WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:07.200 Thank you. I'm sure you're all impressed with my sweet haircut. 2 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:09.919 But seriously, I do appreciate everybody coming to my birthday 3 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:12.880 party today. I think this is the only way I 4 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:14.240 can get people to come to my party. So I 5 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:16.519 worked out we kind of tricked you with that too. 6 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.440 So I do have a few folks that I want 7 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:21.920 to record I want to introduce. I know I could 8 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:24.519 go around the room talk about each one of your 9 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:27.719 impact on our school system. I don't want to do that, 10 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:30.559 just out of respect for everybody's time. But first of all, 11 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:33.359 I want to thank my beautiful wife. Tomorrow we're going 12 00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:38.399 to celebrate our thirty second wedding anniversary, and so I 13 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:40.679 appreciate her putting up with me all that time. Yeah, 14 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:48.399 thank you. And then also I have some family here. 15 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:51.399 I've got a table, my mother in law and a 16 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:53.679 couple of aunts and uncle and brother in law. I 17 00:00:53.719 --> 00:00:56.159 really appreciate my mother in law, Karen Ward. She actually 18 00:00:56.280 --> 00:01:00.280 retired teaching from Jane Phillips Elementary and when I went, 19 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:02.920 Jeffer and I went our first day on October eleventh, 20 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:05.840 nineteen eighty six. I was a junior and she was 21 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:09.519 a freshman in high school and Karen and Art. They 22 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:11.719 allowed her to go out on a date with me, 23 00:01:12.359 --> 00:01:15.319 and I had was driving a nineteen seventy two Dodge 24 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:22.480 Van that did not have reverse and they knew that. However, 25 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:24.480 after they vetted me during the day during the ou 26 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:26.719 Texas game, they allowed me to do that. So fortunately 27 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:30.439 we've been together ever since. I appreciate Karen for that 28 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:32.799 as well. And then also she didn't know that the 29 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:35.319 van did not have a spinometer didn't work, and also 30 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:38.400 we didn't have seat belts, and the driver's side door 31 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:39.959 wouldn't shut. You had to kind of hold it while 32 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:42.480 you grow. But don't worry about that one. So anyway, 33 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:45.719 but those were all facts. It was all happened, and 34 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:50.439 so parents just know that when that someone's dating your spouse, 35 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:52.359 just remember they could They could turn out okay too. 36 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.439 So I do un recognize a few other folks too. 37 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:58.239 I know we already thanked the Foundation board appreciate all 38 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:01.359 their work. Blair Ellis is a man that was one 39 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:03.319 of the biggest moves we made for our district when 40 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:07.920 the Foundation board decided to hire an executive director. I 41 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:09.639 know I was a part of that process and really 42 00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:11.919 felt like our foundation could help us more. We're in 43 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:14.479 really tough times at that time in twenty sixteen. She's 44 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.599 amazing our school board members. I think I've got several 45 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:21.960 school board members here. If you guys would stand just 46 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:25.560 for a moment, real quick, yeah, I give them a hand. Well, 47 00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:34.000 thank you. I appreciate, appreciate their service. We have a 48 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:36.280 great working relationship. A lot of trust has been built, 49 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:39.240 and I appreciate their support. I think Alison Bryant's also here, 50 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.039 a former board member. She was on the board when 51 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:42.639 I was hired, so I appreciate. And there's Alie on 52 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:45.719 the back. Appreciate her opportunity. Nicki Benson, I was also 53 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:47.240 a former board member that was here when I was 54 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.840 hired as well. So I appreciate our strong support of 55 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:52.360 our school board. We've got a lot of good things 56 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:56.120 going on, and the big reason has become because of them. Also, 57 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:58.319 I know, I think our partners with the city. I 58 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:02.439 know Mike Bailey's here, where's our city felt. Mike's over 59 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:04.560 here too. Mike and I he's city manager. We have 60 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.280 some parts of our jobs are similar. So we have 61 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:09.879 coffee once a month, and we decided that was cheaper 62 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:14.599 than counseling, so we that's a Stete story. But anyway, 63 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:16.159 I appreciate all of our city. I don't know if 64 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:18.199 I have any Actually, Trevor Dorsy here at Trevor's a 65 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:20.080 city council member, and I was glad to see Trevor 66 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:23.520 reupp for another term as well. And Lauren Roselle was 67 00:03:23.560 --> 00:03:25.680 Lauren here somewhere in the back. To appreciate Lauren, same 68 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:27.960 same towards the same thing for Lauren's or anybody else 69 00:03:28.039 --> 