00;00;00;00 - 00;00;12;00 Speaker 1 Or just came out on prime TV. It's been out movies, you know, for a long time. But it's a true story. And it's this guy, this man floundering in his life, what he said multiple times. 00;00;12;03 - 00;00;16;17 Unknown Anyway, got into a major accident and this latest accident. 00;00;16;19 - 00;00;39;25 Speaker 1 And so, like, he was called to be a priest. Okay. And it's. Imagine Mark Wahlberg playing this character. It is an amazing story of this man's life. And it's a it ends with just that gut check of the really the purpose of of why we're here and what our focus really should be on. So what you do. 00;00;39;27 - 00;00;45;25 Speaker 3 You're good for what to watch. I mean, you're you're one of the people they like. Good, good recommendations. 00;00;46;01 - 00;00;52;21 Speaker 4 Dana and Angie. Angie has some great one. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Several really good recommendations. Yeah. 00;00;52;24 - 00;01;13;17 Speaker 1 Fathers do love it. Okay, Well, so welcome to season two, Episode one of the fire stars, the podcast where Kelsey goals and Dana Owen that's me have the pleasure of interviewing interesting people and discussing anything and everything if I Friendswood esty This is our back to school edition 2022. And we are joined today by Superintendent Thad J. Rau. 00;01;13;19 - 00;01;16;11 Speaker 1 All right. 00;01;16;13 - 00;01;28;05 Speaker 1 Here we go. Tomorrow is the first day of school, which is I'm not even going to say It's hard to believe. It's hard for me to believe, but crazy. I'm sure there are some parents out there going, Yeah, get those kids back into school. 00;01;28;06 - 00;01;45;06 Speaker 3 I saw these. They were two parents bringing kids into a volleyball camp. It was like two weeks ago, and they were walking past, you know, in the high school. I just in they're looking at something and they're like, We want you to take these kids back to school right now. 00;01;45;09 - 00;02;07;03 Speaker 1 Sorry up. And I said, Well, meet, meet and greets are going on today, so all the campuses are super busy. I just wanted to start off this podcast with hearing some words from you, our superintendent, in 60 seconds or less. What do you want parents to know and to what do you want students to know? Going into the first day of school? 00;02;07;06 - 00;02;28;28 Speaker 3 I mean, the word just comes to mind of like excitement, like Christmas morning down the stairs is what tomorrow is for me and for all of us here. We it's it's a day we circle on our calendar. And I know parents and kids do, too, whether they want to admit it or not, that everybody's excited and that that feeling goes over for all of us. 00;02;28;28 - 00;02;53;12 Speaker 3 We can't wait for them to to show up tomorrow. First day is crazy, right? Like cars everywhere, Parents busses don't know where to go. The excitement of the kindergarten parent first time walking in, dropping off the senior who doesn't want you to take a picture outside. Even though it's their last first day of school in Friendswood, it's the best. 00;02;53;14 - 00;03;18;05 Speaker 1 What is it like every the night before everyone talks about not being able to sleep and they were so anxious about it. Yeah. When you take the majority of our students and parents in teachers, the majority of them, they know exactly what they're walking into. But there's there's something new and fresh about out a new schedule, a new possibly a new backpack. 00;03;18;05 - 00;03;25;12 Speaker 1 I don't know. That's something some people do use new shoes. It's like it's this new blank slate. Huh? 00;03;25;17 - 00;03;41;08 Speaker 3 Well, it's the you know, it's like first game of the season, you know, for those athletes out there. I mean, you know how to play basketball, right? You've done it. But when you pull that curtain back and turn the lights on and it's game time. It's game time. 00;03;41;08 - 00;03;43;25 Speaker 1 Yeah. 00;03;43;27 - 00;03;45;14 Speaker 3 Cue the warm up music. 00;03;45;21 - 00;03;46;05 Speaker 1 Oh, yeah. 00;03;46;08 - 00;03;48;12 Speaker 3 Cue the AC DC back in black. 00;03;48;12 - 00;03;59;02 Speaker 1 How great would that be that we actually had, like, walk off music, like, you know, kids walking into the first day of school. That would be really cute, actually. 00;03;59;04 - 00;04;00;14 Speaker 4 It would get people hyped up. 00;04;00;15 - 00;04;01;24 Speaker 1 So again, I'm fired up. 00;04;01;27 - 00;04;07;05 Speaker 3 I play it myself. On the way to the first day of school, I had my own mix. First day mix. 00;04;07;08 - 00;04;08;25 Speaker 1 Of those would be. 00;04;08;27 - 00;04;12;26 Speaker 3 One of those songs would be, I mean, probably something bad. 00;04;12;26 - 00;04;14;04 Speaker 1 HALEN Yeah. 00;04;14;06 - 00;04;18;04 Speaker 3 Probably somethin Z.Z top. I mean, pop. 00;04;18;04 - 00;04;25;19 Speaker 1 I think like thunder. Yeah, that's it is. It is. And so, yeah, love it. 00;04;25;22 - 00;04;27;06 Speaker 4 But how could you not feel pumped and listen? 00;04;27;06 - 00;04;29;09 Speaker 1 Exactly. Yeah, exactly. I love that. 00;04;29;11 - 00;04;31;08 Speaker 3 Maybe some Eminem clean version, of course. 00;04;31;08 - 00;04;32;24 Speaker 1 Oh, yes. Yeah. Yeah. 00;04;32;27 - 00;04;35;28 Speaker 4 No explicit material here. No. 00;04;36;00 - 00;04;51;28 Speaker 1 Well, maybe people if you're listening this podcast and you want to also share the music that you pumped your kids up to where if you're a student and you want to share the music that you love to get fired up for the first day of school, you share and put it in the comments. Whenever we put this out on social media, we would love to hear what songs those are. 00;04;51;28 - 00;04;53;04 Speaker 1 As long as are clean. 