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UH, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
[Board Interviews on April 29, 2026.]
EVERYBODY HERE IN ATTENDANCE AND THOSE THAT WILL BE WATCHING THIS LATER TO THE, UH, WILSON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.WE'RE GONNA BE INTERVIEWING THE TOP FIVE CANDIDATES FOR OUR NEXT DIRECTOR POSITION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE JUST A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, HOUSEKEEPING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF, PLEASE LEAVE.
BUT THEN ALSO BE MINDFUL THAT, UH, SCHOOL IS IN SESSION HERE, SO KEEP IT DOWN, BECAUSE THERE ARE STUDENTS OUT THERE LEARNING AND TEACHERS DOING THEIR AMAZING JOB.
UM, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'RE GONNA GET RIGHT INTO THIS.
SO, MS. OWENS, JUST A JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ONE IS, UM, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK I GOT LAST NIGHT, ALL OF THE QUESTIONS ARE IN THERE EXCEPT THE TWO THAT I, THAT I PULLED OUT THAT WERE QUESTIONABLE.
SO, UM, YOU CAN ASK ANY OF YOUR THREE QUESTIONS.
THE THREE GENERAL QUESTIONS WERE THE ONES THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE ASK.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA READ THOSE FIRST THREE QUESTIONS, AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PICK YOUR THREE QUESTIONS BASED ON THE ALLOTTED FIVE MINUTES THAT YOU HAVE.
AND I DO REALIZE YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ASK ALL THREE QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, I'LL LET YOU DECIDE WHICH QUESTIONS ARE MOST IMPORTANT.
BUT THE THREE THAT ARE IN YELLOW ARE THE ONES THAT I TRIED TO COMBINE AS THE THREE GENERAL QUESTIONS.
AND, AND MS. SHERRY, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CLOCK AND EVERYTHING.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL GOOD.
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE BEGIN? I DO.
UM, DID YOU REMOVE MY QUESTION ON SALARY EXPECTATIONS? I DID NOT.
I, BUT I WOULD MAKE A SUGGESTION ON THAT.
YOU MIGHT WANNA WAIT FOR THAT ONE UNTIL THE LAST TWO, BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK THAT QUESTION IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE LAST TWO, THE NEXT INTERVIEWS, THE LAST ROUND WHERE YOU HAD THE LAST TWO INDIVIDUALS.
SAY GOOD MORNING FROM THE BOARD.
SO I'M GONNA START BY ASKING THE FIRST THREE GENERAL QUESTIONS, BUT IF YOU'LL JUST REFER TO THE BOARD WHEN YOU ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, CAN YOU DISCUSS A TIME WHEN YOU IMPLEMENTED A, A NEW POLICY OR PROGRAM AND HOW YOU MANAGE THE CHANGE? HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE THIS ACROSS MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS? AND HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE COMPETING PRIORITIES, ACCOUNTABILITY, EXPECTATIONS, AND COMMUNITY CONFLICT WHEN THE THE DECISION IS UNPOPULAR? I THINK, UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, FIRST OF ALL, AND, UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS TODAY.
THE, UH, THE CHALLENGE IS, I THINK, UH, THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MY MIND, PROBABLY MOST RECENTLY FOR US HAS BEEN CHANGING OUR ENTIRE SCHEDULE.
IN OUR SCHOOL, WE WERE ON A TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE, ALTERNATING BLOCK, BUT WE HAD, UM, EIGHT PERIOD DAYS.
AND, UH, THEY MET, UH, WE WERE SWITCHING TO A FOUR BY FOUR BLOCK, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE ON NOW.
AND, UH, THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A, A SYSTEM IN A SCHOOL THAT HAD BEEN ON ONE PARTICULAR SCHEDULE FOR AT LEAST, UH, THE 20 YEARS, UH, THAT I HAD BEEN AT, UH, IN THE SYSTEM, UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT TYPE OF CHANGE, IT IMPACTS IS, IT IMPACTS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, IT IMPACTS, UH, YOUR TEACHERS.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CHANGE AND TALK ABOUT CHANGING SCHEDULES AND THE APPROACH TO DOING THAT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT, THE FIRST THING WE DID, WE STARTED HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE NEED ON WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND I THINK, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DAY, I HOPE THAT I'M, I'M ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE, UH, THROUGHOUT, UH, OUR BUILDING, THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT, UH, WHETHER IT'S MAINTENANCE, CAPITAL PLANNING, WHETHER IT'S ACADEMICS OR INSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION OF WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT, UH, THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD FROM THE PANDEMIC, THE CHALLENGES, UH, THE NEED TO MODIFY OUR SCHEDULE TO BETTER SERVE OUR STUDENTS.
AND, UH, WE KEPT COMING BACK TO THE NEED TO
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MAYBE CONSIDER A FOUR BY FOUR BLOCK SCHEDULE TO GIVE US THAT FLEXIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY.ONCE WE DID THE RESEARCH ON THAT, REACHED OUT TO WILSON COUNTY, OTHER DISTRICTS IN TENNESSEE THAT HAD BEEN, HAD BEEN UTILIZING THAT SCHEDULE, WE REALIZED, AND WE FELT, BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE HAD SEEN, THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND SO TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, INSTEAD OF JUST TOP DOWN SAYING, WE'RE GONNA DO IT, WE KNEW WE NEEDED THE BUY-IN FROM OUR STAFF.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID TO START HAVING CONVERSATIONS, WE HAD TO TALK TO OUR TEACHERS AND TALK ABOUT THE NEED AND HOW IT WAS GONNA HELP THEM BECAUSE IT WAS GONNA GIVE 'EM PLANNING EACH AND EVERY DAY.
IT WAS GONNA HELP THEM TO FOCUS ON, UH, A SMALLER GROUP OF STUDENTS AT ANY ONE TIME.
UH, THE BENEFITS FOR THAT, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE FOCUSED ON INSTRUCTION WITH, WITH THE GROUP OF STUDENTS, UH, FOR A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO INFUSE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND CONTENT STANDARDS WITH IT.
BUT WE WORKED THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE, WE WORKED THROUGH THERE WITH EDUCATING OUR STAFF, LETTING THEM ASK QUESTIONS, GET FEEDBACK, ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS TO BE, UH, TO, TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE ANGLES, UH, THAT WERE INVOLVED WITH THAT PROCESS.
BUT THEN WE HAD TO ALSO TALK TO OUR PARENTS, UH, BECAUSE IT IS A MIND SHIFT WHEN YOU GO FROM A TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE LIKE WE HAD TO SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEW FOR OUR COUNTY.
UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS, WITH OUR PARENTS WHEN WE HAD OUR OPENING HOUSE NIGHTS AND ENGAGED 'EM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHAT WAS BEST AND WE BELIEVE SO.
AND SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE BUY-IN WITH OUR STAFF.
WE'VE HAD BUY-IN WITH OUR STUDENTS.
AND THE RESULT OF THAT IN OUR SECOND YEAR OF A FOUR BY FOUR BLOCK IS WE HAVE SEEN GAINS IN ALMOST EVERY CATEGORY.
AND, UH, IF EVERY TYPE OF STUDENT AND SUBGROUP IN OUR BUILDING, UH, IT HAS SHOWN EXPONENTIALLY TO BE IMPROVED, UH, IN OUR ACCOUNTABILITY.
BUT, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR TEACHERS HAVE, IT IS ALLEVIATED STRESS IN THE BURDEN ON THEM INSTRUCTIONALLY AND HOW THEY PREPARE TO SERVE THEIR STUDENTS.
UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HAS IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR STUDENTS AND IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING.
AND SO IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO LEADING UP TO THAT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BUY-IN FROM YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY WE NEED TO DO IT.
TEACHER RETENTION IS OFTEN DRIVEN BY DAILY WORKING CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND THE LEVEL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT RATHER THAN SALARY AND BENEFITS ALONE.
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP REQUIRES ADDRESSING THESE FACTORS IN PRACTICAL VISIBLE WAYS.
WHAT SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT TO IMPROVE THESE CONDITIONS AND BETTER SUPPORT TEACHERS WITH, WITH TEACHER RETENTION? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I THINK ABOUT JUST RECENTLY, UM, I DECIDED TO GO BACK AND, AND BE A STUDENT MYSELF AND, UH, PURSUE MY DOCTORATE JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR ME WAS CONTINUED GROWTH, UH, FOR MYSELF.
AND, UM, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS TO GO BACK AFTER 20 YEARS TO BE A STUDENT.
UH, BUT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHEN I WAS THINKING OF MY DISSERTATION, I WANTED TO RESEARCH SOMETHING THAT, THAT WOULD HELP ME AS A BUILDING LEADER.
UH, BECAUSE I THINK AS LEADERS, IN ORDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN OUR EFFECTIVENESS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE GROWING CHANGES, UH, THAT OCCUR IN OUR BUILDINGS AND IN OUR LEADERSHIP STYLE, IT IS A GROWTH PROCESS, UH, THAT WE'VE GOT TO APPROACH.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID IS, UH, THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD MAKE ME A BETTER LEADER IN MY BUILDING.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I STUDIED WAS LEADERSHIP STYLES, IMPACT ON TEACHER RETENTION IN OUR BUILDING.
AND, UH, BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW, BECAUSE I, TO BE HONEST, I HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS.
UH, OUR, OUR STUDENTS HAVE CHANGED AND HOW, AND IN SOME WAYS AND HOW THEY'VE LEARNED AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT GO THAT GO WITH THAT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, I'VE SEEN A CHANGE IN THE NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS, WHAT THEY NEED FROM ME AS A BUILDING LEADER.
AND SO I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT I CONTINUED THAT GROWTH IN MYSELF AND THAT I WAS ADAPTING TO THOSE NEEDS SO THAT I COULD SERVE THOSE NEEDS AND SUPPORT THEM IN THE WAY THEY NEEDED SUPPORTED.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO IN THAT RESEARCH IS DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THE BUILDING LEVEL LEADERSHIP AND THE STYLE TO WHICH WE LEAD OUR BUILDING, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT TEACHERS AND THEM DECIDING TO STAY IN THE BUILDING OR NOT? UH, SO, AND, AND ONE OF THE OUTCOMES OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN THING THAT I LEARNED IS THAT TEACHERS, TEACHERS WANT TO FEEL SUPPORTED.
UH, THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING HEARD THROUGH THE ACTIONS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE'RE LEADING THE BUILDING, AND HOW WE'RE CHANGING TO ADAPT TO THOSE NEEDS.
UH, I THINK TEACHER RETENTION AND TEACHERS DECIDE TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE WHEN YOU TAKE BENEFITS AND SALARY ASIDE, IT'S THAT, UH, THAT THEY FEEL SUPPORTED IN THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL IS GONNA BE CONSISTENT AND ALLOWING THEM TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST.
AND THAT IS TO TEACH, TO DEVELOP THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR STUDENTS.
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UH, BECAUSE WHEN THEY DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THEY CONNECT WITH THEIR STUDENTS, AND WE, UH, WE FILTER OUT, I ALWAYS SAY, MY JOB TO MY TEACHERS IS TO FILTER OUT THE NOISE.SOMETIMES WE LET SO MANY EXTERNAL THINGS WEIGH ON US THAT IT, IT, IT CREATES A BURDEN THAT WE SHOULDN'T CARRY.
AND MY JOB IS TO REMOVE THAT BURDEN AND KEEP THE THINGS THAT AREN'T IMPORTANT OUT OF THE WAY FOR THEM AND GIVE THEM THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE TO TEACH.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR TEACHERS FEEL SUPPORTED IN THAT WAY, AND THAT I'M CONSISTENTLY OUR STAFF SUPPORTING THEM OF BEING CONSISTENT IN BEHAVIORS AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH THOSE, AND THOSE CONS, EXCUSE ME, THOSE CONSISTENCIES WITH IT.
AND SO I THINK THAT GOES, THAT GOES A LONG WAYS.
UH, THE SECOND PART OF THAT TOO IS WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO CONSTANTLY HAVE A PULSE ON THE NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS AS FAR AS INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS, WHAT IS CHANGING AND THE STANDARDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF THEM AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE GIVING INSTRUCTIONAL IN THE CLASSROOM.
WHAT'S CHANGING IN A WAY THAT THEY NEED MORE HELP? HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN THEY NEED HELP AND, UH, WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORTS DO THEY NEED? AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO THAT IN A LIVE SETTING, AND THAT WE'RE GIVING THAT HELP TO THEM, AND WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE, UH, INSTRUCTIONALLY AS WELL WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BUT I THINK FROM, FROM JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW FOR TEACHER RETENTION OF WHAT HELPS IT IS, UH, IT IS GOING BACK AND, UH, AND GIVING THEM SUPPORT, RESPECT, LISTENING TO THEM AND EMPOWERING THEM TO DO THE JOB THAT THEY DO SO WELL, WITH FUNDING INCREASINGLY BEING DIRECTED TOWARD VOUCHERS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, HOW DO YOU BALANCE SUPPORTING SCHOOL CHOICE OPTIONS WHILE ALSO PROTECTING AND STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT SERVES THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS? WELL, CHOICE IS HERE.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN IT PARTICULARLY IN OUR COUNTY.
IT'S, UH, WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE IS THE REALITIES OF THE LANDSCAPE THAT WE'RE FACING, AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS IT OR DEAL WITH IT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WITH VOUCHERS AND, AND SOME OF THE FUNDING MECHANISMS, THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME HURDLES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD.
AND, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY A, A COUPLE OF PARTS TO THAT BECAUSE ONE OF THOSE IS, YOU KNOW, FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE'VE REALIZED, AND THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, ONCE WE HIT A CERTAIN SIZE IN OUR COUNTY, WE BECAME VERY LUCRATIVE, UH, TO DRAW ATTENTION FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND I HAVE A FEELING THE MORE YOU CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH IN YOUR COUNTY, THE MORE ATTENTION YOU'LL GET AN INCREASED, UH, WANTING TO, TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THAT CHOICE.
AND WITH THAT COMES FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS THAT IT WILL CREATE FOR THE BUDGET AS YOU'RE PLANNING AHEAD AND, AND LOOKING AHEAD BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE MECHANISM IS IN PLACE WHERE YOU'RE PAYING AHEAD FOR THAT ENROLLMENT, AND IT'S COMING OUT OF YOUR BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU MAY GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT ON THE BACKSIDE, BUT HOW YOU PLAN FOR THAT ON THE FRONT SIDE AS A DISTRICT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
UH, AND YOU CAN'T JUST WAIT FOR IT TO SHOW UP.
UH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN SAY, WHEN I LEFT THIS COUNTY, UM, TO GO TO, TO RUTHERFORD, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER THE SIZE OF WILSON COUNTY AT THE TIME, BUT RUTHERFORD COUNTY WAS AROUND 22 OR 23,000 STUDENTS, AND THAT WAS JUST AROUND 20 YEARS AGO.
NOW, I, I HOPE, AND I, I'M SURE THE COMMUNITY HERE HOPES THAT THAT'S NOT THE SAME SCRIPT TO FOLLOW FOR YOU, BUT I THINK ONE THING, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT TYPE OF INCREASE IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE THAT COULD VERY EASILY BE 10,000 MORE STUDENTS, WHETHER YOU WANT IT OR NOT, THEY'RE COMING.
AND, UH, AND IT'S ABOUT PREPARING FOR THAT.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE BENEFITS I'VE HAD OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS IS HAVING A FRONT ROW SEAT TO THE, THE PAINS OF THAT GROWTH AND, UH, IN, IN GOOD WAYS AND BAD AND IN CHALLENGES THAT WE WISH WE WOULD'VE PREPARED BETTER FOR.
AND THEN THINGS IN HINDSIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UM, WE'VE HAD THE ABILITY TO LEARN AND ADAPT AND CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO SUCCEED THROUGH IT.
BUT IN THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THIS IS, UH, IS THE FINANCIAL ONE TOO.
AND WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS TO TRY TO GET THEM TO MANIPULATE THE FUNDING MECHANISM OF HOW WE DO IT ON THE FRONT END VERSUS THE BACK END IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT COST TO IT THAT WEIGHS ON THE BURDEN OF OUR DISTRICT FINANCIALLY, BUT ALSO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I, I'M AN ADVOCATE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT FOLKS MAY CHOOSE
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DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND IT'S THEIR RIGHT TO AND AND, AND TO WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR FAMILY DECISIONS AND WHERE THEY SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.BUT I STILL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE GREATER VALUE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT.
AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MARKET.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SELL WHAT WE DO WELL.
UH, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REMIND OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THAT'S ONE THING WE DO.
WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME CONSUME WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE STRESS THAT COMES WITH IT, AND FOCUSING ON OUR STUDENTS EACH AND EVERY DAY, THAT SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE, THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, UH, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN, IN THE DISTRICT, THE PATHWAY ALIGNMENTS WITH INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS THAT ARE HELPING TO GROW OUR STUDENTS AND PREPARE THEM FOR SUCCESS AFTER SCHOOL BEYOND JUST A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
BUT WERE THEY CONNECTING TO CAREERS IN VIABLE WORKFORCE TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY AND CONTRIBUTE.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS COME TOGETHER.
AND WHAT WE DO THAT WE'RE PROUD OF, THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SELL AS MORE CHOICE COMES ONLINE AND COMPETES AGAINST THOSE.
NOW, EACH BOARD MEMBER IS GONNA ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS, AND THEN AT THE END, THERE'LL BE 15 MINUTES FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS, OR IF THE BOARD HAS A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, WE'LL START WITH ZONE ONE WITH MR. HOLMAN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, DR. MARSHALL.
MY QUESTION'S GONNA BE, UH, ON HEALTH INSURANCE AND GIVEN THE STATE OF OUR CURRENT HEALTH INSURANCE FUND, DESCRIBE THE STEPS YOU WOULD TAKE IN SOLVING AND HELPING US SOLVE THAT ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO BALANCING OUR BUDGET AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS AND EMPLOYEES, THE, THE HE, THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND THE BENEFITS.
AND OF COURSE, IT, IT, IT IS A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE, UH, WHAT YOU'RE FACING.
AND I'VE TRIED TO GO BACK THE LAST YEAR AND LISTEN TO YOUR FINANCIAL UPDATES, UH, YOUR PRESENTATIONS FROM MS. OWENS, UH, THAT HAVE PROVIDED TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP AND, AND OPTIONS FOR YOU, THE GALLAGHER UPDATES THAT YOU'VE HAD AND, AND THE PRESENTATION AND THE WORK STUDY SESSION YOU HAD, UH, THIS PAST WEEK.
AND, UH, JUST STUDYING YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PLAN DOCUMENTS.
UH, LOOKING AT WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING NOW, I THINK SOMEWHERE AROUND MAYBE 83% OF, UH, OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN YOUR EMPLOYEE NETWORK OR YOUR INSURANCE NETWORK OR IN THE INDIVIDUAL PLAN.
SO FEW ARE IN YOUR FAMILY PLAN WITH ONLY TWO OPTIONS.
UH, THERE, THERE'S A LOT TO THIS, AND I, AND I, I DO WANT TO BE CAREFUL TO SAY THAT I DO UNDERSTAND HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN OUR PROCESS IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY, UH, ON THE BEGINNING, GOING THROUGH THE HEALTH INSURANCE, UM, REVIEWING WHAT WE DID, UH, JUST BECAUSE THE OUTCOME OF WHAT WE DID DOESN'T MEAN THAT I FEEL THAT THAT'S THE SAME OUTCOME HERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF LAYERS TO THAT.
AND, AND SO AS I, AS I TALK THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR ONE THING OR THE OTHER BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME DETAILS THAT ARE MISSING FOR ME IN, IN JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, 30,000 FOOT VIEW.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT BENEFITS ARE TO OUR STAFF.
UH, I UNDERSTAND HOW THEY IMPACT DECISIONS ON EMPLOYABILITY, ON THEM STAYING ON, ON, YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEM.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO NOTE, UH, THROUGH THAT PROCESS THAT IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR CERTIFIED STAFF.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I, I VOLUNTEERED TO BE ON OUR INSURANCE COMMITTEE BECAUSE I WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WAS SEEN, WE, WE HAD, HAD, HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT, WE WERE A PART OF THE COUNTY PLAN, UH, COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WE WERE JOINED TOGETHER, BUT THE BENEFITS HAD BEEN REDUCED, SO MUCH COST ESCALATED, AND WE HAD SO FEW OPTIONS, AND THEN WE REMOVED SPOUSES OUT OF THE PLAN.
AND IT WAS NOT, IT, IT WAS HURTING OUR STAFF.
IT WAS HURTING THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ESPECIALLY OUR CLASSIFIED FOLKS WHO WERE ON THE HOURLY RATE AND MAKE MUCH LESS.
UM, AND SO IT, IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SEE COMMENTS OF, OF SOME OF YOUR, YOUR EAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW IT IS TO BALANCE THE INCREASE AND THEN ALSO WITH WHAT LITTLE THEY MAKE, UH, VERSUS WHAT MAYBE A CHILD AND THEIR FAMILY CAN MAKE MORE AT MCDONALD'S.
AND SO THAT ALL WEIGHED ON ME IN, IN THE PROCESS WE HAD IS THAT, UH, I NEEDED TO JUMP IN AND BE INVOLVED AND FIND A SOLUTION THAT, THAT IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF THE BENEFITS WE WERE OFFERING, HELPING TO ALLEVIATE THE COST TO OUR EMPLOYEES, AND AT THE SAME TIME BEING FISCALLY SOLVENT AND SOUND IN THAT PROCESS.
ALL THREE OF THOSE IS A D DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT TO TRY TO, TO GET TO THAT END RESULT WHERE ALL THREE ARE, ARE IN A POSITIVE CORRELATION WITH.
BUT I THINK THE THING WE'VE GOT TO DO, THE FIRST THING I'D RECOMMEND IS, UH, IS A COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, TO GET INTO THE WES TO LOOK AT THE PLANS, YOU, YOU NEED, YOU, YOU NEED THAT DEEP DIVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID, IS WE, WE WENT THROUGH OUR COMMITTEE LEVEL, WE
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WENT THROUGH THE PLAN DOCUMENTS, WE LISTENED TO GALLAGHER, WHO WAS OUR BROKER AT THE TIME.WE WENT, WE LISTENED TO THE STATE AND, AND, UH, EVALUATED.
I SPENT A LOT OF DAYS AND TIMES CAULKING TO OTHER DISTRICTS GOING THROUGH THEIR PLAN OPTIONS AND THE THINGS THAT GO WITH THAT.
AND, UH, TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE TO BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THE FINANCIALS TOGETHER.
SO YOU, YOU NEED TO KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT IS THE IMPACT, WHAT IS, HOW IS IT GONNA AFFECT OUR TEACHERS AND EMPLOYEES? HOW, WHAT IS THE COST BREAKDOWN ON THAT PLAN? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE FISCAL IMPACT? AND, UH, I, I THINK YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE ALL THOSE, THOSE OPTIONS IN FRONT OF YOU TRANSPARENTLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE.
BUT TO GET INTO THAT THOUGH, THAT, THAT WAS WHAT WAS A GOOD THING ABOUT THE COMMITTEE, IS THAT WE SPENT SEVERAL HOURS GOING THROUGH AND VETTING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, COLLECTING IT, GETTING IT TOGETHER TO PRESENT TO OUR BOARD AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, ONE SUCCINCT PRESENTATION.
AND THAT I WILL SAY THAT NO ONE HAS YOUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART MORE THAN YOU DO.
UM, AND THERE'S ALWAYS, UH, DIFFERENT ANGLES AND THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM.
AND, UH, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO WEIGH ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A WAY FORWARD, UH, BUT IT'S A DIFFICULT, UH, THE SITUATION YOU'RE IN IS MUCH MORE CHALLENGING THAN THE ONE WE FACED.
UH, WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY ON ONE TIER, THAT'S A CHEAPER PLAN, BUT IT'S SO RICH AND, AND I AGREE.
I THINK, UM, MY QUESTION IS WHAT SYSTEMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES WOULD YOU PLAN TO PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE IEPS AND 5 0 4 PLANS ARE CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY AND OUR SCHOOLS REMAIN FULLY COMPLIANT WITH ALL SPECIAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS? I MISSED THE FIRST PART OF THAT, MS. LYNN, I'M SORRY.
WHAT SYSTEMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES WOULD YOU PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT IEPS AND 5 0 4 PLANS ARE CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY AND THAT OUR SCHOOLS REMAIN FULLY COMPLIANT WITH ALL SPECIAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS? THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS LISTEN TO OUR STAFF.
UM, WE, WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING.
WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND, UH, THEY CARE DEEPLY AND PASSIONATELY ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, ABOUT THEIR NEEDS, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THOSE NEEDS.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LISTENING AND WORKING WITH THEM AND OUR PARENTS, UM, ABOUT HOW WE'RE SERVICING THOSE NEEDS, PROVIDING SUPPORTS FOR THEM, THE, THE, THE STRATEGIES OR THE STRUCTURAL PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE ON HOW WE SERVE OUR STUDENTS, HOW WE RECOGNIZE AS THOSE NEEDS ARE CHANGING AND WE'RE RESPONDING TO MEET THOSE NEEDS OR THE PARENTS' CONCERNS, UM, PROVIDING THE NECESSARY SUPPORTS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, BUT IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION IN A DIALOGUE THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVALUATED AND ASSESSING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THROUGH THAT MEETINGS, NOT JUST IN IEPS AND WHEN WE MEET WITH FIVE OH FOURS, BUT ALSO IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH OUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES IN PLACE, UH, THAT WE ARE PUTTING THEM IN THE RIGHT PLACE, FOCUSED ON THE PRIORITIES.
AND IF NOT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THOSE NEEDS AND ALSO THOSE CHANGING NEEDS BECAUSE THERE ARE CHANGING NEEDS.
WE'RE SEEING MORE SEVERE, UH, RANGES IN NEEDS AND DEMANDS FROM OUR TEACHERS, BUT ALSO OUR STUDENTS AND THE SUPPORTS THEY RECEIVE AND, UH, ARE WE ABLE TO MEET THEM? AND IF NOT, THEN THAT GOES BACK TO OUR OVERALL PRIORITIES.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND ALIGNING THOSE THINGS TO WHAT OUR MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ARE, AND THAT'S STUDENT LEARNING AND GROWTH AND SUPPORT.
IF A SCHOOL IS ACHIEVING STRONG ACADEMIC RESULTS, BUT TEACHERS REPORT LOW MORALE AND INADEQUATE SUPPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO ADDRESS LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS, IMPROVE STAFF CULTURE AND SUSTAIN PERFORMANCE ACROSS THE DISTRICT? I THINK THE FIRST THING TO DO IS TO TRY TO GET AN IDEA ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A COUPLE HYPOTHETICALS THERE, BUT, UM, IF YOU HAVE A HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL ACADEMICALLY, BUT YOU'RE GETTING FEEDBACK THAT THERE'S SOME MORALE ISSUES OR CULTURAL ISSUES, I THINK THE FIRST THING AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I KEEP GOING BACK TO LISTEN.
AND, UH, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S SO ESSENTIAL TO, TO THE CORNERSTONE OF SUCCESS IN ANY ORGANIZATION IS BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND, UH, AND, AND BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS AND, AND ALSO ADMITTING THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT ADDRESSING IT.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING IS HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, YOUR BUILDING LEVEL LEADERSHIP.
IT'S NOT A COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD FIVE COMPLAINTS, YOU MUST BE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
YOU NEED TO CHANGE X, Y, AND Z.
[00:25:01]
BUT, BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR BUILD BUILDING LEADER TOO, TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM ME TO GROW OR TO SUPPORT YOU? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT, THAT, THAT'S UNFOLDING AND HOW YOU SUPPORT THAT AND, AND OUR BUILDING LEADERS, UH, IT, IT'S EASY SOMETIMES FOR, UM, HAVING BEEN ON BOTH SIDES AS A TEACHER AND KNOWING PROBABLY IN OUR FACULTY ROOMS, OR SOMETIMES IT'S EASY TO JUST BLAME THINGS ON THE PRINCIPAL AND, AND THAT THEY'RE IN THERE JUST MAKING DECISIONS, WHETHER IT IMPACTS US IN A GOOD WAY OR NOT, AND GO WITH THAT.BUT, BUT HAVING BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT TOO, I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION OF THE WEIGHT AND THE PRESSURES ON OUR BUILDING LEADERS, AND, UH, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO THAT.
WE'RE GIVING THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AND THE GROWTH THEY NEED.
WE CAN'T JUST HIRE 'EM, GIVE THEM THE KEYS AND SAY, HOPE YOU DO WELL.
WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A PLAN TO HOW WE GROW THEM, UH, HOW WE RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'VE BEEN A LEADER FOR A LONG TIME, THAT THERE'S STILL NECESSARY GROWTH AND HOW WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND SUPPORT THEM IN THAT PROCESS.
AND IT SHOULD NEVER BE ABOUT, YOU JUST NEED TO IMPROVE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO TELL PEOPLE THEY NEED TO IMPROVE, YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THEM IN THAT GROWTH PROCESS AND BREAK THAT DOWN FOR THEM AND, UH, AND LEAD THEM IN THAT PROCESS.
DON'T JUST, YOU KNOW, SET GOALS AND THEN LEAVE THE DOOR AND HOPE THEY FIGURE IT OUT.
AND TOO, OFTENTIMES THAT'S WHERE WE MAKE THE MISTAKE, IS WE HIRE PEOPLE TO BE PUT IN VERY VALUABLE POSITIONS THAT CAN IMPACT US IN A LOT OF WAYS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE AND CULTURE.
BUT THEN WE DON'T GROW THEM, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE THERE FOR THEM.
UH, AND HAVING TALKED TO SOME BUILDING LEADERS ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE SO MANY GREAT THINGS TO SAY, BUT I THINK A LOT WOULD RECOGNIZE IN ANY COUNTY YOU GO TO THAT THERE'S JUST THAT ONGOING GROWTH.
SOMETIMES WE JUST LET IT GO ONCE WE HIRE.
AND, BUT, BUT BACK TO THAT, I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
YOU TRY TO BUILD UP YOUR LEADERS TO MAKE 'EM BETTER, MORE IMPACTFUL AND MORE ENGAGING TO TRY TO BE RESPONDENT TO THE CONCERNS OF THEIR STAFF AND, AND THEN ACT ON IT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, HOW DO YOU ENSURE TEACHERS FEEL SAFE, GIVING HONEST FEEDBACK WITHOUT RETALIATION FROM THEIR ADMINISTRATORS? I THINK I HAD A CLOCK THAT SOUNDED LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS A KID.
ARE WE READY? SO, UM, DR. MARSHALL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR.
I'M GONNA DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I WANNA GET TO TWO QUESTIONS, SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU TWO MINUTES ON EACH QUESTION IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO, UM, IF YOU CAN DO THE BEST THAT YOU CAN WITH, WITH THAT TIME THAT YOU HAVE.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY AND, AND HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT UNDERMINE A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN THE CLASSROOM? CONSISTENCY, SUPPORT, COMMUNICATION.
WE, WE'VE GOT TO ONE, WE AS A DISTRICT, UH, AS THIS BODY SETS THE POLICY AND THE STANDARDS OF HOW WE WANT DISCIPLINE TO BE ENFORCED, TO BE CONSISTENT, THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF MY JOB TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT WITH OUR BUILDING LEADERS.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M, I'M REALLY BIG ON.
AND, UH, WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
IT CAN'T BE, WE DO IT IN, IN ONE HALLWAY, NOT THE OTHER, OR IN ONE BUILDING AND NOT ANOTHER.
WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT AS A DISTRICT AND HOW WE APPROACH THAT, BUT HOW WE SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE THERE TO TEACH AND, AND EVERY DISTRACTION TAKES AWAY FROM THAT IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS.
UM, WE, WE HAVE A GOAL AS A DISTRICT TO BE, UH, TO HAVE 30% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO REACH PROFICIENCY IN ELA AND MATH.
UM, HOW WOULD YOU, HOW, WHAT WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT OR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR, THE STEPS YOU WOULD TAKE TO HELP US REACH THAT GOAL OF GETTING TO 30% OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO REACH PROFICIENCY IN ELA AND MATH? I THINK THE, THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS, UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY YOU, YOU HAVE REALLY GOOD ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP AND, UH, AND THE FIRST CONVERSATION WOULD BE TO GIDEON AND TO PULL, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZE, UH, ALL OF THE DATA BEYOND JUST WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON A REPORT CARD, BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S A HIGH LEVEL PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE, BUT IT DOESN'T BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU.
UH, YOU GOTTA HAVE A BETTER PLAN THAN THAT AND, AND JUST SAYING 10%.
SO YOU GOTTA BREAK INTO YOUR SUBGROUPS.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE DO YOU SEE US HAVING CHALLENGES, MEETING THAT AS A DISTRICT, BUT AS A, AND AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL? WHICH SCHOOLS, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE 10, THE, THE TENDENCIES, AND HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DEVELOPING A PLAN? YOU'VE, IT'S A PROCESS AND A STRATEGY THAT HAS TO COME THAT IS ON A MICRO LEVEL, AND THEN
[00:30:01]
ON, ON A SURFACE LEVEL TOO, ON HOW YOU'RE APPROACHING THAT.BUT YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE CONVERSATIONS FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THE DATA, UH, WHERE THOSE TENDENCIES ARE COMING FROM AND FROM PAST, UH, PERFORMANCES ALSO.
AND THEN LOOKING TO SEE WHETHER THAT'S A INSTRUCTIONAL ISSUE, WHETHER THAT'S A DISTRICT ALIGNMENT ISSUE AND PACING.
UM, UH, ALL OF THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT YOU WORK WITH PEOPLE ON TO TRY TO GET FEEDBACK TO DEVELOP THEN A PLAN OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TO THEN MOVE THAT TARGET AND HOW DO WE DO IT? I TRY TO GO QUICK.
WHAT, UH, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHILD EDUCATION? I THINK THERE'S A, A COUPLE OF LEVELS ON, ON HOW YOU CAN APPROACH THAT, BUT, BUT NOTHING, UM, OF ALL THE THINGS, AND WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION A LOT TOO.
UH, IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO ANY ONE'S SYSTEM ON HOW WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO CONNECT WITH OUR PARENTS, GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
AND, AND NOTHING IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN WE'VE LEARNED THAN THROUGH OUR, OUR BUILDINGS, THROUGH OUR SCHOOLS, THROUGH OUR DIRECT CONTACTS WITH OUR TEACHERS, AND USING OUR BUILDING PRINCIPALS TO HELP HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, GETTING THEM IN THE BUILDING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND OPEN DIALOGUE.
AND, UH, AND IN THE PAST, WE'VE DONE SOME TOWN HALLS TOO, WHERE YOU GIVE PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE ENGAGEMENT.
UH, ANYTIME YOU CAN OPEN YOUR DOORS, YOU CAN GET THE COMMUNITY IN AND YOU CAN HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT THEM, BUT WHERE WE NEED THEM TO HELP US IN THAT PROCESS IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.
BUT YOU'VE GOTTA START IT BY ENGAGING.
THANK YOU FOR YOU BEING HERE WITH US.
UM, THIS QUESTION WAS SUBMITTED BY ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.
UH, WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS HAS EXPERIENCED A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THE NUMBER OF REWARD SCHOOLS AND LEVEL A SCHOOLS QUESTION, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL? AND WHAT, HOW WOULD YOU MAINTAIN THIS POSITIVE MOMENTUM, THE, HOW WE DEFINE THAT? YES, THERE I GO BACK AGAIN.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE HELD TO ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, UM, THE, THE PROCESS AND WAY IN WHICH IT'S, IT'S DONE IS, IS OPEN FOR A LOT OF DEBATE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE, WE ARE, THE STATE SAYS THAT WE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN THIS WAY, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO.
AND, UH, AND THAT MEASURES OUR SUCCESS BASED ON THAT FORMULA THAT THEY CREATE, BUT ALSO LOOK AT THE SUCCESS AS NOT JUST ONE THING.
WE JUST DON'T VALUE STUDENTS BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT WHAT WE BELIEVE IN THEIR POTENTIAL TO DO.
AND, UH, AND I THINK WE VALUE THAT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GRADUATING WHEN THEY'RE LEAVING, WHAT TOOLS DO THEY HAVE IN THEIR HANDS BESIDES A DIPLOMA TO THIS IS AN ADDED SKILL.
UH, I THINK QUICKLY JUST TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, SCORE DID A REPORT OR HIGHLIGHTED SOMETHING, UH, ON A STUDY THAT SAID ABOUT ONLY 24% OF A GRADUATING COHORT ACTUALLY COMPLETED A DEGREE POST-SECONDARY.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE TOO MANY STUDENTS THAT ARE LEAVING OUR SCHOOLS WITH JUST A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, AND THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
THAT'S THE FLOOR, NOT THE CEILING.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO MORE THAN WHAT THE STATE SAYS WE SHOULD DO.
WE SHOULD BE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM ADDITIONAL SKILLS, INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS, ALIGNMENTS WITH INDUSTRY AND CAREERS AND OPTIONS SO THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON IF, IF WHAT THEY INTENDED TO DO IS NOT WHAT THEY END UP DOING.
BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO THAT, TO DEVELOP A WELL-ROUNDED STUDENT AND A PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN LATER IN LIFE.
AND, AND THAT'S AN OBLIGATION TO THAT.
BUT, BUT THE CONTINUED SUCCESS, UM, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE PLANNING AHEAD.
SUSTAINED SUCCESS REQUIRES A FOCUS AND A PLAN, AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO CELEBRATE, BUT THE NEXT DAY YOU'RE BACK TO WORK.
AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WITH OUR SUSTAINED SUCCESS FOR NINE YEARS OF A LEVEL FIVE, UH, WE FEEL IT'S A TIRELESS, ENDLESS MOTOR RUNNING OF CONSTANT PLANNING AND PREPARATION AND TRYING TO ANTICIPATE WHAT'S COMING AHEAD.
THE STATE'S MOVING THE GOALPOSTS.
AGAIN, EVERY TIME WE HAVE TOO MANY SCHOOLS LOOKING SUCCESSFUL OR REWARD SCHOOLS OR LEVEL FIVE, UH, WE MOVE THE GOALPOSTS.
AND SO THOSE RULES ARE CHANGING THIS NEXT YEAR, THE EFFECT SIZE AND HOW THEY CALCULATE LEVEL FIVE IN REWARD SCHOOLS, IF THEY CONTINUE TO DO REWARD SCHOOLS, THAT'S BEING IN QUESTION TOO.
SO WE CAN'T JUST REST ON THE SUCCESS OF TODAY.
WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR OUR SUCCESS OF TOMORROW.
IT'S IN OUR SOONEST BEST INTEREST AND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING OUR, OUR TEACHERS WHAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ANTICIPATING THAT TOO.
[00:35:01]
OKAY.ANOTHER QUESTION CAME IN FROM A, UM, ONE OF OUR PRINCIPALS IS THAT, UH, IF GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WHAT YOU KNOW OF WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS ON DAY ONE, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD WANT TO START WORKING ON? WELL, THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I THINK THE FIRST THING IS IS I, I WANT TO GET INTO BUILDINGS.
UM, I, I WANT TO, I WANT TO MEET OUR, OUR BUILDING LEADERS, UH, AND ASIDE FROM OBVIOUSLY THE STAFF HERE AND, AND, UH, AND MEETING WITH THEM AND GETTING AN IDEA OF KIND OF WHERE THEY FEEL WE ARE, WHERE THEIR CHALLENGES ARE.
AND THAT'S SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH SOME IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT THERE.
WE, WE ARE A SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEAD.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE HAVING REAL CONVERSATIONS OF, OF WHERE, WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO AND HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR THAT FISCALLY AND IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT ALSO TO FULLY ASSESS WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT RESOURCES.
HOW DO WE MARSHAL THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ALIGN THEM TOWARDS THE MISSION OF SUCCESS, UH, FROM THAT POINT.
THIS QUESTION CAME FROM ONE OF THE LEADERS IN OUR COUNTY IN THE HOMESCHOOLING MOVEMENT.
YOU MIGHT FIND IT INTERESTING.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO IMPROVE READING INSTRUCTION IN EARLY AND ELEMENTARY GRADES? I THINK THE THIRD GRADE, OR THE EARLY LITERACY LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE, IT'S A STRESSFUL TIME FOR OUR TEACHERS IN EARLY LITERACY.
UH, I'VE TALKED TO A THIRD GRADE TEACHER RECENTLY AND, AND A BUILDING LEVEL PRINCIPAL, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT THEY'RE FACING.
BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONE OF THE THINGS IS IN, IN OUR, OUR STUDY WAS JUST RECENTLY DONE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND SCREENERS ON, ON MOVING LITERACY VERSUS JUST GOOD QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
UM, I THINK PART OF THIS, AND, AND I WISH I HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ADDED ON THIS, TO BE ABLE TO FURTHER GIVE THE DEPTH OF THE ANSWER THAT IT DESERVES, BUT I THINK THE THING IS, IS WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE WHAT WE'RE ASKING OUR TEACHERS TO DO AND HOW WE'RE EVALUATING AND COLLECTING DATA THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S WORTH THE TIME WE'RE TAKING OFFLINE TO TEACH.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS ENSURE OUR TEACHERS HAVE THE TIME THEY NEED TO TEACH, AND THERE'S NO GREATER IMPACT.
ALL RESEARCH SHOWS, NO MATTER WHAT METHOD YOU USE, NOTHING HAS A GREATER IMPACT ON LEARNING THAN A TEACHER AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS TEACHING.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GIVING THEM THE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING TO DO THAT TAKES 'EM OFFLINE IS, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND IF IT'S NOT, WE NEED TO REMOVE IT.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING A DISTRICT BUDGET, AND HOW DO YOU MAKE DECISIONS WHEN YOU NEED TO PRIORITIZE OR REDUCE SPENDING? WELL, I'VE, I'VE HAD SOME UNIQUE EXPERIENCES, UM, ON DEALING WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF BUDGETS, UH, THAT HAD GIVEN ME UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY ON THAT.
AND, AND, UM, ONE OF THOSE, UM, IS PROBABLY A, A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, WHEN I, I SERVED ON, UH, IN AN ELECTED OFFICE AND ON, ON A CITY COUNCIL IN OUR SMALL COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE JUST NEEDED SOME PEOPLE TO STEP UP AND, AND, AND DO THE WORK AND TRY TO CONTRIBUTE.
AND I WAS WILLING TO DO THAT AT THE TIME BEFORE I GOT THIS JOB AND REALIZED THE TWO DON'T EXIST VERY WELL TOGETHER.
BUT, BUT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, I LEARNED WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL BUDGET, UH, UH, ONE, IT WAS AN ALL INSPIRING EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TO PUT YOUR HAND ON THE BIBLE AND, AND, AND SAY THE OATH OF OFFICE AND THE IMMENSE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THAT.
BUT ALSO WHEN YOU'RE A TAXING AGENT AND, AND YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, UH, TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO, AND THEY ALL WANT THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THEY EXPECT AND THAT THEY SEE AT OTHER CITIES OR IN THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DELIVER, UH, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU GO TO CHURCH WITH.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE, YOU'RE AT A BASKETBALL GAME WITH.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU LIVE BY IN A SMALL TOWN, AND, UH, YOU HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND THE FIRST OPTIONS NOT TAXING.
UM, OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE IN AND, AND HAVE THOSE NEIGHBORS, UH, AND EVERYONE GET ALONG.
UH, THAT WASN'T AN OPTION FOR US.
WE HAD, WE HAD PROBLEMS. UH, WE, WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES OF SEWER AND, AND ROAD AND, AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND MANAGING THOSE PRIORITIES.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT REALLY MADE ME BETTER AT WHAT I DO, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU AS A BUILDING LEADER AND HOW I MANAGE THOSE EXPECTATIONS TO DETERMINE THOSE PRIORITIES.
WE HAD PROBLEMS, WE HAD TO FIND SOLUTIONS, AND THAT'S PART OF MY BACKGROUND THAT I, I LEAN ON SOMETIMES IS FARMING.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, BUT WE CAN'T THROW UP OUR HANDS WHEN IT'S HAY SEASON AND SAY, THE TRACTOR'S BROKE.
I HOPE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO IT NEXT YEAR.
YOU GOTTA FIND A SOLUTION AND IT'S GOTTA BE PRACTICAL AND YOU GOTTA INVOLVE PEOPLE IN THAT PROCESS.
I WORKED WITH OTHER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.
I WORKED WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, I WORKED WITH COUNTY COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO PARTNER WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY AND PAY A HALF MILLION DOLLARS
[00:40:01]
ON A FIRE TRUCK.WE HAD TO WORK AND WE PARTNERED WITH, UH, ANOTHER CITY AND WE, WE BOUGHT THEIRS USED AT A, AT A DISCOUNTED RATE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE APPROACH BUDGETING AND STUFF, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALIGNING FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS THE PRIORITIES AND IN THE PRIORITIES OF OUR DISTRICT.
IT GOES BACK TO STUDENT LEARNING.
AND SO YOU WORK BACK FROM THAT ON THOSE PRIORITIES AND, UH, AND THEN, UM, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN, THAT IF YOU'RE FALLING SHORT, THERE'S MORE, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS.
SO BE CREATIVE, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX IN THAT APPROACH.
WORK WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND OR DEVELOP THEM AND HELP TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT IS ONE CHALLENGE IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE YOU WOULD NEED TO DEEPEN YOUR EXPERTISE AND HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH IT? I'M SORRY, THE FIRST PART, CERTAINLY.
WHAT IS ONE CHALLENGE IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE YOU WOULD NEED TO DEEPEN YOUR EXPERTISE AND HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH IT? I THINK THE, THE MAIN THING IS JUST CONTINUING TO UNDERSTAND, UM, GOING THROUGH WHERE WE ARE PROBABLY ON, ON OUR, WITH REGARDS TO OUR, OUR CAPITAL PLANNING AS, AS WE'RE GOING FROM THAT, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF AT A TURNING POINT WITH GROWTH.
UH, AND, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THAT PROCESS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, FUNDING BUILDINGS AND A LOT OF THEM IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
UH, BUT IT'S ALSO DETERMINING, YOU KNOW, WITH ZONING AND A COMPREHENSIVE ZONING PLAN AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE THINGS OF WHAT, WHAT WE'VE DONE TO THIS POINT IN THE DECISIONS IN THE PROCESS TO DETERMINE THE ZONES TODAY.
AND THEN ALSO THINKING AHEAD AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AND AT SOME POINT, NEEDING A COMPREHENSIVE ZONING PLAN, UH, WITH THAT PART.
UH, PROBABLY BE JUST GETTING UP TO DATE ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS, ON SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT WENT INTO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE, UH, THOSE LAYOUTS AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, UH, IN THAT PROCESS.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH OPERATIONAL PLANNING IN A RAPIDLY GROWING DISTRICT? AND WHAT STRATEGIES WOULD YOU USE TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES LIKE TRANSPORTATION DISRUPTIONS AND CAPACITY STRAIN? I THINK, YOU KNOW, OP OPERATIONALLY, UH, THAT IS, THAT, THAT'S THE KEY.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IS THE, THE FIRST THING IS, IS WE SHOULD, SO OPERATIONAL PLANT MAINTENANCE, TRANSPORTATION, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, SO ALL OF OUR NEEDS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK BECAUSE OF, OF THE LARGER BUDGET THAT WE HAD, THAT WE HAVE EXCESS, UH, IN OUR COUNTY, BUT WE HAVE, YOU DON'T ADD 25,000 STUDENTS IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WE'VE HAD TO DO AND HAVE EXCESS.
WE, WE'VE BEEN BARE BONES BUDGETS AND, AND JUST TRYING TO PAY FOR GROWTH.
AND, AND A LOT OF THINGS SUFFER FROM THAT PROCESS.
WHAT SUFFERED IS OUR PLAN OPERATIONS, OUR MAINTENANCE UPKEEP.
HI, DR. MARSHALL, I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT JOE DID.
I'VE GOT A TWO PART QUESTION, THEN A SECOND ONE THAT I'D LIKE TO GET TO.
UM, HOW DO YOU DEFINE INCLUSION FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BEYOND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS? AND WHAT SYSTEMS WOULD YOU PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS ARE MEANINGFULLY INCLUDED IN SCHOOL EVENTS AND CULTURE? THE PART OF THAT IS, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, ASIDE FROM COMPLIANCE, IS THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS, HAS, HAS A RIGHT TO ACCESS AND BE A PART OF EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON.
AND, UH, AND SO THAT, THAT IS, IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AND CLEARLY COMMUNICATED.
AND HOW WE ACT AND HOW WE DO AND HOW WE SUPPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, ALL MEANS ALL IN THAT PROCESS.
AND I THINK, UH, THAT'S IN EVERYTHING WE DO AND HOW WE GO ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO AND ENSURING THAT WE DO THAT AND, AND THAT WE BALANCE THAT IN, IN OUR BUILDINGS.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, SCHOOL SECURITY IS A LARGE CONCERN FOR TEACHERS, PARENTS AS WELL AS MANY STUDENTS.
WHAT EXPERIENCE DID YOU HAVE MAKING YOUR SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS A SAFER ENVIRONMENT, AND HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE FROM ONE SCHOOL TO AN ENTIRE SYSTEM? WELL, I, I THINK THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT I DON'T THINK OF SCHOOL SAFETY.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANY BUILDING LEADER CAN SAY THAT THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT ON THE BACK OF THEIR MIND, UH, IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE.
UM, AND IN, IN A LARGE COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS AFTER HOURS AND BEFORE THE DAY STARTS.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT I DON'T DRIVE IN THAT I'M NOT SEEING KIDS WORKING OUT IN
[00:45:01]
ROTC OR, OR RUNNING IN THE MORNING THAT I, THAT I DON'T PROCESS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ARE WE DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY, THE SAFE WAY, OR HOW WE HAVE AN EVENT AND WE PROCESS SECURITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.AND, AND WE'VE HAD SOME UNFORTUNATE THINGS HAPPEN.
