>> GOOD EVENING. I HEREBY CALL TO ORDER THE JUNE 4,
[00:00:03]
2020 EMERGENCY CALLED BOARD MEETING AND STUDY[1.0 Call to Order]
SESSION BY VIDEO CONFERENCE OF THE CROWLEY ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND CERTIFY THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 551.041 AND 551.045 OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE PURSUANT TO PUBLIC [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING] TEMPORARY SUSPENSION TO CERTAIN OPEN MEETING LAWS DUE TO THE COVID-19 EPIDEMIC ENCLOSURES.I REQUEST THE OFFICIAL ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MR. KIRCHNER?
TRUSTEE PLACE ONE, MS. ROBINSON.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE PLACE TWO, DR. WOODSON-MAYFIELD.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE PLACE THREE, MS. HALL.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE PLACE FOUR, MS. DAVIS.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE PLACE FIVE, MR. RAY.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE SIX, MR. GRASSIA, IS ABSENT THIS EVENING.
TRUSTEE PLACE SEVEN, MS. BENTON.
>> THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT DR. MCFARLAND.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING OUR MEETING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE THIS EVENING, WHICH IS ALSO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO JOIN.
WE HAVE IMPORTANT BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO THIS EVENING.
I WOULD ASK YOU BE PATIENT AS WE CONDUCT OUR MEETING IN THIS FORMAT.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOUR DEVICES ARE MUTED.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, PLEASE SEND A TEXT MESSAGE OR E-MAIL TO MR. KIRCHNER.
MR. KIRCHNER, THERE WERE NO PARTICIPANTS FOR OPEN FORUM THIS EVENING, CORRECT?
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT IS CORRECT.
[3.0 Consent Agenda]
WE WILL MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. AGENDA ITEMS 3.1 AND 3.2, STUDENT DRESS CODE, STUDENT [INAUDIBLE].IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA?
>> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE HAIR SECTION IN THE DRESS CODE.
>> [NOISE] YES, PRESIDENT. WOULD YOU LIKE US TO [INAUDIBLE] OR IS THERE A PERSON WHO WANTS TO ADDRESS [INAUDIBLE].
>> I BELIEVE TRUSTEE ROBINSON JUST HAS A QUESTION.
>> OKAY. WHEN IT SAID, "HAIR THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED MATERIAL DISRUPTION TO INSTRUCTION." WHAT TYPE OF HAIR WOULD BE CONSIDERED A DISRUPTION TO INSTRUCTION?
>> BASICALLY, AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, THE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO THE DETERMINE WHETHER THE HAIR IS A MATERIAL DISRUPTION AND REALLY, A HAIRSTYLE THAT COULD ACTUALLY DISTRACT OTHERS FROM PAYING ATTENTION TO THE LESSON.
THAT'S A JUDGMENT CALL BY THE PRINCIPAL THAT WE OFTEN ALLOW THEM TO MAKE.
WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO IS TO NOT CREATE UNNECESSARY RESTRICTIONS, BUT ALLOW JUDGMENT OF CAMPUS PRINCIPAL TO BE APPLIED.
IN MOST CASES, THE HAIRSTYLES WOULDN'T BE A DISRUPTION, BUT THERE ARE SOME CASES WHERE IT COULD BE, AND IF WE WOULD PROVE THAT IT WAS A LEGAL DISRUPTION, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RESTRICT IT.
BUT OTHERWISE, THERE IS NO STANDARD RESTRICTION ON THAT.
>> OKAY. BUT THERE'S NO EXAMPLES?
>> THERE ARE NO EXAMPLES, BUT THE LEGAL DEFINITION SAYS THAT IF IT'S A MATERIAL DISRUPTION, THEN THE PRINCIPAL CAN'T RULE IT TO BE A MATERIAL DISRUPTION.
WE JUST HAVE TO LEGALLY SHOW THAT IT'S A MATERIAL DISRUPTION.
IT COULD BE A SITUATION WHERE IF I WERE A STUDENT AND MY HAIR WAS IN A WAY THAT CAUSED THE WHOLE CLASS TO BE DISRUPTED, AND IT CAUSED A DISTRACTION, AND WE COULD PROVE THAT IT WAS A DISTRACTION, WE COULD WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE THEM TO ADJUST THAT HAIRSTYLE.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVE BY THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF MATERIAL DISRUPTION IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BAN THE HAIRSTYLE.
IN ESSENCE, WE LIKELY WOULD NOT BAN IT UNLESS WE COULD PROVE THAT THERE WAS A DISRUPTION.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, IS THERE A MOTION?
>> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY DR. MAYFIELD. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> I HAVE A SECOND FROM MRS. BENTON. MOVE TO VOTE?
>> THANK YOU. DR. WOODSON-MAYFIELD?
[00:05:02]
>> OKAY. THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THAT CLOSES THAT SECTION AND NOW MOVES US TO THE STUDY SESSION.
[4.0 Study Session]
OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS 4.1, STUDY SESSION, MONTESSORI PROGRAMMING EXPLORATION. DR. MCFARLAND.>> MADAM PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED TO BRING FORWARD THESE NEXT COUPLE OF ITEMS TONIGHT.
AGAIN, THIS IS A WORK SESSION AND ONE THING THAT WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TONIGHT IS FOR US TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ENGAGING CONVERSATION.
BOARD, WHAT WE ASK YOU TO DO IS JUST STOP US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE'LL STOP THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION AND ASK YOU FOR INPUT SPECIFICALLY, BUT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO TONIGHT IS REALLY TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR INITIAL PLANNING AS IT RELATES TO MONTESSORI, AND REALLY THE INVESTIGATION OF MULTIPLE OPTIONS, SO WE'D LIKE TO INVOLVE YOU IN THIS CONVERSATION.
OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION, YOU ASK US QUESTIONS, WE GET INPUT FROM YOU, AND THEN WE GO FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION IF WE ALL SEE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR THE DISTRICT.
WE'RE EXCITED TONIGHT TO HAVE MR. GILLIES TO BE ABLE TO SHARE ON THIS ITEM.
MR. GILLIES HAS AN EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN MONTESSORI AND HE WILL BE LEADING UP THIS EFFORT WITH MONTESSORI PROGRAMMING EXPLORATION.
WE'RE DEFINITELY GLAD TO HAVE MR. GILLIES TO BE ABLE TO CHAUFFEUR THIS PROCESS THROUGH.
MR. GILLIES, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION? YOU HAVE TO UNMUTE, MR. GILLIES.
>> YOU'D THINK IT'S MY FIRST ZOOM MEETING.
[LAUGHTER] [NOISE] GOOD EVENING, MS. HALL, DR. MCFARLAND, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I'M VERY EXCITED TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT MONTESSORI AND THE POSSIBILITIES IT WOULD BRING TO CROWLEY ISD.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND WITH MONTESSORI.
I WAS TRAINED BY THE AMERICAN MONTESSORI SOCIETY BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2000, WAS FULLY CREDENTIALED NATIONALLY IN THE SUMMER OF 2001, AND I TAUGHT FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN FORT WORTH ISD AT COMO MONTESSORI WHERE I TAUGHT A 6-9 YEAR OLD CLASS, WHICH IS BASICALLY FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD GRADERS IN A MULTI-AGE SETTING.
TONIGHT AS WE START THIS PRESENTATION, I WANTED YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO VIEW A VIDEO OF A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM IN ACTION.
THAT IS WHERE THE TRUE POWER OF MONTESSORI COMES FROM.
AS YOU WATCH THIS, I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PARALLELS BETWEEN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM AND A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM, AND WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE DOING REALLY ALIGNS WITH OUR VISION 2025 WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CREATING MULTIPLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STUDENT PROFILE IN THE VISION 2025 WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT SELF-DIRECTED, SELF-MANAGED STUDENTS, STUDENTS THINKING CRITICALLY, AND STUDENTS ALSO DEVELOPING STRONG LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
MR. KIRCHNER, WILL YOU PLEASE PLAY THE VIDEO? THERE'S NO SOUND, MR KIRCHNER.
>> SORRY. LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR THIS.
>> USE OF SPACE IS A STAPLE OF MONTESSORI PHILOSOPHY.
IF YOU WOULD WALK IN TO A MONTESSORI SCHOOL IN LONDON, OR IN BANGKOK, OR ANY CITY AROUND THE WORLD, IT'S GOING TO LOOK VERY SIMILAR.
>> WELCOME TO OUR CLASSROOM. WE HAVE OUR MATERIALS SET UP NICE AND NEAT, AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A TOUR.
>> PART OF OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THAT WE DESIGN THE ENVIRONMENT TO DRAW OUT THE CHILD'S NATURAL CURIOSITY.
>> MY FAVORITE PART IS [INAUDIBLE].
THE POPULATION IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING.
THERE'S LIKE 1.2 BILLION PEOPLE IN INDIA.
>> WHEN WE WERE DESIGNING THIS BUILDING, WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO BE A MONTESSORI SCHOOL.
WE NEEDED LARGE CLASSROOMS, AND OF COURSE, THE BIG WINDOWS LET THE LIGHT IN.
EVERY CLASSROOM HAS ACCESS. [NOISE]
>> WHEN THE KIDS ARRIVE AT SCHOOL, THEY COME DIRECTLY INTO OUR CLASSROOM THAN THEY GET STRAIGHT TO WORK.
>> [BACKGROUND] I GET MY DAY STARTED OFF BY UNPACKING MY BOOKS, AND WHEN I'M DONE, I GET ALL MY MATERIALS AND MY LESSON.
>> I CHOOSE THE WORK THAT THEY WANT TO BEGIN ON AND THEY ENROLL THEIR RUG, AND THEY BEGAN DOING DIFFERENT LESSONS, AND WHEN THEY FINISH ONE LESSON, THEN THEY GO AND CHOOSE ANOTHER LESSON.
>> THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GET THEIR RUG AND POSITION IT WHEREVER IN THE CLASSROOM THAT THEY WANT TO PUT IT.
[00:10:03]
STUDENTS MAY CHOOSE TO WORK TOGETHER OR THEY MAY CHOOSE TO WORK INDIVIDUALLY.>> THE STRUCTURE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL.
>> THE KIDS WORK FOR THREE-AND-A-HALF HOURS, USUALLY UNINTERRUPTED.
[NOISE] IF YOU HAVE 20 STUDENTS, YOU HAVE 20 DIFFERENT LESSONS GOING ON AT ONE TIME.
>> WE'RE GOING TO STACK IT SO WE CAN READ OUR [INAUDIBLE].
>> THE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE.
CHILDREN AT THIS AGE DON'T HAVE A LARGE ATTENTION SPAN, SO THEY DON'T LEARN AS MUCH IF THEY'RE SITTING IN A 40-MINUTE LECTURE LISTENING TO THE TEACHER TALK.
IN A MONTESSORI ROOM, THEY'RE ABLE TO MOVE AS MUCH AS THEY NEED TO MOVE IN ORDER TO ACTIVATE THEIR BRAIN.
>> THE MONTESSORI CLASSROOM, YOU CAN'T CHANGE IT UP A LOT.
ALL OF THE LESSONS HAVE TO BE IN VERY PARTICULAR SPOTS IN A PARTICULAR ORDER.
>> THIS IS WHERE WE LEARN ALL ABOUT OUR STATES.
THIS HELPS US LEARN ABOUT TIME.
>> AS THE SHELVES PROGRESS, THE LESSONS GET MORE [NOISE] CHALLENGING THE CHILD IS REALLY ABLE TO SEE [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL AS [INAUDIBLE].
>> [INAUDIBLE] IS THE SUBSTITUTE AND SHE IS ALSO [MUSIC] THE ZOOLOGIST TURTLE, AND MY JOB IS THE TEACHER'S ASSISTANT.
>> A PRACTICAL LIFE IS A BIG PART OF MONTESSORI AND THAT'S WHERE THE KIDS WASH THE DISHES, IF THE ROOM NEEDS DUSTING, THEY HAVE DUSTING CLOTHS.
WE HAVE ANIMALS THAT THEY TAKE CARE OF.
WE HAVE GARDENS OUTSIDE OF OUR CLASSROOM THAT THEY TAKE CARE OF.
[BACKGROUND] TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF AND THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND YOU; IT'S PART OF GROWING THE WHOLE CHILD.
IN MONTESSORI, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A VERY BIG WORLD OUT THERE AND WE'RE JUST A SMALL PIECE OF IT.
>> ALL RIGHT. MR. GILLIES, BEFORE WE GO FORWARD, I'D JUST LIKE TO JUST CHECK-IN WITH THE BOARD [NOISE] TO SEE IF ANYBODY HAS HAD A PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH MONTESSORI OR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MONTESSORI? OR JUST HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ABOUT THE MONTESSORI CONCEPT, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PRESENTATION.
ANYONE ANY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS IT RELATES TO MONTESSORI?
>> I'LL SHARE. THROUGH MY POSITION AT REGION 11, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE IN A LOT OF MONTESSORI CLASSROOMS AROUND THE REGION 11 AREA.
TO MY RECOLLECTION, ALL OF THOSE HAVE BEEN IN CHARTER SETTINGS, NOT IN A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING, SO MY MAIN QUESTION, REALLY, BASED ON THAT EXPERIENCE, WOULD BE AROUND WHAT KIND OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING THE TEACHERS WOULD HAVE PRIOR TO STARTING IN A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM.
THAT MAY BE PART OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO LATER, MR. GILLIES, SO YOU CAN TELL ME TO WAIT AND THAT'S TOTALLY FINE. [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL TOUCH IN.
ANYBODY ELSE, THAT HAS SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS YOU WANT TO SHARE BEFORE WE JUMP INTO OUR PRESENTATION?
>> I HAVEN'T HAD ANY EXPERIENCE, BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES.
>> I HAVE HAD AN EXPERIENCE OF MONTESSORI.
I ATTENDED MONTESSORI IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEN ALSO XAVIER DID ATTEND A YEAR AT MONTESSORI, A DAY IN MONTESSORI.
I GUESS MY COMMENT WOULD PROBABLY BE ALONG WITH MS. BENTON IN THE SENSE OF THE TRAINING AND THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
I FELT LIKE WHAT DISTINGUISHED HOW WELL THE CLASSROOMS ARE FUNCTIONED.
SO YOU'VE ALREADY SAID, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE STUDENTS WERE SUCCESSFUL, I THOUGH IT WAS A GREAT ENVIRONMENT, BUT THERE WAS CONCERN.
IT'S NOT A PLUG AND PLAY TYPE OF THING, ANY TEACHER CAN'T DO IT, WITHOUT THE NECESSARY TRAINING.
>> YEAH. NO DOUBT. ANYBODY ELSE? I JUST KNOW MY INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH MONTESSORI, I'D HEARD ABOUT IT, BUT WE DID GET A CHANCE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE A PART OF THE SYSTEM OF GREAT SCHOOLS.
SO AS A PART OF THAT NETWORK, WE GET THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND VISIT DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND SEE DIFFERENT THINGS IN PLACE AND DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
WE DID HAVE THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL TO [OVERLAPPING] WE SAW THEIR MONTESSORI PROGRAM IN PLACE.
IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE FOR ME, MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH GILLIES, WE HAD A CONVERSATION AND HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT MONTESSORI AND THAT BEING HIS PASSION.
I REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION, SO WE CAME BACK, AND AS WE STARTED THIS VISION 2025, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN HAVE MORE CHOICES AND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO US.
AGAIN, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I WANT GILLIES TO KIND OF JUST LEAD US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
I DEFINITELY WANT US TO STOP, ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING MEETING TOGETHER. SO GO AHEAD, GILLIES.
[00:15:04]
>> ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GLAD THAT MS. HALL AND MS. BENTON HAD THEIR QUESTION.
IT'S THE FIRST THING I PLAN TO DISCUSS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COMPONENTS OF A HIGH-FIDELITY, SUCCESSFUL MONTESSORI CLASSROOM AND PROGRAM OVERALL.
THE FIRST THING WE MUST HAVE TRAINED MONTESSORI TEACHERS.
WELL, THE FIRST THING THAT I TALKED TO DR. MCFARLAND ABOUT, WAS MAKING SURE WE WERE AN ACCREDITED MONTESSORI PROGRAM IN CISD, THAT COMES THROUGH THE AMERICAN MONTESSORI SOCIETY.
THEY ARE THE ACCREDITATION BODY FOR THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY HAVE VERY STRICT REGULATIONS OF HOW YOU BECOME ACCREDITED.
THE FIRST REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOUR TEACHERS ARE FULLY TRAINED, AND THEY ARE TRAINED BY AN ACCREDITED TRAINING FACILITY.
SO FOR A TEACHER TO BECOME COMPLETELY CREDENTIALED UNDER MONTESSORI IS A YEAR AND A HALF PROCESS.
THEY SPEND EIGHT WEEKS THE FIRST SUMMER, ALMOST 300 CLOCK HOURS IN TRAINING, WORKING WITH MONTESSORI TRAINERS, WITH HANDS-ON WITH MATERIALS, WORKING WITH THE MATERIALS, TEACHING OUR LESSONS, GOING THROUGH THE MANUALS, UNDERSTANDING THE FLOW IN EACH STRAND.
THEN THEY MUST COMPLETE A FULL YEAR INTERNSHIP, WHERE THEY HAVE A FIELD SUPERVISOR THAT COMES THREE TIMES THE FIRST SEMESTER AND THREE TIMES THE SECOND SEMESTER, AND SPEND THE ENTIRE DAY WITH THE TEACHER WATCHING THEM PRESENT LESSONS, GIVES THEM FEEDBACK.
THEN THEY HAVE SUBSEQUENT TRAINING THAT FOLLOWING WEEKEND ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
THEY RETURN THE SECOND SUMMER FOR TWO WEEKS OF TRAINING, WHICH IS FINE ARTS AND PE TRAINING.
THEN YOU WORK WITH A BOARD OF MASTER MONTESSORIANS, BECAUSE YOU THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN EXAM PROCESS, WHICH IS NOT LIKE THE EXAM PROCESS FOR STATE CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS JUST A WRITTEN TEST.
THE TEST YOU HAVE TO TAKE IS AN ACTUAL, YOU SIT IN FRONT OF A BOARD AND THEY ASKED YOU QUESTIONS, KIND OF LIKE YOUR ORAL EXAMS YOU WOULD HAVE FOR A DOCTORATE.
THEY HAVE AN ORAL EXAM THEY GIVE YOU AND THEN YOU DRAW A LESSON OUT OF A HAT AND YOU SIT DOWN AND HAVE TO PRESENT THE LESSON TO THEM, TELLING THEM WHAT COMES BEFORE THE LESSON, THE PURPOSE OF THE CURRENT LESSON, AND WHAT THAT LESSON WILL LEAD TO LATER ON.
SO IT IS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF PROCESS FOR A TEACHER TO BECOME FULLY CERTIFIED.
ONCE THEY ARE CERTIFIED, THAT IS A LIFETIME CERTIFICATION, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS TO GET ACCREDITED THROUGH AMERICAN MONTESSORI SOCIETY.
THEN AMERICAN MONTESSORI SOCIETY, DOES OFFER CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THEIR TENURE AS A MONTESSORI TEACHER THROUGH CONFERENCES, ONLINE VIDEOS, JUST NETWORKING.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN FORT WORTH THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL FORMER AMS PRESIDENTS, AMY HENDERSON IN FORT WORTH IS WELL-KNOWN IN THE MONTESSORI COMMUNITY.
INTERNATIONALLY. WE DO HAVE ONE MASTER MONTESSORIAN THAT TEACH THE DAG AT MONTESSORI, [INAUDIBLE] RAYMOND, WHO WAS ALSO A TRAINER FOR HOUSTON MONTESSORI CENTER.
SO WE HAVE THE OUTLET TO CREATE MEANINGFUL PD AFTER TEACHERS ARE CERTIFIED IN THE COMING YEARS.
THE NEXT THING AS A COMPONENT IS A MULTI-AGE CLASSROOMS. TO GET ACCREDITATION, WE MUST MAINTAIN THE TRADITIONAL MONTESSORI ARRANGEMENT OF STUDENTS.
THAT IS A MULTI-AGE CLASSROOM WITH THREE AGE GROUPS IN A CLASSROOM.
MONTESSORI GOES 18 MONTHS, IT ACTUALLY GOES BIRTH, 0-18 MONTHS, 18 MONTHS TO THREE YEARS, THREE YEARS TO SIX, 6-9, 9-12.
THEN THEY HAVE A SECONDARY COMPONENT WHICH GOES UP THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
SO FOR US TO MAINTAIN ACCREDITATION, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT CONFIGURATION.
THE NEXT THING IS A MONTESSORI MATERIALS.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THAT VIDEO, THE MATERIALS ARE VERY SPECIFIC AND THE STUDENTS USE THEM IN A CERTAIN WAY FOR THE LESSON.
THE MATERIALS ARE BOTH CENSORIAL, MEANING THE STUDENTS CAN CREATE A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CONCEPT OF THEY ARE TRYING TO LEARN.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM, WHEN THEY ARE LEARNING ABOUT NUMERALS AND LETTERS, THEY USE THE SANDPAPER LETTERS AND THEY TRACE THOSE WITH THEIR HANDS TO CREATE A TOUCH FOR THOSE LETTERS.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHEN KIDS CAN TOUCH SOMETHING, CAN MANIPULATE IT AND FEEL IT, IT LASTS LONGER IN THEIR LONG-TERM MEMORY.
