Jan 13, 2025 Board Meeting

[I. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:09]

HELLO. GOOD EVENING. ON BEHALF OF THE MESQUITE SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEES, I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE MESQUITE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON THIS MONDAY, JANUARY 13TH, 2025.

AND THE TIME IS 6:00 PM. A QUORUM OF BOARD MEMBERS IS PRESENT, AND NOTICE OF THIS MEETING WAS POSTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]

FIRST ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS OUR INVOCATION BY THE REVEREND JARED GERALD BAKER, PASTOR AT PEACE CHURCH. AND FOLLOWING HIM, WE WILL HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO BE LED BY THE STUDENTS FROM THOMPSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND THE SPONSOR IS CANDACE GRIFFIN. IF YOU WISH TO JOIN IN IN BOTH, PLEASE STAND WITH US. REVEREND. AMEN. LET'S PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY ON THIS JANUARY EVENING, WITH HEARTS FULL OF GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS CHILDREN HERE IN MESQUITE. LORD, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE ORDINANCES THAT YOU'VE PUT IN PLACE FOR THE MINDS THAT YOU HAVE CREATED, AND EACH ONE OF US AND THESE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE TO LEARN, NOT JUST TO LEARN, BUT LORD GOD, TO GROW. AND FOR THE LEADERS, WE PRAY FOR THEM THAT ARE GATHERED HERE WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR TIME. THEY'VE DEDICATED THEIR TALENTS TO SHAPING NOT JUST THE FUTURE GENERATIONS, BUT LORD GOD, THE NOW GENERATION OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY. BLESS THEM AS THEY POUR. HOUR AFTER HOUR. NOT JUST WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE IT, BUT LORD GOD, AT HOME AT NIGHT, STRETCHING INTO THE EVENINGS AND THE EARLY MORNINGS WHEN NO ONE SEES WHAT THEY DO, YOU RECOGNIZE IT. AND SO I ASK THAT YOU BLESS THEM. LORD, WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM TO GUIDE EVERY DECISION THAT'S MADE IN THIS MEETING. MAY EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED HERE THIS EVENING BE FILLED WITH RESPECT, FILLED WITH YOUR HONOR, COMMITMENT, AND LORD. ABOVE ALL, LET INTEGRITY LEAD. MAY IT BE WHAT'S BEST FOR THE STUDENTS, FOR THE TEACHERS, FOR THE INCREDIBLE FAMILIES OF THE COMMUNITIES OF MESQUITE. GOD WE SPEAK. WE SEEK FOR UNITY. WE SEEK FOR UNDERSTANDING AND JUSTICE AND WHAT IS RIGHT IN ALL THINGS. GOD. WE LIFT UP OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, ALL THE ADMINISTRATION WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO EDUCATE. THEY INSPIRE WHERE INSPIRATION OFTEN SHOULDN'T BE FOUND. THERE. THEY ARE INSPIRING. STRENGTHEN THEM WITH YOUR GRACE. GIVE THEM ENCOURAGEMENT. WE PRAY. GOD, WE PRAY FOR THE STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND A LOVING ENVIRONMENT AND AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S FULL OF JOY AND AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S FULL OF PEACE. WE ALSO PRAY FOR THE PARENTS, LORD GOD AND THE GUARDIANS, THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEM PATIENCE. LORD, AS PARENTS GOD, DO WE EVER NEED PATIENCE TO DEAL WITH THESE KIDS? GIVE US PATIENCE. WE PRAY. GIVE OUR TEACHERS PATIENCE. GIVE US WISDOM WHEN WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ABOUT TO LOSE IT ALL. GIVE US YOUR WISDOM, LORD GOD, AND GIVE THESE TEACHERS YOUR WISDOM. AND FINALLY, LORD, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT APART FROM YOU, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO. SO WE ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE, YOUR PRESENCE THAT MAKES ALL THINGS RIGHT TO BE PART OF THIS MEETING. LET THIS MEETING BE A REFLECTION OF HEAVEN, AND MAY EARTH LINE UP WITH HEAVEN AND THE WILL OF HEAVEN. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. COME ON DOWN.

[00:05:12]

[II. TEAM OF EIGHT MOMENT]

HE'LL BE SWORN IN ON JANUARY THE 15TH. CONGRATULATIONS, KEVIN. I KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE DCAD BOARD AND REPRESENT DALLAS COUNTY FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. NEXT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MISS SABRINA SMITH. GOOD

[III. STUDENT AND STAFF GUESTS]

[00:10:01]

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF REALIZING A DREAM WILL ALWAYS BE THE DREAMER. WE CHOSE THIS BOOK BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP STUDENTS AND STAFF REACH THEIR DREAMS. ONE OF THE THINGS I ADMIRE MOST ABOUT THE MEMBERS OF THIS SCHOOL BOARD IS THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU BELIEVES IN EACH AND EVERY STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER IN MESQUITE ISD. THIS IS EVIDENT IN THE CORE VALUES YOU DEVELOPED, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE FIRST, WHICH ENCOURAGES THE GROWTH OF OTHERS. AS SCHOOL LIBRARIANS, WE ALSO SEEK TO EMPOWER OTHERS TO REACH THEIR DREAMS. SOMETIMES THIS IS OFFERING AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. SOMETIMES IT IS PROVIDING THE SPACE AND TIME TO EXPLORE AND THINK. AND SOMETIMES IT IS SHARING A BOOK THAT INSPIRES. I HOPE AS YOU READ THIS BOOK THAT YOU WILL FIND INSPIRATION AND SEE YOURSELF REFLECTED IN ITS PAGES AS YOU ARE CHASING YOUR DREAM OF WHAT MESQUITE ISD CAN BE. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO EMPOWER THE STUDENTS AND STAFF SO THAT WE CAN REACH OUR DREAMS AS WELL. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE ON STAFF, ADMINISTRATIVE AND THE COMMUNITY OF MESQUITE. I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN THANK OUR SCHOOL BOARD. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS LEADERSHIP FOR TOMORROW'S TEXAS. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AT MESQUITE ISD, TX, YOU WILL BE SEEING SOME TRIBUTES AND BIOS. GET TO KNOW OUR BOARD MEMBERS A LITTLE BIT THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. NOW, WE ARE HONORED TO PRESENT TWO NEW INDUCTEES INTO THE DISTRICT'S PRESTIGIOUS APPLE CORPS PROGRAM. THIS IS SOMETHING WE DO EVERY MONTH. THE APPLE CORPS AWARD IS MADE POSSIBLE BY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE MESQUITE EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND CLAY COOLEY OF MESQUITE. WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD HERE TONIGHT, SO WE'D LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR SUPPORTING OUR EXCELLENT TEACHERS. OUR 1ST JANUARY APPLE CORPS HONOREE IS LINDA HELLWIG OF MESQUITE HIGH SCHOOL. LINDA IS AN AP CALCULUS AND PRE-CALCULUS TEACHER WITH 41 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, ALL IN THE CISD. IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WILL TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO. I WAS GOING TO CLAP JUST FOR BEING AN AP CALCULUS TEACHER. I MEAN, IF TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREENS, WE'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT MISS HOWICK. WHO? COACH LINDA HOWARD CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF HER STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS IN HER DEPARTMENT.

AS DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, SHE ENSURES HER TEACHERS HAVE WHAT WHAT THEY NEED. SO OUR STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL. HER STUDENTS GET THE VERY BEST FROM COACH HELLWIG EVERY DAY. SHE ADJUSTS EACH YEAR TO FIT THEIR NEEDS AND WILL NOT SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN EXCELLENCE FOR HER STUDENTS. I AM VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME COACH HOWARD INTO THE MESQUITE ISD APPLE CORPS. CONGRATULATIONS, COACH HOWELL. I THINK TEACHING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I LOVE TO BE ABLE TO HELP ALL THE STUDENTS THAT STRUGGLE AND THE ONES THAT GET IT REALLY QUICKLY TO HAVE FUN, TO LAUGH, TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, TO WATCH THEM GO, MAN, I GET IT. I MEAN, JUST THE PRIDE IN THEM TO GET THIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S BETTER THAN ANYTHING WHEN YOU CAN DO MATH AND THEN YOU GET IT ON YOUR OWN. I HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS OKAY TO ASK QUESTIONS. IT'S OKAY TO QUESTION ANYBODY. AS LONG AS THEY UNDERSTAND THE WHYS, THEY'LL ALWAYS ACHIEVE WHAT THEY WANT. THANK YOU, MISS HOLLY.

PLEASE COME FORWARD. COME ON UP. IT'S ABOUT TIME, RIGHT? COACH HOWARD TAUGHT MY SON SEVERAL

[00:15:05]

THANK. AGENCIES. YAY! LINDA. IT'S OKAY, I HAVE ALL. THANKS, MOM. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE HERE THAT IS SUPPORTING ME, AND ESPECIALLY ALL THE ONES THAT SUPPORTED ME OVER THE YEARS.

MAN, THIS IS. I DIDN'T THINK I'D BE THIS NERVOUS, BUT I AM. I WANT TO THANK DOCTOR RIVERA AND THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT LUNCH. IT WAS VERY NICE. I WANT TO THANK ALL MY PAST AND PRESENT PRINCIPALS AND OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT MESQUITE HIGH SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT. AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK MR. JOHNSON. IT REALLY IS AN HONOR RECEIVING THIS FROM YOU. I WANT TO THANK MY FRIENDS, MY WORK FAMILY. WE DO BECOME A FAMILY, WORKING HARD FROM EARLY IN THE MORNING TO LATE AT NIGHT. MY BUDS, MY MATH PEEPS. YOU HELPED ME GET THROUGH EACH DAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS, YOUR HUMOR, FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND OF COURSE, OUR PINK AND BLUE HOUSE SPECIAL GATHERINGS. AND IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK MY OH, I WANT TO THANK MY ENTIRE FAMILY.

I COME FROM A REAL BIG FAMILY. THEY TAUGHT ME TO LAUGH AND LAUGH A LOT, TO BE TOUGH, TO WORK HARD, AND HOW TO ALWAYS FIND GOOD IN EVERYONE. THEY KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE TEACHING. THEY KNOW I LOVE BEING A TENNIS COACH AND TEACHING MATH. ALONG WITH DOING AS MANY MATH POSSIBLE. MY.

I WANT TO THANK MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MY BROTHER THAT'S HERE TODAY AND MY SISTER IN LAW. THEY TRUSTED ME TO TUTOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN. I DID THIS IN MY KITCHEN. I CALLED IT MY SANCTUARY. THEY CALLED IT THE TORTURE TABLE. THEY THEY STILL LAUGH ABOUT IT TODAY. YOU KNOW, THEY WORK REALLY HARD ON MATH. WHILE I WAS ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. SANCTUARY. TORTURE TABLE. DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE. YOU KNOW. I WANT TO THANK MY MOM AND MY DAD. THEY'RE HERE. YOU HEARD MY MOM. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ME ALL THE WAY FROM A VERY EARLY AGE. PROUD TO SAY MY MOM WAS ALSO A TEACHER. ONE OF MY FAVORITE MEMORIES WAS SHE BROUGHT HOME THIS GIANT WHEEL.

