The Final Episode of The Podcast Season 2: A Conversation with Superintendent Thad J. Roher on Education, Leadership, and FISD Updates. Join us as we discuss the latest developments in FISD, including a bond update, evidence-based learning, mental health support, and hear the answers to some of the questions you asked.
The Final Episode of The Podcast Season 2: A Conversation with Superintendent Thad J. Roher on Education, Leadership, and FISD Updates. Join us as we discuss the latest developments in FISD, including a bond update, evidence-based learning, mental health support, and hear the answers to some of the questions you asked.
Speaker 1 I actually have started watching them again. Speaker 2 Have you noticed the difference in the time like 2 hours, like to come in and out? Awesome. Yeah, I would think that kind of helps. You had said before you thought it was a little more efficient. Lots of time. Yeah. She's a baseball. Speaker 3 Fan, and I get more into the playoffs and the stakes are higher. But as far as just like going to the games, it's just like it just seems to drive on sometimes. But yeah. Have you rule, right? Like as far as the time? Yeah. And the draft was different this year. It was a difference of 5 minutes. Don't they normally get 15 minutes to make their decision. Speaker 3 This year they had ten. So it made that go by faster, thank God. Right. We missed church that Thursday because Shawn had to watch the draft. Speaker 2 Well, you do kind of have to watch the draft. I think that's a great one to watch. Speaker 3 Like, we can just look at the list later. Speaker 2 Okay. So welcome to the final episode of the podcast for the 2022 23 school year and what a year it has been hit that one. Okay, Crowd settled. Speaker 1 It's long enough. Speaker 2 We are proud to announce that this march our 30th podcast with over 4000 downloads and counting. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's been I think if you hit it once and it didn't, you didn't do it. Okay. It's been an on do it again. Speaker 1 I stopped listening If I heard that one more time. Speaker 2 It's Oh no, I hear you one more time. Not with as great as these podcasts, it's been an honor to bring you the valuable insights from various experts in our respective fields. And today we have a very special guest. We are delighted to welcome back the superintendent of Friendswood Esty, to share his updates and to hear his views on education and leadership. Speaker 2 Join us as we delve into his journey and insights and learn more about the latest developments in Friendswood. Speaker 3 We would usually have the applause here, but do it. Speaker 2 Okay, Stop. Welcome. Speaker 1 Thank you. Good to be here with you all. Speaker 2 Glad you're here. Speaker 1 They are just hard to believe. It's sitting here in May and it feels like just a few weeks ago we were starting to school off and talking about what the school year is going to be like. Speaker 2 Excuse me, but three Mondays. Speaker 3 I know. It's crazy. Speaker 2 Three more days. I'm sorry. That's weird. That's insane. Moms, get ready because you're about to be it, and you got to be in it for the summer. Taking care of kiddos nicely. Yes. And first. So we did reach out to our community. We don't. We don't know if you saw the the shout out there on Social media asking for all your questions for Mr. Walker to answer. Speaker 2 So we have quite a few questions and we're going to work our way through them. Let's jump straight in with a trending topic. What is your opinion about pleated khakis? Speaker 1 No. Speaker 4 Okay. Speaker 2 Question number two. Speaker 4 Well, that settles that. Speaker 1 No pleats. Speaker 2 No, please. Speaker 1 I have some, though, because I'm. Speaker 2 Looking at all. Speaker 1 Our guys. Oh, yeah. Speaker 2 Just. These are great. What about khakis with white tennis shoes? Speaker 1 Yeah. Okay. Speaker 2 Please. Speaker 1 No white socks. I wouldn't wear it, but I'm fine with it. Speaker 2 I think you are. I bet most men are fine with it, but it's like, should you be wearing it? Speaker 3 Well, you're a grip now, so you got to wear the. The white balance, the high white socks. Are you balance? Yes. The polo tucked in to the khakis, going opposite. Speaker 1 I'm going. Trendy. Speaker 2 Trendy grip. But what are you called again? Grips. Grips? Speaker 1 Ramps. Speaker 2 I love it. Speaker 1 Mm hmm. Speaker 2 What are you most looking forward to as we close out the spring of 2023? Speaker 1 You know what comes right to mind with that question is just the next few. You know, you just said three weeks and so many things. The last three weeks of May happen. For us, there's like this internal celebration of our people. So just had a really great kind of a new moment for us, our retirees and our board room all together. Speaker 1 That was really neat with how we've changed up our end of year, just because all the moves and the things that we needed to do. So that was really great today. Went and celebrated Teachers of the Year at the campuses. The programs that are going to come Academic banquet is tomorrow night. And Tommy Tunes is tomorrow night. Speaker 2 Okay. Speaker 1 State baseball, state softball are in the playoffs and we've you know, historically got to really play long into the spring with those two groups. They're both really good. I'm really excited about spring football. For the first time in a long time, a spring football game as a scrimmage that will feel like Friday night in the middle of May, May seven. Speaker 2 May 17 will really address. Speaker 1 You have every one of you come out and see that our new athletic director, head coach Jordan Johnson, and his staff and new staff members that he's joined, plus our amazing staff that we've had, you know, in football part of that. So that's going to be something I'm excited to. Graduation is a huge. Speaker 2 Don't forget prom this weekend. Speaker 1 Victory, too. I love graduation. I love graduation. Speaker 2 Graduation. Speaker 1 Graduation and pre-K. The first and little Mustangs preschool situation is coming up. It's something to really look forward to. We have a big May honorees state track. We've got state track people competing, me and all of our, you know, career tech people have gone off and done great thing. So kids that's what I'm looking forward to at the end of the year is kids and. Speaker 2 Young to. Speaker 1 Celebrate and our staff, you know, celebrations for them to awesome. Speaker 2 That is a lot We do have a lot If you are needing us to slow down and go back over those some of those dates, I will readdress those at the end of this podcast. But so let's move into, I think, something else that you're looking forward to next year. Bond Update So let's talk through kind of the construction that's going on and where we at with that. Speaker 1 Let me just give a you know, like if I was a parent sitting here and listening to this, where what would I be interested in hearing? So if I'm a Kline parent, the biggest thing I want to know is like, is it going to be done? Yes, it's going to