St. Vrain Valley School District Board of Education Special Meeting – March 18, 2020

To listen to the meeting alongside a transcript, please visit: https://otter.ai/s/mBH6ERMbSBSDOO-49IwiCQ

0:00
And then I’m going to call this a special meeting of the Supreme District Board of Education. To order

0:05
on June please call the roll with black. President Mr.

0:12
Mr. Garcia.

0:16
Mr. Red, Miss Pierce here is regularly here. She’s

0:20
here. Thank you don. I move we go to executive sessions session pursuant to Section 24 dash 64024 b CRS for purpose of consulting versus a consultant without attorney on the issue of student matters and session two, four dash 6024 h CRS for purposes of considering confidential student matters relating to individual students. I would entertain them a second for that motion, please swing by john. JOHN could please offer the

0:57
service Yes, Mr. Bethel? Yes. Thank you Garcia. Yes. martyr. Yes. Miss beers. Yes. Right.

1:04
Yes. Thank you. I will now adjourn to executive session. Going to really record the date is March 18 2020. Joe siegrist made a motion to move into executive session on Aaron’s second, second, second motion. Sorry, everybody. A verbal record. Those attendance in attendance this evening are john Aaron’s turn roblin Jackie Bhushan, capital Rico pop hears Jim Berthold, Richard murder Shimon Garcia. Dr. Haddad Joe siegrist. Am I believe have on the telephone Brian Krauss? Yes.

1:40
Right. So they’re right. Right.

1:43
Okay. Thanks, Brian. All right. So calculated we could turn the recording off now. Did I forget something? Okay. Well,

1:50
did I miss it? I think you said yes, john. I think you actually said yes to the second revolution. You go to Edison. You’ve covered it but he did it yet. JOHN. Oh,

2:00
yes. My vote is going to clarify. Thank you. All right, and you need to stop recording.

2:07
Right now. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

2:10
Thanks, Fran.

2:12
You do Bye bye.

2:14
I move that we exit our executive session and convene to special meeting. Could I have a second please? Buy junk junk? Can you please call

2:23
for the vote? Yes. Yes.

2:27
Mr. Garcia? Yes, Carter. Yes, Pierce.

2:32
Hi. Thank you. Thank you, john. The time is now 6:42pm. And the executive session is now concluded as board president, I certify that there was no discussion of any items other than those of just stated in the motion go into the executive session, and that no motions are made and no actions were taken while in Executive Session. Cathy neglected to mention the time we went into executive session at 517. Yeah, okay. So is it okay for me to know, to know the time going in now is my 17. Thank you. I appreciate that. Alright, let’s go ahead and move on to our one action item we have this evening we’ll wait for our guests to join us or push this

3:15
bar or run a copy of that for sure. Read. Thank you. Thank you

3:33
further. Thank you.

3:35
Good evening, everyone. Thank you for your patience pressure, no problem. Are we back in here? Yes, we are. Kathy, thank you enjoy an evening I’ll talk about policy. Alright, so we have one action item this evening. That was 1.1 a recommendation for approval of extension of declaration of local disaster emergency. Done that you notice is a request for you to clarify This doesn’t have anything to do with the closing schools is certainly, you know, followed with a getting the district getting stuck in a row. And declaring making this declaration has actually comes with funding. So if you could just talk a little bit more about that. And if the word is comfortable with staying a little bit longer, and updating general districts, the state of the district right now, I suppose.

4:21
You know, one of the things that’s a good thing from saying that perspective, as we’ve been here before, you know, we have the all the pressing situations with the finances, we have the swine flu 8.1, the flood, the old virus, and we had Google sessions. And then we have this sort of been a number of situations where we’ve been this place where we have to take extraordinary actions protect our children, and our teachers and our staff and community. I have been meeting regularly with the Boulder County Emergency Management System, and we agreed that in order to be able to qualify to apply for federal funding, if need be that you have to wish Claire, state of emergency, I have the authority to do that for seven days, which I did. We don’t know what the future holds. So in order to make sure that we can at any time submit applications for additional funding, we have to extend now attending in May 2 does not mean we’re making any kind of a statement and we’re going to be closed until May 2, it simply means that if we incur costs through May 2, we can try to recover them. Now, it would be probably challenging to do that because not seeing any damage to our property, which is the primary reason you could see funds, or the Mayan squad or when moving lions out to the mainstream, though it wasn’t Alliance funded, they were the most impacted community. This we might have the opportunity to recoup some money for federal funding for meals we’ve been provided for other expenses because we have literally depleted our paper supplies in our curriculum, because we have the first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade all the way through the 12th grade, the online resources all of the time and effort so this To be clear, does not in any way shape or form recommend by or indicate that we’re going to be opposed to a second. It simply means that any costs we incur up until that point, we wouldn’t be eligible to be Cooper funding. I don’t know what governor Hall is going to decide but ultimately he made the decision out of our hands as to Kansas California. So we wait to see what if any agency makes the other empty that we are bound by a small county well County, have Lerner county and Broomfield County, but Boulder County well county with the two primary entities I meet them when you’re over the phone with a large group of people including Boulder County Sheriff’s all the municipalities, all the hospital everybody involved, there’s about 40 of us, and we talk regularly and be over all this stuff. And so that’s the purpose of does if we did an extended in a second and let’s say we experienced a significant amount in trying to continue to my learning everything else. we’re documenting all of our events and we get the you know, APR on it, but we were only covered for seven days or my authority. We would not even be able to plotter those on Sona, rearrange it contact the Hinds Hall. And I asked him to please if there are the keynote gave out our district, if you could, please, and the David Cameron ease communicate with detail, because when you put a headline like that out there, it can be interpreted in a variety of different ways. So, no, I’m not angry with them, they have a great relationship with them. But we’ve talked a lot about saying your communication plays, because it doesn’t make much for the rabbit trail and all sudden everybody’s making assumptions of something they read, which triggers and Merve emails and you’re just like, Oh, I can respond to videos. And it’s unfortunate that we would have to, because this is simply a technicality that comes from experiencing these types of situations.

