPTION TO STAY SO THAT FAMILIES ARE AT ONE SCHOOL.
I'VE HAD EXPERIENCE WHERE FAMILIES ALL GRANDFATHER OR THEY LEFT THE FIFTH GRADER, BUT PUT THE YOUNGERS ON THE BUS.
THOSE WERE ALL FAMILY DECISIONS.
THE POINT OF IT IS REALLY TO GIVE PEOPLE AS MUCH OPTION AS POSSIBLE SO THAT FAMILIES CAN MAKE THAT DECISION.
I WOULD SAY PROBABLY NOT EVERY FAMILY TAKES ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING, ABOUT HALF IS WHAT I'VE SEEN BUT I THINK FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, POTENTIALLY WE COULD HAVE MORE.
>> THAT IS HELPFUL. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
MARY JANE WAS INVOLVED THE LAST TIME WE DID A REZONING, IN AN AREA OF GROWTH, POPULATION GROWTH, FOR ME, MY FAMILY, ROCCO REZONED IN ELEMENTARY. WE LOVED IT.
WE HAD AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, GREAT TEACHERS, THE CULTURE IT WAS GOOD.
LITERALLY A QUESTION THERE. HOLD ON.
ON THE MAPS I THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY COMMITTEES AND SO MANY THINGS GOING ON WE HAVE SO MUCH DATA AND INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE SPACES AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GROWTH, LIKE E7 AND MIDDLE SCHOOL THREE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US ACTUALLY USE THE LANGUAGE ON ANY TIME FRAME WHERE WE'RE SHOWING A SCHOOL OPENING THAT UNDERNEATH IT, WE ACTUALLY PUT REZONE BECAUSE REZONING IS GOING TO BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND I THINK WITH NEW COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR JUST FOLKS WHO HAVE YOUNG KIDS WHO ARE MOVING UP OR KIDS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH REZONING RIGHT NOW, THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE AND SOMETHING THAT FAMILIES ARE EXPECTING OUR NOS ON THE HORIZON.
>> OVERALL, THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO.
[01:55:01]
THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE THE LAST TIME WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.I JUST WISH THAT WE COULD MAKE 100% OF EVERY PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY HAPPY WITH THE DECISION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE.
BUT I WAS VISITING WITH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES EARLIER TONIGHT, AND IT WAS SAID, BEST, AREN'T WE GLAD ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE GOOD? I SAID THANK GOODNESS. THEY'RE ALL GOOD.
WHEN MY DAUGHTER HAD COMPLETED SECOND GRADE, WE WERE MOVED TO ANOTHER SCHOOL WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN, AND WE WERE STUNNED AT THE BEGINNING.
CHANGE IS HARD, CHANGES REALLY HARD AND WE JUST MADE THE DECISION, WELL, IF SHE'S GOING TO HAVE A DESK THERE, AND THERE'S MORE ROOM THERE, I GUESS THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, I GUESS WE'LL TRY AND IT WAS A GREAT TRANSITION.
IT WAS CHANGE IN THE BEGINNING AND I KNOW AS AN EDUCATOR, CHANGE IS HARD, BUT WE GOT THROUGH IT, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST.
I THINK ALL OF US ON THE BOARD TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION POSSIBLE TO MAKE AS MANY PEOPLE HAPPY AS WE CAN, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BALANCE THOSE NUMBERS.
I DON'T WANT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT THAT HAS 1,300 STUDENTS AND THEN AN ELEMENTARY DOWN THE ROAD THAT HAS FOUR OR 500 STUDENTS.
THAT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL THAT'S REALLY LARGE.
AS WE'RE LOOKING AT NUMBERS, I WISH WE HAD A CRYSTAL BALL.
I WISH WE KNEW WHERE EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO LIVE, AND EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO BUY A HOUSE BUT IT'S TOUGH TO TRY TO BALANCE THOSE NUMBERS AND PLEASE EVERYBODY BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE PERSON FOR YOUR COMMENTS FOR REACHING OUT, FOR SPEAKING.
WE HEAR YOU, WE'RE LISTENING AND IT'S A TOUGH JOB, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO GET IT RIGHT.
>> I KEEP CALLING US LIAISONS, AND I KNOW YOU SAY EX OFFICIO, AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THOSE ARE THE SAME THING BUT AS THE LIAISON TO THE COMMITTEE, I'LL SAY THAT I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE.
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THERE WERE SOME THOUGHTFUL SUPER ROBUST CONVERSATIONS AT EVERY MEETING.
THEY CAME WITH IDEAS AND BOOKS AND NOTEBOOKS AND MAT PENCILS AND THEY OFFERED SO MUCH VALUABLE INPUT, THAT I WILL SAY THIS IS ALSO OUR THIRD TIME IN THE COMMUNITY TO GO THROUGH A REZONING.
WE WERE HERE WHEN SYCAMORE OPENED, WE WERE HERE WHEN CYPRUS OPENED AND THE ONE THING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN THAT HAS HAPPENED NOW IS THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
I WILL SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS SO GRATEFUL FOR IT BECAUSE SEVERAL PEOPLE GOT UP THERE AT THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND SAID, I'M GRATEFUL THAT I EVEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THIS AND TO HAVE THIS INPUT.
I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON THE PROCESS THAT YOU MADE IT UP COMPLETELY, KIND OF.
I THINK THAT THAT WAS AWESOME.
>> I AM NOT THERE ON THIS MAP, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO, AND SO I'LL OFFER SOME TAKEAWAYS OR QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
AS THE COMMITTEE, WE GOT THE PACKET OF FEEDBACK FROM THAT FIRST ROUND OF MAPS, AND SO I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THE FEEDBACK FROM THE SECOND ROUND.
WE WERE WORKING OFF THE MID RANGE PROJECTIONS FOR PASA.
JUST AS A MATTER OF LIKE YOU SAID, IN THIS MAP, THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT ARE OVER IN THE THIRD YEAR AND SUBSTANTIALLY OVER IN THE FOURTH YEAR, IF POSSIBLE, CAN WE GET THE LOW NUMBERS? I KNOW WE GOT THE MID RANGE THAT ARE BROKEN DOWN BY PLANNING UNIT.
DID THEY PROVIDE US JUST SO WE CAN SEE AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE ARE LOW?
>> THEY DIDN'T GIVE US THE LOW RANGE.
I PULLED IT TO LOOK AT IT TO SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE.
IT WAS ABOUT 70 KIDS, AND SO OVER SIX CAMPUSES.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH DISTRICT WIDE TO MAKE AN IMPACT, AND SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGES.
THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR GROWTH ISN'T SIGNIFICANT BETWEEN [INAUDIBLE]. I CAN SHOW YOU WHERE THAT IS.
>> WHERE THEY ARE. BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT IN BELTERRA, THEY'RE PROBABLY ON THAT WEST SIDE.
ONE QUESTION I HAD FROM A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT GRANDFATHERING.
OLIVIA, THIS GOES TO SPEAK TO WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.
AS ANY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE MOVING, THEY'RE MOVING FROM DSMS TO SYCAMORE,
[02:00:02]
OUR ENROLLMENT IS ACTUALLY MUCH LOWER AT DSMS THAN IT IS AT SYCAMORE, SO I THINK WITH THE GRANDFATHERING HOPEFULLY, LIKE YOU SAID, WILL BE ABLE TO GRANDFATHER TWO OF THOSE GRADES.>> WHAT WOULD IN A SITUATION WHERE A FAMILY HAS, YOU MENTIONED AT ELEMENTARY, BUT IN A SITUATION WHERE A FAMILY MAYBE HAS AN EIGHTH GRADER AND AN INCOMING SIXTH GRADER?
>> THEY WOULD JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN SEVENTH GRADE, THEN THEY'VE GOT TO GO TO THAT.
SIXTH GRADER COULD START THERE FOR CONVENIENCE, BUT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ON THERE AT SEVENTH.
MAKE CLEAR ABOUT TRANSPORTATION WITH GRANDFATHERING.
>> WITH GRANDFATHERING, YOU'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO DO TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING THEN TO MULTIPLE SCHOOLS.
BASICALLY, YOU'RE DOING DOOR TO DOOR PICK UP FOR EVERY FAMILY TO WHEREVER IN THE DISTRICT.
>> I KNOW THAT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS MADE CLEAR TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THAT GRANDFATHERING DOESN'T INCLUDE BUS SERVICE.
I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSED AT ONE POINT, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT MY FAMILY HAS MOVED FOUR TIMES.
WE'VE BEEN REZONED FOUR TIMES.
I LOVE THE TALK THAT I HAD WITH YOU ABOUT THAT VISUAL OF REALLY A FAMILY MAY HAVE BEEN REZONED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE ONE STUDENT HAS ACTUALLY NOT.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT MAYBE IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THAT YES, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN REZONED FROM KINDER TO FIRST, BUT THEN THEY GOT TO GRANDFATHER IF THEY WERE REZONED AGAIN.
REALLY, THIS WOULDN'T BE A REZONE FOR THAT KID. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? PIGGY BACK ON WHAT TRICIA SAID, THAT WHOLE MIDDLE OF TOWN, IT'S LIKELY THAT THAT WHOLE MIDDLE DOES SWING EAST WITH HIGH SCHOOL TOO, AND SO I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE IN OUR CONVERSATIONS.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A BOARD WORKSHOP ON THIS BECAUSE IF WE CAN SIT DOWN AND REALLY DIVE INTO THE MAPS AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
>> ON WHAT ARE YOU ASKING, THIS IS OUR TIME AND OUR TIME FROM ALL THE OTHER. ON WHAT?
>> LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE CAN DO OTHER WORK ON THIS MAP.
>> YOU ARE GOING TO BE VERY SPECIFIC BECAUSE YOU'VE ALSO SAID HOW EXTENSIVE THIS PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN, SO PLEASE BE VERY SPECIFIC.
>> I AGREE. I THINK THAT SUNSET CANYON NORTH SHOULD BE ZONED TO ELEMENTARY 6.
>> SHOULD BASED ON [INAUDIBLE].
>> NO. THE SAFETY, THE PROXIMITY, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE CONNECTED BY ROAD, I THINK THAT THAT MAKES MORE LOGICAL SENSE FOR THEM TO BE AT THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAN IT DOES FOR THEM.
CAN YOU ASK A QUESTION OR HOW YOU WOULD PROPOSE SYCAMORE GETS TO CAPACITY? I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORKING OFF OF MAP OPTION 2.
BUT THAT STILL SUNSET CANYON NORTH HAS CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT YOU'RE NOW PULLING FROM SYCAMORE, AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING OPTION 2, THAT DOESN'T CHANGE SYCAMORE NOW.
>> WHERE 33 IS GOING TO SYCAMORE.
>> THAT'S THE QUESTION FOR CONSIDERATION.
>> THAT'S THE SPECIFIC CHANGES THAT I WOULD HAVE.
>> THAT'S YOUR BIGGEST THING? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WITH THIS MAP, YES, THAT I WOULD HAVE A STICKY POINT ON SAYING YES TO.
>> WHAT OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE?
>> DID EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY? I KNOW WE HAD A SPLIT BECAUSE OF SCHEDULE.
I'M SAYING DID EVERY BOARD MEMBER MEET WITH HOLLY AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF FEEDBACK, ASK QUESTIONS?
>> THAT WAS A PLACE OF A WORKSHOP BECAUSE WE COULDN'T ALL GET TOGETHER?
>> IS IT OKAY TO ASK, DID YOU SEND THAT FEEDBACK IN?
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ONE FOR OUR BOARD, BUT ALSO OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT BESIDES ATTENDING THE MEETINGS, WE DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WE WERE GOING TO DO A WORKSHOP BECAUSE SCHEDULES WOULDN'T ALLOW THAT.
OUR SUPERINTENDENT ACTUALLY MET WITH ALL OF US TO GO OVER ALL THE MAPS.
>> I THOUGHT WE WERE STILL GOING TO DO A WORKSHOP IS WHERE I AM.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT, LET'S DO IT HERE.
BUT I DIDN'T BRING ALL MY MAPS THAT I HAD.
[02:05:01]
>> THAT IS WHY DR. HARSCO MADE CONSIDERABLE TIME FOR US.
WE DID GET EXTENSIVE INFORMATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION BASED ON LAND DEALINGS, GROWTH, ETC., THINGS THAT NORMALLY, THIS IS WHY IN A LOT OF DISTRICTS, THIS IS AN ENTIRELY CLOSED PROCESS, AND WHY EVEN IN OUR DISTRICT, IT'S GONE THROUGH A CLOSED PROCESS BEFORE.
IT WAS OUR BOARD AND ACTUALLY, EVEN OUR SUPERINTENDENT THAT REALLY WANTED THIS TO BE A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS.
EVEN THOUGH THIS IS AS PUBLIC AS WE CAN BE, THERE'S STILL QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN'T SHARE, WHICH IS WHY SUNSET CANYON, SPEAKING VERY BLUNTLY, VERY LIKELY WOULD BE ZONED TO THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT IS A PART OF OUR CONVERSATION.
WE CANNOT PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, SO THAT PARTICULAR METRIC, THERE'S NO WAY TO TELL THIS FAR OUT FROM THAT, AND SO IT IS A REALLY HARD CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, TO DR. MORSE, THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT I REALLY WISH SHE WAS IN HERE BECAUSE I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT SHE ADD IT TO THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT SHOWED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, ESSENTIALLY, IF PEOPLE GOT WHAT THEY WANTED.