be finished. The the target date is in July right now for us. Speaker 1 But we've been jumping over hurdles. If you walked into that building now, sheet rock up, you know, windows coming in, everything's poured, ducks are all in. So if you walked into that right now, it looks like a school finishes are starting to come come up in certain areas. You know from the outside there's still a lot of exterior pieces that need to be worked on. Speaker 1 But we have a moving plan, furniture or day delivery. Um, so yeah, I'm really excited about Kline and where it's going to be go in traffic plans. Campuses are putting together those to be able to share out with with people who are going to be really interested in like how do we that's going to be a new experience for us that we'll have to to work through at Kline. Speaker 1 But, you know, the biggest question about Kline, is it going to be done on time? Yes. Yes, it is. We've we've divided up our staff into the teams that we need on those places. Hiring process is going in place. So that's that's the Kline New Kline Elementary High School, the gym. If you walked in the gym, basketball goals are painted. Speaker 1 Uh, it looks finished on the inside, like it's just a matter of time, But we're still waiting on some glass there as well. And the flooring, we have bleachers coming in next week, I believe. Flooring being delivered, the old gym there where we've played basketball in the past, those bleachers are coming out, which is going to be that'll be the band hall. Speaker 1 So that transformation is going to take place, um, the park. And so we plan. I was just talking with Sarah Park today. The first volleyball game is against Clear Creek on the first day of school. Speaker 2 Oh, and August 15th. Speaker 1 We're going to have a I mean, no, no charge open up, everybody. Come. It's going to be a great time and we're going to be ready. Really ready for that. They poured they poured new parking back behind this morning real early. Those driveways and areas that are going to be able to access the back of the gym and baseball that was all poured today. Speaker 1 The park is behind. So it is not going to be ready to open school right now. The date is in September, a finish date in September. If you were to go inside of there, they still need to pour the balcony area, finish the outside walls, the exterior brick on on. Both are still need to be done. But that's a complicated building and we've run into some issues with manpower and also with supply chain to to get what we need to get that completed. Speaker 1 So we'll have to work on that. And then and just the end of school, I mean, the day in so many even the days before school is out, that whole high school is going to we're going to pull the plug on that whole high school and demo basically the middle, the whole middle section. And so there won't be anything at the high school this summer except for Matt Camp in the back. Speaker 1 So I'm sure, you know, athletics are going to communicate ways to enter that, but the power is going to be off to the school. There's going to be people in the school, the high school. The high school is going to be shut down. They're going to re locate over to the junior high their their offices and information. And you should be expecting, as a parent, you know, fairly soon information from campuses and or from us on how do we go about summer business getting our voice and different things that transcripts and things you need. Speaker 2 Yeah, we want to make sure you understand and know that communication will be coming out. But think of the junior high and admin kind of as the hub of places that you would go if you need things to call or just show up, we can help answer any questions. Speaker 1 People knows to reach out to us at admin. We're open all year long. Speaker 2 Now also one. Speaker 1 One three and we can get you what you need. Figure it out. What when song you know those that parking lot and area is really ready they're just finishing up a few things so that's ready. The track is in the new fifth grade wing six classroom wing is being completed starting to put the brick up on that, really moving right on track with that. Speaker 1 So by the end of July and so by the end of July, those dates, that's when all the moving trucks are going to show up and move everybody everywhere to different places where. Speaker 2 That's going to be a coordinated effort moving because line has to be out before the high school can start moving over to Klein right before. Speaker 1 We'll have culinary at old Klein, we'll have engineering at old Klein. We'll have somebody there to kind of be a building coordinator. And then Westwood, where we're creating a new choir room where the stage is and doing a lot of HVAC and upgrades inside of that. So that that'll be have a lot of workers in there. Same with Bales. Speaker 1 Bales is going to have their outdoor learning area starting this summer. We're opening up a therapeutic education center in this building we're sitting in right now, which is the annex that will be partnering with Perry and Alvin Friendswood to serve special needs students, behavioral special needs students, so that construction is going to be going on. So just a lot of hammers and nails and jackhammers going on this summer in Friendswood. Speaker 1 It'll be busy. It will be busy. There'll be things going on and every campus things moving. But that's all exciting. It's an opportunity. It's going to be really, really great. So, you know, one thing I would say for sure with the bond wise, stay tuned through the summer to your emails to communications coming from us and we're going to do our best to get you lined up. Speaker 1 But it's going to be new, right? No one's ever driven to Cline before. No one's been in the high school before with everything. The whole middle section shut down. So, you know, grace, space and understanding applies again to this fall, but it's going to be for a celebration in the end of spaces that are prepared, preparing our students for the future. Speaker 3 And thank you again, voters, for making this happen. Speaker 1 Right? Amazing. Yeah, just totally. Kelsey, It's a you know, a great reminder. Speaker 2 So let's jump back to Wincing really quickly. A lot of people may not realize that when song is going to be in elementary school. So we'll have three elementaries. Speaker 1 That's right. Wind Song Elementary. Yeah. Speaker 3 So weird. Speaker 2 It does sound weird. So when will that move over to when Song Elementary is at the summer? That is when. Speaker 1 We've actually started it in some areas. But yes, we'll make an official change sign change on the you know, on the outside. Speaker 2 I guess we'll let people know too. Yeah. And all the platforms and ways that we can, you know. That's right. That'll be a fun celebration. I know that you and Amber, our CFO, we're currently meeting with groups, kind of doing a citywide tour, talking about school finance. So what are some what are two takeaways that you want people to know? Speaker 1 I think the takeaways that I