THE OTHER MATERIALS, LIKE THIS YOUNG LADY RIGHT HERE IS USING, SHE IS SORTING BY INITIAL SOUNDS.
SO SHE WOULD PUT WORDS OUT ON A MAP AND THEN SHE WOULD LOOK AT THE PICTURE AND THEN SORT THOSE PICTURES UNDER WHAT THE INITIAL SOUND WOULD BE.
LATER ON, THAT MATERIAL WOULD BE USED FOR WORD READING BY AN OLDER STUDENT.
SO THE MATERIALS HAVE MULTIPLE PURPOSES, IT'S JUST THE CONCEPT HAS REMOVED THE KID FROM THE CONCRETE CONCEPT TO THE ABSTRACT CONCEPT.
SO ONE MATERIAL CAN BE USED FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES TO TEACH THE STUDENT MULTIPLE WAYS TO DO CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.
THE NEXT THING IS CHILD DIRECTED WORK, EVERY CLASSROOM IN CROWLEY ISD HAS CHILD-DIRECTED WORK.
[00:20:01]
THERE ARE TIMES THAT STUDENTS GET TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY DO, BUT IN A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM, THAT IS FROM THE TIME THEY WALK IN TO THE TIME THEY LEAVE, ALL OF THEY'RE LEARNING IS SELF-DIRECTED, THEY CHOOSE WITHIN LIMITATIONS WHAT THEY CAN DO.SO THE STUDENTS COME IN, THEY CHOOSE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE DAY, THEY CHOOSE WHATEVER THE TEACHER MIGHT NEED TO GIVE A LESSON TO THEM ON.
BUT THEY KNOW BY PULLING IT OFF THE SHELF, THEY KNOW EXACTLY IF THEY'RE READY FOR THAT LESSON BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE HAD BEFORE.
SO IT REALLY FOSTERS SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING AND SELF-MANAGEMENT OF THEIR LEARNING.
IN A MONTESSORI ENVIRONMENT, THE TEACHER'S NOT CALLED A TEACHER, THEY'RE JUST CALLED A GUIDE OR A FACILITATOR BECAUSE THEIR JOB IS TO EMPOWER THE STUDENT.
MARIA MONTESSORI USED TO ALWAYS SAY THAT LITTLE KIDS ALWAYS SAY, "I WANT TO DO THAT, CAN I DO THAT? CAN I DO IT?" BUT A MONTESSORI CHILD SAYS, "CAN YOU HELP ME LEARN TO DO IT ON MY OWN?" SO HERE ARE SOME SAMPLES OF MATERIALS THAT YOU SEE IN CLASSROOMS OF CHILDREN, A WIDE VARIETY FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD KIDS USING LACING FRAMES TO LEARN HOW TO TIE, SNAP, AND ZIP, ALL THE WAY UP TO NUMERATION AND ADVANCED MATH CONCEPTS.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT IN MONTESSORI, WE INTRODUCE A LOT OF CONCEPTS SIGNIFICANTLY EARLIER THAN THEY WOULD BE DONE IN A TRADITIONAL SCOPE AND SEQUENCE OF CURRICULUM.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TEACH MATH FACTS OR MATH OPERATIONS, WE TEACH ADDITION, THEN MULTIPLICATION, THEN WE TEACH SUBTRACTION AND THEN DIVISION.
BECAUSE WE GROUP LIKE OPERATIONS TOGETHER, BECAUSE THE CHILD ALREADY HAS UNDERSTOOD WHAT ADDITION IS.
SO MULTIPLICATION TELLS A CHILD THAT IT'S REPETITIVE ADDITION.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? ALL RIGHT. SO TALKING ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF MONTESSORI, I THINK I'LL LET YOU READ THOSE.
BUT THE ONE THING I REALLY WANT TO STRESS IS THAT PREPARED ENVIRONMENT OF A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM.
AS THAT PRINCIPAL SAID IN THAT VIDEO, IF YOU GO TO ANY MONTESSORI CLASSROOM, IF YOU GO TO A 3-6 CLASS YEAR OLD CLASSROOM, HERE IN CROWLEY ISD AND THEN GO TO A 3-6 YEAR OLD CLASSROOM IN LONDON.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK IDENTICAL.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE SAME MATERIALS ARRANGED IN THE SAME WAY BECAUSE MARIA MONTESSORI TRULY BELIEVED THAT CHILDREN THRIVE IN ORDER, THEY THRIVE IN PREDICTABILITY, AND THEY THRIVE IN KNOWING AND THAT SENSE OF SECURITY.
SO THE PREPARED ENVIRONMENT JUST LIKE WE'VE OFTEN SAID, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME PREPARING THE NURSERY FOR A NEWBORN; WE NEED TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME PREPARING OUR CLASSROOMS FOR CHILDREN TO JOIN US IN THE FALL.
THE NEXT THING I THINK IS MOST CRITICAL ABOUT MONTESSORI IS THAT IT MEETS ALL THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS.
MARIA MONTESSORI BEGAN THE MONTESSORI PROGRAM TO MEET THE NEEDS FOR CHILDREN THAT WE'RE LEARNING DISABLED.
SHE REALIZED FROM WATCHING CHILDREN IN HOMES AND IN SCHOOLS IN ROME THAT CHILDREN WENT THROUGH CERTAIN SENSITIVE PERIOD, SHE CALLED THEM.
SHE WANTED TO DEVELOP MATERIALS TO MEET THOSE SENSITIVE NEEDS.
SHE REALIZED THAT THESE CHILDREN THAT PEOPLE CONSIDER TO BE UNTEACHABLE WERE VERY TEACHABLE AND QUICKLY OUTPERFORMED THEIR PEERS.
IT ALSO DOES A GREAT JOB FOR GT STUDENTS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS FOR SELF-PACED ACCELERATIONS.
STUDENTS OR NOT PIGEONHOLED INTO DOING WHAT EVERYONE IN THE CLASS IS DOING AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO MOVE AT THEIR OWN PACE.
I WILL GIVE YOU A QUICK STORY IF I CAN, I HAD A YOUNG MAN THAT I TAUGHT IN FORT WORTH THAT WAS IN THIRD GRADE.
HE DID NOT DO ANY MATH INSTRUCTION WITH ME.
HE WENT UP TO A NINE THROUGH 12 CLASS AND THIS YOUNG MAN IN THIRD GRADE WAS ABSTRACTLY DIVIDING WITH DECIMALS.
HE WAS THAT ADVANCED, BUT I DON'T THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THIS QUICKLY AS HE DID IF HE HAD BEEN ASKED TO DO WHAT EVERY OTHER STUDENT IN THE CLASSROOM WAS DOING.
ENOUGH THAT HE KNEW THAT IT BENEFITED HIM, WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW HE DID ON HIS THIRD GRADE TOSS, AND THAT'S HOW LONG AGO IT WAS, IT WAS TOSSED.
I SAID HOW'D YOU DO ON YOUR TEST? HE SAID, "OH, I DID GREAT, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T SHOW ANYBODY WHAT I TRULY KNOW." SO IT MEANS THAT NEEDED ACCELERATION AND IT ALSO MEETS THE NEED OF OUR LEP STUDENTS BECAUSE MONTESSORI, AGAIN, STARTS VERY CONCRETELY WITH CONCEPTS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE LEARNING NEW LANGUAGE, NEW VOCABULARY, EVERYTHING IS LINKED WITH A PICTURE, AN ACTUAL OBJECT.
ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY DO IN A 3-6 YEAR OLD CLASSROOM IS THE FARM.
IT'S BASICALLY WHERE THEY PUT DOWN ALL LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET AND THEY HAVE THE ACTUAL ANIMALS.
SO THEY'RE HAVING TO MATCH THEY SEE A, C, THEY MATCH A COW WITH A C, OR THEY MATCH A HORSE WITH AN H. SO IT MEETS THOSE NEEDS FOR THOSE KIDS TO CREATE THOSE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS THAT WILL STICK WITH THEM A LONG-TERM.
>> BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS SLIDE, SO YOU MENTION IS GREAT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION GT AND LEP STUDENTS.
HOW WILL DYSLEXIC STUDENTS DO IN THIS ENVIRONMENT?
[00:25:03]
>> WELL, THE NICE THING ABOUT MONTESSORI IS THE MAJORITY OF INSTRUCTION THEY RECEIVE IS ONE ON ONE FROM A TEACHER.
THERE ARE SOME LESSONS THAT ARE GIVEN IN A SMALLER GROUP OF MAYBE 3-4 CHILDREN BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE LANGUAGE LESSONS ARE GIVEN IN ONE ON ONE.
SO THE TEACHER IS ABLE TO MODIFY THAT TO MEET THOSE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THAT STUDENT BASED ON WHAT THEIR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN IS.
AGAIN, WITH SO MANY OF THESE BEING, SO CONCRETE BEGINNING, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE STUDENTS WILL USE THE MOVABLE ALPHABET.
THE MOVABLE ALPHABETS COLOR CODED, ALL THE CONSONANTS ARE IN BLUE AND ALL OF THE VOWELS ARE IN RED.
SO STUDENTS BEGIN TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN WORDS WHEN THEY'RE CONSTRUCTING WORDS, WHICH WE KNOW THROUGH DYSLEXIA, THAT DOES HELP STUDENTS RETAIN THAT LANGUAGE AND GIVES THEM THAT VISUAL PICTURE.
THE MATERIALS ARE SET UP TO CREATE SUCH A VISUAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE STUDENTS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO CREATE THAT PICTURE, APPLY IT TO OTHER LEARNING.
THE LANGUAGE HAS THAT COLOR-CODING, IT'S ALSO IN THE CULTURAL, IT'S IN THE SCIENCE MATERIALS, IT'S IN THE ASSOCIATES MATERIALS, SO IT'S ACROSS THE ENTIRE CURRICULUM.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO REALLY MEET THAT NEED PROBABLY SOONER WITH THOSE KIDS, ESPECIALLY WITH THAT ONE ON ONE INSTRUCTION.
>> SO [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU HAD TO, IN LIKE THREE BULLET, TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MONTESSORI IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM.
>> THE LEARNING IS SELF-DIRECTED ALL DAY LONG, AS OPPOSED TO PERIODIC MOMENTS OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM.
EVERYTHING IS HANDS-ON, WE MOVE VERY CONCRETELY TO ABSTRACT.
A LOT OF TIMES IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM, WE START WITH THE ABSTRACT BEING PENCIL AND PAPER.
THE LAST WOULD BE THAT STUDENTS IN A MULTI-AGE CLASSROOM IT MEANS A HIGH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEED.
IT ALLOWS CHILDREN TO CREATE A FAMILY ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ARE THE BABY OF THE FAMILY THEN THE MIDDLE CHILD OF THE FAMILY AND THEN THE LEADER OF THE FAMILY.
THAT IN A SINGLE AGE CLASSROOM DOES NOT AFFORD THE CHILD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GROW THAT LEADERSHIP SKILL.
>> OKAY, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, MR. GILLIES.
>> OKAY, WOULD THAT THEN TAKE THE PLACE OF GROUPS BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY TRADITIONAL GROUPS THAT A TEACHER WOULD WORK WITH AT ANY ONE TIME.
THAT KIND OF PLAY YOU DESCRIBED A FEW MINUTES AGO, DOES THAT ADDRESS THE TIME FOR THE KIDS TO COME TOGETHER AS A GROUP?
>> YES, [NOISE] THERE ARE SEVERAL DISTINCT TIMES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY WHERE STUDENTS COME TOGETHER.
>> THERE ARE TIMES THAT THE TEACHER WILL GIVE THE FIRST LEVEL STUDENTS, LIKE THE FIRST GRADERS, A LESSON.
IT'S USUALLY WHAT WE CALL A STRIKE THE IMAGINATION LESSON TO GET THERE TO PICK THEIR INTERESTS IN SOMETHING NEW, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN LIKE A GEOMETRY LESSON OR SOMETHING.
WE ALSO HAVE WHAT WE CALL LINE TIME, WHERE THAT'S USUALLY IN THE MORNING, MID DAY, AND AFTERNOON.
THAT'S WHERE THE CLASS COMES TOGETHER AS A WHOLE, WHERE THEY HAVE ANY KIND OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, IS THERE SOMETHING IN OUR CLASSROOM THAT'S NOT GOING SMOOTHLY? HOW CAN WE CORRECT THAT? WE ALSO USE THAT TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE OTHER STUDENTS.
I WOULD SAY, "I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MISS DAVIS FOR HELPING ME CLEAN UP THE STAMP GAME TODAY." THEN YOU WOULD JUST SIMPLY SAY, "THANK YOU." SO THERE IS THAT TIME.
THERE'S A VERY STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY ESTABLISHED IN A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM AND I CAN TELL YOU AS A FORMER MONTESSORI TEACHER, WHEN YOU HAD KIDS FOR THREE YEAR PERIOD AND THEY LEAVE YOU AT THE END OF THIRD GRADE.
IT'S VERY TOUGH BECAUSE YOU'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW FAMILIES VERY WELL.
YOU'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW CHILDREN VERY WELL AND THE MAJOR BENEFIT OF THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE A KID FOR FIRST, SECOND, THIRD GRADE, YOU KNOW THAT CHILD SO WELL BY THE END OF THE TIME THAT YOU'VE HAD THEM, THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE VERY BEST THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
BECAUSE YOU HAD BEEN THE ONE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, GIVING THAT EDUCATION TO THEM AND YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO MODIFY BASED ON KNOWING THAT CHILD BETTER THAN MOST DO.
>> MR. GILLIES, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, I'M SORRY, [INAUDIBLE] YOU WANT TO GO?
>> WELL, MAYBE HE'LL GET TO THIS.
MR. GILLIES, ABOUT CHILDREN THAT ARE IN MONTESSORI, HOW ARE THEY EVALUATED TO ENSURE THAT THEIR OWN PACE AND YOU MAY GET TO THAT.
[00:30:03]
>> THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION AND I HAVE ANSWER FOR THAT.
WHEN I WAS AT [INAUDIBLE] WE WE'RE ON NINE WEEK PERIODS AND WE HAD A WAIVER FROM THE STATE WE DID NOT GIVE GRADES IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE.
SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE DID RECEIVE NUMERICAL GRADES.
BUT K THROUGH SIX DID NOT RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF NUMERICAL GRADE, THEY WERE ON A PROGRESS REPORT BASIS.
WE WERE REQUIRED TO WRITE A PERSONAL NARRATIVE ON EVERY STUDENT, WHERE THEY WERE PERFORMING IN EACH STRAND.
SO I WOULD SIT DOWN WITH A STUDENT AND I WOULD PUT DOWN WHAT HE WAS DOING IN LANGUAGE, WHAT HE WAS DOING IN THE CULTURAL'S, WHAT HE WAS DOING IN MATH, SO HIS PARENTS WOULD KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHERE HE WAS IN THE STRANDS AND WHEN ALSO ARTICULATING THE EXPECTATION.
HE SHOULD BE AT THIS POINT, AT THIS TIME, HOWEVER, THIS IS WHERE HE IS OR HE IS EXCEEDED THAT.
THEN WE JUST EVALUATED THEM BASED ON BELOW EXPECTATIONS, MEETS EXPECTATIONS, OR EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS.
[OVERLAPPING] WE DID IN FORT WORTH, THEY DID TAKE TPRI ANY KIND OF SCREENERS, THE CAMPUS DID TAKE THOSE AS WELL.
SO WE HAD THAT DATA TO SHOW WHERE STUDENTS WERE.
WE DID TAKE THE CURRICULUM BASED ASSESSMENTS THE DISTRICT HAD.
I WAS VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT SCHOOL.
WHEN I WAS AT CROWLEY MONTESSORI, IT WAS REALLY THE GOLD STANDARD FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE NATION AT THE TIME AND THE STUDENTS PERFORMED VERY WELL.
THEY OUTPERFORMED THE MAJORITY OF THEIR PEERS AND THE DISTRICT WHEN IT CAME TO SCREENERS AND THE CURRICULUM BASED ASSESSMENTS.
BECAUSE OF THE FACT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO ADVANCE AT THEIR OWN RATE, MANY OF THE STUDENTS WE'RE ABLE TO OUTPERFORM.
>> SO AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, THEY ARE COMPARED, SO I GET THAT.
SO AT THE STATE LEVEL THEN, WHERE?
>> THEY TOOK STATE ASSESSMENT.
>> OKAY, DO YOU HAVE DATA ON THE RESULTS OF THAT OR MAYBE LATER BEING ABLE TO JUST SHOW HOW STUDENTS PERFORMED AT THE STATE LEVEL?
>> YES, WE CAN GET YOU DATA FROM MAIL.
>> MR. GILLIES, CAN I ASK MY QUESTION.
>> IS THE MONTESSORI SETTINGS SUITABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS? OR IS THERE A PROFILE OF STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN ANOTHER.
THAT'S JUST THE QUESTION, I DON'T HAVE TO BIAS SOMEONE WITH THE OTHER.
>> AS A MONTESSORI, I WILL SAY THIS, MONTESSORI IS RIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD.
IT'S NOT RIGHT FOR EVERY ADULT.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE AS ADULTS HAVE GONE THROUGH A VERY TRADITIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM WHERE YOU'VE GOT GRADES AND WERE TESTED AND WE SIT AND LISTEN TO LECTURES AND THAT WE WERE USED TO BRINGING HOMEWORK HOME.
THEY TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME, THERE SHOULD BE MONTESSORI EXPERIENCES IN THE HOME FOR THE CHILD TO DO TO PROMOTE MORE [INAUDIBLE] THE WHOLE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE INDEPENDENT IN A CHILD.
SO YEAH, IT'S GOOD FOR EVERY KID.
IN MY YEARS AT CROWLEY MONTESSORI, I NEVER HAD A STUDENT GO THROUGH THAT DID NOT FLOURISH IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT YOU CREATE TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT YOU ARE ADHERING TO BEING VERY FAITHFUL TO THE MONTESSORI CURRICULUM AND THE PHILOSOPHY FOR IT TO TRULY BE SUCCESSFUL FOR A CHILD.
>> SO MADAM PRESIDENT, JUST ONE THING I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD HERE.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHY WE'RE CONSIDERING MONTESSORI AND WHILE WE'RE INVESTIGATING MONTESSORI, WE ALSO GOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT'S NOT.
FOR US, WHAT IT'S NOT, IS A PROGRAM OR A SILVER BULLET THAT WE FEEL LIKE WILL SOLVE ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT WE KNOW IS, WE ALL ADMIT, AS YOU ALL HIT THE HIT, NAIL ON THE HEAD EARLIER, IT'S ABOUT THE PD, THE TRAINING THAT'S PROVIDED, BUT IS ALSO ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP ON THE CAMPUS.
BECAUSE WE CAN IDENTIFY JUST AS MANY MONTESSORI SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT PERFORMING, THAT ARE D'S AND F'S AND JUST ARE NOT PERFORMING AS WE CAN MONTESSORI SCHOOLS THAT ARE A'S AND B'S.
SO IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO US BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM AND THE ENTIRE INITIATIVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT LEADER, THE RIGHT KIND OF TRAINING AND THEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING IT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS ONE OF MANY OPTIONS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE ONLY OPTION.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT MONTESSORI IS A SILVER BULLET, WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THAT SOME KIDS AND SOME FAMILIES WOULD CHOOSE THIS IF WE PROVIDED IT.
>> MR. GILLIES, IS THERE MORE TO YOUR PRESENTATION? I DON'T HAVE THE SLIDES IN FRONT OF ME,
[00:35:02]
SO I DON'T KNOW, OKAY.I KNOW THERE'S MORE, THERE WE GO.
[LAUGHTER] I HAVE THE [INAUDIBLE] IN THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FIVE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
WE ALIGN THIS WITH THE VISION 2025.
SO BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A SURVEY FOR FAMILIES TO SEE WHAT THE PARENT INTEREST IS IN THIS.
TO SEE IF THEY [INAUDIBLE] WHAT PARENTS WOULD WANT.
WE KNOW FROM CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MONTESSORI COMES UP A LOT AND THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN IT.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS OF IT, THEY ALSO REALIZE THAT IT MIGHT MEET A UNIQUE NEED OF THEIR OWN CHILD.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHERE THEIR INTEREST TRULY LIES.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT AFTER THAT, WE HAVE TO WORK ON A VERY STRONG PARENT INFORMATION MEETINGS SO WE CAN EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT MONTESSORI IS.
SO WHEN THEY WALK INTO A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM, THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE ROOMS THAT MAYBE THEIR OTHER CHILDREN HAVE ATTENDED, SO THEY CAN SUPPORT THE TEACHER AND SUPPORT THEIR CHILD IN THAT JOURNEY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A PILOTING, TWO, THREE-SIX YEAR OLD CLASSES.
THAT WOULD BE PRE-K 3, PRE-K 4 AND KINDERGARTEN.
ONE AT DALLAS PARK ELEMENTARY AND ONE AT SUE CROUCH.
THE ONE AT SUE CROUCH BEING OFFERED TO OUR BILINGUAL STUDENTS, OUR STUDENTS THAT QUALIFY FOR BILINGUAL SERVICES.
THAT WOULD START IN THE FALL OF 2020.
