00:00:05,430	Bismarck Public School Board, it’s 5:15 on Monday, October 28th, I call this meeting to order. Welcome to those of you who are joining us both here and also online. You can find our agenda and follow along online under the school board tab at Bismarckschools.org. Mr. Sher, we call the roll, please. Mr. Eastgate here, Mr.

00:00:25,870	Hager, Mr. Lee. Mrs. Peterson, here, Miss Presky. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dr. Fosst, would you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? What do you like the United States of America and the Republic for which she stands on indivisible justice for all.

00:01:07,000	Item 1C is the BPS mission vision and values, the BPS mission is to empower every learner to thrive. The BPS vision states together our strong relationships build inclusive, collaborative and innovative environments that create agency and inspire a passion for learning, excellence and discovery. The BPS values are inclusion, excellence, innovation, and leadership. You can also find a link in our agenda to the BPS strategic plan.

00:01:26,770	Item 2 is to adopt the agenda. What are the wishes of the board? of that we adopt the agenda. Second. a motion in a second. Mr. Sher, Haer Peterson. Yes. Presky Eastgate. Yes. Motion passes. Item 3 tonight is public comment.

00:01:50,300	The board recognized the central role parents playing the education of their children and supports active parent involvement in the educational process. The board’s practice of public comment reflects and aligns with policy BCBA in the spirit of its intent for classroom issues, it’s best to follow the chain of command from the teacher to the principal to the assistant superintendent to the superintendent for district-wide issues, please reach out to Dr. F Fasnot.

00:02:05,170	If you do speak tonight, we simply ask that you be responsible, be helpful, and be respectful. Our BPS students deserve to have adults model the expectations that we have for them.

00:02:20,270	Groups are urged to select one spokesperson, individual will be limited to no more than 4 minutes and be notified with 30 seconds remaining to conclude their remarks. The board does not debate issues as presented, but we take such matters under advisement. With that, if you have any public comment, please step forward to the podium. Like crowd the seats. Public Common is now closed. Item 4 is to monitor district operations.

00:02:45,170	We have 4A, which is R4, Personal Development Community Ready, Dr. Fosna. Thank you. um, good afternoon, board members. Um, yeah, we have our 4 ready for you this evening. I all right, I would let Mr. Johnson present that to the group. Thank you, Dr. Johnson. Evening Dr. Johnson. evening, thanks. I’m a little bit shorter than whoever was up here. apologize.

00:03:13,030	Um, uh, good evening, uh, President Eastgate, members of the school board, um, we’re talking about uh being personal development in one of the areas as a results we talk about academic outcomes often, but there are other things that we want for our students when we say these are outcomes we wish for our students, such as being communityre and, uh, to that

00:03:30,070	end, we’re proud to, you know, put this forward and market as making reasonable progress. Um, we believe in all the areas we mark making reasonable progress except for one with Reception and that was really like just slightly off, so really it looks uh pretty good. I actually like it and I know Dr.

00:03:49,500	Fastad did some reorganization of this format. I think you’ve seen some of this, but I really think that there’s some nice highlights about how you see at the beginning the area of focus for continuous improvement.

00:04:05,230	So as we go through this, we’re always talking about areas related to this about how kids are using their critical thinking, are they taking risks? Are they finding their passions and again, that aligns with some of our strategic plan, where has priorities around authentic learning and personalized learning, finding their path, so they have a voice and choice there.

00:04:23,200	Um, we have a small task force that continues to grow and expand, adding some members in about that personalized and authentic learning and where we can define and how that can be integrated into how we approach our lesson design, um, throughout that work, we know that much of this occurs by having a good foundation. And part of that through elementary through middle school is our second step curriculum.

00:04:39,170	That’s one way, one manner where that can be explicitly. taught and embedded into the work we do, and we have some resilience, uh, curriculum that just like any math or other curriculum has a basis where we begin to kind of give that basis knowledge and common vocabulary for students and teachers to talk at the high school level.

00:04:57,630	Um, as we take a look, we really do believe that the coalition that’s worked with uh looking at uh mental health and how we support those, especially that as we extend with students in activities, um, it’s really a An area that’s uh we’re leading just like we did some great work with Peer to peer in the

00:05:15,700	past and inclusive sports and some work in our area, we continue to lead in an area of how can we better address mental health needs for all students, uh for the soon that looks like they have it all together, but yet, um might be battling some uh perfection or some anxiety or some other

00:05:31,770	items to someone who outwardly needs some help. So again, we recognize that all means all, and we have some really great work, uh, Riley Real. some other uh are taking kind of point of portfolio is uh.

00:05:48,830	That work and we sent some teachers recently to some PD as they’re looking to, how can we advance this and create that for our levels, the sports for all students. Um, I’d end by Saying that the end this section talks about career readiness practices, and I know that you’ve spoken to this a little bit before.

