May-6-2019-Regular-Board-Meeting-Segment-4
[00:00:00] I think the board members might have some questions or comments.  Wanted to thank dr. Ludwig and dr. Spencer rains again for the time to meet last Thursday on similar issues and it's the comprehensiveness of your report. And dr. Pryor is. Clear that it's a complex multifaceted issue topic. And yes, I have confidence to that.
The district does have a comprehensive approach and you have Partnerships and research but just a very quick question. You mentioned your structure for all using data to inform decisions, which and you also mentioned. Disproportional disproportionate discipline data, I'll be interested. I'll follow up with you later, but I [00:01:00] will be interested in the sources of data that the district uses and also.
in the list of Partnerships. That's an impressive list, but I was I was a little curious that I didn't see Clackamas EST included. Okay, sorry. Okay. Yes absolutely should have been there. That's what I need is obvious. Okay. Thank you. Can I just say I want to give a big shout-out to Kurt Nelson and to his amazing assistant director as well con that have been working really hard in helping us.
Developed some new systems to get we've had a place where data goes in but it's been a harder to get it out and usable ways for principals. And so they've been doing some tremendous work in these last few months and then principles minor McCarney and. [00:02:00] Amaya have been piloting some new ways to use some of those data.
So it's something that our principles have been asking for a little bit more user-friendly system and we're learning a lot from that. Dr. Perry's been leading that beautifully.
Thank you. I know you spoke for an hour, but I think you could have spoke for a year. There was a lot there's a lot there and there's a bunch of didn't even address here that was in our packet. And so it's definitely complex work and thank you to all the principles for being here and for the work you do in our school.
I was very touched by this idea of demonstrating curiosity rather than blame and the idea of keeping our students engaged rather than excluding and how we can use, you know, strategies of empathy instead of blame and shame and that's you know, there's a lot of research that shows that that's the way to keep people engaged and that's really what this is about right keeping our students [00:03:00] engaged across the finish line.
So I appreciate this work. I have a couple of questions one is actually read it a couple of weeks ago. It was in document that I think dr. Pryor you had created with in conjunction with some parents and principals and teachers around inclusive practices and restorative practices. And the thing that struck me was this idea that sometimes there's this perception perhaps that a child is being rewarded when they act out and so could you speak a little bit to what are some of the strategies that are used with a student who's just acted out and why am I parent or child see another child engaging in those activities?
Yeah, I appreciate you asking that this would be an area where we have some strong practices and we're still learning but one of the things we do know is that this is really complex work and the child is a student is a partner in the work [00:04:00] and to be a strong partner. You have to be in a state where you're ready to have a conversation you're ready to.
And there are times where if there's a problem so recent the student may still be dysregulated angry upset frustrated and what we noticed that's not the most productive time to engage in some deep on his problem solving and so for some students who may have a history of needing to grow some skills.
What we know is that we're going to have something in place that helps regulate them and that might be a calming activity. It might be coming to the office and sitting in a quiet place. Sometimes it's art for some students. It's we have a set of. Crayons and a piece of paper and they by themselves come in and they draw a picture into a bypass or they might see well that child.
Maybe just had. A problem they have hurt someone and they're getting rewarded by coloring when they're not what's going to follow that is a really honest conversation as dr. Spencer. I am so saying which is going to involve taking accountability around what happens a serious conversation may be with the person that got hurt [00:05:00] and working through.
How are we going to make this right? And sometimes they're there may be an element of what we might call, you know punishment is part of that, but we would frame it as how do we make it right? You know, if. You caused harm to an area of the school or another person. There's work going to be involved in making that right and is the regulation activity which can be perceived as reward when you don't get to see the whole process.
If if I could jump in on that too, that's where also data becomes important important because you know, if we have a student to we notice over time this you know, oh we keep coming back here because gosh it turns out I going to the office is is awesome because I love mr. You know minor missed you know, whoever that is, then sometimes we look at me go.
Well. Wait a minute. We're going to handle this in a different way. So maybe the thing we thought was being a chance to regulate was actually, you know, serving a different purpose for that child. And so then we might [00:06:00] make a different plan. So it's that individualization, but then also watching the data over time because if it keeps happening is probably something about that, you know that's working for that student.
And so we got to figure out what's underneath. That and I would just add that folks like dr. Skip green would remind us that those strategies were using in a school office. We actually learned those from some of the best strategies parents use at home with their own children or when a child is emotional angry.
We kind of know as parents to just step back for a while let our child calm down in their bedroom. Take a walk and when you're ready, we're going to have a conversation. So those strategies are not unlike what our parents tell us. They do at home to help their child get ready to engage and then problem solve with the sibling or with the parents themselves.