WE THEN WANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM AND SO I'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL MODELS OF SCHOOLS THAT STARTED PUBLIC MONTESSORI PROGRAMS TO SEE HOW THEY DID IT, AND MOST OF THEM, THE NEXT YEAR, THEY JUST ADDED A WHOLE ANOTHER LEVEL.
SO WE WOULD START NEXT YEAR WITH THE THREE-SIX YEAR OLDS.
THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN FALL OF 2021, WE WOULD ADD TWO SIX AND NINE YEAR-OLD CLASSES THAT WOULD ALLOW THE KINDERGARTNERS FROM THIS COMING FALL CLASS TO ROLL UP INTO ANOTHER MONTESSORI ENVIRONMENT.
IT WOULD ALLOW THEM ALSO TO BE THE MODELS FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS THAT JOINED THAT CLASS.
THEN IN THE FALL OF 2020, AGAIN, ADDING TWO MORE CLASSES WHICH WOULD ADDRESS OUR NINE-TWELVE YEAR OLDS, WHICH WOULD BE FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE AND THEN IN THE FALL OF 2023, ADDING A SEVENTH GRADE CLASS.
THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR OF 2024, ADDING AN EIGHTH GRADE CLASS.
NOW, KNOWING DURING THIS TIME, THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MEETING WITH PARENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE AND TO CONTINUE THE PARENT ED PORTION OF MONTESSORI IN THE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS MEETING THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH HOUSTON MONTESSORI CENTER, THEY ARE A CENTER THAT HAVE SET UP SCHOOLS GLOBALLY.
THEY HAD JUST RECENTLY SET A SCHOOL UP IN BEIJING, CHINA.
DR. ELIZABETH KOH, WHO IS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AND ALSO THE PRINCIPAL OF THEIR SECONDARY CAMPUS AT THAT TRAINING FACILITY IS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN.
SO THAT PARTNERSHIP WOULD BRING A LOT OF CREDIBILITY TO CISD IN OUR PROGRAM AND I KNOW OUR TRAINING AND THE SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS WOULD BE EXEMPLARY TRAINING.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN?
>> I DID HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE LOCATION OF THE PILOT PROGRAM.
I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW THE DECISION FOR IT TO BE PRIMARILY ON THE NORTH CROWLEY SIDE OF THE DISTRICT, AS OPPOSED TO POSSIBLY PILOTING ALSO ON THE CHS SIDE.
>> SO YEAH. SO WE THOUGHT THROUGH THAT DECISION AND TWO FACTORS PLAYED INTO WHERE WE WOULD LOCATE THE BUILDING.
ONE WOULD BE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE LEADER, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PRINCIPAL.
AS WE KNOW AT DALLAS PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MS. DELGADO WAS ACTUALLY A PRINCIPAL IN MONTESSORI.
SO SHE HAS THAT BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
WE ALSO KNOW AT SUE CROUCH, BASED ON OUR BOUNDARIES FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THAT BUILDING WILL HAVE ABOUT 300 STUDENTS IN IT AND SO WE'LL HAVE QUITE A BIT OF SPACE IN THAT BUILDING.
SO WE FELT LIKE BY PILOTING THIS YEAR AT THOSE TWO CAMPUSES, WE'LL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN.
ONCE WE GET THE SURVEY AND WE FIND OUT THAT THERE'S AN INTEREST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DISTRICT, THEN WE DEFINITELY WOULD.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES THERE AS WELL.
BUT THESE ARE TWO PLACES THAT WE FELT LIKE WE HAD THE SPACE PLUS WE HAD THE INTEREST AND WOULD BE EASY FOR US TO GET UP AND RUNNING THE FIRST YEAR.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO CLASSES.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PILOT YEAR, AND AFTER THAT,
[00:40:03]
ONCE WE LEARN FROM THIS FIRST YEAR, THEN OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO EXPAND TO BOTH SIDES OF THE DISTRICT FOR SURE.>> CAN STUDENTS FROM THE CHS SIDE ATTEND?
>> ABSOLUTELY. AGAIN, IT'S A PILOT AND SO WE'RE SENDING A SURVEY OUT.
THEN, ONCE WE GET THE INFORMATION BACK FROM THE SURVEY, ONCE WE GET THE SURVEY, WE SEE THAT THERE IS A DEMAND AND AN INTEREST ALSO IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE FELT LIKE WE HAD SPACE IN THE BUILDING, THEN WE WOULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER A PILOT AT ANOTHER LOCATION, BUT WE WANTED TO KEEP IT SMALL FIRST.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES.
STUDENTS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE DISTRICT CAN ACTUALLY LET US KNOW THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED AND ACTUALLY APPLY AND ATTEND, PROVIDED WE HAVE THE SEATS AVAILABLE.
THE SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS, WOULD THEY REMAIN AT DALLAS PARK AND SUE CROUCH OR DO THEY MOVE UP TO MIDDLE SCHOOL?
>> SO WHEN WE GET TO THE SIXTH GRADE, OF COURSE, WE WOULD ROLL UP TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO THEY WOULD BE ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE STUDENTS IN THE MONTESSORI CAMPUS ON THE ELEMENTARY CAMPUS, IF THEY WERE IN SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE EACH.
SO THEY WOULD MOVE UP TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS ONCE WE GOT TO THAT POINT.
>> IT WOULD BE IT'S LIKE SCHOOL WITHIN A SCHOOL?
>> I HAVE MY CLASS NOW, SO I KNOW YOU HAVE MORE. [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S ACTUALLY THE LAST SLIDE.
>> SO WE JUST WANTED TO LOOK AT THESE THREE QUESTIONS THAT DRIVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT MONTESSORI AND CISD, HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.
IF NOT, I KNOW DR. MCFARLAND CAN.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MONTESSORI LOOKS LIKE, THAT IT'S NOT THAT TRADITIONAL.
IT IS BETTER THAN TRADITIONAL AND THAT TRADITIONAL IS BETTER THAN MONTESSORI.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMPARE THE TWO PROGRAMS BECAUSE WHAT THEY DO IN THOSE PROGRAMS ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
IT'S JUST TRYING TO OFFER MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM, STUDENTS WHO HAVE UNIQUE LEARNING NEEDS TO FLOURISH IN A DIFFERENT SETTING, TO ALLOW THEM TO BE THE VERY BEST THEY CAN BE.
MONTESSORI DOES OFFER A DIFFERENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS AND IT ALLOWS, I THINK IT SHOWS THAT CROWLEY ISD IS BEING INNOVATIVE AND TRYING TO THINK WELL OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN IT COMES TO PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS.
WE TRULY BELIEVE THIS ALIGNS WITH THE VISION 2025 AND WHAT THE INTENDED OUTCOMES ARE FROM THAT DOCUMENT.
>> MR. GILLIES, CAN I PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, [OVERLAPPING]
>> AS A FORMER PRINCIPAL OF A SPECIAL INTERESTS CAMPUS? PROGRAMMING LIKE MONTESSORI ARE OFTEN ACCUSED OF CHERRY PICKING STUDENTS AND BEING A BRAIN DRAIN FROM THE GENERAL PROGRAM.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT AND HOW THAT MAY IMPACT THE GREATER CAMPUS AND THE STUDENTS WITH REGARDS TO OUR STRONGEST STUDENTS, OUR BRIGHTEST STUDENTS VERSUS STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE? HOW WE WILL, IF THAT'S TRUE, I GUESS IT'S THE QUESTION.
>> I WILL GIVE YOU THE PRIME EXAMPLE.
WHEN I WAS AT [INAUDIBLE] MONTESSORI, MY VERY FIRST YEAR THERE, ALL OF MY STUDENTS CAME FROM KINDERGARTEN READING, EXCEPT FOR TWO.
TWO OF THOSE STUDENTS STRUGGLED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH READING AND ONE WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS FIRST GRADE YEAR AS A DYSLEXIC STUDENT.
THEY CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THEN JUST A LIGHT BULB CAME ON IN THIRD GRADE FOR THEM AND THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE ADVANCEMENTS.
HAVING TALKED WITH THE YOUNG GIRL IN THE CLASS, TALKING WITH HER MOTHER, HER MOTHER HAD ALWAYS SENSED THAT SHE WAS GOING TO STRUGGLE IN SCHOOL BECAUSE SHE WAS LATE DOING EVERYTHING THAT HER OLDER SIBLINGS DID.
SO HER MOTHER REALLY TRIED TO LOOK FOR A PROGRAM THAT WOULD GIVE HER A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION ONE-ON-ONE.
SO I THINK PARENTS ALSO KNOW THAT MONTESSORI IS MORE INDIVIDUALLY BASED AND MAYBE THEIR STUDENT WHO STRUGGLES IN A TRADITIONAL SETTING MIGHT GET A LITTLE MORE ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION FROM THE TEACHER AND THEY SEEK THAT OUT BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE MORE INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION AND NOT JUST THE WHOLE GROUP TYPE INSTRUCTION.
I THINK THERE'S A MISPERCEPTION BECAUSE MONTESSORI, IT'S BEEN MORE IN PRIVATE SETTINGS THAT PARENTS CHOOSE THAT BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR KIDS IN A MORE ELITE TYPESETTING.
[00:45:04]
IN A PUBLIC MONTESSORI SETTING, IT LIVES UP TO TRUE PHILOSOPHY, WHAT DR. MONTESSORI SAID.SHE WANTED TO WORK WITH STUDENTS WHO WOULD STRUGGLE IN OTHER SETTINGS.
SHE WANTED TO WORK WITH THOSE TYPES OF STUDENTS TO GET THEM READY AND TO HELP EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD FOR THEM.
>> ALSO JUST TO ADD TO THAT, SINCE THIS IS A WORK SESSION AND WE ARE JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT APPROACH IS, I DEFINITELY AM EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT APPEARS THAT WE MAY WANT TO PROVIDE THE OPPOSITE ON BOTH SIDES.
SO WHAT I CAN DO IS MAKE SURE THAT ONCE WE GET THE SURVEYS, WE'LL HAVE A SURVEY THAT'LL GO OUT NEXT WEEK, AND SO ONCE WE GET THE RESULTS FROM THE SURVEYS, WE DEFINITELY CAN BRING THIS BACK AND TALK TO THE BOARD AND SAY, "HERE'S A SURVEY, HERE'S THE INTEREST.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS DALLAS PARK AND SUE CROUCH, BUT MAYBE IT'S DALLAS PARK AND PARKWAY OR SOME OTHER CAMPUS." SO THE MAIN THING TONIGHT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE LOCATIONS, ALTHOUGH WE BELIEVE THOSE ARE GOOD LOCATIONS, BUT THERE MAY BE OTHERS.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS, THIS WHOLE YEAR FOR US, QUITE FRANKLY, WILL BE JUST ABOUT US LEARNING WHAT THE BEST COMBINATION OF OFFERINGS IS FOR OUR CAMPUS.
I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY TO THE BOARD MAYBE IN JULY, AND WE TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT, DO WE NEED TO OFFER THIS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CAMPUS TOO BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH EQUITY.
I DEFINITELY HEAR THAT AS WELL.
>> DR MCFARLAND, I KNOW YOU SAID MISS DE ZAVALA HAS THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING A MONTESSORI PRINCIPAL.
IS THERE TRAINING REQUIRED FOR THE PRINCIPAL OF A MONTESSORI SCHOOL?
>> ABSOLUTELY. I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SCHEDULING DR MORGAN TO ATTEND THAT TRAINING AS WELL.
GILLIES, YOU MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS, BUT I KNOW ONE THING THAT GILLIES INFORMED ME OF IS THAT ONCE YOU GET THE TRAINING IT'S LIKE CERTIFICATION FOR LIFE.
SO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TRAINING FOR THE LEADER, GILLIES.
>> THE LEADER GOES THROUGH TRAINING WHERE IT'S EXTENSIVELY WITH THE PHILOSOPHY PORTION OF IT SO THEY TRULY UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE AND THE WHY BEHIND MONTESSORI, AND WHY THINGS ARE DONE THE WAY THEY'RE DONE IN A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM.
THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT.
THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO CREATE THE UNINTERRUPTED PERIODS OF WORK FOR A CHILD.
THEY ALSO HAVE THE OTHER LEADERSHIP SIDE WHERE MISS DELGADO DID NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AND DR MORGAN WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE CERTIFIED PRINCIPALS.
THEY WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FINANCE PART OF IT BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND FINANCE, OBVIOUSLY, WORKING IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
BUT THEY DO GET AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE 3-6 PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE, THE 6-9 PROGRAM, THE 9-12, AND JUST THE INS AND OUTS OF HOW TO SUPPORT A MONTESSORI TEACHER, HOW TO MAINTAIN THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THEY TOO HAVE TO DO A PRACTICUM.
THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO ACTION RESEARCH FOR A FULL YEAR, AND THEY HAVE TO PRESENT THAT TO A BOARD AND THEY GET SIGNED OFF ON THAT.
IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA THAT THE BOARD HAS ESTABLISHED FOR THEM, THEY GET THEIR CREDENTIALS.
IT'S JUST A RIGOROUS TRAINING AS THE TEACHERS GO THROUGH.
IT'S ABOUT A TWO-YEAR PROCESS FOR THEM AS WELL.
>> MR GILLIES, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT IT'S FOR EVERY STUDENT, BUT LET'S SAY A STUDENT IS NOT SUCCESSFUL OR IT'S NOT AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY ARE THRIVING IN.
THE TRANSITION BACK TO THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM, DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE STUDENT AND HOW ACCLIMATED THEY CAN BE OR THAT TURN AROUND TO GET BACK ON TRACK IN THE TRADITIONAL TRACK?
>> IF THAT IS WHAT THE STUDENT NEEDS AND THAT MEETS THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEED, THEY USUALLY TRANSITION VERY WELL BACK INTO IT BECAUSE IT'S FAMILIAR TO THEM AND IT'S COMFORTABLE TO THEM.
SO THE TRANSITION IS VERY MINIMAL.
I CAN SPEAK REALLY TO THE TRANSITION FROM KIDS FROM A TRADITIONAL SETTING INTO A MONTESSORI SETTING.
THEY DO WANDER FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, "DO THIS, DO THIS, DO THIS." BUT ONCE THEY REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE CHOICES AND THEY CAN MAKE CHOICES.
IN A 6-9 CLASSROOM, I USED TO TELL MY STUDENTS YOU HAVE TO DO FOUR MAJOR WORKS BEFORE YOU CHOOSE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO, AND THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING.
THE FOUR MAJOR WORKS MET IN THE FOUR DIFFERENT STRANDS, WHICH ARE YOUR FOUR CORE.
THEN AFTER THEY DID THAT, THEY WERE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE OTHER STUFF.
WHAT YOU SEE IN THESE CHILDREN IS THE OTHER WORK THEY CHOOSE IS THEY'LL SOMETIMES DO THREE MATH WORKS ALONG WITH AN ENGLISH,
[00:50:02]
SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES, OR THEY'LL DO SEVERAL LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES ALONG WITH THE OTHER FOUR.SO THE KIDS ADAPT EASILY TO IT.
THE TRANSITION BACK IS NOT TOUGH BECAUSE IF THAT'S WHAT THE STUDENT IS MOST COMFORTABLE WITH, THEY'RE GOING TO GET BACK INTO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY FEEL SECURE IN, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION EASILY BACK.
BUT WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING THAT DECISION EARLY FOR A STUDENT.
IN MONTESSORI WE HAVE A NORMALIZATION PERIOD WHICH IS THE FIRST 12 WEEKS OF SCHOOL, WHERE WE WANT THE KIDS TO GET USED TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT, USED TO THEIR TEACHER, USED TO THE ROUTINES.
USUALLY STUDENTS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL ONCE THEY GET PAST THAT PERIOD, ONCE THEY GET SETTLED IN THEY'RE VERY SET ON BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN WORK, THEY'RE VERY SELF-DIRECTED.
WE WORK OFF THE FACT THAT WE WILL DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO ENSURE THE STUDENT IS SUCCESSFUL.
>> BOARD, ONE OF THE THINGS IS WITH BEING A PART OF A SYSTEM OF GREAT SCHOOLS, THEN THERE ARE RESOURCES AND FUNDING SET ASIDE FOR US, AS A BOARD COLLECTIVELY, TO TAKE A VISIT TO SEE ACTUALLY FULLY-FUNCTIONING MONTESSORI PROGRAMS AND OTHER INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS IN PLACE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AFTER THE PANDEMIC AND AFTER ALL OF THE THINGS GET BACK TO NORMAL, I'D LIKE FOR US TO REALLY SPEND SOME TIME THIS FIRST SEMESTER GOING AROUND AND SEEING MONTESSORIS IN ACTION.
I DO BELIEVE THIS IS A OPTION THAT'LL BE GOOD FOR US.
AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM, A PILOT PROJECT, AND LOOK AT THAT, LEARN FROM IT, AND THEN DETERMINE WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO TAKE TO SCALE IN THE DISTRICT.
BUT WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU TONIGHT TO HEAR YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS, AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INITIAL THOUGHTS, PLEASE BE SURE TO SEND ME AN E-MAIL OR JUST CONTACT ME SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE IN OUR PLANNING, AND IN JULY WE'LL BE PREPARED TO BRING YOU BACK THE RESULTS OF OUR SURVEY AND HOW WE ANTICIPATE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR PILOT OF MONTESSORI.
>> DR MCFARLAND I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
WE WILL PAY FOR THIS TRAINING, IS THAT CORRECT, FOR THE TEACHERS?
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT IS CORRECT.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT A LOT OF THE GRANT FUNDING THAT WE'RE RECEIVING WITH INNOVATION AND TRANSFORMATION, A LOT OF THE FUNDING WILL ACTUALLY HELP US TO PAY FOR THE TRAINING.
SO YES, WE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TRAINING, ALL THE EXPENSES WILL BE BORNE BY THE DISTRICT, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT OUTSIDE GRANT FUNDING WILL HELP US TO DO THAT.
>> WILL THERE BE ANY EXPECTATION IN TERMS OF HOW LONG THE TEACHERS STAY AFTER THEY GET THAT TRAINING? STAY IN THE DISTRICT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WHEN WE BEGIN TO INVEST THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING AND AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE WILL HAVE TO INVEST INTO THIS TRAINING, THAT IS SOMETHING WITH HR WE'LL BE THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE CREATE THE CONTRACT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE INVESTING IN THIS TRAINING, THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY STAYING WITH US IN THE DISTRICT.
SO WE'LL WORK WITH HR TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT THAT IF YOU ATTEND THIS TRAINING AND GET THIS CERTIFICATION, YOU'LL REMAIN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR X PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT WE WILL BRING THAT BACK TO YOU IN JULY.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S TIME TONIGHT SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN MONTESSORI.
LOOKED AT IT FOR A WHILE, I DON'T KNOW WE CONSIDERED IT IN THE PAST.
I GUESS IT'S GOT MIXED RESULTS.
JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, I PULLED UP COMO MONTESSORI AND COMO ELEMENTARY, THEORETICALLY SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS.
COMO MONTESSORI'S GOT AN F RIGHT NOW, THOUGH I DIDN'T DELVE INTO THE DATA.
COMO ELEMENTARY A B WITH A COUPLE OF DISTINCTIONS.
BUT LOOKING AT THE OVERALL STUDIES, ESPECIALLY INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, SUGGEST THAT LOWER-INCOME STUDENTS TEND TO PERFORM MUCH BETTER IN MONTESSORI THAN LOWER-INCOME STUDENTS IN CONVENTIONAL CLASSROOM SETTINGS.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH PUTTING OUT THERE AND PILOTING AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT.
>> MR RAY, DR MCFARLAND, CAN I SAY JUST ONE MORE THING TO WHAT MR RAY JUST SAID? I THINK SOMETHING DR MCFARLAND SAID EARLIER, THE KEY TO ANY THING BEING SUCCESSFUL, SCHOOL PROGRAM, COMES DOWN TO LEADERSHIP AND FIDELITY TO A PROGRAM.
YOU CAN'T DO A LITTLE BIT HERE OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT HERE OF THAT AND EXPECT TO GET THE RESULTS THAT YOU WANT TO GET WHEN YOU WANT TO SEE KIDS GROW.
[00:55:06]
IN THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH DR MCFARLAND, HE'S VERY MUCH ABOUT WE'RE EITHER GOING TO DO THIS 100 PERCENT OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE HE WANTS IT TO BE A TRUE PROGRAM THAT CAN BE.TALKING WITH DR COE SHE GOES "I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SCHOOL IN THE AREA HERE WHERE WE CAN BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE COUNTRY TO SEE MONTESSORI IN ACTION," AND SHE SAID JUST FROM THE COMMITMENT SHE'S SEEN SO FAR FROM CROWLEY TO DOING IT RIGHT, SHE SAYS, "I SEE NO REASON WHY CROWLEY ISD COULD NOT BE THAT ORGANIZATION TO SET THE STANDARD FOR EVERYBODY ELSE." SO THAT'S WHAT'S EXCITING ABOUT IT.
>> MR GILLIES, I JUST HAVE ONE STATEMENT AND IT'S JUST FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
I JUST WANT TO BE ASSURED THAT THE MONTESSORI CLASSROOMS ARE REFLECTIVE OF OUR STUDENT BODY.
OFTEN WHEN YOU ENTER INTO THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS WITHIN SCHOOLS, THEY'RE ALL MICROCOSM.
SO AS LONG AS THERE'S SOME EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT DIVERSITY, I'M ALL FOR IT AS WELL.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT 100 PERCENT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO BARRIER FOR ANY CHILD.