UH, WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME THINGS THAT DIDN'T, UH, THANKFULLY, UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME FROM EACH ONE OF THOSE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS TOO THAT I DO IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH OUR SAFETY DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, AND I'M CONSTANTLY ASKING THE QUESTIONS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, IS IT STILL BEST PRACTICE WHEN WE HAVE, AND WHEN WE HAVE AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT HAPPENS.
FIRST THING I'M DOING, LIKE YOU'VE ALL, I'M DOWNLOADING THE REPORT, I'M READING IT, I'M LOOKING FOR TENDENCIES.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED THERE THAT CAN HAPPEN HERE? DO WE, YOU KNOW, DO WE, IS OUR BUILDING LAID OUT THE SAME WAY? OR HOW DO WE SECURE OUR BUILDING? AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND, UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS DAY AND TIME THAT WE PROCESS THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN WE'VE IMPLEMENTED WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL IN THAT PROCESS TOO.
AND AT FIRST WE, WE WERE PROBABLY PUSHING BACK ON THAT IDEA 'CAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DO IT, BUT IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE DID.
UH, AND IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD FOR OUR STAFF AND FOR OUR STUDENTS AND, AND IT'S BEEN NOTHING BUT POSITIVE FROM OUR PARENTS TIME FOR ANOTHER ONE.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE CONFLICT AND HARD DISCUSSIONS AND HOW DO YOU HANDLE A DECISION THAT'S UNPOPULAR AND THAT MANY MIGHT DISAGREE WITH YOU ON TRANSPARENCY, HONESTY, THAT'S, UM, WHENEVER THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA BE TIMES, UH, THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF TIMES, UH, WHEN YOU MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AS A LEADER.
UM, BUT YOU, YOU, YOU HOPE THAT YOU DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH, UH, THE WAY YOU'VE ENGAGED YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR PARENTS, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY KNOW AND THEY BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT YOU ARE GONNA DO WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR KIDS, UH, WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR STAFF.
UM, BUT YOU ALSO TRY TO WALK THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND BEING TRANSPARENT A ABOUT IT.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN OUR BUSINESS THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS ALLOW US IN A, IN A CONTROVERSIAL SITUATION TO FULLY BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN SOME THINGS.
AND, AND, UM, AND I, I MYSELF HAVE BEEN THROUGH THOSE, UM, AND SOCIAL MEDIA WILL TAKE A LIFE OF ITS OWN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I KNOW WHEN I MAKE THOSE DECISIONS SOMETIMES THAT, UH, IT MAY BE SPENT THAT WAY.
BUT I, UH, ONE THING I I MADE SURE OF IS, UH, UH, IN MY FAITH, I PUT MY HEAD DOWN AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT I'M GONNA DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR KIDS.
AND IF SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, SOMETHING'S NOT SAFE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR ME, I'M GONNA DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THOSE KIDS BECAUSE I'M NOT LOOKING AT THOSE PARENTS THAT I'VE COMMITTED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS FOR AND, AND, AND DO SOMETHING THAT WAS EASY WHEN I SHOULD HAVE DONE.
WHAT WAS THIS DIFFICULT THING AND THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I HAVE TIME TO ASK, SO I'M GOING TO, MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT ASKED BEFORE, WHAT DOES COMMUNICATION AND STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK LOOK LIKE IN A DISTRICT? YOU WOULD RUN COMMUNICATION'S A TWO WAY STREET, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.
AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT STARTS WITH US, UH, HAVING A CLEAR VISION, UH, FROM, FROM THIS LEVEL.
UH, WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR JOB AND WHAT, WHAT OUR VISION IS AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH OUR STUDENTS.
UH, IT'S HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT.
BUT I, I STILL THINK IT INVOLVES OUR BUILDING LEADERS IN THAT PROCESS AND HOW WE DO THAT.
UH, BUT IT ALSO, IT ALSO INVOLVES, UH, WHAT HELPS WITH THAT IS, IS THIS POSITION ALSO BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEING PRESENT AND, UH, AND, AND GOING AROUND AND ENGAGING PEOPLE AND HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
SO THE LAST 15 MINUTES IS FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS OR IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEEDED TO COMMENT ON SOMETHING THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS MAY ALSO ASK FOR SOME CLARIFICATION AS WELL.
I KNOW THERE WAS, UH, MR. HOLMAN, I THINK ON THE INSURANCE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO FINISH THAT UP OR IF YOU HAD A FOLLOW UP.
I KIND OF, MY FOLLOW UP WAS MORE OR LESS IN HOW THAT YOU WOULD HANDLE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
SO I THINK YOU HANDLE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THAT MIGHT BE A CHALLENGE.
SO I APPRECIATE ACTUALLY YOUR RESPONSE ON THE, ON A SIMILAR QUESTION.
SO WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE, I THINK YOU, YOU, YOU ANSWERED IT FROM ME, UNLESS, UM, RESTED WARD THINKS OTHERWISE, THANK YOU.
I'D BE GLAD FOR ANYBODY TO HAVE A FOLLOW UP.
HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE TEACHERS FEEL SAFE, GIVEN HONEST FEEDBACK WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION FROM THEIR ADMINISTRATORS? I, I THINK THAT'S THE EX I THINK THAT EXPECTATION HAS TO BE, HAS TO BE SET AT THE TOP.
UH, AND WHEN WE TALK TO OUR BUILDING LEADERS, UH, WHEN WE DO IT FOR MYSELF, I MEAN, I, I THINK WHEN I'M IN THE BUILDING, UH, THAT'S PART OF THAT LISTENING, LISTENING SOMETIMES DOESN'T MEAN YOU ONLY LISTEN TO THE THINGS YOU WANT TO HEAR.
[00:50:01]
IS, IS BEING UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE GONNA TELL YOU THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO GROW IN THAT YOU MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR IT.AND, UH, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO HAVE THE ABILITY AS A LEADER TO STEP BACK AND, AND DO A SELF-ASSESSMENT AND REALIZE THAT THAT GROWTH IS NEEDED, ACKNOWLEDGING IT AND DOING IT.
AND, UH, BUT I THINK WE, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT COMFORT LEVEL, UH, TO WHERE WE DON'T, UH, WE DON'T RETALIATE, UH, JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE'S GIVING THEIR OPINION ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED.
AND TO ME, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO DO IT IN THAT WAY AT ALL.
WE'VE GOTTA BE OPEN TO THAT FEEDBACK AND BE WILLING TO LISTEN AND LEARN FROM ANYONE.
UM, DR. MARSHALL? YEAH, I, ON YOU WERE FINISHING UP WITH THE QUESTIONS FROM, UM, MS. MCGEE ON THE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES.
I THINK I, I WANTED TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE HOW YOU WOULD WANT TO FINALIZE THAT QUESTION.
WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK, OR KIM, YOU CAN ANSWER IS THE LAST QUESTION YOU ANSWERED AND YOU KIND OF RAN OUT OF TIME.
DO YOU WANT THE WHOLE QUESTION AGAIN? WELL, I, I CAN JUST TRY TO FINISH UP.
I THINK I CAN CERTAINLY, UM, GOING BACK TO THAT WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH THOSE GROWTH PIECES ON THAT, IS THAT WE, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT IN YOUR, YOUR CAPITAL OUTLAY AND YOUR MAINTENANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT.
DO YOU CONTINUE TO USE ANY FUND BALANCE TO ADDRESS THOSE SITUATIONS? OR DO YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION, UH, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT APPROPRIATE? 'CAUSE YOU GOT, YOU GOT DEBT SERVICE, YOU GOT REAL DEBT SERVICE.
YOU, YOU HAVE SOME OTHER AREAS THERE, YOU KNOW, IN IN, IN ONE AREA THEY MAY DEDICATE A PENNY TO TO, TO MAINTENANCE AND, AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
BUT, BUT HOW DO WE GO ABOUT IT? YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE THAT, HOW DO YOU HAVE A DEDICATED MAINTENANCE, UH, FUND FOR DEALING WITH SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN CAPITAL, UH, SO THAT YOU, YOU DON'T FORGET IT.
AND IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL SPEND DECADES TRYING TO RECOVER FROM, IS BECAUSE WE DID NOT CONTINUE TO TRY TO PUSH FOR MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP ON SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS.
AND, UH, BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU GO FROM, YOU KNOW, 24 TO 30 TO 40 OR 50 AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL COST.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS JUST LIKE IT IS AS SIMPLE AS EVEN PAVING.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING WE, WE KNOW HOW MANY PARKING LOTS WE HAVE IN OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE SHOULD KNOW THE AGE OF WHEN WE LAST OR RECODED THEM OR RE YOU KNOW, AND, AND SEALED THEM.
AND WE SHOULD KNOW WE SHOULD HAVE A TIMEFRAME AND A PATTERN, UH, ALREADY LAID OUT.
WE SHOULD KNOW WHICH YEAR WE'RE DOING WHICH PROJECT BASED ON WHICH AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE ALLOTTED FOR IT.
AND SO ALL OF THOSE NEEDS TO BE ON THERE TOO.
BUT I THINK IT GOES BACK TO ALSO ON NOT FORGETTING OUR OLDER SCHOOLS.
UH, AND, AND YOU ALL ARE DOING THAT WITH LAKEVIEW AND WITH WATERTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HOPEFULLY, UH, WITH IT, UH, BEING ABLE TO BE FUNDED THAT PROCESS, BUT, UH, HAVING BEEN IN A 50-YEAR-OLD BUILDING MYSELF, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE FORGOTTEN.
BUT I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE STUDENTS SITTING IN A CLASSROOM IN WATERTOWN OR STUDENTS SITTING IN A CLASSROOM IN SOUTH SIDE OR TUCKER'S CROSSROADS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THEY ARE IN THE COUNTY, THEY SHOULD HAVE THE SAME ACCESS, THE SAME ENVIRONMENT, THE SAME QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION, AND THE SAME RESOURCES AS EVERY OTHER SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH, THAN JUST SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN ON HOW YOU ADDRESS IT.
AND THAT INCLUDES FURNITURE, THAT INCLUDES TECHNOLOGY.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BUDGET THOSE PRIORITIES TO ENSURE WE HAVE THAT EQUALITY AND WE'RE NOT WAKING UP ONE DAY, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW AND WE HAVE 20 SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEHIND AND 10 ARE AHEAD.
AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT COST TO DO THAT, VERSUS IF WE WOULD'VE PLANNED AHEAD AND WE WOULD'VE BUDGET AND PRIORITIZE THAT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
JUST, JUST REAL QUICK, SIR, I KNOW WE, UM, WE HEAR THE TERM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA SUPPORT THE TEACHERS.
I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR, LIKE, I WANT TO TO GET DOWN TO THE BARE BONES, LIKE IN WHAT IS YOUR, UM, WHEN I SAY SUPPORT TEACHERS OR WHEN YOU SAY SUPPORT TEACHER, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MONEY OR BENEFITS, BUT SUPPORTING TEACHERS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? LIKE WHEN YOU SAY THAT? UH, I THINK SUPPORT IS, IS A, IS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, SO LET'S TALK IN INSTRUCTIONALLY SUPPORTING TEACHERS INSTRUCTIONALLY MEANS.
SO I THINK, UM, I, ONE OF THE DOCUMENTS YOU PUT OUT, UM, HAD ABOUT 33% OF YOUR, OF YOUR TEACHERS WERE ZERO TO FIVE.
UM, AND BASICALLY 50% OF YOUR, YOUR TEACHERS, OR 10 OR LESS.
AND SO WITH THAT COMES A LOT OF NEEDS, ESPECIALLY YOUR ZERO TO FIVE FOLKS, A THIRD OF YOUR DISTRICT OR TEACHERS WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF TEACHING.
THAT FIVE YEAR WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME FOR THEM TO DECIDE TO STAY IN THE PROFESSION, TO FEEL SUPPORTED, UH, TO HELP THEM THROUGH THAT TRANSITION, BECAUSE IT'S A CHALLENGE REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE IN THAT PROCESS.
AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROGRAMS IN PLACE, ONE, TO MENTOR THEM IN THAT TRANSITION? UH, WE ARE HIRING MORE AND MORE TEACHERS THAT MAY NOT COME FROM A TRADITIONAL TEACHER PREP PROGRAM.
THE NEEDS FOR THAT ARE A LOT MORE
[00:55:01]
DIFFERENT AND THE RESOURCES THAT'S REQUIRED TO SUPPORT THEM IN THAT GROWTH PROCESS.SO YOU'RE HELPING A TEACHER IN SUPPORTING THEM BY HELPING THEM TRANSITION IN COACHING AND HELPING THEM LEARN HOW TO CONNECT WITH THEIR STUDENTS TO TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE HIRED AND THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR CONTENT TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT AND DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS SO THOSE STUDENTS CAN CONNECT WITH THAT CONTENT AS WELL AND BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THOSE STANDARDS.
BUT THEN IT'S ALSO HOW DO THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO GROW, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HAVE THE BASE KNOWLEDGE IN, THEY NEED SUPPORT ON THAT GROWTH.
SO AS WE, AND THAT'S WHERE COLLABORATION IS KEY.
A DISTRICT THAT IS COLLABORATING THE SUPPORTS, COLLABORATION AND, AND UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, IS A DISTRICT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND FIND SUCCESS BECAUSE WE JUST, ON OUR, ON AN ISLAND BY OURSELF LEFT IN OUR ROOM, WE WILL NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE CAN BE IF WE ARE NOT COLLABORATING WITH EACH OTHER, SHARING WHAT IS EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES, WHAT'S WORKING IN THE CLASSROOM, AND, AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THINGS IN MY BUILDING.
AND I SEE WITH MY STAFF IN THAT GROWTH PROCESS THAT HELPS ALLEVIATE THAT BURDEN ON THEM AS A NEW TEACHER IN, IN STAYING IN THE PROFESSION AND FEELING CONNECTED THROUGH ON THAT.
BUT THEN IT'S ALSO THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS WHAT ARE WE ASKING OF OUR TEACHERS? WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT FROM THE DISTRICT LEVEL DOWN, THAT IT'S NOT US CONSTANTLY FEEDING THINGS, ASKING THEM TO DO THAT.
WE ARE, WE HAVE TO STOP PERIODICALLY AND SAY, LET'S LOOK AT THE BREVITY OF ALL THE THINGS WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO AND ASK, WAIT, WHAT IS THE PRIORITY? WHAT REALLY MATTERS THAT, AND WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN TAKE BACK OFF OF THEM TO GIVE THEM THE FREEDOM TO TEACH? AND, UH, IT'S THE SAME FOR OUR BUILDING LEVEL LEADERS.
IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WE ARE A COMMAND CENTER AND A SUPPORT LINE 24 7 HERE.
IT'S, IT IS A BACK AND FORTH PROCESS.
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GIVING OUR BUILDING LEADERS TIME TO LEAD, TO BE IN THE CLASSROOMS, TO NOT, TO NOT BE CHASING DEADLINES AND PAPERWORK AND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IF WE CAN, AND TAKE 'EM OFF OF THEM AND LET 'EM HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT DIRECT IMPACT FOR THOSE TEACHERS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU IMPROVE SUPPORT AND THAT CULTURE AND THAT ENVIRONMENT, AND YOU IMPACT STUDENT LEARNING.
WHAT IS THE LARGEST BUDGET YOU'VE WORKED WITH? THE LARGEST BUDGET WOULD PROBABLY BE MY SCHOOL, SCHOOL BUDGET BASED BUDGET.
UH, A COUPLE OF MILLION THERE BESIDES OBVIOUSLY WHAT PLAN OPERATIONS WOULD BE FOR THE TOTAL FOR THAT.
AND, UM, COMMUNICATION, JUST ZEROING BACK IN ON THAT, WHAT DOES YOUR COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE TO THE BOARD? HOW WOULD YOU, UH, BELAY THINGS TO THE BOARD? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
AND I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE WAYS I LOOK AT IT, OBVIOUSLY I'VE, I'VE WORKED WITH, WITH BOARD MEMBERS BEFORE, BUT I, I, I LOOK AT, WHEN I GO BACK TO, TO THAT SHORT TIME WHERE I SERVED ON CITY COUNCIL AND I HAD A CITY MANAGER, AND WHEN I WAS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I WASN'T SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST GONNA WALK IN AT A WORK SESSION OR IN A MEETING AND JUST VOTE ON THE INFORMATION PRESENTED TO ME.
I WANTED TO, I, I RESEARCHED, I TOOK THE TIME.
AND, AND I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I WAS SPENDING HOURS, UH, TALKING TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY OR TALKING TO OUR CITY MANAGER, TRYING TO GET DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUES BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT I WAS GONNA BE VOTING ON, AND THE INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO ME IN AN UNBIASED, FACTUAL BASE SO THAT I COULD THEN MAKE THE DECISION ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS BEST FOR MY CONSTITUENTS.
MY ROLE IS TO WORK WITH YOU, TO BE ACCESSIBLE, TO BE TRANSPARENT, TO GIVE YOU THE FACTS, AND TO ALSO LOOK AHEAD, UH, TO HELP PROTECT YOU FROM THINGS THAT MAY BE ON THE HORIZON THAT WE DON'T SEE COMING SO THAT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THEM AND GIVE YOU THAT AND THAT RELATIONSHIP.
SO THAT'S KIND OF, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD EXPECT OR WHAT I, I NEEDED MOST OUTTA OUT OF THAT PERSON IN THAT ROLE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW I LOOK AT IT IN THIS ROLE TOO, IN SUPPORTING YOU IN THAT PROCESS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE.
BUT ALSO YOU'RE HIRING ME TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR DISTRICT, FOR OUR STAFF, AND THAT I'M MAKING SURE THAT I, I'M ADVOCATING FOR THEM ON WHAT CHALLENGES THEY HAVE AND WHAT NEEDS.
UM, I WANTED TO GET A, A QUESTION THAT GENERALLY SAYS, HOW CAN OUR SYSTEM IMPROVE STUDENT CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE? BUT I WANT TO NARROW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
I ACTUALLY TAUGHT A YEAR, UM, IN THE WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TEACHERS.
AND I HAD RETIRED, AND I SAID, SURE, I'LL DO IT.
I FOUND MYSELF AS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, BRAND NEW WITH NO CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SKILLS, UH, REALLY STRUGGLING WITH TRYING TO KEEP THAT CLASS UNDER CONTROL.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS WHAT, I ASSUME THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER FIRST YEAR TEACHERS THAT, UH, BURNOUT OR DECIDE NOT TO COME BACK FACING SIMILAR THINGS.
HOW, HOW DO YOU IN YOUR SCHOOL MANAGE THAT? HOW DO YOU DO THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS HELP, OR JUST WHAT DO YOU DO? ONE OF THE THINGS WE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO RECENTLY, UH, TO HELP NEW TEACHERS IN, IN OUR SCHOOL, AND I, I KNOW I BELIEVE
[01:00:01]
INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, YOU'VE ADDED AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, BUT NOT AT HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE GIVEN WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH.
WE, WE STARTED WITH ONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, BECAUSE ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS WE, WE, AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD SO MUCH TURNOVER, UH, PROBABLY 50% OF OUR STAFF HAD HAD TURNED OVER.
AND THERE'S A CHALLENGE IN ITSELF JUST IN MAINTAINING THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE LEVEL OF SUCCESS WE HAD WITH SO MANY NEW PEOPLE.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE HIRING SO MANY PEOPLE FROM NON-TRADITIONAL SETTINGS, UH, THE NEEDS, UH, ALMOST ARE, ARE SO HIGH THAT IT'S HARD AND DIFFICULT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO BE HANDS-ON TO GIVE THEM THAT SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED DIRECTLY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IS PROVIDED, UH, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SCHOOLS, YOU'LL SEE NON-TRADITIONAL HIRES MORE THAN NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL THAN IN ANY OTHER GRADE BAND.
UH, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE NEEDED THE INSTRUCTIONAL COACH, AND THEY HELPED US BRIDGE THAT GAP AND COULD BE IN THERE IN A MORE DAY-TO-DAY SCENARIO WITH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WERE MORE PRESSING THAN WHAT SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COULD DO ON A SCHOOL-WIDE PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WHAT ARE THE, WHAT'S THE MENTORING PROGRAM IN THE SCHOOL? HOW ARE WE MEETING AND ENGAGING THOSE NEW TEACHERS AND MAKING SURE BEFORE WE JUST GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, THEIR PACKET OF, OF FIRST YEAR STUFF TO GO INTO THE CLASSROOM.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HELP PREPARE THEM, ANTICIPATING WHAT THOSE STRUGGLES ARE GONNA BE AND WHAT TO DO IN RESPONSE TO IT WHEN THEY SEE IT.
DID YOU SAY YOU HAVE, UM, YOU HAVE COACHES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES INSTRUCTIONAL? THAT'S CORRECT.
IF, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK US IN THESE LAST COUPLE MINUTES OR TO ADDRESS, UM, WITH YOUR TIME, IT'S UP TO YOU, SIR.
I, I'LL JUST FINISH, UH, BY SAYING IN THE TIME THAT I HAVE THAT, UM, MY PATH IN EDUCATION IS, IS DEEPLY PERSONAL.
UM, I, LIKE MANY STUDENTS STRUGGLE TO SEE MY OWN POTENTIAL.
IT WAS, IT WAS A TEACHER, MY AG TEACHER WHO INVESTED IN ME, CHALLENGED ME AND CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY LIFE.
AND THAT EXPERIENCE SHAPED MY PURPOSE AND CONTINUES TO GUIDE MY WORK.
I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH SERVICE.
IT IS GROUNDED IN FAITH, HUMILITY, AND COMMITMENT TO DOING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR STUDENTS, EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT EASY.
AND I DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE ANSWERS, BUT I WILL LISTEN, WORK AND EMPOWER OTHERS TO LEAD.
I BELIEVE STRONG ORGANIZATIONS ARE BUILT BY SUPPORTING PEOPLE, SETTING CLEAR PRIORITIES, AND STAYING FOCUSED ON WHAT MATTERS MOST.
I ALSO WANNA BE CLEAR THAT ANY SUCCESS I'VE BEEN A PART OF HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT ME.
SUCCESS IN A SCHOOL COMES FROM THE COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT OF TEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF, COUNSELORS, EAS, CUSTODIANS, CAFETERIA WORKERS.
IT TAKES AN ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY ALIGNED TO A SHARED PURPOSE, RAISING EXPECTATIONS AND WORKING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT STUDENTS.
THAT IS A REAL SUCCESS COMES FROM, AND THAT IS WHAT I BELIEVE IN BUILDING AND SUSTAINING.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT A TITLE OF RECOGNITION.
IT IS ABOUT SERVICE AND THE IMPACT WE LEAVE ON OTHERS LONG AFTER WE ARE GONE.
THE WORK OF OUR TEACHERS, THE RELATIONSHIP THEY BUILD AND THE DIFFERENCE THEY MAKE IN THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY AND HAVE ENJOYED THE CONVERSATION.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO KICK IT OFF RIGHT AT 10 20, SO IF YOU CAN BE BACK ABOUT 10 18 SO WE CAN BE READY TO TRY TO STAY ON THE TIMELINE.
I THINK, UM, IF EVERYBODY'S CAN GET BACK SEATED AND REMIND ABOUT CELL PHONES AND BEING QUIET IN THE HALLS, IF WE DON'T GET A CHANCE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS COME OR COMES AND LEAVES.
WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR ATTENDANCE AND LOOK FORWARD TO ANY FEEDBACK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE.
YEAH, THAT'S WHY I ASKED HER, LIKE, THAT'S, I WAS TEXTING HER.
[01:05:08]
WELCOME MR. DUNCAN.UM, AS YOU SEE, THERE'LL BE A TIME CLOCK UP HERE THAT'LL KIND OF GIVE US OUR CUES.
UM, WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, WITH MR. REBECCA OWENS.
SO I'M GONNA READ THREE GENERAL QUESTIONS, AND YOU'VE GOT 15 MINUTES FOR THOSE THREE GENERAL QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU DISCUSS A TIME WHEN YOU IMPLEMENTED A NEW POLICY OR PROGRAM AND HOW YOU MANAGE THE CHANGE? HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE THIS ACROSS MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE COMPETING PRIORITIES, ACCOUNTABILITY, EXPECTATIONS, AND COMMUNITY CONFLICT WHEN THERE IS A DECISION THAT IS UNPOPULAR? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
THE FIRST ONE THAT COMES TO MIND WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RTI, UM, WHICH REALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A BIT OF AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.
UM, I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION AND, UH, THE, UH, HOOPS THAT WERE PUT INTO PLACE.
IT IS A FANTASTIC PROGRAM THAT BENEFITS KIDS.
