[00:00:07]
[B. CALL TO ORDER]
IT IS 5:33 ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER THE 21ST, 2024.BEFORE WE GO TO PLEDGES, I DO WANT TO MAKE A SHORT ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO THEY ARE CERTIFIED AND OFFICIALLY ABLE TO START OUR MEETING WITH US.
IF YOU WANT TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND LEAD US IN OUR PLEDGE, PLEASE STAND.
I ALWAYS LOVE IT WHEN WE GET TO HAVE STUDENTS COME UP AND LEAD OUR PLEDGES.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
[D. RECOGNITION OF STUDENTS AND STAFF]
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT LANDRUM.TRUSTEES RETURNING AND NEW TRUSTEES AND DR.
COULD DR. AZAIEZ AND OUR TRUSTEES PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT OF THE DAIS? OKAY. WE ARE STARTING WITH TWO CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO JUST LED US IN OUR PLEDGE.
THEY'RE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR INNOVATIVE SCIENCE EXPLORATION.
BOTH STUDENTS RANKED FIRST IN LAST YEAR'S GREATER AUSTIN REGIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR, WHICH OPENED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO BE INVITED TO COMPETE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. THE NATIONAL COMPETITION SELECTS ONLY THE TOP 10% OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THEIR REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIRS ACROSS THE US.
OUT OF THAT GROUP OF STUDENTS THERE, THAT IS NARROWED DOWN TO 30 FINALISTS NATIONWIDE.
SO WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE 30 FINALISTS WITH US TODAY.
THE SECOND IS SAMVITH MAHADEVAN, WHO ALSO WON THE $10,000 LEMELSON FOUNDATION AWARD FOR INVENTION FOR HIS EXPERIMENT NOVEL APPLICATION OF OLFACTORY SENSORY ARRAYS IN THE DETECTION OF FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL ALLERGENS USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
SO WE'LL BOTH ARYA AND SAMVITH AND PRINCIPAL TERRY-BROWN, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT FOR PHOTOS.
THE AWARD RECOGNIZED GREAT OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CEDAR VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR DISPLAYING A DEDICATION AND DEMONSTRATING OUTSTANDING COMPREHENSIVE COUNSELING PROGRAMS THAT WERE DATA DRIVEN, FOCUSED ON GOAL COMPLETION, AND ALIGNED TO THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION NATIONAL MODEL.
WILL TANYA VALDEZ, LAURIE THORNHILL, ELIZABETH GUIDRY, HEATHER MILLS, PRINCIPAL LARISSA ORTIZ, AND DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING AND STUDENT SERVICES, LASHONDA LEWIS PLEASE COME TAKE YOUR PHOTO.
[00:05:19]
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE VERY EXCITED AND PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR FINAL STAFF RECOGNITION FOR THE EVENING.THE OFFICIAL STATE OF TEXAS PROGRAM, FACILITATED BY TASA SINCE 2011, ANNUALLY RECOGNIZES AND AWARDS TEACHERS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING.
DR. AZAIEZ AND TRUSTEES, YOU CAN RETURN TO YOUR SEATS.
ALWAYS. SO WE NOW GO FROM RECOGNITIONS TO NEW LEADERS IN THE DISTRICT, AND . IS SHE HERE? THANK YOU. WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ONE OF OUR LATEST ADDITIONS TO ROUND ROCK ISD.
WELCOME FAEZANA ALI, THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF GATTIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
CAN YOU PLEASE COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS? THANK YOU.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS ON. OH, HELLO.
I'M THE NEW PROUD PRINCIPAL OF GADDIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN IN 40 DAYS IN OFFICE NOW.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE GATOR COMMUNITY.
WE JUST RECENTLY WON THE CHEER CHANT AT THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP SUMMIT, AND WE JUST HAD AN AMAZING STEAM NIGHT ORGANIZED BY OUR AMAZING, AMAZING PTA JUST THE OTHER NIGHT WHERE I LIT MY HANDS ON FIRE SAFELY.
THIS IS FOR YOU FOR YOUR LOVE OF CAFES! WE'RE GOING TO START A COFFEE CART FOR OUR FCC AND FAC STUDENTS TO DO WITH THEIR PEERS.
FIRST ONE, YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT? YES. HERE WE GO.
GOOD JOB, IAN. I REALLY WANTED TO ROLL THAT OUT HERE BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU KNOW, SOCIAL INTERACTION, AND IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THE GENERAL ED PEERS TO GET TO INTERACT WITH OUR STUDENTS AND GET TO KNOW THEM AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO OF COFFEE. GIVE THIS TO MISS LACALLE.
CAN I HAVE THAT? OH THANK YOU.
SO IT WAS IT WAS A GREAT OPTION FOR ME, LIKE PLAYING WITH THE KIDS, TOO.
I DO THINK THAT THEY'RE LEARNING TO HOW TO BE POLITE WITH THEM OR BE LIKE HOW TO SPEAK.
WELL, I REALLY LIKE TO PLAY WITH, LIKE LIKE WITH IAN AND EVERYBODY ELSE AT RECESS SOMETIMES, AND IT'D BE REALLY, AND I THOUGHT IT'D BE REALLY FUN TO DELIVER COFFEE WITH THEM.
IT MEANS SO MUCH THAT YOU CHOSE MY EXPERIENCE, AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT I GET TO DO THIS WITH MY KIDS.
[00:10:05]
IT'S REALLY AMAZING.I LOVE THAT Y'ALL FIND NEW THINGS TO SHARE WITH US EACH MONTH.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
ALL RIGHT. IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT EACH BOARD MEETING.
[E. PUBLIC COMMENTS TO AGENDA ITEMS UNDER SECTIONS F, G, I, J, K, L, M AND O ONLY]
AT EACH BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD WILL SET ASIDE TIME TO AFFORD THE GENERAL PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.THE BOARD REQUESTS THAT COMMENTS, WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL.
AS A SECOND REMINDER, THE BOARD ADOPTED AN ANTI-HATE RESOLUTION ON JANUARY 20TH, 2022, WHERE THE BOARD REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING AND SAFETY OF ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, GENDER IDENTITY, GENDER EXPRESSION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY, AGE, OR POLITICAL BELIEFS, AND STANDS AGAINST SPEECH THAT INCITES HATRED AND VIOLENCE TOWARDS ANY PERSON.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHILE THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, THAT RIGHT IS NOT UNLIMITED.
PER TEXAS PENAL CODE 38.13, 42.01, 42.02 AND 42.05 AND TEXAS EDUCATION CODE 37.105.
NO AUDIENCE MEMBER OR SPEAKER WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENGAGE IN ANY CONDUCT THAT IS DISRUPTIVE OR THREATENING TOWARD ANY SPEAKER OR OTHER PERSON, OR TO VIOLATE THE PRIVACY RIGHTS OF ANOTHER PERSON.
THE BOARD SHALL NOT TOLERATE DISRUPTION OF THE MEETING BY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
IF, AFTER AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL WARNING FROM THE PRESIDING OFFICER, ANY INDIVIDUAL CONTINUES TO DISRUPT THE MEETING BY HIS OR HER WORDS OR ACTIONS, THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL REMOVED FROM THE MEETING.
THEREFORE, BOARD MEMBERS MAY NOT DISCUSS THE COMMENTS OF SPEAKERS.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
TRUSTEE HARRISON WILL BE THE DESIGNATED TIMEKEEPER.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS NOÉ GUTIERREZ, SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM F1 AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
TONIGHT IS A MOMENTOUS NIGHT INDEED, FOR WE WILL SEE THE END OF AN ERA, THE END OF FOUR YEARS OF CHAOS AND CONTROVERSY, AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF SEVERAL YEARS OF A MORE HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE EXPECT EVERYONE TO MARCH IN LOCKSTEP WITH ONE ANOTHER.
IT WILL BE IMPERATIVE THAT THE NEW BOARD, GOING FORWARD, MEET THESE CHALLENGES WITH THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION, THOROUGH DEBATE, AND A CIVIL CONSENSUS.
THEY WILL, OF COURSE, NOT ALWAYS BE SO.
FOR YOU NEW ONES, YOU'LL EVEN HAVE TO PUT UP AT TIMES WITH A RANDOM PEDICAB OPERATOR WHO'LL DRIVE ALL THE WAY UP HERE FROM AUSTIN AND SIGN UP TO SPEAK, USING FAKE NAMES SIMPLY TO MAKE A MOCKERY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS AND SOME MISPLACED EFFORT AT PERSONAL RELEVANCY BUT THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED.
HE'S ALSO LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES, AFTER WHICH HE SCURRIES OFF.
MAKE SURE YOU BRING IT BACK TO THE NEW BOARD, AND FINALLY, AS FOR OUR DEARLY DEPARTED TRUSTEES.
THIS LOOKS LIKE IT'S A HOLE THAT'S GOING TO LET ME GO UNDER IF I SAY THE WRONG THING.
[00:15:05]
IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE ANOTHER FORMER TEACHER SITTING ON THE DAIS WHO CAN RELATE TO THE ISSUES THAT OUR STAFF CAN FACE WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING TIME IS INFRINGED ON, AND MULTIPLE NEW CURRICULUMS ARE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT ADEQUATE TRAINING OR SUPPORT.WE DO KNOW THAT YOU WILL ALL WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO WORK DURING THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO KEEP STATE MONEY THAT'S EARMARKED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION TO STAY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION TO FULLY SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.
WE DO HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CREATIVE IN FINDING WAYS TO SUPPLEMENT OUR INCOME.
WE WORK WAY TOO HARD TO ONLY RECEIVE A ONE OR A 2% RAISE.
LASTLY, WE WANT TO THANK COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR PRIORITIZING OUR SCHOOLS BY VOTING FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD PROPOSITIONS OR, EXCUSE ME, SCHOOL BOND PROPOSITIONS, EVEN IF THEY WERE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BALLOT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEXANDER STRINGER SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM.
MY APOLOGIES. K1 AND K3 AND YOU DO NOT LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
I'M SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEMS K1 AND K3 REGARDING OUR STUDENT OUTCOME GOALS, AS WELL AS OUR TASB POLICY UPDATES, AND WE NEED TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT NOW MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, ESPECIALLY SINCE AMERICA ELECTED A WHITE SUPREMACIST BIGOT INTO THE OVAL OFFICE.
EXCUSE ME. MAKE SURE YOU BRING THIS BACK TO STUDENT OUTCOMES.
ACTUALLY, WE DON'T HAVE STUDENT OUTCOMES.
THE TIME TRACKER AND THE BUDGET.
I MEAN, SORRY, BUT THIS HAS TO DO WITH STUDENT WELLNESS AND OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES, AND HAVING AN ADJUDICATED RAPIST AND A CRYSTAL FASCIST IN THE OVAL OFFICE HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES.
OKAY. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE NEED TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
YOU KNOW, NOW MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.
OKAY, AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND I'VE REPEATED THIS ARE UNDER ATTACK BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST DONALD TRUMP'S MAGA FASCIST PROJECT 2025 AGENDA, AND THIS IS RELEVANT. HOLD ON.
YOU HAVE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE BOARD.
TIME TRACKER OR OUR POLICY UPDATE? YES, I KNOW.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, I STOPPED YOUR TIME.
PLEASE KEEP YOUR SPEECH ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TO FOLLOW THE POLICIES OF ROUND ROCK ISD.
YES, AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH OUR WELLNESS.
IF MY SON, AND BECAUSE I HAVE A TRANS KID.
OKAY, AND IF MY KID'S NOT GOING TO FEEL LIKE HE BELONGS HERE, THIS HAS DIRECTLY TO DO WITH WELLNESS.
ALL RIGHT, AND MY 12 YEAR OLD SON, HE'S A MIDDLE SCHOOLER, AND EVER SINCE HE STARTED PUBERTY, HE HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN EXPLORING HIS GENDER FLUIDITY, AND EVERY NIGHT HE COMES HOME CRYING BECAUSE HE CANNOT CHANGE IN THE BATHROOM THAT SHE IDENTIFIES THAT THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO STUDENT HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AMBER.
OKAY, AND I DON'T APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT FASCIST LIKE NANCY MACE ARE STOPPING MY SON FROM CHANGING IN THE GIRL'S LOCKER ROOM, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE LOCKER ROOM OF HIS CHOOSING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE.
LOOK. POINT OF ORDER. YES. IF WE DO ONE WARNING, WE CAN ASK THE SPEAKER TO MOVE ON.
IF HE DOESN'T. THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING.
NO, NO, NO. THIS IS NOT A DISCOURSE TIME.
STUDENT WELLNESS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
STUDENT WELLBEING IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT FOR THE ITEMS K1 AND K3 THAT YOU SIGNED UP ON.
PLEASE USE IT ACCORDING TO THE BOARD POLICIES IN ROUND ROCK ISD.
THANK YOU. THIS IS ONE OF THE TASB GOALS AND MY SON CONTINUOUSLY FEELS LIKE HE'S LESS THAN BECAUSE AMERICA, ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOL BOARD, IS A DEN OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND A HAVEN OF BIGOTRY AS IS CLEARLY BEING DEMONSTRATED, RIGHT? AND HOW IS MY SON CARLA GOING TO MAXIMIZE HER POTENTIAL WHEN SHE CAN'T EVEN CHANGE IN THE GIRLS LOCKER ROOM WHERE SHE IS MOST COMFORTABLE.
SHE CAN'T. HOW'S MY SON? HOW'S MY SON GOING TO GROW? HOW IS MY BEAUTIFUL SON, CARLA? PAUSE HIS TIME.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT? HE'S BEEN GIVEN ONE WARNING, AND STILL CONTINUES TO VIOLATE.
CAN WE PLEASE ASK HIM TO MOVE ALONG? I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON IF IT'S NOT TO THE AGENDA.
[OUTBURSTS] WE'RE GOING TO. WE ARE DONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A RECESS IF YOU DON'T LEAVE.
[00:20:02]
NOPE, WE ARE NOT HAVING ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE AUDIENCE.ANYBODY, LET ME MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR.
ANYBODY IS WELCOME TO COME AND SPEAK AT OUR MEETINGS, BUT YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE POLICIES OF ROUND ROCK ISD AND SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
I GIVE AS MUCH LEEWAY AS POSSIBLE, BUT PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE POLICIES SET OUT IN ROUND ROCK ISD BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURE AND IN OUR POLICY MANUAL.
SUER THEY WANT TO FOLLOW THAT.
FIRST I WANT TO CONGRATULATE NEW AND REELECTED TRUSTEES.
YOU HAVE AN IMMENSE DIFFICULT TASK IN FRONT OF YOU.
SECOND, I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE ROUND ROCK ISD COMMUNITY FOR CHOOSING OUR NEW TRUSTEES FOR REJECTING HATE AND CHOOSING LOVE.
FOR ALLOWING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR PROPOSED BOND THAT WE WORKED SO HARD FOR, AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO SAY MY GRATITUDE AND MY ADMIRATION TO DR.
AZAIEZ ANOTHER YEAR WITH NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
THE HATE AND THE VITRIOL AND THE NEGATIVE ENERGY IS GOING TO COME YOUR WAY BUT WE ARE HERE, BEHIND YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT HEREBY CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
[F. ADMINISTER CEREMONIAL OATH OF OFFICE AND WELCOME NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS]
ADMINISTER CEREMONIAL OATH OF OFFICE AND WELCOME OUR NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS.SO IT HAS BEEN OUR DISTRICT'S PRACTICE TO CEREMONIAL SWEAR CEREMONIALLY.
SO, NEW TRUSTEES, WE WELCOME YOU ALL TO COME TO THE FRONT.
TRUSTEE CHUY ZÁRATE, WILL YOU AND YOUR GUESTS AND YOUR FAMILIES COME UP HERE FOR A PHOTO, PLEASE? HI, EVERYBODY. I'M PAT ZÁRATE, AND THIS IS MATTHEW ZÁRATE.
I, AS ESTEVAN JESUS ZÁRATE, DO SOLEMNLY AFFIRM, I, AS ESTEVAN JESUS ZÁRATE, DO SOLEMNLY AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES, THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF TRUSTEE PLACE ONE. THE OFFICE OF TRUSTEE PLACE ONE OF THE ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OF THE ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE.
HOW DARE YOU START CRYING? [CHUCKLING] I DON'T KNOW.
CONGRATULATIONS. TRUSTEE ZÁRATE TRUSTEE MELISSA ROSS, WILL YOU AND YOUR GUESTS PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIC? I LOST MY SON.
OH, YES. OKAY, LET'S SWITCH THE OTHER WAY.
[00:25:05]
WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE WHO IS YOUR WITH YOU THIS EVENING? TRUSTEE ROSS. OH, SORRY.YES, I HAVE MY FAMILY, BUT OBVIOUSLY I LOST MY SON SOMEWHERE, BUT THEN THESE ARE MY FORMER STUDENTS.
ARE YOU? YOU CAN COME IF YOU WANT.
IF YOU DON'T, IT'S FINE. OH, DON'T MIND HIM.
NOW TO ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE.
REPEAT AFTER ME. I, MELISSA ROSS, DO SOLEMNLY AFFIRM.
I, MELISSA ROSS, DO SOLEMNLY AFFIRM.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF TRUSTEE PLACE TWO OF THE OFFICE OF TRUSTEE PLACE TWO OF THE ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE.
CONGRATULATIONS, TRUSTEE ROSS.
DR. MICHAEL WEI, WILL YOU AND YOUR GUESTS PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIC, PLEASE? SORRY.
TRUSTEE WEI, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE WHO'S WITH US TONIGHT OR WITH YOU? HOLD ON.
ALICE, IS MY CAMPAIGN TREASURER.
ALICE AND MY DAUGHTER, AGNES WEI, TAYLOR WEI, AND MY WIFE, VENETIAN.
I, MICHAEL WEI, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.
I, MICHAEL WEI, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF TRUSTEE PLACE SEVEN OF THE OFFICE OF TRUSTEE PLACE SEVEN OF THE ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OF THE ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND I WILL DO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE.
CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU EVERYONE.
SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO EITHER SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST BEEN SWORN IN WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT OR SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SITTING HERE AND DID NOT GET SWORN IN, WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT, THEN I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS.
[00:30:05]
THIS IS A DISCUSSION ITEM, SO PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO TWO MINUTES OR LESS.ACCORDING TO ROUND ROCK ISD BOARD POLICIES.
SURE ENOUGH. MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY CAMPAIGN TEAM, WHICH WITH WHICH NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT ALL.
THEY REALLY CARRIED ME THROUGH THIS ONE AS I WENT THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF A LOSS.
I LOVE YOU, AND I'M WEARING PURPLE FOR HER, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO WEAR IT FOR HER.
SHE WAS AN EDUCATOR 51 YEARS, AND THAT'S WHY I DO THIS.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT POLL GREETED.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT CALLED, TEXT BANKED, WHATEVER.
WE REALLY I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? I DON'T HAVE ANY LIGHTS ON.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO. NO PRESSURES.
I WILL SAY, WHILE YOU'RE DECIDING IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING OR NOT, I WILL SAY THIS IS THE FOURTH BOARD NOW THAT I'VE SAT WITH SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS DAIS IN 2018. I'M EXCITED.
HOPEFUL. AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SEVEN ZERO VOTES, I'M LOOKING FOR RESPECT AND HONOR FOR GOOD DIALOG, GOOD DISCUSSION, AND FOR UNDERSTANDING AND LISTENING FROM EVERYBODY UP HERE.
SO I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT TWO YEARS OF THESE SEVEN PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, AND I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE HEART THAT IS UP HERE, AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON THE STUDENTS IN ROUND ROCK ISD.
SO WELCOME, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT CHUY HAD ALSO TAKEN HIS OATH, HIS OFFICIAL SWEARING IN BEFORE THE MEETING, BUT YOU JUST WERE HERE, AND SO I'M SORRY I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAD ACTUALLY DONE YOUR OFFICIAL SWEARING IN, BUT I HAVE A LIGHT ON TRUSTEE HARRISON.
IT'S HARD THAT FIRST TIME TO PUSH THE BUTTON, BUT GO AHEAD.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THANK YOU FOR MY WIFE, BECAUSE SHE'S TAKEN CARE OF THE KIDS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE APPRECIATE WHAT SHE HAS DONE FOR THIS FAMILY FOR MY CAMPAIGN.
I ALSO, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALICE E FOR HER MENTORSHIP FOR MYSELF, HOW TO LEARN FROM THE COMMUNITY, GET TO KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND MY CONTENT MANAGER, APRIL, SHE COULD NOT JOIN TODAY, BUT SHE USED TO CREATE A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING ON THERE, AND MOST IMPORTANT, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AND HELP ME TO GET THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT MOMENT.
WITHOUT YOU GUYS, I CANNOT BE SITTING HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT CLOSED SESSION.
[G. CLOSED SESSION]
WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THE BACK SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN STAY PUT, AND WE'RE GOING TO THE NEXT ITEM AFTER CLOSED SESSION WILL BE TO TALK ABOUT NEW OFFICER ELECTIONS.SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY IN YOUR SEATS BUT I NEED TO READ US INTO CLOSED.
SO PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 AND 551.074.
IT IS 6:07 AND WE ARE IN CLOSED SESSION.
GOOD EVENING. IT IS 6:22 AND WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
[H. CALL BACK TO ORDER]
HOLD ON, I HAVE A SCRIPT.HOLD ON. I DON'T LIKE SCRIPTS BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE WROTE THEM, AND I.
SO PARDON ME IF I STUMBLE ALONG.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE ARE ON TO ITEM I1.
[I. THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING: ELECTION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS]
THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING ELECTION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS.AGENDA ITEM I1 ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS.
[00:35:03]
THE BOARD WILL VOTE IN THE ORDER OF THE NOMINATIONS.ALL RIGHT, SO WE WILL OPEN NOMINATIONS FOR PRESIDENT.
DO I HAVE ANY MOTIONS? TRUSTEE WEIR.
I MOVE THAT OR I NOMINATE TRUSTEE TIFFANIE HARRISON FOR PRESIDENT.
ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR TRUSTEE HARRISON FOR PRESIDENT.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE.
NOMINATIONS FOR PRESIDENT ARE CLOSED, AND WE WILL.