IF EVERYBODY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED, FROM AN EMOTIONAL STANDPOINT, WE WOULD NEED BONDS A LOT EARLIER FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS A LOT EARLIER, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY AND WALNUT WOULD BE A 1,200 STUDENTS IN LIKE TWO YEARS.
OUR SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY AND ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY WOULD BE 700 KIDS OR LESS.
THAT WAS WITH REGARDLESS OF LOW MEDIUM HIGH NUMBERS YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
THAT IS, THAT'S JUST THE FACTS.
SHE DOES HAVE IT NOW? ROB, WHAT QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION DO YOU HAVE WHILE WE'RE WAITING ON THAT?
>> THAT'S ALL. I LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE, FIRST BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE TO FOCUS ON.
FIRST, IF I LOOK AT THIS NUMBERS CORRECTLY, IN 2025, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SINGLE ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL IT'S OVERCROWDED AND DRIPPING SPRINGS. THAT'S POSITIVE.
I THINK WE'VE HAD NO LESS THAN 1,000 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONVERSATIONS AND FEEDBACK ON THAT.
THAT'S A POSITIVE BECAUSE THAT MEANS OUR PARENTS CARE ABOUT OTHER KIDS.
THE PARENTS ARE ENGAGED IN THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THE OVERWHELMING FEEDBACK WE GOT WAS, PLEASE DON'T MOVE US FROM OUR SCHOOL.
IF I'M A PRINCIPAL, I'M AN ADMINISTRATOR, I'M GOING, LET'S GO.
THAT'S POSITIVE. HERE'S ANOTHER POSITIVE.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES IS AN A CAMPUS.
THAT'S ANOTHER POSITIVE. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY I KNOW THIS IS TOUGH, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE SENDING SCHOOL KIDS FROM AN AOB OR CRD.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THAT PERSPECTIVE AS WE HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
I THINK IT'S ALSO WORTHY TO NOTE THAT MOST OF US ON THIS BOARD ARE PARENTS WITH KIDS ACTIVELY IN THE DISTRICT, AND ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THE DECISION THAT'S ULTIMATELY MADE BY THIS BODY, SO WE GOT A CHALLENGE.
MARY JANE, YOU WEREN'T KIDDING. THIS IS CHALLENGING.
I BROUGHT ALL MY MAPS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO FEEDBACK AND HEARING FROM A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I STARTED TO MAKE THE MAP, SAID, IF I TOOK EVERY PIECE OF COLLECTIVE FEEDBACK WE GOT, WHICH IS MORE THAN ONE PERSON.
THERE'S A COLLECTIVE SENTIMENT THAT CAME FROM A SPECIFIC, PLANNING UNIT IS THE WRONG WORD, BUT LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD OR SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY, IT TURNED INTO SPAGHETTI.
I'M BEING HONEST IN THAT SENSE, IS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, IT DOESN'T WORK.
THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE WITH THAT IS NOT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A DESIRE TO DO THAT.
I THINK A LOT OF US WOULD LOVE EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO GO TO E6 TO GO TO E6. THAT'D BE MY PREFERENCE.
I'D VOTE FOR THAT MAP. MARY JANE, WOULD YOU VOTE FOR THAT MAP? I THINK WE'D ALL VOTE FOR THAT MAP.
PROBLEM IS IN YEAR 2 OF THAT SCHOOL, IT'S OVERCROWDED.
I TURNED MY MAP INTO SPAGHETTI.
THEN I LOOKED ON THE EAT SIDE OF TOWN AND THE RATION HAS BEEN VERY ADAMANT ABOUT, I REALLY WANT TO STAY AT SYCAMORE ELEMENTARY.
THAT'S TESTAMENT TO [INAUDIBLE] AND HIS TEAM THERE AT SYCAMORE.
BUT THEN ROOSTER SPRINGS, WHERE MY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL, CONTINUES TO DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT, AT LEAST FOR THE PROJECTIONS, AND NOW WE'RE AT80% UTILIZATION. YOU GOT IT UP ON HERE? IT LOOKS A LOT JUST HAPPENED.
I WROTE DOWN THREE THINGS. LET ME GET TO MY POINT, I'M JUST WALKING THROUGH IT.
THREE BIG THINGS THAT I WAS LOOKING AT, AND IT ALIGNS WITH THE CHARTS THAT THE COMMITTEE GOT, WHICH, BY THE WAY, THANK YOU COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR DOING THIS.
THIS IS NOT AN EASY COMMITTEE TO DO.
FIRST WAS TO BALANCE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT THROUGH 2029.
THE BENEFIT FOR THAT, IF WE CAN PULL THAT OFF, IS THAT ALLOWS OUR BOND CAPACITY TO INCREASE.
THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DEFER AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION OUT FOR A YEAR, AND THAT WOULD BE HUGE FOR US.
THAT WOULD JUST BE HUGE IF WE CAN PULL THAT OFF.
DR. MORSE, YOU HAVE DONE YOUR WORK TO TRY TO GET AS CLOSE TO THAT AS POSSIBLE.
[02:10:01]
NOW, THERE'S SOME FACTORS IN THAT THAT ARE UNKNOWN.A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THAT IT ALL GOES INTO E6.
IT'S THAT AREA AROUND BIG SKY AND CANYON RANCH AND THE MERITAGE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING TO COME IN THERE.
THE TIMING OF THAT IS CRITICAL FOR THE GROWTH OF E6, AND WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK OUT TO 2029.
THAT IS A VERY HARD THING TO DO.
WHAT WE LOOK TO NOW WAS THE SECOND THING FOR ME WAS TO MINIMIZE THE RELOCATIONS OF OUR EXISTING FAMILIES.
THE FOLKS WE'VE HEARD FROM TONIGHT ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY IMPACTED BY THAT AND WE HEAR YOU, AND I HEAR YOU.
HERE'S THE NUMBERS I CAME UP WITH.
I HAVE THAT RIGHT, DR. MORSE, ABOUT 47-ISH? YOUR BRAIN LOOKS LIKE MY MAP AT THIS POINT, LIKE SPAGHETTI. HERE'S WHAT I CAME UP WITH.
>> SOME OF THEM ARE SUBDIVIDED, SO IT'S MORE THAN THAT.
>> LET'S ROUND IT UP, 50. FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MINIMIZING RELOCATIONS.
FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, BASED ON THE MAP THAT WAS RECOMMENDED, WE'RE DOWN OUT OF 50 TO FIVE PLANNING UNITS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED, HAVING TO MOVE TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
FOR ME, THAT CHECKS THE BLOCK.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOT TO MINIMIZE THOSE WHO ARE BEING MOVED, IT'S JUST SAYING ON A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE FIVE OUT OF 50. THAT'S NOT BAD.
ON THE ELEMENTARY SIDE, WE HAVE 50, AND WE HAD 19, IN FACT IMPACTED BY THAT.
HOWEVER, SIX OF THOSE ARE GOING TO E6, WHICH EVERYBODY SEEMS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, SO THAT LEAVES US TO 13 OUT OF THE 50 THAT WILL BE IMPACTED.
AGAIN, MOST OF THOSE ARE WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S REALLY NOW WHERE IT COMES DOWN TO 33, 19, 19B, 35, AND 20A.
THE LAST THING I REALLY POINTED OUT HERE WAS A GENEROUS GRANDFATHERING OPTION FOR FAMILIES.
LISTEN, I HEAR THE SENTIMENT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T WANT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, THEIR KID TO HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR SCHOOL.
I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HEAR THAT.
I HEAR THAT AS A DAD, AND THEY HEAR THAT AS MOMS. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S A VARIABLE.
I THINK, DR. MORSE, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING FROM A GRANDFATHERING PERSPECTIVE, LET'S DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET TO THAT, SO THAT EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE CAN'T COMPREHEND AT OUR LEVEL, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MEET IT.
THAT'S MY HEART IN THERE. I KNOW IT'S YOUR HEART, AND JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY SO THAT WE DO THAT.
IN THE END, I THINK HERE'S WHERE WE ARE.
THE MAP DOESN'T NECESSARILY FULLY ALIGN WITH THE OVERALL SENTIMENT THAT WE'VE HEARD.
BY THE WAY, I'M MOURNED IN SUNSET CANYON, THAT YOU GUYS ARE HAVING THIS INTERNAL STRIFE.
LET'S NOT DO THAT, PLEASE Y'ALL.
LET'S NOT DO THAT. WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT. WE'RE ALL DRIP.
LET'S NOT ALLOW A GIT TO BREAK UP A COMMUNITY ABOUT WHERE WE GO TO SCHOOL.
SOME OF Y'ALL SHAKING YOUR HEAD WITH ME, I APPRECIATE THAT.
LET'S NOT DO THAT, PLEASE. WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT.
IN THE END, I'LL TELL YOU, YOUR KIDS AREN'T GOING TO LOSE IN THIS, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME IMPACT, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A LOT TO DO THIS.
I WON'T WEIGH IN ON ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
I DON'T HAVE IT. I THINK A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE HERE.
IF WE DECIDE TO MODIFY THIS FOR A REASON THAT MAKES SENSE, I'D BE OKAY WITH THAT, BUT I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB TO GET AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO MEETING ALL THE NEEDS AS POSSIBLE.
BUT AGAIN, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO RELOOKING THIS.
IF THERE'S ANOTHER NEED THAT CAN BE MET, THEN LET'S DO THAT.
IF NOT, THEN I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB TRYING TO GET AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE.
BUT IF SOMETHING SURFACES IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, AND WE NEED TO RELOOK AT IT, I THINK IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT, BUT MADAM PRESIDENT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO ADDRESS AT THIS POINT.
>> JUST TO ADD, I THINK TO MY COMMENTS HERE, THAT THE RIGHT TURN STRATEGY IN THE 290 CORRIDOR FOR ME MAKES MORE SENSE.
I THINK THAT IT EFFECTIVELY BALANCES THE MAP IN THE SAME WAY AND THAT IT'S SAFER AND LOGICALLY MAKES MORE SENSE FOR SPECIFICALLY PROXIMITY THERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEIR ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL.
IF WE GET 75 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS OFF OF 290, TO ME, THAT'S A WIN.
>> YOU COULD MAKE THE SAME ARGUMENT, THOUGH, IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE.
OBVIOUSLY, THESE PEOPLE TAKE A LEFT TO GO TO EGB OR THEY TAKE A LEFT TO GO IN AUSTIN.
THEY MAY VERY WELL BE ZONED TO THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
>> I'M NOT SAYING THAT AS A STATEMENT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE AT ALL.
IT IS WHY I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THIS, DESPITE PISSING OFF EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, AND I CAN OWN IT BECAUSE I DO CARE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
TO TRICIA'S POINT, I TALKED WITH DR. MOSCONS, AND I SAID, ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO BE AT HIGH SCHOOL TOO? SHE SAID, PROBABLY MORE THAN LIKELY, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO PULL POPULATION, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT OPEN A SECOND HIGH SCHOOL AND KEEP CAPACITY AT 1,500.
THESE ORIGINAL PASA MAPS THAT WERE NEVER REALLY INTENDED TO BE ZONING MAPS, THEY WERE JUST STARTED TO GET DISCUSSION GOING.
THAT PASA MAP HAD YOUR SECOND HIGH SCHOOL AT 1,500 KIDS AND YOUR FIRST HIGH SCHOOL AT 3,800.
[02:15:01]
IT IS AN UNDERTAKING TO BUILD A SECOND HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS TOWN.IT'S GOING TO BE AN UNDERTAKING TO BUILD A THIRD HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS TOWN.
THAT IS NOT ONLY WILDLY UNPOPULAR, IT IS SO INEFFICIENT TO NOT UTILIZE THAT SPACE.
WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS, I SAID, AS HARD AS IT IS, I WOULD RATHER MAKE THAT TRANSITION FOR MY KID IN FIFTH GRADE, AND THEY WOULD THEN GROW INTO THAT NEW CAMPUS OF STUDENTS, RATHER THAN TRYING TO MAKE THE TRANSITION THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THE CAMPUS OPENS, AND WE NO LONGER HAVE THE LUXURY FOR GRANDFATHERING.
I'M GOING TO SUMMARIZE SOME THINGS.
WE GAVE A CHARGE TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO KEEP CAPACITY AS BALANCED AS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE HONESTLY, WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR BOND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO INCREASE YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
BECAUSE IF WE WOULD GO BACK FOR A BOND ANY EARLIER THAN WHAT THIS ZONING IS, IT'S GOING TO INCREASE YOUR TAX RATE, WHICH DOES AFFECT EVERYBODY, AND THEN EVERYONE COMES BACK TO THE MEETINGS AND THEY'RE PISSED OFF AT US AGAIN.
WE'RE BALANCING A LOT OF THINGS TO KEEP EVERYBODY HAPPY FROM A LOT OF ANGLES, NOT JUST WHERE YOU WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL, BUT FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, FROM STAFFING.
WE'VE HEARD TONS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM STAFF THAT THEIR SCHOOLS ARE OVERCROWDED.
