GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING IS NOW CONVENED.
[00:00:03]
THE TIME IS 5:12 P.M..I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE SILENCE ALL CELL PHONES.
A QUORUM OF THE BOARD MEMBERS IS PRESENT IN THE AUDITORIUM.
THEY ARE MICHELLE CRUZ ARNOLD.
[CALL TO ORDER]
RIC CAMPO.ROLANDO MARTINEZ AND ADAM RIVON.
BECAUSE OF THE FORMAT TONIGHT JUST BOARD MEMBERS MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING, YOU TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE, AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, YOU NEED TO TURN OFF YOUR MICROPHONE OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME FEEDBACK.
OKAY, OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO HEAR FROM SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS. WE ARE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS]
OBSERVE THOSE PROCESSES.TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS REGISTERED TO SPEAK.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD PER BOARD POLICY.
BUT YOU MAY NAME YOUR OWN CHILD.
WE WELCOME PLACIDO GOMEZ, DISTRICT 8 TRUSTEE TO THE MICROPHONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SIR, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO BEGIN.
MIC] LITTLE BIT MORE DEFINITION.
THE OTHER COMMENT I WAS GOING TO MAKE WAS ABOUT A MORE RECENT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION THAT I APPRECIATED, THAT WAS BROUGHT ON BY A QUESTION THAT MISS LEMOND FLOWERS ASKED WHO SHE BROUGHT UP FEEDBACK ABOUT TEACHERS FEELING ANXIETY WHEN DURING SPOT OBSERVATIONS AND ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEING DONE TO PERHAPS GIVE FEEDBACK TO PRINCIPALS OR OTHER ADMIN ABOUT SOFT SKILLS, TO, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS WHEN THEY'RE RECEIVING FEEDBACK.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATED MR. MILES'S RESPONSE AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HE OBSERVED SOME ADMIN GIVING LESS THAN OPTIMAL OR FEEDBACK IN A LESS THAN OPTIMAL WAY, AND SAID THAT THERE WAS PD BEING GIVEN OUT OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BEING GIVEN TO ADMIN TO LESSEN OR, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATE THE DISRUPTION OF A LESSON PLAN THAT FEEDBACK CAN GIVE.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT I REALLY LIKED THAT DISCUSSION.
AND I'M GLAD THAT DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE AND HOPE TO HEAR MORE OF IT.
WELL, ACTUALLY, I WON'T STOP THERE. ONE MORE THING, I GUESS, IF IT COULD BE POSSIBLE FOR ME OR OTHER ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS TO, DO SOME SORT OF TOUR OF AN NES SCHOOL, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE A DAY OFF OF WORK IF Y'ALL OR PEOPLE IN HISD COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WILLANNE EAGLETON WHO HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
EMILY SHE'S NOT ON ZOOM RIGHT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS. OUR NEXT ITEM IS WORKSHOP TOPIC BOARD CONSTRAINTS AND BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
TONIGHT'S MEETING FOLLOWS UP ON OUR NOVEMBER 2ND WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY LONE STAR GOVERNANCE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL AND THE FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL BOARD DEVELOPMENT.
[WORKSHOP TOPIC: BOARD CONSTRAINTS AND BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES]
THIS IS DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AS A GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND INCORPORATES THE VISION AND GOALS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.THE GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS ARE DESCRIBED IN BOARD POLICY AE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY.
WE WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ESTABLISHING BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, WHICH CODIFY ROLES AND EXPECTATIONS, AND HELP THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT WORK TOGETHER MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
[00:05:02]
IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE AGAIN.I'M EXCITED ABOUT TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION.
SO TONIGHT REALLY IS A TRUE WORKSHOP, IN THE SENSE THAT YOU REALLY ARE GOING TO BE ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES AND LEANING INTO CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT HOW THIS BOARD OPERATES AND ENGAGES WITH EACH OTHER, WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND YOUR STAFF AND WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO.
AND SO I KNOW, I THINK MOST OF THE BOARD IS PRETTY CLEAR ON WHAT THIS IS.
BUT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY'S UNDERSTANDING, I WANT TO JUST PROVIDE THAT.
SO WHAT IS THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURE MANUAL AND WHY DO WE NEED ONE? SO BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL IS A DESK.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A DESK GUIDE.
IT IS ALL OF THE BOARD'S GOVERNING POLICIES.
SO WE CALL THOSE B POLICIES IN SCHOOL BOARD WORLD, IT IS YOUR, GOVERNING POLICIES LAID OUT IN A WAY THAT IS ACCESSIBLE FOR THE LAY PERSON.
YOU OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE A POLICY MANUAL.
IT'S ONLINE. BUT THIS IS IT JUST MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE.
THE BOARD CAN CHOOSE TO, LIKE RIGHT WORD, THE MANUAL A LITTLE BIT MORE, CASUALLY SO THAT, INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN, CAN INTERPRET IT BETTER.
ALSO, IT CAN BE LAID OUT JUST A LITTLE MORE SIMPLY.
SO YOU'RE NOT CLICKING THROUGH EVERY SINGLE THING, LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT JUST CREATE, ACCESSIBILITY AND OVERCOME SOME OF THOSE BURDENS FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT STEP, BUT IT ACTUALLY, CAN BE PROFOUND FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE BOARD WORKS AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE ENGAGING WITH EACH OTHER, WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO HOW WILL THE BOARD GO ABOUT DEVELOPING A BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL? YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT IS, TRUSTEES ARNOLD AND RIVON, AND ALSO MENDOZA.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO SPEAK TO THEIR WORK HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN DOING KIND OF THE HEAVY LIFT OF REVIEWING YOUR CURRENT, GOVERNING POLICIES AND LOOKING AT, JUST LOOKING AT THOSE WITH A CRITICAL LENS AND IDENTIFYING WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING AND THINKING THROUGH WAYS THAT THEY COULD BE IMPROVED UPON TO, MAKE YOU ALL MORE EFFECTIVE AS A TEAM.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, LOOKING AT WHAT'S MISSING AND SO KIND OF THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX OF, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS THE WAY THAT THE BOARD HAS OPERATED IN THE PAST, BUT WHAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE MAYBE MISSING IN HERE? Y'ALL HAVE ALL BEEN IN THESE SEATS FOR A LITTLE OVER SIX MONTHS NOW, AND SO, IT WOULD BE EXPECTED FOR YOU TO IDENTIFY GAPS IN JUST THE WAY THAT SOME OF THE AGREEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE, SOME OF THE NORMS THAT YOU HAVE, AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR GOVERNING POLICIES DO, THEY, ALLOW YOU TO ADD THAT SPECIFICITY AND MAKE IT CLEAR, FOR EACH OTHER AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE AROUND THIS SPECIFIC AREA.
FIRST AND THAT WILL BE A VERY HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION.
AND SO AS YOU WILL NOTICE, YOU DON'T HAVE COPIES OF YOUR EXISTING GOVERNING POLICIES.
AND THAT WAS A DELIBERATE DECISION.
WE REALLY WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO THINK, THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND HAVE AN ORGANIC CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE, WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU WANT TO CREATE. AND SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO, OPEN UP THE CONVERSATION AND OH, SO WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND THEN WE WILL ACTUALLY LEAD INTO ANOTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR BOARD GUARDRAIL OR YOUR BOARD CONSTRAINTS.
SO, YOU HAVE ADOPTED CONSTRAINTS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE, NON-NEGOTIABLES STOP.
YOU ACTUALLY WILL ALSO CREATE CONSTRAINTS FOR YOURSELVES.
THESE BOARD CONSTRAINTS ARE GOING TO BE JUST LIKE SUPERINTENDENT CONSTRAINTS.
[00:10:01]
AND SO WE HAVE PRIORITIES.WE HAVE A FUTURE THAT WE INTEND TO CREATE.
SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO AS WE PURSUE THAT FUTURE.
SO I WILL FIRST ANNOUNCE THAT MISS MENDOZA AND MISS GARZA LINDNER HAVE JOINED US AT 5:22 P.M..
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE THAT IS WORKING ON THIS, BUT I HAVE ASKED BOARD MEMBERS CRUZ ARNOLD, MENDOZA AND RIVON TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OPERATING PROCEDURES AND TO ULTIMATELY MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BOARD SO THAT WE CAN DETERMINE NEXT STEPS WITH REGARD TO THE OPERATING PROCEDURES AND THEN THE B POLICIES.
SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MISS CRUZ ARNOLD AND, TO TELL US WHERE WHERE THE COMMITTEE STANDS AND WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU NEED FROM US.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.
THIS IS ONE THAT WE HAVE ENJOYED WORKING ON AS A GROUP.
REVISITING THESE POLICIES IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY INTO HOW WE COLLECTIVELY VIEW OUR ROLES, AND HOW THE PUBLIC CAN HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE ROLES.
ESSENTIALLY, THIS MANUAL REFLECTS OUR VALUES.
MADAM PRESIDENT, IT IS OUR GOAL TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BOARD AT OUR MARCH MEETING THAT MODIFIES POLICIES THAT ARE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO THIS BOARD.
ASHLEY, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD COMPLETELY REWRITE THE ENTIRE, MANUAL, BUT JUST TAKE ON THE POLICIES, AGAIN, THAT ARE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO OUR BOARD'S WORK.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE POLICIES COULD INVOLVE THOSE RELATING TO OUR MEETING CADENCE, WHEN AND HOW WE RELEASE OUR MEETING AGENDAS, THE ROLES AND DUTIES OF BOARD OFFICERS, AND HOW THE BOARD ENGAGES WITH THE COMMUNITY.
YEAH, AND MY MIC ISN'T WORKING, SO I'M GOING TO SPEAK LOUD.
AND I WANT TO JUST CONCUR WITH WITH THE COMMENTS AND THEN, JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT, WHICH IS TRANSPARENCY.
AND THEN, EXCUSE ME, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EXPLAIN, LIKE, WHY THE POLICIES EXIST.