AND IT WAS PRECOMPUTER DAYS. AND IT HAD PROBLEMS ON IT. AND YOU'D ANSWER IT, AND THEN YOU WOULD PULL DOWN AND TURN TO SEE IF YOU GET THE MATH RIGHT. TO ME, THAT WAS REALLY FUN. I ALWAYS LOVED DOING MATH. MY DAD, MY DAD ALWAYS TRIED TO CHALLENGE ME. IF I HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH MATH, MY MOM WOULD SEND ME, GO, GO ASK YOUR DAD. HE CHALLENGED ME IN MANY THINGS PLAYING CHESS, PLAYING TENNIS. AFTER A LONG DAYS OF WORK. AND TODAY HE SENDS ME A MATH PUZZLE. SUDOKU. EVERY SINGLE MORNING. LOVE YOU, MOM AND DAD. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK MY HUSBAND, BOB, TIFFANY AND DYLAN. YOU GUYS ARE MY HEART. AND YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE HOW MUCH WORK I PUT INTO THIS JOB. BOB HAS BEEN THERE TO SUPPORT ME. HE IS MY BIGGEST CHEERLEADER. MY TWO KIDS, WHO ARE BOTH AMAZING YOUNG ADULTS NOW, THEY SHARED ME ON SO MANY OCCASIONS WITH MY MATH STUDENTS, WITH MY TENNIS PLAYERS. I ACTUALLY GOT TO GO ON SOME FUN PLAYOFF GAMES BOTH IN TENNIS AND GOLF. AND I YOU KNOW, I WAS BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO TEACH TIFFANY AND COACH HER AT MESQUITE HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS BLESSED TO SHARE MY TENNIS LOVE WITH MY SON, AND THEY CURRENTLY LIVE IN CALIFORNIA IN AUSTIN, BUT THEY ARE HERE TONIGHT ON FACETIME. SHE'S GOT TO STOP. I LOVE WHAT I DO. MANY ASK MY ANSWER. MANY ASK ME WHY. MY ANSWER. WHEN YOU HEAR A STUDENT

[00:20:02]

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT APPLE CORPS HONOREE THIS EVENING IS YESENIA PEREZ OF FLORENCE ELEMENTARY.

YESENIA IS A SECOND GRADE BILINGUAL TEACHER WITH EIGHT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HERE IN MESQUITE ISD. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT MAKES MISS PEREZ AN APPLE CORPS TEACHER. FLORENCE IS SO PROUD OF MISS PEREZ. SHE IS AN AMAZING EDUCATOR. SHE IS A LEADER IN EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES WITH HER STUDENTS. SHE TAKES A VESTED INTEREST IN THEIR SUCCESS, NOT ONLY ACADEMICALLY, BUT ALSO IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVE. AND JUST ALL AROUND THIS BED IS. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR BECOMING AN APPLE CORPS RECIPIENT. IT'S A HIGH, HIGH HONOR AND WE COULDN'T THINK OF ANYONE MORE DESERVING FOR THAT THIS YEAR. FLORENCE ELEMENTARY IS REALLY PROUD AND YOU DESERVE IT. SO I THINK TEACHING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BUILD OUR STUDENTS FOR OUR FUTURE. THEY ARE GOING TO BE OUR FUTURE LEADERS SOMEDAY, SO WE NEED TO BUILD IN THEM, RELATE WITH THEM. RELATIONSHIPS, ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THEY NEED TO ASPIRE TO BE SOMEONE IN THE FUTURE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN AS TEACHERS. SO IT'S NOT JUST THE EDUCATIONAL PART, IT'S ALSO THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL PART THAT IS GOING TO HELP US BUILD THOSE FUTURE LEADERS.

OKAY. WHEREAS THE MESQUITE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF TRUST BOARD OF TRUSTEES SEEKS TO HONOR OUTSTANDING CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS AT MESQUITE ISD. AND WHEREAS, THE MESQUITE ISD APPLE CORPS CONSISTS OF EXCEPTIONAL TEACHERS NOMINATED BY THEIR PEERS TO RECEIVE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S HIGHEST RECOGNITION. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OFFICIALLY WELCOMES YESENIA PEREZ TO THE MESQUITE ISD APPLE CORPS ON THIS DAY, 13TH DAY OF JANUARY. THANK YOU.

I'M GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE TO BREATHE. OKAY. SO GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD TODAY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR HIS GUIDANCE AND BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE. WITHOUT HIS GRACE, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. TAMIAMI GUSTARIA EXPRESAR. MISMA FAMILIA SU APOYO YAMORANSA MI FUNDAMENTO A MIS PADRES SEPARAN, POR FAVOR.

MAMA, MI PAPA. GRACIAS POR SU INTERMINABLE ALIENTO. DE LOS VALORES CONFORMADO. QUIÉN SOY? JUAN FUENTE DE PIERRE? I HAD TO DO THAT AS AN ORDER, BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU WON'T GET IT. ME AND MY. GRACIAS POR MI APOYO. AND ME AND ME FOR. IN DESAFIO. I MISS THOSE INCREDIBLES, SEBASTIAN Y ESTEBAN. USTEDES ALEGRIA. INSPIRATION A MI VIDA. APRENDER ARANCEDO A SEDONA. MIS MEJORES BENDICIONES A TODOS MIS ESTUDIANTES. USTEDES SON ME. INSPIRATION. SU. DEDICATION.

ENTHUSIASM. IMPULSAR. UNA MEJOR MAESTRA CADA DIA ESTE PREMIO SANTO SUYO COMO MIO TO MY COLLEAGUES AND ADMIN, PLEASE SEND IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COLLABORATION, FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT WORKING ALONGSIDE SUCH TALENTED AND PASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN A

[00:25:03]

CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU. YOU TWO. BOB. SABRINA. ALL RIGHT. IT'S TIME FOR US TO RECOGNIZE OUR OUTSTANDING PARAPROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH WITH THE STAR PAIR AWARD. WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE FIRST FINANCIAL GROUP OF AMERICA PARTNERING WITH US TO PROVIDE THE STAR PAIR RECIPIENT A $50 GIFT CARD. I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR FFG, A REPRESENTATIVE, TO JOIN OUR JANUARY STAR PARA MISS LORI LAO AT THE FRONT, ALONG WITH ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES DOCTOR LESLIE FEINGLASS AT THE PODIUM. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A PHOTO AND CONGRATULATE MISS LORI LAO. MISS. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT, STEWARD. TRUSTEES. DOCTOR RIVERA. TONIGHT WE GET TO HONOR LORI LAO AND THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT SHE HAS ON OUR TEAM. IF THERE'S ONE WORD THAT DESCRIBES LORI, IT'S DEDICATED. SHE APPROACHES EVERY TASK WITH A LEVEL OF FOCUS AND CARE THAT IS TRULY INSPIRING. WHETHER IT'S ORGANIZING SCHEDULES, MANAGING DEADLINES, OR SOLVING UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES, SHE CONSISTENTLY THINKS THROUGH EVERY DETAIL, ENSURING NOTHING FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS. HER ABILITY TO ANTICIPATE THE NEEDS OF OUR TEAM SHOWS HER COMMITMENT TO OUR DEPARTMENT. LORI GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS TAKEN CARE OF AND HAS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. HER KINDNESS SHINES THROUGH IN EVERY INTERACTION, MAKING EVERYONE FEEL VALUED AND APPRECIATED. HER HELPFUL NATURE MAKES HER THE GO TO PERSON FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS, EVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IN OUR DEPARTMENT. LORI IS NOT JUST AN EXCEPTIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, SHE IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS OUR TEAM TOGETHER. ON BEHALF OF OUR DEPARTMENT, WE THANK HER FOR HER HARD WORK AND HER THOUGHTFULNESS. THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS, MISS LAO. NEXT, WE ARE PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE TWO COMMUNITY PARTNERS TONIGHT WHO HAVE SUPPORTED MESQUITE ISD AND THE MESQUITE ISD COMMUNITY. FIRST UP IS DALLAS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, WHO'S PARTNERED RECENTLY WITH REPLAY TALK TO LAUNCH A NEW BABY BOOK BAG PROGRAM. WE HAVE A VIDEO HERE TO SHOW YOU MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT PARTNERSHIP. WE'RE EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE DALLAS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AS OUR FEATURED MESQUITE ISD COMMUNITY PARTNER. THIS FALL, DALLAS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER PARTNERED WITH REPLAY TALK TO ESTABLISH THE BABY BOOK BAG PROGRAM, WHICH ARE DISTRIBUTED TO NEW MOMS AFTER THEY DELIVER A BABY AT THEIR HOSPITAL. INSIDE THE BABY BOOK BAGS, FAMILIES CAN FIND A BILINGUAL BOARD BOOK, A DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE CHART, AND INFORMATION FROM SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE'RE STRONG SUPPORTERS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE. SO IT WAS JUST A SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO BLEND THEM BOTH, TO BRING EDUCATION TO THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HOPEFULLY SOON TO BE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE WANTED THAT TO GET THE INFORMATION INTO THOSE FAMILIES HANDS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THEY COULD TAKE THE STEPS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS ON THE GROWTH CHART AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE KEEPING THEIR FAMILIES HEALTHY. THANK YOU, DALLAS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF REPLAY TALK AND MESQUITE ISD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO DALLAS REGIONAL MEDICAL

[00:30:13]

ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE LINCOLN ALLEN FROM POTEET HIGH SCHOOL, ACADEMIC ALL-STATE SECOND TEAM FOR FOOTBALL. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP WE HAVE YARETZI FUNEZ FOR HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC ALL-STATE SECOND TEAM FOR FOOTBALL. AND JOSE KUNA POTEET HIGH SCHOOL SECOND TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-STATE FOR FOOTBALL. AND ASHTYN JIMENEZ POTEET HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC ALL-STATE SECOND TEAM FOR FOOTBALL. NEXT UP IS TRINITY ALCID, POTEET HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC ALL-STATE TEAM FOR VOLLEYBALL. NEXT UP, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON

[00:35:17]

ANOTHER JAGUAR CODY WRIGHT, SECOND TEAM ALL ACADEMIC ALL-STATE FOR FOOTBALL.

AND WE HAVE ONE FINAL RECOGNITION TONIGHT. WE HAVE AN EXCELLENCE IN FINE ARTS RECOGNITION FOR FAITH BUCKLEY. THIS PAST WEEKEND, FAITH WAS SELECTED TO REPRESENT POTEET HIGH SCHOOL AND MESQUITE ISD AS AN ALL-STATE DANCER AT TDE, ALONG WITH 270 DANCERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. THEY PERFORMED AT THE TDA CONVENTION THIS PAST FRIDAY NIGHT. FAITH WAS ALSO RECOGNIZED WITH THE CP INTENSIFY SCHOLARSHIP FROM CHOREOGRAPHER PHIL WRIGHT. FAITH IS HERE WITH HER SPONSOR, NICOLE MOISON. AND THIS CONCLUDES OUR CELEBRATION OF RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE IN MESQUITE ISD.

