August-19-2019-Regular-Board-Meeting-Segment-3
[00:00:00] There are new goals.
Maybe I can't wait to get them posted up on the on the board behind us the website. I see the Thumbs Up by our director of communications and to kill stream probably there up right now. So thank you very much. Excellent. Well referencing the chart that dr. Ludwig had shown that now that we have these District goals in place kind of each each side, whether it's our District administration or a board can now work its way down the list and that brings us to our second item which inboard commitments for 2019 2020, and I just want to thank.
Chelsea in advance for preparing these materials and guiding our conversation around board commitments at The Retreat as well as [00:01:00] coming today to help us conclude that process. So, thank you.
We all know that were at the top of the organization when we look at it organizational chart, right the board is and they don't, you know, we answer to the public. But other than that, I mean the public is really at the top but then there we are and this idea of nested leadership means that all the way down through an entire organization.
We push into the same values and practices. And so that's one of the reasons why I really believe in this board development work that we've been doing and I'm proud of our board for doing the retreat and talking about commitments that we want to make and aligning those commitments with the district goals.
And and also the fact that we engage in that board self evaluation last year so that we're doing the same.  growing and evaluating as the rest of the institution. So in that [00:02:00] Spirit, we discussed at our board retreat some board commitments and and pretty simple we had two of them that that we articulated and so I type them up Put the words on the paper so that we could see them and ensure that this was what we talked about at the retreat and looks like vote on, you know committing to it.
So they're quite simple. I'll just read them because there's not a visual and the board book but here there's one for you and that's those down. So I emailed it to you earlier. So you you probably already saw it. So during the board retreat on August 5th, the board of directors agreed to the following commitments and they're all in alignment with the district goals.
And so there are two number one board members will engage in the bond and local option Levy renewal committee. He's the best of the individual's ability and availability to implement a [00:03:00] successful campaign strategy. And that's an alignment with District goal number four. And board commitment number two board members will each engage in an equity training as a professional learning community and that's in alignment with District goal number one and again the the idea of us engaging and learning like this as a professional Learning Community is in the vein and in the spirit of us participating in the organization much as to have the same expectations for ourselves as we do for the rest of.
Organization and so that's the idea behind engaging us at plc.
That's it. And so I guess at this point we we all that you do your job
job at this point. Yes, we can a motion to approve these can also this is something just by consensus if we're all here and. Yes, this is great. We [00:04:00] consent to this that is sufficient for our purposes. I know director hides is not here this evening, but I have no reason to believe he would not support these as he voiced as much of a commitment to it during our board work session just like to mention
that. Everyone feeling good about these commitments and something that they are looking forward to honoring over the course of this year by not ahead. All right, excellent. Well great. And then with that also in anticipation of us agreeing to these commitments, dr. Ludwig had a couple of learning opportunities that she'll just reiterate for us as well.
And I'll let you speak to those. Dr. Ludwig. So there are two opportunities [00:05:00] locally coming up in October. And I know the fall is incredibly going to be very busy. And this is a year-long goal. So it may or may not work or we might want to send just a representative. These events two things happening in October.
This little flyer reminds us that on Saturday October 19th. Those you multi-city Equity Summit between our three communities of tiger Tualatin Lake Oswego and Wesson Wilsonville. This Summit includes not just the school districts, but also City Council. Police Chiefs and organizations in those cities that are working towards equity.
For example, the Western Alliance and perhaps we could invite the Wilsonville Alliance as a kickoff event for those who might be interested. So that is one that we should absolutely have representation from the board or the whole board. Could decide to attend and then if you'll write [00:06:00] in the top right-hand corner because I do not have a flyer for this one yet from the ESD.
They are working on it. But on October 22nd is the OSB a regional meeting. If you recall always be a host these Regional meetings every fall the 14 Clackamas ESD is on October 22nd. It starts about 6:30, I believe but what the ESD is going to do is offer. Two hours before that regional meeting from 426 an optional Equity training for a school board members who would like to attend and the pair of presenters who are projected to come is the ESD superintendent and the director of teaching and learning from the Puget Sound ESD and for a number of years they have been doing Equity training.