7:38
Great, thank you. Any questions or comments, by the way, everybody’s clear, makes the decision to close and

7:45
just a point of clarification. There is a no decision with regard to keeping schools close past the 30th of March is approachable enough,

7:55
no decision made by us. I did hear that or poets will doing a press conference at five I’ve not had a chance to watch that. I don’t know if he’s made any declaration. I projecting my phone because Jeff’s a who’s older county director for bowl county health in our life. optics, but not we’ve made our current count and I share with you a little bit of what we’ve done right. I want you to it’s up to you. We currently have seven sites. we’re distributing food, I think today we’ll distribute over 5000 was it 25,000 5700. So we’re continuing to provide food support for our students. And we’ll continue to do that. Next week we go on spring break. We’ve been communicating we’ve sent out three communications to teachers and staff and communications parents. And then this Thursday and Friday, Friday, we’ll send out a note communication, telling them all of them to closely watch for next Thursday while we’re on spring rate

8:54
or no mass gatherings more than 10 people

9:00
No, that’s not a recommendation. Apparently he shifted that out to order 123.

9:14
So next occasion will come out this Friday following them pay close attention to the Thursday towards the end of spring break. We have provided curriculum for kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth 10th 11th 12th. They have been put out, and we get teachers and staff. We’ve all notified parents that we’re going to go through spring break. And after spring break, we have two weeks of curriculum. We’ve had a zoom meeting with our principals and others to make sure everybody’s clear on the steps and they provide feedback that they feel very comfortable given our robust technology and our one to one issue and all of that. So we all have two platforms at one school with you which connect and then we’re purchasing executive at the elementary school level. And also we also have a Maya meter, which virtual library and we feel like we’re really, really in the best possible position we can be to continue with learning the wait see what the powers that he decides about school closure. But we feel confident that we can continue to provide meaningful utterances with the objective of making sure that all of our students progress to the next grade, and then graduate from our seniors. We did have athletics cancel now through April 18. But throttle admission chatter, as well as likes activities Association, all that includes music and everything else. online today, the art show has been cancelled because the fair balance of older Kenny have canceled or have closed so we have that. We will be issuing refunds and all of dust settles for parents who have paid for springboard when time comes but we need to make sure that everything that we have made a decision continued to at this point pay our employees hourly employees and classifies them even though most of them are not working. When you like to study or staff that have been doing double duty. first started following us in early to mid January. I said I sent you all an email at that time directed Brian Langer to start a new web cleans and building so we’ve been on top of this for quite some time. And the reason I started falling in so early is because it’s hard to take on the same personality of the one they want. Because I follow all the news feeds across the country in the world. And so when that popped this thought, this does not look good. And so for several months now, we’ve been on top of this, Jackie No, she’s a superstar she’s leading the effort around this massive curriculum continuity and has done a phenomenal job leading principles and others. We have a thank for that. Thank you appreciate a lot just may have an over the over the top. Ryan lamer has been doing excellent work with our custodial staff. Nutrition Services we shall we provide the food giant journal has been outstanding. Trying to make sure you’re dieting hours per morning and I’ve done our area just in script Under Jackie leadership, and I’m working closely with our principals, terribly Dermot has been exceptional in terms of making sure that the communication is streamlined. We’ve encouraging everybody to stay in their lanes, not to get pulled off by personal preferences or issues because stay focused on big picture priorities, we’re always going to be students well being in the continuity of their instruction and the well being of their health, though these are all the kind of things that are going on McGregor with Polk County, and well, county health departments that attach with various legislators around certain things. And then just reading separately about the, you know, Sims be paying attention to and I think there’s a moving target. Most recently, we saw that there were 200,000 faces across the globe. And then there were something except thousand plus deaths across the globe, where you get into that area of uncertainty. On the United States, there’s about 108 deaths last I heard, and there were a time, maybe 500 plus six or plus cases. On Earth cases and Colorado, for example, you got, you know, hundred eight cases to death. But they weren’t. That’s where you kind of in this space. And you look at the United States every year there are 35,000 cases of the initial flu, and then 3434 million cases of the flu and about 35,000. Yes, every year. So I’m asking is how do we know where’s the concern at this level, and it’s the contagious nature of this, the lack of testing, that once the testing catches up, they might see spikes in the curve. So pay attention, all these things. The major symptoms are fever, cough, difficulty breathing, not so much sniffles and things along those lines. Those are the three major things aches, pains will be developed and it’s a serious agency nausea that you’re getting it is a dang about 80% of population always won’t feel as much of a response they get it Originally affect the elderly, they are saying, you know, there’s some other younger people that are tested positive in weld County. I know they recently had a death