BEFORE WE TAKE A RECESS, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO STAY WHEN WE RECONVENE TO GO OVER SOME IMPORTANT BUSINESS. AND ONE OF THOSE IS A FACILITIES COMMITTEE REPORT THAT SOME OF YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN. BUT PRIOR TO THAT, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND BOARD MEMBERS, YOU CAN JUMP IN. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION FROM THE MAYOR AND THE LIBRARY AND THE ADMINISTRATORS. WE LOVE WHAT WE DO. ALL OF US FOCUS ON WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS IN THIS DISTRICT. WE WORK HARD AT IT. EVERY ONE OF THESE MEMBERS, THEY DO THEIR WORK, THEY STUDY, THEY TRAIN, AND THEY HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE, EVERYBODY'S FEET TO THE FIRE. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR KIDS, WE'VE GOT GREAT STAFF IN THIS DISTRICT. WE'VE GOT GREAT EDUCATORS. WE LOVE WHAT WE DO. AND THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS FOR THAT RECOGNITION. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. IF. IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU GUYS COULD WAIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, I THINK THIS PRESENTATION WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT. IF YOU'LL LET US MOVE THAT UP, WE'LL TAKE A BREAK RIGHT AFTER THIS PRESENTATION. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMUNITY FOR EVERYBODY TO HEAR THIS. SO IF YOU IF YOU CAN STAY, WE APPRECIATE IT. IF YOU CAN'T I

[00:40:04]

PARTICIPATION CONSISTED OF STUDENTS. WE HAD STUDENTS FROM EVERY FEEDER PATTERN. WE HAD PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, CIVIC LEADERS, GRANDPARENTS, BOARD MEMBERS WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE, AND WE HAD A LOT OF FUN AND A LOT OF ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FACILITIES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO RIGHT NOW IS I THINK WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SERVED ON THAT FACILITY COMMITTEE, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PARTICIPATION. THEY WERE EXTREMELY COMMITTED AND SHOWED UP AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING, AND WE'RE JUST SO THANKFUL FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS. SO IF YOU WERE ON THE FACILITY COMMITTEE AND YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, WILL YOU PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU? ONCE WE DECIDED THAT IT WAS TIME FOR US TO CONVENE THAT FACILITY COMMITTEE, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE WANTED TO DO WAS GIVE THEM A REALLY SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF DISTRICT HISTORY, FINANCES, FACILITY NEEDS AND OPERATIONS. AND THEN AFTER WE GAVE THEM THAT BASELINE UNDERSTANDING, WE TOOK THEM THROUGH A PROTOCOL TO PRIORITIZE OUR FACILITY NEEDS. WE LOOKED AT THEM THROUGH A LENS OF WHAT ARE OUR MOST URGENT NEEDS VERSUS LESSER URGENT NEEDS, AND WHICH NEEDS REALLY HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND DEVELOP CONSENSUS ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS THE DISTRICT NEEDS. AND THEN ULTIMATELY THAT COMMITTEE AFTER AFTER MULTIPLE MEETINGS, THEY CAME TO CONSENSUS ABOUT A RECOMMENDATION. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT IS TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT THAT COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION IS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, IT WILL BE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT THAT RECOMMENDATION. BUT THAT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING TONIGHT. TONIGHT IS INFORMATION ONLY SO THAT YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THE PRESENTATION FROM THE COMMITTEE AND CERTAINLY ASK US ANY QUESTIONS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER FIRST TO LEXI BANUELOS, OUR STUDENT FROM POTEET HIGH SCHOOL. AND SHE'S GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW OUR FIRST MEETING TOGETHER PROCEED. EXCUSE ME. PROCEEDED. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I SHOULD JUST CLICK THERE ON MY PANTS. GOOD

[00:45:06]

THOSE PERCENTAGES DON'T ADD UP TO 100%, BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS WERE ALLOWED TO SELECT FROM MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY. THIS SLIDE SHOW SHOWS THE LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN MISD. AS YOU CAN SEE, AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS ARE SOMEWHAT SATISFIED TO VERY SATISFIED. HERE WE SEE THAT WHEN ASKED IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT RAISING TAXES TO IMPROVE SCHOOLS, 70% AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED. IN THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE OVERALL SUPPORT FOR A BOND ELECTION TO BUILD NEW EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND ADDITIONS WAS VERY HIGH, WITH 41% BEING VERY LIKELY AND 24% BEING SOMEWHAT LIKELY TO SUPPORT A BOND. THIS IS A VERY POSITIVE RESPONSE NUMBER FOR AN INITIAL SURVEY SUCH AS THIS. ALSO, AT THE VERY FIRST MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE'S CALL TO ACTION.

THREE THINGS THAT WE WOULD FOCUS ON AS WE WORK TO UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT'S NEEDS, AND WORKED AS A COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE WHAT, IF ANY, ACTION WE WOULD RECOMMEND. AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO MISS CASSANDRA MORRIS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR SECOND MEETING. THIS MONTH. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CASSANDRA MORRIS, PARENT TO MERCUTIO. HE ATTENDS KIMBRO MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M ALSO PTO CAMPUS PARENT. I WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE WITH YOU A RECAP OF THE COMMITTEE'S SECOND MEETING, WHICH WAS HELD ON OCTOBER 21ST. DURING THE FIRST PORTION OF THE MEETING WAS LEARNED ABOUT HOW PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE WORKS. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE LEARNED IS THAT ALL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS HAVE TWO MAIN FUNDING BUCKETS THAT MAKE UP THEIR BUDGET, AND THE MONEY IN EACH OF THOSE BUCKETS CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON CERTAIN THINGS. THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS BUDGET IS THE DISTRICT'S GENERAL OPERATING FUND, AND IS USED TO PAY FOR ANNUAL DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS LIKE SALARIES, SUPPLIES, UTILITIES, INSURANCES, REPAIRS, FUELS, ETC. THE INTEREST AND SEEK THE INTEREST AND SEEKING FUND CAN ONLY BE USED TO PAY BACK DEBT FOR ITEMS SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION INNOVATIONS, ROOFING, HVAC, BUSSES, TECHNOLOGY, ETC. SCHOOLS HAVE TO ISSUE BONDS IF APPROVED BY VOTERS IN AN ELECTION. TO COMPLETE ANY OF THESE BIG TICKET ITEMS, SIMILAR TO A FAMILY TAKING OUT A MORTGAGE, A BOND IS A CONTRACT TO REPAY BORROWED MONEY OVER TIME WITH A FIXED TAPPED TAX EXEMPT INTEREST RATE.

WE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT OUR BOND CAPACITY AND TAX RATE HISTORY. FIRST, IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN VOTERS APPROVED THE VAYDOR IN NOVEMBER OF 2022, THAT WAS A THREE PENNY INCREASE TO THE M AND O TAX RATE, WHICH, AS WE SAW IN THE LAST SLIDE, IS THE GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET.

THE INCREASED FUNDING FROM THE PASSAGE ALLOWED THE DISTRICT TO PROVIDE TEACHER AND STAFF RAISES AND MAKE SOME SAFETY AND SECURITY UPGRADES. HOWEVER, THOSE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS DO NOT GO IN THE I AND S BUCKET TO FUND ANY OF THE FACILITIES NEEDS PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE. EVEN WITH THE INCREASE TO THE M AND ZERO BUDGET, THE DISTRICT HAS LOWERED THE OVERALL TAX RATE BY OVER $0.42 SINCE 2018, WITH A CONSERVATIVE GROWTH RATE IN THE TAX BASE AND A PENNY INCREASE ON THE INS SIDE OF THE TAX RATE. THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR EXPLAINED THAT OUR BOND CAPACITY IS APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY 600 MILLION. THE SECOND HALF OF MEETING TWO, WE GOT A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE FACILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT. BEFORE WE BEGIN TO SORT AND PRIORITIZE PROJECTS, WE LOOKED AT THREE IMPORTANT CATEGORIES TO CONSIDER. NUMBER ONE, THE

[00:50:05]

[00:55:03]

THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GOING TO BE OUTLINED IN THE NEXT SLIDE. SO OUR CAMPUSES, THE DISTRICT HAS DONE A LOT DURING THE LAST 12, 15 YEARS AND MAKING OUR CAMPUSES MORE SECURE. AND THAT STARTS WITH YOUR PORT OF ENTRY GOING INTO THE CAMPUSES. BACK AT ONE TIME, ALL THE SCHOOLS, YOU WOULD WALK THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND HAVE TO HUNT FOR THE OFFICE. YOU DIDN'T GO THROUGH ANY CHECKPOINT WHERE SOMEONE ASKED YOU FOR ID, WHY ARE YOU HERE? WHAT DO YOU NEED? AND SO TWO OF OUR CAMPUSES, A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MCDONALD MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY'RE IN NEED OF SOME BASIC MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT. ALSO SECURE FESTIVAL AT THE ENTRY AREA SO THAT THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE DEFINITELY NECESSARY TO MANAGE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC IN OUR BUILDING. AND THE ONE THING THAT WE CANNOT HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS IS PEOPLE THAT WALK THROUGH A FRONT DOOR AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WANDER OVER, WHETHER IT'S IF IT'S A HORN, IT'S A 400 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND SQUARE FEET. WITHOUT GOING THROUGH CHECKPOINTS, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE RECONSTRUCT THOSE CAMPUSES ENTRY POINTS AS WELL AS ADDRESS EACH CAMPUS BASIC MAINTENANCE NEEDS. OUR RECOMMENDATION ALSO INCLUDES INSTALLING ENHANCED SECURITY TECHNOLOGY TO AID IN PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO ANY POSSIBLE INTRUDERS AT OUR CAMPUSES. ANOTHER SAFETY RECOMMENDATION INCLUDES RELOCATING SOME OF THE ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUNDS CLOSER TO THE BUILDING AND ADDING PERIMETER FENCES, FENCING, AS WELL AS IMPROVING AND UPDATING AGING PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. IF YOU LIVED IN MESQUITE LAWN, YOU KNOW THAT MOST OF OUR ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUNDS ARE A SHARED PLAYGROUND. COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF MESQUITE, AND DURING THE DAYTIME, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE VISITING THE PARK, SAY, AT ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES, AND THEY CAN JUST COME UP AND HAVE OPPORTUNITY AND PLAY INTO WHATEVER THEY WANT ON OUR PLAYGROUND. SO THIS IS IMPORTANT. THE FENCING WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE PROTECTED FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THAT JUST HAPPENED TO COME AND WANT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE PLAYGROUND. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION ALSO INCLUDES ADDRESSING THE CONTINUING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF OUR DISTRICT, BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS. WHILE WHILE THE RECENT ADDITIONS AT HAWTHORNE HIGH SCHOOL ACCOMMODATES THE CURRENT AND PROJECTED ENROLLMENT FOR THE CAMPUS. BUT THE FIELD HOUSE IS A PROBLEM. WHEN THIS SCHOOL WAS CONSTRUCTED, HORN HAD AN ENROLLMENT OF 1300 STUDENTS.