00;04;53;06 - 00;05;13;26 Speaker 4 My dad, we when we'd go to volleyball tournaments, we'd have to get there super early growing up. And so he had this playlist he had burned onto his CD. That's what we did. And one of the songs he would always play was like a G6. John So he literally for the longest time, we didn't realize it. He thought they were saying like a cheese stick. 00;05;13;29 - 00;05;22;23 Speaker 4 So he was that's what he was saying. Really sad enough, he was fired up about mozzarella, apparently thought. 00;05;22;23 - 00;05;24;23 Speaker 1 Of a cheese stick, was firing him up. 00;05;24;25 - 00;05;25;20 Speaker 4 It fires me up. 00;05;25;20 - 00;05;32;04 Speaker 1 I'll tell you what. So did you kind of wrap that up first day of. 00;05;32;04 - 00;05;35;07 Speaker 3 School, which is kind of in 60 seconds, but that's what I got. Yeah. 00;05;35;09 - 00;05;56;08 Speaker 1 No, I love it. Yeah. So this year our theme is Mustang Mindset and wanted to talk to you a little bit about kind of where that came from. It's not really obvious to those of you maybe like legacy, even though that was explained throughout the year also. But just talk to us a little bit about where my Mustang mindset came from and kind of what it means. 00;05;56;14 - 00;06;27;27 Speaker 3 Just this is my six year starting my six year superintendent. Our teams, you know, work forward. And when I say team, I'm talking about friends with Ice-T for the past five years starting a six year and there's just a mindset mindset critical, right? And we've walked through a lot of hard things over the last few years and just seen how important, you know, what's been poured into you, how you process life is your responsibility, not it can't be mandated on you, it can't be. 00;06;27;27 - 00;06;54;17 Speaker 3 And so that mindset is such a key, key piece. And so as we come into this year, just our our group together as a whole, our team together as a whole, just this idea of of Mustang mindset. So putting what is it individually and collectively? When I say collectively, I'm talking to the people listening on this, to the parents, our community members, our students, our teachers, administrators, all of us. 00;06;54;20 - 00;07;16;28 Speaker 3 How critical that mindset is going forward in a world that is trying to define that for us in many ways. And so here we are. I mean, public education is the root of democracy in America. We educate all students. That's our that's our charge. And it is a it is a daunting responsibility and one that we the reason we're here is we're called to that. 00;07;16;28 - 00;08;06;08 Speaker 3 And so how do we move that forward? And we we got together convocation with our 800 employees and and launch that out and had a tremendous a man that Dana you and I have seen multiple times our team follows George Cross come in and talk about an innovator's mindset. And so we really, really shifted into um the how like for him to to give us somehow innovations innovator's mindset there's I think there's eight pieces to that and so just really wanted for us to to process that together so you know as you see Mustang mindset shirts or order them through the education foundation they're selling those we're all a part of that like we're different. 00;08;06;11 - 00;08;23;29 Speaker 3 And where it comes from is our mindset how we approach things. You can approach something out of a positive mindset for growth and hope, and it will be different. And that's what we see. That's what I see. That's what we all see for Friendswood. And so thus Mustang mindset. 00;08;24;01 - 00;08;43;27 Speaker 4 Hmm. You know, I'd love to share. There was we had our deal t retreat a couple of weeks ago and we had those four speakers come in, all of them. I felt had amazing messages. But the one that really sat with me was the mother from our district who came and spoke, and each one shared a little bit about their own mindset. 00;08;43;27 - 00;09;14;17 Speaker 4 And for her just going through a lot of really trying times, a lot of adversity, she said, You know, we have the ability to endure, you know, And she shifted her mindset to keep pushing and she talked about how she took up running. And that running is so metaphoric for life and that it's a series of arguments between the part of your brain that wants to stop and the part of your brain that says to keep going. 00;09;14;19 - 00;09;38;29 Speaker 4 And I think that was just so special. And to have that idea going into the school year of, you know, we've had all of these trials and tribulations over the last several years. We've had hurricanes, we've had COVID, just just a freeze like all these freak things. And just continue to endure. Just to continue to endure, to keep taking one step, even when days are hard. 00;09;39;01 - 00;09;45;28 Speaker 4 I just loved her message. I thought she was just so inspiring, so great. Her faith was beautiful, you know? 00;09;46;01 - 00;10;06;07 Speaker 1 And it's and it's a timely message, really, for tomorrow. You know, just kind of thinking about just tomorrow. I know there are kids, there are students out there, and there are teachers, frankly, who they get really nervous about change. They get really nervous about walking in tomorrow to a new place or new students. And and we it's a mindset of going in and seeing it as opportunity for growth. 00;10;06;09 - 00;10;19;09 Speaker 1 Yeah. You know, seeing challenges as this is my opportunity to kind of rise up and grow myself. So that's what, that's what we hope tomorrow is. And so that's a timely message, was thinking about adversity. 