00:06:05,500	So when we talk about academic outcomes, we also have these other things that we want to be communityre and not just for the workforce, but just in general, what is good to be attentive, to be able to be responsible to be a good collaborator.

00:06:25,200	And so we define this and have led some work in the state to about how we can begin to move away to separate and provide meaningful feedback so that, hey, If you want to get hired here, that’s great, but do you show up on time? Are you collaborative? Do you work well with others? Um, do you engage that? So we’re really just exploring that and so I would see that as really an initial exploration and we’ll figure out what does this look like for a BPS um

00:06:41,100	throughout this. So, uh, the data you can see and there’s different elements that we’ve measured in the past for taking risk taking and um setting goals and initiatives and our students are responsible as well as the engagement and career exploration. So as we take look and we go through this document, you might see.

00:06:58,700	That again in underneath the responsible risk taking, we just highlight that we met those areas with making reasonable progress, um, we have had some discussions recently and our learning Excellence committees about how we might report these in the future, but again, taking your core AP dual credit, um, some CTE and we again have high

00:07:17,530	percentage of students that are engaging in that personalized choice to take an extended or deep dived whatever their path is in there. Students tend to rate themselves and taking learning risks without that fear.

00:07:35,630	failure, you know, failure is not a bad thing, but the ability to take that risk and so hopefully that’s can continually be instilled so that uh students are willing to take that chance on themselves and pursue that passion there. Um, we also want kids to be engaged in that they’re doing difficult work.

00:07:52,770	It’s kind of that stretch, where am I being stretched, not where it’s being produced in anxiety for a kid, but where it’s like, I’m actually having to grow and that’s why I always say that my daughter, that’s why I call it learning because you don’t already know it, like you need.

00:08:08,700	be in that place where there’s a productive struggle and, um, we know what that feels like because we’ve been there before and sometimes our students um and everyone’s kids have felt like that, but yet we know that when adults are helping guide them through that they, they’re gonna be in a good spot as they leave as an outcome. So again, we see high areas of success with that.

00:08:26,330	Um, likewise, we go through all kind of skip ahead to the one area and 42 with taking an initiative setting goals and um. When we turn the page there, what it would be page 10, you’re gonna see that that’s the one that we mark making reasonable progress with exception, and in that it’s our K2, it’s at 85% with a target of 90, um, again, a stretch goal, I think that that target was moved up recently, and so

00:08:44,900	we were meeting that in the past, and that’s why it was raised, but yet you can see comparatively, and I think that’s for future discussion too, do we want all the same to be the average, and I think Dr.

00:08:58,370	F Fastant has talked with the board a little bit about what that may look like in the future, but currently they’re as it is there, um, that’s where we’re off there just a little bit, but again, we’re only off because we raised the bar, because the board said, hey, we can do better because we’ve been doing consistently right around that 85%, so we raised the bar.

00:09:16,500	That being said, um, you can continue to see there and we see passions and joy. We want that was part of the outcome of how do we measure that? and it becomes difficult at times to really articulate and define that.

00:09:33,570	I know Miss Presky with environmental Excellence, we’re having some of that discussion about what is a good measure and how can we tangibly quantify what we’re wanting and how do we measure that to accurately report. So again, um, we see that if kids are finding some of their personalized learning needs and they’re finding their strengths, their interests, their is relevant if they see, hey, I see how this real world problem or how authentically can be seen, they

00:09:49,630	can see themselves in the future of what they’re studying or working. Um, we also do survey students, and that’s where part of this is, this is a survey data, but these are results that students are sharing and uh we can poke holes in all kinds of data, but yet in the end, the data is the

00:10:05,030	data of what I would say in our framework with the incoherent governance is the board well knows, but the public too is, again, we’re looking at the trend are we growing? Are we making? progress.

00:10:21,070	So again, when we’re comparing our survey to our survey, we might have questions about whether or not students rated in one way, but when we take the baseline and the year after year trend, you can just start to see, OK, this makes sense. Where are we trending? And so that’s how I look at that data when I have some of those questions, but are we getting better from where we were in the past.

00:10:35,500	And again, how do we talk to students about what it means and are they understanding that? Well, when we talk about career choice Rey again, um. career exploration. This is an area where we’ve jumped up the past couple of years, and that was really through some intentional work when we had some accountability reports and looking at making that measure,

00:10:51,570	but where can we be more explicit about not just allowing or it’s nice if you do something internship or job shadow, but where are we going to be intentional about trying to create that.