SO SOMETIMES WE GET THESE REALLY COMPLICATED POLICIES, AND THIS WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO WHAT OUR INTENT IS AROUND THE POLICY VERSUS JUST, HEY, HERE'S THE POLICY.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WE TRY TO, ACHIEVE AGAIN, MORE CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND ARE ABLE TO SHARE THOSE, KIND OF DETAILS AND THEN, YOU KNOW.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW, LIKE, ARE THERE THINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR MINDS ALREADY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY AROUND A B POLICY, OR BOARD POLICY? OR WHETHER IT'S AROUND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER POLICIES A, B, C, D, E, F, YOU KNOW.
BUT AS WE PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT TODAY OR TRAINING, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE.
OH, YEAH, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT.
SO WE WANT TO AT SOME POINT COLLECT THOSE.
SO THAT YOU CAN SHARE, WITH US.
AND THEN I ALSO JUST THINK ABOUT THE LAST POINT.
YOU KNOW, HOW WE HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE IS ALSO A PART OF THIS MANUAL.
AND SO PART OF THAT IS COLLATING.
YOU KNOW, POLICIES AND COMMITTEES MAKING SURE THINGS ARE SHOWING EFFICIENTLY.
AND THEN CLARIFYING, OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES INDIVIDUALLY.
[00:15:07]
AS A MEANS OF JUST KIND OF COLLECTIVELY SAYING, YEP, WE'VE REVIEWED THIS AGAIN, AND WE DO AGREE THAT THESE ARE THE WAYS THAT WE WANT TO OPERATE IT, GOING FORWARD. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD, PAULA? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU TOUCHED THIS AT THE VERY BEGINNING, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, THAT YOU AND I WERE DISCUSSING, A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR BOARD ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
AND SO AS WE WERE READING THEM AND GOING, OKAY, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THIS? HOW WILL THAT AFFECT THAT AND OR GIVES US MORE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW HOW BETTER TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY? SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
AND OF COURSE, A TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY, RIGHT? THIS IS GOING TO KIND OF BE OUR ROADMAP, FOR BOARD MEMBERS OF HOW WE DO THINGS, HOW WE INTERACT, HOW WE ENGAGE, AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
SO, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
SO JUST BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER I THINK IS WHAT WE WORKED ON.
MAYBE WELL, YOU TOUCHED ON WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT, WHICH WAS ACCOUNTABILITY.
ESPECIALLY IN THE SPIRIT OF US, YOU KNOW, ROLLING OFF AND MOVING BACK TO AN ELECTED BOARD, THAT IDEA OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO HELP CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR, BEHAVIORS THAT ARE AT LEAST AS GOOD AS THOSE THAT WE WOULD EXPECT OF OUR STUDENTS IN HISD, IS SOMETHING I THINK I REFLECT ON A LOT.
THE STUDENT HANDBOOK RIGHT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HOLD OUR STUDENTS TO.
BUT MANY OF THOSE BEHAVIORS WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE DISPLAYED IN THIS ROOM.
AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN SORT OF HOW WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT WE WOULD HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE ACTIONS OR LACK OF.
THANK YOU. MAY I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT DECORUM IN THE BOARDROOM? THAT'S A BETTER WORD. YES.
OKAY. [LAUGHTER] THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS INCREASING.
I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF IN WANTING TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF DECORUM.
JUST GENERALLY AND PROTECT THE LEVEL OF DECORUM IN THE BOARDROOM BECAUSE, STUDENTS ARE WATCHING THE BOARD MEETINGS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS CAN WATCH THE BOARD MEETINGS, AND PARENTS CAN LET THEIR STUDENTS WATCH THE BOARD MEETINGS WITHOUT ISSUE, WITHOUT RESERVATION.
AND SO WE'D LIKE TO PROTECT THAT SPIRIT OF DECORUM IF POSSIBLE THROUGH THE POLICIES.
FIRST IS THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING ON THIS TASK BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG ONE.
[LAUGHTER] THE SECOND IS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WHATEVER WE'RE DOING, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE KEY TO ALL OF THIS IS THAT WE KEEP OUR STUDENTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE DISCUSSION, AND THAT MEANS ALL THE KIDS, IN THIS DISTRICT. SO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE'RE IMPLEMENTING REALLY KEEPS THAT IN MIND AND CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS BOARD, THAT WE REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT IN THE BOARDROOM AND OUTSIDE OF THE BOARDROOM IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE SECOND IS I APPRECIATE THE IDEA.
I THINK ADAM MENTIONED IT OF, EVERYBODY SIGNING OFF ON THIS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP IN MIND THAT REALLY, THE WAY THAT THIS BOARD IS GOING TO OPERATE BEST IS IF WE HAVE GOOD PROCEDURES IN PLACE, GOOD CONSTRUCTS THAT HELP US STAY ALIGNED.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
MISS AUZENNE BANDY ARRIVED, I THINK IT WAS, 5:25.
MADAM CHAIR, MAY I MAKE A QUICK COMMENT? AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW, EVERY TIME WE SIT DOWN TO DISCUSS OR TO WORK ON THE POLICIES, ADAM ALWAYS SAID, WE NEED TO PULL UP
[00:20:07]
OUR VISION AND VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY EVERY TIME HE MADE SURE THAT WE PULL THOSE UP.SO YOU'RE RIGHT ON TARGET AND LETTING YOU KNOW THAT ABSOLUTELY.
I JUST WANT TO RAISE MY HAND, I WANT PERMISSION.
OKAY? SO, I WANT DECORUM IS KEY.
THE, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, WE HAVE AND I'LL JUST, SORT OF TELL THIS QUICK STORY ABOUT ABOUT, OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK, AND WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER.
AND THE REASON IS THAT WE STARTED WITH TRYING TO MODIFY THE EXISTING CHARTER.
AND EVERY TIME WE DID, WE CROSSED OUT MORE THINGS AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE THERE.
AND AND SO FINALLY, I THINK ADAM HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
HE SAID WE SHOULD JUST START OVER.
AND WE ARE. AND SO, THE QUESTION THEN IS JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS IN A POLICY TODAY THAT'S THERE DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULD STAY. AND TRYING TO MODIFY SOMETHING TO MAKE IT THE WAY YOU WANT IS OFTENTIMES NOT THE RIGHT APPROACH.
AND THEN DECIDE WHAT IS IT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND THEN HOW DO WE PUT A POLICY IN PLACE BECAUSE THE POLICIES ARE THERE NOW, THE FOLKS WHO WERE HERE THAT WROTE THOSE POLICIES WERE TRYING TO SOLVE CERTAIN ISSUES, AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THOSE ISSUES ANYMORE.
AND WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT THE BEST PRACTICE SHOULD BE.
AND IF THERE'S A POLICY IN THERE THAT WAS TRYING TO GET AT SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT HAPPENING, THAT THEY WANTED TO HAPPEN, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT ISSUE, AND THAT'S REALLY NOT BEST PRACTICE, WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THEM.
AND SO I'M A REALLY BIG, BIG FAN OF STARTING OVER AND LOOKING AT IT AND ASKING, WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED? HOW DO WE GET THERE? AND, THEN, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND I WASTED A LOT OF HOURS EDITING DOCUMENTS THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE DONE THE WAY THEY WERE, AND I SHOULD HAVE JUST IGNORED THEM TO START WITH AND STARTED OVER.
ALL RIGHT. SO I WANT TO BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WANT TO BE RESPONSIVE TO ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO I WAS TAKING NOTES AS EVERYONE WAS WAS TALKING.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP IS ACTUALLY, A REALLY YOU ALL HAD VERY GREAT POINTS.
I CAN ACTUALLY RESPOND TO ONE OF THEM.
AND SO, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, HOW ARE WE GOING TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO KNOW, THAT WE ARE DOING THIS NOT ONLY NOW, BUT ALSO WHEN WE BEGIN TO TRANSITION BACK TO A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED BOARD.
WHEN WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THIS WORK IS BEING SUSTAINABLE.
IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WE NEED IT TO BE HAVE THAT LONGEVITY.
AND AS YOU DID THAT AND AS YOU REVIEWED EACH OF THE SECTIONS OF THE INTEGRITY INSTRUMENT FROM LONE STAR GOVERNANCE AND THAT FINAL SECTION, IT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO THE WAY THAT THE BOARD IS SETTING YOUR GOVERNING POLICY.
SO THIS SECTION IS TITLED SYNERGY AND TEAMWORK.
AND THE VERY FIRST DESCRIPTOR UNDER SYNERGY AND TEAMWORK IS THAT EVERY.
THAT AND ALL OF THE DESCRIPTORS WITHIN THIS MANUAL ARE ACTUALLY TIED TO, RESEARCH BASED BEST PRACTICES THAT SAYS THIS IS HOW THE BOARD CAN BE MOST EFFECTIVE.
SO THE VERY FIRST THING IS EVERY TWO YEARS WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW OUR BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
AND THEN GETTING TO MEETS FOCUS IN THAT SECTION.
SO AT THAT POINT WE CAN NOW CALL OURSELVES AN EFFECTIVE BOARD.
[00:25:06]
AND SO ONCE A QUARTER YOU WILL BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND THIS IS AN ACCOUNT.BUT THIS, QUARTERLY ACCOUNTABILITY CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER AS A BOARD.
AND SO ONCE A MONTH OR ONCE A QUARTER IN A BOARD MEETING, YOU WILL BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS THAT, SO WHEN YOU GET TO MOVE ON TO MASTERING FOCUS, THE SECOND DESCRIPTOR IS ALL SO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, SO NOT JUST THE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AGREE THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ADHERED TO ALL ADOPTED BOARD CONSTRAINTS DURING THE PREVIOUS THREE MONTHS.
AND SO IN ORDER TO GET TO MASTER'S FOCUS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT AGAIN, QUARTERLY CONVERSATION WHERE YOU ALL AGREE AND YOUR SUPERINTENDENT THAT ALL OF THOSE BOARD CONSTRAINTS HAVE BEEN HONORED.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL, THE SUMMARY OF THE WORK.
AND EVERYONE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHARE THEIR PRIORITIES.
SO THE QUESTION IS, AS THIS COMMITTEE IS CONSIDERING THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, SO ONE THEY'RE LOOKING AT, GOVERNING POLICIES THAT ARE ALREADY ENACTED, SO ALREADY IN PLACE.