>> ALL RIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. GILLIES GILEAD OR DR. MCFARLAND ON THIS SUBJECT? IF NOT, THEN WE WILL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 4.2, OVERVIEW OF STEM PLUS PROGRAMMING.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS AS WE'VE JUST HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION, ROBUST CONVERSATION, WE EXPECT THIS NEXT PRESENTATION TO ALSO BE THE SAME.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WITH OUR VISION 2025, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, MAKING SURE THAT OUR DISTRICT HAS CHOICES FOR ALL STUDENTS, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD SINCE, ACTUALLY, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT NOT JUST SOME STUDENTS HAVE ENGAGING EXPERIENCE BUT ALL STUDENTS HAVE IT.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES OF A PLAN, THAT WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO [NOISE] ACTUALLY ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
WE'LL CALL IT A STEM PLUS FOR ALL PLAN.
WE HAVE MS. DIXON WHO HAS LED THIS EFFORT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO THOUGH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WE'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME THINGS WITH YOU, BUT WE'D LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH YOU TONIGHT IN A BRAINSTORMING SESSION.
WE HOPE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND JUST WORK WITH THIS PLAN AND ACTUALLY HELP US TO CREATE THIS PLAN TOGETHER.
MS. DIXON IS PREPARED TO LEAD YOU THROUGH WHAT WE'VE LED MANY OF OUR PERSONNEL THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. MS DIXON.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, AND DR. MCFARLAND, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME JOIN YOU ALL TONIGHT TO SHARE THIS AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS.
MS HALL, YOUR LAST STATEMENT ABOUT MONTESSORI REALLY RINGS TRUE WITH WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, SO I HOPE YOU ALL ARE AS EXCITED AS WE ARE.
I'M GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO IT.
STEM FOR ALL IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS K THROUGH 12 TO ENGAGE IN STEM PLUS OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE TA WORK-BASED LEARNING CONTINUUM, AND IT SHOWS YOU THERE WHAT TA ASSUMES THAT A CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN AS THEY GO THROUGH THEIR K-20 EDUCATION TO BE PREPARED AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AS THEY LEAVE OUT OF CROWLEY ISD FOR THE REAL WORLD.
WE USED THAT TO GUIDE WHAT WE CALL HERE AS OUR PYRAMID OR HIERARCHY OF STEM PLUS.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT AND TALK YOU THROUGH WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR A STUDENT IN CROWLEY ISD.
THE FIRST THING YOU SEE IS THE AWARENESS AND EXPOSURE COMPONENT AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE IS, AND IT SHOULD SAY PRE K MS. [INAUDIBLE] KEEPS GETTING ON TO ME BECAUSE I KEEP FORGETTING TO ADD IT.
BASICALLY WE WILL HAVE STEM PLUS FOR ALL AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL AT ALL 15 ELEMENTARIES.
WE HAVE RECENTLY HIRED SEVEN STEM PLUS TEACHERS THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE PUSHING IN DURING THE SPECIALS ROTATION TO PROVIDE VERY TARGETED INSTRUCTION USING THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR ALL STUDENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, AT ALL 15 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THESE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS-TYPE LESSONS WILL ALIGN TO OUR ENDORSEMENTS AND PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT THE CTE CENTER.
AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY UP THE PYRAMID, YOU'LL SEE THAT AT SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE WE'RE USING THE TERMINOLOGY PROGRAMS TO PATHWAYS.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE HAD PROGRAMS, WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS AND NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY LEADING STUDENTS MORE TOWARDS PATHWAYS.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN STEM,
[01:00:01]
YOU CAN DO THAT BY TAKING PARTICULAR COURSES.IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A COHORT OF STEM STUDENTS WORKING THROUGH THAT BECAUSE THIS STEM INITIATIVE WILL BE EMBEDDED IN ALL THEIR EXPERIENCES AS THEY WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH ANY OF THE FOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
THE WAY THIS WILL LOOK IS THROUGH ADVISEMENT AND THROUGH COURSE SELECTION.
SO AS WE ROLL OUT YEAR 1, OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T GET THAT ADVISEMENT COMPONENT IN THERE, BUT WE PUT THE STUDENTS WHO, FOR INSTANCE, WERE IN STEM IN SEVENTH GRADE.
THERE'S A PARTICULAR COURSE THAT THEY TAKE IN EIGHTH GRADE ANYWAY, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN STEM AND THAT'S GATEWAY TO TECHNOLOGY AND THAT EXPOSES THEM TO ALL THOSE THINGS STEM.
IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO'S INTERESTED IN DANCE, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY EXPLORE BOTH STILL AND THAT'S THE COOL PART ABOUT MOVING THIS STEM PLUS FOR ALL.
THEN THE NEXT PART OF THAT, IS AFTER THEY BEGIN TO EXPLORE AND REALLY ENGAGE THROUGH THAT SCHEDULING AND COURSE SELECTION, THAT'S WHEN THEY START GETTING INTO WHAT WE CALL OUR PRINCIPLES COURSES.
SO AT EIGHTH GRADE, STUDENTS HAVE TO CHOOSE AN ENDORSEMENT, AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE LIKELY FAMILIAR WITH THOSE ENDORSEMENTS.
WHAT WE WERE FINDING IS STUDENTS WEREN'T ABLE TO EXPLORE EVERYTHING PRIOR TO GETTING TO EIGHTH GRADE AND THEY WERE JUST CHECKING A BOX BECAUSE, OH, I THINK I WANT TO BE A VETERINARIAN OR I LIKE FFA OR WHATEVER, AND THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY GETTING EXPERIENCES PRIOR TO THAT, THAT WERE ROBUST ENOUGH WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO CHANGE BECAUSE THEN WHEN GET UP AND THEY ARE NOT THROUGH 12TH GRADE, THEY'RE REALLY ENGAGING IN THOSE CLASSROOMS AND ARTICULATING THROUGH INTERNSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE LAST THING WE NEED FOR THEM TO DO IS BE BOUNCING AROUND THROUGH ALL THE ENDORSEMENTS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY TRULY KNOW WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'M GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH.
I HAVE A SIX YEAR OLD, HIS NAME IS TUCKER.
HE JUST FINISHED VIRTUAL KINDERGARTEN, SAD THAT I HAD TO END THAT WAY, BUT WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR HIM AT FIRST GRADE IS IN KINDERGARTEN, FIRST GRADE, HE'S LEARNING ABOUT THE EYE.
HE'S LEARNING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF THE EYE, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EYES SO HE IS BECOMING FAMILIAR OR AWARE WITH AN EYE.
I KNOW THAT SOUNDS SO BASIC, BUT THEN WE START TO EXPOSE HIM TO OPHTHALMOLOGY.
WE START TO BRING IN, WHAT DOES AN OPHTHALMOLOGISTS DO WITH THE EYE, AND THIS IS ALL THROUGH THAT STEM PLUS CLASSROOM.
THEN WE HAVE A VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP OF ALCON OR MAYBE WE GO TO ALCON AND WE WALK THROUGH THOSE HALLS AND SEE ALL THE COOL THINGS.
ACTUALLY, WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I WORKED AT ALCON ON THE SIDE AND IT WAS JUST SO COOL TO WALK THROUGH THOSE HALLS AND JUST FEEL SO DIFFERENT.
JUST LETTING THEM GET IN THERE AND REALLY START TO BE EXPOSED TO WHAT THEY COULD REALLY DO AND WHAT THE INTENDED OUTCOME COULD BE FOR THEM.
THEN WHEN THEY GET UP INTO THE SIXTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, THEY START TAKING, OH, I EXPERIENCED ALCON, I REALLY LIKED THAT, SO I'M GOING TO TAKE GATEWAY TO TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE THERE'S A MEDICAL DETECTIVES UNIT.
WHERE THEY GET TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
PRIOR TO THAT, AT THE FIFTH GRADE LEVEL, IT MAY BE THAT WE GIVE THEM A PROBLEM.
SOMETHING ABOUT DOGS THAT NEED CATARACTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND WE HAVE THEM CREATE IN THROUGH PBL, A PROJECT-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITY.
THEY WORK THROUGH THAT IN THAT STEM CLASSROOM.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IT SCAFFOLDS UP TO WHEN THEY GET IN TO HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY START TAKING THOSE TARGETED COURSES SUCH AS PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH SCIENCE AND EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT.
THAT'S OUR VISION OF WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO AND THAT'S JUST ONE PATHWAY.
WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS OUR STEM PLUS TEACHERS HAVE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE IN VARIOUS AREAS, SO WE WILL BE DOING A HEALTH CARE STRAND, WE'LL BE DOING AVIATION STRAND, WE HAVE THAT NEW DRONE PROGRAM.
WORKING BACKWARDS DOWN TO HOW CAN WE SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS KNOW OF ALL THE POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR KIDS.
SO THAT IS THE OVERVIEW, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK INTO WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
GO AHEAD, DR. MCFARLAND YOU WANT TO TAKE IT?
>> YES. SO BOARD, WHAT WE'VE DONE, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU TONIGHT, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS THAT OVER THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF, TWO MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH OUR SYSTEM PRINCIPLES, PRINCIPLES AT OUR CENTRAL OFFICE LEVEL AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND THIS STEM PLAN AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BROKEN THE PLAN DOWN IN A THREE BUCKETS.
THESE THREE BUCKETS WE'VE IDENTIFIED WOULD BE CO-CURRICULAR, EXTRA-CURRICULAR, AND ACTUALLY CURRICULAR.
SO I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE THAT WE'RE ALL IN THE HELICOPTER TOGETHER AND WE'RE LOOKING DOWN ON OUR DISTRICT AND WE'RE LOOKING DOWN ON OUR CAMPUSES,
[01:05:05]
AND IF YOU TALKING ABOUT WE'RE DOING STEM PLUS FOR ALL THEN WHAT YOU'LL SEE ARE THESE THREE BIG BUCKETS.WITHIN EACH BUCKET YOU'LL HAVE ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES THAT WILL BE DESIGNED TO INCREASE STUDENTS AWARENESS, AND EXPOSURE, AND ENGAGEMENT, AND EXPLORATION, AND ALL THOSE THINGS AS IT RELATES TO STEM.
BUT WHAT WE DECIDED THAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO COME TO A COMMON AGREEMENT OF WHAT CO-CURRICULAR, EXTRA-CURRICULAR, AND CURRICULAR, REALLY A COMMON DEFINITION OF WHAT THOSE THREE TERMS ARE.
FOR THE BOARD, I'D JUST LIKE YOU TO GIVE ME YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD CO-CURRICULAR, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT? [NOISE]
>> IT ALIGNS WITH THE CURRICULUM.
>> SO SOMETHING THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CURRICULUM.
ALL RIGHT. WHAT DO YOU THINK, MR. RAY?
>> ALL RIGHT, THAT'S GOOD. MS. BENTON?
>> I THINK IT'S THINGS THAT COME ALONGSIDE THE CURRICULUM.
>> SO WE GOT CO-CURRICULAR, SO ALIGNS WITH OR SOMETHING ALONGSIDE. SO MS. HALL?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY A COMPLIMENTARY DEPOSIT.
>> COMPLIMENTARY, THAT'S A GOOD STUFF.
WHAT ABOUT YOU, MS. DAVIS? WHEN YOU HEAR CO-CURRICULAR, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT?
>> MAYBE EXPERIENCES THAT MAY MIRROR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CURRICULUM.
>> GOOD STUFF. [BACKGROUND] WHAT ABOUT YOU, DR. MAYFIELD?
>> I WOULD SAY, I LIKE THE WORD COMPLIMENTARY, SO SOMETHING ON THE TEXT OR THE BLACK AND WHITE PRINT VERSION OF CURRICULUM, BUT THEN ALSO, THE EXPERIENCE PIECE OF IT.
>> ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? I KNOW WE'VE DONE THIS WITH PRINCIPALS AND WITH ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND CENTRAL OFFICE.
SO ANYBODY FROM THAT GROUP, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CO-CURRICULAR, ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD TO THAT? MS. ADRIAN. I SEE YOU THERE LOOKING AT ME, MS. ADRIAN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT CO-CURRICULAR, MS. ADRIAN? WHEN WE SAY CO-CURRICULAR, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
>> IT MEANS EXTRA ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BE PERFORMED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, BUT IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR CORE CURRICULUM.
>> GOT YOU. GREAT JOB, MS. ADRIAN, YOU REMEMBERED.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD DEAL. THAT'S PERFECT.
SO REALLY, ALL OF YOU ARE RIGHT.
SO THIS TERM IS USED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT FROM THE CONTEXT OF OUR STEM PLAN, WHAT I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT IS WHEN WE SAY CO-CURRICULAR, WE MEAN EXTRA, IN ADDITION TO, ALONGSIDE THE ACTUAL CURRICULUM, BUT WITHIN THE SCHOOL DAY.
NOW, THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN UIL DEFINES IT, IT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN HOW IT'S ACTUALLY DEFINED REALLY, BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES, WHAT WE DECIDED AND WE AGREED UPON THAT WHEN WE SAY CO-CURRICULAR, WE MEAN ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IN ADDITION TO, IN SUPPORT OF, ALONGSIDE, IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING BUT IT HAPPENS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
WE KNOW WE SAID WHAT CO-CURRICULAR WAS.
SO MS. HALL, WE'LL JUST JUMP AND START WITH YOU.
THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS, IT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
SO WHEN YOU HEAR EXTRACURRICULAR, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THAT?
>> I WOULD SAY THAT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE THE, I WANT TO SAY OPTIONAL, BUT THEY'RE EXTENSIONS OF THE CURRICULUM OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY, TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPERIENCE WITH PERSONAL INTERESTS, PARTICIPATE IN LINE WITH THEIR PERSONAL INTERESTS THAT FURTHER STRENGTHENS WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM.
>> AWESOME. NO DOUBT. RIGHT ON IT.
>> I WOULD SAY OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE STUDENTS MAY WANT TO DO THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL.
>> BUILDING ON WHAT MS. HALL SAID, SO IT'S NORMALLY IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, IT'S UNIQUE TO THAT STUDENT AND IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY, RIGHT?
>> WHAT ABOUT YOU, MS. BENTON?
>> I KNOW IT'S GOING TO SOUND LIKE I WAS CHEATING, BUT I WAS THINKING IF HE CALLS ON ME, I'M GOING TO SAY THINGS THAT HAPPEN OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL [LAUGHTER] DAY.
NO, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
MR. RAY, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT?
[01:10:01]
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EXTRACURRICULAR, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?>> JUST USUALLY, I THINK OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, BUT JUST ACTIVITIES AND THINGS OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY OR THE REGULAR CORE CURRICULUM.
>> OKAY. SO NOW, IF WE CALL IT EXTRACURRICULAR, IT'S OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL DAY, BUT IS ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, RIGHT? SO MS. DAVIS, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHEN WE SAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR STEM PLAN, EXTRACURRICULAR?
>> I THINK STUDENTS VOLUNTEER TO DO IT, SOMETHING THEY DO.
>> YEAH. THAT'S AN INTERESTING DISTINCTION BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT CO-CURRICULAR AND YOU THINK ABOUT EXTRACURRICULAR, REALLY, THE KEY DIFFERENCE IN CO-CURRICULAR AND EXTRACURRICULAR, THERE'S REALLY TWO.
ONE IS EXTRACURRICULAR IS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL DAY, BUT NUMBER TWO IS EXTRACURRICULAR IS REALLY, AS MS. HALL SAID, ALONG WITH KID'S SPECIAL INTERESTS AND ALL KIDS MAY NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN EXTRACURRICULAR, BUT WITH CO-CURRICULAR, FOR OUR PURPOSES, WE'RE SAYING THAT ALL KIDS ARE ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN AND PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES AS IT RELATES TO CO-CURRICULAR.
ANYBODY ELSE? MS. ROBINSON, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO EXTRACURRICULAR?
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING.
VOLUNTEERING BASED ON THE STUDENT'S INTERESTS.
>> GOT YOU. [OVERLAPPING] I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD,.
>> I'M SORRY ABOUT IT, DR. MCFARLAND.
I THINK THE COOL THING ABOUT THE EXTRACURRICULAR PART IS IT CREATES A SPACE FOR THE STUDENTS TO, I GUESS, INDULGE IN WHAT THEIR INTEREST IS OUTSIDE.
SO OFTEN, WE LEARN ABOUT COOL THINGS IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO APPLY THAT OR TAKE IT FURTHER, AND EXTRACURRICULAR GIVES US THAT SPACE.
>> NO DOUBT. IT GIVES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO DEEPER.
SO WE ARE CO-CURRICULAR, EXTRACURRICULAR, AND WE'RE ALL IN HELICOPTER TOGETHER AND THERE ARE THREE BUCKETS.
SO THE THIRD BUCKET IS CURRICULAR.
WE'LL START WITH YOU, MS. ROBINSON.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CURRICULAR IN RELATION TO OUR STEM PLAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE MEANING AS WHEN WE SAY CURRICULAR, WHAT ARE WE REALLY TALKING ABOUT?
>> I THINK THAT'S CORE TEXT BASED CONTENT THAT GOES WITH STEM.
THE SCIENCE, MATH, ALL OF THAT.
MR. RAY, WHEN WE SAY CURRICULAR, WHAT DO YOUR HEAR? ROBINSON SAYS SCIENCE AND MATH.
WHAT OTHER JUST STANDARD CURRICULAR THAT WE KNOW EXIST IN EVERY SCHOOL?
>> I GUESS, READING, WRITING, ARITHMETIC, I GUESS.
[LAUGHTER] FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR SECOND LANGUAGE.
>> RIGHT. THINK ABOUT YOUR CAREER, THE ONE THAT'S MOST CONNECTED TO YOUR CAREER.
[NOISE] THAT WOULD BE SOCIAL STUDIES.
>> SOCIAL [LAUGHTER] STUDIES. OKAY. [LAUGHTER]
>> ENGLISH OR SOCIAL STUDIES. YEAH.
>> THE BASICS, SO WHEN WE SAY CURRICULAR, WHAT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING A STEM PLUS PLAN.
WE'RE ALL IN HELICOPTER TOGETHER, AND WE'RE LOOKING DOWN.
THE QUESTION THAT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK ME IS IF WE'RE IMPLEMENTING STEM PLUS, THEN THE QUESTION THAT WE OUGHT TO BE PREPARED TO ASK, WE MEANING THE CENTRAL OFFICE, THE DISTRICT LEVEL, THE CAMPUS LEVEL, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ALREADY PREPARED TO ASK IS, IF WE'RE STEM PLUS WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE CURRICULAR AREA TO ENSURE THAT STEAM ACTIVITY ARE PROVIDED TO ALL? WHAT DO WE DO IT IN THE EXTRACURRICULAR AREA, AND THEN WHAT DO WE DOING IN THE CO-CURRICULAR AREA? I WANTED TO SEPARATE THOSE THREE AREAS AND FOR US TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THOSE THREE AREAS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE MEANT AND THAT WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU MEAN AS IT RELATES TO THOSE THREE AREAS.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR PLAN, THOSE ARE THREE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE ARE BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN OUR PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS STEM PLUS EXPERIENCE AS THEY GO THROUGH OUR SCHOOLS.
NOW MS. DUVALL, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, AND MS. DUVALL HAS KEPT US INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOCIETY AND WHAT JOBS ARE WILL BE MOST AVAILABLE BY THE YEAR 2025.
THE QUESTION WOULD MAYBE, WHY ARE WE GO ON STEM PLUS? WELL, THE REALITY IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE SELECTING STEM PLUS IS IF WE LOOK AT THE YEAR 2025, ALMOST 85-90 PERCENT OF THE CAREERS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS, ALMOST 90 PERCENT ARE CONNECTED IN SOME WAY TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH, OR THE ARTS IN SOME KIND OF WAY.
WE FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO DESIGN AN EXPERIENCE WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM
[01:15:05]
THAT STUDENTS WILL BE EXPOSED TO THOSE CONCEPTS SO THAT BY THE TIME THEY GET READY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR FUTURE, THEN THEY WOULD AT LEAST HAVE SOME KIND OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT MAKES UP THOSE AREAS.MS. DIXON, I WILL ALLOW YOU TO KEEP GOING, AND SO LET US TALK ABOUT THOSE FOCUS AREAS.
>> LIKE DR. MCFARLAND SAID, WE'VE HAD LOTS OF GROUPS GIVE US THEIR DEFINITIONS, AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT IS WE'RE BUILDING THIS ALTOGETHER.
WE'RE BUILDING THE DEFINITIONS TOGETHER, AND SO IT'S REALLY NEAT.
I THINK I STATED THIS AT THE BEGINNING, BUT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, AND SO WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME VERY FOCUSED AREAS TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS DONE WITH FIDELITY AND DONE WITH DELIBERATE, CONSISTENT PRACTICE.
FOR THE FIRST YEAR, OUR MAIN FOCUS IS GOING TO BE CO-CURRICULAR, AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE AS THROUGH INNOVATIVE SCHEDULING WITH THOSE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES THROUGH THEIR SPECIAL TIME, WE WILL BE DOING CAREER AWARENESS.
THAT'S START STEM PLUS TEACHER IN THOSE SPECIALS ROTATIONS ON THOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUSES CREATING THESE LESSONS AND WORKING THROUGH WHAT I DESCRIBED EARLIER WITH MY SON, TUCKER.