would you know, if you're asking me what are my takeaways from meeting with the groups? Yes, we're going through PTO is going through different, um, senior citizens, realtors, different advisory groups. The biggest takeaways are just that school finance is confusing. You know, the idea of two buckets where the taxes come from, the maintenance and operations versus the the IRS rate or basically our mortgage and how that works. Speaker 1 I think one of the other big takeaways that surprises people is the size of the pie. The money that comes in does not change. So there's only two way that it changes I'll get into. But you know, we can I've said it so many times, you know, we could put the oil oil well out here beside the elementary or beside this campus, putting new stores on every corner, create, you know, a large amount of what you would see as revenue. Speaker 1 But the size of the pie for maintenance and operations never changes. In fact, what it does is we just give more money back to the state in what people often call Robin Hood, that the only way that that the way that the revenue stream changes for for schools is more students or an increase in taxes on the maintenance and operation side which has to come by vote. Speaker 1 We have we still have $0.05 before we meet our threshold of a dollar 25 that we could go up, which would have to go to the voters and school, you know, finance struggles right now. And I know we're going to talk a little bit about that through here. Those are the only two ways to assure funding education in the way that it needs to be in in Friendswood. Speaker 2 So as you're meeting with these groups that are questions that seem to be kind of repetitive like or is that kind of what you were just talking about? Speaker 1 Yeah, those are really the things. Speaker 2 Trying to understand school finance. Yeah, the parts of the pie and right. Speaker 1 I mean I guess, you know, questions about the taxes being high in Friendswood. You know, we show a graphic of all of our surrounding school districts and, um, we're one of the lowest tax rates, so the taxes aren't high. The the property values are higher. Friendswood And they're higher than other areas. And, you know, I think it's because of our schools, because of our city, because of our partnership, because of who we are. Speaker 1 People want to be here. And so that naturally drives up the values of homes, you know, friends. It has nothing to do with with those rates that creates those rates. Um, the values. So I think those are the takeaways kind of questions that we run into the most. Speaker 2 What are the questions that I know that we saw and we'll get into several more, but there were some questions about softball, baseball, Astroturf, why don't they have it? How can they get it sort of thing? What would you what would you say to that? Speaker 1 Yeah, a lot of questions about that and comments. And I guess a couple things just to that is, you know, the the high school site itself, um, when we went back for Bond back in 2011, there was an initial plan for baseball and softball to be out by the egg barn, um, to have their own area. Oh, to be out of way. Speaker 1 But then during the design phase, they moved back in and flip the fields and they have, you know, two nice stands, playable fields that got put in. And, uh, in terms of just turfing those buildings, you know, when I see the questions, it almost feels like that there's something holding back. Like we don't want to turf those fields. Speaker 1 I'd love to turf those fields tomorrow, but you have to have the revenue to be able to do that. There was some real hopes for us in the the bond that we just passed. When we passed it, you put a, you know, an inflationary rate into it to generate the funds that you predict are going to be needed for construction 18 months after you pass it. Speaker 1 Well, in that 18 months we've had a pandemic. I know we've had supply chain issues, we've had 17% inflation of all things. We've had workforce areas. And so we've had to really creatively work through that $128 million to give our voters what we promised them in the facilities themselves. We've shorted priority one items, we've shorted areas that aren't ones that were the big key items in that. Speaker 1 So, man, there was really a hope that with that at 7%, we would be able to have some to be able to consider that because it wasn't when we did our Facilities Advisory Committee, there wasn't. And that was considered that that wasn't recommended as part of what the board wanted to to move forward with that, that the board didn't the board took the advisory committees unanimous recommendation, but we had hoped all along that was that. Speaker 1 Then the second thing is, you know, the high school is in a neighborhood when you turf anything, when you put concrete on anything, you have to take that water someplace. You have to have retention to be able to take. You think about the size of a baseball field, the size of us, that water has to go somewhere. And so, you know, we're we we've been doing calculations, been doing identifying if we even have capacity. Speaker 1 The thoughts are that we don't that would take underground retention, which would be you would just have to build a big underground pond underneath those to hold the water that would run off of those so that you don't flood current, existing. We buy the tennis courts, we have a new retention pond and and by the now tournament and redoing those calculations to see what what are the possibilities of whether it's turfing one of those fields or whether it's putting in more parking work capacity. Speaker 1 Do we have or is it going to be a very expensive underground retention? So it's not to simply simply buy some turf, put down the pads and lay it down. There's a lot more to that. And so, you know, there is not a let's not hold this back. You know, if we had a facilities advisory committee, which we will soon as we get the majority of this done, you know, put that forward, that may be another bond item. Speaker 1 It might be something that someone sponsors. It might be there's other ways that we could do it. There's other programs, too, that we're looking at. AG is another big one we really want to focus on. That's one that was as we went through that facilities plan. It's at the top of the list that where the line was drawn basically. Speaker 1 Um, and we're, you know, getting ready to sit down, talk with some folks about what are some alternative ways that maybe we could do that we actually have a phased design so that if we can do some phases, maybe we can start some of that before we get to that. But, you know, I don't know what the future holds. Speaker 1 Dana Um, and I'd love to have turf on there. I just want to make sure people know there is a there isn't barriers to that other than the construction side, the finance side. And if there's a way to generate that and that's, you know, something. Speaker 2 We all for. Speaker 1 Because of a large baseball turf field, you know, you could practice football on that. You could baseball