WHAT'S THE TERM? WE WILL APPROVE BY ACCLAMATION.
TRUSTEE HARRISON IS OUR NEW BOARD PRESIDENT.
ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW OPEN NOMINATIONS FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
DO I HAVE ANY MOTIONS? TRUSTEE ZÁRATE.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE ALICIA MARKUM FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE.
TRUSTEE MARKUM IS VICE PRESIDENT BY ACCLAMATION.
CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT, NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO NOMINATIONS FOR SECRETARY.
DO I HAVE ANY MOTIONS? TRUSTEE ZÁRATE. I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE AMBER FELLER FOR SECRETARY.
HOW ABOUT AMBER LANDRUM? LANDRUM! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? [CHUCKLING] I HAVE A MOTION.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER NOMINATIONS, I HEREBY DECLARE MYSELF AS SECRETARY BY ACCLAMATION.
[CHUCKLING] I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS LEADERSHIP AND THE FUTURE OF THIS BOARD.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF RECESS JUST TO RESET THE DAIS.
IT'S 6:25 AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A RECESS.
IT IS 6:34 P.M., AND WE ARE CALLING THIS MEETING.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEP GRATITUDE FOR NOW, SECRETARY LANDRUM, WHO HAS LED OUR BOARD FAITHFULLY, FEARLESSLY, IN THE MIDST OF A LOT OF CHAOS DUTIFULLY AND EXCELLENTLY AND SO I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL, AND I'M JUST REALLY HERE TO GIVE HER A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OKAY. WE ARE MOVING ALONG TO ITEM J ONE SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS LSG MONITORING REPORT GOAL FOUR.
[J. SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS]
GOAL PROGRESS MEASURES 4.1, 4.2 AND 4.3 STUDENT OUTCOMES, AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR.SO THANK YOU ALSO, PRESIDENT LANDRUM, I MEAN, SORRY, SECRETARY LANDRUM, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
CORRECT. THAT'S, TIME IS FLYING, BUT THANK YOU.
NOT THAT I'M COUNTING OR ANYTHING, BUT THREE YEARS.
YES, YES. THANK YOU AGAIN, AND NOW I SLEEP.
ANYWAY, SO, PRESIDENT HARRISON IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR CALENDAR FOR PROGRESS MONITORING, AND THIS MONTH, THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER IS OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT GOAL FOUR, AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SENSE OF BELONGING, AND SO WITH US TODAY IS DR.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE PRESENTING WITH HER, BUT.
NO, NO, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, BUT I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE, TOO.
GOOD EVENING, TRUSTEES AND DR.
AZAIEZ. THIS WILL BE OUR ANNUAL FALL UPDATE ON OUR GOAL PROGRESS MEASURES 4.1, 4.2 AND 4.3.
[00:40:06]
STUDENTS IN ROUND ROCK ISD, BUT ALSO ALLOWS US TO SEE HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING COMPARED TO THEIR PEERS ACROSS THE NATION.AS A DISTRICT, WE DESIRE TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO REPORT THAT THEIR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT HELPS THEM FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING, FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL, AND POSITIVELY IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO PERFORM WELL ACADEMICALLY.
FROM WHERE WE STARTED AT 54% IN 2023 TO 65% BY THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, I'M SORRY, BY THE END OF 2026, FOR THE END OF THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE SET OUR GOAL TO 61%.
YOU WILL SEE IN THE CHART HOW OUR SCORES HAVE CHANGED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FOUR SEMESTERS.
ADDITIONALLY, YOU WILL SEE OUR GOAL FOR THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED YOU WITH THE PERCENTAGES BY POPULATION GROUPS FOR EACH OF THOSE YEARS.
AS A REMINDER, THE TEACHERS OF OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES PRE-K THROUGH TWO PROVIDE INPUT INPUT ON HOW WELL THEY BELIEVE THEIR STUDENTS ARE DOING COMPARED TO THEIR PEERS AS WELL, BUT THAT INFO IS NOT SHOWCASED IN OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
YOU WILL ALSO SEE THAT COMPARED TO SPRING 2024, STUDENTS ARE REPORTING A HIGHER SENSE OF BELONGING SHOWN IN GPM 4.1 AND SENSE OF SAFETY IN 4.2 FOR THE FALL 2024 SEMESTER. STUDENTS SELF-EFFICACY IN GPM 4.3 HAS DECLINED.
FOR FALL 2024 BY ONE PERCENTAGE POINT TO 52%.
NATIONALLY, THIS IS EXPECTED AS THE QUESTIONS THE STUDENTS ARE ANSWERING ARE RELATED TO HOW WELL THEY BELIEVE THEY WILL DO IN THEIR CURRENT CLASS, AND THIS SURVEY IS GIVEN RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, MEANING STUDENTS ARE AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF LEARNING NEW COURSE CONTENT AND GENERALLY DON'T FEEL AS CONFIDENT AS THEY DO IN THE SECOND SEMESTER.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THE GROWTH IN OVERALL WELL-BEING REPORTED BY THE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS DURING THIS MOST RECENT SURVEY, AS COMPARED TO WHEN THE FIRST DISTRICT SURVEY WAS GIVEN IN SPRING OF 23.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THE OVERALL REPORTING PERCENTAGE OF OUR STUDENT SURVEY FROM 72 OR 77.2% IN THE SPRING OF 24 TO OVER 82% FOR THE FALL OF 24.
THESE REPORTING PERCENTAGES GIVES US A MORE ACCURATE INFORMATION ON HOW THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FEELING RELATED TO EACH OF OUR GPMS. SO LOOKING AT OUR FIRST GPM, 4.1, WHICH FOCUSES ON SENSE OF BELONGING, WE WILL SEE THAT STUDENTS REPORT A HIGHER SENSE OF BELONGING THIS FALL THAN THEY DID IN SPRING.
YOU WILL ALSO SEE HISTORICALLY HIGH PERCENTAGES FOR SOME OF THE POPULATION SHOWN.
FROM THIS GRAPH, YOU WILL SEE THAT OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE REPORT THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING AT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN MOST STUDENTS THEIR AGE IN THE NATION, AS THEIR RESULTS ARE IN THE 80TH PERCENTILE.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT FALL 2022 WAS A PILOT, AND ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS TOOK THE SURVEY.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE WE'VE SEEN SINCE WE STARTED THE SURVEYS, AND THIS INCREASE IN PERCENTAGE IS REPLICATED IN ALL AREAS OF THE SURVEY FOR OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH 12. I WANTED TO DIVE A BIT DEEPER INTO THE SENSE OF BELONGING SCORE FOR OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS.
THIS IS INDICATED BY THE SMALL GREEN ARROW AND NUMBER NEXT TO IT.
THE HIGHEST INCREASE IS FOUND ON THE LAST QUESTION.
OVERALL, HOW MUCH DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG AT YOUR SCHOOL? 54% OF OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH 12 REPORTED THAT EITHER THEY FELT LIKE THEY BELONGED QUITE A BIT OR COMPLETELY BELONGED AT THEIR SCHOOL.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 31% THAT REPORTED FEELING AS IF THEY BELONGED SOMEWHAT.
SO ONLY 14% OF OUR STUDENTS BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE ONLY.
FOR GPM 4.2, WE ARE LOOKING AT SAFETY AT SCHOOL.
[00:45:03]
THIS IS A TWO PERCENTAGE INCREASE SINCE THE SURVEY THAT WAS GIVEN IN THE SPRING.WHEN ASKED, HOW OFTEN ARE PEOPLE DISRESPECTFUL TO OTHERS AT YOUR SCHOOL? WE SEE A SIX PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE IN STUDENTS REPORTING THAT STUDENTS ARE EITHER ALMOST NEVER DISRESPECTFUL OR ONLY DISRESPECTFUL ONCE IN A WHILE.
ADDITIONALLY, BY LOOKING AT THE THIRD QUESTION, WE SEE THAT 84% OF OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE REPORTED FAVORABLY ON THE QUESTION RELATED TO BULLYING, SAYING THAT IT IS EITHER ONLY SLIGHTLY LIKELY OR NOT LIKELY AT ALL THAT THEY WILL BE BULLIED, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS BY THE INCREASE IN ORANGE WE ARE LOOKING AT.
I'M SORRY. WE'RE LOOKING AT INTO WHY WE ARE LOOKING OR SEEING THIS DECREASE.
WHEN REVIEWING THE DATA FOR OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS, YOU WILL SEE A SLIGHT DECLINE.
SO WHEN REVIEWING THE DATA FOR OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS, YOU WILL SEE A SLIGHT DECLINE IN FAVORABLE REPORTING IN THE SPRING OF 24 BUT A RETURN TO THE FALL 23 PERCENTAGES WITH A 58% FAVORABLE REPORTING FOR THE FALL OF 24.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS QUESTION BECAUSE IT DID RECEIVE OUR HIGHEST FAVORABLE REPORTING SCORE, AND ALSO HAD ONE OF OUR GREATEST INCREASES FROM THE PREVIOUS SURVEY, INDICATED BY THE GREEN BAR.
45% OF OUR STUDENTS REPORTED THAT THEY ARE NOT AT ALL LIKELY TO BE BULLIED, AND AN ADDITIONAL 25% REPORTED THAT THEY ARE ONLY SLIGHTLY LIKELY TO BE BULLIED, WHICH BRINGS OUR OVERALL PERCENTAGE TO 71% FAVORABLE REPORTING.
YOU WILL ALSO SEE HERE THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS RESPONDING FAVORABLY BY COHORT, WITH 2025 BEING THE CURRENT SENIOR CLASS AND 2031 BEING OUR CURRENT SIXTH GRADE CLASS. SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE IN THE NATIONAL TREND FOR OVERALL REPORTING, AS STUDENTS AGE, YOU CAN SEE A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PERCENTAGE IN FAVORABLE REPORTING FOR OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS. MOVING OVER TO GPM 4.3 THAT LOOKS AT STUDENT SELF-EFFICACY.
OVERALL, OUR STUDENTS REPORTING OF SELF-EFFICACY HAS REMAINED CONSISTENT ACROSS OUR SURVEYS.
WHILE OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE CONTINUE TO REPORT HIGHER THAN THEIR PEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE DID SEE A DECLINE FOR FAVORABLE PERCENTAGE REPORTING OF 6% FOR THIS AGE GROUP.
WE ARE LOOKING INTO WHY THIS DECLINE MAY HAVE OCCURRED.
IN CONTRAST, FOR OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS, WE ARE SEEING A SLIGHT INCREASE OF STUDENT REPORTING FAVORABLE AS IT RELATES TO SELF-EFFICACY AND HOW MUCH THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN ACHIEVE ACADEMICALLY.
BREAKING DOWN THE SECONDARY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE FIRST QUESTION, 61% OF OUR STUDENTS FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN COMPLETE ALL THE WORK THAT IS ASSIGNED TO THEM, AND ALSO FEEL THAT THEY CAN LEARN THE MATERIALS PRESENTED IN CLASS.
33% OF OUR STUDENTS SAID THAT THEY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL REMEMBER THEIR MATERIAL NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND THIS IS AN INCREASE BY FIVE PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM THE SPRING SURVEY. WHILE THIS 33% IS OUR LOWEST PERCENTAGE FOR THIS PORTION OF THE SCREENER, THE FIVE PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE IS SOMETHING TO BE CONSIDERED AND CELEBRATED.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I'M SORRY. WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEEDED TO BE MORE TARGETED WITH OUR WORK.
IN A PREVIOUS BOARD UPDATE, WE MENTIONED THAT WE SPENT TIME CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS WITH OUR STUDENTS ACROSS CAMPUSES, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. WHILE THAT INFORMATION WAS EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL, IT DID NOT GET TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF OUR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS.
WE ALSO MENTIONED IN A PREVIOUS BOARD UPDATE THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL WITH IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS THAT WERE REPORTING IN THE UNFAVORABLE OR RED RANGE OF OUR SURVEYS.
TO PREPARE FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE TRAIN BOTH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS ON HOW TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS THAT REPORTED THAT THEY DID NOT FEEL A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING OR CONNECTION ON CAMPUS.
SO PRIOR TO THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS RETURNING FOR THE YEAR, WE ANALYZED THE DISTRICT PANORAMA DATA FROM OUR 23 THROUGH 24 SCHOOL YEAR TO DETERMINE TRENDS OF STUDENTS SCORING IN THE RED, AND DISAGGREGATED THE DATA FOR EACH OF OUR CAMPUSES.
WE ALSO CONNECTED EACH IDENTIFIED GROWTH AREA WITH AN APPROPRIATE STRATEGY.
[00:50:02]
SO IN JULY AND AUGUST, WHEN OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND OUR SOCIAL WORKERS RETURNED FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE TRAIN THEM ON HOW TO CONDUCT INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH STUDENTS THAT WERE IN THE RED AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES.WE CREATED THIS DOCUMENT SO THAT WE HAD A CONSISTENT WAY OF DATA COLLECTION.
IN THE THREE SECTIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT, YOU WILL SEE THE LIST OF STUDENTS THAT SCORED AS HAVING UNFAVORABLE RESULTS IN SENSE OF BELONGING, SAFETY AT SCHOOL, AND SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS. THESE THREE AREAS WERE CHOSEN DUE TO HOW THEY INTERACT AND IMPACT A STUDENT'S SENSE OF BELONGING.
IN THE MIDDLE SECTION, YOU WILL SEE THE QUESTION THAT WE ASKED EACH COUNSELOR TO ASK OF THE STUDENTS WHEN THEY MET WITH THEM, AND IN THE LAST SECTION, WE WILL SEE A LIST OF SUPPORT OPTIONS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED FOR THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS TO USE.
YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY ARE BROKEN UP BASED ON THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THE STUDENT MAY NEED.
THEY REPORTED THAT THESE MEETINGS WITH THE STUDENTS WERE HELPFUL TO NOT ONLY TO GET TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS FROM SOME OF THE STUDENTS, BUT ALSO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE TRENDS ON THEIR CAMPUSES.
IT ALSO HELPED THEM CONNECT STUDENTS WITH SUPPORTS THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE RECEIVED.
THIS WAS EITHER A MENTOR ON CAMPUS, VIA A STAFF MEMBER, OR THROUGH OUR DISTRICT MENTORING PROGRAM.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE TAKEAWAYS FROM OUR COUNSELORS WAS THEY HELPED THEIR STUDENTS TO RELOCATE THEIR BUDDY BENCHES AT A CAMPUS TO PUT IT IN A MORE DESIRABLE AREA FOR STUDENT USAGE, WHICH MEANT STUDENTS WERE GOING TO USE IT MORE LIKELY.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR TEACHERS TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE PANORAMA SCREENER SCREENER, SO WE WERE ABLE TO TEACH IT TO THE TEACHERS BY TRAINING THEIR PANORAMA CONTACTS.
SO EACH CAMPUS HAS A CONTACT AT OUR DISTRICT TRAINING.
OUR VLC SEL LEADS HAVE ALREADY RAN THE DATA FOR THE FALL SURVEY AND PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION TO OUR CAMPUSES SO THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND IF NEED BE, OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE STUDENTS THAT WERE IN RED FROM THE SPRING 24 SURVEY, AND TO CHECK IN WITH ANY NEW STUDENTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING IN RED FROM THIS FALL SURVEY.
THE VLC LEADS WILL DO THIS AS WELL FOR THE SPRING SURVEY.
WE ALSO WANT TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL IN HOW WE PROVIDE SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS IN NEED, BUT ALSO HOW WE PROVIDE STRATEGIES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CAMPUSES AND STAFF MEMBERS TO IMPLEMENT. ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING WAYS WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS IS BY LOOKING AT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN STUDENT BELONGING THROUGH THE LENS OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
OUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AND OUR FINE ARTS DEPARTMENTS HAVE WORKED WITH OUR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION DEPARTMENT TO CREATE DASHBOARDS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO LOOK AT THE PANORAMA DATA, AS WELL AS ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC INFORMATION FOR THE STUDENTS WITHIN THEIR VARIOUS PROGRAMS, AND COMPARE THAT INFORMATION TO STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAMS. EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED THEIR DASHBOARDS AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION DEPARTMENT TO FINALIZE THIS INFORMATION.
STUDENTS NOT IN ATHLETICS BY 6 TO 12%.
IN THE FUTURE, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THEY WILL USE THIS DATA THAT THEY OBTAINED TO INFORM COURSE SELECTIONS FOR STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS.
THEIR DATA IS SHOWING THAT STUDENTS INVOLVED IN THESE ACTIVITIES REPORT 10 TO 15% HIGHER IN FAVORABILITY THAN THOSE NOT IN THEIR PROGRAMS. AGAIN, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY, AND WE WILL BE WORKING TO CONTINUE TO ANALYZE THE DATA AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING IT TO YOU AT A FUTURE MEETING.
[00:55:02]
AND ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING SENATE BILL 179 MORE WITH OUR CAMPUSES.SENATE BILL 179 LOOKS AT COUNSELOR TIME AS IT IS RELATED TO THEIR COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING MODELS, AND AS WE ALL KNOW THAT THE MORE TIME OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND WORK WITHIN THEIR COMPREHENSIVE MODEL.
MORE, THEY ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PROACTIVE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO WITH THAT, I OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
MY FIRST ONE IS THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ALL THE ACTION STEPS AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING NEXT WITH ALL OF THE DATA, AND I KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, OUR COUNSELORS ARE A HUGE PART OF IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THESE STRATEGIES.
FUNDING ASIDE IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BUDGET CRISIS THAT EVERYONE'S IN RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF DO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ENOUGH COUNSELORS TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL? AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL? I'M GOING TO BREAK THAT UP BETWEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AND I WILL SAY I THINK FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL WE HAVE ENOUGH COUNSELORS.
I THINK IT'S HOW WE UTILIZE OUR TIME.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OUR CAMPUSES THAT ARE GOING IN PUSHING INTO DOING SOME CLASSROOM LESSONS FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND SO THAT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, HELPFUL FOR OUR STUDENTS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT DOES, AGAIN, COME DOWN TO HOW WE'RE UTILIZING OUR TIME.
OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE REALLY OUR ONLY COUNSELORS THAT SPEND A LOT OF THEIR TIME CONDUCTING 504 ASSESSMENTS, NOT ONLY SITTING IN THOSE MEETINGS, WHICH SOMETIMES THAT IS WARRANTED FOR OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, BUT THEY ARE ALSO THE ONES THAT ARE DOING A LOT OF THE PRE-WORK AND COMPLETING PAPERWORK FOR THOSE MEETINGS.
I THINK OUR BIGGEST NEED FOR OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR REALLY DOES COME TO OUR ELEMENTARY ENTRY LEVEL.
WHEN WE LOOK AT RATIOS FOR OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE FAIRLY OKAY, BUT WE HAVE WE ARE DRASTICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE REQUIRED RATIO FOR OUR ELEMENTARY COUNSELORS.
THAT IS DOUBLE THAT AT LEAST, AND FOR SOME OF THEM IT'S ALMOST TRIPLE.
THANK YOU, AND OBVIOUSLY I MEAN THAT HELPS GOING INTO THE NEXT SESSION TO KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR, AND THE MORE SPECIFICS THAT WE CAN GIVE IS REALLY HELPFUL. SO I APPRECIATE THAT, AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS WITH THE FOCUS ON EXTRACURRICULARS AND ENRICHMENT, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING TO HELP WITH THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF EXTRACURRICULARS AND ENRICHMENT? YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE CONNECTED THERE, THERE IS A FINANCIAL PIECE TO JOINING CLUBS JOINING ANY KIND OF EXTRACURRICULAR CURRICULAR, ESPECIALLY LIKE, I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, BAND.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF WE'RE DOING ANYTHING TO HELP WITH THE FINANCIAL BURDEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M THE BEST PERSON TO SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT AT LEAST FOR SOME OF OUR FINE ARTS, THERE ARE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS, AND DR.
GERARD IS HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KNOW DR.
GERARD, RIGHT? HE'S OUR ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR, SUPPORT SERVICES, SO HE PROBABLY WILL HAVE A BETTER, NOT BETTER, I'M SORRY, BUT MORE, MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CLUBS BECAUSE HE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HE ALSO OVERSEES ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, FINE ARTS AND ATHLETICS.
SO, GO AHEAD. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SPEAK TO.
SO KNOWING OUR CONSTRAINTS WITH FUNDING, A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN VERY CREATIVE ON OFFERING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATION FEES AND ALSO HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS ALIGNED WITH THAT, BUT CAN RAISE MONEY FOR AN ACTIVITY ACCOUNT.
SO OUR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AND OUR FINE ARTS DEPARTMENTS HAVE LIKE THE BAND EVENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, PARENTS LOVE TO COME DO THAT COLLECTS INTO AN ACCOUNT THAT FUNDS ALL KINDS OF NEEDS.
OUR ENRICHMENT DEPARTMENT HAS, YOU KNOW, WEEKEND AND HOLIDAY AND SUMMER CAMP ENRICHMENT EVENTS THAT ALSO HAVE SMALL FEES AND THAT COLLECTS INTO A INTO A FUND AND ACTIVITY FUND THAT SUPPORTS, YOU KNOW, OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAMS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND OUR SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE WITH, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING FINANCIAL MEANS BE A BARRIER TO ACCESS OUR PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
SO I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION REGARDING YOUR SLIDE NUMBER 11 SAFETY AT SCHOOL.
[01:00:03]
I THINK THE OTHER TWO GPA 4.1 AND 4.3, YOU HAD COMPARED WITH THE NATIONAL DATABASE, BUT THIS ONE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT DIDN'T HAVE THE COMPARISON.YES, THAT IS CORRECT, AND SO IN ORDER TO GET THE NATIONAL COMPARISON, WE CANNOT CHANGE ANY OF OUR QUESTIONS, AND FOR THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, WHEN WE FIRST DID OUR PILOT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS RELATED TO I CAN'T SEE THAT THERE BUT ONE OF OUR QUESTIONS WAS RELATED, LIKE, HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL AT SCHOOL? AND WE ACTUALLY BROKE THAT UP.
AFTER TALKING WITH SOME OF OUR CAMPUS PRINCIPALS AND SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.
HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL AROUND YOUR PEERS, BUT ALSO HOW DO YOU FEEL SAFE? HOW WELL DO YOU FEEL SAFETY IN YOUR ACTUAL PHYSICAL BUILDING? AND SO WHEN WE BROKE THAT QUESTION UP, WE LOST THAT NATIONAL NORM.
I ACTUALLY JUST KIND OF WANTED TO FOLLOW UP BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME QUESTION THAT TRUSTEE MARKUM HAD ABOUT FEES, BECAUSE SHE AND I ACTUALLY WAS IT A WEEK AGO, WE WENT TO THE STUDENT VOICES MEETING AS PART OF OUR TWO WAY COMMUNICATIONS, AND THIS ACTUALLY CAME UP FOR THEM THAT CLUBS, THEY REALLY WANT MORE ACCESS TO CLUBS, ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, THAT SORT OF THING, BUT FEES WERE A PROBLEM AND KNOWING ABOUT THE CLUBS WERE A PROBLEM, AND SO I JUST JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, THAT MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD GROUP TO GO TALK ABOUT, BECAUSE ACTUALLY MOST OF WHAT WAS ON HERE IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT AT THAT MEETING WITH THEM, AND I GUESS MY OTHER THING WAS SOME OF THEM I DON'T THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN READ, BUT MAYBE SOME OF THE KIDS AREN'T FILLING OUT THE FORMS AND THEY, EVEN IN THAT GROUP OF VERY ACTIVE STUDENTS, DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SOME OF OUR OFFERINGS.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE SOCIAL WORKERS, THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS.
IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT AT ROUND ROCK THAN IT WAS AT WESTWOOD OR AT STONY POINT, BUT I WOULD SAY THERE WERE DEFINITELY SOME CONCERNS AND FEES. I THINK WAS WAS A REALLY BIG PART OF IT, AND NOT JUST THE FEES, BUT THE TIME TO DO THE CLUBS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S ONLY AFTER SCHOOL, FLEX TIME IS NOW SHORTER. SO WE CAN'T REALLY DO CLUBS DURING FLEX.
SO I THINK JUST JUST TALKING TO THEM AND GETTING SOME NEW IDEAS OF HOW TO DRAW THOSE STUDENTS IN IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT, AND I DON'T KNOW, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TRUSTEE MARKUM BECAUSE SHE WAS THERE TOO, AS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO TALK TO THE KIDS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT THERE WAS THERE WAS ESPECIALLY A STUDENT WHO WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND CONNECTING JUST GETTING CONNECTED, INITIATING, GETTING INTO SCHOOL, REGISTERING FOR SCHOOL AND THEN TRYING TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP OF GETTING CONNECTED INTO THOSE CLUBS AND ENRICHMENT THAT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SHE WAS SPEAKING FOR A LARGER GROUP, BUT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ARE REALLY STRUGGLING IN THAT AREA AS WELL, AND JUST KNOWING OUR SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS A JUNIOR ACTUALLY AT MCNEIL, BUT SHE, YOU KNOW, WAS SAYING EVEN HOW TO APPLY TO COLLEGES, HOW TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
THERE WERE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT IN HER 30 MINUTES WITH HER COUNSELOR, ACADEMIC WISE, SHE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN BE DOING IF WE CAN JUST FIND OUT FROM THE KIDS WHAT IT IS THEY NEED, AND I THINK THAT'S ALIGNED WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT TIME UTILIZATION, TOO, BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING THOSE SHORT MEETINGS ARE JUST NOT ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY WORK THROUGH ALL OF LIKE, THE ACADEMICS, PLUS ANY SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS THEY MAY HAVE. SO THAT ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
I GUESS I'D MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT AS WE DIG INTO OUR NEW DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THAT IS THAT EXACT THING HAS BEEN A TARGET FOR MANY OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND OUR GREATER COMMUNITY KNOWS ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS, OUR SERVICES, OUR SUPPORTS.
SO IN OUR DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN, YOU'LL FIND, LIKE OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE TASKED WITH GETTING INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STAFF KNOW ABOUT WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FROM OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND LIKE THAT, OUR ENRICHMENT TEAM IS ACTUALLY GOING INTO CAMPUSES AND SHARING WITH THE STAFF THERE ABOUT ALL THE ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS AND HOW THEIR STUDENTS ARE REPRESENTED BASED ON DEMOGRAPHICS OR ATTENDANCE, AND SO REALLY GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT LIKE THESE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, YOU MIGHT BE NEW TO OUR DISTRICT, AND THESE ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR SCHOOL, IN OUR DISTRICT, AND TO THAT POINT OF THAT MARKETING, WE RECENTLY JUST HAD OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP EVENT, AND THERE WAS NEARLY 400 CHILDREN THERE FROM OUR CAMPUSES, AND IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING EVENT WHERE OUR YOUNGEST LEADERS WERE GATHERING AND
[01:05:01]
THEY WERE GOING TO WORKSHOPS AND IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A MINI, YOU KNOW, SEMINAR, CONFERENCE FOR THEM, AND SO AND THAT WAS JUST BY THAT GROWTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND HAVING THAT MESSAGE. I JUST WANT TO ADD, IF IT'S OKAY, I JUST WANT TO ADD LIKE WE DEFINITELY THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO, IS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING AND SHARING WHAT THE OFFERINGS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THE BENEFIT OF DOING THINGS.I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT NOT EVERY CLUB HAS A FEE LIKE THERE ARE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ENRICHMENT WHO DO NOT REQUIRE FEES OR DON'T ASK FOR FEES, AND IN SOME CASES, IF THERE ARE FEES, THERE MAY BE SOME SCHOLARSHIPS OR SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALLOWING STUDENTS WHO CANNOT AFFORD OBVIOUSLY TO BE PART OF THAT BUT THERE ARE UNFORTUNATELY ALSO SOME CLUBS THAT ARE THAT WILL REQUIRE SOME FEES, RIGHT? BECAUSE AS A DISTRICT, WE AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING EVEN LIKE TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
YOU KNOW, WITH EXPENSES PRETTY MUCH.
THANK YOU. YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT MOST ALL OF OUR AFTER SCHOOL TYPE EVENTS ARE NON FEE BASED.
THINGS THAT COME WITH A FEE ARE TYPICALLY LIKE A LONGER CAMP EXPERIENCE OR WHEN SCHOOL IS NOT IN SESSION, BUT YEAH, MOST OF OUR ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ARE FREE TO OUR STUDENTS, AND TO ADD TO WHAT DR.
IT'S FOR THEM ALSO TO PROVIDE THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEM.
SO NOT JUST CLUBS OR ENRICHMENT THAT ARE DONE BY OUR DISTRICT, BUT ALSO EVEN FROM LIKE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TOO, WE WE KIND OF TALK TO THEM ABOUT AND THEY'RE VERY LIKE HELPFUL IN THE SENSE THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE THOSE KIND OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THE NUMBERS DON'T HAVE A CONSISTENT PATTERN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, AND I THINK THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE MEASURING A PRETTY FLUID SITUATION, BUT I SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT LIKE SLIDE NINE, WHERE WE HAD 887 STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT SAY THAT THEY DO NOT BELONG AT ALL, AND THIS THIS SURVEY IS VOLUNTARY.
SO THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT YET THEY TOOK THE TIME TO ANSWER IT AND THEN BE VULNERABLE TO SAY I DON'T BELONG, AND IT COULD BE SEEN AS A CRY FOR HELP OR, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY HELP ME GET CONNECTED BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW, AND SO I LOVE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THESE 887 KIDS AND EVEN THE 2095 KIDS THAT SAY THEY BELONG A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE WANT THESE KIDDOS INGRAINED IN OUR SCHOOLS AND TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WANTED AND ACCEPTED AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT I'M IN TWO SEPARATE UNIVERSITY FACEBOOK GROUPS AND I HAVE, I READ POSTS FROM PARENTS WHOSE KIDS AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL DO NOT FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG, AND THEY'VE SPENT A WHOLE YEAR AT A UNIVERSITY AND DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'VE MADE ANY FRIENDS, AND SO WITH US ATTACKING THIS ISSUE IN THE, YOU KNOW, PRIMARY YEARS, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THEY TURN 18, TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEVELOPING THESE SKILLS THAT WHEN THEY DO GET THEIR INDEPENDENCE, THEY CAN TAKE THE SKILLS THEY'VE LEARNED IN ROUND ROCK ISD AND TRANSFER IT TO, YOU KNOW, A UNIVERSITY WHERE IT'S A WHOLE LOT HARDER TO GET CONNECTED AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO WANT TO AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK THE DATA IS REALLY INTERESTING.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE QUESTIONS LIKE WHY SENSE OF BELONGING IS HIGHER IN THE FALL, BUT SELF-EFFICACY IS HIGHER IN THE SPRING, AND LIKE I WOULD THINK SENSE OF BELONGING WOULD BE HIGHER IN THE SPRING BECAUSE YOU SPENT THE WHOLE YEAR TOGETHER WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND YOU'VE HAD TIME TO DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN THE PATTERN, AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
I LOVE THAT THIS CAME OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY'S REQUEST FOR US TO TRACK THIS, AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION, BUT JUST AS A THANK YOU THAT WE'RE CONTINUING ON THIS EFFORT. I TALK ABOUT THIS AT A LOT OF PLACES THAT I GO AS A TRUSTEE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, REALLY? YOU'RE TRACKING THAT, AND SO IT'S REALLY BROUGHT THAT TO LIGHT IN DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE THAT I'VE INTERACTED WITH THAT HEY, IF YOUR KIDDOS DON'T FEEL SAFE AND DON'T FEEL INCLUDED IN YOUR SCHOOLS, THEY MAY HAVE A HARD TIME LEARNING MATH.
[LAUGHTER] THE TABLES HAVE TURNED. I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AGENDA REQUEST TO ADJUST TIME MINUTES.
[CHUCKLING] I DON'T SEE ANY MORE LIGHTS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS WHAT WE DON'T MEASURE WHEN WE PUT THIS DATA UP HERE.
I DON'T THINK ANY ONE OF US WANTS ANY STUDENT TO FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T BELONG AT ALL, OR ARE THEY ONLY SOMEWHAT BELONG, BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE MEASURING IT BECAUSE THAT MEANS WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING IT.
[01:10:01]
I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.ONE THING I NOTED THAT I LIKE REALLY RESONATED WITH AS A FORMER TEACHER WAS THE SLIDE, WHERE IT TALKED ABOUT TEACHERS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THIS INFORMATION, AND YOU ALL CLEARLY GOING BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN WITH THIS INFORMATION TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND MAKE CHANGE, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS HOW ARE YOU BROADLY REPORTING BACK TO WHAT TO THE STUDENTS? I HEAR THAT YOU'RE REPORTING BACK TO THE TEACHERS AND YOU'RE MAKING CHANGES, BUT WHEN STUDENTS ARE ASKED THESE QUESTIONS, HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THAT YOU CARE AND YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT? POINT OF ORDER.
NO. DOES ANYBODY ELSE SMELL IT? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A QUICK RECESS.
YEAH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST SO WE CAN MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S COOL, AND THEN WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK.
ANYBODY ELSE SMELL IT? YES, THEY SMELL IT TOO.
IT'S 7:07 AND WE ARE TAKING A RECESS.
THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK.
WE THINK THAT SMELL MAY JUST BE THE FIRST BURN.
YOU NEED TO ANNOUNCE THE TIME THAT YOU'RE BACK IN.
IT IS 7:12 AND WE ARE BACK IN OUR MEETING.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE WE LEFT OFF, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO ASK MY QUESTION AGAIN? OKAY. I WAS ASKING, HOW ARE YOU BROADLY REPORTING BACK WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING, NOT JUST TO THE TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPALS, BUT TO THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES? YES, WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE STILL NEED TO WORK ON EVEN OUR REPORTING TO OUR TEACHERS.
OUR TEACHERS CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR STUDENT LEVEL DATA, WHICH WE DO THINK WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THEM, SO THAT THEY COULD ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR STUDENT CONCERNS, AT LEAST FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE QUESTIONS, AND WE HAVE NOT LOOKED INTO THE REPORTING TO OUR STUDENTS.
SO OUTSIDE OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WE, OUR COUNSELORS AND OUR SOCIAL WORKERS, ARE TALKING TO RELATED TO THEIR LEVEL OF RED SCORING, OUR STUDENTS DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE EVEN LOOKING AT THE DATA. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE, AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT IS YOUR COMMITMENT TO CO-DESIGN WITH STUDENTS? WE KNOW THEY'RE THE EXPERTS ON THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES.
SO IS THERE ANY COMMITMENT TO ALLOW THEM TO DESIGN WHAT WOULD HELP THEM? SO TALKING ABOUT THE VOICE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS AND I KNOW KAREN IS HERE IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE STARTED BEFORE LAST MEETING THAT YOU WERE THERE IS TO TALK TO OUR STUDENTS ABOUT FROM THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN FOR THEM TO BE SAFE AT SCHOOL? WHAT DOES THAT TAKE FOR THEM TO FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THEM TO BE? TO FEEL THAT SENSE OF BELONGING? SO WE START ON THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM, AND I KNOW THE NEXT SESSION WOULD BE WORKING WITH THEM EVEN MORE AND TO GET IN, LIKE DEVELOPING MORE LIKE WE WANT THEM TO DEVELOP IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE.
OUR STUDENTS ALSO ARE ASSISTING WITH INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN THIS SURVEY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE DATA, HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION, BUT ALSO A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR OUR STUDENTS THROUGH THE VOICE.
A FOCUS GROUP FOR EACH OF THOSE THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM OUR STUDENTS, THE VOICE COMMITTEE.
WE MET WITH THEM, I GUESS, FALL OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, AND FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, THAT'S WHERE WE DEVELOPED THE FOCUS GROUPS ON OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES. WONDERFUL.
SEEING NO MORE LIGHTS, I BELIEVE WE ARE DONE WITH THIS TOPIC.
APPRECIATE YOU. OKAY, MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS.
[K. DISCUSSION ITEMS]
WE HAVE DISCUSSION ITEM K ONE BOARD STUDENT OUTCOME GOALS TIME TRACKER, AND PROBABLY FOR THE LAST TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.CAN YOU BRING THAT TO US, PLEASE? GLADLY. SO WE ONLY HIT 30.9%.
STUDENT OUTCOME MINUTES FOR OCTOBER.
WE DID HAVE A LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT REPORTS.
[01:15:10]
WONDERFUL. ANY QUESTIONS.OKAY. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE MARKUM.
MOVING ON I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU, DR.
AZAIEZ FOR THE FIRST READING OF POLICY CFC LOCAL AGENDA ITEM K TWO.
SO WE'LL EXPLAIN TO US WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
CYNDI, DID YOU WANT TO START OR ARE YOU GOOD WITH ME STARTING? YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND START.
I WILL JUST REMIND OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME SOME DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING TO YOU TONIGHT.
REMEMBER, WE HAVE TWO KINDS OF POLICIES LEGAL POLICIES AND LOCAL POLICIES.
THE LOCAL POLICIES ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO VOTE ON AND APPROVE.
WE WERE GOING TO BRING THESE ALL THESE POLICIES TO YOU TONIGHT FOR A FIRST READING.
WE WILL OUR PLAN IS TO BRING THEM ALL BACK TO YOU FOR SECOND READING IN THE AT THE DECEMBER MEETING.
ALL RIGHT. THESE ARE THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
AGAIN, IT'S FIRST READING OF CFC LOCAL.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A HISTORY, I AM THE OTHER EMPLOYEE THAT REPORTS TO THE BOARD.
SO IF A DISTRICT HIRES AN INTERNAL AUDITOR, THEY ARE TO REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THESE STANDARDS AND THESE HAVE TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY JANUARY 9TH OF 2025.
WHEN IT SAYS GLOBAL, IT LITERALLY MEANS GLOBAL.
IF I WERE TO MOVE AND BECOME AN INTERNAL AUDITOR IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, THE STANDARDS STILL APPLY.
SO IT'S A HUGE CHANGE FOR THE INTERNAL AUDIT WORLD.
SO I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A COUPLE OF DAYS TO LOOK AT THIS.
THIS WILL ELIMINATE CFC REGULATION COMPLETELY, WHICH IS OUR AUDIT CHARTER CURRENTLY.
THAT'S WHY WE REPORT TO THE BOARD.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR FIRST READING OR ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ASK.
THEN JUST TO CLARIFY FOR OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR, LIKE YOU CAN ALWAYS LATER ON SUGGEST OR LET US KNOW OF ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW ABOUT.
MY ONLY QUESTION, MADAM PRESIDENT, WAS, I MEAN, IF THIS IS JUST COMING STRAIGHT FROM THE GLOBAL REGULATIONS, RIGHT? WE HAVE NOT REALLY MODIFIED ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAYBE WHAT'S IN BLACK IN HERE FOR.
I KEPT EVERYTHING IN BLACK THAT I TRANSFERRED OVER FROM THE OLD CFC LOCAL.
ALL TWO SENTENCES. YEAH, AND THE LIGHTHOUSE PROCESS FOR BOARD AND TRUSTEES AS WELL BUT THIS IS WE USE THE TEMPLATE FROM THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNAL AUDITORS FOR PUBLIC SECTORS, AND WE TWEAKED I SAY WE AS INTERNAL AUDITORS TWEAKED IT.
IT JUST DEPENDS. SO WE TWEAKED IT A LITTLE BIT.
THANK YOU, RAQUEL. THANK YOU, CYNDI.
ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM K3.
FIRST READING OF TASB POLICY UPDATE 123.
THANK YOU AGAIN, PRESIDENT HARRISON.
AGAIN, THIS IS COMING FROM TASB DIRECTLY.
THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE ON THE 123RD UPDATE OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS UPDATE IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH REVISIONS TO THE LEGAL POLICIES BASED ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY CHANGES FROM THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THE NEW REGULATIONS THAT CAME THROUGH FROM PRIMARILY THE TEA, AND THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 14 OF OUR LOCAL POLICIES THAT WE'RE MAKING ANY CHANGES OF.
[01:20:04]
DEVELOPMENT, EMERGENCY PLANS, SECURITY PERSONNEL, TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT OTHER TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS RATHER THAN JUST CHAPTER 21 CONTRACTS.HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND LIBRARY MATERIALS.
SO BEING MINDFUL OF YOUR TIME, I WANT TO JUST FOCUS TONIGHT ON THE CHANGES TO THE LOCAL POLICIES.
I HAD NOT GOTTEN ANY FROM OUR OUR NOT OUR OLD OUR EXPERIENCED BOARD MEMBERS HAD NOT SENT ME ANY COMMENTS YET, BUT JUST TO REMIND YOU, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO DO THAT.
WE WILL BE BRINGING THESE BACK IN DECEMBER.
AZAIEZ SEND ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE ANSWERED FOR YOU.
THE FIRST ONE IS OUR TRAINING AND ORIENTATION.
HOUSE BILL 3033 AUTHORIZED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REQUIRE SPECIFIC MEMBERS TO COMPLETE TRAINING ON THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT IF IT IS DEEMED NECESSARY.
THE CHANGES TO THIS POLICY ARE TO JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T SAY IF YOU WERE TOLD TO DO PIA TRAINING, YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, WELL, I HAD THE PIA GROUP DO THAT TRAINING.
SO THAT'S THE PRIMARY CHANGE ON THIS ONE.
WOULD Y'ALL PREFER THAT WE GO THROUGH THEM ALL AND THEN Y'ALL CAN ASK ANY QUESTIONS AT THAT POINT? OR DO WE WANT TO GO POLICY BY POLICY.
LET'S GO THROUGH THEM ALL UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OBJECTIONS.
I DON'T THINK MOST OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS ON THE NEXT POLICY WILL BE BBFA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MICHELLE.
I'M SORRY. I'M NOT USUALLY SO TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL DISCLOSURES THAT BOARD MEMBERS ARE MAKING, THE BOARD MEMBERS SHALL DISCLOSE TO THE BOARD ANY PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS, BUSINESS INTERESTS OR OBLIGATIONS OR RELATIONSHIPS THAT IN ANY WAY CREATE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH A VOTER OR PENDING MATTER THAT JUST CLARIFIES PRACTICE THAT WE HAVE HAD FOR SOME TIME, AND A BOARD MEMBER SHALL NOT USE COERCIVE MEANS OR PROMISE SPECIAL TREATMENT IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE THE BOARD OR DISTRICT DECISIONS, NOR USE THEIR POSITION TO SEEK PERSONAL PERSONAL ADVANTAGE.
ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT CHANGE IS IT LOOKS VERY, VERY EXTENSIVE, AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS IS SUCH AN EXTENSIVE LOOKING CHANGE.
IT IS BECAUSE THIS HAS TO DO WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THIS STATUTE, THIS STATUTE HAD SUNSET IT THIS PROGRAM HAD SUNSET.
IT EXPIRED IN DECEMBER OF 2022.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE BASICALLY JUST OVERHAULING THIS WHOLE POLICY.
THERE ARE NO MORE OF THESE AGREEMENTS OUT THERE.
THIS IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MANAGE AND LOOK ON THE LAST PAGE THAT WE JUST MANAGE THE ONES THAT ARE STILL LINGERING OUT THERE. SO THAT'S WHY THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A BIG CHANGE THERE.
ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT CHANGE HAS TO DO WITH OUR CKC LOCAL, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS A CHANGE THAT HAS COME ABOUT.
[01:25:03]
PROCEDURES TO NOTIFY PARENTS REGARDING VIOLENT ACTIVITY THAT HAS OCCURRED OR IS BEING INVESTIGATED ON A CAMPUS OR OTHER DISTRICT FACILITIES, OR IT HAPPENS AT A DISTRICT SPONSORED EVENT.THIS IS THIS THE CHANGE OF POLICY WAS CREATED SO THAT WE ALIGN WITH THE TEA STANDARDS ON THIS.
NOW OUR CKEA LOCAL IS AN ENTIRELY NEW POLICY.
WE HAVE HAD A POLICE FORCE HERE FOR I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR FOR OUR ROUND ROCK ISD POLICE FORCE, AND WE NEED TO HAVE A POLICY WITH REGARD TO THE POLICE FORCE.
