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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, CLAP ONCE.
[Community Input Meeting on March 31, 2025.]
IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, CLAP TWICE. IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, CLAP THREE TIMES.GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
IT IS 6:35 P.M. AND WE ARE RETURNING FROM CLOSED SESSION.
WE ARE GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO OUR ONLY AGENDA ITEM FOR THIS EVENING, AND THAT IS PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE BOARD, MR. HILL. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS REGARDING ANY ITEM RELATED TO DISTRICT, BUSINESS OR GOVERNANCE FROM CITIZENS WHO HAVE COMPLETED PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS THIS EVENING, WHICH ARE ACCEPTED UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE TO OTHER SPEAKERS.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE INFORMATION SHARED IN PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THE INFORMATION SHARED BY THE PRESENTER AND SOLELY PROVIDES THE OPINION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER, NOT THE DISTRICT. COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ONLY, NOT OTHER ATTENDEES, AND ONLY MADE ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED UPON TO SPEAK.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC CONCERN RELATED TO AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DISTRICT OR A SPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUE, YOU SHOULD UTILIZE THE DISTRICT'S GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES PROVIDED IN BOARD POLICIES DGBA LOCAL, FNG LOCAL AND GF LOCAL. EACH GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE ALLOWS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO REDRESS TO REDRESS GRIEVANCES WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
ADDITIONALLY, IF THERE ARE FIVE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SAME TOPIC, YOU MAY CHOOSE TO APPOINT AN INDIVIDUAL TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP. THANK YOU, MR. HILL. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TONIGHT WE HAVE 36 SPEAKERS.
AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE CALLED.
AND AS MR. HILL STATED, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO GIVE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE THIS EVENING ARE AMIT KALRA, MOONEY JAY, AND AMIR ASHKALI. I'M ALSO GOING TO ASK FOR SOME ASSISTANCE FROM MY FELLOW TRUSTEE FRIENDS UP HERE, BECAUSE IF I AM UNABLE TO PRONOUNCE A NAME, I DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT YOUR NAME IS PRONOUNCED CORRECTLY.
SO YOU MAY HEAR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES CHIME IN TO ASSIST ME.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER, MR. AMIT. GOOD EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS, PARENTS AND STAFF, STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M A PARENT OF HUNT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THE PRESENTATION THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST COMMUNITY MEETING REGARDING REZONING FOR STALEY STUDENTS.
SOUTH OF HICKORY STREET. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HUNT IS ALREADY AT CAPACITY FOR 830 KIDS.
THE PRESENTATION SHOWED THAT IT SHOULD BE AT 750 KIDS.
WE HAVE 3,300 UNITS THAT ARE COMING UP ON PARKWOOD AND LEBANON.
SO IF WE ARE GOING TO REZONE STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS DOWN SOUTH OF HICKORY STREET IT WOULD BE NOT UNFAIR TO THEM BECAUSE WE THRIVE ON THE STUDENT OPPORTUNITY MODEL, AND IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO THESE STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE BEING CLUBBED INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH ARE ALREADY GOING TO BE LOADED UP WITH THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE OVER THERE AT THE WAGE SETTLEMENTS OVER THERE.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST TO RELOOK INTO THOSE NUMBERS WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A DECISION REGARDING REZONING.
THE SECOND PART IS I WAS PART OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE WHEN THE BOND PROGRAM FAILED.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE THE PLAN B AND PLAN C IN PLACE FOR STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HOWEVER WE DID NOT MEET AS A CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE REGARDING THAT.
SO I WOULD SAY ALSO RECONSIDER THAT OPTION AS WELL FOR STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THAT IS MY COMMENT TODAY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] NEXT WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE], FOLLOWED BY AMIR ASHIQ ALI, FOLLOWED BY VIVIAN SPARKS.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THE CURRENT SITUATION AT STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A CAUSE FOR SERIOUS CONCERN,
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AND I UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY'S FRUSTRATION.IT IS CLEAR THAT PAST PLANNING HAS NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED THE SCHOOL'S NEEDS.
TO MOVE FORWARD I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE, COMMUNITY DRIVEN ASSESSMENT OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LONG TERM PLANS FOR ITS FUTURE STUDENTS, PARENTS AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
TO ENSURE THE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY I RECOMMEND AN EXTERNAL FORENSIC AUDIT OF OF THE $2 BILLION BOND FUNDS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. FURTHER.
FURTHERMORE, FRISCO MUST PUBLICLY DISCLOSE ALL THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, CONTRACT DETAILS, BOND EXPENDITURES, AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR ALL THE CAMPUSES, ALL THE 77 CAMPUSES.
OUR PARENTS, TEACHERS, TAXPAYERS AND THE RESIDENTS DESERVE TO KNOW.
I'M SORRY. OUR PARENTS, TEACHERS, TAXPAYERS AND THE RESIDENTS DESERVE TO KNOW THE FACTS.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. NEXT WE HAVE AMIR ASHIQ ALI, FOLLOWED BY VIVIANA SPARKS, FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY GRIMES.
HI, MY NAME IS AMIR [INAUDIBLE]. I HAVE TWO KIDS WHO HAVE ATTENDED STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I WAS AN EDUCATOR AND A PRINCIPAL FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
MY SCHOOL BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1890. WE NEVER ONCE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT LIGHTS TURNING OFF, TOILETS OVERFLOODING, WATER SHOULD WE DRINK OR NOT? THE WAY YOU ALL MAINTAIN STALEY IS QUESTIONABLE.
[APPLAUSE] THERE ARE OVER A THOUSAND BUILDINGS THAT ARE OVER 100 YEARS OLD IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A BUILDING THAT WAS ONLY 50 YEARS OLD.
YOU HAVE COLLECTED TAX FROM US FOR OVER 14 YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY WENT EITHER, BUT THERE'S SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS, AND I'M SURE THAT THE CITY AND THE BOARD SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE WAY THIS DISTRICT HANDLES OUR FUNDS.
THIS DECISION IS EVIDENT THAT IT'S NOT PUTTING THE KIDS FIRST.
OUR STALEY COMMUNITY BRIDGED THE GAP BETWEEN STUDENTS SOCIOECONOMIC SEGREGATION WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
IT'S BEEN QUESTIONED WHY WE HAVE THE SAME PARENTS WHO KEEP SHOWING UP.
IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED FROM DAY ONE WITH OUR COMMUNITY, FROM BUYING BEDSHEETS, FURNITURE, GETTING KIDS SOME RIDES, GETTING FOOD FOR THEM, WHETHER IT'S BUYING INSTRUMENTS, CAR RIDES, TEAM MEALS, THE LIST GOES ON. THE CURRENT AND FUTURE STALEY STUDENTS ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW THE NEEDS OF THESE KIDS BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU MAKING THESE DECISIONS.
FOR YOU TO CHOOSE TO CLOSE, THE SCHOOL TELLS US THAT YOU'VE GIVEN UP.
THE SUPPORT GOES ON YEAR AFTER YEAR, WITHOUT FANFARE AND WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA SHOUT OUTS.
THE STALEY COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS LIKE A SMALL TOWN.
WE COME TOGETHER AND WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN.
THE WORD COMPARABLE IS WORRISOME, IS WORRISOME AND NEEDS ITS OWN DISCUSSION.
BUT THE HOW IS A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY, BUT THAT WON'T BE PROVIDED IN THE EXTERNAL LIFESTYLE SUPPORT THAT THESE STUDENTS ALSO NEED. THE FAMILY SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP STALEY HAS IS LIKE NONE OTHER.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS VIVIANA. I AND MY FIVE SIBLINGS ATTENDED STALEY.
I HAVE A SON AND A NIECE THERE NOW, AND I HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL KIDS THAT ARE ZONED TO GO TO STALEY.
I'M SPEAKING TO EXPRESS MY DEEP CONCERN REGARDING THE POTENTIAL DEMOLITION OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
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PHYSICAL WALLS. I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS DECISION AND PRESERVE THIS HISTORIC INSTITUTION.THE SCHOOL'S PROXIMITY TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS MEANS THAT MANY STUDENTS CAN WALK OR RIDE THEIR BIKES, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL, FOSTERING A SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE, SUPPORTING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, ACCESSIBILITY TO ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
SHOULD THE SCHOOL BE DEMOLISHED, THESE STUDENTS WILL BE DISPLACED AND MANY WILL BE FORCED TO RELY ON ADDITIONAL, OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE, TRANSPORTATION TO ATTEND A NEW SCHOOL.
THIS NOT ONLY DISRUPTS THEIR DAILY ROUTINES, BUT ALSO IMPOSES AN UNNECESSARY BURDEN ON FAMILIES AND POTENTIALLY CAN HINDER THE STUDENT'S ABILITY TO ACCESS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
MANY TEACHERS ARE NOT JUST EMPLOYEES, BUT ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS PASSING THROUGH THEIR CLASSROOMS. THIS DEEP ROOTED CONNECTION TO THE SCHOOL ENSURES THAT THE EDUCATORS ARE FULLY INVESTED IN THE SUCCESS OF THEIR STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS OR COME FROM FAMILIES FACING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP.
STALEY OFFERS STUDENTS VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY IN SPORTS.
BECAUSE THE SCHOOL SERVES A LOWER INCOME DEMOGRAPHIC, STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE FINANCIAL MEANS TO PARTICIPATE IN OUTSIDE LEAGUES ARE OFTEN ABLE TO COMPETE ON THE SCHOOL'S TEAM. THIS CREATES A MORE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, WHERE STUDENTS WHO OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY AT ALL CAN SHINE AND SECURE STARTING POSITIONS. THIS IS AN INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE FOR MANY OF THESE CHILDREN, PROVIDING THEM CONFIDENCE, PURPOSE, AND A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. IN CONCLUSION, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE DECISION TO DEMOLISH.
AS FRISCO ISD MOTTO STATES PRIDE, TRADITION, AND EXCELLENCE.
SOMEONE'S TRASH IS ALWAYS SOMEONE ELSE'S TREASURE.
SHOULD STALEY ULTIMATELY BE DEMOLISHED [APPLAUSE].
I AM ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THESE POINTS, PARTICULARLY ONES THAT AFFECT STUDENTS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND BY PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES.
NEXT WE HAVE ANTHONY GRIMES, JACQUEZ BROOK JONES, AND RICH CUNANAN.
GOOD EVENING BOARD. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING OUR INPUT TODAY.
YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS TONY GRIMES. I'M A HOMEOWNER IN FRISCO SINCE 2004.
I HAVE KIDS, I HAVE A CHILD AT STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I HAVE A KID THAT CAME THROUGH STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND NOW IN FRISCO HIGH.
CLOSING STALEY IS A SAD DAY. YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY ERASING OUR LEGACY.
THERE ARE TEACHERS THAT ARE DEDICATED AND HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES.
PEOPLE LIKE MRS. WEBB, PEOPLE LIKE MRS. MAJORITY [APPLAUSE], PEOPLE LIKE MR. WOOD [APPLAUSE] THAT HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES AND DEDICATION TO THESE KIDS.
THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF YOU HAD BETTER PLANNING.
I CAN'T CHANGE THE DECISION THE BOARD IS GOING TO MAKE.
THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A JOB. AND I KNOW THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO [INAUDIBLE] IT'S BEEN SAID THEY'RE GOING TO GUARANTEE THEIR EMPLOYMENT, BUT YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE CREDIBILITY RIGHT NOW WITH THE STUDENTS [APPLAUSE].
MY MY ONLY GOAL IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE TEACHERS.
WE'RE GOING TO ERASE THEIR LEGACY. WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT WERE ACTUALLY FORMER STUDENTS AT STALEY.
I'VE SEEN THAT. I'VE SEEN THE GOOD WORKS THEY'VE DONE.
MY STUDENT, MY OLDEST STUDENT, WON AN ACADEMIC DECATHLON MEDAL FOR STALEY.
MY YOUNGEST IS A NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY MEMBER REMEMBER BECAUSE OF STALEY.
IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF THE TEACHERS. WE NEED THAT SUPPORT AND THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT AND YOU NEED TO GUARANTEE THEIR EMPLOYMENT NOW, NEXT YEAR AND THE FOLLOWING YEARS. I'M A HOMEOWNER, I'M A TAXPAYER, I'M A CITIZEN.