IF YOU'RE NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
IT'S, UM, AN ABILITY BASED GROUPING PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK IS PHENOMENAL FOR PARTICULARLY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
BUT WE WERE TASKED WITH IMPLEMENTING THIS WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES WHATSOEVER.
AND SO THE CHALLENGE TO THAT OBVIOUSLY IS IN A SCHOOL THAT'S STAFFED AS LEAN AS MOST PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE, WHERE WERE WE GOING TO FIND THE HELP TO GET THESE STUDENTS THE INTERVENTIONS AND THE ENRICHMENT THAT THEY NEEDED? I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WAS A REALLY NEW PRINCIPAL AT THE TIME, AND I'M A FIRM BELIEVER OF THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
MY BOOKKEEPER, UH, CAME TO ME FROM A MOTHER'S DAY OUT PROGRAM WHERE SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR.
AND SO SHE HAD NO SHORTAGE OF EXPERIENCE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
I HAD, UM, I HAD AN ATTENDANCE CLERK WHO ALSO HAD A BACKGROUND IN, UM, YOUNG CHILDREN AND LEARNING AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO I FELT LIKE ALL HANDS ON DECK WOULD BE OUR BEST APPROACH.
NOW, I THINK EVEN AS INEXPERIENCED AS I WAS, I ALSO RECOGNIZED THE OPTICS OF PUTTING NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN FRONT OF STUDENTS.
THAT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT WE WERE NOT DEALING WITH AN IDEAL SCENARIO.
AND SO THE PLAN THAT WE HATCHED AND EXECUTED INVOLVED SOME OF OUR CLASSIFIED STAFF STEPPING UP TO ENRICH THE EDUCATION OF SOME OF OUR HIGH ACHIEVERS.
WE WANTED OUR BEST OF THE BEST TEACHERS IN FRONT OF OUR TIER THREE KIDDOS TO GET THEM TO GRADE LEVEL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO THOSE WITH THE GREATEST NEED RECEIVE THE GREATEST INSTRUCTION I HAD AVAILABLE.
BUT BECAUSE RTI COMES WITH VERY SPECIFIC TEACHER STUDENT RATIOS, SOME OF MY VERY BEST TEACHERS IN MATH AND ELA WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR FOUR TO FIVE STUDENTS.
THAT LEAVES AN AWFUL LOT OF TIER TWO AND TIER THREE STUDENTS WHO STILL NEED ENRICHMENT OR INTERVENTION.
AND SO THAT THE EXECUTION OF THAT DECISION WENT AS WELL AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
I THINK I WAS A LITTLE UNPREPARED FOR THE PUSHBACK.
YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES SOCIAL MEDIA'S PRETTY BRUTAL.
AND SO, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE A THROWAWAY LINE TO SAY THAT KIN'S GOT NON-CERTIFIED FOLKS IN FRONT OF KIDDOS DURING RTI, WE CALLED IT GLOW.
WE, WE CALLED IT GLO, IT'S AN ACRONYM FOR GRADE LEVEL ONWARD.
AND SO AFTER THAT PUSHBACK TALKING WITH DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, WE TWEAKED THE PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT.
WE STILL USED SOME FOLKS WHO, UM, HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH INSTRUCTION, BUT WE'RE NOT CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN SUPPORTIVE ROLES INSIDE CLASSROOMS WITH CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
RIGHT? BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, YOU'VE REALLY GOT TO COME UP WITH SOME UNORTHODOX WAYS TO ATTACK THE PROBLEM.
I HOPE THAT WAS SUCCINCT ENOUGH, MS. OWENS.
UH, THAT WAS A LONG QUESTION, AND SO I HOPE I HIT ON ALL PARTS OF THAT.
TEACHER RETENTION IS OFTEN DRIVEN MORE BY DAILY WORKING CONDITIONS, PARTICULAR STUDENT BEHAVIOR, AND THE LEVEL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT THAN BY SALARY AND BENEFITS ALONE.
EFFECTIVELY, LEADERSHIP REQUIRES ADDRESSING THESE FACTORS IN PRACTICAL VISIBLE WAYS.
WHAT SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT TO IMPROVE THESE CONDITIONS AND BETTER SUPPORT TEACHERS CULTURE VERSUS SALARY?
[01:10:01]
WE LIVE IN ECONOMIC TIMES THAT ARE DIFFICULT.WE DEAL WITH TEACHERS WHO ARE UNDERPAID AND OVERWORKED, NEWSFLASH.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THAT BEFORE, BUT I THINK THE NUMBER ONE JOB OF AN ADMINISTRATOR IN ANY CAPACITY, WHETHER IT'S AT THE BUILDING LEVEL OR THE DISTRICT LEVEL, IS TO CREATE A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR THE FOLKS ON THE FRONT LINES.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS I'VE HIRED TEACHERS OVER THE YEARS WHO HAVE CHOSEN MADISON CREEK ELEMENTARY, DESPITE THE PAY DISCREPANCY THAT THEY COULD HAVE ACCEPTED IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY OR OTHER DISTRICTS THAT PAID A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
IT, IT WAS A VERY EASY SELL FOR US BECAUSE OUR CULTURE IS A PRIORITY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS WORKED ON DAILY.
UH, WE SAY THINGS LIKE DYT DEFEND YOUR TEAMMATE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE AT THE BALLPARK AND SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING NEGATIVE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR, YOUR TEACHER BUDDY THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE HALL FROM YOU, I GIVE THEM THREE OUTS.
ONE IS, I DON'T TALK SCHOOL AWAY FROM SCHOOL.
THAT'S A COP OUT, BUT IT'LL GET 'EM OUTTA THAT CONVERSATION.
ANOTHER IS THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE MR. SMITH THAT I KNOW, AND A THIRD IS MAYBE YOU JUST CAUGHT THE GUY ON A BAD DAY.
I, I WANT THEM OUT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THAT ERODES CULTURE AND CULTURE IS EVERYTHING.
I'VE GOT TEACHERS IN MY BUILDING THAT WE REALLY HAD NO BUSINESS LANDING BASED ON SALARY DISCREPANCIES ACROSS NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.
WE WERE ABLE TO LAND THOSE TEACHERS BECAUSE OF OUR CULTURE, WHICH IS LOVE FIRST AND TEACH SECOND.
AND SO THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS IN A LIST OF PRIORITIES FOR HIRING GREAT TALENT, SALARY IS CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT CONSIDER, NO ONE IN THE ROOM WOULD SAY OTHERWISE, BUT I BELIEVE FULLY THAT CULTURE IS A HIGHER PRIORITY.
I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU GET TALENTED FOLKS WHO WANT TO COME TO WORK, I THINK THEY'RE WORLD CHANGERS.
AND I THINK IT JUSTIFIES THE LATE KNIGHTS AND I THINK IT JUSTIFIES THE FACEBOOK COMMENTS, AND I THINK IT JUSTIFIES ALL OF THE OBSTACLES THAT OUR TEACHERS FACE IF THEY LOVE COMING TO WORK.
AND I THINK IT'S THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN THE WORLD, ONLY BEHIND FAITH-BASED POSITIONS.
WITH FUNDING INCREASINGLY BEING DIRECTED TOWARD VOUCHERS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, HOW DO YOU BALANCE SUPPORTING SCHOOL CHOICE OPTIONS WHILE ALSO PROTECTING AND STRENGTHENING THE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT SERVES THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS? I'VE GIVEN A LOT OF THOUGHT TO THAT QUESTION, AND MY HEART AND MY BRAIN SAY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
MY HEART SAYS THAT THE GRACE OF GOD IS WHY I WAS ABLE TO RAISE KIDS WITH A PARTNER.
IT'S WHY I'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIVED IN A ZONE WHERE MY KIDS' PUBLIC EDUCATION WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, I WOULD'VE BEEN A SINGLE PARENT LOOKING FOR AN EXCELLENT SCHOOL DESPITE THE FACT THAT I COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THAT ZONE.
I THINK THE IDEA AND THE THEORY BEHIND VOUCHERS IS NOBLE.
I THINK IT IS A DISASTER WITH REGARD TO THE WAY IT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
I THINK IT'S TURNED INTO A SUPPLEMENT FOR P PRIVILEGED FAMILIES THAT ARE ALREADY AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE 7,000 ISH DOLLARS, UH, IS POSSIBLY APPLIED TO A TUITION THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND WHILE MY HEART BREAKS FOR A MOM WHO JUST WANTS WHAT'S BEST FOR HER KIDS AND ITS CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION, I THINK IT IS A TOTAL DISSERVICE TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I THINK THINK IF IT WERE TWEAKED, IT'S SALVAGEABLE, BUT IN ITS CURRENT FORM, UH, I WOULDN'T BE A PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCATE IF I SAID I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD SYSTEM.
I, I THINK IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'S TRAGIC IN A LOT OF WAYS.
AND WHEN IT EATS INTO FUNDING THAT'S ALREADY BEING ERODED, IT BECOMES EVEN A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN IT WOULD BE OTHERWISE.
THE BOARD IS GONNA NOW ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
MR. DUNCAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND BEING HERE IN FRONT OF US.
MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO OUR CURRENT STATE OF OUR HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, AS YOU'VE BEEN, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE OF, OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING ON THE BOARD, DESCRIBE THE STEPS
[01:15:01]
YOU WOULD TAKE IN SOLVING THIS ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO THE BALANCING OF OUR BUDGET AND THE NEEDS OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND TEACHERS.SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DEFICIT CURRENTLY.
DID I READ THAT CORRECTLY? OKAY.
YOU NEED A HEALTHY, UH, YOU NEED A HEALTHY TALENT POOL.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S AN EASY ANSWER TO THAT.
I LIKED WHAT YOU SAID THE OTHER NIGHT, MR. HOLMAN, IN THE BOARD MEETING YOU MENTIONED, UH, EXEMPTIONS.
YOU MENTIONED EXCLUSIONS, YOU MENTIONED INCREASING COPAYS.
YOU MENTIONED THE POTENTIAL FOR, UH, INCREASING OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED.
AND IN THINKING ABOUT THIS, UM, I RAN ACROSS A QUOTE, WHICH I THINK IS SO APPROPRIATE TO THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, CHALLENGE, OBSTACLE, WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT.
AND THIS IS WHAT CS LEWIS SAID, ALL MAY HAVE TO BE A LITTLE HUNGRY IN ORDER THAT NONE MAY STARVE.
THAT RESONATES WITH ME BECAUSE HE WENT ON TO CLARIFY FURTHER FRUIT HAS TO BE TEND IF IT'S TO BE TRANSPORTED AND HAS TO LOSE SOME OF THE GOOD PROPERTIES.
THIS IS MY SIMPLE-MINDED TAKEAWAY, AND IT APPLIES TO 10 FRUIT OR THE INSURANCE PLAN OF WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS.
SOMETIMES PREFERENCE MUST BE SACRIFICED FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE IN SUMNER COUNTY WHERE WE DO SOME THINGS RIGHT AND SOME THINGS WE COULD DO BETTER, OF COURSE, LIKE ANY DISTRICT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A WELLNESS PLAN THAT I PARTICIPATE IN.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I'M ASSUMING, UH, I PAY A DISCOUNTED PREMIUM FOR MEETING FOUR BENCHMARKS ANNUALLY, NICOTINE A ONE, CBMI AND BLOOD PRESSURE, THE FOUR BIGGEST KEYS TO UPCOMING HEALTH PROBLEMS, RIGHT? AND SO THAT INCENTIVIZES ME TO WALK WHEN I DON'T WANNA WALK TO EXERCISE WHEN I DON'T WANT TO EXERCISE BECAUSE DESPITE THE FACT THAT I COULD AFFORD THE PAY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO PLANS, THERE'S A WELLNESS PLAN AND THERE'S A REGULAR PLAN.
I PAY $450 A MONTH FOR MY FAMILY.
IF WE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE WELLNESS PLAN, I WOULD PLAY, I WOULD PAY CLOSER TO 700, WHICH I BELIEVE IS PRETTY COMPARABLE WITH WHAT I SAW ONLINE FOR, FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES FAMILIES.
SO I SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.
THE REASON THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS IT INCENTIVIZES MY HEALTH AND IT FORCES ME TO DO THINGS THAT MAYBE I WOULD RATHER NOT DO.
IT'S EASIER TO SIT IN A RECLINER AND WATCH FOOTBALL THAN IT IS TO GET OUT THERE AND MEET BMI BENCHMARKS AND, AND MANAGE MY BLOOD PRESSURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, MR. HOEN, I, I WISH I HAD AN EASY ANSWER TO THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE AN INACTIVE LICENSE IN LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND SO I'M VERY AWARE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A RISK POOL AND COSTS INCURRED.
I THINK, UH, THE HEALTHIER OUR EMPLOYEES ARE, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE EASY ANSWER IS THE LOWER THOSE COSTS ARE.
BUT I WOULD GO BACK TO THE QUOTE THAT I SHARED WITH YOU EARLIER.
INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE RISING EVERYWHERE, AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE PAYING MORE FOR INFERIOR CARE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE CURRENTLY FACING THE BOARD.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUT OF TURN, NOT BEEN IN YOUR CHAIR, BUT SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, A LOT OF MONEY.
AND JUST A FOLLOW UP TO THAT THEN IS NO MATTER WHICH DIRECTION WE END UP GOING, THERE'S GOING TO BE A WAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE OUTCOME OF THAT, BOTH FROM POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE OR, OR HOWEVER WE DO THAT.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH IN DEALING WITH BOTH THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC AND OUR EMPLOYEES MOST IMPORTANTLY? SURE.
AND HOW YOU, HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THAT AND ADDRESS THAT? YEAH.
I THINK 100% TRANSPARENCY WILL, WILL KEEP US OUT OF A LOT OF, UM, UNFAVORABLE SCENARIOS.
MY MAIN CONCERN WOULD BE FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
I'M, I'M WELL AWARE THAT THESE ARE DOLLAR SIGNS FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND I DON'T, I WOULDN'T WANT US TO EVER LOOK AT IT AS A COLLECTIVE PROBLEM.
THE, THESE, THESE TEACHERS HAVE FACES AND THEY HAVE CHILDREN.
AND SO MY MAIN CONCERN WOULD BE FOR THEM, I THINK IN TERMS OF PUBLIC, HOW, HOW WOULD WE HANDLE IT PUBLICLY.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO IN THE BUSINESS OF RECRUITING TALENT, RIGHT? AND BENEFITS PACKAGES
[01:20:01]
MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES.WHEN THERE'S OPTION A AND OPTION B AND ALL OTHER THINGS ARE EQUAL.
OPTION A HAS BETTER BENEFITS, WE KNOW WHICH WAY THEY'RE GOING.
UH, WHAT SYSTEMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES WOULD YOU PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT IEPS AND 5 0 4 PLANS ARE CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY AND THAT OUR SCHOOLS REMAIN FULLY COMPLIANT WITH ALL SPECIAL ED REQUIREMENTS? THANK YOU.
I THINK IT, IT BEGINS WITH GREAT LEADERSHIP AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE LEVEL.
I'VE, UH, BEEN THE BENEFICIARY OF THAT IN MY 14 YEARS AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
MY COORDINATOR, I CAN TELL YOU UNEQUIVOCALLY, HAS KEPT ME OUT OF A LOT OF TROUBLE BECAUSE THE, THE, THE HARD PART THERE IS BALANCING, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE THE TERMINOLOGY.
THE HARD PART IS BALANCING THE NEEDS OF OUR TYPICALS WITH THE NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF OUR STUDENTS WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.
THEY'RE ALL ENTITLED TO AN EDUCATION PHILOSOPHICALLY, ALL THEIR PARENTS PAY THE SAME TAXES, RIGHT? SO WE ARE EQUALLY BURDENED TO SERVE BOTH GROUPS.
THE CHALLENGE BECOMES WHEN ONE GROUP IS PRIORITIZED OVER THE OTHERS.
SO I THINK PROBABLY THE MOST CONCISE ANSWER I COULD GIVE TO THAT MS. LYNN, IS INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE, WHICH BY ALL ACCOUNTS IS ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND AN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF THE 28 SCHOOLS, I BELIEVE IS MY NUMBER CORRECT THERE, AN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH AND EVERY SCHOOL, WHETHER THAT LOOKS LIKE A SPECIAL ED TEAM LEADER OR A CASE MANAGER WHO HAS PROVEN HIMSELF OR HERSELF CAPABLE OF ALIGNING THE SCHOOL'S PLANS WITH THE DISTRICT'S PLANS.
I'LL ALSO SAY THIS, IF SUMNER COUNTY IS LIKE WILSON COUNTY, AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT IS, UH, THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT ADVOCACY, AND IF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE MANAGED CORRECTLY, THOSE PEOPLE CAN BE REAL ASSETS FOR US.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE ADVERSARIAL.
I'VE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE IT HAS BEEN.
AND SO I THINK THAT THEY BRING A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE TO A TEAM.
I ALSO THINK IT, IT'S AN ACT OF GOODWILL TO SHOW THOSE PARENTS WHO MIGHT BE IN A CONTENTIOUS IEP MEETING THAT WE WELCOME ALL IDEAS.
UM, IF A SCHOOL IS ACHIEVING STRONG ACADEMIC RESULTS, BUT TEACHERS REPORT LOW MORALE AND INADEQUATE SUPPORT FROM ADMINISTRATORS, WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO ADDRESS LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS, IMPROVE STAFF CULTURE AND SUSTAIN PERFORMANCE ACROSS THE DISTRICT? OKAY.
DO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY MS. LEE? WE HAVE A SCHOOL WITH HIGH, HIGH ACHIEVEMENT.
SO I THINK, I THINK THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IN THAT BUILDING WOULD BE OUR BEST OPTION TO CORRECT THAT ISSUE.
I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND I'VE KNOWN SOME INCREDIBLE TEACHERS WHO ON THEIR WORST DAYS HURT MORALE.
AND SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE SCENARIO THAT, THAT YOU'VE SHARED THERE.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU HIT IT HEAD ON.
I THINK THAT WHEN PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLANS NEED TO BE MADE, YOU HAVE THE RESPECT OF THE EDUCATOR WHO IS POTENTIALLY DAMAGING MORALE TO CALL HIM OR HER INTO THE OFFICE, TALK THEM THROUGH YOUR PLANS TO HELP THEM.
A PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS NOT A GOTCHA, IT'S NOT ONE MORE STEP IN PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE.
IF WE DO THOSE RIGHT, MS. LYNN, IT IMPROVES MORALE.
IT SAYS, HERE ARE SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP YOU CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THIS SCHOOL CULTURE.
AND MY JOB AS PRINCIPAL IS TO HELP YOU REALIZE YOUR POTENTIAL.
IF I SOUND A LITTLE PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT, IT'S BECAUSE IT, I'M IN THAT SEASON RIGHT NOW AND, UM, IT HITS VERY, VERY CLOSE TO HOME WITHOUT GOING INTO PARTICULARS.
I THINK YOU HIT IT HEAD ON WITH IMPROVEMENT, PRO PLANS, PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE, AND SOMETIMES WHEN ALL OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED, YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY TO A TALENTED INDIVIDUAL, LOOK, TENURE'S A TRICKY THING, BUT I WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY.
AND I THINK AS AN EDUCATOR, YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY AND YOU DON'T SEEM HAPPY HERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK YOU JUST GOTTA PUT THE BALL IN THEIR COURT.
ULTIMATELY, THAT PROBLEM IS SOLVED BY ONE PERSON, AND THAT IS THE JOY KILL IN THE BUILDING.
HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE TEACHERS FEEL SAFE, GIVING HONEST FEEDBACK WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION FROM THEIR ADMINISTRATORS? THE RELATIONSHIP HAS TO BE IN PLACE.
[01:25:01]
QUESTION IS THE WORK HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE HONEST FEEDBACK EVER OCCURS.SO FOR, FOR INSTANCE, HERE'S WHAT I MEAN BY THAT.
IF THERE'S A NEW PRINCIPLE IN A BUILDING AND THE PRINCIPLE HAS MADE IT OBVIOUS THAT HE OR SHE IS OPEN TO HONEST FEEDBACK, I THINK THOSE WORDS RING HOLLOW UNLESS THERE IS AN ATTEMPT EVEN AT THE BEGINNING TO BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS TO BE IN PLACE.
IT REMINDS ME OF A COACH WHO IS SOME OF THE MO.
IF YOU SAW A COACH ON THE SIDELINES AND WALKED AWAY GOING, THAT IS THE MOST DEMANDING INDIVIDUAL I'VE EVER SEEN.
AND, AND HE OR SHE WAS INTENSE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO LOOK AT THE BACKGROUND.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PLAYER OR THE TEAM THAT THE, THAT THE COACH IS GETTING INTO? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LIKE I KNEW A LOT OF COACHES THAT EARN A RIGHT TO GET AFTER ME THIS TIME.
HOW YOU SIR? SORRY, I GOT LONG-WINDED, MR. NO WORRIES.
UM, SO, UM, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT UNDERMINE A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN THE CLASSROOM? AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, SO IF WE CAN KEEP THIS CONCISE YES, SIR.
UM, I'M OLD SCHOOL ENOUGH TO ADMIT THAT I THINK CONSEQUENCES CHANGE BEHAVIORS, I THINK CONSEQUENCES IMPOSED WITH LOVE AND PURE MOTIVES CHANGES THE TRAJECTORY FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS.
WHEN I SAY WE HAVE A CULTURE OF LOVE FIRST AND TEACH SECOND, I MEAN THAT IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.
AND IF A STUDENT UNDERSTANDS THAT WE LOVE THEM AND WE HAVE THEIR BEST INTEREST AT HEART, SOMETIMES WE CAN OVERCOME WHAT IS TRUE TRAUMA.
I, I THINK IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE TWO EXTREMES.
WE'VE GOT THE HEAVY HANDED POUND OF FLESH, AND WE HAVE TRAUMA INFORMED INSTRUCTION.
AND DESPITE ITS BEST INTENTIONS, OFTEN TURNS INTO EXCUSE MAKING AND STUNTED EXPECTATIONS FOR KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH ADVERSITY.
THE GREATEST SUCCESS STORIES ALWAYS HAVE ADVERSITY, REASONABLE GRADUATED CONSEQUENCES UNTIL WE SEE BEHAVIOR CHANGE.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE A GOAL AS A DISTRICT OF 30% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO REACH PROFICIENCY IN ELA AND MATH.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU WOULD DO TO HELP US GET TO THAT 30% PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMES TO MIND? I, I THINK THERE, THERE ARE TWO GROUPS OF REALLY GREAT TEACHERS.
ONE ARE THOSE WHO ARE INNATELY GIFTED TO DO WHAT THEY DO.
THEY'RE TALENTED JUST BY GENETICS OR BY THE GRACE OF GOD OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO I'VE LEARNED, HAVE BEEN COACHED TO A LEVEL OF GREATNESS.
I HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORMER THAN THE LATTER, BUT THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS EXCELLENT TEACHING.
UM, 30% OF YOUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS YOU WOULD HOPE WOULD BE PROFICIENT.
I THINK THAT'S AN ADMIRABLE AND AN HONORABLE GOAL.
BUT I THINK IT COMES ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHO'S IN FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM AND IS THAT PERSON IN CHARGE OF A TEAM OF SUPPORT.
IT'S NOT JUST THE TEACHER, IT'S THE SUPPORT THAT'S AROUND, WHETHER IT'S EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE, SPEECH LANGUAGE, PATHOLOGISTS, IT'S A TOTAL TEAM APPROACH.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IS THE TEACHER.
SO WE HAVE, UM, IT'S A GOOD TIME ON THIS ONE.
SO IF YOU CAN SPEND SOME TIME ON THIS ONE.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CHILD'S EDUCATION? THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THE BACKBONE OF A SCHOOL IS THE FAMILY SUPPORT AND THE CULTURE SURROUNDING THAT CAMPUS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE THAT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
UH, I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT FAMILY NIGHTS ARE HUGE.
I WAS LATE TO THE FAMILY NIGHT PARTY.
I, I'M NOT SURE AS AN OLD HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER THAT I WAS SOLD ON THAT INITIALLY UPON MY ARRIVAL TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
BUT I INHERITED A FOURTH GRADE TEAM THAT WAS TRULY THE HEART OF THAT SCHOOL.
AND WE DID, UH, WE DID A COFFEE HOUSE WHERE STUDENTS WOULD READ ORIGINAL WORKS OF POETRY AND SHORT STORIES.
WE'VE DONE, UH, FAMILY PHYSICAL EDUCATION NIGHT.
IF, IF WE DO IT IN THE BUILDING AND YOU CAN PUT FAMILY IN FRONT OF IT, WE WOULD HOST A NIGHT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK TO GET OUR FAMILIES, UM, ON CAMPUS.
AND I THINK THE BEAUTY OF THAT IS THE INTERACTIONS WITH STUDENTS', FUTURE TEACHERS, OF COURSE, THE LOVE THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE WITH A STUDENT'S, FORMER TEACHERS.
IT'LL DO AN OLD HIGH SCHOOL ACCOUNTING TEACHER'S HEART.
GOOD TO SEE THAT LEVEL OF RELATIONSHIP.
