LCSD Board Minutes 06/22/2021

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

MINUTES

DATE: June 22, 2021

TIME: 6:00 PM

LOCATION:

PRESENT: Barry DePaoli, Jeff Fehr, Lynda Foster, Ken Brunner, Kim Thorpe, Barb Polley, Sarah Clarke, K.C. Knudson, Dia Galvan, Jeremy Bonner, Todd Hausman, Erin Morin, Laura Clinton, Danita Breeze, Briceida Gonzalez, Crystal Austin, Laura Montalvo, Jody Petersen, Camisha Hughbanks, Lynda Sydloski, Jayme Berg, Tara Cunningham, Justin Perri, Michelle Fanton, and Georgia Mashayekh

 

AGENDA ITEMS / PUBLIC REQUESTS – COMMENTS

  • Call to Order

Jeff Fehr called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.

  • Approval of Agenda

There were no changes to the agenda.

Kim moved and Barb seconded a motion to approve the minutes as presented; motion approved.

  • Public Comments or Request on Non-agenda Items

Lindsay Wood asked when the school board would communicate with families about COVID-19 mitigations for the next school year. She also asked if the District would be following SB 5044 mandates.

Barry explained that the LCSD will follow the DOH and the governor guidelines and will communicate plans as they are made.  LCSD teaches to the state standards, and dignity to all students and staff is the highest concern.

 

DISTRICT REPORTS

  • Superintendent – Barry DePaoli

Barry shared his presentation with information about State Senate Bill 5044.

He explained that SB 5044 is actually training and professional development for school staff and board members.  It has nothing to do with curriculum for students based on Critical Race Theory. The LCSD administrators and teachers are reading the book Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity by Floyd Cobb and John Krownapple over the summer to prepare for the August Institute.  “Focusing on inclusion changes our culture to ensure that all people feel that they belong, not in spite of the differences, but BECAUSE of their differences.”

The district plans to focus on what we are for and not for what they are against. Barry commented that if we focus on what we are against, we lose the ability to reflect and visualize the future. The administration and staff are using a growth mindset for Diversity Inclusion Belonging Dignity and identifying disproportionate student outcomes by examining district data.   Dignity Framework includes Openness, Listening, Empathy, and Patience.

The district will continue to work on the care of our students and district goals: Student/Staff/Community Safety, Continuous Improvement, Communication, and 21st Century Facilities for 21st Century Learning.

Lynda reminded everyone of the Why Try program, that has been used in the District for years, is all about the relationships with students. Valued relationships need to be built prior to any learning happening or students doing their best work.  All people need to feel self-worth.

 

BUILDING/PROGRAM REPORTS

  • Teaching & Learning – K.C. Knudson
  • Student Services – Sarah Clarke

K.C. and Sarah presented their report jointly.

K.C. explained how the different departments need to work together instead of separately.  It has been hard to focus on the long game when the rules of the short game kept changing.

Making lasting changes focused on belonging and inclusion to improve student academic and social outcomes across all grades will take about 5-7 years.  They explained how belonging and inclusion learning is beneficial for ALL students. What is essential for some is good for all.

The report covered information about: Inclusive Education, MTSS (Multi-tiered System of Supports), SEL (Social Emotional Learning) screenings, academic screenings, Universal Design for Learning, Framework for Belonging, Co-creative Leadership, Evidence-based Professional Learning, Job-embedded Professional Learning, and Lab Classrooms with innovative teachers.

Everyone has a jagged learning profile. When variability is not valued it leads to feelings of exclusion, failure to access learning, unnecessary academic struggle, and prevents students from reaching their full potential.

Co-creative leadership is a strategy that brings together multiple parties to jointly produce a mutually valued outcome. Stakeholders from all levels of the organization are involved in creating the “service experience” that is desired, including leaders, learners, staff, family, and community members.

When staff and students are part of the creative learning process, they get excited about doing the work.

K.C. gave an example of what UDL would look like in a lab classroom.  It starts with the concept of what the students need to learn.  Next is who are the kids and what ideas are needed for the class to recruit interest? Then predicted planning for what tools the students need for scaffolding and support.  Teachers and paraeducators should ask the kids for what they may need for processing.

Jeff asked about benchmark goals that may be available for the school board.  K.C. said that the district is starting small and they would like to see the students and teachers in the lab class with other staff coming on board to be viewed as success.  Evidence of this working would be annual changes in the CEE surveys from the current baseline data.  Also, when students are moved from Tier I to Tier II supports during the school year.

This type of teaching is the practice of looking at students by their strengths and assets instead of their challenges and deficits.

 

  • Migrant Program – Dia Galvan

Dia gave a presentation about the 2020-21 Migrant Program.  A migrant student is one who has moved over the past 3 years for family work.  Sometimes students phase out of the program as their families decide to stay in the valley and no longer qualify for the program.

Her presentation shared how students are identified, how many migrant students were enrolled in each building, 2021 graduation rate (100%), data with a three-year comparison, team accomplishments, PAC Officer Committee, student achievements, Migrant 101 Training for district staff, OSPI PAC Officer Training, Dare to Dream Academies for Summer 2021, and Thank You to several staff members.

From the parent and PAC officer meetings Dia shared that parents are grateful for the communication and learning that they are being a part of.   The PAC Officers had several training opportunities this year.

 

FINANCIAL REPORTS

Jeremy explained the district enrollment report for this month.

Kim asked about Kindergarten enrollment for next year.  Jeremy said that with all of the changes and possible mitigations, it is still a bit uncertain, so he is budgeting on the conservative side.

Jeremy shared and explained all of the financial reports answering questions from the Board.

 

ACTION ITEMS

Kim moved and Barb seconded a motion to approve the changes as presented; motion carried.

Lynda moved and Ken seconded a motion to approve the personnel changes as presented; motion carried.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

  • To discuss the performance of a public employee with no action to be taken. RCW42.30.110

 Jeff moved the board to executive session at 7:51 pm for approximately 20 minutes to discuss the performance of a public employee with no action to be taken.

ADJOURNMENT

Jeff Fehr reconvened the board to regular session and adjourned the meeting at 8:10 pm.

 

______________________________________                      _______________________________________

Jeff Fehr, Board Chair                                                                                     Barry DePaoli, Superintendent

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