THEY DON'T WANT TO STAY AT WALNUT AND DSE BECAUSE THEIR SCHOOLS ARE OVERCROWDED.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NO SAY OVER THE ROADS, SO THAT WAS NOT AT ALL, HAS NEVER BEEN A PART OF CONVERSATION.
THAT IS COUNTY, AND THAT IS TXDOT, DEPENDING ON WHAT ROAD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE DO WANT TO HONOR THOSE FAMILIES.
YES. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT ONE STUDENT HAS HAD FOUR TRANSITIONS IN WHATEVER YEARS, BUT A FAMILY LIKELY HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF TRANSITIONS ON THE EAST SIDE BECAUSE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY HISTORICALLY WHERE A LOT OF THE GROWTH HAS BEEN.
THAT WAS A CHARGE OF THE COMMITTEE AND WHAT ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING THAT PARTICULARLY THESE, I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE IT, BUT THE NUTTY BROWN WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL TRANSITIONS FOR A FAMILY UNIT, THAT IF WE COULD SOLIDIFY THAT CAMPUS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE NOW, SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY MORE.
ALSO, SO THAT IF THERE IS A LARGE DECISION NOW LIKE AT SUNSET CANYON, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY MORE IN THE FUTURE.
THAT WOULD BE MY HOPE THAT HOW ARE SYCAMORE SPRINGS AND ROOSTER SPRINGS, AND THAT HAS BEEN MY REQUEST FOR YOU THAT OUR CAMPUSES WHERE THERE IS NO NEW DEVELOPMENT LIKE SYCAMORE AND ROOSTER AT THIS CURRENT MAP, THAT THEY WOULD BE AS CLOSE TO SOLIDIFIED OR STABLE.
I'LL USE THAT WORD, AS POSSIBLE SO THAT IF THERE IS A WILD TRANSITION LIKE THAT 20A AND THE SUNSET CANYON NUMBERS, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANOTHER TRANSITION, THAT I COULD STAND ON THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S EASIER NOW THAN IT WOULD BE TO GO INTO HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I THOUGHT THROUGH.
I PERSONALLY DID ALL OF THESE DRIVING ROUTES.
I KNOW DR. MOSCONS HERSELF, HERSELF TOOK TIME OUT OF HER DAY TO DRIVE A TON OF THESE ROUTES.
I BROUGHT UP SAFETY FOR A LOT OF THE ROUTES I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY OUR TRANSPORTATION TEAM.
HUGE SHOUT OUT PAM SWANKS. SHE'S AMAZING.
ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT BUS ROUTES WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I FACT CHECK ALL OF YOU ALL AT YOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHEN YOU SAID IT'S THIS MUCH TIME, SO I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES, AND I DROVE INTO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I PERSONALLY HAVE PUT IN A LOT OF TIME.
SHANDA PERSONALLY HAS BLOOD SWEATING TEARS BEING ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE, SAME WITH MARY JANE.
BUT ALL OF US FEEL THE HEAT OF THIS DECISION.
NONE OF US WANT TO GET IT WRONG.
THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE WHO SEES THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET IT WRONG WITH A LOT OF THINGS IN MY BRAIN.
GRANDFATHERING, I DID WANT TO CLARIFY, WHICH WAS CLARIFIED TO ME, IT IS FOR SIBLINGS, CORRECT? IF YOU HAVE A RISING NEXT YEAR, A FOURTH GRADER, THAT WOULD BE FOR, SAY, THEIR SECOND GRADE SIBLING AND A PRE-K SIBLING AS WELL.
YES. NOW, ONCE THAT FOURTH GRADER LEFT ELEMENTARY, THOSE YOUNGER STUDENTS WOULD THEN HAVE TO GO TO NEW CAMPUS, BUT POTENTIALLY, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE OPENING ANOTHER ELEMENTARY.
MAYBE THAT IS A BETTER TIME FOR THEM TO TRANSITION ANYWAY. THEN SAME FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IF YOU HAVE A MIDDLE SCHOOLER THAT IS SO CURRENTLY IN SIXTH GRADE, AND THEN YOU HAD A NEW SIXTH GRADER, THEY WOULD ALL FINISH OUT POTENTIALLY IN THIS POINT.
THEY WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY MAYBE POTENTIALLY GO TO A NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
SOLIDIFYING SYCAMORE AND ROOSTER SPRINGS CAMPUSES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
[02:20:04]
I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT CHARGE BECAUSE THOSE CAMPUSES DO NOT HAVE ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT.TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S NO NEW STUDENT POPULATION REALLY GROWING, IF ANYTHING, WE'RE CONTRACTING THOSE CAMPUSES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF UNSAFE ROADS.
THERE IS ACTUALLY A LIGHT OUT OF SUNSET CANYON.
I KNOW I HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS FOR KEY RANCH THAT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A LIGHT.
THERE ARE SOME REALLY BAD ROADS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE ROADS, BUT THERE ARE SOME VERY DANGEROUS ROADS.
I CAN TELL YOU, HAVING A LIGHT AT ALL IS NOT THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S ALSO PULLING OFF GROWTH FROM DOWNTOWN THAT WE CONSIDERED.
THERE'S LOOKING AT THE GROWTH.
WE KNOW FROM OUR HEAT MAPS THAT OUR GROWTH IS ON THE NORTH SIDE, IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE.
THAT'S VERY STRONG CHANCE THAT THOSE ARE WHERE OUR FUTURE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE.
IN ORDER TO AFFECT THOSE FAMILIES IN THOSE AREAS EVEN LESS, IT MEANS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLIDIFY THINGS OVER ON THE EAST SIDE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
NONE OF US HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, AND NO ONE'S GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH 100% DECISIONS THAT IS MADE BY THIS MAP, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW VERY CLEARLY THAT THERE WAS SO MANY HOURS OF TIME, ENERGY, ATTENTION.
THIS WAS NOT JUST SOME SPORADIC THING.
IF THERE'S DISAGREEMENTS, IT'S DISAGREEMENTS.
IT'S NOT THAT THERE WASN'T DILIGENCE OR THOUGHT PUT BEHIND ALMOST EVERYTHING.
ALMOST EVERY COMMENT THAT WE HEARD YOU KNOW, IN COMMUNITY FEEDBACK MEETINGS, NOTHING WAS ACTUALLY NEW FOR BOTH THE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS BOARD MEMBERS.
WE'VE ALL THOUGHT OF ALL OF THESE THINGS.
I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DILIGENCE PAID.
WE'RE ALSO AT A POINT IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE I THINK ONE COMMITTEE MEMBER SAID TO ME WE CAN'T MAKE THESE DECISIONS BASED ON FEELINGS ANYMORE.
THE WAY THAT OUR GROWTH IS, THOSE THINGS MATTER, OF COURSE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES TO CONSIDER.
DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS, DR. MOSCONS?
>> NOW, KATIE DID FIND SO THE REQUEST THAT I HAD GOTTEN FROM BOARD MEMBERS WAS, CAN WE TRY AND MOVE EVERYTHING AND GET TO A PLACE? WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS SECOND YEAR IS CYPRESS OVERCAPACITY, DSE, JUST AT CAPACITY, WALNUT OVERCAPACITY, ELEMENTARY 6 JUST AT CAPACITY.
IN THAT SECOND YEAR, IF WE TRY TO MOVE EVERYTHING, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
I GUESS I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. IT'S POSSIBLE.
IT COMES WITH THE AFTER EFFECT OF NEEDING PORTABLES IN YEAR 2, FOR SOME CAMPUSES, DEFINITELY IN YEAR 3, FOR MULTIPLE CAMPUSES, AND IT DOES PREVENT US FROM THE POTENTIAL FOR HAVING BALANCE IF OUR GROWTH SLOWS, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO OPEN A CAMPUS AS SOON.
IT'S GOING TO PUSH THAT ISSUE SOONER THAN WE MIGHT LIKE.
IT'S THE WEIGHING OF THAT, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATCH THE CHARGE.
IT DOES MEAN IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
IT'S JUST NOT THE MOST IDEAL SITUATION.
IT'S MORE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, WHICH IS PUSHING OUR HAND TO NEED TO BE BUYING PORTABLES AND DOING THINGS THAT WE PREFER NOT TO BE SPENDING MONEY ON WHEN WE CAN BE SPENDING THEM ON TEACHER SALARIES.
>> WE'RE GETTING TO THE SAME POINT, TO YOUR POINT OF THERE'S ZERO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I KNOW WE CAN'T MOVE ALL OF THOSE WHITE CIRCLES WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
BUT TO YOUR POINT OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, AND EVENTUALLY WITH HIGH SCHOOL 2, IT'S JUST AS LIKELY THAT 33 IS GOING TO BE ZONED TO HIGH SCHOOL 2 AS IT IS THAT 19A WILL.
IN THAT CASE, I FEEL LIKE 19A SHOULD BE GOING TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THEIR BACKYARD RATHER THAN ONE THAT JUST AS EASILY 33 COULD GET TO.
BUT WE GOT A TON OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM 33.
THEY'RE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ELEMENTARY 6.
I'M JUST SAYING EVERYONE HAS THE SAME ARGUMENT.
>> IT'S YOUR FRIENDS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE YOUR FRIENDS ARE, SHANDA, AND YOU ARE GETTING AFFECTED DIRECTLY BECAUSE YOU LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR. I HEAR IT.
>> THAT'S NOT TRUE AND YOU KNOW IT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
>> I HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS IN 33 THAT ARE ALSO GOING TO BE UPSET IF I'M CHANGING THEM OUT FOR ONE, BUT IF IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER, I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE BOTH.
I FEEL LIKE IF WE COULD GET THEM BOTH IN THERE, I WOULD LOVE TO.
I JUST THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR ME FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT AND FROM THE RIGHT TURNS OFF OF 290 STRATEGY OR THAT THEY'RE IN A SCHOOL THAT'S IN THEIR BACK YARD.
[02:25:05]
>> BUT IF THEY GO TO HIGH SCHOOL 2, THEY'RE NOT TAKING THE RIGHT TURN.
THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE EVENTUALLY.
>> I GET IT. WE'RE NOT ZONING FOR HIGH SCHOOL, WE'RE ZONING FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
>> CORRECT. BUT WE ARE CALLED AS A BOARD TO THINK 20 YEARS IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT BOARD THAT'S BLAMED.
WHY DID THEY DO IT LIKE THIS? I THINK BACK TO PREVIOUS REZONING, AND I WONDER, WHY DID THEY DO IT LIKE THIS CURRENTLY?
>> WHY WASN'T SUNSET CANYON MOVED 10 YEARS AGO, HONESTLY.
GEOGRAPHICALLY, IT'S A LOT CLOSER BECAUSE I DID THE DRIVE, Y'ALL.
>> NOT FOR ELEMENTARY 6, IT'S NOT.
>> FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, CORRECT.
>> BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IS CLOSER? THE SLEEP IN TO SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL IS CLOSER THAN THE SLEEP IN TO DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO WE CAN MAKE THAT ARGUMENT, TOO.
>> WELL, FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, CORRECT.
>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE ZONING [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING] ELEMENTARY.
>> WE HAD BASICALLY THAT MAP, BUT I THINK IT WAS NOT WITH THE NORTH 18.
>> PRIOR TO DECEMBER, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT MAP.
I THINK OUR ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO GIVE US THE ABSOLUTE BEST RECOMMENDATION CONSIDERING SO MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PERFECT MAP, EITHER, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AT OUR DECEMBER MEETING FROM ZONING UNIT 33 AND PISSED OFF.
ULTIMATELY, IT'S JUST WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION IN DECEMBER.
IT'S WORTH HAVING THOSE NUMBERS PLAYED OUT, IF YOU WANT TO SHOW US THAT IN DECEMBER.
I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO SAY THAT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS VOTE IN DECEMBER BECAUSE WE HAVE TO.
IT'S NOT GOING TO GET ANY EASIER, THE LONGER WE DRAG THIS OUT.
>> WE ACTUALLY CAN'T. WE'RE GOING TO NEED MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES.
I'VE GOT PEOPLE CHOMPING AT THE BIT FOR WHAT CAMPUS THEY'RE EVEN CLOSE AT.
>> WE REALLY CAN'T. NOT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET KIDS INTO CLASSES IN THE SPRING. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WELL AND START BUILDING OPEN ENROLLMENT THAT ALL HAS TO START HAPPENING.
>> I THINK IT WAS A GREAT IDEA FOR US TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
I THINK IT WAS A GREAT IDEA FOR US TO SEE EVERYTHING BEFORE WITH HOLLY, NOT AS A BOARD, BUT INDIVIDUAL.
BUT THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN GREAT.
MY SUGGESTION IS, MAYBE JUST BRING WHAT SHANDA IS LOOKING FOR SO THAT WE CAN GET A VISUAL OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AT THE MEETING, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A VOTE AT THE MEETING, AND IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY A FULL ROOM THEN.
I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT JUST TO HAVE A VISUAL OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND SEE, SO WE CAN HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO BRING EVERYTHING TO A 30,000 FOOT VIEW, IF I CAN REALLY QUICK.
AS A BOARD MEMBER, AS A PARENT, AS A TAXPAYER, EVERYONE'S FEEDBACK, OF COURSE, MATTERS BECAUSE EVERYONE'S LOOKING AT IT OBVIOUSLY AS OUR STUDENT.