[01:30:01]
BIGGEST, THE MOST ATTENDED EVENT THAT WE'VE HAD WAS A FAMILY FARM NIGHT.UH, WE DID THAT LAST FALL AFTER WE IMPLEMENTED WHAT WE CALL THE BARNYARD.
AND, UH, I ALLUDED TO THAT I THINK IN MY LETTER OF INTENT.
WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, LIVESTOCK ON PROPERTY AND SIX RAISED GARDEN BEDS.
AND FOLKS CAME OUT AND OVERALLS AND SAW ALL THE NEW STUFF THAT THEIR KIDS WOULD GET TO EXPERIENCE.
AND WE GOT TREMENDOUS FEEDBACK FROM THAT.
NOT SURE IT WAS SO MUCH THE BARNYARD AS MUCH AS IT WAS COMMUNITY.
I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF FAMILY NIGHTS AND THE SHORT, THE, THE FOLLOW UP TO THAT MR. PADILLA.
I THINK COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING.
PARENT COMMUNICATION CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.
WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS HAS, WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS HAS EXPERIENCED A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THE NUMBER OF REWARD SCHOOLS AND LEVEL A SCHOOLS.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL AND HOW WOULD YOU MAINTAIN THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM? THANK YOU FOR THAT 15 REWARD SCHOOLS THIS PAST CYCLE.
UH, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S OVER 50%.
AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE EMPLOYEES HERE IN THIS COUNTY.
YOU, YOU CAN'T SHY AWAY FROM METRICS.
THOSE SCORES THAT YOU REFERENCED, MR. MACK, THOSE ARE SCOREBOARDS.
AND A SCOREBOARD TELLS US A LOT OF THINGS.
A SCOREBOARD CAN TELL US HOW WELL STUDENTS HAVE DONE.
A SCOREBOARD CAN TELL US HOW WELL TEACHERS HAVE DONE, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBERS.
WE CAN EVEN DRILL DOWN FURTHER AND FIGURE OUT THAT WE CRUSHED IT IN MATH AND WE STRUGGLED A LITTLE BIT IN ELA.
I THINK THOSE SCOREBOARDS AND THE DISAGGREGATED METRICS THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO AND YOUR PRINCIPAL HAVE ACCESS TO MAKES IT EASIER THAN EVER TO SEE WHERE WE'RE LACKING.
SCHOOLS ARE GONNA HAVE AREAS OF NEEDS.
SO YOU CELEBRATE THE HECK OUT OF THOSE REWARD SCHOOLS.
AND YOU ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE NOT HANGING A BANNER THAT SAYS REWARD SCHOOL, IT IS A GUT PUNCH TAKEN FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCED BOTH.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU REWARD THE EFFORTS OF THOSE WHO MISSED THE MARK ACCORDING TO THE STATE OF TENNESSEE IN THAT PARTICULAR YEAR, AND SET THEM UP SO THAT THEY GET THAT CELEBRATION THE NEXT TIME.
YOU WANT TO CELEBRATE THE HECK OUT OF IT, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE WHO'VE WORKED 12 HOUR DAYS, POURED THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO A CAMPUS ONLY TO LEARN THAT THEY MISSED A MARK THAT WAS PROJECTED FOR THEM.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN IT? UH, TALENT.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE.
CULTURE'S IMPORTANT, BUT WITHOUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA MISS THE MARK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.
ANOTHER QUESTION COMING FROM OUR PRINCIPAL.
IF GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WHAT YOU KNOW OF WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS ON DAY ONE, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO START WORKING ON? RELATIONSHIPS.
I BELIEVE WHOMEVER YOU CHOOSE FOR THIS POSITION HAS TWO IMPORTANT JOBS.
NO ONE, NONE OF THE FIVE THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED AS FINALISTS WILL BE WALKING INTO AN UNDERPERFORMING DISTRICT.
THIS IS A HIGH PERFORMING DISTRICT WITH A LOT TO CELEBRATE.
IN MY ESTIMATION, THE FIRST YEAR, THE NEW DIRECTOR SHOULD LEARN MORE FROM THE SCHOOLS THAN VICE VERSA.
SO I THINK YOU NEED A, A FEW NOTEPADS, AND I THINK YOU NEED A CAPACITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
AND THOSE WOULD BE THE TWO MAIN PRIORITIES ON DAY ONE.
I KNOW THE PRINCIPAL OFFERED ONE.
WHAT WOULD BE THE ONE THING? I THINK IF YOU'VE GOTTA SACRIFICE ONE, IT WOULD BE THE NOTEBOOKS.
AND I'D GO WITH RELATIONSHIPS.
A QUESTION COMING FROM ONE OF THE LEADERS IN OUR, UH, HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO IMPROVE READING INSTRUCTION IN THE EARLY ELEMENTARY GRADES? FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO READING AND COMPREHENSION.
AND I, I, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I'M, I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED TO HEAR THOSE WORDS COME OUT OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE I COULD BARELY SPELL FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY WHEN I GOT TO MADISON CREEK ELEMENTARY.
[01:35:01]
A FIRST GRADE, AND A SECOND GRADE TEAM THAT IS COMMITTED TO THAT.AND WHATEVER SUCCESSES THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED, THOSE, THOSE SUCCESSES HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
THEY STARTED MY K ONE HALLWAY, THEY MOVE ON INTO SECOND GRADE.
AND MY THIRD GRADE DOES NOT DO A LOT OF FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY.
AND THAT'S NOT A POPULAR THING FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL TO SAY.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS, MOST OF 'EM DON'T NEED IT.
BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THIRD GRADE, THE FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY IS IN PLACE.
NOW WE HAVE RTI OUR GLOW TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE.
BUT THE REALITY IS, MR. MACK, IF A KID COMES OUT OF MY K ONE HALLWAY BEHIND GRADE LEVEL, WE'RE GONNA STRUGGLE TO GET THAT KID READY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE JUST ARE NOW, WE'RE GONNA TRY.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF KNOWING WHO WILL AND WHO WON'T BE SUCCESSFUL.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU AFTER 14 YEARS, IT'S HARD TO GET A STUDENT TO GRADE LEVEL IF THEY DON'T COME OUT OF K ONE READING PROFICIENTLY.
HOW WOULD YOU, UM, HOW DO YOU APPROACH UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING A DISTRICT BUDGET, AND HOW DO YOU MAKE DECISIONS WHEN YOU NEED TO PRIORITIZE OR REDUCE SPENDING? ALSO, A VERY FAMILIAR CHALLENGE FOR ME.
I'LL BE, I'LL BE AS BRIEF HERE AS I CAN, BUT A LITTLE BACKSTORY, I THINK WOULD ADD THE CONTEXT THAT YOU'LL NEED HERE.
I'M PRINCIPAL OF A SCHOOL WHOSE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE CHANGING.
UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE, WE WERE FAR MORE FLUENT THAN WE ARE NOW.
WE HAVE A LARGER ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED POPULATION THAN WE'VE EVER HAD.
AND I CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MORE ETHNIC DIVERSITY THAN WE'VE EVER HAD.
I LOVE THAT LITTLE COMMUNITY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHO HAS A PTO, THAT IS THE SOLE FUNDING BODY OF OUR, OF OUR COMPUTER TEACHER, WHO'S ONE OF THE BEST IN THE BUILDING, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A COMPUTER TEACHER IF IT WEREN'T FOR OUR PTOS EFFORTS TO FUND THAT POSITION.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE WE ASKED FOR A $50 DONATION AT THE START OF EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT THAT REVENUE STREAM HAS LOOKED LIKE OVER THE LAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS AS THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE CHANGED THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT.
THE REALITY IS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES DON'T HAVE TO PAY THAT, NOR SHOULD THEY HAVE TO PAY THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AS LEADERS THAT WHEN REVENUE STREAMS DRY UP, YOU LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
AND AT MADISON CREEK, FUNDRAISERS HAVE CAUGHT OUR SLACK, AND IT'S THE NECESSARY EVIL THAT WE ALL KNOW SOMETIMES NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.
BUT WE DO A GREAT JOB MAKING IT FUN.
AND IT IS INCREDIBLY LUCRATIVE.
IT, IT IS INCREDIBLY LUCRATIVE.
SO MANAGING A BUDGET IS SOMETHING THAT I'M HAVING TO DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW.
I HOPE THAT PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.
THE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES THAT YOUR SCHOOLS USE, THE STUDY ISLANDS, THE ACCELERATED READERS, THE MASTERY CONNECTS, NEWSFLASH, THOSE ARE ONLY INCREASING IN PRICE.
AND SO AS MY REVENUE STREAMS DRY UP, MY COSTS CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THE ROOF.
AND I'VE HAD TO MAKE SOME CUTS, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, ONE WAS AN ONLINE SCIENCE, SORT OF A STEM KIND OF THING THAT MY FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS USE.
MY SCIENCE TEACHERS, I, I COULDN'T JUSTIFY IT 'CAUSE IT DIDN'T BENEFIT MY ENTIRE CAMPUS.
AND SO THAT WAS ONE THAT I CUT THIS YEAR.
WHAT IS ONE CHALLENGE IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE YOU WOULD NEED TO DEEPEN YOUR EXPERTISE AND HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH IT? WOW, THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.
I'VE LOOKED THROUGH, UH, THE BUDGET.
I'VE LOOKED THROUGH ALL THE METRICS THAT THE STATE MAKES AVAILABLE.
I'M A LITTLE CURIOUS AND, AND EACH SCENARIO IS DIFFERENT, BUT IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT IF I SAW IT CORRECTLY, AND FORGIVE ME, I'M GONNA REFER TO MY NOTES.
I BELIEVE THAT MATH PERFORMANCE AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL HAS OUTPERFORMED ELA.
THE FASCINATING PART TO THAT FOR ME IS IT'S THE OPPOSITE IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, ELA SCORES OUTPACE MATH.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THAT'S AN ANOMALY.
BUT I WOULD NEED TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION
[01:40:01]
ABOUT ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION TO DETERMINE WHY ELA LAGS MATH A LITTLE BIT, CERTAINLY RESPECTABLE.THESE, THESE SCORES ARE, I MEAN, LIKE, LOOK OUT WILLIAMSON COUNTY, RIGHT? THESE SCORES ARE INCREDIBLE, BUT WHY DO WE SEE A LITTLE BIT OF VARIANCE BETWEEN MATH AND ELA AND PERHAPS TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS? UM, YOU KNOW, ELA IS, IS NOT THE MOST POPULAR SUBJECT IN MOST HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT YOUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE, ARE CRUSHING IT.
SO I WOULD NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH OPERATIONAL PLANNING IN A RAPIDLY CRO GROWING DISTRICT? AND WHAT STRATEGIES WOULD YOU USE TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES LIKE TRANSPORTATION DISRUPTIONS AND CAPACITY STREAM? THAT IS, UM, THAT'S AN AREA WHERE I COULDN'T TELL YOU.
I HAVE TREMENDOUS EXPERTISE IN THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF THINGS.
ON THE SCALE THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.
OF COURSE I HAVE EXPERIENCE AT THE, AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE FIRST PLACE THAT REARS ITS UGLY HEAD, I THINK IS TRANSPORTATION.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS IN OUR COUNTY.
UM, WELL, I'LL JUST TELL YOU HOW WE'VE HAD THE SUCCESS AND, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S APP APPLICABLE TO WILSON COUNTY, BUT PART-TIME BUS DRIVERS, UM, ARE ON FULL BENEFITS.
YOU AND THEIR SALARIES HAVE INCREASED.
SO THE FIRST ONE, SCHOOL SECURITY IS A LARGE CONCERN FOR TEACHERS, PARENTS AS WELL AS MANY STUDENTS.
WHAT EXPERIENCE DID YOU HAVE MAKING YOUR SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS A SAFER ENVIRONMENT, AND HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE FROM ONE SCHOOL TO A, UM, A DISTRICT OR AN ENTIRE SYSTEM? OKAY.
CAN I DEAL WITH THE SECOND PART FIRST, MS. PHARAOH? UM, I'M NOT SURE IT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
WELL, WE ARE LIMITED BY THE FOOTPRINT OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND SO I'M NOT SURE A POLICY CAN BE MADE FROM THE 30,000 FOOT LEVEL THAT WOULD APPLY TO ALL SCHOOLS OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT WE NEED SAFE KIDS.
I, I THINK THE DETAILS, THE MINUTIAE OF THE PLAN HAS TO LOOK DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE CAMPUS FOOTPRINT.
THE BUILDING IN PARTICULAR, THE EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE HAD, I'VE SEEN, UH, MY SCHOOL GO FROM A, UH, TWO VERIFICATION POINT ENTRY SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE TO BE BUZZED INTO THE FRONT OFFICE.
UH, VISITORS HAVE TO BE BUZZED INTO THE FRONT OFFICE, AND THEN VISITORS HAVE TO BE BUZZED OUT OF THE FRONT OFFICE.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT, UH, TWO PROTECTIONS THERE.
I, I THINK, UM, I'LL JUST SPEAK FROM MY HEART.
I THINK WE LIVE IN A FALLEN WORLD WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SEEK TO DO HARM FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT STUDENT SAFETY, UH, COMES BEFORE EVERYTHING, THE OBLIGATION.
I DON'T LIKE TO THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S OVERWHELMING.
THE OBLIGATION I HAVE TO PROTECT 500 KIDS AND SEND THEM BACK HOME TO THEIR PARENTS EVERY AFTERNOON IS IT'S BURDENSOME.
TWO ENTRY POINTS THAT HAVE TO BE BUZZED IN AND OUT AND SECURITY FILM.
EVERY SCHOOL IN SUMNER COUNTY NOW HAS SECURITY FILM ON ALL THE WINDOWS.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS. I APPLAUD THOSE EFFORTS.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PUSHBACK THERE.
UH, IT'S A CREDIT TO YOU GUYS FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO DO ANYTHING YOU CAN TO PROTECT KIDS.
UM, WHAT IS THE LARGEST BUDGET YOU'VE WORKED WITH? OH, WOW.
CERTAINLY NOT 300 MILLION
AND I'D BE HARD PRESSED TO SAY WHAT THE MADISON CREEK BUDGET IS IN SUMNER COUNTY, OUR BUDGET IS BASED ON STAFFING.
AND SO I'M A LOT MORE FAMILIAR WITH TEACHING UNITS AND EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANT UNIT.
LIKE I CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY CLASSIFIED FOLKS WE HAVE, HOW MANY CERTIFIED FOLKS WE HAVE, BUT AS FAR AS DOLLAR VALUE OF BUDGET, I'D BE HARD PRESSED TO TELL YOU THAT.
UM, WHAT SYSTEMS WOULD YOU PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE MEANINGFULLY INCLUDED IN SCHOOL EVENTS AND CULTURE? WE HAVE 15 MINUTES EACH MORNING.
ACTUALLY, IT'S CLOSER TO 30 BETWEEN THE DOORS OPENING AND CLASS BEGINNING.
MY STUDENTS COME IN, MANY OF THEM EAT THEIR FREE AND REDUCED BREAKFAST, AND THEN THEY GO TO A HALLWAY WHERE THEY REALLY HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT MS. SMITH, THEIR SECOND GRADE TEACHER IS THERE AND THEY WANNA START THEIR
[01:45:01]
DAY WITH A HUG OR A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT.HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT EVERY KID FEELS INCLUDED? YOU CAN DO A LOT WITH CLUBS.
WE HAVE A STEP SQUAD AT MADISON CREEK ELEMENTARY THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE STEP SQUAD YOU MIGHT HAVE EXPERIENCED IN COLLEGE.
AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST GRATIFYING THINGS.
AND I ALWAYS SAID, IF WE HAVE A CHANCE, WE SHOULD DO IT.
AND TO SEE STUDENTS WHO, TO SEE STUDENTS WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE TO PLUG INTO, PLUG INTO THAT AND PERFORM AT PEP RALLIES AND CIVIC EVENTS.
IT DOES MY HEART GOOD CLUBS AND ALWAYS HAVE AN ADULT IN THE, IN THE BUILDING THAT'S IN THEIR CORNER ALWAYS.
WHAT ABOUT HOW DO YOU HANDLE CONFLICT AND HARD DISCUSSIONS AND HOW DO YOU HANDLE A DECISION THAT'S UNPOPULAR AND THAT MANY MAY DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THE CONFLICT PIECE, UH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH ME.
I'VE HAD SOME VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THIS YEAR, AND HERE'S WHAT I'VE LEARNED.
IF I'M PRAYED UP, GOING INTO THOSE MEETINGS, AND IF MY HEART IS RIGHT, THAT'S A WIN-WIN OPPORTUNITY.
YOU CAN HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS.
YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IT AS A SCHOOL BOARD.
THERE ARE COMPETING INTERESTS FOR LIMITED RESOURCES.
YOU CAN HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS AS LONG AS THE RESPECT IS IN PLACE.
WHEN THE RESPECT COMES OUT, WE GET HEATED.
SO MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN STAY PRAYED UP AND MAKE SURE YOU AFFORD THE OTHER PARTY WITH THE RESPECT AND LOOK FOR WIN-WIN.
IT'S NOT ZERO SUM, AND THAT'S HARD FOR AN OLD COMPETITOR.
YOU CAN HAVE WIN-WIN IS THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS STORY.
SORRY, THE NEXT 15 MINUTES ARE GONNA BE FOR YOU TO, IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME ON, OR IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD, THE BOARD MAY ALSO ASK SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS IF THEY DIDN'T, UM, FEEL LIKE YOU HAD TIME TO ANSWER A QUESTION.
UM, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE DIRECTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY FROM A PR STANDPOINT? IN OTHER WORDS, THERE ARE RESOURCES IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT DON'T FILTER THROUGH TESA FUNDS.
WHAT IS THE DIRECTOR'S ROLE IN RECRUITING HELP AND IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS TO GET MORE RESOURCES TO OUR SCHOOLS? I'LL HAVE THAT FOR ANYONE.
JUST, UH, I WOULD MENTION IF WE MIRROR EXACTLY WHAT MR. AL DID, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UM, PARTNERING WITH OUR FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER WHO HAS MADE SO MANY CONNECTIONS AND THAT, THAT GROUP IS AMAZING.
AND, UM, UH, AND, AND LIKE YOU SAID, GETTING IN THE ROOM WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS, WITH EVERYONE'S WILSON WITH THE CHURCHES IN THE, IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH THE, UM, SO MUCH CHARITY HAPPENS HERE.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS JUST GETTING THE RESOURCES TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.
SO, UM, WE THINK YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR ROLE IS, IS, IS GONNA BE NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, BEING THE FACE OF, OF OUR, OF OUR, OF OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR, AND OUR BUILDINGS AND, AND THE EPITOME OF WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO, UM, TAKING THAT ROLE TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SO MANY THINGS FOR US.
AND SO IT'S CONTINUING TO BUILD AND IT, FOR YOU, IT'S GONNA BE, UM, NOT AS CHALLENGING BECAUSE THAT SYSTEM AND THAT STRUCTURE IS ALREADY PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE WE GO TO THE ENDS FOR, FOR EACH ONE OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO, UM, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE YOU BUILD OFF OF THAT.
BUT THE STRUCTURE, THERE'S A GREAT STRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY PUT IN PLACE IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD TO THAT.
COULD I FOLLOW UP REAL QUICK? UM, WE HAVE AN INITIATIVE CALLED ONE SUMNER, AND I HEARD YOU ALLUDE TO SOMETHING.
WHAT WAS THE TITLE OF THE WILSON? EVERYONE.
AND SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE CIVIC GROUPS, YOUR FAITH-BASED GROUPS, YOUR, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE.
IT WOULD BE TURNKEY, SO TO SPEAK.
LET ME MAKE A NOTE OF THAT VERY QUICKLY.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR ANYONE.
UM, UNDER ARMOUR IS A 1500 PEOPLE EMPLOYER.
UH, WE HAVE CRACKER BARREL, THAT'S THE OLD FAVORITE.
I THINK THEY'RE ABOUT 800 EMPLOYEES.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, AMAZON THAT'S AT ABOUT A
[01:50:01]
THOUSAND.OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE RESOURCES THERE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THE RESOURCES, I KNOW DR.
LURE OR MR. LUTRELL HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB LEVERAGING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO OUR STUDENTS HAVE POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS BEYOND COLLEGE.
CAN YOU GUYS THINK OF ANY, LIKE, I, I'M A LITTLE BIT SEASONED AT THIS POINT.
IT WAS CO-OP WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL.
IT, WE'VE GONE FROM CO-OP, WE CALLED IT VO-TECH NOW WE CALL IT CTE.
I JUST KNOW THAT I HAD A SISTER THAT WAS A BENEFICIARY OF A CO-OP PROGRAM WHERE SHE WAS ABLE TO GO TO AN EMPLOYER LOCALLY AND RECEIVED COURSE CREDIT FOR THAT.
SO THE SHORT ANSWER TO MY QUESTION IS, OR THE SHORT QUESTION THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ANSWER IS, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES WHILE STUDENTS ARE STILL IN EMPLOYABLE AGES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, FOR THEM TO GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS FOR THE FUTURE? OR EVEN JUST NOW? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, UH, MY EXPERIENCE WAS, UH, AS A CTE TEACHER, I HAD A NUMBER OF LOCAL COMPANIES APPROACH ME INTERESTED.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SUMMER BETWEEN THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR TO ACTUALLY COME AND WORK THERE.
AND HAD SOME, SOME, UH, EMPLOYEES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND SOME OF THEM ENDED UP WORKING THERE AFTER THEY GRADUATED.
SOME OF THEM, UM, MOVED ON TO OTHER THINGS.
BUT NEVERTHELESS, THAT I THOUGHT WAS A PRETTY EASY WAY TO SURE.
PLUG PEOPLE IN, GIVE THEM JOB EXPERIENCE, HELP THE EMPLOYERS AND ACTUALLY MAKE OUR PRO CD PROGRAMS MORE RELEVANT TO, TO AREA EMPLOYERS.
I'LL ADD THAT EVEN ONCE SOME OF OUR LESSER KNOWN THINGS LIKE OUR COMPUTERS, WHERE WE'VE GOT THE, THE COMPUTERS THAT EVERYONE HAS, WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT WORK ON THOSE AND HAVE EVEN BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND THEY'RE SET WHEN THEY GRADUATE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR DOING THIS.
AND IT STARTED HERE, WIN-WIN, IT'S A RESUME BUILDER.
PLUS IT SERVES A PURPOSE HERE WITHIN THEIR COUNTY.
I WOULD JUST FOLLOW UP WITH, UM, THE JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD PARTNERS WITH WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PLACING STUDENTS OR POTENTIAL STUDENTS IN INDUSTRIES HERE IN WILSON COUNTY THAT, THAT MEET THOSE INDUSTRY NEEDS.
JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
ANOTHER, ANOTHER PLUG OR TESTAMENT IS OUR FAMILY, YOU KNOW, OUR FAMILY READINESS CENTER THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, WE MEET, YOU KNOW, EVERY SO OFTEN AND ALL THESE GROUPS GET TOGETHER AND WE JUST HAD OUR MEETING AND, AND EVERY GROUP STANDS UP AND SAYS WHAT THEY DO, AND WE CONNECT AND THEY, AND SO IT'S THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE GOOD, AND WE CAN ALWAYS EXPAND ON 'EM.
WHAT, UM, LET'S SEE HOW WE'RE DOING ON TIME.
WHAT, UM, THIS IS A FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST APPEALING PARTS OF THIS POSITION FOR ME.
WITH THAT SAID, WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE GUIDELINES WITHIN WHICH A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TO OPERATE, RIGHT? WE SERVE AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE GROUP OF FAMILIES, SOME OF WHOM ARE, UM, FAITH-BASED HOMES AND SOME WHO ARE NOT WHAT WE MIGHT CALL FAITH-BASED HOMES.
WE ALWAYS WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE.
BUT I'M WONDERING, HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THE LEGAL BOUNDARIES OF CHURCH INVOLVEMENT, RECOGNIZING THE BENEFIT THAT THEY AND OTHER CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS CAN ADD TO A SCHOOL SYSTEM? THE REASON I ASK THAT, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SUMNER COUNTY, UH, ENDURED A LAWSUIT ON A CLU LAWSUIT.
UM, THAT SORT OF INFORMS MY THINKING AS FAR AS HOW CAREFUL YOU HAVE TO BE.
I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT WOULD DENY THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WANT TO DO GOOD WORKS FOR YOU AND YOUR KIDS.
SOMETIMES WHEN A STEEPLES ON TOP OF THAT BUILDING, IT GETS TRICKY.
RIGHT? AND SO I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN HOW IT WORKS SUCCESSFULLY BECAUSE CHURCHES AND THE FAITH COMMUNITY ARE A BIG, BIG PART OF WHAT HAPPENS IN WILSON COUNTY.
SO, LIKE I SAY, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY, WE OPERATE WITH THE LAW SURE.
AND THE CONSTRAINTS OF WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO.