John Welch is the Puget Sound ESD superintendent. He is a white [00:07:00] gentleman and Brad.  I'm thinking on the last name is African-American and is the director at the Puget Sound ESD and together John and Brad do these kinds of equity trainings because John Welch also was. A superintendent of a school district very aware of working with boards and sensitive to understanding that boards may be at different places around at understanding Equity.
So between the two of them very able to take questions from an audience that is primarily board members. So that is from 426 on October 22nd from the Puget Sound ESD and they are putting that flyer together to have more information about the presenters. At that time and then I can make sure that you get that but it's just in the preliminary stages.
Those are two that are coming in very close in October. And [00:08:00] so and then lastly I'm going to give you just something to think about when you think about a board self evaluation. This is a rubric that the center for equity and inclusion hanif has Al's organization. Uses with school boards to think about where are you in the work around equity and I know that there's a lot more that unpacks through brick.
I don't have that context that his organization would have but through courtesy we've been able to get a little sneak peek of something that the school boards are currently working with are using it may be that you want to do some type vey. Self evaluation on this end of the year to say where do we think we are what would be what would be evidence that would show where we are in these categories of this rubric and then by the end of the year, if as we've read some texts attended some trainings [00:09:00] been involved in conversation, where might we evaluate ourselves at the end of the year.
Have we moved our own leadership dial so to speak if we want more. Explanation of this rubric to unpack it. I think fairly we would need to have someone from the center for equity and inclusion do that is their rubric. I'm just showing you an example of something that's out there. We could certainly look for other tools or Frameworks like this.
If you felt you wanted something a board to show indicators of how does a board operate when they're thinking with an equity lens. What are some beliefs or actions that you might see. Just something to get us thinking.
Thank you. I definitely plan on being at least one of these events with the multi-city equity Summit and or the [00:10:00] Clackamas ESD and this Center for equity and inclusion rubric. I've never seen. Wow, that's this the packs a lot there to there's a lot there for us to potentially unpack both independently as well as potentially as a professional Learning Community.
I will say that the center for equity and inclusion has a very good reputation and they've done a lot of good work. I didn't know that they work with boards in this fashion, but I see potential for them to. To provide a training for us as a professional learning community so that we could engage and even if it's just a matter of understanding what this rubric means, you know, if we're not at a place to actually Place ourselves here yet.
Maybe we are but yeah, so thank you for the source the resources from Center for equity and inclusion. All
right. Yeah, I kind of like this rubric when I saw [00:11:00] it was just introduced to just the concepts on it. I don't I did just strike me and I need to take a little bit more time and read through it and then kind of I think I would naturally try and. Categorize my strings my area is I still have a lot of growth to do and then it will be interesting to chat maybe review it again at the end of the year and see how eyes an individual board member and then maybe collectively we together have have potentially shifted from categories on here, but I'm guessing it would be hodgepodge.
We're not all on anyone. So anyways, I just I thought this was a neat little guide and we probably might revisit it or something like it over. Of course the years we go on some. All right. Well with us affirming these commitments I would just assume our next steps would be Chelsea and I working together to create a good time and an opportunity for that [00:12:00] Collective professional learning opportunity around Equity.
So we will get back to the board on. How that all look and what were contemplating and get some feedback once we have a little bit more information for you.  The next topic on our agenda and it is our last topic of the evening is kind of just an organizational. Discussion for us. It's around the district and school work plans as well as board visits and how we get to learn about each school's work plan that dr.
Ludwig Take the Lead here and then. Thank you again for Molitor. So just a reminder at The Retreat. You got a number of documents in that little folder one was again, just the nested - of how goals are commitments lead to work plans and actions and outcomes again a reminder that our work plan will take a [00:13:00] slightly different format since we have that sipper that continuous Improvement plans instead of two documents.