ANOTHER THING IS JUST REALLY TARGETED FIELD EXPERIENCES, ENSURING THAT WE'RE ALIGNING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE NOT JUST TAKING A TRIP TO THE PEROT MUSEUM TO GO TO THE PEROT MUSEUM ON A FIELD TRIP.
WE'RE TAKING A TRIP TO THE PEROT MUSEUM BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARCHAEOLOGY, OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOCTORS.
WE GO VISIT THAT PARTICULAR LEVEL AT THE PEROT MUSEUM, MAKING SURE WE'RE ALIGNING WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND IT'S VERY PURPOSEFUL.
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL HAVE THIS YEAR FOR OUR STUDENTS IS THAT CROWLEY ICT STEM BUS.
BRINGING THAT BUS TO CAMPUS AND DOING SOME HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN THE BUS AND AROUND THE BUS WITH THE STEM PLUS TEACHERS OR OUTSIDE OF THE STEM PLUS CLASSROOM WITH MAYBE A SCIENCE TEACHER OR THE SCIENCE SPECIALISTS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN ANOTHER THING THAT I AM SO ENERGIZED ABOUT THE MOST IS GOING TO BE THE INTENTIONALITY OF LIKE FOCUSED CAREER DAYS, AND THE FOCUS OF [NOISE] OUR MARKING PERIODS.
THE COOL THING ABOUT HAVING THE STEM PLUS TEACHERS, MYSELF, MS. SHELLY HUBBARD, DR. WILLIAMS, MR. KEITH, WORKING ALTOGETHER AS A TEAM IS IT'S A HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT.
YOU DON'T HAVE ONE CAMPUS OVER HERE THAT'S GOT THE STEM TRUCK COME IN AND THE PEROT TRUCK, AND ALL THIS OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY INTENTIONALLY PLANNED ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS GET THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND GET TO EXPERIENCE ALL THESE THINGS.
BUT THAT'S CO-CURRICULAR YEAR 1, AND THOSE WHO ARE HIGH OVERARCHING THINGS, AND THEN WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS WITH THOSE TEACHERS AND OUR TEAM.
THE OTHER THING THAT YOU ALL HELPED US TO DEFINE WAS EXTRA CURRICULAR AND YOU'RE SPOT ON, AND I LOVED THAT YOU ALL HAVE SUCH GREAT STUFF.
I LOVED THAT YOU SAID THAT IT WAS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES ARE ALREADY IMPLEMENTING THINGS LIKE GIRLS WHO CODE, ROBOTICS, AND STEM AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS FUTURE CITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
OUR GOAL IS TO DO IS WE'LL HAVE A STEM PLUS COORDINATOR ON EVERY CAMPUS, AND THEIR JOB WILL BE TO GO AHEAD AND START PLANNING BASED ON THE INTERESTS OF THOSE STUDENTS ON THAT CAMPUS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
IF THAT IS BRINGING ROBOTICS, WE'LL BE DOING MISSION POSSIBLE, HOPEFULLY DISTRICTWIDE AS AN EXPECTATION, AND DISTRICTWIDE SCIENCE FAIRS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT WOULD BE COOL THINGS THAT THESE STUDENTS CAN ENGAGE IN AFTER-SCHOOL.
THEN AS YOU CAN SEE, YEAR 3 THROUGH 5 IS REALLY WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A CURRICULAR FOCUS.
OUR STEM PLUS TEACHERS WILL BE ON THESE CAMPUSES HALF-TIME.
THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE PUSHING INTO PLCS WHEN THE TIME ALLOWS ON THE CAMPUS.
THEY WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING CAMPUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AFTER-SCHOOL, AND THEN PROVIDING IT.
WE WILL HAVE A DISTRICTWIDE STEM PLUS VISION AND MISSION, AND THEY WILL BE THE ONES THAT HELP COMMUNICATE THAT WITH THE STEM PLUS COORDINATOR ON THOSE CAMPUSES, BUT THEN ALSO IN THOSE FACULTY MEETINGS FOR ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES.
THAT'S HOW WE'RE EMBEDDING IN CURRICULAR YEAR 1, BUT IT'S NOT A FOCUS YET BECAUSE WHAT OUR GOAL WOULD BE IS THAT WE ARE INTENTIONAL WHERE WE EMBED THESE CAREER CONNECTIONS.
WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY START UTILIZING THOSE STEM PLUS AND CAREER SKILLS THROUGH PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, DESIGN THINKING IN THE ENGINEERING PROCESS.
WE DON'T WANT TO OVERWHELM TEACHERS.
IT'S JUST NOT CORRECT TIME, AND IT NEEDS TO BE A PROCESS.
OUR GOAL IS TO KIND OF GET THE CULTURE ON THE CAMPUSES TO FILL THE STEM PLUS,
[01:20:02]
AND THEN WE'LL START DIGGING INTO WHAT IT CAN LOOK LIKE WITH OUR CNI DEPARTMENT TO GET BACK INTO OUR ACTUAL CURRICULUM GAPS.I'LL TELL YOU IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS AT THE END, BUT IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT STEP?
>> MS. DIXON, I HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE.
SO YOU TALKED ABOUT SPECIALISTS AND THEN YOU TALKED ABOUT STEM PLUS COORDINATORS.
ARE THEY ONE AND THE SAME OR ARE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE?
WE ONLY HAVE SEVEN STEM PLUS TEACHERS AND THEY WILL HAVE TO SPLIT A CAMPUS.
SO I MAY BE AT DEER CREEK HALF-TIME AND SYCAMORE HALF-TIME.
SO WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAPPEN WAS WHEN THE STEM PLUS TEACHER IS NOT THERE, THEY'RE NOT STILL EMBEDDING THAT IN THEIR CULTURE AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING THAT SUPPORT.
SO WHAT WE'VE INTENTIONALLY DONE IS SET ASIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ALLOT A PERSON THAT TIME AND ALLOWANCE TO DO THAT ON THAT CAMPUS, FOR THAT CAMPUS, WHENEVER OUR STEM PLUS TEACHER IS NOT THERE AND PRESENT.
>> IT WOULD JUST BE AN INDIVIDUAL, SOMEBODY WHO MAYBE IS SUPER PASSIONATE ABOUT STEM ON THE CAMPUS, AND THEY WOULD VOICE THAT TO THEIR PRINCIPAL AND WORK THROUGH THAT.
>> HOW DOES THIS IMPACT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ALREADY PARTICIPATE IN STEM?
>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING. AS YOU PROBABLY RECEIVED A LETTER, WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM COHORTING STUDENTS.
IT'S REALLY THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL GROUP THAT IS MOST AFFECTED.
BECAUSE THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL GROUP IS THE ONE WHO WHEN THEY GET UP INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY'RE COHORTED TO WORK THROUGH COURSES THAT ANY STUDENT IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO TAKE.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT THOSE STUDENTS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY, WELL THAT'S NOT A STEM STUDENT.
WELL, WHAT MAKES YOU A STEM STUDENT JUST BASED ON THE COURSES YOU TAKE? IF THAT'S THE CASE, ALL THE STUDENTS WHO TAKE GATEWAY TO TECHNOLOGY ARE STEM STUDENTS.
SO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS SPREAD THAT OUT TO ALL STUDENTS AND MAKE THEM MORE AWARE.
SO THAT'S HOW IT TRICKLED DOWN ALSO.
INSTEAD OF JUNE W. AND DALLAS PARK BEING OUR ONLY "SEEN" CAMPUSES, WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES HAPPENING AT THOSE CAMPUSES THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE ABLE TO GET THERE AND HAVE PARENTS THAT CAN APPLY FOR PROGRAMS ARE GETTING, AND WHY CAN WE NOT DO THAT FOR ALL STUDENTS? SO THAT'S HOW WE SHIFTED BASED ON THAT VISION 2025 CONVERSATION, AND THEN THOSE CHOICE REDESIGN MEETINGS THAT WE DID WITH ENGAGE2LEARN BACK IN FEBRUARY, THAT'S WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
IS, HOW CAN WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS, AND WE'RE NOT ISOLATING STUDENTS WHO HAVE A PARTICULAR "INTEREST" IF YOU WILL?
>> BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, JUST TO SPECIFICALLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
LATER IN THE PROGRAM, WE WILL SHOW YOU HOW WE GO FROM PROGRAMS OF STUDY WHEN THOSE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN STEM, THAT ARE MAYBE IN THE SEVENTH OR EIGHTH GRADE, HOW THEY WILL BEGIN TO SELECT THE PROGRAMS OF STUDY.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SELECT A PROGRAM OF STUDY THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE ON ALONG THAT STEM PIPELINE OR WHATEVER PIPELINE IT IS THEY CHOOSE, AND SO ONCE WE GET TO THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE HOW THAT HAPPENS.
CURRENTLY, IN THE DISTRICT, WE HAVE STEM AT THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, NOWHERE ELSE.
SO THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE IS WHAT WE'RE HAVING.
SO THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, THEY WILL STILL HAVE CHOICES WHEN THEY GET TO THE NINTH GRADE TO SELECT THEIR PROGRAMS OF STUDY, AND THAT WILL STILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO THOSE STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE ON ALONG THEIR PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR SURE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO IS TO START EARLIER, TO START AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL TO BUILD AWARENESS AND EXPOSURE SO THAT BY THE TIME THE STUDENT GETS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A GOOD DECISION ABOUT WHICH PROGRAM OF STUDY THEY WANT TO PURSUE.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. I'M ASSUMING WHEN YOU SAY THE PROGRAMS OF STUDY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT YOU MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT PROJECT LEAD THE WAY WITH THE GATEWAY TO TECHNOLOGY, AND HOW THAT FOLLOWS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
BUT AS THE STUDENTS MATRICULATE INTO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL WITH PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, THEY DO HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR CERTIFICATIONS AND DIFFERENT ACCREDITATIONS THAT COME WITH THAT BECAUSE IT'S PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, THAT'S THEIR JAM.
WILL WE BE WORKING ON PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE AS EQUALLY ROBUST OR BENEFICIAL TO THE STUDENTS? SO THAT IT'S NOT LIKE ONE PROGRAM.
IF YOU'RE INTO THIS PROGRAM, IT'S BETTER THAN THE OTHER.
>> YES. I THINK IF WE GO ON THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, I THINK WE'LL SEE HOW NOT ONLY WILL THE STEM PROGRAM BE BENEFITED,
[01:25:05]
BUT ALL OF THEM WILL BE.BECAUSE WHAT WE'LL HAVE IS WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE COURSES AT THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH-GRADE LEVEL THAT'LL ACTUALLY ADDRESS AND ALLOW KIDS TO SELECT COURSES IN THEIR AREA, WHEREAS RIGHT NOW, WE ONLY HAVE GATEWAY TO TECHNOLOGY.
BUT AS WE BEGIN TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAM, YOU HAVE OTHER COURSES THAT WILL ACTUALLY SERVE AS INTRODUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS INTO THEIR PROGRAMS OF STUDY.
>> SO LIKE DR. MCFARLAND SAID, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THOSE GROUPS AND REALLY DEFINING WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
SO I'M GOING TO LET DR. MCFARLAND WALK YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH EACH OF THOSE PARTICULAR GROUPS TO SEE HOW YOU ALL FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD DEFINE THEM ALSO.
>> BOARD, THIS WILL PROBABLY TAKE US ABOUT 20-25 MINUTES TO WALK THROUGH IT, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH INPUT AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE MET WITH, AGAIN, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, PRINCIPALS IN CENTRAL OFFICE, AND WE'VE WALKED UP THIS PYRAMID TOGETHER.
BECAUSE WE KNOW WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF THESE TERMS, OF WHAT AWARENESS MEANS, AND EXPOSURE, AND EXPLORATION, AND ENGAGEMENT.
WE THOUGHT IT'D BE PRUDENT FOR US TO JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION TONIGHT, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, ABOUT WHAT THESE TERMS MEAN.
SO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THAT IF WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S BALLROOM DANCING, OR HOW TO ROPE A CALF, OR HOW TO KICK A FOOTBALL, WHATEVER IT IS, YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE BELIEVE, IN ORDER TO LEARN IT.
WE BELIEVE THAT, FIRST, THAT YOU HAVE TO START OFF WITH AWARENESS, TO EXPOSURE, TO EXPLORATION, TO ENGAGEMENT, AND THEN TO ARTICULATION.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A COMMON DEFINITION OF THESE TERMS. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS GO THROUGH AND BRAINSTORM TOGETHER ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL BELIEVE THESE TERMS MEAN, AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU WHAT OUR ACTUAL INTERNAL TEAM HAS DETERMINED, AND THEN COME TO SOME HAPPY MEDIAN AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
SO LET'S START OFF WITH AWARENESS AND EXPOSURE. THOSE ARE TWO TERMS. IF WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE OUR KIDS AWARE AND WE ALSO WANT TO EXPOSE THEM, THEN WE'LL START WITH YOU MS. BENTON, JUST WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD AWARENESS, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE AWARENESS AND HOW WOULD YOU CONTRAST AWARENESS WITH EXPOSURE?
>> I WOULD THINK THAT AWARENESS MEANS THAT YOU KNOW SOMETHING EXISTS AND IT'S OUT THERE, BUT WITH EXPOSURE, YOU GET TO SEE IT, TOUCH IT, FEEL IT, EXPERIENCE IT IN SOME WAY.
>> AWESOME. MR. RAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> THAT SOUNDS MORE OR LESS WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
AWARENESS IS JUST KNOWING THAT IT'S THERE, AND EXPOSURE IS BEING MORE [LAUGHTER] DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO, I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU GET IT.
BROWN, OMARION BROWN, I SEE YOU'RE STILL HERE ON THE LINE.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, BROWN? I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A BOARD MEMBER, BROWN, BUT I SEE YOUR NAME.
SO JUST TELL US WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
WHILE HE'S DOING THAT, MS. DAVIS, WHY DON'T YOU TELL US, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AWARENESS VERSUS EXPOSURE, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THE TERMS?
>> I THINK AWARENESS IS, IF I'M AWARE OF SOMETHING I HAVE A PERCEPTION OF IT, AND MAYBE AN INTEREST, AND EXPOSURE, AGAIN, IS CONTACT WITH THAT INTEREST.
>> GOOD DEAL. WHAT ABOUT YOU, MS. ROBINSON, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I BELIEVE THE SAME THING WHAT PEOPLE SAID, JUST BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EXPOSED TO AN AREA THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF OR THOUGHT OF BEFORE, AND JUST INCREASING YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE.
>> GOT YOU. DR. MAYFIELD, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD?
>> I WOULD JUST SAY AWARENESS IS KNOWLEDGE BASE AND EXPOSURE IS OPPORTUNITY.
>> GOOD DEAL. WHAT ABOUT YOU, MS. HALL?
>> I'M PRETTY MUCH THERE WITH DR. MAYFIELD.
FOR ME, I WAS GOING TO AKIN IT TO BLOOM'S TAXONOMY, WHERE AWARENESS MIGHT MEAN THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPOSURE IS SOMEWHERE IN THE APPLICATION.
>> DR. MCFARLAND, I HEARD YOU CALLING ME.
FOR AWARENESS, I WOULD SAY, IT IS BEING CONSCIOUS OF SOMETHING, AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPOSURE, YOU'RE HAVING THE ABILITY TO INVESTIGATE AND UNCOVER SOMETHING.
>> GOOD DEAL. I APPRECIATE IT, BROWN.
SO THINK ABOUT THIS BOARD, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN OUR STEM PLAN, AT THE VERY BASE LEVEL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE SIMPLY AWARE OF ALL THESE THINGS, ALL THESE POSSIBILITIES.
BUT THEN WE MOVE UP TO EXPOSURE, WE GOT TO MOVE FROM JUST BEING AWARE OF IT TO THEM ACTUALLY TOUCHING IT AND FEELING IT, AND ALL THAT.
SHARE OUT WITH THEM, MEGAN, WHAT THE INTERNAL TEAM CAME UP WITH AS DEFINITIONS.
[01:30:01]
BOARD, I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR REFLECTIONS ON HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT WHAT THE TEAM HAS SAID, AND YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS IN THERE AS WELL.>> LET ME PREFACE BY SAYING, WHEN YOU'VE DONE THIS WITH THREE GROUPS, THIS IS AN ABBREVIATED LIST.
I HAD TO GO THROUGH AND REALLY PICK THE WORDS THAT WERE HIGH IMPACT.
SO THIS IS NOT THE FULL LIST OF WHAT WAS COME UP WITH.
BEING CONSCIOUS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS AREA, IT'S INTANGIBLE.
YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY I KNOW THAT IT'S THERE, ABSTRACT, KNOWING, IT'S VERY GENERAL, WE INTRODUCE, BECOME FAMILIAR, CLARIFY, ENLIGHTENMENT; IS WHAT THE GROUPS HAVE COME UP WITH.
DR. MCFARLAND, DO YOU WANT TO ASK THEM FOR THEIR ACTIVITIES FIRST, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOW THEM WHAT THE GROUP CAME UP WITH?
>> LET'S GO AHEAD WITH THE ACTIVITIES. GO AHEAD.
>> SO THEN WHAT WE HAD THE GROUPS DO IS COME UP WITH ACTIVITIES OF WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN CROWLEY ISD.
SO THIS COULD BE CAREER INVENTORIES, JUST BASIC BOOKS, THERE'S SOMETHING SALLY THE RIVETER OR SOMETHING, SO READING ABOUT THAT, AND SHE DOES THIS JOB, WHATEVER, VIDEOS, STUDENT INTERESTS SURVEY, ALL LEVELS, ACTUALLY, TALK WITH STUDENTS ABOUT GREAT ENGINEERS OR STEM LEADERS, STEM-NOTS, PARENT-NOTS, BASIC POSTERS AROUND THE BUILDING, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SO IT'S THERE, IS REALLY WHAT OUR TEAM DECIDED.
>> SO FROM A BOARD PERSPECTIVE OR INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ARE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT YOU THINK, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A STEM PLUS PLAN, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER ACTIVITY THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD ENGAGE IN THAT WILL ACTUALLY INCREASE STUDENTS' AWARENESS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? DR. MAYFIELD, WHAT ALL THE ACTIVITIES? IF WE SAID WE WANT TO BUILD KIDS AWARENESS WAS ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN ADDITION IN ORDER TO BUILD KIDS AWARENESS ABOUT A PARTICULAR STEM FIELD.
>> WELL, I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST AND ALL OF THESE ARE THINGS THAT I WOULD TALK WITH STEM LEADERS, SO PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY IN THE FIELD.
SO, LOOKS INCLUSIVE. [LAUGHTER]
>> NO DOUBT. ROBINSON OR RAY, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU ALL WOULD ADD? ACTUALLY, DIXON, TAKE THAT FLAG DOWN SO THEY DON'T HAVE THAT TO LOOKING AT.
>> I KNOW. SO JUST THINK ABOUT THIS IDEA OF AWARENESS, HOW DO WE MAKE KIDS AWARE OF SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T KNOW EXIST RIGHT NOW? WHAT DO YOU THINK RAY OR ROBINSON ABOUT THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW. ONE WOULD JUST BE TO PUT POSTERS OUT OR ON THE CLASSROOM AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
>> YEAH. THAT'S AWESOME RIGHT THERE.
YOU THINK ABOUT A KID THAT'S WALKING IN A SCHOOL BUILDING AND EVERY DAY THEY WALK IN THIS BUILDING, THEY SEE A PICTURE OF THIS SCIENTIST AND THEY SEE THAT EVERY DAY.
THAT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE KEY STRATEGIES.
OUR BUILDINGS SHOULD BE SPEAKING, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WALK IN OUR BUILDINGS.
IF WE'RE A STEM PLUS DISTRICT, QUITE FRANKLY, YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN ANY SCHOOL BUILDING AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE WOW, THEY THINK SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH, ARTS.
THEY THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE PICTURES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THOSE THINGS.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT ON TARGET MR. RAY.
MS. DAVIS, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME ACTIVITIES THAT WE CAN ENGAGE IN AS A DISTRICT THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD KIDS AWARENESS OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE?
>> WHAT I'M THINKING IS NOT AN ACTIVITY IN THE REAL SENSE OF THE WORD, BUT IT IS BECAUSE IT'S AN ACTION THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING AND I THINK THAT IS THINGS THAT THEY DON'T ORDINARILY SEE EVERYDAY.
>> MR. RAY WAS SAYING WITH THE POSTERS, POSTERS ABOUT THINGS THOUGH, THAT THEY DON'T ALWAYS SEE AND SOMETHING THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAT MAKE THEM QUESTION AND TAKE AN INTEREST IN IT.
>> GOOD POINT. NO DOUBT. GOOD POINT.
ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE AWARENESS OR EVEN EXPOSURE?
>> I WOULD SAY EVEN MAKING SURE THAT CHILDREN SEE THEMSELVES.
[01:35:01]
>> WHEN I TAUGHT MATH, I HAD THIS POSTER ON MY DOOR THAT HAD DIVERSITY AND MATH AND JUST DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT ETHNICITY AND BACKGROUNDS.
SO STUDENTS COULD READ THEM AND JUST SEE THAT BLACKS CAN BE SCIENTISTS, HISPANICS CAN BE SURGEONS OR WHATEVER.
SO THAT WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS IT'S NOT ONLY FOR OTHER PEOPLE, IT'S FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TOO.