SO WHAT MIGHT WE CONSIDER, THINKING ABOUT THROUGH NEW LENS? AND THEN THE OTHER IS WHAT ARE WE MISSING? WHAT IS NOT THERE? AND SO THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED SO FAR, SO ONE, HOW AROUND ACCOUNTABILITY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE, FOR THESE VERY SPECIFIC PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE? ANOTHER ONE IS AROUND DECORUM, PARTICULARLY HERE IN THE BOARD MEETING AND, LIFTED UP THAT CHILDREN ARE WATCHING AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE SYSTEMS IN PLACE.
AND THEN, WE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW THE BOARD IS ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE BOARD.
KEEPING STUDENTS AT THE FOREFRONT.
EVERYONE SIGNING OFF ON THE MANUAL ANNUALLY.
SO THERE IS THAT CONTINUOUS AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE, ADHERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADHERE TO, AND WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THIS. AND THEN, JUST LIKE WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER, NOT FEELING LIKE WE HAVE TO BE CONSTRAINED BY WHAT IS ON PAPER TODAY THAT IT'S OKAY TO DECIDE TO THROW IT OUT IN WHOLE IF IT'S NOT WORKING.
SO WITH THAT, WHAT ELSE? AND OTHER OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE MENTIONED, MENTIONED THINGS AS WELL, THIS IS, THIS IS AN ONGOING LIKE.
THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? SO I DID CATCH ALL OF THAT.
REALLY I THOUGHT I MISSED SOME OF THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR GOING OVER IT.
BUT FOR ME, THAT IS DEFINITELY A PRIORITY.
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BRING THE COMMUNITY ALONG ON THIS JOURNEY.
SO THAT AGAIN, WE GET THAT SUSTAINABILITY OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO, BUT I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BUILD THAT MOMENTUM BACK UP AND MAKE SURE, THAT WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY DOING THAT IN SOME FORM AS A GROUP, I THINK THAT WE HAVE DONE IT, IN TWOS AND ONES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[00:30:09]
GOING TO TAKE US A LONG WAY.AND I WAS JUST GOING TO BRING, FORWARD ALSO A POINT THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE MENTIONED IN THE PROCESS IS WE'VE ALSO CONSIDERED THE BLIND SPOTS THAT WE'VE GOT NOT BEING ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND EACH OF THE TIME, EACH TIME WE REVIEW A POLICY, WE ALSO TRY TO PUT THAT AT THE FOREFRONT AND SAY, OKAY, LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL PERSPECTIVES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE'VE GOT MAYBE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I MEET WITH OR HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ONE OF THE THINGS I TELL PEOPLE IS THAT WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS, IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIONS.
IT'S ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR OUR STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF WHO'S THE LEADER IN HISD.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE'RE GONE, THAT WE'RE RESPECTFUL OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND NOT MAKING THEIR JOB MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT HAS TO BE BECAUSE PUBLIC SERVICE AS SOMEBODY HAS TOLD ME, ISN'T ALWAYS A THANKFUL JOB, RIGHT? IT'S NOT. [LAUGHTER] SO, SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE TAKING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
AND I THINK, A GREAT WORD, DECORUM, IS THE APPROPRIATE WORD.
I STILL WANT US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION WHEN NECESSARY.
BUT IT'S ABOUT HOW WE DO IT, AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING.
PROBABLY JUST LEAVE THIS ON ANY OTHER HIGH LEVEL THOUGHTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT DECORUM, AND OUR BOARD MEETINGS.
AND SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT SO I'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF IDEAS FROM SEVERAL OF YOU, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS OF OUR COACHING RELATIONSHIP.
SO NOW IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS A WHOLE GROUP.
AND SO I WANT TO OPEN UP THIS SPACE, FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY, TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU, ROLANDO, FOR LIFTING UP THE FACT THAT DECORUM DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T STILL HAVE, ROBUST CONVERSATIONS. AND THAT IS DEFINITELY, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO TO RAISE.
SO DISCORD DOESN'T MEAN THAT DECORUM DOESN'T EXIST.
AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU HAVE, IMPLEMENTED KIND OF SOME NORMS AND PROCEDURES, WHEN YOU HAVE SET REALLY CLEAR EXPECTATIONS ABOUT, CREATING A SPACE SO THAT WHERE YOU CAN ENGAGE IN THAT, YOU ACTUALLY CAN HAVE DISCORD IN A WAY WHERE IT IS NOT DETRIMENTAL.
AND I JUST SPENT TWO DAYS WORKING WITH MANY OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY LIFTED UP IN, IN OUR CONVERSATION TODAY WAS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, BEING ABLE TO LEAN INTO THOSE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS, AND IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY SEE GROWTH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS WHY EVERYONE IS HERE, IS TO SO THAT THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE CAN GROW AND WE CAN SEE IMPROVEMENTS.
IN ORDER TO REALLY ENGAGE IN GROWTH, YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE AT TIMES.
AND SO, IT IS ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE TO LIVE IN DISCOMFORT, BUT DO SO IN A WAY WHERE YOU'RE NOT BEATING EACH OTHER UP.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR BOARD MEETINGS.
WHAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DECORUM WHAT DOES THAT MEAN.
AND WHAT ARE SOME IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT, HOW WE CAN MAYBE PUT THAT INTO PLACE.
AND THESE CAN BE THINGS THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING AS WELL.
SO, THE WAY THAT WE RECEIVE AGENDA MATERIALS AND, SO STARTING FROM THE MOMENT THAT YOU RECEIVE YOUR AGENDA PACKETS UNTIL THE MOMENT THAT THE MEETING IS GAVELED OUT.
I WANT TO CREATE A SPACE FOR THAT ENTIRE CONVERSATION.
CAN I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? ARE YOU ASKING US ABOUT ARE WE ON BOARD CONSTRAINTS NOW, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT.
NO. YEAH, WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT.
YEAH. WE'RE STILL WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT YOUR, OPERATING PROCEDURES.
[00:35:04]
SO ONE OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT HAS BEEN LIFTED UP IS THIS IDEA OF CREATING, MORE EFFECTIVE BOARD MEETINGS AND, HAVING MORE DECORUM IN OUR BOARD MEETINGS.AND SO WHAT KIND OF CONDITIONS ARE GOING TO ENABLE THAT TO HAPPEN? SO I'LL JUST SAY, I THINK, CLARITY AND SPECIFICITY AND WHATEVER WE ADOPT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER YOUR VIEWPOINT ON ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE. YOUR VOICE SHOULD BE GIVEN WHATEVER WEIGHT THE POLICIES PROVIDE.
THAT'S KIND OF CIRCULAR, BUT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ESSENTIALLY ON NOTICE OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE SAYING AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS SO THAT THERE ISN'T, YOU KNOW, A QUESTION ABOUT, OH, WELL, THIS SEEMS TO BE APPLIED DIFFERENTLY TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE THIS OPINION OR, WHATEVER.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT IS, VERY CONTROVERSIAL, BUT IT REQUIRES A LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY.
SO WHEN YOU START WITH THE BEGINNING, RIGHT, WHICH IS AGENDA GETS POSTED, THEN YOU HAVE THE QUESTION PERIOD AND YOU HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS OFTENTIMES IS THERE'S A DISCUSSION BETWEEN PEOPLE.
AND NOT A LIKE A DELIBERATION OR ANYTHING, JUST A CONVERSATION.
RIGHT. AND ROLANDO AND I HAD THAT HAD A NUMBER OF THOSE EARLY ON.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT ISSUE? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT? THAT KIND OF THING. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE OF THE DISCOURSE.
AND WE HAVE I HAVE HAD OPINIONS OR POSITIONS THAT OTHERS DIDN'T AGREE WITH.
AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION AND WE COME TO A CONCLUSION IN A IN A RATIONAL, REASONABLE WAY, WE CAN ALWAYS DISAGREE, BUT WE CAN BE AGREEABLE, DISAGREE, AND RESPECT THE FACT THAT THAT THE POSITION THAT SOMEONE TAKES, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN YOURS IS BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY OF THEIR THOUGHT VERSUS MY THOUGHT.
AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE THINGS.
SO. SO TO ME THE KEY IS AND TO YOUR SPECIFICITY ISSUE IS KNOWING HERE'S THE DAY IT COMES OUT.
HERE'S WHEN THE DEADLINES ARE HERE'S HOW THINGS GET PULLED FROM THE AGENDA OR NOT.
AND THEN SOMETIMES THERE WILL BE DEBATE ABOUT THAT.
DO WE REALLY WANT THIS ONE TO STAY ON THE AGENDA OR WE WANT IT OFF BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND SO TO ME IT'S THAT SPECIFICITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE BY THIS DATE IN THIS WAY. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.
AND IF AND IF YOU IF YOU HONOR THAT AND YOU DO THAT ALL THE TIME, THEN EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S MONDAY.
I BETTER GET ON A CALL WITH CASSANDRA IF I WANT TO TALK TO HER ABOUT SOMETHING.
RIGHT. I CAN'T WAIT TILL FRIDAY BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO BE MONDAY.
AND SO BECAUSE THAT'S THE DATE THAT WE ALL AGREED TO.
AND THEN I THINK THE OTHER PART OF THE EQUATION TOO IS, IS THE OTHER COMMUNICATION SOURCES.
WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT RIGHT.
WE CAN TALK ON THE PHONE, WE CAN EMAIL, WE CAN TEXT.
AND I THINK ALL THOSE MECHANISMS HAVE THEIR OWN RISKS.
RIGHT. I MAY SAY I MAY WRITE A SENTENCE THAT MAKES SOMEBODY MAD OR SOMETHING.
AND RATHER THAN DEBATING IT IN A, IN A MASSIVELY LONG EMAIL, THEN YOU SHOULD JUST PICK UP THE PHONE.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE WILL LEARN.
AND I QUITE FRANKLY THINK THAT THIS BOARD, GIVEN THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD AND GIVEN THE PRESSURE AND THE YOU KNOW, JUST NATURE OF IT HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB IN TERMS OF CREATING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AND NOT HAVING A REAL ISSUES WITH DECORUM AT THE TABLE.
AND WHEN WE HAVE ISSUES, WHICH WE'VE HAD, WE JUST SHUT THE DOOR AND SOLVE THEM.
[00:40:06]
TWO PEOPLE, NOT BETWEEN.THAT'S WHY I SAID YOU DON'T DELIBERATE.