00;10;19;09 - 00;10;49;11 Speaker 3 And thinking about parents, too. I mean, how important I mean, parenting, when we when we earn our keep as parents is when we're putting into that mindset. You know, I had one who really didn't look forward to going to school. And what do you share into that? How do you make that a possibility versus a detriment? Right. And that's just my hopes in terms of our Mustang mindset is that we embrace that all together and then that makes friends with different, you know, what comes out of us different. 00;10;49;11 - 00;10;55;02 Speaker 3 And I believe that's true. I believe that's what happens. And as we embrace that together, all of us, you know. 00;10;55;05 - 00;11;21;25 Speaker 1 The definition that is on the back of our shirt that I still love is risk moving from a comfortable average in pursuit of an unknown. Better. That is a great Oh, yeah. I mean, that's something to have on your wall. You know, because we all strive. It's that pursuit of an unknown better going from comfortable. That's a very strong word to walk from comfortable to an unknown better. 00;11;21;25 - 00;11;22;13 Speaker 1 I just love. 00;11;22;20 - 00;11;41;22 Speaker 4 Well in and you say this all the time and I think it's such a great point. But how can we as educators push our students to be innovative and to to keep pushing themselves if we don't do the same, like lead by example, like we want to be the best in the industry, but we're unwilling to change, that's not going to happen. 00;11;41;22 - 00;11;44;22 Speaker 4 So just take those risks to. 00;11;44;25 - 00;11;49;23 Speaker 1 Do things for, right? Yeah. Let 2023 be a year of risk. 00;11;49;25 - 00;11;51;07 Speaker 4 Oh, I thought you were going to rhyme it. 00;11;51;10 - 00;11;55;24 Speaker 1 I was going to try, but it wasn't coming to me. So I saw this was I saw the. 00;11;55;25 - 00;11;59;15 Speaker 3 But maybe next year. 00;11;59;17 - 00;12;12;07 Speaker 1 So let's move into to some key topics for this year. Kind of our focus, what we're looking for, what we're going to be working on as a school district. So celebrations. 00;12;12;09 - 00;12;39;16 Speaker 3 Yeah, lots of things to celebrate in in terms of you know, I know people listening here have, you know, friends and family across the country. We see on the news the teacher shortage, employee shortage and just a celebration for being fully staffed with a great new crew of teachers. Just really excited about that new this year's freshman class of 2022. 00;12;39;19 - 00;13;00;20 Speaker 3 Feisty and just grateful. And, you know, part of that is the draw of this community. The draw of our leaders draw of our kids. With part of that, the Mustang mindset draws in the a place to to come work. And so, you know, a lot of people starting school tomorrow with no teacher in their classroom, that's a big deal. 00;13;00;23 - 00;13;17;28 Speaker 1 It was last week. So I'm sure it's different this week. Yeah, one school, one large school district in Texas, 700 openings for a teacher starting off the school year, right? Yeah. And that be a whole other podcast like what is public education going to do? What do we need to do? How do we need to start making some changes? 00;13;17;28 - 00;13;21;23 Speaker 1 But yeah, we're very grateful that so that's a. 00;13;21;25 - 00;13;48;21 Speaker 3 Celebration for us and just a celebration of in many ways, you know, a lot of us and I'm talking about us. Friendswood got a summer and got a time to step back, take a breath, take a breather, and prepare ourselves for the start of a new school year. And I hope the same thing is true of our our parents, our kids stepping into this year. 00;13;48;21 - 00;14;10;06 Speaker 3 And I can see it feel it on the faces of our people walking in the energy that's there that over the past couple of years has been with the unknowns that we walk into. I think it is a mindset of like, you know, Kelsey, I think you use the word these strange, but it's kind of become the norm. 00;14;10;06 - 00;14;26;13 Speaker 3 It's like, okay, let's go. You know, who knows what this year will hold? But it just seems to be the pattern. But we got a chance to rest and maybe even think a little bit differently about giving ourselves time to do that. And I think, you know, for me personally, I know that's a big goal for me even in this year. 00;14;26;13 - 00;14;51;01 Speaker 3 And I hope it's for for a lot of our of our folks. So that's a celebration, too. We've been recognized by several sources in the you know, in the top of the state niche and in different groups. So celebrations of just other, you know, recognition of friends. What I as the you know, some really cool things happening in our teaching and learning department that kids are going to experience this year. 00;14;51;01 - 00;15;26;11 Speaker 3 Our staff will experience our standards based work, which really, you know, focuses on our goal to redefining success from just test scores or college prep, starting way down low to be able to look at standards and students knowing how they're doing on these standards, being able to articulate that, be able to have their own goal setting and giving parents information about how they're achieving versus just 84 so that that work moves into the rest of second grade and all of third grade this year. 00;15;26;11 - 00;15;53;01 Speaker 3 So we're really excited about that. And then along the same lines, just the idea of a standards based mindset in secondary schools, you're you aren't going to see anything really different on the report card, except we do have a large group at the high school that's working on a secondary evidence base. It doesn't there's nothing different really in the classrooms in terms of are my kids learning something different than somebody else's? 00;15;53;04 - 00;16;32;25 Speaker 3 But it's just the way the evidence is reported in formative summative