THIS SPACE IS NO LONGER ADEQUATE FOR INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAMING, SO OUR RECOMMENDATION INCLUDES AN EXPANSION OF THE FIELD HOUSE AT HORN HIGH SCHOOL. HORN HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS RIGHT AT 2700 STUDENTS. AS OF THIS MORNING, IT'S 2697 STUDENTS AT HORN, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 1397 RIGHT AT 1400 STUDENTS. AND THAT FIELD HOUSE. AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT FIELD HOUSE IS JUST NOT FOOTBALL. IT'S FOR ALL OF OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND USE FOR ALL THOSE STUDENTS AT HORN HIGH SCHOOL. EACH CAMPUS, WE RECOMMEND EXPANSION OF THREE ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES. THAT IS ELEMENTARY IS AT CAPACITY. WE ARE RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE EXPANDED, PLUS BASIC MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS. IN ADDITION TO THE STORM SHELTERS. THE SAME AT THOMPSON ELEMENTARY RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE EXPANDED, PLUS BASIC MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS, PLUS AN ADDITION OF A STORM SHELTER. AND WITH SMITH ELEMENTARY THE SAME RECOMMENDATION, BASIC

[01:00:02]

[01:05:02]

THERE IS NOT MUCH WE CAN DO NOW. THIS IS BASED A LOT ON WEATHER RELATED INCIDENTS. DO THE FIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IMPACTED? ABSOLUTELY. YOU BET. SO THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO OTHER THAN TO PRESENT THE DISTRICT TO THE UNDERWRITING COMMUNITY AS A, AS A, AS A CONSUMER. AND WE HAVE RISK MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT WILL LESSEN OUR LOSS. AND SO, AS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE BUYING HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE, IT'S JUST LIKE A COMMERCIAL. WHAT IS THE AGE OF YOUR ROOF? IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ENJOYED IN THE DISTRICT IS OUR ROOF REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION ON. WE SHARE THAT WITH THE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING COMMUNITY IS THE INSPECTION OF OUR FACILITIES. AND THESE TWO THINGS HAS RESULTED IN THE DISTRICT GETTING EXTREMELY FAVORABLE INSURANCE RATES ON OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS AND AN INSURANCE RATE. AND I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS UP HERE, BUT THE INSURANCE RATE IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU PAY PER $100 VALUE. MESQUITE ISD, ON ITS $1.95 BILLION WORTH OF TOTAL INSURED VALUE. WE PAY $0.10 PER $100 VALUE. I HAVE A SPREADSHEET I'M NOT GOING TO PUT UP HERE TONIGHT, BUT THERE ARE 15 DISTRICTS IN THE NORTH TEXAS AREA THAT HAS AT LEAST $1 BILLION IN PROPERTY VALUE. THE RATES THAT THEY'RE PAYING, IT'S ALL OVER THE BOARD. IT RANGES FROM A LOW OF $0.10 PER $100 VALUE, UP TO $0.51. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THIS NORTH TEXAS AREA. AND FORTUNATELY AND MESQUITE PAYS A $0.10 PER $100 RATE. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE AVERAGE DISTRICT AND WHEN I AVERAGED ALL 15 OF THEM, THEIR AVERAGE RATE AMONG THE 15 IS $0.30. SO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR $0.10. COMPARE IT TO THE AVERAGE OF $0.30. RIGHT NOW WE'RE PAYING $3.3 MILLION FOR OUR $1.9 BILLION WORTH OF PROPERTY INSURANCE. AND WE HAVE A VERY FAVORABLE RATE.

AND THIS PROGRAM WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE. AND BY ESTIMATING AND LOOKING AT THIS, IF WE WERE TO HAVE TO PAY $0.30, THEN YOU MULTIPLY THAT 3.3 MILLION TIMES THREE. AND THE OTHER THING IS YOUR CLAIM HISTORY, YOUR LOSS HISTORY, THOSE TYPE THINGS DO IMPACT IT AS WELL. A BUS REPLACEMENT CYCLE. WE HAVE SOME AGING BUSSES. YOU'VE SEEN THEM, YOU'VE SEEN THE NEW BUSSES, YOU'VE SEEN SOME AGING BUSSES. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT. AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE LAW

[01:10:03]

VEGETABLES, VEGETABLES, TEN STORM SHELTERS I ENHANCED SECURITY CAMERAS, CONSOLIDATE THE TWO OLDEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION, REDUCED 53 PORTABLES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR INSTRUCTION. DECREASE THE CROWDING PATTERN AND HORN AREA.

INCREASED OUTDOOR SAFETY FOR MOST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND EXTEND THE TIME INTO ANOTHER BOARD TO ANOTHER BOND IS NEEDED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR FIELDS IS COMING UP. I WANT TO THANK LEXI, CASSANDRA AND JAMES. THANK YOU FOR THESE OUTSTANDING REPORTS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMITTEES AS A STUDENT. THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THE STUDENT BODY AND JAMES FOR REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY AND A FORMER EMPLOYEE, AND CASSANDRA FOR REPRESENTING THE PARENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. IT'S OPEN FOR QUESTIONS FOR YOU. COMMENTS. I WAS FORTUNATE TO SIT ON THE COMMITTEE WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING GROUP OF PEOPLE, LOTS OF CONVERSATION, LOTS OF THINGS, AND LOTS OF INSIGHT AS TO WHERE WE ARE WITH THE DISTRICT AND A LOT OF THE FACILITIES. AND THAT WAS A GREAT REPORT. AND IT'S STILL THERE'S JUST SO MUCH OUT THERE WE WISH WE COULD DO. BUT IT'S ONLY MONEY, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE WE'VE GOT SOME TREES PLANTED OUT BACK, BUT THEY JUST HAVEN'T COME TO FRUITION YET FOR MONEY TREES. BUT I THINK THIS IS THIS IS A GOOD PRODUCT FROM THE COMMITTEE AND I THINK THEY'VE ADDRESSED OUR NEEDS. IT WAS REALLY INSIGHTFUL TO SEE THAT AS THEY GOT TOGETHER, TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS WHAT IS HIGH IMPACT AND WHAT'S WHAT'S NOT AND WHAT'S HIGH WHAT WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS VERSUS THAT, HOW MANY STUDENTS IT'S GOING TO IMPACT? I THINK WE'VE DONE WELL AS A BOARD IN THE PAST. BONDS WE'VE DONE IS TO TRY TO IMPACT AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE WITH THAT MONEY, TRYING TO BE PRUDENT WITH THAT MONEY. I THINK EVERY FEEDER PATTERN IN THIS PRESENTATION IS REPRESENTED. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO GET DONE TO WHERE WITH WITH THIS PACKAGE, I THINK WE CAN GO MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE, HOPEFULLY WITHOUT HAVING TO DO THIS AGAIN AND GET A LOT OF THINGS TAKEN CARE OF. STORM SHELTERS IS A BIG THING. I THINK THIS THE PACKAGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT IT'S I THINK IT'S WAS IT A TOTAL OF 9 OR 10 STORM SHELTERS, TEN, TEN TOTAL STORM SHELTERS. AND THAT GETS US ALMOST A THIRD OF THE WAY TO FINISH OUR DISTRICT OUT, WHICH IS A HUGE LEAP. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK ON SOME MORE OF THAT IN THE FUTURE. BUT IT WAS A VERY GOOD PROCESS AND I THINK IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD INFORMATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE? DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING? THE ENTIRE FACILITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE IS $600 MILLION BOND TO TACKLE THE NEEDS CAN INCLUDED IN THIS RECOMMENDATION. I LIKE EDDIE AND KEVIN SERVED ON THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL. AND WE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INFORMATION COMING FROM OUR ARCHITECTURAL FIRM, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, DOCTOR RIVERA, DOCTOR FIELDS. MR. PRADO MADE SOME GREAT PRESENTATIONS. THIS REPORT WAS A WHOLE LOT MORE DETAILED THAN WHAT I WAS ANTICIPATING. AND OUR 125 YEAR HISTORY OF MESQUITE ISD. THERE WAS A BOND REFERENDUM BACK IN 1937 THAT WAS FOR $10,000. THAT'S THE ONLY BOND REFERENDUM THAT'S EVER FAILED IN THIS COMMUNITY. THROUGHOUT THE 125 YEARS. I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS REGARDING THAT, BUT THIS COMMUNITY AND THE VOTERS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE WILLINGNESS TO INVEST IN THE STUDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND LIKE EDDIE SAID, EVERY BOND PACKAGE THAT WE'VE EVER HELD AND THE VOTERS HAVE APPROVED HAS GENERALLY AFFECTED EVERY STUDENT WITHIN THE MESQUITE ISD. AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT REPORT THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME THAT WAS SPENT. FANTASTIC. MR. EVERETT, IF I

[01:15:01]

THIS WHOLE GROUP WAS AGREEABLE. AND THE END RESULT, AND I THINK THEY HAD YOU HAD VERY GOOD REPRESENTATION FROM YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR PARENTS, EVEN YOUR STUDENTS THAT WERE THERE AND UNDERSTOOD COMPLETELY MADE SOME GREAT QUESTIONS. AND THANK GOD, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE UNDERSTANDING THEY NEEDED. WE TACKLED SAFETY. WE TACKLED AGING BUILDINGS, TRANSPORTATION. THESE WERE THE MAJOR NEEDS. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. LIKE LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FUEL TANKS AND ALL THAT. MR. HUCKABEE MENTIONED. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SOMETHING NOW AND WE CAN'T WAIT BECAUSE THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT'S GOING TO BE TO REALLY FIX ANY ISSUES THAT COME ABOUT. SO I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THIS TEAM. AND WHAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS, HAS COME UP WITH. AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE BE A PART OF IT. THANK YOU. DOWN THE ROAD. OKAY. I WANT TO THANK YOU, COMMITTEE, FOR INCLUDING EVERYBODY. EVERY ONE OF THE FEEDER PATTERNS HAS SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM THIS BOND. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE VOTERS IS THAT NOBODY'S LEFT BEHIND. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THAT'S A GOOD INSIGHT. THAT IS GOOD INSIGHT. OUR NEEDS TO THE DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU. I WOULD ECHO ALL THAT I I'VE SEEN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST TWO BOND ISSUES THAT WE'VE DONE. AND WE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DO MORE THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT WITH EACH OF THOSE BECAUSE WE WERE. SO WE MANAGE OUR FINANCES SO WELL, AND I EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN HERE AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. IT'S A BIG NUMBER, BUT THERE'S BIG NEEDS AND BIG BENEFIT FOR EVERYBODY. SO THANK YOU. COMING OUT OF IT Y'ALL YOU Y'ALL THAT WERE THERE. Y'ALL FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED. YES MA'AM. YOU DO OKAY. GOOD DEAL. JUST ONE MORE JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF THIS GETS APPROVED, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $0.01 TAX INCREASE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER IN MESQUITE? CAN YOU JUST YELL IT FROM THIS? YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST YELL IT FROM THE CHEAP SEATS. IT'S FINE. WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE. SO CURRENTLY THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE IN THE CITY, WHEN WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE $100,000 HOMESTEAD. SO YOU TAKE THAT OFF THE TOP. IT'S APPROXIMATELY $170,000 ON THAT.

A PENNY WOULD BE AN ANNUAL IMPACT OF ABOUT $17 ON A HOME THAT IS WORTH $250,000, AGAIN, MINUS THE 100,000 HOMESTEAD. THAT WILL BE AN ANNUAL INCREASE OF ABOUT $25. AND ON THE HOME, THAT'S $350,000. IT WOULD BE ABOUT $35 ANNUALLY. SO ON AVERAGE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $30 A YEAR INCREASE IN YOUR TAXES. IF THIS WERE TO PASS, I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD INVESTMENT. GOOD BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. YEAH. WHEN YOU STAND IN YOUR GROUPS AND Y'ALL HAD YOUR DISCUSSION AND YOU PUSHED SOME THINGS OFF, THE THINGS THAT CAME TO THE TOP, YOU'RE READY TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE NEED THIS LIKE RIGHT NOW. YES YOU DO. YEAH. GOOD. I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S A BIG IT'S A BIG NUMBER. AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SAYING IT'S A PENNY AND WE'RE

[01:20:02]

YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY CONFIDENTLY, YES, I WANTED THIS, I CHOSE THIS, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR THEM SAY. THEY DID. BEFORE I CLOSE, I'M GOING TO LET DOCTOR RIVERA MAKE A FEW COMMENTS HERE. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE PRESENTERS WHO VOLUNTEERED AND PUT YOURSELF IN A IN A VULNERABLE SPOT TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE THAT SERVED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT WE HAVE FOUR MEETINGS PLANNED OUT FOR THIS COMMITTEE, AND IN THE THREE MEETINGS THEY WERE ALL AT NIGHT. THEY GAVE UP TIME. THEY WERE ON TASK, THEY WERE INVESTED. AND THE ONE THING THAT I CAN SAY IS THEY HAD THE CALL TO ACTION IN MIND, BUT THEY HAD STUDENTS AT THE CENTER OF EVERY DECISION THEY MADE. AND IT JUST WARMED MY HEART TO SIT THERE AND PARTICIPATE IN ALL THESE MEETINGS. SO BOARD, I KNOW THIS IS AN INFORMATION ONLY ITEM TONIGHT. NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. WE WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION FROM NOW UNTIL THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MY LAST COMMENTS. LAST COMMENTS. FIRST OFF, I ECHO WHAT HE SAID. THANK YOU VERY MUCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND OUR PRESENTERS. FOR THE PRESENTERS, WE NEED SOME PICTURES SO THAT WE CAN PUT YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBERS OUT FOR PEOPLE TO CALL YOU AFTERWARDS.

AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS PROCESS. BUT NO, SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL TELL YOU, THIS BOARD HAS BEEN LOOKING AT FACILITIES, REPORTS AND THINGS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND MORE, MORE SO THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND WE EVEN HAD A WORK SESSION TO KIND OF START GOING OVER SOME OF THIS AGAIN. SO THIS THIS BOARD HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN IT LISTENING TO YOU. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE YEOMAN'S WORK ON THIS THING. WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND TO ALL THOSE THAT STAYED FOR THIS, I KNOW THAT IT'S HARD TO STAY, BUT I THINK THIS INFORMATION IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND STAYING HERE AND JOINING US IN THAT. WITH THAT SAID, IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, YOU HAVE ANY MORE. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, MISS BANUELOS. YES. YOUR MOM AND DAD ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU, I SAW YOU. I WANT TO KNOW THAT AT THAT DEBATE, THE ONE I JUDGED. DID YOU WIN THAT ONE? I WON SECOND OVERALL. OH, YOU SHOULD HAVE GOT FIRST. BUT ANYWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE. THANK YOU AGAIN.

WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A TEN WE WILL NOW RECONVENE FROM OUR BREAK. AND THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE AUDIENCE SECTION.

MISS SMITH, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT? THERE BEING NONE.

[V. CONSENT AGENDA]

[VI. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT]

EVALUATION OF SUPERINTENDENT. SCHOOLS WILL HANDLE THAT IN OUR SECOND EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER THE MEET AT THE END OF THE MEETING. NEXT ITEM IS ACTION ITEM. WE HAD THE EVALUATION AND FIRST EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE GENERAL COUNCIL, AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON HIS CONTRACT RENEWAL. MAKE A MOTION. WE ACCEPT RENEW THE CONTRACT. GENERAL COUNCIL IS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ALL RIGHT. SECOND AND I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. BINGHAM AND A SECOND BY MISS COLLIER TO APPROVE THE GENERAL COUNSEL'S CONTRACT AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? THERE BEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING I, I THOSE OPPOSED. NO MOTION PASSES. SEVEN ZERO. YOU MADE IT ANOTHER ANOTHER YEAR OR SO. CONGRATULATIONS. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU. ARE YOU GOING TO WALK UP TO ME? OH WE DO. SHOULD WE HAVE HAD THAT WALK UP SONG A SECOND AGO? OH. WAS THAT TAYLOR'S RENDITION? ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, I DON'T KNOW. DO WE REALLY WANT TO DO

[01:25:09]

SEWER BOARD. DOCTOR RIVERA, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR KIDS AND OUR ATHLETIC PROGRAM. WE HAVE A COUPLE ANXIOUS PEOPLE OUT HERE AND ANXIOUS FAMILIES. AND SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF GET OUT OF THE WAY. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING TWO POSITIONS TO YOU, THE CAMPUS COORDINATOR, HEAD FOOTBALL COACHES AT MESQUITE HIGH SCHOOL, THE MESQUITE HIGH SCHOOL AND POTEET HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO APPROVE THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTS. BUT WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE PRINCIPALS OF THE TWO SCHOOLS, STARTING WITH MR. JOHNSON. AND THEN AFTER HE RECOMMENDS HIS CANDIDATE, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR LONG. SO. GOOD EVENING. IT IS MY HONOR TO RECOMMEND TO YOU, SCHOOL BOARD DOCTOR RIVERA, COACH RAFAEL THOMAS, COACH RAFAEL THOMAS COMES TO MESQUITE ISD WITH A DECADE OF COACHING EXPERIENCE AT SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING CONROE HIGH SCHOOL, LUFKIN HIGH SCHOOL, AND MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL. MOST RECENTLY, HE SERVED AS THE HEAD COACH AND ASSISTANT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR THE LAST TWO SEASONS AT JACK YATES HIGH SCHOOL IN HOUSTON ISD. HE'S NAMED TO DAVE CAMPBELL'S TEXAS FOOTBALL 40 UNDER 40 CLUB COACH.

COACH THOMAS LED JACK YATES TO AN OVERALL RECORD OF 16 AND SIX, AND AN IMPRESSIVE 13 AND TWO PERFORMANCE IN DISTRICT PLAY. HIS TEAM ALSO RECORDED A 98% PASSING RATE, WITH OVER 30 PLAYERS RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS. ONCE DRAFTED TO PLAY BASEBALL BY THE LA DODGERS, COACH THOMAS BRINGS AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME OF ATHLETIC SUCCESS. HIS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE REFLECTS HIS PASSION FOR SPORTS AND HIS UNWAVERING BELIEF IN THE POWER OF TEAMWORK AND DEDICATION. COACH RAFAEL THOMAS. COACH, HOLD ON A SECOND BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR COMMENTS. MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ACTION HERE, SEE IF WE WANT TO TAKE HIM. RIGHT. YES. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE AN ACTION ITEM TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR THE COACH FOR MESQUITE HIGH SCHOOL, DO I I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. EVERETT AND A SECOND BY MR. CABELL. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? NO. MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO. OKAY. FIRST OFF, THANK YOU TO THE BOARD, DOCTOR RIVERA. MR. GROVES IS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. AND MR. JOHNSON, I'M GLAD Y'ALL DIDN'T HOLD IT AGAINST ME. YOU'VE ALREADY MET MY FAMILY, SO. NO, WE LIKED YOUR FAMILY. I LOVE THEM, THEIR MINDS, NO MATTER WHAT. SO WE.

I'LL ATTACH NAMES TO THE VOICES BACK HERE. MY WIFE, MY WIFE, JORDAN, MY FIVE YEAR OLD CALLIE PARKER, AND THE LEADER OF THE SHOW, MISS TENNESSEE. LOVE MY TWO YEAR OLD THAT INTRODUCED HERSELF TO EVERYBODY DURING PRAYER. WE'RE EXCITED TO INTEGRATE OURSELVES INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SERVE JUST ALL THINGS MESQUITE. OUR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, COMMUNITY FEEDER PATTERNS, AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS OF MESQUITE. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENT ATHLETES. WE WANT TO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, TEACHING LIFE THROUGH ATHLETICS AND HIGH CHARACTER TO NOT ONLY SET THEM UP TO WIN ON IN THEIR SPORT, BUT JUST IN LIFE. AND, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF SPORTS IN WHICH THEY'LL DO THAT A LOT LONGER THAN THEY PLAY SPORTS THAT, THAT THAT'S OUR MAIN GOAL, THAT'S OUR MAIN FOCUS. AND ONCE AGAIN, I THANK EACH OF YOU AND I APPRECIATE IT. LOOK FORWARD TO IT. CONGRATULATIONS. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING. IT IS GREAT HONOR AND PRIDE THAT I RECOMMEND TO I KNOW WE'RE EXCITED. I RECOMMEND TERRANCE OR THE SECOND FOR THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT POTEET HIGH SCHOOL. TERRANCE OR THE SECOND GRADUATED FROM DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL AND BEGAN HIS COACHING CAREER HERE IN MESQUITE ISD AS A FOOTBALL AND TRACK

[01:30:05]

YOU'VE DONE VERY WELL. THANK YOU. THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME. FIRST OF ALL. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO GIVE ALL GLORY AND HONOR TO MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. WITHOUT HIM, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. HIS GUIDANCE, GRACE, AND UNWAVERING PRESENCE HAVE CARRIED ME THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THIS JOURNEY, AND I STAND HERE TODAY AS A TESTAMENT OF HIS BLESSINGS AND FAITHFULNESS. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO MY INCREDIBLE WIFE, RAVEN, MY ROCK, MY GREATEST SUPPORTER. HER LOVE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND SACRIFICES HAVE BEEN THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING THAT I DO. TO MY AMAZING KIDS, TREY REAGAN TYSON, YOU ARE MY DAILY INSPIRATION. YOU REMIND ME WHY I PUSH HARDER, DREAM BIGGER, AND STRIVE TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF PERSEVERANCE AND DEDICATION TO MY PARENTS. MY FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE CORNERSTONE OF MY LIFE. YOU SHOWING ME WHAT IT MEANS TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY, FAITH AND RESILIENCE. AND I CARRY THOSE LESSONS WITH ME EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S MY HOPE AND PRAYER TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE LEGACY YOU'VE CREATED TO DOCTOR RIVIERA, THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND DOCTOR LONG AND CODY GROVES. THANK YOU FOR ENTRUSTING ME WITH THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY. IT'S NOT JUST A JOB TO ME. IT'S A IT'S A CALLING RESPONSIBILITY THAT I DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY. RETURNING TO POTEET, A PLACE THAT HOLDS SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.

IT'S AN HONOR BEYOND WORDS. THIS IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN FOOTBALL. IT'S ABOUT BUILDING A FAMILY, STRENGTHENING A COMMUNITY, CREATING A PROGRAM THAT INSPIRES NOT JUST OUR PLAYERS, BUT EVERY STUDENT, TEACHER, PARENT, AND MEMBER OF THE POTEET COMMUNITY. TOGETHER, WE WILL CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EXCELLENCE IS A STANDARD AND EVERY PERSON FEELS VALUED AND EMPOWERED TO SUCCEED. MY VISION IS STILL IS TO INSTILL RESPECT, HONOR AND PRIDE. BACK TO THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM, NOT JUST FOR TODAY, BUT GENERATIONS TO COME. I WANT EVERY YOUNG ATHLETE TO DREAM ABOUT WEARING THEIR POTEET JERSEY WITH PRIDE, AND EVERY FAMILY TO STAND TALL AND SAY, WE ARE POTEET. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT WINS AND LOSSES, ABOUT TRANSFORMING LIVES AND BUILDING CHARACTER AND CREATING MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME. THIS OPPORTUNITY IS MORE THAN A ROLE FOR ME. IT'S MY PASSION, MISSION AND MY COMMITMENT TO ALL OF YOU. I AM HUMBLED TO LEAD, EXCITED TO SERVE, AND READY TO WORK TIRELESSLY ALONG ALONGSIDE YOU TO BUILD SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME, AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER. GO, PIRATES! CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU. WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE IN MESQUITE. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR LEADERSHIP. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT FOR RESIGNATIONS. NEW HIRES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS UNDER EFFECTIVENESS REPORTS. WE HAVE A REPORT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING, DOCTOR MORRIS, I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MATT CAIN AND TARA NICHOLS ARE GOING TO ALSO PRESENT TONIGHT. OH, SHE GOT SICK. I'M SORRY. ARE YOU READY? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I'LL GIVE THEM JUST A MINUTE. IT'S GOING TO BE JUST MATT AND ME TONIGHT. ALL. I MEANT UP HERE. OH, YEAH. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT SEWARD.