00:11:09,630	So some of our courses and the course work has really built up to try to say, hey, let’s do this as part of like econ, for example, and um, just where there’s other opportunities for students to, um, see if they really do see themselves in a future career, but through that career exploration. Last parts really focus on our extracurricular, co-curricular. Um, we take a look at high school and middle school.

00:11:29,500	And again, we’re just taking an opportunity to see our kids involved. Can they see themselves and find their niche. I always hope that when every parent sends their kid to school, they’re not only feel like they’re safe, but they feel like they belong and they belong in a couple different ways in mind.

00:11:46,500	lenses, do they see themselves in the academic niche which much of this was talking about. Do they see themselves in their passion and joys of the learning and what they’re striving for. And then the other side is, do they have that group that they can belong to, and we recognize that there are groups that occur outside of school. So that also in Indicator 7 is asked as well.

00:12:02,430	It might be the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts or some other activity. Um, yes, we offer many activities and many clubs and many opportunities, and yet we don’t offer. but there are other items where students see themselves and they have a place of belonging socially with others and so.

00:12:22,300	We just continue to ask the question to make sure that we can figure out how to support students, but I mean, we’ve seen e-sports rise, we’ve had a few other hockey examples where we’ve added teams and opportunities for both boys and girls.

00:12:41,000	We continue to see opportunities with uh girls wrestling, for example, um, it’s just been countless times over the last decade here since board and this community step up and say this is a new need and how can we support our learners to find themselves not only academically, but social and emotional. So I’d stay on that. And the question at this time or uh Dr.

00:12:54,570	F Fassnnatt may have something to that he’d add in there, um. Based on that report. Thank you, Dr. Johnson. Board members, any questions? Ms. Presky. Yeah, I have a couple of things and, um, Dr. F Fast not, feel free to jump in if the question is more appropriate for you then, um, Mr.

00:13:16,300	Johnson, but, um, so yeah, I’m, I’m part of the committee that’s reviewing this, um, right now. And I guess one question that I have had, um, after sitting in our last meeting, um, is how often do we re-evaluate that student survey. And the questions that are asked.

00:13:38,200	Because I think we’ve had a similar conversation around this table when we, when we get the results from the student survey in reports and, um, it’s. Well, you know, are, are these questions framed the right way? Do the kids, students really know what, what the question means, um, and there were a couple that we teased out, um, and visited about during our, um, committee meeting on this like rural real world problems like what does that mean? Um, and is that the

00:14:03,230	right verbiage? And, um, the question of students choosing their own learning topics. Well, how much, how much involvement does a kindergartner through 3rd grade have in choosing their own learning topics, right? You, you might have that opportunity when you’re in high school, but do you really have it in elementary.

00:14:25,130	Um, so I’m just, I guess I’m wondering about the questions and is that part of our process that we’re going through right now in our committees, is that part of your feedback that you’re getting, um, but I, I, I feel like we’ve been talking about this a lot with that student survey and.

00:14:39,730	It might be a good opportunity to take a look at the questions that are being asked. My cracker on me Go ahead. I would, I would say that historically, I think that we’ve tried, as again, typically we look for about 4 years of data that we’re reporting.

00:15:00,330	So one difficulty becomes every time we change a question, does that impact part of the reason we moved to more of our own BPS surveys that we were reliant in the past on outside surveys like cognia Advanced Accreditation, and they changed their questions and then we’d be like, OK, in these two years, it said this question and then the last two years it said this, um.

00:15:16,770	With that being said, I think that that really is the scope of, as you’re alluding to, uh, board member Presky, um, and Dr. Frost that you can to talk about this is what is it that we want and what’s the best way of frame that.

00:15:33,030	That being said, there are also things that we can internally do about trying to ensure that, are we framing up whether it’s a guided PowerPoint or some sort of um presentation when we’re talking to students about taking the survey. Have we articulated what it’s like? Do we remind them? Do they see and recognize that they have choice within projects that’s different.

00:15:47,900	choosing which class I want to take or choosing more than I want to study something, but again, common definitions and calibrating that is important. Dr. Frost not I let you clean up. Thank you, Dr. Johnson. I think that’s right. I, I, we’ve just started this process and I mean two of you have already got through our first report.

00:16:04,970	It’s taken us a year to kind of get to this, this evolutionary phase of where we’re starting to look at these and, and critique them. What do we want to say? How do we want to say it, set our targets. So we’re just in that.

00:16:21,570	Phase, I will say, um, or remember Presky, your group was the first one to really question the survey and in that detail of me. No, it’s not. But, I mean, which is a good thing. I’m gonna tell you, I haven’t looked at that great a detail, but it’s just, to me, the next evolutionary step.

00:16:38,030	I will say philosophically what we value should drive the questions in the survey, not the question of the survey drive what we put in in our reports and what we’re looking for. So really, this evolutionary process we’re going through making revisions to these and what are indicators are.