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NEXT WE HAVE JACQUEZ JONES, RICH CUNANAN, AND EMILY BONILLA.GOOD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JACQUEZ JONES.
THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED. AND I'M A LITTLE FRUSTRATED.
I'M A PRODUCT OF A TITLE ONE SCHOOL, JUST LIKE STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE TO ASK, NOT JUST TO THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE TO ASK IS, FIRSTLY, WHAT IS THE MONEY WHERE IS THE MONEY THAT WAS ALLOCATED IN THE 2018 BOND GOING TO FOR STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL [APPLAUSE].
THE VOTERS APPROVED THIS 2018 BOND FOR THE MONEY FOR RENOVATIONS FOR STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO WHERE'S THAT MONEY GOING TO GO IF THE DECISION IS MADE TO CLOSE DOWN STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL? I'M ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS FROM STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO WALK TO SCHOOL. THEIR PARENTS CAN'T DRIVE THEM TO SCHOOL, AND SO REZONING THEM TO THREE DIFFERENT MIDDLE SCHOOLS WOULD ESSENTIALLY FORCE THEIR PARENTS TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER TO PUT THEIR KID INSIDE OF THESE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, BASKETBALL, AND OTHER THINGS.
I MEAN, WE'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME THAT THIS WAS THE OLDEST BUILDING IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE'VE KNOWN THAT IT'S NEEDED REPAIRS AND THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY BEFORE THE 20, THE 25 YEAR RENOVATIONS, THAT IT WAS GOING TO NEED SOME TOUCH UP.
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING ISSUES WHERE STALEY IS CAVING IN.
THERE'S WATER FLOWING THROUGH THE SCHOOL. THERE WAS MOLD GROWING IN THE SCHOOL.
AND SO I'M ASKING THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T PUT THESE STUDENTS ON THE BACK BURNER.
AND I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE RICH CUNANAN, FOLLOWED BY EMILY BONILLA AND CHRISTINA WOLFE.
MY CHILDREN AND MY GRANDCHILDREN, MY GRANDDAUGHTER, HAVE ATTENDED HERE.
I HAVE SERVED AS A BAND PARENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT OF THE STALEY PTA, REFLECTIONS CHAIRMAN, I AM A TEXAS PTA LIFETIME MEMBER AND A NATIONAL PTA LIFETIME MEMBER.
I HAVE BEEN TEACHING AT STALEY IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SINCE 2011.
I AM INVESTED IN STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL. OUR POPULATION OF STUDENTS QUALIFIES US AS A TITLE ONE CAMPUS, WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE DEPENDING ON MANY OF THOSE TITLE ONE SERVICES.
IF STALEY GOES AWAY, THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR STUDENTS? WILL THEY CONTINUE ON TO ANOTHER TITLE ONE SCHOOL? IT APPEARS YOUR MIND HAS BEEN MADE UP RELOCATING OUR INCOMING SIXTH GRADERS NEXT YEAR, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONLY DECISION YOU HAVE LEFT IS TO CLOSE US THIS YEAR OR NEXT, CITING DECLINING ENROLLMENT. HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO, YOU CHOSE TO PUT STALEY ON THE BALLOT LAST FALL.
WERE YOU EXPECTING DECLINING ENROLLMENT WHEN THAT HAPPENED? HOW CONVENIENT THAT CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
THIS IS WHERE YOU GET YOUR PENCILS OUT. MY PROPOSAL AND WRITE THIS DOWN.
MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE AS FOLLOWS. GIVE US THE THREE YEARS.
PUT STALEY. PUT STALEY ON THE BALLOT NEXT SPRING MAY 2026.
IF IT PASSES, YOU HAVE OVER A YEAR TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION.
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LOOKS AREN'T EVERYTHING, IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE THAT COUNTS [APPLAUSE]. TEACHERS AT STALEY UNDERSTAND THAT KNOWING EACH STUDENT BY NAME AND NEED IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT.THIS HAS BEEN OUR PHILOSOPHY LONG BEFORE THE DISTRICT ADOPTED IT.
MY FINAL WORDS TO YOU WOULD BE TO GIVE STALEY A CHANCE.
OUR STUDENTS DEPEND ON US. PLEASE DON'T LET THEM DOWN.
EVEN THOUGH I KNOW MY SCHOOL HAS MANY PROBLEMS THAT DO COME UNEXPECTEDLY, WE STILL HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE AT STALEY AND HOPE YOU, OUR BOARD AND OUR COMMUNITY KEEP IT HOPE TO KEEP IT RUNNING FOR ANOTHER FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR MORE.
WE THINK THAT STALEY SHOULD STAY OPEN FOR ANOTHER YEAR FIRST BECAUSE EVEN AS THE TRANSFER IS OPEN, IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY WANTED TO TRANSFER ALREADY DID.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, STUDENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY TRANSFERRED TO STALEY ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY NEED AND WANT TO BE HERE FOR REASONS THAT INCLUDE THEIR TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS. WITH THIS, ADDING ANOTHER YEAR WILL HELP FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO SORT THINGS OUT AND MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT BEST BENEFIT THEM.
RUSHING TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL YEAR LEAVES ROOM FOR MISTAKES TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO FULLY THINK IT THROUGH. TEACHERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FUTURES, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE GUARANTEED A SPOT SOMEWHERE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS LOOK LIKE, SO THEY CAN'T PLAN OUT FOR THE NEXT YEAR. IF STALEY STAYS OPEN FOR ONE MORE YEAR, IT COULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE TEACHERS BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE AND NOT FEEL STRESSED OUT ABOUT IT. THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE THESE LAST FEW YEARS MEANINGFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.
NEXT WE HAVE CHRISTINA WOLFE, FOLLOWED BY DAVID WOLFE.
HI I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH STALEY. I AM HERE IN FRISCO ISD.
I'VE GOT TWO KIDS AT SMITH ELEMENTARY. WE DON'T FEED INTO THEM.
I HAVE VOLUNTEERED AT STALEY PERIODICALLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND I'M HERE TO URGE THE BOARD TO DEMAND ANOTHER OPTION, OR TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THE TWO CURRENT OPTIONS FOR STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BY ADMINISTRATION.
I ALSO ASK THAT YOU HOLD ADMIN ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR CONTINUED YEARS OF MISINFORMATION AND POOR PLANNING IN REGARDS TO STALEY, IN WHICH THE STUDENTS ARE NOW SEEKING CONSEQUENCES.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE AGAIN, 2018 BOND, THAT WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO.
SEVEN YEARS AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. THE ROOF FIASCO.
WE WERE IN THIS ROOM WHEN ADMIN SAID, OH YEAH, WE DIDN'T GET THE NEW ROOF OVER THE SUMMER BECAUSE IT WAS THE WRONG SHADE OF GREEN, SO WE COULDN'T DO THAT. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? WE HAD MOST LIKELY EXTRA LABOR RATES BECAUSE THEY WERE WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.
THE DISASTER RELIEF COMPANY THAT WAS BROUGHT IN, THE COST OF AIR QUALITY TESTING.
ALL THIS COST BUT MONEY IS ONLY A PROBLEM WHEN IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND IT ON.
IT'S DIFFERENT. 2023-2024 TEA DATA. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS FOR FRISCO ISD 12.6% OF THE DISTRICT FOR STALEY, 20% OF THE OF THEIR STUDENT POPULATION AT STALEY IS ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS 20.2%.
THIS MEANS PARENTS CAN'T BE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL.
OKAY. SO HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL? HOW DO THEY ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN? HOW IS INFORMATION COMMUNICATED TO THEM? IT'S NOT. LOOK HERE. EVERYONE WHO'S SPOKEN SO FAR IS SPEAKING ENGLISH.
BUT 20% OF THAT SCHOOL POPULATION, THE STUDENTS, WE'RE NOT EVEN LOOKING AT THE PARENTS.
14, 14.5% STALEY 46.3% OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, 46.3.
AND I KNOW YOU SAY, BUT THE FUNDING FOLLOWS, SO THEY'LL STILL GET FREE BREAKFAST AND FREE LUNCH.
WE WILL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE IT.
WELL, ARE THE BUSSES GOING TO GET THERE IN TIME FOR PEOPLE TO GET BREAKFAST THAT THEY NEED? WHAT IF THEY MISS THE BUS? HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GET TO CAMPUSES THAT ARE TOO FAR AWAY WHEN THESE KIDS ARE WALKING AND BIKING TO GET.
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN CLUBS, SPORTS, BAND?
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AND THESE KIDS WANT TO BE THERE. THEY WANT TO BE AT SCHOOL.THEIR CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM FOR THE DISTRICT IS 12%, FOR STALEY, IT'S 11%.
THOSE KIDS ARE SHOWING UP TO LEARN [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE DAVID WOLFE. ALL RIGHT. IT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.
THE TWO QUESTIONS I HAVE IS, FIRST ONE, WHY ARE THERE ONLY TWO OPTIONS BEFORE THE BOARD IN STALEY THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR? AND THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS, DOES THE BOARD HAVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT BOTH OF THESE OPTIONS AND DEMAND FRISCO ISD LEADERSHIP GIVE THEM AN OPTION THAT KEEPS STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL OPEN? AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A TITLE.
ONE SCHOOL MEANS THAT UNDER THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT, SUPPLEMENTAL FEDERAL FUNDS ARE GIVEN TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR CHILDREN FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
THE PURPOSE TO PROVIDE ALL CHILDREN SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A FAIR, EQUITABLE, AND HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION. IF WE FORCE STUDENTS CURRENTLY AT STALEY TO RELOCATE, YOU'RE PUTTING AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THOSE FAMILIES.
LASTLY, I URGE THE I URGE THE BOARD TO REJECT THE TWO PROPOSALS OFFERED THEM AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH FRISCO ISD LEADERSHIP TO DEMAND A THIRD OPTION THAT ADDRESSES THE FACILITY NEEDS OF STALEY AND ALLOWS THOSE KIDS TO STAY CLOSER TO HOME.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. NEXT, WE HAVE KIAN ASHIQ ALI, FOLLOWED BY LINDSEY SMITH, FOLLOWED BY SALMA ASHIQ ALI.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF ALL 2026 GRADUATES AND ALL STALEY ALUMNI.
ENTERING MY FINAL YEAR NEXT YEAR, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR SENIOR BREAKFAST.
FOR CONTEXT, EVERY STUDENT IN THE SCHOOL GETS A SENIOR BREAKFAST WHERE THEY GET TO GO BACK TO THEIR OLD MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ENJOY THEIR OLD SCHOOL, WALK THEIR OLD HALLWAYS. ALL OF THE STALEY GRADUATES HAVE NOW BEEN ROBBED OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, WHILE OTHER STUDENTS AT OTHER SCHOOLS GET TO GO BACK AND ENJOY THEIRS, WE GET TO MISS OUT.
THIS SITUATION HAS SPREAD FURTHER THAN JUST MYSELF AND EXPERIENCES.
YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE ONLY TITLE ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN FRISCO.
YOU HAVE MADE LIFE FOR THESE KIDS SO MUCH HARDER BECAUSE OF THIS, AND ARE MESSING UP THE FUNDING FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE AT EQUAL EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING SPORTS, EXTRACURRICULARS AND ANYTHING OF THAT SORT.
YOU PROVED IT WHEN WE GAVE YOU A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE CHARACTER OF OUR DISTRICT, AND YOU SENT IT RIGHT BACK AT US. THIS DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN, AND THE FACT THAT IT DID SHOULD MAKE EVERYBODY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE.
NEXT WE HAVE LINDSEY SMITH, FOLLOWED BY SALMA ASHIQ ALI, FOLLOWED BY JILLIAN BROWN.
THE NEXT SPEAKER AND I ARE PAINTING A PICTURE OF AN ALTERNATE REALITY AND FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY, NONE OF WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO SAY IS WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED. IT'S EARLY DECEMBER 2024, THE FRISCO COMMUNITY FAILED TO PASS ALL FOUR BONDS THAT WERE PUT FORWARD THE SUPERINTENDENT, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT AND DIRECTOR OF HR WALKING TO STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR A SCHEDULED MEETING WITH THE ENTIRE STALEY STAFF.
THEY APOLOGIZE FOR THE FAILED BONDS, SAY SORRY THAT UNFORTUNATELY, BASED ON THE LATEST ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, THAT MEANS THE CAMPUS IN FRISCO NEEDS TO CLOSE.