outfield, big, you know, you could practice baseball. But band out there, you could have another turf field. And it was actually one of our we had considered doing some turf in the new fields. Um, that we have out there now that are grass, you know, the new really nice grass field besides the tennis courts and then one that backed behind that. Speaker 1 But we really held off on that. So that we could, if we were going to have to use up some of our attention, let's, let's use it on baseball and softball, that that makes the most sense. Speaker 2 Um, there were some other questions. I know from Twitter that that we were going to address. I know one of the things that I remember that came up was, can we feed all of our employees for free? I remember that question. Lunch line. That's right. We give them a free lunch. Speaker 1 Free lunch for employees. We actually have looked into that. And Friendswood is part of the free lunch program, which means we get governmental subsidies for that, which precludes us just giving that away, giving the food away for free. Uh, so, um, there, there, there could be other ways around that that we've, you know, exploring. I mean, is it a salad bar? Speaker 1 Is it a, you know, is there other things that we could do? But that's what like that seems like an easy decision. But that's what precludes us from. Speaker 2 From doing that. Speaker 1 From doing those kind of things. Right. Speaker 2 The baked potato bar sounds good. Yeah. Speaker 1 It sounds in the communications department. Speaker 2 I'm hungry. Speaker 3 You get a baked potato. Speaker 4 Sorry. Speaker 1 I'm trying to. Speaker 3 To the next. Speaker 4 Committee. Yeah. Speaker 2 Oh, you're trying to find them on Twitter. Speaker 1 I had them up here a second ago. I just lost. Speaker 3 Them. So I do remember one of the things was, is if I d going to adjust teacher salaries to balance, to counteract the cost of living. Speaker 1 And I really, really hope so. Um, that is what we are watching every day. Uh, you know what's going on in the legislature? They're coming down the homestretch here in May. And as they come down to this, this end of this time, the way that it's structured up right now, really on the student allotment amount, which is the amount we're paid per student, the amount that's proposed is an increase of $100 per student. Speaker 1 Well, that that amount, you know, for us pays, you know, less less than a 1% raise, which is not enough. You know, we need we we want need more to compete with surrounding areas to increase our salaries for our valuable teachers. And really the value of education as a whole, not only in Friendswood, across the state. And so we are, you know, pleading with our legislatures, frankly, to spend some of that surplus funds that are there. Speaker 1 You know, the 30 billion surplus, 15 of it is going to go towards property tax reduction. Our listeners today, you and I, those of us who live in Friendswood, your property taxes are going to get bought down by the legislature. They're going to take some of that money and pay for that pay, subsidize a property tax decrease. I've heard numbers like, you know, around $700 for a $300,000 home. Speaker 1 You know, don't quote me on that, but that's just a number that comes to mind. So that's going to be a part of, you know, our employees. Our students are our families. But that leaves, you know, monies to our play would be to put that into educational programs like Friendswood that's producing the next generation of democracy, the next generation of workforce for one of the most successful states in the union. Speaker 1 Frankly, with a booming economy that's generated that that's going to come out of public schools. And so to the question of are we going to look at salaries, that is all we're doing right now is figuring out with a $3 billion deficit that we have facing us right now, how do we make that happen? Right. So we need those numbers to to get an idea. Speaker 1 We we need increased state funding. Why do we have a deficit? We don't have enough state funding for education. In Friendswood, 85% of our of our budget goes to people and we have great programs. We have great people. Uh, cutting those would cut back on the opportunities that we provide as part of our strategic plan. Electricity and insurance are fixed costs that we can't even like. Speaker 1 Our our property insurance in Friendswood I see went up 41% this year and we had to change dynamics around to be able to to figure out a way to afford that even with that increase. Right. So, you know, inflation has gone up 17%, legislatures charged with providing public education, and we're just asking for them to do it. So in some ways, maybe that is passing the buck on, but short of figuring other ways to generate revenue, you know, what are we going to cut? Speaker 1 Cut people, cut people, cut programs. And, you know, well, they pay this you know, they pay the superintendent how much they pay principals. I think you would find that our salaries, what we run on is pretty lean and mean. And in that area to, you know, with the market, we are not outside or even close to that, you know, around. Speaker 1 So, you know, are you spending your money wisely? Yes, we are. Um, those are public records and things that people can look at. Um, you know, one question might be, well, how can you build these huge buildings and all of these areas, all of these things, and you can't afford to give teacher raises. That's the two buckets. Part of that is what's called the, you know, I.N.S. interest in Sinking Fund tax side of the tax. Speaker 1 You get two numbers on your tax statement. We can not use one bit of that. That's our mortgage. So just like everything else, is a 30 year mortgage on that. We have a certain payment each year the board passes it. They can't pay us more than what they need to pay each year's payment based on the property values and the interest rates. Speaker 1 And so, you know, could we have brand new buildings and have to have a salary freeze? Yes, because you can't if you pull money out of that bucket and put it in the other one, you go to jail. Right. Speaker 2 There are two different buckets, right? Yeah. So what what is it that we could do now to kind of reach out to our legislators to say, hey, we need we need help, we need your help? Frankly. Speaker 1 Representative Greg Bonnin, who lives right here in Friendswood, has been a tremendous supporter of Friendswood, sat by me during Harvey in our shelter and did all the things that that representatives do. I mean, he he's been right there with us all along. Reach out to him via email. All those contact information is public, you know, out on the web. Speaker 1 Um, and Mays Middleton who's our senator, a new new senator he's on the education committee by and I just want to encourage people to reach out and and ask for increased you know, student allotment for for their kids. Speaker 2 Right And. Speaker 3 I believe we're going to have something going on on social media soon that you can maybe reference when we do have an. Speaker 