Feb 23, 2026 Regular Meeting

[ 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM]

[00:00:03]

GOOD EVENING, WE HAVE CONVENED FOR A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON THIS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD. THE TIME IS NOW 6.02 P.M. THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED. WE HAVE A QUORUM WITH ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT THIS EVENING, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TRICIA CONTERO. WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR OPENING CEREMONIES AND I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME TWO STUDENTS TO HELP US WITH THE PLEDGES THIS EVENING.

WE HAVE REGAN PAPA, A FIRST GRADER, AND HENLEY HYDE, A FIFTH GRADER. READY? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE, UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU.

GREAT JOB, STUDENTS. GOOD JOB.

WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO SENIOR JACKSON SHIFLEY ON HIS STATE TITLE AT THE UIL WRESTLING STATE TOURNAMENT LAST WEEK.

SOPHOMORE LUCY CLARNO ALSO MADE

[ 3. ANNOUNCEMENTS]

AND THEN CONGRATULATIONS TO SENIOR LAUREL HOSKOVICH ON EARNING A THIRD PLACE FINISH IN THE 500 FREESTYLE AT THE UIL STATE SWIM MEET LAST WEEKEND. WE'LL BE RECOGNIZING ALL OF THESE ATHLETES AT NEXT MONTH'S BOARD MEETING.

JUST SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE, THE DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD IS CURRENTLY SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE NAME AND BRANDING FOR OUR SECOND HIGH SCHOOL.

THE SURVEY IS OUT AND OPEN THROUGH THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH, AND IT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE AND ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.

NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION AND OUR PRE-K LOTTERY FOR THE 26-27 SCHOOL YEAR OPEN ON MONDAY, MARCH 2ND, AT 3 P.M.

YOU CAN VISIT DSISD.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE A STUDENT HOLIDAY.

STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY NEXT FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH. AND THEN SPRING BREAK IS QUICKLY APPROACHING. A REMINDER THAT THE DISTRICT WILL BE CLOSED THE WEEK OF MARCH 16TH. AND THERE'S OUR

[ 4. LEARNING SPOTLIGHT]

SO BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN, WE MET WITH EACH GRADE LEVEL TEAM TO LOOK AT DATA AND COMPLETE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT. WE FOUND THAT WHILE STUDENTS WERE SUCCESSFUL WITH COMPUTATION, WE SPECIFICALLY NEEDED TO STRENGTHEN STUDENTS' ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY AND CLEARLY EXPLAIN THEIR REASONING. WE STARTED WITH OUR FIFTH GRADE STUDENT DATA AND THEN VERTICALLY ALIGNED FOURTH AND THIRD AND SECOND. ALL THE WAY DOWN TO KINDER.

TO BOTH DEFINE AND CREATE GOALS AROUND WHAT STUDENT MATHEMATICAL THINKING LOOKS LIKE AT EACH GRADE LEVEL, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PRE-K.

THROUGH OUR RESOURCES OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES AS OUR EVALUATION SYSTEM GOALS IN ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, WE DETERMINED THREE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES THAT WOULD SUPPORT OUR GOAL. BY BUILDING ACADEMIC VOCABULARY, STUDENT DISCOURSE, REASONING, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS.

BY ALIGNING OUR DATA, RESOURCES, AND INSTRUCTION, WE ARE ENSURING EVERY STUDENT GROWS INTO A CONFIDENT, CRITICAL THINKER IN MATH.

TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY AND ARTICULATE THEIR REASONING, WE ADOPTED A THREE-PRONG APPROACH THIS YEAR.

THE APPROACH FOSTERS CRITICAL THINKING IN MATH BY INTEGRATING RESEARCH-BASED METHODOLOGIES.

TOGETHER, THESE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES SHIFT THE CLASSROOM FOCUS FROM PASSIVE MIMICRY AND ROTE CALCULATION TO CRITICAL THINKING, COLLABORATION, AND DEEP CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING.

BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOMS CHANGES THE ENVIRONMENT TO REQUIRE THINKING.

NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS CHANGES THE POINT OF ENTRY TO FOCUS ON SENSE MAKING

[00:05:01]

AT ITS CORE, IT'S AN APPROACH THAT SHIFTS THE COGNITIVE LOAD FROM THE TEACHER TO THE STUDENTS. INSTEAD OF MODELING EVERY STEP OR WALKING STUDENTS THROUGH A PROCESS, WE PRESENT MEANINGFUL MATH TASKS AND ALLOW STUDENTS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO SOLVE THEM. STUDENTS WORK IN SMALL, RANDOMIZED GROUPS, OFTEN STANDING AT WHITEBOARDS, WHERE THEY DISCUSS STRATEGIES, TEST IDEAS, AND EXPLAIN THEIR REASONING TO ONE ANOTHER. THE STRUCTURE IS INTENTIONAL. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT WHERE THINKING IS VISIBLE.

MISTAKES ARE PART OF THE PROCESS, AND STUDENTS RELY ON REASONING. RATHER THAN MEMORIZING PROCEDURES. THIS IS AN AMAZING THING TO SEE IN THE PROCESS. IT IS SOMETHING TO WHERE EVERY STUDENT IS WORKING AND THINKING IN THE CLASSROOM. 100% OF STUDENTS ARE NOW THE CENTER OF THE CLASSROOM, AND THEY'RE THINKING IN MISTAKES BEING MADE AND LEARNING FROM ONE ANOTHER.

WHEN WE SEE A BOARD OF SOMETHING THAT A STUDENT'S GROUP HAS DONE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVEN THE TEACHER HASN'T THOUGHT OF, WE WELCOME THE OTHER STUDENTS TO COME TO THAT BOARD AND EVEN LEARN FROM THEM. SO IT'S TRULY A TIME WHERE THEY ARE FULLY IN CHARGE OF THEIR LEARNING, AND THE TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO BACK UP, AND WE'RE ABLE TO SEE HOW THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT THE MATH LEARNING THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING. THANK YOU, GUYS. MY NAME IS CAROLINE MASSEY, AND I ALSO TEACH THIRD GRADE AT CYPRESS. AND TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT MS. LUCAS SAID, THE IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS HAS BEEN SO SIGNIFICANT, WITH THIS BEING THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING IT. WE HAVE SEEN SUCH A DIFFERENCE, AND WE'VE BEEN SO PLEASED BY THAT. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST SHIFTS WE'VE SEEN IS CONFIDENCE. SO STUDENTS WHO WERE ONCE HESITANT TO SPEAK UNLESS THEY WERE SURE THEY WERE CORRECT, ARE NOW MORE WILLING TO SHARE THEIR THINKING AND INVITE THAT FEEDBACK FROM THEIR PEERS. IT'S COMMON TO HEAR STUDENTS SAY, THIS IS MY STRATEGY, WHAT DO YOU THINK? SO IT'S OPENING UP THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND EVEN THAT SPREADS ACROSS THE WHOLE REST OF THE DAY. WE'RE SEEING MORE HANDS RAISED AND MORE KIDS WILLING TO SHARE, WHICH HAS BEEN AMAZING.

ENGAGEMENT HAS ALSO INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. WHEN STUDENTS ARE STANDING, COLLABORATING, AND SOLVING PROBLEMS IN REAL TIME, THEY'RE INVESTED. SO LIKE, SHE SAID. AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE TASK BOARDS, THEY'RE EXCITED TO GO TO THEM AND GET TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE UP TO. AND COLLABORATE AND SYNERGIZE. THEY'RE NATURALLY USING THE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY, ASKING DEEPER QUESTIONS AND FOCUSING ON UNDERSTANDING WHY A SOLUTION WORKS, NOT JUST WHETHER IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG. OVERALL, THIS APPROACH HAS MOVED OUR CLASSROOM FROM ANSWER GETTING TO TRUE PROBLEM SOLVING. AND WE'RE SEEING STUDENTS GROW INTO MORE CONFIDENT, CAPABLE MATHEMATICIANS BECAUSE OF IT. MY NAME IS REAGAN KEMPER AND I'M A THIRD GRADE STUDENT AT CYPRESS SPRINGS ELEMENTARY. WHEN WE DO BUILDING, THINKING CLASSROOMS, I LIKE THAT I GET TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. WE GET TO WORK WITH TWO OR THREE PEOPLE ON A TASK BOARD. THE TEACHER HAS A RANDOMIZER THAT HELPS HER TO PICK OUR GROUP. I GET TO KNOW PEOPLE BETTER, AND SOMETIMES I LEARN FROM OTHERS, AND OTHER TIMES THEY CAN LEARN FROM ME. MY NAME IS TEGAN MURPHY AND I'M A THIRD GRADE STUDENT AT CYPRESS SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.

WITH BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOMS, WE SHARE ALL OF OUR THINKING, WE GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP, AND IF WE DON'T KNOW SOMETHING... THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP US.

SOMETIMES OUR TEACHER WILL SEND US TO OTHER BOARDS TO GET INSPIRATION FROM THOSE GROUPS. MY NAME IS BRIAN SUSI, AND I AM A THIRD GRADE STUDENT AT CYPRESS

[00:10:01]

FOR MY CLASS, WHEN WE DO BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOMS, WE DO CHALLENGING, FUN, PUZZLY MATH. IT IS MATH THAT TAKES TIME AND MAKES YOU THINK. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE DID SUDOKU.

IT'S A TREATMENT. LEARNING MAKES US USE ALL OF OUR BRAIN POWER. TASK BOARDS ARE A WAY TO MAKE KIDS WANT TO DO MATH. HI, MY NAME IS LINDSAY CRUZ. SORRY ABOUT MY VOICE. KIDS, GERMS. YEAH, BUT I TEACH FOURTH GRADE MATH AT CYPRESS AND LAURA JUSTICE, ALSO FOURTH GRADE MATH. WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS AND HOW THAT HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL IN OUR CLASSROOMS. SO WHAT ARE NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS? IT SOUNDS LIKE A CONTRADICTION, MATH WITHOUT NUMBERS.

BUT IT'S A POWERFUL SCAFFOLD FOR MATHEMATICAL REASONING.

INSTEAD OF PRESENTING A FULL PROBLEM AT ONCE, YOU REVEAL IT IN LAYERS. SO THE SCENARIO, WE START WITH A SENTENCE THAT HAS NO NUMBERS AT ALL. A GARDENER PLANTED SOME SEEDS IN ROWS. WE DISCUSS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. WE VISUALIZE THE GARDEN. WE MAKE CONNECTIONS TO THE REAL WORLD BEFORE WE EVEN SEE ANY NUMBERS.

WE THEN ADD CONTEXT. THE GARDENER PLANTED SOME SEEDS IN EACH ROW. THEN, SORRY, THE GARDENER PLANTED MORE SEEDS IN EACH ROW THAN THERE WERE ROWS. NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING THE CONCEPT OF AREA AND ARRAYS WITHOUT THE PRESSURE OF CALCULATIONS. AND THEN, ONLY AFTER THE STUDENTS HAVE BUILT A MENTAL MODEL DO WE FINALLY REVEAL THE QUANTITIES IN THE PROBLEM.

BY THE TIME THE NUMBERS APPEAR, THE MATH IS ALREADY DONE IN THEIR HEADS, AND THE COMPUTATION IS JUST THE FINAL STEP. HI, I'M LAURA JUSTICE, LIKE SHE SAID.

IN FOURTH GRADE, THE COMPLEXITY OF MATH SHIFTS SIGNIFICANTLY, AND SO THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT IT AND TEACH IT ALSO NEEDS TO SHIFT SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO WE MOVE, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM BASIC OPERATIONS TO MULTI-STEP WORD PROBLEMS. AND FOUR REASONS THAT WE THINK THIS NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEM REASONING IS SO ESSENTIAL IS IT FORCES READING COMPREHENSION, IT TURNS MATH INTO A LITERACY LESSON.

STUDENTS MUST UNDERSTAND THE VERBS OF THE PROBLEM, COMBINED, DISTRIBUTED, DOUBLED, RATHER THAN JUST HUNTING FOR DIGITS. IN THE PAST, THEY WOULD SEE A WORD PROBLEM, FIND NUMBERS, AND IF WE HAD BEEN STUDYING MULTIPLICATION, THEY WOULD JUST MULTIPLY THEM.

SAME WITH DIVISION. INSTEAD OF TRULY STOPPING, SLOWING DOWN, AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE WERE TRULY ASKING. AND THE SECOND REASON THAT WE REALLY LOVE NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS ARE THAT THEY LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. SO IF STUDENTS DON'T HAVE THEIR MULTIPLICATION FACTS MEMORIZED YET, THEY CAN STILL UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC AND REASONING BEHIND THE PROBLEM BEFORE WE EVEN SHOW THE NUMBERS. AND, THIRDLY, IT BUILDS MATH MODELS.

STUDENTS ARE FORCED TO REALLY VISUALIZE THE PROBLEM AND THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BEFORE JUST TRYING TO FIND AN ANSWER. AND THEN, FINALLY, IT REALLY HELPS ESTIMATION AND MAKING SENSE IN THEIR REASONING SKILLS.

BECAUSE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PROBLEM TO HELP DETERMINE IF THEIR EVENTUAL ANSWERS ARE EVEN REASONABLE. I THINK WE WERE GOING TO SHOW AN EXAMPLE. SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE WOULD INTRODUCE A NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEM. DID YOU KNOW YOU SHED YOUR SKIN? HOW OFTEN DOES YOUR SKIN RENEW ITSELF OVER A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME? SO THAT'S WHAT THE STUDENTS WOULD SEE AT FIRST, AND THEN WE WOULD BEGIN ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION THAT WE ASK IS, IS THERE ANY MATH IN THIS PROBLEM? WHEN WE FIRST STARTED ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, STUDENTS WOULD SAY, NO, THERE'S NO NUMBERS. AND NOW WE'VE KIND OF TRAINED THEM THAT PRETTY MUCH MATH IS EVERYWHERE.

BUT IN THIS EXAMPLE, I COULD SEE A STUDENT SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOUR SKIN IS, YOU KNOW, MADE UP OF THIS. MUCH OF YOUR BODY IS SKIN, AND IT GOES THIS DEEP. AND THEN ALSO, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? WHAT COULD WE CALCULATE? THAT'S HOW WE WOULD KIND OF INTRODUCE THAT. AND THEN WE... DEVELOP ANOTHER LAYER HERE. DID YOU KNOW YOU SHED YOUR SKIN? ABOUT HOW MANY

[00:15:02]

IT MAKES YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT THE OPERATION OR OPERATIONS YOU HAVE TO USE TO SOLVE IT. IT HAS HELPED ME TO THINK MORE DEEPLY ABOUT MATH AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPERATION. I FEEL MORE CONFIDENT AND SUCCESSFUL WITH WORD PROBLEMS BECAUSE NOW I THINK ABOUT THEM MORE DIFFERENTLY.

HELLO, I'M NATALIE VOGT AND I'M A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT CYPRESS. AND EVEN IN KINDERGARTEN, WE HAVE BEEN LOVING NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS. OUR GOAL IN KINDER THIS YEAR WAS TO STRENGTHEN OUR STUDENTS ABILITY TO EXPLAIN THEIR MATHEMATICAL THINKING, AND IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THAT, WE ARE INCREASING THEIR MATH VOCABULARY. THAT'S PART OF OUR GOAL, AND NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS HAVE PROVEN TO BE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN ACCOMPLISHING THIS. WE KNOW THAT LANGUAGE DRIVES LEARNING AND THAT WHEN STUDENTS HAVE THE VOCABULARY TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING, THEY BECOME MORE MORE PRECISE.