[01:35:33]

WE WORK TO PROVIDE IMPACTFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR OUR STUDENTS. AS YOU LISTEN TO THE UPDATES FROM EACH OF OUR AREAS, I HOPE YOU WILL LISTEN IN FOR OUR COMMITMENT FOR COLLABORATION, RESPONSIVENESS, RESPONSIVENESS, AND SUPPORT. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY TEACHING AND LEARNING, TARA NICHOLS, IS OUT SICK TODAY. I KNOW SHE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO PRESENTING TO YOU THIS EVENING, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO PRESENT HER INFORMATION, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS THE PLANNING AND GROWTH AROUND PRE-K ENROLLMENT.

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN REGULARLY ATTENDING PRE-KINDERGARTEN CLASSES HAVE BETTER ACADEMIC OUTCOMES. WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH COMMIT FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS TO PUT TOGETHER A MARKETING AND ENROLLMENT PLAN TO FIND AND ENROLL ALL ELIGIBLE PRE-K STUDENTS. THE DATA IN FRONT OF YOU SHOWS THE GROWTH FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR IN PRE-K. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE ALREADY MADE PROGRESS IN ONE YEAR. THE COMMITTEE HAS MET MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR TO TWEAK OUR MARKETING PLAN AND CONTINUE GROWTH IN THE YEARS TO COME. WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE IMPACT OF OUR PRE-K EXPANSION ON OUR STUDENTS READINESS FOR KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, ALICIA AUSTIN PROVIDED YOU ALL WITH A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF OUR STAR RESULTS FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS. WE WON'T BE REVIEWING ALL OF THAT DATA, BUT WE DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE KEEPING OUR SIGHTS ON THIRD GRADE READING FROM THE 2022 ASSESSMENT TO THE 2024 ASSESSMENT, BOTH MISD AND THE STATE LOST GROUND. WHILE WE ARE CLEARLY NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE, OUR DISTRICT PERCENTAGES HAVE NOT DECLINED BY AS MUCH AS THE STATE, AND WE ARE WORKING STRATEGICALLY TO IMPROVE THE WORK OF ACHIEVING ON LEVEL READING BY THIRD GRADE BEGINS IN OUR PRE-K AND KINDER CLASSROOMS. WHILE EARLY LITERACY HAS BEEN A PRIORITY IN MESQUITE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THESE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN OUR EFFORTS BASED ON THE SCIENCE OF READING RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN ROLLED OUT ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE TEXAS READING ACADEMIES. AS A DISTRICT, WE ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR CAMPUSES TO IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR THESE CHANGES IN ACTION.

WE ARE ALSO A GRANT FINALIST, ONE OF ONLY 16 DISTRICTS IN THE STATE WITH THE MOODY FOUNDATION FOR THE TEXAS READS. TEXAS LEADS GRANT. THE TCL GRANT IS A COHORT BASED INITIATIVE AIMED AT HELPING DISTRICTS DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT K-3 LITERACY PLANS TO MEET ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IN THE AREA OF EARLY LITERACY. THE EXCITEMENT FROM THE TEAM LEADING THIS WORK IS EVIDENT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO REPORTING OUR PROGRESS IN THE FUTURE. ANOTHER WAY WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN THE WORLD OF EARLY LITERACY IS THROUGH INTENTIONAL DATA ANALYSIS. OUR COORDINATOR, ANDREA BAILEY, HAS MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH ALMOST EVERY ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS TO TALK ABOUT THEIR DATA FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. FOR GRADES K THROUGH TWO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE STUDENTS DO NOT TAKE STATE ASSESSMENTS, SO ANALYZING THIS DATA REQUIRES NEW SKILLS FOR OUR CAMPUS LEADERS AND TEACHERS. THE CAMPUS FEEDBACK HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE ABOUT THESE VISITS, AND WE BELIEVE THAT BY SUPPORTING OUR CAMPUS LEADERS WITH CONTINUED FOCUS ON DATA ANALYSIS FOR THE LOWER GRADES, WE CAN HELP CAMPUSES MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS THAT WILL MOVE OUR LITERACY EFFORTS FORWARD IN THE FOUNDATIONAL YEARS IN ALL OF OUR CONTENT AREAS, OUR ELEMENTARY COORDINATORS AND FACILITATORS FIND EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT INSTRUCTION. THE ELEMENTARY MATH TEAM HAS STARTED TRAINING CAMPUS LEADERSHIP AND TEACHER LEADERS THIS YEAR IN A GROUP THEY CALL MATH COLLABORATIVE. THEY WORK THROUGH THE NEW STEM SCOPES CURRICULUM WITH THIS GROUP AND COACH THEM ON WHAT THEY SHOULD SEE AND HEAR IN THE ELEMENTARY MATH CLASSROOM, WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, WE'VE WORKED ON MAKING THE DATA STRATEGY MEETINGS, FORMALLY KNOWN AS DATS, MORE MEANINGFUL TO

[01:40:05]

GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR RIVERA, PRESIDENT SEWARD AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES. AS WE LOOK AT THE WORK BEING DONE IN SECONDARY TEACHING AND LEARNING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BEGIN BY DISCUSSING THE GOAL AND THE MINDSET SHIFT THAT WE ARE OPERATING FROM. IN CORE INSTRUCTION, IT'S EASY TO FALL INTO THE INTO THE TRAP OF THINKING THAT EVERYTHING CULMINATES IN STAR. AND WHILE STAR IS CERTAINLY A MAJOR PART OF WHAT WE FOCUS ON IN SECONDARY TEACHING AND LEARNING, OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE IS PRODUCING STUDENTS THAT ARE COLLEGE READY. THE GRAPHIC YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN DISPLAYS OUR SYSTEMATIC APPROACH IN PRODUCING COLLEGE READY STUDENTS. AT THE CORE OF THIS APPROACH IS THE BELIEF THAT INCREASING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVING TIER ONE INSTRUCTION AT EVERY LEVEL, IS THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE OUR STUDENTS COLLEGE READINESS. TIER ONE INSTRUCTION REFERS TO THE CORE CURRICULUM AND THE FOUNDATIONAL LEVEL OF TEACHING PROVIDED TO ALL STUDENTS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING. WHAT YOU NOW SEE ON THE SCREEN ARE JUST SOME OF THE STRATEGIC ACTIONS THAT WE ARE TAKING IN OUR ATTEMPT TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES AND TO IMPROVE INSTRUCTION. I WILL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON A FEW OF THESE ACTIONS IN THE COMING SLIDES. SOME OF THESE ACTIONS ARE NEW INITIATIVES AND SOME ARE INITIATIVES THAT WERE ALREADY IN PLACE THAT WE HAVE ADJUSTED FOR IMPROVEMENT. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ALL OF THESE HAVE A FOUNDATION OF THE LEARNER PROFILE AND THE MESQUITE ISD INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK THAT DOCTOR MORRIS WILL SPEAK ON IN THE PRESENTATION LATER. EACH OF THESE UNIQUE ACTIONS AND MANY MORE WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH ONE GOAL COLLEGE READINESS. THROUGH INCREASED STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVED TIER ONE INSTRUCTION. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA OFTEN TELL A BETTER STORY THAN A LIST OF ACTIONS, AND THE FOLLOWING SLIDES DISPLAY SOME OF THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN. WE HAVE SHIFTED FROM TRADITIONAL DAT MEETINGS FOLLOWING A DISTRICT CHECKPOINT TO PLC LEVEL DISTRICT STRATEGY MEETINGS. SECONDARY TEACHING AND LEARNING HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT OVER 106TH THROUGH 11TH GRADE PLCS, FOLLOWING EACH DCP, AND PROVIDE CAMPUS AND TEACHER SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDANCE. THE SHIFT HAS ALLOWED FOR EXTENDED DATA CONVERSATIONS TO A MORE TARGETED AUDIENCE, AND HAS BUILT THE CAPACITY OF OUR TEACHERS IN TERMS OF ANALYZING AND ANALYZING DATA. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS JUST TALKING TO DOCTOR LONG, A PRINCIPAL AT POTEET, WHO JUST HAD HER SOCIAL STUDIES AND MATH DSMBS, AND SHE SAID THAT THE CONVERSATIONS WENT TO A LEVEL THAT SHE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. AND SO WE WERE EXCITED TO HEAR THAT GOOD NEWS AND THE SHIFT THAT WE'VE MADE THIS YEAR IN AN ATTEMPT TO BETTER PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS ON COLLEGE READINESS ASSESSMENTS, SUCH AS THE. SAT AND TSI TWO, WE HAVE STARTED EMBEDDING INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORT INTO TIER ONE INSTRUCTION. ONE BRIGHT SPOT IN THESE EFFORTS CAN BE FOUND IN MATH, WHERE WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE SATISFACTORY AND ADVANCED LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE. WHEN YOU COMPARE THE DATA FROM DCP ONE TO DCP TWO AND GEOMETRY AND ALGEBRA TWO, SIMPLY PUT, THE WORK WE'RE DOING IS ALLOWING OUR

[01:45:03]

THE COLLABORATION DOES NOT STOP THERE, AS TEACHING AND LEARNING WORKS WITH MEMBERS FROM THE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT, INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, OR THE ELDS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOW THE INCREASED COLLABORATION WILL IMPACT STUDENT SUCCESS.

THANKS. IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING YEAR FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING. OUR DEPARTMENT HAS EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF CHANGES AND NEW PEOPLE, MYSELF INCLUDED. FOR FROM ONE FROM OUR FIRST INTERACTION WITH CAMPUS LEADERS AT OUR SUMMER ILT TO EVERY MEETING AND CONVERSATION CONVERSATION. SINCE OUR AIM IS JUST TO LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF OUR CAMPUSES AND RESPOND WITH MEANINGFUL SUPPORT. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING IN COLLABORATION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND WITH OUR CAMPUS LEADERS TO DESIGN A COMMON INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK THAT IS RESEARCH BASED FOR OUR DISTRICT.