00:03:31.439 city council folks to uh, yeah, thank you, I've got yeah. 70 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:34.159 Quinn Shiver, Quinn's over here also was appointed recently and 71 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:37.120 going to re up against appreciate their strong relationship that 72 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:39.599 we have. I know city attorney Just Cain. I think 73 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:42.680 I saw Will Drake, our district attorneys here as well. 74 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:44.560 So a couple of things with the city and our 75 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:46.919 relationship that I want to bring to light. One would 76 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:50.159 be our agriculture facility which is right across the street, 77 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:52.280 which i'll talk to you a little bit about more. 78 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:54.759 That was on city land. So we that was quite 79 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.560 a process to get to determine where to put that 80 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:00.840 because there's limited options obviously where that's going to be. 81 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:02.599 Thinking about where our kids are and so it really 82 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.280 turned out to be the perfect space for us. And 83 00:04:05.319 --> 00:04:07.960 then secondly, our school resource officers, would you guys go 84 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:20.959 ahead and stand up, And that's not all of them. 85 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:23.680 We actually have ten. We'll have one at every school. 86 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:26.560 We're gonna have two at Bartlesville High School. Prior to 87 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:29.439 UVOLDI we had two or three. So with our city, 88 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:32.800 we made a tremendous investment with that. They knew how 89 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:37.480 important it was to have armed, trained Bartlesville police officers 90 00:04:37.560 --> 00:04:40.439 and our schools on a daily basis, and they are wonderful. 91 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:43.920 The city provides those officers for us the district. We 92 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:46.160 pay for seventy five percent of their contract, which is 93 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:47.959 when they're with us, and it's a great partnership and 94 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:51.000 that's something we're to continue. Police Chief Kleberry is a 95 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.199 big part of that. His wife, Carrie Ekleberry's our safety directors. 96 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.199 So couldn't thank our city, could thank them more. From 97 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.040 where we are right now. I also want to thank 98 00:05:01.079 --> 00:05:03.480 our legislators. I know I've got some former legislators here. 99 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:06.120 I know that Senator Ford and Earl Sears. Give those 100 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:13.879 guys a hand, please thank you. And then our current 101 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:17.079 legislators I know that we have Senator Daniels and Representative 102 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:19.839 Kane and Representative Strong, they're right over here. They always 103 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:28.000 they're strong supporters of us, and I unfortunately recently we've 104 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.480 been in contact a lot, and they are very responsive 105 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:32.120 to me, just so that you know, to try to help. 106 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:34.120 They're just trying to help us, try to kind of 107 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:37.360 help our state department work out some inefficiencies that we're 108 00:05:37.399 --> 00:05:39.519 having to deal with with them. But they are very responsive. 109 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:42.160 Matter of fact, I've communicated with them as just as 110 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:44.199 soon as this morning, as well as last night, and 111 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:46.160 I think the day before, so I appreciate. But they 112 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.199 are really here to serve our folks too. I appreciate 113 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:50.600 that too. Also, former Representative DRYL. Fincher is also on 114 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:51.800 the back to because I'll see them back there. I 115 00:05:51.959 --> 00:05:57.199 didn't miss anybody who apologize pologize with called will I mean. 116 00:05:57.199 --> 00:05:59.439 I also wanted to mention Bars of Education promise their 117 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:01.920 foundations here. They've got two tables. They're big supporters of 118 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:03.959 our schools and really what they do a lot of 119 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:07.199 their funding is tied to really paying our teachers to 120 00:06:07.240 --> 00:06:10.000 work outside their contract to help our kids, which is great. 121 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:12.800 So we really appreciate all of their support as well. 122 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:15.319 And then lastly, I want to thank all of our 123 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:18.480 all of our Bruin family, all of our employees. Whether 124 00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:20.439 you're a would you go ahead stand if you're a 125 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:24.519 current or former working for Bartsville School, even if your 126 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.360 paycheck come from Sedeka, if you work at a school, 127 00:06:26.360 --> 00:06:38.199 would you guys stand up? Than we really appreciate it. 128 00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:40.319 We really have. We have good people. I mean, you 129 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:43.720 know them. We're here, they're your neighbors. And so those 130 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:45.399 people you go to church with or you serve with, 131 00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:47.120 I mean, so they're just they're here to serve. I 132 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:50.439 really appreciate all their support and it's a it's a 133 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:52.120 wonderful thing to have the opportunity to be able to 134 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:56.720 serve our students, our staff, in our community. There's a 135 00:06:56.720 --> 00:06:58.920 couple of things I wanted to announce kind of before 136 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:01.439 I get into some updates. And the first thing is 137 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:06.040 