AND THEIR REASONING INSTEAD OF GUESSING. SO AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WORKS IN MY CLASSROOM IS I START WITH A SIMPLE SENTENCE ON THE BOARD, ALONG WITH A PICTURE SUCH AS, LUCY HAD SEVERAL SNOWBALLS. THIS ALLOWS AN ENTRY POINT FOR ALL STUDENTS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THEY ALL KNOW ABOUT. THEY ALL HAVE SOME SORT OF BACKGROUND, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WITH, AND THEY'RE ALL REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ALREADY. AND SO AT THIS POINT, WITH NO NUMBERS, JUST A SITUATION, THEIR IMAGINATIONS ARE JUST GOING AND THEY'RE THINKING, WHAT COULD HAPPEN? AND SO IMMEDIATELY HANDS START GOING UP AND THEY'LL SAY, I THINK SOME ARE GOING TO MELT, OR I THINK SHE'S GOING TO THROW THEM. I THINK SHE'S GOING TO MAKE MORE. AND THEY'RE ALREADY SORT OF DOING MATH BECAUSE THEY'RE CONSIDERING WHAT THOSE OPTIONS WOULD IMPLY.

WHAT WOULD IT, WHAT WOULD SHE END UP WITH? AND SO THEY'RE IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED, AND THEY'RE ANXIOUS TO KNOW MORE, AND SO CURIOUS.

SO THEN, AFTER I'VE GIVEN THEM A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR THINKING, I ADD ONE NUMBER. LUCY HAD SEVERAL SNOWBALLS. SHE THREW FIVE OF THEM. AND AT THIS POINT, I CAN REALLY SEE THE MATH VOCABULARY THAT THEY'VE LEARNED THUS FAR IN THE YEAR BEGIN TO SHINE.

THEY START SAYING THINGS LIKE, SHE MUST HAVE STARTED WITH MORE THAN FIVE. SHE'S GOING TO END UP WITH LESS THAN SHE STARTED WITH. THEY SAY THESE THINGS SO NATURALLY BECAUSE WE'VE BUILT IN THAT VOCABULARY. AND SO THEN, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I ADD A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION.

LUCY HAD 10 SNOWBALLS. SHE THREW FIVE OF THEM AND THEY ARE SO ANXIOUS TO TELL ME THAT THIS IS SUBTRACTION AT THIS POINT. AND SO I MAKE THEM HOLD OFF AND I SAY, WAIT, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE? AND THEY'RE SO EXCITED TO SAY, HOW MANY DOES SHE HAVE LEFT? AND SO THEN I GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND I DISPLAY IT AND IT SAYS. LUCY HAD SEVERAL SNOWBALLS. SHE THREW FIVE OF THEM. HOW MANY DOES SHE HAVE LEFT? SO I'M LIKE, WERE YOU RIGHT? AND THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, THEY'RE SO HAPPY. AND SO THEN I SAY, WELL, WHAT TYPE OF EQUATION IS THIS? AND THEY'RE LIKE, SUBTRACTION,

[00:20:02]

AND SO THEY REALLY PROVED IT UP TO THAT POINT. THEY KNEW HOW TO SOLVE IT. IT'S SO POWERFUL FOR KINDERGARTEN BECAUSE IT ALIGNS WITH WHO THEY ARE. THEY LOVE TO PREDICT. THEY'RE SO CURIOUS. THEY LOVE TO TALK.

AND IT GIVES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. THEY USE THEIR IMAGINATION. SO RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, THEY'RE IMAGINING WHAT COULD HAPPEN.

AND THEN, MATHEMATICALLY, WHAT WOULD THAT IMPLY? THEY JUST DO THAT NATURALLY. IT'S AMAZING. AND THEY'RE SO EAGER TO SHARE THEIR THINKING. SO YOU GIVE THEM ANY OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. THEY REALLY LOVE TO TALK. AND NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS TAP DIRECTLY INTO THOSE INSTINCTS. AND SO I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY POWERFUL FOR THEM. BECAUSE WHEN THEY SEE WORDS AND NUMBERS MIXED TOGETHER, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SHUT DOWN. THEY'RE GOING TO LEAN IN AND BECOME ENGAGED. IT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE STORYTELLING, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND SLEUTHING, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. AND WHAT I'M SEEING IS NOT JUST CORRECT ANSWERS, BUT REALLY CONFIDENT MATHEMATICAL THINKERS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JESSICA BOIR, AND I AM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT CYPRESS SPRINGS. AND I HAVE THE ABSOLUTE HONOR OF GETTING TO FACILITATE OUR MATH VERTICAL TEAM. AS MRS. DEJ, PRINCIPAL DEJ MENTIONED, OUR CAMPUS MATH DATA INDICATED THAT STUDENTS WERE STRUGGLING IN MATH, BUT SPECIFICALLY MULTI-STEP PROBLEMS IN MATH. AND WE KNEW THAT CRITICAL THINKING WAS THE CORNERSTONE TO FIXING THAT.

SO, WHILE BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOMS GAVE US THE ENVIRONMENT FOR CRITICAL THINKING, WITH THE NON-PERMANENT VERTICAL SPACES AND NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS GAVE US AN ENTRY POINT FOR CRITICAL THINKING, WE KNEW AT OUR CAMPUS, WE NEEDED TO GIVE STUDENTS A CONSISTENT FRAMEWORK FOR PROBLEM SOLVING. AND SO WE AS A VERTICAL TEAM SOUGHT OUT TO SOLVE THIS, AND WE ACTUALLY FOUND THAT EVERY GRADE LEVEL TOOK A VERY INTENTIONAL APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING.

THAT MIDDLE PICTURE ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE SHOWED YOU SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROBLEM SOLVING METHODS THAT OUR CAMPUS USED. SO WE WERE COMMITTED TO GOING FROM THIS INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE THAT WE WERE ALL DOING IN ISOLATION TO FINDING A UNIFIED CAMPUS APPROACH. WE WERE DILIGENT AS A VERTICAL TEAM, TO NOT JUST CREATE ONE ON OUR OWN, BUT TO BE ROOTED IN WHAT OUR DISTRICT SAYS ARE OUR MATH BELIEFS. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW A DRAFT VERSION OF THE DRIPPING SPRINGS MATH BELIEFS AND TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. BUT WE, WE ALSO WANTED TO LOOK AT EMPIRICAL RESEARCH AND SEE WHAT DID RESEARCH SAY WAS EFFECTIVE IN PROBLEM SOLVING? WE FOUND THAT THAT RESEARCH CAUTIONED US AGAINST AN OVER-RELIANCE ON KEYWORDS, BUT EMPHASIZED SCHEMA-BASED INSTRUCTION. SO STUDENTS UNDERSTANDING THE ACTION OR WHAT'S GOING ON IN A PROBLEM. ARE WE COMBINING, ARE WE JOINING? ARE WE LOOKING FOR HOW MUCH BIGGER OR SMALLER, OR THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO NUMBERS? THOSE ACTIONS, AND THAT ACTION'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT IN THE NAME OF OUR STRATEGY. EACH OF OUR GRADE LEVELS TOOK THEIR CURRENT PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD, AND THEY REVIEWED IT FOR WHERE OUR DISTRICT. MATH BELIEFS AND EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ALREADY SHINES IN THEIR WORK.

AND WE DID A GALLERY WALK. ALL OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE MATH VERTICAL TEAM HIGHLIGHTED THEIR FAVORITE COMPONENTS OF EACH GRADE LEVEL, AND THEN WE CAME TOGETHER TO TAKE THOSE FAVORITE RESEARCH BACK COMPONENTS. TO TO COLLABORATIVELY DESIGN A PROBLEM SOLVING MODEL. THAT, WHICH IS CALLED MATH IN ACTION, A NOD TO THE SCHEMA-BASED INSTRUCTION THAT EMPIRICAL RESEARCH EMPHASIZES.

IN THIS MATH IN ACTION, THIS WOULD BE A PROBLEM-SOLVING MAT.

SO THE READ IT IS WHERE A TEACHER WOULD INSERT THE WORD PROBLEM. IN THIS AREA, OUR STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO ENGAGE WITH THE TEXT, TO READ IT AND IDENTIFY EXPLICITLY WHAT IS BEING ASKED. WE ALSO HAVE ELEMENTS OF BUILDING NUMBER SENSE. SO YOU'LL SEE AN ESTIMATED BOX, WHICH REQUIRES THE STUDENTS TO PREDICT WHAT COULD BE A REASONABLE RANGE OF THE SOLUTION BEFORE CALCULATING. TO BUILD ON THAT CRITICAL THINKING. AND THEN WE HAVE SOLUTION AND ARTICULATION, AN AREA

[00:25:01]

THAT MATHEMATICAL EXECUTION COULD BE THE VISUALIZING THAT THEY'RE GETTING SO STRONG WITH, WITH NUMBERLESS WORD PROBLEMS. SO A PICTURE, PICTORIAL, OR IT COULD BE AN ALGORITHM THAT THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH. THEY'RE ALSO INVITED TO EXPLAIN IT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS REALLY UNDERSTAND SOMETHING IF THEY CAN EXPLAIN IT TO ONE ANOTHER. AND THEN WE HAVE AN EXTENSION PORTION, CREATE IT ON THE BACK FOR STUDENTS TO CREATE A PROBLEM WITH SIMILAR THEMES. SO, OUR NEXT STEPS? AT OUR NEXT VERTICAL MEETING, OUR TEAMS WILL COME BACK WITH THREE FEEDBACK FROM THREE LEVELED IMPLEMENTATION GROUPS.

THEY WILL TRY THIS MATH IN ACTION PROBLEM SOLVING MODEL WITH THEIR TOP, MIDDLE, AND LOWER QUINTILE STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSES, AND THEY WILL SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THAT IN PRACTICE WITH THEIR STUDENTS. WE'LL WORK TO REFINE THE MODEL AS NEEDED, GIVEN THE EVIDENCE AND IMPACT, AND WE WILL PLAN TO TRAIN AND LAUNCH THIS ACROSS ALL OF OUR CYPRESS SPRINGS CLASSROOMS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO SHARING THIS DATA AND THE LESSONS LEARNED TO MOVE TOWARDS DISTRICT-WIDE ALIGNMENT. WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS HAVE DONE SO WELL WITH THE RACES ACRONYM. THAT IS DISTRICT-WIDE AND WE ARE EAGER TO SEE POSITIVE OUTCOMES AND TO SHARE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I THINK WE HAVE SOME STUDENT QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

WELL, BEFORE YOUR QUESTIONS, ROUND OF APPLAUSE. YOU GUYS DID FABULOUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND BOARD MEMBERS, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE STUDENTS? SHANDA? I AM JUST BLOWN AWAY. I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH THE ROCK STAR TEACHERS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.

I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH THE STUDENTS. WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOMS A LOT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US EXAMPLES, BECAUSE IN MY MIND, AT THE BEGINNING, I'M GOING, GOSH, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? AND THEN WE'VE GOT A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER UP HERE TEACHING US LIKE WE'RE KINDERGARTNERS, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY LOVED. AND BY THE WAY, I CAN JUST TELL YOU, I MEAN, SUCH A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER IN YOU, AND YOU'RE EXACTLY WHERE YOU BELONG, AND I LOVE THAT. FIRST YEAR. FIRST YEAR, MY GOODNESS.

WELL, YOU FOUND IT. THIS IS YOUR NICHE. WE LOVE VERTICAL ALIGNMENT, DR. KIDD KNOWS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN, I KNOW, A CRUCIAL PART OF OUR CURRICULUM. AND SO WE SO APPRECIATE THE VERTICAL ALIGNMENT AND HOW WE KEEP HEARING ALL OF THESE ACRONYMS. LIKE, YOU'RE SAYING RACES, AND WE'RE LIKE, OH YES, WE HEAR THAT EVERYWHERE ELSE.

AND SO HAVING IT ACROSS THE DISTRICT, IT'S SO IMPRESSIVE. AND SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I JUST, EVERYTHING, SHE SAID. YOU. I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS HEAR OFTEN ENOUGH HOW APPRECIATIVE WE ARE OF ALL THE HARD WORK. BECAUSE WHEN WE VISIT CAMPUSES AND CLASSROOMS, WE SEE SO MUCH OF THIS MAGIC HAPPENING.

BUT I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WORK AND HOW MUCH PLANNING AND HOW MUCH INTENTIONALITY GOES BEHIND IT. AND I'M VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR EACH AND ONE OF YOU, AND I HOPE THAT YOU HEAR THANK YOU AND GREAT JOB OFTEN. ALL RIGHT, STUDENTS, WE'RE READY FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. HOW DO YOU USE MATH IN YOUR JOB? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. ROB, CAN YOU HELP US WITH THAT? I GET THE FIRST ONE.

HEY, BUDDY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? I'M VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

SEE, WE'RE HAVING DIALOGUE. SO THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO JUST LIKE I SAW IN Y'ALL'S PICTURES OR IN YOUR CLASS, Y'ALL ARE GETTING AROUND, WHETHER IT'S THE WHITEBOARD OR THE BIG PIECE OF BUTCHER BLOCK PAPER, AND YOU'RE GOING THROUGH MATH PROBLEMS. WELL, I GET TO DO THAT EVERY DAY, AND I GET TO DO IT FOR BUSINESS, RIGHT? AND SO IN OUR BUSINESS, WE'RE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO TAKE A SET OF PLANS THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S A BUILDING OR A ROAD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND WE'VE GOT TO PUT NUMBERS TO HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO DO THAT. AND WE HAVE TO COMPETE AGAINST OTHER COMPANIES IN ORDER TO WIN WORK FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED. SO WE LITERALLY HAVE MEETINGS THAT LAST FOR FIVE OR SIX HOURS, PUTTING ALL THE NUMBERS TOGETHER TO GET IT JUST RIGHT. AND GUESS HOW MANY CHANCES WE HAVE TO GET IT, RIGHT? SAY ONE. WE GET ONE CHANCE TO GET IT RIGHT, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, WE DON'T WIN THAT WORK, AND IT WAS ALL FOR NAUGHT. SO IT TEACHES TWO THINGS, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO COLLABORATE AND WORK WELL TOGETHER, AND WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DO A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB AND SHARPEN OUR PENCIL SO THAT WE GET IT RIGHT, SO WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY.

TO WIN THE JOB. SO THAT'S HOW I USE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. HE'S LIKE, THAT WAS A LOT. NO DOUBT YOU'LL BE RUNNING A BUSINESS SOMEDAY, YOUNG MAN. YOU'LL BE DOING

[00:30:02]

[ 5. LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT]

SO, KIM, YOU CAN SPEAK TO EITHER OR BOTH. OKAY, ON THE WALNUT SPRINGS ELEMENTARY VISIT, WE HAD A TOUR BY THE LIGHTHOUSE TEAM, AND I THINK MY FAVORITE PART OF THE TOUR WAS THE SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION AND HOW THE STUDENTS WERE BUDDYING UP. IN THIS PARTICULAR CLASS THAT WE WENT INTO, THEY PAIRED A THIRD GRADER WITH A PRE-K STUDENT, AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO SIT WITH THE TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER, THE TWO STUDENTS, ASKING THE PRE-K STUDENT WHAT THEY WERE LEARNING FROM THE THIRD GRADER. AND I ASKED THE THIRD GRADER, WHAT WERE THEY LEARNING FROM THE PRE-K STUDENT? AND THEY HAD SOME GREAT IDEAS AND GREAT DIALOGUE.