THIS POLICY SPECIFIES ALL THE SORTS, ALL THE THINGS TALKS ABOUT THE JURISDICTION, THE OFFICERS AUTHORITY AND DUTIES LIMITS ON THEIR NON-SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT, THEIR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DISTRICT POLICE AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES.
IT TALKS ABOUT MUTUAL INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS FOR MUTUAL AID BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
IT TALKS ABOUT VIDEO MONITORING, TRAINING.
OUR DEPARTMENT REGULATION MANUAL AND OUR.
IN COMPLAINTS AGAINST OFFICERS.
THIS IS A VERY FULL POLICY AND IS SOMETHING THAT IS LONG OVERDUE IN OUR DISTRICT AND OUR POLICY.
OUR POLICY SPECIALIST HAS ASKED US TO PLEASE INCLUDE THIS SO THAT WE ARE THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WITH REGARD TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH CHIEF RYAN BACK HERE HAS LOOKED AT THIS.
THIS IS WHAT HE'S USED TO WORKING WITH, AND HE IS WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET THE INTERNAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES UPDATED, AND SO THAT WE CAN BE, YOU KNOW, AS TRANSPARENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.
ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT POLICY THAT WE WILL UPDATE IS ALSO A BRAND NEW POLICY.
THIS IS THE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE.
IT IS RECOMMENDED BY TASB TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN FULL INTEGRATION WITH OUR DIGITAL DEVICES, AND THAT THIS IS LANGUAGE FROM THE MODEL HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY TEA, AND I'M SORRY, THAT'S A POLICY I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT POLICY THAT WE WILL BE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER IS OUR DCE.
WE HAVE A FEW EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NON CHAPTER 21 CONTRACT CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES.
THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE NOT TEACHERS ADMINISTRATORS.
SO THIS JUST CLARIFIES THEIR RIGHTS TO HEARING IN THE EVENT OF A MIDTERM OR A END OF END OF TERM TERMINATION OR EMPLOYMENT DECISION.
ALL RIGHT. NOW, THE NEXT POLICY IS OUR DGBA.
THAT IS OUR GRIEVANCE POLICY WITH REGARD TO EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS.
YOU MAY BE SEARCHING ALL OVER FOR THE CHANGES TO THIS.
THE CHANGES ARE VERY, VERY MINOR.
WE JUST ADDED THE WORDS THE AND SERIES.
THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGES TO THOSE POLICIES.
ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT POLICY WE'RE LOOKING AT IS OUR EEH POLICY.
[01:30:04]
THE CHANGES TO THE EEH POLICY ARE INSTRUCTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR OUR HOMEBOUND STUDENTS.WE THE REVISIONS ARE PROMPTED BY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE UPDATE THIS TO CLARIFY THAT HOMEBOUND STUDENTS ARE HOMEBOUND.
SERVICES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL AS WELL AS MEDICAL DECISIONS.
ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT CHANGES THAT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT BRIEFLY ARE OUR EFA LOCALS.
THESE ARE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
THESE ARE REVISIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED TO SO THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE AND IN LINE WITH THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES THAT CAME OUT OF THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH REGARD TO RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
THESE ARE ALSO TO GET US IN ALIGNMENT WITH TEA REGULATIONS REGARDING THIS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS ON PAGE.
PAGE TWO, YOU'LL LOOK AT WHO CAN MAKE CHALLENGES TO EITHER INSTRUCTIONAL, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE SAME CHANGE ALSO TO LIBRARY MATERIALS.
WHO IS IT THAT CAN MAKE CHANGES? I MEAN, CHALLENGES TO THESE THINGS, AND THOSE ARE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, PARENTS OR GUARDIANS.
SO IT USED TO BE SOMEWHAT BROADER, WHICH WOULD BE ANY DISTRICT RESIDENT.
NOW IT IS PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND EMPLOYEES THAT CAN BRING THESE CHALLENGES.
THAT IS OUR LIBRARY MATERIALS.
IN FACT, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT THIS BEFORE, AND HOWEVER, WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS POINT THAT WE CHANGE IT SO THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW STANDARDS SET FORTH IN HOUSE BILL 900 FROM THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THE REVISIONS IN THIS SECTION ARE ALSO TO ALIGN US WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES THAT TEA HAS ADOPTED.
CERTAIN THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE ABLE TO PLAY.
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION IS BOTH WE HAVE A BOTH A FORMAL RECONSIDERATION PROCESS AND IN ADDITION TO AN INFORMAL PROCESS, WE WILL ALSO, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE RESTRICTED THE NOT RESTRICTED, BUT WE HAVE NARROWED THE KIND OF PEOPLE.
LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, THIS IS FOR PARENTS, THIS IS FOR GUARDIANS, AND THIS IS FOR EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT IS IN LINE WITH TO RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THOSE ARE THE TASB RECOMMENDATIONS.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE, GUYS.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT AS RIVETING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE AS IT IS FOR ME, SO, BUT I'M ALL EXCITED ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT POLICY FNG.
THIS IS THE GRIEVANCE FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS, AND YOU WILL SEE THE SAME MASSIVE CHANGE.
WE ADD THE WORD SERIES TO THIS POLICY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO ON NUMBERS ONE THROUGH FIVE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS KIND OF A WHERE THIS IS GOING.
TASB IS LOOKING TO THERE BE A WHOLE RESTRUCTURING OF POLICIES FFH, WHICH IS ANOTHER POLICY THAT HAS THAT IS REFERENCED IN THIS POLICY.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO SET IT UP SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP CHANGING THIS POLICY.
[01:35:03]
EVERY TIME WE CAN JUST SAY THE, YOU KNOW, THE SERIES AS OPPOSED TO EACH ONE.ALL RIGHT, AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THIS IS OUR PUBLIC COMPLAINTS, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS THE SAME SORT OF REVISIONS THAT WE HAD BEFORE.
TRUSTEE LANDRUM. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WOULD YOU MIND EXPLAINING FOR OUR NEW TRUSTEES, THE FOOTERS, FOR POLICIES THAT HAVE AN X NEXT TO IT? AND THEN I ALSO SAW A ALT TWO ON POLICY EFB, WHICH I'M NOT FAMILIAR AS MUCH WITH AN ALT TWO.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE FOOTERS MEAN FOR OUR NEW TRUSTEES AND THEN ALSO WHAT ALT TWO MEANS? I CERTAINLY CAN.
WE AND I THINK SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE TIRED OF HEARING THIS STORY, BUT WE DID A POLICY AUDIT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND WHEN OUR POLICY AUDITORS CAME IN AND IT HAD NOT BEEN DONE FOR QUITE SOME TIME, USUALLY MOST DISTRICTS HAVE FOR MAYBE ABOUT 20 POLICIES THAT ARE X POLICIES.
I FOUND OUT THAT RECENTLY THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY DID NOT HOLD THE RECORD.
I THOUGHT WE HAD THE RECORD, BUT WE ARE WE ARE IN THE TOP FIVE OF POLICIES THAT WE HAD PERSONALLY AMENDED. THAT MEANS ANYTHING FROM IF WE LOOKED AT A POLICY AND WE THOUGHT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE MEANING OF THE POLICY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE SENTENCE STRUCTURE OR I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN SAY THIS IN A MORE ARTISTIC WAY.
WE HAD DONE THAT TO OVER 200 POLICIES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS TRYING TO BRING US BACK TO MORE STANDARD POLICIES SO THAT WE ARE MORE IN LINE WITH DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE, AND SO WHEN YOU SEE AN X POLICY, THAT IS ONE THAT WE HAVE STILL HAVE OUR WE HAVE WE HAVE PERSONALIZED AND IT IS JUST A POLICY THAT'S FOUND IN ROUND ROCK ISD WITH REGARD TO THE ALT ONE OR IS IT ALT ONE AND ALT TWO? OKAY, TASB ON THIS WILL GIVE US ONE OF TWO OPTIONS, AND WITH REGARD TO THE EFB SERIES AND THE EFA SERIES. SOME DISTRICTS DO NOT SPLIT THOSE POLICIES.
WE HAVE ALWAYS SPLIT OURS BETWEEN LIBRARY MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR POLICY ANALYSTS WILL LOOK AT WE'LL LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OKAY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SPLIT THOSE, YOU GET THE ALTERNATIVE A, ALTERNATIVE ONE OR ALTERNATIVE TWO.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS ON POLICY CKC, WHICH IS PAGE NINE OF THIS PACKET, SPECIFICALLY WHERE IT SAYS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL DEVELOP PROCEDURES TO NOTIFY PARENTS REGARDING VIOLENT ACTIVITY.
I WAS WONDERING IF THAT TERM VIOLENT ACTIVITY HAD A DEFINITION AND WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT.
SO IT'S VERY CLEAR AS TO WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR VIOLENT ACTIVITY.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY DEFINITION BY TASB.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS FOR ANY POLICY. OKAY.
THOSE ARE NOT THINGS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE PROPOSED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
REMEMBER, WE LOOK AT LEGAL POLICIES ARE DONE BY OUR STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATORS AND OUR COURTS.
SO WITH REGARD TO SINCE THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC DEFINITION PROPOSED, WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS THAT WE ADD SOME DEFINITION WITH REGARD TO WHAT WOULD FALL UNDER A NOTIFICATION IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REGULATIONS OR THE
[01:40:03]
ADMINISTRATION'S REGULATIONS, WHICH, JUST SO OUR COMMUNITY.KNOWS AS WELL AS OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING ONLINE FOR OUR POLICIES, IF WE HAVE SPECIFIC REGULATIONS, YOU'LL SEE LIKE A WHEN YOU LOOK IT UP ONLINE, YOU'LL HAVE LIKE LEGAL, LOCAL, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A THIRD TAB AND YOU HIT ON THAT THIRD TAB AND THAT WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO A REGULATION.
SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF REVISING A LOT OF THE REGULATIONS.
WHEN WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE POLICY AUDIT, WE FOUND THAT WE HAD SO MANY POLICIES THAT WERE CHANGING THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO HAVE EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT REGULATIONS AND SEE IF THEY ARE STILL SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS A GOOD TIME TO RESET.
SO AS OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE GIVING US REGULATIONS.
WE ARE GIVING THOSE TO OUR FOLKS AND WE ARE UPDATING OUR REGULATIONS, AND PRESIDENT HARRISON, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT FELLOW TRUSTEES WANT TO DO.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS POLICY IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S UNDER THE DOMAIN OF TRUSTEES, AND THIS SPECIFIC POLICY SAYS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL DEVELOP PROCEDURES. I'M NOT SURE.
MISS HILL, IF THE PROCEDURES WOULD BE FALL UNDER THE REGULATION SIDE OF IT, BUT I DO JUST PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT SOME GREATER CLARITY OF, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN OUR DISTRICT HAS THE SAME DEFINITION OF VIOLENT ACTIVITY, AND I THINK THAT IF WE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REQUIRING ADMINISTRATION TO NOTIFY PARENTS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF STANDARD IN THE DISTRICT AS TO WHAT FALLS UNDER THAT, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A MOTION OR IF WE NEED A, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW UP ON THAT, BUT THAT CONCERNS ME.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT PRESIDENT HARRISON. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE LANDRUM.
MICHELLE, THIS MIGHT BE A YES.
YEAH, YOU COULD PROBABLY ADD IT TO A FUTURE AGENDA.
CAN WE LEAVE IT UP TO DO I HAVE ENOUGH CONSENSUS TO ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BRING THIS SPECIFIC POLICY BACK TO US? DO I HAVE CONSENSUS FROM TRUSTEES TO JUST HAVE A LITTLE GREATER CLARIFICATION ON THIS? I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM ON IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP SO THAT I KNOW THAT'S BEEN ADDRESSED.
I'M SORRY RICH, I'M LOOKING AT YOU AND SAME THING WITH DR.
GERARD HERE, BUT WHEN WE DEVELOP OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN FOR OUR DISTRICT, FOR OUR SCHOOLS, THERE ARE THOSE KIND OF THINGS ACTUALLY ARE LISTED BY THE TEXAS STATE SAFETY CENTER.
SO WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK INTO IT TOGETHER AND THEN COME BACK TO YOU I GUESS NEXT TIME, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BRING THIS ANYWAY FOR THE SECOND READING AND THE FINAL READING, SO WE CAN MAYBE TALK MORE ABOUT IT AND THEN YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NEXT.
SO IF IT COMES BACK FOR OUR SECOND READING WE COULD INCLUDE THAT ADDITIONAL.
WILL YOU HAVE REGS WRITTEN FOR THE NEXT READING IN THE MONTH? NO, I THOUGHT YOU WANTED MORE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS VIOLENT.
JUST A DEFINITION OF WHAT VIOLENT ACTIVITY IS.
IF YOU WANT US TO WRITE REGS, WE CAN.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET IT DONE FROM NOW TO.
I REALLY JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION ON WHAT VIOLENT ACTIVITY MEANT.
SO DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS THAT WE'D LIKE CLARIFICATION? WE DO, AND ACTUALLY I HAD THAT SAME QUESTION AND I HIT MY LIGHT, MADAM PRESIDENT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO ADD, IF WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE INFORMATION, ON HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK WITH FERPA.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW FOR US AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE PARENTS AND STUDENTS THAT MIGHT NOT WANT THEIR INFORMATION OUT THERE, AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY HARD LINE TO WALK, AND SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND IT IS GOING TO BE THE SUPERINTENDENTS' TO DEVELOP, I THINK THE MORE WE CAN BE OPEN ABOUT THAT, ABOUT OUR DEFINITIONS AND ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO WALK THAT LINE BETWEEN FERPA AND THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL.
YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY, HERE'S FOR ROUND ROCK IS HOW IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU WANT US TO AGAIN BRING IT BACK ANOTHER TIME, TAKE MORE TIME TO DECIDE FROM NOW TO THE SECOND READING, WHATEVER.
WE CAN ALWAYS DO THAT RIGHT, BUT WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPLAIN OR JUST GET LIKE SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS OF WHAT VIOLENT IS, AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT AND THEN LET US KNOW HOW TO PROCEED FROM THERE.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ENOUGH. I'M SEEING SHAKING OF HEADS.
YES. OKAY, SO YOU CAN BRING THAT BACK WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DEFINITIONS.
[01:45:02]
ON POLICY EEH, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL WAS ALSO ADDED TO MEDICAL FOR REASONS FOR HOMEBOUND.JUST A QUICK HISTORICAL QUESTION.
HAVE WE HAD STUDENTS HAVE HAD THIS DENIED BECAUSE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT TECHNICALLY MEDICAL? I DO NOT KNOW EVERY SINGLE HOMEBOUND SITUATION, BUT SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE I ANYBODY WHO HAS ASKED ME, WE HAVE ALWAYS INCLUDED ANY SORT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL I MEAN, WE'VE JUST TREATED IT LIKE ANY OTHER MEDICAL.
I THINK SOME DISTRICTS WERE NOT BEING AS FLEXIBLE ABOUT THAT, AND SO I BUT I KNOW IN MY EXPERIENCE I KNOW TWO OCCASIONS WHERE WE HAVE.
I DON'T SEE IT AS A DIFFERENCE, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO DELINEATE IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MADAM PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE THE FERPA QUESTION BECAUSE I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE CLARIFICATION.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HEARD IT RIGHT.
YOU SAID THAT WE NARROWED THE SCOPE OF WHO CAN CHALLENGE A BOOK.
LET ME FIND IT'S ON PAGE FIVE OF THE EFB POLICY TALKING ABOUT THE RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIALS.
BASICALLY WHAT WE HAD IS IT ALLOWED UNDER OUR OWN OLD POLICY, AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO READ, BUT UNDER OUR OLD POLICY, IT SAYS A DISTRICT RESIDENT MAY CHALLENGE A LIBRARY MATERIAL MAINTAINED BY THE DISTRICT LIBRARY BY THE DISTRICT'S LIBRARY PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE CHANGE IS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RIVETING PRESENTATION, CYNDI.
Y'ALL KNOW I TRIED TO MAKE IT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU. OKAY, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM L ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION BY CONSENT.
[L. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION BY CONSENT]
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? TRUSTEE HARRISON OR PRESIDENT HARRISON I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AGENDA ITEMS L ONE THROUGH FIVE BY CONSENT.SECOND. HAVING A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEMS FOR CONSENT L ONE THROUGH L FIVE. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY COMMENTS? ANY COMMENTS? JUST MAKE SURE YOU GIVE OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? ARE YOU IN FAVOR? OKAY.
OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
OKAY. I WANT TO CHECK IN WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
TRUSTEE LANDRUM, WE'RE MOVING INTO ACTION ITEM M ONE.
[M. ACTION ITEMS]
I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE MAKE IT THROUGH M ONE AND THEN TAKE A BRIEF RECESS AFTERWARDS.THANK YOU, AGAIN, PRESIDENT HARRISON.
ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE ANNUAL AUDIT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE OBLIGATED BY BY LAW TO HAVE AN ANNUAL EXTERNAL FINANCIAL AUDIT, AND WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH HERE TO HAVE OUR AUDITOR WITH US TONIGHT AND ALSO DENNIS.
SO BUT I THINK DENNIS IS GOING TO KICK IT OFF.
KICK IT OFF FIRST AND THEN LET OUR AUDITOR CONTINUE.
GOOD EVENING. BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A BUDGET UPDATE FOR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE AUDITOR TO TALK ABOUT THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23-24.
[01:50:11]
AS YOU ALL RECALL, WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET FOR THE 2324 SCHOOL YEAR, WE ADOPTED IT WITH A $19.9 MILLION DEFICIT.AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT DEFICIT GREW TO $37,161,000 A DELTA OF $17,230,000.
THIS THIS PAGE EXPLAINS HOW THE DEFICIT GREW, AS YOU RECALL, IN OUR ADOPTED BUDGET, WE HAD SOME GOLDEN PENNIES, EIGHT GOLDEN PENNIES, AND WITH THE REDUCTION OF THE PROPERTY VALUES AND ALSO DUE TO SOME CHALLENGES BY TAXPAYERS, WE LOST ABOUT $1 MILLION OF REVENUE FOR THOSE GOLDEN EIGHT GOLDEN PENNIES.
ALSO REMEMBER, WE HAD A SHARS CASE WHERE WE HAD BUDGETED $9.5 MILLION OF DOLLARS THAT WAS DUE OR OWED TO THE DISTRICT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR FOR SERVICES THAT WE HAD PROVIDED DUE TO SOME LITIGATION AND SOME CHANGE IN SOME POLICY.
WE LOST $6.5 MILLION OF SHARS REVENUE FOR THE 2324 SCHOOL YEAR, SO OUR LOST REVENUE CAME TO $7.4 MILLION, WHICH ADDED TO OUR DEFICIT. WE ALSO HAVE SOME EXPENDITURE OVERAGES AS I LISTED THE MAJOR ONES BELOW.
THE VATRE AND SALARY INCREASES WERE UNDERESTIMATED BY $2 MILLION.
OUR SPED STIPEND, SERVICES AND SETTLEMENTS DUE TO MORE TEACHERS QUALIFYING FOR THE STIPENDS.
OUR READING ACADEMY COMPLETION STIPENDS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, BUT NOT GOOD FOR YOUR BUDGET.
WE HAVE MORE TEACHERS COMPLETED THE READING ACADEMY SO THEY EARNED THE STIPENDS.
IN THE SAME SIMILAR SITUATION WITH OUR MATH AND SPANISH STIPENDS, WE HAD MORE TEACHERS QUALIFIED TO EARN THE STIPEND, WHICH HELPED INCREASE OUR INSTRUCTION. OUR GUEST EDUCATORS, OUR FILL RATE INCREASE, AND WE HAD MORE GUEST EDUCATORS THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THEN WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR.
BDST IS OUR OUR ATHLETICS TEAMS AND FINE ARTS TEAMS QUALIFY FOR EITHER BY DISTRICT OR STATE COMPETITIONS, WHICH IS ALSO A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE TEAMS AND MORE STUDENTS TO QUALIFY, BUT IT'S AN INCREASE TO THE BUDGET OF ABOUT HALF A MILLION, AND OUR RETIREE PAYOUT, WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO RETIRE AND HOW MANY DAYS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY OUT FOR THEIR RETIREMENT.
THAT COST THE DISTRICT ABOUT 600,000, AND THEN WE HAD TWO PCAT PAYMENTS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE FOR OUR DEDUCTIBLES, WHICH CAME TO ABOUT 300,000.
SO THOSE TOTAL ABOUT $10 MILLION OF EXPENSES, THAT WAS ABOVE WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY BUDGETED AT THE BUDGET ADOPTION, AND THAT EXPLAINS THE GROWTH GROWTH FROM THE 19 MILLION TO THE 37 MILLION, AND I'LL PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS ON THE 23-24 BUDGET BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE UPDATE OF 24-25.
I THINK MY QUESTION IS FOR SUPERINTENDENT AZAIEZ.
AT WHAT POINT DID WE KNOW ABOUT THESE BUDGET SHORTFALLS, AND WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE BOARD? AND EVEN MOVING FORWARD, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THESE OVERAGE OVERAGES.
I MEAN, THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY EXPENSES THAT WE WE HAVE TO PAY OUT.
SO WHAT IS THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE HAVE GREATER TRANSPARENCY AS WE MOVE ALONG WITH ANY OVERAGES IN OUR BUDGET? THANK YOU, AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR NOT PROVIDING OUR BOARD MEMBERS LIKE WITH WITH CURRENT, I MEAN, LIKE REGULAR UPDATES, I GUESS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DISCUSSED WITH DENNIS AND THE TEAM AND WE WILL BE PROVIDING, OBVIOUSLY, IF THE BOARD WANTS WISHES, SOMETHING DIFFERENT, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL DO IT, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH.
IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY QUARTER MAYBE THAT WILL COME UP SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME UPDATES TO OUR BOARD EVERY OTHER MONTH.
