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transcript 2026-02-04 Board meeting video #q1556dddb

February 4, 2026 — Meeting Transcript

This is a transcript of the Clayton School District Board of Education meeting held February 4, 2026. The excerpts show opening procedures (pledge, agenda approval) and superintendent communications, including highlights of student music performance and outreach about an upcoming Proposition O bond campaign (webpage, FAQ, messaging, advocacy guidance). The transcript also records policy discussion items (professional staff compensation changes to meet new state law), questions about out-of-county tuition students and related service liability, and motions to approve the agenda and to adjourn, each seconded and approved by voice vote.
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We just finished January, right? So February does include the focus groups, we'll see the fact sheet, mailer number one come out, the start or initiation of some pretty significant community outreach, the video reels and other assets that support information. In March, I think it'll be important that we continue that community outreach as a board, look at those tours, do as many tours as you can. We'll have additional video reels, and there'll be another mailer if not two additional mailers that will be more like postcard mailers that remind everyone that this is prop O is on the ballot. And then April is the final outreach before election day on the seventh. So what can the board expect? We want you to expect ongoing updates from this team. I'm going to provide you a report, a summary report from the focus groups, what we learned so you have that information. We will share with you that communications calendar so you can review that and suggest what you might need in addition to that. And we need you to feel like you can have continued support in the work that you do with messaging and engaging with members of the community or even the media. So from a role perspective, sometimes I'm asked, you know, board members, what's my role in this process, in this campaign?

So I think that's an important piece. I think it's also important to share with the community that as a board you have been intentional to collaborate with the community, to listen to the community, engage them around what are our dire or most pressing facility needs, how can we prioritize what are our priorities, and then propose a solution for the voters. We have informed individuals that you have taken a phased approach to this because the overall cost of all of the facility needs would be asked to raise taxes and that you are intentional and good financial stewards of their tax dollars and you're trying to do this important work for your students in a way that doesn't increase taxes. So our targeted audiences, it's important that we identify who do we need to make sure we're engaging with. And so here you'll see a set of primary targeted audiences and also secondary audiences that we want to make sure that we're engaging with. So we do this, we list them out because we want to make sure that we message consistently to those different groups in ways that they need to hear the messages. And then with reaching all audiences, we deploy a number of strategies. So some of these things we've already talked about that we're working on.

And then with reaching all audiences, we deploy a number of strategies. So some of these things we've already talked about that we're working on. One of the things that we heard through the focus groups that's going to be really important is giving lots of opportunities for individuals to get into the school, particularly Glenridge Elementary, to really see for themselves why there are the needs that there are and what those needs are. And then thinking about as many community presentations as you can do and our help with you for that, newsletter articles, fact sheets, signage, all that to say is those weekly communications that we have, we like to be responsive to what you're experiencing. So if you're finding out in the community that you need something that we are not working on as a communication, then we do that, right? We add that to our calendar. So currently we have a three and a half, four month calendar mapped out with all these different communication tools to make sure that they are being delivered to you to use. But again, if there's anything that comes up throughout the process that we need to tend to, we do. So just from a really high level, what does timeline look like? We just finished January, right? So February does include the focus groups, we'll see the fact sheet, mailer number one come out, the start or initiation of some pretty significant community outreach, the video reels and other assets that support information.

And we need you to feel like you can have continued support in the work that you do with messaging and engaging with members of the community or even the media. So from a role perspective, sometimes I'm asked, you know, board members, what's my role in this process, in this campaign? We think it's important for you to stay informed, use the materials that we put together for you, direct questions that community members have to the district's webpage, the referendum webpage, and then also help model integrity-based communication. We just really want to make sure that everybody in the community understands these are our needs, here's what this Prop O is about, and here's why we think that's the best solution. Okay? Questions? Okay, who's got questions about the communications plan? Anyone? Pam, go ahead. One of the slides you asked to come in the focus groups, who do you want to I think it's fascinating because we got varied answers depending on who the group was, but I do think if I were to summarize and what I'm hearing from all of them collectively is they want to hear from board members, they want to hear from students, they want to hear from the staff that are in these spaces, and I think they want to also hear from administration what is needed. But I would say students came out almost in almost every focus group.

One of the slides you asked to come in the focus groups, who do you want to I think it's fascinating because we got varied answers depending on who the group was, but I do think if I were to summarize and what I'm hearing from all of them collectively is they want to hear from board members, they want to hear from students, they want to hear from the staff that are in these spaces, and I think they want to also hear from administration what is needed. But I would say students came out almost in almost every focus group. The next thing is about this, is there a place for the district to disseminate the information about the senior tax freeze and the impact of that on voters who have applied and received that? Yeah, that's a great question. Right now it is included in the FAQ, but if you're thinking that it might need a more prominent place, we can definitely make sure that it's incorporated into other communication tools. Yeah, I agree. Perfect, good. One final one. Whether it's for you or for you Susan, but how have you advised, how did you advise the Ladew School Board and how have you advised all the board members that you've worked with to best disseminate this information so that we know I know you said that you have that on here, the second to last slide, but what would you recommend? Sure, I can start with that.