I've been asking questions recently regarding the state superintendent, and 138 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:09.560 if you are not familiar, it would be natural to think, oh, 139 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.720 my gosh, we have an elected state superintendent and he 140 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:15.079 can has the authority to tell all schools what they 141 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:17.399 need to be doing. And then folks like me are 142 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:20.639 going to do that. Well, that's not actually the case. 143 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:23.720 So there are some there are some things obviously that 144 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:26.399 I highly respect that office to a member of the 145 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:30.319 state board. They have some issues regarding accreditation rules, some 146 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:32.319 things that come luck that do impact us. But what 147 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:34.519 we really count for that department is is to be 148 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:36.519 efficient in terms of our funding. You know, the state 149 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:40.360 funding flows through them, Federal funding flows through them to us, 150 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:42.720 and that's what I've been working with our legislators to 151 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:46.839 help with. But we actually have a local board that 152 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:49.800 has board policy, and we have one board policy. It's 153 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:53.319 called Religion in Schools and it was adopted in two 154 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:55.959 thousand and eight, and it's the same thing that we've 155 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:58.360 been following, and it's the same thing that we're going 156 00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:02.360 to continue to fall can continue to follow. So please 157 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.920 do not be concerned about things announcements that have come 158 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:07.839 from the state superintendent recently, because there's been some things 159 00:08:07.879 --> 00:08:11.639 come out that just aren't that's not within our local 160 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:15.319 board policy. What our local board policy dictates is, sure, 161 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:18.079 the Bible is a historical documents. Sure there's some tie 162 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:21.600 to some Oklahoma academic standards in history. Sure we sing 163 00:08:21.639 --> 00:08:24.399 some religious music during Christmas. Sure our kids can have 164 00:08:24.439 --> 00:08:27.079 a student led club and study the Bible. Sure FCA 165 00:08:27.160 --> 00:08:29.199 can be We do all those things and we agree 166 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:32.000 with wholeheartedly. However, there's some other things that come out 167 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:34.639 about that has been said. We're not trying to change 168 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:36.320 history or any of those things, but there's some other 169 00:08:36.360 --> 00:08:39.320 things coming out that we need to have some Bibles 170 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:41.519 and chemistry classes. I mean all these different classes and 171 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:44.360 there's no ties in Oklahoma academic standards. So that's not 172 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:47.879 where we are. So I've told my staff, my leaders. 173 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:51.320 We talked about neurolig July really those things, and I 174 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:53.120 know it can be you can get whipped up about 175 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:56.360 on social media about that. You know. I know one 176 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:58.159 thing is nothing is going to get solved on social 177 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:02.200 media and so and I really hate to even bring 178 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:05.000 things forward because it just ends up being it brings 179 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:07.200 attention to some comments that just aren't accurate. I mean, 180 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:08.840 they're just not going to happen, but people will get 181 00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:11.519 whipped up about it. So, but what I told our 182 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:14.039 folks was those statements that came out that directed that's 183 00:09:14.039 --> 00:09:17.320 for us, for BARBISO schools, that's a non event. So 184 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:20.960 that's where we are related to that. And I'll also 185 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:25.799 tell you because I do. Mark mentioned I was appointed 186 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:29.440 to be on the super State superintendent Advisory council. We've 187 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:31.960 had I was on the previous Superintendent's council. We had 188 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:36.000 regular meetings. We've had one meeting this year. We met 189 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:37.919 on January thirtieth, and that's the last time we met. 190 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:42.080 And so you know, and I've got questions. So I know, 191 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:44.200 I've requested the last three weeks for us to get 192 00:09:44.200 --> 00:09:46.639 together so that we can have a meeting, like in person, 193 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:49.159 not from when you know, not a video thing or 194 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:50.519 not from some ways in their car. I want to 195 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:52.480 be able to have a conversation because I have questions 196 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:55.480 about some of these things that have come out. Unfortunately, 197 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:58.320 I haven't been given an opportunity to have to ask 198 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:00.960 those questions, but hopefully one day we will. But anyway, 199 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:02.759 I just wanted to It's really a little more that 200 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:05.120 I wanted to talk to about the state Superintendent. But 201 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:06.519 I just wanted you to be aware of that we 202 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:09.679 continue to respect the office and move forward with our district. 