fashion and being able to talk about behaviors for specific behaviors. So that's really exciting. And then just the options that our students have that just continue to grow our board, our our principles, our directors, our teaching and learning leaders just, you know, from rocketry to some new relationships with San Jack, to be able to provide maritime Academy process standards, a lot of different pieces for kids to be able to step into there and step into that, you know, their own individual path. 00;16;32;25 - 00;16;58;04 Speaker 3 And, you know, our freshman stepping in this year to a new waiting system, class rank of just their core areas. So just we've seen already the options open up for kids to pursue their passions, which is really what success is, you know, in so many ways. And so just really excited about that, excited about some new staff that we have. 00;16;58;07 - 00;17;28;27 Speaker 3 I think about a new A.P. at the high school that's stepping in. Amanda Bella, which who was a leader who's grown up through our system, stepping into that role, Fred Cappadocia returning back. He was an assistant principal for us and is just heart for the classroom and kids coming back and stepping in that. Amy Tolman, our new director of instruction for special education, just bringing energy into the, uh, into those campuses, helping to support instruction at those levels. 00;17;28;29 - 00;17;37;18 Speaker 3 And again, like I said, a lot of new staff members that hopefully everyone's getting to meet today. Yeah, this is what I said. 00;17;37;20 - 00;17;44;23 Speaker 1 Yeah, there was a cute, really cute second grade teacher at Westwood. Yeah. Sorry. 00;17;44;23 - 00;17;47;09 Speaker 3 Your name can be happened to related to you. 00;17;47;13 - 00;17;56;23 Speaker 1 Your name is Maddie Owen. She's adorable. You start out with her out there? Yeah, She's teaching a second grade at Westwood, so I'm really excited to be going into this room. 00;17;56;24 - 00;18;02;01 Speaker 4 When I saw her, I was like, Just get ready. We will be in your classroom all of the time. 00;18;02;03 - 00;18;03;10 Speaker 3 Sure. She's excited about that. 00;18;03;10 - 00;18;09;21 Speaker 1 She was not. But we do. We have a lot of new hires. We do about 100 teachers across. 00;18;09;22 - 00;18;31;15 Speaker 3 The district and three new instructional staff. So that's teachers and instructional pairs that will be, you know, directly supporting and supporting kids. And we I mean, we kick off with a bang, right? I mean, you guys get to be part of the new teacher. You know, we start with the whole belief system rooted into that. And then our education foundation puts on an amazing. 00;18;31;15 - 00;18;31;19 Speaker 1 Great. 00;18;31;24 - 00;18;55;21 Speaker 3 Luncheon for them at the Lone Star Flight Museum. And I mean, we see the emails, right? Like, I've never been so welcome before. So we start with that and then move them into the excitement of tomorrow. So that's, you know, when you talk about what are celebrations, those those are some real celebrations. And then it's going to be kind of a pain for especially high school. 00;18;55;21 - 00;18;56;09 Speaker 1 Construction. 00;18;56;09 - 00;19;20;14 Speaker 3 Folks right now. But one celebration is just, you know, we're getting to see, although it looks like a mess right now, you know, dirt girders, cement for the first phase of our bond. So you know, get to see the park, the the new auditorium start to come up, the new gym on on the side where the tennis court used to be. 00;19;20;14 - 00;19;46;03 Speaker 3 And, you know, it should be in just a few weeks, we should start to see some red steel going up. So and I can tell you, just walking on those, just how big they are is really exciting to to stand there and visualize that our tennis court, new tennis courts are done. We're playing on those. We still have yet to put the parking the new building in, finished the fields on the back end. 00;19;46;03 - 00;20;04;20 Speaker 3 So that's really exciting to to go in. But, you know, we're going to take up some parking in that all that the parking lot where if you're a high school parent usually dropped off and so it's going to be congested. You can't really it's going to be hard for kids to get over to Castlewood to pick up if that's where they used to go. 00;20;04;22 - 00;20;24;17 Speaker 3 So it's the price of progress and just, you know, as for patience and and grace and in doing that and then, you know, those parts will next year at this time when we're doing the podcast, start schools podcasts like we're hope, Lord willing, we're open right now and. Right. Yes. And we when we have those and we've done our. 00;20;24;18 - 00;20;25;02 Speaker 1 Imagine on. 00;20;25;02 - 00;20;42;08 Speaker 3 Vacation in the new auditorium and and we're starting to move inside you know, we're kids into inside the high school which will be you know, it'll be another, you know, rerouting students and stuff. But the high schools are going to feel that we're reroofing the whole high school, which is great. 00;20;42;13 - 00;20;48;20 Speaker 1 But here's did I hear somebody say there was a bobcat? Like the whole tractor machine on top of a roof? 00;20;48;20 - 00;20;49;25 Speaker 4 Yeah. What? 00;20;49;27 - 00;20;50;14 Speaker 1 Yeah. 00;20;50;17 - 00;20;50;26 Speaker 3 Yeah. 00;20;50;28 - 00;20;52;06 Speaker 1 How does it even hold? 00;20;52;08 - 00;21;04;26 Speaker 3 So you can imagine the noise that that might create if they're working over top of of your classroom or, you know, they have to be able to close an area off to dump the, the, you know. 00;21;05;00 - 00;21;05;14 Speaker 1 Debris. 