2 Opportunity to do that. Speaker 3 If you have if yes, if you feel compelled to to reach out. So we'll have we'll have that out soon. Speaker 2 So Lauren and Bo and Kim Cole are teaching and learning team. They've been working hard with groups of teachers on evidence based learning this year and growing that program, really growing that program in a fiesty. How fun it had been to watch that program and just see kids grow. Speaker 1 Well, it's just such a compelling. Why so, You know, the idea very simply is for the student and for parents to be able to know where their students are, where they as learners are on a specific standard and watch it move along a progression and have reporting from that based on that is so much more rich in terms of the students owning their learning. Speaker 1 And for our parents to know where your students really are, um, as they learn and then the evidence based reporting which has been a pilot which growing next year into all of sixth grade will be doing that um is a great book with a typical letter, you know, numeric grade being able to communicate to students and to parents the areas where they are achieving and give a strong message. Speaker 1 So to make it simpler, you know, right now you would have ten grades and one of your grades might show like chapter one, Section four worksheet with a grade that does tells you I tell you anything. Speaker 2 Yeah. What did you learn there? Speaker 1 Right? Yeah. So now it's a formative, formative summative. And then student success standards like grit, determination, those responsibility, those pieces are pulled out to be able to communicate that. And with anything, we're refining our communication, um, to be able to get that information out. We're excited about a new piece of our skyward system for the standards based learning. Speaker 1 Um, that will, will help enhance that communication more and then connections to virtual pieces that take place of a Friday folder. You know, I think, I mean, I grew up in the Friday folder days with my kids and, um, maybe had a false sense of what they were doing and that they were working because a whole packet of information came home with a number on it. Speaker 1 Um, but in terms of what standards, how were they doing on decoding, how are they doing on reading comprehension at the level that they were supposed to be? I, I didn't know, you know, only a parent or a phone call from a teacher that say reads behind or Maggie's behind on on this would help me understand. I knew they were working that way. Speaker 2 Cannon moved as clip. Speaker 1 Can then move to squirt Yeah exactly. Speaker 3 And one thing I think with with standards based or evidence based is it's not just that you're having these explanations from the teacher that go further in. The student is able to explain what they're learning a lot more than they ever were before. Speaker 2 I love to hear their reasoning of why they gave themselves two or three. It's because are they are they're tough on themselves, which kids normally are, you know? Yeah. Kids are not normally hard on themselves, much more so than what a teacher would necessarily be because we can't know it all, you know, in that moment. But it's so cute to have a kid explain why they gave themselves a two years. Speaker 3 And I would encourage anyone, if you haven't seen already, we've put out two videos a peek inside of feisty classrooms. The first one is on collaboration and we went into Ms.. Pasta and Miss Walmsley class and it was just I mean, it's just awesome, like watching what those kids are able to do. And we had hours and hours that we spent in there and we narrowed it down to 6 minutes. Speaker 3 But there's just so many great things going on. Speaker 2 It is one thing people don't realize, Kelsey, that we can spend days filming, recording, asking questions, and then to bring it down to edit it, which you do a great job at, to edit it down and it come down to 6 minutes, 6 minutes. It's a which to us is a long yo, you know, when you spend days collecting all of that 6 minutes is not a long time but yeah that was great insight. Speaker 2 And then from there you went to the junior high? Speaker 3 Yes, went to the junior high. We, we titled that one a peek inside character and feisty and that was with Miss McNeill's class curators Ella and they have okay I'm losing the now I keep wanting to call it missing impact. Speaker 2 Oh connections. Speaker 3 Connections. Yes their connections class. But being able to listen to the kids, I think just communication in general is so much better today than it was in the past. Speaker 2 But for me warms my heart in that I used to teach sixth grade. I'm reminded that sixth graders want to sit down, have connections to talk about some really deep, important things. You know, that that that's important to them. And it's sweet to see them open up. You know, they act all cool and tough, but, you know, they really like that connection with others. Speaker 3 And that's all a part of some of that character education as well. So they have standards for that character. And that's implemented in a way that the kids may not realize exactly what's happening, but that's what's happening. And so it's really I would just encourage people to go watch that because you're able to truly see and this is not this is not like special days. Speaker 3 These are normal days in the classroom where we just popped in and said, we're going to make you up and we're just going to capture what happens. And it was magic. Speaker 2 To tell everybody what's next, What's the next peek inside? Speaker 3 Oh, my goodness, I'm so excited. So we're heading to Westwood for our next peek inside. So we actually start filming tomorrow morning for that. We're in kindergarten. Speaker 2 Kindergarten. Speaker 3 We're going to be in Miss Owen's class. Speaker 2 We little kindergarten. Speaker 3 I am so for that. So be on the lookout in the next couple of weeks for that to come out. And I'll be so excited to share that. But kind of on the note that we got a Twitter question and I'll just read it, why did you decide to change to standards based grading system for elementary and potentially middle school? Speaker 3 What can be done by parents to go back to grading system that has worked for 100 plus years? Speaker 1 Well, I'll just say for sure the idea of standards based grading as as we know it is going to, you know, the plan right now, next year's fourth grade. And it would the standards based the one through three is going to stop at fifth grade. So we'll be in fourth grade next year. The plans all along have been sixth grade and up will remain numeric grades, but it'll be an evidence based. Speaker 1 How it's structured would be able to share with students and parents as they look at Skyward at the grade book. What are formative which are I'm learning it pieces and so this is we're forming the learning and then summative. Now I'm on the now now I have to show what I know and what that looks like. So there wasn't plans for that. Speaker 1 But but back to can we go back to number