AN INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK WILL PROVIDE OUR CAMPUSES WITH A CLEAR AND STRUCTURED EXPECTATION FOR WHAT EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION MUST INCLUDE. NAMING THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF INSTRUCTION WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE MORE CONSISTENT AND TARGETED SUPPORT, AS WELL AS MORE INTENTIONAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. AS WE PUT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK INTO ACTION, IT WILL SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH ALL CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED. THIS WILL RESULT IN A MORE CONSISTENT AND COHERENT CURRICULUM ACROSS ALL CONTENT AREAS AND GRADE LEVELS. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS SLIDE. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN YOU HEAR FROM US AGAIN. AND WITH THAT, THAT'S OUR TIME AND SOME THANK YOU. AND LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. I DON'T HAVE A

[01:50:04]

AND ON THOSE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS THAT WE HAVE, SHE'S PROVIDED SPACE FOR COLLABORATION AMONG OUR AVID TEACHERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. AND SO WE'RE REALLY SEEING THE FRUIT FROM THAT. THANK YOU. LOVED LISTENING TO THE INTENTIONALITY OF THAT, LIKE INTENTIONALLY LISTENING TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING, LIKE WE NEED THIS AND THEN RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY. THAT'S THAT'S THE PLAN. AWESOME. THANKS. THAT WORKS. I DON'T KNOW, DOCTOR MORRIS OR MATT, EITHER ONE OF YOU. HOW DO YOU MEASURE THE PROGRESS ON COLLEGE READINESS FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN MESQUITE ISD? I MEAN, WHEN I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD MENTIONED STAR, WHEN WE COMPARE OURSELVES WITH NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, GARLAND, RICHARDSON, PLANO, ROCKWALL, IS THERE A WAY WHERE WE CAN MEASURE THE PROGRESS ON GETTING OUR STUDENTS READY FOR COLLEGE? YES, SIR. WHEN WE LOOK AT PARTICULARLY THE ASSESSMENTS SUCH AS TSHA AND SAT, THOSE ARE THE ASSESSMENTS BY WHICH WE REALLY DO GAUGE THAT COLLEGE READINESS. ADDITIONALLY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE MORE AND MORE AP COURSES AND DUAL CREDIT COURSES. AND SO AS WE BRIDGE THAT GAP BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, THE MORE DUAL CREDIT HOURS OR OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU CAN GET CAN TAKE COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES. THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THOSE REMOVE EXCUSES FOR STUDENTS NOT TO TRY COLLEGE, RIGHT. WHENEVER THEY'RE ALREADY EXPERIENCING COLLEGE LEVEL WORK. THAT ALLOWS US TO BRIDGE THAT GAP. ALSO, MR. EVERETT, DO YOU HAVE A TEST CALLED TSA TSA I A2 THE MEASURE THE COLLEGE READINESS OF THE KIDS. SO WE WE'RE TESTING SITE SO WE CAN ALWAYS TRACK THAT THROUGH THAT. AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOCUS ON MAKING SURE WE'RE PREPARING STUDENTS MORE AND MORE STUDENTS FOR THAT. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? OF COURSE. YOU KNOW, THE KIDS HAVE TO SIGN UP TO GET SCHOLARSHIPS ON THAT. HOW'S IT COMING? I KNOW IT WAS A MESS LAST YEAR. IS IT BETTER? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FAFSA? YES. SO YES, THAT THAT'S THAT'S A WORD IN MY HOUSE TOO. RIGHT NOW I HAVE A SENIOR IN MY HOME, SO THEY WERE DELAYED ON THE START OF FAFSA FOR THIS YEAR, BUT IT HAS BEEN ROLLING MORE SMOOTHLY SO FAR. GOOD, GOOD. BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS A NIGHTMARE LAST YEAR. WELL, AND THEY TOOK A LITTLE TIME. I ACTUALLY GOT TO GO TO A CONFERENCE WHERE THEY PRESENTED ABOUT WHY THEY WERE TAKING A COUPLE OF EXTRA MONTHS TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT RIGHT BEFORE LAUNCHING. THAT'S GOOD. AND SO BY BY WAITING, IT LOOKED LIKE AND I MEAN, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE FAFSA PEOPLE, BUT BUT IN OUR HOUSE IT'S MOVING MORE SMOOTHLY.

THAN I THOUGHT I DID. I READ RIGHT THAT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS TAKING DUAL CREDIT CLASSES HAS DRAMATICALLY EXPANDED OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. IT HAS INCREASED, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IS THAT WE ARE NOW, AS WE PARTNER WITH DALLAS COLLEGE, THE REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE PASSED THE TSI HAS BEEN ADJUSTED, AND THEREFORE OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE EARLIER AND EARLIER ACCESS TO DUAL CREDIT. I LIKE IT, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT TOO. OKAY, COOL. THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT FIRST OFF, EXCELLENT REPORT AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED SUCCESS AND GROWTH OF OUR STUDENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT PAGE AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT. HOW'S THAT? THAT'S RIGHT. YOU WANTED TO DO RIGHT. YOU BET. THANKS FOR THE EXCELLENT JOB YOU'RE DOING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

UNDER INSTRUCTION HAS TO DO WITH CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT.

DOCTOR FIELDS CAN ALSO COVER CONSTRUCTION, TOO. YEAH. CONSTRUCTION. YEAH. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. AGAIN. TRUSTEES, THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE REQUIRES EACH DISTRICT'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR DISCUSSION OF THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT. IN PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS, WE HAVE GONE OVER ALL OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACHIEVEMENT DATA FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO TONIGHT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GIVE INPUT OR ASK QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. I WILL NOW MOVE FROM OUR REGULAR MEETING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE REPORT? ANYBODY IN THE FRONT? THE FOUR STUDENTS? NO. WELL, THERE BEING NONE, WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE HEARING AND RECONVENE TO OUR REGULAR MEETING NEXT ON THE AGENDA UNDER

[01:55:06]

RIGHT. SO LAST YEAR WE WORKED ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OUR DISTRICT AND PARTICULARLY FOR MY DEPARTMENT. WE REALLY LOOKED AT THREE AREAS, AND THAT'S REALLY ALL ABOUT HOW WE CONTINUE OUR SHARED VISION OF CREATING A POSITIVE CLIMATE AND CULTURE THAT REALLY CULTIVATES BELONGING AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. WE ALSO LOOK CLOSELY AT LEADERSHIP EXPANSION, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT LATER ON. AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ENGAGING OUR FAMILIES ON ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES. AND SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? RIGHT. FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE MESQUITE PROMISE, WHICH ARE OUR FOUR PRINCIPLES AND 16 HABITS THAT WE BELIEVE. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SHARED WITH ME THAT THIS IS REALLY HOW WE GET THINGS DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE ABOUT OUR VALUES AND WHAT WE BELIEVE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH AND OUR COMMUNITY OVERALL. AND SO WHEN WE SAY THINGS LIKE, YOU ARE MADE TO EXCEL, YOU BELONG HERE. YOUR DIGNITY IS A GIVEN AND YOU ARE A DIFFERENCE MAKERS. WE ARE ALWAYS THEN GOING OUT AND LOOKING FOR THAT AND ACTIVATING THAT EVERYWHERE WE CAN. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIKE, HOW ARE WE REALLY USING THAT AND HOW IS THAT BEING IMPLEMENTED? THE FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE PROMISE OF MONDAY, WHICH IS A MONTHLY S'MORE THAT COMES OUT THROUGH OUR AMAZING COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. I WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH, OF COURSE, SABRINA, BUT ALSO MICHAEL SHERRELL, WHO REALLY HELPS ME WITH COMING UP WITH REALLY GREAT IDEAS AND FIGURING OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO REALLY ENGAGE OUR FAMILIES, BUT ALSO ENGAGE OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF. THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS THE CURRICULUM PIECE THAT WE ACTUALLY ADDED LAST FALL, AND THIS WAS WITH THE HELP OF AARON TOBOLA, WHO IS ONE OF OUR TEACHERS, WHO MYSELF AND SABRINA HAD ACTUALLY STARTED WORKING ON IT. AND SHE WAS LIKE, HEY, LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN DO WITH IT AND TRULY TOOK OFF WITH IT. AND THESE ARE THOSE 3 TO 5 MINUTE LESSONS, REALLY ENGAGING THAT WE CAN DO WITH STUDENTS THAT REALLY ACTIVATE THE MESQUITE PROMISE DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JUST OVERALL CULTURE IN SCHOOLS, WE HAVE 52 LET CAPTAINS THAT PUT TEAMS TOGETHER ON THEIR CAMPUSES TO REALLY CREATE WHAT CULTURE WILL LOOK LIKE. AND AS I SHARED WITH A SCHOOL LAST WEEK, I SAID, YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE IS YOU, WHICH OFTENTIMES SO MANY OF OUR PEOPLE IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS SAY, WELL, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE CULTURE IS ME, BUT YEAH, THE CULTURE IS YOU. WHATEVER WE HAVE IS WHAT WE HAVE REALLY DEVELOPED TOGETHER. AND SO REMEMBERING THAT REALLY ALLOWS US TO REALLY WORK HARD AND THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE MODEL AND HOW WE EMBODY THE MESQUITE PROMISE. AND SO IN PARTICULAR THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE GOALS, AND THAT'S HOW WE ACTIVATE THE LESSONS. IT'S ALSO CREATING A MENTOR MENTEE PROGRAM OVERALL. AND THEN OF COURSE HOW WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING OUR FAMILIES AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. WHEN WE TALK

[02:00:01]

MYSELF AND DOCTOR FEINGLASS TALKED REALLY EXTENSIVELY IN THE FALL ABOUT THE NEED TO REALLY GET THIS STARTED AND GET THIS GOING. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK HER JUST FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THAT AND HELPING WITH THE OVERALL GUIDANCE OF THIS. WE ARE ALL ABOUT HOW WE HELP OUR STUDENTS IN THIS AREA PROVIDE A LEVEL OF SELF ACCEPTANCE, SELF-MANAGEMENT, SELF-GROWTH, RESILIENCY, ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS RIGHT THAT THEY NEED AT MIDDLE SCHOOLS. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, ONE DAY THEY WANT TO BE ADULTS AND THE NEXT MINUTE THEY WANT TO BE BABIES. SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEVER KNOW, RIGHT? BUT WE STARTED TODAY, REALLY. MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS OUR FIRST CAMPUS THAT ACTUALLY HAD THEIR MEETING TODAY. KIMBRELL IS MEETING LATER THIS WEEK, AS WELL AS TERRY BERRY AND WILKINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO SIX OF THE TEN MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE ALL PARTICIPATING ACTIVELY IN THIS PILOT. WE WILL GO FULL FORCE IN THE FALL. ALL RIGHT.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMPLICATIONS AND OUTCOMES, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A STORY ABOUT ONE OF OUR STUDENTS, CARLA RAMIREZ. LAST YEAR PARTICIPATED IN THE CELEBRATION OF KNOWLEDGE, AND HER AND HER TEAM INTRODUCED TO A COUPLE OF JUDGES. THIS ENHANCING EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO BE A MENTOR MENTEE PROGRAM BETWEEN UPPER CLASSMEN AND LOWER CLASSMEN. AND SO THIS IS WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING AT AT WEST MESQUITE. IF WE CAN PLAY THE VIDEO. OH THERE IT IS. I DECIDED TO BECOME A MENTOR BECAUSE I MYSELF STRUGGLED A LOT MY FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR, AND I JUST REALLY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HELP MY UNDERCLASSMEN WITH AND GIVE THEM THE HELP THAT I WISH I HAD. IT WAS A LITTLE INTIMIDATING, BUT I DECIDED TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AND GIVE ADVICE TO SOMEONE IN MY POSITION, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TAKE IN MIND THAT MESQUITE HAS A LOT OF FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS WHO DON'T REALLY HAVE SOMEONE TO HELP THEM AT HOME OR GIVE THEM ADVICE, AND ENHANCING EDUCATION REALLY PROVIDES THAT INDIVIDUAL OR THAT OLDER SIBLING FIGURE THAT WILL MAKE SURE YOU'RE KEEPING ON TRACK AND PROVIDE YOU WITH JUST RESOURCES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL. I LIKE BEING A PART OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE I SEE IT HELPING AND ADVANCING MY EDUCATION TO BETTER HELP MY FUTURE, NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT FOREVER FOR WHOEVER ALSO NEEDS HELP. I WOULD LIKE TO HELP MY MENTEE AND ANYTHING SHE HAS A QUESTION ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL. I WOULD LOVE TO HELP HER WITH HER HOMEWORK IF SHE EVER NEEDED ME TO. MOST OF ALL, I KNOW WHEN I WAS STARTING HIGH SCHOOL I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT RANK AND STUFF, SO I

[02:05:03]