THEY GO ON TO FURTHER APOLOGIZE THAT, GIVEN ITS AGE, PROBLEMS WITH THE BUILDING AND THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, THEY ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND STALEY CLOSE AT THE END OF 2024 -2025 SCHOOL YEAR.
FRUSTRATIONS ARE VENTED, VOICES RAISED, TEARS TRICKLE, QUESTIONS ASKED.
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THEY TELL THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR STALEY, THEY ARE VALUED MEMBERS OF FRISCO ISD, AND THE DISTRICT WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THEY LAND A COMPARABLE AND APPROPRIATE POSITION WITHIN THE DISTRICT FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, LEADERSHIP GETS WORKING ON EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO A SCHOOL CLOSURE. THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE SCHOOL, COMMUNICATE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, GIVING THE SAME INFORMATION ABOUT THE ABOUT THE CLOSURE AND RECOMMEND.
THE LEADERSHIP RISES ABOVE BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT A SCHOOL CLOSURE WILL BRING ABOUT NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, AND THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED TO VENT THEIR FRUSTRATIONS.
THEY DO NOT COMPARE A SCHOOL CLOSURE TO A REZONE, DO NOT INSULT OR DISRESPECT THE STALEY COMMUNITY, AND THEY DO NOT DIMINISH THE IMPORTANCE OR HISTORY OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEY VALUE HAVING TRUST WITH EVERYONE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND WORK THROUGH THE STRUGGLES OF THIS DIFFICULT SITUATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND NOT AGAINST THEM. THE STALEY COMMUNITY PROCESSES ITS FUTURE, THERE IS DENIAL, ANGER, BITTERNESS, SADNESS, AND ULTIMATELY, ACCEPTANCE.
PARENTS SPEAK TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL MEAN. WE LOOK AT THE MAP OF THE PROPOSED REZONING THAT THE DISTRICT HAS TRANSPARENTLY POSTED AND SENT OUT, AND WE TALK TO OUR KIDS ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THEM. STAFF DUST OFF THEIR RESUMES, BEGIN TO NETWORK WITH THOSE IN OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT, THEY START TO SEEK OUT INFORMATION ABOUT OPEN POSITIONS AND PREPARE FOR THEIR NEXT STEPS OF THEIR CAREER OUTSIDE OF STALEY. THE DISTRICT PRESENTS ITS CASE IN THE EARLY 2025 AND IN A UNANIMOUS VOTE, AS IS THE WAY THE BOARD CHOOSES TO CLOSE STALEY, THE STALEY COMMUNITY STILL HURTS BUT HAS HAD MONTHS TO PROCESS THIS LIKELIHOOD.
AS SPRING APPROACHES, PREPARATION CONTINUE FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION.
I'M SORRY, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? LINDSEY SMITH. AND WHAT WAS YOUR NAME? SALMA ASHIQ ALI. OKAY, SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING YOU THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU NEED.
STATE LEADERS MEET WITH LEADERS FROM NEW SCHOOLS AND MAKE TRANSITION PLANS FOR STUDENTS TO TOUR THE SCHOOL, MEET STAFF AND OTHER STUDENTS. THEY ARE GIVEN T-SHIRTS AND BUSTS TO PEP RALLIES AND ARE UNDERSTANDING MORE OF WHAT THEIR NEXT YEAR LOOKS LIKE.
BEHIND THE SCENES DISCUSSION ON LOGISTICS CONTINUE.
REGULAR COMMUNICATION CONTINUES BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND FISD ADMIN.
FISD OFFERS FUNDS TO STALEY TO SUPPORT AN END OF YEAR CELEBRATION FOR ALL.
THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL ARE BITTERSWEET, AS STAFF SAY GOODBYE TO A SCHOOL THEY HAVE LOVED FOR YEARS, SOME EVEN DECADES, AND OUR STUDENTS SAY GOODBYE TO THEIR FRIENDS AND TEACHERS, KNOWING THEY WILL ALL BE SEPARATED NEXT YEAR.
THE STALEY COMMUNITY IS SAD AND HURT, BUT OVERALL STILL BELIEVE IN AND TRUST FISD ADMIN AND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE EMPATHY, TRANSPARENCY, COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT SHOWN.
TO CLOSE, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT NONE OF THIS IS WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED.
THIS IS OVERSIMPLIFIED DUE TO OUR TIME CONSTRAINTS, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT REALLY WOULD NOT BE THAT HARD TO ACT WITH PROFESSIONALISM, KINDNESS, HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY, RESPECT FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES AND YOUR COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS.
THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS AND WE ARE URGING THE BOARD TO ASK FOR THEM.
STALEY DESERVES BETTER THAN THIS. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM JILLIAN BROWN, CHRISTY LARKIN AND HADLEY PEARSON.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JILLIAN BROWN. A LITTLE ABOUT ME.
I DIDN'T GROW UP IN TEXAS. I DIDN'T GO TO COLLEGE IN TEXAS.
I FOUND OUT ABOUT FRISCO ISD AT A RANDOM JOB FAIR FOR MY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION IN OHIO, AND HEARING ABOUT STALEY AND HEARING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY MADE ME MOVE ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE, SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL.
OH, OKAY. BUT MY REQUEST TONIGHT IS CAN WE PLEASE KEEP STALEY OPEN FOR ONE MORE YEAR? I KNOW DECISIONS LIKE THESE ARE NEVER EASY, BUT IT'S NOT JUST A BUILDING, A VERY RUN DOWN BUILDING.
IT'S A FACT THAT WE'RE SMALL, BUT THAT SMALL SIZE IS EXACTLY WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL.
[00:35:02]
THEY BUILD CONFIDENCE, AND THEY DEVELOP SKILLS THEY MIGHT NEVER HAVE EXPLORED AT A LARGER SCHOOL.AS A SIXTH GRADE TEACHER, I HEAR THE DREAMS OF STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE ALREADY CREATING FOR THEIR GAMES AND ATHLETICS NEXT YEAR, AND WITH THE POTENTIAL SCHOOL CLOSURE, A LOT OF THOSE DREAMS WON'T HAPPEN.
BEYOND THE STUDENTS, STALEY IS ALSO A HOME FOR ITS TEACHERS.
THEY SEE FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT OF A SCHOOL WHERE EVERY STUDENT IS KNOWN, ENCOURAGED, AND SUPPORTED.
WE HAVE A HIGH NEED POPULATION WITH A LARGE SPECIAL EDUCATION POPULATION, A LARGE EMERGENT BILINGUAL POPULATION, AND A LARGE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED POPULATION.
MY ONE QUESTION FOR YOU IS IF STALEY WERE TO CLOSE THIS YEAR, ARE WE ABLE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES? COULD WE HAVE AN EARLY BUS OR A LATE BUS SO STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS? I BELIEVE OUR STUDENTS DESERVE THE CHANCE TO BE SEEN, TO BE GROWN, TO GROW, AND TO KNOW THEIR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IS THERE FOR THEM.
I THINK WE NEED MORE TIME TO WORK OUT THE LOGISTICS OF THIS BIG TRANSITION.
PLEASE KEEP US OPEN ONE MORE YEAR. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].
NEXT. NEXT WE HAVE CHRISTY LARKIN, HADLEY PEARSON, AND KRISTINA EARHART.
HI. I'M CHRISTY LARKIN. I'M A FORMER STALEY PARENT WITH TWO BOYS AT MEMORIAL.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF MEMORIAL PTSA AND A FORMER MEMBER OF FRISCO COUNCIL OF PTAS.
MY TIME ON COUNCIL HELPED ME UNDERSTAND WHAT A MASSIVE JOB IT IS TO SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING YOUR PERSONAL TIME TO SUPPORT OUR FRISCO STUDENTS.
IF THE ONLY OPTIONS GIVEN ARE CLOSE STALEY NOW OR CLOSE STALEY NEXT YEAR, I IMPLORE YOU TO CHOOSE NEXT YEAR TO GIVE THIS CLOSURE AND TRANSITION MORE TIME TO ENSURE THAT THE PLAN OFFERS THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME FOR STALEY STUDENTS.
THE MISSION IS TO KNOW EVERY STUDENT BY NAME AND NEED, BUT IN RUSHING TO FINALIZE THIS DECISION, YOU MAY FALTER IN MEETING THE KNOWN NEEDS FOR SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS.
I HAVE SO MANY CONCERNS, BUT ONLY THREE MINUTES, SO I'LL FOCUS ON TRANSPORTATION.
WITH PARENTS WORKING. MANY STALEY STUDENTS WALK OR BIKE TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND OFTEN RUSH HOME TO FILL THE GAPS THERE, INCLUDING SOME CARING FOR YOUNGER SIBLINGS. YES, THERE ARE STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT DOING THIS, BUT THOSE STUDENTS AREN'T BEING ASKED TO TRAVEL THREE MILES AND ACROSS THE TOLLWAY TO DO SO.
THEY'LL HAVE BUSSES. BUT HOW DO YOU SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF A DETERIORATING FLEET OF BUSSES AND A SHORTAGE OF DRIVERS? AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STUDENTS MUST BE AT SCHOOL EARLY, OR STAY LATE FOR ATHLETICS TUTORIALS OR FINE ART SECTIONALS? AND IF A STUDENT MISSES THE BUS AND THEIR PARENT ISN'T HOME, IS THEIR ONLY CHOICE TO WALK OR BIKE THE THREE MILES TAKING AN HOUR OR MORE AND IN A DANGEROUS COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC ZONE. BEFORE WE FORCE STALEY STUDENTS TO GRIFFIN, I URGE YOU TO TAKE A YEAR TO STUDY THE TRANSPORTATION PATTERNS OF THE CURRENT STUDENTS TO KNOW THE WALKERS AND THE BIKERS IMPACTED BY THE MOVE, INSTEAD OF JUST ASSUMING THEY SIMPLY CHOOSE TO WALK.
YOU'LL THEN KNOW WHETHER OPTIONS MUST BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS SPECIFIC NEED.
HOWEVER, AVAILABILITY OF OPPORTUNITY IS NOT THE SAME AS ACCESSIBILITY.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNING GOING TO GRIFFIN, WHERE THE STALEY STUDENTS MAY SEE THEMSELVES AS AN IMMEDIATE DISADVANTAGE COMPARED TO THEIR PEERS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. BY KEEPING STALEY OPEN ANOTHER YEAR OR MAYBE TWO YEARS TO SUPPORT ALL CURRENT STALEY STUDENTS,
[00:40:01]
YOU CAN CONSIDER OPTIONS. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].NEXT WE HAVE HADLEY PEARSON, FOLLOWED BY KRISTINA EARHART AND JOHNNY RYAN.
YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION ARE TRULY APPRECIATED.
I'VE BEEN A TEACHER AT ROGERS ELEMENTARY FOR EIGHT YEARS.
I TAUGHT SECOND GRADE FOR FIVE YEARS AND THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR IN FIFTH GRADE.
WHEN I MOVED TO FRISCO IN 1998, THERE WERE ONLY TEN FISD CAMPUSES.
THANKFULLY, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DYSLEXIA, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO GET THE HELP I NEEDED.
MY TEACHERS AT ROGERS AND STALEY DIDN'T GIVE UP ON ME.
YOU'RE NEVER CURED FROM DYSLEXIA, THOUGH YOU JUST LEARN HOW TO REWIRE YOUR BRAIN.
AS AN INCOMING SIXTH GRADER, I CHOSE BAND AS MY ELECTIVE.
IT WAS A I WAS A BIT HESITANT ABOUT BAND DUE TO BEING DYSLEXIC.
THE BAND DIRECTOR, MR. WOOD, ASSURED ME THAT HE COULD TEACH ANYONE HOW TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, AND HE DID. I WASN'T A GREAT TRUMPET PLAYER, BUT I WASN'T AIMING TO BE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND EITHER.
WHAT I LEARNED IN THAT CLASSROOM WAS THAT ONE DAY I WANTED TO BE A MR. WOOD [APPLAUSE]. FOR THREE YEARS MR. WOOD WAS MY BAND TEACHER, AND FOR THREE YEARS I TOOK NOTES ON THE KIND OF TEACHER I WANTED TO BE WHEN I GREW UP BECAUSE EVERY CHILD DESERVES A MR. WOOD. JUST LIKE HIM I'M FIRM BUT LOVING.