203 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:11.559 Another thing I want to talk to you a little 204 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:14.360 bit about is cell phones and social media that we 205 00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:17.120 all deal with, Okay, and it has really changed in 206 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:20.960 all of our lifetimes. But I know that Tulsa Public 207 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:23.759 in Bixby has made some announcements regarding cell phones, but 208 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:27.360 really those aren't anything different than what we're already doing 209 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:29.480 or what we're already supposed to be doing here, okay, 210 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:32.919 in terms of not using them during instructional time. My 211 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:35.399 friend James Sears, she recommended to me at the beginning 212 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:37.720 of the summer to read this book, The Anxious Generation. 213 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:42.399 I encourage everybody in here, if you have children, if 214 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:45.279 you work with someone that was born after nineteen ninety nine, 215 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:49.159 I will encourage you to read this book. There are 216 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:52.159 things in it that it really was profound statements. I 217 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:54.159 have shared this book with all of our school board. 218 00:10:54.519 --> 00:10:56.559 We're going to be studying it over the following months, 219 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:58.320 all of our administrators. We're going to do a book 220 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.639 study over and over the following months. And there's it's 221 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:03.960 nothing that would surprise you, but there's some concerning things 222 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:05.919 and some things that a couple of things that I 223 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:07.559 just wanted to share to bring to light that I 224 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:09.840 want you to think about because I can't from my 225 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:11.440 chair and say, Okay, we're all of a sudden going 226 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:13.679 to do this, and it's going to make things better 227 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:16.200 regarding social media and cell phones. Okay, it's going to 228 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:18.879 take all of us. So I want to share this 229 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:22.240 with you and a few of the recommendations that have 230 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.879 come out, one of which I agree with is having 231 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:27.960 where kids don't have access to their cell phone during school. 232 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:30.879 And so now that's going to take some That's one 233 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:32.919 thing to say, but that's a big thing to do, 234 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:35.000 and that's going to take a lot of work to 235 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:37.159 make that happen. There's some infrastructure that needs to be 236 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:40.120 in place. But that's one recommendation in the book. It 237 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:43.759 has some recommendations for schools, has some recommendations for parents, 238 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:47.440 has some recommendations for government tech companies as well. Because 239 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:49.799 it's a big issue. But a couple of things that 240 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:52.960 I think will hit home with you that I know 241 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:54.440 that hit home with me. I'm not going to get 242 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.120 too deep into the woods. But one thing that they 243 00:11:57.159 --> 00:12:00.559 mentioned was a twenty twenty three study. We have college 244 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:04.519 age students. Just last year, kids that were in college, 245 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:08.159 two thirds of them feel anxious at least half the time. 246 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:14.080 That's real. Also, from twenty ten to twenty twenty, adolescent 247 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:18.679 girlst the number of self harm that those girls that 248 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:22.840 amount has increased three times threefold. So that's something to 249 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:25.440 be aware of. Okay, I'm not saying it's all. There's 250 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:26.840 some information in the book and you may or may 251 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:29.080 not disagree with, but at least it's a starting point, 252 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.720 and so I encourage you to read it. I encourage 253 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.039 you to think about that and think about how we 254 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:36.720 can work to make things better. I know the advent. 255 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:39.320 I think about the first phone that I had. You 256 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:41.480 guys can probably relate back to your first cell phone, 257 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:43.919 the good old days and then when all of a 258 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:45.759 sudden you had access to everything in the world on 259 00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:49.080 your phone. But there's some challenge that has come up 260 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:51.679 with that. You think about when an iPhone was an 261 00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:54.679 invented in two thousand and seven, think about twenty ten 262 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:57.080 when that part of that came with a forward facing phone. 263 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.440 And at the same time it's came up with things 264 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:02.519 like Instagram and where people take pictures of themselves all 265 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:04.120 the time and you're sharing it all the time, and 266 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:06.639 you're always thinking about does someone like that? Does someone comment? 