00;21;05;15 - 00;21;23;16 Speaker 3 On. Yeah. It's really tar and stones and we're replacing it with a, you know, a really great, you know, product up on the top. And so you could show up at school and the place you usually enter enter will be roped off. So that's just, you know, we're creatures of habit. We always go in this way or we go out. 00;21;23;22 - 00;21;25;25 Speaker 3 And so that's just going to be a change. 00;21;26;01 - 00;21;41;09 Speaker 1 In things for a great opportunity. Instead of getting upset about it, Right? Yeah, you could say I am so thankful this time next year. MM. Yeah, we will have brand new facilities we have to go through really to get this right. Isn't there a rose thorn. 00;21;41;11 - 00;21;42;27 Speaker 3 Rose colored glasses. 00;21;42;29 - 00;21;48;14 Speaker 1 No I don't, I like that there. There's a lot of confidence about it. 00;21;48;16 - 00;21;52;17 Speaker 3 There's a music group, there's every Rose has its thorn. 00;21;52;19 - 00;21;53;29 Speaker 4 Right, Bret Michaels? 00;21;54;04 - 00;21;54;26 Speaker 3 No. 00;21;54;29 - 00;22;04;17 Speaker 1 I have no idea. I'm going to have to. It's Evie rules as it's, I. 00;22;04;19 - 00;22;07;17 Speaker 3 Want to say Aerosmith. But that's not right. I'll think of it before we. 00;22;07;20 - 00;22;09;07 Speaker 1 Yeah, there's Guns N Roses. 00;22;09;09 - 00;22;09;19 Speaker 3 Roses. 00;22;09;19 - 00;22;16;17 Speaker 1 That's who is Axl Rose. Yeah. Rose full of Rose. 00;22;16;20 - 00;22;20;10 Speaker 3 And then Cline. Cline. Right. So. Cline, same thing. 00;22;20;17 - 00;22;30;28 Speaker 1 Let's talk about that because Miss Dingle just afforded me some information. Today I push it out on social media. They're having a concrete pour at 3 a.m.. 00;22;31;01 - 00;22;47;09 Speaker 3 Massive concrete pour out of cline, which is exciting. So we're trying to get foundations and parking lots down. Not many people get out to that next woods. It's kind of the back 40 of West Ranch, you know. But if you want to go see it at 3 a.m. tomorrow morning, West Nile and all the way to the end zone. 00;22;47;11 - 00;22;50;16 Speaker 3 And yeah, you'll get to see it. You'll get to see it. 00;22;50;16 - 00;23;08;12 Speaker 1 So there's a heat, there's a heat wave, obviously, that everyone knows about. And then there's also a concrete shortage which just learning about. Wow. So they're trying to really keep things on schedule. They've got they're going to have to pour in off time. So again, we appreciate your patience through all of this. 00;23;08;15 - 00;23;25;08 Speaker 3 Yeah, exactly. And then we're just getting ready when when song will be next. So, you know, a six classroom addition to wind song, a new parking area, um, to be able to handle the rezoning. So next year at this time when song will be okay through five will. 00;23;25;08 - 00;23;27;09 Speaker 1 Be song will be an elementary. 00;23;27;09 - 00;23;28;07 Speaker 3 We will be so. 00;23;28;07 - 00;23;28;21 Speaker 4 We, we'll. 00;23;28;21 - 00;23;33;22 Speaker 3 Be doing kindergarten. Uh, meet the teacher at win song next year. 00;23;33;24 - 00;23;40;12 Speaker 1 Wow. That's her as a, as a teacher From when? Song sixth grade teacher that's you can even think about different when sang elementary. 00;23;40;16 - 00;23;47;09 Speaker 3 But they're going to kill it over there and that's going to be it's going to be awesome It'll be great this MC Ash and she is excited to have some little guys over there. 00;23;47;09 - 00;23;47;23 Speaker 1 Oh yeah. 00;23;47;24 - 00;24;10;23 Speaker 3 You know, they do some things that building too, to get it ready and welcoming. And then we'll move to Westwood and Bales, which isn't that side isn't growing as fast, but we're, we're going to put some changes in place over there. So we're still working on that side of the barn to get it designed. So we hope to build those out this fall and get the work done over the summer. 00;24;10;25 - 00;24;15;05 Speaker 3 Next year to be able to open up next fall. Same thing. 00;24;15;07 - 00;24;19;00 Speaker 1 Interesting. Okay. So that's was that everything with Bond? 00;24;19;08 - 00;24;21;13 Speaker 3 That's everything with Bond for for right now. 00;24;21;15 - 00;24;28;24 Speaker 1 And we will continue to push out bond updates, construction updates and our newsletters and on social media. 00;24;29;00 - 00;24;30;07 Speaker 3 Website has pictures. 00;24;30;07 - 00;24;31;08 Speaker 1 Website has. 00;24;31;10 - 00;24;37;17 Speaker 3 A if you're interested to see what the final products are going to look like and updates of what what's going on right now. 00;24;37;17 - 00;24;46;17 Speaker 4 Yeah, and that should be under. So on my if I Seacom under Explorer if I Estee and then bond I think it's just called been. 00;24;46;19 - 00;24;50;17 Speaker 1 In hand so health protocols. 00;24;50;19 - 00;24;52;18 Speaker 3 Health protocols. 00;24;52;20 - 00;24;57;02 Speaker 1 Were a little bit different this year than what we started last year. Right. Thank goodness for that. 00;24;57;06 - 00;25;27;00 Speaker 3 That's right. We're at a different place. Lots of learning, lots of experiences to get us where we are. And we all know, you know, one of the key parts of safety Safety has two prongs is just, you know, the importance of of kids exposure to to each other to to, you know, experiences of life or safety need for for kids and so, I mean, we just, you know, our community, our teachers just did a great job working through last year. 00;25;27;02 - 00;25;49;28 Speaker 3 And as we start this year, really, T.A. has put out as of August, August 1st was the date that it was set out, published, just, you know, a little just soon after that. So just a few days really ago that what are the managed mandated health protocols. And it really, you know, points towards students students that test positive staying home for five days. 00;25;49;28 - 00;26;01;09 Speaker 3 Staff has been pulled out of that mandate. And so, you know, we're asking our staff to, you know, when they're fever free and symptoms improving to return to return back to. 00;26;01;09 - 00;26;04;28 Speaker 1 You, right? Yeah symptoms fever free then you can. Yeah. 00;26;04;29 - 00;26;34;16 Speaker 3 Return and we will you know we've basically taken the to mandates and put those basically into our own format and those will be coming out. I'm not sure when this podcast will go out, but those will be coming out to the this afternoon or first thing tomorrow for our, our students and our staff to build it that the good here's a here's a good thing is we've streamlined the process to be able to it's really to report it yourself. 