I CAN BE SILLY AND SERIOUS WITHIN THE SAME SENTENCE.
I GIVE 100% AND I AM MY SCHOOL'S BIGGEST FAN.
WORKING AT ROGERS AND STALEY MEANS UNDERSTANDING THE DIVERSE CHALLENGES OUR STUDENTS FACE.
YOU KNOW THAT MANY OF THEM COME FROM HOUSEHOLDS WHERE MAKING ENDS MEET IS A DAILY STRUGGLE, AND SOMETIMES STUDENTS ARE TAKING CARE OF THEIR YOUNGER SIBLINGS AND CARRYING MORE RESPONSIBILITY THAN ANY CHILD SHOULD.
BUT WHAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THESE STUDENTS, WHEN THEY LEAVE ROGERS, THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY WAITING FOR THEM AT STALEY, A PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL AT HOME. STALEY HAS PROVIDED SO MANY STUDENTS WITH A SENSE OF BELONGING AND HELP THEM DISCOVER THEIR LIFE PASSIONS.
WHEN MY FIFTH GRADE, WHEN MY FIFTH GRADERS AT ROGERS LEAVE MY CLASSROOM, I KNOW THAT WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE TEACHERS AT STALEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.
WORKING AT A TITLE ONE CAMPUS IS A CHOICE, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE HEART AND PASSION TO DO SO.
YOUR STUDENTS WALK INTO YOUR CLASSROOM WITH NEEDS GREATER THAN ANYTHING YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE.
IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN ACADEMICS. AS EDUCATORS, WE DON'T DO THIS FOR THE MONEY OR FAME.
NEXT WE HAVE KRISTINA EARHART, FOLLOWED BY JOHNNY RYAN AND KRISTI WILLIAMS. HELLO. I'M A STALEY PARENT OF AN EIGHTH GRADER AND A TITLE ONE INTERVENTIONIST AT ROGERS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE KIDS.
I REALIZE THAT FRISCO IS REZONE NEIGHBORHOODS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND I'M ASKING THAT AS WE REZONE OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL, THAT WE DO SO WITH AN EDUCATED PERSPECTIVE. OUR STALEY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS WORKED IN TANDEM WITH THE SCHOOL TO PROVIDE A CULTURE THAT TAKES CARE OF OUR AT RISK KIDS.
BY SPLITTING UP OUR KIDS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS FORCED TO REPLACE THIS CULTURE.
I ASK THAT YOU READ IT AND APPLY IT TO THE TRANSITION STRATEGIES.
I UNDERSTOOD IT FIRSTHAND. I WAS A FREE LUNCH KID TOO.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL EDUCATION BE GIVEN TO NEW STAFF.
WE'RE ALL CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS.
[00:45:03]
IS THERE MONEY IN OUR BUDGET? AND THIRD, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL BUSSES TO TAKE OUR KIDS TO MORNING AND AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACTIVITIES.MY OLDEST SON SPENT HIS FIRST DAY OF HIS SENIOR YEAR IN MORNING, AS HIS HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND WAS STRUCK AND KILLED ON HIS BIKE IN THE DARK AS HE RODE TO MORNING FOOTBALL PRACTICE. WE CAN'T RISK ANY MORE CASUALTIES.
WILL ADDITIONAL BUSSES BE OFFERED? THE QUESTION WAS ASKED HOW DO YOU KNOW THE NEEDS OF OUR KIDS AND MIGHT THEY BE WALKING FOR FUN? I'VE PERSONALLY SEEN THE NEEDS THROUGH THE EYES OF MY SON, NICHOLAS. AT ROGERS, HE WAS PLACED BY A BOY WHOSE BEHAVIOR WOULD MAKE MOST TEACHERS RUN.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS ROGERS AND STALEY'S STAFF, QUICKLY ASSEMBLED TO BRING OVER CHRISTMAS.
WHEN WE ARRIVED, WE SAW THAT THE FAMILY NEEDED MUCH MORE THAN CHRISTMAS.
THERE WERE NO BEDS, BLANKETS, OR MUCH IN THE HOUSE AT ALL.
THIS IS WHAT WE DO AT STALEY. THIS IS WHO WE ARE.
WE ARE THE HEART OF FRISCO THAT STILL BEATS LIKE A SMALL TOWN.
WE ARE THE SMALL SCHOOL MODEL THAT OTHER SCHOOLS IN FRISCO WERE BUILT UPON.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR ANSWERS [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE JOHNNY RYAN, FOLLOWED BY KRISTI WILLIAMS AND FAISAL KHAN.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS JOHNNY RYAN AND I'M AN EIGHTH GRADE ATHLETE HERE AT STALEY.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY NOT JUST AS A CONCERNED STUDENT, BUT AS A VOICE FOR ALL STUDENTS, ATHLETES AND FAMILIES WHO CALL STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL HOME. THE PROPOSAL TO CLOSE OUR SCHOOL IS MORE THAN JUST A LOGISTICAL DECISION.
IT IS A DECISION THAT WILL IMPACT THE FUTURES OF STUDENTS WHO THRIVE HERE.
FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR ATHLETES. STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVIDES UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHER SCHOOLS SIMPLY CANNOT REPLICATE. OUR ATHLETES HAVE BUILT THEIR SKILLS UNDER DEDICATED COACHES COACH RIVAS, COACH WILKERSON, COACH CARROLL, COACH PINE, COACH SOMA.
AND I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO COMPETE IN WAYS THAT PREPARE THEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. IF STALEY CLOSES, THESE STUDENTS WILL BE FORCED TO TRANSFER TO SCHOOLS WHERE THEY MAY NOT GET THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THEIR TALENTS OR EVEN MAKE THE TEAMS DUE TO INCREASED COMPETITION. THEIR DREAMS SHOULD NOT BE SHATTERED BECAUSE OF A SCHOOL CLOSURE.
I'M HUMBLE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT TEAMS AT GRIFFIN, HUNT, AND TRENT ARE EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.
THEY ARE ABLE TO PLAY AND PRACTICE SPORTS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
SO IF THE ATHLETES OF STALEY ARE FORCED TO COMPETE FOR THOSE SPOTS ON THESE TEAMS, OUR CHANCES OF MAKING THE TEAM OR EVEN HAVING ANY PLAYING TIME WILL BE DECREASED DRAMATICALLY. ALSO, TRANSPORTATION WILL BECOME A MAJOR ISSUE.
MANY OF OUR ATHLETES RELY ON WALKING TO PRACTICE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO RIDES.
FOR MANY STUDENTS, SPORTS IS NOT JUST EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, THEY ARE LIFELINES, SOURCE OF DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, AND EVEN SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
REMOVING THIS ACCESSIBILITY TAKES AWAY MORE THAN JUST THE GAME, IT TAKES AWAY A FUTURE. LASTLY, WILL MAKE STALEY SPECIALS NOT JUST OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS OR OUR SPORTS TEAMS, BUT THE CHEMISTRY WE HAVE BUILT AS A SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL IS MORE THAN JUST A SCHOOL, IT IS A HOME, A COMMUNITY, AND A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURES OF COUNTLESS STUDENTS. WE CANNOT ALLOW IT TO BE TAKEN AWAY. I URGE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF STUDENTS WHO WILL BE AFFECTED MOST. PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE KRISTI WILLIAMS, FOLLOWED BY FAISAL KHAN AND JEANETTE ALEXANDER.
HI, MY NAME IS KRISTI WILLIAMS. I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE.
THANK YOU FOR WEARING YOUR STALEY BLUE. THAT WAS VERY NICE OF YOU TO CONSIDER THAT WHEN YOU ALL PICKED OUT YOUR OUTFITS TODAY. I'VE HAD THREE KIDS GO THROUGH STALEY AND I HAVE A FIFTH GRADER ALSO, HOPEFULLY WILL GO TO STALEY.
SHE PLAYED ON THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM. THEY WENT TO PLAYOFFS, THEY PLAYED AGAINST A BETTER TEAM, AND THEY LOST AND SHE CRIED AND SHE HAD TEARS BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT THEY GOT BEAT BY A BETTER TEAM.
THEN SHE GOES TO ANOTHER, SHE PLAYS ON ANOTHER SPORTS TEAM AND SHE GETS BEAT, THE TEAM GETS BEAT.
[00:50:06]
EXCUSE ME, THERE'S BEEN AN ABUSE OF POWER, WE'RE RUSHING TO TO MAKE DECISIONS.WE'RE FORGETTING THAT WE, LIKE EVERYONE SAID, EVERYONE'S TESTIMONY IS GREAT.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR REMINDING US THAT APARTMENTS ARE STILL GOING UP.
STALEY IS A TRANSIENT COMMUNITY. WE HAVE TONS OF LEASE HOMES, RENTAL HOMES.
WE HAVE APARTMENTS COMING AND GOING. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NUMBERS, I THINK WE OUGHT TO REEVALUATE STALEY'S NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE WHOLE NUMBER AND LOOK AT JUST WHAT STALEY LOOKS LIKE. WHAT IS THE RUSH? EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT WAITING FOR A YEAR.
I JUST SAY, HEY, REJECT THE RECOMMENDATION. IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM, AND YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO REJECT IT AND THEN PUT IT BACK ON THE BOND IN MAY, AND LET'S HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION. I DON'T KNOW, SOMEBODY SAID ONE TIME IN A VIDEO THAT THE FIELDS HOMES DON'T WANT THE STALEY KIDS SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE AT ALL.
I THINK THAT WAS A PROJECTION FROM THAT PERSON THAT SAID IT.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO, BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW THE STALEY KIDS, YOU KNOW, THE STALEY MAMAS AND DADDIES, THEY ARE REAL, THEY ARE DOWN TO EARTH. AND I GUARANTEE YOU, THOSE PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO STALEY.
SO GIVE STALEY A CHANCE, REDIRECT, REJECT THE RECOMMENDATION AND LET'S, WHAT DID SOMEBODY SAY? GIVE STALEY A CHANCE AND REJECT THE RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO TO DO SO.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. NEXT WE HAVE JEANETTE ALEXANDER, FOLLOWED BY FAISAL.
OH, JEANETTE. DID JEANETTE JUST GO? OKAY. KRISTI.
OKAY. SO NEXT WE HAVE JEANETTE ALEXANDER, FOLLOWED BY FAISAL KHAN AND ANDREW EARHART.
AND I'M HIGHLIGHTING THEM AS I GO. I'M LIKE, I HIGHLIGHTED HER.
OKAY. JEANETTE. MY NAME IS JEANETTE ALEXANDER, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE STALEY PTA.
I FIRST SPOKE TO THIS BOARD A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WHEN WE HAD THE ROOFING REPAIR DONE, AND I ADVOCATED FOR BETTER FACILITY MAINTENANCE FOR OUR SCHOOL. STALEY, AT THAT POINT WAS ON THE SAME MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AS BRAND NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN THE DISTRICT, AND WHEN WE HAD PLUMBING ISSUES, WE WAITED IN MAINTENANCE QUEUES ALONGSIDE WITH EVERY OTHER NEW SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT.
THIS LEFT OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS WITHOUT RESTROOMS, SINKS, AND WATER FOUNTAINS FOR WEEKS AND THE PUBLIC STATEMENT I RECEIVED IMMEDIATELY AFTER WAS A COMPLETE DISMISSAL AND A DENIAL OF EVERY CONCERN THAT I VOICED.
AND AS WE'VE WORKED TO BE HEARD OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS FROM THE DISTRICT HAVE REMAINED JUST AS ARROGANT AND DISMISSIVE AS THE FIRST. [APPLAUSE] THIS, IN TURN, COMMUNICATES THAT WE NEED TO SPEAK LOUDER IN ORDER TO BE HEARD.
WE ARE NO LONGER A COMMUNITY THAT TRUSTS BLINDLY TRUST YOU WITH OUR KIDS.
AND WHILE YOU CALL, YOU MAY CALL THIS PROCESS REZONING WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN GIVEN THAT COURTESY COURTESY GRANTED TO OTHER SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT. NOW, ONE GOAL THAT HAS REMAINED CONSISTENT OVER THESE YEARS IS TO ADVOCATE FOR OPPORTUNITIES AND EQUITY IN OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.