00:16:53,700	OK, that informs us, OK, how are we going to edit our surveys to make sure we’re getting the right information to bring back to you. I think it’s just part of that evolutionary process that we do it. Your committee asked really good questions, um. Why are we asking that? To what depth? The 3rd graders really understand the question.

00:17:09,970	Oh great, but it’s just, it’s going to take us some time to work through that, um, if, if I may just respond to a couple things. I think, um, Ms. Presky’s committee is reworking this document by the time you see it next year, we’re gonna have some revisions to it.

00:17:28,330	I mean, one was, we talked about 437, which is that out of school activities, um, love the report it’s great, um, and I know we, it seems very obvious that we’re Obviously supporting kids to be involved in out of school activities, but if it’s, if these are indicators of our effectiveness of the systems we have in place.

00:17:45,830	What’s, what’s the system that gets kids to join Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, cause that’s not us, you know, so we were just critiquing that as we went through the report of if this is really evaluating what we do. What are we doing that makes kids go to do something outside of school and should that be an indicator, um, or should we focus more internal? Well, we have a locus of control on.

00:18:02,900	Um, so great discussion, I guess, um. Dr. Johnson mean mentioned it. I’m very proud of the work, um, he and our CT program, actually all of our 3 high schools now with career-ready practices. If you, I know you have been aware, we’ve talked about it. Parents really need to look at these.

00:18:22,600	These are the indicators built by North Dakota Curren Tech Ed, um, they are aligned to workforce ready skills to make our kids ready to go out in the career field and the job world and be successful as Dr. Johnson mentioned it.

00:18:43,430	On task time, it’s collaboration, it’s showing up, being to work, um, getting your job done in a responsible fashion, um, completing a project, it’s all those skills that we find important in the workforce. Many more, um, and we’re just beginning to get those implement implemented through all of our high schools as we did in our, um, CT program.

00:19:00,530	So, you’re going to see that rolling out, and now feeding some of our documentation, so you’ll be able to track that implementation, um, and just specifically, uh, that you kind of mentioned the authentic learning real world, um, indicator and then also the career exploration. I think you should be very proud of about those.

00:19:21,830	Those show really good results, and those are both, um, It’s good that our kids get to do activities that do match what they’re going to see in the real world. Um, it’s authentic, it’s, it has meaning, and then, um. That the last 2 years, the number of kids are actually doing career exploration in high school, that’s outstanding. Um, so the more we can do that, the better.

00:19:41,200	I think both those are good predictors of future success for our kids, so. Doctors. Yeah. Prensky. Yeah, great points. And then I, I wanted to also just, uh, Let the board in on some of the conversation during that committee meeting. So indicator 7, which is, I participate in after-school activities.

00:20:06,730	And the point of this report is really the career readiness and someone brought up, we’re not, we’re not asking, you know, do you have a job? That doesn’t count in this, or are you doing an internship? So that really kind of highlighted a, a moment where we just thought, yeah, really, that should count as an after-school activity because. they’re still doing something.

00:20:27,130	Um, to prepare yourself for, uh, after high school, so really good point there that I’m sure will help in crafting the next phase of this. Yeah. Pressky, thanks a lot for you and the committee’s work on that.

00:20:42,730	I, I agree with, um, kind of your deep dives on this because I even look, I was looking at page 12 that was mentioned about working on real world problems in my classes and just thinking about, you know, even my own kids, um, I, we always have to tell them when they’re working on math and they’re wondering how this is going to apply, and we start talking about accounting and engineering jobs and how they don’t even know that it’s gonna

00:20:57,970	have a a potential real world implication. Um, it might not today on that test, but down the road they’re gonna need to know those skills or how to find the right answers and solve them.

00:21:11,830	So like for me when I look at it and and they’re in the secondary level, so you’d feel like I wish that percentage was higher than the elementary kids, you know, as you’re talking about because they’re just. So you hope too that when it’s being discussed and that they’re taking these surveys that there’s some context given there as well of how this can apply, um, but I really appreciate you guys are digging deeper into those and,

00:21:26,330	and asking the right questions so we have the right indicators. Again, philosophically, I still think it’s the right question. I think it’s a great question to still ask kids, because I like to get that feedback, but are we getting to the, are they understanding, I guess what we’re hoping to be hearing from them too.

00:21:41,800	Uh, board members, any other discussion on R4. Seeing none, um, and thank you very much, Dr. Johnson, for your report. How’s the board find R4 Personal development community Ready. I would move that we, uh, find, uh, our for making reasonable progress. I would 2 Motion is second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Mister Cheer Peterson, yes. Presky Hager, yes, Eastgate.