grades like we've had for the last hundred years, a system for the last hundred years? I think one thing to think about is just as we focus on standards based and and evidence based reporting are an end, really what we are looking for is individualized learning, right? That that's these are just the ends. Speaker 1 It's that's the grading side of. Right. And it gets a lot of attention. Speaker 2 Great. Right? Speaker 1 Gets a lot of attention because it's what we as parents get home, right? We're not in the classrooms every day. That's what we're trying to do with the peek inside. That's where anyone who questions evidence based or standards based grading, like, let's not talk about that, but come with me and watch individualized Learning happen and you'll learn on your heads because you've been in those classrooms. Speaker 1 Go walk into a first grade classroom, a second grade classroom, and watch kids writing on their own level and trying to edit their work for them versus what we went through, which is we were all taught the same thing. And the struggler struggle, the middles were middles, the highs were highs and that never changed as we moved up because we were just taking information in. Speaker 1 We're now we're individually rising, learning, moving up, which increases every that raises the whole system up. So that's why we wouldn't go back to where we were for the last 100 years, would be we would be knowing what we know about the future and what we know about how kids learn. We like malpractice. Two To do that, it would be like we're evolving. Speaker 1 Let's let's let's do away with Netflix and let's do it and go to Blockbuster again. You know, it worked. It it did for The Times. But the Times are changing. Students are changing instructions and changing. Speaker 2 Actually, by the way. Speaker 1 Right. Right. Speaker 2 And I've never before I just want to throw that out there. Speaker 1 Yeah, that's right. So the change has never been faster as it is right now, and it never will be as slow again as it is right now. Yeah, the change. And so it's all of ours. Reluctance to change. Speaker 3 Yeah. Speaker 1 You know, and redefine ourselves and totally. Speaker 3 Change is hard. Speaker 1 Totally. Speaker 3 And it's uncomfortable. And you know, you do have this we have to have a grace period, I think, for some of that. But we talk about this all the time, Dana and I of we are we're asking our students to be the leaders of tomorrow. But are we staying on top of what's happening even right now? Right You know, like we we need to be charged with that as educators. Speaker 3 So I think that's that's the direction we're trying to continue to press forward and. Speaker 2 Right. And listen, I want to say and maybe every generation says this, you know, but it's not easy to be a teacher right now, know me to have to be a teacher and teach kids for tomorrow. You've got to be constantly learning. You're constantly researching, understanding the latest best practices, evolving as a human being and as an educator. Speaker 2 It is not easy to teach and. Speaker 1 It's not easy to teach. And the stakes for what you're doing for tomorrow is just so high. Speaker 2 And so hard for. Speaker 1 Them. And public education is under attack from from everywhere. And that's where we have to challenge ourselves to step outside of that and like, look at the paradigm of what our teachers are in terms of support, in terms of encouragement for them, in terms of, you know, honoring them, you know, honoring them for what they do. I was in a I won't forget being in a parent meeting. Speaker 1 We've had several around these topics really individualize learning, as I said, you know, standards based grading. And, you know, a parent said going back to kind of 100 years ago, how can teachers that and one of our our teachers we do this every day. Yeah, right. Because they're incredible, incredible with the things that they have on them. They're incredible. Speaker 3 So I did see another question that was added on Instagram 10 hours ago. So it's a new one. If I can ask really quick, what is a change you have implemented based on parent or student feedback and what has been the impact? Speaker 1 That's a great. Speaker 2 Question. It is a great question. Yeah. I know for my field y you try to think about it. I know for our field we had a parent that was very upset and she was new to our district. She had a kindergartner and she came in and frankly said our superintendent called her in and said, Hey, come and talk to me. Speaker 2 I would love to, you know, talk to you about what was a struggle. She came in and sat down and she said, I have a kindergartner. I did not know where to find information, get information, know how to get my kid set up for school. And out of that meeting came our interactive fliers for every campus where we really work hard to send you an electronic where you can click on every single thing and you have everything at your fingertips. Speaker 3 It's all consolidated. Speaker 2 It's all consolidated to get you ready for the upcoming year. And that goes out in July by the way. So be patient with us. We love getting those out. Those do take a long time to get ready and to get updated. But that's one of many things that it that somebody said, hey, I just don't feel like my needs are being met. Speaker 2 And we were like, Let's change that. Let's get that for you. And we've had great success with that and love that from our parents. Speaker 3 Same thing with the website. So we had done a communication survey asking about how satisfied everyone was with different levels of communication. First of all, we were very surprised by the amount of you that read our board reports, which has been one of the top most, most use. Yes of anything we do. And then we also had feedback, rightfully so, on our website. Speaker 3 And so that was during kind of that COVID period when we started to make the shift of like, okay, we have to we saw the importance of website and being able to get that information quickly and effectively and so we that we moved to a new website and we've been really happy with it. And I feel like overall we've gotten better feedback. Speaker 1 So yeah, so a lot of things come to mind was most recently what comes to mind for is Miss Mambo, Miss Cole, our two teaching and learning Deputy Supervision Assistant Superintendent As we've stepped into this journey of individualized learning and standards based grading is changes to that system. So we had groups of parents that we took out. We invited everybody who wanted to come walk through based on conversations through that made changes. Speaker 1 We've had parent meetings as part of that, based on feedback from that input. From that. We've made changes in how that reporting looks all throughout this year as we learn learn from parents and teachers both what what better, you know, better ways to communicate, better ways to to touch base with them. So that's one that comes to mind all of our, you know, programs that came out, I think of elimination of class rank. Speaker 1 I