OTHERS BY REMAINING QUIET SO THAT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO HEAR THE PROCEEDINGS. THANK YOU, 
          [1. Call to order]
          [00:00:05]
THANK YOU SERGEANT. THE TIME IS 6:20 P.M. AND THIS MEETING IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER. WE HAVE THE PRESENCE OF A OF A QUORUM ATTENDING IN PERSON. AND NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE AND AT THE FORT BEND ISD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR AT LEAST THREE BUSINESS DAYS. IF EVERYONE WILL PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. YOU MAY BE SEATED. AS 
          [4. Public Comment]
I STATED EARLIER, WE WILL START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT THIS EVENING. WE HAVE 69 SPEAKERS, SO EVERYONE WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK. OUR BOARD SECRETARY, DOCTOR GILLIAM, WILL KEEP TIME AND SHE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE 15 SECONDS REMAINING. I WILL, AS IN THE PAST, CALL YOU UP THREE AT A TIME. WHEN YOUR TURN COMES UP. IF YOU AREN'T AT THE PODIUM, THEN WE ARE JUST GOING TO SKIP THROUGH AND KEEP GOING. OUR FIRST THREE SPEAKERS ARE ERICA BAILEY, L BAILEY, AND LISA COVINGTON. IF YOU'LL GO UP TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE. AND OFFICERS, PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY CAN HEAR US OUT THERE. AND IF SOMEONE'S OUTSIDE WHEN I CALL THEIR NAME, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND LET THEM IN. THANK YOU. OKAY, MISS ERICA BAILEY, GO AHEAD. WE NEED MIKE. THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THIS IS A DIFFICULT DECISION, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO REVIEWING THE ENROLLMENT AND FACILITIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT. 
          WITH THE ADDITIONAL DATA BEING RELEASED TODAY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASK WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH TIME TO FULLY REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INFORMATION IS TELLING US. IS THIS A DECISION THAT SHOULD MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY WHEN KEY METRICS ARE STILL BEING EVALUATED? HOW CONFIDENT ARE WE WITH THE DATA THAT THE DATA IS COMPLETE AND REFLECTIVE OF LONG TERM TRENDS, ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PERFORMING A-RATED SCHOOLS LIKE SUGAR MILL? I ALSO WANT TO ASK WHETHER AN ALL OR NOTHING APPROACH ALLOWS FOR ENOUGH NUANCE. ARE WE CONSIDERING WALKABILITY, TRANSPORTATION IMPACT, AND COMMUNITY STABILITY? ARE WE ADDRESSING ONE PHASE AT A TIME, KNOWING THE SAME STUDENTS MAY FACE ADDITIONAL DISRUPTION IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL? FINALLY, WHAT'S THE LONG TERM ENROLLMENT IMPACT OF MOVING TOO QUICKLY? FAMILIES LIKE MINE ARE ALREADY CONSIDERING OTHER OPTIONS, WHICH COULD ULTIMATELY UNDERMINE ENROLLMENT BALANCING ALTOGETHER. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO SLOW THE PROCESS AND FULLY EVALUATE THE. THANK YOU. NEXT IS L BAILEY. GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS L AND I'M IN THIRD GRADE AT SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY. I REALLY LOVE MY SCHOOL. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE KINDERGARTEN AND I LOVE MY TEACHERS AND THE STAFF. THEY HELP ME LEARN AND MAKE ME FEEL SAFE. I WAS EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO WALK HOME NEXT YEAR. MY HOUSE IS CLOSED SO I DON'T HAVE TO WAKE UP EARLY, RIDE A BUS, OR SIT IN A LONG CAR LINE. WHEN SCHOOL ENDS. I GET HOME REALLY FAST AND STILL HAVE TIME TO PLAY AND DO MY HOMEWORK. IF SCHOOL CLOSES, I WON'T BE ABLE TO WALK HOME ANYMORE. I WOULD HAVE TO SPEND MORE TIME IN THE CAR OR GO BACK TO EXTENDED DAY. 
          SUGAR MILL IS A A-RATED SCHOOL AND IT FEELS LIKE HOME TO ME. PLEASE DON'T CLOSE MY SCHOOL. 
          THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE WILL BE AUDREY TRUMAN, MARIA TRUMAN, AND JOHN STRADER. NEXT IS LISA COVINGTON. GOOD EVENING. I'M THE PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN AT SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY. TONIGHT, I'M ASKING YOU TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF SUGAR LAND TO FULLY ASSESS THE TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS OF CLOSING OUR SCHOOL. WHILE MAPS MIGHT SHOW THREE NEARBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT COULD ABSORB OUR STUDENTS, THEY DON'T SHOW THE REAL TRAFFIC CHALLENGES. MANY SUGAR MILL STUDENTS, INCLUDING MY OWN WALK TO SCHOOL CLOSING. SM REMOVES THAT OPTION AND FORCES FAMILIES INTO CARS AND BUSSES. THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN WOULD ATTEND ALREADY EXPERIENCED CONGESTION ON THE SURROUNDING ROADS, AND ADDING MORE TRAFFIC WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR FAMILIES TO GET CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ON TIME. THIS ESPECIALLY AFFECTS THOSE OF US BALANCING WORK AND FAMILY 
          [00:05:02]
RESPONSIBILITIES. ADDITIONALLY, I REQUEST THAT YOU VOTE ON THE CLOSURE ON A SCHOOL BY SCHOOL BASIS AND THAT YOU DO NOT VOTE UNTIL THERE IS COMPLETE CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE THAT THE DATA INDICATES THAT CLOSURE WOULD BE THE BEST DECISION, BOTH FOR THE FBISD BUDGET AND ALSO FOR THE STUDENTS WITHIN THE AFFECTED SCHOOLS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS AUDREY TRUONG, NOT HERE. 
          NEXT IS MARIA. GOOD EVENING BOARD AGAIN. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT MISSION WEST. I BROUGHT YOU FACTS THE FIRST TIME. I RECENTLY TODAY ASKED YOU THE QUESTION OF WHY DID YOU PROPOSE A BOND, KNOWING THAT WE WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY, POTENTIALLY BE MERGED WITH THE NEW MISSION IN ELEMENTARY. BUT WHEN YOU PUT PEN TO PAPER, YOU START TO THINK, HEY, YOU HEARD MY CHILD ALSO TALK ABOUT HER FRIENDS. SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, THE A'S AND B'S THAT WERE TAUGHT THEM. BUT I ASK YOU ABOUT EMPATHY. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE REPORTING THIS EVENING, I REALIZED, WOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT NEUTRAL BECAUSE WHY WOULD YOU MAKE AN OPINION ABOUT SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T TOUCH YOU IN THE HEART? THAT COULD BE THE REASON WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE DID CHOOSE THAT GRAY OPTION. WHEN I DISCUSSED EMPATHY FOR MYSELF, FOR MY COMMUNITY, YOU'VE NOTICED THAT IT'S JUST ME TALKING ABOUT MISSION WEST. MISSION WEST IS A COMMUNITY WHERE A LOT OF HARD WORKING PARENTS, THEY CAN'T MAKE IT OUT TO HERE. IT'S A BILINGUAL SCHOOL. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE MAY HAVE NOT KNOWN IF WE'RE NOT OUT THERE TELLING THEM, HEY, FILL OUT THE SURVEY. HOW REASONABLE WAS THAT SURVEY FOR A COMMUNITY THAT MAY NOT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE? THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE WILL BE ADEEL AKHTAR, JOHN BETANCOURT, AND MONIQUE CLARK. 
          NEXT IS JOHN STRADER. SO I LOOKED AT THE FCI DATA YOU ALL POSTED TONIGHT AND WE ARE AT 41% SUPPOSEDLY. AND THERE'S ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT'S BEEN SHOWN TONIGHT THAT'S ON 42%. 
          AND THEY HAVE A MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SCHOOL. I DON'T NONE OF THIS IS STACKING UP. NONE OF THIS IS PROVING IT. AND I'M AS A PARENT AND AS A PASTOR OF A COMMUNITY CHURCH THAT HELPS MULTIPLE FORT BEND ISD SCHOOLS, WHO HAS MULTIPLE FAMILIES THAT ARE TEACHING AND AND HAVE STUDENTS IN FBISD. WE'RE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED PULLING OUT OF HELPING ANYTHING WITH ISD. YOU'RE SHOWING A CONTINUED LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND ETHICS THAT I JUST CAN'T STAND FOR. WE'RE AS A AS A PERSON, AN INDIVIDUAL. I'VE ALREADY APPLIED FOR VOUCHER FUNDS, AND I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CHURCH TO CONSIDER OPENING PROGRAMS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS HURTING OUR DISTRICT. YOU'RE GOING TO CUT OFF YOUR NOSE DESPITE YOUR FACE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO PUSH MANY OF US THAT ARE GREAT COMMUNITY PEOPLE AWAY FROM YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. NEXT IS ADEEL AKHTAR. ONCE AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING ON MY OWN BEHALF AND THE OPINIONS AND VIEWS ARE MY OWN. SO WE ARE FACING A BIT OF A CRISIS AS YOU ALL ARE GOING TO SEE. WE ARE FACING A $56 MILLION DEFICIT, LARGELY DUE TO YEARS OF KICKING THE PROVERBIAL CAN DOWN THE ROAD, AND THE TASK OF FIXING IT FALLS ON YOUR SHOULDERS. AND I CAN, YOU KNOW, I CAN I CAN PERSONALLY VOUCH FOR THE STRESS AND EMOTIONS THAT Y'ALL ARE FEELING BECAUSE I SEE IT. BUT I'M MAKING A PLEA TO Y'ALL THAT THIS LEADERSHIP GROUP BE THE ONE THAT ENDS THIS BLEEDING FOR THE DISTRICT AND ENDS THIS ANXIETY. SO PLEASE FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED BEGINNING WITH THE GIBSON AUDIT TWO YEARS AGO. SEE THE ENTIRE PROCESS THROUGH, INCLUDING SECONDARY SCHOOLS. AND PLEASE BE AS OPEN, HONEST, AND EMPATHETIC AS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS FROM YOU. 15 SECONDS BE THE BOARD THAT FINALLY STOPS THE BLEEDING. BUT PLEASE DON'T PUNT THESE DECISIONS TO THE NEXT BOARD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS JOHN BETTINGER. YES, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING TRUSTEES. MY NAME IS JOHN BETTINGER. I'M A PARENT OF AUSTIN PARKWAY ELEMENTARY. IN 2023, WE ENTRUSTED YOU WITH $1 BILLION TO STRENGTHEN OUR SCHOOLS. TODAY, INSTEAD OF PROGRESS, WE'RE HAVING POTENTIAL JOB LOSS. SEVEN CAMPUSES ARE GOING TO CLOSE. FAMILIES ARE LEFT IN UNCERTAINTY. I HAVE TRIED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT, AND I ACTUALLY SUBMITTED TWO INFORMATION REQUESTS, ONE FOR BEST CONSTRUCTION RELATED TO PROJECT DOCUMENTS, AND ANOTHER ONE FOR EMAILS RELATED TO THE PROJECT. INSTEAD OF TRANSPARENCY, I RECEIVED LEGAL FILINGS REQUEST FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OPINIONS AND CLAIMS OF EXEMPTIONS. IN PLAIN TERMS, YOU'RE TRYING TO DENY MY REQUEST USING LEGAL LOOPHOLES, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO KNOW HOW YOU'RE SPENDING $1 BILLION AND WHY SECRECY HAS SEEMED TO REPLACE ACCOUNTABILITY. SOME OF YOU GUYS PASSED THIS BOND. I ASK YOU TO REFLECT ON THE LEGACY YOU'RE LEAVING BEHIND. 
          SOME OF YOU ARE NEW MEMBERS. DO NOT COVER MISTAKES. RELEASE THE RECORD. BE TRANSPARENT. THANK YOU. MISS CLARK. DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SHE'S HERE. NEXT THREE WILL BE LEE G. VARGHESE, JEANNIE HAND, AND HARRISON MCNAMARA. HI, I'M LEE JI VARGHESE AND I CURRENTLY HAVE A 
          [00:10:02]
FOURTH GRADER AT AUSTIN PARKWAY. HIS OLDER SISTER WAS TAUGHT BY MANY OF THE SAME AMAZING TEACHERS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE HER TEACHERS DON'T LEAVE. THEY DEDICATE THEIR ENTIRE CAREERS TO THIS SCHOOL. AP IS A COMMUNITY AND A CORNERSTONE TO A WONDERFUL, WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALMOST FULLY UPGRADED BUILDING. DESPITE THE QUESTIONABLE POOR FCI SCORE, THAT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE. THEY'VE HAD NEW PLUMBING, A BRAND NEW ROOF, HVAC SYSTEM, FLOORING, DRAINAGE SYSTEM, NURSE'S OFFICE, AND FRONT DESK AREA. DON'T BELIEVE ME? COME LOOK. IT DOES. IT DOES LOOK BRAND NEW IN THERE. THE CURRENT RATIO OF STUDENTS TO TEACHERS IS 14 TO 1, WHICH IS IDEAL. APS MATH AND READING SCORES ARE HIGHER THAN THE DISTRICT AND STATE AVERAGE. WITH AN AMAZING SPED PROGRAM THAT IS LARGER THAN MOST, IS AWAY FROM THE HIGHWAY AND ENCLOSED INSIDE OF A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WILL SEE A DECREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES AT THE LOSS OF THIS TREASURED SCHOOL. I'M PLEADING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD TODAY, PLEASE RECONSIDER THE CLOSURE OF AP. PLEASE COME TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR SCHOOLS, SEE FOR OURSELVES, OVERCROWDING THEM INTO OLDER SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALREADY UTILIZING PORTABLE CLASSROOMS AWAY FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND MAKING IT A MORE DIFFICULT WALK, BREAKING UP SOCIAL NETWORKS AND DISRUPTING THEIR EDUCATIONAL FAR MORE HARM THAN GOOD. THANK YOU. NEXT IS JEANNIE HAND. GOOD EVENING TRUSTEES. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE BEEN ASKING. THOSE QUESTIONS MATTER, BUT TONIGHT I WANT TO URGE YOU NOT TO SETTLE FOR THE ANSWERS YOU'RE BEING GIVEN. WE CONTINUE TO HEAR CLAIMS OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND STABILIZATION, YET WE HAVE NOT SEEN CLEAR DATA SHOWING THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROWTH HAS TRULY REACHED A STANDSTILL. IS THAT DATA RECOGNIZING OUR COMMUNITIES HISTORICALLY CYCLE WITH YOUNG FAMILIES REPLACING AGING POPULATIONS? THAT CONTEXT MATTERS. A RECENT STUDY IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, A RECENT STUDY, THE STATE OF TENNESSEE'S EXPERIENCE, SHOWS THAT PRIVATE VOUCHERS RARELY CAUSE A LARGE NUMBER OF PUBLIC STUDENTS TO LEAVE. YET, AS DOCTOR SMITH STATED IN OUR LAST MEETING, THIS DISTRICT IS USING THAT ASSUMPTION TO JUSTIFY CUTS AND CLOSURES, MAKING PERMANENT DECISIONS BASED ON UNPROVEN FEARS ABOUT VOUCHERS IS RISKY, SHORTSIGHTED AND NOT GROUNDED IN REAL DATA. PLEASE VERIFY THE ANSWERS YOU'RE BEING GIVEN. OUR SCHOOL THRIVES THANKS TO DEDICATED TEACHERS AND STAFF AND COMMUNITY, AND A COMMUNITY THAT INVESTS IN EVERY STUDENT'S SUCCESS. REMEMBER THIS IN MARCH, PARENTS ENTRUSTED YOU WITH THE MOST PRECIOUS PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS OPEN. SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE WILL WILL BE MALLORY MCNAMARA, KATHERINE HERNANDEZ, AND STACY KIERNAN. NEXT IS HARRISON MCNAMARA. GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. I'M HARRISON MCNAMARA. I'VE BEEN AN AUSTIN PARKWAY PARENT FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND I CURRENTLY HAVE A FOURTH GRADER AT AP. I'M THE CUBMASTER OF CUB SCOUT PACK 1700, WHICH SERVES AUSTIN PARKWAY PARKWAY. AND I'M PROUD TO HAVE A FEW SCOUTS HERE TONIGHT WHO ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SPEAK TO YOU. MY CHILDREN ARE TRANSFER STUDENTS INTO AP, MEANING THAT WE HAVE ACTIVELY CHOSEN THIS CAMPUS AND THIS COMMUNITY EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. THE TIME AND DEDICATION HAS BEEN PUT INTO AP COMMUNITY BY THE COUNTLESS TEACHERS, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION IS UNPARALLELED. THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN BUILT AND CULTIVATED OVER THE LAST THREE PLUS DECADES, AND THE THOUGHT THAT IT COULD BE RIPPED APART IN A MATTER OF MONTHS BASED ON INCOMPLETE DATA AND KNEE JERK DECISION MAKING, IS JUST WRONG. BUT CLOSING A SCHOOL LIKE AP WON'T JUST AFFECT SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS OR THE AP COMMUNITY, IT WILL ALSO AFFECT OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE MY CUB SCOUTS, FURTHER REMOVING STABILITY FROM OUR STUDENTS LIVES. SUCH AN IMPORTANT DECISION DESERVES MORE TIME, MORE DATA, MORE TRANSPARENCY, AND MORE CONSIDERATION. KEEP AUSTIN PARKWAY OPEN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS MALLORY MCNAMARA. THANK YOU. FIRST, AT THE LAST MEETING, WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR DEMAND FOR FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY NUMBERS STEMMED FROM US JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING THE VERBIAGE. HOWEVER, WHEN PRESSED ON THE ISSUE, IT WAS CONCEDED THAT FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY IS THE CORRECT METRIC, AND IT'S INCREDIBLY RELEVANT FOR A CAMPUS LIKE AUSTIN PARKWAY THAT HAS A PRESCHOOL AND A SIGNIFICANT SPECIAL ED DEPARTMENT. SECOND, WE WERE TOLD AT THAT MEETING THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE MORE MCI DATA IN 1 TO 2 DAYS. WE JUST DID. THIRD, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THESE CLOSURES ARE HAPPENING DUE TO BUDGET SHORTFALLS. AT THE LAST MEETING, DOCTOR SMITH, YOU STATED AT THE MOMENT WE CLOSED THE SCHOOL, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS. AND IN TERMS OF SAVINGS, IT'S REALLY HARD TO NAIL IT DOWN AT THIS TIME. WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE THE COMPLEXITY INVOLVED, THE IDEA OF THE DISTRICT ANNOUNCING THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS IN DECEMBER AND THEN CARRYING THAT OUT BY THE FOLLOWING JUNE IS ABSURD, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU WON'T CONSIDER THE REAL UTILIZATION NUMBERS WHEN YOU HAVEN'T BEEN EQUITABLE IN THE USAGE OF APPROVED AND PROMISED BOND MONEY, WHEN YOU HAVEN'T SHOWN YOUR WORK ON THE CI SCORES, AND WHEN YOU CAN'T TELL US WHEN OR WHETHER ANY OF THIS WILL SAVE MONEY OR NOT. I URGE THE BOARD TO SLOW DOWN, TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND ALL THE OPTIONS, AND TO KEEP AUSTIN PARKWAY OPEN. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CATHERINE HERNANDEZ. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL DEFICIT HAS BEEN CAREFULLY REVIEWED, AND I RESPECT THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS. THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS, AS EVIDENCED BY THE 3251 SIGNATURES ON THE SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY PETITION. AS I WALK THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD PUTTING UP SIGNS THAT READ SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY, EVERYONE I SPOKE TO ASKED FOR A SIGN AND WANTED TO HELP. THAT RESPONSE SPEAKS VOLUMES. UNLIKE THE SURVEY, AS LEADERS OF THE DISTRICT, I ASK YOU TO PROTECT THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN AND STRENGTHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. CLOSING AUSTIN PARKWAY A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL, IS NOT LONG RANGE PLANNING. IT DOESN'T FIX THE UNDERLYING ISSUE. IT SHIFTS IT. WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLOSE, 
          [00:15:03]
BUILDINGS SIT EMPTY OR ARE SOLD, AND FAMILIES HESITATE TO MOVE INTO THE DISTRICTS AND OTHERS BEGIN TO LEAVE. ENROLLMENT DECLINES, FURTHER FUNDING DROPS, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION BECOMES HARDER TO SUSTAIN. PAST DISTRICTS HAVE SHOWN THE FLEXIBILITY OF HOW RESOURCES ARE USED. THE DECISION ALSO CONFLICTS WITH THE DISTRICT'S OWN PRIORITY TO CREATING A CULTURE WHERE STUDENTS, PARENTS AND THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE ADELINE KIERNAN, AMELIA MUTYALA, AND RUTH GORE STACY KIERNAN. GO AHEAD. I ASK THE BOARD TO DELAY ANY DECISION ON SCHOOL CLOSURES. CRITICAL DUE DILIGENCE HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED DESPITE MONTHS OF DISCUSSION. WE LACK TRANSPARENT FINANCIAL MODELS, DETAILED FACILITY ASSESSMENTS AND EXPLANATIONS FOR DELAYS IN BOND EXPENDITURES. MAKING IRREVERSIBLE DECISIONS WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION UNDERMINES PUBLIC CONFIDENCE. WHILE THE CITY IS PLANNING LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS, THE SHORT TERM REALITY INCLUDES ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION AND INCREASED TRAFFIC RISKS, POSING SERIOUS SAFETY AND LIABILITY CONCERNS THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED NOW, NOT LATER. EQUALLY CONCERNING IS THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS. SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION SHOULD BE STRATEGIC, STARTING WITH HIGH SCHOOLS, THEN MIDDLE, THEN ELEMENTARY TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTION. CLOSING A HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL WITHOUT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THREATENS STUDENTS, NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITY TRUST, AND THE CREDIBILITY OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. I URGE YOU TO BE THE ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YOU PROMISED TO BE COMPLETE THE NECESSARY DUE DILIGENCE AND DELAY ANY CLOSURE. CLOSURE DECISIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          NEXT IS ADELINE KIERNAN. HELLO, MY NAME IS ADELINE AND I'M AT FOURTH GRADE AT AUSTIN PARKWAY. 
          I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY WHY YOU SHOULD NOT CLOSE MY SCHOOL. MY FRIENDS AND I INTERVIEWED MANY OF OUR TEACHERS TO HELP EXPLAIN WHY AUSTIN PARKWAY IS SO SPECIAL TO US. MANY OF OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND HAVE DEDICATED THEIR CAREERS TO THIS SCHOOL. IF OUR SCHOOL CLOSES, SOME OF OUR BEST TEACHERS MIGHT DECIDE TO RETIRE INSTEAD OF MOVING TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, AND THAT WOULD BE A BIG LOSS FOR STUDENTS. AUSTIN PARKWAY IS A LOVING COMMUNITY. THIS SCHOOL HAS BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG THAT MANY FAMILIES HAVE DEEP CONNECTIONS TO IT. TEACHERS TAUGHT OLDER SIBLINGS, COUSINS, AND EVEN PARENTS OF STUDENTS WHO GO HERE NOW. TEACHERS LOVE IT WHEN STUDENTS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE COME BACK TO WALK THE HALLS AND VISIT BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE FAMILY. AUSTIN PARKWAY IS MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING. IT IS A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS FEEL SAFE, SUPPORTED AND CARED ABOUT 18 SECONDS CAREFULLY BEFORE CLOSING A SCHOOL. THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO MANY PEOPLE. THANK YOU. NEXT IS AMELIA MUTHYALA. HELLO. HELLO, MY NAME IS AMELIA AND I'M A FOURTH GRADER, AUSTIN PARKWAY ELEMENTARY. I'M HERE AGAIN BECAUSE I LOVE MY SCHOOL AND THE PEOPLE IN IT. MY SCHOOL IS MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING. IT'S A COMMUNITY. MY TEACHERS KNOW ME. THEY BELIEVE IN ME. I FEEL SAFE HERE, AND THAT MATTERS. I'VE BEEN INTERVIEWING TEACHERS AT MY SCHOOL, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM TALKED ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THIS COMMUNITY. SOME EVEN DREAMED ABOUT RETIRING HERE. THAT SHOWS HOW SPECIAL AUSTIN PARK REALLY IS. MY DAD SAYS TALENT CAN ONLY TAKE YOU SO FAR, AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO WIN, YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD AND NEVER GIVE UP. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY AREN'T WE DOING THAT HERE? IF OUR SCHOOL MATTERS, WHY AREN'T WE FIGHTING FOR IT? AND I WILL NEVER FORGET HOW MY TEACHERS CAME TO WATCH ME PLAY SOCCER. THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO. THEY JUST DID BECAUSE THEY CARE. AND THAT'S WHAT A REAL TEAM DOES. THEY SHOW UP FOR EACH OTHER AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY. SO PLEASE PAUSE A DECISION. IN SOCCER, YOU DON'T WALK OFF THE FIELD BEFORE THE FINAL WHISTLE. YOU KEEP FIGHTING. THE GAME'S NOT OVER YET. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE LEE ONG, KIERAN MCCARTHY AND JACKSON MCNAMARA. RUTH GORE. GO AHEAD. HELLO. MY NAME IS RUTH AND I'M A FOURTH GRADER AT AUSTIN PARKWAY. I DON'T WANT OUR SCHOOL TO CLOSE BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN A SCHOOL. IT'S A FAMILY. WE FEEL SAFE HERE. OUR TEACHERS REALLY CARE ABOUT US, AND MANY OF OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES. THEY FEEL SUPPORTED AND CONNECTED TO THEIR STUDENTS. WE SHOULDN'T TAKE SOMETHING AWAY THAT WORKS SO WELL. A FEW YEARS AGO, OVER 200 STUDENTS WERE MOVED TO BUTCHER AND NOW IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE BEING SEPARATED AGAIN. 
          IMAGINE YOU'RE ON A SHIP AND SOMEONE JUST PULLS IT APART. IT'S LIKE PULLING APART OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY BREAKING APART. OUR SCHOOL IS LIKE BREAKING APART, IS BREAKING APART LIFE, AND IT WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR EVERYONE TO STAY STEADY AND SUCCEED. AUSTIN PARKWAY IS ALSO A TEXAS HONOR ROLL STAR SCHOOL, AND IT'S A WAR THAT ONLY ABOUT 15% OF SCHOOLS IN TEXAS EARN. 
          THAT SHOWS OUR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING AND THRIVING, AND IT PROVES THAT OUR SCHOOL IS DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. PLEASE DON'T CLOSE AUSTIN PARKWAY, THIS SAFE PLACE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUTURE. DON'T MESS WITH SOMETHING BASED ON LINES ON A PAPER, BUT PLACES IN PEOPLE'S HEARTS, SAVE IT BE. THANK YOU. NEXT IS LEE UNG. GREETINGS EVERYONE. I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE MY SON IS A STUDENT AT AUSTIN PARKWAY AND IS PART OF THE GT PROGRAM. I SPECIFICALLY BOUGHT A HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DUE TO AUSTIN PARKWAY ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS. 
          I'VE SEEN WHAT IT HAS DONE FOR MY ACADEMIC LEARNING. HE HAS EXCELLED AND THRIVED IN THAT 
          [00:20:06]
ENVIRONMENT. AUSTIN PARK WAS JUST RECOGNIZED AS AN HONORABLE SCHOOL UNDER THE EDUCATIONAL RESULTS PARTNERSHIPS FOR ITS HIGH ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS, AND FORT BEND ISD RESPONSE TO THAT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IS TO TRY AND CLOSE IT. MANY PARENTS CHOSE TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND BELIEVE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING, THERE WAS A STATEMENT THAT SAID PARENTS WERE CHOOSING CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND. ET CETERA. 
          BUT WE'RE HERE TRYING TO FIGHT FOR OUR SCHOOL TO STAY OPEN AND PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION. PLEASE SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS KAREN MCCARTHY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. HI. MY NAME IS KAREN MCCARTHY. I'M AND I'M A FOURTH GRADER AT AUSTIN PARKWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. TWO REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY IS BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT SCHOOL AND WE HAVE GREAT TEACHERS. AND WHEN WE GET COMPARED TO OUR PEERS, WE USUALLY SCORE HIGHER. LOTS OF KIDS IN MY SCHOOL WERE NOT DOING GOOD IN THEIR OLD SCHOOL, BUT WHEN THEY CAME TO AUSTIN PARKWAY, THEY THRIVED AND FEEL HAPPY. WHY WOULD YOU SHUT DOWN A GREAT SCHOOL WHEN YOU JUST SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON IT? THINK ABOUT IT. TEAR FROM THE PARK. MAKE STUDENTS LONELY. MAKE THEM HATE THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. ALL OF THIS TO SAY, ALL OF THIS JUST TO SAVE MONEY. NOT WORTH IT. I ALREADY LOST A FRIEND IN FIRST GRADE. HE MOVED TO CHINA. IF I LOSE ALMOST ALL MY FRIENDS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY FEELINGS IN THE FUTURE. PLEASE SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY AND ALL THE KIDS IN IT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE RILEY MCNAMARA, IRA PATEL, AND SYDNEY PATEL. NEXT IS JACKSON MCNAMARA. GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS JACKSON MCNAMARA. I AM A CUB SCOUT AND A FOURTH GRADER AT AUSTIN PARKWAY ELEMENTARY. I WATCH MY BIG SISTER GO TO APP FOR FIVE YEARS BEFORE I GOT TO GO. I HAVE LOOKED FORWARD TO BEING A FIFTH GRADER AT APP FOR. 
          SO FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, AUSTIN PARKWAY HAS WONDERFUL TEACHERS AND I HAVE MADE GREAT FRIENDS THERE. TWO YEARS AGO, SOME OF MY FRIENDS LEFT TO GO TO ELEMENTARY. NOW THEY SAY THAT OUR SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS TO STAY OPEN. IF OUR SCHOOL IS CLOSED SUDDENLY, AND I LOSE THE TEACHERS AND STAFF THAT I HAVE KNOWN FOR SO LONG, IT WILL SHAKE MY TRUST IN THE DISTRICT AND IN SCHOOL. PLEASE KEEP AUSTIN PARKWAY OPEN. THANK YOU. 
          NEXT IS RILEY MCNAMARA. HELLO, MY NAME IS RILEY MCNAMARA. I AM A GIRL SCOUT, A NINTH GRADER AT ELKINS HIGH SCHOOL AND A FORMER STUDENT OF AUSTIN PARKWAY ELEMENTARY. I WENT TO A.P. FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, AND MY BROTHER IS CURRENTLY A FOURTH GRADER THERE. 
          A.P. IS AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY AND IS THE KIND OF SCHOOL THAT PEOPLE KEEP COMING BACK TO VISIT. GOING TO AUSTIN PARKWAY GAVE ME A WONDERFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND SET ME UP FOR SUCCESS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. I TRULY AM THE STUDENT I AM TODAY. THANKS TO THE TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION, AND COMMUNITY OF A.P. IN MY SIX YEARS AT A.P. I MADE FRIENDS THAT I KNOW I WILL HAVE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, AND I WANT TO SEE CURRENT AND FUTURE A.P. 