BUT 30,000 FOOT VIEW, WE HAVE 198 MILE SURFACE AREA FOR DRIPPING ISD.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 8,500 STUDENT EDUCATION.
>> SPECIAL SERVICES, FOOD AND NUTRITION, CURRICULUM, LEARNING AND INNOVATION, CENTERS FOR LEARNING AND INNOVATION, STAFFING, CLASSROOM SIZES, EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, STUDENT OUTCOMES.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT HAVING OPPORTUNITIES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT A CAMPUS THAT IS AT 122% CAPACITY, I WOULD INVITE ANY PARENT TO COME IN DURING CLASS CHANGE TIME, OR UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE LUNCH AS EARLY AS 10:20 AM AT AN OVERCAPACITY CAMPUS.
THESE THINGS ARE WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 8,500 STUDENTS, OVER 1,200 EMPLOYEES, EIGHT CAMPUSES, WILL BE 11 CAMPUSES VERY SOON.
I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE AS WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE IMPACTFUL, WE STILL HAVING BALANCE IS AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY.
IT HAS TO HAPPEN WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY WITH STAFFING.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT HOLLY MORRIS COS, HERSELF, HAS BEEN WORKING PAST MIDNIGHT DOING MAPS.
[02:30:02]
SHE LITERALLY ENTERED EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF FEEDBACK ON A HEAT MAP, AND IT WAS POPPING UP.WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DID THIS? WHAT YOU REALIZED IMMEDIATELY, WE CANNOT DO IT.
WE CAN'T DO IT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE CAMPUSES WHERE YOU'RE OVER CAPACITY, FOR ME, THAT'S A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.
WE SHOWED THAT BY YEAR 2 OR 3, YOU WOULD HAVE SOME CAMPUSES AT 85%, SO YOU'D LITERALLY HAVE EMPTY CLASSROOMS, AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE OTHER CAMPUSES THAT NEED 5, 06,7 PORTABLES BECAUSE THEY'RE OVER CAPACITY.
ULTIMATELY, THE DECISION THAT I WILL SUPPORT WILL BE BASED ON THAT 30,000 FOOT VIEW.
AND I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE TOLD ME THEY WILL NOT VOTE FOR ME AGAIN.
THAT'S MINUS THE 150 HOURS A WEEK A MONTH THAT WE PUT IT ON EVERYTHING ELSE ON BUDGET AND CURRICULUM.
THIS IS A BIG DECISION, AND I WOULD ASK FOR GRACE FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT FOR ME, THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE NOT LOSING ANY EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE HAPPY WITH MANAGEABLE CLASSROOM SIZES BECAUSE YOUR CHILDREN DESERVE MANAGEABLE CLASSROOM SIZES, AND OVERCAPACITY CAMPUSES NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE STUDENT OUTCOME.
>> THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD IS SOME OF OUR OLDER CAMPUSES, THEY LITERALLY HAVE SMALLER SPACES.
EVEN WE SEE IN OUR CAMPUS YOURS, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH DSC AND ROOSTER.
HONESTLY, IT REALLY BREAKS MY HEART.
IT'LL BRING TEARS TO MY EYES TO KNOW THAT DSC IS THE CAMPUS THAT WE'RE SUGGESTING JUST REMAINS OVERCAPACITY, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS JUST OKAY WITH THAT WHEN OUR TEACHERS ARE PLEADING THAT THAT IS NOT OKAY BECAUSE THAT CAMPUS DOES HAVE SMALLER CLASS SIZES.
TO OLIVIA'S POINT, THAT AFFECTS EDUCATION.
THAT AFFECTS OUR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH.
THAT AFFECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY WILL HAVE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CONSIDER AND JUST YES, GIVE US, GRACE.
WE HAVE FULL TIME JOBS THAT PAY THE BILLS BECAUSE THIS DOESN'T.
Y'ALL, AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THAT.
I ACTUALLY HAD A FRIEND RECENTLY.
SHE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS MY FULL TIME JOB THAT I DID NOTHING ELSE WITH MY LIFE.
I'VE SEEN PEOPLE GO THROUGH TONS OF TRANSITIONS.
MY HUSBAND HAS MOVED PROBABLY 40 TIMES IN HIS LIFE.
THIS IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART TO FAMILIES.
IT WOULD BE MY CHOICE NOT TO MOVE ANYBODY. THAT EVERYONE GOT WHAT THEY WANTED.
WE JUST HAD TOTALLY OPEN TRANSFER, OPEN CAMPUS.
OUR DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE THAT LUXURY BASED ON HOW QUICKLY WE'RE GROWING, THE LIMITED RESOURCES, BUDGETING, FINANCIAL FORMULAS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR DISTRICT.
BUT WE WILL HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK, AND WE WILL ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THE DISTRICT FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS.
OUTSIDE OF THAT SECONDARY MAP, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FROM BOARD MEMBERS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE OR KNOW OR FAX.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'RE WANTING BEFORE DECEMBER? BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE AN AGENDA REVIEW IN DECEMBER, AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER WORKSHOPS ON THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS ON THIS ALREADY.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION THE ANSWERS TO THE SURVEY.
>> AND THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FORMS. YES. CORRECT.
>> SINCE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT 19B, WHICH I AGREE, I THINK IS ALSO WORTHY EXERCISE.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. WE MAY NOT HAVE, AND SO I'M JUST BRINGING IT BACK TO THE TABLE.
I THINK SOME OF THIS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE OR NOT, 15D AND 15C.
WE PREVIOUSLY SPOKE ABOUT THAT'S THE REALLY UNKNOWN VARIABLE IN THE GROWTH FOR E6, JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.
IF WE COULD JUST SINGLE OUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS EXERCISE, THE PROJECTION ON THOSE TWO SPECIFIC PLANNING UNITS, YOU'RE RIGHT NOW, SEE HOW WE GOT TO 50.
WE GOT 15 B, F, C, D, A. OH, MY GOODNESS.
>> I ONLY I WANT TO SEE THOSE, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE E IF THAT'S AFFECTING THINGS THE MOST BECAUSE IT'S DSCS PATTERN NOT ELEMENTARY.
>> WELL, I WAS LOOKING FOR AS WE'RE LOOKING AT, LIKE, CAPACITY FOR E6, IS THERE A POTENTIAL ENOUGH CAPACITY TO GET 19B IN THERE, ETC? I THINK 15D AND 15C A LOT MIGHT HINGE ON THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CERTAINLY HAVE.
I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE, SO IT'S PROBABLY BUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
>> LOOKING AT IT, THEY HAVE SIX AND 27,28,13 AND 26,27.
SO I [INAUDIBLE] THIS WITH YOU, ROB.
>> I THINK IT MAY PROVIDE SOMETHING [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 20 STUDENTS OVER TWO YEARS. IS THAT WHAT I HEAR?
>> WITH YOU ON, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THEM.
>> THAT WOULD BE GOOD. BECAUSE AGAIN IT MAY BE PART OF THE VARIABLE THAT MAY OPEN UP WITH SOMETHING.
>> ANYTHING ELSE WE WANT TO SEE IN DECEMBER? WHAT, OLIVIA?
[02:35:01]
>> WELL, NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT, NOT BREAKING QUORUM, ANYTHING THAT ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES IS ASKING FOR NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BEFORE THEN, BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT DAY, NOT BE RE-EVALUATING NEW INFORMATION.
IF I UNDERSTAND OR IF YOU WANT TO SUMMARIZE, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW.
SUNSET IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET IS OPPOSITE.
IT'S COMPLETELY SPLIT, AND WE HEAR ALL OF THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO FIND THE RIGHT SOLUTION.
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS NORTH TO STAY.
>> BUT TO THAT POINT, REALLY QUICKLY, THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BASICALLY CAMPAIGN TO STAY TOGETHER.
THAT WAS ALSO PART OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT PROBABLY WASN'T MADE CLEAR TONIGHT.
I KNOW Y'ALL ARE SHAKING YOUR HEAD, NO, BUT I'M TELLING YOU YOUR COMMUNITY IS BIGGER THAN JUST Y'ALL, AND WE DO HEAR MIXED OPINIONS FROM BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH.
>> I'LL SPEAK TO THAT TOO, THOUGH.
>> I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT THAT WAS ONE OF MANY, BUT THAT WAS A REASON WHY IT WAS CONSIDERED TOGETHER.
BUT THE MAP WE WANT TO SEE IS SUNSET CANYON, SOUTH WITH 33 GOING TO SYCAMORE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, YES.
I'LL SAY THAT THE REASON FROM WHAT THE FEEDBACK THAT I'M GIVEN, THE REASON THAT SUNSET CANYON NORTH WAS PETITIONING FOR SUNSET CANYON SOUTH TO STAY TOGETHER WAS THAT PLANNING UNIT 19 WAS NOT BROKEN UP YET.
PLANNING UNIT 19 WAS ONE BIG PLANNING UNIT BEFORE THIS.
IN THOSE FIRST TWO MEETINGS, UP UNTIL THIS COMMUNITY MAP CAME ABOUT, THAT WAS THE FEEDBACK BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER BROKEN APART FROM HEADWATERS.
I THINK THAT THAT WAS A STRATEGIC PLEA FOR SUNSET CANYON SOUTH TO GET TO COME ALONG.
SUNSET CANYON SOUTH WAS SAYING, "HEY, WAIT, DON'T LEAVE US.
WE'RE PART OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD." I'M NOT SAYING THAT NOW THAT THEY DON'T THINK THEY'RE PART OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT REALLY WHEN THEY BROKE WHEN THOSE PLANNING UNITS WERE BROKEN UP, I THINK IT CHANGED THE THOUGHT A LOT FOR SUNSET CANYON NORTH TO GO, WELL, WAIT, OH, THEY'RE ACROSS 290, THIS SCHOOL'S IN OUR BACKYARD.
WE WOULD MUCH RATHER STAY AT THIS SCHOOL, AND IF IT'S JUST US, THEN WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT.
THAT I THINK IS WHY THOSE IN THE BEGINNING, WERE, HEY, EVERYBODY, SEND IN FEEDBACK THAT WE WANT TO STAY TOGETHER AS A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEN WE STOPPED HEARING THAT FROM THE NORTH SIDE ONCE THAT PLANNING UNIT WAS BROKEN UP.
>> I'LL SEND YOU ALL THE FEEDBACK IN THREE PIECES.
ONE PIECE IS KEEP US TOGETHER.
STILL, ONE PIECE IS SEPARATE US OUT, LEAVE ONE AT SIX.
ON PIECE, I GUESS THERE'S TECHNICALLY FOUR PIECES.
ONE PIECES IS LEAVE US TOGETHER AND ZONE US BOTH TO ELEMENTARY SIX.
THEN THE LAST PIECE IS, WE'RE FINE GOING TO SYCAMORE.
THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE GET T HAT FEEDBACK.
>> IF THAT'S THE FEEDBACK, FROM SUNSET CANYON NORTH AND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF IT THAT THEY'RE GOOD TO GO TO SYCAMORE.
>> THEN THE MAJORITY OF THE FEEDBACK IS GO TO SIX.
I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEEDBACK THAT YOU'LL SEE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY ONE TYPE OF FEEDBACK.
THERE IS STILL SOME WE'RE ZONE TOGETHER, AND IT'S PROBABLY BASED UPON FRIENDS.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ONE OUR FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN SOUTH WITH US, THEN YOU GET ALL FLAVORS IN THE FEEDBACK.
>> WHAT I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR ON THE DIAS IS REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE END UP VOTING ON FOR SUNSET CANYON OR THAT 33.
THEY VERY WELL MAY BOTH GO TO HIGH SCHOOL TOO, AND BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COMMUNITY.
THAT IS A DEAL BREAKER, BECAUSE WHAT I HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, IT'S MORE ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT THEY WANT TO STAY IN OLD DRIP MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEY WANT TO STAY LIKE IN THAT OLD DRIP MINE.
I WILL SAY VERY STRONGLY NOW, BE LOOKING AT A HOME ON THE FURTHER WEST SIDE THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY GUARANTEE STAYING AT THE OG HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE BASED ON THE NUMBERS AND DEMOGRAPHICS WE SEE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS NOW, WE DO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS LIKELY, HOPEFULLY, GOING TO OPEN FALL 28, WHICH PROBABLY WILL AFFECT EVERYBODY.
THAT WILL PROBABLY BE OUR VERY NEXT REZONING, IS FOR A HIGH SCHOOL TOO.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER ELEMENTARY OR MAYBE MAYBE POTENTIALLY ANOTHER ELEMENTARY AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THE NEXT REZONING IS GOING TO INCLUDE HIGH SCHOOL REZONING.
THAT'S WHAT WEIGHS HEAVILY FOR ME PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT IS A VERY LARGE DISCUSSION.
I REALLY DO NOT LIKE THE COMMUNITY MINDSET OUT THERE THAT WE'RE DRIP.
[02:40:01]
WE'RE NOT AUSTIN. I DO LIVE ON THE EAST SIDE, AND I'M NOT AUSTIN EITHER.I MOVED TO DRIPPING SPRINGS, EVEN THOUGH MY ADDRESS IS AUSTIN.
WE ARE ALL DRIPPING SPRINGS, AND THAT IS A CULTURE THAT I AM SPEAKING FROM THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY IN THIS DISTRICT.