YOU DON'T DO WALKING QUORUMS. IF I WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH WITH MICHELLE, I'M GOING TO CALL MICHELLE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE MICHELLE YOU HAVE TO VOTE THIS WAY.
AND THEN I HAVE TO. THEN I CALL JANETTE AND SAY SHE HAS TO VOTE THAT WAY.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AGAINST THE RULES AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT.
AND SO TRUST ME, ALL OF EVERYTHING THAT WE THAT WE TALK ABOUT AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS HAS TO BE ACCORDING TO THE LAW AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW IT RELIGIOUSLY. OKAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR CATOSHA THAT LOOK.
BECAUSE I'M A SERIOUS, BELIEVER IN THAT.
YES, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, JUST ADD TO THE DECORUM PIECE OF IT, IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BOARD ON THE DAIS AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THE BOARD ON THE DAIS TOO, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO RUN A MEETING EFFECTIVELY, HOW TO COMMUNICATE WHEN YOU'RE UP THERE, HOW TO AGREE TO DISAGREE IF THAT'S NECESSARY.
SO I WANT TO REMIND US ALL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH IT'S THE BOARD AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE, BECAUSE THAT THE AUDIENCE HELPS US RUN A BETTER MEETING AND VICE VERSA.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT.
YEAH. AND I THINK THAT'S, SO IT CAN OFTEN BE A DIFFICULT DISCUSSION TO HAVE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO INSINUATE THAT, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT SPEAK UP.
IN FACT, WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM, WORKING WITH THIS BOARD FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW IS THAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT PEOPLE TO SPEAK UP, YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALLY HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS VALUE IN THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO SHOW UP AND MAY NOT FEEL LIKE IT'S SAFE FOR THEM TO SPEAK UP.
WHEN LIKE WHEN IT'S NOT JUST THE BOARD, BUT THE WAY THAT, THE ENTIRE THE ENTIRE SPACE, IS OPERATING.
AND SO HAVING WE TALK ABOUT CREATING PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.
WHEN YOU WANT YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE HERE, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO THAT SPACE AND NOT A SAFE SPACE, BUT A SPACE WHERE THEY ACTUALLY CAN TRULY SPEAK UP AND AND SPEAK TO THEIR OFFICIALS, TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVES IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE POSSIBLE WHEN THEY FEEL THREATS TO THEIR, SOCIAL OR, THEIR EMPLOYMENT, LIKE SOCIAL STATUS, THEIR EMPLOYMENT THEIR IT ALL PLAYS INTO IT.
I'VE ACTUALLY, SO FOR THE BOARD, I'VE DONE A VERY DEEP DIVE INTO THIS ISSUE.
MAYBE MORE THAN I SHOULD HAVE.
I'VE LOOKED AT LOTS OF BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND A LOT OF BOARDS APPROACH THIS, LIKE, IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE IDEA IS THAT IT HAS TO BE INVITING FOR EVERYONE, I'M SURE.
I WON'T SAY. I HAVE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY'D LIKE TO COME PRESENT.
YOU KNOW THEIR TRUTH, BUT THEY DON'T BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE IN THE MINORITY AND THEY DON'T WANT TO COME HERE AND BE, POTENTIALLY HECKLED MISTREATED, BY SOMEONE ELSE.
THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT. THEY DON'T WANT TO COME OUT, FIGHT TRAFFIC AND COME DOWN HERE FOR THAT.
AND I QUITE FRANKLY, I WOULDN'T EITHER.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL THAT THEY CAN COME AND PRESENT THEIR TESTIMONY WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
[00:45:02]
AND TRANSPARENCY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT, OKAY, THESE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE MEETING, RIGHT? A BOARD MEETING, OKAY.
YOU HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE AT 5 P.M.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AT WORK AT 5 P.M.
SO IF YOU'RE COMING TO THE MEETING, YOU'RE EITHER TAKING OFF OF WORK OR YOU'RE OTHERWISE AVAILABLE.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN'T DO THAT.
AND SO HOW DO WE MAKE OURSELVES AND THE BOARD MEETINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO, FROM WHATEVER PERSPECTIVE THEY HAVE, COME AND TALK TO US OR HEAR WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH OR WORKING ON.
AND SO THE QUESTION OF HOW TO DEAL WITH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS, I THINK, IS IMPORTANT.
IT'S WHY I THINK IT'S BETTER FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PULL UP A DOCUMENT THAT REFLECTS ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS ASKED PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND LOOK THROUGH IT IN TEN MINUTES, INSTEAD OF SITTING THROUGH A OR SLOGGING THROUGH A THREE HOUR MEETING WHERE PEOPLE ARE ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS, IT'S JUST ABOUT EFFICIENCY, RESPECTING PEOPLE'S TIME AND ACTUALLY THINKING THROUGH WHAT IS ACTUAL TRANSPARENCY VERSUS WHAT LOOKS LIKE TRANSPARENCY.
AND I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS AUDREY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ACCESS.
AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT AT LEAST THIS YEAR WE HAVE THE Q&A DOCUMENT IN SPANISH.
WE HAVE, I THINK IT WAS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK, CAPTIONS IN OUR VIDEO.
THAT'S CORRECT. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF.
I HATE TO USE THE WORD TOUR, BUT TO MOVE THE BOARD MEETING ACROSS THE DISTRICT, IF POSSIBLE.
AND SO WE NEED TO CONSIDER EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE THAN JUST SPANISH.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES HERE.
AND SO THERE'S MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT Q&A, I THINK FOR ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IS IF WE DID POST MEETING NOTICES SOONER THAN THREE DAYS SO THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBER CAN SEE THE DOCUMENTS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE AGENDA REVIEW TO MAKE OUR MEETINGS MORE EFFICIENT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PROBABLY MOVE THAT DATE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BACK TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THOSE DOCUMENTS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD REQUIRE US AS A BOARD TO GET OUR QUESTIONS IN, YOU KNOW, GET EVERYTHING IN ORDER SO THAT THEY HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS AHEAD OF TIME.
YOU KNOW, I AGREE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE EFFICIENCY OF THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, I HAVE A FEW COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE MY KIND OF EYES AND EARS ABOUT WHAT HOW THEY THINK ABOUT THE WORLD, THEIR PARENTS AND OR KIDS IN SCHOOL AND STUFF.
YOU CAN'T WATCH A FOUR HOUR MEETING.
OKAY. AND SO WE DO NOT HONOR THE IDEA OF ACCESS IF IT'S A FOUR HOUR MEETING.
RIGHT. BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO SIT AND WATCH A FOUR HOUR MEETING.
THEY'RE ALSO NOT GOING TO WATCH IT ONLINE LATER.
OKAY. AND SO WE HAVE TO AS A BOARD, WE HAVE TO GET AS MUCH TO YOUR POINT INFORMATION OUT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AS FAST AS WE CAN. THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.
AND SO, AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE QUESTIONS ARE SUCCINCT THEY ARE OUT EARLIER.
AND THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASKED DON'T GET ASKED IN THE MEETING.
SO IF WE HAVE FOUR HOUR MEETINGS, IT REALLY IS NOT ACCESS EFFICIENT FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THEY AREN'T GOING TO WATCH IT BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST GOING TO GET BORED. SO I WANT TO LIFT SOMETHING UP ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY SO, THERE ACTUALLY IS A HUGE BODY OF RESEARCH THAT SPEAKS TO, COGNITIVE LOAD AND COGNITIVE DECLINE. AND SO WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT FOR THE FIRST 90 MINUTES OF ANY KIND OF, ANY KIND OF ENGAGEMENT.
SO UP TO 90 MINUTES WERE GOOD.
AND THEN FOR THE NEXT 30 MINUTES THERE'S A PLATEAU.
AND SO THAT'S FOR 120 MINUTES, YOU CAN BE PRETTY EFFECTIVE.
[00:50:02]
AND THEN AFTER THAT, FIRST THAT 120 MINUTES, THERE IS A SHARP DECLINE.AND SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT FOR AFTER TWO HOURS OF STRAIGHT MEETING, THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE EFFECTIVE DECISIONS. AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T EVER MEET LONGER THAN TWO HOURS.
BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, MORE THAN A TWO HOUR MEETING, DOING WORK, DOING CONSISTENT WORK FOR TWO HOURS OR LONGER IS GOING TO MEAN THAT THAT THERE IS A COST BENEFIT.
AND SO THE BENEFIT IS THAT WE'RE GETTING STUFF DONE.
THE COST IS THAT THE QUALITY OF OUR DECISIONS IS NOT GOING TO BE AS GREAT.
AND THE LONGER IT GOES, THE WORSE IT IS.
AND BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS, ONE OF THE PIECES OF LONE STAR GOVERNANCE, SO UNDER THE THE PIECE OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT SPEAKS TO SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES, UNDER MASTER'S FOCUS, THE VERY FIRST DESCRIPTOR IS THAT BOARD AUTHORIZED PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THE LAST QUARTER DID NOT EXCEED AN AVERAGE OF THREE MEETINGS PER MONTH.
AND THIS IS THREE MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OR OF COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD.
SO NOT JUST YOUR BOARD MEETINGS, BUT ALSO YOUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
SO NO MORE THAN THREE PER MONTH ON AVERAGE, AN AVERAGE OF TWO HOURS PER MEETING AND AN AVERAGE OF THREE OTHER TOPICS PER MEETING. AND SO WHAT OTHER TOPICS ARE YOU HAVE A LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DISCUSS.
AS A BOARD, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON AS A BOARD.
THEY'RE JUST AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THINGS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
AND SO THEY'RE ALL ALIGNED WITH THAT.
SOME OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT ARE MORE SPECIFIC, MORE GOAL ALIGNED.
AND SO WHEN WE ADOPT SO WHEN WE ADOPT THINGS ON A CONSENT CALENDAR THAT IS MORE OF THE ROUTINE STUFF, THEN THAT'S MORE EFFECTIVE. AND THEN HAVING THOSE GOAL ALIGNED CONVERSATIONS, ON THE ACTION CALENDAR.
SO HAVING THOSE SEPARATE FOR A SEPARATE VOTE WHEN NEEDED.
YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE ON EVERY SINGLE THING THAT IS GOAL ALIGNED ON A SEPARATE LINE ITEM, BUT RESERVING THAT SEPARATE LINE ITEM OR THOSE DELIBERATE DISCUSSIONS FOR THOSE THINGS THAT OUR GOAL ALIGNED IS GOING TO BE A MUCH MORE VALUABLE USE OF YOUR TIME.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT NO MORE THAN THREE OF THOSE PER MEETING, ON AVERAGE.
AND THAT ALSO PERTAINS TO ANYTHING THAT IS NOT GOAL MONITORING.
SO OUR RECEIVING REPORTS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO THE WAY THAT WHEN WE DEVELOP THE MONITORING CALENDAR, WE ACTUALLY DID SO IN A WAY THAT YOU HAVE NO MORE THAN TWO GOAL PROGRESS MEASURES OR CONSTRAINT PROGRESS MEASURES PER MONTH.
GO AHEAD. ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO THE FOREFRONT AND, I'VE SHARED THIS WITH, AT LEAST ONE OF YOU BEFORE, BUT, I THINK IN THE SPIRIT OF WHERE ROLANDO WAS GOING WITH LOCATIONS AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL ACCESS.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF LIKE SOLUTIONING.
BUT, I'VE GOT THIS REAL, HEART FOR US HAVING A BOARD AUTHORIZED SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT OF SOME SORT.
DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS, WHICH ONE, WHICH FORMAT IT, IT LINES UP WITH.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ACCESS AND CAN SHARE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S NOT GOING TO HISDS WEBSITE TO SEE WHEN OUR MEETING IS, AND EVERYBODY'S NOT GOING TO WATCH IT ON HISD WEBSITE.
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS EVERYWHERE ON ALL SOCIALS OR THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ALL SOCIALS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER, LIKE IF OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE ACCESS, LIKE WHERE ARE PEOPLE'S EYEBALLS RIGHT NOW? AND IF THEIR EYEBALLS AREN'T ON HISD WEBSITE WHERE WE PRIMARILY COMMUNICATE, THEN WE SHOULD CONSIDER HOW THE BOARD CAN GET INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY IN A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS SPECIFIC TO YOUR AGENDA? BOARD MEETINGS. OKAY, GREAT.
[00:55:01]
ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S MOVE ON.SO FOR THE SECOND PIECE OF OUR WORKSHOP, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS, A VERY SPECIAL PIECE OF YOUR BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL. AND THAT'S YOUR BOARD CONSTRAINTS.
AND SO, WHO WAS IT THAT MENTIONED? I THINK IT WAS AUDREY.
TALKED ABOUT NEEDING TO CENTER STUDENTS IN ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO.
AND SO, FOR THIS CONVERSATION I WANT TO DO THAT.
SO THIS IS A VERY LIKE BOARD CENTRIC CONVERSATION.
SO AS WE TRANSITION TO START THINKING ABOUT BOARD CONSTRAINTS, I WANT TO FIRST POSE THE QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU, AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT FOR A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO VISIT WITH YOUR SHOULDER PARTNER.
JANETTE IT MIGHT BE GOOD IF YOU COULD, SLIP DOWN AND NEXT TO NEXT TO AUDREY.
IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH OF A CHALLENGE.
SO, MY FIRST QUESTION, WHAT IS THE FUTURE THAT I INTEND TO CREATE FOR STUDENTS? SO I WANT TO GROUND OUR WORK TONIGHT IN THAT QUESTION.
SO YOU'VE ALL CHOSEN TO BE HERE? YOU HAVE DONE SO AT A HUGE COST OF YOUR TIME.
THIS ISN'T DEFINITELY HASN'T BEEN A POPULARITY CONTEST FOR ANYONE.
YEAH. WELCOME TO THE LIFE OF A BOARD MEMBER.
YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN ON THIS TASK BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO BE THE EASY THE EASY ROAD.
YOU DID IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS.
SO WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GO ON THIS JOURNEY? WHAT IS THE FUTURE THAT YOU INTEND TO CREATE FOR STUDENTS IN HOUSTON ISD? SO I WANT YOU TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MOMENTS TO THINK ABOUT IT, AND THEN I WANT TO ASK I WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND HAVE YOU VISIT WITH YOUR SHOULDER PARTNER, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE YOUR MICROPHONES ON FOR THIS PART, BUT I WILL ASK THAT WE KIND OF SHARE OUT SOME OF THAT, AFTER WE CONCLUDE THIS CONVERSATION.
SO, YEAH, WHAT IS THE FUTURE THAT I INTEND TO CREATE FOR STUDENTS? SORRY. LET'S TAKE, SO WE'LL TAKE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
[01:02:42]
IT'S BEEN FIVE MINUTES.DO WE WANT TO TAKE LIKE THREE MORE, THREE MORE MINUTES.
WE'LL TAKE A FEW MORE MINUTES.
NOPE. I WANT Y'ALL TO REALLY ENGAGE ON THIS.
OKAY. WELL, Y'ALL KEEP ON BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL GOING OVER HERE.
[01:05:50]
I'M GOING TO GIVE US ONE MORE MINUTE.WATCH WATCHER. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT, LET'S BRING IT BACK TOGETHER.
WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO SHARE? WHAT IS WHAT IS THE FUTURE THAT I INTEND TO CREATE FOR STUDENTS IN HISD? WHO WILL SHARE FIRST? OH, WELL, WE EDITED IT.
OKAY. WHAT IS THE FUTURE THAT I WILL CREATE FOR STUDENTS? OKAY. SORRY. ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT, LIKE, DID WE COME TO A COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT? NO. YOU CAN. YEAH.
EVERYONE. JANETTE AND I ARE, LIKE, WAIT.
JUST FOR FUN. I WANT TO CREATE A FUTURE.
ROLANDO. SO OURS WASN'T THAT FORMAL.
BUT WE WILL SAY THAT OUR FUTURE WAS ABOUT, ALLOWING ALL KIDS IN HISD TO HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO HAVE AN EXCELLENT ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE IN HISD. IS THAT RIGHT? ALL RIGHT. SO OURS WAS PROVIDING A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
OH YEAH. YOU GOT TO TALK INTO THE MICROPHONE NOW.
[LAUGHTER] SORRY. I DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE RULES.
OKAY. ONCE AGAIN PROVIDING A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, SETTING A STRONG FOUNDATION AND PATHWAY ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
DID I GET IT. DID I MISS ANYTHING.
PROVIDING A STRONG FOUNDATION AND PATHWAY.
THANK YOU. EQUITABLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
ALL RIGHT. THIS IS VERSION THREE OF WHAT I SAID, AND EACH ONE IS VERY DIFFERENT. I WANT TO CREATE A FUTURE WHERE CHILDREN CAN LOOK BACK AT THEIR K THROUGH 12 EXPERIENCE AS AMAZING AND MEMORABLE, BECAUSE IT PREPARED THEM FOR A LIFE THAT ENABLES THEM TO GROW AND PUSH THEIR COMMUNITIES FORWARD.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL KIND OF SHARED YOUR COLLECTIVE THOUGHTS.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD ADD ANYTHING ON TOP OF THAT? YEAH, THEY'RE ALL JANETTE HAD HER OWN COMMENTS TO SHARE.
I'VE BEEN ASKED TO SHARE MINE.
THE FUTURE THAT I WILL, I INTEND TO CREATE FOR STUDENTS IS ONE WHERE EVERY CHILD FEELS, VALUED.
[01:10:02]
THAT EVERY CHILD WALKS INTO SCHOOL AND THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY ADULTS THAT TRULY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF LEARNING. THAT THEY ARE RESPECTED.EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING HAS A GROWTH MINDSET, PROBLEM SOLVING ATTITUDE, AND ULTIMATELY THAT OUR CHILDREN LEARN ADAPTABILITY.
I SAID MORE, BUT WE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
WHAT IS PREVENTING THIS FUTURE THAT YOU INTEND TO OR WILL CREATE FROM BEING A REALITY TODAY? WHAT IS PREVENTING THIS FROM BEING A REALITY TODAY? SO LET'S TAKE ABOUT FIVE MORE.
SO LET'S TAKE FIVE MORE MINUTES TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
WHY ISN'T THAT TRUE FOR THEM TODAY? WE'LL HAVE ABOUT ONE MORE MINUTE.
[01:15:18]
ALL RIGHT, LET'S BRING IT BACK TOGETHER.WHY ISN'T THIS A REALITY TODAY? WHY ISN'T THAT FUTURE TRUE TODAY? WHAT'S PREVENTING THAT FROM HAPPENING? I THINK IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
YEAH, IT'S BECAUSE OF SELF-INTEREST, TRIBALISM, POLITICAL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
MAY I ADD TO THAT? BECAUSE OURS WAS SIMILAR.
BUT WHAT I ADDED WAS ALSO A LACK OF BELIEF THAT IT'S POSSIBLE.
SO I THINK WHEN YOU BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE, THEN YOU WILL DO IT.
SO I THINK IT'S THAT LACK OF NOT BELIEVING THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE FOR KIDS.
SIMILAR, AND WE SAID WE ADDED TO THAT DE-PRIORITIZING STUDENTS.
YES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT ADULTS PUT THEMSELVES FIRST MANY TIMES AHEAD OF STUDENTS.
IT COULD ALSO MEAN WE HAD SOMETHING HERE BECAUSE IT COULD LITERALLY JUST MEAN INACTION.
SO WE'RE NOT THROWING STONES HERE.
WE'RE JUST SAYING THAT IT'S VERY EASY TO DO.
SO THIS IS HARD BECAUSE IT IS HARD.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE NOT POINTING FINGERS.
WE'RE JUST SAYING IT'S VERY EASY TO DO.
YEAH. THE GOOD THING IS YOU CAN POINT THE FINGER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU CAN POINT THE FINGER AT ADD SOME MORE YEARS TO THAT, SIR.
THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] I THINK I TOOK A DIFFERENT ANGLE TO ASK, WHICH IS AND WE SORT OF DISCUSSED SOME OF THAT, BUT ALSO T HAT WE NEED TIME.
WE NEED A LITTLE TIME AND CONTINUING TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
MEANING LIKE THE SYSTEMS AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE ARE ALLOWING US TO GET TO THAT VISION THAT WE WANT FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND WE NEED TO CONSISTENTLY EXECUTE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR CURRENT PLANS SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
RIGHT. WE'RE STARTING TO SEE GOOD RESULTS ALREADY.