          STUDENTS HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY. PLEASE KEEP AUSTIN PARKWAY OPEN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS IRA PATEL. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS IRA PATEL, AND I'M A FOURTH GRADER. TODAY, I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK DOCTOR SMITH AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO PLEASE NOT REZONE MATT IN 246 TO ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I UNDERSTAND REZONING IS COMPLICATED. WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SPACE, TEACHERS AND PLANNING, BUT ALL WE ASK FOR YOU IS TO THINK ABOUT HOW IT FEELS FOR THE STUDENTS. YOU ARE SEPARATING US BASED ON WHERE WE LIVE. THAT'S REASONABLE, BUT MOST OF THE STUDENTS WILL STAY AT MADDEN AND ONLY WE ARE BEING MOVED, MAKING US FEEL SEPARATED AND ISOLATED. TO MAKE IT FAIR, YOU CAN SPLIT US EVENLY OR YOU CAN FIT EVERYONE IN ONE SCHOOL USING PORTABLES. THEN TEACHERS GETS TO BE WITH THEIR STUDENTS. 
          STUDENTS GET TO BE WITH THEIR PEERS. THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPLIT UP. AND IT DOESN'T DISTURB CHILDREN'S LEARNING. EVEN THOUGH I'M ONE OF THE RISING FIFTH GRADERS, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL 15 SECONDS REZONING. OUR SCHOOLS WILL BE CHANGED IN A WHOLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WILL BE BASED ON WHERE YOU PUT US. IN SUMMARY, I REQUEST NOT TO REZONE US. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE TARA LATIF OJEDA AND PRIYA THAKUR. NEXT IS SIDDHI PATEL. YEAH. OCTOBER 2020 FOR FBISD DECIDES NOT 55. 6 MILLION. ONE YEAR LATER, THE GROUP THAT FACES THE BIGGEST IMPACT BECOMES MADDEN 246. THIS IS NOT JUST. THIS IS NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OVERCROWDED COMMUNITY AND AN UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOL, BUT ALSO BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE NEWLY BUILT COMMUNITY TRILLIUM, WHERE HOUSES NEED TO BE SOLD YET AND THE DISTRICT HAS FAILED TO STRATEGIZE THIS. IN BETWEEN ALL OF THAT, THE BASIC QUESTIONS ARE UNANSWERED. WHAT IS THE ACADEMIC JUSTIFICATION 
          [00:25:01]
FOR THE REZONE? HOW DOES SEPARATING CHILDREN FROM THEIR OWN COMMUNITY IMPROVES LEARNING AND STUDENT SUCCESS? IF I MAY DO THE COMPARISONS, MALALA ELEMENTARY IN ALIANA PROJECTED TO RUN 120% UTILIZATION FROM ITS DESIGN CAPACITY WITH THE USE OF PORTABLES DISTRICT, CAN BRING IT DOWN TO 104. BUT WHY? THE SAME FLEXIBILITY IS NOT GIVEN TO MADDEN. WE HOPE TO GET THE ANSWERS IN MARCH. TILL THEN, OUR ASK IS PLEASE KEEP. THANK YOU. NEXT IS TARA FARRELL. HI. 
          MY NAME IS TARA FURLEY. I'M AN ALUMNA OF SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY AND THE CURRENT SM PTA PRESIDENT. THIS SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY HAS MEANT SO MUCH TO MY FAMILY THAT MY CHILDREN'S FATHER AND I CHOSE TO MOVE BACK TO SUGAR LAND TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN IN THE SAME COMMUNITY WHERE WE MET AND GREW UP. OUR FAMILIES HAVE INVESTED DEEPLY IN THIS CAMPUS. LAST ACADEMIC YEAR ALONE, SUGAR MILL LOGGED OVER 2000 ON CAMPUS VOLUNTEER HOURS AND PTA RAISED MORE THAN $70,000 TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY. PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE STEPPED UP CONSISTENTLY TO STRENGTHEN THIS SCHOOL. SUGAR MILL IS A HIGH PERFORMING CAMPUS FROM OUR DEDICATED SPED TEAM TO OUR OVERALL A RATING. CLOSING A SCHOOL WITH THIS LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS DESERVES A MORE THOROUGH AND TRANSPARENT REVIEW OF THE DATA AND A LOOK INTO HOW THIS DECISION WILL AFFECT THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STUDENTS. AS REFERENCED IN FBISD WHOLE CHILD HEALTH INITIATIVE, I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO PAUSE ANY CLOSURE DECISION AND COMMIT TO FURTHER STUDY TO ENSURE YOU FULFILL YOUR DUTY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS BEFORE TAKING ACTION THAT WOULD PERMANENTLY IMPACT OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS LATIFA. HODA. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. I'M A MOM OF FOUR. AS YOU MAY KNOW BY NOW, AND LIKE ANY PARENT, WE WILL FIGHT FOR OUR KIDS, ESPECIALLY 246 MEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING REZONED, WHICH INCLUDE MY OWN, AND WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF BACKING DOWN. CHILDREN ARE NOT DATA POINTS ON A MAP. THEY'RE NOT LINES TO BE DRAWN AND REDRAWN FOR CONVENIENCE. EVERY LINE YOU DRAW PERSONALLY AFFECTS A CHILD. WE NEED YOU TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT. ELEMENTARY REZONING IS NOT AN ISOLATED PLAN. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL REZONING WILL FOLLOW IF MOVED FROM ITS CURRENT FEEDER PATTERN, THIS COMMUNITY WILL FEEL IT AND TRUST IN FORT BEND ISD WILL BE LOST. WE HAVE DONE THE WORK. WE BROUGHT FORWARD DATA BACKED ALTERNATIVES AND REAL SOLUTIONS. WE'VE SHOWN UP AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE THIS DECISION IS NOT THEORETICAL, IS DEEPLY PERSONAL. I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR THE 246 CHILDREN. NOT BECAUSE I ENJOY STANDING HERE TODAY, BUT BECAUSE BACKING DOWN WOULD MEAN ACCEPTING THAT THEIR VOICES DON'T MATTER. AND I SIMPLY REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT. 
          AS A MOTHER, I TEACH MY CHILDREN TO STAND UP WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG. TODAY I'M DOING EXACTLY THAT. KEEP ALYANA KIDS AND ALYANA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE SANIYA THAKUR, JANKI AMIN AND CARMEL KAISER. NEXT IS PRIYA THAKUR. GOOD EVENING. I'M A MADDEN PARENT DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE DISTRICT'S PROPOSAL OF THE MADDEN 246. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT'S APPROACH FOR NEIL AND MALALA. WHILE THESE CHANGES MAY NOT BE IDEAL, THOSE STUDENTS ARE REASSIGNED TO NEARBY HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN OR NEAR THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ARE STAYING ON THE SAME FEEDER PATTERNS AS BEFORE. THERE IS A CLEAR TRADE OFF AND THERE IS STILL CONTINUITY, BUT I NEED TO ASK WHAT IS THE COMPARABLE BENEFIT IN THIS PROPOSAL FOR THE MADDEN 246, OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR COMMUNITY, SEPARATED FROM PEERS THEY'VE GROWN UP WITH, AND PLACED ON A DIFFERENT FEEDER PATTERN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR SCHOOL YEARS. 
          UNLIKE OTHER GROUPS IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE ARE NOT MOVING TO A SIMILAR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT OR STAYING WITHIN OUR ESTABLISHED FEEDER PATTERN. RESPECTFULLY, WHAT IN THIS PROPOSAL IS GOOD FOR US? WHAT ACADEMIC, SOCIAL OR COMMUNITY BENEFIT DOES IT OFFER OUR CHILDREN? 15 SECONDS A PROPOSAL ASKS FAMILIES TO GIVE SOMETHING UP. IT SHOULD OFFER SOMETHING EQUITABLE IN RETURN. KEEP KIDS AND ALYANA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS SONYA THACKER. HELLO, MY NAME IS SONYA AND I AM A STUDENT AT MADDEN ELEMENTARY. MADDEN ISN'T JUST MY SCHOOL, IT'S MY HOME. 
          IT'S WHERE I LEARNED HOW TO READ, WHERE I MADE MY BEST FRIENDS, AND WHERE MY TEACHERS KNOW MY NAME AND CARE ABOUT ME. WHEN I WALK INTO MADDEN, I FEEL SAFE AND LIKE I BELONG. WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE REZONING, I FELT REALLY SCARED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE TO LEAVE MY SCHOOL. MY FAMILY ISN'T MOVING. THE IDEA OF GOING TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL WHERE MY FRIENDS STAY HERE MAKES ME SAD. MY FRIENDS ARE THE PEOPLE I GREW UP WITH. WE HELP EACH OTHER, WE LAUGH TOGETHER AND FEEL COMFORTABLE TOGETHER. LOSING THAT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I'M DISPLACED AND I LIKE I DON'T FIT ANYWHERE. I'M ALSO SCARED THAT THIS COULD AFFECT MY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TOO. I DON'T WANT TO BE SEPARATED FROM MY COMMUNITY WHILE STILL LIVING HERE. PLEASE LET ME STAY WITH MY FRIENDS. THIS IS WHERE I BELONG. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS JANKI AMIN. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. NO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          MY NAME IS JOHN KEY. AND WHILE I OR MY CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE REZONING PROPOSALS BEING MADE, I AM IN HERE. I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF MY COMMUNITY. ALIANA 
          [00:30:06]
SCHOOLS ARE A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING, WHERE FAMILIES BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND WHERE TRUST IS FORMED OVER YEARS, WHEN A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL CLOSES, STUDENTS DON'T SIMPLY TRANSFER CLASSROOMS. THEY LOSE FAMILIARITY, IDENTITY, AND STABILITY. THEY'RE ASKED TO LEAVE BEHIND TEACHERS WHO KNOW THEIR LEARNING STYLE, COUNSELORS WHO UNDERSTAND THEIR CHALLENGES, AND PEERS WHO FORM THEIR SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS. THIS DISRUPTION MATTERS FOR MANY STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG STUDENTS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND THOSE ALREADY FACING INSTABILITY AT HOME. STUDENT SCHOOL MAY BE THE MOST CONSISTENT AND RELIABLE ENVIRONMENT THEY HAVE. STABILITY IS NOT A BONUS. IT IS A FOUNDATION TO LEARNING. SCHOOL TRANSITIONS CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH DECLINING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES, ATTENDANCE, AND OVERALL EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. I STRONGLY HOPE YOU RECONSIDER THE REZONING PROPOSALS. TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE DADA SHIRODKAR, SIOBHAN SHIRODKAR AND NICOLE SHIN. NEXT IS KAMAL KAISER. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED REZONING, WHICH WILL CHANGE MY KIDS SCHOOL FROM MARIN TO HOLY. THE REZONING ADVERSELY IMPACTS US AND WE DON'T SEE ANY ADVANTAGES FROM IT. CHANGING MY KIDS SCHOOL FROM MARIN HAS OBVIOUS ADVERSE IMPACTS, INCLUDING DECREASE IN EDUCATIONAL QUALITY. MARIN IS RANKED 145 IN TEXAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WHILE HOLLY IS RANKED 2864. SENDING MY KIDS THERE WILL CAUSE THEM TO DEFINITELY EXPERIENCE LOWER EDUCATIONAL QUALITY. FROM 145 TO 2864. THIS IS SUCH A BIG RETROGRESSION THAT IT SHOULD NOT EVEN BE ALLOWED TO DO THIS LONGER. COMMUTE TO SCHOOL. WE LIVE POINT EIGHT MILES FROM MARIN WHILE HOLLY IS 2.4 MILES AWAY. THIS IS THREE TIMES INCREASE IN COMMUTING DISTANCE, WHICH WILL INCREASE TRAFFIC IN OUR AREA AND HAVE NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES. LOSS OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. COMMUNITY IS BEING SPLIT INTO THREE SCHOOLS NOW. THIS IS JUST NOT ABOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REZONING. LIKELY CHANGE OF FEEDER PATTERN ALL THE WAY TO HIGH SCHOOL. 
          WHOLE COMMUNITY SPIRIT OF LIVING IN ALIANA WILL BE UNDERMINED. PLEASE DON'T ADVERSELY IMPACT US. KEEP STUDENTS AND THANK YOU. NEXT IS DADA SHIRODKAR. HELLO, MY NAME IS DATTA SHIRODKAR AND I'M HERE AGAIN TO MAKE OUR CASE ON BEHALF OF THE 246 ALIANA FAMILIES AND TELL EVERYBODY WHY THIS PROPOSED PLAN IS A LOSE LOSE SITUATION FOR THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THE DISTRICT. LAST WEEK I GOT AN EMAIL FROM DOCTOR SMITH ABOUT A RECEPTION THAT WAS HOSTED TO THANK THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THEIR SERVICE AND SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF EVERY STUDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THE WORD SUCCESS HERE BECAUSE THIS PROPOSAL WILL DO EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE. THEY ARE GOING TO SET UP THE CHILDREN FOR FAILURE BY UPROOTING THEM FROM THEIR SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY. PARENTS AND FAMILIES CHOOSE HOUSE AND COMMUNITY BASED ON THE SCHOOL RANKING AND THE ASSOCIATED FEEDER PATTERNS. 
          PARENTS IN ALIANA MADE THE SAME INVESTMENT. KNOWING THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL GROW AND PROSPER IN MIDDLE ELEMENTARY, FOLLOWED BY THE HIGH SCHOOL AND OTHER FEEDER PATTERNS. THE PROPOSAL WILL COMPLETELY CHANGE THE FEEDER PATTERNS, CAUSING ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE EDUCATION AND WELL-BEING. THIS PROPOSAL IS FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR BECAUSE IT IS ASKING THE 246 CHILDREN TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THEIR LIFE PLAN. THANK YOU. NEXT, SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT IS SIOBHAN SHIRODKAR. HELLO, DOCTOR SMITH AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MY NAME IS SIOBHAN AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE AT MY ELEMENTARY. I'M SPEAKING ON THE BEHALF OF MY SISTER AND THE REST OF STUDENTS AT MADDEN THAT ARE MOVING TO HOLLY IF THE PROPOSED PLAN IS APPROVED. WHEN I MOVED TO MADDEN FROM MY PREVIOUS SCHOOL, I FELT MORE ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED AND I FELT LIKE I BELONG HERE IN MY OLD SCHOOL. I DID NOT FEEL ANY OF THAT BY ASKING THE 246 MADDEN CHILDREN TO MOVE TO A SCHOOL AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY. WILL WILL MAKE, WILL MAKE THEM FEEL THE SAME WAY. A PLACE WHERE THEY DO NOT BELONG AND DON'T FEEL AS ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED. THIS JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ALWAYS CHALLENGED AND PROGRESSING, AND NOT FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ALONE WITH NO FRIENDS. PLEASE DO NOT PROCEED WITH THIS PLAN AND DO NOT DISPLACE MY SISTER AND THE 246 KIDS FROM MADDEN TO HOLLY ELEMENTARY. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE RYAN SIDDIQI, MICHAEL TRUONG, AND LAWRENCE SAHEED. NEXT IS NICOLE SHIN. GOOD EVENING. I'M THE PARENT OF THREE MEN AND HUSKIES. 
          I'VE SERVED ON PTO FOR SIX YEARS AS THE LEARNING GARDEN WARDEN. I UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT MUST CONSIDER CAPACITY AND UTILIZATION RATES. THOSE METRICS MATTER, BUT LONG TERM STUDENT OUTCOMES MATTER JUST AS MUCH. MADDEN HAS A STRONG HISTORY OF PERFORMANCE, 
          [00:35:01]
INCLUDING AN A RATING. FAMILIES INVESTED IN ALIANA BASED ON THE MADDEN TO TRAVIS PATHWAY NEXT YEAR. EVERY MADDEN STUDENT WILL ALREADY RELOCATE DURING CONSTRUCTION, ADDING REZONING ON TOP OF THAT COMPOUNDS DISRUPTION. MY OLDEST SON HAS A RARE, LIFE THREATENING DISEASE. 
          ALIANA AND MADDEN HAVE CONSISTENTLY SHOWN UP FOR OUR FAMILY, TEACHERS, STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS WORKING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT HIM. THAT KIND OF COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT IS BUILT THROUGH STABILITY AND CONTINUITY, NOT DISRUPTION. KIDS OR TEENS, PEER GROUPS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS ARE ON THE LINE. CAPACITY CAN BE RECALCULATED. CHILDHOOD CANNOT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS RYAN SIDDIQUI. HELLO. I'M CURRENTLY A SOPHOMORE AT CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS FORMERLY A STUDENT AT MADDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IN MY EARLY YEARS, MADDEN WAS A PLACE WHERE I WAS ABLE TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE LIVING AROUND ME. SOME OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS TO THIS DAY ARE THE PEOPLE I FIRST MET AT MADDEN, AND WE STILL GO THERE TO PLAY BASKETBALL BECAUSE IT'S A PLACE THAT CONNECTS ALL OF US. IT'S CLOSE TO EVERYONE'S HOUSE, EVEN FOR SURROUNDING SUBDIVISIONS. 
          BUT NOW I'M SCARED. I HAVE TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS AFTER ME, AND I'M AFRAID FOR THEIR FUTURE OF NOT KNOWING ANYONE CLOSE TO THEM AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS JUST TWO MINUTES AWAY, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF A ZONING LINE THAT SPLITS THE NEIGHBORHOOD APART. WHY IS IT THAT ONLY OUR PART OF ALIANA HAS TO WORRY ABOUT BEING SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY? WE DON'T WANT OUR SUBDIVISIONS TO BE SACRIFICED JUST BECAUSE OF OVERPOPULATION PROBLEMS. PLEASE KEEP ALL YOUR KIDS IN ALIANA. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MICHAEL TRUONG. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HASSAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR SMITH, GOOD EVENING AGAIN AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL AGAIN. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY STRONG CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSED REZONING OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY FOR US HERE IN MADDEN AT THE END OF THE DOMINO EFFECT. IF THIS CHANGE GOES THROUGH, MY CHILDREN WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FRIENDS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR ELEMENTARY YEARS. WE'VE ALSO BUILT DEEP TIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HAVE MADE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND SCHOOL A PERFECT FIT FOR OUR FAMILY. THAT'S ACTUALLY WHY WE MOVED HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. OUR FAMILY CHOSE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ON THE HIGH STANDARDS OF THE SCHOOLS HERE, AND THIS CHANGE WOULD BE A REAL SETBACK FOR OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. THE REZONING NOT ONLY AFFECTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO SETS OUR CHILDREN ON SEPARATE PATHS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. THE RIPPLE EFFECT ON THEIR SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES IS SIGNIFICANT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER THIS REZONING AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES THAT ALLOW US TO STAY TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. I'M THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE SALIMA ALI, JENNIFER MORGAN, AND MAHESH DOSHI. NEXT IS LAWRENCE SAHEED. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO OUR CONCERNS, ALL OF YOU. I DO APPRECIATE THIS. I WANT TO STATE THAT EDUCATION IS BUILT IN MY CULTURE. WHERE I'M FROM, MY CHILD RECEIVE WHERE I'M FROM, ENSURING THAT MY CHILD RECEIVES THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE IS MY IS MY PRIMARY FUNCTION AS A PARENT. 
          HENCE, WE CHOOSE TO LIVE IN ALIANA AND MY KID CHOOSE TO GO TO MADDEN. WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS GOING TO TAKE A QUALITY EDUCATION AWAY FROM MY KID. AND HERE'S THE STATISTICS. 
          MADDEN US NEWS AND WORLD RANKING 145 SEVENTH IN FORT BEND. MATH PROFICIENCY 78. 
          READING PROFICIENCY 80. HOLLY US NEWS AND WORLD RANKING 2000 X MATH 38%. READING 44%. THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS COMING OUT OF HOLLY CAN'T READ AND 15 SECONDS AND AND AND CAN'T FUNCTION WELL IN MATH. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD, GETTING GOOD GRADES, AND PUTTING THEM IN A SCHOOL THAT IS GOING TO FAIL THEM. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BETTER. I NEED YOU, I, I'M CHALLENGING YOU GUYS TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING. THANK YOU. NEXT IS JENNIFER MORGAN. NOPE. OH, SORRY. SALIM. ALI, I APOLOGIZE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SALIM ALI, AND I'M SPEAKING AS A PARENT AND A MEMBER OF THE MADDEN PTO. THIS PROPOSED REZONING DOESN'T JUST AFFECT STUDENTS. IT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE PTO AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT HELPS OUR SCHOOL THRIVE. IF THIS PLAN MOVES FORWARD, NEARLY HALF OF OUR PTO BOARD WILL BE REMOVED FROM MADDEN. THESE PARENTS HAVE SPENT YEARS BUILDING PROGRAMS, FUNDRAISING, AND SUPPORTING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE SCHOOL. WHEN THE MISSION GLEN TRANSITION WAS ANNOUNCED, PARENTS WERE VISIBLY CONCERNED. 
          THAT'S WHEN THE PTO STEPPED UP. WE REASSURED PARENTS, ANSWERED QUESTIONS, AND REMINDED EVERYONE THAT THINGS WOULD BE OKAY BECAUSE WE WERE ALL IN IT TOGETHER. THAT MESSAGE ONLY WORKED BECAUSE WE WERE TRULY TOGETHER AS ONE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THIS REZONING BREAKS THAT TRUST. IT REMOVES LEADERS WHO HAVE ALREADY INVESTED TIME, ENERGY AND RESOURCES INTO MADDEN AND WEAKENS THE CONTINUITY THAT KEEPS THE PTO EFFECTIVE. STRONG SCHOOLS RELY 
          [00:40:04]
ON STRONG PARENT PARTNERSHIPS. DISRUPTING THE PTO DISRUPTS THE FOUNDATION. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE DISTRICT TO CONSIDER HOW THIS DECISION AFFECTS NOT JUST ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, BUT THE PARENT LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THE MADDEN DEPENDS ON EVERY DAY. PLEASE KEEP ALANA KIDS AND ALANA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW JENNIFER MORGAN. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT. I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO REQUEST THAT THE DISTRICT PUT A HOLD ON THE MOVEMENTS OF CHILDREN AMONGST MADDEN, MALALA, NEAL AND HOLLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE DATA THAT WAS USED FOR THE CURRENT PLANS WAS COMPILED IN 2022, WITH PROJECTIONS TO THROUGH 2032, AND NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE FOUR SCHOOLS. A REVIEW OF THOSE PROJECTIONS AGAINST ACTUAL ENROLLMENTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS HAS SHOWN THAT THERE TO BE AT LEAST A 10% DISCREPANCY FOR MADDEN, MALALA AND NEAL'S ENROLLMENTS. HOLLY'S ENROLLMENT IS STILL EXPECTED TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THESE TEN YEARS, AND IF IT CONTINUES ADDING THE 246 KIDS FROM MADDEN WILL PUT HOLLY AT OVER UTILIZED NUMBERS WITH THE MADDEN CONSTRUCTION AND THE MOVE TO HOLLY, BOTH MALALA AND HOLLY WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER UTILIZED IN THE NEAR TERM WITH UPDATED DATA. THE OVER UTILIZATION ISSUE AT NEAL COULD PROVE TO BE LESS SIGNIFICANT AFTER THE MADDEN CONSTRUCTION, AND MAY BE ALLEVIATED THROUGH NORMAL ATTRITION AND DOWNWARD TRENDING ENROLLMENTS. THEREFORE, I ASK THAT THE CHANGES TO THESE SCHOOLS BE PUT ON HOLD DURING THE MADDEN CONSTRUCTION WHILE NEW DATA IS SOUGHT AND PROJECTIONS CAN BE MADE AND USED. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE ARIA DOSHI, RAHUL DING AND RAJ PATEL. NEXT IS MAHESH DOSHI. GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MADAM. 
          ELEMENTARY DID NOT BECAME THE HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL BY ACCIDENT. IT BECAME SO GOOD BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK OF FAMILIES, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER. FOR YEARS. 
          OUR CHILDREN HELPED TO BUILD THAT SUCCESS. AND NOW CERTAIN SECTIONS ARE BEING ASKED TO WALK AWAY FROM IT. THAT'S NOT FAIR. ELEMENTARY AGE KIDS LIKE MY SON DEPEND ON ROUTINE AND TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR FRIENDS. TEACHERS BUILT OVER THE YEARS. TAKING THAT AWAY WILL CAUSE EMOTIONAL STRESS AND REAL DISRUPTION TO THEIR LEARNING. YOU CANNOT MEASURE THAT IN YOUR SPREADSHEETS. WE CHOSE ALIANA AND INVESTED IN HOUSES HERE BECAUSE OF THE STRONG SCHOOLS AND STABLE FEEDER PATTERNS, AND CHANGING IT WILL SEVERELY AFFECT 15 SECONDS PRICES, AND PARENTS ARE ALREADY DISCUSSING TO LEAVE FORT BEND ISD AND THAT SHOULD CONCERN YOU. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO PAUSE REZONING AND GIVE US ALTERNATIVES LIKE IT WAS DONE IN 2018. KEEP KIDS IN ALIANA. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ARIA DOSHI. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. 
          MY NAME IS ARIA DOSHI AND I AM A FORMER STUDENT OF MADDEN ELEMENTARY AND THE SISTER OF A CURRENT STUDENT IN MADDEN. I ONCE SAT IN THE SAME CLASSROOMS MY BROTHER SITS IN TODAY. 
          BECAUSE OF THE STRONG FOUNDATION I RECEIVED AT MADDEN, I AM ABLE TO COPE UP WELL WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL IN ALIANA. CHILDREN FROM ALL SECTIONS WALK AND BIKE TO SCHOOL. THEY EVEN PLAY TOGETHER AFTER SCHOOL. I HAVE FRIENDS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME SINCE MY VERY FIRST DAY OF ELEMENTARY, AND WE ALL STILL SUPPORT EACH OTHER. THOSE LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS SHAPED WHO I AM AND EVERY CHILD DESERVES THAT SAME CHANCE. I WANT THAT SAME EXPERIENCE FOR MY BROTHER. THERE MAY BE SEVERAL REASONS BEHIND THIS PROPOSAL, BUT I ASK YOU TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND STEP INTO HER SHOES FOR A MOMENT. IMAGINE BEING A CHILD WHO IS TOLD THEY MUST LEAVE THE SCHOOL THAT THEY LOVE. IMAGINE BEING SEPARATED FROM FRIENDS TEACHERS IN A PLACE THAT FEELS LIKE HOME. PLEASE DON'T TREAT US LIKE NUMBERS ON A MAP. PLEASE KEEP OUR KIDS IN OLEANNA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS RAHUL DING. GOOD EVENING. I'M THE PROUD FATHER OF A THIRD GRADER AND A FUTURE KINDERGARTNER. I REPRESENT FAMILIES IN THE ALIANA SUBDIVISIONS IMPACTED BY THIS BOUNDARY PROPOSAL. 246 STUDENTS ARE BEING REZONED TO HAWLEY ELEMENTARY. AND TO THIS DAY, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CLEAR OR RATIONAL EXPLANATION WHY. WHAT MAKES THIS EVEN HARDER IS AT THE SAME TIME, STUDENTS FROM THREE OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE ALLOWED TO ATTEND ALIANA SCHOOLS, WHILE THE ORIGINAL FAMILIES WHO BUILT THIS COMMUNITY ARE BEING PUSHED OUT. SO MUCH FOR COMMUNITY INTEGRITY. THIS IS NOT JUST UNFAIR, IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE. OUR FAMILIES STOOD HERE IN 2013 TO KEEP MADDEN AND ALIANA. WE STOOD HERE IN 2017 DURING THE REZONING, AND NOW OUR REWARD IS THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE THE ONES BEING DISPLACED. IN MARCH YOU WILL CAST YOUR VOTES 15 SECONDS. SINCERELY HOPE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING. BECAUSE IF THIS PLAN MOVES FORWARD, WE ARE PREPARED TO LEAVE FORT BEND ISD. I AM NOT ALONE. FAMILIES OF THE IMPACTED 246 HAVE DONE THE SAME. PLEASE KEEP ALIANA KIDS AND ALIANA. THANK YOU. IT LOOKS LIKE MR. PATEL IS NOT HERE. SO NEXT IS SARAH GAMBOA, CHRISTINE 
          [00:45:01]
WANG AND SARAH WANG. AND MISS GAMBOA NEEDS A TRANSLATOR. SO SHE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. AND DOCTOR GILLIAM WILL GIVE YOU A 32ND WARNING. GOOD EVENING. I AM A PARENT OF A DAUGHTER WHO DOES ATTEND A SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY. AND TONIGHT I'M SPEAKING AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY. BEFORE I WENT TO COLLEGE, I WAS AT NINE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, PARTLY BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS IN THE MILITARY, BUT TWO TIMES I WAS PLACED IN A PROGRAM THAT WAS NOT THE RIGHT FIT FOR ME. AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS WERE BAD, BUT THEY JUST WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF. MY PARENTS DID FIND THE RIGHT SCHOOL WHERE I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO THRIVE. NOW HERE WITH SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY, IT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER CAMPUS. IT HOUSES SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO SUCCEED IN A WAY THAT YOU KNOW THEY MAY NOT SUCCEED IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SETTINGS. 