AND I THINK ONE THING THAT THIS DISTRICT HAS DONE VERY WELL IS PULLING FROM, UH, EVERY SECTION OF OUR SOCIETY.
SO NOT FOCUSING JUST ON THE FAITH-BASED, BUT AS, AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE OTHER SECTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN TAKE AN ADD TO THE, AND, AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED OUR, OUR FORMER, YOU KNOW, MR. LURA IN THE WAY THAT HE, UM, BEING APOLITICAL AND
[01:55:01]
BEING NEUTRAL AND BEING, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BENEFIT THE STUDENT, UM, WITHOUT SHOWING ANY, UM, UH, I DON'T SAY ANY BIASES OR ANY, YOU KNOW, KEEPING IT WITHIN THE LAW AND WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO OPERATE ON.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR MAIN FOCUS IS JUST, IS JUST SERVING EVERYBODY.
AND WE ARE A, A RAPIDLY GROWING COUNTY WITH DIFFERENT FAITHS AND DIFFERENT, UM, IDEOLOGIES AND DIFFERENT, AND WE, WE STRIVE TO SERVE, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM KNOWING WHAT OUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT A MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, MIGHT CLAIM TO BE.
UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY, I DON'T THINK WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
WE JUST LOOK AT HOW EACH INDIVIDUAL CAN PLUG IN AND HELP, UM, HELP EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.
UM, MR. LUTRELL HAS BIG SHOES THAT HE'S LEAVING.
UM, WELL, I THINK WHEN YOU LEAD WITH YOUR HEART, IT'S OBVIOUS WORDS AREN'T ALWAYS EVEN NECESSARY.
I'LL ADD TO WHAT, UH, MR. PADILLA SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE WORD VOCATION, IT COMES FROM A LATIN WORD, VOC ARY.
I'M NOT A LATIN EXPERT, BUT IT MEANS A CALLING.
SO ORIGINALLY IT WAS A CALLING, AND I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST MY PHILOSOPHY IS THAT, UM, SOME ARE CALLED TO BE ADMINISTRATORS.
SOME ARE CALLED TO BE TEACHERS, SOME ARE CALLED TO BE VARIOUS THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I THINK FROM A FAITH-BASED STANDPOINT, IF YOU ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT JOB, WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OR A PRINCIPAL OR WHATEVER AS A CALLING, AND, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DEMONSTRATING TO THOSE THAT YOU'RE SERVING, THAT YOU KNOW, YOU ARE LIVING OUT YOUR BELIEFS, THEN I THINK EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU RUN INTO ANY LEGAL ISSUES THERE.
I THINK WE LOOK AT OUR BALANCED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OUR FAITH-BASED GROUPS AND OTHER CIVIC GROUPS TO REALLY BOLSTER THE EXPERIENCE OUR STUDENTS HAVE ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
THAT'S WHY I THINK WE'RE SO SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE'RE DRAWING FROM A, A LOT OF DIFFERENT INFLUENCES AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS ARE WELL SUPPORTED.
AND I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT'S WHAT WE WITNESS.
SO I THINK WE WANT, WE WOULD LOOK FOR YOU TO CONTINUE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, BRING MORE TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF MAYBE EXPANDING ON THOSE SO WE CAN OFFER MORE TO OUR KIDS, ESPECIALLY AS OUR POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, WE'RE GONNA NEED MORE PARTNERS IN THAT RESPECT, UM, TO HELP CONTINUE THE SUCCESS WE'RE WE'RE RECEIVING TODAY OR EXCEED IT.
ALL THOSE KIDS ARE WORTHY REGARDLESS OF FAMILY DYNAMICS OR WHERE THEY ATTEND CHURCH OR WHAT CIVIC GROUPS THEY PARTICIPATE IN.
SO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN I ASK YOU A FOLLOW UP QUESTION REAL QUICK? YES, SIR.
THIS IS ON SOMETHING THAT MS. LEONARD ASKED AND, UH, JUST STUCK WITH ME.
WHEN SHE MENTIONED THE, UM, A HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL WITH LOW MORALE, RIGHT.
UM, WHAT STUCK OUT, WHAT I WANTED TO TO ASK IS, UM, WHO DO YOU THINK HAS THE BIGGEST IMPACT IN MORALE ON THAT SCHOOL? AND IF THE TEACHERS ARE DOING THEIR JOBS AND HAVING HIGH, HIGH, HIGH RESULTS, OKAY, BUT THERE'S LOW MORALE WITHIN THAT GROUP, WHAT WOULD YOU, WHAT, HOW DO YOU ASSESS THAT SITUATION ON WHO, WHO'S THE BIGGEST INDICATOR OF WHY THE MORALE MIGHT BE LOW, UH, WITHIN THAT, WITHIN THAT GROUP? THAT IS A BURDENSOME QUESTION TO ANSWER, BECAUSE I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT, IT'S THE PRINCIPLE.
IT, IT IS THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AS A WHOLE, BUT IT STARTS WITH THE CORNER OFFICE.
AND I, I CAN BE GUILTY OF PURSUING METRICS.
AND SO I HAVE AN AP THAT KEEPS ME BALANCED AND HELPS ME REMEMBER MY OWN WORDS, WHICH ARE WE LOVE FIRST AND WE TEACH SECOND.
IT'S THE PRINCIPAL, IT'S THE EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL WHO SETS THE TONE.
AND IF YOU SEE A SCHOOL WITH POOR MORALE, I'LL SHOW YOU A SCHOOL THAT'S LACKING LEADERSHIP.
JUST A QUICK, UH, FOLLOW UP AS WELL IN REGARDS TO YOUR BUDGET AND THE EXPERIENCE WITH LARGE BUDGETS LIKE MS. PHARAOH HAD BROUGHT UP, KNOWING THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A TEAM, RIGHT? AND HOW, HOW, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH TO GETTING YOUR HANDLE ON A MULTIFACETED MULTI-HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH IN GETTING COMPETENT TO MAKE DECISIONS FINANCIALLY FOR THIS, FOR OUR BOARD AND FOR OUR DISTRICT? SURE.
WELL, WHILE WORKING THROUGH THE LEARNING CURVE, I THINK YOU HAVE TO RELY ON THE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
I, I THINK IT WOULD BE A DEPARTMENT BASED APPROACH, BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENTS BETTER THAN THOSE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO, MY, MY JOB DAY ONE, ALTHOUGH I'M FAMILIAR WITH BUDGETING, I THINK THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE I COULD BRUSH UP A LITTLE BIT.
[02:00:01]
I THINK SCHOOL NUTRITION SERVICES IS A PRETTY STEEP LEARNING CURVE THAT, THAT I WOULD BE ANXIOUS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT.BUT I'D BE LYING TO YOU IF I SAID I WAS AN EXPERT AT THIS POINT.
UH, I THINK YOU BRING IN, YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY WELL-DEFINED HIERARCHY.
WHEN I LOOK ONLINE AT THE HIERARCHY, IT IS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT FOLKS HAVE HAD EVERY INTENTION OF KEEPING THIS TIGHT AND LEAN WITH EXPERTS AT THE TOP OF EVERY DEPARTMENT.
BUDGETING DEPENDS ON THOSE FOLKS UNTIL THE NEW DIRECTOR CAN GET HIS LEGS UNDER HIM AND SORT OF LEAD, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT A DIRECTOR TO LEAD, IT WOULD BE A REAL CHALLENGE UNTIL YOU LEARNED A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS BASED ON SOME OF YOUR RESPONSES EARLIER, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET TO 'EM.
UM, SEVERAL OF YOUR ANSWERS ALLUDED TO, UM, YOU NEED TALENT, LIKE WITH YOUR TEACHERS AND SCORES, YOU NEED THE TALENT.
SO WITH LESS TEACHERS ENTERING THE INDUSTRY, UM, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS LIKE GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAMS? I STUDIED SALES AND MARKETING BEFORE I EVER GOT INTO EDUCATION BEFORE I SAW THE LIGHT.
AND ONE BIG JOB OF A DIRECTOR IS TO SELL THE COUNTY.
THAT TAKES ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS. THAT'S RECRUITING FAIRS AT COLLEGES, THAT'S DISTRICT HOSTED RECRUITING FAIRS.
I'VE NOT BEEN TO AS MANY OF THOSE OVER THE YEARS AS I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TO HELP OUT HR BECAUSE I, MADISON CREEK WAS A GREAT PLACE WHEN I GOT THERE.
AND THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF TALENT THAT'S TRYING TO GET INTO OUR BUILDING.
SO I'VE NOT HAD TO RECRUIT AS HARD AS I'M CAPABLE OF.
GROW YOUR OWN IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
IT'S ONLY AS GOOD AS THE LEADERSHIP IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE OF THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO FILL TEACHING POSITIONS, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE AN EYE FOR TALENT AND YOU'VE GOTTA DEVELOP THE TALENT.
SO I THINK THE DIRECTOR'S POSITION IS TWOFOLD.
HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THE GROW YOUR OWN INITIATIVE AND WHERE ARE YOU IN THE COMMUNITY? YOU OUGHT TO BE AT MTSU ONCE A YEAR.
YOU OUGHT TO BE AT LIPSCOMB ONCE A YEAR.
LIKE I'M, GO TO THESE CAREER FAIRS, ENGAGE THE TALENT, AND SELL THE HECK OUT OF WHAT'S ALREADY A GREAT PRODUCT IN WILSON COUNTY.
WE HAVE SOME CLUBS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND KIND OF START THERE TOO.
FUTURE TEACHERS OF AMERICA AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
I THINK, UH, THINK WE'VE CAME TO THE END OF OUR TIME.
WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YES, SIR, UM, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR, UM, UH, YOUR ANSWERS, SIR.
AND, UM, THANK WE ARE GOING TO INDULGING ME, SIR.
SO SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE ARE GOING TO GO TO, I THINK WE HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIT THIS IN.
YOU SAID MORE MONEY FOR MORE INFERIOR HEALTHCARE.
SO MY QUESTION IS WILSON COUNTY EMPLOYEES, RNS, OT, PT, ST OR CON LIKE CONTRACTS, UM, IN A TIME THAT TEACHERS, OR LIKE TEACHERS, THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IS, UM, AT A CRITICAL SHORTAGE, UM, AND THE PRIVATE MARKET CAN PAY MORE.
HOW DO WE ATTRACT AND MAINTAIN TALENT FOR THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, UM, AND PROTECT THE BUDGET FROM THOSE COSTLY CONTRACT? UM, CAN YOU BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE TALENT? HOW DO WE, YOU MENTIONED TALENT.
HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THE TALENT? ARE YOU TALKING ON THE HEALTHCARE SIDE OR ON THE EDUCATION SIDE? SO OUR WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WE EMPLOY, SO OUR NURSES, OUR THERAPISTS, UM, OH, OKAY.
THEY'RE DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES THAN OUR TEACHERS.
UM, IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY AS WELL.
UH, MY WIFE IS A NURSE AND SO I'M PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH HOW HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS LEAD WITH THEIR HEARTS.
AND I THINK IT'S NOT UNLIKE THE QUESTION THAT I GAVE ABOUT ATTRACTING INSTRUCTIONAL TALENT.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO FORM RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BODIES THAT CERTIFY THOSE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO SELL THE CULTURE OF WILSON COUNTY.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO SELL THE COMMUNITY OF WILSON COUNTY.
I THINK THAT IF YOU ENGAGE A POTENTIAL WRAPAROUND SERVICES EMPLOYEE, THEY OUGHT TO BE, THEY OUGHT TO WALK AWAY FROM THAT KNOWING WILSON COUNTY'S WHERE I WANNA RAISE MY KIDS.
THEY TAKE THEIR EDUCATION SERIOUSLY.
AND IT'S ALSO A GREAT PLACE FOR ME TO BE EMPLOYED.
I'M SORRY IF I JUMPED AGAIN A LITTLE BIT.
[02:05:01]
YOU MR. DUNCAN FOR YOUR TIME, UM, SPENDING HERE.AND FOR THE REST OF US, WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING TO LUNCH.
UM, WE'RE GONNA KICK OFF AT 1220, SO IF, IF EVERYONE CAN BE BACK HERE ABOUT 1215, AT LEAST FOR THE BOARD SO THAT WE'RE, UH, PREPARED FOR THE NEXT SPEAKER.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO KEEP ON SCHEDULE.
UM, MR. BART, CAN YOU CLOSE THAT BACK DOOR FOR ME PLEASE, SIR? I'D LIKE TO REMIND JUST EVERYONE TO CHECK THEIR PHONES AND SILENCE 'EM.
AND THEN ALSO BE RE REMINDED THAT WE DO HAVE SCHOOLING SESSION, SO WE IN THE HALLS.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MS. OWENS.
I'M GONNA READ THE FIRST GENERAL QUESTIONS AND JUST ANSWER THOSE TO THE BOARD.
THESE ARE THE BOARD'S QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU DISCUSS A TIME AND YOU IMPLEMENTED A NEW POLICY OR PROGRAM ON HOW YOU MANAGE THE CHANGE.
HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE THIS ACROSS MULTIPLE, SUB MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, AND HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE COMPETING PRIORITIES, ACCOUNTABILITY, EXPECTATIONS, AND COMMUNITY CONFLICT WHEN THERE IS A DECISION THAT IS UNPOPULAR? GREAT QUESTION.
I HOPE THAT I AM ABLE TO ANSWER EVERY PART OF THAT, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WHEN I INHERITED, UM, WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS WHEN I WAS, I MEAN, WILSON COUNTY, WEST ELEMENTARY, UM, RIGHT AFTER MY THIRD YEAR OF BEING AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, UH, AS I MENTIONED AT THE MEET AND GREET THE OTHER NIGHT, WE WERE A LEVEL ONE SCHOOL.
OBVIOUSLY, I KNEW THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, AND I KNEW THAT I NEEDED TO GET STAKEHOLDER INPUT, NOT ONLY AT THE BUILDING LEVEL, BUT ALSO WITH OUR FAMILIES.
SO WHAT I CHOSE TO DO IS I LOOKED AT SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE, UH, WHICH IS OUR SCHOOL'S MISSION AND VISION.
AND I LOOKED OVER THAT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SAW ON THE WALL FOR THREE YEARS, AND I DID NOT FEEL THAT IT REALLY IDENTIFIED OUR STUDENTS THAT WE SERVED.
I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT REALLY WAS IDENTIFIED OF, UM, OF THE FAMILIES THAT WE SERVED.
SO WE WENT AHEAD AND LEANED IN ON OUR TEACHERS, AND WE DID A FULL MISSION AND VISION, UM, OVERHAUL, WHICH SOUNDS VERY SIMPLE, BUT OBVIOUSLY I KNEW THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE SOME INCREMENTAL CHANGE INITIALLY, UH, THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO MUCH GREATER CHANGES.
AND WE, UM, STARTED OFF WITH JUST SO SIMPLE POLLING SHARED OUR, UH, CURRENT MISSION AND VISION AND, YOU KNOW, GAVE THEM SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF GLEAN IN AND, AND, UH, GET STAKEHOLDER INPUT, NOT ONLY FROM OUR SCHOOL'S LEADERSHIP TEAM, UM, BUT WE ALSO INCORPORATED ALL OF THE INPUT FROM ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND ALSO SOME OF OUR PARENTS THERE TOWARDS THE END, THROUGH OUR PTO.
VERY GRATEFUL THAT I BELIEVE THAT THOSE MISSION AND VISIONS THAT WE CREATED AT THAT TIME ARE STILL IN PLACE THAT WERE STUDENT CENTERED.
WE WERE LOOKING AT WAYS TO OBVIOUSLY IMPROVE TEST SCORES AND ALSO TO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, COME UP WITH, UM, STUDENTS THAT WERE READY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND BEYOND.
AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID AS FAR AS LIKE BRINGING IN CHANGE TO THE SCHOOL, AS IN BRAND NEW PRINCIPAL.
OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW THAT SOUNDS VERY BASIC WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING AS WIDE SCALE AS THE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL'S ROLE, HOWEVER, I KNOW THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GREAT, HAS MANY GREAT THINGS THAT WE COULD LEARN FROM AND GLEAN FROM.
HOWEVER, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME WORK TO BE DONE, OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SITUATION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN WITH THE INTERVIEWS.
TEACHER RETENTION IS OFTEN DRIVEN MORE BY DAILY WORKING CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND THE LEVEL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT THAN BY SALARY AND BENEFITS ALONE.
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP REQUIRES ADDRESSING THESE FACTORS IN PRACTICAL VISIBLE WAYS.
WHAT SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT TO IMPROVE THESE CONDITIONS AND BETTER SUPPORT TEACHERS? ALSO, GOING BACK FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, UM, OF WILSON BEING IN WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS AT WEST ELEMENTARY, I REMEMBER IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR THAT ROLE, I ASKED BECKY SEAVER, THE PRINCIPAL AT THE TIME, WHAT IS THE SCHOOL'S BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM? AND SHE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I SAID, WELL, WHAT IS THE GOAL FOR STUDENTS AS FAR AS, UM, BEHAVIOR AND EXPECTATIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF OUR STUDENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE PROTECT INSTRUCTION? AND SHE SHARED, I DON'T REMEMBER OUR FULL CONVERSATION AT THE TIME, BUT BASICALLY I KNEW THAT THAT WAS AN AREA OF WEAKNESS.
AND, UM, THROUGH WORKING WITH HER AS HER ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND LATER ON, HER PRINCIPAL AND I CARRIED ON THOSE THINGS.
NOW, CURRENTLY TODAY, EVEN IN METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THERE NEEDS TO BE SCHOOL-WIDE, UH, BEHAVIOR INCENTIVES IN PLACE.
I DO THINK THAT KIDS ARE MOTIVATED BY INCENTIVES.
I DO THINK THAT THEY ARE MOTIVATED BY GOAL SETTING.
I THINK THAT THEY NEED CONSTANT ENCOURAGEMENT.
I DO THINK THAT'S ALSO NEEDS TO BE A TIERED APPROACH.
[02:10:01]
FITS ALL THERE.HAVING A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, UM, HE WAS ONE THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE IN THE ELEMENTARY SETTING, AND OBVIOUSLY HIS NEEDS WERE DIFFERENT FROM MOST OTHER STUDENTS' NEEDS.
SO THAT BEING SAID, HE WAS AMONG MORE OF LIKE A TIER THREE BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, I DO FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PLAYS RIGHT INTO TEACHER RETENTION.
AND ALSO WITH, IN WITH RECRUITMENT, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE IN PLACE HERE AT WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW THAT FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR 10 YEARS.
BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THOSE TEACHERS IN PLACE AND WE DON'T LOSE THEM TO NEARBY DISTRICTS OR, YOU KNOW, EVEN THAT IF WE RECRUIT NEW TEACHERS AND THEY'RE ONLY IN THAT ROLE FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS, AND IF THEY GET BURNOUT TOO SOON, I THINK THAT THAT IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE BUILDING.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER SUPPORTS FOR OUR PRINCIPALS TO ALSO HELP BETTER EQUIP THEM IN WAYS TO WHERE THEY COULD, UM, RETAIN TEACHERS AS WELL.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT JUST NEEDS TO BE ON THE SHOULDERS OF HR.
IT'S THE STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS, THE SUPPORT STAFF, THE ADMIN STAFF AND SO FORTH.
WHEN IT COMES TO SALARIES, YES, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR, UM, ANY EDUCATOR OR ANYONE THAT'S IN LEADERSHIP.
UM, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THIS DISTRICT IS, IS UM, HAS TEACHERS THAT ARE MOTIVATED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
I THINK THAT THEY ARE MOTIVATED TO BE THE BEST INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS IN THEIR CLASSROOM, AND ULTIMATELY, UM, AS LONG AS THEY HAVE GREAT BEHAVIORS IN PLACE THAT ARE MANAGED APPROPRIATELY, THEN WE CAN PROTECT INSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF OUR LEARNERS, NO MATTER WHAT NEEDS THEY MAY HAVE INDIVIDUALLY.
WITH FUNDING INCREASINGLY BEING DIRECTED TOWARD VOUCHERS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, HOW DO YOU BALANCE SUPPORTING SCHOOL CHOICE OPTIONS WHILE ALSO PROTECTING AND STRENGTHENING THE SCHOOL PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT SERVES THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS? I THINK A LOT OF THAT GOES TO, UM, MARKETABILITY.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN A CLEAR WAY TO ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND SCHOOL LEVEL AND BEYOND, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GREAT THING GOING ON HERE IN WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS.
AND ULTIMATELY THE GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP THE STUDENTS THAT WE GET FROM PRE-K AND HOPEFULLY RETAIN THEM ALL THE WAY THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE AWARE, WELL AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH THE VOUCHERS AND SO FORTH.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T JUST START OUR STUDENTS HERE IN WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS, BUT WE WANT TO RETAIN THEM THROUGHOUT.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO SHARE CLEAR COMMUNICATION FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SHARED AT THE BUILDING LEVEL.
I THINK IT COULD BE SHARED IN, IN, UM, AND THROUGH, OBVIOUSLY THROUGH BART BARKER WITH WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE, UH, PARENTS THAT ARE MORE AWARE OF THE VOUCHER SYSTEM, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY ALREADY KNOW OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ONE TO WHERE THEY TRUST AND, AND THEY BELIEVE IN.
BUT OBVIOUSLY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES ARE AWARE OF WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE.
BUT ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS HERE IN WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS.
THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL NOW ASK YOU QUESTIONS.
I JUST, UH, MY QUESTION WILL BE FOCUSED ON HEALTH INSURANCE GIVEN THE STATE OF OUR CURRENT HEALTH INSURANCE FUND.
DESCRIBE THE STEPS YOU WOULD TAKE IN SOLVING THIS ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO NOT ONLY BALANCING OUR BUDGETS, BUT MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND TEACHERS.
WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP SOME SHORT-TERM PLANS IMMEDIATELY TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT ISSUE THAT'S AT PLACE, BUT ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT'S NOT A HAIR ON FIRE MOMENT.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE VERY STRATEGIC AND WORK TOGETHER AS A DISTRICT, WORK TOGETHER AS A BOARD.
ALSO LEANING ON OUR LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSION BEING THE FUNDING BODY FOR THE DISTRICT.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY GETTING A LOT OF MEDIA.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A DISTRICT THAT IS, UM, HAS SO MANY WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT DRAW PEOPLE IN, AND IT'S ULTIMATELY THE REASON WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVE TO THIS AREA.
BUT, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS A DEFICIT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE $7 MILLION WITH THE, UH, WITH, WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO APPROPRIATELY
[02:15:01]
PAY OUT THOSE CLAIMS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THAT GENERAL FUND THAT WE COULD UTILIZE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, IT DOES HAVE, UM, THERE ARE SOME CONSEQUENCES TO THAT.THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT THAT, UM, MAY HAVE NEED SOME REPAVING AND, AND SO FORTH.
THIS WOULD ALSO, UM, SLOW DOWN SOME OF THE LONG TERM AND SHORT TERM MAINTENANCE NEEDS THAT THE DISTRICT MAY HAVE.
AND, UH, UL ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOTHING THAT ANY OF YOU WANTED TO DO, UH, FOR THIS DISTRICT EITHER.
BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER, LEAN IN ON OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, INCLUDE TEACHERS ON THIS DECISION.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IMPACTS THEM DIRECTLY.
UM, WE DO KNOW WE HAVE COMPETITIVE SALARIES, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE COMPETITIVE INSURANCE PACKAGES TO WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, ESPECIALLY FROM A FAMILY, UH, STANDPOINT.
BUT, UM, I THINK THE MAIN THING IS, IS NOT TO BE FULLY REACTIVE, BUT TO BE MORE PROACTIVE MOVING FORWARD IN DECISIONS LIKE THIS.
IN BUILDING ON THAT, HOW WOULD YOU MESSAGE THAT TO, TO THE PUBLIC TO A PLACE? LIKE, WHAT, WHAT WOULD THAT PROGRAM LOOK LIKE FOR YOU IN TERMS OF KEEPING EVERYONE INFORMED OF HOW THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? RIGHT.
I THINK IT'S WORKING ALONGSIDE EACH OF YOU VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
UM, AS WELL AS THE, UM, EXTENDED LEADERSHIP TEAM.
I DO THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE PARENTS ARE LISTENING, THEY'RE WATCHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THEY'RE WATCHING THE NEWS.
UM, THEY'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT, UH, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO FIX QUICKLY, BUT IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE, WE DO NOT NEED TO PURCHASE, UH, OR GO WITH A NEW PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY.
MAYBE WE NEED TO DO SOME OUR HOMEWORK AND LOOK AT OTHER COMPETITOR COMPETITORS IN THE AREA AND BEYOND TO SEE WHAT IS THE BEST FIT FOR WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS AND THE TEACHERS THAT WE SERVE.
YOU'RE PRETTY EFFICIENT IN YOUR ANSWERS THERE.
SO QUICK, UM, QUICK QUESTION ON OUR BUSING.
IT'S BEEN A SOURCE OF IRRITATION AND INCONSISTENCY WITH MANY OF OUR PARENTS, INCLUDING ISSUES WITH DISCIPLINE ON THE BUS, DELAYED ROUTES, CANCELED ROUTES.