YEAH. SO, GLAD YOU SPOKE TO THAT BECAUSE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MOMENT THAT WE ARE IN NOW.
IT IS VERY COMMON TO GET ABOUT SIX MONTHS IN TO ANY KIND OF CHANGE INITIATIVE, AND THAT'S GENERALLY WHEN PEOPLE START TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, LET'S LIKE WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE RESULTS? IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS. WE CAN SEE RESULTS NOW, RIGHT? SIX MONTHS WE SHOULD KNOW.
IS IT WORKING? IS IT NOT WORKING? NO. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE RESULTS AFTER SIX MONTHS.
IT TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO GET TO THIS PLACE.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WON'T SEE RESULTS, BUT GENERALLY IT IS GOING TO TAKE TIME.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL, FOR AND THIS ISN'T JUST FOR SCHOOL BOARDS, THIS IS LIKE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT, GIVING, STRATEGIES TIME TO TAKE PLACE.
REVIEWING LIKE KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT THE PROGRESS IS, WHICH YOU JUST STARTED PROGRESS MONITORING.
[01:20:02]
AND ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT YOUR SUPERINTENDENT HAS, BROUGHT TO YOU AND EVEN WITH THE TARGETS THAT YOU SET, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE CULTURAL CHANGE.WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT CULTURAL SHIFT.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE TAKE A MINUTE TO START TO SEE REAL RESULTS.
SO I AGREE WITH ALL THAT, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO HAVE TO MAINTAIN A SENSE OF URGENCY ABOUT IT.
SO I THINK THOSE TWO CAN COEXIST, BUT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT FRESH AND MAINTAIN THE URGENCY THAT, AT LEAST I FEEL FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND I THINK THE BOARD CHAIR IS THAT, AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS, OR MAYBE I JUST SAID IT TO MYSELF [LAUGHTER] WAS, ONE THING THAT I THINK IS PREVENTING THIS IS ALLOWING EXCUSES TO GET IN THE WAY. EXCUSES.
IN THE SPIRIT OF THE I STATEMENT.
SO THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE GET HERE? I WOULD SAY FOR ME, I DID NOT DO ENOUGH TO GET INVOLVED WITH OTHER SCHOOLS CAMPUSES OUTSIDE OF MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE USUALLY AS PARENTS, WE WORRY ABOUT OUR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.
AS LONG AS WE'RE DOING WELL, THEN WE SHOULD BE GOOD.
BUT I THINK AS I THINK I KNOW THAT AS I'VE KIND OF MET WITH DIFFERENT CROWDS.
I REALIZED THAT IN SOME WAYS, TRIBALISM.
YOU KNOW, I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY KIDS AND MY KIDS SCHOOLS.
AND SO I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT SO THAT WE COULD HAVE.
AND I'M ONE PERSON, OBVIOUSLY, I'M PRETTY BORED.
I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE CHANGES ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
BUT I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT THOUGH.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR USING AN I STATEMENT.
HAS EVERYONE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE? OKAY, GREAT. SO, TAKING US BACK TO THAT OUR FIRST TWO DAYS TOGETHER, WE DID SPEND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, TALKING ABOUT THE MINDSET OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND SO THERE WERE TWO CRITICAL PIECES TO THE MINDSET.
CAN ANYONE REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE? I AM THE GENESIS OF TRANSFORMATION.
BUT THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE ONE OF THE TENETS OF THE MINDSET.
INTEGRITY IS MY ACCESS TO GOALS.
YES. THESE ARE COUNTER TO THE COMMON.
COMMON PRETENDING THAT THEY ARE THE GENESIS OF TRANSFORMATION, THAT ANYONE ELSE IS GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THAT IF I AM WORRIED ABOUT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING, THEN I CAN STILL EXPECT FOR CHANGE TO HAPPEN.
I HAVE TO ADOPT THE MINDSET THAT I AM THE GENESIS OF TRANSFORMATION.
AND SO WE SAY STUDENT OUTCOMES DON'T CHANGE UNTIL ADULT BEHAVIORS CHANGE.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PRINCIPALS.
IT'S ABOUT ME. AND SO THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THAT UP.
THE OTHER ONE IS INTEGRITY IS MY ACCESS TO GOALS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED IS ALLOWING EXCUSES TO GET IN THE WAY.
AND SO THIS PIECE OF THE MINDSET IS ACTUALLY COUNTER TO THE COMMON PRETENDING THAT NON INTEGRITY OR NOT DOING THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SAID THAT I WOULD DO.
NOT INTEGRITY PLUS A REALLY GOOD EXCUSE PLUS A REASON.
IS GOING TO STILL ALLOW ME TO ACCESS MY GOALS.
I MAY HAVE ALL OF THE REASONS IN THE WORLD, AND THEY MAY BE REALLY GOOD REASONS.
COVID AND THE PANDEMIC, THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WERE COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
BUT THEY STILL IT STILL IS SOMETHING THAT CREATED A HUGE LEARNING LOSS FOR OUR CHILDREN.
[01:25:02]
AND SO, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD REASON, IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD REASON.IT STILL DIDN'T ALLOW US TO ACCESS OUR GOALS FOR THOSE CHILDREN.
AND SO ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT, THAT WE CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT EXCUSES, THAT EVEN WHEN WE DO HAVE, REASONS FOR THAT NON INTEGRITY TO HAPPEN, IT'S STILL CRITICAL FOR US TO FORGE, TO FORGE FORWARD FOR THE CHILDREN THAT WE ARE HERE TO CREATE THESE FUTURES FOR.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANT TO WE TALKED ABOUT IT FROM A VERY HIGH LEVEL, VERY BROAD.
I WANT TO BRING IT BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE BOARD AND THE BOARD'S BEHAVIORS.
WE WANT YOU TO HAVE SPENT SOME TIME WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
AND SO THAT TIME HAS THAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND NOW YOU'RE ABLE TO YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE WAY THAT, THIS BOARD HAS DEVELOPED A PERSONALITY, AND YOU HAVE A WAY OF LIVING TOGETHER AT THIS POINT. SO NOW I WANT TO BRING IT BACK TO WHAT'S SPECIFIC TO THIS BOARD.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC BOARD BEHAVIORS OF THIS GROUP THAT ARE PREVENTING THIS REALITY FROM HAPPENING? WHAT ARE OUR SPECIFIC BOARD BEHAVIORS THAT ARE PREVENTING THIS REALITY FROM HAPPENING? AND I KNOW IT'S IT'S HEATING UP A LITTLE BIT.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC BOARD BEHAVIORS THAT ARE PREVENTING THIS FROM BEING A REALITY, THAT ARE PREVENTING THE FUTURE THAT I WANT TO CREATE FOR STUDENTS? SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH LEVEL.
WE SPENT SOME TIME DURING OUR TWO DAY WORKSHOP TALKING ABOUT PATTERNS AND HOW, PATTERNS LIVE WITHIN THE MUSCLE OUR MUSCLE MEMORY.
SO I THINK I GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN I MOVED AND I WOULD LEAVE A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WHEN I WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND I WOULD DRIVE, GO HOME, AND I WOULD JUST BE THINKING ABOUT THE BOARD MEETING AND NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT I WAS DOING.
AND SO ORGANIZATIONS ALSO HAVE MUSCLE MEMORY.
THE MUSCLE MEMORY LIVES WITHIN THOSE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE DELIBERATE ABOUT UNDOING THAT MUSCLE MEMORY AND DEVELOPING NEW MUSCLES.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANT YOU TO KIND OF BE THINKING ABOUT IS, WHAT ARE THE PATTERNS THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE BEGUN TO ESTABLISH AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE KEEPING US? WE KNOW WE'RE GOOD, BUT WHAT'S KEEPING US FROM BEING GREAT? WE'LL TAKE ABOUT FIVE MORE MINUTES.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I'LL GIVE YOU ALL SEVEN MINUTES.
[01:31:00]
IT MUST NOT BE CONSISTENT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.WE'LL GIVE, WHEN THE CLOCK TURNS TO 6:47, WE'LL TRANSITION.
THAT MAKES SENSE. WE LOST OUR INTERPRETER.
NO. THEY JUST HAVE CAPTIONS ONLINE.
SO LET'S ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
WHO'S GOING TO SHARE FIRST? I HAVE A GOOD RIC SAYS I HAVE A GOOD ANSWER.
YEAH. I THINK IT'S HOW DO WE USE OUR TIME APPROPRIATELY? I THINK IT STARTS WITH THE Q&A DOCUMENT.
SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS CAN BE REDUCED IN TIME IF WE USE THAT DOCUMENT APPROPRIATELY, IF I USE THAT TIME APPROPRIATELY TO ASK THE QUESTIONS, IF I USE SO I THINK THAT TENDS TO HAPPEN.
[01:35:02]
AND SOMETIMES WE DIGRESS.I THINK THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS WORTH HAVING.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE EVEN AS FAR AS, LIKE EVEN THE CONSENT AGENDA, I THINK SOMETIMES ME PERSONALLY, THERE'S THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA BUT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
I WOULDN'T EVEN USE THE WORD CONTROVERSIAL, BUT SOME TOPICS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT MAYBE THE COMMUNITY IS EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT MAYBE OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROCESS.
RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO HAVE THREE MEMBERS, TO TAKE IT OFF FOR CONSENT.
SO I GET THAT, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KIND OF LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE OUR TIME EFFICIENTLY AND APPROPRIATELY THROUGH, THE MECHANISMS THAT WE'VE BUILT IN PLACE PRE BOARD MEETINGS. YEAH. SO THE THE WAY THAT WE'RE USING OUR TIME AND EVEN SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT CONSENT AGENDA AND I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN THAT.
AND SO RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT THE SO THE REASON WE USE CONSENT AGENDA IS TO CREATE THAT EXPEDIENCY OF TIME.
BUT SOMETIMES WE DO NEED TO PULL THINGS OFF.