267 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:10.000 Think about it if you're thirteen, and that's how you're getting 268 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:13.519 your information. So there's some real challenges that come along 269 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:15.799 with that. I think that we've got some generations of 270 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:19.279 kids and some young adults that have are losing the 271 00:13:19.320 --> 00:13:24.559 ability to be fully present. I see that every day 272 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:26.200 I go out to dinner and you see families together 273 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:27.879 and nobody's looking at their phone. I mean to be 274 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:31.080 fully present with one another. So anyway, that's something that 275 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:32.919 I would encourage. You're gonna be hearing more of us 276 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:34.919 talk about it because it's gonna take a bigger investment. 277 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:37.720 But the four recommendations that this gentleman makes in his 278 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:39.679 book is one is no cell phone in the schools. 279 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:42.519 Two as kids don't need a don't need a smartphone 280 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:44.720 until they're in high school. There's no reason for them 281 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:47.679 to have a smartphone until they're fourteen. Another recommendation that 282 00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:49.039 he makes is they don't need to have access to 283 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:54.320 social media until they're sixteen. Think about that. And the 284 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:57.279 last thing, which is is a bigger component is more 285 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:01.480 childhood experience is more unsupervised. More they need to be 286 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:04.720 outside planned. They need to be able to figure things 287 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:06.879 out with each other, not just tied to their phone. 288 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:10.159 Because you think about a lot of folks when you're 289 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:12.679 visiting with them, really they may be interacted with you 290 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:14.480 or acting like they're paying attention, but they're really thinking 291 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:17.799 about their whole social metaverse on who's commenting on what, 292 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:20.320 who said what, and these pictures of these people that 293 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:22.559 aren't real because they're filtered. I mean, that's what you're 294 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:25.120 supposed to look like. That's not real. And so it's 295 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:27.159 gonna take all of us to make this better. And 296 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:28.519 I don't want to sit here and say, Okay, well, 297 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:29.919 all of a sudden gonna not have cell phones in 298 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:32.159 schools and that's gonna fix everything. But it's gonna take 299 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:34.000 all of us to work to make this and so 300 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:35.600 I want to make it, help make it better. I 301 00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:37.240 want to be helping part of the process. It's gonna 302 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:41.279 take all of us. So now onto my program. So 303 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:44.039 it's first of all talking about enrollment history. This is 304 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:46.159 the last five years. Big takeaway here. On the last 305 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:48.919 day of school this year in May, we had three 306 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:50.720 hundred and twenty more kids than we did on the 307 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:54.159 last day of school five years ago. That's significant, especially 308 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:56.840 when you think about our town. Hasn't the population hasn't 309 00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:00.759 shifted that much. It's in required our board, our administrators, 310 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:03.879 our construction company, our dan kelliher our community to make 311 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:06.559 some changes. We needed some more classroom space. We had 312 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:08.960 too many we had, our student teacher ratio wasn't good 313 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:11.840 enough had some of our elementaries. We needed some more space. 314 00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:15.080 So they quickly just in February our last bond issue. 315 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:19.039 On Valentine's Day of twenty twenty three, a bond issue 316 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:21.080 is passed and then here we are right now, we're 317 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:24.799 moving into Wayside Elementary today. We're gonna be moving into 318 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:26.879 Ranch Highest a year from now. So that's a lot 319 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:28.799 of work that goes on to make that happen. So 320 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:33.000 I'm really proud of all those efforts. With that, I've 321 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:35.639 already mentioned our school resource officers, but that's just another 322 00:15:36.039 --> 00:15:37.879 picture of them in terms of big change of our district. 323 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:41.279 I really appreciate our cities support with that. A big 324 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:43.559 challenge that we have is with new teachers. There are 325 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:46.960 fewer folks going in education, and a lot of labor 326 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:49.600 has different challenges. Labor. There's a lot of labor challenges 327 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:53.000 in our world, really and it's driving a lot of things. 328 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:56.720 But with us, if you happen to see the Tulsa 329 00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:59.360 World yesterday, they had a story about Tulsa public schools 330 00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:01.480 who start at school in August twentieth and they have 331 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:04.799 one hundred and thirty vacancies, and so their board adopted 332 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:07.279 something on Monday where they're going to allow folks, if 333 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:10.519 you're twenty one, about halfway three year degree and I've 334 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:12.240 worked with kids for a year or two, then we're 335 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:14.960 going to pay you to be a teacher. Which is 336 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:18.200 terrible that that's the case, but they've got to do something. Okay, 337 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:20.240 we are fully staffed by the way, I want to 338 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:22.679 mention that, but the reality is there's fewer folks going 339 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:26.000 into a profession now. So what we've done is we've decided, 340 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:28.960 let's do something about this. We've started a new teacher academy. 