          THOSE PROGRAMS CANNOT BE MOVED TO OTHER CAMPUSES AND EXPECT THE SAME RESULTS. THOSE ARE BUILT AROUND THIS CAMPUS. THIS IS THIS STAFF AND THIS COMMUNITY. IF SUGAR MILL CLOSES, THOSE STUDENTS WILL NOT JUST CHANGE BUILDINGS, THEY'LL LOSE STABILITY, THEY'LL LOSE SUPPORT, AND THEY'LL ALSO LOSE THE FOUNDATION OF WHERE THEY THRIVED. OUR CHILDREN ARE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND CLOSING SUGAR MILL WILL CREATE BOUNDARIES FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES 30S MOST. AND SO I'M REQUESTING TO PLEASE VOTE SCHOOL BY SCHOOL. NOT ALL OR NONE. DO NOT VOTE SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY UNLESS IT IS CLEAR. UNLESS THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE TO SHOW THERE'S POOR PERFORMANCE ACROSS ALL MATRIX AND NO VISIBILITY THAT SHOWS UP. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS CHRISTINE WANG. GO AHEAD. IF YOU GIVE A BOARD A VOTE, IF YOU GIVE A BOARD A VOTE, IT MIGHT ASK FOR A BOND. IF YOU ASK WHAT THE BOND IS FOR, IT WILL SAY ALL SCHOOLS. AND IF YOU APPROVE THE BOND, YOUR SCHOOL MIGHT GET OVER $1 MILLION. BUT BEFORE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO USE THAT MONEY, THE BOARD MIGHT FIND IT HAS A BUDGET PROBLEM. CONFUSED BY CONSULTANTS? QUESTIONABLE FCI SCORES, POORLY CALCULATED UTILIZATION RATES. THEY MIGHT PROPOSE CLOSING SEVEN SCHOOLS, BUT WITH THE SHIFT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE ALL SCHOOLS. BUT WHAT YOU SAY, WHAT ABOUT THE BOND, THE BOND WE HAVE BUILT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE BOND EARMARKED TO OUR SCHOOL. BUT ALL IS NOT LOST, FOR IT STILL COMES DOWN TO WHEN YOU GIVE A BOARD A VOTE. PLEASE DON'T LET THIS STORY END THIS WAY. PLEASE VOTE NO TO CLOSE AUSTIN PARKWAY 15. QUESTION THE FCI SCORE. NOTE OUR HIGH UTILIZATION. NOTE THAT WE WERE NAMED HONOR ROLL SCHOOL. DON'T LOOK AT AUSTIN PARKWAY AS A VALUABLE PIECE OF LAND ON A BALANCE SHEET. THE MOST VALUABLE THING ABOUT AUSTIN PARKWAY IS THE COMMUNITY AND THE LEARNING THAT'S HAPPENING WITH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE DANIELLE BOLTZ, LAUREN COX, AND IV NGUYEN. NEXT IS SARAH WANG. I'M SARAH, I WENT TO AUSTIN PARKWAY FROM KINDERGARTEN TO FIFTH GRADE. OVERALL, AUSTIN PARKWAY WAS A PLACE WHERE I SAW GREAT MINDS AND HEARTS WORK TOGETHER. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH AND MADE MANY FRIENDS. WITHOUT THE HELP OF MY TEACHERS AND FRIENDS, I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY. AUSTIN PARKWAY HAS BEEN A GREAT PLACE WHERE I MET SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS WHO I AM STILL FRIENDS WITH TODAY. IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, MY TEACHERS AT AUSTIN PARKWAY WERE AWESOME. THEY HELPED US WHEN WE STRUGGLED AND EVEN THOUGH WE LEARNED A LOT, WE ALSO HAD SOME TIME TO HAVE FUN WITH OUR FRIENDS. I'M SURE MY AMAZING TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS WANT TO KEEP THEIR JOBS. THEY HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR ME, MY CLASSMATES, AND EVERY SINGLE STUDENT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR OUR SCHOOL. 
          EVEN THOUGH I'VE GRADUATED, I WANT MY SISTERS AND OTHER KIDS TO GRADUATE FROM AUSTIN PARKWAY TWO SECONDS. THERE ARE ALSO OTHER FAMILIES MOVING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH CHILDREN WHO WANT TO ATTEND AUSTIN PARKWAY. I'LL END WITH A QUOTE FROM ODD SQUAD. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? PLEASE SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS DANIELLE BOLTZ. PERFECT. GOOD 
          [00:50:14]
EVENING. MY NAME IS DANIELLE AND I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY URGE THE BOARD NOT TO CLOSE SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY. FORT BEND ISD ESTABLISHED A SCHOOL CLOSURE PROCESS IN 2014 THAT EMPHASIZED TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WHAT FAMILIES ARE SEEING NOW FEELS LIKE A RUSHED, ALL OR NOTHING PROCESS, RATHER THAN A CAREFUL, COMMUNITY ENGAGED SCHOOL BY SCHOOL EVALUATION, THERE IS A CLEAR ALTERNATIVE. KEEP SUGAR MILL OPEN AND ALLOW OPEN ENROLLMENT FROM OTHER DISTRICTS LIKE FORT BEND ISD DID IN 2011. OPEN ENROLLMENT PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY WITHOUT IRREVERSIBLE HARM, BUT IT MUST BE PAIRED WITH A TRUE CAPACITY AUDIT, SO DECISIONS ARE BASED ON VERIFIED CAMPUS LEVEL DATA, NOT PROJECTIONS ALONE. I'D LIKE TO POINT TO THIS PAPER THAT I GAVE YOU GUYS. IT IS RESEARCH ON NON-COVID DISTRICT INITIATED SCHOOL CLOSURES IN TEXAS, AND IT SHOWS THAT STUDENTS DISPLACED BY THESE CLOSURES ARE 1% LESS LIKELY TO GRADUATE AND 1.2% LESS LIKELY TO FOUR YEAR COLLEGES. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS IVY. I'M SORRY, LAUREN COX. THANK YOU. I'M ACTUALLY I'M ACTUALLY HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE MOTHER OF ONE OF MY DAUGHTER'S BEST FRIENDS. YOU SEE, HE'S IN THE SPED PROGRAM AT SUGAR MILL. HIS MOTHER CAN'T BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE'S LITERALLY WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK, EITHER AT HER JOB OR ENSURING THAT HER FAMILY'S HOME LIFE RUNS SMOOTHLY. SINCE HER SON'S DIAGNOSIS DEMANDS. I DON'T KNOW, OKAY, DUE TO HIS SPED NEEDS, THE DISTRICT ASSIGNED HIM TO BARRINGTON PLACE FOR PRE-K. THE DISTRICT THEN MOVED HIM TO LAKEVIEW FOR KINDERGARTEN AND ULTIMATELY MOVED HIM AGAIN TO SUGAR MILL. STARTING IN FIRST GRADE. THE MULTIPLE SCHOOL TRANSITIONS WERE HARD ON HIM, HOWEVER. SUGAR MILLS EXEMPLARY SPED PROGRAM TEACHERS AND PRINCIPAL HAVE MEANT THE WORLD TO HER SON AND HER FAMILY. IF YOU CLOSE THE SCHOOL, HE'LL BE FORCED TO MOVE TO A FOURTH SCHOOL. IN HIS SHORT ACADEMIC CAREER, HIS MOTHER HIS MOTHER TOLD ME THAT IF SUGAR MILL REMAINS OPEN, THEY WILL STAY HERE. THEY WANT TO STAY IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE HER SON CAN GROW AND THRIVE. PLEASE DO NOT VOTE TO CLOSE SUGAR MILL UNTIL YOU FEEL 100% CONFIDENT THAT ALL OF THE DATA CLEARLY INDICATES IT SHOULD BE CLOSED. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE ERIC FREUDENBURG, HANNAH CASALOTTI, AND OLIVER PAGE. NEXT IS IVY NGUYEN. THANK YOU. IN 2017, MY FAMILY MOVED JUST TWO MILES FROM SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WHEN OUR FIRST CHILD IN 2018, SM WAS AT RISK OF CLOSURE ALONG WITH THREE OTHER SCHOOLS. BUT THE BOARD THEN TRULY LISTENED WITH REAL COMMUNITY INPUT AND EVENTUALLY KEPT ALL FOUR SCHOOLS OPEN. NOW, SEVEN SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SM, ARE CERTAINLY ON THE CLOSURE LIST AGAIN, WHILE THE OTHER THREE PREVIOUSLY AT RISK AREN'T EVEN BEING CONSIDERED, ALTHOUGH ONE SHOULD. THE REASONS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK SURVEY MADE CLOSURE SEEM LIKE A DONE DEAL, IT LACKED DIFFERENTIATION AMONG STAKEHOLDERS. PARENTS AND STAFF AND OTHER ALL RECEIVED THE SAME VAGUE QUESTION. I HOPE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TOOK THE SURVEY THEMSELVES. ALSO, THE SURVEY WILL ALSO DELIVER PRIMARY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL PLATFORM, WHICH IS NOT GENUINE ENGAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR LESS TECH SAVVY NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I URGE YOU, PLEASE REVIEW EACH SCHOOL INDIVIDUALLY, NOT AS AN ALL OR NOTHING DECISION. CLOSING THE SCHOOL RISK, DESTROYING COMMUNITY TRUST, DRIVING FAMILY AWAY AND DAMAGING FORT BEND FUTURE AND ITS TAX BASE. DON'T VOTE TO CLOSE SM UNLESS THE DATA SHOW NO OTHER. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ERIC FREUDENBURG. GOOD EVENING. BOTH MY CHILDREN HAVE GONE OR ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH SUGAR MILL. ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE DAY IS RIDING BIKES WITH THEM TO SCHOOL AND TALKING ALONG THE WAY. IT'S ONE OF THE MANY SMALL MOMENTS, BUT IT REFLECTS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. SUGAR MILL IS A TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL THAT FAMILIES CAN SAFELY AND RELIABLY ACCESS EVERY DAY. 
          BEYOND THAT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THE DATA MATTERS. SUGAR MILL IS A GRADE A SCHOOL WITH A STRONG AND CONSISTENT ENROLLMENT, EXCELLENT TEACHERS, AND AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ACADEMIC FAILURE, SAFETY CONCERNS, OR DECLINING DEMAND THAT WOULD JUSTIFY CLOSURE. I RESPECTFULLY ASK TWO THINGS. FIRST, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE THIS AN ALL OR NOTHING DECISION. EVALUATE SCHOOLS INDIVIDUALLY USING CLEAR, TRANSPARENT CRITERIA. SECOND, PLEASE DO NOT VOTE TO CLOSE THEM UNLESS THE DATA CLEARLY SHOWS POOR PERFORMANCE ACROSS ALL METRICS AND THAT NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVE EXISTS. 15 SECONDS CLOSING A SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY TRUST AND WEAKNESSES. THE DISTRICT LONG TERM. PLEASE MAKE THIS TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS HANNAH CASALOTTI. FOR 
          [00:55:01]
15 YEARS, ENROLLMENT HAS BEEN DECLINING AT CAMPUSES LIKE BARRINGTON PLACE AND LAKEVIEW. 
          THIS WAS NOT A SURPRISE. IT WAS PREDICTABLE, VISIBLE AND DOCUMENTED. AND YET, THE DISTRICT STILL SPENT OVER 50 MILLION REBUILDING LAKEVIEW AND RENOVATING BARRINGTON PLACE AT BARRINGTON PLACE AFTER A DECADE OF DECLINE. A MOLD ISSUE WAS FOUND, AND INSTEAD OF CONFRONTING THE LONG TERM REALITY, THE DISTRICT DOUBLED DOWN WITH MAJOR CAPITAL SPENDING THAT ISN'T PLANNING, THAT IS WASTING MONEY AND THEN SIFTING THE CONSEQUENCES ONTO FAMILIES WHO DID NOTHING WRONG. NOW, SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY IS BEING FRAMED AS THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO CLOSE THE STABLE COMMUNITY THAN TO ADMIT EXPENSIVE MISTAKES WERE MADE. DEAR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DO NOT ALLOW A STABLE SCHOOL TO BE SACRIFICED TO COVER UNSTABLE DECISIONS. IF YOU WANT CREDIBILITY, STOP SCAPEGOATING. DEMAND A TRANSPARENT LONG RANGE PLAN WITH A REAL COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. AND ON THE SPENDING CHOICES THAT BROUGHT US HERE. 
          VOTE SCHOOL BY SCHOOL. NOT ALL OR NOTHING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE CAROLINE FALL, GARRETT FULTZ, AND ALISON MCKEON. NEXT IS OLIVER PAGE. HELLO. MY NAME IS OLIVER AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEND MY LAST YEAR HERE. PLEASE SAVE SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IT'S MORE THAN A BUILDING. IT'S MORE THAN A SCHOOL. IT'S A COMMUNITY. IT'S A HOME. IT'S MORE THAN A PLACE WHERE TEACHERS GO TO EARN. IT'S MORE THAN A PLACE WHERE KIDS GO TO LEARN. IT'S A PLACE WHERE FRIENDSHIPS ARE CREATED. PLEASE SAVE OUR SPARK. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CAROLINE FALL. I JUST ADDED IN THIS FIRST BIT FOR Y'ALL MAN IN THERE. ESTIMATE FOR HOLLY NEXT YEAR. XANDER DIDN'T COUNT THE 172 STUDENTS COMING FROM PATTERSON. INSTEAD OF THE PREDICTED 806 STUDENTS. HOLLY WILL BE HOUSING NEARLY A THOUSAND STUDENTS, INCLUDING THE 246 FROM MADDEN. THAT'S 104% DESIGN UTILIZATION AND 122% UTILIZATION. THAT'S TEN PORTABLE CLASSROOMS BASED ON MY RESEARCH WITH OTHER SCHOOLS. 
          WHAT OTHER ERRORS ARE HIDING IN THIS PROPOSAL? NOW, MY MAIN SPEECH, BARRINGTON PLACE, HAS BEEN DECLINING FOR 15 YEARS. AN AVERAGE OF 37 STUDENTS LOST EVERY SINGLE YEAR. AND AFTER ROUGHLY A DECADE OF DECLINE, THE DISTRICT FOUND MOLD AND CHOSE TO RESPOND WITH A MAJOR RENOVATION AROUND $20 MILLION AND CAME BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS, SAYING THE SOLUTION TO THEIR ENROLLMENT PROBLEM IS A CLOSED SUGAR MILL. 15 SECONDS. WHY ARE 103 STUDENTS FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF SUGAR MILL BEING SENT TO BARRINGTON PLACE WHEN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD IS NEXT TO DRAWBACK AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY PART OF TOWN WEST, WHICH IS ALSO CLOSER. THAT'S NOT COMMON SENSE ZONING. THAT'S MANIPULATING BOUNDARIES. TO HIT A TARGET NUMBER, KEEP RICHMOND KIDS IN RICHMOND AND KEEP SUGAR LAND KIDS IN SUGAR. THANK YOU. NEXT IS GARRETT FULTZ. THANK YOU. Y'ALL HAVE A TOUGH, TOUGH JOB AHEAD OF YOU. I MEAN EVERYONE OUT HERE IS IS AGAINST THIS. BUT THE ONLY ONES WHO SHOWED UP AGAINST ONE PERSON WAS KIND OF NEUTRAL. SAW THE STUFF BEFORE. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE NEUTRAL. I'D ASK IF Y'ALL TOOK THE SURVEY BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY THEY WERE BEING ASKED IF IT WAS NEUTRAL OR NOT. SO LOOK AT THE SURVEY, SEE IF YOU WOULD, HOW YOU WOULD HAVE RESPONDED AND WHETHER IF YOU WERE OPPOSED OR SUPPORTED THE CHANGE, WHETHER OR NOT HOW YOU WOULD HAVE FELT ABOUT IT, YOUR RESPONSE, HOW IT WAS CATEGORIZED IN THE LAST PRESENTATION. ASK QUESTIONS. 
          Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB OF THAT, BUT CONTINUE TO ASK. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO ASK OF YOU IS THAT YOU VOTE SCHOOL BY SCHOOL AND DIVIDE THE QUESTION. THIS IS JUST THE PREAMBLE TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL FIGHT. THIS IS ALREADY WHAT YOU YOU GENERATED FROM JUST SEVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF, YOU KNOW, MODERATE SIZE. WHEN YOU GET WHEN YOU START GOING AFTER THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, IT'S JUST GOING TO AMPLIFY AND AMPLIFY AND AMPLIFY. SO YOU KNOW YOURSELF. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE LINDA ALLMAN, HANNAH BUTLER AND KYLE SQUIRES. NEXT IS ALISON MCCANN. THANK YOU. I'M ALISON MCKEON. I AM A SEVENTH GRADER AT SUGAR LAND MIDDLE SCHOOL. I AM HERE TO SPEAK UP FOR THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE TONIGHT. I HAVE MANY FRIENDS IN LOWER GRADE LEVELS THAN ME, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM GROW UP AND THRIVE IN SUGAR MILL. I ALSO WANT TO COME BACK TO SUGAR MILL FOR MY GRADUATION. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL OF THE SMILING FACES LOOKING BACK AT ME, AND I REALLY JUST LOVE IT THERE. PLEASE SAVE OUR SPARK. THANK YOU. NEXT IS LINDA ALLMAN. HI, MY NAME IS LINDA ALLMAN. I HAVE A FOURTH GRADER AT ARIZONA FLEMING. I COME FOR CONCERN AS 
          [01:00:01]
A PARENT. I HAVE BEEN TO TOWN WEST AND THE SAFETY OVER THERE IS NOT THE SAME AS THE SAFETY IS AT ARIZONA. THEY DO NOT HAVE A PLAYGROUND OVER THERE THAT IS SAFE FOR THE KIDS TO BE AT DURING THE DAY, WHERE ARIZONA IS FENCED IN ALL DAY LONG UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. 
          THERE HAS BEEN AN INCIDENT ALREADY AT TOWN WEST AND I WAS PART OF IT. A PERSON COMING ONTO THEIR PLAYGROUND WITH A HANDGUN AND CHILDREN WOULD HAVE TO RUN INSIDE AND BARRICADE IN THE SCHOOL. PLUS, THE TEACHERS AT ARIZONA ARE SO LOVELY THERE THAT THEY KNOW WHO I AM. THEY DON'T KNOW. THEY KNOW. MY DAUGHTER AND I HAD A DAUGHTER THAT ALREADY GRADUATED THERE, SO PLEASE DON'T CLOSE ARIZONA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS HANNAH BUTLER. HELLO. WHY DIDN'T ALL PARENTS RECEIVE THE SURVEY EMAIL? FORT BEND ISD ONLY SENT IT TO THE FIRST PARENT IN SKYWARD, WHICH IS A PROBLEM FOR CO-PARENTING HOUSEHOLDS. DID THE BOARD COMPLETE THE SURVEY? I SELECTED NEUTRAL BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL CLOSES THREE SCHOOLS IN MY ZONE, EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS ME. IF THE SURVEY WERE PER SCHOOL INSTEAD OF BY ZONE, THE DATA WOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT. I URGE YOU TO REQUEST A NEW CAPACITY AUDIT. 
          WE HEARD AT THE LAST MEETING THAT PRIOR AUDITS INCLUDED DATA. THIS ONE DOES NOT. PLEASE SLOW DOWN AND THINK LONG TERM. THE SCHOOLS YOU WANT TO MOVE SUGAR MILL STUDENTS TO ARE ALREADY NEAR CAPACITY. BIRTH RATES SPIKED IN 2023. WHAT HAPPENS IN THREE YEARS WHEN THOSE CHILDREN. 
          I'M NERVOUS AGAIN. WHEN THOSE CHILDREN ENROLL, I ASK YOU TO VOTE ON EACH SCHOOL INDIVIDUALLY, NOT AS A SINGLE PACKAGE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE CRYSTAL MCKEON, DIANA FU, AND CRYSTAL GAYLE SANTOS. NEXT IS KYLE SQUIRES. I. I LEARNED A LOT FROM SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY. PLEASE DO NOT SHUT IT DOWN. WE ARE 21 KIDS IN MY CLASSROOM, AND MR. PRUITT COMES TO HELP US READ HOW WILL. MORE KIDS FIT IN A CLASSROOM? HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LEARN TO WITH MORE KIDS? THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS CRYSTAL MCKEON. THIS BOARD RECENTLY VOTED TO SPEND $15 MILLION TO PROVIDE WILLOW RIDGE A NEW FINE ARTS BUILDING, WITH THE STATED GOAL OF ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE A COMPARABLE EXPERIENCE WITHIN FORT BEND ISD. I APPRECIATE THAT INTENT. HOWEVER, THE DISTRICT'S CURRENT FCI DOESN'T MEASURE WHETHER THAT GOAL IS BEING MET AND ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR LARGE TICKET INFRASTRUCTURE ITEMS IN ITS CURRENT FORM, IT DOES NOT TELL US WHETHER STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE. THE SCHOOL COULD HAVE A PERFECTLY SOUND ROOF AND STILL LACK THE SPACES, RESOURCES OR FACILITIES TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS THEIR PEERS. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF ONE BUILDING NEEDS A NEW ROOF. IF ANOTHER SCHOOL NEEDS TO ADD TEMPORARY BUILDINGS TO ACCOMMODATE OVERCAPACITY STUDENTS. FOR THAT REASON, THE DISTRICT SHOULD REVISE THE FCI TO ACCOUNT FOR BOTH BUILDING CONDITION AND THE ADEQUACY OF FACILITIES FOR STUDENT LEARNING. I FURTHER ENCOURAGE A CAPACITY AUDIT TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS. WITHOUT THIS, TRUSTEES ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE A MAJOR LIFE ALTERING DECISION WITHOUT THE FULL PICTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. SAVIOR. OUR SPARK. THANK YOU. NEXT IS DIANA FU. THANK YOU. 
          LET'S TALK DECISION MAKING. THE DISTRICT HAS STATED THAT MULTIPLE CRITERIA WERE USED TO IDENTIFY CAMPUSES FOR CLOSURE, YET NO WEIGHTING OR SCORING METHODOLOGY HAS BEEN DISCLOSED. 
          WITHOUT KNOWING WHICH FACTORS MATTER MOST OR HOW TRADE OFFS WERE MADE, THERE IS NO DEFENSIBLE DECISION. FRAMEWORK BIAS IS INTRODUCED THROUGH INCONSISTENCY IN THE DATA. FCI SCORES ARE PRESENTED WITHOUT CLEAR SOURCING AND WERE CALCULATED DIFFERENTLY BETWEEN DIFFERENT YEARS CAPACITY AND UTILIZATION FIGURES. MIXED DEFINITIONS. MAKING CAMPUSES APPEAR LESS VIABLE THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE. THESE ARE CONCERNING ISSUES WITH VERY BASIC DATA. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PROPOSAL FAILS TO DEMONSTRATE BENEFITS. THERE IS NO CAMPUS LEVEL SAVINGS ANALYSIS, NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN FIXED OR VARIABLE COSTS, NO RECONCILIATION OF WHAT EXPENSES ACTUALLY DISAPPEAR AFTER CLOSURES. RESPECTFULLY, THIS PROPOSAL IS PREMATURE AND THE DISTRICT IS NOT PREPARED TO DEFEND IT, MUCH LESS IMPLEMENT IT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO POSTPONE AND GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD WITH YOUR DECISION PROCESS. SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE MARY ROBERTS, CAROL CHEE, AND STACY GARCIA. NEXT UP IS CRYSTAL GAYLE SANTOS. GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT REZONING IS NECESSARY. WHAT IS CONCERNING IS HOW RUSH 
          [01:05:04]
THIS PROCESS FEELS AND HOW UNEVEN THE IMPACT APPEARS TO BE. ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY, LIKE ELIANA ARE BEING FRAGMENTED ACROSS THREE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WHILE TWO IS STILL DEVELOPING COMMUNITY. TRILLIUM AND HARVEST GREEN ARE KEPT FULLY INTACT. THAT RAISES OUR SERIOUS QUESTION WHO IS THIS PLAN DESIGNED TO SERVE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OR THE DEVELOPERS? TRILLIUM IS CLOSER. TRILLIUM IS ORIGINALLY MOVED TO HOLLY, AND YET LAST JANUARY MEETING IT WAS RETRACTED BECAUSE THERE ARE INCORRECT DATA IN IN ZONDA. AND YET TRILLIUM IS CLOSER PROXIMITY THAN THE ALIANA TO 46. THIS DECISION GIVES US THE APPEARANCE OF FAVORITISM RATHER THAN FAIRNESS, AND THAT ERODES TRUST. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS COMMUNITIES REMEMBER HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, NOT JUST WHAT DECISIONS ARE MADE. TRUST, ONCE LOST, IS VERY DIFFICULT TO REBUILD. KEEP ALIANA KIDS IN ALIANA. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MARY ROBERTS. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER REZONING A SMALL SECTION OF ALIANA AWAY FROM MADDEN ELEMENTARY. OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY HAS TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND THIS DECISION WOULD COMPOUND DISRUPTION RATHER THAN ALLEVIATING IT. THE CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY WILL ALREADY BE SUBJECT TO SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION THIS COMING YEAR, WITH THE MOVEMENT TO MISSION GLEN FOR MADDENS RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT SUDDEN CHANGES IN A CHILD'S LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN INCREASE STRESS, ANXIETY AND NEGATIVELY IMPACT ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AS PARENTS, WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE ADDITIONAL STRESS BEING PLACED ON OUR CHILDREN WITH THE POTENTIAL DISPLACEMENT OF MADDEN 246 TO AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SCHOOL REZONING, MADDEN 246 TO HOLLY PERMANENTLY SEPARATES THEM ONTO A DIFFERENT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PATH. 15 SECONDS WILL NEVER SHARE THE LONG TERM BONDS AND DAILY CONTINUITY THAT OTHER STUDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THEIR SCHOOL CAREERS. ENROLLMENT DATA IS ALREADY INDICATING THAT MADDEN ELEMENTARY WILL HAVE OVER 100 AVAILABLE SEATS NEXT YEAR. REZONING IS PAUSED. THE DISTRICT HAS ACKNOWLEDGED A STEADY DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CAROL. SHE. 
          GOOD EVENING. I RESPECTFULLY ASK ALL STUDENTS TO REMAIN ZONED TO MADDEN ELEMENTARY. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WOULD UPROOT CHILDREN FROM A SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY THEY KNOW AND TRUST TO PROVIDE A TEMPORARY BAND-AID. REZONING WOULD FRACTURE YEARS OF STABILITY AND RELATIONSHIPS AND DISRUPT THE FEEDER PATTERN FOR GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON OUR CHILDREN. LIKE MANY KIDS OF HIS GENERATION, MY OLDEST SON STRUGGLES WITH ANXIETY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. WITH THE HELP OF CARING TEACHERS AND FRIENDSHIPS HE'S CAREFULLY BUILT. MY SON IS COMING OUT OF HIS SHELL AND STARTING TO THRIVE. HE RAN FOR STUDENT COUNCIL BY WRITING AND GIVING A SPEECH IN FRONT OF HIS PEERS AND WON. THAT GROWTH IS FRAGILE AND CRITICAL. ALIGNING WITH FORT BEND STUDENT MISSION, MADDEN IS INSPIRING OUR CHILDREN TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. I URGE THE BOARD TO KEEP ALIANA ZONED TO MADDEN AND PURSUE ALTERNATIVES THAT PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE ROBIN, MATTHEW, NISHA SKARIA AND MOHAMED CHAIB. NEXT IS STACY GARCIA. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS STACY GARCIA, AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE PTO AT DULLES ELEMENTARY. I'M THE PTO FEELS COMPELLED TO BE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILIES WHO ARE UNABLE TO BE HERE AND ATTEND THIS MEETING IN PERSON. AND THAT INCLUDES FAMILIES OF OUR UNHOUSED STUDENTS, THE STUDENTS THAT FALL BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL, AND STUDENTS WHO NEED OUR SPECIAL NEEDS SERVICES. DULLES ELEMENTARY HAS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF THE FORT BEND ISD COMMUNITY SINCE 1976, AND INSTEAD OF PLANNING A 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, WE'RE RALLYING TO SAVE THE SCHOOL. AS YOU KNOW, DULLES ELEMENTARY IS A CEP CAMPUS, AND NONE OF THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGES WOULD SEND THE STUDENTS THAT NEED THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO OTHER CAMPUSES. WE IMPLORE THE BOARD TO ACT AS TRUSTEES AND FIDUCIARIES OF THESE STUDENTS, TO PROTECT THEM, TO SEE THEM AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, BECAUSE ONLY YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE THEM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS ROBIN. MATTHEW. XANDER PRESENTED THIS PLAN TO THE BOARD IN AUGUST. THEN WHY WAIT RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS TO RELEASE YOUR DRAFT TO THE PUBLIC? WHY NOT SEEK MORE PUBLIC FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY? IN THE SIXTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE STATE IS TEN DAYS. FOR A RESPONSE OF FAIR AND ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO EDUCATE AND PROCURE THE COMMUNITY'S FULL FEEDBACK WAS A TRUE GOOD FAITH EFFORT MADE TO REACH ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE SAW THAT 65,000 SURVEYS WERE SENT OUT, BUT ONLY GOT A 10% RESPONSE RATE, WHERE THOSE 
          [01:10:01]
65,000 SURVEYS ONLY SAID TO THE PRIMARY PARENTS. EMAILS FOR CHILDREN'S CURRENT CHILDREN CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN FORT BEND ISD. WHAT ABOUT HOMEOWNERS NEARBY WHOSE PROPERTY VALUES COULD DROP FROM 30,000 TO 75,000 WHEN THE SCHOOLS NEAR THEM CLOSE? SHOULDN'T THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN NOTIFIED? AT THE END OF THE DAY, DECISIONS OF THIS MAGNITUDE DEMAND TRANSPARENCY, BROAD OUTREACH AND TRUST. AND RIGHT NOW, MANY IN THIS COMMUNITY FEEL LIKE WE WERE DENIED ALL THREE SAVE AUSTIN PARKWAY. THANK YOU. NEXT IS NISHA SKARIA. THANK YOU. OKAY, DATA IS POWERFUL. NUMBERS TELL A STORY ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN A COMMUNITY. BUT DATA CAN ALSO BE MANIPULATED TO TELL THE STORY YOU WANT TO SELL. ON THE 29TH, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT DIFFERENT CRITERIA WERE USED TO EVALUATE THE FACILITIES IN 2021 VERSUS WHAT WAS USED IN 2025. 