BUT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SPLIT THOSE GRADE LEVELS AND HAVE THEM ENCOURAGE AND WORK TOGETHER. AND DID A GREAT JOB, SO IT WAS A VERY ACTIVE CLASSROOM. CHANDA, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO DRIPPING MIDDLE? I THINK THAT... WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE CLASSROOMS AT DRIPPING MIDDLE THIS TIME, BUT I WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE DATA THAT ANGELA FRANKHAUSER SHARED WITH US ABOUT OUR GROWTH. THANK YOU AGAIN, STUDENTS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THE GROWTH IN OUR MAPS, SCORES THAT SHE SHARED WITH US AND KIND OF THE PATH FORWARD. AND SO WE KNOW THAT THAT CAMPUS IS GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME TRANSITIONS, BUT I'M JUST REALLY IMPRESSED WITH HOW SHE HAS SET US UP IN THAT WAY TO MOVE FORWARD ACADEMICALLY.

SHE'S JUST DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THAT. SO I CAN'T SHARE THE DATA BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT WAS IMPRESSIVE. NEXT WAS OUR TAXPAYER TUESDAY. AND KIM, ARE YOU THE ONLY ONE THAT WENT THIS MONTH? I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE ME. I BELIEVE SO.

SCOTT DID A GREAT JOB. TALKED ABOUT THE 23 AND 25 BOND PACKAGE, AND IT WAS JUST AMAZING HOW HE BROKE DOWN WHAT BOTH OF THOSE BONDS INCLUDED AND WHERE WE WERE IN THE PROGRESS. HE SHOWED A LOT OF PLANS. HE SHOWED A LOT OF PLANNING, A LOT OF INPUT THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE HAD A REALLY LARGE TURNOUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEIR QUESTIONS WERE GREAT.

BUT IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE BECAUSE IT TAKES A MAN LIKE SCOTT. TO SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH THOSE STEPS OF THOSE BONDS AND WHY WE NEED THEM.

AND ONCE WE GET THEM, WHAT WE DO AND TO KEEP US ON ON TARGET WITH THEM. AND ONE THING THAT I'M PROUD TO SAY,

[00:35:02]

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE GET TO DO SO. WE HOLD EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, TO THAT PENNY. YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY VOTE ON A BOND, WE HOPE TO COME IN UNDER WHEN THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE, AND IT JUST PRESENTS GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR US.

BUT HE DID IT. THAT'S GREAT.

NEXT, WE HAD SYCAMORE. I'LL HAVE OLIVIER CAN COMMENT ON SYCAMORE MIDDLE, AND ROB, YOU CAN COMMENT ON ELEMENTARY. I DON'T HAVE MUCH. IT WAS A GREAT TOUR. GOT TO SEE. NEED WATER? WE VISITED THE CAMPUS AND WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH MULTIPLE DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS. AND THE THINGS THAT I LEFT THAT VISIT WITH WAS HOW MANY DIFFERENT LAYERS THAT ARE.

EDUCATORS. AND IT'S THE CULTURE OF THE DISTRICT AND THE CAMPUS.

WHEN YOU GO INTO A CLASSROOM, IT'S NOT JUST TECHNOLOGY, IT'S NOT JUST WORKSHEETS, IT'S JUST NOT BOOKS. EVERY SINGLE CLASS, THERE IS SUCH A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION. AND ALSO JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IS BEING TAUGHT IN A WAY THAT MIGHT IMPACT THEM THE BEST. SOME KIDS ARE GOING TO BE BETTER AT READING AND THEIR COMPREHENSION LEVELS ARE VERY HIGH. SOME CHILDREN ARE GOING TO THRIVE MORE DOING, YOU KNOW, INTERACTIVE COLLABORATION WITH CLASSMATES. SO TO GO INTO THE CLASSROOMS AND SEE THIS HAPPENING IN EVERY CLASSROOM, I ALWAYS LEAVE SO IMPRESSED WITH WITH THAT OBSERVATION.

AND THEN WE HAD CARPET TIME IN THE KINDERGARTEN CLASS.

FOR THE RECORD, IT TOOK ME ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF TO GET UP FROM CARPET TIME.

LET ME TELL YOU, THAT IS WHERE THE FOUNDATION IS BEING LAID. A LOT OF THE WORK THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE GET TO SEE THIRD AND FOURTH GRADERS HERE AT CYPRESS, BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PHONICS, EARLY LEARNING AROUND SENTENCE STRUCTURE, AND JUST THE THINGS WE GOT TO SEE, AND ALSO LIKE, THE GIFTS THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH. FIVE-YEAR-OLDS AND GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THESE CRITICAL CONCEPTS, FOR ME, WAS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE. I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES FEEL THE SAME WAY WE TALKED ABOUT AFTER WE LEFT THIS MEETING. SO GREAT, GREAT DEAL FOR US TO REALLY SEE AT THE GROUND LEVEL, IN THE EARLY PARTS OF THE EARLIEST PART OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. HOW WE'RE EMBEDDING THIS EXCELLENT STRATEGY AROUND READING AND DEVELOPING THAT WAS WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE. ALL RIGHT. THEN WE HAD A FEW DIFFERENT EVENTS GOING ON THIS MONTH. WE'LL JUST KIND OF GO COUNTERCLOCKWISE.

SHANDA, MARY JANE, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COMMENT ON THE GAME? YES. I WENT TO WALNUT SPRINGS LEADERSHIP DAY. WE STARTED IN THE CAFETERIA. THE THIRD GRADE, THE THIRD GRADERS ALL SANG, AND THEN THE LIGHTHOUSE TEAM PRESENTED. IT WAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THING TO ME WAS IT WAS COMPLETELY STUDENT-LED. SO EVERYTHING WAS DONE BY THE STUDENTS. AND THEY HAD A FAMILY THERE WHO GOT UP, A MOM AND A DAD, AND THEIR TWO KIDS THAT GO TO.

WALNUT PRESENTED ABOUT HOW THEY INCORPORATE THE SEVEN HABITS INTO THEIR FAMILY. AND IT WAS PRETTY SPECIAL. AND THEN THEY DISMISSED AND ALL THE CLASSROOMS WERE OPEN TO GO, AND TEACHERS WERE JUST...

TEACHING AND IT WAS YOU COULD JUST WALK AROUND AND WALK INTO CLASSROOMS, AND THIS PICTURE IS OF THEY HAD SOME OF THEIR.

EACH CLASSROOM HAD PULLED SOME KIDS OUT IN THE POD AND BROUGHT THEIR LEADERSHIP NOTEBOOKS, AND PARENTS WERE JUST KIND OF MEANDERING AROUND, AND THEY HAVE THEIR LEADERSHIP NOTEBOOKS OUT TO SHOW EVERYBODY. SO IT WAS, IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY WELL DONE DAY. AND THEY HAD A LOT OF THEIR CLUBS OUT THERE GIVING PTA, WAS GIVING OUT HOT CHOCOLATE, AND THEN THEY HAD THEIR CLUBS, HAD DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WILL MEET AFTER SCHOOL AND DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT. SO IT WAS A GREAT DAY. SO THE NATIONAL FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCE WAS IN D.C., AND SO MUCH WAS PACKED INTO THE FIRST DAY. WE HEARD FROM NUMEROUS SPEAKERS WHO WERE CONSIDERED SOME OF THE BEST.

EDUCATION MINDS IN DC, LIKE RICK HESS OF AEI, I'VE DONE A CONFERENCE PRESENTATION ON, HE CO-WROTE A BOOK CALLED A SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND, AND SO THAT WAS THRILLING TO ME. I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING HIM FOR YEARS AND GOT TO LISTEN TO HIM LIVE.

LEGISLATION ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM CHILD NUTRITION TO IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULES. THE ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL HAS A PROVISION

[00:40:01]

AND THEN I ALSO STOPPED BY REPRESENTATIVE ROY'S OFFICE, BUT HE WAS ON THE FLOOR AT THE TIME. BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IF ANYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO GO NEXT YEAR. ANYONE WANT TO COMMENT FROM THE GALA? I UNFORTUNATELY WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS YEAR, BUT I HEARD IT WAS AWESOME.

KIM. I'LL DO THAT AND JUST SPEED INTO MY REPORT. IT WAS A GREAT DAY. I GOT THERE ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, HELPED THEM SET UP ALL DAY. IT WAS A BLAST TO SET UP AND WATCH EVERYBODY ARRIVE AT SIX O'CLOCK THAT EVENING, AND YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAD A GREAT TIME.

AND WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT THERE, REPRESENTED BY THE BOARD, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET INTO MY REPORT BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION. LAST MONTH, OUR HEART OF A TIGER GALA BROUGHT THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN THE MOST INCREDIBLE WAY.

BECAUSE OF THE GENEROSITY IN THAT ROOM, WE RAISED NEARLY $200,000 TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND DISTRICT INITIATIVES. WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED, SPONSORED, DONATED, AND PARTICIPATED. IT WAS A POWERFUL REMINDER THAT DRIPPING SPRINGS STANDS BEHIND ITS SCHOOLS, NOT JUST IN WORDS, BUT ALSO IN ACTION.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE UPCOMING CLAYS FOR CLASSROOM EVENT. WE'LL GATHER ON APRIL THE 2ND AT HOG HEAVEN SPORTING CLUB FOR A GREAT DAY OF CONNECTION AND CLAYS COMPETITION TO SUPPORT OUR CAMPUSES.

SPONSORSHIPS AND TEAM SPOTS ARE AVAILABLE AND WE INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO GET INVOLVED.

IT'S ANOTHER MEANINGFUL WAY WE BRIDGE THE GAP FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING AND STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES. AND LAST, AS WE APPROACH THE END OF OUR PHYSICAL YEAR, WE INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER BECOMING A SUSTAINING MEMBER OF THE FOUNDATION.

MONTHLY GIVING PROVIDES A STEADY, RELIABLE SUPPORT THAT ALLOWS US TO PLAN STRATEGICALLY AND RESPOND TO CAMPUS NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. EVEN A SMALL MONTHLY COMMITMENT MAKE A LASTING IMPACT, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY PARTNER WHO CHOOSES TO STAND WITH OUR TEACHERS YEAR-ROUND.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS GREAT.

THANKS, KIM. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER LIAISON UPDATES? OKAY, ELIDIA? MINE ARE VERY SHORT. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE FOR PARKS AND REC, I TOLD YOU GUYS LAST MONTH ABOUT THE CITY HOSTED ITS FIRST EVER SUMMER CAMP FAIR.

WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. DSISD PARTICIPATED, AND FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW, THE CITY HAS BROUGHT ALL LOCAL CAMPS TOGETHER. WE HAD, I MEAN, EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE, EVERY TYPE OF CAMP. I DID MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY LOOKS FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. I THINK THAT WASN'T SUPER REPRESENTED THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT. BUT WE HAD OVER 50 CAMPS PARTICIPATE AND OVER 400 PEOPLE CAME, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. SO THAT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. AND THEN I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW FOR CTE OTHER THAN TO SAY THE MIDDLE SCHOOL JUST FINISHED WITH ENROLLMENT FOR NEXT YEAR. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY SOME OF THE COURSES THAT EIGHTH GRADERS ARE NOW ABLE TO TAKE. I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT LIKE INTRO TO PROGRAMMING, INTRO TO ENGINEERING, SMALL ENGINE MECHANICS. SO NOW AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, WE ARE PREPARING THE STUDENTS FOR THESE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL. SO THAT'S IT. ONLY THING FOR ME, A BIG PLUG. AND SINCE I HAVE A CAPTIVATED AUDIENCE HERE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL TO NAMING AND BRANDING, I AM THE LIAISON FROM THE BOARD FOR THAT COMMITTEE. AND THE SURVEY IS STILL OPEN UNTIL MONDAY. I BELIEVE. SO YOU STILL HAVE A WEEK TO SHARE WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. IF YOU HAVE SOME, ACTUALLY MARCH 5TH, I WAS WRONG, NOT THE 2ND, THE 5TH. SO WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 10 MORE DAYS THAT THAT'S OPEN FOR EVERYBODY. SO BOARD MEMBERS, SHARE WIDE AND YOU ALSO SHARE.

AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD A TON OF RESPONSES, RIGHT, MADAM PRESIDENT, ON THAT DEAL? SO I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HAD LIKE 01,800, BUT I LOVE MASSIVELY MORE THAN THAT. I WONDER IF WE HAVE A SHIFT THROUGH ALL THAT. GOD BLESS THEM. ALL RIGHT.

ON THE MUNICIPALITY'S FRONT, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MYSELF, AND WORKING WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY.

STAFF AT DRIPPIN SPRINGS, ARE MAKING SOME PHENOMENAL PROGRESS ON OUR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT EFFORT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. YOU KNOW, THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW ARE WORKING ON WHAT WILL BE A GROUNDBREAKING AGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR TWO ENTITIES. THAT WOULD OVERSEE, REALLY, OUR DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS IN THE CITY AND ETJ FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.

SO, GREAT PROGRESS ON THAT FOR MY COLLEAGUES. WE'RE GOING TO START LOOKING AT SOME LANGUAGE, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY AT OUR APRIL MEETING, TO KIND OF LOOK THROUGH THAT AND SEE. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING IN MARCH TO KIND OF BEGIN TO GET MORE GRANULAR. BUT AT THE HIGH LEVEL, THERE'S PRETTY WIDESPREAD AGREEMENT

[00:45:01]

SO GREAT PROGRESS ON THAT, MORE TO FOLLOW, AND I'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED.

THANKS. SO THE DISTRICT OF INNOVATION COMMITTEE MET LAST WEEK, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THOROUGH DISCUSSION OVER THE ONES THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, WHAT WE HOPE TO CONTINUE, AND THEN SOME NEW TOPICS, AND WE MEET, OR POTENTIALLY MEET AGAIN, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME NEW SUGGESTIONS. WE'LL LEARN.

SOON, IF WE NEED TO MEET AGAIN VIRTUALLY. I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE OUR TEAM'S PURSUIT OF ALL POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO US. I HAVE THE COUNCIL OF PTAS MET ON THE 9TH.

THERE'S NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN THROUGH MARCH 2ND. EVERY YEAR, THE TEXAS PTA RECOGNIZES A TEACHER, PRINCIPAL, OR SUPERINTENDENT. WHO GIVES A LITTLE BIT EXTRA TO MAKE ALL STUDENTS SUCCESSFUL. AND SO COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN NOMINATE TEACHERS FROM TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS FROM THEIR CAMPUS.

AS OF FEBRUARY 4TH, WE HAVE 03,378 PTA MEMBERS, AND THAT IS A 102% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. YEAH, HUGE.