WE HAVE GOT TO CHANGE, AND I HOPE IT TRICKLES DOWN BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS ONE COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH WE WILL HAVE TWO HIGH SCHOOLS, WE MAY HAVE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'LL BE IN THE FUTURE, BUT MAYBE IT WILL REMAIN TIGER NATION, BUT THIS IN FIGHTING, OR I'M OLD DRIP, OR I'M THIS OR I'M THAT, I DON'T LIKE IT.
WE ARE ONE COMMUNITY, AND WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ON WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR KIDS.
I'M JUST SPEAKING VERY BLUNTLY IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT A SECOND HIGH SCHOOL, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO PROBABLY START MAKING THOSE TRANSITIONS BECAUSE NO ONE IS SATRICIA'S FIRST POINT.
NO ONE'S REALLY SAFE IN THAT MIDDLE OF A DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A NUMBERS DISCUSSION IN LIKE TWO YEARS.
I THINK THIS BOARD. DO YOU HAVE MORE COMMENT?
>> WELL, LAST, I WANT TO SAY PUBLICLY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT WAS THROWN OUT THERE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING I WAS FIGHTING FOR OR SAYING BECAUSE IT WOULD BENEFIT ME IN SOME WAY, AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT I'M NOT I'M IN PLANNING UNIT 20B.
>> I FELT LIKE THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CLEAR THAT THAT WAS NOT BECAUSE I KNOW THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THIS DIAS PRIOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THAT IS WHAT SHANDA YOU'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTED.
[OVERLAPPING] I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IF I FELT LIKE THAT [INAUDIBLE].
>> I APOLOGIZE. THAT'S NOT AT ALL MY INTENT.
I KNOW THIS IS OBVIOUSLY IT'S VERY HEATED DISCUSSION FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GET IT WRONG.
WE DON'T WANT TO GET IT WRONG, BUT WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG TO ANY GIVEN PERSON IS REALLY TOUGH IN THIS SITUATION.
I JUST WANT TO THANK SHANDA AND MARY JANE ON THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE PUT A LOT FORTH. MARY JANE.
>> I WANTED TO END ON A HAPPY NOTE BEFORE WE TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK.
WHEN SYCAMORE WAS GOING TO OPEN.
MY YOUNGEST HAD BEEN AT DSC FROM KINDERGARTEN, FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH.
SO WE COULD HAVE BEEN GRANDFATHERED, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
A WHOLE GROUP OF FRIENDS, FAMILIES DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD BE THE FIRST FIFTH GRADE CLASS OF SYCAMORE ELEMENTARY, AND IT WAS THE BEST YEAR OF HIS.
IF YOU COULD ASK HIM TODAY, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE YEAR OF K12, AND HE WILL TELL YOU.
FIFTH GRADE FIRST YEAR THAT SYCAMORE OPENED.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
WE HAD KELLY RAYMOND BEFORE SHE WENT TO CYPRUS, AND NOW SHE'S BACK AT DSC.
HAD A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE AT DSC, AND IT SOMEHOW WAS STILL AMAZING AT SYCAMORE ELEMENTARY. IT'S POSSIBLE.
>> YES. WE HAVE A GOOD PROBLEM IN OUR DISTRICT.
BUT PEOPLE WANT TO STAY WHERE THEY'RE AT.
OTHER DISTRICTS, THEY WANT TO MOVE.
I THINK THANK THE BOARD FOR A ROBUST DISCUSSION ON THIS EVENING.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND BEFORE DECEMBER.
JUST A FINAL REMINDER BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA REVIEW.
IF YOU NEED FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH HOLLY DIRECTLY, YOU NEED TO SEE MORE INFORMATION PRIOR TO THAT, LET HER KNOW.
WE WILL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
THANK YOU ALL WHO CAME TO LISTEN TO THIS CONVERSATION.
LET'S KEEP ON LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
>> THESE ARE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
[LAUGHTER] ANY DISCUSSION? DO YOU WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATE JUST ON ADVOCACY AND OUR NEXT STEPS, OLIVIA?
AS YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR, WHICH IS MYSELF AND KIM AND TRICIA, HAVE BEEN MEETING HOLLY SHARED AN E NOTE AND WE HAD ASKED FOR EVERYONE TO COME TODAY FAMILIAR WITH HAVING REMINDED THEMSELVES OF OUR 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION PRIORITIES, BECAUSE THE GOAL NOW IS TO LOOK AT OUR 88TH, LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY, AND THEN HEARING FROM THE BOARD, IF YOU WANT MORE, LESS, DIFFERENT.
WHEN THE COMMITTEE MET, WE IDENTIFIED KEEPING IT, OUR PHILOSOPHY WAS KEEP IT SIMPLE.
KEEP IT VERY SLENDER AND WE IDENTIFIED THE TOP THREE, WHICH WERE STUDENT ALLOTMENT, SPECIFICALLY INCREASING TIER 1 PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT TO $7500, BRINGING THE AMOUNT TO CURRENT EQUIVALENT TO THE LAST UPDATE IN 2019 PER MULTIPLE FINANCIAL REPORTS.
THE COST OF INFLATION SINCE 2019 HAS BEEN ABOUT $1,400.
[02:45:05]
SECONDLY, FUND ALLOTMENT, AND THIS IS WE REALLY NEED BOARD FEEDBACK ON THIS.GOING BACK TO OUR ADVOCACY, WE ASKED BOTH OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO MEET WITH US.
WE HAVE MET WITH KARRIE, AND THEN WE HAVE A MEETING COMING UP WITH ERIN SWENER ON THE 22ND.
WE HAVE THE INITIATIVE TO FUND ALLOTMENT BASED ON ENROLLMENT, NOT AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
WHAT KARRIE'S FEEDBACK WAS, WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT'LL EVER PASS, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY, THEN THERE IS NO INCENTIVE TO HAVE YOUR ATTENDANCE HIGH.
WE ALSO ALL RECOGNIZE THAT KIDS GET SICK AND HAVE FEVER AND HAVE NAUSEA, AND WE WANT THEM STAYING HOME AND GETTING HEALTHY.
WE THOUGHT MAYBE THE WAY TO APPROACH THAT IS WITH THE THRESHOLD SAYING BELOW THIS.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T GET PENALIZED AS LONG AS YOUR ADA IS AT X. I DISCUSSED BRIEFLY WITH HOLLY AND WE WERE THINKING LIKE AT 95.
ANY DISTRICT THAT IS AT A 95% OR HIGHER ADA GETS FULL FUNDING, SO NOT LOSING MONEY, SO IT'S NOT AN ALL [INAUDIBLE].
THAT WOULD BE TIED INTO STUDENT ALLOTMENT.
I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH REALLY REALLY QUICKLY, JUST TO REITERATE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TIER 1 ONLY AND FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TIER 2 AND 3.
TEXAS RANKS IN THE BOTTOM 10 PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT, WE ARE $4,000 BEHIND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE ON PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT.
ISDS ARE EXPERIENCING THE CONCLUSION OF OUR POST PANDEMIC FEDERAL FUNDS, WHICH THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH NOT HAVING AN INCREASED PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT IN FIVE YEARS IS REALLY AND ADDING UNFUNDED OR PARTIALLY FUNDED MANDATES ONTO THAT.
IT'S JUST MAKING US HAVE TO MAKE EVERY DOLLAR GO EXPONENTIALLY FURTHER.
THE STATE CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT $21 BILLION IN THEIR GENERAL FUND AND ABOUT 23 BILLION IN THE RAINY DAY FUND, SO WE EXPECT.
LAST YEAR, I THINK THERE WAS 1,100 EDUCATION BILLS FILED.
THERE'S ABOUT 5.4 BILLION THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR EDUCATION THAT DIDN'T GET USED BECAUSE NO BILLS PASSED, SO WE KNOW THE MONEY IS THERE TO DO THIS.
THAT WAS IT, SO THE UNFUNDED OR PARTIALLY FUNDED MANDATE, KIM TOOK THAT, AND THEN TRICIA WILL DO LOCAL CONTROL.
>> IF I MAY GO. I JUST TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF AREAS WITH KARRIE, AND THEN WE'LL DO SO WITH ERIN NEXT WEEK.
JUST TO GIVE YOU EXAMPLES OF JUST THREE AREAS.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A LIST OF PARTIALLY FUNDED OR UNFUNDED MANDATES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S 62 PAGES LONG.
I THOUGHT, LET'S MAKE IT SIMPLE, LET'S JUST PICK THREE.
JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY, IN 2019, 2020, THE STATE GAVE US $64,585 FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY EXPENDITURES.
THE STATE GIVES US $198,470, WE'RE SPENDING $967,397, PERCENT OF THE ALLOTMENT SPENT IS 487%.
THEY'RE ASKING US TO PUT MANDATES IN, AND THEY'RE JUST GIVING A LITTLE TINY PIECE OF THE PIE, AND WE'RE HAVING TO COME UP WITH THE REST OF THAT.
THAT'S JUST SAFETY AND SECURITY.
LET'S JUMP TO SPECIAL ED ALLOTMENT AND EXPENDITURES.
IN 2019, 20, WE HAD 813 SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.
WE HAD AN ALLOTMENT OF 5,061,136 AND SPENT $8,300, 836.
LET'S JUMP TO 23, 24, WE NOW HAVE 1,206 SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, 13.67 INCREASE.
WE SPENT OR SPENDING $12,920,099, PERCENT OF ALLOTMENTS SPENT 152%.
GETS BETTER. DYSLEXIA ALLOTMENT AND EXPENDITURES, IN 19, 20, WE HAD 426 STUDENTS.
WE GOT $322,784, SPENT $443,092, PERCENT OF ALLOTMENTS SPENT, 137%.
WE HAVE 884 DYSLEXIA STUDENTS.
WE ARE GIVEN $607,376, WE'RE SPENDING $899,970, PERCENT OF ALLOTMENTS SPENT, 148%.
[02:50:01]
THE LAST ONE WE SHARED WAS READING ACADEMIES.IN 21, 22, WE HAD 205 STAFF THAT WERE TRAINING IN READING ACADEMIES. NOW WE HAVE 40.
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS ONE.
HOUSE BILL 3 IMPLEMENTED READING ACADEMIES IN 2019, REQUIRING K33 GENERAL ED, SPENT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO ATTEND.
IN 21,22 THROUGH 23, 24, TEA ALLOWED A BLENDED MODEL IN PERSON AND ONLINE WITH NO NEED FOR SUBS, MORE COST EFFECTIVE.
BEGINNING IN 24, 25, DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE FACILITATION MODEL.
DISTRICTS WITHOUT IN HOUSE STAFF TO OVERSEE A COHORT PAY OF $3,000 PER TEACHER WHERE THEY HAVE TO ATTEND 10 DAYS OF OUT OF DISTRICT TRAINING.
THERE IS NO FLEXIBILITY ON THIS TO DATE.
DSISD HAS SPENT OVER $766,000 JUST TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.
THESE ARE MANDATES THAT ARE BEING PUT IN BY THE LEGISLATURE EVERY TIME THEY MEET.
WELL, THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, LET'S DO THIS, AND LET'S DO THAT.
THEY JUST GIVE US A LITTLE PIECE OF THE PIE, BUT THE WAY THE MANDATES ARE WRITTEN, YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THESE MANDATES, BUT THEY'RE NOT FULLY FUNDED AND THIS IS JUST HOW MUCH IN THREE LITTLE TINY AREAS DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD HAS HAD TO SPEND.
BUT HONESTLY, LOCAL CONTROL, KARRIE SHOULD HAVE JUMPED RIGHT ON THAT.
OUR DISTRICT, WE'RE ELECTED BY OUR PEERS, AND WE SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE CONTROL OF WHERE THE FUNDING HAS COME FROM.
MY EXAMPLES ARE TEXAS IS GOING TO THE FORM OF ALLOWING EXTRA ALLOTMENTS FOR PROGRAMS THAT LIKE THE TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT, WHERE THEY'LL GIVE DISTRICTS MORE MONEY FOR TEACHERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOESN'T COVER ALL OF OUR TEACHERS.
I THINK IT JUST COVERS THE GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AREN'T ALLOWED TO SIGN UP FOR THAT AND SO IT MAKES SOME IMBALANCE IN OUR SYSTEM, I THINK.
THEN WE JUST LEARNED AT THE TASB CONFERENCE ABOUT THE CAMPUS MODEL, ANOTHER GREAT PROGRAM THAT TEA HAS PUT TOGETHER TIED TO MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO DISTRICTS, BUT IT WOULD BE IDEAL THAT WE COULD RECEIVE THE FUNDING AND ALLOW OUR BOARD TO DECIDE THAT WHAT WOULD BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY THE MOST.
IT ALSO IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR ALL CAMPUSES YET, AND IT COULD POTENTIALLY GET FINE TUNED IN THE COMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM TEA, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE A THING.
ANOTHER ONE THAT IS BEING VOTED ON, I THINK WHEN IS SBOE MEETING TO VOTE ON THE NEW?
>> SOMETIME SOON IS THE NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
GREAT CONCEPT, I THINK, IF PASSED.
BUT I'M SURE OUR TEACHERS WOULD LOVE THE BENEFIT AND THE HELP AND THE RESOURCES THAT THAT WILL ACTUALLY BRING.