00;26;34;16 - 00;26;45;07 Speaker 3 So we have one link where a student or you know, students parent would go on and just fill out all the information if they if they test positive for COVID. 00;26;45;11 - 00;26;46;08 Speaker 1 For their child. 00;26;46;08 - 00;27;02;29 Speaker 3 Their child. So they take their child to be tested, test positive. They fill out this one link and all the information on it, and it goes to all the right places to make everybody aware, including teachers, as they put in their email address. And that takes a lot of work off of. 00;27;03;04 - 00;27;05;12 Speaker 1 Only if they test positive to. 00;27;05;15 - 00;27;06;21 Speaker 3 Test positive. That's right. 00;27;06;21 - 00;27;13;05 Speaker 1 So if my child is sneezing, they have a symptom. But we're talking this form is for those that have tested positive. Right. 00;27;13;07 - 00;27;14;22 Speaker 3 Okay. The reporting reporting. 00;27;15;00 - 00;27;37;17 Speaker 1 And listen, we don't want to push this out last minute. You know, I think you started off by talking about T.A. just basically kind of came out with guidance. So that's why we're just kind of sharing and pushing out this guidance. And not to mention CDC came out with guidance right after D.A. So it's we realize it's a little confusing for parents, but we are going to be pushing out the health protocols. 00;27;37;17 - 00;27;43;07 Speaker 1 But one thing that you just need to know, if your child has a fever, that's kind of what we're looking for about. 00;27;43;09 - 00;27;43;16 Speaker 3 Test. 00;27;43;16 - 00;27;45;10 Speaker 1 Positive. If they if they test positive. 00;27;45;10 - 00;27;51;29 Speaker 3 If they have a fever, they should be home right now. I mean, that's been that's been in our handbooks for for many years. 00;27;52;02 - 00;28;00;07 Speaker 4 And the biggest thing, too, is that they no longer call their school nurse directly. It's that they fill out this form. So that's just from the parents. And that really. 00;28;00;09 - 00;28;20;05 Speaker 3 Helps them, too, because they're not on email. They're not called parents. Right. You know, as parents, that's a lot to a to, you know, to have to do. So, yeah, I'll go with all the right people and we'll still you know, one of the two requirements is notify notify those students who are in that class. So you'll still get those emails if you if there's a positive case. 00;28;20;05 - 00;28;40;03 Speaker 3 We still you know, we're working with the Dallas County Health Department, so we'll still make the reports to them. They are they're our partner, you know, in all of this. So. So yeah. And the other thing, too, Dana, and you know this better than anybody, Kelsey, too. You know what? We've we've learned and so we've we've pushed things out as soon as they came out and we know they've changed. 00;28;40;03 - 00;28;51;10 Speaker 3 And and so part of the last minute is, I mean, they came out last minute, but you got to wait and see how all the dust settles out before you put something out, because then you hate to come back and change it right away. 00;28;51;10 - 00;28;59;09 Speaker 1 Right? Right. That's right. Yeah, definitely. So what else? What else are some talking points for this school year we will talk to? 00;28;59;15 - 00;29;32;09 Speaker 3 I've talked to parents, several parents just out and about. And just, you know, the concern about safety and, you know, obviously, Uvalde brings brings that, you know, to the forefront again for for all of us. And you know, I would just point again to the approach of the importance of layers of safety, everything from from the doors themselves to, you know, the social emotional learning piece to partnering with police and doing drills. 00;29;32;11 - 00;29;53;08 Speaker 3 You know, every year for the past, you know, prior to 2018, you know, we've we've done drills with our police to understand their response. F PD's responses is who we partner with. And so, you know, on the website, if if the specifics to those layers, what are all those layers we have those all laid out on our our district website safety. 00;29;53;14 - 00;29;55;12 Speaker 3 Yes that right Kelsey security. 00;29;55;12 - 00;29;56;22 Speaker 1 Yeah. 00;29;56;24 - 00;30;30;14 Speaker 3 For for parents to read and the first questions you know just contact their building principal or you know JT Patton is our executive director of of security and operations. But that's what we've focused on we priority Valley we've put in, um, a new visual alert system and all of our, all of our buildings that allows, you know, teachers who have, you know, on their person and on where their name badge would be, the ability to, you know, call for a locked down by pressing, pressing a notifier. 00;30;30;17 - 00;30;49;08 Speaker 3 And it allows you to see right where the things are and to be to be right there. And, you know, another I think change too, is just partnering with MPD PD that you'll see, you know, SFPD and parking lots, writing reports. We want them to come for lunch. We want them to be on the campuses just as as partners. 