ONE THING TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THE PTA, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, THEY'RE ORGANIZING THESE TIGER TALKS. EVENTS, AND SO ALL DIFFERENT TOPICS. IT'S OPEN TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THE NEXT EVENT IS AT WILDWOOD ON FEBRUARY 26TH. THE TOPIC IS RAISING RESILIENT KIDS, NAVIGATING BULLYING AND PEER CONFLICT, AND THEY HAVE CHILD CARE AT THESE EVENTS, AND SO THE FIRST ONE AT ROOSTER WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

IN MARCH, THE HIGH SCHOOL IS GOING TO HOST ONE MARCH 30TH AT 7 O'CLOCK, AND THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH TIKTOK. CREATE WITH KINDNESS PROGRAM. IT AIMS TO HAVE HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS MEET WITH THEIR PARENTS TO DISCUSS SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH, I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG TOPIC, HOW IT IMPACTS THEM, AND HOW WE CAN CREATE A KINDER SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE. AND SO THAT'S, AGAIN, OPEN TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

FUTURE EVENTS ARE GOING TO BE HOSTED AT WALNUT AND CYPRESS. AND THEN OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON APRIL 13TH. WE WILL HAVE A SLACK MEETING ON MARCH 9TH, AND SO I'LL HAVE AN UPDATE FOR THAT NEXT TIME. ALL RIGHT.

[ 6. RECOGNITIONS]

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE HAVE SO MUCH TO GET THROUGH. FIRST IS OUR PTA REFLECTION, STATE QUALIFIERS. HI EVERYBODY, SO, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL OF PTAS OF DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD, WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE CREATIVITY AND TALENT OF OUR STUDENTS.

TONIGHT IS ABOUT HONORING STUDENTS' IMAGINATION, EXPRESSION, AND THE POWERFUL VOICES OF YOUNG ARTISTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THIS YEAR'S THEME, I BELONG, INVITED STUDENTS TO REFLECT ON CONNECTION, WHERE THEY FEEL SEEN, VALUED, AND UNDERSTOOD.

THROUGH DANCE, FILM, LITERATURE, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND VISUAL ARTS, THEY SHARED MEANINGFUL AND INSPIRING INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT BELONGING MEANS TO THEM. EACH PIECE RECOGNIZED THIS EVENING REPRESENTS NOT ONLY ARTISTIC SKILL, BUT ALSO COURAGE, THE COURAGE TO SHARE A PERSONAL STORY. THE STUDENTS WE CELEBRATE THIS EVENING ADVANCED TO THE COUNCIL LEVEL OF JUDGING, AND MANY HAVE ADVANCED TO THE STATE LEVEL OF JUDGING. AND WE ARE. WE ARE SO PROUD OF THEIR HARD WORK AND CREATIVITY. TO OUR FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND PTA VOLUNTEERS, THANK YOU FOR NURTURING THE ARTS IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND TO OUR STUDENT ARTISTS, YOUR VOICES MATTER, YOUR STORIES MATTER, AND YOU ABSOLUTELY BELONG.

NOW, LET'S CELEBRATE OUR OUTSTANDING REFLECTIONS.

PARTICIPANTS.

IN FILM PRODUCTION, FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE HAVE EMMA O'KEEFE WITH BOWIE BELONGS. FROM SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL, WITH THE OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO THE STATE LEVEL. WE HAVE EMMA HERE TONIGHT? NO? INTERMEDIATE, GRADES 3 THROUGH 5, ZOE AKAVAN, WHY DO YOU BELONG? FROM WILDWOOD SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, OVERALL

[00:50:02]

FROM PRIMARY SCHOOLS, GRADES PRESCHOOL THROUGH SECOND GRADE. TRUETT MOORE? THERE HE IS. ALL RIGHT.

THE CAMPFIRE FROM WALNUT SPRINGS ELEMENTARY. OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE. TRUETT IS ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL FOR PTA JUDGING. AGAIN, THIS IS FILM PRODUCTION. AND THEN IN LITERATURE FOR HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE PRIYANKA RAJNEESH. WE HAVE PRIYANKA HERE TONIGHT. NO.

PRIYANKA DID A WORLD NOT YET TRAVELED AND IS ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL.

FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT, SHREYAN KAFKANYANA WITH I BELONG. NO.

OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL.

FOR INTERMEDIATE, WE HAVE ANAYA VISHNUBHALTA. THERE SHE IS. CONGRATULATIONS. SHE DID I BELONG? POEM TO THE FUTURE TIGERS FROM SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL. VIVAN KAPADIA, THERE HE IS.

CONGRATULATIONS WITH RAIN'S DILEMMA FROM MOOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, AWARD OF EXCELLENCE. EMMA TANZOR.

EMMA RECEIVED AN AWARD OF MERIT WITH I BELONG WHEREVER I GO. OH, THERE SHE IS. HI, CONGRATULATIONS.

YEAH, NO WORRIES.

CONGRATULATIONS. WITH PRIMARY SCHOOL, WE HAVE LARK ZWIENER, WITH BELONGING TO THE WORLD FROM CYPRESS SPRINGS, RECEIVING THE OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL. AND THEN VIKRANT GURAM, THERE HE IS.

DID SHINE, WHERE YOU BELONG FROM, ROOSTER SPRINGS, RECEIVE THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE? CONGRATULATIONS. IN MUSIC, COMPOSITION, INTERMEDIATE, WE HAVE ELISE ACOSTA. WE HAVE ELISE HERE TONIGHT. ELISE CREATED WHEREVER I WANT TO BE.

FROM DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO THE STATE LEVEL. PRIMARY, PRESCHOOL THROUGH SECOND, NELLIE SMITH. THERE'S NELLIE.

THE SYCAMORE BELONG SONG FROM SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL.

LARK ZWIENER ALSO RECEIVED THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE. IN THE MUSIC COMPETITION CATEGORY FOR I LOVE YOU FOREVER, NO MATTER WHAT, LARK'S ALREADY UP HERE. PHOTOGRAPHY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, BIANCA SARMIENTO.

THERE'S BIANCA. SUNSET IN THE HILL COUNTRY FROM DRIPPING SPRINGS. MIDDLE SCHOOL, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL. INTERMEDIATE GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE, VIVONNE. VIVAN'S UP HERE ALREADY? YEP, CONGRATULATIONS.

CATERPILLAR'S NEST, ROOSTER SPRINGS, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL. PRIMARY, PRESCHOOL THROUGH SECOND, WE HAVE HARPER FLIPPEN. IS HARPER HERE? THERE SHE IS. MY SOCCER FAMILY FROM SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL. LARK ZWIENER, FAMILY BELONGS. CYPRESS SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE. CORMAC MOORE. THERE HE IS.

CONGRATULATIONS. CORMAC DID DRAGON IN THE SKY FROM WALNUT SPRINGS, AWARD OF MERIT. SID CAPADIA. HEY, SID.

CONGRATULATIONS. LEGO WORLD FROM ROOSTER SPRINGS, HONORABLE MENTION. AARON MILLER.

[00:55:01]

AARON DID A SELF-PORTRAIT, 2025, DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, HONORABLE MENTION. VISUAL ARTS, MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE HAVE EVELYN OGDEN.

THERE'S EVELYN. PUT TOGETHER, SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL, INTERMEDIATE, NISHTA. RAM RAKAMI, CONGRATULATIONS. THE GEOMETRY OF BELONGING FROM ROOSTER SPRINGS, OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING THE STATE LEVEL. VIVAN KAPADIA, ALREADY UP HERE, REFLECTION OF MEMORIES, ROOSTER SPRINGS, AWARD OF EXCELLENCE. EMMA TANZOR, IS EMMA ALREADY UP HERE? YEAH, THERE SHE IS. I BELONG, NO MATTER HOW I LOOK FROM CYPRESS SPRINGS, AWARD OF MERIT. AMELIA FLORES.

AMELIA? AMELIA MADE YOUR DIFFERENCE MATTERS FROM WILDWOOD SPRINGS, A WORD OF MERIT. HOPE SADLER.

THERE'S HOPE. COME ON UP. WE ALL BELONG FROM WALNUT SPRINGS, HONORABLE MENTION.

AND THEN OUR LAST CATEGORY, PRIMARY, GRADES, PRESCHOOL THROUGH SECOND. ADDISON TANZOR. ADDISON UP HERE. THERE SHE IS. YOU WORK TOGETHER. YOU GET TO SHINE FROM CYPRESS SPRINGS. OVERALL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, ADVANCING TO STATE LEVEL. SID CAPADIA, ALREADY UP HERE. RIGHT? YEP, THERE HE IS. THE RAINS, WHERE DO I BELONG FROM? ROOSTER SPRINGS, AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.

ILARA ANEJA. THERE SHE IS. TWO PEOPLE, ONE HEART FROM SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, AWARD OF MERIT. ALIYAH BAJAWA, THERE'S ALIYAH. WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER FROM WILDWOOD SPRINGS, HONORABLE MENTION.

IVAN PUNAHI. IVAN, I BELONG TO THIS AMAZING WORLD WHERE EVERY CREATURE HAS A HOME.

WILDWOOD, OR, EXCUSE ME, WALNUT SPRINGS, HONORABLE MENTION. MARY KATE NIELSEN, THERE SHE IS. EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT THE GLUTEN-FREE CAFE, WALNUT SPRINGS, HONORABLE MENTION. AND MILO WEST, WHALE FROM WILDWOOD SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, HONORABLE MENTION.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR WINNERS.

CONGRATULATIONS. STUDENTS, LISTEN TO MRS. EDWARDS, AND YOU GUYS, PARENTS, YOU CAN TAKE SOME BETTER PICTURES WHEN WE GET THEM KIND OF ALL CONDENSED A LITTLE BIT.

ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR REFLECTIONS CHAIR, NORA URESTE. SHE MANAGED THIS PROGRAM BEAUTIFULLY. AS THE VP OF PROGRAMS, I DIDN'T HAVE TO TOUCH IT BECAUSE SHE HANDLED EVERYTHING, AND IT'S A VERY COMPLEX PROGRAM. SO THANK YOU,

[01:01:39]

CONGRATULATIONS, PRESTON, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THE ARTS IN DRIPPING SPRINGS. THANK YOU. OKAY, I GET THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING MISS KELLY RAYMOND AND MISS ANGELA GOMEZ. LADIES, COME ON UP. I JUST WANT THEM, WHEN I SAY THEIR AWARD, I WANT THEM TO DO SOME LARK MOVES, LITTLE DANCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY. SO, MS. KELLY RAYMOND, THE PRINCIPAL OF TRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, HAS BEEN AWARDED THE TESPIN OF THE YEAR AWARD. THIS RECOGNITION IS FROM THE TEXAS ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS AND

[01:05:02]

ADVOCATING FOR TEXAS PRE-K THROUGH 8 STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS AND REGION 13.

TEPSON OF THE WEEK OF THE YEAR IS MISS KELLY RAYMOND. GREAT JOB. AND THEN ALSO IN RECOGNITION OF MISS ANGELA GOMEZ, OUR DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, SHE WAS AWARDED THE BRAVO AWARD, AND THAT AWARD, AND I HAVE TO READ IT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY LONG, IT'S FROM THE TEXAS COUNCIL OF WOMEN SCHOOL EXECUTIVES COMMITTEE, AND THIS AWARD IS A STATEWIDE RECOGNITION OF ANY EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT STRENGTHEN SCHOOL, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT. SHE'S BEING HONORED FOR THE BRIDGE PROGRAM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. SO, MS. ANGELA GOMEZ. THANK YOU. YEP, IT'S GROWING. OH, THE FAMOUS JAR. YES, WE WILL. I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SAYING A FEW WORDS ABOUT ELAINE AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO DO IT WITHOUT CRYING.

BECAUSE AS THIS HAS STARTED TO GET REAL, IT'S BECOME MORE EMOTIONAL.

SO ELAINE HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO OUR DISTRICT. SHE CAME HERE AND INSTITUTED STRONG FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING PRACTICES THAT RESULTED IN CONTINUING CLEAN AUDITS FOR DSISC YEAR OVER YEAR. AND OUR FIRST EVER 100 POINT FIRST RATING FOR THE DISTRICT. SHE DEVELOPED FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY PROGRAMS SUCH AS TAXPAYER TUESDAY, WHICH WE'LL LIVE ON AS A PART OF HER LEGACY.

BUT SHE OFTEN SAYS, THAT'S HER LEGACY, BUT THAT'S NOT HER ONLY LEGACY.

SHE LED SO MANY COMMUNITY PLANNING AND EDUCATION EFFORTS.

SHE LED MULTIPLE BOND PROGRAMS, OUR BOND PLANNING COMMITTEES.

IN HER 31 YEARS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, ELAINE LIKES TO SAY SHE'S HAD TWO TOURS IN DRIPPING SPRINGS, ISD. BUT HER IMPACT HAS BEEN TRULY IMMEASURABLE. SHE SERVED ON THE STATE BUSINESS OFFICIAL BOARD AS PRESIDENT AND IS CURRENTLY PAST PRESIDENT.

AND IF YOU ASK PEOPLE ABOUT ELAINE COGBURN, THEY KNOW HER, AND THEY KNOW HER FINANCIAL ACUMEN, THEY KNOW HER ABILITY TO LEAD TEAMS AND HER LEADERSHIP. FOR SO MANY OF THE OPERATIONS ACROSS OUR DISTRICT, BUT ACROSS MANY DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE. SHE JUST HAS A STATEWIDE REPUTATION FOR BEING AN EXPERT AND A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL. SO, BEYOND HER TIME IN DSISD,

[01:10:02]

SHE'S BEEN AN AMAZING FRIEND, COLLEAGUE, A GREAT PARTNER IN CRIME, AND I HAVE ENJOYED SO MUCH TIME WORKING WITH ELAINE. SHE REALLY IS AN AMAZING THOUGHT PARTNER, AN INNOVATOR.

TO IMAGINE HOW WE CAN GO BEYOND ANY LIMITATION, AND IT MAKES HER AN EXCELLENT LEADER, AND SO SHE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE MISSED IN DRIPPING SPRINGS. AMEN. SO WE'RE GOING DOWN. YOU CAN. TAKE THE MIC.

YOU SHOULD. ELAINE, YOU WERE AN INCREDIBLE LEADER. EVERYTHING HOLLY SAID IS ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE, AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED, BUT I WAS ON THE BOARD BEFORE ELAINE, AND SO I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THAT MEANS TO HAVE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALSO TO NOT HAVE YOUR LEADERSHIP.

AND I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE RECRUITED TO FILL IN YOUR DEPARTMENT BEHIND YOU. BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH FAITH IN YOUR TEAM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH FAITH IN YOU, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL GO ON TO. GREATER, BIGGER, BETTER THINGS, BUT I HOPE YOU ALWAYS HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF US, BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY FOND MEMORIES OF YOU. THANK YOU.

YEAH. I GOTTA WELCOME TO THE CLUB. YOU'RE GOING TO ABSOLUTELY LOVE, YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE RETIREMENT AND YOU DESERVE IT. AND YOU JUST GO PLAY AND YOU JUST GO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO DO. AND THEN, LIKE KIM DID, YOU CAN JUST COME BACK. VERY HARD TO SAY THIS WITHOUT BEING EMOTIONAL, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART BECAUSE KNOWING YOU, YOU ELEVATE PROFESSIONALISM.