We're just going to use the one. Live into it for the year and see how that works. So that the organization can understand it and that we have no delays whatsoever to apply for that Grant schools are making their own work plans. They don't need to use the Sip and so you saw the sample of a template that a school had and then new for us also is to ask each department to create some goals for themselves and some outcome.
Some of those ways that they're going to share those North Stars or big ideas with the organization. And so they now that the goals have been official they will begin to move those in but they've been thinking about that work since June as I mentioned as they were finishing up and looking at the data.
And their past work plans and the outcomes and thinking already about the work ahead. So they're beginning to work these they'll share them with their staff. And if you recall that memo also about [00:14:00] ways that we're going to share our work plans with our community because we were from our community last year that they have an interest in keeping input into the professional learning and what the goals are that the school is working on so they'll have those opportunities to share them with the community.
That's your role comes in around visitations and I have a document here for you and we can decide tonight through some discussion how you want to organize the front side of this just outlines the schools that you visited last year and that was a deep dive into three and I think Reagan you were you had for school.
A deep dive to visit schools. The principal was able to share their work plan their goals. Perhaps you did a walkthrough into some classrooms. Some of you got to hear a student panel speak may be engaged with some teachers watch some instruction in the classroom as deep a dive as you feel is of interest to you and also principal sharing their [00:15:00] data.
Suggestion would be to pick three different schools this time so that you can do again a deep dive within three schools and do that if tonight is the right time to talk about that but you might decide you want to do a slightly different organization. I will say from the principles they found it incredibly valuable to have that deep dive with each of you at their school.
They felt that often what they shared here and there. Allotted eight minutes just got to the surface and even then they're often felt like the evening was going on so long perhaps people were shy about asking too many questions, but when they have you all to themselves the time just feels like it's just more well spent in terms of you getting to see how does the work actualize from a goal to a work plan to into a school.
So their hope is again that we continue with this format. And [00:16:00] so my also my Wonder is and I don't think we should do it this fall because it's very busy. Let's get the school's done. If we feel we can again, it's our own timeline. So if you feel you'd like to do more visits later in November early December we can also do that, but then I'm wondering about winter and spring there may be some departments that would love to share with you their work plan.
Last year chair Molitor went on a learning walk with me with our nutrition director Lindsey Flores and I know director Fitch would like to do that. Also this year there's an opportunity then to maybe visit with it staff meet with HR or business. What are your goals this year? If that's something you'd like to do in the winter spring when Maybe.
We're not camping. You're not campaigning or thinking about a bond. So there would be a way to do some deep dive into other parts of the [00:17:00] organization with our with our staff. So I will stop there and let you now as a board have a discussion about organizing for these visits or you may decide to take this home think about it and do what you did last time which was.
I think you suggested five places you'd like to see and then we kind of. Shuffled around and got you to at least three of the five places or something like that.
All right. Does anybody have any thoughts and like to share?
Back at my notes in terms of emails from last October and I think that we asked the board to come back and Report. In certain ways and I think that the feedback I got was tell us before we go what we're going to report back on. So I think we need to do that is be clear what we want.
[00:18:00] What are the questions or what is the content that the board members and we'll report back at the next board meeting or a following board meeting. That was one thought I had and the other is. Oh my gosh, I really want to connect with certain schools on a regular basis. So I'm although I'd really love to see some new schools.
There's part of me that like to hang on to that experience of building a deeper relationship and connection with some of the schools particularly in Westland, because I'm in Wilsonville. Those are just some thoughts I have.
Director Fitch that the same I think the same sentiment was knew what we tried last year and we really surprised ourselves how well it went and it was engaging and inspiring but I would think if there's some ask that you have then if we can get [00:19:00] those questions to the principles then they'll also know what it is you're looking for so that you feel that if we're going looking with these questions.
Will the principles be prepared to show us or give us opportunity to then seek those questions out?  Follow up. I'm looking at least one of those exchanges was really.
enough teasing the visits with the board goals, so. What is it that we as a board are doing in connection with the board goals when we do the visit and that informing than what the principles would know we're there because we're trying to understand how word go one and two are occurring at your school.