EXPLAIN THE STEPS YOU WOULD TAKE TO SOLVE THAT ISSUE.
UM, IN COMPARING WHAT OUR BUS DRIVER, UM, PAY IS PER HOUR TO NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE VERY COMPETITIVE.
I DO KNOW IT'S, IT'S VERY HARD TO, YOU KNOW, MATCH WHAT SOME OF OUR LARGER DISTRICTS LIKE METRO NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY HAVE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT, UM, OUR BUS DRIVERS ARE RECEIVING VERSUS WHAT THEY ARE EARNING IN SUMNER COUNTY, CLARKSVILLE, MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOLS, ET CETERA, YOU KNOW, I DO FEEL THAT THAT INITIAL SALARY, I MEAN, UM, HOURLY WAGE IS COMPETITIVE.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS LIKE WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO TO RECRUIT DRIVERS, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN A STANDING ISSUE FOR MANY YEARS.
IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
AND NOT TO MENTION, I KNOW IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE DISTRICT WANTS TO DO TO COMMUNICATE TO FAMILIES THAT WE'RE VERY SORRY, BUT YOUR CHILD HAS A DOWNED ROUTE THIS AFTERNOON.
'CAUSE THAT OBVIOUSLY INCONVENIENCES THE FAMILIES AND, UM, GRANDPARENTS, ALL THE THINGS.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, I I, I BELIEVE YOU ALSO TOUCHED ON DISCIPLINE ON BUSES.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BUSES ARE AN EXTENSION OF THE SCHOOLHOUSE, AND OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO, TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING A GREAT EDUCATION IN THE BUILDING, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY SIMILAR, BUT DIFFERENT ON THE BUSES.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN BUS DRIVERS ARE GOING TO AND FROM BUS DROPS, UM, THEY NEED TO ENSURE THAT THERE IT IS SAFE THAT STUDENTS ARE BEHAVING.
AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE USUALLY AT LEAST THREE CAMERAS PER BUS ALSO WITH, UM, VI UM, AUDIO AND VIDEO FEEDS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NEVER FUN TO HAVE TO PULL A BUS VIDEO, BUT SOMETIMES NEEDED DO, DO TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT I, I DO THINK ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE, I THINK A A GOOD TIME.
UM, WHAT SYSTEMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES WOULD YOU PLAY PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT IEPS AND 5 0 4 PLANS ARE CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY AND THAT OUR SCHOOLS FULLY ARE COMPLIANT WITH ALL SPECIAL ED REQUIREMENTS? GREAT QUESTION.
NOT ONLY BEING A CURRENT ADMINISTRATOR, BUT ALSO A PARENT WITH A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
[02:20:01]
THIS ONE KIND OF HITS HOME A LITTLE BIT TO ME.UM, I HAVE A DASHBOARD, WHICH I'M SURE IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO MAYBE SOME OF THE DASHBOARDS THAT THEY HAVE HERE IN WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS, BUT I MONITOR 5 0 4 AND IEP COMPLIANCE REGULARLY.
I GO ON TO TN PULSE EVERY WEEK.
UM, AND I SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH OUR, WITH OUR TEACHERS.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE IN OUR ATTENDANCE RATES.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR BEHAVIOR CONCERNS, BUT ULTIMATELY, THEY ALSO KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT WITH OUR 5 0 4 COMPLIANCES, AS WELL AS THE IEP COMPLIANCE.
I ALSO LOOK AT THE TIMELINE OF WHEN THOSE IEPS ARE GOING TO BE EXPIRED.
AND THEN IF I SEE THAT THERE'S NOT AN IEP ON THE BOOKS FOR A REVAL OR WHATNOT, THEN I THEN REACH OUT TO MY SPECIAL ED TEAM TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE ARE GETTING SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS.
UM, ALSO, THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR PARENTS KNOW THAT, UM, THEY HAVE AN ACTIVE VOICE IN THESE 5 0 4 AND IEP MEETINGS, THAT THEY AREN'T JUST LIKE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL OR A ONE TIME OR ONCE A YEAR, UM, ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
YOU KNOW, PARENTS CAN CALL IEP MEETINGS AT THE DROP OF THE HAT WHENEVER THEY HAVE ANY CONCERNS.
SO I DO THINK THAT THERE'S, OBVIOUSLY, THERE NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENCY WITHIN THE BUILDING.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE ALSO WITH THE BOARD, UM, AND WITH THE DISTRICT'S LEADERSHIP TEAM TO SEE HOW SCHOOLS ARE, UM, ADDRESSING THIS NEED.
AND THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY OUTLIERS IN THE DISTRICT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.
IT SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE EVERY SCHOOL IS CONSISTENT WITH HAVING FULL COMPLIANCE IN THESE AREAS TO ENSURE THE BETTERMENT FOR FULL ACCESS TO THE CURRICULUM FROM, FOR ALL OF OUR LEARNERS, WHETHER THEY ARE IN KINDERGARTEN OR IN 11TH AND 12TH GRADES.
THIS ONE KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH THE RETENTION OF TEACHERS.
IF A SCHOOL IS ACHIEVING STRONG ACADEMIC RESULTS, BUT TEACHERS REPORT LOW MORALE AND INADEQUATE SUPPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO ADDRESS LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS, IMPROVE STAFF GOALS, AND SUSTAIN PERFORMANCE ACROSS THE DISTRICT? I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE LACK OF SUPPORT OF FROM ADMINISTRATION.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I ALWAYS KIND OF LEAN IN ON THE QUOTE, UH, WHAT'S RIGHT ISN'T ALWAYS POPULAR, AND WHAT'S POPULAR ISN'T ALWAYS RIGHT.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN AN ADMINISTRATOR IS ADDRESSING A CURRENT CONCERN OR A LONG RANGE CONCERN, CHANGE NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, YOU ALL HOLD, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPALS ACCOUNTABLE AT THE, AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, AND CHANGE IS INEVITABLE AND NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK THAT YOU NEED TO BE VERY WELL AWARE THAT EACH SCHOOL HAS ITS OWN SCHOOL CULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY WANT TO PROTECT.
AND YOU CAN'T COME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL TRYING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING TOO QUICKLY.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I DO THINK YOU DO INTER INCREMENTAL CHANGE, AND THERE ARE SOME DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE JUST AS WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, BUT OBVIOUSLY TOO, I THINK OTHER COMMUNICATION ALSO NEEDS TO BE LEANED IN ON THE SCHOOL'S LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THEN BEYOND.
AND THEN I THINK YOU GOT, YOU HAVE TO, UM, INSPECT WHAT YOU EXPECT.
AND SO THE TEACHERS HOLD THE PRINCIPALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ENSURING THAT EVERYTHING'S MET AT THIS, AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE APPROPRIATELY.
BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A TWO WAY STREET.
AND THEN ALSO TOO, JUST TO SEE LIKE, DOES THIS CHANGE WORK OR IS IT NOT WORKING? AND IF SOMETHING ISN'T WORKING WITH THIS CHANGE, OR IF THE TEACHERS ARE HAVING CONSIDERABLE PUSHBACK, THEN IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE, UM, INTIMATE MEETINGS WITH THE TEACHERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AS WELL.
AND IF IT'S SOMETHING, IF THE PRINCIPAL IS PUSHING TOO HARD OR PUSHING THEM IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY NEED TO MAKE THE PRINCIPAL, IT'S, IT'S THEIR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT'RE THEY'RE GETTING THAT STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
HOW YOU DOING, SIR? TO SEE YOU? GOOD, SIR.
UM, I'M GONNA HAVE, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, IF YOU CAN BE CONCISE SO I CAN GET TO BOTH OF THEM.
UM, TRY BEST, UH, YEAH, I WANNA GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, MY FIRST QUESTION, UH, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT UNDERMINE A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN A CLASSROOM? CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION PLEASE? YES.
HOW DO YOU ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT UNDERMINE A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN THE CLASSROOM? GREAT QUESTION.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATORS NEED TO BE ACTIVE MANAGERS AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BUILDING, NOT ONLY INSTRUCTIONALLY, BUT OBVIOUSLY BEHAVIORALLY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE ACCESS TO A PRINCIPAL OR A DEAN OF STUDENTS OR WHATNOT TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE READILY SUPPORTED AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
I THINK IT'S OUR JOB AS BUILDING LEVEL
[02:25:01]
LEADERS TO REPORT TO THE CLASSROOM, ADDRESS THE SITUATION.THAT MAY BE MOST OF THE TIME WITH ME, I TAKE THE CHILD OUT OF THE ROOM, UH, TRY TO GET THEM DEESCALATED AND REGULATED BECAUSE ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO GET THEM BACK IN THE CLASSROOM IN THE LEARNING SEAT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE TEACHERS THAT THEY ARE HEARD AND THEY'RE SUPPORTED.
AND IT'S MY JOB AS THE BUILDING LEVEL PRINCIPAL TO PROTECT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR NOT ONLY, UM, THE TEACHER, BUT FOR ALL THE STUDENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
UM, SO, UM, WILSON COUNTY SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WILSON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD HAS A GOAL OF HAVING 30% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO REACH PROFICIENCY IN ELA AND MATH.
UM, WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO GET OUR DISTRICT TO CAPITALIZE ON THE GAINS THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING AND EVEN MAKE MORE? CORRECT.
SO I THINK THE MAIN THING IS, FIRST WE HAVE TO HAVE STRONG TIER ONE INSTRUCTION, BECAUSE THAT APPLIES TO JUST ABOUT EVERY STUDENT IN THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
BUT, UM, THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE GIVING, YOU KNOW, CONTENT TO THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THE CONTENT AT GRADE LEVEL.
BUT I ALSO THINK, OBVIOUSLY FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATELY MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL THE ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS WITHIN THEIR IEPS, ALSO WITHIN OUR FIVE OH FOURS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T JUST STOP WITH THE CLASSROOM TEACHER.
THAT ALSO GOES FOR THE GYM TEACHER, THE STEM TEACHER AND BEYOND.
EVERYONE SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THE STUDENT'S ACADEMIC NEEDS, BUT OBVIOUSLY TOO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME STRONG ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOUND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
A LOT OF TIMES WE, THERE'S A LOT OF TRUST THAT ADMINISTRATORS HAVE WITH OUR SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, BUT THEY NEED SUPPORT, IF NOT MORE SUPPORT THAN THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
SO SUPPORTING THE TEACHERS STRONG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, VERY STRONG RIGOROUS TERMS, BECAUSE EVERY STUDENT CAN GROW AND EVERY STUDENT CAN MAINTAIN ACHIEVEMENT MEASURES.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES LEFT, SO YOU CAN TAKE AS MUCH TIME ON THIS QUESTION.
I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO GET SOME, SOME GOOD THOUGHTS ON THIS.
UM, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CHILD'S EDUCATION? SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY ENJOY TO DO.
UH, UH, I ENJOY DOING IT CURRENTLY, BUT ALSO THINK IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY ENJOY DOING AT WEST ELEMENTARY.
UM, YOU HAVE TO BE, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AND YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE, THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK.
UM, THAT MEANS THAT YOU NEED TO BE VERY, VERY VISIBLE, NOT ONLY WITHIN THE SCHOOL, BUT YOU NEED TO BE VISIBLE IN THE CAR RIDER LINE WHEN THE BUSES ARE LEAVING.
AND, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE PARENTS NOTICE, STUDENTS NOTICE, AND IF, IF THEY SEE A PRINCIPAL THAT IS BEING VERY, VERY VISIBLE AND INTENTIONAL, UM, IN THE BUILDING OPERATIONS INSIDE THE BUILDING, BUT ALSO BEYOND ON, IN THE, ON THE GROUNDS, I THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE MORE APT TO, YOU KNOW, CONFRONT A, A PRINCIPAL IF THEY DO HAVE A CONCERN.
OBVIOUSLY, I LOVE IT WHEN PARENTS MAKE THE DEPOSITS THAT ARE POSITIVE, BUT ULTIMATELY TOO, YOU HAVE TO THINK IN CONSIDERATION THAT THERE ARE TIMES TO WHERE IF ONCE A PARENT HAS A VOICE OF CONCERN, THAT COULD BE THAT AN ISOLATED ISSUE, BUT IT COULD BE FIVE TO 10 ADDITIONAL PARENTS OR BEYOND.
SO I THINK IT IS VISIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY IN THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE, UM, AT THE BUILDING LEVEL.
I THINK THE DISTRICT DOES A GREAT JOB AT THAT, THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
BUT I THINK YOU KNOW THAT, AND THERE ISN'T ONCE A SH UM, SIZE THAT FITS ALL FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING TO ENSURE THAT ALL PRINCIPALS ARE TRYING TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL WITH, UM, THE, THESE MEASURES.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT FAMILIES TO BE INVOLVED.
I STARTED A PROGRAM, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO AT WEST ELEMENTARY.
IT WAS CALLED THE SECOND CUP OF COFFEE.
WE SAW THE PARENTS COMING THROUGH THE CAR RIDER LINE.
WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO WORK, UM, AND SOME OF THEM ARE GOING BACK HOME.
BUT WE, WE HAD A OPEN FORM WHERE PARENTS COULD COME IN, DROP OFF THEIR CHILD, COME IN FOR FIVE MINUTES, STAY FOR 50, BUT IT WAS AN OPEN OPPORTUNITY WHERE PARENTS CAN VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
AND IT REALLY WAS, IT, IT, IT WAS GREAT FOR US BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT PARENTS ARE VERY QUICK BEHIND, UH, QUICK TO GO ON FACEBOOK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU OFFER A MONTHLY OPEN FORUM WHERE PARENTS COULD COME IN, SHARE THE CONCERNS, SHARE THE CELEBRATIONS THAT THEY'RE SEEING, I THINK THAT THAT ALSO WILL HELP PROMOTE FAMILY INVOLVEMENT.
PLUMMER, UM, I RECEIVED THIS QUESTION FROM ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND HE ASKED, WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS HAS EXPERIENCED A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THE NUMBER OF REWARD
[02:30:01]
SCHOOLS AND LEVEL A SCHOOLS.HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL AND HOW WOULD YOU MAINTAIN THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM? ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
UM, THIS IS ALSO COMING FROM SOMEONE THAT RECENTLY, UH, WAS ABLE TO BRING A REWARD SCHOOL TO THE, TO MY CURRENT SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, THE STUDENTS ARE EXCITED, THE PARENTS ARE EXCITED, OBVIOUSLY THE TEACHER AND SUPPORTS THAT.
EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING IS EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY CHALLENGE ACCEPTED THE DAY AFTER YOU RECEIVE THAT REWARD SCHOOL BANNER, YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL KNOW IF WE CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THINGS, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, UH, YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA GET THE SAME OUTCOME YOU HAVE TO.
UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY BASED ON TVOS, THAT GOALPOST GETS PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT, UH, EVERY YEAR.
SO ALTHOUGH WE MADE A, LANDED A FIELD GOAL WITH THE REWARD GOAL STATUS, WELL THE NEXT YEAR WE, THAT GOALPOST MAY BE PUSHED BACK ABOUT 10 YARDS.
AND SO WE NEED TO SEE WHAT ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT, UH, STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL, TEACHERS ARE SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET CELEBRATORY MOMENTS LIKE THAT.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE WE NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON TIER ONE INSTRUCTION.
THIS IS GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE TENNESSEE STATE STANDARDS.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE TEACHING NOT ONLY PARTS OF THE STANDARD, BUT THROUGH THE ENTIRE STANDARD.
AND THE STUDENTS WITHIN THOSE CLASSROOMS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RESTATE THE STANDARDS THAT THEY'RE ARE LEARNING, UH, THROUGHOUT THEIR DAILY LESSONS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE CLASSROOM AMBASSADORS IN OUR SCHOOL TO WHERE ANY GUEST GOES TO ANY CLASSROOM IN THE, IN THE BUILDING, THEY OPEN THE DOOR, THEY'RE GREETED BY THE STUDENTS WITH THE HANDSHAKE, AND THEY WILL LET THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT STANDARD THEY'RE CURRENTLY LEARNING.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH THAT WAS A 12TH GRADE QUESTION, WE SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS AT THAT LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHICH STANDARDS THAT THEY'RE LEARNING.
BUT ULTIMATELY, UM, I, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.
UM, OUTCOMES LIKE THAT DO NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
IT IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT OUR PROCESSES FROM WEEK TO WEEK.
IT IS IMPORTANT AND PARAMOUNT THAT THE PRINCIPALS ARE GOING INTO THOSE CLASSROOMS DAILY.
AND, UH, ONE WAY I WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT AT MY, UH, PREVIOUS SCHOOL IS I REMOVED THE DESK IN MY, I MEAN THE, THE CHAIR TO MY DESK.
AND, UM, THAT REALLY MEANT THAT I COULD BE IN THE, IN THE CLASSROOM SO MUCH MORE.
I MAY BE DOING TEAM EVALUATIONS AT THAT MOMENT.
I MAY BE DOING INSTRUCTIONAL WALKTHROUGHS OR I MAY JUST BE CHECKING SOME EMAILS.
BUT WHEN THE ADMINISTRATOR IS IN THAT CLASSROOM, NOT ONLY DOES THE LEARNING CHANGE, THE STUDENTS CHANGE, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY SIT UP A LITTLE BIT HIGHER UP IN THE CHAIR.
THEY WANT TO IMPRESS THE PRINCIPAL.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, WHEN A PRINCIPAL OR ANY GUEST ENTER INTO THE CLASSROOM, YOU SHOULDN'T LOOK LIKE A STRANGER.
IT SHOULD JUST BE LIKE NORMAL BUSINESS AS, AS, UH, USUAL AND OPERATIONS SHOULD STAY IN PLACE.
ALSO, COMING FROM A PRINCIPAL, HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, IF GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WHAT YOU KNOW OF WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS ON DAY ONE, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO START WORKING ON? I NEED TO INVEST TIME IN THE SCHOOLS.
YOU KNOW, UM, I ONLY HAVE ONE FACET, UM, FOR THE MO FOR THE MAIN PART AS FAR AS I KNOW HOW WILSON COUNTY, I MEAN, I KNOW HOW, UM, KEEP SAYING WILSON COUNTY.
I KNOW HOW WEST ELEMENTARY OPERATES.
YES, I VISITED SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOLS, UM, WHETHER IT WAS FOR GRAD SCHOOL PROJECTS OR IF THERE WAS GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT A NEIGHBORING SCHOOL, UM, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS RUTLAND ELEMENTARY, I WAS ABLE TO STEAL SOME GREAT IDEAS AND BRING BACK TO THE SCHOOL.
UM, BUT IT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO INVEST TIME IN EACH SCHOOL, MEET WITH THE PRINCIPAL, MEET WITH THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, MEET WITH THE TEACHERS, UM, TRY TO EVENTUALLY MAKE TIME TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH SOME OF THE STUDENTS.
AND SO, UM, THAT VISIBILITY ALSO CARRIES DOWN AT THE STUDENT LEVEL.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERY PRINCIPAL HAS THEIR OWN OWN NEEDS AT THE BUILDING LEVEL.
OBVIOUSLY IN A PERFECT WORLD, I CAN MEET EVERY ONE OF THOSE NEEDS IN A TIMELY MANNER, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO COME UP WITH A STRATEGY, PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS, AND ADDRESS EVERY PRINCIPAL, EVERY SCHOOL WITH THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED NEEDS FROM DAY ONE, UM, TO NOT ONLY PROMOTE VISIBILITY, BUT READY TO GET BOOTS ON THE GROUND START TO WORK.
AND I THINK, WELL, HERE'S A CHANCE FOR A SPEED ANSWER.
UH, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO IMPROVE READING INSTRUCTION IN EARLY ELEMENTARY GRADES 25 SECONDS?
MAKE SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE ME MATERIAL.
MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY OUR, OUR GEN ED STUDENTS ARE GETTING THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED, BUT ALSO
[02:35:01]
THE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE IN IEPS AND THOSE THAT ARE ALSO HAVING A 5 0 4.WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN STRONG TIER ONE INSTRUCTION WITH STANDARD SPACE LEARNING.
UM, AND ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING THE PACING OF THE DISTRICT LEVEL, UM, PACING THAT THEY HAVE ALIGNED.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING A DISTRICT BUDGET, AND HOW DO YOU MAKE DECISIONS WHEN YOU NEED TO PRIORITIZE OR REDUCE SPENDING? OBVIOUSLY WE ALL NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR FUNDS.
UM, I THINK THIS WILL BE A VERY PARAMOUNT TO LEARN AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE, THE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS, UM, TO UTILIZE EVERY MOMENT THAT I CAN.
UM, NOT ONLY WITH MR. LETRELL TO LEARN FROM HIM AS HE, UM, GOES INTO RETIREMENT, BUT ALSO TO LEAN IN WITH YOU ALL.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO REACH OUT TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, LEARN FROM THEM, INVEST TIME WITH THEM, CULTIVATE RELATIONS WITH THEM.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO START TO MAKE PRIORITIES.
YOU KNOW, UM, I DO THINK THAT THE BUDGET, THE BUDGET STRATEGY THAT WILSON COUNTY HAD, AT LEAST AT WEST ELEMENTARY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, IS TO PRIORITIZE YOUR NEEDS ON A, ON A SCALE FROM ONE TO 10.
OBVIOUSLY THAT GOES BACK MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I USED TO REACH OUT TO, UH, MS. PHARAOH WHEN I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD GET A DECELERATION LANE IN FRONT OF, UH, WEST ELEMENTARY.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE NOW FROM TDOT.
BUT, UM, I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE CURRENT NEEDS.
I THINK THAT THERE'S NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE OF BOTH SHORT TERM PLANS, BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, LEANING IN ON THE DEFICIT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THE $7 MILLION, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME LONG RANGE PLAN THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, REPEAT SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
'CAUSE EVENTUALLY THE WATER RUNS DRY AND THE FUNDS ARE GONE.
AND ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, TAXPAYERS DON'T WANNA SEE INCREASE AFTER INCREASE IN THEIR, IN THEIR TAXES EITHER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, CHANGE IS EXPENSIVE AND, BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE OVERNIGHT.
I DO THINK THAT CHANGE, UM, ALTHOUGH EXPENSIVE CAN, AS LONG AS IT'S PRIORITIZED, UM, APPROPRIATELY CAN BE MAPPED OUT OVER TIME.
SO I THINK GOING BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION, UM, INVEST TIME WITH MR. LUTRELL.
INVEST TIME WITH EACH OF YOU, INVEST TIME WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, INVEST TIME ALSO WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO SEE WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS WE COULD, UM, UM, GET TOGETHER AND RAISE.
AND ALSO HAS SOME OUT OF THE BOX, UM, FUNDING MEASURES THAT WE COULD LOOK AT TOO.
POSSIBLY BRINGING BACK THE WHEEL TAX.
I KNOW THAT MAY NOT BE POPULAR FOR SOME, BUT IT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT TO SEE HOW CAN WE GET MORE REVENUE COMING IN FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WHAT IS ONE CHALLENGE IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE YOU WOULD NEED TO DEEPEN YOUR EXPERTISE AND HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH IT? SO COMING FROM THE, UM, HOUSE OF ELEMENTARY, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'LL BE, UH, ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE I'LL NEED TO SPEND ADDITIONAL TIME, INTENTIONAL TIME IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
OBVIOUSLY I KNOW WE HAVE, THIS DISTRICT HAS GREAT CTE OFFERINGS, IT HAS GREAT DUAL ENROLLMENT OFFERINGS.
I DO THINK THAT ALTHOUGH SOME OF THOSE OFFERINGS ARE FANTASTIC, THERE MAY BE SOME THAT NEED TO BE AUDITED AND MAYBE JUST SEE IF THERE'S OPPOR, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT OTHER INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS AND SO FORTH.
SO I WOULD SAY FROM THE ELEMENTARY LENS, IT'S TIME TO, TO SHAKE THAT ONE OFF AND, AND TO, UM, LEARN MORE FROM OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, UM, AND ALSO OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
SO I WOULD WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON LEARNING MORE OF CTE OFFERINGS, UM, SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WHAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATION CAN WE GIVE TO OUR PARENTS? WHAT ARE THE, WHAT IS THE BETTER WAY, THE BEST WAY TO EQUIP OUR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS IN HIGH SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OFFERINGS THAT MAYBE PARENTS DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT TRANSPARENCY IN, UM, DUAL ENROLLMENT TRANSPARENCY IN CTE OFFERINGS.
OBVIOUSLY TRANSPARENCY ALSO WITH SCHOLARSHIPS AND SO FORTH.