YOU SET SUCH A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE, AND I THINK THAT SO MANY PEOPLE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT WORK AT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE LIKE AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL, IF YOU ARE OUT THERE IN THE REAL WORLD, LEADING A TOP 500 COMPANY, YOU HAVE ONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS THAT EXIST.

AND TO DO THAT, IN A PUBLIC, CIVIL CAPACITY IS LIKE, YOU'RE A SAINT. YOU ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT YOU DO, HOW CRITICAL THIS ROLE IS, AND I JUST WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.

WE WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH.

SINCE WE'RE ALL DOING THE WE LOVE ELAINE SPEECH, ELAINE, YOU AND I HAD OUR FIRST MEETING BEFORE I WAS EVEN ELECTED TO THE BOARD. AND IT WAS ON SCHOOL FINANCE, WHICH YOU ARE THE BIGGEST NINJA AT I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE.

AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US ON THIS BOARD HAS HAD ENGAGEMENTS WITH, WHETHER IT BE STATE LEGISLATURES, THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY. ME PERSONALLY, I HAVE A LOT OF MY ALL, MOST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AROUND PUBLIC FINANCE OR PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE IS A TESTAMENT TO YOU. AND WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT IS MY KNOWLEDGE IS YOU RESPECTED MY ROLE AS A A GOVERNOR OF THE DISTRICT. YOU NEVER TOLD ME WHAT TO THINK, RIGHT? BUT YOU ALWAYS PRESENTED

[01:15:01]

AND I PERSONALLY DID A GRATITUDE FOR THAT. AND SO GOD BLESS YOU AND WE WILL MISS THE HECK OUT OF YOU. WELL, I'VE ALREADY TOLD ELAINE THAT I FULLY INTEND TO BRING HER OUT OF RETIREMENT IN ANOTHER CAPACITY, BUT I WILL JUST TELL YOU, AS I TRAVEL ACROSS THE STATE IN MY TASB CAPACITY, YOUR RENOWN, YOUR EXPERTISE IS KNOWN STATEWIDE, AND SO I'M JUST SO HONORED THAT YOU CHOSE TO FINISH YOUR CAREER HERE. WE WILL SEE YOU SOON. OKAY, I ECHO EVERYTHING EVERYONE SAID ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM AND JUST THE LEVEL THAT YOU ARE AT HERE.

BUT CHARACTER-WISE, I WANT TO SAY, BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD, DAVE, ABSOLUTELY, HE'S A GREAT JUDGE OF CHARACTER, MY HUSBAND. AND BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD, HE WAS ON A COMMITTEE, AND HE SAID, WHO IS THAT ONE LADY WITH BLONDE HAIR, AND SHE'S LEADING? AND I SAID, OH, ELAINE COGBURN. AND HE SAID, MAN, SHE IS SHARP. SHE IS SHARP, AND YOU SAID, I DON'T LIKE HER. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY PERSONALLY, I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, CHARACTER-WISE, NOT ONLY PROFESSIONALLY, BUT CHARACTER-WISE, YOU'RE AT THE ELITE LEVEL TOO. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL

[7. PUBLIC HEARING]

[8. PUBLIC COMMENT]

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.

SPEAKERS SHALL BE HEARD ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED 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. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS RICK BRENS, BRENES. YOU CAN CORRECT ME, SIR. WELL, I'M RICK BRENES. I'M WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. I'M A BUS DRIVER, AND I HATE THAT IT COMES TO THE END OF THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A SCINTILLATING SUBJECT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THE ONLY ADVICE THEY GAVE ME, TRANSPORTATION, WAS TO KEEP IT CLEAN.

UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT DIRT.

AT DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY. WE HAVE RUN THIS UP THE FLAGPOLE SEVERAL TIMES. WE GET NOWHERE. THERE IS MUD ALL OVER THE PLACE. WOULD YOU GIVE THEM THOSE PICTURES AND LET THEM PASS IT DOWN, PLEASE? YEAH, THE ONES YOU PRINTED. SO I THOUGHT WE WOULD GO TO THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN, SEE IF WE COULD GET SOMETHING DONE. IN THE PAST, THIS PROBLEM HAS... GO AHEAD.

THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED, I KNOW, FOR 10 YEARS, BECAUSE OUR DISPATCHER SAYS SHE'S BEEN HERE 10 YEARS AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM. IN THE PAST, WE HAVE RECEIVED COMMENTS SUCH AS, WELL, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.

WELL, THAT KIND OF EQUATES TO A PARENT SAYING, I'LL THINK ABOUT IT, WHICH MEANS NO. IT'S A LOW PRIORITY, I UNDERSTAND, BUT IT IS SUCH A PROBLEM. THE MUD, EVERY TIME IT RAINS, IF IT SNOWS, SLEEPS, WHATEVER. IT'S TERRIBLE. YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES, THAT'S THE INSIDE OF MY BUS.

THAT'S THE GROUND AFTER IT HAD DRIED OUT. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD. IT'S A... THE KIDS... AND THE TEACHERS, I MEAN, THEY'RE RUINING THEIR PRADAS, THEIR JIMMY CHEWS, AND THOSE... YOU KNOW, I FEEL SORRY FOR THEM, BECAUSE I DIDN'T... WELL, I DIDN'T PAY FOR THEM. BUT AT ANY RATE, WE NEED ABOUT AN 8-FOOT-WIDE SIDEWALK DOWN THERE OF SOME IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL.

WHETHER IT BE ASPHALT, WHETHER IT BE CONCRETE, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT. WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO GET DONE? UH, ANY COMMENTS, ANY ANSWERS. IT SEEMS TO BE I I'M NOT ASKING

[01:20:02]

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS FROM KATHY THOMAS.

I'M KATHY THOMAS. I'M A TAXPAYING COMMUNITY MEMBER IN DRIPPING SPRINGS. OUR DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM HERE IN 2019.

I'M HERE TO URGE THE BOARD MEMBERS TO VOTE AGAINST THE ADOPTION OF THE NEW SCHOOL PRAYER AND BIBLE READING POLICY. AS A WOMAN OF FAITH, WE TAUGHT OUR FAITH IN OUR HOME AND IN OUR CHURCH. HAVING GROWN UP IN A TOWN WHERE MOST OF THE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT DENOMINATION, I GOT THE PRESSURE THAT I NEEDED TO BE A DIFFERENT RELIGION. IT WAS FROM MY SCIENCE TEACHER, WHO WAS ALSO OUR PRINCIPAL. IT GOT SO BAD, MY MOTHER HAD TO GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT IT. WE DON'T WANT KIDS TO FEEL THAT KIND OF PRESSURE, AND THIS BILL, I'M AFRAID, WILL MAKE IT HAVE THAT.

THERE'S ALREADY A TIME OF REFLECTION IN STUDENT-LED PRAYER, IF IT'S OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS OF ANY AND ALL FAITHS. SCHOOLS ARE WELCOME TO DO IT. I REALLY DRAW THE LINE THAT TEACHER-INVOLVED PRAYER OR BIBLE STUDY DURING SCHOOL HOURS. PLEASE PROTECT STUDENTS' EDUCATION BY NOT TAKING AWAY MORE TIME FROM THEIR EDUCATIONAL MINUTES.

PROTECT THEIR RIGHT TO BELONG.

WITHOUT BEING MADE TO FEEL DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH OR LACK THEREOF, REFLECTIONS, WE BELONG. LET'S MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

PROTECT THEIR RIGHT TO BE WHO THEY ARE WITHOUT GOVERNMENT COERCION.

REJECT STATE-ORGANIZED PRAYER IN OUR SCHOOLS. LET THE PARENTS AND FAITH COMMUNITIES THEY CHOOSE CONTINUE TO BE THE PRIMARY TEACHERS OF THEIR CHILDREN WHEN IT COMES TO FAITH. AND RESPECT THOSE WHO DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO A PARTICULAR FAITH, BUT TEACH THAT ETHICAL BEHAVIOR AT HOME. HONESTLY, SOME OF THE KINDEST PEOPLE I KNOW DON'T BELONG TO A CHURCH. I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THAT EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY TIME IN JUNIOR HIGH IN WOODVILLE, I STILL FEEL THAT PRESSURE FROM THAT TEACHER. I DON'T WANT ANY KID TO EVER FEEL THAT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT WIMBERLY ISD HAS VOTED IT DOWN 6-0, AND WHAT THEY SAID, SO WE ALREADY HAVE A TIME OF REFLECTION ON OUR CAMPUS, IT'S ALREADY IN PLACE, STATED THE BOARD PRESIDENT. HE REITERATED MEMBER JONES' SENTIMENT AND STATED THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING A DAILY PRAYER PERIOD, WHEN HE BARBECUED. BURDENSOME BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET PERMISSION FROM EVERY TEACHER AND EVERY PARENT. A RECORD VOTE WAS TAKEN TO DECLINE IT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A RESOLUTION. IN THEIR ALTERNATIVE RESOLUTION, THE BOARD AFFIRMED ITS DEDICATION TO, QUOTE, CULTIVATING AND MAINTAINING A RESPECTFUL SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. OF ANY OR NO RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND.

THAT SUPPORTS THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO PRAY IN THEIR OWN. I HOPE THAT WE WILL DO THE SAME. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE OUR KIDS FEEL GOOD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM LATER THIS EVENING, SO WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT AT THAT TIME. OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS VICTORIA HULTUM. HI, I'M TORI. MY KIDS GO TO SYCAMORE. I AM ALSO HERE TO ASK THAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD RESPECT MY FAMILY'S RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

EXCUSE ME. RECENTLY READ STATE BILL 11, AS WELL AS A FEDERAL LETTER REGARDING TEACHER-LED PRAYER, OPTIONS FOR DISTRICTS TO INCORPORATE BIBLICAL TEACHINGS INTO OUR CHILDREN'S PUBLICLY FUNDED EDUCATION. I WAS UNABLE TO FIND EVIDENCE WHETHER THE BOARD HAD YET VOTED. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT IT'S BEING ADDRESSED THIS EVENING. IN LIGHT OF THE CONTINUED FEDERAL AND STATE AGGRESSIONS ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO MAINTAIN A CLEAR SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. STATE BILL 11 AND SIMILAR MEASURES ARE AN OUTRIGHT INFRINGEMENT ON MY RIGHTS AND THOSE OF MY FAMILY. MY SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT RECEIVE RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION FROM HIS TEACHERS AT PUBLIC SCHOOL. YOU SEE THESE EMOTIONS BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN ALIENATED ALREADY AMONG HIS PEERS. MANY BIBLICAL TEACHINGS VARY WIDELY ACROSS DENOMINATIONS, AS WE'VE HEARD, AND OUR EDUCATORS CANNOT BE ALIGNED IN HOW TO DELIVER THESE MESSAGES.

FOR MANY OF THEM, THE SUGGESTION THAT THEY TRY WOULD BE A HUGE VIOLATION OF THEIR RIGHTS AND ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS AS TEACHERS AND MENTORS. THAT ASIDE, THE MOST FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY ARE ONES I DO NOT WANT BEING TAUGHT TO MY CHILDREN AS PART

[01:25:01]

IN ADDITION TO BEING AN INFRINGEMENT ON MY RIGHTS AND AN INAPPROPRIATELY PLACED BURDEN ON OUR TEACHERS, S.B. 11 AND SIMILAR MEASURES POSE AN OBJECTIVELY INCORRECT ANSWER TO A QUESTION WE MIGHT ASK OUT LOUD IN THE CONTEXT OF THESE SUGGESTED MEASURES.

WHAT SHOULD WE BE TRYING TO ADD TO OUR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL DAYS? I THINK THAT EARLIER TONIGHT, WE HEARD MANY EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF EFFORTS THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OTHER FOLKS, AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS AND LEADERS ARE ADDING TO OUR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL DAYS, AND THOSE ARE EXCITING TO HEAR ABOUT. WE POSSESS REAL-TIME, VARIABLE-ADJUSTED, INTERNATIONAL DATA ON WHAT WORKS WELL FOR STUDENTS, FOR STUDENT HAPPINESS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. IN THE DATA, DO WE SEE STATE-MANDATED RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN? WHILE I PROVIDE AT-HOME, AGE-APPROPRIATE INFORMATION TO MY KIDS REGARDING RELIGIONS AROUND THE WORLD, AND I TEACH MY CHILDREN HOW TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE BELIEFS OF OUR LOVED ONES AND NEIGHBORS, I WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLORE THE ADULTS IN OUR LIVES TO RESPECT MY FAMILY'S VALUES AND BELIEFS.

MY CHILDREN, AS I MENTIONED, DO FACE ALIENATION AT SCHOOL FROM THEIR PEERS, AND IT'S HARD TO WITNESS.

EXTENDING THIS ALIENATION TO THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR TEACHERS WOULD BE TRAGIC.

AGAIN, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OTHER THINGS I'VE HEARD THAT WE'RE ADDING TO OUR STUDENTS' DAYS. I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ASK THAT WE DO NOT ALLOW THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MARY FOX. MARY FOX. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS MARY FOX. I'M A RECENTLY RETIRED SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND CANDIDATE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 73. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE VOTE TAKING PLACE TONIGHT ON SENATE BILL 11.

BEFORE I DO, THOUGH, I'D LIKE TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN GUIDING DSISD, FROM BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOMS TO ROBUST REFLECTIONS PROGRAM, WHICH I LOVE, STATE QUALIFIERS AND WINNERS IN SPORTS AND IN THE ARTS.

RECOGNIZED SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND VERY CLEARLY EVIDENT CAMARADERIE WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

CONGRATULATIONS ELAINE. IT'S AMAZING. IT IS CLEAR THAT YOUR LEADERSHIP IS BENEFITING TIGERS AT ALL LEVELS. THIS ENTIRE BOARD MEETING IS AN AUTHENTIC DEPICTION OF THE POWERFUL TEACHING, LEADING AND LEARNING HAPPENING IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

REGARDING SENATE BILL 11, I URGE YOU TO TO REJECT THE OPTION TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT A DEDICATED TIME FOR RELIGIOUS PRACTICES, AND THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY.

STUDENTS ALREADY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY AND REFLECT DURING THE MOMENT OF SILENCE EACH DAY. STUDENTS AND STAFF MAY PRAY, REFLECT, AND READ RELIGIOUS MATERIALS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY ALREADY, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T INTERRUPT INSTRUCTION OR COERCE OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE. THIS WOULD BE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL, DURING LUNCH, WHEN CLASSWORK IS COMPLETED, AND, OF COURSE, BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER TESTS. IMPLEMENTING A DEDICATED RELIGIOUS BLOCK OF TIME FOR PARTICIPATING STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE THE ADDITION OF STAFF MEMBERS TO SUPERVISE STUDENTS. AND A SPACE FOR THEM TO GATHER, WHICH CAN BE COSTLY. AND PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, TIME SET ASIDE FOR RELIGIOUS PRACTICE IS TIME TAKEN AWAY FROM LEARNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT IS KELLY METZGER. MY NAME IS KELLY METZGER, AND I AM A PARENT OF A SENIOR AT DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL. I TEND TONIGHT TO OPPOSE IMPLEMENTATION OF S.B. 11, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MANDATORY PRAYER PERIOD LEGISLATION. I DO NOT APPROVE OF STAFF-LED PRAYER OF ANY RELIGION. OUR STUDENTS HAVE RIGHTS UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION. THE RIGHT TO PRACTICE A RELIGION OR NO RELIGION INCLUDES ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST CITIZENS, NOT JUST GROWN-UPS. TRUSTEES ON THIS BOARD, HOPEFULLY IN THEIR WISDOM, WILL MAINTAIN THE RIGHTS OF ALL THE PARENTS IN THE DISTRICT WHO WANT TO GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING AS THEY SEE FIT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS NATALIE KEMP. HI, I'M

[01:30:07]

FIRST, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT BOTH EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS ALREADY HAVE THE RIGHT TO PRAY OR READ RELIGIOUS TEXTS DURING NON-INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.