AND, THE COACHING IS THAT, SO IF THE BOARD SO IF, IF THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD WHO WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WHO THINK THAT IT IS WORTH THE DISCUSSION, THEN DEFINITELY IT SHOULD IT SHOULD BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF, THERE ARE FEWER THAN THAT, THEN, SO THE REASON THAT YOU HAVE THAT, IS YOU WANT TO PROTECT THE REASON THAT IT'S THREE AND NOT FOUR, BECAUSE FOUR IS KIND OF THE ONE LESS THAN A QUORUM.
YOU WANT TO PROTECT THE MINORITY VOICE.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MINORITY VOICE, IT'S CRITICAL THAT THAT IS ABLE TO BE HEARD.
AND SO, SO AS LONG AS THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF.
SO THE BOARD DEFINITELY SHOULD BE, CREATING SYSTEMS THAT PROTECT THAT, BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES HAVE A COMMUNITY AND, A COMMUNITY THAT THEY REPRESENT, WHETHER YOU'RE APPOINTED OR OR ELECTED, IT IS EVEN APPOINTED BOARDS ARE STILL REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THAT UP.
SO I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE OF THIS BOARD AND OTHER STATE APPOINTED BOARDS THAT I'VE SERVED ON, AND THAT I HAVE HAD TO REALLY ADAPT TO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT WE SHOULD BE PUTTING INTO THE INFORMATION, THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO FOR ME, IN ORDER TO DO BETTER, IS THAT I'VE HAD TO PUT IN THAT EXTRA TIME TO UNDERSTAND, TO LEARN, TO READ, TO ENCOMPASS IT ALL.
YEAH, BUT I THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT UNDERSTANDING IT IS WELL IS WHAT HELPED ME.
YEAH. SO I'M HEARING YOU SAY THAT I'VE HAD TO ADAPT TO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT THIS WORK REQUIRES.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE OTHER BOARDS THAT I'VE SERVED ON, AND EVEN OTHER STATE APPOINTED BOARDS.
AND, PAULA, YOU HAVE SERVED ON SOME REALLY, I MEAN, MANY, MANY OF YOU HAVE A LOT OF BOARD EXPERIENCE AND VERY HIGH LEVEL BOARD EXPERIENCE, AND THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
AND SCHOOL BOARDS REALLY ARE DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THAT UP.
SO I'LL COMMENT ON EXPECTATION.
[01:40:01]
AND WITH RESPECT TO PREPARATION FOR WORKSHOPS AND BOARD MEETINGS, THE PREPARATION FOR THAT.AND, I WILL SPEAK TO IN PREPARATION, JUST EXPRESSING EXPECTATION ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK FOR US PERSONALLY AROUND DEADLINES AND MAYBE SOME A DEADLINE DOESN'T WORK FOR US OR, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T GET THE MATERIALS IN ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY READ THROUGH THEM, OR THIS DEADLINE DOESN'T WORK FOR ME BECAUSE I CAN'T, YOU KNOW? YES, I'M TURNING IN MY QUESTIONS, BUT I WOULD LOVE MORE TIME, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THIS THROUGH THESE OPERATING POLICIES.
BUT FOR ME, I WOULD SAY IN THE PAST, NOT BEING MORE DIRECT ABOUT MY EXPECTATIONS AND DEADLINES HAS PREVENTED ME FROM BEING MORE, ONE MORE MEANINGFULLY INVOLVED AT TIMES.
THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THAT UP.
ALL RIGHT. WHAT DO Y'ALL HAVE? I THINK ONE THING THAT I DID NOT WRITE THIS DOWN, BUT ONE THING THAT IS PREVENTING US FROM BEING AS EFFECTIVE AS WE COULD BE, THIS IS CIRCULAR, IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE, A SET OF RULES WHICH ARE BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW, OR BEING PREPARED FOR US TO CONSIDER, THAT EVERYONE HAS AGREED TO.
I THINK THAT WILL MAKE IT MUCH BETTER FOR EVERYBODY INCLUDING THE CHAIR.
LET ME JUST ADD ON TO THAT A BIT.
I THINK THAT AND THE EFFECT OF THAT IS THAT WE WASTE A GREAT DEAL OF TIME NOT JUST IN BOARD MEETINGS OR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, BUT IN EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS AND OTHER DISCUSSION THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
RIGHT. THE INFORMATION SHOULD BE RELEVANT.
IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTANDABLE BY THE BOARD MEMBERS.
THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT TIME FRAMES NEED TO BE TO BE REACTED IN AND ALL AGREED UPON.
RIGHT? WE ALL SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND THEN WE DO IT.
AND WHAT THAT SHOULD DO THEN IS MAKE THINGS A LOT MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE TODAY IT IS NOT.
AND, THERE'S A LOT OF TIME THAT IS SPENT JUST ORGANIZING, TRYING TO GET TO THE MEETING.
AND THEN EVEN IN THE MEETINGS THEY CAN GO LONG BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOTS OF STUFF THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT IN A MEETING AND ASKING LOTS OF QUESTIONS AND HAVING A BROAD DISCUSSION GOING DOWN RABBIT HOLES AND STUFF AND THAT WE HAVE TO STOP DOING.
BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE US TO BE INEFFICIENT AND INEFFECTIVE AND HAVE SIX HOUR MEETINGS.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE EFFECTIVE TO YOUR POINT ON THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST ISSUE TODAY IS AGREEING ON THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND THEN MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL ACCOUNTABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THOSE RULES OF ROADS AND LIVING IN THAT SPACE BECAUSE IT'S A REAL KEY PART OF OF HOW YOU CAN BE EFFICIENT ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO SPEND TIME ON IMPORTANT STUFF THAT YOU NEED TO SPEND TIME ON AND THE RABBIT HOLES YOU NEED TO STAY AWAY FROM.
AND LET ME ADD SOMETHING TO THAT.
SO FROM A, LONGEVITY PERSPECTIVE AND A SUSTAINABILITY OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE ENGAGING IN, THE PLAN, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE WANT TO BE HERE FOREVER.
THE GOAL IS TO GET BACK TO AN ELECTED BOARD.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT CANNOT BE THE EXPECTATION THAT A BOARD MEMBER'S FULL TIME THAT THIS IS SOMEONE'S FULL TIME JOB BECAUSE YOU WANT A SCHOOL BOARD THAT IS ELECTED AMONG THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE AN EXECUTIVE.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE THESE HIGH LEVEL POSITIONS.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A PHD TO SERVE ON THE BOARD.
IF I'M A WORKING MOM, HOW AM I GOING TO SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD? IF I WANT MY COMMUNITY TO BE REPRESENTED BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MY COMMUNITY AND LIVE IN MY COMMUNITY,
[01:45:06]
IT HAS TO BE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE.AND SO THAT IS LIKE THE USE OF TIME IS CRITICAL.
AUDREY, YOU WERE GOING TO ADD TO THAT? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, SPENDING TIME ON SUBSTANCE VERSUS PROCEDURE IS IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE WE ALWAYS BRING EVERYTHING BACK TO I.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BOARD'S BEHAVIORS THAT ARE PREVENTING THAT REALITY FROM THAT FUTURE THAT YOU'VE, THOUGHT ABOUT, THAT YOU, THAT YOU INTEND FROM BEING A REALITY RIGHT NOW.
NOW, I WANT YOU TO BRING IT EVEN MORE PERSONAL.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BOARD.
NOW, I WANT YOU TO THINK TO YOURSELF, WHAT ARE MY BEHAVIORS, MY ACTIONS THAT ARE PREVENTING THE FUTURE THAT I WANT FOR CHILDREN TO BE TRUE TODAY? WE WILL NOT SHARE THIS OUT, SO I'M NOT GOING TO FORCE YOU ALL TO SHARE THIS OUT.
BUT IF YOU DO, IT'LL BE INDIVIDUALS.
AND THEN ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IS WELCOME TO.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO FORCE YOU TO SHARE THIS PART.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO WRITE IT DOWN, THOUGH.
AND IT'S 6:59, SO WE WILL COME.
WE'LL COME BACK AT 7, WELL TEN AFTER.
[01:51:03]
WHAT MORE AM I WILLING TO GIVE UP? SO I KNOW THE THINGS THAT I KNOW, THE THINGS THAT I DO THAT ARE MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO TO GET TO WHERE I WANT US TO BE.WHAT AM I WILLING TO GIVE UP TO MAKE THIS REALITY HAPPEN.
IF I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS CLEAR ON WHAT'S BEING ASKED FIRST.
IF THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO CREATE THE REALITY YOU WANT FOR STUDENTS, THEN SURE.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL GO TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER QUICK CONVERSATION BEFORE WE SHARE OUT.
[01:55:52]
SO I WANT TO REPHRASE THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I CAN TELL I WANT TO REPHRASE THIS QUESTION.SO, INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WILL GIVE UP AND I WANT TO WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
BUT, LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF NEEDS.
SO WHAT DO I FEEL LIKE I NEED IN ORDER TO BE A BETTER GOVERNOR OF THIS DISTRICT? OH. THAT'S EASY. YEAH.
SO WHAT DO I NEED TO BE A BETTER GOVERNOR OF THIS DISTRICT? SO LET'S START WITH THAT.
SO NOW LET'S GO BACK AND TALK TO YOUR PARTNERS FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES.
HOW DOES EVERYBODY FEEL? NEED A COUPLE MORE MINUTES? VERY GOOD.
SO THANK YOU FOR REPHRASING THE QUESTION, COACH.
AND THESE ARE TWO MEMBERS OF MY TRIPOD, AND WE DON'T.
HOLD ON. WHAT'S A TRIPOD? YEAH, EXACTLY. AND WE HAVE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU. SO, LONG TIME AGO WE HAD, I CALL IT A TRIPOD.
DID WE REALLY CALL A TRIPOD? BUT THERE WERE POD, WE WERE IN THREES.
AND WE WOULD CONNECT AND WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THINGS.
IT WAS EXTREMELY AWESOME TO, KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING BEFORE.
GET EACH OTHER'S POINT OF VIEW AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BOUNCE THINGS. HEY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.
AND THAT WAS SUPPORT THAT I'M MISSING NOW.
CONNECTION. JUST CONNECTION BECAUSE THERE IS THAT.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SUPPORT, WE CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THAT WAY.
[02:00:03]
THANK YOU. SO SHOUT OUT TO MY POD.WE CAN RESURRECT OUR POD AT ANY TIME.