DENNIS AND THE TEAM WILL PREPARE THEM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE HOPEFULLY A ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
[01:55:07]
SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR, YOU KNOW, IF WE'VE SEEN MORE OF OUR TEACHERS REQUESTING YOU KNOW, TO HAVE GUEST EDUCATORS, AND THERE WE COULDN'T TELL THEM, LIKE, YOU CANNOT BE OUT OR SO THESE, THESE UNFORTUNATE I MEAN, LIKE, EXTRA EXPENSES BUT AS YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR HELP, WE DEVELOP A BALANCED BUDGET THIS YEAR.DENNIS WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH WHAT HE ALSO THE THINGS THAT HE AND HIS TEAM MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO ENSURE AGAIN THAT WE END THE YEAR WITH A BALANCED BUDGET, BUT YES, TO YOUR POINT, WE WILL BE PROVIDING A REGULAR UPDATE TO OUR BOARD, WE HOPE IN EVERY OTHER MONTH UNLESS OUR BOARD WANTS US TO DO IT MORE OFTEN.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, BECAUSE IDEALLY YOU WANT TO WAIT BECAUSE WE GO SIX WEEKS CYCLES, RIGHT? FOR WHEN IT COMES TO ATTENDANCE, AND AS YOU KNOW, OUR FUNDING IS DIRECTLY ATTACHED OR RELATED TO THE ATTENDANCE RATE, AND SO WOULD BE, WOULD PROBABLY BE ABLE TO CALCULATE THAT EVERY SIX WEEKS OR SO.
THAT WILL PUT US EVERY, LIKE FOR OUR BOARD IT WOULD BE EVERY OTHER MONTH WE CAN PRESENT TO YOU.
SO AS WE PLAN FOR MOVING FORWARD, WILL THE UPDATES INCLUDE LIKE FUNCTIONS THAT WE ARE OVER WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND A BUDGET IS JUST AN ESTIMATE, LIKE IT'S OUR BEST GUESS OF WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END UP THROUGH THE YEAR, AND SO WOULD IT GIVE FUNCTION LIKE UPDATES OF FUNCTION CODES THAT ARE OVER WHAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED? LIKE, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WILL BE IN THESE BI-MONTHLY UPDATES? THAT'S WHAT I THINK. I'M NOT AN ACCOUNTANT, AS YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CFO, BUT I THINK DENNIS AND MAYBE RHONDA WILL GIVE EVEN A BETTER IT WILL BE BY FUNCTION CODE WHERE WE CAN SEE WHERE AT THE PERCENTAGES, WHERE WE ARE GOING TOWARDS THE END, TOWARDS THE YEAR END, AS TO WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS THE PERCENTAGE OF SAY, WE SHOULD BE AT 50%.
IF WE'RE AT 80, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING INTO A PLACE WHERE I'M GETTING ALMOST UNCOMFORTABLE WITH OUR FUND BALANCE BEING AS LOW AS IT IS, AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A REAL GOOD UNDERSTANDING AS TRUSTEES OF WHERE WE ARE, AND I LOVE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER ALL OF THESE STIPENDS AND GIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN, BUT NOT AT THE RISK OF BANKRUPTING OUR DISTRICT.
SO WE HAVE TO BE, I THINK, A LITTLE MORE AWARE OF THAT.
THAT'S CORRECT, AND I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT.
RIGHT. THAT WAS NOT EASY FOR ALL OF US.
EVERYBODY WILL HAVE TO KIND OF DO SOMETHING TO REDUCE, YOU KNOW, EXPENSES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR OUR REVENUES IS PRETTY MUCH BEEN CONSTANT SINCE 2019 OR WE DID NOT SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR BASIC ALLOTMENT SINCE 2019, AND ALTHOUGH WE MAY BE COLLECTING MORE TAXES, BUT AS YOU KNOW, ALSO WE'VE BEEN SENDING MORE OF OUR TAXPAYERS' MONEY BACK TO THE STATE LAST YEAR.
WELL, A YEAR AGO, WE SENT $115 MILLION BACK TO THE STATE.
RIGHT, AND SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU KNOW, AGAIN WE ARE WE HAVE A TIGHT BUDGET SAME KIND OF ALMOST REVENUES PRETTY MUCH, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH WITH LIKE OTHER EXPENSE INCREASE AND INFLATION, AND WE HAVE TO BE ALSO TAKE CARE OF OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS AND ENSURE THAT ENSURE THAT WE'RE COMPETITIVE, RIGHT, SO WE CAN KEEP OUR GREAT TEACHERS HERE, AND THE ONLY OTHER RECOMMENDATION I HAVE, PRESIDENT HARRISON, IS THAT WE ADD THESE UPDATES TO OUR BOARD MONITORING CALENDAR WHICH WOULD REQUIRE US TO BRING THAT BACK IN DECEMBER TO APPROVE AN UPDATED BOARD MONITORING CALENDAR, BUT THAT WAY, WE AS A BOARD KNOW WHAT MONTHS WE'RE EXPECTED TO GET BUDGET UPDATES AND INCLUDE THAT ON OUR BOARD MONITORING CALENDAR.
SO THAT WOULD BE JUST THAT WOULD BE MORE OF AN ACCOUNTABILITY FOR US AS TRUSTEES, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION IF BRING THAT BACK IN DECEMBER TO UPDATE OUR BOARD MONITORING, WOULD THAT GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO LIKE FORMAT A SCHEDULE OF WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO START GIVING US.
DO YOU NEED ME TO SUBMIT AN AGENDA REQUEST FOR THAT, OR CAN WE DO IT? CAN YOU DO THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO ASK IS, EVERY OTHER MONTH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET IN A WAY THAT'S MOST EXPEDIENT FOR US TO TAKE ACTION ON AND IF WE NEED TO, AND IS EVERY OTHER MONTH TO IS THAT GOING TO GIVE US THE FULL PICTURE WE NEED IF WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION? OR IS IT BETTER TO DO IT QUARTERLY, WHERE WE HAVE A BETTER PICTURE OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND POSSIBLY TAKE ACTION ON THE BUDGET?
[02:00:01]
WELL, IT'LL GIVE YOU UPDATES, BUT AS FAR AS TAKING ACTION, I'M YOU PROBABLY WOULD WANT TO WAIT TILL LIKE THE SPRING TO TAKE SERIOUS ACTION BECAUSE LIKE TRUSTEE LANDRUM SAID, THOSE ARE JUST SOME ESTIMATES, AND SO WE CAN LOOK AT PARTICULAR LINE ITEMS TO SEE.LIKE, WE CAN CLOSELY MONITOR GUEST EDUCATORS TO SEE HOW WE'RE DOING VERSUS THE BUDGET SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT AND SEE BUT ONE MAY BE OVER AND ONE MAY BE UNDER.
SO IT MAY NOT TAKE A BOARD ACTION.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN YOU SAY THAT.
LET'S SAY THAT WE PROJECT THAT WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO INTO FUND BALANCE.
THEN WE NEED TO TAKE SOME KIND OF ACTION.
EVERY OTHER MONTH FEELS LIKE A LOT TO ME VERSUS QUARTERLY.
QUARTERLY FEELS LIKE ENOUGH TO ME, BUT I'M FINE WITH WHATEVER.
WE'LL TRY EVERY OTHER MONTH, AND IF IT'S NOT WORKING, WE CAN EXTEND IT OUT.
OKAY, AND THEN I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU COULD CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE SHARS.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE STILL KIND OF GET THE QUESTION OF WHAT DID THE DISTRICT DO WRONG TO LOSE THAT MONEY? AND WE KNOW THAT IT WASN'T OUR DISTRICT.
SO COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY WE LOST THE SHAH'S FUNDING? OKAY, I'LL TRY MY BEST.
IF NOT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO RHONDA.
SO, AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE OUR STUDENTS, LIKE WHO ARE RECEIVING SERVICES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
CERTAIN ONES, RIGHT? LIKE THERAPIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT ALSO OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO THEM, RIGHT? THE WAY IT WORKS WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICAID AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS YOU PROVIDE THE SERVICES AHEAD OF TIME, AND THEN AFTER YOU'RE DONE WITH THE SERVICE FOR THE YEAR YOU PROVIDE, YOU CAN ASK FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT YOU GO THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO KIND OF GET THE MONEY BACK TO US.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BUILD THE BUDGET FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, YOU BUILD IT BASED ON LAST YEAR AMOUNT THAT YOU GET FROM SHARS, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN DENNIS AND HIS TEAM BUILT THE BUDGET FOR LAST YEAR, WE ESTIMATED THAT BASED ON PREVIOUS HISTORIC YEARS, WE RECEIVED ABOUT NINE, $9.5 MILLION BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES WE KNEW WERE PROVIDED THE YEAR PRIOR, NOT AN ESTIMATE.
SO WHAT HAPPENED IS SO WE BUDGETED HE WORKED, WE STARTED THE YEAR AND THEN THE STATE NOTIFIED US SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS SAYING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT MONEY BECAUSE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE STATE WAS AUDITED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THEY THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE STATE WAS NOT PROVIDING DOCUMENT, THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION, IF YOU WILL, TO MEDICAID SERVICES TO GET FURTHER REIMBURSEMENT.
SO WE DID WHAT WE WERE TOLD TO DO.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, I GUESS WHOEVER MADE THAT MISTAKE, OBVIOUSLY TO COMMUNICATE IT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEN WE DID IT, AND THEN WHEN THEY GOT IN TROUBLE AND I THINK ABOUT $800 MILLION WORTH OF FINE OR LACK OF REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THE STATE LOOKED AT US, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEY SAID, TOO BAD WE LOST 800 MILLION.
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LOSE IT, RIGHT? SO INSTEAD OF THE STATE PAYING THAT $800 MILLION TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY JUST WENT AHEAD AND TOOK THE MONEY.
WE APPEALED IT. WE ACTUALLY FOUGHT ALL THE WAY LAST YEAR.
WE WERE FIGHTING. WE ARE STILL FIGHTING PART OF IT, BUT THE STATE WENT AHEAD AND ANYWAY DID NOT REIMBURSE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SOME AGAIN DEPENDS ON DEPENDS ON THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IN OUR CASE, WE PROVIDED $9.5 MILLION WORTH OF SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS.
THE STATE CAME BACK AND SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT MONEY.
WE LOST ACTUALLY SIX AND A HALF.
I THINK THEY GAVE US 3 MILLION BACK.
RIGHT, SIR? YES. SO THEY GAVE US $3 MILLION BACK.
WE LOST SIX, AND THAT'S PART OF LIKE AN INCREASE IN OUR DEFICIT IS $6.5 MILLION THAT AGAIN, THE STATE DID NOT DO THEIR PART AND WE GOT BLAMED, AND THEN WE HAD TO PAY THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THEIR MISTAKE.
THANK YOU. THAT WAS A GREAT EXPLANATION, I APPRECIATE IT.
TRUSTEE ZARATE. YEAH, IT WAS MENTIONED.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO ASSURE TEACHERS THAT IF THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED THE PROCESS FOR THESE STIPENDS AND HAVEN'T FINISHED IT YET, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO FINISH? YES, CORRECT.
BECAUSE I KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY I MEAN, YOU DON'T WANT TO PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER THEM, I WOULD THINK AND TELL THEM, YOU'VE DONE ALL THIS WORK AT YOUR OWN TIME COST TO NOT RECEIVE THE REWARD. NO, SIR.
[02:05:06]
SO WE CANNOT TAKE IT AND WE WON'T BE TAKING IT REGARDLESS.SO WHEN IT COMES TO COST SAVING, IF, LET'S SAY HYPOTHETICALLY, COME JANUARY, WE FIND OURSELVES HYPOTHETICALLY, RIGHT WE'RE MAYBE IN THE RED AGAIN, MORE THAN WE ANTICIPATED. THEN THERE WOULD BE OTHER MEASURES THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE, BUT NOT TAKING PEOPLE'S STIPENDS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET PEOPLE GO EITHER, RIGHT? SO WE WILL BE OTHER MEASURES THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO REDUCE MAYBE EXPENSE EXPENSES.
OKAY. SO I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS ON.
OH, WE STILL HAVE THE SECOND PART.
OKAY. SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR AUDITOR NOW.
OKAY. THIS WOULD BE AN UPDATE ON THE 24-25 BUDGET, AND IT'S ALSO JUST ON THE BUDGET.
SO BACK WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET, WE ADOPTED A TAX RATE OF 0.6969, BUT WHEN WE SET THE TAX RATE DUE TO THE RISE IN THE MAXIMUM COMPRESSION RATE, WE ENDED UP ADOPTING THE BUDGET AT 0.7101.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE CHANGES THAT THOSE CREATED IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR CURRENT TAX YEAR COLLECTION.
SO OUR PROPERTY VALUES WENT DOWN.
OUR PRIOR YEAR TAX COLLECTION.
OUR COUNTIES ARE STILL GOING THROUGH APPEALS FROM TAXPAYERS, AND WE'VE DROPPED THE EXPECTATION OF RECEIVING ALMOST $1 MILLION DOWN TO $300,000 DUE TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THE APPEALS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE BEING AWARDED TO OUR TAXPAYERS.
WE GREW JUST A LITTLE INVESTMENT INCOME.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE INTEREST RATES ARE COMING DOWN.
SO WE ARE PROJECTING THAT WE MAY LOSE ABOUT $2.5 MILLION, BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, WHAT THE INTEREST RATES MAY DO IF THEY RISE. WE HOPE TO GET TO THE $7.5 MILLION.
OUR LOCAL REVENUE INCREASE IS DUE TO OUR PRE-K THREE AND OUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. SO THAT WAS AN INCREASE TO THAT REVENUE.
SO YOU SEE THE STATE I MEAN OUR CURRENT REVENUE TAX REVENUE IS BLUE, OUR STATE REVENUES BLUE.
WHEN WE GET TO THE EXPENSES, YOU WILL SEE A REDUCTION IN OUR RECAPTURE.
SO YOU WILL SEE A BIG CHANGE WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THAT EXPENSE.
SO BOTTOM LINE, OUR TOTAL REVENUES WENT DOWN ABOUT $10 MILLION FROM 466 TO 456.
AS FAR AS OUR EXPENSES, THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS, THERE'S NO CHANGE.
THE 371,779 IS JUST ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS ON THE LEFT COLUMN SUMMED UP.
WE SEE WE ADDED $3.4 MILLION FOR STIPENDS.
THEN YOU WILL SEE A $3.3 MILLION INCREASE? AGAIN, THAT IS FOR OUR 47,000 STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
THAT WAS BACK WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET, WE SAID IF WE GET TO 47,000, WE WILL.
WE WILL REWARD ALL EMPLOYEES $500 IN THEIR DECEMBER PAYCHECK.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL OUR CITIZENS AND ALL OUR KIDDOS FOR COMING TO SCHOOL AND HELPING INCREASE OUR ENROLLMENT, AND SO I TOLD THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS GREW FROM 395 TO 404.
OUR ALLOCATIONS IS PRETTY MUCH ONLY CHANGED.
IT WENT UP ABOUT $2 MILLION BECAUSE OF WE HAD SOME.
LET ME FIND THE NUMBER OF PROGRAM INCREASES THAT THINGS THAT HAD CAME INTO THE TO THAT WE HAD TO PAY FOR THIS YEAR THAT WAS NOT BUDGETED. SO THAT GREW ABOUT ALMOST $2 MILLION.
SO OUR TOTAL EXPENSES WENT FROM 466.
[02:10:02]
I'M SORRY, IT WENT DOWN FROM 466 TO 456.SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN TOTAL, I'M GLAD TO SAY THAT WE ARE STILL AT A SURPLUS OF $48, AND BUT YOU SEE, THE BOTTOM LINE WHERE IT SAYS THE CYPRESS SALE, WHERE ARE THE FINAL STAGES OF COMPLETING THE CYPRESS SALE OF CYPRESS ONE AND TWO.
WE SHOULD EXPECT TO CLOSE ON THAT PROPERTY IN MARCH, AND ON CLOSING DATE, WE SHALL RECEIVE NINE.
$9,300,000, WHICH WILL GO TOWARDS OUR FUND BALANCE.
SO WE ARE PROJECTING OUR FUND BALANCE SURPLUS OF ABOUT $9,300,000 FOR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR, AND I'LL PAUSE THERE FOR QUESTIONS ON THE 24-25 BEFORE WE GET TO THE AUDIT.
WHAT IS OUR PROCESS ON COLLECTING UNPAID TAXES? OUR PROCESS. ROUND ROCK ISDS PROCESS.
WE WAIT FOR THE EACH CAD TO SEND US THE MONEY, AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, WITH THE TAX OFFICE, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT RECEIVING TAXES FROM TRAVIS COUNTY BECAUSE OF OUR DEFICIT OF OF APPEALS THAT THEY HAVE AWARDED, I THINK WAS, WHAT, 800,000 STILL THAT THEY SAY WE OWE WE THEY PAID US OVER WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE AWARDED THE APPEALS BACK TO THOSE TAXPAYERS AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE NOT LIKE HOMEOWNERS; THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH CORPORATIONS.
SO THESE AREN'T ROUND ROCK ISD IS NOT ACTIVELY GOING AFTER PEOPLE TO PAY THEIR TAXES.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS? WE DO NOT COLLECT TAXES.
OUR TAX OFFICES THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT.
NO, WE DON'T HAVE TAX COLLECTORS.
ROUND ROCK ISD DOES NOT COLLECT TAXES.
WE GET TAXES COLLECTED FOR US FROM THE TAX OFFICE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
THANK YOU. NEXT ONE IS ON SLIDE FOUR.
YOU HAVE A LINE ITEM THAT SAYS POSITION DECREASES.
THAT'S NOT ANYBODY THAT LOST THEIR JOB.
THOSE ARE UNFILLED POSITIONS THAT WE DIDN'T FILL.
SO THERE WAS NO POSITION, NO JOBS LOST THAT WAS FILLED BY A PERSON.
OKAY. THAT'S I JUST SOME CLARIFICATIONS.
THANK YOU. I SEE NO OTHER LIGHTS.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR AUDITORS FOR OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT.
HARRISON. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M A PARTNER WITH WHITLEY PENN.
THE AUDIT PROCESS TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED THE AUDIT BACK IN APRIL OF 2024, SO SEVEN MONTHS AGO, AND WE PERFORMED PROCEDURES IN THE SPRING AND AGAIN IN THE FALL.
WE RETURN IN THE FALL FOR YEAR END FIELD WORK, WHERE OUR PROCEDURES ARE MORE FINANCIAL IN NATURE.
WE'RE CONFIRMING BALANCES DIRECTLY WITH YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
WE PERFORM A VARIETY OF ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES, INCLUDING REVIEWING BUDGETS AND DECISIONS MADE BY THE BOARD IN THE MEETING MINUTES, AND OVERALL, THIS TIME, WE'RE OBTAINING ENOUGH AUDIT EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE ENGAGED TO DO IS EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
IN A FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, YOU CAN RECEIVE ONE OF THREE OPINIONS.
THE OPINION ON THE FAR LEFT, THE DISCLAIMER IS THE MOST ADVERSE OPINION THAT WOULD BE ISSUED IN A SITUATION WHERE EITHER THE RECORDS DIDN'T EXIST OR WERE IN SUCH DISARRAY, NO ASSURANCE COULD BE GIVEN BY THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR ON A SET OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THE QUALIFICATION IS A TYPE OF MODIFIED OPINION THAT WOULD BE EXPRESSED IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS A SCOPE LIMITATION, OR THERE WAS A MATERIAL DEPARTURE FROM GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES, WHERE WE WOULD SAY EVERYTHING WAS FAIRLY STATED EXCEPT FOR THE AREAS THAT WE LISTED IN OUR REPORT, AND THEN THE FAR RIGHT OPINION, THE UNMODIFIED
[02:15:06]
OPINION, ALTHOUGH IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT FROM THE NAME, THAT IS THE BEST OUTCOME IN A FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, AND THAT'S OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A CLEAN OPINION.SO INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT'S ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.
AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE FINANCIAL SECTION, YOU'LL FIND THAT OUR REPORT WITH OUR FIRM LETTERHEAD AND FIRM SIGNATURE, INCLUDES THE UNMODIFIED OPINION IN THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH. SO ONCE THIS REPORT IS MADE PUBLIC, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE WAITING FOR THIS REPORT TO BE ISSUED, THEY'LL LOOK THERE FIRST TO SEE WHAT THE OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS BEFORE THEY GO THROUGH TO MAKE THEIR ANALYSIS OF THE DISTRICT.
REVIEWING THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTE DISCLOSURES, WE ALSO ISSUE A REPORT ON THE DISTRICT'S INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING IN THIS REPORT. THIS IS WHERE WE LIST ANY DEFICIENCIES OR WEAKNESSES THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN THE DISTRICT'S INTERNAL CONTROLS, OR ANY NONCOMPLIANCE THAT WE IDENTIFIED THAT WAS MATERIAL TO THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
MR. COVINGTON COVERED THAT EARLIER IN HIS PRESENTATION.
WE DIDN'T IDENTIFY ANYTHING THAT WE DEEMED A MATERIAL WEAKNESS IN INTERNAL CONTROL OR ANY NONCOMPLIANCE THAT WAS MATERIAL TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND THEN THE THIRD AND FINAL REPORT WE ISSUE IS ON THE DISTRICT'S ADMINISTRATION OF ITS FEDERAL PROGRAMS. EVERY YEAR, THE DISTRICT PREPARES A SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES OF FEDERAL AWARDS, AND THAT'S THE BASIS FOR OUR IDENTIFICATION OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMS IN A GIVEN FISCAL YEAR IN THE FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS HAS ITS UNIQUE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, AND SO WE TESTED THOSE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, MAKING SURE THAT THE DISTRICT COMPLIED WITH THOSE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS, AND WE DIDN'T IDENTIFY ANY QUESTION COSTS OR ANY NONCOMPLIANCE RELATED TO YOUR ADMINISTRATION OF THESE THREE FEDERAL PROGRAMS, NOR ANY INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS RELATED TO THE DISTRICT'S INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER COMPLIANCE.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WITHIN 30 DAYS, FIRST, YOU HAVE YOUR DEADLINE TEA NOVEMBER 27TH.