STAFF MAY PRAY DURING THEIR LUNCH PLANNING PERIODS BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL, AND STUDENTS MAY PRAY INDIVIDUALLY OR READ RELIGIOUS TEXTS DURING FREE TIME, SUCH AS LUNCH, RECESS, OR OTHER NON-INSTRUCTIONAL TIMES. LIKE WYNN. THESE RIGHTS ALREADY EXIST AND ARE PROTECTED UNDER CURRENT LAW. CREATING AN OFFICIAL DISTRICT SANCTIONED PRAYER PERIOD DOES NOT EXPAND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. IT SIMPLY CREATES NEW ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY AND LEGAL RISK FOR OUR DISTRICT. SECOND, S.B.

11 EXPLICITLY PLACES THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF LEGAL DEFENSE ON LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IN S.B. 11, POINT F MAKES CLEAR THAT DISTRICTS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN ATTORNEY FEES AND LEGAL COSTS IF DISPUTES ARISE. THIS EXPOSES DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD TO POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL LIABILITY. LEGAL CHALLENGES RELATED TO RELIGION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE COMPLEX, INEXPENSIVE, AND EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON ATTORNEY FEES IS A DOLLAR TAKEN AWAY FROM CLASSROOMS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS. THIRD, MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS TEXAS, INCLUDING NEARBY DISTRICTS SUCH AS WIMBERLEY, NEW BRAUNFELS, LIBERTY HILLS, LAKE TRAVIS, AND EANES. ISD, HAVE ALREADY VOTED AGAINST IMPLEMENTING SB 11, RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S UNNECESSARY AND CREATES AVOIDABLE RISK. THESE DISTRICTS UNDERSTAND THAT STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES ALREADY HAVE THE FREEDOM TO PRACTICE THEIR FAITH PRIVATELY WITHOUT REQUIRING A FORMAL POLICY. THAT IT COULD EXPOSE THE DISTRICT TO LITIGATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS. FOURTH, IMPLEMENTING THE POLICY WOULD CREATE SIGNIFICANT LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES FOR ADMINISTRATORS. SCHOOL LEADERS WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING PARTICIPATION IS TRULY VOLUNTARY FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND STAFF, PREVENTING PERCEIVED COERCION, MANAGING SCHEDULES, SUPERVISING IMPLEMENTATION, AND ADDRESSING COMPLAINTS.

THIS CREATES A NEW LAYER OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATORS, WHO ARE ALREADY MANAGING COMPLEX ACADEMIC AND OPERATIONAL DEMANDS. FINALLY, THIS POLICY RISKS CREATING DIVISION AMONG BOTH STAFF AND STUDENTS, AS WE JUST HEARD FROM A MOM. A FORMAL OPT-IN PRAYER PERIOD MAY INTENTIONALLY CREATE SEPARATION BETWEEN THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE AND THOSE WHO DO NOT. PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE ALL INDIVIDUALS, REGARDLESS OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF OR NON-BELIEF, FEEL EQUALLY RESPECTED. SAFE, AND INCLUDED. THIS POLICY DOES NOT SOLVE AN EXISTING PROBLEM AND INTRODUCE LEGAL RISK, FINANCIAL LIABILITY, ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR WORKPLACE AND STUDENT DIVISION WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY NEW RIGHTS THAT STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES DO NOT ALREADY HAVE. THANK YOU, AND ELAINE, I WILL REALLY, REALLY MISS YOU. THANK YOU.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

TRUSTEES, BEFORE WE MOVE TO CONSENT AGENDA, JUST A QUICK MENTION ON CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE A MODIFIED CONSENT. WE'RE REMOVING ADMINISTRATIVELY ITEM C AND ITEM G. C, WE WILL NOT NEED AN ELECTION WITH THE CITY. AND THEN ITEM G, OUR SLAC IS CONTINUING THEIR WORK ON THEIR LIBRARY RESOURCES. SO YOU WILL BE VOTING ON A MODIFIED AGENDA. WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT POSTED BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE HAD POSTED IT, BUT YES, THE ACTION WILL BE WITHOUT THOSE. IF NO DISCUSSION, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE REMOVAL OF 9C AND 9G. A MOTION FROM MARY JANE, A SECOND FROM SHANDA. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I THINK SO.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A BRIEF FIVE-MINUTE BREAK. TRY TO BE BACK. RIGHT AFTER 7.40 TO CONTINUE. THANK YOU.

[10. ACTION]

GOOD EVENING. WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PFLUGER HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE... ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY RENOVATION AND WE ARE PRESENTING CONSTRUCTION

[01:35:04]

WE'LL HAVE CARPET IN THE LIBRARY AND THE ADMIN SPACES, AND THEN GETTING A NEW SPORTS FLOOR IN THE GYM. UPSTAIRS WILL BE VERY SIMILAR, WITH EPOXY IN THE RESTROOMS. OUR GENERAL CONCEPT, AS YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, IS THE SPRING WATER CONCEPT, SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR COLOR THEORY. OUR COLOR CONCEPT PLAN, WE HAVE BLUE AND GREENS ON LEVEL ONE. DARKER BLUE AND YELLOW ON LEVEL TWO. SO YOU'LL START TO SEE SOME OF, EXCUSE ME, SOME OF OUR UPDATES. SO IN THE VESTIBULE, WE HAVE OUR WOOD CEILING AND ACOUSTIC PANELS ON THE WALLS. WE'VE ADDED A LITTLE BIT MORE VIBRANCY AND COLOR. SO BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK FROM LAST TIME, THIS IS KIND OF DOWN TOWARDS THE LIBRARY NOW.

GLAD TO HEAR IT. AGAIN, KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THAT VOLUME, THAT BARREL VOLUME OF THE WOOD, BRINGING IN A LITTLE MORE OF THAT ROOSTER GREEN AS WELL, AN IMAGE OF THE LIBRARY SPACE. SO AGAIN, BRINGING IN KIND OF THAT VIBRANCY IN THE CEILING. AND HERE YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE COMPARISON OF THE DIFFERENT WAYFINDING OF EACH OF THE CORRIDORS. SO WE'VE KIND OF ADDED, AS YOU MAY HAVE REMEMBERED, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SORT OF COLOR STRIPE ON THE WALLS.

SO NOW WE HAVE THAT AS WELL AS KIND OF BRIGHTENED UP THE FLOORING AND THE WALL TILE.

AND THEN GOING INTO THE CLASSROOM. SO FOLLOWING THAT SAME KIND OF WAYFINDING, WE'VE KIND OF GOT THAT FEATURE WALL IDENTIFIED. AND THEN IN OUR RESTROOMS, FOLLOWING THE SAME SAME LOGIC THERE. SO EACH WING WILL HAVE THAT DIFFERENT COLOR ACCENT. AND THEN BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER IN THE SHARED SPACES. SO IN THE CAFETERIA, GOING OFF OF THAT WATER CONCEPT, BRINGING TOGETHER THE BLUES, THE GREENS, AND THEN THE YELLOWS UP ON THE ACOUSTIC PANELS. AND THEN IN THE GYM, WE'LL BE REPAINTING THE ACOUSTIC PANELS THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTING. AND THEN, LIKE I MENTIONED, A NEW SPORTS FLOOR, WHICH WILL HAVE MORE CUSHION TO IT THAN THE EXISTING. SO IT'LL BE A NICE UPGRADE. AS WELL AS SOME WALL PROTECTION.

AND ON THE EXTERIOR, YOU MAY REMEMBER, THERE'S KIND OF A GREEN PAINTED TILT WALL.

WE'LL BE REPLACING THAT WITH A MORE NEUTRAL COLOR THAT KIND OF BLENDS IN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO THAT'LL BE A NICE UPDATE THAT'S MORE OUTWARD FACING.

AND THAT IS IT. ANY QUESTIONS? OLIVIA? BRAVO. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE FEEDBACK AND INCORPORATING SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK. I THINK THE COLORS ARE AMAZING. I HAVE A VERY RANDOM QUESTION, AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, BUT WE'VE DONE BATHROOM SINKS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, INTERIOR, EXTERIOR, SINGLE, COMMUNAL.

WHAT'S THE BEST FOR USE? I NOTICE THESE ARE SINGLE. IS THERE ANY METHOD TO THE MADNESS BEHIND MAKING THAT SELECTION? SURE, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THE UNITS THAT ARE MORE LIKE THE SINGLE UNITS WITH MULTIPLE FAUCETS, WE HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM DISTRICTS THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE HARDER TO MAINTAIN. IT'S HARDER TO ACCESS. A LOT OF TIMES, THE SOAP IS INTEGRAL IN THE SHROUD. SO FOR JUST MAINTAINING IT, I DON'T KNOW, JAMES, IF YOU'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.

YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. WE DID LOOK AT CHANGING THOSE OUT WITH THE SPACE REQUIREMENTS NEEDED TO PUT THREE SINKS, THE AMOUNT OF LABORATORIES WE PUT THERE.

WE COULD DO THAT HERE, JUST IN THE SPACE. WE HAD TO GO BACK TO THE SAME THING HERE, OKAY, SO FUNCTION WISE, WE DO PREFER INDIVIDUAL SEATS.

LESS KIDS PLAYING AROUND, THROWING WATER ON EACH OTHER.

KIND OF FOCUS ON THE MISSION AND GET OUT OF THERE, OKAY? AND THEN ONE, JIM, WELL, THAT'S A JAMES QUESTION. YEAH, I LOVE THE NEW COLORS THAT YOU BROUGHT IN. I MEAN, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A HAPPY PLACE TO GO TO SCHOOL NOW TO ME. VERY BRIGHT, BUT I'M READY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. GO AHEAD. OKAY. WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE MORE DISCUSSION AFTER A, YEAH. GO AHEAD. OKAY. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR THE ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECT AS PRESENTED. A MOTION FROM KIM, A SECOND FROM OLIVIA. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ROB? ONLY BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO SHOW UP IN OUR NEXT ITEM, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL ADDRESS IT

[01:40:01]

ANOTHER ONE IS MAKING SOME COLLABORATIVE AREAS. SO THAT WOULD BE UPSTAIRS, AND WE'RE STILL IDENTIFYING THE BEST PLACES TO PUT THAT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE HALLWAY, PROBABLY IN THE INNER WALLS.

THOSE ARE TILT WALLS THERE. SO WE HAVE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER KIND OF LOOKING AT THE BEST PLACE TO DO THAT.

WE'RE TRYING TO CENTRALLY LOCATE THOSE. AND THAT WOULD BRING THAT UP TO PAR WITH LIKE. LIKE WILDWOODS, SO THEY HAD A COLLABORATIVE AREA UPSTAIRS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE A KIND OF GROUP AREA UP THERE. THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE, A LOT OF THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT WE DID AT WILDWOODS.

THE PLAYGROUNDS IS ANOTHER ONE.

TRY TO DO THAT RUBBER SURFACE OUTSIDE AND GET RID OF THE MULCH AND PUT THAT RUBBERIZED SURFACE THAT YOU SAW AT WILDWOODS. IT'S BEEN GREAT OVER THERE. WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK AND BRINGING SOME TURF OUT THERE.

WHEN YOU WALK OUT THE BACK DOORS OF THE CAFETERIAS TO THE RIGHT, THERE'S A BIG DIRT AREA THERE.

WE KIND OF HEARD ABOUT DIRT.

GETTING SOME GRASS IN THERE.

THAT'S ONE OF THEM. AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE PAINTED HANDRAILS. GETTING THOSE TAKEN OUT, A LOT OF UPKEEP, WE'RE PAINTING THOSE ALMOST EVERY YEAR WITH THE ABUSE THEY JUST TAKE WITH THE HANDS, MAKING THOSE STAINLESS STEEL OR ALUMINUM EASIER TO CLEAN, AND OBVIOUSLY NO MAINTENANCE.

SO THOSE ARE THE BIG ONES. AND WERE THOSE THE MAJORITY OF THE ALTERNATES THAT THE CAMPUS WAS REALLY, WANTED US TO ADDRESS AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT? YES, SO THE OTHER ONE WE DID INCORPORATE WAS GOING TO BE AN ALTERNATE, WAS ADDING UPSTAIRS. AND THE RESTROOM, YEP. AND WE GOT THAT KIND OF ADDED IN THE GMP. SO THAT WAS MEETING WITH THE CAMPUS, ESPECIALLY THE PRINCIPAL, THAT WE GOT THERE. TALKING TO THE CAMPUS, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY BRINGING SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE DID IN WILDWOOD. THAT'S OUR DISTRICT STANDARD NOW, BRINGING THAT BACK INTO THIS PROJECT. THAT'S GOOD.

I LIKE EVERYTHING I'M SEEING, AND THE MEMBERS LOOK GOOD, WHICH WE'LL VOTE ON HERE. SECONDLY. EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU FOR ADJUSTING THE PALETTE. WE MADE YOU DO A LITTLE EXTRA WORK, BUT I THINK MY COLLEAGUES WOULD AGREE THAT IT TURNED OUT EVEN BETTER. SO WELL DONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. AGREED.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 6-0. ALL RIGHT.

MOVING ON TO OUR CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF GMP2 FOR THIS SAME PROJECT. SO WITH THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, THE NEXT STEP IS THE GMP. SO WE'VE APPROVED GMP1 PREVIOUSLY, AND GMP2 WOULD COVER THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK ON THIS CAMPUS. AND THE ALTERNATES ARE WITHIN THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR RSE, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR GMP2. AND THIS WOULD INCLUDE THE WORK HAPPENING NEXT SUMMER AS WELL. SHANNA? ALTERNATES TO WHAT? SORRY, I'M JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING. IS THIS NOT WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK? SO, THE ORIGINAL SCOPE WAS FOCUSED ON THE INTERIOR OF THE SCHOOL, AND AS WE IDENTIFY OTHER NEEDS ON THE CAMPUS, WE BID THOSE AS ALTERNATES TO THE BID, SO THAT IF... THE GMP FOR JUST THE RENOVATIONS TAKES UP THE WHOLE BUDGET. WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THOSE. AND SO RATHER THAN COMING BACK LATER AND SAYING WE HAVE MONEY LEFT AND GOING AND GETTING A NEW BID, WE BID THOSE AT THE TIME OF ALL OF THE WORK. SO THAT WE CAN BRING THEM TO YOU AS ALTERNATES. OKAY, SO WE DON'T KNOW YET. AM I UNDERSTANDING, RIGHT? WE DON'T KNOW YET IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT IN THE BUDGET FOR THESE? OR WE DEFINITELY DO HAVE THAT IN THE BUDGET FOR THESE? WE DO. SO WE'RE SAYING WE BID THOSE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME.