341 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.759 LaDonna Chancellor is responsible for it. What we do with that, 342 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:34.720 Our teachers come in like right now when we're doing 343 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.679 some training. Those folks that have not taught. Maybe they 344 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:40.320 warrant education majors like I was, to learn about the classroom. 345 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:42.879 But the reality is they don't know what they don't know. 346 00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:45.679 So therefore we go throughout the year and get them 347 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:49.799 substitutes where they can all visit experienced teacher classrooms, bring 348 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.600 them back together, give them an opportunity to give ask 349 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:55.399 a panel questions to get feedback. We do an after 350 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:58.039 action review. Colonel Flowers will be proud of me there 351 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:01.360 after everyone where we study that and that's the best 352 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:03.639 thing that they do is that feedback from experienced teachers. 353 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:06.880 So the last two years combined teachers have gone through 354 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:10.160 that program, we've retained eighty eight percent of them. So 355 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:13.519 it's a heavy investment if you think about substitutes. Our 356 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:17.240 first year we got forty two teachers go through it 357 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:19.039 for one day. With the subs that's the one hundred 358 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:21.759 dollars that comes out to about about four thousand dollars. 359 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:23.720 So it's a heavy investment and you think about that 360 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:26.319 impact on the subtool for your schools. But it's something 361 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:29.039 that we're doing has been very successful. We're going to 362 00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:32.000 continue with that. Also, so that you know, we have 363 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:35.359 a job fare every semester because we make sure that 364 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:37.200 we're available. We have it right here in this room 365 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:40.119 after hours, and so there's folks that maybe they're staying 366 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:42.920 home with children, or maybe they're thinking about a second career. 367 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:45.359 They want some more informational I thought this is something 368 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:46.799 that I would like to do when they can come 369 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.119 and visit with us, get them connected with principles, get 370 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.880 them connect with HR and how they could go about 371 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.920 helping us one day. So help spread the word with 372 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:56.039 that of that's something that might be of interest. Childcare 373 00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:59.119 for teachers. Our friends that try County Tech really appreciate them. 374 00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:01.480 They do it one wonerful job at our career Tech 375 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:04.759 system over there, but they have a childcare program. Childcare 376 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:07.519 is an issue and so what they have done they 377 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:11.000 made change is where they've prioritized our teachers where they 378 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:13.960 can get into the program. And then from help from 379 00:18:14.200 --> 00:18:17.000 along with help from the r Vest Foundation, we now 380 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:19.319 this year are going to offer a fifty percent discount 381 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:21.960 for our teachers. There's gonna be twenty four. I think 382 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:23.599 it's twenty fours, the last number that I have. We 383 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:26.240 have several kid teachers, kids that are enrolled in that 384 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:28.480 program and that's helping keeping our teachers in the classroom. 385 00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:32.079 So it's a tremendous asset for our staff. Pasta independense 386 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:36.480 is Claire Year Claire Barley. Yeah, but Claire's wonderful. I 387 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.799 just wanted to mention PTI, which is our local school 388 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:41.559 for kids actually up through twenty one, folks with autism. 389 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:45.000 We work with them. It's a private school. They are great. 390 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:47.279 They're in what was Will Rogers Elementary, and I know 391 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:49.480 they've revamped the facility, but I just want to brag 392 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:51.279 on Claire. We partner with them. We have kids that 393 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:53.759 go back and forth, and you know, if we decide that, 394 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:55.640 if the team decides that's what's best for the kid, 395 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:57.279 if they're a Bartol students, then that's where they go, 396 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:59.279 or vice versas. We work with them. I just wanted 397 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:02.240 to brag on Claire. I also get a question occasionally. 398 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:05.559 There's a tax credit law that changed a couple of 399 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:08.880 years ago where if you choose to send you a 400 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:12.039 kid to a homeschool or private school, there's a tax credit. 401 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:14.039