BUT OUR DISTRICT HAS HIRED STAFF FOR THAT PURPOSE AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP ALL THAT IN HOUSE CURRICULUM BASED ON TIKES THAT OUR BOARD APPROVES, WHICH KEEPS AN EYE AND LOCAL CONTROL OVER WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT IN OUR CLASSROOMS. IF WE GET SPOON FED CURRICULUM FROM TEA, AND IT'S TIED TO FUNDING IN THE FUTURE, IF WE HAVE DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH OR SOMEBODY ELSE DOESN'T AGREE WITH, THEN WHAT IS THAT CURRICULUM GOING TO LOOK LIKE? I THINK IT BRINGS A SLIPPERY SLOPE INTO THE CONVERSATION AND SO ALL OF THESE ALLOTMENTS ARE PROBABLY GREAT, AND SOME OF THEM OR WE'RE NOT UTILIZING ANY OF THIS EXTRA FUNDING YET.
IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO, BUT IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF WE COULD GET MORE PER STUDENT TO HELP FACILITATE THE CONVERSATION RATHER THAN IT GETTING PIECEMEALED FROM A GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE.
LIKE, TEXAS SHOULD NOT BE CONTROLLING THOSE ASPECTS OF OUR DISTRICT.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD TO THAT.
WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE REALLY GOING TO LEAN ON OUR BOARD AND THE DISTRICT TO REFINE WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN WRITTEN WORD, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ASKING FOR SPECIFIC LEGISLATION.
BUT PART OF THAT CONVERSATION WAS AS A BODY OR AT LEAST AS A CHAIR, WE CERTAINLY AGREE THAT THE STATE SHOULD HAVE GUARD ROLES.
WE AGREE THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS STANDARDS AND THAT WE HAVE TAKES AND WHATNOT.
WHAT I THINK WE ENDED UP PUTTING IT IN I THINK A WAY THAT MADE REALLY GOOD SENSE.
[02:55:03]
FUNDING WITH STRINGS ATTACHED CAN HINDER A DISTRICT'S UNIQUE NEEDS AND POTENTIALS, LIKE, WE'RE A DISTRICT OF INNOVATION.WE HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE THOUGHT OF HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET AWAY FROM IS EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR OF FUNDING HAS STRINGS ATTACHED AND I WOULD LOOK AT OUR DISTRICT TO GIVE US THE GUIDANCE, WHAT WOULD BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF WE CAN SEPARATE THAT AND HAVE MORE FUNDS, LOCAL AND LESS CONTROL.
WHAT WOULD IT BE? WOULD IT BE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE READING ACADEMY? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
>> I DID WANT TO JUST OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF FRAME.
ON YOUR SCREEN IS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, AND THIS WAS MOST RECENTLY UPDATED FROM THE LAST SPECIAL SESSION, BECAUSE I REMEMBER THEY HAD PIZILION SPECIAL SESSIONS.
IT WAS A FOREVER LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND THEN THE RESOLUTION WE HAD, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ONLY ABOUT A YEAR OLD FROM LAST FALL.
THAT'S WHAT ULTIMATELY IT COMES TO THAT WE THEN ADVOCATE FOR.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THAT KATIE HAS UP FOR US IS ESSENTIALLY ALL THE PARAMETERS THAT WE AS A DSISD BODY, WHETHER IT'S EVEN A STAFF MEMBER OR US OR INDIVIDUALS OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS GOING.
THIS IS THE FRAMEWORK IN WHICH ANY ONE OF THESE THINGS IS SOMETHING THAT THE DISTRICT, WE AS A BOARD, HAVE SIGNED OFF ON.
WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS IN SPECIFICS, DID YOU GUYS PREPARE RESOLUTION? BECAUSE I ONLY SEE THIS LAST ONE FROM A YEAR AGO, OR IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT FEEDBACK FOR?
>> THAT'S WHAT WE NEED FEEDBACK FOR.
>> BUT I WILL SAY THE REASON THAT WE GOT AWAY FROM TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I KNOW ARE STILL REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT.
IT GOES BACK UP TO PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT, SOLVES THE OTHER ISSUES.
PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT SOLVES THE RETENTION, THE STAFFING, AND THE FUNDING AND RECAPTURE.
IF ONE THING IS IMPORTANT RATHER THAN SUBMITTING FIVE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS, THE ONE AND WHEN IT COMES TO VOUCHERS.
>> ARE YOU SUGGESTING POTENTIALLY A RESOLUTION OF JUST THAT ONE THING?
>> IT'S OPEN FOR THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION BUT THAT WAS OUR THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND IT AND WE KNOW WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STATE, IT'S GOING TO BE A RESOUNDING PUSH FOR THAT.
IT WAS OURS. YES, IT WAS OUR IN.
>> I LIKE THAT.[OVERLAPPING] IT'S AN INTERESTING FRAME ITEMS. RAGIN.
MY ONE QUESTION IS, THOUGH, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY BEEN BROUGHT HOME IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT BUILDING, LIKE FOR HIGH SCHOOL NUMBER 2 IS WE HAVE THIS DOUBLE WHAMMY BY BEING A RECAPTURE DISTRICT IN THAT IT AFFECTS BOTH SIDES BECAUSE WE DON'T GET MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTING SCHOOLS, AND IT'S TAKEN AWAY ON THE M&O SIDE.
MY UNDERSTANDING AND MAYBE ELAINE CAN SPEAK TO THIS, I REMEMBER YOU HAD A HEAT MAP A FEW MONTHS AGO WHERE A MAJORITY OF THE DISTRICTS NOW IN TEXAS.
AM I REMEMBERING THAT CORRECTLY?
>> YES, THERE WAS A HEAT MAP THAT SHOWED HOW MANY DISTRICTS WERE AT THE FLOOR OF THE COMPRESSED TAX RATE, AND THAT WAS PRIOR TO THE ADDITIONAL COMPRESSION THAT WAS PASSED LATE.
>> WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SIMILAR MAP THAT SHOWS THESE ARE THE RECAPTURE DISTRICTS.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE COULD BE ENOUGH COLLECTIVE SUPPORT TO RISE TO THE MEDIAN VOTER, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE WILL OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, OR IS IT ALWAYS JUST A SMALLER? I THOUGHT IT WAS GROWING, BUT.
THERE IS A LIST OF RECAPTURE DISTRICTS, I JUST HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT IN A WHILE.
>> WE CAN DO A LITTLE RESEARCH FOR YOU ALL ON THAT.
>> WELL, I'LL PICK IT BACK ON THAT. I'D LOVE TO SEE RECAPTURE CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF OUR ADVOCACY.
I KNOW LITTLE AND I AGREE VERY MUCH ON THAT ONLY BECAUSE THERE'S OVER 200 DISTRICTS NOW THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT FALL IN THAT CATEGORY.
WOULD YOU MIND GOING FORWARD ONE SLIDE JUST SO I CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE PUT RIGHT THERE.
I THINK THAT CAN GAIN SOME STEM.
FOR US, THAT'S ALMOST THREE MILLION.
THAT MAKES OUR BUDGET CUTS UNNECESSARY FOR NEXT YEAR, BASICALLY.
THAT RIGHT THERE, WE JUST GOT THAT FOR ONE YEAR, THAT WAS UP. I LOVE THAT IDEA, OLIVA.
I THINK WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY DO THAT.
I THINK ONE AND TWO ON THE UNFUNDED MANDATES.
I THINK WE'VE A REALLY GOOD SHOT TO SEE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT.
I AGREE, WE SHOULD PRESS THAT FOR SURE.
I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THREE, BUT I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT, KIM.
[03:00:03]
THAT WAS GOOD STUFF. ON THE STUDENT ALLOTMENT DEAL.NOW, I WANT TO SAY WE HAD A CONVERSATION, AND WE WENT TO THE DISTRICT, AND WE DID THE WHOLE, LIKE THE THREE CATEGORIES OF WHAT THE STUDENT LEVEMENT INCREASE WOULD DO TO THE BUT WE STOPPED AT LIKE 7,000, WHICH I HAVE BEEN USING.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE SHOOTING FOR.
ARE WE TRYING TO GET ADVOCATE FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT? OR WHAT DO YOU THINK BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IT'S $1 BILLION PER 1,000 PER 100 YEARS.
>> I THINK THIS IS ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, BASICALLY. IS THAT THE CALCULATION? THAT'S THE 75, 60? THAT'S HONESTLY NOT EVEN A TRUE INCREASE.
IT'S JUST AN INFLATION ADJUSTMENT FOR 2019.
>> I HAVE A FEW NUMBERS FLOATING OUT THERE, BUT SOME OF THE, LIKE THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE STATE ALL LANDED AT ABOUT $1,400 OF INFLATION SINCE 2019.
>> I'LL JUST ASKED THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT, I THINK WE IDENTIFIED FOR OUR DISTRICT.
THAT 7,000 NUMBER WAS A PRETTY SOLID NUMBER.
IN THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS WITH YOUR CONVERSATIONS.
EVEN THAT IS A TOUGH SELL, BUT I THINK IT'S REASONABLE FOR A LEGISLATURE TO LOOK AT GOING, OH, BY THE WAY I SEE THE IMPACT, I SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AT 6,500, WHAT IT DOES TO YOUR DISTRICT, I SEE WHAT IT LOOKS AT 7,000, TO GO, LOOK, I'D LOVE TO GO GET $16 BILLION FOR EDUCATION.
BUT I'LL DEFER TO ALL ON THAT, JUST ABOUT.
>> I DON'T DISAGREE, BUT WITHOUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, I THINK IT'S REALLY FAIR TO EXPECT THAT'S WITHOUT EVEN TAKING AN INCREASE.
THAT'S LITERALLY JUST KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION, BECAUSE THE OPPOSITE ARGUMENT OF THAT WOULD BE, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU $50 TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, AND I EXPECT YOU TO BE ABLE TO BUY EVERYTHING YOU BOUGHT IN 2019, AND GIVEN THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT VOUCHERS BEING 8,000.
THE BAD INFORMATION ABOUT THEM ASKING FOR 8,000 ON VOUCHERS WAS PEOPLE WERE COMPARING THAT TO THE 61, 60, WHICH ISN'T FAIR BECAUSE IT'S NOT FACTORING IN TIER 2 AND TIER 3 AND OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING, BUT WHATEVER THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS, I FEEL LIKE A BASIC CALCULATION ON INFLATION IS FAIR.
I PERSONALLY LIKE THE CALCULATION BECAUSE IT HAS, LIKE, A LOT OF LOGICAL GROUNDING.
I DIDN'T JUST PULL 7,000 OUT OF THE AIR? THESE ARE NOT BILLS.
THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH THEIR OWN NUMBERS.
I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO GIVE THEM THE SPECIFICS I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
I THINK YOU CAN FROM AN ADVOCACY STANDPOINT, I THINK YOU CAN VERY EASILY HAVE THE CONVERSATION, HEY, TO KEEP UP WITH 2019, IT EQUATES TO AROUND 7,500 PER STUDENT.
ANYTHING BEYOND THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP GROW PROGRAMMING OR PAY TEACHERS BETTER OR ALL OF THE THINGS.
I'M OKAY WITH THAT LANGUAGE AND JUST OUR LEGISLATIVE AND HOW WE'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, I THINK IS DIFFERENT BUT 7,000 WOULD BE A DREAM, STILL.
>> BUT WE'VE ALSO THE ONE THING I WANTED TO ADD TO THIS CONVERSATION, I WAS IN OUR LAST LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S WORDED, BUT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, ESSENTIALLY, IT'S BEEN WHATEVER I GUESS IT'S IN THE FIRST LINE.
MAYBE IT'S NOT WORDED THE WAY I SAY.
BUT THE WAY THAT I SAY IT TO PEOPLE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING FOR SCHOOL CHOICE, WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO BE SOMETHING ALWAYS OF CONVERSATION, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STUDENT FUNDING IS EQUITABLE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO WRITE A BILL THAT SAYS 7,000 WHATEVER FOR VOUCHERS, WHAT IS EQUITABLE IS 7,000, AT LEAST INCREASING TO THAT NUMBER.
IF THEY ARE THINKING OF 8,000, THEN IT'S WE NEED TO INCREASE 8,000.
THAT IS PART OF, I THINK THOSE ADVOCACY CONVERSATIONS.
ASKING FOR 7,000 OR 7,500, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY'RE DOING ATTENDANCE.
IF WE'RE ONLY GOING TO GET MONEY OFF ATTENDANCE, THAT 7,500 AUTOMATICALLY IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO 7,000 OR LOWER THAN THAT, BECAUSE WE CAN ASK FOR IT, BUT IN THE END, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET.
UNLESS THEY CHANGE THE FORMULA FOR THE AVERAGE WEIGHTED DAILY ATTENDANCE.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT I HAD THAT IDEA, ROB, RIGHT AFTER WELL, WHEN CARRIE WAS HERE, I WAS LIKE, WAIT, WHY ISN'T THERE, A MINIMUM LIKE, A FORGIVING AREA OR WHATEVER.
OH, MY GOSH. I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. TRISHA, I'LL COME BACK.
>> WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, IF WE'RE GOING TO STICK WITH THE IS IT 7,500? I REALLY ENJOYED THE INFORMATION THAT GINA HAD PROVIDED, AND IT WAS BASICALLY A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THAT LOOKS FOR OUR DISTRICT.