ADDING THOSE IN, THE TOTAL IS WITHIN OUR BUDGET FOR THE CAMPUS. OKAY. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE CAMPUS, HAVING THAT RESTROOM THAT SEPARATES THE YOUNGER KIDS FROM THE OLDER KIDS IS A GREAT FUNCTIONALITY FOR THE CAMPUS. SO SOMETHING THAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, YOU JUST DON'T ALWAYS KNOW.

OKAY. SO WE MANAGED THE MONEY WELL THROUGHOUT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT. SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT ARE NECESSARY OR REQUESTED ON THE CAMPUS. OKAY. THANK YOU.

ROB? WELL, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, AND I'LL MAKE THE MOTION, MADAM PRESIDENT, IF IT'S OKAY, THE NUMBERS CAME IN REALLY FAVORABLE, RIGHT, ON THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE SCOPE, WHICH IS ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ALTERNATE 135 IN THERE, WHICH WERE GOOD NICE-TO-HAVES.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY, AND WE'RE STILL, ON MY ACCOUNT, $3 MILLION BELOW THE NUMBER WE PUT ON THIS FOR THE BOND. IS THAT CORRECT, MADAM SUPERINTENDENT? WAS IT $21 MILLION THAT WE LINED OUT FOR THIS? YEAH, THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET IS $21 MILLION. THE TOTAL BUDGET IS ABOUT $25 MILLION. SO CONSTRUCTION IS $21,250, AND WITH THE ALTERNATES, WE'RE AT $18,500. THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S JUST PHENOMENAL. SO WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT, I'M PLEASED TO OFFER THIS MOTION TO YOU. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE GMP AMENDMENT NO. 2 IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,454,086 FOR THE ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECT. I FURTHER MOVE THAT THE BOARD TO DELEGATE THE AUTHORITY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE A GMP AMENDMENT NO.

[01:45:01]

SO, CONTINUING WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THE EXTERIOR REPLACEMENT AT DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY WILL BEGIN THIS SUMMER. AND WE'VE SECURED GMP1 FOR PART OF THE STOREFRONT AND MASONRY THAT NEEDS TO BE ORDERED BEFORE THIS SUMMER. AND SO YOU SEE THAT BEFORE YOU, GMP1 IS... $2.8 MILLION, AND THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THIS PROJECT, I BELIEVE, IS THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET IS $6.6 MILLION. AND SO WE'LL BRING YOU ANOTHER GMP LATER THIS SPRING TO FINALIZE THAT PROJECT.

ROB? HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION, MADAM PRESIDENT. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE GMP AMENDMENT NO. 1 IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,804,9.62 FOR THE DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXTERIOR PROJECT. I FURTHER MOVE THAT THE BOARD DELEGATE THE AUTHORITY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE GMP AMENDMENT NO. 1 IN A FORM APPROVED BY LEGAL COUNSEL. A MOTION FROM ROB, A SECOND FROM SHANDA. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 6-0. ALRIGHT, MOVING ON. CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.

SO WE HAVE PBK HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR THE DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECT.

GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT REINHOLD, TRUSTEES, DR.

MORRIS-KUNTZ. I'M GLAD TO BE HERE. I AM GOING TO BE GIVING YOU A VERY SIMILAR PRESENTATION OF WHAT YOU SAW WHEN YOU APPROVED THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT FOR DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL.

AT THIS POINT, I'M GIVING YOU WILL BE ASKING FOR YOU TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE APPROVAL OF 100% CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.

SO SINCE I LAST SAW YOU, WE'VE COMPLETED THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENT SET. YOU SHOULD HAVE A LINK TO THAT THE ENTIRE SET OF OF DOCUMENTS THAT YOU CAN CERTAINLY REVIEW. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE OVERALL PLANS, SOME IMAGERY, AND THEN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE PROJECT AREAS. AGAIN, THIS IS PRIMARILY AN INTERIOR RENOVATION TO BRING SOME EQUITY TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT HIGH SCHOOL 2 AND TO DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL. SO JUST AS A REMINDER, AND I SHOWED THIS TO YOU LAST TIME, THE AREAS IN LIGHT BLUE ARE WHERE WE'RE PERFORMING ALL THAT SCOPE. SO EFFECTIVELY, ALL THE SCOPE TO BE PERFORMED IS HAPPENING IN THE LIGHT BLUE AREA. THEN JUST SECURITY, FIREARM CIRCULATION. RESTROOM WORK IS HAPPENING IN THE GRAY AREA, AND ALL THE NON-FILLED AREA HAS SOME SELECTIVE PLUMBING WORK TAKING PLACE. I'LL BE SHOWING YOU SOME RENDERINGS THAT RELATE TO THESE AREAS SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE CURRENT LOOK IS AND WHAT THE PROPOSED LOOK WILL BE AT THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT. SO THIS IS AN EXISTING HUB, CURRENT DAY APPEARANCE. THIS WILL BE THE PROPOSED AND COMPLETED APPEARANCE THAT IS IN THE DOCUMENTS. FROM THE IMAGERY I SHOWED YOU PREVIOUSLY. IT'S THE SAME IMAGERY I'M SHOWING YOU AGAIN TONIGHT. SO CURRENT CL&I CONFIGURATION AND APPEARANCE, AND THEN FUTURE CL&I. CURRENT EXISTING LECTURE HALL WITH THE FUTURE LECTURE HALL, WHICH WILL HAVE NEW FURNISHINGS WITH INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY AND POWER, SOME NEW CEILING, UPGRADED CEILING TREATMENT, AND ACOUSTICAL PANELS TO MAKE THAT PLACE. MUCH BETTER ACOUSTICALLY THAN IT IS EVEN CURRENTLY TODAY. THEN EXISTING CLASSROOMS AND CORRIDORS, AND THEN PROPOSED COMPLETED CLASSROOM AND CORRIDOR APPEARANCE. EXISTING CLASSROOMS AND LABS, AND THEN COMPLETED PRODUCT FOR CLASSROOMS AND LABS. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, AND WE'RE HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL FOR THE 100% CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR TRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL.

I'LL KEEP ROLLING IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. WE HAD A FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. THERE WAS A LENGTHY WORKSHOP, AND WE'VE BEEN ON THIS PROJECT FOR A WHILE, AND IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO INCLUDE PART OF THIS INTO OUR LAST BOND PACKAGE. SO I JUST WANT THAT TO BE ON THE RECORD WHEN WE TAKE THIS ACTION, THAT. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS BOARD, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, TO START TO TAKE SOME ACTION TOWARD OUR EXISTING HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT ACTION WILL...

CONTINUE, EVEN IN THE NON-SHADED AREAS, HOPEFULLY, WITH FUTURE BONDS, TO CONTINUE TO ELEVATE THAT CAMPUS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.

TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP EQUITY AND KEEP JUST SOME, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS, AND YOU KNOW, AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS WHERE POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO SOME VERY IMPORTANT FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS. SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY, AS WE HAD MENTIONED IN OUR WORKSHOP WITH YOU. SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ON THIS. WE'VE.

YOU HAVE LISTENED TO A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK THUS FAR AND I THINK THANK YOU. REALLY NAILED KIND OF EVEN OUR VISION FOR THIS CAMPUS, SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS. I'LL ALSO JUST ADD,

[01:50:01]

THEY ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANGES TO THE PAW, TO THE CLNI, ABOUT HAVING COLLABORATIVE SPACES, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS COMING FROM SYCAMORE, THEY'RE VERY USED TO THAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

AND EXCITED ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. I HAD KIDS THE OTHER DAY WHO WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THIS WAS GOING TO BE DONE SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH IT. SO, PLUS, I WILL SAY EVERYONE'S THRILLED ABOUT HVAC UPDATES. THE KIDS ARE TOO, AND I KNOW THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THE PROJECT. JUST ADDED, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS CAMPUS. I HAVE A QUESTION AND I DON'T WANT TO DIGRESS FROM MAKING A MOTION. AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE ON THE LAST ITEM.

BUT CAN YOU REMIND ME? DISTRICT AND FINANCE WHEN WE COME IN A LOW BUDGET ON ACTUAL COST, AND THERE'S $2,000 OR $3,000. WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE BOND STEERING, LIKE THE COMMUNITY BOND STEERING, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT ALTERNATIVES, LIKE, WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU ADD ON IF YOU COULD, RIGHT? SO THAT LANGUAGE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. BUT IN THAT EVENT, WHAT ARE THE ALLOWABLES WITHOUT GOING BACK TO VOTE? THE ALLOWABLES ARE YOU DON'T SPEND IT, SO THE TAXPAYERS NEVER PAY IT.

YOU CAN, WHAT ARE THE ALLOWABLES ON THAT IF YOU'RE UNDER BUDGET? THANK YOU. SO, BOARD POLICIES. SPELLS OUT THE PROCEDURE FOR THAT. WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH BOND COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE BOARD TO ADD ADDITIONAL PROJECTS ONCE THE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE. IT SOUNDS LIKE, BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE IN OUR BOND AUTHORIZATION, THAT THE BOARD, WE WOULD TAKE IT TO BOND ADVISORY FIRST, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR PROCESS, AND THEN BRING THAT TO THE BOARD. AND THE BOARD WOULD VOTE ON REALLOCATING THOSE LEFTOVER DOLLARS TO ADDITIONAL PROJECTS. SO SO, REMEMBER WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THE... THE 25 BOND PROGRAM, THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT DID NOT GET FUNDED. THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY NEEDS COMING UP IN THE FUTURE THAT ARE NOT FUNDED, AND SO THE TEAM WILL BE LOOKING AT THE DOLLARS THAT ARE REMAINING. AND THEN BRINGING TO THE BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TACKLING SOME OF THOSE ITEMS ON THE 25 LIST THAT DID NOT GET FUNDED. AND THEN ANY NEW THINGS THAT POP UP IN THE DISTRICT THAT DON'T HAVE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THEM. SO IT'LL GO THROUGH THE BOND ADVISORY AND THEN... THEN COME TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.

ROB? DARYL, EXCELLENT JOB, SIR. LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE WORKSHOP, VERY IMPRESSED WITH IT, AND YOU AND YOUR FIRM HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING HERE, WELL, ACTUALLY, QUICK QUESTION, AND THEN ONE THING WORTH NOTING, AND THEN I'LL MAKE THE MOTION, IS DURATION.

ON THIS PROJECT, CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? BECAUSE WE TALKED, IS IT TWO YEARS? YES, SIR. AND THEN ASSUMING WE START MONEY FLOWING TONIGHT WITH APPROVAL OF THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

BARRING A PERMIT, WHICH I KNOW WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH, WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE THE START DATE? NEXT STEPS, WE'LL BE HAVING NUMBERS. WE GET A VERY HIGH COMFORT LEVEL OF THE BUDGETS, ALIGNING WITH WHAT YOU'VE SEEN HERE.

WE'LL HAVE FIRM NUMBERS NEXT WEEK. OKAY. AND THEN THAT PROJECT WILL START IN EARNEST THIS SUMMER. THAT'S GREAT. YES, SIR. SO FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR HIGH SCHOOL NUMBER TWO TO BE COMPLETED TO FIX UP DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'RE READY TO GO NOW. AND SO, EXCELLENT, THAT'S GREAT. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO SAY, I MEAN, FOR MY COLLEAGUES, WHEN ROOSTER GETS DONE.

BEGINNING THIS SUMMER AND WHEN THIS PROJECT GETS COMPLETED, WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT. WHICH ONE HAVE WE NOT? OH, I KNOW, I'M TALKING, YES, WELL, THAT'S TRUE. I WOULD SAY, I GUESS ONE, WELL, I HAD SOME, YEAH, SIXTH, FIRST SPRINGS, ELEMENTARY, I GUESS, WOULD BE, YEAH, THE ONLY ONE THAT GOT SOME SAFETY UPGRADES. OKAY, ALL, BUT MAYBE ONE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS. AND SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE MECHANICAL HVAC, AESTHETICS, FUNCTIONALITY, EFFECTIVENESS, LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, SAFETY. THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD RECORD, Y'ALL. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, THAT WE'VE WORKED AND WE'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO DOING THAT. AND WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT, I AM PLEASED TO OFFER YOU THE FOLLOWING MOTION. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT AS PRESENTED. NO MOTION FROM ROB. A SECOND FROM KIM.

ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 6-0. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. I DID WANT TO MENTION REAL QUICK, WE DO HAVE JORIS REPRESENTATION FROM JORIS, BRONIN, BUTLER, AND AMERICAN IN THE AUDIENCE. IF YOU GUYS HAD A QUESTION.

OKAY. NEXT IS OUR CONSIDERATE APPROVAL FOR GMP1 FOR THIS PROJECT. SO SPEAKING OF HVAC, THIS IS GMP1 FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION, AND THIS WOULD BE GETTING THE HVAC AND PLUMBING LONG LEAD ITEMS. AND THEN, AS DARYL MENTIONED, THEY ARE WORKING ON GMP2 FOR THE OTHER PORTION OF THIS RENOVATION PROJECT, AND THAT WILL COME TO YOU AT A LATER DATE. SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR GMP1 FOR THE LONG LEAD ITEMS. I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. I MOVE

[01:55:02]

1 IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,771,146 FOR THE DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECT. I FURTHER MOVE THE BOARD TO DELEGATE AUTHORITY IN THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE THE GMP AMENDMENT NO. 1 IN A FORM APPROVED BY LEGAL COUNSEL. A MOTION FROM SHANDA, A SECOND FROM ROB. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE

[11. REPORTS AND INFORMATION]

LEARNING AND INNOVATION REPORT. OKAY, GOOD EVENING.

TONIGHT, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON FEBRUARY 13TH, WE HAD A WONDERFUL PROFESSIONAL. LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. RED AREA HAS DONE A GREAT JOB GETTING US COMPLIANT WITH HOUSE BILL 3, THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. BY THE END OF THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR, WE ARE TO HAVE 50% OF OUR STAFF WHO REGULARLY INTERACT WITH STUDENTS TRAINED, AND WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY. AS OF THAT 13TH DATE, WE'VE HAD 500-ISH STAFF MEMBERS. SO SHE DID A GREAT JOB COORDINATING SUPPORT FROM... SURROUNDING SUPPORTERS THAT CAME IN AND TRAINED OUR STAFF. WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER PUSH AT THE END OF MAY FOR ANYBODY WHO STILL NEEDS THAT TRAINING.

WE HAVE TWO DAYS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

KATHY CORNETT, OUR NEW STUDENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, IS OFFERING OFF-CAMPUS PE PARENT VIRTUAL KIND OF INFORMATION MEETING.

THOSE ARE FOUND ON OUR DISTRICT EVENTS CALENDAR WITH THE GOOGLE MEET LINK IF ANY PARENT IS INTERESTED. THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE HELD THIS WEEK ON FEBRUARY 26TH. AND THEN THE NEXT ONE, OH, SORRY, AT 4.30.

THE NEXT ONE'S MARCH 5TH FROM 5 TO 6. AND SO BOTH OF THOSE, AGAIN, ARE FOUND ON OUR DISTRICT EVENTS CALENDAR, WITH THAT LINK TO THE GOOGLE MEET. THEN, ALSO ON THIS REPORT, MR. DAN BROWN PUT ON OUR MIDDLE OF THE YEAR NWEA MAP ASSESSMENT SCORES. HE DID ACHIEVEMENT IN READING AND MATH AND THEN COMPARED THAT WITH ACHIEVEMENT FOR MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. SO, THE COMPARISON BETWEEN BEGINNING AND MIDDLE.