          YET THE INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED SIDE BY SIDE TO SELL YOU A LIE. THEY WANT YOU TO THINK THAT FACILITIES LIKE AUSTIN PARKWAY SLID TO POOR WITHOUT PROVIDING ADEQUATE CONTEXT AND TRANSPARENCY INTO THE PROCESS USED TO EVALUATE THESE FACILITIES. SPEAKING OF A TRANSPARENCY, HOW MANY TIMES WAS THAT WORD USED DURING THE LAST MEETING? IT WAS ALSO STATED FCI DATA WOULD BE RELEASED TO THE COMMUNITY IN A DAY OR SO. AND YET HERE WE ARE GETTING IT TWO WEEKS LATER, WITHOUT ENOUGH TIME TO PROCESS THIS INFORMATION. WHAT EXACTLY? EDUCATIONAL CASELOAD. WHEN EVALUATING A STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF A FACILITY, IT'S OKAY TO SAY THAT THIS PROCESS IS RUSHED. IT'S WONDERFUL TO SAY WE MISSED THE MARK AND TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR EVERYONE. GIVE US TIME. GIVE US CHOICE TO APPLY TO UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. OUR LAST TWO SPEAKERS WILL BE STEPHANIE BROWN AND WILLIE RAINWATER. NEXT UP IS MOHAMED CHAIB. HELLO. THANK YOU AND YOUR RESPONSE TO MOST OF OUR EMAILS. YOU STATED THAT TWO OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE REZONING DECISION WERE INTERRUPTION TO KIDS AND PROXIMITY TO RESIDENTS. BUT THIS REZONING DECISION IS NOT ONLY DISRUPTIVE TO KIDS, IT'S HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE TO PARENTS AND ENTIRE COMMUNITIES. REZONING OUR SECTION OF ELIANA TO HOLLY WILL RESULT IN REZONING HARVEST GREEN ACROSS A MAJOR TRAFFIC CHOKE POINT, WHICH IS TOLLWAY 99, INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND PUSHING OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS ANOTHER MAJOR TRAFFIC CHOKE POINT, WHICH IS FM 1464, INTO ESSENTIALLY A DIFFERENT CITY WHERE HOLLY IS LOCATED IN HOUSTON. THIS WILL BE HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE TO PARENTS WORK MORNING COMMUTE PLANNING. IT'S ALSO HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE TO PEOPLE WHOSE KIDS DON'T EVEN ATTEND THOSE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE IT WILL ADD SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC TO MAJOR CHOKE POINTS. I GUESS I JUST WANT TO SAY OUR COMMUNITIES ARE NOT JUST PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES AND STATISTICS. MADDEN IS NOT JUST A SCHOOL BUILT TO SERVICE OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS A COMMUNITY BUILT AROUND THAT SCHOOL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS STEPHANIE BROWN. HI. I DON'T THINK I GOT A CHANCE TO SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO SOME MEETINGS. SO HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY. I'M STEPHANIE BROWN, PTO PRESIDENT AT THURGOOD MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL, AND I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE FEEDER PATTERN. I SERVED ON SEVERAL BOND SCHOOL BOUNDARY COMMITTEES. AND WHEN I HEARD MISS BETH MARTINEZ SAY THEY TOOK A DRIVE, I WAS KIND OF STARTLED BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A DRIVE. I'LL CALL IT A DRIVE BY FOR A WHILE NOW FOR YOU ALL TO SEE THE AREAS THAT HAVE NEGATIVELY BEEN IMPACTED BY THE DECISIONS MADE. AND I'LL JUST GO BACK TO 2017, 2018, I THINK. TRUSTEE ADAM SCHIFF ASKED A WHILE BACK, WHEN WAS THE LAST SCHOOL DISTRICT WIDE BOUNDARY REZONING? AND THAT WAS NOT ONE. IN 20 1718, IT WAS HALTED. IT WAS STOPPED. IT WAS THREATENED. YOU SAW THE SHIRTS, YOU SAW EVEN A NOOSE AROUND THE NECK OF A MAKESHIFT PERSON TO SAY, WE WERE NOT GOING TO YOUR YOUR SCHOOL OR WE DON'T WANT YOU THERE. SO I'M ASKING YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. MR. RAINWATER ISN'T HERE. SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO 
          [3.C. Long Range Boundary Planning Survey Data - Extended Discussion]
INFORMATION ITEMS. I AM GOING TO MOVE SEE UP IN FRONT OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET UPDATE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE WITH OUR LONG RANGE BOUNDARY PLANNING SURVEY DATA. DOCTOR SMITH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WE WILL RESUME WITH MISSUS BETH MARTINEZ AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM THE SBAC CHAIR, MISS MONICA WILLIS. 
          ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. I JUST WANT TO 
          [01:15:02]
SPEND A BRIEF MOMENT ON THE TIMELINE THAT YOU ALL SAW AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT SPEAK TO IT IN IN DEPTH A BIT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PIECE. AND SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO FINALIZING BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION AT THE MARCH 9TH MEETING, WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO REVIEW THE DATA AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND THOSE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOWING BOARD CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL. THE. IF THE BOUNDARIES ARE APPROVED, THEN FROM MARCH TO AUGUST. AND THAT'S A MANY THINGS THAT WILL BE GOING ON IN TERMS OF THE ELEMENTARY BOUNDARIES FROM MARCH TO AUGUST IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION, IT INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD THINK ABOUT, RECORDS MOVING IN THE SYSTEM, CHILDREN AND STUDENTS RECORDS BEING MOVED FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER, TEACHERS AND STAFF MOVING ACCORDINGLY. THE HR PROCESSES, THE LOGISTICAL MOVES OF CAMPUS CAMPUS MOVEMENT, AND IF THERE ARE CONSOLIDATIONS, AND THEN THE LOGISTICS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AS WELL AS SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR STAFF AND FOR OUR PARENTS AND COMMUNITY THAT MISS WILLIAMS SPOKE ABOUT IN THE SURVEY, AND BROAD SUPPORTS THAT WE WILL COMMUNICATE OUT TO STAFF, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FOR HOW TO SUPPORT AND HOW THEY CAN ACCESS PROGRAMS AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION THAT SPEAK TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR FAMILY AND TO THEIR STUDENTS. MORE SPECIFICALLY, FROM THAT APRIL TO MARCH TIMELINE WILL BE REVIEWING THE SECONDARY BOUNDARIES. AS WE BEGIN THAT WORK WITH ZONDA AND WITH OUR INTERNAL STAFF, AND THEN LAUNCH WITH THE SBAC FOR WORK THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND FALL, WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING BOUNDARIES FORWARD IN THE FALL SEMESTER OF NEXT YEAR. AND JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT POLICY DOES SAY WE NEED TO BRING THOSE IN JANUARY, BUT NO LATER THAN MARCH. AND SO WE WILL BE TARGETING THAT TIMELINE AS WE AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT SECONDARY PROCESS. AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE POWERPOINT JUGGLE AGAIN BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU ALL MISS MONICA WILLIS WHO IS OUR BOUNDARY SBAC CHAIRPERSON. 
          THANK YOU. AND SHE WILL BE PROVIDING SOME INSIGHT FROM THE COMMITTEE AND SHARE STATUS PROGRESS. AND AS I SAID, PERSPECTIVES AND INSIGHT. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SERVING IN THIS ROLE, MISS WILLIS PICTURES. I WISH I HAD YOUR HEIGHT. SEEING FROM HERE TO THERE. OKAY, SO GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR SMITH, PRESIDENT TYSON TRUSTEES, FORT BEND ISD ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF MEMBERS OF THE FORT BEND ISD COMMUNITY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT IN ATTENDANCE IN DECEMBER. MY NAME IS MONICA WILLIS, AND I'M HONORED TO SPEAK TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOUNDARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHERE THE SBAC OUR COMMITTEES MADE UP OF 36 MEMBERS, THREE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE HIGH SCHOOL FEEDER PATTERNS. WE CAME TOGETHER IN MAY OF 2025, AND WE DID SO WITH A CLEAR AND SERIOUS CHARGE TO REVIEW THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOUNDARIES WITHIN EACH FEEDER PATTERN AND HELP DEVELOP AND CONSOLIDATE, HELP DEVELOP CONSOLIDATION PROPOSALS THAT SUPPORT THE LONG TERM HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF FORT BEND ISD. COLLECTIVELY, OUR MEMBERS HAVE VOLUNTEERED MORE THAN 700 HOURS TO THIS WORK. SINCE OUR LAST UPDATE IN DECEMBER TO THE BOARD. THE COMMITTEE HAS MET THREE TIMES ON JANUARY THE 9TH, AND FEBRUARY 5TH. I'M PLEASED REPORT TO THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE STEADY, THOUGHTFUL PROGRESS ALIGNED WITH OUR CHARGE. I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH EACH OF THE MEETINGS JANUARY 7TH. THE PURPOSE OF OUR JANUARY 7TH MEETING WAS TO REVIEW ONCE AGAIN ALL SUBMITTED BOUNDARY PROPOSALS AND IMPORTANTLY, TO ASSESS THE COMMITTEE'S LEVEL OF COMFORT WITH THOSE PROPOSALS. AFTER THE PROPOSALS WENT PUBLIC TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE STARTED RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE WANTED JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS STILL GOOD AND ASSURED. EACH OF THE PROPOSAL PROPOSALS HAD BEEN FULLY CONSIDERED, AND THAT THE MEMBERS HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION, CLARIFICATION AND FEEDBACK BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. DURING THAT MEETING, THE COMMITTEE ENGAGED IN A THOROUGH REVIEW OF ALL SUBMISSIONS. AFTER DISCUSSION, THERE WAS A CLEAR CONSENSUS THAT NO NO ADDITIONAL DELIBERATION WAS NEEDED FOR MOST PROPOSALS. MEMBERS EXPRESSED OVERALL COMFORT WITH PROPOSALS AS PRESENTED, AND NO REQUESTS WERE MADE TO REVISIT OR EXPAND THE DISCUSSION. THE ONLY PROPOSAL PROPOSAL THAT WARRANTED FURTHER CONSIDERATION CAME FROM ZONDA, AND INVOLVED A POTENTIAL REDRAW OF ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES FOR PATTERSON ELEMENTARY. THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WAS DRIVEN BY ANTICIPATED FUTURE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEED TO PROACTIVELY PLAN FOR ENROLLMENT GROWTH. HOWEVER, AFTER FURTHER 
          [01:20:03]
REVIEW, WE LEARNED THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT WAS NOT PANNING OUT AS EXPECTED. ELIMINATE THE NEED TO REZONE THOSE STUDENTS FROM PATTERSON ELEMENTARY. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, ON JANUARY 9TH, THE SPC MET AGAIN VIRTUALLY, AND THIS WAS TO UPDATE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE JANUARY 7TH MEETING AND ALSO TO FIELD ANY TYPE OF DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAD. IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED ON THE SEVENTH. OUR FEBRUARY 5TH MEETING MARKED A MEANINGFUL TRANSITION POINT FOR THE COMMITTEE. WE REVIEWED THE WE REVIEWED THE LONG RANGE BOUNDARY PLANNING SURVEY RESULTS, WHICH WERE PRESENTED TODAY, AND WE LEARNED THAT APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS OF RESPONDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT EITHER SUPPORTED THE PROPOSED CHANGES OR FELT NEUTRAL ABOUT THEM. AT THE SAME TIME, WE RECOGNIZE THAT NUMBERS ALONE DID NOT TELL THE FULL STORY. SEVERAL COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN MOST PASSIONATELY, REFLECTED LOWER LEVELS OF SUPPORT. WHILE IT DIDN'T REPRESENT THE MAJORITY IN OPPOSITION, THE EMOTIONS, THE EXPERIENCES AND UNCERTAINTIES BEHIND THOSE RESPONSES ARE REAL AND DESERVE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND RESPECTED. AS CHAIR, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT MY ROLE. IT IS NOT TO SUGARCOAT THE FACTS OR TO USE THIS PLATFORM IN ANY WAY TO ADVANCE A PARTICULAR AGENDA. MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROVIDE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND TRUSTEES WITH CLEAR, FACTUAL AND HONEST INFORMATION AS IT'S COMING FROM THE SBC. WITH THAT SAID, THE TONE OF THIS MEETING WAS NOTABLY DIFFERENT. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY FEEDER PATTERN. COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARRIVE CARRYING NOT ONLY THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT ALSO THE WEIGHT OF SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO US. WE ALL WITNESSED AND CONCERNS RAISED AT THE BOARD MEETINGS THROUGH THE EMAIL, SIGNAGE, BANNERS, PETITIONS, AND EVEN DIRECT OUTREACH BECAUSE WE'VE HAD CONTACT DIRECTLY COMING FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS AND OTHER CHANNELS. SOME MEMBERS CAME TO THE MEETING PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO THE PROPOSALS. OTHERS ARRIVED ADVOCATING FOR A SPECIFIC SCHOOL CLOSURE PATTERN. THESE VIEWPOINTS WERE SHARED BOTH DURING THE MEETING AND THROUGH OUR END OF THE MEETING. 
          FEEDBACK SURVEY. TO ENSURE SPACE FOR MEANINGFUL AND INCLUSIVE DIALOG, THE COMMITTEE BEGAN IN SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS. WE BROKE OUT INTO 4 OR 5 PEOPLE AND WE LOOKED AT THE SURVEY AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING TOMORROW AT NOON. WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT EACH OF THE PATTERNS AND WHAT HAPPENS HERE AND WHO SAID WHAT AND WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE. SO WE WENT THROUGH THAT IN DEPTH IN OUR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS. THIS STRUCTURED EVERYONE TO ACTUALLY HAVE A VOICE AND TO BE HEARD. WE CAME TOGETHER AS A FULL GROUP. THROUGHOUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS, MEMBERS RAISED THOUGHTFUL MEMBERS, RAISED THOUGHTFUL, AND AT TIMES DEEPLY PERSONAL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. EMOTIONS WERE EVIDENT, PARTICULARLY AMONGST THOSE AMONG THOSE WHO WERE ACTUALLY DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE PROPOSED CHANGES OR NEW FAMILIES THAT COULD AFFECT IT COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED CHANGES. THE DEPTH AND ENGAGEMENT DURING THESE MEETINGS REINFORCED FOR US THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING CAREFULLY AND RESPONDING WITH EMPATHY. AS A COMMITTEE, WE STILL REMAIN COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING PROPOSALS THAT SERVE THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE, NOT INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS OR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. WHILE CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE AND VALUE THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED. SO BACK IN DECEMBER, I SAID SOMETHING, AND I REALLY WANT TO REITERATE THAT BEHIND EVERY NUMBER IS A CHILD, BEHIND EVERY SCHOOL IS COMMUNITY, AND BEHIND EVERY RECOMMENDATION IS STILL A FAMILY. THE SBC HAS NOT TAKEN THE RESPONSIBILITY LIGHTLY. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE HAVE COLLECTIVELY DEDICATED OVER 700 HOURS TO THIS WORK. WE REVIEWED MULTIPLE SCENARIOS, OFTEN REVISITING THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN, ALWAYS GUIDED BY COLLABORATION, TRANSPARENCY, AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO REMAIN UNBIASED. 
          WE WERE CANDID IN OUR DISCUSSIONS. WE OPENLY EXAMINED WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T, AND WHERE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES MIGHT ARISE WHEN A SCENARIO FAILED TO MAKE SENSE OR DID NOT EARN BROAD SUPPORT. WE DIDN'T SETTLE. WE ASKED QUESTIONS. WE PUSHED FOR CLARITY IN EACH TIME ZONE THAT CAME BACK TO THE WORK. NONE OF THE FEEDBACK WE OFFERED AND NONE OF THE PROPOSALS WE HELPED SHAPE CAME EASILY. EVERY CONVERSATION WAS ROOTED IN RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THE LONG TERM FUTURE OF THIS DISTRICT. THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, WE SOUGHT INPUT FROM EVERY AVAILABLE SOURCE AND FORT BEND ISD STAFF, ZONDER DIFFERENT DATA, DATA POINTS AND MAPS, AND FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS. EVEN STUDENTS CAME TO OUR MEETINGS TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FULL PICTURE AND EXAMINE EACH PROPOSAL FROM 
          [01:25:03]
EVERY POSSIBLE ANGLE. MANY OF US DID A LOT OF DRIVING AROUND FORT BEND ISD AND STARTED LOOKING AT WHERE SCHOOLS WERE AND HOW THE DISTANCE WAS AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT US IF IT WERE OUR CHILDREN. AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM DIFFERENT FEEDER PATTERNS, OFTEN WITH LIMITED LINE OF SIGHT BEYOND OUR OWN COMMUNITIES, WE MADE IT A PRIORITY TO LEARN UNIQUE HISTORIES, DEMOGRAPHICS AND NEEDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. THROUGH IT ALL, WE STAY GROUNDED IN THAT SAME QUESTION HOW IS THIS GOING TO IMPACT EVERYBODY THAT'S BEING INVOLVED? SO I SAID ALL THAT. WHAT I DIDN'T DO IN DECEMBER, AND I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS GIVE YOU A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, AND I'M GOING TO DO THAT NOW. SO ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. MY HEART TRULY GOES OUT TO EVERY STUDENT, ALL THE FAMILIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES. I EMPATHIZE DEEPLY WITH YOUR CONCERNS. I AM A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN, BOTH IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND ONE WHOSE TWICE EXCEPTIONAL DUE TO A LEARNING DISABILITY. SO I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES. YEARS AGO, A SMALL POCKET OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ZONED AWAY FROM THE BIG PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IN THE NEARBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I HAD CONCERNS AT THAT TIME. I CHOSE TO ENROLL MY KIDS IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL I DID. WE REMAINED THERE FOR A FEW YEARS. I HAVE NO REGRETS ABOUT THAT DECISION. IT AIDED IN THE GROWTH. LATER, THOUGH, WE RETURNED TO FORT BEND ISD AND WENT TO THE SAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ZONED TO AND DIDN'T I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO GO TO. 
          I WAS MET WITH OPEN ARMS AND A PLETHORA OF SUPPORT. THE SCHOOL HAD OUTSTANDING TEACHERS AND STAFF. MY CHILDREN THRIVED ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. WE ALL, CHILDREN AND ME INCLUDED, MET LIFELONG FRIENDS. IT WAS THERE THAT MY CHILD'S LEARNING DISABILITY WAS IDENTIFIED AND ABLE TO BE FULLY ASSESSED IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ERA, AND THEY HELPED HER WITH A PLAN FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS. GOING BACK, THOUGH, TO THOSE FEEDER PATTERNS, OUR LITTLE POCKET OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE OTHER ELEMENTARY CAME BACK IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE WERE BACK WITH OUR WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AGAIN. AND THOSE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE MET IN ELEMENTARY WENT ON TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. THEY WENT ON TO DIFFERENT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS. YES, THERE WERE EMOTIONS. YES, MY CHILDREN MISSED THEIR ELEMENTARY FRIENDS EVERY DAY AND THEY MISS BEING AT SCHOOL WITH THEM. BUT THOSE FRIENDSHIPS ENDURED IN SO MANY WAYS. IT JUST WAS DIFFERENT. THEY STILL CONTINUE TO TALK TO THIS DAY, AND THEY STILL HAVE THOSE LIFELONG FRIENDS AND ALL OF THE STUDENTS, MY STUDENTS AND THOSE STUDENTS CONTINUE TO THRIVE BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL. I SHARE THIS NOT TO MINIMIZE ANYONE'S CONCERN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN FORT BEND ISD TODAY, BUT TO OFFER REASSURANCE THAT WHILE CHANGE CAN BE DIFFICULT, OUR STUDENTS ARE REMARKABLY RESILIENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN SUPPORTED BY CARING FAMILIES, STRONG SCHOOLS, AND THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP. SO AS DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS FOR OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PATTERNS, WE ARE. SBC IS STILL THERE TO SUPPORT AND WE ARE PREPARED TO START TRANSITIONING THE SECONDARY BOUNDARY PHASE WHEN THAT TIME COMES. THE COMMITTEE REMAINS COMMITTED TO BALANCING ENROLLMENT, MINIMIZING DISRUPTION, AND SUPPORTING THE DISTRICT'S LONG TERM GROWTH AND FACILITY PLANNING GOALS. THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPRESENTING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES ACROSS FORT BEND ISD CONTINUES TO BE OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS. IN CLOSING, I DO WANT TO THANK ALL THE TRUSTEES AND THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP FOR YOUR TRUST AND CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THIS WORK. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE. IF YOU CAN WAVE YOUR HAND OR STAND OR SOMETHING FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, AND I'LL SUPPORT YOU BEEN GIVEN FOR THEIR TIME, THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND WILLINGNESS TO THOUGHTFULLY NAVIGATE COMPLEX AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED DECISIONS, ALWAYS KEEPING STUDENTS AT THE CENTER OF EVERY CONVERSATION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK AND WILL PROVIDE FUTURE UPDATES AS WE MOVE INTO THE SECONDARY BOUNDARY REVIEW. 
          AND WITH THAT, I WILL YIELD AND ASK YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. LAST TIME I LEFT AND CAME BACK. 
          SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. I'M GOING TO ASK MISS MARTINEZ TO CLOSE OUT THE PRESENTATION. AND THEN I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES. DO YOU MIND? MISS WILLIS? NO, NO, NO, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO, AS MISS WILLIS SHARED, YOU KNOW, ON LAST THURSDAY, WE DID SHOW THE DID THE PRESENTATION. MISS WILLIAMS WAS THERE AT THE SBAC AND SHE DID THE PRESENTATION. AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED THE COMMITTEE WAS AFTER RECEIVING THIS SURVEY DATA, AFTER GOING THROUGH AND THEY GOT TO SIT WITH THE FACILITATOR IN VERY SMALL GROUPS OR IN SMALL GROUP SESSIONS AND GO THROUGH THE DASHBOARD AS THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO DO TOMORROW. AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL UP 
          [01:30:01]
SCHOOLS, MULTIPLE SCHOOLS, DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND REVIEW, ANALYZE, ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESSING AND ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE DATA SHOWED FOR CERTAIN SCHOOLS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR SCHOOL AND ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THEN PROVIDE FEEDBACK. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS OR THE QUESTION THAT WE ASKED IS, NOW THAT YOU'VE SEEN THIS, THIS SURVEY DATA, HAS YOUR THINKING CHANGED IN ANY WAY? AND WHAT WHAT HAS CHANGED IN YOUR THINKING? OR HOW HAS YOUR THINKING CHANGED AS YOU'VE WORKED THROUGH THIS? AND SO WHEN WE GOT THAT FEEDBACK AS AS MISS WILLIS SHARED, WE WENT THROUGH IT AND SHARED IT IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING THERE, THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF FEEDBACK. THERE WERE SEVERAL WHO SAID NO, THEIR THINKING HAD NOT CHANGED AND HAD PERSPECTIVES ON THAT. AND THERE WERE OTHERS WHOSE THINKING HAD CHANGED. AND THEY EXPLAINED THIS. YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE, THE CONCERN AND THE COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL ATTACHMENTS OR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS IN SCHOOLS, AS DID SOME OF THE OTHERS. SO IT WAS A VERY MIXED RESPONSE, AND THAT IN THAT SENSE THAT WE DID HAVE MANY WHO THEIR THINKING WAS CHANGED AND WE HAD MANY WHOSE THINKING WAS NOT CHANGED. AND IT DOESN'T MAKE OUR WORK ON THIS ON THESE NEXT FEW DAYS AND WEEKS ANY EASIER, AND IT WON'T MAKE YOUR WORK ANY EASIER OR YOUR DECISIONS ANY EASIER IN THE END. BUT WE DID. WE WERE VERY GRATEFUL TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR ORGANIZING AND FOR FACILITATING THAT WORK IN A WAY THAT ALLOWED THEM TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THE FEEDBACK WITH A VERY UNBIASED FACILITATION. NONE OF US WHO HAD BEEN IN THE WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE LED THOSE DISCUSSIONS OR LED THAT JOURNEY THROUGH THE DATA. IT WAS INTERNAL FOLKS, BUT NOT FOLKS WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE BOUNDARY PLANNING PROCESS. AND SO WE'LL BE PROVIDING YOU WITH FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY, SO THAT YOU TWO CAN SEE THE VARIETY OF OPINIONS AND FEEDBACK THAT WE DID GET AFTER THEY WERE ABLE TO PERUSE THE DASHBOARD. THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ. OKAY, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS BY THE TRUSTEES, MISS HELLINGER, I HAVE A LOT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. I'M GOING TO START OFF. I'M GOING TO SHARE THE QUESTIONS WITH THE WITH THE BOARD. AND SO I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH JUST A COUPLE. AND THEN MAYBE SOME OTHERS MAY HAVE THE SAME THOUGHT PROCESS AND ASK SIMILAR QUESTIONS. I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, HOG THE MIC PER SE WITH MY, MY QUESTION. SO BUT I DO WANT TO ASK THIS AND THIS IS BACK TO YOU, MISS WILLIS. THIS IS KIND OF VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I ASKED YOU THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, BECAUSE I HAD HEARD BECAUSE YOU ALL HAD THE BOARD. 
          THE COMMITTEE WAS OVER THERE AND I WAS GETTING NODS AND YESES AND SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS NOT VERY IT DIDN'T SEEM AS IF YOU ALL WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. AND I ASKED YOU SIMILAR QUESTIONS THEN. SO I'M GOING TO ASK IT AGAIN. KIND OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS. I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID, BUT I'M NOT HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THE WHAT THE COMMITTEE WHERE DOES THE COMMITTEE WEIGH IN ON? WHAT'S THEIR WEIGHT ON THESE PROPOSALS BASED ON LOOKING AT THE SURVEY, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT OR I THINK MISS MARTINEZ STATE THAT THERE WERE SOME CHANGES OF THOUGHT PROCESSES. BUT WHAT I'M NOT SEEING IS KIND OF THE WHY, NOT NECESSARILY THE WHY. I GET THE WHY. WHY IT'S VERY CLEAR. RIGHT? BUT IT'S REALLY HOW STRONG OF A RECOMMENDATION ARE YOU? ARE YOU ALL COMMITTED TO THE SAME RECOMMENDATION? WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS OR THOUGHT PROCESSES BASED ON WHAT YOU HEARD, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION? THOSE MEETINGS? ARE YOU ALL STILL I THINK I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE THE NUMBERS WERE, BUT SO FOR THE THE SOUTH WEST, IT WAS AT 100%. AND FOR THE NORTHEAST, I BELIEVE IT WAS A 75. AND I'M GOING FROM NOT HAVING IT IN FRONT OF MY RIGHT NOW. WHEN YOU SAY 75%, MEANING THAT 75% OF THE PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE ARE AGREEING TO APPROVE THAT PROPOSAL THAT WENT FORTH. OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THIS SIDE WAS I CAN LEAVE THIS ALONE ON THIS SIDE OF THE HOUSE WHERE THE DIFFERENCE CAME IN IS BECAUSE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE IN THAT FEEDING PATTERN. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE IN THE FEEDER PATTERN WERE DIRECTLY AFFECTING SOME PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE. THAT'S WHERE THINGS STARTED BREAKING DOWN A LITTLE BIT. IT WAS A DIRECT IMPACT OR SOMEBODY WHO WAS CLOSE TO THEM HAVING A DIRECT IMPACT. SO IT WASN'T SO MUCH NO TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING. IT WAS NOT THAT SCHOOL. LOOK AT THAT SCHOOL. AND SO HOW DID YOU ALL CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON HOW YOU ALL LOOKED AT THE GRADE LEVEL, THE, THE GRAY, THE NEUTRAL, THE NEUTRAL? YES. YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING 
          [01:35:02]
BECAUSE ACTUALLY THE ROOM WENT ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THE COMMUNITY IS, OKAY, WE'RE JUST MAKING THE DECISION, NOT SWAYING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. THEY WERE JUST COMFORTABLE WITH WHATEVER DECISION WAS BEING MADE. I THINK THAT THAT THAT WAS MORE OF THE CONSENSUS OF WHAT I WAS HEARING IN THE ROOM. NOT SO MUCH THAT. THEY WANTED THIS WAY OR THEY WANT IT THAT WAY. THEY WERE JUST OKAY WITH WHATEVER DECISION WAS BEING MADE, AND THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH WHICHEVER WAY FOR IT BEING DECIDED. THAT'S HOW I WAS LOOKED AT IN THE GRAY AREA. 
          OKAY, BECAUSE I, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT SPEAK FOR THE SCHOOLS PARENTS THAT AREN'T ABLE TO COME, YOU KNOW. SO YOU GOT IT'S CLEAR LOUD FROM ONE SIDE OF THE DISTRICT. YOU'RE HEARING FROM THEM JUST BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITY AND AVAILABILITY WHATNOT. JUST BECAUSE WE MAY NOT HEAR FROM AS MUCH FROM THE OTHER DISTRICT, DOES IT MEAN THAT THEY MAY HAVE THE STRONG OR VERY SIMILAR TYPE OF OPPOSITION JUST BECAUSE OF LIKE ONE OF THE PARENTS SAID, YOU KNOW, PARENTS WORK, YOU KNOW, ALL DIFFERENT TIMES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HEARD FROM THE COMMITTEE. DID THEY LOOK AT CHANGES JUST JUST BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT CAME HERE WERE LOUDER, OR IF THEY REALLY JUST SAID, OKAY, STICK TO THE COMMITMENT OF THE PROCESS AND NOT LET YOU KNOW AND BE AS UNBIASED AS POSSIBLE AS THEY CAN. BUT YOU JUST TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THAT SOME OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE DIRECTLY IMPACTED, THAT THAT'S WHY YOU YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT MORE CHANGE IN THE NORTH SIDE OF THE DISTRICT. WE'LL SEE. AND THEN SPEAKING TO THAT. SO YELLOW SHIRTS, YOU HEAR SUGAR MILL IN THE BLUE SHIRTS THAT YOU SAW FOR MADDEN. THAT'S ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. SO IT WAS BOTH OF THEM. THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS IN THE MEETING SAYING, OKAY, ARE WE REALLY LOOKING AT THIS AND WHY THIS? WHY THAT? WHERE IS IT? WE WERE HAVING THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS IN THERE. WHY WAS THIS SCHOOL WAS THE ONE SELECTED? WHY WAS THAT SCHOOL LOOKED AT AND MOVING? WE WERE LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES. IT DIDN'T JUST STOP BECAUSE THE SOUTHWEST HAD 100%. WE REALLY WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THAT NOT ONLY IN THAT JANUARY 7TH MEETING, BUT ALSO IN THE FEBRUARY 5TH MEETING OF WHAT IS THAT LOOK LIKE? SO YES, THE THE TWO OF THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU'RE HEARING ARE ON THAT SOUTHWEST SIDE. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMITTEE. YES, YES, IT WAS ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE, THE SCHOOL THAT YOU HEARD MOST ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE, NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST. 