THEN YOU HAVE A 30 DAY DEADLINE WHERE YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT THE SINGLE AUDIT TO THE FEDERAL AUDIT CLEARINGHOUSE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST WAYS THAT FEDERAL AGENCIES AND STATE AGENCIES BECOME AWARE OF HOW THE DISTRICT PERFORMED IN THE SINGLE AUDIT, AND LOOKING TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY NONCOMPLIANCE OR ANY FINDINGS IN THE FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT, IS THEIR NUMBER ONE STEP FOR THEIR RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE DISTRICT.
THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION.
THIS IS THE DISTRICT'S BALANCE SHEET ON AN ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING.
THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE BASIS OF ACCOUNTING THAT IS USED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO THIS REPORTS ALL YOUR ASSETS, EVERYTHING THAT THE DISTRICT OWNS AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2024, LESS ALL YOUR LIABILITIES OR EVERYTHING THAT THE DISTRICT OWES AS OF THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. YOUR TOTAL ASSETS AND YOUR DEFERRED OUTFLOWS OF RESOURCES TOTALED $1.4 BILLION OF THAT AMOUNT.
THAT'S PRIMARILY COMPRISED OF YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS THE LAND, THE BUILDINGS, THE VEHICLE, FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT, NET OF DEPRECIATION USED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE STUDENTS OF THE DISTRICT. YOU ALSO HAD CASH AND INVESTMENTS OF $342.3 MILLION.
OF THAT BALANCE THAT'S PRIMARILY COMPRISED OF YOUR OUTSTANDING LONG TERM BONDS PAYABLE AND RELATED PREMIUMS. THAT'S 822 MILLION, AND THEN THERE'S TWO LIABILITIES THAT THE DISTRICT REPORTS IN ITS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS RELATED TO ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF TEXAS. THESE TWO LIABILITIES REPRESENT ROUND ROCK ISD'S PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE PENSION LIABILITY AND THE OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT LIABILITY, WHICH IS RETIREE HEALTH CARE.
THAT WAS 175.4 MILLION AND 76.1 MILLION.
EVERY YEAR, THE DISTRICT BUDGETS AND CONTRIBUTES TO TRS EXACTLY LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
THESE ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS THAT WERE ISSUED MANY YEARS AGO THAT REQUIRE ROUND ROCK ISD AND EVERY EMPLOYER IN TRS TO REPORT THESE AMOUNTS IS MAINLY FOR THE USERS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, ESPECIALLY AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THEY'RE THE ONES MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THESE PLANS FOR RETIREES, AND THEY DECIDE HOW MUCH THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE STATE, FROM THE EMPLOYERS, FROM THE EMPLOYEES GO INTO THESE PLANS AND MONITORING THESE LIABILITIES AND SEEING IF THEY'RE GOING, IF THEY'RE INCREASING OR DECREASING OVER TIME, HELPS THEM MAKE DECISIONS AS TO WHERE THE CONTRIBUTIONS NEED TO COME FROM.
DO THEY NEED TO INCREASE, OR DO THEY NEED TO LOOK AT THE BENEFITS AND MAYBE ADJUST THOSE.
THE DISTRICT'S GENERAL FUND IS ITS MAIN OPERATING ACCOUNT.
[02:20:06]
11% OF YOUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES WAS FOR STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, STUDENT TRANSPORTATION GUIDANCE, COUNSELING SERVICES, AND OTHER STUDENT SERVICES.FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS WAS 10% OF YOUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, FOLLOWED BY CAMPUS LEADERSHIP AT 8% OF THE GENERAL FUND, 3% FOR SECURITY MONITORING AND DATA PROCESSING, 2% FOR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
SO THAT'S FUNCTION 41 IN YOUR BUDGET.
THAT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO AND LOOKED AT AS KIND OF OVERHEAD PEOPLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
SO IT'S AT 2% HERE AT ROUND ROCK ISD.
SO YOU'RE LEVERAGING YOUR ADMINISTRATION VERY WELL FOR THE OPERATION OF THE DISTRICT.
ALL THE REMAINING FUNCTIONAL EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES WERE 1% OR LESS.
YOUR EXPENDITURES WERE GREATER THAN YOUR FINAL BUDGETED EXPENDITURES, AS WAS PRESENTED EARLIER BY MR. COVINGTON, BY $10.2 MILLION OVERALL, YOUR EXPENDITURES EXCEEDED YOUR REVENUES.
SO THERE WAS A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024 OF $37.2 MILLION FOR AN ENDING FUND BALANCE ON JUNE 30TH, 2024, OF $87.9 MILLION.
THERE'S A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT WHAT FUND BALANCE IS AND WHAT FUND BALANCE ISN'T.
THIS IS NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S RAINY DAY FUND.
THIS IS NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
FUND BALANCE GETS REPORTED IN A FEW DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
NON SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE WAS $900,000.
THAT'S INVENTORY. THAT'S INVENTORY AND PREPAID ITEMS. RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE IS 2.1 MILLION.
THOSE ARE AMOUNTS THAT ARE RESTRICTED BY EXTERNAL PARTIES TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IS 15.1 MILLION AMOUNTS EARMARKED BY MANAGEMENT FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS REPORTED AS UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OR $69.8 MILLION.
ON THIS SLIDE, I'M SHOWING THAT $69.8 MILLION REPRESENTS 13.9% OF YOUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
FUND BALANCE HAS DECREASED FOR THE LAST FEW FISCAL YEARS, AND THIS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT, BUT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT FUND BALANCE TO GET TOO MUCH LOWER THAN THAT.
YOU ALSO HAVE BUDGET TO ACTUAL SCHEDULES IN THE REPORT FOR THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM AND THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM, REVENUES WERE GREATER THAN BUDGETED REVENUES BY $700,000.
YOUR EXPENDITURES WERE GREATER THAN YOUR FINAL BUDGETED EXPENDITURES BY $2 MILLION.
THERE'S A SPENDING PLAN IN PLACE.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A TOO LARGE OF A FUND BALANCE IN THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM.
SO THE DISTRICT IS HAS A SPENDING PLAN IN PLACE TO DRAW THAT FUND BALANCE DOWN.
THE DEBT SERVICE FUND IS THE FUND WHERE THE DISTRICT RECORDS ITS INTEREST AND SINKING PORTION OF ITS PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE REPAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON YOUR LONG TERM BONDS. REVENUES WERE LESS THAN BUDGETED REVENUES BY 200,000.
YOUR ACTUAL EXPENDITURES WERE LESS THAN BUDGETED EXPENDITURES BY 23,000 OVERALL.
THAT FUND BALANCE ON JUNE 30TH WAS NEEDED TO MAKE YOUR VERY NEXT DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT BEFORE YOU START COLLECTING ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAXES IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, SO YOU NEEDED THAT AMOUNT THERE TO MAKE YOUR NEXT DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT.
AS PART OF THE AUDIT, WE DO REVIEW THE DISTRICT'S ACCOUNTING POLICIES IN FISCAL YEAR 2024.
THERE WASN'T A NEW PRONOUNCEMENT THAT THE DISTRICT HAD TO IMPLEMENT, SO THE DISTRICT AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE WERE ABLE TO CATCH THEIR BREATH AFTER HAVING TO IMPLEMENT TWO PRONOUNCEMENTS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WERE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDE ESTIMATES AND ESTIMATES CAN ALWAYS CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.
SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ESTIMATES YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF IS ANYTHING RELATED TO STATE FUNDING, HOW MUCH A DISTRICT EARNS IN STATE AID IS BASED ON A VARIETY OF VARIABLES THAT CAN CHANGE IN THE FUTURE AND CAN CHANGE YOUR.
ULTIMATELY, WHAT YOU EARNED FOR A GIVEN FISCAL YEAR, ANY ALLOWANCES FOR UNCOLLECTIBLE RECEIVABLES IS BASED ON HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS, AND THEN THE LAST ESTIMATE HERE ANYTHING RELATED TO PENSION AND RETIREE HEALTH CARE? THE OPEB PLAN IS THE LARGEST ESTIMATE IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THOSE ESTIMATES COME FROM TRS AND THEIR AUDITORS AND THEIR ACTUARIES.
[02:25:04]
EVERY FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT OF ANY ORGANIZATION INCLUDES TWO SIGNIFICANT RISKS THAT AS EXTERNAL AUDITORS WE HAVE TO PRESUME EXIST.THE FIRST IS THAT MANAGEMENT COULD ALWAYS OVERRIDE THE ESTABLISHED INTERNAL CONTROLS.
SO WE PERFORM PROCEDURES TO LOOK FOR THAT SOMETHING ELSE, AND ALTHOUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE A PROFIT MOTIVE, THERE'S ALWAYS THE RISK THAT REVENUE CAN BE RECORDED IN THE INCORRECT FISCAL PERIOD.
THAT APPLIES TO PROPERTY TAXES, STATE AID AND YOUR GRANT REVENUES.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY DIFFICULTIES IN PERFORMING AND COMPLETING THE AUDIT.
WE HAD THE COMPLETE COOPERATION OF THE DISTRICT.
ANYONE WE NEEDED TO MEET WITH WAS MADE AVAILABLE.
INFORMATION THAT WE REQUESTED WAS PROVIDED TO US IN A TIMELY MANNER.
QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD WERE WERE ANSWERED IN A TIMELY MANNER AS WELL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. COVINGTON AND MISS RHODE AND THE ENTIRE FINANCIAL SERVICES TEAM HERE AT THE DISTRICT FOR THEIR COOPERATION, THEIR PATIENCE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE AUDIT PROCESS, BECAUSE HERE WE ARE PRESENTING THIS TO YOU ON TIME.
THAT WAY, THE DISTRICT CAN MAKE ITS REQUIRED SUBMISSIONS AND MEET ALL DEADLINES.
WE DO OBTAIN A MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION LETTER FROM THE DISTRICT AT THE END OF THE AUDIT.
ALL THE INFORMATION WE'VE REQUESTED HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
NOTHING'S OCCURRED THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE RECORDED OR DISCLOSED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AS FAR AS WE'RE AWARE, THE DISTRICT'S NOT CONSULTING WITH ANY OTHER AUDITORS OR ACCOUNTANTS ON ANY MATTER, AND THEN THE LAST BULLET ON THIS SLIDE DURING THE YEAR, WE MAY PROVIDE INFORMATION, ANSWER QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON A VARIETY OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING OR COMPLIANCE RELATED MATTERS BUT AT NO TIME DO WE FEEL THE WAY WE ANSWER THE POSITION WE TAKE ON ANY OF THOSE MATTERS IMPAIRS OUR INDEPENDENCE TO SERVE AS THE DISTRICT'S EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
TRUSTEE WEIR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
SO 69 MILLION PLUS THE 9 MILLION.
ONCE WE HAVE THAT, HOW CLOSE TO 60 DAYS WILL WE BE OF FUND BALANCE? AND THEN WHAT IS 60 DAYS AND WHAT IS 90 DAYS OF UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE FOR ROUND ROCK ISD? SO YOU WOULD TAKE YOUR YOUR BUDGET.
IT'S A MATHEMATICAL CALCULATION.
YOU DIVIDE IT BY 365 DAYS AND YOU MULTIPLY IT BY 60 DAYS OR 90 DAYS TO GET THERE.
SO IF WE GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT SHOWED THAT INFORMATION.
THERE WE GO. SO 60 DAYS WOULD REPRESENT ABOUT 16, 17% OF YOUR YOUR EXPENDITURES.
SO THE GENERAL FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 REPORTED EXPENDITURES OF $502 MILLION, SO LET'S JUST SAY 500 MILLION FOR TO MAKE THE MATH A LITTLE EASIER, YOU WOULD NEED SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 45 A MONTH.
THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, THEY RECOMMEND THAT A GOVERNMENT HAVE 60 TO 90 DAYS IN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AND THEY CONSIDER THAT AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE FOR A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY, AND TEA ALSO HAS INDICATORS THAT LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF CASH INVESTMENTS YOU HAVE ON HAND AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO TRY TO MEASURE, YOU KNOW, YOUR YOU KNOW, HOW SOLVENT IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? OKAY. SO EVEN WITH THE 9 MILLION FROM CYPRESS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET TO 60 DAYS.
CORRECT. I THINK 9 MILLION WOULD PUT US AT 60 DAYS.
IF YOU ADDED 9 MILLION, I DON'T HAVE A CALCULATOR.
THANK YOU. SOMEONE DO THE MATH. THAT'LL TAKE US OVER 16%.
IT DOESN'T GET US TO 90 DAYS, BUT IT DOES GET US TO 60.
[02:30:03]
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ME PERSONALLY, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT OTHER TRUSTEES, BUT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE IN OUR IMMEDIATE WINDOW FOR US TO ADD TO OUR FUND BALANCES OUTSIDE OF THIS SALE.THERE'S NO PROJECT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WE NEED THAT MONEY FOR.
I MEAN, DENNIS, I MEAN, YOU CAN TALK MORE ABOUT IT, BUT I DON'T.
YEAH, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER ACCOUNT TO DEPOSIT THE MONEY IN.
SO IT WOULD GO INTO OUR GENERAL FUND, AND IF THERE WAS SOME INSTANCE THAT YOU ALL WANTED TO MOVE IT, IT WOULD TAKE AN ACTION OUT OF THIS BOARD TO MOVE IT SO IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY, YOU KNOW, IT AUTOMATICALLY GOES INTO OUR GENERAL FUND.
I DON'T WANT IT IN GENERAL FUND, THOUGH.
SO THAT FUND BALANCE GENERAL FUNDS THE SAME THING.
OH IT IS. YES. IT'S THE SAME THING.
OH OKAY. SO WHAT DO WE CALL OUR OPERATING BUDGET? GENERAL FUND. ALL OF THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND.
THE OPERATING BUDGET FUND BALANCE ALL THAT'S YOUR GENERAL FUND.
SO HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO? I DON'T GUESS I REALIZED IT WAS ALL THE SAME THING.
OKAY. WHEN YOU WHEN WE ADOPT A BUDGET, LIKE WHEN WE HAD THE $19 MILLION DEFICIT, THAT A UTOMATICALLY COMES OUT OF YOUR FUND BALANCE UNLESS YOU REDUCE THAT DEFICIT.
THANK YOU. I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION.
SO HOW OFTEN WE DO THIS KIND OF AUDIT? IT'S ANNUALLY.
OKAY. THANK YOU. TRUSTEES ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO WE GET THE ANSWER FOR SURE THAT WE HIT THE 60 DAYS? SO 60 DAYS, TAKING $500 MILLION IS YOUR EXPENDITURES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU WOULD NEED $85 MILLION IN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
EXCEPT OUR EXPENDITURES HAVE GONE DOWN, BUT WE'RE NOT AT $500 MILLION FOR EXPENDITURES.
WE'RE AT $400 ISH, RIGHT? THAT'S FOR YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT $78 MILLION IN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
YES. SO THAT WOULD PUT YOU RIGHT AT OKAY.
WHAT THEY ALSO LOOK AT LOOK AT THE WHOLE THING.
SO IT'S 69 HERE BUT ACTUALLY 87.
87.9. SO THAT WILL TAKE IT TO I GUESS 96.9 OR ALMOST LIKE ALMOST 90, I MEAN, 97 AND TEA LOOKS AT 90 DAYS WORTH OF FUND BALANCE.
AM I CORRECT OVER 90 DAYS WHEN YOU ADD IT NOW? THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT.
ALL RIGHT. I THINK THE I'M SORRY THE I THINK I HAD MY LIGHT ON, BUT MAYBE I DIDN'T, BUT THE ONLY THING I HAD MORE QUESTIONS ON WAS UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT THE ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, AND LIKE WHAT MAKES UP THAT $15 MILLION THE RESTRICTED, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN GO INTO A BOARD UPDATE JUST FOR A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION FOR US AS TRUSTEES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES UP EACH ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YES, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT THE CLEARER ANSWER FOR ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IS SOMETHING YOU GOT UNDER CONTRACT ALREADY, LIKE ANY PURCHASE ORDER. OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MOTION.
YOU HAVE TO APPROVE THE AUDIT.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE AUDIT TO US.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A RECESS UNTIL 8:45 P.M..
[02:35:01]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.I'M JUST CHECKING MICHELLE, THIS IS JUST INTRODUCTION SO IT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, TRUSTEES, WE OF COURSE WE HAVE TWO NEW TRUSTEES, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A MULTI-MONTH PROCESS IN FILLING THESE SEATS, AND I'M GOING TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT ITEM M2 AND M3 AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE ONE IS FOR THE TRAVIS COUNTY CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND ONE IS FOR THE WILLIAMSON CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT, IN OCTOBER.
IS THAT RIGHT, PATTY? OCTOBER WE MADE NOMINATIONS.
IN OCTOBER WE MADE NOMINATIONS FOR THESE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS, AND IN TRAVIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WE DO NOT HAVE A SUPERMAJORITY. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 105 VOTES, AND IF YOU MAY RECALL, TRUSTEES, WE DID NOT NOMINATE ANYONE.
WE HAD OPENED IT UP TO THE COMMUNITY.
NOBODY IN THE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERED, WAS INTERESTED IN FILLING THAT ROLE, AND SO WE MADE NO NOMINATIONS FOR US, IT DID NOT PREVENT US FROM VOTING. SO NOW WE ARE BACK WITH THE BALLOT AND IN FRONT OF YOU IN YOUR AGENDA ITEM, YOU'LL HAVE A LIST OF, I DON'T KNOW, 15, 15 PEOPLE OR SO THAT WERE NOMINATED BY OTHER ENTITIES.
I WILL SAY I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS PERSONALLY, BUT REVIEWING THE BIOS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO OUR AGENDA, THE ONE THAT I FEEL WOULD MOST ALIGN WITH ROUND ROCK ISD WOULD BE ELIZABETH MONTOYA.
SHE WAS NOMINATED BY THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE AND PFLUGERVILLE ISD.
HAVING SAID THAT, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS INDIVIDUAL.
I, I AM NOT SUPER COMFORTABLE NOMINATING SOMEONE THAT I DON'T HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION WITH THAT I NOT THAT I KNOW PERSONALLY, BUT AT LEAST KNOW ABOUT THEIR, YOU KNOW, VOTING HISTORY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE CAN WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS AT THIS POINT.
WE CAN NOT VOTE TO OR WE CAN VOTE NOT TO ASSIGN ANY OF OUR VOTES.
WE CAN CHOOSE ANY OF THESE 15 INDIVIDUALS.
WE CAN ASSIGN ALL OF OUR VOTES TO ONE PERSON.
WE CAN SPLIT OUR VOTES AMONG PEOPLE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE HAVE 2% OF THE VOTES FOR TRAVIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, AND WE DON'T TYPICALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FINAL VOTE TALLY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY INPUT AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO I GUESS I'M GOING TO COUNT ON YOU TO MAKE THE MOTION, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I DID GET AN EMAIL FROM SOME OF THE PFLUGERVILLE ISD TRUSTEES ASKING FOR OUR SUPPORT FOR ELIZABETH MONTOYA.
SO AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
SO THANK YOU. SO I THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY VOTE ALSO, AND I HAVE A LITTLE HISTORY.
NICOLE CONNELLY IS THE FORMER CFO OF AUSTIN ISD AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WOULD ALSO BE AN AWESOME RECOMMENDATION.
SO THAT'S WHO I WOULD PUT FORWARD.
WOULD ALSO BE OPEN TO SPLITTING.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY INPUT? I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THEN I MOVE THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION AND THAT I'M JUST GOING TO SPLIT THEM.
50 VOTES GO TOWARDS ELIZABETH MONTOYA AND 55 VOTES GO FOR NICOLE CONNELLY AS THE ROUND ROCK ISD NOMINEE FOR THE TRAVIS COUNTY TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? I DON'T HAVE TO SAY ALL OPPOSED BECAUSE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
OKAY. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE CONTEXT FOR ITEM THREE.
AS A REMINDER, WE DID NOMINATE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
WE NOMINATED LISA BIRKMAN AND WE NOMINATED MICHAEL WEI.
ANYBODY KNOW HIM? NO, BUT WE NOMINATED THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS TO APPEAR ON THE BALLOT.
WE DID NOT ASSIGN ANY VOTES TO THEM.
I WILL SAY TRUSTEE WEI THAT THERE HAS BEEN KIND OF A STANDING PRECEDENT SET THAT ONCE YOU ARE ON OUR BOARD, YOU DON'T SERVE ON THE WCAD, BUT I WILL SAY I DID TALK WITH THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL APPRAISER, ALVIN, AND HE SANG YOUR PRAISES, AND SO I WAS READY TO PUT ALL OF MY VOTES BEHIND YOU HAD YOU NOT WON YOUR ELECTION, BUT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A NEW TRUSTEE SERVING ON THIS BOARD,
[02:40:03]
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL SERVING AS A TRUSTEE SO IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ACTUALLY SPLIT OUR VOTES IN THIS RACE AS WELL.I WOULD LIKE TO ASSIGN 650 VOTES TO LISA BIRKMAN, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WCAD REALLY WOULD LIKE A ONE YEAR TERM TO BE FILLED AND THEN NOT TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT VOTES, AND SO LISA HAS SERVED IN THIS ROLE FOR US PREVIOUSLY.
LORA LIVES IN ROUND ROCK ISD AND SHE RECEIVED VOTES FROM THE JUDGE, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THEY SHE RECEIVED VOTES FROM THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.
SHE RECEIVED VOTES FROM THE CITY, BUT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY FOR A THREE YEAR TERM THAT LIVES IN THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK AND IN THE ROUND ROCK ISD BORDERS, WE COULD ENSURE THAT SHE GETS A THREE YEAR TERM BY ASSIGNING 200 VOTES TO HER.
HE'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB LEADING THIS, THIS BOARD.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, I HAVEN'T REALLY PUT A WHOLE LOT OF THOUGHT BEHIND OUR APPOINTEES, BUT IF ANYBODY'S BEEN PAYING ATTENTION OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE DALLAS AREA, IN TARRANT COUNTY, THEIR APPRAISAL DISTRICT HAS GONE ROGUE AND ARE REALLY TO TRYING TO ACTIVELY DEFUND PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SUCCEEDED RIGHT NOW, IT'LL PROBABLY END UP IN A COURT BATTLE.
BUT I REALLY WANT TO BE A LOT MORE THOUGHTFUL AND DILIGENT IN WHO WE ARE APPOINTING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR APPRAISAL DISTRICTS ARE NOT GOING TO GO ROGUE AND AFFECT FUNDING.