AND AS CHRISTINA SPOKE ABOUT TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS BY PROVIDING CHRISTMAS PRESENTS WHEN THE KIDS NEEDED BEDS IN SIMILAR FASHION THIS CHRISTMAS PRESENT CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS PRESENT MENTALITY IS OFTEN HOW WE APPROACH THE ECONOMICALLY, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED IN OUR AREA.
I HAVE PERSONALLY GONE TO A FRIEND'S HOME TO HELP WAKE KIDS AND GET KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL IN THE MORNING, BECAUSE MOM WASN'T DOING IT. THE SINGLE PARENT FAMILY WITH TEN KIDS DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR.
KIDS WERE CHRONICALLY LATE AND ABSENT, AND WHILE PROVIDING A BUS FOR STUDENTS MIGHT MEET THE NEEDS OF SOME KIDS, THAT APPROACH WILL NOT WORK FOR THOSE WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY LATE AND NOW HAVE LOST WALKABILITY.
IN OUR STALEY COMMUNITY I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE WALKED THROUGH PARENTS BEING INCARCERATED, PARENTS GOING OUT, KIDS GOING INTO FOSTER CARE.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL THINGS THAT OTHER SCHOOLS DO NOT SEE.
WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY OF THESE DISADVANTAGED APPROACHES, AND WE'RE TRYING TO LET YOU KNOW TODAY THAT REMOVING KIDS WITHOUT PROVIDING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IS NOT PROVIDING EQUITY, BUT IT IS CLOSING THE DOOR ON ACCESS FOR KIDS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES [APPLAUSE].
NEXT, WE HAVE FAISAL KHAN, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW EARHART AND JADEN COLEMAN.
[00:55:01]
EVERYONE WAS PROBABLY WONDERING, IS THAT JEANETTE? I'M A THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.MY MY NAME IS FAISAL KHAN. I AM A PARENT OF A CURRENT STALEY STUDENT AND A STALEY GRADUATE.
I AM, AS EVERYBODY ELSE HERE, SO PASSIONATE ABOUT ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER KEEPING STALEY OPEN NOT JUST ONE YEAR, BUT MANY, MANY MORE YEARS. I THINK YOU KNOW, CHOICES DON'T HAVE TO BE BINARY.
I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE I HAVE A SIMPLE BRAIN THOUGHT, BUT NONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT FEED INTO STALEY ARE ARE CLOSING, AS FAR AS I KNOW. SO ARE WE SUDDENLY GOING TO BE SHORT A MIDDLE SCHOOL? ALSO, BASED ON SOME NUMBERS, I LOOKED UP WE HAVE ABOUT 800 TO 900 STUDENTS PER MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND STALEY HAS ABOUT 600 STUDENTS PLUS MINUS RIGHT NOW.
SO SUDDENLY THESE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO SEE, LIKE ABOUT 150 TO 200 EXTRA STUDENTS.
WHEN DID THEY FIND OUT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE STUDENTS COMING IN? THAT'S A 20% INCREASE IN THEIR POPULATION. ARE THEY READY FOR IT? IT'S NOT JUST THE STALEY KIDS GETTING IMPACTED, IT'S ALSO THESE KIDS THAT ARE GETTING IMPACTED.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS MY MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S CURRENTLY IN SEVENTH GRADE, SHE HATES GOING TO SCHOOL. EVERY MORNING I DROP HER OFF SHE'S LIKE, DAD, CAN WE CALL IN SICK TODAY? I'M LIKE, NO, THE FUNDING DEPENDS ON YOU BEING THERE.
[LAUGHTER] SHE DOESN'T GET THAT PART. BUT WHEN SHE FOUND OUT THAT STALEY MIGHT BE CLOSED THIS YEAR AND THIS IS THE LAST YEAR SHE WAS ACTUALLY SAD. AND SHE WAS LIKE, I HOPE THEY DON'T CLOSE IT.
THEY ARE YOU. PLEASE DON'T CLOSE STALEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR MAKING MAKING US LAUGH.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES YOU DO HAVE TO LAUGH TO KEEP FROM CRYING.
NEXT WE HAVE ANDREW EARHART, FOLLOWED BY JADEN COLEMAN, THEN CHUCK SMITH.
INSTEAD, MY COMMENTS ARE ON WRONG APPROACHES AND MISMANAGEMENT.
THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SHOCKING SURPRISE.
IF IT WAS, IT WAS EITHER MISMANAGED BEFORE OR IS BEING MISMANAGED NOW.
WITH SUCH AN ENROLLMENT SURPRISE, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ALSO HAD A KNEE JERK REACTION.
WHY CAN'T IT STAY OPEN FOR A YEAR OR TWO? AND THIS THOUGHT THROUGH MUCH BETTER.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO HOLD OFF ON SAYING ANYTHING UNTIL THE START OF NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND CLEARLY COMMUNICATE IT.
THAT WAY. SCHOOL PROGRAMS LIKE BAND, BOOSTERS, CLUBS, SPORTS ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
INSTEAD, ALL THESE THINGS ARE IN DISARRAY AND CHAOS BECAUSE OF MISMANAGEMENT.
AND NOT JUST AT STALEY, BUT ALSO AT THE OTHER THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THIS LAST MINUTE CHANGE. THIS ALSO WOULD PREVENT RUMORS WITH LACK OF INFORMATION AND PLAN GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITY. PEOPLE START TALKING.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN GOOD INTENT WITH STAFF, BUT IT WAS THE WRONG APPROACH.
AND ON WRONG APPROACH. THE EXAMPLE OF MISSING A RESORT VACATION DUE TO HURRICANE COMPLETELY MISSES THE MARK WITH A TITLE ONE SCHOOL, AND IT TASTES LIKE SOUR LEMONADE. AND IN OUR CASE, YOU CAUSED THE HURRICANE WITH THIS MISMANAGED APPROACH.
YOU STARTED THE RUMORS CLOSING AND THEN PROCLAIM A LOT OF TEACHERS IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL.
NO KIDDING. YOU TREAT THIS LIKE A FAILING BUSINESS THAT HAS TO MAKE CUTS AND CLOSURES BASED ON ONLY LOOKING AT A SPREADSHEET, BUT THIS INVOLVES AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES.
SO WE NOW NEED YOU, AS OUR ELECTED BOARD TO BE OUR ADVOCATES IN YOUR APRIL VOTE.
I PLEAD WITH YOU TO REJECT ALL OPTIONS PRESENTED BEFORE YOU TO COME UP WITH A BETTER APPROACH.
[01:00:11]
NEXT WE HAVE JADEN COLEMAN, FOLLOWED BY CHUCK SMITH AND MEGAN RYAN.GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS JADEN COLEMAN AND I'M HERE SPEAKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MEANS A LOT TO ALL OF US, STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER MIDDLE SCHOOL.
CLOSING STALEY WOULD TAKE AWAY ALL THE VITAL PARTS OF WHAT MAKES FRISCO ISD SO STRONG.
THIS DEDICATION FROM THE TEACHERS HERE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SUPPORT STUDENTS.
OFFERING PROGRAMS SUCH AS AVID, WHICH HAS HELPED MANY STUDENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZATION, LEADERSHIP AND PERSEVERANCE. THINGS LIKE THIS IMPACTS US IN THE FUTURE AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT I WAS A PART OF IT.
THESE TEACHERS HAVE INVESTED THEIR TIME, ENERGY, AND HEARTS INTO THE STUDENTS.
THEY BUILT RELATIONSHIPS, MONITORED US, AND SHAPED OUR FUTURES.
HOW CAN WE TRUST THAT ALL THESE TEACHERS WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR JOB? HOW WILL WE KNOW THAT THEY WON'T BE FORCED TO RELOCATE AND SOME MAY EVEN LEAVE THE DISTRICT? FURTHERING WEAKENING THE SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS.
CLOSING STALEY WILL HAVE A RIPPLE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, OVERCROWDING OTHER SCHOOLS, INCREASING SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND DIMINISHING THE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION THAT MAKES OUR EDUCATION SO EFFECTIVE.
IT INSTEAD OF SHUTTING DOWN A THRIVING SCHOOL, WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON A LONG TERM SOLUTION.
THE ISSUES LIKE OVERCROWDING, RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE THAT PRIORITIZE SHORT TERM COST CUTTING OVER THE WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
THIS APPROACH DOES NOT SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND IN ANY CASE, IT'S CREATING MORE.
IT ONLY SHIFTS THE BURDEN ONTO FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS WHO DESERVE STABILITY AND SUPPORT.
ATTEND THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. SIGN PETITIONS.
SHARE YOUR PERSONAL STORIES. AND REMEMBER THAT WE ARE NOT JUST FIGHTING FOR ANOTHER MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE ARE FIGHTING FOR A HOME FOR MANY AND A SCHOOL FOR MANY OTHER STUDENTS.
NEXT WE HAVE CHUCK SMITH, FOLLOWED BY MEGAN RYAN AND [INAUDIBLE] REDDOCH.
GOOD EVENING. OUR DISTRICT MOTTO IS PRIDE, TRADITION, EXCELLENCE.
STARTING WITH WE HAD BEEN PROMISED AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR OF STALEY.
NO. THEN WE WERE PROMISED THAT THE SCHOOL WOULD GO UP AGAIN ON THE NEXT BOND.
NO AGAIN. WHEN ASKED WHY BREAK A PROMISE? WE WERE TOLD THAT BREAKING A PROMISE ABOUT KEEPING THE SCHOOL OPEN IS LIKE WHEN YOU PROMISE YOUR WIFE A TRIP TO THE BAHAMAS, BUT IT GETS CANCELED BECAUSE OF A HURRICANE. WHILE OUR COMMUNITY AND STAFF MEMBERS ARE DEALING WITH A LIFE CHANGING REALITY, BEING COMPARED TO AN ACT OF GOD, INTERFERING WITH A VACATION IS HARDLY EXCELLENT EMPATHY.
EGREGIOUS INACCURACIES. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT OUR PROJECTED ENROLLMENT NUMBERS OF 1,000 STUDENTS JUSTIFIED A WHOLE NEW CAMPUS THAT WAS PUT UP TO VOTE, BUT THEN WE WERE TOLD, OOPS, THE DEMOGRAPHERS WERE WRONG, AND NOW IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE 500, SO WE SHOULD CLOSE. A MARGIN ERROR OF 50% SEEMS RATHER LARGE FOR IT TO JUST POP OUT OF THE BLUE.
WHAT CAN WE TRUST? WHO ARE THESE DEMOGRAPHERS ?
[01:05:01]
WHO VETS THEM? LACK OF CREDIBILITY. NOT USING THE FUNDS THAT WERE APPROVED AND EARMARKED BY THE VOTERS FOR FACILITY UPGRADES BACK IN 2018.LEADERSHIP ADMITTING THAT A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER WAS ACTUALLY NEVER ENGAGED TO SCOPE THE TO ENGAGE, TO SCOPE THE WORK. HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY FIX SOMETHING OR EVEN COME UP WITH A DOLLAR BILL IF YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OR UNDERSTAND IT? WHERE DID THE ESTIMATES COME FROM? LACK OF CONSISTENCY.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS JUST LIKE A REZONING.
FEEDER SCHOOLS WITHIN THEIR PATTERNS, WE WERE TOLD NO.
THE LEADERSHIP DOESN'T WANT TO DISRUPT OTHER SCHOOLS. LACK OF CONSIDERATION.
WE WERE ASKED THAT OUR IMPACTED STUDENTS GET PRIORITY OVER FRISCO ACCESS STUDENTS TO THOSE CAMPUSES.
WE WERE TOLD NO. LEADERSHIP DOESN'T WANT TO DISRUPT THE FIRST YEAR OF FRISCO ACCESS.
I DON'T SEE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF HERE. I SEE MISMANAGEMENT, NEGLIGENCE, AND IN SOME INSTANCES, FLAT OUT DISHONESTY. I SEE A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS COMPLETELY FAILED AND BROKEN TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I SEE A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS DELIBERATELY CHOSEN TO BLINDSIDE THEIR EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES. IF YOU HAD BEEN UP FRONT AFTER THE BOND, OUR COMMUNITY COULD HAVE HAD SIX MONTHS TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONCERNS WERE ADDRESSED AND THE FUTURE PLANS OF OUR STUDENTS WERE SOMETHING EVERYBODY COULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. OUR STAFF WOULD HAVE HAD MONTHS TO.