          SOUTHEAST. OKAY. I'M SORRY. NORTHWEST. SOUTHEAST. FORGIVE ME. SO THE THE ONES THAT YOU WERE HEARING MORE ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE WAS MORE FROM THE AUSTIN PARKWAY. BUT NOT JUST THAT. WE ALSO HEARD FROM SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT COLEMAN IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THE BOUNDARY LINE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRAWN DIFFERENTLY. WE HAD LOTS OF DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS IN THAT MEETING. IN, THERE WERE EMOTIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT OUT. THIS WASN'T JUST A HEY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, OKAY, LET'S GO HOME. WHEN WE'RE IN THOSE MEETINGS, WE'RE IN THOSE MEETINGS A LOT OF TIMES FOR THREE AND FOUR HOURS, REALLY SITTING, TALKING AND DISCUSSING. AND WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? AND IF IT HAPPENS, HOW DOES THIS IMPACT THE DISTRICT. AND ARE WE REALLY LOOKING AT EVERYBODY? AND WHAT IF THAT WAS YOUR CHILD OR YOUR FEEDER PATTERN? OR WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS AND CAME OUT WITH THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE THERE. SO IT WASN'T IT REALLY WAS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A RULE. NOW. IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT IT USED TO BE YOU HAD TO HAVE TWO QUESTIONS AND THEN YOU CAME BACK. SO I'M JUST GOING TO YIELD BACK TO. YOU CAN ASK HER. GO AHEAD AND ASK YOUR QUESTIONS. USUALLY WHAT I ALLOW IS TWO TIMES TO CYCLE THROUGH OKAY. SO GO AHEAD AND ASK EVERYTHING YOU HAVE NOW OKAY. SO THEN I THINK THAT'S THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, MISS WILLIS. MAYBE THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE NOW FOR MISS MARTINEZ. SO I HEARD TONIGHT IT'S REALLY THIS IS REALLY A CHANGE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE AROUND PUTTING STUDENTS INTO LOWER GRADED SCHOOLS. I HEARD A PARENT SAY THAT THE KIDS CAN'T READ AT HOLLY. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I CAN ASK THE ACADEMIC TEAM TO COME SHARE SOME OF THE INFORMATION THEY HAVE ABOUT HOLLY, OR MORE SO REALLY, THE EQUITY AND TEACHING ACROSS THE BOARD, AND HOW WHAT STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE. AND I THINK I WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT TOO, BECAUSE WHEN YOU MOVE KIDS TO THE SCHOOLS, WE NOW HAVE TO ASSESS WHAT WE THE CHILDREN THAT WE HAVE. AND YOU HAVE DIFFERENT ECONOMICS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF OF CHILDREN. ONE OF THE THINGS I REMEMBER, REMEMBER, REMEMBER LEARNING DURING MY FIRST TOUR WAS. I'M TRULY UNDERSTANDING EQUITABILITY IS IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SCHOOL ITSELF, 
          [01:40:07]
THE BRICK HOUSE OF OF THE SCHOOL, BUT IT'S WHAT WE DO IN THAT SCHOOL TO SUPPORT THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS. CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE I'M, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEAR PARENTS SAY, THE KIDS CAN'T READ, I CLUTCH MY PEARLS. SO I'M I'M CHALLENGED WITH THAT. SO I WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT WHAT'S THE PLAN AROUND THAT? GOOD EVENING. SO OUR STUDENTS AT HOLLY ELEMENTARY HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATIONAL READING BACKGROUND, AS PARENTS OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE EXPRESSING A CONCERN OF GOING FROM MAYBE AN A CAMPUS TO A B CAMPUS. LIKE HOLLY, THERE ARE STUDENTS WITH GAPS AND DEFICITS. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT THOSE STUDENTS EXIST AT ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS A STRONG TRANSITION PLAN. ONE PRINCIPALS WILL BE SPEAKING WITH EACH OTHER. SO WE'VE HEARD FROM THE SUGAR MILL COMMUNITY, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE MADDEN COMMUNITY. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GREAT THINGS THAT MAKE SUGAR MILL GREAT ARE THE THINGS THAT STUDENTS WILL HAVE AT HOLLY AS WELL. AND SO IT'S NOT JUST ASSUMING THAT WHEN THE STUDENTS ACCLIMATE TO HOLLY OR GO TO HOLLY, THAT ALL THE THINGS THAT HOLLY ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT WILL EXIST, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE OFFER SOME OF THE SAME THINGS IN REGARDS TO ACADEMICS. CURRICULUM IS THE SAME AT HOLLY THAT IS AT SUGAR MILL. INTERVENTION AND SUPPORTS THAT WE HAVE AT HOLLY ARE THE SAME AT SUGAR MILL. IN REGARDS TO HAVING A DESIGNATED INTERVENTION TIME IN REGARDS TO HAVING A DESIGNATED ENRICHMENT TIME IN REGARDS TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GROWING AT LEAST A YEAR AND A HALF, IT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT OF HOW STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED IS THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO I'M GONNA YIELD THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MISS HELLINGER. MISS HANNAN, THANK YOU, TRUSTEE HELLINGER, FOR THE QUESTIONS YOU ASK. THEY WERE ON MY LIST, SO I'M GOING TO DIVE RIGHT IN. AND FIRST OF ALL, MISS WILLIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK UP. BUT I APPRECIATE THE DIRECTNESS IN WHICH YOU SPOKE AND TALKING ABOUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR OWN KID, YOUR TWO CHILDREN. AND SO I, I KNOW MISS WILLIS FROM SOME PREVIOUS WORK SHE'S DONE SUPPORTING SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW SHE GIVES HER TIME GRACIOUSLY AND VERY SERIOUSLY. SO THANK YOU TO YOU AND THE SPEC FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. SO THE BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE MAY NOT REALIZE WHY I TAKE THIS WITH SO MUCH SERIOUSNESS, AND WHY I DEVOTE SO MUCH TIME THAT MAY SEEM A LITTLE BIT OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND I GOT REZONED, I CAN STILL SEE THE GIRL'S FACE. I KNOW HER NAME. I CAN HEAR HER VOICE. WHERE I WAS BULLIED IN FOURTH GRADE, GOING TO A NEW SCHOOL. I REMEMBER HAVING TO HOLD ON TO THE CHAIN LINK FENCE BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLIC SCHOOL WHERE I WENT DIDN'T THINK ABOUT I'M A WALKER NOW, BUT WHEN IT SNOWS, I HAVE TO WALK THROUGH A RAVINE AND A DITCH, AND I LITERALLY HAD TO HOLD ON TO THE CHAIN LINK FENCE SO I DIDN'T SLIDE INTO THE DITCH. AND SO IT WAS SAFER TO ME ON A FOUR LANE ROAD, RIDING MY BIKE TO THE OTHER SCHOOL THAN IT WAS WALKING WHERE I WALKED. SO I JUST SHARE THAT. 
          NOT AS A SAD STORY, BUT MAYBE SO THAT PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND WHY I AM MAYBE DRIVING EVERYONE INSANE WITH MY QUESTIONS. SO I'M GOING TO JUST I'M GOING TO DIVE IN BECAUSE I, I WANT TO CLEARLY ASK. IN THE JANUARY 30TH, WE HAD AN UPDATE THAT THAT SHOWED HOW MANY WALKERS WOULD SHIFT TO BUS RIDERS. BUT I HEARD SOME PUBLIC SPEAKERS TONIGHT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT A SETTLERS WAY COMMUNITY THAT THEY WOULD BE SHIFTING TO OVER THREE MILES. BUT MY MY INFORMATION SHOWS THAT ZERO STUDENTS WOULD CHANGE. SO I JUST ILLUSTRATE THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE DATA IS RIGHT. AND IT'S HARD BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE DONE DOCTOR SMITH. 
          YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AT GETTING US INFORMATION. BUT WHAT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS WE HAVE AN OVERABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION. AND SO I'VE TRIED TO CREATE MY OWN SPREADSHEET WITH ALL OF THE DATA IN ONE PLACE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT TEXAS SCHOOLS.ORG JUST TO TRY TO FIND, OKAY, WHAT WHAT ARE REALLY THE RATINGS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND WHO IS CHANGING FROM A WALKER TO A BUS DRIVER, AND WHAT IS THE FCI AND HOW MUCH DID EACH SCHOOL GET IN THE 2014 BOND, THE 2018 BOND, THE 2023 BOND. SO THIS ALL MAKES SENSE TO ME BECAUSE I 
          [01:45:07]
TAKE THIS WITH SUCH SERIOUSNESS. AND SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I JUST WANT TO ASK MAKE SURE THE THE WALKER PAGE THAT WE GOT IS ACCURATE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE, I HAVE ASKED IN THE PAST, IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS I ASKED, AND I REMEMBER MISS TORSEN SORT OF PIGGYBACKED ON MY QUESTIONS. WE HAVE DISCUSSED A LOT ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND THEM SHIFTING, BUT I STILL WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED AT EACH CAMPUS, BUT NOT ONLY SPECIAL EDUCATION, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER SPECIAL POPULATION THAT THEIR THEIR FAMILIES AREN'T SHOWING UP. IT'S IT'S OUR BILINGUAL PROGRAMING BECAUSE IT'S A CULTURE. AND AND FOR YEARS BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD, I USED TO HEAR THE PHRASE THAT PROGRAMS ARE PORTABLE. AND AS A BOARD MEMBER, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. AND I DON'T BUY INTO THAT BECAUSE THE CULTURE CREATED IN A SCHOOL AROUND SPECIAL POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS, INCLUDING SPED KIDS, BILINGUAL KIDS, ESL KIDS, EVEN PRE-K STUDENTS. AND WE HEARD FROM A PARENT TONIGHT. THOSE ALL HAVE IMPLICATIONS ON THE CULTURE AND THE EXPECTATION, THE DIFFERENTIATION, THE WAY, THE WAY RIGOR AND PACING. AND SO WHILE ALL OF OUR CURRICULUMS MAY BE SIMILAR IN THE SAME, WE HAVE SUCH DIVERSITY IN IN OUR POPULATIONS. AND WHEN ONE CAMPUS SHIFTS TO ANOTHER THAT DOESN'T HAVE BILINGUAL, I HAVE BEEN WORRYING ABOUT THAT AND LOSING SLEEP, THINKING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING. 
          MORE UNEXCUSABLE IS THAT WHEN THE CHILD HAS TO TALK TO THE ADULTS THROUGH THE WINDOW, BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY THERE TO HELP THE PARENT. AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF LANGUAGES, BUT WHEN IT'S A BILINGUAL CAMPUS, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE STAFFING IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS. SO I STILL MY MY SPREADSHEET IS MISSING SOME THINGS. I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR HOW MANY OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS OF TODAY, WHICH I HAVE ON MY SHEET, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY ZONED TO THE SCHOOL? HOW MANY ARE NON ZONED? HOW MANY ARE NON ZONED SPECIAL STUDENTS, AND HOW MANY OF THOSE SPECIAL POP STUDENTS ARE MOVING. AND SO I KNOW THAT'S A BIG ASK. BUT I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR EVERY BOARD MEMBER TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IN SOME CASES ONE OF MY ISSUES IS WHILE SOME KIDS MAY BE MOVING TO A SCHOOL WITH A BETTER FCI, AND THERE MAY BE BETTER ADEQUACY BECAUSE IT'S A NEW BUILDING, I DON'T THINK SOME OF OUR SPECIAL POPS SHOULDN'T GET TO MOVE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE NEW BUILDINGS, AND THEY'RE MOVED TO A BUILDING WITH A MAYBE A LOWER FCI THAN THE ONE THEY'RE EVEN IN. SO THERE'S JUST SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND. I STILL AND I'VE HEARD THAT MAYBE YOU CAN'T DO THIS. I HAVE THE NUMBER ON MY SHEET OF THE THE CLOSURES AND HOW MANY STUDENTS. THEY'RE PORTABLE BUILDINGS. HUNTER'S GLEN HAS A CAPACITY OF 176 AND PORTABLE BUILDINGS. BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY OF THESE CAMPUSES THAT ARE GOING TO GO ABOVE, LIKE 95%. REALLY, TRULY, HOW MANY OF THOSE KIDS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LAND IN PORTABLES? AND IF THEY'RE NOT, IS IT BECAUSE THERE'S A SPECIAL POPULATION AND WE'RE SENDING THOSE KIDS SOMEWHERE ELSE? SO I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT. AND SO, MISS HELLINGER, I KNOW YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE BEING A MICROPHONE HOG, BUT I'M GOING TO JUST KIND OF DO THE SAME. SINCE I HAVE THE FLOOR. I WANT TO ASK DOCTOR SMITH WHEN WE CLOSED, AND IT WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION TO CLOSE BLUE RIDGE ELEMENTARY. THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1969. IT MADE IT EASIER BECAUSE THEY GOT A BRAND NEW, BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT THEY MOVED IN WITH BRIARGATE INTO ALDRIDGE. THE SAME WITH MISSION GLEN AND MISSION BEND. BUT WHAT WE DID FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES IS WE HAD CONVERSATIONS BEFORE THE FACT, AND THEY ALL GOT TO GO SEE IF THEY WERE GOING TO GO INTO ALDRIDGE. THEY GOT TO GO SEE WHAT LAKEVIEW LOOKED LIKE. IF THEY WERE GOING TO GO INTO MAYBE DO I HAVE THOSE BACKWARDS? IF THEY WERE GOING TO GO INTO MISSION, THEY GOT TO GO SEE WHAT NEIL LOOKED LIKE. SO MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW THIS. THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND THAT'S WHY I'M TAKING SO LONG. BECAUSE NOW THE CLOCK IS COMING TO AN END, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE SOME PARENTS MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE THE RECEIVING SCHOOL WHERE THEY'RE GOING? I KNOW THAT'S A HUGE ASK. 
          STAFF IS THAT'S PART OF OUR IMPLEMENTATION AND SUPPORT PLAN, WHETHER IT BE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE CHANGES MAY BE, THE DEPARTMENT OF DSL IS WORKING WITH THEIR PRINCIPALS TO SCHEDULE YOU SAW ON THE DATA. PEOPLE WANT THOSE MEET AND GREETS. AND TO THAT BEFORE THE VOTE OR AFTER THE FACT. THAT WOULD BE AFTER THE FACT. ONCE 
          [01:50:06]
PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY WOULD BE GOING, SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT SCHOOL TO, TO BE ABLE TO VISIT. YES, MA'AM. AND AND SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S THAT'S A HARD ASK, BUT I DO YOU KNOW, I AND YOU KNOW LIKE IT MAY SWING SOME PARENTS WHO FELT NEUTRAL TO ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BECAUSE NEUTRAL IS ALSO I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. RIGHT. 
          AND SO. LET'S SEE. WHAT ARE MY OTHERS? OH, OKAY. DOCTOR SMITH, THIS ONE IS A HARD ONE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IN ALL OF MY EMAILS, I'M STILL SAYING THE POTENTIAL BOUNDARY CHANGES, RIGHT? I'M SAYING THE POTENTIAL CLOSER, THE POTENTIAL. WHEN WILL THE BOARD BE GETTING A FINAL RECOMMENDATION? IS THAT NOT UNTIL THE DAY WE VOTE OR WHEN MIGHT WE, YOU KNOW, BASED ON SOME ADJUSTMENTS OR SOME INFORMATION THAT WE'RE WAS BEING CHECKED OUT BASED ON THOSE 152 THINGS THAT WERE GIVEN TO YOU FROM THE SURVEY. SO WE HAVE TWO BOARD MEETINGS LEFT. WE'VE GOT THE 23RD AND WE'VE GOT IS IT WHAT'S THE DATE? THE NINTH? MARCH, THE NINTH. 
          RIGHT. SO THE PLAN IS TO BRING THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD ON MARCH 9TH, BUT ON THE. OKAY, 23RD AS AN INFORMATION ITEM. YES. I WAS ABOUT TO GO THERE. SO IF YOU PUT THE TIMELINE BACK UP THERE, YOU'LL SEE WHERE I'M GOING. BUT ON MARCH 9TH, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE DEDICATED. BUT ON THE 23RD, AS BETH WAS STATING, WILL BE PROVIDING ALL THE DETAILS AND ALL THE INFORMATION SO THAT THE BOARD CAN BE READY TO MAKE A DECISION. OKAY, SO THAT WILL BE THAT WILL BE ON THE 23RD. CORRECT. THAT WILL BE A IT MAY IT MAY BE STATUS QUO. IT MAY BE JUST LIKE IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO US BEFORE OR IT MAY CHANGE. IT COULD ALL OF THE ABOVE. YES IT COULD. OKAY. 
          DEPENDING UPON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. OKAY. SO THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS, FOR THE INFORMATION YOU GAVE EARLIER AT THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING. AND THANK YOU, MISS THOMSON, FOR ALLOWING ME TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. YES. THANK YOU, MISS HANNAN. MR. SHOAFF. OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES SPEND MORE THAN 90% OF THE OTHER AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES TO LIVE AND OPERATE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SEND THEIR KIDS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE ARE IN THE TOP 18TH HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX COUNTIES IN THE NATION. AND I'M GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DAD PERSPECTIVE ON THIS. I RAN FOR THE SEAT ON A POLICEMAN SALARY ON THE BASIS OF MISTRUST FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, FOR ALL OF YOU FOLKS. AND IN MY ALMOST TWO YEARS ON THIS BOARD, NOT ONE OF Y'ALL HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE ANY OF MY CONCERNS AND ANY OF THE BASES. AS YOU GUYS ALL HEARD THE SPEECH, YOU GUYS ALL WATCHED THE FORUMS AND NOW HERE WE ARE. NONE OF YOU GUYS REACHED OUT TO ME. BUT YOU KNOW WHO DOES REACH OUT TO ME IS THE PARENTS OF THESE 246 STUDENTS AT MADDEN, THESE PARENTS FROM SUGAR MILL ELEMENTARY AND. 
          WE'RE ALL ALL OF US PARENTS ARE HERE IN FORT BEND COUNTY TRYING TO GIVE OUR KIDS THE BEST LIVES AND THE BEST EDUCATION, THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME POST EDUCATION THAT WE CAN. AND A LOT OF THESE PARENTS ARE RUNNING THEMSELVES BROKE TO LIVE HERE. AND. A LOT OF THESE PARENTS FEEL LIKE THIS WAS JUST A BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS TO SAY THAT WE LISTEN TO WHAT THEY WERE SAYING WHEN THE DECISIONS ALREADY MADE. AND IT'S IT'S JUST VERY CONCERNING. IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING. AND EVEN ME, I FEEL LIKE I JUST SAT THROUGH A 40 MINUTE PRESENTATION AND DIDN'T AND NOTHING WAS SAID. SO BEING PARENTS ARE MOVING HERE. TO HAVE THE BEST EDUCATION AND PAYING FOR IT TO THE RATE OF THE WHAT NUMBER? 14TH HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX. I PAY $1,000 A MONTH IN PROPERTY TAXES TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY, LIVE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND WE MISSED 
          [01:55:04]
THE MARK AND THIS SURVEY. I'M SORRY, BUT THAT GRAY AREA, I'M NOT BUYING IT. I'M I BELIEVE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THAT GRAY AREA IN THAT SURVEY WERE FOLKS WHO JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION TO SAY YES OR NO. SO THANK YOU. NO, NO. GO AHEAD. SO THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK. I WOULD JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE. WE'VE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO PROVIDE THE BOARD, ALL BOARD MEMBERS, WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THE INFORMATION. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL ROUNDS OF REVIEW OF THE SURVEY. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THE REVIEW OF ALL OF THE BOUNDARY CHANGES OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND EVERY TRUSTEE WAS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. I'VE HAD MULTIPLE ONE ON ONES WITH INVITED EVERY TRUSTEE SO THAT IT WOULD GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY AND PROVIDE INFORMATION. AND SO JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE EXTENDED TO ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR TRUSTEES. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH, MISS TERRANA. I WAS GOING TO START OUT SAYING SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT, BUT. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR BEING SUPER FORTHCOMING WITH THE INFORMATION. I'M A BRAND NEW TRUSTEE. JUST GOT ELECTED IN MAY, LAST MAY. AND I'LL TELL YOU, BEFORE I CAME ON, I HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS. I THINK, THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD ABOUT COMMUNICATION, ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. AND I WILL TELL YOU, I AM SO PLEASANTLY, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO SEE THAT THERE'S FORTHCOMING FROM YOU, FROM FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. I HAVE DONE MY BEST TO SIT IN EVERY SINGLE MEETING THAT HAS BEEN CALLED FOR TRUSTEES, AND I'VE ALSO DONE MY BEST TO BE AS SUPPORTIVE OF THE ADMINISTRATION. BUT I, I APPRECIATE WHEN THERE'S DISAGREEMENT THAT WE TALK ABOUT RESPECTFULLY, YOU KNOW, AND WE COME TO AN AGREEMENT, WE AGREE TO DISAGREE. AND I THINK IT'S GREAT. AND I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T PUT ANY OF THE OTHER TRUSTEES IN A DIFFICULT POSITION. HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK I FIND THE COMMENTS THAT WERE JUST MADE VERY DIFFICULT TO SORT OF ABSORB BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN THE TRUSTEE MEETINGS, AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHO COMES AND WHO DOESN'T COME. SO I THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO PUT YOU AND THE ADMINISTRATION IN THAT POSITION OF SAYING THAT THE COMMUNICATION OR THE TRANSPARENCY ISN'T THERE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S BLATANTLY INCORRECT. AT LEAST I WILL SAY, AND I CAN SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GIVE US, FOR ALL THE EFFORTS THAT YOUR ADMINISTRATION MAKES BEHIND THE SCENES, TO HAVE SO MANY MEETINGS THAT WE ALL ARE INVOLVED WITH TO GET US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED. AND GOD KNOWS, WE ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS BEHIND THE SCENES. AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE WEEKLY UPDATES THAT YOU PROVIDE TO US, WHICH COME WITH SO MANY ANSWERS AND SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED AND THEN ANSWERED. SO THANK YOU FOR TO YOU AND TO YOUR STAFF AND TO THE ADMINISTRATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHAT PARENTS WANT AT THE END OF THE DAY IS STUDENT OUTCOMES, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. AND THAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL FOR US AS TRUSTEES AND I AND FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND FOR THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE. THAT DOES NOT COME BY RUNNING EMPTY BUILDINGS OR BUILDINGS THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED. ANY KIND OF DATA THAT WE PICK UP DOESN'T MATTER WHERE WE CAN GOOGLE IT. WE CAN LOOK AT ALL KINDS OF DATA THAT IS PUT OUT. IT IS NOT. IT IS MUCH HARDER TO ACHIEVE STUDENT OUTCOMES WHEN WE HAVE BUILDINGS THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED. AND BECAUSE WE CAN'T PUT IN PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVELY AT THE SAME COST. AND SO TEACHERS AND STAFF WANT RAISES, WE WANT TO DO THAT. YES AND YES, WE WANT STUDENT OUTCOMES, BUT WE CAN'T DO BOTH IF WE CONTINUE TO RUN THESE SCHOOLS UNDERUTILIZED. IT WAS A VERY EASY DECISION THAT WASN'T ON THE BOARD. I KNOW, BUT I UNDERSTAND FROM THE TRUSTEES WHEN IT CAME TO ALDRIDGE OR IT CAME TO MISSION BECAUSE IT WAS TWO COMMUNITIES COMING TOGETHER, GOING TO THE SAME SCHOOL, AND THEY'RE GOING TO A BRAND NEW SCHOOL. I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE A NO BRAINER. ALMOST. RIGHT. THIS IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL. WE'RE ACTUALLY THAT ONE COMMUNITY IS BEING DIVIDED INTO MULTIPLE AND 
          [02:00:03]
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. YES. IT'S IT'S IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. AND IT'S COME FROM, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T ON THE BOARD, BUT I OWN EVERY SINGLE DECISION THAT THE PAST BOARDS HAVE MADE, THAT THE PAST ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE MAY HAVE MOVED FORWARD WITH. BECAUSE TODAY I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO RIGHT AND AND THAT RIGHT IS GOING TO COME FROM LOOKING AT, AT THE BUILDINGS, AT LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE SAVE MONEY. AND I THINK WE HAD ONE OF THE SPEAKERS REFERRED TO THE GIBSON AUDIT. IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SAVINGS THERE WHEN WE CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS AND AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAD SAVINGS FROM ALDRIDGE. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD SAVINGS FROM MISSION AND WE SHOULD PUT THAT OUT FORTH. IF WE'VE HAD ONE YEAR OR WHATEVER, WE EXPECT TO GET IT WITH THE WITH WITH THE WITH THE STAFF THAT WAS MERGED TOGETHER. YEAH, I, I, I THINK MY QUESTION INITIALLY WHEN I HAD HIT LIKE THE REQUEST WAS REALLY FOR MISS WILLIS, THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS WHEN SBAC GOT TOGETHER, I'M SURE IT WAS IT WAS PUT FORTH WHY WHY SBAC WAS BEING DIRECTED BY THE BOARD OR LIKE OR BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO LOOK AT THIS PROCESS OF CONSOLIDATING SCHOOLS OR LOOKING AT THE BOUNDARIES AND SEEING WHERE THE CONSOLIDATIONS, YOU KNOW, COULD HAPPEN, THE APPETITE THAT, I MEAN, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT AS PAT UNDERSTOOD WHY THEY'RE PUT IN PLACE FOR THAT IS THE APPETITE AND THE SENTIMENT STILL THERE FOR US BACK AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, OUTSIDE OF THE FACT THAT NOT MY SCHOOL OR NOT, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS NOT THEIR SCHOOL, WOULD THEY STILL BE ON THE SAME PAGE OF, YES, WE NEED CONSOLIDATION IN THIS DISTRICT? I'D SAY YES. THAT HASN'T BEEN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT'S COME BACK TO SAY, DON'T DO THIS. WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE. THE QUESTION ENDS UP GOING BACK TO THIS SCHOOL OR THAT SCHOOL OR LOOKING AT THAT. IT HASN'T BEEN THAT WE DON'T NEED TO DO THIS AND THAT. FORT BEND ISD ISN'T IN NEED OF CONSOLIDATING SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF UNDER-UTILIZATION OR BECAUSE OF FINANCE, WHICH THE CFO CAME AND TALKED TO US ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AS WELL. IT WAS THE FEEDBACK THAT CAME BACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE STRONG SUPPORT OF THE ONES THAT WERE EXTREMELY PASSIONATE. IT WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE SCHOOLS. THAT'S WHERE THE DISCONNECT CAME IN IN THE LATER MEETINGS. 
          YEAH, AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. I MEAN, I'VE MOVED COUNTRIES, I'VE MOVED STATES, I MOVED CITIES, I'VE MOVED SCHOOLS. I HAVE A TWIN BROTHER. WE ALL DEAL WITH CHANGE DIFFERENTLY. I DEAL WITH DIFFERENTLY, YOU KNOW, SO EVERY KID IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY PARENT IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. AND BECAUSE CHANGE IS NOT EASY FOR ANYONE, IT'S THE HARDEST THING THAT ANY, ANY OF US CAN ACTUALLY IT'S HARD, I MEAN, AND DOES IT MAKE US RESILIENT AT THE END? YES IT DOES, BUT IN THE MOMENT IT'S THE HARDEST THING TO DO. SO THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOUR COMMITTEE DOES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. IT'S HARD WORK. THANK YOU. 
          MISS, MISS VICKI. MISS WILLIS AND THE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HOURS. I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION FOR YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO, SO VERY MUCH. AND TO ALL THE PARENTS THAT WERE HERE TONIGHT AND EMAILING AND THOSE WHO CAN'T COME OUT TONIGHT THAT I KNOW ARE HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. THANK YOU FOR THE HOURS AND THE HEARTACHE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS DOCTOR SMITH AND TEAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE SURVEY RESULTS OR THE THE DASHBOARD. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE COMMUNITIES TO SEE IT. THANK YOU. I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH THOSE SMALL GROUP BOARD MEETINGS IS VERY I APPRECIATE IT AS A FULL I HAVE A FULL TIME PAID GIG OUTSIDE OF THIS, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING FLEXIBLE SO THAT I CAN GET THE INFORMATION, JUST LIKE EVERY BOARD MEMBER, OTHER TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AHEAD OF TIME. SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS STILL, AND EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I MAY ASK SOMETHING THAT I FORGOT THE ANSWER TO IN THE UPDATE, BUT AND I THINK AND I THINK TRUSTEE HEYLIGER AND HANNON ASKED A COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD TOO. I THINK THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD PLANNED, BUT I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE CURRICULUM REMAINING THE SAME IF IT MOVES FROM SCHOOL, IF YOU MOVE SCHOOLS, BUT IF STUDENTS ARE IN A SCHOOL THAT GOES FROM, LET'S SAY, 70% CAPACITY TO 90% CAPACITY, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT ACTUAL LEARNING OUTCOMES? AND WHAT IS THE WHAT DO BEST PRACTICES SAY ABOUT THAT? I DON'T HAVE AN EDUCATION BACKGROUND, SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING GENUINELY, AS DOCTOR JORDAN IS COMING UP, I'LL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE ARE BOUND AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. WE DON'T GO ABOVE 22 IN A CLASSROOM. AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE DATA AND HEARING FROM PARENTS AND IN OUR SOME OF OUR UNDERUTILIZED CAMPUSES, WE HAVE MUCH SMALLER STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIOS. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S 
          [02:05:04]
THAT'S NOT A SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE. AND AND WHILE IT MIGHT BE ENJOYED AND IT IS I KNOW THAT IT IS. THERE'S A WAY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND EVEN HAVE A GREATER IMPACT. I'M GOING TO LET DOCTOR JORDAN, OF COURSE, DIDN'T TAKE HER THAT LONG TO GET UP HERE. HERE YOU GO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. SO WILL YOU TELL ME A LITTLE MORE? WHAT DOES IT WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON STUDENT OUTCOMES? RIGHT. HOW DOES IT AFFECT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THOSE CAMPUSES THAT DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OR THAT LET'S JUST SAY THEY'RE 60, 70%, WHATEVER THEY DO HAVE SMALLER CLASSROOMS THAN WE EVEN HAVE A SET. BUT HOW DOES THAT GOING TO POTENTIALLY IMPACT THOSE CHILDREN GOING FROM THAT 15, 16 TO 22 OR EVEN I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE WAIVERS FOR, YOU KNOW, IF THEY GO OVER 22. I KNOW RIGHT NOW QUAIL VALLEY ELEMENTARY HAS THAT FOR THEIR FIFTH GRADE BECAUSE OF A PLAN AN AN ABSENCE FROM A TEACHER. SO HOW DO WHAT I JUST DON'T KNOW. WHAT DO THE BEST PRACTICES SAY WHEN THEY GO TO THAT? SO WE DO HAVE CAMPUSES THAT HAVE SUBMITTED OR WE HAVE SUBMITTED A WAIVER ON THEIR BEHALF. WHAT I CAN GET FOR YOU IN AN UPDATE IS SPECIFICALLY EVERY SINGLE CAMPUS. HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY SITTING IN THAT CLASSROOM SO THAT WE COULD LOOK AT NUMBERS? IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO STAND HERE AND SAY, EVERY SINGLE CAMPUS THAT'S UNDERUTILIZED IS SITTING WITH A 1 TO 12. SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES THAT ARE BELOW UTILIZATION STILL HAVE 22 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION TO YOU. WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE INSTRUCT WITH THE 22 TO 1. AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT OUR RATIO THAT STUDENTS IN A CLASS WITH 22 TO 1 DO ACHIEVE AND THEY HAVE HIGHER OUTCOMES. BUT I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU FALSE INFORMATION. I CAN PROVIDE THAT IN A BOARD UPDATE THIS WEEK SO THAT WE COULD LOOK AT EVERY CAMPUS AND WE CAN SEE THEIR CURRENT NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THE CLASS. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN IF AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD ASKED, LIKE I SAID, AND I DIDN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT ANSWER IN THAT UPDATE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT LEARNING OUTCOMES AS MUCH AS IF AN ELEMENTARY IS REZONED. ARE THEY AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO FOLLOW THE SECONDARY FEEDER PATTERN, OR IS IT POSSIBLE THEY'LL GO TO THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL THAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY ZONED TO? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION JORDAN. THANK YOU, DOCTOR JORDAN. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND PART OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND WORKING WITH THE SBAC FOR THAT, THAT FEEDBACK TO DETERMINE. I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD THIS EVENING WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS, SOME AREAS THAT IF IF REZONED TO A PARTICULAR AREA, IT APPEARS GEOGRAPHICALLY THEY ARE, BUT WE ARE NOT CHANGING ANY HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AREAS FOR THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE WORK. IF THEY DID CHANGE THAT, WE WOULD BE REVIEWING THAT IN IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY. SO IS THERE ANY WAY THAT AND I'M JUST ASKING THIS BECAUSE I THINK PARENTS ARE ASKING IT. IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN PAUSE THE VOTE ON THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUSES UNTIL WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE SECONDARY ONE DONE? DOESN'T MEAN THAT WORK IS NOT DONE IN VAIN, BUT JUST TO TO SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE ANSWERS TO. AND THAT MIGHT BE MORE OF A PRESIDENT HASSAN OR YES, THAT WOULD BE DIRECTION I'D HAVE TO TAKE FROM THE BOARD. OKAY. AND MY FINAL QUESTION IS BECAUSE LIKE AS AS TRUSTEE HANNAN SAID, WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE WIRE NOW. SO LET'S GET THESE QUESTIONS OUT THERE. DO WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL SEVEN CLOSURES FOR VOTING AS ONE PACKAGE, OR CAN THEY BE VOTED SEPARATELY. AND THEN I THINK I'M DONE. SO THAT'S A ME QUESTION THAT'S BUILDING THE AGENDA. AND I THINK THAT THE SBAC AND THE IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE SBAC AND THE ADMINISTRATION IS MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION. AND SO FAR THEY HAVE MADE THEM INTO AREAS. SO THAT IS MORE THAN LIKELY HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTED ON THE AGENDA. AND ONCE WE GET THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THEN WE'LL WE'LL DETERMINE HOW THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE BUILT. OKAY. SO THAT'S AN NORTHWEST AND A SOUTHEAST. IS IT POSSIBLE TO VOTE SEPARATE BECAUSE ONE I MEAN IT IMPACTS EACH SCHOOL ZONE, IMPACTS EVERY OTHER SCHOOL ZONE. SO YEAH OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS HOLLINGER. OKAY I JUST WANTED TO. MY MY FELLOW TRUSTEE YOU YOU SHARED A LOT OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT I SHARED. I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT DOCTOR SMITH AND THE COMMITTEE FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, ASK QUESTIONS, LOOK AT DATA, COME BACK. I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE 
          [02:10:03]
ON THIS BOARD BECAUSE I TRULY DON'T SPEAK TO PEOPLE AFTER THIS MEETING OR OUR SMALL BUSINESS MEETINGS, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DECISIONS THAT I MAKE, I CAN SLEEP WITH. RIGHT. AND THAT I'M DOING THIS FOR ALL THE KIDS IN THE DISTRICT. AND SO I HAVE NOT MADE MY DECISION. LET ME BE REAL CLEAR WITH THAT. SO TO I HAVEN'T. SO DON'T COUNT MY VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, OKAY. FOR ANYBODY OUT HERE OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S REALLY, REALLY CLEAR BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I LIKE, SOME THINGS I DON'T LIKE, EVERY MEETING, EVERYTHING THAT'S NET NEW THAT I HAVEN'T LEARNED. I'M RIGHT. 