SO HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION.
ANYBODY ELSE CAN OVERRIDE MY MOTION, BUT I MOVE THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION AND THAT 650 VOTES BE ASSIGNED TO LISA BIRKMAN FOR A ONE YEAR TERM.
100 VOTES BE ASSIGNED TO JON LUX FOR A THREE YEAR TERM, AND THAT 200 VOTES BE ASSIGNED TO LORA WEBER FOR A THREE YEAR TERM. AS THE ROUND ROCK ISD NOMINEES FOR THE WILLIAMSON CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE MICHAEL AN OPPORTUNITY OR TRUSTEE WEI AN OPPORTUNITY SINCE HE SERVED ON THE WCAD TO JUST HEAR HIS THOUGHTS ON THOSE NOMINATIONS. SURE.
I THINK I AGREE WITH THIS VOTE BECAUSE JON AND LORA BOTH ARE THE PRESIDENT, ONE'S PRESIDENT, ONE'S THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE BOARD, AND THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, HOW TO HANDLE THINGS IN WCAD, AND I WORK WITH THEM AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM THEM, SO I AGREE WITH THAT.
LISA ACTUALLY SITS RIGHT NEXT TO ME ON THE BOARD.
YEAH. SHE'S ALSO KNOWLEDGEABLE.
SHE HAS BEEN, I THINK, WITH THE COUNTY A LONG TIME.
SO I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH VOTE FOR LISA.
WEI, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY? OH, YEAH. OKAY.
PERFECT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED MOTION.
OKAY. MOVING RIGHT ALONG ACTION ITEM M4 ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AN ENGAGEMENT LETTER WITH LEON ALCALA PLLC TO SERVE AS BOND COUNSEL.
AND SO I DID TRY TO EDUCATE THE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE GOING TO PUT THEIR NAME IN FOR BOARD OFFICERS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY BEHIND THIS ONE.
AS YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR PASSING THREE OF OUR FOUR BOND PROPOSITIONS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
WE TYPICALLY HAVE BOND COUNSEL THAT DOES A LOT OF JOBS FOR US, AND I'LL LET YOU GO INTO GREATER DETAIL ABOUT THAT, BUT WE HAVE NOT GONE OUT FOR NEW BOND COUNSEL SINCE 2014.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO FOR THE 2018 BOND, WE HAD A PREEXISTING ARRANGEMENT WITH A BOND COUNSEL, IT NEVER EVEN CAME BEFORE THE BOARD AT THAT TIME, THE ONLY PEOPLE STILL ON THE
[02:45:09]
DAIS FROM THEN WERE TRUSTEE WEIR AND MYSELF.WE WERE NEW AND GREEN AT THE TIME AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW TO ASK FOR THAT, BUT WE HAVE NOT GONE FOR NEW BOARD COUNSEL, BOND COUNSEL IN TEN YEARS, AND SO WHEN THIS CAME UP AND, AND BEN HAS BEEN AMAZING IN, YOU KNOW, HELPING US MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS PUT ON THE ACTION ITEMS AND NOT ON CONSENT, AND THAT IT ALLOWED BEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS THIS AGREEMENT IS FOR, WHERE THE FUNDING FOR IT IS COMING, BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU'RE SEEING THIS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU, AND PRESIDENT HARRISON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
DR. AZAIEZ PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
MY NAME IS BEN MORSE, I'M A PARTNER AT LEON ALCALA.
BUT JUST TO KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT I DO AND WHAT WHAT THIS ENGAGEMENT LETTER WOULD DO.
SO YOU KNOW, MICHELLE IS IS WHAT I WOULD CALL KIND OF A GENERALIST ATTORNEY.
MY PRACTICE IS VERY SPECIALIZED.
I FOCUS ON NOT ONLY MUNICIPAL BONDS, BUT I FOCUS ON TEXAS SCHOOL BONDS, THAT'S BASICALLY MY WHOLE PRACTICE. SO IT'S A VERY KIND OF NICHE PRACTICE.
I WOULD SAY, REALLY, EVERY BOND ISSUER HAS KIND OF TWO CONSULTANTS.
BOND COUNSEL REPRESENTS YOUR LEGAL INTERESTS ON ANYTHING RELATED TO A BOND ISSUE.
THE SECOND IS FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
SO THE WAY I USUALLY DESCRIBE THIS IS BECAUSE I SOMETIMES GET THE QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU DO VERSUS WHAT DOES THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR DO? YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR RUDY, HE REPRESENTS YOUR FINANCIAL INTERESTS, MAKES SURE THAT YOU'RE YOU KNOW, GETTING THE BEST INTEREST RATE, THAT YOU'RE MANAGING YOUR FUNDS APPROPRIATELY.
AND THEN BOND COUNSEL PROTECTS ALL YOUR LEGAL INTERESTS ON ON YOUR BOND ISSUES.
SO THERE'S REALLY TWO PIECES OF THAT.
ONE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE DRAFT ALL OF YOUR YOUR LEGAL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO YOUR BOND ISSUES.
WE ALSO ISSUE AN OPINION AND THAT'S REALLY THE THING THAT YOU, YOU PAY US FOR, IN MY VIEW IS.
BOND INVESTORS WILL NOT BUY YOUR BONDS UNLESS SOMEBODY IS A FIRM THAT'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, HAS GIVEN AN OPINION ON REALLY TWO PIECES OF YOUR TRANSACTION, ONE, THAT YOU FOLLOWED ALL THE STATE LAWS RELATED TO BOND ISSUES, AND THEN TWO IS WHEN THE BONDS ARE TAX EXEMPT, WHICH OFTEN YOUR BONDS ARE TAX EXEMPT FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES.
OUR FIRM GIVES AN OPINION THAT INVESTORS CAN TAKE COMFORT IN THAT WHEN THEY BUY THESE BONDS, THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT INTEREST ON YOUR BONDS TAX EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES, WHICH ENABLES YOU TO BORROW MONEY AT REALLY THE BEST POSSIBLE RATE.
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A SHORT SUMMARY OF WHAT IT IS WE DO.
THIS AGENDA ITEM WOULD ENGAGE US TO WORK ON THESE BOND TRANSACTIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONSIDER RIGHT AFTER THIS AGENDA ITEM, AND SO I GUESS THE OTHER THING I WOULD KIND OF MENTION IS JUST MY BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.
MOST OF THAT TIME HAS BEEN DOING EXACTLY THIS DOING TEXAS SCHOOL BOND COUNSEL REPRESENTATION.
I CARE A LOT ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION.
MY MOTHER WAS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.
MY WIFE WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER, AND NOW SHE STAYS AT HOME AND TEACHES OUR OUR TODDLER.
SO AND I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE EDUCATION.
SO I LIKE, WHAT I DO, I'VE DONE IT A LONG TIME.
I THINK I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THAT WE'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THIS, BUT I THINK WE'RE AS GOOD AS ANYBODY OUT THERE, AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, HONORED TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.
THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION BEFORE WE OPEN DISCUSSION SO I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AN ENGAGEMENT LETTER WITH LEON ALCALA PLLC TO SERVE AS BOND COUNSEL AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[02:50:02]
TRUSTEE LANDRUM. THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE IS ALL OF THE WORK THAT BEN AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE UP TO THIS POINT FOR US HAS BEEN AT NO CHARGE.I BELIEVE MOST, OR AT LEAST ALMOST ALL OF IT.
ON THE HOPE THAT OUR BOND WOULD PASS, AND SO I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED THE RESPONSE RATE.
IN FACT, IF YOU WERE AT THE CANVASING MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK BEN SHOWED UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE CORRECT LANGUAGE AND WE CANVASED THE VOTES FOR THE BOND CORRECTLY.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE ARE IN VERY GOOD HANDS MOVING FORWARD WITH LEON ALCALA AND SPECIFICALLY BEN AS OUR BOND COUNSEL, SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION. I JUST WANT TO ADD, I DON'T KNOW IF BEN DID NOT MENTION THIS, BUT WHATEVER FEES WE'RE PAYING, I MEAN, IT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE BOND.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO COST OUR DISTRICT ANY ADDITIONAL COST.
IT'S ALREADY FACTORED IN THE BOND.
SO JUST FYI FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO KNOW.
PERFECT. SEEING NO MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED MOTION.
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO ACTION ITEM M5, ADOPTION OF AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF FIXED RATE ROUND ROCK ISD, UNLIMITED TAX SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS, AND ONE OR MORE SERIES IN ENACTING OTHER RELATED PROVISIONS.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDED PROJECTS THAT REQUIRES OUR ATTENTION AND WE ARE CANNOT WAIT TO START WORKING ON THEM, BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO START WORKING ON THEM, WE FIRST NEED TO GET THE MONEY, AND SO WITH US TODAY IS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, RUDY, HAS BEEN ALSO WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT, MAYBE UNDER A DIFFERENT COMPANY FOR MANY YEARS, ACTUALLY 2018, RIGHT, RUDY? BUT HE'S BEEN REALLY GIVEN PROVIDING OUR DISTRICT WITH VALUABLE FINANCIAL ADVICE TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE ARE WE ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYERS MONEY, AND THAT WE GET THE BEST INTEREST RATE, AND IF WE NEED TO REFINANCE, WE REFINANCE THINGS.
ANYWAY SO HE HAS A PLAN AS FAR AS HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE GOING ABOUT STARTING YOU KNOW, THE FIRST SALE OF THE BOND WE OPEN FOR JANUARY IS THE FIRST TIME, THE FIRST PORTION.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ANY MORE OF HIS THUNDER.
IF YOU CAN, GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT FROM HERE RUDY, PLEASE.
SURE THING. THANK YOU FOR THAT, DR.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PLAN OF FINANCE FOR THE 2025 BOND ISSUE.
BEFORE I START, THOUGH, CONGRATULATIONS ON A SUCCESSFUL BOND ELECTION, AND THANK YOU FOR HIRING A WELL TO DO LAWYER, BEN OVER HERE.
I THINK HE'S FANTASTIC AND HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN PIECING THIS PLAN TOGETHER.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
I WANT TO TAKE US BACK, AND MAYBE THIS WILL BE HELPFUL FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE JUST JOINED, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE KEY THING ABOUT ROUND ROCK ISD. YOU ALL ARE THE HIGHEST RATED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE.
YOU ARE RATED TRIPLE A BY MOODY'S AND TRIPLE A BY FITCH.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND CHANGE THE SLIDE.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS SUPER HIGH CREDIT RATING BECAUSE OF THE BOARD POLICIES THAT ARE IN PLACE, BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPERINTENDENT AND CFO AND STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE BOND PROGRAMS, THE WHOLE ENTIRE I&S SIDE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DEBT PORTFOLIO, AND I DON'T WANT TO ADD A BUNCH OF OTHER PORTFOLIOS ON HERE FROM OTHER SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT OURS IS A BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART IN MY WORLD.
WE ONLY GO OUT TO ABOUT 16 YEARS.
OUR AVERAGE LIFE OF OUR BONDS IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 12 TO 13 YEARS.
THAT'S UNHEARD OF FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH 47,000 KIDS.
THE ROUND ROCK ISD HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PAYING OFF BONDS QUICK.
WE DO WHAT'S CALLED CASH DEFICIENCIES AND WE DO BOND REFUNDINGS.
EVERY YEAR WE'VE BEEN IN THE MARKET FOR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 1 OR 2 TIMES A YEAR, 2022 AND 23 WE WERE NOT IN THE MARKET 2024, WE DID PAY OFF BONDS THROUGH CASH DEFICIENCIES.
I BELIEVE WE DID IT AS WELL IN 23.
[02:55:03]
THERE'S NO REASON TO CHANGE THE GAME PLAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE YEARS PAST HAS PROPELLED US TO BE THE NUMBER ONE RATED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE.SO WE HAVE ABOUT $660 MILLION OF BONDS CURRENTLY OUTSTANDING.
WE ROUGHLY PAY ABOUT $80 MILLION A YEAR AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS ON THE I&S SIDE.
SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ON THE PASSING OF THE BOND.
SO NOW IT'S TIME TO ACTUALLY ENTER THE MARKETS AND SELL OUR FIRST WHAT'S CALLED A TRANCHE OF BONDS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS.
I'M GOING TO START WITH THE NEW MONEY PIECE WHICH IS PART OF THE 2024 BOND.
WE'RE GOING TO SELL ABOUT $350 MILLION IN THIS FIRST TRANCHE.
$100 MILLION OF THAT IS GOING TO BE WHAT'S CALLED A SOFT PUT, WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE A FIVE YEAR CALL FEATURE ON IT, AND THE OTHER ONE IS SERIES B, THAT'S $250 MILLION THAT WILL HAVE A TEN YEAR CALL.
SO WHEN WE HAD THE 2018 BOND ELECTION, WE UTILIZED THIS EXACT SAME PLAN WHERE A PORTION OF OUR BONDS WAS IN WHAT'S CALLED A SOFT PUT, AND THE OTHER PORTION HAD A TEN YEAR CALL ON IT.
WITH, JUST LIKE YOU AND I GO AND REFINANCE OUR MORTGAGE, BONDS ALSO HAVE THAT REFINANCE OPPORTUNITY, BUT YOU CAN REALLY ONLY DO IT ON THE CALL DATE.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SOFT PUT AS A SHORT TERM CALL FEATURE SO WE CAN PAY BONDS OFF QUICKER.
IT'S CHEAPER FOR US TO PAY THAT BOND OFF AS OPPOSED TO OTHER BONDS IN THE FUTURE.
I DO ANTICIPATE THAT COMING DOWN AS INTEREST RATES CONTINUE TO COME DOWN.
I CAN TELL YOU WHEN WE DO ENTER THE MARKET IN JANUARY, WE WILL RECEIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE RATE THE MARKET CAN PROVIDE US BECAUSE OF OUR RATING AND BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE OF THE TRANSACTION.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE TOLD VOTERS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WHAT WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING, AND SO MY JOB AS THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR IS TO STRUCTURE THE DEBT SO THAT ROUND ROCK ISD CAN COMFORTABLY PAY BACK THEIR DEBT, AND AS WELL AS ANY OVERAGE OF COLLECTIONS WE CAN USE TO PAY DOWN DEBT QUICKER.
SO THE GRAPH AT THE BOTTOM OR THE CHART AT THE BOTTOM JUST SHOWS US THAT WITH THE ADDITIONAL $350 MILLION THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO ISSUE, WE WILL BE WELL UNDER OUR 18.3 CENTS.
WE MAY NOT SEE 5%, 10% GROWTH LIKE WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST HEARD A BIT AGO THAT WE ONLY GREW BY 2% THIS YEAR.
AUSTIN ISD GREW BY 1% THE SAME YEAR.
SO WE'RE USING VERY CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTIONS WHEN BUILDING OUT THE MODEL.
THE OTHER TWO ITEMS THAT YOU'LL BE VOTING ON TODAY IS WHAT'S CALLED A CASH DEFEASANCE.
THE DISTRICT IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THESE, WHERE ANYTIME WE COLLECT EXCESS REVENUE FROM THE COUNTY, WE COULD UTILIZE THAT MONEY TO PAY DOWN DEBT FASTER. WE'VE IDENTIFIED $25 MILLION IN BONDS THAT WE COULD CASH TO FEES IN 2025, AND THAT'S MODELED OUT THERE FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
SO WHEN LOOKING AT YOUR CURRENT DEBT PORTFOLIO, WE IDENTIFIED STRATEGICALLY WHICH MATURITIES WE ARE GOING TO PAY OFF TO HELP US ISSUE DEBT IN THE FUTURE AND KEEP THAT TAX RATE IMPACT AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO HERE AT ROUND ROCK ISD IS REFUND OUR DEBT FOR SAVINGS.
SO IF I'M EXCHANGING A 6% DEBT WITH A 5% DEBT, THAT 1% DELTA IS WHAT'S CONSIDERED SAVINGS.
[03:00:06]
SAVINGS. ONCE THAT NUMBER GETS ABOVE 3%, WE WILL START LOOKING AT THAT AND WE WILL START DETERMINING WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTE THAT REFUNDING.RIGHT. YES A 3% SAVINGS THRESHOLD THAT WE NEED TO MEET IN ORDER TO EXECUTE THE REFUNDING, BUT WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY IT NOW BECAUSE THIS THING IS VERY TIME SENSITIVE, AND ONCE WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT 3%, WE WILL LOOK AT EXECUTING IT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
THIS COULD BE A MAY/JUNE TIME FRAME, BUT WE WANT TO PRESENT IT TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE IT'S ALL PART OF THE PLAN OF FINANCE WHEN WE WENT OUT TO WHEN WE MODELED THE BOND AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN OUR INTEREST RATE OR OUR, I'M SORRY, OUR TAX RATE.
BEN, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? WE WOULD BE INFORMED KEEPING THE BOARD INFORMED WITH THAT IF THAT HAPPENS IN MAY AND JUNE, RIGHT? SO THAT I DID WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WHEN WE POSTED THIS FOR THIS ITEM, IS THAT THE EXPECTATION IS WHENEVER THIS DOES GO OUT, TRUSTEE HARRISON WILL PUT IT ON AN AGENDA TO GIVE US AN UPDATE OF WHAT WE'VE REFINANCED.
ABSOLUTELY. I THINK WE'VE TALKED WITH BEN ABOUT RUDY I'M SURE YOU ALREADY WILL BE HERE.
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN THE PRACTICE IN YEARS PAST.
WE'VE COME AND PRESENTED IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND PROVIDED THE RESULTS, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GIVE EACH OTHER A HIGH FIVE, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE WE'VE DONE THAT. CAN YOU CAN YOU GIVE OUR BOARD IF LET'S SAY 3%, RIGHT, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK.
BECAUSE I KNOW WE LOOKED AT 2015 AND POSSIBLY SOME 2016 BOND.
RIGHT. HOW MUCH SAVINGS ARE WE LOOKING AT LET'S SAY 3% DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE TALKING IN THE MILLIONS RIGHT.
RIGHT? WE'RE DEFINITELY TALKING IN THE MILLIONS HERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE SHAVING OFF ABOUT 1.5 TO $2 MILLION FROM OUR I&S.
YOU KNOW, THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED.
I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT INFLATION IS HIGH.
WE KNOW INTEREST RATES ARE HIGH.
THE YEARS OF US ACHIEVING DOUBLE DIGIT SAVINGS, THEY'RE GONE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE INTEREST RATES FROM 2020 AND 2021 EVER AGAIN IN OUR LIFETIME, AND SO WHAT'S BEEN THE STANDARD PRACTICE IN YEARS PAST WAS 3%.
IF WE CAN ACHIEVE 3%, IT'S WORTH WORTHWHILE TO GO OUT THERE AND REFUND IT, AND REALLY, IT'S JUST BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, SAVING AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL JUST BRIEFLY GO OVER TIMELINE.
I KNOW EVERYONE'S ANXIOUS TO GET STARTED ON PROJECTS.
SO ON CLOSING DAY, THERE WILL BE A WIRE TRANSFER OF $350 MILLION TO ROUND ROCK ISD, AND THEN THAT MONEY CAN BE USED TO START WITH THE WITH THE BOND PROJECTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS IN BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY 9TH THAT DR.
AZAIEZ AND MR. COVINGTON ARE GOING TO BE VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN.
THAT INCLUDES RATING AGENCY CALLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR TRIPLE A RATING THAT INCLUDES UNDERWRITER DUE DILIGENCE CALLS, MAKING SURE THE INVESTMENT BANKING FIRMS THAT ARE SELLING THE BONDS ARE DOING THINGS APPROPRIATELY, AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF DOCUMENTS THAT BEN'S GOING TO PUT TOGETHER WITH HIS TEAM THAT ENSURES THAT THIS LEGAL STRUCTURE IS IS SOUND, AND THEN HE'LL ALSO LEVY THE OPINION TO THE BOND ISSUE AS WELL.
I THINK THE CONSENSUS IS, IS THAT THE FED WILL DECREASE INTEREST RATES ONE MORE TIME IN DECEMBER BY ABOUT 25 BASIS POINTS, THAT WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO MAINLY IS LOWER THE YIELD CURVE IN THE FRONT END.
I THINK WE WILL ALSO SEE SOME KIND OF DROP ON THE LONG END.
ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT ROUND ROCK ISD IS WE DON'T GO PAST 20 YEARS IN DEBT, AND SO WE SHOULD RECEIVE A VERY FAVORABLE INTEREST RATE WHEN WE GO ENTER INTO THE MARKET. I THINK THE APPETITE FOR OUR BONDS IS GOING TO BE VERY STRONG DUE TO OUR RATING AND THE CREDIT QUALITY OF ROUND ROCK ISD AND THEN JUST THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I KNOW WE'LL HAVE GREAT INTEREST.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND BACKING OUR BONDS.
SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT WITH US GOING INTO THE MARKET THAT FIRST FULL WEEK OF JANUARY, AND WE SHOULD SEE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS THEN, AND WITH THAT, BEN AND I WILL WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
[03:05:03]
SPEND IT, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST MONTH THAT WE HAVE THAT IN THERE.WHAT KIND OF INTEREST WILL WE EARN ON THAT MONEY? WILL BE PAYING INTEREST, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE EARNING INTEREST.
SURE THING. SO I 100% EXPECT, FOR THAT MONEY THAT'S RECEIVED BY ROUND ROCK ISD TO BE INVESTED, MOST LIKELY THAT MONEY WILL BE INVESTED IN WHAT'S CALLED STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.
IT'S A TAX EXEMPT VEHICLE THAT WE CAN INVEST ON A DAILY BASIS.
IT'S LIKE A ROLLING DAILY KIND OF YIELD.
WE ARE RESTRICTED TO THE ARBITRAGE YIELD OF THE BONDS.
OUR MAX EARNINGS WILL BE 3.5% ON THAT MONEY.
YOU KNOW THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE WHAT'S CALLED POSITIVE ARBITRAGE.
I THINK WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT.
I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS REAL QUICK.
YEAH, 3.5% TO MAYBE 3.6% THAT WE COULD EARN.