AND THEN HE INCLUDED THE GROWTH PERCENTILE AS WELL ON THAT GROWTH PERCENTILE.

REMEMBER, THIS IS ALWAYS MY LITTLE DISCLAIMER. A 63RD PERCENTILE IS GOOD, IT'S NOT LIKE A 63RD PERCENTAGE, RIGHT? SO WE ARE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED, AS SHANNA DE LEON INDICATED WITH DSMS. AND WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, WE'RE SEEING THAT ACROSS OUR DISTRICT AND JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT HERE. OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING REALLY HARD IN THE CLASSROOM TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE GROWING. MORE THAN JUST A YEAR, AND SO WE'RE SEEING EVIDENCE OF THAT IN OUR MAP SCORES. I DID.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN COUNSELING HEALTH SERVICES, AS YOU KNOW, WITH COUNSELING.

THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE'RE REALLY PREPARING FOR THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT. AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE UPCOMING DATES FOR OUR PUBLIC.

ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND WHERE WE ARE IN THE CYCLE FOR COURSE SELECTIONS, AND THAT'S IT. OH, TIGER MADNESS. OF COURSE, THAT'S IMPORTANT. MARCH 10TH 5 30 TO 7. A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT, GREAT THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO HUMAN RESOURCES, WE ARE CONTINUING TO FIND NEW WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR APPLICANT POOL. AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT LAST WEEK WE HAD A STUDENT-TEACHER MEETUP AT TORCHY'S, JUST TO KIND OF CONNECT AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT INFORMAL. WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHAT DO YOU LOVE? WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE WITH OUR STUDENT TEACHERS TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED AS WE GET INTO THE HIRING SEASON. WE'LL HAVE OUR LOCAL DSISD JOB FAIR ON APRIL 8TH, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION WITH THEM. AND CONSTANTLY RECRUITING THEM TO KEEP THEM IN THAT PIPELINE. OUR PRINCIPALS ARE SUPER HAPPY WITH OUR STUDENT TEACHERS AND SO WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP THEM HERE AND KEEP THEM ENGAGED WITH OUR TEAM.

ADDITIONALLY, OUR VACANCIES ARE CONTINUING TO DROP. WE WERE REALLY STRATEGIC TWO YEARS AGO, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR AUXILIARY AREAS OF CHILD NUTRITION, CUSTODIAL AND BUS DRIVERS. AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST IMPACT THERE. TO WHERE? WE USED TO HAVE 10 TO 15 CUSTODIAL OR CHILD NUTRITION VACANCIES, AND WE'RE DOWN TO ONE IN CHILD NUTRITION, TWO IN CUSTODIAL AND TWO IN TRANSPORTATION. AND SO IT REALLY TOOK BEING STRATEGIC WITH OUR PAY UM PAY PLANS. BUT ALSO THEY'RE JUST SUCH INCREDIBLE TEAMS. THE SUPPORT THAT THOSE DIRECTORS AND AND AS A TEAM THAT THEY BUILD, UM, IS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO OUR RETENTION.

BUT REALLY JUST CONTINUING TO ACROSS THE BOARD, TEACHERS ARE AT ZEROS, BUT EVERY SINGLE AREA, BEING STRATEGIC WITH OUR HIRING, FINDING THE BEST STAFF, ONBOARDING THEM, AND THEN GETTING THE GREAT TRAINING FROM SCOTT'S TEAM IS REALLY

[02:00:01]

COMPLIMENT TO HR AND L&I. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY QUICKLY, MRS. JUSTICE, WHO IS HERE TODAY WITH FOURTH GRADE, I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HER PERSONALLY, AND SHE'S TAUGHT IN PRIVATE AND I THINK IN CHARTER, AND SHE'S BEEN NOW AT CSE FOR MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.

AND SHE SAID THAT THIS IS THE BEST EMPLOYMENT SHE'S EVER HAD, AND THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES, THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND TO SEE THEM PRESENT THE WAY THEY DID. SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, THANK YOU. AND DO MORE.

CHANDA. I'VE ASKED THIS BECAUSE I THINK I KIND OF KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT JUST FOR PUBLIC'S SAKE, I HAD ACTUALLY. TODAY, A COMMUNITY MEMBER REACHED OUT AND ASKED ABOUT TEACHER VACANCIES AND WHEN WE WILL START SEEING THOSE. SO CAN YOU JUST REMIND EVERYONE KIND OF THE TIMELINE OF CONTRACTS AND WHEN THEY SHOULD START LOOKING, AND WHEN THOSE KIND OF START TO POP UP? YES, MA'AM.

ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILL OUT AN EMPLOYEE INTENT FORM IN JANUARY. AND THAT'S SHARED WITH THE DISTRICT. IF THEY WANT TO STAY AT THEIR CAMPUS IN THE SAME ASSIGNMENT, A DIFFERENT ASSIGNMENT, OR TRANSFER TO ANOTHER CAMPUS IN OUR DISTRICT. AND SO ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BEING A DSISD EMPLOYEE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH OR NEW CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES.

SO RIGHT NOW, ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE A LIST OF ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED.

IN TRANSFERRING TO THEIR CAMPUSES, AND SO BEFORE WE POST POSITIONS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, WE ALLOW OUR INTERNAL CURRENT EMPLOYEES AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT CAMPUS. WHETHER THEIR CHILD IS MOVING UP A GRADE, OR THEY'VE MOVED, OR THEY JUST WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING THAT PROCESS UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY, AND THEN WE WILL POST OUR EXTERNAL JOBS THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH BEFORE SPRING BREAK. SO THAT PEOPLE CAN START APPLYING.

THEY'VE GOT A COUPLE WEEKS, SO WE'LL USE THAT AS A PROCESS FOR FILLING VACANCIES. AND THEN ON APRIL 8TH WILL BE OUR JOB FAIR.

BUT YOU WILL SEE IF PEOPLE WANT TO TRANSFER, WE GET EVERYONE KIND OF WHERE THEY WANT TO BE. THEN YOU'LL SEE THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH POSITIONS STARTING TO BE POSTED. OKAY, THANK YOU.

I LOVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AS A BOARD THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US TO GIVE OUR CURRENT STAFF THIS OPPORTUNITY. SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, FINANCE. EXCUSE ME. GOOD EVENING. SO THE FINANCIAL REPORTS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE PACKET TONIGHT ARE THE DECEMBER FINANCIALS, WHICH REPRESENT HALF THE YEAR.

AND SO THROUGH HALF THE YEAR, WE'VE COLLECTED ABOUT 26% OF OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES, COMPARED TO ABOUT 24, A LITTLE OVER 24.5% AT THIS SAME POINT LAST YEAR.

WE STARTED GETTING A LOT OF OUR TAX COLLECTIONS IN DECEMBER. WE SHOULD SEE THE BULK OF THOSE COMING IN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. OUR STATE REVENUE IS SITTING AT ABOUT 62%. UM, MOST OF THAT IS DUE TO SOME OF THE EARLY FOUNDATION SCHOOL PAYMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED FOR THE TEACHER RETENTION ALLOTMENT. THAT'S NEW THIS YEAR. OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE ABOUT 36.7%. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. WHEN YOU LOOK AT PAYROLL, WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT 35.91% IN PAYROLL. AND THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIOR YEAR PERCENTAGE AT THIS SAME POINT IN TIME.

IT'S TYPICAL AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, DUE TO THE TIMING IN OUR PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS.

TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DECREASE IN THE FUND BALANCE, BUT THAT REFLECTS NORMAL CASH FLOW AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. SO, THE FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF DECEMBER IN THE GENERAL FUND IS SITTING AT 38.8 MILLION. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, OUR REVENUES AND OUR EXPENDITURES ARE FOR THE MOST PART EQUAL, WHICH IS WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE WITH REIMBURSEMENT TYPE GRANTS.

WE INCUR COST, WE ASK FOR THAT EXPENDITURE, WE BOOK THE RECEIVABLE, SO THAT'S NORMAL AT THIS TIME OF YEAR AS WELL. THERE'S NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY ON THOSE GRANTS. CHILD NUTRITION, WE'VE COLLECTED A LITTLE OVER 47% OF OUR REVENUE, ABOUT $2.2 MILLION, WITH EXPENDITURES AT ABOUT 34%, A LITTLE OVER $1.81

[02:05:03]

DEBT SERVICE KIND OF FOLLOWS THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND. AS FAR AS TRACKING WITH REVENUE, SINCE MOST EVERYTHING THAT COMES THROUGH IS YOUR TAX COLLECTIONS, THERE AGAIN, THE BULK OF THAT SHOULD BE COMING IN.

YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED IN THE JANUARY AND THE FEBRUARY FINANCIALS. THE BIG EXPENDITURES, OF COURSE, IN DEBT SERVICE ARE THE $23.9 MILLION, $24 MILLION DEFEASANCE THAT WAS DONE EARLIER THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH THE REGULAR SCHEDULED AUGUST PAYMENTS. IN 2025. THE NEXT ROUND OF PAYMENTS THAT COME OUT OF THE DEBT SERVICE SCHEDULE FUND WILL BE IN FEBRUARY. AND THEN OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE TRACKING, WE'RE LOOKING AT A NET POSITIVE POSITION IN ALL ENTERPRISE FUNDS OF 543, 000. AND AS I STATED EARLIER IN DECEMBER, WE STARTED GETTING SOME OF OUR TAX COLLECTIONS. AND SO WE'RE SITTING AT 24.3 MILLION COLLECTED, WHICH IS JUST A LITTLE OVER 20% OF OUR TAX LEVY OF 118 MILLION. AND WHEN I LOOK BACK AT PRIOR YEARS, THAT PERCENTAGE IS TRACKING WITH OUR HISTORICAL TRENDS.

IN SUMMARY, WE'RE BEGINNING TO GET OUR REVENUES, MOSTLY DUE TO PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS.

OUR EXPENDITURES ARE WITHIN EXPECTED RANGES AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. CASH FLOW, BEING WHAT IT IS, YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE. AND AT THIS POINT, THERE'S NO FINANCIAL CONCERNS TO BE AWARE OF OR CONCERNED WITH. I KNOW, ELAINE'S LEFT ME IN A GOOD SPOT. ALL RIGHT.

OPERATIONS? I DON'T SEE SCOTT TONIGHT. IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, I'M PLAYING THE ROLE OF MR. BERRY. IT IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEASON, SO HE IS UP IN GRAPEVINE AT TASBO, AND I'LL BE TRAVELING TOMORROW TO JOIN THEM UP THERE. ALSO IN THE AREA OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SOME OF OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM WENT TO TCEA IN SAN ANTONIO IN THIS REPORTING PERIOD, AND SO TASBO IS GOING ON. ALSO FOR TECHNOLOGY, THEY COMPLETED 745 WORK ORDERS. I KNOW ABOUT HALF OF THOSE WERE FOR ME. FACILITIES, 349 WORK ORDERS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT FACILITIES DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD WAS GETTING OUR FACILITIES READY FOR THE LITTLE ICE EVENT THAT WE HAD.

AND SO THEY SENT ROCK, SALT AND BRINE AND MATERIALS TO THE CAMPUSES TO ASSIST IN SIDEWALKS. SIDEWALKS. AND THEN WE'VE GOTTEN REALLY GOOD AT INSULATING OUR PIPES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE BURST PIPES DURING THESE EVENTS. DIDN'T STOP A ROOF LEAK HERE, THOUGH.

IN TRANSPORTATION, THIS IS LOVE THE BUS MONTH, SO IT'S A GREAT TIME TO CELEBRATE OUR BUS DRIVERS AND MONITORS AND THE JOB THAT THEY DO. AND IN CHILD NUTRITION, WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE AUDIT.

WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU THE RESULTS. OF THAT IN COMING MONTHS, BUT I KNOW JOHN WOULD LIKE ME TO RELAY WHAT A PAINFUL PROCESS THIS IS.

RANDY AND I ARE ALSO FEELING SOME OF THAT PAIN AND SITTING IN ON SOME CALLS THERE. AND IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE IN CHILD NUTRITION, NANCY, OUR SUPERVISOR, WHO'S BEEN HERE 20 YEARS, IS RETIRING LATER THIS SPRING.

SO A LOT OF RETIREMENTS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT. AND SHE WILL BE TAKING A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OUT THE DOOR WITH HER. SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR THAT REPLACEMENT. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A DIETICIAN POSITION POSTED IN THAT DEPARTMENT. ALL RIGHT.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. I WILL JUST DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO A NEW SUBDIVISION COMING IN OFF ROGER HANKS, TRIPOINT, WITH ABOUT 18 HOMES, PROBABLY AFFORDABLE.

BUT JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO SEE

[12. CLOSED SESSION]

[02:10:02]

[13. OPEN SESSION]

FIRST IS OUR CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 1.26-10.

COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION, OR I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

ROB? YES, MADAM PRESIDENT. WE JUST CAME OUT OF OUR CLOSED SESSION CONVERSATION AROUND THIS, A CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, LOTS TO BE CONSIDERED HERE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, JUST READ FOUR QUICK BULLET POINTS FOR YOU. THAT IS IN THIS RESOLUTION THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES PREPARES A MOTION. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE DURAFREE SPRINGS ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS RESOLUTION SPEAKS TO FOUR THINGS. THE FIRST IS...

THE MOTION WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAR IS GOING TO ESSENTIALLY DECLINE TO ADOPT A POLICY. REQUIRING EVERY CAMPUS OF THE DISTRICT TO PROVIDE A PERIOD OF PRAYER AND READING OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.

THE NUMBER TWO, THOUGH, THAT BEING SAID, THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES AND RESPECTS THE RIGHTS OF STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO ENGAGE IN RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION, PRAYER, AND READING OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS AT SCHOOL.

AS ENSHRINED IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. THIRD, A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT HAS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO INDIVIDUALLY, VOLUNTARILY, AND SILENTLY PRAY OR MEDITATE IN SCHOOL IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT DISRUPT THE INSTRUCTIONAL OR OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE SCHOOL. AND LASTLY, THE BOARD DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO CONTINUE TO TAKE EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE ABILITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO EXERCISE THESE RIGHTS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION OR RETALIATION. AND WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT, I YIELD FROM MOTION FOR MY COLLEAGUE. I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2026-10, FINDING THAT IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DISTRICT TO DECLINE TO ADOPT A POLICY REQUIRING EVERY CAMPUS TO PROVIDE TIME FOR PRAYER AND READING OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS. A MOTION FROM KIM, A SECOND FROM MARY JEAN. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SIXES. ALL RIGHT, AND LAST ACTION ITEM THIS EVENING IS CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF EMPLOYEE HARDSHIP LEAVE APPLICATION. MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE HARDSHIP LEAVE APPLICATION AS PRESENTED BY THE HR DEPARTMENT. MOTION FROM ROTH, SECOND FROM SHANDA. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 6-0. ALL RIGHT, WITH NO FURTHER ACTION, WE STAND ADJOURNED. TIME IS 10-17 P.M.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.