No public comment.

David asked Bill to read the Mission and Envisioned Future.

ED Chilcott asked the board not to vote on an identity sentence at this time citing her and Principal McGeorge's request that the board spend some time at the school to better see the day to day and get the staff and teacher perspective and viewpoint before making a decision. That some teachers, mostly elementary, can be upset if they do not feel like they have been heard even when they have actively been invited to be a part of the process (such as the budget reduction process which started in spring 2024 and the school year 24-25, and all staff were involved in the process from the beginning). In those situations if that’s just a feeling, if they actually are not part of the process which is being proposed in this identity sentence process, then more staff will be upset will be upset with a legitimate reason.

The board members all spoke of the urgency of the need to create an identity sentence to set AoA apart from other schools due to the fact the AoA did not meet its enrollment goals this (25-26) school year, Wood Middle School will have a brand new building next year to attract families and we need to be able to compete with other schools. 

C. Robie stated that she did not think teachers would want board members in their space and this sentence needed to be done urgently for enrollment purposes, and that the board sets the direction for the school.

A. Price said she understands the point of having more school staff input but that the board does not have time to visit classrooms and these seems like two separate issues. K. McCoy agreed. 

B. Schaff spoke about the board's passion and commitment to the school and the understanding that teachers may wish to a part of the process and may be upset if they are not, but that if they are not happy with how the decisions are made, they have a choice they can make. The board has one employee they manage which is the ED, not the full staff.

ED Chilcott shared that she understood the board cares deeply about the school are great deal but so do the staff that work here and the parents that choose to send their children here and their opinions are important to hear as to why they work/attend AoA as a way to inform the board’s thoughts on the framing on the school’s identity. 

David shared that he there is an urgency but it is also the board’s fault that we are in this situation of urgency since this identity sentence process has been going on for a long time.

The group continued to discuss this and landed on the agreement that ED Chilcott and Principal McGeorge would provide a brief survey to staff, families, and students to gather data to bring back to the board in November. Board members B. Schaff, K. McCoy, and J. Laird volunteered to be available to come on campus over the next few weeks to visit classrooms and/or participate in focus groups or meetings with staff around the identity sentence work if ED Chilcott and Principal McGeorge wanted their support. ED Chilcott and Principal McGeorge said they would work on the survey questions and a more specific timeline and report back to the board shortly.