          I'M YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T HEARD I'M WRITING A NOTE TO ASK THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. 
          WHAT'S THE SENTIMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY? HOW ARE WE FEELING ABOUT IT? WHAT'S THE IMPACT? YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD ME SAY THAT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE OF THE THINGS I DO REMEMBER BACK IN, I THINK IT WAS 2015 KNOCKING ON DOORS, ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE DISTRICT. WHAT I HEARD WAS PARENTS THAT WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION. IT'S JUST NOT ONE SIDE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE EDUCATION. IT'S EVERY PARENT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU LIVE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR ECONOMIC, SOCIO ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, WANTS THE BEST FOR THEIR KIDS. AND BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SHOW UP IN THIS MEETING OR NOT, DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY DON'T CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT REALLY, REALLY CLEAR OUT HERE. AND SO THAT WAS EVIDENT WHAT I, WHAT I THOUGHT. BUT IT WAS WHEN YOU KNOCK ON DOORS AND YOU TALK TO PARENTS AND SAY, HEY, I'M WORKING SECOND SHIFT, I'M WORKING THIRD SHIFT, YOU KNOW, I'M A SINGLE PARENT. YOU KNOW, THEY WANT THE SAME THING THAT ALL OF US WANT FOR OUR KIDS. ME PERSONALLY, MY LATE SON, I MOVED HIM SEVERAL TIMES. I MEAN, BECAUSE HE NEEDED IT, RIGHT? AND I NEEDED TO PUT HIM IN WHERE? A SCHOOL WHERE I FELT LIKE HE COULD THRIVE. AND SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS WERE NOT THE A RATED SCHOOL, BUT THEY HAD THE BEST PROGRAM AND HAD THE BEST ACADEMIC IN A SENSE OF THE NEED TO SUPPORT MY CHILD. AND SO I DID MOVE HIM. YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE ASK ME WHY, YOU KNOW, YOUR KID OVER THERE. WELL, YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE I KNEW THAT PRINCIPAL. I KNEW THOSE TEACHERS WHEN I SAT IN THE CLASSROOM BEHIND MY SON TO MAKE SURE HE WAS GOING TO CLASS. I KNEW THAT THEY HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF OF THE STUDENTS IN THAT CLASSROOM. SO I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF SAY THAT. YEAH. SO REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU'RE FROM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I THINK TO ME IT'S. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ASK THE QUESTION AROUND, DOES THE DISTRICT HAVE TO CLOSE ALL THE SCHOOLS AT ONCE VERSUS NOT? THAT'S A HARD QUESTION. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROS AND CONS TO ALL OF IT. IT'S YOU YOU KNOW, THE PERCEPTION IS ONE THING, RIGHT? IF WE CHOOSE TO CLOSE ONE SCHOOL AND NOT THE OTHER WAS BECAUSE I DIDN'T SHOW UP IN MY T SHIRT. OR I, YOU KNOW, OR DID YOU, DID YOU CLOSE MY SCHOOL BECAUSE SOMEBODY MADE ME UPSET THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. 
          AND I DON'T WANT THAT. I DO NOT WANT THAT. THIS IS SO HARD. I'M MADAM PRESIDENT. I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, IT'S YOUR CHOICE. THESE ARE SOME OF THE THOUGHT PROCESSES THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE PARENTS OF. HOW DO WE REALLY DO THIS EFFECTIVELY? THERE IS NO IT REALLY IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER. IT'S MAKING A DECISION BASED ON THE FACTS THAT WE KNOW. 
          AND WHEN I MAKE THAT DECISION, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T, IT WILL BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S THE BEST DECISION THAT I CAN MAKE WITH THE DATA THAT I HAVE, WHETHER I GO ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AND SO. IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN THREATENED. I'VE BEEN THREATENED BOTH WAYS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT I WON'T VOTE FOR YOU OR I WILL NOT VOTE FOR YOU, WHETHER OR NOT YOU KEEP THE SCHOOLS OPEN, WHETHER YOU CLOSE THE SCHOOLS. AND I DIDN'T GET INTO PUBLIC SERVICE. 
          TO LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY, SHIRLEY CHISHOLM, SINCE IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH, SHIRLEY CHISHOLM SAYS SHE WAS UNBOUGHT. AND UNBOSSED, AND THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS. SO AS A CHRISTIAN WOMAN. LOOKING AT THIS DATA, WHEN I MAKE THAT DECISION, VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IT'S NOT BECAUSE SOMEBODY SPAT IN MY POCKET. SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY DANGLING SOMETHING OVER ME POLITICALLY. IT'S BECAUSE THE NEXT MORNING I WANT TO BE ABLE TO WAKE UP WITH 
          [02:15:06]
A CLEAR MIND. AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SHARE THAT. I'VE GOT MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL SEND SOME INTO DOCTOR SMITH. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS IS I, I HEAR I HAVE MY QUESTIONS PRIOR TO, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THESE PEOPLE SAY. AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THE WHAT THE PRESENTATIONS ARE GOING TO TELL ME TO REALLY MAKE SURE I'M HAVING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS FOR THE FOR THE EVENING. SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO HUG A LITTLE BIT ON THE MIC. THANKS. 
          THANK YOU, MISS DOCTOR GILLIAM. THANK YOU. THE FIRST THING I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT ARE THE EXPERTS. I LIKE TO LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS, THE FOLKS THAT ARE REALLY IN THE WORK, AND WE HAVE SUCH BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE THAT GO BACK ONE TIME, TWO TIMES, THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES, TEN TIMES, TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT AS A BOARD. I ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE EXPERTS SO I CAN AT LEAST LISTEN TO THAT PART OF IT. BUT LISTENING TO MOMS AND DADS, THAT THAT HURTS MY HEART. AND I'M GETTING OLDER, Y'ALL. I MEAN, I'M READY TO DROP SOME TEARS LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS. BUT WHEN THE BABIES COME LISTENING TO THE KIDS, MY HEART BREAKS BECAUSE I'M LIKE, OH MY GOSH, WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO? WE CAN LISTEN TO WHAT IS GOING TO BE BEST, AND THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE BEST FOR OUR KIDS. AND SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW WHAT BEST IS. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SO MANY MEETINGS SO THAT WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT WILL BE THE BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN. AND IT'S IT'S TOUGH. I'M AN EDUCATOR, SO I'M LIKE, WE JUST WE DO KIDS FIRST. WE DO CHILDREN FIRST. WE WE MAKE SURE. THEN IT GOES INTO THE TEACHERS AND EVERYONE IS WORKING WITH KIDS. AND BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT AS WE SIT UP HERE, IT'S AND THERE'S JUST SO MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, WE WE CAN'T DO A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GO OVER THREE OR WHAT HAVE YOU. BUT SOMETIMES IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, ME TALKING TO MY HUSBAND. LUCKILY HE'LL LISTEN AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN SOMETIMES I ASK HIM, WHAT DID I JUST SEE? OKAY, BABY, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW. AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, IT'S NOT THAT YOU DIDN'T LISTEN. AND NOW YOU MADE ME MAD. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I SAID THAT. I JUST SAID THAT SO THAT YOU ALL CAN SMILE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SMILING A WHOLE LOT. BUT LISTENING TO KIDS BREAKS MY HEART. SO IT'S LIKE, THEN I'M LIKE, DANG, WHAT CAN I DO? WHAT CAN I SAY? HOW CAN I DO WHAT? BECAUSE I'M A FIGHTER FOR KIDS. BOY, IF I HAD MY WAY ANYWAY, LET ME GET OFF OF THAT. LET ME GO ON INTO AND IT'S NOT OFF OF THAT. THAT'S THAT'S MY REAL FEELINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND DITTO ON TRUSTEE OFF.SHE. YOUR WORDS, I KIND OF GOT A LITTLE JEALOUS BECAUSE I'M LIKE, DANG, THAT'S GOOD. SO BUT IT'S NOT JUST GOOD, IT'S IT'S WHAT REALLY IS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE FUN OF THAT BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS EASY ABOUT THIS. THERE IS NOTHING. THIS IS HARD WORK. SOME FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY AND SOME FOLKS WILL NOT BE HAPPY. BOTTOM LINE CHANGE IS DIFFICULT. AND IT'S HARD. AND THE LAST THING I, I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S A MATTER OF HOWEVER I CHOOSE AND I HAVE NOT CHOSEN YET. IT'S A MATTER OF WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR CHILDREN WHEN WE STEP AWAY. BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT JUST TO SAY SOMETHING, BECAUSE THESE KIDS, THE CHILDREN, THEY'RE NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING ABLE TO SHARE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR GILLIAM, MISS HANNAN, SO THANK YOU FOR LOOPING BACK TO ME. I, I WANT TO. TRUSTEE SHARON WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE STAFF HAS DEVOTED TO GIVING US, THE ONES OF US WHO'VE CHOSEN TO ATTEND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE CONSISTENT SMALL GROUPS. Y'ALL. 
          [02:20:05]
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVERYBODY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A TOUGH CUSTOMER I AM. AND I KNOW I'M A REALLY TOUGH CUSTOMER. SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY YOU GIVE ME AND THE PLATFORM YOU GIVE ME TO FEEL SAFE AND BEING VERY DIRECT IN THOSE MEETINGS. AND THAT TIME IS VALUABLE. AND I THINK IF WE CALCULATED ALL THE TIME OF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ATTENDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE IN COMPETITION WITH THE SBA. IF YOU PUT US COLLECTIVELY HOW MANY HOURS WE'VE PUT INTO THIS, AND PROBABLY IF YOU CALCULATED HOW MANY HOURS I JUST LOSE SLEEP AT NIGHT, I MIGHT BE IN COMPETITION MYSELF. BUT I WANTED TO. GO BACK TO MISS TRUSTEE VICKI'S COMMENT THAT SHE'S NOT AN EDUCATOR, AND SHE WAS ASKING SOME PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM. AND EVEN THOUGH I AM AN EDUCATOR, THIS IS THIS. 
          THERE'S STILL I CAN'T EVEN WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THIS. BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO BRING ATTENTION, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE EFFICIENCIES OF THE BRICK BUILDINGS THAT MAKE THIS SO HARD. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE A CERTAIN STUDENT STUDENT TEACHER RATIO. SO NO MATTER HOW MANY KIDS WE PUT IN A BUILDING, WE GOT TO HAVE THE PORTABLES. IF THEY DON'T FIT IN THERE. RIGHT? BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A FIRST GRADE CLASS WITH 30 OR 1 TO 30, WE HAVE TO HAVE A WAIVER. AND I HATE TO SEE THAT WAIVER. AND OUR WAIVERS HAVE GONE DOWN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD. SO I WANT TO CONTINUE THAT TRAJECTORY. BUT FOR THE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE OR THIS BOARD, I WANT WHEN WHEN THE VOTE COMES TO US AND I, I MY PREFERENCE I, I DON'T I KNOW I DON'T GET A SAY BUT DON'T GIVE ME JUST TWO TWO CHOICES BECAUSE THAT'S TOO HARD THAT THAT VOTES TOO HARD FOR ME TO DOING IT BY. WELL, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND THE. AND SO AND SO I VERY WELL MAY HAVE TO DO SOME AMENDING SOME MOTIONS. SO I YOU KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL GET SECONDS ON THOSE, BUT BUT WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF OUR, OUR SCHOOLS, AND I HAVE TO SAY, I WANT EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS TO REMEMBER THE DATA THAT DOCTOR SMITH AND HIS STAFF HAVE BROUGHT TO US AND THE TRAJECTORY OF MOVING US FORWARD IN ACADEMIC OUTCOME HAS TAKEN A LOT OF HARD WORK. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW OUR KIDS HAVE PROGRESSED THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE AREN'T MANY THAT HAVE GONE BACKWARDS. RIGHT? AND SO I, I HAVE I JUST HAVE A DEEP CONCERN BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S EFFICIENCY IS NOT ALWAYS EQUAL TO EFFECTIVENESS. AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF OUR NUMBERS AND THAT'S WHY I ASK ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS, RIGHT. OUR OUR SPED NUMBERS ARE INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY EVERY YEAR. AND SO, YOU KNOW, SO IF WE HAVE A CAMPUS NOW THAT HAS 430 AND THEY'RE GOING TO DOUBLE THAT OR MORE, BUT THEY'RE STILL ONLY GOING TO HAVE ONE AP AND ONE ONE PRINCIPAL AND ONE COUNSELOR. BUT THINK OF HOW MANY MORE ARDS THEY HAVE. THINK ABOUT HOW MANY MORE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY COMMITTEES THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE THE GT TESTING INCREASES. RIGHT. AND SO IF YOU'RE AT 999 STUDENTS AND YOU HAVE ONE COUNSELOR FOR THOSE 999 STUDENTS, HOW EFFECTIVE CAN THAT COUNSELOR BE? ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT COUNSELOR MAY HAVE STUDENTS ABOVE THE STUDENT POPULATION COULD POSSIBLY BE ABOVE 95% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ON TOP OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS. AND SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT I'M REALLY NOT SAYING I, I HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT WE'RE VEERING OFF OF OUR AGENDA, SO WE HAVE TO STICK CLOSE TO OUR BOUNDARY DISCUSSION. OKAY. WELL, IT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BOUNDARY BECAUSE THOSE ARE KIDS. AND IT'S NOT JUST ME. I'M SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE YOU'RE GETTING OFF TOPIC. OKAY, I GOT YOU. ANYWAY, MY POINT FOR THE NON FOR THE PEOPLE ON HERE BECAUSE I'M NOT A FINANCE PERSON. RIGHT. I WOULD JUST SAY, REMEMBER THINKING ABOUT. THE EFFECTIVENESS, NOT JUST THE EFFICIENCY OF HOW MANY KIDS ARE SITTING IN A BUILDING. THANK YOU, MISS DAWSON. THANK YOU, MISS HANNAH. MISS TANYA. YEAH. 
          I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS, I THINK A QUESTION THAT TRUSTEE WIERZBICKA HAD MENTIONED IS, CAN WE WAIT AND DO ALL OF THIS TOGETHER? RIGHT. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT ONE GROUP OF PARENTS THAT ARE GOING TO GO TO HOLLY AND IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT FEEDER PATTERN, AND 
          [02:25:04]
THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL? ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE GOING TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WE WERE ZONED TO PREVIOUSLY, OR ARE WE NOW IN A DIFFERENT. SO I KNOW THAT THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT AND I THINK I'D ASK THAT IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR LIKE, HEY, I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING ALL THIS TOGETHER. WOULD IT MADE SENSE. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES, LOGISTICS OR WHATEVER. I MEAN, GOSH, IF WE WERE DOING ALL THREE OF THESE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, I THINK WE'D BE SITTING HERE LONGER BECAUSE WE'D HAVE A LOT MORE PARENTS OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE WE'D HAVE A LOT MORE SCHOOLS TO BE TALKING ABOUT. RIGHT. SO WHILE I APPRECIATE I KNOW THAT WE WANT TO TRY TO PACKAGE THIS ALL TOGETHER AND IT MAY MAKE THE MOST SENSE, THE REALITY IS, WHEN WE COME TO THIS NEXT PRESENTATION THAT I KNOW WE'RE ALL WAITING TO SEE IS WE'RE OUT OF MONEY. AND THE AUDIT HAS SHOWN US THAT WE HAVE SAVINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE OF 12 MILLION OR WHATEVER IT IS WITH CONSOLIDATION THAT WE CAN PUT BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS VERSUS CUTTING BACK PROGRAMS OR WHATEVER ELSE, THAT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A MAJOR NUMBER THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING TO END WITH THAT. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PRESENTATION ON THE NUMBERS. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK BASED ON JUST SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR, WHETHER IT'S FROM MISS BECKY, MISS OR MISS HANNON, WE WILL PUT TOGETHER. WE HAVE CAMPUS PROFILE SHEETS THAT OUTLINE THE CAMPUS STAR SCORES WE CAN ADD IN THE CAMPUS MAP DATA. WE CAN ADD IN THE PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN TRIANGULATE ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE INTO ONE DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THE CURRENT CLASS SIZE AND SECTIONS. AND SO THE TEAM WILL WORK TO HAVE THAT FOR YOU IN THIS WEEK'S BOARD UPDATE, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THAT DATA IN ADVANCE, AND IT'S NOT COMING TO YOU IN ONE OFFS. AND SO WE WILL HAVE THAT PROGRAM INFORMATION, WHETHER IT'S MATT AND HOLLY SUGAR MILL LAKEVIEW, IN REGARDS TO ONE OF YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTIONS OF WHAT SUPPORTS ARE THERE AT HOLLY VERSUS MADDEN? SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDE THAT IN THAT CAMPUS PROFILE SHEET FOR YOU ALL. THANK YOU. DOCTOR JORDAN, I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME. I, I WANT TO SAY AT THE OUTSET THAT WE ALL CAN DISAGREE ABOUT BOUNDARIES, ABOUT SCHOOL CLOSURES. THE COMMUNITY OBVIOUSLY CAN DISAGREE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. THE TRUSTEES CAN DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. AND WE ALL HAVE THE FREEDOM BECAUSE WE SEE IT FROM OUR OWN PERSPECTIVES AND HOW IT IMPACTS US. BUT ONE THING I CANNOT ABIDE IS QUESTIONING THE INTEGRITY OF DOCTOR SMITH AND HIS TEAM. I CANNOT ABIDE THAT WE HAVE HAD, AT MINIMUM, FIVE SMALL GROUP TRUSTEE MEETINGS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, HOW IF THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS. 
          BUT NO MORE THAN THREE OF US CAN MEET TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF THIS BOARDROOM AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE THAT'S A VIOLATION OF THE LAW. THE ROLE THAT WE HAVE. AND THAT IS VERY TRICKY. WE CAN ONLY HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH EACH OTHER IN PUBLIC, UNLESS THERE'S ONLY 2 OR 3 OF US, AND WE HAVE TO DEAL DIRECTLY WITH DOCTOR SMITH. SO NO ONE OUT THERE IS GOING TO CONTACT ANY TRUSTEE DIRECTLY FOR ANY REASON UNLESS DOCTOR SMITH SAYS, PLEASE DO IT. THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. NOT EVER, NOR SHOULD IT. SO DOCTOR SMITH IS THE PERSON THAT WE INTERACT WITH, AND NOT ONLY HAS HE PERSONALLY SET UP AT LEAST FIVE, AND I MAY HAVE COUNTED WRONG BOUNDARY MEETINGS FOR TRUSTEES, SMALL GROUPS WHERE WE DO INTERACT WITH THIS TEAM THAT SITS IN FRONT OF US, AND THEY DO ANSWER HUNDREDS OF QUESTIONS FROM US, VERY, VERY DETAILED QUESTIONS, MAYBE HUNDREDS, JUST FROM MISS HANNAN ALONE. SO SORRY. WE WE GET HUNDREDS OF DOCUMENTS WITH THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF DATA ON THEM. AND THIS IS A VERY, VERY COMPLEX ISSUE AND SITUATION. AS ALL OF YOU GUYS KNOW. AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DO THE WORK IS TO SHOW UP AND DO IT, AND TO READ ALL THE UPDATES AND TO READ ALL THE INFORMATION. AND I HAVE WORKED PERSONALLY WITH DOCTOR SMITH TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND THE TRUSTEES GET 
          [02:30:03]
THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED, AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT THE ONE ON ONE MEETINGS THAT HE PERSONALLY HAS WITH ALMOST EVERY TRUSTEE, ALMOST. AND THAT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES PER MONTH, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS VOTE COMING. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HAD AS TRUSTEES TO MEET WITH DOCTOR SMITH AND MEET WITH HIS STAFF AND HAVE OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. WITH UTMOST INTEGRITY. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT MISTAKES ARE NOT MADE. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE HUMAN. DOCTOR SMITH IS HUMAN. STAFF IS HUMAN. YOU GUYS ARE HUMAN, AND EVERY SINGLE THING IS NOT GOING TO BE DONE PERFECTLY. AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO BE DONE. HOW? MAYBE EACH PERSON THINKS IT OUGHT TO BE DONE, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THEY ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK, AROUND THE CLOCK TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, TO GET INFORMATION OUT. THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO ON THAT YOU DON'T LIKE, AND WE DON'T LIKE AND I DON'T LIKE, AND NOBODY UP HERE LIKES AND NOBODY OUT THERE LIKES, EXCEPT MAYBE MR. BUSH AND MR. WARD, WHO TELL US WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, PERCEPTION IS 99% REALITY, BUT YOU HAVE TO SOMETIMES SHOW UP TO KNOW WHAT THE REALITY IS. AND THE REALITY IS, IS THAT NONE OF US UP HERE ARE TRYING TO HIDE ANY BALLS, AND NONE OF US UP HERE WANT TO HIDE ANY INFORMATION, AND NONE OF US UP HERE WANT THAT. WE. I CAN'T MAKE A DECISION. AND I THINK YOU HEARD SOME OF THE OTHER TRUSTEES CAN'T MAKE DECISIONS UNLESS WE HAVE ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND HAVE TIME TO SPEND GOING THROUGH IT AND MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE OUT THERE. AND AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT, I PROMISE YOU I WOULD RELEASE IT ALL IF WE COULD. AND BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY TELL US SOMETIMES. BUT I, DOCTOR SMITH, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO HIM BECAUSE IF I OR OTHER TRUSTEES COME AND SAY WE WANT THAT DATA RELEASED, HOW CAN YOU DO IT? HOW MUCH CAN WE DO IT? HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, CAN CAN WE IGNORE LEGAL? I DID NOT SAY THAT. YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH CAN WE DO? SO I WANT EVERYONE TO HEAR ME SAY THAT THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO. AND IF YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, SAY THERE'S A DISCREPANCY, I PROMISE YOU, THERE'S TRUSTEES UP HERE GOING, HEY, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THIS NUMBER? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WAS THERE AN ERROR? IS THERE A TYPO? WHY DID IT CHANGE? SO I PROMISE YOU, WE'RE DOING THE WORK. AND REGARDLESS OF HOW THIS VOTE COMES OUT, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR YOU DON'T LIKE IT, OR YOU AGREE WITH IT OR YOU DON'T AGREE WITH IT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SAID TONIGHT THAT WE'RE FIDUCIARIES AND AND WHAT WE ARE IS TRUSTEES. AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS. BUT WE'RE NOT REPRESENTATIVES. WE ARE ENTRUSTED WITH THE EDUCATION OF APPROXIMATELY 80,000 CHILDREN IN THIS DISTRICT. THAT IS THE ROLE. SO I PROMISE YOU, WE WE ARE FIDUCIARIES, WE ARE TRUSTEES, AND WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY FOR THESE KIDS. BECAUSE YOUR KIDS ARE OUR KIDS. AND AND, YOU KNOW, SOME ONE OF THE STUDENTS, I THINK SAID, YOU KNOW, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE, WELL, SOME OF US DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE OUR EYES TO IMAGINE WE'VE LIVED IT. SO WE KNOW, WE KNOW. AND IT'S IT'S NOT EASY. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHETHER WE ALL AGREE OR WE DON'T ALL AGREE OR WE HAVE MIXED VOTES, WE'RE COMING AT IT FROM OUR OWN PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, AND SOME OF US ARE GOING TO WEIGH SOME FACTORS MORE THAN OTHERS. I MEAN, WE HAVE POLICY FOR A REASON, BUT SOME OF US LOOK AT CERTAIN THINGS AND PUT MORE WEIGHT INTO THOSE THINGS THAN OTHERS, AND THAT MAY SWAY US. AND THAT MAY BE WHY IT LOOKS DIFFERENT. BUT I DON'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, MISS MARTINEZ, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. MOST OF MY QUESTIONS THAT I HAD WERE ANSWERED. MISS WILLIS, I YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ABOUT PERCENTAGES AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, AND THE SBAC, I MEAN, I WAS REALLY THAT WAS A BIG PIECE OF IT FOR ME IS WITH THE SBAC LOOKING AT THIS DATA, LOOKING AT THIS FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, HOW DID YOU GUYS INTERPRET IT? YOU'RE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REPRESENT YOUR AREAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID Y'ALL THINK OF IT? SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE MAKING THAT PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK AND HOURS THAT THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE SBAC HAVE PUT 
          [02:35:04]
IN, BECAUSE IT HAS HELPED ME MAYBE THINK OF SOME THINGS THAT I DIDN'T THINK OF OR LOOK AT, LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE EYES OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED, I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT INFORMATION IN THE IN THE UPDATES. I APPRECIATE DOCTOR JORDAN, YOU AND YOUR TEAM BEING ON ALL THE ACADEMICS BECAUSE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. BUT AT THE END OF THE OF THE DAY, WE DO HAVE TO PAY THE BILLS. AND SO THAT'S A TOUGH, TOUGH BALANCE. YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX RATE IN THE AREA. MR. GWYNN, ARE WE? NO, MA'AM, WE ARE NOT. WE ARE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN SEVERAL OF OUR PEERS, INCLUDING KATY LAMAR AND CY-FAIR. YEAH. AND THE FACT THAT OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE HIGH ARE HIGHER OR GO UP DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE IS HIGH. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SERVED OFF AND ON FOR ALMOST A DECADE AND HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO KEEP OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE LOW. IT'S IT'S A PRIORITY FOR ME, FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR WHAT WE ACTUALLY GET IS BASED ON ENROLLMENT AND AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE. AND SO THAT'S DIRECTLY TIED TO ENROLLMENT. SO WE DO HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS HERE UNFORTUNATELY. I WISH WE COULD JUST SAY WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MONEY. AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER COLORED T SHIRTS IN HERE SAYING THAT WE ARE OVERSPENDING AND, AND NOT, YOU KNOW, BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF WHAT WE HAVE. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I'M THINKING ABOUT. AND BALANCING THE END OF THE DAY. IT'S ABOUT THE KIDS. IT'S ABOUT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. AND THEN WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THE MONEY THAT WE'RE THAT WE HAVE? WHAT CAN WE DO WITH WHAT WE'RE GIVEN? AND WHAT DETERMINES THAT IS ENROLLMENT. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS. I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY WHY WE HAVE TO WE ARE WHERE WE ARE. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I'M OFF MY SOAPBOX 
          [3.A. General Fund Budget Update]
NOW AND WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE ON TO YOU, MR. GWEN, WITH OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET UPDATE, DOCTOR SMITH. YES, MA'AM. SO TRANSITIONING, WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR MONTHS OR SO BEFORE WE ADOPT THE BUDGET FOR THE 2627 SCHOOL YEAR. SO THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME FORMALLY BEING ABLE TO GIVE A GENERAL UPDATE. AND THE PLAN IS TO PROVIDE A BUDGET UPDATE AND A PERSPECTIVE FROM NOW UNTIL THE TIME WE ADOPT THE BUDGET. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL BE PROVIDING SMALL GROUP SESSIONS AGAIN FOR THE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN GET QUESTIONS ASKED AND GET CLARITY AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WITH THE BUDGET. ALL RIGHT. I'LL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO OUR CFO, MR. BRIAN. GWEN. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR SMITH, THIS EVENING, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET WORK THAT STARTED FOR THE 2627 BUDGET. AND I'LL START BY GIVING YOU A REVIEW OF WHAT OUR INITIAL OUTLOOK IS FOR 2627. THAT WAS IN PLACE WHEN THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED BACK IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR. I'LL WALK THROUGH HOW ENROLLMENT CHANGES ARE IMPACTING OUR OUTLOOK, AS WELL AS OUR NEXT STEPS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO WHEN WE CAME TO YOU ALL LAST YEAR IN JULY, WE INDICATED THAT WE EXPECTED TO HAVE AN ENDING SURPLUS IN THE BUDGET OF ABOUT $7.5 MILLION AND MOVING INTO 2627. THAT SURPLUS WOULD BE OFFSET BY THE EXPIRATION OF OUR DISASTER PENNIES THAT ARE GOOD FOR ONE YEAR ONLY. THAT WAS AT $35.7 MILLION, AND THAT THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING. AND SO WE WOULD SEE CONTINUED DECLINE IN OUR INTEREST EARNINGS. AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT HAPPEN WITH THE FED. AND SO THAT WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF ABOUT $2.7 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE. WE DO EXPECT TO SEE ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN OUR TRS ON BEHALF. BUT AS YOU RECALL, THE TRS ON BEHALF FLOWS IN AND WE PAY IT RIGHT BACK OUT TO OUR EMPLOYEES THROUGH THE TRS CONTRIBUTIONS. AND SO THAT IS ALTHOUGH THAT'S MONEY THAT WILL COME IN, IT WILL ALSO BE OFFSET ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE. WE RECOGNIZE WE WOULD BE OPENING COLEMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL AT $3.1 MILLION FOR THE ADDITIONAL STAFFING THERE. WE WILL CONTINUE OUR TEACHER STEP AT $3.9 MILLION. AND THEN WE HAVE AN INFLATION FACTOR OF ABOUT $3.5 MILLION BUILT IN. THAT ACCOUNTS FOR NORMAL INFLATION THAT WE SEE DURING THE YEAR FOR THINGS LIKE FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND OTHER COSTS THAT THE DISTRICT SEES AN INCREASE ON. AND THEN FINALLY, THE ONE YEAR RETENTION SUPPLEMENT THAT WE PAID WOULD GO AWAY. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT GOING INTO 26, 27 WAS WAS AN 
          [02:40:04]
EXPECTED DEFICIT OF $26.2 MILLION. AND SO WHEN WE LAST VISITED WITH YOU ALL BACK IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, THIS WAS A NUMBER THAT WE WERE EXPECTING. SO WHAT HAPPENED SINCE THEN OR WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THEN? SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT ENROLLMENT, THE FIRST THING THAT WE CAN SAY IS THAT WE KNOW THAT WHEN OCTOBER 31ST HIT, WHICH IS TEAM SNAPSHOT, OUR ENROLLMENT WAS ABOUT 1800 STUDENTS LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED. AND THE REASON I MENTIONED THAT OCTOBER TEAM SNAPSHOT IS THAT IS THE DATE THAT THE STATE USED IS TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO PAY US FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR. AND SO THAT'S A VERY CRITICAL DATE FOR US WHEN THEY TAKE THAT SNAPSHOT. AND SO THAT 1800 FEWER STUDENTS MEANS ABOUT $18 MILLION LESS IN REVENUE THAN WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING. AND SO WHEN WE WALK THROUGH THIS, WE WERE ORIGINALLY EXPECTING ENROLLMENT OF ABOUT 80,000 STUDENTS, OR JUST UNDER THAT. WE CAME IN AT 78,001 69. AND SO THAT'S THE 1800 OR 1800 STUDENT DIFFERENCE THAT YOU'RE SEEING. AND SO AGAIN, THAT'S AN $18 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO ADD TO THAT $26 MILLION NUMBER THAT WE JUST INDICATED. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THINGS GOING FORWARD, OUR ESTIMATED ENROLLMENT, WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT 2627. WE KNOW TODAY OUR AT TEAM SNAPSHOT, WE HAD 78,169 STUDENTS. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE 6422 SENIORS THAT WILL BE EXITING OR GRADUATING THIS YEAR. AND SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THE INCOMING CLASS OF EARLY EDUCATION KINDERGARTNERS AND KINDERGARTNERS IS PROJECTED TO BE SMALLER BY ABOUT 400 STUDENTS. AND SO THAT WOULD BRING OUR ENROLLMENT DOWN TO 77,732 NEXT YEAR. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE AT TEAM SNAPSHOT AND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR, THAT'S A 437 STUDENT DIFFERENCE. AND SO THAT REPRESENTS $4.4 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE. THAT WILL NOT MATERIALIZE BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS WILL NOT BE HERE. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE MENTIONED HAVE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THAT THERE ARE FACTORS THAT ARE IMPACTING THAT ENROLLMENT. AND YOU MAY RECALL BACK IN DECEMBER, OUR DEMOGRAPHER CAME AND SPOKE AND SHE SHARED SOME SPECIFIC INSIGHTS INTO WHAT WE ARE SEEING AS A DISTRICT THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR ENROLLMENT. SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE. STATEWIDE, THE NET MIGRATION IN IS LESS THAN WHAT THEY EXPECTED. WE HAD ANTICIPATED LOWER BIRTH RATES. AND SO THAT'S FACTORED IN. AND SO WHEN WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THOSE FACTORS, THAT'S WHAT'S IMPACTING OUR OVERALL ENROLLMENT. AND THAT'S ALSO AS WE LOOK AT THAT DECLINE OF 437 STUDENTS, THAT'S ALSO INFORMING THESE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING ABOUT BOUNDARIES AND CONSOLIDATIONS AND BEING EFFICIENT WITH THE UTILIZATION OF OUR RESOURCES. BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN FROM WHAT OUR DEMOGRAPHER HAS SHARED WITH US, THIS DECLINE IS ANTICIPATED TO CONTINUE NOT JUST OVER THE NEXT YEAR, BUT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT SPECIFICALLY AS WE PUT TOGETHER OUR BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. AND SO I WANT TO QUICKLY RECAP WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR. SO I INDICATED THAT WHEN WE CAME INTO THIS YEAR, WE WERE EXPECTING A $26.2 MILLION DEFICIT. AGAIN, THAT WAS EXPECTED. WHAT WASN'T EXPECTED WAS THE DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT. THAT'S ADDING $18 MILLION TO THAT. AND AGAIN, BECAUSE ENROLLMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF THE INCOMING PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, THOSE CLASS SIZES ARE GOING TO BE SMALLER THAN THE EXITING SENIORS. THAT ADDS 4.4 MILLION TO THAT. AND SO OUR EXPECTED DEFICIT HAS GROWN TO $48.6 MILLION. BUT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE COMING FORWARD. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE ENROLLMENT PERIOD OPENED THIS MONTH. AND SO PARENTS HAVE STARTED TO PUT THOSE APPLICATIONS IN, AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME IMPACT TO FORT BEND ISD. AND SO WE'VE DONE SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS, LOOKING AT WHAT WOULD A HALF A PERCENT LOSS OF STUDENTS LOOK LIKE, UP TO A 1.5% LOSS OF STUDENTS. AND SO AS WE LOOK AT THAT, A HALF A PERCENT LOSS WOULD BE ABOUT 389 STUDENTS. 