00:22:09,200	Yes. Motion passes. Moving on to item 4 BGC 5 board committees, while the public reading and then the board can determine to retain or amend GC 5 and then how we find ourselves. Here’s the public reading board committees.

00:22:30,830	The board may create, create committees if they are deemed helpful to the board in the performance of its responsibilities. If committees are established, they will be used exclusively to support the work of the board, as described in Policy GC3 and will never be created or used to assist the superintendent in any operational area.

00:22:49,030	Number one, board committees and other such entities by whatever name created by the board will not direct, advise, assist, or oversee the staff. Committees customarily will prepare recommendations for board consideration. Board committees will have no authority over staff and may exercise demands on staff time and organizational resources only to the extent authorized in this policy. Number 2 Board committees may not speak or act for the board.

00:23:08,800	The responsibilities and authority of all board committees are carefully stated in this policy to assure that committees fully understand their duties and extent of authority and to assure that committee work will not usurp or conflict with the board’s own authority or or conflict with authority delegated to the superintendent. Number 3, all board committees are considered, considered to be ad hoc or temporary.

00:23:27,070	The termination date of each committee is listed in this policy. Committees may be renewed or reauthorized upon their expiration, but unless the board acts to renew the committee’s existence, it, it shall cease to exist upon the date specified. Number 4, board committees may or may not include members of the board.

00:23:44,130	And number 5, all board committees are listed. That brings the end of the reading GC 5 board committees. Board members, would you like to retain or amend GC 5? Mr. Hager, I would move to retain GC 5 board member committees. A second. We have a motion in a second. Any further discussion? Mr. Sher, the roll, please. Peterson Presky Hager. East.

00:24:13,400	Yes, motion passes. And how’s the board find us on GC 5 board committees. Miss Peterson, I would move that we um that the board is in compliance for GC 5 board committees. Second, We have a motion in a second. Mr. Sheer Presky, Hager? Yes. Peterson? Yes. Eastgate. Yes, motion passes.

00:24:41,300	Moving on to item 5 on the agenda matters reserved for board action. 5A is the naming of the Northeast Korean technical Education Center. Dr. F Fastner, um, board members, you’re well aware that we are, uh, have been working on this project for years, and from the moment you put in your, um, application for funding for career and tech centerer

00:25:03,030	expansions which came out of ER funding, um, from the state. We’ve been working on this. We’re ready to break ground on this project. So, um, we thought it was the right time, we should actually name this site and you as a board, get the privilege and responsibility of naming, um, if you would accept our

00:25:23,370	recommendation. I say R, is really our CT team, current teched team that includes, uh, Mr. Cheer, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Phillips, um, actually, Mr. Harroff is still in there, and, uh, we’ve just been looking at a naming structure.

00:25:43,030	I think that was in my notes to you that we wanted to do something consistent so we can, if we build out, um, even to the point of, um, Hughes, even though it’s probably always be the Hughes, um. Educational, I I get that wrong? Education center. Education center.

00:26:03,430	We’ll still have activities in there well used by Career Academy Hughes, so we know what we’re um referring to, and, um, so we’re recommending for you to name that the Career academy silver branch. Thank you very much, Dr. Fossna, and if Mr. Dale Haroff’s, you know, vote is behind it. That’s a pretty strong vote for us with Career Academy stuff.

00:26:21,730	Um, and yes, so the, the board we would be looking for a motion tonight on what we would like to name the uh CTE. Currently in the northeast part of Bismarck. President Eastgate, I would move that we name the Northeast Career and Technical Education Center, the Career Academy, Silver Ranch. We have a motion. We have motion to second any further discussion. Seeing none, Mr. Scherger.

00:26:50,630	Peterson, Presky, Eastgate, yes, motion passes for the crew Academy Silver Ranch, officially. Item 5B, we have board member school visit updates. I do believe we have one from board member Peterson.

00:27:09,700	Thanks President Eastgate, and I thought it was kind of fitting after we were just having the conversation about um R4 and just the different opportunities and that students have to kind of experience different real world, but I was, but I also think what was kind of implicit in in some of that results policy is we have a lot of alternative pathways for students, um, a lot of different programming options, um, a lot of different ways that students can kind of find their path once they, um, once

00:27:27,830	they kind of move into that high school. High school time of their lives and so I had the pleasure of going to South Central Alternative High School, a school that I, um, I, I, I feel is very near and dear to my heart.

00:27:41,230	I worked very closely with them back when I was an employee of the district, um, as, as a Dean at Bismarck High School. So, uh, learned and worked really closely with Mr. Joe Calvota, who is um is just definitely a leader, um, not only in our district, but in the state in alternative high schools.