I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS TO WHERE I WOULD HAVE THE INITIAL, UH, LEARNING CURVE, BUT SOMETHING TO OVERCOME OVER TIME.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH OPERATIONAL PLANNING IN A RAPIDLY GROWING DISTRICT? AND WHAT STRATEGIES WOULD YOU USE TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES LIKE TRANSPORTATION DISRUPTIONS AND CAPACITY STRAIN? SO OBVIOUSLY IT DOESN'T, UH, TAKE A LOT TO NOTICE THAT WILSON
[02:40:01]
COUNTY IS GROWING AT A VERY ACCELERATED RATE AND, UM, I WOULD SAY GROWING PAINS WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH UH, GROWTH, IT IS, WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, WITH OUR BUSING TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE OPPOR, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, DOUBLE ROUTES? ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUBSTITUTE DRIVERS? I DO KNOW THAT THEY HAD THE CDL SATURDAYS, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.I'M ASSUMING THOSE STILL TAKE PLACE, BUT, UM, WE NEED TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX AS FAR AS WHAT WE COULD DO TO ENSURE THAT WITH THE RAPID GROWTH THAT THIS DISTRICT IS HAVING AND THE COUNTY IS EXPERIENCING, WHAT CAN WE DO? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS THE MOST VISIBLE THING OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL HOUSE ARE SCHOOL BUSES, BUSES.
SCHOOL SECURITY IS A LARGE CONCERN FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS AS WELL AS MANY STUDENTS.
WHAT EXPERIENCE DID YOU HAVE MAKING YOUR SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS A SAFER ENVIRONMENT, AND HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE FROM ONE SCHOOL TO THE ENTIRE SYSTEM? IN 2013, WEST ELEMENTARY, UM, DOUBLED ITS FOOTPRINT.
OBVIOUSLY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
SAND CONSTRUCTION WORKED ABOUT 14 MONTHS ON ESSENTIALLY, UH, INCREASING IN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE SCHOOL BY 50%.
THAT I LEARNED A LOT DURING THAT EXPERIENCE.
UH, UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY, UM, WITH ALL OF THE INNOVATIVE CLASSROOMS THAT WE HAD, UM, DESIGNED IN, IN THE WIDER HALLWAYS AND THE, YOU KNOW, UH, GREAT CAFETERIA AND SO FORTH, YOU KNOW, UH, I WILL SAY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET WITH THAT BUILDING RENOVATION AND THAT ADDITION WAS GREAT SECURITY.
I THINK WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS DOES A WONDERFUL JOB.
I BELIEVE THE SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, UM, INCORPORATED THE VESTIBULES IN ALL THE BUILDINGS.
UM, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT, UM, JUST IN AN EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS ARE GOING, UH, AWAY FROM KEYS AND GOING FULLY KEYLESS, SO YOU HAVE BADGE ACCESS.
THAT ALSO HELPS ENSURE THAT IF A TEACHER DOES MISPLACE THEIR KEY OR DROPS IT ON THE PLAYGROUND, THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT BEING, MAKING OURSELVES VULNERABLE.
THEY ACTUALLY NEED TO HAVE THAT BADGE.
I KNOW THAT ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT THERE YET, BUT HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY THEY CAN.
UM, BUT ALSO WITH THAT RENOVATION, WE GOT SEVERAL CAMERAS, UM, OVERWHELMING INITIALLY, BUT IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FULL FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE BUILDING EVERY CORNER AS WELL, UH, AS THE GROUNDS.
UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY TOO, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS LOOK AT OTHER THINGS.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY TECHNOLOGY CHANGES BY THE DAY, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UH, LEAN IN ON WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE, UM, OFFERING AND INCORPORATING IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
BUT I WILL SAY, LOOKING AT THE PREPARATION THIS DISTRICT CURRENTLY DOES, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT A BROKEN SYSTEM.
I THINK THERE'S STRONG DRILLS IN PLACE.
UH, YOU ALL HAVE THE ACTIVE SHOOTER, UM, UH, UM, SIMULATIONS, WHICH ARE ALL GREAT BECAUSE END OF THE DAY WE NEED TO BE READY AT THE DROP OF A HAT IF THERE IS, UM, UH, A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE SCHOOLS.
UM, WHAT SYSTEMS WOULD YOU PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT ALL ALL STUDENTS ARE MEANINGFULLY INCLUDED IN SCHOOL EVENTS AND CULTURE? I THINK THIS COMES A LITTLE BIT NATURALLY IN THE ELEMENTARY SETTING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, ALTHOUGH THAT EACH CHILD IS THEIR OWN, I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, CLIQUES WAS NEVER REALLY A BIG ISSUE AT THAT LEVEL.
BUT OBVIOUSLY I DO HAVE A 16-YEAR-OLD, SO I'M VERY WELL AWARE HOW KIDS CHANGE OVER TIME.
UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY EVERY CHILD SHOULD FEEL INCLUDED, UM, BE BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO FEEL LIKE AN OUTLIER.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE OF MY CHILDREN HAS SPECIAL NEEDS.
HE DOES NOT GET INVITED TO BIRTHDAY PARTIES REGULARLY.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, FAST FORWARD AND DRYING IT UP.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL FAMILIES FEEL WELCOME NO MATTER WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND IS, WHAT THEIR LANGUAGES ARE, WHAT DISABILITIES OR LACK THEREOF ARE IN THEIR, IN THEIR SCHOOLS, UH, THAT THEIR CHILD MAY HAVE WITHIN THEIR FAMILIES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A, A BIG WEIGHT THAT THE PRINCIPALS HAVE.
I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, QUARTERLY FAMILY, UH, ENGAGEMENT EVENINGS ARE, ARE GREAT, BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S STILL GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMPLER, SIMPLE LIKE SCHOOL SPIRIT NIGHTS ONCE A MONTH, WHICH MANY OF THE SCHOOLS HERE IN WILSON COUNTY DO TO WHERE THEY'LL JUST COME OUT, HEY, LET'S ALL BREAK BREAD TOGETHER AT, AT, UH, CHICK-FIL-A.
SO, BUT IT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PARENTS TO KIND OF GET TOGETHER, NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT FORMAL SCHOOL SETTING, BUT OBVIOUSLY GO TO A SETTING TO WHERE THEY ARE MEETING OTHER STUDENTS, UH, THEY'RE MEETING OTHER FAMILIES.
ALSO THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR
[02:45:01]
PARENTS TO, TO NETWORK WITH ONE ANOTHER AS WELL.AND IF YOU, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT WILL HELP, UH, BOOST MORALE, NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS FOR, UH, BEING INCLUDED, BUT ALSO IT HELPS FOR THE PARENTS FEELING INCLUDED AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU TOUCHED ON THIS FRIDAY, BUT I WANTED TO ASK AGAIN JUST TO MAKE SURE.
WHAT'S THE LARGEST BUDGET YOU'VE WORKED WITH, ALMOST TO THE DOLLAR? 6.9 MILLION.
OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW THAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE PENNIES IN COMPARISON TO THE BUDGET OF THE DISTRICT, HOWEVER, IN METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, YOU DO HAVE THAT AUTONOMY TO HAVE SCHOOLS, UH, FULL SCHOOL BASED BUDGETING.
AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUCKETS THAT, UM, THE FUNDS GO INTO.
BUT I WILL SAY, IT GOES BACK TO ONE OF THE ORIGINAL QUESTIONS EARLIER, IS THAT I LEARNED TO BE A VERY GOOD STEWARD OF FUNDING.
AND IF I COULD DO THAT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT AT THE, AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, I, I WOULD TRY TO MAINTAIN THAT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE AND PRIORITIZE STUDENT-CENTERED DECISIONS.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED FROM THE DISTRICT.
SO FOR THE NEXT PART, THERE'S 15 MINUTES AND IT'S A TIME FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FELT LIKE YOU NEEDED TO TELL THE BOARD, THEY MAY ALSO HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK YOU TO CLARIFY.
DO I HAVE PERMISSION TO LOOK AT MY NOTES? I JUST JOTTED DOWN A FEW ITEMS. UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOP, I ONLY HAVE TWO.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY AS A PRINCIPAL, THE INTERVIEWS, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO GIVE THE, UM, CANDIDATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO GO ROGUE.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOP NON-NEGOTIABLE PRIORITIES THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD LIKE? THE SUP, YOU KNOW, FOR ME TO LEAD IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS AND HOW CAN I HAVE THAT, HAVE YOUR SUPPORT THROUGH THAT INITIATIVE, CONTINUE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.
AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED THE METRICS OF, UM, REWARD SCHOOLS, LEVEL A SCHOOLS.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MOMENTUM CONTINUE.
I WOULD SAY SAFETY, THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS.
UM, EVERY DAY WHEN THEY'RE DROPPED OFF, THEIR PARENTS KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA MAKE IT HOME.
AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF OUR TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM, KNOWING THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE SUPPORTED AND SAFE IN THEIR, UH, IN THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
I REMEMBER WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS AT GLADESVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL, I KNOW THAT WHEN THEY HAD A LOCKDOWN, THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO SHUT THE ENTIRE BUILDING DOWN, UM, IN, IN ONE MOMENT.
AND, UH, OPPORTUNITIES AND TECHNOLOGY LIKE THAT.
GOING BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION, UH, MS. PHARAOH, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER THING TO KIND OF LOOK AT FOR A NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA LEVEL THE PLAYING GROUND, UH, THE THE PLAYING FIELD OF ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY? CAN I ADD TO THAT? YES.
SO, UM, IF SOMETHING IS GOING ON, TELL WHAT YOU CAN AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
'CAUSE THE BOARD CAN BE A SUPPORT BEFORE WE START GETTING A HUNDRED PHONE CALLS.
WE CAN HELP TAKE SOME OF THAT BURDEN OFF.
UM, WHENEVER THERE IS A THREAT AT ANY LEVEL, UM, IN MY SCHOOL, WHICH WE'VE OBVIOUSLY HAD TO INCORPORATE BOTH HARD AND SOFT LOCKDOWNS, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I ALWAYS WANNA DO IS TO MAKE PARENTS FEEL CALM AND THAT THEY, UM, 'CAUSE THEY, THAT'S TERRIFYING BEING A PARENT.
UM, AND SO OBVIOUSLY, UH, I ALWAYS SEND OUT A TEXT OR I'LL SEND OUT A VERBAL MESSAGE ON BLACKBOARD, AND I LET THE PARENTS KNOW BRIEFLY HIGH LEVEL WHAT TOOK PLACE, HOW IT WAS ADDRESSED.
AND I'LL ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT THEY WANT TO HEAR IS THAT THE THREAT IS NO LONGER THERE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SO I DO THINK THAT YES, TRANSPARENCY IS HYPER IMPORTANT AND IT TAKES JUST A FEW MOMENTS.
IT'S NOT HARD AND IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
AND, AND I'LL ADD ONE OTHER THING.
UH, CT CTE, WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT CTE PROGRAM HERE, BUT IT CAN ONLY GO UP AND, AND BE BETTER.
SO WE WILL LOOK WHOEVER THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TO REALLY GET ENGAGED WITH OUR CTE STAFF AND HELP THEM TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM AGAIN THAT WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN DOING THERE.
UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE IS INSTRUCTORS FOR CTE, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THE INSTRUCTORS CAN MAKE MULTIPLE TIMES SALARY DOING THE JOB RATHER THAN TEACHING IT.
SOMEONE MENTIONED NURSING EARLIER, THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP US THERE.
YEAH, JUST TO SEE HOW CT FROM THE SIDELINES, IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO SEE HOW MUCH CTE HAS GROWN, NOT ONLY IN THIS DISTRICT, BUT OBVIOUSLY NATIONWIDE.
YOU KNOW, BEING A GRADUATE OF 1997, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ONLY THING WE HAD CLOSE TO CTE WAS JUST SHOCK CLASS
[02:50:01]
OR SMALL ENGINE REPAIR.OBVIOUSLY THAT DOESN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO THE OFFERINGS THAT THEY HAVE TODAY.
I THINK ONE OF MY CONCERNS, AND I THINK THAT ACROSS OUR COUNTY IS THE GROWTH AND I MANAGE MANAGING THAT GROWTH LOOKING.
WE'RE IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS AS IS, UNFORTUNATELY, AND JUST WHAT REALITY IS.
SO WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON LAND ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS.
SO WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH TO TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE DIFFERENT, UM, GROWTH PATTERNS WE HAVE ACROSS THE COUNTY AND, AND WHERE WE WOULD POSITION NEW SCHOOLS AND KEEP UP WITH THAT? GREAT QUESTION.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT OUR CAMPUSES.
YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE, UM, AT WEST ELEMENTARY, YOU KNOW, TO WHERE BASICALLY DID A FULL BUILDING RENOVATION.
UH, I KNOW THAT ONE POINT THE CONTRACTORS WERE EVEN LOOKING AT BUILDING THE ENTIRE SCHOOL RIGHT NEXT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE, WHERE THE, UH, UM, PLAYGROUND IS CURRENTLY.
UM, THAT PROBABLY COULD HAVE BUILT A, A FULLY BRAND NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART SCHOOL.
SO I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE CAMPUSES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO CURRENT BUILDING RENOVATIONS.
ULTIMATELY, I KNOW THAT RENOVATIONS CAN ALWAYS KEEP UP WITH THE, UH, UH, RATE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE EXPANDING AND NEW DEVELOPERS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE AREA.
NOT TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, BUILDING OF SCHOOLS.
THAT'S ONE CONCERN, UM, THAT HAS MANY OTHER LEGS WITH THAT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT THAT ARE BUILT IN THE SEVENTIES OR EVEN LATER.
SO THEY ALSO NEED MAINTENANCE.
THEY NEED NEW ROOFS, ALL THE THINGS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO, I THINK GOING BACK ON, AND I KNOW IT, IT, IT JUST SOUNDS VERY BASIC, BUT DEVELOP SHORT AND LONG-TERM PLANS.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMMEDIATE THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY TO ENSURE THAT WE COULD STAY ON TOP OF THE GROWTH, UM, AND COMBAT THAT GROWTH.
BUT, UH, EVENTUALLY IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET IN FRONT OF THAT GROWTH AND, UH, TO, UM, PLAY A LITTLE OFFENSE VERSUS DEFENSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION FOR THE BOARD.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT STAND OUT TO ME.
I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE WHO CAN COMMUNICATE WELL WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE, UM, THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU WANT YOUR STAFF TO MODEL, THAT YOU WOULD MODEL THAT SAME LEADERSHIP.
SO YOU NEED TO PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH.
YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO WALK THE WALK AND YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE TALK.
I THINK THAT HAPPENS AT THE BUILDING LEVEL THAT, UM, THE PLANS, PROMISES, GOALS THAT PRINCIPALS SHARE AT THE BUILDING LEVEL AND SHARE WITH THEIR TEACHERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS INSTANT ACCOUNTABILITY.
THAT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE THE MOMENT THOSE WORDS LEAVE MY MOUTH, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, THAT, UM, I'M ACCOUNTABLE TO DO AS BEST I CAN TO ENSURE THAT I BACK UP WHAT I SAY.
I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AT THE MUCH GRANDER SCALE, THE DISTRICT LEVEL TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, UH, GOING BACK EARLIER IS CULTIVATING THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I KNOW A FEW OF THEM, I DO NOT KNOW ALL OF THEM, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO TAKE TIME AND INVEST TIME WITH THESE STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, I DON'T WANNA WORK AGAINST ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THIS DISTRICT.
BUT, UH, I DO THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME, UH, FOR BUILDING SOME OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
BUT ULTIMATELY, I DO THINK THAT A LOT OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, IF NOT MOST ORAL, UM, WANT THIS DISTRICT TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE, TO MAINTAIN THE EXCELLENCE AS, UH, MR. MACK STATED AND, UH, AND, AND CONTINUE TO GROW.
SO GROWTH IS GREAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY I WANT OUR STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR US? YES.
I THINK, I THINK WITH THE, THE WAY THAT THE, THE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, I THINK IT ADDRESSED EVERYTHING, BUT, UM, AGAIN, I JUST THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
JUST BEING CONSIDERED FOR THIS AMAZING ROLE, UM, IS A GIFT IN ITSELF.
AND, UM, I, I MENTIONED IT THE OTHER NIGHT AT THE MEET AND GREET, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE IN A WIN-WIN SITUATION AS FAR AS THE SELECTION PROCESS WITH THESE CANDIDATES THAT ARE HIGHLY CREDIBLE AND CAPABLE TO LEAD THIS DISTRICT.
I, I HAVE ONE, UM, MANY TIMES I KNOW I, AND I THINK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE TEACHERS REACH OUT TO US WITH AN ISSUE.
HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE TEACHERS FEEL SAFE GIVING HONEST FEEDBACK WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION FROM THEIR ADMINISTRATORS.
SO, CLEAR IS KIND AND UNCLEAR IS IS UNKIND, RIGHT? UM, BRENE BROWN.
UH, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PANORAMA SURVEYS IN WILSON COUNTY, I MEAN, IN METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO WHERE TEACHERS CAN VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, ANOM, ANONYMOUSLY.
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HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, I DO FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, IF YOU BUILD AND INVEST STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE TEACHERS, THEY'RE MORE APT TO TELL YOU WHEN THINGS ARE GOING GOOD, OR ALSO TO PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT IF THEY DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS.I DO THINK THAT ANY LEADER THAT LOOKS AT MEANS OF, UH, RETALIATION, UH, NEEDS TO DO A LOT OF SELF-REFLECTION AND HOPEFULLY THAT THEIR SUPERVISOR HAS SOME, UM, FEEDBACK FOR THEM WHEN IT COMES TO BEING, UH, HELD ACCOUNTABLE ON THE, UM, TILLS RUBRIC, UM, THAT, THAT WE'RE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR AT THE, AT THE, UH, PRINCIPAL LEVEL.
BUT ULTIMATELY AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR WHEN GOOD JOB DR.
UH, SO AND SO DID A GREAT JOB AS WELL.
BUT OBVIOUSLY I WANT OUR PARENTS TO FEEL THE SAME WAY.
I DO THINK WHEN YOU OFFER OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS SPIRIT NIGHTS, MULTIPLE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT NIGHTS, UM, INCORPORATE THINGS LIKE THE SECOND CUP OF COFFEE, YOU KNOW, PARENTS ARE GONNA BE MORE APT AND TEACHERS ARE GONNA BE MORE APT TO SHARE NOT ONLY THE GLOWS THAT YOU'RE DOING AT THE BUILDING LEVEL, BUT ALSO THE GROWS THAT YOU NEED TO DO AT THE BUILDING LEVEL IN HOPES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF, OF STUDENTS.
SINCE WE HAVE TIME, I'LL, I'M GONNA ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT A TIME THAT YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND ABOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT AT WORK, GIVEN MORE INFORMATION WHERE YOU THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS ONE WAY? AND I DON'T HAVE A PARTICULAR, UM, THOUGHT RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES TO WHERE I DO HAVE A SILLY ONE, BUT I'LL SHARE, WELL, I'LL SHARE IT.
SO, WHEN I BECAME BUILDING LEVEL PRINCIPAL AT WEST ELEMENTARY, YOU KNOW, AT THE VERY FIRST FACULTY MADE THAT DR. DONNA WRIGHT HELD AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, I WANTED ALL OF OUR TEACHERS TO NOT ONLY SHOW HOW PROFESSIONAL THEY ARE, BUT OBVIOUSLY HOW, HOW WELL THEY, THEY LOOKED.
UM, SO I BOUGHT POLOS FOR ALL THE TEACHERS, BLACK POLOS, AND I ASKED ALL THE TEACHERS, HEY, WE'RE GONNA WEAR THESE BLACK POLOS.
WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, SET THE TONE FOR THE, FOR THE MEETING.
HOWEVER, I ALSO NEED EVERYONE TO WEAR KHAKIS.
WELL, THEN MY PHONE STARTS TO BLOW UP.
AND I HAD OTHER INDIVIDUALS START TO REACH OUT TO ME, TEACHERS SHARING THEIR CONCERNS WITH ME.
AND I HEARD EVERYTHING FROM, WELL, WELL, UH, SIR, I DON'T HAVE ANY KHAKIS, OR DO I NEED TO GO TO THE STORE AND GET SOME KHAKIS AND SO FORTH? I KNOW THAT SOUNDS SO SILLY, BUT IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE QUESTION THAT MS. LYNN ASKED US A FEW MOMENTS AGO.
IT, IT WAS OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT, THAT ARE AS SILLY AS CLOTHING AND ATTIRE TO WHERE TEACHERS FELT VULNERABLE AND ABLE TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS.
BUT WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO SHARE SMALL, LIKE, SOMEWHAT MEANING MEANINGLESS CONCERNS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THOSE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, THOSE DOOR CLOSING MOMENTS, UM, TO SHARE AND BE VULNERABLE, UH, WITH THEIR PRINCIPAL.
SO DID YOU, DID YOU MAKE 'EM WEAR THEIR KHAKIS? I DID NOT.
UM, SO THAT WAS THE FIRST PUSHBACK AS A BRAND NEW PRINCIPAL, UH, FROM MY FACULTY AND STAFF.
AND I HEARD THEIR CONCERNS AND I FOLLOWED THROUGH.
AND AS LONG AS THEY HAD THAT POLO ON, I WAS FINE.
CAN, CAN YOU GIMME YOUR THOUGHTS, OPINIONS, VIEWPOINTS ON THE CORRELATION BETWEEN SPENDING ON EDUCATION AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE? SO I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS TO WHERE WE COULD THROW DOLLARS AT PROGRAMS ALL DAY, UH, OR UNTIL THE BUDGET RUNS DRY OR SCHOOL LEVEL SPENDING RUNS DRY.
BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PRINCIPALS TO MONITOR WHAT TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, ARE THESE EXPENDITURES PAYING OFF IN THE LONG RUN OR ARE WE JUST, YOU KNOW, MEETING THE NEEDS OF A TEACHER THAT SAYS, I WANT TO HAVE GENERATION GENIUS AT THE TUNE OF $2,000.
SURE, I'VE GOT MONEY IN THE BUDGET, LET'S DO IT.
BUT IF I'M NOT FOLLOWING BACK UP AND DECEIVE, IF PROGRAMS LIKE THAT ARE NOT MAKING, PAYING OFF IN DIVIDENDS FOR, UM, MULTIPLE TEACHERS, WHICH WILL HAVE END OF THE DAY MULTIPLE IMPACTS ON STUDENTS, THEN OBVIOUSLY IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE NEED TO CUT.
SINCE WE HAVE TIME, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH YOU HAVING BEEN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, IS THERE AN IDEA THAT YOU HAVE TO PROTECT THEIR PLANNING TIME? I KNOW THAT'S MORE
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OF AN ISSUE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.'CAUSE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE BLOCKS THAT THEY'RE OPEN, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY WITH COMPETING STAFF MEETINGS, IEP MEETINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT BEING ADDED.
UM, MANY YEARS AGO WHILE I WAS IN THIS DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE AUTONOMY TO PLAY AROUND WITH THE, UM, MASTER SCHEDULE, WHICH MEANS THAT I COULD CUT TEACHER PLANNING BACK BY A FEW MINUTES OR ADD A FEW MINUTES ON.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE I FEEL LIKE I NAILED IT AND THAT I HAD GAVE THE TEACHERS EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED.
UM, AND ALSO WAS, I THINK AT ONE POINT, I, I CUT IT DOWN AS MUCH AS I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THIS, BUT I THINK IT WAS 40 MINUTES.
AND, UM, I THEN I THINK WE MADE THAT CHANGE A FEW MONTHS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO SOME OF THOSE TIME, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHER PLANNING, IT MUST BE PROTECTED BECAUSE WE, OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE THE GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS, WE HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONAL MEETINGS WHERE WE HAVE THE, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES IN, OR WE'RE HAVING, UH, STUDENT, UH, DIRECT STUDENT FOCUSED PLCS.
ALL THOSE THINGS NEED TO CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE.
AND THE LAST THING THAT I NEED TO DO AS A BUILDING LEVEL PRINCIPAL IS TO PUSH IN AND TAKE SOME OF THAT TIME AWAY.
I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO BE CONSIDERED, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS LIKE A WIDE, UH, SPREAD CONCERN FOR THE SCHOOLS AS A WHOLE, BUT YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT IS ESTABLISHED TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, A, UM, TO ENSURE THAT PLANNING IS PROTECTED FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
AND THE BUILDING LEVEL PRINCIPALS ARE GIVING THE TEACHERS AMPLE TIME TO PLAN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, BUT ALSO PLAN FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK, BUT ALSO BEING GREAT PRACTITIONERS OF LOOKING AT THEIR OWN DATA.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE REALLY PUSHED IN, PUSHED ON MY TEACHERS TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT JUST GOING TO HAND YOU YOUR STUDENT DATA AND YOUR CLASSROOM DATA.
I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO BE A STRONG PRACTITIONER CHAIR.
WE PUT THREE MINUTES, I'M SORRY, PUT THREE MINUTES.
WE'LL GO TO ONE 20, HONEY, WE'LL GO TO ONE 20.
UM, SO JUST GIVE THE TEACHERS AMPLE TIME FOR THAT, BUT ALSO KEEP A STRONG BEAT ON IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE OFFERING THAT TIME FOR TEACHERS, THAT I WILL SAY ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS I'VE MADE, AND I WISH I STARTED IT