The Highline School Board Retreat was held on December 10, 2022, from 9 AM – 3 PM.
Meeting Agenda
Meeting Notes
(Recording yet to be available – technical difficulties, as of 12/23/22.)
Attendees:
Four of the five Highline School Board Directors, Dr. Duran, plus his full cabinet. (Absent: Director Garcia)
Overview:
After introductions, the board had five main agenda items:
- Listening Tour Feedback
- Strategic Plan Framing
- Street Data Discussion (Ch.6) – Profile of Graduate
- Strategic Planning Next Steps
- Board Policies regarding 1430 (Audience Participation) and 1240 (Committees)
- The meeting ended with a review of next year’s Board schedule and then a reflection on the retreat
Listening Tour Feedback: (pp. 1-36)
Dr. Duran opened by sharing with the group that students are “truth tellers” and that the perspectives we gain from the Listening Sessions are important.
Max Sullivan, from the UW-CEL consultant group, gave a summary of the student, family, staff, and community feedback from the focus groups and community forums. Reminded the group this is a “strength-based approach” that focuses on “qualitative street data” and “elevating stories.” He suggested that the challenges ahead are because of the “good work they have already done.”
The Four Action Areas (p.55) he outlines for principals and leaders are “critical to eliminating the inequities that exist in schools:”
- Foster an inclusive leadership culture focused on creating equitable experiences and outcomes
- Co-create a shared vision of principals as leaders of equitable schools
- Create a system of support for principals to grow as leaders of equitable schools
- Develop a strategic partnership between the central office and principals
Equity Review Findings and Recommendations:
- “…ensure that every student, especially those who have been most marginalized, has a school experience that makes them happy and proud.”
- Racial equity and our work
- Equity Review Process
- Data: Satellite (Big/Trends), Map (Classroom/Surveys), Street (Student Experience/stories)
- “How does Highline foster an inclusive leadership culture focused on creating equitable experiences and outcomes?”
Max summarized general trends based on the data collection, as well as an overview of Strengths (p. 68) and Challenges (p. 69), then he gave recommendations to “strengthen the Highline Promise”:
- Safeguard Diversity
- Address Bullying
- Seek to “continually understand” the non-traditional student experience
- Focus on IEP student experience
- Launch “Highline Promise 2.0,” including academic challenges and student leadership
Directors and the cabinet had “break-out” sessions to further discuss individual district feedback, then returned to the main group around 11 AM, and each director (or note-taker) gave comments on their observations.
Observations and Strategic Plan Focus Themes included:
- Family engagement is essential – Why do we not include parents in our statements?
- Combine Big Data with Street Data to achieve “academic rigor”
- Bullying/safety – especially relating to color/LGBTQ+ students
- Communication/Transparency to the community and parents
- Vocational opportunities
- Are programs effectively “wrapping around our students?”
- How to navigate IEP to high-cap difference in need?
- Diversity of talents, not just diversity of color
- How are we judged in the eyes of the community? – SEL, nutrition, academics
Building a Graduate Profile – Street Data – Chapter 6: (p. 85)
The district intends to develop this Profile using the Washington State Board of Education Profile, influenced by Street Data.
Director Howell presented a brief overview of the first Street Data chapters (1-5) they had already studied, including different types of Data (satellite, map, street), Agency, and Voice. She commented that ALL data is important but that the street data brings us a “more complete, holistic understanding.”
Attendees gave their thoughts about what an ideal Graduate looks like:
- (Life skills) problem-solving, able to access help, adaptable, health, and prepared for the future you choose
- (Mindset) – ok to fail, good attitude, joy, know self
- (Academic) Knowledge, grades, tech, critical thinking, diploma means something.
- (Community Involvement) Informed productive citizens, powerful change agents.
According to RCW 28A.230.090:
“The purpose of a high school diploma is to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner.”
This is the Washington State Board of Education Grad Profile:
Dr. Duran handed out this “Clayton Graduate” document as an idea for Highline’s Graduate Profile:
After journaling and discussing, the group members each gave their additional input.
Strategic Planning Next Steps:
A question posed regarding Strategic Plan:
“How can we use our data (satellite, map, and now street data) AND the State Board of Education’s graduate profile to start to create a COHERENT strategic plan?”
Conversation surrounded Highline student goals. Aligned with the Washington State BOE information and included many concepts brought forth from Street Data, as well as topics discussed earlier.
Discussion of Policy/Procedures 1430 – Audience Participation:
The directors were all given the proposed changes, but the specifics were not read into the meeting. The proposal was later posted on the Highline website. Also, Policy 1430 is now included on the Agenda for January 4, 2023.
General comments/questions included:
- Best to prioritize topics on the agenda
- Important to keep the meetings civil and focused
- Are there other ways for the community/parents to reach the Board? (yes)
- How do we encourage the community to partake?
- Translation needs
Proposed changes include: (pp. 93-101)
- Remove all unscheduled communications
- Prioritizes speakers based on Agenda items: 1) action items, 2) introduced items, 3) other HPS topics
- 2 minutes per speaker (4 minutes if needs interpretation)
- Each person may only speak once, even if another cedes their time to them
- Accommodations (translators) should be requested the day before
- It still allows for 20 speakers
- Call-in starts at 9 am Monday before the meeting. Sign up by 9 am on the day of the meeting. (Weekend voicemails are not automatically added to the list.)
Board committee revisions to Policy 1240 and future Board meeting dates were discussed.
The retreat wrapped up by 3 PM, with each attendee sharing their reflection of the day, “optimistic closure.”