BECAUSE WHEN I'M TALKING TO ANYBODY IN THE LEGISLATURE,
[03:05:02]
I AM ADDAE BUDGET COMMITTEE THAT WAS FROM LAST MONTHS. WHAT DO YOU TALKING? WE HAD PRESENTED IT TO OH, YEAH.IT MADE THE CONVERSATION FLOW. IT MADE IT EASIER.
IT MADE IT TO UNDERSTAND, AND IT MADE IT TO OUR DISTRICT, AND IT WASN'T JUST THIS I WASN'T JUST ABOUT INFLATION, AND IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT IT WAS LIKE, HEY, THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT OUR DISTRICT, AND THIS IS HOW IT COULD POTENTIALLY MAKE, WE WOULD KEEP MORE OF OUR MONEY, ACTUALLY, IS WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO, BUT IF WE COULD GET THAT TO GO ALONG WITH THIS CONVERSATION, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
IT WAS AT 7,000 ON THAT EXERCISE.
THAT WAS ALSO BEFORE I WAS BEFORE WE MET HAD OUR MEETINGS.
YEAH, THAT SAME FORMULA AT 7,500.
>> DID YOU GET THAT NINA? YEAH. SHE'S ON IT.
ONE THING I WILL ADD THAT I THINK JUST COULD BE HELPFUL SINCE ALL ARE CREATING A LIST, I THINK THE LIST IS HELPFUL FOR US AS ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT HAPPENS IS OUR LEGISLATORS WILL CALL AND THEY WILL SAY, HERE'S A BILL THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED.
HOW DO YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
IF YOU'LL HAVE NOTHING, THAT'S HOLLY'S OPINION.
WHEN YOU ALL HAVE SOME UNITY ON THE ISSUE, IT HELPS ME TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
I WILL JUST SAY FROM A PHILOSOPHY STANDPOINT, EVEN THOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT YES, ADVOCATING FOR MORE MONEY, TAKES CARE OF THE TEACHERS STAFFING, WHEN YOU AS A BOARD SAY TO OUR STAFF IS IMPORTANT, AND WE NEED TO BE PRIORITIZING TEACHERS SALARIES AND KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR STAFF TO HEAR.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I CAN PULL THAT OUT AND SAY, YES, THIS IS HOW MY BOARD FEELS WHEN I'M BEING ASKED.
I THINK IT HELPS, IF YOU'LL DON'T MIND KEEPING THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU ON THAT LIST.
>> THIS IS GETTING WOVEN INTO LAST YEAR'S DOCUMENT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF ON LAST YEAR'S PRIORITIES THAT I THINK ARE STILL VALID TO THE RECAPTURE.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING, REALLY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO.
YOU'RE WORKING OFF OF LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES WEAVING THESE THINGS IN WITH THE SPECIFICS.
YEAH, THEN FOR OUR ACTUAL RESOLUTION, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE JUST WANT ONE BULLET POINT.
FOR THIS DOCUMENT IS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT LIKE OUR ACTUAL RESOLUTION THIS.
>> I GUESS OR DO WE EVEN WANT THAT? WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE.
>> ARE WE CREATING A NEW DOCUMENT FOR THE 89TH?
>> I DON'T THAT WERE. YES, YOU COULD, BUT WE HAVE LIVED OFF OF THIS LIVING DOCUMENT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, SO I DON'T WANT TO REINVENT 100% OF THE WHEEL BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE STILL THERE.
TO HOLLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR CORRECT I'M WRONG, YOU'RE ASKING FOR MORE EXTENSIVE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AS POSSIBLE SO THAT IF SOMEONE IS AND SO THERE'S TWO THINGS.
THERE'S THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, WHICH IS ON OUR SCREEN, AND THEN THERE'S OUR ACTUAL RESOLUTION AS A BOARD.
WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS HEARING IS THAT FOR THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION, WE JUST WANT TO PUSH ONE THING.
YES, AND FOR OUR PRIORITIES, WHICH IS ALL ENCOMPASSING BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SOME RANDOM BILLS THAT ARE NOT EVEN ON EDUCATION, BUT THEN IT AFFECTS EDUCATION, AND HOLLY WANTS AS MUCH PARAMETERS AS POSSIBLE SO THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO GIVE A NOTHING ANSWER.
>> THIS UPDATED LIKE TO INCLUDE LOCAL CONTROL IN THOSE NEW.
>> I WOULD WORK OFF OF THIS AND JUST HONESTLY, COPY AND PASTE.
YEAH, BLEND IT INTO WHICH ONES.
THEN IF WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY WRITTEN BASICALLY TAKES CARE OF ONE OF THESE WITH MORE SPECIFICITY, JUST DELETE IT.
THAT'S MAYBE WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND JUST FOR EFFICIENCY SAKE, BECAUSE THIS IS, IT'S STILL PRETTY APPLICABLE.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS SOMETHING NO ONE'S BROUGHT UP, BUT I THINK THAT SHOULD STAY ON THERE BECAUSE THAT'S STILL ALWAYS UP FOR DEBATE.
I DO THINK WE SHOULD SPECIFY, EVEN OUR FIRST BULLET POINT HOW WE VIEW SCHOOL VOUCHERS BECAUSE THAT'S, ALREADY BEING TALKED ABOUT IT AS AN ISSUE.
WE HAVE TO GIVE SOME CLARITY TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS, WHAT OUR STANCE IS.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD LAST YEAR ON THE RESOLUTION.
WE VOTED YES, ON THE FUNDING FOR VOUCHERS BEING TIED TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
>> I'M NOT SURE WE'VE EVER TAKEN THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER DOCUMENTED.
>> I THINK THE FIRST FOR ME, THE FIRST POINT STILL STANDS.
>> I PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT HOLLY SAID.
ANY OF US COULD BE ASKED AND WE'LL BE ASKED IN THE COMING WEEKS.
[03:10:06]
THIS IS HELPFUL FOR ME AS WELL.I CAN SAY, AS A BOARD, WE AGREED ON THIS RANGE OF PRIORITIES.
THEN, OF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE, WE HAVE EVENTS LIKE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS KIM BECAUSE THERE'S THE CONFLICT.
IT'S THE DAY OF OUR FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING.
IT'S ON A TUESDAY, WHICH WE IT'S THE ANNUAL PARDON ME, TASTAS LEGISLATIVE DAY WHERE THERE'S SPEAKERS IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY, AND THEN MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS IN THE AFTERNOON.
LIKEWISE, THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD HAVE COPIES OF THIS.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF IT'S POSSIBLE SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BLINK, AND IT'S GOING TO BE FEBRUARY IF WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THIS IN DECEMBER.
>> IS THAT POSSIBLE? COMMITTEE.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? MOVING ON TO CONSENT.
[7. CONSENT AGENDA]
SINCE WE ONLY HAVE A FEW, I'M JUST GOING TO, JUST ADDRESS IT ALTOGETHER.ARE THERE ANY ISSUES, QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? TRICIA?
>> I THINK I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
>> I CLOSE MY COMPUTER, SO GIVE ME ONE SECOND.
>> I DO. I NEED TO LIKE, CANCEL THE SCREEN SAVER.
IT'S THE MOU FOR THE HILL COUNTRY MENTAL HEALTH.
IS THIS SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST?
>> WE'VE DONE IT MANY YEARS. WE ALREADY HAVE SPACE FOR THEM, SO THAT'S NOT LIKE A DEAL.
THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS, IS IT ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE NORMAL GRIEVANCE PROCESS THAT WE UTILIZE?
>> IT WOULD BE THE SAME UNLESS THEY'RE GRIEVING SERVICES FROM MHDD.
CAN YOU GIVE A CONDENSED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT EXACTLY HOW THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR DISTRICT? LIKE, WHAT EXACTLY DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FROM A CAMPUS PERSPECTIVE?
>> IT'S TYPICALLY MY PHONE A FRIEND IS COMING UP ALSO. COME ON UP.
>> I PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW THIS.
>> USUALLY THESE STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND FAMILIES ARE ALREADY GETTING SERVED HILL COUNTRY.
THEY'RE JUST ALLOWING THE SERVICE TO CONTINUE WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO STOP THEIR SERVICE.
IT'S NOTHING THAT WE'RE IN BEING WITH.
WE'RE JUST PROVIDING SPACE FOR THAT TO CONTINUE.
IT'S VERY FEW STUDENTS, VERY FEW FAMILIES, BUT WHEN IT DOES COME UP, WE NEED TO ACTIVATE AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A SPACE FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
>> WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER MOUS WITH DELL CHILDREN.
THIS IS GOING TO COME UP PERIODICALLY JUST FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS.
THERE'S DIFFERENT MOUS IN MENTAL HEALTH, BUT IT'S FOR THIS EXACT REASON, ESSENTIALLY.
THEY'RE ALREADY GETTING THOSE SERVICES.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING OFFERED NEW HERE.
YEAH, IT'S MAKING IT MORE CONVENIENT WHY, AND OFFERING CONTINUITY AND ULTIMATELY TRYING TO KEEP KIDS TO A LOWER LEVEL OF CARE.
I WORK WITH THESE AGENCIES, SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR JUST WITH THE PROCESS, BUT IT'S NOT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT WORD IS.
IT'S NOT INVASIVE. IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEONE'S EVEN GOING TO KNOW THAT THIS EXISTS WITHOUT ALREADY KNOWING ABOUT IT, CORRECT.
>> IT'S ALL DONE BY PRENATAL AND GUARDIAN GAS IN.
>> IT'S BASICALLY, LIKE A PRIVATE BUSINESS, JUST HAPPENED TO BE USING OUR SPACE.
>> YEAH, I HEARD ALL OF THAT, BUT I JUST NEEDED TO HEAR IT ALL OUT, GUESS. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON CONSENT OR I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
>> MOTION FROM MARY JANE, A SECOND FROM ROB.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. SEVEN, NULL.
OUR FIRST AND ONLY ACTION ITEM AT NINE ALMOST 30 PM.
[8. ACTION]
[LAUGHTER] ANY DISCUSSION ON OUR TAX ROLL?>> THIS IS A REQUIREMENT BY THE TAX CODE.
IT'S 26.09 THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE BOARD APPROVE THE TAX ROLL, WHICH IS CALCULATED BY THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR.
THEY USE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS VALUES THAT CAME IN, AND THEY CAME IN VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY PRESENTED TO YOU, WHICH SO IT'S LIKE THIS IS 13 BILLION, 480,478 MILLION 786,000, WHICH IS REALLY CLOSE TO THE NUMBER WE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.
IT'S JUST MORE PROPERTIES WILL COME AVAILABLE TOO THAT ARE IN PROTEST.
THOSE WILL COME UP ON THE ROLE AS THEY GO THROUGH THAT THE PROTEST PROCESS.
[03:15:06]
>> THIS DOESN'T AFFECT MY VOTE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND THEN I WAS BUMPING IT UP AGAINST THIS, I COULDN'T I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT.
CAN I JUST GET WHERE IN THE BUDGET THESE NUMBERS RESIDE? BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIND THEM THIS MORNING.
>> WELL, THIS IS JUST THE LEVY, SO YOU'RE TYPICALLY NOT GOING TO SEE THIS.
WHEN YOU SAY IN THE BUDGET, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> JUST THE WORKSHOP INFORMATION THAT WE SEE BECAUSE THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS WEREN'T MATCHING OR ADDING UP.
>> WHEN YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET IN JUNE, YOU'RE USING CERTIFIED ESTIMATES FROM APRIL.
WE DON'T HAVE CERTIFIED TILL JULY.
THEN THE ROLE IS POST JULY FROM [INAUDIBLE] THAT HAVE BEEN SETTLED TIMES THE TAX RATE THAT IS ADOPTED.
THIS ISN'T GOING TO MATCH THE BUDGET JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIMING DIFFERENCES.
>> IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO CHANGE.
AS IT GOES THROUGH PROTESTS THIS LEVY, THIS LEVY WILL CHANGE.
>> I KNOW IT'S GOING TO CHANGE, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE I COULD SEE THE NUMBERS FLUCTUATE, I GUESS, WITHIN THE BUDGET AS FAR AS THE LEVY WAS CONCERNED, BUT MAYBE THERE'S NOT A GOOD.
>> CAN WE GET THE SOURCES OF REVENUES IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT BREAKS DOWN TAX COLLECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
I BELIEVE IN THIS IT'S BROKEN DOWN BY INS.
>> INS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. SHANDA.
>> I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE 2024 PROPERTY TAX ROLE FOR A TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE OF $13,478,760,963.
[9. REPORTS AND INFORMATION]
>> I'D LIKE TO START BY HAVING YOU NOTICE THE ARTWORK.
WE TALKED ABOUT SOME PERFORMING ARTS TONIGHT AND SOME THEATER ARTS, BUT ALSO WE HAVE VISUAL ARTS.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE DISPLAY CASES UP THERE AS WELL.
MY REPORT TONIGHT FOCUSES ON OUR COUNSELING HEALTH SERVICES, SENATE BILL 9 AND THAT TRANSPARENCY OF MAKING PARENTS AWARE OF WHAT THAT CURRICULUM LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THAT TIMELINE IS AS WELL.
I THINK REDA DID A GREAT JOB PUTTING THAT TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE THAT ENSURING THAT OUR PARENTS HAVE ACTIVE CONSENT AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CONSENTING TO AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES.