It's just in school. It's very public at home you we get the [00:07:00] luxury of having that be private. The home door is closed, you know there quietly in their bedroom in school, you know, three four hundred kids are around parent volunteers guests may be in the classroom next door. We don't get too often have that private conversation.
So maybe the best place is a counselor's office the school office. But again, it's really about those same best parenting strategies that we all use at home. And dr. Skip Greenwood reminds us how to create that same kind of safe environment at school to create also some privacy and dignity for the child as they get ready then to problem-solve.
I can't keep going but I'm going to cut my questions down. I'll just ask one more the you had talked about the there was one of the slides ahead the circles and one of them was communication and how this is, you know, one of the more difficult things. We're trying to hammer out and. It is something I'm curious about that.
We you know, we've been hearing from our community like a desire for more [00:08:00] information, but also the sensitive and delicate nature of how much information to provide and when and to whom and so I am curious just about. What further work is going to be done about that and what we could communicate with the community about maybe like we have this a threat assessment process that has a tree do we have something like that around specifically communication and just wondering what we're doing there?
I appreciate that question in the opportunity to also, you know highlight some of the other colleagues that are just so critical in this work. And dr. Josh flossie who is just a partner in all of this work and has really stepped up to take the lead in a lot of our threat assessment work as these things happen.
Dr. Downs who is you know, or doctor prior are always in communication with him with the building principal and. Sometimes if it's looking like it's going to be a little bit of a broader message with [00:09:00] Andrew and our communication. So what we know is that we have situations that because of the nature of what happened the location of where it happened who else may have heard it what other kind of impact we might know met.
Is someone one other things are balancing with protecting the privacy of the student involved in their rights? And so we have situations where we might only communicate with the parents of the students involved. Now if it's a significant threat a targeted threat, there's actually a law about notifying the parents of the students involved with in I think it's like 12 hours.
It's a very short. Josh would correct me on that one. So but even beyond that, even if it's not just a Target if we think the parent needs to know we're going to reach out with that [00:10:00] everything over to we've had some situations where message went out to the entire school. And in between there, there's a ton of space and a ton of different things that would happen.
I'm intrigued by that idea of would we ever get to the point of a flowchart of if this then that maybe we will I feel like right now. The the variables are so
many
and so tendril.
That about they thought it was like somehow you know it even though no names were shared. They knew that was their child being talked about so it's this [00:11:00] balancing act that we're always thinking through in terms of community and communication. But one thing I do want all of our Carlile our community to always know is that principles are always happy to to connect with them if they have individual questions or conversations by our principles are phenomenal and they just will stay in that conversation with parents all along.
I want to thank dr. Ludwig Tucker Spencer. I'm dr. Pryor for this presentation. My tears in the board. This might be the most useful presentation that I've received that I really appreciate the information and the materials we were given was very useful. I'm still pouring over those materials and hearing from this art and the parents tonight was very insightful very helpful.
So thank you for bringing this together. I think it's the most important work that we do in building, you know, our most thoughtful people. I had a really basic question. I was speaking to a primary school student recently and the student [00:12:00] was in a very. Want Manor describing an evacuation in their classroom and I tried to ask the primary aged student was because he was kind of nonchalant about this.
Is this a normal thing and they couldn't put a number on it, but it was clear to me. This happened with enough regularity that it was no longer a big deal. I was in Oregon public schools for 12 years as a student. Top public schools for four years and 16 years in classrooms. I never once experienced an evacuation or felt like I was in a situation where it needed to be evacuated and so just kind of a basic question is why is this happening now and does it have any new ethic inclusion, or is it just an unfortunate coincidence?
It's a good question. I don't know if we can totally answer that and if you would indulge me on a couple of thoughts about that one being that good teachers move learning around for lots of reasons and.  I [00:13:00] was in a classroom not too long ago where? I saw that the student of focus who I happen to be there observing because the team was having some questions about next steps.
I saw that student starting to maybe escalate a little bit in agitation. I don't think the other students had even noticed and the teacher was like. Oh my goodness. I forgot to tell you guys. There's a new book down in the library that the librarian really wants us to see we're gonna go see it right now wine up.
Let's go and. It was so masterful that it gave that child the dignity to calm down and learning kept going. The kids are excited my gosh a new book, you know, and then the teacher the teacher has she got there. She was like to library and cuts give me some new quick, you know, and and the learning kept going in and really authentic way [00:14:00] so.
I worry about the term. There's been this question about our we communicated when there's a room clearer and evacuation or whatever and sometimes there might be a reason to have a communication about it because I've students if it was. Stressful or anxiety promoting for some students involved. And the other thing is that nonchalant missed you talked about what's stressful for one student or anxiety producing might be for one and not for another and that's where our amazing teachers know their students to well that often times will say gosh.