          THAT'S ABOUT $3.9 MILLION, WHEREAS THE 1.5% WOULD BE UP TO ALMOST 1200 STUDENTS AND $11.7 MILLION. AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO DETERMINE LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT WOULD WE EXPECT. 
          AND SO AS AN ADMINISTRATION, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING AND WE'VE LOOKED AT IS A LOSS OF ABOUT 1% OF OUR POPULATION, POTENTIALLY TO THE EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. AND SO IF THAT DOES COME TO FRUITION, THE 2627 NUMBER WOULD BE 76,954 VERSUS THE 78,169 THAT WE HAD AT SNAPSHOT. SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL 1200 STUDENTS THAT WE WOULD SEE NOT MATERIALIZING. 
          NOW SOME OF THAT'S ALREADY BEEN CAPTURED. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT AS WE LOOK THROUGH THIS AGAIN, IF WE ADD THAT 7.8 MILLION, $8 MILLION LOSS IN ENROLLMENT TO WHAT WE ARE 
          [02:45:04]
CURRENTLY HAVE EXPERIENCE, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A $56.4 MILLION DEFICIT. AND I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU, DOCTOR SMITH HAS BEEN PROVIDING IN HIS WEEKLY UPDATES A DEFICIT NUMBER. THIS IS HOW WE HAVE ARRIVED AT THAT $56.4 MILLION THAT DOCTOR SMITH HAS SHARED WITH YOU ALL SINCE OCTOBER. ALTHOUGH WE ARE FACING A DEFICIT, WE HAVE NOT BEEN SITTING STILL AND STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING TO REDUCE THAT. IN OCTOBER, E! TEAM REVIEWED WHAT THE CURRENT STATE OF OUR BUDGET IS, AS WELL AS DEFINING PROCESSES THAT WE CAN USE TO IDENTIFY REDUCTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO GO FORWARD AND ADJUST THAT DEFICIT AS WE GO INTO THE UPCOMING YEAR. SO IN LATE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, E TEAM IDENTIFIED OUR NON-NEGOTIABLES AND IDEAS THAT COULD BE USED TO ADDRESS THE DEFICIT. AND THEN IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, REDUCTION IDEAS WERE DISCUSSED AND PRIORITIZED. AS DOCTOR SMITH, I BELIEVE, HAS SHARED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ABOUT 13 TO $15 MILLION IN OPERATIONAL AND STAFFING CHANGES AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL THAT COULD BE USED TO OFFSET THAT DEFICIT. AND AS WE LOOK AT THOSE OPERATING AND STAFFING SAVINGS, I DO WANT TO INDICATE THAT THOSE STAFFING STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS ARE PRIMARILY LOOKING AT POSITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY VACANT. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING AS WE GO FORWARD, WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE HAVE WILL BE TO REVIEW CAMPUS STAFFING AND DETERMINE IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADJUSTMENTS THERE WITHOUT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR STANDARD STAFFING GUIDELINES. 
          AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE MAKE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL OR THE CAMPUS LEVEL, AS FAR AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM AS WE CAN. AND THAT'S ALSO INDICATIVE OF WHY YOU SEE CAMPUS STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS AFTER DEPARTMENT REDUCTIONS. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE FOCUSED ON DEPARTMENTS FIRST, AND THEN LOOKED AT WHAT WE WOULD DO AT THE CAMPUS LEVELS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE EVERY BIT OF SAVINGS IDENTIFIED THERE. AND SO OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'LL BE SHARING WITH THE BOARD THE FINDINGS THAT WE HAVE AND BRINGING FORWARD THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BUDGET THAT WE WOULD HAVE THAT THE BOARD WOULD ULTIMATELY ADOPT IN JUNE. AND SO ONE THING I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE THAT YOU DON'T SEE, AND THAT IS ALTHOUGH IT'S ON THE PLANNING PROCESS OR NOT ON THE PLANNING PROCESS, WE DO EXPECT TO HAVE OPERATIONAL SAVINGS FROM CAMPUS CONSOLIDATIONS. AND SO WE ARE CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATING ANNUAL SAVINGS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 5 AND $7 MILLION FOR THE SEVEN CAMPUSES WE'VE IDENTIFIED. AND WE KNOW THAT IN YEAR ONE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MOVING THE STUDENTS, MOVING THE TEACHERS. AND SO WE'VE ALLOCATED OR ASSUMING THAT WE'LL HAVE ABOUT $2 MILLION OF THOSE COSTS IN YEAR ONE. AND SO OUR ONE YEAR COST SAVINGS FOR 2627 WOULD BE BETWEEN 3 AND $5 MILLION. AND SO THAT'S GOING BACK TO THAT FIVE AND 7 MILLION I JUST MENTIONED AND BACKING OUT THE 2 MILLION. AND SO HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THOSE NUMBERS? WELL, WE HAVE DATA, AS YOU INDICATED, MR. CHARANIA, FROM THE CONSOLIDATION OF BRIARGATE AND BLUE RIDGE, AS WELL AS MISSION AND MISSION, MISSION WEST AND MISSION, I'M SORRY, MISSION BEND AND MISSION GLEN. AND WE'VE USED THOSE AS EXAMPLES OF COST SAVINGS. AND SO THE COST SAVINGS AT THOSE CAMPUSES RANGED BETWEEN 1.56 MILLION AND $2.15 MILLION, AND THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF KEEPING ON THE UTILITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUILDINGS STAY FUNCTIONAL DURING THAT TIME. AND SO, AGAIN, WE ARE CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATING THAT IT WOULD BE BETWEEN 5 AND $7 MILLION, BUT IT COULD BE MORE DEPENDING ON THE FINAL OUTCOME. BECAUSE EACH INDIVIDUAL CAMPUS IS UNIQUE. SO AS AS WE'VE INDICATED, OVER THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS, WE'LL BE SHARING INFORMATION ON THE BUDGET. AND WE HAVE BOTH BUDGET UPDATES THAT WE'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU ALL, AS WELL AS DOCTOR SMITH AND PRESIDENT HASSAN MENTIONED THE SMALL GROUP WORK SESSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, ALONG WITH THE BOUNDARY PLANNING, SOME OF THE OTHER KEY DECISION POINTS THAT YOU SEE ON THE TIMELINE INCLUDE MAKING THE DECISIONS ON THE BOUNDARY, AND THEN THAT WOULD OCCUR IN MARCH. AND THEN FINALLY, WE WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE THAT FINAL BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION FINALIZED IN MAY. 
          WITH YOU ALL HAVING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE ADOPTION PROCESS OCCURRING IN JUNE. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES, MISS HILLIKER. THANK YOU. I GUESS IT'S. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE $56.4 MILLION AS A REVISED DEFICIT. SO. SO PART OF YOUR PLAN IS TO BRING BACK A MORE BALANCED BUDGET. TO GET US TO A ZERO DEFICIT. IS THAT IS THAT THE GOAL? SO I THINK DOCTOR SMITH HAS INDICATED THIS PREVIOUSLY. THIS IS LIKE THE BOUNDARY CHANGES WHERE IF WE WERE TO DO ALL BOUNDARIES AT 
          [02:50:03]
ONCE, IT WOULD CREATE A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM. AND SO WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING THAT DEFICIT DOWN PROBABLY OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD. BUT WE WOULD START WITH AT LEAST OUT OF THE GATE. WE KNOW WE HAVE 13 TO $15 MILLION. OUR END GOAL OVER THIS TWO YEAR TIME WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY WITHIN OUR 90 DAY OPERATING FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENT, BUT OVER THAT TWO YEAR PERIOD, OR PERHAPS EVEN THREE, WE BRING THAT DEFICIT DOWN TO ZERO. OKAY. CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VOUCHERS. SO WE'RE ASSUMING $7.8 MILLION ENROLLMENT LOSS DUE TO VOUCHERS. I DON'T THAT'S THE ONE POINT. THAT'S 778. APPROXIMATELY 778 STUDENTS. 
          WHAT HAPPENS IF A PERSON TAKES THEIR STUDENT WITH A VOUCHER TO ANOTHER SCHOOL. AND THEN THEY WANT TO COME BACK TO THE DISTRICT? DO WE GET THOSE DOLLARS BACK? HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO IN SHORT, WE THE VOUCHER FUNDING WOULD NOT COME TO THE DISTRICT AT ALL. THE PARENT WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO PAY THAT MONEY BACK TO THE STATE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KEEP THEIR CHILD ENROLLED IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOL. I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK, BUT IN TERMS OF THE DISTRICT, IF THE STUDENT WERE OUT FROM THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, WE'LL JUST SAY THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER, THE FIRST SEMESTER, AND THE PARENT DECIDED TO REENROLL ENROLL THEM, WE WOULD BEGIN TO RECEIVE THE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE FROM THE TIME THAT THEY COME BACK, BUT WE WOULDN'T GET ANYTHING FOR THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE EXITED THE SYSTEM. OKAY, SO IT WON'T NECESSARILY HURT US FOR THE $2 MILLION. AM I HEARING THAT RIGHT? BUT WE'LL GET THE CREDIT BASED ON WHEN THEY ARE BACK ENROLLMENT, AND THAT $10,000 IS BASICALLY ON THE ON THAT PARENT. CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I WONDER HOW THAT WORKED OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HILLIKER. MISS HANNAN THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. SO THIS MIGHT BE A YOU QUESTION OR DOCTOR SMITH. SO INCLUDING THE BLUE RIDGE CLOSURE AND THE MISSION GLEN CLOSURE, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE SAVINGS WITH THE CURRENT PROPOSED CLOSURE WOULD BE BETWEEN 5 AND 7 MILLION PLUS. WHAT DID I HEAR WITH THE OTHER? SO LIKE A 9 MILLION. SO 5 TO 7 IS OUR CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE FOR THE SEVEN CAMPUSES THAT WE WOULD BE CLOSING. AND SO WHAT IS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET IS THAT TOTAL. OUR TOTAL BUDGET. AND IF I FEEL LIKE I'M FROZEN I DON'T HAVE A CALCULATOR. IT'S A IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENT. IS IT LIKE 1%. ISH. YEAH. IT'S PROBABLY YES. SO 1% OR LESS SAVINGS OKAY. AND THEN SO THIS QUESTION IS ACTUALLY FOR DOCTOR SMITH. SO BEFORE THE FINAL BUDGET IS BROUGHT TO US, WILL THE BOARD SEE SOME MAYBE STRATEGIES OR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE TO MITIGATE THAT POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL LOSS. AND THEN OR DO WE HAVE ANY STRATEGIES TO BRING BACK AND RECRUIT SOME OF THOSE 1800 KIDS THAT WE'VE LOST IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OR YEAR? YES. SO ON THE FIRST POINT, YES, I'LL BE PROVIDING UPDATES, STRATEGIES, SPECIFIC DETAILS AS WE GO THROUGH THE PLANNING MEETINGS THAT WE'VE GOT ON THE CALENDAR. AND THEN SECONDLY, I THINK AT THE FEBRUARY 23RD BOARD MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT OUR REDESIGN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE SOME CHOICE OPTIONS AND PROGRAM UPDATES AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS SECONDARY SCHOOLS, WHICH WE THINK WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON KEEPING STUDENTS HERE, BUT ALSO BRINGING STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MISS TOWSON. THANK YOU, MISS HANNAN, MISS CHARANIA. MR. GWYNN. SO GOING BACK TO PAGE OR SLIDE NINE, I THINK THAT'S THE NUMBER. YEAH. YEAH. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. SO DOES THAT 13 MILLION TO 15 MILLION DOES THAT. 
          IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CAMPUS THE POTENTIAL CAMPUS CLOSURE SAVINGS. THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL. AND THAT'S THE REASON IT IS NOT ON THIS SLIDE. THE SAVINGS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ARE NOT PREDICATED ON THE CLOSURES. THESE ARE TRUE OPERATIONAL SAVINGS WE WOULD BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CAMPUSES CLOSING. OKAY. AND THEN I HEARD YOU SAY THAT IT'S 5 TO 7. IF IF THOSE SEVEN ARE CONSOLIDATED. BUT THE FIRST YEAR IT'S 3 TO 5. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVING COSTS AND ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH GETTING THOSE CAMPUSES READY FOR TO RECEIVE THE STUDENTS IF NEEDED. OKAY. 
          SO THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU ADD THOSE TWO TOGETHER, WE'RE LOOKING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 16 
          [02:55:02]
MILLION TO 20 MILLION IN POTENTIAL COST CUTTING SAVINGS MEASURES. YES. IF THE CONSOLIDATIONS MOVE FORWARD, YOU ARE CORRECT. YES. OKAY. SO WHERE DO WE WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET THE BALANCE OF THE OTHER 20. SOME OTHER 30 I GUESS IN THIS CASE. AND SO THAT IS THAT IS WORK THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO DO AS AN E TEAM TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE HAVE POTENTIAL AREAS. 
          YOU MAY RECALL THERE'S SOME PRETTY LARGE ROCKS THAT WE FACE RELATED TO OUR HEALTH BENEFITS FUND THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH. AND SO THAT WILL BE WORK THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE SPRING. AND AGAIN, THERE WILL LIKELY BE A TWO PHASED PROCESS TO MAKING THOSE REDUCTIONS SO THAT WE DON'T SHOCK THE SYSTEM WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF HAVING IT RESOLVED OVER THE, I'LL SAY, TWO YEARS, BUT POTENTIALLY THREE. BUT THE ENTIRE TIME MAINTAINING OUR 90 DAY OPERATING RESERVE REQUIREMENT AS REQUIRED BY POLICY. OKAY. THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MISS CHARANIA. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THOSE SMALL GROUP MEETINGS SCHEDULED FOR THE TRUSTEES FOR NEXT MONTH, SO THAT WE CAN START HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS AND THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AHEAD OF YOU. NEXT UP IS OUR BOND 2023 OVERVIEW, DOCTOR 
          [3.B. Bond 2023 Overview]
SMITH. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WE'LL BE HEARING FROM MEMBERS OF THE OPERATIONAL TEAM LED BY MISS BROWN AND DAN BANKHEAD AND POSSIBLY DOCTOR LONG IF NEEDED. 
          HE'S READY TO COME IN AND PROVIDE INSIGHT IF NECESSARY. SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MISS BROWN. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. DOCTOR SMITH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES THIS EVENING FOR THE BOND 2023 UPDATE. AS DOCTOR SMITH MENTIONED, WE'LL HAVE MISTER BANKHEAD, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, THAT WILL BE GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ONGOING IN THE BOND 2023 PROGRAM. AND SO WE KNOW THAT THAT WORK HAS BEEN CONTINUING AS WE MAKE UPDATES TO OUR OUR FACILITIES. WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS COMING TO YOU TONIGHT AFTER THIS UPDATE. AND I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE WE DO HAVE OVERSIGHT OF THOSE THINGS AND ARE KEEPING THAT LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY AS YOU'RE FACED WITH MULTIPLE DECISIONS IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO. AND SO WE'LL START OUR EVENING WITH MISTER BANKHEAD WITH THE OVERVIEW OF SOME ONGOING PROJECTS, FOLLOWED BY MR. GWYNN, WHO WILL GIVE YOU A FINANCIAL UPDATE, INCLUDING WHERE WE ARE WITH CONTINGENCY. 
          SO MR. BANKHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HASSAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR BANKHEAD, CAN I ASK YOU TO SPEAK INTO THE MIC, PLEASE? THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO YOU ON THE 2023 BOND PROGRAM. I'D LIKE TO START WITH A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM AS IT STANDS TODAY. THERE ARE ONLY SEVEN PROJECTS REMAINING IN THE DESIGN PHASE, AND WE HAVE 40 PROJECTS THAT ARE ACTIVELY IN CONSTRUCTION OR PROCUREMENT. MANY OF THOSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HAVE SURPASSED THE 50% COMPLETION MARK, WHICH REFLECTS THE STRONG PACE OF THE PROGRESS OF THE 2023 BOND PROGRAM. WE NOW HAVE EIGHT BID PACKAGES AND CLOSEOUT, MEANING THE PHYSICAL WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND WE'RE FINALIZING THE FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CLOSEOUT PROCESSES. LAST MONTH, I MENTIONED HOW MANY BOND RELATED CONTRACTS THE DISTRICT HAS ISSUED. THESE NUMBERS INCLUDED AGREEMENTS WITH MORE THAN 60 CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS. ADDITIONALLY 27%. THE 27% SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION LEVEL I PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AND HIGHLIGHTED TRANSLATES INTO OVER $220 MILLION IN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE DISTRICT FOR THOSE COMPANIES. AND I'D JUST LIKE SOMETIMES TO TRANSLATE. I KNOW WE JUST TALKED ABOUT A PERCENTAGE, BUT BY TRANSLATING THOSE INTO DOLLARS, I HOPE I GIVE A PERSPECTIVE OF OF THE LEVEL OF PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THOSE SMALL COMPANIES. YOUR BOND DOLLARS ARE WORKING HARD ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND THESE NUMBERS BOTH REFLECT THE SCALE AND THE MOMENTUM OF THE PROGRAM. NOW I'LL TURN TO SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PROJECT UPDATES BEGINNING WITH OUR BID PACKAGE 13 OUR KITCHEN RENOVATIONS. THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES A SIGNIFICANT SET OF IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS MULTIPLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUSES, WITH FULL KITCHEN REPLACEMENT REPLACEMENTS OCCURRING AT SEVEN OF THOSE CAMPUSES. WE ALSO HAVE CAFETERIA RENOVATIONS AT FOUR CAMPUSES. THE WORK INCLUDES COMPLETE KITCHEN OVERHAULS, INSTALLATION OF NEW COMMERCIAL GRADE EQUIPMENT, NEW LARGER WALK IN COOLERS AND FREEZERS, EXPANDED STORAGE WASHER AND 
          [03:00:02]
DRYER UNITS, AND UPDATED FINISHES. IN ADDITION, SEVERAL CAMPUSES ARE RECEIVING TARGETED IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS WATER SOFTENERS, ENHANCED BACK DOOR DELIVERY ACCESS, AND UPGRADED SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEMS. A MAJOR PLANNING EFFORT WENT INTO THESE RENOVATIONS, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CHILD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT AND FOOD SERVICE CONSULTANTS, WE UTILIZED THREE DIMENSIONAL MODELING TOOLS LIKE THE EXAMPLE YOU SEE IN THE UPPER MIDDLE IMAGE TO DESIGN FUNCTIONAL, EFFICIENT AND MODERNIZED KITCHEN SPACES. CONSTRUCTION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY AT TWO OF THE PHASE ONE CAMPUSES, WHERE TEMPORARY SERVING LINES ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO SUPPORT UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE DURING RENOVATIONS, AND YOU SEE THOSE SERVING LINES IN THE LOWER MIDDLE PICTURE, AND ALSO THE ONE ON THE RIGHT. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THIS PROJECT REALIZED $1 MILLION IN SAVINGS AS A RESULT OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TEAM'S EFFORTS, AND THOSE FUNDS WERE CONTRIBUTED TO THE 2023 BOND PROGRAM CONTINGENCY. NOW, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BID PACK 14, WHICH FOCUSES ON KITCHENS IMPROVEMENTS AT OUR SECONDARY CAMPUSES. UNDER THIS PACKAGE, WE'RE COMPLETING KITCHENS IMPROVEMENTS AT TWO HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES AND FULL KITCHEN REPLACEMENTS AT FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUSES. OF THOSE, TWO HAVE BEEN FULLY COMPLETED AND ARE NOW OPTIONAL. THOSE ARE THE PICTURES THAT YOU SEE IN THIS SLIDE, AND THESE ARE TAKEN AT THOSE TWO CAMPUSES. TWO OTHER KITCHEN REPLACEMENTS ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS, AND WORK ON THE LAST CAMPUS WILL BEGIN IN MARCH. AND WE'RE ALIGNING THAT WITH THE SPRING BREAK. SO TO MINIMIZE INTERRUPTION AND DISRUPTION TO THE CAMPUS. FINALLY, THIS PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDED A CAFETERIA RENOVATION AT ONE CAMPUS THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. THESE IMPROVEMENTS REPRESENT AN IMPORTANT STEP MODERNIZING OUR FOOD SERVICE AREAS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. NEXT, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROGRESS OF BID PACKAGE 11, OUR ATHLETIC RENOVATIONS. THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF ATHLETIC FACILITY UPGRADES ACROSS 13 CAMPUSES. AMONG THE MOST VISIBLE IMPROVEMENTS ARE THE RESURFACING TENNIS COURTS AT SEVERAL MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUSES, WHICH ARE SHOWN HERE. THE RENOVATIONS ALSO INCLUDED RESURFACING OF THE COURTS, NEW WINDSCREENS, REPLACEMENT OF THE POST, AND INSTALLATION OF NEW NETS IN ADDITION TO TENNIS COURTS. BID PACKAGE 11 INCLUDED IMPROVEMENTS AT OTHER ATHLETIC FACILITIES, SUCH AS NEW FENCING AROUND THE TRACK AT ONE CAMPUS, ADDING SPORTS LIGHTING AT ANOTHER, AND THE REPLACEMENT OF ATHLETIC FIELD BLEACHERS, THE BLEACHERS AROUND THE FOOTBALL FIELDS, ETC. AT THREE CAMPUSES. 
          THESE ENHANCEMENTS PROVIDE SAFER, MORE DURABLE, AND MORE FUNCTIONAL ATHLETIC ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS. BID PACKAGE 11 ALSO INCLUDES LOCKER ROOM UPGRADES AT SEVEN CAMPUSES, SUCH AS NEW LOCKERS, NEW BENCHES, UPGRADED SHOWERS, AND REFINISHED FLOORS. THESE IMAGES SHOW TWO OF THOSE RENOVATED SPACES. ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE WEIGHT ROOM RENOVATIONS AT TWO CAMPUSES. WE ALSO PUT IN NEW GYM FLOORING AT ANOTHER CAMPUS, AND THESE INTERIOR RENOVATIONS PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE SUPPORTING THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT THE CAMPUSES. AND I THINK LAST MONTH, ONE OF OUR TRUSTEES EVEN HIGHLIGHTED HOW MUCH HOW IMPORTANT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE TO OUR CAMPUSES AND TO OUR STUDENTS. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT THAT WITH THAT INFORMATION. THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE ON CONSTRUCTION AND THE CONSTRUCTION PORTION OF THE BOND 2023 PRESENTATION. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. GWEN, WHO'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT BOND PROGRAM FINANCES. THANK YOU. MR. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MADAM PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE 23 BOND IS $1.26 BILLION. AND OF THAT AMOUNT, $283 MILLION IS ENCUMBERED AND $543 MILLION HAS BEEN EXPENDED. AND AS A REMINDER, THOSE ARE EXPENDITURES AND CONTRACTS THAT THE BOARD HAS EITHER APPROVED OR THE BOARD HAS APPROVED ALL OF THEM. BUT ON THE ENCUMBERED, THEY'VE APPROVED THE CONTRACT, BUT THE EXPENDITURE HAS NOT YET ACTUALLY BEEN MADE. AND FOR THE EXPENSES, THOSE ARE FOR ITEMS WHERE WE HAVE ACTUALLY WRITTEN THE CHECK ON APPROVED CONTRACTS BY THE BOARD. THE REMAINING BUDGET IN THE BOND IS $435.2 MILLION, AND THAT IS WHAT IS OUTSTANDING TO BE ISSUED OR WHAT IS WHAT REMAINS OUTSTANDING FOR OUR CONTINGENCY 
          [03:05:04]
AMOUNTS. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE 2014 BOND IS NOW SHOWING $0, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS TAKEN ACTION TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO THE AQUATIC PRACTICE FACILITY. AND SO THAT HAS FOR THE TIME, ZEROED OUT THE CONTINGENCY AVAILABLE IN THAT BOND. FOR 2018 BOND, WE HAVE $15.2 MILLION AVAILABLE. AND FOR THE 23 BOND PROPOSITION A, WE HAVE $27.1 MILLION AVAILABLE. IN PROP A, THERE IS A PLANNED USE OF $1.3 MILLION FOR BID PACKAGE 47, AND THAT'S FOR HVAC, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND PLUMBING PROJECTS ON THE WEST ZONE. AND THERE IS AN AGENDA ITEM THIS EVENING THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT USE OF CONTINGENCY, AS WELL AS A CONTRACT FOR THE PROJECT. AND FINALLY, THERE'S $701,000 IN 23 PROPOSITION B, AND THAT BRINGS OUR TOTAL CONTINGENCY AVAILABLE TO $43 MILLION. LAST MONTH, WE REVIEWED WITH YOU THE TIMELINE OF EXPECTED CONTINGENCY REQUESTS, AND IT TOTALED $14.5 MILLION. FOR FEBRUARY. WE ARE REMOVING THE $1.3 MILLION FOR BID PACKAGE 47. AND SO THE NEW AMOUNT THAT YOU SEE AVAILABLE IS FOR $13.2 MILLION. AND SO THAT IS WHAT OUR NEW EXPECTED USE OF CONTINGENCY IS ON PROPOSITION A ITEMS. AND TO RECAP THAT OUR TOTAL BOND CONTINGENCY AVAILABLE IS $43 MILLION. AFTER YOU BACK OUT THE $13.2 MILLION IN EXPECTED USE OF CONTINGENCY, WE WOULD HAVE $29.8 MILLION AVAILABLE. THIS NUMBER IS UNCHANGED FROM LAST MONTH, BECAUSE THE $1.3 MILLION WAS AS WE EXPECTED. AND SO THERE'S NO CHANGE TO THIS NUMBER. HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE ITEM THAT'S NOT INCLUDED HERE THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, AND THAT IS THE MAKE READY THAT WILL OCCUR RELATED TO MADDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GETTING MISSION GLEN READY FOR THOSE STUDENTS. THAT AMOUNT IS EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT $2.5 MILLION. AND I BELIEVE IN MARCH, YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE THAT ITEM COMING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS. THANK YOU. MR. GWEN. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES? MISS HANNAN, CAN YOU JUST REPEAT THAT LAST BIT THAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT? THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE MADDEN MOVE? YES, THERE'S WE AS WE HAD HIGHLIGHTED TO YOU ALL PREVIOUSLY THAT THE MOVE WHEN I SAY THE MOVE IT'S THE GETTING THE MAKE READY FOR MISSION GLEN READY FOR THE STUDENTS. IT WOULD BE ABOUT $2.5 MILLION THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH PORTABLES, AS WELL AS MOVING THE STUDENTS AND OR MOVING THE TEACHERS TO MISSION GLEN. THAT COST WAS NOT WRAPPED UP INTO THE USE OF CONTINGENCY, AND THAT WOULD BE A REQUEST COMING FORWARD. OKAY. AND I'M SORRY. THANK YOU FOR REPEATING THAT. I DO NOT REMEMBER. I DO NOT REMEMBER THAT. AND SO THAT'S THIS IS A VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE PROJECT FOR, FOR MADDEN. AND SO THANK YOU FOR REPEATING. THANK YOU FOR THAT DOCTOR SMITH. YES. AS A REMINDER, I THINK IT WAS OCTOBER WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE SLAB AT MADDEN AND BROUGHT FORTH THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND ASK FOR THE USE OF CONTINGENCY IN ORDER TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN FUNDING THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF THE SLAB. IN ADDITION TO THAT BOARD, YOU REQUESTED THAT WE LET YOU KNOW APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST FOR US TO MOVE STUDENTS TO MISSION GLEN. WELL, AT THAT TIME, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE CAMPUS TO MOVE TO A PARTICULAR CAMPUS, TO MOVE STUDENTS BACK AND MAKE THAT CAMPUS READY FOR STUDENTS TO BE THERE. WE KNOW BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY AT MADDEN, WE WOULD NEED MORE SPACE AND ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE THINGS THAT WE TYPICALLY BRING WHEN WE'RE MOVING STUDENTS AROUND IS THAT PORTABLE COST. IT'S VERY COSTLY TO THE DISTRICT. AND SO THE STAFF HAS WORKED TO GET INFORMATION. AND WE'RE A LITTLE BIT UNDER THAT NUMBER RIGHT NOW. 