14:11
and board count. Now it’s up to maybe 13. I think at last I look at the majority of whom were contracted, contracted outside primarily of this curious, but there were five that contracted here, which means there’s now what they call a community spread. And when they find out who might have, if you test positive, they do what’s called investigations to see when you come into contact with and then they notify the people writing and you should go get tested. So that’s kind of where where we are today. Becky, you

14:40
also want to say that it’s an interesting reading experience walking through this, I have to say that compared to many colleagues that I have, in other districts, we seem to be ahead of things as a system, probably because of the amount of attention on his feet to this more blow the surface, not So publicly, certainly we had all those things prepped and ready to go the minute we need them, but someone or for a while, you know, or planning anything and we absolutely burb and we are positioned to be and to try to stay ahead of each decisions that is made at the state level. I also want to say that our team gets a lot of recognition for rolling a workout. The reason we’re able to do that is because the system has been built over a number of years went on yesterday have said we’ve got to have a system for elementary for uploading assignments like Schoology we can’t at some point depend on Patents, Patents can transmit your arms. And so we are going to have to fully online even at the elementary loved ones and do it. And you know, we researched what the lessons would cost our system and because we are positioned financially and we have been for a long time is made a lot of decision making happen very quickly and in a really streamlined way. I also want to say that Don has worked with our team over the last few days around giving some good coaching and I think he learned over a number of years around us staying brief in our updates with one another and not bogging each other down in details or things that are on the peripheral. He has asked us to help keep our principals very focused and pull things away from them that don’t allow them to focus in this space around getting teachers and students and parents on lawn. And I’ll tell you, the last thing that’s been really helpful is that muttering around not allowing people who are either panicked or have their own agenda in a space to fool us into their space. And so we are using a lot of volunteers. We’re acknowledging a lot of volunteers, but they’re working into our systems instead of the other way around. So, you know, Don always recognized that our team and everyone else’s work and I want you to say that it’s very reciprocal in that face, and we learned from the experience in the past.

16:48
The last thing I’ll just share with you is, I think we have to pay close attention to what’s coming in terms of financial educators. Obviously our icon is going to come you know, a reality here when you close restaurant and noetic events to see knows all of what’s been closed. So I fully agree they reel back in school funding and they’re gonna redistributed some of the numbers I fully anticipate will take a hit with our PBR, I forgot to say we’ll hit oil gas, because Saudi Arabia has decided with their wealth that their scope, they can bring the price way down and increase the productivity. And that will bring Russia and Europe and America into a very difficult space and trying to keep up the oil and gas as they get less money, that will be the lifeline for us. And that is set valuation to drop, which will mean less money for us. So then we may lose some students leave the say, to seek opportunities to live with family and other states or other countries. Because I think people are coming out at 20% unemployment rate potentially, you’re going to see some people struggling to make ends meet. So I think we’re going to call on some of our reserves to try to get things moving forward and try to protect our job and our community as best we can. news is we have those reserves, they’ll be a little bit of a buffer. We’re not sending money. Gasoline for us as an electrician, medical bills will come down and water bill will come down. There will be some other things that go up. And so we have to pay close attention to our budget, because I know right now, there are many districts that are not going to be able to weather this, because they just don’t have money. Is there already in deficit

18:19
for the community supporters? You know, I, there are a lot of things that we can think about, please don’t know, this is the one thing that I’m focusing on. But I am incredibly grateful for the community for saying number one for technology, you know, the Millennium strand, and really at heart what made this possible? And if I’m wrong, let me know. But that support is what makes the online learning so much easier. And same thing, right? You’re not addressing other students on the device.