00:27:58,430	So, um, one of the first things that you do when you walk In the South Central, as you notice, kind of the, the, the code that they live by, which um is the Phoenix Code and go, you know, goes by a rise, but there’s, I mean, I think it it mimics some of the dignity index and a lot of the things that we’ve been talking

00:28:14,170	about, but they live by acceptance, respect, integrity, safety, and effort, and I thought that aligned really well to just the mission and vision of BPS as a whole. And one of the things that you also notice and, and, um, speaking of the naming.

00:28:32,330	is they now have South Central High School on on that building, and that was um something that Joe noted throughout our conversation just because again, when, when students find that they need to go to alternative high school feeling um that sense of inclusion and belonging and that it’s not just a a space where they’re put.

00:28:53,100	It’s actually a choice that they’re making, and it’s going to meet the needs that that that is set for them and so that meant a lot to him to be able to get, um, yes, it’s still, you know, river.

00:29:09,030	It was Riverside Educational Center for a long time and and still has, has the potential to be um multifunctional, but it’s definitely South Central High School, and they’ve done some really great things with that space. Um, just by happenstance, I got there, um, for our visit, and they, um, Joe was about to, um, he asked if I would wait for a few minutes because he needed to give up the I, I was there October 21st, but he needed to give the September

00:29:26,800	student of the month, and he said, um, one of the things he told me this later, he said it’s always kind of a little tricky to make sure that they’re giving, setting up their student of the month in a time where those students are actually there. If you don’t know about South.

00:29:43,500	Central, they have a positive attendance model, so, um, students kind of come and go and, and earn their credits um as, as they’re able to, as, as they’re able to meet their needs. And so it had just through various things they hadn’t gotten to meet.

00:30:02,500	And so he made an announcement over the the loudspeaker and about, you know, 50 students, um, all and and and then also all their staff kind of funneled into the gymnasium for that presentation. And what I think is is really telling is that Because it was the first one, so it’s their September, um, meeting for many of those students, it was the first time, you know, they talk about, um, they get nominations

00:30:18,830	and then of course they award um to one lucky individual, but the nominations are presented by each of the staff members that nominated them, and they read their little, you know, their little blurb, but when, when the students We names you know that were in the room, found out that it was them and

00:30:35,630	they’re being that these nice things are being told to them. I mean, their faces, they’re not always, you know, a lot of them are wearing comfy clothes, hoodies, everything there, you know, they’re just kind of moving back and forth.

00:30:51,830	They, they definitely were engaged with, um, with that, and the better thing was how excited they were for their friends. When their friends’ names were shared and um just the, the kind of um Just the, the praise that they were giving each other. So that was really cool to see. So I was glad that I got to got to sit in on that.

00:31:05,630	Um, you know, one other thing, you know, as, as we were talking, I, I know a lot about the school, so it was definitely not the first time that I was learning about the school, so, um, so forgive me for those of you in the public who maybe don’t know as much about how South Central runs, um, but it really is about

00:31:21,130	earning credits and, and students are mostly there when they are juniors or seniors or um and or even beyond. Uh, and, and they’re trying to earn back maybe and recover credits that they weren’t able to earn in the traditional system and so, uh, Joe is always looking, Joe, Mr.

00:31:39,330	Calvota and his team are always looking at different data metrics that kind of show that what they’re doing is working because you’re not going to be able to look at your normal attendance data.

00:31:56,230	You’re not, you know, not, not just how, um, The student assessments are going, um, because most of those student assessments are taken prior to them getting to where, where they are and then definitely grad rate looks a lot different um at South Central because they graduated at different places and times.

00:32:13,800	So, um, and in fact he had already had in in October, he’s already had a student graduate and so they’re, they’re graduating students all the time, but he was excited that he’d been looking, um, he’s a math teacher at heart, and he’d been looking at long term data.

00:32:30,930	Um, he’s been there a long time, um, with, with South Central and um he really just was was excited to tell me that he’d seen an increase of 12% in credits earned over the last 3 years, and so, um, and, and these students can earn one credit, they can earn 15 credits. It just depends on where they are and they’re earning those that like just constantly. So he was excited about that.

00:32:47,070	Um, with 13 total credits being earned in September alone, so that was another thing for those of you who don’t see how this works, so that was also really cool. Um, one other challenge that they have, they have lots of different challenges with their unique students, um, population that they have, but they had a kind of an external challenge this year that he thought that it might just be good for the community to be, to be aware of,

00:33:04,630	um, but he had to deal with some safety issues kind of connected to transient homeless population and um I think this is this is a community issue. We’ve seen it coming out at a different city, city councils, city Comm.

00:33:24,470	, um, pieces, and so, um, it also affected us at, at our schools, and I think that, um, obviously South Central is located right down kind of in the, in the, in the riverside area um by um by the by the zoo and by the parks and um and they by the the ballpark and they were noticing that they were having people uh kind of camp out in some of those parts.