NEXT WE HAVE MEGAN RYAN, FOLLOWED BY RIS REDDOCH AND ALLISON REDDOCH.
OKAY. OKAY. SO I'M MEGAN RYAN. I AM A TEACHER AT STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR TEN YEARS. MY DAUGHTER WENT THROUGH STALEY, MY FOSTER DAUGHTER WENT THROUGH STALEY, AND MY SON WAS SUPPOSED TO GO THERE NEXT YEAR, SO AND I APOLOGIZE I'M SUPER EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW.
WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST CLOSING OR CLOSING.
OKAY. YOU'VE HEARD EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID.
MY FORMER STUDENTS HAVE SPOKEN, AND IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.
AND THEN I'M JUST LEFT, LIKE, WHY ARE WE RUSHING? YOU KNOW, LIKE, IF THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL, WE WERE GOING TO STAY IN STALEY FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND THEN JUST WALK ON OVER.
WHY ARE WE RUSHING EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW? THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWED UP ON. YOU KNOW, ME ASKING FOR ANOTHER YEAR AT STALEY, THAT ALSO SORT OF MEANS THAT I WOULDN'T GO TO SCHOOL WITH MY SON, BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY BEEN TOLD HE'S GOING TO GRIFFIN, WHICH EVERYTHING I'VE DONE IN MY LIFE HAS LED FOR ME TO TEACH AT THE SAME BUILDING WITH MY KIDS. SO IT'S LIKE ASKING TO STAY OPEN ANOTHER YEAR.
AND IF WE ARE TO CLOSE, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR THESE KIDS THAT ARE BEING REZONED? I HAD SOME SOLUTIONS. YOU KNOW, PEP RALLIES, BRINGING OUR KIDS OVER TO SEE THOSE CAMPUSES, MAYBE PTA WORKING TO GET THEM SHIRTS TO MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOMED.
IT SORT OF FEELS LAST MINUTE. SO IF WE CLOSE THIS YEAR, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S SUPER RUSHED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO MASTER SCHEDULES AT THE OTHER SCHOOLS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE READY FOR THAT. BUT I REALLY I MEAN, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT JUST SAYS REJECT BOTH, LIKE, REJECT BOTH CLOSE.
BECAUSE AS EVERYONE'S MENTIONED, IT'S OUR KIDS THAT ARE THE MOST IMPACTED BY IT.
I'LL LAND ON MY FEET LIKE OUR OTHER TEACHERS WE'LL FIGURE OUT SOMETHING LIKE, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, BUT IT'S THE KIDS. WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO? LIKE, I JUST I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY BEEN PRESENTED WITH THE BEST OPTIONS.
AND ALSO, IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE LEAVE, WHEN WILL TEACHERS FIND OUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GO? HOW IS THE MOVING PROCESS GOING TO GO? IS IT GOING TO BE A SLOW MOVE OUT LIKE WILL WE KNOW THIS SUMMER? WILL WE KNOW BEFORE SCHOOL'S OUT? LIKE, WHEN AM I GOING TO KNOW WHERE I AM GOING? BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THE ONES THAT, YES, I PUT MYSELF ON THE TRANSFER LIST, BUT I WAS GOING TO STAY AT STALEY FOREVER.
YOU KNOW, I ONLY JUMPED ONCE WE HAD THAT MEETING IN THE LIBRARY, SO PLEASE VOTE NO [APPLAUSE].
[01:10:04]
THANK YOU.NEXT WE HAVE RIS REDDOCH AND ALLISON REDDOCH.
OK. HOW DO I PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME? TELL ME HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT, RIS.
RIS I DID GOOD, REESE. THANK YOU. I THOUGHT I DID.
OH, MAN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. REESE REDDOCH AND ALLISON REDDOCH, FOLLOWED BY ALEXA BLANCO.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT SPORTS CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES AT STALEY, BUT IT'S THE BAND PROGRAM THAT HAS HAD SUCH A POSITIVE IMPACT ON ME BECAUSE OF MR. WOOD AND MRS. WEBB. THEY HELPED ME DISCOVER A TALENT AND PASSION FOR MUSIC, ESPECIALLY PLAYING THE TROMBONE.
WHEN I WAS A SIXTH GRADER, I WAS EXCITED TO BE PLACED IN THE TOP BAND, BUT IN SEVENTH GRADE, I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR ABOUT A SCHEDULING CONFLICT AND COULDN'T BE IN THE TOP BAND.
MR. WOOD AND MRS. WEBB KNEW HOW UPSET I WAS, AND MR. WOOD INCLUDED ME IN SYMPHONIC BAND SECTIONALS SO I COULD WORK ON MORE CHALLENGING PIECES.
MRS. WEBB CHALLENGED ME IN CLASS TO BE A LEADER IN THE HONOR BAND.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THIS, BUT THEY KNEW HOW MUCH I LOVED BAND AND WANTED TO ENCOURAGE ME AND CHALLENGE ME, WHICH THEY DO FOR EVERY STUDENT THEY TEACH. OUR BAND ISN'T THE BIGGEST, NOR ARE OUR INSTRUMENTS NEW, AND NOT ALL OF US CAN AFFORD PRIVATE LESSONS.
BUT MR. WOOD AND MRS. WEBB HAVE THE HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS AND PUSH US TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE.
MR. WOOD HELPED ME LEARN THIS CHALLENGING PIECE, AND BECAUSE OF HIS SUPPORT, I RECEIVED A ONE AND WAS NAMED AN OUTSTANDING SOLOIST [APPLAUSE]. THROUGH BAND I ALSO DISCOVERED HOW MUCH I ENJOY COMPOSING MUSIC.
I RECENTLY FINISHED A PIECE TITLED THE FINAL GALLOP FOR STALEY.
OUR HOPE IS THAT THE SYMPHONIC BAND WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY IT AT OUR END OF THE YEAR CONCERT, AND IF THAT HAPPENS YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO ATTEND.
I HAVE GROWN SO MUCH IN MY FINAL THREE YEARS THREE YEARS AT STALEY BECAUSE OF TEACHERS LIKE MR. WOOD, MRS. WEBB, MRS. BROWN AND MRS. MAJORITY AND MANY OTHERS.
CLOSING STALEY THIS YEAR WILL NOT ONLY GIVE OPPORTUNITIES, CLOSING STALEY THIS YEAR WILL NOT GIVE OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOLS TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUENESS OF STALEY STUDENT AND OUR NEEDS. STALEY IS A SAFE PLACE I'M WORRIED IF YOU CLOSE STALEY THIS YEAR, MY SISTER AND OTHER STUDENTS WILL BE OVERLOOKED OR MADE TO FEEL LIKE OUTSIDERS AT THEIR NEW SCHOOLS.
NOW WE HAVE ALLISON REDDOCH, FOLLOWED BY ALEXA BLANCO AND KUMBA DIXON.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALLISON REDDOCH, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO KEEP STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL OPEN THROUGH THE 2025- 2026 SCHOOL YEAR. I HAVE A CURRENT SIXTH AND EIGHTH GRADER AT STALEY AND AN OLDER SON WHO ALSO ATTENDED STALEY FOR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE.
AFTER BEING REZONED FROM TRENT SEVEN YEARS AGO.
I HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTED AND DISMAYED WITH THE DISTRICT'S RESPONSE, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE CHOSEN TO SPEAK TONIGHT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FAIR TREATMENT OF STALEY'S TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF. I OFTEN ADVISE BUSINESS LEADERS ON THE WARN ACT, A FEDERAL LAW THAT REQUIRES PRIVATE EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST 60 DAYS NOTICE OF SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS CHANGES LIKE SITE CLOSURES AND MASS LAYOFFS, SO EMPLOYEES HAVE TIME TO PREPARE FOR JOB LOSS AND TO SEEK NEW OPPORTUNITIES. PRIVATE EMPLOYEES GET 60 DAYS NOTICE FOR SITE CLOSURES.
THE TIMELINE MAY HAVE CHANGED, BUT WHEN I WAS A TEACHER LOOKING TO MOVE TO FISD, I STARTED MY JOB SEARCH IN FEBRUARY AND SECURED A POSITION WELL BEFORE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. IS 37 DAYS ENOUGH TIME FOR STALEY'S TEACHERS AND STAFF TO FIND A NEW ROLE FOR NEXT YEAR,
[01:15:05]
KNOWING THE DISTRICT HAD ITS JOB FAIR IN EARLY MARCH, THE TRANSFER PORTAL CLOSES TODAY AND PRINCIPALS HAVE ALREADY MADE JOB OFFERS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. AND IS IT ENOUGH TIME FOR THE DISTRICT TO FIND COMPARABLE POSITIONS FOR STALEY'S TEACHER AND STAFF? OR IS THE DISTRICT'S INTENT JUST TO PLACE THEM IN ANY POSITION WHEN THE GUARANTEE WITH THE GUARANTEE THAT THEY'LL HAVE A POSITION IN THE DISTRICT? SO WILL STALEY. TEACHERS BE OFFERED JOBS AS BUS DRIVERS, CAFETERIA WORKERS, OR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS.I'M NOT DISPARAGING THESE POSITIONS IN ANY WAY, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THE SIGNIFICANT PAY DISPARITY AND DIFFERENCE IN JOB DUTIES BETWEEN WHAT A TEACHER DOES AND WHAT A BUS DRIVER DOES.
IF THIS IS NOT YOUR INTENT, THEN WHY NOT CLARIFY IN WRITING THAT STALEY TEACHERS AND STAFF WILL BE GUARANTEED A COMPARABLE POSITION WITH COMPARABLE PAY AND BENEFITS IN THE DISTRICT. IT'S ALSO NOT CLEAR WHAT IN GOOD STANDING MEANS.
IF A TEACHER VOICED THEIR OPINION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF STALEY OR HOW WE GOT HERE.
ARE THEY NO LONGER IN GOOD STANDING? WILL THOSE WHO SPOKE AT PRIOR COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS OR BOARD MEETINGS, OR SPOKE THIS EVENING JEOPARDIZE THEIR GOOD STANDING? I ASK BECAUSE I'M AWARE SOME AT STALEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT RETALIATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE ALEXA BLANCO, FOLLOWED BY KUMBA DIXON AND SUSAN HAMBRIGHT.
SO FOR MANY YEARS, STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS BEEN A CENTRAL HUB FOR EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG MINDS IN FRISCO, TEXAS. IT SERVES A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY, OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND FOSTERS A CLOSE KNIT SCHOOL COMMUNITY. MANY FAMILIES IN THE AREA HAVE STRONG EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS TO THE SCHOOL, AS IT HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN SHAPING THE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF THEIR CHILDREN.
THE SCHOOL BOARD, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, IS ENTRUSTED WITH MAKING DECISIONS THAT PRIORITIZE PRIORITIZE THE WELFARE OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. HOWEVER, THE BOARD'S ACTIONS IN RELATION TO STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE DEEPLY BEEN TROUBLING.
ONE KEY ISSUE IS THE BOARD'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMMUNICATE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY. A TRANSPARENT DECISION MAKING PROCESS SHOULD INCLUDE OPEN DISCUSSION AND CLEAR EXPLANATION FOR WHY SUCH DRASTIC STEPS LIKE LIKE GETTING RID OF STALEY NEXT YEAR, ARE EVEN BEING CONSIDERED.
INSTEAD, THE DECISION TO GET RID OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS FELT RUSHED AND LACKING IN SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION, CREATING A SENSE OF FRUSTRATION AMONG THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE SCHOOL COULD STILL BE REFURBISHED OR UPDATED, RATHER THAN BE REPLACED ENTIRELY. THE PRESERVATION OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL REQUIRES THE SCHOOL BOARD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, AND EMOTIONAL IMPORTANCE OF THE BUILDING WHILE ALSO ENSURING THAT ALL ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION ARE GETTING RID OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL NEXT YEAR HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY EXPLORED. IF THE BOARD HAS FAILED TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY ADEQUATELY, OR IF THE DECISION IS BASED ON POOR PLANNING OR MISMANAGEMENT, THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES THEM WITH LIES WITH THEM TO RECONSIDER THEIR ACTIONS AND PERSEVERE THE SCHOOL FOR FURTHER GENERATIONS.
NEXT WE HAVE KUMBA DIXON, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN HAMBRIGHT AND CHRISTIE PATTON.
GOOD EVENING. TWO YEARS AGO, I STOOD HERE WITH MY WIFE TO ADVOCATE FOR MY SON.