00;30;49;10 - 00;30;57;10 Speaker 3 And so that's a, you know, maybe a little bit different view. And we've we've always done that. But I think it's something that we, you know, are getting used to. 00;30;57;10 - 00;30;59;01 Speaker 1 We have safety monitors at every few. 00;30;59;03 - 00;31;20;12 Speaker 3 Safety monitors check in doors. You know, that's their job. Their job is to check doors and to watch the outside. And that's what they do, you know, all day long, direct contact to MPD. And so that's an important layer that's been there since 2018 as part of our you know, as we walk through as a community, what do we want with that safety committee? 00;31;20;15 - 00;31;46;10 Speaker 3 And so but there is that level of concern. But, you know, I just ask parents to look at that, look at that document, all the layers that are that are present. And, you know, Mr. Payton and his crew going to do all the trainings. We walk through all those trainings and taking the steps that we need to to keep those layers and really for for parents, you know, you're partners in this too. 00;31;46;10 - 00;31;47;18 Speaker 1 And that's what I was about to say. 00;31;47;18 - 00;32;11;17 Speaker 3 And safety, you know, the enemy is safety is convenience in a lot of ways. And I know, you know, as a Friendswood parent, you know, kids will forget stuff or you need to bring things up. And it's so easy just to come in and have them open a door up and, you know, slide in there real fast, but with just would really help us for them to go through the process and go through where our doors are open for, you know, for business during the day. 00;32;11;17 - 00;32;29;19 Speaker 1 So don't even be afraid that if you see something unusual, if something worries you or bothers you, listen to yourself and your gut. And we have a see something I, of course, would always recommend you pick up the phone and you call that campus. That's the quickest way for us to find out that there's a problem. But we also have see something, say something you can get on and report it. 00;32;29;19 - 00;32;35;11 Speaker 1 And that report goes to multiple people. And so then we're notified how to follow up with those concerns. 00;32;35;11 - 00;32;51;25 Speaker 3 It is a it's a community effort, you know, and and that those things are very helpful. You know, we do we get a lot done going through that route. Things that they see on social media that can help us get ahead of things. That's that's a helpful thing. 00;32;51;27 - 00;33;08;03 Speaker 4 I think it's like I know it can be a scary thing. And as parents maybe have some anxiety coming in the school year, I hope that our parents know that your student will be so, so loved and cared for in our schools. Like we have a lot of amazing staff who just love on kids. That's why we do what we do. 00;33;08;03 - 00;33;14;16 Speaker 4 And I do think that's important to to understand is that's going to be at the forefront. Your child will be loved. 00;33;14;18 - 00;33;27;13 Speaker 1 I tell you what, Kelsey, and I know that if we're ever, like, feeling down or bummed or something, we get in a classroom and start taking pictures and immediately it's just the best thing ever to be able to see those faces in anywhere. 00;33;27;13 - 00;33;41;14 Speaker 3 Too, isn't it? Yeah, For me to, you know, just to go and lay on the floor with a group of kindergartners or go to a senior government class and listen to them talk about, you know, what's going on. It's. Yeah, it's total fires. Yep. 00;33;41;14 - 00;33;44;29 Speaker 4 Yeah. The little leg hugs, only regional. Oh, my gosh. 00;33;44;29 - 00;33;57;01 Speaker 1 So much inspirational stories. Yeah. A fun thing that has been happening. Going on like blowing up for years. Our our videos. 00;33;57;01 - 00;33;58;21 Speaker 4 Our convocation videos. 00;33;58;21 - 00;33;59;16 Speaker 1 Like. 00;33;59;18 - 00;34;01;05 Speaker 4 Excessive. 00;34;01;07 - 00;34;04;27 Speaker 1 Over I would guess I mean I know one awareness 18,000. 00;34;04;27 - 00;34;15;17 Speaker 4 Probably pulled up the first one we posted which was the teachers at restaurants I think the last time I checked it had over 145 shares on Facebook alone. But I can pull that up. 00;34;15;18 - 00;34;22;28 Speaker 1 Yeah, I think I saw 15, 16,000 last night just on one and I know all the other. TikTok Instagram. 00;34;22;29 - 00;34;24;10 Speaker 4 Oh, yeah. That's not even counting. 00;34;24;11 - 00;34;25;17 Speaker 1 Yeah, it's not even counting all. 00;34;25;17 - 00;34;26;28 Speaker 4 Those on those. 00;34;27;00 - 00;34;32;08 Speaker 1 So that was fun. We hope you enjoyed getting to watch our our convocation. I'll talk about. 00;34;32;09 - 00;34;37;17 Speaker 4 I mean, I think it should be obvious at this point, but talk about how that came to be and the idea behind it. 00;34;37;20 - 00;34;41;04 Speaker 1 Well, I think that idea is obvious. It's a steal from progressive. 00;34;41;11 - 00;34;44;10 Speaker 4 Like we do half of our material. Yeah. 00;34;44;13 - 00;34;58;29 Speaker 1 It's you know, it's progressive, but, you know, Thad, I, I remember Thad, you might remember it differently, but you said, Hey, I want to do that scene. I couldn't wrap my head around what it meant for teachers. I love love. Those commercials. 00;34;58;29 - 00;35;00;03 Speaker 3 Always have. Yeah. 00;35;00;10 - 00;35;19;24 Speaker 1 And you were like, think about like a teacher literally walks over to the table, starts cutting someone's feet. That's the example. I remember that you said. And I was like, okay, I get it, you know, walking in the straight line. So yeah, we appreciated those teachers that kind of gave up some of their summer time to help us get those videos. 