think of a new system that just came in, all driven out by parent input and our strategic plan, you know, five years ago that has come to fruition, I think of programs like rocketry, welding, marine science, arts process management at College of the Mainland that has come from parent input on things. We're working on a dress code right now that we're trying to refine after many years of of 19 bullets of things. Speaker 1 We're working on that, trying to get it work through. So that was something we went to students, parents, we have another meeting this week to follow through on that. What else. Speaker 2 I just think about in the last two years, just see. Speaker 1 The bond, the bond itself. Speaker 2 The bond, the. Speaker 1 Bond, you know, design and program and what we chose to do it. That all came from parents. Speaker 3 And I think that's important for people to understand. Is there no decision is made lightly and without a lot of voices right there, there are committees for pretty much every decision, especially every big decision that's made and that's made up of all kinds of community members, students, parents, pastors, teachers, teachers, business administrators. So I think that's also important to note, like with standards based with the bond. Speaker 3 And what we're selecting was it's coming from a lot of different voices. These are these are big decisions. Speaker 1 Zoning. We re zoned, you know, several years ago that was a parent committee that we work with and they actually really went too far ahead to rezone the zone that we have now for the two elementaries They did way back when we split the third grade out to prepare for the bond this year to those to K through five. Speaker 1 So that really saved us time in a lot of ways by being able to do well. Speaker 3 And while we're kind of on the subject too, I think it might be great to mention this summer we'll be rolling out something new for our website where it will be like, Let's chat, where you'll be able to go in and express any sort of comment, concern, praise, any sort of input, and it will be directed to the correct person. Speaker 3 And you will get a quick response. And so we're excited for that. Speaker 2 We are excited to roll that out. Speaker 3 It will be a great way just to continue to receive parent input and be able to do something about it. Speaker 2 Now. So moving on, one of our last questions for we close out here is some people would say that we really worked hard after COVID, after the pandemic to meet our students needs where they are and with their mental health. And let's just talk a little bit about, you know, we also have a responsibility to try to work and meet with our teachers on their mental health because we all came through the pandemic. Speaker 2 We all came through it with different how we worked through that, you know, And so what is it that we do with teachers and that we offer our our employees to work with them on their mental health? Speaker 1 You know, mental health wise, we have a program that, um, through friends with at Friendswood pays for that, that provides for counseling for them. Speaker 2 And. Speaker 1 Their faith and their families. Speaker 2 Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Speaker 1$10 a session, I think maybe number of sessions with a counselor we offer. I don't know that I'd say this is. This isn't mental health, but we have a mustang clinic that we pay for, right? Which allows, you know, quick appointments for our staff. Speaker 2 And their families. Speaker 1 And their families. Speaker 2 And be so quick, as you say, that that's not maybe mental health, but for a lot of teachers who have families, it is a time constraint to try to find a doctor, get an appointment, make an appointment, get them in, and you have a classroom waiting that always on you. So that that is you know, it's does it solve their problems? Speaker 2 But that is one great thing that our school district offers that helps them do that. Speaker 1 Yeah. And it is big. It is. You know, people call us about it. I just had a local district calls about doing that, you know, coming up for for their employees for this year. We're all looking for ways to honor teachers and what they go through every year. We we are getting ready to sign an agreement with a that provides, um, counseling for counselors for our administrators because they they deal with. Speaker 1 Yeah. Talk about, you know, 100 years ago the things that they're dealing with now with a high school or junior high student or counseling staff and our administrative staff or APS is I mean, it's heavy. Speaker 2 It's heavy. Speaker 1 You know, my mom was a counselor, so I know back in the day what that came home. So we want to provide that for them. We have a chaplaincy program that's on campuses that that they have access. Um, but, you know, I hope we create a culture in Friendswood where there's an opportunity to share with each other the struggle, um, to have leaders who step into this struggle with us and, and work through it. Speaker 1 You know, I, I can remember in the middle of COVID, we were struggling through like grading and the things that we did, um, kids coming back and went and sitting with a group of teachers and just saying what what do we need to change, you know, And from that really changing what we did to try and honor them and bring kids back so that they weren't having to do as much virtual combination through things. Speaker 1 So, um, you know, there was a side of me just like we, we're not doing enough, you know, you just feel that, right? Angst, you know, like, what could we do more? And it's you want to talk programs like put things in place. But I think it's it's bigger than that. And I think it's bigger than feisty. It's a team effort. Speaker 1 It's a you know, it's what can communities do for what can I put on social media or not put on social media to support the mental health of everyone involved? How can I change my outlook on today? That's probably hokey, maybe sounding, but I think it's a much bigger than a what programs do you have to support? You know I we look at but child care opportunities could we do what we don't have a program right now we you know employees bring their kids here to Friendswood. Speaker 1 So that's a that's a benefit for them to be able to do it. I don't know about mental health, but it's good for them to be able to bring, um, but I think when we have crises, one of the best things about Friendswood is we care about the people around, around us and we, we try and dive in when it's, it's bad now, you know, um, that's, that's happened a lot over the last few years for us. Speaker 1 And so we've, we've had the opportunity to step in beside people who've had loss and who are experiencing hard things and, and try to support the best we can. Or our department does a great job of making contact, you know, and holding on to that. But, but back to your point earlier, it is a tough job. Speaker 2 It's a tough job. Speaker 1 It's a tough job. And it's a tough job to make better with a lot of requirements