          BUT IT IS OUR OUR GOAL TO START SHOWING THAT SINCE WE'LL BE BRINGING THE MADDEN INFORMATION BACK TO YOU IN NEXT MONTH. SO THAT WOULD BE A USE A REQUEST TO USE CONTINGENCY FOR THAT. 
          THANK YOU, MISS BROWN. THANK YOU, MISS HANNAN. MISS TORONTO THANK YOU. I JUST THIS IS GOING TO SOUND REALLY SILLY BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IT. SO I MEAN I KNOW YOU HAVE 13.2 THAT'S GOING TO BE HITTING THE CONTINGENCY LEAVING US WITH 29.8. SORRY. REMIND ME WHY ARE WE PULLING THAT FROM CONTINGENCY VERSUS THE REMAINING BUDGET OF 435 MILLION? BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO EXHAUST THE CONTINGENCY AT SOME POINT, THE $43 MILLION IS WHAT IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE IN CONTINGENCY. THE $13.2 MILLION TO USE THE CONTINGENCY STILL HAS TO COME FORWARD FOR BOARD 
          [03:10:06]
APPROVAL. SO STAFF IS EARMARKING IT AS WHAT WE EXPECT TO SPEND AND SHOWING WHAT WOULD REMAIN IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. DID I ANSWER THE QUESTION? SORRY, I MAY HAVE MISSTATED IT. SORRY. ON PAGE EIGHT, YOU HAVE 435 MILLION IN THE REMAINING BUDGET. 
          SO WHY IS IT THAT WE'RE NOT HITTING THE BUDGET VERSUS THE CONTINGENCY? LIKE, WHAT? ARE YOU SORRY? YES, MA'AM. I CAN ADDRESS THAT. THE REMAINING BUDGET, THAT 435 MILLION THAT'S LEFT, THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE STILL IN PROCESS IN THE BOND. AND SO THE AMOUNT THAT'S IN CONTINGENCY IS THAT THAT AMOUNT THAT'S NOT ALLOCATED TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT BUDGET. OKAY. GOT IT I APPRECIATE IT. IT MAKES SENSE OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MISS TANIA I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN AND MISS 
          [5. Convene in closed session under Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551  under the following sections: 551.071 - For the purpose of a private consultation with the Board's  attorney on any or all subjects or matters authorized by law; Section 551.072 - Consider purchase,  exchange, lease, or value of real property, Section 551.074 - Personnel matters, Section 551.076 -  Security matters, Section 551.082 - Student discipline matter or complaint, or Section 551.0821 -  Personally identifiable information about public school student]
BROWN. MR. BANKHEAD, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. WE WILL NOW CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551, UNDER THE SECTIONS LISTED IN THE AGENDA AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY ON ANY OR ALL SUBJECTS OR MATTERS AUTHORIZED BY LAW. THE TIME IS ALL RIGHT. E 
          [6. Reconvene in Open Session]
TIME IS 10:09 P.M. AND WE ARE NOW RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION. WE WILL NOW TAKE ACTION ON 
          [7. Consider Action on Closed Session Items]
CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. MISS HANNAN. YES, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THE PURCHASE, SALE OR LEASE EXCHANGE OF THE MADDEN ROAD PROPERTY AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION, AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION. I SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNAN AND A SECOND BY DOCTOR GILLIAM. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW GO 
          [8.A. Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes: Consideration and approval of the minutes of Fort Bend  ISD Board of Trustees meetings and/or public hearings on the following dates:]
THROUGH OUR AGENDA REVIEW ITEM EIGHT A THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE TRUSTEES ON THIS ITEM? ITEM EIGHT B SECOND QUARTER 20 2526 
          [8.B. 2nd Quarter 2025-26 Financials: Consideration and approval of the second  quarter 2025-2026 Financial Report.]
FINANCIALS. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE TRUSTEES ON THIS ITEM? ITEM 
          [8.C. Proclamation for Professional Buyer’s Day on March 11, 2026: Consideration  and approval of a proclamation naming March as National Procurement Month and  March 11, 2026 as National Buyer’s Day.]
EIGHT C PROCLAMATION FOR PROFESSIONAL BUYERS DAY ON MARCH 11TH, 2026. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE TRUSTEES ON THIS ITEM? ITEMS EIGHT D THROUGH H ARE REVISIONS 
          [Items 8.D - 8.H]
OF POLICY. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LET MISS HANNAN SPEAK TO THANK TO THESE. THANK YOU, MISS TOWSON. AND RATHER THAN ME ADDRESS THE POLICIES THAT ARE COMING BEFORE THE BOARD TO VOTE AT THE REGULAR MEETING, I WOULD ASK PERHAPS IF MISS MARTINEZ COULD JUST DO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THOSE, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING HOW FAA IS KIND OF NOW FOLDED INTO DH AND CSA. YES, MA'AM. 
          SURE THING. SO THE FIRST POLICY IS CJ AND THIS POLICY IS RELATED TO CONTRACTED SERVICES. 
          AND IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION BY TASB IN UPDATE 126 TO REFLECT THE CONTRACTORS NOT ENGAGE IN OR ASSIGN INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PROHIBITED BY LAW UNDER THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. AND SO YOU'LL SEE ON THE REVISED DOCUMENT THERE'S SOME WORDING ADDED TOWARDS THE BOTTOM. AND THAT IS FROM TASB AND RECOMMENDED FORWARD FROM THE POLICY COMMITTEE. THE NEXT POLICY IS CSA. AND THIS POLICY IS ONE THAT I BELIEVE WE SPOKE ABOUT IN THE LAST BOARD REVIEW, BUT MOVED IT TO THIS ONE BECAUSE IT'S RELATED TO FACILITY STANDARDS AND SAFETY AND SECURITY ABOUT HAVING THOSE PRIVATE DESIGNATED SPACES FOR STUDENTS, LIKE LOCKER ROOMS AND SUCH. AND THIS IS GROUPED WITH POLICY A AND POLICY DH, WHICH I'LL SPEAK TO LATER. THAT'S WHY IT WAS REMOVED FROM LAST MONTH AND INCLUDED IN THIS MONTH SO THAT IT WOULD FLOW WITH THE OTHER POLICIES. SO POLICY D H LOCAL IS EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT. THIS TAKES INFORMATION WHICH WAS IN POLICY F A, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STUDENTS AND PARENTAL RIGHTS, AND PUTS IT INTO DH FOR EMPLOYEES AND PROVIDES THE GUIDANCE FOR HOW EMPLOYEES IMPLEMENT THOSE REQUIREMENTS UNDER SENATE BILL 12. AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE ARE A FEW ADDITIONS ON PAGE FOUR OUT OF EIGHT IS THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS ADDED THERE TO THAT POLICY, SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WILL KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THOSE SITUATIONS. I KNOW MR. BRUSH HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE BOARD AND WITH 
          [03:15:04]
THAT POLICY, SO I'M SURE HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE ON THAT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. AND THEN WE HAVE POLICY DQ LOCAL, WHICH IS BEING SUBMITTED BY STAFF. THIS ADDS SPECIFICITY AND CLARITY AROUND MAKING EMPLOYER STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS DURING TIMES OF BUDGET OR BOUNDARY CHANGES AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO WHERE WE ARE FACING SOME DECISIONS COMING FORWARD, YOU'LL NOTICE SPECIFICITY UNDER CAMPUS ASSIGNMENTS AND THEN ANY SUPPLEMENTAL PAY. IT IS IN THAT POLICY. AND LASTLY POLICY F A WHICH IS PARENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THIS WAS A FAIRLY LENGTHY POLICY, BUT AS I MENTIONED, MOST OF THIS IS MOVED FROM F A TO D H BECAUSE OF STAFF IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE REQUIREMENTS. AND SO THE UPDATED POLICY CONSISTS OF TWO PARAGRAPHS THAT ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY THE PARENT PORTAL. 
          THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ. SO DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE TRUSTEES ON ANY OF THESE POLICIES? THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM EIGHT I BUDGET AMENDMENT REGARDING USE OF 2023 
          [8.I. Budget Amendment Regarding Use of 2023 Bond Program Contingency  Funds: Consideration and approval for the use of 2023 Bond Program Contingency as  proposed by Administration.]
BOND PROGRAM CONTINGENCY FUNDS. MISS GALLAGHER, REAL QUICK, I JUST WANTED TO I GUESS I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED. THE NUMBER ON ON OUR BOARD BOOK AROUND $28 MILLION AVAILABLE TO OUR CONTINGENCY ON JANUARY 31ST IS. BUT WE TODAY WE HAD A $29.8 MILLION CONTINGENCY BUDGET. IS THAT THE SAME NUMBER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? GO AHEAD. YOU'RE YOU'RE NOT ON. YEAH. I'M SORRY I COULDN'T HEAR YOUR QUESTION. IN OUR BOARD BOOK. WE TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO PROGRAM CONTINGENCY OF $5 MILLION, WAS INTENDED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS. AND OUR CUMULATIVE PROPOSED PROPOSITION, A PROGRAM CONTINGENCY AS OF JANUARY 31ST SAYS 28, $28 MILLION, $396,000. 
          BUT THEN THE PRESENTATION THAT MR. WINN PROVIDED TODAY SAYS $29.8 MILLION, WHICH IS THE CORRECT NUMBER. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO WITH MR. GLENN'S NUMBER. CAN I SEE? THAT? I HAVE TO DO WITH. SO I'M LOOKING AT THE PAGE 73 IN MY BOOK. 74. YES. I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 74. AND AT THE TABLE THERE, IT'S SHOWING A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT OF $28,396,102. THAT NUMBER DOES ALIGN WITH WHAT WE HAD ON THE SLIDE THIS EVENING. SO THAT NUMBER IS CORRECT. IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT NUMBER IN THE TEXT, I THINK IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CHANGED, BUT THE 2028 396 102 IS A CORRECT NUMBER. SO WHAT IS THE NUMBER ON PAGE 11 OF YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY? IT SAYS 29.8. WHERE ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT NUMBER MATCH YOUR NUMBER. YES MA'AM. SO THE 29.8 MILLION IS SO THE LET ME SEE IF I CAN BACK UP THE $28.4 MILLION IN CONTINGENCY IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN PROPOSITION A BEFORE ANY OF IT IS USED. AND SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE ARE PROPOSING. 
          SO THERE'S 43. LET ME BACK UP FOR YOU. DO YOU HAVE DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE SLIDE. YES. 
          FROM THE PRESENTATION. SO I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE NINE AND SLIDE 11. SLIDE 11 SAYS 29.8. AND THEN SLIDE NINE AND SLIDE ON PAGE 73 FOR THIS BOND UPDATE SAYS 28.396. CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO LOOK. YES. SO THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE NUMBERS. CORRECT. AND SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CONTINGENCY FROM 2018 2023, PROP EIGHT AND 2020, I THINK I SAID THAT WRONG. 
          2018 2023 PROP A AND 2023 PROP B TOTALS $43 MILLION. INCLUDED IN THAT $43 MILLION IS 27 POINT. 
          AND I'M LOOKING AT A VERY SMALL NUMBER HERE, $27.01 MILLION, THAT IS REFLECTED ON THE THIS SHEET THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR BOARD BOOK. THE $29.1 MILLION IS THE TOTAL OF THE $43 MILLION IN CONTINGENCY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, MINUS THE ANTICIPATED USE OF $13.5 MILLION THAT WE WOULD HAVE IF THE BOARD APPROVES ALL USE OF CONTINGENCY GOING FORWARD. SO THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE SAYING TODAY, WHAT IS WHERE DOES THAT 73 WHERE DOES THAT MEET IN YOUR 
          [03:20:05]
CHART? SO I CAN BE CLEAR ON WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE. THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF THE 2023 PROP A CONTINGENCY. SO IT WOULD START AT 28.396 MILLION THAT YOU SAW ON THE TABLE THIS EVENING. IT IS BACKING OUT THE 1.3 MILLION THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO USE, AND LEAVING $27.1 MILLION REMAINING. AND THAT IS JUST THE 23 PROP, A PROP. OKAY. SO THE OTHER ONE HAS ALL CONTINGENCY, ALL OF IT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARITY I APPRECIATE IT. IT'S LATE. YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU, MISS HELLINGER. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN AND MR. LONG. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS ITEM 
          [8.J. HB2 Uncertified Teacher Extension: Consideration and approval of an application  to request an extension of House Bill 2 uncertified teaching provisions through the  2029–30 school year.]
EIGHT J, WHICH IS HB TWO, UNCERTIFIED TEACHER EXTENSIONS. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM, MISS HANNON? SO JUST DISREGARD IF I CAN'T ASK THIS QUESTION HERE. AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO PUSH OUT OUR ABILITY TO PLACE NON CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS BEYOND WHAT HB TWO INITIALLY REQUIRED. BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MAYBE IN A BOARD UPDATE SINCE WE'LL HAVE BOY AND MOY COMING. I'M JUST I'M I'M ACTUALLY REALLY CURIOUS HOW OUR NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS, THEIR STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING. SO IF THERE IS ANY WAY THAT WE COULD LOOK AT THAT DATA AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CONTINUING THAT PROCESS, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. NEXT IS ITEM EIGHT K LIBRARY BOOK PURCHASE 
          [8.K. Library Book Purchase Programs Update: Consideration and approval of the  purchase of new library materials that were posted for public review beginning  January 2026.]
PROGRAMS UPDATE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE TRUSTEES ON THIS ITEM. NEXT IS 8LAHN JROTC 
          [8.L. AHS NJROTC International Travel: Consideration and approval of international  travel by Stephen F. Austin High School Senior NJROTC cadets to travel to Cozumel,  Mexico. ]
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. OKAY. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME ITEMS 
          [8.M.1. External Audit Services: Consideration and approval for the purchase of  financial, efficiency and Bond auditing services from Whitley Penn, LLP in an  amount not to exceed $836,000 over a five-year period and authorization for the  Superintendent to negotiate and execute the agreement through February 2031.]
UNDER EIGHT M FOR EXPENSES THAT EXCEED $50,000. SO 8M1 IS EXTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM. ITEM 8M2 IS DISTRICT DARK FIBER. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS 
          [8.M.2. District Dark Fiber: Consideration and approval for the purchase of Wide  Area Network (WAN) dark fiber service (Long Term) from PS Lightwave LLC in  an amount not to exceed $250,777 over a five-year period, and authorization for  the Superintendent to negotiate and execute the agreement through June 2031. ]
          [8.M.3. Benchmark Study and Operations Assessment Services (COOP):  Consideration and approval of a contract for benchmark study and operations  assessment services from Transpar Group through a cooperative contract with  Omnia Partners Cooperative in an amount not-to-exceed $90,000 and  authorization for the Superintendent to negotiate and execute the agreement  through February 2027.]
ITEM? ITEM EIGHT M3 IS BENCHMARK STUDY AND OPERATIONS ASSESSMENT SERVICES CO-OP QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM. ITEM EIGHT M4 IS CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR TURF AND 
          [8.M.4. Construction Services Agreement for Turf and Athletics at Multiple  Campuses (BP010): Consideration and approval of a Construction Services  Agreement with Hellas Construction, for Turf and Athletics at Multiple Campuses  (BP010), for an amount not to exceed $18,652,948.00 and authorization for the  Superintendent to negotiate and execute or terminate the agreements. ]
ATHLETICS AT MULTIPLE CAMPUSES. BID PACKAGE TEN 010. MR. CHARANIA YEAH, I'M. I'M STILL STRUGGLING WITH. US PUTTING MONEY INTO THE HIGH SCHOOLS, WHICH IS NOT. TOWARDS THE CRITICAL EXPENDITURE. ESPECIALLY BEFORE DOING THE REBALANCE TO SEE HOW MANY HIGH SCHOOLS LIKE LIKE HOW ARE WE GOING TO REBALANCE HIGH SCHOOLS? ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FILL THEM ALL UP OR ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE? YEAH, I MEAN I'M STRUGGLING WITH THAT. SO I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME WITH IT. I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE PROPOSING IT, BUT THAT'S MY STRUGGLE. SO JUST WANTED TO VOICE IT. I MEAN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE IN A DECLINE ACROSS THE DISTRICT. IT'S COMING EVEN FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL SOON. SO. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. IT'S JUST A COMMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. O'NEILL. ALL RIGHT. ITEM EIGHT M6 IS INTEGRATED SAFETY AND READINESS SOLUTIONS CO-OP. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? PRESIDENT TOWSON, I BELIEVE YOU PASSED OVER. SORRY. ITEM EIGHT AND FIVE 
          [8.M.5. Construction Services Agreement for HVAC – MEP West Zone 2 at  Multiple Campuses (BP047): Consideration and approval of a Construction  Services Agreement with Prime Contractors, Inc., for HVAC – MEP West Zone 2  (BP047), for a not to exceed amount of $7,806,000.00 and authorization for the  Superintendent to negotiate and execute or terminate the agreements.]
CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR HVAC AT MEP WEST ZONE TWO AT MULTIPLE CAMPUSES, WHICH IS BID PACKAGE 47. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS, MISS TORONTO? YEAH I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. CAN WE CLARIFY BECAUSE I KNOW WE IT'S BEEN CLARIFIED IN THE IN THE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE. 
          BUT CAN WE CLARIFY THAT THEY'RE LIKE MISSION WEST, MISSION GLEN ALL LIKE ALL OF THESE ARE I THINK ONE OF THEM MAY EVEN BE ALREADY CLOSED. I'M NOT SURE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE ONES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE ON THE LIST THAT WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ON. YES, MA'AM. RIGHT NOW, THE THE PACKAGE FOR MEP WEST ZONE TWO INCLUDES NEIL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OAKLAND, OYSTER CREEK, PATTERSON, PECAN GROVE, SEGUIN AND TOWN WEST OKAY OKAY. BECAUSE BECAUSE INITIAL ONE HAD THE OTHER ONES AS WELL OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. NOW 
          [8.M.6. Integrated Safety & Readiness Solutions (COOP): Consideration and  approval for the purchase of integrated safety and readiness solutions from  multiple vendors under a cooperative contract with Central Texas Purchasing  Alliance (CTPA) and General Service Administration (GSA) in an amount not-to exceed $392,130 over a five-year period and authorization for the Superintendent  to negotiate and execute the agreements through February 2031.]
ITEM EIGHT M6 IS INTEGRATED SAFETY AND READINESS SOLUTIONS CO-OP. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON 
          [8.M.7. Staff Training Platform: Consideration and approval for the purchase of staff  training platform from Vector Solutions with EPIC6 Purchasing Cooperative in an  amount not to exceed $270,000 over a three-year period and authorization for the  Superintendent to negotiate and execute the agreement through February 2029.]
          [03:25:04]
THIS ITEM. AND ITEM EIGHT M7 IS A STAFF TRAINING PLATFORM. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? NOW WE WILL CONSIDER ACTION ITEMS. ITEM NINE A MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I 
          [9.A. Construction Services Agreement for Gym Renovations & Additions at  Multiple Campuses (BP022): Consideration and approval of a Construction Services  Agreement with Prime Contractors for Gym Renovations and Additions at Multiple  Campuses, for a not-to-exceed amount of $12,823,000, and authorization for the  Superintendent to negotiate and execute or terminate the agreements.]
MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE ACTION ITEM NINE A REGARDING CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR GYM RENOVATIONS AND ADDITIONS AT MULTIPLE CAMPUSES. BID PACKAGE ZERO ZERO. NO BID PACKAGE 022. AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNAN AND A SECOND BY MISS HELLINGER. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES SIX 
          [9.B. Construction Services Agreement for Fine Arts Renovations at Multiple  Campuses (BP033): Consideration and approval of a Construction Services  Agreement with E Contractors USA LLC for Fine Arts Renovations at Multiple  Campuses (BP033), for a stipulated sum of $15,864,000, and authorization for the  Superintendent to negotiate and execute or terminate the agreements.]
ONE. NEXT ITEM NINE B CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR FINE ARTS RENOVATIONS AT MULTIPLE CAMPUSES. BID PACKAGE 33. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? YES. I MOVE THE BOARD. APPROVE. NINE A REGARDING CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT. OH, WHAT DID I SAY? A I'M SORRY NINE I WITHDRAW THAT APPROVE ITEM NINE B CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR FINE ARTS RENOVATIONS AT MULTIPLE CAMPUSES. BID PACKAGE 033 AS WRITTEN. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNAN AND A SECOND BY MISS HELLINGER. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION, MISS TANYA? YES, WE HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ON HERE. AND I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A MIDDLE SCHOOL REBALANCE, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO TAKE THAT, BRING IT BACK TO US BACK AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. SO ARE WE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT SPENDING THIS MONEY OR APPROVING THIS, SPEND THIS MONEY ON MIDDLE SCHOOLS? WHENEVER WE CREATED THESE PACKAGES, WE HAVE A NOT TO EXCEED NUMBER. AND WE ARE FACING THESE PROJECTS INTENTIONALLY AND KEEPING AN EYE ON PARTICULAR PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT THERE. SO WHENEVER THIS DOES START, WE WILL BE PREPARED TO. SO WE WON'T DO ANY MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT WORK AT ALL UNTIL WE HAVE THE REBALANCE DONE. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING OR NO, MA'AM, I'M SAYING THAT WE'RE WE'RE FACING THEM LATE. SO IF WE DO HEAR SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, THEN WE CAN WAIT ON THOSE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. OKAY, I. I'M STRUGGLING WITH THAT ONE TOO. SORRY. I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO END UP PUTTING MONEY INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHEN WE LOOK AT REBALANCING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SITUATION OF, YEP, GO AHEAD. ANOTHER BARRINGTON WHERE WE'RE KEEPING THAT OPEN AND CLOSING SOMETHING ELSE. RIGHT. SO YES, MA'AM, WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN, AS WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES TONIGHT WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE BOND 2023 AND THINGS THAT WERE NOT DONE OR NOT COMPLETED THAT OUR COMMUNITY VOTED ON. THERE ARE PROJECTS AT ALL LEVELS ELEMENTARY ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. THE SITUATION WE'RE CURRENTLY IN IS THAT WE HAVE A DRAFT PLAN FOR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES AND FOR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SLOW ROLL AS WE WAIT ON THE DRAFT PLAN. HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE PACKAGES COMING FORWARD THAT WILL INCLUDE BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS AS WE WORK TO DELIVER ON PROMISES TO THE COMMUNITY AT BOTH, AT BOTH OF THOSE LEVELS, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. SO THOSE PACKAGES ARE IN THERE AT THIS TIME, SINCE THERE IS NO DRAFT PLAN FOR SECONDARY, WE ARE CONTINUING TO BRING THOSE ITEMS FORWARD SO THAT THE WORK CAN CONTINUE TO BE DONE AT THOSE CAMPUSES. OKAY, I'M I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE MY PROMISE TO THE COMMUNITY WAS ALSO TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. SO I'M STRUGGLING WITH THIS ONE. BUT OKAY, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU, MISS BROWN. THANK YOU. MISS, MISS HILLIKER. SO I GUESS TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT QUESTION, AND WHEN YOU SAY PHASED APPROACH ARE WHAT CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT A PHASED APPROACH LOOKS LIKE. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE THERE'S A DECISION BY THIS BOARD TO VOTE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS AS AN EXAMPLE, HOW DOES THIS IMPACT THIS BID PACKAGE THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING? SO WITH THIS PARTICULAR BID PACKAGE, IF A DECISION IS MADE, ARE YOU SPEAKING TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUSES. ARE THEY ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES ANY. OKAY. YES. SO THE ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES THAT ARE LISTED HERE, WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE TWO THAT ARE PART OF THE DRAFT PLAN FOR YOU. FOR THOSE CAMPUSES IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE NOT STARTING WORK AT THOSE TWO CAMPUSES UNTIL AFTER MARCH 9TH. 
          IF THE BOARD VOTES TO CONSOLIDATE THOSE CAMPUSES, WE WOULD NOT CONTINUE WITH THAT WORK BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY A PLAN IN PLACE, A DRAFT FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT ARE LISTED HERE. THE SECONDARY WORK HAS NOT STARTED YET, AND SO WE ARE PRESENTING THOSE TO BE ABLE TO 
          [03:30:04]
MOVE FORWARD. SO WHEN WE SLOW ROLL AND PHASE IN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY AS IT RELATES TO A DRAFT PLAN. SO JUST SO I'M CLEAR I'M SORRY. SLOW ROLL. YOU HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ON HERE. LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION DIFFERENTLY. WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME FOR THE COMPLETE THIS PARTICULAR BID PACKAGE? LET ME ASK IT THAT WAY OKAY. LET ME GET WHAT TIME WHAT KIND OF LENGTH OF TIME ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO SLOW ROLLING SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE ABOUT TO SPEND $1,515 MILLION, WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME FRAME ON HERE, BUT TYPICALLY FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS, IT'LL BE OVER MONTHS. WE CAN GET THE SPECIFICS ON WHEN WORK IS TO START. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BOND PACKAGES, WE BRING SEVERAL THINGS AT ONE TIME, BUT THAT'S PHASED IN OVER TIME. SO DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WORK IS DONE AT A PARTICULAR CAMPUS, THAT WILL DETERMINE AT WHAT POINT THE WORK WOULD START AT THAT CAMPUS. BUT WE HAVE A TIMELINE AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION ON WHEN WORK WOULD START AT EACH OF THESE CAMPUSES. LET ME HELP STREAMLINE THIS. ARE YOU GOING TO START WORK ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUSES BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE ON THE SECONDARY BOUNDARY PLAN FOR THIS PACKAGE? YES. SO IT'S SIMILAR TO THE WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL PACKAGE THAT WE VOTED ON AT THE LAST MEETING. THIS IS SECONDARY WORK THAT YOU ARE GOING TO START BEFORE. WE WOULD BRING A BOUNDARY PLAN TO BE VOTED ON TO THE BOARD. YES, MA'AM. DOES THAT HELP? OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU MISS. SORRY, MISS. VICKI. SORRY. ACTUALLY, I WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK WAS HOW HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE TO PULL THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS OUT OF THIS ONE? BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO CLOSE HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT WE MAY CLOSE A MIDDLE SCHOOL OR TWO. SO HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO PULL THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS FROM THIS BID PACKAGE? SO OF COURSE, AT THE DIRECTION OF THE OF OF THE BOARD, WE COULD TAKE ANY ACTION WE SPOKE ABOUT WITH WILLOWRIDGE SOME OF THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. AND SO I'D REITERATE THOSE, THOSE SAME RISKS, THE BIDDING THAT WE'VE GONE OUT FOR THESE TWO PACKAGES, THE REASON WE IT WAS ON THE JANUARY AGENDA, AND WE MOVED IT FORWARD AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD TO THE FEBRUARY AGENDA. AND SO THE BID THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WOULD EXPIRE AND WE WOULD GO BACK OUT FOR BID FOR THESE PROJECTS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, IN THAT VEIN, THE PRICING COULD INCREASE THE WORK AS IT RELATES TO FINE ART RENOVATIONS AT THOSE CAMPUSES. 
          WHICH BOARD, I THINK ONE OF YOU MENTIONED LAST WEEK, IS ALSO CRITICAL TO THE TOTAL EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE AT RISK IF WE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MISS. MISS TANYA. YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THE SAME COMMENT. I THINK THAT TRUSTEE SAID IS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE CLOSING OR WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT CONSOLIDATING MIDDLE SCHOOLS FOR SURE, BECAUSE THAT'S UNDER OUR SWEET SPOT. AND AND THE STUFF THAT'S ON HERE IS NOT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S JUST WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEEDING IT TO MAKE IT. LIKE TO MAKE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY. YES, MA'AM. 
          SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. IT'S NOT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED. YES. SO AT DIFFERENT CAMPUSES, VARIOUS CAMPUSES WOULD GET DIFFERENT THINGS. SO THERE ARE FOUR OF THOSE CAMPUSES THAT WOULD GET RENOVATION, RENOVATIONS AND RECONFIGURATIONS AT THEIR CAMPUS. SO THEY WOULD GET SOME ADDITIONAL ROOMS AT THEIR CAMPUS SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THINGS THAT THEY DON'T. CURRENTLY, THEY MAY HAVE THE THE CLASS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SPACE THAT'S EQUITABLE TO THE OTHER CAMPUSES AS IT RELATES TO STANDARDS. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MISS TANYA. OKAY. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FIVE TWO. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? THE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.