That's that that's part of my recollection. And as I recall to a lot of the at least on [00:20:00] my walks, I went on a lot of. I didn't go in saying I want to know about Borg old one or two, but as they were sharing back their work. Typically it fell within one of those and then it you know, they were it's a force to the trees.
Our goals are kind of the forest and then they had done, you know found a tree that they wanted to work on. And so it was us then yeah connecting that and then sharing it back in. Do you whatever that email is here? We do just forward it to me because I will use that well, that's what I was wondering and I thought well you already have found it and then I'll use that as potentially a guide for because I thought you're asked about getting that feedback in advance of going as novel ingenious all at the same time until same questions that were sent out to us.
Host learning walkthrough, which was just learning curve for us with the first time to implement it and it [00:21:00] might be useful to even reaches revisit those with might not need to recreate the wheel. Maybe it's those are the questions that we're working with again with some tweaks here and there and with this idea of the alignment with them to a district goals, and I know you're waiting for your turn to say something.
I'll just add something logistically briefly as perhaps. We write down like rank our order of. Preference like prioritize so if somebody wants to stay with the same schools, they indicate as such if they want different schools. They indicate a such so we don't have to do it right now. I don't know who that would then go to.
Yeah. She's out for a little bit. She.
we can give you a big fat. Yes. This is fun work to get a stack. Yeah, so that's what we do even we can do it tonight before we walk out and.  I don't know. Anyways, [00:22:00] okay for director hides to be turned in then we'll.  I was just going to say that I would love to see us not just go into the school the beginning but actually didn't have that opportunity to maintain.
The relationship with those same schools throughout the year and maybe those become our Focus schools for the year that we can present in and familiar face not just back behind the desk, but also in their hallways and at their school activities and just that opportunity to continue and strengthen that relationship and for them to see us involved in their school and interested in what they're doing.
Students get to know us us to get to know the teachers. I think that that would be a great. I would love that opportunity to continue focusing in those schools in that way, too. I'm not worried about. Okay. Do we want I you know someone going to this event or we're all at the same event. Now we [00:23:00] know kind of where to focus our time and efforts.
So that's just a suggestion that I would have going forward for this year. I think one of the advantages of that suggestion is that you likely could get some updates during the year as that principle is, you know taking you to an event and remember this is that this is that group I was sharing or here's some outcomes of that work.
I'd be happy to tell you about and what I hear in your suggestion is that doesn't preclude any board member from still going to any other event. Across the district especially Where Your Children Are or your children's friends, but it would mean maybe committing to touch base again in that school that you had seen the work plan a couple times at least during the year to share your continued support and commitment.
Well, and I would just chime in that I know. We've talked about our board potentially kind of dividing itself among schools [00:24:00] and it's not yet, excluding our activity and all schools across the district, but more being a presence and a more ascertainable, you know individual to reach out to for more information.
I know in the past, I've always had kind of mixed feelings about that simply because. I'd like to be present and known, you know, evenly across all schools. Although this activity that we did last year where we the board broke up and we took a little deeper dive into specific schools was incredibly rewarding and I learned a lot more I think from my fellow board members about the schools that they went into then anything.
We had done previously, so. Long story short, I am kind of converted me. So to speak I really like this methodology and I also kind of like what I'm hearing both from Ginger and Christy about this idea of hey, we've I'm starting to build these relationships there and [00:25:00] and I like that idea of kind of a through line or some sort of continuation of that.
So I think that there's definitely opportunity there that I'm interested in pursuing.
Go with your suggestion, but operated by level the
vent.
so that I could rank my. Of my friends one two three four.
No, I think that would be great because if you recall if you look at what you did last year, we tried to give you. At least a primary and a secondary so you could see some trajectory and you could get a feel [00:26:00] for pain and then we also try to give some balance for maybe some schools and Wetland or Wilsonville.
And so if you could also be thinking about providing that kind of balance, I think that could be helpful for you leading across the district and also but we did you'll see you each had. A primary school at least and then a secondary school and then your second place was either a second primary or second secondary, but it wasn't exclusively all primary role secondary.