I KNOW DR. MORRIS COON MENTIONED OUR BEST COMPETITION, ROBOTICS COMPETITION.
YOU ALL, IT'S NOT JUST OUR STUDENTS PLAYING WITH ROBOTS.
THEY HAVE TO ALSO HAVE A MARKETING PRESENTATION.
THEY ALSO HAVE TO HAVE AN ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN EXHIBIT BOOTH WITH STUDENT INTERVIEWS, AND THEY GET SPIRIT COMPONENTS.
OUR DANCE TEAM WAS THERE CHEERING OUR ROBOTICS TEAM ON WHICH WAS SO AMAZING.
I GOT TEARY EYED. OF COURSE, I DID.
BUT THEY PLAYED SECOND OVERALL AS DR. MORRIS COON SAID AND THEY WILL BE PERFORMING AGAIN IN DECEMBER.
ALSO JUST REAL FAST, I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR SPECIAL SERVICES, SPECIAL OLYMPICS BOWLING TEAM.
THEY SECURED THREE GOLD MEDALS, SEVEN SILVER MEDALS, AND TWO BRONZE MEDALS.
OUR STUDENTS ARE AMAZING AND PERFORMING ALL OVER THE DISTRICT.
>> I NOTICED IN YOUR REPORT YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT TOWARDS THE END ABOUT THE TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE ASSESSMENT.
I WONDERED IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS TAKE THAT AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENTS THAT TAKE IT ARE SUCCESSFUL IN PASSING THAT IF YOU COULD. I'D LOVE TO KNOW.
>> WELL, IT HASN'T STARTED. WE HAVE ROUGHLY 40-50 STUDENTS WHO'LL START IN JANUARY, SO I'LL GIVE YOU THAT FEEDBACK ONCE THAT'S DONE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, AGAIN, THESE ARE CTE STUDENTS IN THE BEST ROBOTICS PROGRAM AND TAXPAYER TUESDAY HIGHLIGHTED EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAD DONE, AND I REALLY DON'T THINK THERE'S A GENERAL AWARENESS OF ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
IT TRULY IS THIS HOLISTIC TEAM AND IT IS NOT JUST THE FUTURE ENGINEERS THAT ARE PUTTING THESE TOGETHER AND WINNING ALL AWARDS.
THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS BOWLING.
OVER THE YEARS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO A COUPLE OF TIMES AND COMPLETELY MISSED IT THIS YEAR.
[03:20:02]
I KNOW WE HAVE A BAZILLION AND 17 THINGS ON OUR CALENDAR, BUT IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S A WAY TO PUT IT IN THERE BECAUSE I LOVE GOING WHEN I CAN.IT IS THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE TO CHEER THEM ON WHILE THEY'RE BOWLING.
>> THAT EVENT DID CREEP UP ON US BECAUSE WE GOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER THE FACT AND I DON'T THINK IT MADE IT ON, BUT ANYWAY FEW THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> SHANDA. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CBAS.
AT THE SECONDARY GSHS, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THE STAR INTERIM ASSESSMENTS ARE USED FOR THOSE.
WHERE DID THOSE COME FROM FOR THE K-8? WHERE THE CBAS COME FROM? ARE THEY TEACHER WRITTEN OR ARE THEY ACROSS THE DISTRICT?
>> YES. THEY'RE L&I TEAM CREATED, AND THEN TEACHER VETTED WITH FEEDBACK AND PRINCIPAL INPUT AND THEN REVAMPED.
THEY'RE USED OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH SOME UPDATES AND EDITS FOR K-8.
>> WHERE DO YOU GO? YOU WRITE THEM BASED ON STAR ASSESSMENTS OR?
>> WE USE IT BASED ON OUR UNITS.
IN TCS RESOURCE SYSTEM, IT'S CALLED TCMPC NOW, SO THAT'S A LOT TO SAY.
BUT WE GO BY THE TCS THAT ARE COVERED IN EACH UNIT, AND THEN WE USE A SYSTEM CALLED [INAUDIBLE]. YOU MIGHT BE AWARE OF THAT.
IT HAS QUESTION BUILDERS THAT MIRROR WHAT STAR WOULD BE LIKE WITH CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE, THE CLICK AND DRAGS, IT HAS THE SAME FEATURES.
OUR TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO GO IN AND OUR TEAM IS ABLE TO GO IN AND EDIT THINGS, EDIT WORDS, CHANGE VOCABULARY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE STOCK QUESTION EVERY TIME.
>> JUST CURIOUS HOW WE'RE ALIGNING THOSE TO SEE WHERE THOSE KIDS LINE UP AND HOW WE CAN INTERVENE CAUSE THAT'S THE GOAL OBVIOUSLY.
>> THESE ARE THE ACTUALS THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
YOU'LL NOTICE WE SHOULD START SEEING SOME TAX COLLECTIONS NEXT MONTH.
YOU'RE NOT SEEING THAT RIGHT NOW, OBVIOUSLY.
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT NEW OR PROGRESSING.
>> YOU'RE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
OPERATION REPORTS AND ANY BOND UPDATES.
>> NOTHING TO REPORT ON THE FINANCIALS FOR THE BOND, BUT I'LL LET JAMES GIVE AN UPDATE.
>> DID ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE FROM THREE WEEKS AGO? ELEMENTARY 6 IS ON TIMELINE?
>> FORTUNATELY YES BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE].
>> CAN'T POSTPONE THAT ANY LONGER.
COME ON, NOW, JAMES. WE GOT TO GET DONE, BUDDY.
>> GREAT. I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION, SORRY. SHANDA. CAN.
>> WE ASK NOW BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURE SUMMER, WHICH I LOVE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR PROVIDING THAT.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT SOME OF THE DSE RENOVATION THAT I NOTICED THAT THE COST TO DATE IS NOT IN THERE FOR SOME OF THESE CONFIGURATION OF THE CNI AND MAKERSPACE.
DID WE USE DIFFERENT FUNDS FOR THAT, OR IS THAT JUST NOT DOCUMENTED YET IN HERE?
>> WE JUST HAVEN'T DOCUMENTED YET. THE CONTRACTORS ARE USUALLY A MONTH OR TWO, THREE BEHIND WITH THEIR BILLING FORCE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT YET.
>> THERE ARE THINGS IN HERE THAT WE HAVE FINISHED AND JUST HAVEN'T BEEN NOTED.
>> DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED TIME THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER WALK THROUGH FOR ELEMENTARY 6?
I JUST WANT TO WEAR MY [INAUDIBLE].
>> AGAIN, WITH Y'ALL AND FIND A TIME.
>> Y'ALL ARE SAYING RIGHT NOW.
YOU JUST WANT TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS.
I'M NOT THE CONSTRUCTION PERSON, BUT I KNOW HALF MY BOARD IS.
>> IF THERE'S STILL A BULLDOZER, I WANT TO TO DRAW THE BULLDOZE A LITTLE BIT.
>> I JUST WANT TO SEE THE FINAL PROJECT.
I DON'T NEED TO SEE THE MESS IN THE MIDDLE.
BUT I WILL GO TO SUPPORT MY BOARD MEMBERS.
>> ACTUALLY THOUGH, WE DID DO THAT WITH THIS BUILDING.
WE SAW MID PROGRESS, SO WE'LL FIND A TIME.
MIKE, I WILL REPEAT IT, KIM ACTUALLY SAID THAT.
>> NEXT ONE. THANK YOU, JAMES.
>> JAMES IS DONE WITH THOSE TWO. HR REPORT.
>> NO UPDATES OTHER THAN OUR ONE TEACHER VACANCY IS A PART TIME TEACHER AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL,
[03:25:02]
BUT WE HAD REALLY GREAT TURNOUT AT BOTH OF OUR JOB FAIRS LAST MONTH, AND SO OUR PRINCIPAL HAS BEEN REALLY HAPPY.SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND USE HER FEEDBACK ANYWAY BECAUSE DR. KAREN CAN ATTEST TO IT, BUT WE DID HAVE ONE OF OUR PRINCIPALS TELL US THAT HER APPLICANT POOL FOR A MID YEAR HIGHER WAS THE STRONGEST THAT SHE HAD SEEN, AS AN ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL.
BUT HER APPLICANT POOL WAS THE STRONGEST THAT SHE HAD SEEN SINCE MID PRE COVID.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING AN UPTAKE IN OUR TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITY, WHICH WE HAD NOT SEEN.
WE KEPT TALKING ABOUT HOW WE HAD FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE COMING FROM UNIVERSITIES, BUT EACH OF OUR JOB FAIRS, WHAT ANDREAS AND STACEY HAVE BEEN SHARING IS THAT PEOPLE COME, AND THEY WANT TO GO STRAIGHT TO DRIPPING SPRINGS.
THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE, THEY KNOW WHERE WE ARE, AND THEY ARE COMING STRAIGHT TO OUR BOOTH BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR TEAM, SO JUST REALLY EXCITING.
>> THAT IS SO COOL TO HEAR. SHANDA.
>> I LOVE THIS REPORT. IT'S SO FUN TO SEE THE FORMER EMPLOYER.
I'M LIKE, WE TOTALLY STOLE THEM.
HOW MANY COMMUNITY SERVICE? IS THAT AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM? OBVIOUSLY, 10.
>> IT IS. I CAN FIND OUT FROM LUCY WHAT OUR WAIT LIST IS.
WE REALLY DON'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION AS FAR AS IF WE'RE TAKING MORE KIDS OR TAKING FEWER STUDENTS.
I KNOW LAST YEAR OR YEARS AGO NOW, WHEN TRANSPORTATION WAS A BIGGER ISSUE, WE REALLY HAD A BIG DEMAND.
BUT AS NOW MORE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO GET THEIR ROUTES, AND THEY CAN RIDE THE BUS.
I THINK IT'S LESS OF AN ISSUE, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY TALK TO LUCY AND SEE WHAT OUR WAIT LISTS ARE. O.
>> MISS LINA, VERY DISAPPOINTED YOU DID NOT HIGHLIGHT YOUR RECRUITING TRIP TO TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY.
I HOPE WE HIRED A BUNCH OF TEACHERS THERE.
WE GOT A BUNCH OF GOOD LEADS FROM THERE?
>> WE DID. THAT WAS ONE OF THE UNIVERSITIES.
>> ANDREA SAID EVEN LAST YEAR, SHE WOULD HAD TO DESCRIBE WHERE DRIPPING SPRINGS WAS, AND SHE SAID THIS YEAR, BEFORE SHE GOT INTO HER SPILL, DRIPPING SPRINGS, IT WAS LIKE, OH, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR US ON THE LIST OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WHENEVER THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS GET A LIST OF WHO'S THERE, THEY SEE DRIPPING SPRINGS, AND THEY ARE MAKING A LINE FOR, SO THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE DRIPPING SPRINGS IS.
>> THERE'S TWO REASONS FOR THAT. FIRST, BECAUSE WE'RE AWESOME.
SECOND, IT'S BECAUSE WE GOT MAROON, JENNIFER.
I KNOW STEPHANIE AGREES WITH ME ON THAT ONE.
JUST SAYING. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>> I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU ALL REAL QUICKLY THAT OUT OF STATE STUDENT TRAVEL, WE HAVE THIS SPRING OUR SPEECH AND DEBATE, GOING TO CALIFORNIA FOR AN INVITATION GOING TO BE AT UC BERKELEY IN FEBRUARY.
>> THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE IN A CLOSED MEETING TO
[10. CLOSED SESSION]
DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS POSTED ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING AS ALLOWED BY TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 551.071, 551.072, 551.074, 551.076, 551.082.551.0821, 551.089, AND 551.129.
NO VOTING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
ANY ACTION THE BOARD WISHES TO TAKE AS A RESULT OF DISCUSSION IN CLOSED SESSION WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THE BOARD RECONVENES IN THE OPEN MEETING.
THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CLOSED MEETING.
WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION AT 10:05 PM.
[11. OPEN SESSION]
WE DO HAVE ONE REMAINING ACTION ITEM FOR THIS EVENING.>> ROB. LET ME PULL THIS UP REAL QUICK.
BUT BEFORE I DO, IF I COULD TAKE A LIBERTY, SINCE EVERYBODY'S HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH US, THIS IS WONDERFUL.
TODAY IS OUR FEARLESS SUPERINTENDENT'S BIRTHDAY.
SHE TURNED 29-YEARS-OLD TODAY.
YOU'RE REALLY YOUNG SUPERINTENDENT, HOLLY, I MUST SAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW HARD YOU WORK.
YOU COULD BE OUT WITH YOUR HUSBAND, JOHN, AND HAVING A WONDERFUL DINNER AT ANY OF THE WONDERFUL ESTABLISHMENTS IN DRIP OR IN AUSTIN, BUT YOU'RE HERE WITH US, SERVING THIS COMMUNITY, AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOU GREATLY.
>> NO ONE I'D RATHER SPEND IT WITH. THANK YOU.
>> NOW YOU'RE LYING THROUGH YOUR TEETH, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'RE WELCOME. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE HARDSHIP LEAVE APPLICATION AS PRESENTED BY THE HR DEPARTMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. 7:0. WE STAND ADJOURNED WITH NO FURTHER ACTION.
THE TIME IS 10:07 PM. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.