BUT SO I LIKE THIS IDEA BECAUSE EVEN SO, LET'S JUST SAY WE SCHEDULED OUR POD MEETING AND WE GOT ON OUR MEETING AND SAID WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO TALK ABOUT. FINE.
IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO BRING, YOU KNOW IT'S THERE.
YOU CAN BRING ISSUES, CONNECTION.
IT'S JUST IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, WHICH I THINK IS IT'S GREAT BECAUSE IT'S YOUR TIME.
I AGREE. SO I DO LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU WHEN AND IF YOU NEED IT.
[LAUGHTER] YEAH. SO I THINK PART OF THE REASON WHY IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE PODS HAPPENED BEFORE YOU WERE SWORN IN IS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC OR THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT CHANGES THINGS.
YOU GUYS CAN'T HAVE THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DISTRICT BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF AN OPEN MEETING.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THAT PROCESS NEEDS TO.
AFTER WE WERE SWORN IN. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IT WAS.
WE NEED TO DO THAT AS A GROUP IN A OPEN MEETING.
THAT'S PART OF THE RULES THAT GOVERN HOW YOU GUYS INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.
WELL, THERE YOU GO. THAT WAS NIXED REALLY QUICK.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
IT WASN'T WHAT IT WAS. SO THE DISCUSSION REALLY IS ABOUT SUPPORT.
IT'S ABOUT BEING MORE PREPARED.
I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE BETTER.
AND IT WAS PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT IN JUNE WHEN THERE WAS THE LACK THEREOF.
AND IT'S GOTTEN BETTER AND WE NEED TO MAKE IT BETTER.
WHAT ELSE? DEFINITELY NOT TO DISCUSS DISTRICT BUSINESS.
SHE'LL LIKE MINE THEN I'LL SHARE MINE.
WHICH IS? I WROTE STAY IN MY LANE.
SO I FOUND THAT IT'S THE REALITY VERSUS THE TRAINING AND THE PRACTICE OF GOVERNING IS VERY CHALLENGING. AND SO IT IS VERY EASY TO GET SUCKED INTO AN ISSUE BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT BRING THINGS TO YOU, TO ME, TO I.
AND SO WITH THAT, IT'S THAT IS A MUSCLE, I THINK, THAT I NEED TO BUILD, WHICH IS PRACTICING THE ROLE OF GOVERNANCE VERSUS, SLIPPING INTO OPERATIONAL ISSUES AND CHALLENGES.
AND IT'S VERY EASY TO DO THAT.
AND SO I, WANT TO BUILD THAT MUSCLE.
SO THAT IS ACTUALLY, A VERY, VERY COMMON THING FOR PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THIS ROLE.
AND I WANT TO LIFT UP WHY GOVERNING IS NOT INTUITIVE.
AND SO MANAGEMENT IS REALLY IT'S A REALLY EASY PLACE TO FALL INTO.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT BOARDS DO, BOARDS GOVERN.
AND MOST PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE A MENTAL MODEL MODEL FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO GOVERN.
AND SO IT IS NOT AS INTUITIVE.
AND SO IT DOES REQUIRE SOME EFFORT TO BE THE GOVERNOR, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU HAVE IF YOU HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR ALL EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, BUT I KNOW THAT, WHEN I SERVED ON A SCHOOL BOARD, I WOULD JUST GO, YOU KNOW, GOING TO PICK MY CHILDREN UP AND STANDING OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL WAITING FOR THEM TO COME OUT FOR AFTERNOON PICKUP,
[02:05:02]
WHICH WAS A PRIVILEGE IN ITSELF THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT.AND OF COURSE, I'M GOING TO FIX THAT, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY DAY.
BUT THEN TO LEARN THAT, OH, THAT'S REALLY NOT MY ROLE.
AND NOT THAT IT'S NOT MY ROLE, BUT THAT I AM NOT THE BEST PERSON TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE PEOPLE.
AND THIS THAT'S WHAT GOVERNING IS ABOUT.
AND THAT'S WHAT LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT.
I CAN LOOK GOOD, I CAN BE THE ONE THAT WANTS TO SAVE THE DAY BUT THAT'S NOT GOVERNING.
GOVERNING HAS TO BE FOCUSED HERE.
AND WHEN I LEARNED THAT THE WAY THAT I WAS GOING TO HELP MY COMMUNITY HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET AND THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE SENDING THEM TO THESE PEOPLE, EVEN WHEN THAT WASN'T THE POPULAR THING FOR ME TO DO.
THEN I BECAME A PROFOUNDLY BETTER BOARD MEMBER.
I GUESS I'LL RAISE TWO THINGS UP.
AND I'VE LEARNED TO BE MORE PATIENT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT MUSCLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS TELLING PAULA, LIKE, WE, WE STATE IN OUR POLICY THAT IT THAT, YOU KNOW, AN ADMINISTRATION HAS 20 DAYS TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, OR THEY HAVE THIS OR THEY HAVE THAT.
WE WANT TO GET THIS THING TO HELP.
AND THEN ALSO IN THOUGHTS OF OUR OPERATING MANUAL AND PROCEDURES, WE DISCUSSED AT ONE POINT SLIGHTLY, MAYBE IN SOME FORM, LIKE HAVING, SORT OF A TRAINING MODEL, FOR ANYONE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A BOARD MEMBER, AND SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO HELP FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS DIFFERENT THAN MANAGEMENT.
AND HERE ARE THE KIND OF GUIDELINES AROUND GOVERNANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND A LOT OF SCHOOL BOARDS, THAT I WORK WITH AND THAT, THROUGH LSG AND THROUGH SOME OF THE BIGGER NATIONAL WORK THAT WE DO HAVE A MODEL CALLED SCHOOL BOARD SCHOOL, AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
AND IT'S ALSO KIND OF SCARY, BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT MORE FUN.
WHAT ELSE? WHAT OTHER WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? DO YOU WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO BE A MORE EFFECTIVE GOVERNOR? WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE THIS REALITY? THIS, VISION THAT I HAVE FOR STUDENTS INTO A REALITY.
I'LL SAY FOR ME, KIND OF LIKE WITH JANETTE WHEN WE, WHEN I, GET CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS I THINK YOU USED THE WORD HERO, RIGHT? THIS IDEA THAT I CAN COME AND FIX SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY.
BUT I THINK FOR ME, WHAT I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I CONTINUE TO DO IS IF I'M GOING TO MEET WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THAT IT'S A DIVERSE GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT REPRESENT OR THAT ARE RESIDING ACROSS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
SO I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M SPEAKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE CITY, THAT IF I'M GOING TO INVEST MY TIME MAKING SURE THAT IT'S A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, DIVERSE GROUP OF THOUGHTS, AND THAT WHEN I COME TO THESE BOARD MEETINGS, THAT IT'S NOT WITH THE IDEA OF TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING, BUT HEARING AND THEN USING WHAT HAS
[02:10:08]
BEEN SHARED AS PERHAPS A BACKDROP.KNOWING THAT IT CAN BE ON THE BACKDROP, THE FEEDBACK THAT'S BEEN SHARED WITH ME IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT THAT THE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS. GENERALLY SPEAKING, WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE BOARD, BUT NOT FOR ME TO TRY TO THINK THAT I'M GOING TO SOLVE SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY IN THAT INSTANT THAT IT IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT, ALL STUDENTS.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ON THIS QUESTION? ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
SO, THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS CONVERSATION IS TO DEVELOP CONSTRAINTS FOR THE BOARD.
SO WE CAN CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT PIECE WHERE, YOU ACTUALLY GO THROUGH AN EXERCISE OF, DEVELOPING SOME IDEAS ABOUT CONSTRAINTS, ACTUAL CONSTRAINT LANGUAGE, OR THE BOARD CAN CHOOSE TO, SEND THIS ON TO THE COMMITTEE THAT IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THIS.
AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP SOME MORE FULLY REALIZED CONSTRAINT LANGUAGE TO BRING BACK AT THE PROBABLY NOT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, BUT THE ONE AFTER THAT.
SO PROBABLY THE MARCH BOARD MEETING.
AND THEN DO THAT, YOU CAN JUST SAY WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND SEND IT ON TO THAT COMMITTEE.
OR WE CAN SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT IT NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? COMMITTEE. I TRUST THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
I TRUST THE COMMITTEE TOO AS WELL.
BUT WHO IS THIS COMMITTEE? THIS ISN'T OUR COMMITTEE. COMMITTEE.
OKAY. OH, A SEPARATE COMMITTEE.
OKAY. I'LL, LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, ISN'T IT PART OF THE PROCEDURES? IT IS PART OF THE THE MANUAL.
THE BOARD CONSTRAINTS? YES. IF YOU WANT TO SET UP A NEW ONE.
I WILL SET UP A NEW COMMITTEE FOR IT IF THAT'S THE CONSENSUS.
DIDN'T YOU SAY WE HAVE THE OPTION TO ALL COME UP WITH OUR OWN DRAFT CONSTRAINTS? YEAH, THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION. WHY DON'T WE SET UP A COMMITTEE THAT WILL RECEIVE THOSE PROPOSED CONSTRAINTS? WHY DON'T WE DO IT THIS WAY? CAN WE LEAVE THE COMMITTEE THAT'S IN PLACE? AND THEN ALL OF US AGREE TO SEND OUR SUGGESTIONS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THEM.
IS THAT OKAY FOR THE COMMITTEE? YEAH. WILL YOU JUST SEND US SOME PARAMETERS FOR THE COMMITTEE? WHAT. IS THAT GOOD.
THEN WE'RE SENDING IN OUR SUGGESTIONS.
AND COMMITTEE I PROMISE THAT THAT WILL BE A VERY CONCISE PROCESS.
ALL RIGHT. I'VE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT.
WE HAVE KEPT IT UNDER 2.5 HOURS FROM THE TIME THAT WE STARTED.
I THOUGHT YOU WOULD NEVER GET IT DONE, AND.
BUT I WAS PRACTICING WHAT ADAM SAID.
PATIENCE. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, SO I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU. AND THEN WE CAN GO ON OUT.
WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS, THIS MEETING OF THE BOARD IS ADJOURNED AT 7:39 P.M.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS, Y'ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.