HE WAS AT SMITH. HE TRANSFERRED AT SMITH, AND HE WAS GOING TO THE FIFTH GRADE.
HE WENT TO BRIGHT FOR HIS FIFTH GRADE YEAR. HE LEFT HIS FRIEND, WENT TO BRIGHT HIS FIFTH GRADE YEAR.
HE HAD A GREAT TIME AT BRIGHT. NOW HE'S AT STALEY.
[01:20:03]
NOW YOU'RE ASKING HIM TO TRANSFER AGAIN TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.NOW, WHEN WE HAVE THE CHOICE TO SELECT WHICH CAMPUS HE HAS TO GO TO TO END HIS, HIS, HIS MIDDLE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT'S MY WIFE'S QUESTION. BUT MY QUESTION IS THIS TO THE TO THE TO THE BOARD AND ISD.
THE PROBLEM THE THING IS, IF THIS WAS A IF THIS WAS A CORPORATION, SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED.
SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED [APPLAUSE]. HERE WE ARE.
THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR. MY FIRST YEAR AT BRIGHT I'M LISTENING TO THE TO THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING FOR US TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR TRUST IN PLACE.
WE HAVE OUR TRUST IN THE IN THE BOARD. AND TO HAVE THESE NUMBERS LIKE THIS, NOBODY KNEW THAT SMITH HAD I MEAN, I'M SORRY THAT STANLEY HAD A PLUMBING PROBLEM TWO YEARS, FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN YOU MADE WHEN YOU ASKED FOR THE APPROVAL OF A BOND TO TO RENOVATE THEM, NOBODY KNEW THAT. AND THEN THE THE LAST TIME WHEN I WAS HERE, THEY TALKED ABOUT ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
THEY GAVE ME TWO SEPARATE NUMBERS BECAUSE THE ONE BEFORE THE BOND WAS ISSUED AND SECONDLY.
OH, BECAUSE THE BOND FAILED, NOW THE NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED.
WHAT'S GOING ON? WE WE PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS HAD COME HONEST TO US AND TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S ALL WE WANT. HONEST FEEDBACK. HONEST FOR SOMETHING.
SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR JOB. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE SUSAN HAMBRIGHT, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIE PATTON AND LILLIAN MOLINA.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I HAVE HAD A CHILD IN FRISCO ISD FOR 24 YEARS.
DON'T JUDGE MY AGE. I CURRENTLY HAVE A A JUNIOR AT FRISCO HIGH.
ALL THREE OF MY KIDS WENT THROUGH BRIGHT, ROGER, STALEY AND FRISCO.
WE SERVE SO MANY KIDS THAT ARE DISADVANTAGED THAT GAVE MY KIDS SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THEY HAD, TO APPRECIATE WHAT THEY HAD. AND I THINK TAKING THOSE KIDS AND SPLITTING THEM ALL UP AND PUTTING THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE IS GOING TO MAKE IT SO HARD FOR THEM TO FIT IN SOMEWHERE. THE KIDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, AS EVERYONE SAID, TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS OR PARTICIPATE IN BAND, AND MY KIDS DID BAND ALL THREE YEARS, WE LOVE ALL THE BAND TEACHERS.
AND WHEN I WENT THERE AS WITH MY SON AS A SIXTH GRADER, NINE YEARS AFTER MY DAUGHTER WAS THERE, THERE WERE TEACHERS AND THERE WERE ADMINISTRATORS THAT WERE STILL THERE THAT I REMEMBERED AND THAT REMEMBERED ME.
AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO WHAT STALEY IS.
WHERE WAS THE BOND MONEY ALLOCATED? WHY WEREN'T THE, YOU KNOW, REPAIRS DONE? THE SCHOOLS BEEN THERE? IT WAS THE ORIGINAL FRISCO HIGH SCHOOL. I MOVED HERE IN 1998.
BUT THEY DID TRACK AND FIELD. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO PRESERVE THE HEART OF FRISCO, THE HEART OF STALEY, AND DON'T JUST TAKE THE DECISION THAT IT HAS TO CLOSE THIS YEAR OR NEXT.
AND I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE THE PARENTS THAT HAVE KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN SIXTH OR SEVENTH OR EIGHTH GRADE AND THE TEACHERS, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? SO I JUST IMPLORE YOU TO KEEP STALEY OPEN, LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS.
AND I LOVE WHAT SOMEONE SAID GIVE STALEY A CHANCE [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE CHRISTIE PATTON, FOLLOWED BY LILLIAN MOLINA AND CALISTA NORWOOD.
MIC] CHRISTIE THERE'S NO WHAT? PLEASE GO AHEAD AND BEGIN. OKAY.
MY NAME IS CHRISTIE PATTON, AND I HAVE TWO KIDS THAT WENT TO STALEY.
[01:25:02]
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN PTA FOR EVERY YEAR SINCE MY DAUGHTER WAS IN KINDERGARTEN, SHE'S IN COLLEGE NOW.SUE AND I SERVED ON PTA AT STALEY TOGETHER. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU HAVING SERVED IN VOLUNTEER CAPACITIES I WANT TO THANK YOU, BOARD, FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE A FEW SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. AT A RECENT BOARD MEETING, WE LEARNED THAT THE DATA FROM THE DEMOGRAPHERS CHANGED DRASTICALLY FROM 2023 TO 2024, AND THAT INSTEAD OF NEEDING A SCHOOL FOR 1,000 KIDS, WE WEREN'T GOING TO NEED A SCHOOL AT ALL.
AND I'M SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS IF THE IF THE INFORMATION CHANGED THAT DRASTICALLY FROM 23 TO 24 WAS TO SAY, OR WHO'S TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE AGAIN, AND THAT WE MAY NEED ANOTHER SCHOOL IN SIX MORE MONTHS.
WE KNOW THAT THE FIELD'S DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BRING A LOT OF FAMILIES TO OUR HOME, TO OUR TOWN.
BOTH OF THOSE HAVE THE WILL IMPACT THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ZONED THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HUNT, GRIFFIN, TRENT, STALEY, THOSE SCHOOLS ARE OR THOSE SCHOOLS WILL BE IMPACTED BY THOSE BY THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.
IF YOU DISPERSE, SO MY SECOND QUESTION, IF YOU DISPERSE THE TITLE ONE KIDS, DO THEY DO YOU LOSE THE TITLE ONE FUNDING BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THE CONCENTRATION OF KIDS AT THE SCHOOL? WE'RE ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE KIDS THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE POPULATION. THEY NEED RIDES TO SCHOOL.
THEY NEED RIDES. THEY NEED AS WE AS SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THEY NEED THE ABILITY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS AND FINE ARTS AND GET THERE FOR TUTORIALS. WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THEM TO MAKE GOOD GRADES TOO.
THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOME EXTRA, SOME EXTRA HELP.
ARE THE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABSORBING THOSE STUDENTS? ARE THEY GOING TO BE READY? DO THEY KNOW? ARE THEY GOING TO BE TO BE READY TO, TO TO HANDLE THE, THE KIDS AND THE SPECIAL NEEDS? IN OTHER TOWNS ALL AROUND US, SCHOOLS ARE CLOSING.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS A, A REAL, YOU KNOW, POSSIBILITY, BUT THEY'VE HAD CRAP [APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LILLIAN MOLINA, FOLLOWED BY CALISTA NORWOOD AND PAUL JESSEN. GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS LILLIAN MOLINA. MY SON IS CURRENTLY AN EIGHTH GRADER AT STALEY.
THAT MAKES ME EVEN MORE DISAPPOINTED TO HAVE TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU GUYS AND BEG FOR MY COMMUNITY.
WE MOVED FROM NEW JERSEY, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS THE SAME SCHOOL THAT MY NEPHEW STARTED THIS YEAR IN THE KINDERGARTEN. OKAY, THAT SCHOOL HAS BEEN OPEN FOR WAY LONGER THAN 50 YEARS AND IT IS STILL IN WORKING CONDITION.
WHY? BECAUSE THE BOARD CHOSE TO MAINTAIN IT PROPERLY.
SO TODAY WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE EVENTUALLY STALEY WILL NEED TO CLOSE, AND THAT IS BECAUSE YOU GUYS DID NOT MAINTAIN IT PROPERLY. YOU , THE BOARD COMMITTED MISTAKES AFTER MISTAKE AFTER MISTAKE, WHICH LED TO THIS SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN TODAY.
AND THAT MAKES ME ANGRY. IT MAKES ME ANGRY THAT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, MY SON HAS HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH FUMES FROM CEILING REPAIRS, FROM LEAKING TOILETS, POWER OUTAGES AND NUMEROUS OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE JUST SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE.
HE'S HAD TO GO TO OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND SEE HOW OTHER CHILDREN GET TO GO TO SCHOOL, SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS WITH ALL OF THE NEW BELLS AND WHISTLES THAT HE DOESN'T GET TO HAVE THAT HE DIDN'T GET TO EXPERIENCE.
AND NOW YOU ARE MAKING THE WRONG DECISION TO CLOSE STALEY WITH SUCH LITTLE NOTICE, WHICH IS ONLY GOING TO LEAD THESE CHILDREN FROM GOING TO ONE UNEQUITABLE SITUATION TO ANOTHER. YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TIME TO PROPERLY PLAN THIS OUT.
[01:30:03]
YOU'VE HEARD US SAY ABOUT THE BUS SITUATION AND MR. WALDRIP ASKED US, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT OUR KIDS NEED BUSSES? YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW WE KNOW? BECAUSE I'M GIVING RIDES TO KIDS AT 9:00, AFTER FOOTBALL GAMES, AFTER BASKETBALL GAMES, AFTER PRACTICE, AND I'M DRIVING KIDS ACROSS THE TOLLWAY ACROSS MAIN STREET TO TAKE THEM HOME BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS AREN'T ABLE TO DO SO, YET YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO ASK ME HOW I KNOW WHAT MY KIDS NEED? [APPLAUSE] ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH BUSSES CURRENTLY IN FRISCO ISD BECAUSE WE HAVE STUDENTS SITTING ON THE FLOOR OF A BUS TO GET TO TO GET TO STALEY NOW.HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TIME TO GET NEW BUSSES, HIRE BUS DRIVERS, HIRE BUS AIDES TO ACCOMMODATE FOR ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS WHO WILL NOW NEED A BUS NEXT YEAR? I GUARANTEE YOU YOU HAVE NOT. HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TIME TO STUDY HOW MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE IN ADVANCED CLASSES? WILL THEY BE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY NEXT YEAR? WILL THEY BE OFFERED CHEERLEADING AND CHOIR AND BASKETBALL AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY NEED? THANK YOU. THREE MINUTES COULD BE NOT ENOUGH.
NEXT WE HAVE CALISTA NORWOOD, FOLLOWED BY PAUL JESSEN AND KAREN WENERMAN.
HELLO. MY NAME IS CARLI, WHAT'S CALISTA ON THE THING BUT I GO BY CALI, I LIKE IT BETTER.
I, I WENT TO STALEY WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I WAS SUPER LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO GO THERE. I'M WEARING MY SHIRT, IT STILL FITS.
MY SON GOES TO ROGERS, AND I WAS HOPING THAT HE COULD FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS AND ALSO GO TO STALEY AND, YOU KNOW, KEEP GOING. I AM VERY NERVOUS. I AM SO SORRY.
I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS AND THEY'RE ALL GONE.
I WAS A ONE OF THE KIDS THAT NEEDED THE THE HELP AT STALEY, AND I RECEIVED A LOT OF IT.
I GOT CLOTHES FROM MY TEACHERS BECAUSE MY PARENTS WERE A LITTLE TOO PROUD TO ACCEPT THE HELP.
AND I WAS GIVEN THE CONFIDENCE TO DO WHATEVER I THOUGHT THAT I'D BE ABLE TO DO.
I PLAYED THE CLARINET. I WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD, MR. WOOD WAS MY INSTRUCTOR, SO OBVIOUSLY I WAS REALLY GOOD.