FINALLY, YOU DID RECEIVE A LITTLE GIFT FROM US AND I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU. THAT CAME FROM RUBY RAMOS, WHO IS A FRESHMAN AT POTEET HIGH SCHOOL. BUT THESE STUDENTS STAYED BECAUSE THEY HAD GIFTS FOR YOU, TOO, AND THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, IF THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, JUST COMMENT. I KNOW THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER IN THE YEAR ABOUT, I GUESS WE DID A SURVEY OF JUNIOR HIGH KIDS AND HOW THERE WERE SOME THERE WERE SOME STRUGGLES WITH BELONGING AT THOSE AGES. SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HIT THOSE KIDS AND TRY TO GRAB THAT BEFORE WE BEFORE THEY START HAVING ISSUES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO SORRY TO READ THAT. THE JUNIOR HIGH LEVEL TO KEEP THAT GOING TO SEE HOW THAT THAT TURNS OUT. YEAH, WE ARE DEFINITELY WORKING WITH WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS THE MISSING PIECE. AND SO I CANNOT JUST THANK JUST REALLY JUST ALL OF YOU. BUT DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR FEINGLASS FOR SAYING, YEAH, LET'S GO ON AND SEE HOW FAR WE CAN GET. SO YEAH, NOW WE HAVE A COMPLETE STUDENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FROM ELEMENTARY ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. SO YES. VERY GOOD. EXCELLENT REPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE VERY MUCH. AND THE CULTURE IS CHANGING AND WE LOVE IT. AND THANK YOU, STUDENTS FOR THESE WONDERFUL ITEMS HERE. APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO ALL THE TIME. KEEP MENTORING ALL THE OTHERS AROUND YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA UNDER ADMINISTRATION. WE ALREADY MOVED IT UP AND TALKED TO IT EARLIER. THAT WAS THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE. THE NEXT ITEM UNDER THAT IS AN ACTION ITEM TO APPROVE THE 2025 TO 2026 SCHOOL CALENDAR, MISS SMITH. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SEWARD. TRUSTEES.

DOCTOR RIVERA, I'M HONORED TO PRESENT TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS AND PROPOSED 2526 SCHOOL CALENDAR. WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, WHICH WE'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO START BRINGING THIS TO YOU EACH JANUARY SO WE CAN GET A PUBLISHED CALENDAR OUT THERE.

WELL, FIRST THING WE DO IS ESTABLISH THE PRIORITIES FOR DEVELOPING THE CALENDAR. FIRST AND FOREMOST, PLAN FOR THE QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS THAT NOT ONLY MEET OUR STUDENTS NEEDS, BUT ALSO THE STATE MANDATED MINUTES FOR INSTRUCTION. WE WANT TO FRONTLOAD SOME PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT STAFF ARE PREPARED FOR THE NEW YEAR. PROVIDE AT LEAST TWO DEDICATED CLASSROOM WORK DAYS, WORK DAYS ONLY, NOT FOR TRAININGS AND MEETINGS. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR STAFF, AND THEN MAINTAIN THE TRADITIONAL HOLIDAYS, AS WELL AS THE WEEK LONG FALL BREAK THAT WAS ADDED A FEW YEARS BACK. AND TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, AND CALENDARS CHANGE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THE DAYS, YOU KNOW, CHRISTMAS FALLS ON A MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, ETC. BUT TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, WE'D LIKE TO MAINTAIN SOME CONSISTENCY SO THAT FAMILIES KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YEAR TO YEAR. AND

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WE DO HAVE SOME TEACHERS WHO ARE ON 191, 92, ETC, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE 187 WORK DAYS. AND THEN LASTLY, WE LOOK AT IDENTIFYING WORK DAYS FOR 226 PERSONNEL, WHICH IS MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. SO THEN IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE THIS. SO WITH THE 12TH BEING THE START DATE, WE HAVE TO FRONT LOAD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AND IN ORDER TO GET FROM WORK. DAY 187 ONE OF 187. THAT HAS TO BE ON JULY 31ST. NOW THERE WAS THAT'S A PAIN POINT FOLKS. JUST CAN'T GET OVER IT SAYING JULY. IT'S ONE DAY BUT IT IS JULY. BUT THAT'S NECESSARY IN ORDER TO GET THOSE DAYS IN AND NOT COME BACK IN JUNE OF THE FOLLOWING SUMMER. SO JULY 31ST WILL BE REPORT DAY FOR TEACHERS, 187 TEACHERS, DAY TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS. YOU CAN SEE THOSE BLUE DAYS THERE IN JULY 23RD, 24TH, 28TH, 29TH. THAT'LL BE OUR NEW OUR NEW HIRE CAMP. SO TEACHERS HAVE SIX DAYS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS THAT ARE FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, BE THAT CAMPUS BASED, DISTRICT BASED OR MEETINGS AND SUCH ON CAMPUS. THOSE BLUE DAYS, THE SIXTH AND 11TH ARE SET ASIDE FOR WORKING IN THE CLASSROOM. AND THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FROM ME THAT THEY HAD TIME DEDICATED TO NOT BE PULLED INTO MEETINGS OR TRAININGS, BUT PREPARING THEIR CLASSROOM AND THEIR SPACES FOR STUDENTS. SO THAT'S WHAT THOSE TWO DAYS ARE. AND THEN OUR KIDS COME BACK ON AUGUST 12TH. SO THEN YOU SEE SAME TRADITIONAL SAME HOLIDAYS WE HAD ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS YOU SEE THOSE YELLOW DAYS SEPTEMBER 15TH AND 29TH, NOVEMBER 3RD AND FOURTH, ONE OF THOSE BEING ELECTION DAY. SO WE'VE DETERMINED THAT THAT'S A GOOD PRACTICE TO NOT HAVE OUR SCHOOLS OPEN, SINCE SOME OF THOSE ARE ELECTION SITES. JANUARY 5TH, FEBRUARY 2ND AND MARCH 2ND. SO THOSE ARE DATES THAT ARE FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, BE IT CAMPUS OR DISTRICT. THE BACK TO BACK DAYS ARE PAIRED LIKE THE 15TH AND THE 29TH AND THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH FROM PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND TEACHING AND LEARNING TOLD US THAT THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO PAIR ONE DAY DEDICATED TO SECONDARY, AND THEN THE OTHER DAY DEDICATED TO ELEMENTARY. AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL. THAT MEANS THEY'RE VICE VERSA ON THE CAMPUS. SO EVERYONE WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR. IT GOT HIGH MARKS. AND SO WE JUST REALLY TRIED TO DUPLICATE AND MAKE IT AS CLOSE TO POSSIBLE AS WE COULD. YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT MAY 29TH IS THE LAST TEACHER WORK DAY. SO THEY CAN GET GET THEIR THINGS TOGETHER AND GET OUT OF THERE. THAT'S DAY 187 FOR THEM. IT IS COMING BACK AFTER MEMORIAL DAY, WHICH IS NOT A POPULAR OPTION. BUT I'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A MINUTE HOW WE KIND OF USE THIS SURVEY TO GET SOME ANSWERS AND EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT WHY WE HAVE TO DO THAT. SO HERE'S THE HIGHLIGHTS. KIND OF WENT OVER ALL THAT. THE EASTER IS APRIL 4TH, WHICH MAKES THAT SPRING HOLIDAY RATHER EARLY. THAT'S A LONG STRETCH. WE KNOW IT. THERE'S JUST NOT ANY WAY TO GIVE A HOLIDAY THERE WITHOUT, AGAIN, GOING INTO JUNE FOR STAFF OR EARLIER IN JULY. SO ONCE THE CALENDAR DRAFT WAS SET, WE MET

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AND THAT WAS ELEMENTARY. STUDENTS AND SECONDARY STUDENTS ASK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. SAME QUESTION, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT RESULTS. 63% HAVE HAVE AN ADULT PRESENT AT HOME. THAT WAS GOOD TO KNOW, BUT 3% GO TO WORK, 6% STAY HOME WITH OLDER SIBLINGS, 18% STAY AT HOME. SO NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CALENDAR, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT INFORMATION. THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE THE CALENDAR DRESSED UP PRETTY IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH READY TO BE PUBLISHED IF THE BOARD APPROVES THAT THIS EVENING. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER THEM. WELL, DALLAS COUNTY COLLEGE HAS ALREADY ADOPTED THEIR BREAK AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT? THEY WON'T BE CHANGING THAT. WELL, I DON'T SPEAK FOR DALLAS COLLEGE, BUT THEY DID PUT IT OUT AND TO DISTRICTS AND LET US KNOW THAT THAT IS WHEN THEY WILL HAVE IT. AND IT IS THE THIRD FULL WEEK IN MARCH, JUST LIKE THIS WEEK THIS YEAR. SO THAT IS PROBABLY I HAVE NOT. I LOOKED AT GARLAND'S, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO OURS ACTUALLY, BUT THEY ACTUALLY COME BACK TWO DAYS IN JULY FOR THEIR TEACHERS. BUT IT REALLY TAKE A LOOK JUST TO SEE WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING. MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING SOME DISTRICTS ARE GETTING REALLY CREATIVE. I THINK WE HAVE A FALL BREAK BECAUSE A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT DECIDED FALL BREAK WAS A GOOD IDEA. BUT ALL IN ALL, WE WANT TO BUILD THE CALENDAR FOR WHAT WORKS FOR OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY. AND REMEMBER, THE MAJORITY OF OUR STAFF WHO HAVE FAMILIES, WHO HAVE CHILDREN ARE IN MESQUITE ISD. SO WE KIND OF GOT AWAY FROM TRYING TO MATCH THIS CALENDAR OR THAT CALENDAR OR THAT CALENDAR, BECAUSE WE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY. WELL, I HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF PARENTS, INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER. THEY REALLY LOVE THE FALL BREAK AND THOSE OTHER BREAKS YOU HAVE FOR THE KIDS TO SHORTEN SOME OF THOSE WEEKS TO GIVE EVERYBODY A BREAK. SO THEY VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THE SURVEY, AND I'M SURE SOME OF THE OTHERS DID TOO AS WELL. SOME OF THE STAFF. BUT GREAT WORK ON THE CALENDAR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. I NEED A MOTION. I'M SO MOVED. I HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HORNSBY AND A SECOND BY MR. EVERETT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE 2025 TO 2026 SCHOOL CALENDAR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING I. I. THOSE OPPOSED. NAY.

MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU. THANKS, SABRINA. NEXT ITEM UNDER ADMINISTRATION. WE GOT TO LISTEN TO TAYLOR MORRIS AGAIN. JUST A DISCUSSION ON DISTRICT WIDE AND TWO INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT FINDINGS. MR. MORRIS, GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT SEWARD. AND YES, SINCE I LAST TALKED TO YOU ALL, WE'VE HAD A FEW MORE OF THESE INTRUDER AUDITS. GOT A REPORT FROM MR. MOORE THIS MORNING. WE HAVE HAD 25 OF OUR 52 SCHOOLS, SO WE'RE AT 48% OF OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH IS ON TRACK. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE 100% ANNUALLY. WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR. SO WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT PLACE. I'VE MENTIONED IN SEVERAL BOARD MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE THE DISTRICT VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT COMING. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH, A LITTLE BIT MORE COLLABORATIVE WITH THE CAMPUSES, THOSE WE STILL HAVEN'T BEEN NOTIFIED ON WHEN THEY'LL BEGIN.

I KNOW MR. MOORE AND MR. WILKINS ARE TRAINING PRINCIPALS ON THAT NEXT WEEK, AND SO THEY'LL GET A

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