There was a change in the schedule today probably wouldn't bother these other students, but I want to let you know because I know your child really gets worried when things change so. That's part of it. I would say, you know it is we do have much clearer laws around. Things like restraint and seclusion, you know a little kindergartner back when I first taught kindergarten, you know was real upset.
You might just pick them up and walk down the hall if I'm well you [00:15:00] don't do that anymore. So that's changed some things. So that's you know, now it has to be you know, that that's a very different way of thinking so it is curious to me and I one of the things that I hope will come out of this Statewide questions about behavior is how do we really get a clearer story in terms of accuracy?
And you know, one of the things that we worry about is that when when something happens. It's right there. And so it's real and it's real and it's emotional behavior is an interactive and emotional experience for the children and for the teachers and sometimes for the parents, right? And so sometimes we can take oh gosh this thing happen and now, you know in Psychology they call it that recency effect, and we don't notice that it didn't happen, you know.
The 90 days before but it's right there and equally we can have that danger of a single story where [00:16:00] a student might have had a very difficult situation in September. And that you know little story kind of lives on their shoulder as they go through school and we would all hope that if it was our child people would let them take that story off and live into a new story.
And so at those are some of the things I think about but I am curious when you hear like, oh, it's more happening these days. My question is always is it I mean. I'm sure maybe it probably might be I don't know because I don't know the data. One more question. I know one of the challenges with this process is that every child is unique.
You can't put in place a single set of rules or a rubric where when this happens we do this. I'm just having so everything just so unique. But do we as a district ever get to a point where we say a particular student is too disruptive. We've done everything that we can inclusion is not going to work for this student and if yes to that question what happens [00:17:00] to that student so.
You know, there's less than the number on my fingers right now of students in our district right now who that answer was yes for period of time and so we partner this why should have had Clackamas ESD up there. Dr. Reynolds we Clackamas CSD has a setting that is for very intensive needs that way but here's what's different about from what districts.
As long as I've been in this work have had what we would call outside placements other places where those very very very few situations where students needs are just very complex and not working in the public schools at that moment. First of all, we have a very very low number compared to other districts.
We work very hard to keep kids in community. We know that that kind of a decision can be a life-changing decision for that. Child. The other thing is [00:18:00] that we try very much to make it not be a life-changing decision, but could that be what they need right now sort of like in that all summon few that dr.
Pryor was talking about where that can move around and in fact. We had two students this year come back from those settings with very thoughtful intentional and I might say successful transitions. I'm looking at my principles that have just done a beautiful job supporting those some of those students and then we had two students different students enter those settings.
And so yes, we do. It's pretty it's a very big decision. It's a very big decision for those families and those children, but that's through the IEP team process that that would happen.
I did want to mention this has been a topic of discussion and legislative discussion and I've been watching a few bills that look like they would provide resources to Educators that will help in [00:19:00] classroom situation. So I wondered if you might comment on you know that. The weather those bills you think the likelihood they'll pass and if they will provide additional resources.
Dr. Ludwig answer that excitement been following that as closely but I will just say we're always up for more resources and we would use them. Well, well, I think just briefly the, you know House Bill 3427 that I gave you and so you can see that student investment account talks about class size reduction.
So when a teacher feels that. The class size is optimal in terms of really strong relationships that benefits and then what's also in there as counseling and student support programs for mental health support. And then that's that's that first billion and the other refers to some Statewide education initiatives, which does talk about a school safety task force recommendations.
Some [00:20:00] districts are a little head of that. We've got some of those Partnerships already in place as we were talking about in the PowerPoint and then work groups to improve transparency our partnership with our association. We're not waiting for those funds were getting a lot of that work already underway.
And then if you look at the other part The Early Learning account that 20% talks about really providing support when children are really young around either a trauma support for some support parenting support or Early Head Start Pre-K programs anything that can help us get ahead of the game for some families who need that.
Dr. Reynolds, I just also let you know I don't know if we've set it in a board report that we not only participate in Medicaid administrative programs to raise money that we use for use it to pay for a nurse school [00:21:00] counselor. We use it for those kinds of pieces and then this year we started Medicaid fee for service billing, which I know the legislature was really encouraging all districts to do.
It's been a big lift that we have started. Doing it and I'm good. Thank you to so I'm Lee Hughes and her staff and helping us get that off the ground and we're trying to use all the resources we can. You know, I think if there's one framework that maybe summarizes a lot of this that could be helpful for a board member certainly helpful for our leaders when they meet with parent groups or any family who may need some explanation around what might be happening in the classroom.
It's that one, you know, the one with the white font that really talks about. Of course our first and primary concern is safety for all children. Safety for all children, so that's. That's the first priority and then around that are often [00:22:00] actions that are seen by the community and actions that are unseen, but they are happening.