I DID, I DID THEATER, AND I, I EXCELLED, AND IT PUT ME ON A PATH TO SUCCESS INTO HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IT HELPS ME BE THE PARENT THAT I AM TODAY TO MY TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN WHO ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, IT LOOKS LIKE NOT GOING TO GET THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT I WAS GIVEN.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW IT'S SO GOOD FOR THEIR KIDS TO GROW UP AROUND KIDS WHO WHO NEED MORE HELP OR WHATEVER, BUT IT HELPS TO BE THAT KID AND TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT TO TO BE THAT KID AND THEN LOOK AT YOUR FRIEND AND NOT FEEL JUDGED.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS BROKE UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD NO IDEA WE WERE SO POOR [APPLAUSE].
I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE I WAS JUST LIFTED UP. AND THAT'S THE KIND OF PLACE THAT STALEY WAS AND APPARENTLY IT STILL IS, WHICH IS SO DOPE BECAUSE A LOT OF PLACES CHANGE, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME.
SO I OH, I WISH I HAD MORE, BUT THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR LISTENING [APPLAUSE].
NEXT WE HAVE PAUL JESSEN. FOLLOWED BY KAREN WENERMAN, SYLVIA WADE, AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER FOR THE EVENING IS JANINA BANDA.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING TO ADD. ONE OF THE FEW TIMES I'VE GONE TO A MEETING, I CAN'T REALLY ADD ANYTHING EXCEPT TO SAY I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID AND IF I WAS TO POINT ONE THING OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT MINIMALLY MINIMALLY HAPPEN IS ONE MORE YEAR.
I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED. THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN LOOK AT STALEY AND THE COMPETENCY AND THE QUALITY OF THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS. THIS WILL SELL THE DISTRICT, BUT YOU'RE PUTTING OUT OF BUSINESS POTENTIALLY A SITUATION THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.
AND EVERYBODY'S KIND OF FRUSTRATED. AND THERE'S TWO THINGS I WANT TO CLOSE WITH ONE, I KNOW
[01:35:04]
THERE'S AN ELECTION COMING UP. I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE TWO PEOPLE IT'S PROBABLY TOO LATE, BUT THE TWO GIRLS THAT WERE UP HERE AND GAVE THAT WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED [APPLAUSE].AND MAYBE THEY COULD BE INVITED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEES AND BE HELPFUL TO THE BOARD.
OKAY. AND THE SECOND THING IS, I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS, AND THERE'S STILL SOMETHING I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S IN CHARGE.
I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CURTAIN AND I DON'T KNOW WHO EVEN KNOW WHO THAT IS.
AND IF YOU COULD HELP ME OUT AND PERHAPS THE REST OF US AS WELL TO DO THAT.
SO OKAY, NOBODY'S GOING TO SAY ANYTHING THAT'S GOOD.
BUT REALLY, SERIOUSLY, YOU HAVE AN A PLUS EXHIBIT HERE.
PRESERVE IT MINIMALLY BY KEEPING THAT SCHOOL OPEN ONE MORE YEAR.
GIVE THEM THEIR YEAR MINIMALLY [APPLAUSE].
AND WE PRAY THE LORD GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION AS YOU DECIDE WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING [APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE KAREN WENERMAN. DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? CLOSE ENOUGH. AND SYLVIA WADE, FOLLOWED BY JANINA BANDA.
AND WE IN FACT MOVED TO FRISCO 12 YEARS AGO TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE ON THE BOARD, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU PLACE HIGH REGARD ON OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. I ALSO PLACE THEM IN HIGH REGARD.
AND I'M A PROUD PARENT OF TWO FRISCO ISD STUDENTS.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE MY VOICE AND SUPPORT OF THE TITLE ONE COMMUNITY.
SO IF WE CHOOSE TO CLOSE DAILY, WE ARE CHOOSING TO PUT CONSIDERABLE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR TITLE ONE COMMUNITIES AND OUR COMMUNITY IN THE HEART OF FRISCO PROPER AROUND MAIN STREET AND NORTH COUNTY. MANY OF THESE STUDENTS WALK TO, TO AND FROM SCHOOL.
AND BECAUSE STALEY IS CLOSE, THERE ARE HEALTH BENEFITS, OF COURSE, TO WALKING.
I REALIZE THESE STUDENTS CAN CERTAINLY RIDE BUSSES.
HOWEVER, WHAT ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THOSE EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES? WE TALKED ABOUT SPORTS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE UIL PREPARATIONS THAT OCCUR AT THE END OF THE DAY.
BAND PRACTICES THAT HAPPEN IN OFF HOURS. AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THESE STUDENTS WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE THINGS THAT REQUIRE PRACTICE OUTSIDE OF ROUTINE SCHOOL HOURS OR BUS ROUTES? DO THEY JUST NOT PARTICIPATE? ARE THEY HINDERED FROM TUTORING THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED? AND WE COULD SAY THEY COULD WALK, BUT MOVING THEM FROM THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD TO SCHOOLS ACROSS THE TOLLWAY PURPOSEFULLY PUTS THEM IN HARM'S WAY.
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO CROSS UNDER THE TOLLWAY ON FOOT OR CROSS EL DORADO? IN FACT, BOTH OF THESE EXAMPLES REQUIRE CROSSING AT LEAST SIX LANES OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT CROSSING GUARDS OR PARENTAL SUPERVISION FOR THESE STUDENTS.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. NEXT WE HAVE SYLVIA WADE, FOLLOWED BY JANINA BANDA.
[01:40:11]
HELLO, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND LISTENING TO US.MY NAME IS SYLVIA WADE, BUT MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME HERE AS NURSE WADE.
MY FAMILY HAS LIVED IN FRISCO SINCE 2002. IN 2013, WE OUTGREW OUR STARTER HOME ON STONEBROOK, WHERE MY KIDS WENT TO BRIGHT ELEMENTARY. AND AFTER LOOKING IN THE NEIGHBORING CITIES FOR A NEW HOME, WE REALIZED FRISCO WAS WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.
WE MOVED TO MEADOW HILL ESTATES, NESTED BETWEEN ROGERS ELEMENTARY AND STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH WAS IDEAL FOR A YOUNG FAMILY. A FEW NEIGHBORS CAME TO WELCOME US, AND IT TURNED OUT WE WERE SURROUNDED BY ROGERS STAFF, TEACHERS, AND FRONT OFFICE STAFF. IT WAS COMFORTING TO SEE THAT PEOPLE WE LIVED NEXT TO WERE INVESTED IN OUR SCHOOLS AND THEIR COMMUNITY, AND WE SEE THAT IN THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE NEXT TO US THAT I'M SO SORRY.
COMFORTING TO SEE THAT THE PEOPLE WE LIVE NEXT TO WERE INVESTED IN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY, AND WE FOUND THAT TO BE THE CASE THROUGHOUT OUR CHILDREN'S FISD EXPERIENCE.
HE IS A STALEY MUSTANG. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE STALEY MUSTANG FAMILY SINCE 2016.
HOW DO WE ANSWER THE QUESTIONS? WHERE WILL I GO TO SCHOOL NEXT YEAR? AND THOUGH WE UNDERSTAND IT MAY BE FINANCIALLY PRUDENT TO CLOSE AN AGING SCHOOL, IT STILL LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN THE MOUTH WHEN WE'RE TOLD THAT THIS LONG STANDING INSTITUTION MAY CLOSE SOONER THAN LATER. I READ THE LETTER THAT WENT OUT REGARDING ZONE CHANGES AND THE IDEA OF CLOSING STALEY THIS MAY, AND IT COMES WITH A LOT OF HESITATION AND CONCERNS AS A PARENT, AN FISD EMPLOYEE, AND A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
WHERE WILL MY SON GO TO SCHOOL NEXT YEAR? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY LIFE AT HIS OWN SCHOOL? HOW WILL THIS AFFECT HIS RELATIONSHIPS, HIS CONFIDENCE AND HIS ACADEMIC PATH? WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE STUDENTS WHO REQUIRE TITLE ONE RESOURCES? WILL OTHER SCHOOLS BE EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT STALEY STUDENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM TITLE ONE? NOT JUST GIVING ACADEMIC SUPPORT, BUT ENCOMPASSING ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT STALEY TEACHERS AND STAFF GIVE FROM THEIR HEARTS EVERY DAY.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE STAFF? SOME HAVE BEEN AT STALEY FOR 5, 10, 20 PLUS YEARS.
YES, THEY MAY HAVE A PLACE TO GO, BUT WILL THEY HAVE A CHOICE? WILL THEY HAVE A CHANCE FOR CLOSURE? A CHANCE TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL WITH GRACE? A CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE TO STUDENTS, AND STAFF, AND STALEY, WITH ALL OF ITS MEMORIES WITHOUT IT FEELING ABRUPT AND FORCED.
AND FINALLY, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO STALEY [APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OUR FINAL SPEAKER FOR THIS EVENING IS JANINA BANDA. GOOD EVENING BOARD. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER ME.
I STOOD HERE EIGHT MONTHS AGO WITH MY SON NATHAN.
NOW WE'RE HERE AGAIN, ASKING NOT ONLY FOR IT TO STAY OPEN ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS, BUT AGAIN, LIKE EVERYBODY SAID, GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
NOT JUST FOR HIM THOUGH. I'M TALKING AS FOR THE TITLE ONE PARENTS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS HERE ARE TITLE ONE PARENTS, BUT GUESS WHAT? I'M A TITLE ONE PARENT. [APPLAUSE] I'M THE MOM THAT [APPLAUSE] I'M THE MOM THAT BRINGS HOME $32,000 A YEAR AND TRY TO SUPPORT AS A SINGLE MOM, HER THREE CHILDREN.
THE ONE THAT JUST PUT HER DAUGHTER THROUGH COLLEGE, THE ONE THAT HAS AN EIGHTH GRADER AT STALEY, AND THE ONE THAT HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE A SIXTH GRADER AT STALEY.
I'M THE MOM THAT COULDN'T SIT THERE AND PICTURE MY SEVENTH EIGHTH GRADER WALKING ACROSS STONE BROOK, SIX LANES TO STALEY AND 100 PLUS DEGREE WEATHER, OR IN THE RAIN OR IN THE COLD.
SO DECIDED, YOU KNOW WHAT, KIDS? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUDGET A LITTLE MORE, BUT I'LL SPEND THE $9,000 THAT I DID ON UBERS TO GET MY KIDS TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE CAN'T SIT THERE AND HAVE BUS TRANSPORTATION FOR THE KIDS THAT LIVE ON THE STONE BROOK SIDE.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO HAVE BUSSES FOR KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO GET THEM TO THE OTHER SCHOOLS, TO GRIFFIN, TO HUNT, TRENT? NOT EVERY PARENT WILL SIT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, SPEND $9,000 A YEAR.
[01:45:05]
IF IT WASN'T FOR TIMES WHEN I LOOKED AT MY ACCOUNT AND I HAD NO MONEY AND I HAD PEOPLE LIKE MRS. JEANETTE, THAT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'LL GO PICK UP YOUR KIDS AND TAKE THEM, YOU KNOW, OR MR. WOOD OR MRS. WEBB THAT STAYED LATE BECAUSE THE UBER DIDN'T GET ON TIME TO PICK UP MY KID FROM BAND.WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WE'RE A FAMILY. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS DON'T SEE.
STALEY IS A FAMILY. WE'RE NOT JUST A COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT JUST A BUNCH OF PARENTS. WE'RE A TIGHT KNIT FAMILY THAT SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
RIGHT NOW I WORK AT NORTH PORT VILLAS. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY KIDS YOU KNOW CROSS STONE BROOK? IN EVERY WEATHER. WE DON'T HAVE A STOP SIGN, WE DON'T HAVE A LIGHT AND WE DON'T HAVE BUS TRANSPORTATION.
SOME OF THESE KIDS DON'T EVEN HAVE CARS. I HAVE KIDS LINING UP BECAUSE BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I HAVE A VEHICLE NOW THAT WILL STAND AT MY CAR.
CAN I HAVE A RIDE TO SCHOOL? THAT WILL WAIT FOR ME AFTER SCHOOL SO I CAN BRING THEM HOME.
AND I DON'T MIND DOING THAT BECAUSE I WAS THE MOM THAT DIDN'T HAVE A CAR.
SO I ASK AND I PLEAD THE, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD PLEASE GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
PLEASE THINK THIS THROUGH. NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYBODY HERE THAT WANTS IT DONE.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY INPUT NIGHT.
PLEASE JOIN US AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHICH TAKES PLACE THE SECOND MONDAY IN APRIL.
APRIL 14TH. APRIL 14TH. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE DURING THAT TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 8:22 P.M..
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.