>> MAKE SURE THAT THEY SEE THEM.
>> MS. HALL, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT?
>> NO. I THINK IT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE.
I JUST THINK ABOUT REALLY GOOD INSTRUCTION ALWAYS HAS THOSE EXTENSION AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND I THINK JUST TAKING THE FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS AND PICKING THEIR INTEREST IN THE CLASSROOM, THE TEACHER HAS A PLACE TO ALSO INFORM THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
MR. MUHAMMAD, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE AWARENESS AND EXPOSURE? KINDLY DIFFERENTIATE FOR US MR. MUHAMMAD RASHAD, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT AWARENESS AND EXPOSURE AND SPECIFICALLY, WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THOSE TWO?
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WHEN I THINK OF AWARENESS I REALLY THINK OF STUDENTS ACTUALLY TOTALLY UNDERSTANDING WHATEVER THE CONCEPT IS, WHATEVER THEY'RE STUDYING, THEY'RE COMPLETELY AWARE OF THAT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EXPOSURES, JUST HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.
>> YOU CAN HEAR ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU COULD TALK ABOUT SOMETHING.
BUT IF YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT THERE AND DO IT, IT REALLY HAS NO MEANING TO YOU.
ALL RIGHT, MS. DIXON, IF YOU CAN KIND OF TAKE US ALL FORWARD.
GO AND SHOW US WHAT WE CAME UP WITH IT, AND AGAIN, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SHARED A LOT OF THAT AND THE THING I LIKE ABOUT IT, I THINK IT WAS ASSISTANT PERSON THAT MENTIONED IT.
WHEN YOU GO FROM THE INTANGIBLE WITH AWARENESS, WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW IT EXISTS, TO THE TANGIBLE WHERE YOU CAN TOUCH IT, YOU COULD FEEL IT, YOU COULD TASTE IT.
YOU KNOW IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE FOR YOU BECAUSE AS MR. ROBINSON SAID, "YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF IN IT", AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO KNOW, JUST MAKE SURE HE IS AWARE OF SOMETHING, BUT ALSO EXPOSED THEM TO IT.
SO LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES, TAKE US THROUGH SOME ACTIVITIES MS. DIXON THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT COULD BE EXPOSURE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES.
>> SO ACTUALLY, BRINGING THE TINKER TRACK FOR THE PRO MUSEUM OUT TO THE CAMPUSES WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE HERE? BUILDING, DOING THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS, VISITING BUSINESSES, CAREER DAYS, SCIENCE FAIRS, VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS.
SO NOW THEY'RE REALLY ENGAGING AND BEING EXPOSED TO WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE TALKING ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] , THINGS LIKE THAT.
SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY ARE INTERESTED IN DOING IS BEGINNING TO CREATE A DIGITAL RESUME BEGINNING IN KINDERGARTEN AND SO, AFTER THEY ARE AWARE OF IT AND NOW WE'RE EXPOSING THEM TO IT, THEN REFLECTING ON IT, "OH, I LIKE THAT, THAT WAS FUN." THEN REALLY KEEPING TRACK OF THAT IS WHAT OUR GOAL WOULD BE.
HAVING CTE STUDENTS COME TO DO ACTIVITY OR MODULES.
WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE JUNIORS AND SENIORS THAT ARE DOING THEIR PRACTICUM AT THE CTE CENTER.
MAYBE PART OF THAT WORKING WITH THE CTE JUST TO MAKE THEM COME DOWN AND DO HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES WITH OUR KIDDOS, GUEST SPEAKERS, WHICH WE'LL BE RECRUITING, AND THEN THE [INAUDIBLE] WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY OUT THERE AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN LEARNING IN IT.
>> ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO AHEAD AND IF I HAVE TO COME IN ON THAT ONE.
ALL RIGHT GO AHEAD, MS. DIXON [INAUDIBLE] OFF OF THE PYRAMID.
>> SO HERE WE GO. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO EXPLORE AND ENGAGE.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD EXPLORE WHAT THOUGHT WHICH [INAUDIBLE] THIS TIME.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD EXPLORE, WHEN WE'RE IN A HELICOPTER TOGETHER, WHEN LOOKING DOWN AT OUR DISTRICT, AND WE SEE WE HAVE THESE ACTIVITIES THAT ALLOW KIDS TO EXPLORE.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THE WORD EXPLORE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?
>> I FEEL LIKE EXPLORE ALLOWS ME TO EXPERIENCE THINGS I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED BEFORE AT MY OWN INITIATION.
>> AWESOME. THAT'S GOOD AT YOUR OWN INITIATION. I LIKE THAT.
DR. WOODSON, HOW WOULD YOU DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN EXPLORE AND EXPOSURE?
>> EXPLORE AND EXPOSURE OR EXPLORE AND ENGAGE? [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WANT YOU TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION.
>> OKAY. SO I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT EXPOSURE BEING THE OPPORTUNITIES SO THE DIFFERENT MEDIA FORMATS AND FORUMS FOR THEM.
EXPLORATION IS THE APPLICATION OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
[01:40:01]
BUT BEING ABLE TO KIND OF AT THEIR OWN PACE AND IN THEIR OWN WORLD AND MAKING THEIR DISCOVERY MODE, THEY'RE DISCOVERING.>> GOOD STUFF. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD TO THAT EXPLORATION? MS. DAVIS WHAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS RELATES TO EXPLORATION? TELL US, MS. DAVIS, WHAT YOU WOULD THINK THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXPLORATION-TYPE ACTIVITIES AND ACTUALLY ENGAGEMENT-TYPE ACTIVITIES?
>> OKAY. SO I THINK IF I'M EXPLORING AND I'M GOING TO BE LEARNING ABOUT.
>> IF I'M ENGAGING, I'M GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING.
>> SO WHEN YOU SAY PARTICIPATING, TELLS US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
>> I'M GOING TO MAYBE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE A NEW INTEREST IN, I'M GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES THAT SAY IT IS AN OPHTHALMOLOGISTS, THEN I'M GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH BEING AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST.
>> AWESOME. [INAUDIBLE] EXPLORING THE KIND OF TOOLS THAT YOU, BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN ACTUALLY USING THOSE TOOLS AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS.
>> I'M SORRY. I WAS REALLY HOPING YOU WERE GOING TO CALL ON ME ON THIS ONE [LAUGHTER] AS A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER BACK IN THE DAY, WHEN I SEE EXPLORE AND ENGAGE, IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT INQUIRY BASED LEARNING.
SO MORE ON THE CURRICULAR SIDE, THIS CAN LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THOSE BUCKETS.
BUT I THINK THAT ALLOWS TEACHERS IN STEM FIELDS, PARTICULARLY IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND MATH, TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO NOT JUST HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT TO DEFINE THE QUESTION TO BEGIN WITH AND I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF THAT.
>> NO DOUBT. THAT'S GOOD STUFF.
DEFINITELY GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT IT, NO DOUBT.
MS. HALL OR ROBINSON, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? WE ARE TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN EXPOSURE, EXPLORATION, AND ENGAGEMENT.
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THOSE THREE.
>> I JUST THINK EXPOSURE IS SURFACE LEVEL.
SO [OVERLAPPING] YOU HAVEN'T REALLY INTERACTED OR FAMILIARIZED YOURSELF WITH IT.
WHEN YOU BEGIN TO EXPLORE, YOU START INVESTIGATING, ACTUALLY, DELVING INTO IT.
THEN AS JUNE SAID, WHEN YOU ENGAGE, YOU START PARTICIPATING.
>> YEAH, GOOD STUFF. ALL RIGHT.
MISS HALL, DO YOU WANT TO ADD?
>> I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD TO THAT.
I THINK EXACTLY WHAT ENGAGEMENT IS, IS NOW I GET TO PRACTICE THE TRADE OR THE SKILL OR INTERESTS, WHATEVER I HAVE [OVERLAPPING] IN A REAL-WORLD SETTING.
>> NO DOUBT. ALL RIGHT, GOOD DEAL.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD JUST TO THAT? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS PYRAMID, WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT COLLECTIVELY, WE'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY ACTIVITIES IN EACH ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
SO AT ANY POINT IN TIME, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT KIND OF EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES WE HAVE IN A DISTRICT.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL, HERE ARE THE DIFFERENT EXPLORATION TYPE ACTIVITIES WE HAVE.
WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PYRAMID IN THIS FRAMEWORK IS BECAUSE WE THINK IT'LL HELP US TO BE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IDENTIFYING ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US TO GET THE MESSAGE CLEAR TO OUR STUDENTS.
SO WE CAN GO FORWARD MEGAN WITH THE NEXT ONE.
>> OKAY, SO JUST HOW OUR TEAMS DEFINED EXPLORE: LEARNING WHILE DOING, DISCOVERY, RISK, EXPERIMENTING, HANDS ON INVESTIGATION, DEEPER UNDERSTANDING, 'AHA' MOMENTS.
EXPLORER, I THINK IS GOING TO BE MY FAVORITE ONE TO DO BECAUSE IT'S REALLY WHERE THEY GET TO DIG IN.
SO ACTIVITIES THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT, WE'RE CREATING THE SCHOOL GARDEN.
BREAKOUT ROOMS ARE ESCAPE ROOMS THAT FUNCTIONS AS THE VEHICLE OF EXPLORATION, SO WORKING THROUGH TO GET TO THE NEXT STAGE.
AGAIN, THOSE VERY TARGETED FIELD TRIPS, FIELD EXPERIENCES, CTE VISITS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT FLYING CLASSROOM CURRICULUM IN THE SUMMER.
THOSE ARE REALLY NEAT EXPEDITIONS THAT HE DOES, SO REALLY EXPLORING THROUGH THOSE, DIGGING IN THAT CURRICULAR PIECE TO THE PROJECT BASED LEARNING, HAVING EXPERT SPEAKERS.
A COUPLE OF OUR CAMPUSES HAVE E-TIME OR ENRICHMENT TIME, CLUB TIME, LETTING STUDENTS REALLY DIG INTO THEIR INTERESTS AND EXPLORE THROUGH THAT TIME, INGENIOUS HOUR OBVIOUSLY.
[01:45:01]
SO THAT'S EXPLORE AND THEN ENGAGEMENT: APPLYING THAT KNOWLEDGE, DEEPER INQUIRY,AND DEMONSTRATING RELEVANT APPLICATION.IT ALIGNS YOUR PASSION WITH THE PATHWAY.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT PYRAMID, AND I SHOWED YOU THOSE GRADE LEVELS GOING UP THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
THESE REALLY ARE WHERE YOU START DIGGING INTO THAT COURSE WORK OF WHAT YOU'RE TRULY PASSIONATE ABOUT IF WE'VE DONE RIGHT FOR AWARENESS, EXPOSURE, AND EXPLORATION.
SO SOME IDEAS HERE WOULD BE THOSE SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS; REALLY DIGGING INTO THAT MISSION POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE PROVIDE, FOR ALL THE STUDENTS AT CROWLEYISD.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S A VOLUNTARY OPPORTUNITY, BUT REALLY PUSHING STUDENTS INTO THAT.
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS, REALLY DIGGING INTO THEIR INTERESTS, FUTURE CITIES, ROBOTICS, AND THEN THIS IS WHERE AGAIN, THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL IS SO IMPORTANT, ENROLLING IN THE COURSES THAT ARE TRULY ALIGNED TO THEIR INTERESTS.
BY THAT POINT, AGAIN, IF WE'VE DONE RIGHT BY OUR KIDS, WE'VE EXPOSED THEM AND GIVEN THEM ENOUGH AWARENESS THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY REALLY TRULY WANT TO DO FOR HIGH-SCHOOL.
THEN JUST REAL-WORLD PROJECTS LUNCH WITH YOUR FUTURE, THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE YOU'RE ENGAGING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
SO THE LAST ONE IS ARTICULATION.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT ON BOARD IS THAT WHEN OUR KIDS GRADUATE AND LEAVE OUR DISTRICT, WE WANT THEM TO ARTICULATE THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITHIN OUR DISTRICT TO THEIR FUTURE, TO THEIR LIFE, TO THEIR CAREER CHOICES, TO THEIR DEGREE CHOICES AND ALL THAT.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT THEY'RE LEARNING, THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY ARTICULATE HOW WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING IS ACTUALLY IMPACTFUL TO THEM OR COULD BE IMPACTFUL TO THEM IN THE FUTURE.
SO AS IT RELATES TO ARTICULATION FOR YOU, THEN WE'LL START WITH YOU MISS DAVIS.
FOR YOU, WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD ARTICULATION IN A CONTEXT OF THIS STEEL PLAN, AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT ACTIVITIES THAT WE WANT TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THEIR LEARNING, GIVE ME EITHER A PARTICULAR DEFINITION OF ARTICULATION FOR YOU OR MAYBE THE ACTIVITY THAT YOU BELIEVE WILL HELP KIDS ARTICULATE.
>> SO IF WE GO BACK TO WHAT MS. DIXON SAID, WE WANT THEM TO BE PREPARED WHEN THEY LEAVE US.
SO IF THEY ARE THEN THAT ARTICULATION TO ME WOULD BE THAT THEY CAN SPEAK CLEARLY ABOUT WHAT IT IS THEY HAVE LEARNED AND LIKE YOU SAID, WELL, HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THEIR FUTURE.
BUT THEY HAVE A REAL GOOD UNDERSTANDING AND CAN SPEAK TO THAT WITH CLARITY.
>> NO DOUBT. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT DR. WOODSON?
>> WITH ARTICULATION, I THINK THAT IT IS ALLOWING STUDENTS TO BE INQUISITIVE, MAY ASK QUESTIONS, INTERPRET WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED AND WHAT THEY'VE APPLIED, AND BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED, LIKE EVEN IN THE TEACH-BACK SETTING.
SO THAT'S HOW I'M THINKING THAT IS.
>> YEAH, NO DOUBT BECAUSE IF A KID CAN STAND AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING, YOU KNOW THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S GOING TO APPLY TO THEIR FUTURE.
>> YES, IT'S A TRANSFER OF LEARNING.
ROBERTSON OR BENTON OR HALL, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME AS A FORMER MATH TEACHER, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THEY CAN WRITE ABOUT IT AND TALK ABOUT IT, THEY KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO IF THEY'RE ABLE TO TEACH AND EXPLAIN IT IF IT'S ABOUT ROBOTICS AND THEY CAN EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS, THE COMPONENTS, EXPLAIN WHY AND DEMONSTRATE, THEN THEY ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND IT.
>> AWESOME. THAT'S GOOD STUFF.
I DIDN'T TELL YOU ALL IN THIS BOARD, BUT WE'RE CAPTURING YOUR COMMENTS BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SHARING WITH US, WE WERE MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE IN OUR PLAN.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY WRITING THOSE THINGS DOWN, SO WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU ON THAT ONE.
BENTON, HALL OR RAY, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE ARTICULATION CONVERSATION?
>> THE ONLY THING THAT I WAS THINKING OF IS A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE SCIENCE FAIRS AND STUFF I THINK IS PROBABLY GOOD.
>> YOU GET THEM TO WORK ON A PROJECT AND THEN THEY HAVE TO ARTICULATE WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND ALL THAT INFORMATION THEY HAD.
I BET YOU, ALL OF US CAN THINK ABOUT A SCIENCE FAIR OR A SCIENCE PROJECT OR SOME KIND OF FAIR THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN, WHERE WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED.
WE DON'T FORGET THAT. YOU DON'T FORGET THAT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO ACTUALLY SHARE AND TEACH WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING.
SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, MR. RAY, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
MISS BENTON OR HALL, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO IT?
>> I THINK A GOOD ACTIVITY THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR ARTICULATION AS THE STUDENTS MOVE UP THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THE STUDENTS WHO ARE FINISHING OUT COULD COME BACK DOWN AND SHARE THEIR LEARNING BEING PART OF THE EXPOSURE FOR SOME OF THE YOUNGER GRADES.
[01:50:05]
>> MISS BENTON THAT'S DEFINITELY AN AWESOME RECOMMENDATION.
MANY OF OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS MENTIONED, HEY WE HAVE THIS AWESOME CTE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN HEALTH SCIENCE AND IN OTHER AREAS.
WHAT IF WE HAD THOSE STUDENTS COME BACK DOWN TO OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND TALK ABOUT THAT? WHAT IF WE TOOK OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ON A VISIT TO THEIR CTE BUILDING AND SEE THE AWESOME THINGS WE HAVE GOING ON THERE? SO THAT'S DEFINITELY A GREAT, WAY TO ARTICULATE THAT TO THE FUTURE.
SO YEAH, NO DOUBT. GOOD SUGGESTION THERE MISS BENTON FOR SURE. ANYBODY ELSE?
>> I WAS GOING TO DRAW ON MS. ROBINSON'S COMMENT ABOUT THE DEMONSTRATION PART.
>> NOT ONLY BEING ABLE TO MAYBE DEMONSTRATE OR TEACH IT TO OTHERS, BUT ALSO MAYBE TO ACT IT OUT IN OFFICIAL CAPACITY, AND IN LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, A ROLE, ACTUALLY PERFORMING THE ROLE NOW.
>> YEAH. NO DOUBT, NO DOUBT, GOOD DEAL FOR SURE.
SO WHAT WE SHARE WITH YOU ALL, NOW LET MS. DIXON TAKEOVER, BUT WHAT WE SHARE WITH YOU ARE REALLY IS THIS PYRAMID REPRESENTS THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE AS WE ARE DETERMINING AND IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES THAT WE'LL USE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT AS OUR KIDS GOING THROUGH OUR SYSTEM, THEY'RE EXPOSED, AND THEY'RE AWARE, AND THEY'RE ENGAGED, AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT THEY OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND THEN THEY CONNECT IT TO THEIR FUTURE OUTSIDE OF OUR CROWLEY ISD.
AND SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
GO AHEAD, MS. DIXON, AND JUST KIND OF SHARE WITH THEM ABOUT ARTICULATION AND WHAT WE DETERMINE IS IMPORTANT AS RELATES TO THAT.
>> OKAY. JUST KIND OF THE SAME THING; SHOW, PUTTING THINGS INTO ACTION, OWNING THE KNOWLEDGE, TEACHING SOMEONE ELSE, AND INITIATING THEIR LEARNING.
AND THEN ACTIVITIES WOULD BE THERE AT THAT INTERNSHIP PHASE, AND ELEMENTARY SUMMER CAMPS LED BY JUNIORS AND SENIORS, ENSURING THOSE PRACTICAL ENFORCES, JOB SHADOWING, PARTICIPATING IN THOSE EXTRACURRICULAR CTE CLUBS, AND THEN JUST REALLY BEING A PART OF THOSE PRACTICUM COURSES.
SO ONCE THEY GET UP THERE, HAVING TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
SO THAT, LIKE DR. MCFARLAND SAID, THAT'S OUR ULTIMATE GOAL, IS GETTING STUDENTS JUST TO FEEL CONFIDENT IN A CAREER THEY'RE CHOSEN OR CHOOSING, AND MAKING SURE WE'RE PREPARING THEM FOR THAT, AND GIVING THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
SO I'M GOING TO QUICKLY JUST LET YOU ALL KNOW WHAT OUR IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS ARE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
LIKE WE SAID, IT'S A REALLY A FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
TO DO IT RIGHT, AND MAKE IT ROBUST AND REALLY MEATY AND MEANINGFUL, IS REALLY WHAT THE KEY WORD THERE IS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT WE'VE GOT LOTS OF WORK TO DO AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO OUR IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS ARE; WE'LL BE CREATING THE VISION AND MISSION OF WHAT STEM PLUS LOOKS LIKE IN CROWLEY ISD IN THE COMING WEEKS, WITH OUR DISTRICT LEVEL TEAM, SOME OF OUR PRINCIPLES AND OUR STEM PLUS GROUP.
WE WILL BEGIN OUR STEM PLUS CURRICULUM WRITING AND IMPLEMENTATION THIS SUMMER.
I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THOSE SEVEN STEM PLUS TEACHERS, AND THEN OUR OTHER ADDITIONAL MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THAT TEAM, TO REALLY START DISCUSSING WHAT WE REALLY WANT THAT LESSON CYCLE TO LOOK LIKE, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ALIGN THAT TO CTE.
WE ARE WORKING ON OUR DISTRICT LEVEL STEM PLUS COMMITTEE,AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE CAMPUS COMMITTEES, THAT WILL BE COMING TOWARDS THE END OF THE SUMMER AFTER EVERYTHING KIND OF, I'D SAY "SETTLES".
BUT, ONCE WE GET BACK INTO THE, ON THE OTHER END, IF YOU WILL, WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING, I'M WORKING WITH DR. CLARENCE WILLIAMS,TO TALK ABOUT WHAT A STEM PLUS CAMPUS COORDINATOR WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO DO, AND HOW WE WOULD SUPPORT THEM,AND THEN OUR STEM PLUS TEACHERS WORKING ALONGSIDE THEM.
ALSO WORKING WITH MR. DARYL PORTER, WITH HIS P-TECH'S OPPORTUNITIES, AND DR. WILLIAMS, WHERE WE'RE REALLY GATHERING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND SPEAKERS FOR A BUREAU.