So just being assured that there is likely a disciplined process that restorative practices does not mean discipline doesn't happen. It means alongside that how do we now restore children into their community? So that the likelihood of a repeated action decreases and the child feels more connected and less marginalized isolated and we know what happens when kids feel that way and that what happens when adults feel that way and so each of those components then comes alongside that this has been a helpful framework with principles to use at PTA meetings with groups.
Even with a family has a concern to say all these components are in place some are visible. Some are not some we can talk about very openly with great detail some you'll just have to allow us to hold some information confidential but here's what we can share with you and then balancing what kind of communication to [00:23:00] whom when how before during after and always making those considerations so that all together we feel we have a comprehensive effective response.
So I think this is one that really helps in many settings. Thank you for your time put into this and the work that you all have been doing over the year in the Years. These are going to be lawyer questions because of the time and it but yeah, I want to ask them because it has been a meaningful opportunity for us.
So would it be fair to say that conversations about disruptive or disrupted classrooms? Isn't really supported by the theory the research or the practice in our district.  That there's another way to talk about what's happening in our classrooms.
Yes, and I but while also saying yeah, sometimes [00:24:00] kids have unexpected or difficult or unsafe behaviors that may I don't want to be disingenuous that that kids are working on these skills. And sometimes they are going to show those things and it may show up in a classroom. What we know is that how we frame that is important and can we.
And as Jen aren't gave us a good example today. Can we learn from it? Not in not every situation. Are we going to sit down and do a circle around it? But as we learn that all kids some kids are good at math. Some kids come in with really strong social emotional regulation skills, and we need to work together on that.
While supporting another so I don't know if that was a lawyer and I think it was is it fair to say that also the question, how can we make this right? That's not for just a particular group of children who are really working on social emotional learning. That's something either all or some of our kids are also [00:25:00] working on.
Yet and again, it's highly contextual. You know, how do we make this? Right? That's kind of a way of moving through the world even when there might not be a whole lot to make right and the Other Extreme might be to make this right we need the help of some adults or some specialized staff members and hopefully what you seen this we have a large Continuum of how much help we bring in and how you know how involved that that process can be if it needs.
Maybe this is really question for our principles as well as the District staff.  I need to know as a board member. How can we get the message to parents who need more support around this what this has been very helpful for us. It gives me some tools. But I think where we are being contacted on occasion by parents.
Sometimes are coming to public meetings and your board needs to know. [00:26:00] How can we support parents who need more help in this situation because of their own fears because their own lack of understanding and so that's just kind of an ongoing question I have for you. So make sure you reaching out and letting us know how we can be helpful in this conversation and about educating parents in particular.
And I was thinking also just about how some simple process something that simple processes. We may not see when we understand the system really well parents who don't are inside the system won't see like this is for example who you go to First and this is a phone number of who you go to in. This is you know, how you contact.
Your teacher and I know your principles are doing all of this in the district is doing it was just something up to continue to lean into when we hear those questions or comments coming from the community. What is underneath that question or comment? What is that unknown that we need to communicate about again?
[00:27:00] Well, nothing just acknowledging that. It's calm its complex work just like parenting. You know three or four children is is complex and each requires a different approach. You know, now you have a classroom of 25 26 that require a different approach and working with the environment from where they've come another all living and working together, but I would say increasingly.
I've just been so impressed with our ptas and pto's who are partnering with their principles and saying let's host. Some of these conversations for our community whether it's an evening on anxiety, whether it's bringing in a speaker on raising children in the digital age and the stresses of that involves and some of the isolation they're seeing their kids, you know, pulling away with social media or those kinds of things to Coffee talks around this type of framework that I showed you what happens when.
You know an incident happens in the classroom. [00:28:00] Could you describe that for us? So we know that our kids, you know are safe and how does how does the processing happening in the classroom giving a principal and opportunity to share that? At a PTA meeting with parents and then asking for them to tell others those need to happen repeatedly because over the course of six years at a primary school your community changes the kindergarten parents have gone on to Middle School the first grade you got to keep having to spiraling nature of sharing the work being in the work together.
So our I just really commend our ptas and pto's that have joined up with principles to host a number of these kinds of coffee talks and evening events that have been part of that educational process.
Dr. Ludwig, thank you. When I asked about bills that might provide resources. Thank you for mentioning how still 3427 I think there are some additional bills being considered [00:29:00] that I said resources, but it's options or supports for educators if there are a handful of bills that after the session may help.
Ameliorate the situation so I'm looking forward to whether or not those bills are successful.  Thank you. I'm going to move on to the board operating agreement and it's my opinion if you want to step out, it's not at all rude. So thank you for coming.
I'm good. Thank you.