00:33:40,600	works, but then utilize the Wi Fi at the at the school. And so I just was really impressed with the partnership between, um, you know, the district office and and Becky Labella facilities office, Dr.

00:34:00,830	Johnson, he called you out, um, and the Bismarck Police Department, um, to really work together to come up with solutions, and so, um, I mean, everything from um limiting the Wi Fi after hours, but also, um, real solutions like cutting up the trees so that that you had a line of sight And um I think they’re still looking at at making sure that the, the parking lot is fully lit, um, so that it’s safe for students and staff and

00:34:19,030	even um, that building is used with Parks and Rec and other things, so making sure that the parking lot is lit for anybody who’s using that building. So that was really cool. And then, you know, speaking of partnerships, I think Mr. Calvota really wanted to specifically share.

00:34:33,970	I mean, he’s, they’ve done a lot of unique things kind of quietly over the years, but they have a positive partnership with Dakota Trauma and the work that they that they’re able to do with kind of a clinical psych and social worker and really having full time staff that’s able to meet both the academic and behavioral needs of of the

00:34:50,970	students, um, is, is really is really good and I think we have that in all of our schools, but one thing that he kind of really talked about was that they truly are a member of like the South Central team and they know they know these kids, they know the things that they need

00:35:04,770	to do. In addition, I mean, they have a partnership with a food bank, and that’s been expanding over the years and is is quite impressive, um, as well as a lot of the different, um, uh, you know, there’s a clothing bank and I I know that there’s uh different schools that that go in and help with

00:35:21,500	with some of their service hours. So they’re just doing, I mean, they’re really doing, um, kind of a full pronged approach. Of educate, support and care, and I think that that is something that um that Mr.

00:35:40,670	Calvota really wanted to, to praise, and he wanted to kind of think both the board, but, but really the district for continuing to um to kind of to to fund that at, at appropriate levels, but also to continue to support the efforts and they really um it’s, he wanted to make it really clear that it seems like Dr.

00:36:00,230	Johnson and the team really understand what is the purpose of alternative school and And, and the difference that that can give for for a certain sect of students, the way that we have empowered for other students that we have the three different traditional high schools, the Career academy, there was just like, there basically is something for everybody, so I think he just wanted that to be um loud and

00:36:16,430	loud and proud, um, in our conversation. So again, just um, it was, it was a pleasure to be there. I learned something from um from him and his team every time I’m there and so I just want to thank, thank him. for allowing me to come. Thanks very much, board member Peterson.

00:36:33,370	Appreciate that report. South Central is a great spot. Um Moving on on our agenda item 6 is the consent agenda. What are the wishes of the board? I move to accept the consent agenda. A second Motion is 2. Mr. Sheer Peterson Presky Hager. Eastgate? Yes. Motion passes. Item 7 Superintendent’s report, Dr. Fassnant.

00:37:06,500	Um, first thing tonight’s financial Report, and I think Mr. Cher has something to share with you as far as a newly revised financial. Thank you, Dr. F Fastant, uh. President Eastgate members of the board.

00:37:28,430	Tonight we have, uh, a newly revised report that we’re about 98% done, um, so first I’m gonna apologize in advance that it’s not completely where we want it, but we’re really close, so it’s just getting some programming stuff done with our Technology department, um, you’ll notice that the first page we still kind of give an overall balance of all of our funds.

00:37:47,100	And then in the next two pages, what we did is we combined and we put all the revenue information on one page and then on the next page all the expenditure information. The pieces that we still need to tweak are those boxes on the top with the, the famous unfavorable and favorable. Um, so what those will be is they, they won’t say budget remaining.

00:38:09,570	What they’ll do is they’ll track year to date revenues and then it’ll be versus projected so the favor. Favorable and unfavorable will be the, the delta. So like a year to date revenues, they’ll say, you know, right now we’re tracking either unfavorable favorable and it’s going to be a positive or negative number that we’re off of our target, if that makes sense.

00:38:26,800	So those will change, um, gives you a snapshot where we are doing for month to date, year to date, um, and then if you look the table gives you a two year look back um to the budget and then projected so you can say, well, How are we doing last year, even so, even more than that, how are we doing the year prior,

00:38:46,230	um, so you can track that. So then that’s both on um to really a lot of information condensed into those two pages, uh, for your kind of your summary information, and then we always include our Kind of uh. Object Code reporting out on all of the The expenses, um, I will.

00:39:10,870	Uh, bring, you know, some of them are tracking a little higher right now, but for example, insurance, that’s kind of a one-time payment, so that should be, you know, right at 100% and then, you know, we won’t have much more throughout the year unless we would add vehicles, etc.