THERE ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, THAT ISSUED BONDS EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT ARE EARNING THAT 4%, THAT 4.5% INTEREST IT FOR SOME OF THEM, IT WAS LIKE GETTING A FREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EVERY YEAR.
THEY WERE MAKING $40 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
I THINK FOR US, WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY MAKE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $9 TO 12 MILLION A YEAR.
JUST FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, ONE THING THAT I DON'T THINK THIS IS MODELED NOBODY REALLY DOES ON ON INTEREST EARNINGS, BUT THAT INTEREST THAT YOU EARN IS ESSENTIALLY ADDITIONAL PROJECT MONEY THAT YOU CAN USE IN THE EVENT THAT YOU HAD COST ESCALATION WHERE YOUR BUDGETS WERE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED, OR YOU HAVE IF YOU HAD SOME PROJECTS THAT, YOU KNOW WERE STRICKEN FROM YOUR LIST, BUT NOW YOU'VE GOT THE EXTRA, YOU KNOW, FEW MILLION DOLLARS TO SPEND.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE ONE NICE FEATURE OF THE HIGHER INTEREST RATES.
YOU'RE PAYING MORE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO RECEIVING MORE.
I'M NOT THE MATH GUY, BUT JUST THERE MIGHT BE SOME EXTRA MONEY THERE.
I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. NO. GO AHEAD.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR US EVEN LIKE TO LET'S SAY WE HAVE EXTRA MONEY.
SO WE COULDN'T JUST POSSIBLY LIKE I KNOW IT'S A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE COULDN'T JUST GO AND SAY, LET'S GO BUILD AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE PROMISED OUR VOTERS AND OUR, OUR TAXPAYERS TO DO FIRST, AND THEN WE COME BACK IF WE HAVE SOME EXTRA MONEY, BUT YEAH, SO BUT IT WILL HELP IF THERE IS ESCALATION IN ESCALATION, COST ESCALATION THAT HELPS US ENSURE THAT WE ARE GETTING ALL OUR PROJECTS DONE FOR SURE.
SURE. SO I'M NOT AN ACCOUNTANT.
IN MY OWN PERSONAL WORLD, I UNDERSTAND IT'S NECESSARY TO DO PROJECTS, BUT IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY, WE'RE GOING TO BORROW THIS MONEY AT A CERTAIN INTEREST RATE AND THE EXPECTATION IS THROUGH OUR INVESTMENTS, WE WILL MAKE MORE MONEY THAN WHAT WE'RE PAYING IN INTEREST.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO I THINK THAT OPPORTUNITY IS ACTUALLY PASSED, I THINK BECAUSE THE FED HAS LOWERED INTEREST RATES SO MUCH THAT POSITIVE ARBITRAGE ISN'T NECESSARILY THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING 4.15% AND WE'RE ONLY GOING TO EARN 3.5.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT.
WHY INSTEAD OF GOING OUT FOR ONE BOND SALE AT $350.
WE WOULDN'T GO OUT FOR THREE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT $100 MILLION EACH, SO THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING MORE MONEY THAN WE WERE ABLE, FASTER THAN WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND IT. RIGHT.
WHY WOULD WE WHY WOULD WE GO FOR A HUGE LUMP SUM, KNOWING THAT WE MIGHT NOT PAY OFF THESE PROJECTS FOR NINE MONTHS OR WHATEVER? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROJECT SCOPE IS, BUT WHY WOULD WE TAKE OUT THAT BIG A LUMP SUM IF WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MONEY ON THE INTEREST? SO THAT'S MORE A QUESTION FOR US BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON THE PROJECTS.
RIGHT? SO I KNOW WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT I THINK PATTY SENT AN EMAIL TO, TO ALL OUR TRUSTEES ASKING YOU TO SIGN UP FOR TIME AFTER THANKSGIVING BREAK, BECAUSE WE WANT TO WE ARE WORKING ON THE WHAT'S CALLED THE SCHEDULE OR THE LIST OF THE PROJECT FOR FOR THE YEAR ONE, YEAR TWO KIND OF PRIORITIZING THE LIST.
[03:10:01]
AND WE WANT TO GET YOUR INPUT AND FEEDBACK.SO AFTER THE BREAK, THE IDEA IS ONCE WE GATHER YOUR INPUT AND FEEDBACK AND US COMING BACK AND LOOK AT IT IT'S ACTUALLY EVENTUALLY SHARED WITH THE REST OF OUR COMMUNITY SOMETIME IN JANUARY. BUT WE IDENTIFIED $300, ALMOST 300 AND OVER $300 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECT THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO START ON ON YEAR ONE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU AFTER THANKSGIVING BREAK.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE THIS PROJECT EARLY ON YEAR ONE AND YEAR TWO BECAUSE TO MINIMIZE ESCALATION, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT INTEREST IN OUR CASE, LET'S SAY THE ADDITION OF HYPOTHETICALLY THE ADDITION OF CEDAR RIDGE.
SO BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY, WE WANT TO START FAST ON THOSE BIG PROJECTS BECAUSE WE WANT TO REDUCE OR MINIMIZE MINIMIZE THAT ESCALATION, IF YOU WILL, AND SO YES, SO $300 WE EXPECT [INAUDIBLE] $300 MILLION PLUS IN YEAR ONE ABOUT ANOTHER $3 TO 350 YEAR TWO, BECAUSE WE WANT TO REALLY BE AGGRESSIVE AND GETTING THOSE PROJECTS DONE FAST.
THE DRAFT. NOTHING IS SET IN STONE.
THAT MAKES MORE SENSE IF WE CAN ACTUALLY SPEND $350 MILLION IN PROJECT, AND I KNOW THE FIRST YEAR THAT TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO BE A HEAVY BUY, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE DONE A REFRESH, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT DON'T REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, A LONG TIME CONSTRUCTION LEAD OUT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT MAKES MORE SENSE NOW THAT WE DO LOOK LIKE WE'VE GOT A PROJECT LIST THAT CAN ACTUALLY SPEND $350 IN THE FIRST YEAR.
YEAH, BUT WE MAY NOT GET ALL OF THEM DONE IN YEAR ONE.
SO THE MONEY HAS TO BE THERE IN ORDER FOR THE PO TO BE ISSUED.
SURE. THAT WAS THE POINT I WAS GOING TO MAKE, AND OBVIOUSLY WHILE WE CAN MOVE RELATIVELY FAST, THERE IS I MEAN, THIS IS A AT LEAST A SIX WEEK PROCESS TO DO A BOND DEAL, EVEN IF YOU'RE REALLY READY TO GO LIKE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
YEAH. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF FIXED RATE, FIXED RATE ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UNLIMITED TAX, SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS IN ONE OR MORE SERIES AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE QUESTION ACTUALLY FOR ADMINISTRATION.
BACK IN 2018, THE 2018 BOND, I THINK THIS HAPPENED IN 2019 STUDENTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE BOND SALE.
THERE WAS LIKE AN EVENT LIKE A SOME KIND OF DO YOU REMEMBER THAT, RUDY? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE THINKING OF DOING? WE DEFINITELY CAN DO THAT. THAT'S REALLY COOL, ACTUALLY, WE DID THAT BACK IN 2019.
YEAH, YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY FUN.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS QUESTIONS.
I'M SO GLAD YOU REMEMBERED THAT.
I THINK THEY WATCHED IT WITH RUDY, RIGHT? I MEAN, YEAH, RUDY WOULD DO THAT AGAIN, RIGHT? IT'S WELL, ACTUALLY, YES, WE DID DO IT.
WHAT WE DID IN 2019 WAS WE BROUGHT A COUPLE OF BANKERS DOWN FROM CITIGROUP TO ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS, AND I THINK WE HAD, LIKE AN ECONOMICS COURSE OR A FINANCE CLASS, AND WE HAD ABOUT 30 TO 40 KIDS IN THAT ROOM.
AND THOSE TWO INVESTMENT BANKERS KIND OF OUTLINED LIKE A, LIKE WHAT THE BOND SALE IS, IS THEY GAVE THEM A BOND 101 CLASS, AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY GOT TO SEE THE ORDERS COMING IN LIVE AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN NEW YORK PROCESSING THE TRANSACTION WHILE THE KIDS WERE HERE ACTUALLY SEEING IT LIVE, WHICH WAS PRETTY NEAT.
OH, JUST SAY ONE QUESTION OR COMMENT.
I THINK ON THE LAST PAGE YOU HAD WRITTEN THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
WOULD YOU MIND JUST QUICKLY GO OVER? I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY LIKE STANDARD LANGUAGE, BUT SURE.
DR. WEI, YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER READ THIS PAGE.
BASICALLY, BASICALLY WHAT THIS PAGE IS SAYING, THAT THERE'S NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE.
I'M NOT SELLING YOUR BONDS FOR YOU.
I'M REPRESENTING YOU AS FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
NICKEL HAYDEN IS REGISTERED WITH THE SEC AND THE MSRB, AND SO THIS WE'RE JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO TO FIND THE REGISTRATION FOR FOR NICKEL HAYDEN AND THAT WE'RE NOT REPRESENTING YOU AS A, AS A BOND UNDERWRITER.
ALL RIGHT TRUSTEES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
[03:15:05]
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM M5.VARIABLE RATE, UNLIMITED TAX, SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS IN ONE OR MORE SERIES AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING ACTION ITEM M6.
PRESIDENT HARRISON I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT UNLIMITED TAX REFUNDING BONDS IN ONE OR MORE SERIES AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR? SEEING NONE OPPOSED.
AND THE LAST ONE I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE ORDER AUTHORIZING THE DEFACEMENT AND REDEMPTION OF CERTAIN OUTSTANDING OBLIGATIONS OF THE DISTRICT AS PRESENTED. SECOND.
ANY COMMENTS? POINT OF ORDER. DOES THAT HAVE TO BE READ DEFEASANCE INSTEAD OF DEFACEMENT? I THINK THERE WAS JUST A MISSPEAK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MATTERS AT ALL.
SECOND. DO WE NEED TO WITHDRAW IT, MICHELLE OR? IT WAS JUST A CLARIFICATION ON THE.
DID YOU HAVE A SECOND ON IT? YEAH. YEAH. IT RECEIVED A MESSAGE.
IT WAS. I WOULD WITHDRAW IT AND THEN MAKE A MOTION.
MY ORIGINAL WITHDRAW MOTION IS WITHDRAWN AND SECONDED BY THE SECOND OF MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH RUDY AND BEN.
OKAY. WE ARE NOW TO ITEM N1 BOARD BUSINESS.
[N. BOARD BUSINESS]
SO BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS, CALENDAR RSVPS AND REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS PER POLICY BE LOCAL.SO A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING TO GO OVER UPCOMING MEETINGS.
DECEMBER 10TH WE HAVE AN ACADEMIC WORKSHOP.
WE HAVE YESES FROM TRUSTEE LANDRUM, TRUSTEE MARKUM, TRUSTEE WEIR, MYSELF, AND TRUSTEE ROSS, AND NO FROM TRUSTEE ZÁRATE AND TRUSTEE WEI.
IF YOU COULD ACCEPT OR REJECT THAT CALENDAR INVITE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
BUT THE DECEMBER 17TH REGULAR BOARD MEETING IS ON A TUESDAY INSTEAD OF OUR REGULAR THURSDAY, AND SO WE HAVE YESES FROM TRUSTEE LANDRUM, MYSELF, TRUSTEE WEIR, AND TRUSTEE ROSS, AND SO IF OTHERS CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND RSVP. WHAT WAS THE DATE AGAIN? DECEMBER 17TH.
WE WILL HAVE QUORUM, BUT WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR RSVP'S.
WE WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 BOND ELECTION RESULTS.
THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER AND VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND SUPPORTING THEIR NEEDS, AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SOLIDARITY, FOR YOUR GENEROSITY, AND FOR YOUR BELIEF IN OUR SHARED FUTURE.
EVERY TRUSTEE HAS THIS BOARD COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS SHEET IN YOUR FOLDER, AND SO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE REASSIGN AND KIND OF LIKE REORG BOARD COMMITTEES.
SO THERE ARE SEVEN BOARD COMMITTEES.
IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. THEN THERE'S THE CAPITAL PROJECTS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH TRUSTEE, WEIR AND MYSELF HAVE SERVED ON.
THIS IS ALSO APPOINTED, BOTH OF THESE ARE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
[03:20:02]
THE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION FOUNDATION, WHICH TRUSTEE MARKUM CURRENTLY SERVES ON.THERE'S THE TWO WAY COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS MYSELF, TRUSTEE MARKUM AND TRUSTEE WEIR, AND THEN THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS TRUSTEE MARKUM MYSELF AND TRUSTEE ZÁRATE.
I DO NOT KNOW HOW WE ALL GOT ON SO MANY COMMITTEES.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING FROM ALL BOARD MEMBERS IS FOR YOU TO EMAIL MYSELF AND DR.
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD? FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, PRESIDENT HARRISON, I WOULD PUT A DEADLINE ON WHEN YOU WANT TO RECEIVE THE RESPONSES.
I'LL ALSO SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO REMIND EVERYONE.
OKAY, YOU MIGHT HAVE BETTER LUCK THAN I DID IN GETTING ALL SEVEN TRUSTEES TO RESPOND.
WE CAN DO IT. THIS IS OUR NEW GOAL.
I THINK WE CAN DO IT. WE'LL BE ON TOP OF IT.
NOVEMBER 25TH THROUGH 29TH IS FALL BREAK.
SO THE DISTRICT WILL BE CLOSED AND WE WISH YOU A RESTFUL THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
DR. AZAIEZ, I THINK YOU HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU PRESIDENT HARRISON, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT THANKING OUR, FIRST OF ALL, YOU BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR VISION AND SUPPORT FOR MAKING THIS BOND POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO, I WANT TO THANK AGAIN OUR CO-CHAIRS, OUR CITIZEN BONDS COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS, LINDSEY LANIER AND FABIAN CUERO, REALLY WORKING REALLY HARD WITH THE WITH THE THEY LED THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMITTEE, AND A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS WORKED, AS I SAID BEFORE, LONG HOURS, DAYS, WEEKENDS, REALLY WORKING ON IT.
SO I KNOW ONE OF OUR CBC COMMITTEE MEMBERS IS ACTUALLY NOW SERVING OUR BOARD.
SO I KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU REALLY WORK VERY HARD ALSO WITH WITH THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BUT ANYWAY AND THEN ALSO OUR ROUND ROCK ISD COMMUNITY REALLY FOR THEIR SUPPORT, AND WE'RE SUPER BLESSED TO HAVE THEM YOU KNOW, VOTING FOR THE BOND, AND NOW WE CAN DO THAT PROJECT THAT ARE REALLY NEEDED FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR STAFF. ALSO, I MEAN, I KNOW WE CELEBRATED OUR AMAZING TEACHER OF THE YEAR EARLIER, TEXAS TEACHER OF THE YEAR, CHRIS, AND WE WISH HER LUCK.
THE NEXT COMPETITION, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT FOR THE NATIONAL ONE WILL BE SOMETIME FEBRUARY.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS REALLY BEEN REALLY SHOWING UP AND REALLY REPRESENTING OUR DISTRICT, AS [INAUDIBLE] BUT WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS TEAM WON THE THIRD TIME IN A ROW BACK TO BACK THE TENNIS [INAUDIBLE] STATE TEXAS STATE COMPETITION.
RIGHT. LAST WEEK I WAS ACTUALLY I WAS HONORED TO BE AT THE ALAMODOME IN SAN ANTONIO, AND I CELEBRATED WITH OUR STUDENTS THERE AND OUR TEACHERS, CEDAR RIDGE MARCHING BAND GETTING 10TH IN THE STATE AND ROUND ROCK HIGH SCHOOL DRAGON MARCHING BAND FINISHING UP 13.
OUR ACTUALLY MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL FINISHED FINISHED 15 AND THE ONLY THE ONLY THE FIRST 14 GET TO MOVE TO THE TO THE FINAL, WHICH IS, THEY MISSED IT BY ONE, BUT THAT WAS THE HIGHEST EVER.
THEY GOT MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL THE 15.
SO WE HOPE IN THAT NEXT YEAR HOPEFULLY THEY'LL MAKE IT TO THE FINAL FINAL RIGHT.
SO SUPER PROUD OF THEM, AND SO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS, AND THEN AGAIN THANKSGIVING BREAK NEXT WEEK.
I KNOW EVERYBODY IS READY FOR THAT, BUT I THINK, I HOPE THAT EVERYONE REALLY TAKES TIME TO RELAX AND ENJOY THEIR BREAK WITH THEIR FAMILY AND LOVED ONE BECAUSE EVERYBODY WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD SO FAR AND EVERYONE REALLY DESERVED THAT, THAT IMPORTANT AND NEEDED A BREAK.
EDDIE, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GUEST EDUCATORS AND HOW MUCH WE LOVE OUR [INAUDIBLE]? YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY PRESIDENT HARRISON, I FINALLY GOT USED TO SAYING PRESIDENT LANDRUM AND NOW IT'S PRESIDENT HARRISON, BUT ANYWAY, CONGRATULATIONS, AND TRUSTEES, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
BEFORE WE GET TO THANKSGIVING BREAK, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL DAY TOMORROW.
TOMORROW IS OUR GUEST EDUCATOR RECOGNITION DAY.
WE RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS OF OUR GUEST EDUCATORS, OFTEN KNOWN AS SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE HAVE OVER 1400 GUEST EDUCATORS IN OUR SYSTEM.
THEY SUPPORT OUR CAMPUSES ON A DAILY BASIS.
[03:25:01]
WE'VE HIRED OVER 480 OF THEM JUST THIS YEAR ALONE, AND WE REALLY JUST WANT TO TAKE ONE DAY TO JUST RECOGNIZE THEIR EFFORTS.THE FIRST IS OUR EVERYDAY SUPERHERO GUEST EDUCATOR PIN.
IF YOU REMEMBER THE MIGHTY MOUSE CARTOON, HERE THEY COME TO SAVE THE DAY.
SO IF YOU COULD SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR OUR GUEST EDUCATORS EVERY DAY BY WEARING YOUR LAPEL PINS, IT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO SHOWING THEM HOW IMPORTANT A PART THEY ARE OF OUR SYSTEM. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, AND IT IS A TOUGH JOB TO STEP INTO A CLASSROOM THAT YOU DON'T KNOW THE KIDS, YOU DON'T KNOW THE CURRICULUM, YOU DON'T KNOW ANY OF THAT, AND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND SAFETY AND ALSO ADVANCE EDUCATION IS JUST A MIRACULOUS FEAT THAT WE ASK OF OUR GUEST EDUCATORS.
SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THEM, AND THANK YOU.
I DON'T REMEMBER US EVER HAVING A GUEST EDUCATOR DAY BEFORE IN ROUND ROCK ISD IS THIS NEW THIS YEAR? WE'VE HAD IT BEFORE, BUT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THEIR EFFORTS THIS YEAR, SO WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THEM.
I JUST WANTED TO ALSO MENTION THAT TEN DAYS AGO TODAY WAS VETERAN'S DAY.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A BOARD MEETING SINCE THEN, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY, KNOW SOMEONE THAT HAS SERVED OUR COUNTRY, AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED THAT HERE.
I AM, THE DAUGHTER OF A VETERAN, AND I WOULDN'T REALLY CALL MYSELF A MILITARY BRAT, BUT I DO KNOW THE SACRIFICES THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS MAKE AND THE FAMILIES THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND WHILE OTHERS GO OFF.
DR. AZAIEZ AND I ATTENDED A COUPLE OF CELEBRATIONS.
I THINK THERE WERE 18 OR MORE ACROSS THE DISTRICT AROUND THAT, AND SO IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE AT ONE OF THE CAMPUSES, IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL EVENT, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TOOK THE TIME IN OUR MEETING TO ACTUALLY THANK THEIR VETERANS THAT HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND ENGAGE WITH A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH THE VOICE AND GETTING TO HEAR OUR STUDENTS. THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR TRUSTEE WEIR AND I.
THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THEN A GROUP OF PARENTS WHO ARE WHO STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN OUR DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM AND WHO WANTED TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN ADVOCATING FOR THAT PROGRAM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO TURN THAT INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT WHERE THEY DEVELOPED A FOCUS GROUP TO JUST PARTNER AND HELP, HELP THE DISTRICT UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS, AND THEN ALSO LISTEN BACK AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR PARENTS AND OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE USING THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND THEIR EXPERTISE TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CREATING THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND MEETING OUR PARENTS WHERE THEY'RE AT AND PARTNERING WITH THEM TO IMPROVE OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE NEW COLLEAGUES JOIN US AND TO HAVE YOU RETURN TRUSTEE ZÁRATE.
I AM VERY HOPEFUL FOR OUR FUTURE.
I'M VERY HOPEFUL TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE SEVEN OF US WILL REALIZE AND MOVE AS THOUGH WE SUPPORT AND UPLIFT EACH AND EVERY STUDENT IN OUR DISTRICT AND WELCOME EACH AND EVERY FAMILY INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ROUND ROCK ISD.
WE ARE MOVING INTO CLOSED SESSION, AND SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ US IN.
[O. CLOSED SESSION (The Board reserves the right to enter into closed session on any agenda item as permitted by the Texas Open Meetings Act, Section 551.071 et seq.)]
PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 551.071 AND 551.076 THE BOARD WILL REVIEW, DELIBERATE, AND DISCUSS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE REPORT REGARDING THE INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT FINDINGS.[03:30:08]
WE ARE NOW ENTERING INTO CLOSED.I MOVE THAT WE SPEND NO MORE THAN TEN MINUTES PER ITEM IN CLOSED SESSION.
ALL IN FAVOR? SEEING NONE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE CLOSED IN THIS ROOM, SO WE'LL ASK THAT YOU STEP OUT, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MAKE SURE TO GIVE THE [INAUDIBLE].
IT IS 9:46 P.M, AND WE ARE GOING INTO CLOSED.
ITS 10:24 AND WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION.
[P. CALL BACK TO ORDER/EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS]
DO WE HAVE ANY MOTIONS COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE ROUND ROCK ISD SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE REPORT AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED.
ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT IN MIND, IT IS 10:20.
SEEING NOTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA.
IT IS [INAUDIBLE] AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.