WE ARE OPEN FOR ANYONE TO COME BE A PART OF OUR SPEAKER'S BUREAU.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, IF YOU,WE WILL LIKELY BE REACHING OUT, AND REALLY JUST GATHERING RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS, WITH LOTS OF UNDERLYING THINGS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND SO, DOCTOR MCFARLAND, I'LL LET YOU FINISH IT UP FOR US.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AGAIN.
WHAT WE WANTED YOU TO DO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR STEM PLAN,
[01:55:04]
PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS AND EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT STEM IS.I WANT TO BE SURE AS WE CLOSE, THAT WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S STEM IS NOT.
SO STEM IS NOT ABOUT US TEACH TRYING TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE ALL ENGINEERS, ALL SCIENTISTS, ALL MATHEMATICIANS.
WHAT STEM IS ABOUT, IS ABOUT US TRYING TO EXPOSE KIDS TO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, THAT WE KNOW BASED ON THE RESEARCH, BASED ON THE DATA FROM THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT BOTH MS. DUVALL IS A PART OF AND BOTH IN OUR AREA WHERE THERE'S TEXAS WORKFORCE OR OTHER.
WHAT WE KNOW IS IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA, THE STEM FIELD, ABOUT 80 TO 90 PERCENT OF THE JOBS AVAILABLE, THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE HIGH-PAYING JOBS, WILL BE IN THE STEM FIELD.
SO NO, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TEACH KIDS TO BE ENGINEERS, OR PILOTS, OR ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS, BUT WE ARE, WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO EXPOSE THEM TO THESE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK, WHEN YOU ASK ME OR YOU ASK ANYONE IN THE DISTRICT ABOUT OUR STEM PROGRAM, WHAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IS BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE TO YOU WHAT ACTIVITIES WE HAVE GOING IN A CO-CURRICULAR AREA, THE EXTRACURRICULAR AREA, AND THE CURRICULAR AREA, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHETHER THE ACTIVITY IS CONNECTED TO AN AWARENESS EFFORT, AN EXPOSURE EFFORT, AN EXPLORATION EFFORT, AN ENGAGEMENT EFFORT, OR AN ARTICULATION EFFORT.
WE'RE USING THIS KIND OF GRAPHIC AS KIND OF A GUIDE.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN, AS SHE MENTIONED, EACH CAMPUS, IT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT ON EACH CAMPUS, BUT EVERY CAMPUS WILL HAVE ACTIVITIES THAT BUILDS KIDS AWARENESS, EXPOSURE, EXPLORATION, ENGAGEMENT ON ARTICULATION.
SO WHAT WE HOPE IS THAT BY THE TIME 2025 COMES AND BEYOND, THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE WITH SOME EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THOSE AREAS THAT'LL BE MOST AVAILABLE TO THEM.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT KICKING THIS OFF.
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING OUT THERE AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO SUPPORT US, AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY LAUNCH THIS THIS YEAR, AND IT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE FUTURE FOR CROWLEY ISD.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE JUST FOR TONIGHT.
WE ARE OPEN, WE REMAIN OPEN TO ADDITIONAL INPUT.
SO WE ARE, AT PRESIDENT HALL, WE ARE, WE ARE DONE WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
WE JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU; HERE'S OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS, WE'RE OPEN TO INPUT FROM YOU ALL AS WELL.
SO WE'LL TURN BACK OVER TO YOU AT THIS POINT.
>> BEFORE WE DO THAT, IF I CAN SEE THAT SCREEN AGAIN, I'M JUST WONDERING.
>> WILL THEY BE EXPOSED TO THIS PYRAMID, TO KNOW THEY'RE AT THE EXPOSURE LEVEL, AND NOW I'M AT THE EXPLORER LEVEL AND ON UP THE PYRAMID.
WILL THEY BE AWARE OF THAT, AT ALL?
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AS WE MEET WITH THE STEM TEAM AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT MAY BE A GREAT IDEA FOR US TO IDENTIFY WHEN YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS ACTIVITY, THIS IS THE LEVEL THAT WILL ADDRESS IT.
WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT YET, MS. DAVIS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT AS WE ROLL THIS PLAN OUT, THAT WE WE DEFINITELY WILL TAKE IN CONSIDERATION.
>> OKAY. JUST A QUESTION. THANK YOU.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER? DO WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS GOING ON IN ELEMENTARY LEVEL? HOW'S THIS GOING TO INTERACT WITH THOSE?
>> SO WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE OTHER PROGRAM, SO ARE YOU SPEAKING OF THE OTHER CHOICE PROGRAMS, OR JUST OTHER PROGRAMS IN GENERAL?
>> WELL, I WAS THINKING SPECIFICALLY CHOICE PROGRAMS.
>> OKAY. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE KIND OF MOVED AWAY FROM HAVING INDIVIDUAL CHOICE PROGRAMS ON CAMPUSES, WHERE STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN ACTUALLY CHOOSE TO COME TO THIS SCHOOL OR THAT SCHOOL.
SO WHAT WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO DO, IS TO MAKE SURE IN EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THAT THESE ACTIVITIES ARE PRESENT IN EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO EVERY STUDENT IS NOW ZONED TO ATTEND THEIR HOME CAMPUS.
IN THEIR CAMPUS, THEY WILL GET EXPOSURE TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH, AND THE ARTS, IN THEIR AREA.
SO THAT WAY, THERE'S NO NEED FOR TRANSPORTATION TO A PARTICULAR CHOICE PROGRAM, BECAUSE IN YOUR CAMPUS YOU'LL BE EXPOSED TO THAT.
>> SO DR. MCFARLAND, WITH THAT SAID, IS IT GOING TO BE UNIFORMITY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD? MEANING, THAT NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL I GO TO, I WILL STILL BE ABLE TO PARTAKE OR WHATEVER IS ALSO AT ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
>> SO YEAH, SO YOUR EXPERIENCE WILL BE, YOU'LL BE EXPOSED AND AWARE.
NOW IT MAY LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE INTERESTS OF THAT CAMPUS BECAUSE THERE MAYBE EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT BEST RACE, FOR EXAMPLE,
[02:00:03]
MAYBE THEY HAVE A FEATURE PHARMACY PROGRAM AT THIS RACE, WHEREAS AT PARKWAY, WE MAY HAVE SOME OTHER KIND OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT WE'LL SUPPORT AT EVERY CAMPUS.SO IT WON'T BE THE EXACT SAME AT EVERY CAMPUS, BUT EVERY CAMPUS WILL HAVE SOME KIND OF EXPOSURE TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH IN THOSE THREE BUCKETS, BUT IT WON'T BE THE EXACT SAME AT EVERY CAMPUS.
>> BUT THEY'RE GOING TO ALL BE AWESOME RIGHT? EQUAL AWESOME.
>> YES, WE HAVE SEVEN AWESOME STEM CLASS TEACHERS, AND WHEN I TELL YOU DR. MCFARLAND'S COMMITTED THIS, WHEN HE SAID WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STEM CLASS COORDINATORS ON EVERY CAMPUS, HE'S HIGHLY COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THIS IS A TRULY ROBUST AND AUTHENTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS.
I PROMISE, I'M GOING TO DO THAT FOR YOU, MS. HALL, YOU KNOW I TAKE [OVERLAPPING].
>> THERE IS JUST SIMPLY NO WAY FOR US TO DO THIS WITHOUT PUTTING RESOURCES TO IT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS AND I THINK MR. RAY ASKED A QUESTION, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS, WITH TRANSPORTATION, THE WAY WE CURRENTLY ARE RUNNING OUR STEM PROGRAM, THERE IS ABOUT 900 TO ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'VE SPENT IN THE PAST JUST ON TRANSPORTING KIDS TO PARTICULAR PROGRAMS. WE'RE ABLE TO REDIRECT THE FUNDS TO MAKE SURE NOW THAT WE HAVE AN ACTUAL STEM TEACHER ON EVERY CAMPUS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
IN ADDITION, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ACTUALLY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE CO-CURRICULAR AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ON EVERY ELEMENTARY CAMPUS, AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT OF RESOURCES, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE PUT THE PLAN TOGETHER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE RESOURCES TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU, MS. DIXON FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> I THINK THIS NOW BRINGS US TO OUR LAST STUDY SESSION ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, WHICH IS ITEM 4.1, I'M SORRY, 4.3, THE 2019-20 BUDGET UPDATE AND PRELIMINARY 2020-21 BUDGET REVIEW, DR. MCFARLAND.
>> SO MADAME PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, I JUST, FIRST, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JUST ALLOWING US THE TIME TO HAVE THESE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S GOOD AND IT'S DEFINITELY GOOD FOR US.
WE'RE NOW READY TO GO INTO, REALLY, BUDGET DISCUSSION, AND THE REALITY IS ALL THESE THINGS ARE GREAT, BUT WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THESE THINGS UNLESS WE BUDGET FOR THEM AND WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES AT ALL TO DO IT.
SO MS. ADRIAN AND THE WHOLE FINANCE TEAM HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF REALLY PREPARING US, AND SO TONIGHT, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS TAKE SOME TIME TO REALLY WALK THROUGH A BUDGET PROCESS, AND I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK US ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT HOW WE'RE ALLOCATING, WHY WE'RE ALLOCATING AND JUST SHARE WITH US YOUR PRIORITIES AS WE TALK THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
MS. ADRIAN IS PREPARED TO GIVE YOU A BUDGET UPDATE AND THEN I'LL ALSO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR 2020 AND 2021 BUDGET, MS. ADRIAN.
>> THANK YOU, DR. MCFARLAND, MS. HALL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD,.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO TONIGHT, IS JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE '19-'20 BUDGET AND THEN GO INTO THE '20-'21 ONE BUDGET.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE THE '19-'20 BUDGET PROJECTIONS, THIS IS THE SAME NUMBERS I SHOWED YOU LAST TIME.
OUR PROJECTED REVENUE IS A $151 MILLION, OUR PROJECTED EXPENDITURES IS 153.
WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A $1.3 MILLION SHORTFALL THIS YEAR.
WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE COVID EXPENDITURES RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP IT AS THIS IS HOW IT IS.
I'LL TALK ABOUT COVID LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT JUST LOOKING AT THE BUDGETS THE WAY THEY ARE, WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A ONE MILLION DOLLARS SHORTFALL.
I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE BASED ON OUR ADA OF 14,675.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A KEY POINT WHENEVER WE'RE CALCULATING OUR REVENUE.
IF YOU'LL TURN TO THE NEXT SLIDE, TEA FINALLY GAVE US THE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY WOULD CALCULATE OUR ADA FOR THIS YEAR, SINCE OUR KIDS HAVEN'T SHOWED UP FOR 2-6 WEEKS.
SO THEY TOOK THE HISTORICAL DATA FROM THE '18-'19 SCHOOL YEAR, THEY COMPARED THE FIRST THROUGH THE FOURTH SIX WEEKS AND COMPARED THAT TO THE FINAL [INAUDIBLE] TOOK THAT RATIO, THEN THEY LOOKED AT OUR CURRENT YEAR, '19-'20 ADA THROUGH THE FOURTH SIX WEEKS, AND WE HAD 14,672.
USING THE RATIO FROM THE '18-'19 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WERE WIND UP WITH 14,675 FOR OUR ADA, AND THE BUDGET WAS BASED ON THE REFINED ADA OF 14,690 SO ALL IN ALL, THAT'S AMAZING THAT WE CAME OUT AS WELL AS WE
[02:05:03]
DID WITHOUT HAVING THE KIDS HERE FOR THE LAST PART OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE REALLY SEE THAT $1.3 MILLION DEFICIT? OUR FUND BALANCE LAST YEAR ENDED AT $34 MILLION, WITH EXPENDITURES OF A 142 MILLION, THAT'S AT ROUGHLY 24 PERCENT OR THREE MONTHS' WORTH OF EXPENDITURES.
WITH THE $1.3 MILLION, OUR POSSIBLE FUND BALANCE FOR THE END OF THIS MONTH, THE END OF THIS YEAR, WOULD BE 32.8 MILLION, BUT BASED ON A $153 MILLION WORTH OF EXPENDITURES, IT WOULD BE 21 PERCENT OR TWO AND A HALF MONTHS' WORTH OF EXPENDITURES, AND OF COURSE, OUR FUND BALANCE GOAL IS ALWAYS 17-25 PERCENT OR 2-3 MONTHS' WORTH OF EXPENDITURES.
AGAIN, I'LL ADDRESS THAT 1.3 WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COVID EXPENDITURES LATER ON, THIS EVENING.
SO GOING TO THE '20-'21 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
AGAIN, YOU'VE SEEN THESE NUMBERS IN THE PAST.
OUR ANTICIPATED REVENUE WOULD BE $156 MILLION DOLLARS, OUR BUDGETED EXPENDITURES OF 163, GIVING US A $6.8 MILLION DEFICIT AT THIS TIME.
AGAIN, I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE ADA.
THESE PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON 14,675.
WE'RE ENDING THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR WITH THAT 14,675, AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY RESPONSIBLE ON MY PART TO CONTINUE WITH THAT NUMBER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE COVID AND THE SCHOOLS CLOSING AND THE SCHOOLS OPENING, THERE'S ALSO TWO NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE OPENING UP IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO INCREASE OUR ADA, BUT THE PAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE INCREASED OUR ADA BY 200 TWO YEARS AGO AND 287 THIS PAST YEAR.
SO I THINK THIS IS STILL A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER, BUT LIKE I SAID, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS OPENING IN OUR DISTRICT IS A LITTLE CAUSE FOR CONCERN.
THE SECOND MAJOR COMPONENT OBVIOUSLY IS THE TAX RATE, ON THE NEXT, THERE YOU GO.
AGAIN, YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE.
THIS IS THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, AT WHICH IS $1.547.
WHEN I DROPPED IN OUR MAY ESTIMATES THAT WE RECEIVED, THE TAX RATE CAME OUT TO BE $1.258.
AGAIN THOUGH, RIGHT NOW I'M BUDGETING FOR $1.258 BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE PLAYING OUT, BUT TEA WILL STILL MASSAGE OUR NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT AFTER THEY RECEIVE NUMBERS FROM EVERYBODY IN THE STATE, AND WE WON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL TAX RATE UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST.
SO CONSERVATIVE, CONSERVATIVE, CONSERVATIVE, I HOPE IT PAYS OFF.
JUST A LITTLE HISTORICAL INFORMATION, THIS IS A GENERAL FUND REVENUE; THE BLUE REPRESENTS LOCAL REVENUE, THE ORANGE, STATE REVENUE, AND YOU CAN SEE, IN FIVE YEARS, OUR LOCAL REVENUE HAS INCREASED FROM 59 MILLION TO $83 MILLION.
THE STATE REVENUE, 64 MILLION UP TO 70.
YOU CAN SEE THEY DIDN'T INCREASE NEAR AS MUCH, AND IF YOU'LL TURN TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE LOCAL VERSUS STATE.
AGAIN, SAME FIVE YEARS, THE BLUE LINE REPRESENTS LOCAL, YOU CAN SEE THE LOCALS INCREASING AS A PERCENTAGE FOR OUR BUDGET, AND THE ORANGE, OR THE STATE REVENUE IS DECREASING LITTLE BY LITTLE, EVEN GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS, FOR THE '19-'20, AS WELL AS THE '20-'21 YEAR, OUR TAX RATE HAS DECREASED BECAUSE WE WERE REQUIRED TO, BUT OUR TAX BASE IS STILL INCREASING AT ROUGHLY NINE PERCENT EACH YEAR, SO THE PERCENTAGE VERSUS THE STATE PERCENTAGES, OUR LOCAL'S STILL INCREASING, AND JUST A NOTE HERE, I HAVE THAT THE CURRENT TAX COLLECTIONS, JUST THE CURRENT TAX COLLECTIONS, NOT ALL OF THE LOCAL REVENUES, BUT JUST THE CURRENT TAX COLLECTIONS AND THE STATE COLLECTIONS REPRESENT 91 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET SO ALL THE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES WE HAVE ARE MINIMAL AS FAR AS THE GENERAL FUND GOES.
>> HOLD UP RIGHT THERE, STACEY.
ONE OF THE POINTS I'D LIKE TO [INAUDIBLE] IS THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SCHOOL FINANCE, WE LOOK AROUND AND WE SEE ALL THE GROWTH THAT'S OCCURRING IN OUR AREA AND WE SEE ALL THE DEVELOPMENT, AND WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE LOCAL VALUE MAY BE INCREASING, THE SCHOOL FINANCE FORMULA BASICALLY ADJUSTS FOR THAT, AND SO WHEN LOCAL VALUE INCREASES,
[02:10:03]
THE AMOUNT WE RECEIVE FROM STATE KIND OF DECREASES, AND IT KIND OF BALANCES OUT.SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL FINANCE, REALLY THE KEY STRATEGY FOR INCREASING REVENUE IS ATTENDANCE AND ENROLLMENT, AND THE THING THAT IMPACTS ATTENDANCE AND ENROLLMENT, IS THE REALLY CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS WE HAVE, AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THIS FOCUS AND THIS ATTENTION ON MAKING SURE KIDS HAVE CHOICES AND INNOVATIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE SEE ALL THE DEVELOPMENT AND PEOPLE WOULD THINK, ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA, ALL THE DISTRICT IS GETTING ALL THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY, WE'RE NOT.
WHEN WE SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING, THE STATE REDUCES THE AMOUNT THAT THEY SEND TO US, AND SO THAT'S A BALANCING ACT AS [INAUDIBLE] AS FINANCE FORMULA.
>> THAT IS CORRECT, DR. MCFARLAND.
YEAH, BUT LIKE I SAID, AT LEAST OUR TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING A SMALLER TAX RATE, BUT OUR VALUES ARE GOING UP SO AS YOU SAW THE PUBLIC NOTICE FOR THE TAX MEETING.
I THINK THE DOLLAR AMOUNT PER YEAR CHANGE LIKE $9, EVEN THOUGH THE TAX RATE WENT DOWN MORE LIKE $0.11, BUT OUR VALUES CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF 5 YEARS HISTORICAL EXPENSES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
OUR REVENUE HAS GONE UP BUT STILL HAVE OUR EXPENDITURES.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, IT JUST LOOKS AT THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR BY ITSELF AND THIS IS BY FUNCTION.
THE BIGGEST PORTION OBVIOUSLY IS FUNCTION 11 AND THE NUMBERS, IT DOESN'T SHOW UP VERY WELL BUT IT'S $99.3 MILLION WE SPEND IN FUNCTION 11 OUT OF A 163 MILLION THAT WE'RE PROJECTING.
YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER NUMBERS IN THERE.
THE BIGGEST ONE AFTER FUNCTION 11 IS ACTUALLY MAINTENANCE.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE LIGHTS ON FOR OUR KIDDOS TO LEARN AS WELL.
ONE THING I WANT TO CAUTION ABOUT A $163 MILLION BUDGETED EXPENDITURES SO FAR IS THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY SALARY INCREASES, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL NURSING STAFF YET AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COVID-19 EXPENDITURES YET THAT I'LL STILL ADDRESS LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT IF WE WIND UP TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT THIS WOULD DO TO OUR FUND BALANCE AGAIN, THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE SAME SLIDE YOU SAW EARLIER IN THIS PRESENTATION, ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN, IT SHOWS THE POSSIBLE FUND BALANCE AS OF JUNE 2020 WOULD BE $32.8 MILLION.
IF WE HAVE A $6.8 MILLION DEFICIT ON TOP OF THAT, IT WOULD BRING OUR FUND BALANCE AS OF JUNE 2021 TO $25.9 MILLION ON THE BUDGET OF A $163 MILLION, THE PERCENTAGE OF EXPENDITURES IT WOULD BE AT 15.86 PERCENT OR 1.9 MONTHS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES.
THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN OUR FUND BALANCE GOAL OF 17-25 PERCENT OR TWO TO THREE MONTHS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES.
SO WE HAVE GOT TO REALLY MAKE EVERY DOLLAR COUNT GOING FORWARD FOR THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR.
I'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE TITLE ON THAT ONE, I'M SORRY.
SO JUST A BRIEF CONVERSATION ABOUT COVID-19.
>> STACEY, CAN I ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK?
>> CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE.
OKAY. SO I'M JUST CONFUSED, WHAT IS THAT $6.8 MILLION? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE PROJECTING RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO IMPACT THE FUND BALANCE?
>> YES. IF WE HAD TO APPROVED THE BUDGET TONIGHT, THE REVENUE IS SHORT OF THE EXPENDITURES BY $6.8 MILLION.
>> THAT INCLUDING THE PROJECTED RAISE?
>> THEN WHAT I'M MISSING? BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS 1.3 MILLION.
I GUESS, MAYBE I JUST GOT OFF SOMEWHERE.
>> I'M SORRY, RYAN, BUT THE 1.3 SHORTFALL IS THE CURRENT YEAR, THE 19-20 THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END UP FOR THE 19-20 YEAR.
THEN GOING FORWARD FOR THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE WE WOULD HAVE A SHORTFALL AS WELL.
>> BUDGET AND SHORTFALL OF $6.8 MILLION.
>> SO STACEY, GOING BACK TO THE 1.3, WHAT DID WE BUDGET THIS YEAR AS A SHORTFALL? BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS PRICED PROBABLY BY 6.8 AS WELL.
>> IT WAS A LITTLE OVER $6 MILLION DEFICIT.
>> RIGHT. SO WE BUDGETED FOR A $6 MILLION DEFICIT BUT WE THINK WILL FALL ABOUT 1.3 AND SO JUST FOR CONTEXT.