00;35;20;00 - 00;35;37;01 Speaker 4 You know, I just looked and just on Facebook between the two videos over 25,000 views so yeah, General that's huge. That's huge. Yeah, it was a lot of fun. It's always we get nervous before posting any like, okay, we think this is this good but how is everyone going? 00;35;37;04 - 00;35;41;21 Speaker 1 Well, it didn't help. Then I showed it to a group to get their feedback and I got not one laugh. 00;35;41;25 - 00;35;42;20 Speaker 4 When she came at. 00;35;42;20 - 00;35;46;00 Speaker 1 One to laugh in there. And it's like, What's wrong with you, girl? 00;35;46;02 - 00;35;47;20 Speaker 4 It was clearly a problem with them. 00;35;47;22 - 00;35;49;08 Speaker 1 It was clearly. 00;35;49;10 - 00;36;09;14 Speaker 3 Okay. But I'll say too, you know, you make a point for your department at your department, you know, you to follow, follow Friendswood on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. I mean, we it's probably overload, you know, I mean, I know all of us have like overload of emails and all those things, but you don't want to miss out on now. 00;36;09;15 - 00;36;09;27 Speaker 1 At least. 00;36;09;27 - 00;36;23;00 Speaker 3 We use that Sunday night, you know, Sunday evenings, a typical time where we send out a lot of information and it's easy to hit that delete button, but there's always stuff. We don't put something out unless you see it. 00;36;23;00 - 00;36;41;21 Speaker 1 We think you need to say, Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, and we try to balance Yeah, the cookie crazy with the, with the informational and timely message. Yeah. I mean, we want to have fun too, and we get feedback from y'all hearing that you love it. Yeah. So that's, that's what social media, in my opinion, is. Yeah. 00;36;41;23 - 00;36;44;11 Speaker 3 Didn't you send out some type of test today to? 00;36;44;11 - 00;36;48;09 Speaker 1 Everybody texts text message. We just sent that out today at 9 a.m.. 00;36;48;09 - 00;36;50;24 Speaker 3 So they didn't get a text today. What do they need to do? 00;36;50;24 - 00;36;58;29 Speaker 1 They need to basically email the help desk. It's it was it's on the help desk is under technology web page. 00;36;59;01 - 00;37;11;22 Speaker 4 It's it's listed under the technology page but it's just help desk at SDK 12 dot net and that's the that's where they want you to direct any question to do with technology and skyward if you ever need help with that too. 00;37;11;25 - 00;37;15;05 Speaker 3 And if you get a text from us, it's you need to read it. 00;37;15;05 - 00;37;17;01 Speaker 4 Yeah, you know, it's we don't push out we don't. 00;37;17;01 - 00;37;21;05 Speaker 1 Push out many text. Yeah. Campuses now are starting to push out text message that's. 00;37;21;05 - 00;37;23;04 Speaker 4 An optional opt in. 00;37;23;07 - 00;37;29;01 Speaker 1 Yeah that's different so well awesome any any other things topics you want to talk about. 00;37;29;08 - 00;37;37;11 Speaker 3 I think that gets us off to, uh, you know, to a good start. Uh, but the Mustang mindset for everybody this year. 00;37;37;13 - 00;37;40;11 Speaker 4 I knew it was going to get plugged one more time. 00;37;40;14 - 00;37;42;29 Speaker 1 Well, it's a good thing to be plugged, so. 00;37;42;29 - 00;37;49;15 Speaker 4 I know what our Do y'all know what our slogan is for the year? In case you haven't been paying attention, It's a mustang mindset. 00;37;49;17 - 00;38;10;10 Speaker 1 So I normally end with questions I'm not going to take you through a field of questions this year, but I do. So I'm listening to Malcolm Gladwell. Don't know if you know him. Love this guy. He has a great podcast called Revisionist History. He's the author of Tipping Point Blank David and Goliath. Anyway, if you listen to podcasts, you would love him. 00;38;10;12 - 00;38;18;22 Speaker 1 But one of the questions that he asks his people that I just love this question and I would love to hear you answer it is what would you do if you couldn't do what you do? 00;38;18;24 - 00;38;22;02 Speaker 3 MM Like alternatively, yes. 00;38;22;02 - 00;38;26;09 Speaker 1 If you couldn't be a superintendent, what would you do? 00;38;26;11 - 00;38;39;21 Speaker 3 Hm. And that's a hard question because it would just be a choice of a path that would have to take you to that spot. Right. 00;38;39;23 - 00;38;54;01 Speaker 1 Um, I would, I would counsel of. Right. Well, I would like, I would lean into your passion a little bit. So what did you say? Things you. Absolutely. I mean, if I could just fly fishing. 00;38;54;01 - 00;39;21;03 Speaker 3 I mean, I love to fly fish. It is, you know, compulsion almost. It's like when I'm there and doing that, it's just feels so right for me. So, you know, something along along those lines. But I just feel just to, you know, being able to make an impact on people is is important. So not being a superintendent, what might that look like, you know? 00;39;21;09 - 00;39;29;12 Speaker 3 Mm. Maybe a college professor, you know, to teach leaders or principals or, you know, people. Yeah, I don't know. 00;39;29;14 - 00;39;29;19 Speaker 1 Yeah. 00;39;29;20 - 00;39;33;00 Speaker 3 Also, I like to mow grass, maybe lawn company. Oh right. 00;39;33;00 - 00;39;35;05 Speaker 4 Because I know we went from there. 00;39;35;05 - 00;39;40;24 Speaker 3 You go from 0 to 100. Luckily everyone's signed off by now. 00;39;40;26 - 00;39;53;04 Speaker 1 No I think they like Yeah, they like to hear those questions. So yeah. But this is a very important information. We appreciate you talking about the start of school. Yeah, we wish all students teachers the best. 00;39;53;04 - 00;39;53;20 Speaker 3 First step and. 00;39;53;20 - 00;39;54;20 Unknown Have a great day. Yep.