18:47
And I guess that’s not the only thing but you know, certainly recognize that

18:49
Joey one other thing is there are hotspots that will be set up at each of the feeder systems. So if you didn’t have advice, we can give you advice. You can drive into that parking lot. download onto the beds, which is part of the reason why bed and you can take that home and then you can access the curriculum. If you don’t want to do that you can access third calm, but at least we have that capacity to.

19:09
We also get individual hotspots. We have students who are taking college coursework who need their own laptops in our own life by like our P tech programs. And so we have purchased for them individual hotspots, and we have loaned them laptop so that they can complete that college coursework. Any

19:29
comments before we vote Don’t let me forget to vote. Okay.

19:33
I just wanted to see if

19:37
we overthink A B, what seems like right that it’s not closing until May 2 or that thing so maybe it’s not it’s the paper but like community have kind of taken that as someone in the show. They know what it means. And so however, might do that in the mail through the paper,

19:55
if we can over

19:56
and over commentating that just what that actually means.

20:02
I think a couple things I did call a times call and ask them in their follow up story to be clear about that one. I think the other thing is important. And this is what you’re talking about. As these things progress, there will be many opportunities for miscommunication. So what I don’t want to do is take this and have veer off now have our communication all around this, because then people start tuning out the communication that they need to see. I think there’s a good system in place where anybody who has a question about it, it’s certainly contact us. We have a very disciplined communication plan in place we don’t veer away from because some are misunderstood the times call, because I promise you that as these things evolve, there will be many times when people interpret things and just can’t say, shift. To your point though, I did all the times call and ask them to clarify that because that’s what he’s got the information the first one’s income was, so we know that they’re in a hurry and hopefully That will provide the support if I don’t see communication slow. That is curious. And

21:11
also, what might be helpful to vor is we created an online questionnaire for, for folks. So if you’re doing questions, you can point them to our district web page, they can ask their question or leave our contact information. We’ll get their questions to the right person in the system. And we’ll return that call but in the day, yes, it’s not our in our district.

21:34
One question is because I’m working in Front Range continuing communication or continuing historical communication, I’ve seen nothing. The question I have, are they continuing online because we have kids with the current woman? I know we’ve been trying to get some answers. And we’re going to continue it by the way with AP and IB. We’re waiting to hear what their decisions are to on that but what is from range do I continue with that cadence? So starting on the 30th performing has to fit spring breaks when it Before the college campus in one winter, so we start classes for those two weeks and starting on the 30th. I will start with a fully online.

22:12
The we get directions on

22:16
how to assess the coursework.

22:19
And maybe we can talk online. Yeah, yes. Just Yeah.

22:24
We’re getting a lot of questions from our students. What about our frontline classes? Sorry,

22:31
Jackie, I think it’s great to think about the elementary students and not doing them. But we’re not set up for technology for iPads for all grade level are we given it on a need basis or overseas in addition,

22:45
we have two resource centers. that’ll open up after spring break should we need to extend that long or beyond spring break one of our drone High School one DLC, we will distribute on pass to families as well as packets. Because we know we’ll have to get some back. And so we don’t want to have this. If we extend beyond that, we get people who’ve done packets, because at that point we’re so closed, we’re we’re under pretty strict orders around who can be here and what we should be getting out to the public. So yeah,

23:15
the classroom sets up. Well, the elementary level, so we’ve got an ad most of our elementary school kids have advice on their knees, but Jackie’s boy gees, resource centers and yet, I

23:30
want to make the assumption, but I do think a lot of families would have

23:33
600 heads are ready to go done.

23:36
And we don’t talk about obsessive so. Yeah, great.

23:40
Thanks. So

23:42
just just to clarify, at least for me, this vote on executive the emergency declaration of emergency through the second of May, is not tied to a decision about whether to hold classes after the

23:56
30th of March. I title it in a way. Thank you To apply

24:00
for funding rooms without with

24:05
anyone else. I’d entertain a motion for approval of the extension of the declaration of local disaster. Emergency please. So moved to a kehrmann a second

24:17
item. Could you please call for the vote about

24:21
concerns? Yes.

24:24
Yes, tomorrow.

24:25
Yes, it’s appeared.

24:29
You can bring it back along.

24:31
Yes. I thank you. Thank you. All right. thank everyone for your generosity with your time this evening. On and Jackie, thank you for your remarkable leadership. Please pass along on behalf of the board. Our appreciation to everyone throughout the system. That was certainly includes community members, students, you know, the health department, everyone who is really truly making decisions that they leave. I will give all of us safe. We know the kids want to be involved. I have a senior at home But I understand that that other side of the coin from but I do appreciate remarkable ability to stay focused and enjoying I think others really something benefits a pain in the long run it will absolutely benefit Kentucky dancing and mission seem to be right. So without thanks everyone i’d entertain a motion for approval for ferment please, actually go on a second. Second phytic on favor, aye. Thanks, everyone. Good night.