for attending things and mandates for that. And so I think one of the things, too, that people maybe don't feel is self filtering from administration of what things we push down into their plates that we can try and figure out maybe doing some other other things with. Speaker 1 So I'll know that's a really great answer, but that's the answer. Speaker 2 Well, and you know, we all have friends and family that are teachers and educators, and it may not relieve their stress or their pain or the difficult day to day. But I do think it's important for all of us to know and believe that we're for them. Speaker 3 Yes. Speaker 2 Yes, yes. Speaker 1 Right, right. Speaker 2 Well, like we're a family, I, I believe that we're a family. And if I think it's important for everybody to know that they're loved and they we all care for them and hopefully they care for us and we can all. Because you don't have an easy job either. You know, a lot of times we've talked about how much you've aged over. Speaker 4 You look up and. Speaker 2 You just nobody wants to hear it. Nobody wants to hear it, because I know we and you don't want to hear it. And I know we focus on how hard teachers job is, but I'm just here to say we a lot of us have hard jobs. You have a hard job. You have a very hard job. And I know your heart and I know that you truly take that home and you love. Speaker 2 He's basically looking at me like, let's go. Yeah, but I know you love you love what you do. You love teachers and educators, and you are in it for the right reason. Speaker 3 So And he's for Friendswood 100%. Speaker 2 Yes. He absolutely loves it. And he's all in. So, um, but we do want to say before we wrap up completely, I know these are important things to say, but we do have a lot of groups of people that we want to thank. Yes, I do think we want to kind of end with who we love and who we want to thank for what they do for us. Speaker 2 FGF It's been a huge I mean, what a success this year with all of our parents and the board and but the amount of money we just gave away, $560,000 in grants, right. Speaker 3 To all the. Speaker 2 Different campuses. Speaker 1 Unbelievable And they're just getting ready this week to give out some legacy grants that are going to go on top of that. You know, it's just yeah, it's, you know, crazy. It's going to be $600,000 worth in our kids hands. Speaker 2 Right. Speaker 1 You know. Speaker 3 This is beautiful this. Speaker 1 Year. This year it's. Speaker 3 Crazy. Speaker 2 Exactly. Yes. Our peatos. Speaker 1 I mean, peatos have been the the backbone of friends would support keep it in this thing. Speaker 2 Because like. Speaker 1 I. Speaker 2 Said, like under. Speaker 1 They've been the backbone of support for us for talking about 100 years for 100 years. You know, friends has been around for 85 years and all long Peatos have been around, but not just Peatos who not only just raised money, but their support system for kids in need, support system for, you know, so many things, you know, celebrations. Speaker 1 But I think about athletic booster club band booster, Ranga booster booster booster that Yeah I mean people are all in Yeah you know in Friendswood. Speaker 2 Yeah it's awesome. Speaker 1 And it it just makes us a proud to be serving them you know and and man we mess up sometimes you know in Friendswood and we make mistakes, but man people just rally up. Yeah. You know, and our peatos are a part of doing that. I'm just grateful for them. And I know our teachers, our principals, like totally thankful for that. Speaker 2 Yes. Yeah. Couldn't do without those groups. Speaker 3 No, I know Dana and I will go to some of our our area school PR meetings and some of the struggles that our fellow PR professionals share about parents in social media and complaints. We kind of sit back on a lot and we think our our parents are overall very supportive. Speaker 2 You know, last year, another group is Barry Alliance. Barry Alliance has they've been around for a while, but they have stepped in over the last couple of years with their leadership and FISA. FISA cares where they come alongside our campuses and our counselors to really support those families that just need immediate help, whether it's. Speaker 1 Totally that in like they were integral in bringing programs to us about, you know. Speaker 2 Like maybe. Speaker 1 Help help me vaping in. Speaker 2 Fitness. Speaker 1 No, you know, we got to do that with them this year. Yeah. Communicated with that you know drug collections from from cabinets Christmas presents. They do they do programs with small groups of kids at junior high and high school leadership stepping in to kids who, you know, need that and all that's behind the scenes. But it does really, really make a significant difference. Speaker 2 And speaking of area Alliance, I have agreed to be the next Dancing with the Stars representing DSD. I know. Speaker 3 She's. Speaker 1 She was going to be your partner. I just hope you agreed to do that if chief would be your party. Speaker 2 Thank you for remembering that, because I said I would only do it if Chief Wieners were my partner. Somehow I get this email that says Thank you for agreeing to be with angels of the stars. The chief is nowhere to be found. I don't know what happened there. Maybe he's going to sign up for next year. Speaker 1 This is a call out right now. Speaker 2 That's right. It's a cold up for him. Yeah, I put up or whatever. I'm not going to tell him to shut up by the aways. So that's coming in September. Hopefully, you will help support me in that endeavor. And we can raise funds and money for Dancing with the Stars. Speaker 3 We're going to do our stretches every day. Dana, we're going to make you a winner. Speaker 2 And let's talk about some upcoming dates, which you already mentioned a little bit. But next week, I want everyone to know there's been a little bit of confusion on the dates this week or next week, Next week is officially the National Teacher Appreciation Week. So we hope you are at least sending your teachers just words of encouragement. I mean, letting them know how much you care about them. Speaker 1 Where is Sonic, right? Sonic for our teachers? Speaker 2 Well, that's what we do. Yeah, that's what we pull together. Teachers can go through Sonic and get a free drink, but here it's just kind of like the teacher and say, We appreciate you and love. Yeah, I This weekend spring game, which we already mentioned May 17th, kindergarten graduation and graduation for our seniors, May 27th. We do have a great end of the year video coming out. Speaker 2 We can't really talk a lot about it. It's kind of a surprise, but you're going to see some great people dancing in this video. We're super excited. Speaker 3 It's going to be fantastic. Speaker 2 It's going to be fantastic. Is there anything else that that are on your hearts that you want to talk about before we end it? Speaker 1 I don't think so. I think that's a wrap. Wow. Speaker 2 That's a wrap for the 2022 23 podcast. Thank you again for listening and we will talk to you again in August by.