So I believe if you do it that way director fish that would be helpful for us to to make sure you have that kind of a balanced experience. I also really like this new edition last year. I know we've said that like 23 times now, but it was really good and and I like this idea of continuing it as an ongoing relationship the one.
I guess request that I have for our [00:27:00] board and it might be something director Thompson that you're willing to start for us. But just this idea of role clarification as you know from your learning and even entering my fifth year. I'm often walking that about that doing The Balancing Act. And what is my role as a board member?
What is my role as a community member and how do I show up and so might be useful just what I know about. Potential for misunderstandings lack of role Clarity is a really big potential and I don't anticipate anything like that would happen and it could be really useful if we just clarify. What is our role with this.
We're doing it already with the learning walk through like these are the this is the purposes of the questions will be asked report back on but if we're going to also then say we're going to be a face. In the school, we're going to attend we're going to be in the hallways, you know, some of that kind of stuff.
I guess. I just ask like what exactly are we talking about? What are our expectations of ourselves of you know of the school [00:28:00] some parameters around that just so we have a lot of clarity like doesn't what does it mean? I kind of either all day long do I get free school lunch? Like what exactly does it mean?
Well, if you're willing to put something into words and mean I if the board thinks that that would be helpful, then we could we could just have it and we could say like yeah, this looks like about what I agree with or I'm confused about this or I don't think that I don't agree with that but the whole thing.
I think it would be nice for all of us just to think about, you know, everybody to go back and just spend a week or two just thinking about okay, what would we like this to look like and what kind of role and you know, I'm assuming obviously it would continue the before we ever went into a school as is the role currently that we like, dr.
Leg would know and she can let the school know so it would still be that more for that formal. If we would still walk [00:29:00] all the right lines and follow protocol and so but I agree. I think there's definitely things that we all need to think through and consider and what exactly we want it to look like and I agree.
I think be good to have some guidelines just so that once again, it's Equitable, you know amongst the schools and that we're all you know, trying to have that same sort of presence across the board.  couple suggestions I might offer for. Putting some of that together one as you look at school listservs, you're already seeing events and activities that are coming from their schools instead of scanning all 16 all the time.
You could say let me first look at my three schools. Oh, there's a poet. There's a play for the third grade. All the families are invited. I'll go as the board member to show my support. So those kind of public events. Then you just let me in the principal know that you plan to be there in the audience to support that as you know, so those that's one suggestion of what's already in place.
[00:30:00] The other suggestion might be as you know on Tuesdays we have reserved is what we call very lovingly climb, which is when we get into schools, we do learning walks and so keeping and working with that structure. If after the work plan, and again, I'm thinking winter spring when you have more that time available to you.
You're thinking about your Tuesdays. You could say, I'm wondering if my three schools are doing any learning hosting an e-learning walks today that I could be a part of in addition to if you wanted to add those other departments than we would set those up. So.
Here there Abbott Carlos.
[00:31:00] Let's keep it may be informal this time because we have such a busy year and will yeah. Well I was going to say it's only paper. I can go and change it give it back to you next week, but that will take some pressure off of you and we can give it a go and then we could formalize a little bit more of the following year with that stuff.
A quick clarification. I assume that once we are given the schools that we're going to go. Meet with we have the opportunity to decide on a mutually agreed working time Beach. Okay, great.
All right, so I'm just going to some some stuff up and make sure I have head nod. So we're working in the right direction. So this evening you can if you so choose go through the back here and kind of list. Preference for visiting schools then once or you can send it in over the to dr. [00:32:00] Ludwig over the course of the week.
And then once Dylan has also had the opportunity to do this and they'll pull through and they'll figure out then who's going where and you may not get your first choice, but they're going to do the best that they can so that's one number a second part of that is an idea of this continuation of rather just.
A single visit to the school, but maybe developing more of a participation in their public school activities that are available and Christie was going to agreed to potentially work on on what those opportunities might look like and and report back and then. Once we get our dates, we will also get those questions in line for what after we're doing our school visits.