00:39:29,070	So that’s the report for you, um, next time, it’s gonna even be just 2% better, so. I’d answer any questions the board would have on the Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Hager. Thanks President Eastgate, um. You kind of, you kind of touched on it already, Mr.

00:39:48,930	Sher, but just kinda curious as you look here, you get the, the, the 2 years back, and you mentioned like one time purchases kind of throw those percentages off. So just kind of a, a general question kind of thinking back to last year when we actually had some snow in October or, or.

00:40:04,770	You know, outside of these numbers, is there anything That kind of stands out to you in the budget at this point that wouldn’t be in line with what you would have expected this early in the year. No, they’re not really like anything big.

00:40:21,430	There’s some minor things like, for example, I was, I was looking at her property insurance and we were slightly over than what we budgeted there, um, but some of those are hard because what happens is some of those get approved and like for example, I just paid for um our turf insurance just today, you know, and it’s like, wow, that was a little bit different than we had. wanted because it’s hard to control some of those.

00:40:36,830	So really, I don’t think there’s anything quite yet that uh the board needs to be aware of, but, um, and, and that particular uh item you’re talking about is um. I hope we’re really good all year long on snow removal. Did I just jinx us? It’s snowing outside right now. Good sentiment. Any other questions for Mr. Sheer on the financial.

00:41:02,430	OK, Im 7B is the BPS voting sites. I just want to remind you board members and I guess for all of our patrons who are hopefully getting to early voting or if you’re gonna wait till next Tuesday, and I encourage everybody to go out and and vote um remember BPS does have a part in ensuring

00:41:21,900	that this community can get out and cast their vote. I think it’s an important part. I support it, even though sometimes it puts our schools in a little bit of a crampy function.

00:41:41,200	because we’re trying to accommodate, um, you know, all the residents from the district coming in and voting, but I think it’s worth it, personally, philosophically that we’re um we’re a public building and let’s use it for the most important public event, public service you can do, and that’s to cast our vote, you know, one man, one woman, one vote, um, So Grimsrud, Liberty, Lincoln, Solheim, Sunrise are all going to be having uh voting activities and um when I

00:42:00,630	speak to those principles, they have a plan, they’re ready. I actually brought the plan if you’d like to see it. We work through our principles and also our, our safety coordinator, make sure that we have a safe school while we’re voting, uh, while the community is voting, but it’s also a great time, um,

00:42:16,230	when I, um, talked like Dr. Upton. It’s a great time for our kids to actually see it. They see people. casting a vote. Some of us are fortunate enough, some of our kids got the tag along and take them to the pole and show them how that works.

00:42:31,270	Now, all of our kids get that experience and so it’s good for them to see it during school and have a conversation about it, and I can tell you at least if I read the High Herald here last week, our high school kids are voting.

00:42:45,530	I saw some, some of their voting tallies and what they were there voting at, and I will leave that off here cause that’s up to them, not up to me to share, but, um, yeah, it’s good to see our kids casting. a vote and, and engaging in that process, so I thought I’d share that with you. I do have two others.

00:42:59,600	It’s kind of drop by today, if you don’t mind, they’re not on the agenda, but I did want to make board members, you’re gonna get an invitation, um, Dr. Bitz and I have been working in partnership to host a legislative forum that will be on November 19th. You’ll get an invitation to that.

00:43:18,300	We’re inviting all the legislators from both of our communities over to Manon High School because he wants to show off his brand new building. And I don’t blame him, um, but, uh, we’re going to get together and just talk about legislative issues that pertain to education and maybe what’s working, what’s not working, and what do we need to continue to do that, uh, or maybe what

00:43:36,170	we haven’t thought of, so we are working on that today. You’ll get your invitations this week, uh, and last thing, um, this afternoon I know uh Mr. Krueger and myself were at the State CTE board meeting, and we got approval of our CTE center. We actually didn’t have to do any.

00:43:55,530	Um, JPA or anything like that, they allowed us into CRACTC. So we are officially to go. You are now a member of a new center, and we will be continuing to work that out and build that out in the next few months, so, uh, that’s a lot of positive work done in the right direction.

00:44:12,670	So, good thing we named a place today, so we have a, we have some more to add to it. So, uh, if you have any other questions, I guess it’s been a very productive couple weeks. Board members, any questions at all for Dr. Fossner? Well, thank you to you and your team for all the work on all those different things.

00:44:29,130	We do appreciate those principles, like you said, accommodating, not just accommodating, but welcoming the polling, um, that’s going on, and, uh, thanks to all your team with the Career tech. I’d’s very exciting for BPS.

00:44:45,630	I think we’ll, as a board be excited, excited to see what BPS does alongside with that and what it’s gonna be for our kids in the future, so with that all the items have been considered to declare this