[02:15:05]
>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT. I'LL GET INTO COVID-19 AND THE EXPENDITURES HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU WILL.
THIS IS THE HEALTH SERVICES STAFFING PROPOSAL AS PRESENTED MAY 28TH.
OUR CURRENT PLAN SHOWS EXPENDITURES OF 1.1 MILLION FOR HEALTH CARE, 1.9 IF WE GO WITH OPTION 1 AND 1.7 IF WE GO WITH OPTION TWO.
BUT AGAIN, THE BUDGET I'M PRESENTING TONIGHT DOES NOT INCLUDE THESE ADDITIONAL STAFFING PROPOSALS AS PRESENTED.
I DID TALK TO [INAUDIBLE] AND SHE IS AVAILABLE TONIGHT IF WE NEED TO TALK TO HER REGARDING THIS OR THE COVID-19 EXPENDITURES, THAT IF WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE RESOURCES OF $2.5 MILLION FROM THE SR FUND, THE CRF FUND WOULD COVER 75 PERCENT OF EXPENDITURES THROUGH MAY 20TH AND WE HAVE PURCHASED SOME THINGS THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO CLAIM THROUGH THAT FUND.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A LIMIT AT THIS POINT OR NOT.
THEN, OF COURSE FEMALE WILL COVER US UP TO 75 PERCENT OF INCURRED EXPENDITURES AS WELL.
BUT, JUST FOR THE FACT OF CONVERSATION, WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH $2.5 MILLION OF COVID-19 REIMBURSEMENT POSSIBILITIES.
THE NEXT SLIDE THOUGH SHOWS YOU WHAT WE'VE INCURRED EITHER TO DATE OR WE WILL BE INCURRING THIS MONTH.
SO THIS IS THE 19-20 COVID-19 EXPENSES THAT I THINK I CAN CLAIM A LOT OF THESE TOWARDS THE CRF FUND ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
BUT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO PURCHASE RIGHT NOW FOR COVID-19, MASKS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE HOT-SPOTS, SANITIZERS, THERMOMETERS.
WE'VE DONE SOME PRINTING THROUGH THE SERVICE CENTER AND THEN SOFTWARE FOR SUMMER SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE REMOTE LEARNING THAT WERE BEING FORCED TO PRODUCE FOR OUR KIDDOS.
IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THAT TOTALS $10 MILLION OF EXPENDITURES THAT BETWEEN MISTY AND RANDY REEVES, THESE ARE POSSIBLE COVID-19 EXPENDITURES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND THIS IS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, THE 2021.
BUT ITS TEACHERS COMING BACK AND HAVING DAILY GLOVES AND MASKS $1.5 MILLION, DAILY MASKS FOR 16,000 STUDENTS, $3 MILLION, 70 ADDITIONAL BUS ROUTES MAY BE A QUESTION FOR YOU AS WELL AS THE MONITORS AND THEN MONITORS ON EXISTING ROUTES.
THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED FROM DURHAM WHERE IF WE HAVE TO STAGGER THE KIDDOS ON THE BUS ROUTES AND EVERYTHING.
THE FACT THAT COVID-19 IS IMPACTING THE CLASSROOM, BUT IT ALSO IMPACTS ALL THE TRANSPORTATION JUST TO GET THE KIDS THERE.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU WANT ME TO STOP FOR A MINUTE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE EXPENDITURES?
>> SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE 813 COMMITTEE, I THINK IS WHAT IT'S CALLED, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I GUESS WE DID TALK ABOUT MASKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
DIDN'T WE TALK ABOUT LIKE JUST BUYING EVERYONE LIKE TWO MASKS, THE LESSER MASKS THERE IS, DO NOT THROWN AWAY MASK EVERY DAY FOR 16,000 KIDS AND 2,000 TEACHERS, BUT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT $3 MILLION COULD BE DIFFERENT IF IT WASN'T A DISPOSABLE PRODUCT.
BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
>> NO. YOUR ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AND JUST WHAT I ASKED FOR, MISS ADRIAN AND THE FINANCING TEAM TO DO WAS TO PROVIDE FOR US THE KIND OF WORST CASE SCENARIO.
WE KIND OFF BACKED DOWN FROM THERE.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, I ASKED MR. REESE, WE HAVE ABOUT 174 BUS ROUTES RIGHT NOW AND I SAID OKAY, WE HAVE TO DO SOCIAL DISTANCING ON A BUS.
THEN ASSUME THAT WE HAVE TO ADD HALF OF THAT OR A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN HALF OF THAT, KIND OF WHAT WOULD IT BE SO THAT'S WHY THEY LIKE 70 ADDITIONAL BUS ROUTES CAME FROM.
SO THESE ARE REALLY, THE CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS EVERYTHING IS KIND OF BALLPARK.
I MEAN, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO END UP.
THIS 10 MILLION MAY END UP BEING 2 MILLION OR MAY END UP BEING 8 MILLION, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE AND WE BELIEVE THAT ASSUMING THAT WE HAD A WORST CASE SCENARIO AS A RACE OF THE PANDEMIC.
WE BELIEVE THAT A $10 MILLION AMOUNT WOULD BE THE WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR US AT THIS POINT.
[02:20:04]
NO ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR CLEANING, WAS THAT CONSIDERED? AND I'M JUST THINKING, IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL CLEANING, IS THERE A NEED TO DO ANY ADDITIONAL CLEANING THROUGHOUT THE DAY WHILE THE STUDENTS ARE THERE AND IS THERE A COST TO THAT?
>> YEAH. SO FOR SURE, THAT DEFINITELY IT WOULD BE A NEED TO DO ADDITIONAL CLEANING.
HOWEVER, WITH IT OCCURRING DURING A DAY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL COST BECAUSE OF PEOPLE ALREADY ON STAFF.
NOW WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO OPENING OF SCHOOL, THEN THERE MAY BE A COST ADDED.
BUT THE PERSONNEL COSTS, WHICH IS NORMALLY THE MAJOR COST OF CLEANING, IS THAT PERSONNEL COST.
WE'VE ALREADY INCURRED THAT COST JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE ON STAFF ALREADY AND SO AS WE GET CLOSER, WE'LL KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT FOR SURE.
THAT ELECTROSTATIC MACHINE THAT YOU LISTED THERE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE CUSTODIAL STAFF WOULD USE FOR CLEANING AND SANITIZING SCHOOLS.
>> QUESTION. SO WITH THE CUSTODIAL STAFF BEING CONTRACTED OUT, DO WE BUY THE ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES?
>> ACTUALLY, WITH THE CONTRACT, AND I KNOW MR. REAVES IS ON AND HE CAN JUMP IN ALSO, BUT OF COURSE, MOST OF THE CUSTODIALS IT'S OUTSOURCED, BUT THERE ARE SOME SUPPLIES THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE AS WELL THAT MAY BE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTRACT.
MR. REAVES OR MS. VANCAMPEN, YOU MAY WANT TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION AS IT RELATES TO CUSTODIAL AND CLEANING.
>> YES,SIR. THAT'S CORRECT. I MEAN, WE CAN DO BOTH.
THEY GET A HOSPITAL GRADE DISINFECTANT AND THEY GET IT AT A VERY LOW COST AND THAT'S A PRODUCT THAT WE USE IN THOSE ELECTROSTATIC MACHINES.
BUT WE CAN ALSO PURCHASE OUR-SELF.
WE CAN PURCHASE THE HAND SANITIZER AT A CHEAPER RATE THAN WHAT THEY CAN.
IT'S REALLY A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
>> SO TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS, ARE THESE EXPENSES, WOULD THEY BE IN THAT COVERED UNDER FEDERAL MONEY OR 75 PERCENT OR NOTHING?
>> SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE IN CONSULTATION WITH OUR COUNSEL AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US.
ONE BUCKET IS MONEY THAT IS REIMBURSABLE FROM THE STATE.
ANOTHER BUCKET IS REIMBURSABLE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT A THIRD BUCKET IS ACTUALLY REIMBURSABLE FROM THE COUNTY.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
MOST OF THIS MONEY, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY REQUEST FOR IT.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING EXTRA REQUESTS FOR FUNDING, REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
WE FEEL LIKE THAT THESE COSTS ARE, ALL THESE COSTS WILL FALL UPON ONE OF THOSE THREE BUCKETS.
NOW THE QUESTION IS THOUGH, IS HOW THE ACTUAL ALLOCATION OF THE FUNDS WILL OCCUR.
WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ACTUALLY RELEASED FUNDS TO THE STATE, BUT NOW WHETHER THE STATE WILL ACTUALLY RELEASE THOSE FUNDS DIRECTLY TO US OR WHETHER THEY WILL USE THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT OTHER AREAS, IS STILL UP IN THE AIR.
INITIALLY, WE HEARD THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET THE MONEY, BUT THEN WE HEARD THAT THE STATE WAS GOING TO USE THE MONEY TO OFFSET OTHER MONEYS THAT THEY HAD GIVEN.
RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WE WERE ACTUALLY SLAYING IT TO GET ABOUT $2.5 BILLION, WITH THE CARRIERS AT.
HEEL OFF THE MONEY ACTUALLY FLOWS THROUGH THE STATE WITHOUT THE STATE TAKING FUNDS FOR THEIR PURPOSE.
WE JUST, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CLARIFICATION ON THAT YET.
BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THESE EXPENSES ARE REIMBURSABLE, IT'S JUST UNDER WHICH BUCKET?
>> I GUESS TWO MORE QUESTIONS NOW, I ADDED ONE MORE.
BUT ONE, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ON THERE FOR THERMOMETERS OR ANYTHING IS THERE ANY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE CHECKS OR IS THAT NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW?
>> NO, THAT ACTUALLY IS AND ACTUALLY I'LL LET MS. VANCAMPEN SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN LEADING UP OUR HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM.
MS. VANCAMPEN, WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE STEPS THAT WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN IN THE AREA OF TEMPERATURES, TEMPERATURE DEVICES.
>> SO WE HAVE ALREADY SECURED AND PURCHASED ENOUGH TEMPERATURE DEVICES THAT WE WOULD HAVE ONE FOR EVERY TEACHER ON EVERY CAMPUS.
[02:25:03]
THAT WOULD GIVE US ROUGHLY 1,200 OF THOSE INFRARED THERMOMETERS.WE'VE ALSO PURCHASED SOME IN THE BEGINNING PRIOR TO THAT 1,200, WHICH WOULD GIVE US ENOUGH FOR AS ATHLETICS IS ROLLING OUT, SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THEM IN PREPARATION AND AS WE'RE COMING BACK TO CENTRAL ADMIN AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE WOULD HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE.
>> THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY ADDITIONAL EXPENSE INVOLVED THERE? WE'VE ALREADY GOT, MADE THOSE PURCHASES.
>> WE MADE THOSE PURCHASES OUT OF FUNDS FROM THE '19, '20 YEARS.
SO IT'S NOT ACCOUNTED HERE, BUT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY MADE ME THOSE PURCHASES.
>> THEN THE OTHER QUESTION. WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
THIS TEN MILLION IS OR IS NOT IN THE BUDGET FOR 2020? IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET FOR-
WELL, IF WE END UP GETTING REIMBURSED, SAY WE SPEND SIX MILLION AND WE ENDED UP GETTING 75 PERCENT REIMBURSEMENT.
THAT'S ANOTHER MILLION AND A HALF THAT GOES ON TOP OF, ASSUMING WE CAN'T GET IT ALL PAID FOR BY GRANTS. THAT'S ALL HERE.
>> THE UV LIGHTING AND THE IONIZATION.
RANDY'S STILL LOOKING INTO THAT TOO AS FAR AS IT COSTS.
BUT THOSE ARE ALSO OTHER CLEANING PROCESSES.
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT IS CORRECT.
THE UV LIGHTING IS SOMETHING THAT IS USED FOR THE CLEANING OF SURFACES AND SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS, MAINLY IN OPERATING ROOMS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT NOW IT'S BECOMING AVAILABLE TO US IN AN IONIZATION PROCESS IS HAVING PRODUCTS THAT CAN FIT IN YOUR AIR HANDLERS SYSTEMS TO HELP CLEAN THE AIR.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS JUST INVESTIGATE WHAT PRODUCTS ARE OUT THERE, WHAT HAS BEEN USED, WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING WITH THESE PRODUCTS, WHAT CALL STORE TO THEM AND SEEING IF IT'S FEASIBLE FOR US TO DO.
>> LOOKING AT THIS LIST, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY MOVING FORWARD ON, THE SNEEZE GUARDS.
AS YOU KNOW THAT, WHEN YOU GO INTO 7-ELEVEN OR REALLY JUST ABOUT ANY CONVENIENCE STORE OR ANY STORE YOU SEE THAT THERE ARE ACTUAL ACRYLIC SNEEZE GUARDS THAT ARE PRESENT.
WE ARE, I BELIEVE, WORKING ON IT.
SO MR. REAVES, TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT WE'RE THINKING AS IT RELATES TO SNEEZE GUARDS OR GUARDS FOR OUR FRONT OFFICE FOR SURE.
>> OKAY. YES, SIR. ACTUALLY, IT LOOKS LIKE WITH THE SNEEZE GUARDS, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE THESE OUR-SELF IN HOUSE, AT PROBABLY ABOUT A FOURTH OF WHAT THAT NUMBER IS RIGHT THERE.
WE DID SOME TRIAL RUNS AND PURCHASE THE SAME TYPE OF PLEXIGLASS THAT MET THE SPECIFICATIONS OF WHAT THESE COMPANIES WERE PUTTING OUT.
THE IDEA WAS TO BE ABLE TO COVER FIRST ALL FRONT RECEPTION AREAS AT EVERY FACILITY AND THEN WORK OUR WAY TO ANY OFFICE THAT A ADMINISTRATOR WOULD BE WORKING AND SITTING ACROSS DIRECTLY FROM THE PUBLIC, BEING ABLE TO GIVE THEM ONE THAT'S PORTABLE ALSO.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS FOR ABOUT A FOURTH OF WHAT THAT COST IS AND DO IT IN HOUSE.
WE'VE GOT AN OUTSTANDING CREW AT OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS FOR US.
>> WOULD THAT ALSO BE IN PLACE OR WOULD THOSE BE IN PLACE IN LIKE CAFETERIA AREAS, AROUND THE FOOD PRODUCTS?
>> YES, MA'AM. IT'S NOT LIMITED TO JUST THE FRONT RECEPTION AND-
>> -THE OFFICES. WE'RE GETTING ENOUGH MATERIAL TO HAVE EXTRA CAUSE WE KIND OF WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND SEE WHERE ELSE WE MIGHT NEED TO PUT THESE SNEEZE GUARDS.
THEN GOING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE HAVE THREE FUNDS TO APPROVE.
JUNE 25TH. THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND.
I'M GIVING ANTICIPATED REVENUE $10.9 MILLION.
BUDGETED EXPENDITURES AT 9.2, SHOWING AN INCREASE TO OUR FUND BALANCE OF 1.6, WHICH IS THEIR GUARANTEED RETURN.
THEN THE DEBT SERVICE BUDGET ALSO NEEDS TO BE APPROVED.
[02:30:03]
OUR ANTICIPATED REVENUE AT 39.7 MILLION, BUDGETED EXPENDITURES AT 31.9 A GIVING US AN INCREASE TO THAT PHONE BALANCE OF $7.8 MILLION, WHICH IS GREAT WHEN WE ARE STILL INCREASING THAT FUND BALANCE BECAUSE THEN IT WILL HELP US IF WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO REFINANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.IF WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE TO FALL BACK ON.
OUR TIMELINE IS GETTING SHORTER, OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGETS WILL BE JUNE 25TH AT SIX O'CLOCK.
WE WILL APPROVE THOSE THREE BUDGETS LATER IN THAT MEETING, SAME NIGHT.
THEN JUST A REMINDER, WE STILL WON'T HAVE OUR TAX RATE PROVIDED BY TEA UNTIL APPROXIMATELY THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
OR IS IT LATE AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO TAKE- [OVERLAPPING].
>> ANYMORE [OVERLAPPING] WE ASKED ALONG THE WAY.
ARE THERE ANYMORE QUESTIONS STILL OUT THERE? ALRIGHT YOU DID A GREAT JOB MS ADRIAN.
JUST THAT THAT WE WILL BE SENDING OUT A BUDGET SURVEY AND I KNOW THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT AS A BOARD YOU SEE AS PRIORITIES AS IT RELATES TO OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS GET FROM YOU PRIORITIES FOR [BACKGROUND] THAT WE'LL BE CONSIDERING AND WE'LL BE SENDING THAT OUT.
I THINK, IF NOT NEXT WEEK THEN THE WEEK AFTER TO KIND OF HELP US AS WE FORMULATE THE BUDGET.
WE WILL HAVE A BUDGET SURVEY THAT WILL BE COMING OUT SO THAT YOU CAN GIVE US YOUR INPUT AND ALSO COMMUNITY CAN GIVE US INPUT ON HOW BEST TO CONSTRUCT A BUDGET THAT WE BELIEVE WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS CONCLUDES THE ITEMS FROM OUR STUDY SESSION.
[5.0 Future Action Item(s)]
NOW TO FUTURE ACTION ITEMS, WE HAVE ITEM 5.1.TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS, BOARD POSITION, REGION 11 POSITIONS.
SEE CALL FOR NOMINATIONS, DR. MCFARLAND.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE THAT MR. KIRCHNER IS PREPARED TO FACILITATE US THROUGH THIS ITEM. MR. KIRCHNER?
>> YES. MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND DR. MCFARLAND.
THIS IS A FUTURE ACTION ITEM THAT DOES HAVE A TIGHT TIMELINE.
IF BOARD CHOOSES TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS, YOU'LL NEED TO DO SO BY JUNE 30TH, THAT WOULD MEAN AT OUR JUNE BOARD MEETING.
WE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS THAT THERE IS A NEW POSITION AVAILABLE FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM ON THE BOARD.
IF OUR BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CHOOSE TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION, THEY CAN DO SO.
IT HAS TO BE DONE BY THAT JUNE 30TH DATE.
IF YOU CHOSE TO SELECT A NOMINATION FOR ONE OF OUR CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS TO BE UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO DO THAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, WE SUBMIT THAT AND THEN THERE WILL BE AN ENDORSEMENT PERIOD WHICH RUNS FROM JULY 3RD THROUGH AUGUST 31ST.
THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS, BUT IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO, WE WOULD NEED TO DO SO THIS MONTH.
THEN EITHER WAY, IF YOU SUBMIT OR YOU DON'T, YOU WOULD STILL GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ENDORSEMENT PERIOD, WHICH STARTS JULY 3RD THROUGH AUGUST 31ST.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF DATES, BUT IN YOUR EXHIBIT YOU'LL SEE THE TIMELINE, YOU'LL SEE THE NOMINATION FORM THAT WILL HAVE TO BE FILLED OUT.
SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT BOARD MEMBERS DO ON THE [INAUDIBLE] BOARD.
LOTS OF GREAT INFORMATION IN THERE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS TOPIC OR COMMENTS? NO? OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THIS NOW MOVES US TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[6.0 Executive Session]
AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WE'LL ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5511.074, EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.OTHER PARTICIPANTS MAY REMAIN ON THIS LINE.
THEN THE BOARD WILL RETURN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE ARE ADJOURNING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 08:34 PM [NOISE].
WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION AT 8:49 PM.
[7.0 Consideration and Possible Action Item(s)]
WE ARE NOW AT OUR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS. AGENDA ITEM 7.1; EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF SUE CROUCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. DR MCFARLAND.[02:35:07]
>> MADAM PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE PRESENTED TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN CLOSED SESSION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
WE'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR SUE CROUCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FIRST.
>> IS THERE A MOTION OR RECOMMENDATION?
>> OKAY, THAT'S FINE. I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPOINT OR NOMINATE WELL
>> CHRYSTAL HUDSON AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF SUE CROUCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
>> ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION FOR [LAUGHTER] MR. RAY, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> ALRIGHT.SECOND FROM DR. [INAUDIBLE].
>> YES. MS. ROBINSON, CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT WE'LL COME BACK, DR. MAYFIELD?
>> THANK YOU, DR. MAYFIELD. MS. HALL?
>> MS. DAVIS. I DON'T THINK SHE MADE IT IN YET. MR. RAY?
>> [OVERLAPPING] MS. ROBINSON IS [INAUDIBLE]
>> YES, SHE'S THERE [OVERLAPPING]
DID WE ALREADY DO THE NOMINATIONS?
>> [OVERLAPPING] ROLL CALL VOTING NOMINATED.
MR. RAY RECOMMENDED CHRYSTAL HUDSON FOR-
>> THANK YOU. THEN DID MS. DAVIS MAKE IT IN?
>> OKAY, MS. HALL THAT WAS FIVE VOTES.
>> OKAY. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 7.2, EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF OAKMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
>> I RECOMMEND NIVA LEVINE FOR THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT OAKMONT ELEMENTARY AS PRESENTED.
>> WE HAVE TWO AND TWO AND A HALF FROM DR.
WOODS IN [INAUDIBLE] AND MS. ROBINSON [LAUGHTER].
>> ALL RIGHT. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGAIN, WELCOME TO MS. HUDSON AND MS. LEVINE TO CROWLEY ISD FAMILY.
WELL, IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THIS BOARD, WE ARE ADJOURNING THIS MEETING AT 8:52 PM.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.