You know, what is it that our board is looking to report back and share with each other from the school so that then we know in advance when we go into those [00:33:00] schools what to be looking for. Did I forget anything?  All right, and I will be sending an email asking for your feedback and. Just Thoughts as well on how we do the dividing up okay and talk with me about that first because we want to make sure that yeah and then we'll figure out how to best report it back.
Okay. Perfect and I believe at this time that largely concludes this meeting but for a couple of important dates, which I will just point out that there didn't I oh, yes, dr. Ludwig. Those are amongst important dates. Correct? Yes. So in terms of important dates as you look on there just one correction.
Well, it's not a correction but a clarification on the 22nd. So on Thursday that all staff welcome back breakfast, we will serve as early as seven. You [00:34:00] can come at 7:30 is fine at 8:15. However is when we begin in the auditorium. So, you know organize your time however works for you and your family 8:15.
We'd love to have you 810 the auditorium. Is that Western so we can get ready to go and then I have for you also all the back to school curriculum nights.  So that you begin to think about those schools you'd like to visit or be at? What I do not know with some of these times that show a range is for some for example, it says 6:30 to 8.
There might be a time in there. That's the principal's message to the parents. So when you find an evening that works for you, if you're planning to attend Kelly can then let you know for example, if the start time is when people are in the [00:35:00] classrooms or when our people in the gym. Or in the auditorium with the principal because typically, you know, that's when a board member may like to show their support by being present during that time.
Certainly you can stay the whole evening and mingle with parents and slip into a few classrooms here and there to hear the messages usually board members are present for that presentation time.
I do see. Director Nick Chapin. Are you okay? If I put you on the spot? Could you come up to the podium Nick? I don't know. If our newest board member Christy Thompson if the two of you have met yet. Okay, great. When is your curriculum night? Can we add that?  Oh.  Yeah, we will you email that to me and then I can forward that.
[00:36:00] So the 26th meeting next so next week in September. Oh, okay.  Great, we'd love to have someone there aren't for you in this for you. Okay, this is the first year. We've aligned our our families could be on the same schedule. Okay. Thank you.
Imagine the so director Chapin will get me the number 19th 19th, September 19th.
And you know, I don't know if this is the right time but the whole idea of liaison. Seen Meg, maybe think about that. And so do you have a preference like it's not something we should be asking for you just [00:37:00] assigned to us or I'll be at the long range planning committee meeting on Wednesday. I've been a
board member is a time to think about that now and thank you because that's actually really pertinent point right now is that typically our board we serve as liaison, so we're not always work. And I was a liaison to Three Rivers. And so when there were we were invited in for learning opportunities or to get to know the school, then I had the privilege of accompanying, dr.
Ludwig and engaging in the activities that TRC s was providing about time. We have a long range planning committee. Liaison. We have a audit. When our books are on and we have a board member who sits through the audit process and then even at one point in the audit, our administrators will leave [00:38:00] and then the board member should they have any questions are able to ask those questions?
outside the presence of staff and. We're all members of the budget committee. Yes, we did there was at one point in time, but you had them now since we're all yeah, so it's about there is not but we met I don't know. Yeah we.
But we have yeah. Yeah, and we have had in the past like an example but till seen Ginger helped lead the Safety Committee work. So, you know sometimes other opportunities so if there's anybody who would like to serve on any of those, please let me know. We will need to assign those as well as maybe I might reach out ask board members as well if they've considered.
[00:39:00] Serving I do think that it would be valuable to my two cents Chelsea or Christy. Just put some thought into a relationship with being the liaison to TRC s only because we know you right now you have at least four years whereas. I only have two years so on my term and so I do feel that it's very valuable to have that long-term longer-term relationship with TRC s because their Charter is renewed every five years and it's just kind of nice to be involved in their work and see where they were when they the being of the charter renewal period and see what growth has occurred and I it's just very helpful to have a little bit more stable and Longevity I think in that particular particular role.
Food for that.  All right, that being said.  We will conclude this meeting [00:40:00] .